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How to Sketch By Computer (For Cheap)
The technology to translate doodles, sketches and ideas into detailed drawings is surprisingly affordably and acceptable. Here's what you need to get started—and tips to become a pro.
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(Photograph by Chris Eckert)
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Drawing, that medium of pencils, pens and paper, would seem to be the last great analog art. Traditional sketching is a tactile experience that doesn't translate well to a mouse. But take the mouse out of the equation and replace it with a digital pen, and drawing on a computer becomes a surprisingly intuitive experience.
Pen-based user interfaces are almost as old as computing itself, but professional graphic artists all swear by one technology--the Wacom tablet and pen. Wacom makes a variety of pen and tablet interfaces, from $2000 21-inch rotating tablets with integrated screens to the small, consumer-friendly Bamboo Craft, which sells for $130.
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I've used Wacom tablets both professionally for photo retouching and for my hobby, creating cartoon creatures, for years, but the fundamentals of the pen interface take only minutes to learn. A Wacom tablet interacts with an electromagnetic resonance pen that the pad can detect from up to a half-inch away. You can control the onscreen cursor by hovering above the pad's surface. To draw or select an option, just trace or tap on the pad. The tablet senses both pressure and directionality, so it can digitally mimic the character of your stroke--from the gentle scratches of a pencil to the thick, heavy lines of a paintbrush dragged across a canvas. Newer Wacom tablets, such as the Bamboo Craft, are two-finger touch-sensitive, meaning you can use the device as a digital drawing pad as well as a trackpad replacement for a mouse.
The second part of the artistic equation is software. No two artists have the same style or technique, and just as analog artists work in acrylics, watercolors, oils or inks, digital artists have a broad tool set of art programs available to them. Pro art software is enormously capable, but can get expensive and eye-glazingly complex. Adobe Photoshop ($700), for instance, has artistic tools that go way beyond its core photo-manipulation functionality. Corel Painter ($500) digitally mimics the process of using traditional media such as oil and pastels. And Autodesk Maya ($3495) is sophisticated 3D modeling software. But any of these programs can take years to master.
For newbies, many of the same companies that make pro software also have lower-priced programs such as Adobe's Photoshop Elements ($100), Corel's Painter Essentials ($100) and Sketch Pad ($120), and Autodesk SketchBook Pro ($100). These are easier to learn and far friendlier to the wallet. (Wacom tablets generally come with two free art software downloads, so some of these programs can be had for no cost.) The software that fits your style is best discovered through experimentation. Download trial versions of software before you buy.
Most of these programs have a fairly similar logic and set of tools. The concept of layering, for example, is pervasive. Drawing and editing images in layers is like having infinite levels of tracing paper to compose your image with. You can draw a rough sketch on the bottom layer, then progressively refine it and add color in successive layers (see "The Layered Look"). As you work, you can turn individual layers on and off, allowing you to experiment without losing your previous work. Don't like your character's hands? Turn that layer off and try drawing a set of lobster claws.
Palettes of tools such as paintbrushes, pencils, chalks and airbrushes are common to most software; colors can be mixed on screen and brush sizes and shapes dialed in to your specification. Some software even allows you to specify the character of the paper or canvas you are working on. The more you explore each program, the more functionality you'll discover. And you can use different programs in tandem. A drawing started in Painter Essentials can be opened in Photoshop Express, where you can tinker with new effects.
Once you start experimenting, you'll find plenty of options that are easy in the digital world but would have been painstaking or even impossible in the physical world. For instance, you can take a digital photo, import it as a source layer in Painter, trace over it and end up with a photo-accurate illustration. (If you don't want to import the photo digitally, lay a printout over your tablet and trace directly over it.)
Any mistakes are easily erased, and as you work, you are constantly creating scenery, characters and other elements that you can cut and paste into new work. For my creatures, I have a library of perfectly executed alien heads, serpent eyes, claws, hooves and various antennae that I go back to all the time.
When you get good enough, you can print your work directly to canvas using online services such as Canvas On Demand or Canvas People, and then put them up for sale at Or you can make T-shirts and mugs and sell them at Just because you're an artist doesn't mean you have to starve.
Step-by-Step: The Layered Look
Digital artwork is created through a layering process. Each layer refines the one below it, like tracing paper. This structured drawing process allows much more flexibility and room for experimentation.
(Illustrations by Anthony Verducci)
1. The base layer is for brainstorming with a light-colored pencil tool. Use the space to rough out multiple ideas.
2. Pick out your best ideas and redraw them into the next layer. Refine the details of your subject and decide on your point of view.
3. Add another layer underneath the sketch layer for color. Experiment with various brushes and tools to add texture.
4. On the uppermost layer, trace over your sketch with the pen tool to create a solid outline. Add in fine details like wrinkles, shadows and highlights.
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Powerhouse Museum Collection Search 2.53
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Catalina flying boat 'Frigate Bird II', 1935
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Object statement
By 1951 the final ocean to be traversed for air travel was the South Pacific between Australia and South America. In this aircraft, famous Australian pilot P.G. Taylor pioneered an air route by island hopping across the Pacific from Sydney to Valparaiso. The Catalina flying boat, with its ability to land and take off in calm water, and its great endurance over long distances, was the ideal aircraft to accomplish the final aviation link around the world.
The PBY was the first US aircraft to carry radar and fulfilled diverse missions including torpedo-bomber, transport and glider tug. Famous were the "Black Cat" Catalinas which, painted matt black, roamed the western Pacific from December 1942 finding Japanese ships by radar at night and rescuing stranded Allied service personnel from boats and dinghies. RAAF Catalinas were famous for their precision laying of mines in enemy waterways and harbours. The Museum's Catalina saw service in several air-sea rescue squadrons and in the New Guinea administration just after the war, before being selected by Captain Taylor to fly the first uncharted air route between Sydney and Valparaiso, Chile. He renamed the aircraft "Frigate Bird II" and had the appropriate civil registration VH-ASA (Australia-South America) applied. Taylor was an extremely experienced Catalina pilot and had also made several similar pioneering flights. He won fame in 1935 as the crew member on Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's flight in the "Southern Cross", when he transferred oil from one engine to another by climbing out of the cabin and balancing on the struts in mid-flight.
The flight to South America, which left the Rose Bay flying boat base on 13 March 1951, had the smallest workable crew, comprising Captain G.H. "Harry" Purvis (first officer), E D "Blue" L'Huillier (engineer), Angus Allison (radio officer and bowman) and "Sydney Morning Herald" journalist, Jack Percival (executive officer and official correspondent). Eight fuel stops were made, the last being at Easter Island. The fact that there was no sheltered area of water for take-off here was a serious hazard. The crew suffered through a storm, a freak swell broke all three of its anchor ropes, and Taylor was washed overboard. Finally take-off was executed with the assistance of the JATO (jet-assisted take-off) rockets that had been fitted to the hull by the RAAF. After 8,451 miles (13,600 km) the flight was a success, and a proud Commonwealth Government presented "Frigate Bird II" to Taylor in recognition of his aviation achievements.
In 1961 Taylor presented the Catalina to the Museum and in 1985 it was restored structurally and cosmetically by Hawker Pacific at Bankstown Airport. In 1987 the Catalina was hoisted 10 metres above the floor of the Boiler Hall in the Powerhouse Museum, where it formed the breathtaking centrepiece of the Transport Exhibition which opened to the public in 1988. "Frigate Bird II" is one of the few remaining 168 RAAF Catalinas to survive; with its historic flight, Australians had pioneered every ocean air route in the world, except across the Atlantic.
Margaret Simpson
In 1932 the US Navy announced a design competition for a new long-range patrol flying boat. It was to have a range of 3,000 miles, cruise speed of 100 miles per hour and gross weight of 25,000 pounds. At that time the principal aircraft in this category was the Consolidated P2Y Ranger, a twin engined sesquiplane patrol flying boat designed by Consolidated's chief engineer, Isaac Macklin (Mac) Laddon. To meet the US Navy's demand, Laddon produced a new design and developed what was to become the Consolidated Model 28, later known as the Catalina. The prototype was the XP3Y-1, which first flew on 21 March 1935 at Norfolk, Virginia, Naval Air Station, with company test pilot William B Wheatley. The rival Douglas XP3D-1 was also a good aircraft, but the Consolidated boat won the Naval contract because it was a cheaper buy at $US90,000 as against the $110,000 price tag for the Douglas.
An order for 60 of the new Consolidated flying boats, to be designated PBY-1, was placed with Consolidated Aircraft on 29 June 1935 by the US Navy while another 50, designated PBY-2, were ordered two months before the first aircraft was delivered. These massive orders saw Consolidated move, in mid-August 1935, 3220 km from Buffalo, New York State, to San Diego, in southern California, where the weather was better. The cold northern winters had caused ice to form in the waterways, making flying boat operation dangerous until the spring thaw. The change of designation from P to PB for the production run indicated that the aircraft was to be a patrol bomber rather than just a patrol aircraft. The PBY-1s went into service with the US Navy in late 1936 and the first PBY-2 was delivered to the Navy in May 1937. Production turned successively to the PBY-3, PBY-4, PBY5, Nomad, -5A and -6A amphibians differing mainly in having more powerful variants of the Twin Wasp engines and the use of upgraded equipment. The Nomad was produced with a modified hull and tall tail, the latter also being incorporated into the PBY-6A.
Internationally the Catalina was recognised as an excellent patrol aircraft and in 1937 the Soviet Union negotiated a contract for licence production and engineering support. Thus PBYs, designated GST, were built under licence at Taganrog on the Sea of Azov, before the area was overrun by the German army in 1941. In 1939 a PBY-4 was bought by the British Air Ministry and tested at Felixstowe, East Suffolk. It proved so outstanding that it was adopted as a standard boat for coastal command and an order for 200 was placed on 20 December 1939. The name Catalina was coined by the British in 1940 and is derived from the name of an island off the coast of California (Santa Catalina), north of the Consolidated factory at San Diego. No flying boat, in fact no large US Navy aircraft, had ever been ordered in such quantities. Such was the demand for the Catalinas that, when the Royal Canadian Air Force sought to replace its aging Supermarine Stranraer flying boats in 1939 with PBYs it was unable to do so because all production was allocated to the Royal Air Force and the US Navy. This caused British officials to help arrange for licence production of Catalinas by Canadian Vickers at Cartierville (Montreal) and Boeing of Canada at Vancouver. The San Diego plant also more than doubled in size and was joined by an even larger plant a mile down the road.
In September 1940 the Boeing Canada Company in Vancouver, British Columbia, received a contract for 55 PBY-5A amphibians which were to be assembled from parts supplied by Consolidated. The first Boeing-produced PBY, known in Canada as Cansos, named after the Strait of Canso which lies between Cape Breton Island and Nova Scotia, was completed on 27 July 1942. Ultimately Boeing Canada produced 362 Cansos in two types, the PB2B-1 and the tall-tailed PB2B-2.
More Catalinas were built than any other flying boat in history. Total production of all versions of the Consolidated Model 28 totalled 3,272. Of these, 1,854 were flying boats and 1,418 were amphibians. Some 731 were built in Canada by the two Canadian plants.
This type of aircraft transformed the ocean patrolling capability of the US Navy in both flying boat and amphibian types, with good load-carrying capability and an amazing range and endurance. Consequently, it became one of the most durable and effective aircraft of the Second World War. Catalinas were used by virtually all the Allied services, including the RAF and RAAF. Although it was one of the slowest combat aircraft of World War II, it outsold all the newer, faster and better-equipped replacements of other manufacturers.
The Museum's Catalina is a type PB2B-2, built under licence in 1944 for Consolidated Aircraft in Vancouver, Canada, by the Boeing Aircraft Co. Sixty seven PB2B-2s were made by Boeing between September 1944 and March 1945, with forty seven going to the RAAF and the rest used by the US Navy and the RAF. In the RAF it was known as the Catalina Mark VI. Its most significant feature is the tall tail and larger rudder introduced on the PBN Nomad. Otherwise it is basically of PBY-5 specification, but it incorporated all the late production equipment. It was originally fitted with a twin-gun bow gun turret manufactured by the Ryan Aeronautical Co. of Lindbergh Field. The offensive armament was removed prior to handover to P.G. Taylor. The "Eyeball" was removed and a plate fitted at Rathmines while the "head up" was removed at Quintero Naval Base, Chile due to damage sustained at Easter Island. The aircraft was originally finished in dark sea grey upper surfaces over white but this was replaced with the silver and grey of an aircraft used by the RAAF for Air -Sea rescue service after it arrived in Australia in September 1945. The PB2B-2 Catalina was fitted with two Pratt and Whitney R1830-92 Twin Wasp engines of 1,200 hp each.
The first Catalina to arrive in Australia was in 1938 when "Guba", a privately-owned Model 28-2 was leased by the Commonwealth Government. It was commanded by Captain P G Taylor on a survey flight across the Indian Ocean to Mombasa, Kenya for an Empire Route. This was thought necessary if Japan increased its aggression in Asia and the air route to England was cut at Singapore.
In 1940 the PBY-5 version of the Catalina was ordered for the RAAF. They were ferried across the Pacific by a combination of Qantas and RAAF crews, and the first aircraft was accepted on 5 February 1941, piloted by Captain Lester J. Brain, with Capt. Taylor as navigator. This was only the third aircraft ever to fly the direct route across the Pacific. The last Catalina, A24-386, arrived on 3 September 1945. In all, 168 Catalinas were operated by the RAAF under the following serial Nos. A 24-1/114, A24-200/206, A24-300/309, and A24-350/386. These aircraft included two PBY-4s taken over from the US Navy, Mks I, II and IIA (PBY-5 flying boats), MK III(PBY-5A amphibians) and Mk IV and MkVI (Boeing built PB2B-1,-2). With their long range and endurance, the Catalinas established an impressive war record and operated with Nos 11, 20, 42, 43 Squadrons, Nos 6 and 8 Com. Units, and Nos 111, 112, 113 ASR Flights.
Catalinas also served a civil role in Australia during the war. A small fleet was operated by Qantas Empire Airways for two years between July 1943 and June 1945. During that period Catalinas undertook 271 ocean crossings between Ceylon and Perth, 3,513 miles (5,653 km) in radio silence, non stop and airborne for up to 31 hours. This incident-free operation was the world's longest non-stop airline sector. Post-war a number of Catalinas were used in commercial operations, notably by Qantas, Barrier Reef Airlines and TAA's Sunbird Service.
The Museum's Catalina PB2B-2 was built under licence for Consolidated Aircraft by the Boeing Aircraft Company in Vancouver, Canada, in 1944. Following its test flights, the aircraft was flown to San Pedro, California. It was then handed over to the RAAF San Pedro Ferry Detachment, given the RAAF Serial No. A24-385, and flown across the Pacific by an RAAF crew, arriving in Australia on 3 September 1945. It was the second last RAAF Catalina to be received, only weeks after the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945.
Many Catalinas at this time were used in the South West Pacific area to bring home to Australia the ex Prisoners of War well enough to fly. Following this they flew back Australian soldiers from Borneo, New Guinea and the other islands due to be discharged from war service. On the outward flight from Australia the Catalinas carried clothing, footwear, medical supplies, fresh fruit and vegetables, and meat. These flights continued up to March 1946.
Unfortunately, exact details of the duties of the Museum's Catalina at this time are not known as neither the pilot nor aircraft logbooks have survived. However it is known to have been allocated to 43 squadron for 4 months before being returned to storage in February 1946. It was then allocated to 112 air-sea rescue flight as a standby for aircraft No. A24-109 but because of an unserviceable air screw, No. A24-300 was issued instead. Following repairs it was issued to Rathmines RAAF flying boat base on Lake Macquarie, NSW, but was damaged in a hailstorm and after repair was allotted to the New Guinea administration for air-sea rescue. In August 1946 its 360-hour check was undertaken at Rathmines, after which it was allotted to 111 air-sea rescue flight. However, following disbandment of this unit in January 1947, it was again issued to Port Moresby. More repairs were undertaken after a beaching accident which damaged the hull and port float when the beaching gear collapsed. After this it was issued to 11 squadron in September 1949, its last duty with the RAAF.
In 1950 Captain Patrick Gordon "Bill" Taylor was given permission by the Australian Government to carry out a survey flight to establish an air route between Australia and South America. The Government allowed Captain Taylor to select an aircraft to achieve this flight and the best available was A24-385, which was officially handed over to him on 22 August 1950. Despite its good condition, it was given a thorough overhaul by the RAAF, repainted, named "Frigate Bird II" by Taylor and given the Civil Registration VH-ASA. It was originally allocated the civil registration VH-AGB but Taylor requested the more appropriate VH-ASA (indicating Australia South America), which he was granted. On 13 March 1951 Taylor set off from the flying boat base at Rose Bay in Sydney with the smallest workable crew: Captain George Henry "Harry" Purvis (first officer), Eugene Dennis "Blue" L'Huillier (engineer), Angus Allison (radio officer and bowman) and "Sydney Morning Herald" journalist, Jack Percival (executive officer and official correspondent). They made a shakedown flight to Grafton, NSW, landing on the Clarence River, and next morning headed east for South America. Stops were made at: Noumea, New Caledonia; RNZAF Station Luthala Bay, Suva, Fiji; Stapuala Bay, Samoa; Aitutaki; Cook Islands; Papeete Harbour, Tahiti; and Mangareva, French Oceania; and Easter Island. The necessity to refuel at Easter Island, where there was no sheltered area of water for take-off, was a serious hazard for a grossly overloaded aircraft. There the crew suffered through a storm, a freak swell broke all three anchor ropes, and Taylor was washed overboard. Finally take-off was executed with the assistance of the JATO rockets (jet-assisted take-off) that had been fitted to the hull by the RAAF at Rathmines.
On 26 March 1951, Taylor, escorted by a Chilean Air Force Catalina, reached the capital of Chile, Valparaiso. There he landed near the Quintero Air Force station and was warmly welcomed by the President of Chile after covering 8,500 miles (13,679 km). On 3 April Taylor left Quintero for the eventful return flight, which saw the starboard rockets fail to fire when taking off in another storm from Easter Island and the plane nearly smashed to pieces on the cliffs at Ovahe Cove. They arrived back at Rose Bay on 21 April to a large reception. The aircraft was subsequently presented to Captain Taylor by the then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, in recognition of the first air-crossing of the South Pacific Ocean and in appreciation of the many surveys made by the famous aviator. It was not until 1970 that serious talks aimed at establishing a service between Australia and Chile commenced.
Patrick Gordon Taylor was born in Sydney on 21 October 1896, the son of a prosperous York Street merchant. He was educated at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School and The Armidale School and enjoyed sailing his 16-footer. In 1916 Taylor sought to enlist in the Australian Flying Corps, but was rejected and sailed to England. He joined the Royal Flying Corps and was a trainee pilot at Netherhaven, Wiltshire, on Sailsbury Plain before joining 66 Squadron in France. He was awarded the Military Cross, the citation noting his 40 offensive patrols at low altitudes and under heavy ground fire and 'exceptional dash and gallantry in attacking large formations of hostile aircraft'
Later Taylor returned to Australia and served as a tactical air flying instructor in the Australian Flying Corps until the end of the war in 1918. After this he undertook an aviation engineering course, taught himself navigation, and received the first navigator's licence issued by the Department of Civil Aviation.
In 1930 when Kingsford Smith and Ulm founded Australian National Airways to fly between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Taylor joined as a pilot, but the company foundered and Kingsford Smith and Ulm enlisted Taylor for pioneering overseas flights. In 1933 Taylor navigated for Kingsford Smith when he flew the "Southern Cross" from Australia to New Zealand. The next year he flew with Kingsford Smith in the Lockheed Altair "Lady Southern Cross" on the first west-east crossing of the Pacific. In 1935 Taylor was flying mail to New Zealand with Kingsford Smith in the ageing "Southern Cross" when the starboard motor cut out and the port engine began to lose oil. The aircraft continued to lose altitude despite dumping the mail and freight. Taylor climbed out onto the struts of the aircraft six times and retrieved oil from the dead engine and transferred it to the labouring engine in a thermos. For his bravery Taylor was awarded the Empire Gallantry medal (later changed to the George Cross).
In 1939 Taylor captain-navigated the Catalina flying boat "Guba", trail blazing the great commercial air routes across the Indian Ocean between Australia and Africa. During World War II he ferried American Liberator bombers across the Atlantic and Catalinas across the Pacific in 1941. In 1942 he flew Netherlands East Indies naval Catalinas with VIPs between Java and Hawaii and in 1944 was engaged by the RAF to survey a mid-Pacific route linking Mexico with New Zealand. For this flight he was provided with a Catalina IVB JX275 at Bermuda, and named it "Frigate Bird".
By the end of the war there was only one ocean expanse still unconquered by air, the South Pacific between Australia and South America. In 1950 Captain Taylor was determined to establish an air link from Australia to Chile. With official support from the Commonwealth Government, he was provided with the Boeing-built PB2B-2 by the RAAF, A24-385, which he named "Frigate Bird II". The pioneering survey flight was successfully undertaken in 1951. After his return to Australia from Chile, at the age of 55, Captain Taylor, a widower, married a young schoolteacher and in 1954 was knighted. Taylor then considered using "Frigate Bird II" for his own commercial operations, but this was not financially possible and attempts at selling the aircraft were unsuccessful.
In 1954 the flying boat was removed from the Civilian Register and made its last flight back to Rathmines for storage. There it suffered from the removal of numerous items for spare parts and by souvenir hunters either working or training at the base. When the base closed in 1956 Taylor had the aircraft dismantled and towed on a barge to the flying boat base at Rose Bay in Sydney. Sadly, by this time, "Frigate Bird II" was in poor condition. After initially being stored in the back of the Ansett hangar at Rose Bay it was later moved outside, where its aluminium hull suffered from exposure to the elements and vandalism. The aircraft's deterioration continued and Taylor was faced with the possibility of scuttling the aircraft at sea until, in 1961, his attention was drawn to the Museum by a friend and aerophilatelist, Mr Ernest Crome, and he consequently presented the Catalina as a gift. Taylor recorded his adventures in seven books, with the 1951 Sydney to South America flight described vividly in "Frigate Bird". He died suddenly in Honolulu at the age of 70 of a heart attack on 16 December 1966. Taylor had piloted 71 different types of aircraft.
In the 1960s the Museum's display area was very small, so the Catalina went into storage. It was loaned during the 1970s to the Camden Museum of Aviation, but after that Museum was forced to leave its site the Catalina was kept in storage until 1985. Structural and cosmetic restoration was then undertaken by Hawker Pacific Pty Ltd at Bankstown Airport, Sydney, to take the aircraft back to its 1951 appearance. At a special ceremony on 17 June 1987, attended by Sir Gordon Taylor's widow, Lady Joy Taylor, the Catalina was hoisted 10 m above the floor of the Boiler Hall of the Powerhouse Museum, back into its natural environment. A year later it formed the breathtaking centrepiece of the Transport Exhibition which opened to the public in 1988.
This text content licensed under CC BY-NC.
The Catalina is a twin-engined high-winged monoplane flying boat with retractable wing tip floats. It features an almost cantilevered wing mounted above a shallow but broad hull on a central pylon housing the flight engineer. The wing has a rectangular centre section and tapered outer panels, all of stressed-skin all-metal construction, though the ailerons and trailing edges are fabric-skinned. A unique feature is the wing-tip floats, which are mounted on pivoted frames that can be retracted electrically so that in flight the floats form the wingtips. The hull is also all-metal, with a broad semicircular upper surface.
The bow has a mooring compartment and transparent sighting window, with a roller blind giving seawater protection. A turret all-round window is fitted in the upper bow. The two pilots sit side-by-side in a wide cockpit with large windows all round. Left and right gunner stations have blister windows on the waist of the hull behind the wing. The tail is of a tall design, with the horizontal tail mounted well up the single fin. The power plant comprises a pair of two-row Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines neatly cowled on the centre section with cooling gills. The engines drive Hamilton variable-pitch propellers.
The interior of the aircraft, including cockpit instruments, is incomplete, having been stripped from the aircraft years before it was given to the Museum. Remaining items were removed and stored to allow for restoration and exhibition.
Maker: Boeing Aircraft of Canada Limited, Vancouver, Canada, under licence from Consolidated Aircraft (later Convair) of San Diego, California, USA.
Date of manufacture: 1944
Type: PB2B-2
Airframe identification No.: A21-61
Contract No.: A(S) 782
Drawing No.: 28B6000-4
Manufacturer's serial No.: A21-61
Constructor's number: 61154
US Navy Serial No.: 44248
British Serial No.: JX 630
RAAF Serial No.: A24-385
Civil Registration: VH-ASA
Wingspan: 31.7 m (104 feet)
Length: 19.5 m (64 feet)
Height: 5.5 m (18 feet)
Weight: 8.52 tonnes (8.39 tons) empty
Engines: Two Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp Type R1830-92 radial air-cooled
Cylinders: 14 radial, twin row
Power: 895 kW (1200 horsepower)
Maximum speed: 314 km/h (170 knots)
Range: 23 hours (32 with auxiliary tanks)
National flags of Chile and Australia on either side of the bow. Registration letters 'VH-ASA' on either side of the vertical stabiliser below the horizontal stabiliser. National flag of Australia on either side of the vertical stabiliser above horizontal stabiliser. Registration letters 'VH-ASA' on starboard and port outer wing panels. Dzus fastener alignment marks.
Production date
5500 mm
31700 mm
8520 kg
This text content licensed under CC BY-SA.
Acquisition credit line
Gift of Sir Patrick Gordon Taylor GC MC, 1962
+ Air transport
+ War
+ Communications
Currently on public display
+ Transport Exhibition
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Concise link back to this object: https://ma.as/207900
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{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/207900 |title=Catalina flying boat 'Frigate Bird II' |author=Powerhouse Museum |accessdate=9 December 2016 |publisher=Powerhouse Museum, Australia}}
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Harvesting water from rooftops
It rains about three months a year in this Mexican state, and then nothing. If there's not enough rain, women like this woman have a lot of work. That woman lives in this poor mountain village, population about 400. She says, �until a few years ago when it was dry, she and the others here had to get water from a canyon, a day's walk there and back.� then three years ago, the villagers attached a plastic pipe alongside the sloping, metal corrugated roof of the local craftshop. The pipe dumps rainwater into a small covered tank. Now the woman says not only do they have more water, they have better water. She says, �before the pipe system was invented, the villagers collected rainwater from a palm in a field. Animals drank there and pigs bathed. Everybody here used to get sick.� Putting a pipe alongside a roof might not seem all that ingenious or revolutionary because it's not. �There were harvesting system that were very old, we could say about 5,000 years,� this man coordinates the International Center for Demonstration and Training of Rainwater Harvesting System. The school is in a town just outside of Mexico City. On campus they're testing various types of rainwater catchments systems. He says, �This is a system we have for a four or five member family.� The bigger the roof, of course the more rainwater that can be collected. We walk a little bit further and the man points to a modest sized office building and next to it a huge hole in the ground that looks like an Olympic sized swimming pool with a cover on top. He says, �it looks like a huge bath. This means this avoid contamination, avoids solar radiation, and that keeps the rainwater in good quality.� That bag contains enough water to sustain 2,500 people for a year. The stored water runs through a basic purification system. The investment per person? About $35 dollars. Still only a handful of communities in Mexico or elsewhere are doing this. That's because in many places people have been taught that rainwater isn't clean and in polluted urban areas it isn't. but necessity is the mother of invention. �The drought in Australia has been ongoing for about a decade in most locations,� this professor studies Rainwater Harvesting at the University of Newcastle in Australia, the planet's driest inhabited continent. He says, �We've got this bizarre situation in Australia where we're in a water crisis but none of the water running off of extra areas is actually used to solve that crisis.� That's changing in parts of Australia. In the city of Brisbane one in eight residents now have water tanks and collection systems. It used to be illegal, now it's mandated for new buildings. This man says this has saved Brisbane tens of millions of dollars. He's the author of the book �Rainwater Harvesting for Dry Lands and Beyond.� He says, �before going forward with this water harvesting, they were looking at putting in multi-million dollar desalinization projects, large dams and large canal projects. But if they get every home hooked up with one of these rainwater tanks, they won't need to do any of that for 100 years. And that's at projected population growth.� And he says the benefits of rainwater harvesting don't stop there, �In addition it can be used to reduce flooding downstream because instead of that water flashing off the roof and into the storm drains, we're collecting it and holding it and then distributing it over time.� Rainwater collection isn't ideal everyplace. It's difficult to do in densely packed urban areas, there's more pollution and less space for collection. And you need the right roof. For example, if you're living in a place like the United Kingdom, old copper roofs can leech metals into rainwater. And parts of the US, roofs are coated with asphalt shingles that can add toxins. Still any economist will tell you, when faced with a chronic water shortage changing a roof is a lot cheaper than any other existing alternative. |
Conflict & Justice
Why Tunisia's Constitution is Groundbreaking in the Arab World
This story is a part of
Human Needs
This story is a part of
Human Needs
The country where the Arab Spring began, Tunisia, is reaching a milestone. For the past 18 months legislators have been hammering out a constitution. Now they're in the thick of a final debate over the document. It's groundbreaking, supposedly the first constitution in the Arab world to not mention Islamic law. And the first to be written by elected representatives. They've had some help.
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Riddhi Dasgupta, an international law expert at Cambridge University, assisted in the drafting of Tunisia's constitution. He says the Tunisians, after decades of authoritarian rule, wanted to establish the rule of law.
"More than anything else, they wanted effective self governance, and they wanted freedom away from corruption," Dr. Dagupta told The World's Marco Werman. "They wanted a different way of looking at human rights."
Dasgupta notes that the Tunisian constitution, now being debated, brings together the aspirations of many different parts of Tunisian society.
"The Tunisian political state really wanted to be an important part of the community of nations," he said. "There's also a tremendous yearning for modernization, and to wonderfully commingle the Islamic nature of their society with being part of the international law community."
The Tunisian draft constitution, as it currently reads, does not quote Sharia law. But, adds Dasgupta, that may suit the Tunisians. "I think that there need not really be language about religious law in the constitution for there to be a spirit that is suffused with the good things that religion brings to the table."
Dr. Dasgupta underscores that finalizing then constitution is just one step in Tunisia's transformation from dictatorship to democracy, but it's a crucial one.
"We're talking about checks and balances, we're talking about separation of powers, and basically a culture of the rule of law. You know, none of it's worth a hill of beans if people don't respect the rule of law," he said. |
News & Information: Featured Content
Can you hear that face? Cross-modal perceptions
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 (0 Comments)
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Gary Lupyan
We learn at a young age that we see with our eyes, hear with our ears, smell with our noses. The clear anatomical differences between these sense organs appear to map intuitively on how we think about the different perceptual modalities. The scientific study of perception is likewise largely divided along these modal lines. Someone studying visual cognition might attend the vision sciences conference; someone studying audition, the meeting of the acoustical society; one interested in taste, “the international symposium on olfaction and taste”.
If sensory modalities were encapsulated modules—each working independently to provide us with information about sensory data in which they specialize—it would be fine that the people studying vision publish in different journals and go to different conferences from people studying audition.
But more and more, scientists are discovering that perception is inherently multimodal, and that focusing on studying sensory modalities independently may be hampering our progress in understanding perception itself—the process by which we derive meaning from sensory inputs.
In a new study published in the Psychonomic Bulletin & ReviewZweig, Suzuki, & Grabowecky from Northwestern University showed undergraduate students pictures of unfamiliar faces and trained them to associate each face with a voice saying things like “Hi I am Michael and I am 26.” The training continued until the face-voice pairings had been learned, and participants were then presented with a search task.
One of the learned faces was selected to serve as the target which was shown along with 15 other faces (distractors) from the same gender. The participants’ task was to find the target face as quickly as possible, reporting the quadrant in which it appeared. Simultaneously with the appearance of the display, participants heard a voice say a phrase like “Hi, I’m over here.” This auditory information was not informative of the location of the face (the way it would be in the real world), but on a subset of the trials, the voice matched the face that it was previously paired with. Performance on these congruent trials was contrasted with performance on trials when the voice was not previously learned or when the voice was previously learned, but reversed, which served as a control for some low-level acoustic information like pitch and duration. What happened? Participants were considerably faster (~13% speedup) in finding the face when hearing its matching voice than when hearing an unlearned voice.
Performance on the unlearned condition was similar to the voice-reversed condition. Subsequent follow-up experiments further ruled out effects of voice familiarity—showing that it was face-voice congruity rather than voice familiarity that was responsible for the search speedup, and that the search performance when hearing a matching voice was enhanced relative to not hearing any voice. Together, the results provide compelling evidence that hearing a newly learned congruent sound enables people to more effectively attend to the matching visual stimulus.
In a theoretically converging set of studies, also published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, Barenholtz, Lewkowicz, Davidson, and Lauren Mavica from Florida Atlantic University asked participants to learn which of four faces corresponded to a given voice (Experiment 1) or which of four dogs corresponded to a particular bark (Experiment 2).
In both experiments, learners were better at learning the pairings when the sound and visual stimulus matched on a categorical level. That is, people learned which of four faces matched a given voice when the faces and voice were both female or both male. People likewise learned much better to associate a bark with a particular dog than a particular bird. While the finding that some associations are learned more easily than others is not surprising, what is surprising is just how large a learning advantage is obtained when the visual and auditory stimuli mesh at a categorical level—a finding expected on accounts positing that our representation of auditory and visual material is not altogether distinct.
Most work on cross-modal influences has focused on relationships between audition and vision. Many readers will be familiar with the finding that certain novel words (bouba/kiki) elicit particular visual forms (rounded and sharp shapes, respectively).[1]
A recent review paper, once again published in the Society’s Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, by Knöferle and Spence from Oxford University examined cross-modal associations of a less familiar sort; namely, between taste and sound. Multiple studies have now reported the existence of associations between, for example, sour tastes and high pitched sounds, and sweetness and an even rhythm.
The authors discuss several mechanisms by which such associations may arise including common intensity coding (high intensity stimuli in one modality become associated with high intensity stimuli in other modalities), and hedonic matching (positive acoustic stimuli tend to be associated with positive tastes), or the possibility that the associations are mediated by facial expressions made to certain tastes and also made when producing certain sounds. None of the proposed mechanisms fully account for the observed findings, but they do hint that metaphors such as “sweet melody” may be more than arbitrary linguistic conventions and reflect similarities in perceptual representations between the modalities.
These results join a growing literature of surprising and counter-intuitive empirical findings demonstrating rich relationships between what are still thought by many to be parallel, independent modalities. It is tempting to think that as more researchers delve into understanding these relationships, the more intuitive their existence will become, and the closer we will get to a fuller understanding of how we can hear that face.
[1] The classic result is Kohler’s baluma/takete effect: people overwhelmingly match baluma to rounded shapes and takete to sharp-cornered shapes; this effect was published contemporaneously by Sapir in 1929 using the stimuli mil and mal and popularized by Ramachandran and Hubbard in 2001 who replicated it using bouba/kiki as the stimuli). More complex and subtle auditory-visual associations between acoustic pitch, intensity, formant heights, and visual size, lightness, angularity, and spatial location, have since been demonstrated.
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August 24, 2008
‘In Love With China’
By Bonnie Washuk
LEWISTON - Hannah Fazio is ready to go back to school - in China.
The Lewiston High School junior won a School Year Abroad scholarship - awarded to one student in the United States each year - to study in Beijing. The $39,900 scholarship covers tuition, room, board, travel within China, medical insurance and laundry.
What helped her win? Hannah, 16, is fluent in Mandarin, the standard language in China.
Learning to read and write in Chinese is challenging, she said. But learning to speak Chinese wasn't hard. "I tried learning French. I couldn't."
She was introduced to the language early. As a baby in Pittsburgh she was cared for by a "nai nai" (Chinese for grandmother). Her adopted nai nai spoke only Chinese. "At age 2, anything she could say in English she could say in Chinese," said her mother, Margaret Maurer-Fazio.
The family moved to Lewiston when Hannah was 2 years old. Her mother, a Bates College economics professor who specializes in the Chinese labor market, often took students to China. When she did, her daughter went, too.
Hannah spent three months in a Chinese kindergarten. At ages 11, 14 and 15, she took more trips to China, enrolling in Chinese language courses at Nanjing University and East China Normal University in Shanghai.
When she didn't hear Chinese spoken often, it was hard to keep up with the language, she said. She took courses at Bates, joined a group that meets weekly to speak Chinese and worked as a counselor at a summer camp for Chinese children in Belgrade, Maine.
In Beijing this fall Hannah will wear a school uniform, a zipper jacket and track pants. Her math, history, English and culture classes will be in English. She'll spend two to three hours a day learning Chinese.
As part of her program she'll travel to remote villages, and she hopes to teach English as a volunteer. "Walking down Main Street people say, 'Do you speak English? I want to practice.' People in China are really eager about that."
Hannah has already adjusted to some cultural differences: Chinese students take school more seriously than most, Chinese citizens are more aware of what's happening abroad and they have more respect for the elderly.
Chinese people also have much national pride and sing their national anthem every day. They're proud their country is rapidly developing, and that they're hosting the Olympics. Years before the games, there were Olympic logos and signs all over, Hannah said.
"There's been so much hype," she said. "I'm so excited to be there after the Olympics." She's interested in how the games may have changed China's outlook on foreigners.
She's attracted to the country for several reasons.
China has a rich history, is always changing and full of different cultures, she said. "I love how it's one country, but it's like different countries. Shanghai is one of the most modern cities in the world. But when you go to rural areas, you see nomads. You think, 'I'm in the same country?'"
There's always something to learn, she said. "I'm in love with China."
Originally published by Staff Writer.
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Just the facts on religion.
Protestantism arose in the 16th century during the Reformation, which took place mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and Britain. Protestants do not acknowledge the authority of the Pope, reject many traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Church, emphasize the importance of reading the Bible and hold to the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. Protestantism encompasses numerous denominational groups, including Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals and Evangelicals.
One of the three major branches of the Christian religion, Protestantism originated in the 16th century Reformation, and most modern Protestant denominations can trace their heritage to one of the major movements that sprung up in the 16th century. "Protestantism" is less a denomination than a general branch of Christianity, along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, encompassing numerous denominations and a wide theological spectrum ranging from conservative to liberal.
Lutheranism is rooted in the teachings of the German Reformer, Martin Luther. Presbyterians are indebted to John Calvin and Reformed theology, as well as to John Knox and the Church of Scotland. Anglicans and Episcopalians trace their heritage to the Church of England that resulted from King Henry VIII's break from the authority of Rome. Evangelicalism (and to a slightly lesser degree, Methodism) is indebted to Pietism, a 17th century Protestant movement emphasizing a holy life, individual study of the scriptures, and better training of ministers. And out of this branch came Pentecostalism in the early 20th century.
Protestant denominations differ in the degree to which they reject Roman Catholic belief and practice. Some churches, such as Anglicans and Lutherans, tend to resemble Catholicism in their formal liturgy, while others, like Baptists and Presbyterians, retain very little of the liturgy and tradition associated with the Catholic church.
In common with Catholic and Orthodox Christians, Protestants adhere to the authority of the Bible and the doctrines of he early creeds. Protestants are distinguished by their emphasis on the doctrines of "justification by grace alone through faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the supremacy of Holy Scripture in matters of faith and order." [2] Most Protestant churches recognize only two sacraments directly commanded by the Lord - baptism and communion - as opposed to the seven sacraments accepted by the Catholic Church.
1. "Protestantism." Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions, 459.
2. "The Protestant Heritage." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2004. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service.
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Title Protestantism
URL www.religionfacts.com/protestantism
Short URLrlft.co/1477
UpdatedNovember 26, 2016
MLA Citation“Protestantism.” ReligionFacts.com. 26 Nov. 2016. Web. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016. <www.religionfacts.com/protestantism>
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Science Fair Projects
Sunless Sunflowers
The objective: The objective was to test how the intensity of artificial light affected the growth of sunflower plants. My hypothesis was that the plants closest to the light will grow the tallest, then wilt, because of phototropism; the plants farthest away, will not have enough light to carry out normal cellular processes and barely grow; the plants in the middle group will grow the second tallest, but be the healthiest
Sixteen sunflower seeds and terra cotta pots, potting soil, fertilizer, four agro-lights, a plant light intensity meter, thermo-hygrometer, moisture meter, soil pH meter and timer were used. The soil was checked to ensure it had a pH of 6 to 7.5 for optimum growth. The moisture level of the soil was measured regularly and kept between 5 and 6. The thermostat and the thermo-hygrometer were set to 65°F. The control plant, was placed outside at sunrise. Simultaneously, the timer turned on the agro-lights for the 15 experimental plants, kept in three groups (five plants each) at a distance of 20, 60, and 100 cms from the artificial lights. The control plant was placed under artificial light at sundown so that all 16 plants got the same Critical Light Exposure Period of 14 hours. The plants were measured every week during the 5-week study period.
In the first experiment, plants in Groups 1, 2, and 3, exposed to a light intensity of about 9,000, 6,000, and 2,000 footcandles, respectively, grew to an average of 8.64, 6.192 cm, and 2.96 cm. Graphs and scatter plots demonstrated light intensity vs. plant group/plant number, plant height and plant growth each week. The results of the second and third experiments corroborated those of the first.
My hypothesis was correct: the plants nearest to the light, Group 1, grew the tallest but burned because of phototropism. The pigment phytochrome, maintaining the circadian rhythms of plants, was tricked into thinking that it was summer, when the sunflower petals and leaves open the widest. The plants farthest away from the light, Group 3, performed inadequate photosynthesis to carry out normal cellular processes, which stunted their growth. The phytochrome in Group 3 plants was deceived into believing it was winter, when most plants do not grow. The plants in Group 2 grew the second tallest, but were the healthiest, being neither burned nor etiolated.
The project is a study of how different intensities of artificial light affect the overall growth of sunflower plants
Science Fair Project done By Spreeha Debchaudhury
Copyright © 2013 through 2015 |
Consumers out of the loop on role of smart meters
THE problem with smart meters is consumers are not told what's so clever about them and why they need them.
That is the view of Yolande Strengers, a research fellow at RMIT University who has studied energy consumption behaviour in NSW.
In theory, the digital devices should provide consumers with real-time updates of electricity usage and how quickly the household bill is running up. Power companies, meanwhile, benefit by identifying potential faults before they happen and can refrain from dispatching meter-readers to every household and business.
Having that information, however, is of little benefit unless there are sufficient differences in pricing between peak and off-peak levels to make it worth not running the clothes dryer, say, until a cheaper time of day.
''There's a lot of confusion out there,'' Ms Strengers said.
The NSW Minister of Resources and Energy, Chris Hartcher, has released a discussion paper on the introduction of smart meters.
Victoria has held off introducing a full range of prices until July next year, and even then only for those who opt in.
The cons of smart meters got the headlines, Ms Strengers said, while the benefits were downplayed. One big saving from smart meters the federal and state governments left out was that consumers big and small could lower their power bills by avoiding unnecessary usage during days of peak demand and high prices.
As studies show, each standard air-conditioner requires about $7000 in extra spending by energy suppliers to ensure they meet reliability standards on the hottest 40 hours or so each year. Smarter use of electricity could blunt, if not eliminate, those spikes.
The chief executive of the Council of Social Service of NSW, Alison Peters, said smart meters were not a perfect answer to reducing electricity bills.
''Having the smart meter that tells elderly people at home how much electricity they are using, isn't necessarily going to help them pay their bills,'' she said.
''People like that need to have the heating or cooling on to avoid health problems.''
The Greens NSW MP John Kaye said no vulnerable customer should be forced to pay more for electricity. ''Low income and vulnerable households should be given financial assistance to offset the costs of purchasing a smart meter,'' he said.
Asked if households would be given any government assistance for smart meters, a spokeswoman for Mr Hartcher said: ''Households won't be forced to install a meter if they choose not to.''
The spokeswoman said the government had not decided whether it supported the wider availability of smart meters. ''The government does not support a mandatory roll-out of smart meters but the taskforce has identified a market-led approach as favourable, where energy companies may offer innovative pricing products that suit the circumstances and lifestyles of their customers,'' she said. |
Ownership: 100 %
Production: 108 GWh
Power: 21 MW
Gresslifoss power plant is located in Tydal Municipality in Sør-Trøndelag County. The power plant uses the Nea watercourse, and has a short headrace tunnel and a long tailrace tunnel.
The power plant's intake reservoir, Lake Gresslidammen, has a gravity dam at Klingene almost two kilometres long.
The gross height of fall is 34 metres.
The plant has an annual mean power production of 108 GWh and an installed capacity of 21 MW.
The power plant was commissioned in 1966 but was upgraded in 2002. The power plant is equipped with a vertical Kaplan turbine that can take in 80 cubic metres of water per second.
In 1878 one of Norway's largest coin discoveries was made in the area where the power plant is built. During potato harvesting a treasure was uncovered that included 2253 coins, various silver currencies and a gold-plated silver bird broach. The Gressli Bird is an elegant piece of handiwork. The coins originated from around the year 1090. One theory is that the treasure is connected to one of the most important pilgrim routes from medieval times which passes close by where the treasure was found. Pilgrims from the east and west took this route onwards to Nidaros Cathedral. |
Treating Skin Burn Injuries
open fire grilling hot dogsOne of the fastest and most dangerous ways to damage your skin is to expose it to intense heat or fire that can burn it. Even certain chemicals, radiation, and electricity can burn.
Sometimes the burn isn’t significant and can be treated with over-the-counter medications or home remedies. But skin burns can get so bad that you may have to consult a physician, dermatologist, or plastic surgeon. In this article, I’ll discuss skin safety, types of burns, and treatment.
The most common place that you’re likely to get your skinned burned is around the house. It could happen in your kitchen or bathroom, or just from doing things like grilling outdoors, which happens a lot in South Florida.
High-Risk Burn Areas
In the Kitchen
The oven range, stovetop burners, and microwave oven are designed to produce high heat for food preparation. These are areas where small children should be watched or in a different room while these appliances are in operation.
In addition, the handles of pots, pans, and other dishes can get surprisingly hot. So it’s wise to use dishcloths when touching handles or lids. You should also have a fire extinguisher handy in case a fire gets out of control. This can happen if there is excessive grease splatter.
In the Bathroom
Of course, there are no open fires in the vast majority of bathrooms. But the culprit here is hot water. If the hot water heater temp is not regulated, a small child could easily and quickly be burned if they jump into a tub of near boiling water.
Therefore, you should always test the water as it is flowing out of the faucet and then again when a tub or sink is filled. And by all means, set your hot water heater to around 115 degrees or less.
Around the House
If you’re grilling outdoors, you know that grills, especially gas grills, can get very hot. The one I have can easily approach 700 degrees for searing purposes. Plus it has an open flame side station for additional cooking.
You should be very careful with grills. The fat from meats can drip down on the flames and can cause them to blow upward in near fireballs.
burning fire
Types of Burns
There are 4 types of burn injuries – first degree through fourth degree. Most people tend to recognize only three but there is one more.
The mildest skin burn injury is first degree. But don’t get confused because even this level of burn could require medical attention.
However, the normal signs of a first degree burn are pain and redness to the outermost layer of the skin. There probably won’t be any blisters and it can take 3 to 5 days to heal.
Next is second degree burns. In this case, multiple skin layers of the epidermis will be damaged. There will definitely be some blistering and the skin will be reddish and wet in appearance. Medical attention will be required and it could take two or three weeks for the burns to heal.
(Note: If you live in South Florida around the Parkland and Margate area or are otherwise seeking urgent care near Coral Springs, then consider saving a bit of money by visiting a walk in clinic which can usually take care of any minor burns.)
Third, you have third degree burns. This is where all layers of your skin are burned. The skin will look and feel leathery, and you may not even feel pain due to the extensive nerve damage.
You’ll have to be hospitalized and it will take skin grafting and other extreme measures to bring you back to health. A surgical dermatologist or plastic surgeon may have to be called in.
Finally, there is a fourth degree level of skin burning. While third degree burns affect the entire skin, fourth degree goes deeper in damaging the muscle and bone.
In conclusion, skin burns can be very serious, even life-threatening. If it’s a minor case, you can get it treated by your regular physician or visit a walk in clinic. But if it’s severe, then you should visit a hospital emergency room for immediate attention.
Have a health issue that needs immediate attention? Visit a Coral Springs walk in clinic. No appointment required. Fast response by a board certified physician.
Plastic Surgeon v Dermatologist: Clearing the Air
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Thursday, November 29, 2012
Generic Trademarks
A generic trademark is a brand name (or trademark) that has become the general name for an entire type of product or service over time. If you've read our recent posts on metonymy and synecdoche, then you'll notice that some generic trademarks qualify as synecdoches, and therefore also metonyms!
Generic trademarks occur when a trademark "erodes" over time. This occurs most frequently when a company creates something that is unlike anything else in existence. However, it can also happen when the thing is so popular or revolutionary that it overshadows all other similar products. Most companies try to prevent trademark erosion if possible. In the 1990s, Nintendo experienced trademark erosion when their name was being used to refer to any game console, which obviously wasn't to their financial benefit. With effort, Nintendo successfully convinced people to refer to the general product as a game console once again.
This is not called a Nintendo.
However, there are also many cases of trademarks that did fail in their efforts and eventually succumbed to what is known as genericide. If your brand becomes too generic, then your trademark status can be revoked. We're sure it causes all sorts of nightmarish legal problems for companies, but we're more interested in the words that are involved. We've listed a few interesting generic trademarks below... you might be surprised to find out that some of them were once brand names!
Aspirin and Heroin - These names for acetylsalicylic acid and diacetylmorphine were created by Bayer. The name for heroin was actually derived from the Greek hero due to the drug's "heroic" effects on its users.
Cellophane - DuPont trademarked this term for cellulose film, which is used to package foods due to its moisture-proofing.
Escalator - The Otis Elevator Company trademarked this name for a new machine used to transport people between floors. It's also interesting to note that the verb to escalate was derived from the machine's name and not the other way around!
Petrol - Though this word is obviously a shortened form of the word petroleum, it was in fact trademarked by a British wholesaler in the 1800s.
Thermos - Remember that insulated plastic container that kept your soup hot until lunchtime as a kid? You know, the one that matched your super cool lunchbox with your favorite cartoon characters on it. Well, it turns out that the original term for such a product was a vacuum flask!
Too bad for Harry Truman that they didn't have awesome
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles lunchboxes in the 1890s...
Unlike the words above, there are tons of other protected trademarks that are often used as generic terms, but haven't officially lost their trademark status yet. These terms can then be considered a type of synecdoche, since their specific trademark is being used to refer to the general class of things it belongs to. Here are some of our favorites:
AstroTurf - This specific type of artificial turf was created by the Monsanto Company. It was called "ChemGrass" at first, but was changed to the much cooler-sounding AstroTurf following its famous use in the Houston Astrodome stadium.
Band-Aid (U.S.) and Elastoplast (UK) - These brand names are commonly used on both sides of the pond instead of the generic and frankly boring term adhesive bandage.
Biro - Often heard in the UK and Australia, this name for a ballpoint pen is derived from the name of its inventor, László Bíró.
Coke - In some parts of the Southern U.S. people refer to any soft drink by this name. Imagine the following conversation: "What would you like to drink?" "I'll have a Coke." "What kind?" "Oh, I guess I'll have a Mountain Dew." Seems crazy to us, but to each their own...
Dumpster - We're not kidding with this one... it turns out that this mobile waste container was actually trademarked in 1963 by the Dempster Brothers, who combined the word "dump" with their last name. Really.
Durex - Trademarked by two different companies on opposite sides of the world, it can refer to either adhesive tape in Brazil and Australia, or condoms in the UK and Spain. Brazilians probably get some funny looks in Spanish stationery stores when they ask for Durex...
Google - We should all know that Google is just one of many internet search engines, but it seems to have captured the devotion of the masses... so much so that "to google" has become a commonly used verb, even when you're using Bing.
Hoover - While it is still known by the generic vacuum cleaner in the U.S., this word is widely used in the UK both as a noun and as a verb, as in "I really ought to hoover the carpet, it's filthy!"
Unfortunately, hoovering isn't a popular dance
craze named after J. Edgar Hoover.
Jacuzzi - Originally an Italian brand of hot tub or whirlpool bath.
Kleenex - This brand of facial tissue is used generically throughout the world, including in the U.S., France, Canada and Spain.
Muzak - If you've ever been to the top of a skyscraper, you probably heard some elevator music. An American company called Muzak Holdings has been creating this inoffensive background music to retail stores and other companies since the 1930s, and eventually their name stuck.
Philadelphia - In some countries, cream cheese is referred to as Philadelphia. Trademarked by Kraft Foods, the brand was named for the Pennsylvania city known for producing this particular cheese product.
Ping Pong - Yes, really. Ping Pong is actually trademarked by game manufacturer Parker Brothers. Most official events require that this sport be called by its generic name, table tennis.
See? We weren't making it up.
Rollerblade - A trademarked brand of inline skates. Who knew?
Scotch tape (U.S.) and Sellotape (UK) - Two different brands of clear adhesive tape, but both are almost always used instead of the generic in each of these countries.
Styrofoam - Apparently Brits call it polystyrene, but Americans and Canadians prefer to use the brand name.
Super Glue - We're absolutely shocked that cyanoacrylate adhesive isn't used more often when referring to this handy household product. (Just don't glue your fingers together!)
Taser - This electroshock weapon or stun gun was named by a nerdy NASA researcher who had loved the book Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle as a child. It just so happens that the main character of the book has a rifle that shoots electricity. The NASA researcher was inspired later in life to create such a weapon, which he named the Taser, as in "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle".
Moral of our story: Reading a book
can change your life and inspire you
to invent new weaponry! |
Why are experts worried about falling prices in the Nordics?
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Swedes grocery shopping in Stockholm. Photo: Simon Paulin/Image Bank Sweden
16:29 CET+01:00
It's getting cheaper to buy everyday items at the shops in Sweden, but plenty of economists argue that's a bad thing.
Sweden saw inflation for all of 2015 drop by 0.04 percent, its third consecutive year of declining consumer prices, the national statistics agency said this week.
Meanwhile in neighbouring Finland the consumer price index fell 0.2 percent from a year earlier, the first time in 60 years that prices taken over the whole year have retreated, the Finnish statistics institute said.
The change is weighed down partly by weak global energy prices.
Concerns about deflation persist in both Nordic nations, despite the differences in the two countries' economies.
Sweden saw strong economic growth last year of 3.7 percent, according to an estimate of the Swedish central bank, which has been trying to stimulate price increases by cutting interest rates to avoid the risk of deflation. Sweden has also continued with its version of quantitative easing, a bond buying programme, which in simple terms involves borrowing money to inject back into the economy.
Forecasters have predicted further economic expansion in 2016. However, Stefan Mellin, a spokesperson for one of the region's leading banks, Danske Bank, said on Twitter that the nation's low inflation figures pointed to the need for even more monetary easing from the central bank, extended quantitative easing and possible foreign exchange intervention.
He is one of a number of economists who argue that prices need to rise in Sweden in order to further stimulate the economy, by flushing more money into the system.
READ ALSO: Why is Sweden heading for an economic boom in 2016?
Finland -- which is also experiencing falling prices -- has, in contrast to Sweden, been in recession since 2012, a situation blamed on its falling competitiveness, ageing population and the economic problems of its major trading partners, Russia and the European Union.
Last year saw a pro-austerity, centre-right government take power led by former businessman Juha Sipila who campaigned on the need to recover competititiveness and boost entrepreneurship.
But measures so far, including a key goal to lower labour costs, have failed to trigger growth.
After three years of recession, the Bank of Finland has said it expects the economy to contract again by 0.1 percent in 2015.
Experts have differed in their reading of the new data.
Story continues below…
"As expected, inflation (was) -0.2 percent in December and in 2015. Prices at constant tax rates decreased by 0.4 percent in 2015 and calculated that way, deflation continues in 2016," economists at OP bank wrote on Twitter.
Juhana Brotherus, of Hypo bank, also said in a tweet that Finland was in deflation.
But Pasi Sorjonen, of Nordea bank, contested that deflation was an issue, tweeting that core inflation had remained positive, at 0.14 percent.
Either way, financial analysts in both Nordic countries are keen to see inflation increase markedly in 2016, as a sign of economic activity in the region.
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Ingenuity + Wind + Text Book = Home Made Electricity
While we've been focusing on fancy urban wind turbines such as the Quite Revolution and the Architectural Wind, others elsewhere are taking a more pragmatic approach to wind power. Lacking tuition money, William Kamkwamba of Malawi, Africa had to drop out of school in 2002. Instead of sitting idle however, he passed the time reading science books. Two books in particular peaked his interest: "Using Energy" and "How it Works," both about the generation of electricity using a windmill. Using the books as a guiding light and some money for materials given to him by well-wishers he managed to construct a small windmill which generated enough electricity to light his room. Following this success he planned a bigger one that his parents could benefit from as well. Costing a grand total of approximately $15, the resulting windmill stands on a 5 meter high tripod of wooden polls. Its made of locally available materials such as bearings, a bicycle dynamo, a fun belt and a bicycle frame.
"If you can study it closely, it is just how the bicycle operates only that the work done by man in a bicycle is done by the windmill," he explains. Unlike most windmills, where the propellers turn the spindle connected to the turbines directly, William added pulleys to his machine to increase speed thereby generating more energy. There are three pulleys and the last is connected to a bicycle wheel. When this wheel turns, it spins a dynamo which in turn generates electricity. The alternating current generated is transferred to his house, which plays a role of a sub-station.
During the day, he charges 12-volt automobile batteries in order to use the electricity later in case the wind is not blowing and he wants some energy. Others are able to charge their batteries too "and listen to the radio for two weeks," he explains. The electricity can also be used to charge mobile phones and if he had a step up transformer, he could be watching a color TV.
Today William's parents have come to depend on the electricity from the windmill. Now they have four bulbs and two radios running on it. They've forgotten the price of paraffin they used to use to light the house - not to mention and the pain of traveling a long distance to the trading centre to buy it, the fire hazard it posed and the toxic fumes produced while burning it.
Ingenuity + renewable energy source + text book knowledge = a better today and a cleaner tomorrow. Sometimes it's just that simple. :: The Malawi Times :: Hacktivate :: The Timbuktu Chronicles ::
Tags: Africa | Malawi | Renewable Energy | Wind Power
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Good Health - Looking Your Best - Skin
Looking Your Best - Millions of pounds are spent every year by the cosmetics industry on research into some wonder cream that will banish frown lines, crow's feet and wrinkles and guarantee lifelong youth and beauty, while yet more millions are earned through the sale of make-up that will hide the blotches, blemishes and other imperfections, not to mention all the other millions that is spent every year on plastic surgery. The fact remains, however, that beauty begins within. Or to put this another way, many nutritional deficiencies will quickly show up on the body's exterior in the form of, for example, dry and flaking skin, cracks at the corners of the mouth, dull, splitting hair or spots on the nails. Indeed, nutritional therapists are trained to notice such signs as indicators of internal disharmony or ill health. Equally, correcting nutritional imbalances will soon be evident on the surface with clear skin, strong nails and lustrous locks.
Foods that help your skin to stay looking young - Of the many questions people have, it's the "What foods are best to help skin to look young?". Pure and simply, if you eat as much fish, vegetables and superfoods as outlined from the superfoods link further down below, you'll give yourself the best chance possible of keeping skin looking as young as possible.
The Skin - Surprisingly, the outermost layer of the skin consists of flattened dead cells, which wear away and fall off only to be replaced by more as the cells beneath move towards the surface. You may notice them as a powdery grey dust on your dressing table! Yet this cornified layer of the epidermis is very useful to us because it reduces evaporation of moisture and deters bacteria from invading the body. Immediately below, in the dermis, is a fine mesh of capillaries that supply the skin, including the hair follicles and sweat glands, with oxygen and nutrients and take away the wastes. Opening into the hair follicles are the sebaceous glands that keep the skin well oiled. There are many nerve endings in the skin which constantly give us information about our surroundings, such as changes in temperature, sources of danger or comfort etc, etc.
Like other parts of the body containing a high proportion of connective tissue or muscle, the skin consists largely of protein, so must receive the correct amino acids for the creation of those rapidly dividing cells. Also mandatory are essential fatty acids, many vitamins and minerals and plenty of fluids. Despite a wholesome diet, there are environmental factors that can damage the skin, especially sun, wind and pollutants, so it needs a certain amount of protection to avoid early ageing and more serious health problems such as skin cancer.
Acne - At 15 years of age, Tom was basically a good-looking fellow. He was already quite tall and muscular, having a liking for sports, but recently he had suffered an eruption of blackheads and pimples on his face that became red and angry, eventually producing yellow pustules. Worse, some of them were leaving scars, and creams that his mother bought at the chemist seemed ineffective. Poor Tom felt like a leper. Whenever he looked in the mirror all he could see was the spots. He had begun to take an interest in girls but feared that his ruined complexion would simply be an object of ridicule or revulsion if he tried to form any friendships. He began to lose confidence in himself and became withdrawn and depressed.
Sadly, this story is all too common among adolescents, with as many as 80 per cent showing some signs of acne, one-quarter of these with a severe form of the condition. Occasionally it lingers on into adulthood, although usually it dears up spontaneously at the end of the teens.
The increase in the levels of sex hormones from age 13, stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, or sebum, than usual, which has a tendency to be too acidic. This irritates the skin, causing small swellings that block pores, trapping the sebum which may then dry out and produce a blackhead. Bacterial infection generally ensues and a pustule will develop. Since the face, neck and shoulders have the greatest density of sebaceous glands, these are the areas most prone to acne.
The only effective cure, is to prevent the pimples from forming in the first place. Many teenagers notice that their complexion_ is worse after eating sweets, There is good reason for this. Researchers at Alabama University discovered that the ability of white cells to destroy invading bacteria declined 'significantly only one hour after volunteers had consumed a sweet soft drink. Difficult though it may be, it is essential to give up all confectionery, sweet cakes, soft drinks high in sucrose and sugar in tea and coffee. This will give your immune system a better chance to fight the infection. Sugar-free goodies, like fruits are fine and will provide instant energy.
It is also necessary to replace all refined, processed and junk food with whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables. Cut down on all animal fats, especially red meat (which can be replaced with fish or poultry), butter, cheese and creamy milk (skimmed is best), but increase the intake of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated plant oils, by eating more nuts and using olive oil for cooking and safflower or sunflower oils to make salad dressings. Avoid any hydro-generated fats found in chocolate and most margarines as these will cause a depletion in essential fatty acids; seek out the non-hydrogenated type from health food shops. Bad cases of acne will respond well to 500mg of evening primrose oil three times daily, which will provide the much-needed linoleic add, frequently in short supply in people with erupting skin.
Doctors often prescribe antibiotics to help clear skin infections, but these are not a good idea as there may be unpleasant side-effects and resistance can develop over time. Researchers have found that supplements of zinc are just as effective as these drugs, without their dangers. Indeed, the skin of healthy individuals supports some 20 per cent of this mineral. Rapid growth during adolescence combined with early sexual activity can leave young people, especially males (because semen is zinc-rich), much too low in this essential trace element. It is also lost in perspiration and needs to be constantly replaced in the diet: shellfish, wheatgerm, pulses and soya products are all efficient sources, but beware of too much bran which can prevent the absorption of zinc. Take 15-30 mg of zinc sulphate daily, depending on the severity of the infection, reducing this amount when improvement in the skin is noticed.
Also important for fighting acne infections are vitamins A and C. Patients with acne have been found to have low levels of vitamin A in the blood, so this should be increased with generous portions of orange and dark-green vegetables and yellow and orange fruits, together with cod-liver oil (follow the directions on the bottle) and a supplement of betacarotene, adding up to around 12,5001U of vitamin A. (Do not exceed recommended doses of the oily retinol as toxicity can result if intake is prolonged.) This vitamin is required for the building of the epithelial layers of the skin and will help to prevent the pores from becoming dogged up. The fresh fruit and vegetables will contribute vitamin C, but a further 500mg daily will assist in healing and will keep the connective tissue immediately under the surface in good condition.
Sometimes acne can be an indication of stress, in which case, the B vitamins will help to alleviate this. Yeast extract in the form of Marmite or similar, is rich in these. Especially beneficial, is brewer's yeast, which also contains chromium known to be effective against acne.
To prevent scarring, use vitamin E. This can. be applied directly to the skin by pricking a capsule. Check the evening primrose oil as this will probably also include vitamin E to offset any possible rancidity. If not, take a supplement of about 501U. Selenium will increase its effectiveness, so include 25mcg.
Keep the area very dean with unperfumed soap and pat over with an infusion of lavender flowers. Exercise will increase the circulation to the skin, maintaining a fresh supply of nutrients and helping to keep the pores dear. Remember to take in copious amounts of fluid in the form of filtered water,. herb teas and fruit and vegetable juices.
Dry, cracked or oily skin - Dryness of the skin invariably results from a lack of the essential fatty adds which keep it naturally moist. Make sure, therefore, that your intake of plant oils is adequate: safflower- and sunflower-seed and linseed oils are particularly rich in EFAs. Check also that your consumption of vitamins A, C and B are above RDA levels, especially if you are under any stress. Liberal amounts of water are needed by the skin so drink lots of fluid.
Oily skin and hair are sometimes symptoms of B2 deficiency, especially if whiteheads are evident: 5mg twice daily of riboflavin should correct this. A lack of B2 can also show up as cracks at the corner of the mouth, dry patches in front of the ears, or even swollen lips or tongue. If you are taking B6 as a supplement, this can create a B2 deficiency since they work together, so take B2 also. B vitamins are best derived from natural sources such as brewer's yeast or yeast extract, where they occur in balanced proportions.
Eczema and dermatitis - The National Eczema Society of the UK blames stress, pollution and the effects of modem lifestyles on the continuing increase in cases of this skin problem, currently affecting 1 in 8 children and 1 in 12 adults. Although there are 14 different types, atopic eczema is the one most commonly associated with infants. Generally there are other allergic conditions troubling the child or close family members, such as hay fever or asthma, and this is an indication that something in the environment has been the trigger. Very often it is a food intolerance.
Six-year-old Ben had suffered from eczema on and off for much of his young life, horribly blighted by the nasty rashes, blistering and weeping skin and intense itching, often leaving him crying in the night and very short of sleep. Creams recommended by the family doctor relieved the symptoms temporarily, which then kept recurring. Ben's mother was in despair until she contacted the National Eczema Society which suggested that a food allergy could be the cause and advised taking him off dairy products. The effect was remarkable. After switching from cow's to soya milk, cutting out cheese and using unhydrogenated margarine, while replacing the calcium with a chewable calcium supplement, there was a noticeable improvement in Ben's skin after only ten days. Eventually it cleared up altogether, but his mother was careful to keep him on a healthy diet. Other common allergens are eggs, wheat, sugar or any food additives.
As we have seen, essential fatty adds are an integral part of the structure of skin, and there is considerable evidence to suggest that eczema sufferers may have difficulty in metabolizing these. When tested, patients are frequently found to be short of GLA (gamma-linoleic acid). Since evening primrose oil is a rich source of this substance, lg three times daily generally clears the dry patches and rashes. It can also be rubbed directly into the skin. Healing will be assisted if animal and hydrogenated fats are excluded from the diet, while increasing the intake of safflower, sunflower and olive oils.
Sometimes a multifaceted approach is needed to clear obstinate-cases. In addition to testing for food intolerances, following the Health-Giving Diet outlined on the page following the link below and balancing the EFAs, take a supplement of zinc sulphate (30mg reducing to 15mg daily as required) together with brewer's yeast tablets (at least three with every meal), and, as long as you are wheat tolerant, have a serving of fresh wheatgerm daily. The nutrients supplied will assist in EFA metabolism as well as healing. Premenstrual women will also benefit from extra magnesium and vitamin B6. Multivitamin and'-mineral tablets, with plenty of A from food (see chapter 3), will give the skin an extra boost. Meanwhile keep steroid creams for emergencies only as they can be damaging if used to excess, and apply aloe vera gel to alleviate itching and soreness.
The symptoms of dermatitis can be similar to eczema, but the cause is nearly always external and can usually be tracked down to detergents, perfumes, certain fabrics and so on. In addition to avoiding the offending substance, you can improve your resistance by following the Health-Giving Diet outlined on the page following the link below, and taking a multivitamin and -mineral tablet daily together with two teaspoons of cold-pressed linseed oil.
Psoriasis - Emily was planning a holiday on a Greek island with her boyfriend, but the excitement was clouded by her embarrassment over the scaly patches which had appeared on her elbows, knees and scalp. How could she possibly wear a swimsuit looking like this? Her worst fear was that her boyfriend would be so disgusted by her psoriasis that he would not wish to be near her. She was surprised when her doctor assured her that a holiday in the sun was just what she needed, as the ultraviolet light would assist healing and, since the condition is worsened by stress, a long rest should help to dear it. Emily realized that stress must be a factor, as the disease had first appeared when she was 16 at the time when her parents were going through a divorce. Since then it recurred if she was working too hard or was unduly anxious about something.
The coal-tar preparations that her doctor prescribed were horribly messy and smelt awful, so Emily went to see a naturopath for advice. She had little interest in cooking and generally bought ready-made frozen meals, tending to rely on chocolate bars for instant energy. As there was a free supply of coffee and tea at the office, she was rarely without a mug of one or the other steaming away on her desk. During the hour-long consultation, the naturopath persuaded her to take her diet in hand, which meant cutting out all white flour and sugar, animal fats and fried food, anything containing additives, all confectionery especially chocolate, also alcohol and vinegar. Instead she must place the emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables, salads, soya products, nuts and pulses, whole grains, fish and a little poultry, with fluids from herb teas and spring water. Sulphur, present in eggs, onions and garlic, was also important as a cleanser and detoxifying agent, while yogurt would contribute healthy bacteria. In addition 30mg of zinc sulphate daily, reducing to 15mg after four weeks, was prescribed, plus brewer's yeast tablets for the B vitamins and an extra 50mg of B6, also 2001U of natural vitamin E. To help regulate the blood fats, 3 tablespoons of granular lecithin had to be sprinkled into her food each day, while 500mg of evening primrose oil was to be taken orally with each meal, with the same amount rubbed directly into the scaly patches. A herbal ointment, Phytolacca cream, was recommended to ease the itching. The naturopath warned that this was a difficult condition to cure but, since she wanted to look good for her holiday, Emily reckoned it was all worth a try. She also joined a yoga class for relaxation. By setting time aside specially to take care of herself she managed to stick to her new programme and, after summoning up courage to tell her boyfriend, she was overjoyed to gain his support. By the time she returned from her holiday her skin was dear.
Sunburn sensitivity - Fair-skinned people are better able to tolerate sun without burning if their diet is well supplied with the B vitamin PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid). Eat plenty of whole grains, take brewer's yeast and include molasses with meals: the Health-Giving Diet outlined on the page following the link below will give you some ideas. An ointment containing this vitamin can also be applied to the skin. At the same time check that your levels of the antioxidant nutrients A. C and E are adequate to give extra protection against the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays.
Warts - These can be a real nuisance, but fortunately they can disappear just as suddenly as they arrived, indicating that the body's own immune system is fighting the infection. The Health-Giving Diet on one of the links below will help boost your natural immunity.
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Sustainable Development
“We hold the future in our hands, together, we must ensure that our grandchildren will not have to ask why we failed to do the right thing, and let them suffer the consequences.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 2007
In order to understand Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), one needs to understand sustainable development. After all, the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is about engaging the world’s educational systems to work for a more sustainable future. However, we need to envision a more sustainable world before we work towards creating it.
There are four dimensions to sustainable development – society, environment, culture and economy – which are intertwined, not separate. Sustainability is a paradigm for thinking about the future in which environmental, societal and economic considerations are balanced in the pursuit of an improved quality of life. For example, a prosperous society relies on a healthy environment to provide food and resources, safe drinking water and clean air for its citizens.
One might ask, what is the difference between sustainable development and sustainability? Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it (e.g. sustainable agriculture and forestry, sustainable production and consumption, good government, research and technology transfer, education and training, etc.).
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Zinc Print E-mail
cheese02Zinc has a range of functions. It plays a crucial role in growth and cell division, insulin activity, the metabolism of the ovaries and testes, and liver function. It is necessary for a healthy immune system and used to treat skin problems such as acne, boils and sore throats. As a component of many enzymes, zinc is involved in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and energy and used in the growth and maintenance of muscles.
A deficiency of zinc may lead to slow growth, poor appetite, wounds that take a long time to heal, loss of hair, decreased sense of taste and smell, hypogonadism (when the sex glands produce little or no hormones) in men, frequent infections and various skin lesions.
Good sources of zinc include dairy products, beans and lentils, yeast, nuts, seeds and wholegrain cereals. Pumpkin seeds provide one of the most concentrated vegetarian food sources of zinc.
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Women from Arab Countries Learn How to Run for Office
Women politicians from 15 Arab countries are in Kuwait learning how to campaign for elected office. A special campaign school opened Sunday, focusing on the skills needed to succeed in politics in a region where women's political voices are often muffled.
More than 50 women from all over the Middle East and North Africa split up into small groups to discuss different challenges they will face in running for office. For many of them, it will be a totally new experience, and they may face severe obstacles in their quest to get elected.
When Kuwait's new minister of planning took the oath of office in June, conservative lawmakers banged on their desks and howled in protest as she was sworn in. Massouma al-Mubarak became the first Kuwaiti woman to ever hold a cabinet office, just a month after Kuwait's all-male parliament finally granted women the right to vote, after a six-year battle.
Two years from now, Kuwaiti women will not only vote in their first election, they will be standing as candidates for the first time. Minister Mubarak says they have a lot of work to do before then, and the campaign school is a start.
"Definitely, women in Kuwait did not have the chance to participate in an actual election campaign. But this is the chance for us all to learn from others, their experiences," said Minister Mubarak. "And also to share ideas and exchange thoughts about how to run a political campaign successfully."
In the Arab world, women who run for office are facing tough odds. In Bahrain, for example, 39 women ran for local and national office in 2002, but not a single woman won. Some countries, such as Jordan and Morocco, use quota systems to ensure women's representation in parliament.
Many of the campaign school participants say the most stubborn resistance to their candidacy often comes not from men, but from other women.
Asma Mohamed Othman is a veteran politician from Yemen who wears a black veil covering her face and represents a traditionalist party called Islah, which means repair or reform.
Othman says, "The positive thing is that women do participate in politics. But the negative is that other women may not accept this. Sometimes the resistance comes from women themselves."
In a keynote speech earlier in the day, former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell had warned of the same thing. She said women have had the vote in Canada for nearly 100 years, but she was the country's first, and so far only, female prime minister. She was also the first female justice minister, and the first female defense minister of any NATO country.
She said part of the battle is convincing people, male and female, that women are capable of doing those jobs.
"So even in countries where women have had the vote for a long time, they have to struggle against this broader social expectation that leadership is not a feminine quality," said Campbell.
The teachers at this U.S.-sponsored "campaign school" are pro-democracy activists, female politicians and campaign experts from around the world.
Some of the lessons are concrete, how to convince people that they should vote for you.
Raheela bint Amer al-Riyami, a member of the Shura Council from Oman, described how she went door-to-door in her district introducing herself to voters, and got her friends and family to hand out campaign flyers on the streets.
Other lessons are more conceptual.
Vaira Paegle is a member of parliament from Latvia who returned to her country from America after the fall of the Soviet Union, to help build a democracy in her newly independent homeland.
"You should know why you go into politics. There are wrong reasons, in terms of you shouldn't mix politics and business. You shouldn't look at very narrow self-interest," said Paegle. "It really is to serve the common good, but know yourself when you go in."
Ms. Paegle led a panel discussion on opening day that sparked a heated debate on some of the more contentious aspects of Arab democratization, many of which are not specific to women.
Moroccan lawmaker Amina Ouchelh says, "Brothers and sisters, we all know that our Arab world faces many challenges in this millennium. Democracy is one of those challenges. We cannot face this without the capabilities and participation of both men and women."
The campaign school is the fourth one of its kind. It continues until Wednesday. |
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Chinese Fishermen Sailing Closer to Coast of Western Philippines
• Jason Strother / Malte Kollenberg
As Beijing’s military forces consolidate positions in the adjacent South China Sea, officials here say they are finding Chinese poachers in what is clearly their territorial waters.
“I have seen them as close as 15 kilometers off the coast,” said the Philippine National Police Maritime Group’s Captain Philip Suarez. “They are catching sharks, stingrays and endangered turtles.”
Suarez pilots one of six vessels that make up the Special Boat Unit. The 10-meter-long ships were given to the Philippines by the United States in 2010 and can cut through the sea at up to 40 nautical miles (21 kilometers) per hour.
“Sometimes when they saw us from afar, they try to escape,” he said. “But our boat is faster than their boat.”
Arrests of Chinese Fishermen
In 2014, Suarez and his crew responded to reports of foreign fishermen off the province’s southern shore. They apprehended 11 Chinese nationals who were carrying hundreds of a protected tortoise species.
The poachers later were convicted in a Puerto Princesa court and jailed after they were unable to pay fines for illegally fishing. They were released this past June after a year in confinement.
Philippine Reaction to Chinese Expansion
Sino-Philippine relations are already tense due to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Manila says Chinese forces are occupying rocks and reefs in its exclusive economic zone, while Beijing, which has built structures on top of several of these features in the region, maintains the area is part of its historical fishing waters.
Palawan, Philippines.
Palawan, Philippines.
The poaching and prosecutions only further strain bilateral ties.
China is “a threat to our internal security,” according to maritime police inspector John Labunog Aller, who says Beijing has taken over a part of Palawan.
Philippines: Chinese military units protecting fishermen
To avoid arrest by the Philippine police, Chinese fishermen and their country’s coast guard seem to sail side by side, say some local officials.
Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. recalls in 2012 observing what he describes as a “Chinese warship” accompanying around 100 small fishing boats that were anchored at a coral reef that lies within his Kalayaan municipality in the South China Sea.
“The whole reef was smoking,” he said, due to diesel machines the poachers used to destroy the coral.
Manila says China has built military outposts on its new artificial islands, including an airplane landing strip. President Benigno Aquino has likened Beijing’s maritime advancement to the rise of Nazi Germany.
The Philippines also has a military presence in the region, but on the whole, the Chinese maritime forces are larger and more modern. One of the Philippines’ last lines of defense is the Sierra Madre -- a rusting, World War II-era cargo vessel that’s beached on an atoll and is home to a handful of Philippine soldiers.
Philippines Defiant, But Needs Help
The government has appealed to the United States to develop a small base on Palawan’s west coast that could be used by the American Navy to station ships. But the Supreme Court is currently deciding if a base-sharing agreement signed last year by presidents Aquino and Obama violates the country’s constitution.
Palawan’s Special Boat Unit hasn’t had any run-ins with the Chinese coast guard, so far. The province’s two-boat fleet is based in Honda Bay on the east coast, and it could take days to reach illegal fishermen and their military protectors in the South China Sea.
Some of the unit’s officers say a possible confrontation won’t deter them from policing Palawan’s waters.
“We are bound to implement the law,” said police sub inspector Raymund Abella. “No one could stop us.”
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Clean Harbors - WACC Analysis
Clean Harbors (Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) Analysis)
Helpful Information for Clean Harbors's Analysis
What is the WACC Formula? Analyst use the WACC Discount Rate (weighted average cost of capital) to determine Clean Harbors's investment risk. WACC Formula = Cost of Equity (CAPM) * Common Equity + (Cost of Debt) * Total Debt. The result of this calculation is an essential input for the discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis for Clean Harbors. Value Investing Importance? This method is widely used by investment professionals to determine the correct price for investments in Clean Harbors before they make value investing decisions. This WACC analysis is used in Clean Harbors's discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation and see how the WACC calculation affect's Clean Harbors's company valuation.
WACC Analysis Information
1. The WACC (discount rate) calculation for Clean Harbors uses comparable companies to produce a single WACC (discount rate). An industry average WACC (discount rate) is the most accurate for Clean Harbors over the long term. If there are any short-term differences between the industry WACC and Clean Harbors's WACC (discount rate), then Clean Harbors is more likely to revert to the industry WACC (discount rate) over the long term.
2. The WACC calculation uses the higher of Clean Harbors's WACC or the risk free rate, because no investment can have a cost of capital that is better than risk free. This situation may occur if the beta is negative and Clean Harbors uses a significant proportion of equity capital. |
What Are Sternal Wires?
Article Details
• Written By: Mary McMahon
• Edited By: Shereen Skola
• Last Modified Date: 23 November 2016
• Copyright Protected:
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• Print this Article
Sternal wires are used to hold the sternum together after a procedure where it is cracked to access the chest cavity. This is necessary in traditional open heart surgical procedures where the doctor needs to be able to clearly visualize the surgical site. After the procedure, the patient will be monitored and once the sternum is healed, the wires can be removed. This requires a second procedure, which usually lasts less than an hour, to open the incision and access the wires.
The bones of the rib cage provide a strong but elastic container for the heart and lungs, which need to be able to move while they function while still being protected from impact. In some types of surgery, the sternum is cut apart to allow the surgeon to open the rib cage. After surgery, the sternum needs to be firmly wired back together to hold it while the patient heals. Sternal wires can be looped or wound around the sternum to stabilize the bone and prevent spontaneous separation of the wound under strain.
This separation, called dehiscence, is a particular concern with sternal injuries because the bone is subject to high stress from both within and without. While the heartbeat may appear relatively subtle from the outside of the chest, it actually moves around quite energetically, and the constant inflation and deflation of the lungs adds strain. Pressures from the outside can include compression when patients bend, as well as impact strain from falling or being hit in the chest.
After placing sternal wires to hold the bone together, the surgeon can use glue or specialized bandages to close the incision. Stitches or staples may be used in some cases if the doctor prefers them, although they can make the scarring from the surgery much worse. During the process of healing, the patient’s sternal wires can be checked with x-rays to make sure they are not migrating, damaging the bone, or separating, indicating that the sternum may be pulling apart.
As long as sternal wires are in place, patients will set off metal detectors. It can help to carry a note from a physician with images to explain the situation so patients will be able to move freely through security. Once the patient is fully healed, if the wires appear to be loosening, or if the patient reports symptoms like pain and soreness, a follow-up surgery can be scheduled to take them out.
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Post 4
I just had quadruple bypass four weeks ago and feel great so far. In the very near future, science will create a Nano Robot that will be injected into the blood stream that will have the capability to resolve most heart issues, including bypass surgery. I figure around 2025 since some believe that immortality could possibly be achieved by 2050. As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't want to live forever.
Post 2
@irontoenail - Well, I do wonder how much longer this is going to be at all common. Keyhole surgery is becoming more and more the norm and with the abilities that robotics are making possible, I can see a time when you wouldn't need to open up the sternum at all, because the instruments could slip between the ribs to do the work.
This wouldn't be possible for everything, of course. But, once you've got instruments that can see around corners and operate with precision through the smallest holes, there's no reason to create so much trauma in the body in order to heal it.
Post 1
It never occurred to me that you'd need to wire the sternum back together after completing chest surgery, but of course you would have to. It would either be that or wrapping the whole chest in a cast, which wouldn't be very practical, considering that the patient still have to be able to breathe and all.
It just seems like such a strange idea, probably because splitting open that area of the body seems so drastic in the first place. Maybe I just don't like to think of the heart and lungs being exposed so much.
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Dictionary Suite
argentiferous containing or yielding silver.
Argentina a country in the southern part of South America, between Chile and Uruguay.
Argentine a person who was born or lives in Argentina; Argentinean. [2 definitions]
argentine of or resembling silver.
argentous of or containing univalent silver.
argillaceous of or containing clay or its components.
argosy a large merchant vessel, esp. one carrying valuable merchandise. [3 definitions]
argot the vocabulary or jargon characteristic of a specific group or class, esp. of criminals.
arguable suitable as a subject for argument. [2 definitions]
arguably as is able to be supported by argument.
argue to put forward reasons for or against something. [5 definitions]
argument a discussion in which there is disagreement along with presentation of various sides of an issue. [5 definitions]
argumentation the process of developing an elaborate argument based on logic. [2 definitions]
argyle of a knitted article, having a diamond-shaped pattern of two or more colors. [3 definitions]
aria a melody or song. [2 definitions]
-arian one who believes in, has, promotes, or is associated with. [2 definitions] |
Essay by vitaUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, April 2002
download word file, 4 pages 4.7 3 reviews
Them and Us
Father, Mother, and
All the people like us
Are We, and every
one else is They.
And They live over the
Sea, While We live
Over the way.
But-would you
Believe it? ? They
Look upon We
As only a sort of They!
There is a tendency among many people to categorize individuals who look, act, and come from the same background as "us", and to categorize those who differ from this group of people as "They." However, people who are considered to be "they" in their perspective consider "us" as "they". This is an explanation of how stereotypes are created. Stereotypes affect the manner in which people interact with others of a different race or ethnicity, age group, religious background, or sexual orientation. Gender stereotypes are also prevalent within the mass media. A stereotype is an oversimplified generalization about a certain class of people. When people say that all members of a specific nationality, religion, race or gender are "cheap," "lazy," "criminal" or "dumb," they are expressing stereotypes.
All groups have both cheap and generous individuals and those who commit crimes. To label an entire group based on the action of a few is to engage in stereotyping. The most common stereotypes that exist today have negatively impacted various groups of people
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Map of New Hampshire, major cities, states and capitals
New Hampshire state flag
New Hampshire State Flag
New Hampshire state flower
Purple lilac — State Flower
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is in New England, in the northeastern part of the US.
Date first visited by Europeans: What is now New Hampshire was visited by French and English explorers sometime between 1600 and1605. English fishermen had a settlement by 1623 called Odiorne’s Point .
Date admitted to US: 1788, as one of original thirteen colonies. It had declared independence along with the other colonies from the British Empire in 1776.
Capital: Concord
Largest City: Manchester
Terrain: Mountains and deciduous (hardwood) forests, famous for their fall colors.
The northern part of the state is home to the White Mountain range, which is a part of the Appalachian Mountains. These mountains cover nearly a quarter of the state. The southwestern section of the state is home to flatter lowlands, where the majority of the population resides.
Area: 9,351 square miles
Area Rank: 48th
Population: 1,330,608
Population rank: 41th
Electoral Votes: 4
New Hampshire has the earliest primary elections in the presidential campaign. The Secretary of State is, by state law, to schedule this event at least one week before any similar event. This means that New Hampshire is often seen as the indicator in the presidential election.
New Hampshire was the first British colony to establish a government independent of British authority. While it has a limited ocean coastline, the shortest of any US coastal state, ships and trading were originally its most important economic activity.
The state gains its name from Captain John Mason, who decided to name the state after the county of Hampshire in southern England. This name was possibly chosen as many colonists from England departed from Hampshire before reaching America.
Quill's Quiz - 1100 Question US Mega Geography Quiz
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3 Online Learning Tips to Start Using from Non-Americans
The internet has shrunk a lot of borders, but it hasn't completely blended cultures together seamlessly. As Americans, we may feel that we have the edge when it comes to online learning, but there's still a lot we can learn from other countries. By picking up their styles and habits, we can streamline our own process and become far more efficient online students than before.
Take Personal Time
We're used to the mentality of work, work, work. Things like evenings and weekends disappear if a job needs to get done, and the vast majority just give in and do it. But in a lot of European countries, that notion is still a really strange one.
For example, the French workweek is only 35 hours long and workers get 5 weeks of paid vacation each year…and they're still one of the most productive countries in the world. This is because they think long-term and understand the beauty of personal time, and it's a quality we can adopt for ourselves. You don't necessarily have to alternate one study hour with one nap hour, but take time for yourself to recharge and refocus on your online learning.
Tone Things Down
One of the biggest things non-Americans notice about Americans is our tendency to state everything in the most descriptive of terms, and let our personal life bleed into our academic and business lives.
Because you're engaging in online learning, go ahead and keep your personality intact! But one way you can transfer this non-American tip into your academics is to look at how you write essays and exams. Is your writing full of hyperbole and superlatives? Does everything need to be described in the nth degree, or can you restrain your style a little and write in a more temperate way?
Don't be Afraid to Delve In
Right now, Americans are finding themselves in an interesting situation based on politeness and political correctness. As the country struggles to find that happy medium ground where they can express their opinions but feel secure minority groups won't be offended, a lot of mistakes get made.
However, in Europe, they've had hundreds to thousands of years to figure those things out, and have no problem being self-deprecating. Again, this doesn't necessarily mean you have to completely alter your learning style and become someone else. One thing you can do, though, is put aside anxieties about getting to the heart of the matter and exploring all sides of it. Your main task as an online student is to think critically and deeply about matters, and you can't do that if you're constantly afraid to wade into sensitive territory. |
Mahatma gandhi is known as father of india.
he was born on 2nd october 1869 in porbander,kathiawar
Died on 30th jan. 1948 due to assassination by shooting.
other names of mahatma gandhi are bapu and gandhi ji
political movement :- indian national congress
fathers name:-karamchand gandhi
wife name:- kasturba Gandhi
educated from:-Alfred high school,Rajkot---->samaldas clg(bhavangarh)----->univ. clg london
he was known for indian independence movement.
Mahatma Gandhi was a great freedom fighter. He freed India from the British rule in 1947. He was born on 2nd October, 1869, at Porbander. His full name was Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi. His father was a Deewan at Rajkot. He went to England to study law. He came back and became a barrister at Bombay. Then he went to South Africa. In South Africa, Indians were not treated properly, he fought for them. He went to jail many times in the freedom struggle. He believed in Ahin- sa (Non-violence). He lived a simple life. He wore pure khadi. We also call him Bapu. He was shot dead on 30th January, 1948. It was a great loss to India and to the world as well. For his services and sacrifice for the country he was named the Father of Nation. |
1) It has low reactivity. 2) They are inert to chemical they are also called inert gases. 3) They don't form compounds with other elements except xenon 4) the reactivity order is as follows: Ne< he
1 3 1
The two conditions for a gas to behave as an ideal gas are :
1. Their valency should be zero i.e. the number of electrons in the outermost shell should be filled totally.
2. It should have low reactivity with other elements in the nature.
1 2 1 |
20Objects Lesson 04 - The Pack Object
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In the last lesson, we learned the basics of lists: they act as a container for sending multiple values as a single message. However, the process of building up lists one value at a time (using append and prepend objects) is just too painful for words - and luckily Max provides us with several better approaches.
The pack object
The pack object is our first, and most used, option. The pack object allows you to assemble lists of up to 250 items by specifying the appropriate number of arguments. Let's build an example patch.
Start by creating a new patcher window, then adding five integer number boxes. Then add a pack object with five zeroes as arguments. This will create a pack object with five inlets. Connect the five number boxes to the pack object, and connect the pack outlet to a print object. Your patch should look like this:
When you connected the number boxes, you should have noticed that only the leftmost inlet is a "hot" inlet - all of the others are "cold", meaning that they will collect input but not generate output. You can verify this by entering values into the number boxes; the only time that a list is output is when a value is sent into the left inlet.
How can we force any of the inputs to generate a message? Perhaps the easiest way is to connect the "cold"-connected number boxes to a button object so that it generates output every time a value changes. One thing to double check, though, is that the value gets into the pack object before the bang message is received. This is what we normally do to generate a pack output:
This is a pattern that we will often use for forcing output. Remember it!
The arguments that we use do two things: they determine the type of data that is expected from an inlet, and acts as a default for the value. If we build a pack object with some useful number, but only change one of them, you can easily create complex messages with a few replaceable values.
We can also feed a list into one of the inlets of a pack object to load up the values. This exposes one of the interesting features of using lists: if an object has multiple inlets, feeding it a list will load up the inlet contents in order. This is another concept that is easier to show than to explain, so let's create a patch:
If you click on any of the message boxes, a list is sent into one of the pack inlets. You will notice that the contents of the message box's list is used, in order, to fill the pack object's values. The left message box is most interesting: it sends a list into the first inlet, while loads all the values then creates and output list without requiring a bang. Do you remember why a bang message isn't required? (The answer is: because that is a "hot" inlet.) Remember that we said that the arguments of the pack object determine the type of data expected in an inlet? Let's play with that a little more. Create the following patch:
Our pack object has a mix of symbols, integers and floating-point number, giving us a mixed-data list. Each of the inlets has an input connected to it. You can test the function of the pack object by entering some data, then either clicking on the "generate" button or by entering something into the left inlet. The values remain true to their type, producing symbol, float or integer values for the list output.
What happens when we send the wrong type into a pack inlet? The answer is: it depends. The results is described by the following table:
So, for example, if you send an integer into a float inlet, the value (say, 6) will be converted into a floating-point value (6.0 in this case) and inserted into the list. Most of these will make sense, but one to watch out for is this: the truncation of a floating point number into an integer. You might expect a number like 6.9 to be rounded up to 7, but the result will actually be 6 - the decimal part of the number is stripped right off.
1. Create a pack object that will combine a name (symbol), age (integer) and income level (float) for a set of professional athletes. Use number boxes and flonums for the value inputs, and message boxes for the symbol inputs. Write the output to the Max Window.
2. Create a pack object that will collect three color values, all between 0.0 and 1.0, and display the output in a message box. Force the output to occur whenever any value is changed.
Friend object: unpack
In our last lesson, we used the $1 replaceable parameter to get a value and insert it into a message. In actuality, there are 9 replaceable parameters available: $1 - $9. These numbers refer to the location within a list (the first through ninth element in a list), and can be used anytime we are receiving list contents.
Create the following patch to see how this works:
You can see that the output of the pack object feeds a number of message boxes, each of which uses one of the $n parameters to create a new value. However, there are a few problems with this:
1. We are limited to retrieving only the first nine elements of the list. Longer lists cannot be interrogated.
2. We don't have any way to enforce the type of value used.
3. It's rather inconvenient to do this if you want to completely split the list.
A companion object to the pack object is the unpack object. It is very similar to the pack object: you enter arguments to determine the type and default of each value that is expected, and the appropriate number of outlets will be created - one for each list element.
Now, when a list comes in, the pieces are split into individual messages and sent out the appropriate outlet. Let's make a simple patch that is sort of useless but shows how things operate.
As you can see, anytime we enter a number, a list is created, sent out the pack object, received by the unpack object and split apart again. This may not seem very interesting, but it is the key to many different operations in Max.
The unpack message can decode messages coming from any object that creates a list. For example, if we create a list in a message box, we can easily pull it apart with an unpack object - as long as we know the element types in advance. Here's an example of a patch that builds lists in three different ways, but decodes them all with a single unpack object:
1. Create an unpack object that will take a variety of lists and output the third value of the list. You will want to make the third list value consistent in type through all of your input.
2. The unpack object requires arguments to determine the type of each output. Create a patch that will show the results of the wrong type appearing in the list - we will want to use this to determine what happens if, for example, a symbol is in the list where the unpack message expects an integer. Also, determine what happens if the list is the wrong length for the unpack statement (i.e., it has either too many or too few elements). Finally, show what happens when an unpack object receives a bang message.
Related object: the zl object
The pack object helps us build up a list, and the unpack object allows us to tear it down. What about all of the other things we might want to do with a list: reverse it, split it or even compare it to another list? There is a single "super-object", the zl object, that does all of this and more.
How could one object perform all of these functions? The zl object takes an argument that defines how it operates. The easiest way to see all of the options for zl is to open the zl help file.
Create an instance of the zl object (by creating a generic object and entering zl into it), selecting it, and then selecting "Open zl help" in the help menu. The following screen appears:
Let's look at one of the variations of zl use. Perhaps the most often used mode is the "slice" mode, where a list is split into two parts for separate processing. You will find an example of zl slice at the bottom left of the help file screen, using a list with "beep 1 2.3 137 bap" as the test list. If you click on the list's message box, you will see "beep 1" in the Max Window; this is showing the main output of the zl slice mode, which uses the second argument (in this case, 2) to split off the first two elements of the list. We are going to examine this more closely, and learn about how to use the help files as well.
The help file is a Max patch, and one of the interesting things about it is that the developers did not prevent us from unlocking and manipulating the patch. Obviously, we wouldn't want to change the help patch directly, since our changes would get overwritten on the next update. But what we can do is copy interesting sections out of a help patch and paste it into our own patch.
Unlock the zl help patch and select all of the objects in the slice area: the message box, the zl object and the print object. Copy them to the clipboard (using the Copy command in the Edit menu) and go back to our recently created patcher window. Click on that window to make it the focused window, then paste the clipboard, giving us a new version of the help files slice content. Lock your patch and click on the message box - you should see that it acts just as it did in the help file.
Let's check out all of the functionality of the zl in slice mode by using the rest of the inlets and outlets. If you hover your mouse over the right inlet of zl, you should see a callout that says "size of left slice". You can put in a number, and it will change the size of the left hand list slice. Create a number box, and attach its output to the right inlet of the zl object. Change the value to 3, then click the message box. You should now see "beep 1 2.3" in the Max Window - by changing the slice value, we've changed the output to contain three list elements.
The zl object also has an unused outlet. If we hover our mouse over that outlet, we can see that it tells us we can get the "right slice of input list". Connect a print object named "remainder" to that outlet, then lock the patch and click on the message box. The Max Window will now have two entries, one with the first three elements (because our 3 value from above is still active), and a second with "137 bap" - the remainder of the list.
The nice thing about using the zl object, rather than the unpack object or replaceable parameters, is that the zl object doesn't care about the length of the incoming list - it will do its set job regardless of list length. If not enough elements come in to process (like if you did a "slice 10", but the incoming list only had five elements), it will work with as much as it was given. This is very powerful as you build larger patches - you will be able to accomplish a task without having to constantly verify every list that is sent, and can use it in cases where the data is widely variant.
While going through all of the modes of zl would be overwhelming, you should remember the following rule:
If you need to change a list, the zl object is likely to have a mode that will help you.
That one rule will solve 90% of your list processing requirements.
Create a patch that has five different message boxes (filled with lists) feeding into a single zl object. See what happens when you use the following modes: slice, iter, nth, sort and group. You will need to use the help file (and look at some of the help file's subpatches) to make this work.
Related object: pak
It is going to seem sort of weird to have saved this for the end, but it was done to prevent mishaps with overproduction of messages. There is a variant of the pack object, called pak, that is identical to pack in every way except one: all of its inputs are "hot", and you don't have to mess around with bang object to generate list messages. Here is an example:
The reason that this was left until the end was that it has the potential to produce a lot of unwanted messages. Let's say that you were building up a list of colors for an object. In the patch above, you would send a new color command to the object each time you entered a value, and might get unwanted interim color states. The pak object can be very efficient and handy when it is being used for a specific purpose. But to gain simplicity you lose control of the object's output.
More Information
As we've seen, the help files for objects are powerful tools - they provide us with template code as well as showing us how to use an object. You may want to dig back into the earlier lessons and look at the help files for each of the objects we covered; you will find additional options and functions hidden within the help system.
Perhaps the master of list manipulation is Peter Elsea, a professor at the Music Center of UC-Santa Cruz. He has a set of list manipulation objects called the Lobjects that take the ideas presented above and works them to a tee. You will probably want to start at the "readme" page, found at:
The Lobjects page |
Sleep Better by Changing Your Environment
In Part 2 of the series, Dr. Doni explores how the environment can affect your sleep and gives 6 tips to help turn your bedroom into a haven of restfulness.
Part 2 of Dr. Doni’s Series on Sleep Disruptors and Insomnia
Sleep Better by Changing Your Environment In the introduction to this series, I gave an overview of 12 things that can disrupt our sleep:
1. Timing
2. Environment (this post)
3. Waking to use the bathroom
4. Blood sugar imbalance
5. Elevated cortisol
6. Weight gain
7. Inflammation and pain
8. Food sensitivities
9. Imbalanced neurotransmitters
10. Hormonal changes
11. Low melatonin
12. Stress
Over the next few weeks, I will examine each of these reasons in more depth and give tips on how you can address them. Last week, we talked about how important timing is to the quality of our sleep—what time we go to sleep and the amount of sleep we get. This week we’ll focus on the environment in your bedroom (or where you sleep) and how it could be affecting your sleep including tips for improving your sleeping environment and making it more conducive to a good night’s sleep.
Lack of sleep is known to be a stress on the body that can predispose you to a number of health issues including frequent colds and sinus infections, weight gain, diabetes, and cancer, so it is well worth figuring out why you are not sleeping well and finding a solution.
By the time you land in bed at the end of the day, hoping to get a full night’s rest, it’s too late to pay much attention to your mattress and bedding. And although with a busy schedule, it may be the last thing on your list, it is incredibly important to your sleep and your health to make sure your sleeping environment is just right.
If we assume you normally get the optimal 7.5 to 9 hours sleep per night, it means that you spend almost one-third of every day in bed. If you are sleeping on a synthetic mattress, which has been sprayed with flame-retardant and stain-resistant chemicals, you are being exposed to quite a lot of toxins while you sleep. Add foam cushioning and you are now also exposed to petrochemicals that off-gas (release trapped gas) over time. Then, when you consider dust mites, mold, mildew, bacteria, and dander that accumulate in your bedding and bedroom, let alone other compounds in the air from paint, furniture, fragrances, dry cleaning, smoke, and exhaust, it can quickly add up to quite a toxic space.
Many of my patients tell me they sleep with the TV and/or lights on. For some, the light and sound creates a comfort and distraction that allows them to sleep. However, too much light while you sleep can disrupt your circadian rhythm and therefore the quality of your sleep so it is best if you can turn off the TV and lights and allow your body to sleep without distractions. To do this, we may need to address other reasons that your sleep may be disrupted – see the list of 12 possible causes of insomnia that we are working through in this blog series. If more than one of these causes apply to you, you may need to address other things first before coming back to changing your environment when you are ready.
If, however, you think that it is something in your sleeping environment that is throwing off your sleep patterns, here are 6 tips for making your sleeping space optimal for sleep.
Tips for a Good Sleep Environment
Tip 1: A Clean and Comfortable Bed and Bedroom
Starting with the mattress, it is extremely important to ensure that you have a clean and comfortable sleeping area. It may even be time for a new mattress, in which case I encourage you to consider getting one made from organic materials such as cotton, latex or wool which are naturally anti-microbial and dust-mite proof. Cotton is the best option if you are sensitive to chemicals and odors, and a wool mattress topper makes for soft and comfortable support.
It is also important to cover or encase your mattress and pillows in barrier cloths, ideally also organic, that will protect you from dust mites. Studies show that mattress and pillow covers help with eczema and other allergic conditions plus they protect your mattress and pillows from exposure to liquids (like sweat). Sheets, blankets and duvet covers also come in organic, non-toxic materials, and should be washed regularly in hot water (130 degrees Fahrenheit to kill dust mites). Wool has been shown to be a better option than down because wool is lightweight and prevents dust and mold. Find out more about organic mattresses and bedding at
Research has also shown that clutter in the bedroom can affect your sleep, so remember to take time each day to put away laundry, unpack your suitcase from a trip (if you haven’t already), and organize your things. This way, when you get into bed you’ll be less likely to be thinking of everything that needs to get done. Learn more and be inspired to get organized at
There is also evidence that some people are sensitive to electricity in the bedroom so, removing electrical devices such as the computer and the TV could also benefit your sleep.
Tip 2: Clean Air
We hear about air pollution all the time but we don’t tend to think about it in our own homes. However, the air in our houses and bedrooms is full of tiny particles of dust, dander, mold, viruses and other toxins that can aggravate allergies and irritate our airways and affect our ability to get a good night’s sleep.
An air purifier with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter can eliminate 99% of dust, dander, mold, smoke, and particles that are 0.3 microns or bigger. Some filters can even filter smaller particles (referred to as ultra-fine particles), down to 0.1 microns, such as viruses, car exhaust, and pollutants from industrial plants. Examples of high quality air filters are IQAir, Alen, Austin Air. If you don’t want to buy an air filter (or can’t afford to) even just opening the window to air out the room on a regular basis can do wonders.
Another option is to get a whole house air filtration system and/or special furnace filters that can remove at least 90% of allergens and particles that are 2 microns and larger. Furnace filters usually need to be changed about every six months, so if your filter has not been changed lately, make sure you put it on your “to-do” list, and choose a filter that is intended to help with allergies.
Tip 3: Darkness
Light exposure decreases melatonin production; darkness increases it. Melatonin is the hormone that plays a key role in our circadian rhythm (or body clock), it is responsible for making sure you are awake when you should be awake (during daylight) and getting you to sleep when you should be asleep (when it’s dark). It also plays a role in recovery and immune system function. It is therefore crucial, we create an environment that allows our bodies to produce enough melatonin so that we are sure of getting enough good quality sleep and that we get the maximum benefit from it. That means making your sleeping environment as dark as possible. Even lights from a filter or device in your room (the standby light on a TV or the light from your mobile phone) or from a street light outside your window, can be enough to disrupt your circadian rhythm and your sleep, even when your eyes are closed.
Take notice of any light that you may be exposed to while you sleep and find ways to change the situation. Sometimes it can be as easy as a darker cover over the window, or covering the lights on any necessary devices in your room (or removing the unnecessary ones).
If you work late or have a night shift, then you’ll want to make sure that your bedroom is dark when you sleep even if you sleep during daylight hours. I’ll be discussing melatonin in more depth in a subsequent post.
Tip 4: Temperature
Interestingly, our body temperature drops while we sleep, reaching a minimum temperature during the period of the night when we sleep most deeply (about 4 hours before we wake). So, to optimize your sleep, you’ll want to allow for this drop in temperature by managing the temperature in the room and bed.
The ideal temperature for sleeping is not too cold, but not hot either. Research indicates that sleeping in a room that is cooler—between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit – makes for more deep sleep, less wakefulness, and feeling more refreshed the next day. Being either too cold or too hot, instead, leads to wake-ups and less restful sleep. Find a temperature that feels comfortable to you, and is slightly on the cool side and consider getting cooling mat or pad if you need help cooling your body temperature. Find out more at ChiliPad or Cool Gel Pad.
Tip 5: Non-Toxic Décor
Paints, floor coverings and curtain fabrics can all contain, or be treated with, chemicals that release toxins into the air. These toxins can have long-term effects on health that can impact your ability to sleep well. Fabrics and carpets are also trap dust that can aggravate allergies and also affect your sleep.
When you paint your bedroom walls, choose non-toxic VOC-free paints. Remove carpeting in order to reduce dust and toxins and choose wood (with a non-toxic finish) or tile flooring instead. Replace old curtains and shades with untreated wooden blinds or organic fabric shades.
Tip 6: Shhhh… Quiet
It may seem so simple, but quiet can make all the difference to your sleep, and noise can disrupt your sleep even when everything else is going well. Get to know what works best for you and how likely you are to be woken by nighttime noises. In some cases it is not so much about quiet as it is about consistent sounds, which may even cover up more disruptive noises. White noise can help you sleep better by providing a consistent background noise. You can use a white noise machine, a white noise app on your phone, or turn on an air filter or fan. On the other hand, complete quiet is the best option for other people and, in that case, ear plugs may work for you by blocking out all sound while you sleep. Whichever of these approaches you try, you’ll know they are helping because you will sleep through the night with no interruptions and you’ll feel more rested when you wake in the morning.
Next Steps
Take a minute now to make notes of what you’d like to do based on what you have read in this article to improve your sleep environment. Do you need to order a filter, new bedding, or ear plugs? Do you want to download a white noise app to try out and/or find someone to help you clean up dust or mold in your room? Even if you start with just one step, little by little you will improve your sleep, as well as your health.
If you’d like to continue following this topic week-by-week, please join me by subscribing to my blog in the right margin above or by signing up for my weekly wellness wisdom newsletter here, where I share my blog posts and other tips and support for healthy living.
If you have questions or ideas to share, please submit them in the comments box below.
–Dr Doni
13th November 2014
Dr. Doni’s Natural Sleep Solutions Package
For more info, please click here.
Again, awesome blog!
• Thank you for the feedback—glad you are enjoying it. I don’t have guest posts at this time, but will definitely keep that in mind for the future. |
1.An escalator is descending at constant speed.
A walks down and takes 50 steps to reach the bottom.
How many steps are visible when the escalator is not operating?
Ans: 150 steps
2. Every day a cyclist meets a train at a particular crossing.
The cyclist travels with a speed of 10 Kmph.
What is the speed of the train?
Ans: 60 kmph
middle name of Mohan.
Who has the first or middle name of Anil?
Ans: Kumar Misra Dev
Mohan Iyer Dev
Kumar Patil Mohan
Mohan Sharma Kumar
4. Boys are allowed to watch football at C.V.Raman auditorium subjected to conditions.
The boy over age 16 can wear overcoat
No boy over age 15 can wear cap
To watch the football either he has to wear overcoat or cap or both
A boy with an umberella or above 16 or both cannot wear sweater.
Boys must either not watch football or wear sweater.
What is the appearence of the boy who is watching football.
5. A bird keeper has got P pigeons, M mynas and S sparrows.
Suppose p=10, m=5, s=8 when the bird keeper comes back, the assistant informs the x birds have escaped. The bird keeper exclaims: “Oh no! All my sparrows are gone.”
How many birds flew away?
When the bird keeper comes back, the assistant told him that x birds have escaped. The keeper realised that atleast 2 sparrows have escaped.
What is minimum no of birds that can escape?
(A) if a definete conclusion can be drawn from condition 1
(B) if a definete conclusion can be drawn from condition 2
(C) if a definete conclusion can be drawn from condition 1 and 2
(D) if a definete conclusion can be drawn from condition 1 or 2
(E) no conclusion can be drawn using both conditions
person 1 says N<5
person says N>5
person 3 says 3N>20
person 4 says 3N>10
person 5 says N<8
What is the value of N?
2. Person 2 is telling the truth.
b) 1. no of persong telling the truth is greater than no of persons telling lies
2. person 5 is telling the truth.
You can take 1 or 2 coins at a time.
The person who takes the last coin is the loser.
A always starts first.
If N=7
(c) B can always win by proper play
(d) none of the above
Ans: (e.)
(a) Yes (b) No
8. Two twins have vertain peculiar charcteristics.
One of them always lies on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
The other always lies on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Person A– today is Sunday my name is Anil
Person B — today is Tuesday, my name is Bill
What day is today?
Ans: Today is Tuesday.
9. There is a safe with a 5 digit number as the key.
The 1st digit is thrice the last digit.
There are 3 pairs whose sum is 11.
Find the number.
Ans: 65292
10. A hotel has two wings,the east wing and the west wing.
Some east wing rooms but not all have an ocean view.
All west wing rooms have a harbour view.
The charge for all rooms is identical, except as follows :
Extra charge for all harbour view rooms on or above the 3rd floor
Extra charge for all ocean view rooms except those without balcony
Extra charge for some harbour rooms on the first two floor & some east wing rooms without ocean view but
having kitchen facilities.
Which of the following cannot be determined on the basis of the nformation given:
III. Whether two extra charges are impsed for any room.
(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) III only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II and III
(This question is from 1999 Barrons GRE Guide model Test 3 – section 6, question 22)
Ans: (A)
11. Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Smith are Friends. Their first names are Mary, Helen and Dorothy though not in order. All three of them go on shopping, where Marry spends twice of what Helen spent and Helen spends thrice of what Dorothy Spends. Mrs. Davis spends 3.85 more than Mrs. Smith. Identify the Families of these three women.
12. A cube of size 10 units, painted black, is cut into 1000 pieces of 1 unit size. How many of the cubes are painted (At least on one side)
13. A Person gets his old book binded. But he finds that the page numbers are cut off. So he starts numbering the pages. During the process he finds that 3 is encountered 61 times. Can u tell how many pages were there in the book?
14. A child questions his father, “What is your father’s age”, to which the father answers “He was aged X in year X2”. If the context is 20th Century, What is his Date of Birth?
15. A Clock loses exactly 24 minutes per hour. The Clock is now showing 3.00 A.M. If the clock was corrected a midnight and it stooped 1 hour ago, What is the correct time now? 6. A boy will cycle his way to his grandfather’s house. On the first day he cycles 1/2 of the distance. On the second day he cycles 1/2 of he remaining distance. On the third day he cycles three quarter of the remaining. On the fourth day he cycles 10 miles. On the fourth day he cycles 3/4 of the remaining distance and on the final day he cycles the remaining 5 miles. What is total distance he traveled?
17. A rich man wanted to distribute his collection of gold coins among his ten children comprising of 5 sons and 5 daughters. He also wanted to give some coins to his car driver. He proceeds on the following basis. The first coin went to the car driver and then 1/5th of the remaining coins to his first son. He then gave another coin to the car driver and distributed 1/5th of the remaining coins to his second son. This procedure went on till all the five sons received their share. Once all the sons received their shares, he distributed the remaining coins equally among his daughters. Can u find how many gold coins the rich man had?
18. Ava, Fanny, Eartha, Cynthia, Isabelle and Rick, Smith, Vic, Steve, Willy are 5 Couples though not in order. Each were married on the different day of the week from Monday to Friday.Ava was married on Monday but not to Willy Steve was married on Thursday and Rick on Friday (but not to Isabelle) Fanny married Vic on the day after Eartha was married. Identify the Couples.
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Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, 4K
The Mexica dominance over the region began at the end of the Fourteenth Century, when Acamapichtli was able to submit the manor of Cuauhnáhuac. The Mexicas wanted to dominate this region in order to take over the cotton that was grown there and that they needed to make their clothing. In order to do this, according to certain sources, the Mexica lord Huitzilíhuitl asked for the hand of Miahuaxihuitl —daughter of Ozomatzinteuctli (Itzcoatzin or Tezcacohuatzin, according to other sources), lord of Cuernavaca, and of Miyauaxiuitl, woman of Toltec origin, but this was denied to him. Then Huitzilíhuitl had no other option but to go to war; and in this way he was able to submit the lord of Cuauhnáhuac and marry his daughter. Moctezuma llhuicamina was born of this union, who years later would be the Mexica emperor.
Moctezuma llhuicamina was the fifth Aztec emperor (1440-1469), better known as “Moctezuma the Great” or the “Aged” or “Moctezuma I”. His first name, Motecuhzoma, means “man who gets angry”, or “the one who gets angry with style”. When he arrived to the throne he was more than forty years old and had already developed a notable military career. He was the Tlatoani who lasted the longest as an emperor, almost fifty years.
Captivated with the natural beauty of Oaxtepec, Moctezuma I sent messengers to travel through all the empire to search for the most exotic plants and flowers, originating the first botanical garden in America.
Hacienda del Apantle de la Santa Cruz:
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Iliopsoas (Hip Flexor)
Anterior Hip Muscles 2.PNG
Anterior hip muscles. The iliopsoas is not labeled but can be seen as the psoas major and the iliacus join inferiorly.
Origin Iliac fossa and lumbar spine
Insertion Lesser trochanter of femur
Artery Medial femoral circumflex artery and iliolumbar artery
Nerve Branches from L1-L3
Actions Flexion of hip
Antagonist Gluteus maximus and the posterior compartment of thigh
Latin Musculus iliopsoas
TA A04.7.02.002
FMA 64918
Anatomical terms of muscle
The term iliopsoas (ilio-so-as) refers to the combination of the psoas major and the iliacus at their inferior ends. These muscles are distinct in the abdomen, but usually indistinguishable in the thigh. As such, they are usually given the common name "iliopsoas" and are referred to as the "dorsal hip muscles"[1] or "inner hip muscles".[2] The psoas minor does contribute to the iliopsoas muscle.
It is a composite muscle. The psoas major is innervated by direct branches of the anterior rami off the lumbar plexus at the levels of L1-L3, while the iliacus is innervated by the femoral nerve (which is composed of nerves from the anterior rami of L2-L4).
The iliopsoas is the strongest of the hip flexors (others are rectus femoris, sartorius, and tensor fasciae latae). The iliopsoas is important for standing, walking, and running.[2] The iliacus and psoas major perform different actions when postural changes occur.
The iliopsoas muscle is covered by the iliac fascia, which begins as a strong tube-shaped psoas fascia, which surround the psoas major muscle as it passes under the medial arcuate ligament. Together with the iliac fascia, it continues down to the inguinal ligament where it forms the iliopectineal arch which separates the muscular and vascular lacunae.[3]
Clinical significance[edit]
It is a typical posture muscle dominated by slow-twitch red type 1 fibers. Since it originates from the lumbar vertebrae and discs and then inserts onto the femur, any structure from the lumbar spine to the femur can be affected directly. A short and tight iliopsoas often presents as externally rotated legs and feet. It can cause pain in the low or mid back, SI joint, hip, groin, thigh, knee, or any combination. The iliopsoas gets innervation from the L2-4 nerve roots of the lumbar plexus which also send branches to the superficial lumbar muscles. The femoral nerve passes through the muscle and innervates the quadriceps, pectineus, and sartorius muscles. It also comprises the intermediate femoral cutaneous and medial femoral cutaneous nerves which are responsible for sensation over the anterior and medial aspects of the thigh, medial shin, and arch of the foot nerves. The obturator nerve also passes through the muscle which is responsible for the sensory innervation of the skin of the medial aspect of the thigh and motor innervation of the adductor muscles of the lower extremity (external obturator, adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gracilis) and sometimes the pectineus. Any of these innervated structures can be affected.
Additional Images[edit]
See also[edit]
1. ^ Platzer, Werner (2004). Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Vol 1: Locomotor system (5th ed.). Thieme. p. 234. ISBN 3-13-533305-1.
2. ^ a b c Thieme Atlas of Anatomy. Thieme. 2006. pp. 422–423. ISBN 3131421010.
3. ^ Platzer, Werner (2004). Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Vol 1: Locomotor system (5th ed.). Thieme. p. 254. ISBN 3-13-533305-1.
External links[edit] |
Understanding Power
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Understanding Power is a 2002 collection of discussions with Noam Chomsky.
• See, people with power understand exactly one thing: violence.
• The United States is deeply in debt—that was part of the whole Reagan/Bush program, in fact: to put the country so deeply in debt that there would be virtually no way for the government to pursue programs of social spending anymore. And what "being in debt" really means is that the Treasury Department has sold a ton of securities—bonds and notes and so on—to investors, who then trade them back and forth on the bond market. Well, according to the Wall Street Journal, by now about $150 billion a day worth of U.S. Treasury securities alone is traded this way. The article then explained what this means: it means that if the investing community which holds those securities doesn’t like any U.S. government policies, it can very quickly sell off just a tiny signal amount of Treasury bonds, and that will have the automatic effect of raising the interest rate, which then will have the further automatic effect of increasing the deficit. Okay, this article calculated that if such a "signal" sufficed to raise the interest rate by 1 percent, it would add $20 billion to the deficit overnight—meaning if Clinton (say in someone’s dream) proposed a $20 billion social spending program, the international investing community could effectively turn it into a $40 billion program instantly, just by a signal, and any further moves in that direction would be totally cut off.
• …so long as power remains privately concentrated, everybody, everybody, has to be committed to one overriding goal: and that’s to make sure that the rich folk are happy—because unless they are, nobody else is going to get anything. So if you’re a homeless person sleeping in the streets of Manhattan, let’s say, your first concern must be that the guys in the mansions are happy—because if they’re happy, then they’ll invest, and the economy will work, and things will function, and then maybe something will trickle down to you somewhere along the line. But if they’re not happy, everything’s going to grind to a halt, and you’re not even going to get anything trickling down.
• …there are no two points of view more antithetical than classical liberalism and capitalism—and that's why when the University of Chicago publishes a bicentennial edition of Smith, they have to distort the text (which they did): because as a true classical liberal, Smith was strongly opposed to all of the idiocy they now sprout in his name.
• Chapter 7: The Fraud of Modern Economics
• Chapter 7: The Fraud of Modern Economics
• Chapter 7: The Fraud of Modern Economics
• In fact, just take a look at the history of "trucking and bartering" itself; look at the history of modern capitalism, about which we know a lot. The first thing you'll notice is, peasants had to be driven by force and violence into a wage-labor system they did not want; then major efforts were undertaken—conscious efforts—to create wants. In fact, if you look back, there's a whole interesting literature of conscious discussion of the need to manufacture wants in the general population. It's happened over the whole long stretch of capitalism of course, but one place where you can see it very nicely encapsulated is around the time when slavery was terminated. It's very dramatic too at cases like these. For example, in 1831 there was a big slave revolt in Jamaica—which was one of the things that led the British to decide to give up slavery in their colonies: after some slave revolts, they basically said, "It's not paying anymore." So within a couple of years the British wanted to move from a slave economy to a so-called "free" economy, but they still wanted the basic structure to remain exactly the same—and if you take a look back at the parliamentary debates in England at the time, they were talking very consciously about all this. They were saying: look, we've got to keep it the way it is, the masters have to become the owners, the slave have to become the happy workers—somehow we've got to work it all out. Well, there was a little problem in Jamaica: since there was a lot of open land there, when the British let the slaves go free they just wanted to move out onto the land and be perfectly happy, they didn't want to work for the British sugar plantations anymore. So what everyone was asking in Parliament in London was, "How can we force them to keep working for us, even when they're no longer enslaved into it?" Alright, two things were decided upon: first, they would use state force to close off the open land and prevent people from going and surviving on their own. And secondly, they realized that since all these workers didn't really want a lot of things—they just wanted to satisfy their basic needs, which they could easily do in that tropical climate—the British capitalists would have to start creating a whole set of wants for them, and make them start desiring things they didn't then desire, so then the only way they'd be able to satisfy their new material desires would be by working for wages in the British sugar plantations. There was very conscious discussion of the need to create wants—and in fact, extensive efforts were then undertaken to do exactly what they do on T.V. today: to create wants, to make you want the latest pair of sneakers you don't really need, so then people will be driven into a wage-labor society. And that pattern has been repeated over and over again through the whole entire history of capitalism. In fact, what the whole history of capitalism shows is that people have had to be driven into situations which are then claimed to be their nature. But if the history of capitalism shows anything, it shows it's not their nature, that they've had to be forced into it, and that that effort has had to be maintained right until this day.
• pp. 203-204
• So when you go to graduate school in the natural sciences, you're immediately brought into critical inquiry—and, in fact, what you're learning is kind of a craft; you don't really teach science, people sort of get the idea how to do it as apprentices, hopefully by working with good people. But the goal is to learn how to do creative work, and to challenge everything.… People have to be trained for creativity and disobedience—because there is no other way you can do science. But in the humanities and social sciences, and in fields like journalism and economics and so on … people have to be trained to be managers, and controllers, and to accept things, and not to question too much.
• Remember that the media have two basic functions. One is to indoctrinate the elites, to make sure they have the right ideas and know how to serve power. In fact, typically the elites are the most indoctrinated segment of a society, because they are the ones who are exposed to the most propaganda and actually take part in the decision-making process. For them you have the New York Times, and the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, and so on. But there’s also a mass media, whose main function is just to get rid of the rest of the population—to marginalize and eliminate them, so they don’t interfere with decision-making. And the press that’s designed for that purpose isn’t the New York Times and the Washington Post, it’s sitcoms on television, and the National Enquirer, and sex and violence, and babies with three heads, and football, all that kind of stuff.
• …another thing you sometimes find in non-literate cultures is development of the most extraordinary linguistic systems: often there's tremendous sophistication about language, and people play all sorts of games with language. So there are puberty rites where people who go through the same initiation period develop their own language that's usually some modification of the actual language, but with quite complex mental operations differentiating it—then that's theirs for the rest of their lives, and not other people's. And what all these things look like is that people just want to use their intelligence somehow, and if you don't have a lot of technology and so on, you do other things. Well, in our society, we have things that you might use your intelligence on, like politics, but people really can't get involved in them in a very serious way—so what they do is they put their minds into other things, such as sports. You're trained to be obedient; you don't have an interesting job; there's no work around for you that's creative; in the cultural environment you're a passive observer of usually pretty tawdry stuff; political and social life are out of your range, they're in the hands of the rich folks. So what's left? Well, one thing that's left is sports—so you put a lot of the intelligence and the thought and the self-confidence into that. And I suppose that's also one of the basic functions it serves in the society in general: it occupies the population, and keeps them from trying to get involved with things that really matter.
• The real lesson of Nixon's fall is that the President shouldn't call Thomas Watson and McGeorge Bundy bad names—that means the Republic's collapsing. And the press prides itself on having exposed this fact. On the other hand, if you want to send the FBI to organize the assassination of a Black Panther leader, that's fine by us; it's fine by the Washington Post too.
• The bombing of Cambodia did not even appear in Nixon's Articles of Impeachment. It was raised in the Senate hearing, but only in one interesting respect—the question that was raised was, why hadn't Nixon informed Congress? It wasn't, why did you carry out one of the most intense bombings in history in densely populated areas of peasant country, killing maybe 150,000 people? That never came up.
External links[edit]
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Crabohydrate digestion
Learning objectives:
How does salivary amylase act in the mouth to hydrolyse starch?
How is starch digestion completed in the small intestine?
How are dissacharides digested?
What is lactose intolerance?
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• Created by: Katie
• Created on: 24-05-10 12:08
explain starch digestion
Firstly the enzyme amylase is produced in the mouth and the pancreas.
Amylase hydrolyses the alternate glycosidic bonds of the starch molecule to produce the dissacharide maltose.
The maltose is in turn hydrolysed into the monosaccharide alpha glucose by a second enzyme, maltase.
Maltase is produced by the lining of the intestine.
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What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?
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Music technology
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• Created by: Lucy
• Created on: 27-04-13 13:16
What is sampling?
Sampling is a Digital recording of a sound which is has either been taken from pre-existing material or your own new recording of a sound. The process allows you to edit, manipulate and playback the digital sound.
Samplers are used to create loops, scratching, reverse, pitch shift and filter the source.
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What is lo-fi?
Lo-Fi stands for Low Fidelity and it is often used in hip hop music to create a poor quality recording. It is suited to the genre of music and therefore does not interfere with its performance.
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What is reverb?
Reverb is the depth of field in a recording. It enables the listener to get a sense of the overall space.
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What is slap back echo?
Slap back echo is a short repetition of the original signal. The delay unit can be analogue or digital. The delay is usually between 50-200ms in time.
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Book cover: Forgiveness GardenUnfortunately we humans often operate under the “eye for an eye” philosophy of conflict. Someone hurts us; we hurt them back. And on a worldwide level, that translates to millions of lives lost and incalculable harm to all.
The book The Forgiveness Garden, by Lauren Thompson (2012, grades K-4), provides a vital opportunity to explore the power of courage and what can happen when we choose to forgive.
In the story, two villages, living on opposite sides of a river, have been engaged in a long-standing feud. When a young man from one village injures a young woman from the other village, hatred and calls for revenge grow. But when the young woman is given her chance for retribution, she instead chooses to build a forgiveness garden, to help bridge the divide between the two peoples and begin the journey of healing and forgiveness.
The illustrations are beautiful collages, which start out in starker, brighter colors and ease into gentle shades of blues, greens, and purples, reflecting the shifts in the villagers’ feelings.
The book is inspired by the original Garden of Forgiveness in Beirut, Lebanon, after the Lebanese civil war that ended in 1990.
Check out more picture books about war and peace here, and for more children’s books on humane issues, see our Resource Center.
~ Marsha
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Program Outcomes - Clinical Research Coordinator Certificate
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Clinical Research Coordinator Certificate program, the learner will be able to:
1. Compare/contrast the clinical research phases.
2. Outline the process for data collection and documentation.
3. Outline the study start-up process.
4. Perform a mock clinical trial.
5. Manage medical records upholding privacy and security regulations.
6. Identify the regulatory agencies involved in clinical research.
7. Complete human subject training requirements.
8. Categorize a regulatory binder and examine essential documents required to adhere to regulatory compliance.
9. Obtain critical thinking skills necessary for a successful career as a CRC.
10. Obtain professional skills necessary for a successful career as a CRC.
11. Use computer programs commonly found in a research facility.
12. Describe the structural organization of the body.
13. Obtain specimens for diagnostic evaluation and testing.
14. List the indications for use, dosage forms, generic and trade names for commonly used medications. |
Take notes
Office Training Center > OneNote training > OneNote 2016 Training >Take notes
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OneNote provides many ways to take notes—typing, writing, drawing, sketching, speaking, copying, and so on. Typing notes couldn’t be easier—just type. On a touch-capable device, you can also handwrite notes. Want the best of both worlds? Convert handwritten notes to text.
An introduction to taking notes
Type notes
1. Click anywhere on the page, and then start typing words of wisdom.
Typing text
A note container appears around text as you type, and is a way to move notes on a page.
2. Keep typing within the note container, or click elsewhere on the page to create a new note.
3. To begin a bulleted list, type * (asterisk) on a new line, and press Space bar.
Type a bulleted list
4. To begin a numbered list, type 1. on a new line, and press Space bar.
Type a numbered list
Handwrite notes
1. On the ribbon, choose Draw.
2. In the Tools group, choose any of the color pens or highlighters, and then use your computer’s stylus to write notes on the screen.
Handwriting notes
This is also called Ink.
3. To stop drawing, choose Type.
Convert handwriting to text
1. Choose Draw > Type.
3. Choose Draw > Ink to Text.
If the command is disabled, right-click the handwritten note, and then choose Treat Selected Ink As > Handwriting.
4. No conversion is perfect, so double-check for accuracy and make corrections.
Tip: If you can’t convert handwriting to text, the image may be a drawing. To ensure OneNote creates handwriting when you use Ink, do the following:
1. Choose the down arrow to expand the Pen menu.
Using the pen menu
2. Choose Pen mode > Create Handwriting Only.
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Limiting Factors
#ecosys2 Deserert
Abiotic:Sun,temperature,tumbleweeds .
,vultures,coyotes,some rabbits and Cactus
Desert Rattlesnake:They are able to survive in the desert cause they can regulate their body temperature and their colors help them blend in to the desert and hid so they can hunt prey easier.They also don't have to eat and drink regularly cause they get water from their prey.
Carrying Capacity
Carrying Capacity:Limit of how many individual organisms an ecosystem can support.(Based on available sources)
The resources they need is they need food,water,air,shelter and space.
Without the right amount if resources then the population changes cause without the right habitat then they can't reproduce and the population will start to die down.
Ex:If there where no mice then the snakes would starve and they would not be able to reproduce.
Limiting Factors:Factors that influence carrying
Ex:Disease,drought, flood, wildfire ECT.
Without the cactus some animals would die cause the cactus carry water in them and some of the animals eat the cactus fruit
Producers-Produce their own food
Ex:Cactus produce their own food and water
Consumer:Consume and eat other things and organisms for food.
Ex:Snake eats some rabbits for food.
Decomposer:Organisms that break down dead things.
Ex:Worms break down and decompose dead things.
Energy Roles
First the producer gets energy from the sun and then the 1st level consumer receives energy from the producers and the 2nd level consumer gets their energy from the 1st level consumer then the 3rd level consumer gets energy from the 2nd level consumer then the 4th level consumer gets its energy from the 3rd level consumer.
The producers are really important cause the 1st level consumers get their energy from the producers so with out the producers it would throw the whole ecosystem off balance cause the 1st level consumers would die cause there is no more producers and then the ecosystem will be off balance.
Food Chains VS. Food Webs....
Food webs are more realistic than the Food Chains cause the food web gives all the possibilities in a ecosystem.
If I removed the rabbits and coyotes from the ecosystem then the snakes would die cause the rabbits and coyotes are the source of food for the snakes.
The Pyramid
The pyramid is the best shape to use and not the other shapes cause it shows the amount of energy that each level needs and uses and its really organized.
Producers VS.Predators
The reason the producers are at the base of the pyramid and the predators are at the top is cause the producers need more energy than the predators do.
I put the 3 pictures to show how the flowers need plenty of sunlight to grow.
CO2+H2O-> Suns Energy C6H12O6+O2
Carbon Dioxide+Water+Chlorophyll+Sugars+Oxygen
What is Needed For Photosynthesis????
Photosynthesis takes place in the plants leaves of when a plant absorbs sunlight and water to make its food.
For photosynthesis you need to green plants and u need sunlight and lots if water and good soil for the plants to grow.
How Tropism helps the plants of your ecosystem?
Decomposers: an organism,usually bacteria or fungus that breaks down the cells of dead plants and animals into simpler substances.
Decomposers in my ecosystem
Beetles break down dead things in a desert ecosystem.
Its really important to adapt to living in different places cause you will not always be in the same places and that's why u have to adapt to living in other places.
If you put another organism in your enviornment then they would probably die cause they might not know how to adapt to the enviornment you are in cause they're used to something much more different.
Natural Selection
Natural Selection:
Example of an organism of Natural Selection:
Comment Stream
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2 years ago
i still have a question about a cactus being abiotic
2 years ago
i recommend that you change the cacti to biotic
2 years ago
I disagree with this because cacti is biotic.
2 years ago
A Better Solution is to change the Cacti to Biotic, because it is living.
2 years ago
I recommend the you specify your abiotic factors like what temperature it has.
2 years ago
I disagree with this because cacti are alive.
2 years ago
I disagree with cactus
2 years ago
i recommend that you space the pictures out a little more
2 years ago
2 years ago
I'm confused about the picture of shoes being tied to producers. Make sure to keep your portfolio organized and easy to read. You have some good information included so far! |
시간 제한 메모리 제한 제출 정답 맞은 사람 정답 비율
2 초 512 MB 4 2 2 50.000%
“It’s like how hot dogs come in packs of ten, and buns come in packs of eight or twelve — you have to buy nine packs to make it come out even.”
This is a quote from the 1986 movie, “True Stories”, and it’s true; well, almost true. You could buy four packs of 10 hotdogs and five packs of 8 buns. That would give you exactly 40 of each. However, you can make things even with fewer packs if you buy two packs of 10 hotdogs, along with a pack of 8 buns and another pack of 12 buns. That would give you 20 of each, using only 4 total packs.
For this problem, you’ll determine the fewest packs you need to buy to make hotdogs and buns come out even, given a selection of different bun and hotdog packs available for purchase.
The first input line starts with an integer, H, the number of hotdog packs available. This is followed by H integers, h1 . . . hH, the number of hotdogs in each pack. The second input line starts with an integer, B, giving the number of bun packs available. This is followed by B integers, b1 . . . bB, indicating the number of buns in each pack. The values H and B are between 0 and 100, inclusive, and the sizes of the packs are between 1 and 1 000, inclusive. Every available pack is listed individually. For example, if there were five eight-bun packs available for purchase, the list of bun packs would contain five copies of the number eight.
If it’s not possible to purchase an equal number of one or more hotdogs and buns, just output “impossible”. Otherwise, output the smallest number of total packs you can buy (counting both hotdog and bun packs) to get exactly the same number of hotdogs and buns.
예제 입력
4 10 10 10 10
10 8 8 8 12 12 12 8 8 12 12
예제 출력
예제 입력 2
4 7 7 14 7
3 11 22 11
예제 출력 2 |
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Type 2 Diabetes Management For Adolescents
As you get older, you will be able to manage your own health. You may be away from home more often spending time with your friends or being involved in sports. When you manage your blood sugar levels, you will feel well and be able to enjoy your activities. Your healthcare providers can show you how to fit diabetes care within your schedule. Adults, such as your parents and healthcare providers, are available to help you as you become more active in your diabetes care.
What you can do to manage your blood sugar levels:
• Make healthy food choices. Healthy foods can give you energy to learn and be active. Healthy foods can also help you keep your blood sugar in balance, and manage or lose weight safely. Work with a dietitian to develop a meal plan that works for you and your schedule. A dietitian can help you learn how to eat the right amount of carbohydrates during your meals and snacks. Carbohydrates can raise your blood sugar if you eat too many at one time. Some foods that contain carbohydrates include breads, cereals, rice, pasta, sweets, soda, and juice.
• Get regular physical activity. Physical activity helps to lower your blood sugar levels. It can also help you manage your weight. Get at least 60 minutes of physical activity throughout your day.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your healthcare provider how much you should weigh. Ask him to help you create a safe weight loss plan if you are overweight. Weight loss can improve your blood sugar levels.
• Check your blood sugar level as directed and as needed. Ask your healthcare provider what your blood sugar levels should be.
• Look at your schedule and make a plan for how you will check your blood sugar levels throughout the day.
• Check more often if you think your blood sugar is too high or too low. This will allow you to take care of any low or high blood sugar levels so they do not interfere with your activities.
• Rotate the sites where you do fingersticks. This will help make the checks less painful, and make fingerstick sites less noticeable.
• Write down your blood sugar levels so you can show them to your healthcare provider during your visits. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are having trouble keeping your blood sugar at the recommended levels.
• Take your diabetes medicine or insulin as directed. You may need diabetes medicine, insulin, or both to help control your blood sugar levels. Your healthcare provider will teach you how and when to take your diabetes medicine or insulin.
What you need to know about high blood sugar:
High blood sugar may not cause any symptoms. It may cause you to feel more thirsty than usual or urinate more often than usual. Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage your nerves, blood vessels, tissues, and organs.
• Large meals or large amounts of carbohydrates at one time can raise your blood sugar.
• Decreased physical activity can raise your blood sugar. For example, your blood sugar can increase if you stop playing a sport or getting regular physical activity. Do not sit for longer than 90 minutes at a time.
• Stress can raise your blood sugar. Ask your parents or healthcare provider for help if you are having trouble managing stress.
• Illness can raise your blood sugar. This can happen even if you eat less than usual while you are sick. Work with your healthcare provider and parents to develop a sick day plan. This is a plan that helps you manage your blood sugar levels while you are sick.
• A lower dose of medicine or insulin, or a late dose, can raise your blood sugar. There is not enough time for your medicine or insulin to work as it should if you take it late. When you take a lower dose, there is not enough medicine or insulin needed to lower your blood sugar.
What you need to know about low blood sugar:
You can prevent symptoms such as shakiness, dizziness, irritability, or confusion by preventing your blood sugar from going too low.
• Treat low blood sugar right away. Eat 15 grams of carbohydrate. Have 4 ounces of juice or 3 to 4 tablets of glucose. Check your blood sugar again 10 to 15 minutes later. When your blood sugar goes back to normal, eat a meal or snack to prevent another decrease in blood sugar.
• Your blood sugar can get too low if you take diabetes medicine or insulin and do not eat enough food. It can also happen if you skip a meal or snack.
• Increased physical activity can cause low blood sugar. Check your blood sugar before you exercise. If your blood sugar is below 100 mg/dL, eat 15 grams of carbohydrate. If you will exercise for more than 1 hour, check your blood sugar every 30 minutes. You may need to adjust your insulin before exercise and have a carbohydrate snack during exercise.
Other things you can do to manage your diabetes:
• Be safe when you learn to drive. Check your blood sugar before you drive if you use insulin, and you think your blood sugar is low. If your blood sugar is low, eat 15 grams of carbohydrate and wait for your blood sugar to go back to normal. Keep snacks that contain carbohydrate in the car. If you feel like your blood sugar is low while you are driving, pull over and check your blood sugar level. Treat low blood sugar before you start driving again, if needed.
• Do not drink alcohol or smoke. Alcohol affects your blood sugar level and can make it harder for you to manage your diabetes. You may not be aware of low blood sugar when you drink alcohol. Nicotine can damage blood vessels and make it more difficult to manage your diabetes. Do not use e-cigarettes or smokeless tobacco in place of cigarettes or to help you quit. They still contain nicotine. Ask your healthcare provider for information if you currently smoke and need help quitting.
Follow up with your healthcare provider as directed:
You may need to return to have your A1c every 3 months. An A1c test shows the average amount of sugar in your blood over the past 2 to 3 months. Your healthcare provider will tell you what your A1c level should be. You may also need to return at least once each year to have your feet checked.
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What rights do the Pashtuns and Hazaras have in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini?
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The discussion of rights between these two ethnic groups in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner is a little tricky, because for the first part of the novel the differences are expressed in treatments, not rights. Once the Taliban moves into Afghanistan, the term rights is certainly applicable.
Before the Taliban arrives, the Pashtuns are the ruling class. They are the people with all the power, wealth, and position. Baba's family is a good example of how things worked for the Pashtuns and Hazara at this time.
Baba owns a large estate and was married to a Pashtun woman, so Amir is a full Pashtun--and he is well aware of it because Baba makes sure to make it clear. Baba's loyal and kind servant is Ali, who is a Hazara. Ali and his wife are both Hazara, as is their son, Hassan. While Hassan and Amir grow up together in a lovely way, they are not equals and they both know it. Amir has a bit of an epiphany when he reads in one of the books in his father's library.
For years, ...all I knew about the Hazaras [was] that they were Mogul descendants, and that they looked a little like Chinese people. School text books barely mentioned them and referred to their ancestry only in passing.
Rahim Khan, Baba's business partner and family friend, tells Amir about loving a Hazara girl when he was much younger.
So you see, it is less about actual rights than it is about history and practice.
Once the Taliban (which is comprised primarily of Pashtuns) takes over, the real persecution of the Hazaras begins. Assef, the bully who raped Hassan, is now a Taliban leader. He has always believed in ethnic cleansing (remember his admiration for Hitler) and hated the Hazaras, but now he has the power to act on his hatred. He routinely guns down innocent Hazaras without remorse and calls it "God's work."
"We left the bodies in the streets, and if their families tried to sneak out to drag them back into their homes, we'd shoot them too. We left them in the streets for days. We left them for the dogs. Dog meat for dogs."
Once the Taliban arrives, the Hazaras have no rights and live only at the mercy of the Pashtuns.
In the end, Amir is raising Hassan's son, so perhaps there is some hope for change.
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Public Release:
Burning all fossil energy would eliminate all ice of Antarctica
Sea-level would be raised by more than 50 meters
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
Burning all of the world's available fossil-fuel resources would result in the complete melting of the Antarctic ice sheet, a new study to be published in Science Advances shows. The Antarctic ice masses store water equivalent to more than 50 meters of sea-level rise. The new calculations show that Antarctica's long-term contribution to sea-level rise could likely be restricted to a few meters that could still be manageable, if global warming did not exceed 2 degrees. Crossing this threshold, however, would in the long run destabilize both West and East Antarctica - causing sea-level rise that would reshape coastal regions around the globe for millennia to come.
"If we were to burn all attainable fossil fuel resources, this would eliminate the Antarctic ice sheet and cause long-term global sea-level rise unprecedented in human history," lead author Ricarda Winkelmann of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research says. "This would not happen overnight, but the mind-boggling point is that our actions today are changing the face of planet Earth as we know it, and will continue to do so for tens of thousands of years to come. If we want to avoid Antarctica to become ice-free, we need to keep coal, gas and oil in the ground".
"By using more and more fossil energy, we increase the risk of triggering changes that we may not be able to stop or reverse in the future," co-author Anders Levermann of the Potsdam Institute explains. "The West Antarctic ice sheet may already have tipped into a state of unstoppable ice loss, whether as a result of human activity or not. But if we want to pass on cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Calcutta, Hamburg or New York as our future heritage, we need to avoid a tipping in East Antarctica," he says.
"The idea was to compute what we have already started by emitting greenhouse-gas emissions from burning coal or oil - and to analyze where that will take us in the future," says co-author Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford University. Burning all available fossil-fuel resources would result in carbon emissions of about 10,000 billion tons. Assuming a pulse of carbon release, the scientists' simulations show that Antarctica would lose ice over at least the next ten thousand years in response, with an average contribution to sea-level rise of up to three meters per century during the first millennium. Consistent with recent observations and simulations, the scientists also found that even if global warming would be limited to two degrees, this already raises the risk of destabilizing the West Antarctic ice sheet. "And the risk increases with every additional tenth of a degree of warming, with unabated carbon emissions threatening the Antarctic Ice Sheet in its entirety," Ken Caldeira concludes.
"An ice cube in a warming room"
The comprehensive simulations take into account the impacts of atmospheric and ocean warming on the Antarctic ice as well as feedback mechanisms that might speed up ice discharge and melting processes. Moreover, they consider phenomena like enhanced snowfall due to global warming that might offset some part of the ice loss. Even though major modeling challenges remain, like imperfect datasets of Antarctic bedrock topography, the simulations are particularly well suited for the long-term projections of the continental-scale evolution of the ice sheet. "It is much easier to predict that an ice cube in a warming room is going to melt eventually than it is to say precisely how quickly it will vanish," Winkelmann says.
Currently, Antarctica contributes less than 10 percent to global sea-level rise and hence is a minor contributor compared to the thermal expansion of the warming oceans and to the influx from melting mountain glaciers. However, Greenland and especially Antarctica with their huge ice volumes are expected to be the major contributors to long-term future sea-level rise. "Our results show that the currently attainable carbon resources are sufficient to eliminate the Antarctic ice sheet and that major coastal cities are threatened at much lower amounts of cumulative emissions," Winkelmann says. "In a world beyond two degrees, long-term sea-level rise would likely be dominated by ice loss from Antarctica."
Link to the article once it is published:
Media contact:
PIK press office
Phone: +49 331 288 25 07
Twitter: @PIK_Climate
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gnubik man page
gnubik — an interactive, graphic Magic cube program.
gnubik [window_system_options] [-hvs] [-z n[,m[,p]]] [-a m]
This is a program which displays a 3 dimensional image of a magic cube, as introduced to the world by its Hungarian inventor, Erno Rubik. The user rotates the blocks of the cube, and attempts to solve the puzzle, by moving all the blocks to their correct positions and orientations, resulting in a cube with a single colour on each face.
The user interacts with the program in the following ways:
Viewing the Cube
The viewing position may be altered using the arrow keys or by using the mouse. The left and right arrow keys rotate the cube about the vertical axis. The up and down keys rotate the cube about the horizontal axis. Holding down the shift key whilst pressing the left and right arrow keys rotates the cube about the z axis.
To rotate the cube using the mouse, hold down button 1 and move the mouse anywhere on the window. If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use this to rotate the cube about the z axis.
Performing Rotations
Rotations are performed using the mouse. To manipulate the cube, place the mouse cursor on a square in the cube, against the edge facing the direction you want to move, and click button 1.
The mouse cursor will indicate the direction of rotation.
-z n,m,p
Draws a cube of size n x m x p, where n,m and p are positive. The default size is 3 x 3 x 3.
-a m
When rotating parts of the cube, show m intermediate positions. The default for this value is 2. Setting to a higher value, will give smoother animations, but will result in a slower program.
Display a help message and exit.
Display version number and then exit.
The code for gnubik is written in C and Scheme. It uses the Mesa/OpenGL graphics library, and the Gtk+ library and Guile. As such, it should be easy to generate a version for any system complying with these standards.
The rendering process is slower than it could be, since display lists aren't currently used. The entire image is re-rendered, during each refresh, regardless of which components have changed their appearance.
01 January 2011 JMD GNU Utility Documentation |
Public Schools Must Have Reasonable Suspicion to Test Students for Drugs and Alcohol
Q: Are students protected by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution?
A: Yes. Under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, all people, including public school students, are protected against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Any type of search that school officials conduct implicates the Fourth Amendment and its protections.
Q: Is a drug or alcohol test considered a search under the Fourth Amendment?
A: Yes. A drug test (usually administered by obtaining a urine sample) or alcohol test (usually administered through a breathalyzer) both qualify as a “search” under the Fourth Amendment. Since the Fourth Amendment applies to drug/alcohol tests administered to students, the question often becomes whether it was reasonable to conduct the search or test.
Q: When can public school officials test students for drugs or alcohol?
A: Public schools are responsible for ensuring the safety of all students. For this reason, public school officials are not held to the higher “probable cause” standard law enforcement officers must meet to conduct searches. School officials also do not need a search warrant to conduct a search (or test). Rather, school officials may test a student for drugs or alcohol if they have a “reasonable suspicion” that a student is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or during a school-sponsored event.
Q: What does it mean to have a reasonable suspicion?
A: Having a “reasonable suspicion” means that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a search (or test) will provide evidence that the student violated a school policy or rule. The reasonableness of any search (or test) depends on the facts and circumstances of each situation.
Q: What are some examples of reasonable suspicion?
A: If a student is noticeably impaired and has alcohol on his/her breath, school officials would have a reasonable suspicion to conduct a breathalyzer test. Also, noticeable impairment combined with information received from a credible source about the same student’s recent consumption of drugs or alcohol would likely constitute a reasonable suspicion. However, a student’s misbehavior alone would not justify drug/alcohol testing if there were no other indicators that the student was using drugs or alcohol.
Q: Can a school implement a random drug-testing policy for all students?
A: No; public schools may not implement a purely random (or “suspicionless”) drug-testing policy for all students in attendance. Such a policy has been held to violate the Fourth Amendment. However, public schools may implement a random drug testing policy for all students who participate in competitive activities (specifically including, but not necessarily limited to athletics, band, choir and cheerleading). Also, one court upheld a random drug-testing policy to include any student who received a school parking permit. So, practically speaking, a public school can randomly drug test a large portion of its students.
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Science and Invention
Why is Johannes Kepler important to modern astronomy?
German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) put forth the theory that planets, including Earth, rotate around the sun in elliptical orbits. But he had the help of research conducted by astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601) to use as a basis for his conclusion.
In 1600 Kepler moved to Prague (Czech Republic), where he began working as an assistant to the flamboyant Brahe, a Danish aristocrat who a few years earlier (in 1576) had set up the first real astronomical observatory in history. Brahe’s benefactor in this work was none other than King Frederick II (1534–1588), ruler of Denmark and Norway, who was a patron of science. In the observatory, Brahe had made and recorded extraordinarily accurate observations of planetary positions. Even though he rejected the Copernican (sun-centered) view of the universe because it violated church beliefs, he also realized that his observations of the planets could not be explained by the Ptolemaic system. He soon put forth his own theory of planetary orbit. The Tychonic theory was something of a compromise between the two existing models (the sun-centered system of Copernicus and Earth-centered system of Ptolemy): Brahe’s model followed Copernicus’s theory in that it, too, had the planets orbiting around the sun; but it kept to the Ptolemaic belief that the sun orbited Earth (in this way, he accounted for a year). The theory was ignored.
But when Brahe hired Kepler in 1600, he turned over his observations to him and charged him with the task of devising a theory of planetary motion. As a mathematician, Kepler was the right man for the job, and he devoted himself to the effort for the next 20 years. At one point, Kepler had devised a scheme that almost matched Brahe’s observations, but not quite. Believing Brahe’s observations were perfectly accurate, Kepler threw out the scheme and started again. Finally, he gave up on using circular orbits and epicycles (smaller orbits centered on the larger ones) and began working with ellipses (ovals). When Kepler charted the planets’ orbits as ellipses, the results matched Brahe’s data. In 1609 Kepler published his first two laws of planetary motion (in the work Astronomia nova): a planet orbits the sun in an ellipse, not a circle (as Copernicus had believed); and a planet moves faster when near the sun and slower when farther away.
We also have Kepler to thank for a word that is in everyday use: satellite. After Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter, Kepler used a telescope to view them for himself. He dubbed them satellites (satelles is from the Latin meaning “attendant”), a name that stuck. The celebrated astronomer also did pioneer work leading to the invention of calculus (late 1600s).
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Constructing a function
1. Jul 10, 2007 #1
How would one construct a function involving elementary functions, F:R->R such that F(x)=x^2 iff x<=a and F(x)=x^3 iff x>a?
2. jcsd
3. Jul 10, 2007 #2
i'm not sure what you are trying to say. What you have given is a function expressed in terms of elementary functions.
Do you mean to ask if it can be expressed as a composition of elementary functions? I would think not, as such a composition would be inifnitely differentiable, where as this function is not.
4. Jul 10, 2007 #3
yes I guess I mean as a composition of elementary functions, however I'm not sure I understand the relevance of your last comment about differentiability.
can anyone help me?
5. Jul 10, 2007 #4
Or did you mean a piecewise function, with:
x^2, & \mbox{if } x \leq a\\
x^3, & \mbox{if } x > a
I don't know if functions defined like this are considered elementary, but in this case, [itex]f:\mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}[/itex]. I'm not sure from your original post if you are talking about the two functions, [itex]x^2[/itex] and [itex]x^3[/itex] being elementary, or the new function.
6. Jul 11, 2007 #5
Gib Z
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Homework Helper
If you desperately don't want a piecewise function, you could try a Fourier Series, though I highly doubt that counts as elementary.
7. Jul 11, 2007 #6
matt grime
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Homework Helper
The elementary functions, and therefore any composition of them, are smooth, was his point. Your function is not smooth at a. Trying to work out the third derivatives at a from the left and right gives 0 and 6. These are not equal, the function is _at most_ twice differentiable, even assuming that you correct it so that it is continuous (a must be 0 or 1).
8. Jul 11, 2007 #7
but does anybody understand my question? someone mentioned fourier series so is this the way forward to express it?
9. Jul 11, 2007 #8
Matt I read somewhere something along the lines that a function like x^3 can be differentiated as many times as one wishes is this correct? even once you get to 6.
10. Jul 11, 2007 #9
Gib Z
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Homework Helper
That is not elementary...and quite unnecessary I would think..What is wrong with piecewise?
EDIT: In response to your last post, yes your pieces individually are infinitely differentiable, but put together they are not.
11. Jul 11, 2007 #10
Everybody resists piecewise at first, but eventually they all give in.
12. Jul 11, 2007 #11
If you are not 100 percent certain of your answer to this question, you are probably to early on to worry about elementary vs. transcendental functions.
13. Jul 11, 2007 #12
matt grime
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1. x^3 from R to R certainly is smooth.
2. Your function isn't x^3.
I echo Deadwolfe here - if you can't see these points, then why are you attempting to get someone to teach you fourier analysis?
14. Jul 11, 2007 #13
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"even once you get to 6" what?
f(x)= x3
f '(x)= 3x2
f '''(x)= 6x
f ''''(x)= 6
f '''''(x)= 0
f ''''''(x)= 0
f ''''''(x)= 0
"0" is a perfectly good value!
15. Jul 19, 2007 #14
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It's certainly the value I like best.
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Why do humans have the urge to stretch in the morning?
Quick Answer
Humans stretch when they wake up because the human body protects itself while sleeping by inhibiting nerve impulses to muscles, prohibiting any from overextending during sleep. Stretching moves the muscles beyond their normal range of movement, allowing the body's feedback mechanisms to return to the waking state of motion.
Continue Reading
Full Answer
In addition to the limited nerve impulses that prevent the muscles from overextension during sleep, the need to stretch upon waking is also prompted by the body's fluids pooling towards the back of the body. Stretching allows the fluids to return to the muscles. After stretching, the muscles become responsive and ready for movement.
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Inclusive Education For Specific Learning Difficulties Dyslexia Education Essay
There are many definitions of dyslexia and the definitions have changed over the last 100 years because of advances in research. Early definitions talked of a 'word blindness' or inability to acquire literacy skills. In a text by Horby dyslexia was referred to as a disability that can be overcome. Her programme of training resulted in people making miraculous recoveries as if they were suffering from a medical condition giving the impression of an illness. However, in research the terminology has changed to talking about learning difficulties rather than disabilities. Stein (date) talks about how a dyslexic's brain is wired up differently to non-dyslexics, not wrongly, but just differently. Most definitions focus on the unusual balance of skills in reading, writing, and spelling compared to generally ability. Phonological processing may be a problem as can information processing and many definitions state that dyslexia is a problem that persists across a lifetime although strategies can be developed with correct teaching that will enable the learner to achieve. My favourite definition of dyslexia is 'Dyslexia should be seen as a different learning ability rather than a 'disability' (Pollock and Walker 1994 day to day dyslexia in the classroom find ref). This removes the idea that the learner is not academically able, but that they learn in a different way. In education, learning theories describe the various ways in which people learn and dyslexics may need to use a different learning approach to the non-dyslexic but can still reach the same end goal.
Before looking at the causal models of dyslexia, I will discuss how dyslexia can be identified and diagnosed. A simple checklist can be used to look for dyslexic tendencies but these are not designed to give a diagnosis. There are a variety of screening tests available that can be used in an initial assessment to look for dyslexic tendencies and can be used by non-specialised, however the results may be misinterpreted and only give a probability of the person being dyslexic. Diagnostic tools can be used to diagnose the specific areas of difficulty or to identify specific support strategies. Specialist or physiological assessments take a long time and can be costly but show the specific strengths and weaknesses of the person. Diagnostic tests are designed to be used for different age ranges from 3 year and 6 months for the PREST test and up to 74 years of age with the WRAT-3 test (Wilkinson 2002).
In order to be effective, the tests need to take into account cultural or even regional differences. Tests over ten years old may no longer be relevant, for example, technology has changed rapidly and young children would struggle to name a picture of an original Sony Walkman cassette player compared to an MP3 player. Tests should be conducted each time in the same conditions as the tests are normed in order to provide reliable and valid results each time the test is taken. Factors that can affect the results include the level of noise, warmth and brightness in the room. The person being assessed should be comfortable and relaxed so that low self-confidence or anxiousness does not affect the tests. Although the literature is dated, McLoughlin, Fitzgibbon and Young (1994) state that formal diagnosis of dyslexia involves psychological testing using careful observation and clinical judgement. Professional judgement has to be used with regard to the personality and current situation of the person being assessed, meaning that the assessor may have to quickly establish if the person had arrived at the assessment centre without any stress or recent problems in their personal life which could affect their ability to concentrate during the assessment process.
The assessor that carried out student X's assessment commented on the conditions in which the test took place in order to validate the results of the test against the norm. The assessment report takes into account Student X's background and personality. His family history was taken into consideration to see if other members of the family may be dyslexic and therefore establish if there is a genetic predisposition and his medical background was investigated to see if there could be any other reasons for his difficulties. There were no health/medical circumstances or family circumstances identified.
The dispensing assessment involves reading and interpreting text from key reference books in order to verify whether prescriptions are clinically appropriate and safe for patients. Students are given three hours to complete five prescriptions and they are expected to complete a worksheet as well as interact with the prescriber of the prescription in order to rectify any errors. Not all students manage to finish the exam in the time given, and if a student has a specific learning difficulty with processing speeds, such as Student X, then the task may take a longer than somebody without difficulties. Other dyslexics with different areas of difficulty such as letter reversals or omitting the end of words or whole words, may not need the extra time to process information, but could make use of the extra time to check for accuracy which is also vital in dispensing.
A variety of definitions for dyslexia have already been discussed and they are not specific enough for a diagnosis to be made and some only describe the symptoms of dyslexia (Roderick and Fawcett 2008). There is no one agreed upon definition due to there being various theories about the causes of dyslexia. Frith (1999) has created a causal model which focuses on the biological, cognitive and behavioural links between the main theories including the phonological deficit theory, magnocellular deficit theory and the cerebellar deficit theory. There are other theories such as Wolf and Bowers double-deficit hypothesis (1999) which suggests a deficit in phonological processing and a processing speed deficit. Dyslexics with the double-deficit have the most severe problems as they show a slowed response to tasks even when language is not involved e.g. pressing buttons to choose a response (Fawcett 2001).
In a review for the Department for Education and Skills, Fawcett outlined the main theories of dyslexia. This review was carried out in 2001 and therefore some of the content maybe out-dated. Using the review, the main theories have been outlined below.
The phonological deficit theory is the most accepted theory for the cause of dyslexia and there is evidence of a difference in the anatomical structure and function in the peri- and extra-sylvian fissure and planum temporale area of the brain which is involved with language. In Friths causal model, this biological factor has a cognitive effect on phoneme/grapheme knowledge which results in poor reading skills because of a poor phoneme awareness and poor short-term memory resulting in a poor naming speed. The phonological theory however, does not account for the visual problems that some dyslexics have such as scotopic sensitivity, known as Meares-Irlen Syndrome, where text seems to move or swim on the page making it difficult to follow from word to word, or line to line (ref), or the difficulties in organisation or knowing left from right. This could imply that a person is not regarded as dyslexic as they do not have problems with phonology. On the other hand, some people without phonological difficulties (non-dyslexics) do not learn to read and write because of environmental factors such as culture or teaching methods.
It was thought that visual magnocellular deficit causes a 'visual persistence' when the eye moves meaning that there is still an image from the previous letter when moving onto the next one. This causes words to blur and drift therefore making reading difficult and cause problems with rapid processing (Stein and Walsh 1997). However in later research, Stein claims that the magnocellular system is not responsible for visual persistence. Tallal, Merzencih, Miller and Jenkins (1998) report that magnocellular deficits impact upon the auditory pathways and that this causes problems with telling the difference between sounds that are presented closely together and this would account for phonological difficulties associated with the magnocellular deficit.
The cerebellar deficit theory focuses on the fact that dyslexic children have problems with a wide range of skills including motor skills, balance and rapid processing. The theory also acknowledges the phonological difficulties but suggests that the phonological theory does not explain the reason for the non-language based problems. The pattern of difficulties fits in with another theory of 'automatisation deficit' where there is a problem with acquiring skills that should come automatically after extensive practice. This theory was disputed as there were no known links between the cerebellum and language but this is now being contested with the advance of science and it is known that the cerebellum is linked with the frontal cortex including Broca's language area.
Lee's 4th theory - emotional.
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When you do something blatantly, you do it obviously, without trying to hide it. You might blatantly lie to your boss if you don't care about getting in trouble.
Something done or said blatantly is bold and shameless. You might be doing something bad, but if you're doing it blatantly you're not worried about repercussions. In 1596, the poet Edmund Spenser invented the word blatant, using it to describe a slanderous beast. In the 1600s blatantly meant offensively loud, and by the late 1800s it had its current meaning of "conspicuously, obviously." A similar word is flagrantly, but you'd use it to mean "shockingly," while blatantly is closer to "obnoxiously."
Definitions of blatantly
adv in a blatant manner
“they blatantly violated the laws”
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ZocdocAnswersIs three days too short for a period?
Is three days too short for a period?
My periods are never shorter than three days. Is that normal, or is it too short? It seems like most women's periods are longer than that, and mine used to be too, when I was young. But it seems like the older I get, the shorter my periods become - is this a warning sign of some kind?
Menstrual cycles are extremely variable between individual women. Therefore, you should not compare the length and heaviness of your own period to those of friends, as it is likely that your short three day periods are simply your normal healthy variant. It is quite common for teenage women to have heavy, irregular, or long periods. Therefore many women say that there periods are 'shorter' or more normal now then when they were much younger. This is a very normal phenomenon. You should not worry about the length of your periods per se. However, if you start to miss periods, or if they become very irregular, or if there is heavy bleeding, these might be symptoms that should be evaluated by your doctor. As always the diagnosis and the management of your particular condition will require a physical examination by your personal physician. Setting up an office visit with your primary care doctor or your OB / GYN doctor might be advised.
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Scientific Method —
Is the US increasingly a nation of psychoses?
A meta-analysis of studies that administered a test of psychological well- …
Modern society, with its emphasis on material possessions and indifference to community, is making us mentally ill. It's an argument that wouldn't seem out of place on the Sunday talk shows, but in this case, it's appearing in the academic journal Clinical Psychology Review, and the argument is backed by decades of data and a cognitive model that attempts to make sense of the process. The data suggests that there has been an increase in a standard measure of mental problems among individuals in their late teens and early 20s, and that the trend dates back at least to the 1930s.
The authors mention that a variety of studies have found mixed results when examining the time course of mental health within the US. Some of the studies that have attempted to address this problem have attempted to extrapolate trends using surveys of people in different age groups, but these studies suffer from two problems: mental health doesn't remain static during an individual's lifetime, and those with serious mental disabilities (such as clinical depression) tend to die younger than their peers.
The alternative approach, however, suffers from its own complications. Although there are a number of standardized tests for measuring mental health, many of these are recent developments, and others have been extensively modified in response to changes in our understanding of human psychology—homosexuality, for example, was once considered a mental disorder. The authors settled on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. The test has been around for nearly a century and, despite having undergone changes to update phrasing, it hasn't received any major revisions, and the changes in questions can be controlled for.
The authors then focused on the literature (including graduate thesis records), where they searched for any studies in which the MMPI was administered to high school or college students. Any study that had at least 10 participants was included in the meta-analysis, which spanned the years from 1938 to 2007. All told, there were 117 studies that included over 60,000 college students, and 14 studies that surveyed a total of nearly 14,000 high school students.
The authors did control for a number of factors that might influence the trends, such as regional differences, and the increase in female and minority enrollment in colleges. To an extent, the high school trends, which mirrored those in college, controlled for this, and the authors were able to analyze male and female students separately (they showed no significant differences). They also point out that, although many minority groups have doubled their numbers in college, they were starting from pretty small values; as a result, most groups still account for less than 10 percent of the total enrollment. Finally, they also looked for regional differences, and failed to find them.
That said, there are a couple of additional things about the data that may limit the quality of the analysis. For starters, the high school samples aren't as well documented as the college-level one, and cover a shorter period of time. For the college students, there seems to be only a single data point prior to the mid-1940s, and that is a clear outlier on many of the measures of mental health, so the trends aren't quite as long and dramatic as the raw numbers might indicate. It's also worth noting that the majority of those surveyed were probably psychology students who were recruited through classes; they may not be representative of the larger student body. The other issue that stood out is that the number of students enrolled in a trial doesn't seem to have been considered, even though it might contribute to the presence of some of the outlying results.
Given these caveats, however, the data does show some clear trends towards increasing signs of psychological ill-health. Since the 1940s, college students' scores have risen by a standard deviation or more on the following portions of the test: Psychopathic Deviation, Paranoia, Schizophrenia, and Hypomania. Not surprisingly, this shift is driven in part because of a rise in the number of people scoring above the point that is generally considered a sign of a real mental illness. Nearly 40 percent of recent graduates, for example, scored above the cut-off on hypomania, and about a third did when it comes to schizophrenia.
These trends persisted even after the authors controlled for the possibility that the current generation of college students is simply more open about problems that have existed the whole time. Fortunately, the MMPI includes questions that provide a measure of whether participants are attempting to hide mental illness or make themselves look good. (Amusingly, one of these was described as follows: "The Lie [L] scale measures the tendency for participants to present themselves as highly virtuous.")
The authors used this data to test two potential explanations for the trends observed. They compared the data to the cyclical changes in the unemployment rate, which acted as a proxy for general financial uncertainty; that produced a poor fit. Since the 1960s, however, there has been a survey of college first years that asks whether becoming "well off financially" was important to them. The upward trend in this priority correlated nicely with the trends in psychological issues.
The authors argue that this focus on doing well financially has left students with a set of unreasonable expectations; various studies have indicated that a high percentage of students expect high salaries and advanced education, but American society simply doesn't offer that many of these opportunities. At the same time, many measures of community-involvement have dropped since the 1960s. The authors argue that this is a sign of a shift away from intrinsic to extrinsic values, although alternate interpretations are clearly possible (i.e., the severity of mental problems may be a result of the reduction in community support).
So, what to make of all of this? Although the underlying MMPI data isn't ideal, it's probably the best retrospective information we're going to get. And, although the trends probably aren't as large as the authors claim (given that the lone 1930s data point appears to be an outlier), they definitely seem real—if nothing else, there's clearly a lot more variability in these scores in recent decades.
The authors' explanation for the trend is plausible but, given the roughly linear trend in the MMPI scores, pretty much anything that also shows a linear trend would provide a nice fit. There's also a period between 1960 and 1980 where the data is sparse, which may obscure any cyclical trends. And, as noted above, cause and consequence can be very difficult to tease out when it comes to mental health. So, although the trend might be real, it's probably too early to pin the blame on rampant materialism, or any other single causative factor.
Clinical Psychology Review, 2009. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2009.10.005
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55 Cancri e NASA
Spitzer Sniffs Out Alien Super-Earth
Artist impression of the steamy super-Earth 55 Cancri e compared to our own planet. Credit: NASA
Astronomers have spied the light of big, Jupiter-sized alien planets but never one as small as 55 Cancri e, a “super-Earth” orbiting the star 55 Cancri 41 light years away in Cancer the Crab. Super-Earths are extrasolar planets more massive than Earth that bridge the gap between little planets like our own and larger ones like Neptune and Uranus.
55 Cancri e is twice as big and 8 times as massive as Earth. It’s believed to have a rocky core surrounded by an ocean that’s simultaneously liquid and vapor and topped with a layer of steam. Orbiting in just 18 hours, the planet is tidally locked in its host star’s gravitational embrace. One hemisphere faces the chill of outer space while the other roasts in starlight.
With a surface temperature of 3,140 degrees Fahrenheit on the sun-facing side, “e” will probably never be an oasis for life.
Extrasolar planet 55 Cancri e is too faint to see in the glare of its host star, but using the Spitzer Space Telescope, which picks up the planet's intense heat, astronomers were able to measure its light and temperature. Credit: NASA/JPL-CalTech
The Spitzer Space Telescope, built to observe in the infrared or heat-radiating end of the spectrum, picked up the planet’s light signature because it blazes like a bonfire. Humans are also warm creatures. If our eyes were adapted to see infrared light, we’d easily spot one another at night from blocks away. 55 Cancri e’s infrared outpouring makes it stand out from the glare of its host star. In visible light, it’s invisible.
The plot shows how the infrared light from the 55 Cancri system changed as the planet passed behind its star. When the planet disappeared, the total light dropped, and then increased back to normal levels as the planet circled back into view. Credit: NASA
Spitzer can’t actually see the planet as a separate point of light next to the star. The two are much too close for that. Instead it measures the dip in brightness of the entire system as “e” passes behind the star during half of its orbit. Based on how the system’s light changes, astronomers can determine the planet’s temperature, apparent brightness and sometimes even its composition.
55 Cancri e is very dark and very hot. “It could be very similar to Neptune, if you pulled Neptune in toward our sun and watched its atmosphere boil away,” said Michaël Gillon of Université de Liège in Belgium, principal investigator of the research.
The “e’ by the way tells us this is the 5th planet discovered around 55 Cancri. Extrasolar planets are named after the letters of the alphabet starting with “a”.
Globular cluster M55 photographed in infrared light by the 4.1-meter (161-inch) Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at Paranal Observatory in Chile. The time exposure also recorded many background galaxies - the easiest to see is at upper right at 2 o'clock. See closeup below. Credit: ESO/J. Emerson/VISTA. Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit
Someday we’ll find planets inside the massive balls of stars called globular clusters that dot the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy. Globulars contains hundreds of thousands up to 10 million stars. Although photographs show the clusters as flat, try to picture them as they really are – great spheres of stars all in motion around the center like a swarm of bees. Think of all those potential planets!
This cropped version of the photo above shows the background galaxy more clearly. Click the image for a large version where you can explore for more galaxies. Credit: ESO
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) released pictures today of one of the largest, richest globular clusters, M55 in Sagittarius the Archer. At 2/3 the diameter of the full moon, this gemmy bunch is one of the largest in the sky and easy to resolve into stars in a 6″-8″ inch telescope.
M55 packs approximately 100,000 stars into a sphere about 100 light years across or 25 times the distance between the sun and Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system. To learn more about M55 and globular clusters in general, click HERE. |
Don’t Tear Up Your License Yet: Here’s Why Autonomous Driving Is Still a Long Way Off
November 10, 2014 at 10:30 am by | Photography by Sean Rice and YouTube/Google Self-Driving Car Project
Don't Tear Up Your License Yet: Here's Why Autonomous Driving Is Still a Long Way Off
The idea of self-driving cars isn’t new. General Motors and RCA built such an appliance back in 1958 that was controlled by wires embedded in the pavement and lights alongside the roadway. The plan was for a central computer to orchestrate fleets of such machines in perfect formation, avoiding accidents and traffic jams.
But the expense of refitting tens of thousands of miles of roadway with embedded electronics quickly rendered such schemes impractical—and that was even before the Highway Trust Fund started running a deficit in 2008.
With advances in various aids, however, self-driving—or autonomous—cars are finally starting to seem realistic. On the simplest level, by coordinating GPS, adaptive-cruise-control, and lane-keeping technologies, a car can know where it’s going and avoid crashing into other cars. In theory, at least. The reality is considerably more daunting.
Driving is a complex task that machines cannot easily simulate, requiring a combination of car control, navigation, and constant coordination with other vehicles. The technologies that simulate these abilities are evolving rapidly but are still crude in comparison with how deftly our brains can assimilate, synthesize, and act on information. Even the most sophisticated combination of cameras, radar sensors, and laser scanners falls far short of the abilities of even a mediocre human driver. The following areas of innovation are where the industry will need to focus to bring the autonomous car closer to prime time:
Google’s autonomous car
The Talking Car Returns
Roadway improvements as simple as clearly painted lane markers, harmonized road signs, and consistent traffic-signal and warning-sign locations would make autonomous driving enormously easier. But in a day when federal, state, and local governments struggle to keep bridges from collapsing—or even to fill potholes—autonomous driving can expect no help from an improved road infrastructure.
There are, however, a few non-pavement-related systemic upgrades that can help. “It’s hard to imagine having completely autonomous cars without layered communication with other vehicles and the infrastructure,” says John Capp, director of active safety research for General Motors.
Capp is talking about V2V and V2I, shorthand for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. V2V programs vehicles to constantly transmit key pieces of information to each other, including speed, direction of travel, and GPS coordinates. For example, V2V would signal when traffic was slowing due to congestion or an accident. It would also indicate which lanes were open and which were blocked.
V2I would take this integration one step further by including traffic lights, pedestrian signals, and the location of construction zones in the communication net. Imagine a traffic light that could coordinate its signal timing with the number and direction of approaching cars. The signal would also broadcast when the lights were going to change, so the car wouldn’t have to rely on a camera to figure that out.
Such a traffic signal could even sense when a car was approaching a red light at a speed that suggested it wasn’t going to stop. In that case, the light could stop cross traffic or signal the potential red-light-running car to halt.
Both V2V and V2I rely on something called DSRC, which stands for Dedicated Short-Range Communication. It’s a form of Wi-Fi, designated 802.11p, similar to the systems in our homes but optimized for moving transmitters and receivers. It will broadcast information about 10 times per second over half a mile of range. The information is intended to be anonymous, so the authorities won’t be writing automated tickets every time a vehicle exceeds the speed limit. At least that’s what they’re saying now.
Welcoming Our Robot Overlords
Are we ready to hand over driving duties to computers? Apparently, yes. In a 2014 University of Michigan public-opinion survey of drivers in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia, just 14 percent of the respondents had a negative opinion of self-driving cars. Here we present some other interesting takeaways from that survey:
Free Time
When asked what they would do with their commuting time if they didn’t have to drive, the largest group of survey respondents said it would still pay attention to the road. These are the same people who can’t sleep on a plane.
Manic Panic
Only 11 percent of Americans surveyed said they are not concerned with the prospect of riding in an autonomous car. More than one-third are very concerned. Because they are sane.
Ghost Rider
Of all the possible scenarios posed, riding in a car without any form of driver control (such as in Google’s demonstration cars) tied an autonomous commercial truck for the most concerning to respondents.
The Price Is Wrong, Bob
Mapping It Out
Even with this constant communication, the autonomous car still will struggle to drive intelligently when the lane markings are obscured by a layer of snow, if visibility is impeded by flying flakes, or when in-car cameras miss an important sign blocked by a semi. That’s when a more detailed and accurate map will provide assistance.
The accuracy of map databases used by today’s navigation systems is limited, generally locating the car’s position to within about 30 feet. That’s close enough to determine which road you’re on but not sufficient to keep you in your lane.
Solving this problem requires maps that define the road with a precision of roughly six inches. Such maps would incorporate accurate lane and shoulder widths; precise, three-dimensional location and geometry of intersections; and the coordinates and content of every road sign, both roadside and overhead.
With that information, as well as a more accurate GPS to locate the car’s position with similar precision, the car could now stay in a lane reasonably well, even if the markings were obscured or worn.
A company called HERE, a division of Nokia, is one of the main providers of map databases for current navigation systems, and it is already creating such advanced maps. HERE uses a vehicle equipped with four 24-megapixel cameras, as well as a precise LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor, which captures 700,000 data points per second. The system generates 3.5 million 3-D data points and 300 images per mile.
Since this new mapping database is so huge, the car will have to constantly download the necessary information from the cloud. As the car moves around the country, its database will get updated with the local map data. Moreover, since this data is critical to autonomous driving, it will require frequent upgrades to reflect construction zones or any changes to the roadway, speed limits, or even signage. “Surveying every road in the United States is an enormous undertaking,” Capp says. “The autonomous car is a ways off.”
Don’t Let That Driver’s License Lapse Just Yet
Carmakers are chomping at the bit to start installing V2V receivers and transmitters in production cars, and their requirements have largely been defined by SAE standard J2735. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn’t yet blessed those protocols and probably won’t until the end of 2016, when it likely will codify them as law.
It will be some time before a useful portion of the vehicles on the road are equipped with V2V. V2I-compatible traffic controllers will take even longer. “The infrastructure planning horizon is very long-term. V2I will probably be installed gradually as the existing controllers wear out,” says John Maddox, the director of collaborative strategies at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Despite some carmakers’ promises of autonomous cars before the end of the decade, we’d figure 2025 to 2030 before the appearance of cars that can truly drive themselves without human intervention. And that’s just on the technology front. The legal and insurance issues would make for a fairly dense and unreadable book. In other words, drivers are in no immediate danger of becoming an endangered species.
Research Vehicles |
Former Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek’s spiritual journey
August 10, 2011
By G. Wright Doyle
Edited by Mark Ellis
He was a polarizing figure who inspired respectful admiration or disgust and derision. He led the Republic of China during World War II, but after a bloody civil war with the communists his government was forced to retreat to Taiwan in 1949. The story of his spiritual journey reflects his turbulent life, which was often filled with contradictions.
Chiang Kai-shek on Time Magazine cover
Chiang Kai-shek was born to Chiang Shu-an, a salt merchant. His mother, Wang Tsai-yu, was a devout Buddhist who sought to inculcate the tenets and practices of her faith in her son from infancy.
As a child, he was known for his tendency to assume command of others, expecting obedience. The death of his father when he was very young forced his mother to work hard to support her son. As he watched her dealing with unscrupulous people, an intense rage started to burn in him, and he began to see himself as part of an exploited people.
He reacted to these perceived injustices by turning in upon his own resources, spending a great deal of time alone, surrounded by mountains and streams and meditating upon his own future course.
At the age of fifteen, he married nineteen-year old Mao Fu-mei, who was functionally illiterate. The couple seems to have been close for the first two months of their marriage, but Chiang’s mother rebuked him for uxoriousness. In response, Fumei dutifully distanced herself and the two drifted apart.
As a young man, Chiang was known as a promiscuous womanizer, despite being married and having a son. His first marriage fell apart as his wife, who did not share Chiang’s passion for politics and revolution, complained of his frequent absences. He often beat her, and at least once dragged her by her hair down a flight of stairs. Finally, the two settled upon a relatively amicable divorce, though his wife grieved deeply. Chiang Ching-kuo was their only son.
After their divorce, Chiang was reported to have several concubines, one of whom, Zhang Ah Feng, “Jennie,” he reportedly married in 1921. At that time he contracted a form of venereal disease.
After graduation from a military academy in Japan, where he met Sun Yat-sen, Chiang become an enthusiastic supporter of the Chinese nationalist revolution, and joined the Tongmenghui (Sun’s organization).
Return to China
Chiang returned to China to participate in the Xinhai Revolution, which overthew the Qing Dynasty. He eventually became a trusted associate of Sun, who appointed him founding commandant of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1918, when Chiang also joined the Nationalist Party (KMT). He succeeded Sun in 1925 as leader of the KMT upon Sun’s early death.
In 1926-1927 he unified much of the country, defeating warlords and breaking with the Communist Party, whose members he purged from the KMT.
In his personal life, Chiang fell in love with Soong Meiling, the daughter of wealthy businessman and former missionary Charlie Soong. There seems to have been a political deal worked out through the mediation of Meiling’s sister Ailing, wedding the Soong family wealth and connections to Chiang’s military and political assets.
When Chiang sought to marry Meiling, the strong Christian identity of the Soongs meant that their daughter could not be joined to a non-believer. Meiling’s mother asked Chiang whether he would become a Christian. He replied that he would not change his religion to marry Meiling, but he would read the Bible and pray for God to show him what he should do.
Permission was granted, but Methodist church law forbade a church wedding between a Christian and an unbaptized person. It was also doubted whether Chiang had been properly divorced from his first wife, and there were persistent rumors about Jennie, whom Chiang had sent off to America without divorcing. Chiang produced proof of his divorce and discounted the stories about Jennie. Bishop Z.T. Kuang went to the Songs’ house to pray for the couple and pronounce a blessing upon them after a lavish civil ceremony on December 1, 1927.
Chiang Kai-shek with wife
Thenceforward, Chiang read his Bible daily (starting with the Old Testament), prayed privately, and knelt with his wife to pray. Still, he resisted her efforts to persuade him to become a Christian, since he continued to harbor doubts. Bishop Kuang answered his many questions, but did not press him to make a premature decision to follow Christ.
Chiang formed a Nationalist government inNanjingin 1928, with himself as virtual military dictator, though many democratic and modernizing reforms were undertaken during the so-called Nanjing Decade (1927-1937).
A pledge to God
In the midst of a military campaign against a rebellious general, Chiang found himself surrounded, with capture and death imminent. He spotted a local Christian chapel, entered it, and told God that he would become a follower of Christ if he survived. A heavy snowstorm impeded his enemy’s advance, and Chiang’s forces gained the victory. He was baptized by Bishop Kuang in 1930. When asked why he had become a Christian, he replied, “I feel the need of a God such as Jesus Christ.”
In addition to his wife’s impact, he may have been influenced by the Christians in his government, since seven out of ten high officials in Nanjing were believers. Quickly, Meiling became an essential source of strength and support. She helped Chiang keep up with world news, reading and digesting English publications daily; introduced him to Western literature, music, and culture; served as personal advisor, ambassador, and interpreter.
Their marriage, though outwardly harmonious, was sometimes marked by conflict and tension, aggravated by Meiling’s extravagance, domineering personality, and possible infidelity, as well as by his intense emotions, bad temper and inability — or unwillingness — to engage in marital sexual relations.
Close friends and associates have borne abundant testimony to Chiang’s daily Bible reading, prayer, and open affirmation of his faith in Christ. Some contemporaries say they noticed that after his baptism he seemed to believe less in force and more in conciliation.
During one notable incident, after he gained release from captors in Xi’an, he stated that he had been strengthened during his ordeal by reading the Bible and entrusting himself to God’s care, so that he did not fear death and thus would not give in to their threats and demands.
“The greatness and love of Christ burst upon me with new inspiration,” Chiang said, “increasing my strength to struggle against evil, to overcome temptation and to uphold righteousness…” He further claimed that he forgave the two main perpetrators because of the example of Christ on the Cross.
Family devotions
A visitor to his house in Chongqing was stunned by a significant time of family prayer after dinner, during which the General asked God for strength and energy for his soldiers and himself, requested that God would help the Chinese people not to hate the Japanese; and calmly placed himself and his nation in God’s hands, imploring divine wisdom to know how to serve God the next day.
He continued to seek to eliminate the communists, despite Japan’s increasing encroachments and domestic calls for stiff resistance to the Japanese. Finally, after the Xi’an Incident in 1936, he was forced to enter into an uneasy alliance with the communists in order to fight the Japanese. He led the Republic of China during the Second World War, and was elected President of the Republic of China in 1948, but was forced to retreat with many members of his government and army to Taiwan in 1949.
Chiang Kai-shek with FDR and Churchill
Chiang’s Christian commitment found expression in his diaries, his public statements, regular church attendance, and the open support of both Chinese and foreign Christians. One of the most public manifestations of his ethical convictions in his early years was the New Life Movement, an attempt to reform Chinese civilization and morals on the basis of Confucian principles, with some admixture of Christianity. Chiang and his wife poured enormous energy, time, and resources into this campaign, for which he solicited the help and support of Christian missionaries. They generally approved of the project, and in some places it took on a Christian flavor. The invasion of China by Japan put a virtual end to this ambitious undertaking, as it did so much else that the Nationalist government was attempting.
In later years, Chiang was heavily involved in the translation and publication of “Streams in the Desert” into Chinese, and worked closely with John C.H. Wu’s translation of the New Testament, going over the draft and making suggested corrections many times. The front piece of Wu’s version of the Psalms indicates that it was produced “under the editorial supervision of Chairman Chiang.”
Wu found enough material about Chiang and his faith to write a 265-page book on his spiritual life, published in 1975. His diaries reveal his constant reliance upon God for wisdom and strength. Western missionaries who knew him in Taiwan report that he seemed humble, gentle, and genuine in his faith when they saw him in church each Sunday, and had no reason to doubt the sincerity of his Christian profession.
This assessment was shared by his personal chaplain. Though the general populace of Taiwan were surprised to see a large cross at the head of the funeral cortege, and to read at the opening of his will that he had been “a follower of the Three Principles of the People and of Jesus Christ from his youth,“ those who had known Chiang were struck by his personal inconsistencies.
Personal contradictions
On the other hand, some of his ideas, actions and personal characteristics seem to belie the depth of his faith, or at least its impact upon his conduct. Chiang read widely in the Confucian classics and in Chinese history, and believed strongly in the value of China’s cultural heritage, especially Confucianism. His Christian sermons seemed unclear on the distinctions between personal salvation and national recovery.
His long and consistent alliance with the Shanghai underworld made him complicit, at least to some degree, in their corruption and cruelty; likewise, his reliance upon his own secret police, which engaged in countless acts of brutality.
Reports of corruption on a grand scale by his wife’s family call his own integrity into question, though he had no power to control them; still his nepotism is undeniable. His decision to breach the levees of theYellow River in order to stall the advance of the Japanese, and then again to halt the Communists, led to the deaths of thousands and deprived many more of their homes and livelihood. Though his role in the military suppression of Taiwanese dissent in the infamous February 28 incident is unclear, his active oversight of the ensuing White Terror is well established.
Chiang’s positive character traits included extraordinary personal courage, a huge capacity for work, a very strong will, and immense stamina.
On the other hand, he was notorious for refusing to take advice, or even to seek the counsel of advisers. He brooked no disagreement, and would fly into a rage when criticized. A mediocre military leader, he issued orders from afar without any real knowledge of battlefield conditions, and then altered his plan without notice.
More than once, he ordered loyal troops to fight to the death, knowing that their resistance was fruitless. Some of his closest companions considered him to be an arrogant egotist. There is evidence that he often said one thing and did another, or said one thing to one person and something else to another. Though he projected an image of imperturbable calm in public, he could cry like a baby behind closed doors.
His lifelong commitment to Confucianism makes some wonder whether his fundamental faith was more a matter of traditional Chinese ethics than Christian belief. Did his extraordinary self-control in public stem from dependence upon God, or upon the inner strength he had long learned to cultivate?
In defense, many have argued that Chiang’s autocratic leadership style is simply the norm for Chinese, and can be found in some of the most outstanding Chinese church leaders even today. Also, he was surrounded by mortal enemies and spies, and could really trust no one. His murderous purge of communists in Shanghai was undertaken only after his enemies had formed a rival government, committed atrocities and put a price on his head. Further, war compels one to make decisions that will cost many lives in order to save more people. It is believed that he matured in Christian character as he grew older and that a Christian’s true heart can be known only to God.
If his private diaries, public pronouncements, consistent support of Christian churches and foreign missionaries, and active involvement in the production of Christian literature which we have noted above mean anything, then we may perhaps say that Chiang Kai-shek’s Christian career represents the halting, stumbling, but steady pilgrimage towards the Celestial City of a sinner saved by grace.
If you want to know God personally, go here
G. Wright Doyle is Director, Global China Center; General Editor, Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. |
In Years Past
In 1914, the old-time logging bee when the men of a neighborhood assembled to haul the logs into piles and burn them had its counterpart this day down on the Hundred Acre lot in Jamestown where 200-300 from city schools and others interested were busily engaged in cutting, hauling, piling and burning the underbrush and rubbish. Logging bees were now only a memory. When the country was new, the settlers devoted their efforts to clearing the land. Timber that now would be worth untold sums, was piled and burned. There would never be any more bees in this section because there were no more logs and if there were, they would be too valuable to dispose of in that manner.
This day had been set up as National Suffrage Day and all over the United States suffragists were holding celebrations. The Women’s Politician Union celebrated by holding a statewide convention in New York and would end up by a huge mass meeting in Carnegie Hall at which Harriet Stanton Blatch would preside and Mayor John Purroy Mitchell and Dr. Katherine B. Davis would be among the speakers. Edith Ainge, chairman of the local branch of the W.P.U., had gone to New York to attend the convention and she would be among those seated on the platform at the mass meeting on this evening.
In 1939, police and volunteer firemen of Lakewood and Celoron were awaiting the abatement of high wind and waves the previous afternoon before starting grappling operations in quest of the bodies of John C. Bargar, 32, of Cook Avenue and Glenn Arthur Bargar, 24, of Sharon, Pa., who were believed to have drowned early Saturday night while fishing from a canoe in the vicinity of Grass Island. Virtually the last doubt that the two brothers had drowned was removed when a canoe found at Celoron was positively identified as the one in which the two brothers started out on a fishing excursion Saturday afternoon. Heavily clothed as protection against the cold wind they were probably unable to do much to help themselves once they were plunged into the cold water.
The two youths who were arrested in West Virginia recently in possession of a car owned by Supervisor Coyle A. Boyd of Jamestown, would be returned to this city within a few days to face burglary and grand larceny charges. Chief Edwin Nyholm received a telegram saying that the defendants would be freed of charges and turned over to Jamestown officers if $145 was paid to the Fairmont, W. Va. police department for expenses incurred in apprehending and keeping the two youths. Nyholm announced that two officers from the Jamestown department would drive to Fairmont the following day and collect the youths. The money would be paid by relatives of the boys who were anxious to have them returned here to face charges rather than have them tried in West Virginia.
In 1964, about 30 firemen from Frewsburg and Falconer Fire Departments were called to Flakeboard Corp., Falconer Street, Frewsburg, this morning when the plant’s own fire brigade of a dozen men was unable to quell a sawdust fire. Morley Lindquist, plant superintendent, said the fire broke out about 10 a.m. in a dust hopper in the wood preparation area of the plant. He said damage to equipment was slight but that an extensive cleanup operation would be necessary because of water damage.
A Southwestern Central eighth-grade student, Harriet Power, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Milton Power, Baker Street Extension, Jamestown, had won the Chautauqua County Spelling Bee for the second consecutive year. Power was also the county champ in 1963. Following her county victory the previous year, she went on to place fourth in the Western New York finals.
In 1989, U.S. workers were lagging behind their Japanese and West German counterparts mainly because of poor on-the-job training, not a weakening of the work ethic, an MIT report concluded. The great success of training and retraining programs run by Japanese and German corporations suggested that the workplace, not the schoolhouse, was the best place to prepare workers to keep up with changing technologies, concluded the Massachusetts Institute of Technology report, “Made in America.” “Young Americans receive most of their job skills in institutions of formal learning, and what they pick up on the job is usually of a limited nature, gathered from watching a colleague,” the report said.
WCA Hospital was one of 220 hospitals statewide that wanted to delay implementing state Health Department rules that would require them to hire additional trained personnel. The state would pay a percentage of the extra costs of complying with the rules. The New York State Hospital Association had filed suits in state Supreme Court and in U.S. District Court, according to an Associated Press report. According to Daniel Sisto, president of the hospital association, the regulations would be “generally beneficial but they’re not essential given the health care crisis in New York.” |
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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
Title: Vegetation and Feral Horse (Equus caballus) Dynamics of Shackleford Banks, North Carolina: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Streater, Blair Alexis
Advisors: Rubenstein, Daniel I.
Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Class Year: 2014
Abstract: Shackleford Banks, North Carolina is a barrier island with a population of feral horses that are currently monitored by the National Park Service (NPS). The horse population has been maintained at a carrying capacity below 130 individuals to avoid problems with overgrazing on the island. Since the initial implementation of the management guidelines, the conditions of the island have changed and the forest landscape has increased. To understand how the progressions of the forest into the dune habitats and the emergence of forest in the swale habitats have affected horse behavior, I studied the vegetation and horses on Shackleford Banks. In the study, I measured characteristics of the vegetation on the island including the vegetation species, vegetation height, and vegetative state (green or brown). For the horse portion of the research, I followed 11 harems on the island examining horse behavior and acquiring coordinate locations for construction of the horses’ home ranges. Since 1962, there has been a 14% increase in the amount of forest habitat and approximately 20% of the former swale area is now characterized by forest habitat. As a result, the amount of swale landscape has decreased and the remaining swales are more densely surrounded than those in the past. Additionally, the abundance of Spartina patens, a species in the horses’ diets, is decreasing in the swales. The appearance of Eremochloa ophiuroides (centipede grass) in the swales is not able to nutritionally compensate for the loss in S. patens. In response, the current population of horses utilized the swales less often and decreased their grazing behavior in the more dense areas. By grazing in the dune and marsh habitats, the horses avoided the closed areas and seemed to be able to compensate for loss in nutritional content by grazing on protein-rich vegetation in the marshes and dunes.
Extent: 80 pages
Type of Material: Princeton University Senior Theses
Language: en_US
Appears in Collections:Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 1992-2016
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February 1429 in history
February 1429 events chronologically
Feb 12 English forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orléans from attack by the Comte de Clermont and Sir John Stewart of Darnley in the Battle of Rouvray (also known as the Battle of the Herrings)
Died in February 1429
Feb 20 Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici an Italian banker, a member of Medici family of Florence, and the founder of the Medici Bank. While other family members, such as Chiarissimo di Giambuono de' Medici, who served in the Signoria in 1201, and Salvestro de' Medici, who was implicated in the Ciompi Revolt of 1378, are historically significant, Giovanni's founding of the family bank truly began the family's rise to power in Florence. He was the father of Cosimo de' Medici , great-grandfather of Lorenzo de Medici and great-great-great-grandfather of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany |
Monday, July 20, 2009
On war and peace
Yoga master Lisa Matkin opened class last week speaking of the relationship between fear and separation. She asked us to start noticing whenever we felt afraid, particularly in the presence of another person. Lisa believes that this fear is a reflection of separation: feeling separate from that other person, feeling disconnected. Which of course is completely disjointed with yoga, the essence of which is union: union of mind, body and breath. Union of self and other.
So Lisa asked us to start by noticing whenever (and how surprisingly often!) we feel fearful. And she encouraged us to try and sense the union, the sameness, the connection between “us” and “them”... which by default would lead to acceptance, feelings of peace, and a natural diminishing of fear.
All this got me thinking about war, and how easy it is for most of us to look away and claim no involvement in a war that rages between two peoples far removed from the rest of us. War between Israel and Palestine. War between Russia and Chechnya. Between The West and Islam. Many of us have nothing to do with these conflicts, right? Why should we feel involved with them, or responsible for their existence?
OK then, what about the war between you and your husband/wife? You and your neighbor? You and your boss? How do you really feel about that stranger who seems to be so unlike you, maybe because they have a different religion or different skin color, or because they have less or more money than you do? Do these supposed differences make you feel scared or afraid or even just insecure around that other person? Do you have any thoughts of racism, or elitism, or just mild irritation toward another? Is it possible that you are at war, even if only through your thoughts, with any other human being?
And how about the war inside – that war that rages between you and yourself?
I ask this, because I have come to understand that this is where and how the big wars starts: small, with you. With me. And if this is true, which I wholly believe it to be, it carries with it a whole lot of implication… and responsibility. Because it just may be that every time there is a person (or situation) we feel separate from, different from, fearful or hatred or anger or annoyance toward, this is an expression of war. A small one, yes, but this is where it all starts. And it may seem insignificant to you, but when multiplied by the near 6 billion people on our planet, it starts to become unbearable. Next thing you know, we are at war. We are killing one another.
Imagine what the planet would look like if no one ever saw the other as an enemy, as someone to fear or distrust? What if we were all able to see in the other a true connection to ourselves? If we never felt separate or different from any other? Can you imagine what that would look like? (Are you hearing the John Lennon song?)
if we really do want world peace, which I think most of us do, shouldn’t we start by making peace with the guy who is talking loudly on his cell phone in the theater? Or the friend who flaked on dinner last night? Or that kid on the subway who looks just a little scary? Shouldn’t we clean up our own thoughts and relationships before we can start cleaning up the mess on Earth?
Look inside yourself. Who or what are you at war with? Can you recognize it? Can you make peace with it? Can you forgive, accept and feel grateful for the lesson learned?
I am not there yet, but I like to believe I’m a work in progress.
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The Firefly and Serenity Database
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Planet information
Sun orbited
White Sun[1]
Date terraformed
1.210x1022 tonnes[1]
1.0145 G[1]
Orbital position
Orbital distance
1,346,380,830km (9.000 AU)[1]
Orbital periods
27.00 years/9,862 days[1]
Central planets[2]
Cities and towns
New Cardiff, The House[2]
Union of Allied Planets[2]
Malcolm Reynolds[src]
Londinium, along with its sister planet Sihnon, was one of the first planets colonized after the exodus from Earth-That-Was. Being the most like Earth-That-Was, it was the easiest to settle on and thus an ideal choice.
Most of the settlers came from Europe and the Americas and the predominant western culture took hold here quickly. Old western traditions were combined with modern technology, the best example being the buildings themselves as they were built with the most advanced materials but designed to look like stone. The Imperial Gothic style of the buildings (e.g. the contemporary Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, etc.) became the norm for almost all building on Londinium. The symbol of the planet is an Imperial Gothic clocktower (a la Big Ben). The planet had twenty-six metropolises, five of which were prominent spaceports. The capital city of Londinium was New Cardiff.
Politics was the main activity on Londinium. The Alliance Parliament building was situated on Londinium. The Parliament building itself (which contains "the House", where the members of Parliament meet to debate current issues) was the size of a small city and surrounding Alliance government complex which contained the offices of ministers and their civil servants (and was also where the aforementioned clocktower was) made up the entire unitary decision-making body of the Allied Planets. There was a policy of shoot-on-sight for any craft that comes too close to the Parliament building No Fly Zone.
Not all of the planet was dedicated to political dealings though. Art was also a major attraction. Londinium contained the finest museums of Earth-That-Was and colonial artifacts and also the largest collections of Western-style art in the system. The Londinium Museum, which contained the Museum of History and the Museum of Art, was a splendid building that held a variety of treasures. Most came from the early days of colonization, but the most valuable pieces were the ancient artifacts from Earth-That-Was.
Such a large military target was protected by a large military presence. The Ministry of Intelligence and the elite SAS (Special Alliance Support) forces had their headquarters on the planet, while, in orbit the Alliance flagship Victoria protected the skies.
• Londinium is the original Latin name for the settlement which became London.
• In the CoDominium series Sparta is the colony world for the United States and Europe. St. Ekaterina is the colony world for Russia and Asia. Londinium is the colony for the United States and Europe. Sihnon is the colony world for Asia.
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Interfacing between different logic families
Discussion in 'Homework Help' started by monkeyhead, May 27, 2008.
1. monkeyhead
Thread Starter Active Member
Mar 5, 2007
Hi there,
I'm trying to do an assignment on interfacing between different logic families.
The question is:
"Review the performance of complex digital circuits by considering the effects of using different logic families for interfacing between technologies and analogue systems"
I've going in to depth talking about how CMOS is interfaced with TTL devices and vice versa, and how pull up resistors are used, the fan out of these devices etc. Its just the last part that's getting me how they interface with analogue systems.
Is this aiming at the use of DAC and ADC's or more at how the ics can interface with analogue components such as a lamp driver with the use of a transistor for a switch?
Any example of the ICs being interfaced with an "analogue system" will be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
2. pinnacle06
Feb 9, 2007
how about an accelerometer?
3. beenthere
Retired Moderator
Apr 20, 2004
If you obtain the data sheet for the analog input device - pressure sensor, accelerometer, whatever - the device will have an output that has complete specifications about it. Interfacing on a logic level is no more than following the timing diagram to insure you read good data. Some of these devices may have analog outputs that have to be converted by means of an A to D converter.
It is a very vague question, so the answers might be as well. |
Lion of Rome: Pope Leo XIII was a progressive pontiff during the turn of the 20th century. A new pope might choose that name to signify a liberal bent.
For Pope-to-Be, Choice of Name Means Plenty
Even before he utters his first words in public, the new pope who emerges from the conclave this week will send Roman Catholics around the world a message encoded in the name he chooses.
It may not be one they immediately understand. Picking an unlikely one from the distant papal past - for example, Hilarus or Zephyrinus - would send Catholics scurrying to their history books to see what it could mean.
But one harking back to modern popes - Benedict or John Paul or John - would signal right away the new leader of 1.2 billion faithful wants continuity with the papacy his name refers to.
One name making the rounds in Rome before the 115 cardinal electors filed into the Sistine Chapel for their conclave on Tuesday was Francis, a name Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley might take if he emerges as the new pontiff.
O’Malley is a Franciscan friar who prefers the brown habit and white rope belt of his Capuchin order to his red cardinal’s finery. No pope has ever taken the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, the 13th century reformer who lived in poverty and told followers: “Preach the Gospel always, if necessary use words.”
Leo - Latin for “lion” - tops a list of bets placed with Paddy Power, a Dublin bookmaker putting odds on the next pope, his name and age.
The name has a progressive ring because the last to choose it, Leo XIII, helped adapt the Church to modern thinking about the industrial age during his papacy from 1878 to 1903.
His encyclical “Rerum Novarum” (Of New Things) was the first on social justice and defended the rights of workers. It argued that both communism and capitalism were flawed and that the state must work for the common good of all its citizens.
The preferential option for the poor that it advocated became a rallying cry in Latin America, which is why a candidate from the region - Brazil’s Cardinal Odilo Scherer is the one most frequently mentioned - might choose this evocative name.
The name will first be heard when a fellow cardinal emerges on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to announce “habemas papam” - we have a pope - to the crowd gathered in the square.
Pius, last used by Pius XII from 1939 to 1958, would signal a staunch conservative while John, which recalls his successor John XXIII from 1958 to 1962, could refer either to a compassionate pastor or a reformer.
John XXIII was a jovial type who convened the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) that led to some reforms the last two popes rejected and devoted their papacies to reining in.
Milan’s Cardinal Angelo Scola, another top contender, might choose Pius, the second name in the betting list. In a sermon on Sunday, he said the next pope should guide the Church “in the footsteps marked by the great popes of the last 150 years”.
There were four popes named Pius in the last century and a half, all of them distinctly conservative and believers in a strong centralised papacy with the most recent of them still a figure of controversy over his role during World War Two.
Pius IX (1846-1878) rejected democracy, Pius X (1903-1914) denounced modern liberal politics and Pius XI (1922-1939) is remembered as an autocratic ruler. Under Pius XII (1939-1958), the Church cracked down on liberal theologians.
While the name might imply a strongly orthodox papacy to Catholic prelates, Jews would most vividly recall bitter inter-faith debates over Pius XII and accusations he failed to stand up to Hitler and Mussolini during World War Two.
Defenders say Pius XII did as much as he could to defend Jews against the Holocaust, so taking the name could identify the new pope as one of a conservative group that has pushed for him to be made a saint. Jewish groups have urged the Vatican not to canonise him, at least until wartime records are clearer.
After his election in 2005, German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said he chose the name Benedict to honour Saint Benedict of Nursia, “whose life evokes the Christian roots of Europe”, and Pope Benedict XV who sought reconciliation during World War One.
The Latin maxim “nomen est omen” - a name is a sign - is as valid today for popes as it was for ancient Romans whose emperors took new names or titles when they assumed power.
Key figures in the Bible also changed their names, including Saint Peter the first pope and Saint Paul, the missionary to the Gentiles, so there is a Christian precedent as well.
The first pope known to have changed his name was John II in 533. He was called Mercury by his family but thought the Christian pontiff should not have the name of a pagan Roman god.
This became more common after an 18-year-old with another pagan name, Octavian, was chosen in a rigged election in 955 and decided to take the name John XII. A man named Peter opted for Sergius IV in 1009, avoiding comparison with the first pope.
Cardinal Angelo Roncalli reportedly spent the evening before his election as John XXIII in 1958 thumbing through a list of popes to check what earlier Johns had done. He chose the name because his father had it and it recalled the Apostle John.
When Albino Luciani was elected in 1978, he took the first double name in papal history, John Paul I, to show he wanted to combine John XXIII’s reforms with the more traditional stand of his immediate predecessor, Paul VI (1963-1978).
When John Paul I died 33 days later, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Poland honoured him by taking the papal name John Paul II.
It is unlikely another pope will call himself John Paul any time soon. If Wojtyla goes down in history as John Paul the Great, as his supporters call him, a successor taking his name could risk being known as John Paul the Less.
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For Pope-to-Be, Choice of Name Means Plenty
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Cinematography is the art of lighting and photographing a film. The cinematographer or director of photography works with the director to ensure that all the visual aspects of a film contribute to and enhance its overall meaning and purpose.
Blain Brown, 2002
The rules and conventions that underpin the practice of cinematography have developed with the feature film industry and have become naturalised as a form of language shared between filmmakers and their audiences. The cinematographer uses this complex visual language to create effects, express ideas and provoke emotional, intellectual and aesthetic responses.
Chris Doyle on working with Wong Kar Wai
When Christopher Doyle works with director Wong Kar Wai, he is asked to engage emotionally with the film’s ideas rather than responding to specific details about a look or a setting.
Chris Doyle on film as dream
The cinematographer Christopher Doyle points to Paranoid Park (Gus Van Sant, 2008) to highlight the role of the camera in communicating emotion.
Chris Doyle on film as collaboration
In his role as cinematographer, Christopher Doyle takes pleasure in sharing the experience of making the film and working collectively.
Chris Doyle on film as music and space
Christopher Doyle says that art uses the ‘rhetoric of music’ in terms of structure, repetition and movement.
Chris Doyle on learning from mistakes
For Christopher Doyle, mistakes, life experience and learning through trial and error are all key parts of what makes someone an artist. |
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Yet more notes to self
There are a multitude of ways in which we can study film: Aesthetically, technologically, culturally, economically and so forth. The value of any given film for the discipline of film studies could be seen as lying in the extent to which it will support different interpretive perspectives. A film which can be looked at both for its aesthetics and for its wider significance is arguably thereby more valuable, than one which offers little or nothing in aesthetic or formal terms. On this basis, Italian neo-realist and modernist films are undoubtedly more important than most other films released in Italy from the mid 1940s through to early 1980s. However, there were also aesthetics other than neo-realism and modernism, such as the post-modernist aesthetic I will argue was explored by my three figures, Sergio Leone, Dario Argento and Giulio Questi. Similarly not everything made by the neo-realist and modernist auteurs made was of equal significance, other than from an auteurist perspective. Vittorio de Sica's late films, such as Sunflowers and The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, are a case in point. While conventional, well-made films, they have little to offer aesthetically for this selfsame reason. Indeed, the most interesting other aspect of Sunflowers is an awkward one: The fundamental unreality of its treatment of Italan prisoners in the USSR and general portrait of the Soviet regime in the Stalinist and immediate post-Stalinist period, such that it might be read as an ageing humanist filmmaker's being taken advantage of by the then-regime in the USSR.
Also of issue here is the quality-quantity relationship. Is it better to have a film that is 'correct' in both its form and content, as famously espoused by the Cahiers du cinema editorial collective in the heavily politicised post-1968 context – one in which both Leone and Argento operated, albeit in its Italian rather than French form? Is it better to make compromises on one of these axes in order to be more accessible? Or is it better to be excessive, in the manner of the collective's Category E. By this the works of favoured auteurs were often rescued through recourse to (these) readers interpretations, in the manner of Barthes' notion of the Death of the Author. What was perhaps lacking, however, was the absolute freedom of those readers whose interpretation differed from that of the Cahiers theorist, that freedom of thinking differently, of seeking other (no less readerly) “Pleasures of the text”. From a postmodern perspective a right-wing reading of Ford's Young Mr Lincoln (1940) is not necessarily more or less valid than a left-wing one, nominally against the grain. Or, we may be able to deconstruct the deconstructive text that wrongly attempts to exempt itself from deconstruction, or the text that goes with the grain of the against the grain text. Put another way, we should consign ourselves to permanent opposition, of always refusing the doxa, perhaps more particularly when the former paradoxa has become the doxa.
All this is compounded by the national-international aspect: The more an Italian, French or German film talks to its specific national audience, arguably the less it says to a wider international one. Or, by addressing itself to a particular international audience, particularly that of an intellectual revolutionary elite arguably with a tendency towards abstract theory over specific contextual details, it has less to say to a broader national audience more characterised by the opposite tendencies.
In all this I am challenging modernist positions in favour of postmodernist ones: Form should not necessarily be privileged above content; quality over quantity; the elite over the mass, the general (international) over the specific (Italian). Rather each term needs to be put into “free play” or association with the others, the relative gains and losses recognised. For instance, if the Leone film was not as pure as the Antonioni, it reached many more people; as I write this with my word processor, Leone is recognised as a word, like Hitchcock, whereas Antonioni is not. I would, however, argue that in productive terms, in encouraging us to think about phenomena in a fresh way the popular-postmodernist text has now more to offer than the elite-modernist one.
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How to Fix a Leak From the Upstairs Bathroom
Water dripping from above is never a good sign.
Water dripping from above is never a good sign.
A damp spot -- or worse, a continuous drip from the ceiling overhead -- signals trouble. If you have a second-story bathroom, the problem could be in a water supply line or in one of the fixture drains. Fixing the leak could be as simple as replacing an under-sink trap or as complicated as cutting out a portion of the ceiling to replace drainpipe fittings. Finding the leak can be the toughest part of the task.
Types of Plumbing Leaks
If the leak appears as a damp spot that alternately dries and reoccurs on the ceiling above, it's most likely in a drain line. If the ceiling has a constant wet spot, or if it drips regularly, the problem is most likely in a pressurized water supply line.
Narrow It Down
Check the easiest-to-access spots first. This includes the water supply lines to the sink and to the commode, the sink trap and the wax ring beneath the commode. In the vast majority of cases, the leak will be at a plumbing connection where the water supply lines attach or at connector joints in the drainpipes. For water supply leaks, run your fingers over the lines to find out which one is damp. For trap leaks, turn on the water in the sink while checking the drain trap beneath for drips. Evidence of a leaking wax toilet ring might not show up on the bathroom floor, but this is a cheap fix, and if you can’t easily find the leak elsewhere, pull the commode and replace the ring. Once you remove the commode, you’ll see evidence of dampness around the toilet flange if the wax ring was leaking.
Hidden Leaks
A shower should have a removable access panel, sometimes located in the room behind the shower wall, but tub drains, shower drains and the main drainpipe to which all fixture drains attach are often accessible only from beneath. If you’ve eliminated all other causes of leaks, the next step is to cut out a small access hole in the ceiling below. Cut out the section of ceiling drywall where you see the evidence of the leak. If a drainpipe connection is directly above, you’re in luck. Unfortunately, water can travel down a sloping drainpipe and then drip at a low point. If the leak is not right above the wet spot, you might have to cut out more of the ceiling drywall, following the drainpipe upward, until you find the leaking connection.
Fixing Water Supply Leaks
In some cases, the fitting between the water supply line and the fixture is loose and you can try tightening it. Sometimes, a washer in the fitting is worn out and you can remove the old washer and put a new one in to stop the leak. But, if that doesn’t fix the problem, the next step is to replace the entire fitting. Turn off the water at the main shutoff, remove the fitting and take it to the hardware store to find a matching replacement. Different types of lines require different methods of installation, so make sure you have the appropriate supplies before installing the new fitting.
Fixing Drainpipe Leaks
Most of today’s drainpipes are white PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or black ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). Some sink traps are chrome or brass, however, and it’s important to purchase replacement parts of the same type, the same configuration and dimension. Remove the old fittings and take them to the hardware store for comparison. Removing and replacing the fittings depends on the type of pipes. PVC and ABS joints require special glue and primer to attach the new fittings. Other types of pipes might need washers or require plumbing tape on the threads to hold them securely. The customer service rep at the store can assist you in buying the right supplies.
Sometimes the leak isn’t coming from the upstairs bathroom. Before cutting out ceiling drywall, check the rubber boot that seals the vent stack where it exits the roof. If the dampness appears only after a rain, it’s probably leaking around the rubber boot and traveling down the vent pipe. Alternately, an upstairs window could be leaking and the water traveling along interior framing until it reaches the spot on the ceiling.
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Are Mormons Sexist?
Women in Mormonism
Are Mormons Sexist?
Yes and no. Official policy is to treat women like they are equal to men. Officially. But all the other ways to say this are that women are second to men.
Example number one: Men are considered the head of the household. In modern America, men and women share the responsibility equally, but not in Mormon culture. The man is the head and the woman is his sidekick at best.
Example number two: men have all rights and privileges, even when single. Women have all rights and privileges as long as they are accompanied by men.
I can list them off one at a time, but I hate laundry lists. Try to imagine growing up in a culture where all you get is the scraps from someone else’s table. Many people know exactly what this feels like even if it’s not a sexist thing. That is what women go through in Mormonism and it is sexist.
Women are not allowed to hold the priesthood. Therefore, they do not have healing power. Nor do they have authority unless she is put into a weaker leadership position – and only with the authority given to her by a man. The Relief Society President is a position that falls in this category. She is allowed that position under the approval of the prophet, a man.
An excuse I heard on multiple occasions for why women cannot hold the priesthood is that women are given the power of creating life. The priesthood is given to men only to balance the power. Note that a man is not required to have a woman to hold the priesthood but that a woman requires a man to create life. Equal? Fair? I think not. And if you read the article on racism in Mormonism that is also here on Hubpages, you will see that black women are still given the power of creation - which makes black women equal to white women and black men were just plain screwed.
Women are not allowed to wear pants to church. Despite this being an issue that should be between god and the individual, people will go out of their way to make it their issue. Friends will cut ties, publicly even, for some woman wearing pants to church. Yet I have seen men come to church with jeans and a t-shirt. Consistent? No. And people will, for the most part, respect a man’s decision to wear what he wants to wear. I did get a little flack on one occasion for wearing a hat to church. Despite that being incredibly irritating, it was a single incident that is the only time I ever heard someone call out a male for what he was wearing.
There are multiple signs and tokens of the male in the temple. To enter the celestial room of the temple there are handshakes that are symbolic of the chosen people, faithful followers of Jesus Christ. All of these handshakes are considered signs of the male. If a woman wants to enter the celestial room, she must be accompanied by a worthy male. Men can enter alone.
In the Endowment Ceremony, multiple hand gestures are presented. These are all tokens of the male. They have different sub-names to tell them apart, but all are tokens of the male. There is not a single sign or token of the female. Someone tried bullshitting me saying "There are no signs and tokens of the female that we know about in this mortal life." As if this forever leaves them the possibility on some level of not being sexist.
Let me say that again: There is not a single sign or token of the female.
In the temple, there is an altar that faithful adults can stand around and pray together. This altar is representative of the same altar Adam built, that Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac on, and the priests of Jerusalem sacrificed on and so on. When praying around the altar at the temple, the women must veil their faces. Men do not. Psychologists who have studied how people identify others know that the face is the most identifiable attribute of a person. Humans can remember an unusually high number of faces, more than places, smells, sounds, and touch sensations. The face is your identity. That’s why when an attacker destroys a victim’s face, the CSI people know that it’s meant to be personal whereas shooting someone in the heart is not nearly as personal. When a kid destroys a photograph of a parent they’re angry at, they start with the face. What does this have to do with the veil at the temple? It might be a stretch, but it’s kind of a way of saying women do not have an identity before God.
Mormons believe there are three degrees of glory. The Celestial Kingdom is what is viewed as Heaven. Men and women can go there whether they are single or married. To reach the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, one must be married. Typically it is considered odd for women to ask men to date or to wed. Even though it is the case in most societies, this expectation that it is the man’s job to ask is stronger in Mormon culture. That leaves women lonely a lot – and out of the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom. Now there is still a choice and women can ask men out or to marry. Men are given the authority to take multiple wives but women are only allowed one husband. Since the abolition of polygamy in the LDS faith in the late 1800s, you won’t see any Mormon polygamists here in the mortal existence. However after we die there will be opportunities to meet partners, including polygamist partners – polygamist for dead men only. Most Mormons will deny polygamy if you ask them, but it really depends on what stage of eternal progression you are talking about.
One of the reasons you need to have a partner of the opposite sex to enter the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom is to create life. The ability to create worlds and souls of your own is somehow glorifying and gratifying and can only be done if you have the opposite gender by your side. Mormons believe god used to be just a man who was worthy of exaltation. That leads me to puzzle out that there is a female entity by god's side if he was to create earth and all life on it. A "Heavenly Mother" is logically a member of the team. Mormon individuals are either completely in denial of her existence, or admit the possibility of her existence but give her absolutely no credit whatsoever. Dear female readers, if you are taking the Mormon route to exaltation, know that you will likely get little if any credit for all the hard work you do.
Another problem that exists in multiple cultures and backgrounds can also be found in Mormon culture. Even though this is not official church doctrine, many men in Mormon culture believe it is not possible for a man to rape his wife because she's his wife. Consent has nothing to do with it as if consent was forever given with "I do". This is not a problem with all married couples, but it is with a significant number. Dear female readers, if you are looking at Mormon males for potential husbands, make sure he understands your definition of consent.
I ask you again, are Mormons sexist? You may run into a Mormon that is not, then claim that it's an over-generalization to call all Mormons sexist. I point out that most Mormons do not consider themselves sexist. If you call the above doctrines and practices sexist, they will say that's church policy as if it is somehow not their own policy. It's up to you if you believe it or not, but I've stated my stance on the issue. If you're a woman and looking into the church, be prepared to give up your equality.
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Explore Why Music is Illegal in Islam
on Thursday, September 19, 2013
In the past few years, certain technological developments have taken place like; the invention of MP3 players, IPhone, iPods, DVD players and others which has brought the subject of music as an extremely considerable matter. It is hard to believe that Music has involved in our lives to such an extent that it is seriously distressing every Muslim in this modern era. In today’s world, every individual is being urged to listen to different forms of music whether by choice or without. It has been entertaining us for years through TV programs, radio and movies. Nowadays, it is widely being played in nearly all shopping malls, parties, and wedding ceremonies and on many other occasions. Even when we are walking in the street, we will find every other car blaring with loud music. Wherever we go, wherever we live, we are darned with music!
Does anyone of us think what Islam says and explains about music? Why does Music, which is prevailing in our modern societies, pose a great threat for all Muslims? If No, then let’s figure out what Islam and Shariah says regarding listening to music, under some Quranic references.
Why is Music Haram?
One of the major causes of the decline of Muslims around the globe is their involvement in useless and immoral activities. In recent eras, spiritual power was used to be the trait of a Muslim, but these days it is nowhere to be found. We can conclude that Music and other sources of entertainment are direct maneuvers of Non-Muslims.
As we know that Islam is a simple and peaceful religion and nothing is forbidden by Almighty Allah except for those which are tremendously dangerous for Muslims and the society as a whole. According to some Quranic references and Hadith of Prophet Mohammad, music is purely considered Haram. Three things that are strictly prohibited in Islam are:
• Singing songs and listening to music.
• Buying musical instruments for fun and amusement.
• Purchasing female and male singers for entertainment.
Allah absolutely forbids such things which leads to sins and other immoral activities. Almighty Allah says:
And do not come near to adultery: for it is disgraceful deed and an evil, opening the road to other evils.” (Al-Isra)
Here, I will share one Hadith regarding unlawfulness of singing and music, from Bukhari Shareef:
There will be people of my Ummah who will seek to make lawful: wine drinking, fornication and the use of musical instruments (Ma’azif).”
Which kind of Music is permissible by Uluma-e-Deen?
There are some forms of music which are somehow allowed by a majority of scholars, but still many refused to accept music which is being played for fun and pastime. Such type of music is called Malahi, which leads to immoral entertainment, dance, playful enjoyment and more, but drums are explicitly allowed by many proficient Muslim Scholars, especially for wedding ceremony, festivals and other occasions. If music is played to glorify Allah and his prophet and for the peace of your mind that helps you remember Allah, it is found to be permissible, as long as it does not compel you to disobey Allah and his instructions.
Not only Islam, but scientific research has proven that today’s music is so harmful and depraved that it does not affect our nervous system only, but each and every part of our body. Research has shown that music badly affects our emotions, boost up our level of excitement and causes a number of psychological changes in our body. It has been found that listening to moderate or slow type of music usually increase our pulse rate, while rock music increases it further, which ultimately causes severe problems. Yet, people are unable to realize side effects of music.
Avoid listening to depraved music as much as you can, and lead a prosperous life in the presence of Almighty Allah!
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Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Endosymbiosis in process
This week's Science has evidence of this process at work today. A Secondary Symbiosis in Progress? -- Okamoto and Inouye 310 (5746): 287 -- Science.
The figure labeled A shows the normal adult Hatena. It has a flagellum, an eyespot (the arrow), and all that green chlorophyll. Turns out, as shown in figure B, the eyespot is inherited by only one daughter cell, as is the green. All that stuff is from a symbiont living within the cell. The DNA in the symbiont shows that it's a member of the genus Nephroselmis. The free living form of the symbiont has morphological differences from the symbiont, but it's abundant where the host occurs.
The eyespot helps the organism move into the light, meaning that the host's movement is controlled by signals from the symbiont.
When the cell divides, one side has the symbiont, the other has a very different morphology. It has a feeding apparatus where the symbiont would be if it had one, and is predatory. As it hunts for food, if it picks up a Nephroselmis, it doesn't digest it, but integrates it into the host. When the wrong strain of symbiont is ingested, it is not digested, but it also doesn't go through the morphological changes.
Figure D shows the life cycle, which I'll let the discoverers describe:
As they say:
These two organisms illustrate one step in a process which would ultimately lead to organisms like the Euglena, which has a persistent secondary symbiosis. It's chloroplasts can be killed off, leaving the organism to hunt for food. The symbiont can regrow under better conditions. Each symbiont has double membranes, rather than a single membrane, indicating that the original symbiont (probably a kinetoplastid) was ingested by the ancestral euglenophyte. At this stage in Hatena's development, the symbiont doesn't divide in synchrony with the host, but that synchrony can evolve, just as the host-symbiont specificity has evolved already.
This is evolution at work, even if it's not quite neo-Darwinian. (By which I mean, it does not involve only natural selection, mutation, gene flow and genetic drift. It's still Darwinian, and involves no magic.) |
Benny’s Pennies Book Activity
Large group lesson using the story Benny’s Pennies.
Incorporates rhymes, prediction, math, and recall.
• Book: Benny’s Pennies
• Flannel board
• Flannel board pieces
• Posterboard
• Pennies (real or cutouts)
Lesson Plan:
1. During large group, read the story, Benny’s Pennies.
2. Have the children predict what Bennie will buy with each penny based on the illustrations.
3. Emphasize the rhyming words as you read the story.
4. After the story, help children recall what Benny bought first, second, and third by giving clues about each item.
5. As children recall each item (a rose, cookie, paper hat, fish, and a bone), place a flannel board piece of that item on the flannel board.
6. Next, introduce a chart with pictures of each item Benny bought.
7. Give each child a penny and have them come up and paste their penny on one item they would buy.
8. Later, share the results of the chart with the children.
You could extend the activity with rhymes by finding words that rhyme with children’s names (like the characters in the book).
By: Tonya, preschool teacher
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Updated 2009-06-04 12:39
Identity Formation
Erikson's Psychosocial TheoryAdolescence is a stage of life where an identity crisis is resolved by identity formation.
Smith and Crawford (1986)Supports Erikson. 60% of secondary school pupils reported at least on instance of suicidal thoughts.
Kahn (1985)Supports Erikson. Students who had been assessed as low in identity development had less success in later relationships.
Siddique and D'Arcy (1984) 2/3 of adolescents interviewed showed mild or no psychological distress.
Marcia's theory of identity formationBuilt on Erikson's theory by identifying four statuses in identity development, differing in levels of crisis and commitment.
Waterman (1985)Supports Marcia. Found that as age increased, identity diffusion decreased/identity achievement increased.
Kroger (1996)Supports Marcia. Identity achievers functioned better under stress than those still in moratorium, who were more anxious + avoided intimate relationships.
Meilman (1979)Challenges Marcia. Identity achievement comes later on than predicted and may not be permanent (Only 50% by age 24)
Archer (1982)Reported a simplification in the stages. Only 5% in just 1 stage, 90% in two stages.
Coleman's Focal TheoryStress occurs when adolescents have to deal with too many issues at one time.
Coleman + Henry (1990)Most adolescents navigate adolescents by putting some issues on hold.
Eccles (1993)Alternative to Focal Theory. Stress may occur due to mismatch between adolescent's developing needs and the role offered to them in western society.
Relationships with Parents and Peers
Cooper (1998)Autonomy: Adolescents who are securely attached have fewer problems.
Waterman (1982)Identity formation: Parental style affects development of identity. Domineering parents -> identity foreclosure, democratic parent -> moratorium/achievement.
Archer and Waterman (1994)Identity formation: Weak connectedness with parents -> Identity confusion stage.
Steinberg and Morris (2001)Conflict: authoritarian parents have more conflicts.
Montemayor (1982)Conflict: On average, adolescents have conflict with parents every 3 days, for 11 minutes.
Montemayor (1993)Two way process. Fathers less stressed if closer to adolescent children.
Benin (1997)Conflict: Parents may be cause of the conflict - marital dissatisfaction highest in marriage with adolescents.
Larsen (1991)Cultural differences - Indian relationship with parents is closer.
Frey + Rothlisberger (1996)Adolescents have twice as many relationships with peers than parents.
Ainsworth (1989)Peers serve 4 functions: Source of intimacy, feedback on social behaviour, source of social influence, provide attachment relationships.
Piaget (1932)Peer relationships more egalitarian than parent relationships.
Blos (1967)Autonomy: Peers act as a secure base/way station to independence and help adolescents avoid loneliness.
Kirchler (1991)Autonomy: Failure to develop peer relationships may lead to difficulty forming adult relationships in future.
Steinberg + Silverberg (1986)Autonomy of ppts increased with increased peer involvements.
Erikson (1968)Identity formation: Peers help us explore new ideologies.
Brown + Lohr (1987)Identity formation: Adolescents who did not belong to social cliques had lower self esteem.,
BrownPeer conformity: Adolescents reported more pressure to conform to peer norms than family activities.
Bendt (1979)Conformity greater for pro social behaviour.
Ryan and Lynch (1989)Peer relationships: Individual differences - adolescents with democratic parents rely less on their peers.
Cultural differences in adolescent behaviour
Gilani (1995)Autonomy: Found that in Asian families, family comes first and teenage girls were expected to conform rather than become independent.
Bacon (1963)Achievement: In collectivist cultures eg Mexico, parents place more value on obedience and responsibility than individual achievements.
Mead (1928)'Storm and stress' not universal. In Samoa, rites of passage into adulthood eradicate transitional period so less stress.
White and Burke (1987)Formation of identity is easiest with integration into society.
Duncan (1994)Adolescents who had experienced poverty had lower IQ. |
Saturday, August 15, 2015
More Police Killed in States With Higher Levels of Gun Ownership
Mother Jones
Police officers working in states with higher rates of private gun ownership are significantly more likely to be killed on the job than officers working in states with low levels of gun ownership, according to a new study on occupational homicides.
The study, published by the American Journal of Public Health on Thursday, analyzed FBI data focusing on the number of law enforcement officials that were killed between 1996 to 2010. During that period, 716 out of the total 782 police killings were found to be carried out by the use of firearms. Handguns were responsible for 515 of all the homicides.
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Montana recorded both the highest levels of gun ownership and police killings. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island had the lowest levels for both.
1. If you take a look at this chart from the FBI's website, you'll see that over the past several years, the number of officers killed have been fairly constant, even with record numbers of new firearms being sold every year. There are some years where the numbers increase, and the most recent year, 2013, the number dropped almost fifty percent.
And you can also look to several states with high percentages of gun ownership and find low numbers of gun homicides. One example of this is North Dakota, which ranks tenth in the percentage of gun ownership, yet has only lost one officer to homicide in the past nine years, while California, which ranks forty second out of fifty has lost forty four officers during the same period.
Also keep in mind that police chiefs are normally appointed by the mayor, and are expected to support his boss in regards to philosophy. For example, you aren't likely going to hear the U.S. attorney General public ally disagree with his boss, the President in the area of gun policy. Another example of this would be the Mayor of Chicago and its Police Superintendent.
Sheriffs are a different animal in this regard since they are elected officials. An example of a philosophical disconnect on this issue is the Police Chief of Milwaukee, who is anti-gun, and the very well known pro-gun Sheriff of the county which encompasses the city. If the populace supported strict gun laws, then why would they elect a pro-gun Sheriff?
1. That's good dishonest gobblygook SS.
Now explain why some politicians stand on guns has anything to do with police kill rates.
2. Great comparison SS! HA HA HA HA
Lets see, what is California's population compared to North Dakota's population?
3. Anon, I'm shocked! You actually made a cogent point (sort of) along with your standard maniacal laugh track.
How about this then. One state each from the good list and the bad list. Alaska and Rhode Island. Alaska, population about 750k and RI about a million. Over the past nine years, Alaska lost two police officers and Rhode Island 1.
And of course, you need to pay to see the stats for the other forty states since they only listed the ten stated that totally fell in line with their outcome.
4. I'm shocked you are such a liar! How about this, you stop lying and using ridiculous, dishonest comparisons, which you ALWAYS do.
2. Uh, Mike, I hate to tell you this, but this is not a study on overall murder rate. It's the murder of police rate, and extremely small subset of overall murder rate (about 50 a year, and decreasing).
And given that your very next post is about how police are wrongly killing citizens at a rate 20 times greater, maybe some of these are legitimate self-defense?
3. Cops aren't even in the Top 10 list of most dangerous occupations. Perhaps if cops didn't go around behaving like a knight errant, looking for trouble, they'd find themselves living longer.
orlin sellers
4. Say--if you want to cut down on the number of cops being on the receiving end of gunfire, maybe you should advocate disarming Obama's minions. |
By Ebru Altan
Freedom of thought and expression are an essential part of contemporary constitutional democracies, and a human right. It is essential that freedom of thought and expression, one of the most important rights of all people, no matter what their nationality, ethnicity or religion, be protected under the law.
In order for individuals in society to be regarded as “free”, they need to be free to express their ideas and feelings. People in societies where democracy prevails enjoy that freedom and can openly express their innermost feelings and thoughts.
Depriving people of freedom of expression will certainly give rise to a fearful, insecure and stunted structure because people will only be happy, healthy and productive when they are free to express their ideas as they wish, but when they encounter any restriction on that, they will inevitably lose their joy and happiness and ability to create, work and produce.
Democracy; the system that ensures internal harmony in society
The health of a society begins with democracy. Indeed, democracy will bring love, respect, tolerance, union, unity and brotherhood, bestow rights and freedoms such as social justice and equality, provide the people with a dynamic life and enhance the quality of that life.
People are created such as to seek a democratic environment in which ideas are respected. Allah has shown all mankind, through the books He has sent down from His presence and through the prophets, the paths of democracy, freedom of ideas and respect for opinions. Fundamental concepts such as tolerance, justice, love, respect, security and altruism which we encounter in the teachings of the prophets represent the essence of democracy and freedom of ideas. It is therefore fitting to say that democracy lies at the heart of the Islamic faith. The faith foresees an environment filled with peace in which everyone can live in freedom and freely express his opinions. All compulsion is strictly prohibited in Islam; everyone must be free to express his opinions and must not be persecuted on account of them. People must not be victimized because of their ideas and those espousing different ideologies and views must not be despised. Democracy also embodies these commandments in the faith and wants people to be free, psychologically comfortable, happy and at peace and to live in equality, love, peace and brotherhood. This perspective can only prevail in any society when people live by religious moral values. For example, social justice, the fundamental principle of democracy, can only be truly present in an environment in which the moral virtues commanded by religion prevail. The concept of justice, another core principle of democracy, is also something enjoined by religion. Our Prophet’s (saas) just and affectionate attitude toward both Muslims and people of other faiths, languages, races and peoples and equal treatment of everyone, regardless of whether they were rich or poor, represents the finest example of the concept of democracy.
The Super Power under Siege
A democratic environment is only possible with Islamic moral values
In Western countries, what comes to mind when the Islamic faith is mentioned is a bloodthirsty model devoid of the concepts of love, respect, compassionate, tolerance and democracy; that is against art, science and beauty and desires war. There is indeed a fanatical element that is responsible for Westerners coming to these false conclusions about the faith, and these fanatics do not abide by the affectionate, compassionate and kind moral structure that respects the opinions of others as Islam commands, but they nevertheless declare themselves to be “devout.” Millions of people therefore have a false impression of Islam and may regard it, may Allah forbid, as a religion that hinders rights and freedoms, that places limitations on art and science and that controls people’s ideas. The fact is, however, that Islam is a faith that bestows the freedom to think and express themselves on people and that protects their rights of all kinds. Several verses in the Holy Qur’an make this perfectly clear:
(Surat al-Baqara, 256)
• So remind them!You are only a reminder.
• You are not in control of them.
• (Surat al-Ghashiyah, 21-22)
Say: ‘It is the truth from your Lord; so let whoever wishes have faith and whoever wishes be a disbeliever.’ (Surat al-Kahf, 29)
• Say: ‘Disbelievers!
My Problem
• I do not worship what you worship
• and you do not worship what I worship.
• Nor will I worship what you worship
• nor will you worship what I worship.
• You have your religion and I have my religion.’
• (Surat al-Kafirun, 1-6)
The aim of a true Muslim is to possess the moral virtues commanded by Allah, and to live by and preach the faith as Allah teaches. And it is certain that when people live by the moral virtues commanded by Allah in a flawless manner, the long-awaited democratic environment will at ounce flourish across the world.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’][/author_image] [author_info]Ebru was born in Istanbul, graduated from the Bogazici University Business Administration Department. She is a regular TV host on A9 TV where she discusses subjects such as the origin of life, paleontology and the fossil record, genetics and biology on a daily basis. Her goal is to help bring about world peace, by presenting scientific evidence to intellectually refute those ideologies that cause war and conflict.[/author_info] [/author] |
Are You Listening, Developer? and Vista Performance
One of the biggest impediments to successful software development is communications, and the biggest part of that, in my opinion, is the ability to listen effectively. I write this not only as an instructional piece, but to remind myself that I too suffer from Listening Dysfunction (LD). I am glad to say that I'm getting better at it all the time, but sometimes I just can't seem to keep it up (the listening, that is). Your doctor generally cannot prescribe some "blue pill" for this, however - you have to fix it yourself.
Have you ever been in a situation where you are conveying a concept or explaining something, and the other person constantly interrupts or "talks over" you? They're not listening. They are involved in some other agenda. Perhaps they hear what you are saying, but the comprehension is not there.
Or, have you ever sent an email to somebody with several points in it, but you get a response that only addresses one point? The respondent didn't "listen" to the whole email.
Or perhaps you were faced with listening to a program manager, team lead or other developer who was attempting to convey some instructions, but they continually wandered from one point to the other, making it much more difficult to get to the main point, and increasing your frustration level. That's the other side of listening - efffective speaking.
Listening versus Hearing
There is a major difference between listening and hearing. Hearing means that you pay attention to what is said. Listening focuses on comprehension. When you listen, you pay complete attention to what is said and try to understand it. This is a critical issue in software development, because it is a big part of what goes into the software. Ineffective listening means you are more likely to get software that does not represent what was requested or required, and the software will need to be corrected and revised, which adds time to the development process.
Good listeners (and speakers):
• Verbalize raw ideas as they come into your head in a way that you can take notes on
• Ask questions when you don't understand
• Focus on someone else's way of thinking to stay engaged in their thought process
• Move in a methodical way so that you can keep up
• Compromise on an approach to a solution and agree together on the next steps to take
Listening goes hand in hand with speaking - being able to express yourself concisely and in a methodical, logical, "non-wandering" way. Paper is an important part of this process in development work. Many people do not feel comfortable unless they have a pen and paper at hand. Notes can later be turned into documents or emails and shared as a summary of a verbal meeting that provides a "track to run on".
These are all very basic concepts - but it isn't surprising how often they go overlooked. A quick review of some statistics about listening, compiled by the International Listening Association (http://www.listen.org/), yields some insight into why listening is so hard:
• Most of us are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful about 75% of the time we should be listening.
• Long-term, we only remember 20% of what we hear.
• Dozens of business studies indicate that listening is a top skill needed for success in business.
Some tips:
1. Listen to understand, not to respond
2. Be quiet
3. Let them finish their thoughts
4. Maintain eye contact
5. Ask questions to ensure that you understand
Vista Performance
I have a love-hate with Windows Vista. I like the new features, but some things just make me mad. Recently I noticed that Windows Explorer started taking a very long time to render the folder tree (e.g., "NOT RESPONDING") and so I started looking around for tweaks and fixes. One place I found that has a very detailed list of fixes is here:
I've done just about every tweak the guy has listed, and it definitely helped. Worth a visit. |
Psychology Wiki
Ocular dominance columns
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Ocular dominance columns are stripes of neurons in the visual cortex of certain mammals (including humans[1]) that respond preferentially to input from one eye or the other.[2] The columns span multiple cortical layers, and are laid out in a striped pattern across the surface of the striate cortex (V1). The stripes lie perpendicular to the orientation columns. Each alternating stripe is mainly concerned with responding to the inputs of one eye. In layer 4C of the lateral geniculate nuclei they respond mainly to the inputs from the dominant eye[3]
Ocular dominance columns were important in early studies of cortical plasticity, as it was found that monocular deprivation causes the columns to degrade, with the non-deprived eye assuming control of more of the cortical cells.[4]. In a normally-developed visual system, the area of dominance columns for both eyes is the same, and each cortical cell responds to visual input according to its column. Monocular deprivation during early life prevents this balance from developing, and the non-deprived eye assumes control of nearly all cortical cells. These effects were identified by Torsten Wiesel and David Hubel, neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School, through studies on cats.
It is believed that ocular dominance columns must be important in binocular vision. Surprisingly, however, many squirrel monkeys either lack or partially lack ocular dominance columns, which would not be expected if they are useful. This has led some to question whether they serve a purpose, or are just a byproduct of development.[5]
Discovery Edit
Ocular dominance columns were discovered in the 1960s by Hubel and Wiesel as part of their Nobel prize winning work on the structure of the visual cortex in cats. Ocular dominance columns have since been found in many animals, such as ferrets, macaques, and humans.[6] Notably, they are also absent in many animals with binocular vision, such as rats.[7]
Structure Edit
File:ODC-OR-CX Columns.png
Ocular dominance columns are stripe shaped regions of the primary visual cortex that lie perpendicular to the orientation columns,[8] as can be seen in the accompanying figure. Different species have somewhat different morphologies and levels of organization. For example, humans, cats, ferrets, and macaques all have fairly well defined columns, while squirrel monkeys have quite variable columns. There is even variation in expression in individuals of the same species and in different parts of the cortex of the same individual.[5][9] The columns are innervated by input from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) into cortical layer 4 and have mostly reciprocal projections to many other parts of the visual cortex.[10]
Relation to other features of V1 Edit
The ocular dominance columns cover the primary (striate) visual cortex, with the exception of monocular regions of the cortical map corresponding to peripheral vision and the blind spot.[9] If the columns corresponding to one eye were colored, a pattern similar to that shown in the accompanying figure would be visible when looking at the surface of the cortex. However, the same region of cortex could also be colored by the direction of edge that it responds to, resulting in the orientation columns, which are laid out in a characteristic pinwheel shape.[note 2] Similarly, there are columns in the cortex that have high levels of the protein cytochrome oxidase. These are called cytochrome oxidase "blobs" because of their scattered blob-like appearance.
All three types of column are present in the visual cortex of humans[5] and macaques,[8] among other animals. In macaques, it was found that both blobs and pinwheel centers tend to lie in the center of ocular dominance columns,[8] but no particular relation has been found between pinwheel centers and blobs.[8] In humans, the layout of the columns is similar; however, humans have somewhat variable column expression with at least one subject having disordered columns similar to those commonly found in squirrel monkeys.[9]
Most early models of the columns supposed that there were discrete "modules" or "hypercolumns" tiling]] the cortex, consisting of a repeating unit containing a full set of orientation and ocular dominance columns. While such units can be constructed, the map of columns is so distorted that there is no repeating structure and no clear boundaries between modules.[8] Additionally, practically every combination of having or not having orientation, dominance, and cytochrome oxidase columns has been observed in one species or another.[5] Further confusing the issue, squirrel monkeys don't always express columns, and even when they do the cytochrome oxidase blobs are not in register with the ocular dominance columns.[11]
Development Edit
Formation Edit
Prior to birth, monocular transduction pathways are already established through a process known as “fire together, wire together.” Spontaneous retinal activity in one eye of the developing fetus leads to neuronal depolarization. Synapses that receive multiple inputs are more likely to propagate the signal, whereas errant connections will not be sufficient to trigger another action potential. Post-synaptic neurons that depolarize become permeable to calcium ions, if glutamate has been released by the pre-synaptic axon terminal. Calcium’s entry leads to a chemical process that strengthens the synapse, making it more likely to survive than other connections.
However, there is no consensus yet as to how ocular dominance columns are initially developed. One possibility is that they develop through Hebbian learning triggered by spontaneous activity coming from retinal waves in the eyes of the developing fetus, or from the LGN. Another possibility is that axonal guidance cues may guide the formation, or a combination of mechanisms may be at work. It is known that ocular dominance columns develop before birth, which indicates that if an activity dependent mechanism is involved it must work based on intrinsic activity rather than being sensory experience dependent.[12] It is known that spontaneous waves of activity in the retina occur before birth and that these waves are crucial for eye specific segregation of inputs to the LGN by correlating the activity of nearby neurons.[13] Similarly, the correlated activation for the retinal waves may direct development of the ocular dominance columns, which receive input from the LGN.[14] Similar spontaneous activity in the cortex may also play a role.[14][15] In any case, it has been shown that disrupting the retinal waves at least alters the pattern of ocular dominance columns.[14]
Plasticity Edit
Sensitive periods Edit
Although the ocular dominance columns are formed before birth, there is a period after birth—formerly called a "critical period" and now called a "sensitive period"--when the ocular dominance columns may be modified by activity dependent plasticity. This plasticity is so strong that if the signals from both eyes are blocked the ocular dominance columns will completely desegregate.[16] Similarly, if one eye is closed ("monocular deprivation"),[4]removed[17]("enucleation"), or silenced [18] during the sensitive period, the size of the columns corresponding to the removed eye shrink dramatically.
Models Edit
Many models have been proposed to explain the development and plasticity of the ocular dominance columns. In general these models can be split into two categories, those that posit formation via chemotaxis and those that posit a Hebbian activity dependent mechanism.[14] Generally, chemotaxis models assume activity independent formation via the action of axon guidance molecules, with the structures only later being refined by activity, but there are now known to be activity dependent [19][20] and activity modifying [21][22] guidance molecules.
Modified Hebbian learning Edit
One major model of the formation of the stripes seen in ocular dominance columns is that they form by Hebbian competition between axon terminals.[23] The ocular dominance columns look like Turing patterns, which can be formed by modified Hebbian mechanisms. In a normal Hebbian model, if two neurons are connected to a neuron and fire together, they increase the strength of the synapses, "moving"[note 3][24] the axon terminals closer together. The model must be modified to incorporate incoming activity that is locally excitatory and long range inhibitory, because if this is not done then the column width will only be dependent on the width of the axonal arbor, and also segregation will often fail in the presence of inter eye correlation.[23] This basic model has since been extended to be more physiologically plausible with the addition of long term potentiation and depression, synaptic normalization,[25] neurotrophin release,[26] reuptake,[27] and spike-timing-dependent plasticity.[28]
Chemotaxis Edit
Chemotactic models posit the existence of axon guidance molecules that direct the initial formation of the ocular dominance columns. These molecules would guide the axons as they develop based on markers specific to the axons from each eye.[14] All chemotactic models must take into account the activity dependent effects demonstrated in later development,[29] but they have been called for because several pieces of evidence make entirely activity dependent formation unlikely. First, it has been shown that the ocular dominance columns in squirrel monkeys have mirror symmetry across the cortex. This is very unlikely to occur by activity dependent means because it implies a correlation between the nasal[note 4] retina of one eye and the temporal[note 5] retina of the other, which has not been observed. Furthermore, work in achiasmatic[note 6] Belgian sheepdogs has shown that columns can form between the projections from the temporal and nasal retina of the same eye, clearly suggesting a nasal-temporal labeling, rather than contralateral vs. ipsilateral, which would be much easier to explain with activity dependent mechanisms.[30] Despite this, a molecular label that directs the formation of the ocular dominance columns has never been found.[14]
Function Edit
It has long been believed that ocular dominance columns play some role in binocular vision.[14] Another candidate function for ocular dominance columns (and for columns in general) is the minimization of connection lengths and processing time, which could be evolutionarily important.[31] It has even been suggested that the ocular dominance columns serve no function.[5]
1. This means, for example, that neurons in the areas marked in red fire more when a vertical edge is visible, green when a horizontal edge is visible, orange when 45°, etc.
2. A very good analogy for this is the idea of coloring a map. Just like a map of Asia could be colored by religion or by language, the columns are not physical things but regions defined by shared attributes. Also much like a map of religion the borders tend to be fuzzy with no clear distinction between one area and the next columns often don't have sharp borders. Similarly, there may be overlap, just as people at the border between France and Germany are a mixture of French speakers, German speakers, or bilingual. There are even occasional neurons belonging to the ipsilateral eye in a contralateral column just like the occasional Portuguese speaker may be found in China. It was once believed the columns were discrete units with sharp borders but the idea of fuzzy, mostly continuous regions is now preferred.[5]
3. The axon terminals don't actually move, but they grow in size and number according to level of activity, the net result being that the output from any particular neuron moves as it loses connection to one neuron and gains connection to another.
4. Toward or near the nose
5. Toward or near the temple
6. Having no optic chiasm
See alsoEdit
1. Shmuel A, Chaimow D, Raddatz G, Ugurbil K, Yacoub E (2010) Mechanisms underlying decoding at 7 T: ocular dominance columns, broad structures, and macroscopic blood vessels in V1 convey information on the stimulated eye. Neuroimage 49:1957–64 (NOT FREE)
2. Swisher JD, Gatenby JC, Gore JC, Wolfe BA, Moon C, et al. (2010) Multiscale pattern analysis of orientation-selective activity in the primary visual cortex. J Neurosci 30: 325–330.
4. 4.0 4.1 Shatz, C. J. & Stryker, M. P. (1978) Ocular dominance in layer IV of the cat’s visual cortex and the effects of monocular deprivation. Journal of Physiology 281:267–83.
5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Horton J.C. and Adams D.L. (2005) The cortical column: a structure without a function. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B, 360: 837-862.
7. Horton J.C. and Hocking D.R. (1996) Intrinsic variability of ocular dominance column periodicity in normal macaque monkeys. J. Neurosci., 16:7228-7339.]
8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Bartfeld E, Grinvald A. Relationships between orientation-preference pinwheels, cytochrome oxidase blobs, and ocular-dominance columns in primate striate cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1992;89:11905–11909.
9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Adams, D.L., Sincich, L.C., Horton, J.C., 2007. Complete pattern of ocular dominance columns in human primary visual cortex. J. Neurosci. 27, 10391–10403.]
10. Van Essen DC, Anderson CH, Felleman DJ. Information processing in the primate visual system: an integrated systems perspective. Science 255:419–423, 1992.
12. Crowley J.C. and Katz L.C. (2000) Early development of ocular dominance columns. Science, 290: 1321 – 1324.
13. Stellwagen D, Shatz CJ. An instructive role for retinal waves in the development of retinogeniculate connectivity. Neuron 33: 357–367, 2002.
14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 Huberman, A.D. et al. (2008) Mechanisms underlying development of visual maps and receptive fields. Annu Rev. Neurosci. 31, 479–509
15. Chiu C. and Weliky M. (2002) Relationship of correlated spontaneous activity to functional ocular dominance columns in the developing visual cortex. Neuron, 35: 1123 – 1134.
16. Stryker MP, Harris WA. 1986. Binocular impulse blockade prevents the formation of ocular dominance columns in cat visual cortex. J. Neurosci. 6:2117–33
17. Horton JC, Hocking DR. 1998. Effect of early monocular enucleation upon ocular dominance columns and cytochrome oxidase activity in monkey and human visual cortex. Vis. Neurosci. 15:289–303 (NOT FREE)
18. Chapman, B., Jacobson, M.D., Reiter, H.O., and Stryker, M.P. (1986). Ocular dominance shift in kitten visual cortex caused by imbalance in retinal electrical activity. Nature 324, 154–156.
19. Hanson MG, Landmesser LT. Normal patterns of spontaneous activity are required for correct motor axon guidance and the expression of specific guidance molecules. Neuron. 2004;43:687–701.
20. Song HJ, Poo MM. 1999. Signal transduction underlying growth cone guidance by diffusible factors. Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 9:355–63 (NOT FREE)
21. Bouzioukh F, Daoudal G, Falk J, Debanne D, Rougon G, Castellani V. Semaphorin3A regulates synaptic function of differentiated hippocampal neurons. Eur. J. Neurosci. 2006;23:2247–2254. (NOT FREE)
22. Sahay A, et al. Secreted semaphorins modulate synaptic transmission in the adult hippocampus. J Neurosci. 2005;25:3613–3620.]
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25. Miller K.D (1996) Synaptic economics: competition and cooperation in correlation-based synaptic competition. Neuron, 17:371-374.
26. Harris A.E., Ermentrout G.B. and Small S.L. (1997) A model of ocular dominance column development by competition for trophic factor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94:9944-9949.
27. Elliott T. and Shadbolt N.R. (1998) Competition for neurotrophic factors: mathematical analysis. Neural computation, 10:1939-1981. (NOT FREE)
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The term Loudspeaker dharma (Sanskrit: dhárma, Pāḷi dhamma), is an Indian spiritual and religious term, that means one's righteous duty or any virtuous path in the common sense of the term. A Hindu's dharma is affected by a person's age, class, occupation, and gender.[1] In Indian languages it can be equivalent simply to religion, depending on context. The word dharma translates as that which upholds or supports, and is generally translated into English as law.
The various Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, have all accorded a central focus to dharma and advocate its practice. Each of these religions emphasizes Dharma as the correct understanding of reality in its teachings.[2] In these traditions, beings that live in accordance with Dharma proceed more quickly toward dharma yukam, moksha or nirvana (personal liberation). The antonym of dharma is adharma meaning unnatural or immoral.
In traditional Hindu society, dharma has historically denoted a variety of ideas, such as Vedic ritual, ethical conduct, caste rules, and civil and criminal law. Its most common meaning however regarded two principal ideals; namely, that social life should be structured through well-defined and well-regulated classes (varna), and that an individual's life within a class should be organized into defined stages (ashrama, see dharmasastra).[3]
Dharma also refers to the teachings and doctrines of the founders of Buddhism and Jainism, the Buddha and Mahavira. In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for "phenomenon".[4]
In the Rigveda, the word appears as an n-stem, dhárman-, with a range of meanings encompassing "something established or firm" (in the literal sense of prods or poles), figuratively "sustainer, supporter" (of deities), and semantically similar to the Greek ethos ("fixed decree, statute, law"). In Classical Sanskrit, the noun becomes thematic, dharma-.
It is a derivation from Proto-Indo-Iranian root *dhar- ("to fasten, to support, to hold"), in turn reflecting Proto-Indo-European root *dʰer- ("to hold")[5], which is in Sanskrit is reflected as class-1 root √dhṛ. Etymologically it is related to Avestan √dar- ("to hold"), Old Persian √dar- ("to hold, have"), Latin frēnum ("rein, horse tack"), Lithuanian derė́ti ("to be suited, fit") and OCS drъžati ("to hold, possess"). Classical Sanskrit word dharmas would formally match with Latin o-stem firmus < *PIE *dʰer-mo-s "holding", were it not for its historical development from earlier Rigvedic n-stem.
From the Atharvaveda and in Classical Sanskrit, the stem is thematic, dhárma- (Devanāgarī: धर्म), and in Pāli, it takes the form dhamma. It is also often rendered dharam in contemporary Indian languages and dialects. It is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian origin—sometimes summarized under the umbrella term of Dharmic faiths—including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It is difficult to provide a single concise definition for dharma, as the word has a long and varied history and straddles a complex set of meanings and interpretations.
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism are called Hindu Dharma, Bauddha-Dharma, Jain-Dharma and Sikh dharma, respectively.
In Hinduism
Part of a series on
History · Deities
Beliefs and practices
Philosophy · Dharma
Artha · Kama · Moksha
Karma · Samsara
Yoga · Bhakti · Maya
Puja · Temple
Vedas · Upanishads
Ramayana · Mahabharata
Bhagavad Gita · Puranas
Dharmaśāstra · others
Related topics
Hinduism by country
Gurus and saints
Reforms · Criticism
Calendar · Hindu law
Ayurveda · Jyotisha
Festivals · Glossary Persecution
" Verily, that which is Dharma is truth.
Verily, both these things are the same."
(Brh. Upanishad, 1.4.14) (2)
In the Mahabharata, Krishna defines Dharma as: "Dhaaranaad dharma ity aahur dharmena vidhrtaah prajaah, Yat syaad dhaarana sanyuktam sa dharma iti nishchayah," or, "Dharma upholds both this-worldly and other-worldly affairs" (Mbh 12.110.11).
As a "Purusartha"
In moving through the four ashrams, or stages of life, viz. Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vaanprastha, Sanyaasa, a person also seeks to fulfill the four essentials (purusartha) of Kama (sensual pleasures), Artha (worldly gain), Dharma, and Moksha (liberation from reincarnation or rebirth). Moksha, although the ultimate goal, is emphasized more in the last two stages of life, while Artha and Kama are considered primary only during Grihastha. Dharma, however is essential in all four stages. As a puruṣārtha (human goal), Dharma can also be considered to be a lens through which humans plan and perform their interactions with the world. Through the Dharmic lens, one focuses on doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong, while the Kama perspective focuses on doing what is pleasurable (in many senses, not just sex) and avoiding pain, and the Artha perspective focuses on doing what is profitable (in many senses, not just money) and avoiding loss.
The deity named Dharma
In the epic Mahabharata, he is incarnate as Vidura.[6] Also, Dharma is invoked by Kunti and she begets her eldest son Yudhisthira from him. As such Yudhisthira is known as Dharmaputra. There is also an assimilation of God Dharma and Yama, the God responsible for the Dead.[7]
In technical literature
In technical literature, e.g., in Sanskrit grammar, dharma also means "property" and dharmin means "property-bearer".In a Sanskrit sentence like shabdo 'nityaḥ , "sound is impermanent", "sound" is the bearer of the property "impermanence". Likewise, in the sentence iha ghataḥ, "here, there is a pot", "here" is the bearer of the property "pot-existence" - this shows that the categories of property and property-bearer are closer to those of a logical predicate and its subject-term, and not to a grammatical predicate and subject.
In Buddhism
Part of a series on
Dharma Wheel
Portal of Buddhism
Outline of Buddhism
History of Buddhism
Timeline - Buddhist councils
Major figures
Gautama Buddha
Disciples · Later Buddhists
Dharma or concepts
Four Noble Truths
Noble Eightfold Path
Three marks of existence
Dependent origination
Saṃsāra · Nirvāṇa
Skandha · Cosmology
Karma · Rebirth
Practices and attainment
Buddhahood · Bodhisattva
4 stages of enlightenment
Wisdom · Meditation
Smarana · Precepts · Pāramitās
Three Jewels · Monastics
Countries and regions
Theravāda · Mahāyāna
Chinese canon · Pali canon
Tibetan canon
Related topics
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Cultural elements
The tradition says that the Buddha spent forty-nine days in the neighborhood of the Bodhi Tree. Then the two merchants en route from Orissa passed close by and were advised by the spirit of a dead relative to make offerings to the new Buddha, who was sitting at the foot of a certain tree. They offered honey cakes and sugar cane and "took refuge in the Buddha and his Dharma, thus becoming the first Buddhists and the first lay devotees in the world."
In this case, Gautama did not preach Dharma to the two men, but merely received their reverence and offerings. Worship of holy persons is nonsectarian, and does not involve subscribing to their ideas. The Buddhist lay cult is here shown developing naturally out of pre-Buddhist practices.[8]
Buddha's teachings
"Dharma" usually refers not only to the sayings of the Buddha, but also to the later traditions of interpretation and addition that the various schools of Buddhism have developed to help explain and to expand upon the Buddha's teachings. For others still, they see the Dharma as referring to the "truth," or the ultimate reality of "the way that things really are" (Tib. Cho).
The Dharma is one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism in which practitioners of Buddhism seek refuge, or that upon which one relies for his or her lasting happiness. The Three Jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha, meaning the mind's perfection of enlightenment, the Dharma, meaning the teachings and the methods of the Buddha, and the Sangha, meaning those awakened beings who provide guidance and support to followers of the Buddha.
Qualities of Buddha Dharma
The Teaching of the Buddha also has six supreme qualities:
In Buddhist phenomenology
1. Dukkha - Suffering ( way to end) (Pali: Dukkha),
3. Anatman - Not-Self (Pali: Annatta).
At the heart of Buddhism is the understanding of all phenomena as dependently originated.
śūnyeṣu sarvadharmeṣu kim anantaṁ kimantavat
kim anantam antavac ca nānantaṁ nāntavacca kiṁ
kiṁ tad eva kim anyat kiṁ śāśvataṁ kim aśāśvataṁ
aśāśvataṁ śāśvataṁ ca kiṁ vā nobhayam apyataḥ 'tha
sarvopalambhpaśamaḥ prapañcopaśamaḥ śivaḥ
na kva cit kasyacit kaścid dharmo buddhena deśitaḥ|
What is impermanent and permanent? What is neither?
--Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, nirvṇānaparīkṣā, 25:22-24
In Ch'an
In Zoroastrianism
Achaemenid Era
In Sikhism
Golden temple fix fulll
Part of a series on
Sikh practices
History of Sikhism
Sikh Beliefs
Sikh rites
Sikhi Terms
Articles on Sikhism
Congregational worship includes the following:
1. Paath - Reading of the Holy scriptures
2. Kirtan - Singing of Shabads (hymns).
Scriptures and Dharma
In Jainism
Thus there are two dharmas.
The two Dharmas
soayam-anuṣṭhātṛ-bhedāt dvi-vidho
gṛhastha-dharmo yati-dharmaś ca |
tatra gṛhastha-dharmo api dvi-vidhaḥ
sāmanyato viśeṣataś ca |
tatra sāmanayato gṛhastha-dharmaḥ kula-krama-agatam-anindyaṃ
vibhavady-apekshayā nyāto anuṣṭhānaṃ |
dvau hi dharmau gṛhasthāṇam, laukikaḥ, pāralaukikaḥ |
lokāśrayo bhavedādyah, parah syād-āgama-āśrayaḥ ||
References in pop culture
• Canadian band FM wrote a song called Dialing for Dharma, which can be found on the album Black Noise.
See also
2. Pagan Theology: paganism as a world religion by Michael York
3. Ainslie Thomas Embree, Stephen N. Hay, William Theodore De Bary, Sources of Indian Tradition: Modern India and Pakistan. Columbia University Press, 1988, page 215.
4. David Kalupahana. The Philosophy of the Middle Way. SUNY Press, 1986, pages 15-16: "The old Indian term dharma was retained by the Buddha to refer to phenomena or things. However, he was always careful to define this dharma as "dependently arisen phenomena" (paticca-samuppanna-dhamma) ... In order to distinguish this notion of dhamma from the Indian conception where the term dharma meant reality (atman), in an ontological sense, the Buddha utilized the conception of result or consequence or fruit (attha, Sk. artha) to bring out the pragmatic meaning of dhamma."
5. Rix, Helmut, ed. (2001) (in German), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben (2nd ed.), Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, p. 145
6. The Mahābhārata: Book 11: The Book of the Venus Book 12: The Book of Peace, Part 1 By Johannes Adrianus Bernardus Buitenen, James L. Fitzgerald pg.124
7. The Mahābhārata: Book 11: The Book of the Women Book 12: The Book of Peace, Part 1 By Johannes Adrianus Bernardus Buitenen, James L. Fitzgerald pg.124
8. Robinson and Johnson. The Buddhist Religion.Dickson Publishing Company.1977
Further reading
5. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi : "Hindu Dharma: The Universal Way of Life". Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Press.
External links
ar:دارما bg:Дхарма ca:Dharma cs:Dharma da:Dharmaet:Dharmaeo:Darmo fa:دارماko:법 (불교) hr:Dharma id:Dharmaka:დჰარმა ks:Dharma lt:Dharma hu:Dharma (vallás) mk:Дарма mdf:Дхармаja:法 (仏教) no:Dharma ps:دهرماpt:Darma ro:Dharma rmy:धर्म ru:Дхарма simple:Dharma sk:Dharma sr:Дарма fi:Dharma sv:Dharma th:พุทธธรรม tr:Dharma uk:Дхарма vi:Pháp (Phật giáo)
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Involuntary Manslaughter: An Overview
An Overview of Involuntary Manslaughter, Examples, and Defense
The phrase involuntary manslaughter makes many imagine a person killed in a car accident. But involuntary manslaughter generally refers to any unintentional killing caused by criminal negligence or recklessness. Criminal negligence is often triggered when someone owed a duty to a victim and failed to uphold it, causing them harm or death.
In order for someone to be guilty of involuntary manslaughter, three conditions generally must be met:
• An act by the defendant caused a death;
• The act was committed with disregard for human life or was inherently dangerous; and
• The perpetrator knew or should have known that the act endangered a human life.
Note that acts do not need to be illegal in order to result in involuntary manslaughter. Legal acts, such as administering medical care, can result in involuntary manslaughter charges if they are done recklessly and cause death. Some states also have statutes stating that a death that is caused during the commission of a low-level crime, such as a misdemeanor theft, is also grounds for involuntary manslaughter charges.
Involuntary Manslaughter vs. Murder and Other Charges
The biggest difference between involuntary manslaughter and other charges is intent. For a killing to be a murder, for example, the accused must have had a specific desire to cause the death, or the intent to kill. For involuntary manslaughter, the accused must only have committed an act without consideration of the lives of others.
The difference between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter also comes down to intent. With voluntary manslaughter, the killing is typically intentional. It is generally brought about as a result of a provocation. Intent is only present at the actual time of the killing.
Involuntary manslaughter, on the other hand, involves no intent to kill at any time.
Examples of Involuntary Manslaughter
Since involuntary manslaughter can occur alongside both legal and illegal acts, there are numerous examples of this crime. One of the most common involves driving while under the influence. A person who gets behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol likely has no intent to kill someone. However, most people know, or should know, that driving drunk poses a serious danger to others. Driving under influence anyway can be seen as a disregard for human life. Involuntary manslaughter may also be an appropriate charge in other driving situations, such as illegal street racing or driving recklessly.
Other types of reckless behavior can also result in involuntary manslaughter charges. Consider the reckless discharge of a firearm. Take a person who recklessly shoots a gun into a crowded space, for example. They may not necessarily mean to kill a particular person, but if the firearm causes a death, they could be charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Physical altercations can also often lead to involuntary manslaughter charges. If two people are in a physical fight one person can fall and hit their head or otherwise be fatally injured. While the act of shoving was intentional, the killing itself is not.
Defenses to Involuntary Manslaughter Charges
If a person is charged with involuntary manslaughter, they may want to hire a criminal defense lawyer. A lawyer may be able to present a defense against the charges. Some possible defenses to involuntary manslaughter include:
• The act was accidental
• There was not a criminal or gross level of negligence involved
• The act was committed in self-defense
• The individual was wrongly arrested
A criminal defense lawyer could also argue whether or not law enforcement followed all necessary procedures in making the arrest or argue that the prosecution lacks enough evidence for a conviction.
Additional Involuntary Manslaughter Articles
Search LawInfo's Involuntary Manslaughter Resources
Related Topics In This Section |
Manners of Speech
By: Dr. Sam Vaknin
Bookmark this Page - and SHARE IT with Others!
I. Introduction
Well into the 16th century, people in a quest for knowledge approached scholars who, in turn, consulted musty, hand-written tomes in search of answers. Gutenberg's press cut out these middlemen. The curious now obtained direct access to the accumulated wisdom of millennia in the form of printed, bound books. Still, gatekeepers (such as publishers and editors) persisted as privileged intermediaries between authors, scientists, and artists and their audiences.
The Internet is in the process of rendering redundant even these vestiges of the knowledge monopoly. But, the revolution it portends is far more fundamental. The Internet is about the death of the written word as a means of exchange and a store of value.
As a method of conveying information, written words are inefficient and ambiguous. Sounds and images are far superior, but, until recently, could not be communicated ubiquitously and instantaneously. True, letters on paper or on screen evoke entire mental vistas, but so do sounds and images, especially the sounds of spoken words.
Thus, textual minimalism is replacing books and periodicals. It consists of abbreviations (used in chats, instant messaging, e-mail, and mobile phone SMS) and brevity (snippets that cater to the abridged attention span of internet surfers). Increasingly, information is conveyed via images and audio, harking back to our beginnings as a species when ideograms and songs constituted the main mode of communication.
II. Speech
Scholars like J. L. Austin and H. P. Grice have suggested novel taxonomies of speech acts and linguistic constructs. The prevailing trend is to classify speech according to its functions - indicative, interrogative, imperative, expressive, performative, etc.
A better approach may be to classify sentences according to their relations and subject matter.
We suggest four classes of sentences:
Sentences pertaining or relating to OBJECTS. By "objects" we mean - tangible objects, abstract objects, and linguistic (or language) objects (for a discussion of this expanded meaning of "object" - see "Bestowed Existence").
The most intuitive objective speech is the descriptive, or informative, sentence. In this we also include ascriptions, examples, classifications, etc.
The expressive sentence is also objective since it pertains to (the inner state of) an object (usually, person or living thing) - "I feel sad".
Argumentative performatives (or expositives) are objective because they pertain to a change in the state of the object (person) making them. The very act of making the argumentative performative (a type of speech act) alters the state of the speaker. Examples of argumentative performatives: "I deny", "I claim that", "I conclude that".
Some exclamations are objective (when they describe the inner state of the exclaiming person) - "how wonderful (to me) this is!"
"Objective" sentences are not necessarily true or valid or sound sentences. If a sentence pertains to an object or relates to it, whether true or false, valid or invalid, sound or unsound - it is objective.
Sentences pertaining or relating to relations between objects (a meta level which incorporates the objective).
Certain performatives are relational (scroll below for more).
Software is relational - and so are mathematics, physics, and logics. They all encode relations between objects.
The imperative sentence is relational because it deals with a desired relation between at least two objects (one of them usually a person) - "(you) go (to) home!"
Exclamations are, at times, relational, especially when they are in the imperative or want to draw attention to something - "look at this flower!"
Interrogative sentences (such as the ones which characterize science, courts of law, or the press). Not every sentence which ends with a question mark is interrogative, of course.
Performative (or Speech Acts)
Sentences that effect a change in the state of an object, or alter his relations to other objects. Examples: "I surrender", "I bid", "I agree", and "I apologize". Uttering the performative sentence amounts to doing something, to irreversibly changing the state of the speaker and his relations with other objects.
Also Read
The Disintermediation of Content
E(merging) Books
The Idea of Reference
Thoughts on the Internet's Founding Myths
The Six Sins of the Wikipedia
Copyright Notice
Go Back to Home Page!
Frequently Asked Questions - Pathological Narcissism
Excerpts from Archives of the Narcissism List
The Narcissism List Home Page
Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited
A Macedonian Encounter
Internet: A Medium or a Message?
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Monday, June 02, 2014
Useful Kitchen Utensils - Kitchen Knives
Kitchen knives are one of those things that we think we can get by on the cheap. We buy cheap knives thinking it doesn't make any difference. I learned a long time ago that there is a difference. It's one of those tools that you need to to invest a little in. Same with pots and pans. Now I've been married over 32 years and haven't had to use $1,000 pots or $500 knives. I think there is probably a limit to how much you invest before it becomes absurd so use commonsense. But I do know the difference from cheap pots and cheap knives and decent pots and decent knives and it's been worth the difference.
But you need to learn a little about knives. What kind do you need? How do you care for them? How do you store them? How do you sharpen them? I did some research on the web and found some information for you.
How to care for your knives
The first tip is to use wood or polyethylene cutting boards. Marble, glass, stone, ceramic and other hard surfaces damage knives. They can dull, blunt or nick a blade. I didn't know that. We are always told to use those hard surfaces to keep down germs, especially from raw meat. So I wondered why they still sold wooden cutting boards. Now I know! So what do you do? Do you use wooden cutting boards and worry about germs or use hard surface cutting boards and worry about damage to your knives? I'll have to let you make that choice!
To clean knives, wipe the knife quickly with a soapy nonabrasive cloth or sponge, dry it and put it away. Make sure they are thoroughly dry before storing them because moisture can damage the blade. Don't put them in the dishwasher. The detergents are too strong for them and being knocked around by the water jets can dull the blades. Don't leave it lying in the sink where it stays wet. I learned something here because I've always put my knives in the dishwasher thinking I was sanitizing them. Don't let your knives be clinking against other cutlery or silverware as the edge can get damaged.
Use knives for their intended purpose. Don't use a butter knife to try and cut through a chicken joint. My husband is bad to use a knife as an impromptu screwdriver. At first I didn't want him to know how much I spent on a knife being afraid he'd have a fit. But then I decided to let him know so he wouldn't be tempted to take my good knives out to his shop and use them to cut insulation, halve a paint roller, etc. Sheesh!
How to you keep your knives sharp
Using a professional knife sharpener is the best advice. But you can do it yourself. I use a whetstone. They are generally made of carborundum or another abrasive and are available in different densities: coarse, medium, and fine. Coarse is the all-purpose stone, good for Chef's Knives, while fine is good for slicing or boning knives.
There are two basic types of whetstones - oil or water. An oil whetstone is prepared by lubricating it with a few drops of oil which is smoothed to a light film across the stone. A water stone needs to be soaked in water for 10 to 15 minutes to absorb moisture. When either stone is prepared, place it on a non-stick surface (a tea towel is good to steady the stone) and begin.
Place the blade at a 20 degree angle and lay the heel of the blade on the stone. Steady the extended tip of the knife with one hand to guide it, and draw the blade toward you, sweeping across the stone in an arc. Turn the blade over and repeat the process on the other side. Always go in one direction - NEVER NEVER NEVER go back and forth. You will repeat this sharpening gesture 10 to 20 times on each side. Test for sharpness, then move on to the honing steel.
The whetstone may have left a few minuscule pieces of jagged metal. Now you use the second implement - the honing steel. This is the familiar steel stick with grooves in the steel. The purpose of the honing steel is to remove any nicks or jags and make the knife smooth. Hold the knife at the same 20 degree angle and draw it across the steel with the same sweeping motion that you used on the whetstone. Repeat on the other side. Do this five or six times. Once again, always work in one direction only.
Sharpen your knife on a honing steel before you use it. Do this EVERY TIME you use a knife. Honing removes small burrs and maintains the edge in between sharpening on a whetstone. A whetstone is generally needed every two to three months.
Here are a couple of quick video on the whetstone and honing method.
(By the way I inherited some of my Great Grandma's knives and her wooden knife holder. Her knives weren't as nice as his since she wasn't a professional butcher.)
What type of materials knives are made of
High-Carbon Steel
Hardness is measured on the Rockwell Hardness Scale (HRC). Measurements are typically in the 55-60 range. Some of the sharpest Japanese knives are hardened to an HRC of more than 60, while Wusthof and Henckels knives are typically closer to 55. It might not sound like much, but a few points on the Rockwell scale can make a big difference.
Blade hardness is probably the biggest difference between Japanese and German knives. Japanese knives are hard, sharp surgical instruments. They are razor-sharp but require careful handling. German knives are duller but require less maintenance. In general forged knives are considered to be higher quality than stamped ones. Steel always contains iron and carbon. Carbon facilitates the transformation of iron into hardened steel. Some of this carbon is absorbed by the iron, but the rest adds hardness to the blade. The more Carbon, the harder the blade. You'll hear knives described as "High-Carbon". This is a good sign -- it means that the manufacturer is at least trying to make a hardened blade.
There are different uses for different knives.
A Bread Knife
Bird's Beak Knife (Tourne Knife)
A Boning Knife
A Chef's Knife
A Cleaver
A Filet Knife
A Mincing Knife
Paring Knife
Sandoku of Santoku Knife
Meat and Fish Slicers
A Utility Knife
How to store your knives
Don't just throw them in a drawer with other things or into a utensil jar on your cabinet. You don't want them clanging around against other things. You want to keep the blades separate from other things.
I've bought several of the Cutco knives and I love them but they weren't rated very high by some reviews I read online. I have a set of Henckel knives and they have lasted a long time. I saw good reviews for the MAC knives, Wusthof knives, Victorinox knives. As I said earlier, knives can range in price from $30.00 to $3,000.00 @. If you make an investment in some good knives, then take care of them. Good luck on your knives!
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Chem 30 Review. ORGANIC Organic or Inorganic?? FormulaOrganic or Inorganic? CaCO 3(s) Inorganic (carbonate ion) C 25 H 52(s) Organic Ca 2 C (s) Inorganic.
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Presentation on theme: "Chem 30 Review. ORGANIC Organic or Inorganic?? FormulaOrganic or Inorganic? CaCO 3(s) Inorganic (carbonate ion) C 25 H 52(s) Organic Ca 2 C (s) Inorganic."— Presentation transcript:
1 Chem 30 Review
3 Organic or Inorganic?? FormulaOrganic or Inorganic? CaCO 3(s) Inorganic (carbonate ion) C 25 H 52(s) Organic Ca 2 C (s) Inorganic (carbide ion) CCl 4(l) Organic CH 3 COOH (l) Organic CO 2(g) Inorganic (oxide) KCN (s) Inorganic (cyanide) C 12 H 22 O 11(s) Organic
4 Four Types of Formulas 1.Molecular FormulasC 5 H 10(g) Not very useful for organic compounds because so many isomers can exist 2.Structural Formulas 1.Condensed Structural Formulas 2.Line Diagrams – end of line segment represents carbon – it is assumed to satisfy each carbon’s octet
5 Naming Organic Compounds Aliphatic Hydrocarbons – contains only hydrogen and carbon atoms – Straight line chains of carbon atoms – Alicyclic hydrocarbons have carbon atoms forming a closed ring. Still considered aliphatic AlkanesAlkenesAlkynes Only single C-C bonds Double C-C Bond present Triple C-C bond present General formula C n H 2n+2 General formula: C n H 2n General formula: C n H 2n-2 SaturatedUnsaturated
6 Summary of Naming Alkanes 1.Find the parent chain. Use the appropriate root and suffix. 2.Number the parent chain carbon atoms, starting from the end closest to the branch(es) so that the numbers are the lowest possible 3.Identify any branches and their location number on the parent chain (us the suffix –yl for branches) 4.If more than one of the same branch exist, use a multiplier (di, tri) to show this. Remember to include all numbers 5.If different branches exist, name them in alphabetical order 6.Separate numbers from numbers using commas, and numbers from words using dashes (no extra spaces)
7 CYCLOALKANES Based on evidence, chemists believe that organic carbon compounds sometimes take the form of cyclic hydrocarbons: Cycloalkanes: Alkanes that form a closed ring – General Formula C n H 2n Two less hydrogens are present than in straight chain alkanes because the two ends of the molecule are joined Are these considered saturated?? Yes, because they have only single bonds and the max amount of hydrogen's bonded to the carbons Cyclo-compounds will have a higher boiling point than their straight chain partners (because there is an additional bond present)
8 Naming Alkenes and Alkynes 1.Find the parent chain. It MUST contain the multiple bond. – If the bond is a double, the suffix for the parent chain will be - ene – If the bond is a triple, the suffix for the parent chain will be –yne 2.Count carbon atoms so that the multiple bond will be on the lowest possible number. Indicate the number that the multiple bond falls on directly before the suffix 3.Name branches as before
9 Naming Alkenes and Alkynes 4.It is possible for a molecule to have more than one double bond. These are called alkadienes and have the same general formula as alkynes (C n H 2n-2 ) – If this is the case, indicate both numbers where the double bond is formed, and change the suffix to –diene. a) Draw buta-1,3-diene: b) What is the IUPAC name for the following: buta-1,2-diene
10 Structural Isomerism Compound with the same molecular formula but different structures – They will have different chemical and physical properties – based on their different structures
11 What do we know about benzene? – Formula is C 6 H 6 (3D link)3D link – Unreactive – so no true double or triple bonds – Carbon-carbon bonds are the same length and strength – Each carbon is bonded to a hydrogen – So what does benzene look like?? The three double bonds resonate resulting in an overall bond length somewhere in between a single and a double bond, explaining benzene’s stability We will use this line structural formula to represent benzene in compounds
12 Practice Naming Aromatics Draw the line structural formula for 1-ethyl-3- methylbenzene Draw the line structural formula for 2-phenylpentane
13 Practice Naming Organic Halides Name the following: CH 2 Cl 2 1,2-dibromoethene Bonus: Try 1,2-dibromo-1,2-dichloroethene chlorobenzene dichloromethane
14 Alcohols An alcohol is an organic compound that contains the –OH functional group (hydroxyl) – General formula is R-OH (R = rest of molecule) Alcohols are classified as primary, secondary or tertiary depending on the number of carbons bonded to the carbon that contains the hydroxyl group
15 Naming Alcohols 1.Locate the longest chain that contains an –OH group attached to one of the carbon atoms. Name the parent alkane 2.Replace the –e at the end of the name of the parent alkane with –ol (i.e. butane becomes butanol) 3.Add a position number before the suffix –ol to indicate the location of the –OH group – REMEMBER to number the main chain of the hydrocarbon so that the hydroxyl group has the lowest possible position number propan-1-ol
16 Naming Alcohols 4.If there is more than one –OH group (called polyalcohols), leave the –e in the name of the parent alkane and put the appropriate prefix before the suffix –ol (i.e. diol, triol, tetraol) 4.Name and number any branches on the main chain. Add the names of these branches to the prefix. – Draw 2,3-dimethylbutan-2-ol
17 Carboxylic Acids A carboxyl group is composed of a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom and bonded to a hydroxyl group (-COOH) – Note: Because the carboxyl group involves three of the carbon atom’s four bonds, the carboxyl is always at the end of a carbon chain or branch methanoic acid ethanoic acid Examples: Carboxylic acids are weak organic acids
18 Naming Carboxylic Acids 1.Name the parent alkane 2.Replace the –e at the end of the name of than parent alkane with –oic acid 3.The carbon atoms of the carboxyl group is always given position number 1. Name and number the branches that are attached to the compound. Draw 3-methylbutanoic acid HOOC Remember COOH or HOOC can also represent the carboxyl group
19 Esters The reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol produces an ester molecule and a molecule of water – This reaction is known as a condensation or esterification reaction – The ester functional group –COO– is similar to that of a carboxylic acid, except that the H atom of the carboxyl group has been replaced by a hydrocarbon branch. – Esters are responsible for natural and artificial fragrance and flavourings in plants and fruits.
20 Naming Esters Name the following ester and the acid and alcohol from which it can be prepared. ethyl butanoate ethanolbutanoic acid water Tip: The branch attached to the oxygen (of the –COO) comes first in the name, the chain attached to the carbon (of the –COO) comes second A strong acid catalyst, such as H 2 SO 4(aq) is used along with some heating to increase the rate of the organic reaction
21 Physical Properties of Simple Hydrocarbons AlkanesNon-polar molecules Only intermolecular forces are London Force Boiling point and melting point increase with number of carbons All insoluble in water (like dissolves like) – nonpolar and polar don’t mix 1-4Cs = gas, 5-16Cs = liquid 17 and up = solid at SATP AlkenesNon-polar molecules, therefore insoluble in water Boiling points slightly lower than alkanes with the same number of carbons due to less electrons (unsaturated), resulting in lower London Forces AlkynesNon-polar molecules, therefore insoluble in water Higher boiling points than alkanes and alkenes with similar C #s Accepted explanation: Linear structure around triple bond allows electrons to come closer together than in alkanes/enes, resulting in greater London Force BranchingThe more branching, the less significant the London Force (~lower b.p.) - more surface area in straight chain hydrocarbons allows more separation of charge, resulting in greater London Force - see Table #3 pg. 378 (i.e. pentane (with 5Cs) has a b.p. of 36 o C which is much higher than dimethylpropane (5Cs) -12 o C) = because branching decreased the strength of the London force
22 Physical Properties of Hydrocarbon Derivatives AlcoholsMuch higher boiling points than hydrocarbons (1-12Cs are liquids at SATP) due to hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups of adjacent molecules Small alcohols are totally miscible in water, but the larger the hydrocarbon part of the alcohol (nonpolar part), the more nonpolar the alcohol is Carboxylic Acids Like alcohols they have hydrogen bonding, but is more significant due to the C=O. This means greater bps and solubility than alcohols with same number of Cs. Carboxylic acids with 1-4Cs are completely miscible in water EstersFruity odour in some cases Polar but they lack the –OH bond therefore do not have hydrogen bonding, so lower bps than both alcohols and carboxylic acids Esters with few carbons are polar enough to be soluble in water CompoundBoiling Point ( o C) butane-0.5 butan-1-ol117.2 butanoic acid165.5
23 Combustion Reactions Burning of hydrocarbons in the presence of oxygen – Complete Combustion: abundant supply of oxygen; products are carbon dioxide, water vapour and heat Ex. C 3 H 8(l) + 5O 2(g) 3CO 2(g) + 4H 2 O (g) – Incomplete Combustion: limited supply of oxygen; products are carbon monoxide, soot (pure carbon) or any combination of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and soot in addition to water vapour and heat Ex. 2C 8 H 18(l) + 17O 2(g) 16CO (g) + 18H 2 O (g) OR 2C 8 H 18(l) + 9O 2(g) 16C (s) + 18H 2 O (g) ** Assume complete combustion unless specified otherwise
24 A fractional distillation tower contains trays positioned at various levels. Heated crude oil enters near the bottom of the tower. The bottom is kept hot, and the temperature gradually decreases toward the top of the tower. As compounds cool to their boiling point, they condense in the cooler trays. The streams of liquid (called fractions) are withdrawn from the tower at various heights along the tower. Electronic Visual
25 1.Addition Reactions: reaction of alkenes and alkynes with hydrogen gas, a halogen compound, or a hydrogen halide compound. – Addition reactions usually occur in the presence of a catalyst a)Addition with H 2(g) (also called hydrogenation)
26 2.Substitution Reactions – breaking of a C-H bond in an alkane or an aromatic ring and replacing it with another atom or group of atoms – Usually occur slowly at room temperature, so light may be necessary as a catalyst – Often substitutes a halogen for a hydrogen – No change in saturation Propane contains hydrogen atoms bonded to end carbons and the middle carbon atom, so two different products (isomers) are formed, in unequal proportions
27 3.Elimination Reactions – involves eliminating atoms or groups of atoms from adjacent carbon atoms; decreases the level of saturation a)Alkane cracked into an alkene (uses high temperatures) a)Alcohol is reacted with a catalyst to produce an alkene and water (dehydration – removes a water molecule from the alcohol) a)Alkyl halide reacts with a hydroxide ion (OH - ) to produce an alkene (dehydrohalogenation – removes a hydrogen and halogen atom)
28 Addition Polymerization always results in one product, the polymer Requires unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers and bond saturation occurs when the polymer is made Common polymers produced by addition polymerization:
29 Condensation Polymerization Monomers combine to form a polymer and a bi-product. Each time a bond forms between monomers, small molecules, such as water, ammonia, or HCl are “condensed” out. The polymerization of nylon: For condensation polymerization to occur, monomers must be bifunctional, meaning they have at least two functional groups. If they only had one functional group, then only one bond would form.
30 Polyester When a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol in an esterification reaction, a water molecule is eliminated and a single ester molecule is formed. This esterification reaction can be repeated so many esters are joined in a long chain… a polyester – This is created using a dicarboxylic acid (an acid with a carboxyl group at each end) and a diol (an alcohol with a hydroxyl group at each end) – The ester linkages are formed end to end between alternating acid and alcohol molecules
31 Chemistry 30 Organic Review
33 Reduction – Oxidation Reactions “REDOX” Is a chemical reaction in which electrons are transferred Must have both reduction and oxidation happening for the reaction to occur – REDUCTION – a process in which electrons are gained by an entity – OXIDATION – a process in which electrons are lost by an entity – How can you remember this? “LEO the lion says GER” LEO = Losing Electrons = Oxidation GER = Gaining Electrons = Reduction Other memory devices: OIL RIG (Oxidation Is Losing electrons, Reduction Is Gaining electrons) ELMO (Electron Loss Means Oxidation)
34 ▫ Review: “LEO the lion says GER” Loss of electrons = entity being oxidized Gain of electrons = entity being reduced BUT…. Chemists don’t say “the reactant being oxidized” or “the reactant being reduced” Rather, they use the terms OXIDIZING AGENT (OA) and REDUCING AGENT (RA) OXIDIZING AGENT: causes oxidation by removing (gaining) electrons from another substance in a redox reaction REDUCING AGENT: causes reduction by donating (losing) electrons to another substance in a redox reaction What does this mean? Let’s revisit our first example when zinc and hydrochloric acid reacted. Which reactant was reduced? Which was oxidized? So…. Which is the Oxidizing Agent (OA)? Which is the Reducing Agent (RA) Redox Terms Zn (s) Zn 2+ (aq) + 2 e - 2 H + (aq) + 2 e - H 2 (g) Reducing Agent Oxidizing Agent LEO = Oxidized GER = Reduced
35 Check page 7 of your data booklet. Does our ranking order match up with theirs? Au 3+ (aq) + 3 e - Au (s) Hg 2+ (aq) + 2 e - Hg (s) Ag + (aq) + 1 e - Ag (s) Cu 2+ (aq) + 2 e - Cu (s) Zn 2+ (aq) + 2 e - Zn (s) Mg 2+ (aq) + 2 e - Mg (s) ▫ YES! Because of the spontaneity rule! A reaction will be spontaneous if on a redox table: OA RA above = Spontaneous below = Non-spontaneous RAReaction OA Reaction Building Redox Tables #1 SOA SRA
36 Could copper pipe be used to transport a hydrochloric acid solution? 1.List all entities 1.Identify all possible OA’s and RA’s 1.Identify the SOA and SRA 2.Show ½ reactions and balance 3.Predict spontaneity Predicting Redox Reactions Since the reaction is nonspontaneous, it should be possible to use a copper pipe to carry hydrochloric acid
37 Example #2 – Nickel metal is oxidized to Ni 2+ (aq) ions by an acidified potassium dichromate solution. If 2.50g of metal is oxidizes by 50.0 mL of solution, what is the concentration of the K 2 Cr 2 O 7(aq) solution? – List entities present, identify SOA and SRA: Ni (s) H + (aq) K + (aq) Cr 2 O 7 2- (aq) H 2 O (l) – Write oxidation and reduction half reactions. Balance the number of electrons gained and lost and add the reactions 3 [Ni (s) Ni 2+ (aq) + 2e- ] Cr 2 O 7 2- (aq) + 14 H + (aq) + 6 e - 2Cr 3+ (aq) + 7H 2 O (l) 3Ni (s) + Cr 2 O 7 2- (aq) + 14 H + (aq) 3Ni 2+ (aq + 2Cr 3+ (aq) + 7H 2 O (l) 2.50 g 50.0mL ? mol/L 2.50 g x mol Ni (s) x 1 mol Cr 2 O 7 2- (aq) x __1__= mol/L Cr 2 O 7 2- (aq) g 3 mol Ni (s) L Redox Stoichiometry SOA SRA
38 Copper metal can be oxidized in a solution to form copper(I) oxide. What is the half-reaction for this process? Cu (s) Cu 2 O (s) 1.Balance all atoms except H and O 2Cu (s) Cu 2 O (s) 1.Balance oxygen by adding water 2Cu (s) +H 2 O (l) Cu 2 O (s) 1.Balance hydrogen by adding H + (aq) 2Cu (s) +H 2 O (l) Cu 2 O (s) + 2H + (aq) 2.Balance charge by adding electrons 2Cu (s) +H 2 O (l) Cu 2 O (s) + 2H + (aq) + 2 e - Practicing Half-Reactions
39 Tip: The sum of the oxidation numbers for a neutral compound = 0 The sum of the oxidation numbers for a polyatomic ion = ion charge ** This method only works if there is only one unknown after referring to the above table Oxidation States
40 Example: When natural gas burns in a furnace, carbon dioxide and water form. Identify oxidation and reduction in this reaction. – First write the chemical equation (as it is not provided) – Determine all of the oxidation numbers – Now look for the oxidation number of an atom/ion that increases as a result of the reaction and label the change as oxidation. There must also be an atom/ion whose oxidation number decreases. Label this change as reduction. Oxidation Numbers and Redox
41 Example: Chlorate ions and iodine react in an acidic solution to produce chloride ions and iodate ions. Balance the equation for this reactions.ClO 3 - (aq) + I 2(aq) Cl - (aq) + IO 3 - (aq) 1.Assign oxidation numbers to all atoms/ions and look for the numbers that change. Highlight these. Remember to record the change in the number of electrons per atom and per molecule or polyatomic ion. 1.The next step is to determine the simplest whole numbers that will balance the number of electrons transferred for each reactant. The numbers become the coefficients of the reactants. The coefficients for the products can be obtained by balancing the atoms whose oxidation numbers have changed and then any other atoms. 2.Although Cl and I atoms are balanced, oxygen is not. Add H 2 O (l) molecules to balance the O atoms. 3.Add H + (aq) to balance the hydrogen. The redox equation should now be completely balanced. Check your work by checking the total numbers of each atom/ion on each side and checking the total electric charge, which should also be balanced. Balancing Redox Equations using Oxidation Numbers #2
42 Example #2: Will a spontaneous reaction occur as a result of an electron transfer from one copper(I) ion to another copper (I) ion? Cu + (aq) + 1 e - Cu (s) Cu + (aq) Cu 2+ (aq) + 1 e - 2 Cu + (aq) Cu 2+ (aq) + Cu (s) – YES! Using the redox table and spontaneity rule, we see that copper(I) as an oxidizing agent is above copper(I) as a reducing agent. Therefore, an aqueous solution of copper(I) ions will spontaneously, but slowly, disproportionate into copper(II) ions and copper metal. Disproportionation See pg. 578 Ex.2 for more another example
43 Voltaic Cell Summary A voltaic cell consists of two-half cells separated by a porous boundary with solid electrodes connected by an external circuit SOA undergoes reduction at the cathode (+ electrode) – cathode increases in mass SRA undergoes oxidation at the anode (- electrode) – anode decreases in mass Electrons always travel in the external circuit from anode to cathode Internally, cations move toward the cathode, anions move toward the anode, keeping the solution neutral
44 Standard Cells and Cell Potentials A standard cell is a voltaic cell where each ½ cell contains all entities necessary at SATP conditions and all aqueous solutions have a concentration of 1.0 mol/L Standardizing makes comparisons and scientific study easier Standard Cell Potential, E 0 cell = the electric potential difference of the cell (voltage) E 0 cell = E 0 r cathode – E 0 r anode Where E 0 r is the standard reduction potential, and is a measure of a standard ½ cell’s ability to attract electrons. The higher the E 0 r, the stronger the OA All standard reduction potentials are based on the standard hydrogen ½ cell being 0.00V. This means that all standard reduction potentials that are positive are stronger OA’s than hydrogen ions and all standard reduction potentials that are negative are weaker. If the E 0 cell is positive, the reaction occurring is spontaneous. If the E 0 cell is negative, the reaction occurring is non-spontaneous
45 Comparing Electrochemical Cells: Voltaic and Electrolytic It is best to think of “positive” and “negative” for electrodes as labels, not charges.
46 Analyzing Electrolytic Cells #3 Example: An electrolytic cell is set up with a power supply connected to two nickel electrodes immersed in an aqueous solution containing cadmium nitrate and zinc nitrate. Predict the equations for the initial reaction at each electrode and the net cell reaction. Calculate the minimum voltage that must be applied to make the reaction occur.
47 The Chloride Anomaly (*****Diploma) Some redox reactions predicted using the SOA and SRA from a redox table do not always occur in an electrolytic cell. The actual reduction potential required for a particular half-reaction and the reported half- reaction reduction potential may be quite different (depending on the conditions or half-reactions) – This difference is known as the half-cell overvoltage. “As an empirical rule, you should recognize that chlorine gas is produced instead of oxygen gas in situations where chloride and water are the only reducing agents present.”
48 Practice: Half-Cell Calculations #1 What is the mass of copper deposited at the cathode of a copper electrorefining cell operated at 12.0 A for 40.0 min? – Yes, we can solve for the number of moles, and then use the mole ratio to convert from a chemical amount of one substance to another. – The last step is to convert to the quantity requested in the question, in this case the mass of the copper metal – Could we do this as one equation instead?
49 Practice: Half-Cell Calculations #2 Silver is deposited on objects in a silver electroplating cell. If g of silver is to be deposited from a silver cyanide solution in a time of 10.0 min, predict the current required. Write the balanced equation for the half-cell reaction, list the measurements and conversion factors. Convert to moles, use the mole ratio, convert to the current (C/s)
51 Energy from the Sun Stored energy in the chemical bonds of hydrocarbons originated from the sun Remember: Photosynthesis: – Liquid H 2 O and CO 2 gas glucose and O 2(g) Hydrocarbon combustion: – Fuel + O 2(g) water vapour and CO 2 gas
52 E XOTHERMIC E NDOTHERMIC A change in a chemical energy where energy/heat EXITS the chemical system Results in a decrease in chemical potential energy A change in chemical energy where energy/heat ENTERS the chemical system Results in an increase in chemical potential energy DO YOU REMEMBER??
53 An Introduction to Energetics Kinetic Energy (E k ) is related to the motion of an entity Molecular motion can by translational (straight-line), rotational and vibrational Chemical Potential Energy (E p ) is energy stored in the bonds of a substance and relative intermolecular forces Thermal Energy is the total kinetic energy of all of the particles of a system. Increases with temperature. Symbol (Q), Units (J), Formula used (Q=mcΔT) Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a system Heat is a transfer of thermal energy. Heat is not possessed by a system. Heat is energy flowing between systems.
54 Thermal Energy Calculations Example: Determine the change in thermal energy when 115 mL of water is heated from 19.6 o C to 98.8 o C? The density of a dilute aqueous solution is the same as that of water; that is, 1.00g/mL or 1.00kg/L c water = 4.19J/g ° C or 4.19 kJ/kg ° C or 4.19 kJ/L ° C M ASS = DENSITY X VOLUME S HOW HOW L = kg AND mL = g M ASS = DENSITY X VOLUME S HOW HOW L = kg AND mL = g
55 Comparing Q’s Negative Q value – An exothermic change – Heat is lost by the system – The temperature of the surroundings increases and the temperature of the system decreases – Example: Hot Pack – Question Tips: “How much energy is released?” Positive Q value – An endothermic change – Heat is gained by the system – The temperature of the system increases and the temperature of the surroundings decreases – Example: Cold Pack – Question Tips: “What heat is required?”
56 ENTHALPY CHANGES When 50 mL of 1.0 mol/L hydrochloric acid is neutralized completely by 75 mL of 1.0 mol/L sodium hydroxide in a polystyrene cup calorimeter, the temperature of the total solution changes from 20.2°C to 25.6°C. Determine the enthalpy change that occurs in the chemical system. Based upon the evidence available, the enthalpy change for the neutralization of hydrochloric acid in this context is recorded as kJ. Is this an Endothermic or Exothermic reaction??
57 M OLAR E NTHALPY AND C ALORIMETRY Can we measure the molar enthalpy of reaction using calorimetry? Yes, but indirectly. We can measure a change in temperature, we can then calculate the change in thermal energy (Q=mct). Then, using the law of conservation of energy we can infer the molar enthalpy. In doing so, we must assume that the change in enthalpy of the chemicals involved in a reaction is equal to the change in thermal energy of the surroundings. From this equation, any one of the five variables can be determined as an unknown.
58 C OMMUNICATING E NTHALPY We will be learning how to communicate enthalpy changes in four ways: 1. By stating the molar enthalpy of a specific reactant in a reaction 2. By stating the enthalpy change for a balanced reaction equation 3. By including an energy value as a term in a balanced reaction equation 4. By drawing a chemical potential energy diagram
59 COMMUNICATING ENTHALPY #3 3. By including an energy value as a term in a balanced reaction equation If a reaction is endothermic, it requires additional energy to react, so is listed along with the reactants If a reaction is exothermic, energy is released as the reaction proceeds, and is listed along with the products In order to specify the initial and final conditions for measuring the enthalpy change of the reaction, the temperature and pressure may be specified at the end of the equation
60 COMMUNICATING ENTHALPY #4 During an exothermic reaction, the enthalpy of the system decreases and heat flows into the surroundings. We observe a temperature increase in the surroundings. During an endothermic reaction, heat flows from the surroundings into the chemical system. We observe a temperature decrease in the surroundings.
61 Hess’ Law #4 Example: What is the standard enthalpy of formation of butane? Δ f H m ° = ??? First, we need to be able to write this balanced formation equation. 4C (s) + 5H 2(g) C 4 H 10(g) The following values were determined by calorimetry: What will we need to do to get our net equation? Δ f H m ° = kJ/1 mol = kJ/mol C4H10 -Reverse equation (1) and change the ΔH sign -Multiply equation (2) and its ΔH by 4 -Multiply equation (3) and its ΔH by 5/2 -Reverse equation (1) and change the ΔH sign -Multiply equation (2) and its ΔH by 4 -Multiply equation (3) and its ΔH by 5/2
62 M OLAR E NTHALPY OF F ORMATION Methane is burned in furnaces and in some power plants. What is the standard molar enthalpy of combustion of methane? Assume that water vapour is a product. Need a balanced chemical equation: CH 4(g) + O 2(g) CO 2(g) + 2H 2 O (g) Use the formula and the data booklet to calculate the Δ c H° We found all of the Δ f H m for the compounds two slides ago Are we finished with kJ?? NO!
63 ACTIVATION ENERGY OF A REACTION Activation Energy – (E A ) The minimum collision energy required for effective collision Dependant on the kinetic energy of the particles (depend on T) Analogy: If the ball does not have enough kinetic energy to make it over the hill – the trip will not happen. Same idea, if molecules collide without enough energy to rearrange their bonds, the reaction will not occur. (ineffective collision)
64 LET’S SEE IF YOU GET IT Draw energy pathway diagrams for general endothermic and a general exothermic reaction. Label the reactants, products, enthalpy change, activation energy, and activated complex.
65 CATALYSTS AND REACTION RATE A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed itself in the overall process. A catalyst reduces the quantity of energy required to start the reaction, and results in a catalyzed reaction producing a greater yield in the same period of time than an uncatalyzed reaction. It does not alter the net enthalpy change for a chemical reaction Catalysts lower the activation energy, so a larger portion of particles have the necessary energy to react = greater yield
67 4 Conditions of Dynamic Equilibrium* 1.Can be achieved in all reversible reactions when the rates of the forward and reverse reaction become equal Represented by rather than by 2.All observable properties appear constant (colour, pH, etc) 3.Can only be achieved in a closed system (no exchange of matter and must have a constant temperature) 4.Equilibrium can be approached from either direction. This means that the equilibrium concentrations will be the same regardless if you started with all reactants, all products, or a mixture of the two
68 Describing the Position of Equilibrium 1.Percent Yield- the yield of product measured at equilibrium compared with the maximum possible yield of product. % yield = product eq’m x 100 % product max The equilibrium concentration is determined experimentally, the maximum concentration is determined with stoichiometry
69 2.Using an Equilibrium Constant, (K c ) Example #1: Write the equilibrium law expression for the reaction of nitrogen monoxide gas with oxygen gas to form nitrogen dioxide gas. Describing the Position of Equilibrium
70 2.Using an Equilibrium Constant, (K c ) Note: The Kc value describes the extent of the forward reaction. K c reverse = 1. = The reciprocal value K c forward Example #2: The value of K c for the formation of HI (g) from H 2(g) and I 2(g) is 40, at a given temperature. What is the value of K c for the decomposition of HI (g) at the same temperature. K c reverse = 1.= 1 = K c forward 40 Describing the Position of Equilibrium
71 ICE Charts and Equilibrium Calculations Example #1: Consider the following equilibrium at 100 o C: N 2 O 4(g) ↔ 2 NO 2(g) 2.0 mol of N 2 O 4(g) was introduced into an empty 2.0 L bulb. After equilibrium was established, only 1.6 mol of N 2 O 4(g) remained. What is the value of K c ? E: 1.0 – x = 0.80 solve for x x = x = 0.40 Solve for K c = (0.40) 2 = 0.20 (0.80) N 2 O 4(g) 2NO 2(g) I: 1.0 mol/L0 C: - x+ 2x E: 1.0 – x = 0.802x 2.0 mol = 1.0 mol/L (I) 2.0L 1.6 mol = 0.8 mol/L (E) 2.0L
72 ICE Charts and Equilibrium Calculations Example #3: Using a perfect square Given the following reaction: N 2(g) + O 2(g) ↔ 2NO (g) K c = Determine the equilibrium concentrations for all species present given that the initial concentration of each reactant is mol/L = (2x) 2 square root both sides = 2x = 0.01 – 0.05x = 2x (0.200-x) – x = 0.01 = 2.05x = N 2(g) O 2(g) 2NO (g) I: C: - x- x+ 2x E: x x2x E: 0.195mol/L0.195mol/L mol/L
73 Identify the nature of the changes imposed on the following equilibrium system at the four times indicated by coordinates A, B, C and D At A, the concentration (or pressure) of every chemical in the system is decreased by increasing the container volume. Then the equilibrium shifts to the left (the side with more moles of gas) At B, the temperature is increased. Then the equilibrium shifts to left. At C, C 2 H 6(g) is added to the system. Then the equilibrium shifts to the left. At D, no shift in equilibrium position is apparent; the change imposed must be addition of a catalyst, or of a substance that is not involved in the equilibrium reaction.
74 The Water Ionization Constant, K w Since the mathematical relationship is simple, we can easily use K w to calculate either the hydronium or hydroxide ion concentration, if the other concentration is know. The presence of substances other than water decreases the certainty of the Kw value to two significant digits; 1.0 x The presence of substances other than water decreases the certainty of the Kw value to two significant digits; 1.0 x
75 % Ionization The pH of 0.10 mol/L methanoic acid solution is Calculate the percent reaction for ionization of methanoic acid.
76 Bronsted-Lowry Acid-Base Concept Focuses on the role of the chemical species in a reaction rather than on the acidic or basic properties of their aqueous solutions. Bronsted Lowry Definition for an Acid: proton donor Bronsted Lowry Definition for an Base: proton acceptor
77 Bronsted-Lowry Acid-Base Concept Protons may be gained in a reaction with one entity, but lost in a reaction with another entity. – The empirical term, amphoteric, refers to a chemical substance with the ability to react as either an acid or base. – The theoritical term, amphiprotic, describes an entity (ion or molecule) having the ability to either accept or donate a proton.
78 Conjugate Acids and Bases RULE: The stronger the base, the more it attracts a proton (proton acceptor). The stronger the acid, the less it attracts its own proton (proton donor) What does this mean about their conjugate pair?? The stronger an acid, the weaker is its conjugate base. – If you are good at donating a proton, this means the conjugate base is not good at competing for it (weak attraction for protons) The stronger a base, the weaker is its conjugate acid. – If you are good at accepting a proton, this means the conjugate acid is not good at giving it up (strong attraction for protons).
79 Predicting Acid-Base Reactions 5) Predict the approximate position of equilibrium – Example: What will be the predominant reaction if spilled drain cleaner (sodium hydroxide) solution is neutralized by vinegar? Na + (aq) OH - (aq) CH 3 COOH (aq) H 2 O (l) SA SB The reaction of H 3 O + (aq) and OH - (aq) is always quantitative (100%) so a single arrow is used
80 Table Building Lab Exercise 16.D
81 K a Calculations Example #1: The pH of a 1.00 mol/L solution of acetic acid is carefully measured to be 2.38 at SATP. What is the value of Ka for acetic acid? Regardless of size, Ka values are usually expressed in scientific notation = 1.7 x mol/L – mol/L = (rounds to 1.00 – precision rule) Change in concentration is negligible in this case – but not always
82 K a Calculations Example #4: Predict the hydronium ion concentration and pH for a mol/L aqueous solution of methanoic acid. 1.8 x = x 2 x = = H 3 O + (aq) concentration (0.200) Approximation Rule: = > x So (0.200-x) = 0.200
83 K b Calculations Example #1: A student measures the pH of a mol/L solution of aqueous ammonia and finds it to Calculate the Kb for ammonia We will use the same method as Ka calculations, but there is usually one extra step because pH values need to be converted to find hydroxide ion concentrations 14 = pH + pOH pOH = = = OH - (aq) K b for ammonia is 1.8 x Remember K b has only 2 sig digs
84 Calculating OH - from K b Example #2: Find the hydroxide ion amount concentration, pOH, pH and the percent reaction (ionization) of a 1.20 mol/L solution of baking soda. Baking soda = NaHCO 3(s) Na + (aq) + HCO 3 - (aq) For HCO 3 - (aq), the conjugate acid is H 2 CO 3(aq) whose K a is = 4.5 x Approximation Rule: 1.20 = > x So (1.20-x) = x = x 2. x = 1.6 x = OH - (aq) 2.2x 10 -8
85 Calculating OH - from K b Example #2: Find the hydroxide ion amount concentration, pOH, pH and the percent reaction (ionization) of a 1.20 mol/L solution of baking soda. 2.2 x = x 2. x = 1.6 x = OH - (aq) 2.2x 10 -8
86 Polyprotic Entities Chem 20 Review: – Polyprotic acids – can lose more than one proton – Polyprotic bases – can gain more than one proton – If more than one proton transfer occurs in a titration, chemists believe the process occurs as a series of single-proton transfer reactions. On a graph, this means there will be more than one equivalence point First proton transfer = 100% Second proton transfer = 100% Carbonate ion is a diprotic base
88 Buffering Capacity The limit of the ability of a buffer to maintain a pH level. When one of the entities of the conjugate acid-base pair reacts with an added reagent and is completely consumed, the buffering fails and the pH changes dramatically. All of the CH 3 COOH (aq) is used up, OH - additions will now cause the pH to drastically increase All of the CH 3 COO - (aq) is used up, H 3 O + additions will now cause the pH to drastically decrease
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Aristotle and Metaphysics Essay
Aristotle (384 BC ? March 7, 322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and a student of Plato, considered first scientist in Western world. He was a philosopher of common sense. He tried to define essences and his aim is to explicate the world as well as cosmos surrounding us. According to Introduction of Metaphysics, Aristotle’s world-view is teleological that there is kind of purpose in cosmos: ” What is important is that the world seems to have a purpose, a meaning and even a design.
It is an ordered structure, a cosmos, and it may even manifest the invention of a Creator.” (p. xvii) The Metaphysics is Aristotle’s significant philosophical work, that contains the theory of being. The word “metaphysics” is defined due to the fact that this work was positioned right after “physics”. On the other hand, it is accepted because the purpose of metaphysics, which is to reach beyond nature (physis), and to discover the ultimate essence and the reason for being.
Moreover, one of the central themes of Aristotle’s philosophy and metaphysics is theory of Potentiality and Actuality, which is considered in regard to being and change in Book Theta.
First of all, Aristotle defines substance (ousia) as ultimate and an underlying reality, or as the fundemental element of all existing things. Substance is the reality of individual things, and what is not substance is properties, also accident (not neccessary). The substance of each individual thing, the particular nature of that thing, is that which does not belong to other individual things, whereas the universal principle or element of an individual thing is that which belongs to many individual things. Furthermore, according to Aristotle substance (ousia) exists in a form of category or hierarchy.
In the Categories, he claims that there are ten kinds of things, and most important of which are primary substance and secondary substance. 1. Primary substances are concrete, existing (absolutely) individual things that are prior to all the categories because an ousia can exist by itself. 2. Secondary substances are the essential properties and universals which cannot exist in its own right. In addition, Aristotle’s metaphysics is known as hylemorphism that everything is a combination of matter (the particular subject which underlies) and form (the matter acquires when a primary substance comes into bring).
For Aristotle, substances are particular things, while universal principles are common to many things. The universal principles and causes of substances explains what responsible for being. There are four kinds of causes of things: Material cause, final cause, formal cause and efficient cause. 1. Material cause is the matter and subject of a thing. 2. Efficient cause is the source of motion or change in a thing, which starts the process. 3. Formal cause is the substance or essence (form) of a thing. 4. Final cause (telos) is the purpose for which a thing has being. For example, a bronze statue.
Its material cause is the bronze itself. Its efficient cause is the sculptor, forces the bronze into shape. The formal cause is the shape, form and idea of the completed statue. The final cause is beauty, the idea of the statue as it prompts the sculptor to act on the bronze. Causes may be potential or actual, necessary or accidental. Things may be classified as prior to other things, in terms of their potentiality and actuality. The theory of potentiality and actuality is one of the most crucial aspects of Aristotle’s philosophy, in general, describes the change in the process and the existence (being) of a substance.
According to Aristotle, a change must occur in something for its potentiality to become an actuality. Moreover, to understand the importance of potentiality and actuality to the concept of change, Aristotle’s terminology should be considered. Firstly, dunamis is the Greek word for the capacity to do something, from which we get our word “dynamic. ” The word is usually translated as potentiality. Secondly, ergon, the Greek word for the proper function or work an individual thing is supposed to perform, is translated as actuality (activity).
In other words, potentia is a capacity in Greek, means an aptitude to change, to act or to be acted upon, to give or to receive some new determination. Actus means the fulfilment of such a capacity. Potentiality refers to the capacity or power of a virtual reality to come to be in actuality and the capacity of determination or change. Aristotle distinguishes between two kinds of potentialities or powers. One of these is active potenciality that is the power of acting upon something else, for example, the potenciality of an artist to make a statue. The other is passive potencility that is the power of being acted upon, for example, the potenciality of a marble to turn into a statue.
The potential exists in both inanimate and animate objects. The difference between the two is that the potential in man has reason and the power to produce things or any kind of contrary effects, while the ohers which have no reason can only produce a specific effect. In brief, Aristotle calls man’s capacities rational, and those of inanimate beings, nonrational. The difference between rational (conscious) and irrational (unconscious) behavior can be understood by the Aristotle’s example, ” Heating can produce only heat and not cold, whereas the rational potentiality of medicine can produce either health or disease.
” (Theta 2, p. 256) Furthermore, potentiality may be innate (natural, inborn) such as the power of sensing or knowing or acquired such as flute playing. On the other hand, actuality is the opposite pole of potentiality, is also related to the potential and motion. For example, the statue exists potentially in the block of marble, because marble has an capacity to be the shape of a statue. With regard to the same statue, the sculptor has the power, by his action, to carve the marble into the form of a statue. He is an active power, a real skill or ability which is lacking in many other persons.
In order to have the actual statue, it is necessary for the sculptor to exercise his real skill on a substance which is not yet a statue, but which has a real aptitude to become one. Furthermore, according to Aristotle, there are complete actions, called motions, which have their end in themselves; also there are incomplete actions which has no other end than the activity itself. Besides, the motion implies a mover and a moved. The moved is that which moves from one condition to its opposite. But in the case of knowing, there is no movement from one state to another. There is only the power to know functioning.
Knowing has no other product than the activity of knowing. Therefore, Aristotle concludes that complete actions like knowing are more perfect than incomplete ones and this reasoning should have been the highest form of existence which he describes the character of pure activity to the source of all motion, the Unmoved Mover. Aristotle considers the change as the transformation of potentiality to actuality. His conception of change is also connected to the theory of a hierarchical scale of existence, on which everything is related to the being above it as matter is to form.
“Aristotle’s defends one of the most striking and characteristic theses, that of the priority of the actual over the potential. Aristotle most definitely holds that the chicken comes before the egg. ” (Theta 8, p. 272) On the contrary of the common sense, which support potentiality is prior to the actuality, for Aristotle, actuality precedes potentiality, in that potentiality can only occur if there is some actually existing thing which is capable of becoming another thing. There must be an actual potentiality for an event to occur if its potentiality is to become an actuality.
According to Aristotle the actual is prior in three respects: in thought, in time and in substance. 1. Priority in thought (logos) is that without having the conception of the actuality, no one can have a conception of the potentiality. For example, in building, the potential builder has the consideration of the actual thing before he builds it. 2. Priority in time is related to the species rather than the individual. It is significant that, unlike the trivial fact, the actual species must precede the potencial species.
For example, the actual human being comes before the embryo which becomes the man and the species chicken temporally precede the egg. 3. Priority in terms of substance is considered with form and with the cause (principle) of a thing’s being. a)Formal and substantial priority occurs in production, also connected to the essences and definitions. Due to the fact that a man or a human being already has its own form while a sperm or a boy does not, the man has a formal priority over a boy and a human being has that priority over a sperm.
b)Teleological priority is about principles and causes that every output of production possess it for the end. ” A principle is something for whose sake something else is, and an end is something for whose sake a production occurs. But the end is the actuality, and it is for the sake of this actuality. ” (Book Theta, p. 274) The actuality which is the end provides the telos and the aim of the process. For example, a sperm is the cause or principle of the existence of a boy, and the boy is for the man. In this case the man, the telos, is the ultimate aim of all the process.
Therefore, the end (actual) is determining the beginning. The final proof of the priority is based on the fact that eternal beings are by their nature prior to those which perish. Aristotle also says that eternal or imperishable things are prior in substance, because eternal things have no beginning or end, whereas non-eternal or perishable things have a beginning and an end. For the same reason eternal movement is also always actual, and the potentiality only with the relation to movement from place to place.
Moreover, it should have been considered how Aristotle could respond to the claim: “Aristotle is mistaken in thinking that what is actual is prior to the potential. For example, a sperm is potentially a human being, and quite naturally it is prior to a mature human. ” According to him if being human did not actually exist, then the sperm could not be potentially human. Also, the essence of anything is its primary being, and it belongs to the actual which in this case is human being.
As a result, mature human being is the essence or the cause of the process and produce the sperm that is possibility and potentiality for a subsequent human being. Taking everything into consideration, I mostly agree with Aristotle’s view that the actuality is prior to the potentiality. However, Aristotle has some deficiencies about the existence of actualities and how they have been created. He explains the pure actuality (God) that is beyond everything, yet he cannot answer how this actuality first exists.
Besides, the existence of actualities and essences is not certain, which is Aristotle’s weakness about the subject. Nevertheless, I firmly believe his teleological cosmos and the concept of God which he calls Unmoved mover. Although Aristotole has not describe the relation between the cosmos, god and existence, in my opinion, there is a purposeful system in the cosmos, which could also be named as God. This infinite, one and purposeful system possess the power and knowledge of all existence. Also, every single being, essence (forms) and substance contains some kind of part of this system.
So, every being in this world has its own actuality which is an infinite knowledge, an ultimate aim and a perfect program that was determined. In other words, life is planned by a perfect as well as synchronized system before the existence and the actual end is certain, which shows that the actuality determines the potentiality. Moreover, according to my view, at the beginning the actual human being has been created, with certain aims and end, for its continious, then the potential sperm is produced. As a result, it can obviously be said that the actual comes before the potential in the life process.
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Process of Learning Essay
Learning is an invisible process in which the behaviour is modified in order to attain certain goals. It is a process in which an individual acquires and develops knowledge, understanding, skills, interests and attitude that are necessary to meet life’s situations. This paper briefly analyzes the process of learning. Introduction “Learning is the insatiable curiosity that drives the adolescent boy to absorb everything he can see or hear or read about gasoline engines in order to improve the efficiency and speed of his ‘cruiser’” (Mark K. Smith).
Learning can be considered as a product and also a process. It is the end product of the various experiences we come across in our life. At the same time it is a continuous never ending process as well. Even from the birth day itself the learning process starts. Learning and Behaviour Learning is observable through the behaviours of a person. An observable change in behaviour can be witnessed after a person learned something. For example, we know that small kids do not know much about the dangers of fire and they will be usually attracted towards fire.
But once if they happened to come in contact with fire, they will experience the burning effect of fire and will never play with fire again. In this case we can say that the child learned to behave properly with fire and we can observe Process of Learning 3 the changes in behaviour of the child before and after experience with fire. So we can conclude that learning is characterised by change in behaviour. Behaviorism, as a learning theory, can be traced back to Aristotle, whose essay “Memory” focused on associations being made between events such as lightning and thunder.
The theory of behaviorism concentrates on the study of overt behaviors that can be observed and measured (Good & Brophy, 1990). It views the mind as a “black box” in the sense that response to stimulus can be observed quantitatively, totally ignoring the possibility of thought processes occurring in the mind. Some key players in the development of the behaviorist theory were Pavlov, Watson, Thorndike and Skinner. (Brenda Mergel) (James Atherton) Process of Learning 4 Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was the first to conduct experiments to study how learning and behaviour are connected.
The experiment was performed on a dog. He started to give food to his dog after ringing a buzzer. The experiment was repeated for 7 days and after 7 days he started to ring the buzzer alone and did not give any food to the dog. Still he found that the dog secreted saliva in the same measure as before. “Because a bell consistently rang before food appeared, Pavlov’s dog learned to salivate at the mere ringing of the bell; this is a conditioned response. ” (Michael g. Maxwell) So it is clear that our learning and behaviours are interconnected. Learning and Thinking
“Learning implies the acquisition of knowledge from experience, while thinking involves the conscious processing and use of knowledge. ” (Michael g. Maxwell) Learning has definite connection with thinking as well. Nobody can say that he has learned something without thinking. For example, we know that lightning and thunder, both occurs at the same time. But we have seen the lights of lightning first before hearing the thunder sound. Though we have learned that both lightning and thunder occurred at the same time, in order to explain the delay of thunder in reaching us, we must think in terms of the velocity of sound and velocity of light.
Only after we thought about the velocity differences, we can say that we have learned thunder and lightning properly. So learning definitely leads to thinking which may lead to the modification of behaviours Process of Learning 5 Behaviour and Thinking in terms of learning Learning leads to thinking. Thinking leads us to arrive at conclusions which will force us to change our behaviours. So in that sense both thinking and behaviour are interlinked with each other. Without thinking, no behavioural changes can happen. Same way without learning, no thinking can take place. For example, everybody knows that smoking is injurious to health.
If a smoker, happens to meet a person who is suffering from cancer because of his smoking habit, may think about the consequences of his smoking habits and hence times he may change his smoking behaviour. Thus we can conclude that both the learning theories with respect to thinking and behaviour are connected to each other. Conclusion Learning is a complex process which stimulates thinking which will be resulted in the modification of behaviours. Learning is a continuous process which starts from birth and ends at death. It can be considered as a process and a product.
Process of Learning 6 References 1. Mark K. Smith (1999, 2003), learning theory, Retrieved on February 8, 2009 http://www. infed. org/biblio/b-learn. htm 2. Brenda Mergel, Instructional Design & Learning Theory, Retrieved on February 8, 2009, http://www. usask. ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda. htm 3. Michael g. Maxwell, Learning and thinking: what science tells us about teaching Retrieved on February 8, 2009, http://www. studentsfriend. com/onhist/learning. html 4. James Atherton, Behaviourism, Retrieved on February 8, 2009, http://www. learningandteaching. info/learning/behaviour. htm
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Growth-Retarding Effect of "Cardio"-Training is not Prevented by BCAA Supplementation. Endurance-Trained Rats Still -3% Smaller than Age-Mates.
Image 1: Haile Gebrselassie,
probably the greatest distance
runner in history, set 27 world
records; is his sort stature a
result of too much "cardio"
(image by Alexxx86)
Did you ever wonder if Haile Gebrselassie (image 1) is such a great long distance runner, because he is only 5'5" (1.65m, imdb)? Well, after all it could turn out that is is just the other way around - Haile could be only 5'5", because he is a great runner! Rumors have it Gebrselassie ran to school every day as a boy... what? You do not see a relation here, well then you should have a look at the data of a recent rodent study from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil (Campos-Ferraz. 2011).
For 5 weeks, Patricia Lopez de Campos-Ferraz and her colleagues, put 32 male Wistar rats (21 days old) on one of four experimental protocols:
1. 45mg/kg BCAA + swimming - Sup/Ex
2. Standard chow + swimming - Ctrl/Ex
3. 45mg/kg BCAA + sedentary - Sup/Sed
4. Standard chow + sedentary - Ctrl/Sed
The endurance of the swimming protocol increased by 10 minutes per week - from 20min in the first week to 50 minutes in the fourth and fifth week of the experiment.
Figure 1: Effect of treatment (BCAA + "cardio" or "cardio" only) on cartilage weight, skull-to-tale length and tibia length in adolescent rats (data adapted from Campos-Ferraz. 2011)
As the data in figure 1 goes to show, the "cardio"-induced reduction (-95%, Sup/Ex; -97% Ctrl/Ex) in proteoglycan synthesis is so profound that the +30% higher synthesis rate in the BCAA group could not prevent the statistically significant growth retardations in the sixteen rats of the exercise groups (Sup/Ex + Ctrl/Ex).
Image 2: If the Hulk loves HIIT,
he probably has a healthier
heart than many marathon
runners (image from
Note: I am deliberately using the expression "cardio" here, because ardeous endurance exercises like these, are what the general public thinks heart-healthy exercise should look like. Only a few days ago, Hafstad et al. published a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology (Hafstad. 2011) showing (once again!) that high intensity interval training and not moderate endurance training provides the greatest benefit in terms of increasing aerobic exercise capacity, and cardiac efficiency! While this study was conducted with a rodent model, it corroberates results from human studies such as Ziemann et al. who found that high-intensity interval training performed at a work-to-rest ratio of 1:2 "provided sufficient stimulus to significantly improve markers of anaerobic and aerobic performance in recreationally active college-aged men" (Ziemann. 2011). As long as you do not have existing heart problems, HIIT should be your choice when it comes to training your heart, which is what "cardio"(-vascular training) should be all about, no?
Isn't it ironic, how those poor little critters experienced exactly what the huge group of people who are against strength training for adolescents usually suggest would happen, when kids start to lift weight? I guess, if it was not for the BCAA-induced increases in proteoglycan synthesis and the slight amelioration (-0.5%) of the retarding effect of endurance training on skull-to-tale length, the "anti-strength"-crowd would probably try to blame the effect on the "steroids" (this is how this folks usually refer to all supplements, BCAAs included), the rats received - fortunately, the study design does not allow misinterpretations like that.
Figure 2: Liver and muscle glycogen content in the four groups (data adapted from Campos-Ferraz. 2011)
Before this turns into an "anti-'cardio'-post" I want to mention a few interesting side-findings of the study: While there were no significant differences in muscle weight between the groups, there was a significant effect of BCAA supplementation on food intake in the sedentary group. The rats (all fed ad libitum) who receiving the chow with additional branch-chain-amino acids consumed roughly 7% less food. What I found more surprising, however, was the effect the amino acid supplement had on liver glycogen levels in the trained rats: The small dose [45mg/kg in rats equals ~7.3mg/kg in humans, i.e. ~584mg/day for an 80kg human being] of supplemental BCAAs raised liver glycogen levels by 12.4% (Sup/Sed) and 16.2% (Sup/Ex). The latter finding stands in line with similar elevations in liver glycogen stores after alanine or glutamine, histidine and proline supplementation in Tipton and Wulf (Tipton. 1998) and Aoyama et al. (Aoyama. 1993), respectively and corroborate previous findings by Araujo et al. (Araujo. 2006), who found a 226% increase in liver glycogen in exercised rats supplemented with a significantly higher amount (~1g/day) of BCAAs.
Figure 3: Muscle protein and RNA content in the four groups (data adapted from Campos-Ferraz. 2011)
Finally, while the small dose of branched chain amino acids did suffice to modulate liver (and to a certain degree muscle, cf figure 2) glycogen stores and storage capacity, it failed to result in a higher protein concentration in the trained rats. A finding of which the researchers state that
[t]his is in accordance with another study, in which oral administration of 270mg leucine to rats enhanced phosphorylation of the eu-karyotic initiation factor (eIF) (4F-BP1), but no differences in protein synthesis were found in the liver, which led them to conclude that the translation of mRNA is disjointed from the rates of total protein synthesis but is related to the degree of SK61 phosphorylation (Anthony et al., 2001).
While this may be the case, Campos-Ferraz et al. simply ignore that their "exercise" (I am inclined to say "torture") program was devoid of the most important stimulus of muscle growth, which is muscular overload - what is really surprising is thus not that the rats did not turn into hulk-like muscle-monsters, but rather that the supplemented rats (Sup/Ex) had a statistically non-significant, yet slightly reduced increase in muscle protein content (+3.92mg% vs. +5.52mg%) compared to their exercised peers (Ctrl/Ex) - despite a +23% greater increase in muscle RNA.
Interestingly, we see diametrically opposed effects in the sedentary group, where muscle RNA content is identical, and the BCAA group (Sup/Sed) has a slightly higher muscle protein content (cf. figure 3). So that, after all, we have come full circle to the detrimental effects of arduous "cardio"-training on adolescents ;-) |
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I can eat a horse
Meaning/Usage: To express the desire to eat a lot of food.
Explanation: One explanation is that there is a lot of meat on a horse. Also not many people eat horses, but they would if they are very hungry. Combining the willingness to eat a large quantity of meat, and the willingness to eat meat that is not normally eaten suggests that the person is extremely hungry.
"I'm so hungry that I can eat a horse."
"I feel like I can eat a horse right now."
"If I didn't eat anything for two days, I would feel like I can eat a horse too."
A: "I didn't eat anything all day."
B: "You must be really hungry."
A: "I can eat a horse right now."
Other Common Sentences
"I'm starving. I think I can eat a whale."
"I'm famished. I could eat anything right now."
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Most cruises serve largely as transportation, whisking guests from one exotic port of call to the next. On a transatlantic cruise, you may spend a week or more at sea, unable to leave the ship. While many people look forward to rest and relaxation, others worry that there will not be enough to do. Cruise lines are aware of this concern and provide a seemingly endless list of onboard activities and entertainment.
Shipboard Activities
A newsletter is usually delivered to each cabin every night of a cruise. Take a moment to read your newsletter before bed, as it details the schedule of activities for the next day. Depending on the cruise line, activities could range from foreign language classes to wine tastings to “hairy chest” contests. Virtually all shipboard activities are included in your cruise fare, so take the opportunity to get involved. This is a wonderful way to make friends who share your interests, as most activities encourage mingling.
Broadway-quality production shows are a staple of the modern cruise industry. Comedians and magicians may be given main-stage opportunities as well. Live music is provided all over the ship, from piano bars to string quartets. Many cruise directors try to mingle as much as possible, and tend to have big personalities and a knack for making travelers laugh. Passenger involvement is common, particularly on transatlantic cruises. Look for karaoke nights and guest talent shows on virtually every ship. Some ships provide additional ways to show off, such as photography contests. Late at night, the party moves into the nightclubs and bars. Take a ship tour on the first day to learn about the different performance spaces and the type of music played in each club. On many ships, rock and roll, country, Top 40, jazz and big band are just a few of the choices. Organized dances and deck parties are common.
On most ships, you will be assigned to a particular dinner table at a specific seating time. Most tables seat eight to ten people, and the cruise lines try to match tablemates who have something in common. You will have the same wait staff for the entire cruise, and most servers are excellent at learning each passenger’s preferences. Many cruisers enjoy the camaraderie and eagerly look forward to each night’s dinner. Dining is included in your cruise fare, and you are welcome to order as much as you like. The main dining room is just one of many choices. Most ships offer a casual buffet restaurant, pizza and burgers by the pool, and an Asian fast-food window, all of which are also included in your cruise fare. Some ships also offer one or more specialty restaurants, in which passengers pay a small surcharge for a gourmet, fine dining experience.
Modern cruise ships provide elaborate shopping plazas featuring excellent deals on jewelry, clothing, alcohol and souvenirs. Sales are frequent, and are detailed in the daily newsletter. Art aficionados enjoy shipboard art auctions, in which works by famed artists often sell for well under market value. Art auctions generally provide free champagne and art raffles, and there is no obligation to bid.
Down Time
It would be easy to burn out in an attempt to participate in every activity. Plan some down time for rest and relaxation. Most ships feature multiple swimming pools and hot tubs, hundreds of deck chairs and dozens of quiet corners with comfortable seating. Afternoon tea time has been a part of cruising since the genteel days of ocean liners, and offers modern guests the chance to sit quietly and relax. Solariums and libraries offer quiet entertainment. Spa treatments provide an excellent opportunity to relax for a small additional fee.
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VOICES Voices Icon Ideas and Insight From Explorers
Chasing Arcturus: Why Do You Twinkle, Little Star?
Right now stargazers have the perfect chance to find an unusual speeding star by remembering this phrase: Follow the arc to Arcturus.
The key is the Big Dipper, a familiar grouping of stars that is currently in the northeastern sky in mid-evening.
If you draw an imaginary line from the Dipper’s handle, your eye should settle on a bright, orange star—congratulations, you found Arcturus!
This star, some 37 light-years from Earth, is noteworthy because—unlike most of its stellar kin—it is cutting perpendicularly across the relatively flat disk of the Milky Way. That means, millions of years from now, the star will have moved out of Earth’s line of sight.
Interested in observing Arcturus this spring? Consider the following:
by Robert J. Vanderbei
One of the first things we notice when we look at stars in the night sky is that they twinkle. This twinkling is caused by turbulence in our atmosphere.
Anyone who has gone snorkeling, scuba diving, or even just swimming in a pool has probably noticed the interesting lighting effects on the bottom of the water body—these effects are essentially the same as those caused by atmospheric turbulence.
Meteorologists (who, btw, don’t study meteors) have become good at predicting how good or bad the sky’s turbulence will be. One can use their forecasts to plan when to go outside and observe the night sky—and when to stay indoors and watch a movie.
There is even a website, cleardarksky.com, that will tell you how good the “seeing” will be where you live over the next few nights.
But here’s a puzzle for anyone who’s looked through a telescope: In a telescope’s view, a star might have a swimmy appearance as it moves around and changes shape a little bit, but it doesn’t twinkle.
That is, the starlight never blinks off, not even for an instant. Why is the telescopic view qualitatively different than the “naked-eye” view?
The answer derives from the fact that the telescope’s light-collecting area, aka its aperture, is much larger than the light-collecting area of the human eye’s pupil.
Atmospheric turbulence does cause the light to fade over parts of the telescope’s aperture, but at the same time it brightens over another part. That means that, on average, the intensity of the light remains virtually unchanged.
The pupil of the human eye, on the other hand, is small enough that there can be noticeable changes in the amount of light that passes through. Hence, the brightness of the star appears to change, and it twinkles.
Recently, I did a little experiment to illustrate the difference between observing stars with and without a telescope.
Shown below are two five-second, looping animated gifs of Arcturus.
[Note that Arcturus is not a “little” star. It is a red giant, which is why it appears orange to us (go figure!), and it really is a giant. Its diameter is about 26 times bigger than our sun’s. Hence, its volume is about 6,500 times greater.]
This animation shows Arcturus significantly defocused in my four-inch refractor. A defocused image is just a reduced-size picture of the light intensity as it passes through the telescope’s aperture.
In this animation, we can clearly see intensity variations across the pupil of the telescope, but the star isn’t twinkling, per se.
The next animation, meanwhile, shows Arcturus in focus. But here I made one more important change. I put a cardboard mask over the front of my refractor.
The cardboard mask has a small section cut out. Covering that small section, I put a piece of aluminum foil from which I cut out an even smaller circular opening about the size of a human’s pupil.
As it would to the naked eye, the star now twinkles through the telescope.
I did a frame-by-frame analysis of the focused image and found that the difference in Arcturus’ intensity between the brightest and the dimmest frames was a little bit less than a factor of two.
So really the star doesn’t completely wink out as it twinkles, it just dims.
It is well known that stars close to the horizon twinkle more than stars high overhead. The reason is that their light passes through more atmosphere and so the effect of the turbulence is greater.
On the night of the experiment, the blue giant star Spica was much closer to the horizon than Arcturus. For comparison, I made a defocused, full-aperture animation of Spica, too. As expected, the intensity variations across the aperture were much more pronounced.
Robert Vanderbei
1. Burney
Austin, TX. USA
July 29, 7:38 am
Hey @bonita jackson from Colorado. This has absolutely nothing to do with any sort of God. You’re doing an incredibly harmful disservice by your invalid reference.
2. Didier
May 5, 2013, 3:48 pm
I filmed a strange light from my living room, others have seen this strong light in a radius of 20 kilometers, Arcturus and the moon effect ? See the video at the bottom of the home page http://www.topitservice.be Thanks if you can give me a scientific explanation… Didier.
3. Allegro
February 1, 2012, 8:19 pm
4. Marcelo
Kristiansand, Norway
June 23, 2011, 6:02 pm
For a while I thought it was an UFO and took several videos.
Here is the last one.
5. […] D’après National Geographic […]
6. bonita jackson
April 6, 2011, 1:48 am
marvelous just marvelous all the wonders and creations of GOD.absoloutly wonderful.
7. jerry starr
April 5, 2011, 10:51 am
an interesting concept
8. Megha patel
April 4, 2011, 8:08 am
this is just such a great explanation of wat really happens and i am really happy and impressed.thank you sooooooo much i m going to use this for my school talk presentations.
April 2, 2011, 3:15 pm
10. erica stanton
UK Wales
April 2, 2011, 2:03 pm
Interesting, I compare this to people who shine, during turbulent times, we see them, we’re fascinated by them, and we yearn to understand what their secret is. Thank you for explaining this phenomenon of natural cosmic beauty.
11. Leah
Cambridge, UK
April 2, 2011, 10:30 am
Brilliant; thank you for such a easy-to-understand explanation on an exciting event. I’m going to use this in my Sunday school class.
12. Margaret Brown
Wodonga, Victoria, Australia
April 2, 2011, 3:51 am
Now I know what is happening when I look up and see stars in Blue Red and Green twinkling and shimmering away. I have been fascinated by this. Thanks, Marg |
VOICES Voices Icon Ideas and Insight From Explorers
How to Drive a Mars Rover
Drivers of the Mars rover Curiosity use 3-D images, simulated here in a "wiggle" view, to help plot a path forward on the red planet. Mount Sharp rises in the distance. Courtesy Max Tertinegg, NASA/JPL-Caltech
Mars, and the Curiosity rover now exploring it, are 120 million miles away. Back at mission control, rover cameras show a rocky incline, maybe ten feet ahead, near the path Curiosity is supposed to travel. How does NASA make sure the precious rover doesn’t go tumbling down the small slope?
The answer involves the team of rover drivers glued to their computer screens at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They work the world’s most exclusive—and perhaps most high-pressure—video simulation. A virtual Curiosity can be placed into the latest images that come down from Mars, moved around to see what happens, and be driven over virtual inclines mapped out via satellite to see how it does. The set-up even comes with 3-D capability and glasses.
First off, there’s a 14-minute radio lag between Mars and Earth, so even with their state-of-the-art programs, the real-time driving is essentially blind. Plus, the movements of the rover need to be analyzed, checked, rechecked and sometimes changed suddenly by the dozens of engineers and scientists who plan the rover’s movements.
Based on their input, the rover drivers pick a path and then write computer sequences that will tell Curiosity how to follow it and how far to go. They do all this while the rover is asleep; the instructions are delivered when the Martian morning starts. Nobody will know what really happened with the driving until the first downlink some eight to ten hours later.
“This image just came down,” said Matt Heverly on a recent day, excited to be getting a first look from Curiosity’s new location. He’s one of the 14 “rover planners” who trained for years before getting his Mars “driver’s license,” and like most of the others he’s worked on previous Mars rover missions.
Heverly quickly placed the rover into the scene. He suggested I join him by putting on our 3-D glasses, and suddenly we’re looking at the Martian landscape as if we’re driving through the desert Southwest, minus the cacti. Before us is the next major destination: Glenelg. It’s filled with great science possibilities and more than a few potential driving pitfalls.
“We’re almost at the rim that leads down into Glenelg,” he said, eagerly scanning the horizon. “Now we have to figure out how to get where they want us to go.”
Watching the drivers at work brings home the fact that the fate of the $2.5 billion mission depends on how well they use their interplanetary visualizers to avoid dune fields, keep away from big rocks, stay on surfaces below the 30-degree incline the rover is designed to handle. And since they’re living on ever-changing Mars time for the mission’s first 90 days and working long, long hours, they have to do it all with a sense of perpetual jet lag.
If you think the driving is tough, consider the job of moving the arm. Seven feet long when extended, with five moving joints and topped by a heavy turret of all-important science instruments, drills and cameras, it too has to be choreographed through code to make scores of sometimes very complicated maneuvers.
Most difficult, said arm lead engineer and driver Matt Robinson, is probably going to be transporting a rock or soil sample collected at the extended turret, reconfiguring the arm so it hovers instead over the rover deck, and delicately dropping the precious sample into a one-inch opening that leads down into the chemistry labs inside Curiosity.
A key goal of the mission is to search for carbon-based organics—building blocks for life on Earth—as part of its effort to determine if Mars was ever habitable. It can only complete that task if Robinson and his colleagues master the arm movements needed to drill or scoop, collect, sift, and then deliver the Martian samples. Other rovers and landers on Mars have collected samples, but never with the level of complexity brought by Curiosity.
As we watched a simulated unfurling of the arm—kind of like a tai chi exercise— as it readied to work, Robinson said that his team has worked on the sampling programs for months. They’re confident they can make it work, but don’t entirely know how differently it will behave in the thin atmosphere of Mars than on Earth.
“We placed rigorous requirements on our designs, but we can’t place requirements on Mars,” he said. “We don’t know the curveballs, and that means we have to be flexible.”
So being a Curiosity driver is by all accounts a thrill, but the pressure is high. Automatic “Hazard Avoidance” driving features have been built into the rover but still, one seriously wrong move and the arm can crash into the mast holding the prized cameras shooting high-resolution color. Or even worse, the rover can take a wrong turn that leads to a very bad day. The members of the rover planning team all have their Mars driver’s licenses, but the planet hasn’t made clear yet what it makes of them. |
AGRIBUSINESS: Public Schools Sourcing In Local Food
With new school meal standards, there's a growing interest in sourcing fresh fruits and vegetables regionally and locally. However, Des Moines Public School (DMPS) Nutrition Services Director Sandy Huisman says it's not exactly that easy.
She says, "One thing that we face is: this is how much we can pay for your product. They're growing their crops for a business, and when they can take it elsewhere, to a restaurant or to a farmers' market, and get two or three times what we can afford to pay, financially it's not as attractive to them."
Chef Chad Taylor with DMPS has no doubts that there's increasing interest by both parents and students regarding what's in their food.
He says, "Everyone is always very conscious of calorie intake, and kind of the end result once it's prepared, but now the shift is kind of going to 'Well, let's see where our food is actually coming from, or how it is getting to us.'"
But with Iowa Choice Harvest, it worked out. In six hours, 15 tons of Iowa-grown sweet corn can be flash frozen at its Marshalltown facility for the Des Moines Public Schools' upcoming school year. Iowa Choice Harvest CEO Penny Brown Huber says there's another benefit to sourcing locally: nutrition.
"The natural sugars in the sweet corn, the frozen apples, the carrots soon, that will be all-natural. There will be no additives. And this is important for the Healthy Kids Act that the schools are trying to implement within their school program, because they need to reduce the sodium, so kids aren't taking in so much salt, and then the sugars have to be reduced greatly, too." |
DNS is our trusted guide to the digital world. When we access a server by name, we're trusting DNS to give us the IP address of the correct destination. If our DNS infrastructure is compromised, names might be resolved to malicious hosts, which could capture sensitive information and credentials, distribute misinformation, or just disrupt our access to services.
Today’s infrastructure houses highly sensitive information and forms the backbone of many businesses, so we need something more. Confidence in our DNS infrastructure and the information it provides is crucial to maintaining an organization's security and integrity. With Windows Server 2008 R2, we have some very powerful technologies with which to gain this confidence. Let's start with a little background, then see what new enhancements such as DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) can provide.
Traditional DNS Shortcomings
With traditional DNS, clients can perform only basic checks to determine whether DNS responses have been spoofed. A client can check whether the DNS server address matches the expected address; however, this capability is often disabled due to network infrastructure configurations. This check is also easy to fake: The port used in the response needs to match the client request's port, which is easy to guess.
Even with new Server 2008 R2 DNS enhancements to source-port randomization, the risk isn't mitigated so much as the time required for an attack is increased. The random XID value sent by the client (included in the response) is sent in clear text, so it's easy to duplicate. Also, in traditional DNS, the client's query is echoed back, but if a technology is smart enough to capture the request and spoof a response, echoing back the initial response is easy.
There's no checksum within the DNS response—say, to ensure that the content of the response hasn't been altered. So, man-in-the-middle attacks can modify the content as it's transmitted to the client. Also, consider that many of our DNS results don't come from the authoritative DNS server; rather, they come from an in-between DNS server that has a cached lookup and returns the information in the cache. Many hackers poison the cache of DNS servers by bombarding them with false records.
DNSSEC for All
DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) isn't a proprietary Microsoft technology but rather an Internet-standard extension to DNS defined in RFCs 4033, 4034, and 4035 that Microsoft has implemented as part of the Server 2008 R2 DNS role. An earlier version of DNSSEC was defined in RFC 2535, but it's been replaced by the aforementioned RFCs and implementations that follow RFC 2535. Windows 2003 Server and even Server 2008 aren't compatible with the Windows 2008 R2 implementation.
At its most basic level, DNSSEC assures the integrity of the DNS infrastructure through technologies that verify the authenticity of received data, including authenticated denial-of-existence responses. Assurance is enabled through public key cryptography, which enables the use of digital signatures on all DNS responses. A successful digital signature validation means that the data received is genuine and can be trusted. The digital signature is generated using the DNS zone's private key (which is kept secret) and the content of the record, and can be validated with the public key. If a packet is generated from a malicious source, its digital signature will fail; if a packet has been modified, the signature will no longer match the content.
Facilitating this public key cryptography are several new DNS record types—specifically, DNS Public Key (DNSKEY), which is a container for a DNS zone's public key; Resource Record Signature (RRSIG), which contains the digital signature of a DNS response; Delegation Signer (DS), which is used between a child and parent zone that are both DNSSEC-enabled; and Next Secure (NSEC), which allows authenticated denial-of-existence records by effectively returning the name that would be prior to the non-existent requested name (if they were in alphabetical order) and notifying what the next secure record would be. For example, if you had records A and E in your DNS zone, and you were asked for record C, the response would be A NSEC E with a signature, thereby notifying you that the asked-for record doesn't exist because there are no records between A and E.
The critical element is the trust. The client must trust the zone's public key because the public key is used to authenticate the response by decrypting the signature, which was created using the private key. Ensuring that clients trust only the “real” authoritative DNS zone owner is achieved through chains of trust.
In an ideal world, this PKI hierarchy would be self-contained in the DNS hierarchy in that the root of DNS—“.”—would be DNSSEC-enabled and globally trusted by all clients, Then, the root could sign the top-level domain names (e.g., com, net, org), which could then sign their subordinate domains (e.g., company.com), thereby creating a trust path. This means that clients would need only to trust the root zone, since the root zone is used to authenticate all the other child zones. In Figure 1's example, .net is DNSSEC-enabled, so any child zone that is signed by the .net parent would be trusted by any DNS client that trusts .net.
Figure 1: Setting the trust anchor
Figure 1: Setting the trust anchor
You see this today with normal public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates. Most computers are configured to trust certain Internet root certificate authorities (CAs), such as VeriSign, Thawte, and Equifax. These authorities then grant certificates to sites, and the certificates are signed by the root CAs. Because clients trust the root CA, they trust certificates signed by a CA that has effectively been vouched for by the root authorities they trust. DNS works the same way: Clients trust the root and top-level domains (assuming the root and top-level domains are the trust anchors), which will then authenticate the child sites.
At this time, the DNS root zone doesn't support DNSSEC, and neither does COM, but this will change in the near future as the use of DNSSEC is being mandated by many governments around the world. The DNS root will be DNSSEC-enabled in mid-2010, and COM some time in 2011 or 2012. Therefore, we need an interim solution to enable clients to trust the DNS zones that are DNSSEC-enabled.
Whenever we talk about digital signatures, we need a mechanism for clients to be able to validate the signature. This is achieved through public key cryptography. A public key for the secured DNS zone is available for clients to use to validate the digital signature that was generated using the DNS zone's private key. This public key at the root of a DNSSEC trusted namespace—for example, .net—is known as the trust anchor; it’s the anchor of trust between the client and DNS namespace. If a client has a trust anchor to a zone, the client builds a chain of authentication to any child zone of the trust anchor, removing the need for DNS clients to explicitly trust every zone within a namespace. Don’t panic, though: You don't need a full PKI deployed in your environment. The public keys for the security zones are actually stored within the DNS infrastructure, but how do you know who to trust? How do you get valid trust anchors since the root DNS zone can't sign?
Through a process called DNSEC Lookaside Validation (DLV), public keys can be configured to be trusted by DNS clients. There are repositories on the Internet that allow DNSSEC-enabled zones to upload their public keys, which clients can then use. These public repositories are trust anchors on the clients. We trust these repositories to do the right thing and make sure the public keys they store are legitimate—the same way we trust Verisign to ensure that a company is genuine before giving them SSL or code signing certificates. An organization can download the content of this repository, and Active Directory (AD) can replicate the DNSSEC information downloaded to all DNS servers. (DLV isn’t supported in Server 2008 R2.)
Figure 2: Trusting DNS responses
Figure 2: Trusting DNS responses
Alternatively, you can manually configure trust anchors within DNS by specifying a zone name and specifying the public key that zone name servers give, as Figure 2 shows. When the entry point for a trust chain (i.e., a trust anchor)is being configured, and you’re specifying the key signing key (more on this later), you would check the Secure Entry Point (SEP) option in addition to the zone signing key. If you want to share your public key so that another organization or repository can add it as a trust anchor, that organization will need the content of the %systemroot%\System32\dns\keyset-<zone name> file, as you see in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Sharing the public key
Figure 3: Sharing the public key
This functionality isn’t between a DNS client (e.g., your workstation) and the authoritative DNS server for the lookup you’re performing. We can’t actually define trust anchors on a DNS client! In fact, even though I’ve been using the term DNS client, DNSSEC is actually more important between DNS servers. In the typical DNS-resolution flow, you ask your local DNS server and it recursively looks up the answer, so your DNS server is the component that needs to validate responses. In most environments, the client won’t perform DNSSEC validation; it relies on its DNS server to do that by asking the DNS server to use DNSSEC.
To provide maximum protection for end clients, best practice is to use IPsec to authenticate the data and perhaps encrypt communication between the client and the local DNS server. This method ensures no local corruption of data from the DNS server to the client.
To configure the DNS clients’ expectation of DNSSEC, you use the Name Resolution Policy Table (NRPT), which is what determines how security should be used for DNS, whether you have entries for various DNS namespaces (e.g., microsoft.com), whether DNSSEC validation is required for each namespace, and whether IPsec should be used between the client and its next DNS hop (i.e., the client’s local DNS server). You typically manage NRPT through Group Policy instead of trying to manually configure it across many clients. Figure 4 shows a sample policy. Note that you can base your NRPT on more than just the DNS suffix: You can use prefix, fully qualified domain name (FQDN), and subnet.
Figure 4: Specifying DNSSEC requirements for a DNS zone
Figure 4: Specifying DNSSEC requirements for a DNS zone
Now that you understand how DNSSEC ensures DNS responses are genuine, how do you get it? In the Microsoft world, you need your DNS servers to run Server 2008 R2 and your clients to run Windows 7, and because of the way DNSSEC functions, there are some restrictions on its use. You aren’t going to turn DNSSEC on for every record in your organization; you’ll use DNSSEC to secure records that are used with a wider, Internet-focused audience, such as your secure website address. A zone that is digitally signed with DNSSEC will no longer accept any dynamic updates, which most environments use for their hosts to register their host-to-IP mappings without any manual intervention. Therefore, you’ll create a separate zone to use for your secure records, in addition to a zone facing the Internet for dynamic updates. Every DNS server that hosts a copy of the signed zone must be running Server 2008 R2, and you need to ensure that your network can handle the increased DNS packet size that comes with DNSSEC enablement. For example, ensure that you have support for Extended DNS 0 (EDNS0), which permits DNS packets up to 4KB instead of the standard 512 bytes.
To enable DNSSEC on your Server 2008 R2 zones, you use DnsCmd utility to generate the key signing keys and zone signing keys, and store them in the local computer’s certificate store (MS-DNSSEC). The zone signing key (ZSK in the code below) signs all the records in the zone, and the key signing key (KSK in the code) signs only other keys, such as the ZSK. You also need to create the DNSSEC resource records at the root of the trust chain. To create my certificates, for example, I perform the following:
dnscmd /offlinesign /genkey /alg rsasha1 /flags KSK /length 2048 /zone secure.savilltech.com /SSCert /FriendlyName KSK- secure.savilltech.com
dnscmd /offlinesign /genkey /alg rsasha1 /length 2048 /zone secure.savilltech.com /SSCert /FriendlyName ZSK- secure.savilltech.com
For your AD-integrated zones, you need to export the zone to a file, sign the file-based zone with your certificates, and save to a new file. Then, you need to delete the existing zone, import the new signed zone file, and reset to be AD integrated. Here are the major steps I used in my environment after creating the aforementioned certificates:
dnscmd /zoneexport secure.savilltech.net securesavilltechnet.dns
dnscmd /offlinesign /signzone /input securesavilltechnet.dns /output securesavilltechnetsigned.dns /zone secure.savilltech.net /signkey /cert /friendlyname KSK-secure.savilltech.net /signkey /cert /friendlyname ZSK-secure.savilltech.netdnscmd /zonedelete secure.savilltech.net /dsdel /f
dnscmd /zoneadd secure.savilltech.net /primary /file securesavilltechnetsigned.dns /load
dnscmd /zoneresettype secure.savilltech.net /dsprimary
Figure 5 shows our various DNSSEC-related entries.
Figure 5: DNSSEC-related entries
Figure 5: DNSSEC-related entries
Implementing DNSSEC involves many steps, and keeping it running and ensuring that the keys are maintained is similarly time-consuming. The keys we created have a limited lifetime and need to be updated; if we have trust anchors configured, those public keys will change and therefore require updating. I strongly recommend reading the Microsoft article “Deploying DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC)”—at technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee649268(WS.10).aspx—a great step-by-step guide.
DNS Devolution
DNSSEC is probably the most famous Server 2008 R2 DNS feature, but there are some other useful enhancements. In environments that have a deep DNS namespace, it can sometimes be tricky to know the correct DNS suffix for an address. For example, in my environment, I know the host is called savdalfile01, but I’m a member of dallas.na.savilltech.net, and I’m not sure if savdalfile01 should be savdalfile01.dallas.na.savilltech.net, savdalfile01.na.savilltech.net, or savdalfile01.savilltech.net. In the past, we would define a global suffix list of all the DNS suffixes that should be tried when resolving a name.
Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 offers an update to a key feature—DNS Devolution—that lets DNS resolution requests traverse up the DNS namespace until a match is found or until a certain number of devolutions is reached. (Every move up the namespace to a parent is a devolution to one level above.) An example would be savdalfile01: With DNS Devolution enabled, when a client attempts to resolve savdalfile01, savdalfile01.dallas.na.savilltech.net would be initially queried, then it would be up to the parent to search for savdalfile01.na.savilltech.net. (It’s checking a third-level devolution because the DNS suffix has three parts—na, savilltech, and net). If there's no match, it's up to that zone's parent to look for savdalfile01.savilltech.net (which now has a devolution level of 2, as this DNS suffix has twoparts). Basically, it allows a member of a child namespace to access resources in the parent without having to specify the parent’s namespace as part of the DNS query.
New to the Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 DNS client is the ability to set a devolution level. As an administrator, you can define whether DNS devolution is enabled and which DNS devolution level you’ll devolve down to. For example, setting a devolution level of 2 means you would devolve down to the two-part Forest Root Domain (FRD) second-level domain (e.g., savilltech.net). Setting a devolution level of 3 means you would devolve only to the third-level DNS domain (e.g., na.savilltech.net).
You can configure DNS Devolution using Group Policy, through the Primary DNS Suffix Devolution and Primary DNS Suffix Devolution Level policies found at Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative\Templates\Network\DNS Client, as Figure 6 shows. You can also set DNS Devolution directly in the registry with the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\UseDomainNameDevolution and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Dnscache\Parameters\DomainNameDevolutionLevel subkeys.
Figure 6: Setting the DNS devolution level
Figure 6: Setting the DNS devolution level
This functionality is useful in environments that have multiple levels of DNS namespace. The Microsoft security advisory “Update for DNS Devolution” (www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/971888.mspx) offers an update for older versions of Windows.
DNS Cache Locking
At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that one DNS vulnerability was that DNS servers cache entries for recursive lookups (lookups for records they aren’t authoritative for, and for which they have to consult other DNS servers) they've performed to speed up future lookup requests for the same information. Those lookups have a specific time to live (TTL) before the record must be rechecked to see if it’s changed. The exploit uses DNS cache poisoning to send incorrect responses to a DNS server to try and update that cache so that clients using the server will receive incorrect information.
DNS Cache Locking is a new Server 2008 R2 feature that helps mitigate cache poisoning: It locks the entries in the cache for the record’s TTL. So, if someone tries to poison the cache with a replacement record, the DNS server will ignore it and thus maintain the integrity of the cache content.
To use Cache Locking, you set a percentage of the TTL of records that the cache content is locked for—for example, a setting of 75 means that cached records can’t be overwritten until 75 percent of their TTL has passed. The default value is 100, which means records can’t be updated until the TTL has expired. However, you can change this by setting’s registry value at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\DNS\Parameters\CacheLockingPercent to our desired percentage. Note that if this value isn’t present, the default of 100 is used.
More on the NRPT
I already discussed how the NRPT helps define the way clients and servers act for different DNS zone requests. You have numerous entries in the NRPT, and if a DNS query matches an entry in it, the query is handled according to the configuration of the matching NRPT entry. If no match is found, the system performs default DNS handling.
In addition to DNSSEC, the NRPT is used for one other key piece of Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 functionality—namely, DirectAccess, which is the new technology that lets Windows 7 clients communicate with corporate resources no matter where they are on the Internet, without having to use VPNs. The client just accesses a corporate resource, and DirectAccess facilitates secure communicate back to the corporate network.
This automatic use of DirectAccess to get to resources raises an important question: How does the Windows 7 client know which destinations in the corporate network should be accessed through DirectAccess and which should just use normal Internet connectivity? I don’t want my Amazon purchases to be sent via my corporate network when I’m sitting at home or at Starbucks.
This decision is based on the Name Resolution Policy Table and in the same way we can define DNSSEC actions for various DNS name and IP values we can do exactly the same thing for DirectAccess using the DirectAccess tab as shown in Figure 7. If you want to check a machine's Group Policy rules, you'll find them at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\DnsPolicyConfig. You can also create exceptions, which let you create general rules for an entire namespace but then treat a particular host or namespace portion differently.
Figure 7: Enabling the use of DirectAccess
Figure 7: Enabling the use of DirectAccess
Server 2008 R2 brings you a very powerful DNS service that adheres to some of the most recent specifications. You should definitely consider Server 2008 R2 DNS to be the secure release and use it to replace previous Microsoft DNS services to offer maximum protection. DNS is your trusted advisor to the computer world, so make sure it can really be trusted! |
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Home > English > Alternatives International Journal > 2011 > July 2011 > Moroccan Monarchy in the Arab Spring
Moroccan Monarchy in the Arab Spring
Friday 1 July 2011, by Anna Lekas Miller
Like many Arab revolutionaries before him, including Mohammad Bouazizi of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, Oussama Khlefi is young, highly educated, and unable to find work. He has a dual degree in information technology and business management, credentials that could earn him a lavish salary if he lived in Europe or even the United States, but currently lives with his parents in Salé (a small town outside of Rabat, Morocco), while picking up odd jobs in a vain attempt to earn and save money.
This is what pushed him and many others into the streets on February 20.
Like the many other uprisings across the Arab World, Morocco’s February 20th movement began as a response to the lethal combination of widespread government corruption and economic despair. Thousands of young people in Oussama’s position—young and educated recent graduates—are quickly realizing that their university degrees are meaningless in a desolate and corrupt economy.
Most of the country’s economic wealth is concentrated in the hands of King Mohammad VI and the royal family. Needless to say, it is hardly able to “trickle down,” and the few Moroccans who do have jobs making use of an advanced degree are most likely employed through a personal connection or blatant bribery. It is nearly impossible to enter the job market based on merit alone.
The bottom ninety-nine percent, those who are not connected to royalty or have extraneous money in their personal budget for bribes, remain chronically unemployed. They are like Oussama Khelfi: picking up odd jobs, living with their parents and unable to imagine a future of their own.
Idleness defines the Arab youth. Idleness becomes restlessness, restlessness becomes unrest and unrest becomes uprisings and possibilities for revolution.
Inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt and uprisings across the entire world, Morocco set a date—February 20th—and organized protests across all of Morocco’s major cities. The demonstrations began with few basic demands, mostly revolving around limiting the executive powers of the king. Moroccans wanted a representative government that was elected, rather than selected, and for the king to be a ceremonial rather than politically authoritative figure. As the protests began to generate momentum, these demands expanded to include the complete dissolution of the current parliament and government, the release of all political prisoners, and long overdue judicial proceedings to investigate well known, but never addressed cases of human rights violations and corruption.
In the words of Oussama Khlefi, “we want to be citizens, not subjects.”
Morocco is technically a constitutional monarchy, but shares many of the same characteristics of the sultanistic dictatorships of Tunisia and Egypt. Though power is allegedly balanced between King Mohammad VI and parliament, in practice it is highly concentrated in the hands of the king. He controls all legislative, judicial and religious decisions and hoards the lion’s share of the economy as the rest of the country falls into economic disrepair. The King has promised constitutional reforms and referendums a number of times, but previous empty promises make it difficult to believe that his proposed concessions of power will be fulfilled or generate changes in any meaningful way.
Despite the illusion of stability and a balance of powers, King Mohammad VI’s twelve year “ceremonial” rule has produced the same toxic effects as Ben Ali and Mubaraks’ kleptocratic dictatorships. Moroccans face the same soaring rates of unemployment, illiteracy and rural and urban poverty. Education and healthcare, though on paper free and accessible to all, often require similar personal connections and bribes as employment. Decades of these inescapable social hardships render descriptions like “pluralism” and “constitutional monarchy” meaningless.
Many Moroccans celebrated on Friday, June 17 when King Mohammad VI announced that he would reform his government to be elected, rather than royally selected and make the prime minister, rather than the king, the political authority of the government. They drove through the streets of Tangier, Fez, Rabat, and Casablanca honking horns, cheering and waving the Moroccan flag. Most international media seems to have latched onto the celebratory images as a victory of the Arab Spring, but is it?
On that Friday, King Mohammad VI announced a new constitution that “enshrines a citizenship-based monarchy.” The prime minister, rather than the king, will now be the “president of the government” and able to appoint officials and dissolve parliament. He will be democratically elected, rather than royally appointed, and preside over a parliament that oversees all legislative decisions. Still, the king will remain the ultimate religious authority, and be the ultimate power broker of military and security issues. There is no guarantee that corruption within the royal family will be examined or mitigated, making it quite possible that the economic conditions that pushed Moroccans to protest in the first place will remain stagnant.
Moroccans will be back in the streets.
Photo: Frankdouwes, Magharebia |
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• 33% of adults were unmarried
• 12% were disabled
• The youngest was 3 and the oldest was 67
• For 13 females, Tillie was the most common name
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What is the Museum about | El web de la ciutat de Barcelona
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What is the Museum about
The harps in Romanticism area, by Rafael Vargas
In March 2007, the Museu de la Música opened its doors to the public in the Auditori with a brand-new display of its instrument collections and musical documents.
The new permanent exhibition gathers nearly five-hundred instruments from various periods and cultures, a collection that is considered one of the most important in Spain. Structured into various fields and with audiovisual materials −music, images and text− the Museu de la Música invites visitors to acquaint themselves with the world of music in a direct and experiential way and to discover how throughout history, humankind has used music as a vehicle for communication and expression. The main tour path called Orpheus , begins with an introduction to the elements that constitute music and then continues with its evolution over time and space: it begins with ancient civilisation and covers the birth and diffusion of polyphony, Baroque, classicism, romanticism, new colours and the industry of sound in the 19th century as well as new styles and technologies from the 20th century. Key instruments and the guitar collection occupy a prominent place in the Museum as does the Catalan Musicians' Gallery. Running parallel to the collections is the exhibition «The Permanence of Sound» , which explains societies’ need to capture music using different supports that have changed over time − from the writing of music to the technological advances that have allowed for the recording and reproduction of sound. Finally, there is the Interactive Gallery, where visitors can handle objects, model instruments and real instruments to answer the question: “why does it make a sound?”».
The Museum offers visitors the chance to tour the permanent exhibition in a flexible manner guided by its various thematic itineraries. Orpheus is the name of the main itinerary and is designed for the general public. Little Orpheus is for school groups, families and other groups. Other monographs can be adapted to suit the specific requirements of different groups. These alternative audiovisual itineraries must be booked in advance and are offered in Catalan, Spanish and English.
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Home Serpae Tetra Fact Sheet
Serpae Tetra Fact Sheet
The Serpae Tetra, Hyphessobrycon eques or, Hyphessobrycon serpae is a very attractive little fish which comes from South America, from The Amazon, Guaporé and Paraguay Rivers. It has also been referred to as Hyphessobrycon callistus. Other common names are the “Blood Characin”, “Blood Tetra”, “Jewel Tetra”, “Red Minor Tetra” and the “Red Serpae”. The Serpae Tetra grows to about one and a half inches long (3.8 cm). It can live up to 7 years old.
Water Conditions
The Serpae Tetra is a tropical fish and is unsuitable for unheated aquariums unless they are kept somewhere that does not get cold. In the wild, Serpae tetras live in soft acidic water, but they will adjust happily to the conditions for a community aquarium with a temperature of 24 degrees C (75 degrees F), with a neutral pH and moderate hardness.
Like many Tetras, the Serpae Tetra is an easily fed omnivore. It will eat any normal aquarium food, I suggest that it be fed a variety of food in different form, including flakes, pellets, frozen food like Blood Worms, and live food like wrigglers or daphnia when these are available. They are not big fish, and do not need a huge amount of food, so a high quality fish food is well worth getting.
The Serpae Tetra has the reputation of being a minor fin nipper. This slight tendency can be reduced by keeping them in as school of at least six, and in a reasonable sized aquarium (I suggest at least two feet (60 cm) long.) In these conditions they will not cause trouble to most fish, but I would not keep them with long finned and slow moving fish like Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies of Endlers Guppies.
Avoid large aggressive or predatory fish with Serpae Tetras. As with animals in general, try to keep some similarity in sizes of creatures which are kept together.
It is not easy to determine the sex of Serpae tetras, but when in breeding condition, the female will be more rounded.
The Serpae Tetra is considered to be one of the easier Tetras to breed. The fish should be conditioned beforehand with rich foods, preferably including live foods.
The Breeding Tank should have some plants including ones with fine leaves. The water should be soft and slightly acidic.
The parents will eat the eggs and babies, so it is usual to remove them after spawning. The eggs should hatch in 24-28 hours. The fry can be fed on infusoria (protozoa), fine commercial fry foods and hard boiled egg yolk suspended in water. Live foods will encourage growth of the babies at all stages.
Pest Fish
Do not allow your pets to get into an environment that they are not native to.
I am grateful for the valuable information in the following sources: and
Steve Challis
Long Finned Serpae Tetra
Photo by Luke Underwood. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license. |
March 3rd, 2011 by jeremychone
But before describing the sides, there are two important characteristics to understand about HTML.
1. Living specification: HTML is a living specification, and while our current iteration has been labeled the 5th version for historical and social-engineering reasons, the right way to look at HTML5 is as HTML. There is no release date on HTML5, nor will there be an HTML6—HTML is it.
2. Implementation over specification: HTML is one of the rare technologies in which implementation is ahead of (final) specification. HTML and CSS are designed to be forward and backward compatible, so older browsers can ignore newer constructs while modern ones will go as far as fully optimizing newer ones. In other words, HTML is evolving at the pace of its major implementers, not of the standards body. The good news is that HTML5 has built a tremendous consensus and competition around its specification that has accelerated its convergence (except for video).
With these two points in mind, we can now visualize each of the three sides on a real or perceive capabilities scale.
1) Specification
The first HTML5 side is the official HTML5 specification. This is the side that moves the slowest (although much faster than a few years ago) but is an important piece of the puzzle because it rubber stamps finalized parts of the specification, allowing implementers to keep innovating on other parts.
Many HTML5/HTML detractors, or even some W3C specification purists, will often pointed out that HTML5 is not ready because the HTML5 specification is not finalized. Obviously, this is a misunderstanding of the web market or an FUD strategy, since most of the browsers nowadays, especially on mobile, already implement many HTML5 features. For older browsers (IE and others), many fallback strategies allow bringing HTML5 experiences into HTML4 browsers. Thus, developers should be pragmatic and target HTML5 first, and then work on fallback strategies.
Telling developers to not target HTML5 because the specification is not finalized is like saying that nobody should speak English because we might add some new words to its vocabulary.
2) Implementation
The second HTML5 side is implementation, and this is probably what has really changed over the last couple of years. We are seeing huge momentum from the biggest software companies behind HTML. While in the ’90s the browser war involved only two companies and was eventually won by Microsoft with a very clever embrace-and-extend strategy, nowadays HTML has more and bigger players than ever, and has even forced Microsoft to return to the game.
One of the unique characteristics of this new competitive landscape is that all players compete on performance and compliance, rather than trying to fork the specification to their own needs. This dynamic is creating an unprecedented convergence and opportunities for developers to maximize their application reach without compromising performance or the richness of the user’s experience.
There is only one major exception to this massive convergence, and this is video. Apple and Microsoft are fully embracing H.264, while Mozilla and Google are pushing for an open alternative. Luckily, Mobile H.264 is the defacto standard and is natively supported, and on PCs, Flash is a pragmatic fallback strategy. Consequently, the lack of consensus on video format for HTML5 is not such a big issue from a pragmatic standpoint.
3) Hype
Hype is the entertaining and frustrating side to watch. Somehow, people have associated HTML5 with this mystic new specification that is something completely new and can beat anything invented so far, but will be ready in a very distant future. Both sides are wrong, and this claim is usually made by HTML detractors or non-developers.
Here are some of myths flying around about HTML5:
• HTML5 can do anything better and faster that Flash can.
• HTML5 can play video faster than Flash (implying that HTML5 is a video codec).
• HTML5 specification will be complete in 2022.
• Developers should wait to code HTML5 until HTML5 specifications are finalized.
• HTML5 does not work with HTML4.
All these are misinterpretation of the facts, and often come from either a misunderstanding of the technology or just as a FUD technique against (or even for) HTML5.
The truth is that HTML5 is HTML, and HTML is a living specification. HTML5 adds some very innovative and powerful constructs to HTML, but HTML technologies (HTML, CSS, JS) are designed to be backward and forward compatible. This means that developers can start using HTML5/CSS3 today and implement fallback strategies when necessary.
In fact, most HTML5 functionalities that really matter for applications can be done in HTML4. It won’t be as optimized as it could be, but fortunately, these optimizations matter most on mobile and tablet devices that have great HTML5 supports.
Finally, it is important to note that HTML5 is not better at everything than Flash. Eventually it will get there, but Flash is a very mature and powerful “graphic and animation” runtime for PC web applications such as games. However, given that HTML5 is very well supported in mobile devices, and that HTML5/HTML4 graphic performance is more than adequate for interactive visual components (such as charting), HTML is often the best bet to maximize application reach and richness while minimizing code duplication. As for games, most of the time native SDK is the right answer anyway.
To conclude, to have a realistic understanding at HTML5, we need to completely ignore the hype and look at the traction on the implementation side and how it complies to the specification. The great benefit of HTML is that when the latest functionalities are not available in a particular browser, there is always a decent and workable fallback strategy (e.g., jQuery for animation, Flash for PC web video, IE-CSS-Filters for gradient and effects, exCanvas for IE-2d).
Don’t listen to the hype, and start embracing HTML in its full glory and build some amazing applications. Google did it—we can too!
One Response to “The Three Sides of HTML5, and the Only One That Matters.”
1. Quora Says:
When will HTML5 hit critical mass across devices (>50%)?…
If you include smart phone like android and iOS devices, then the HTML5 support is very high.
Also, remember, HTML5 is HTML, so, in many ways, you can do already do a lot with HTML”4″ and just optimize for HTML5/CSS3.
So, HTML is the safest and … |
"In the empyreal heaven as father chosen"
(Canto 2, line 21)
The "empyreal heaven" is the abode of God, variously referred to as the tenth circle of heaven or the highest heaven. The Empyrean is immobile, surrounding nine layers of circling heavens: the Moon heaven, the Mercury heaven, the Venus heaven, the Sun heaven, the Mars heaven, the Jupiter heaven, the Saturn heaven, the heaven of Fixed Stars, and the Crystalline heaven or Primum Mobile. Dante discusses this cosmology at length in Book 2, chapter 3 of his Convivio. Dante's system is a little bit different from the classical Ptolemaic system, where it is assumed that nine heavens circle around the earth, immobile at the centre. Dante seems to view things more theologically. |
Things Fall Apart Essay Topics & Writing Assignments
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Essay Topic 1
In the Igbo culture, there are feminine and masculine crimes.
1) Describe the difference between feminine and masculine crimes.
2) Which is considered more severe by the people and why?
3) Which of the two crimes did Okonkwo commit and what was his punishment?
Essay Topic 2
1) Give three examples from the novel when Okonkwo uses poor impulse control.
2) Summarize the clan's reaction to the events.
3) Analyze the consequences of Okonkwo's actions.
Essay Topic 3
1) Compare and contrast the characters of Mr. Brown and Reverend Smith.
2) Summarize the impact each character had on the native culture.
3) In your opinion, which character is the most effective? Defend your stance.
Essay Topic 4
Evaluate the evidence presented to the egwugwu in the case of Mgbafo and Uzowlulu. Do you think the testimony given by each side is convincing? Defend or criticize the verdict of the egwugwu.
Essay Topic 5
1) What are some of the differences...
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