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Sentinel Lymph Node Analysis in Breast Cancer Treatment
WHAT IS A LYMPH NODE?
Lymph nodes are little glands that lie along the lymph channels and serve to trap infections in the body. These are the small vessel-like structures that carry the fluid (lymph) from body tissues away to be filtered. These are the "glands" that feel swollen in the neck when you or your child has a sore throat. These glands in your armpit are where breast cancer tends to spread first.
WHAT IS SENTINEL LYMPH NODE ANALYSIS?
Sentinel lymph node study is a new cancer diagnostic procedure. It aims to look at the most likely first spread of breast cancer. It involves looking at the lymph node or nodes where breast cancer is likely to travel next.
A small amount of blue dye and radioactive tracer are injected around the tumor in the breast. The dye and tracer follow the same path that a spreading cancer would be likely to follow. With the use of a Geiger counter, the radioactive tracer can be located in the lymph node that is the gatekeeper to other lymph nodes in the armpit. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node in a chain of lymph nodes that drain the lymph from the breast. The blue dye enables the surgeon to identify this sentinel node. This node can be removed and examined. If no cancer is found in this node, no further removal of lymph nodes is recommended. In this case, the spread of cancer to the other lymph nodes is rare. This eliminates any more surgery in the armpit and risk of complications.
If the lymph node shows spread of the cancer from the breast, the other lymph nodes in the armpit are removed and analyzed. This helps the doctor and patient decide how much more surgery is needed and if chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment is necessary following the surgery.
The pathology tests for this procedure are much more sensitive than was previously available.
This technique is thought to be a major improvement in the treatment of breast cancer.
This procedure allows many patients to avoid the effects of more extensive underarm lymph node removal and risk of complications (infection, bleeding, or severe arm swelling).
Survival rates from breast cancer are better and the risk of complications isreduced. | <urn:uuid:8c3d9a6f-9eb7-4913-8f98-47244514191b> | CC-MAIN-2014-15 | http://www.sw.org/HealthLibrary?page=Sentinel%20Lymph%20Node%20Analysis%20in%20Breast%20Cancer%20Treatment | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-15/segments/1398223201753.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20140423032001-00092-ip-10-147-4-33.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931812 | 476 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Marie Curie might be the single most important female scientist in history.
[Image Courtesy of Wikimedia]
Were she alive today, Curie would be celebrating her 149th birthday.
In her 67 years, the scientific superhero became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. She's also the only woman to win the award in two distinct categories - both physics and chemistry.
Marie and her husband Pierre initially worked separately in the lab. Marie became intrigued by Henri Becquerel's discovery of uranium cast-off rays. She took his work one step further by conducting her own experiments on uranium rays.
She discovered the rays remained constant despite the uranium's form. This idea singlehandedly created the field of atomic physics. From her discovery came the word "radioactivity" to describe her findings. Even after Marie and Pierre had a child in 1897, their work showed no signs of slowing down.
Pierre joined Marie in her studies of radioactivity. They used the mineral pitchblende and discovered a new radioactive element in 1898, named polonium (after Marie's native Poland). It was Curie's synthesis of a decigram of pure radium that gave her celebrity.
According to SciShow's Hank Green:
"Popular culture has not yet designed a female superhero that was more bad-ass than the actual Marie Curie. She was a supergenius.... a super patriot...selfless, a total workhorse. She didn't care what the world thought of her, and ultimately she left the world a better place."
The Nobel Prize
In 1903, Marie Curie became the first woman to ever win the Nobel Prize in physics. Her husband and Becquerel also won the honor. The Curies became known internationally as scientific innovators. They used their prize money to continue researching radioactivity.
[Image Courtesy of Wikimedia]
The Curies suffered personal tragedy in 1906 after Pierre was killed in an accident. Marie took over his position at teaching at the Sorbonne and became the school's first female professor.
She won the 1911 Nobel Prize in chemistry for her discoveries of radium and polonium. She became the first scientist to win two Nobel Prizes.
Curie joined the likes of Albert Einstein and Max Planck and attended the first Solvay Congress in Physics.
When World War I began in 1914, Curie dedicated herself to the cause. She developed portable X-Ray machines for field medics. The vehicles became known as "little Curies."
After the War, she went to the United States twice (1921 and 1929) to buy radium and establish a radium research facility in Warsaw.
A Fight for Education
Despite her obvious brilliance, Curie encountered several hindrances due to her gender. She was the top student in her secondary school. However, she couldn't attend the University of Warsaw due to her being female.
She pursued higher education at a "floating university," clandestine, informal courses. Curie and her sister made a pact to support each other in getting education abroad. For five years, Curie supported her sister by being a tutor and governess.
Curie finally enrolled at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1891, completing a master's degree in physics by 1893. She earned another master's degree in mathematics in 1894. | <urn:uuid:f44f93fd-d4e2-4ccd-beee-0e0e9c501153> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | https://interestingengineering.com/happy-birthday-marie-curie | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370494349.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20200329140021-20200329170021-00247.warc.gz | en | 0.973275 | 682 | 3.71875 | 4 |
As a break from grading exams over the last couple of weeks, I worked my way through Peter Brown’s immense new work, Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome, and the Making of Christianity in the West (Princeton 2012). Brown is the greatest living historian of late antiquity, and in this work he sets out to show how the Christian church gradually attracted the rich and powerful in the century or so following the conversion of Constantine. According to Brown, it was Christianity’s ability to attract the Roman super rich, rather than the moderately wealthy people who had made up the bulk of the pre-Constantinian church, that really “marks the turning point in the Christianization of Europe” — not the conversion of Constantine itself, which had little immediate effect on Roman society. It’s a useful lesson for law and religion scholars, who tend to assume, the way lawyers do, that official acts like Constantine’s are the most important force in social change. Brown’s erudition is incredible and the book offers many insights about late Roman culture and society. Many readers will love the immersion in the past — though, candidly, some might think Brown’s obsessive attention to detail occasionally detracts from the sweep of his narrative. Here’s the publisher’s description:
Jesus taught his followers that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Yet by the fall of Rome, the church was becoming rich beyond measure. Through the Eye of a Needle is a sweeping intellectual and social history of the vexing problem of wealth in Christianity in the waning days of the Roman Empire, written by the world’s foremost scholar of late antiquity.
Peter Brown examines the rise of the church through the lens of money and the challenges it posed to an institution that espoused the virtue of poverty and called avarice the root of all evil. Drawing on the writings of major Christian thinkers such as Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome, Brown examines the controversies and changing attitudes toward money caused by the influx of new wealth into church coffers, and describes the spectacular acts of divestment by rich donors and their growing influence in an empire beset with crisis. He shows how the use of wealth for the care of the poor competed with older forms of philanthropy deeply rooted in the Roman world, and sheds light on the ordinary people who gave away their money in hopes of treasure in heaven.
Through the Eye of a Needle challenges the widely held notion that Christianity’s growing wealth sapped Rome of its ability to resist the barbarian invasions, and offers a fresh perspective on the social history of the church in late antiquity. | <urn:uuid:20feae5e-5fd6-4e24-9e38-7f409de43682> | CC-MAIN-2014-15 | http://clrforum.org/2013/01/03/brown-through-the-eye-of-a-needle/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-15/segments/1398223206770.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20140423032006-00098-ip-10-147-4-33.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952643 | 561 | 2.578125 | 3 |
The rise in demand for energy and decline in oil and gas production from depleting conventional reserves have forced the world to move toward unconventional reserves of oil and gas such as shale oil, shale gas, tight oil, and tight gas. The extraction of hydrocarbons from these sources have increased, due to combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing or hydraulic fracking is a process wherein fracking fluids are injected at a high pressure into the wellbore to fracture the formation reservoir rocks to help hydrocarbons move freely out of the formation.
Water is the primarily used fracking fluid that contains sand and other proppants suspended in the water with the help of thickening agents. However, factors such as legislations regarding the usage of water as a fracking fluid, sensitivity of the formation to water, and water hampering the gas production from reservoir call for using alternative fluids for hydraulic fracturing. Alternative fluids are not water-based and hence, require less or no water consumption. They also cause less damage to formations that are water-sensitive and hence are becoming popular among the operators.
Based on the base used, the alternative fluids for hydraulic fracturing market can be segmented into foam-based, oil-based, acid-based, alcohol-based, emulsion-based, and other fluids. Foams are being consistently used in the oil & gas industry due to their low liquid content and high viscosity. Foam-based fluids are considered as one of the best alternative fluids for hydraulic fracturing. These fluids are generally beneficial for liquid-rich gas wells. They can be easily used in gas-bearing, water-sensitive reservoirs, wherein water blockage could be a major concern. Oil-based alternative fluids were the first high-viscosity fracturing fluids to be used in hydraulic fracturing. The major advantage of these fluids is their compatibility with almost all types of reservoirs and formations. Acid-based alternative fluids etch channels into rocks, which function as walls for created fractures. These fluids require the reservoir rocks to be partially soluble in acid so that the acid can etch channels into fractured walls. Generally, methanol-based fluid is used as an alcohol-based alternative fluid, due to its various advantages such as bio-degradability and fluid properties. A variety of emulsion-based fluids are being developed and used as fracking fluids today. Other fluids generally include liquid CO2, liquid natural gas, liquid nitrogen, and liquid helium. The market for alternative fluids for hydraulic fracturing can also be segmented on the basis of location into onshore fields and offshore fields.
Based on region, the alternative fluids for hydraulic fracturing market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific. North America is expected to dominate the global market during the forecast period, primarily due to ongoing shale activities in the U.S. Asia Pacific is expected to be the rapidly expanding market during the forecast period, due to large-sized, technically recoverable reserves of shale and coal-bed methane in China, India, Australia, and Indonesia. Various policy support for the explorations could boost the investments into the market. The market in the other countries such as Argentina, Russia, Iran, Algeria, and Poland are also likely to witness significant growth during the forecast period, due to increase in the ongoing activities related to unconventional reserves, primarily shale gas.
Some of the key players operating in the alternative fluids for hydraulic fracturing market are Halliburton Co., Chemtotal, Schlumberger Limited, Praxair Technology Inc., Canyon Technical Services Ltd., and Air Products.
The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.
The study is a source of reliable data on:
- Market segments and sub-segments
- Market trends and dynamics
- Supply and demand
- Market size
- Current trends/opportunities/challenges
- Competitive landscape
- Technological breakthroughs
- Value chain and stakeholder analysis
The regional analysis covers:
- North America (U.S. and Canada)
- Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)
- Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)
- Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)
- Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)
- Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)
The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industry’s value chain.
A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.
Highlights of the report:
- A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market
- Important changes in market dynamics
- Market segmentation up to the second or third level
- Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume
- Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments
- Market shares and strategies of key players
- Emerging niche segments and regional markets
- An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market
- Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the market
Note: Although care has been taken to maintain the highest levels of accuracy in TMR’s reports, recent market/vendor-specific changes may take time to reflect in the analysis. | <urn:uuid:e99c701d-3913-4c67-8584-5696176e3e58> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/alternative-fluids-for-hydraulic-fracturing-market.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370494331.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20200329105248-20200329135248-00219.warc.gz | en | 0.930936 | 1,262 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Bacteria called Rhizobium can grow in association with wattles. They can be seen as little bumps on the roots, called nodules. This partnership enables the wattle to absorb the essential nutrient nitrogen from air spaces in the soil. Wattles are able to obtain this nitrogen and use it to make plant tissue. This is why wattles are able to grow well in otherwise poor soils.
How can humans make use of this?
Wattle you know wattle you do?
- Pull up one of those wattle seedlings you will be growing and look for nodules | <urn:uuid:cb633484-cb8d-4a0d-a899-264961851cfc> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | http://worldwidewattle.com/schools/bacteria.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579251705142.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20200127174507-20200127204507-00132.warc.gz | en | 0.946855 | 119 | 3.71875 | 4 |
Actor and Director in Rehearsal and Performance
A Collaborative Relationship
At the heart of any good film is the script. But the script is only a written story and doesn’t truly come to life until interpreted and rendered by the director and the actors. And it is the work of the director and actors that brings life to the characters, to the story and allows the audience a personal experience.
In this unique and demanding workshop ten directors and twenty actors are taken through a process that has two tracks. First, we are all breaking down, analyzing, rehearsing and performing scenes from one script. Second, we are exploring the delicate working process between actors and directors. If the working process between actors and directors is not productive, collaborative, healthy and supportive, then the work will suffer. Actors and directors have different needs, objectives, visions and vocabularies. The more they learn to communicate in an open and challenging environment, the more they will be able to access the range of their talent.
Areas and skills covered in The Actor and Director in Rehearsal and Performance:
- Script Analysis
- Character Development
- Objectives and Obstacles
- Creating objectives and obstacles that enhance the scene
- The Character Arc in a scene
- Communicating with the Actor
- Communicating with the Director
- Improvisations and Rehearsal Exercises
- The Actor’s POV vs. The Director’s POV
- The Tool of Staging
- The Actor/Character Split
- The Actor/Character Meld
The Schedule. Three day workshop. Actors and directors will participate in slightly different tracks culminating in the Rehearsal Workshop on the third day.
Director’s Track. A program that explores the director’s role in bringing a film to life, especially through the work with the script, characters and the actors. Each director is assigned one scene from the selected script and on the third day of the workshop will apply rehearsal and directing techniques that have been discussed and demonstrated during the first two days.
Actor’s Track. A program that explores the actor’s process of preparation for rehearsal and performance. Each actor is assigned one scene from the selected script and on the third day of the workshop will, in rehearsal, apply the character development and rehearsal techniques that have been demonstrated in the first two days.
Number of days: 3 (minimum)
Number of Participants: 10 directors, 20 actors | <urn:uuid:51b7995e-7435-4ddf-8f98-d54fa896ae6d> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | http://www.markwtravis.com/teaching/current-workshops/actor-and-director-in-rehearsal-and-performance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347413406.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20200531120339-20200531150339-00350.warc.gz | en | 0.943787 | 510 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Soil contamination has become a major problem because of the large amounts of man made pollutants and chemicals that have been put into the environment. The ways that soil contamination occurs varies. However regardless of how the soil contamination happens pollution of the environment is a serious problem not only for the environment but also for people because the presence of soil contamination endangers’ individual health. Individual health can be damaged because of touching the soil, because of breathing the air in the area where the soil is, or because of the ground water being contaminated as a direct result of the soil contamination.
Companies dumping pollutants is not the only way that soil contamination occurs. There are also cases where things happen such as underground tanks rupturing. At any rate the contamination might involve pesticides, hydrocarbons, metals, industrial solvents, oil dumping, or wastes from landfills. This is not an exhaustive list but it is an example of the pollutants that contaminate the environment.
The following are specific examples of the potential harm that soil contamination can cause. For example chlorine solvents can cause kidney damage, liver damage, and central nervous system damage. Some pesticides are known to cause cancer. Benzene in sufficient amounts is reportedly associated with the occurence of leukemia. Lead is reportedly dangerous for children and can cause damage to the brain and kidneys. In fact some chemicals that cause soil contamination can even cause a person to die.
Before the 1970’s there was comparatively less awareness of the potential problems that soil contamination could cause. However since that time in the United States there have been efforts to clean up the soil. In fact Superfund implemented rules which indicated that there would be legal liability for soil contamination. Thousands of sites were identified as needing to be cleaned up. And reportedly at this time it is estimated that there are still many thousands of sites where soil clean up is needed.
But despite the fact that there are many sites that need cleaning companies do not always cooperate with these clean up efforts. When companies dump pollutants and when this sort of thing results in soil contamination often the companies involved are aware that they are causing environmental problems. But they go ahead and dump pollutants into the environment anyway because it is easier to do that and retain more profit than it is to take extra steps to help prevent soil contamination.
Sadly when soil contamination happens in some cases people may start to suffer consequences before they even realize what is happening. For example if the groundwater is contaminated that can impact food and drinking water and so people could be potentially ingesting toxins for years and they might not know it. Some individuals do realize that their illness symptoms are associated with soil contamination and they seek help. However some individuals suffer quietly for years before seeking legal help and medical help for their symptoms.
How does Groundwater Contamination Happen?
Groundwater contamination can have a variety of deleterious effects on a person’s health, such as contracting diseases such as dysentery or hepatitis, poisoning from various toxins that may have leached into water supplies, and increased even cancer risks from certain synthetic compounds. In fact, even using contaminated groundwater to irrigate crops can result in poisoned food, as demonstrated in India, where people became sick after eating food grown in water exposed to heavy metals from a nearby distillery. Given that groundwater is the main source of potable water for many people, it is crucial to understand the various ways in which groundwater contamination may occur.
There are many potential sources of groundwater contamination, in both urban and areas. Storage tanks for oil, gasoline, and other liquid chemicals are one common source of contamination; in the United States alone there is estimated to be 10 million storage tanks buried underground, some of which are quite old. As these tanks age, they corrode, and the chemicals inside can leak out and contaminate the water table nearby. Septic tanks and systems in both urban and rural areas, if improperly built or maintained, can infect groundwater with dangerous bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Septic systems are used to carry waste away from buildings and into storage areas, and some estimates state that up to 1% of all groundwater in the United States have been contaminated by faulty septic systems.
Hazardous waste sites are normally located somewhat farther from human habitations, but they are normally used to store highly dangerous or even radioactive materials, so their effects on groundwater can be far-reaching. Although most sites are well-regulated, an estimated 20,000 hazardous waste sites in the United States are abandoned or undercontrolled, meaning that, over time, the storage tanks holding these highly toxic compounds could corrode and seep into water without anyone becoming aware of it until the negative effects on people are seen.
Dumps and landfills, while necessary to control solid waste in all areas, are an inevitable source of groundwater contamination. Most landfills have a protective bottom layer to prevent waste from spilling out into groundwater, but older landfills may not even have a layer, and a cracked layer can allow corrosive or hazardous compounds such as battery acid, paint, or cleaning products to leak into groundwater, and some government estimates state that 0.1-0.4% of total usable water in the United States are already contaminated by faulty or nonexistent landfill linings.
Runoff from chemicals such as pesticides used on private and public lands, and road salts applied to icy roads can be another way groundwater contamination happens. At least 32 states were found to have toxic levels of pesticides in their groundwater according to United States Government surveys. Road salts are generally poisonous, and during periods of heavy icing can be raised from normal levels of 2-3 mg/L to over 100 mg/L in urban areas, drastically increasing the risk of contamination.
Approximately 5-10 million people around the world become sick from conditions related to contaminated water, and the facts show that Americans are not immune to the problem of chemicals and pathogens in our groundwater.
What Is Atrazine?
Before understanding the legal ramifications of Atrazine and how injured victims can seek justice, it is important to answer the question, What is Atrazine?
Atrazine is an herbicide that is widely used around the world to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. Typically you will see this type of weed killer applied to crops that consist of corn and soybean. In addition, it is sometimes used on pineapple, sugarcane, and sorghum, as well as tree farms. It is a weed killer that is used in around 80 different countries, and is considered the most used of all herbicides. It can be found under many different brands such as AAtrex and Atratol.
Atrazine is the pesticide most used in the U.S., and is primarily found throughout the Midwest. Atrazine was used to treat as much as 64,000,000 acres of farm land in 1990 alone. According to the EPA, and the regulation of Atrazine concluded in 1992, the maximum level of Atrazine allowed in the water system is 3 ppb (parts per billion).
Due to its high use and potential for runoff into the groundwater, testing must be routinely done on the local groundwater to make sure that it is not contaminated. Despite these tight restrictions, groundwater has been contaminated by Atrazine in many areas. There are dire health concerns that are connected to the contamination of Atrazine and groundwater as it is the number two pesticide that is detected during the EPA’s drinking water survey.
In many states the use of Atrazine has been banned due to the fact that the local well water is already above the 3 ppb as specified in the law. These states include Wisconsin, New York, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Delaware. This has had great health ramifications in these areas as Atrazine has been connected as a possible cause for menstrual problems, low birth weights in babies, and even human birth defects. This is above and beyond the local damage that is done to other animals that are not specifically targeted by the pesticide.
To be safe and reduce your risk to the potential problems associated with Atrazine contamination and poisoning, it is suggested to drink bottled water and have your home water tested on a regular basis for water contaminants. It is especially important to complete routine water tests if you use well water and live near highly agricultural areas.
If you live in one of these areas and have suffered from any of these ailments, then there is a chance that you could be the victim of Atrazine contamination. Due to the possible health side effects and groundwater contamination, Atrazine has been banned from the European Union and many have called for the same to be done in the US. Recent 2009 studies have shown that even the current concentration levels of this pesticide that are allowed under US law may be dangerous to the general public.
It is important to seek legal counsel if you have been affected by the health problems that have been connected to Atrazine poisoning of well and groundwater.
What is MTBE?
MTBE stands for methyl tert butyl ether. It is a chemical that is used as a catalyst to release oxygen molecules in gasoline and increase the octane number. When it was discovered that MTBE in gasoline spills could contaminate large areas containing ground water, it was discontinued as an additive to gasoline. However, the environmental damage has already been done.
Online sources estimate that, at least, 200,000 barrels of MTBE were produced in 1999. Storage tanks throughout the United States of MTBE containing gasoline tanks were leaking MTBE from underground gasoline tanks. MTBE was banned as an additive to gasoline; however, MTBE has already contaminated drinking water in many states. Two areas cited are Lake Tahoe and Santa Monica.
Production of MTBE has also declined in Europe, but it is said that MTBE will still be produced and added to gasoline in parts of the world who are not aware of its drinking water contamination properties. The problem is that MTBE is not considered a cancer causing agent although its presence in drinking water can be smelled and tasted. It’s use as a gasoline additive was simply that it allows gasoline to be consumed cleaner and with less knocking that without MTBE and it also lowers carbon monoxide emissions from cars and trucks that burn gasoline.
In 1990, The Clean Air Act was passed to allow for oxygenators like MTBE to be mixed with gasoline because it lowers carbon monoxide emissions. What happened beginning in 1999 was the problem caused by discovering MTBE in drinking water. The Environmental Protective Agency in September of 1999 reported in its Blue Ribbon Panel on Oxygenates in Gasoline the detection of anywhere from 5% to 10% contamination of local drinking water supplies.
In March of 2000, they found that 9000 communities in the United States had drinking water that was contaminated by MTBE. The EPA administrator, Carol Browner, in March of 2000 promised to ban MTBE as a fuel additive. But, the EPA has yet to report on the level of MTBE contamination of drinking water. The problem is that the science done on testing MTBE shows that as a possible carcinogen, large quantities of MTBE must be present in the drinking water that a person consumes.
Aside from the leakage of MTBE into drinking water from leaky underground gas pipes, breathing or touching the additive from gas spills at gas stations or other places where gasoline is used can also be harmful to the individual thus exposed.
MTBE has been scientifically studied since 1979 as a possible carcinogen. Tests on laboratory animals proved that MTBE at high levels of contamination caused lymphomas and leukemias. Breathing MTBE on a constant level caused cancers of the kidneys, liver, testicles and the females uterus. Although subsequent studies showed the increase in kidney cancers and testicle cancers in laboratory rats exposed to high concentrations of MTBE, The International Agency for Cancer Research did not list the additive as a carcinogen. The EPA has followed suit with the IACR, but some communities especially in California are suing to have the gas companies pay to have MTBE removed from their drinking water.
What is Perchlorate and why is it a problem?
Perchlorate is a chemical compound made from chlorine and oxygen and can be found in nature and is also man made. It is a by product of many manufacturing processes as well as a direct byproduct of munitions testing and rocket fuel. Fireworks, air bag inflation systems and nuclear power plants all use Perchlorate. It is a strong chemical compound and will remain in the environment long after exposure. Perchlorate has been associated with thyroid function problems and has been determined by the CDC as a threat to women of childbearing years and small children.
The Center for Disease Control has issued a statement in the beginning of 2009 stating that Perchlorate has been found in the drinking water supplies in 35 states and has been found to be in the food supply. Farmers who irrigate their crops with this groundwater are finding high levels of the chemical in the crops they produce. This is especially true in produce that contains a high level of water in its makeup such as lettuce. Studies in California have found high contamination levels in the milk that is being produced in the area. Further testing is being conducted around the country to determine the extent of the contamination. As of December 2009, the Colorado River has the largest amount of contamination from Perchlorate. This is a very serious problem since the Colorado River is the main source of drinking and irrigation water in the western states. Contamination is not limited to this area and has been found in places such as Massachusetts and Texas.
The EPA and the CDC has determined that this chemical is very dangerous to women of childbearing years because it is an iodine suppressant. Iodine is a necessary component to thyroid function. Without iodine your thyroid will not work which is especially dangerous in pregnant women. Thyroid function and iodine levels are critical in pregnant women to help correct fetal development. This is one reason that pregnant women take prenatal vitamins throughout pregnancy to ensure that they have enough iodine in their system. Lack of iodine during fetal development can lead to severe and irreversible birth defects.
Perchlorate poisoning has the same symptoms as hypothyroidism and can be a direct cause of that problem. Lower IQ, developmental problems both physically and mentally and growth problems have all been associated with overexposure to this chemical. Speech, hearing and some vision problems have also been related to thyroid suppression and energy/metabolism problems may also be at risk. The state of Massachusetts has determined that exposure to this chemical is such a large risk after finding it in their groundwater that they have enacted stricter regulations than even the EPA has on record. This state has determined that even bathing in this contaminated water may pose a risk, especially in small children, since there is a possibility of swallowing the contaminated water. There is also risk associated with inhaling dust that contains high amounts of this chemical compound. Dust contamination occurs at work places that put off a lot of this compound as a byproduct of their manufacturing process. Rubber production, enamel paint and even leather tanning companies all have high exposure to this compound.
If you feel that you have suffered from Perchlorate poisoning contact our Law Firm for a free perchlorate case evaluation.
Health Effects of Groundwater Contamination
Please read our detailed review of all the possible health effects associated with groundwater contamination.
What To Do If You’ve Been Affected…
In some cases it may be difficult to know if you’re suffering from soil contamination, but if you suspect that you or a family member has developed a health problem as a result of soil contamination or if you or a family member has had any other kind of problem associated with soil contamination, please contact our law firm for a free soil contamination case evaluation. | <urn:uuid:0226fb71-c8d6-4b3e-89a7-67fb8be3bc37> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://www.gblawyers.com/blog/groundwater-soil-contamination/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347396495.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20200528030851-20200528060851-00360.warc.gz | en | 0.969395 | 3,220 | 3.40625 | 3 |
Forgiveness is a growing issue in a world that’s struggling with the personal impact of current and recent wars, domestic violence, theft, betrayal, deceit, abuse and murder. The list doesn’t stop there, because what needs to be forgiven covers every human wrong—what the Bible terms “sin.” And that troubling word is one reason to agree on terminology from the start. Without that, clarity about forgiveness and related issues from a biblical perspective will be impossible to achieve. Without a common language, the best we’ll do is to talk at cross purposes.
Just what does the Bible say about sin, repentance and forgiveness? Who does the forgiving—God, the victim, both? What does it mean to go the other way (repent)? And what exactly is sin?
Defining sin is central to sorting out what needs to be forgiven, why, how and by whom. The early New Testament Church leaders have much to say about the subject, and the basis of their understanding is the Hebrew Scriptures and the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. The apostle John puts it this way: “All wrongdoing is sin” (1 John 5:17). Another translation of the New Testament Greek has “unrighteousness” for wrongdoing. That’s to say, sin is the opposite of righteousness, or counter to the way God would do things if He were here.
“All wrongdoing is sin.”
John also tells us that “everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). In other words, whatever is not in accord with God’s established standard is outside of His law and is “wickedness,” and therefore sin. And the composition of that law leads to the understanding that sin flows broadly in two directions—against God and against fellow human beings. Whenever people act contrary to that law, they sin specifically against either God or fellow man, and often both. Sin, by definition, harms relationships and people.
One of the things that struck the apostle Paul so forcibly about the human condition in the Greco-Roman world of the first century was that men and women “did not see fit to acknowledge God.” The result of that damaged relationship was that God had no choice but to allow the consequences to fall into place. So, according to Paul, “God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (Romans 1:28). The refusal to acknowledge God’s existence led inevitably to a mind incapable of discerning right from wrong on God’s terms and the inability to resist the pull of human nature’s selfishness. The result is a list of bad actors and behaviors of the worst kind—people who practice “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice . . . envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.” They are “gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless” (verses 29–31).
Here again is the breaking of law in two directions—toward God and toward man. So sin is anything that violates the law that relates to either party.
In God’s system of justice, there is always a penalty to be paid for sin. Mercy can be extended, but a price will always be paid. Because every human who has lived has sinned, the penalty (eternal death) hangs over each individual until removed somehow. Unlike in other religious belief systems, unique to this biblical system is the death of a perfect being in a voluntary sacrificial act to pay the penalty for sin in place of the sinner. Paul explained this to the congregation at Rome, saying that “while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. . . . God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6, 8). The reason He died is to set humanity right, or bring reconciliation with God the Father by clearing away the death penalty and the sin that impedes a right relationship with Him. Once that is done, human beings are freed to develop the kind of relationship that leads only to beneficial results.
. . . To Forgive Is Divine
The Bible speaks of extending forgiveness toward others and of God forgiving human beings. There is a difference between the two actions. First, what does forgiveness by God entail? How does God go about wiping the slate clean of sin?
To take one example, what does He do in the case of the persecution and murder of the innocent? Is it simply that the victim or the victim’s family asks, and God grants forgiveness to the perpetrator? Is it that the guilty need do nothing?
Many take Jesus’ words on the crucifixion stake, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), as evidence that all that is needed for others to be forgiven is the request of the victim. Yet seven weeks after that horrific death, the apostle Peter told an audience of some of Christ’s now-remorseful persecutors that they had yet to repent. That’s to say, they were not forgiven. What Jesus had said did not automatically bring forgiveness. His words were more about His attitude toward His persecutors than a request that God override the need for repentance. It’s clear from the account in Acts that recognition of wrongful acts and repentance are necessary for forgiveness to take place. This would include recognition of their guilt in Jesus’ death and of their own lifelong sinful ways. Peter told his listeners, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
The account continues: “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:36–38).
Reconciliation to the Father is the result of accepting Christ’s death in place of the sinner, the sinner’s recognition of wrongdoing and of being wrong, and the desire to live the right way. Christ’s sacrifice for sin cannot be applied in a specific sense until there is this kind of individual and genuine repentance, backed by sincere effort to go in the right direction.
Luke’s Gospel includes three parables that relate to repentance (Luke 15). They picture God’s joy when a person turns to living the right way. Jesus creates these stories around the concept of things lost and then found.
The first example concerns a single lost sheep that its owner goes out to recover. Once found, he returns home with it and calls his neighbors, “saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (verses 6–7). Jesus links the account with delight in heaven at repentance. In other words, once again, sinners are forgiven in part through repentance.
The point is emphasized in the second example. This time it is loss of wealth in the form of money. A woman who has lost a silver coin finds it and “calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (verses 9–10).
So lost animals and lost money are used to make the point that, once found, there is happiness, just as God rejoices when lost human beings are “found” in repentance.
The third example sharpens the focus further and directly concerns a lost son, a father, repentance and joy. It’s known as the parable of the prodigal son.
Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’” His father complied, and the young man went off and squandered the entire inheritance. He wound up finding a job feeding pigs yet was unable to earn enough to feed himself. “When he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’” When he returned home, his compassionate father ran to meet him, welcomed him back with open arms, and told the servants, “‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate” (verses 11–24).
This time the reader is left to make the connection between the father in the story and the Father in heaven, who is ready to forgive and rejoice when human beings repent. Notice that the son “came to himself” and said to his father, “I have sinned against heaven and before you.” Notice that the father ran to meet him once he had begun the process of repentance.
This parable also has a warning in its conclusion about how easy it is to sin against our fellow human beings by being unforgiving when they have already repented before God: When the older son came in from working in the field, he was told by a servant that his brother had returned and that their father had thrown a party in celebration. But the older son resented the fact that his wayward brother should be given special treatment when he himself had always worked hard and obeyed his father, yet he had never been similarly honored. The father explained, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found” (verses 25–32). The older brother was entirely self-focused. Here Jesus is teaching the religious leaders around him that they are guilty of self-righteousness and a lack of compassion. Luke’s account sets the scene by saying, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them’” (verses 1–2).
Jesus’ three parables are also designed to teach the religious leaders that God is concerned for everyone’s happiness in finding forgiveness by turning to the right way. As Peter writes elsewhere, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
“If Your Brother Sins Against You”
Shortly after the three parables, Luke records Jesus’ teaching about sins that humans commit against each other. Let’s look further at the other aspect of lawlessness—that which does not concern God directly, but our fellowman, our neighbor. Jesus said, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him” (Luke 17:3–4).
“If you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
This is about the responsibilities of the sinner and the one sinned against. Notice that repentance, a change of heart and direction, is still part of the equation for the sinner, as is forgiveness or reconciliation on the part of the one against whom the offense has taken place. The word forgive here in the original Greek is aphiemi. The related noun aphesis means “forgiveness, release, remission” or “letting go of financial debt.” Forgiveness in this context can be likened to the release and letting go that comes with the ending of debt.
Matthew’s Gospel provides more teaching on the subject for Jesus’ followers: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:15–17).
There is a cutting off of communication at this point, when there is no hearing and thus no repentance.
What has been said by Jesus causes Peter to want to ask a common question: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven” (verses 21–22).
Of course, Jesus did not mean 490 times! He meant that we should always forgive in the presence of a repentant attitude. Sometimes people will say “I forgive, but I’ll never forget.” In other words, they do not forgive, but rather harbor bad feelings. The truth about God is that when He forgives, the record is clean. “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). Moreover, “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). So everyone must forgive and forget when there is a repentant spirit. Of course, lessons should be learned from the experience, yet divorced from the sinner.
“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
But what if there is no indication of repentance? Then there is certainly no allowance for bearing grudges. Not surprisingly, the law given to ancient Israel about this sounds very much like New Testament teaching: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:17–18). To “bear a grudge” is translated from the Hebrew natar, “to keep or maintain anger.” Not holding grudges allows a state of mind that is ready and willing to forgive. Reconciliation is the goal. And if there cannot be reconciliation, an attitude of willingness to forgive must be maintained. There can be no excuse for withholding a forgiving spirit and attitude toward others.
The theme of “anger that needs to find an end” is mentioned in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:22–24).
Forgiven and Forgiving
As stated at the beginning, human forgiveness and God’s forgiveness have differences. The main one is that we cannot apply Jesus’ sacrifice to someone else’s sins. According to the Lord’s Prayer, actually a model for prayer, we are to ask for God’s forgiveness regularly, just as we are regularly to forgive others who have sinned against us. But human nature is at odds with the convictions of the God-focused mind. As Paul said, “I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand” (Romans 7:21). He also knew that on his own strength, he could not always do the right thing. But He had to choose to do right and with God’s help achieve it.
As long as we will not act upon these truths with respect to forgiveness, from a biblical perspective we cannot have a right relationship with God. | <urn:uuid:03c2ee78-92ad-4691-a9d3-7a2f5cd4b425> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://www.vision.org/finding-gods-forgiveness-322 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250594209.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20200119035851-20200119063851-00479.warc.gz | en | 0.970443 | 3,753 | 2.5625 | 3 |
(Last Updated on : 04/10/2019)
Most of the land is used for agricultural purpose. About 48,675 hectares of land is under cultivation. In the Andaman island, paddy is the main food crop, while in the Nicoabar islands coconut and arecanut are the main crops and field crops as pulses, oilseeds and vegetables are grown, followed by paddy during Rabi season. Fruits as mango, sapota, orange, banana, papaya, pineapple and root crops are grown in abundance on hilly lands. Rubber, red oil, palm and cashew are grown on a limited scale in these islands. Spices as pepper, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon are also grown. Spices are grown under the multi-tier cropping system.
In the South Andaman forests, there is abundant growth of epiphytic vegetation as ferns and orchids. In the Middle Andamans there are mainly deciduous forests. In the North Andaman region there are mainly climbers. In the North Nicobar Islands, there is complete absence of evergreen forests. Grass lands are common in Nicobars, while decidious forests are common in Andaman Islands. There are an abundance of timber in the Andaman forests. There are more than 200 varieties, out of which 30 are considered to be of commercial. Major commercial timbers are, Marble wood, Padauk, Silver Grey, Chooi, Kokko. The Padauk variety is used for making furnitures. The tree, Elaeocarps sphaericus, (used for making rudraksha) dhoop and raisin trees also are found here.
There are many varieties of forest mammals found in these regions. The larger mammals include 2 endemic varieties of wild pigs namely, Sus Scrofa andamanensis from Andaman and S.S.nicobaricus from Nicobar. The spotted deer of different varieties as Axis, Barking deer and Sambar deer are found here in abundance. Elephants are also found here. There are about 26 species of rats and 14 species of bats. There are butterflies and moths of about 225 species. Mount Harriet National Park is one of the richest areas of butterfly and moth diversity on these Islands. There are also the presence of different varieties of shells as Turbo, Trochus, Murex and Nautilus. Shells such as Giant clam, Green mussel and Oyster support edible shellfishery, a few like Scallop, Clam and Cockle is burnt in kiln to produce edible lime. There is also presence of species called Cephalopoda, which includes Octopus, Squid, and Nautilus etc. There are many corals, fishes and sea horses here. | <urn:uuid:3b8c4fbf-3d65-4d7b-9195-04b56f71ad1a> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://www.indianetzone.com/14/flora_fauna_andaman_nicobar_islands.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439738950.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20200813014639-20200813044639-00117.warc.gz | en | 0.956084 | 575 | 3.28125 | 3 |
Robots are designed to help humans to do everything from sweep floors to build cars. In Detroit, they also help young people with a task that's less tangible: keeping them focused on education and sparking their interests in fields like science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Karl Balke is a physics teacher who coaches a robotics team of about 20 students at the city's Cass Technical High School. The students are responsible for designing, building, programming, piloting, and developing scoring mechanism for robots, as well as raising the money they need to participate. The program is student-led and allows older students become mentors to younger ones.
There's no question in his mind that it plays a vital role in their lives.
"It's like a lot of the other extracurricular programs," Balke said. "If this program did not exist, some of these students would not be going to school."
Balke isn't exaggerating. Although Detroit Public Schools has made an effort to keep kids in class, the district struggles with low attendance. During the 2010-11 school year, student attendance levels fell below 75 percent on ten different days.
Detroit children also have to contend with an environment where 34.5 percent of the city's population lives below the poverty level, according to U.S. Census figures from 2010.
Although distressing, these statistics highlight how important activities like robotics are for students. Luckily, kids in Detroit who are interested in robots do have one advantage: a central location where youth from across the city can come to work on them.
Currently students from seven Detroit Public Schools and two charter schools participate in after-school robotics sessions at a 5,000 square foot space called The Michigan Engineering Zone (MEZ), located at Orchestra Place in Detroit's Midtown area. It's sponsored by the University of Michigan in partnership with Detroit Public Schools.
Youth at MEZ participate in two different international contests. The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams to design a robot of about 150 lbs. in six weeks from a common kit of parts. Every year, the contest has a different challenge revealed in January. Last year, students were asked to create a machine to collect and shoot basketballs. The other competition is VEX, in which smaller tabletop robots who try to complete tasks on a 12 foot by 12 foot board.
Participating in MEZ programs gives students a chance to travel around the county and meet people from different backgrounds. On a local level, the MEZ center lets them meet and collaborate with other young people from across the city and from their own school.
Floyd Brehan is a 15-year-old member of the Finney High School team, which had thirteen members last year. He really enjoys the competitions.
"You get to meet new people -- learn new things. It's like a puzzle," he said. "All you've got to do is create and build."
Jacob Durrah, 18, is a recent graduate of Finney who is now attending college at the University of Michigan and interning with Quicken Loans. His sentiments echo those of Brehan.
"FIRST Robotics is amazing. If you've ever played football, it's that kind of intensity," he said.
He credits the competition with changing his attitude about school. After participating, he also became involved in the National Honor Society, the chess club and student government.
Jordyn Morgan, 16, belongs to the Cass Tech team. Originally she wanted to go into medical science after high school, but working with robots is making her reconsider.
"I love working with my hands so much," she said. "It made me change what I wanted to do for a career. Once I got into robotics, it made me want to go into mechanical engineering."
It is changes like these that get people like Tito Huffman involved. He's a professional engineer who mentors students in robotics at Finney.
Huffman believes the program is important not only because it teaches basic skills like working with tools, but because it changes the way students think. For him, robotics gives young people an opportunity to work in a professional atmosphere while learning how to solve problems.
The most important part of the program for Huffman, however, is getting students to develop a plan for life after high school.
"I've seen some that never considered to go to college actually decide to go. They may not be going into a technical field but they actually decide what they want to do after they get out of high school," he said. "I've seen students change their total mind as to what they want to do in their lives."
Metro Detroit high school robotics show off their basketball shooting bots at an exhibition held at Detroit's Compuware building on August 14, 2012. The teams were from Detroit's Finney and Cass Tech high schools, Lake Orion High School, and Andover/Lahser, as well as the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills . The event was sponsored by Quicken Loans. Here, members of Cass Tech's robotics club make some adjustment to their robot, the only catapult at the exhibition.
Metro Detroit high school robotics show off their basketball shooting bots at an exhibition held at Detroit's Compuware building on August 14, 2012. The teams were from Detroit's Finney and Cass Tech high schools, Lake Orion High School, and Andover/Lahser, as well as the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills . The event was sponsored by Quicken Loans.
Lake Orion's robot attempts to scoop up a ball.
Members of the Finney and Cass Tech Robotics Clubs pilot their basketball shooting bots.
Robots rumble at the Compuware building.
Members of Cass Tech's robotics team stand with their coach Karl Balke, who teaches Physics at their school.
Robots rumble at the Compuware building.
Mentor Tito Huffman, who works as an engineer with General Motors (right) stands with a student from Finney's Robotics team.
Finney Robotics mentor Tito Huffman watches on as his students use their robot to shoot a basketball at the net.
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Cummins Uses Ansys’ Digital Technologies in R&D of Diesel Engines
Cummins aims to reduce 300 million metric tons of carbon emissions by 2030, and targets net zero emissions by 2050.
October 8, 2020
Cummins Inc. is using Ansys in its research related to improving emissions profiles, performance and other attributes of diesel and alternative fuel engines. Through a new multi-year agreement, Ansys will aid Cummins engineers in their development of new engine designs, empower enterprise-wide collaboration and support initiatives related to PLANET 2050—Cummins ambitious environmental sustainability strategy that aims to reduce greenhouse gas and air emissions.
Through the collaboration, Cummins leverages Ansys' tools and next-generation simulation process and data management (SPDM) platform to expedite the development of sustainable engines—significantly maximizing torque and horsepower, enhancing thermal efficiency and improving fuel economy, resulting in customer savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Incorporating SPDM will help Cummins engineers achieve faster throughput on simulation engineering workflows, make product design decisions much sooner, drive tighter collaboration among globally distributed teams and increase productivity to create advanced engines with more favorable environmental attributes, companies say. Leveraging physics-based digital twins will help engineers make confident product health management decisions that reduce the cost and risk of unplanned downtime and improve product development processes.
“Cummins continues to support its customers by investing in R&D to ensure next-generation engines are more fuel efficient than ever. A key R&D partner for more than 25 years, Ansys has accelerated our digital transformation and ingrained simulation into the DNA of our company, enabling us to rapidly and accurately deliver engines with improved emissions profiles and other environmental attributes,” says Wayne Eckerle, vice president, Research and Technology, Cummins Inc. “This new agreement introduces leading-edge tools which will help us develop a shared knowledge infrastructure, explore a larger design space, virtually validate products, improve engine quality and reduce development costs.”
“During these challenging times, the importance of R&D increases the drivers of demand for simulation. Innovative companies like Cummins continue to leverage simulation as a key enabler for upgrading R&D technologies, redesigning engineering processes and reengineering product development environments,” says Shane Emswiler, senior vice president and general manager, Physics Business Unit at Ansys. “Ansys takes pride in collaborating with Cummins engineers to boost their R&D efforts and help achieve their PLANET 2050 environmental sustainability goals by reducing lifetime greenhouse gas from newly sold engines and from engines in the field.”
Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.
About the Author
DE’s editors contribute news and new product announcements to Digital Engineering.
Press releases may be sent to them via [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:caf3aae8-3421-48d9-8709-c3a88dac8fc6> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.digitalengineering247.com/article/cummins-uses-ansys-digital-technologies-in-rd-of-diesel-engines/compliance | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510130.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20230926011608-20230926041608-00504.warc.gz | en | 0.90758 | 606 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Hunan cuisine, also known as Xiang cuisine, is celebrated as one of the Eight Great Culinary Traditions of Chinese Cooking. It consists of three distinct styles: the Xiang River style, which predominates in Changsha, Xiangtan, and Hengyang; the Dongting Lake style, which is characteristic of Yueyang, Yiyang, and Changde; and the Western Hunan style, which can mainly be found in Zhangjiajie, Jishou, and Huaihua. Evidence suggests that this style of cuisine had already reached a high standard during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), over 2,100 years ago.
It is often compared to Sichuan-style cuisine thanks to its liberal use of chillies, but there’s much more to this complex cooking style than this simple comparison implies. Hunan cuisine is distinctly oilier than Sichuan cuisine, and uses a wider variety of fresh ingredients. While Sichuan-style cuisine is known to use Sichuan peppercorns that numb the mouth to spiciness, Hunan-style food utilises “chopped chillies” (剁辣椒) which have been pickled in vinegar and salt. These special chillies actually stimulate the taste-buds and make them more sensitive to spiciness, while also adding a sour tang to any dish. So, if you’re looking for a spicy kick, you might find Hunan food is actually hotter than Sichuan food!
Yet the spicy and sour flavours of Hunan cuisine aren’t simply there to delight the palate. Hunan province is known for its uncomfortably humid summers and chilly, wet winters. According to traditional Chinese medicine, both chillies and vinegar heat the body and are thus associated with “yang”, which means they will balance out an excess of “yin” caused by cold or dampness. Therefore many Hunan dishes are celebrated for their medicinal properties. When food tastes this good, you’ll be more than happy to take your medicine!
Dong’an Chicken (东安子鸡)
Dong’an Chicken is arguably Hunan province’s most famous poultry dish, and is known for its delicate mixture of subtle flavours. It is supposedly based on a dish known as “vinegar chicken”, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Although this may be true, a charming local legend recounts a very different origin story. Some say that it was invented by three old ladies who ran a modest, village restaurant. Late one evening, some merchants arrived at the restaurant and demanded to be served dinner. The women had used almost all of the ingredients in their pantry, so they were forced to improvise!
They quickly slaughtered a couple of chickens and rustled up a new dish using all of their leftover ingredients. The resulting dish was so delicious that the merchants spread word of it on their travels, and it eventually entered the canon as one of Hunan’s classic dishes. The dish is made by first parboiling a chicken with ginger and green onions, before allowing it to cool and cutting the carcass into bite-size pieces. Fresh chillies, dried chillies, ginger, and green onions are then sliced into slivers and fried in peanut oil until they start to smoke.
Finally, the chicken is added to the pan and is stir-fried along with a splash of Shaoxing rice wine, vinegar, and salt to taste. In some recipes, the chicken broth is also added to the mixture to keep the chicken tender and moist. Once the chicken is cooked through, it is left to simmer in the seasoned broth so that the flavours fully penetrate the meat. The result is a mildly spicy dish with a pleasant, sour tang that glances off the tongue.
Chairman Mao’s Red-Braised Pork (毛氏红烧肉)
Mao Zedong, founding father of the People’s Republic of China, is a legendary figure in Chinese history. Since he was born and raised in Hunan, many of the province’s tourist attractions revolve around the Chairman. This dish was supposedly his favourite, so much so that it’s rumoured he ate it nearly every day! His nephew, Mao Anping, once extolled the dish by saying: “Men eat it to build their brains, and ladies to make themselves more beautiful”. Who knew that a simple pork dish could bestow such incredible gifts! In fact, this dish is so integral to the province’s history that the government actually issued official recipe guidelines to restaurants across the country. In order to be considered authentic, restaurants must use the meat of a rare breed of pig from Ningxiang County, which has been bred for over 1,000 years and is designated an “agricultural treasure”.
This is because the dish centres on sumptuous pork belly, which is flavoured with fragrant star anise, ginger, cinnamon, and chillies. The pork belly is quickly boiled before being left to cool and then cut into bite-size pieces. Meanwhile, oil and sugar are combined in a wok over a low heat until the sugar has turned a rich, caramel brown. The pork is then added to the caramelized sugar, along with a splash of Shaoxing rice wine. Finally, the ginger, star anise, chillies, and cinnamon are added to the pork, along with just enough water to barely cover the ingredients. This flavourful mixture is left to simmer for between 40 minutes to an hour. It is considered one of the mildest dishes in the Hunan canon, and the pork belly is said to literally melt in the mouth.
Steamed Fish with Chopped Chillies (剁椒鱼头)
This dish was recently catapulted into the international spotlight thanks to an unusual new trend in Hunan where, instead of serving a whole fish, the dish is made using only the head of a bighead carp. So, if you think something might be a little fishy, be sure to ask the waiter exactly what you’re getting before you order! It’s said to date back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), when a famous mathematician named Huang Zongxian was travelling through Hunan. One night, he was staying with a local family and their son happened to catch a fish from a nearby pool.
The hostess steamed the fish with a mixture of chopped chillies before serving it to the guests. Huang found the dish so delicious that he immediately asked for the recipe, and brought it back home with him. The recipe spread far and wide, gaining favour across the country. It is one of the simplest Hunan dishes to prepare, but certainly no less flavourful! Green onions, ginger, Shaoxing rice wine, salt, chopped garlic, and chopped red chillies are stir-fried in a wok until they give off a rich, pleasant aroma. This mixture is then ladled on top of the fresh fish, which in turn is placed in a steamer and steamed for approximately 20 minutes. The tender flesh simply flakes off the bone, and is laden with just enough chillies to provide a kick without overwhelming the natural flavour of the fish.
Lovers’ Hot Pot (鸳鸯火锅)
Hot pot is an exceedingly popular dish throughout China, particularly during the cold winter months, as it is believed to warm the blood. The basic dish consists of a seasoned broth, which is placed at the centre of the table and heated over a hot plate. Diners order a selection of raw ingredients and then add them to the bubbling broth as they please, picking them out and eating them once they are thoroughly cooked.
In Hunan, the locals have a marked preference for a style known as “yuanyang” or “lovers” hot pot. It is so-called because the pot is split into two sides, one with a spicy broth and one with a mild broth. In short, it is the veritable yin-yang of the hot pot world! The spicy broth is typically thick with chillies as red as rubies, while the mild broth uses ingredients like goji berries and star anise to soothe the taste-buds and prepare them for the next assault of spiciness. Most hot pot vendors keep their broth recipes a well-guarded secret, so you’ll find that each restaurant brings its own unique twist to this time-honoured dish! | <urn:uuid:acf4c298-719b-496b-9a4b-35d4ab276d71> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | http://www.asiaculturaltravel.co.uk/hunan-cuisine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439735881.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20200804161521-20200804191521-00513.warc.gz | en | 0.965601 | 1,802 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Kobi loves to eat sweets. He loves sweets of all shapes and colours. One day, he gets a toothache. It is very painful and it makes him cry loudly. His mother takes him to the dentist. The dentist advises Kobi to eat less sweets and to brush twice a day. Kobi throws away his sweets and starts eating fruits instead. Read the story to find out what happens at school.
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I have had chicken wire around my 2-year-old burning bushes to prevent the bunnies from eating them. This winter, because the snow was so high, they were able to get to the branches and a lot of the bark is stripped off. Should I cut off the damaged branches or leave them?
Deep snow and large rabbit populations result in damage to burning bushes and many other landscape plants. If the rabbits ate all the way around the stem and through the cambium that lies beneath the bark, those branches will die. You see the cambium contains vessels that carry water and nutrients between the roots and leaves. I would wait and see. Sometimes the buds will sprout and the leaves begin to grow using the stored energy in the buds. When they reach about half their normal size they wilt and die if the cambium has been damaged. Prune off the damaged wood and reshape as needed. Those with damage at ground level may get new growth from the roots. A bit of luck, some pruning and lots of patience can help you eventually train the plants back into an attractive plant.
- Currently 0/5 Stars. | <urn:uuid:89ccb2b0-fb25-420e-8c31-b072dc8a680b> | CC-MAIN-2014-41 | http://www.melindamyers.com/component/option,com_kb/Itemid,2323/article,1211/task,article/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-41/segments/1410657130067.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20140914011210-00115-ip-10-196-40-205.us-west-1.compute.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972699 | 235 | 2.75 | 3 |
Breaking up the large estates
The spread of the family farm was hastened by the breaking up of large freehold estates between 1890 and 1914. The Liberal government acquired estates for farm settlements, and some owners subdivided their land privately.
By the time of the First World War, the family farm of between 320 and 640 acres (130 and 260 hectares) was the norm on the plains. After the Second World War, some large properties were cut up by the government for allocation to returned servicemen.
Farming in the 20th century
Between the world wars, farm mechanisation, the use of lime, and improved seed, raised farm productivity. There was even greater progress in the 1950s and 1960s. ‘Canterbury lamb’ remained one of the region’s major products.
Sheep on show
Canterbury celebrates its anniversary not on the actual date of its founding (16 December), but on Show Day, held by the Agricultural and Pastoral Association each November. At the Christchurch Showgrounds ‘town and country mingle more freely than in any other metropolitan centre of New Zealand’. 1
In 2012 there were 3,440,983 sheep in the region. This represented 11% of the national flock, compared with 21.7% in 1885.
The region remained ‘the granary of New Zealand’. In 2012, 62.5% of the country’s wheat, 52.6% of the barley and 26% of oats was grown in north and mid-Canterbury. The Ashburton district alone produced 46.6% of the country’s wheat.
Orchards, market gardens and vineyards
Today, on smallholdings, especially around Christchurch, farmers grow vegetables and fruit, and raise poultry. Apple and other fruit orchards have been planted in the sun-trap valleys of the Port Hills and at Loburn. Some Ellesmere farmers grow vegetables for freezing in a plant near Hornby.
The region’s first grapevines were planted by Akaroa’s French settlers in the 1840s. After the first large vineyard was planted near Christchurch in the 1970s, grape-growing expanded at Waipara and Burnham. About 4% of the nation's vineyards by area are in Canterbury.
In 2012 north and mid-Canterbury had only 2% of the land used in New Zealand for horticultural crops, but about half the land used for growing peas and over one-third of that used for potatoes.
Large-scale irrigation of the Canterbury Plains became possible only after the Rangitātā diversion race was completed in 1945. This drew water from the Rangitātā River and snaked across the upper plains to the Rakaia River. Three major irrigation schemes are supplied by the race.
Construction of a major irrigation scheme in the Amuri district began in 1977. Water flowed into the main race from the Waiau River in 1980. The smaller Balmoral scheme, with an intake on the Hurunui River, was begun in 1981. Farmers outside the schemes sank bores and used spray equipment.
In 2014 work began on the Central Plains Water Limited’s controversial irrigation scheme, the largest irrigation construction project in the South Island. The scheme will construct a 56-kilometre canal between the Rakaia and Waimakariri rivers to irrigate 60,000 hectares of the central Canterbury Plains and support intensive land uses like dairying. At the same time Hurunui Water Project Limited were developing a scheme to build four water storage dams on the Waitohi River, to irrigate 60,000 hectares of North Canterbury land. In 2012 the 385,271 hectares of irrigated land in the region was 62% of the total area of irrigated land in New Zealand.
The impact of dairying
With irrigation, dairying expanded quickly in the 1990s. North Island dairy farmers were attracted south by cheaper land. Effluent and heavy use of water from aquifers caused environmental problems.
Different work routines disrupted traditional patterns of community life. Long-established families sold up, and share-milking increased the movement of families in and out of districts.
Between 2002 and 2012 the number of dairy cows in Canterbury increased by 115%, from 397,533 to 855,942. The region now accounted for 13.3% of the national dairy herd, up from 7.7% in 2002, and this proportion was set to rise further. The increase raised concerns about the environmental damage intensive dairying was having on the region’s waterways and led to stricter controls on land use and effluent run-off.
In the 19th century, small townships had developed as rural service centres. Besides shops and stock and station agencies, they had churches, schools and public halls. Even in their heyday, few of these towns had more than 1,000 inhabitants.
After the First World War, country people began driving to Rangiora, Ashburton or Christchurch to shop. Some villages disappeared, leaving only a church or hall. Country schools, hospitals, banks and post offices closed, and hotels became taverns.
A few settlements within commuting range of Christchurch grew. Hanmer and Akaroa became popular for holiday homes and retirement and, like Methven, with tourists. | <urn:uuid:fe0bb340-5323-4f9e-8f60-85895513d0f0> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://admin.teara.govt.nz/en/canterbury-region/page-8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875146160.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20200225202625-20200225232625-00144.warc.gz | en | 0.960405 | 1,115 | 3.203125 | 3 |
By Brenda Pohlman
Houston County Master Gardener
As you pour over those garden catalogs wishing for winter to draw to a close, remember you can still garden in Minnesota during winter.
Make your thumb a little greener by giving your trees a winter manicure. Proper pruning will promote tree health, help maintain the tree, improve tree appearance and protect people and property. Routine pruning can be done anytime of the year, but trees grow better and wounds heal faster when pruning takes place right before the spring growth flush. In Minnesota, a best practice is to prune trees between February and early April.
Many homeowners are unsure of how to properly prune tress so here are a few helpful hints.
Select a new tree for the environment it will grow in and prune along the way so it is easier to maintain and shape it as it grows.
If you have an already established tree, start by cleaning out dead, diseased, crowded or rubbing branches to eliminate hazards. Next, thin selectively from the middle of the tree to allow foliage access to air and water. This also reduces the weight of the heavy limbs and allows the tree to maintain shape. If you have concerns about lower branches in the way of buildings, people or lawn maintenance you may remove them.
One tree trimming tactic to avoid is tree topping. Topping is the cutting off the top of the tree leaving only stubs or smaller branches that are not strong enough to grow back as a dominant branch. Topping hurts trees because it takes away foliage that provides energy for the tree while exposing the tree to decay, sunburn and potential death. This practice also takes away the natural beauty of the tree, which reduces curb appeal and lowers property values. Reduction pruning is a better method than topping. It reduces the size of longer branches by cutting back lateral ones or removes some branches at their point of origin.
To trim smaller branches, you can use a pruning or lopping shear to cut a branch back to a side branch or make a cut ¼ inch above the bud that is facing the outside of a plant. Hand or pole saws work better for cutting of larger tree limbs.
To remove larger branches, make an undercut about 18 inches from the trunk. Undercut one-third to one-half way through the branch. Make the second cut an inch further out on the branch and cut until the branch breaks free. To make the final cut, locate the area near the main stem that seems slightly swollen. Cut just above this area so that the wound seals well.
Above all else, please be careful when you prune trees. Check your equipment to make sure it is functioning properly and ask a buddy to assist because you may need to use a ladder or need help lifting or loading branches.
Remember you can always contact a master gardener to give you onsite pruning education or hire an arborist to trim your trees. For additional tree and shrub pruning information go the University of Minnesota Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/pruning-trees-shrubs/
If you are like me and need more than pruning to green up your thumb, you should attend the “We Dig It Workshop” at Caledonia Middle School/High School on Saturday, March 29 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Houston County Master Gardens and Caledonia Area Community Education and includes great speakers, lunch, door prizes and vendors – all for $25.
To register for this great winter blues breaker, contact Cindy Frank at Caledonia Area Community Education via phone at 507-725-5139 or by emailing [email protected] | <urn:uuid:eac9e5f6-db86-4ca3-b993-69925b3e8dd7> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | http://hometownargus.com/2014/03/18/there-is-winter-gardening-in-minnesota/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128321306.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20170627083142-20170627103142-00647.warc.gz | en | 0.929351 | 793 | 2.859375 | 3 |
As we grow ever more dependent on electricity not just as an energy source, but our primary means of communication and disseminating information, it’s imperative that we plan ahead to guard against significant threats to the nationwide power grid.
By Karl J.Paloucek
It’s as real as the Cold War threat of nuclear warheads. And not a lot younger.
As early as 1963, at least a few U.S. physicists were aware of the threat of electromagnetic pulse (EMP)† to the electrical and telecommunications grids. EMP technology has been in development since that era, and over the decades has become more affordable and accessible than ever. In November of last year, Admiral Michael Rogers warned that China and a number of other nations now have the capability to successfully launch a cyberattack that could shut down much of the electrical grid in this country. With such an escalated risk of threat actors carrying out an EMP attack, it’s vital for those in the security industry, regardless of sector, to become aware and informed about the realities of EMP technology and its potential to impact our society. To that end, we spoke with Jack Pressman, executive managing director at EMP GRID services, to learn exactly what the danger from EMPs is, and what people in both the private and public sectors can do about it.
“Specifically, what an EMP represents is a nanosecond gigahertz burst that creates a gigahertz impact of electrons that explode outward from the source of the EMP,” Pressman explains. “From a weaponization perspective, or a true risk to the grid, what we’re really addressing is what’s called an HEMP, or high-altitude electromagnetic pulse. This is specifically a nanosecond burst that’s created by a nuclear device. Depending on the size of the device and its height above ground level, it will create a massive gigahertz burst over a large area.”
How big is a “large area”? Think about the scale of a weather system. “For example, a 10-kiloton weapon 40 kilometers above the Earth’s surface — let’s just say, for example, above Kansas City — will dramatically impact the grid all the way to Milwaukee,” Pressman suggests. “A larger weapon detonated 80 kilometers above the Earth will impact an area potentially two, two-and-a-half times the size of that circle. So it’s a very dramatic weapon. It has specifically become a critical problem today because of the geopolitical change worldwide.”
EMPs can also occur naturally, through space weather, including solar flares, solar radiation storms and geomagnetic storms. While these events may not have the immediate intensity of an HEMP attack — they can have extended duration times, lasting hours, days or longer, and have the potential to cause brownouts, blackouts or even collapse, and can damage unprotected transformers.
In 1859, a massive solar storm produced immense solar flares — observed by British astronomer Richard Carrington — which sent two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) through space. In what became known as the “Carrington Event,” telegraph systems worldwide failed, magnetic recorders went off their scales, and the Aurora Borealis illuminated the night skies as far south as Panama. Smaller storms in 1989 and 2003 demonstrated lesser impact but still raise the question of how long before another Carrington-sized event takes place.
Protecting Our Utilities and Information
Between the fluid, unstable geopolitical unrest and the exponentially magnified implications of a Carrington Event in the 21st century, the thought of taking action to protect the grid and everything that’s dependent on it takes on a new urgency. But how do we protect against such an insidious and instantaneous attack?
“It’s a different type of defense,” Pressman says. “When we’re looking at protecting against an HEMP or a related-type of man-made event, because it’s a nanosecond event, you basically have to shield completely from that massive, very, very fast burst of electron activity. That really entails complete shielding of the facility and a filtering of all incoming services.”
Essentially, anything deemed absolutely critical must be sealed in a room shielded by sealed plates of stainless steel surrounded by a Faraday cage.
“Think about a bank and a bank vault,” Pressman explains. “A bank is a big institution. It could be multiple floors, tens of thousands of square feet. But there’s a specific area where there is a vault. Maybe the vault is a foot of steel, 360 degrees. That is a small area within the bank. But that vault is obviously nearly impenetrable. It’s the same as designing infrastructure for EMP. You have to look at what infrastructure absolutely must survive immediately — day one, day two, day 30 — and that you actually would put into a fully shielded vault.”
The defense against a geomagnetic storm or solar event has a different dynamic. “It’s not going to have the same impact from a gigahertz perspective,” Pressman offers. “It’s actually going to cause a distortion in harmonics of the electrical service. There are two ways to address it. One is to try to filter that out as the electrical service is coming into the user source. What we’ve done is a little bit simpler. We just treat that distortion as an aberrant component of the grid, and just shut down the entrance from the grid. So we immediately go to onsite generation.”
Examining the Cost/Benefit Ratio
Any way you look at it, building up the defense of our electrical infrastructure against threat actors and solar phenomenon is a costly prospect. The prospect of building shielded rooms to fit around major transformers, site-specific internal power generators, server rooms, data centers — not to mention the complexities involved in protecting hospitals and other locations critical to supporting the health and wellbeing of the citizenry — is staggering to consider. But Pressman maintains that it’s not only necessary, but that the costs can be relatively easily absorbed.
“It’s like the advent of airbags,” he says. “Originally, 20 years ago, there was a tremendous pushback from the consumer to pay the cost of airbags. Obviously retrofitting existing automobiles with airbags was probably not feasible. But obviously, over a period of 20 years, the design was basically fully incorporated into the design of an automobile. It’s the same thing.”
At the same time, he issues his cautions about the costs of not building up the protection for our grid. “From a grid perspective, you’re looking at protecting the power generation source,” he says. “One area that I’m very concerned about is nuclear power plants. What happens in the control centers of a nuclear power plant if there’s a massive failure? How do you power down those facilities gracefully? That’s a specific issue that the Exelons of the world have to address.”
Pressman is optimistic that the blue-chip companies will take the lead in being proactive about protecting against the threat of an EMP event. “I think when major uses of power, like, say, in Chicago, the United Airlines, or the Walgreens, or the Krafts, or the Abbots, who are buying large amounts of power reach out to ComEd and say, ‘We want you to begin installing protected transformers,’ it can be done,” he says. “What ComEd will do, like any new build, is they’ll pass that cost back to the consumer over a certain period of time.” | <urn:uuid:c6696594-fd91-4e68-8e41-1e1884331b63> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | https://infragardmagazine.com/managing-the-emp-threat/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187826283.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20171023183146-20171023203146-00837.warc.gz | en | 0.950555 | 1,641 | 2.734375 | 3 |
A few years ago I bought a tablet that used a special pen and ordinary writing paper. I would place the paper in the holder on the tablet surface and take notes, draw pictures, pie charts and graphs. When I was finished a page I would insert a fresh piece of paper and press the tablet button to create a new page. When I plugged the tablet into my computer it would save my notations as a file and then translate my handwriting into text and my pictures into finished graphics. It learned my handwriting style and after awhile got pretty good at it.I eventually abandoned this technology in favour of a the traditional three-hole punched wire-bound notebook because there were too many steps in the technology to make it productivity enhancing. I found I could type my hand-written notes faster. And often the handwriting recognition proved to be less than accurate.
But in using this technology it got me thinking about the way we use technology to communicate, and about those with disability. In my last blog on communications I talked about the world of the blind and both the science and technology that gives visually impaired people a means to sense the visual world around them. In this blog I look at the world of the hearing impaired and the technologies that are currently developed or under development to make it possible to communicate for those who cannot hear.
Breaking Down Barriers Between the Deaf and the Rest of Us
What is the population of the world if we only counted those who are deaf or mute? Would it surprise you to find out it exceeds the total population of Canada? In fact the number is estimated to be 40 million. Many who are deaf have learned sign language. Some speak aloud but cannot hear themselves. But many who are deaf find it extremely challenging to communicate with those of us who are not.
In past blogs focused on biomedical technologies I have described cochlear implants and other devices to help create the ability to hear for those born with or who have acquired hearing loss.
Today we have technologies such as video phones to allow the deaf to visually sign to each other through the traditional telephone network. But how can deaf people be heard by those who can hear ? Is there technology that can break down the barriers that divide the hearing from the 40 million who cannot? The answer of course is yes and you are about to learn about these interesting 21st century technological advances.
Communication through Texting
UbiDuo is a communications device for the deaf that is portable and wireless and facilitates conversation through computer keyboards and display screens. The technology uses telephone networks and its own local wireless network technology to accommodate up to 4 users in a chat conversation.
But UbiDuo doesn’t speak aloud for persons who are deaf. For that the deaf have traditionally used human interpreters who know signing and speak for them. Technologies like screen readers can serve to vocalize words typed on a screen when integrated into conventional chat applications. But many screen readers do not work with chat applications because of the restrictions by the tools used to build them. And every time there is an extra step required to turn text back into speech, it is just like the experience I had with my handwriting electronic note pad, the delay creates an unacceptable break in the conversation. So a device like UbiDuo may help facilitate communication but true spontaneous speech between deaf and hearing people is not possible with this type of technology. That is one reason why a number of research teams have set out to create an interface for deaf people to communicate through signing.
Making it Possible for Everybody Signing to Talk to Everyone Else
What if we could use modern sensory technology to capture sign language and turn it into spoken words? That is what a number of researchers at a university in the Ukraine have been exploring. They call their prototype Enable Talk.
Enable Talk uses specially designed gloves (see image below) to convert signing into spoken words. Each glove is lined with a dozen or more flex and touch sensors, a compass, gyroscope, and altimeter. This battery of tools detects motion, direction and position in space, relaying the information gathered to a controller in the back of each glove. The controller translates the signs and through its Blue-tooth communication interface transmits output to mobile smart phones where it becomes speech. The gloves are powered by lithium-ion battery packs and built-in photovoltaics. Like any world language, signing varies from country to country. So the developers have given the gloves the means to learn and store new signs incorporating them into a language library.
Enable Talk is not the only technology being developed that uses gloves to translate sign language into written and spoken words. Watch this YouTube video from a TED conference that demonstrates a glove using fiber optics and light sensors to capture signing. The technology is being developed by a team at University of Montreal and Polytechnique Montreal, in Canada. A user wearing these gloves signs and has a computer or mobile device translate the motions into words and sounds. The team is building the technology to allow it to recognize signs from multiple languages.
Sign-to-Sign Through the Web
Using the Internet with sign language involves recording the signer. That eliminates anonymity from any contribution to a wiki, blog, comment or chat. What if it were possible to build a set of applications for a sign-to-sign web interface? That is precisely what a group of European universities are attempting.
Dicta-Sign is a collaborative project involving universities in Greece, Germany, the United Kingdom and France. They are working on a three-year schedule to deliver a final product by the end of 2012, this year. The project’s goal is to make online sign language communications ubiquitous. Signers using Dicta-Sign can converse in sign language and create editable web content. The content appears as an anonymous avatar using sign language. That means anyone who knows sign language can alter, or expand on any sign language contribution made to web content with the avatar providing the output for other signers to read and add their thoughts.
Dicta-Sign uses technologies currently common to the web and tweaks them. It is accessible from any desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet or smart phone. The project currently has three application prototypes:
- Search-by-example – a tool trained to identify and match signs to an existing library
- Look-up – a tool able to display signs in several sign languages
- Sign Wiki – a collaborative online environment for creating sign language documents
We live in a remarkable era, a point in time where we have technology at hand that has the means to empower all members of our global community to interact, breaking down barriers as never before and building bridges to members of humanity who have often been left out of the mainstream.
As we continue to explore the evolution of communications in the 21st century I will in Part 5 look at the technologies that are allowing us to communicate directly with those locked in and previously unable to communicate because of catastrophic illness, accident or disability.
Please join the conversation by commenting, contributing questions, and providing ideas for future blog entries. And thanks for coming by for a read. | <urn:uuid:b395a4bc-1699-4e87-8c0b-b8012bfbafb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.21stcentech.com/communications-21st-century-part-4-deafening-speech-capabillity-deaf/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708664942/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125104-00050-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948653 | 1,444 | 3.265625 | 3 |
When you text and drive, you are 23 times more likely to experience an accident than when occupied by any other activity, according to the FCC. It is human nature to respond to visual and audio cues that imply we are needed, but taking our eyes off the road for even a moment is enough to cause a fatal accident.
The attorneys at Hupy and Abraham work hard to spread the DNT TXT N DRV message throughout the community to inform and educate drivers of the dangers that texting while driving poses to everyone on the road. The loss of life associated with distracted driving is unprecedented because it is so avoidable. The following tips should serve as a reminder, for new and old drivers alike, not to drive while texting.
Concentrate on the road. Texts may seem faster and more efficient than a phone call, but the five seconds it takes to read a text message are enough to travel the entire length of a football field without looking up. Those moments are when lives are lost. While 55 percent of teens say it’s “easy” to text and drive, studies show that teens who text while driving spend 10 percent of their driving time outside of their lane.
Take 21 days to a form a good habit. While 43 states have adopted restrictions regarding distracted driving, sometimes a law isn’t enough to get people to change their behavior. Commit yourself to 21 days where you make a true effort to stop texting while driving. For many people that will mean leaving their phone in the glove box, shutting off the ringer or turning the phone off altogether. By then end of those days, you will be more likely to have formed a lasting habit that overrides your desire to answer a text.
Give new drivers clear instructions of your expectations. As stated before, good habits only take a few weeks to form. Teach new drivers that on the road means off the phone. Young drivers must understand that driving is a privilege, not a right, and that their actions behind the wheel affect more people than just themselves. Hands-free devices are generally too distracting for inexperienced drivers, and shouldn’t be encouraged as an alternative. So, explain that phones should only be touched by the driver when the vehicle is legally parked.
Lead by example. Children, more than we realize, observe the actions of the adults in their lives and will learn from their behavior. About 48 percent of kids reported riding in a vehicle where the parent/driver was texting while driving, so it’s not hard to imagine where teens are picking it up from. Set the appropriate example for your children by pulling over to the side of the road if you need to use your phone, or let them do the texting for you. They will be occupied, and you will succeed in teaching them that good drivers never text and drive.
No text message is worth a life. The personal injury attorneys at Hupy and Abraham hope that you will keep these tips in mind the next time you get behind the wheel, or hand the keys over to your teenage driver. We also hope that you never need to call us, but in the unfortunate incident that you or a loved one are injured by a distracted driver, please contact Hupy and Abraham at 800-800-5678. You will receive a free consultation and the opportunity to receive the compensation you are entitled to. | <urn:uuid:dc5fcabc-84f2-4fbe-b25a-6235892b0158> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.hupy.com/library/plz-dnt-txt-n-drv-tips-from-hupy-and-abraham-to-avoid-distracted-driving.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886104160.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20170817210535-20170817230535-00499.warc.gz | en | 0.959024 | 684 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Sex-biased mortality associated with inbreeding in Drosophila melanogaster
© Robinson et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014
Received: 16 December 2013
Accepted: 25 February 2014
Published: 17 March 2014
One proposed consequence of inbreeding is a skewed sex ratio arising from sex specific mortality in the homogametic sex caused by inbreeding on the sex chromosome. However, recent work suggests that random distortions in sex ratio due to autosomal inbreeding may be of greater importance. In this study, we investigate the effect of biologically realistic levels of inbreeding on sex ratio and sex specific mortality in Drosophila melanogaster. We use two pedigree crossing designs to either maximise or minimise inbreeding on the X-chromosome whilst producing identical autosomal inbreeding.
We found increased female mortality and male biased sex ratios associated with inbreeding in our high, but not low, X-inbreeding pedigree. While our results are more consistent with being driven by inbreeding on the X-chromosome than on the autosomes, the marked difference between treatments does not fit closely the expectations of either model.
Our results are only partly consistent with the hypothesis that inbreeding on the X-chromosome can cause greater fitness reductions in the homogametic sex. Whilst the results of our study are not conclusive, they suggest that directional distortions in sex ratio due to inbreeding can occur, and highlight the need for further investigation on this topic.
Because of their reduced population size and genetic diversity, endangered populations are often vulnerable to inbreeding depression . A proposed consequence of inbreeding, which has received attention due to its implications for endangered populations, is that inbreeding may distort secondary and tertiary sex ratios by increasing the rate of sex specific mortality for the homogametic sex [2–4]. This is of conservation significance because a skewed sex ratio will lead to a substantial reduction in effective population size . For placental mammals and many invertebrates male biased sex ratios are predicted with inbreeding. A male biased sex ratio is of particular concern because extinction risks associated with distortions in sex ratio are not symmetrically distributed around a balanced sex ratio, with male biased sex ratios likely to lead to a much greater risk of extinction . Male biased sex ratios may also lead to further reductions in female fitness due to increased male aggression and competition [7–9]. For example, male biased sex ratios have been linked to increased aggression towards females and have been found to contribute to population collapse in lizards . The directional distortion in sex ratio caused by inbreeding is most comprehensively dealt with by Frankham and Wilcken who give two mechanisms that are expected to contribute to the effect. The first is an increase in the equilibrium frequency of sex linked alleles (those carried on the sex chromosome), which are sex limited (expressed in one sex only), and are deleterious recessive affecting only the homogametic sex. An example of an allele which could produce such an effect is the Sxl (Sex lethal) in Drosophila melanogaster. As documented by Lindsley and Zimm , Sxl is a sex linked switch gene that acts throughout development to control all aspects of sexual dimorphism. Its products are required for female development and must be absent for male development. It is common for mutations of this gene to be lethal in homozygous females. Mutations in Sxl are largely hidden from selection as they do not affect heterozygous females or hemizygous males, allowing them to accumulate. These deleterious alleles will then be exposed during inbreeding resulting in greater inbreeding depression in females.
The second mechanism relates to dosage compensation . Dosage compensation is a regulatory mechanism in species where the sex chromosomes are highly differentiated that equalises transcription in response to differences in gene dose on the sex chromosomes (see for review). There are a variety of different ways that species achieve dosage compensation. Under some methods of dosage compensation, the recessive alleles that cause sex ratio distortions with inbreeding are not expected to accumulate and therefore directional sex ratio distortions are not expected. Placental mammals usually have random inactivation of one X-chromosome in females. Although a female carrying a deleterious recessive gene on one X-chromosome will express this gene in roughly half of her cells, such females usually have a phenotype closer to the wild type homozygote than the deleterious recessive homozygote (see ). Recessive sex linked alleles, which are deleterious only in females, will thus be hidden from selection and able to accumulate. Whereas in marsupials dosage compensation also involves inactivation of one X-chromosome, but it is always the paternally inherited X-chromosome that is inactivated . This means that deleterious recessive sex limited alleles will be exposed to selection when inherited from the maternal side, so that mutations of these alleles will not be able to accumulate on the X. For most insects, birds, and placental mammals, however, some level of directional sex ratio distortion will be expected with inbreeding . Frankham and Wilcken show modelling that suggests that sex-linked alleles (those on the sex chromosome), which are deleterious recessive and expressed equally in both sexes, may also distort sex ratios under inbreeding, leading to a reduction in the homogametic sex in most cases, though again this will not be true in the case of paternal X inactivation.
Empirical results so far do not provide consistent evidence of directional distortions of sex ratio with inbreeding. Although there are numerous examples of inbreeding causing distortions in sex ratio, a meta-analysis by Frankham and Wilcken of 25 vertebrate populations with distorted sex ratios found no evidence of consistent directional distortions. While the authors conclude that, theoretically, a reduction in the homogametic sex is often expected due to inbreeding, random distortions in sex ratio caused by variation in sex limited autosomal loci in small populations are likely to have a larger effect. They suggest that such autosomal sex-limited loci affecting either males or females are likely to be present in approximately equal numbers in large populations, but that in small inbred populations drift may result in unequal numbers affecting each sex.
Frankham and Wilcken suggest that the probability of obtaining a directional distortion of sex-ratio with inbreeding due to sex-linked loci with sex-limited expression is expected to be greater in species with a large proportions of their genome on the sex-chromosome. For this reason they propose that D. melanogaster, in which around 20% of the euchromatic genome is on the X-chromosome, is theoretically a likely candidate for a directional distortion in sex ratio. However, studies of this species report mixed evidence. Some studies investigating D. melanogaster homozygous for the entire X-chromosome have found evidence for a sex-limited detrimental load on the X-chromosome, resulting in a greater inbreeding depression in females e.g. [14–16]. However, Eanes et al found no evidence for a sex-limited detrimental load in their study of D. melanogaster and highlight some problems with the experimental design of earlier studies. In a recent study by Frankham and Wilcken no evidence for directional distortions in 69 replicate lines of D. melanogaster were found after four generations of full sibling mating where the inbreeding coefficient (ƒ) was equal to 0.59. Similarly, a recent study by Kristensen et al found no effect of inbreeding on sex ratio in D. melanogaster after five generations of full sibling mating (ƒ = 0.67). A factor that may have contributed to the lack of an effect in these two studies is the high level of inbreeding measured, with several generations of full sibling inbreeding occurring prior to assays of sex ratio. This may have caused a reduction in the number of deleterious recessive alleles due to purging [19–21].
Wright’s inbreeding coefficient, ƒ corresponds to the probability that both copies of a gene at a particular autosomal locus are identical through common ancestry. However, the inheritance of the X-chromosome is somewhat different than the autosomes. Males inherit only one copy of the X-chromosome and this must come from their mother. When males reproduce they will always pass on this same X-chromosome to their female offspring and no X-chromosome to their male offspring. This means that depending on whether the common ancestors are male or female, the chance that both of a female’s copies of a gene at a particular locus on the X-chromosome are identical by descent can be much greater or much lower than ƒ.
The effect of inbreeding on sex ratio
Our direct test of inbreeding on the X-chromosome, after controlling for autosomal inbreeding, showed no significant effect on sex ratio beyond that which could be attributed to autosomal inbreeding (F = 2.52, df = 1, P = 0.145). Simulations to assess the statistical power of this test revealed that we could detect a significant X-chromosome inbreeding effect in just 46% of cases when there was a 10% change in sex ratio due to inbreeding on the X-chromosome in full sib crosses. When the linear effect of inbreeding on the X-chromosome was increased to 20%, a significant X-chromosome inbreeding effect was found in 96% of cases. A significant effect of autosomal inbreeding was found in less than 6% of simulations in either scenario after inbreeding on the X-chromosome was taken into account.
Results of the two separate AIC model selection analyses on quasibinomial models explaining variation in sex ratio and female cold shock mortality respectively
Quasi log likelihood
Block + X chromosome inbreeding
Block + autosomal inbreeding
Female cold shock mortality
Block + X chromosome inbreeding
Block + autosomal inbreeding
The effect of inbreeding on cold shock mortality
Our results show a male bias in adult sex ratio associated with increased inbreeding in our high X-inbreeding pedigree and no evidence for a distortion in sex ratio in our low X-inbreeding pedigree. These results partially support the hypothesis that sex ratio distortions associated with inbreeding may arise due to deleterious mutations residing on the X-chromosome. However, as can be seen in Figure 1, we expected to see a similar but slightly weaker effect of inbreeding on sex ratio in the low X-inbreeding pedigree. The difference observed between the two pedigrees for full sibling crosses was not predicted due to inbreeding on the X-chromosome or on the autosomes. This is where we observed the largest difference in sex ratios between the two pedigrees, yet for this cross, the level of inbreeding on both the X-chromosome and on the autosomes was identical and cannot account for this difference. Our cold shock mortality results are consistent with the sex ratio distortion being driven by an increase in female mortality. Female mortality increased with the level of inbreeding in the high X-inbreeding pedigree but not in the low X-inbreeding pedigree. Mortality rates after cold shock were far lower in males and we did not see a significant difference in male mortality between pedigrees. However, again, we found the largest difference in female mortality for full sibling crosses where there was no difference between the two pedigrees in either autosomal or X chrosmosome inbreeding. We were also unable to demonstrate directly that increased inbreeding on the X-chromosome, and not the autosomes, was responsible for the skew in sex ratio and the increased cold shock mortality we observed in females. Because autosomal and X-linked inbreeding were correlated in many of our crosses, we lacked power to detect an effect of inbreeding on the X-chromosome after accounting for autosomal inbreeding. Our simulations indicated that for an effect size of 10% difference in sex ratio between unrelated and full sibling crosses, we would expect to detect a significant result in only 46% of cases. Our observed change in sex ratio was closer to 5%. Using a greater number of crosses and a larger difference in X-chromosome inbreeding between the high and low X-inbreeding pedigrees may have increased our power to detect a result. However, this would be difficult to achieve in a single generation. For example, whilst parent offspring crosses could have generated greater levels of inbreeding on the X-chromosome at autosomal inbreeding of ƒ = 0.25, this would have resulted in male and female parents being of different ages between the two pedigrees. Priest et al found that increases in either maternal or paternal age were associated with reduced fitness in the offspring of D. melanogaster, but that maternal age had the stronger effect. Maternal age has also been found to be directly associated with increased inbreeding depression in other species, for example the seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus.
After accounting for a possible effect of autosomal inbreeding, we were not able to demonstrate a further effect of inbreeding on the X-chromosome. However, in a large outbred population, deleterious recessive sex limited alleles are expected to be present in relatively equal proportions and are therefore not expected to lead to distortions in sex ratio . Our experimental population was established from one hundred and fifty wild-caught, inseminated females and was maintained at high population densities. This should have captured and maintained a large amount of genetic diversity. Whilst it is possible that some of this diversity was lost in the 11 months between the population being established and the experiment being conducted, we would still expect autosomal sex limited deleterious recessives to have been present in relatively equal numbers, and therefore not be responsible for the observed distortion in sex ratio. The results of our AIC model selection analysis also suggest that the skew in sex ratio and female cold shock mortality was more consistent with inbreeding on the X-chromosome than with autosomal inbreeding, although neither model can explain the difference we observed between the pedigrees. It is possible that some other unexplained variable may have differed between the pedigrees resulting in the difference in the response of sex ratio to inbreeding.
Although theoretical work by Frankham and Wilcken predicts some directional distortion in sex ratio due to inbreeding in D. melanogaster, neither they nor Kristensen et al found evidence of this. As outlined above, a possible explanation for their lack of findings is that several generations of full sibling inbreeding resulted in purging of deleterious recessive alleles before sex ratio was assayed. The population used by Frankham and Wilcken had also been maintained in lab culture for ten years before their experiment. This may have resulted in loss of genetic diversity and is also likely to have caused the flies to become “laboratory adapted” to the food and environment. Inbreeding depression has been shown to be more severe in stressful conditions so the relatively benign conditions in the laboratory may have contributed to a weaker effect.
Our results, which suggest that in D. melanogaster females may suffer greater inbreeding depression than males, are somewhat in contrast to the findings of a recent study by Enders and Nunney , who found male fitness to be more sensitive to inbreeding depression than female fitness. However, a likely explanation for this difference is that Enders and Nunney considered sexual selection in their fitness measures, whereas we did not. Sexual selection is likely to be stronger on males than females, so this is likely to amplify the effects of inbreeding depression in males. In their study, inbreeding depression was also scored on different traits for males and females, mating success for males and fecundity for females; our results are therefore not directly comparable.
The distortion in sex ratio we observed for full sibling crosses in our high X-inbreeding pedigree was greater than the theoretical predictions for Drosophila made by Frankham and Wilcken . They suggest that directional skews in sex ratio may result from a combination of deleterious recessive genes on the X-chromosome that are expressed only in females or in both sexes. They expressed their predictions for directional skews in sex ratio as the sex ratio from full sibling inbreeding divided by the sex ratio from outbred crosses. Their estimates varied depending on the strength of selection against deleterious recessives, but ranged to a maximum of 1.023 (inbred/outbred) for sex linked deleterious recessives expressed in both sexes and 1.015 (inbred/outbred) due to sex linked deleterious recessives expressed in females only. In our high X-inbreeding pedigree we found a sex ratio associated with full sibling crosses substantially higher at 1.190 (inbred/outbred). Frankham and Wilcken’s theoretical work suggests that for invertebrates, autosomal loci are expected to lead to skews in sex ratio of 1.073 (inbred/outbred) for those expressed only in females and 0.932 (inbred/outbred) for those expressed only in males. It is possible that the X-linked effects in our study were greater than predicted by Frankham and Wilcken or that autosomal sex limited deleterious recessive alleles were contributing to this result despite this population being likely to have retained a reasonable amount of genetic diversity.
Although greater than expected, the distortion in sex ratio for D. melanogaster was still modest. Assuming that inbreeding on the X-chromosome was driving our results, it should be kept in mind that this species is expected to show a greater effect than most due to a large proportion of its genome being located on the X-chromosome. Nonetheless, because distortions in sex ratio are expected to lead to male biased sex ratios in placental mammals and many insects , this would make them more prone to extinction than would purely random distortions in sex ratio. Therefore, the ubiquity of directional distortions in sex ratio warrants further investigation.
The increased female mortality and male biased sex ratios observed with increased inbreeding in our high X-inbreeding pedigree are consistent with a directional distortion in sex ratio caused by inbreeding on the X-chromosome. However, we were unable to unequivocally rule out inbreeding on the autosomes as a potential contributor to this effect. The marked differences observed between the high and low X-inbreeding pedigrees were not predicted due to inbreeding on the X-chromosome or the autosomes. Nevertheless, the observed results were at least consistent with predictions based on X-chromosome inbreeding. Our results suggest that directional distortions in sex ratio may arise following inbreeding on the X-chromosome and highlight the need for further research on this topic.
Generation of experimental flies
The Drosophila stock used in our experiments was established from 151 wild-caught females collected from a single site in Margaret River (located on the south west coast of Western Australia, 33.95 °S, 115.07 °E) in May 2009 and maintained in the laboratory for approximately 11 months (approximately 24 generations with effective population sizes > 200) prior to use in this experiment. The population was maintained with overlapping generations in a single 9 L container on standard agar-maize-yeast medium at 25°C with a 12/12 h light/dark cycle.
To conduct each cross, flies were housed in individual 50 ml vials on 10 ml agar-maize-yeast medium, seeded with 5 mg of live yeast. All virgin flies used in the experiment were collected within seven hours of emerging (before they reached sexual maturity ) under brief CO2 exposure, and sorted into single sex vials. Virgins were kept for three days prior to use, and these vials were checked for larvae production. Unrelated individuals used in the pedigree where collected by placing vials directly into the mass population cage overnight, and collecting virgin males and females from these vials after 11-12 days. Our experimental design was replicated in 10 separate blocks, each established one day apart. Within each block we generated one high X-inbreeding and one low X-inbreeding pedigree. The pedigrees within a block shared a number of individuals in common. Both were established from the same founding pair of individuals as shown in Figure 5. Another pair of individuals was also shared in common between the blocks used in the second generation in the pedigrees as noted in Figure 5. Males for the unrelated cross for both pedigrees were also sourced from the same family. For each step in the pedigree, males and females were paired in individual vials and allowed to lay eggs for 48 hrs before being transferred to a second laying vial and then discarded after another 48 hrs. Virgin males and females were collected from these two vials after 11 – 12 days as required to establish the next crosses for the pedigree. To ensure that the pedigree was complete even if some crosses failed to produce offspring, four replicates of each step were established and of these, one was chosen at random to continue the pedigree. Each pedigree produced females from a single family (which will be referred to as focal females) that could then be crossed to males of the five different levels of relatedness to them as listed above. For each pedigree, 25 virgin focal females were collected and five replicate crosses of each of the five levels of inbreeding were made. The unrelated males used for this final cross were collected from a vial set up as a replicate of a “full sibling” vial from another block. In this way these unrelated males had gone through the exact same handling as the full sibling males. In total, across all 10 blocks we produced 500 crosses, the offspring of which were collected to measure sex ratio and cold shock mortality. To collect these offspring each cross was allowed to lay eggs sequentially on three laying vials, spending forty-eight hours on each vial. Offspring from the first two vials were collected for the cold shock mortality assay on days 11 and 12 from when the initial cross was established. The offspring from vial three were collected and sexed sixteen days from when females were allowed to commence laying in this vial. To ensure that inbreeding was not distorting sex ratio by delaying development time, which might lead to fewer offspring of one sex emerging before the 16 day collection cut-off, we collected and sexed all offspring from each full sibling cross every day for twenty-one days in two of our blocks. Out of a total of 1212 individuals emerging from these vials, just 22 (1.8%) emerged more than sixteen days after laying commenced. Of these, 8 were female and 14 were male, suggesting that excluding such individuals from our sample is unlikely to generate male biased sex ratios.
Cold shock mortality
All flies used in this assay were between two and three days old at the time of cold exposure. One replicate of each cross within each pedigree was chosen at random to source offspring for the assay of cold shock mortality. Twenty offspring of each sex from each cross were sorted into single sex laying vials under brief CO2 exposure the day before the assay. Cold shock mortality was assessed using the protocols established in previous studies e.g. [29, 30]. On the day of the assay each group of 20 flies was transferred to a separate empty glass vial, and the vial partially submerged in a salt water/ice bath at –2°C for three hours. Immediately after cold exposure each group of 20 flies was transferred back to a room temperature laying vial and returned to the controlled temperature room at 25°C. We recorded the number of live and dead flies in each vial five days after cold exposure.
All statistical analyses were carried out in the statistical package R . For sex ratio data, the five replicates of each level of relatedness within each pedigree in each block were pooled prior to analysis by summing the number of adult offspring of each sex. In the rare case where less than two of the five replicates produced viable offspring, all replicates were excluded from the analysis. Analyses of sex ratio, male cold shock mortality and female cold shock mortality were carried out separately.
First, to test whether sex ratio was affected by inbreeding differently in the two pedigrees, data were fitted with a binomial generalized linear model using the “glm” function of the “stats” package. For sex ratio we used the number of male offspring as the number of successes and the number of female offspring as the number of failures. Mortality after cold shock was analysed in a similar manner, using the numbers of live and dead flies after the assay. In all cases response variables were overdispersed, so we fitted the models using quasibinomial error distributions. For each trait, we included the predictor variables block, autosomal inbreeding (ƒ), pedigree type and the interaction between autosomal inbreeding and pedigree type. P-values were obtained using the “Anova” function of the “car” package with type II sums of squares (main effects tested without removing variation attributed to interaction terms). Where there was a significant interaction, we separated the data into pedigree type and carried out new analyses with block and autosomal inbreeding as the predictor variables only.
Next, we tested directly for an effect of inbreeding on the X-chromosome after controlling for possible effects of autosomal inbreeding. We analysed the results from both pedigrees simultaneously using a model with predictor variables added in the order block, autosomal inbreeding and X-chromosome inbreeding. Significance testing was carried out using the “anova” command in the “stats” package, which fits model terms sequentially (type I sums of squares). Because the level of autosomal inbreeding and X-chromosome inbreeding were positively correlated (r = 0.94), we may have lacked power to detect an effect of X-chromosome inbreeding after controlling for autosomal inbreeding. In order to test our power to detect such a result, we used simulations to create data sets with a linear distortion in sex ratio for all crosses at a rate equivalent to a 10% difference in sex ratio between unrelated and full sibling crosses driven by inbreeding on the X-chromosome and a variance in sex ratio equal to that which we observed in our actual data. We created 1000 such simulated data sets and calculated the proportion of these where we were able to detect a significant effect using the sample sizes in our study.
Finally, where our initial analysis indicated a significant interaction between inbreeding and pedigree type, we used AIC selection to assess whether any effect was better explained by inbreeding on the X-chromosome or by autosomal inbreeding. AIC selection is useful in allowing for selection between models but does not give any information on goodness-of-fit of the models in question . We used the “aictab” command of the AICcmodavg package to calculate Quasi AIC and Quasi Akaike weights for the binomial models fitted to data from both pedigrees. We included three models for comparison, one with block and X-chromosome inbreeding as factors, one with block and autosomal inbreeding as factors and one with only block as a factor. We used the same overdispersion parameter for each model, calculated from the autosomal inbreeding model using the “c_hat” command of the “AICcmodavg” package.
This study was funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery-Project grant to LWS (DP0771680) and the University of Western Australia.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. | <urn:uuid:872e0bf5-2101-4e10-b35c-d21195d32e8c> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2148-14-51 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886123312.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823171414-20170823191414-00199.warc.gz | en | 0.921984 | 7,654 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Within the US and all around the world, we are somewhat dependent on plastic. Among other things, this has been one of the largest problems on our way to a greener future. As we continue to look for green solutions in various different industries, companies are now investing millions of dollars into the practice. However, that doesn’t mean that you still can’t make a difference at home. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of superb DIY life hacks so you can reduce your dependency on plastic.
Make Your Toothpaste - In life, there are certain things that we need regardless of what happens and toothpaste is on this list. However, making your own toothpaste is incredibly simple; all you need is baking soda, water, peppermint essential oil, and, if you wanted, some coconut oil. Mix this together in a mason jar and this can be your first step to saving the planet.
Exfoliate with Coffee - As strange as this may sound, every single tube of face wash has the potential to contain around 300,000 microbeads*. Sadly, this causes havoc after being put down the sink. Surprisingly, you can help to save marine life by creating your own face scrub and it starts with coffee grounds. With this base, you can then mix with avocado or coconut oil.
Remove All Plastic Bags - In recent years, we have seen action to reduce plastic waste with groceries; some countries, like the United Kingdom, even charge for bags now in supermarkets. In fact, going one step further, a handful of countries such as China have banned plastic bags altogether*. Despite this, plastic can still be found with produce and other items so try and create an alternative. As well as using cloth bags, you could also use mason jars and a wine holder to prevent them clinking as you walk along.
Make Your Shampoo and Conditioner - Just as we saw with toothpaste, hair cleaning products are also easy to make and can even be better for your scalp. With these two products alone, there are some huge problems including the plastic bottles, waxes, plastic resins, silicone, and more. Instead, you should start with coconut oil before then washing it out with Castille soap. Not only will you be removing all plastic from this process, your hair will feel nourished and revitalised.
Condiment Replacement - If you were to look in your fridge and cupboards right now, there would undoubtedly be a number of plastic bottles. To prevent this, you can try making your own condiments before then keeping them in mason jars. Nowadays, you can buy all sorts of funky jars with different tops so you can still use ketchup and the like without taking off the lid. As well as being fun, you can experiment with new flavours and potentially create your own condiment.
In all, plastic can be deadly to our environment but these are some simple tips that you can use to reduce your footprint. Even if you can’t do these for some reason, use them as inspiration and assess what you can do differently at home and at work!
Nicole Mowbray for the Daily Mail. "The Toxic Secret Lurking in Your Body Scrub: How Your Face Wash Could Be Wrecking the Lives of Wildlife and Hurting the Environment." Daily Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 01 Feb. 2016. Web. 25 May 2017.
"List by Country; 'bag Charges, Taxes and Bans'." Big Fat Bags. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2017. | <urn:uuid:9e13677d-229e-435a-ac29-5df7508a18a1> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://www.waterliberty.com/blogs/sustainability/5-simple-life-hacks-to-reduce-plastic | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224654016.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20230607211505-20230608001505-00781.warc.gz | en | 0.951228 | 733 | 2.59375 | 3 |
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For full details, including customisation options, please view our Schools Support Solution document (PDF). | <urn:uuid:83d5fdde-c117-423d-96af-81ddf7d1fe24> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://atcomputers.co.uk/education/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1405997894976.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20140722025814-00095-ip-10-33-131-23.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.883823 | 732 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Article abstract: Blok is one of Russia’s greatest poets. He was called the “last Romantic poet,” and his work in literature and drama reflected the profound changes that his country and its people experienced during the era of World War I and the Russian Revolution.
Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Blok was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on November 28, 1880, into a family of the gentry. His father, Aleksandr L. Blok, was a jurist, a professor of law at Warsaw University, and a talented musician. His mother, the former Aleksandra A. Beketova, was a writer. Blok’s parents divorced soon after he was born, and he spent much of his childhood in the family of his maternal grandfather, Andrei Beketov, a botanist and rector of the University of St. Petersburg, in St. Petersburg and at his estate, Shakhmatovo, near Moscow. Blok rarely saw his father. In 1889, Blok’s mother married an officer, F. F. Kublitsky-Piottukh, and the family moved back to St. Petersburg. After graduation from the Gymnasium, Blok entered the law school at the University of St. Petersburg, but in 1901 he transferred to the historical philology faculty. He was graduated in 1906. Blok had an early interest in drama and in becoming an actor, but by the age of eighteen he had begun to write poetry seriously and was almost immediately successful.
In 1903, Blok married Lyubova D. Mendeleyeva, the daughter of the famous chemist Dimitry Mendeleyev. She inspired much of his early poetry, but their marriage was always a turbulent one. In his later years, for example, Blok also developed strong relationships with the actress Natalia Volokhova and the singer Lyubov Delmas, who together inspired much of his work at the time.
Blok’s first published poetry appeared in the literary journal Novyi put’ (new path) in 1903, and his first volume of poetry, Stikhi o prekrasnoy dame (verses on a beautiful lady), appeared in 1904. These early works reflected the influence of the philosopher Vladimir Solovyov, his nephew and Blok’s cousin Sergei Solovyov, Andrei Bely, and other Symbolists, and they were well received by them. Blok already showed some innovation by giving new meaning to old symbols. It was his second book of poems, Nechayannaya radost (inadvertent joy), in 1907 and his lyrical drama Balaganchik (The Puppet Show, 1963) in 1906 that first gained for Blok real fame.
At this time his poetry was profoundly lyrical and deeply interwoven with mysticism and religious decadence. Blok can thereby also be linked to the tradition of Afanasy Fet. Consequently, some literary critics have called him the “last Romantic poet” for his work during this early period, but it is a label that might also be applied to his entire career.
Yet, Nechayannaya radost and another volume, Zemlya v snegu (1908; land in snow), also heralded a change coming about in Blok’s worldview, brought on in part by the so-called Revolution of 1905 in Russia and its eventual failure. His classical mystical symbolism was beginning to collapse, and the breakdown of rhyme in these works anticipated Futurism.
Symbolism had its origins in...
(The entire section is 1340 words.) | <urn:uuid:408d47ad-887b-486d-bedc-5bf9444126b2> | CC-MAIN-2014-41 | http://www.enotes.com/topics/aleksandr-blok | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-41/segments/1410657134620.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20140914011214-00341-ip-10-234-18-248.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986656 | 763 | 2.84375 | 3 |
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International Environmental Agreements - full-text of over 140 agreements. | <urn:uuid:a322ebe9-cd36-43ff-94fd-39f0fdfd9956> | CC-MAIN-2014-41 | http://library.sc.edu/gov_docs/gdenvironment.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-41/segments/1412037663611.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20140930004103-00291-ip-10-234-18-248.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.841794 | 850 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Stó:lō woman with cedar baskets
|Regions with significant populations|
|Canada (British Columbia)|
|English, Upriver Halkomelem|
|Related ethnic groups|
The Stó:lō //, alternately written as Sto:lo, Stó:lô, or Stó:lõ and historically, as Staulo or Stahlo, and historically known and commonly referred to in ethnographic literature as the Fraser River Indians or Lower Fraser Salish, are a group of First Nations peoples inhabiting the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon of British Columbia, Canada. Stó:lō is the Halqemeylem word for "river". The Stó:lō are the river people. The first historically documented reference to these people as "the Stó:lō" occurs in Catholic Oblate missionary records from the 1880s. Prior to this, references were primarily to individual tribal groups such as Matsqui, Ts’elxweyeqw, or Sumas.
- 1 Origins of a people in this region
- 2 History
- 3 Culture
- 4 List of Stó:lō governments
- 5 See also
- 6 Notes
- 7 References
- 8 External links
Origins of a people in this region
The first traces of people living in the Fraser Valley date from 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. The Stó:lō called this area, their traditional territory, S'ólh Téméxw. The early inhabitants of the area were highly mobile hunter-gatherers. There is archeological evidence of a settlement in the lower Fraser Canyon (called "the Milliken site") and a seasonal encampment ("the Glenrose Cannery site") near the mouth of the Fraser River. Remains of this latter campsite show that in spring and early summer, the people came here to hunt land and sea mammals, such as deer, elk, and seals and, to a lesser extent, to fish for salmon, stickleback, eulachon, and sturgeon and to gather shellfish. Their lives depended on their success at harvesting the resources of the land and the rivers through fishing, foraging, and hunting.
Contemporary Stó:lō elders describe their connection to the land in the statement "we have always been here." They tell of their arrival in S'ólh Téméxw as either Tel Swayel ("sky-born" people) or as "Tel Temexw" ("earth-born people) and through the subsequent transformations of ancestral animals and fish such as the beaver, mountain goat, and sturgeon. Xexá:ls (transformers) fixed the world ("made it right") and the people and animals in it, creating the present landscape. As Carlson notes:
- The Stó:lō walk simultaneously through both spiritual and physical realms of this landscape, connected to the Creator through the land itself, as transformed by Xexá:ls.
Prehistory and archaeology
There is a continuous record of occupation of S'ólh Téméxw by aboriginal people dating from the early Holocene period, 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. Two archaeological sites referred to in the Origins section are well documented. Additional archaeological evidence from the early period has been found throughout the region, including sites at Stave Lake, Coquitlam Lake, and Fort Langley.
Many more sites exist that date from the middle Holocene period (c. 5,500-3,000 years ago). Tools found indicate considerable continuity with the early period. One striking feature of this period is the introduction of permanent house sites, showing evidence of cultural transmission from a nomadic to a more sedentary lifestyle between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago. Characteristic of this period were decorative and sculpted stone items, an increasingly complex relationship with the environment, and a more stable and increasingly complex culture. The now extinct Coast Salish woolly dog appeared for the first time during this period.
Among the oldest archaeological digs in Canada is Xá:ytem, at Hatzic, just east of present-day Mission. Initial work on a suburban housing project around a transformer stone aroused the interests of Stó:lō archaeologist, Gordon Mohs. The land eventually was transferred to Stó:lō governance for heritage purposes. The focus of the site is a large transformer stone which bears the name Xá:ytem. This has come to be used for the ancient village site that has been excavated in the surrounding field. There are two major eras found in the dig, one 3000BP and the other from 5000-9000BP . Both indicate posthole and timber-frame construction and advanced social and economic life. The site was eventually abandoned and covered by flooding and sediment during the ongoing evolution of the Fraser delta.
In the early 21st century, a group of structures known variously as the Fraser Valley Pyramids or Scowlitz Mounds at Harrison Bay, near Chehalis, are under investigation by a joint task force of the Scowlitz First Nation and archaeologists. Little is known about the mounds, which appear to be burial mounds and which contain timber structures to sustain the weight of the mound. Because they are distinct from any other structures anywhere else in the region, the people who made them may not have been forebears of the Stó:lō peoples.
This period extends from 3,000 years ago to first contact with European people. New forms of ground stone technology, including slate knives, slate points, hand mauls, nephrite chisels, and nephrite adzes, are evidence of an increasingly specialized society evolving during this period. Social class distinctions were accompanied by changing house forms that indicated expanding households. Warfare became increasingly widespread.
Contact with Europeans
Although Captains José María Narváez of Spain and George Vancouver of England explored the Georgia Strait in 1791 and 1792, respectively, they did not reach the Fraser River or Stó:lō territory. The first contact between the Stó:lō and Europeans was indirect, through the transmission of infectious disease via other Indigenous peoples.
There are two main theories for how the smallpox virus first reached the Stó:lō in late 1782. The first is that the disease came up from Mexico spreading with overland travelers, the second and more likely theory is that it was brought to the coast through trade routes with Europeans. It is estimated that the epidemic killed two thirds of the Stó:lō population, approximately 61%, within six weeks. During the epidemic traditional responses to illness may have made the outbreak worse. One method was gathering around the sick person’s bed to sing and pray. This exposed more people to the virus. Other practices included cleansing sweats and cold morning baths which would have shocked the infected person’s body causing more harm.
Those who survived were affected with blindness and other permanent disabilities making hunting and other activities difficult. This caused many people to suffer from hunger along with the emotional damage from debilitation. Stó:lō culture is based on an oral tradition, and with the decimation of the community, large amounts of important cultural information were lost. It is a testament to the strength of the Stó:lō people that they are still a strong culture and community after such devastation.
By the late 19th century, the Stó:lō's by then extended contact with Europeans enabled them to learn about and get vaccinated for protection against smallpox. In 1862, the effects of another smallpox outbreak on the Stó:lō were limited in comparison with that related to northern indigenous people, because they had been inoculated with the vaccine. Although deadly smallpox epidemics broke out at least once more (and possibly in 1824 and 1862), it was, however, only one of a number of serious diseases that would be brought to the area by European colonizers. Measles, mumps, tuberculosis, influenza, and venereal diseases also caused high fatalities among the Stó:lō population.
Simon Fraser and Fort Langley
Soon after the 1782 epidemic, the Stó:lō encountered Europeans face to face. The first European to explore the region from overland was Simon Fraser, who travelled down the Fraser River in 1808 (it was later named for him). The Hudson's Bay Company established trading posts at Fort Langley (in 1827) and Fort Yale (1848). Their involvement in trading with the British brought great changes to the relationships of the Stó:lō with each other and with the land.
Although the HBC built the posts with the fur trade in mind, trade in salmon soon took over as the primary item of exchange. Between 1830 and 1849, Fort Langley's purchases of salmon increased from 200 barrels to 2610 barrels. The Kwantlen branch of the Stó:lō relocated their main village to the proximity of the fort, partly to maintain primacy in trade with the company and partly for protection from competitors. The fort repelled an attack by the Euclataws of Quadra Island, helping to bring an end to slave raids on the lower Fraser by northern tribes. But, slave raiding continued for several decades after the establishment of Ft. Langley.
Douglas and Trutch
After Simon Fraser’s arrival in 1808 and the establishment of Fort Langley in 1827 the gold rush began in 1858. With the discovery of gold came the influx of over 30,000 miners with goals of striking it rich. These miners created many problems as they encroached closely to Stó:lō communities, resources, and homes. With the fierce competition over land many disputes arose concerning the ownership of land and the damage that was being caused by the miners. Governor James Douglas recognized these issues and tried to separate the Stó:lō and miners by creating separate territories for each group to occupy. This began the long history of land disputes between the Stó:lō and settlers. As the miners left in large numbers by 1860 the whiskey peddlers came in selling their “fire water” to the Stó:lō. Shortly after this more permanent immigrants arrived and began to establish farms. Because no treaties had been signed between the Stó:lō and the government, the settlement of this land was not in accordance with the Royal Proclamation of 1763 that stated that all land acquisition from the Aboriginals had to be done legally through a treaty process.
No treaties were ever made in BC, and although Governor Douglas planned to create them, the gold rush and subsequent immigration rush hindered this. The main goal of his plan was the assimilation of the Stó:lō into European culture. He hoped to have Stó:lō pre-empt crown land for agricultural development and have them lease out parts of the reserves to non-Aboriginal farmers to aid in assimilation. While waiting to be able to negotiate treaties, which were a very expensive process, he attempted to create large Indian reserves of at least 40 hectares per family. Douglas also promised the Stó:lō fair compensation for all the land outside of the reserves being occupied by settlers. While setting up the reserves the Stó:lō were asked to help mark the territories themselves as it was recognized that only they would know what lands needed to be included such as berry patches, transformer sites, and burial grounds (although many spiritual sites were not revealed to ensure their secrecy). Sergeant William McColl was directed in 1864 by Douglas to create the reserves. The surveyors outlined 15,760 hectors through present day Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission. This may seem like a large amount of land, but was small in comparison to the land available to settlers.
Soon after the survey was completed Douglas retired and McColl died. Joseph Trutch, the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, was placed in charge of the reserve s. He felt that the Stó:lō did not need most of the land promised to them by Douglas and McColl. Trutch believed that if the land was not being used for agrarian purposes it was not required. He reduced the reserves by 91% in 1867, siding with the settlers who had begun to build homes and farms in the area. Trutch also took many of the rights that Douglas had given to the Stó:lō away. They no longer were allowed to participate in government or able to pre-empt or purchase land outside of the reserves. In the years following these events the federal and provincial governments have paid very little attention to the problems that First Nations people have been experiencing in British Columbia. In 1990 British Columbia acknowledged that Aboriginal rights to land and resources needed to be extinguished by treaty as stated in the 1763 Royal Proclamation. They created the BC Treaty Commission to help deal with these issues.
St. Mary's Residential School
St Mary’s Residential School was the name of two Indian Residential schools in Mission, BC. It was first operated by Roman Catholic Church of Canada and secondly by the Canadian federal government. The school had approximately 2000 children in attendance with most of them Stó:lō.
The school was opened in 1863 as a school of boys housing 42 students its first year. In 1868 a girls section was operated in the main site but was separated and operated by the Sisters of St. Ann. They later on moved in 1882 so that construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway could take place. The students were mainly Stó:lō people and others from the Fraser Valley. The boys and girls lived separately, things made available for example dining hall, laundry, bakery and classrooms. There was emphasis on Catholic Catechism and academics and then a shift to agriculture and industrial vocations including woodworking, attending mass, ironing and sewing. Parents that were able to visit were allowed to visit and some camped around school area. Up until 1948 students were given permission to visit the city of Mission. Students on arrival at the school were assigned lockers, beds and dormitory. They were also checked for lice and given two sets of clothes to be worn and marked.
The problem with the school was that in the 1800s there was little abuse[clarification needed] and strapping later became a routine. In 1960’s there were nightmarish abuses and students were taught that their language and beliefs were sins and not acceptable.
In 1952, 16 students had graduated with full grade 12 diplomas. In 1961, the students moved to a new government-run residential school of the same name on the eastern border of Mission, and the Roman Catholic School was closed. In 1985, all buildings of the former schools were destroyed making it the last residential school in BC.
The buildings were destroyed, but the grounds of the Catholic Mission School are now part of Fraser River Heritage Park. New Bell Tower, built in 2000, also housed the 1875 original bell from Mission. The Mission Indian Friendship Centre in 2001 provided funds to build a covered picnic shelter in the park. The park is also home to the OMI cemetery where nun, students land and buildings of government – nun school were initially leased to the Coqualeetza Training Centre after 1985. In 2005, the park was returned to the Stó:lō and given Indian reserve status. The land formally regained its Stó:lō name of pekw’xe: yles (Peckquaylis) and it is used by 21 different first nations governments.
The language traditionally spoken by the Stó:lō people is Halq'eméylem, the “Upriver dialect” of Halkomelem. Halq'eméylem is primarily spoken in Harrison Lake, lower Fraser Canyon, and the upper and central Fraser Valley. The dialect is included in the Coast Salish language family. While there are 278 fluent speakers of the dialects of Halkomelem, there are fewer than five fluent speakers of Halq'eméylem. Of these, the speakers who have achieved fluency are of dotage. Because of this, several speakers have been lost in each successive year. In turn, the language is facing the threat of extinction.
In residential schools, such as St. Mary's Residential School in Mission, BC, students were prohibited from speaking their language. If students did speak their language instead of the desired English, they would often be punished physically or mentally to reinforce which language was to be spoken - or not spoken. With a lack of opportunity to speak Halq'eméylem in their environment and inability to go home in most cases, students in attendance at residential schools frequently lost their language. In present day, the trend of individuals not being to speak their language continues. English has still been taking precedence over the speaking of Halq'eméylem. With those who have fluency in the language passing away, and children not being raised in environments in which Halq'eméylem is learned and utilized as English has.
As the Stó:lō people, like other Aboriginal groups, consider their language to be an important aspect of their culture, there have been efforts made to revitalize Halq'eméylem. One of the central parties that has been involved in the preservation of the language is the Stó:lō Shxweli Halq'eméylem Language Program. In 1994, the program originated under the wing of the education department of the Stó:lō Nation's Community Economic Development division. It was established in the efforts to teach members of the community the language and be able to have these community members teach the language to others. In addition, the development of curriculum in Halq'eméylem was desired.
The initial program has led to the Stó:lō Shxweli Halq'eméylem Language Program working with post-secondary institutions in British Columbia to allow course offerings to students regardless of background. Among the post-secondary schools offering Halq'eméylem is the University of the Fraser Valley, Simon Fraser University, and the University of British Columbia.
An additional effort the Stó:lō Shxweli Halq'eméylem Language Program has partaken in their efforts to revitalize and document the language is by using technology. The language staff involved in the program established an ongoing language archive on the mobile and website application First Voices. The number of singular words archived from the Halq'eméylem is 1745. Furthermore, 667 phrases have been archived on the website in Halq'eméylem.
Coast Salish towns and villages were located along the waterways in watersheds, both for access to water for cooking and drinking, and for salmon fishing. Its importance in their culture was reflected in ceremonies around it. The various tribes, sometimes named by Europeans for the river they were located near, fished on the Fraser River and its tributaries, including the Chilliwack and the Harrison. Important parts of the community life of the people were related to the life cycle of the salmon. Ceremonies such as the First Salmon ceremony, performed when the first fish was caught each year, reflected its importance in Stó:lō culture.
The First Salmon Ceremony was held when the first salmon were brought back from the river. It was then shared with either the entire community or more privately in a family setting. After the salmon meat was eaten the bones of the fish were then returned to the river. This was to show respect to the salmon people. If the ceremony was not performed and the fish not shared it was said that the fisher would experience bad luck for the rest of the year and the salmon run may not be as strong.
Salmon was the preferred food of the Stó:lō and was seen as superior to other types of meat. Meat and salmon were classified differently and salmon was said to give individuals energy while meat makes you feel heavy and lazy. In order to have salmon through the off seasons it was preserved through two different methods. In the summer salmon was wind dried with salt in the Fraser Canyon. In the fall salmon was smoked, this was traditionally done for a week or two but with modern refrigeration technology smoking is only done for a few days. Dried salmon was then either boiled or steamed before eating.
Salmon was not only used for food, it was also crucial for trading. This began when the Hudson’s Bay Company set up trading posts in Stó:lō territory. They originally wanted the Stó:lō to hunt beaver for them but quickly learned that the Stó:lō had little interest in beaver. The Hudson Bay Company then began to ask for salmon after seeing the impressive hauls that were being made. In August 1829 the Stó:lō traded Fort Langley 7000 Salmon.
Since European settlement in Stó:lō territory the salmon have been experiencing decreases in numbers. Major contributions to this include the building of the CPR, agriculture, and forestry. One of the newer major issues is the expanding farmed salmon industry. The farmed salmon are transferring lice and disease to the wild salmon. This is further harming the already dwindling numbers.
Stó:lō society was organized into classes: the sí:yá:m (or upper classes), the ordinary people, and the slaves, who were usually captives taken from enemy tribes in raids or warfare. A person's family status was important in determining their role within Stó:lō society, and within Longhouse ceremonies, though this has faded over time. Slaves may have been treated relatively well, but they were not permitted to eat with others at the Longhouse fire. They were primarily responsible for daily tasks such as gathering nuts, fruits and other foods, or firewood. The use of slaves died out in the nineteenth century. As the practice was dying out there was a settlement of former slaves called Freedom Village (Halkomelem: Chi'ckim). In some bands, the memory of which families descend from slaves may persist.
The Síyá:m (leader) were the most influential members of each family. Expert hunters were referred to as Tewit and led during the hunting season. Leaders with influence over entire villages or tribal groups were sometimes known as the Yewal Síyá:m (high leaders).
Housing and shelter
The primary shelter for the Stó:lō people was in the form of a longhouse. Although some modern longhouses were built with gabled roofs, most Stó:lō longhouses were built with a single flat, but slanted roof, similar to the Xá:ytem Longhouse. Entire extended families would live in a longhouse, and the structure could be extended as the family expanded. Pit houses (or Quiggly hole houses) also were used during earlier generations.
Although river and lake canoes were built within Stó:lō, larger ocean-going canoes were primarily acquired through trade with indigenous people of the coast and Vancouver island. In the late nineteenth century, the emphasis on water transportation was replaced first by horse and buggy, then by train and automobile.
Adolescence and adulthood
Traditionally, Stó:lō girls went through puberty rites at the time of their first menstruation. A pubescent girl would be brought to a pit lined with cedar boughs and told to remain there during daylight hours, leaving only to eat and sleep. Women would bring her fir boughs and instruct her to pick out the needles one at a time, but this was the only work she would be allowed to do; other women would feed and wash the girl until her first menstrual period was over. This custom was practiced widely, at least until youth were sent to residential schools.
List of Stó:lō governments
Six bands belong to neither council (see below for list). The Chehalis Indian Band of the Sts'Ailes people on the Harrison River, while ethnically and linguistically similar, is among a number of First Nations governments in the region who have distanced themselves from Stó:lō collective governance. Others include the Musqueam Indian Band, Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, Tsawwassen First Nation, Semiahmoo First Nation, and Yale First Nation.
Members of the Stó:lō Nation
- Aitchelitz First Nation
- Leq'a:mel First Nation
- Matsqui First Nation
- Popkum First Nation
- Skway First Nation
- Skawahlook First Nation
- Skowkale First Nation
- Squiala First Nation
- Sumas First Nation
- Tzeachten First Nation
- Yakweakwioose First Nation
Members of the Stó:lō Tribal Council
- Chawathil First Nation
- Cheam Indian Band
- Kwaw-kwaw-Apilt First Nation
- Scowlitz First Nation
- Seabird Island First Nation
- Shxw'ow'hamel First Nation
- Soowahlie First Nation
Stó:lō bands with no tribal council
- Kwantlen First Nation
- Skwah First Nation
- Qayqayt First Nation
- Kwikwetlem First Nation
- Union Bar First Nation
- Peters Band
- Katzie First Nation
- Sts'ailes People
BC treaty negotiations
The Stó:lō Declaration included twenty-four First Nations when it was signed in 1977. Twenty-one of these nations entered the BC Treaty Process as the Sto:lo Nation in August 1995. Four First Nations withdrew from the treaty process, leaving seventeen to reach Stage Four of the six-stage process.
In 2005, an internal reorganization of the nineteen Stó:lō First Nations divided them into two tribal councils. Eleven of these First Nations — Aitchelitz, Leq'a:mel, Matsqui, Popkum, Shxwhá:y Village, Skawahlook, Skowkale, Squiala, Sumas, Tzeachten, and Yakweakwioose — chose to remain in the Stó:lō Nation.
Eight others formed a new tribal council called the Stó:lō Tribal Council. The eight members of the Stó:lō Tribal Council — Chawathil, Cheam, Kwantlen First Nation, Kwaw-kwaw-Apilt, Scowlitz, Seabird Island, Shxw'ow'hamel First Nation, and Soowahlie — are not participating in the treaty process.
- Carlson, Keith Thor (ed.) (2001). A Stó:lō-Coast Salish Historical Atlas. Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre. pp. 6–18. ISBN 1-55054-812-3.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- Carlson, Keith Thor (ed.) (1997). You Are Asked to Witness: The Stó:lō in Canada's Pacific Coast History. Chilliwack, BC: Stó:lō Heritage Trust. ISBN 0-9681577-0-X.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- "St. Mary's Mission School". Retrieved 21 November 2013.
- Galvin, Terry (2002). Amongst God's Own: The Enduring Legacy of St. Mary's Mission. Mission BC: Mission Indian Friendship Centre.
- "Report on the Status of BC First Nations Languages" (PDF). First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- "Shxweli Language Program". Sto:lo Nation. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- "Halqemeylem". First Voices. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- Province of British Columbia. "Stolo Nation". Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. Retrieved on: October 7, 2007.
- Glavin, Terry (2002). Amongst God's Own: The Enduring Legacy of St. Mary's Mission. Mission BC: Mission Indian Friendship Centre.
- Carlson, Keith Thor (ed.) (2001). A Stó:lō-Coast Salish Historical Atlas. Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 1-55054-812-3.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- Carlson, Keith Thor (ed.) (1997). You Are Asked to Witness: The Stó:lō in Canada's Pacific Coast History. Chilliwack, BC: Stó:lō Heritage Trust. ISBN 0-9681577-0-X.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- Wells, Oliver N. 1987. The Chilliwacks and Their Neighbors. Edited by Ralph Maud, Brent Galloway and Marie Wheeden. Vancouver: Talonbooks.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stó:lō.|
- Sto:lo Tribal Council website
- Stó:lō Nation website
- Map of Sto:lo territory
- Stó:lo Traditional Territory Map as identified for the 1995 BC Treaty Commission
- Xá:ytem / Hatzic Rock National Historic Site of Canada
- Xá:ytem Longhouse Interpretive Centre
- T'xwelatse Comes Home, Seattle Times article, January 28, 2007.
- Ethnographic Overview of Stó:lo People and the Traditional use of the Hudson's Bay Company Brigade Trail Area, by Brian Thom.
- Stó:lo Culture - Ideas of Prehistory and Changing Cultural Relationships to the Land and Environment, by Brian Thom | <urn:uuid:575b7a5d-bca0-478a-977d-103603aa89de> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sto:lo | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875145676.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20200222115524-20200222145524-00231.warc.gz | en | 0.963137 | 6,184 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Compress the data in the stream using Flate compression.
Flate compression is a standard, fast and efficient lossless
compression method. It is used as the basis of file formats like
ZIP and image formats like PNG. In most situations this is the
method you should prefer.
PDF streams allow a set of compression filters to be applied to
a stream of data. For example one might want to apply Flate
compression and then ASCII85 encode the result. This is represented
as two compression filters in sequence.
This function does not decompress the stream. So if compression
is already present, then this method will compress the
already-encoded data and append a compression specification to the
ABCpdf tries to avoid creating certain compression sequences.
Some compression types on some objects are illegal. Some sequences
are legal but not supported within Acrobat (though they are in most
other viewers). However these are unusual situations and you are
unlikely to ever see them.
You can override this behavior by forcing the compression to
take place. However if you do this you may end up creating a
document which is invalid or unviewable in Acrobat. | <urn:uuid:c95c4fc4-094d-42a1-a97f-59d40ba3d820> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abcpdf.com/helppdf8net/source/6-abcpdf.objects/streamobject/1-methods/compressflate.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704234586/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113714-00091-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.881131 | 246 | 2.625 | 3 |
Do you know the closest living relative of giraffes? Although the okapi is not that tall and the markings on its fur are different, it has a lot in common with these long-necked animals. This animal that lives in Africa can be seen in some zoos, but currently, unfortunately, it is a highly threatened species and is on the way to extinction. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species or Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the okapi has been threatened since 2013 . There are only between 10,000 and 20,000 in the world. As a fun fact, long ago, it was known as the Unicorn of Africa .
Information sheet on okapi and its characteristics
Below, we present a simple information sheet so that it is easy to know well the characteristics of the okapi, an animal that is going towards extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , which already considers it seriously threatened.
- Common name: okapi
- Scientific name: Okapia johnstoni
- Class: Mammalia
- Orden: Artiodactyla
- Familia: Giraffidae
- Habitat: dense rainforests in Africa.
- Physical characteristics: smaller than giraffes, with a brown body and white legs with black and brown stripes and it has two small horns. It can be said that its appearance is reminiscent of a mix between horse, zebra and giraffe.
- Diet: herbivores.
African okapis or unicorns are similar to a zebra and a giraffe. Its body is more like that of a giraffe but with much shorter legs and neck. They measure around 2.15 meters in height , counting on their neck and head, since at the cross, their height exceeds one meter. These animals can weigh up to 250 kg , much less than giraffes.
It also has two large ears, in proportion to its head, as well as two small horns with fur, like giraffes. Its fur is brown, somewhat reddish, except on its face, which is whiter, and on its legs, where the hair is white and with black and brown stripes . Hence, it also reminds us of a zebra.
The tongue of the okapi is long , dark and even bluish, like that of giraffes, since their diet is very similar. To get an idea of how long their tongue can be, these animals can reach for their ears with their tongue. In addition, they have highly developed senses of smell and hearing.
The young are born after a gestation of 15 months and only one is born per pregnancy.
They are rather nocturnal and solitary animals, although in the wild they can also be seen in small groups. The only predators of this species in its natural habitat are humans and leopards.
A curious fact about their behavior, which is generally very calm, is that they practically do not use their voice, which makes them seem mute. The young are usually only heard when looking for the mothers and adults in the mating season.
The habitat of these animal relatives of giraffes is found, specifically, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Africa . We say, specifically, because in a state of freedom they do not live anywhere else in the world. Although, of course, they can be seen in captivity in many other places on the planet, that is, in zoos in many cities.
In the wild , the okapis live in the dense jungles of the north of this African country, in an area of about 244,405 square km, and not in the savannah like their relatives the giraffes. This is one of the reasons why evolution has not made them as high as these, since they need to move in the jungle.
A relevant fact is that, formerly, it also lived in Uganda, but there it has already become extinct.
What does okapi eat ? Well, it is a herbivorous mammal , so it feeds on vegetation. Specifically, they feed on the leaves, shoots and stems of the trees and shrubs of the jungles in which they live and that remain at their height, although, as giraffes do, they can pick up branches and pull them down in order to be able to reach the most tender leaves better.
However, they not only eat the foliage of trees and shrubs, although it is their main food. They also eat plants found in the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, believed to feed on more than 100 different species of plants, as well as some herbs, fruits and even mushrooms .
Currently, the okapi is a threatened or endangered species , which is the previous step to the situation of danger of extinction. However, the IUCN, which has cataloged it, warns that the evolution of its population is decreasing and, therefore, in a very few years it could become in danger of extinction, if something is not done about it, and reach be extinct in a few decades.
Among the main causes of the okapi threat situation we find the following:
- Situation of armed conflict
In this country, as in other parts of the world, deforestation is accelerating by the hand of man to obtain habitable land, as well as to carry out massive and unsustainable and ecological plantations. In addition, mining also affects the land a lot, especially that which is carried out illegally, as well as poaching, which not only affects these animals in this area, since their skin and meat are highly valued in the black market. Finally, this country is currently still in conflict situations with weapons, due to political and social issues.
Possible solutions to the threat status of the okapi
Among the possible solutions that can be carried out to remedy this situation of this species, and of many others, we find the following:
- Increased vigilance in the nature reserves of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and harshly penalize poaching.
- Improve the standard of living of the human population of this country, helping to avoid constant armed conflicts. With this measure, poaching carried out by those who need a livelihood to survive in this country can also be reduced , as they could thus find jobs that would allow them to abandon this illegal activity.
- In the same way, control illegal mining , not only with vigilance but also by improving the quality of life of the inhabitants.
- Reduce deforestation in the area. | <urn:uuid:38dd4d40-e2fd-4c1d-9264-975ea8023760> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://pediamaster.com/characteristics-of-the-okapi-an-endangered-animal/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511717.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20231005012006-20231005042006-00892.warc.gz | en | 0.972055 | 1,347 | 3.5625 | 4 |
The worst is death, and death will have his day.
Shakespeare, Richard II.
Death had more than its share of days on the Eastern Front and it is those days during the battle of Leningrad in 1942 that provide the background for Gert Ledig's "The Stalin Organ", first published in Germany in 1955.
Gert Ledig was born in Germany in 1921 and enlisted in the German army in 1939, at age 18. He was wounded seriously during the Battle of Leningrad and was sent back to Germany to work as an engineer. While back in Germany he lived through some of the horrifying air raids unleashed on Germany by the Allies. His experiences in Leningrad found their way into The Stalin Front and his experiences during the air raids informed his other major work "Payback".
It should probably be noted at the outset that the title "Stalin Front" is a bit misleading. The original title in German, "Die Stalinorgel" literally translates into English as the "Stalin Organ", a slang military term for the katyusha rockets that rained death and destruction upon German troops throughout the war. The title is important because the rockets themselves are present throughout the book and serve almost as a deathly Greek-chorus as the story proceeds.
Ledig's writing is direct, brutal, and often poetic despite the horrors he portrays. The book opens with the following: "The Lance-Corporal couldn't turn in his grave, because he didn't have one. Some three versts [a verst is about ¾ of a mile] from Podrova, forty versts south of Leningrad, he had been caught in a salvo of rockets, been thrown up in the air, and with severed hands and head dangling, been impaled on the skeletal branches of what once had been a tree." After eventually falling to the ground "tank-tracks had rolled out the Lance-corporal, a fighter plane loosed off its explosive cannon fire into the mass of shredded uniform, flesh and blood. After that, the Lance-Corporal was left in peace." The matter-of-fact tone accentuates the horror.
The book consists of a number of parallel stories of German and Soviet soldiers engaged in a battle over a small sector of the front over a short period of time. Ledig does not judge any of the characters, he simply tells their stories. They each react to their surroundings in a different way and Ledig accepts that as a simple fact of battleground life. The coward trying to desert or avoid the battle for the relative comfort of battalion command, the preening military bureaucrat trying to hold a court-martial of the wrong soldier, the Soviet or German soldier are viewed simply as participants in an event over which they have no control. Value-judgments are left to the reader, to the extent that anyone who hasn't lived through these particular depths of hell can pass judgment on those who have.
The story-line itself is a bit chaotic but no more so than the events being portrayed. Military historians can, perhaps, find order in chaos by looking at `the big picture' but for the soldier on the ground there is nothing, according to Ledig, but a world in which order, rules, and morality cease to exist. Ledig portrays the lives of these men in a fashion similar to the way Thomas Hobbes portrays men in a state of nature, that in the state of nature they are "in a condition which is called war [and which] is of every man against every man." In other words, life for the protagonists in The Stalin Front is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."
There are flaws in the Stalin Front to be sure. Sometimes the chaos conveyed by the story line, the constantly shifting narrative line and the shift in the voice of the speaker or narrator can be disconcerting. In other words the narrative was not seamless, but as noted above that may in fact have been Ledig's intent.
If the reader feels a sense of fear and loathing when reading Ledig's account I think his purpose has been served. To that end "The Stalin Front" can be said to stand alongside All Quiet on the Western Front. There are no heroes, only those that die and those that find a way not to.
Stalin Front should be of great interest to anyone with an interest in war fiction or for anyone with an interest in an examination of the human condition when people are subjected to that great irrational being known as war. | <urn:uuid:c4195892-126a-44f9-8b21-1da950d078a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Stalin-Organ-Gert-Ledig/dp/1862076529 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978181 | 931 | 3.09375 | 3 |
An opiate that comes from the morphine-codeine family, heroin goes by the chemical term of diacetylmorphine. This very banned substance is stemmed from the opiate poppy.
Heroin is amidst the easiest of drugs to become hooked on. A lot of heroin junkies need no greater than just a single try at the drug to become hooked, even though mildly in the beginning. Similar to lots of other drugs, heroin is made use of intravenously, or through smoking or snorting using the nostrils. Of these, the procedure most abusers choose is injection, because the effect that is obtained from this method is considered the best. This can make it among the most popular technique of use of heroin.
How Does Heroin Effect Someone?
Heroin has its own way of dealing with the system. It initially acts upon the core nervous system at first. It begins functioning within seven seconds of consumption, when taken intravenously. In the few moments of its being taken up into the system, heroin can induce euphoria.
Promptly after being absorbed, heroin enters the location that is the barricade between the brain and blood. This causes heroin to become converted into opium. Once the euphoria settles, it brings about dry mouth, skin flushing, and a sensation of heaviness. This consequently can bring about vomiting, nausea and itching. Following this, the heroin addict often becomes sedate and sleepy for numerous hours. Much of the important cognitive functions reduce and get impaired temporarily. These include the capacity to reason. Heart beat and breathing decrease considerably.
The most important long-term effect of heroin is its ability to become an addicting drug. Drugs are in themselves addictive, but heroin addiction is seen for being the swiftest to get into, and some of the most violent of all addictions. This addiction has its own detrimental effects on the brain, body and mind.
Physically, prolonged heroin addiction causes harm to the arteries, lungs, liver, kidneys and veins, and a number of infections, abscesses and bone diseases including arthritis.
Psychologically, heroin addiction can soon reach a time where seeking the drug ends up being the only aim of life for the addict. This has numerous serious ramifications, like social solitude, family dislocation and professional under performance.
Major Signs Of Withdrawal From Heroin
Heroin withdrawal signs, which begin within hours of the previous ingestion, includes pain in the muscle and bone, restlessness, diarrhea, insomnia, cold flashes with goose bumps, or what are called “abrupt withdrawal”, strong body movements, convulsions and vomiting. Sometimes, these symptoms can survive for months. These however, are rarely fatal, and a heroin detox center can take care of these symptoms.
Treatment for heroin dependency: For heroin dependency, a blend of strategies must be aimed to bring the heroin addict out of the “zone”. The start is detoxification, wherein the impacts of abuse are removed; this is followed by systematic lessening of desire tendencies. Drugs that help with this are buprenorphine and methadone.
Finally, behavior modification is introduced; generally at a heroin rehab center. These may consist of cognitive behavioral interventional therapies which are focused on redesigning the overview the addict has about living, and help him or her cope with taxing situations without recourse to the drug. A technique that incorporates both approaches “medical and behavioral” is deemed the most efficient. | <urn:uuid:2b3e53fb-2f03-4f80-aad6-47ea0ad5cb2c> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://caloricdiet.com/heroin-addiction-signs-symptoms | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100989.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20231209233632-20231210023632-00580.warc.gz | en | 0.94544 | 706 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Go Forth! Digital learning resources
A major new educational resource is now available to all Scottish schools, which utilises the output of recently completed 3D digital documentation of the three Forth Bridges to support the teaching of STEM subjects and the Curriculum for Excellence.
This initiative has its origins in the Scottish Ten digital documentation project (www.scottishten.org), carried out by the Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation LLP (CDDV), a partnership between Historic Environment Scotland and The Glasgow School of Art. The Scottish Ten involved the recording of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in five different countries using cutting-edge 3D laser-scanning technologies. In 2013, the experience gained allowed the CDDV team to assess if it would be possible to record the Forth Bridge to help support its nomination for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Having demonstrated that a survey was possible, the recording of all three Forth Bridges commenced in 2015 with funding from the Scottish Government. Click here to see a film about 3D Forth Bridges Digital Documentation Project and follow the links on this page to read the team’s fieldwork blogs.
The next phase was to create photo-realistic 3D models from the accurate point cloud data. Click here to see an animation of the 3D models.
With digital models for all three Bridges complete, work commenced on generating learning resources designed to inspire school pupils, the aim being to generate an interest in the Bridges themselves, and to stimulate an enhanced take-up in associated science and technology subjects.
Working with the assistance of technical teaching expertise from Dundee City Council, CDDV has used its enormous digital datasets to create several teaching packages which incorporate lesson packs, practical resources and games, all of which are available through the Glow network. These include:
- Go Forth and Discover – digital game and lesson pack (also available through Glow).
- Go Forth and Design – Tinkercad resources and lesson pack (available through Glow).
- Go Forth and Create – Scratch coding resources and lesson pack (available through Glow).
- Go Forth, See and Hear – 360 virtual reality experiences, available here.
- Go Forth and Explore – location-based app, available through iOS and Google Play stores. | <urn:uuid:eb3d02d9-674e-4f25-a72c-50f43f3ceff8> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://www.theforthbridges.org/visit/go-forth-digital-learning-resources/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347401004.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20200528232803-20200529022803-00533.warc.gz | en | 0.907884 | 458 | 3.203125 | 3 |
With COVID-19 booster shots for adults now available nationwide, keeping track of your vaccination records is extra important. But where do you turn for this information?
Executive Director, American Immunization Registry Association
You may be surprised to learn that your vaccination record is not kept by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or another federal agency. Instead, each state keeps those records. They’re stored in secure systems called immunization information systems (IISs).
All 50 states have an IIS. So does the District of Columbia and territories like Puerto Rico and Guam. Some major population centers like New York City have their own IIS separate from their state system.
By knowing what information goes into an IIS, what an IIS is used for, and who can access the information in it, you’ll learn more about your healthcare and how to keep you and your family protected from diseases that vaccines can prevent.
What is an IIS?
An IIS, also known as an immunization registry, is a confidential, population-based, computerized database that records all immunization doses administered by participating providers to people who live in a certain geographic area.
Why keep vaccination records in an IIS?
Providers administer vaccines at specific times in people’s lives, so each person’s vaccination record is unique to them. It depends on factors such as age, underlying health conditions, and the type of vaccine.
For example, while people eligible for a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster can get one six months after their second dose, eligible people who received a Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine may receive a booster two months after their initial dose.
An IIS informs providers of which vaccinations you already have. That way, they can make sure you get the correct vaccines at the right times. It is especially important for providers to have this information for infants and children who receive many vaccines to protect them from diseases like hepatitis B, tetanus, measles, mumps, and rubella. It’s also important during outbreaks and pandemics, as IISs can be used to expedite the vaccine response.
What information is stored in an IIS?
Most IISs include patient name, birth date, sex, birth state/country, along with the types and dates of vaccines given. The exact information stored in an IIS depends on the information collected by healthcare providers from patients, which can vary.
Who can access my vaccination record?
Your vaccination record is only available to you, your doctor, your pharmacist, and your other healthcare providers.
How is my information protected?
While an IIS is a valuable tool in fighting vaccine-preventable diseases, it’s only as good as the information it contains, and IISs rely on providers and their systems to share information and submit accurate data. Sharing information about you or your family’s vaccination status with your healthcare providers will help minimize the spread of avoidable health conditions. | <urn:uuid:3fc23ef9-4770-4d1d-9451-c840baaf641c> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://www.futureofpersonalhealth.com/immunity-health-wellness/how-vaccine-status-information-is-accessed-and-shared/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224655027.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20230608135911-20230608165911-00577.warc.gz | en | 0.93097 | 703 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Friday, 31 July 2009
Anyone who has seen the film “Tremors” will be thinking is there some truth in this ?
The Minhocão is a creature similar to a huge earthworm that is rumoured to live in the forests of
An article by Auguste de Saint-Hilaire in the American Journal of Science was the first published reference to this creature of southern
In 1877, when another article appeared about this giant worm, this time for the German publication Zoologische Garten by zoologist Fritz Müller. He provided further information about the creature , including accounts of trenches dug by the subterranean creature which were so large as to divert rivers, and which destroyed entire orchards. This article also included this sighting which took place sometime in the 1840s near the Rio dos Papagaios in
A black woman going to draw water from a pool near a house one morning ... saw a short distance off an animal which she described as being as large as a house moving off along the ground. ... In the same district a young man saw a huge pine suddenly overturned ... he found the surrounding earth in movement, and an enormous worm-like black animal in the middle of it, about twenty-five metres long, and with two horns on its head.
In the same area of the Parania State, the author also noted a testimonial of a boy who stated that he saw a huge worm-like beast about twenty-five meters in length. The boy said that as the worm beast moved along the ground, the surrounding earth shook as well and trees were overturned.In the same article he related that in 1849 Lebino José dos
Francisco de Amaral Varella ... saw lying on the bank of the Rio das Caveiras a strange animal of gigantic size, nearly one metre in thickness, not very long, and with a snout like a pig, but whether it had legs or not he could not tell. ... whilst calling his neighbours to his assistance, it vanished, not without leaving palpable marks behind it in the shape of a trench ...
It was also reported an 1878 issue of the Popular Science Monthly that Müller had been told that a fish three feet across was spotted along a river in
The last account of a Minhocão appears to be from an anonymous newspaper story in 1899:
No recent reports seem to have been recorded. So is the creature now extinct or was this just another folktale? It sounds like a scary beast to come across but it would be great to have some evidence of it’s existence.
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Here an article with pictures of lake monsters in
An extract :
Top five lake monsters in China
1)Two black-colored, unidentified animals were spotted by over 100 tourists in
2. Monster of
3. Monster of
4. Monster of Changtan, Shennongjia
5. Monster of
July 28, 11:30 PM
The Bigfoot creature may have been captured on a remote trail camera placed in the
"The arms on a bear, when standing, do not hang that far down. We also took measures on how high this thing was. According to the leaves and the branches that were covering the object's face, the tape measure said it was between 8 and 9 feet tall. The same camera that took the picture of the object also took pictures of other objects such as black bear and deer, which does not resemble the object in any way." Gonzales said that Bigfoot investigator David Raygoza has been visiting this location for six years after an elderly Native American pointed it out to him.
He told David that this spot in the forest was sacred Indian land and that weird things happen here. He said David has had many individual sightings and has collected footprints, but has never captured anything with a camera until now.Returning to the exact spot where the image was captured, Gonzalez said that the angle of the hill is 45 degrees, which would make it difficult for a bear to stand upright. He also said the the object is clearly brown in color, ruling out the black bear
The Bigfoot creature has been reported in many different parts of the country during the 20th century, including an "outbreak" during 1973 and 1974, primarily in southwestern,
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Sometimes called "The Other Great Lake', Lake Simcoe, forty miles north of
The indigenous people of the area, The Huron, believed a monster inhabited
The first written description appears to be in 1827, when David Soules saw a creature from shore: “It was a huge long thing that went through the water like a streak, having huge fin-like appendages and being very large and very ugly looking.” As suddenly as the creature had appeared, it slipped beneath the water once more and was gone. The whole sighting lasted only seconds, but Mr. Soules never forgot it. Then it was seen again in Oct 1881 and described as 30 feet long with four fins ,and serpent like.
Recorded sightings occurred in1952 and 1963.
"Igopogo, Simcoe Monster, Reported Sighted Again," The Globe and Mail, Mon 1 July 1963, p. 1.
Then in June 1983 W.W. Skrypetz was doing a radar scan at about 3.30pm in the afternoons when it recorded the shape of large serpent like creatures.
In March of 1991, it was seen again and filmed.
"According to the unnamed videographer, while a friend was preparing for a hydroplane race, he suffered a mechanical breakdown and was forced to pause for repairs near the south end of the lake. As the racer lifted the engine hatch in order to assess the damage, a large animal suddenly surfaced directly in front of him - stunning the racer as well as the spectators on the shoreline. The viewers began to panic as the creature slowly lowered its head into the water. It continued to stare at the racer before disappearing completely." http://www.americanmonsters.com
And this report of the same incident:
Cook’s Bay, 1991. It was a beautiful summer’s day and the waters of the lake were crystalline and placid. A cameraman was on shore videotaping his friend as he raced his boat across the bay. Suddenly, the craft broke down. While the boater began repairs, something quietly surfaced mere metres away. At first, the creature rose out of the water on a long neck, then it slowly sunk back into the water and peered upward at the boater with only the top of its head visible above the surface. A few moments later, it submerged and did not return.
In August 2005, supported by Discovery
The sightings do not occur as frequently as of other lake creatures and it does seem more elusive , so evidence is limited. Maybe new technology may throw some light on the creature and someone will fund some research to do it.
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
An off-duty Ministry of Defence police dog handler has taken a photo of what he claims is a panther-sized big cat. Pc Chris Swallow was helping a friend with their garden in Helensburgh, Argyll, when he spotted the black creature on a nearby railway line. The officer, who is stationed at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde, said the cat was as big as a
After running to his car to grab his camera phone, Pc Swallow stood on the rail bridge at Winston Road and got a still photo and a couple of minutes of footage of the animal moving up the railway line. He added: "It was remarkable. I've heard stories about creatures like this moving about the countryside, but never really believed them before. Looking back at the video I don't think there's any doubt that it's a big cat." The Coulport Cougar was first reported in June 2004. The creature was described as being tan and prowling the woods and hills around Loch Long, Portincaple, Whistlefield and next to the Coulport access road. However, another creature, described as being black in colour, was also spotted at the nearby Garelochhead Training Camp, leading some people to believe that there may also have been a panther in the area.
John Belshaw, pest control officer at the Faslane naval base, said he had spoken to people in the past who had been "quite shaken" by seeing a big cat cross the road in front of them during the night. Mr Belshaw said: "I have had a look at Chris's footage and have to say that I do not believe it is a domestic cat or a dog. "At one point in the video it seems to walk on the railway line and a dog simply wouldn't have had the balance to do this. "Also, you can tell from the size of the track that it is much larger than a house cat." There have been regular reports of big cat sightings across the
Shaun Stevens, a researcher with the Big Cats in
See original story here :
Artist Rob Farrier's death worm illustration
David Farrier to embark on hunt for Mongolian death worm
Two New Zealanders will leave for
Monday, 27 July 2009
There is apparently a lake monster in Muckross lake in
It is estimated to measure almost 80m in length and the object or creature has scientists puzzled. Irish and international scientists have been working with the Irish Char Conservation Group to find out more about the fish life in the Ice age lakes around Co. Kerry. They carried out the first fish survey in
Dr. Fran Igoe, scientific adviser to the Irish Char Conservation Group stated “ what we do know is the fish fauna in Muckross is very ancient indeed. We have confirmed the presence of a good population of Arctic char, and the lake is known to hold ferox trout, ordinary trout and Atlantic salmon as well as lamprey species and eel, all of which attest to the ancient origins of this lake. This latest discovery is very exciting and the Irish Char Conservation Group is keen to continue our investigations in this area. Talk that these images may be that of a mysterious prehistoric monster like that reported for Loch Ness may be a bit premature.”
The sonar picked up something the size of a two story house in about 75 feet of water near the south eastern portion of the lake. The team was unsure as to what the object or creature might be, but they were able to rule out computer errors as everything was functioning well.
Mr. Patty O’Sullivan,
It has been seven years since the initial sonar contact was discovered, no sightings or new evidence has been found to adequately explain what it was the sonar picked up, so a mystery remains..
The original story : http://www.charr.org/news/muckrossmonster.htm
And more about Irish
Sunday, 26 July 2009
For a long time, this column has featured some weird stories about Bigfoot sightings in the western
Last fall, he was invited to visit an elderly friend who lives in Little Switzerland. "I arrived after dark on a Tuesday and discovered that my friend's summer home is located at the top of a mountain," he writes on the BRFO site. "Her 'development' consists of about 60 homes tucked away in the woods on steep slopes accessed via a series of narrow gravel and macadam roads." His first thought was that this development was built in a likely Sasquatch habitat. "Indeed, as we sat watching TV after dinner, I began to have the creepy sensation of being watched, although my friend told me that neither of her neighbors was in residence that night," the man wrote. "After the news, about 11:30, I told my friend I was stepping outside from some night air, when in fact my intention was to have a look around and listen to the woods." The man wasn't outside for more than five minutes before he was startled by what sounded like wood knocks coming from the woods. He reportedly heard a single thump that came from the woods, followed by another "answering" thump five to 10 seconds later, coming from a different direction. The sounds were repeated every couple of minutes for perhaps 15 minutes and it sounded as if the second knock changed positions slightly. He estimated that they were a couple of hundred yards away from where he stood. The man noticed a nearby woodpile. He picked up a log and added a third knock to the mix by hitting a nearby tree. The first knock was heard again quickly, almost as an answer to the man's knocking against the tree. After few more times, the knocks stopped and the man went inside for the night.
The next day, the man went out running for some exercise. As he ran through an undeveloped area, he again had the feeling of being watched. While he was out, he found two, human-like footprints in the soft dirt of a nearby hillside. The next night, he again heard the knocking sounds coming from the same general direction. But this time, he also heard "a plaintive, eerie howling" coming from behind the house. "It sounded every 30 seconds of so for perhaps 20 minutes, he wrote in his report. "I told myself it could be a dog tied outdoors. I decided not to interact that night. I just had a feeling that it was not the thing to do." That night, the man was awakened from his sleep by the sound of a heavy thumping on the roof. As he sat up in bed, he heard another couple of thumps that sounded as if they came from the area over the closet."Soon I was fast asleep again, only to be scared awake by what was clearly pounding on the walls of my room that was so loud, my first thought was, 'Someone is breaking into my room!,'" he wrote in his report.
He sat up in bed and turned on the overhead light in his room. He felt like this sound had to be caused by a Bigfoot because of the loudness and the height of the outside walls. The sounds soon died down and the man had the feeling that the creature was leaving for the night. He heard nothing more.
"Next morning over breakfast, my hostess asked me if I had been awakened by that that 'awful pounding' on the roof," reads his report on the BFRO site. "We traded our stories. My friend told me that nothing of the sort had happened before in the 25 years she and her husband had lived in the house." The elderly woman was concerned about the noise and asked what it could have been. The man said he didn't quite know but would confer with some neighbors." Before leaving my friend to continue on my trip towards eastern NC, I inspected the area around her house for footprints," reads his report. "I found none, but I discovered that a tall tree grew up through the back deck through a hole that had been cut for it. The tree would provide easy access to the deck and roof, while the low roof in front would make the roof accessible from that position.".
Contact Mike Conley at 652-3313, ext. 3422 or e-mail [email protected].
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Swimmer hit by 'monster' wake
10:24am Thursday 23rd July 2009 By Matthew Taylor
A BIZARRE swimming incident on Windermere coincided with the announcement that a paranormal investigator will plumb the lake’s depths in search of a giant creature. Thomas Noblett, 46, was swimming the lake this week when he was suddenly swamped by a three-foot wave of unknown origin. A spate of eyewitness sightings reported by The Gazette during 2006-2007 described a 50-foot long serpent-like animal surfacing on Windermere. Psychic Dean ‘Midas’ Maynard, who came to prominence by accurately predicting sports score lines and X factor winners, will hunt for the beast in September. Mr Noblett trains on the lake for four hours every day in preparation for a channel swim. Never having had to deal with anything more than the odd passing trout, the 46-year-old said he had since reconsidered the legend of the Windemere monster. “I didn’t entertain it before. Now when I’m in the lake it has my full attention,” he said. Mr Noblett, managing director of The Langdale Chase Hotel, was swimming close to
Another mystery is that CFZ have no knowledge of this see here:
It is not the first time a creature has been seen in Windermere and CFZ did think it may a large sterile eel. They have been to the lake before, but this not this time.
Cryptozoology can be a lonely hobby. Cryptozoologists are often the butt of significant ridicule from both inside and outside the scientific community.While not every cryptozoologist thinks critically or is scrupulous about methodology, most are quite serious about what they are doing. The periodic reappearance of species formerly thought to be extinct is the kind of event that keeps cryptozoologists going. The truth is, whatever might be said about cryptozoologists and their quirks, ancient animals and plants really do vanish and the reappear with surprising frequency. Such animals and plants are discovered so often, in fact, that paleontologists have a term for them: They are called 'Lazarus taxa' (after the man raised from the dead in the Gospel of John), meaning they were thought to be extinct for some extended period, then suddenly reappeared, alive and well. Many people believe that cryptids may actually be extinct species that have found a way to survive.
The Coleacanth. This large prehistoric fish was thought to have gone extinct 80 million years ago until a live specimen was found in 1938.
Monoplacophora Mollusks. These innocuous shellfish from the prehistoric Devonian period (circa 380 million years ago) were found happily alive (well, however happy a mollusk can get) in deep waters off
The Pygmy Tarsier. This odd, gremlin-like animal was thought to have gone extinct 80 years ago until a Texas A & M researcher found three of them alive and well in
The Laotian Rock Rat. Thought to be extinct for 11 million years, this early mammal was discovered in 1996.
The Lazarussuchus. This very small crocodile was common the late Triassic period and was assumed to have gone extinct about 170 million years ago. So far two living varieties have been discovered, the first in 1982.
Gracilidris. This species of 20 million year old ants, thought to be extinct, was discovered by a team of scientists in
The Dawn Redwood. A small cluster of this extinct prehistoric redwood tree was discovered in 1944 in
The Wollemi Pine. This tree was only know from fossils between 2 and 90 million years old until it was discovered alive in 1994.
The Chacoan Peccary. This small piglike animal was only known from the fossil record until scientists discovered living specimens in 1975.
The Mountain Pygmy Possum.
Are all cryptids examples of reappearing animals? It is completely possible that no cryptids are examples of reappearing animals.It's just as possible, however, that at least some of them might well be living examples of animals thought to be long gone from planet Earth, animals that may well one day turn up as live specimens.
In the meantime, just knowing that such animals are regularly found is enough to keep cryptozoologists actively looking for more of them.
Cryptozoology and reappearing species: Ten formerly 'extinct' animals
July 23, 7:58 AM Author: Pamela Grundy
Friday, 24 July 2009
The Nomura, also known as the Echizen jellyfish, would not look out of place in a Godzilla film. They can weigh up to 200kg and measure up to 2m in diameter. For the past four summers, they have mysteriously materialised in the Yellow Sea off
ONGWEDIVA – Unknown creatures that reportedly devour and suck blood from livestock are haunting villagers at Onheleiwa, Oidiva and Oikango of Ongwediva constituency. Over 20 goats have been killed at Onheleiwa and Oidiva villages and an unknown number at Oikango, where the situation is said to be worse.Villagers are convinced that the creatures have something to do with witchcraft. They are now accusing an elderly man who has a house at Onheleiwa village and his sister who has a house at Oikango village of being the owners of these strange, blood-sucking beasts.
Oshana Police spokesperson, Christina Fonsech, said the police were called at Onheleiwa last week where they followed the creatures’ footprints. According to her, the creatures’ footprints are bigger than a dog’s footprints, and police could not identify the creatures.
“We followed them but they walked until a spot where they just vanished. It’s difficult to explain what happened to those footprints because they looked as if they climbed onto something but it was in an open space, so we don’t know what happened,” she said.
Olivia Shikongo had her whole kraal wiped out by the creatures, leaving her with only two kid goats.According to Shikongo, on July 3 five of her goats were eaten up. All that was left were traces of hooves and heads of some of the goats, while other goats had their stomachs cut open and had no intestines or liver. “Last Wednesday they came to the kraal again. When I heard the goats making noise, I started to scream. It seems that they could no longer kill the goat that they had bitten so they left. When we went to the kraal in the morning, there were only three goats. One goat, which is the bigger one, was fighting for its life. There was no trace of five other goats that were also at the kraal the previous night,” she explain According to her, when she and other villagers looked around all they could find were the footprints of the unknown creatures while her five goats seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Shikongo lost a total of 11 goats in two nights.
“I’m only left with two small goats that we now lock up inside a room in the house,” she said. Another villager who also lost a goat said he saw the creatures when he ran to the kraal after he heard his animals making noise. According to him, he found four animals at the kraal but when they saw him, they ran away. The villagers that claim to have seen the unknown creatures, said they look like tigers. Although the community members are also scared for their lives, they said they understand that the animals do not attack human beings. “If you find them at night, they just sit still on the side of the path and wait for you to pass by,” said another villager. see the original story here : http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=5628
Mysterious Beasts Torment Villagers - by Helvy Tueumuna 21 July 2009 | <urn:uuid:a5cee489-9e53-48e3-94ff-2acff8637110> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | http://cryptozoo-oscity.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934806317.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20171121055145-20171121075145-00167.warc.gz | en | 0.984208 | 4,832 | 2.796875 | 3 |
The numbers running along the bottom of your check aren't mere decoration, each number means something. Some numbers identify your specific bank, some numbers identify your bank account, and other numbers identify the specific check. This article will outline the difference between each series of numbers and help you understand where they're located.
A bank routing number (also sometimes called "check routing numbers" or "routing transit numbers") is located on the bottom left of your check between two colons. The number has nine digits. Each bank has its own routing number, which is assigned by the American Bankers Association. When you write a check and the business deposits the check, the routing number tells the business's bank where to go and get the amount written on the check; think of it as a sort of bank return address.
Your account number is listed at the bottom of the check, in the middle, between two colons. The number of digits may vary, but account numbers typically are 10 to 12 digits long. This number will be specific only to you. Think of it as the name on the return address.
The final number is listed on the bottom of the check to the far right. It typically does not have a colon at the end. This is your check number. It will match the number listed on the top right of the check. While this number may be important to you and to your bank, in case you need to track down a specific check, it's not very important to the person who receives your check, or the person who cashes it. When you're filling out paperwork at your job for direct deposit paychecks, you'll never give your check number information. Same goes for filling out paperwork for automatic deductions; it's simply not needed. | <urn:uuid:369dd600-6e23-48d9-975d-71aa9f214d98> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.ask.com/explore/what-do-numbers-checks-mean | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164043130/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133403-00036-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952663 | 356 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Five important facts provide the rationale for why we created our center:
1. Climate change is real Learn More
2. Climate change is caused by human actions Learn More
3. More than 97% of the experts agree Learn More
4. Climate change is harming us Learn More
5. We can solve this problem, if we work at it Learn More
Actually, #5 is more of an imperative than a fact. In December 2015, the nations of the world came together at the COP 21 meeting in Paris and pledged to work collaboratively to limit global warming to at most 2 degrees (Celsius), or ideally to 1.5 degrees. This is not an easy goal, yet it must be achieved.
To reach the goal, some of what must be achieved is technological – for example, improving clean energy production, storage and constancy – and some is economic, reducing the costs of clean energy production and distribution, and increasing the costs of emitting heat-trapping pollution. We already have most, if not all, of the necessary technology and economic policy options, but we lack sufficient public and political will to implement them – as well as helpful climate change adaptation policies – fast enough.
Therefore, the overarching question we are attempting to answer – and the defining rationale for creating our center – is: How can sufficient public and political will be created, fast enough, to limit the Earth’s warming to less than 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 degree Fahrenheit), and to protect people with sensible climate change adaption measures? | <urn:uuid:8635ca56-6fdf-466f-9a23-82eea6bc0377> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | https://www.climatechangecommunication.org/why/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549423681.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20170721022216-20170721042216-00584.warc.gz | en | 0.92925 | 314 | 3.578125 | 4 |
Government is conducting a study to ascertain whether the use of plastics for food packaging has any harmful impact on human health, Health Minister J P Nadda said today.
He, however, said there is no harm if plastics are used as per the standards laid down by the regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI).
“There are various theories about it (plastics). We have not reached any conclusion. The study is still going on. If plastics are used within a level, then there is no danger,” Nadda said during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha.
Normally, there are types of packaging — paper, tin, plastics and glass. Globally, 42 per cent of packaging is done in plastics as they are temper-proof and there are less chances of adulteration, he said.
FSSAI has laid down 10 standards for use of plastics in packaging of food products. If quality of plastics is as per the FSSAI standards, then there is no problem, Nadda said.
To a suggestion on banning plastics for packaging medicines, the Minister said “there is no such plan.” If the quality of plastics is below the stanards, then there is no problem, he said, adding that a committee has submitted a report on this issue. “We are considering it,” he said.
On another query on banning use of plastics to serve hot tea, the Minister said “This comes under the Environment Ministry. They give specifications and each state have to notify accordingly.” | <urn:uuid:89a5747d-bb31-48ab-80ed-8b0ac3b129f4> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/study-on-to-ascertain-whether-plastic-food-packaging-harmful/342385/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549427750.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20170727082427-20170727102427-00455.warc.gz | en | 0.967162 | 321 | 2.640625 | 3 |
CIBOLO CREEK (PRESIDIO COUNTY)
CIBOLO CREEK (Presidio County). Cibolo Creek rises four miles southwest of Farm Road 2810 in central Presidio County (at 30°04' N, 104°18' W) and runs south for forty-one miles to its mouth on the Rio Grande, just west of Presidio (at 29°34' N, 104°24' W). It cuts through the eastern Chinati Mountains and is intersected by a major tributary, Osa Creek, which drains the northeast side of the mountains. Cibolo Creek crosses rocks of great variety, ranging in age from Permian to Quaternary, surfaced by sands and clay loams that support sparse desert shrubs. The first settlement on Cibolo Creek came in 1832 when Col. José Ynacio Ronquillo received a 2,500-square-mile grant from the Mexican government (see RONQUILLO LAND GRANT). He settled his family at El Cibolo, three miles north of Presidio del Norte. In 1857 Milton Faver settled on the creek and ranched in the Chinati Mountains. John Spencer found valuable silver ore near Cibolo Creek in 1882, and the mining town of Shafter sprang up on the banks of the creek in the 1880s.
John Ernest Gregg, History of Presidio County (M.A. thesis, University of Texas, 1933). Cecilia Thompson, History of Marfa and Presidio County, 1535–1946 (2 vols., Austin: Nortex, 1985).
The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this article."CIBOLO CREEK (PRESIDIO COUNTY)," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbcef), accessed September 02, 2014. Uploaded on June 12, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. | <urn:uuid:1f87de75-b167-4963-873e-f3f043c98e8d> | CC-MAIN-2014-35 | http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbcef | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-35/segments/1409535921872.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20140909032447-00129-ip-10-180-136-8.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907346 | 427 | 2.921875 | 3 |
A study conducted by the University of Melbourne is investigating the impact of Covid-19 on adults. The same study is also taking place in the USA and UK. Concerns about whether people have coped in isolation have prompted a weekly survey to identify how adults living in Australia are dealing with coronavirus (COVID-19) issues such as illness, isolation, and social distancing.
The international social study of the health and wellbeing impacts of COVID-19 is open to all adults aged over 18 living in Australia, including non-citizens and non-residents. People do not have to be in isolation or quarantine or diagnosed with COVID-19 to take part.
University of Melbourne and National Ageing Research Institute researchers, together with their counterparts in the USA and UK, want to understand more about the impact of COVID-19 on wellbeing, mental health, social functioning, physical health, and use of services.
Dr Anita Goh, a National Ageing Research Institute and University of Melbourne Research Fellow, and Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical Neuropsychologist, said no one knew what the unprecedented pandemic’s effects would be. “It is unclear whether social demographic factors or individual characteristics might make some people more at risk of poor wellbeing and/or mental and physical health, or whether certain activities could buffer against adverse health effects,” Dr Goh said.
“This study is crucial as there are limited longitudinal survey studies on the wellbeing effects of COVID-19 across time, including while restrictions are in place, while they are lifted partially or fully, and then in the recovery phases.” Participation is voluntary and anonymous via weekly surveys taken online or by pen and paper via mail. Once governments declare the pandemic over, an optional 40-minute follow up interview will be offered.
Questions cover general wellbeing, mental and physical health, activities such as exercise, whether people are isolating, and services used. The first survey takes 20-30 minutes, and then participants can opt to complete further (shorter) weekly surveys.
Dr Goh said the results would inform government decisions in Australia and internationally. “Researchers in the UK (University College London) and the USA are also conducting this study, so we can compare results between our countries,” Dr Goh said. “Our sample size is too small at the moment to make meaningful comments on the Australian experience. We really need the Australian public to support this research by completing the surveys to tell us how they are coping and how we can best support their wellbeing.
“Participation in our study will give us really important information from Australians, to help us develop strategies or tools for supporting the wellbeing of Australians during and following the pandemic. I really encourage everyone to complete this survey so we can plan our response to COVID-19.”
The study is funded by the National Ageing Research Institute and has University of Melbourne ethics approval. Study links: | <urn:uuid:0736032b-cd8b-4ed4-a073-1ac8575b595d> | CC-MAIN-2020-29 | https://www.hippocraticpost.com/australasia/study-explores-impact-of-covid-19-on-adults/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593657147031.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20200713225620-20200714015620-00067.warc.gz | en | 0.946716 | 603 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Faculty guide: Make class a 'safe space' with 'oops/ouch' method
A University of Arizona classroom dialogue guide encourages professors to use the “Oops/ouch method,” where students who are offended in class say “ouch” and the offender responds with “oops.”
The guide, published by the Office for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence, provides outlines for how to encourage discussion about diversity in the classroom, explaining that “diversity poses both challenges and opportunities for a college campus.”
“Creating a safe space for students...is vital in promoting positive intergroup interactions.”
“Creating a safe space for students for engaging in dialogue about challenging topics is vital in promoting positive intergroup interactions,” the guide says, though it later clarifies that “no faculty is required to utilize the guidelines,” which are “merely suggestions for faculty who want to engender the broadest possible perspectives, opinions, and experiences and to maximize free speech in the classroom.”
One way to spur positive interactions and create a “safe space” in the classroom, the handbook claims, is to set a ground rule of using “Oops/ouch” in cases where one student offends another.
“If a student feels hurt or offended by another student’s comment, the hurt student can say ‘ouch,” the guide explains. “In acknowledgement, the student who made the hurtful comment says ‘oops.’ If necessary, there can be further dialogue about this exchange.”
In addition to “Oops/ouch,” the classroom dialogue guide also discusses microaggressions in depth, describing ways in which they can be harmful to a classroom environment and providing examples of microaggressions that should be stopped by faculty.
Professors could be committing microaggressions, for example, if they mispronounce a student’s name repeatedly or make “assumptions about students and their backgrounds.”
“All you millennials are on Facebook, so I will post the e-vite for the class project on the site,” reads an example of a microaggression against non-traditional students.
The guide tells professors that they should also be sure to interrupt microaggressions committed by their students, even if they occur in personal conversations unrelated to the course.
Even though most of the guide outlines what acceptable views and dialogue on diversity entail, and encourages professors to step-in when those conditions are not met, it also cautions them against imposing their views on students in a way that might serve to stifle open conversation.
“As a faculty member, when you express your views to students you are doing so out of a position of power,” it states. “That is, students may be afraid to express themselves given that they know your position on an issue and that their grade may be on the line.”
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @amber_athey | <urn:uuid:134adaa8-e56c-464e-98d9-4f7a8e6d7821> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=8914 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549426951.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20170727022134-20170727042134-00547.warc.gz | en | 0.929117 | 638 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Friday 24th April
Coding: L.O. To use variables in the context of a game
We are going to move on to Lesson 3 today. Remember, if you go wrong, you can always reload the template and start again. This session is all about experimenting and trying things out. Coding can be difficult so have a play and see what you can do! Most importantly, enjoy what you're doing :)
Log onto J2e and then click on J2Code. Along the top of the page you will see the links to the lessons. Click on Year 5/6 Lesson plans.
Click on Lesson 3
Watch the video and then click on the lesson plan icon:
Scroll down the page and click on the link for an example of what you are going to do:
Play this a couple of times, until you are sure what you are meant to be doing then click on the template:
This is what you are going to use to complete the following tasks:
Task 1. Add in code to decrease the score by 3 when the rocket crashes. (Use the “set score to” block.
Task 2. Add in a “lives” variable so that the game ends after 3 crashes. You will need to broadcast “game over” when lives is equal to 0.
Challenge: Why not see if you can “clone” the planet sprite and change it to a different planet. Then experiment with the code so the object of the game is to hit the new planet. Look at the example "planet strike" and try making various changes to it. | <urn:uuid:d6b58216-2c03-444f-9050-d124411a987c> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.abberley.worcs.sch.uk/page/?title=Friday+24th+April&pid=213 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233506623.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20230924055210-20230924085210-00675.warc.gz | en | 0.922047 | 341 | 3.640625 | 4 |
The Last Days of Magic’s Celtic faeries and Fomorians (merpeople) are based on old legends. The Goddess Morrígna is drawn from Irish mythology, and the trials of Aisling, one of her physical aspects, is founded on the lore of Red Mary. The angels and demons that appear originate from biblical and ancient sources.
A Goddess who manifests in three interconnected aspects to rule over the Celts and the Sidhe: twin girls periodically reborn in human bodies (always called Aisling and Anya) and an Otherworld spirit who is the twins source of power (called Anann).
Hybred offspring produced when fallen angels procreated with humans. All of the magical beings below are different branches of Nephilim.
Irish faeries, most of whom live in a parallel land called the Middle Kingdom—accessed through enchanted doorways in faerie mounds—within a structured society. They owe allegiance to the Morrígna. In order of appearance:
- SKEAGHSHEE: Tree Sidhe who live outside the Middle Kingdom
- ADHENE: Scholars, the most powerful clan
- GROGOCH: Stoneworkers and builders
- DEVAS: Administrators and bureaucrats of the Middle Kingdom
- GNOMES: Skilled ironworkers and weapon makers
- BROWNIES: Ambassadors to the Celtic world
- SLUAGHS: Guides who usher the dead to the afterlife
- PIXIES: Tricksters who love leading humans astray
- FIRE SPRITES: Controllers of fire and feared warriors
- LEPRECHAUNS: Gold and silver artisans and jewelers
- DRYADS: Tree Sidhe who live in oaks; subservient to Skeaghshee
- WICHTLEIN: Miners and tunnel builders
- ASRAIS: Hedonists dedicated to physical pleasure; concubines
Magical creatures who live independently and whose allegiance can be influenced.
- FOMORIANS: Hostile water dwellers
- IMPS: Servants of demons
- BANSHEE: Messengers of death
Elioud mentioned but do not live in Ireland: GIANTS, GOBLINS, TROLLS, NEREIDS, VODYANOY, SIRENS, NUGGLE, and NIX.
Welsh faeries that sometimes visit Ireland.
CELTS & OTHER HUMANS
CELTS are the native Irish, and while they are not magical beings it is worth noting that they and other humans use magic.
- DRUIDS: Celtic pagan magic workers
- EXORCISTS: Vatican magicians
- WITCHES & SORCERERS: Other Human magic workers | <urn:uuid:c0203532-b5fb-448a-b9e8-6be0e37c2b31> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | http://marktompkinsbooks.com/magical-beings-in-medieval-ireland/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934806124.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20171120183849-20171120203849-00487.warc.gz | en | 0.855053 | 578 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Regarding “Hints of a flaw in special
relativity” (SN: 10/22/11, p. 18), there
could be a simple explanation for neutrinos being measured as traveling faster
than the speed of light in a vacuum.
While a vacuum is typically defined as a
space entirely devoid of matter, in fact a
vacuum is a busy medium with virtual
particles continually being created and
destroyed. Light passing through a vacuum is affected by such activity.
Neutrinos have such low interactions
that they can pass through a lead wall
several hundred light-years thick without slowing down. The ultimate speed in
the universe is, therefore, that of neutrinos, not photons in a vacuum. It isn’t so
much that neutrinos are faster than light
in a vacuum, rather that light is slower
than neutrinos whether or not the neutrinos are in a vacuum.
As for special relativity, it relies on the
constancy of the speed of light, not on any
particular speed of light. Substituting
the burden of outlier data accumulates
enough that someone questions existing
paradigms. So while the editorial “With
scientific puzzles, all the pieces have to fit”
(SN: 1/28/12, p. 2) was mostly excellent, I
object strongly to the final phrase, “if it
doesn’t fit, you must omit.” Rather, “if it
doesn’t fit, you must understand why.”
Even if the outlier data were in error,
understanding the cause will improve
future experiments. And you never know,
maybe it really shouldn’t have fit!
Al Bogart, Framingham, Mass.
I am in complete agreement with the
reader. I should have stressed that “if it
doesn’t fit, you must omit” is just a gen-
eral rule. The rare exceptions are the
source of exciting scientific advances,
requiring the creation of a whole new
puzzle. — Tom Siegfried
the speed of neutrinos would not affect
the measurable results.
Robert Berliner, Los Angeles, Calif.
Such interactions in a vacuum do slow
light down, a phenomenon called the
Scharnhorst effect. But this effect is much
too insignificant to explain how neutrinos
could arrive at a detector 60 nanoseconds
earlier than light in a race covering only
730 kilometers. That 60 nanoseconds
corresponds to a margin of victory in that
race of about 18 meters. A photon slowed
by the Scharnhorst effect would lag
behind a photon without such a slowdown
by only about the width of an atom — after
racing for the current age of the universe.
— Tom Siegfried
While it seems unlikely the faster-than-light neutrinos are really that fast, it is
important to find the cause of the experimental error (if there was an error). Scientific revolutions are the result of years of
ignoring data that “don’t fit” until finally
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Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
Computer-supported collaborative learning is a paradigm that uses technology to support collaborative methods of instruction. When combining collaborative learning with the need to exchange documents between students and the teaching staff in a blended learning scenario, version control systems (VCSs) greatly simplify this collaboration. Furthermore, these tools need to be adopted in regular classes as they are used in industrial environments. But deploying a collaborative environment in which version control is used does not scale for large classes. This paper presents SubCollaboration, a platform that uses the VCS Subversion to manage a large number of work spaces in a collaborative learning environment. The tool maintains a reference workspace where teaching staff introduces new material that is then synchronized with the team repositories. Two case studies are presented showing that students easily learn the use of version control and its deployment in large classes is feasible.
version control systems; computer-supported collaborative systems; software management | <urn:uuid:a715aad1-1192-4596-bb14-be706df6cda6> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://researchportal.uc3m.es/display/act363764 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875145729.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20200222211056-20200223001056-00328.warc.gz | en | 0.91373 | 191 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Email to a friend
Vegetable lovers should be
viewed as different from fruit aficionados
Business & Law Editor
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —
Health educators and dietitians ought to be more precise the next time
they advise Americans that “vegetables and fruit are good for
you,” according to a study by a nutritional expert at University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
That’s because a person who likes vegetables tends to have different
food tastes and social habits from a person who prefers fruits. Lumping
the two groups together may undercut the effectiveness of “better-health”
educational campaigns that seek to reduce America’s over-consumption
of processed snacks, desserts and fatty foods.
The study by Brian Wansink, a professor of nutritional
science and of marketing at Illinois, was published in the November issue of the Journal of the
American Dietetic Association.
It found that adults who preferred vegetables to fruits ate more spicy
foods, drank wine more frequently with dinner, cooked more elaborate
meals and liked to try new recipes.
Fruit lovers not only had a greater hankering for sweets, but were less
adventurous in the kitchen, entertained fewer guests and ate desserts
more often after dinner.
“A vegetable-lover’s taste for savory or bitter taste sensations
is consistent with an attraction to spicy foods and tannic red wine,
and a fruit-lover’s sweet tooth is consistent with an attraction
to desserts,” Wansink wrote.
By knowing the different cooking habits and food preferences of these
two groups, a dietitian or health professional can better tailor healthier
eating recommendations. “You can show them, for example, how fruits
are healthy replacements for desserts or candy, and how fruits can offer
an easy way to complement a meal without requiring much time or talent,”
Wansink said in an interview.
Conversely, a person with a predilection for spicy foods and entertaining
could be encouraged to try different spices with vegetables rather than
meats and impress dinner guests with the right choice of wine.
“For health professionals and educators, the importance of targeting
different messages to differently predisposed target markets can mean
the difference between a cost-effective program and a wasted effort,”
The study was based on a random selection of 2,000 adults who were mailed
a survey. The 770 people (38 percent) who completed the survey had an
average of 1.6 children living at home, were 37 years old and had a
median household income of $38,000. Seventy percent of the respondents
were Anglo-American, and 61 percent were women.
Of these, 508 could be categorized as either prone to vegetables or
fruit by using a cross-classification technique based on their preference
ratings for fruits and vegetables and by their self-perceptions.
The study was co-written by Kyoungmi Lee, a graduate student at Illinois.
Wansink is the director of the Food & Brand Lab at Illinois.
The paper is titled, “Cooking Habits Provide a Key to ‘Five-a-Day’
Success,” five-a-day referring to a better-health campaign sponsored
by the National Cancer Institute. | <urn:uuid:af9d8e18-0711-49e4-b71a-bcd814f76ac5> | CC-MAIN-2014-10 | http://news.illinois.edu/news/04/1112food.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-10/segments/1394010623118/warc/CC-MAIN-20140305091023-00033-ip-10-183-142-35.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950024 | 716 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Book of Exodus
Book of Exodus Theological Point Of View In Practice
Getting Biblical in Daily Life
Well, that's what Exodus is going for. This book is mix of history, narrative, and law. And it all comes together to create the basis of a national identity. We get an origin story, a framework for national regulations, and the formation of a national character. Just like the Aeneid defined ancient Roman culture and The Great Gatsby helped define 1920s urban culture, Exodus is instrumental in forging an identity for the Israelites.
Because Exodus is a combination of different kinds of texts, scholars are pretty sure that it has authors from all different walks of the ancient world. Why assemble this kind of text? Why combine different strands of cultural writing? There are a zillion answers to that question, but in the end, all we can know is the effect the text has.
Because Exodus was probably woven together over hundreds of years, it's pretty tough to date. It's not like an archaeological find where you can just carbon date the thing and go home happy. But as a ballpark estimate, we can say Exodus was assembled sometime around 600 BCE, using stories, motifs, and ideas that were much older.
During this period, nations were beginning to codify themselves all over the place. The Greeks were experimenting with democracy and the Romans were starting to organize the Italian peninsula into a cohesive political entity. Exodus is the Israelites' chance to establish their own cultural identity, too.
Whether or not the Exodus actually happened (or when!) isn't what we're worried about here. After all, the story itself has so much clout in our culture that its actual historicity—while cool to think about—has nowhere near as much power as the mythology of what went down.
Exodus is arguably the most important book in the Hebrew Bible. After all, everything that comes after it contends with its themes, ideas, and stories. Many later books—including Deuteronomy and Psalms—conatin retellings of the Exodus story, and Moses continually remains a powerful figure in Israelite mythology. | <urn:uuid:cbde68b9-b802-4c5e-82a9-78842824de80> | CC-MAIN-2014-15 | http://www.shmoop.com/exodus/background.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-15/segments/1398223206770.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20140423032006-00318-ip-10-147-4-33.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958222 | 432 | 3.84375 | 4 |
Search engines aren’t the most talked-about of online genealogy tools, but are in many ways one of the most important. They're frequently used to check facts, or to find more information on a person or place. They’re also the gateway to many of the other resources out there. If you have a records site you use, or a particular blog you visit, there’s a fair chance you got there first by a search engine.
One thing that's interesting about the search engine market is how under-utilized the majority of it is. Google currently hosts around two-thirds of internet search, with Yahoo and Bing – which people use for similar reasons – taking up an additional 28%. Among genealogists, who are often conservative in their browsing habits, this trend may be even more stark. It's like an ice cream parlor where no one's ordering anything except vanilla.
This post, then, will introduce you to some other search options that are out there. These resources aren't so much alternatives to Google as they are complements; they simply do different things. Take a look and see what you think.
Wolfram Alpha is a bit different to your regular search engine. Whereas Google responds to particular keywords with suggestions for relevant websites, Wolfram Alpha simply answers questions. It's a bit like Google's smart yet introverted cousin: it won't be able to rattle off a list of suggestions for you to look at, but if you ask it a straight factual question there's a fair chance it'll have an answer.
This is useful in genealogy for when you have a nagging question on the tip of your tongue. Let's say that one of your ancestors left $500 to a relative upon their death in 1950, and you wanted to get a sense for how much this was worth. If you plug in the question "how much is $500 (1950 dollars)?", Wolfram will quickly come back and give you an answer (which you can see below).
The search engine works for other questions, too. Let’s say your Connecticut family has roots in a town called 'Stroud' which you’ve never heard of, or that you've heard the word 'consanguinity' but you're not sure what it means. Ask about these and Wolfram Alpha will pull you up speedy answers (a market town in Glocestershire, England and a relationship by blood, respectively).
The tool also has at least one direct genealogical function. If you want to find out precisely how closely a relation connects to you, you can enter the type of relation they are to find out. So if you ask Wolfram Alpha ‘what the hell is a third cousin’s great-grandson?’ (as I just did), it’ll pull out a sample tree to show how this connection fits together, and will give you some fractions and percentages as to how close the blood relation is.
Blinkx, much like Wolfram Alpha, does something completely different. It doesn’t search for websites or even text, but for streaming media such as video and audio content. And it does this not by analyzing tags and description boxes, but by using speech recognition to match the content of multimedia with search queries. That means it catches everything in YouTube and Google Video, but a whole lot more besides.
It's useful in the geneasphere for at least two reasons. First, it lets you search for any of the many video podcasts, how-to pieces, documentaries, or other interesting material that's out there. Secondly, it allows you to find archive video footage. For our tree of Queen Elizabeth II, this was the tool we used to identify archive videos of her coronation in the early 50s.
Boardreader's a great tool when it comes to finding out what people are talking about online. It searches through message boards, discussion forums, newsgroups, and so on, and matches your search queries to ongoing conversations.
Why is this useful for genealogy? Well, it gives you a different angle on things if you're looking for information. If, for instance, you want to find out about a new genealogy product, it'll show you the public discussions people have been having about that product on the various forums on the web - and often these are more down-to-earth than information you'll find elsewhere. It's more like eavesdropping on a conversation than opening a magazine to read a review.
It's also a useful tool simply find useful message boards in the first place. As we blogged here, there are plenty of genealogy message boards that are worth joining. Using boardreader is a good way to find one that's right for you.
Collecta is able to show you all the live data for a particular search query - blogs, comments on blogs, twitter updates, photo uploads, and so on.
This is really handy if you want to get an idea of the 'buzz' surrounding a particular topic. It's particularly useful if you're a geneablogger yourself.
For instance, if I wanted to find out what was being said about 'geneamusings' in social media, I could plug that into the search and get an idea pretty quickly. It's a neat tool for getting your social media searches in one place.
Those are some of our search ideas, but what about yours? If you have any thoughts or suggestions of your own, drop us a message in the comment box below.
Search for your ancestors: | <urn:uuid:f066c72d-dad9-44c4-a2f1-3af378ed1f7d> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://blog.myheritage.com/2010/06/genealogy-search-engines-going-beyond-google/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1405997890181.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20140722025810-00219-ip-10-33-131-23.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947456 | 1,142 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Example: We ride our bikes to school.
We is the subject and ride our bikes to school is the predicate in this clause.
Examples: the fifth graders (This is a noun phrase.)
wrote their reports (This is a verb phrase)
about George Washington (This is a prepositional phrase.)
Note: If you put these three phrases together, they would form a complete sentence:
The fifth graders wrote their reports about George Washington.
Kinds of Phrases: Phrases are named by how they are used in a sentence -- noun phrase, verb phrase, and prepositional phrase.
Directions: Combine the sentences using who, which, or that clauses. Write at least two more example sentences for each of who, which, and that clauses. As a homework, read a book and note down sentences containing who, which, and that clauses. | <urn:uuid:8ad9af92-2548-474a-8efa-7494fecf10e5> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | http://www.kwiznet.com/p/takeQuiz.php?ChapterID=2286&CurriculumID=16 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934804610.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20171118040756-20171118060756-00623.warc.gz | en | 0.955251 | 183 | 3.828125 | 4 |
A world-renowned ancient burial site at Kow Swamp on the Victorian side of the Murray River is nearly 10,000 years older than first thought, according to two Melbourne University scientists.
The revised figure places the age of about 40 skeletons excavated from the site at 19,000-22,000 years rather than 9000-15,000 years. The revised figure was a time of climatic upheaval spawned by the last ice age, which helps explain why the skulls appear so primitive, say the scientists, Tim Stone and Matthew Cupper from the school of earth sciences.
The site, between Swan Hill and Echuca, is the largest known group of human skeletons from the Late Pleistocene period (from 120,000 to 10,000 years ago).
But, as with the most famous set of ancient Australian remains, at Lake Mungo, controversy has arisen over the revised dates. Mr Stone and Dr Cupper used a method called optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), which dated the soil in which the remains were buried.
But the man who excavated the remains between 1968 and 1972, Alan Thorne, has rejected the dates and defended the original method of carbon dating the bones and skulls.
A paper detailing the revised dating was published in the Journal of Human Evolution and discussed in the journal Nature.
In the former, the pair write that the carbon dating estimates "may be the result of some contamination of some (carbon) samples by younger carbon".
OSL, a recent technique, relies on measuring natural radiation trapped by minerals such as quartz that have been buried in sediment.
According to the paper, the skeletons were buried when the ice age was at its peak and glaciers covered southern Australia. "OSL ages suggest that they lived around the time of the last glacial maximum between 22 and 19 (thousand years ago)," the pair wrote.
"This period was one of glacial advance and periglacial conditions in the south-eastern highlands . . . the lake was abandoned by the Kow Swamp people soon after."
The Kow Swamp skeletons are renowned for their archaic appearance, with one school of thought arguing they were descended from Java Man, a primitive form of human known as Homo erectus who lived in Indonesia.
But Mr Stone told The Age their odd appearance was probably due to a harsh diet stemming from the harsh conditions as Australia descended into the ice age. This led to changes in tooth size, which in turn led to changes in skull shape over many generations.
"It gives a climatic explanation for the unusual robust morphology of these people, rather than some Indonesian ancestor," he said.
But Dr Thorne, an academic with the Australian National University, disputed the revised ages. The date of burial could not be inferred from dating the sediment, he said.
"The problem with the paper is that it doesn't have anything to do with the time of burial," he told The Age. "It's a schoolboy error . . . it doesn't date the burial in any way." He reaffirmed his view that the skull shape was evidence of Java Man ancestry.
Dr Thorne, in a paper last year, also disputed the age of Australia's oldest remains, Mungo Man. He believes they are 60,000 years old rather than the 40,000 years commonly accepted.
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Fine motor activities require skilled use of the hands as well as coordination to perform a task. Early fine motor skills set the stage for many tasks in life that require well developed fine motor skills and coordination such as handwriting, computer skills, and feeding. Fine motor development can often be overlooked as parents watch for gross motor milestones such as sitting, crawling, and walking. Using this guide can help you to monitor your child's fine motor progress and ensure that he/she stays on the right track.
Birth to 3 Months
One would think that there is nothing in the way of fine motor skill development happening for a tiny newborn. However, there are a few tricks that your little one will be developing over this time. Around 1 month old, babies should be tightly grasping objects placed in their hand, such as your finger. At two months, babies can hold small toys for short periods of time and may begin to swing at objects such as dangling toys from a mobile. It is around this time that babies will start to notice their own hands.
Between four and five months, infants are able to reach and grab a small toy with both hands as well as bang objects on a table, such as the spoon as they sit on your lap at a restaurant. At around six months, the raking grasp emerges. The raking grasp is when a child uses their entire hand and all fingers to "rake" or pick-up small objects.
The critical fine motor skill that emerges during this time frame is the development of the pincer grasp. The pincer grasp entails using the thumb and index finger to pick up small objects. This is a critical fine motor skill to develop for self feeding. To help your child with the pincer grasp, allow opportunities to pick up small but appropriate foods such as Cheerios or dissolvable puffs or yogurt bites.
During this time, an infant will begin to place smaller items into a larger container such as blocks. At around 12 months is when a child really develops the skill to pick up an object and throw it. So, all of those pacifier and sippy cup chases are not in vain—it just shows that your baby is developing those fine motor skills. Around 12 months is an excellent time to introduce large peg puzzle boards to your baby.
While it may not seem that babies are doing a whole lot in regards to fine motor development, the first year is a critical stage to lay the foundation for higher level fine motor skills as a child gets older. If you have concerns about your child's fine motor development, consult with their pediatrician or an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist can work with you on ways to facilitate fine motor development and ensure your child is hitting all of their milestones. | <urn:uuid:70c78a92-f1a4-40fb-af25-14442c0c1267> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | http://www.theracareaz.com/2018/01/12/fine-motor-developmental-milestones/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370524604.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20200404165658-20200404195658-00314.warc.gz | en | 0.959923 | 556 | 3.765625 | 4 |
LIGOS’ detection is the most precise measurement ever made in human history and marks five milestones for physics.
On February 11, 2016, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the detection of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), a pair of ground-based observatories, one in Livingston, Louisiana, and the other in Hanford, Washington.
It was a landmark historic event which is leading astronomers to call this “the century of gravitational wave astronomy.”
LIGOS’ detection is the most precise measurement ever made in human history and marks five milestones for physics as the first direct detection of:
- gravitational waves,
- a black hole,
- a binary system of black holes,
- the merger of black holes, and
- a spinning black hole.
A century ago, Albert Einstein postulated the existence of gravitational waves.
In 1916, a century ago, Albert Einstein postulated the existence of gravitational waves as part of his theory of general relativity. Direct evidence of these waves was the last remaining prediction to be observed of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
Einstein predicted that masses deform space-time, that hard-to-visualize environment that combines time with our familiar three-dimensional space (length, width, and depth). The change of position of a massive object will cause a distortion in the four-dimensional mesh of space-time. As a massive object moves, it takes space-time some time to react to that motion. This distortion or ripple due to the reaction of space-time will propagate at the speed of light, resulting in gravitational waves, similar to seismic waves on the earth crust produced by an earthquake.
Due to the enormous distances between us and the likely sources of gravitational waves, Einstein expected gravitational waves to be too faint to ever be detected. Indeed, the detection of gravitational waves in itself is a technological breakthrough, achieved with one of the most complex detection systems ever built.
Each of LIGO’s twin observatories is an L-shape tunnel that houses an ultrasensitive detector developed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Each arm of the L-shaped tunnel measures 2.5 miles and the observatories are 1,875 miles apart. Each arm consists of layers of steel and concrete, and an interior of nothingness: 2.5 million gallons of empty space. At the end of each arm there is a mirror hanging by glass threads, isolated completely from the environment.
In each of the LIGO observatories, a laser beam is split and travels both arms. The split laser beams bounce off mirrors placed at the end of each arm. The laser beams then return to the intersection of the arms. When gravitational waves reach Earth, they stretch the arms of the observatory, and this creates an incredibly small difference in the distances of the mirrors. LIGO detects that difference.
LIGO can detect a change in distance between its mirrors 1/10,000th the width of a proton.
LIGO can detect a change in distance between its mirrors 1/10,000th the width of a proton. This precision is equivalent to measuring the distance to the nearest star with a precision of the width of a human hair, or equivalent to measuring the expansion and contraction of our entire galaxy, the Milky Way, with the precision of the width of a thumb.
At least two detectors are needed in order to avoid false positives caused by local vibrations such as earthquakes, traffic, airplanes, or weather-related events, just to mention a few. The vast distance between the twin observatories is necessary to determine the direction of the source of gravitational waves, and also to verify that the signals come from space instead of from a local event.
Before LIGO’s detection system could be designed and constructed, physicists and astronomers needed to know what gravitational waves would look like and how they could be detected. Scientists relied on supercomputer simulations to predict the range of frequencies and intensities of gravitational waves. The input for the supercomputer simulations are the mathematical solutions of Einstein’s gravitational equations. The output of the simulations are the measurable characteristics of the waves, such as their intensity and frequency.
Some 40 years after Einstein published his gravitational equations for his theory of general relativity, a mathematical breakthrough came from Texas. Roy Kerr, a mathematics postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, found the mathematical solution for Einstein’s gravitational equation for a massive spinning object. In physics and astronomy, a spinning black hole is known as a Kerr black hole. Kerr’s mathematical work is the foundation of the current supercomputer simulations that led to the detection of gravitational waves by LIGO.
On September 14, 2015, LIGO’s detection system had barely finished being calibrated when a loud signal came through at the Livingston site. Data was streaming, and then: “Whoop.” Seven milliseconds later, a signal was detected at the Hanford site. After months of analyzing the data, which included noise elimination and detailed comparisons of signal predictions with computer simulations of massive objects in motion, the scientific team determined that the gravitational waves were generated by two black holes at a distance of 1.3 billion light years from us, somewhere beyond the galaxy of the Large Magellanic Cloud in the southern hemisphere sky.
The two black holes are 30 times as
massive as our sun.
The two black holes are 30 times as massive as our sun, circling each other at close to the speed of light before colliding and giving off an enormous amount of energy equivalent to about three solar masses. Comparing those three solar masses converted instead into visible light, they would be equivalent to the brightness of a billion trillion suns. In other words, the power received in the form of gravitational waves at LIGO is 50 times greater than the output of all the stars in the universe combined.
Just like sound and electromagnetic waves (light), gravitational waves cover a range of frequencies. Some of their frequencies overlap with the range of sound waves. In this sense we can hear gravitational waves. We can hear the universe. For centuries we have been observing the universe through light. Now we can listen to it.
Computational simulations had predicted that as two black holes spiral closer and closer in together, the frequency of the gravitational waves would generate increases. Scientists call these sounds “chirps,” because for humans those sounds would be like a bird’s chirp. It is truly amazing to hear the sounds recorded by LIGO. (See the video at the top of the article.)
There are massive objects other than black holes that are expected to generate gravitational waves. These include supernovas, pulsars, and neutron stars. The key observational parameter that tells us about the source of gravitational waves is the frequency of the waves. The frequency of the waves detected by LIGO indicated that the massive objects orbiting each other were black holes.
Dr. Reiner Weiss, Professor emeritus at MIT has offered this analogy:
Do you know what a glissando is? It’s when you run your fingers very quickly across the keys. If you started at the bottom of a keyboard and went all the way to the middle C and then hold that note for a little bit — that’s what this black hole signal happened to be….
There is a whole spectrum of gravitational waves. With LIGO, we’re looking for high-frequency waves. As to how high we can go, again, the piano analogy is a wonderful one. Because what we’re looking for are sources that go from the bottom of the piano to the top of the piano. They don’t stop at middle C, which is currently our detection limit with LIGO. They go higher.
Gravitational waves were indirectly
detected back in 1974.
Gravitational waves were not only predicted by Einstein in his theory of general relativity, but were also indirectly detected back in 1974 when Joseph Taylor, Jr., and Russell Hulse discovered a pulsar circling a neutron star and later observations showed that the pulsar’s orbit was shrinking in precise relation to the loss of energy due to gravitational waves described by Einstein’s general theory of relativity — a discovery that won Taylor and Hulse the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Some scientists consider the detection of gravitational waves to be as important as the 2012 discovery of the subatomic Higgs boson, sometimes called the “God particle.” Some consider it far more important, equating it to the moment when Galileo took up the telescope and looked at the planets in our solar system.
For centuries we have observed the universe only through light, which has limited us to a view of just 5% of the universe. Gravitational waves carry completely different information about phenomena in the universe. We have opened a new way of listening to a broadcasting channel which will allow us to discover phenomena we have never seen before.
We wave and we feel the wave: “Whooop.”
[Astronomer and artist Cecilia Colomé has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Texas at Austin. She also edits mathematics and science textbooks and is a contributing editor to The Rag Blog where she coordinates The Rag Blog en español. Cecilia, also an accomplished visual artist, grew up in Mérida, the capital of the state of Yucatán, México, and now lives and works in Austin, Texas.] | <urn:uuid:6186209b-be6f-4d6e-a80a-e984908ef885> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | http://www.theragblog.com/cecilia-colome-welcome-to-the-century-of-gravitational-wave-astronomy/?replytocom=20338 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875145260.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20200220162309-20200220192309-00141.warc.gz | en | 0.9354 | 1,979 | 4.0625 | 4 |
we've got signatures, help us get to 5,000
A group of mothers recently blitzed the EPA with concerns about Roundup residue found in breast milk. Despite these and other serious health concerns, the US Department of Agriculture doesn’t routinely test foods for Roundup residue as it does for other toxic chemicals.
Monsanto’s Roundup has been around since the 1970s, but more recently its use skyrocketed after its maker engineered crops that withstand heavy spraying, so more Roundup could be used to kill weeds.
Then, as if to accommodate Monsanto even more, the EPA raised the tolerance level for the herbicide’s main ingredient, glyphosate.
While a growing number of environmentalists and scientists are raising concerns about the high levels of glyphosate in the air and water, as well as in human urine and breast milk, Monsanto, not surprisingly points to its product’s lengthy record of “safe and effective use” - a statement that would misbrand the herbicide [under FIFRA Section 2(q)(1)(A)] if Monsanto tried to make a false claim like that on the product label.
Based on a recent review of hundreds of studies showing Roundup is anything but safe, there’s simply no excuse for the EPA not to at least set stricter limits on its use.
We, the undersigned, say we can’t rely on Monsanto’s claims of safety, and therefore the EPA must set stricter limits on Roundup, at least until more independent research is done.
Most disturbing is last year’s review of hundreds of studies on the herbicide that concluded it could be “one of the most biologically disruptive chemicals in our environment.” One major concern is glyphosate’s harmful effect on liver enzymes whose job it is to clear out toxins from the body - the Cytochrome P450 enzymes. According to Food & Water Watch’s report on this scientific review, “Glyphosate inhibits these CYP enzymes, which has rippling effects throughout our body.”
Food & Water Watch's report is found online here:
These effects include “decreased levels of the amino acid tryptophan, which is necessary for active signaling of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Suppressed serotonin levels have been associated with weight gain, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.” There are also negative effects on stress and reproductive hormones.
With new evidence showing glyphosate residues in breast milk, the mothers’ group “Moms Across America” has every right and reason to demand that the EPA pay attention to their concerns and request for a recall of Roundup. At the very least, the EPA should take immediate steps to reduce the use of this potentially very dangerous herbicide.
Thanks for your time.
If everything looks correct, click sign now. Your signature will not be added until you click the button below. | <urn:uuid:ee5395ec-048d-4e88-8e85-54bff209a716> | CC-MAIN-2014-41 | http://www.thepetitionsite.com/547/550/956/demand-epa-set-stricter-limits-on-use-of-roundup-herbicide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-41/segments/1410657121288.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20140914011201-00122-ip-10-196-40-205.us-west-1.compute.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93703 | 596 | 2.671875 | 3 |
KCUR's Sylvia Maria Gross always heard that Santo Amaro was a city of musicians, and wanted to find out why.
By Sylvia Maria Gross
Kansas City, MO – Santo Amaro is an old colonial town near the coast of Northeast Brazil and surrounded by sugar cane plantations. It's in the state of Bahia, a region where the Portuguese first settled in the 16th century, and soon after, brought in hundreds of thousands of Africans as slaves. Some people say that Brazil's iconic national rhythm, the samba, was born here. | <urn:uuid:6a51386c-e065-4ead-9c3c-93c99f2361d3> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://kcur.org/post/santo-amaro-town-musicians | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1406510267865.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20140728011747-00360-ip-10-146-231-18.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976249 | 113 | 2.734375 | 3 |
The Religious Liberty Essay Scholarship Contest is open to all high school juniors and seniors. To enter, write an essay of 800 to 1,200 words addressing the following topic:
The United States of America was religiously diverse at its founding. Its population included numerous Protestant groups, small Catholic and Jewish populations, those who practiced traditional Native American religions as well as those who practiced African religions. The United States has become even more religiously diverse, yet Christianity has remained the majority faith tradition since the country’s beginnings. Today, some Americans assert that the country was founded as a “Christian nation” while others contend that statement is a myth.
Using the Constitution and writings of the Founders, research and evaluate the claim that the United States was founded as a “Christian nation.” Include a discussion of the current implications for religious freedom for all people in a democratic country in which the majority rules in elections and ballot initiatives.
For more information on this scholarship and other scholarship opportunities, conduct a free scholarship search today!
Connect with our massive database of millions of college scholarships by conducting a free scholarship search at Scholarships.com. Scholarships.com offers the simplest way to search for, apply to, and win college scholarships. | <urn:uuid:2e23e3e4-858a-4c74-919d-ee8d34dc46c2> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://www.scholarships.com/news/sotw-religious-liberty-essay-scholarship-contest | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224644913.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20230529205037-20230529235037-00251.warc.gz | en | 0.956719 | 251 | 2.828125 | 3 |
If Having Children in the Home doesn’t Motivate Radon Testing, What Will?
The Dangers of Radon Gas
If your child was in danger and you could remove that danger in order to protect them, would you? A study found that some parents may not, especially in the case of radon. It has been found that many homes have or will fall victim to radon gas. Radon is a radioactive gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers–this includes children. It is the second leading cause for smokers. The study conducted radon and secondhand smoke tests in 550 homes. At the same time, parents were asked if they were concerned about the long term affects of radon gas or secondhand smoke on their children. The study found that “having children present in the home [didn’t] appear to impact parents’ lung cancer worry.”
Spreading Radon Awareness
So, how can we get people to understand the very real danger of radon? We believe that awareness and education could be a step in the right direction. Many people do not even know what radon is or what it can cause. Radon is a gas that is created through the natural breakdown of uranium in the earth. It rises through the soil and into homes through small basement or foundation cracks.
When radon is outside in the air it is virtually harmless, but in a small, enclosed space such as a home, it can lead to a variety of health problems. This includes wheezing, coughing, lung infections, and even lung cancer. Luckily, radon gas must be present for a long time to cause these issues, so that is why it is so important to regularly have your home tested for radon gas. Contact us today to learn more about radon testing and radon mitigation–the solution for high levels of radon in your home. | <urn:uuid:e82de49c-96fe-4d7d-a491-b132ff87db1c> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.ameriservradon.com/children-home-doesnt-motivate-radon-testing-will/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233506539.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20230923231031-20230924021031-00560.warc.gz | en | 0.969132 | 392 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Ai in Healthcare: How is Artificial Intelligence impacting Future of Healthcare?
Artificial Intelligence or AI is a new and evolving technology domain. AI essentially refers to the class of technology wherein machines can learn from experience like humans and apply the learning to perform human-like tasks. While still at its nascent stage, the technology is already making waves in various sectors including healthcare. In the last decade or two, the healthcare space has tremendously leveraged technologies to achieve more accurate treatment outcomes while making the business sustainable and viable. AI is one of the technologies that have the potential for unprecedented applications in the sector.
AI in healthcare is the broad term for referring to healthcare technologies or technology systems armed with AI capabilities. AI in healthcare includes the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms as well as other cognitive technologies in the medical care space. One of the biggest use of AI is in natural language processing (NLP) which is used to recognize speech. Essentially, AI in healthcare is used to analyze huge volumes of medical data which are stored via various means, say, manual, IoT sensor, or other technologies, and thereby provide actionable, predictive insights.
Benefits of AI in the healthcare industry
AI has applications in almost all aspects of health systems, which include preventive, promotive, and curative healthcare; public health; disease surveillance; diagnostics and pharma; health awareness and education. AI offers several benefits to the healthcare industry. Some of them are as follows:
Early detection and warning
AI is being used heavily in the diagnostics space to early detect the development or progression of diseases. AI employs deep learning abilities and analysis critical data sets to map the path of disease inception and progression, for instance in diseases like cancer. It is, therefore, able to achieve targeted diagnosis and also predict the progression of the disease.
Encourages healthier behavior
As AI is able to provide predictive insights into personal health technologies, it is used in many applications that either warns the subject against a forthcoming health impact or encourages a health-seeking habit that the person already has by showing progress.
Revolutionizes end-of-life care
AI is being leveraged to monitor and track patient health when at end of life. AI is increasingly being tested around robotics and assistive healthcare devices which can support end-of-life care. Certain studies have reported that patients prefer to spend their last days at home than in the hospital. Therefore, end-of-life care capabilities are essential in the situation.
Streamlines research and drug discovery
AI has a big role to play in streamlining pharmaceutical research systems as well as contributing in drug discovery. At present, most medicinal formulations work in a one-size-fits-all model, where the same medicine is consumed by people having different medical cases. However, with AI, the pharmaceutical industry is approaching precision medicine where new, customized drugs are discovered for specific illnesses and patient case studies.
Makes it easy to train the workforce
AI also offers tremendous opportunities to remotely or physically teach and train the healthcare workforce at different levels from Asha workers to nurses and allied healthcare workers to doctors and clinicians. It also makes public education and awareness on health and medical care easy.
Application of AI in the healthcare industry
AI has wide-ranging applications. It can be deployed to simplify and build-in efficiency in hospital administrative work to assist in diagnosis and surgery.
Making healthcare more accessible
AI helps in making quality healthcare accessible to people, especially in remote areas, as it reduces cost, saves time, streamlines and simplifies communications and processes, and minimizes effort in extending quality diagnosis and treatment.
Monitoring health using POC devices
AI technologies are being used in many point-of-care (POC) applications and wearable devices such as smartwatches, which keep a check on body vitals. These applications not only track and monitor health but also offer frequent warnings to promote healthier behavior. It is also turning smartphone technology into a diagnostic tool.
Use of brain-computer interfaces (BCI)
AI has an instrumental role in making BCI technology successful. It is a strong tool for communication between humans and systems. It uses minimal muscle movement or external devices for delivering commands to the system to act. Therefore it connects the human brain to the machine, which has several applications, such as restoring movement ability in physically challenged.
More precise analytics for pathology images
AI has proven potential to study pathology images, especially histological scans to diagnose cancers. With the evolution in technologies and quality of data sets, AI will provide faster, more accurate conclusions.
Using AI for early alerting and clinical decision support
AI’s predictive analytical capabilities help healthcare providers with timely and actionable insights, alerting them against a problem and supporting quick decision-making.
Automating electronic health records (EHR)
AI is automating EHR and thereby reducing the burden of maintaining clinical documentation. It makes the interface intuitive and easy to access across all access points from hospitals to patients.
Next-Gen radiology tools
AI is increasingly contributing more to the development of future radiology tools. It is making the process faster and outcomes more accurate diagnosis. By learning from voluminous data sets, it extracts patterns and comes up with findings that may not be visible to the human eye.
To identify patients at risk
Machine Learning helps in the risk stratification of patients. It helps in predicting the state of disease in the future for an individual patient. It can help in making individual predictions and lead to personalized medicine.
Using AI in medical machines and devices
Medical devices and machines in hospitals are leveraging AI capabilities to enhance the quality of healthcare delivery in a more operationally efficient and cost-efficient manner.
Impact of AI on the healthcare workforce
There is misguided fear that AI will lead to a reduction in employment opportunities. On the contrary, it will engage human beings in more qualified and more rewarding job roles and will help them achieve more in less time. It will also lead to a class of healthcare employment opportunities in the health-tech sector. Artificial Intelligence is all set to revolutionize the sector in more ways than one. More importantly, it will help quality healthcare services reach the masses and will help in making healthcare equitable. | <urn:uuid:5f4c29b2-1522-4439-b3a6-d9a09b5bc1f0> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.karexpert.com/blogs/ai-in-healthcare/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100650.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20231207054219-20231207084219-00692.warc.gz | en | 0.946043 | 1,268 | 3.3125 | 3 |
The benefits of regular exercise are well documented. Regular exercise is known to boost the immune system and energy levels, help a person sleep better at night and keep a person fit and toned.
At work workouts do not take the place of regular exercise but are very beneficial nonetheless. Following is an outline of why it is a good idea to regularly take a five to ten minute exercise break while on the job, along with some workout ideas a person may want to try out.
Doctors note that the benefits of exercise are cumulative. For example, a person who works from nine to five but spends five minutes every two hours doing desk exercise will have gotten a twenty minute workout over the course of the day.
The human body was not made to sit at a desk for eight to twelve hours straight. A person who does not take exercise breaks at work will be susceptible to backaches, neck pains, carpal tunnel syndrome and other health problems related to not allowing the muscles to stretch and flex sufficiently.
Staring at a computer screen non-stop is also very hard on a person’s eyes. Office fitness breaks allow an individual to look around and give the eyes a rest, thus preventing eye problems that can be costly and difficult to treat. Because the eyes use up a quarter of the body’s energy, relaxing the eyes while doing an at work workout can boost a person’s energy levels, giving him or her new vitality.
A person who needs to lose a significant amount of weight will need more than an at work workout regimen. However, doing workouts while at work can help a person stay fit and in shape. There are at work workouts that provide cardiovascular exercise along with other workouts that strengthen and tone the abs, arms, legs and chest muscles. These workouts do not take long to do and the cumulative effects are noticeable.
Furthermore, taking workout breaks while at works keeps the body supple and flexible. As was noted above, many office workers have muscle problems and pains due to lack of movement; these problems often make it difficult or impossible for a person to work out even after having finished work. At work workouts can enable a person to do even more exercise after having finished his or her workday.
Exercise You Can do at Work
Some office exercises require a person to buy exercise equipment to use at the office while other exercises simply involve stretching, walking and other activities that are done without exercise equipment. Those who want more than just short exercise breaks may want to invest in an exercise ball or even TreKDesk Treadmill Desk that allows the user to walk as he or she does computer work. A person who wants to tone the arm and/or leg muscles should consider investing in small weights and lift these along with doing various stretches.
On the other hand, those who want a simple workout to do at work simply need to push the chair back against the wall and do stretches. Stretching the arms and legs help to keep the muscles supple and in shape. Standing up and doing toe touches, squats, shoulder rolls and body twists are all good ways to get exercise without having to invest in expensive exercise equipment.
Those who want a short cardiovascular workout may want to try jumping, marching or running in place. Jumping jacks are yet another good cardiovascular exercise.
How to Incorporate Exercises into Your Routine
Making exercise a part of your regular routine takes effort and self-discipline. To start with, a person may want to print a short list of the exercises that he or she would like to do each day. Doing so will prevent a person from wasting his or her exercise time trying to decide just what to do.
Next, a person should determine just how much he or she wants to exercise while at work. Some people do two minutes of stretches every hour while others do a five minute workout every two hours. After a person has decided when to work out while on the job, he or she should set the alarm for the time in question.
At work workouts offer many of the same health benefits that a regular workout regimen provides. Exercise plays a very important role in keeping the human body healthy and in shape. Even individuals who do not have the time to work out regularly can do at work workouts while on the job. These workouts can be simple or challenging, depending on a person’s preferences and needs. There are numerous exercise options to choose from, enabling even the busiest person to fit in some time to exercise on a daily basis. | <urn:uuid:3e3e72f6-e032-4a81-97d7-a11f59bfb041> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://workworkouts.com/benefits-of-working-out-at-work/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105108.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20170818194744-20170818214744-00168.warc.gz | en | 0.9665 | 915 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Five million girls were eliminated between 1986 and 2001 because of foetal sex determination done by unethical medical professionals. The rate of extermination continues to increase after census 2001.Sex determination and sex selective abortion was traced to an Amritsar clinic in 1979 and has now grown into an Rs.1000 -crore country wide industry.
In recent years the misuse of ultrasound has reached remote tribal areas of Rajasthan, Bundelkhand and emerged even in parts of India where women were better treated such as Assam, Kerala and the Kashmir valley. China as of 2000 census was eliminating one million girls annually but present trends suggest that India is likely to overtake China in less than a decade. Son preference has become daughter hatred in India in the recent decades due to the widespread legitimization of this form of violence against women.
In 1994 Parliament responded to the misuse of prenatal diagnostic techniques by enacting PNDT Act. However it was not implemented. The Supreme Court directed the government to implement the PNDT Act in May 2001.Later it was amended to make it more stringent. The health ministry has to be more proactive to stop female foeticide.The ministry surrendered one crore rupees of the meagre funds allocated to the PNDT cell in this budget year. In 2005 the health ministry released full-page advertisements calling female foeticide a sin.
Converting crimes into sins is dangerous as it will only fuel further decline in sex-ratios. There are attempts by some politicians to limit abortion as a means to stop female foeticide. Such anti-women actions would endanger women's health though it may be acceptable to religious fundamentalists.
Efforts of the media have certainly contributed to the increased public discourse on this issue over the years. Today reports of female fetuses found in drains or dug from dry wells or floating in lakes or eaten by dogs are headline news. There have been stories on the consequences like trafficking of women for marriage and emergence of polyandry.
The government of India should set a target date by which the country will have balanced sex-ratios at birth. The coming plan needs to give a fair deal to women by abandoning fertility targets and replacing it with solid commitments to restore sex-ratio at birth. There has to be official recognition that small families are increasingly achieved by eliminating girls.
Excepts from the article: Hidden Genocide by Sabu George | <urn:uuid:26853a71-1826-4b48-bfe0-17dae5e4b2d6> | CC-MAIN-2014-10 | http://www.azadindia.org/social-issues/femaleinfanticideinindia.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-10/segments/1394011240315/warc/CC-MAIN-20140305092040-00026-ip-10-183-142-35.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969377 | 487 | 2.796875 | 3 |
from the Istrouma Area Council 1995 Pow Wow Book
John Carminati, ASM-Venture, Troop 85, Roundtable Commissioner.
The audience participation
stories in this file have also been placed in the Audience
Participation Stories page.
Skits are a dramatized
joke or funny situation with a snappy line or sight gag at the end. Skits
help channel a boy's imagination. He doesn't just play he's a pirate.
He IS a pirate sailing the ocean blue under the Jolly Roger. Dramatics
are important in the growth of boys because it gives them an outlet for
the "let's pretend" part of their character. I gives him a chance for
creative expression. Skits help develop his power of observation and recognize
the desirable characteristics in the people he sees. Skits help develop
his coordination and timing while gaining self confidence. Skits show
the importance of teamwork and cooperation.
Skits also set the mood
of the monthly theme. Skits serve as ice breakers and comic relief during
the pack meeting. Skits take the pack meeting out of the hands of adults
and focuses on the boys.
Once in a while there
is a shy boy who would prefer not to take part in skits. A costume often
will help overcome his shyness. He can also handle other important roles
like lighting, scenery changes or sound effects.
If a boy is having trouble
remembering his lines, write them down on index cards or use cue cards
(poster board size).
Keep It Simple. Simple
lines, simple costumes, and simple props are more effective than elaborate
ones done poorly. A sign can do wonders... it turns a box into a wagon,
boat, plane, etc. It can even turn a boy into a tree or a mountain.
1. are short (3 to 5 minutes).
2. have simple dialog... no long memorized lines.
3. Use pantomimes.
4. Let every boy participate.
5. Have liberal usage of stage direction... who goes where, when and does
Pow Wow Books
Cub Scout Leaders How-To Book
Den Chief's Handbook
Childrens magazines like "Highlights" and "Jack and Jill".
They must be heard...
Boys must speak slowly and face the audience. If the audience applauds
or laughs, scouts should pause before continuing their lines.
You could pre-record all
the sound effects, dialog, music, etc. and play it back on a tape recorder.
The advantage is that they can be heard. A disadvantage is that you can't
react to the audience and if anything goes wrong, you'll have to ad-lib.
Lip syncing takes lots of practice.
Make-up... Make-up helps
the audience identify the character and makes them more real.
Make-up base can be made
with equal parts of liquid cleansing cream and powdered sugar. This makes
a simple white base for clown make-up. Add food coloring for monster make-up
(green) or Indian war paint (red, yellow and blue).
An eyebrow pencil can
be used to darken or change the shape of eyebrows, to line the eyes, to
make freckles, moustaches, sideburns, beards, and wrinkles.
Beards can be made with
coffee grounds applied over a layer of Vaseline or cold cream.
Cornstarch powder in the
hair makes characters look older. Hair usually begins to gray at the temples
first. You can also use talcum powder.
A wig can be made by pulling
an old stocking down over your hair and ears. Tie it off and cut off the
excess. Use scotch tape to fasten colored cotton balls all over the stocking.
Indian braids can be made
by cutting 3 strips of crepe paper into lengths about 3/4" wide. Twist
each strip around the other. Now braid the 3 strips together.
Wounds can be made by
drawing them with lipstick. Blend it in slightly with your finger. Edge
the wound with white liner.
For shoulder padding,
make small triangular cushions and tie them with point towards your neck.
Cushions are made from scrap cloth stuffed with rags. Sew long tapers
to cushions and cross them over body.
Nose putty is often needed
to make lumps, creepy hands, etc. Mix together 2 teaspoons white vegetable
shortening, 5 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon white flour, a few drops
of glycerin, and food coloring. For a brown color add 2 teaspoons cocoa.
Scenery for skits... Scenery
should be made from corrugated cardboard. Use latex or tempera paints
to decorate as needed. Do not paint on over printing on the box. It will
Alternatively, you can
just explain to the audience beforehand, "Here is the bedroom..." and
so forth, or "This is the Mississippi River...". Use the power of suggestion!
Acting the part... Too
look old, walk with your feet about 30 cm apart. Too walk with a limp,
place a ball of paper in your shoe.
FX... If you plan to use
sound effects in your skit, it is important to have access to a microphone.
Check with the facility where you are holding your pack meetings. Most
rental stores carry karaoke sound machines. Also, you can pre-record your
sounds on an audio cassette and play them back when needed (do I see a
den meeting idea here?).
Airplane: Heavy paper
striking blades of electric fan.
Auto brakes: Slide a drinking
glass across a pane of glass.
Boat whistle: A wooden
or plastic spool, a 3/4" strip of balloon and a rubber band. Fasten the
balloon over the hole in one end of the spool. Wrap rubber band around
spool over the ends of the balloon and pull the balloon tight. Blow into
open end of spool.
Crashes: (a) Fill a wooden
box with broken glass and a few stones, then nail it shut. Tip the end
of the box to create various kinds of crash sounds. (b) Drop two pie pans
taped together with mason jar lids inside.
Creaking door or animal
roar: Use a coffee can. Tie a string in the center of a pencil and rub
string with violin resin. Punch a hole in the container, place the pencil
inside and pull the string out through the hoe. Drag fingernails along
the string to produce noise.
Crickets chirping: Run
a fingernail over a fine-tooth comb.
Door slam: Slam two hardback
Fire: Crumple and twist
cellophane into a ball and then release it.
Gong: Hit a pan with a
Gurgling stream or boiling
liquid: Put a straw in a cup of water and blow hard.
Hail: Pour rice on an
upside down flat cake pan.
Horse hooves: Alternately
tap two inverted cups or bowls on a wood floor or board.
Knock at door: Hit a half-gallon
plastic milk jug on the end with a rubber spatula.
Lightning: Grasp a metal
cookie sheet on one end, placing your thumb on the underside. Shake the
cookie sheet so it vibrates. Bang it against the knee for an occasional
Pistol shot: (a) A rubber
band is stretched around the center of a small foil pie pan. Pull out
the band from bottom of pan and release. (b) Snap a yardstick or thin
board on a hard surface.
Puppy dog: Blow up a balloon.
With first 2 fingers of both hands stretch neck of balloon, slowly releasing
Rain: Fill a soup can
1/3-full of dry peas or beans. Roll the can slowly on a table.
Running water: A wooden
box 1 foot x 2 foot x 2 inches is fitted with tin on bottom and ends.
Finishing nails are driven into the bottom and ends in a 1 inch diamond
pattern. Place a small amount of BB's into box. Tilt to make noise.
Rustling in underbrush:
Crush broom straw.
Sword fight: Holding an
aluminum cookie sheet in one hand, hit it with a metal spoon.
Telephone ring: Use a
Writing my own skits...
Writing your own skits is simpler than it would first appear. To write
a skit, first determine what the moral of the skit will be. Then follow
this simple outline to write your skit.
1. Boy wants something...
friendship, a gold mine, a trophy, to find a lost planet, etc.
2. Boy went to get it... by canoe, plane, horseback, foot, etc.
3. Obstacles stop boy... crocodile, native hunters, a locked chest, etc.
4. Boy achieves goal... through an act of kindness, bravery, wisdom, magic,
unexpected help of some kind, etc.
Write your skit to be
7 to 10 minutes long. The boys will shorten the skit when they present
is the expression of a thought, emotion or action without the use of words.
Words may be supplied by a narrator or pre-recorded. Movements are often
Cub #1: (to Den Leader)
I did a bad turn.
Den Leader: Now, (Cubs
Name), you know you should always do Good Turns.
Cub #1: I tried. Honest.
Den Leader: OK.
(Each Cub enters and says
similar things to the Den Leader)
Last Cub: (carrying a
small fry pan with a "pancake" in it) I did a good turn. Watch. (flips
pancake over and catches it in pan) But, you should see the mess in the
kitchen! (other Cubs look ashamed)
Narrator: It's a foggy
night in London. The year is 1910. An American businessman is lost in
Businessman: (Mr. William
Boyce dressed in top coat, carrying brief case and umbrella. He wonders
around the stage looking for a house number.) I don't think I can find
my way tonight.
(A Scout comes on stage.)
Scout: May I help you
Businessman: I am looking
for this address. Can you tell me how to find it?
Scout: I sure can. I'll
take you there.
(They walk to a certain
spot on stage.)
Scout: Here you are, Sir!
Businessman: Thank you,
and here you are (gives him some money) for helping me.
Scout: Thank you, but
I can't accept anything. I am a Scout and this is my Good Turn for the
Narrator: Mr. Boyce was
so impressed with this action that he looked up the Scouting movement
in England. He brought back to America a suitcase full of pamphlets. He
incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910.
The Boy Scouts of America
grew by leaps and bounds. A Federal Charter was granted to it by Congress
in 1916, an honor given to few organizations.
Today it is a world brotherhood
bound together by common ideals and a common oath or promise.
The mind reader sits behind
a table with a number of slips of paper before him. One at a time he names
a famous person and his or her good turn. He writes the name of the person
on a slip of paper, folds it in half, and places the slip in a clear glass.
He then asks someone to come up and take a slip of paper out of the glass,
look at it, but do not tell him the name written upon it. The mind reader
then pours water into the glass and stirs until they are thoroughly saturated.
He then pours off the water into another glass and throws the paper away
into a waste basket. After examining the water in the glass, he announces
the name of the slip drawn. Solution: Write the name of the first person
named onto every slip of paper.
Characters: Bob, 12 Cub
Scout friends (if den has less than 12 boys, have them repeat their entrance
Props: Items called for
in skit on a table (use your imagination to create wilder items)
Setting: Bob is standing
by table with props. As each boy enters, he hands him the appropriate
Cub #1: On the first day
of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- a knob to adjust my TV. Thanks
Bob: You're welcome!
(Each cub takes items
and exits. Then next cub enters from opposite side of stage)
Cub #2: On the second
day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- two napkins. Thanks Bob.
Bob: You bet!
Cub #3: On the third day
of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- three french fries. Thanks Bob!
Bob: No problem!
Cub #4: On the fourth
day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- four comic books. Thanks
Bob: Glad to do it!
Cub #5: On the fifth day
of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- five rusty nails. Thanks Bob!
Bob: Don't mention it!
Cub #6: On the sixth day
of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- six greasy rags. Thanks Bob!
Cub #7: On the seventh
day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- seven soggy sweatshirts.
Bob: Yeah, you're right!
Cub #8: On the eighth
day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- eight mugs for milk shakes.
Bob: Give me five! (does
high five with Cub #8)
Cub #9: On the ninth day
of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- nine dirty dustpans. Thanks
Bob: Cool dude!
Cub #10: On the tenth
day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- ten leaping lizards. Thanks
Bob: Check you later!
Cub #11: On the eleventh
day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- eleven pies for pitching.
Thanks Bob! ( A pie plate full of whipped cream can actually be thrown
at Bob here - if you like!)
Bob: (wiping off cream)
That's what friends are for!
Cub #12: On the twelfth
day of Christmas my good friend gave to me -- twelve dump trucks dumping.
Bob: Bye, pal! (last cub
exits, table is cleared of all props) Now, let's see. That was (singing)
twelve dump trucks dumping, eleven pies for pitching, ten leaping lizards,
nine dirty dustpans, eight mugs for milk shakes, seven soggy sweatshirts,
six greasy rags, FIVE RUSTY NAILS, four comic books, three french fries,
two napkins and a knob to adjust my TV. (looks at audience and wipes brow)
Whew! I finally did it. I finally got my closet cleaned out!
Dad, Mom, Cub Scout
Narrator: As our plan
begins, Dad is looking for his hammer...
Dad: Has anyone seen my
Mom: No dear, did you
look in your toolbox?
Dad: It's not there. No
one ever puts anything back where it belongs around here.
Cub Scout: Look, Dad.
I found it. It's over here behind the door where you used it to fix the
loose door hinges.
Dad: Now, where is my
Mom: It should be on your
Dad: Well, it's not there.
No one ever puts my tools away.
Cub Scout: Dad, don't
you remember? You left it out by the garage when you were sawing those
boards to build my clubhouse.
Dad: Good grief! Now where
is my file?
Cub Scout: Oh, that's
out in the yard where you used it to sharpen the lawn mower blade.
Dad: I can't find my screwdriver
now, and I just had it! Did you use it, son?
Cub Scout: Yes, Dad. And
here it is in the toolbox - right where I put it when I finished with
Dad: Oh! I never thought
of looking for it there!
Characters: Each Scout
holds a cardboard figure in front of him starting with a square block
of wood. Boy 2 is roughed out pinewood derby racer. Boy 3 is a racer with
a little paint. Boy 4 and 5 are the finished cars.
Setting: Each boy walks
on to the stage to read his part. The last scout runs onto the stage shouting
Boy 1: I'm only a simple
block of wood,
Cut from a tree so tall.
Unlike the tree that thundered down,
No noise would I make should I fall.
Boy 2: But in the hands
of a wide eyed boy,
Armed with a knife and a saw.
There are many shapes that I can take,
Some wide, some short, some tall.
Boy 3: A little paint,
a line or two,
Nothing fancy, but not too plain.
No two alike, made with loving hands,
We are all of the tree that remains.
Boy 4: Like each little
Starting with form.
Like a block of wood cut from a tree,
The loving hands of leaders like you,
Help us each to be what we shall be.
Boy 5: And I'm gonna be
Pack - We're number one
Parents - I'll help, I'll help
Bobcat - Meow, meow
Wolf - (your best wolf howl)
Bear - Grrrr, grrrrrr!
Webelos - To the top!
Once upon a time there
was a pretty good PACK who did a lot of things and had a lot of fun. The
PACK has a few new BOBCATS who had just joined the PACK. There were also
a few WOLF Cub Scouts, who were eight years old. Most of the Cub Scouts
in the PACK were BEARS, who were 9 years old and some of these BEARS were
almost 10 years old.
After a Cub has been a
BOBCAT, WOLF, or BEAR, and has turned 10 years old, he becomes a WEBELOS.
WEBELOS means, "We'll be loyal Scouts". The WEBELOS program differs from
the BOBCAT, WOLF, and BEAR because WEBELOS prepares the WEBELOS Scout
to be a Boy Scout. The WEBELOS uniform is different too.
The WOLF and BEAR Cub
Scouts work on achievements and electives for gold and silver arrows with
their PARENTS. The WEBELOS work toward activity pins. These awards are
presented at the PACK meeting for all the PARENTS to see.
The PACK was going along
real well until summer came and a few PARENTS moved. The PACK is now in
great need for PARENTS of the BOBCAT, WOLVES, BEARS, and WEBELOS to help
The PACK needs the help
from the PARENTS so the PACK can grow and continue to provide lots of
fun for the BOBCATS, WOLF and BEAR Cub Scouts and the WEBELOS Scouts too!
The PACK can't do a good job with only a few PARENTS doing everything,
so PARENTS help your BOBCAT, WOLF and BEAR Cub Scouts and your WEBELOS
Scouts get a better program of fun and adventure in our PACK. PARENTS
help us now. What do you say PARENTS?
Characters: Some Cubs
dressed as parents and seated at a table decorated as for a Blue & Gold
banquet. One Cub Scout dressed as a Cub waiter -- with an apron and a
towel over his arm.
Narrator: It is the annual
Blue & Gold banquet at Pack 999. Every year, the Cub Scouts at Pack 999
serve as waiters and cooked for their parents. The boys try very hard
to do a good job, but every year a few little things seem to go wrong.
Let's see what is happening this year....
Parent #1: Excuse me,
Johnny. Is this coffee or tea? It tasted like kerosene.
Cub waiter: Then it's
coffee. The tea tastes like gasoline.
Parent #2: I hope you'll
hurry and bring my food. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
Cub waiter: Then you've
come to the right place!
Parent #3: Why do you
have your fingers on top of my food?
Cub waiter: (serving plate
with his hand all over it) So it won't fall on the floor again.
Parent #4: Why are you
stomping on my steak?
Cub waiter: (stomping
something on floor) Because when you told me to bring you your food, you
said to "step on it."
Parent #5: I'm afraid
there's a fly in my soup.
Cub waiter: Don't worry.
There's no extra charge.
Parent #5: There really
is a fly in my soup.
Cub waiter: What did you
expect at a Blue and Gold banquet -- a humming bird?
Narrator: Ah, yes. Another
Blue and Gold banquet at Pack 999. Good eating, everyone.
(Several Cub Scouts with
homemade pig masks. There are many ideas on mask-making in the Cub Scout
Leader How-To Book.)
Piggy #1: I sure had a
high fever last night.
Piggy #2: How high?
Piggy #1: Two bales.
Piggy #3: Two bales? That's
no way to take a temperature.
Piggy #1: Of course it
is. I have hay fever!
Piggy #4: Hey, why did
the pig cross the road?
Piggy #5: I give up. Why?
Piggy #4: It was the chicken's
Piggy #6: What do you
think my Uncle Porky Pig sang when he joined the navy?
Piggy #7: I don't know.
Piggy #6: (singing) "Oinkers
aweigh, my boys, oinkers away."
Piggy #8: What do you
call a pig who crosses the road twice but refuses to take a bath?
Piggy #5: What?
Piggy #8: A dirty double-crosser.
Piggy #3: (holding up
a blank piece of poster board) Here is my famous painting of five hogs
eating in a field of corn.
Piggy #2: I don't see
a field of corn.
Piggy #3: The hogs ate
Piggy #7: I don't see
the five hogs either.
Piggy #3: Of course not.
Why should the hogs stay around when the corn is gone?
Piggies (all): And that,
ladies and gentlemen, is the end of our tale!
(All pigs turn around
and show off curly tails.)
The leader makes an elaborate
announcement introducing a soloist, who is to sing a ballad entitled "The
Lost Sheep." The singer takes his position, glances to the leader who
nods his head as a signal to begin. The singer then gives a plaintive
"Baa-aa-aa," bows and exits the stage.
Cub comes on stage carrying
a picture of an owl. He says, "Owl be seein' ya!"
Have several scouts walk
across the stage staring at the ceiling and saying "Quack, quack." Leader
then asks what they are doing and they reply, "Quacking Up!"
Siren - siren sound
Dog - woof, woof
Policeman - loud whistle
Librarian - SSSh
Pigs - oink, oink
Chickens - squawk, squawk
Ducks - quack, quack
Boys - Stamp feet and sing "La, la, la."
Screamed - everyone scream
Loud Crash - everyone clap
It was a beautiful fall
afternoon in --(your towns name)-- , Louisiana. In the balmy air the rich
aroma of lumber being milled in nearby Bogalusa was very prominent. The
only sounds to be heard were the faint moan of a fire SIREN in a neighboring
subdivision, the distant barking of a DOG, and the occasional whistle
of the POLICEMAN at the Main Street intersection. Within the Parish Library,
someone turned a page too loudly and the LIBRARIAN said, "SSSh!". On the
highway at the outskirts of the town, a farmer was slowly driving his
animals to the market. Each time he hit a bump, the PIGS grunted, the
CHICKENS squawked, and the DUCKS quacked. Yes, all was peaceful in --(your
Suddenly, two BOYS appeared
on the quiet street. They were singing and marching in time to the rhythm.
They reached the center of town where the POLICEMAN blew his whistle to
let them cross at the crosswalk. Still singing, the BOYS marched up the
steps of the library. The LIBRARIAN looked up quickly and said, "SSSh!".
Each BOY took a book, then sat down at one of the tables. One of the BOYS
looked around the almost deserted library and remarked, "They'd do a lot
more business in here if they had comic books!" Guess what the LIBRARIAN
said? That's right ---"SSSh!".
Outside, the DOG's barking
could be heard more strongly. The POLICEMAN blew his whistle as a car
approached the intersection, followed by the farmer's truck. As they started
up again, the woman driving the car signaled a right turn. Oddly enough,
her car made a left turn. The farmer slammed on his brakes and there was
a LOUD CRASH! Down went the tail gate of the truck and out tumbled the
PIGS; the crates burst and out flew the CHICKENS and the DUCKS. The DOG,
who was quite close, began an excited chase, barking wildly.
Frightened, the PIGS ran
up the library steps grunting, followed by squawking CHICKENS, quacking
DUCKS, and the barking DOG. The LIBRARIAN was so startled she had time
to let out only one "SSSh!", before a CHICKEN flew into her face. The
BOYS jumped up and delightedly burst into song. In rushed the POLICEMAN,
frantically whistling. From across the street, old Miss Curious saw the
disturbance, and called the fire department. In the distance began the
whine of the SIREN, which grew louder as the fire truck approached the
At that moment in the
Parish Library these things were going on: The PIGS were grunting, the
CHICKENS were clucking, the DUCKS were quaking, the DOG was barking, the
BOYS were singing, the fire SIREN was screaming, the POLICEMAN was whistling,
and the LIBRARIAN was hopelessly saying over and over again "SSSh, SSSh!".
And for a while as least, all these things were going on a the same time!
...But an hour later, everything was peaceful again in --(your towns name)--.
The PIGS, DUCKS and CHICKENS had somehow been caught and put back into
their crates, and the POLICEMAN again stood at his post by the intersection.
And the LIBRARIAN? Well,
she looked around the library at the floating feathers, the muddy floor,
the disarranged books, the overturned tables, and the broken chairs. ...
And then, all of the sudden, she SCREAMED!
and Crazy Bear
Little Wolf: wolf howl
Crazy Bear: bear growl
Now Little Wolf and Crazy
Bear were from a tribe of American Indians who got their food hunting
buffalo. They roamed the plains, always on the look-out for buffalo. But
since the cowboys had come to their land, the buffalos were scarce. Little
Wolf and Crazy Bear had a hard time finding any buffalo to feed their
people. But they didn't have any trouble at all finding cowboys. In fact,
they had to hide quite often so the cowboys wouldn't shoot them. Up and
down the plains Little Wolf and Crazy Bear roamed searching out the buffalo
and hiding from the cowboys.
One day, Little Wolf saw
something moving through the brush and he called to Crazy Bear. "Hey,
Crazy Bear, what is that?" I don't know, Little Wolf", replied Crazy Bear,
"But it looks like it might be good to eat." Little Wolf laughed and said,
"I think it belongs to the cowboys." "Well, I know it's not a buffalo"
replied Crazy Bear. So Little Wolf, a true Indian hunter, pulled back
his bow and the arrow went straight to the mysterious animal. Crazy Bear
then went to work skinning and preparing it to take back to the tribe.
After all this work, the
two Indian hunters were hungry, so they built a fire and cooked some of
the meat. "This tastes too good to be a buffalo" said Little Wolf. "Yea"
said Crazy Bear. "Those cowboys sure raise good meat. I wonder why they
kill our buffalo?"
When Little Wolf and Crazy
Bear took the meat back to the tribe, all the women wanted more of this
meat. So the hunters set out to find the cowboys and find what this strange
animal was. When Little Wolf and Crazy Bear came on the cowboy camp, it
was early in the morning. The cowboys were still asleep. Little Wolf and
Crazy Bear saw one of those animals sitting way out form the camp, so
they decided to kill it and drag it away. "Hey Buffalo Bill, did you see
that?" asked one of the cowboys. "Sure did" was the reply. "I see someone
finally got Sitting Bull."
Characters: Any number
of Indians including one Big Chief.
Setting: Indians grouped
around a campfire. All are very sad.
1st Indian: I fear big
trouble in making. (all grunt)
2nd Indian: Must do big
magic to stop many wars.
3rd Indian: How?
4th Indian: Big worry
makes head ache with thinking. (all grunt)
Big Chief: Great Spirit
give me wisdom to treat problem. I must go to White Man. (Rises from campfire
and goes to center of stage. He addresses the audience.) We all wish for
peaceful moons and plentiful corn. Maybe we need know word from each other.
Please help me and repeat after me the words I say.
Big Chief: Oh Wa
Audience: Oh Wa
Big Chief: Ta Goo
Audience: Ta Goo
Big Chief: Si Am
Audience: Si Am
Big Chief: Very good,
I think we are learning. (all Indians nod in agreement) Please one more
time to go faster into land of knowledge. (Repeat chant as before only
faster and faster until it is fast enough so that they can combine syllables
and come up with the meaning: "Oh What A Goose I Am")
Characters: Den leader,
Props: Chairs for boys
- set up as for den meeting around table.
Den Leader: I want you
all to work on your craft now - making kites for the pack kite flying
contest. Do your best. (Den Leader leaves room - boys start to use materials
to make craft)
Cub #1: (hiccup, hiccup)
I can't make my kite (hiccup). I keep hiccuping (hiccup). I better go
play Nintendo and rest (hiccup).
Cub #2: I know what to
do. Hold your breath while I count to ten. It works every time. One, two,
three, ...ten. (Cub #1 holds breath)
Cub #1: (lets out breath
- loud hiccup) It didn't work! (hiccup)
Cub #3: Try putting a
pinch of sugar under your tongue. It works every time.
Cub #1: (tries sugar under
tongue - hiccup, hiccup) That didn't work either.
Cub #4: Here, try breathing
into this paper bag. That always works!
Cub #1: (breaths into
bag - hiccup) Nothing works for me (hiccup).
(Den Leader returns. Cub
#2 runs up to him.)
Cub #2: Mr. Smith - Billy
keeps hiccuping and he can't do his work. I guess he better go play Nintendo
while we finish his kite.
Den Leader: Billy, come
here. Let's hear you hiccup so I can see if I should let you go play Nintendo.
Cub #1: (silence)
Den Leader: Go ahead,
Cub #1: (total silence)
Den Leader: Well, I guess
you better go back and finish your kite. (Turns to audience.) It works
Characters: Den leader,
3 Cub Scouts
Props: A pile of socks
on a table. Den leader sits behind table.
Den leader: Boys, I'm
pleased to announce that our new Cub Scout socks have arrived! Please
step up for your supply of clean socks.
Cub #1: I need four pair.
Den leader: What do you
need 4 pair for?
Cub #1: I need them for
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Den leader: O.K. Here
are your socks. Next please.
Cub #2: I need seven pair.
Den leader: What do you
need seven pair for?
Cub #2: For Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Den leader: O.K. here
are your socks.
Cub #3: I need 12 pairs.
Den leader: Wow, you must
really be a clean guy! So why do you need 12 pair?
Cub #3: Well, there's
January, February, March, April...etc.
Characters: 6 to 8 Cub
Props: Paper sacks
Setting: Skit opens with
boys standing together in a backyard. Cardboard cutout trees and bushes
could be used.
1st Cub: Gee, there's
nothing to do.
2nd Cub: Yeah, I know.
3rd Cub: Hey, let's have
a backyard picnic.
4th Cub: But it's going
1st Cub: I don't think
so. If it does, we can eat in the house.
2nd Cub: I'll bring the
3rd Cub: I'll bring the
4th Cub: I'll bring the
hot dog buns.
5th Cub: I'll bring the
6th Cub: And I'll bring
(All walk offstage and
come back carrying sacks)
2nd Cub: Here are the
3rd Cub: Here are the
4th Cub: Here are the
hot dog buns.
5th Cub: Here are the
6th Cub: (Drops his sack)
5th Cub: What's wrong?
6th Cub: I brought the
Characters: Several Cubs
around fake campfire pretending to cook hot dogs on sticks. Two Cubs dressed
as mosquitos--antennae, wings etc.
Setting: Boys around fire
keep slapping as if they are being attacked by mosquitos throughout the
skit. As the scene opens, the two mosquitos enter the stage and continue
walking randomly around the boys as they deliver their lines.
Mosquito #1: Hey, I got
a good one! Which sport do we mosquitos like best?
Mosquito #2: Easy! Skin
diving. Say, did you hear what the Cub Scout said to the mosquito.
Mosquito #1: No, what?
Mosquito #2: Don't bug
Mosquito #1: Are you related
to any of the bugs around here?
Mosquito #2: Sure. My
Mosquito #1: Did you hear
what the mother grasshopper said to her children?
Mosquito #2: No -- tell
Mosquito #1: Hop to it!
Cub #1: These mosquitos
are awful! Lucky I brought the insect repellant. (Pretends to spray air.)
(Mosquitos exit quickly -- choking and gagging.)
Cub #2: (To cub #1) Say,
what has 18 feet, red eyes, and long claws.
Cub #1: I don't know.
Cub #2: Neither do I,
but it's crawling up your neck.
(All boys run screaming
Setting: Den Chief is
narrator. He is taking the boys on a nature hike. As the narration is
read, the boys pantomime (suggested movements below). The Cub Scouts real
names may be substituted for those shown below. If desired, scenery may
be used, such as trees, shrubs, etc. Curtain opens with boys lined behind
Den Chief, ready to take hike.
I'll take you on a nature hike
You boys in Gold and Blue
You'll know what hiking's all about
Before this day's through.
(Sing Chorus to tune of the Kool Aid Song)
Cubbing, Cubbing...It's great
We love Cubbing...can't wait.
Whose magnifying glass is this?
You should have held it higher!
You see, the rays came from the sun
And set poor Tom on fire!
(Den Chief holds up an
imaginary magnifying glass while Tom grabs the seat of his pants and dances
But never fear, Salt Creek's nearby
First aid is what we're learning
Oh boys, you threw the wrong guy in,
It's Tommy here who's burning.
(Another boy shakes himself
off and frowns)
Please don't wade out into the green
You'll drown and I'll not know,
Besides a snapping turtle there
Just bit off Bill's big toe.
(Bill hops around holding
Please, Steve, don't hang there by your knees
You're apt to come to harm,
CRASH. What's that you're trying to say
You think you've broken your arm?
(Steve holds his arm and
I know you're from the city, Rick
And I'm not one who gripes,
But black cats from these woods of ours
Just don't come with white stripes!
(Rick holds up an imaginary
skunk, while other boys hold their noses)
Your foot's caught in a gopher hole,
Is that your trouble, Gary?
Well, don't go away. I'll be right back
A snake has bitten Larry.
(both boys pantomime their
Alright now, Bill, where's the treats?
We all could use a snack.
But a hole tore in your paper bag
About a half mile back?
(Bill holds up imaginary
bag and looks sheepish)
OK boys, hit the trail for home.
I hate to be a pill
But this ain't a dance I'm doing,
I just sat on an ant hill.
(Den Chief squirms and
wiggles around scratching himself)
Characters: Mom, Dad,
two Uncles and Billy. (Someone should introduce characters.)
Costumes: Everyone is
in summer wear and ready for a picnic.
Props: Picnic basket,
blanket spread out on ground, plates, cups, etc. and Billy with a ball.
Scene: Mom, Dad and the
two Uncles are sitting around the blanket and Billy with a ball.
Billy: Mom, When do we
Mom: As soon as your aunts
Dad: This is a great day
for a picnic.
1st Uncle: The weatherman
said we're going to have sunshine all day and the weatherman is always
right! (sound effect of thunder)
2nd Uncle: Almost always
Billy: Mom, when are going
Mom: As soon as your aunts
Dad: Anyone here want
to go to the Tiger baseball game with me next Saturday?
2nd Uncle: I will, we
should have a roaring good time!
1st Uncle: You ain't just
ly-in (lion)! That would be a Paw-fect day.
Billy: Mom, when are we
going to eat?
Mom: As soon as your aunts
arrive, Billy. (Billy leaves with disgust, but comes back quickly with
some "ants". A large ant made from cardboard on a string and put it in
front of his mothers face. Mom screams.)
Dad: What's the meaning
of this, Billy!
Billy: I'm hungry!! Mom
said we'll eat as soon as my aunts are here!
Characters: Dad, Mom,
Jimmy, Johnny and Jerry.
Props: A large box containing
lots of fishing gear - tackle box, fishing gear, waders, etc.
Dad: (coming in from work)
Oh boy! My new fishing gear is here! Did I get everything I ordered?
Mom: I think so, but you'd
better check and make sure.
Dad: Let's see... my new
waders, my new casting rod and reel. And my new lures... 500 assorted
lures. I now own the most advanced technology for catching fish that money
(Jimmy and Johnny enter)
Jimmy: You got your new
fishing gear! When are you going fishing Dad?
Dad: Just as soon as I
put on my jeans and my new fishing sweater.
Johnny: Can we go, Dad?
Dad: Why sure, boys. I
can teach you fellahs all about fishing in the great outdoors. By the
way, where's your brother?
Mom: I haven't seen him
(Jerry enters carrying
an extremely long string of cardboard fish)
Jerry: Hi Dad! Look what
Dad: Where did you get
Dad: With what?
Jerry: With a stick and
a bent safety pin for a hook.
Dad: A safety pin? (Looks
at his pile of equipment.) Get me a stick! I'm going fishing with you!
Cast: 4 to 8 Cub Scouts.
Props: Fishing gear, a
small row boat or cardboard silhouette of a boat, and a sign that says
Setting: The scene starts
with the boat about 10 feet away from the boat dock. The Cub Scouts and
their Den Chief are on their way to go fishing. The first Cub stops at
the dock then walks out across the water and gets in the boat.
Boy 2: Hey wait for me!
(he walks out to the boat)
Den Chief: Oh well...
(steps into the water and pretends to fall in and drags himself back to
Boy 3: Hey wait up. Here
I come (walks out to the boat)
The Den Chief tries and
fails again. The sequence continues until all the boys are in the boat
and only the Den Chief remains on shore. Finally, one of the Cub Scouts
says: "Should we tell him where the rocks are?"
Scout walks on stage carrying
a fishing pole.
Boy 1: Did you catch anything?
Boy 2: Yes.
Boy 1: How big was it?
Boy 2: It was THIS BIG.
(Build up speech volume on THIS while spreading hands farther apart. On
BIG, suddenly bring hands to about 6 or 7 inches apart).
Boy 1: My brother is so
Boy 2: How dumb is he?
Boy 1: He got a pair of
water skis for his birthday a month ago, and he is still looking for a
lake with a hill in it.
Cast: Ma, Pa, Boy, Sis,
all dressed as hillbillies. Two boys dressed as city slickers.
Props: Large cardboard
car cutout with handles on back. A log cabin prop or backdrop.
Setting: Two city slickers
drive up in front of log cabin and honk their horn.
Ma: (comes out of cabin)
Howdy! What ya'll want?
Driver: How do we get
Ma: Well... I don't rightly
know, but I'll ask my son. (yells into cabin) Sonny, how do ya'll get
Boy: (comes out) Well,
Ma, I don't rightly know. I'll ask Sis. (yells into cabin) Sis, how do
ya'll get to Tulsey?
Sis: (comes out) I don't
rightly know. I'll ask Pa. (yells) Pa, how do ya'll get to Tulsey?
Pa: (comes out) Let me
see now. I don't rightly know how to get to Tulsey?
Rider: Boy! You people
sure are dumb. You don't know anything do you?
Pa: Well... it's this-a-way.
We might not be right smart... but we ain't lost!
Narrator: We're going
on a hike. Just do what I do and listen carefully.
(begin hiking in place)
Here we go on a hike thru the woods and over the mountains. Come along
with me. (smile, wave to the group and hike in place) We're coming to
a steep hill. (bend over as if climbing) Now we're on top. What a lovely
view. (shade eyes and look around) Now, we'll have to go down. (move hand
like going down a roller coaster and say "swooosh!") Boy, we're out of
breath. (breath heavily)
Now, we're passing thru
a meadow. (hike in place) What's that I see? (stop, look to one side)
It's a rabbit! And a meadowlark. (look up) And a bumblebee! (run swiftly
in place, waiving arms as if fighting off a bee)
We're happy hikers. (hike
in place) We're happy because of the beautiful mountains we see (shade
eyes and smile) and because of all that clean fresh air we are breathing
(breath heavily) and especially because we got away from the buzzing bee.
(smile, turn head to look behind you and wave bye to bee)
Now we're getting tired.
(slow pace, walk droopily) There's what we need! (points) A cool refreshing
drink from the river. (pick up pace, kneel down and scoop water to mouth)
Ahhh, how refreshing. Let's be on our way (hike in place). Now let's try
to jump over the river without getting our feet wet. (take big step, get
feet wet, shake them off) Oh well, don't feel too bad about not making
it. It was a wide river. At least we have cool toes. (shake feet again)
We'd better stop for lunch.
(stop, reach in pocket, bring out sandwich, start eating, take handkerchief
from pocket, wipe mouth, replace handkerchief, resume hiking in place)
Ummmm, that feels better.
Look, there's a lovely
lake. (points) Let's swim across. (swim strokes, breast-stroke, sidestroke,
backstroke) That was great! (resume hiking in place) Look a that crooked
trail ahead. (point) It's nothing but twists and turns. (continue hiking
- twisting and turning) I'm glad that's over. I was getting dizzy. (stagger)
Look like we have come
to the end of the trail. (stop) What do we do now? Are you tired? (shake
head YES!) So am I. (sit down, wipe brow)
Characters: Bob (a cashier),
Paul (a Webelos Scout) and Mr. Jones (Cubmaster).
Setting: Bob stands behind
counter (table) waiting on Paul. He has a computerized check-out machine
(decorated box). Groceries indicated in script are ready to be checked
out (empty cartons).
Paul: Hi Bob! How much
are these eggs?
Bob: Seventy cents a dozen
Paul: How much for two
Bob: One dollar and forty
(Paul writes down the
prices on a pad as Bob scans each item)
Paul: How much is one
pound of coffee?
Bob: Two dollars and 89
cents (scans coffee).
Paul: How much for one
can of peas?
Bob: Thirty-three cents
Paul: How much is one
box of Betty Crocker Cake mix?
Bob: Seventy-nine cents
(scans cake mix).
Paul: How much is a pound
of American cheese?
Bob: One dollar and 59
cents (scans cheese).
Paul: And a bottle of
Bob: Seventy-nine cents
(scans grape juice). Say, you certainly are keeping good records of what
Paul: One package of oatmeal?
Bob: One dollar and 49
cents (scans oatmeal).
Paul: Now, how much does
all that cost?
Bob: That's nine dollars
and 28 cents.
(Mr. Jones enters)
Mr. Jones: Hi, Bob! Hi,
Paul! Are you buying food for the Webelos overnight camp out?
Bob: Do you want all this
in paper or plastic?
Paul: Oh, no! I don't
want to buy anything. I just had a math problem today. "How much would
the following items cost at today's prices?" Thanks for the help, Bob!
Think of a number. Double
it, add 10 and divide by 2. Then subtract the first number. The answer
will always be 5.
Pretend to pour liquid
from one test tube or glass into another. Watch the glass and say, "It
looks like it's going to work... Oh no! They're coming to take me away,
ha ha, ho ho, he he." Run off stage.
Setting: Rocket pilot
in cockpit on one side of stage. Ground control with computer on other
Rocket Pilot: Mayday!
Mayday! Engine on fire. Mayday!
Ground control: We read
you. Hang in there. We're going to try and lock in on you with our computer.
Rocket Pilot: Well, hurry
up! I can't hold on much longer. I'm surrounded by flames.
Ground Control: O.K. This
is critical. Before you eject -- state your height and position.
Rocket Pilot: Oh, I'm
about 5 foot 6, and I'm sitting down. Bye! (Pretends to push eject button
and jumps out of cockpit.)
Setting: In the computer
lab at school.
Student: Hey, teacher.
My computer ain't working. It's broke!
Teacher: No, no. My computer
is broken. Her computer is broken. Your computer is broken.
Student: Boy, ain't nothing
working right around this place!
Characters: Cub Scout
Interviewer (sitting in for Jay Leno), Mickey Mouse, and Garfield.
NOTE: The Cub Scout Interviewer
can have a script to read his part on his desk -- as if referring to notes
on his guests. Famous cartoon characters can be created by masks or costumes.
Setting: Desk and chair
for host, chairs for guests, sign stating "The Tonight Show".
Interviewer: Ladies and
gentleman! Welcome to the Tonight Show! Jay Leno is on vacation tonight
and he asked me to sit in for him. We are really fortunate to have some
very special guests tonight. So in honor of Cub Scout Animation month,
please welcome... Mickey Mouse! (Applause)
Mickey Mouse: Hi ya folks!
(high squeaky voice)
Interviewer: Mickey, there
is so much your fans are dying to know about you. Could you tell us (pause)
what is your favorite breakfast cereal?
Mickey Mouse: Easy. Mouse
Interviewer: That figures.
Tell me Mickey, do you think you'll ever be #1 in Hollywood?
Mickey Mouse: I doubt
it. You know, Mice Guys Finish Last!
Interviewer: Any special
words for your fans?
Mickey Mouse: Sure! Have
a mice day!
Interviewer: Thanks for
coming Mickey. My next guest has been a star of cartoons, books and comic
strips for years. A big hand for Garfield! (Applause)
Garfield: OK, ok! Don't
we know you're a superstar after all these years. Can you tell us what
kind of car you prefer to be ride in around town?
Garfield: I won't ride
in anything but a Catillac!
Interviewer: Can you tell
us what sort of stage make-up you use when you are making movies?
Garfield: Kitty Glitter.
Interviewer: I hear you're
planning to take some time off from your career for a sailing trip to
Hawaii on your yacht. What kind of boat is it?
Garfield: A catamaran
Interviewer: Thanks so
much Garfield. Ladies and gentlemen, our last guest is very special. He
has rarely spoken over the many years that he has been part of a famous
comic strip. But tonight... Snoopy SPEAKS! Please welcome... Snoopy! (applause)
Interviewer: Snoopy, we're
all dying to know what did Charlie Brown say when heard you were leaving
home to be on the Tonight Show?
Interviewer: We'd like
to know more about you... what is your favorite soda?
Interviewer: We understand
that now you've decided to speak, you are planning your own radio talk
show. Can you tell us what station your program will be on?
Snoopy: National Pup-lic
Interviewer: Thanks Snoopy,
Garfield, Mickey. You've been great! Goodnight from the Tonight Show
Characters: Roger Rabbit,
Bugs Bunny, Silvester, Tweedy Bird, Raphael, Casper.
Setting: A conference
room. Characters are seated with there backs to the audience. The characters
do not face the audience until the end of the skit.
Roger Rabbit: (stands)
Ladies and gentlemen. Please come to order. I have called you here today
to make an important announcement. I am sorry to tell you that after exhaustive
studies, we have come to the conclusion that there cannot possibly be
any life on the planet nearest us.
Bugs Bunny: but what about
the changes in color from white to green that have been observed on the
planet's surface? Don't these indicate weather changes and some kind of
Roger Rabbit: All tests
show that there is some atmosphere on the planet, but it is not enough
to sustain life as we know it.
Silvester: Then how do
you account for the ditches or canals that have been seen with our telescopes?
Roger Rabbit: Latest viewing
indicate that these are merely natural ground formations, and there is
no proof whatever that they are made by any living beings.
Tweety Bird: Then we must
conclude that the flying saucer stories are all hoaxes?
Roger Rabbit: No, of course
not. Most of these sightings have perfectly logical, scientific explanations,
and the rest are the direct result of mass hysteria.
Raphael: Then all the
strange sounds picked up on radio receivers come from our own transmitters
or are produced by atmospheric disturbances?
Roger Rabbit: I'm afraid
Casper: I, for one, am
extremely disappointed. I've always been sure we had neighbors on other
planets, or at least on the one nearest to us. Perhaps not life as we
know it, but some kind of intelligent life, totally unknown to us.
Roger Rabbit: Ladies and
gentlemen, I am going to adjourn this meeting. I can see no point in discussing
this matter further. The tests have been so conclusive that any intelligent
person must accept the fact that there is no life on (Pause)
All: (stand and turn to
Characters: Dad, 3 trick
or treaters (Cub Scouts dressed in Halloween costumes with bags for trick
Props: Candy, etc, as
called for in skit/table --(Dad piles candy up on table as he collects
it from kids)
Dad: (to 3 trick or treaters
as they enter) Well, I'm glad you made it home safely! How was trick or
treating this year?
Cub #1: It was great,
Dad! We got a lot of great stuff.
Dad: Let's see what you
Cub #1: I got this big
candy bar and all these chocolate candies.
Dad: Let me have those.
Those could be dangerous. The wrappings might be loose, and they might
have gotten germs on them. (turns to Cub #2) what did you get?
Cub #2: I got a box of
raisins and shiny red apple!
Dad: I's better take those.
That apple might contain a razor blade! (turns to Cub #3) What did you
Cub #3: I got bubble gum
Dad: Give it to me! That
could ruin your braces! Do any of you have anything else?
Cub #1: Just these peppermint
candies we got right here at our own house! Can't we keep those?
Dad: I'd better take them.
You can't be too careful! Now off to bed! (trick or treaters exit)
Dad: (to audience as he
runs his hands through the pile of goodies he has collected on the table)
The things a father has to do to protect his children! (pause) I love
Boy 1: Tonight we are
going to be talking about ancient Greece.
(Boy 2 walks onstage carrying
a can of Crisco.)
Boy 1: No, no; not that
kind of grease. You know Greece, the place.
Boy 2: Oh yeah, that's
in back of the cafeteria.
Have den line up on stage.
One scout steps forward and announces that this is the first international
exhibition of a new Olympic event. This is the cue for the rest of the
scouts to grin as wide as possible. The narrator announces that this was
the Standing Broad Grin.
Characters: TV reporter,
4 Cub athletes getting ready for the Cub Olympics.
Props: Frisbee for discuss,
pile for javelin, bag of cookies, toothbrush and basin of water on stand,
fake mike for reporter (can be dressed in suit jacket and have ID for
his station on his lapel in large letters)
TV reporter: We're here
today to interview the athletes at Pack _____ as they prepare for the
challenge of this years Cub Olympics. As you can imagine, it takes months
of training and hard work to get these athletes ready to compete. Let's
see how they are preparing themselves for the big competition. (turns
to Cub #1 with microphone) Tell me, how are you getting ready for your
event in the Olympics?
Cub #1: I'm practicing
my throw for the discus event. (demonstrates how to throw discus using
TV reporter: Great form!
(turns to Cub #2) and you -- can you tell us how you are preparing to
Cub #2: I'm polishing
my javelin for the javelin throw (polishes pole with a rag.)
TV reporter: Good luck!
(turns to Cub #3) What are you doing today?
Cub #3: I'm practicing
for the standing broad jump. (does a couple of practice jumps)
TV reporter: Fine! (turns
to Cub #4) And what are you doing to train for the Olympics?
Cub #4: I'm brushing my
teeth! (uses basin of water and toothbrush --pretends to brush teeth)
TV reporter: Brushing
your teeth! What Olympic event could you possibly be training for?
Cub #4: I'm training for
the International Olympic Cookie - Eating event! (pulls out bag of cookies
and stuffs some in his mouth.)
Setting: Dress scouts
in togas. Have them come on stage as if to recite the Iliad. Scouts tell
jokes from Boys Life magazine. | <urn:uuid:a927f643-6c18-4a97-b136-138ece876136> | CC-MAIN-2017-39 | http://macscouter.com/Skits/PWSkits.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-39/segments/1505818688158.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20170922022225-20170922042225-00347.warc.gz | en | 0.928955 | 13,311 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Business / Agriculture / Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): A document required of federal agencies by the National Environmental Policy Act for major projects or administration-initiated legislative proposals significantly affecting the environment. A tool for decision making, it describes the positive and negative effects of the undertaking and assesses alternative actions.
Impact Noun Synonyms: collision, contact, striking, crash, smash, bump, colliding, crashing, smashing, bumping
Statement Adjective Synonyms: assertion, allegation, declaration, expression, report, account, affirmation, asseveration, averral, announcement, annunciation, proclamation, utterance, communication, disclosure
Business / Real Estate / Profit And Loss Statement: A detailed statement of income and expenses of a business that reveals the operating position of the business over a period of time. Commonly referred to a P&L. MORE
Business / Finance / Profit and Loss Statement (P and L): Another term for the income statement. MORE | <urn:uuid:532e65ba-6bd6-462a-bdf9-34953b064c1a> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://glossary.expert/Glossary/Business/Agriculture/Environmental_Impact_Statement_(EIS).html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549448146.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20170728083322-20170728103322-00381.warc.gz | en | 0.858386 | 199 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Most people don’t think much about oral cancer, but we do. Consider this – 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed this year with cancer of the oral cavity or pharynx, and one in five of those people will die from it, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. That’s why every time we look into your mouth, we’re watching for signs of cancer, just to be sure you stay healthy.
And during every regular checkup/exam/cleaning at Meyer & Johns Dental, we specifically conduct an oral cancer screening. It’s that important.
How Can You Tell?
Oral cancer generally presents itself in obvious and painful ways; sores or growths in your mouth that don’t heal after two weeks, lumps or swollen lymph nodes under you jaw or in your neck, unexplained numbness or bleeding in your mouth, difficulty or discomfort swallowing, or changes in how your bite feels.
Monthly self-exams can help identify problems early. Regularly look at the inside of your mouth, and feel your cheeks and neck for lumps or painful swelling. If you find something unusual or uncomfortable, visit us right away or contact your physician.
Oral Cancer’s Risk Factors
The risk is higher in men than in women, and increases significantly after age 40, but it can appear in anyone. Many factors can heighten your risk of developing oral cancer, including:
· Tobacco use (either inhaled or smokeless)
· Heavy alcohol consumption
· A diet low in fruit and vegetables
· HPV (Human papilloma virus) infection
· Excessive sun exposure (particularly as a child)
The Good News
You can mitigate your risk by eliminating tobacco use, drinking only in moderation, eating balanced meals, and using sunscreen. Your body will thank you for these actions, regardless of the risk of oral cancer.
Also, it’s a very treatable disease. American Cancer Society statistics show that the 5-year relative survival rate for localized stage oral cancer is 83%. Radiation therapy is the most common method, although chemotherapy is occasionally used as well.
But early detection is your best defense, and another reason that regular dental visits are so important. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. We want you – and your mouth – to be as healthy as possible. | <urn:uuid:dc2950e7-b4d9-42f4-bc58-94918efb43c8> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://meyerjohnsdental.com/hidden-causes-of-oral-cancer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224649193.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20230603101032-20230603131032-00038.warc.gz | en | 0.932774 | 485 | 2.734375 | 3 |
January 6th, 2018 by
Systems of critical responsibility are operated by computer systems known as safety critical systems. The slightest deviation in the systems’ behavior or the environment, as well as a system error or failure, can cause operational catastrophes or hazardous situations. Therefore, safety-critical systems should not only guarantee absolute real-time behavior but also, availability and dependability of required system services. RTOS serve as the underlying platform that supports all safety and real-time features in a bid to save application developers the hustle of implementing real-time and safety mechanisms on every application.
Additionally, development and design standards must be adhered to prevent system failures and subsequent critical consequences. The standards define the techniques and methods that should be applied to enforce quality safety-critical applications and prevent system failures. The two common standards are IEC 61508 and DO-178B.
IEC 61508: it is a functional safety standard for electronic, electrical and programmable electronic safety specific systems. It is a core safety standard that sets the development basis for other domain-specific standards. It defines the safety-related systems’ lifecycle as well as its development and operational requirements. It provides solutions by recommending techniques and measures that can be used to prevent system failures and effective methods of controlling possible failures if they occur.
DO-178B: it states software considerations in the airborne equipment and systems certification. As such, it specifies the development guidelines for the avionic software. It sets a stringent and application dependent safety standard.
For systems to function optimally, they require integration of different applications with varying criticality levels into one platform. Hence, safety-critical operating systems’ applications are challenged with guaranteeing resource and processor time availability. Such challenges must be naturally integrated into the RTOS architecture through time and space domain protection.
Time Domain Protection
Operating multiple applications that have varying levels of severity on a single processor may compromise provisions that guarantee the required processor time for critical applications. For instance, two applications with varying severity levels, and a single thread, each with the same priority and running on one system. Thread 1 under application 1 is a non-critical thread while thread 2 under application 2 is a critical thread. In this case, thread 2 would require at least 45% of the processor’s time to process its workload effectively. But, the system allots equal priority to the threads; meaning that, the scheduler will assign 50% of the processor time to each thread. In this scenario, critical thread 2 will process its workload effectively. However, if thread 1 introduces a new thread with the same priority, the scheduler must allot equal time to the three threads. Therefore, each thread would work with 33% of the processor’s time. In such a scenario, thread 2 would not handle its workload effectively. Hence, the need for protection in the time domain.
Space Domain Protection
As a result of predictability issues, RTOS designers prefer not to use virtual memory management. The fact that different applications with varying levels of severity are required to run on a single processor means that the applications’ processes share one memory space. As a result, a process can easily corrupt the data, code or stack an additional process intentionally or unintentionally. Additionally, the process can also affect the operating system’s kernel code or data and end compromising reliability and safety. It can result in unexpected system behavior that affects predictability and can easily bring down the entire system. Hence, system memory protection is a major issue in RTOS safety-critical systems.
Secure Operating System Architecture
The solution to time and space domain protection requirements is an operating system architecture that defines a fully secured and partitioned RTOS. There are two types of partitioning; spatial and temporal. However, these operating systems must comply with the basic RTOS design. The only difference is positioned above the OS core layer within the application layer that hosts different partitions of the regular application layer. Every partition is apportioned to an integrity level that only allows running of applications compliant with the integrity level. Additionally, it comprises of a small partition OS that executes RTOS services as per the safety features needed for the safety integrity level in action. However, the dependent functions of the system hardware, scheduler, and device drivers rely on the operating systems’ core layer.
Designing the right RTOS architecture requires delicate attention and decisions. Basic real-time operating system services such as inter-process communication, process synchronization, process management and interrupt handling must unfold efficiently. | <urn:uuid:3e7c7082-5904-40e6-bd4b-7fde00e17c10> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://www.intervalzero.com/rtos/rtos-for-safety-critical-systems/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439738905.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20200812141756-20200812171756-00384.warc.gz | en | 0.921176 | 920 | 2.9375 | 3 |
US 20020032706 A1
A method for building a web-based application comprising displaying a top level menu of types, showing within each level appropriate schemas, recursively traversing the schema information to build cascading menus or toolbars, showing for each element all attributes, and building a fully qualified path or relative path based on XSL patterns when a programmer selects a level.
1. A method for building a web-based application comprising:
(a) displaying a top level menu of types;
(b) showing within each level appropriate schemas;
(c) recursively traversing the schema information to build cascading menus or toolbars;
(d) showing for each element all attributes; and
(e) building a fully qualified path or relative path based on XSL patterns when a programmer selects a level.
The rapid growth of the Internet and more specifically the World Wide Web (WWW or Web) as a network for the delivery of applications and content, has resulted in software developers quickly beginning to shift their focus towards making the web browser a key tool to access information. This revolution has taken several stages.
Most information is available as static content, composed of a variety of media, such as text, images, audio, and video, that is described using hypertext markup language (HTML). While the WWW revolution has placed a wealth of information at the fingertips of countless people, and while HTML is a very good way of describing static documents, HTML provides no mechanism for interacting with Web pages. At present, a Web browser uses the Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) to request an HTML file from a Web server for the rapid and efficient delivery of HTML documents. A Web browser is a client process (also called a “client”) running on a local or client computer that enables a user to view HTML documents. An example of a Web browser is the Internet Explorer. A Web server is a server process (also called a “server”) running on a remote or server computer that uses HTTP to serve up HTML documents and any associated files and scripts when requested by a client. To accomplish this, the user gives the Web browser a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for an object on the Internet, for example, a data file containing information of interest. The document is referred to as a “Web page,” and the information contained in the Web page is called content. Web pages often refer to other Web pages using “hypertext link” or “hyperlinks” that include words or phrases representing the other pages in a form that gives the browser the URL for the corresponding Web page when a user selects a hyperlink.
Dynamic information retrieval such as selected information retrieved from databases commonly implemented through the use of the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). While CGI allows specifically requested information to be accessed from databases across the Internet, CGI has very limited capabilities.
An alternative to using separate CGI scripts to define content is a template-based HTML that actually embeds a request for the dynamic data within the HTML file itself. When a specific page is requested, a pre-processor scans the file for proprietary tags that are then translated into final HTML based on the request. The final HTML is then passed back to the server and on to the browser for the user to view on their computer terminal. While the examples given have been explained in the context of HTML. Templates may be created with any Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) based markup language, such as Handheld Device Markup language (HDML). In fact templates can be created with any markup language or text, in fact it is not limited to SGML based languages but rather to MIME types HDML, is a markup language designed and developed by AT&T and Unwired Planet, Inc. to allow handheld devices, such as phones, access to the resources of the Internet. The specifics of the language are disclosed in “HDML Language Reference, Version 1.0,” Unwired Planet, Inc., July 1996, and herein incorporated by reference Templates with the markup in it and some scripting to execute the data and the display of the pages are separated to make generating an application a process of using an HTML template with script embedded to generate the resulting page. Examples of this technology are Active Server Pages (ASP) from Microsoft, PHP from the Apache organization or Java Server Pages (JSP) from Sun. Often these have been developed in a three-tier physical and/or logical implementation in an attempt to separate the display from the data logic.
As the HTTP based technology has matured, these have tended to move towards the clear separation of the HTML template from the underlying data. Recently there have been several other key advancements.
A subset and simplification of SGML, the extensible Markup Language (XML) has evolved as a standard meta-data format in order to simplify the exchange of data. The eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) has evolved as the standard way to define stylesheets that accept XML as input; and Non-HTML browsers accessing data over HTTP are becoming common and in the next few years will become more common than browsers on desktop computers.
One example is the Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML) from Phone.com and its evolution the Wireless Markup Language (WML) from the WAP Forum. The wireless networks around the world are converging to the Internet to support this trend. Universal Resource Locators (URL) now point to anything on the Internet and can be used by devices ranging from Mobile Phones to Integrated Voice Response (IVR) servers using VoiceXML or VoXML (www.voxml.com).
As more content publishers and commercial interests deliver rich data in XML, the need for presentation technology increases in both scale and functionality. XSL meets the more complex, structural formatting demands that XML document authors have. On the other hand XSL Transformations known as XSLT makes it possible for one XML document to be transformed into another according to an XSL Style sheet. More generally however, XSLT can turn XML into anything textual, regardless of how well-formed it is, for HTML. As part of the document transformation, XSLT uses Xpath (XML Path language) to address parts of an XML document that an author wishes to transform. XPath is also used by another XML technology, XPointer, to specify locations in an XML document.
However XSLT has also not addressed the problem of allowing the development applications that are easily decomposed, portable and easily distributed, while still efficiently serving a multitude of different devices. Applications are generally comprised of a plurality of forms, which are connected to achieve a desired flow. It is desirable to allow developers the ability to reuse parts of application, however with the current markup language technologies it is difficult to achieve this without recreating parts if not substantially all of the application. This problem is further compounded with the need to accommodate different device. At present stylesheets are still tightly linked to the flow of an application.
A further problem with current web-based applications, arises from the current tools and techniques used to develop these applications. In general, an application is an autonomous collection of forms defined by a flow and which may include connectors to databases, sequences, or functions, and data. Typically, mark-up based applications are accessible through web service and have been designed as monolithic, spaghetti code. It has been observed that while individual programming languages provide good constructs for management of reusable libraries, the translation of such to the design of web applications has been sadly lacking.
Web-based applications use HTTP as a protocol for passing data between forms or pages. HTTP provides several methods to pass data including GET parameters, POST parameters and cookies. Regardless of the programming environment, that is, whether it is ASP, Java pages, PHM, or Java Servlets, a common problem with designing web applications is that developers use the methods inconsistently in an application. It has been observed that there is no standard method to provide meta-information about at least the type and purpose of variables used on the form. These methods or calls are stateless across HTTP sessions on the web.
Thus there is a need to for a system and method which enables programmers to visually create style sheets from many input schemes.
An advantage of the present invention is derived from the observation that data is separated from a stylesheet and from program flow. The separation of the flow and form meta-data allows for a separation of data from stylesheets. Otherwise, the stylesheet must maintain maps of where it receives its data from as well as the relationships to different forms. The invention solves this problem by the creation of a schema, which provides all of the flow and meta information in an external file.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a wireless network system;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting the major components in a system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the application element structure in a Hosted Markup Language application;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the form element structure in the Hosted Markup Language;
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation showing the structure of the Runtime Markup Language;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the high level components for processing of HML to generate RML;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the flow for the execution of components described in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8(a) is a schematic diagram of a Bank account query application;
FIGS. 8(b)-(d) is a schematic representation of an HML file for the Bank account query application;
FIGS. 9(a), (b) and (c) are mark-up language representations of a sample generated RML for the Bank account query application;
FIGS. 10(a) and (b) are mark-up language representations of an XSL style sheet for the Bank account query application; and
FIG. 11 is a mark-up language representation of a WML document returned to a device in the Bank account query application;
FIG. 12 shows a screen capture of a design tool, selecting forms input variables;
FIG. 13 shows a screen capture of the design tool screen for selecting a list test box;
FIGS. 14 and 15 show screen captures of the design tool screen for specifying form data; and
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of the design tool screen showing an output.
In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used in the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a data communication system in which the present invention may be used is shown generally by numeral 100. The present invention is described in the context of the Internet, wherein client devices 102 make requests, through a portal or gateway 104, over the Internet 106 to web servers 108. Web servers 108 are capable of communicating via HTTP, HTTP/S or similar and providing information formatted with HTML codes the client 102 which may be capable of interpreting such codes or may rely on a translation by the portal 106. In this embodiment, HTML is described as one example and the gateway may or may not translate.
In fact, a gateway is not necessary for the majority of connecting devices. In a particular instance, the client 102 may be a cell phone device 110 having a screen display 112, the portal 106 may be a cell phone network 114 that routes calls and data transfers from the telephone 110 to a PSTN or to other cellular phone networks. The cell phone network 114 is also capable of routing data transfers between the telephone 110 and the Internet 106. The communication between the cell phone network 114 and the Internet 106 is via the HTTP protocol, or WAP which is more likely for a phone network, the gateways typically translate the call to HTTP, which is well known in the art. Furthermore, it is assumed that the telephone 110 and the cell phone network implement the appropriate protocols for a web browser or similar that can retrieve data over the internet and translate the data file for display on the display 112.
The system 100 also includes at least one host server or web server, which is a remote computer system 112 which is accessible over the internet to the cell phone network and the telephone 102. The web server 108 includes data files written in a mark up language, which may be specifically formatted for the screen display 104 of the telephone 102. This language could comprise a standard text based language similar to HTML or could include WML, HDML, or other specifically designed mark up language or simply text to send to a phone 110.
The web server 108 may also include an application which is run on the server and is accessible by the device 110 specifying a URL or similar of the application. At present, the system 100 operates by the device 110 transmitting a request to the cell phone network 114. The cell phone network 114 translates the request and generates a corresponding HTTP formatted message, which includes the requested URL. The HTTP request message is transmitted to the web server 108 where a data file is located. The data file must be formatted to be compatible to the display capabilities of the telephone 102. The web server calls a process, which invokes an XSL stylesheet interpreter with the appropriate HML and the stylesheet to create the formatted markup of the appropriate MIME type. In some cases both the XML input and the XSL stylesheet may be provided to the client browser to interpret if the client has an XSL built.
By way of background, Extensible Markup Language, abbreviated XML, describes a class of data objects called dt-xml-doc XML documents and partially describes the behavior of computer programs which process them. XML is an application profile or restricted form of SGML, the Standard Generalized Markup Language. By construction, XML documents are conforming SGML documents.
XML documents are made up of storage units called entities, which contain either parsed or unparsed data. Parsed data is made up of characters some of which form character data dt-chardata, and some of which form markup. Markup encodes a description of the document's storage layout and logical structure. XML provides a mechanism to impose constraints on the storage layout and logical structure.
A software module called an XML processor is used to read XML documents and provide access to their content and structure. It is assumed that an XML processor is doing its work on behalf of another module, called the application, which resides on the web server 108.
Each XML document has both a logical and a physical structure. Physically, the document is composed of the units called entities. An entity may refer to other entities to cause their inclusion in the document. A document begins in a “root” or document entity. Logically, the document is composed of declarations, elements, comments, character references, and processing instructions, all of which are indicated in the document by explicit markup. The logical and physical structures must nest properly.
Each XML Document contains one or more elements, the boundaries of which are either delimited by start-tags and end-tags. Each element has a type, identified by name, sometimes called its “generic identifier” (GI), and may have a set of attribute specifications. Each attribute specification has a name and a value.
Style Sheets can be associated with an XML Document by using a processing instruction whose target is xml-stylesheet. This processing instruction follows the behavior of the HTML. The xml-stylesheet processing instruction is parsed in the same way as a start-tag, with the exception that entities other than predefined entities must not be referenced.
XSL is a language for expressing stylesheets. A stylesheet contains a set of template rules. A template rule has two parts: a pattern, which is matched against nodes in the source tree and a template, which can be instantiated to form part of the result tree. This allows a stylesheet to be applicable to a wide class of documents that have similar source tree structures.
Each stylesheet describes rules for presenting a class of XML source documents. An XSL stylesheet processor accepts a document or data in XML and an XSL stylesheet and produces the presentation of that XML source content as intended by the stylesheet. There are two sub-processes to this presentation process: first, constructing a result tree from the XML source tree and second, interpreting the result tree to produce a formatted presentation on a display, on paper, in speech or onto other media. The first (sub-)process is called tree transformation and the second (sub-)process is called formatting. The process of formatting is performed by the formatter.
As described above, the prior art technique is tedious and not easily adaptable to different devices and applications and a plurality of user languages. One embodiment of the present invention is thus based on the observation that a solution to the above problem is a separation of data from style sheets which in turn is separated from program flow. Although it has been recognized that the characteristics of a display needs to be separated from the data, in practice current solutions have failed to understand that the separation of the flow and form metadata is necessary before data can be separated from the style sheets. In other words, at present, style sheets must maintain maps of its data sources and its relationships to different forms. Accordingly, the present invention solves this problem by providing a hosted mark up language (HML) for providing flow and meta information in an external file.
Thus turning to FIG. 2, there is shown at numeral 200, the general components of a system, according to an embodiment of the present invention, for providing a unified data transfer between different devices (clients) and a server over an HTTP based network. The system 200 includes a hosted mark up language (HML) file or application 202 written in accordance with the present invention and residing on the web server 108, a plurality of style sheets 210 and a run-time program or processor 204 for processing the HML application 202 in response to an HTTP message corresponding to a request received from the client device 110. The HML application 202 includes a plurality of forms and pointers to external data sources. The processor 204 includes a data server 206 for retrieving data from one or more databases 216, 218 in accordance with the instructions in the HML, an XSL processor 208, and the plurality of XSL style sheets 210.
A further embodiment of the system 200 includes a visual authoring tool 220 for providing a development framework for visually connecting forms defining a look, feel and flow of an application and for generating from the visual layout the HML application 202.
In general, the runtime 204 is called by a device 102 in a manner as described with reference to FIG. 1, which connects to the server 112 using HTTP. Based on the URL that is requested and the type of device making the request, the runtime 204 determines an appropriate form to use. The runtime calls a data server component 206 to obtain data for the URL from one or more databases 118 and 116. The data server 206 retrieves the appropriate data into XML, and forwards this to the runtime which in turn adds runtime information and directory information to the data XML, the data structure that is built or populated by the HML processor is termed RML, the structure of which will be described with reference to FIG. 5 later. The runtime calls the XSL processor 208 with the RML and an appropriate style sheet 210 for the form after the runtime 204 calls the XSL processor 208, the XSL processor generates a file that depends on how the XSL stylesheet was written. In particular a stylesheet is written for a particular MIME content-type.(notice that in the description of the RML stylesheet we have a content-type attribute) For example if it is HTML with embedded XSL instructions then the processor will generate HTML, if it is a simple test file with embedded XSL instructions then simple text will be generated. Thus if the requesting device has a specific mark-up, the runtime 204 returns the appropriate mark-up file. However, if the device does not have the specific mark-up, the run time transforms the generated WML to the appropriate markup and sends it back to the device.
The detailed description of the operation and interconnection of the various components will be described in greater detail in the following paragraphs.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown at numeral 300 a defined schema or data structure for the elements contained in an HML application. All of the elements are described as XML based schemas including attributes and elements. The first element of the HML 300 is an
Application Element 301 which is a root element having Key Attributes:
“id” which is a unique identifier for the application;
“language” which describes which variable to extract the user language from.
Children Elements:
Startform 307, containing an id attribute which points to a Form's targetid within the application;
forms collection 302 having Multiple Form elements;
Multiple Connection elements 303;
A Data element contained within an events element which contains multiple component elements 309;
Multiple Directory elements 308 containing information to connect to directory type data. Contain a name attribute.
Connection Element 303
Defines a connection to an outside source of data.
Key Attributes:
“connectionid” which is a unique identifier for the connection;
“type” which determines how to get the data;
“server” which gives the IP address to access the server;
Children Elements:
Authenticate 304
Schema element 305 containing a URL attribute to access the schema information;
Multiple connectionproperty elements 306 providing name/value pairs as inputs to the component defined by the “type” attribute.
Component Element 311
Defines an external set of data. Since this is underneath the application it will be passed to all forms.
Key Attributes:
“connectionid” points to a connection element 303;
Authenticate Element 304 defines how to authenticate against an external data source;
Key Attributes:
“user” provides the username for authentication;
“password” provides the external password;
The text of the authenticate element can contact CData or any other information that is used by the data server 206 to authenticate. Examples include certificates, etc.
Form Element 302 which is shown in detail in FIG. 4 generally by numeral 400 This element defines a form and is contained under the forms collection of the application.
Key Attributes:
“targetid” which is a unique identifier for the form “language” which describes which variable to extract the user language from.
Children Elements:
Multiple Stylesheet 415 elements
Multiple action 412, input variables 413, and output variables 414 which define the flow and application reuse.
A Data element 422 ontained within an events element 420 which contains multiple Component elements 411;
Stylesheet Element 415
Defines a potentially matched stylesheet for a form
Key Attributes:
“URL” defines an external link to the actual XSL stylesheet file 210 or instead of having an external XSL file 210, the text of the stylesheet element can contain an embedded CData containing the stylesheet contents;
“contenttype” determines the MIME type of the generated XSL stylesheet file. Examples include “text/xml”, “text/plain”, and “text/html”.
Children Elements:
Multiple Device elements 416. The device only has a single attribute “name”;
Multiple Language elements 417. The language element only has a single attribute “language”;
Component Element 411
Defines an external set of data. Since this is underneath the form 302 it will only be passed into stylesheets on this form, otherwise it is identical to the application level component element 309;
Key Attributes:
“connectionid” points to a connection element 303
As described earlier the runtime processor processes the HML and creates and populates a resulting RML data structure. Referring to FIG. 5, the data structure or schema of the RML according to an embodiment of the invention is shown generally at numeral 500. The RML schema is comprised of:
RML element 528—the root element;
Children Elements:
Session element 529, Appconstants 530, and Actions defining flow 532 Multiple variable elements 531 underneath the variables collection. These just have a name attribute and the text of which contains the value.
Multiple directory element 533 containing data from directory connections 308
Multiple data elements 537 containing data from data connections 303.
Session Element 529 contains information from the user request.
Key Attributes:
“appid” points to the id attribute of the Application element 307;
“fromformid” points to the targetid attribute of a form element 302;
“actionid” is the name of the action 412 defined on the form 402 and is used for flow;
“deviceid” stores the name of the device 110 and links to a value in a device lookup table 553 described later with reference to FIG. 7;
Directory Element 533 is a container for the data from a directory connection. Primary difference between this and the Data element 537 is that the directory connections always have a consistent hierarchical schema.
Key Attributes:
“name” uniquely identifies the directory input. It will be the name attribute from one of the Directory elements in the application 308.
Children Elements:
Contains multiple Item elements 534, which in turn can have its own item elements and attribute elements 535. This defines an arbitrarily deep hierarchy of directory/profiling type data.
Data Element 533
The Data element is a container for the data from a data connection. The key is that it provides a way to store arbitrary XML document fragments within the RML.
Key Attributes:
“name” uniquely identifies the data. It will be the component id from one of the application 309 or form components 411.
Children elements:
It can contain any hierarchy and elements that is consistent with the schema defined in 305 for its components, connections, schema.
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown generally at numeral 600, a schematic diagram of the subcomponents of the runtime processor 204. The runtime processor 204 includes transport components 619, an executive 620, transformation components 621, and form components 623. The operation of the runtime processor 204 to generate the RML is now described by referring to FIG. 7. In the following description the term “set” refer to the process of setting or populating pieces of the RML document. The process is described by the sequence of blocks 738 to 748. Block 738 is the entry into the processing.
At step 738, the transport component receives a call from the requesting device generated through some sort of URL. The transport component 619 processes the incoming HTTP request and extracts amongst others the following values, which are used to populate the appropriate sections of the RML structure 500. The values it extracts are:
The value of the “_SQAPPID” variable in query string/post/cookie is placed into the session element 529 “appid” attribute;
The value of the “_SQFORMID” variable in query string/post/cookie is placed into the session element 29 “fromformid” attribute;
The value of the “_ACTIONID” variable in query string/post/cookie is placed into the session element 29 “actionid” attribute; and
“_SQFORMID” variables on the query string are extracted as values and placed into the session element 29 “fromformid”.
The transport component 719 is also responsible for extracting and determining the “device” attribute within the session element 529. The query string may provide the device attribute directly as a variable called “device” which is directly placed into the “device” attribute of the session element 529 of the RML structure. If the device variable-is not set, then a look-up table may be used to determine this value by using the “HTTP_User_Agent” header. A look-up table for determining the device variable is shown below in Table I:
While the UserAgent information is provided in every HTTP request, there is no consistency in the format of the strings between various browsers. Since the system needs to determine the type of the connecting device, a method is necessary to map the value in the string to a name for a device.
The lookup table I can be stored directly in the HML file, in a database, or in a registry depending on the platform for implementation. The key is that it is easily editable and flexible. The first column in the table is not stored in the actual table but represents real examples of connecting user agent strings for the UP Emulator's HDML browser and Microsoft's Internet Explorer HTML browser respectively. The user agent string is matched to rows in the lookup table attempting to do a UAsubstring search of column two within the incoming HTTP_USER_AGENT column one. When a match is found, the matched device name from column three is placed into the “device” attribute of the session element 529. If no match is found then a default text “HTMLDefault” is placed into the “device” attribute of the session element 529.
At Step 739 which is similar to Step 738 the transport component 619 extracts variables form the HTTP headers and the query string/post/cookies. However, instead of filling in the Session element 529 it fills in the Variable elements underneath the variables element 531 including:
All variables on the query string, post, or in cookies. For example, “http://myserver/transport.asp?var1=a&var2=b”would place two new input variables 31 with name attributes of “var-1” and “var2” and values of “a” and “b”.
All Custom HTTP Headers. An example of a custom header from a UP.Link gateway from Phone.com is: “HTTP_X_UP_SUBNO” and the value might be: “919799575-146551_up.mytelco.ca”. This would add in a input variable 31 with a name attribute of “HTTP_X_UP_SUBNO” and a value of “919799575-146551_up.mytelco.ca”.
While the described implementation of the Transport 619 relies on data accessible from HTTP it is not necessary. As long as name/value pairs can be extracted from the incoming protocol the transport can fill in the appropriate RML elements. Similar variations include a Transport 619 designed to accept Simple Message Transport Protocol(SMTP) or Wireless Application Protocol(WAP) requests.
In Step 740 the Executive 620 is called by the Transport 619. The Executive 620 uses the “appid” attribute of the Session element 529 to create the application component 622, shown in FIG. 6, based on a match with the “id” attribute of the Application element 301.
In Step 741 the Application 622 uses the “fromformid” and the “actionid” of the Session element 529 to find the appropriate form object to create. It does this by looking up the form 302 within its application 301 and matching the “targetid” of the form to the “fromformid”. It then looks at the action elements 412 within the particular form 410 to find the action whose “actionid” matches the “actionid” of the Session 529. From this action it can find the “targetid” of the form element 302 within the application 301. It uses this form identifier to create the appropriate form component 623, shown in FIG. 6.
In Step 742 the Form component 623 traverses the sub-elements of the Form 410 to set to Action 532 of the RML structure 500.
In Step 743 the form component 623 uses the directory connection information for the application 301 defined in 308 to call the appropriate directory component 624, shown in FIG. 6, and populate the directory REAL contained in 533. The details of executing the directory components are described in a separate patent application.
In Step 744 the Form 623 creates a SOAP based data server components 626 with information to create components to generate arbitrary XML data. The data server components 626 are called for each component in the application level component 309 and the form level components 11. It passes “connectionid” attribute for the data server component 626.
In Step 45 the data server component 626 uses the “connectionid” attribute passed in to create and execute the appropriate components. The “type” attribute of the connection 303 is the name of the class which is the handler for this particular type of connection. Examples include “MQProvider.COM”, “MQProvider.Java”, “MQProvider.URL”, and “MQProvider.ODBC”. The data server component creates 626 this class and passes in the complete RML tree 528, the authentication information 304, and all of the connection properties 306. The implementation of the created component uses all of these values to get data from the source defined by its components.
The implementation of these components from data server components 626 is intended to be as general as possible and the only assumption to the functionality of this plugin is that it takes values as defined in Step 745 and returns back XML data that can be validated by the schema 305 for the connection. The connectionproperty elements 306 are used internally to the component to define where and how the execution occurs. Example implementations include:
The “MQProvider.COM” requires a connection property 306 called “progid”. It uses the Microsoft COM library to create the object defined in “progid”. It then calls a defined interface on the component and passes in the RML root 528 as an input. It directly takes the output of the component as XML to pass to the next step.
The “MQProvider.URL” implementation might require a connection property 306 called “path”. It uses the “server” attribute of the connection 303 and this path to construct a complete URL. An example might be: “http://myserver/mypage.xml”. It then uses internet functions to access this page over the web. The only assumption is that the page returns data in XML which it directly passes on to the next step.
In Step 746 for each of the component “connectionid” attributes, the data server component 626 creates a data element 537 in the RML 500 and sets the “name” attribute is equal to the “connectionid” attribute. It then puts the XML data created in Step 745 as sub-elements underneath this data node.
In Step 747 the Form components 623 uses the value in the “language” attribute of the application 301 to find the name of the variable to find the user's preferred language in. It does a lookup in the variables 531 and places the value into the “language” attribute of the session element 529. The rest of step 747 attempts to match the appropriate stylesheet within the form based on the “device” 416 and “language” attributes 417 of the Session element 529. The matching process begins by enumerating the stylesheet elements 415 for the form 410 then the process continues as:
Look for an exact match of “language” and “device” attributes in the session 529 to the “name” attributes of the language and device elements 416 and 417 within each stylesheet 415;
If no match is found then it changes the language to “default” and attempts the same matching; and
If no match is found then it changes the device to “HTMLDefault” and attempts the same matching. This is guaranteed to have a match.
In Step 748 the Form component 623 takes the stylesheet element 415 returned from the previous step and uses the URL attribute or the text within the element to get an actual XSL file. It then calls the XSL interpreter 208 with this file and the complete RML 528 as the input. The specific XSL interpreter does not need to be defined since all available interpreters generate some sort of file which represents the file to be sent back to the user.
In Step 749 the Executive 620 decides if a transformation component 621 is required. It does this by looking at the “contenttype” (column four of table I) of the appropriate “device” (column three of Table I) end comparing it to the “contenttype” of the stylesheet 415. If the values are the same then no transformation is required. If they are different then it uses an internal table to determine which transformation component 621 to call. After calling the transformation the resulting form will definitely have the contenttype (column four of Table I) expected by the device (column one of Table I).
In Step 50 the Transport component 619 returns back the generated form to the device 110 while setting the “contenttype” of the returned file to be consistent with device column of Table I.
Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11, there is shown an application of the present invention to an English language WML enabled phone accessing a bank account query application. The application, which is specified in the HML code shown schematically in FIGS. 8(a), is comprised of a sequence of forms 802 to 818. The generated HML is shown in FIG. 8(b)-(d).
Although the above described with respect to client-server, where client is a mobile device. The invention is equally applicable to a situation where a client does not have a browser such as in a business to business scenario. For example such as is executing an order from a supplier (server) to a customer (client). Both parties may be server computers wherein information is requested by a first server (client) from a second server. The second server (server) retrieves and formats the information for direct storage in the first server's database. The invention is also applicable to situations where the forms are not displayable. In a further embodiment the invention may be used in an Intranet. This application will not be described further as its implementation is self-evident from the associated figures.
Although aspects of the invention have been described with reference to a specific schema, other schemas may also be used with the provision of an appropriate schema processor.
In a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a system and method for automating the building of these web-based applications.
Each form will dynamically generate the XSL required to describe itself. This would happen at design-time and would be stored along with the form for runtime usage. Each of the forms has a property page that would help the user generate the XSL. The user has the option of modifying this XSL manually, as needed. The generated XSL would be displayed on a separate property page. This page would be common to all the forms.
The property pages behave like a Wizard. In other words, the property pages would only generate the XSL. If the user decides to modify the XSL, the property page values would not be changed accordingly to reflect these changes. Hence, the next time the user uses the form's property pages to configure it, the XSL will be re-generated and the customizations will be over-written.
The property page contains an edit window to display the XSL String. The user does have the option of modifying the XSL manually. The XSL String from the property page would be persisted to disk within the form object. So, the user can put in any customizations they want to the XSL.
A Select Form has two combo boxes: Data Component and Element. The Data Component combo box lists the components selected for the Data Event for this form. The Element combo lists the elements for the XML, returned by the above selected Data Component. Selecting the element from this combo indicates to the XSL generating logic to generate a structure of this form:
<xsl:for-each select=“[. . .]//Element”>List Text </xsl:for-each>
The List Text edit box indicates the repeating text. This can contain variables previously defined within the application, Directory information, or dynamic data as retrieved from the Data Components. Since, a form can have multiple data components, the user is forced to select a single element within that single data component to iterate on. Also, we enforce that once the element has been selected, all the information to be displayed in a single row be present in either its attributes or the data values of its direct children. In essence, the user is restricted to a flat structure under the selected element. This limitation is mainly because of the UI and can be eased in future revisions of the UI. However, the user would be allowed to reference specific elements or attributes from the XML from other Data Components.
The following are internal steps to take data that has been brought down from any source and produce a UI to let users create XSL patterns/XPaths.
Transform XML to Determine Element and Attribute Structure Metadata
[2.1] Here is the Transformation Stylesheet
[2.2] Here is Resulting Output After Transforming Data in , After Sorting and Eliminating Duplicates
Generate Internal Data Structure for Context Menu Generation
[M]=Submenu entry—subsequent entries will be in a submenu
[N]=Normal menu entry
[S]=Menu Separator—for visually grouping related items
[E]=End of menu—this does not produce visible entry, but causes subsequent entries to be in the parent menu
Data Structure entries are indented for easier visualization
Each item entry also includes the XPath expression in order to produce the output token
[3.1] For Elements and Attributes
[3.2] For Elements Only
Data Subset Display
A subset of nodes can also be displayed, depending on an arbitrarily selected root node. The output is identical to that in section , except that internally the XPath expression stored is relative to the selected root node. For example, if the user selected “article” as the root node, the resulting relative XPaths would apply:
FIGS. 12 to 16 are screen shots of a graphical representation of the above algorithm. The use of a Field Chooser (FC) from the Select Form property page is illustrated. Note the “before” screen FIGS. 12 to 15 using the field chooser and the “after” screen, FIG. 16 of the XPath it generates. Also notice that the “form data” section of the field chooser is used. In this case it only shows elements and does not show any attributes since it is being used to get a list of elements. This enables one to do an xsl:for-each loop on a page that has a listing. The “selected element” section of the FC is showing relative XSL paths related to the chosen “selected element” in this case. In the complete view with attributes, “(text)” refers to actually getting the text of the node whereas clicking on the name of the element will generally expand to all sub-elements and attributes. This is key since an element could have text, attributes, and sub-elements. Attributes are shown with a @ in front of the name. If an element has no attributes or sub-elements we don't display a submenu and clicking on it simply returns the text. Much of the complexity in the FC is understanding that to show schemas you need to show several views:
1) All attributers and elements
2) Only elements
3) Relative paths of elements and attributes from a selected element.
Accordingly, it may be seen that the design tool or field chooser allows for the display of a top level menu of types; shows within each level all the appropriate schemas; recursively traverses the schema information to build cascading menus or toolbars; for each element shows all attributes; when the programmer selects a level it builds a fully qualified path or relative path based on XSL patterns; works with DTD, XML—schema or evolving schema definitions, and finally provides namespace management.
Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended hereto. | <urn:uuid:490b6b5e-f123-4f93-ad27-493b2cd5b129> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://www.google.com/patents/US20020032706?dq=5998925 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1406510264575.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20140728011744-00090-ip-10-146-231-18.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.872834 | 9,379 | 3.28125 | 3 |
A look back at the history of religion in Switzerland.
Traces of the pre-Christian religions of the area that is now Switzerland include the Bronze Age "fire dogs". The Gaulish Helvetii, who became part of Gallo-Roman culture under the Roman Empire, left only a few reminders of their religion like the statue of dea Artio, a bear goddess, found near the Swiss capital, Bern. (picture: Stefan Rebsamen / Bern Historical Museum)
Third century AD
Saint Maurice was said to be the leader of the Christian Roman Theban Legion in the third century. According to legend, his legion was called to Gaul to assist the emperor. However, when ordered to harass some local Christians, the troops refused and the Roman emperor ordered their execution. The place where this supposedly occurred is now St Maurice-en-Valais, site of the abbey of the same name and home to the saint's relics.
Germanic paganism briefly reached Switzerland in the fifth century. Its believers were converted to Christianity in the sixth and seventh centuries, thanks to Saint Gallus, an Irish monk and missionary. He died near today's St Gallen, and the church where he was buried later became an abbey and an important centre of learning.
Nicholas of Flüe, patron saint of Switzerland, was a hermit and ascetic. In 1467, he left his wife and his ten children - with her consent - for the Ranft valley in canton Obwalden. His reputation was such that his advice is believed to have prevented a civil war between the cantons in 1481. What he said remains unknown, although it is believed he told the cantons to keep to their own affairs.
Huldrych Zwingli was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland, and founder of the Swiss Reformed Churches. His reforms were supported by the people of Zurich, and led to significant changes in civil and state matters. His movement was known, however, for attacking Anabaptists and other Christians who maintained a non-resistant stance.
Kappel near Zurich was the site of two battles between Protestants and Catholics. The first ended with both sides meeting over milk soup. It was during the second battle on October 11, 1531 that the Catholic cantons decisively defeated the forces of Zurich, who were without any support from allied cantons. The Zurich troops were led by Huldrych Zwingli, who was killed on the battlefield, along with 24 other pastors.
French protestant theologian Jean Calvin arrived in Geneva in 1536. He was expelled in 1538 because he was accused along with some of his colleagues of wanting to create a "new papacy" and insisting on a new confession of faith for all citizens. He returned to Geneva in 1541, transforming it into the "Protestant Rome" and lived there until his death in 1564.
The Peace of Westphalia marked the end of the Thirty Years' War between Europe's Protestant and Catholic powers, in which Switzerland – despite being subject to its own religious divisions – managed to remain neutral. The settlement, with Swiss mediation, gave legal recognition to Swiss sovereignty, and secured the country's total independence from the Germanic Empire.
Two battles between Catholics and Protestants took place in 1656 and 1712 at Villmergen, which lies in today's canton Aargau. The Protestant coalition was victorious in the second battle, putting an end to Catholic hegemony in the Confederation.
The Helvetic Republic - created after a French invasion - suppressed all the monasteries and seized their property. The papal nuncio was expelled, and foreign bishops were only permitted to exercise their ecclesiastical jurisdiction through delegates nominated by the Helvetic Directory, the republic's government. This decision was overturned in 1803.
Catholic and Protestant cantons faced each other in open conflict for the last time during the Sonderbund war. The victory of the Protestant-led coalition troops over the conservative Catholics allowed for the creation of Switzerland's modern federal state.
German chancellor Otto von Bismarck's attempt to restrain the influence of the Catholic Church, known as the Kulturkampf, spread to Switzerland. The struggle between conservatives, backed by the church, and the governing radicals led to decisions such as making education the state's business rather than that of the church, or state involvement in the nomination of bishops.
Jews were banished from Switzerland in the 15th century, but later obtained protection and the right to reside in two villages in what is now canton Aargau, Lengnau and Oberendingen. The right to settle freely was not restored to Jews with the Swiss constitution of 1848, and was only set down in the revised constitution of 1874, which granted religious freedom for all.
Government member Philipp Etter of the Catholic Conservative Party was responsible for the content of the so-called Spiritual National Defence. Its aim was to promote and preserve Swiss culture. It stated that the idea of a Swiss state was born neither from race nor flesh, but from the spirit. Spiritual defence found its embodiment in the 1939 national exhibition.
The 2000 census reported over 27,839 residents as Hindus (0.38% of the total population). Most of them are Sri Lankan Tamils (81.2%). The mass exodus of Tamils from their homeland began in the mid-1980s after civil war broke out in the country.
In 2000, there were 310,807 Muslims in Switzerland, a five-fold increase on 1980. Much of this community lives in major cities. Muslims were mostly of Turkish origin in 1970, but the Balkans war saw Muslims from ex-Yugoslavia - especially Kosovar Albanians - become the dominant group. | <urn:uuid:29b9bc2b-b5cb-457f-9ad5-83178a28fcac> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/multimedia/religion-through-the-ages/42462 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347391277.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20200526160400-20200526190400-00084.warc.gz | en | 0.980247 | 1,185 | 3.34375 | 3 |
A Netizen’s post is making rounds on social media, warning the public of an insect called “kissing bug”. According to the post, minutes after her wife was bitten by this insect she was immediately rushed to the hospital because of lower blood pressure, dizziness and vomiting.
What is a kissing bug
Kissing bug also known as Bloodsucker and Sipsip-Dugo is a nocturnal blood-sucking insect. It is called a kissing bug because it bites or “kisses” people on the face, more often on your lips and eyes. You may not know that you are bitten by this bug because they have anesthesia like substance in their saliva.
It is not easy to spot a kissing bug due to their resemblance to other bugs. To spot them you should look at their appearance. Their head is cone shape with an oval-shaped body with an antenna. They are usually 0.5 to an inch long and have a yellow, tan, and red marking in their body.
What can kissing bug do to you
Some kissing bug bites can be harmless but some can be deadly. A person allergic to these bugs saliva can have red itchy rashes or a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. You will have difficulty breathing and low blood pressure that needs immediate medical help.
In rare cases, you may develop Chagas Disease. It is a severe complication from being infected by a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi. This parasite is present in the kissing bug feces. Once the kissing bug bit you, it will defecate. The parasite may enter your body if you rub the affected area and transfer the feces to your mouth, eyes or the open wounds from the bitten area.
There is no cure for Chagas Diseases that is why it needs immediate medical attention before it reached the chronic phase.
Some Netizens shared their experiences with the kissing bug, commenting that they also shared the same fate. Some had rashes but others also had a severe allergic reaction to it and were also rushed to the hospital.
They all agreed that bite from a kissing bug is not something we should ignore, and should seek medical help from professionals if needed. | <urn:uuid:ebf8382d-563a-41dc-93da-bcd791a9e78d> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | http://pinasbalita.org/netizen-warns-the-public-about-kissing-bug-that-nearly-put-them-in-danger | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250594603.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20200119122744-20200119150744-00388.warc.gz | en | 0.966678 | 458 | 2.625 | 3 |
Sendes vanligvis innen 5-15 dager
The Great Northern Railway was built to provide a direct link between London and Yorkshire. In addition to its passenger services the line handled the coal traffic from Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire into the heart of London to feed the capital's insatiable appetite for the black stuff. The GNR's network gradually spread and through arrangements with other companies it ran trains into Manchester, from Doncaster to Leeds, and with further expansion into Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire. In 1923 the company became part of the LNER with the line from London to York forming the backbone of the East Coast Main Line to this day. During the nineteenth century and into the twentieth, the GNR produced a varied stable of locomotives under the leadership of several high-profile Locomotive Superintendents including Sturrock, Stirling, Ivatt and, in its latter years, Nigel Gresley. Their enduring legacy were the A1 and A3 Pacifics immortalised in the iconic streamliners of the LNER era. | <urn:uuid:450f51f0-13d3-424e-a1c0-8cf262c233a0> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.platekompaniet.no/bok/locomotives-of-the-great-northern-railway-britains-pre-grouping-railways-gf-bird/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886109670.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20170821211752-20170821231752-00608.warc.gz | en | 0.937747 | 217 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Brave the Cold Weather with Oats!
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Oats are a cold-weather comfort food; a steaming bowl of oatmeal or handful of homemade oatmeal cookies is just the thing to provide fuel for braving the wintery elements.
Researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Guelph Food Research Centre (GFRC) have discovered that oats are high in slowly digestible starch, meaning that eating oats helps to keep you feeling fuller longer. More specifically, the beta (β) glucan, the major soluble fibre found in oats, slows the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. The slower digestion rate maintains the levels of hormones associated with satiety, or fullness.
This new discovery complements oats’ recognition as a critical part of a heart healthy and cholesterol-lowering diet and as a whole grain known to be high in protein, minerals and beneficial oils. Oats are a healthy comfort food!
“The β-glucan in oats is quite an amazing fibre. It is a very long flexible molecule that dissolves in the stomach. The molecules get tangled up like strings producing a thick, viscous mass, which makes you feel full longer. The effect is to slow everything down, including absorption of cholesterol and sugar.”– Dr. Susan Tosh, Lead Research Scientist, Food Biopolymers, GFRC
For those who may be worried about eating a few too many treats, Dr. Tosh suggests incorporating oat bran into your diet as it is higher in fibre and lower in calories than oatmeal, making it a good alternative!
AAFC has led a number of large projects relating to oats over the past 20 years, including the effect of oat β-glucan on starch digestion rate. Studies have been conducted in partnership with Health Canada and the Ottawa Civic Hospital, as well as with the University of Toronto, concerning oat foods and glucose absorption rate (glycemic response).
Scientists at the GFRC work with industry and other partners to improve food safety and investigate innovative food products. The centre is part of AAFC’s extensive network of research centres across the country that conduct studies to ensure Canadian crops and foods are among the safest in the world.
- Oats are recognized as being high in protein, minerals, and healthy oils – all of which help contribute to a healthy diet.
- Oats contain β-glucan, a fibre which makes you feel fuller for longer.
- AAFC research on oats and β-glucan has spanned over 20 years with many different research collaborators.
Report a problem on this page
- Date modified: | <urn:uuid:0b796238-5adc-4f49-9cd5-404239c3642a> | CC-MAIN-2020-29 | https://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/news-from-agriculture-and-agri-food-canada/scientific-achievements-in-agriculture/brave-the-cold-weather-with-oats/?id=1387902030019 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593657146845.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20200713194203-20200713224203-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.927393 | 554 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Citizen goal was clear from the start: to have a watch made for everyone. Time telling involves looking at the hands position on the dial but because this is not always possible, a watch was needed for the visually impaired people, for those who are blind or don’t see that well, and for those who have no light during night hours. Maybe Citizen also thought about the military purpose when a light is not always possible to use, so a different solution was needed. This is just a rumor and I doubt it is true, but who knows?! Unfortunately the solution was not a minute repeater (I would have loved one!) Citizen launched the “Shine” model in 1960. An official press release states that in 1967 a number of 215 watches were donated to 29 different countries to help the blinds, as an effort to support the United Nation program of promoting friendship and world peace. In 1975, 45 years after the first ever Citizen was produced, the company donated 5,000 of these watches to all 10th to 12th graders visually impaired students in Japan.
Citizen Shine was the obvious answer for them! The name is somehow ironic because for an object to shine it needs light, but this model tells time without that. If it shines, it doesn’t shine for time telling!
The case (35mm/10mm), as well as the bracelet, is made in stainless steel, (second generation has a SS back but the case is metal based) the flat caseback snaps into position and the domed acrylic crystal covers the face. If this would have been made only for the blinds I feel that having a clear crystal would have been somehow an overkill. So, what makes it so interesting? Well, the main feature is the fact that on this model the crystal is hinged to the case and can be flipped open. On the earlier variant (it was first introduced in 1960, making it the fist Japanese watch for the blinds) the crystal flips vertically pulling it open, but later on (on this first image 1969 example) a push release button was added at 2 o’clock so that the crystal pops open when that button is pressed. This makes it more secure and doesn’t open by accident, only by pressing that button. Now, on the later one, the hinge is on the lateral side of the case. Both variants do that in order to facilitate access to the dial and hand. The purpose for this is that the wearer can touch the face of the watch and this way the time is read. The hands are strong, polished and obviously very different in shape. The dial has three raised dots at 12, two at 3, 6 and 9 and one for the remaining hours. At the earlier model the dots were applied. Maybe they changed that because the applied dots fell as a result of all the touching and this could have affected time telling. Or maybe because it was cheaper and easier to manufacture this simpler second generation dial. There is no seconds hand to interfere with time reading. This way, only by touching, one can know what time it is.
The calibre is a manual winding one, with 17 jewels.
The first model had a 17 jewels parashock movement (2s/910) too, a variant of the 17 jewels used in the Center Second, but without a seconds hand, obviously. (second image)
(the second image – pictures found on the net)
Update 2015 Oct. – I was lucky enough to find a NOS, first generation piece, made in 1960, the very first year of production, so here they are below, side by side. 🙂 As you can see the movements are different, the crystal part opens differently, the dials and the hands are also not the same.
All things considered, this is an interesting watch, with a lot of history. We must not forget how lucky we are and blessed with our health. Also helping others less fortunate should be something for all of us to consider when possible!
All the best my friends!
See the video of this watch HERE
Read more about Citizen history HERE. | <urn:uuid:04074608-5eb0-46b9-8878-6191ab6b3a4d> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://vintagecitizenwatches.com/2015/01/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296944452.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20230322211955-20230323001955-00082.warc.gz | en | 0.973894 | 843 | 2.671875 | 3 |
As part of ESA’s commitment to develop and build satellite missions that push the boundaries of satellite technology and Earth science, four new mission ideas – Cairt, Nitrosat, Seastar and Wivern – have been selected to enter pre-feasibility study and compete to be the eleventh Earth Explorer mission.
Cairt – short for changing-atmosphere infrared tomography – would provide the measurements needed to make a necessary step change in understanding the links between climate change, atmospheric chemistry and dynamics in the altitude range of about 5 to 120 km. It would focus on the processes that couple atmospheric circulation, composition and regional climate change, providing critical observations not available from existing or planned satellite missions. Cairt would be the first limb-sounder with imaging Fourier-transform infrared technology in space.
Pre-feasibility studies will start in due course, after which further down-selections will be made in 2023 and 2025, with a view to launching the successful Earth Explorer 11 mission in 2031–2032.
The Agency has now opened a call for membership to the four respective Mission Advisory Groups (MAGs). These groups will be established after summer to advise ESA on the respective mission concepts. Mission Advisory Groups play an active role in providing advice on activities supporting the scientific definition and preparation of the mission concept during consolidation and preparation of the mission requirements.
The Call is open to scientific experts with relevant scientific or technical expertise, with nationality and residence in one of the 22 ESA Member States.
The strict deadline for submission of applications is 5th July 2021, 12:00 (noon) CEST. Early registration is encouraged.
Further information on the mission candidates and the role and terms of reference of the MAGs is provided on the Call website: https://missionadvice.esa.int/ | <urn:uuid:8ad988db-097c-45de-a568-100350522bb5> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.sparc-climate.org/2021/06/25/cairt-mission-proposal-selected-to-compete-for-earth-explorer-11-call-for-membership-to-the-mission-advisory-group/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679103558.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20231211045204-20231211075204-00401.warc.gz | en | 0.912448 | 374 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Meaning ‘for the sake of form’, the term pro forma refers to a document that is often provided as a courtesy and satisfies predetermined minimum requirements in an effort to best predict the future outcome of a transaction within a business. One of the most common examples of this is a pro forma financial or accounting statement, although pro forma invoices are also common. In the investing world, pro forma describes a method of reporting financial results to emphasize certain current figures or projected outcomes.
Pro Forma Financial Statements
Pro forma financial statements are often created to summarize the projected financial status of a company, based on current financial statements. Pro forma financial statements are most commonly created in advance of an acquisition, a merger, a change in capital structure (like an issuance of stock or the incurrence of new debt), or a new capital investment, with the purpose of indicating hypothetical financial figures.
The pro forma statements describe the expected outcome of a proposed transaction, when all the underlying assumptions hold true. Generally a part of a business plan, pro forma statements are often reviewed by management and stakeholders.
Additionally, pro forma statements may be used to emphasize certain numbers when an earnings announcement is issued to the public.
When analyzing pro forma financial statements, it is important to keep in mind there is no requirement for the figures to comply with GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles). Pro forma financial statements may vary greatly from financial statements obtained by adherence to GAAP.
Using Pro Formas Statements When Starting a Business
Pro forma financial statements are a standard piece of information generally required by lenders and investors for start-up companies. The founders will prepare the pro forma financial statements to describe the company’s projected financial status through the start-up phase. Additionally, banks will request pro forma financial statements in lieu of tax returns to verify cash flow before issuing a loan or line of credit to a new business.
Pro Forma Invoices
A pro forma invoice is a document that states that a seller commits to selling goods at a predetermined price to a buyer in trade transactions. Simply put, a pro forma invoice is much like a ‘confirmed purchase order’, or an agreement between buyer and seller detailing the terms of the agreement. Conversely, a true invoice records Accounts Receivable for the seller and Accounts Payable for the buyer.
A pro forma invoice is simply a sales quote, which is used to facilitate the sale process, and precedes the actual commercial invoice. Although a pro forma invoice is usually considered to be a binding agreement between buyer and seller, it is important to note that the price of the goods can fluctuate in advance of the final sale.
Holly also founded ExitPromise.com and to date has answered more than 2,000 questions asked by business owners about starting, growing and selling a business.
Latest posts by Holly Magister, CPA, CFP
- How to Pay Yourself as a Business Owner - November 6, 2019
- How to Overcome Customer Concentration Objection When Selling a Business - May 22, 2019
- Understanding the Business Buyer Types When Selling Your Business - April 12, 2019 | <urn:uuid:33579a46-dbb9-4fe0-862b-a60689956bcf> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://exitpromise.com/pro-forma-definition/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250597458.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20200120052454-20200120080454-00445.warc.gz | en | 0.915716 | 656 | 2.71875 | 3 |
ICOMOS Working Groups - WG on Indigenous Heritage
Working Group on Indigenous Heritage
Focal Point: Mr Christophe Rivet, ICOMOS Canada
The Working Group on Indigenous Heritage is an international multi-disciplinary initiative that aims to better understand the different facets of Indigenous heritage.
Indeed, at the General Assembly in Delhi in 2017, ICOMOS members voted unanimously on a resolution on indigenous heritage. This resolution is in line with the objectives of the World Heritage Convention, a large number of international charters and national committees, as well as on the declaration of Nara on authenticity. Its purpose was to emphasize the need to focus on the complex dimensions of this heritage in order to better equip the organization and contribute to its protection.
The resolution emphasizes the following points:
“Recognizes that the definition and conservation of Indigenous cultural heritage requires the development of guidance that reflects the form and nature of this heritage;
Further acknowledges that the inclusion of Indigenous peoples and of their perspectives in the development of this guidance is a goal that needs to be pursued through the work of ICOMOS National and International Scientific Committees;
Resolves to set up a working group composed of ICOMOS National and International Scientific Committees members within the first year following the adoption of this resolution. The mandate of this working group is to develop guidance on the theory and best practices related to the identification and conservation of Indigenous cultural heritage. A secretariat may be hosted by one of the National Committees to support the work;
Notes that, while this working group will strive to include the leadership of Indigenous peoples from around the world, it is understood that it will not legitimately reflect all the views or impede on the rights of Indigenous peoples.”(Resolution 19GA 2017/27)
Following this resolution, a group of professionals from different backgrounds was formed to set the initiative in motion. ICOMOS Canada offered to set up a secretariat to coordinate a working group.
The immediate priorities of the group are:
- A first emphasis on the place of indigenous heritage within the framework of the World Heritage Convention, in particular on the ability of the Guidelines guiding the implementation of the World Heritage Convention to provide adequate tools in the preparation and evaluation of indigenous values;
- The formalization of the working group and the development of a work plan;
- The holding of an international meeting on the subject in Canada.
Photo : Enfants Anishinaabe children on the Poplar river, Canada, 2015 © De Vries, Gregory W. | <urn:uuid:9d2e85ad-8f51-4c44-9a1a-332240a77846> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.icomos.org/en/what-we-do/disseminating-knowledge/icomos-working-groups?start=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510179.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20230926075508-20230926105508-00322.warc.gz | en | 0.913115 | 515 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Availability of SARS information in Japan
Sir-According to the Japanese government, there have been no confirmed cases of SARS in spring, 2003. However, four probable cases of SARS were reported on WHO's web pages between April and June, 2003. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare did not disseminate this information widely enough to help efforts to prevent secondary transmission. They made an original case definition of confirmed SARS cases. Although a few patients had symptoms compatible with WHO's case definition of SARS, the Japanese public were not informed. Although the Japanese government might not have intended to cover up these cases of SARS, their action did not support community preventive strategies.
Local health centres tried to prepare for SARS, but did not have adequate information about patients with the disease in Japan. Information about cases of SARS needs to be reported accurately and disseminated in a timely way to help limit the spread of the disease. Inadequate reporting and lack of information may propagate public myths and cause further transmission of the disease.1 Fortunately, local transmission of SARS was not observed in Japan this spring. Nevertheless, Japanese health authorities must report and disseminate accurate information promptly to alleviate the public's fears and to prevent secondary and tertiary transmission of the disease.
*Akira Ehara, Tatsuhito Tono-oka
Otaru Municipal Health Center, Otaru, Hokkaido, 047-0033, Japan
1 Abdullah ASM, Tomlinson B, Cockram CS, Thomas GN. Lessons from the severe respiratory syndrome outbreak in Hong Kong. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol9no9/03-0366.htm (accessed Oct 22, 2003), | <urn:uuid:abc84b8f-319a-4f51-87e3-6b9539e8e5a8> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/~ehara/my_paper/Lancet363_2026_2003.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549424287.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20170723062646-20170723082646-00276.warc.gz | en | 0.942331 | 359 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Parallel Programming for Multicore and Cluster Systems
1 edition (February 1, 2010)
450 pages, Hardcover
Rauber, T. Universität Bayreuth
Rünger, G. Technische Universität Chemnitz
Distributed Programming, Grid Computing, Multithreading, Networking, Parallel Programming, Scientific Programming
Innovations in hardware architecture, like hyper-threading or multicore processors, mean that parallel computing resources are available for inexpensive desktop computers. In only a few years, many standard software products will be based on concepts of parallel programming implemented on such hardware, and the range of applications will be much broader than that of scientific computing, up to now the main application area for parallel computing.
Rauber and Rünger take up these recent developments in processor architecture by giving detailed descriptions of parallel programming techniques that are necessary for developing efficient programs for multicore processors as well as for parallel cluster systems and supercomputers. Their book is structured in three main parts, covering all areas of parallel computing: the architecture of parallel systems, parallel programming models and environments, and the implementation of efficient application algorithms. The emphasis lies on parallel programming techniques needed for different architectures.
The main goal of the book is to present parallel programming techniques that can be used in many situations for many application areas and which enable the reader to develop correct and efficient parallel programs. Many examples and exercises are provided to show how to apply the techniques. The book can be used as both a textbook for students and a reference book for professionals. The presented material has been used for courses in parallel programming at different universities for many years.
Features and Benefits:
- Broad coverage of all aspects of parallel programming
- Special emphasis on runtime and storage efficiency
- Presented material has been used in courses for many years
- Complemented by many examples and an additional website with teaching material
Publication date: March 10 1, 2010 | <urn:uuid:5c2637af-34bf-431a-bae7-e8a1b805e3a3> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | http://www.ai2.uni-bayreuth.de/de/research/books/Parallel_Programming/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347410352.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20200530200643-20200530230643-00301.warc.gz | en | 0.90199 | 400 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Gender stereotypes presume that men are less emotionally intelligent than women; research has found that the truth is not so simple. Yet a new study suggests that when it comes to empathy, gender might matter.
Dutch neuroscientist Erno Jan Hermans and his colleagues set out to test whether testosterone directly inhibits a person’s ability to empathize with someone else—that is, whether it makes him less prone to take another person’s perspective and understand what she is thinking or feeling. To gauge empathy in their study’s 20 female participants, the researchers showed the women 16 short video clips of happy or angry faces (see figure). As the women watched the clips, an instrument called an electomyograph recorded the muscle movement in their faces, measuring how much their expressions unconsciously mimicked the faces in each video. Previous research has shown this kind of facial mimicry to be an accurate marker of empathy.
Before watching the clips, the women received either a dose of testosterone or a placebo. As the researchers had predicted, mimicry of both kinds of facial expressions was weaker after the women had received testosterone.
Although these results do suggest that testosterone might reduce empathic behavior, there are some limitations to this study. For instance, while facial mimicry may be one component of empathic behavior, it is clearly not the defining feature. Before we conclude that testosterone leaves men at an emotional disadvantage, additional studies must show that testosterone affects the many other dimensions of empathy. | <urn:uuid:2d5ea3d9-418f-4685-8a31-5ae3f8a7fa41> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_biology_of_empathy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224647525.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20230601010402-20230601040402-00366.warc.gz | en | 0.950292 | 299 | 3.46875 | 3 |
To prepare for a career in graphic design, you must enroll at an accredited school or university to obtain the necessary training. Training can be completed to give you the necessary skills to get a job. Educational training is available at different levels and in specialized areas of concentration. You can participate in an accredited program to prepare for the career of your choice and gain the necessary knowledge to enter the workforce. By Blue Sky online learning graphic design more about the options available to you, you can choose the school and educational path that suits you.
Enrollment in an accredited school or university for graphic design gives you the opportunity to receive the necessary training. Training can be completed in:
- Associate degree
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
Level, so that you can receive the training that suits your individual needs. The level of certificate or degree will help determine the length of the program.
- Certificates usually last from a few weeks to a year.
- Associate degrees may require two years of accredited study.
- Undergraduate programs train you for four years.
- Master’s degrees require two years to earn.
By enrolling for the level of education that suits you, you can choose the specialized field of study that interests you best.
You choose to work in various fields once you get accredited training in this exciting field. Training is available in numerous fields to give you the opportunity to pursue a career that suits your personal goals. Options include ad design, motion graphic design, visual communication, digital design and animation, website design, and more. When choosing a specialized field of study, the training you receive will be based on the level of education and the specific area to give you more focus.
The training covers various topics that enable you to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to be prepared for a successful career. You can expect to study courses like:
- Computer-Aided Essay (CAD)
- Video production
And a number of other related course subjects. With training in these areas, you can find the job you want. You can hope for a:
- Texture Artist
- 3D designer
- Videogame Designer
- VFX Specialist
- Art Head
Many professions are related to the field of graphic design. You can start the path to an exciting new career by researching the available accredited training programs and enrolling today.
There are options to choose from for the accreditation training required to start a career in graphic design. Accredited schools and universities are available to give you the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge you need to pursue the successful career of your future. Training can be completed at different levels of training so that you can enter the desired profession. Career preparation options are also available to enable you to obtain the certificate or degree that suits your personal goals and professional needs.
A degree in graphic design can be pursued to help you practice the profession of your choice. The training can be completed at different levels of education, so you can choose the path that suits you. You have the option to obtain accreditation:
The specific duration of the training will vary depending on the level of training you choose. Certificate can range from six months to a year, and it takes two years to obtain the degree. Bachelor programs usually require four years of study and training, and a master’s degree can take another two years. A study for a career in this field can be completed in specialized fields, depending on the desired level of education. These areas may include:
- Ad design
- Digital design and animation
- Motion graphic design
- Website design
- Visual communication
By choosing an accredited education in one of these fields of study, you are able to prepare for your career of your dreams. The studies cover a variety of topics related to the desired career and the desired certificate or degree.
Accredited training in graphic design will include all the course topics needed to find the job. Coursework covers all basic topics related to the field, as well as specialized fields of study. Some programs may consist of learning topics such as:
By training in these areas, you will be willing to enter the workforce and pursue the career you desire. Training for a career in graphic design offers a world of opportunities for you.
Upon completion of an accredited educational training program, career opportunities for graphic design are available. You can pursue that suit your personal career goals by obtaining a degree or certificate in this exciting field. Possible careers may include the following:
Following one of these careers can help you get jobs at multimedia companies, television stations, marketing agencies, advertising companies, publishers, and more. Start your path to the career of your choice by obtaining an accredited education today.
In fact, graphic designers who specialize in the latest technologies (Flash designers, Photoshop specialists, and web designers) are likely to find work much easier in the future. And a multimedia designer is someone who specializes in different types of media: television, radio, printing, and the internet. He or she is an expert in sound production, film art, lighting, photography, and set design and production; these artists are a kind of ‘all-round’ in the world of graphic design. It is often used to oversee an advertising campaign that is presented simultaneously on different types of media. And some graphic designers call themselves exactly that: “graphic designers.” As such, they do not specialize at all but paint, draw, draw, and create computer images – whatever a certain job requires. | <urn:uuid:3aa02077-b8ae-4044-8343-ca8943e7e9d1> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://mysterydiary.com/do-you-need-training-after-learning-graphic-design/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296944606.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20230323003026-20230323033026-00562.warc.gz | en | 0.952056 | 1,158 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Diabetes is increasing at rapid rates in south India. If we look at the lifestyle of people living in this region, it is no surprise to find out why this epidemic is soaring here.
The proportion of people with both diabetes and prediabetes is continuing to rise steadily for the last 30 years. It is also found that south Indians develop diabetes at a younger age, irrespective of gender. Not only diabetes is blooming here, other life-threatening diseases like, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are also on a high rise in southern parts of India.
Moreover, the majority of people are adapted to lead a sedentary lifestyle with less amount of exercise and movements, which further worsens the situation.
Ever bothered about the glycemic index of the foods you consume daily? If not, then start today with this article which informs you about the glycemic index of some most popular south Indian dishes.
When we talk of most popular dishes of South India, rice is the very first food grain that ultimately comes to our mind Rice is undoubtedly the most prominent food in south India. Most of the dishes eaten here are prepared from rice. Rice being high in a glycemic index is provenly harmful to diabetes.
From idli to puliyogare and numerous others, all just add fuel to the fire. By fire, we mean the growing fire of diabetes epidemic. What makes rice the most sought-after food in south India is the favorable climate of the area.
The conditions like high moisture, high water retention capacity of the soil, and adequate rainfall amount make rice cultivation highly feasible. After going through this article, you will be able to:
- Adjust the calories level in our meals
- Decide your diabetes diet plan better
- Can eliminate foods with a high glycemic index
- Manage your diabetes better by going with low glycemic index foods
What Is The Glycemic Index?
To understand the concept of the glycemic index, take a measuring scale that has numbers from 1 to 100. 1st number represents the lowest glycemic index and the 100th number represents the highest glycemic index.
The lower the number on the measuring scale, the lower rate of the food to increase the blood sugar levels in the body. Likewise, the higher the number on the measuring scale, the higher rate of the food to increase the blood sugar levels in the body.
⭐ Check out this Flipbook with 30-Day Diabetic Meal Plan based on Foods from Each Indian State ⭐
(click on the ▶ arrow below to scroll the pages and 🔍 button to enlarge)
The number 100 represents the glycemic index of pure sugar. When a given food has a high glycemic index score, it releases sugars at faster rates causing spikes in blood glucose levels. This is something undesired for diabetics.
Conversely, if a given food is assigned low glycemic index value, it will release sugars from it at a slow rate, rendering your blood glucose levels to be stable. That,s why foods with low GI value are the best companions of diabetics. Even rice varieties having low glycemic index values can be eaten guilt-free during diabetes. Thankfully!
Levels of Glycemic Index:
There are three levels of glycemic index – Low: < or equal to 55 Medium: > 56 and < 69 High: > 70 Therefore, the glycemic index represents the rate at which food can raise blood sugar levels in the body.
Importance In Diabetes
A diabetic has to follow a huge pile of dos and don’ts for diet. If he or she knows which foods could likely raise their blood sugar levels, then it will help in preventing them from having diabetic problems like urinary tract infections, fainting episodes, or even delayed wound healing scenarios.
To make healthful and dietary decisions, a diabetic must know the glycemic index of the foods he or she is consuming in his or her day-to-day life. The key is to have a balanced diet.
A perfect mixture of low GI foods, with medium GI foods and high GI foods. Avoiding either of them is not beneficial. And, taking too much of any one of them is also not beneficial to a diabetic individual.
It particularly helps in detecting the glycemic index of carbohydrate-containing foods. Since, carbohydrates are not to be consumed in diabetes, especially in higher quantities.
Now let us understand the glycemic index of some of the south Indian foods that can have a beneficial or detrimental effect on the health of a diabetic individual:
- Glycemic Index: 55
- Suitability For Diabetes: Suitable for diabetes due to its low glycemic index.
- Beneficial Properties: It is one of the most used south Indian dishes. It has an antioxidant action that prevents the cells from dying due to oxidative stress. It is packed with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It can treat common infections like cold and cough easily. The ginger if added in it, can help boost digestive function.
- Potential Drawbacks: If it is deep-fried, then it can turn out to be an unhealthy dish for your body. Too much fiber can cause diarrhea to some people.
- Glycemic Index: 69
- Suitability For Diabetes: Unsuitable for diabetes as it filled with carbohydrates.
- Beneficial Properties: It is full of vitamins like folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and Vitamin K. It prevents cancer due to the presence of anti-carcinogenic substances. It helps in maintaining the healthy gut flora so the absorption of minerals and vitamins becomes easier.
- Potential Drawbacks: And, if consumed as outside food, it contains soda. Soda being the sole cause of flatulence. Except when you are consuming healthy idli in the form of oats or semolina. Overeating idli may lead to raised blood sugar levels.
- Glycemic Index: 68
- Suitability For Diabetes: It is to be consumed along with oats, then it can be given to diabetics.
- Beneficial Properties: It is suitable for diabetic patients that suffer from erratic blood sugar levels that can dangerously become low. It is a rich source of carbohydrates, so it can provide the necessary amount of energy to carry out a day’s worth work. The glycemic index of raw semolina is 14, so when it combines with other spices and masalas, it can go up. Rich in fiber content, the people suffering from constipation will benefit from upma.
- Potential Drawbacks: For some people, it may be allergic. Allergic symptoms may pop up like nausea, sneezing, cramps, or vomiting.
- Glycemic Index: 66
- Suitability For Diabetes: If it is made out of whole wheat grains, then it is suitable. Else, if it is made of rice or if its combined with coconut chutney, then it is not. Coconut chutney has a high glycemic index.
- Beneficial Properties: It is low on fat, so the people suffering from heart diseases or diabetes can rely on it for breakfast. It is full of proteins, so it provides a good source of energy. It is a great source of carbohydrates. To avoid depression, you must consume this dish.
- Potential Drawbacks: Plain whole wheat grain dosai if consumed, cannot be harmful to the diabetics, but if it is consumed with coconut chutney, butter, jaggery, or paneer, the items that have a high glycemic index, then, it can toss the blood sugar levels of a diabetic patient.
- Glycemic Index: 60
- Suitability For Diabetes: Suitable for diabetes as it is low on sodium as well as cholesterol.
- Beneficial Properties: It is flooded with nutrients. Rich in potassium and iron. It improves heart health by treating irregular heartbeats. Due to a low glycemic index, it known to reduce the blood sugar levels in the body. It treats flatulence with absolute ease. It helps those people who want to lose weight and keep their blood sugar levels in check.
- Potential Drawbacks: For some people who cannot tolerate pesarattu, they suffer from drowsiness, lowered blood pressure, headache, or even dizziness. For some individuals, it is said to have caused diarrhea.
- Glycemic Index: 57
- Suitability For Diabetes: Suitable for diabetes as the calorie content is very low.
- Beneficial Properties: Light and easy to digest. It is rich in iron, so suited for those people who suffer from low hemoglobin. It consists of 2 percent Vitamin A, so it is best for those suffering from myopia and hypermetropia. Poori made from wheat will be more beneficial as compared to maida. Maida poori will increase weight. Wheat poori will give strength.
- Potential Drawbacks: The oil that is used to make the pooris stays on the fire for far too long. Pooris get overheated. This overheating results in the formation of carcinogenic substances or cancer-causing substances that are not healthy to consume.
7. Mendu Wada
- Glycemic Index: 82
- Suitability For Diabetes: Unsuitable for diabetes as it is deep-fried. Deep-fried foods contain excess oil, and oil means raised cholesterol levels.
- Beneficial Properties: For those people who are looking to gain weight, they can trust this dish. It is high in fiber too so it supports gut health. It is rich in phosphorus, so it is good for your bones.
- Potential Drawbacks: Deep-fried foods are the enemy to your heart. It can get your arteries clogged, thereby leading to coronary heart disease. It can also cause Parkinson’s and obesity.
- Glycemic Index: 58
- Suitability For Diabetes: Unsuitable for diabetes as it causes weight gain as it made up of rice and coconut.
- Beneficial Properties: It is rich in essential fats along with dietary fiber. The rice portion of Appam helps to provide a huge amount of energy. It is best suited for people who need to gain weight. They can have this dish for their early morning breakfast. For your gut health, the fermented rice flour is beneficial.
- Potential Drawbacks: It has a high glycemic index which makes it unsuitable for diabetics as well as heart patients. It causes blood sugar levels to increase. The potassium present in the coconut increases blood pressure.
- Glycemic Index: 85
- Suitability For Diabetes: Unsuitable for diabetes. As it contains carbohydrates and calories.
- Beneficial Properties: It contains iron, so it helps in the formation of red blood cells. It helps in maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol, thereby preventing cardiovascular diseases. It is free of common allergens like grains, nuts, and gluten. So, it best for people suffering from celiac disease. It is especially helpful for people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
- Potential Drawbacks: It contains sulfite, so it is not suitable for people having sulfur intolerance. It contains resistant starch and resistant starch is resistant to digestion.
- Glycemic Index: 58
- Suitability For Diabetes: Not suitable for diabetes as it made from rice and grated coconut.
- Beneficial Properties: For those looking to gain weight, they can try making a recipe of Puttu. It is suited for people suffering from diarrhea, as it contains rice. Rice is a great source of carbohydrates. Thus, being a great source of energy. High in phosphorus, so beneficial for the bones.
- Potential Drawbacks: For diabetics, Puttu can cause raised blood sugar levels. It causes weight gain, so it is not suitable for diabetics and heart patients. Erratic levels of blood sugar may cause the patient to faint.
South India is known for having a sumptuous meal at all times. Be it breakfast, lunch, snacks, or dinner. For a diabetic person, who may or may not be a south Indian, having significant information regarding glycemic index will go a long way for him or her.
Keeping a check on blood sugar levels is the master key to control diabetes. By knowing the glycemic index for various foods, you get the power to control your body’s sugars pragmatically.
Knowledge is power, indeed! Especially, in today’s times of Covid-19, everybody wants to have a fitness regimen and keep their health optimized. This was a sincere effort by our side to present you with an ultimate list of south Indian foods with glycemic index information. However, this was not the exhaustive list.
Would you like to add anything to the list? Let us know in the comments. Your suggestions are wholeheartedly welcomed by us. Next time you step into the kitchen to try out another south Indian dish, be sure it doesn’t let your sugar levels go uncontrolled.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1acd/378e45aea1d303836ee118dcf211cda7a6eb.pdf https://www.nature.com/articles/1602951 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13590849762402 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212619817300086 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10942912.2017.1295387 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29759105/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28867097/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2273190/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26741823/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28802292/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17903341/ | <urn:uuid:6f48cfad-850e-4d14-87bd-9dde5ac4ef78> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.beatdiabetesapp.in/glycemic-index-of-south-indian-foods/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100909.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20231209103523-20231209133523-00180.warc.gz | en | 0.914152 | 2,930 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Et tu, Brute? (Julius Caesar, 3.1.77)
i.e., You too, Brutus?
The Quotation in Context
Caesar and his train approach the Senate. He sees the soothsayer in the crowd and confidently declares, "The ides of March are come" (1). "Ay, Caesar; but not gone" (2), replies the soothsayer. Artemidorus is also on the street and he pleads with Caesar to read his scroll. But Caesar ignores him and enters the Senate. Cassius approaches him with a request to overturn a previous ruling and let a banished countrymen return home. Caesar answers with a flavoured speech, informing Cassius that "I was constant Cimber should be banish'd/And constant do remain to keep him so" (72-3).
The conspirators gather around Caesar and he sees his trusted friend Brutus among them. They pull out their swords and stab Caesar. With his dying breath Caesar addresses Brutus, "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar!" (77). Caesar falls lifeless upon the pedestal of Pompey's statue. Cinna rejoices, crying, "Liberty, Freedom! Tyranny is dead!" (78). Those who have witnessed the assassination flee the Senate and Trebonius reports to Brutus and Cassius that Antony has fled to his house in shock and people run through the streets, "As it were doomsday" (98). Brutus tells the other assassins to bathe their hands and swords in Caesar's blood and walk outside, proclaiming peace, freedom, and liberty.
The History of the Quotation
Professor George L. Craik, in his comprehensive philological commentary on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, explains:
The only ancient authority, I believe, for this famous exclamation is in Suetonius, I. 82, where Caesar is made to address Brutus (And thou too, my son?). It may have occurred as it stands here in the Latin play on the same subject which is recorded to have been acted at Oxford in 1582; and it is found in The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York, printed in 1600, on which the Third Part of King Henry VI is founded, as also in a poem by S. Nicholson, entitled Acolastus his Afterwit, printed the same year, in both of which contemporary productions we have the same line: "Et tu, Brute? Wilt thou stab Caesar too?"
It may just be noted, as a historical fact, that the meeting of the Senate at which Caesar was assassinated was held, not, as is here assumed, in the Capitol, but in the Curia in which the statue of Pompey stood, being, as Plutarch tells us, one of the edifices which Pompey had built, and had given, along with his famous theatre, to the public....The mistake which we have here is found also in Hamlet, where (iii.2) Hamlet questions Polonius about his histrionic performances when at the University: "I did enact Julius Caesar," says Polonius; "I was killed in the Capitol; Brutus killed me;" to which the Prince replies, "It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf there" (191).
How to cite this article:
Mabillard, Amanda. The History and Context of "Et tu, Brute?".. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2006. < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/ettubrute.html.html >.
Craik, George L. The English of Shakespeare. London: Chapman and Hall, 1857.
The Chronology of Shakespeare's Plays
Establishing the Order of the Plays
Settings of Shakespeare's Plays by Location
Historical Settings of Shakespeare's Plays by Date
Why Shakespeare is so Important
Shakespeare in Old English?
Four Periods of Shakespeare's Life
Daily Life in Shakespeare's London
Life in Stratford (structures and guilds)
Life in Stratford (trades, laws, furniture, hygiene)
Stratford School Days: What Did Shakespeare Read?
Games in Shakespeare's England [A-L]
Games in Shakespeare's England [M-Z]
An Elizabethan Christmas
Clothing in Elizabethan England
Queen Elizabeth: Shakespeare's Patron
King James I of England: Shakespeare's Patron
The Earl of Southampton: Shakespeare's Patron
Going to a Play in Elizabethan London
First Critical Editions of the Plays
Ben Jonson and the Decline of the Drama
Publishing in Elizabethan England
Religion in Shakespeare's England
Alchemy and Astrology in Shakespeare's Day
Entertainment in Elizabethan England
London's First Public Playhouse
Shakespeare Hits the Big Time
Thoughts on Casca "Casca is the desperado of the conspirators, a man possessed of the great physical courage, but without an iota of moral courage. He will rush upon an enemy and stab him, but turns deathly pale at a clap of thunder. Whatever is human he is ready to meet, but that which he conceives to be divine or supernatural is a source of the direst terror. This man Cassius must have; no respectable man could have been found who possessed equal audacity. In fact every conspiracy or vigilance committee has just such an instrument, whose function it is to do work which no decent man is willing to perform, but which must be done. When we observe that Casca was the first one that stabbed Csesar, we know exactly where to place him. Cassius needs this man, and it is curious to note with what consummate tact he proceeds. Knowing the weak side of Casca's character to be his superstition, he brings all his force to bear upon this single point. There is only one result which can follow." J. D. Snider. Read on...
More to Explore
Julius Caesar: The Complete Play with Explanatory Notes
An Overview of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar Summary (Acts 1 and 2)
Julius Caesar Summary (Acts 3 and 4)
Julius Caesar Summary (Act 5)
Julius Caesar Study Questions (with Detailed Answers)
The Two Themes of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar Character Introduction
Shakespeare's Ethics: Analysis of Julius Caesar
Blank Verse and Diction in Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar: Analysis by Act and Scene (and Timeline)
Points to Ponder ... Shakespeare influenced every generation of writers since his death and he continues to have an enormous impact on contemporary plays, movies, and poems. The Romantic poet John Keats (1795-1821) was so influenced by Shakespeare that he kept a bust of the Bard beside him while he wrote, hoping that Shakespeare would spark his creativity. Keats's poems duplicate Shakespeare's style and are full of Shakespearean imagery. Read on...
Adjectives to Describe the Characters in Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar Quotations (Full)
All About Et tu, Brute?
How to Pronounce the Names in Julius Caesar
Sources for Julius Caesar: Important Excerpts from Plutarch
Shakespeare’s Adaptation of Plutarch's Julius Caesar
Plutarch's Influence on Shakespeare
What is Tragic Irony?
Seneca's Tragedies and the Elizabethan Drama
Characteristics of Elizabethan Drama | <urn:uuid:a52007c6-0489-4def-90da-17807c5d01dd> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://shakespeare-online.com/ettubrute.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187823114.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20171018195607-20171018215607-00636.warc.gz | en | 0.939709 | 1,555 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Probably more than any other group, yacht owners are concerned about the condition of ocean waterfew people have a desire to voyage through polluted seas. On the other hand, environmental scientists are interested in ocean water because of the things it can tell them about such issues as global warming, heavy metal and fertilizer contamination and the health of marine organisms like coral.
In mid-August, a group of prominent yachtsmen, led by Albert Gersten II, a real estate developer in California and Texas, announced an organization called the International Seakeeper’s Society. The idea behind the society is to use yachts to gather environmental data by sampling ocean water using a variety of sensors and then transmitting the data, via satellite, ashore for analysis by the Seakeeper’s Society and NOAA, NASA, and international research organizations. According to Tom Houston, president of the Seakeeper’s Society, this program will allow yacht owners to help widen the base of knowledge and contribute toward finding solutions to these vexing problems. "It gives them an opportunity to give something back, to protect the ocean for their children and grandchildren," said Houston.
Some of the founding members of the Seakeeper’s include Paul Allen, cofounder of Microsoft Corp.; Jim Clark, of Netscape Corp.; Rich DeVos, founder of Amway; Fred Balm, an industrialist and major contributor to the World Wildlife Federation; Alexander Dreyfoos, chairman of Photo Electronics Corp.; and others.
The Seakeeper equipment packages will be placed on large yachts of 80 feet or larger, such as Clark’s 155-foot sloop Hyperion now being built by Royal Huisman Shipyard in Vollenhove, Netherlands. According to Houston, at some point the Seakeeper’s Society would like to broaden its base of members by developing a smaller sensing unit. "We hope to have this thing smaller to fit on smaller yachts," said Houston.
First, however, 30 prototype units will be installed on members’ yachts for field testing scheduled to begin in June 1999. The University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science is overseeing the production of the initial units.
Once the prototypes have been thoroughly tested, the Seakeeper’s Society has ambitious plans to expand its membership. "There are roughly 5,000 yachts larger than 80 feet," said Houston. "We hope to have at least 200 yachts by the summer of 2000. The more members we have, the cheaper the sensing module will be."
For many boat owners the initial cost of the organization is fairly steep. Membership in the society is $12,000 per participating yacht. The sensing modules will cost $8,000 to $9,000 each.
In addition to the price of membership and the price of the sensing modules, the size of these units limits them to use aboard large yachts. Each ocean monitoring box will stand 40 inches tall, 12 inches wide and six inches deep.
The unit will reportedly weigh 40 pounds dry and obviously more when sea water has been pumped aboard for testing. The monitoring module is designed to sample and test sea water, so sea water will be pumped in through the hull and then supplied to the six internal bays that will hold test equipment. The tests will check for salinity, oxygen levels, nitrogen content, heavy metals, toxic algal blooms, color, phytoplankton, etc. After a round of tests has been performed, the tested salt water will be discarded, the monitors will be flushed with fresh water, and another round of testing can proceed. According to Houston the cycle time for each round of tests will have to be determined after performing field tests with the 30 prototype units.
Seakeeper Society data should help marine scientists answer pressing questions about the physical and chemical state of the oceans such as: Is the ocean warming? Are there increased sediment loads coming from coastal rivers? How much algae is in the water; are there algal blooms underway? What is the level of phosphates and nitrates from fertilizer runoff? Are heavy metal concentrations increasing?
Once the test data is acquired it will be collected by the monitoring the unit’s on-board computer. For position information, the ocean monitoring package will be interfaced to the vessel’s DGPS receiver(s). The data package will be labeled according to time and position and sent out via Inmarsat C. The Seakeeper’s Society plans not only to make data available to scientific organizations but also will be an independent source of data. "We will be compiling heavy metals information," said Houston. "NOAA doesn’t do this; a heavy metals test doesn’t exist." According to Houston, some states, such as California, do collect information on heavy metal contamination but don’t release it to the public.
Additional advantages of this testing include aiding in the interpretation and calibration of sea surface data gathered by satellites and in augmenting such activities as fisheries management.
According to Stan Wilson, deputy chief scientist at NOAA, data from Seakeeper Society yachts has potential to be useful. "I think Tom Houston and the Seakeeper’s Society should be complimented for joining the team of environmental observers," said Wilson.
The big issue for scientists like Wilson will be coverage in space in time. In other words, will Seakeeper yachts gather data in the same area of ocean over an extended period of time? A single transit of the Gulf of Alaska, for example, results in a package of self-limited data. Repeated transits of an area over time would provide scientists with plenty of data to compare for spotting trends. Favored yacht cruising areas should fulfill the space and time requirements. "For the Caribbean," said Wilson, "this could be a super observing system." | <urn:uuid:ce4954b9-7f2f-4fbd-bf3c-0a4e021903ab> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://oceannavigator.com/yachts-to-join-ocean-research-effort/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296948976.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20230329120545-20230329150545-00511.warc.gz | en | 0.938023 | 1,213 | 2.78125 | 3 |
The Black Spot is enough to send veteran pirate Billy Bones into a fatal downward spiral of a alcoholism. So what is it?
The black spot is literally just that, a black spot. It consists of a round piece of paper with a blackened spot on one side and a message on the other. It represents a condemnation of one pirate by his crew. If given to a captain, it means that his crew has lost faith in his ability to lead is forcing him to step down from his command. In the case of Billy Bones, the message on his black spot is a demand that he appear before his former crew. It is presumed that failure to comply with a black spot could result in the death of the recipient.
In a way, the use of the black spot represents the democratic nature of pirate crews. Anyone can earn the censure of his shipmates and be called to task. Even captains are subject to them. Long John Silver receives a black spot that threatens to depose him. Only his cunning, manipulation, and shrewdness allows him to retain command. | <urn:uuid:0eb2ecf4-6b75-4ddf-a40b-40a3f2c480a9> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-black-spot-treasure-island-1288418 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511021.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20231002200740-20231002230740-00690.warc.gz | en | 0.985683 | 217 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Common Tern - Sterna hirundo
In breeding plumage, the Common Tern has an orange-red bill tipped in black and orange-red legs. The back, body, and wings are a silvery-gray with blackish primaries on the wingtips, evident during flight. The nape and cap are black and extend low enough on the head to contain the black eye before abruptly stopping at the white of the cheek and neck. The outer tail feathers on the forked tail are dusky. In non-breeding plumage the bill and legs lose their red coloration and are black. The cap no longer covers the forehead, leaving a white patch nearly to the top of the head (Sibley 2000).
The vocalization is described as numerous, varied, and of sharp, distinctive, and somewhat irritable timbre (Nisbet 2002). The most common call, the advertising call, is described as a down-slurring "keeyuur" or an up-slurred "keeuri" in addition to the "kip" or "tyik" call that is expressed during flock feeding, or during take-off and landing (Sibley 2000, Nisbet 2002).
Distinguishable from Forster's Tern (S. forsteri) by the Forster's Tern's whiter underparts, lighter primaries, lighter back coloration (and, hence, less difference in color between back and tail), and greater amount of black on a bill that is more orange than red-orange (Sibley 2000, Nisbet 2002).
Summary of Observations Submitted for Montana
Number of Observations:
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
(direct evidence "B")
(indirect evidence "b")
No evidence of Breeding
(regular observations "W")
(at least one obs. "w")
(Records associated with a range of dates are excluded from time charts)
Congregations of birds on the wintering grounds in April, and sometimes into May, suggest that spring migration occurs rapidly (Nisbet 2002). The earliest migration date for Common Tern in Montana is in April, but the most concentrated arrival of birds occurs in May. Breeding has been recorded in May, June, and July, with fall departure beginning in late August and continuing into September (Montana Bird Distribution Committee 2012). The extreme migration dates for the Common Tern are April 23, 1993 at Freezout Lake and October 3, 1960 in Madison County (Reichel 1996). Normal migration periods in Bozeman are May 9 to 25 and September 5 to 25, with peaks on May 9 and September 15. The normal arrival date in Fort Peck is April 30, and in Billings, May 9 (Skaar et al. 1985).
Nesting in Montana generally occurs on sparsely vegetated islands in large bodies of water, such as Medicine Lake and Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge. Nest substrate at these locations includes sparsely sandy, pebbly, or stony substrate, surrounded by matted or sparsely scattered vegetation (Casey 2000, Nisbet 2002). A study in the Lewistown District of the Bureau of Land Management documented that the Common Tern selected sites larger than 30 acres, with emergent vegetation covering more than 25% of the shoreline on all but one of the eight sites studied (Feigley 1997). All nesting occurred on islands (Feigley 1997).
Ecological Systems Associated with this Species
- Details on Creation and Suggested Uses and Limitations
How Associations Were Made
We associated the use and habitat quality (high, medium, or low) of each of the 82 ecological systems mapped in Montana for
vertebrate animal species that regularly breed, overwinter, or migrate through the state by:
- Using personal observations and reviewing literature that summarize the breeding, overwintering, or migratory habitat requirements of each species (Dobkin 1992, Hart et al. 1998, Hutto and Young 1999, Maxell 2000, Foresman 2001, Adams 2003, and Werner et al. 2004);
- Evaluating structural characteristics and distribution of each ecological system relative to the species’ range and habitat requirements;
- Examining the observation records for each species in the state-wide point database associated with each ecological system;
- Calculating the percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of Montana covered by each ecological system to get a measure of “observations versus availability of habitat”.
Species that breed in Montana were only evaluated for breeding habitat use, species that only overwinter in Montana were only evaluated for overwintering habitat use, and species that only migrate through Montana were only evaluated for migratory habitat use.
In general, species were associated as using an ecological system if structural characteristics of used habitat documented in the literature were present in the ecological system or large numbers of point observations were associated with the ecological system.
However, species were not associated with an ecological system if there was no support in the literature for use of structural characteristics in an ecological system, even if
point observations were associated with that system.
High, medium, and low habitat quality was assigned based on the degree to which the structural characteristics of an ecological system matched the preferred structural habitat characteristics for each species in the literature.
The percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of Montana covered by each ecological system was also used to guide assignments of habitat quality.
If you have any questions or comments on species associations with ecological systems, please contact Bryce Maxell at [email protected]
or (406) 444-3655.
Suggested Uses and Limitations
Species associations with ecological systems should be used to generate potential lists of species that may occupy broader landscapes for the purposes of landscape-level planning.
These potential lists of species should not be used in place of documented occurrences of species (this information can be requested at: http://mtnhp.org/requests/default.asp
) or systematic surveys for species and evaluations of habitat at a local site level by trained biologists.
Users of this information should be aware that the land cover data used to generate species associations is based on imagery from the late 1990s and early 2000s and was only intended to be used at broader landscape scales.
Land cover mapping accuracy is particularly problematic when the systems occur as small patches or where the land cover types have been altered over the past decade.
Thus, particular caution should be used when using the associations in assessments of smaller areas (e.g., evaluations of public land survey sections).
Finally, although a species may be associated with a particular ecological system within its known geographic range, portions of that ecological system may occur outside of the species’ known geographic range.
- Adams, R.A. 2003. Bats of the Rocky Mountain West; natural history, ecology, and conservation. Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado. 289 p.
- Dobkin, D. S. 1992. Neotropical migrant land birds in the Northern Rockies and Great Plains. USDA Forest Service, Northern Region. Publication No. R1-93-34. Missoula, MT.
- Foresman, K.R. 2001. The wild mammals of Montana. Special Publication No. 12. Lawrence, KS: The American Society of Mammalogists. 278 p.
- Hart, M.M., W.A. Williams, P.C. Thornton, K.P. McLaughlin, C.M. Tobalske, B.A. Maxell, D.P. Hendricks, C.R. Peterson, and R.L. Redmond. 1998. Montana atlas of terrestrial vertebrates. Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT. 1302 p.
- Hutto, R.L. and J.S. Young. 1999. Habitat relationships of landbirds in the Northern Region, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-GTR-32. 72 p.
- Maxell, B.A. 2000. Management of Montana’s amphibians: a review of factors that may present a risk to population viability and accounts on the identification, distribution, taxonomy, habitat use, natural history, and the status and conservation of individual species. Report to U.S. Forest Service Region 1. Missoula, MT: Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana. 161 p.
- Werner, J.K., B.A. Maxell, P. Hendricks, and D. Flath. 2004. Amphibians and reptiles of Montana. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. 262 p.
Food habits of Common Terns have not been closely studied in Montana. In other breeding locations in their range, studies have shown the diet consists mainly of small fishes (sometimes also crustaceans and insects) obtained at the surface of the water by diving from the air. Common Terns are susceptible (especially females just prior to laying) to poisoning from dinoflagellate toxin accumulated in fishes (Nisbet 1983). A pair may defend feeding territory away from the nest, especially prior to incubation (Ehrlich et al. 1992).
No ecological data is available for this species in the state. However, in Massachusetts, loss of eggs and chicks was attributed to nocturnal desertion of nests by adults in response to predation by the Great Horned Owl (Nisbet and Welton 1984). The presence of American Mink can reduce reproductive success (Burness and Morris 1993). Mammalian predation generally eliminates nesting colonies, limiting continuous successful nesting to islands (Nisbet 2002).
During the nonbreeding season, Common Terns may be found singly or in small, loose groups, and sometimes in large flocks in migration (Stiles and Skutch 2003). Staging flocks of up to 10,000 individuals have been reported in the Great Lakes region (Nisbet 2002).
The majority of breeding activity in Montana occurs in the northern portion of the plains on islands within large lakes or reservoirs. Based upon known distribution and recorded observations, up to 50 breeding occurrences for this species are expected in the state (Reichel 1996). The areas with the highest recorded numbers of nesting Common Terns are Bowdoin and Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuges. Limited numbers of nesting terns have been reported at Nelson Reservoir, Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and Freezout Lake (Montana Bird Distribution Committee 2012). Behavior suggesting breeding has been reported at other bodies of water within the prairie portion of the state including Lower Wild Horse, Mud Lake, Ward Reservoir, Two Forks Reservoir, Lake Elwell, Tiber Reservoir, and Halfway Lake in the Sands Waterfowl Production Area. Most colonies are under 50, with sizes ranging from 2 to 236 (Reichel 1996). Although rare, breeding has been recorded west of the Continental Divide; one report exists for the Kalispell area and another near Polson (Montana Bird Distribution Committee 2012).
In general, the Common Tern is a colonial nesting species and may be found in colonies of tens or hundreds of pairs, though they may range from a few (rarely singly) to several thousand (Nisbet 2002). Their subelliptical eggs are smooth, non-glossy, cream, buff, or medium-brown with fine marks, blotches, specks or irregular lines of brown, black, or gray and 42x30 mm (Baicich and Harrison 2005, Nisbet 2002). Egg-laying usually takes place May to July, and clutch size is 2 to 3. Incubation, performed mainly by the female, lasts 21 to 27 days. The nest may be a simple scrape in the soil or sand and may be lined with grass, pebbles, or small sticks. Both sexes tend young, which may leave the nest after 3 days, returning only to brood, and first fly at about 4 weeks. The species may produce two clutches in one season, but the second brood rarely fledges. In New York, the breeding season was timed to overlap with a seasonal increase in food abundance, but food availability began to decline before the period of peak demand for food by chicks (Safina and Burger 1988). In a two-year study, fish abundance affected reproductive performance (Safina et al. 1988).
Management recommendations in Montana include providing adequate water levels to protect nesting islands from mammalian predators, managing water to better mimic seasonal fluctuations to prevent flooding of nesting sites, and minimizing human disturbance at nesting colonies during the nesting season (Casey 2000). None of these recommendations are currently in place specifically for the protection of Common Tern, although more natural water regimes are considered in the management plans for several dammed rivers in the state.
- Literature Cited AboveLegend: View WorldCat Record View Online Publication
- Baicich, P. J. and C. J. O. Harrison. 2005. A guide to the nests, eggs and nestlings of North American birds. Second edition. Academic Press, New York.
- Burness, G. P. and R. D. Morris. 1993. Direct and indirect consequences of mink presence in a common tern colony. Condor 95:708-711.
- Casey, D. 2000. Partners in Flight Draft Bird Conservation Plan Montana. Version 1.0. 287 pp.
- Erhlich, P. R., D. S. Doblin, and D. Wheye. 1992. Birds in jeopardy: the imperiled and extinct birds of the United States and Canada, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.
- Feigley, H. P. 1997. Colonial nesting bird survey on the Bureau of Land Management Lewistown District: 1996. Unpublished report to the Bureau of Land Management. 23 pp. plus appendix.
- Montana Bird Distribution Committee. 2012. P.D. Skaar's Montana bird distribution. 7th Edition. Montana Audubon, Helena, Montana. 208 pp. + foldout map.
- Nisbet, I. C. T. 1983. Paralytic shellfish poisoning: effects on breeding terns. Condor 85:338-345.
- Nisbet, I. C. T. 2002. Common tern (Sterna hirundo). In: A. Poole and F. Gill, eds. Birds of North America, Number 618. The Birds of North America, Inc. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Nisbet, I. C. T. and M. J. Welton. 1984. Seasonal variations in breeding success of common terns: consequences of predation. Condor 86:53-60.
- Reichel, J. D. 1996. Preliminary colonial nesting bird survey of the Bureau of Land Management Lewistown District: 1995. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana. 97 pp.
- Safina, C. and J. Burger. 1988. Prey dynamics and the breeding phenology of common terns (Sterna hirundo). Auk 105:720-726.
- Safina, C., J. Burger, M. Gochfeld, and R. H. Wagner. 1988. Evidence for prey limitation of common and roseate tern reproduction. Condor 90:852-859.
- Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley guide to birds. National Audubon Society and Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, NY. 544 p.
- Skaar, P. D., D. L. Flath, and L. S. Thompson. 1985. Montana bird distribution. Montana Academy of Sciences Monograph 3(44): ii-69.
- Stiles, F. G. and A. F. Skutch. 2003. A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press, Ithaca. 511 pp.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View WorldCat Record View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
- American Ornithologists' Union. 1983. Check-list of North American birds. Sixth Edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
- American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. Check-list of North American birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. 829 pp.
- Bent, A. C. 1921. Life histories of North American gulls and terns. U.S. National Museum Bulletin 113. Washington, D.C.
- Buckley, P. A., and F. G. Buckley. 1984. Seabirds of the north and middle Atlantic coast of the United States: their status and conservation. Pages 101-133 in Croxall et al., eds. Status and conservation of the world's seabirds. ICBP Tech. Pub. No. 2.
- Carlsen, Tom, and Rick Northrup, 1992, Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area Final Draft Management Plan. March 1992.
- Casey, D. 2000. Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan Montana Version 1.0. Montana Partners in Flight. Kalispell, Montana.
- Ehrlich, P., D. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The birder’s handbook: a field guide to the natural history of North American birds. Simon and Schuster Inc. New York. 785 pp.
- Godfrey, W. Earl. 1966. The birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa. 428 pp.
- Hand, R.L. 1969. A distributional checklist of the birds of western Montana. Unpublished report. 55 pp.
- Johnsgard, P. A. 1992. Birds of the Rocky Mountains with particular reference to national parks in the northern Rocky Mountain region. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. xi + 504 pp.
- Lenard, S., J. Carlson, J. Ellis, C. Jones, and C. Tilly. 2003. P. D. Skaar's Montana Bird Distribution, 6th Edition. Montana Audubon: Helena, MT, 144 pp.
- Montana Bird Distribution Committee. 1996. P. D. Skaar's Montana Bird Distribution, Fifth Edition. Special Publication No. 3. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena. 130 pp.
- Montana Bird Distribution Online Database. 2001. Helena, Montana, USA. April-September 2003.
- Montana Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Region Four., 1996, Draft Environmental Analysis for Weed Management.
- Nisbet, Ian C. 2002. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo). Species Account Number 618. The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved 3/25/2008 from The Birds of North America Online database
- Pinkowski, B. C. 1980. Adaptations of Common Terns nesting on an inland reservoir. Prairie Nat. 12(3&4): 111-113.
- Ramos, J. A., and A. J. del Nevo. 1995. Nest-site selection by roseate terns and common terns in the Azores. Auk 112:580-589.
- Spendelow, J. A. and S. R. Patton. 1988. National atlas of coastal waterbird colonies in the contiguous United States: 1976-1982. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Biological Report 88(5). x + 326 p.
- Stelfox, H.A. and G.J. Brewster. 1979. Colonial-nesting Herring Gulls and Common Terns in northeastern Saskatchewan. Can. Field-Nat. 93(2): 132-138.
- Stewart, R.E. 1975. Breeding birds of North Dakota. Tri-College Center for Environmental Studies, Fargo, North Dakota. 295 pp.
- U.S. Forest Service. 1991. Forest and rangeland birds of the United States: Natural history and habitat use. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 688. 625 pages.
- van Halewyn, R., and R. L. Norton. 1984. The status and conservation of seabirds in the Caribbean. Pages 169-222 in Croxall et al., eds. Status and conservation of the world's seabirds. ICBP Tech. Pub. No. 2
- Zingo, J.M., C.A. Church and J.A. Spendelow. 1994. Two hybrid Common x Roseate Terns fledged at Falkner Island, Connecticut. Connecticut Warbler 14(2): 50-55.
- Zink, R. M., S. Rohwer, A. V. Andreev, and D. L. Dittman. 1995. Trans-Beringia comparisons of mitochondrial DNA differentiation in birds. Condor 97:639-649. | <urn:uuid:a7da9271-3232-495c-92ff-8e60ca952e01> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://fieldguide.mt.gov/detail_ABNNM08070.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1406510257966.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20140728011737-00281-ip-10-146-231-18.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.85118 | 4,423 | 3.296875 | 3 |
In the Odyssey, Homer describes the ocean as “wine-dark” and other strange hues, but he never uses the word ‘blue’. Science Alert
There’s actually evidence that, until modern times, humans didn’t see the colour blue at all. In a fascinating feature over at Business Insider, Kevin Loria breaks down the evidence behind the claim.
Does it matter?
Whatever we ignore will fade away. If your opinions are not listened to, or those around you act as if your ideas don’t matter, you learn to be quiet. Keep your thoughts to yourself. No one cares anyway.
At times trying to fit in becomes so numbing that a person forgets even to have a desire or an individual thought. We wear whatever is available because our senses are dead.
The limestone caverns of Mexico’s Sierra del Abra Tanchipa rainforest contain deep cisterns cloaked in utter blackness. This is where researchers at the University of Cincinnati traveled to find a little fish (Astyanax mexicanus) that has evolved to feast or endure famine entombed hundreds of feet below the ground.
“They have been able to invade this really extreme environment. They are exposed to darkness their entire life yet they’re able to survive and thrive,” said Amanda Powers, a UC graduate student and lead author of a study on blind cavefish published in May in the journal PLOS One.
“They’ve evolved changes to their metabolism and skull structure. They’ve enhanced their sensory systems. And they can survive in an environment where not many animals could,” she said. Phys.org
To the other extreme, many have overdeveloped patterns of behavior to protect themselves the same as the blind fish. I’m hyper-alert to what I’m wearing, thinking, saying or doing because I never want to offend anyone. My spidey senses are always on alert.
When children are yelled at or ridiculed, they learn to avoid exposing themselves. They learn to walk away from confrontation and challenges. Life becomes full of danger instead of the hope it could have held.
Stepping out of the dark into the light takes time. It is possible though. I’ve been rewriting my thinking to know what is safe, but it takes time. And practice.
Nothing happens without putting in the work. Panic, Anxiety, Rage, Depression, and Codependency, these are just a few of the symptoms that show your nervous system is overreacting. It’s not to blame and neither are you any more than if you had a cough.
Understand why you are anxious. And decide if you’re ready to get help. The same if you went into a rage. This is not solitary work.
Our environment made us blind, and we need help to heal.
And now have I put in here, as thou seest, with ship and crew, while sailing over the wine-dark sea to men of strange speech, on my way to Temese for copper; and I bear with me shining iron. – Odyssey
[…] Check out What If I Thrive? and Blue Fish Red Seas […] | <urn:uuid:53d96284-c9c7-4ee3-b134-d6ab2ea7f79b> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://janetkwest.com/2018/01/07/blind-fish-red-seas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224647614.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20230601042457-20230601072457-00446.warc.gz | en | 0.942964 | 685 | 3 | 3 |
Not on display
N00313 A View of London Bridge before the Late Alterations engr. 1758
Oil on canvas 285×545 (11 1/4×21 1/2)
Presented by Robert Vernon to the National Gallery 1847; transferred to the Tate Gallery 1919
PROVENANCE ...; Robert Vernon by 1847
ENGRAVING Line-engraving by P.C. Canot, pub. 25 February 1758, as a pair to ‘A View of Westminster Bridge...’ (after no.144, q.v.) ‘to be had at Mr. Scotts in Henrietta Street Covent Garden’
LITERATURE Vernon Heath, Recollections, 1892, p.348; Hilda F. Finberg, ‘Canaletto in England’, Walpole Society, IX, 1921, p.49; Kingzett 1982, pp.43–9, version J, p.48
The view is of Old London Bridge as it looked shortly before 1760, when the houses upon it were finally demolished. The bridge itself (London's only bridge until the opening of Westminster Bridge in 1750) was constructed about 1209; its twenty piers supported nineteen irregularly spaced arches. Building upon the bridge itself progressed erratically over the next 600 years, without any coherent planning and subject to recurring disasters, particularly fire. Reading from left to right, the buildings depicted on the bridge itself are a group of houses last rebuilt after the fire of 1725; the Great Stone Gateway (originally built in the thirteenth century, incorporating a drawbridge and portcullis and impregnable to human attack), also rebuilt after the fire of 1725; a group of houses with railed roof gardens, rebuilt in the seventeenth century; the drawbridge, once regularly raised to let tall-masted ships pass, already ‘ruynous’ by 1500, when Henry VII insisted on its being raised (apparently for the last time) for his royal barges, and permanently ‘fixed’ in 1722; Nonesuch House, an elaborately decorated building pre-fabricated in Holland, slotted into the site of the Old Drawbridge Gate in 1577 and by now in the last stages of decay; a group of seventeenth-century houses known as ‘The Middle’, also with railed roof gardens; the remains of the Chapel of St Thomas, partially demolished in the 1550s, converted into tenements and latterly the premises of the stationers Wright & Gill; the Waterworks (with the Water Tower) which supplied the City of London; and, most recent of all, the block of elegant shops designed by George Dance the Elder, built about 1745 and known as ‘The Piazza’ from its inner, colonnaded street frontage. Rising behind the bridge are the church spires of St Michael, Crooked Lane and St Magnus the Martyr, with a view of the monument between the masts of the ship on the right (a key to this view, based on a drawing evidently derived from Canot's 1758 engraving after Scott, is given in Peter Jackson, London Bridge, 1971, pp.56–7).
N00313, painted as a pendant to no.144 (q.v.), is one of eleven versions of a composition whose popularity evidently owed much to general nostalgia for the bridge as it had appeared in former centuries. It is the Tate Gallery version which was used for Canot's engraving, published in 1758 (see above). Details of the other versions, and of the drawings in Scott's studio sale of 1773 on which the composition was probably based, are given in Kingzett 1982. The picture entitled ‘View of London Bridge as in the year 1757’ which Scott exhibited at the Society of Artists in 1761 (99) was, Kingzett suggests, probably the version now in a private collection, Canada (fig.55 is Kingzett's version C).
Elizabeth Einberg and Judy Egerton, The Age of Hogarth: British Painters Born 1675-1709, Tate Gallery Collections, II, London 1988 | <urn:uuid:4d9fd3ac-763f-4120-8b7a-109d83e18b4d> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/scott-a-view-of-london-bridge-before-the-late-alterations-n00313 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102819.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20170817013033-20170817033033-00097.warc.gz | en | 0.94446 | 878 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Tiruchirapalli popularly known as Tiruchirapalli or
Tiruchirapalli is about 320 km south of Chennai. Tiruchirapalli
has both a historical and mythological background to it. It was
once the capital city of one of the Chola kings. In the heart of
the city stands a rock on top of which is a Vinayakar temple. The
deity is called 'Uchchi Pillaiyar' because of the higher
elevation of the shrine. At the base of the rock is another
temple dedicated to Lord Shiva called Thayumanavar temple.
Tiruchirapalli is the second most important commercial town in
Tamilnadu and is easily accessible by road, rail and air.
The Steps to the Temple
Once there was a dispute between Adishesha, the serpent that
serves both as a canopy and the couch of Sri Mahavishnu, and
Vayu, the god of wind. They agreed to a contest to decide who was
the stronger of the two. Adishesha would coil round Mount Meru
and Vayu would try to dislodge the mount from the grip of
Adishesha. The challenge was taken up and Vayu threw himself with
all his might and tried to dislodge the mountain while it was
held firmly in the coils of Adishesha. The contest became very
intense and the whole world suffered from a deluge of rain and
battering storm. During this combat a chip of the mountain had
dislodged and fell on the earth. However, Vayu could not loosen
Adishesha's grip and conceded defeat. The chip of Mount Meru
that fell on the earth is believed to be the rock now called Rock
Fort in Tiruchirapalli .
There is also another legend associated with the deity at Rock
Fort. Vibishana of the epic Ramayana was returning to his country
Sri Lanka, carrying the 'Ranga Vimanam' presented to him
by Sri Rama. He stopped near the river Kaveri for his daily
religious rites. There he handed over the 'Ranga vimanam'
to a boy standing near by with strict instructions that the
vimanam should not be put on the ground. When Vibishana returned
after his ablutions in the river he found that the boy had placed
the vimanam on the ground. He became angry and tried to lift it
on to his arms. The vimanam got stuck where it was placed and
would not budge. Vibishana became so angry that he slapped the
boy on his face and chased him to give him more blows. The boy
ran away to the top of the rock and stood transformed into
Vinayaka. Thus a shrine was built where he stood transformed.
Devotees believe that the depression on the deity's face was
the result of Vibushana´s slap.
On the way to the Vinayagar temple, there is a shrine
dedicated to Lord Shiva cut into the rock. The deity is called
Once upon a time a woman devoted to Lord Shiva was living on
the other side of the river Kaveri. She visited the temple daily
even during her pregnancy. One day she could not return home as
the river was in spate. While she waited for the waters to
subside she developed labour pains. She had no one to look after
her as all her relatives were on the other side of the river.
Then suddenly her mother arrived at the scene and attended to her
as a midwife. When the child was safely delivered her mother
disappeared. That was when she realised that it was the Lord, to
whom she was devoted who had come in the disguise of her mother
and had helped her in her hour of need. From that time the Lord
in this temple came to be known as Thayumanavar. (One who became
The eastern part of the rock looks like a bull with its head
raised. The temple appears on its hump and the bell house on its
crest. Because of this the temple is also called
Help Desk : Mailerindia provides valuable services to
those who wish to discover the bliss and wisdom by the practice
of Hindu Vedas, Dharmas and Yogas.
Query Answer service : If you have any queries
regarding this article or hindu way of life section, send an
email to the editorial team headed by the section editor rishi
and vedic scholars who have indepth knowledge in the principles
and practice of Hinduism.
The editor rishi belongs to the "Saiva" sect of hinduism, the
forefathers of which are the noble saints like Thirumoolar,
Thirugnana Sambandar, etc.,.
Click here to email | <urn:uuid:b9acec20-e8b5-4157-9f6f-c681202eb2f2> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://mailerindia.com/temples/history/index.php?tiruchirapalli | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549424154.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20170722222652-20170723002652-00126.warc.gz | en | 0.973691 | 1,042 | 2.625 | 3 |
High School Curriculum Project
A curriculum supplement on rare diseases for high school biology classes has been developed by a genetic counseling master’s degree student in collaboration with NORD. This curriculum contains background information for teachers and creative, flexible classroom activities to promote active learning. The activities focus on advancing scientific understanding of rare disorders; promoting compassion, empathy and respect for people with different abilities; developing critical thinking skills; and preparing students to make informed decisions as citizens. Read the Rare Disease Curriculum – Introduction.
If you would like to access the full curriculum, please fill out this form and it will be emailed to you.
Middle School Rare Disease Curriculum
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has created a curriculum supplement for Rare Diseases and Scientific Inquiry targeted at grades 6-8. According to the NIH website, students explore how scientists use inquiry to research rare diseases and treatments and to further understand the workings of the human body. The supplement contains two weeks of lessons that are easily integrated into the curriculum and are aligned to national and state standards. You can learn more on the NIH website.
Other In-School Activity Ideas:
- Have an assembly about Rare Disease Day. Ask NORD if there is an organization in your area that might be able to provide a speaker.
- Have students watch “A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story,” a documentary on how a woman with a rare congenital disease who was bullied online for her appearance, became a motivational speaker and author of two very inspirational books.(Documentary release date: March 14, 2015).
- Ask students to wear a picture badge of a person with a rare disease with their first name and their disease state. The picture can be of the person or a picture for the person. Ask students to wear the badge around their neck and share information about the person and thier disorder with friends and teachers.
- Provide each student with an index card with the name of a rare disease. Have the student research the disease and write a brief description on it on the card. Display all the cards in a central location such as the school library.
- Ask students if they know anyone living with a rare disease and, if so, to write a paragraph about how the rare disease affects that person’s life. Make a scrapbook with all the stories.
- Hand out printable coloring pages located on the Press Kit and Resources page of the Rare Disease Day website.
- Ask children to trace their hands, cut out the hand, color it in, and then write the name of one of the 7,000 rare diseases on the hand. Hang up all of the cut out hands on a bulletin board or a wall to raise awareness for Rare Disease Day.
- Invite a local pediatrician or other physician, or a nurse, with knowledge of rare diseases to speak.
- During daily announcements, say a quote or short statement to remind the students of Rare Disease Day
- Post information on bulletin boards
- Have a Student Information Table at lunch
- Hand out beads in a school assembly, and give 1 of every 10 students a bead of a different color to represent the 1 in 10 Americans with rare diseases | <urn:uuid:4bd3a2c4-283c-420a-a39c-63f266ee2412> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://rddus.azurewebsites.net/get-involved/in-school-activities/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187825154.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20171022075310-20171022095310-00760.warc.gz | en | 0.939254 | 656 | 3.953125 | 4 |
Children who have positive mental wellness are more successful in school and life, according to National Association of School Psychologists. Most children attend school for six hours a day, making schools an ideal place to provide mental health services to children and youth. In fact, research has shown that students are more likely to seek counseling when services are available in schools.
Research also demonstrates that students who receive social–emotional and mental health support achieve better academically. School climate, classroom behavior, on-task learning and students’ sense of connectedness and well-being all improve as well. Mental wellness is not simply the absence of mental illness but also encompasses social, emotional, behavioral and physical health and the ability to cope with life’s challenges.
If left unmet, mental health problems are linked to costly negative outcomes such as academic and behavior problems, dropping out and delinquency. The mind and body connection are increasingly important to a person’s well-being. Poor mental health can negatively impact physical health, leading to an increased risk of some conditions. Similarly, poor physical health can lead to an increased risk of developing mental health problems. Any person regardless of gender, age, health status and income, can be affected by mental health conditions.
In this section school administrators will find information about:
- common behavioral signs to look for in students who might have mental health illness,
- tips on ways to communicate concerns with parents,
- free courses to assist with bullying prevention
- and best mental health self-care practices for both students and teachers. | <urn:uuid:3ad0eb2f-d595-4701-8a14-4ae9e95badfc> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://prowellness.childrens.pennstatehealth.org/school/mental-wellness/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224644817.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20230529074001-20230529104001-00698.warc.gz | en | 0.95725 | 316 | 4 | 4 |
One evening, through the window came flying in a green coloured insect and settled on the sofa in the living room of our home. At first sight I recognised it as a praying mantis. It was overall a rich green with a bright yellow circular patch on the forewing. I wanted to photograph this praying mantis. So, quickly got my camera out. And, I gently picked the praying mantis in one hand and used the other to cover it so that I could take it into my garden for a photography session.
When I transferred it to a twig, it suddenly opened its wings and exposed the bright pink on the base of the hind wing while simultaneously putting up its “praying legs” and making itself look big – this would have startled an unsuspecting predator. This threat display of this mantis did not have the desired impact on me but it definitely surprised me and I got more than what I bargained for. I managed to capture this moment on film before this wonderful little insect decided to wing its way to freedom!
On another occasion while exploring my garden, I stumbled upon a light green praying mantis beautifully camouflaged in its surroundings. Out came the camera and I was trying to get as close as the lens would permit. I was slowly maneuvering myself into position, when I noticed the mantis rearing up and displaying the red lips and simultaneously moving its first pair of legs apart. The otherwise slender thorax now looked broad and the spines on the first pair of legs threatening. In this stance, the praying mantis looked formidable indeed.
The fruit-sucking moth is another example of this behaviour. This moth, when sitting in a normal resting position, is beautifully camouflaged with its background. If a predator gets past this camouflage and attacks the moth, it opens the forewings and reveals a pair of brightly coloured eyespots on the hind wings. This can startle a potential predator!
Threat displays and startling displays are used by a lot of organisms. The above are just two examples of how organisms use colours to their advantage. If curiosity gets the better of us, we will stumble upon several such examples even in our immediate environment. | <urn:uuid:9ad293b4-8bd2-40c4-822a-b5fc354aadad> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wildwanderer.com/journal/?p=211 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701233842/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104713-00094-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956582 | 441 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Take pork products. You can go to the supermarket of your choice and to the meat department and get specific packaged products — bacon, ham, pork sausage or specialized items — in pretty standard lots. In the 1940s and 50s, that wasn’t as easy to do. And, up until the late 50s and early 60s, it is likely that you had access in rural areas and small towns to someone who actually processed their own meat products — chicken, beef and pork.
Farm families in those times were probably like my grandmother and her parents, my great-grandparents, who killed a hog, processed it entirely and stored it in a “smokehouse” where it was cured and gained its seasoning from the type of wood (usually hickory) used to smoke the meat.
The time for hog-killing was signaled by the arrival of the winter’s first norther, as we Texans call the season’s cold fronts. Everything was pre-arranged to start with that cooling event. Of course, the common sense reasoning was that the all-day job of slaughtering the hog, cutting it up and sorting it by types of cuts (ham, bacon, loin, hock, feet, snout), required cool enough weather that processing time was sufficient so as not have spoilage.
Then you hung the meat from rafters and hooks or placed it on shelves in the smokehouse (depending on the cut of meat) for curing.
OBVIOUSLY, this whole process of hog-killing and meat-processing is not for the faint of heart nor the weak of stomach. Nor is it a job for two or three people since the size of a hog to be slaughtered and processed usually will weigh between 500 and 1,000 pounds (rarely the larger size). Probably the average pig would be 600-700 pounds.
So, if the family doing the “hog-killing” on that day is small, it is likely and traditional that extended family and/or neighbors join in the all-day procedure. Usually, the reward (other than a lunch provided by the host family and supper if the job is large and long) is a package of meat from the slaughter of the day.
Occasionally, more than one hog was slaughtered and processed but that was rare.
And, while there is deliberate speed and focused attention required, it is also a time for a bit of visiting and socializing. Those women not involved in the processing usually help the host wife with the workers’ meals for the day.
Since all these experienced farmers were involved in several hog-killings a year, each had their own kit of tools, the most important being a knife or a set of knives suitable for the complete processing of the hog carcass. And, believe me, little of the hog was wasted or considered unusable.
NATURALLY, rural families watched weather signs. There was no television and radio was actually pretty rare in rural homes in the 1940s and 50s. Rural families of that day and time read weather signs pretty well, but also relied on a couple of other things: the Cardui calendar, which had general weather trends for any given period, and the Old Farmer’s Almanac, also filled with general daily patterns for each area of the country.
While those provided some assistance and guidance, it was better if someone in the family had a better “feel” for weather. You needed a day or two to summon all the help since your family was earlier designated as the initial hog-killing event of the season. All your family, friends and neighbors were “at-the-ready.”
Perhaps no one but a writer or a sociologist would refer to this process this way, but a rural, neighbor-involved, hog-killing was communal life and cooperation at its American best.
Willis Webb is a retired community newspaper editor-publisher of more than 50 years experience. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:7f03b9c4-0319-4852-9081-6ae419373585> | CC-MAIN-2017-39 | http://www.gilmermirror.com/view/full_story/23947005/article-The-View-from-Writers-Roost | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-39/segments/1505818686043.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20170919221032-20170920001032-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.981423 | 835 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Charlemagne. King of the Franks and Lombards
Living in a country as an individual from an ethnic minority, there exists a strong motivation to maintain one’s culture and language and to pass the richness of the culture to the next generation. It is very difficult to maintain a culture and possess the soul of the culture as Charlemagne remarked more than 1000 years ago, without possessing the language.
There are many reasons to learn and maintain the Greek language and culture. How many countries have the glorious history and culture that Greece has? Greece illuminated the world with the light of knowledge. The Greek language is still at the root of many other languages in the world, amongst them French and English. Therefore, learning and mastering Greek benefits an individual and facilitates his or her use and learning of the English and the French language.
There exist many other benefits that come with learning and using more than one language. There are many studies and research that support the case that multilinguals have an edge throughout life. Multilingualism has been proven to help a child develop superior reading and writing skills, multilingual children have over all better analytical, social, and academic skills than their unilingual peers. An extensive study conducted by a linguist at Dalhousie University, showed that multilingual children had stronger cognitive skills that helped them attain on average better grades, attain higher levels of education and earn more money than their unilingual peers.
Children and people that learn and speak more languages develop an appreciation for other cultures and an innate acceptance of cultural differences. As adults, multilinguals are more cosmopolitan and more willing and open to experiencing what other cultures have to offer.
Career prospects are multiplied many times over for people who speak a greater number of languages as the world has become smaller and more interconnected. People and companies that are involved in international business look to hire people that speak a greater number of languages and will be able to relate to foreign clients and contacts.
Other benefits to learning a language include:
- being more efficient communicators.
- being consistently better able to deal with distractions, which may help offset age-related declines in mental dexterity.
- having a better ear for listening and sharper memories.
- being able to learn languages more quickly and efficiently particularly if an individual speaks Greek or Latin given that these languages influenced most other western languages.
- being better problem solvers, gaining multiple perspectives on issues at hand.
They say that knowledge is power. Our school is unique in Quebec in it is amongst the very few private schools that empower our children with the knowledge of multiple languages and the benefits that come with this skill. | <urn:uuid:a47773ec-508f-4a9c-8ff1-666fd0045f44> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.socdem.org/en/why-our-school/the-advantages-of-a-trilingual-education/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886117911.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823074634-20170823094634-00081.warc.gz | en | 0.959573 | 536 | 3.265625 | 3 |
March 4, 1888|
|Died:||March 31, 1931
Bazaar, Kansas, United States
|Career highlights and awards|
Rockne is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history. His biography at the College Football Hall of Fame identifies him as "without question, American football's most-renowned coach". Rockne helped to popularize the forward pass and made the Notre Dame Fighting Irish a major factor in college football.
Knute Rockne was born Knut Larsen Rokne in Voss, Norway, to smith and wagonmaker Lars Knutson Rokne (1858–1912) and his wife, Martha Pedersdatter Gjermo (1859–1944). He emigrated with his parents when he was five years old to Chicago. He grew up in the Logan Square area of Chicago, on the northwest side of the city. Rockne learned to play football in his neighborhood and later played end in a local group called the Logan Square Tigers. He attended North West Division High School in Chicago, playing football and also running track.
After Rockne graduated from high school, he took a job as a mail dispatcher with the Post Office in Chicago for four years. When he was 22, he had saved enough money to continue his education. He headed to Notre Dame in Indiana to finish his schooling. Rockne excelled as a football end there, winning All-American honors in 1913.
Rockne helped to transform the collegiate game in a single contest. On November 1, 1913, the Notre Dame squad stunned the highly regarded Army team 35–13 in a game played at West Point. Led by quarterback Charlie "Gus" Dorais and Rockne, the Notre Dame team attacked the Cadets with an offense that featured both the expected powerful running game but also long and accurate downfield forward passes from Dorais to Rockne. This game was not the "invention" of the forward pass, but it was the first major contest in which a team used the forward pass regularly throughout the game.
He was educated as a chemist at Notre Dame, and graduated in 1914 with a degree in pharmacy. After graduating, he was the laboratory assistant to noted polymer chemist Julius Arthur Nieuwland at Notre Dame and helped out with the football team, but rejected further work in chemistry after receiving an offer to coach football. In 1914, he was recruited by Peggy Parratt to play for the Akron Indians. There Parratt had Rockne playing both end and halfback and teamed with him on several successful forward pass plays during their title drive. Knute wound up in Massillon, Ohio, in 1915 along with former Notre Dame teammate Dorais to play with the professional Massillon Tigers. Rockne and Dorais brought the forward pass to professional football from 1915 to 1917 when they led the Tigers to the championship in 1915. Pro Football in the Days of Rockne by Emil Klosinski maintains the worst loss ever suffered by Rockne was in 1917. He coached the "South Bend Jolly Fellows Club" when they lost 40–0 to the Toledo Maroons.
Notre Dame coach
During 13 years as head coach, Rockne led his "Fighting Irish" to 105 victories, 12 losses, five ties and three national championships, including five undefeated seasons without a tie. Rockne posted the highest all-time winning percentage (.881) for a major college football coach. His schemes utilized include the eponymous Notre Dame Box offense and the 7–2–2 defense. Rockne's box included a shift. The backfield lined up in a T-formation, then quickly shifted into a box to the left or right just as the ball was snapped.
Rockne was also shrewd enough to recognize that intercollegiate sports had a show-business aspect. Thus he worked hard promoting Notre Dame football to make it financially successful. He used his considerable charm to court favor from the media, which then consisted of newspapers, wire services and radio stations and networks, to obtain free advertising for Notre Dame football. He was very successful as an advertising pitchman, for South Bend-based Studebaker and other products. He eventually received an annual income of $75,000 from Notre Dame, which in today's dollars is millions.
Rockne took over from his predecessor Jesse Harper in the war-torn season of 1918, posting a 3–1–2 record, losing only to the Michigan Aggies. He made his coaching debut on September 28, 1918, against Case Tech in Cleveland earning a 26–6 victory. In the backfield was Leonard Bahan, George Gipp, and Curly Lambeau. With Gipp, Rockne had an ideal handler of the forward pass.
Gipp died December 14, 1920, just two weeks after being elected Notre Dame's first All-American by Walter Camp. Gipp likely contracted strep throat and pneumonia while giving punting lessons after his final game, November 20 against Northwestern University. Since antibiotics were not available in the 1920s, treatment options for such infections were limited and they could be fatal even to young, healthy individuals. It was while on his hospital bed and speaking to Rockne that he is purported to have delivered the famous,"win just one for the Gipper" line.
John Mohardt led the 1921 Notre Dame team to a 10-1 record with 781 rushing yards, 995 passing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, and nine passing touchdowns. Grantland Rice wrote that "Mohardt could throw the ball to within a foot or two of any given space" and noted that the 1921 Notre Dame team "was the first team we know of to build its attack around a forward passing game, rather than use a forward passing game as a mere aid to the running game". Mohardt had both Eddie Anderson and Roger Kiley at end to receive his passes.
The national champion 1924 team included the "Four Horsemen" backfield of Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden. The line was known as the "Seven Mules". The Irish capped an undefeated, 10–0 season with a victory over Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
For all his success, Rockne also made what an Associated Press writer called "one of the greatest coaching blunders in history". Instead of coaching his 1926 team against Carnegie Tech, Rockne traveled to Chicago for the Army–Navy Game to "write newspaper articles about it, as well as select an All-America football team". Carnegie Tech used the coach's absence as motivation for a 19–0 win; the upset likely cost the Irish a chance for a national title.
The 1928 team lost to national champion Georgia Tech. "I sat at Grant Field and saw a magnificent Notre Dame team suddenly recoil before the furious pounding of one man–Peter Pund", said Rockne. "Nobody could stop him. I counted 20 scoring plays that this man ruined." Rockne wrote of an attack on his coaching in the Atlanta Journal, "I am surprised that a paper of such fine, high standing [as yours] would allow a zipper to write in his particular vein . . . the article by Fuzzy Woodruff was not called for."
On November 10, 1928, when the "Fighting Irish" team was tied with Army 0–0 at the end of the half, Rockne entered the locker room and told the team the words he heard on Gipp's deathbed in 1920: "I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are going wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy." This inspired the team, which then outscored Army in the second half and won the game 12–6. The phrase "Win one for the Gipper" was later used as a political slogan by Ronald Reagan, who in 1940 portrayed Gipp in Knute Rockne, All American.
The 1929 and 1930 teams went undefeated for two straight years and were declared national champions both years as well. According to interviews, Rockne considered his 1929 team his strongest over-all. Rockne also said that he considered his 1930 team to have been his best offensively prior to the departure of Jumping Joe Savoldi. Rockne was struck with illness in 1929, and the de facto head coach was assistant Tom Lieb. Rockne's all-time All-America backfield was Jim Thorpe, Red Grange, George Gipp, and George Pfann.
Rockne met Bonnie Gwendoline Skiles (1891 – 1956), an avid gardener, of Kenton, Ohio while the two were employed at Cedar Point. Bonnie was the daughter of George Skiles and Huldah Dry. Knute and Bonnie were married at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Sandusky, Ohio, on July 14, 1914 with Father William F. Murphy as the officiant and Gus Dorais as the best man. They had four children: Knute Lars Jr., William Dorias, Mary Jeane and John Vincent. He converted from the Lutheran to the Roman Catholic faith on November 20, 1925. On that date, the Rev. Vincent Mooney, C.S.C., baptized Rockne in the Log Chapel on Notre Dame's campus.
Plane crash and public reaction
Rockne died in the crash of a Transcontinental & Western Air airliner in Kansas on March 31, 1931, while en route to participate in the production of the film The Spirit of Notre Dame (released October 13, 1931). He had stopped in Kansas City, to visit his two sons, Bill and Knute Jr., who were in boarding school there at the Pembroke-Country Day School. A little over an hour after taking off from Kansas City, one of the Fokker Trimotor's wings broke up in flight. The cause of the break up was determined to be the fact that the plywood outer skin of the plane was bonded to the ribs and spars with aliphatic resin glue that was water based, and flight in rain had caused the bond to deteriorate to the point that sections of the plywood suddenly separated inflight. The plane crashed into a wheat field near Bazaar, Kansas, killing Rockne and seven others.
Coincidentally, Jess Harper, a friend of Rockne's and the coach whom Rockne had replaced at Notre Dame, was living about 100 miles from the spot of the crash and was called to identify Rockne's body. On the spot where the plane crashed, a memorial dedicated to the victims stands surrounded by a wire fence with wooden posts. It was maintained for many years by James Easter Heathman, who, at the age of 13 in 1931, was one of the first people to arrive at the site of the crash.
The unexpected, dramatic death of Rockne startled the nation and triggered a national outpouring of grief, comparable to the deaths of presidents. President Herbert Hoover called Rockne's death "a national loss". King Haakon VII of Norway, Rockne's birthplace, posthumously knighted Rockne, and sent a personal envoy to Rockne's massive funeral. More than 100,000 people lined the route of his funeral procession, and the funeral itself was broadcast live on network radio across the United States and in Europe as well as to parts of South America and Asia.
Driven by the public feeling for Rockne, the crash story played out at length in nearly all of the nation's newspapers, and gradually evolved into a demanding public inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the crash.
The national outcry over the air disaster that killed Rockne and the seven others triggered sweeping changes to airliner design, manufacturing, operation, inspection, maintenance, regulation and crash-investigation—igniting a safety revolution that ultimately transformed airline travel worldwide, from the most dangerous form of travel to one of the safest forms of travel.
Rockne was not the first coach to use the forward pass, but he helped popularize it nationally. Most football historians agree that a few schools, notably St. Louis University (under coach Eddie Cochems), Michigan, Carlisle and Minnesota, had passing attacks in place before Rockne arrived at Notre Dame. The great majority of passing attacks, however, consisted solely of short pitches and shovel passes to stationary receivers. Additionally, few of the major Eastern teams that constituted the power center of college football at the time used the pass. In the summer of 1913, while he was a lifeguard on the beach at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, Rockne and his college teammate and roommate Gus Dorais worked on passing techniques. These were employed in games by the 1913 Notre Dame squad and subsequent Harper- and Rockne-coached teams and included many features common in modern passing, including having the passer throw the ball overhand and having the receiver run under a football and catch the ball in stride. That fall, Notre Dame upset heavily favored Army 35-13 at West Point thanks to a barrage of Dorais-to-Rockne long downfield passes. The game played an important role in displaying the potency of the forward pass and "open offense" and convinced many coaches to add pass plays to their play books. The game is dramatized in the movies Knute Rockne, All American and The Long Gray Line.
Rockne's coaching tree includes:
- Eddie Anderson: played for Notre Dame (1919–1921), head coach for Iowa (1939–1949)
- Heartley Anderson: played for Notre Dame (1918–1921), head coach for Notre Dame (1931–1933), NC State (1934–1936)
- Joe Bach: played for Notre Dame (1923–1924), head coach for Duquesne (1934), Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers (1935–1936; 1952–1953)
- Charlie Bachman: played for Notre Dame (1914–1916), head coach for Kansas State (1920–1927), Florida (1928–1932), Michigan State (1933–1946)
- Dutch Bergman: played for Notre Dame (1915–1916; 1919), head coach for Catholic (1930–1940), Washington Redskins (1943)
- Frank Carideo: played for Notre Dame (1928–1930), head coach for Missouri (1932–1934)
- Stan Cofall: played for Notre Dame (1914–1916), head coach for Wake Forest (1928).
- Chuck Collins: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), head coach for North Carolina (1926–1933).
- Jim Crowley: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), head coach for Michigan State (1928–1932), Fordham (1933–1941).
- Gus Dorais: played for Notre Dame (1910–1913), assistant for Notre Dame (1919), head coach for Gonzaga (1920–1924).
- Rex Enright: played for Notre Dame (1923–1925), head coach for South Carolina (1938–1942; 1946–1955).
- Noble Kizer: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), head coach for Purdue (1930–1936)
- Elmer Layden: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), head coach for Duquesne (1927–1933), Notre Dame (1934–1940)
- Frank Leahy: played for Notre Dame (1928–1930), head coach for Boston College (1939–1940), Notre Dame (1941–1943; 1946–1953).
- Tom Lieb: played for Notre Dame (1919–1922), head coach for Loyola Los Angeles (1930–1938), Florida (1940–1945).
- Slip Madigan: played for Notre Dame (1916–1917; 1919), head coach for Saint Mary's (1921–1939) Iowa (1943–1944)
- Harry Mehre: played for Notre Dame (1919–1921), head coach for Georgia (1928–1937), Ole Miss (1938–1945).
- Don Miller: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), assistant for Georgia Tech (1925–1928), Ohio State (1929–1932).
- Edgar Miller: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), head coach for Navy (1931–1933)
- Chuck Riley: played for Notre Dame (1927), head coach for New Mexico (1931–1933)
- Marchmont Schwartz: played for Notre Dame (1929–1931), head coach for Creighton (1935–1939), Stanford (1942–1950).
- Buck Shaw: played for Notre Dame (1919–1921), head coach for NC State (1924), Nevada (1925–1928).
- Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith: played for Notre Dame (1917–1920), head coach for Gonzaga (1925–1928), Villanova (1936–1942)
- Harry Stuhldreher: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), head coach for Villanova (1925–1935), Wisconsin (1936–1948).
- Frank Thomas: played for Notre Dame (1920–1922), head coach for Alabama (1931–1946)
- Adam Walsh: played for Notre Dame (1922–1924), head coach for Santa Clara (1925–1928), Bowdoin (1935–1942; 1947–1958)
- Earl Walsh: played for Notre Dame (1919–1921), head coach for Fordham (1942).
- John Weibel: played for Notre Dame (1923–1924), assistant for Vanderbilt (1925–1926), Duquesne (1927).
- Chet A. Wynne: played for Notre Dame (1919–1921), head coach for Creighton (1923–1929), Auburn (1930–1933), Kentucky (1934–1937).
- Notre Dame memorializes him in the Knute Rockne Memorial Building, an athletics facility built in 1937, as well as the main football stadium.
- His name appears on streets in South Bend and in Stevensville, Michigan, (where Rockne had a summer home), and a travel plaza on the Indiana Toll Road.
- The Rockne Memorial near Bazaar, Kansas at the site of the airliner crash memorializes Rockne and the seven others who died with him. It was erected by the late Easter Heathman, who as a boy was a crash eyewitness and was among the first to respond at the scene. Every five years since the crash, a memorial ceremony is held there and at a nearby schoolhouse, drawing relatives of the victims and Rockne and Notre Dame fans from around the world. Now part of the Heathman family estate, it is accessible only by arrangement or during memorial commemorations.
- The Matfield Green rest stop travel plaza (center foyer) on the Kansas Turnpike near Bazaar and the airliner crash site where Rockne was killed has a large, glassed-in exhibit commemorating Rockne (chiefly), the other crash victims, and the crash itself.
- Allentown Central Catholic High School in Allentown, Pennsylvania dedicated its gymnasium, Rockne Hall, to Knute Rockne.
- Taylorville, Illinois dedicated the street next to the football field as "Knute Rockne Road".
- The town of Rockne, Texas was named to honor him. In 1931, the children of Sacred Heart School were given the opportunity to name their town. A vote was taken, with the children electing to name the town after Rockne, who had died in a plane crash earlier that year. On March 10, 1988, Rockne opened its post office for one day during which a Knute Rockne 22-cent commemorative stamp was issued. A life-size bust of Rockne was unveiled on March 4, 2006.
- The Studebaker automobile company of South Bend marketed the Rockne automobile from 1931 to 1933. It was a separate product line of Studebaker and priced in the low-cost market.
- Symphonic composer Ferde Grofe composed a musical suite in Rockne's honor shortly after the coach's death.
- In 1940, actor Pat O'Brien portrayed Rockne in the Warner Brothers film Knute Rockne, All American, in which Rockne used the phrase "win one for the Gipper" in reference to the death bed request of George Gipp, played by Ronald Reagan.
- The short film I Am an American (1944) featured Rockne as a foreign-born citizen
- Rockne was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 as a charter member and in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
- In 1988, the United States Postal Service honored Rockne with a 22-cent commemorative postage stamp. President Ronald Reagan, who played George Gipp in the movie Knute Rockne, All American, gave an address at the Athletic & Convocation Center at the University of Notre Dame on March 9, 1988, and officially unveiled the Rockne stamp.
- In 1988, Rockne was inducted posthumously into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame held during Norsk Høstfest.
- A biographical musical of Rockne's life premiered at the Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana on April 3, 2008. The musical is based on a play and mini-series by Buddy Farmer.
- The U.S. Navy named a ship in the Liberty ship class after Knute Rockne in 1943. The SS Knute Rockne was scrapped in 1972.
- A statue of Rockne, as well as Ara Parseghian, both by the sculptor Armando Hinojosa of Laredo, Texas, are located on the Notre Dame campus.
- He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2014.
Head coaching record
|Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Independent) (1918–1930)|
|1924||Notre Dame||10–0||W Rose|
|National championship Conference title Conference division title|
- Brondfield, Jerry. Rockne: The Coach, the Man, the Legend (1976, reissued 2009)
- Carter, Bob, Sports Century Biography:"Knute Rockne was Notre Dame's master motivator,", Special to ESPN.com
- Cavanaugh, Jack. The Gipper: George Gipp, Knute Rockne, and the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame Football (2010)
- Harmon, Daniel E. Notre Dame Football (The Rosen Publishing Group, 2013).
- Lindquist, Sherry C. M. Memorializing Knute Rockne at the University of Notre Dame: Collegiate Gothic Architecture and Institutional Identity", Winterthur Portfolio (Spring 2012), 46#1 pp 1–24. DOI: 10.1086/665045 In JSTOR
- Lovelace, Delos Wheeler. "Rockne of Notre Dame" (1931)
- Norsk Biografisk leksikon (NBL)
- Robinson, Ray. Rockne of Notre Dame: The Making of a Football Legend (1999)
- Rockne, Knute K. " Coaching ". ( Devin-Adair, ( 1925 ).
- Sperber, Murray, Shake Down the Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football (1993)
- Stewart, Mark. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Norwood House Press, 2011)
- "Order Blood Test Online – Lab Tests Portal Login". knuterockne.com.
- "2016 Media Guide Notre Dame Football" (PDF). University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Media. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- Whittingham, Richard (2001). "3". Rites of autumn: the story of college football. New York: The Free Press. pp. 58–61. ISBN 0-7432-2219-9.
- "Baptism certificate".
- "Death of Rockne". Time Magazine. April 6, 1931. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
- Cutler, Irving (2006). Chicago, Metropolis of the Mid-continent. SIU Press. p. 75.
- Roberts, Milt (1979). "Peggy Parratt, MVP" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 1 (5). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-22.
- PFRA Research (n.d.c). "Thorpe Arrives: 1915" (PDF). Professional Football Researchers Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- Emil Klosinski. Pro Football in the Days of Rockne. p. 135.
- :Portions of this section are adapted from Murray Sperber's book Shake Down The Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football
- Fortuna, Matt (July 9, 2012). "Numbers don't tell story of Knute Rockne". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
- Kelly, Jason. "St. Knute had a ruthless side too." South Bend Tribune. July 28, 2006.
- Dame, ENR // MarComm:Web // University of Notre. "This Day In History: Rockne Takes The Reins // Moments // 125 Football // University of Notre Dame".
- "Shaping College Football". google.com.
- "Leslie's Weekly". google.com.
- Keyes, Ralph (2006). The quote verifier: who said what, where, and when. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-34004-4.
- "Letter From The Publisher". Sports Illustrated. April 14, 1969. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- "'Win One For The Gipper'". Sports Illustrated. September 17, 1979. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- Keith Marder; Mark Spellen; Jim Donovan (2001). The Notre Dame Football Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to America's Favorite College Team. Citadel Press. p. 148. ISBN 0806521082.
- Grantland Rice (December 3, 1921). "Where The West Got The Jump: In Addition To Developing Strong Defense and Good Running Game, Has Built Up Forward Pass" (PDF). American Golfer.
- Robinson, Alan (September 9, 2007). "Rockne's gaffe remembered". The Daily Texan. Texas Student Media. Archived from the original on September 8, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
- "Henry R. "Peter" Pund". Inductees. Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
- Murray A. Spencer (1993). Shake Down the Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football. Indiana University Press. p. 278.
- Homiletic Review. Volume 102, Page 421. 1931.
- Associated Press, "Rockne's Double Keeps Ramblers in Front", The Reading Eagle, p. 14 (November 25, 1929). Retrieved January 20, 2013.
- Wheeler, Robert W. (28 November 2012). "Jim Thorpe: World's Greatest Athlete". University of Oklahoma Press – via Google Books.
- "Bonnie Gwendolyn Skiles". geni_family_tree.
- "File:Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church (Sandusky, Ohio) - Erie Co. Historical Marker, Knute Rockne Wedding.JPG".
- "Around the Bend: Knute Rockne". chicagotribune.com.
- "Tom and Kate Hickey Family History: 20 Nov. 1925: Tom Hickey Became Knute Rockne's Godfather". tomandkatehickeyfamilyhistory.blogspot.com.
- The Official Knute Rockne Web Site. URL accessed 03:54, 29 January 2006 (UTC)
- EAApilot magazine, August 2016
- Fans & Family Remember the Crash Heard 'Round the World, 2011, by aviation historian Richard Harris
- The Gipper: George Gipp, Knute Rockne, and the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame
- Sudekum Fisher, Maria (2008-02-01). "J. E. Heathman; found crash that killed Rockne". Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- Hoover, Herbert, President of the United States, message to Mrs. Knute Rockne, 119 – "Message of Sympathy on the Death of Knute Rockne", April 1, 1931, Washington, D.C., cited on the web site of The American Presidency Project
- Niemi, Robert (May 17, 2006). History in the Media: Film and Television. ABC-CLIO. p. 210. ISBN 978-1576079522.
- Lindquist, Sherry C.M., "Memorializing Knute Rockne at the University of Notre Dame: Collegiate Gothic Architecture and Institutional Identity", in Winterthur Portfolio, Vol_ 46, No_ 1 (Spring 2012), pp_ 1-24 on JSTOR.org
- "In Search of Rockne's Grave", http://magazine.nd.edu/news/10200-in-search-of-rockne-s-grave/
- Johnson, Randy, M.A. (Ph.D. candidate, Ohio Univ., Athens, OH; certified airline transport pilot & flight instructor), "The 'Rock': The Role of the Press in Bringing About Change in Aircraft Accident Policy.", Journal of Air Transportation World Wide, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2000, Aviation Institute, University of Nebraska at Omaha.
- O'Leary, Michael, "The Plane that Changed the World", Part 1., Air Classics, vol.46, no.10, Nov.2010, pp.28-48, including sidebar: "Effects of the Rockne Crash".
- Sherry C. M. Lindquist. "Memorializing Knute Rockne at the University of Notre Dame: Collegiate Gothic Architecture and Institutional Identity", Winterthur Portfolio (Spring 2012), 46#1 pp 1-24
- The 16-minute film was featured in American theaters as a short feature in connection with "I Am an American Day" (now called Constitution Day). I Am an American was produced by Gordon Hollingshead and written and directed by Crane Wilbur. Besides Rockne, it featured Humphrey Bogart, Gary Gray, Dick Haymes, Danny Kaye, Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan, and Jay Silverheels. See: I Am An American at the TCM Movie Database and I Am an American on IMDb.
- Scott catalog # 2376.
- "Notre Dame Coach Gets Spotlight in Knute Rockne Musical in Indiana, April 3-May 11". Playbill.
- List of Liberty ships: Je-L
- Knute Rockne, Dick Vermeil and Ki-Jana Carter to be Inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, Tournament of Roses Association, August 26, 2014
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Knute Rockne.|
- Official website—Luminary Group is the official exclusive worldwide representative of Knute Rockne through his grandson, Nils Rockne.
- Knute Rockne at the College Football Hall of Fame
- Knute Rockne at Find a Grave
- Knute Rockne letters to Eugene Roberts, MSS 7691 at L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University | <urn:uuid:e42a901d-2d4e-4dd4-868d-3bfe45a9cecf> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | http://wiki-offline.jakearchibald.com/wiki/Knute_Rockne | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934804125.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20171118002717-20171118022717-00093.warc.gz | en | 0.936734 | 6,675 | 2.71875 | 3 |
If Nkrumah were still alive he would be 104 today. He died of cancer in Bucharest Romania in 1972. He was the first leader of Ghana after it gained its independence from the British on 6 March 1957 and ruled until his overthrow in a military coup on 24 February 1966. After which he lived most of the rest of his life in exile in Guinea. Much of the state and physical infrastructure of Ghana was built during his tenure as president. Among other things he built Tema Harbour and Akosombo Dam. This latter project created Lake Volta which remains today the largest man made lake in the world and a major supplier of fish, an important source of protein for Ghanaians. In addition to being a visionary leader for Ghana, Nkrumah was an important Pan-African thinker and leader. He was instrumental in helping form the Casablanca Group and the Organization of African Unity as well as playing a key role in the Non-Aligned Movement. During the late 1950s and early 1960s he was the most prominent African leader south of the Sahara on the world stage. The only other African leader at this time to play such an important international role was Nasser in Egypt. In 2009 President Mills declared Nkrumah's birthday a national holiday here in Ghana and gave it the official title of Founder's Day. | <urn:uuid:026c6531-ec45-46ea-b67c-e71f19c86eae> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://jpohl.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/104-years-since-birth-of-kwame-nkrumah.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549423222.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20170720141821-20170720161821-00677.warc.gz | en | 0.986984 | 269 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Classroom Objects TPR Stories for Spanish One
by Angie Torre
Three silly TPR stories about a hapless student who has very bad luck. The stories reinforce the vocabulary for classroom objects, allow students to hear the objects in context, and introduce various verbs and connecting words.
Also included are:
~Finish the sentence activity
~Answer the questions activity
~homework or test in which students complete the sentences
~PowerPoint Cover Sheet and three sets of true/false questions
~List of classroom objects in Spanish and English
These "Objects TPR Stories for Spanish One" serve to supplement the text as no book provides the necessary comprehensible input. They provide the necessary repetition of the classroom objects in order for students to assimilate and produce the target language.
These stories are not illustrated.
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To learn how to teach a story using TPR Strategies and see me teach a sample story, click here: Youtube Video of How To Tell TPRStory
To see me teach a TPR Story to my Spanish class, click here: Me teaching
For a colorful PowerPoint on the classroom objects, click here: Objects PowerPoint
For TPR Stories for Spanish One and Two, click here: TPRS for Spanish 1 & 2
For more TPR stories, engaging PowerPoints, activities please visit my website: Best PowerPoints for Spanish
Or my Pinterest Board: Best PowerPoints Pinterest
OR for a complete list of my products, CLICK HERE: My Store
a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/">Objects TPR Stories by Angie Torre is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License | <urn:uuid:d1cd9a13-893d-4dd0-9095-47592271aa49> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Objects-TPR-Stories-for-Spanish-One-92448 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886104681.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20170818140908-20170818160908-00252.warc.gz | en | 0.841168 | 373 | 3.765625 | 4 |
Other Uses For Disinfectants
Disinfectant is applied in various fields. For private home, in hospitals and doctors to disinfect all types of surfaces. Moreover, disinfectant in medical buildings to clean the instruments is required. The third application is specially designed for the disinfection of hands. With great care must be responsible to ensure that they work thoroughly with the disinfectant. Only then can infect different species of fungi and bacteria are avoided. Differences will be disinfected and sterilized between.
The newborns in the hospital may be from the entire family and friends certainly taken on the arm. However, to avoid an infection that doctors recommend for the disinfection of hands. In every room of the maternity ward, a donor is with liquid disinfectant. Bacteria that everyone has on their hands are thus destroyed. This serves to protect the baby, because it is still too young to have defenses. Before surgery, the patient is also with Disinfectant cleaning.
A special production process ensures that the product is suitable not only for skin disinfection, but also for the mucous membranes. Medical instruments are dipped in a sterilizing bath. The person responsible for this task needs to act very conscientious. If he is not sure whether he has already dipped a tool, he must repeat this process. With germs occupied instruments fatal consequences for the next patient may have. In the household should contrast with the sparing of surface disinfection. A healthy body can cope with the normal bacteria that are found there, generally. For reasons of hygiene in the bathroom cleaning, a disinfectant used at irregular intervals. In completely sterile flats built the body from the effect, however. If the person then in contact with bacteria outside the flat, he responds immediately. The natural defense compounds are lost! | <urn:uuid:0ec964a1-d246-43bc-95f8-a926c3d894f6> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.novabiogenetics.com/other-uses-for-disinfectants/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886110578.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20170822104509-20170822124509-00122.warc.gz | en | 0.956041 | 356 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Look through some of our favorite Web Development graduate projects.
Like Old English or Ancient Greek transforming into modern words, programming languages have evolved over time. Certain ones became the standard, others fell by the wayside. And each of them serve a distinct purpose.
Hypertext markup language has long been the standard for web development, and its fifth and latest version, HTML5, is no exception.
The language that acts as the basic building blocks for presenting content on the web, it’s still an important starting point for budding web designers and developers, since it gives web browsers much-needed directions on how to display words and images.
“HTML describes the structure of information on a page,” explains Jamie Counsell, Senior Software Developer at Konrad Group. “Computers don’t speak English, so HTML allows us to teach computers a bit about the information on the page. You can think of HTML as the bones of a website — it holds everything together and gives it structure.”
Learn web development skills to boost your career – from home!
BrainStation offers Online Live Certificate Courses in web development, python programming, iOS development, and machine learning. Attend live classes and interact with peers and expert Instructors from anywhere in the world.
Cascading style sheets (or CSS), a style sheet language, is used alongside HTML to design web pages. The big difference between the two? Put simply, HTML is the code explaining the content — web page segments like basic text, lists of items, images, buttons, and links — while CSS handles the style and design, meaning aspects like font color and spacing, or visual effects. The beautiful websites you come across online are made that way using largely CSS. It’s essential for making a website look great, as well as for properly communicating your brand.
It’s key to know the latest version, CSS3, which allows long-awaited features like rounded corners, animations and gradients, and a variety of new layout options.
Nowadays, it’s also very important to learn the industry’s best practices for styling websites with CSS. That often means studying SASS, a popular language that extends CSS by both simplifying the coding process and adding special features.
BEM is helpful as well, as a methodology that helps organize code, reuse components, and simply speed up the coding process — something that’s particularly useful for bigger web dev projects.
But of course, like any language, it’s crucial to have a handle on the basic components of CSS before learning SASS and BEM.
Languages to avoid
With so many programming languages out there today, it can be a bit overwhelming figuring out which ones to learn. Starting with the three popular languages above is a safe bet for any budding web developer, and it’s now a good idea to steer clear of some other increasingly phased-out options.
Perl is also safe to avoid. While the flexible, three-decade-old programming language works with HTML, it’s largely been on the out, with few popular websites currently using it.
Interested in learning more? Get the program package for BrainStation’s Web Development Bootcamp. | <urn:uuid:6ef0d825-f106-4b97-87da-5a437587ea89> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://brainstation.io/blog/3-programming-languages-you-need-to-know-for-2018 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347400101.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20200528201823-20200528231823-00062.warc.gz | en | 0.910851 | 668 | 3 | 3 |
In big cities across the country, housing costs keep creeping up. Rents aren’t rising out of sync with inflation—but they are, in most cities, hitting us renters hard. An emerging, quite convincing explanation is that zoning policies have crippled development and pushed rents, yes, too damn high.
In an excellent new paper, David Schleicher, a law professor at George Mason University, argues that the structure of city politics are to blame. By default, city governments make land use decisions that snub small developers, stymie growth, and send housing costs up. I sent Schleicher a few questions about his research. Tomorrow, I’ll post the latter half of our conversation, where Schleicher spells out some solutions for cities aiming to make housing affordable and unleash economic growth.
For starters, how about a brief rundown of your story of why housing in major cities is so expensive.
Generations of scholars assumed that, while exclusive suburbs use zoning rules to limit development to keep people out and to increase the average value of housing, big cities don't do that kind of thing because they are run by "growth machines" or ever more powerful coalitions of developers and the politicians who love them.
But in fact for most of the Twentieth Century, when urban housing prices went up, people starting building housing and prices went down. But, at some point, this broke down.
In a number of big cities, new housing starts seem uncorrelated or only weakly correlated with housing prices and the result of increasing demand while holding supply steady is that price went up fast. The average cost of a Manhattan apartment is now over $1.4 million and the average monthly rent is over $3,300.
The only explanation is that zoning rules stop supply from increasing in the face of rising demand. (In case you are wondering, this not a bubble phenomenon—this happened in many cities before the housing bubble, and the behavior of housing markets during and after the crisis is completely consistent with a story about big city housing supply constraints.) And it's not like real estate developers suddenly became political weaklings. What gives?
The key to my story is that urban legislatures don't have competitive local parties—we don't see big city legislatures divided between Republicans and Democrats, each trying to create a localized brand for competence on local issues. Instead, most local legislatures are either non-partisan or dominated by one party.
As a result, there is no one with the power and incentives to strike deals between legislators in order to promote things that are good for people across the city. And there is no one to decide the order in which issues are decides, which matters when legislative preferences "cycle," or there are majorities that prefer a to b, b to c, and c to a.
The result of the lack of competitive local parties is that procedural rules matter a lot—they set the voting order, which can determine the outcome.
I really liked the elegance of your prisoners dilemma explanation of city zoning politics. Can you walk us through this and your idea of "seriatim decision-making" in legislatures?
The procedure through which zoning rules are made in every major city requires a city to create a "plan" and a zoning map, which creates a maximum allowable building area and type of use for every plot in the city (the area that people can build up to "as of right," or without getting approval from the government is called "the zoning envelope"). Amendments to the map are made "seriatim" or one-by-one, either at the project or at the very most, at the neighborhood level and have to go through the planning commission and the city council. Cities have modified this arrangement by adding extra steps—under New York City's ULURP process, there are non-binding votes in front of community boards and Borough Presidents—but haven't changed the basic structure.
My argument is that these procedural rules can lead to more restrictive zoning for two reasons.
1) Here’s the game theory part: Local legislators may prefer more development than we have now to less, but have stronger preferences for stopping development in their districts because these projects would hurt homeowners in their neighborhoods—either directly through things like increased traffic or indirectly through increasing the supply of housing, harming the value of existing houses.
This is a prisoner's dilemma and absent a political party to organize the vote in local legislatures, one-by-one votes on projects will result in "defect" results, or situations where every legislator builds coalitions to block projects in their own district and nothing gets built. City Councils end up featuring what one journalist called the "ironclad principle of aldermanic privilege" or a norm that Members of the City Council have an absolute power to veto zoning changes in their district.
This makes a big city like a bunch of exclusive suburbs, at least for zoning purposes. Projects that would help the whole city, benefiting economic growth and reducing housing costs for newcomers or renters, lose out because the neighborhood in which they are located doesn't want them and because each project is presented to the Council seriatim.
2) The process works differently for big developers and small ones. When a big new project is proposed, the politics look pretty ordinary, with a big developer fighting against local homeowners.
But big developers don't care about "downzonings" or reductions in the size of the zoning envelope to current use, so that no one can build in a neighborhood as of right. The developers don't care because they haven't an investment yet, and the only concentrated and political powerful group are nearby homeowners who want to restrict development. These downzonings—which have become increasingly common—really matter because small developers can't afford to go through the city planning process to get changes made.
Because we consider changes seriatim, small developers can't piggyback on the lobbying strength of the big developers. Cities end up with a bunch of towers but strong limits on incremental housing growth—small new buildings, granny flats, and the like. This too pushes up housing costs.
The iron rule of aldermanic privilege and the way seriatim decision-making splits the interests of big developers from those of small developers are both products of the procedural rules governing zoning. In lots of policy areas with similar interest group alignment, we don't use seriatim rules—we use things like budget rules or special commissions like the base closing commission. One area that's very similar at the national level but uses a very different procedure is international trade, which provides a model for the reforms I propose in the last part of the paper.
Are there any recent examples that jump out for you?
The paper describes two separate mechanisms: the dominance of local city council members over zoning decisions on property in their districts even when those projects have all sorts of positive spillovers for residents living elsewhere, and the problems created by down-zoning.
And both of them happen all the time.
As for the first, it describes almost every zoning change in big cities—I can't think of many instances in which the city council approved a new building project the opposition of the Member representing the area in which the project sits. If the local member of the City Council opposes a project, it usually dies. Alternatively, the Members gets bought off by the developer, who promises all sorts of local benefits (often through tools like community benefits agreements). That happens all the time.
Take Willets Point, the massive development project in Queens. Despite support from the Mayor, the Queens Borough President and bunch of other officials in the area, the local councilmember—then-Member Hiram Monserrate—was able to block the project until the project included all sorts of goodies for his district, like a fund for relocated tenants, job training in the district etc.
Why did they have to do this, when the rest of the New York political firmament was already in favor? The iron law of aldermanic privilege. And while the things that Members demand sound good, making them part of the building approval process amounts to a tax on development, resulting in more expensive housing and office space for everyone.
What would it take to get a project through a city council over the opposition of the Member who represents the area? The only instance in recent memory I can think where a big development project got through despite opposition from the council member who represents the area is the Ridge Hill project in Yonkers. And there is now a trial suggesting that the only reason that it happened was due to another councilperson being bribed. That's crazy! The power of local council members over projects in their districts is so absolute that the only exceptions are criminal!
The second story in my paper is about how the gains from new development are often offset by down-zonings that reduce the ability of small developers and individual land-owners to grow the housing stock incrementally. As a result, even a city that approves lots of new projects can end up "shrink-wrapping" itself and driving up the cost of housing.
My favorite example is from New York City. There was a huge fight over the Atlantic Yards project---litigation, massive city and state involvement, the whole nine Yards, if you will. But it got through and will increase the amount of housing in South Brooklyn.
While this was all going on (and just afterward), the neighborhoods to the west of the project—Boerum Hill and Carroll Gardens —had "contextual rezonings" approved, which reduced the zoning envelope over existing buildings. The result was the no one in these areas could build pop-up structures on their roofs or short new apartment buildings. This reduced growth in potential housing supply in these areas, but no one showed up to oppose the changes.
While the Bruce Ratner's (the developer of Atlantic Yards and Ridge Hill) of the world can get new projects through the zoning process, someone who wants to build a small building or a granny flat just can't do so. The result is that these downzonings cut off lots of housing development. | <urn:uuid:553f68c2-3cee-4a85-95ed-db8921d9253a> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbergen/2012/03/05/the-stagnant-city-how-urban-politics-are-pushing-rents-up/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875148163.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20200228231614-20200229021614-00366.warc.gz | en | 0.9614 | 2,072 | 2.515625 | 3 |
I am a huge fan of games. Here are some things I learned by playing the computer game SimCity 2000, when I was around 11 years old:
- what zoning is, and the difference between residential, industrial, and commercial zoning types
- what utilities cities provide, and how utilities have to be connected to all areas of the city
- how cities generate revenue through taxes and bonds
- the advantages and disadvantages of different types of transit systems
- how high crime or a lack of city services can create a “blighted” neighborhood
- the advantages and disadvantages of coal, nuclear, wind, hydroelectric, and solar power
- and on a sillier note, I found out that if you build high-rise offices next to your airport, planes will run into the buildings attempting to land (I finally realized the recurring “boom” sound effects and the disappearing buildings were connected)
More importantly, I still remember all this, unlike most things I was taught in 6th grade! I learned at least this much from several other games, such as Civilization. Games are amazingly powerful learning tools. They are especially useful for learning about complex systems, such as how a city works or the broad patterns of technological change and development over time. And as a bonus, games can be a very fun way to learn.
So I like games. The issue with gamification is that, by its nature, it’s adding game elements, such as point systems, achievement badges, or “leveling up” into content that is not already structured as a game. Those game elements can have very powerful influences on behavior, but in a way that is often unhelpful to education.
Why? Game elements are a form of extrinsic motivation; that is, they motivate people to engage in behaviors for reasons other than the intrinsic worth of the activity. There is a large body of research that shows that extrinsic motivators will temporarily and often powerfully shift behavior, but will ultimately lead to less interest in the activity that is being rewarded.
Moreover, there is reason to believe that students learn much more when the game is an intrinsic part of the content that is supposed to be learned, rather than an extrinsic element added on top of the content.
If our goal is to create intrinsically motivated, life-long learners, extrinsic game elements won’t help. Gamification means we’re taking the risk that students won’t learn much and will lose interest in learning over the long term.
If you’ve had an experience with educational games or gamification, we want to hear from you. What worked? What flopped? What kept your students engaged? Please share your thoughts in the comment section. | <urn:uuid:d42c1cfe-2aca-4301-bc94-3e90156a5a22> | CC-MAIN-2014-10 | http://navigator.compasslearning.com/technology/educational-games-vs-gamification-in-education/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-10/segments/1394011232483/warc/CC-MAIN-20140305092032-00088-ip-10-183-142-35.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971066 | 567 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Preface: The Umbrella of "USA Freedom
USA Freedom Corps serves as
an umbrella for volunteer networks: National Service Programs, Volunteer
Service Initiatives, Volunteer Service Action Priorities... Under USA
Freedom Corps, "presidential initiatives" promotea number of
volunteer efforts within administration-controlled formats. Peace Corps
is listed under this "umbrella," though as yet Peace
Corps is still administratively separate.
Promoting Volunteerism is a
great idea. Part of its strength is that it is a two-way learning situaton,
as RPCVs know well.
- Are these programs focused
on mutual understanding & exchange? or
- Are they focused in patronizing
or condescending ways?
- Can RPCVs help make volunteerism
a mutually beneficial experience, at home and abroad? How?
Examine the rhetoric of these
programs for yourself–especially since Peace Corps seems to be organized with them.
2002, President George W. Bush created the USA Freedom Corps to capture
the spirit of sacrifice that emerged throughout our communities and
provide Americans with meaningful opportunities to serve their communities
and our country."
the request of President Bush, AmeriCorps has expanded its work to include
projects directly related to homeland security."
provides opportunities for people to participate in a range of measures
to make their families, their homes, and their communities safer from
the threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds."
& Serve America http://www.learnandserve.org
Serve America makes grants to schools, colleges, and nonprofit groups
to support efforts to engage students in community service linked to
academic achievement and the development of civic skills."
than four decades, the volunteers of the Peace Corps
have carried the good will of America into many parts of the world.
Interest in this program is greater than ever before.” –
President George W. Bush on May 21, 2003
taps the skills, talents, and experience of more than 500,000 Americans
age 55 and older to meet a wide range of community needs through three
programs: RSVP, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Companions."
--American History, Civics & Service:
need to understand our history in order to be engaged and effective
citizens in a democratic society. Yet according to the U.S. Department
of Education's National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), which
tracks both Civics and American History understanding among K-12 students,
less than one quarter of America's students are proficient in either
in Service to America http://www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org/
George W. Bush has called on all Americans to commit at least 4,000
hours—the equivalent of two years over the course of their lives—to
the service of others. By serving something greater than themselves,
young people will learn about their rich democratic traditions as Americans,
help meet vital community needs, and become responsible and engaged
in America http://www.takepride.gov
we must maintain our natural, cultural and historic resources and improve
them so that we can all enjoy them now and our children and grandchildren
can enjoy them in the future."
-- VfP: Volunteers
Volunteers for Prosperity initiative...is based upon longstanding principles
of the United States to assist in the development of other nations
and pursue a global health and prosperity agenda essential to national
security." [Administered under USAID] | <urn:uuid:fc64ce47-0bac-4546-909e-60f7f806b09d> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://edweb.sdsu.edu/sdpca/articles/UsaCorpsVfP.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1405997894865.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20140722025814-00193-ip-10-33-131-23.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902575 | 730 | 2.59375 | 3 |
PBS Kids is launching a new show aimed at introducing early math concepts through problem-solving and good old trial and error. Peg + Cat begins airing Oct. 7, accompanied with online and mobile content to teach kids the building blocks of mathematical thinking, like measurements, big and little, and more, and collaborative learning as the Peg and Cat problem solve together.
There are big ideas behind the show. “Over half of our nation’s children are performing below proficient levels in math by the 4th grade, which is why we need to start early to give young children the foundation they need to succeed in this important curricular area,” according to Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children’s Programming, PBS. “Peg also promises to be a positive role model for girls; this is critical because research shows that kids identify math as being for boys and not for girls as early as second grade.*”
Peg + Cat deal with failure, they make mistakes, and sometimes they get upset, but they never give up, which reinforces the message of perseverance.
While that is all great news to parents, the best news is that the show is visually beautiful. Parents, too, have to watch these shows over and over, and will certainly get the songs stuck in their heads, which means that while these shows are for the benefit of kids, it’s always good that adults will be pleased with it, too. A clip of the show was shown at the Digital Kids Summit in San Francisco last week, where it was met with approval and satisfied concerns that while some educational apps aimed at kids teach academic concepts, social and emotional lessons are left behind. Peg + Cat satisfies both types of learning with math concepts couched in collaborative problem solving where the characters sometimes get things wrong and have to try again.
Peg + Cat is a production of The Fred Rogers Company. To see clips or access online games and activities, visit the PBS Kids website. (You may want to lower the volume on your computer or else be startled by a “welcome to our website” announcement from Peg.)
** “Math–Gender Stereotypes in Elementary School Children”; Dario Cvencek, Andrew N. Meltzoff, and Anthony G. Greenwald; University of Washington; Child Development, May⁄ June 2011, Volume 82, Number 3, Pages 766–779 | <urn:uuid:36472910-fc91-4d2c-bed4-9318b30f157c> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | http://siliconvalleymamas.com/2013/09/pbs-adds-math-concepts-program-to-its-kids-line-up/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250614086.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20200123221108-20200124010108-00276.warc.gz | en | 0.957898 | 497 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Anonymity is soon becoming extinct with the digital age. With social plugins and log activities, it has become nearly impossible to protect one’s privacy and one’s identity. However, the bright side is that the progress in the capability of internet usage is being made in both directions. So while there are sinister individuals bearing malicious intentions, there are also those IT specialists who are striving to offer internet privacy to users.
What is TOR?
TOR stands for The Onion Router and is a free software (both as in free speech and free beer) that offers protection to you by juggling your communications within a relay network that is run by volunteers from across the globe. By directing Internet traffic through more than six thousand relays, TOR can offer protection and concealment of user’s location and user activity from those conducting a traffic analysis or network surveillance.
In simple terms,
- It can prevent any other person to have remote access to your private internet usage information.
- It can stop sites that you visit from gaining access to your physical location.
- It also lets you access blocked sites.
So, what you do on the internet and through your browser now stays your private information.
What is TOR Browser?
Literally a browser that lets you use TOR on Mac OS X, Linux or Windows without requiring a download of a particular software other than the Tor Browser.
Here are some properties of the Tor browser:
- It can even run from a USB flash drive, it can be portable.
- It is self-contained, no additional software required.
- It has a pre-configured web browser with special settings to offer further protection to privacy and anonymity; you can disable websites' scripts.
Why is it Important to Use TOR?
Traffic analysis is a common form of internet surveillance. Although at most times it could be harmless, yet at some occasions where this analysis is meant to creep into the private information of an individual, it can even infer who is talking/chatting to whom and even vital information like identification codes, physical location and financial standing.
At the time of using the internet, users leave their track all over web. For example, every time the users visit the website, their IP address (which is the computer’s ‘address’) will be logged and the websites will also save information regarding the browsers they are using and even the time they spend on the website and the links that were visited.
By downloading TOR browser 4.5.1, you can attempt to protect your privacy and hence keep your anonymity.
What are the new features of TOR Browser 4.5.1?
TOR Browser 4.5.1 was released a few days ago and introduces some tweaks.
Indeed, TOR Browser 4.5.1 is based on the updated Firefox ESR 31.7.0.
You may ask yourself what is Firefox ESR ? Simply put, it's a special Firefox edition made for people who don't want the latest, bleeding edge features, new technologies, and performance enhancements, but instead need an Extended Support, that is to say, it's updated less often, but its end of life is further in time, it receives updates for longer.
This new Firefox ESR version corrects several security vulnerabilities, including a critical one that could 'be used to run attacker code and install software, requiring no user interaction beyond normal browsing.'
To be fair, TOR browser 4.5.1 is mainly a refinement of the 4.5 release.
New features of TOR Browser 4.5
As you can read on the official TOR blog post, TOR browser 4.5 brought improvement in three domains: usability, security, and finally privacy.
1) Usability Improvements
Until now, when you installed the TOR browser on Windows, by default, it sat in a folder on your desktop, without any further integration with the Windows OS. But that has now changed with the 4.5 release, which introduce much needed little things such as shortcuts in the Start menu (or the Applications view on Windows 8). Of course, it's an option you can disable in the case of a portable installation
The Green Onion menu in the browser has also been simplified now display your current TOR circuit in the onion network.
They also made changes under the hood in the way TOR browser handles TOR circuit in general : now, the TOR circuit used for a site shouldn't change in the middle of your browsing session, eliminating the jarring language changes that could happen in the past.
2) Security Improvements
The biggest change in the TOR browser 4.5 branch is the new Security Slider which allows you to set simply your security settings in a way similar to Internet Explorer.
Another notable change is the new DigiCert signed installation package. Before that, when you installed TOR browser on Windows, there was a warning about 'unknown sources'. With the new certificate, you can be sure you downloaded the official TOR browser and not a modified copy.
There's also a rewrite of the underlying encryption mechanisms of TOR browser, namely obfs2,obfs3, ScrambleSuit transport and obfs4 (more resistant to probing).
3) Privacy Improvements
TOR Browser 4.5 introduces a new feature called First Party Isolation to prevent the nasty tracking from spying on you. With First Party Isolation, social sharing buttons (Facebook Like, Google+ +1, Twitter Tweet) and other trackers can only track you on the website there are, not accross websites over the whole Internet.
Why TOR Browser isn't the best privacy protection
However, the TOR Browser has several drawbacks that prevent it from becoming an ultimate privacy protection, compared to VPN services:
1. TOR Relays can be malicious
When your connection is relayed through volunteers' computers that are part of the TOR network, there is always the small risk of having your information passing through a rogue relay, that could spy on your traffic, as noted by a PCWorld article dated of January 2014:
Even though connections between Tor relays are encrypted, traffic is returned to its original state when it leaves the network. This means that if it’s not using SSL or another secure transport protocol, Tor exit relays can inspect it.
A TOR exit relay is the final computer in the onion routing, the one that retrieves the webpage that your TOR browser has asked. That's why a rogue relay can be dangerous, unless you use SSL connections: not only it can inspect your traffic, but it can also modify it, inject malware on the pages you visit, or even in your downloads as it happened in November 2014 with the OnionDuke APT Malware discovered by the Finnish security company F-Secure.
But that's not the only risk associated with using the TOR browser...
2. Plugins can give away your real IP (your location)
TOR browser is just a browser. So it in fact uses a Proxy, with a weaker encryption than the standard VPN protocol, OpenVPN. But there's another threat: plugins. Even though Apple has done everything to make Adobe Flash obsolete, numerous websites still rely on it for animated contents, videos... And Flash is not proxied when you're using TOR. And it's the same story with Java. Of course, Java has lots of vulnerabilities on its own, but it doesn't play ball with TOR browser either. And the plugins like Java, Real Player, QuickTime and others can be manipulated through exploits to give away your true location and identity.
3. Your downloads betray you
When you download a file with the TOR browser, you download them with your IP hidden by the TOR onion network. But if you open them with an external application, like Adobe Reader or Word, the internet-resources they contain (i.e. images) will call home and they will be downloaded with your real, non-TOR IP address, thus exposing it.
However, not everything is dark in the TOR world. If you're ready to recycle a USB key for TOR, you could significantly improve your protection.
Tails, a Live OS on your flash key for your privacy
Even though the TOR project's flagship product is the TOR Browser, there is something even more secured based on it. Tails, acronym for The Amnesic Incognito Live System, is a complete operating system (like Windows), that you can install on a USB key. When you boot from this key, Windows (or your regular OS) doesn't start, and instead it's a Linux-based OS with only TOR browser and other security tools that boots.
Tails is super-secured, and it was even used by Edward Snowden to evade the NSA.
Any Questions Left?
What do you think of TOR? Do you use it? What other tools are you using? Tell us in the comments just at the bottom of this page. | <urn:uuid:96ab3c56-b185-48f2-a2b6-48ac25d7e076> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | https://vpnrevie.ws/2015/05/15/is-your-anonymity-compromised-over-the-internet/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549448095.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20170728062501-20170728082501-00208.warc.gz | en | 0.931774 | 1,822 | 2.875 | 3 |
Introduction to Reproductive Disorders of Cats
Also see professional content regarding the reproductive system.
The reproductive system is the group of organs that produce offspring. In both males and females, the reproductive system is composed of primary sex organs and primary regulatory centers. The primary sex organs are testes in the male and the ovaries and uterus in the female. The primary regulatory centers are in the brain. They control the production of hormones that in turn influence the functioning of the primary sex organs. | <urn:uuid:9ca3320a-7e7f-458a-a496-67c67634da84> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://www.merckvetmanual.com/en-pr/cat-owners/reproductive-disorders-of-cats/introduction-to-reproductive-disorders-of-cats | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187825227.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20171022113105-20171022133105-00210.warc.gz | en | 0.921812 | 97 | 3.125 | 3 |
Learn About The Latest Malware!
When Your PC is on the Blink: Let GoGeeks! Rescue You ...
When we think about repair of most items in our daily life -- such as your car or lawnmower or a major household appliance -- we typically are envisioning a worn or broken part that needs to be replaced. Sometimes that is the case with a home computer, but very rarely. Most of the time, your problem is not hardware-related. This is difficult to conceptualize for the computer novice, but most PC issues are software-related. What the heck does that mean? OK -- here's a free lesson -- get ready:
Unlike almost everything else you own, a home computer contains software -- lots of it! Many appliances in today's world use software too, but generally this is programmed into the unit itself and is not designed to be altered by the end-user: you! A PC has that kind of information in it also -- it is called the BIOS and is programmed into the motherboard that controls your computer. BIOS updates are rare and should only be updated by a computer professional. That is not the kind of software we are talking about!
The major piece of software in your computer is the operating system, and while there are several types of operating system software, most of the world utilizes the Microsoft Windows Operating System. (Another major operating system is the Apple Macintosh.) There are several different versions of Windows currently in use, including Windows XP, the somewhat buggy Windows Vista and the brand new cutting edge Windows 7 operating system. The Windows operating system is based upon a "registry" of information with thousands of pieces of info, much of it expressed in "0's" and "1's" -- the binary system of computer language. If your registry gets corrupted, your computer will not operate correctly -- it may not operate at all!
The operating system often includes other software programs "bundled" into it like picture viewers, music and video players, simple word processors and games. Many PC manufacturers also include other programs with the PC's sold at retail. Most consumers purchase other software for their computers, as well. Digital photo programs, productivity software, games, encyclopedias, and PC security programs are typical programs people often purchase separately and install into their home computers.
The greatest thing about computers is the variety of programs available for installation, making your PC almost infinitely expandable and customizable! But there is a flip-side to this as well: all software programs do not play nicely with each other -- literally! For instance, your system could be running great and one day you install some travel mapping software a buddy recommends. Everything might seem fine at first, but a few days later you might open a program you have been using for years -- like Word or Excel for example -- and suddenly there are all kinds of errors. Or let's suppose that your travel program causes no problems on its own, but a few days later your niece or grandson shows up with some kid's game. The child installs it (because kids know how to install stuff!) and the next time you restart your computer you get "the blue screen of death!" And by the way, the travel program and the kid's game run on other people's computers with no issues! This is a classic example of what an end user will often consider an unfathomable computer glitch, but it's fairly common. There are thousands of software programs in use today. The majority of these programs have successfully passed Windows testing. This means they will run on the Windows operating system. At the same time, they often have not been tested to run with all of these other programs in the same "environment."
An even more common problem is the corruption of your operating system by viruses and spyware. The number one reason for GoGeeks! rescue missions is infection by virus or spyware, and most users have no clue that these are the culprits for their misbehaving machine. Viruses are malicious code that wreak havoc with your PC. In extreme cases, viruses can destroy your data and make your PC virtually inoperable.
Viruses are a kind of cyber-terrorism perpetrated by anonymous "vandals" who get a vicarious thrill out of "breaking windows" (ha-ha). But seriously, folks -- viruses are no laughing matter. Any computer with internet access through dial-up or DSL/cable is susceptible, often from opening an email attachment or visiting certain web sites, but infection can also occur from media like a floppy diskette or from simply being on a network in your office, for instance.
The only real way to protect yourself from viruses is to purchase and maintain a subscription to a quality anti-virus software that also includes an anti-spyware element.
Spyware -- a category that also includes "adware" and "porn dialers" -- are like viruses but often go undetected by the very best anti-virus programs. These are commercial programs deliberately intended to infiltrate your system, uploading your personal data, sending you annoying pop-ups, redirecting you to their websites and hijacking your browser to the degree that you can't get online anymore. Spyware is the number one malady we find on home computers today, especially in homes with teenage children. Why? Because spyware spreads rapidly through popular instant messaging (IM) services like AIM that virtually all teenagers rely upon to communicate with their friends. Messaging is not the only way spyware spreads (visiting adult sites and gambling sites are also risky), but it is such an epidemic among PC's that you can almost count on the fact that if you have a teenager, you have spyware on your computer. There are "spy-blocking" programs that can be installed to clean your system and prevent future infections, but be wary of "free" programs offered through internet pop-ups -- most of these are actually wolves in sheep's clothing -- spyware disguised as something else!
A very popular GoGeeks! service is the tune-up. Just like a car, your PC will run better and faster with less errors if you get it tuned-up from time to time. For $69, we spend about 45 minutes: editing your start-up files to get rid of programs eating up memory by running in the background, checking for Windows updates, inspecting your anti-virus & spy-blocking software to ensure you are protected, dumping your temporary files and ensuring your PC is running the way it should be. We look for problems behind the scenes you might not detect until they become serious problems. A tune-up every six months or so can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation later.
It is possible that you have a hardware problem in addition to your software problem, or apart from it. Your hard drive might be going, in which case we need to back up your data right away or all of your precious pictures and the great American novel you've been working on will be lost forever. An electrical problem may have fried your modem. Your loud fan could be a symptom of a power supply that is about to die. While hardware issues are less frequent than software-related ones, we handle all hardware repair and replacement, as well as upgrades, and our parts are warranteed. We will also make a fair recommendation to you about repair. In some cases it would make more sense with an older machine to simply replace it, rather than fix it. We'll be honest with you about your options and let you make the call. After all, it is our job to rescue you! | <urn:uuid:c2663396-f3a8-4f80-a816-30c9c7910197> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://gogeeks.com/repair.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549423764.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20170721082219-20170721102219-00198.warc.gz | en | 0.955076 | 1,550 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, have documented what they are calling possibly the most extreme case of animal structure elongation documented to date.
In a paper published in the November 6 issue of the journal Nature, Suzanne Dufour and Horst Felbeck show that a clam from a certain species can extend its foot (clams have only one foot) up to 30 times the length of its shell to reach chemicals in marine sediment necessary for the survival of their symbionts, marine bacteria that live within the clams.
To test the extension process, Dufour set up aquarium tanks with sediment to investigate how clams that require chemicals differ from those that do not. Clams that live in a symbiotic relationship with marine bacteria act as hosts that retrieve chemicals, typically sulfide or methane.
The Nature paper explains that the symbiotic clams in the Thyasiridae family elongate their feet to burrow extensive mines in an effort to reach the sulfide. X-rays taken through Dufour’s plexiglass tanks over several weeks revealed long, branch-like mines extending through the sediment, especially in cases tested under low sulfide conditions, which forced clams to stretch their feet farther.
While they had expected some extension, Dufour says the results were “amazing.” She found clams with shells measuring 4.5 millimeters that had elongated their feet some 13 centimeters from the shell.
“What I find the most interesting about this work is that only the clams with symbionts make these very long burrows,” said Dufour, a graduate student in the marine biology curricular program at Scripps. “The thyasirids in my study that didn’t have symbionts did not make such burrows. To get the sulfide the bacteria need, these clams have evolved the ability to mine the sediment with their feet—it shows that very different species can find amazing ways of cooperating.”
The study was supported by Scripps Institution’s graduate department, the Baxter and Alma Ricard Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest, and most important centers for global science research and graduate training in the world. The scientific scope of the institution has grown since its founding in 1903. A century of Scripps science has had an invaluable impact on oceanography, on understanding of the earth, and on society. More than 300 research programs are under way today in a wide range of scientific areas. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide exploration. Now plunging boldly into the 21st century, Scripps is celebrating its centennial in 2003.
Cite This Page: | <urn:uuid:b90a4770-70ea-4061-a0d3-f861fb55c19c> | CC-MAIN-2014-41 | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/11/031110055245.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-41/segments/1410657121288.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20140914011201-00100-ip-10-196-40-205.us-west-1.compute.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951924 | 604 | 4.15625 | 4 |
While I relayed yesterday, aging is complex; arguably a process no one quite agrees upon, but in essence will happen no matter what the professionals believe or do not believe. What they all agree upon is the fact that aging affects different people in different ways in different parts of their bodies.
Many gerontologists, people who study aging, believe that the interaction of our lifelong influences are the determining factor in who we age. Heredity, environment, culture, diet, exercise, past illnesses, leisure and a variety of other factors are all set in this equation. As each person is unique in these characteristics, so they age at a unique rate as well.
According to the NIH website, there is really no way to predict exactly how you will age, but they have included a few terms for us caregivers to study and be able to use when times arise. Keeping up with medical terms is just another method to prove that With Age Comes Respect. The terms are:
- Cells shrink. If enough cells decrease in size, the entire organ atrophies. This is often a normal aging change and can occur in any tissue. It is most common in skeletal muscle, the heart, the brain, and the sex organs (such as the breasts).
- The cause of atrophy is unknown, but may include reduced use, decreased workload, decreased blood supply or nutrition to the cells, and reduced stimulation by nerves or hormones.
- Cells enlarge. This is caused by an increase of proteins in the cell membrane and cell structures, not an increase in the cell’s fluid.
- When some cells atrophy, others may hypertrophy to make up for the loss of cell mass.
- The number of cells increases. There is an increased rate of cell division.
- Hyperplasia usually occurs to compensate for loss of cells. It allows some organs and tissues to regenerate, including the skin, lining of the intestines, liver, and bone marrow. The liver is especially good at regeneration. It can replace up to 70% of its structure within 2 weeks after an injury.
- Tissues that have limited ability to regenerate include bone, cartilage, and smooth muscle (such as the muscles around the intestines). Tissues that rarely or never regenerate include the nerves, skeletal muscle, heart muscle, and the lens of the eye. When injured, these tissues are replaced with scar tissue.
- The size, shape, or organization of mature cells becomes abnormal. This is also called atypical hyperplasia.
- Dysplasia is fairly common in the cells of the cervix and the lining of the respiratory tract.
- The formation of tumors, either cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).
- Neoplastic cells often reproduce quickly. They may have unusual shapes and abnormal function. | <urn:uuid:91fccd3f-30c4-4917-8f30-ab9f4144d837> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | https://melissalstoneburner.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/the-aging-theory-continued/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187823839.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20171020063725-20171020083725-00558.warc.gz | en | 0.941019 | 578 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Subsets and Splits