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The storage of solar energy in panels is very similar to traditional agriculture. In both cases, we can observe a peculiar harvest. The only difference is that the solar panel accumulates photons and converts it into an electric charge. Naturally, over time, all components degrade. And the amount of yield decreases. Let’s look at all the parameters of solar panels and consider what changes are needed in projects as the depreciation of solar equipment.
The Harvesting Process: How it works?
The solar panels need MPPT to store solar energy maximally efficiently. The power of receiving photons of light and the conversion of all this into electricity depends on this. It is worth noting that MPPT is a special algorithm for the inverter that allows you to quickly and efficiently extract energy for sending to the network. MPPT is involved in the redistribution of power between central inverters and enables the collection of energy from all battery chains.
off-grid inverter system
It is a single array that efficiently integrates all solar panels for energy storage. To the growth of technological innovations and the progress of the solar industry, modern installations are increasing in productivity. Current voltages are much higher than a decade ago. As various technologies develop, so does the photovoltaic cell chain. It also affects the overall cost and availability of the product on the market.
How does an inverter and MPPT of a PV system Work? - Sustainable Energy - TU Delft
What happens to plants with centralized MPPT functions over time?
At the moment, there is no clear understanding of what is better:
This article will only consider the principle of operation of the inverter and its effect on the structure of solar panels in general. It is worth noting that most modern American solar farms are created using central inverters. To understand how the system as a whole work Let’s draw an analogy with harvesting. For example, you decided to become a farmer and prepared a plot for planting corn. You have a field and a unique collection system that brings you a uniform crop every day.
The process is carried out evenly, and each chain of corn enters your barn to maximize the reward. Let’s check how the MPPT system works in a central inverter. For the first time of the year, you get a uniform crop without restrictions or specific problems. Unfortunately, over time, several natural factors affect the yield of corn. For example, you survived a season, a drought season, or a tropical cyclone. As a result, all your crops ripen unevenly.
It affects the harvest and changes the general approach to the use of the entire garden. Thus, there is about the same principle in solar installations. This change in yield is a mismatch. The worse it is, the less electricity you get from your solar panel. In the figure below are all the curves that show my energy generation over time and show the point of maximum power.
An example of divergent IV curves in a PV array
An example of divergent IV curves in a PV array.
At the very beginning of the solar installation, all the curves are the same. But over time, it changes. Uneven panel degradation, pollution, and other physical factors can affect the efficiency of the solar panel as a whole and the amount of energy generated. Because of this, the MPPT efficiency is reduced, and you get less power.
String-level optimizers to the rescue
Thanks to the string-level DC-DC optimizers, you can balance the productivity of solar panels and stabilize the production of solar energy with unstable congestion of solar panels. The chart below shows how to understand the return on investment and the profitability of installing optimizers to get higher yields in the future.
how the energy yield of MPPT applied to individual PV strings can exceed the energy produced
The chart above shows how the energy yield of MPPT applied to individual PV strings can exceed the energy produced by a single MPPT for an entire PV array when the IV curves of the individual strings are different.
This simulation of results clearly shows the difference between systems without optimizers and with those. It is worth noting that with solar developers it is necessary to increase MPP in future investments to increase overall profit. In general, Solar Optimizers is an important aspect that is necessary to regulate the production of solar energy and increase revenue in the foreseeable future. |
The Real Water Problem
In the last century, schools taught a simple maxim: “Water is neither created nor destroyed”. Every school child knew this; it was like gravity – an indisputable fact. Well, times they do change but this is still a concrete fact in our lives.
Now, we find ourselves on an over-stressed planet, living in drought-stricken areas, wondering where all that water that is “neither created nor destroyed” has gone. Are we running out of clean water? Just misallocating it? Wasting too much? Or, are we choosing to live in the wrong places?
The amount of fresh water on planet earth has been pretty constant since the last ice age – an inconvenient fact, but never the less true. So what’s the “real problem” with the droughts we are experiencing in the western United States? Weather, for sure, explosive population growth, yep, antiquated infrastructure that too. Yet we seem to prefer blaming someone instead of doing something. Yes, the earth’s climate is changing. It has been changing since dinosaurs roamed the planet, and probably before that. We hear “save the planet”, but not save mankind. We can safely assume the planet will be here long after humans are not. In the meantime, most of us are stuck here unless we plan on moving to Mars.
So here we are: short of clean water, living in densely populated areas throughout the West, and enjoying the life. We need more clean water to continue our lifestyles but as mentioned earlier, the amount on earth is fixed. Sure we Westerns can use less water, farmers can grow more water efficient crops, but who wants to eat only cactus pears?
Screen Shot 2016-06-30 at 12.38.05 PMFor reasons, whatever they are, rainfall amounts have changed. That’s right, water that should fall in the western US now falls elsewhere. Unless we become water nomads and follow the rain like our ancestors followed the sheep, the buffalo, the gazelles, or the reindeer, we need a practical, real world water solution with minimum impact on planet earth. Here’s where any idea, proposal or possible solution gets contentious.
We need to have a meaningful discussion about water. We need to set aside our engrained viewpoints, and we need to begin soon.
If we don’t address our water shortage, the western USA will soon resemble the Mesopotamian fertile crescent in the Tigris – Euphrates valley, the biblical land of milk and honey – but without the milk, without the honey, and without the water. |
Hyperbolic Functions: Properties & Applications
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Lesson Transcript
Instructor: Gerald Lemay
Gerald has taught engineering, math and science and has a doctorate in electrical engineering.
Although related to trigonometric functions, hyperbolic functions have special properties. In this lesson, you'll explore the properties of hyperbolic functions and their usage in both theoretical and real-world applications.
Hyperbolic Functions in Real Life
You and your friend had planned to walk to the movies together, but now it's five minutes to show time and no sign of him. Suddenly there he is, running on the sidewalk in front of your house, and it looks like stopping for you is not on his agenda. You jump off your porch and start to run. Heading towards your friend, you constantly change direction until you catch up.
Looking back at your footsteps, your friend remarks, 'Hey, you traced out an interesting curve.' To which you respond, 'For sure. It's based on hyperbolic functions.' Okay, okay, you probably wouldn't have said this. That is, not until you've completed this lesson.
Hyperbolic functions occur in all sorts of places. Let's talk about their properties and some of their cool applications.
Identifying Hyperbolic Functions
Hyperbolic functions are defined in terms of exponentials, and the definitions lead to properties such as differentiation of hyperbolic functions and their expansion as infinite series. They're written like the trig functions cosine (cos), sine (sin), tangent (tan), but they have an 'h' at the end. Cosh is pronounced 'kosh;' sinh is pronounced 'sinch;' and tanh is usually read as 'tan h' but sometimes we say 'tanch.'
Let's look at the graphs of cosh(x) and sinh(x):
That curve you traced is called the pursuit curve or the tractrix curve. The equations relating the x and y positions as a function of time both involve hyperbolic functions. In the following graph, do you see the square (you) pursuing the circle (your friend)?
Note the hyperbolic functions cosh(x) and tanh(x).
Identifying Hyperbolic Functions
The cosh(x) and sinh(x) functions may be defined in terms of exponential functions. Note that x is the independent variable.
Similarities exist between trig functions and hyperbolic functions. For example, tangent is sine divided by cosine. For hyperbolic tangent,
Trig functions have special names for their reciprocals. Secant, abbreviated sec, is one over cosine; cosecant, abbreviated csc, is one over sine; and cotangent, abbreviated cot, is one over tangent. The hyperbolic versions of these functions have an 'h' added to the end. Thus, we have sech(x), csch(x), and coth(x), as you can see:
Here are some other hyperbolic function properties.
In terms of their derivatives,
As a series,
Examples of Hyperbolic Functions
Let's use hyperbolic function properties.
Example 1
When a flexible cable is suspended between two towers, the relevant equation is:
We would like to show you that y = cosh(x) is a solution to this equation.
To solve this problem we'll start by assuming that y = cosh(x) is the solution.
Recall that the first derivative is called y prime and the second derivative is called y double-prime.
Starting with our assumption that y is cosh(x), y prime is the derivative of cosh(x). From the properties, the derivative of cosh(x) is sinh(x). Thus, y prime is sinh(x).
Continuing, y double-prime is the derivative of y prime. That means that y double-prime is the derivative of sinh(x). From the properties, we know that the derivative of sinh(x) is cosh(x). Thus, y double-prime is cosh(x).
You can see what we have so far:
Now, let's substitute into our equation. We get the following:
If we square both sides, we then arrive at the following:
Now, through some simple algebra we get this equation
which is one of our properties.
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Tips and Tricks for the Diligent Note Taker
For executive assistants (EAs) and others, note taking can seem like a tedious activity that doesn’t differ far from the Power Point or company hand out. Many executive assistants take notes to avoid missing a detail or losing their focus. However, note taking is a crucial skill that integrates multiple parts of the brain to recall, retain, and immerse yourself in the material being presented. We’re here to uncover some of the best ways to take notes and the benefits of each.
While note taking has been around since the age of the first ancient languages, modern note taking has evolved quite a bit over the last decade. New technologies have changed the way we present and absorb critical information. While some EAs will always feel more comfortable with pencil and paper, many are taking advantage of the tools within their grasp. Depending on the professional or educational setting, almost all EAs are equipped with laptops, phones, tablets, and a variety of other electronic devices to assist in their work. With all this technological innovation, what’s the most effective solution? We’ve reviewed the data, and the answer isn’t so simple.
Microsoft OneNote
Many are straying away from the traditional writing mediums such as Word or Pages for more user friendly applications such as Microsoft’s OneNote. While Microsoft OneNote includes many of the traditional benefits you would find in word, it also includes innovative aids such as synched audio recording and text-to speech technology. These features wipe away the anxiety of trying to catch every last word your executive says. Assistants have the ability to listen to their typed or recorded notes at a time of their convenience. Since EAs can also convert their written notes into audio, they can also share that audio with their executive. Increased preparation for assistants and executives is one the primary benefits for text-to-speech technology. Microsoft OneNote is available for both PC and Mac users.
Book Creator
For the executive assistants looking beyond written or spoken text, they will be thrilled to know that Book Creator has their back. Kindergartners, college students, and tech savvy EAs are learning to harness the power of multimedia notebooks to broaden their horizons. Personal illustrations and video technology allow note takers integrate their learning into creative workbooks. While Book Creator is primarily used in lower education, administrators and assistants now have an additional tools to capture and share detailed recaps of past meetings. Besides a pair of virtual reality goggles, Book creator is the best way for any employee to relive a past event.
Smart Pen
For the those who can’t break from pencil and paper, the Smart Pen might do the trick. While Smart Pens have existed for a while, their accuracy has improved quite a bit. The days of glitches between Pen strokes are over. Depending upon the surface or tablet being used, Smart Pens can offer significant organization benefits to your notes. EAs can share their written notes without the company scanner, and the executive will always have an electronic copy. However, these Pens can be tougher to use than traditional writing utensils, and fidgeting with these devices can be a significant distraction to the presentation at hand.
While Microsoft OneNote, Book Creator, and Smart Pens has shown to be great for many, executive assistants ought to use a medium they feel most comfortable with. This allows the executive assistant to put their focus on the information, and will benefit the executive in the long run. In other words, teaching an old dog new tricks might not be the most effective strategy. Some EAs will always retain more by writing by hand, and there is plenty of data to back them up. Let’s explore further into why quality notes are vitally essential in the workplace.
Traditional Memorization
Some EAs depend solely on their memories when speaking to their executive. Some may be justified in this technique, however, statistics from Scientific American show that only between 2-10% of the population process a photographic memory. So for the other 90-98% of EAs, they will have to come to terms with their dependence on quality notes for recalling information. While most will need to put in additional time and effort, not having a photographic memory does come with some upsides. EAs are forced to process information and rehearse their learning as they take notes to study. Ben Orlin of The Guardian defines memorization as “learning an isolated fact through deliberate effort”. The extra effort is what propels executive assistants to not only recall the information, but also store it away for when it may be needed.
The two most common forms of memorization are rehearsal and mnemonics. Rehearsal is just about what is sounds like. By simply repeating information over and over, most people will retain the information in your short term memory. However, this information will most likely flood away from your memory in a matter of days or weeks if not reviewed. Mnemonics is the reason children can memorize their ABCs. When developing systems to improve learning such as a song or story, the brain is more efficient at storing information for future use. While rehearsal may seem like a primitive way of learning, it can come into play at some inopportune moments. Executives often expect their assistants to memorize their constantly changing schedule. No assistant enjoys running off to their computer or checking their phone to find out which client is next in line. EAs may want to rehearse their executives schedule at the start of the day. Knowing the executives daily agenda will keep their assistants on task and fully prepared to tackle any last minute changes.
Mnemonics is often overlooked by professionals as an effective way to recall information. While organizing information in a catchy tune might seem childish, it may be the difference between bombing or succeeding at a crucial moment. Most business professionals have faced a time in which their mind goes blank, and the room stares back. To avoid these embarrassing moments, try organizing your thoughts into a simple song or acronym. This tool will act as your internal outline and reference if your mind goes astray. If an assistant speaks on behalf of their executive, this technique may be particularly critical.
Executive assistants understand their position has transformed from a supportive roll to a strategic one over the last several decades. EA’s should not only be listening to what their executive is saying, but actively brainstorming solutions to potential issues. It’s good etiquette to inform the executive about your brainstorming so they are aware you may need a few extra moments to write or type in between subject breaks. EAs function as a trusted confidant and counsel for their executives. Executives may want to hear their input on serious issues, and EAs should always be prepared to offer a potential solution. This means EAs should retain rigorous notes on what worked in the past, and what might work in the future. Some executives may not care to hear their suggestions, and EAs should be prepared for that as well.
As for almost everything in life, preparation can make or break success. Executives are relying on their assistants to perform a multitude of tasks on an hourly basis. Whether it’s Microsoft OneNote, Book Creator, or the Smart Pen, exploring new methods and techniques for taking notes is bound to solidify whichever strategy is best for you. Executive assistants don’t need a photographic memory, but they can get closer by harnessing the power of diligent note taking.
To learn more about supporting more than one executive, managing and motivating an admin team, or other high-level topics for those supporting the c-suite, attend an Executive leadership Support forum near you! The Executive Leadership Support team is endlessly thankful for all of the past, present, and future attendees. |
The IELTS Writing Task 1 often features a line graph. Describing a line graph is not as difficult as it seems. In fact, there are a few things to remember to help you gain a band 7.0 score.
You can learn these two structures and, with only a little bit of variation, you can describe almost any trend.
Interest rates decreased significantly.
Subject (what you’re describing) + verb + adverb
There was a significant decrease in interest rates.
There was + adjective + noun + (what you’re describing)
You can use these formulas to describe most trends in line graphs. Here are some more examples.
Unemployment levels dropped slightly.
The price of gas increased suddenly.
There was a steady decline in attendance.
As you can see above, you can use verbs or nouns to describe changes given that you alter the grammar of the sentence. This is useful for avoiding repetition. For example, read the following passage:
Interest rates increased from 5% to 6% and then increased again from 6% to 8%. They decreased to 4% and then increased once more to 7.5% before decreasing back to 5%.
It sounds awfully repetitive! Let’s trying mixing it up:
Interest rates increased from 5% to 6% and then rose again from 6% to 8%. They fell to 4% and then there was an increase once more to 7.5% before dropping back to 5%.
Here are some comparable pairs:
Rose (to)A rise
Went up (to)A growth
Climbed (to)An upward trend
BoomedA boom
Increased (to)An increase
Keep in mind that if you use the verb + to then you must follow with a number. Also, most of those words can be used interchangeably, except for “boom” which suggests a large, sudden increase.
Being Specific
There’s a big difference between the right word and the nearly right word… In the IELTS, getting a higher band can be achieved by using more specific and accurate language. Instead of simply saying that something went up or went down, try using adverbs and adjectives to say how it went up or down.
Here’s a list of some useful words:
They can be used together thusly:
table uhahzj - How to Describe Line Graphs for IELTS Writing Task 1
More Information About Line Graphs
If you want to see how you can use the above language in a report on line graphs, you should take a look at this helpful YouTube video:
If you need help describing line graphs, check out our writing correction service. |
Can Bed Bugs Fly? And Your Other Bed Bug Questions Answered
Have questions about bed bugs? Well, we have the answers to your most common bed bug questions, ranging from can bed bugs fly? To where do bed bugs come from?
Can Bed Bugs Fly?
While bed bugs can get around surprisingly quickly, they can’t actually fly. Also, contrary to other similar species of parasite, they can’t jump long distances either. No, bed bugs’ primary form of transportation is hitching a ride within your luggage or bags when you aren’t looking.
What are Common Bed Bug Signs?
Common bed bug signs include red stains on sheets from when sleepers rolled over and crushed them, as well as shed skin lying around your sleeping area. You can also find excrement stains on mattresses and walls. In severe cases, you would also be able to smell their distinctive musty odour.
How Easily do Bed Bugs Transfer?
The good news is that bed bugs don’t spread from residence to residence super easily, but they can definitely get around your home quickly by travelling along pipes and wires. Unlike other parasites, you don’t have worry too much about them hitching a ride on your dog, but if they find their way into your luggage or bag, they can set up shop in your next sleeping area relatively quickly.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
The best long-term solution of how to get rid of bed bugs is through integrated pest management, i.e. making your home uninhabitable for them with the help of registered pest control professionals. This can involve finding their hiding places and eliminating them, however in extreme situations, you might need a bed bug heat treatment.
What is Bed Bug Heat Treatment?
Bed bug heat treatment takes different forms, but it generally is what it sounds like: killing bed bugs with heat.
Common bed bug heat treatment methods include placing infected items in hot boxes, steaming treatments in your bedroom, placing infected clothes in dryers, or even simply raising the central heat in a building to fatal bed bug levels.
However, killing bed bugs with heat has to be accompanied with an IPM plan, otherwise the infestation could return if left unchecked.
Where do Bed Bugs Come From?
Originally, bed bugs come from caves in the Middle East. Bed bugs actually appear in ancient Greek writings with physicians actually claiming they could help heal ear infections and snake bites (this still being the age when bleeding was considered the leading form of medicine). Since then, bed bugs have spread across the world.
Are Bed Bug Bites Painful?
While the actual bed bugs bites aren’t painful enough to wake you up, the resulting inflammation could be painful and discomforting. The itchiness could also cause you to over-scratch and harm yourself. Ultimately, reactions to bed bug bites vary from person to person.
To learn more about how easily do bed bugs spread and killing bed bugs with heat, contact Terminix Canada. We have 20 years’ experience with bed bug pest control and can educate you on the best ways how to get rid of bed bugs. |
The AI innovations: discover the full potential of this year’s major technology trend
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become one of the most important technological trends this year, and its importance is only growing. It will not only help a wider circle of companies to make more effective business decisions by extracting the most important data, but will also increasingly integrate into consumer-class devices. In addition, it is already integrated into the software of a number of prestigious mobile phones.
The importance of integrating AI into the infrastructure of the future has already been recognized - the “Government AI Readiness Index” has recently been created, which reflects the willingness of governments of different countries to support the development of AI technology. According to the report1, the top line in the ranking is Great Britain, because this country has highly developed industries that use advanced technologies, and the world's leading centers for the study of artificial intelligence are located.
AI will be useful for a wide range of sectors, from healthcare, retail, and sports to manufacturing, logistics, and entertainment. In the mobile device sector, conversational artificial intelligence will mainly increase in popularity. Probably the most well-known examples of conversational AI are the Apple * Siri * and Amazon * Alexa * voice assistants, which can be integrated into various devices, including smartphones and tablets. “As artificial intelligence at the core of our devices expands its knowledge base, our devices will not only be able to answer our questions ... they will start a dialogue with us, consisting not only of the simplest teams, but also of full-fledged offers,” says Jon Stine, Intel's global retail sales director, in a blog post. - With intonations and emotions. This opens up opportunities for a better understanding of customer behavior and improving the quality of their service. ”
This type of conversational interface with artificial intelligence allows machines to communicate with us in a more familiar way for humans and is able to completely change the idea of customer service. The advent of text chatbots has already marked an important step in this direction. In 2016, Facebook * launched a convenient developer platform that allows you to create chatbots for your Messenger * service. Now there is a huge assortment of chatbots, one of which helps to easily order pizza. The UK National Health Service also introduced its experimental bot, which can respond to patients reporting their symptoms.
Artificial intelligence is a revolutionary technology that is designed to transform a huge number of companies without slowing the pace of innovation. In addition to optimizing business processes and providing valuable analytical information, AI is able to radically change the approach to customer service. We are waiting not only for the appearance of a wide variety of products equipped with conversational AI, manufacturers will also embed AI in an increasing number of mobile devices to increase their efficiency. However, to realize the maximum capabilities of artificial intelligence, both technological and cultural changes are required. |
Motivational Therapy
Motivational Therapy / Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based therapy that increases your motivation to quit using drugs or alcohol. It works by removing doubts about rehab and sobriety while also building up your confidence and desire to change.
Benefits of Motivational Interviewing:
• Less likely to drop out of rehab.
• More motivated to change.
• More confident in their ability to succeed in rehab.
• Less likely to relapse after treatment.
Why It’s Important for Recovery?
The desire to quit rehab is a huge barrier. Some people don’t think their habit is serious, don’t want to give up the positive sensations of drug use, or they fear withdrawals and cravings. MI helps clients overcome their denial and come to their own conclusions about the pros and cons of drug abuse.
Once they find their desire to change and see how they could make that change, it’s easier to feel like they’re pursuing something they’ve chosen instead of feeling like they’re being forced to give up something they enjoy. It gets them “off the fence” about quitting by helping them find what they want from their recovery [2].
Motivational Interviewing Techniques: How Does It Work?
Motivational Interviewing uses questions to understand your thinking, asks clarifying questions to make you think about all the different parts of your position, and moves you toward deciding you want to make small changes. All of this comes down to 4 techniques that help someone sustain the motivation to pursue their sobriety:
Open-Ended Questions:
Questions that cannot be answered simply and open a dialogue. This allows the therapist to better understand your thoughts and feelings about something or ask more questions to learn more. These questions may also help you think about things differently, decide what your goals are, or help you make plans to overcome obstacles [1].
Examples of Open-Ended Questions:
1. Tell me about your family / What’s your family like? [1]
2. Tell me about the last time you got high / What was it like the last time you got high?
3. When someone suggests detoxing, what do you think about?
4. What would it look like to not drink for a day?
5. What does overdrinking mean to you?
Reflections or reflective listening means summarizing what someone has said, either as a question or statement. It’s a way for a therapist to make sure they understand both what you said and what you meant after you’ve answered something. Reflections can also encourage you to evaluate your thoughts and feelings in a way you hadn’t considered before.
Examples of Reflections:
Client: I don’t know why my wife is worried about this. I don’t drink any more than my friends.
Therapist: So your wife is worrying needlessly? [1]
Client: I can smoke weed and be a good father.
Therapist: It seems like you believe that you’d interact with your daughter the exact same way whether you were using marijuana or not.
Client: Maybe not the exact same…
Therapist: What do you think would be different?
Client: Well weed messes with your memory. Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember things.
Therapist: The idea of not remembering seems like it troubles you. What are you afraid of forgetting?
Client: Just special moments with her I guess.
Therapist: Forgetting those is a scary thought.
Therapists praise positive progress, change, or actions in therapy. Sometimes it’s difficult for people recovering from addiction to see or acknowledge their own successes. Affirmation lets them know someone sees them succeeding and opens the door for them to admit it as well.
Examples of Affirmation:
• That was a big step [1].
• I think that’s a great idea.
• That shows real progress.
• That could not have been easy. Well done. You should be proud.
At the end of a topic or session therapists might make sure they and the client “are on the same page” by summarizing what they talked about and what they decided forward progress would be before the next session. It’s a way to prepare to move forward.
Example of Summarization:
Therapist: It seems like you want to be more present with your daughter. You seemed concerned about forgetting any special moments, and said you wanted to try not using marijuana the next time she’s around, right?
Motivational Interviewing Principles:
Motivational Interviewing has 5 principles that therapists use to motivate patients towards making positive changes [2]. These are not techniques learned in a manual as much as they are ways of being around clients.
Develop Discrepancy Between Goals and Actions:
We are more likely to change if we see that our current thinking or actions don’t line up with our goals. Part of MI is using reflections or open-ended questions to help you see how you might be slowing your progress. It can also be a way to help you realize how your actions conflict with your values [1] [2].
• What do you think are some good and not-good things about continuing to drink/use drugs? [1]
• On the one hand, you say that doing well in school so you can get a good job is important but on the other hand, you say you want to keep drinking even though you keep missing class. Can you help me understand how those fit together?
• You said saving money for BLANK is important. How do you think drinking/smoking affects that? What’s a rough or not-rough guess of how much you spend every week on drinking/drugs?
• How would you have described yourself before you started drinking/using drugs? How would you describe yourself now?
Express Empathy:
A way of showing that the therapist sees the world through your eyes. When we feel understood we tend to open up more and be more willing to take action. If we feel misunderstood we can become defensive or cling to our actions. To effectively express empathy a therapist makes it clear that while they may not agree with your actions, they accept you [1] [2].
• I can appreciate how difficult that is [1].
• That must have been hard on you.
• If I were going through what you are, I can imagine that I would feel similarly
Amplify Ambivalence to explore doubts:
Sometimes we know we need to change but haven’t realized all the reasons why. This doubting can get in the way of sustaining new behaviors so therapists help you explore all the reasons change could be positive and encourage you to explore your doubts [1] [2].
• What have others said about this problem? Why do you think it’s a problem?
• What do you think your life would be like if you didn’t change anything?
• What was your life like before you had problems with drinking/smoking/drugs/etc?
• How has your life changed now?
• What is most exciting to you about not drinking/smoking/doing drugs/etc.
• What is most scary to you about not drinking/smoking/doing drugs/etc.
Roll with Resistance:
Change is hard and most of us are resistant to it. Rolling with Resistance is a way for therapists to avoid arguing with you while staying respectful and empathetic if you seem resistant. Therapists recognize that you wouldn’t be here if part of you wasn’t open to change, so if you’re resistant it means that the conversation needs to be changed to better reflect what you want or need [1] [2].
Client: I don’t want to quit drinking.
Therapist: You don’t think abstinence would work right now? [1
Client: I am not an addict.
Therapist: That word seems to bother you. What does it mean to you?
Client: I can’t do it.
Therapist: What do you think a first step would look like?
Client: It doesn’t matter I’ve tried before and it didn’t work.
Therapist: What do you think went wrong?
Support Self-Efficacy:
Self-efficacy is our belief in ourselves to do something. If we don’t believe we can change, we are far less likely to succeed. That’s why therapists try to build our confidence. This isn’t false praise or empty words. It’s a way to make sure someone knows they’re doing well [1] [2].
• It seems as though you have put a lot of thought into these goals [1].
• You say you’re still struggling with making these changes, but I see that you’ve had a lot of success so far.
• Looks like you made real progress.
Motivational Interviewing Stages of Change:
MI believes that anyone struggling with substance abuse would choose to be sober if they thought the pros of doing so outweighed the cons. MI helps resolve this internal battle over whether to quit or remain sober by moving people through the 5 stages of change [1].
Stage 1. Pre-contemplation: They are most resistant to change at this point. They do not intend to change, don’t think they need to change, or they might have tried and failed already and are trying to avoid thinking about change.
Stage 2. Contemplation: They are starting to think about changing. They are willing to admit they might have a problem and that there would be benefits to changing but are also aware of the costs
Stage 3. Preparation / Determination: They have decided to take action and are preparing for the change (buying a book, seeing a doctor, making calls to treatment).
Stage 4. Action: They try to deal with their problem by changing their life.
Stage 5. Maintenance: They try to maintain the changes they’ve made.
Become Your Best:
At Tree House Recovery we believe that everyone wants to get better and that change takes time, patience, and direction. We can help you realize your infinite potential and value. Call us to get started: (855) 202-2138
1. Miller and Rollnick. “Motivational Interviewing as a Counselling Style.” SAMHSA. 1991. Link.
2. “Principles and Techniques of Motivational Interviewing.” AIPC Library. 12, January 2015. Link. |
John Frederic Daniell, a British chemist, physicist and meteorologist, was born in London on March 12, 1790.
In 1831, he was the first professor at the newly opened King's College of London.
He invented the hygrometer and the pyrometer. He was a great scholar of electrochemistry. In the year 1836, Daniell built a pile. The galvanic copper and zinc stack that bore his name, the Daniell Stack.
There were already other piles made by other scientists, such as Alessandro Volta and Sturgeon.
In 1839, physicist Daniell wrote Introduction to Chemical Philosophy.
Daniell died on March 13, 1845 in London. |
Free UK standard delivery when you spend £45
The cost of cheap food
Buried beneath the hype of supermarket price wars, lies the real cost of cheap food. Wildlife is under threat, waste food is stacking up, and farmers’ wallets are suffering. According to a new report, food is simply too cheap.
The study by environmental charity People Need Nature found that: “food is so cheap that around one third of all food and drink bought in the UK is thrown away.”
In a world that needs food banks to alleviate the pressures of poverty, surely driving down prices can only help. Far from it, according to the report.
The damage to wildlife
Both supermarkets and consumers are demanding cheap food, and farmers are feeling the pressure. Intensive farming practices, focused on the drive for low costs, are often inhospitable to wildlife. Although many farmers would be happy to see their fields brimming with nature, the need to get an increased yield puts them under pressure, and wildlife is all too often swept to one side.
The report’s author, Miles King, said: “Now farmers have the technology to produce food with the almost total exclusion of wildlife. This is a choice, at its core driven by our desire for cheaper and cheaper food.”
Farm slurry polluting rivers; sheep over-grazing in upland heaths; and herbicide-laced maize fields are all to blame for creating poor habitats for wildlife, according to the report. Large numbers of wildlife habitats have been completely lost, with 98% of the wildflower meadows present in 1940 no longer in existence.
The charity insists that we need to think much more about where food comes from, and how it has been produced. They said: “Those who push for ever-cheaper food are not interested in what sort of countryside we have in England.”
They highlight that farming has steadily taken its toll on wildlife since the end of the Second World War, when a scarcity of food across Europe led to a drive in cheap food production. Artificial fertilisers, pesticides, and new machinery all helped increase production at a time when it was most needed, but has caused major damage to wildlife populations.
Over half of all UK species are now in decline, with climate change and agriculture cited as the most prominent factors by a State of Nature study. The coalition of 50 organisations blames “intensive management of agricultural land” for 20% of all impact on species populations.
An RSPB managed farm set out to reverse the trend of species decline by developing new farming methods. They saw a very literal demonstration of the butterfly effect when the nature-friendly methods they used in food production directly resulted in the farm’s butterfly index increasing by 224%, compared to a national decline of 2%.
The price for farmers
Just as the needs of wildlife are all too often neglected to facilitate cheap food production, farmers also come low in the pecking order. People Need Nature claim that farmers are often earning less than the cost of production, and are reliant on subsidies. For every pound spent in a supermarket, only 9p goes to the farmer, and an average of 3p is lost for every litre of milk they produce. According to the study, supermarkets often charge suppliers when their products are placed on promotion, with the charges passed on to the farmers.
Chris Smaje co-owns a farm comprising of newly planted woodland, permanent pasture, and a small-scale commercial market garden. He believes that farms like his are rare in the UK due to low food and fuel costs coupled with high land and labour costs. He partially attributes the low cost of food to an “agricultural subsidy regime that systematically favours large-scale landownership and heavily mechanised cereal farming,” as well as the “market distortion introduced by the monopsony (buyer’s monopoly) of the supermarkets and other middlemen.”
Tackling waste food
Excess food creates a world of problems. In the process of growing earth’s wasted food and getting it on supermarket shelves, 3.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide is generated. As waste food stacks up, how is the problem being dealt with across the globe?
France has tackled the problem head-on, by banning supermarkets from throwing away leftover food. The threat of a €75,000 fine is firmly in place should shops refuse to donate excess to charity. The desire to cut food waste is catching on across Europe, with the European Parliament calling for legislation to halve food waste by 2030.
Ripples of change are making their way across the UK too, and people are starting to take a fresh look at how to treat waste food. The Real Junk Food Project has launched a network of ‘pay as you feel’ cafés in the UK, Europe and Australia. Online supermarket Ocado has now pledged leftover food to the project, donating items from cancelled customer orders.
Following the success of the cafés, the organisation has now opened the first ‘pay as you feel’ supermarket in Leeds. Customers can get a square meal for next to nothing, by shopping for food unwanted by supermarkets and otherwise destined for landfill.
Waste food is even going digital, with food saving apps making their way into the virtual world. Too Good To Go allows restaurants to offer surplus meals to hungry customers at a discounted price, and claims to have avoided 27 tonnes of CO2 emissions by the beginning of 2017. Users can also pay it forward, donating leftover meals to those in need.
The future of food
These initiatives might go some way to preventing food ending up in landfills, but what of the damage done by intensive farming methods? To protect wildlife, the countryside, and farmers, Miles King suggests a fundamental change in the way England approaches food production.
He proposes a new system of growing food, one which benefits nature and helps communities. As part of this new system, he suggests that landowners should be fairly paid when they provide the public with certain benefits, such as clean water, reduced flooding, and wildlife.
Food poverty remains a crucial issue, but People Need Nature suggest that making cheap food available to everyone is: “the equivalent of having a flat rate of income tax.” Instead of making cheap food universally available, they propose that those who need help should instead receive financial support from the government.
They said: “Is it really that radical to suggest that the public purse should support the poorest in society so they can have access to healthy, sustainably sourced food?”
England spends the lowest proportion of national income on food of any country in the EU - 15% less than the European average. The charity believes that a radical shift in mentality is needed in order to better protect wildlife, give fair pay to farmers, and reduce waste: “Do we continue down the road we have been on for the last 70 years, searching for new ways to make food cheaper at the point of sale? Or do we want to change direction and support farmers in producing high quality food that is produced in ways, which do not harm the environment?”
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Version Control
From Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Version control
Version or revision control software like Bazaar, Git and Subversion, is used for managing different versions or revisions of files [1]. This can be used for different reasons. For instance for collaborate editing of files and keeping track of who edits what. Programmers use this kind of software, but it is also useful as a backup mechanism for TeX files.
Stephan Hennig created a version control bundle for TeX and friends [2]. This bundle, meant not only for LaTeX but for TeX and friends, is useful for getting among other things revision number of your project to use it in your TeX-document. Of course you should have Bazaar, Git or Subversion installed and (some of) the files in your directory should be under version control. GNU awk is also required.
The bundle basically consists of some scripts which produce a vc.tex file with some macros which can be used in a ConTeXt file:
input vc
The manual of the bundle is very clear. For your convenience here an example of how to use the macros with Git [3]. Derived from Mark Eli Kalderon [4] and the vc manual.
%\immediate\write18{sh ./vc}
\input vc
\item VCRevision = \VCRevision\ current (maximum) working copy revision number
\item VCRevisionMod = \VCRevisionMod\ as VCRevision = \VCRevision, but with an additional note if the working copy contains modified files
\item VCAuthor = \VCAuthor\ author of the last check-in operation
\item VCDateRaw = \VCDateRAW\ date of last check-in in native format of the VCS software
\item VCDateISO = \VCDateISO\ date of last check-in in ISO format YYYY-MM-DD
\item VCDateTEX = \VCDateTEX\ date of last check-in in TeX format YYYY/MM/DD
\item VCTime = \VCTime\ time of last check-in
\item VCModifiedText = \VCModifiedText\ contains the note shown in macro VCRevisionMod = \VCRevisionMod\ if there were modified files.
This macro can be redefined by the user.
\item VCModified = \VCModified\ 0 if there are no modified files in the working copy directory; 1 or 2 if there are modified files.
In general you don't need this macro.
These macros can be called wherever appropriate.
Revision: \VCRevision ; Author: \VCAuthor ; Date: \VCDateISO
\item GITHash = \GITHash\ 40-hexdigit SHA1 commit hash
\item GITAbrHash = \GITAbrHash\ abbreviated commit hash
\item GITParentHashes = \GITParentHashes\ parent hashes
\item GITAbrParentHashes = \GITAbrParentHashes\ abbreviated parent hashes
\item GITAuthorName = \GITAuthorName\ author name
\item GITAuthorEmail = \GITAuthorEmail\ author email
\item GITAuthorDate = \GITAuthorDate\ author date
\item GITCommitterName = \GITCommitterName\ committer name
\item GITCommitterEmail = \GITCommitterEmail\ committer e-mail
\item GITCommitterDate = \GITCommitterDate\ committer date
evden eve nakliyat evden eve nakliyat evden eve nakliyat nakliyat nakliyat evden eve nakliye |
P2P Lending
From P2P Foundation
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Definition and description from http://www.p2p-weblog.com/50226711/p2p_borrowers.php
See the full entry on P2P Finance for a broader context.
From the Wikipedia:
"Person-to-person lending (also known as peer-to-peer lending, peer-to-peer investing, and social lending; abbreviated frequently as P2P lending) is a certain breed of financial transaction (primarily lending and borrowing, though other more complicated transactions can be facilitated) which occurs directly between individuals or "peers" without the intermediation of a traditional financial institution. Person-to-person lending is for the most part a for-profit activity, this distinguishes it from person-to-person charities, person-to-person philanthropy and crowdfunding which also create connections between donors and recipients of donations but are nonprofit movements." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person-to-person_lending)
P2P Lending
From the P2P Weblog at http://www.p2p-weblog.com/50226711/p2p_lending_overview.php
"P2P lending is a new application for P2P services and technology. It directly connects and provides benefits to individual lenders and borrowers. P2P lending bypasses banks and other formal financial institution. It's often called Social Lending, since part of its appeal is the person to person nature of the service.
P2P lending services are not financial institutions. They do not guarantee loans or rates. They are an exchange or intermediary that facilitates the matching of lenders and borrowers and the transfer of funds and payments.
The service may include social networking features, such as photos, borrower Q&A, friends, borrower recommendations, community groups, and listing sharing. Loans are generally small, typically $1,000 to $25,000 and spread out over many lenders who can loan as little as $50." (http://www.p2p-weblog.com/50226711/p2p_lending_overview.php)
P2P Lending Borrowers
"P2P lending borrowers pay lower interest rates since there is no bank overhead. Loan payments are automatically withdrawn from the borrower's regular bank account.
P2P lending is similar in many ways to eBay. Borrowers create a listing where they specify the amount, loan duration, and loan interest rate they seek. Additional information can include the reason for the loan and other personal comments. Listings may be able to be watched, emailed, linked to, bookmarked, promoted, or even reported if improper.
There is a financial valuation that can include a personal budget, income and asset verification, and credit check, to determine the credit worthiness of a borrower. The lower a person's credit risk, the lower their interest rate and loan payment will be.
Lenders bid on borrower offers. Upon a successful bid lender funds are automatically deposited into the borrower's account." (http://www.p2p-weblog.com/50226711/p2p_borrowers.php)
P2P Lenders
"Lenders on the P2P lender sites receive excellent returns compared to bonds plus the satisfaction of knowing they are directly helping other individuals just like them.
Lenders can search for borrowers by a variety of factors, such as keywords, type of loan, credit criteria, and amount of loan funded.
Lenders can easily spread their loans among multiple borrowers. Such diversification ensures a relatively low risk and reliable return.
Loan payments are automatically deposited in the lender's bank account. P2P lender services employ collection agencies to maximize payout. Delinquent and defaulted accounts are reported to the main credit reporting agencies." (http://www.p2p-weblog.com/50226711/p2p_lenders.php)
Via the Wikipedia: [1]
"Various models and variations of person-to-person lending services have evolved based on different combinations of the following main parameter settings:
* Direct vs. indirect lending
* Secured vs. unsecured lending
* Prior familiarity of lenders and borrowers
* Services offered
Direct vs. indirect lending
Direct lending
In this model, the lender lends money to one specific borrower based on his/her credit rating; the risk of capital and interest for the lender is that the borrower could default on the loan. Lenders have mitigated this risk by investing small amounts into a large number of loans so that only a small amount of money is loaned to any one person. See also direct loans.
Indirect lending
In this model (also known as 'pooled lending'), the lender lends the money to several borrowers with similar credit ratings; the risk of capital and interest for the lender is defaulters in the pool. The risk of capital and interest of the lender is reduced considerably because the impact of any one default is made trivial in light of the timely payment of the vast majority of the notes outstanding; both many-to-one or one-to-many credit structures may be involved. This model is very similar to the traditional bank model and does not allow the lenders to select individual borrowers. See also pooled investment.
Secured vs. unsecured lending
Secured lending
In this model, the lender gives money to the borrower against the strength of the collateral given by the borrower. For loans that are originated in the United States it is common to file a UCC-1 form. Each state has a different form. See also asset-based lending.
Unsecured lending
In this model, the lender gives money to the borrower based on the credit rating of the borrower. The lender runs the risk of the capital and interest in case of failure on the part of the borrower. Two variants have evolved in this space. See also unsecured loans.
Prior familiarity of lenders and borrowers
Unfamiliar lenders and borrowers
In this model (also known as 'marketplace lending'), the lenders and borrowers are previously unacquainted or do not have a prior personal loan agreement. The system enables individual lenders to locate individual borrowers and vice-versa and connects them through an auction-like process in which the lender willing to provide the lowest interest rate "wins" the borrower's loan. The marketplace process may include other intermediaries who package and resell the loans, but the loans are ultimately sold to individuals or pools of individuals.
Familiar lenders and borrowers
In this model (also known as 'family and friend lending'), the lender lends money to a borrower based on their pre-existing personal, family, or business relationship. The model forgoes an auction-like process and concentrates on formalizing and servicing a personal loan. Lenders can charge below market rates to assist the borrower and mitigate risk. Loans can be made to buy homes, personal needs, school, travel or any other needs.
A special case of this model is community lending in microfinance where a loan is made to a specific individual but the lending agreement is structured to hold the borrower's social group either directly accountable for the repayment of the loan (akin to "cosigning") or indirectly accountable, whereby the entire social group may face future consequences, such as reduced access to credit or higher future rates, if one of its members fails to repay an obligation.
Services offered
Loan origination
The services offered include matching borrowers to lenders, calculating interest rates and repayment terms and disbursing funds.
Loan servicing
The services offered include formalizing loans by creating written documents, establishing payment schedules, ensuring timely payments and collecting funds from one party and transferring them to another." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person-to-person_lending)
P2P Lending as Full Reserve Banking
Izabella Kaminska:
"An interesting point was made by Francois Carbone, CEO of an equity-based crowdfunding venture Anaxago. Namely, when you think about it, every peer-to-peer initiative (P2P) on offer today is really representative of a move towards a private sector version of full-reserve banking.
That’s whether the P2P ventures are equity-based (as in Anaxago’s case), reward-focused, donations-based or even if they focus on traditional interest-based lending.
And that, of course, is because most peer-to-peer lenders operate almost exclusively in the world of existing money. They do not, unlike conventional lenders, get involved in the business of money creation, parallel currencies or seigniorage.
They simply redirect what’s already available." (http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2013/05/14/1497952/p2p-as-full-reserve-banking/)
More Information
1. P2P Finance
2. Prosper
3. Zopa
1. Klafft, M. (2008) Online Peer-to-Peer Lending: A Lender's Perspective, Working Paper available on SSRN.com, 5pp.
2. Kurnia, J. (2010a) “Does P2P Lending Work for Microfinance? Lessons from Zidisha Inc.”, guest article on: p2p-banking.com, August, 2010.
See also:
1. A directory of Social Lending initiatives is maintained here at http://www.wikiservice.at/fractal/wikidev.cgi?EN/BarCampBank/BankAndFinanceWatch
2. Lendstats: lendstats.com; the leading source for independent verification and analysis of the numbers hawked by P2P lending sites. |
laryng-, laryngo- +
(Greek > Modern Latin: throat, upper part of the windpipe; the vocal-chord area of the throat; the musculocartilaginous structure below the tongue root and hyoid bone and above the trachea)
Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 28th Edition, cautions users to be aware of the proper pronunciations of laryngo- (luh RING goh) and laryng- (luh RINJ): "Avoid mispronouncing this combining form lar-in' jo" or (lar IN joh).
Here is a special article about the Neck and Throat.
A technique that includes the use of a system of mirrors so an observer is able to inspect the interior of his/her own larynx.
chronic posterior laryngitis
A form of laryngitis involving principally the interarytenoid area; thought to be caused by regurgitation of gastric contents.
chronic subglottic laryngitis, chorditis vocalis inferior
Prolonged inflammation of the mucous membrane extending below from the vocal folds for up to several centimeters.
croupous laryngitis
Inflammation of the subglottic larynx associated with respiratory infection and croupy or noisy breathing.
An inaccurate term for esophagopharyngolaryngectomy.
Excision of the larynx in continuity with the laryngopharynx and esophagus as a preliminary to the restoration of swallowing by visceral transposition via the posterior mediastinum.
The operation is indicated for certain malignant tumors of the cervical esophagus and hypopharynx.
Excision of one lateral (side) half of the larynx (voice box).
Pertaining to the hyoid bone (a U-shaped bone at the base of the tongue that supports the tongue muscles) and the larynx.
Pain or neuralgia of the larynx (voice box or vocal cords).
Relating to the larynx.
Someone who has had a laryngectomy.
Surgery to remove part or all of the larynx resulting in a partial or total laryngectomy.
In either operation, the surgeon performs a tracheostomy, creating an opening called a stoma in the front of the neck which may be temporary or permanent.
Air enters and leaves the trachea and lungs through this opening. A tracheostomy tube, also called a trache tube, keeps the new airway open.
A partial laryngectomy preserves the voice. The surgeon removes only part of the voice box, just one vocal cord, part of a cord, or just the epiglottis, and the stoma is temporary.
After a brief recovery period, the trache tube is removed, and the stoma closes up. The patient can then breathe and talk in the usual way. In some cases, however, the voice may be hoarse or weak.
In a total laryngectomy, the whole voice box is removed, and the stoma is permanent. The patient, called a laryngectomee, breathes through the stoma. A laryngectomee must learn to talk in a new way.
A spasmodic narrowing or closure of the rima glottidis (narrow opening between the vocal cords).
laryngismus stridulus (spasmus glottidis)
A spasmodic closure of the glottis, causing noisy inspiration.
Relating to or caused by laryngitis.
Cross references related to "neck, throat" word families: cervic-; coll-; esophag-; guttur-; nuch-; trachel-. |
• Dr Peter Chew
Cervical mucus
Cervical mucus (CM) is the secretion produced by the glands in the cervix, the neck of the womb.
It is important for conception as it is the entry point for the sperm to swim up the womb and fallopian tube in search of the egg. It usually forms a thick plug preventing the sperm from entering the womb. But during ovulation, instead of being a barrier, it helps accelerate the passage of the sperm through the cervix and prolong the life of the sperm, allowing them to live for up to five days. CM also helps screen the sperm allowing the active and apparently “normal” sperm to pass through. In addition, it acts as an anti-bacterial barrier for the cervix.
Distinct from other vaginal discharge, CM is odourless, colourless and does not cause any vaginal irritation. In response to the ovarian hormones, the amount, consistency and composition of CM show cyclical changes throughout the menstrual cycle Women can see and feel CM when it moistens their underwear, or when they wipe themselves with toilet paper.
Soon after the menses, the vaginal discharge is scanty with no visible mucus. As ovulation approaches, the vagina feels moist with increasing amount of sticky, white or creamy discharge .The mucus is slightly stretchy but breaks easily when stretched. During ovulation, the vagina feels slippery, wet and lubricated. The mucus is copious, thin, stretchable and transparent like the raw egg white. After ovulation, the mucus becomes scanty, thick, opaque and sticky again.
By observing these changes in the CM, women can boost their chances of conception by timing intimacy during ovulation.
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Is this the creature that inspired tales of the legendary Kraken?
Captain John Bennett and his crew were stunned when they dragged onto their fishing boat a creature with tentacles like fire hoses and eyes like dinner plates, while fishing in Antarctica’s remote Ross Sea. It was an enormous 350 kg (770 pound) squid which they had hauled up from one mile below the surface. Could this have been the creature that inspired tales of the legendary Kraken, rumoured to devour men and crush ships?
The colossal squid, which measures the length of a minibus, was caught in 2014 and had been kept frozen for 8 months until scientists finally thawed it out in a bid to unlock the mysteries of this rarely seen monster of the deep.
A colossal squid in New Zealand
In this Dec. 2013 photo provided by a crew member of the boat San Aspring of New Zealand fishing company Sanford, Capt. John Bennett shows a colossal squid he and his crew caught on the boat in Antarctica's remote Ross Sea.
Kat Bolstad, a squid scientist from the Auckland University of Technology who led the team examining the creature, told Associated Press that it was “an almost unparalleled opportunity” to examine the colossus in the hope of finding out how the colossal squid lives, how it fits into the food chain, and how much genetic variation there is among different squid types. About 142,000 people from 180 countries watched streaming footage of the squid examination on the Internet.
Bolstad said that it's possible that ancient sightings of the colossal squid gave rise to tales of the Kraken. The Kraken is a giant sea creature in Scandinavian mythology which was depicted as great beast that would attack ships and was so huge that its body could be mistaken for an island.
Illustration of a Kraken attacking ship
The Kraken was believed to be a giant sea monster which could crush ships with its powerful tentacles. Image source .
The Kraken is first mentioned in the Örvar-Oddr, a 13th century Icelandic saga, and later in the first edition of Systema Naturae [1735], a taxonomic classification of living organisms by the Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist Carolus Linnaeus. He classified the Kraken as a cephalopod, designating the scientific name Microcosmus marinus. Although any mention to Kraken was omitted in later editions of the Systema Naturae, Linnaeus described it in his later work, Fauna Suecica [1746], as a "unique monster" that "is said to inhabit the seas of Norway”.
Kat Bolstad explained that sperm whales often eat colossal squid and are known to play with their food, so sailors may have mistaken that for epic battles.
Featured image: Left: The colossal squid hauled onto Capt. John Bennett’s fishing boat in December, 2012. Right: The crew of the Nautilus battles a giant squid in Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Wikimedia
By April Holloway
angieblackmon's picture
okay because i'm geographically impaired i pulled up google maps and the few locations in the article mentioned, the Ross Sea....Iceland, they couldn't be further apart if they while I think there's something to the "monster" I wonder if it would have occasion to travel so far? what about climate along the way? it is a crazy interesting beast though!!!
love, light and blessings
Maybe it was just a really small man!
No, all joking aside, it's more than likely that a lot of creatures were bigger than today. Just consider the giant sloth and how our ancestors were hunting that. 10,000 years later, yes we're still here and the giant sloth is extinct, but 10,000 years (I'm generalising of course) is not a great distance in time at all. Giant squids in the ocean bigger than the one caught in this story is easily possible even a hundred or two hundred years ago particularly considering our oceans are so vast.
rbflooringinstall's picture
The giants squids could have been a lot bigger back in the day. There were reports of lemurs bigger than a man on Madagascar as late as 1700s.
Peace and Love,
Next article |
December 21, 2019–September 6, 2020
2020 is the 40th anniversary of the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens. It was the most destructive volcanic eruption in our nation’s recorded history and remains one of the most universal memories among Pacific Northwesterners. It was also the first eruption of its kind to be extensively photographed and videotaped, creating a wealth of visible and audible records.
Those who lived in Washington 40 years ago can recall without hesitation where they were and what they were doing on the morning of May 18, 1980. At 8:32 a.m. Mount St. Helens erupted with terrible violence. The initial blast decimated almost everything, natural or manmade, in an 8-mile radius. A massive ash plume rained 520 million tons of ash over Central and Eastern Washington disrupting everyday life for weeks.
The eruption killed 57 people, destroyed 200 homes and eight bridges, damaged or destroyed 39 rail cars and flattened almost 4.7 billion board feet of timber. The ash fall plunged downwind communities as far away as Spokane into darkness and smothered crops and transportation routes. It also advanced our understanding and perceptions of volcanoes more than any other eruption.
The exhibition, Mount St. Helens: Critical Memory will highlight the local and regional aspects of the “volcano next door” and will convey the 1980 experience, focusing the blur of nostalgia through a combination of material artifacts, film, photography, recordings, first-hand accounts, and interactive virtual and electronic communications.
Visitors will encounter a variety of analog and digital technologies that tell the story of the Cascade Range’s most active volcano. From time-tested oral traditions to digitally crowd-sourced accounts of the 1980 blast, Critical Memory explores how knowledge is passed down through generations. Scientific data, communications and tribal culture merge to present a useable history, because the question isn’t if Mount St. Helens will erupt again, it’s when.
Mount St. Helens: Critical Memory will open December 21, 2019, and run concurrently with Pompeii: The Immortal City starting February 8, 2020. Pompeii brings to life the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in August 79 AD. It buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic ash, preserving tools, art and buildings, and providing an incredible resource through which to understand Roman history.
The juxtaposition of these two “explosive” exhibitions will demonstrate the risks of living in the shadow of active volcanoes and how a stronger understanding of both events can help to save lives in the future. |
Women in Islam are thought to be subjugated, degraded, oppressed but are they really? Are millions of Muslims simply that oppressive or are these misconceptions fabricated by a biased media?
And for women are rights over men, similar to those of men over women.Quran 2:228
Over fourteen hundred years ago, Islam gave women rights that women in the West have only recently began to enjoy. In the 1930s, Annie Besant observed, It is only in the last twenty years that Christian England has recognised the right of woman to property, while Islam has allowed this right from all times. It is a slander to say that Islam preaches that women have no souls. (The Life and Teachings of Mohammed, 1932).
Men and women all descended from a single person the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Islam does not accept for either of them anything but justice and kind treatment.
Equal Reward & Equal Accountability
Men and women worship Allah in the same way, meaning they worship the same God (Allah), perform the same acts of worship, follow the same scripture, and hold the same beliefs. Allah (the Arabic word for the One true God of all creation), judges all human beings fairly and equitably. Allah emphasises the just treatment and reward due to both men and women in many verses of the Quran:
Allah has promised to the believers, men and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss.Quran 9:72
Never will I allow the loss of the work of any worker amongst you, male or female; you are of one another.Quran 3:195
These verses show that reward is dependent upon ones actions and not ones gender. Gender does not play any part in how a person is rewarded and judged.
If we compare Islam to other religions, we see that it offers justice between the sexes. For example, Islam dismisses the idea that Eve is more to blame than Adam for eating from the forbidden tree. According to Islam, Adam and Eve both sinned, they both repented and God forgave them both.
Equal Right to Knowledge
Both men and women are equally encouraged to seek knowledge. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Education is compulsory for every Muslim.
Also, great female Muslim Scholars existed at and around the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Some were from his family and others were his companions or their daughters. Prominent amongst them was Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him) through whom a quarter of the Islamic law has been transmitted.
Other females were great scholars of jurisprudence and had famous male scholars as their students.
Equal Right to Choose a Spouse
Islam has honoured women by giving them the right to choose a spouse and keep their original family name once married. Additionally, many have the impression that parents force their daughters into marriage. This is a cultural practice, and has no basis in Islam. In fact, it is prohibited.
At the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), a woman came to him and said, My father has married me to my cousin to raise his social standing and I was forced into it. The Prophet sent for the girls father and then in his presence gave the girl the option of remaining married or nullifying the marriage. She responded, O Messenger of Allah, I have accepted what my father did, but I wanted to show other women (that they could not be forced into a marriage).
Equal yet Different
While men and women have equal rights as a general principle, the specific rights and responsibilities granted to them are not identical. Men and women have complementary rights and responsibilities.
Aside from external and internal anatomical differences, scientists know there are many other subtle differences in the way the brains of men and women process language, information and emotion, just to mention a few.
A socio-biology expert, Edward O. Wilson of Harvard University, said that females tend to be higher than males in verbal skills, empathy and social skills, among other things, while men tend to be higher in independence, dominance, spatial and mathematical skills, rank-related aggression, and other characteristics.
It would be foolish to treat both genders the same and to ignore their differences. Islam teaches that men and women have complementary, yet different, roles because it is best suited to their nature. God says:
And the male is not like the female.Quran 3:36
Does not the One who created, know? And He is the Most Kind, the All Aware.Quran 67:14
The Family Unit
God created men and women to be different, with unique roles, skills and responsibilities. These differences are not viewed as evidences of superiority or inferiority, but of specialisation. In Islam, the family is of central importance. The man is responsible for the financial well being of the family while the woman contributes to the familys physical, educational and emotional well being. This encourages cooperation rather than competition. By fulfilling their mutual responsibilities, strong families are created and hence strong societies.
Also, emotionally, neither men nor women live a happy life without one another. Allah describes this beautifully by saying:
They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them.Quran 2:187
Clothing provides comfort, warmth and security as well as making one look good this is how the relationship between the husband and wife is defined in Islam.
Love & Mercy in Spousal Relations
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also encouraged men to treat their spouses in the best way, The best of you are those who are best (in treatment) to their wives.
And among His signs is that He created or you wives amongst yourselves that you may dwell in tranquillity with them; and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts). Surely in this are Signs for people who reflect.Quran 30:21
Aisha (the Prophets wife) was once asked how the Prophets conduct was in his home. She said,He was like one of you at home, yet he was most lenient and most generous
He was ready to give a helping hand to his wives in the ordinary work of the house, [he] sewed his own clothes and mended his own shoes. In general, he helped in whatever work his wives did.
Lofty Positions of Mothers & Daughters
A mother has the greatest influence on a child especially in the earlier years through her affection, care and love. Undoubtedly, the success of a society is due to mothers. Therefore, it is only right for Islam to honour and raise their status.
Allah says in the Quran:
And we have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his Parents, His mother bears him with hardship and she brings him forth with hardship.Quran 46:15
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was once asked, O Messenger of Allah, who among people is most deserving of my good treatment? He said, Your mother. The man asked twice more, Then who? and was given the same response. Only until the fourth time did the Prophet respond, Then your father. Reward is not only given to the good and kind treatment towards mothers. In fact, Islam has designated a special reward for raising daughters that is not granted for raising sons.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, Whoever Allah has given two daughters and is kind towards them, they will be a reason for him entering Paradise.
Before Islam, women were considered shameful, female children were buried alive, prostitution was rampant, divorce was only in the hands of the husband, inheritance was only for the strong, and oppression was widespread. Islam came and abolished these practices. Even now, in developed countries, women are not granted respect, dignity and honour, let alone equal pay for equal work. Islam, however, regards women as precious and valuable, not to be disrespected or disgraced. The mistreatment of women in some Middle-Eastern countries or Muslim families is due to cultural factors that some Muslims wrongly follow, not because of Islam. Why would many women around the world willingly enter Islam if it is an oppressive religion?
We end with the words of our Lord and your Lord, the Creator and Sustainer of all men and women:
Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obedient men and the obedient women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women, and the humble men and the humble women
Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.Quran 33:35
Source: https://www.islamland.com/eng/articles/womens-rights-in-islam |
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2018-09-21 17:11:24· 来源：洞云书屋
（注：本文是译文，Original author: Anupam Singhal)Drive shaft is a mechanical part of transmission system which is used to transfer the power from engine to the wheel. It comprises two constant velocity (CV) joints and t
Drive shaft is a mechanical part of transmission system which is used to transfer the power from engine to the wheel. It comprises two constant velocity (CV) joints and the actual shaft is almost universally used in front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles. The usage of drive shaft as a power transmitter in automobile is more convenience because it is less likely to become jammed or broken compared to chain-drives. In operation, drive shaft is generally subjected Torsional and bending stress due to which fatigue and fractural failures may occur. Some common causes of failures are manufacturing, design, maintenance, raw material, and the user originated faults.
The movement of vehicles can be provided by transferring the torque produced by engines to wheels after some modification. The transfer and modification system of vehicles is called as power transmission system and have different constructive features according to the vehicle’s driving type which can be front wheel drive.
Most automobiles today use rigid driveshaft to deliver power from a transmission to the wheels. A pair of short flexible driveshaft is commonly used in cars to send power from a differential to the wheels.
There are different types of drive shafts in Automotive Industry:
One-piece driveshaft
Two-piece driveshaft
Slip in Tube driveshaft
Drive shafts are carriers of torque. They are subject to torsion and shear stress, equivalent to the difference between the input torque and the load. They must therefore be strong enough to bear the stress, whilst avoiding too much additional weight as that would in turn increase their inertia.
In front wheel drive operation, two universal joints (CV joints) are used for drive a shaft at constant angular velocity with a large misalignment angle. The inner end of the driveshaft has very little misalignment relative to the transmission housing, while the outer end of the driveshaft is attached to the front wheel and must continue to transmit torque whilst turning through angles up to 40 degrees.
FWD drive shaft can be solid or tubular, equal or unequal length, come with or without damper weight. Equal length shafts are used in some vehicles to help reduce torque steer. The intermediate shaft is used as a link from transaxle to the half shaft. The outer ends have a support bracket and bearing assembly. Looseness in the bearing or bracket can create vibrations. The small damper weight is called torsional damper, that is sometimes attached to one half shaft serves to dampen harmonic vibrations in the drivetrain and to stabilize the shaft as it spins, not to balance the shaft.
The outer joints generally wear faster than inner joints because of the increased range of operating angles to which they are subjected. Inner joint angles may change only 10 to 20 degrees as outer joint can undergo changes up to 40 degrees in addition to jounce and rebound as the wheels are steered.
All CV joints are encased in a protective rubber (neoprene, natural and silicon) or thermoplastic boot. The job of the boot is to retain grease and to keep dirt and water out. The importance of the boot cannot be overemphasized because without its protection the joint does not survive. once CV joint packed with grease and installed, it requires no further maintenance. A loose or missing boot clamp, or a slit, tear, or a small puncture in the boot itself allows grease to leak out and water or dirt to enter. A milky or foamy appearance indicates water contamination. A gritty feeling when rubbed between the fingers indicates dirt. It Results, the joint is destroyed.
Countries, where the average atmospheric temperature is approximate 40 degree, the failures mainly occur by changing the properties of grease. Grease must change its property on increasing of temperature because of changing in chemical composition. Grease becomes hard and thick on high temperature and does not operates normally. Oil present in grease may leak or vaporized which results failure of joint.
On the other side, road conditions are firmly effect the drive shaft. Domestic cars are manufactured on the basis of smooth road conditions but some developing countries have very rough road conditions so that premature failure may occur. A rough road condition causes the drive shaft work continuously on bumps and dips. Rough road have more dirt and dust particles, which are accumulated on the boot and in the grease. Which results abrasion of balls or tripods and joint may fail before time.
Generally it seems that 80 % of the problems in CV joints are caused by a change in the working distance of the side shaft, 8 % by faults or negligence during installation. 8 % come from cracked axle boots which lead to a loss of lubricant, resulting in soiling of the joint. only the remaining 4 % of all joint failures have been caused by jolts and normal wear and tear of the parts. |
@conference {bnh-3878, title = {Youth justice conferencing for youth misuse of fire: a case study of collaboration}, booktitle = {AFAC17}, year = {2017}, month = {09/2017}, publisher = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, organization = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Sydney}, abstract = {
Youth misuse of fire (YMF) refers to any illegitimate use of fire or incendiary materials by a person under the age of 18 years (Pooley \& Ferguson, 2017). Existing literature exposes YMF as a multifaceted and complex behaviour (Martin, Bergen, Richardson, Roeger, \& Allison, 2004) that presents a significant risk to life and property (Pooley, 2015). To address this concern, programs have been specifically designed to target and reduce misuse of fire by young people. One such program is Youth Justice Conferencing for YMF. This program involves firefighter participation in Youth Justice Conferencing convened for young people who commit fire-related offences. The role of firefighters is to provide education on the consequences of misusing fire and to suggest fire safety related tasks for a young person to complete as a means of making reparation for harm caused by their behaviour (NSW Government, 2016). These mechanisms aim to stimulate cognitive and behavioural change in young people, reducing the risk of recidivism.
Despite formally operating in New South Wales (NSW) since 2006, this program had not undergone independent empirical inquiry. To partially fill this void, a research-oriented evaluation was conducted. This evaluation revealed that the efficacy of the program relies heavily on successful collaboration between urban fire and juvenile justice services, government and non-government entities, and young people and adults. However, the evaluation also highlighted areas in need of improvement. For best practice to be attained, collaboration is also required with the rural fire service, between practitioners and researchers, and between proponents of restorative justice, fire prevention, and child-centred disaster risk reduction. Such findings have implications for enhancing the efficacy of the program, and reflect a useful case study of collaboration.
}, author = {Kamarah Pooley} } |
Working for Economic Equity in the DMV
The D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region (the DMV) is prosperous, but it is no secret that opportunities to participate in that prosperity are not shared fairly and that disparity often follows racial divides. This lack of economic equity is a moral failing and holds us back from reaching our full potential as a thriving, productive community. Join us for a meaningful and substantive conversation on how companies and local governments can address inequities and help shape an economy that gives everyone a chance to succeed.
Moderator: Michael Akin, President of LINK Strategic Partners
Cordell Carter, II, Executive Director, Socrates Program, Aspen Institute
Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher, The Washington Informer
Jaqueline N. Tucker, Race and Social Equity Officer, City of Alexandria
Tony Waller, Senior Director of Diversity Relations, Walmart
Watch the Recording
Read the Summary
What does equity mean?
Michael Akin, president of LINK Strategic Partners, begun the discussion by asking each of the panelists to define the term “equity.” Each panelist approached the answer slightly differently, but two themes emerged.
First, it means that all people must be able to succeed. Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher of The Washington Informer, recalled a quote from Jesse Jackson about the need to level the playing field, making the point that equity is about fairness in how we are able to succeed in this world. This is the starting point.
Second, it means that we must meet people where they are and recognize that different groups of people have different needs because of historical factors. Jaqueline Tucker, Race and Social Equity Officer for the City of Alexandria, explained that race is the primary predictor of health, income, and wealth in this country due to historical marginalization that held non-white groups of people back from opportunity. While equality means we are all treated the same way, equity means everyone is being given what they need precisely to bring them up to a fair starting line, which may mean that some communities require different or additional measures or investment.
Tony Waller, Senior Director of Diversity Relations at Walmart, put it simply: “Equality is making sure everyone has shoes. Equity means everyone has shoes that fit.”
What can a major retailer do?
Tony Waller acknowledged that in 2015, the country was having the same conversations and many companies came out with corporate statements. Now, five years later, nothing has changed. Companies need to change their response.
Tony described the steps that Walmart is taking to make a substantive and not just symbolic impact on racism and racial equity. Those steps start in Walmart’s supply chain, where the company is examining what changes it can make to its procurement requirements to accommodate more small and minority-owned businesses, to beyond its stores, where it is helping neighboring shops rebuild after being damaged in the riots.
Walmart’s management is looking at the jobs and advancement opportunities it provides and asking if more should be done for people of color. For example, they are asking how they may be able to help people who were previously incarcerated come back to the workforce. Walmart is also examining what it can do to help people of color access better healthcare that meets their needs.
Walmart’s CEO recently made a statement about all these commitments and asked that workers who are not on board with the program seek employment elsewhere. This conviction meant a lot, said Tony, and is a strong demonstration of leadership in a difficult time.
What can a local government do?
Jaqueline Tucker provided an expert history lesson of the laws that have created the situation we are in today. She explained that for hundreds of years, laws explicitly discriminated against Black people by denying them freedom, the right to vote, the right to attend certain schools, or the right to buy a house. Eventually, the law achieved racial neutrality, where everybody legally has the same privileges regardless of their race.
However, we now know that racial neutrality is not enough to make our society equal because Black and historically marginalized communities do not have the same history of wealth-building and investment—we have not reckoned with our past, according to Jaqueline. She pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated these disadvantages.
She says that some local governments, like Alexandria, are now proactively designing policies, procedures, programs, institutions, budgets, and so on to help deliver what people need to succeed. For example, Alexandria focused its communications during the COVID-19 pandemic on the communities who would be most vulnerable rather than targeting everyone equally. It has also formed a community response group that not only includes people of color, but compensates them for their time, knowing that not everyone can easily volunteer.
What can a media company do?
Denise Rolark Barnes explained the value of the Black press. Newspapers like hers have been telling the story of Black Americans for decades—stories that do not always get told in other publications. She pointed out that regular readers of The Washington Informer would not be surprised to learn about police brutality or faults in our criminal justice system, since those are stories that are covered regularly.
Denise also made that point that the Black press does not just cover stories that matter to Black Americans, they track those stories and follow-up on their outcomes.
What can a nonprofit do?
Cordell Carter, II, Executive Director of the Socrates Program at the Aspen Institute, explained that his organization is dedicated to bringing people together to share ideas. That legacy may have started years ago with white men, but it has expanded to include everyone.
Cordell says that in doing this work, it is important to be willing to look at yourself, be sensitive, and know that you do not have all the right answers. He points to today’s protesters and observes that many are marching with “signs in one hand and books in the other,” searching to understand our current condition intellectually. This is important and can support the ground-up movement we need where people across sectors and backgrounds contribute to being a part of the change we need.
Action Items
Michael Akin asked each panelist to provide one action item for the event participants.
Tony Waller suggested that everyone commit to having one difficult conversation with someone in which both people end the conversation better. Give the other party the opportunity to express where they are and better understand where you are.
Denise Rolark Barnes suggested that each participant, if they can, support a Black-owned business. Get to establish a new business relationship or get to know a new business owner in your community.
Jaqueline Tucker recommends we all follow the three A’s: Assume, Assess, and Act. Assume that your institution has white supremacy and white privilege embedded in it. Assess your staff, payscale, policies, and more to understand what should be changed to improve diversity, inclusion, and equity. Finally, act—do the work and be committed to the outcome.
Cordell Carter, II implores us to read. His reading list:
Lastly, Jack McDougle, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, asked that everybody approach the work of creating racial equity as one region. We cannot be satisfied with leveling the playing field in some neighborhoods and not others. |
Community ecology
Unrelated species living in similar physical environments often are shaped by natural selection to have comparable morphological, physiological, or life history characteristics; they are said to evolve convergently (see The Rodent That Acts Like a Hippo). Convergence is a common feature of evolution and has major effects on the organization of biological communities. Interactions as well as characteristics can converge. Once an interaction evolves between two species, other species within the community may develop traits akin to those integral to the interaction, whereby the new species enters into the interaction. This type of convergence of species has occurred commonly in the evolution of mutualistic interactions, including those between pollinators and plants and those between vertebrates and fruits: some of the species drawn into the interaction become comutualists, contributing as well as benefiting from the relationship, whereas others become cheaters that only exploit the relationship (see above Interspecific interactions and the organization of communities: Mutualism and cheaters). Either way, these additional species may influence the future evolution of the interaction.
A clear example of this kind of convergence of species is that between flowers and hawkmoths. In the tropical dry forest of Cañas in northwestern Costa Rica, there are 65 hawkmoth species and 31 native plant species adapted for hawkmoth pollination. The hawkmoth species are all members of one moth family called the Sphingidae. They have diverged into many species from a common moth ancestor, and it is therefore not surprising that they share the same basic hawkmoth body plan. The plants adapted for hawkmoth pollination, however, are distributed throughout 14 plant families. These species have evolved convergently from different ancestors to have floral shapes that attract hawkmoths.
Mimicry complexes
A different kind of convergence has occurred in the evolution of mimetic butterflies and other insects. Mimicry occurs when two or more species evolve to resemble and sometimes behave in ways similar to another species (see also mimicry). The most famous examples of mimicry are found among insects, and they take two forms: Müllerian mimicry, in which two species evolve convergently to have a similar appearance, and Batesian mimicry, in which one species evolves to resemble another. These different forms of mimicry are named after their 19th-century discoverers, the naturalists Fritz Müller and Henry Walter Bates. In the several decades following the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in 1859, mimicry was the major example used to show how evolution occurs through the mechanism of natural selection.
Müllerian mimicry can occur between two species that are distasteful to the same predators. Their predators learn to recognize and avoid distasteful prey by signals such as the colour patterns of wings. If two distasteful species develop the same colour pattern, the predator has to learn only one pattern to avoid, speeding up the learning process and providing an advantage to the convergent prey species. One of the distasteful species may initially model itself on the other, but, if they are almost equal in abundance, the species may coevolve and converge on some intermediate pattern. Heliconius butterflies in Central and South America form mimicry complexes of two or more species, and the colour patterns that result from this convergence vary geographically.
In Batesian mimicry a palatable species models itself on an unpalatable species to fool predators into believing that they are not tasty. Many flies have evolved to mimic bees, and some palatable butterflies have evolved to mimic unpalatable butterflies. If the mimic is uncommon, the convergence may not affect the unpalatable model, because it will be less likely that predators will consume many mimics by mistake and uncover the fraud. If the mimic, however, is abundant, its predators may eventually learn to dissociate its colour pattern with distastefulness because enough mimics would be inadvertently consumed and found palatable. Natural selection eventually would favour the evolution of a new colour pattern in the model species.
Coevolution among many species
Coevolution between birds and fruit-bearing plant species is even more complicated than that between flowers and pollinators or between models and mimics, because so many plant species have evolved fleshy fruits for dispersal by birds and so many bird species have become adapted to eat fruits as part of their diets. Almost half of the 281 known terrestrial families of flowering plants include some species with fleshy fruits. About one-third of the 135 terrestrial bird families and one-fifth of the 107 terrestrial mammal families include some partly or wholly frugivorous species. Moreover, the evolution of these interactions is not limited to relationships between species within local communities. Many frugivorous birds migrate thousands of miles every year, and the ripening of the fruits of many plant species in temperate regions appears to be timed to the peak of bird migrations in the autumn. Consequently, the evolution of interactions between birds and fruits occurs over very broad geographic ranges. These interactions link more species in more communities than any other form of relationship among species. They show that the conservation of species demands a geographic, even global, perspective on how interactions between species are maintained within biological communities.
John N. Thompson
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How to play Slots
Make a bet, spin the reels and wait for the symbols to stop. Get three identical symbols on the middle vertical row and win the big bucks!
Easy, right? Well yes, originally slots were that simple, but they are a little more complex than that nowadays.
This page will give you all the information and get you started, explain basic and expert stuff followed by some amazing casino tips.
Slot machine anatomy
Classic slot machines have three reels with only one horizontal payline. Today’s video slots usually have five reels, multiple paylines, special game features and bonus games which gives the player more winning possibilities. These are the common basic parts of a slot machine.
Symbols are images that usually spin vertically. A symbol’s value varies, and usually the more rare it is, the higher the value.
Paylines are paths going across the reels, usually from left to right. Alignment of identical symbols on one or more paylines means win.
Reels are vertically spinning groups of symbols. When they stop, random symbols appear. Slot machines usually have 5 reels.
Spin is the button you click to start the game and get the reels rolling. Similarly, Autospin spins continuously for a specified time.
Coin value and Bet Level both adjust how much you play for per spin. Decreasing or increasing the dials will lower or higher your bet amount.
Paytable is a list of payouts on a slot machine. This shows how many coins or credits the player will win for each combination of symbols.
Winning in slots
Depending on how the symbols fall when the reels stop, you may get a winning combination. Usually you win by collecting three or more identical symbols in a row from left to right. The more paylines a slot has, the greater chance of winning, and the more complete a payline is, the more you win. How you win, and how much you win, is also affected by the various game features and feature symbols that most games have. Check the games’ paytable for detailed information on how to win.
Ways to win
Win left to right
This means you’re winning by collecting identical symbols in a row from left to right.
Slot with this type of win: Koi Princess
Win Both ways
This means that you can win by collecting identical symbols in a row from both left and right.
Slot with this type of win: Turning Totems
Wild feature symbols
Regular wild symbols replace most other symbols, and makes it easier to form winning combinations on the reels.The only symbol it doesn’t replace is the so called Scatter symbol.
Slot with wilds: Jammin Jars
Expanding Wilds
Expanding Wilds will expand and cover the entire reel. More wilds on a reel will increase your winning chances.
Slot with expanding wilds: Hall of Gods
Stacked Wilds
Stacked Wilds means 2 or more wild symbols after each other on a reel, depending on which game it is. Some slot games have the possibility of getting stacked wilds on every reel, while others have them appearing on specific reels.
Slot with stacked wilds: Wild Turkey
Walking Wilds
Walking Wilds progressively move to the side after every respin at no extra cost to the player. They disappear from the reels after reaching the last reel.
Slot with walking wilds: The Invisible Man
Other feature symbols
Except for Wilds, there are a lot of other different symbols with special features. These are some of the most common ones.
Scatter symbols
Scatter payouts multiplies the total bet and not just the line bet. They usually pay out directly when three or more of them appear anywhere on the reels, not necessary on a payline. Scatter is also the symbols that usually trigger bonus games/free spin rounds.
Slot with scatter symbols: Piggy Riches
Colossal symbols
Colossal symbols are symbol blocks of 2x2 or 3x3 which increases your chances to get a complete payline. It appears as an overlay anywhere on the reels and spins separately on top of the reels.
Slot with colossal symbols: Spinata Grande
Bonus game symbols
Bonus game symbols differ from slot to slot and they are often Scatter symbols. They trigger different bonus games that can be described as "a game within the game" in which players have the chance to win extra huge prizes.
Slot with bonus game symbols: Mega Moolah
Game Features
Except the special symbols, there are also some game features that can help you win more. Game features varies from game to game, and so does the terminology among game providers.
Random wilds feature
Random wilds feature means that regular wilds can occur on the reels at any time of the game play.
Slot with the random wilds: Dracula
Gamble feature
Gamble feature allows players to multiply the winnings that they receive on a particular spin. It’s usually activated by allowing the player to guess the correct color of the cards on the next spin.
Slot with the gamble feature: Foxin wins
Respin feature
The respin feature lets you respin the reels on your next spin, helping you complete winning combinations. All of the other reels will be locked in place. Respin comes in many variations, and you can respin all reels on many of the slots. It’s often used with sticky wilds.
Slot with respins: Stickers
Tumbling reels
These are also known as Avalanche feature / Cascading reels / Dropping symbols. As line wins are awarded, the winning symbols disappear, causing symbols from higher up on the reels to fall down into their place. This creates brand new possibilities to win big without risking any additional credits.
Slot with Tumbling reels: Gonzo’s Quest
Multiplier is a feature that often is combined with tumbling reels. The multiplier simply multiplies your respin win. How many times depends on how many wins you win in a row.
Free Spins
Free Spins are usually triggered by the combination of so called "Scatter symbols", but sometimes in other ways. During these rounds, some more perks can be given, which usually means bigger wins than during the classic gameplay.
Expert stuff
Once you’re familiar with the basics of slot machines, it’s time to take it to the next level. Here are some more advanced slot terms you should learn in order to become a full fledged casino pro.
Hit frequency
Payback rate (RTP)
Payback is an overall percentage that a slot gives back to all its players. This percentage is usually around 90-99%, depending on the slot.
This basically measures the size of the winnings. Low volatility slots will give you lots of little payouts often, whereas slot machines with high volatility work the other way around.
At Casumo you can play both classic slots and video slots from Net Entertainment, Thunderkick, IGT, Greentube, Play ‘n Go, Quickspin, Williams Interactive, Bally, Barcrest and Shuffle Master. All our game providers have a great selection of high quality games and we’re adding new ones every month. |
Sense and Sensitivity: Understanding the Sensitive Child
Updated: Feb 22
by Deborah MacNamara (May 28, 2019)
Click here to download this article in pdf format
Sensitive kids are everywhere. Their numbers are estimated to be between 15 to 20% of children in a North American context, but they are often misunderstood or not recognized as being sensitive. What does it mean when we say a child is “sensitive” and how would you know if your child is among them?
To make sense of sensitivity, it is easier to start with understanding what it is not. It is often confused with a child who has strong emotional reactions or whose feelings seem to get more easily hurt. Sometimes it is confused with a child who seems to be more considerate of other’s needs or who is gentle or kind. While children with sensitivity may display some of these characteristics, these are not typical of all sensitive kids, nor do they help us understand what is at the root of their different way of being in the world.
Sensitive kids are defined as those who have an enhanced receptivity to the world through their senses. It could be through any sense—touch, taste, smell, sight, or hearing—and it is unique to each child. It also exists on a continuum, with some kids being more impacted by touch and smell while others may be affected visually or through another sense.
Talking senses
While no two sensitive kids are alike, their enhanced receptivity to sensory information leaves them without a “skin” against the world. Things can feel too much, too big, too cold, too loud, too hot, too smelly, too painful, and too overwhelming. In other words, they can easily feel bombarded by stimuli and this can stir them up emotionally. They are also likely to be more activated and reactive in environments that stir up their senses. For example, I remember watching a boy run for the door in his Mommy & Me music class every time the noise started to escalate. The cacophony of sounds was neither soothing nor fun but instead crashed into him, flooding him, and overwhelming him. As he instinctively darted for the door to escape, there were some adults who saw him as disobedient or defiant, but in truth, he was simply overwhelmed.
It is important to see sensitivity not as a disorder but as part of the diversity in human temperament. Sensitivity doesn’t seem to be a mistake when you look at it from an evolutionary perspective. You can find sensitivity in other mammal species (even in fruit flies!) lending support for the idea that it is not a mistake but perhaps adaptive in some way. What is clear is that sensitive kids need adults to “get them” and to take care of them. This is true for every child, but much more so for the sensitive ones among us.
How do you know if your child is sensitive?
Sensitive kids reveal themselves soon enough to their adults. The child will seem more easily triggered or comforted through a sense, or combination of them. In some cases overly-stimulating environments may prove to be provocative or upsetting to young ones. Likewise, the sensitive child may also find comfort in certain senses: for example, a child with tactile sensitivity may only sleep when they are held or touched, or one with an auditory sensitivity may prefer hearing your soft voice as they fall asleep.
Sensitive kids often seem to have an unusual alertness even as babies. They may sometimes be described as “old souls” or the ones who watch everything. They can sometimes display exceptional memory and become preoccupied with their thoughts. Their questions are often probing and reveal a unique way of looking at the world. They can have a range of interests or can become squarely focussed on one area in particular. Sensitive kids are often described by adults as being intense, passionate kids with big ideas and plans. When they are happy they can infect a room with their enthusiasm just as when they are upset, they can fill a room with hurricane- force levels of frustration.
As the parent to two sensitive kids I have experienced first-hand what comes with caring for them. One of my children is visually sensitive and sees too much at times which appeared when she was 1 1/2 years old as she yelled at strangers to stop looking at her. It felt unnatural to be seen by someone she didn’t know, and their attention was unwanted and alarming. She was also the same child who would never perform or dance in front of other parents at school because “they were all strangers.” Her visual sensitivity brings gifts like the ability to remember details, see patterns, and create novel and new designs—like her “candy wall” when she was three. At the same time, it can become unbearable when there is too much stimuli, particular scary movies with sounds, images, and suspense.
Research suggests there is often a genetic component to this enhanced receptivity, or that it may be due to birth practices, as well as prenatal experiences.1 Genetics play a strong role in determining the intensity or prominence of each affected sense. As mentioned, it can be any combination of the five conventional senses, or internal senses like the vestibular (balance) system, proprioceptive sense (movement), or the complex sensing apparatus we call “the gut.”
Parents need only pay attention to what stirs a child up and to consider how much is too much for them in order to figure out which combination of senses are enhanced. The key to understanding a sensitive child is to not hold their big reactions against them but to appreciate how they are being impacted by the world around them, and how to deal with them effectively.
Providing a sense of security
Brain development is a phenomenal thing—especially in young children. With ideal conditions, a sensitive child’s brain will develop so that it can increasingly handle and process sensory information. They can develop neural wiring that can manage the sensory overload and find ways to compensate for too much stimuli. In other words, nature has a solution for a child’s sensitivity, but it needs our help for them to internally cultivate these answers. If we can create ideal developmental conditions for a child, then nature can take over and grow the child up and through their sensitivity.
1. Strong, caring adult relationships
Sensitive kids need strong caring relationships with adults who convey to them that they are not too big, too difficult, or too much of anything. Sensitive kids are usually more aware of the vulnerability inherent to relationships; that is, if you give someone your heart, they may hurt you. It is emotionally vulnerable to trust someone, to get close, and to rely on them for care taking. Adults need to take a strong lead and convince a child they can count on them especially when it comes to dealing with a child’s mistakes or their challenging behaviour.
Separation-based discipline such as time-outs, 1-2-3 magic, or consequences can often go too far and create insecurity in relationships. Attachment-based and developmentally-friendly discipline is key to being an emotionally safe caretaker in the hearts of our sensitive kids.
Little things can go a long way in cultivating a connection with a sensitive child. It could be the small things we remember, the patience we take to draw them out and hear their story, and all the ways we communicate that we enjoy being with them. Relationships matter to all kids but sensitive ones don’t “suffer fools gladly” and they often wait to see if someone can be trusted before giving them their heart. We need to work to earn their trust and be patient until we are there. Whoever cares for a sensitive child will need to work on a relationship with them to get them to follow and take their cues. This is true in a childcare environment as well as in school with their teachers.
2. Know when to protect from and when to encourage exposure
If a child does not have a thick skin to protect them from sensory overload, then it will fall to their adults to compensate for this. We can start by changing the child’s environment. For example, some kids prefer white noise to cancel out environmental stimuli or may benefit from headphones. Caregivers need to be patient and accept that their child may not want to engage in activities that are overwhelming such as playing with a lot of kids or music classes.
While it is important to reduce arousal and stimulation where appropriate, it is also important to think about if and when you can gently expose sensitive kids to the things that are overwhelming for them. For example, one mother had a child with a number of sensitivities and loud sounds were particularly difficult. She begged her mother not to walk by a construction site near their house because of the loud sounds of the big trucks and “diggers.” The mother took note that this was a challenge for her daughter and took a different route as they walked to school each morning. On one morning she said to her daughter, “We are just going to quickly walk by the construction site and I want you to put your hands on your ears so that it won’t be too loud for you.” As they ran by, her daughter spied the diggers and the hole in the ground and became fascinated. As the week went on, the mother continued to walk by the construction site with her daughter, watching, and eventually stopping. One day her daughter took her hands off her ears and listened, and eventually, she was able to walk by the site without feeling overwhelmed. What sensitive kids need is an adult who understands them and who knows when to shield them and when, and how, to gently and patiently encourage exposure to the things that are hard.
3. Make room for their emotions and tears
Sensitive kids can be stirred up by the world around them and this can create big emotions inside of them that need to be released. The best thing we can do for them is to help them express feelings through words, play, or through their tears. Sometimes we need to encourage play that will draw out their frustration, fears, or desires. It is often easier to face things in play when it isn’t for real or can’t really hurt you. If we are to move a sensitive child to their words or tears, they will need to trust us and to see that our relationship is unwavering even when they are having a hard time.
When we have to deal with issues regarding their behaviour we may make better headway outside of the incident. They may be more receptive and able to hear us when we talk to them when they are less stirred up and feeling close to us. Sometimes they may not want to talk about issues or tell us they can’t remember. We can simply tell them we will make it fast, and easy, and it won’t hurt but we just need to say a few things. We may need to lead them into vulnerable territory but if we fail to do so then they will have a harder time having a relationship with the emotions inside of them.
If there were a secret to caring for sensitive kids it would be to realize that they often act in congruence with the sensory world that exists inside of them. They are not trying to give us a hard time—they are simply having a hard time. While there are challenges posed by their sensitivity, there are also gifts, which caregivers learn to recognize as coming from the same place. If we can hold these things in mind when dealing with them and invite them to rest in our care, then we will be able to become the strong caretakers they need.
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July 13th, 2016
As the dry spell continues, studies show that California could be facing a megadrought lasting decades. How do we adjust to the “new normal” in our climate?
Noah Diffenbaugh, Associate Professor, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University
Peter Gleick, President and Co-founder, Pacific Institute
Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on July 7, 2016
Speakers at this Event
Kara J. Foundation Professor and Kimmelman Family Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University
President and Co-founder, Pacific Institute
Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Greg Dalton: From the Commonwealth Club of California this is Climate One. I'm Greg Dalton. El Niño has come and gone and La Niña is stirring in the Pacific Ocean. On the show today we will learn what the rains of 2016 did for California's reservoirs and what we can expect next year. We’ll hear about new research suggesting that California should expect more dry times ahead. Some scientists suggest California may even be heading into a megadrought that could last for decades, which has happened in the past.
After El Niño sent storms to the state last winter the Brown administration relaxed some water restrictions allowing regional authorities to decide how to manage the worst drought in the state’s modern history. The governor also made permanent bans on certain activities such as hosing off sidewalks and washing cars with hoses that don't have shut off valves. Some question if those gestures even matter when 80% of the state’s water goes to agriculture, which has a reputation for playing fast and loose with water that it gets on the cheap. Over the next hour, we will discuss the future of water and food in the era of climate disruption. This program is underwritten by our friends at the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
We have three distinguished guests here today to talk about keeping the California economy well hydrated. Noah Diffenbaugh is associate professor in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford and a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. He’s a lead author for the intergovernmental panel on climate change, or IPCC and is a former Google science communication fellow. Peter Gleick is one of the world's foremost authorities on freshwater. He's cofounder and now president emeritus of the Pacific Institute, a water think tank based in Oakland. He’s a recipient of the MacArthur genius award and the author of many books including Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water. Karen Ross is a California Secretary of Food and Agriculture. She grew up as a 4-H kid on a farm in Nebraska and is now responsible for promoting and protecting California's $54 billion agricultural economy. She previously was Chief of Staff for US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, before that led the California Association of Wine grape Growers. Please welcome them to Climate One.
Welcome all of you. Peter Gleick, let's begin with you. We had a wet year, is the drought over?
Peter Gleick: No. Okay, so we had a wet – we didn't have a wet year actually. To be specific we sort of had an average year. And it's been so long since we've had an average year that everybody kind of got excited. But rainfall statewide was a tiny bit below average; wet in the North, dry in the South. The snowpack was a little below average, and it melted really fast which we can talk about later perhaps. Some of the big reservoirs filled but not all of them. And our groundwater is still massively over pumped. So by that measure the drought is not over.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, how is the agriculture sector being affected? Is it hitting the farms and are we seeing impacts at the grocery store?
Karen Ross: Well yes, it is hitting the farms and we’ve commissioned economic impact reports to better understand how farmers are managing their way through this. It’s fallowing acres; that's what farmers do. Because of the water right system, the water is cut off and so you fallow acres if you don't have access to groundwater. So we know that last year as an example, we were short on surface water deliveries by about 8.7 million acre-feet. We compensated by pumping 6 million acre-feet from the ground.
So we were short 2.7 million acre-feet, which resulted in over two and a half billion dollar economic loss of economic activity that wasn't being generated; 10,500 jobs that were not created as a result of fallowing that kind of acres. So yes, it is hitting the farms and that’s starting to be back to back. With regard to the food, I think it would take a much longer sustained drought to really work its way through the food system. We know that food more and more is being sourced from other countries. In the fresh produce aisle we’ve probably seen the most direct impact. But we’re also seeing it when the cost of inputs and the cost of labor have gone up so it would be hard to say and that was a result of the drought. So far food prices have remained fairly stable. But if we continue to have these kinds of situations and we grow less and less, then the things that we specialize in California could in fact see increased food prices at the grocery store.
Greg Dalton: Agriculture is 2% of the California state economy, 80% of water use. Karen Ross, you penned an op-ed last year saying that it's worth it. Do the math for us, how is 80% of the water good for 2% of the economy?
Karen Ross: And of course I know that Peter will appreciate how much my constituents go crazy talking about 80% of the water. It is true that 80% of the developed water in California and on a global basis –
Greg Dalton: Tell us what developed water means.
Karen Ross: Developed water means that water that we capture, manage, put into reservoir system moved to those places of need. As opposed to all of the water that's available from nature in good years that mean increased flows in our streams that benefit our wildlife and just our green landscapes so and that, it's a different statistic. And the 2% I do take exception to because agriculture is like a renewable resource. Every year we plant, we nurture, we harvest that's creating economic activity so that there are many ways that we benefit the economy far beyond that 2%. We’re embedded in insurance and finance. We’re embedded in marketing. We’re embedded in entertainment because we’re a big part of our tourism industry here in California. 25% of the hundred billion dollars that’s spent by tourists in our state every year is going specifically to culinary tourism restaurants, wine tasting and all those other fun types of activities.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh, does Ag get a disproportionate use of water compared to its contribution to the economy?
Noah Diffenbaugh: Well, I think what I would add is that food is more than 2% of what we eat. Close to a hundred.
Karen Ross: I love this guy.
Greg Dalton: Don’t need to go to Stanford to get that math, yeah, okay.
Noah Diffenbaugh: And I think, you know, it’s not controversial to say that California’s agriculture is, you know, critical for the US agriculture and for the globe. And, you know, for a lot of what we eat beyond the economic value we rely on California for that agriculture. So I think the real challenge that we’re seeing in this drought is that we have a lot of really worthwhile demands on our water. And when we face shortfalls we really see the stress on across those demands. And I think it’s not, it’s less a question of which of these should we get rid of and more a question of in the context of a changing climate where we know that these kinds of conditions are becoming more frequent, and will continue to become more frequent, how do we manage those different priorities in a way that manages those climate risks and meets the needs of the people and ecosystems.
Greg Dalton: So Peter Gleick, do environmentalists and others unfairly criticize agriculture for its perceived high water use?
Peter Gleick: So I think we’re thinking about this the wrong way. California is a great place to grow food. The soils are incredible. The climate at the moment is incredible. There's typically a lot of water. I think will always be a big agricultural economy. During the drought, the agricultural sector has done remarkably well. Some economic impact, perhaps some employment impact. Farm prices have been high, food prices have been high. Revenues have been pretty good. But partly, that's because we’re unsustainably overdrafting groundwater. You made the point that as we increase groundwater pumping to 6 million acre-feet. Well that's completely unsustainable. We’re seeing groundwater levels drop. We’re seeing subsidence in the Central Valley in the southern San Joaquin. That can’t continue.
If the drought were to continue, we’re going to see fundamental changes in agriculture. We may see some land come out of production permanently. We’re already seeing changes in crop type. We’re going to see more tension between cities and farms and ecosystems. We can’t leave ecosystems out here. There have been enormous ecosystem impacts of the drought and that's part of the equation. So the long-term question is how we’re going to balance all of the things we want to do with water with how much water we have?
Greg Dalton: You’ve mentioned subsidence. I want to roll a clip from KQED. This is Michelle Sneed, a geologist with the US Geological Survey interviewed on KQED about subsidence which is the sinking of land in the Central Valley as a result of pumping out groundwater. Let's listen to this clip.
Michelle Sneed: I’ve been studying land subsidence throughout the last for 20 years. And I've never measured rates like this before.
Male Speaker: Over the past two decades the ground in one area has sunk from Sneed's head to her feet. According to NASA, some parts of the Central Valley are now sinking more than 2 inches a month.
\Michelle Sneed: We saw that the area being affected by subsidence was enormous. Stretching all the way from I-5 to 99. About 1,200 square miles have been affected by subsidence.
Male Speaker: That's an area the size of Rhode Island.
Greg Dalton: That's Michelle Sneed, a geologist with the US Geological Survey. Karen Ross, the size, an area the size of Rhode Island sinking as much as 2 inches a month from the pumping of groundwater.
Karen Ross: Sure. So there’s a couple things I want to say. First, historically over time we have and it's not just farmers that depend on groundwater. We also have some cities that are a hundred percent dependent on groundwater. We have historically in agriculture relied on groundwater for about 30% of our total needs which is more sustainable. It’s just that in drought time that is our reservoir, that is supposed to be our buffer to carry us through disastrous drought conditions. And the last few years we’re pumping as high as 60% of our water is coming from that groundwater. I think everyone will acknowledge that is not sustainable which is why I was also very engaged in helping to pass a Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. We cannot continue to do that. And we cannot waste time in putting our basins back into balance and doing that in a very thoughtful kind of way to make sure we have that buffer for future generations.
Karen Ross: It’s interesting to note our history that one of the reasons we went into the State water Project, the Central Valley water project is because subsidence was not new. And we knew that we need to have surface water to make sure that we wouldn't do permanent harm to our basins. So this is being repeated and that's why we have to take it as an alarm call.
Greg Dalton: So Peter Gleick, sinking lands and pumping too much groundwater.
Peter Gleick: So Karen is exactly right. I mean there is sort of a little bit of optimism in the sense that we now have for the first time a Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. We have some laws that are trying to slowly bring these over drafted basins back into balance. I would note though, this isn’t just a drought problem. Even during a good year we overdraft groundwater. We use more groundwater than nature recharges and that can't continue. It’s drawing down your bank account without recharging it.
And so part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act conversation is how to bring those basins back into balance. How maybe in dry years we draft overdraft groundwater and then that's okay if in wet years we can recharge those basins again. And we’re not there yet that's the conversation that's happening.
Greg Dalton: But doesn't each individual farmer have an incentive to suck out as much as they can, because if I don't get it, Karen's farm will. And if Karen's farm doesn't, Peter's farm will, so.
Peter Gleick: Well, at the moment that's right. At the moment it's a free-for-all. But the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is designed to let the local basins develop plans to bring their basins into balance. If they don't, the state can step in. But there's a local incentive at the moment over the next decade to slowly bring these basins back into balance.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh, some recent research came out of Stanford. Rob Jackson saying that there could be three times the amount of groundwater on the Central Valley. That headline might say the farmers are okay, let's open up the tap, keep pumping.
Noah Diffenbaugh: Yeah, I mean I think it’s, you know, the message that I take from that paper and I've heard from Rob and Peter can speak more about it because he's involved with the Journal. You know, the message I've taken is that if we look deep which Rob and his colleagues were able to do with the well access that they had in terms of the data that they had access to. If we look deep there’s a lot of water there. How exactly how fresh it is, exactly how much energy it would take to get it up to the surface, exactly how much energy it would take to make it more fresh if it's not sufficiently fresh. I think those are open questions. I think the main message is that in California where we have a portfolio of water sources. We have a portfolio of water uses and we’re not totally aligned. So as my high school daughter has said, why are we flushing our toilet with water that's just as good as the water we drink? Why are we flushing this clean water down the toilet?
And that's one example one very local example of our uses not totally being aligned with the quality of our supply. So I think the main message from that paper more generally, is that we do have opportunities in California to look at where we using water. What level of quality do we need, what are the costs and benefits of aligning those more optimally?
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, we’re drilling deeper for oil. Why not drill deeper for water especially if it gets more scarce?
Karen Ross: Well, one is just the cost of doing that. The energy of doing that, these are huge factors in all of these. And really reconciling the value of that we put on water for the value that it brings us back which is why we’ve seen the crop shifts that we’ve seen is that we’re generating more efficient economic use of every drop by matching it to higher value crops. They can't be duplicated across the country, or in some places around the world. So it becomes a question of economics as well as we do have in this state a very strong environmental ethic from farmers all the way to every citizen of the state. And doing those kinds of decisions and the impact it has on communities and neighbors gets factored in and especially with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. We will see very hard decisions being made that will affect people's livelihoods. The ability to continue the kind of lifestyle we have. But it comes down to the value of water for the value it brings to us. And we all have a role to play in using every drop as efficiently as we possibly can.
Greg Dalton: So what are you saying, are you saying that there’ll be less of cotton, alfalfa, almonds, that sort of thing?
Karen Ross: There is already a lot less cotton. When I moved to the state almost 30 years ago we had over a million acres of cotton in the Central Valley. Last year, I don't think we'll have even 220,000 acres of cotton. That's just one example of crop shifts that are happening.
Farmers in the state respond very rapidly to markets. And we are shifting more and more into those kinds of produce crops, tree nut crops, processing tomato crops. We still have a lot of cows in the state and that's what the alfalfa is used for but we’re really matching where the highest value is. And for the value add, and like milk turns into a lot of different things.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick, is the market working to shift those crops to where they ought to be, so the highest value away from cotton to other things?
Peter Gleick: Sure markets work but no – my economist friends like to say let the markets work. Let the free market set the price of water and then people will be efficient. I’m not an economist, but there is no such thing as a free market. We don't have perfect markets. Water is allocated not on a market system in California with a few exceptions. It’s given out by water rights and those water rights are 100 years old or more. And that's part of the complication. We don't really have a market system. But farmers are shifting, we’re growing less cotton, we’re growing more almonds for a reason. The price of almonds is really high. Farmers can make $1000 an acre whereas an alfalfa farmer might make $100 an acre. So economics drives some of this, markets drive some of it, but policy drives some of it too.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, you mentioned cows, you know, there’s what, 600 gallons of water in a hamburger. Some people really question the water input embedded water in a hamburger and other beef. Other people say cows can be part of the solution, that if they’re grazed properly certain grasslands, which are all over beautiful California golden hills, can sequester water and carbon. So how do you see it?
Karen Ross: We really do need to account for all of the benefits that come from well-managed farmland. From really thinking in an ecosystem holistic kind of way about how management practices can be a part of making sure that any water that comes off the land is useful.
And clean quality that we can help reduce air emissions that we can be a part of sequestering carbon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So we really have to think more comprehensively about the public good that comes from well-managed stewardship practices on our farmland, including with our cattle. And then at the end of the day, each one of us as consumers make very powerful decisions both at the grocery store aisles and at the ballot box with the policies that we support and what we choose to buy. I think at the end of the day, we still in this country value choice and we want to be able to make our own choices but we need to be informed consumers and understand the impact of our own decisions.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross is California Secretary of Food and Agriculture. If you're just joining us, we’re talking at Climate One about the drought and our water future. Our other guests are Peter Gleick from the Pacific Institute and Noah Diffenbaugh from Stanford. I'm Greg Dalton.
Noah Diffenbaugh, help us a little bit to understand the drought. Is this drought influence amplified by the climate, by climate disruption, climate change?
Noah Diffenbaugh: So, a substantial number of scientists have asked that question during the drought over the last four years. And that's – our peer review and publication process is fast enough that we now have certainly a hill coming up to a mountain of papers asking that question. And the preponderance of evidence from those papers from a number of different independent groups is clearly that yes, global warming is influencing what we’re experiencing here in California. The primary influence is through temperature, you know, the more heat there is in the atmosphere, the more that draws water out of soils and out of plants. The faster that it melts snowpack the more that it pushes precipitation towards rain rather than snow particularly at lower elevations. And we’ve seen all of those during this drought.
And the work that's come out of my lab at Stanford, what we found is that it used to be in California that we pretty much got half wet years and half dry years. We got half warm years and half cool years. And what’s happened with the long-term warming of California is pretty similar to the global warming. Is now we’re getting a warm year, pretty much year after year. Eighty percent of the years in the last two decades have been warmer than the long-term average. And what that means is that it's like flipping two coins except we got a precipitation coin that’s pretty 50-50 half heads, half tails. And now we've got a temperature coin that’s really loaded towards warm conditions, right. Eight out of ten flips are coming out tails and that means we get two tails more often. And what that means when we have low precipitation and high temperature is we’re much more likely to get drought. And that’s what we’re likely to see going forward into the future more and more.
Greg Dalton: So Karen Ross, how is the agricultural sector getting ready for a hotter and drier future?
Karen Ross: Well, certainly some crops have taken longer-term views on climate change and impact to the quality of their product and the wine sector has been one of the first in doing that. But more and more of that commodities are looking at what does this mean for crop choices, for varietals, and really there's a whole new level of reinvestment and plant breeders. And really understanding what we need to do to try to find those crops that will be salinity tolerant, drought tolerant, cold hardiness, you know, because we’re going to go through all of those kinds of things. But the most immediate change has been what's happening on the farm as far as improving the efficiency of our water use. And the adoption of precision irrigation technology primarily in the state because we have trees and orchard crops that lend themselves very nicely to drip irrigation and subsurface drip irrigation. But subsurface drip irrigation completely transformed the processing tomato sector. It improves quality, it lowers other inputs, it reduces nitrogen runoff from fertilizer in addition to being the most efficient way of using water trying to minimize evaporation off of those fields.
So we have about 50% close to 50% of the acreage that’s using that kind of technology. There are several barriers to why we’re not getting further down the road. And one of the big ones is that 46% of our land is rented, so you can’t go to the bank and use your land as collateral to make those kinds of capital investments. And then the state with the governor's leadership and the support of the legislature we have been offering incentive dollars to try to help, especially a lot of the smaller midsize farmers that just need that incentive dollar to take the next step to implement drip technology, we’re doing that. But our whole infrastructure in California needs to be modernized. We still deliver water in parts of the state where you’re getting your water delivery on Tuesday and that doesn't lend itself to real time water management on the farm. So we really need to marry up this technology.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick, is Ag doing enough?
Peter Gleick: So none of us are doing enough. I don’t mean to be glib about that but none of us are doing enough. There are probably people, well-meaning people in the audience who still have top loading washing machines, or 6 gallons per flush toilets in your homes or leaks that you don't even know about. Agriculture is doing a lot, but agriculture as Karen says could be doing a lot more. Every one of our orchards should probably be on drip or precision sprinklers. And there are disincentives and incentives and we need to do a better job. We could grow more food with less water. We could do all the things we want with less water and that's the inevitable future for us. There's not enough water for all of us to do what we want. I’ve said this a lot maybe you’ve heard me but as badly as we’re doing it now as inefficiently as we’re doing it. And that's the drip irrigation question; it’s the efficient washing machine and the efficient toilet. It's the leak detection. We’re using too much water at the moment to do the things we want. And it's true during a drought, but it's true during a normal year as well.
Greg Dalton: We’re talking about the drought at Climate One. I'm Greg Dalton. My guests are Noah Diffenbaugh from Stanford, Peter Gleick from the Pacific Institute and Karen Ross, Secretary of Food and Ag in California. We’re going to go to our lightning round. Which is a series of brisk yes or no, truth or false questions. This is designed to inform and humor our audience and make them squirm just a little bit up here. Peter Gleick, in the last five years Orange County has made more progress than San Francisco in using water more efficiently, true or false?
Noah Diffenbaugh: It’s lightning.
Peter Gleick: Do I really have to? Yes or no? Okay, false.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, true or false. Citizens should be wary of municipal water systems being operated by for-profit companies?
Karen Ross: False.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh, in the next five years people in California will start to sell and move their homes due to water shortages?
Noah Diffenbaugh: True.
Greg Dalton: It’s happened in some cases already. Peter Gleick, suppose you are writing a movie about water shenanigans in California with Kevin Spacey playing the villain. Would that villain come from the agricultural industry or the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California?
Peter Gleick: Yes.
Greg Dalton: Kevin Spacey in two roles.
Peter Gleick: That movie has been made already.
Greg Dalton: With Jack Nicholson. Noah Diffenbaugh, fracking for natural gas may have serious impacts on water quality and human health, yes or no?
Noah Diffenbaugh: Yes, because you said may.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, the rise of fracking, a water intensive practice is putting agricultural and oil industries in conflict in some cases over water?
Karen Ross: True. In some cases, yes.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, senior water rights in California probably will be changed if the current drought continues? Australia did that, will it happen here?
Karen Ross: No. Well, see I can’t give you context.
Like the governance structure there is so completely different that that's hard to imagine so.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick, reform of California water rights could result in a more equitable distribution of water in the state?
Peter Gleick: Oh sure.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross. Nothing big happens in California water without the blessing of US Sen. Dianne Feinstein?
Karen Ross: True.
Of course I’m pandering, I’m sorry!
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick, one day you will drink recycled pee water as part of your normal life?
Peter Gleick: True.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh, almonds get a bad rap. They actually deliver a reasonable amount of protein per drop of water compared to other protein sources.
Noah Diffenbaugh: That's true and I will declare a conflict I keep a bag of almonds in my office. I eat them every day.
Greg Dalton: We actually had the head of the sustainability person from the almond board here a few weeks ago talking about water. You can listen to that podcast. I also have a bag of almonds next to my desk. Karen Ross, what crop is the biggest water hog in California? I know you love all your 400 commodities, but. Water intensive.
Karen Ross: Okay, water intensive I have to say alfalfa. Because we do seven cuttings a year, alfalfa.
Greg Dalton: And we export a lot to Japan for the cows. Peter Gleick, what crop is the biggest water hog in California?
Peter Gleick: The largest single user of water is alfalfa in terms of acre-feet per year. But that's not necessarily the best measure. Is it dollars per gallon is it yield per gallon? That’s a tough, tough one.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh, as a former farm Stanford is a bigger water hog that UC Berkeley where people shower like Europeans?
Noah Diffenbaugh: I don't know the data on that.
Greg Dalton: Okay then maybe you know data on this one. Noah Diffenbaugh, last question. One way to save water is to shower with a friend?
Noah Diffenbaugh: Depends how long the shower lasts.
Greg Dalton: Alright, we have to end it there. How they do on the lightning round?
Announcer: And now, here’s a Climate One Minute.
This drought has gone on longer than many anticipated – we’re currently in our fifth year. Two years ago, Californians approved a seven billion dollar water bond to help get us through dry times. But is it enough? In 2014, John Coleman of the Association of California Water Agencies looked into his crystal ball to predict what might happen if the drought continued.
John Coleman: It’s going to be dire in many parts of the State. Some parts of the State now you're only allocated 50 gallons of water per house per day regardless of the number of people living in them. We don’t want to get back to that, but if it’s a dire year again, you’re going to see agencies that are going to, in most cases, ban outdoor water use entirely because that’s in summertime upwards of 70% of your water usage. You're going to see – hopefully the State Water Board moving quickly with regulatory reform to deal with recycled water. You’re going to see more de-sal plants. There's 10 on the drawing board now in the State that will be sped up. Things that people may have opposed in the past are going to fall to the side to some degree and it’s just – it will kill our economy. We need to remember that water is the lifeblood of this State and if we don’t have the water resources available, we’re not going to produce the widget, we’re not going to grow whatever and those are jobs, and even if you don’t see it here it’s your job, you're going to pay for it one way or the other and it’s going to have an impact.
Announcer: John Coleman, president of the Association of California Water Agencies, in October of 2014. 2015 went down as one of California’s warmest and driest years on record – and things just keep heating up. For more on the megadrought, let’s join Greg Dalton and his guests at the Commonwealth Club.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh, explain to us why we should care about the Arctic and how the Arctic is related to our lawns.
Noah Diffenbaugh: Yes, this area of really active research including my research group and elsewhere. Yeah, so you know the weather and climate that we experience in any location on the planet is really a result of the energy imbalance of the planet. So just to give you like the brief sort of planetary energy balance 101. The tropics get more energy in total than the high latitudes. And so there's too much energy from the sun at the tropics and there’s not enough at the polls, essentially. And so the circulation, the atmosphere and ocean is really working out of that energy imbalance. And what's happening globally is that the Arctic is warming faster than the tropics. So the gradient between the tropics and the poles is changing. And we know that that's something that was predicted from theory of global warming a long time ago is something we’re absolutely seeing in observation.
And so the question is because the atmospheric circulation is really a result of that gradient as that gradient changes, what are we likely to see in the weather and climate that we experience anywhere in particular on earth. So that's the primer. In terms of California we know that because we get most of our precipitation from kind of this train of storms that comes across the Pacific during our rainy season. We get most of our water from just a handful of storms actually and anything that disrupts that, we’re going to be sensitive to. And what we’ve seen during this drought is this area of really high atmospheric pressure called the Ridiculously Resilient Ridge. And there are a lot of hypotheses about how changes in the Arctic could affect that kind of feature. And so one of the hypotheses is that we could see more frequent blocking, more frequent Ridiculous Resilient Ridging as a result of that loss of Arctic sea ice. And certainly this year, we had a really strong El Niño. We had record low winter sea ice in the Arctic and something we’re trying to chase down is what's the interplay between those factors.
Greg Dalton: And what can we expect with La Niña which is typically a dryer, the predictions about specific water years in California are difficult. But Noah Diffenbaugh, what we can look to in 2017 with La Niña, is that going to trend more dry, warm?
Noah Diffenbaugh: So I think you’ll hear two answers about this. One answer is here look at this graph of history you can see that we’ve had all kinds of precipitation years in California with all kinds of combinations of El Niño and La Niña and it's totally noisy. So that’s one answer you’ll get. The other answer is that even though it's noisy, if you could have one piece of information to make a guess about what California precipitation will be like in the coming year, you would want to know whether it was an El Niño year or La Niña year or neutral year.
So it won't give you perfect predictability, but if you could only have one piece of information that's the piece of information you’d want to know. And in general, if it's an El Niño year that'll tip the odds towards a wet year and if it's a La Niña year, that'll tip the odds toward dry year. So part of the concern right now as we’re seeing indications of La Niña developing is that it will potentially be a dry year. And that's within the context of what's almost certainly going to be the warmest year on record globally.
Greg Dalton: And that beats 2015 which beat 2014, is that right?
Noah Diffenbaugh: Yes, so 2014 was the record, 2015 beat 2014; we’re now well on track for 2016 to beat 2015.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick, there is a bill in this California State Senate regarding disclosure of big water users kind of name and shame. Some of the cities, Palo Alto has secrecy laws around water usage. Do you think name and shame is a good tool for putting, you know, Billy Beane's name in the paper that he uses lots of water?
Peter Gleick: I think data on who's using how much water to do what is valuable. You know, name and shame maybe helps in some circumstances maybe it doesn't. But in general, if we had better data on who is using water and what they were using it for, we would have a better tool for figuring out how to use it better or how to price it differently, or how to offer incentives for improving efficiency. And part of the problem in California, you know, we’re a big state we’re technologically savvy. We’re rich economically, we’re rich academically and yet it's astounding how bad we are at collecting water data. It's really astounding, and in every sector; urban, industrial use all those things. And so I like the idea of open source data on water.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, would farmers agree with that?
Karen Ross: Yes. You can't manage it if you can't measure it. I mean if you really want to improve your management you have to be able to measure and know what’s your benchmark is and have that to compare to. And it’s the same with our household use. Those companies that have done, doing some pilots of giving you real information about your water use how it compares to your neighborhood and here are some incentive programs that are offered for doing that XYZ. It helps everything. That's one of the positives that have come out of the drought, A, is that we have all worked together and we have done remarkable things in conservation. And we've made strides to do a much better job of collecting information, doing measurement, collecting the data, making it user-friendly. And that's a big part of what the governor's executive order was in May of this year. Really taking a look at and we are working on that to have a report to the governor on improvements in measurement, efficiency standards all across the board. So we’ve made strides because we do know this is not isolated, it’s not something that’s going to happen in 10 years from now. We’ll re-create the playbook. We’re trying to capture these lessons learned and improving data collection and making it more useful is a big part of what we’re working on right now.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh.
Noah Diffenbaugh: There are groups that are not enthusiastic about collecting and yeah –
Karen Ross: I’ll be the first one to acknowledge that.
Noah Diffenbaugh: – and revealing the data on their water use. I would just point that out.
Greg Dalton: Yeah, we can’t imagine all farmers, yeah sure, because for the first time California has and this is only happening because government mandate.
Karen Ross: But not having that information is going to make a really hard job of implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act even more difficult and so the value is being able to come together to make those decisions collectively as that community. And without the data it's going to make their job so much more difficult. So much more difficult.
Greg Dalton: That's a ten or twenty year thing, right?
Karen Ross: Well, they have to have the plans in place in the next five years. There’ll be five-year progress reports and at the end of 20 years or if you’ve missed your marks on what looks like you’re going to achieve sustainability, then the state will step in. So there's lots of opportunities.
Greg Dalton: We might get punished in 20 years, okay. Noah Diffenbaugh.
Noah Diffenbaugh: Just on the data and the importance of data and visibility just to give the obligatory promotion for the importance of research. We do have a project at Stanford in the, it's in basically the data science initiative. And Phil Levis who runs the secure internet of things so, you know, internet of things we hear about we’re now trying to do this with water and water data. And figure out a system for monitoring and keeping anonymous. So that the information is secure, but that we know, we don't know who it is, necessarily, but everyone would know what theirs was. And so we are working on that now. And that's in the domestic space so that people have more visibility on what their own domestic use is.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick, one area where there isn’t water data because it's in the gray economy is marijuana cultivation up in the Emerald Triangle. There's a ballot initiative in California this year to legalize marijuana. Is that a significant water issue, will legalization help California's water situation?
Peter Gleick: Why would you think that I know lots about marijuana –
– water use? Any water use ought to be monitored and measured and managed. If we’re moving toward an economy, a legal economy where marijuana is a big part of our agricultural sector. Are you going to include it in the agricultural economy?
Karen Ross: Well, I already have medical cannabis, so yes, yes.
Peter Gleick: Then we better include it in understanding where the water is coming from and what the consequences of its use are.
Karen Ross: And Greg, there was a trailer bill following the budget this year to give specific charge to the state water board on measuring those diversions to make sure that if the diversions are happening. There's real water, not impacting flows.
So just putting the framework around the medical cannabis, growing part of our existing marijuana picture has already set up that framework to be that big.
Peter Gleick: It’s been a big problem. The illegal marijuana piece of this had been a big problem for water use in the northern part of the state and for water quality and for ecosystem flows.
Karen Ross: Yes. Yes.
Greg Dalton: And a lot of energy because it’s indoor growing some of it. So if it’s legalized it might come outdoors and use the sun rather than lights to grow that. I want to get to some of the top lessons or tips from the drought. Where we’re at, five years into the worst drought. What are some of the real lessons Karen Ross from this drought and thinking if, you know, what are the takeaways from this drought?
Karen Ross: Well, just the remarkable progress we've made on showing what we can do with conservation and not have an impact to our economy to dramatically as well as our lifestyles. I think we’re all still enjoying a pretty darn good quality of life. But it really underscored our disadvantaged communities. We have almost 2000 wells that did go dry over this drought and that's impacting some of our poorest communities who already had some water quality problems. So it’s really raised the visibility of what we need to do as Californians to make sure that every Californian has access to safe, clean drinking water.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick, lessons so far in this what five year of this, year five of this most severe drought in 1,200 years?
Peter Gleick: Yeah, I agree with Karen's lesson. Some other things are ecosystems are often underappreciated and suffer more during droughts than human uses in agriculture with the groundwater and that's been a buffer. But ecosystems have really been hammered. Our energy system is partly dependent on water. We get hydropower and when we have a drought we don't get as much. And when we don't get as much we burn more natural gas and that produces greenhouse gases and that’s a climate challenge. Another lesson is if the drought’s bad enough sometimes the politics open the door to cooperation and groundwater law and some new opportunities. And so I think none of us are hoping the drought continues much longer.
But it is an opportunity to do things a little differently. To have some of the conversations that maybe we don't have when people forget that there's a problem. So that maybe is a positive lesson.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh, takeaways from the drought.
Noah Diffenbaugh: I think the biggest lesson is that California is in a new climate. We have a water right systems we’ve heard that’s more than a century old. We have water infrastructure and management system for that infrastructure that's half a century old and more. And those are all designed and built in an old climate. And we’re in a new climate, it's already here. It’s going to intensify as global warming continues. And if we want to have a water system that's prepared for the climate of the present and the climate of the future, then we need to acknowledge that we’re in the new climate. We don't have the climate from a century or half-century ago.
Greg Dalton: Earlier this year there was a research, opinion poll from the Hoover Institute conservative think tank in Stanford, and they found that actually water convinced people more than rising temperature, more than weird weather, that climate is happening. Water was more salient in convincing people than other more abstract issues. People get water in a visceral way. Peter Gleick, we haven't talked much about recycling, reuse. We’ve started that but are we going to see more of that in California and how are we going to pay for it?
Peter Gleick: Absolutely. So a lot of the work we do at the Institute of the Pacific Institute is to look at new models for how to manage water more sustainably. And we’ve talked quite a bit already about conservation and efficiency, doing more with the water we already have. That's the demand side of the equation, which is been under addressed forever in water management. But on the supply side because there really is no more new water, we’re not going to build any more dams, you know, maybe one or two and we’ll still be in the same situation we are now I would argue. But there are new supply options and water reuse and recycling is one of them. Better stormwater capturing is another. And the institute has looked at the potential for those as well.
And the truth is we spend a lot of money collecting wastewater, treating it to a very high standard typically and throwing it away. That's an asset; we talked about this a little bit earlier we don't need to call wastewater treatment plants. We need to call them water recovery plants or something like that. And there’s enormous potential for capturing and treating and reusing water for flushing toilets or landscapes or irrigation or all the way up to potentially potable reuse. I don't think that'll happen soon, but we’re seeing more and more recycled water already. More and more water districts, especially in the coast when we throw that stuff into the ocean are starting to do that and that's inevitable. I think we’re going to see a lot more of that.
Greg Dalton: And that's where Southern California which growing up in Northern California I always bash Southern California for what they did with our water. But they've done a lot in the last couple of decades. LA has a million more people than 20 years ago and they're using the same amount of water.
Peter Gleick: So you asked me the question in the lightning round about Orange County and I froze up in part because Orange County has done wonderful things about water recycling for a long time for groundwater replenishment. They’ve been a real leader in that. That’s a good example of a group that’s really been working hard for a long time on that piece of the puzzle.
Greg Dalton: I want to ask Peter to share a story with us from your book about Bottled and Sold about a stadium, sports stadium that was built in Florida and tell us that story it’s quite indicative of a, it’s an interesting story.
Peter Gleick: So this is in part reflective of the way we think about or ought to be thinking about water. This was about 10 years ago now. A big football stadium was built I think it was Central Florida University, a big football university. Opening day very hot it was September they had 100,000 people in the stadium approximately.
It turned out they had built a stadium with zero water fountains which I think was a violation of the Florida building code. And it was a very hot day they had 30,000 bottles, of bottled water at the concession stand they sold out. And by the end of the day dozens of people had heatstroke and went to the hospital because there was not enough water for people. It led to a conversation at the University about water fountains. The University very quickly retrofitted that stadium with 40 or 50 water fountains. But it was reflective of the disappearance of public water and the shift toward private water which is a bigger problem than we think.
Greg Dalton: We’re talking about groundwater and the drought at Climate One. I’m Greg Dalton. My guests are Noah Diffenbaugh from Stanford, Karen Ross, you just heard, Secretary of Agriculture and Food in California. And Peter Gleick, President Emeritus of the Pacific Institute.
We’re going to go to audience questions and invite your participation with one, one-part comment or question.
Male Participant: Noah, you said that the climate has changed as if it’s changed into a static position. And I see climate change, rising and rising and rising and rising. And I'm concerned that we’ll have as I once mentioned to you, Peter a thousand year drought.
Greg Dalton: Thank you. So fair point, megadrought. Noah Diffenbaugh.
Noah Diffenbaugh: I agree, the best evidence that we have and again this is partly research that I've been involved in partly from other research groups. The best evidence we have is that California has entered a regime in which we have warmer temperatures. And what that means is that when there's low precipitation, we’re more likely to enter drought and those droughts are likely to be more intense and to last longer. And that those periods are likely to continue to be punctuated by wet years. And all the evidence suggests that both from looking at historical record, looking at theoretical understanding of the climate system, looking at climate model projections, that we are likely to continue to have a climate that is punctuated by wet conditions.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick.
Peter Gleick: I would note there are different definitions of drought. There's, we’ve sort of been talking about meteorological drought; that is how much water nature delivers to us in our wet season. There's hydrologic drought, which is how much water is in the system.
And then there's economic drought, which is how much water we humans want. And if there's not enough water to do all the things that we want, even if meteorologically there’s no change or hydrologically there’s no change, then maybe we are in a drought anyway. And so there's some nuances there that suggests that we’re already in a water short condition.
Greg Dalton: Thank you. Let's go to our next question at Climate One.
Female Participant: Given the disparity between 80% of the water being used by the agricultural sector, it's true that not all of us are doing what we could be doing and some of us are eating almonds and using top loading washing machines. Are there any other initiatives beside the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act that's either in our Congress or being written up that would address this 80% that is going to the agricultural sector?
Karen Ross: Well, in addition to the water efficiency incentive programs that are in place, part of the executive order was a new requirement for urban and ag water efficiency management plans to instead verify that they have water to get through at least three years of drought. They must now document that they can get through five years of drought. And we’re looking at and this will be a requirement for those districts to estimate what their water usage is as part of the total water budget. And the other thing that happened is that previously we had 56 water districts that were required to do an Ag efficiency water management plan and verify how they could get through drought. And that was based on 25,000 acres or more that was being served by them. We have now lowered that to any district that serves at least 10,000 acres or more so we’ll have 111 water districts making these kinds of reports, verifying their plans and the state water board will have the opportunity to audit that and verify that it’s real and that they have a plan in place. So it’s all starting to work together under integrated water management.
Greg Dalton: Noah Diffenbaugh.
Noah Diffenbaugh: Yeah, another one that I'm really interested in, you know, we, in California we've, we use the same dams and reservoirs for both flood control and water storage and we’ve really relied on snowpack. And Peter can correct me but, you know, something on the order of 30% reliance on snowpack. And what we’re seeing with a warmer climate is more rain rather than snow and earlier melting of the snow that does fall. And what that means is putting more pressure on our reservoirs and that's part of why, you know, we’re seeing releases from reservoirs to create more space for flood control. And so one proposal that’s been introduced is to give some more flexibility to those water managers by relying more on near term weather forecasts to be able to inform those decisions about whether or not to release water. And I actually think that particularly on the context of reducing snowpack that that actually on a real on the ground basis will give a lot more flexibility.
Female Participant: Peter and Karen, could you tell us a little bit about how biodynamic organic farming might help us during drought situations?
Karen Ross: Well, I’ll speak specifically. Both of those systems have a very strong emphasis on soil health and really building the organic matter in our soil. And we have good data that shows water retention ability has improved dramatically. So I would use that as one very specific example. And if it’s ever funded under the cap and trade proposals that are out there we will be launching under Governor Brown's leadership, he announced that we would have a soil health initiative, so that all farmers will be a part of sequestering carbon and really building the organic matter in their soil. And it will provide some drought resilience, that's the goal of our program.
Greg Dalton: But Peter Gleick, I've had a sustainability executive from Patagonia up here who laments, who says organic cotton stinks because organic itself speaks to fertilizer use, et cetera but not water use.
Peter Gleick: That's right, organic doesn’t automatically mean less water. Maybe the general message in addition to the things that Karen has just described is that on farm management practices have an enormous impact on water and soil quality and soil health and carbon emissions and carbon sequestration. So we have to manage the agricultural sector, not just for food production but for sustainability broadly. And I think a lot of what Karen has been describing and she's been a leader in this for a long time, is trying to integrate all those pieces together.
Greg Dalton: We’re talking about the drought at Climate One with Noah Diffenbaugh, Peter Gleick and Karen Ross. Let’s go to our next question.
Male Participant: Hi, I’m Paul Chapman a long time school teacher and school principal in the Bay Area. I'm now working to promote greener, more environmentally sustainable schools. So I’d like to ask a broader question and that is how you think we can best teach our young people about climate change. When should we do this? How best can we do it in the schools, to what end? Do you have any curricula to recommend?
Greg Dalton: First I’ll mention that we did a whole two-part program on Earning and Learning Green. So you can check out a Climate One podcast we did a few months ago on exactly this topic in depth K-12 and college. But who would like to answer that for now? Noah Diffenbaugh, you’re an educator.
Noah Diffenbaugh: Well, we had a project at Stanford; it was led by my dean, Pamela Matson and the director of the Stanford teacher education program. They co-led it, and they did develop curriculum materials and piloted those in Bay Area schools. So there was both curriculum development and research on the effectiveness of implementation. So I would point you to that resource.
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross.
Karen Ross: Can I just add that I know how much teachers have and we always add-on things as opposed to integrating it. And teaching about water and water conservation and how valuable water is, is a great nexus to climate change as well. I just came back from leading a delegation to Israel and that in that country everybody regardless of age, knows how valuable every drop of water is. And they did a very massive education and they continue that in schools from the youngest age possible.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick.
Peter Gleick: Yeah, so I would – it’s a great question. And I would add that there are great resources in the Bay Area. There's an organization called Community Resources for Science that helps elementary school teachers teach science. And there are new science standards, National Science standards and California has science standards and climate is a piece of that. If we had started teaching climate science 20 years ago or 30 years ago maybe some of our policymakers today would be a little better informed than they are.
Greg Dalton: There’s also the National Center for Science Education in Oakland and the Alliance for Climate Education in Oakland. Let’s go to our next question at Climate One.
Male Participant: Peter Anderson. I have a background in restoring rivers in the Napa Valley. We’re trying to save the steelhead, we lost that battle. I have two friends who are climate scientists who say we’re locked into a four degree centigrade rise in temperature in the next few decades. Do you think we can adapt to that?
Noah Diffenbaugh: We’re not locked in. We’re not locked in, I mean if the Paris agreement is implemented, the carbon budget goals are implemented, we will, you know, we have the very good chance of staying below the two degree target that's outlined in Paris. We are in the period where the decisions that we make now will go a long way to determining whether we see four degrees of warming or whether we see something more like what's in the Paris agreement. So now we have the agreement at the international level and the question now is meeting that agreement.
Greg Dalton: Peter Gleick.
Peter Gleick: So Noah is right. We’re not necessarily locked into four. But we are locked into something. There is inevitable unavoidable climate change now. Some of which will be hard to adapt to depending on who you are and where you are. So your question is a valid one, it's a good one. There are going to be bad consequences of the climate changes were not now already able to avoid. And understanding what those are and figuring out how to deal with them is going to be a costly challenge.
Greg Dalton: Last question.
Male Participant: So it’s somewhat related to the last questions about whether steelhead or Delta smelt is around the Endangered Species Act. So clearly that's a factor in the distribution of water, but if I look ahead and you look at climate change obviously, that impacts the viability of species. What’s the thought of the panel, how is this going to play out?
Greg Dalton: Karen Ross, there's some suggestion that should the Endangered Species Act be relaxed. Farmers obviously don't like it.
Karen Ross: So part of this comes from building great infrastructure 50, 60 years ago and not really understanding what the impact to nature was. And now we’re having to reconcile that. Could there be some flexibility? I think that's the real question. We don't have to throw out an act that’s accomplished good things and throw it out. It's about can we create some flexibility, do we have good scientific data to show us how we can manage for species and still have an economy that works. And I think that's the place to focus is on the science; is it just about flows, we also know that for the smelt in particular, it’s equally important habitat in the marshes. So I think that we have to be holistic. I know that there are some in the farm community that do believe that the Endangered Species Act has to be dramatically amended. I’m not there but I do think that we should look for flexibility and have a better understanding of how we can meet our coequal goals that we’ve set for ourselves here in California.
Greg Dalton: And Peter Gleick, a lot of environmentalists are very concerned that if the Endangered Species Act gets tinkered with that it once you open it up, then it'll get basically decimated.
Peter Gleick: Yes, I think that's a real danger. The Endangered Species Act is a line in the sand. You won't let species go extinct if you can prevent it. And Karen’s answer was a really good one. We want a healthy ecosystem. We want a healthy agricultural community. We have to figure out how to achieve those things. And it's complicated, but when you have species on the verge of extinction you make a special effort to prevent that.
Greg Dalton: We have to end it there. We've been talking about the drought in California with Noah Diffenbaugh, Professor at Stanford University, Peter Gleick, President Emeritus of the Pacific Institute and Karen Ross, Secretary of California Department of Food and Agriculture. I’m Greg Dalton. You can join the conversation on Twitter using our handle @climateone. And listen to podcasts of this and other Climate One programs on climateone.org. I’d like to thank our guests here in the room and online. Thank you all for joining this conversation. |
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JSON vs. XML: Some Hard Numbers About Verbosity
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10 Jun 2013CPOL
I’ve written a small Java benchmark that I’ll present, along with its results, in this article.
More and more JSON is becoming the data interchange format of the web and even starts to leak outside of this world, replacing XML wherever it can, and there are really good reasons for that. But often people are driven towards JSON for other reasons, not necessarily bad reasons, but based on more anecdotal facts, like the so-called verbosity of XML. Indeed this is the argument you’ll hear most often, e.g., just have a look at this nice comparison of the two formats: the first cons is of course “verbosity“.
And it’s a factual argument: the size gains can be important if your values are small, typically for representing business objects like customers because the markup overhead (all the closing tags) will become important relatively to the carried information (e.g., the names and zip codes of your customers).
But you rarely send big chunk of data in a raw text format as XML or JSON, because nowadays servers and clients (e.g., web browsers) supports live gzipping of the workloads, and use it transparently. So the size advantage of JSON over XML should reduce because GZIP knows how to factorize redundant information like markups.
At least this seems a reasonable speculation, but while intuition is good hard numbers are better to be definitely convinced and to have a numerical idea of the impact. So I’ve written a small Java benchmark that I’ll present, along with its results, in this article.
The source code is available in this archive: JSON vs XML Source Code
The Model
The benchmark reproduces a very common scenario in web development: serializing a big bunch of business data, a set of two millions users.
Here are the different representations of the user entity.
public class User
private int id;
private String name;
public int getId()
return id;
public String getName()
return name;
public User(int id, String name)
{ = id; = name;
Note that I’ve used a verbose format to clearly illustrate the point; of course “id” and “name” should have been implemented as attributes, but sometimes you have no choice, e.g., when you have to conform with an ill-conceived XML schema.
We already see that the XML template is quite verbose compared to the JSON one.
Data Generation
All the data, i.e., the users ids and names, are randomly generated using some helpers methods, to avoid any bias that could appear when choosing fixed values:
private static final Random random = new Random();
private static final char[] letters = new char[26];
for (int i = 0; i < 26; ++i)
letters[i] = (char) ('a' + i);
private static int getId()
return random.nextInt(99999);
private static String getName(int length)
char[] chars = new char[length];
chars[i] = letters[random.nextInt(letters.length)];
return new String(chars);
private static User[] getUsers(int count)
User[] users = new User[count];
users[i] = new User(getId(), getName(6));
return users;
As the benchmark tries to compare the costs of the formatting overheads for each of the document formats, the size of the values are limited so they don’t become too prevalent: ids and names lengths have been limited to 6 characters.
Data Compression
The zipping process is based on the standard Java GZip implementation and is as simple as that:
private static byte[] zip(String string) throws Exception
ByteArrayOutputStream memory = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
GZIPOutputStream zip = new GZIPOutputStream(memory);
return memory.toByteArray();
The inputs are the text versions of the XML and JSON documents, the output the raw binary representation of the zipped content.
The Benchmark
And here is the benchmark:
• Generate a set of random users
• Generate the XML and JSON representations of this set
• Compare the sizes of the text documents
• Generate the zipped versions of the XML and JSON documents
• Compare the sizes of the zipped documents and the time it took to compress
Note that the benchmark takes into account the time necessary to zip the documents because as you’d guessed zipping duration depends on the size of the content and CPU time is an important factor that can’t be ignored.
And the implementation:
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception
User[] users = getUsers(2000000);
String xml = getXML(users);
String json = getJSON(users);
System.out.println(String.format("xml(%d)/json(%d): %f",
xml.length(), json.length(), 1.0 * xml.length()/json.length()));
long t1 = System.currentTimeMillis();
byte[] xmlZip = zip(xml);
long t2 = System.currentTimeMillis();
byte[] jsonZip = zip(json);
long t3 = System.currentTimeMillis();
System.out.println(String.format("xmlDuration(%d)/jsonDuration(%d): %f",
t2 - t1, t3 - t2, 1.0 * (t2 - t1) / (t3 - t2)));
System.out.println(String.format("xmlZip(%d)/jsonZip(%d): %f",
xmlZip.length, jsonZip.length, 1.0 * xmlZip.length/jsonZip.length));
Not rocket science, but it should do the job.
And the Winner Is…
Enough suspense, here are the results:
Text Gzip Zip duration
XML 91.78M 18.74M 3.38s
JSON 49.78M 17.09M 2.78s
XML overhead 84.38% 9.62% 21.3%
As expected for both the text and zipped versions, XML has a size overhead but while this overhead is really important with the text version: 84%, almost twice as big, it becomes less significant, less than 10%, when gzipped.
But to obtain this gain in size, we had to consume some additional CPU time: it takes more than 20% more time to gzip the XML document than the JSON document.
So depending on your use case, it could be completely acceptable or not at all: if your server does not handle many requests and is never overloaded the 20% additional time is not an issue because it allows a dramatic reduction of the size, but if your server is already overloaded 20% more CPU loads could cause the latency to end in the red.
As you’ve seen, while the “angle bracket tax” of XML is real, it can be dramatically reduced to an acceptable level, but at the cost of some additional processing time. Keep in mind that as any benchmark, it’s worth what it’s worth and if the data format is critical in your situation, you should carry out your own study, inspired by this one but using your own data and technologies because your mileage may vary.
In my humble opinion, what makes JSON the natural choice for a lot of applications is not its inherent qualities, though real as demonstrated in the above article, but its strong integration into the web ecosystem because JSON is the native way of representing JavaScript objects trees.
And as Javascript is no more limited to the client side, with the rise of JavaScript on the server with Node.js, it becomes the logical candidate to ensure communication between the client and the server: JavaScript talking to JavaScript using some … JavaScript.
Moreover, JSON has been chosen as their data format by some NoSQL databases like MongoDB or CouchDB, one more good reason to use it in order to build a uniform stack.
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About the Author
Instructor / Trainer Pragmateek
France (Metropolitan) France (Metropolitan)
To make it short I'm an IT trainer specialized in the .Net ecosystem (framework, C#, WPF, Excel addins...).
(I'm available in France and bordering countries, and I only teach in french.)
I like to learn new things, particularly to understand what happens under the hood, and I do my best to share my humble knowledge with others by direct teaching, by posting articles on my blog (, or by answering questions on forums.
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In this comic I explore what speech bubbles would do in between scenes.
Would they hang out together and talk?
word balloons comic
Read it here, or click on the image above.
It was a fun (and a bit silly) experiment.
I think speech bubbles (or word balloons) are an intriguing part of comics that are usually taken for granted.
So this comic is also a way to put them in the spotlight a little.
Also this reminds me of the philosophical question about turtles.
In a famous anecdote (sometimes ascribed to Bertrand Russel) a scientist explains to a woman how the earth is round and not the center of the universe and all that.
The woman is not one bit convinced, stating the world rests on the back of a giant turtle.
When the scientist askes “but what then, supports the turtle?”, the woman replies “another turtle”.
The scientist knows a good argument when he hears it, so continues “but what supports that turtle then?”
“Don’t get yourself worked up mister, it’s turtles all the way down!”
Please read more on this expression of infinite regress (I’ve got that from Wikipedia) here.
I think this translates quite well to speech bubbles.
How do they talk?
Why, by using speech bubbles of course!
Okay, but how do those speech bubbles talk then?
Don’t worry, it’s speech bubbles all the way up!
For this comic I decided not to make a specific bonus page (like I did for my last comic, Abandon), but instead provide you with some background.
In The Art of the Word Balloon (part I – III) I explain how word balloons transformed from a desperation device into an integral part of comic storytelling.
Check out part I right here.
So, did you ever consider word balloons talking to each other?
Or is this way too silly?
Please let me know in the comments section below.
2 Replies to “bubbles”
1. I absolutely love it! It’s funny but it makes you think about more than just speech balloons: what with sound effects? The bubbles are like stage actors: getting in character, learning their text and having doubts about the text…
Does this also apply to movie and theater?
Another great work by Haes!
Leave a Reply to haes Cancel reply
|
No ulluco this year. Ulluco will next be available following the 2020 harvest.
Ulluco information and growing instructions
Four important tuber crops were developed in the Andes: potato, oca, mashua, and ulluco (Ullucus tuberosus), pronouced “oo-YOO-ko”. Ulluco is probably the most widely consumed of these crops after the potato, but is almost unknown more than a day’s drive from the high altitudes in the Andes where it is grown. The tubers are particularly beautiful, mostly vivid yellow, orange, or red/purple, colors that are created by high concentrations of pigments that act as antioxidants. The flavor is starchy like a potato, but also earthy like a beet. The leaves are also commonly eaten, raw or cooked. Ulluco is a tricky plant to grow, as it grows poorly when temperatures exceed 75 degrees and requires a frost-free growing season through at least mid-November. |
Meaning of Back Pain with Fever
Back Pain with Fever
Back pain with fever is a common combination of symptoms that is usually relatively harmless and is likely to be indicative of a viral or bacterial infectious process. In other cases, the back pain and fever might be related to activity, such as overwork combined with sunburn, more than any systemic infection. However, there are times when fever in the presence of back pain is a symptom of a far more serious condition.
Fever is a warning sign that something is amiss in the body. Most fevers do not rise very high and are extremely useful at ridding the body of contaminants. Other fevers are generated in response to bodily stresses, such as radiation, disease or pharmaceutical product ingestion. Fevers that are accompanied by back pain, or any type of pain, should be investigated if a definitive cause is not known or suspected.
This discussion provides a comprehensive view of fever that accompanies dorsal pain in the neck, middle spine or lower lumbar regions. We will examine the most typical expressions of back pain and fever, as well as provide an overview of some less common origins of both symptoms.
Typical Causes of Back Pain with Fever
Back pain is a known symptom of many different types of common infectious conditions. All of the following circumstances can cause back pain to accompany fever and possibly other types of symptoms:
The flu is one of the most widely seen back pain and fever combinations. Influenza is known to create a rise in anatomical temperature in many patients and this fever might become quite high. Widespread back muscle soreness is commonly reported with the flu, as is acute pain near the kidneys or surrounding some of the glandular and lymphatic structures in the body. High fever itself can cause muscular pain, as well as skin sensitivity and general discomfort throughout the body. Since many patients lie in bed when they are sick with the flu, it is common for the continual pressure exerted on the dorsal anatomy to exacerbate soreness experienced therein.
Some colds and allergy syndromes might involve low level fevers and back pain might be a result of constant deep coughing in response to irritants or mucus accumulation.
All types of infections have the potential to cause fever as the body seeks to be rid of the germs. Skin infections, specific organ infections and general systemic infections can all generate fever. Once again, the fever is often the cause of general bodily pain and soreness. Some serious infections strike the spine itself, such as meningitis or discitis. Luckily, these types of infections usually demonstrate unique symptoms that warn caregivers of their presence and help the patient to enjoy quick emergency medical intervention upon evaluation.
Atypical Causes of Back Pain with Fever
There are less often seen scenarios where back pain might be present along with fever. Some of these circumstances include any of the following conditions:
Many people perform exhausting outdoor work that can cause back muscle soreness, as well as being exposed to radiation from the sun that might cause sunburn. Serious sunburns can cause low to medium grade fevers for a short time, generally within hours after exposure.
Some drugs can cause muscular pain, stiffness and soreness, as well as slightly elevated temperatures. Patients who experience such symptoms when starting new medications should report these effects to their doctor immediately, unless they have already been warned of these expressions being likely to occur.
Cancer is a common cause of idiopathic fever, especially of a chronic or recurrent variety.
Some vaccines can cause mild to moderate fever, as they introduce contaminants into the body to illicit an immune response. Remember that fever is a basic immune response to infection, even if it is purposefully inflicted.
Blood clots and deep vein thombosis can create acute fever and the existence of back pain might be related to the fever itself or the location of a clot.
Autoimmune conditions are well known to cause back pain with fever recurrently or chronically. Since many autoimmune conditions are related to the mindbody interactions, fever might be another symptom of a psychogenic pain process in some patients. Some of the most common automimmune conditions that might create fever include gout, IBS, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, Crohn’s disease, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriasis.
Overactive thyroid is a relatively common cause of fever and regional pain in the neck of older people. Thyroid problems can defy diagnosis for a long time without proper bloodwork.
Back Pain with Fever Guidance
Fever leaves the body feeling sore, stiff and uncomfortably warm. Many people also experience severe chills and subsequent shaking that are known instigators of muscular spasms. For people with a known history of back problems and spasm, this can be terrifying and torturous.
Most fever is useful, productive and harmless in the grand scheme of good health. Fevers help our bodies to remain free of dangerous infections, but sometimes are unproductive and caused by sources that should be identified and remedied, when possible.
If you experience unknown high fever and severe back pain, it is always safe to contact your doctor or local hospital for evaluation. In most cases, the condition will turn out to be a complete nonissue, but for a few patients, early intervention will help them to receive the help they need for serious conditions such as spinal meningitis or discal infection.
Back Pain > Back Pain Symptoms > Back Pain with Fever
cure back pain program |
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Term 6 Urban Pioneers
Hop on the bus and take a trip downtown, where the lights are bright and every street has a story to tell.
Explore with fresh eyes the art of the city, then capture a moment in time.
You’re an urban pioneer… so get ready to go!
We shall be discovering the big city landscapes, developing our creative side with a Graffiti workshop, learning about the pioneers of Graffiti and even building own Year 3 mini city on the playground!
This term Year 3 are working towards achieving these targets:
I can give explanations of the impact of language choices on me.
Secure+ children can independently apply all of the Year 3 skills to a range of genres
I can assess the effectiveness of my writing and suggest improvements with support.
A Secure+ child is secure in all of their age expected objectives and can independently apply these skills over a broad range of genres and text types. They are able to explain why they have chosen to use certain features and can use this in the correct context, demonstrating a clear understanding of the purpose of their writing.
I can add and subtract amounts of money to give change, using both £ and p in practical contexts
I know the number of seconds in a minute and the number of days in each month, year and leap year |
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Scientifically Speaking
Science is an interactive subject in the third-grade wing of Half Day School. Teachers apply what students learn to everyday life while they share their knowledge with classmates.
How fast can you go down a slide, teacher Katie McCraren challenges her third-graders. Students tested different materials, size, and mass of an object to gauge how quickly an object moves down a cardboard slide noting the friction it experiences along the way. Students created their own objects to slide down an inverted plane to test and predict which materials would have the highest and lowest friction, Miss McCraren said.
In a neighboring classroom, Gretchen McLelland’s third-graders conducted an experiment called, ‘Force at a Distance’ where students measured the greatest distance at which a paper clip would still be pulled toward a magnet. For more pictures of the activities, please visit the school's Facebook page.
“Students can actively see through this investigation that without providing the push or pull, paper clips are still moving toward magnets,” Mrs. McLelland said. |
The XYINTERP Function
The XYINTERP function converts an XY graph into a standard interval series by linearly interpolating an XY graph.
linearly interpolates the XY graph in W3 using the smallest x interval of W3 as the interpolation increment. In order to interpolate, the x values of the XY graph must be monotonic (i.e., steadily increasing or decreasing). DADiSP cannot interpolate XY graphs that look like circles.
XYINTERP also accepts an interpolation interval, so:
xyinterp(w3, 0.125)
interpolates W3 with an interval of 0.125. Once you have interpolated an XY graph, you can operate on it with any DADiSP function.
Also, RESAMPLE supports several different methods of interpolating irregularly spaced data to regularly spaced data. |
Spinal Stenosis Treatment and Effective Prevention Tips
Spinal Stenosis Treatment
Credit: iStock.com/lisafx
As we age, our spinal canal narrows and causes an array of issues with the vertebrae, discs, and the central nervous system, which may result in a condition known as spinal stenosis.
But, what is spinal stenosis? It is a condition where the spinal canal narrows and causes compression on the nerve roots within the spinal cord, which may cause symptoms to arise such as pain, weakness, and numbness throughout the body. We will look at the various stenosis types and causes so you will know which spinal stenosis treatment may best work for you if you suffer from this condition.
Spinal stenosis affects walking and balance, and because it can occur anywhere along the spine, sensations may also be affected. This is because our spine consists of bones known as vertebrae, where part of the central nervous system runs directly through from our brain to the rest of the body. Any damage or trauma to the bones and tissue protecting these nerves can have a debilitating effect on our physical functioning.
Spinal Stenosis Types
There are three main types of spinal stenosis.
1. Cervical Spinal Stenosis
This type of stenosis concerns the seven vertebrae that form the cervical spine between the skull and the chest. This region is also referred to as the C-spine.
2. Thoracic Spinal Stenosis
This region consists of the next 12 vertebrae along the middle of the back. Physical actions like rotation and side-to-side movements result from this area of the spine.
3. Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
The next five vertebrae between the rib cage and the pelvis contain the lumbar region. This lower back area supports the body’s weight and allows us to bend and twist.
Spinal Stenosis Causes
We mentioned how the natural aging process could have a profound effect on the narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing can also be initiated or heightened with other external and internal factors. For example, a smaller than normal spinal cord or medical conditions such as scoliosis will result in spinal stenosis, as well as the following conditions.
1. Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of spinal stenosis. This inflammation of the joints causes the cartilage to collapse.
Osteoarthritis is a condition that results in compression of the nerves with the development of bone spurs and expansion of ligaments.
2. Birth Defects
Congenital disabilities that affect the spine can cause spinal stenosis.
3. Bone Overgrowth
These bone spurs can be the result of Paget’s disease. This disease causes pressure on the spinal canal.
4. Herniated Disks
This condition can cause spinal stenosis as any trauma to these cushioning discs of the spine can lead to extra pressure on the spinal canal.
5. Expanded Ligaments
The expansion of ligaments due to injury, disease, or the natural aging process can place pressure on the nerves of the spine. Ligaments connect the bones of the spine.
6. Tumors
Tumors growing within the spinal canal are abnormal and may be cancerous. They may appear between the vertebrae and spinal cord, or possibly throughout the cord’s membrane covering.
7. Spinal Injuries
Injuries to the spine can directly or indirectly cause spinal stenosis. A broken bone fragment or inflamed tissues in the spinal canal can cause compression on the nerves.
Spinal Stenosis Symptoms
Spinal stenosis in any part of the spine may or may not present symptoms, which can range from mild to severe. The symptoms include:
• A dull ache in the lower back known as sciatica, which can sometimes develop as severe pain darting up and down the legs
• Leg muscle stiffness
• Foot drop (difficulty lifting the front part of the foot when you walk)
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Weak bladder or bowel nerves leading to loss of function
• Muscle weakness in the legs and arms
• Leg numbness
• Difficulty with balance.
Spinal Stenosis Diagnosis
If you experience any of the mentioned symptoms, your physician will assess spinal stenosis by looking at your medical history and doing a physical examination, as well as possible diagnostic testing and an observation of your movements. Tests may include:
• X-rays of the back to determine if any bone spurs are causing compression on the nerves
• Magnetic resonance imaging tests of the cross-section of the spine to check for any trauma to the ligaments or discs, as well as any tumors that may be pressing on the spine
• A computerized tomography myelogram test to examine growths and damage to the discs, ligaments, and tissues
Spinal Stenosis Treatment
With any mild symptoms, your doctor may take a wait-and-watch approach with frequent monitoring using diagnostic tests. There are devices that can help with movements such as canes, walkers, or braces. For symptoms that do not dissipate or are severe, the physician may treat them with medication, physical therapy, or surgery.
1. Medication
Over-the-counter and prescribed pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen may be required for short-term use to settle the pain. Also, some cases require daily anti-depressant treatments such as amitriptyline.
Another short-term treatment may be opioid drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. And, the use of anti-seizure drugs such as gabapentin and pregabalin target nerve pain.
2. Injections
Steroid injections target inflammation and are used sparingly as a possible side effect is bone weakness.
3. Physical Therapy
This form of therapy concentrates on strengthening weak muscles, as well as improving flexibility and balance.
4. Surgery
Surgical procedures to relieve pressure on the spine can involve a decompression procedure to remove part of the expanded ligament. Removal surgeries may include a laminectomy, laminotomy, or laminoplasty.
Current research and clinical trials are concentrating on using stem cells for spinal diseases.
Spinal Stenosis Home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes
Outside of the hospital setting, there are therapies that may alleviate the pain and suffering caused by spinal stenosis. These include massage and chiropractic treatments, as well as acupuncture. Also, you may want to try the following to help with your condition.
• Using hot or cold compresses to ease the inflammation, pain, and discomfort on the back, neck, or legs
• Massaging the back and the legs to treat the pain and discomfort
• Maintaining proper posture when standing, sitting, and resting, as the bulk of your weight is supported by the lower back, and keeping the spine aligned can help keep the discs and vertebrae in good health
• Wearing a properly fitted neck or back brace
• Losing weight if you are overweight, as excess weight causes pressure on the spine
• Exercising regularly by performing stretching and strengthening exercises like swimming, yoga, and short walks
• Maintaining balance with the help of a cane or walker while walking
• Modifying your daily activities to alleviate pressure and force on the spine
• Taking frequent breaks throughout the day from the tasks that trigger symptoms
• Adding Epsom salts to a warm bath to alleviate pain and inflammation
• Consuming anti-inflammatory foods such as garlic, ginger, leafy green vegetables, chili peppers, and extra virgin olive oil
• Limiting or avoiding foods such as processed meats, refined grains, sugar, alcohol, and processed snacks
• Adding herbs to your treatment regimen such as valerian root, white willow bark, and turmeric
Spinal Stenosis Prevention
We may not be able to stop the aging process, but we can take steps to prevent other causes of spinal stenosis.
1. Avoid Smoking
The harsh chemicals in tobacco products weaken the discs and reduce bone density, which can cause the spinal canal to shrink.
2. Weight Management
Maintain a healthy weight based on your body frame, as the spine helps to support your body weight.
3. Stretching
Enhance your flexibility by stretching every day. Doing this will strengthen the ligaments and prevent them from deteriorating, as well as improve disc function.
Exercises such as leg and back stretches, quadricep stretches, hip flexor stretches, and knee-to-chest stretches will all help to prevent spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis is a debilitating disease that affects any part of the spinal column. The painful symptoms can vary from mild to severe depending on the location of the trauma or damage along the spine. In addition to the natural aging process, spinal stenosis can also be the result of any injury or illness on the part of the spine causing compression of the nerve roots.
Treatment can range from exercises to more drastic measures such as surgical removal of damaged parts of the spine. By staying fit and living a clean lifestyle, you can reduce the risk of developing spinal stenosis.
Related Articles:
“What Is Spinal Stenosis?” WebMD, October 17, 2016; http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/guide/spinal-stenosis#1-2, last accessed July 17, 2017.
“Spinal Stenosis,” Mayo Clinic, June 30, 2017; http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-stenosis/home/ovc-20320403, last accessed July 17, 2017.
Jr., Ulrich, P.F., “Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Definitive Guide,” Spine Health, May 10, 2011; https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spinal-stenosis/lumbar-spinal-stenosis-a-definitive-guide, last accessed July 17, 2017.
“Cervical Spinal Stenosis – Topic Overview,” WebMD; http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/cervical-spinal-stenosis-topic-overview#1, last accessed July 17, 2017.
“Spinal Stenosis,” Mayfield Brain & Spine, April 2016; https://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-STEN.htm, last accessed July 17, 2017. |
Dr. Gregg L. Semenza of Johns Hopkins, Dr. William G. Kaelin Jr. of Harvard and Dr. Peter J. Ratcliffe at Oxford in London shared the 2019 Nobel Prize for discovering how your body responds when you can’t meet your needs for oxygen. Their groundbreaking research is now being used to treat certain cancers, strokes, infections, anemia, heart attack risks, and some eye diseases that can cause blindness.
You need oxygen for your cells to convert food to energy. When you can’t get enough oxygen, your body makes extra red blood cells to carry oxygen, makes new blood vessels to bring the oxygen to your cells, and switches to ways to convert food to energy without using oxygen. These researchers have shown how to turn genes on and off to increase or decrease oxygen levels. By decreasing available oxygen, you can:
• kill cancer cells,
• stimulate new growth of blood vessels for a person prone to heart attacks,
• stimulate the bone marrow to make new red cells to treat anemia.
By increasing oxygen levels, you can treat kidney diseases.
Applications for Cancer Treatment
Cancer cells need lots of oxygen to keep on growing, so researchers are now trying to stop cancer from spreading by blocking their supply of oxygen through blocking production of new blood vessels. Scientists have known for many years that low oxygen levels cause the kidneys and liver to make a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), that causes the bone marrow to increase production of new red blood cells. Both Drs. Semenza and Ratcliffe showed that low oxygen levels cause all the cells in the body to make large amounts of a protein called HIF-1a that stimulates the body to increase production of blood vessels and red blood cells that increase a cancer’s chance of spreading.
Dr. Kaelin studied people who suffered from von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL), an inherited disease in which patients have a very high risk of pancreatic and kidney cancers. The same gene that increases their cancer risk also increases the oxygen supply to cancer cells, so their cancers can grow and spread through the body. Since high levels of oxygen increase (and low levels decrease) the risk of cancer spreading through the body, blocking HIF-1a can treat cancer by preventing cancer cells from increasing oxygen supply by making new blood vessels. An angiogenesis blocker, Avastin (bevacizumab), treats brain, kidney, lung and colon cancers by blocking cancer cells from stimulating the growth of new blood vessels they need to obtain oxygen and nutrients. On the other hand, increasing HIF-1a production can increase production of red blood cells to treat anemia.
The Recipients
William G. Kaelin, Jr., is professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in math and chemistry at Duke University where his laboratory instructor wrote, “Mr. Kaelin appears to be a bright young man whose future lies outside of the laboratory.” He went to Duke Medical School and took his residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins. He then went to Harvard where he studied a genetic disorder, VHL, that is characterized by high risk for cancer. He found that the disease was characterized by high levels of a hormone called erythropoietin, and showed that these people have a gene that causes high oxygen levels that cause cancers to spread through the body.
Gregg L. Semenza is professor of pediatrics, radiation oncology, biological chemistry, medicine, and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University. He credits his interest in science to his high school biology teacher, Rose Nelson, in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. He went to college at Harvard and medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also got a PhD. He took a pediatrics residency at Duke University Hospital and then went to Johns Hopkins where he did his breakthrough research that is now used to treat patients with cancers and heart attacks.
Peter J. Ratcliffe is the director of the Target Discovery Institute at Oxford University in London, UK. In high school, he wanted to be an industrial chemist. The headmaster showed up in his chemistry classroom and told him, “Peter, I think you should study medicine.” The next day he changed his university application form to medical school at Cambridge University. He has specialized in kidney diseases with studies involving EPO, the hormone that is released when oxygen levels are low to cause the bone marrow to make more red blood cells |
Personal Information That Your Employer Needs to Know
Most employers generally request certain kinds of personal information on people they hire. Without breaching confidentiality laws or being overly intrusive, companies will often perform background checks or request various tests to ensure that each employee abides by legal, moral, and ethical standards that pertain to the organization.
Read More: What You Can Do About Wage Garnishment
Personal Information That Your Employer Needs to Know: eAskme
Personal Information That Your Employer Needs to Know: eAskme
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Here are examples of common personal information that may be sought.
Criminal Records
Although some court records are sealed or closed, many kinds of legal records remain open to the public. Traffic accidents, domestic issues involving law enforcement, financial transactions related to real estate, and certain kinds of criminal proceedings can be accessed online through a court system’s posted records.
News media accounts can be searched online using a person’s name as the search term. While you cannot readily find every public reference to someone who may have a criminal record out of state, checking local records is often productive.
Drug Testing
Job applicants, new hires, or those currently on probation may be asked to submit to drug testing. One of the most simple is a marijuana drug test. This is strictly enforced usually when dealing with safety-sensitive occupations, such as driving trucks or operating machinery. Some drug tests can be performed at home or on the job, instead of in a medical setting.
States have different laws as to the use of marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes, so it is important for both employers and employees to know what the state and local laws are to avoid any litigation.
Reference Check
An applicant’s file may contain reference letters or simply the names and contact information of job-related references. There are typically professional individuals with respectable credentials who can provide helpful information on the person’s previous work history or other areas of interest that pertain to the new job.
References may be contacted by letter, email, videoconferencing, or phone. Some trendy employers use texting to obtain prompt feedback. During a phone discussion with a reference, professional practice recommends having two interviewers on the line to ensure accuracy of facts and details.
Social Media
Many if not most organizations today will check out social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for personalized information about applicants. The employer may ask to become linked, or might just view the public portion of a social networking account for a general idea of the candidate’s image and interactions with others. Some companies have been known to make hiring and firing decisions based on social media observations, showing that many do take this information seriously.
Personal privacy is still protected in the workplace. However, employers are becoming more diligent in searching out additional information about employees from sources that are now used more prevalently to help ascertain a person’s character, ethics, and legal compliance with respect to potential or actual employment in the company.
Ultimately, the goal is to promote safety in the workplace and determine an applicant’s or employee’s compatibility in the office culture. Employees and employers should each know their rights, however, to ensure fairness in the application of rules.
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"...it would be a better way to just hide the real face of the church's history than to lose it forever."
In contrast with the adjacent belfry, the distinction is really that clear from old to new. But this structure is in fact 238 years old. Obliterating the Old World feel, tourists and visitors might be wondering why the church's façade has turned so white. Well this time, I must say, don't judge a church by it's paint.
The secret travelers' pose in front of the white Daraga Church
Maps by Wikipedia
Location Highlighted in Red
At first, as I climb the hill called the Santa Maria Hill where the church is situated plus a bonus view of the slopes of the majestic Mayon volcano, my first reaction was WOW!
What a wonderful church atop a hill but later on my mind transfigured and I suddenly reacted with WHY? Why it was in white?
What the heck they have done in here? Well, those were the questions of an ignorant person who happened to see the church for the first time.
It was in fact a major makeover for the Daraga Church. Trying to explore more about it, you'll have to see that even at the side, the purity of white is glowing. Although it has been painted with white, the architectural details are still visible and the sculptures at the façade is evident.
The new look or makeover of the church looks elegant however. But for a conservationist who happens to visit the church for the first time without any knowledge what is going on might be disappointed.
But that should not be the case because the makeover is for the good of the church. The 17th century historical landmark needed to undergo a major makeover and this makeover is to paint the façade with white.
According to the architects of the National Museum, it has to undergo a real makeover and that is because the church's present condition is deteriorating. So in what way? The solution is to paint it with white.
Nuestra Señora de la Porteria, Daraga Church's full name, has been exposed to natural elements such as rain and the sun which contributed to the deterioration of the structure thus eroding the façade and even the architectural design.
To note, the white paint is in fact a lime coating with chemical ingredients that has turned white. This method was in fact done in other countries as a manner of preserving their heritage structures too.
The restoration of the church was actually not an instant process that it has to undergo consultations and a lot of referrals from government agencies, the mayor, the parishioners and others.
Painted with all the purity of white, the façade is glowing with a touch of modernity but the real identity is situated beneath the superficial painting which was hidden for a good reason.
Since the church is situated atop a hill, you have to take several stairs that will lead you to this massive structure of our history.
The church has been declared in 2007 by the National Museum as a national cultural treasure. The impressively rich Baroque architectural design of the church is carved carefully through volcanic rocks which makes the church earn a unique distinction from any other churches in the Philippines.
Experts and historians strongly believe that the church must be preserved and protected as an important cultural property of our country and with this, there is a need to apply the protective coating under the approval of several agencies and organizations.
For those who haven't seen the original facade of the church like me, don't you regret and be disappointed because it would be a better way to just hide the real face of the church's history than to lose it forever. It is a treasure that we can not afford to lose.
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The Most Important Skills for the 4th Industrial Revolution? Try Ethics...
By Tony Wan Oct 6, 2018
For those keeping count, the world is now entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution. That’s the term coined by Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, to describe a time when new technologies blur the physical, digital and biological boundaries of our lives.
Every generation confronts the challenges of preparing its kids for an uncertain future. Now, for a world that will be shaped by technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D printing and bioengineering, how should society prepare its current students (and tomorrow’s workforce)?
The popular response, among some education pundits, policymakers and professionals, has been to increase access to STEM and computer science skills. (Just consider, for example, the push to teach kids to code.) But at last month’s WISE@NY Learning Revolutions conference, supported by the Qatar Foundation, panelists offered a surprising alternative for the skills that will be in most demand: philosophy, ethics and morality education.
“Moral judgment and ethics could be as revolutionary as artificial intelligence in this next revolution, just as the internet was in the last revolution,” said Allan Goodman, president of the Institute of International Education. His reasoning: those building technologies that can potentially transform societies at scale may be the ones who most need a strong moral grounding.
Take the example of self-driving cars, said Keren Wong, director of development of RoboTerra, a robotics education company. She called attention to the “Moral Machine,” an ethical quandary posed by MIT professor Iyad Rahwan. The dilemma goes as follows: an autonomous vehicle is in a situation where it must make one of two choices: kill its two passengers, or five pedestrians.
Both options are tragic, but speak to a reality where technologists must program machines that make decisions with serious implications. “If we are leaving these choices in the hands of machine intelligence, then who are the people who will be programming these decisions? Who are the ones that are going to be setting up the frameworks for these machines?” asked Wong.
WISE Learning Revolutions
From left: Tony Wan, Keren Wong, Allan Goodman, Patrick Awuah, Anthony Jackson.
The push to develop and apply artificial intelligence technologies has also naturally raised concerns over automation, and the impact on jobs and employment. (See driverless trucks, for example.) But should tasks that can be automated, be automated simply for the sake of business efficiency?
That’s a question that Patrick Awuah, founder and president of Ashesi University College in Ghana, has wrestled with. “Humanity has always worked, and employment is not only about earning a living. It is also a sort of social enterprise where we engage with other people,” he said. “When we educate people in AI and the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, should those engineers and scientists be designing machines specifically to replace human work?”
Awuah, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient, continued: “If humans are designing machines to replace humans, versus helping them get work done, then that will change the structure of humanity to something that we have never seen. I’ve not read any history books where whole societies were not working. This is why it’s so important to have history and philosophy as part of the curriculum for somebody who's being educated as an engineer.”
In the United States, increased interest in technology and computer-science related career has correlated with a precipitous drop in the proportion of humanities majors at colleges. For Goodman, that’s one of his biggest worries for the future. “We’re entering a time when schools are eliminating programs in humanities, and philosophy departments are becoming an endangered species.”
“We need to be educating people so they are productive and employable,” Awuah later added. “But we also need to be educating people so that they’re creating a society that is livable and social, where human interaction is important.”
Still, he recognized that local technical expertise must be nurtured so that people can tackle challenges specific to their community. He noted that the combination of climate change and population boom will raise a host of agricultural problems across Africa. “We need local people addressing problems that are relevant to Africa, problems that will not be solved by scientists in other parts of the world.”
Panelists also emphasized the need for children to be equipped with the mindset and confidence to pursue learning throughout their lives. Only then, they concurred, can future generations stay ahead of the curve of whatever changes are wrought by technological advancements.
Students “need to be able to understand and deal with the fact that change is constant. That’s the nature of the world, and that’s the nature of what technology brings,” said Goodman.
Anthony Jackson, vice president of education at Asia Society, underscored the importance of “adaptability.” For him, “there is no doubt that the ‘new’ things that we teach today will be obsolete 20 years from now, and then our students will need to be learning yet another set of new skills. If we teach people in such a way that they are able to learn throughout their lives, they will be retooling and re-learning as things are changing in the world.”
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Aging, Environment, & DiseaseImprinting and Inheritance
Offspring Reap the Benefits of Parent’s Exercise
Epigenetic inheritance exerciseThe epigenetic landscapes are vulnerable to many environmental insults, including unhealthy diet, famine, psychological stress and disease. Mounting evidence is indicating physical exercise can reprogram the epigenome and the epigenetic reprogramming of transcription is crucial for health and performance adaptations. Interestingly, environmental epigenetic reprogramming does not appear to be limited to the exposed individual and epigenetic inheritance can occur through germ cells. In rodents, toxins (BPA, pesticides, etc), psychological stress and high-fat diets are all environmental insults that perturb the epigenetic landscape that can lead to the inheritance of disease in subsequent generations – up to the 4th generation.4
In a recent review in Acta Physiologica ,1 I provid a synthesis of evidence supporting exercise as a lifestyle factor capable of influencing the epigenetic landscape of numerous tissues. These epigenetic changes may ultimately elicit the cardio-protection, metabolic, neurologic and cognitive performance adaptations from exercise training.
Furthermore, maternal and paternal exercise training may lead to environmental epigenetic inheritance of specific traits and also restore the aberrant inheritance of disease linked to diet-induced obesity in the subsequent generation. In mice, males given a high-fat diet prior to mating produced offspring with obese and metabolic syndrome phenotypes. However, an 8-week pre-mating diet and exercise intervention restored healthy phenotypes of offspring.5 Moreover, the aberrant expression of sperm-borne microRNAs (miR-503, miR-542-3p and miR-465b-5p) involved in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and embryo development pathways were also restored by the lifestyle interventions and suggest a potential mechanism for the heritable reduction in metabolic dysfunction. Sperm-borne non-coding RNAs are also implicated in obesity in human subjects and are partly normalized by bariatric surgery-induced weight loss.3 The human sperm methylome is also reprogrammed by intense physical exercise, particularly in genes implicated in Parkinson’s disease and Schizophrenia.2
Notably, epigenetic inheritance is not limited to the effects of paternal exercise. Maternal exercise before, during and after gestation is linked to many of the same health benefits conferred by exercise in F1 pups. These include cognitive improvements (learning, ameliorated fear and anxiety), body weight and fat reduction, less metabolic dysfunction and tumour prevalence.1 Although there is lack of evidence demonstrating the precise epigenetic modification/s involved in the epigenetic inheritance of the aforementioned traits, these will likely be delineated in the not-so-distant future.
The area of exercise epigenetics is certainly in its infancy, but it does have the potential to explain how we respond to exercise training. The wide-spread accessibility of calorie-dense foods and physical inactivity plaguing modern societies is an enormous global issue that could be compounded by the possibility that these factors may lead to metabolic dysfunction and obesity in future generations. As such, it will be necessary to delineate whether maternal and paternal exercise training may be a therapeutic strategy capable of preventing the epigenetic inheritance of disease.
Original Article:
Denham J. Exercise and epigenetic inheritance of disease risk. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2017.
1. Denham J. Exercise and epigenetic inheritance of disease risk. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2017.
2. Denham J, O’Brien BJ, Harvey JT, and Charchar FJ. Genome-wide sperm DNA methylation changes after 3 months of exercise training in humans. Epigenomics 7: 717-731, 2015.
3. Donkin I, Versteyhe S, Ingerslev LR, Qian K, Mechta M, Nordkap L, Mortensen B, Appel EV, Jorgensen N, Kristiansen VB, Hansen T, Workman CT, Zierath JR, and Barres R. Obesity and Bariatric Surgery Drive Epigenetic Variation of Spermatozoa in Humans. Cell Metab 23: 369-378, 2016.
4. Hanson MA, and Skinner MK. Developmental origins of epigenetic transgenerational inheritance. Environ Epigenet 2: 2016.
5. McPherson NO, Owens JA, Fullston T, and Lane M. Preconception diet or exercise intervention in obese fathers normalizes sperm microRNA profile and metabolic syndrome in female offspring. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 308: E805-821, 2015.
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Joshua Denham
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A new generation of molecular testing for Covid-19
A team from ESPCI Paris- PSL supported by the City of Paris, has developed a field test, both fast and reliable, for Covid-19. The so-called COVIDISC is based on a microfluidics device developed by the Tabeling’s research group at ESPCI, that has already proven its effectiveness on several diseases such as Zika or dengue fever. The test has been adapted for Covid-19, and has both a high sensitivity and specificity.
This new test relies on the most recent molecular technologies compared to the existing PCR technology, which is 37 years old. The key device is simple to use, cheap, portable and can be kept at room temperature. It produces reliable results in less than an hour and could be produced on a large scale.
Lisa Dehove
Since 2014, Patrick Tabeling’s research group has been collaborating with the Pasteur Institute on the development of a diagnostic test using molecular biology and capillary forces inside paper networks to detect viral RNA, i.e a virus genetic footprint inside clinical samples (blood, saliva…). With the support of the city of Paris, the team (Patrick Tabeling, Etienne Coz, Pierre Garneret and Elian Martin), combining physicists, biologists and engineers, started adapting the system to COVID-19 in early February.
Each virus has in its genome some specific areas. Designing a set of primers, which detects these areas and amplifies them, is a way to specifically identify the pathogen.
“The exceptional results we obtained with the experiments performed with Pierre, Etienne and Elian are very encouraging”, highlights Patrick Tabeling. We managed to detect very low amounts of viral charges, close to what can be detected with PCR technology. In addition, the test is also selective, which means that it detects specifically COVID-19, and not other pathogens.
A clever system, suitable for diagnosis
The device works in two steps:
First the virus RNA is extracted on a membrane (from a saliva or nasal swab). Then the genetic material is amplified at constant temperature (using the LAMP method), on a treated substrate. Finally the amplification products are detected. The isothermal nature of the reaction is crucial, since it requires much simpler and cheaper instruments than the PCR method; which has been the reference until now.
“The key to this invention lies in the coupling between an excellent fluid management provided by microfluidics, and the use of the LAMP technique- invented 20 years after PCR- which produces a system much more adapted to a simplified diagnosis”, adds P. Tabeling. Indeed, the system is entirely portable, with an analysis taking around one hour, and the team is currently working on different steps to further reduce this analysis time.
Lisa Dehove
Toward industry
Commercialization services at PSL University also support the project towards its future marketing. The team is already in touch with a manufacturer to prepare a large scale production of the COVIDISCS, while optimising the analysis and reading systems.
The goal could be to use the tests in medical practices and small laboratories. The city of Paris has already ordered 1000 tests and some prototypes. |
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Apple Computers
Apple Computers was formed in a garage by Steven Jobs and Stephan Wozniac, two men who dropped out of college in 1976. They worked to produce simple computers that did not come with monitors, keyboards, and a few other accessories. They continued to produce other models that ultimately flopped until they reached market success with the Apple Macintosh. The Mac's rapid popularity soon established Apple as a leader in the expanding computer industry. The computer was stated as "For the rest of us." .
Apple Corporation wasn't only about computers, it was also about culture. From its garage birth, Jobs and Wozniac engraved their personalities on the Computers culture, so much that their significance lasted longer then they did. This culture included a do-your-own thing as well as an ignore-establishment clause. This leads the way to a unique culture of rebels at work, right down to the pirate ship flag waving above headquarters. Scorning dress codes and formal meetings, Apples unique culture led to a few successful computer operating systems and a number of successful products. .
The do-it-your-own-way culture did lead to some strife within the company, putting the inventive gear heads (engineers) and wizards (programmers) against the managers that Jobs had imported. This led to a power struggle within the firm. Scully took over the reigns he knew the employees would resent because of the big business he wanted to represent. He needed not to tinker too much with the unique culture, but he didn't want to glorify technical personnel because they would be too difficult to supervise. This combined with Scully's feel good attitudes that lead to a company run largely by consensus and decisions that were rarely final. .
He was eventually let go and replaced by Spindler. Spindler worked to get the business back on track and address issues that had brought down the company. This worked for a while but eventually the culture got to him too, an insider once said, "it works fine for a while, but the system converts you.
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Vaping or e-cigarettes – are they safe to use?
Vaping or e-cigarettes
Walking around NYC with a friend, who was here on vacation, he noticed a shop which advertised “Vaping”. “What’s vaping?”, he asked. As the manufacturer and marketer of the EZ-Quit artificial cigarette, I was able to answer. Mind you, the first time I came across the term, I wasn’t really sure. The short answer is the use of e-cigarettes. Where the word came from is in how an electronic cigarette works. This unit heats a liquid to generate an aerosol, commonly called a “vapor” which that the user inhales. Vapor thus results in the vaping action, or vaping for short.
While on this topic let’s have a look at e-cigarettes. By the way, these are also sometimes called vapor cigarettes. We note that e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco. They use cartridges filled with nicotine and other chemicals. The liquid chemicals turn into a vapor or steam (when heated) that is thus inhaled.
E-cigarette manufacturers note that the majority of toxic chemicals found in tobacco smoke are absent in the e-cigarette aerosol/vapor. Those present are mostly below 1% of the corresponding levels in tobacco smoke.
We also note that the aerosol/vapor can contain toxic substances and even traces of heavy metals not found in tobacco smoke may be present at concentrations permissible by OSH (Occupational safety and health) standards. However, these chemical concentrations may exceed the stricter public safety limits.
I submit that this is the reason use of e-cigarettes is not allowed in many public areas, especially those that are enclosed. They are also banned for use in public transportation like buses, planes, trains, etc.
E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Some being rather large, like a big cigar, if I may use the comparison. But, with metallic or plastic parts, the exude a high tech look.
As a way to quit smoking, e-cigarettes have made an impression on users, a principal reason. Other reasons people use e-cigarettes are: they believe this to be healthier than smoking cigarettes, as a form of recreation, to get around smoke-free laws, they are cheaper than cigarettes and so on.
Another interesting note is that younger people who may not have tried real cigarettes can use this as stepping stone to actual smoke cigarettes. Thus, as suggested by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, some young people who have tried an e-cigarette have never smoked tobacco and vaping can be a starting point for nicotine use.
An interesting aside to the above points is that the emergence of e-cigarettes has given cannabis smokers a new method of inhaling cannabinoids. E-cigarettes, also known as vape pens, cartridges and pens, differ from traditional marijuana cigarettes in several respects. It is assumed that vaporizing cannabinoids at lower temperatures is safer because it produces smaller amounts of toxic substances than the hot combustion of a marijuana cigarette.
And, remember EZ-Quit cigarettes do not contain nicotine or other chemicals. Only 100% natural materials, with a great taste of mint. They are safe to use and can be used in enclosed public spaces. And, they let you hold on to a cigarette like you would a real cigarette, which you can bring to your mouth and drag on just like you would a cigarette. And, all that without the harmful content. Our artificial cigarettes are really a better choice to e-cigarettes, when you think about it.
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Pest control is probably the major priority of most conservation activity these days, and cutting edge research is being done to develop more efficient techniques.
In the 80s and 90s most of our conservation effort was going into saving both public and private forests from being destroyed by logging, but with victory in those struggles the focus has shifted to saving the forests from the threat of introduced mammals which inevitably degrade the habitat from within.
NI Kereru
NI Kereru. Credit: Craig McKenzie
The three most destructive mammals, among some others, are possumsrats, and the mustelid group (weasels, ferrets, and especially stoats). I will leave mustelids to another article as their control is a bit more specialised.
The first thing I must say is that although these animals are very destructive and have no natural place in New Zealand, they deserve the respect of a humane death. We all wish for some biological or reproductive control, but that is some way off, if ever, and for the foreseeable future restoring habitat suitable for our native birds and creatures demands that we kill mammals as humanely as possible.
Left unchecked, these marsupials will over time change the entire character of our native forests to a simpler and less diverse open treeland which will either not support some native species at all, or not allow other tougher species to build up to good numbers. Possums will not eat many major trees such as kauri and rimu, but they relish many fruit and nectar-bearing shrubs and trees that are important to our native birds such as northern rata, pohutukawa, tree Fuchsia, and kohekohe. Possums are not entirely vegetarian as they also attack the nests of birds, eating both eggs and chicks.
Derry McLachlan Timms Trap
Derry McLachlan Timms Trap
You will know if your property has them, by damage to fruit trees, roses etc or by the quite loud and strange nocturnal throaty wheeze made by the male.
Where there are only a few possums present an easy method of control is the Timms kill trap available from many hardware stores.
This bright yellow strongly built square plastic device, which kills quickly and humanely, can be set and sprung without risking hands, by using the cord at its rear. The trap is baited with a firm quarter apple or other fruit like orange or kiwifruit (smearing it with jam or curry powder will increase its attractiveness). Replace bait every two days. By slightly pulling the release cord and shaking, the animal will fall onto the ground without you having to touch it if you are squeamish. There is no blood, and the animal can be disposed of either by burying it shallowly, or by wrapping it in newspaper and putting out in the weekly rubbish collection (hint: splash package with strong smelling disinfectant to deter dogs).
If you are concerned about your household cat when the new trap arrives, put the unset trap out for several nights and sprinkle pepper or curry powder in front of it to discourage it, or train it to be frightened by the loud bang when you set off the trap by hitting the top (once or twice should be enough to teach it). Set off the trap in the morning, if you wish, so no animal can be caught, and reset in the evening. Best of all, keep the cat inside, especially at night, as all cats predate wildlife such as large native insects and lizards, no matter what owners may claim to the contrary!
Possums can also be effectively controlled with bait stations and poison pellets, which very fortunately also kill rats, as explained in the next section.
People are often surprised to learn that these nocturnal rodents are everywhere through forest or any areas with trees. There are two species, Norway rat which tends to live near the ground around waterways, and Ship rat which is particularly destructive in forests as it is a brilliant climber being able to run almost to the end of slender branchlets with them barely trembling. Ship rats destroy millions of nests every year in NZ, and bringing down their numbers is really the heart of any pest control programme. They can be kept in check using snap traps under covers to prevent birds being caught, the best bait being peanut butter or white chocolate buttons on the trigger plate. However once a trap has sprung it is no longer working for you and since they breed so rapidly and new recruits just keep arriving, the most efficient method is the use of poison which with care is working for you all the time.
There are several formulations, but by far the best is Pestoff Possum Bait, a second generation anti-coagulant poison in the form of blue cereal pellets with an attractant added, which has the advantage of killing both possums and rats when used in plastic bait stations. The active ingredient is Brodifacoum which needs no licence to use, as it is for sale, in different forms, in hardware stores. It has an agent added to make it bitter tasting to be unattractive to dogs, but in case of unintended poisoning, as shown by bleeding around bare skin, Vitamin K therapy by a vet is totally effective. The good thing about this poison is that it does not make the possum or rat feel unwell for a time, so allowing the animal to take enough over several nights for a lethal dose. It then just goes sleepy and dies in its burrow or hiding place; it is rare to find the dead animal. The bulk bait must be stored in a waterproof and airtight container and kept in a cool dry place, or it will deteriorate.
Rat eating snail
Rat eating snail. Credit: DOC
A very cheap way of applying and protecting the bait is to place the pellets loose in the centre of a piece of pipe or ‘Novaflo’ drainage coil about 30 to 40 cm long and held down on the ground by two wire hoops. However this is only suitable for rats, and if you want to control both pests, the best and most permanent method is to purchase Philproof Mini possum bait stationswhich are definitely the best design available, and are what we use in Matuku Reserve and in our ‘Ark in the Park’ project. These are white heavy-duty recycled plastic devices with a removable floor which protect the bait from the weather and from non-target species. They are attached by one nail to a tree trunk and they should be mounted so that the base is about one stretched hand span from the ground.
The bait pellets can be put in loose, but since over time they take up damp from the atmosphere and can go mouldy, I strongly recommend you follow what we do on our projects: put 120-150 grams of the bait in a small plastic bag sealed tightly with a twisty tie or rubber band and clip it in to the base of the station. The plastic allows the attractive cinnamon aroma to escape but not the water vapour to enter, resulting in the bait remaining fresher and viable for much longer. The animal easily eats through the bag. When beginning a baiting programme you should ensure there is always bait in the stations for 2 to 3 weeks to let the pests get a lethal dose. After that, if bait take falls off, you can use the pulsing method which is to put in a bag of fresh bait about once a month. Replace old powdery or mouldy bait unattractive to animals with fresh bait. It is vital not to leave old unused bait out in the bush where it can contaminate the soil surface, but to bring it back and put out with the rubbish which will be safely buried deep in a landfill.
How many bait stations will you need to control both rats and possums? Two will be adequate at corners of a small bushy section. On a one hectare block (which is 100x100 metres=10,000 square metres, or 2 1/2 acres) at least six bait stations will be needed, spread out evenly at a 50 metre spacing.
How can you measure success? You should eventually notice more native birds around - I have tui and kereru nesting in the bush around my house because of my pest control. An optional but good idea is to use Black Trakka monitoring tunnels. These lightweight polypropylene tunnels into which are placed pre-inked tracking cards allow identification of small mammals by the size and shape of their feet passing through (attracted by a piece of peanut butter) as pictured clearly on the back of the cards. Put two or three out permanently in the same positions before you start the control, and then see if the numbers of tracked animals decline after a few weeks of baiting.
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Often times, car accident patients in New Jersey avoid visiting a medical provider because they feel they can shake off their injuries by the time they do. The insurance company may view their injuries as a minor or soft tissue injury and may decide to lowball them when it’s time to settle. What are some of the common injuries?
A lot of times, people only think that there are soft tissue injuries involved. According to John Hopkins Medicine, soft tissue would be anything besides the bones and joints. So, this includes the muscles, ligaments and even the nerves. But a lot of times there are non-soft tissue injuries in the bones and joints, and you don’t have to have a broken bone for it to be categorized as a bone or joint injury. So a lot of times, those are the two categories of soft tissues. But there’s also a bone component.
What is the difference between chiropractor treatments and physical therapy? According to Therapeutic Associates, physical therapists will focus on the soft tissue component. They’ll focus on the muscles. When there’s a muscular injury, it’ll affect the amount of movement. Physical therapists focus on the range of motion aspect because of the injury to the muscles but they don’t really address the joints and the bone aspect. On the other hand, chiropractors don’t give medicine.
How often should these patients be in treatment and why? Typically, right after an accident, someone is in a lot of pain. That pain is because of inflammation that is in the muscles. To reduce pain, patients should see a doctor about three times a week until they get that inflammation under control. |
When an earthquake occurs, the sudden and violent shaking of the ground as the Earth's crust moves can cause a lot of damage. Earthquake insurance assists homeowner’s if this damage occurs to their home. Earthquake insurance is available to cover the structure of your home, the personal belongings within your home, and loss of use expenses. Loss of use expenses coverage helps pay for the costs associated with living in another place while an evacuation related to earthquakes occurs, or while a person's home is repaired because of damage caused by an earthquake.
Standard insurance plans do not cover damage from earthquakes; the insurance must be purchased separately in the form of an insurance rider. It can also be purchased as individual insurance. If you live in a high-risk area for earthquakes, adding an endorsement to your existing homeowner's insurance policy or buying a separate policy is a good plan.
Earthquakes do not appear in the news often, but around 200,000 of them occur every year, with the majority of them happening in states that are considered at risk of earthquakes, 42 total according to the US Geological Survey. The majority of earthquakes are not very noticeable, being too small to cause much damage. Earthquakes can also create catastrophic amounts of damage. As with any force of nature, the risks in some areas are higher than others. One of the most significant variables pertaining to the cost of earthquake insurance is location, and this is due to the various risk each place has when it comes to earthquakes.
If you sustain a loss of residence because of an earthquake, an earthquake insurance policy will pay for reasonable expenses that you sustain. Your dwelling, personal property, and additional living expenses are all parts of your earthquake insurance coverage.
Dwelling insurance for earthquakes helps cover the costs of damage such as cracks in walls, damage to your home's foundation, damage to your ceiling, and other damages as well. This portion of your earthquake insurance policy has both a limit and deductible. A limit is the most your insurance company will pay when a claim is made. The deductible is your out-of-pocket expense before your insurance provider pays out on claims.
Personal property insurance for earthquakes includes things like furniture, electronics, and other belongings. Most anything can fall within this category, but there is also a deductible and limit to this portion of insurance coverage. The limit and deductible for personal property insurance for earthquakes are separate from the limit and deductible for dwelling coverage.
Additional living expenses coverage can help pay for a rental home, apartment, meals, temporary telephone expenses, moving expenses, storage, furniture rental, and many other things while your home is being repaired or you have been evacuated from it.
There are some things that earthquake insurance does not cover that could be related to an earthquake. Things like fire damage when an earthquake causes the fire. This would fall under the standard homeowner's insurance policy that the property owner has. Keep in mind, land itself is generally not covered under this policy, although some plans do include engineering cost options.
How Earthquake Insurance And Claims Work
The premiums and deductibles available for earthquake insurance can vary quite a bit. Most often, earthquake insurance provides the same limits for dwelling coverage as your standard homeowner's insurance policy. For earthquake insurance, the deductible is usually a percent of that limit.
To file an earthquake insurance claim, the owner of the policy needs to call their insurance company and inform them of the earthquake and what the visible damages are that were caused by it. It can be hard at times to evaluate the damage from a shock, especially when there is no visible damage to be seen. In some cases, especially for older homes, having your home inspected after an earthquake to help determine where the damage is and how much of it there is can be a good plan.
Determining If Earthquake Insurance Is Worth It
While most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage, people that are considering purchasing it should look at their plan and confirm that earthquakes are not included on it. If it is already on your policy, you may not need to purchase more. Additionally, if you live in a high-risk area for earthquakes, earthquake insurance can be extremely valuable to have. People on the West Coast of the United States, and Hawaii, in southern Alaska, and various other places in the United States tend to have a higher risk when it comes to damage from earthquakes.
Earthquakes tend to be extremely unpredictable, and people do not know how powerful they will be or when they will strike. If you cannot afford the cost of rebuilding or repairing your home if damaged by an earthquake, you may want to consider earthquake insurance.
If you cannot afford to replace the personal belongings in your home after an earthquake, you may want to consider earthquake insurance.
If you cannot afford temporary housing if your home is no longer habitable, either due to evacuation or structural damage, you may want to consider earthquake insurance.
The Factors Affecting The Cost Of Earthquake Insurance
The most significant factor affecting the cost of earthquake insurance is location. Locations that are at higher risk generally cost more. The risk level where you are is not the only thing that affects your insurance premiums, however. The number of stories your home has, including the basement, as well as the age of your home can also affect premiums. If you own a newer home, odds are it is built out of better material, and it may even be designed with earthquakes in mind. These are two of the reasons that newer homes generally have lower premiums than older homes.
The material your home is made from is also relevant to insurance companies. Houses with wooden frames are often less costly to insure because the material has more elasticity. The foundation of your home can also impact insurance costs.
Homes can be retrofitted for earthquakes, which is another way that homeowners can save on earthquake insurance. Retrofitting can include things like bolting a home to its foundation, adding braces to chimneys and water heaters, and installing cutoff valves to stop gas flow automatically if an earthquake occurs. Also, strengthening walls can help improve costs.
Final notes
In many areas of the country, earthquake insurance is essential. Make sure potential damage to your home is covered, and look to get the right amount of protection at the right deductible. By focusing on getting enough coverage, and the coverage that you need, your home will be much safer, as will your finances.
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The Root of Modern Wall Fountains
The Root of Modern Wall Fountains Pope Nicholas V, himself a well educated man, reigned the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of old classical Greek texts into Latin. It was important for him to beautify the city of Rome to make it worthy of being called the capital of the Christian world. At the behest of the Pope, the Aqua Vergine, a ruined aqueduct which had carried clean drinking water into Rome from eight miles away, was restored starting in 1453.Root Modern Wall Fountains 3119926802074018185.jpg A mostra, a monumental commemorative fountain built by ancient Romans to mark the point of entry of an aqueduct, was a practice which was restored by Nicholas V. At the behest of the Pope, architect Leon Battista Alberti undertook the construction of a wall fountain in the spot where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The water which eventually supplied the Trevi Fountain as well as the acclaimed baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona came from the modified aqueduct which he had renovated.
Your Outdoor Wall Fountain: Upkeep & Routine Service
Outdoor Wall Fountain: Upkeep & Routine Service 5373721495724207975.jpg Your Outdoor Wall Fountain: Upkeep & Routine Service An important first step before installing any outdoor wall feature is to consider the room you have available. In order to hold up its total weight, a solid wall is necessary. Remember that smaller areas or walls will require a lightweight fountain. In order to run the fountain, an electric powered socket will need to be nearby. Most outdoor wall fountains include simple, step-by-step instructions with respect to the type of fountain.
Generally, when you purchase an outdoor wall fountain, it will come in an easy-to-use kit that will include all the information needed to install it correctly. The kit will include a submersible pump, the hoses and basin (or reservoir). The basin, if it's not too big, can easily be concealedin your garden among the plants. Since outdoor wall fountains require little care, the only thing left to do is clean it regularly.
Replenishing and cleaning the water on a consistent basis is very important. Remember to clear away debris like leaves, twigs or dirt as quickly as possible. Ensure that your outdoor wall fountain is protected from freezing winter temperatures. Your pump may split when subjected to freezing water during the winter, so it is best to bring it indoors to prevent any damage. To sum up, your outdoor wall fountain will continue to be a great add-on to your garden if you keep it well looked after and well maintained.
How Mechanical Designs of Water Fountains Spread
How Mechanical Designs of Water Fountains Spread Contributing to the advancement of scientific technology were the published letters and illustrated publications of the time. They were also the main means of transmitting practical hydraulic ideas and water fountain design ideas throughout Europe. In the later part of the 1500's, a French water feature developer (whose name has been lost) was the globally distinguished hydraulics leader. His expertise in making gardens and grottoes with incorporated and brilliant water fountains began in Italy and with commissions in Brussels, London and Germany. In France, towards the closure of his lifetime, he wrote “The Principle of Moving Forces”, a publication that turned into the primary text on hydraulic mechanics and engineering. Detailing contemporary hydraulic systems, the publication also modified key hydraulic advancements of classical antiquity. As a mechanical way to shift water, Archimedes invented the water screw, key among crucial hydraulic innovations. Two undetectable containers warmed by the sun's rays in an room next to the creative fountain were found in an illustration. The end result: the water feature is activated by the hot liquid expanding and rising up the conduits. Pumps, water wheels, water features and garden pond designs are documented in the book.
Modern Garden Decoration: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings A fountain, an incredible piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also launch water high into the air for a noteworthy effect.... read more
An Introduction to Garden Herbs An Introduction to Container Gardens & Herbs.They're extremely easy to grow both indoors or outdoors, and offer instant gratification as you can use them in a wide array of recipes including soups, marinades and sauces.... read more
Installation and Maintenance of Large Garden Fountains Setting up an outdoor wall fountain requires that you take into account the dimensions of the space where you are going to put it.In order to hold up its total weight, a solid wall is required.... read more
The Very First Garden Water Fountains of History Water fountains were initially practical in function, used to convey water from rivers or creeks to cities and villages, providing the inhabitants with fresh water to drink, bathe, and prepare food with.... read more |
How to Control a Motor Speed With a Dimmer Switch
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Ambiance is never overrated. A dimmer switch can add warmth and comfort to any room that has an overhead fan and/or light fixture. It can control the rate at which the fan blades spin season after season and control the amount of light in the room. There are many factors to consider when installing a dimmer switch to control motor speed.
How to Control a Motor Speed With a Dimmer Switch
Image Credit: James Ferrie / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages
Dimmer Switch for Fan Speed
The best dimmers for running an electric motor have an adjustable minimum speed setting. The power switch should match the specifications for the motor for best results. On the hub cover of the ceiling fan there will be a list of the amps and the watts that the appliance will use at maximum power consumption. If the measure of watts is not included, multiply the number of amps by 120 to find the watts number. Always buy a switch that is rated to handle an equal amount for the watts or more, not less, in order for the dimmer switch to work well. A dimmer motor AC switch is suitable for a ceiling fan.
Installing a Dimmer Switch
At the breaker, shut off the power that supplies the ceiling fan. If the circuit for the fan isn't easy to figure out, just shut off the main power breaker switch while you work on the fixture to avoid any shocks or other serious safety issues. Pop off the toggle switch that controls the motor and loosen the screws that hold the cover plate to the wall switch that controls the ceiling fan. Carefully put out the switch from the wall box and examine the wire terminals for damage, fraying or other wear and tear. Replace these wires if needed before going further in the process.
The two hot wires are connected to the brass-colored terminal screws that are on the side of the switch. The hot wires can be either black or black and blue. A bare copper ground wire, which can also be green, is on the lower side of the switch and is attached to a green terminal screw. At the back of the wall box are two white neutral wires that are connected to a wire nut. Loosen the wires by gently unscrewing them from the box. The neutral wires should be loosed from the wire nut that connects them to the box. If it is stubborn, use a pair of pliers to get it off the box. Throw this nut away once it is completely removed. Connect the wires from the dimmer switch to the correlating wires in the wall box. Start with the hot wires. Twist the bare wire ends together and attach new wire nuts to all of the wires.
Dimmer Switch for Motor Speed Control
Double check each connection before setting the minimum speed control. Set the ceiling fan at the slowest speed that the motor can rotate. This will be needed when paired with the heating system. Replace the wall box and plate to its position in the wall when the speed is where you want it to be for minimum and maximum levels.
A dimmer can't control a lot of fixtures, or it will overload its maximum wattage. For instance, if a dimmer is equipped for 500 watts and has to control up to six lights at 100 watts each, it can overload the system. If anything, it will be working overtime, which can cut down its lifespan significantly. To keep the dimmer switch working well, only use appropriate wattages. If the fixture requires less than four watts or more than 600 watts, then a dimmer switch may not be the best option.
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Difference between Cloud Computing and Edge Computing
Difference between Cloud Computing and Edge Computing
Cloud computing is on the rise as evidenced by CISCO, which notes that the cloud’s data is going to amount to 14.1ZB by 2020. As a result of this output, the IoT space has become the talk of the town, growing at a slow and steady pace. Cloud computing is all about making use of data from a centralized storage area.
However, despite its advantages, it also exists with its set of disadvantages. Since the cloud is responsible for handling and storing large datasets, there is often a concern surrounding its latency, which can leave something to be desired.
This is where edge computing differs from cloud, providing a better, handy solution to organizations and users alike. Let’s look at the differences between the two types of computing and further try to understand which one is better for businesses and users alike.
Edge computing vs. cloud computing
When one talks about cloud computing vs. edge computing, the main difference worth looking at is how data processing takes place. As of now, most of the data processing through the existing IoT systems is performed within the cloud, using a series of centralized servers. As a result of this, all the low-end devices, as well as the gateway ones, are used for aggregating data to perform low-level processing.
Edge computing differs as it follows a completely different approach. It moves the processing away from the centralized servers, and closer to the end users. By 2020, almost 45% of the world’s data will be stored and processed on the edge of the network, or perhaps even closer than this.
So the question arises: Why is cloud computing alone not enough?
The amount of data being processed every second is not adequately supported by cloud computing. Having spoken about latency within the cloud computing world, there is a lot that cloud computing does not provide to cloud-based applications. Given the amount of stored data within the cloud, there are two problems that transpire during the processing stage—latency in processing and high number of wasted resources. These issues exist especially in decentralized data centers, mobile edge nodes, and cloudlets.
When smart devices generate data, everything is piled on and transferred to the cloud for further processing. When this happens, the cloud’s data centers and networks are overloaded. Increased amount of latency and inefficiency can prove to be an unsurmountable challenge for cloud-based data.
Edge computing helps analyze data in a manner that is closer to the source of said data. Through this method, it helps not only to minimize data’s dependency on the app or service, but also helps speed up the processing of such data processing.
Edge computing and its finer details
The main difference between edge computing and cloud computing is that edge computing offers a flexible, decentralized architecture, which means that everything is processed on the devices itself. Instead of processing everything in the cloud, where you may find a data overload, the apps or devices are used for processing the stored data before sending it to the cloud. This means that everything is processed at a much faster pace, curbing the need to wait large periods of time for data processing.
There are two types of edge computing:
Cloud edge: The public cloud is extended to a series of point-of-presence (PoP) locations.
Device edge: When a software runs on existing hardware
The main difference between the two lies in the way they are priced, as well as their deployment procedures. The cloud edge is an extended form of the traditional cloud, which sees the cloud provider responsible for the working and maintenance of the entire model. Device edge exists primarily within the hardware, making it possible to process real-time data in a manner that is very speedy and accurate.
When thinking of edge computing, there are three ways in which the technology can be employed by and brought to end-users.
Fog computing: all the data is evenly distributed between a centralized computing infrastructure and devices.
Mobile edge computing: also known as MEC, this is an architecture that brings the cloud’s computational and storage capacities closer to the end-users’ mobile networks.
Cloudlet computing: this term refers to an infrastructure that uses smaller data centers for offloading data, bringing the cloud closer to the end-users.
Considering the benefits of edge computing, once could see why it would be favorable to choose edge computing over cloud computing. It is arguably one of the best of its kind, making it a perfect choice for people with data provision.
Also Read
How to Minimize Your Cloud Security Risks
7 Reasons Why You Should Choose AWS as Your Cloud Partner
Big Data and Cloud Computing – Challenges and Opportunities
Thinking about DevOps culture? Inculcate these 5 must haves to make the most of it |
Tactics to Create a Culture of Learning & Development
Creating a culture of learning and development (L&D) has become a priority for many organizations recently. With numerous driving factors, learning development is an unavoidable element in today’s workplace. Employees want to learn, be challenged, increase productivity, be innovative and have a real impact on company performance.
This article will look at L&D from three different viewpoints:
1. The different types of L&D cultures
2. The benefits of a culture of L&D
3. Tactics to use within your learning strategy to maximize engagement
Different types of L&D cultures
Trends 2019: The Future of Workplace Learning
All organizations have a learning culture, however, in many cases, it is undefined.
The different types of culture can be divided into 4 broad categories:
1. A culture of compliance.
2. A culture of necessity.
3. A culture of learning.
4. A culture of continuous learning.
A culture of compliance
Organizations with this culture typically pay little attention to learning or its development. This type of culture is in place usually by force, often in the form of laws and regulations required to conduct business.
A culture of necessity
Organizations often require employees to complete specific, company-related training. This is typically training around a specific product or tool the company is rolling out or using in its operations.
A culture of learning
This level of learning is provided through targeted programs and initiatives. It goes beyond compliance and necessary learning and is focused on building relevant skills. This is often seen as an event-driven type of learning with employees being taken out of their jobs to attend a talk or conference.
For example, financial services employees taking a day off work to attend a FinTech conference.
A culture of continuous learning
This is the most advanced level of learning, with employees actively learning to build their skills and progress as professionals. This type of learning is valued by the company and encouraged by upper management.
A simple example is employees being encouraged to research different aspects of their job while at work. Be this using online resources such as Google and YouTube or through reading and other educational avenues.
Benefits of Learning
Intuition Shortlisted for "Best eLearning Project - Public Sector" in 2015 eLearning Awards
While the benefits of learning may seem self-intuitive, organizations often neglect their knowledge development strategy. In a professional environment, actions which do not have a direct impact on business KPIs can be shunned by upper management, depending on the type of culture.
The positive impact a system of learning can have justifies its implementation into any organization.
Some benefits include:
1. Out-perform competitors
2. Improved employee retention and engagement
3. Increased productivity
Out-perform competitors
A company’s strategy is often competition-centred. What are key competitors doing and how can their successful activities be replicated in your organization? And how can you ensure you don’t get left behind?
Allowing competitors to gain a competitive advantage can damage the market position of your company. Competitors could begin to out-perform, race further ahead and poach people from within your organization.
Improved employee retention and engagement
Traditionally, salary and security were motivating factors behind employee retention. Today, employees want the opportunity to learn and develop professionally. They are passionate about their work and want to excel.
Neglecting a learning strategy can frustrate employees and leave them feeling unwanted or under-valued.
This could lead to employees wanting to leave the organization in search of a position with a greater likelihood of professional development. For example, Middlesex University reported that from a 4,300 person survey, 74% of respondents felt they were not fulfilling their full potential due to a lack of development opportunities while research has also found 40% of employees who have not received adequate onboarding training will leave their job within the first year.
Increased Productivity
Learning Trend 5: Wired for Speech
The link between productivity in the workplace and organizational performance is undeniable.
Some key stats related to learning and productivity. Employees are:
• 37% more productive than their peers at organizations that don’t value workplace learning.
• 58% more likely to have the skills in their talent pipeline to meet changing marketplace needs.
• 32% more likely to be the first to market an innovative solution.
• They are 34% more likely to respond faster to and satisfactorily address customer needs.
Tactics for creating a culture of L&D
There are a number of tactics which can help you instill a culture of learning. The below list identifies the successful tactics some companies use.
Giving employees stretch roles forces individuals to train consistently to keep up with the demands of their position. This means a person has responsibilities marginally beyond their capabilities. This forces them to up-skill through learning and in turn creates an engaged workforce with a culture of mentoring.
Required and optional training
One method to encourage internal learning is by offering required training along with optional classes employees can take to up-skill. The mindset within some large companies is employees are ‘all learning’ and advancing their knowledge should be an enjoyable process, so optional training should have high engagement rates if delivered in the correct way.
In-house inspiration
Regular in-house events where industry leaders speak to the company workforce on a specific topic can be both educational and inspiring. Focused on professional development, many companies bring in inspirational leaders to educate and motivate their workforce. This inspiration spawns a culture of development among employees which spurs professional progression.
Go beyond the minimum
Employing a combination of eLearning and face-to-face classroom sessions can help employees become their ‘best self’. Allied to this training, consider running a complementing vision and goals program to give employees direction in their career, going beyond the minimum requirement of simply providing eLearning to keep stakeholders happy.
Train and upskill, regardless of experience
In some companies, applicants with all levels of experience are accepted, not just those with experience specific to the role at hand. Offering internal training which allows new hires to train in on new skills and take up unfamiliar roles is an interesting tactic some companies implement.
Personalized programs
Administering each employee with a personalized professional development program is another tactic some organizations use to engage employees with internal learning programs.
Individuals map out what they want to achieve and receive the appropriate training to reach their goal. These goals tie in with company strategy, ensuring learning is aligned to organizational performance.
Provide a budget
Some organizations are so eager to see employees excel in their position, they administer a personal learning budget. Employees are given a professional development budget which they can use throughout the calendar year on the learning avenues they prefer, ensuring an engaging delivery method.
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Search Your Question
What is protocol? Why it is used?
Ans : Protocols are way to specify a set of methods that class has to implement if class want to work with this protocol. Protocol has 2 types of methods like Required type and Optional type methods.
1. If @required are tagged above methods, then these methods must be implemented on class which confirm this protocol.
2. If @optional are tagged above methods, then these methods is not necessary to implement on it.
Why it is used?
Protocol provide blueprint methods for classes. It has certain methods and parameters that classes have to implement in its body. Its like that classes should have certain characteristic if it confirm protocol. Like if you want to become human(class) you must be sleep, eat, breathe(characteristics).
For more detail,
I have created Delegate and Protocol. See example.
What is category?
Ans : It is used to extend the functionality of the class. Implementation of category is in different file with name like classname + categoryname.h and .m file.
Read : Differnce between Category and Extension
Difference between Static Constructor and Private Constructor
Ans : I have asked this question for C# language.
Private Constructor : It is used to prevent class to be instantiated and to be inherited. Class can have multiple private constructor and can be called by any other constructor.
Static Constructor : It is used to initialise static members of a class. We can't say when it is called and It is called by CLR and not called by manually. It is called just before first instance of class is created. Class can have a only one static constructor. This constructor is called only once in lifetime of application.
What are higher order functinos in swift?
Ans : Higher order functions are functions that operate on other functions by taking function as argument or returning function.
Sorted : Sorting array. It may takes closure as argument and returns array .
let numbers : [Int] = [1,5,2,4,3]
let arrNumbers = numbers.sorted()
By default it returns in ascending order.
numbers.sorted(by: (Int,Int) -> Bool) - > How we want to sort array then sorted(by:)
numbers.sorted((a,b) -> Bool in return a > b } // descending order
numbers.sorted(by : >)
Map : It iterates through the array that is calling it and changes each element of the array based on the closure passes to the method.
Use map to loop over a collection and apply the same
operation to each element in the collection. It returns after
applying transform.
let arrInt = [1,8,4,6]
I want add 1 in every number in array.
Without loop, using map, $0 + 1) // <- This is shortest code for doing map
output : [2,9,5,7]
How map works :
The map function has a single argument which is a closure (a
function) that it calls as it loops over the collection. This
closure takes the element from the collection as an argument and
returns a result. The map function returns these results in an
Another example :
let chocolateAmt = [“Dairy Milk”:20.0, “Munch”:10]
I want to increase price 5%,
so using map,{ (key, value) in
value + value*0.05
output : [“Dairy Milk”:21.0, “Munch”:10.5]
Another Example :
If we want index in map,
let arrInt = [1, 2, 4, 5]
let indexElement = arrInt.enumerated().map { (index,element) in
return "\(index):\(element)"
print(indexElement) // [“0:1”, “1:2”, “2:4”, “3:5”]
FlatMapFlatmap is used to flatten a collection of collections.
Flatmap is joined word of Flat + Map. So as per name, it applies map function over collection and do flatten collection.
Test 1 :
let codes = [["abc","def","ghi"],["jkl","mno","pqr"]]
let newCodes = codes.flatMap { $ {$0.uppercased()} }
Output : ["ABC","DEF","GHI","JKL","MNO","PQR"]
Test 2 :
let codes = ["abc","def","ghi"]
let newCodes = codes.flatMap { $0.uppercased() }
-> In Test 2, first it applies map so half output is like
["ABC","DEF","GHI"] and after that it applies flat so now full
Tip :
1. String is collection from Swift 4.
2.If you do flatmap a collection containing optional values,
flatmap will only consider the non-nil values.
let codes = [1,2,nil,3,nil,5]
let newCodesFlatMap = codes.flatMap { return $0 }
output : [1,2,3,5]
let newCodesFlatMap = { return $0 }
output : [optional(1),optional(2),nil,optional(3),nil,optional(5)]
The output of map became a collection of optional int ([Int?])
only because the array had nil — value in it. Otherwise it would
have been an Int array. It is benefit of using flatMap.
Filter : Return array with elements which fulfill filter condition.
let numbersLessThanFive = numbers.filter { (a) -> bool in return a < 5 }
let numbersLessThanFive = numbers.filter { $0 < 5}
Reduce : It is used to combine all element in array to make one single value.
let sumOfNumbers = numbers.reduce(0, { $0 + $1 })
Difference between map and flatmap :
Big difference is Map considers nil but flatmap (compact-map) remove nil value from collection.
Difference between Delegate and NSNotification
Ans : A delegate uses protocol and creates a has-a relationship between two classes. Benefit of delegate is that we can return something back to the owning class.
Notification is like point to multi-point communication. Notification is one way of message transmitting way.
Delegates create relationship between two classes. Notifications are used to send events to one or many classes.
We have to use delegate to specified known object. Notification for all object.
Delegate is like talking over telephone. Notification is like radio station.
Coding of NSNotificationCenter :
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObjserver:self selector:@selector(useNotificationWithString:) name:@”TimeOut” object:nil];
For BroadCast,
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:@”TimeOut” object:nil userInfo:dict];
-(void) useNotificationWithString:(NSNotification *)notification
dict = [notification userInfo];
To Remove observer,
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver];
What is delegate?
Ans : Delegate is means of communication between objects of iOS Applications. Delegate allows one object to send message to another object when an event occurs.
UIAlertView *alert = [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@”title” message:@”message” delegate:self cancelButtonTitle:@”Ok” otherButtonTitle:nil];
Here delegate is self. So now self is responsible for handling all event fired by this instance of UIAlertView class.
Which button of UIAlertView is clicked, for that, event is clickedButtonAtIndex is called in or by Self or currentViewController.
Create PreDefined delegate :
1. There are two ViewController NameVC and SurNameVC.
2. In NameVC, there are 2 textfield named as Name and FullName and 1 button as Submit.
3. If I write in name and click on submit, it went to SurNameVC to take Surname parameter.
4. On SurNameVC, after write Surname, on clicking of Submit, It call delegate method and went back to NameVC and Print Full Name in FullName textfield.
Implement above delegate and protocol in Objective-C :
I have made protocol on SurNameVC like
@protocol SurNameVCDelegate
-(void)setSurName:(NSString *) strSurName;
@property (nonatomic, retain) id delegate;
Now on NameVC submit button click, choose delegate of SurNameVC object as self.
objSurNameVC.delegate = self
and create method -(void)setSurName:(NSString *) strSurName;
on NameVC and it is called from surNameVC submit button. So setSurName is delegate method. We can print fullname by concatenating Name and Surname in FullName textfield.
So we delegate just pass message from one view controller to another view controller by delegate method.
Implement delegate and protocol in Swift
I have made custom UISlider. I want to send some value from custom UISlider value changed to view controller in which it is used. So for that, I have used delegate - protocol method.
customSlider.swift Custom Slider file
import UIKit
protocol SliderDelegate: class {
func sliderValueChanged(_ sender : UISlider)
class mpgpsSlider: UIView {
weak var delegateSliderDelegate?
required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
super.init(coder: aDecoder)
let bundle = Bundle.init(for: type(of: self))
let nib = UINib(nibName: "Slider", bundle: bundle)
let view = nib.instantiate(withOwner: self, options: nil)[0] as! UIView
view.frame = bounds
view.autoresizingMask = [.flexibleWidth,.flexibleHeight]
slider.addTarget(self, action: #selector(sliderValueChanged(_:)), for: .valueChanged)
@objc func sliderValueChanged(_ sender : UISlider) {
ViewController.swift ViewController in which custom slider is used.
import UIKit
class VehicleProfileVC: BaseViewController,SliderDelegate{
override func viewDidLoad() {
slider.delegate = self
func sliderValueChanged(_ sender: UISlider) {
label.text = String(sender.value)
Difference between Any and AnyObject
ANS : Swift has 2 types for working with nonspecific type.
1. AnyObject
2. Any
1. AnyObject is for reference type(class) and Any is for both reference and value type.
2. AnyObject represent instance of only any class type, Any represent for any type including function type.
Note : It is always good practice to use specific type instead of Any, AnyObject.
After Swift 3.0, Objective C I'd type can be compatible with Swift Any type. Before that it is equivalent to AnyObject.
I have created dictionary in which I don't know what will be Value type.
[String : ?? ]
then ?? may be int, float, Array, Dictionary type.
So here we should use Any in replace of ??, because int, float are value type and array, dictionary are class type.
[ String : Any]
What is the nil coalescing operator in swift?
Ans :
Swift has very powerful in terms of safety because it has feature of optional.
Optional may be has value or may be not. So we try to assign some optional to any another string or any type, then it comes some problem.
Nil Coalescing operator is solution of above problem.
let myname : String = nil
let unwrappedname = myname ?? "Default"
It checks if myname is nill then Default will be assigned to unwrappedname.
So unwrappedname is type of String instead of String?.
Such way nil Coalescing operator ?? is very useful in Swift.
UIViewcontroller Lifecycle
Ans : A view controller manages set of views and making user interface. It will coordinate with data and other controller. Views are automatically loaded when view property is accessed in the app.
Following methods are used to mange view controller's view.
1. LoadView : It is automatically called when it's view property is accessed. It loads or create a view and assigned to property.
2. ViewDidLoad : It is automatically called when view controller completely loaded into memory. Override this method to perform additional initialization on views that were loaded from xib.
I.e instance variable initialization, database access, network request
Event Management to Views :
1. ViewWillAppear : It is called when View is about to added on view hierachy. If we want to change some, then we have to override this method.
Like change orientation, change screen data
2. ViewDidAppear : It is called when view was added on view's hierachy.
When we need to display loader, start UI animation ,then override this method.
3. ViewWillDisAppear : It is called when view is about to removed from hierachy. We can hide keyboard, commit changes ,revert changes in this method by overriding.
4. ViewDidDisappear : It is called when view is removed from hierachy. We can remove cache data in this method.
Memmory Management method :
1. didReceiveMemoryWarning :
It is called automatically when system determine that the system has low amount of available memory.
Override this method remove not essential data from memory.
Ordering of excecuting methods :
1. Init(coder:)
2. (void)loadView
3. (void)viewDidLoad
4. (void)viewWillAppear
5. (void)viewDidAppear
6. (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
7. (void)viewWillDisappear
8. (void)viewDidDisappear
What is app thining?
Ans : App thinning automatically detects the user’s device type (i.e. model name) and only downloads relevant content for the specific device. In other words, if you’re using an iPad Mini 1 (which does not have a retina display but rather a 1x resolution), then only your 1x files (more on this in a moment) will be downloaded. The assets for more powerful and sharper iPads (such as the iPad Mini 3 or 4) will not be available for download). Because the user needs only download the content that targets his/her specific device, this speeds up the download process and saves space on the device.
There are three aspects of app thining.
1. App Slicing : Slicing is the process of creating and delivering variants of the app bundle for different target devices. App Slicing delivers only relevant assets to each device (depending on screen resolution, architecture, etc.) In fact, app slicing handles the majority of the app thinning process.
When you’re ready to submit the app, you upload the .IPA or .App file to iTunes Connect, as you typically would (but must use Xcode 7 as it contains the iOS 9 SDK with support for app thinning). The App Store then slices the app, creating specific variants that are distributed to each device depending on its capabilities.
2. On Demand Resources : On demand resources are files that can be downloaded after the app’s first installation. For example, specific levels of a game (and these levels’ associated content) could be downloaded only when the player has unlocked them. Further, earlier levels that the player has not engaged with after a certain set time can be removed to save storage on the device.
Enabling on demand resources involves changing the “Enable On Demand Resources” boolean to “Yes” in Xcode settings (under Build Settings).
3. Bitcode : Bitcode makes apps as fast and efficient as possible on whatever device they’re running. Bitcode automatically compiles the app for the most recent compiler and optimizes it for specific architectures. Can be turned on by the project settings under Build Settings and selecting bitcode to YES.
App thining process can be test by TestFlight software and install in various device. Size may be vary.
What is size class? Explain with Example.
Ans :
Size Classes are groups of screen sizes that are applied to the width and height of the device screen. The two Size Classes that exist currently are Compact and Regular.
The Compact Size Class refers to a constrained space. It is denoted in Xcode as wC (Compact width) and hC (Compact height).
The Regular Size Class refers to a non-constrained space. It is denoted in Xcode as wR (Regular width) and hR (Regular height).
iPhone : Most iPhone devices will use the Compact width (wC) size class in each orientation with some exceptions.
The iPhones 6/7 Plus can inherit the Regular width (wR) size class resulting in the ability to use functionality normally reserved for the iPad, such as the split-view pane. Split-VIew pane is speciall made for iPad.
iPad : All iPad devices use the Regular width (wR) size class regardless of landscape or portrait orientation. In both horizontal and vertical landscape, the iPad will use a split-view pane to take advantage of the available screen space because it falls within this unconstrained size class.
Controlling the UI with Size Classes
In most cases, specifying the width class is sufficient when laying out your app; however, you can use the height class to customize your app as well. For example, if you use a split-view pane in an iPad app, users will see the same pane on iPhone Plus in landscape orientation because they both inherit the Regular width (wR) size class.
If that is not your intention, you can exclude a split-view pane from appearing on the 7 Plus by specifying both the width and height Size Classes. This works because the height of an iPhone Plus in landscape orientation is compact (hC) while all iPad devices have a regular height (hR).
You can also use Size Classes to target specific UI elements like font colors, font sizes, drop shadows, view colors and more to adapt to users’ device screen. These variations give you added control as to how your UI can adapt to different devices and orientations that your user may be using.
Difference between frames and bounds.
Ans :
Frame : View's location and size using the parent view's coordinate system
Needed while placing the view in the parent
bounds = View's location and size using its own coordinate system
Needed while placing the view's content or subviews within itself
The bounds of an UIView is the rectangle, expressed as a location (x,y) and size (width,height) relative to its own coordinate system (0,0).
The frame of an UIView is the rectangle, expressed as a location (x,y) and size (width,height) relative to the superview it is contained within.
So, imagine a view that has a size of 50x50 (width x height) positioned at 15,15 (x,y) of its superview. The following code prints out this view's bounds and frame:
NSLog(@"bounds.origin.x: %f", label.bounds.origin.x);
NSLog(@"bounds.origin.y: %f", label.bounds.origin.y);
NSLog(@"bounds.size.width: %f", label.bounds.size.width);
NSLog(@"bounds.size.height: %f", label.bounds.size.height);
NSLog(@"frame.origin.x: %f", label.frame.origin.x);
NSLog(@"frame.origin.y: %f", label.frame.origin.y);
NSLog(@"frame.size.width: %f", label.frame.size.width);
NSLog(@"frame.size.height: %f", label.frame.size.height);
Output :
bounds.origin.x: 0
bounds.origin.y: 0
bounds.size.width: 50
bounds.size.height: 50
frame.origin.x: 15
frame.origin.y: 15
frame.size.width: 50
frame.size.height: 50
So, we can see that in both cases, the width and the height of the view is the same regardless of whether we are looking at the bounds or frame. What is different is the x,y positioning of the view. In the case of the bounds, the x and y coordinates are at 0,0 as these coordinates are relative to the view itself. However, the frame x and y coordinates are relative to the position of the view within the parent view (which earlier we said was at 25,25).
For more understanding : Visit this
Difference between Objective-C Category and Extension
Ans :
1.Category is a way to add methods to a class whether or not source code is available implies you can add category to foundation classes like NSString and also to your own custom classes.
2.We can add extra instance variable and property in class extension but not in Category.
3.Any variable and method inside the extension is not even accessible to inherited class.
4.Category and Extension both are basically made to handle large code base but category is a way to extend class API in multiple source file while extension is a way to add required methods out side the main interface file.
5.Use category when you have to break your same class code into different source file according to different functionality and Extension when you just need to add some required methods to existing class outside the main interface file. also when you need to modify a publicly declared instance variable in a class. for ex: readonly to readwrite you can re declare it in extension.
Read : What is Category?
What is extension and How to use it?
Ans :
Swift Extension :
Add a new swift file with File > New > File... > iOS > Source > Swift File, but you can call them what you want.
The general naming convention is to call it TypeName+NewFunctionality.swift
Make extension of Double
import Swift // or Foundation
extension Double {
func celToFahren() -> Double {
return self * 9 / 5 + 32
func fahrenToCel() -> Double {
return (self - 32) * 5 / 9
How to make extension:
let boilingPointCel = 100.0
let boilingPointFaren = boilingPointCel.celToFahren()
print(boilingPointFaren) // 212.0
Make extension of UIColor
import UIKit
extension UIColor {
class var customGreen: UIColor {
let darkGreen = 0x008110
return UIColor.rgb(fromHex: darkGreen)
class func rgb(fromHex: Int) -> UIColor {
let red = CGFloat((fromHex & 0xFF0000) >> 16) / 0xFF
let green = CGFloat((fromHex & 0x00FF00) >> 8) / 0xFF
let blue = CGFloat(fromHex & 0x0000FF) / 0xFF
let alpha = CGFloat(1.0)
See here also.
Using extension :
view.backgroundColor = UIColor.customGreen
Summary : Once you define an extension it can be used anywhere in your app just like the built in class functions. In Objective-C extensions are known as categories.
Objective C Extension :
In objective c, when you want to make behavior of some property private you use class extension.
-> it comes with .m file only.
-> mainly for properties.
The implementation of the extension must be in the main @implementation block of the file.
Extension can only be added to the classes whose source code is available because compiler compile the source code and extension at same time.
Difference between Delegate and Datasource
Ans :
A delegate type object responds to actions that another object takes.
i.e the UITableViewDelegate protocol has methods such as didSelectRowAtIndexPath for performing actions upon a user selecting a particular row in a table and willDisplayCell which called before delegate use cell to draw row.
DataSource type object gives data to another object.
i.e UITableViewDataSource protocol has methods such as cellForRowAtIndexPath and numberOfSectionInTaboeView dictating what should be displayed in the table.
Understanding Delegate in More Detail :
If Object X call Object Y to perform an action. Object X should know when Object Y complete task and take action after that.
Here we can tell that X is delegate object of Y. Y will have a reference of X. So X will implement delegate methods of Y. So Y can notify to X via delegate method.
One more point we can say that Delegate about controlling of UI and DataSource about controlling data.
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Difference between Sqlite and CoreData
Ans : Sqlite is database and Coredata is Object Relational Model which is layer between UI and Database. Coredata is memory efficient and Querying to Sqlite is not so efficient.
So we can't compare Sqlite and Coredata. Both are different thing.
What are persistent storage in iOS and Which one is most secure?
Ans : There are SIX types of persistent storage.
1. Userdefaut
2. Property List
3. Sqlite
4. Keychain
5. Files
6. Coredata
If brief answer they asked then follow :
1. Userdefaut : NSUserDefault class allow us to store small amount of data. It can store NSData, NSString, NSArray, NSDictionary, NSNumber,
The maximum data can we saved depends on iOS. Currently it can store 4GB of data.
But if file is too large, then it takes too much time for retrieve and write data in file. So we can save small amount of data only. Otherwise it waste time.
We can also store our custom objects in userDefaults. We achieve this by conforming our class to NSCoding protocol. We can then convert our custom object into NSData with the help of NSKeyArchiver class. The NSData is then stored into userDefaults like other objects. Similarly we can get NSData from userDefaults and then using NSKeyUnarchiver convert the NSData back to our custom objects.
2. Property List : As userdefaut save data in plist file, so like userdefaut, Property List is not also made for save large amount of data. There is one method of NSArray and NSDictionary as writeToFile for saving data.
3. Sqlite : If your application deals with large amount of data with relationship then we should use sqlite. It's API is written in C language and embedded with our application so it is very fast. There are ORM for bringing gap between obj c app and sqlite like, FMDB, Realm
4. Keychain : If you want to save highly sensitive and secure data like passwords and secret codes then there is a good news for you. Storing data in keychain is most secure way. To store data, I have taken library named SwiftKeyChainWrapper from cocoapods.
To Save data in Keychain :
let saveSuccessful: Bool = KeychainWrapper.standard.set("Some String", forKey: "myKey")
To get data from Keychain :
let retrievedPassword: String? = KeychainWrapper.standard.string(forKey: "userPassword")
To remove data from keychain :
let removeSuccessful: Bool = KeychainWrapper.standard.remove(key: "myKey")
5. Files : You can save data to any type of file. There are three type of folder like Document, Library, Tmp fo saving various type of file.
6. Core Data : Apple’s solution for persistence allows applications to persist data of any form and retrieve it. It isn’t technically a database, although it usually stores its data in one (an SQLite DB). It’s not an object-relational mapper (ORM), though it can feel like one. It’s truly an object graph, allowing you to create, store, and retrieve objects that have attributes and relationships to other objects. Its simplicity and power allow you to persist data of any form, from basic data models to complex.
I have written for loop from 1 to 10. But when i=7 then then it comes out from loop. I have not written any specific keyword nor exception generated. How it is possible?
for(int i=0, i<10:i++)
Here I am trying to iterate from 0 to 9. This loop is iterating till Condition i<10 matches.
Now in iterating, when loop comes i=6 I will make i=10.
So in next iteration, i<10 condition is mismatched. So it comes out from loop.
There is no any keyword used or any exception generated.
Bonus Tip : You can run swift code online here
What is StackView? What is advantage and distribution type of stackview?
Ans : Stack View allows to layout views in a stack in either horizontal or vertical fashion. In Xcode-7, stackview is introduced.
Advantage : Stacks are containers that keep views aligned automatically.
Distribution Types :
Fill(Default) : When you place your controls inside a UIStackView with Fill set as the distribution, it will keep all but one of the controls at their natural size and stretch one of them to fill the space. It determines which control to stretch by noting which one has the lowest Content Hugging Priority (CHP).
Fill Equally : With this type, each control in a UIStackView will be of equal size. All of the space between the controls will be used up, if possible. I added a spacing of eight between the UITextFields, so again you could see the size of each one. With this type, the CHP does not matter, because each control is the same size.
Fill Proportionally : The UIStackView will ensure the controls maintain the same proportion relative to one another as your layout grows and shrinks. Unlike the previous two settings, the Fill Proportionally distribution needs the controls to have an intrinsic content size. The Fill and Fill Equally distribution tell their child controls how big they should be, but this one is the other way around (as long as there is enough space for all of your controls to be their natural size). The proportions for the images and labels are maintained for the different layout sizes.
Equal Spacing : This distribution type will maintain an equal spacing between each of the controls and will not resize the controls themselves.
Equal Centring : It will equally space the centres of the controls. Space between every control is equal.
What is inout parameter in swift?
Function parameters are constants by default. Trying to change the value of a function parameter from within the body of that function results in a compile-time error. This means that you can’t change the value of a parameter by mistake. If you want a function to modify a parameter’s value, and you want those changes to persist after the function call has ended, define that parameter as an in-out parameter instead.
func add(x: Int, y: Int) -> Int
x=7 error: Can not assign to value x, x is let constant
func add(x: inout Int, y: Int) -> Int
Bonus Tip : You can run swift code online here
Collectionview or Scrollview or PageViewController, Which one is most preferable?
It depends on requirement. If too many pages or items, then Collectionview or pageviewcontroller is good option. Because Collectionview can reuse cell for display view, whereas PageViewController load only current page,previous page and next page in memory. As Scrollview loads all subviews in memory, it will consume too much memory.
Pageviewcontroller load multiple viewcontroller in memory. So preferable most in following order :
1. UICollectionview
2. UIPageViewController
3. UIScrollView
UITableview and UICollectionview
Similarity :
The way to setup both with cell registration, dequeing cells, specifying size and heights are pretty much the same.
Diffrence :
1. The collection view is much more robust in terms of layout features and other things like animations.
Tableiw is a simple list, which displays single-dimensional rows of data. It’s smooth because of cell reuse and other magic.
2. UICollectionView is the model for displaying multidimensional data .
UITableViewhas a couple of styles of cells stacked one over the other. You should not try to bend it to do any other kind of things too much complex than that kind of layout.
3. UICollectionView is a much more powerful set of classes that allow modifying almost every aspect of how your data will appear on the screen, especially its layout but also other things.
Advantage of Collectionview :
The biggest advantage of using collection view is the ability to scroll horizontally.
If you want multiple columns in your apps then UICollectionView is the best way to do it.
It is possible to have multiple columns in table view as well but it gets really messy since you are dealing with and array to display data in a table view.
UICollectionView Supports complex layouts. Apple provides you with something called UICollectionViewDelegateFlowLayout which provides you the flow of left and right as well as up and down.
UICollectionView supports custom animations based on different layouts which again cannot be done in UITableView.
Disadvantage of Collectionview (Advantage of Tablvieview over) :
Major disadvantages of using UICollectionView is auto sizing of your cells. It takes a lot of trial and error to get auto sizing to work correctly. UITableView wins here as all you have to do is return UITableView automatic dimensions for the height of your row in each one of your cells.
Summary :
If you need more control over your layout, go with UICollectionView, If you need simple list go with UITableview. |
Published in 2017
Noteworthy Practice - My Green Childcare Booklet
A number of childcare facilities (children under 3 years of age) of the City of Ghent incorporated sustainability and ‘green principles’ in their pedagogical vision and daily practice, engaging children, parents, community and the care team. Each of our childcare centers works from a well-defined, holistic pedagogical vision, focusing on total wellbeing and involvement of children and their environment. The so-called ‘profiled centers’ elaborate a specific aspect of this vision. The “Green childcare centers” look for different ways to bring children in contact with nature and to bring nature into their childcare. To support this, each child gets its own ‘GREEN BOOKLET’: a personalized notebook with a series of ‘green’ activities each child should experience before the age of 3, such as walking barefoot on grass or sand, play with water, dance in the rain, stare at clouds, make mud cakes, smell flowers, watch a bug, help to prepare and eat natural healthy foods… Whenever a child does any of these activities for the first time, it’s indicated in his green booklet, if possible with a picture of the child enjoying this activity and personal notes of the childcare team, such as when did the child do this, how did he experiment, enjoy the activity….
It stimulates the care team to ensure that each child (as an individual and member of the group) is offered a varied scale of green and sustainable experiences. Nature offers a wide range of materials stimulating children’s phantasy, creativity and senses. The goal is that each child does each of the ‘green’ activities at least once before he leaves childcare. The booklet is used as a tool to talk with the team, children and parents about what the kids do, focusing on the green and total development and wellbeing of each child. The practitioners start participation with observing children in a natural environment. Children’s language development is stimulated by telling and sharing the stories of their discoveries. The care team and parents can discuss the child’s development, wellbeing and the integration of green principles in the child’s education. And most of all, the Green booklet is a valued souvenir for children and parents when they say goodbye to the childcare. The green booklet was first designed by Childcare center, De Bubbels, and further developed and implemented by the “Green colleague group”, consisting of the coordinators of all green childcare centers and a pedagogical coach of the City of Ghent. The booklet can be easily adapted to any child and any environment a childcare center works in. |
Police officers who have a reason to believe that a driver is impaired is going to take steps to determine if their belief is correct. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recognizes three phases that must occur in the drunk driving detection process.
The only exception to the following three is if a driver is in a crash and is exhibiting signs of impairment.
• The vehicle is in motion
• The officer makes personal contact
• There is a pre-arrest screening
Part of determining whether a person is too impaired to drive safely is the standardized field sobriety test. There are three components of the SFST, and any other tests that are done aren’t considered part of it. The three tests in this battery include:
• The one leg stand: A balance and attention test that can clue officers into possible intoxication.
• The horizontal gaze nystagmus: A look at the involuntary jerking of the eyes while looking at an object.
• The walk and turn: A divided attention test that gauges the person’s ability to do two things at once.
Each of these tests give the officers clues about the person’s sobriety or impairment. Together, they provide a reasonable look into whether the person is driving drunk or under the influence of drugs. Still, the SFST might not be fully correct. This is partly due to individual circumstances and because some elements are left to personal interpretation.
Actions after a SFST
If you don’t pass the SFST, the officer might ask you for a chemical test. This is done through a breath, urine or blood sample that is tested for the presence of alcohol. If you are impaired from some other substance, these tests might not point to anything. If you are using drugs, they will show in your urine and blood even when you aren’t impaired by them.
When an officer feels they have a valid reason to think that you are too impaired to drive, you will be arrested. This starts the difficult process of battling a criminal justice trial and an administrative procedure. You must get the defense for both of these started right away. You are facing the possibility of time in jail, steep fines, mandatory evaluations and classes, and the loss of your driver’s license. Because of the harsh penalties, it is advisable to begin working out the defense strategy quickly. |
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Stop Talking Tech, Start Talking Shop
I've been doing this tech coaching thing for a while now, and recently I have come to a profound understanding about what I do.
People don't care that much about technology.
At first I this kind of bothered me. I told myself, "I do big important things! People love me! The things I care about have a profound impact!" I mean, these things ARE TRUE. But the real point I'm making here isn't that people don't find value in what I do--It's that teachers don't necessary want to sit around and shoot the breeze about technology integration in their classroom.
They don't want to talk tech. They want to talk about learning experiences.
Sometimes technology is an important part of that. And that's where I come in. This year I have tried to fundamentally change the perception of my role from "That tech guy" to more of a pedagogical mentor. My angle is tech, but our conversations need to be about TEACHING. Here's how I try to structure my conversations:
1. Ask more Questions
When I walk into a classroom, I should not consider my job to be a technology expert. I need to be a master teacher and a learning partner. I need to ask questions to understand what we're trying to do in the classroom today. The technology could absolutely make what happens today better, but why are we starting there? Let's drill down to the objectives of the unit, lesson, or activity. What do we need to get done? Now let's talk tech.
2. Focus on Instructional Goals
Through conversation we need to get to a place where we have a specific learning activity to focus on. Rather than walking in with an agenda of "cool tech tools" we should look at the goals for students first, and then plan the experiences around that. Once the components of the lesson are decided upon, then we should start talking about how technology supports those experiences. Are we collaborating? Creating? Publishing to the world? All of those things present amazing opportunities for technology integration. But the learning must come first.
3. Respect Class Time
If we are jumping in feet first with a tech enhanced project, we should understand that changes the timeline. If a teacher wants a students to make a video, we must allow for the extra time that will take plus the time needed to simply gain comfort with the new tool. Yes, there is a profound impact in having students publish video versions of written assignments, but are we going to spend 80% of the time we have on the project learning how to trim clips and insert background music? If I am singularly focused on being the tech integrator, it would be easy to allow something like that to spoil the actually student learning. And sometimes teacher's have no idea what you're getting them into. Be transparent about the time you are asking them to sacrifice.
This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to instructional coaching, but in the long run shifting the ways you have these conversations can make a big differences in the quality of tech integration you get with teachers and students.
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Posted by on Mar 5, 2017 in Tell Me Why |
What’s the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?
What’s the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?
Both baking soda and baking powder contain sodium bicarbonate. Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, and baking powder is not. This means baking powder actually has some baking soda in it already. In addition to the baking soda, baking powder has cream of tartar, which is an acidifying agent.
When sodium bicarbonate is combined with an acidifying agent, it causes a (slow) chemical reaction: the release of carbon dioxide (CO2). This is what causes the bubbles in the dough and leavens it.
Baking soda reacts with acidifying agents like milk, sugar, and/or shortening (for example). Baking powder already has an acidifying agent in it (the cream of tartar), and that acts as a second leavening agent in the dough and also slightly changes the taste of what you’re baking.
That’s the scientific answer, but what you probably want to know is how this applies to baking in more practical terms. Because baking soda is pure (sodium bicarbonate), it tends to become unstable at higher temperatures.
This works fine for things that you’re baking quickly, like chocolate chip cookies, but when baking at higher temperatures for longer times you’ll generally find baking soda because the cream of tartar (the second leavening agent) helps sustain the reaction longer. Baking soda, in these cases, would be rendered inactive too early.
In some circumstances you have both. This is particularly common in vegan cakes and brownies because they can become too dense due to the lack of eggs. Some recipes contain some sort of acid (yogurt, brown sugar, etc), however the carbon dioxide created from the acid and baking soda is not enough to leavening the volume of batter in the recipe. That’s why baking powder is used as well– to add necessary lift.
Basically, the reason for both is because sometimes you need more leavening than you have acid available in the recipe. It’s all about balance. Another reason to use both baking powder and baking soda is because they affect both browning and flavor.
Content for this question contributed by Kathy Willenburg, resident of Florence, Boone County, Kentucky, USA |
Energy Efficiency
In an average Australian home, heating and cooling accounts for around 38% of energy used.
Insulation works by "trapping" air
Heat is lost by convection and conduction through the walls and roof of a building. Earthwool® insulation ‘traps' air and slows down convection thereby reducing heat loss and gain. Knauf Insulation's advanced technology produces very soft and long strands of Glasswool which "trap" air more effectively to save even more energy.
Insulation is as effective keeping the heat in, as it is keeping the heat out. On average, households with ceiling, wall and under floor insulation can save around $450 per year on energy bills…save money while maintaining a comfortable internal temperature all year round. *
In a building, the larger the temperature difference between the inside and the outside, the higher the R-value the insulation needs to be to reduce heat flow. By adding Earthwool® insulation above minimum building requirements whether in commercial or residential space significantly increases energy savings, and enhances the overall quality of your indoor environment.
Increasing Electricity Prices
Since 2007, electricity prices have increased by a staggering 72 per cent.
The average Australian household uses up to 75 per cent of its energy supply to power appliances and on heating and cooling, which makes energy consumption in our everyday lives and the impact of increased energy prices, difficult to avoid.
However, there are ways in which we can reduce energy consumption in order to relieve the monetary pressures, which can also have an added benefit of a more comfortable and energy efficient home.
Simple and effective steps such as installing insulation with a high R-Value, closing windows and doors when air conditioners are running and turning off appliances when not in use have an impact on your energy savings. Having an energy efficient home not only benefits your pocket but also your comfort and health.
science of insulation
The Science of Insulation
Understand how insulation works. |
We all know about Elvis, McCarthyism, Sputnik, the Korean War, Rosa Parks’ fateful bus ride, and Castro taking over Cuba – defining moments of the 1950s. In the decade itself, everyone was talking about now-forgotten moments like the Suez crisis, the “Busby Babes” plane crash and the hula-hoop craze. But then there were a few big events in the decade that hardly anyone noticed at the time. Here are just five of them…
1. Rocket ‘88’ launches (1951)
The first rock’n’roll song? We don’t want to start any arguments here, but we can safely say that it wasn’t anything by Elvis, or even "Rock Around the Clock." Jackie Brenston’s rocking ode to wild nights in an eight-cylinder Oldsmobile, released three years before Elvis’s first record, made it clear that a new style of music had arrived. At the time, of course, it was unknown just how big this new music would become. It was a Billboard #1 hit, turning Chicago’s Chess Records into a major blues and R&B label. (They would soon record Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and others.) The song was covered later that year by a yokel from small-town Pennsylvania called Bill Haley, who would go on to become the first rock’n’roll superstar with songs like "Shake Rattle and Roll" and "Rock Around the Clock." Brenston, a singer and saxophone player in Ike Turner’s band, had no other solo hits, dying in 1979 at age 49.
2. Dawn of the electronic brain (1954)
International Business Machines (IBM) had made their name (among science geeks, at least) in the 1940s, constructing huge mainframe machines for scientific laboratories. But in May 1954, they announced the development of a model “electronic brain” for business use. Though it sounded like something from one of the scary sci-fi movies of the time (and would later strike fear into many workers, afraid of losing their jobs in the automated workplace), it was really the dawn of the computer revolution. With a central logic unit, processing information from reels of magnetic tape (each able to hold as much information as a large city phone-book), these new machines could do 10 million arithmetical operations in an hour. Nonetheless, IBM had low expectations for sales of these unwieldy devices, planning to rent them instead. Even this would cost $25,000 a month – a lot of money in 1954. However, the orders were already proving Thomas J. Watson wrong. In 1943, the 69-year-old IBM chairman and sales genius had predicted “a world market for maybe five computers.”
3. The coup of Guatemala (1954)
In one of the American military’s more dubious episodes, a CIA-financed coup in Guatemala overthrew the popularly elected government of President Jacobo Árbenz. Officially, it was to combat a plan by Árbenz to align Guatemala with the Soviet Bloc. However, this plan was disputed. The true reason may have been slightly less ideological. Árbenz’ land reform had included nationalizing the property of the United Fruit Company, which had friends in high places. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles’ law firm had written the contracts with Guatemala, 20 years earlier. CIA director Allen Dulles had been president of United Fruit, and his predecessor at the CIA, General Walter Bedell Smith, went on to become the company’s vice-president. Árbenz’ government was replaced by a military junta, and Árbenz spent the rest of his life in exile. The coup went almost unnoticed in America at the time, and is still not widely known. Yet it might well have been a case of a corporation causing the violent end of a government.
4. Testing the pill (1956)
You probably think that – along with Twister and concept albums – the oral contraceptive pill was one of the great inventions of the swinging sixties. In fact, it was a product of the more famously staid and conservative fifties. Developed by a team of biologists led by Gregory Pincus, it was first tested in Puerto Rico April 1956. The Food and Drug Administration did not approve the marketing of the pill until 1960, just in time for it to be a symbol of sixties freedom. Still, when Pincus died in 1967 (in the middle of the peace-and-love era), he went almost unknown. Even today, he’s not exactly a household name.
5. Tibet strikes back (1956)
Chinese troops invaded Tibet in 1950, forcing the leaders to sign the ironically named “Seventeen Point Agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet” (that’s the short title), in which Tibetan delegates agreed to recognize Chinese authority. Later, human rights activists would suggest that this was one of China’s worst human rights violations, with the death estimates ranging from 400,000 to 1.2 million. The Tibetans fought back in 1956, guided by prominent exiles and supported by the CIA. By July 1958, 50,000 Chinese troops had died in the conflict. However, to maintain good (or at least, steady) relations with China, other nations did not officially recognize their struggle, and the tide soon turned against the insurgency. In March 1959, the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, was forced to flee his homeland disguised as a servant. “There was nothing I could do for my people if I stayed,” he later said. Chinese soldiers were ordered to capture him alive, as his death would cause even the most peaceful Tibetans to rise against them. He evaded capture, escaping to Dharamsala in India, where he would establish a democratic alternative government and become a symbol of peace and non-violent liberation, winning far more fame and promotion for his cause in exile than he had ever won in Tibet.
Mark Juddery is an author and historian based in Australia. His latest book, Overrated: The 50 Most Overhyped Things in History (Perigree), is already causing a stir. You can order it from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can see a slideshow excerpt from the book, and you can argue with Mark's choices (or suggest new ones) on his blog. Mark offers one tip: If you want to say "This book is overrated"... it's been done. |
Water covers nearly three quarters of the planet and is found in all three states (solid, liquid and gas) on earth. Where it moves it often creates sound; from the pitter patter of rain as it hits the ground to rivers roaring and waves crashing on the shore. Water is essential for life and makes up about 50% -75% of the human body.
Where can you hear water in your life? What can you hear water doing in these Minutes? Is water changing anything in these Minutes? |
A clue as to why it’s so hard to wake up on a cold winter’s morning
Winter may be behind us, but do you remember the challenge of waking up on those cold, dark days? Temperature affects the behavior of nearly all living creatures, but there is still much to learn about the link between sensory neurons and neurons controlling the sleep-wake cycle.
Northwestern University neurobiologists have uncovered a clue to what’s behind this behavior. In a study of the fruit fly, the researchers have identified a “thermometer” circuit that relays information about external cold temperature from the fly antenna to the higher brain. They show how, through this circuit, seasonally cold and dark conditions can inhibit neurons within the fly brain that promote activity and wakefulness, particularly in the morning.
“This helps explains why — for both flies and humans — it is so hard to wake up in the morning in winter,” said Marco Gallio, associate professor of neurobiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. “By studying behaviors in a fruit fly, we can better understand how and why temperature is so critical to regulating sleep.”
The study, led by Gallio and conducted in Drosophila melanogaster, was published today (May 21) in the journal Current Biology.
The ramifications of impaired sleep are numerous, yet we still do not fully understand how sleep is produced and regulated within the brain and how changes in external conditions may impact sleep drive and quality”
Michael Alpert
Postdoctoral fellow
Gallio is the corresponding author of the paper. Michael H. Alpert, a postdoctoral fellow in Gallio’s lab, and Dominic D. Frank, a former Ph.D. student in Gallio’s lab, are the paper’s co-first authors.
“The ramifications of impaired sleep are numerous — fatigue, reduced concentration, poor learning and alteration of a myriad of health parameters — yet we still do not fully understand how sleep is produced and regulated within the brain and how changes in external conditions may impact sleep drive and quality,” Alpert said.
The study, a collaborative effort many years in the making, was performed in the Gallio lab by a range of scientists at different stages of their careers, ranging from undergraduate students to the principal investigator.
“It is crucial to study the brain in action,” Frank said. “Our findings demonstrate the importance of functional studies for understanding how the brain governs behavior.”
Overall, the study heavily relied on the ability to study both the activity of neurons and the role of these neurons on behavior. To do this, the researchers developed new tools and used a combination of functional and anatomical studies, neurogenetic and behavioral monitoring approaches to conduct these experiments in both wild type and transgenic flies.
The title of the study is “A circuit encoding absolute cold temperature in Drosophila.” The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants R01NS086859, T32HL007909 and F31NS093873), a Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences and a McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Award.
/Public Release. View in full here. |
Properties and Benefits Of Lemon Grass
Lemon grass
Lemon grass or oil grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a popular herbal plant and culinary vegetable originating in South and Southeast Asia, but naturalized in numerous other parts of the world. The leaves of the plant have long been used both as a culinary and medicinal herb and highly appreciated for their strong, pleasant, lemony fragrance. Infusions made from either the fresh or dried leaves of the plant have traditionally been employed for the treatment of a variety of ailments and medical conditions.
These range from gastrointestinal problems, nervous system disorders, cough, rheumatism, nausea and vomiting to abdominal, joint or muscle pain. Research has uncovered the plant also possesses anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in addition to being a mild natural analgesic and diuretic. Lemon grass and its essential oil are used in stress relief therapies.
Lemon grass benefits
What does lemon grass look like? Lemon grass is a sort of grassy plant known for its lemony or citrussy fragrance. From afar, the plant looks like a huge, green tuft of grass with slender and stiff stems and rhizome roots. The stems, although very similar in appearance to flexible blades of grass projecting their ends downward, are actually quite fibrous and tough. If removed together with a part of the root system, lemon grass stems look a lot like larger, tougher scallions.
What does lemon grass taste and smell like? As its name suggests, lemon grass has a strong, alluring citrussy or lemony fragrance, with grassy notes and a hint of ginger-like spiciness. As far as taste is concerned, it has a mildly sweet and light lemony taste, with a barely noticeable tartness, less pungent than that of lemons. Overall, lemon grass is not acidic like lemons and has a considerably more hardy fragrance that oozes into foods it is added to.
Lemongrass benefits and uses
Although it is a popular vegetable-herb in Asian cuisine, lemon grass is also cultivated for its essential oil which is primarily used for medicinal purposes. Read below and find out what are the most remarkable 7 properties and health benefits of lemon grass.
1) Exhibits analgesic effects. Lemon grass exhibits anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects which is why it is commonly used for the treatment and management of various conditions characterized by pain as a result of inflammation or spasms, including muscle pain and muscle spasms, abdominal cramps as a result of indigestion, joint pain caused by rheumatism or arthritis etc. The analgesic benefits are obtained by the topical use of lemongrass essential oil.
Lemon grass
Essential oils in lemon grass leaves and essential oil such as myrcene are believed to be responsible for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of the plant and its essential oil and may be found in concentrations of 12% and up to 25% in the oil (Myrcene mimics the peripheral analgesic activity of lemongrass tea).
2) Offers antioxidant protection. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, isoorientin, isoscoparin, orientin and luteolin are just a few of the many antioxidants found in lemon grass (Free radical scavengers and antioxidants from Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus). Antioxidants scavenge free radicals and protect cells and DNA against damage that may cause them to go haywire and turn cancerous. In addition to his, by preventing free radical damage from building up in the body, antioxidants from lemon grass also help keep inflammation levels low, which is equal to lower risks of developing chronic disease (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity).
3) Natural antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic. Geraniol and neral, two forms of citral (also called lemonal), a constituent of lemon grass and lemon grass essential oil (up to 85% of volatile oil content) have been found to exhibit a potent antibacterial action against various pathogens, inhibit sepsis development as well as bacterial growth without the pathogens developing resistance to the plant compounds. Citral constituents are also found in lemon balm, lemon and verbena.
Various studies reveal that lemon grass constituents have a strong inhibitory action on gram-positive as well as gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiela pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus aureus and Helicobacter pylori. (Effects of lemongrass oil on the morphological characteristics and peptidoglycan synthesis of Escherichia coli cells) (Bactericidal activities of plant essential oils and some of their isolated constituents against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica)
Lemon grass essential oil has been shown to also be extremely efficient against fungi causing skin fungal infections or mycosis (Essential oils of peppermint, orange or lemongrass kill most strains of fungal and bacterial infections). The main component, citral, is particularly effective against Candida albicans (Anti-Candida albicans activity of essential oils including Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) oil and its component, citral).
4) Boasts anticancer properties. Lemon grass and its derivate essential oil appear to be particularly effective against liver and colon cancers as well as leukemia (Citral: a cytotoxic principle isolated from the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus against P388 leukemia cells). Citral and monoterpene compounds in general are the ones with the strongest in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity as far as plant essential oils are concerned. Preliminary researcht has also revealed that farnesol, another constituent of lemon grass essential oil, boasts antitumor properties.
5) Has a beneficial action on the nervous system. A Japanese study on rodents has found that linalool, a compound from lemon grass and its essential oil, can effectively reduce stress markers. Drinking lemon grass tea and using its essential oil for stress relief are two natural practices for better coping with stress naturally.
6) Natural carminative and mild diuretic. Research suggests that geraniol found in lemon grass has strong anthelmintic properties in vitro and may draw attention on lemon grass as a basis for future medication aiming to treat and prevent infestation with worms and intestinal parasites. Other studies reveal the plant to hold mild diuretic properties, which might explain its occasional hypotensive (blood pressure reducing) activity. (Pharmacological study of Cymbopogon citratus leaves)
7) Natural mosquito repellent. Naturally-occurring compounds in lemon grass and its essential oil, notably citral, are effective insecticides which efficiently repel mosquitoes. However, the constituents responsible for the lemony fragrance of the plant have been shown to attract bees.
Lemongrass side effects
Though research is poor, there are studies that show that compounds from lemon grass may inhibit cell division. While this mechanism can help stop cancer cell division and spread (metastasis), it would appear it might affect normal fetal development and potentially lead to developmental problems during pregnancy. Moreover, some rat studies show high doses of myrcene and citral (two major compounds in lemon grass oil) may prove toxic for unborn babies, hence the recommendation to avoid lemon grass during pregnancy, or at least consult your doctor in order to establish safe doses. Major compounds in the plant, notably citral, may engender allergic reactions. If you are allergic to the plant, avoid it and its essential oil in all forms and preparations. |
Mediterranean diet 'could reduce bone loss in people with osteoporosis'
George Morris physiotherapy wigan
Mediterranean diet 'could reduce bone loss in people with osteoporosis'
KEEPING to a Mediterranean-type diet could reduce bone loss in people with osteoporosis and reduce the risk of a fractured hip, according to new research. Bone density was measured at the start and after 12 months.
The findings show that sticking to a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, unrefined cereals, olive oil, and fish can reduce hip bone loss within just 12 months.
The study is the first long-term, all European clinical trial looking at the impact of a Mediterranean diet on bone health in older adults.
More than 1,000 people aged between 65 and 79 took part in the trial, and volunteers were split randomly into two groups, one which followed a Mediterranean diet and a control group which did not.
The diet had no discernible impact on participants with normal bone density, but researchers said that it did have an effect on those with osteoporosis.
People in the control group continued to see the usual age-related decrease in bone density, but those following the diet saw an equivalent increase in bone density in one part of the body, the femoral neck, the area which connects the shaft of the thigh bone to its rounded head, which fits in the hip joint.
Prof Susan Fairweather-Tait, of the University of East Anglia's Norwich Medical School, said: "This is a particularly sensitive area for osteoporosis as loss of bone in the femoral neck is often the cause of hip fracture, which is common in elderly people with osteoporosis.
The EU-funded trial, led by the University of Bologna in Italy, was completed by 1,142 participants recruited across five centres in Britain, Italy, Holland, Poland and France.
Those following the Mediterranean diet increased their intake of fruits, veg, nuts, unrefined cereals, olive oil, and fish, consumed small quantities of dairy products and meat and had a moderate alcohol intake.
People in the intervention group were provided with foods such as olive oil and wholemeal pasta, to encourage them to stick to the diet, and were also given a small vitamin D supplement, to even out the effects of different levels of sunlight on vitamin D status between the participating countries.
At the start and end of the trial, blood samples were taken to check for circulating biomarkers.
Bone density was measured in more than 600 participants across both groups at the lumbar spine and femoral neck.
Of these participants, just under 10 per cent were found to have osteoporosis at the start of the study.
Dr Amy Jennings, of the University of East Anglia said: "Although this is a small number it is sufficient for the changes in femoral neck bone density between the two groups to be statistically significant.
"Those with osteoporosis are losing bone at a much faster rate than others, so you are more likely to pick up changes in these volunteers than those losing bone more slowly, as everyone does with age.
"With a longer trial, it's possible we could have picked up changes in the volunteers with normal bone density.
"However, we already found it quite challenging to encourage our volunteers to change their diet for a year, and a longer trial would have made recruitment more difficult and resulted in a higher drop-out."
The researchers would now like to see a similar, or ideally longer, trial in patients with osteoporosis, to confirm the findings across a larger group and see if the impact can be seen in other areas of the body.
The said that if the condition could be mitigated through diet, it would be a welcome addition to current drug treatments for osteoporosis, which can have severe side effects.
But in the meantime, the researchers said there is no reason for those concerned about the condition not to consider adapting their diet.
Prof Fairweather-Tait added: "A Mediterranean diet is already proven to have other health benefits, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and cancer.
"So there's no downside to adopting such a diet, whether you have osteoporosis or not."
The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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Define and Describe on Antibiotics
Antibiotics are living substances, which at a minimum number can kill other microorganisms or hinder that growth. Antibiotics are formed from different organisms but are sufficiently formed from bacteria. Streptomyces and fungus like moulds. They do not work against infections that are caused by viruses – for example, the common cold or flu; most coughs and bronchitis.
Antibiotics are sufficiently formed from the four genera mentioned bellow:
1. Bacillus,
2. Penicillin
3. Streptomyces
4. Cephalosporium.
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More on Quadratic Programming in R
[This article was first published on quantitate, and kindly contributed to R-bloggers]. (You can report issue about the content on this page here)
This post is another tour of quadratic programming algorithms and applications in R. First, we look at the quadratic program that lies at the heart of support vector machine (SVM) classification. Then we’ll look at a very different quadratic programming demo problem that models the energy of a circus tent. The key difference between these two problems is that the energy minimization problem has a positive definite system matrix whereas the SVM problem has only a semi-definite one. This distinction has important implications when it comes to choosing a quadratic program solver and we’ll do some solver benchmarking to further illustrate this issue.
QP and SVM
Let’s consider the following very simple version of the SVM problem. Suppose we have observed $y_i \in \{-1,1\}$, $X_i \in \mathbb{R}^{m}$ for $n$ (perfectly linearly separable) training cases. We let $y$ denote the $n \times 1$ vector of training labels and $X$ the $n \times m$ matrix of predictor variables. Our task is to find the hyperplane in $\mathbb{R}^m$ which “best separates” our two classes of labels $-1$ and $1$. Visually:
train <- iris
train$y <-ifelse(train[,5]=="setosa", 1, -1)
sv <- svm(y~Petal.Length+Petal.Width+Sepal.Length,
data=train, kernel="linear", scale=FALSE, type="C-classification")
W <- rowSums(sapply(1:length(sv$coefs), function(i) sv$coefs[i]*sv$SV[i,]))
plot3d(train$Petal.Length, train$Petal.Width,
train$Sepal.Length, col= ifelse(train$y==-1,"red","blue"),
size = 2, type='s', alpha = .6)
rgl.planes(a = W[1], b=W[2], c=W[3], d=-sv$rho, color="gray", alpha=.4)
The problem of finding this optimal hyperplane is a quadratic program (the primal SVM problem). For computational reasons however, it is much easier to work with a related quadratic program, the SVM dual problem. With a general kernel function, this quadratic program is: $$ \begin{aligned} \underset{\alpha \in \mathbb{R}^n}{\text{Maximize}}: \qquad & L\left( \alpha \right) = \sum_{i=1}^n \alpha_{i} – \frac{1}{2} \sum_{i=1}^n \sum_{j=1}^n \alpha_i \left( y_i k\left(\mathbf{X}_i, \mathbf{X}_j \right) y_j \right) \alpha_j \\ \text{Subject to:} \qquad & 0 \leq \alpha_i \leq C. \end{aligned}$$ In the simple case of a linear kernel, $k(\mathbf{x}, \mathbf{y}) = \mathbf{x} \cdot \mathbf{y}$ and so we can rewrite $L$ in matrix notation as \[ L(\alpha) = \mathbf{1} \cdot \alpha – \alpha^T Q^TQ \alpha\] with \[ Q = \left[ \begin{array}{ccc} y_1 (\mathbf{X}^T)_1 \; | & \ldots & | \; y_n (\mathbf{X}^T)_n \end{array}\right] \] where $(\mathbf{X}^T)_i$ denotes the $i$-th column of $\mathbf{X}^T$.
It is important to note that the matrix $A = Q^TQ$ is symmetric positive semi-definite since $A^T = A$ and for any nonzero $x$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$: \[x^TAx = x^TQ^T Q x = (Qx)^T (Qx) = \|Qx\|_2^2 \geq 0.\] However, in the context of SVM the matrix $A$ will usually not be positive definite. In particular, the rank of $X^T$ is at most $m$ (number of features) which is typically much less than the number of observations $n$. By the Rank-Nullity theorem, the nullspace of $Q$ has dimension $n-m$ which we expect to be quite large. So intuitively quite a few non-zero $x$ map to $0$ under $Q$ and so the above inequality cannot be strengthened to a strict inequality.
The fact that the matrix $A$ is only semi-definite and not positive-definite is significant because many quadratic programming algorithms are specialized to solve only positive definite problems. For example, R’s quadprog handles only positive definite problems, whereas solvers like kernlab’s ipop method can handle semidefinite problems. In the specialized semidefinite case of SVM, many highly optimized algorithms exist (for example, the algorithms implemented in libsvm and liblinear). In the following gist, we solve a separable SVM problem for Fisher’s iris data in three ways:
1. Using the e1071 wrapper around libsvm.
2. Using the semi-definite ipop solver from kernlab. Note that this general interior point solver is implemented in R and it can be quite slow when applied to larger scale problems.
3. Using quadprog’s positive definite solver with a slight perturbance to the SVM data so that the system matrix becomes positive definite. Quadprog is a wrapper around an interior point solver implemented in Fortran.
Note that only the first method is recommended for solving SVM problems in real life. The second and third methods are only included for the sake of the demonstrating the mechanics of quadratic programming.
We see that all three methods generate quite similar solutions for this highly stable and quite simple problem.
As another example of the SVM technique, here is a minimal example that uses SVM to classify topics in the Reuters21578 corpus.
The Circus Tent Revisited
In a previous post, I explained how the solution of a quadratic program can model the shape of a circus tent.
The system matrix in the circus tent problem is symmetric positive definite and therefore an ideal candidate for the quadprog solver. In the gist below, we build a series of increasingly larger circus tent problems and use this to profile the solver times of ipop and quadprog.
From this simple experiment we can make the following observations:
1. For this symmetric positive definite problem, quadprog’s solver is significantly faster than ipop. This is not surprising given that quadprog is calling compiled Fortran routines whereas ipop is an R implementation.
2. The time complexity for both solvers is superlinear in the problem size. Roughly, both solvers appear to be nearly cubic in problem size.
3. Even though both the system and constraint matrices are sparse, neither solver is able to take advantage of sparse matrix representations. In a pinch, it’s worth noting that a little memory can be saved by using quadprog’s solve.QP.compact which utilizes a more compact representation of the constraint matrix $\mathrm{Amat}$.
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What Is Cultural Diffusion in the United States?
Cultural diffusion in the United States is the spread of cultural beliefs from one group of people to another. Cultural diffusion is the mixing of many different types of culture through migration, commerce and trade, technology and better education.
Cultural diffusion takes place when people of a different ethnicity or religion move into a region and spread their culture to the natives. Culture consists of communication, behaviors, food, values and knowledge, and although many may be resistant to these changes, a large enough population can impart these cultural aspects on the native population of an area.
There are many examples of cultural diffusion that takes place across several large American cities. New York, for example, is a melting pot of various different cultures, despite the fact that the state itself is an English-speaking, Christian state.
Just as a variety of people, like Italians, Germans and Japanese, bring their cultures to America, Americans are responsible for cultural diffusion in countries other than the United States. American fast food restaurants opening in foreign countries is a good example of cultural diffusion, as well as American television shows that find their way to foreign audiences. Each of these things imparts a different culture to other countries and changes the way the natives of those countries behave and in some cases, think. |
What Are Some Examples of How to Formulate Sociological Research Questions?
A sociological question should start with your topic of interest that examines a subject from a sociological perspective, how groups and individuals interact. Sociologists approach questions with the goal of finding deeper meaning in social patterns and group dynamics.
The question under study should be specific rather than general in nature. It is helpful to begin with a general idea and then work towards making it more specific as information is gathered.
As a guideline, the question should deal with patterns and implications as they relate to groups of people and not individuals. Examples of sociological questions include:
Does the treatment of heart disease vary by age and gender? What are the best ways to prevent drug abuse among recent immigrant youths in Harlem? |
Imagine RIT preview: Mixing VR, traditional gameplay
Game design and 3D modeling students collaborate to showcase Project Colossus video game
William Montgomery, a game design and development major, tests out the virtual reality on a video game he is creating with a team of RIT students. The group will display the game, called Project Colossus, at Imagine RIT April 28.
Compete against friends as either a virtual reality robot or as resistance fighters at the Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival on April 28.
An interdisciplinary team of students will showcase Project Colossus, a video game they are creating in class that mixes virtual reality with traditional controller-based gameplay. The hands-on exhibit, located in the Computer Zone in Golisano Hall, room 2000, will allow festivalgoers to put on a virtual reality headset and play the game as the colossus robot or with a controller as a resistance solider.
In the video game, robots have taken over the Earth, but a resistance group is planning to attack. Soldiers storm a factory to destroy the half-built robot colossus that can rotate and throw broken parts at the resistance fighters.
“We wanted to create a game where the VR player is the big boss,” said Alex Hazen, a third-year game design and development student from Wilmington, Del. “But we didn’t want people new to VR to get motion sickness, so we made the robot only functional from the waist up.”
Hazen also noted that they are adding laser eyes to the robot colossus.
Students are creating the game a collaboration between the game design and development major’s Production Studio course and the 3D digital design program’s Collaborative Project course. While the 3D modelers create the broken robot parts and scaffolding for soldiers to climb, the game developers are designing the mechanics of each character. Together, the team must create a working prototype to present as their final project.
The game is being created by Hazen; William Montgomery, a third-year game-design and development major from Newtown, Conn.; Sanketh Bhat, a third-year game-design and development major from India; Jared White, a third-year game-design and development major from Boyds, Md.; Abby Hurd, a second-year 3D digital design major from Hardwick, Mass.; and Dylan Lobbregt, a third-year 3D digital design major from Milford, Pa.
To learn more about Imagine RIT and plan your day for April 28, go to
A 3D model of a resistance fighter from the student-created video game Project Colossus.
In the game, players will control a colossus robot using VR, all in hopes of defeating the resistance fighters. |
Why Is Budgeting Important?
Creating a budget helps keep the family finances in order and allows you to put cash away for emergencies. Emergencies could be anything from a car breaking down to an unexpected hospital bill due to a car accident or a serious illness. Budgeting also helps families save for special occasions such as Christmas or birthdays.
Creating a budget has always been important, whether for single people or families, but in times of tough economic issues when there is not a lot of job security, it is even more important. Budgeting for savings may just save the roof over your head, even though that money may have been set aside for a vacation.
A budget is not only used for saving money, but for regulating other expenses. It can be used to regulate the amount of money spent on food, extras such as cigarettes and beer, football games and other extracurricular activities the family may enjoy.
Time Frame
You can plan a weekly, monthly or yearly budget--or a combination of all three. A weekly budget helps to show where you are spending your money each week, and allows you to see where each dollar from that week's paycheck is going. A monthly budget outlines all of the bills that need to be paid for the month, including groceries, and shows you just how much you have left over to put into savings. A yearly budget allows you to see what each month's savings add up to over the year, and may be used to budget a certain amount of money out for a family vacation.
Because people tend to spend money as they get it, a budget helps to show you where and why you are spending the money. It will help you save what you otherwise may have spent--and shows you that a little here and there adds up over time. For example, if you track your spending habits on lotto, you will be able to see what your lotto habit cost you over a month, a few months or a year.
A budget can be created on a piece of paper or in a spreadsheet. It should show all incoming income and outgoing income. Using a spreadsheet allows you to input formulas so you do not have to add or subtract anything by hand, making the budget keeping less tedious. Spreadsheets are especially effective for weekly budgeting, even if you get paid biweekly or twice a month. |
HomeBlog Using Naming Conventions in Marketing Automation
Using Naming Conventions in Marketing Automation
May 05, 2014 | By Jay Famico
A naming convention is a way to consistently identify things using standard rules; the resulting name should communicate information about the thing being identified. Naming conventions are important in computer coding and even in the naming of roads (in Manhattan, for instance, roads are sequentially numbered – those that run east to west are labeled “streets” and those that run north to south are called “avenues”). Naming conventions are also critical in marketing automation, in the following ways:
• Locate. Find a specific tactic or element (e.g. one email among several hundred or a thousand within the marketing automation platform [MAP]).
• Report. Create dashboards, reports and insights focused on the performance or responses to specific types of tactics or programs.
• Segment. Isolate a type of tactic or program and its focus area when creating target lists for marketing programs.
• Message. Alter the messaging used to engage individual contacts and prospects.
When crafting naming conventions, take into consideration how users will locate content, assets and programs, how the company needs to report on tactic and program performance and how it wishes to segment and message to its customer base. These requirements should spur the creation of custom fields or a structured naming process in free text-field “tag” emails, forms, programs and landing pages that exist in the platform. It is not important to list everything you would ever wish to use to search and report against – just the primary elements. It’s better to have five items consistently and accurately populated than 17 items that are inconsistently filled and frequently inaccurate. Here is a short list of key items that SiriusDecisions often sees clients include in marketing automation naming conventions:
• Offering. Organizations that have more than one product/solution many include a field for recording the primary offering that the program or tactic focuses on.
• Language. Organizations that market in multiple languages may include a field for noting the language that the tactic or program is in (e.g. Spanish, French).
• Geography. Organizations that market to multiple geographies or locals (especially where budgeting or cost allocations are geographically based) may include a field for recording the primary geography that the tactic/program focuses on (e.g. North America, APJ, EMEA, ROW).
• Department. Organizations whose marketing programs are broken up into functions (e.g. channel, field, programs, customer) or other groups that use the platform (e.g. customer support, services) may include a field for recording the primary department the program or tactic falls under.
• Date. Many organizations include a field that indicates the date the program is slated to go live or the date it was first built. Evergreen or perpetual nurture programs are often given a special designation.
• Contact type. Organizations that have specific nurture programs focused on distinct contact types (e.g. customers, prospects, partners, influencers) may include a field for contact type.
• Tactic type. Many organizations include a field that records the type of tactic that the program or element is being used to position (e.g. webinar, trade show, road show, trial).
• Name. Include the name of the program. In the case of program elements (e.g. an email, form, landing page), the program the element relates to is often the first part of the name, followed by the name of the individual element (e.g. “30 day trial: Email 2 – client testimonial”).
• Other. Additional information may be placed in this category, which is often used to cover variations of the same program. For example, to provide for one road show that will occur across 10 different cities, you may wish to record each city as a separate entity, but have them logically related to the same program.
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SDB Popularity Ranking: 21166
Last name: Basilone
SDB Popularity ranking: 21166
This surname recorded in over fifty different spellings from Basil, Bazelle, and Bazeley, to Basilone, Vasile, Vasilchenko, Vasovic, and Wasilewski, is of Ancient Greek origins. It derives from word "basileios" meaning "royal", and originally was given only to children of royal or noble birth. In the 4th century a.d. the name was born by St Basillos, the bishop of Caesarea, and long regarded as one of the four fathers of the Eastern (Christian) Church. It is said that in some cases the name derives from the female form of the name, and specifically from St Basilla, who in the year 304 a.d. chose death rather than marry a pagan! Upto the 11th century the name as a personal name, was usually born by clerics, however after the famous Crusades of the period, it became popular for returning soldiers to christen their children with Hebrew or biblical names, and thereby to commemorate the fathers deeds in the Holy Land. The earliest known examples of these recordings are in England, which was also the first country to adopt hereditary surnames. Examples of these recordings include Willelmus filius Basilie of the county of Yorkshire in 1219, and later in Germany Kurd Basilies was recorded in the town of Duderstadt in the year 1463.The first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere in the world is believed to be that of Ralph Basille, which was dated 1251, in the register of Ramsay Abbey, Huntingdonshire, during the reign of King Henry 111 of England , 1216 - 1272. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Surname scroll for: Basilone
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SDB Popularity Ranking: 28372
Last name: Magovern
SDB Popularity ranking: 28372
This ancient surname is of Irish origin and is a modern variant spelling of Magauran, itself an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "MagShamhr(adh)ain", the patronymic (son of) from the personal name "Samhradhain", which is a diminutive of "samhradh", meaning summer. The eponymous ancestor was "Samhradhan", circa 1100, who was descended from "Eochaidh" who gave his name to the territory of the Magaurans of MacGoverns, the "Teallach Eochaidh", now Tullyhaw, in North West Cavan. There is a village called Ballymagauran in that area which was burned by Maguire in 1481. The leading families of the sept were allied in marriage to the Maguire's, O' Rourkes and other powerful families, and are mentioned in the Annals during the 13th and 16th Centuries. The "Book of the Magurans" is a famous Old Gaelic manuscript. Amongst the recordings in London is the marriage of Mary Magovern and Luke Daly on August 13th 1806, at the Church of St. Mary le Strand, Westminster, and in Ireland, the christening was recorded of Bernard Magovern on June 2nd 1865 at Ballyconnell, Cavan. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Edmund Magauran, which was dated 1588 - 1595, Archbishop of Co. Armagh, Ireland, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Surname scroll for: Magovern
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SDB Popularity Ranking: 37155
Last name: Popping
SDB Popularity ranking: 37155
Recorded as Pape and the diminutives Papen, Pappen, Pappin, Pappon, Papon, Poppin, Popping, and others, this is an English surname. In medieval times and before the Church of England and the Church of Rome parted company when Henry V111th wanted a divorce and the Pope would not give him one, this interesting surname was already in use. It was a nickname either for a person with an austere or ascetic appearance and hence the way the Pope was imagined to look, or it was a theatrical name for an actor who played the part of a Pope. Either way the derivation is from the pre 7th century word "papa", meaning father, and later pape meanin the pope. The surname is ancient, one of the earliest recorded In England (see below) with other examples being include Blachemannus Pape in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey in 1178, William la Pape in the Curia Regis rolls of Berkshire in 1197, and Adam la Pape in the Assize rolls of Somerset in 1288. The London church records include John Pape who married Marrian Panson on February 18th 1564 at St. Margaret Pattens, London whilst Frances Pappin was recorded at St Dunstans Stepney, on June 21st 1702. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Stubhard Pape of Suffolk. This was dated 1095, in the Feudal Documents from the abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, during the reign of King William 11nd, known as "Rufus", 1087 - 1100. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Surname scroll for: Popping
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Off-grid Project: DIY Burnable Bricks & Logs Out of Paper
fire bricks
The ability to make long burning fire logs or fire bricks could be a life saver during and after a major crisis. The time to learn how to make, use, and store them is now, before any major crisis starts.
Right now, devices used to make fire bricks and logs are as close as your favorite hardware store; but in a time after a major crisis there will be no place to buy them.
Fortunately, you can use simple materials from around the house, the yard, or even a junk pile to make a fire log or fire brick maker.
How to Make Fire Logs
• 3/4” to 1” diameter dowel rod about 24” long
• Newspapers
• 5 gal bucket and water to soak the paper in.
How to make fire logs
For soaking the paper, place the newspaper in the buckets still folded into sections.
Fill the buckets with water, and let soak 1 to 2 hours, then prepare for rolling the logs.
Standing at a sink or other water proof surface, take the first wet section of the newspaper out of the bucket.
Place the dowel rod about 1 inch down from the top of the wet paper and begin to roll the dowel rod down the newspaper.
logsStart the paper near one end of the dowel so that it is easier to push off once you are done rolling paper. As you roll the newspaper squeeze out excess water.
After you have rolled up 2-3 inches of the wet paper, shape and compress the log with your hands to get more excess water out. Pull the dowel rod out of the freshly made paper fire log.
Air drying the newspaper fire logs
The completed fire logs must be completely dry before burning.
• Store logs in a shed or other covered area where the temperature and breeze can air dry them.
• If you do not have a shed, stack the wet logs on a platform, old pallets, or anything else that will keep the wet logs off the ground.
• Cover with a tarp to keep the logs from getting wet due to weather conditions.
• It will take at least a week for the logs to dry.
How to Make Fire Bricks
Materials and tools needed:
• Three 5gal. Buckets. (One bucket will have holes cut or drilled into it to make a sieve, one to be cut down to make a press, and the last bucket to be used as the outer water holding bucket.
• 1 drill to cut the holes in the bucket.
• 1 hand saw to make the water press.
• 1 machete to cut up the large fire brick into smaller ones.
• Old mail, newspapers, dead leaves, dead brush, tree clippings, paper towels and old paper rollers, paper plates, napkins, beer boxes /soda boxes, egg cartons, wood chips/saw dust, or any other bio mass that can be burned.
• Two 2”x4”X 3′ long for drainage boards (if you are planing to reuse the water).
Put the sieve 5 gal. bucket inside the other normal 5 gal. bucket. Fill these buckets 3/4 full of water. Rip or break up all of the fire brick materials into small pieces. Throw them in the water bucket to soak for about a day or until the paper is mushy.
Pull the sieve bucket out of the water bucket. Put the two 2”x4”s over the water bucket and place the sieve bucket on top of the boards to drain (if you are planing to reuse some of the water). If not stand up the sieve bucket and just let it drain out.
To remove more water and to compress the contents of the sieve bucket put the bucket press in the sieve and stand on top of it. When as much water as possible has been presses out of the sieve bucket. it is time to remove the fire brick from the sieve bucket.
DIY firebricks
To remove the fire brick, turn the sieve bucket upside down and tap on the bottom. The fire brick will fall out.
Dry bricks the same way as paper logs. To speed up drying, cut the bricks into pizza wedge shapes with the machete.
How to Make a Small Fire Brick Using Bread or Pound Cake Pans
Poke holes in a pound cake pan to make a sieve (they cost $1.00 in Dollar Tree). Make sure you poke holes from the inside of the pan outward so that paper does not snag on the metal later on.
Tear paper into strips and let them soaks in a bucket of water for 2 – 3 days. Take paper strips out of the water and place them into the sieve pound cake pan.
Use a brick or some other heavy object to assist you when pushing downward to push out as much water as possible out of the sieve pan. You can also gain additional leverage by placing a second pound cake tin on top of the paper and pushing with the brick on that. Keep adding paper and pressing until the pan is full.
Turn the sieve pan upside down and tap on the bottom of the sieve pan to release the paper brick. Let small bricks dry in the same way as paper logs and larger bricks.
???????????????????????In the time after a major crisis good safe burnable fire wood will be in short supply. Making your own fire logs and fire bricks from old paper products, dried leaves or other burnables will be a lifesaver.
Why freeze or starve to death when making fuel from paper can be achieved by even a beginner prepper?
This article has been written by Fred Tyrell for Survivopedia.
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Latest comments
• This is great – I remember this process from the 70’s when everyone was going all “ecological.” Question: Should we avoid shiny or glossy printed materials? I remember there being some negative aspects to burning those. In a dire situation, perhaps this would not be a consideration, but I’d still like to know. Thanks!
• Regarding making fire logs or bricks from paper, leaves, and other items. I am disabled but I could still make some small bread pan size bricks. When they start to dry, pieces will probably fall or blow off. Can I put the wet brick into a piece of old stocking to keep this from happening, either until it dries completely, or even to burn it in? Tearing apart the paper might be tough for me, could I use paper from my paper shredder instead? Or is it easier to tear once wet! What other outside materials would be safe to burn indoors? Are paper towels used to clean things like windows that have remnants of chemicals like window cleaners safe to burn inside too?
Thank you for any assistance with this, and I very much appreciate the information you provide. God Bless You!
• One overlooked source of material is the dryer lint that comes from doing every load of laundry… Keep a grocery sack hand and stuff the wads of lint in there till you get enough to add to your stash of other materials. I read somewhere that you can add melted wax or parafin to this to make good fire starters, but that could be messy when it’s burned. Any thoughts?
• What I have been using is corrugated cardboard from big items- like washing machines and refrigerators–things like that — just cut it down to a usable length –soak it for a day and roll them up and tie them so they don’t unroll with a heavy string–put them in a heated area to dry
• You can make small plugs in an assembly line fashion using a caulking gun and a PVC pipe that will fit in the gun. Put some small holes in the PVC. Soak the newspaper as article describes. Then just fill the mashed paper in the PVC pipe, insert in the gun and crank the mass down to fire pellet that is then dried for several days. Water is easily reused when compressed over the soaking bucket.
As for question on using colored shiny papers — the reason it was suggested you do not use them in the 70’s was because of the heavy metal atoms (in the inks) were somewhat toxic if use in high enough concentrations.
• Ya I saw this on YOU TUBE great idea 🙂
• silly question perhaps, but I don’t often build a fire. since these “logs” are paper, do they start easily (can I light them directly just like those duraflame “logs”) or do I need to start with some sort of kindling. On average, about what is the size of the “logs” you make and how long do they burn? How long does a loaf sized “brick” burn? thanks! this could really help us out as there’s basically no trees around here- but lots and lots of dry grass. besides, in an emergency there’s no time to season wood and I have no way to store such things ahead of time.
• My grandfather use to do this but he just stuffed the wet paper into a milk carton, let them dry and then burned the whole thing. Much easier!
• If using a fire place or wood stove, one should be careful as to what you burn, so the creosote buildup does not cause a chimney fire.
• I’m curious about how much smoke this produces. Is this truly safe to burn in an indoor fireplace? I know if you burn paper normally it makes a lot of smoke. This seems like a great idea, just want to know safety factors. Does it make a difference because the paper is shredded, pressed and dried?
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How To Lay Artificial Grass on Concrete and Stone
In a lot of cases, people laying artificial grass are doing so as a direct replacement for a natural lawn. We’ve covered that in our other guide on How to Lay Artificial Grass [link], but it’s also a popular way to liven up an old patio or concrete surface. Luckily, it’s also incredibly simple to do. This process also works with wooden surfaces like decking, as long as the gaps between the boards are small.
What you’ll need to lay artificial grass on concrete
• A sharp knife with spare blades
• Tape measure and/or straight edge
• Shovel
• Joining tape
• Gloves and knee pads (or a garden cushion)
• A stiff broom
• Compactor plate or roller
• Artificial grass adhesive
What to consider
The main thing about laying artificial grass on top of concrete, stones, or paving is whether the surface is good enough and whether there’s adequate drainage.
Is the surface in good condition?
Undoubtedly the most important question. To be able to lay artificial grass on concrete or paving, it needs to be mostly flat, stable, and without major cracks.
By major cracks, we mean anything that is wider than 20mm. If a crack is this big then there is likely more damage that you can’t see and it’s not wise to install artificial grass over it. Smaller cracks can be filled with self-levelling compounds during the process, and these shouldn’t be a major issue.
It’s also important that the concrete or the paving is stable. If there are any wobbly slabs or stones, or the concrete itself is damaged, loose and coming apart, then it’s not likely to be able to take an artificial lawn on top.
Finally, some small undulations on the surface are also not an issue. You can lay artificial grass on uneven concrete as these bumps can be remedied later in the process with sand and compounds. However, large bumps or depressions are again likely to cause problems. Anything less than 20mm above or below the main surface should be able to be rectified with sand but anything higher is likely to cause problems with the artificial grass.
If you think you’re unable to lay artificial grass on your existing concrete or paving, you should take it up and either lay a new solid base, or follow our guide for the more ‘traditional’ way to lay artificial grass [link].
Drainage is another thing to consider. Although artificial grass holds water well, if the existing surface doesn’t drain well and holds the water, it is not ideal to lay turf on top of it. The only real way to check is to wait for good ol’ British weather to do its thing. If not, a hosepipe will do the trick.
Unless the puddles are significant, it won’t be an issue, you can simply drill some holes to allow the water to drain away.
How to lay artificial grass on concrete
1. Start by cleaning the base with a hose pipe and a stiff brush. If you’ve got a power washer that’s even better. Make sure you get rid of as much dirt and debris as possible.
2. Now’s the time to sort the drainage. If your base already drains well then there’s no problem but if it doesn’t, drill some holes or channels to allow water to run off. If you’re building your concrete base specifically for artificial grass, ensure it’s built with a very slight gradient.
3. Fortunately, as you already have the concrete base in place, you won’t have to do much measuring. Begin by laying down your foam underlay. This is a vital part of putting artificial grass on concrete. First, it will smooth over any smaller bumps or cracks and secondly, it makes the grass feel more cushioned and softer underfoot.
We recommend choosing a foam underlay of at least 5mm, but we find many people opt for 10mm thickness.
If you’re laying artificial grass on paving or stones, you’ll need to spread a layer of sand to fill in the gaps before you lay the foam. If you need to fill any cracks, then now is the time to do this too. You can join the foam with most sorts of masking tape.
Glue the foam down and allow to dry.
4. Now you can lay the artificial grass over the surface. Unroll it, offer it up and cut to shape, leaving around 50mm of overhang on each side. Remember to flip it over and cut from the back, getting as close as possible to the stitching but without cutting through it.
Tapi Top Tip: Lay the artificial grass with the pile pointing towards your home, or the area you will be spending most time for the best look.
5. Allow the artificial grass to rest in place for at least 2-3 hours, even overnight if possible. This allows any creases from storage or transportation to work themselves out, and it should return to its true shape. Once it’s settled down, you can
6. If your area is big, you may have to join two pieces of artificial grass together and now is the time. For more information on how to join artificial grass, scroll further down.
7. Now’s the time for the adhesive. Apply a suitable outdoor adhesive around the edges of the artificial grass and bond them to the base. It pays to have a couple of extra hands during this stage. For decking, you can also use carpet tacks to fix it down.
8. When you’re applying the adhesive, it’s important to leave gaps in the glue to allow water to drain. We recommend leaving some small gaps in the adhesive periodically to assist with drainage. Make sure these are no more than 20mm to assist with drainage.
9. Allow the adhesive to dry according to the instructions before walking on the artificial grass.
10. The final step is to apply the sand infill. Sand infill helps to keep the fibres of the pile upright and dissipates heat during the summer months. Simply spread this out and use a stiff brush to work it into the pile, brushing against the grain.
11. Have a cup of tea, or something stronger, and admire your new artificial grass.
Your artificial lawn should last decades with proper care. For more information, refer to our Artificial Grass Care Guide.
How to join artificial grass
Earlier in the article we mentioned you may need to join your artificial grass. To do this, you need to buy joining tape and adhesive that is suitable for outdoor use.
1. Unroll your artificial grass into the correct position on the ground.
2. Line up your two pieces of artificial grass and cut away any excess so the stitching is as close to the new edge as possible.
3. Offer up the grass and create a dry join to check the fitting.
4. Roll the joining tape out underneath so that it covers equal amounts of each piece of turf.
5. Roll the turf back temporarily and apply the adhesive to the tape. Apply in a zig zag fashion and use a spreader to ensure it’s all covered.
6. Work your way down the seam pushing the two pieces of turf together, making sure you’re not trapping fibres or anything else between the join.
7. Once you’re happy with the join, lightly brush over it to seal it and allow it to dry.
For more information or advice about how to fit artificial grass, please don’t hesitate to contact us. |
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MIT Technology Review
PeopleImages / Getty / Stock photo. Posed by model.
You’ve probably seen this effect—perhaps you are a victim of it. You feel alienated from mainstream culture and want to make a statement that you are not part of it. You think about wearing different clothes, experimenting with a new hairstyle, or even trying unconventional makeup and grooming products.
And yet when you finally reveal your new look to the world, it turns out you are not alone—millions of others have made exactly the same choices. Indeed, you all look more or less identical, the exact opposite of the countercultural statement you wanted to achieve.
This is the hipster effect—the counterintuitive phenomenon in which people who oppose mainstream culture all end up looking the same. Similar effects occur among investors and in other areas of the social sciences.
How does this kind of synchronization occur? Is it inevitable in modern society, and are there ways for people to be genuinely different from the masses?
Today we get some answers thanks to the work of Jonathan Touboul at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Touboul is a mathematician who studies the way the transmission of information through society influences the behavior of people within it. He focuses in particular on a society composed of conformists who copy the majority and anticonformists, or hipsters, who do the opposite.
And his conclusion is that in a vast range of scenarios, the hipster population always undergoes a kind of phase transition in which members become synchronized with each other in opposing the mainstream. In other words, the hipster effect is the inevitable outcome of the behavior of large numbers of people.
Crucially, Toubol’s model takes into account the time needed for each individual to detect changes in society and to react accordingly. This delay is important. People do not react instantly when a new, highly fashionable pair of shoes becomes available. Instead, the information spreads slowly via fashion websites, word of mouth, and so on. This propagation delay is different for individuals, some of whom may follow fashion blogs religiously while others have no access to them and have to rely on word of mouth.
The question that Touboul investigates is under what circumstances hipsters become synchronized and how this varies as the propagation delay and the proportion of hipsters both change. He does this by creating a computer model that simulates how agents interact when some follow the majority and the rest oppose it.
This simple model generates some fantastically complex behaviors. In general, Touboul says, the population of hipsters initially act randomly but then undergo a phase transition into a synchronized state. He finds that this happens for a wide range of parameters but that the behavior can become extremely complex, depending on the way hipsters interact with conformists.
There are some surprising outcomes, too. When there are equal proportions of hipsters and conformists, the entire population tends to switch randomly between different trends. Why isn’t clear, and Touboul wants to study this in more detail.
It can be objected that the synchronization stems from the simplicity of scenarios offering a binary choice. “For example, if a majority of individuals shave their beard, then most hipsters will want to grow a beard, and if this trend propagates to a majority of the population, it will lead to new, synchronized, switch to shaving,” says Touboul.
It’s easy to imagine a different outcome if there are more choices. If hipsters could grow a mustache, a square beard, or a goatee, for example, then perhaps this diversity of choice would prevent synchronization. But Touboul has found that when his model offers more than two choices, it still produces the synchronization effect.
Nevertheless, he wants to study this further. “We will study in depth this question in a forthcoming paper,” he says.
Hipsters are an easy target for a bit of fun, but the results have much wider applicability. For example, they could be useful for understanding financial systems in which speculators attempt to make money by taking decisions that oppose the majority in a stock exchange.
Indeed, there are many areas in which delays in the propagation of information play an important role: As Touboul puts it: “Beyond the choice of the best suit to wear this winter, this study may have important implications in understanding synchronization of nerve cells, investment strategies in finance, or emergent dynamics in social science.”
Ref: : The Hipster Effect: When Anti-Conformists All Look the Same |
Glorious Garlic
An apple a day keeps the doctor away…I’m sure you’ve heard this saying; and know the benefits of eating your fruits and veggies! Could the same be true for GARLIC? Quite possibly!
Although garlic is technically a vegetable, it isn’t typically served as a dish on its own, but rather used for flavor in a variety of dishes and sauces. You, and those around you, will most likely know if you are eating garlic because of its pungent taste and smell.
Aside from having its powerful aroma, garlic also touts many health benefits.
Garlic’s characteristic flavor AND health promoting effects both come from sulfur compounds that are released after crushing or chopping the cloves. Once garlic is consumed, the body also expels these compounds from the lungs or by sweating, and that’s why simply brushing your teeth doesn’t get rid of the garlic breath!
Regular intake of either cooked or raw garlic may help to prevent stomach and colorectal diseases. The sulfuric compounds in garlic can protect against inflammation of the intestinal lining, thereby supporting the immune system. Garlic also has liver protective abilities!
Garlic can help keep all kinds of bacteria and fungi at bay with its anti-parasitic and anti-candida (or yeast overgrowth) properties. Garlic has been used to protect against traveler’s diarrhea, and to reduce gas, relieve constipation, and treat infection. Because of its strong anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties, garlic has received the reputation for being a powerful immune booster that helps the body overcome common colds and illnesses. It may also help to reduce blood sugar!
I like to add fresh garlic – raw or cooked – to just about any savory food. A garlic press is a must-have gadget in my kitchen! I add minced raw garlic to dressings, hummus, salsa and pesto sauce. Roasting garlic first, then chopping and adding it to a savory dip is also delicious. I mince several garlic cloves and add to stir-fries, steamed veggies, and cooked grains. When sautéing garlic, keep in mind that it cooks and can burn quickly. It also likes to stick to the pan so stir it frequently and keep water nearby to add a tablespoon or two if the garlic starts to stick. The possibilities of cooking with garlic are endless! |
Why We Must Remember History
Why We Must Remember History
What difference does history make?
On yesterday’s Trumpet Daily Radio Show, Stephen Flurry spoke about how American education is discarding history. Our high schools and colleges teach less and less of it, and what they do teach is usually distorted to suit present moral sensibilities and political agendas.
Why is this such a problem?
Think of senility. When a man loses his memory, he loses everything. He is disoriented; he can easily be led astray. His personality and character erode. As anyone who has witnessed it knows, it is one of the most heartbreaking tragedies possible in a human life.
The same is true of societies. The memory of a society is its history. Lose that, and you lose everything. With no common remembered past, a society has no common sense of purpose, direction, moral orientation, belonging, being. It is not a community participating in a shared story but a constellation of individuals traveling different paths.
Ignoring history doesn’t erase its effect on us; our lives are shaped, blessed and cursed by it in countless ways. But when our society becomes senile, we don’t know history and we don’t know that we don’t know it!
Thus, we take for granted the assumptions that frame our thinking. We are trapped in the time and culture that surrounds us, with all its bias and noise. We are susceptible to embracing proven lies as newfound truths. We apply failed solutions to age-old problems. We unwittingly repeat humanity’s past mistakes. We have no sense of where our choices may lead—even when the answers have been recorded at the terrible cost of ruined empires and ruined lives. And we lack the humility that comes from recognizing the mere pinprick of time we inhabit in the panorama of history.
America has lost its memory. (Interestingly, the ancient progenitor of the American people was named Manasseh, which means “causing to forget” or “one who forgets.”) We are experiencing all the disorientation, disruption, fragmentation and tragedy that results.
One reason for this trend that Mr. Flurry mentioned in his radio program is that so much history falls afoul of what I recently called “the New American Morality.” Today’s educators have become excellent at pointing out the sins of others. Historical figures are particularly easy targets, because nobody in human history has lived according to the remarkably stringent and unforgiving dictates of the Left’s new moral code, with its intolerant condemnations of all conceivable forms of intolerance, even those practiced by God Himself.
So educators can easily demonstrate how they are the moral superiors of everyone who came before them in Western civilization. They can show how every supposed hero of Western history was actually a villain. But they have no interest in learning anything from them. What could a slave-owner like Thomas Jefferson possibly teach us? What could we gain from studying an imperialist like Winston Churchill? So the thinking goes. They feel no gratitude for what those people built, and from which they benefit. They feel only self-righteous indignation and disdain for their supposed sins.
Right study of history begets humility. Their view of history inflates arrogance.
I’m reminded of an essay by Marcus Aurelius in which he, point by point, enumerates the people in his life for whom he owed appreciation for the virtues they taught him. From my grandfather I learned how to govern my temper; from my mother I learned abstinence from evil thoughts; from the teacher Rusticus I learned that my character requires improvement and discipline—that sort of thing, page after page. Think of the mindset such an exercise would require: extraordinary awareness of what is truly important to you; extraordinary recall of sources and origins; extraordinary respect for and gratitude toward superiors and instructors; extraordinary humility to scrupulously give proper credit.
It struck me as an extreme opposite of the mindset of today’s moralizers, who would trash the very history that made them and consider it an act of virtue.
History provides specific lessons that can inform our decision-making, both individually and nationally. It fortifies us to face hardships with resolution. It provides a realistic sense of just how cruel human nature can be, and the magnitude of the effort needed to conquer it. And it is extremely prophetic, as it tends to play out in repetitive cycles.
History is vital to a nation’s survival, just as memory is to an individual’s. We are casting aside fundamental, painful lessons that man has written time and again. Daily we see the tragic, maddening results: constantly shifting standards; sweeping social change; willing acceptance of known lies; the domination of the loudest voice in the room over the most truthful voice; growing arrogance and declining humility; short-term political victories scored at cost of principle; repudiation of virtue; redefinition of victory; appeasement of dictators in pursuit of peace. We have forgotten the disasters that accompany moral decline and the loss of absolute truth. We have forgotten the dangers of statism. We have forgotten the tendency for revolution to produce mob rule, for democracy to surrender to tyranny. We have forgotten how victory tends to lead to prosperity and then devolve into decadence and decay.
We have forgotten just how fragile great nations and empires can be. We act like they can withstand any amount of abuse and assault, and emerge the better for it. We forget that empires fall. We forget how volatile and dangerous the world can be in their absence.
Read Gerald Flurry’s article on this subject, “The Law of History.” It beautifully explains why history is vital to survival. Better yet, read the book in which Mr. Flurry put this article as an appendix, The Former Prophets: How to Become a King. It draws many spectacular lessons from the history in the biblical books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings, and shows how that history is actually prophecy for us today. |
The Secret Language of Crickets (Video)
©. The face of a variable field cricket. (Photo: Josh Cassidy/KQED)
What's in a cricket's song? And how do they do it?
Few things say "summer evenings" like the rhythmic lullaby of chirping crickets. Most of us know that the cricket's song is a call for love. Or, well, a mate at least. But that's just part of the story.
KQED Science takes a dive into cricket calls and explains not only how they make their incredible music, but also why.
"Crickets don't chirp only to advertise themselves to mates. If an adult male cricket runs into another adult male, it uses a special rivalry call to try to encourage its competitor to back off. It sounds similar to the mating call but is less rhythmic and more aggressive sounding," writes Josh Cassidy.
When a lucky male happens to attract a female, he then ramps it up with a third type of call to woo her. "This courtship call is much higher pitched and quieter, like a whisper," explains Cassidy. I am picturing some Barry White sexy-crooning at this point.
Unlike grasshoppers, who rub their legs together for their distinctive chirp, crickets' wings are where the magic happens. In a small miracle of anatomy worthy of Antonio Stradivari, male crickets have a "file" covered in tiny teeth on the top wing and a "scraper" on the bottom wing – when the two are rubbed together, voila!
You can see it all in action below in this super KQED/PBS Deep Look video. Summer evenings may never sound the same again.
Read more over at KQED Science: Why Crickets Just Won't Shut Up |
Reinforcement Learning in the Classroom
Published on: May 22, 2019
Michael Gillian, Senior Software Engineer
Background and Overview
In my previous article, AWS Lex Chatbot in the Classroom, I began exploring how to incorporate machine learning (ML) in the classroom. The myriad technologies and frameworks provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) made it fairly simple to wire together processes and allowed me to focus on using the truly unique and valuable aspects of the chatbot to create a digital assistant that could provide definitions and a list of related terms in response to a student question. During this proof of concept (POC) project, I looked for opportunities to include other technologies and settled upon Natural Language Processing (NLP) provided by AWS Lex and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) for topic maps of related words. This seemed to be a good start. As a next step, I wanted to explore how to make the chatbot more of a learning assistant by enabling it to make personalized recommendations, and that led me to Reinforcement Learning (RL). This article will focus on how I integrated an RL algorithm into the Lex Chatbot process to drive a truly custom student experience.
Customizing the Student Experience
With the chatbot in the classroom, we have the opportunity to enhance the way the classroom works. There are many examples in academic settings and commercial offerings of providing technology-driven guidance or "personalized learning." If we can offload some of the personalization workload from teachers, they can devote even more time to understanding overall class progress and providing highly specialized interventions and individualized instruction. With the chatbot, we provide an experience that the student is probably familiar with from other contexts. Our goal then is to add capabilities to the chatbot. Providing a custom user experience becomes possible if we can use technology to identify what needs to be customized for each student.
The challenge then is to identify how each student is unique. One obvious idea is to identify students who have knowledge gaps. If a student doesn't understand material that the teacher is presenting, either the student gets left behind or the instructor slows the other students while providing specific instruction. If we can identify that a student has knowledge gaps through assessments, we can provide needed content directly to that student without impacting their classmates.
A "knowledge gap" is simply something that we expect all students to know or be able to demonstrate, but a specific student does not or cannot. If we expect all students to understand addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, but one student doesn't understand division, we would consider that a knowledge gap. When we give quizzes and tests, we ideally can see from students' scores if they understand the associated concepts. For this project, the goal is to have the chatbot provide content to students based on their test scores and their demonstrated mastery of the learning objectives. Providing content based on the demonstrated mastery of a subject is where Reinforcement Learning enters the picture.
What is Reinforcement Learning
Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a Machine Learning (ML) approach where actions are taken based on the current state of the environment and the previous results of actions. To put it in context, I'll provide an example.
Let's say that you are playing a game of Tic-Tac-Toe.
tic tac toe image
Figure 1. Winning Tic-Tac-Toe game.
The objective of the game is to get three of your symbols in a row. Starting with an empty board, you place one of your symbols, and then your opponent places one of their symbols. You alternate placing symbols until either somebody wins or all spaces are filled. This sample provides concrete examples of the important RL terms.
• State - what boxes have what symbols
• Environment - a collection of all of the possible states, not just the current state.
• Action - placing a symbol in a specific box
• State Change - how the environment moves from one state to another, as a result of an action
• Agent - the person (or program) who chooses what action to take
• Reward - whether the action you take leads to a win, loss, or draw.
The following diagram shows the relationship between these terms. In the Tic-Tac-Toe example, t = "turn in the game."
Figure 2. Reinforcement Learning Model. (KDNuggets, 2018).
Given an environment, the agent gets the state. The agent chooses an action based on the expected reward, which is sent to the environment to update the state. Repeat until done.
To walk you through an example, at the beginning of the game (i.e. the starting state), the player (agent) places an X (action) in the center box, which causes a state change. We look at the board and see that nobody has won yet (winning state), and so the next player places an O in the top right corner. Again the state changes, and we're still not in a winning state. We keep repeating until somebody wins or the board is filled.
Why do people play this game? Nobody ever wins. The reason we can say this is because experienced players have learned in which boxes to put their symbol to either move towards a winning state or block their opponent. After playing a number of games, we've learned enough to prevent the opponent from ever winning if we make certain moves.
As we play the game, we are keeping track of the state of the board and what actions lead to a winning state. It is very obvious when we are one move away from winning; if we pick one of the available squares that wins the game, we play that square. It is also fairly obvious when our opponent is only one move away from winning; if we don't pick a square that blocks a winning move, we lose. We can continue moving backwards through possible moves in this way, picking squares that get us to one move from winning or picking a square that prevents our opponent from getting one move from winning.
The number of possible plays is limited. After 8 moves, there is only one option. After 7 moves, there are only 2 options, etc. For each state, we record which moves are possible and which moves have the shortest path to winning or losing. When we win, we look at each move we've made during the game and increase the probability that we'll make that move again. When we lose, we look at each move we've made and decrease the probability that we'll make that move again. As more and more games are played, the probabilities for any given state will reflect the best possible play.
That learning is at the heart of RL. We examine the state of the board, we know which moves will move us towards the winning state or block the opponent from reaching a winning state, and we make that play.
RL Terminology in the Classroom
With Tic-Tac-Toe, the environment is very simple with a limited number of total states, actions, and agents. The reward is well defined. Translating this approach to the classroom is the purpose of this article.
In the classroom, I define the above terms as follows:
• State - how much of the given subject the student has mastered
• Environment - the learning objectives for a given unit of learning such as a topic in Algebra, History, or Biology
• Action - reviewing classroom content, such as reading the textbook, listening to a lecture, working on a class project, playing an educational game, etc.
• State Change - taking a quiz, test, or other assessment to see how much the student learned since the last assessment
• Agent - the student (or program) that chooses which action to take
• Reward - Final grade for the class, subject, topic, or other assessment
Representing State
Representing state then becomes a question of assessing what the student knows. Historically, we only have two states: mastered or not mastered. We represent this as Passed or Failed for the course, with the student having the option of retaking the subject. Since the only state transition occurs at the very end of the class, we have little opportunity to identify gaps in the student's knowledge or to do anything about them. A student often takes quizzes and tests during the course of the term, but these assessments never cause a state transition; that only occurs at the end of the term. We want to find a way to represent the state in a more granular fashion, so that we can present content appropriate to the student's current understanding of the material.
I chose to represent a subject as a collection of topics. This could be considered roughly equivalent to chapters in a book, but it could be other types of learning units or learning paths as well. At the end of a topic, we would give the student a test. If the student passed the test, we would consider the topic mastered and move on to another topic. If not, we might either repeat the content presented or provide some additional assistance until the student masters the topic. In this way, each student would progress at their own pace.
State Transitions
When students consume content, such as reading the textbook or playing a game, they are working towards mastery of a specific topic. Once they've finished, we need to assess them to see if they have indeed learned the material. This combination of content and assessment is what drives the RL process. In the chatbot project, I use an automated agent to pick the content that the student will consume. The value here is that through the RL algorithm, the agent can pick the best content, based on the results of every student that has come before. The agent will know which content is more likely to move the student towards mastery because it can look at every student who has seen that content while in that topic state and see how they progressed. If after consuming a specific piece of content, the student scores poorly on the assessment, the agent will recommend that content less frequently to future students. If a specific piece of content leads directly to mastery for a topic or topics, the agent will recommend it more frequently.
One of the assumptions here is that the student has multiple choices for content. Likely content might include a recorded video lecture and a course textbook or other reading, or interacting with a simulation. Other content will likely be required. If only one source of content is available, obviously the agent will have to return the same recommendation each time. Something to consider is that content may be relevant to multiple topics, or that a single topic may require multiple pieces of content to master. The more content that is available, the better.
Calculating Rewards
The RL Agent picks the best content for each state by calculating the reward for each piece of content and returning the content that provides the best reward. We have to consider two situations here when determining what the reward is for a piece of content. We need to consider future value, and we need to consider unexplored content.
A winning state is a state where we can say that the student has mastered the subject. We might consider mastery of every topic to be a winning state. If the student only has one topic left to master, and if the student consumes a specific piece of content, and that piece of content always leads to mastery of that topic, the decision of what piece of content to consume is very simple. However, most of the time, a single piece of content will not take you from a regular state to a winning state. You may have only mastered 5 of 15 topics. The agent needs to choose a piece of content to present, and it does this by looking ahead through the list of state transitions and calculating the path that has the highest value. From a given state, the agent has multiple paths to a mastered state and multiple pieces of content to present along these various paths. The agent will pick the best content that returns the highest reward. The reward can be affected by likelihood of mastering a topic or topics, amount of time spent consuming the content, and length of the path to a winning state. The algorithm can choose greedily by selecting content that has a larger immediate reward or can choose based on a larger long term reward. The reward calculation I implemented was very simple; I assigned a large reward if the content moved to a winning state, a negative reward if not, and let the greedy algorithm discount based on the number of steps required to reach a winning state.
All Content and All Students are not created equal. Some content is poorly written, confusing, or even wrong. This type of content will eventually be excluded by the learning agent because the results will show only small rewards from using it. Students learn differently. Some may be faster learners or have better learning strategies. Some come into a class with some knowledge of a subject that others do not have. Therefore, assessments of a student who consumes content can vary significantly. Over time, we expect that the algorithm will be able to infer what is the best content. This variability, however, may lead to some early successes that hide even better paths through the course. We need to introduce some variability into the selection of course content to ensure that we are not missing good content just because some lower performing students were presented with it early in the model building process. We refer to this tradeoff as "explore versus exploit." We may know that we have a good solution in hand, but we cannot know if we have the best possible solution without occasionally looking at content that has been assigned a lower reward. The QLearning algorithm, which we'll discuss below, can be configured to balance exploration against exploitation. QLearning takes a parameter, alpha, which can be any value between 0 and 1. At one end, if alpha = 0, the algorithm ignores any new learning when setting the state/action value; it relies entirely on history. At the other end, if alpha = 1, the algorithm relies entirely on the newly calculated value, ignoring what has happened before.
Leveraging the Chatbot
In our proof of concept (POC) Spring Boot application, we introduced the AWS Lex Chatbot and described how it could leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP) to identify the intent of a student's question and then return a response. We treat the RL content recommendation process as simply another intent. I gave the chatbot an intent of "Recommend." When the student asks the chatbot to "recommend content," the chatbot identifies the intent and then calls a service to return the content to present. As far as the chatbot is concerned, this process is identical to other processes that return static content or content from a database. The service that is called, however, is an implementation of an RL agent.
The QLearning Algorithm
In RL, data scientists have identified multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms that can perform the necessary state transitions. I searched for one that had an implementation in Java, could be easily implemented, and was well understood. I came upon an implementation of the QLearning algorithm in GitHub that provided a clean implementation, was configurable, and that I could easily use to build a model. Throughout my exploration of AWS and ML, I have been looking for components that I could easily bolt together rather than implement myself, and this implementation of QLearning met my needs well.
• It had hyperparameters that could be easily configured. A hyperparameter is a configurable parameter that controls behavior within the algorithm. For example, how often the algorithm will choose to explore versus exploit is a hyperparameter.
• It could use a Greedy or Lazy rewards calculation algorithm. Greedy algorithms prioritize the reward for the next actions; Lazy algorithms prioritize the overall reward to reach the winning state.
• It had an easy interface for requesting content by state.
• It had an easy interface for building a model. A model is the summary of what the agent has learned. It holds what states exist, what content exists, what content has been tried at what state, and what the reward has been for that content at that state.
• It had an easy interface for exporting and importing models.
Capturing the Data
For our agent, we needed four pieces of information:
1. The student's starting state.
2. The content presented.
3. The student's ending state.
4. The reward for this state transition.
The student's starting and ending states are determined by the student taking an assessment. Assessing competence of students is its own complicated problem, and I will not attempt to explain it here. However, we do depend upon knowing that the student has mastered a topic or not. Every time a student takes an assessment, we need to be able to map the results of that assessment to a state in the course. Let's say, for example, that Student A has mastered Topics 1, 2, and 3 in a Biology course. We present Student A with a lecture that covers the contents of Topic 4. We can then assess the student on the content of Topic 4. If he passes the test, we can say that he has now mastered Topic 4. We can then change the student's state to say that he has mastered Topics 1, 2, 3, and 4. We need to capture that state change from only knowing Topics 1, 2, and 3 to knowing Topics 1, 2, 3, and 4.
In my Spring Boot application, I wrote a mock assessment tool. The tool allows the user to set the state directly for topics in the course. It doesn't actually verify comprehension; it asks no subject questions. For the purposes of capturing state transitions, it met my goal. Eventually, a content and an assessment tool developed in tandem should replace my mock assessment.
When the student asks the chatbot to "recommend content," the agent service will return the recommended content. We capture that content id as well.
Finally, the reward is calculated, based on an algorithm I wrote. The initial version of the algorithm simply assigns a reward of 100 when transitioning to a winning state and a reward of -1 otherwise. A "winning state" is defined as any state where 80% of the topics have achieved mastery. This algorithm could be much more complicated or flexible, but for this POC it was adequate.
Building the Model
We've assumed to this point that the agent running inside a chatbot service already had a functional model, even if the model was based on little or no data. We're going to describe here how that model is actually built.
Building a model requires two types of data: the content ID and the assessment. The assessment tells us what state the student is now in. The content ID tells us what content the student reviewed. The first assessment taken records the state. Then, the content reviewed is stored. Then the next assessment is taken and that state is recorded, also. This back and forth is the path that the student walks as they master the subject. The RL agent writes the content ID to a Kinesis Firehose to ensure delivery and performance. The assessment tool writes the new student state to the same Kinesis Firehose. I added a lambda function to the firehose to process the data.
The lambda has three roles:
1. when an assessment is taken, create a database record for the student and course that includes the state after it is completed. This will be the starting state for the next assessment.
2. when the content is sent, update that database record with the content id.
3. when the next assessment is taken, retrieve the database record to get the starting state and the content id. Then, delete the record. Write the starting state, content id, and ending state from the assessment to a CSV file.
This process repeats for each assessment that is taken, with the ending state for each assessment becoming the starting state for the next one.
With the data in a CSV file that contains all of the state transitions, I simply need to feed those state transitions into the Agent's model building function one at a time. As more transitions are added, the model gets better at calculating future rewards for content based on state. As this was a proof of concept, I had very little data to use to build the model, but even little data was adequate to get valid recommendations for content based on the student's state. I wrote a standalone program to feed these state transitions into a QLearning model. This is the only manual part of the process.
Once all of the data had been fed into the model, I exported the model as a JSON file to an S3 folder. When the Lex Lambda function restarts, as it will automatically after becoming idle for a while, the Agent service will load the new model automatically from S3.
Thus we have a closed loop for data gathering and model generation for the RL Agent.
This process seems somewhat convoluted, mainly because there was no preliminary design when creating the process. As I discovered the needs, I added pieces to the process. I already have ideas on how this process can be simplified. However, because this process relies on humans to provide data, and because I cannot guarantee if or when the data will be available, I had to create an interim step to store data while the Content/Assess process was in progress.
Technical Challenges
Encoding the State
The first challenge was how to represent the student's mastery of a subject so that an RL algorithm could process it. After discussions with Marquess Lewis, Unicon's CTO, I decided that treating a subject as a collection of topics would be reasonable, and that each topic would have some level of mastery by the student. I wanted the states to be related to existing course chapters but not necessarily map exactly to them. I wanted the instructor to have some flexibility in how to structure the course, and I've had many courses where chapters are either skipped, presented out of order, or taught with other chapters as a unit. I decided on calling these units "topics" and allowing the instructor to say what a topic contained.
I also wanted the instructor to be able to divide a course into many topics and to allow for different levels of mastery within a topic. This presented a technical problem: how many states are needed to represent a course? Let's say that you have a course that only has one topic, and the topic is either mastered or not. The course for that student can be in one of 2 states. Now let's say that the course has two topics, and each topic can be either mastered or not. The course for that student can now be in one of 4 states. 3 topics leads to 8 states, 4 topics to 16 states, etc. 16 topics would give 65,536 states (2^16 states). In the OpenStax Biology online textbook, the course is divided into 47 chapters, which implies 2^47 states. Supporting literally trillions of possible states is not technically feasible, so we need to have some limits on the number of states. In addition, for my POC, I chose to allow a topic to be in one of 3 states: beginner, advanced, and master. For Biology, that would imply 3^47 states, which is even less manageable. Finally, the implementation of the QLearning algorithm I chose uses a 32-bit integer to store states for its calculations. This is a limit of 4 billion+ states; we can't even get to trillions with this implementation.
I chose to limit the number of states by encoding the state of each topic as a 2-bit binary number, allowing up to 4 values. I only use three. Then I store up to 16 topics in the state by encoding the topic as its 2-bit state.
For example, I encode beginner as 00, advanced as 01, and master as 10.
Here's examples of how I encode a student's state
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 - Topics 1 through 16, beginner, topic 1 on the far left, topic 16 on the far right
10101010 10101010 10101010 10101010 - Topics 1 through 16 master, topic 1 on the far left, topic 16 on the far right
10101010 01010101 00000000 00000000 - Topics 1 through 4 master, topics 5 through 8 advanced, topics 9 through 16 beginner
This encoding allows up to 4 billion possible states for a subject, 16 topics with up to 4 states per topic.
Limiting Content Availability
I did not implement this for my example, but I easily could have and almost certainly will have to in the future. For a course, assume that it has 100 pieces of content. Given 4 billion states and 100 pieces of content, this is quite a bit of data to store in a database, let alone in memory. We can limit the number of pieces of content that are available at a given state by storing with each piece of content whether it is visible when a prerequisite topic has been mastered or is hidden if a topic has already been mastered. Since the student's state is stored using a binary encoding, we could create a binary encoding for this mapping as well.
For example, assume that Student A has mastered Topics 1, 2, and 3 but hasn't mastered Topic 4 or anything later. Now say you have content that teaches Topic 1, Topic 4, and Topic 13. You would only want to present Topic 4 content, since the student has already mastered Topic 1, and has not yet mastered the prerequisites for Topic 13. Ideally, you would only present a choice from a relatively small subset of content, perhaps 5-10 pieces. You may not want to be too aggressive with filtering, since the agent should learn itself over time which content is valuable at each state. Also, the student should still be able to access all content from outside of the agent's recommendation, since the student may want to review the content that he has already mastered or may want to read ahead.
Limiting State Transitions
With a 32-bit state representation, the application has the potential to represent 4 billion unique states. In practice, students would likely never be in that many discrete states. For example, I currently only allow 3 states for a topic: beginner, advanced, and master. That fourth state is never used. Second, if the course has 16 topics, a new student would likely never transition directly from no mastery to all mastery after a single piece of content. Most transitions would not be possible since content is focused on specific topics. We have options on how to assess the student, and if the assessments only allow some state transitions, the course will never use all transitions. I believe that we should have small assessments after each piece of content and then larger assessments at expected points within the course. Small assessments may only allow recording the mastery of a specific topic. Larger assessments may allow for mastery of multiple topics. As I am not experienced with the theories behind effective student assessments, I'll leave this as a future exercise.
Agents in Lambdas
My initial implementation created a service that loaded the model as part of the Lex Lambda project. For a small model, that was fine. For a model with millions of states and transitions and many pieces of content, the RL Agent within the lambda will take too long to load, and will consume too much memory when running. The current service is very simple and could be included just about anywhere else if desired. I had at least two thoughts.
1. Spring Boot and Docker in ECS, presented as a REST endpoint. I could have the Lex Intent service call an external REST endpoint, and that REST endpoint call the agent that runs as a service inside the Spring Boot application. The advantage here is the ability to scale through Docker containers. As long as the ECS instance running the Docker container is big enough to hold the model, you can automatically scale. On the downside, you now have a full ECS instance running continually, and the cost of having this service running may be a concern. You also need to work up a process to reload the model if it changes. You could integrate the model building process in here directly and remove the last manual step in the feedback loop.
2. API Gateway connecting to the model published by AWS SageMaker. This is more of a research project for a couple of reasons. First, the QLearning algorithm implementation I'm using is in Java; I would need to find a Python version. Second, I haven't used the AWS SageMaker publishing capability or built an API gateway to front the service. Like the Spring Boot solution above, the Lex Chatbot would call a REST endpoint, in this case the API Gateway front to the model. This may be a design change and wouldn't have the same flexibility that the Spring Boot + Docker option has, at least without doing further research.
Multiple Pieces of Content between Assessments
In order to fairly reward content, we need to assess every time content is presented. If, for example, a student watches a lecture and then reads the course book and then takes a test, how do we know if the lecture or the textbook taught the student better? Maybe the student could have skipped one of them entirely and gotten the same result. At this point, I do not have an answer to this question. One solution that I've thought about is to chain pieces of content together as a "super content" block and treat that with its own content id. As you might imagine, if we have 100 pieces of content, allowing 2 pieces of content to be a block like this has literally thousands of permutations. We would almost certainly have to limit the number of pieces of content available at a state to a fairly small number (less than 10). Further research would be required.
Ordering of State Changes
I didn't appreciate this one at first, and I suspect that as the amount of data is fed into the model increases, it will be less relevant. However, I noticed that from a cold start (i.e. little data in the model), the order in which I entered state transitions had a significant effect on the model. For example, say that a subject has three topics and that the student has no prior knowledge of the subject. The student views content for Topic 1, is assessed, and shows mastery. The student then views content for Topic 2, is assessed and shows mastery. Finally, the student views content for Topic 3, is assessed and shows mastery. By mastering all three topics, the student shows mastery of the subject. In our simple reward algorithm, only the last assessment would return a large reward; the two previous assessments would return a negative reward.
When the model is built, the order that the state changes matter. The first state change associates the content with no reward. The second state change associates the content with no reward. The third state change associates the content with a large reward. The next student who takes the class will be presented content, but the model will not know that the content presented had any effect on the results, since the model was built with data that did not know about the path that led to the winning state. The same problem exists for the second topic. When we get to the third topic, we see that the specific piece of content led directly to the winning state, so that piece of content will likely be returned again.
However, if we feed the state changes in reverse order, with the Topic 2 to Topic 3 winning state first, the behavior changes. When Topic 1 to Topic 2 is fed in, the model knows that there is a path from Topic 2 to Topic 3. It sees that the content presented led directly to Topic 2 mastery and so that content will also be prioritized. Then the initial state to Topic 1 is fed in, the model knows that there is a path now from Topic 1 to Topic 3 and will prioritize the content presented then, too.
As more and more data is fed into the system, the model will eventually learn that there is a path from no mastery to Topic 3 mastery via various pieces of content. By presenting a finished path in reverse order, however, the initial model will be much better in its early predictions.
My current process for gathering data through the RL Lambda and RL Modeler makes no effort to capture this information and process it in order. You'll notice that the CSV that holds the transitions knows nothing about the student taking the content, and that would be required to present an actual student path through the information. Providing a reverse ordering would require a rewrite of this process, most likely with the database that stores the state and content information storing ending state and not writing to the CSV until a winning state is reached. It is certainly technically doable, but it is not currently implemented.
In the end, the POC was a functional demonstration of how RL techniques could be incorporated into a classroom setting, leveraging the AWS Chatbot as the driver for the user experience. A sample workflow would look something like this:
1. Student logs into the application and selects the subject that they wish to work on.
2. From the subject page, the student can ask the chatbot various questions; eventually, the student asks the chatbot to recommend content.
3. The chatbot understands the intent and calls the RL agent.
4. The RL agent retrieves the student's current state and returns the content to the application to render.
5. The student interacts with the content as they would any other content.
6. Once complete, the student takes an assessment on the content they've just reviewed.
7. The assessment is scored, and the student's state is updated to reflect their new understanding of the subject.
The existing POC handles all of these steps, although the content and assessment tools were pseudo implementations. In addition, each of these steps have implementations that may not be scalable, secure, or provide a coherent user experience. Since the goal was to identify the tasks associated with implementing RL, I never expected to provide a production quality release. I did identify how to realistically implement RL in the classroom, and I did discover that existing technology and techniques are available now. With a bit of forethought, organization, and a well-defined goal, a small team of developers can quickly add this capability to the classroom.
Useful Reading
Michael Gillian photo
Michael Gillian
Senior Software Engineer
Michael Gillian has been a Senior Software Engineer with Unicon since 2011. He has been in the IT Industry since 1991, designing, developing, deploying, sustaining, and managing technical systems and teams. He has worked across multiple industries, including Education, Wholesale, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Hospitality.
While at Unicon, Michael has participated in many projects. Most recently, he has supported California Community College and their efforts to streamline the engagement process for potential students (MyPath). He has implemented a Drools Rules Engine in support of creating customized engagement paths. He has implemented a Recommendations Engine using Apache Spark. He has implemented an Analytics component to capture information as the student navigates the engagement process. All of these technologies have been built using AWS components, including S3, EC2, ECS, EMR, Kinesis Firehose, RDS, Lambda, et al. In addition, Michael has supported both uPortal and Sakai for various customers, and has done work on Kaltura for image and video embedding. Michael has considerable experience developing Spring applications with focus on back-end processes.
Michael has an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a BS in Information and Computer Science from University of California, Irvine. |
Will We Find Super Earths?
An extrasolar planet with hypothetical (possible but unproven) water-bearing moons. Image credit: NASA/IPAC/R. Hurt. Click to enlarge
Over the past decade, astronomers using a planet-hunting technique that measures small changes in a star’s speed relative to Earth, have discovered more than 130 extrasolar planets. The first such planets were gas giants, the mass of Jupiter or larger. After several years, the scientists began to detect Saturn-mass planets. And last August, they announced the discovery of a handful of Neptune-mass planets. Could these be super-Earths?
In a recent talk at a symposium on extrasolar planets, Carnegie Institution of Washington astronomer Alan Boss explained the possibilities.
Radial-velocity planet-hunting techniques recently have pushed our discovery capability below the Saturn-mass limit down into what we would call the ice-giant limit.
So we are now able to find planets, close to their host stars, with masses comparable to that of Uranus and Neptune (14 to 17 times the mass of Earth).
In large part this is due to Michel Mayor and his colleagues having a new spectrometer in La Silla, which has unprecedented spectral resolution down to about 1 meter per second or so. And I think Geoff Marcy and Paul Butler’s group are quite close behind that as well.
The interesting question, though, is: What are these things? Are they ice giants that formed several AUs out and migrated in, or are they something else? Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly what their masses are. Even more importantly, we don’t really know what their density is. So they could be 15-Earth-mass rocks, or they could be 15-Earth-mass ice giants.
What we really need to do is to have folks go out and discover another 7 or so. We’ve got 3 so far. If we had 10 altogether, then we’ll have enough that 1 of them, at least, should transit its star and then we’ll be able to get some idea of what its density is.
I think, though, that there’s a good chance that these might actually be a new class of planet altogether: super-Earths. The reason I would argue that is that, at least in 2 of the systems where they’ve been found, these “hot Neptunes” are accompanied by a larger Jupiter-mass planet with a longer-period orbit.
If the lower-mass planets are ice giants that formed far from their stars, unless you have some highly contrived scenario, you wouldn’t imagine them to end up migrating inward, past the larger guys. These systems look more like our own solar system, where you have the low-mass fellows inside of the gas giants.
The planets in a system like our system presumably did not undergo very much migration. So I would claim that perhaps these guys are objects which formed inside the gas giants and only migrated in a little bit, ending up where we can detect them with the short-period spectroscopy surveys.
In support of this idea, there’s some theoretical work from Carnegie’s George Wetherill from almost 10 years ago, now, where he had done some calculations of the accumulation process of rocky planets. He often found there was quite a spread in the masses of what you got out, because accumulation’s a very stochastic process. For the typical parameters he used, at the end of 100 million years or so, he would not only get objects of 1 Earth mass, but also objects ranging up to 3 Earth masses.
Well, at the time, he assumed for his calculations a fairly low surface density at 1 AU, where these planets were forming. Given what we know now, if you want to be able to make a Jupiter at 5 AU using the core-accretion model of planetary formation, you have to crank up the density in the protoplanetary disk by a factor of 7 or so over what Wetherill assumed.
That scales directly with the mass of the planets you’d expect to find as a result. So if you did these calculations over again, assuming this higher initial density, the upper limit on the mass of the inner planets would go from 3 Earth masses, which is what Wetherill got, up to say 21 Earth masses. That is in the range of what we are estimating for these newly discovered hot Neptune-mass objects.
So perhaps what we really are seeing is a new class of objects, super-Earths, rather than ice giants.
Original Source: NASA Astrobiology |
National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce
WATCH: Conditions are favorable for a severe storm or flooding; but the exact timing, location, or occurrence is still uncertain. A watch means to get prepared for the hazardous conditions.
WARNING: Hazardous weather is expected or occurring. A warning means to take shelter.
ADVISORY: Weather conditions that cause inconvenience are expected or occurring. An advisory means to use caution.
TORNADO: A violently-rotating column of air from a thunderstorm in contact with the ground.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM: A thunderstorm with hail 1 inch or larger and/or winds 58 mph or greater; lightning is not a criteria for a severe thunderstorm as all thunderstorms produce lightning.
FLASH FLOOD: A life-threatening flood that occurs very quickly from intense rainfall over a short period of time, especially in mountainous terrain, or from a dam failure.
FLOOD: Rivers overflowing their banks or water covering a normally-dry area caused by an extended period of widespread rain, snowmelt, or ice jams that develops more slowly than a flash flood.
URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING: Minor flooding of small streams, streets and low-lying areas such as underpasses and storm drains; generally not as dangerous as a flash flood.
WINTER STORM WARNING: A life-threatening winter storm with snow, ice, strong winds, and/or cold temperatures. HEAVY SNOW is 6 inches of snow or more in 12 hours; or 8 inches of snow or more in 24 hours
BLIZZARD: A severe winter storm with winds 35 mph or greater AND significant snow or blowing snow with visibility less than 1/4 mile.
ICE STORM: Ice accumulations that could cause extremely dangerous conditions and significant damage.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY: A combination of winter weather conditions such as 3 to 6 inches of snow in 12 hours; or 5 to 8 inches of snow in 24 hours, light freezing precipitation, and/or blowing snow.
WIND CHILL WARNING: Wind chill values -35 F or colder that can cause frostbite in only 10-15 minutes.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY: Wind chill values between -25 and -35 F. Frostbite can occur in 20-25 minutes during those conditions.
HIGH WIND WARNING: Winds 40 mph or greater; or wind gusts 58 mph or greater.
WIND ADVISORY: Winds 30 mph or greater; or wind gusts 45 mph or greater.
DENSE FOG ADVISORY: Visibility less than 1/4 mile.
BLOWING DUST WARNING: Visibility less than 1/4 mile over a widespread area.
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY: Visibility between 1 and 1/4 mile over a widespread area.
FREEZE WARNING: Temperatures 32 degrees or colder for a significant period of time that could kill outdoor plants at the beginning or end of the growing season.
FROST ADVISORY: Temperatures in the mid 30s with clear skies, light winds, and high humidity near the ground that could kill outdoor plants at the beginning or end of the growing season.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING: Heat index values 105 F with a minimum heat index of 75 F for 48 hours; or heat index values 100 F for four consecutive days.
HEAT ADVISORY: Heat index values 100 F; or heat index values 95 F for four consecutive days. |
Back in September 2016, Google launched its Neural Machine Translation (GNMT) system, which uses deep learning to deliver more natural translations between languages.
Google Translate originally supported only a handful of languages when it launched 10 years ago; today that number has risen to 103. The system translates more than 140 billion words each day.
Creating a computer system to translate multiple languages is complex. The people at Google who built it wanted to find out just how clever their system was. So they came up with a challenge. They taught the machine to translate English to Japanese and vice versa. Then they taught it to translate English to Korean and also the reverse translation. So far, so ordinary. But what followed was truly extraordinary.
Lost in (AI) translation
The researchers discovered GNMT had taught itself to deliver ‘reasonable’ translations of Japanese to Korean – and vice versa – without using English as a bridge. It appears the machine had constructed its own language that reflects the concepts it uses to translate between languages it has been trained to understand.
A single sentence visualisation is captured here, representing the system’s memory of multi-directional translation between Japanese, Korean and English languages:
Image: Johnson et al
The discovery, called an ‘interlingua’, is in its early stages, and may be basic or highly sophisticated in its capabilities. In the above graphic, part (a) shows an overall geometry of the translations. Sentences sharing the same meaning – not language – also share the same colour. Part (b) is a close-up of one of the grouped meanings, and finally, part (c) segments the meanings into source languages.
The Google Translate team explains that "within a single group, we see a sentence with the same meaning but from three different languages. This means the network must be encoding something about the semantics of the sentence rather than simply memorizing phrase-to-phrase translations. We interpret this as a sign of existence of an interlingua in the network."
In simple terms, the system has created something by itself, with no human direction, to seemingly support its understanding of human languages. |
This month the world has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon. But this week sees another scientific anniversary, perhaps just as important for the future of civilisation.
Forty years ago, a group of climate scientists sat down at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts for the first meeting of the “Ad Hoc Group on Carbon Dioxide and Climate”. It led to the preparation of what became known as the Charney Report – the first comprehensive assessment of global climate change due to carbon dioxide.
It doesn’t sound as impressive as landing on the Moon, and there certainly weren’t millions waiting with bated breath for the deliberations of the meeting.
But the Charney Report is an exemplar of good science, and the success of its predictions over the past 40 years has firmly established the science of global warming.
What is this ‘greenhouse gas’ you speak of?
Other scientists, starting in the 19th century, had already demonstrated that carbon dioxide was what we now call a “greenhouse gas”. By the 1950s, scientists were predicting warming of several degrees from the burning of fossil fuels. In 1972 John Sawyer, the head of research at the UK Meteorological Office, wrote a four-page paper published in Nature summarising what was known at the time, and predicting warming of about 0.6℃ by the end of the 20th century.
But these predictions were still controversial in the 1970s. The world had, if anything, cooled since the middle of the 20th century, and there was even some speculation in the media that perhaps we were headed for an ice age.
The meeting at Woods Hole gathered together about 10 distinguished climate scientists, who also sought advice from other scientists from across the world. The group was led by Jule Charney from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the most respected atmospheric scientists of the 20th century.
The Report lays out clearly what was known about the likely effects of increasing carbon dioxide on the climate, as well as the uncertainties. The main conclusion of the Report was direct:
We estimate the most probable warming for a doubling of CO₂ to be near 3℃ with a probable error of 1.5℃.
In the 40 years since their meeting, the annual average CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere, as measured at Mauna Loa in Hawaii, has increased by about 21%. Over the same period, global average surface temperature has increased by about 0.66℃, almost exactly what could have been expected if a doubling of CO₂ produces about 2.5℃ warming – just a bit below their best estimate. A remarkably prescient prediction.
Reception of the article
Despite the high regard in which the authors of the Charney Report were held by their scientific peers at the time, the report certainly didn’t lead to immediate changes in behaviour, by the public or politicians.
But over time, as the world has continued to warm as they predicted, the report has become accepted as a major milestone in our understanding of the consequences our actions have for the climate. The current crop of climate scientists revere Charney and his co-authors for their insight and clarity.
Strong science
The report exemplifies how good science works: establish an hypothesis after examining the physics and chemistry, then based on your assessment of the science make strong predictions. Here, “strong predictions” means something that would be unlikely to come true if your hypothesis and science were incorrect.
In this case, their very specific prediction was that warming of between 1.5℃ and 4.5℃ would accompany a doubling of atmospheric CO₂. At the time, global temperatures, in the absence of their hypothesis and science, might have been expected to stay pretty much the same over the ensuing 40 years, cooled a bit, possibly even cooled a lot, or warmed a lot (or a little).
In the absence of global warming science any of these outcomes could have been feasible, so their very specific prediction made for a very stringent test of their science.
The Charney Report’s authors didn’t just uncritically summarise the science. They also acted sceptically, trying to find factors that might invalidate their conclusions. They concluded:
We have tried but have been unable to find any overlooked or underestimated physical effects that could reduce the currently estimated global warmings due to a doubling of atmospheric CO₂ to negligible proportions or to reverse them altogether.
The report, and the successful verification of its prediction, provides a firm scientific basis for the discussion of what we should do about global warming.
Over the ensuing 40 years, as the world warmed pretty much as Charney and his colleagues expected, climate change science improved, with better models that included some of the factors missing from their 1979 deliberations.
This subsequent science has, however, only confirmed the conclusions of the Charney Report, although much more detailed predictions of climate change are now possible. |
Have you ever collected rocks? To some kids, collecting rocks might not seem all that interesting. But others know that it can be really cool to stumble upon a uniquely colored or shaped rock when you're at the park, at the beach, or simply at home. Where did it come from? And how long has it been around?
When you think of things that are solid and last forever, rocks probably come to mind. Whether it's a mountain, a stone courthouse, or a gravestone in a local cemetery, rocks do seem to have staying power.
In fact, rocks might even seem indestructible. If you look closely at old rocks, though, you'll see signs of wear. Although rocks are indeed sturdy materials, they're still not immune from the physical and chemical forces of nature that inevitably wear away at everything on Earth.
Scientists call the process that rocks undergo weathering. Weathering occurs in two main forms: mechanical and chemical. Mechanical weathering processes break rocks down into smaller pieces but do not change their chemical composition.
Chemical weathering processes, on the other hand, break down rocks chemically, changing them into different types of rocks and minerals. Some of those new materials can be dissolved by exposure to water and air, leading to erosion.
Mechanical and chemical weathering processes can occur simultaneously, but they're still extremely slow processes. Since it takes so long to break down and dissolve rocks, we see them as a lasting, nearly-indestructible material.
Let's take a look at a chemical weathering process that you're already somewhat familiar with…even if you don't realize it. When rain falls from the sky, some of the water mixes with carbon dioxide in the air or pockets of air in the soil. This mixture forms a weak acid called carbonic acid.
As carbonic acid filters down through the soil and comes into contact with cracks in the rock underground, it can react chemically with the rock, causing it to dissolve. Carbonic acid is particularly reactive with calcite, which is the primary mineral in limestone.
Over long periods of time, carbonic acid dissolves limestone, creating pits and holes and enlarging cracks and openings in the rock. This creates a unique type of topography known as karst topography. Common features of karst topography you're probably familiar with include caves, caverns, sinkholes, and springs.
Another common type of chemical weathering occurs as a result of acid rain. Acid rain forms when rain combines with nitrogen and sulfur to create nitric and sulfuric acids, which can dissolve calcium-based rocks such as marble and limestone. Acid rain tends to be a problem in areas with higher levels of pollution from coal-burning power plants.
Although weathering of rock might seem like a negative thing, it's actually a natural process that eventually creates valuable products. Weathered rock is the primary component of soil. Minerals from weathered rock sustain all sorts of plant life through the soil. We also wouldn't be able to visit super-cool caves without the chemical weathering of rock!
Wonder What's Next?
Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day is sure to put a smile on your face…we hope! |
Which US States Start With N?
By Ferdinand Bada on October 9 2018 in World Facts
Of the 50 US states, 8 start with the letter N.
The United States of America is divided up into 50 states. Each state has a different government with its own laws although they are under all under the national government, which is led by the President of the United States. Going by this description, a state can be simply defined as a political entity that is a part of the United States. Of the 50 states, only eight of them have names beginning with the letter “N.” These states are NevadaNebraskaNew Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York (the state), North Carolina, and North Dakota.
A Closer Look at Some of the US States That Begin With "N"
New Mexico
Going by size, New Mexico is the largest state among the states that start with "N" with a size of about 121,699 square miles. It is the fifth largest state overall in the US. Located in the southwestern portion of the US, the state is part of the Four Corners region alongside Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. New Mexico is bordered to the east by Oklahoma while the southeast is bound by Texas. To the south is the Mexican state of Chihuahua while Sonora forms the border to the southwest. The latest estimates place the population at around two million, which places New Mexico in the 36th position in terms of population. The capital city, which doubles as the cultural center, is Santa Fe while Albuquerque is the largest city. The economy of the state is driven by several key sectors including oil drilling, farming, and retail trade. The gross domestic product (GDP) of 2016 was $95 billion.
New York
The state of New York is located in the northeastern region of the United States spanning an area of about 54,555 square miles. The state is bordered to the south by Pennsylvania and New Jersey while the east is bound by Connecticut, Vermont, and New Jersey. The state has a rich history as it was among the original Thirteen Colonies of the United States. For clarification purposes, the state is described as New York State while the city is commonly described as New York City, which is the largest city in the state. Both the city and the state’s names originate from the Duke of York of the 17th century who would later become King James II of England. With a population of about 19,849,399 people, the state is the fourth most populated in the US. In 2015, the GDP was $1.5 trillion with the major sectors including finance and technology.
New Jersey
Aside from being the smallest state among the eight with an area of 8,722 square miles, New Jersey is also the oldest state of the US after its admission to the union on December 18, 1787. The state, which is also a peninsula, is located in the Mid-Atlantic region in the northeastern side of the US. The north and the east are bordered by New York while the Atlantic Ocean borders it to the east, south, and southeast. Delaware and Delaware Bay border it to the southwest while Delaware River and Pennsylvania are to the west. With a population of about 9 million people, the state is the 11th most populated state.
More in World Facts |
Your passwords and cookies are stored with salts applied. Salts are strings of data that are kept secret, and hashed together with important data so that it's harder to guess. This way a hacker can't just run through every password and generate a rainbow table of all possible results and brute force every website. Instead they need to generate a new table for every site they target after acquiring the secret salts used. There is an API to provide salts and secret keys at, which you can then copy paste into your wp-config.php.
When outputting data, you should escape it. For example, if you output a css class, you should use esc_attr, otherwise, an attacker could sneak in the value classname"><script>alert('hello');</script><span and run arbitrary code on your site.
An important part of escaping however, is to escape as late as possible. If you escape a variable once, then use it 5 times, that variable may be modified at any point between escaping and output, so always escape at the moment of output.
• Sanitise early
• Escape Late
• Escape Often
In the days of MySpace, a user could add an image to their profile, and set the src tag as /logout.php. Any user who visited their profile would be immediatley logged out. This is an example of a CSRF attack or Cross Site Reference attack.
In order to get around this, we use nonces. Nonces are small tokens that can be passed around to validate an action. For example, a form may contain a nonce, which is then checked for when processed. This makes sure that all form submissions came from the form, and not a malicious or unintended script.
@todo: Add notes on how to use nonces effectively
Note: In the United Kingdom, a nonce is a name for a child sex offender, be careful of using the word out of context
The Location of wp-config
• You can move it one level up so it's not in a web accessible location
Table prefixes
• Don't use the default wp_
• Notes on automated attacks
User ID 1
• Don't call it 'admin'
• Don't give it administrator priviledges
Roles and Capabilities
• What they are
Removing vs Hiding Settings Pages
• Hiding things with CSS doesn't make it secure
• People have dev tools too
• Automated tools ignore CSS
• how to remove admin menus and change the capabilities needed to do things
Custom Password Reset Code
• Some people write their own password reset facilities. This is bad
• If you really must, make it a forgotten password link, don't make it actually show your password
There are a lot of feel good security fixes that float around, that do nothing to help your security, waste your time, and sometimes increase the risk. Here are a few:
Hiding the Admin and Login URLs
• Some people try to change the admin and login URLs in hopes it will fool attackers and automated tools
• WordPress adds in /admin/ and /login/ rewrite rules in the newer versions so moving the files is pointless
• It can break some functionality in code without necessary care
• Trying to go to the admin URLs will redirect you to the changed login URL anyway, and if you fix that then the modal box that shows in the admin screen when your session expires will be broken too
Deactivated Plugins & Themes
• Because of how PHP works, deactivated plugins can still be hit from a users web browser
• Badly written plugins might do things if the right URL is loaded, even if they're not activated. This is especially true of plugins with their own AJAX endpoints that don't use the WP AJAX API.
Recovering From Attacks
• Take and use regular backups
• Download a fresh copy of WordPress and extract it over the top of your existing install to make sure that WP Core is unmodified
• Check your plugins and code against version control |
RATEr speaking practise tasks
Task 1
You have a meeting with your thesis supervisor. He is asking you about your progress. Look at the pictures.
Voice: Thank you for meeting me. How are you doing with your thesis?
Sample answer
At the start of my project, the writing was going very well, but now I’m having some problems with my computer.
Medium length tasks
In this part you will be presented with medium-length speaking tasks. Your answers in this part of the test should be longer than in part 1. Three to four sentences is enough. The speaking time is 60 seconds.
Task 2
You are giving a presentation on the top ranked universities in Europe. You present the following bar chart from a recent study. Look at the information below.
In your presentation, tell your fellow students about the information you have found. Make sure you mention:
• the subject of your presentation;
• two striking findings (use the graph);
• A possible explanation for your findings (use the table).
Sample answer:
My presentation is on the top-ranked universities in Europe. I’ve found a recent study which shows the number of top ranked universities in European countries. As you can see, Germany has the most top-ranked universities, followed by the UK. Hungary has the smallest number of top-ranked universities. A possible explanation for these differences could be the tuition fees per country. The table I found shows that people studying in Germany and the UK pay the largest sum of tuition. This money could be invested into upgrading the universities and improving the quality of the classes, making these universities higher ranking than those with lower, or no tuition fees.
Task 3
You have been going to university for over half a year now and realize university just isn't for you. You call your parents to explain the situation.
Your answer must include:
• an explanation of the situation;
• three reasons why you want to quit (urse all three pictures);
• what you want to do now.
RATER 5.jpg
RATEr 4.JPG
RATEr 3.jpg
Sample answer:
Hi mum, I am calling to tell you that I want to quit university. I just hate it that I have to read so many books. Moreover, I don’t want to get out of bed so early every morning. But most importantly, it costs too much money to study. I’d rather work for a bit and then travel the world.
Task 4
You are in the class committee that organises a Career Day, a day on which you and your fellow students will visit a company that operates in the field in which you all study. There are two companies to choose from. Look at the following information.
• describe which company you are going to visit and why;
• discuss all three elements in your motivation.
Sample answer:
I would go for Company 1. First of all, the company is very easy to reach: it is only 5 km away from the university. Even though the company isn’t hiring anyone right now, there is a chance that they will have jobs available when you are graduated. Plus, if you are hired by this company, you will receive a good salary. |
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Questionnaire For Youth And Young Adults
Fighting Diabetes and Preserving a Legacy
Are You At Risk?
You can have pre-diabetes or undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes without having any obvious warning signs or symptoms.
40% of those living with diabetes do not know they have it.
The longer Type 2 diabetes goes undiagnosed, the greater your risk of developing serious medical complications that will decrease your quality of life and might reduce your life expectancy. Early detection is essential.
Knowing your risk can help you to make healthy choices now that will reduce your risk and possibly prevent, or at least delay, development of Type 2 diabetes.
This questionnaire is intended to help those age 8 – 18.
Parents please help your younger children to answer the questions.
1. Are you female?
2. Do you usually do some physical activity such as walking, cycling, swimming, skipping rope for at least 30 minutes a day on 5 or more days a week?
3. Do you eat vegetables or fruit everyday?
4. Are you 11 years old or older?
5. Do you smoke or use recreational drugs?
6. Do you take medicines for mental health purposes?
7. Do you often feel very tired even if you have not been active?
8. Do you need to urinate more frequently now than in the past?
9. Do you often feel very hungry even though you are eating regularly?
10. Do you experience tingling, pain, or numbness in hands or feet?
11. Do you think you have excess body fat around your waist?
12. Have you ever been told by a doctor or nurse you have high blood pressure?
13. Have you ever been found to have high blood sugar either from a blood test or during an illness?
14. Have any of your blood relatives (Mother, Father, Brothers/Sisters) ever been diagnosed with diabetes?
Did You Know?
Families may benefit from reviewing the following information together especially, as a way to help younger children understand their risk.
No one knows for sure just how many youth and young adults have Type 2 diabetes but Type 2 diabetes in youth and young adults is increasing worldwide.
Type 2 diabetes is NOT just an adult disease and is appearing in children as young as 8 or even younger. As you get older, the risk of developing diabetes goes up.
Type 2 diabetes is progressive and can be ‘invisible’ for a long time. It is possible that cell damage is already in progress at the time of diagnosis that can lead to diabetes-related complications. 40% of those who have Type 2 diabetes, or pre-diabetes, do not know they have the condition.
Excess body fat stored around the abdomen (rather than hips and thighs) is a risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes. Being over-weight or obese significantly increases the risk for Type 2 diabetes.
Many people with undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure.
A previous test result indicating abnormally high blood sugar may indicate temporary problems or prediabetes and may be a warning sign of a high risk of developing diabetes in the future.
There are significant relationships between and among obesity, mental health issues and diabetes.
Diabetes risk is different for various ethnic groups and can affect different groups in different ways.
Working Together to Protect Your Family
Families need to consider early checking for the possibility of the presence of Type 2 diabetes.
70% of Type 2 cases can be prevented, or at least delayed by healthy eating, modest daily exercise and not smoking. The very same actions can help reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.
Regular physical activity is a key element in controlling weight and reducing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Family walking, cycling or swimming are great ways to have fun and become more active. Aim for an average of 30 minutes per day, or 150 minutes per week of physical activity.
Eating foods that are rich in fibre, reducing the amount of fat and salt in food selections and adding more fruits and vegetables, can help to maintain or lose weight. Many healthy eating guides, for example, recommend 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, depending on age and gender. Counting total calories, as well as the amount of fat, fibre and salt (sodium) intake, is something that families can do together.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are often found together. Risk of high blood pressure can be reduced also by increasing physical activity, reducing salt and fat in your diet, avoiding alcohol and tobacco use, reducing stress, and maintaining a healthy body weight.
About The Sir Frederick Banting Legacy Foundation
The Foundation is dedicated to fighting diabetes, contributing to increased awareness and supporting the search for insights that reduce risk and help people living with diabetes to realize a better quality of life.
For more information on diabetes see www.bantinglegacy.ca.
Did this questionnaire prove helpful for you? Do you have improvements to suggest? Please tell us at [email protected]. |
Sunday, April 28, 2019
An informative article on government finance, foreign trade, and inflation.
There is only one way a government funds the excess of spending over tax revenue without it being inflationary, and that is to borrow money from savers. There is a downside to this. The government bids for existing savings, including those held in pension and insurance funds, diverting them from other borrowers. In the 1980s this was described as “crowding out” other borrowers and had the effect of increasing interest rates to the point where these other borrowers stop borrowing. In the post-war years, this has been the consequence of spendthrift socialism.
The other two sources of finance for high-spending governments are simply inflationary. Bank credit is expanded to finance short-term treasury bills and treasury bonds. Before 2008, a combination of savings and bank credit expansion was used to cover government funding requirements. But since the great financial crisis, money-printing by central banks through quantitative easing has opened a new avenue for government funding. It is this last financing mechanism which future historians are likely to attribute to the beginning of the end for fiat currencies.[1]
My title doesn't do Mr. Macleod's article justice. While I'm a long way from understanding this stuff, I commend his article to you as an exceptionally clear take on government and central bank fiscal, monetary, and debt problems. He does a good job in trying to lay out the various cause and effect relationships in this area. Suffice it to say, the outlook isn't good for fiat currencies and sound economic policy.
At one time, I used to pale at the mention of the words "Federal Reserve Bank," as it just seemed too arcane and technical for me. It still is but I want to do better than I do.
So far, I have profited from the insight that low interest rates harm savers and drive people, who in earlier times could rely on interest on their money to fuel or supplement their retirement, to move their money into equities.
All the more so if deliberate Fed inflationary policies make it exceptionally unwise to leave funds sitting in bank accounts subject to alarming diminution in value. At two per cent inflation, the value of your stash is reduced by 50% in 25 years. More if inflation is higher than the lying United States government figures would lead you to believe. And given how this is indistinguishable from theft, I am rather torqued to know that the Fed publicly admits to trying to achieve a certain level of inflation every year.
Goodbye to any notion that those clever people who run things in our country have any intention of helping individual citizens. We get an elegant middle finger in any area you want to mention. We need to do a lot more than just audit the Fed.
The other insight I find useful is that increases in the interest rate increase government debt servicing costs. This it cannot allow. The government is thus locked into a position of wanting to avoid a return to savings-fueled investment in productive enterprise (because saving is profitable with higher interest rates), thus punishing savers and artificially goosing the market in equities (and real estate and other hard assets). AKA stimulating a bubble economy.
Add in the fact that deficits needing to be funded this way are the result of government investment decisions, and those include funding for Yolanda's eight chirren, stupid regime-change military operations, and innumerable, lunatic bear-poking adventures. You don't need me to detail official American economic profligacy and idiocy.
Anyhoo. Macleod's article is worth your time even if it requires studying it in some detail. Our fiscal and monetary policies affect us more than we know and we all need to know how this is being handled.
PS – I still don't understand bonds.
[1] "The US Government Is Ensnared In A Debt Trap.. And There's No Escape." By Alasdair Macleod, ZeroHedge, 4/26/19.
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Tracing and observing your remote node
Today we will continue exploring techniques for debugging and tracing Elixir code that are so important for running and understanding production systems.
In the past, we have discussed:
1. how to debug your application
2. how to trace systems with Erlyberly
3. how to use the observer to introspect applications.
The examples above always connected to systems running locally. Given Elixir’s and the Erlang VM focus on distributed systems, you may have wondered: can we use the VM capabilities to trace and observe remote nodes?
Your application runs as part of the Erlang Runtime System, which is often called a node, as it may connect to other machines. Before we establish such connections, let’s get to know some concepts and then configure our applications.
Erlang Port Mapper Daemon, EPMD, acts as a name server on all hosts involved in distributed Erlang communications. When an Erlang node starts, the node has a name and it obtains an address from the host OS kernel. The default port the daemon runs on is 4369 but you can change it with the ERL_EPMD_PORT environment variable .
You can run epmd -names to check the port and the nodes connected:
user@localhost:~$ epmd -names
epmd: up and running on port 4369 with data:
name myapp at port 43316
SSH Port Forwarding
Depending on your firewall configuration, the port 4369 from EPMD is blocked by default. We will use port forwarding to redirect our local EPMD port to the remote EPMD with ssh: ssh -L4369:localhost:4369.
Therefore, when we start a node locally, it will attempt to register itself to the EPMD running on port 4369, which is effectively forwarded to the remote EPMD. Once our local node registers itself to the remote EPMD, it will be able to find all remote nodes running on the remote EPMD.
Configuring the Phoenix application
Imagine we want to trace or observe a Phoenix project. In our case, our project was released using exrm and our release path in production has a directory called running-config. In this directory we can find the files sys.config and vm.args.
The file vm.args is responsible for configuring our application when it starts. Let’s change it as follows:
## Name of the node
-name myapp@
-kernel inet_dist_listen_min 9001 inet_dist_listen_max 9001
## Cookie for distributed erlang (you want a really long cookie)
-setcookie my_cookie
We added a name to your application, set a port range where remote nodes may connect to and chose a cookie secret. If your server was already running, you will need to restart it after changing vm.args.
After restarting our application, we should see it registered in the remote EPMD:
user@localhost:~$ epmd -names
epmd: up and running on port 4369 with data:
name myapp at port 9001
Tracing application
After our application is started, we need to change our ssh command to forward to EPMD and our application ports: ssh -L4369:localhost:4369 -L9001:localhost:9001.
Now let’s start the tracing tool locally with the proper cookie options. The tracing tool will register itself to the remote EPMD, via port forwarding, and find our remote application. Once the Erlyberly is started, you should see the following in the remote EPMD:
user@localhost:~$ epmd -names
epmd: up and running on port 4369 with data:
name myapp at port 9001
name erlyberly-1460466831146 at port 54420
Observing application
We can also observe a remote system using ssh port forwarding. One option is to establish a remote shell, as explained in the IEx documentation:
$ iex --name mylocalmachine@ --cookie my_cookie --remsh myapp@
Now you are connected directly to a remote node and you can introspect it as well as start tools like Observer.
Alternatively, you can start a new local shell with the same cookie as the remote node:
$ iex --name mylocalmachine@ --cookie my_cookie
Erlang/OTP 18 [erts-7.3] [source] [64-bit] [smp:4:4] [async-threads:10] [hipe] [kernel-poll:false] [dtrace]
Interactive Elixir (1.2.4) - press Ctrl+C to exit (type h() ENTER for help)
iex(mylocalmachine@> :observer.start()
The local shell should be registered in the remote EPMD alongside the remote system:
user@localhost:~$ epmd -names
epmd: up and running on port 4369 with data:
name mylocalmachine at port 50055
name myapp at port 9001
With Observer open, we can now change the inspected node using the menu ‘Nodes > Connect node’. In the prompt we can fill in the node name. In our example the node is myapp@
You may receive an error similar to the one below when you try to connect through Observer:
16:38:44.278 [error] [node: :"mylocalmachine@", call: {:observer_backend, :sys_info, []}, reason: {:badrpc, {:EXIT, {:undef, [{:observer_backend, :sys_info, [], []}, {:rpc, :"-handle_call_call/6-fun-0-", 5, [file: 'rpc.erl', line: 206]}]}}}]
This occurs because the :observer_backend is disabled. You can enable it by adding the :runtime_tools to your application mix.exs file. You can get more details in the Runtime tools documentation.
Do you use other techniques to connect to remote nodes? Share your tips with a comment below.
What's new in Ecto 2.0 -- Reserve your copy
2 responses to “Tracing and observing your remote node”
1. Michael Terry says:
Brilliant. I do all my development shelled into an AWS box and wanted to use Observer, but figured it’d be big pain to get working, if it were possible at all. I only skimmed this but I hope I’m right in thinking this will solve that problem! 🙂
2. cdegroot says:
Just stumbled on this article – thanks. shows a neat two-step process that first lets you find out the dynamic port, then does a second ssh session with the correct port forwarding; it saves having to “prep” the target app by restricting the port range. |
Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
Cultures > Arid North > Tiwanaku in the north of Chile
The Tiwanaku developed a huge farming and herding economy. Although they grew crops in terraces and large depressions dug out of the ground, the bulk of their farming was carried out in camellones or raised beds surrounded by water. This technological response to the adverse Altiplano conditions allowed them to grow thousands of hectares of potatoes and quinoa. The camelids they raised were also important to the Tiwanaku, providing them with meat, wool and other material and, used as beasts of burden, enabling their active traffic in goods. In Azapa, the local communities grew maize, beans, squash, jíquima and gourds that were sent to the Altiplano by llama caravan. In the Atacama, in contrast, the groups had an economy based on mining and the caravan trade, as this was a hub for the exchange of raw materials and manufactured goods among peoples of distant regions, including the Altiplano. |
| Last Updated:: 14/06/2019
As temperatures continue to rise, birds struggle to survive
Severe heatwaves, delayed monsoons and deficient pre-monsoon showers are making survival difficult for birds. Ornithologists too are concerned about rising temperatures in the nation as mercury breached 45 degress Celsius in northern, central and peninsular India.
Kirubhanandhini V, research biologist and PhD researcher at Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), said bird population is declining and infrequent sightings or absence of insectivorous birds has been reported in various parts of India.
The suspected causes of this decline are increasing temperatures, agricultural chemicals, and industrial contaminants, added Kirubhanandhini. “Climate change is affecting migration patterns of birds as has been noticed in the last few decades. The scarcity of water is affecting all organisms alike. Immense dehydration, very low energies and long flights in the heat break are detrimental to the health of birds. It disturbs their metabolism,” she said.
JC Khanna, secretary and in-charge of Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA), said birds usually fall to the ground due to dehydration and their inability to find shade. Another reason for the decline in the number of birds in summers are droughts and low levels of nourishment in soil, said RV Gaikwad, a professor from Bombay Veterinary College. Since birds consume fruits that are devoid of sufficient water content due to undernourished soil, they remain dehydrated and lose energy when flying long distances.
Similar effects, due to horribly high temperatures, have been seen in other animals — 15 monkeys have died over the past five days in the Joshi Baba jungles of Madhya Pradesh due to a heat stroke, reported the India Today. PN Mishra, district forest official, was quoted as saying in the news report that this heat stroke was caused due to the troop’s inability to access water. In order to help these birds retain energy, Kirubhanandhini advises that people should keep glucose and sugar mixed with water outside their homes. |
Harry Miller
(1879-1977). China doctor, soybean product pioneer. He was born in a log cabin near Ludlow Falls, Ohio, the oldest of the five children of Amanda and John Oliver Miller. After graduating from Mount Vernon Academy in Ohio, he enrolled at American Medical Missionary College in Battle Creek. He graduated from medical school in 1902, along with Maude Thompson, who became his wife in that year. In 1903 Miller, working with other physicians, took part in laboratory work involving fungus infections. Their experiments established the fact that certain fungi are far more dangerous, even life-threatening, than generally thought at that time. Early on he established a reputation as a skillful surgeon with a promising future for a lucrative practice in the United States, but when a medical student sug...
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Chapter 3
Sin Entered the World
(Genesis 2:16-17)
(Romans 5:12 NIV)
Why is there so much evil in the world? This question is answered in Genesis chapter 3, where Adam and Eve disobeyed God, thereby bringing sin and death into the world. Everyone descended from Adam and Eve is affected. As scripture says:
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1John 1:10)
Generally speaking, “sin” may be defined as any thought or action that violates God’s moral law. (Since God is God, he makes the rules; this should be self-evident.)
The main consequence of sin is death:
...death spread to all men because all sinned... (Romans 5:12)
I understand that the “death” referred to here has both a physical and a spiritual component. We physically die a natural death because of sin, and we are all spiritually dead prior to receiving new life through Christ. This spiritual death is referred to elsewhere in scripture, such as:
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh… (Colossians 2:13)
Moreover, because God is completely righteous and holy, our sin separates us from God:
...but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
We may try to justify ourselves by reasoning that our good deeds somehow compensate for our bad deeds, but that is not how scripture views it:
The prophet Isaiah said it well:
For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the LORD, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. (Isaiah 59:12-13 NIV)
What about you? Do you claim that you have not sinned?
In what ways have you rebelled against God?
What are the consequences of your sins?
For Further Reflection
Genesis 3:1-24: The fall of man / the first sin.
Luke 18:9-14: The Pharisee and the tax collector.
Romans 3:9-20: There is no one righteous.
Psalm 51: King David’s confession of sin.
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When Natural Remedies Become Dangerous
Posted in Society and Morals, Spotlight on Humanity, and World Affairs
I had heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses refusing medical treatment on religious grounds, but when I heard the case of David Stephan, 32, and Collet Stephan, 36, from Alberta in Canada who didn’t seek medical treatment for their 19-month-old son Ezekiel, I was astonished. In countries where modern medicine is available, and is either affordable or free, it makes sense to use that facility surely?
The couple were charged under Section 215 of the Criminal Code which deals with “failing to provide the necessaries of life.” They were found guilty by a jury of eight women and four men on 26 April 2016, after Ezekiel had died in March 2012. The parents believed he had flu or croup, and for two and half weeks treated him with hot peppers, garlic, olives, onions, and products from a naturopathic doctor. Their aim was to boost his immune system, but he had contracted bacterial meningitis where the only remedy and chance of survival was a course of antibiotics, which his parent had denied him, choosing to give him herbal remedies instead.
There is no doubt that the parents loved their child, but the responsibility of his health lay in their hands. In a world and era where there is no excuse for a lack of knowledge or facilities in the Western world, the jury could only find them guilty. Canada is unlike Liberia where there are no medical facilities; it’s a modern country with a high level of medical care. The parents had the internet and access to libraries and pharmacies where they could have sought advice for free. These days there are free online doctors you can chat to, and websites that offer information on symptoms (apparently they did ring a friend who was a nurse, who said it sounded like croup which they looked up online and followed recommendations), so there really is no excuse.
The parents chose to put their own personal beliefs ahead of the welfare of their child, and while it is a tragedy he died, most sane and sensible people know if symptoms get worse after 48 hours, to seek professional help, as in a licensed medical doctor. Waiting two and half weeks was too long, and in this case the hospital visit where Ezekiel died was the first time he had ever seen a doctor. Sadly, even though it was suggested that Ezekiel may have meningitis, the parents continued on to give him natural herbal remedies, despite the nurse’s recommendation of visiting a doctor. According to the naturopath consulted, they too advised the parents to seek immediate medical help, but the parents chose not to. How can you defend their actions when they were advised to seek medical help from more than one source, and it’s clear that bacterial infections only respond to antibiotics? It was negligent of the parents who put their own beliefs ahead of the welfare of their child. Having listened to the 911 calls, the parents also were not prepared, with no idea of their address or where the nearest hospital was. Is that responsible in this day and age?
Sometimes young parents don’t know any better, but that’s why public healthcare is important so that children do have a chance, even if their parents don’t know what to do. I have personally experienced parental negligence, but in my case through ignorance and my parents to this day still feel guilty. At seven-years-old I had chicken pox, a severe case, yet my parents thought it was a rash. They treated me with herbal ointments and sent me to school each day. I cannot tell you the pain I suffered for nearly three weeks (and obviously I scratched) where the red lumps were sore and having eucalyptus oils put on them burnt my skin. One day my teacher asked me why I was crying after morning break. I showed her my red lumps and that they hurt so much I couldn’t stop crying. My parents were summoned to the school and scolded by the head teacher for not taking me to the doctor. She told them I would be scarred for life, the whole class was in quarantine, and that my brother would get chickenpox as well. If it hadn’t been for that teacher who asked me why I was crying, I don’t know when any treatment would have been sought. My parents had no excuse; there was a pharmacy five doors away (the pharmacist, Mr. Gilpin was a friend), and the local surgery was a five-minute walk away. The result was my brother got chickenpox, recovered and returned to school, yet I was off school for nearly three months (it was that severe) because it had not been caught early enough. Yes, I am scarred for life and I see those scars each day, and remember the pain of each one. My parent bought me every single toy I ever wanted when I was ill, and I know they felt guilty, and probably still do. However, they put their own beliefs ahead of my welfare and health, and that was not right or fair.
I actually don’t like taking medicine for anything if I can help it, but I have the common sense to know when to seek medical help, and to know if a natural remedy is appropriate or not. Natural remedies can soothe and help prevent certain ailments, but they rarely cure. They can help with aches, pains, but they won’t clear up an infection or help control blood pressure. It makes little sense when people opt not to use the medical facilities that are available, especially in the case of children where their immune system is weaker, and they have no say in what happens to them. How many people in a Third World country would jump at the chance to have modern medical care?
In the case of my parents, did they learn their lesson from me? No, recently my father became ill and my mother decided to employ her own natural remedies. As I am an adult now, I was able to take action and call the emergency services against their wishes. The result was an immediate heart operation with a 25 percent chance of survival. They both now admit if I hadn’t called, we would have been preparing for a funeral. Finally they have learned, natural remedies are fine for certain things, but when symptoms persist seek professional medical help. There is no excuse when it’s free and available. Before it was a lack of knowledge and resources, but with technology today, advice, information, and consultations are available 24/7. Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse.
©2016. The Nomadic Philosopher.
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Beyond Sustainable Economy: The Simple Life within the Quaker Tradition
Published: 28.06.2017
Non-possession in the Quaker tradition
In the Quaker tradition, simplicity and compassion are held forth as prime values. In a scathing indictment of wealth, George Fox (1624-1691), the founder of Quakerism, brought forth a tract in 1658 titled "A Warning to all the Merchants in London and such as Buy and Sell with an Advisement to them to lay aside their superfluity and with it to nourish the Poor." He writes: "Ye merchants, great men, and rich men, what a dishonor is it to you to go in your gold and silver, and gold chains about your necks, and your costly attire.... How can you go up and down in your superfluity, and abound in your riches, and see the poor, blind, and cripples go in your street?" In 1668 he included the following edict in his "General Epistle on Property and Marriages:" "And keep your testimony against the world's vain fashions."
James Nayler (1618-1660), Fox's contemporary and "after Fox the best-known and strongest Quaker preacher" wrote "Does not the creature groan to be delivered from the vanity, customs and fashions of this generation? Is not the whole time of man taken up in service of the lusts and inventions which the Man of Sin has found out: inventions in meats and drinks, inventions in apparel, inventions in worships, in sports and pleasures, etc.? Men and women come into the world, and depart out of it again as though they were made for no other end but vanity and selfishness?"
During the next century, the Friends (Quakers) published various treatises that emphasize the simple life. In Epistles from the Yearly Meeting, printed in 1757, based on the Yearly Meeting of 1688, and signed by Richard Richardson, Friends are reminded:
Everywhere be put in mind to keep under the leadings and guidance of the Spirit of Truth, in their outward habits and fashions thereof; not suffering the spirit of the world... till it leads them from simplicity and plainness... [Guard against] a libertine wanton spirit... that lusteth after the vain customs and fashions of the world, either in dressing, habits or outward adornments...
Three years later, six months after the death of George Fox, Friends are again reminded:
To keep to Truth and plainness, in language, habit, deportment and behavior; that the simplicity of Truth in these things may not wear out not be lost in our days... to avoid pride and immodesty in apparel, and extravagant wigs, and all other vain and superfluous fashions of the world...
The most famous American Quaker, John Woolman (1720-1772), where people were truly humble... and were content with a plain way of life, that it had ever been attended with more true peace and calmness of mind than those have had who, aspiring to greatness and outward show, have grasped hard for an income to support themselves in it. For more on Woolman see the article: John Woolman American Quaker (1720-1772) in Section 8 [Special People] of this book.
Though the Quakers suffered for being an odd group, they maintained their ideal of simplicity, though its interpretation has changed over time.
Title: Beyond Sustainable Economy
Author: Dr. Rudi Jansma, Dr. Sushma Singhvi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharati Academy
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Heracles: A Tragic Hero in Constant Struggle
Heracles, Greece’s greatest hero, is a demigod whose mortal life is dominated by a series of successes due to his tremendous strength and failures due to his excessive passions. While, ostensibly, his passions cause him pain and bring about misfortune, he ultimately gains eternal glory through the hardships he endures. Through images of unnecessary conflict and violence, Heracles is directly and indirectly characterized as tragically flawed by a lack of self-control, indicating the necessity of proper judgment and intelligence to offset brute force.
Heracles’s just inclination to self-inflict punishments in contrition for his avoidable misdeeds ironically becomes one of his greatest sources of suffering and thus one of his greatest sources of fame. Though “without his consent he could not have been punished by anyone” (227), he shows a “greatness of soul” (227) by always going above and beyond to make up for his wrongdoings. Unfortunately, this would often result in his punishing “himself when others were inclined to exonerate him” (227), subjecting himself to extremes no other human could withstand. For example, in order to purify himself for killing his “children and Megara” (229), he completes “the Labors of [Heracles]” (232), a series of daunting tasks which include feats like killing “the lion of Nemea” (232), driving away the “Stymphalian birds” (233), and bringing “Cerberus, the three headed dog, up from Hades” (234). Furthermore, in his regret for disrespecting his friend Admetus’s house during a time of mourning, he heaps “blame upon himself” (241) and resolves to wrestle Death and “bring Alcestis back from the dead” (241). Though he is successful in all his tasks, he is never truly “tranquil and at ease” (236), meaning that the suffering he endures is futile to healing his emotional state. Heracles, the ideal Greek who is depicted as sternly devoted to repentance to the point of self-detriment, highlights the importance Greek culture places on proper reconciliation for one’s actions, no matter one’s status in life.
Heracles’s great power, giving him the guise of invincibility, overshadows his vulnerability to lapses in judgment and accidental misuses of strength, which cause not only himself but also those around him great suffering. Heracles is often “conspicuously absent” (226) and does not apply his intellect into much of what he does. Instead, his emotions are “quickly aroused and apt to get out of control” (226). For instance, when he was a child, he “disliked his music master” (229), so he “brained him with his lute (229), dealing “a fatal blow without intending it” (229). Another time, “with a careless thrust of his arm” (237), he accidentally kills an innocent boy who is serving him. Furthermore, wrongly motivated by his sexual appetite for Deianira, Heracles fights “the river-god Achelous” (236) although Achelous has “no desire to fight [Heracles]” (236). Heracles’s belligerent actions may hint at the Greek belief that the best way to resolve issues is through conflict rather than through negotiation.
Heracles’s tragedy is the irony of juxtaposing his cunningness during battle with a lack of decision-making skills and self-restraint outside of battle that reveals his apparent blessing, his great strength, as a curse that limits his success to situations involving conflict. Despite his inability “not to get roaring drunk” (242) in a house of mourning, he is smart enough to defeat Antaeus, a Giant who is invincible as long as he “[touches] the earth” (236) by “holding him in the air” (236) and strangling him. In spite of his “simplicity and blundering stupidity” (242), he is clever enough to trick Atlas into taking the sky back by pretending that he wants to put “a pad on his shoulders to ease the pressure” (234). Even after death, it is hard to imagine Heracles “contentedly enjoying rest and peace” (244), suggesting that this curse forces him into an endless cycle of violence. The fact that Heracles’s mistakes and shortcomings do not detract from his standing as the greatest Greek hero is highly indicative of the Greek culture’s greater reverence for physical strength than for intellectual ability.
In his role as both a hero and a victim, Heracles ironically distinguishes himself as both the inflictor and alleviator of suffering, emphasizing the importance of directing physical prowess using prudence. Otherwise, a person’s life will mirror the tragic life of Heracles and be subject to endless conflict, needless suffering, and uncontrollable impulses. Heracles, despite his inimitable strength, is still human, showing that although it may not be apparent at first, even the greatest of beings are capable of the simplest mistakes. |
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In the Sky: A unit about the sun, moon, and stars!
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Space Theme Unit Activities
Here is a fun early childhood unit for learning about space, the solar system, and astronomy.
Children get to throw a beanbag into the Earth tub, the Moon tub, or the Sun tub for reading a letter, word or number flashcard correctly.
She is shining the flashlight (representing the sun) on the earth. It is day on the side of the earth where the light shines and night on the other side.
We are acting out being the earth by all facing the sun (on the floor). Right now it is daytime.
When we face away from the sun, it is night time because the sun is no longer shining on us.
We made model magic spheres in three sizes to represent the sun, moon and earth.
She is putting triangle sun rays on the pocket we created by stapling one-half a paper plate to a full plate.
We made these into necklaces that hold fact cards about the sun.
The sun is made of gases that are constantly in motion. We swirled yellow, red and white paint to represent these gases. Then we dipped a white circle into the paint…
…and made sun prints by laying it on another paper.
We put it on top of a sentence we had written about the sun.
Pairs of students shared a space station work mat between them. I put some cubes (pretend astronauts) on the mats. Each pair of students estimated how many “astronauts” were on their space station. Then they counted and we recorded the actual amount.
One student in the group made a stack of ten cubes and the other student counted on from ten to see how many “astronauts” they had.
Star stickers were used to make these constellations. If possible, make a transparency of the page with just the stars in place and have the children match the same constellations.
What is this?
It was this in the dark. One child holds the flashlight (a pretend star) on another child. When he is close, the star looks brighter. As he backs up, the star seems dimmer. Then the lights are turned on–can you still see the light from the star? Do stars still shine during the day?
We covered a paper towel tube with stars.
We used a push pin to poke holes in black circles to make constellations. (A styrofoam tray was used for backing.) We did several of these.
We rubber-banded the paper constellations to one end of the paper towel star viewer and shone a flashlight through the other end. When the lights were out we could see our constellations on the ceiling.
Use model magic to create the different phases of the moon.
The boy is pouring glitter into his “star jar”. The glitter represents the millions of stars in the sky. The jar is closed and a poem is glued to the top.
Phases of the Moon
(idea from Jennifer)
Take a chocolate chip cookie (the chips are craters in the moon) and nibble away the different phases of the moon–beginning with a full moon of course and then nibbling it and stopping at each phase until it is a new moon (all gone).
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Math CentralQuandaries & Queries
Question from kaylee, a student:
how do you find and graph the intersect of these two equations:
y=2x-4 (and) 2y=x
Hi Kaylee.
I can think of two good methods:
Method 1: Use a graph
Just graph them on the same sheet of paper and see where they intersect.
Method 2: Use algebra
Use the "substitution method" (look it up using our Quick Search if that doesn't mean anything to you) to substitute (2y) in place of x in the first equation and solve for the value of y. Then use that with either equation to find the value of x. This (x, y) is the intersection.
The first method is easier if you like seeing and drawing accurate pictures, but it is less precise. The second is very precise, but you can't "see" the intersection visually.
Hope this helps,
Stephen La Rocque
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An Arc Midpoint Computation Lesson
Gregory V. Akulov, teacher,
Luther College High School, Regina
Oleksandr (Alex) G. Akulov, student,
University of Waterloo
February 25, 2011
Resource Room
The well-known midpoint formula tells that, if the straight line’s segment has the ends at $x = a, b,$ and midpoint at $x = \mu$, then $2 \mu = a + b \mbox{ or } \mu = \large \frac{a + b}{2}.$ It also tells that the same relationship holds for y-values. Circular analogue of midpoint formula is a new topic.
Arc Midpoint Computation
Let origin-centered arc of radius $r$ (see Figure 2) have the ends at $x = a, b,$ and midpoint at $x = \mu.$ Then
\[2 \small \mu = \pm \sqrt{(r + a)(r + b)} \pm \sqrt{(r - a)(r - b)}\; , \]
where the first radical gets “−” iff1 the arc has a negative x-intercept, and
the second radical gets “+” iff the arc has a positive x-intercept.
The same relationship holds for y-values.
A . Origin-centered arc of radius 50, located as shown at Figure 2, has the ends at $x = 14$ and $x = 25$. Find x-coordinate of its midpoint.
B . An arc of radius 40 is centered at origin. It starts and ends a $x = \;‒24$ and $x = 9$. What is x-coordinate of arc’s midpoint, if the arc is located in quadrants I and II?
C . An arc has center at $(0, 0)$ and radius 82. It starts at $y = 18$ in quadrant II, passes through quadrants III and ends in quadrant IV at $y = \;‒1$. What is y-value of arc’s midpoint?
A . $r = 50, a = 14, b = 25,$ both radicals go with “+”, and $20 \sqrt{3} + 15$ is the answer;
. $r = 40, a = ‒24, b = 9,$ first radical goes with “+”, second radical goes with “−”, and $14 - 4 \sqrt{31}$ is the answer;
C .
$r = 82, a = 18, b = \;‒1,$ both radicals go with “−”, and $-45 - 4 \sqrt{83}$ is the answer.
Arc midpoint computation was suggested by first attempt shown in [1]. Details of proof involved identities received from [2].
1. Oleksandr (Alex) G. Akulov (2009). Dot product finds arc midpoint. Math News, U of W. Volume 111, Issue 6, p. 5.
2. Gregory V. Akulov (2010). The slope of the angle bisector relationship in applied and theoretical problems. Vinculum, SMTS. Volume 2, Number 1, p. 49.
1The word iff first appeared in 1950s as a shortening of conjunction if and only if.
Copyright © January, 2011 by Gregory V. Akulov, Oleksandr (Alex) G. Akulov
In May 2016 Oleksandr and Gregory sent us an Arc Midpoint Calculator.
Arc Midpoint Calculator 1
Oleksandr G. Akulov, MM in OR, BMath, Vancouver, British Columbia
Gregory V. Akulov, teacher, Luther College High School, Regina, Saskatchewan
Cartesian x-values of the endpoints, a, b, and the centre, c,
a = b = c =
Radius r =
If the arc has a point with x-value cr, enter −1, otherwise 1
If the arc has a point with x-value c + r, enter 1, otherwise −1
μ =
Irrelevant output indicates inaccurate input.
To calculate the y-value assume y instead of x in the above.
Copyright © May 19, 2016 by Oleksandr G. Akulov, Gregory V. Akulov
Math Central is supported by the University of Regina and the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences.
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[Originally appeared in Earth Island Journal]
“Without trails, we would be lost.” The simplicity of this statement in the prologue of Robert Moor’s first book, On Trails: An Exploration, opens the door to an in-depth study of trails, their purpose, and their meaning.
Exploring paths forged by creatures ranging from ants to elephants to modern humans, Moor attempts to define the scientific and practical elements which combine to form trails. He goes on a quest to understand pathways across natural systems, exploring everything from deer trails in Alabama to the extensive International Appalachian Trail, sections of which cross North America and Europe.
Moor himself is no stranger to trails. In 2009, he completed a hike on the 2,000-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT), the southern link to the International Appalachian Trail. It was this trip that sparked his deep interest in trails, and the best moments in the book come during his deep dives into what it took to hike the AT and the fascinating history of this route.
Conceptualized in 1921 by forester and conservationist Benton MacKaye, the AT was to be “not merely a footpath through the wilderness but a footpath of the wilderness,” a trail to connect dispersed farms and wilderness camps in the northeastern US. The AT evolved into a long-distance trail for hiking and adventure, and now stands as one of the most famous trails in the world. Asked to clarify the AT’s purpose in his later years, 92 and nearly blind, MacKaye said it was “To walk, to see, and to see what you see!”
This statement gets at the heart of On Trails, which looks past simple definitions of trails to their real purpose, not only as pragmatic shortcuts from Point A to Point B, but as portals to fulfill what is desired by those who travel them. “It is impossible to fully appreciate the value of a trail until you have been forced to walk through the wilderness without one,” Moor states.
This becomes a good starting point to define the meaning of a “hike” as well. As the book hits its stride 200 pages in, the author outlines the criteria for a true hike: “The land must meet certain conditions: it must be both remote and reachable; it must be devoid of enemies or bandits, but also free of too many tourists or technology; and, most importantly, it must be deemed worth exploring.”
Moor delves into the drama and intrigue of difficulties faced by hikers on the trail. In one inspired section, he details an adventure by accomplished naturalist and author Henry Thoreau as he attempts to climb Mount Katahdin at the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Thoreau and his two companions turned back after experiencing heavy weather and difficult conditions, and Thoreau later wrote that it was among “the most treacherous and porous country” he ever traveled.
Overall, Moor’s examination of how and why humans and animals make trails includes some great revelations, but the author ultimately gets distracted on side paths. For example, we lose sight of the book’s main theme during a detailed look at the history of livestock. Moor also spends too much time bogged down in the minutiae of scientific studies, and his argument that the movements of ancient marine organisms represent the earliest example of trails is not convincing. It’s a stretch to say that small creatures were developing “trails” while they were simply moving about.
It would also have been useful for Moor to document more formally established trail systems throughout the world. One example is the National Trails System in the United States – 30 long distance trails that cover the entire country. Only two of these routes receive mention in the book, the AT and the Trail of Tears. A study of other profoundly important trails in the system, like the Nez Perce National Historic Trail, would have been more compelling than the author’s preoccupation with scientific studies. Routes like the Nez Perce Historic Trail preserve culture and history, as do many other trails around the world, several of which have been important to the survival of entire peoples.
For readers who want to explore the endlessly fascinating world of trails, On Trails is a reasonable place to start, but it’s just a beginning. |
Infografika o nevarnostih elektromagnetnih sevanjih
Pregled vira sevanja
avtomobil (električni)
50 Hz, 2,4 GHz
"About a third of German GPs associate EMF with health complaints and thus deviate considerably from current scientific knowledge."
ELF noise fields: a review
Mild KH, Mattsson MO, Electromagn Biol Med, avgust 2010
"The review also covers the work of other groups on low-level effects and the inhibition of the effects with an applied noise field. The group at CUA has shown that biological effects can be found after exposure to low-level ELF and RF electromagnetic fields, and when effects are observed, applying an ELF magnetic noise field inhibits the effects. Also, other research groups have tried to replicate the studies from the CUA group, or to apply EMF noise to suppress EMF-induced effects. Replications of the CUA effects have not always been successful. However, in all cases where the noise field has been applied to prevent an observed effect, it has been successful in eliminating the effect."
"We explain how a purely magnetic interaction, where in a two-stage ion magnetic resonance model, the conformation of a protein is changed under the influence of ions attached to its surface, which in turn, changes the function of the protein, can overcome the inherent signal-to-noise problem caused by electric thermal noise. The hydrogen nuclear polarization model predicts a biological response for oscillating magnetic field strengths above 0.1 micro-Tesla. The presence of a static magnetic field is required, and biological effects can be expected for frequencies below a few hundred hertz. All models except the forced vibration model can be applied for amplitude modulated microwaves."
Electromagnetic fields and DNA damage
Phillips JL et al, Pathophysiology, marec 2009
"A major concern of the adverse effects of exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF) is cancer induction. Since the majority of cancers are initiated by damage to a cell's genome, studies have been carried out to investigate the effects of electromagnetic fields on DNA and chromosomal structure. Additionally, DNA damage can lead to changes in cellular functions and cell death. Single cell gel electrophoresis, also known as the 'comet assay', has been widely used in EMF research to determine DNA damage, reflected as single-strand breaks, double-strand breaks, and crosslinks. Studies have also been carried out to investigate chromosomal conformational changes and micronucleus formation in cells after exposure to EMF. This review describes the comet assay and its utility to qualitatively and quantitatively assess DNA damage, reviews studies that have investigated DNA strand breaks and other changes in DNA structure, and then discusses important lessons learned from our work in this area."
"In this article, we present the model of slow non uniform rotation of the charged DNA-domain/nucleoid for the combined effects of MW and static magnetic field. The solution of this model suggests that the combined action of MW and static magnetic field results in slow non uniform rotation of nucleoid with angular speed that depends on Larmor frequency. The model predicts that non thermal effects of MW are dependent on carrier frequency and also static magnetic field in the area of exposure."
Biophysical aspects of cancer--electromagnetic mechanism
Pokorny J et al, Indian J Exp Biol, maj 2008
"Numerical models are used for analysis of Frohlich's vibration states in cells. Reduction of activity and of energy production in mitochondria, and disintegration of cytoskeleton structures by phosphorylation on the pathway of cancer trasformation can diminish excitation of the Frohlich's vibration states and of the generated electromagnetic field, which results in disturbances of the interaction forces between cells. Interaction forces between cancer cells may be smaller than interaction forces between healthy cells and cancer cells as follows from numerical models. Mechanism of malignity, i.e. local invasion, detachment of cancer cells, and metastasis, is assumed to depend on the electromagnetic field."
"In this review, a general overview is given about oxidative stress, as well as experimental studies are reviewed as they are related to changes in oxidant and antioxidant content after ELF-EMF exposure inducing different biological effects. Finally, we conclude from our review that modulations on the oxidant and antioxidant level through ELF-EMF exposure can play a causal role in cancer development."
"One could speculate that the cardiac MCs are responsible for these changes due to degranulation after exposure to EMFs. However, it is still not known how, and through which mechanisms, all these different cells are affected by EMFs. In this article, we present a theoretical model, based upon observations on EMFs and their cellular effects, to explain the proclaimed sensitivity to electric and/or magnetic fields in humans."
"The effects of nonionizing electromagnetic (EM) field interactions with the human body were reported and human related studies were collected. Nonionizing EM fields are linked to cancer in humans in three different ways: cause, means of detection, and effective treatment. Bad and benign effects are expected from nonionizing EM fields and much more knowledge is necessary to properly categorize and qualify EM field characteristics. It is concluded that knowledge of the boundary between categories, largely dependent on field intensity, is vital to proper future use of EM radiation for any purpose and the protection of the individual from hazard."
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Ullambana Festival
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The Buddhist origins of the Ullambana Festival can be traced back to a story that originally came from India. In the Ullambana Sutra , we find an account of how the Buddha taught Mahāmaudgalyāyana help his mother who was suffering in the lower realm of the Hungry Ghosts.
Mahāmaudgalyāyana was a well-to-do merchant who had given up his trade to become one of the Buddha's chief disciples. After he attained arhatship , he thought of his parents and wondered what happened to them. He travelled over the known Buddhist universe, and found his father in heaven. However, his mother was reborn in a lower realm, known as the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. His mother had taken on the form of a hungry ghost. It could not eat because its throat was very thin and no food could pass through, yet it was always hungry because it had a fat belly. His mother had become greedy with the money he had left her. He had instructed her to kindly offer dana to any Buddhist monks that ever came her way, but instead she withheld her kindness and her money. It was for this reason she was reborn in the Realm of Hungry Ghosts.
The Buddha instructed Mahāmaudgalyāyana to make offerings of Pravarana food to the virtuous assembly of the Sangha on the last day of the rainy-season (summer) retreat (fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar). The merit gained from the dana liberated Mahāmaudgalyāyana's mother from hell. Today, the exact same ritual that the Buddha asked for Mahāmaudgalyāyana to do is well practiced in many parts of Asia.
In Than Hsiang Temple, this Ullambana Festival is celebrated with six continuous evenings of chanting of Amitabha Sutra and on the seventh day, a Filial Piety Dharma Assembly is held together with a Lamp Lighting Ceremony. The purpose for having a Filial Piety Dharma Assembly is to develop gratitude for our parents, ancestors and all sentient beings, who could have been our parents in our past uncountable lifetimes, and to transfer merits to the departed ancestors, relatives and all sentient beings in all the Buddhist realms.
Significance of Lamp Lighting - Light is ever a symbol of knowledge and dispelling of darkness. Darkness represents ignorance, and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces: wickedness, violence, lust, anger, envy, greed, bigotry, fear, injustice, oppression, and suffering. |
Income Tax issues
When you leave your job there are a number of tax issues which you may need to check. These notes are a guide to the main questions but you should always check with your employer, pension administration department or tax office to get definitive answers.
How tax is calculated
The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. Everyone is taxed as an individual with their own allowances. The allowances are not transferable.
Your individual income from all sources is added together to give your total (gross) income. First any pension contributions are deducted and then the income tax allowances as stated in your Tax Code notice are deducted from that figure to leave your Taxable Income. Income tax is payable on the Taxable income at the rates of tax applicable in the tax year.
Link to the Inland Revenue website.
Tax codes
The amount of tax your employer or pension provider deducts from your salary or pension is determined by your tax code. This is issued every year and shows your allowances and any deductions which apply.
Your Notice of Coding lists all the taxable items which cannot be taxed at source (your taxable benefits). They will include any taxable benefits you have been receiving in your job, a company car and/or fuel benefit, health insurance etc. They will also include any tax unpaid for the last year and an Allowance Restriction if you receive the Married Couples Allowance (this was abolished in April 2000 but people who were 65 at that time may still receive it).
The deductions are also listed and are taken from the allowances. The resulting figure (less the last digit) is the tax code which will be applied to your income. The letter denotes certain categories of taxpayer and does not affect the amount of tax you pay. The code number (with the last digit added back on) is the amount of income you can receive before any tax is due.
The Inland Revenue estimate your tax allowances, and hence your tax code, on the basis of your earnings in the previous tax year. If your circumstances change, because you have left your job, retired or lost a taxable benefit your code may need to change, it is advisable to check with your tax office that your allowances are correct.
Taxable benefits cease on the day you no longer receive the benefit, normally this will be on the day you leave. Your code should change as from that day. When you leave, your company will usually inform the Inland Revenue but it does no harm to double check yourself by phoning your tax office.
Your P45
When you leave a job you would normally receive a P45. It would be passed on to a new employer and the employer would apply the tax information to your new salary. If you leave and take a pension, the P45 goes directly to the pension provider, they become your ’employer’. If you take another job, the pension provider can send a P45 so that the employer can apply the correct tax code to your salary.
If you are taking a pension you will be given a page from the P45. This is for your own tax records and it should not be given to an employer.
Tax Rebates
The tax you pay each month is one twelfth of the total tax due on your yearly taxable income (salary less allowances). If you leave, for instance, in September, and take an immediate pension of, say one third salary, then your total income for the year will be reduced and the total tax liability will be less. You will have paid one twelfth of a higher amount for the first six months. The difference between what you have paid and what you should pay is normally rebated to you in your first or second pension payment.
If you do not take a pension you may ask for the rebate to be paid to you. If you get a job and give the employer your P45 any rebate would be in your first salary payment.
Taxation of redundancy/severance payments
Redundancy payments up to £30000 are normally paid free of tax. The total payment your receive may be made up of different components, eg payment in lieu of notice, statutory redundancy payments etc. There may be complications with some types of payment eg. ‘ex-gratia’ payments – check with your payroll department on your tax position if necessary.
Any payment in excess of £30000 is added to your income for the tax year. Note that this might take you into a higher tax bracket for the year which would mean that you may have excess tax to pay on savings interest and dividends.
Pension commuted to cash
Cash lump sums commuted from pension schemes are not taxable. They are not added to income or to redundancy payments for tax purposes.
The interest earned on the sums is, of course, part of taxable income.
Tax on company and personal pensions
If you have just been receiving a salary your tax allowances have been set against the salary and tax deducted accordingly. Your pension provider effectively becomes your new ’employer’ and will deduct tax from your pension in the same way as your salary.
Tax and your State Pension
When you reach State Pension age and you receive your State Retirement Pension it will not be taxed at source. It is taxable, however, and the tax due on it will be taken from your company pension.
Reducing your Income Tax liability
There are a number of ways of ensuring that you do not pay tax unnecessarily. As your circumstances change, your tax situation may alter as well and a check could reveal areas where tax savings could be made.
If you are married or have a civil partner whose total income is below the Personal Allowance, consider transferring assets which produce income between you and your spouse/partner in order to reduce income tax liability.(Note, if you are not married or in a Civil Partnership, there may be a Capital Gains Tax liability if you transfer assets).
A transferable allowance is available to married couples and civil partners who are not in receipt of married couple’s allowance. A spouse or civil partner who is not liable to income tax or not liable to higher or additional rate can transfer an amount of their personal allowance to their spouse or partner as long as they are not higher rate tax payers.
If you have overpaid income tax for any reason in previous years, you can submit form R40 to the Inland Revenue for repayment, up to six years back.
The Retirement Counselling Service Ltd
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01494 433553 |
Subsets and Splits