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Frequency of Training Three to five days per week is optimal. Training two or less days per week usually does not cause an increase in aerobic fitness. Training more than five days per week results in only a small increase in aerobic capacity when compared to three to five days per week. Intensity of Training The heart rate is a very good indicator of how hard a person is working. The minimum training intensity threshold for improvement in aerobic endurance is about 60% of the maximal heart rate.The heart rate can be measured easily at the wrist or at the neck. At the wrist, place the first two fingers just below the base of the thumb on the inside of the wrist. At the neck, place the first two fingers on either side of the neck, approximately straight down from the outer corner of the lips. In order to measure the exercise heart rate, slow down exercising and immediately find your pulse at either the wrist or the neck. Count the number of beats for 10 seconds and multiply that number by six. The heart rate slows down quickly after stopping exercise, so do not take a 15 second or 1 minute count. The level of fitness at the beginning of this program is important. A beginner will probably need to exercise at a lower intensity (60% vs. 85%) of maximum heart rate to be able to continue over the necessary minimum length of time. Duration of Training Twenty to 60 minutes of continuous aerobic activity is recommended. Activities of lower intensity should be conducted over longer periods of time. The total amount of work done in a work‑out is an important factor in developing and maintaining fitness. Activities performed at a lower intensity over a longer period of time may be as effective as performing the activity at a higher intensity and shorter duration. For example, walking briskly three miles in 42 minutes may be as effective at building aerobic endurance as running two miles in 20 minutes. Mode of Activity Activities that use large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and are rhythmical and aerobic in nature are recommended. These activities include walking, running, bicycling, cross‑country skiing, dancing, rope skipping, rowing, stair climbing, swimming, skating, and other endurance games. Activities that require running and jumping generally cause more injuries than do low impact and non‑weight bearing types of activities. The aerobic exercise session should have a 5‑10 minute warm‑up. The purpose of the warm‑up is to gradually increase the heart rate. The actual aerobic training session should last 20‑60 minutes, during which the heart rate should be elevated into the training zone. Following this should be a 5‑10 minute cool down which allows the body and heart rate to return to normal. The cool down also may prevent dizziness, fainting, or nausea.
Everybody Loves A Road Trip! Road Trip! For Teachers Contact / Bios Rest Areas The fun, cooperative classroom experience exploring the history and future of ground transportation! Welcome to the new, interactive, easy and cooperative 4th through 6th grade classroom experience for hands-on learning the histories of and imagining the futures of ground transportation here on earth and soon on distant planets. This diverse, entertaining and simple-to-teach course begins with students playing an interactive game that challenges and guides them as they discover the answers to clues about the origins of America's trails and the reasons some trails become roads and super highways. Students use multiple modes of learning techniques including, logic, imagination, art, science, math, and corporative social skills to unravel the mysteries of ground transportation. Students learn that primary trails were not created by humans! Students unwrap the knowledge of how Native American history links to our transportation facilities today and into the future. This learning program is the creation of Glenn Ballantyne and David Miller. Glenn is an educator and writer and David is a professional highway engineer. The feedback from these experiences was that students don't have a focused curriculum to learn about why, when, where and how roads come into existence. Because they have no knowledge about roads, they can't even imagine how roadways are technologically evolving, becoming increasingly expensive to build and to maintain. They have no idea who designs roads or where money comes from to support our roads and super highways. They have no idea that scientists, sociologists, planners, engineers, environmentalists, etc are needed to build and operate our ground transportation facilities. From this awareness of an educational shortcoming came the motivation to develop this colorful, inviting and unique learning experience. Road trips were major adventures in the Miller and Ballantyne households when David and Glenn were children. During those early years, each family enjoyed seeing the passing landscapes, wildlife, cafés, motels, farms, forests and towns. Today, David Miller and Glenn Ballantyne continue to enjoy road trips with friends and family, but now with more awareness of the environment, safety, and the opportunities for future generations. Everyone Loves A Road Trip is the doorway to the amazingly diverse, yet interconnected tapestry of life that ground transportation creates and sustains. Transportation facilities (including dirt roads to concrete super highways) are essential to the existence of neighborhoods, towns, cities and nations. The more we all know about roads, the smoother we will all travel down the highway of life together.
The Emergent Song (The Earth Song) by Samuel Jagoda Everyone loves music. The sound of a beautiful harmony cascading like falling water. The pulse of a beat that resonates your entire body. Music is entwined in all of us as a fundamental part of our culture. Some call it a gift that only few can master. Others worship to it to feel connected to something other worldly. Still more just want to dance to it. Have you ever wondered... Where did this wonderful substance-less language come from? Would you be shocked if I told you that music has been here since the birth of our home, the Earth? Since before man tapped his first drum or sang his first note, a song emerged from the depths of creation. One that has been flowing and evolving with the tide of life since the colliding energy that makes our existence possible came together. I want you to close your eyes, open your ears and drift back, far into time. Back before the first cities. Back before the mighty reptilian conquerors. Back before the first developing land creature stretched its legs out of the sea. Back to when the Earth was still mixing and churning and forming. The elements were dancing back and forth, busy creating new substances. There was a silence in these primal days. Well, not exactly a silence.; it was more of a deafening hum. It was the most overwhelming sound that never changed and never weakened. It was as if every chord of the Universe was being struck at the same time. This hum stretched over the course of many millions of years until a settling of the Earth's substances started to take place. Out of the cooling primal fury came water, air, and rocks. In conjunction with the sun, these three substances shaped and sustained the Earth. With their arrival, the deafening hum started to break down. It was then that the song of the Earth began to emerge from that initial roar of creation. It rose up subtly at first, then becoming more defined as the years passed. There was the steady 'woosh' of the wind, the 'clapping' of the waves and the shores, the rain 'tapping' on the rocks, and the rocks 'pounding' as they ruptured and split. As the Earth became filled with new motion the hum slowly dispersed into different sounds and the song of the Earth had begun. Can you imagine what it was like? This rhythm of nature building and constructing. It was preparing. You see, the orchestra was not complete yet. There were many parts still needed to join in. Millions of years passed and the song became greater in expression and rhythm. The rain continued to tap, the wind whistled and blew, the waves clapped, and the rocks pounded. Then, deep from within the ocean, something responded. It started very soft, almost unnoticeable at first. It wasn't so much of an audible sound as a feeling of potential. Time continued to crawl and as it did, this potential crawled too. Out from the ocean came the Amphibians and with them the first voices. This was truly a time of celebration. The song that had been building for so long on Earth now had new participants. The Amphibians filled the rhythms of nature with new articulations and they became just as diverse as the original forces of the song had. The song of the Earth became more harmonious and gorgeous every day. Eventually the lands were filled with voices, small and large, in many different qualities. The Reptiles roared their way into the song making quite a ruckus. Then later the birds chimed in with their sweet singing. But the birds weren't the final layer of this song even though their contribution was truly beautiful. For the song to be perfect, it required a few more components. The Mammals joined in next adding their voices to the composition, which was truly great by this time. Such a song had never been heard in the Universe before, but it was still not complete. As new creatures joined in, some disappeared leaving empty harmonies and incomplete rhythms. A whole lot of hard work was not being fully realized. As if in answer to this, a miracle occurred. A being that had never been before arose among the animals. With him came a voice and mind that would be able to sustain and build the song to levels never before realized. That creature was Man. He listened to the patterns and rhythms around him and began to channel them. Through his hands, all of the long lost voices as well as new ones were possible. He also added his own voice to the ancient song. The song that has been flowing since the first dawn on our home world, and will continue to do so as long as we all help to sustain it. Together the lives of this planet will sing this song into infinity, exploring harmonies and rhythms never before conceived. Expressing beautiful melodies that will ring throughout the grand and mysterious Universe from whence all came.
Radon Testing While the above disclosure is required by Florida law to be in all contracts for the sale, purchase or lease of residential real estate, this is what the Florida Department of Health says about radon in buildings, “Radon, a Class A carcinogen, is the second cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year (one every 25 minutes.) In Florida, one in five homes tested has elevated radon levels above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L.” (FL Dept of Health) “In some areas of Florida, one out of two homes has excessive amounts of radon”. (FL Dept of Health). While we hope the above gets your attention, finding elevated radon levels is something that can be easily mitigated, and relatively inexpensively at that. The most important thing though is not exposing yourself or your family to this unnecessary health risk. What is radon? Radon is formed by the natural radioactive decay of uranium in rock, soil and water. Low levels of uranium occur widely in the Earth’s crust and can be found in all 50 states. This highly carcinogenic gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless. Unless you test for it, there is no way of telling how much is present in your home. The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon Generals Office have estimated as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths are caused each year by radon. This is second only to smoking.Radiation Exposure to the public Why should I be concerned? As the radon gas enters your home it is undergoing radioactive decay, emitting ionizing radiation in the form of alpha particles and short-lived decay products called progeny, some of which are also radioactive. As the decay of these progeny continues, radiation is continually released. Unlike radon, the progeny are not gases, and they can easily attach to dust, pollen and other particles. These particles can then be transported by air and can also be breathed. When you breathe in air containing radon, you are at an elevated risk for lung cancer. Incidence of Radon Related Lung Cancer Why should you test for radon? Testing is the only way to know your home’s radon levels. There are no immediate symptoms that will alert you to the presence of radon and it typically takes years of exposure before any problems surface. Current state surveys show that on average, one in five homes tested have a problem. The US EPA, Surgeon General, American Lung Association, American Medical Association and the National Safety Council recommend testing your home. How do I test for radon? At Inspect Tally, your Tallahassee Home Inspector, we use continuous radon monitors which utilize a pulse ionized chamber to test your home’s levels. This data is uploaded and reviewed by the staff of a national radon company, Radalink, out of Atlanta. We merely place and pick up the monitor following the best practices outlined by the EPA. This device measures and produces results in picocuries per liter of air or pCi/L. The ions are created from the alpha radiation and these ions then are detected by the electrometer. These detectors are typically deployed for a minimum of 48 hours. The monitors are active devices that continuously measure and record the amount of radon and its decay products in the air. These devices are also specifically designed to deter and detect test interference by a third party, which ensures you a more reliable result. What is the “acceptable” level of radon in the air? Radon Levels in environment and indoors Radon Levels in PicoCuries per Liter The EPA states any radon exposure carries some risk; no level of exposure is safe. However, they recommend homes be mitigated if an occupants long-term exposure will average 4 pCi/L or higher. The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. The US Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below. What are PicoCuries? The concentration of radon gas is not measured directly but rather by the radioactivity it produces. It is expressed in picoCuries per liter of air, or “pCi/L”. A Curie is a unit of radioactivity equivalent to 1 gram of radium and the prefix “pico” means a trillionth. In the metric system, radon concentrations is expressed in Becquerels per cubic meter (Bq/m3). One Becquerel means one radioactive disintegration per second, and 4 pCi/L equals to 148 Bq/m3. In an average basement, 38 million atoms will undergo radioactive decay each hour. The 4 piC/L has become a benchmark for real estate transactions, but that level still carries considerable risk – equivalent to getting a chest x-ray or smoking 10 cigarettes a day. How does Radon enter a home? Radon is an invisible and odorless radioactive gas. Elevated levels of radon have been found in homes all across the county. Any home in any state may have a radon problem: new and old homes, well sealed and drafty homes, homes with or without basements. Radon from soil is by far the main source of indoor radon. Radon moves naturally into the permeable disturbed soil and gravel beds surrounding foundations and then inside the building through openings, cracks and pores in concrete. The air pressure inside homes is slightly lower than in the ground, which draws in radon gas from several feet away. The warm air inside buildings moves naturally upwards and this “stack effect” reduces air pressure in basements and crawlspaces. Radon is also pulled through diffusion, which is driven by the difference of radon concentration indoors and in the soil. Diffusion contributes up to 80% of radon levels found in homes. radon movement through soil Radon movement through soil Radon Entry from soil to home Radon Entry from Soil into Home Pin It on Pinterest Share This
This is documentation for Mathematica 6, which was based on an earlier version of the Wolfram Language. View current documentation (Version 11.1) Mathematica Import/Export Format PLY (.ply) 3D geometry format. ASCII or binary format. Used for storage and interchange of 3D graphical objects. Known as Stanford Triangle Format. PLY is an acronym derived from polygon. Allows user-defined format elements. "Elements"list of elements and options available in this file "Rules"full list of rules for each element and option "Options"list of rules for options, properties and settings • Data representation elements: "Graphics3D"PLY file represented as a Graphics3D object "GraphicsComplex"PLY file as a GraphicsComplex object "LineData"the line elements of a PLY file in indexed form, with integer indices referencing the vertices as given by "VertexData" "LineObjects"list of Line primitives given in absolute coordinates "PolygonData"the polygon elements in indexed form "PolygonObjects"list of Polygon primitives given in absolute coordinates "UserExtensions"used-defined data associated with polygon vertices "VertexData"list of vertex coordinates "VertexNormals"normal vectors corresponding to the vertices given by "VertexData" • Import and Export use the "Graphics3D" element by default for PLY files. • The "VertexData" element corresponds to the first argument of GraphicsComplex. • User-defined elements: "VertexInformation"names of user-defined data fields, given as a list of strings "VertexInformation",fielduser-defined data field as a list of values associated to each vertex as given by "VertexData" BackgroundAutomaticwhat background color to use ImageSizeAutomaticoverall size of the graphics to display LightingAutomaticwhat simulated lighting to use in coloring 3D surfaces • Advanced options: "BinaryFormat"Truewhether the file is in ASCII or binary format "DataFormat"Automaticdata types used in the binary format "InvertNormals"Falsewhether to invert the orientation of vertex normals • Binary PLY files normally store data as IEEE single-precision floating-point numbers, which correspond to the setting "DataFormat"->"Real32". • With the setting "DataFormat"->"Real34", vertices and normal vectors are stored as double-precision numbers. • The data types used for the vertex coordinates and for the normal vectors can be specified explicitly with "DataFormat" -> {vtype, ntype} or "DataFormat"-> {{vtypex, vtypey, vtypez}, {ntypex, ntypey, ntypez}}. • With the setting "VerticalAxis"->{0, 1, 0}, Mathematica will apply the transformation {x, y, z}->{x, -z, y} to all graphics coordinates when importing from PLY, and the inverse transformation when exporting to PLY.
Our Philosophy of Non-Violence First, it must be emphasized that nonviolent resistance is not a method for cowards; it does resist. If one uses this method because one is afraid or merely lacks the instruments of violence, that person is not truly nonviolent... A second characteristic of nonviolence is that it does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win their friendship and understanding ... The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, while the aftermath of violence is tragic bitterness. A fourth point that characterizes nonviolent resistance is a willingness to accept suffering without striking back.... Suffering, the nonviolent resister realizes, has tremendous educational and transforming possibilities. A fifth point concerning nonviolent resistance is that it avoids not only external physical violence but also internal violence of the spirit. The nonviolent resister not only refuses to shoot the opponent but also, refuses to hate her/ him. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Presentation is loading. Please wait. Presentation is loading. Please wait. 1 View Shandong University Software College Instructor: Zhou Yuanfeng Similar presentations Presentation on theme: "1 View Shandong University Software College Instructor: Zhou Yuanfeng"— Presentation transcript: 1 1 View Shandong University Software College Instructor: Zhou Yuanfeng E-mail: 2 2 Objectives Introduce the classical views Compare and contrast image formation by computer with how images have been formed by architects, artists, and engineers Learn the benefits and drawbacks of each type of view Introduce the mathematics of projection Introduce OpenGL viewing functions Look at alternate viewing APIs 3 View 3 We call the pictures for observing objects with different ways are views. View results are related with the shape and size of scene objects, the position and direction of viewpoint. 4 4 Classical Viewing Viewing requires three basic elements One or more objects A viewer with a projection surface Projectors that go from the object(s) to the projection surface Classical views are based on the relationship among these elements The viewer picks up the object and orients it how she would like to see it Each object is assumed to constructed from flat principal faces Buildings, polyhedra, manufactured objects 5 5 Planar Geometric Projections Standard projections project onto a plane Projectors are lines that either converge at a center of projection are parallel Such projections preserve lines but not necessarily angles Nonplanar projections are needed for applications such as map construction 6 6 3D space 2D image Projection Z Xp Yp Window coordinate Screen coordinate system World coordinate system Viewport Window Far plane Near plane Viewpoint Image plane Viewing Volume 7 7 Classical Projections 8 8 Perspective vs Parallel Computer graphics treats all projections the same and implements them with a single pipeline Classical viewing developed different techniques for drawing each type of projection Fundamental distinction is between parallel and perspective viewing even though mathematically parallel viewing is the limit of perspective viewing 9 9 Taxonomy of Planar Geometric Projections parallel perspective Axonometric multiview orthographic oblique IsometricDimetrictrimetric 2 point1 point3 point planar geometric projections 10 10 Perspective Projection 11 11 Parallel Projection 12 12 Orthographic Projection Projectors are orthogonal to projection surface Arguably the simplest projection o Image plane is perpendicular to one of the coordinate axes; o Project onto plane by dropping that coordinate; o All rays are parallel. 13 13 Multiview Orthographic Projection Projection plane parallel to principal face Usually form front, top, side views isometric (not multiview orthographic view) front side top in CAD and architecture, we often display three multiviews plus isometric 14 14 Advantages and Disadvantages Preserves both distances and angles Shapes preserved Can be used for measurements Building plans Manuals Cannot see what object really looks like because many surfaces hidden from view Often we add the isometric 15 15 Axonometric Projections Allow projection plane to move relative to object classify by how many angles of a corner of a projected cube are the same none: trimetric two: dimetric three: isometric  1  3  2 16 16 Types of Axonometric Projections 17 17 Advantages and Disadvantages Lines are scaled (foreshortened) but can find scaling factors Lines preserved but angles are not Projection of a circle in a plane not parallel to the projection plane is an ellipse Can see three principal faces of a box-like object Some optical illusions possible Parallel lines appear to diverge Does not look real because far objects are scaled the same as near objects Used in CAD applications 18 18 Oblique Projection Arbitrary relationship between projectors and projection plane 19 19 Advantages and Disadvantages Can pick the angles to emphasize a particular face Architecture: plan oblique, elevation oblique Angles in faces parallel to projection plane are preserved while we can still see “around” side In physical world, cannot create with simple camera; possible with bellows camera( 波纹管相机 ) or special lens (architectural) 20 20 Perspective Projection Projectors converge at center of projection Naturally we see things in perspective o Objects appear smaller the farther away they are; o Rays from view point are not parallel. 21 21 Vanishing Points Parallel lines (not parallel to the projection plan) on the object converge at a single point in the projection (the vanishing point) Drawing simple perspectives by hand uses these vanishing point(s) vanishing point 22 22 Three-Point Perspective No principal face parallel to projection plane Three vanishing points for cube 23 23 Two-Point Perspective On principal direction parallel to projection plane Two vanishing points for cube 24 24 One-Point Perspective One principal face parallel to projection plane One vanishing point for cube 25 25 Advantages and Disadvantages Objects further from viewer are projected smaller than the same sized objects closer to the viewer (diminution) Looks realistic Equal distances along a line are not projected into equal distances (nonuniform foreshortening) Angles preserved only in planes parallel to the projection plane More difficult to construct by hand than parallel projections (but not more difficult by computer) 26 26 Computer Viewing There are three aspects of the viewing process, all of which are implemented in the pipeline, Positioning the camera Setting the model-view matrix Selecting a lens Setting the projection matrix Clipping Setting the view volume 27 27 The OpenGL Camera In OpenGL, initially the object and camera frames are the same Default model-view matrix is an identity The camera is located at origin and points in the negative z direction OpenGL also specifies a default view volume that is a cube with sides of length 2 centered at the origin Default projection matrix is an identity 28 28 OpenGL code Remember that last transformation specified is first to be applied glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW) glLoadIdentity(); glTranslatef(0.0, 0.0, -d); glRotatef(-90.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0); 29 29 Default Projection Default projection is orthogonal clipped out 2 30 30 Moving the Camera Frame If we want to visualize object with both positive and negative z values we can either Move the camera in the positive z direction Translate the camera frame Move the objects in the negative z direction Translate the world frame Both of these views are equivalent and are determined by the model-view matrix - Want a translation ( glTranslatef(0.0,0.0,-d); ) - d > 0 31 31 Moving Camera back from Origin default frames frames after translation by –d d > 0 glTranslatef(0.0,0.0,-d); 32 32 Moving the Camera We can move the camera to any desired position by a sequence of rotations and translations Example: side view Rotate the camera Move it away from origin Model-view matrix C = TR glTranslatef(0.0, 0.0, -d); glRotatef(-90.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0); Important!!! 33 33 The LookAt Function The GLU library contains the function gluLookAt to form the required modelview matrix through a simple interface Note the need for setting an up direction Still need to initialize Can concatenate with modeling transformations Example: isometric view of cube aligned with axes glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW): glLoadIdentity(); gluLookAt(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0., 1.0. 0.0); 34 34 gluLookAt glLookAt(eyex, eyey, eyez, atx, aty, atz, upx, upy, upz) 35 35 Other Viewing APIs The LookAt function is only one possible API for positioning the camera Others include View reference point, view plane normal, view up (PHIGS, GKS-3D) Yaw 偏转, pitch 倾斜, roll 侧滚 Elevation, azimuth, twist （仰角、方位角、扭转角） Direction angles 36 36 Yaw, pitch, roll 侧滚倾斜偏转 37 37 PHIGS, GKS-3D 38 VPN & VUP VPN: Normal of projection face One direction cannot decide the camera Camera can rotate around the VPN; + VUP can decide the camera frame 38 39 VUP Can not be parallel with Projection face. Project VUP to view plane get v. 39 40 40 方位角仰角 41 41 OpenGL Orthogonal Viewing void glOrtho(GLdouble left, GLdouble right, GLdouble bottom, GLdouble top, GLdouble near, GLdouble far); near and far measured from camera 42 42 OpenGL Perspective void glFrustum(GLdouble left,GLdouble Right,GLdouble bottom,GLdouble top,GLdouble near,GLdouble far); 43 43 Using Field of View With glFrustum it is often difficult to get the desired view void gluPerspective(GLdouble fovy, GLdouble aspect, GLdouble zNear, GLdouble zFar); often provides a better interface aspect = w/h 44 Projection Matrix 44 Connecting We get line: Combining with image plane equation Solving equations 45 Projection Matrix 45 We can get Similarly Substitute one point of 3D object into above, we can get the projection point on plane from 46 Projection Matrix 46 Homogeneous coordinate expression: 47 47 Normalization Rather than derive a different projection matrix for each type of projection, we can convert all projections to orthogonal projections with the default view volume This strategy allows us to use standard transformations in the pipeline and makes for efficient clipping 48 48 Pipeline View modelview transformation projection transformation perspective division clippingprojection nonsingular 4D  3D against default cube 3D  2D 49 49 Orthogonal Normalization glOrtho(left,right,bottom,top,near,far) normalization  find transformation to convert specified clipping volume to default 50 50 Orthogonal Matrix Two steps Move center to origin T(-(left+right)/2, -(bottom+top)/2,(near+far)/2)) Scale to have sides of length 2 S(2/(left-right),2/(top-bottom),2/(near-far)) P = ST = 51 51 Final Projection Set z =0 Equivalent to the homogeneous coordinate transformation Hence, general orthogonal projection in 4D is M orth = P = M orth ST 52 52 Simple Perspective Consider a simple perspective with the COP at the origin, the near clipping plane at z = -1, and a 90 degree field of view determined by the planes x =  z, y =  z 53 53 Perspective Matrices Simple projection matrix in homogeneous coordinates Note that this matrix is independent of the far clipping plane M = 54 54 Generalization N = after perspective division, the point (x, y, z, 1) goes to x’’ = x/z y’’ = y/z z’’ = -(  +  /z) which projects orthogonally to the desired point regardless of  and  55 55 Picking  and  If we pick  =  = the near plane is mapped to z = -1 the far plane is mapped to z =1 and the sides are mapped to x =  1, y =  1 Hence the new clipping volume is the default clipping volume 56 56 Normalization Transformation original clipping volume original object new clipping volume distorted object projects correctly 57 Projection Matrix 57 58 Summary 58 Perspective Projection and Parallel Projection Parallel projection – orthographics projection  Infinite viewpoint  Projection rays are parallel  Projection has the same size of original object  Applications: architecture, computer aided design, etc Perspective projection  Finite viewpoint  Converging projection point: center of projection  Objects appear smaller the father away they are  Applications: animation, visual simulation, etc 59 59 Demo glViewport(0,0,Width,Height); glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION); glLoadIdentity(); gluPerspective ( 45.0f, (GLfloat)Width/(GLfloat)Height, 0.1f, 3000.0f ); Download ppt "1 View Shandong University Software College Instructor: Zhou Yuanfeng" Similar presentations Ads by Google
Every Living Thing. Daily Use of Animals in Ancient Israel. Oded Borowski, AltaMira Press, Walnut Creek, 1998, 296 pp., 57 figures, references, indices. ISBN: 0-7619-8918-8 $42.00 (cloth) or 0-7619-8919-6 $19.95 (paper). Reviewed by Jonathan C. Driver, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC V5A 1S6 Canada. "Every Living Thing" is a well written account of the role of animals in ancient Israel. The intended audience is not zooarchaeologists, yet it offers useful data for zooarchaeologists working in the Near East and provides enough examples of the complexity of human/animal relationships to make it of general interest to all zooarchaeologists. The book makes no pretensions to being heavily theoretical, but chapter 1 and the first part of chapter 2 lay out some theoretical considerations. Although parts of the book deal with wild animals, the book begins with a section on domestication, largely drawn from European archaeozoologists such as Ducos and Clutton-Brock. The social context of domestication (as discussed by Bender or Hayden, for example) is not considered, and domestication is seen largely as an economic response to the need to feed more people. This is surprising, because in later chapters Borowski clearly demonstrates the social importance of domestic animals. Chapter 1 concludes with a brief guide to the potential and problems of zooarchaeology, drawn mainly from the textbooks of Davis and Hesse and Wapnish, and again emphasizing paleoeconomy. There is no discussion of the methodology of Biblical research or of the use of artistic representation, although both methods are used extensively when discussing the role of animals in ancient Israel. This suggests that Borowski’s intended audience is composed on Biblical and Near Eastern scholars, who are familiar with the problems of using text and art in the interpretation of earlier cultures. The first part of Chapter 2 is a discussion of the herding way of life, an important consideration for the history of Israel. Borowski defines three herding systems (nomadic, transhumant and sedentary) and shows how each can be identified in Biblical events. He also considers the attention and care required by domestic herds and flocks, and using Biblical examples notes the importance of the shepherd. The remainder of chapter 2 and the next 5 chapters form the main body of the book. In each section Borowski defines a group of animals and discusses their use in ancient Israel. Data for each section are drawn from four major sources : archaeological material culture, zooarchaeological analysis, the Bible, and artistic sources. Recent history and ethnography of the Near East supplement these sources. For the reader who is not familiar with the region, there is a lack of basic information about the history and archaeology. A brief discussion in the preface did not provide much enlightenment to this reviewer, who had to go elsewhere to find out what period is covered by the biblical account of Israel. Once one understands the complex traditional history of the Israelites, from their origin in Mesopotamia in the second millennium B.C.E. through slavery in Egypt, to the establishment and eventual defeat of the monarchy by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E., it is easier to understand why Borowski draws so much of his data from Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Assyrian sources. The chapter themes do not follow a standard zoological system, but reflect to some extent the Biblical classification of animals. This results in some overlap and inconsistencies. For example, Chapter 2 (on cattle, sheep and goat) is titled "Ruminants", but ruminants are also discussed in chapters on draft animals and wild animals. A chapter on "The Birds and the Bees" includes all winged animals, from bats to locusts, but rodents and lizards find their way into the insect section. "Water Fauna" includes fish and molluscs but not crocodiles, which are briefly mentioned in "Wild Animals". However, because the chapter themes are linked fairly convincingly to Israeli folk classification, they have an internal logic which makes the organization of the book effective. Furthermore, there are a series of useful indices at the end of the book which list animals, Hebrew names, and Biblical references, all linked back to the main text. If one is interested in a particular species, it is very easy to locate information in the text and to obtain references to mention of the species in the Bible. Each chapter contains a wealth of information about the role of animals in the social, economic and ideological life of Israel and neighboring societies. Economic data refer to human consumption of animals and animal products, breeding and care of domestic animals, and methods for obtaining wild species, as well as the crucial role of animals in transportation. Social data include the role of animals in maintaining social position and wealth, the use of animals as war booty, and trade in exotic and commonplace species and their products. The ideological importance of animals is treated in a separate chapter, but discussion of animal symbolism and dietary laws pervades the other chapters. For the zooarchaeologist who does not specialize in the Near East, the most useful feature of the book is the way in which it exemplifies the complex relationship between people and animals. This can be seen throughout the book, and the section on equids in the chapter on draft and pack animals will serve as a good example. Borowski discusses donkeys, horses, mules, camels and oxen. Draft animals are relatively rare in zooarchaeological collections, but were of great economic and social importance. Donkeys seem to have been the pickup trucks of ancient Near Eastern societies - widely used, well adapted to their surroundings, crucial to domestic economy, and providing little in the way of prestige to their owners. In contrast, horses were more difficult to look after, yet were prized for their use in war and may have had religious significance. The significance of these two species for the Israelites and their neighbors is demonstrated by texts, artistic representations and archaeological context. This is the sort of detail which cannot be achieved solely through zooarchaeological analysis, yet the differing roles of donkeys and horses in Near Eastern society must affect their presence in the archaeological record. For specialists in Near Eastern zooarchaeology, this book provides a useful introduction to the role of animals in ancient Israel and neighboring cultures. It lacks a critical treatment of much of the data, and seems (to this reviewer’s untutored perception) to take artistic and textual data too much at face value. For zooarchaeologists working in other areas, the book is a very readable case study of the complicated relationships between human society and domestic and wild animals, and should encourage us to direct our attention more to the social and symbolic implications of faunal assemblages.
Thursday, September 10, 2015 Are Athletes Really Getting Faster, Better, Stronger? In 2014, David Epstein gave a sports-minded TED talk that highlighted the ways in which athletes are becoming faster, better and stronger today. He noted many compelling examples to solidify his talk, many of which we discuss below. Compared to the winner of the Olympic Marathon in 1904, who ran for 3 hours and twenty-eight minutes, the winner of the 2012 Olympic Marathon ran for 2 hours and eight minutes. This means that the 2012 winner is faster by nearly 1 hour and a half. It seems like we are actually evolving into a new species, one that is faster than ever. But let’s see what exactly happens. In 1936, Jesse Owen won the 100 meters competition by running for 10.2 seconds, while Usain Bolt finished the same competition in just 9.77 seconds in 2013. Owen would have 14 feet more to go if he would have been running in 2013. In order to see exactly what this means, you can imagine both athletes running at the same time on a stadium. The two beeps that signal the finish of the race (one beep for each athlete) are so close to each other in time that they are heard almost simultaneously. If we consider the way the track was built in 1936 and in 2013, the track from 2013 offers an obvious advantage. Technology Improvements from Triathlon to the Track Let's now consider a longer event. In 1954, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes was Roger Bannister. Today, every college kid does it. Only in 2013, there were 1314 people running a mile under four minutes. But, just like Owens, Bannister ran on a soft surface, which is worse than the synthetic tracks of today. Biomechanics say that synthetic tracks are 1 and a half percent faster. If we take a look into the history of sports ranging from triathlon to decathlon, we can see that technology has made a difference in all sports. Between 1956 and 2008, the 100 meter record for the freestyle swim has constantly dropped, but it has been punctuated by various changes in procedures, the addition of new features and the addition of new types of swimsuits. Cyclists also improved their timing as bicycles became more aerodynamic. This is proven in the sport of triathlon where most athletes utilize an aero position on the bike that enables them to minimize wind resistance. But triathlon is just the tip of the iceberg. There has also been significant improvements in the level of sports science, coaching, and biomechanics. There are many other examples that show how technology is a deciding factor for the improved performance in sports today. Another factor can be the body type, shape, and size. In the twenties, all individuals who were involved in sports had the average body size. Now, there is a different size for each type of sport. It seems like there was an explosion in the variation of body types in sports over time, in a similar way in which the universe expanded after the Big Bang. The height of NBA players has increased over time. Today, one in seven men in the NBA is at least 7 feet tall (which is very rare in the general population). Large athletes have gotten larger (basketball) and small athletes have gotten smaller (gymnasts) in the last 30 years. Today, types of bodies that were not in sports before are becoming something common (Kenyan marathoners for instance). Learn more about David Epstein, journalist and author of The Sports Gene. Video Source: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 How to Build Your Creative Confidence by David Kelly David Kelly's TED Talk is about creativity is focused on what he calls creative confidence. While design schools and workplaces seem to divide people in two categories (creative and practical people), David says that anyone can be creative if the creativity is stimulated. In his TED Talk, Kelly recalls a story from his school years, when his best friend Brian was working on a project that involved creating a horse out of clay. One of the girls sitting at his table said that the horse he made is terrible. Brian destroyed the model and placed the clay back where he took it from. From that moment, Brian has never worked on such a project. There are many similar stories today, as David has heard from his class. Many students are discouraged by the negative opinion of other students and even their teachers. Some individuals just shut down their creativity and design aspirations at some point in their life. People lose their focus on creativity as they advance from childhood to the adult life. By doing this, they can suppress their capability of doing amazing things. People today have this fear of being creative, because they also fear of doing anything unconventional. They don’t want to do things that will determine other people to judge them. David has a revelation after meeting a psychologist called Albert Bandura. This expert has developed some methodology to cure different phobias. One of these techniques was about taking the patient into a room where there was a snake. Eventually, the patient became comfortable with the snake and even touched it using a leather glove. Bandura has called this process guided mastery. Another story is the one of a technical guy named Doug, who created MRI machine for kids. But, children had to be sedated before they entered the machine, because they feared it. Doug was disappointed about this and re-designed the machine, transforming it into an real adventure for kids. Fear is eliminated now. We can do the same thing with creativity and success. If we don’t fear them anymore, we can make them part of our lives. We must overcome our fear of creativity in order to thrive in creative environments. So the takeaway point is this: step out of your creatively-confined shell and make something. It can be as simple as designing neon tank tops on the web, or as elaborate as crafting a stained glass lamp. Whatever it is, explore the inner workings for your right brain and tap into a deeper sense of artistic expression. Monday, January 19, 2015 Friday, January 16, 2015 What Happens Inside those Massive Warehouses? By Mick Mountz Mick Mountz talked about a new solution for managing the inventory inside a warehouse. This revolutionary solution is based on the use of thousands of mobile robots to do the required tasks around a warehouse. Today, there are human workers who perform these tasks, but this could change in the near future. When you order a product from the Internet and it reaches your door in two days, maybe you don't think how many efforts these workers have made to get the product from a warehouse and send it to your door. A warehouse worker can spend up to 70 percent of the day working around the warehouse. In the dot com era, Mick has worked for a company that was supposed to deliver groceries online called Webvan. But, this business proved to be ineffective. About thirty items had to be assembled in a single tote. Mick came to the conclusion that there was no way of solving each base picking. Soon Webvan went out of business and Mick started to think about what the problem was and how it could be solved. He was looking for technologies that could be the ultimate among supply chain solutions. With a brainstorming exercise, Mick began to assume different things. For example, he imagined having a large distribution center in China, where labor is extremely cheap. He imagined zero costs for every worker, which lead him to the possibility to hire ten thousand workers. Each of them will go to the distribution warehouse at 8 in the morning and pick one single product, then hold it until it is ordered. There is no way of hiring people with zero costs, so robots and certain logistics and warehousing technology can be used instead. The only task of a human worker would be to work as pick worker instead of moving around the warehouse. It doesn't matter if it's a small distribution warehouse in Illinois or an enterprise-level supply chain warehouse in China, things like walking, searching, wasting and waiting can be eliminated. Besides productivity, there were other positive effects noticed that Mick didn't think about, such as workers not interfering with each other. Once the system is in place and working, there are ways to tune it up using adaptive and dynamic algorithms. Mick just realized that sometimes it is better to let things do their own work. When someone places an order online, they can ask themselves if there was a robot involved in the work, because it is quite possible. Thursday, January 15, 2015 Why we should build wooden skyscrapers by Michael Green
Pablo Picasso in front of The Kitchen (La cuisine, 1948) in his rue des Grands-Augustins studio, Paris, 1948 Pablo Picasso in front of <i>The Kitchen</i> (<i>La cuisine</i>, 1948) in his rue des Grands-Augustins studio, Paris, 1948 Pablo Picasso in front of The Kitchen (La cuisine, 1948) in his rue des Grands-Augustins studio, Paris, 1948. Photo: © Herbert List/Magnum Photos His style developed from the Blue Period (1901–04) to the Rose Period (1905) to the pivotal work Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), and the subsequent evolution of Cubism from an Analytic phase (ca. 1908–11) to its Synthetic phase (beginning in 1912–13). Picasso’s collaboration on ballet and theatrical productions began in 1916. Soon thereafter, his work was characterized by neoclassicism and a renewed interest in drawing and figural representation. In the 1920s the artist and his wife, Olga (whom he had married in 1918), continued to live in Paris, travel frequently, and spend their summers at the beach. From 1925 to the 1930s Picasso was involved to a certain degree with the Surrealists, and from the fall of 1931 he was especially interested in making sculpture. In 1932, with large exhibitions at the Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, and the Kunsthaus Zürich, Zurich, and the publication of the first volume of Christian Zervos’s catalogue raisonné, Picasso’s fame increased markedly. By 1936 the Spanish Civil War had profoundly affected Picasso, the expression of which culminated in his painting Guernica (1937). Picasso’s association with the Communist Party began in 1944. From the late 1940s he lived in the South of France. Among the enormous number of exhibitions that were held during the artist’s lifetime, those at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in 1939 and the Musée des arts décoratifs, Paris, in 1955 were most significant. In 1961 the artist married Jacqueline Roque, and they moved to Mougins. There Picasso continued his prolific work in painting, drawing, prints, ceramics, and sculpture until his death on April 8, 1973.
Artificial pancreas effective in study, could one day help diabetics An "artificial pancreas," a device that would constantly monitor blood sugar in people with diabetes and automatically supply insulin as needed, may be a step closer to helping patients in what researchers are calling a "major advance." A new study showed that a key component of the device -- an insulin pump programmed to shut down if blood-sugar dips too low while people are sleeping -- worked as intended in a three-month study of 247 patients. This "smart pump," made by Minneapolis-based Medtronic Inc., is already sold in Europe, and the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing it now. Whether it also can be programmed to mimic a real pancreas and constantly adjust insulin based on continuous readings from a blood-sugar monitor requires more testing, but doctors say the new study suggests that goal is in reach. Nearly 26 million American children and adults have diabetes, a disease that affects how the body uses blood sugar, or glucose. The study involved people with Type 1 diabetes, the less-common kind of the disease that's usually diagnosed during childhood that affects about 5 percent of all diabetics. Their bodies don't make insulin, the hormone needed to turn glucose into energy. That causes high blood-sugar levels and raises the risk for heart disease and many other health problems. The new device is aimed at people with Type 1 diabetes who must inject insulin several times a day or get it through a pump with a narrow tube implanted under the skin. The pump is about the size of a cell phone and can be worn on a belt or kept in a pocket. The pumps give a steady amount of insulin, and patients must monitor their sugar levels and give themselves more insulin at meals or whenever needed to keep blood sugar from getting too high. However, those who have the more common form of the disease that's often liked to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, might also benefit from a device like an artificial pancreas since they too need help regulating their insulin. A big danger for diabetics is having too much insulin in the body overnight, when blood-sugar levels naturally fall. Patients under these circumstances can fall into comas, suffer seizures and even die. Parents of children with diabetes often worry so much about this that they sneak into their bedrooms at night to check their child's blood-sugar monitor. "This technology promises to be valuable to patients today and is a key step in the development of a fully automated artificial pancreas for people with diabetes," said Bergenstal in a statement. "As a first step, I think we should all be very excited that it works," Dr. Irl Hirsch, a researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle who was not involved in the study, said of the programmable pump. His "smart pump" stopped giving insulin several times during the study when his sugar fell low, and he wasn't always aware of it. That's a well-known problem for people with Type 1 diabetes. Over time, "you become less and less sensitive to feeling the low blood sugars" and don't recognize symptoms in time to drink juice or do something else to raise sugar a bit, he said.
About SPC information When a product is granted an authorisation by the regulatory authorities (e.g. Irish Medicines Board (IMB)) allowing it to be sold or supplied in Ireland, that authorisation contains a document known as the summary of product characteristics (known as SPC or SmPC), the wording of which has been agreed with the regulatory authority as part of the regulatory approval process. The SPC is designed to assist doctors and pharmacists in prescribing and supplying the product and describes wha's in the product, what it's used for, the dose, side effects, when not to use it etc. The information in the SPC is set out under a number of headings as follows: 1. Name of the Medicinal Product The brand name of the product, usually registered as a trademark by the manufacturer. There may be more than one brand available of the same drug. Different brands of the same drug may be introduced after the original company's patent protection expires 2. Qualitative and Quantitative Composition The generic or chemical names of the active ingredients and the amount of each active ingredient e.g. amount per tablet, amount per ml of solution, etc. 3. Pharmaceutical form The physical form in which the medicine is presented, e.g. tablets, suppositories, ointment etc. 4. Clinical particulars How the medicine should be used or taken 4.1 Therapeutic indications The diseases or conditions that the medicine is licensed to treat. 4.2 Posology and method of administration Information on the dose and how and when the medicine should be used or taken. Where appropriate, details are included on changing dose with age or other diseases and the maximum dose that can be given. 4.3 Contraindications Any situations where a medicine should either definitely or generally not be used. 4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use Any situations where a medicine should be used carefully, for example, in patients with kidney or liver disease or in elderly people. 4.5 Interactions with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction Details of any medicines that are known to or may react when taken together, as well as potential interactions with food or alcohol if relevant. 4.6 Pregnancy and lactation Information on the risks of using the medicine during pregnancy or breast-feeding. 4.7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines Whether or not the medicine is likely to alter the user's performance, particularly if it will affect the ability to drive or operate machines. 4.8 Undesirable effects The side effects you might have with the medicine. It describes how likely the side effect is to occur, how severe it may be, and how long it might last for. 4.9 Overdose What may happen if you take or use too much of the medicine and what your doctor should do in this situation. 5. Pharmacological properties HHow the medicine affects the body. 5.1 Pharmacodynamic properties How the medicine achieves, or is believed to achieve its therapeutic effect in the body. 5.2 Pharmacokinetic properties Information on how the medicine is absorbed and distributed in the body and then removed. 5.3 Preclinical safety data Any effects of the medicine that have been found from laboratory or animal studies, before it was used in humans, which could be relevant. 6. Pharmaceutical properties Information on the medicine's ingredients, storage and packaging. 6.1 List of excipients The non-biologically active ingredients of the medicine, such as binding agents, preservatives, flavourings, etc. 6.2 Incompatibilities In addition to the information in Section 4.5 Interactions with Other Medicinal Products and Other Forms of Interactions, this section gives information on any other medicines that shouldn't be mixed. 6.3 Shelf life The maximum length of time for which the medicine may be stored under the specified conditions. It should not be used after this date. 6.4 Special precautions for storage How the medicine should be stored. 6.5 Nature and contents of container Information on the medicine's packaging, including anything else you may find in the pack, such as desiccants. 6.6 Special precautions for disposal and other handling Information on the correct disposal or other handling of the product. 7. Marketing authorisation holder The name of the company originally authorised to market the medicine. By commercial arrangement, the medicine may subsequently be marketed and distributed by another company. 8. Marketing authorisation number(s) The number of the marketing authorisation for the medicine granted by the licensing authority, e.g. Irish Medicines Board. Marketing authorisations may also be granted by the European Union. 9. Date of first authorisation/renewal of the authorisation The date when the marketing authorisation was first granted or last renewed (marketing authorisations must be renewed every five years). 10. Date of revision of the text The last date on which a change to the wording of the SPC was made, e.g. a new side effect or a new pack size added. These changes must be approved by the regulatory authority that granted the marketing authorisation. There may not have been any changes to the text since the marketing authorisation was granted or renewed, in which case this section will be blank. 11. Dosimetry For radiopharmaceuticals, full details of internal radiation dosimetry. This section is only applicable for radiopharmaceutical products and may not appear in the SPC if radiopharmaceuticals are not involved. 12. Instructions for preparation of radiopharmaceuticals For radiopharmaceuticals, additional detailed instructions for extemporaneous preparation and quality control of such preparation and, where appropriate, maximum storage time during which any intermediate preparation such as an eluate or the ready-to-use pharmaceutical will conform with its specifications.
Thermal utilization of waste “Waste-to-energy“ is EVN’s concept for an environmentally friendly waste disposal. The sensible use of waste as alternative energy source protecting our resources is the method of the future. With the two thermal waste utilization plants in Moscow – MSZ 3 that is already in operation and MPZ 1 that is yet to be constructed – EVN is realising a unique concept: the combination of environmentally sound treatment of waste with the utilization of the energy contained in waste for electricity and district heat generation. EVN develops customised concepts, perfectly suited for the respective location, and implements them for the customer in an optimal manner. The aim is the ecologically optimal treatment of waste combined with energy generation and environmentally friendly transport logistics in accordance with the latest state of the art. EVN is currently thermally treating almost one million tons of waste a year in Austria and Moscow following ecological principles. This prevents the landfilling of waste, keeps drinking water clean and improves the air quality. With a combined heat and power generation system connected to the district heat network, waste is turned into electricity and district heat for many thousands of households.
PhyloChip Helps Scientists Identify Communities of Microbes Suppressing Disease Pathogens in Soil. Ask any organic gardener and they will tell you that microorganisms are a fundamental part of soil health and overall fertility. That is why we go to such extents to provide compost and organic amendments for our gardens and why we abhor the use of chemicals which kill these microbes. We want to provide the most amiable environment possible so as to propagate these critical components of nature. We know of several specific microbes that perform incredible feats with near magical properties as they work to support plant growth in our gardens.Microbes breakdown organic matter and make nutrients available for plants to absorb. Species such as Rhizoba form synergistic relationships with roots, absorbing carbohydrates from the host and in return providing moisture and nutrients for the plant. There are species that convert gaseous nitrogen from the air and fix it into a useable form of nitrogen for plants and even microbes that are capable of extracting minerals from ore. Scientist estimate that there may be hundreds of thousands even millions of microbe species that have yet to be identified. The difficulty researchers have historically encountered is that some 99% of all microorganisms cannot survive the current process of culture testing. But that problem seems to have been eliminated with the introduction of the PhlyoChipTM. Recently scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Wageningen University in the Netherlands were able to identify an intricate community of soil microbes that fight disease pathogens in the soil. “Individual organisms have been associated with disease suppressive soil before, but we demonstrated that many organisms in combination are associated with this phenomenon” said Gary Anderson of Berkeley Labs. Berkeley Labs Anderson was part of the team from Berkeley which also included Todd DeSantis and Yvette Piceno. The full report was published in the May 5 issue of Science Express. For the first time in history scientists have both observed and identified communities of microbes working together synergistically to fight off disease pathogens in soil using the revolutionary technology called the PhyloChipTM which has been in development for over ten years. The research centered around a field used to grow sugar beets, located in the Netherlands. The beets are normally susceptible to a pathogen known as Rhizoctonia Solani which causes root fungus that can decimate an entire crop. This pathogen is also known to attack potatoes and rice crops additionally. The particular field that was tested had somehow developed an immunity to this pathogen. After researchers tested this field they found 17 different soil microbes that were actively engaged in fighting the pathogen and that all the other microbes indicated were working together to reduce the incidence of outbreak. The sugar beets in turn funneled about one fifth of the total carbon that they photosynthetically captured through their roots to supply fuel for the microbes. The PhyloChipTM is a credit card sized chip that can detect over 59,000 species of bacteria and archaea in samples of air, soil or water. It not only detects the most common organisms but the rarest known. Testing and analysis are provided by Second Genome. The PhyloChip compared the field sample to 1.1 million referenced DNA targets in it’s micro array that includes probes that can determine the relative amounts of all bacteria 16S gene sequences present in a sample without culturing. Second genenome provided processing and detailed statistical analysis of samples. The PhyloChip now enables researchers to identify signatures of disease or environmental contamination. This is truly an exciting scientific advance, not just for understanding how microorganisms act in the soil but in many other applications as well. Researchers have been able to identify the specific microbes that feed on the hydrocarbons that help to clean up from oil spills. This technology also permits air sampling to rapidly determine contaminates, pollutants and bio threats. This breakthrough has a number of applications in the medical field as well and research has already been conducted in a number of fields such as gastroenterology, asthma and cancer research. Now that scientists able to identify specific microbes which can help remediate a number of problems, one can only hope that it only becomes a matter of time before mankind can incubate and combine selected species as a prescription for any number of maladies from soil deficiencies to water pollution and even cancer. What's Your Opinion? Enter a title Return to Organic Gardening Blog from PhyloChip
When you start planning your landscape designs, irrigation should come to the forefront of thought. Unless you plan on self-watering all your plants, you will need some sort of system built in. The great thing about planning your irrigation layout is that you can be responsible with your water usage. If you have paid any attention to the news, you are certainly aware of the decline in water availability due to drought and pollution. Therefore, learning some responsible irrigation techniques is highly advisable. While you are welcome to read about water softener reviews and comparisons on watersoftenerguide.com, you might also want to consider rainwater. The water softeners will be great for your iron and sulfur content. But, knowing how to employ free water, rainwater, will be ever more valuable for your irrigation needs. Responsible Irrigation for Your Landscaping Needs Using Rainwater for Irrigation Before you can use rainwater for irrigation you are going to have to understand how to capture the rain water. They call this rainwater harvesting, and there are some specific steps you should consider to begin the process of responsible irrigation for your landscaping needs. Here are some of those steps: 1. Determine what you will do with the rainwater- Knowing why you are collecting rainwater will help you design the proper harvesting apparatus. Since you will probably not need it for all your water uses (indoor and out) you should be able to guestimate how much you will need. 2. Decide how much you can harvest- Theoretically .62 gallons can be captured by a square foot of collection surface per inch of rainfall. However, that would only be the case if none splashed out, evaporated, overshot, or leaked. Besides, once the container is full you will lose a lot to overflow. Most people assume that they’ll get 75-90% efficiency out of their storage units. Read this to learn about rainwater storage. 3. Consider the collection surface– In the simplest terms possible, this is the length times the width of your roof if you have gutters all around. Otherwise it is only the area that is drained by gutters. 4. Estimate the demand– You will have to determine how much rain you will get and plan for the months that will be dryer. Since the highest usage of water is for irrigation purposes, consider employing native plants and even some xeriscaping in your landscape designs. Now that you kind of have an idea how to collect and calculate the amount of water you will retrieve from rainwater harvesting, it is time to really think about how you will irrigate your property. Simple rainwater harvesting systems will employ the use of the rainwater instantly. You see those types of systems via basins, berms, and French drains. In more complex designs you will find gates, diverters, perforated pipes, and drip irrigation. Learn more. When you consider creating your irrigation, take the time to note the property’s natural irrigation tendencies. You can see where water accumulates and the areas in which more water is needed. Rainwater from the roof can be redirected to the drier spots by extended down spouts and pipes. In the lower areas create moats to hold the water and design spillways and channels to redirect the excess water. When you are ready to get really complicated in your thought processes and irrigation designs, this will help you in your planning.
Where Am I? The Individual & the Community The viewpoints of people on the inside and the outside of communities depicted in these writings — whether in a small Maine town, a prison, Dublin, Newfoundland, Nigeria, or plague-stricken England — can contribute to our understanding of what is fundamental to our nature as human beings. To kill a mockingbird Choice I : • To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee • Empire Falls by Richard Russo • The Commitments by Roddy Doyle • The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx • Climbing the God Tree: A Novel in Stories by Jaimee Wriston Colbert Choice II : • The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne • Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks • Doing Time: 25 Years of Prison Writing edited by Bell Gale Chevigny • Lord of the Flies by William Golding • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe All of us have had the experience of asking ourselves in a moment of truth: How did I get here? How did the person I am end up in this situation? The tension between the inner pressure of defining and expressing our individuality and the need to be accepted by the social world is a force that shapes the choices we make. The germ of this program came from a scholar who had led several series in a variety of settings, including prisons and jails. He observed that one of the toughest issues for those in the justice system was their relationship to the community in which they lived and to which they ponder their return. Choices not acceptable to the community have landed them “inside”. This perspective of Inside and Outside is a major theme driving the choices of literature for these series and our discussion of the books. The awareness of these two different groups will contribute to the depth and thoughtfulness with which each group considers the theme. Where am I? was created with the understanding that the viewpoints of those both on the inside and the outside of a jail cell, of a small town in Maine, of a village in Africa or in plague ridden England can contribute to our understanding of what is fundamental to our nature as human beings. How do we respond to that tension between individuality and community? Does a realized self depend on community, even if it is a rejection of that community? The community is the bridge between the family and the larger society. Seldom do we have a chance to choose our families. To what extent does an individual choose to belong to a community and how are these choices made? Is a community more than the sum of its individual parts? Can we break with family and still belong to the community? In today’s world of spin doctors, “community” is one of those generators of instant positive response. Just call a school a “learning community” or an assisted living facility a “retirement community”, and immediately you’ve sold an idea. Urban designers insist that they are recreating a feeling of community. What is it that makes us respond so positively to this notion of Community? Are there negative aspects to community? Is it even reasonable to view communities in a moral light? Other questions explored in the readings for Where Am I? : • Are there any universal human needs that create communities? • Are leadership and status necessary in communities and how do these roles affect the individuals that hold them? • What is required to sustain a community? • What causes a community to split apart? to heal? • What choices do individuals who cannot leave their communities have? The issues that arise in this series have long been the domain of psychologists and sociologists. What does literature have to show us that social science cannot? In the words of the scholar who conceived this theme, “we hope engagement with the readings and discussion will provide both a mirror and a lamp.” Where Am I? is divided into two series: Series I The first series in Where Am I? looks at fiction dealing with individual choices made within a community and the results of those choices. It includes Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird, Maine author Richard Russo’s prizewinning Empire Falls, E. Annie Proulx’s Shipping News (also a prize winner), a glimpse into alienated youth in Roddy Doyle’s The Commitments, and a novel in stories by Jaimee Wriston Colbert (another Maine author) called Climbing the God Tree. Series II The second series considers a variety of community structures and the effects they have on the individuals. What does it mean to belong to a community? How and why are insiders rejected in a community? How do outsiders become integrated? This series gives us views into the prison community with Doing Time: 25 years of Prison Writing, edited by Bell Gale Chevigny. William Golding’s classic Lord of the Flies is a highly symbolic work about the community created when a group of boys is stranded on an island. On the other hand, A Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague, a very recent work by Geraldine Brooks, is a fictional account of the true story of a village in England that isolated itself from the rest of the world as it endured the ravages of the plague in the seventeenth century. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart an African village does begin to fall apart in response to the needs of the individuals within it and to the lures of another culture. A classic removed in time but not in space, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, rounds out the series with its tale of the outsider bound to the Puritan community that has rejected her. Submit your own review
Cisco CloudCenter: Get the Hybrid IT Advantage Definition - What does Bridge mean? Bridges are also known as Layer 2 switches. Techopedia explains Bridge A network bridge device is primarily used in local area networks because they can potentially flood and clog a large network thanks to their ability to broadcast data to all the nodes if they don’t know the destination node's MAC address. A bridge uses a database to ascertain where to pass, transmit or discard the data frame. 1. If the frame received by the bridge is meant for a segment that resides on the same host network, it will pass the frame to that node and the receiving bridge will then discard it. 2. If the bridge receives a frame whose node MAC address is of the connected network, it will forward the frame toward it. Share this:
Was Einstein's brain different to mine? 15 October 2013 I read that Einstein's brain was normal size, but he had more folds than a normal person. Do the folds help neurons fire faster and join more parts of the brain? We posed this to the brain panel. Katie - So, upon Einstein's death, his brain was removed and it was photographed before being dissected and the majority of the slides are now stored at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington DC. The latest description of the structure of Einstein's cortex, the outer bit of the brain did suggest that cerebral cortex folding pattern was unusual in areas that might be related to cognition and mathematical reasoning. And it also had a slightly large area of one side of the hand control region which was thought to be linked to his violin playing. Hannah - I heard that when he died, they performed this autopsy and there's some controversy about whether or not he did actually donate his body for medical research. They performed this autopsy and they fixed his brain with formalin and they cut it into 240 blocks, really small blocks and basically scattered Einstein brain blocks around the world to different researchers to study. Is that true? Katie - That sound like that was largely what happened. I think the main researcher that had taken part in the dissection, he kept a lot of them, but he certainly did lend out slides and some of the tissue samples which is why not all of them are entirely accounted for today. We've often, I think over time, a lot of times when somebody who's been seen as having a superior intelligence dies, people have taken their brain to try and have a look at what makes somebody really, really intelligent. I think that's an interesting idea, but a lot of people have cautioned about the fact that everyone's brain is slightly different. And so, by looking at somebody's brain, you can tell whether the thing that looks slightly different on their brain to someone else's brain is actually functionally relevant whether it actually determines what made them more intelligent or what made them really good at a certain thing than anyone else. Hannah - Suppose, humans are always looking for patterns aren't they? They always want to see some reasons, some kind of basis. Yeah, Bill. Bill - If Einstein was particularly good at algebra and mathematics and well, maybe he wasn't just so good at something else, but do we even know which part of the brain is involved in algebra? I don't think so. Katie - Generally, as we're moving away from understanding particular discreet regions of the brain as being involved in doing this exact task and understanding the brain more is networks of different areas which work together and that sometimes these networks will overlap and sometimes they'll be slightly different. That it's actually the recruitment of lots of different brain areas that give rise to abilities to do things. Hannah - I have heard that Einstein's brain may have had more glial cells. So, these are kind of the supporting cells that help secrete factors like cholesterol for example that help nerve cells to connect with each other. This is obviously just one observation from one study that's been published, but do you think that could be true? Bill - Again, I find it hard to think that Einstein was more brilliant at every aspect of every bit of life than everyone else. He had certain fantastic abilities that's for sure and he was a good violin player. But was he fantastic at everything? No. You're probably more fantastic at some things than he was. Maybe you could dance better than he could. And so, there's a part of your brain that maybe we should fix and scatter around the world when you die. Add a comment
Overblog Follow this blog Edit post Administration Create my blog Choosing Artificial Intelligence or Life November 10 2015 Published on #Technology Choosing Artificial Intelligence or Life Artificial intelligence is all around us, from Google's search algorithm to TiVo, but what about artificial life? Despite concerns about the impending Singularity, science is no closer to achieving sentience in a computer system than it has ever been. What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? AI is, quite simply, the use of a computer to reproduce or simulate human behavior or processes. In other words, using a computer to do something that a person would normally do. You'd be surprised how much AI is in day-to-day devices. For example: smart phones aren't called "smart' for nothing, but today, even your everyday cellphone has abilities that the early telephones never even dreamed of. Other examples of AI in common technologies include: • Google (and other search engines): It seems so easy to type a few words into a box, and end up with pages upon pages of results related to your query, but without AI, it would be horrific. Imagine a card catalog in the library, with every book indexed by title, subject, and author. Then imagine that you have to expand that card catalog to include every word in every book, indexed by context, quality, relevance, authority, and the durability and attractiveness of the binding. Search engines enable us to bypass that football-field-sized list of attributes, and just provide us with the information we need. Some search engines (Google) are even working to try to anticipate what we may want, by incorporating human impressions into the algorithm. • Online advertising: Have you ever noticed that after you search for something, all you see are more ads for that product, or related products, no matter what site you visit? It's called interest-based advertising, and it's the result of browsers that track your history, and use it to provide ads they think you'll be most interested in. Real-life salesmen and women have to rely on what you say you want, but computers can give you information on products you might want, based on other products and services you've looked at. Artificial Life vs. Artificial Sentience Artificial life, created when computer systems are programmed to simulate biological processes, is much less complex than programmed sentience, and can provide huge benefits to science through modeling. Programmers, however, are still struggling to pass the Turing Test, which only requires the successful appearance of human-like intelligence. True artificial sentience sets a much higher standard, actually requiring the computer program to think for itself. The bottom line is this: An AI program can process huge amounts of information, and make our lives easier, but there's no way to predict the way an artificially sentient program would act or react. The value in creating an artificial being would lie in the creation itself, rather than the potential benefits of the program. Share this post Repost 0 Comment on this post
Thursday, 24 October 2013 Speakout Advanced p 24. Gerunds and Infinitives. Grammar The infinitive with to is used: • to express purpose: E.g. I went out to get some fresh air. • after some adjectives: E.g. It's not easy to find work these days. I was happy to help. • after the verb to be, to give orders or to express an arrangement: E.g. You are to stay here until I get back. The President is to visit Poland next week. • after would hate/like/love/prefer, with or without an object: E.g. Would you like me to do it now? • after the following verbs: agree, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, choose, decide, demand, deserve, expect, fail, help, hesitate, hope, learn, manage, need, offer, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, threaten, want, wish. E.g. If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact me. They hoped to negotiate a better deal. • after the following verbs + object: advise, allow, ask, cause, challenge, enable, encourage, expect, forbid, force, get, help, intend, invite, order, persuade, recommend, remind, teach, tell, urge (advise, persuade), warn. E.g. My family encouraged me to go to university. The police asked everyone to remain calm. If advise and recommend are used without an object, the gerund is used. E.g. I recommend her to apply to King's College. I recommend applying to King's College. • after the following nouns: ability, attempt, capacity, chance, decision, desire, determination, effort, failure, intention, need, opportunity, permission, plan, proposal, refusal, right, tendency, it's time, way, willingness. E.g. It was the director's refusal to accept his proposal that led to his decision to resign. The bare infinitive (without to) is used: • after modal verbs: E.g. I shouldn't eat this really, but I can't resist it. • after the following verbs: help, had better, let, make, would rather/sooner. E.g. We'd better go home now- it's very late. Can you help me tidy up, please? In the passive, make is followed by the infinitive with to. E.g. We were made to do all the dirty jobs. • The verbs feel, hear, see, notice, overhear and watch can be followed by an object + the bare infinitive when we are describing a single action or the complete action. E.g. We saw a young mother slap her child in the supermarket ( = she slapped once) I saw Martha cross the road (= I saw all of it, the whole action from start to finish). These verbs are followed by an object + -ing when the action is repeated or you only witness part of the action. E.g. I saw a young mother slapping her child ( = she slapped him several times) I saw Martha crossing the road (I saw part of it) The gerund is used: • as the subject, object or complement of a clause or sentence: E.g. Playing golf helps me relax but I find watching it on television rather boring. Smoking is bad for you. • after prepositions. E.g. We thought about going to France this year. Are you still interested in buying the property? • after the following expressions: have difficulty/problems, there's no/little point, it's no good/use, it's (not) worth. E.g. It's no use asking him- he won't know the answer. • after the following verbs: admit, adore, advise, appreciate, anticipate, avoid, can't help, can't stand, consider, delay, deny, detest, dislike, dread (be afraid of), enjoy, feel like, give up, imagine, involve, keep, (don't) mind, miss, postpone, put off, practise, prevent, propose, recommend, resent (feel bitter or angry), risk, suggest. E.g. I resent /rɪˈzent/ having to do all the housework myself. appreciate doing something I don't appreciate being treated like a second-class citizen. • after the following verbs+ the preposition to: adapt/adjust to, admit to, confess to, get round to, get used to, look forward to, object to. E.g. She confessed to being surprised by her success. • Where the subject of the main verb and the gerund are different, an object (pronoun) or possessive adjective is used. E.g. appreciate somebody doing something We would appreciate you/your letting us know of any problems. I really appreciate you/your helping me like this. We appreciate you/ your coming to tell us so quickly. Dislike somebody/something doing something He disliked her staying away from home. Resent somebody doing something She resented him/his making all the decisions. Imagine somebody/something doing something I can just imagine him/his saying that! I couldn't imagine him/his eating something like this. The following verbs can be followed by the gerund or the infinitive with to with no change in meaning: begin, can't bear, continue, intend, start, hate, like, love, prefer. E.g. She suddenly started singing/to sing. The infinitive is common for specific situations: I hate to say this, but your breath smells. I hate getting up early every morning. The following verbs can be followed by the gerund or the infinitive with to, but with a change in meaning: • The infinitive is used with remember, forget, regret, go on and stop when the act of remembering, etc comes first. The gerund is used when it comes second. E.g. I must remember to post this letter later. I distinctly remember posting the letter yesterday. Her car broke down and no one stopped to help her. I've stopped eating chocolate. When regret is followed by the infinitive with to, it is normally used with verbs such as say, tell and inform. This use is formal. E.g. We regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful. When followed by gerund, go on means to continue with the same activity. With an infinitive, it means to change to a different activity. Go on doing something He went on working well after normal retirement age. Go on to do something: to do something after completing something else. E.g. The book goes on to describe his experiences in the army. After her early teaching career she went on to become a doctor. After outlining the problems, she went on to offer some solutions. • Try+infinitive with to means attempt. Try+gerund means experiment with. E.g. Please be quiet- I'm trying to sleep. If you can't sleep, try using earplugs. • mean+ infinitive with to means intend. Mean + gerund means involve. E.g. I've been meaning to write to you for ages. Changing jobs also meant changing house. Passive infinitive or -ing form are used to describe actions which are done to the subject. E.g. I hate being told what to do. It is expected to be finished soon. Perfect infinitive or ing form are used to emphasise when one action happened before another. E.g. She mentioned having seen him leave. They seem to have solved the problem. Negative infinitive or -ing form are formed with not. E.g. It's quite common not to understand at first. Not understanding is quite common. Related links: Verb patterns list Verb patterns Cambridge Gerunds and Infinitives Verb patterns Perfect English Grammar No comments: Post a Comment
Find the word definition , Myeongranjeot(명란젓) is the marinated roe of pollock and cod is a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine and Korean cuisine. Mentaiko originated from Korea, and was introduced to Japan after World War II. , who was born in the city of Pusan, Korea during the Japanese occupation, adapted mentaiko to Japanese tastes in Fukuoka in 1949. The typical seasoning and flavor is different in Japan. Mentaiko is made in a variety of flavors and colors and is available at airports and main train stations. It is usually eaten with onigiri, but is also enjoyed by itself with sake. A common variety is . It is a product of the Hakata ward of Fukuoka City. Recently in Japan, mentaiko pasta has become very common and popular. Mentaiko is mixed with butter or mayonnaise and used as a sauce for spaghetti. Thin strips of Nori are often sprinkled on top. Mentaiko was nominated as Japan's number one side dish in the Japanese weekly magazine, Shūkan Bunshun.
Study Time: Tips for getting it done at the last minute Getting ready for exams can be a stressful process when you waited until the last minute to look over your notes. The best way to get prepared for an exam is to just relax, take a breath and try one of these simple studying techniques. 1. Time management School days can be busy, especially when you’re a full-time student, going to work, with extracurricular activities. Within a week, the average college student spends 3.3 hours a day engaging in academics, 8.7 hours sleeping and 4.1 hours of leisure, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pulling an all nighter is not the way to pass an exam. The best way to prepare for an exam is to give your brain some rest and start anew. Trying to study large amounts of information at one time will not get the job done. Try making a schedule or calendar for all your major exams. The next day, take 30 minutes out of your day to read your notes to clarify. 2. Memorization and Repetition When you’re preparing for your exam, find a method for memorizing the information. Some students might have an auditory learning style, which means music would be a good tool. Music itself doesn’t have an effect on test score, however, it can be used to help you work faster. Right before your exam, take a final glance at your notes. Make sure that you understand all of the concepts. If you get stuck on a topic, try writing it down on a sheet of paper. Repetition helps you commit to the information. Once you do something long enough, it sticks to your memory. Find a classmate and practice memorizing information for your exam. 3. Confidence You’re the only person holding yourself back from success. Everyone has a different learning style, which means the same studying methods that work for you, might not work for someone else. Confidence is a form of self motivation. If you pay attention in class while taking good notes, there’s no way that you should fail a test. Find a quiet place, grab a classmate and study the right way. Don’t forget these steps for the day of your test: 1. Relax, and get plenty for rest, try not to stay out late the night before an exam 2. Grab a good meal 3. Find a quiet place to go over the exam material 4. Try to focus on complicated material 5. Have confidence, if you pay attention in class there’s nothing to worry about Be the first to comment Leave a Reply %d bloggers like this:
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet Frequently Asked Questions t writes: Pectin is a polysaccharide which, in the presence of acid and sugar, gels. It is used as a thickener in jams, and occurs naturally in some fruit, like apples. In apples, it's mostly in the peel, and so for someone beginning the diet, you normally wouldn't get too much from eating an apple, because you'd peel it. But if you drink fresh pressed apple juice/cider/stuff you do get more pectin from the peels, and that's what part of the sediment at the bottom of the jug is. So you shouldn't shake it up too much before you pour yourself a glass. Pectin as an added ingredient is not legal, as it is a complex sugar. There is more information about pectin at: Back to Frequently Asked Questions - Table of Contents Dr. Samuel Gee Back to PecanBread
News FocusAstrophysics Physicists Prepare to Catch Cosmic Bullets + See all authors and affiliations Science 21 Jun 2002: Vol. 296, Issue 5576, pp. 2134-2135 DOI: 10.1126/science.296.5576.2134 You are currently viewing the summary. View Full Text Researchers can't agree where the most energetic particles in the universe come from, or even how many of them strike Earth. Theories about the source abound, from the nearby descendants of quasars to ultramagnetic neutron stars to the annihilation of clumps of superheavy dark matter. Now physicists from 19 nations are building a giant observatory that they hope will end decades of confusion about the origins of particles called ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, each of which can pack as much energy as a fastball from a professional baseball pitcher.
Introduction: How to Make a Reenactment Drum Hi everyone. In this instructable I will show you how to make a beautiful, sweet-sounding Reenactment drum. As far as I would go, I would say that it could be used from Viking Age Reenactment, and all the way up to, let's say, to the Renaissance. This Instructable is not for beginners, and it is highly recommended to have at least basic woodworking and metalworking skills. There are some risky parts in the making of this drum. Here's the beauty: Step 1: Supplies & Tools Okay, here's what you will need: -Good quality plywood(I use birch) -Drum heads(I used the very realistic Fiberskyn heads from Remo. Usually, I would keep away from using synthetic materials, but for me, goatskin or other authentic heads are too expensive, and I'm using the drum outdoors, so real skin is way too sensitive to weather change. With synthetic heads, I can keep the beat going whether it's rain or sun!) -Iron rings, or, alternatively, long iron sticks that you can bend round, and put together with a bolt.* -Rope(I use hemp rope, it has a nice feel, and adds to the look.) -Wood glue - Screws -Wood(I use oak) -Laquer for ships or musical instruments -Wood stain* -Common sense The tools you will need, ranges from a simple drill, to a circular saw, so it would be highly advised to have a variety of tools to use. I will not list every single tool to use, as there are many ways to work and use the tools. As mentioned beforehand, it's a great idea to have basic woodworking skills. * = optional, depending on which kind of fastening you want ** = optional, depending on if you want the raw wood or a fine staining. Step 2: Cutting, Shaping and Bending the Wood So, we are starting with the plywood. First of all, decide the size of your drum. I suggest using two layers on your drum. If you use synthetic heads, take in mind that not all sizes of heads are made. I decided, that my drum should be 22 inches across, and 50 centimetres from top to bottom. Sorry for the two different measurement units! Okay now. Here's some math. The two layers of plywood should not have the same length, because one goes into the other. The difference between the layers should be the thickness of the plywood times two. So, you have marked up the wood. Now to the cutting. It has to be the outermost layer of the plywood, that sort of wraps around the drum. If you can't understand this, I will explain if asked to. :) Now cut that wood! Just make sure that you have the right measurements. Now for the very frustrating part. Maybe you can skip easily over this. You will (maybe) have to cut grooves, as seen on the picture. On my drum, there is a 1 centimeter space between the grooves, that goes down in only about half of the plywood. This makes the wood much easier to bend. This can be done with a circular saw, with a metal ruler or some other stable, straight object. Whoa, this can take a long time! But when you're finally done with the grooves, you can relax with a long, smoking hot shower....with your wood. Get your wood soaking wet, with the hottest water you can find(not boiling!), and really get them heavy with the water. Now, you should be able to carefully bend the wood, with the grooves on the inside. Find some straps, preferably some used for transportation. Wide, long nylon straps are best. Together with an other savvy hand, bend the wood, so that the ends of the inner layer are opposite the ends of the outer layer. Keep them together with the straps, and maybe some clamps. Again, your plywood may act different than mine. Let it dry for about a week. Step 3: Securing the Shape Okay, now for securing your fine, round shape. Cut some blocks, and screw them through your fine round drum shell, and onto blocks on the inside. The blocks should be positioned at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o' clock. But then again, maybe your plywood is stable enough, so the blocks are unnecessary. Use common sense. Please refer to the picture to see how it should look, just without the staining. Or, at least, how it could look. Now, lean back, and go check how expensive pre-fabricated drum shells are. Now, sand your edges of the drum. Look, it's a giant science, what angle should it be? How round? Well, for me, It doesn't matter. Do what your want. Feel free to ask. Step 4: Heavy Metal Hula Hoop! Okay, now you have to options. If you want to make a Medieval style fastening to the skin, you can skip this part, and go directly poking holes in the skin, and strapping it, and then go drop some sick beats. An example of this is the drum below, the one that's on a wolfskin. WARNING! If you have chosen the Medieval style, and you use a synthetic head, please be careful when making holes. The holes in the read can quickly rip, if not done properly. I don't know how to do it the right way, though. But, if you want to make what I call a Renaissance style fastening, please read on, and see the intro image. This is an example of Renaissance style fastening. I have chosen this style for this drum. Let's move on. If you have found metal rings that fit your drum right inside of the metal border around the synthetic head, great! You can go to the next step. If not, read on. Now, find some round iron sticks. Bend them, so that they are as round as your drum, and the same size. If it is difficult, and you want a more pro look, you can run the sticks through a metal roller to get the perfect curve. Please allow a little space between the head and metal ring for leather tuning claws. Step 5: Making and Fastening the Leather Tuning Claws Now, this is still about the Renaissance fastening and tuning style. Now find your leather. It should be a little stiff, and should could take some downward pressure. Now, cut some oval pieces, you choose the size. Just make sure there is space enough for everything. I cut 9 claws for each metal ring, 18 all together. Mark two holes in each end, with a little space from the edge. Cut out the holes with a scalpel or a circular chisel. Now, wrap them around the metal ring, as shown on the picture. This can be a little difficult, so you might need your savvy hand from step 2. Step 6: Strap Up! Now, this step is both for those Medieval style fastenings and the Renaissance style fastenings. For you Medievallers, you can just strap it with the rope thorugh the holes in the skin, one hole at a time. Renaissance, head on shell, metal ring on head, leather claws around metal ring, rope through the leather claws. Bottom, top, bottom, top, untill you have been all the way around. Medieval style, please look at the main image in step 4 to see the technique. Tie it, as hard as you can, and wait. It will slowly loosen up. Now, strap it even harder, tie, and wait again. Repeat untill it don't loosen up anymore. You will probably have to untie it, and tighten it again, probably with a couple of days intervals. For leather tuning straps, as shown on the picture, you will need a appropriate width of leather. Sew them together, and tune it up! Step 7: Boom Boom Clap! Done! Heyhey! You´re basically done! Now, you'll need small things like maybe a gut snare, some drumsticks, a shoulder-carrying system, staining the drum or removing the brand stamp from the drum heads. Please feel free to ask about anything that could come to your mind, questions, answers, anything. Oh, and remember to post pictures if you decide to make a drum, whether it's my way or anyone elses!! -Oliver Larsen stnoahsark made it!(author)2013-05-14 how mutch did this all cost and about how mutch time did it take to build i have a history project and cant buy the whole thing was wondering if it was sort of inexpensive and takes less thanthe next week and a half im still in school and we have memorial day off wonder if that will be enough time Water+Child made it!(author)2011-03-02 hey u should make a video of this man, i like it ive doneit halfway but i needede serous help with the rounding of the plywood, overall thisi s an awesome instructable, makea video bro itd be awesome! Oliver+Larsen made it!(author)2011-03-03 YO bro or something. I can not make a video of this at the moment, since I haven't any future drum building plans yet. But, what is it exactly that you need help with? I will gladly guide you through the process if you post some pictures of the finished drum! About This Instructable More by Oliver Larsen:How to make a Reenactment drum Add instructable to:
What is Foot Orthotics ? foot orthotics Foot Orthotics are devices designed to adjust various biomechanical foot disorders. These are simple insoles for shoes. The best Orthotics, however, are custom-tailored devices specifically crafted to meet the needs of a particular individual. Simpler foot Orthotics allows the muscles, tendons and bones of the feet and lower legs to function at their highest potential. When appropriately prescribed, Orthotics can decrease pain, not only in the foot, but in other parts of the body such as the knee, hip and lower back. They can also increase stability in an unstable joint, prevent a deformed foot from developing additional problems, and improve overall quality of life. One of the foot's main functions is to absorb shock as the body's weight shifts with each step. It does this through a complex process in which the arch of the foot flattens slightly. This absorbs and distributes the weight throughout the entire foot. There are two major problems that can be prevented by using Foot Orthotics: High arch : To correct this condition, an Orthotic is used to bring the ground into even contact with the rest of the foot. This allows the entire foot to support the weight of the body. Extra cushioning can be built into the Orthotic so that some of the force does not even reach the foot. Flat Foot : To correct this condition, an Orthotic with an increased arch will be prescribed to distribute the weight laterally. Depending on shape of the foot, the heel of the Orthotic can be slanted to shift the weight more toward the center of the heel. Why You need Orthotics? Pain is the body's way of warning you something is wrong. If you ignore your pain, the condition causing it could become worse. Relief is closer than you think. You may be a candidate for orthotics if: TOP First 1 2 3 Last
Why Didn’t NASA Catch This Two-Story-Wide Meteor Entering Earth’s Atmosphere? \| \| Top Tier Gear USA A space rock calculated to be as wide as a two story building is tall which exploded with the equivalent of 13,000 tons of TNT entering Earth’s atmosphere was missed by NASA on February 6th. Completely. This is despite the fact that NASA has a whole entire program specifically dedicated to spotting potentially dangerous space rocks entering the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA made the announcement after the fact, but the agency was itself informed of the event by another agency, which many have speculated is the military. (Other guesses are the NSA, which spies on everything everywhere, including space.) How sad is that? The government isn’t telling anyone exactly what technology was used to hone in on this rock entering the atmosphere, but astronomer and Slate science writer Phil Plait noted that there three possible ways: The fireball fell over the Atlantic ocean in a place we are told is 600 miles away from the nearest inhabited place, but had it taken a slightly different path, it would’ve come down over a major city, rattling people’s windows and scared the hell out of everyone with absolutely no warning whatsoever from our so-called space agency. NASA tries to pretend they have everything space-related monitored and under control at all times with all these comets and asteroids we’ve been seeing lately (which, is it just me, seems to be on an uptick?), but as stories like this continue to come out, it doesn’t leave anyone with the impression they actually do. Let’s be honest with ourselves: NASA can make all the new programs they want, but it is pretty clear that the public wouldn’t be warned in the event of a real Earth-leveling asteroid hurling toward the planet. Guess we should all watch out for the military moving into their underground bunkers on that one. (Source: Yahoo!) Related Reads 100 Foot Asteroid Could Pass Earth 20 Times Closer Than the Moon at 34,000 MPH on March 7th Why Is NASA Working on a Way to Destroy Asteroids Using Nuclear Weapons? Contact! A Tactical Manual for Post Collapse Survival Delivered by The Daily Sheeple Contributed by Piper McGowin of The Daily Sheeple. • SP_88 Regardless of whether NASA knows about it or not, we won’t be warned about it. With all the elitists that want to lower the population, the more people who die from an asteroid or meteor, the better. They will say that informing the public is too dangerous because it will cause panic, or some other lame ass excuse. They will lie and say that they must have miscalculated or something. Like the article said, when the elitists start heading for their bunkers, we will know that the SHTF. • Nexusfast123 I think you are probably right. You could not move millions of people in time and not without mass panic. • SP_88 If it’s small enough to only destroy a city or two and there is no way to evacuate everyone, there’s no point in saying anything. If it’s giant, and will destroy the planet and kill everyone, there’s no point in saying anything then either. So unless there are some real and tangible options that will make a difference, like having enough warning to evacuate or hide underground or something, or somehow blow it up, then there is no point in causing riots and chaos over something that can’t be changed. • It’s cyclical and has happened many times before as has been recorded clearly in the ancient texts that the Romans all but completely wiped out when they burnt the library of Alexandria to the ground. This is an advanced flat earth video/concept but nevertheless, it is the truth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE0BqNl_M7Q – there’s gonna be a lot of fireballs and the evidence(physical evidence as in the spherical stone balls themselves) of previous fireballs, numbering in the billions, are found all over Earth. • Reverend Draco Fireplanes, – not fireballs. Everything is flat, remember? • Whatever you say, rev, keep spinnin’, I surely don’t care. • How would molten rock get into the sky, space volcanos? Meteors are heated by falling through the atmosphere, until which they are very cold. • Something like that, yes, watch the video I posted, it is 55minutes long but it is very well done and contains a plethora of research detailing different cultures reporting on the same exact event. It is an advanced topic though because if you don’t have the basics down if may not make sense but the work is fantastic IMO. • It looks like a magic tree in a Disney cartoon. • That is a Persian deity, better hope you never see that magic tree, you won’t be around much longer afterwards if you do. • You forget, I’m an atheist. • Doesn’t matter, they think it’s a god, you do not, same thing will happen afterwards regardless. • give it a rest its not just the elitists that want a lower population. anyone that has a clue about sustainability knows that earth is overpopulated yet the breeders keep popping out kids like pez dispensers. additionally you will never see the elitists head for a bunker. when the shit hits the fan do you have a clue how to make flour much less bread? the majority of the infotainment social media population will say it comes from the store, and mean it. as for a natural disaster event culling the herd, bring it on, my locale is just as good as the next, so don’t try and leverage my opinion with a threat of death. its the assholes that survive that have more to worry about than the ones that don’t … or aren’t you aware of what is going on behind the façade in the world today? expecting nasa to know about everything in space is like expecting cops to prevent crime or protect you. surely you aren’t that juvenile? the reason they will never tell the public about an event like this is because the population is to stupid, selfish and completely incapable of evacuating without doing more harm than good. old ladys will trample infants, inner city will stock up on new shoes and tvs, fuck, what part of herd mentality don’t you get? • Esmae Too bad the down button is just a fallacy. • mirageseekr NASA couldn’t “detect” it because it wasn’t “filmed in a hollywood basement”- Red Hot Chili Peppers • Anita Tant • I forgot Space may be the final frontier But it’s made in a Hollywood basement Cobain can you hear the spheres Singing songs off station to station And Alderaan’s not far away It’s Californication NASA is a lie! • LiberalsRLost They did not miss it …… luciferians do not care about us and any death it but a blood sacrifice for them……these shape-shiters do not have the moral compass of God’s creation….. • Reverend Draco Odin did a decent job of creation. . . nice of you to notice. • Nabi The White House does not want to panic the low-info Obama supporters. • Frank Energy Folks, be prepared. It is not crazy. just ask….”what would my grandfather do to be responsible?” • Esmae Planet X, nibiru,rapture, alien attack, ww3 take your pick all and any of it will be intentional, this was just another test run as it was on Nov 2015. Our metal infested skies are a sky and they can project anything the psychopaths choose to project. • Anothereno did anyone get hurt? No? then who cares 😛 • You’re just supposed to be scared… lol • Anothereno but but but but, not much scares me, as long as it’s not Armageddon I’m pretty self sufficient 🙂 • Lucky you! I am working on it. Ironically though, I just watched this yesterday about the repeating Armageddon of this world and holy shit! The physical evidence is frightening. It’s 55minutes long but it will give you a better explanation about Armageddon than any other resource IMHO. I’m not worried though as there’s nothing I can do about it so I will keep calm and prep for the future! • Donnie I am sure they seen it coming in. • It is not Paranoia Why do you believe NASA? This is the evidence of their lies, right before your eyes. Yet you’re still gonna think that “maybe something they say is true, like that we live on a spinning ball”. NOTHING they say is true!! But you believe them! And you will continue to do so. And the best part – you will PAY FOR IT! Yeah…and WE are crazy. • But they have faith in NASA and in their $cience religion you heretic! lol! • Reverend Draco It isn’t NASA that says we live on a spinning ball. . . it’s physics. The same physics that allows curve balls to be pitched. The same physics that keeps your car in contact with the pavement. The same physics that operate the computer you used to post your ignorant horsecrap. Yes – you certainly are a fucking nutter. • Salar de Uyuni – 4000 square miles of FLAT terrain, 1 meter difference in height all throughout and absolutely no curvature. So… How does this place exist on your sphere? • When are you going to tell me what earth is if it isn’t round? Is it flat, like a piece of paper, or flat like one side of a cube?Or? • You are far too intelligent to be asking me questions like that which makes me wonder of your motives… just being honest. • My motive is simple. I have never seen a photograph of the earth that didn’t depict it as anything but round, just like driving the vast majority of the interstate system did. If I found out it was flat like a piece of paper, I’d tunnel through to China to say hi to the folks that I listen to on CRI. • Well it’s both round and flat. I edited my above reply. • According to the drawing in that application, the earth is shaped like a half of a globe with the flat spot south of south america? • That’s the whole globe, not half and that’s a map you can use for navigation and not get lost, wouldn’t try that using a globe though. • It is not Paranoia Hey Rolly, have you seen this? I just found it this morning and it blew my mind. I thought I’d share with someone intelligent. I know you know it already, but this is the finest proof I’ve seen so far. Tell me what you think. • No I have not, THANK YOU! Downloaded! Are they really this sloppy? Well, after all of the bubbles in “space walks” they allow to be released my guess is they are so confident of their scheme over the sleeping masses they don’t even care. I figured I’d know they are getting desperate when I see the first “real” satellite photo in a search engine. • It is not Paranoia It’s like everytime some piece of this lie-puzzle is exposed, there’s always their “counter-attack”. It’s a good indicator if you have eyes to see it. Just like with the space snorkels, you just can’t make this shit up. People started questioning and voila! It’s no conspiracy! It’s THIS simple: Haha because “outer space” is full of dangerous water that can kill you!! It’s like they are testing the boundaries of sheeple’s stupidity. • Which you’d be doing a better job of dispelling if you’d refrain from rants in favor of restatements. • It is not Paranoia I gotta say I don’t understand what you’re saying, English is not my native language, sorry. Is it “I agree” or “fuck you”? My guess is “fuck you”, but I could be wrong. • Gary Sort of like the board game Balderdash. Some people will believe the most outrageous things, if one can but keep a straight face whilst selling the snake-oil. 🙂 • Al Mather Right …especially those secret evil masonic fake astronaut Jews.. who try make everybody think there’s planets and space, and stuff.. as if there’s satellites used for telecommunications, meteorological information gathering, data transmission… when all you smart folk know it’s really just blimps and stuff on really big poles and things stuck to a big glass dome that sits on top of us. I mean…what ? Do they think you’re idiots? • Gary I’m guessing that you don’t win many games of Balderdash. At least, not when playing with “conspiracy theorists”. 🙂 • Al Mather No… when the “space snorkels” are presented as a device to remove excess moisture from breathing apparatus .. Conspiracy dolts..always looking for some idiotic “secret” to expose and cling to … put their feeble mindedness on parade. • I just updated the gleason’s map above, this one you can download or view full screen and zoon in. The latitudinal and longitudinal quadrants near the ice wall should resemble the pizza-slice looking ones right next to the north pole but they are shaped much differently and this is why if you use a globe to navigate far south in those areas you’re asking for trouble. • If I understand you, the earth is shaped like a bell jar with the north pole at the top and a solid bottom? • Close, the north pole is in the center and everything including the sky revolves around the north pole and there is no south pole which they even admit to in movies I guess to be funny or something: Click here for image – If the firmament includes magma, which I believe it does, then the sky CAN split into two and has before according to the ancient texts. It opened up and spilled magma onto us which formed spherical balls of fire that rained down from the heavens, just like the now stone spheres found all over earth numbering in the billions today. That persian deity is what they thought they saw when they saw the split(the great rift is the split) with the glowing hot magma in the sky. Waykiwayki.com (Mark Night) has done extensive research into this and his work is outstanding IMO is you wish to learn more about it. I am not going to pretend I know what is beneath nor what is above but there is ancient knowledge that describes both. If you look at the lower right hand and lower left hand corners of the Gleason map it will show you the area the sun illuminates at the solstices and the circular pattern it travels overhead but ever shifting its course solstice to solstice from the tropic of Cancer to the tropic of Capricorn and vice versa. For the sun to illuminate only a small area of earth terrain at a time it can’t be as far away as they say it is and guess who flaunts that secret knowledge in front of our faces? Click for image Click for image Google on earth day, click here for image PS: Where are the 4 rivers that lead to the north pole that have been previously charted in modern day maps? I doubt they dried up or disappeared since then: http://www.helmink.com/Antique_Map_Mercator_North_Pole_2/indexhr.php Here is what they give us now: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/elegantfigures/files/2010/09/natural_earth_orthographic_np.jpg (that one took me a while so I hope you enjoy it and learn from it) • The more you tell me, the less I can see where the alleged flat earth is, since those of us who have never left the northern hemisphere wouldn’t see anything that wouldn’t appear to be the northern hemisphere of a globe. A cylinder can spin the same way a globe would, and its orientation could produce seasons in the same way. • Look at the circular star trails, they are impossible on a spinning ball unless you are situated at an axial point and could never produce those effect at mid-latitudes: http://www.photosbykev.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/star_trails/dynamic/penmon_point.jpg-nggid044469-ngg0dyn-0x0x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg – we clearly aren’t spinning no matter the shape, the sky is. • Al Mather Actually Earths distance from Polaris is light years away…so whether you are at the north pole axis point … A few hundred miles away from it… Or a few thousand miles away from it… It is no neglible difference in your angle or perspective to the Polaris… The rotation of the earth still creates circular star trails… The only difference is you might catch a bit more of the curvature on the horizon as you look toward Polaris the lower your latitude. • If earth’s distance from Polaris is light years then how can Polaris possibly stay put in perfect alignment/distance with Earth since the beginning or recorded time in a galaxy traveling @ 500,000 miles per hour? That’s absurd, Polaris doesn’t “move with the Earth’s atmosphere.” • Al Mather You are locked into this childishly idiotic grasp of scale like a little brain box you can’t seem to break out of… We are surrounded by stars… Billions and billions… thousands upon thousands are visible. ALL OF THEM light years away. The stars our axis HAPPEN to point at ..at this period in time.. are Polaris and Sigma Octans. Here are the key distances to calculate our viewing angle to Polaris, Rolly… Polaris is 2500 trillion miles away Or orbit around the sun is a mere 350 million miles wide. If Polaris stood stationary how much would our viewing angle change??? • There is no other logical conclusion to the fact that we can observe circular star trails at mid-latitudes than it is the sky that is moving and not us, regardless of the shape of Earth. This point has been thoroughly driven home without any logical refutation from the late, great Samuel Birley Rowbotham in his book: Zetetic Astronomy, by ‘Parallax’ – the situation you are confusing yourself with is logically and irrefutably addressed here: sacred-texts.com/earth/za/za48.htm Also, from this link: ifers.ace.st/t148-polaris-seen-from-the-southern-hemi-sphere?highlight=polaris – we have this: “If the Earth is a sphere and the pole star hangs over the northern axis, it would be impossible to see it for a single degree beyond the equator, or 90 degrees from the pole. The line-of-sight would become a tangent to the sphere, and consequently several thousand miles out of and divergent from the direction of the pole star. Many cases, however, are on record of the north polar star being visible far beyond the equator, as far even as the tropic of Capricorn.” -> this was before the Earth had a 23.5 degree tilt(1885) and likely got it’s 23.5 degree tilt in response to this man’s work but alas, even their revised (tilt)theory is FULL of holes, see below: Star Trails Prove Earth is the Center of the Universe: BTW you CAN see horizontal lines (or at least MORE horizontal ) with star trails… if you are at mid latitudes point your camera straight up plumb to your location or toward the celestial equator. But pointing at the axial stars create circular trails. YES! TRUE! That’s a clearly reproducible effect in the open source stellarium software! This effect is possible from a giant, fixed sky rotating over top of you also though, the exact but equal/opposite effect if one were located at the axial points of a spinning basketball/ping pong ball(earth) are also possible; the top would spin one way, the bottom, the other way even though the basketball/ping pong ball(earth) is actually spinning the same way but if the basketball/ping pong ball(earth) is the object that is spinning then there’s no circular star trails along the sides(mid-latitudes of Earth) of the basketball/ping pong ball(earth) if you were situated upon it NO MATTER THE DISTANCE OF THE STARS ABOVE/AROUND YOU, at those locations you would get lines, much like the lines you can observe straight overhead(plum) of you when you look straight up at the sky BUT if you keep the basketball/ping pong ball(earth) completely still but you instead spin the room with the lights in it or the stadium with the lights in it with the axis of the spin being lights(stars) that are aligned perfectly with the basketball/ping pong ball’s(earth) top and bottom axial points you will get circles no matter where you observe the axial lights from, hence, we’re NOT on a GLOBE! • Al Mather You keep going back to “proofs” that have been debunked 100 times .. Seasonal tilts , altitudes of the surface topography and the fact that the earth is an oblate spheroid all allow Polaris to be spotted a few degrees below the Equator every now and then here and there. Never denied.. easily accounted . Believe it or not there have been a few scientific advances since the nineteenth century. Riddle me this genius.. Let’s assume you are standing at the axial point looking up at Polaris 2500 trillion miles away.. taking exposures of star trails.. and you take 2 steps to your left or right… what do you think happens?? Say you go another 100 yds..1000yds… a mile???? Tell me.. what you think happens to the view?… I’m interested. Please …still waiting on why when everyone at the equator looks south they see stars swirling clockwise around Sigma Octans… and when they turn around and face North they see completely different stars swirling around Polaris. Get back to me on that OKAY? • You keep going back to “proofs” that have been debunked 100 times That’s your problem, they haven’t been “debunked” unless you consider more unproven theories as evidence(make up this bs to cover the other bs, make up a tilt to cover for Polaris able to be observed below the equator, etc.).. something you do all of the time.. and that ain’t proof, jack! I could make shit up to make what I say sound correct also(oblate spheroids, tilts, gravity, the earth is pear-shaped, the sun is really far away, the moon moves opposite direction than you are seeing… blahh blahh blahh… it’s not real, it’s BS!) but I don’t do that and neither does Eric and neither did Samuel Rowbotham but $cience and NASA does all of the time! Here is an INDEX of experiments which prove my point that haven’t been disproven back then and thus STILL hold true today. Notice he only uses provable evidence with experiments and logic and never makes up one $cience theory to explain himself… because he doesn’t need to, he’s telling the truth and is the real deal: http://www.sacred-texts.com/earth/za/ But the shape of the Earth hasn’t changed since then so the book remains true till this day and no need for extra theories to explain any of it either. Hey Genius, the sky is moving and we are not thus you will see the SAME thing around Polaris REGARDLESS of your position as long as Polaris is visable… 100 yds, 1000 yds, a mile! therefore the southern polar star. It is scarcely polite to contradict the statements made, but it is certain that persons who have been educated to believe that the earth is a globe, going to the southern parts of the earth do not examine such matters critically. They see the stars move from towards the east towards the west, and they are satisfied[edit: THAT’S YOU, BTW]. But they have not instituted special experiments, regardless of results, to ascertain the real and absolute movements of the southern . Another thing is certain, that from and within the and many others, can be seen from every meridian simultaneously; seen simultaneously from every meridian , showing that all the a south pole star, and the Southern Cross a southern circumpolar star and the northern circumpolar constellations” see stars swirling clockwise around Sigma Octans… and when they turn around and face North they see completely different stars swirling around Polaris. Get back to me on that OKAY? I feel like a broken record, spin the basketball Al Mather, the top spins one way, bottom spins the other way! Now keep the basketball still and spin the sky, top spins one way, bottom spins the other way! TADAHH! • Al Mather If the sky spins over a disc shaped flat plane surrounded by wall of ice like you idiots claim.. HOW does it spin one way over the North (center of disc) and the opposite way .. around a different star over all the various points of the outer circle (south)… Yet ALL THOSE LOCATIONS SHARE THE IDENTICAL VIEW OF SIGMA OCTANS..Its physically impossible! Draw that one up for me …I can’t wait. • LOL, thanks for proving my point, AL Mlather 🙂 If the sky spins over a DISC SHAPED FLAT PLANE surrounded by wall of icelike you idiots claim.. HOW does it spin one way over the North (centerof disc) and the opposite way .. around a different star over all the various points of the outer circle (south)… Yet ALL THOSE LOCATIONS SHARE THE IDENTICAL VIEW OF SIGMA OCTANS..Its physically impossible! Star trails spin the opposite way because of your perspective and the fact that you can see those circles all over the north and south means that you ain’t on no spinnin’ ball, it’s the sky that’s spinning! LOOK! These and other points are why you are so chickenshit to provide me thatflat earth map … too many idiotic claims that look even dumber when you see it illustrated. LOL, I keep making you look worse and worse to any thinking individual(only sock puppet upvotes) and I can logically refute ANY point you have where your only defense is yet another unproven theory(heliocentricity, distance to stars and sun from earth, oblate spheroids, pear shaped earth, 23.5 degree tilts, reverse moon patterns, etc.. I guess… if you believe in magic anything is possible.). So.. you think I am scared to provide a map? LOL, here is another nail in your coffin but you are a sadist it seems: Produced by Cartographer and Civil Engineer Alexander Gleason (circa 1892) – Gleason’s map: (geography hasn’t changed since 1892) Click here for image ACCURATE – Flat Earth Map of the World As “It Is” – Scientifically and Practically Correct! SCIENTIFIC – Produced by Cartographer and Civil Engineer Alexander Gleason (circa 1892) AUTHENTIC – Origiinally Published by the Buffalo Type & Engraving Company, Buffalo, NY That IS what we live on, just was it was in 1892. That map can be used for sea navigation… try sea navigation with your BS globe near the ice wall and you’ll likely die lost at sea like so many other fools who believed the king’s $cience. Navigators can’t play pretend Globe games when they are sailing in dangerous waters using nothing but a map and their lives depend on it, well, most sailors. There have been a number of them in history who naively used a globe for navigation in the far south waters and paid the ultimate price for doing so and died a very cold death from getting lost at sea. It’s all you idiots do.. that and cheesy little mumbling youtube “proofs” with spacy music, that take 10 minutes to get to one ridiculous point. Well it take much longer to prove a point to someone who can’t grasp it, ya know? Again, YOU are the one who uses BS theories as proof and I am the one who uses math. Numbers don’t lie Al Mather – let’s see the MATHEMATICS that prove a canal is actually a convexly caving structure, completely defying the fact that they are laid out on level surfaces using a datum line beneath! You may still keep some stubborn/sleeping sheep asleep but the truth is like a freight train and it already left the station and you can continue to stand in front of it and get ran over again and again, that is your prerogative. I think more people on thedailysheeple(and everywhere else) are starting to consider this TRUTH more and more each day… that FLAT horizon line keeps staring them in the face never goes way after all + math isn’t a conspiracy, it’s logical and provable. This will become apparent to any thinking individual as time progresses… it’s not going away. • Gary Polaris and the other stars are only light years distant if you believe the fairy tale that the Earth is spinning ’round the sun. One fairy tale to support another. Simple trigonometry puts stars much closer than that. 🙂 • Al Mather I see… so no mathematician in the last 100 or so years has bothered to ever think about this… No mathematician in the world has even spotted this obvious glitch in astronomic knowledge? Till of course Gary and the Fellate earthers . Run your maths as you call them by us Gary…prove to us the stars are just a few thousand miles away. While you are doing that please explain why those stars above rotate one way in the center of the flat earth disc… and the opposite way around all the points out by the ice wall that encircle us in your fantasy world. • Gary Sigh. Can’t you even use Google? I typed in “how to calculate the distance to a star” and the first result I quote below: “Astronomers can measure a star’s position once, and then again 6 months later and calculate the apparent change in position. The star’s apparent motion is called stellar parallax. The distance d is measured in parsecs and the parallax angle p is measured in arcseconds.” Simple trignometry can be used to calculate the distance to stars. But, because this gives an answer much closer than desired, astronomers must assume that the Earth is spinning and travelling 149.6 million km from the sun, to allow an assumed travel distance of ~300 million km between Summer and Winter. This gives a much larger triangle (of ~300 million km base), so the astronmers can say a star is light years away, rather than the thousand or so km it really is. However, for the above process to be scientific, such astronomers must demonstrate: a) That the Earth is 149.6 million km from the sun, something easily disproved by simple trigonometry (the sun is much closer). b) That the Earth is travelling around the sun, something disproved and documented on at least several occasions over the past century or two. The belief that stars are light years away is therefore not founded on science. • Al Mather So lets see that “simple trig” which gives the answer that the star is 3000 miles away. • Gary Refer to Earth Not a Globe, by Parallax and George Davey, p 102 -104. “The distance from London Bridge to the sea-coast at Brighton, in a straight line, is 50 statute miles. On a given day, at 12 o’clock, the altitude of the sun, from near the water at London Bridge, was found to be 61 degrees of an arc; and at the same moment of time the altitude from the sea-coast at Brighton was observed to be 64 degrees of an arc, as shown in fig. 58. By the same mode it may be ascertained that the distance from London of that part of the earth where the sun was vertical at the time (July 13th, 1870) the above observations were taken, was only 400 statute miles, as shown by dividing the base-line L, D, by the distance B, L.” Stars can be measured in the same way. • Al Mather Oh ..I see.. so a calculation made by a Flat Earth knuckle head 145 years ago proves the sun is 700 miles above us. • Gary You might not like what you’ve read about Parallax, but mathematics doesn’t lie, Al. 🙂 • Al Mather But fellate earthers do…. As a rule. • Gary Are you referring to yourself? • Gary Are you arguing that mathematics can change with time? • Al Mather No. I’m saying garbage in…garbage out. • Al Mather So again Gary…please explain why those stars above that rotate one way in the center of your flat earth disc… rotate the opposite way around a different star.. looking south from the equator & from all the points out by those ice walls that encircle us on your fantasy flat world map. • Gary The stars in the South don’t rotate about any star, as Я0llyJ0g3r has already explained. If Sigma Octantis were a pole star (and the Earth were a ball), it would be visible from all locations in the Southern Hemisphere as Polaris is in the Northern Hemisphere. • Al Mather Sigma Octanis is a pole star.. faint.. but observed over the entire southern hemisphere as axial with the stars appearing to rotate clockwise around it.. It can be observed identical in its appearance from Bolivia, Australia, and South Africa, ( see examples )and other points which would be spread ALL AROUND the circle of the flat earth map. Would be impossible in flat earth model. Please address this. All stars rotate East to West around Polaris just above the central North Pole like in a planetarium dome. The planetarium dome of our Earth however is so vast that the law of perspective doesn’t allow you to see all the stars from any one vantage point. You can however see Polaris, Ursa Major/Minor and other Northern constellations from every point on Earth all the way to the Southern Tropic of Capricorn. The supposed “South Pole star,” Southern Crux and other outer constellations conversely can NOT be seen from every point in the Southern Hemi”sphere” the way Polaris can from every point in the North. Nor do the Southern constellations circle around it West to East as is claimed. All stars rise more or less in the East and set in the West, with the angle/inclination being based on where you are on Earth and what direction you’re facing. – source: http://ifers.ace.st/t175-star-trails-in-the-northern-and-southern-hemisphere?highlight=pole+star • Al Mather Deflecting…explain the identical opposite star trail rotation around Sigma Octanis ..observed in all the pictures..from all the various locations in all outward or “southern” directions from all positions on the flat earth map. • Not deflecting, explaining to someone who just can’t get it, big difference. Already showed you a video explaining it, already made a simple text example of a room with Christmas lights all over the walls, floors, and ceiling and a basket ball spinning in the middle to explain it, already explained to instead spin the room lined up perfectly with top and bottom axial points(axial lights/stars on the floor/ceiling) rather than the basket ball to get reversing star trails on the top and the bottom with both spinning opposite directions, already explained that when the room(sky) spins aligned with top and bottom axial points and we(the basketball/earth) stay still that you will observe circular patterns around the axial points on the floor and ceiling of the room(the sky) no matter which point on the side of the ball you are on but if it was the ball spinning instead you would get either gigantic circles/ovals near the axial points(not the pinwheel effect we currently observe) or horizontal LINES if viewed anywhere from the sides of that object so I I’m not leaving much left up to imagination on this one, in fact, I think I’ve completely covered the concept. Again, not my fault you can’t grasp these concepts. • Al Mather Except the only way the example YOU ARE USING works is if it is a ball. YOU claim the earth is a stationary flat disc with the sun and stars rotating over it in one direction. IF this was true explain the perspective of Counterclockwise rotation on star trails around an axis when facing north from the equator…and clockwise star trails around an axis when facing south from the equator IN ALL DIRECTIONS. • Because the SKY is moving over your head, spinning around Polaris, counterclockwise, CONNECTED to the same stars you view from the South(same starfield moving in the same direction, no parallax observed ever no matter your Earthly position), all moving as one unit over our heads creating star trails facing one way in the north and another in the south… a giant dome/sphere moving as one, the Egyptians called it Nut, the sky goddess. • Al Mather AGAIN…deflecting….GO LOOK AT your flat earth “map” … South is every outward direction… how would it be possible to view the stars all spinning around Sigma Octanis looking “south from Bolivia, Australia, and South Africa simultaneously and have the same view??? • (Hint: absolutely how it would be on the beautiful blue rotating oblate spheroid though!) Not a chance! Our sky would look and behave much differently if we were on a spinning ball like seeing horizontal lines as star trails all across the sky at mid latitudes but we don’t see that though, we see circles. This is all a matter of perspective(and scale) and trying to put a perspective warp into words and clearly explain it is very difficult so I am going to use images for this but these are not my images, I got them from this user davidkay from IFERS.ace.st – here is his full graphic and explanation: [Click here for image] I think he did an excellent job and his graphic is what ultimately made me understand (coupled with stellarium.org so I was able to observe it for myself because I take nobody’s word for it, I am not the trusting type). Here is a representation of what we see, from our perspective, when we view the land and the sky: [Click here for image] On the equator it would look like this: [click here for image] So this [click here for image] is the same as the graphic above if this pic was taken at the equator, it probably wasn’t but imagine it was. You can see the train tracks for a few miles but that’s it but the sky looks like it’s touching the train tracks but you & I know that’s not really true so we are seeing much more sky than we are land but nevertheless they both meet at look like they touch at the vanishing point, thus two separate horizons, a sky horizon and a land horizon. So this [click here for image] is the same as this [click here for image] (if it was taken at the equator) except in your example, Polaris, if that’s what it is, is a little higher on the horizon than the example graphic but I hope you understand it, it’s the same concept. These dots in this graphic [click here for image] represent the points where the star trails disappear out of view, where the sky horizon and the land horizon both meet. Refer to your pic again [click here for image] so the yellow dots on the graphic are where the star trails meet the rocks in the photo. The center dot in the star trail photo, if that is Polaris, would be in the middle of the smallest circle at the top of the dome in the graphic. However, here is a nice photo of star trails going every which way: [click here for image] – This guy is smart, he used 3 differnt colors to represent the 3 ways which the star trials seemingly go, he used white dots to represent the circular star trails, the yellow dots the represent the more or less horizontal ones you would see(that we CAN see in stellarium if you look straight up), then the red ones where they start to shift in the other direction(although in his graphic they don’t really start doing that yet but he said it’s not to scale at all), ultimately leading to a reverse circle at a certain point in the sky[happens to be about the location of sigma octanis currently], it’s not a pole-star rotation like in the north, just a certain point in the far southern sky. [click here for image 4.png] – color coded star trails graphic Here is his explanation of the phenomenon: [click here for image] It’s a massive perspective warp from us viewing the horizon as flat with a dome-shaped sky overhead. Here is his graphic: [click here for image] Here is the color coded picture to go along with the graphic: [click here for image] All of this info can be verified in stellarium and once you[if you] understand this concept you will also understand that the star trails absolutely cannot behave in this manner from the perpective of a spinning ball no matter it’s size. There ya go, some 33rd degree mason info without even having to join! 🙂 Now when you understand these concepts and also that the sun and moon are equidistant and equisized all of those mason stained glass murals and other logos and graphics/images by them is viewed it is apparent why they always make the sun and moon equisized… because they ARE! It’s in-your-face secret knowledge that nobody can see but them because they know what they are looking at. [Click here for image] another example: [Click here for image] • Al Mather What a total mess of BS and made up graphics (sky horizon??? talk about making shit up to cover your BS!Lol!)…mental gymnastics and….. STILL… does NOT explain (in fact some graphics contradict) seeing the EXACT same star…surrounded by the EXACT same field of stars.. all rotating clockwise ..SIMULTANEOUSLY from ALL locations in the complete circle …looking in all 360 degrees of “south”on YOUR flat earth map! TRY AGAIN.. dude! And here’s the thing.. ANY CHILD can see how simply what is seen…is all explained by our being on a planet ….spinning west to east..there’s a star in the north.. and a star in the south that our axis point to ..and we spin..it is as simple as pie . IT ALL MAKES SIMPLE VISUAL AND LOGICAL SENSE. You idiots always talk about trusting what you see..LOL! Yet when it’s this obvious you hemorrhage dumb BS trying to come up with some kind of plausible explanation. Good job> • lol, predictable response but nonetheless it’s there for others to read, that’s why I did it, irrefutable logic for the thinking man/woman who is waking up. Your spinning ball IN NO WAY can produce CIRCULAR star trails… as in IMPOSSIBLE! The only way to obverse them would be if you were sitting ON the north pole and looking straight up but we can see circles from anywhere… because it’s a dome, like every ancient society already knew and wrote about until the world fell into evil hands and knowledge was kept for themselves but their time is running short and they know it. NASA is full of shit and steals money from us but their days are numbered also: youtube.com/watch?v=FGYG5PW4Jo4 They are absolutely SATURATING the flat earth movement with paid disinfo agents, it’s really pathetic when you can see it and I’ll admit it will throw a few off but this TRUTH isn’t going away, the shape has never changed and isn’t going to now so get used to hearing about it from here on out. You ARE right though, children and hypnotized(simple minded) adults think they are spinning when anyone with common sense can see it is the sky that is spinning, that’s why the constellations HAVE NEVER CHANGED their shapes in all of recorded time. With moving stars that would be impossible like all of the other magic that needs to be possible for heliocentricity to work, lol. Southern star trails moving in an opposite direction than northern ones but NOT around a pole star are caused by our perspective of the sky. You surely wouldn’t be able to see the circles like you do in the far southern sky if it was the earth rotating unless you were on the south pole… which doesn’t even exist, lol! For your heliocentric model to work our “solar system” wouldn’t have planets revolving around the sun all nice and neat like in your fantasy graphics, no sir, you must remember that the sun is moving also, very very fast… supposedly, and we can’t forget pixie dust, leprechauns, and of course gravity(no pixie dust or leprechauns but I figured since we are talking magic may as well…) and since this magical, never before proven but accepted as reality force called gravity makes big things attract little things(but doesn’t make little things attract littler things) that would mean that your perfectly circular orbits of all of the planets around the sun would actually be spirals chasing the ever-moving sun through the galaxy from being pulled by the sun’s enormous gravitational field. But of course that doesn’t happen….. because the sun moves perfectly with the earth’s 1000mph atmosphere too? Perfectly with Polaris? Perfectly with every other star that never mores in relation to one another? Perfectly with the moon so we only ever see one side of it and have days with the sun and moon in the same sky? SURE!… sounds perfectly logical and TOTALLY possible… LOL! I’ll leave the reader with this undeniable proof below… remember.. don’t ultimately listen to either of us but DO THE MAT AND DON’T BE LAZY… numbers don’t lie. 31.6 miles visible at sea level, not possible on a sphere and can’t be refuted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4oT2EbDONs Check the numbers in the video, can’t argue with math! It’s FLAT! • Al Mather Wow … Long response.. And still NOWHERE in there does it address or explain the single point I am sticking with through your torrents of deflection and BS?..what is observed in the real world…seeing the exact same star and field of stars rotating around it …..IN EVERY DIRECTION one looks …. The 360 DEGREES of “south” on the flat earth map. How is it possible. The illogical…magical.. gibberish answer you keep trying to provide …tries lamely to come up with an explanation for how the southern rotation could be observed in ONE location/ perspective on the flat earth. STILL… Fails at explaining what is observed here on our beautiful blue sphere… Sigma Octanis… An axial star ,according to every valid reference source ,astronomer, photographer, star gazer , and all the photographic evidence … Is observed SIMULTANEOUSLY from Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Madagascar, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia… and the seas in EVERY outward direction on the idiotic flat earth map… A physical impossibility. • Gary Nice star trails, but they’re all concentric, circular paths. Wouldn’t these go across the sky, rather than around a pole, were the Earth a moving, spinning ball (except at the axes of spin of the Earth)? Didn’t Я0llyJ0g3r already ask you this, and you deflected? Just curious to know what the globalist explanation for this is, if they have one. • Al Mather He ..and obviously you.. ( although I honestly believe you both grasp it perfectly)are having trouble grasping the simple astronomical concept that even amateur photographers or casual star gazers visualize and grasp so easily. The stars are fixed above and around us.. if the camera is focused on the distant axial point and the angle to it never changes as the Earth rotates… NO… it creates time exposures circles of the stars surrounding the axial point as the camera moves in a circle on the rotating planet… not sure how you two conceive it that way. If the camera was pointed AWAY from the distant axial point and plumb to the celestial equator … then YES lines going across the sky. • If that is true, Kitt Point must have been moved from a polar position after the circular star trail photos that are so common in their photographs were taken. • Kitt Point is a mid-latitude position thus circular star trails means no spinning ball and it is in fact the sky that is spinning so what exactly is your confusion about this? This is a VERY simple concept. • You are objecting to my proving your point? • Apologies, I misunderstood you. I’m going to do some 3d animations in Bryce so illustrate this concept. • I’m going to do some 3d animations in Bryce so illustrate this concept. • Reverend Draco Nobody will thank you for pseudoscience. . . • There is nothing pseudo about math • Reverend Draco I started studying science before I could ride a bicycle. I started high school with a degree in physics. I know too many people whose jobs rely on the proper application of physics to be taken in by a bunch of hooey. I don’t read the DSM for the same reason – I have no use for pseudoscience. • Agreed with the DSM5, that is psuedoscience, so are Foucault Pendulums though. I just wish you would take an honest, deeper look at the stuff I am posting, you’ll find that it is accurate. I only want the truth for myself and for you and there is too much evidence for me to dismiss on this topic that I’ve been studying now approaching 2 years(I believe I would have found a hole in it if there as one), like high powered zooms that can see land much farther than the sphere dictates is possible, how you cannot even entertain that thought is beyond me because I see it as irrefutable proof. If there is something wrong with my math… ever, please let me know, I don’t want/need to be “right,” I want to be accurate because that’s far more important to me. • It is not Paranoia Hell yeah! You debate with style, kudos for that! Do you have any idea why people keep saying it’s round even when you show them these facts? WHY is Suez Canal 120 miles long and NOT CURVING? WHY? Someone please tell me, because honestly I don’t understand. From that I just understand that the Earth is NOT round. Is it gravity or mirage? :)) Or oblate spheroid maybe?? :)) • Thanks! I don’t understand what the mental block is, they can see through almost everything else but I guess this is too much to handle, I dunno. • Gary I think at the moment they generally claim its mirage – refraction of light, but as usual, without any proof. Not much you can do for people who don’t believe their own senses. They are more like sheep than they may care to admit. They’ll come around eventually, when enough of the rest of the flock realise. • Wise words and so true. • Many many many rocks to come: youtube.com/watch?v=bE0BqNl_M7Q – just as it has before, it’s cyclical. • Contained in this video is what you call Planet X: youtube.com/watch?v=bE0BqNl_M7Q • David it is not because of planet x or niburu! when comet Ison came through our Galaxy it went straight through the Asteroid belt between Mars & Jupiter causing our Galaxy to become a Shooting Gallery. • sam N.A.S.A. Has a Sm budget Like 3% For Sky Watching and its a Big Ass Sky. As for Planet X So What? Gods not Done with the World Yet Give him time.He’ll get Around to Whipping us Out. alol
Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Education From features of distance learning, online learning, blended learning, classroom learning, Further reference: Amy’s MOOCs – Professional Digi-velopment 7 thoughts on “Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Education 1. Pingback: Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Education \| A New Society, a new education! \| 2. Pingback: Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Education \| Educational Leadership and Technology \| 3. Pingback: Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Education \| CUED \| 4. Pingback: Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Education \| Openness in Education and New "Trends" in Educational Technology \| 5. Pingback: Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Education \| Educación a Distancia (EaD) \| 6. Hi my name is Kasey and I am in Mrs. Lees humanities eight class. I can really connect to what you are saying because I myself see this issue around me every day. The lack of motivation, drive, heart and passion. Students are relying too much on their teachers and internet to give them inspiration. What happens to a simple piece of paper? I love how you started your writing. It was really cool how the beginning was some what like a poem. It stated a very smart analogy of our learning. Your ideas were powerful and relatable. Everyone can read your work and be able to say ” she is totally accurate we do rely on others for motivation.” Your message was that not just young students but all students have to stop relying on others for ideas and inspiration. passion is not something you can get on the internet. Passion is when you can feel and believe in your idea or work one hundred percent. It was also about Tue fact that teachers now a days have trouble trying to inspire their students in their work however they are more inspired by the phone in their hands. Us students need to learn to dig deep and learn what passion and inspiration is and how much it can add to your work. If students believe in what they are doing they will try a lot harder because it intrests them. To my understanding you are also trying to say that the technology we have is taking away from our learning and our perception of our work. The audience that you wanted to attract is any teacher or student. This is because as a university teacher you want to make a difference in how your students learn and how other teachers may teach. You are trying to inspire people to find that passion inside of them and use it to their advantage. You have done what you set out to do. You have inspired both teachers and students to find their passion. Now the question is will they find it? Will they keep it? The answer to that question is unknown by you and your readers. The people that will know are the ones that take a look at themselves and think. What am I passionate about? How can I bring that passion I have for sports or music into my school work? How can it affect my work ethic? These are all questions that your audience will think of as they read your writing. Your writing connects to our course a lot. We are in grade eight and just starting high school. We are making new friends and starting a whole new chapter in our lives. We have nothing to guide us other that our passion and insperation. Our teacher our there, however like you said, teachers can only do so much to inspire their students. There are some students that get lost and can’t find their passion. In those situations there is not much their teacher could help with. Some improvements you could make are to maybe add a few less pictures. I found that they really distracted the attention away from your powerful speech. Also you could try to link words to a few inspirational websites or stories as well as link to Wikipedia and perhaps a video. What I really likeed About your writing is that you found your inspiration and passion. You showed your drive to want to inspire others and I really admire that. 7. Pingback: Parallels of Online Learning and Higher Educati... Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
yes, i mean it!! its summer and this is india my dear.. so, i decided to do a little bit of public service by providing few informations about some of the common problems we will face during this time. so, here im going to refer about the condition called as HEAT STROKE. Think about walking through the street at 12 in noon and you know what im refering to. forget the air conditioner and the luxury of your vehicle, this thought is really unbearable. so, most of us are aware of this sort of condition called as heat exhaustion. in plain language, our body is able to dissipate the rise in temperature in the body by means of mechanisms such as sweating. medically, there are two extremes for temperature regulation, that is hypothermia and hyperthermia. so, mostly in the summer heat, what happens is, the core body temperature exceeds above 37C and there will be severe sweat associated as a part of body effort to maintain the normal homeostais. when the generation of heat exceeds the body’s capacity for heat loss, the core body temperature rises. so, heat illness occur either when the temperature outside is very high or when sweating is impaired or its efficiency as a heat loss mechanism is reduced by high humidity. these symptoms may also be increased during high muscular activities ,illness, old age or during certain drug consumption and alcohol. so, in heat exhaustion, the clinical features include 1> profuse sweating 2. dehydration 7.general debility The above conditions are more common due to prolonged exertion in hot and humid weather, profuse sweating and inadequate salt and water replacement. we read in newspaper as condition in which people actually fall comatose to ground while walking in sunlight and mostly this condition is caused due to tthe higher complication of heat exhaustion called as HEAT STROKE its more severe, and life threatening. the core body temperature rises above 40C the symptoms include neurological manifestations such as tremor, confusion, aggression and loss of consciousness. the patients skin feels very hot and sweating is usually ABSENT. complication include, multiple organ failure, shock , confusion etc There is a saying very commonly used in our field, prevention is better than cure. so, naturally, you cant dim the brightness of sun or heat, but you can take essential measures to protect yourself. firstly, try to avoid going out in sun during the time of 11am to 2pm, when the intensity of heat is maximum. or atleast try to reduce the intensity of physical activities at sun to the minimum. 2. this is going to be vacation time for kids and so please try to keep them engaged at home the maximum time possible. hard exertion, especially at the peak time mentioned above can lead to severe complications. 3. drink drink and drink..plenty of water, fruits, juices, water melon, tender coconut water etc. drink water in regular intrevals. 4. wear loose clothes. avoid wearing jeans and especially black color materials. possibly cotton clothes and dress which allow air circulation. 5. bath atleast twice a day 6. if you are diabetic, please keep a card claiming your status as you move out and also keep some sweet item with you. Both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia can be fatal. do regular check up with your diabetologist. 7. keep a regular health check up. stay healthy, be healthy. in the codition of emergency or when you find a person having heat stroke, please follow the necessart steps. 1. cool the body of the patient immediately 2. get the victim to a shady area, remove clothing, apply cold water to the skin packs in armpits and groins 4. consult nearest hospital. 5. give plenty of fluid suppliment. 6.make sure the electrolytes and salts are balanced 7. avoid alcohol, tea or caffiene to decrease dehydration. 8. keep hydrating 9. wear loose clothes, be in place with proper ventilation and air conditioning sometimes, sunburns may also be caused due to the heat stroke. so, it is adviced to wear sunglasses to avoid damages to eyes. in severe hot conditions it is adviced to wear loose clothes, rather than walking out without shirts.. condition with severe sunburn, please dont give cold water to drink. it may cause chills. 2.Apply dampened cloths or compresses to reduce the heat and lessen the pain. 3.Soak in a bathtub of plain, soap-free water (soap can irritate the burn) 4.Gently pat the skin dry afterward – do not rub it 5.Moisturizing creams or Aloe Vera gel may also help with symptoms. in any case of emergency, go for medical assistance from an expert. contact your nearby hospital or doctor immediately so, i guess this article was of any help for you. anyway, enjoy, take care, stay healthy.. thank you for reading and God bless you..
Face detection is a computer technology that determines the locations and sizes of human faces in arbitrary (digital) images. It detects facial features and ignores anything else, such as buildings, trees and bodies. The softwares like picasa let you to search any image with a face of the person. Various social networking sites also added similar kind of functionality into their websites to make rich photo albums. In this post, I’ll explain various plug-ins and libraries for face detection. What is Face Detection? Face detection is a technique where given image is searched for human faces. Face detection can be used to automatically detect and focus on face in profile pictures on social networking sites. jQuery Face detection A jQuery plug-in which detects faces in pictures and return their coordinates. The plugin uses algorithm designed by Liu Liu along with HTML5 canvas to get image data. That means the plugin will be only useful where client side browser support HTML5. Demo Here Code can be obtained from git hub PHP FaceDetect Extension Provides implementation of OpenCV in PHP. It provides two main functions face_count() and face_detect(). The first one returns count of faces found in a given image and second on returns array of their coordinates along with count. Installation instructions and demo is available on XARG’s page. Face Detection API An API implemented by a Romanian developer for face detection. Simply send your API credentials along with URL of an image. The XML tree of faces along with 4 box coordinates will be returned. What makes this API useful is it takes image URL as an input and not image data. This means you can run this API on image hosted on public servers also. Similar to PHP facedetect extension, a ruby binding to OpenCV is available at Rubyforge which can be used for face detection. OpenCV handler for .NET framework which enables call to OpenCV functions from Csharp. It consists of a DLL (written in Managed C++) that wraps the OpenCV library in .NET classes, so that they will be available from any managed language (C#, VB.NET or Managed C++).
How did Tanning Start? It’s been almost a 100 years since people have started tanning for a personal benefit. Original, lighter skin was preferred because it was a sign of wealth, due to the fact that people did not need to work outside. It started to become more popular when doctors discovered that sun exposure could help treat certain medical problems. Sun or UV exposure provides your skin with Vitamin D and can also with helping certain conditions like acne. The tanning opens up your pores and helps to dry out the oily surfaces. Coco Chanel was one of the first figures who was a spokesperson for tanning. “A Girl simply needs to be tanned” Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
Sunday, April 3, 2016 A -Z 2016 Family History A For Abbreviations and Acronyms Image Wikipedia ©© If the above image looks like something you view regularly, then there is a good chance that you are a genealogist! Family history records are filled with abbreviations and acronyms and until you becaome familiar with or have references for at hand, these often confusing terms can make researching your ancestors quite a challenge. Finding the abbr. (abbreviation) Ad.D or Ad.M or ds. on a record might leave you scratching your head, until you discover out that they are abbreviations for adopted daughter, adopted mother and deaths. Family history research reveals a wealth of abbreviated language and one almost needs to be a linguist to decipher various records. Having a list of references at hand can be the key to translating the many abbreviations and acronyms used on the documents you read and understanding your ancestors' lives. This blog post is the first of my contributions to the A -Z 2016 Blog Challenge . For this week's challenge I am posting some links to references and resources regarding abbreviations and acronyms that I have found useful in my own research. Most of the following resources can be accessed online, through archives, libraries, organisations and blogs. I have also included links to some catalogues and books. Along the genealogy journey you will encounter records containing commonly used abbreviations for names, places, occupations, relationships between family memebers, medical conditions and legal terms, to name a few examples. A better understanding of the present accepted codes of abbreviations and acronyms as well as those unfamiliar and confusing ones in the past will enable you to make the most of the information you find on census, births, marriage, death, military, legal and other documents. I hope these links will provide you with some understanding of the common and even not so common genealogical abbreviations and acronyms that can be road blocks on your genealogical journey. You are welcome to share any helpful references of your own that are not listed below. 1. That's quite a list. Wish I could survive on less sleep. 1. I agree.............and going to work gets in the way too! 2. Thanks Sharn, Like Jill I whish that I could get by on less sleep. 3. Thanks Sharn - what a wonderful list - i will post a link to you post on GSQ's Facebook page 5. Oh yes...abbreviations..already I am coming across some new ones in my naval research. 6. Maybe I'm a bit slow today, but what is GSQ? 7. Once I used the term "Ag Lab" from the English Census records but someone from America had to google the term as they had not come across previously. 8. Sharn, I'm in for more sleep too! Glad you are on board.Fran 9. Lots of excellent abbreviations. Some suggestions from Susie Zada as to how to deal with Vic Place name abbreviations of birth, death and marriage indexes: . And a good, though not exhaustive list, can be found at . Visiting from A to Z
Dillam and Bohn Feud Dillam and Bohn Feud as presented in The Land of Saddlebags Tom Dillam, a wealthy land owner, married John Bohn’s daughter, who soon left him. One day Mrs. Dillam angrily returned to her husband’s farm and took one of her aprons from a woman working in the field. Dillam went to recover it, quarreled with her, and shot his father-in-law, killing him instantly. Dillam baffled the courts for many years by shrewdness and intimidation. He armed and incited his relatives and friends till he had behind him a whole band of arrogant outlaws. In 1885, Bohn’s son William had a dispute over timber with Tom’s brother, George Dillam, who, knowing the band would back him, became insolent. Bohn armed himself with a Winchester and soon met George Dillam similarly armed. Both darted behind trees and began firing. Dillam was killed. Bohn, wounded, ran for shelter, but was killed by George’s brothers, Sam and Curt. One of the Bohn’s friends was now drawn into the feud, Lem Buffum. He had married a sister of George and Sam Dillam. But the Dillam band were bitter against him because of his former friendship with Bohn. There was a dance on Christmas night at which two of the Dillam band who had been drinking sought a quarrel with Buffum. Suddenly it blazed forth, and when the smoke cleared, the two lay dead upon the floor. Buffum fled to a neighboring state. His brother-in-law, Sam Dillam, followed him relentlessly. Once he grazed Buffum’s head with a rifle ball. Again, reckless with drink, Sam taunted and threatened him. Buffum, suspecting an ambush, cautiously retreated, Sam following. When Buffum reached home, he turned, and as soon as Sam entered his lot, he killed him. Buffum wished to surrender to the officers, but neither they nor the courts would protect him. That would be merely to invite assassination, unarmed. The Dillams began a reign of terror. They threatened every Buffum sympathizer, riddled their houses with bullets or killed them outright. Buffum’s aged mother was conveyed across the river by Jack Smith, who was thereupon waylaid and killed. Jake Kimbrell, another friend, was seized at a dance and held fast while one of the band killed him. But they were carrying things too far. Ab Dillam, a brother of Tom, would not help to hunt Buffum. Ab’s son, Jesse, had married Buffum’s sister. In his absence, his house was riddled with bullets, but his wife and children escaped. The camp of civil engineers surveying for a new railway was raided. Nobody was safe. The Governor, when asked for troops, refused to send them, because the sheriff had not made any attempt to capture the murderers with a posse of citizens. But the citizens knew that unless they killed or captured all the outlaws, their families would be attacked, their homes burned, and they themselves constantly ambushed. The judge called for fifty militiamen; fifteen responded. With this puny force, the sheriff started out. A lad on horseback saw the officers and gave the alarm. The outlaws escaped into adjacent hilly woods. The sheriff retreated, fearing an ambush. He left seven men at Jesse Dillam’s house to guard it till Jesse could move his family to a safe distance. Within an hour they were surrounded, the outlaws creeping close through high corn. Jesse sent away his wife and children, and all started for a neighbor’s log house, which would better resist attack. They never reached it. One was killed instantly, one fled, and the rest, badly wounded managed to escape. The outlaws planned an attack upon the county seat, where the wounded men were, but the activities of the sheriff deterred them. Various attempts at arrest were, however, futile. Circuit Court soon met, and Tom and Curt Dillam were arrested, but Tom was released on $5,000 bail. Thus have Mountain courts, badgered by unscrupulous lawyers, “protected” innocent citizens from desperadoes. Some weeks later Tom Dillam was walking toward the courthouse with his lawyer, followed by his lieutenant and another man. When opposite the house where their wounded victims were, they started across the street, drawing their pistols. The lawyer fortunately walked on. The outlaws had scarcely reached the middle of the street when a terrific fire poured upon them. Tom Dillam fell, pierced by sixteen bullets. Jesse Dillam, Buffum, and their friends had been secretly warned and were ready. With the death of Tom Dillam, people breathed more freely. But the poison, of course, had entered into the fabric of the community. Accustomed so long to no constraint of the law or duty, these men grew brutally arrogant and cruel. Tom Dillam’s son, now the leader of the band, wishing to remove a rival, gave one of his band twenty dollars and a gun to kill him. The slyest of the band planned the murder. He knew that a young woman had invited the victim to supper on a certain evening. Accordingly, he also secured an invitation from the young woman for that same evening. While the party was gathering around the dining-table, he slipped back into the parlor and pinned back the heavy window curtains. After super the victim stepped into the parlor and was instantly shot by someone outside the window. The community was indignant, and the criminals were hunted down; some of them were killed, the rest were captured. But even when such flagrant criminals were captured, punishment was not at all certain. Curt Dillam was released on bail, but his body was found shortly after in the woods. Doubtless he was shot by someone who was disgusted with “the law’s delays” and afraid that the released outlaw would seek vengeance on those that had given testimony against him.
An Economic History of Modern China Show Less An Economic History of Modern China Joseph C.H. Chai As a country’s current development is path dependent, the rise of China and its strategic implications can only be understood in a historical context. Hence, the key to understanding contemporary China is the understanding of its past. So far there has been an absence of a comprehensive text dealing with Chinese economic history in the English language. An Economic History of Modern China fills this important gap, focusing on modern Chinese economic growth and comprehensively surveying the patterns of China’s growth experience over the past 200 years, from the Opium wars to the present day. Key events are traced back to their foundations in history to explain their impact on China’s modern economic growth. Buy Book in Print Show Summary Details You do not have access to this content Chapter 6: Why China Failed to Industrialize Joseph C.H. Chai There are several reasons why industrialization is an absolute necessity for modern economic growth. First, there is a specialization limit to growth in the traditional agricultural economy since, as mentioned earlier, Smithian growth is based on the division of labour. Unlike modern industry, there is a limit to vertical disintegration of the production process and hence division of labour in agriculture, as discussed before. Second, there is a biological limitation to growth in an agrarian economy which uses land as its main production factor. According to Wrigley (1988) and Landes (1969), agrarian economies are organic because they largely rely on plants for their raw materials and main sources of energy. And human and animal power, the traditional sources of their energy, rely on the supply of food which in the long run is constrained by the fixed production factor of land. Thus growth and productivity are limited, and once the land cannot be expanded diminishing returns set in and the traditional economy stagnates. In contrast, an industrial economy relies on stored energy in the form of fossil fuels. Through the development of the engine which converts heat into work, fossil fuels provide a not entirely unlimited but nevertheless huge supply of energy which largely replaces the need for human and animal sources of power. Furthermore, the fossil fuels also provide an unlimited supply of mineral raw materials. Thus land as a fixed factor of production no longer restricts growth. In view of the importance of industry to sustained economic growth,... Further information or login to access all content.
THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH by Gertrude Lefferts Vanderbilt 1887 GLOVES Gloves are an expensive and necessary part of the lady's equipment, but they have not, from the nature of things, been subjected to the same changes as have other articles of dress, except as to improvement in color and quality. The buttoned gloves worn in full dress were not so common a few years ago as they are now. When children and young misses all wore short sleeves, there were long kid gloves which could be drawn up above the elbow; for school-children these long gloves were made of "nankeen." [nankeen: a firm, durable, yellow or buff fabric, originally made from a natural-colored Chinese cotton.] For weddings and parties, long kid gloves reached half way to the elbow, and were trimmed with lace, swan's-down, or quilled satin ribbon; when they were not worn so long, then buttoned gloves came in fashion. Silk gloves and mitts were in more general use formerly than they are at present. As long ago as in the past century they were worn of colors selected to match the rest of the dress. We copy the following advertisement from a newspaper published in 1773: women's silk and worsted gloves and mitts women's white and purple kid gloves and mitts women's purple gloves and mitts women's crimson gloves and mitts women's blue gloves and mitts women's black gloves and mitts women's white gloves and mitts women's cloth-coloured gloves and mitts This last-named color is as much a puzzle to us as some of the fancy names which are now given to various colors may be to those of the next generation.
By Jean Renard Ward Nowadays, everyone is familiar with gestures on touchscreens from using their smartphone or tablet: gestures such as slide, pinch-to-zoom, swipe (or flick), twist, and press-and-hold (or long press). Touchscreen Gestures Expert Witness Smartphones with touchscreens and gestures started taking off with the Apple iPod Touch and iPhone in 2007. But the technical art of gestures is much older. It goes back even before the days of the now-ubiquitous WIMP (Windows + Icons + Menus + Pointer-device) user interfaces that have dominated personal computing for the last 30 years. (Source: Apple iPod Touch User Guide 2.0, 2008) Gestures were already used on portable tablet computers at least since the early 1990’s. For example, the PenPoint tablet computers made extensive use of gestures, and gestures(i) (called Command-Stroke-Equivalents) were used in the Palm PDAs(ii) . But how far back did gestures on touchscreens get their start? As an engineer with extensive experience in touchscreen user interfaces and hardware serving as a user interface expert witness, I have been called to deal with the history of graphical user interfaces with and without gestures. Let’s first discuss without gestures. The Xerox Alto (later: Xerox Star) personal computer from about 1974(iii) is often cited as the first WIMP user interface on a personal computer: The basic user-interface interaction was point-and-click: point at an icon or text (e.g. with a mouse, or with a stylus/tablet or touchpad), and click on it. It was much simpler than typing commands in a command-line interface, and much more flexible than having physical knobs and dials with a keyboard. But because it was only point-and-click, some kinds of interactions were definitely awkward. (Xerox Alto, circa 1974. Source: J. Johnson, “The Xerox Star – A Retrospective”, 1983) The Xerox Star system also required a number of special function keys: “move”, “copy”, “delete”, “make same”, “properties”, and more. To move, the user had to point-and-click, look away from their work, reach over to the keyboard, tap on the ”Move” key, and then look back to point-and-click again. To get around this sort of awkwardness, user-interface designers in systems back then (and still now) put extra buttons on the mouse (or puck) instead: a sixteen-button mouse/puck was not unusual. This meant at least you didn’t have to look away to the keyboard from where you were working. But it was both less flexible and harder to learn to use. (Source: GTCO, DigiPad 5 product) Apple’s MacIntosh from 1984(iv) is often cited as having the first “gesture” in a WIMP interface: drag. The Apple MacIntosh’s mouse famously had only one button. But the Mac also had features like dragging and pressing — not just point-and-clicking. A user could press on an icon, drag the cursor up and down (or even zig-sag) to the menu command wanted, and release the mouse button to perform the command. Basically, a gesture was anything beyond just point-and-click. As a graphical user interface (GUI) expert witness I can say definitively that the 1984 Mac wasn’t really the first invention of “gesture” in a GUI. There were actually quite a few notable predecessors, graphical applications that used multiple gestures, using different shapes(v). Here are a few highlights: In the early 1970’s, one of the first really successful CAD/CAM companies was Applicon(vii) . The user interface used an electronic tablet — a large touchpad with a special pen or stylus. The system had gesture commands with easy-to-draw shapes like circles, triangles, angles, and caret-marks. A user could also define new gesture shapes and commands by simply drawing an example to “train” the system. The system could be trained to recognize the complete alphabets and numbers. Gesture recognition algorithms like those used by Applicon were published as an appendix in Computer Graphics textbooks(viii) . There were quite a number of research systems that used gestures. In 1969, gestures were used for editing text in systems one at the U.S. Army War College(ix) . It used gestures like familiar proofreader’s marks (lasso, paste, transpose, etc.) to edit text right on the display. Before that, around 1967, there was the GRAIL system(x) . It had electronic ink, handwriting recognition, and gestures — including gestures for zooming in and out. The GRAIL system was used for modeling, and for creating and using digital maps in real-time. Its feature of zoomable maps is interesting to compare with services like MapQuest and Google Maps. Handwriting recognition and interactive gestures were used on what many people cite as the first “tablet” computer device(xi) , the RAND tablet.(xii) But even that might not be the earliest: one system I find interesting is U.S. Patent 1,117,184, “Controller”, granted to H.E. Goldberg in 1914. It used gestures (number shapes), recognized by a completely electro-mechanical computing system to control manufacturing equipment. This figure from the patent gives you an idea how it worked: So, with all that prior history, what’s really new about gestures on tablets today? Or more to the point, what could be left that could be patentable about gestures? As patent practitioners know, it all depends on exactly what patent claims say. A qualified touchscreen gesture user interface patent expert may be of assistance to resolve relevant claims. About the Author: Jean Renard Ward is highly experienced, MIT-educated expert witness in patent litigation. Mr. Ward’s areas of design and development expertise include multi-touch/touchscreen and tablet hardware, capacitive touch and proximity sensors, styli/electronic pens, haptics; gestures, user interfaces (UIs), touchscreen graphics, and accessibility user interfaces (blind/visually-impaired); digital rights management (DRM), digital encryption and authentication (PKI), and malware detection; programming/coding (C/C++/Java, other systems), source-code analysis and reverse-engineering, and firmware. Clients include Google, Samsung, Ericsson, Lenovo, Motorola, Nokia, and Lucent Technologies. Mr. Ward has been Granted multiple US patents. He received his degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Degree from M.I.T. Mr. Ward can be contacted at Rueters-Ward Services; Phone: (617) 600-4095; Cell: (781) 267-0156; Email: Website: i (Robert Carr, “The Power of PenPoint, 1991) ii (3Com, “Palm Pilot Handbook”, 1997) iii (Xerox Corporation, “Alto User’s Handbook”, 1976) iv (Apple MacIntosh User’s Handbook, 1984) v (A “Drag” or a “Pinch-to-zoom” gesture, on the other hand, does involve tracing any particular shape. But it is hard to have a lot of different gestures without using something like different shapes.) vi (CAM: Computer-Aided Design, such as electronic drafting vii (“Applicon CAD System with Trainable Hand-Drawn Symbol Recognition”, viii (Newman and Sproull, “Principles of Interactive Computer Grapics”, Appendix VIII, 1973) ix (M.L. Coleman, “Text editing on a graphic display device using hand-drawn proofreaders’ symbols”, 1969) x (J.P. Haverty, “GRAIL/GPSS: Graphic On-line Modeling”, 1968) xi (Electronic tablets actually go much farther back than that, to at least 1884(!). But that is a topic for a different article.) xii (M.L. Davis, “The RAND Tablet: A Man-Machine Graphical Communication Device”, 1964)
How To Increase Brain Memory and Brain Power Many things have been said about the human brain through the ages. The one that is perhaps the most profound is that it is a terrible thing to waste. As small as it is in comparison to the universe we live in, it holds just as many mysteries. One thing is a scientific fact, however, that the brain is a human organ and every organ serves certain functions and performs best when provided with an optimum environment. Like the heart, skin or lungs, its performance through the years and state of health as you get older depends on how well you treat it. Here’s how to increase brain memory and increase brain power by treating it like a well-oiled machine. Lifestyle Changes To Increase Your Memory Something not all people know is that the skin is considered to be an organ and the largest organ in the body. When you notice discoloration, wrinkles or the absence of a healthy glow to the skin, you’re likely to make changes to get achieve that healthy glow. It could be drinking more water and abstaining from ingesting toxic substances by quitting smoking or drinking. You may start exercising more, applying skin treatment masks and taking other measures to help. It takes a change in lifestyle to make an impact from the inside out. People will take drastic measures and expend a considerable amount of effort to keep up appearances. What’s on the outside is important because it’s how others perceive us. What’s on the inside is equally, if not more important, because it determines not only our outward appearance, but it determines our health. Why not make lifestyle changes to preserve the brain the way you would work to preserve your looks? The Benefits of Brain Exercise The brain isn’t a muscle, so why would exercise help? It makes a considerable difference for a number of reasons. Your brain is not a muscle and the goal is not to increase its strength. The goal is to ensure your blood vessels are in excellent shape – good enough to ensure a reliable supply of oxygen at all times. Exercise gets your heart rate up, like running, jogging, walking, swimming or any other active sport can help do that. This boosts brain health by keeping individual cells healthy and functioning optimally. To further boost the brain’s ability to create synaptic connections and improve memory, calming exercises like yoga or pilates are also beneficial. Improving your mental and emotional health through yoga and meditation relieves stress and allows the brain to harness energy for useful thought processes. Brain exercise by doing puzzles, memory games and reading or learning new languages also helps keep it healthy and active. Why Eating Brain Foods Increase Brain Power It’s helpful to remind yourself that you are what you eat, almost in a literal sense. Every cell of your body is made up of carbohydrate, protein and lipid molecules. Physics states that matter can’t be created out of thin air. All the cells that make up your body came from food you ingested at one point in your life. Food controls your emotions, your hormone levels, your behavior and so much more. The brain simply functions better when you eat certain foods… brain foods. Avoiding junk food is essential for avoiding insomnia, sluggishness, lethargy, anxiety, depression and mood swings. By eating foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients, you can improve your memory. Chemical additives that are typically found in commercial, processed foods have a dramatic effect on your health, including your brain. Brain Foods that Help Increase Memory and Brain Power: Foods rich in antioxidants – blueberries, strawberries, dark chocolate, herbal tea Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids – fish like salmon, nuts, legumes, avocados, whole grains, beans Supplements that Help Increase Memory and Brain Health The brain needs a cocktail of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to function well. It’s virtually impossible to fit in antioxidants and all kinds of vitamins and trace minerals into your diet on a daily basis. It can help to boost your diet with all natural supplements. If you’re making a fruit smoothie for breakfast, you can add a protein and omega 3 supplement to boost brain power. Since there are so many supplements available, here are some to shop for. Ginkgo Biloba has been used as a supplement in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. It helps increase mental alertness and memory. St. John’s Wort is an herbal supplement said to guard against several psychological disorders and curb depression. Glutamine is an essential amino acid which helps relieve stress. Bacopin and Vinpocetine are plant extracts helpful in relieving anxiety. One very common and high quality brain supplement that includes all of these mentioned herbs is called Cognimaxx. The Impact Sleep Has on the Brain Some people pride themselves on being able to sleep only five, six or even less hours a day. Don’t fool yourself. It doesn’t help to sleep less and be awake longer if you’re tired all day. Get a few more hours of sleep, wake up refreshed and get more work done in less time. The brain needs sleep to re-energize itself. You wouldn’t expect your cellphone to work on zero battery, so why expect it of brain? The body also has in internal clock. This is called circadian rhythm. Go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time every day. Doing otherwise disrupts the body’s internal rhythm every time. Sleeping three hours one night and ten hours the next is that kind of disruption. Sleep is the time during which the brain creates connections that turn into memories. This is why some students cram all night and find themselves going blank the morning of a test. Sleep is an essential component of memory. Unless you are literally a computer or a robot, there’s no way around this. Accept it, take it seriously and your brain will thank you. Mr. Rider is a health researcher who has written articles about improving your health through nutrition and supplemens, including increasing brain power through supplementation. He’s written brain health reviews to help people make educated choices. Stroboskopscheibe by Hans Polterauer human brain Image by Ars Electronica When a sequence of images moves slower than 16 frames per second, the human brain can perceive each one separately. If it moves faster, we perceive it as continuous motion. This effect—on which the magic of motion pictures is based—is what Hans Polterauer takes advantage of in this work of art. He positions three-dimensional objects on a disc that is set in motion and illuminated with a rapidly blinking light source. The result is a series of images that “overtaxes” the capacity of the human brain, which gets the impression that it’s not the disc but rather the objects themselves that are moving. credit: rubra Find More Human Brain Articles Double Your Brain Power with Food! I’m sure you’re familiar with the well used statement:: “Healthy mind, healthy body: healthy body, healthy mind.” And just as a proper diet is good for your body, so it is for your brain. And the foods that you eat, whether they’re considered “good” or “bad” can possibly influence your brain power. Avoid that Brain Drain! Your brain is the greediest organ in your body, with some quite specific dietary requirements. So it’s hardly surprising that what you eat can affect brain function. And like any other organ in your body, your brain also needs the correct fuel to run well. Sadly, proper nutrition for the brain is often overlooked by a fast paced lifestyle and often having to eat “on the go”. Take for example, the effect of simple carbohydrates (such as processed flour and sugary foods) on your brain and body. These foods can cause a rush of sugar into your bloodstream, causing Insulin to be released. Insulin works hard to “mop up” all the excess sugar in your blood; trouble is, Insulin is a bit too helpful, and can cause blood sugar levels to fall. This is known as Hypoglycemia. But it doesn’t stop there. Hypoglycemia can cause the release of Adrenal Hormones: these hormones squeeze stored sugar from the liver, sending blood sugar levels back up. This is known as a “sugar high”. So the body goes on a blood sugar roller-coaster, with “sugar highs” and “sugar blues.” But it still doesn’t stop there, because the ups and downs of blood sugar and adrenal hormones may stimulate brain neurotransmitter imbalance, causing fidgetiness, irritability, lack of concentration, and even tiredness. After all, people work hard to keep their body in good shape for as long as possible, so why not do the same for your brain? Food for your Brain Here is a list of my Top Five foods which may impact, and even possibly, double your brain power! Omega-3 Oils. Possibly the number one food for brain health. Omega-3 oils, (or Omega-3 Fatty Acids) are Essential Fatty Acids necessary for human health. They are termed “Essential” because they cannot be produced by the body, and so must be obtained from your diet. Omega-3 oils are beneficial because they provide fluidity to cell membranes and advance communication between brain cells. They may help to boost learning power, but also greatly enhance mood. Foods rich in omega-3 oils include oily fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel. Maybe fish is a “brain food” after all! Vegetables and Legumes Unlike processed flour which contains simple carbohydrates, vegetables and legumes contain complex carbohydrates which can supply your brain with a steady source of energy. These include soybeans, kidney beans, chick peas, and lentils. Soya contains natural plant Oestrogens called Isoflavones. They are thought to act on oestrogen receptors in the human brain, specifically those in the hippocampus, which we know is a crucial area for memory. As a result, new nerve connections may form more effortlessly. Medical trials have shown that persons fed a high Soya diet showed improvements in verbal and non-verbal memory and in mental agility. Good sources of Soya include Soya milk and Tofu. Fruit such as Blueberries, Blackberries, Cranberries, Strawberries and Raspberries contain anti-oxidants. These help to rid your body of harmful free radicals produced during body cells changing oxygen into energy. Scientific Studies have shown that a good dietary intake of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables will radically reduce the risk of developing “Cognitive Impairment”. Good news for chocolate lovers! Studies have suggested that eating milk chocolate may boost brain function. Substances like Theobromine, Phenethylamine and Caffeine, present in milk chocolate, can act as stimulants that may lead to increased mental performance. So, the next time you feel tempted to eat that huge sticky donut, think about the upshot it might have on your brain as well as your body! Lyn Davis is an Educator and advocate of Wellness. She wrote this article so that you can discover Brain Food which may benefit you. Lyn also reveals other methods in her Fun Brain book which may even help to Double your Brain Power! The Breath of God human brain Image by DeeAshley I choose to believe that we are eternal, we are light, we are created from star ignitions so that or light will never dim. That’s what I hope, anyways infinity and eternity – the 2 concepts that never cease to boggle the human mind. In the grand scheme of things it’s really not that hard to do. I cannot wrap my consciousness around the question of existence. From a brain cell to a galaxy to a casual thought, to a dark passion – all stemming from one tiny point somewhere in the cosmos. Space itself is but a luxury we can’t afford to take for granted. Somewhere out there, maybe God dwells – the masters of energies. The one that transcends space and time, the one that lit the fuse and it all began. But through our human limitations we can’t see beyond what is placed before us. When the answers we seek are beyond our comprehension. God lies somewhere in that beyond. I struggle to know what that means and I can’t come up with a satisfactory answer. I lose perspective every time I try. And for us, perspective defines our reality. We struggle to understand the forces that guide the universe, yet we can’t understand the forces that guide our own selves. So does true understanding happen on the inside or on the outside? I guess no one really knows, though many claim to via religion or science. But what we see and hear and calculate and formulate is only the tip of the iceberg. I think there is a place, a long ways off from our understanding, where science and religion meet and merge as allies, as on entity, as the ultimate God. A place where the order of all things coincide and reconcile. But maybe these things are kept hidden from us because we are not ready for the truth. History has shown that truth can stare us in the face but we won’t see it until we’re ready. The truth may even be here now, just waiting to be discovered. Events realized before they happen. I sit and think and worry that the existence of God is an illusion, when I could be breathing God every time I fill my lungs. God could be the love I feel when I stroke a cat or the fear I feel when I take to the air. The desire to avoid the unnatural and search for the truth. The pleasure. The guilt. The joy. The sadness. Defies logic and yet embraces it. Relativity at its best. More Human Brain Articles Healthy Food And Ayurvedic Pills To Boost Brain Power Our brain power depends on our age. Often it is seen that aged people have weaker memory than the young adults. The reason is simple; human brain strop developing as human body stop growing. This means when our body development is complete and when it gets older, our memory becomes weaker. However, in some case we can find out young adults or kids who have a very poor memory and that too have some specific reason. No matter, what the reason is, one must try healthy food to boost brain power. Nonetheless, some people also say that healthy foods cannot do the tasks alone and one must have some ayurvedic pills to boost brain power as well. How healthy food can help to gain memory? There are various kinds of food ingredients that have the natural power of memory boosters. If one consumes such kind of foods in a regular manner then he or she can achieve a stronger memory or can get rid of the issue of poor memory. Those, who eat junk foods most of the time, may have various kinds of health issues including poor memory. So eat healthy to stay healthy and to obtain a stronger memory to achieve success in life. Try tasty and healthy food to boost brain power every day. How Ayurveda can help to boost memory? Ayurveda is a hub of natural remedies. It is an ancient science, trusted by our ancestors and by the modern scientists as well. It has many natural remedies for various types of ailments. It can cure complex health issues of human. Treating the issue of poor memory can be an easy task with the help of ayurveda. It has powerful natural remedy which is made of pure herbs that work as memory booster. It works in a natural manner so it never harms your body in any way. Choosing ayurvedic pills to boost brain power is the best thing one can do to boost up his or her memory and increase the brain power. BrainOBrain capsules – useful and affordable: BrainOBrain capsules are one of those hugely used natural remedies that have the power to boost up weak memory or poor brain power. It is worldwide used and trusted because of its natural and herbal ingredients. The key ingredients of this pill are Silver (Chandi Bhasm), Gold (Swarn Bhasm), Richolepsis claberrima (Brahmdandi), Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari), Orchis mascula Linn (Salabmisri), Celastrus paniculatus (Jyotismati), Acorus calamus (Vacha), Agati grandiflora (Augustia), Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi), Bauhinia tomentosa (Kachnar), Convolvulus pluricaulis (Shankhpushpi Poley germander (Amberved), Brunella vulgaris (Ustekhadus), etc. Since these capsules are made of pure herbs so it is good for our brain and it never comes with any type of side effects. So trying ayurvedic pills to boost brain power is as important and necessary as having healthy food to boost brain power. Keep both these in mind and you can have a strong memory with enhanced brain power. Brain 125px human brain Image by Image Editor human brain Brain Training Online – Here Are Some Games To Improve Your Brain Power Brain training online games or almost any other game for that matter involving pc’s are acknowledged to normally allow you to be sluggish and impair your mind as well. Although this is not really a stated scientific point there exists evidence on account of this kind of reduction of mental acuity in your present age bracket. Even though this is taking place there is a massive buzz in relation to strengthening our mental capability by means of participating in brain games online. A standard man or woman only uses 25% of their genuine brainpower. Perhaps a lot less than this most of the time. But some of the memory games that happen to be available nowadays to be tried on the net are in reality built to improve a person’s brainpower. They’re also intended to coach you on utilizing all four parts of the human brain. This is an exceptional approach to educate the human brain and also increase your mind ability in addition to honing a razor sharp mental capacity. It’s funny how far we’ve come as far as technology is concerned. Our computers are so advanced that they can practically do anything at this point in time. And yet they have made people lazy by doing certain functions for them quickly where in the past people would have to use their mind to accomplish these things. Utilizing a calculator to try and do smaller computations may be a fantastic example. How frequently do you grab your calculator or maybe pull this up on your laptop or computer instead of just doing the work by yourself in your head? I believe is quite often but I’m not seeking to single you out without any reason. I am as likely to do this just as much as the other person and I be considered a complete liar if I said otherwise. This is exactly why brain training on the net is critical for every individual at this point in time. We need to strengthen all of our brain function plus brain capacity more than previously just because technological innovation now takes care of most of the stuff that had been employed to continue to keep a sharp mental focus. Several of the regions you may increase are as follows: attention, processing swiftness, knowledge and also memory. And this also is only to mention a few of the numerous great advantages from taking part in online brain training activities. One more fascinating matter taking place whilst participating in these kinds of games is the fact those who suffered with despression symptoms are starting to remove their despression symptoms by simply playing along and also exercising the minds. The nice thing about applying these brain games will be that you’re really training your mind and therefore strengthening its ability as well as reflexes which might be in terrible condition as a result of the fatigued way of living an average joe leads presently. It’s vital that you practice brain training online by employing brain games mainly because it keeps our own mind effective in addition to healthy and balanced. To be able to continue to be fresh and active you’ll want to allow your brain to have these awesome workouts. Want to find out more about Brain Training Online , then visit Marc Black’s site on how to choose the best Brain Training Online for your needs. The Golden Ratio ( 1 : 1.618 ) human brain Image by Martin_Heigan The perfect Ratio of 1:1.618 that occurs everywhere in Nature. In this example I used the Corona (Latin for Crown) of a Stapelia schinzii var. schinzii flower (from Namibia, Africa), to illustrate Nature’s divine Ratio. The Inner and Outer Corona, and Corolla Lobes (Petals) all conform to this exact Ratio. The Golden Ratio (or Golden Mean) can be found in everything from human anatomy, to a nautilus shell, galaxies, butterflies, insects, plants and flowers. Architects used this formula (π / Phi) from the Parthenon to the Pyramids, and Renaissance Artists like Leonardo da Vinci used it for the Composition of the Mona Lisa. Best viewed LARGE. Read more about "The Golden Ratio" at Wikipedia. Related Human Brain Articles Subconscious Mind Power Techniques – 3 Effective Subconscious Mind Power Techniques The brain is a complex entity. This also gives the reason for use to make full use of this complexity to maximize the potential of our brain – From using short term to long-term memory and from using the conscious mind to the subconscious mind. Our human brain contains all these special components but surprisingly, according the Einstein the man himself, we only use 10% of our brain most of the time. So what ever happens to the other 90%? To make full use of the human brain as a whole, we will definitely need to figure out for ourselves some of the mind exercises and subconscious mind power techniques that would help you to maximize the usage of the brain. Many people have yet to realize that the subconscious mind plays an important role in determining the success or fall of a person. While there might be other factors, the ability to develop a strong and healthy subconscious mind will help the person to achieve greater things in life. Check out these 3 simple steps on how to use your subconscious mind power effectively: #1 Meditation Meditation is said to be a form of communication with your subconscious mind. Try to do this is in a peaceful and quiet environment so that you are able to relax and focus entirely on communicating with the subconscious mind. During this meditation, you are encouraged to repeat positive affirmations. You can also do this before you go to sleep so as to allow the subconscious mind to work through the positive affirmations while you have your night’s rest. #2 Visualize Visualization is a good way of enhancing your positive affirmations. By visualizing, you are allowing yourself to get into reality. Try to imagine each affirmation as though it is really happening to you. This will definitely increase the reliability of positive affirmations. Alternatively, you can try using your vision, and write them in places where you can see it. Over time, you conscious mind might get immune to the existence of these messages. However, you subconscious mind will continue to read this messages and will eventually tune your brain to work towards the positive affirmation. So place messages at your desk, fridge and even bedroom and make sure that these messages are noticeable. #3 Use positive words This is harder than what it might sound to you. These positive words are slightly different from positive affirmations. Using positive words would require you to discipline yourself to continue using positive words regardless of the situation that you are in. This is definitely a good practice as these positive words will allow the subconscious mind to act on the positive affirmations faster and hence it will shed more positive light on you. Words like “might” will definitely make you feel more motivated and positive, as compared to “will”. Do try these techniques today and develop a healthy and happy mind that will help to boost your way up the ladder of success. At the same time, do look out for other techniques that will help you to develop your subconscious mind and boost your mind power! Discover The Revolutionary Methods That You Can Implement To Literally ‘Reprogram’ Your Mind at http://www.mindsecretsexposed.com for success. Learn how to harness your mind power and achieve massive success. Click Here to grab your FREE copy of the Mind Secrets Exposed Leaked Chapters. The human Brain human brain Image by Mollenborg Increase Brain Power With Brainwave Technology The human mind is very crucial for effective body functioning. It controls all aspects of your body. Instructions to body cell operations originate from your mind and the failure of the mind to issue instructions to body cells results in undesirable outcomes. People who have brain dysfunctions or those whose brain power is low have been labeled names that are not amusing at all. It is very possible for an individual to change or improve the power of his or her mind towards personal development. If you can manage to increase brain power, you can be sure that you will smoothly take the road to success in life. This may involve engaging your mind in disciplines helpful in mind evolution. Scientists have researched and found out that man underutilizes the brain, estimating that 33 percent of the human brain is utilized leaving out a whole 67 percent unutilized. They have further revealed that genius people use slightly more brain as compared to other normal people. Genius brain usage is slightly above 33 percent. This explains why geniuses are more innovative and creative compared to other people using only 33 percent of their brain. Every person desires to increase brain power. Several ways exist to help you increase mind power, but experts advice that anyone seeking the utilization of a certain method to increase mind power should seek professional advice and guidance. This is so because some methods especially where drugs are involved can turn out to be harmful if not properly applied. One of the methods to increase brain power that require monitoring by professionals is antidepressant which involve chemicals that, if not well administered, may cause addiction. However safe the method might appear from the outside, thorough research is needed before one starts using the method of his or her choice. Brainwave entrainment has been known for having no adverse after-effect and this has made the technique gain popularity among most people. Binaural beats have been widely used to increase brain power and the outcomes of this mind power technique have been quite desirable. There are numerous mind power techniques, but this technique has proved so perfect in its functionality as well as outcome. The method employs the use of certain beat frequencies in soothing and slipping the human mind into various states of mind. The mind states include alpha, beta and theta all of which respond to stimulus differently. For example, the alpha state of mind helps a person in maintaining consciousness as well as focus mostly associated with creativity and attention or concentration. Theta states are mostly associated with matters to do with the soul and spirit. Brainwave technology has been specially designed for enhancing a relaxed as well as stress-free environment for people. To get the best results, consistency in use of brainwave entrainment method of increasing brain power is emphasized. People who employ the technique sparingly are unlikely to get the benefits they desire. If you really wish to increase brain power with reliability and safety, brainwave entrainment will serve you best. Click Here to get your Free “Success Accelerator” Brainwave Cd today! Unleash your Mind Power potential to attain the lifestyle that you want. Visit http://www.MindMaximus.com and claim your Free Cd today! Image from page 149 of “True manhood : a manual for young men” (1888) human brain Image by Internet Archive Book Images Identifier: truemanhoodmanua00shep Title: True manhood : a manual for young men Year: 1888 (1880s) Authors: Shepherd, E. R DeCosta, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1831-1904. White cross: its origin and progress Subjects: Hakujujikai Sex Education Masturbation Sex instruction Sexual health Masturbation Publisher: Chicago : Sanitary Publishing Co. Contributing Library: Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons and Harvard Medical School View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Text Appearing Before Image: nerves, one on each side, to thearms, limbs, stomach, liver, etc., supplying the nervetubing to every gland, muscle and bone plexus, inter-mingling with capillaries, becoming there exceedinglysmall and delicate. Each white thread is a tubule (little tube) filled withtransparent fluid, and through it nerve force is com-municated. The bundles of them are inclosed in amembrane and the whole is called a nerve. Distributed at intervals through the body areminute clusters of cells and plexus called ganglia.They too are little batteries and are united with oneanother and with the spine and brain by nerves. The brain with its system of nerves passing downthe spine and its branches therefrom, together with itschain of ganglia, is called the Cerebrospinal System of Nerves. Cerebro means brain, and spinal, referring to thebackbone. The cells of the brain develop electric10 tK4 TRUE MANHOOD. force on the same principle as man makes artificialelectricity. Creative force draws into each cell atoms Text Appearing After Image: Fig. XLII. Brain and Nervous System. TRUE MANHOOD. 155 having an opposite character—positive and nega-tive—the acids and alkalies of the blood. Phosphorusand oxygen couple together, or perhaps fats and sul-phur. Uniting they form a new article, salts, andliberate electric force in the process. The salts aredisposed of by absorption, and the electricity is gath-ered in the nerves, and as illustrated in Figs. XLI.and XLIL, distributed throughout the system. Human electricity is called nerve force. It is muchfiner, more highly organized than that made by man.It is subject to the same laws of attraction and repul-sion, and gives off light, sound, heat, in the same way,e. g. sparks of light are often emitted with a crack-ling sound, when woolen garments, worn for somehours next to the skin, are removed in a dark, coldroom; and also by the hair when combed in clear,crisp weather. We find the same succession of young, old and de-stroyed cells in the brain as in all other organs. AGerman Note About Images Find More Human Brain Articles Herbal Brain Enhancement Remedies To Increase Memorizing Power In Adults Human brain is stated to be the powerful organic machine. This organ is responsible for controlling all the thoughts, movements and sensations and it helps humans in reacting quickly to things. This organ stores a huge amount of data in the form of images, texts and concepts. This organ is responsible for regulation of complex functions and it helps in performance of many functions like breathing, blood flow and hormonal balance without consciousness of humans. Its functions can be improved with herbal brain enhancement remedies. How to achieve strong memory? Strong memory is something that relies on the health and vitality of this organ. Regardless of whether you are a student trying to memorize a number of concepts, working professional trying to remember the tasks to be performed within this entire week or even an aged person looking for ways to stay mentally sharp, there are safe remedies to increase memorizing power. What are safe remedies? As most of us know and even some of have experienced, Ayurveda is a safe alternative system of medicine that provides us with a wide range of herbs for a number of ailments in our body, without any side effects like those caused by other systems of medicines. This is why humans are recommended to rely on herbal brain enhancement remedies. Let us gather some details about such a remedy called as BrainOBrain capsules. What is BrainOBrain capsule? This is an excellent memory booster supplement that will help in improving brain power within a short period of time. It is manufactured understanding the fact that human brain needs lots of power and stamina for performing at its best. This is why the herbs that are known to improve the healthy functioning of brain are added as ingredients in these herbal brain enhancement remedies. This multi-ingredient remedy will bring down the effects of age and free radicals on the brain, thereby improving its functions to a great extent. The effective ingredients in these capsules will strengthen the brain structure and neurons by providing vitamins like E, C, B9, B12 and B6. Generally, factors like mental fatigue, stress, anger, fear and hopelessness are known to affect the functioning of brain. The effects of these things on the human brain will be reduced by the effective ingredients in these herbal brain enhancement remedies to improve brain functions. These herbal capsules have multiple ingredients and each one of them will perform their own role in improving memory and brain functions. This is why these capsules are called as effective remedies to increase memorizing power: All these ingredients make these remedies to increase memorizing power, the best. Neural Connections In the Human Brain human brain Image by Image Editor Two-dimensional brain Researchers at Brown University have created a computer program to advance analysis of the neural connections in the human brain. Credit: Radu Jianu/Brown University [Reciprocal link back Neural Connections In the Human Brain] Find More Human Brain Articles How Your Brain Creates Mind Power Sometimes it is easy to overlook how truly amazing our human brains are. The truth is, your brain is awesome — and its capacity is nearly impossible to grasp. In terms of power and intricacy, even the least developed human brain leaves the greatest computer of our times in the dust. Your brain is capable of processing an estimated 30 billion bits of information each second. Your Brain is High Density Real Estate. Wonder how your brain is able to create your mind power? Let’s start here: You have about 30 billion neurons — the nerve cells responsible for conducting information throughout your brain. And if you were to stretch those tiny neurons end to end, they would actually stretch about 6000 miles — the distance from the surface of the Earth to the moon and back. And all of this is packed into your 3 pound brain. Plus think about this: Each of those neurons is actually a tiny self-contained computer with the capability of processing an estimated one million bits of information. This gets even more amazing when you consider that although each of your neurons can act independently and also communicate with other neurons. And here is yet another amazing fact — it is estimated that your brain contains up to 100,000 miles of neural fibers created as your neurons reach out to communicate with each other. Now remember – we are just talking about the average human brain. When you consider a highly refined human brain like that created through consciously focused mental exercise – your “neural fiber mileage” could easily quadruple. Why You Can “Think Fast.” Each of your neurons takes an estimated million times longer to send a signal to the next neuron that today’s super fast computers. Yet your brain’s ability to process information makes even the fastest computer look like a slug. How can that be so? Computers basically make connections one at a time. But a single neuron, on the other hand, can simultaneously send a signal to hundreds of thousands of other neurons in less than 20 milliseconds – one tenth of the time it takes for you to blink. How the Power of Mind Works. All of your beliefs, your habits, everything making up your mental reality, is contained in physical neural-pathways. Each time you think a thought, it is communicated among your neurons via tiny electro-chemical messages. The first time you have an experience or learn something new, a new pathway is created. Then the next time you have that experience, your brain will search to see if your have experienced it before. If you have, it will follow the same pathway. The more often you have that experience or think that thought, the most physically complex and durable the neural pathway holding that thought will become. This is how a thought or action becomes a habit – and a habit is best thought of as more of a cemented highway than a footpath. You cannot rationally “think” these physical networks away. That’s why it is so hard to break a habit. Habits are wired into your brain as actual physical connections. How to Change Your Brain. If you have some personal aspects you’d like to change (and who doesn’t), you’ll do well to start by recognizing the fact that you can’t just think or rationalize them away. Logic does NOT reach where you need to go. You’re going to have to create something more powerful. Something that overrides what you wish to change. And you are going to have to create neural pathways that are stronger that the one you wish to change. The basic secret of using your mind power to change is this: (1) Stir up and allow yourself to truly “feel” intense emotion about what you wish to change, (2) select a new positive behavior or thought pattern, (3) associate your new pattern with even stronger positive emotion, (4) reward yourself with praise each time you replace the old pattern with the new one, and (5) make it a point to repeat this as often as possible. Does this seem too simple? What you are doing is actually creating physical changes in your brain – rewiring the neural pathways that create the power of the The Quantum Mind,” the confidence-building and numerous downloadable ebooks here. Canadarm2 (NASA, International Space Station) human brain Image by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center The International Space Station’s Canadarm2 moves toward the station’s new P5 truss section for a hand-off from space shuttle Discovery’s Remote Manipulator System (RMS) robotic arm. Canadarm2 is a robotic arm that assembled the space station. It is routinely used to move supplies, equipment and even astronauts. As well as supporting the station’s maintenance and upkeep, it is responsible for performing "cosmic catches," the capturing and docking of unpiloted spacecraft that carry everything from science payloads to necessities for the crew. Out of this technology, NeuroArm was created. NeuroArm is the world’s first robot capable of performing brain surgery. It is a highly precise robotic arm that works in conjunction with the advanced imaging capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. Surgeons need to be able to perform surgeries while a patient was inside an MRI machine, which meant designing a robot that was as dexterous as the human hand, but even more precise and tremor-free. Canadarm and neuroArm were developed by MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates. Image credit: NASA More about space station research: View more photos like this in the "Space Station Research Affects Lives" Flickr photoset: These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin… An animated tour around the human brain (commissioned for Brain Awareness Week) Video Rating: / 5 The Force Within Us is the Power of the Brain It’s a common thinking that there is a certain boundary in human thinking but when advancing towards this approach it explains the human brain has unlimited powers. The thinking ability of human mind is like that quantity that cannot be measured, no definitions, no boundaries and limited, unlimited powers etc. A famous science philosopher and thinker that normal human beings know only about 10 percent of the brainpowers say it. Nobody can unleash the power of the brain as it’s beyond the common thinking approach. Our brain is much diversified in nature and functioning, it can release electromagnetic waves, passes electric potential through it, conduction of impulses within fraction of seconds. There are many research scholars who have stated that only capabilities or human brain is tapped and used rest our not tapped. If a person can conquer and explore all the capabilities of brain then he can become a super person. There human brain is divided into two main functioning states the subconscious and the conscious and subconscious. A very common analysis of brainwave technology can be made thorough our sense organs, all five sense organs directly response according to brain. Mental stability and organ functioning are just small parts of brain functioning. Most of the activity goes in background of consciousness. Shaping the subconscious brain action to reach positive, and intentional outcomes is done by mind power methods, which reach in background. Theory behind how it happens is all of us are just the manifestation of energy of universe. We are not separate, as conscious mind believes, however rather we are well connected by subconscious mind to energy of universe. Subconscious has got no boundaries; and far different from conscious mind for that we have established the well-defined boundaries. Also, our subconscious doesn’t analyze, and that just accepts information that it gets, on other hand, our conscious mind prioritizes, analyzes, as well as makes options. People who haven’t been trained with brainwave technology for communicating over the subconscious as well as conscious minds have imposed unwittingly conscious mind’s sense of the boundaries on the subconscious minds also. Also, in an area of neuro science, it is named frequency following effect, also it is something happens very naturally in brain. It is about like old saying ‘you may lead the horse to water however you will not make him drink’. Neurons in brain are in constant state of making the electrons as well as electromagnetic pulses, and it is down to communication mechanism from an area of brain to next. While it does this, the machines like ECG machine, can pick up the wavelengths & measure it. We can do same thing with the whole host of the stimuli that will differ from the visual and auditory stimulation. This will range from the subliminal flashes, to dream machine, and to binaural beats and isochoric tones that are in category of the engineered stimulation that is perceived deep in subconscious of brain, and cortical. The skull of a city human brain Image by sara biljana – Truman Capote, Summer Crossing Acetyl-L-Carnitine: The Best Anti-Aging Brain Nutrient That Boosts Your Memory Power Acetyl-L-Carnitine is said to be an amino acid derived included in the bio-chemical mixture of acetylcholine. It is one of the most significant neutron-transmitter without which a person is not able to memorize or learn anything. It even helps to provide enough nutrition to your brain function memory in order to make you survive the ravages of aging and time. In other words, Acetyl-L-Carnitine can be defined as one of the necessary amino acid supplements to human life. When this chemical compound is added to other supplements it provides synergistic effects which show signs of fighting some of the oxidative alterations in human body which causes aging. Anti-oxidants like Vitamins E and C have been utilized to combat against some of the oxidative effects of free fundamentals on the human body. These free fundamentals were the by-products of human metabolism that combated oxidative effects. However, these days it is being gradually generated in the environment through radiation, lots of exposure to sunlight, smoking cigarettes and pollution. Acetylcholine is one of the first neutron-transmitters that were discovered and its significance in preserving an appropriate operation of the human brain is beyond doubt. It is said to be an important process which enables human brain cells to create sufficient memory power and to communicate accurately. In detail, Acetyl-L-Carnitine allows neurons to preserve communication when the enzyme levels and few other essential chemical compounds are declining all through the human body because of slow progress of the body with time. It has been recognized that acetyl-l-carnitine supplements slows the human brain function memory power which starts occurring in the middle of the age and even to the enhanced concentration and focus of the memory. Several studies have revealed that acetyl-l-carnitine supplements can actually promote enhanced energy generation via its effects on fatty acids. This maintenance of fatty acids is specified by its effects on the liver spots that are the known signs of aging among the people. These liver spots are normally seen on the aged people however Lipofuscin which causes these signs even affects the brain and the internal organs. Lipofuscin is consisted of several waste products like the damaged oxidized fats, proteins and other lipids. Production of Lipofuscin can be stopped by antioxidants and even reduced by the acetyl-l-carnitine supplements. ALA or Alpha Lipoic Acid is one of the most powerful antioxidants that occur naturally in green vegetables like broccoli or spinach and also in beef. It is even a coenzyme that works with other metabolic enzymes for producing energy. In addition, ALA increases the levels of glytathione that is important for an appropriate functioning of neurons. However, due to the effects on Mitochondria which makes a mixture of ALC and ALA so appealing in the human ecology. Actually, when Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine are utilized together they work more effectively when they are being used separately. It is perhaps due to the invention of several synergistic effects that leads to longer life span in the humans. Thus, it appears that several supplements that consists both the Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine are more helpful that either of these lonely improves the degeneration of energy levels and even improves the decline in memory power, concentration and focus which comes with aging. This is why Acetyl-L-Carnitine is one of the best anti-aging brain nutrient which boosts your memory power. Bryan Reese is a scientific researcher specializing in the fascinating area of memory enhancement has created the most effective scientific formula that positively affects a person’s memory, recall, and cognition. Get your free breakthrough report on this discovery at: http://www.memorybrite.com/ht Area 47 in the Ötztal Valley, Tyrol human brain Image by Harald Felgner Brodmann area 47, or BA47, is part of the frontal cortex in the human brain. Curving from the lateral surface of the frontal lobe into the ventral (orbital) frontal cortex. It is below areas BA10 and BA45, and beside BA11. 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Monday, February 28, 2011 Feeding the Newborn. Assalamualaikum wbt. Today's paediatrics class, i learnt about feeding concerning newborns, which emphasises in neonatology, about the importance of breast-feeding, and 10 criterias of a baby-friendly hospital, listed by the professor whom took the class. there are 3 stages of the newborns just after parturition; 1. Lusty cry, which lasts about 10 minutes, which is vital in the newborns' survival. Normal lusty cry indicates respiratory functions of the baby is functioning well. 2. Alertness, which lasts about 20-30 minutes, due to abundance of catecholamines obtained from the mother. 3. Profound deep sleep, about 6-8 hours. it is important for 'skin-to-skin' contact with the mother just after the birth of the newborn. the mother should be familiarised with the habits of her baby, for the ease of breast-feeding. nowadays, newborns and their mothers usually separated. this has lead to many disadvantages and has been criticised for the effectiveness in newborn's health. thus, a baby-friendly hospital should be the best for the healthcare of neonates. proper breast-feeding in the early hours of newborns' life have been found to decrease the infant mortality rate for about 30%. 10 criterias of a baby friendly hospital are: 1. Have a written breast-feeding policy. 2. MCH (Maternal and Child Healthcare) staffs are properly trained with necessary skills to implement the policy. 3. Pregnant women should be informed about benefits of breast-feeding, and dangers of artificial feeding. 4. Initiate breast-feeding within 30 minutes of delivery. 5. Mothers should be equipped and guided by MCH staffs for the best method of breast-feeding. In case if the baby is pre-term, and has to be kept in an incubator, the mother should be assisted in maintaining her lactation. 6. Babies should only be given breast milk, no pre-lacteal feeds as it leads to various complications. 7. Rooming-in/Bedding-in. The baby and the mother should be in the same room. 8. Footprints, fingerprints, weight of the baby, and name-tag of the baby should be done only after the newborn has gone into deep sleep. 9. Demand feeding. The baby should be feeded whenever the baby cries for breast milk. It is the best to put the baby on the mothers abdomen, as the baby will instinctively search for the mothers nipple for suckling the milk. 10. Do not use pacifier, soothers, bottles, or dummies. This would be against the physiology of breast-feeding of the newborn. - if possible, create a refering breast-feeding group after discharge, for the effectiveness in giving breast-feeding to the baby. Though, this is vital in western countries only, as developing countries have their wonderful culture of nurturing infants with the best care naturally. thus, exclusive breast-feeding is the best feed for an infant. the best is to give 2 years of exclusive breast feed, just like the suggestion of our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w. may this short entry has some benefit for the readers. thank you. Monday, August 2, 2010 Virus Replication There are 6 distinguish stages of viral replication; 1. Attachment -affinity between the virus and the host cell's plasma membrane permits this stage. 2. Penetration -virus particles are brought inside the cell, either by endocytosis or directly pass through the cell's plasma membrane. 3. Uncoating -removal of capsid, to expose the viral nucleic acid. 4. Biosynthesis -synthesis of viral nucleic acid, capsid, and enzymes. 5. Maturation -two phases, phase I is assembly which the polypeptide chains assembled into capsomeres to form procapsid -phase II is the intake of nucleic acid into the procapsid, forming a complete virion. 6. Release -occurs by 3 mechanisms. -cell lysis (host cell is killed by virus-induced) -budding (no cell killing, usually by enveloped viruses) -cell degeneration (after cell death, the virus released. non-virus-induced) Wednesday, July 28, 2010 Skin and its Inflammatory pathologies. Skin is the largest external organ of the body. It consists of 3 layers; 1) Epidermis 2) Hypodermis 3) Dermis Epidermis can be further classified into 5 sublayers; i) Stratum corneum (outermost part, dead cells) ii) Stratum lucidum iii) Stratum granulosum iv) Stratum spinosum v) Stratum germinativum (innermost layer, all the above layers originate from this layer) Any injury which does not involve stratum germinativum, will lead to complete healing without scarring. Otherwise, any injury involving stratum germinativum will lead to scarring formation. The scar will be less visible if the injury is perpendicular to the sophisticated linings of the skin, called Langer's lines. These layers are made up of keratinocytes. Apart from the structural part of the skin, the other functional cells are; i) Melanocytes (produces melanin, which gives colour to the skin) ii) Langerhans cells (antigen-transporter from skin, act as phagocytes) iii) Merkel cells (touch-receptor cells) melanocytes are stimulated by Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) from the anterior pituitary. in humans, it is less abundant compared to animals. That is why animals can change their colour of the skin abruptly, but not for humans, unless if you lie on a sunny beach for a whole-day long! moreover, these MSH does not influence the melanocytes like ACTH does. thus in humans, melanocytes are known to be stimulated more by ACTH, not MSH. Langerhans cells play an important part in immunity of the skin. And it plays a major role in initiating allergic reactions of the skin. Merkel cells detect touch. if you do not have any, than you cannot feel anything that touches your skin! Inflammatory pathologies of the Skin. Acute Inflammatory Dermatoses i) Urticaria ii) Eczema iii) Erythema Multiforme Chronic Inflammatory Dermatoses i) Psoriasis ii)Lichen Planus iii) Lichen Simplex Chronicus Urticaria (hives) is a common disorder mediated by localized mast cell degranulation resulting in dermal microvascular hyperpermeability. Gives rise to wheals. -Erythematous (kulit merah) -Edematous (kulit berair) -Pruritic (gatal2) -type I hypersensitivity reaction as a result of IgE sensitization (allergic reaction) -results of mast cell degranulation -in turn, releases chemical inflammatory mediators the allergens (benda yg buat alergi) are mainly; -insect venom clinical features -common in 20-40 years of age -usually heals in a day treatment (tak payah pun takpe, tapi kalau teruk sangat....) Eczema is a clinical term that embraces a number of conditions with different underlying etiologies. characterised by; - red (merah) - papulovesicular (bintik2 berair) - oozing (keluar nanah) - crusted lesions (luka berkerak) -allergens bind to Langerhans cell -Langerhans cell goes to draining lymph nodes -presents to naive T cells -on re-exposure, CD4 cells release cytokines -inflammatory cells gather to the site -mediate epidermal damage clinical features -pruritic (gatal2) -edematous (berbonjol. dan berair) -oozing plaques (bernanah) -vesicles and bullae persistence of this leads to; -scaly skin (kulit macam ada layer baru, sebab hyperkeratosis) -epidermal thickening (acanthosis) -avoid the underlying cause of the source of allergens (jauhi benda yg buat alergi) Erythema Multiforme Uncommon, hypersensitivity response to certain infections and drugs. Characterised by; -multiform lesions (bengkak bervariasi tempat dan bentuk) -cytotoxic T-cells damages the basal layer of skin, from the stimulation of the infection or drugs clinical features -associated with infections -associated with antibiotics (penicillin, sulfonamides, salicytes, hydantoins, antimalarials) -associated with NSAIDs (aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen) -insyaAllah hilang lepas infection subsides -jangan overdose ubat -doa byk2 la ye :) ok, nak pergi ke kelas, chronic inflammatory dermatoses saya sambung bila ada kelapangan, insyaAllah! Thursday, July 15, 2010 Fungus is a plant that does not have any flower or leaves. The study of fungus is called mycology. Mykos = Mushrooms. Mushrooms are a type of fungus. Differences with bacteria; - rigid cell wall, comprises of chitin, mannan. - cytoplasmic membrane contains sterol. Classification of fungi (plural for fungus) b)Yeasts-like fungi Common features (for the ease of classification) Unicellular, multiple by budding, it is a YEAST e.g. Cryptococcus it is a YEAST-LIKE e.g. Candida Hyphae in groups, tangled it is a MOULDS e.g. Penicillium can live inside or outside the body, causing systemic mycosis e.g. Blastomyces Sunday, May 30, 2010 Bacteria Gram-staining. What is Gram staining? A type of differential staining, commonly used to differentiate bacterial species into two large groups (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) based on the physical properties of their cell walls. Gram-positive bacteria have a thick mesh-like cell wall made of peptidoglycan (50-90% of cell wall), which stains purple while Gram-negative bacteria have a thinner layer (10% of cell wall), which stains pink. Aerobic bacteria. Gram-positive cocci - Staphylococci - Streptococci - Pneumococci Gram-positive bacilli - Corynebacterium - Bacillus - Clostridium - Actinomycetes (filamentous) - Mycobacterium (stains poorly) Gram-positive coccobacilli - Listeria - Erysipelothrix Gram-negative cocci - Neisseria - Moraxella Gram-negative bacilli - all aerobic bacteria which have not been mentioned. Gram-negative coccobacilli - Bordetella - Brucella Anaerobic Bacteria. Gram-positive cocci - Peptococcus - Peptostreptococcus Gram-positive bacilli - Eubacterium - Lactobacillus - Bifidobacterium - Propionibacterium - Actinomyces - Mobiluncus Gram-negative cocci - Veillonella Gram-negative bacilli - Bacteroides - Prevotella - Porphyromonas - Fusobacterium - Leptotrichia tips : there are about 30 bacteria species which are Gram-negative bacilli. so in viva voce, if you unsure about the Gram staining of an aerobic bacilli, just say Gram-negative bacilli! insyaAllah, it worth a guess :) Diuretic Drugs. What is diuretics? Diuretics are drugs that promote the excretion of Sodium (Na+) and water in urine. It is commonly used in patients with; a) Hypertension (by reducing blood volume) b) Edema (by concentrating the blood, thus increases plasma oncotic pressure) They can be classified by their efficacy; a) High efficacy (Inhibitors of Na+ K+ 2Cl- co-transport) -Sulphamoyl derivatives: Furosemide, Bumetanide, Torasemide b) Medium efficacy (Inhibitors of Na+ Cl- symport) - Benzothiazidines : Hydrochlorothiazide, Benzthiazide, Hydroflumethiazide, Clopamide - Thiazide-like : Chlorthalidone, Metolazone, Xipamide, Indapamide c) Weak or adjunctive diuretics - Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor : Acetazolamide - Potassium sparing ~Aldosterone antagonist : Spironolactone ~Inhibitors of renal epithelial Na+ channels : Amiloride, Triamterene - Osmotic diuretics : Mannitol, Isosorbide, Glycerol Uses of high ceiling diuretics; 1) Edema - most preferred drug in congestive cardiac failure 2) Acute pulmonary edema - Furosemide i.v. gives prompt relief 3) Cerebral edema - Furosemide with osmotic diuretics have high efficacy 4) Hypertension - given with the presents of renal insufficiency and congestive cardiac failure 5) Blood transfusion - to prevent vascular overload 6) Hypercalcemia - Furosemide promotes calcium excretion through the kidney Uses of thiazides; 1) Edema - good in maintenance therapy 2) Hypertension - preferably better than Furosemide 3) Diabetes insipidus - Reduces urine volume (unlike Furosemide) 4) Hypercalciuria - Reduces calcium excretion (unlike Furosemide) Adverse effects 1) Hypokalemia : excess potassium loss via urine 2) Acute saline depletion : Overdosage (esp. Furosemide) may cause dehydration and fall in blood pressure 3) Dilutional hyponatremia 4) GIT and CNS disturbances : Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea 5) Hearing loss : rarely, but increases risk in renal insufficiency Tuesday, May 18, 2010 This blog is mainly serves as a purpose of entering my medical notes. This blog was inspired by my respected friend, Bro Na'im USM. It may contain some errors. Do inform me by commenting on the particular post. Any corrections will be done immediately. May this blog be beneficial to myself and all my readers, InsyaAllah. Thank you. Imanul Hassan bin Abdul Shukor 4th Semester MBBS JJM Medical College, Davangere.
Friday, 16 September 2011 Banking Reform How to teach your children about the banking system... and why we need Banking Reform Once upon a time there was a little piggy bank who loved to look after children's money. He would take as much as possible and hold it safe and sound until the children wanted it back. He was his own pig, he answered to no other pig and he was happiest when he was looking after money. One day piggy was talking to his friend from the city and they came up with a great plan. What if they shared the job of looking after money??? It was a real success. The city piggy decided that they had so much money they could loan some of it out to other children to buy sweeties, so long as they gave it back when they got their allowance, plus a little extra for the service of borrowing. All went well the two little pigs were very careful about which children they would trust to lend money to. The children they trusted always paid back their sweetie loans on time. It was such a success the two little piggies had far more money than they could hold. They began to wonder, perhaps we could lend some of the money to other piggies? City piggy had another well connected friend ! Things began to go wrong ! The new pig on the block was not quite as careful who he lent sweetie money too, and he didn't collect many saved penny's from children either. Before long all three piggies were getting thin. The worry was, what would happen if all the children that saved money, wanted it back, there would not be enough to go around. The new pig on the block said he'd had a wonderful idea. What if we take some of our money to Las Vegas and try our hoofs on the penny slot machines? The first two pigs were not sure, but they had grown to like being popular, lending sweetie money to the children. So they decided to give all their money to piggy 3 and send him to find profits. Piggy 3 did well, he made a lot of money on the penny slot machines and was thrilled thinking of how the other pigs would tell him how amazing he was. Piggy 3 was so excited with himself, he decided to try making even more money. He would be the most famous and successful pig in the land.... Do you know what this is children, its a Roulette wheel ! You can bet lots of money and win even more, if you can guess which colour and number the little ball will land on when the wheel stops. Piggy did well for a while, then his luck ran out !!!! He lost some and then some more. Then he had no money left to gamble and had to go home to the other pigs. When he got home he found the other pigs excited to here curly tails of the pig city.. Piggy 3 said ... There is some good news and some bad news First the bad news, I have had a bad run of luck with my "investments", there is no money left. Depressed, the first two pigs asked what the good news was.. Well said piggy 3 " I had a great time !" And so it is with Banks today, they take our money and invest it in what we think are safe places, only for us to find that they have actually bought up each others debt, trying to make a quick buck. Meanwhile they ensure they pay each other big bonuses and have a "great time" Tara Tyler said... thanks for edumacating me. saw the new wall street movie last night and heard a similar description. cant believe they got away with it. why dont we all claim bankrupcy and start over (the whole world) Cathy said... Great economics lesson. Pity the banks aren't learning anything. Alex J. Cavanaugh said... Now that is a true tale! Susan Kane said... An excellent lesson for all of us. Forward it to the international banking system, or at least to the head of the U.S. banking (I can't spell his name). RJR said... Its amazing what lessons we can learn from 3 little piggies ;) Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Lone Mountain Cemetery History Cemetery with Cross When Nevada was admitted to the Union in 1864, Carson City was already a growing, prosperous community. The Pioneer Cemetery (or Walsh Cemetery) located on the hillside at the west end of Fifth Street was already being used for burials. Major William Ormsby, after whom Ormsby County was named, was originally buried here after dying in the Pyramid Lake War in 1860s. He was later reburied in New York. His scout, William S. Allen, is still interred at the Pioneer site, along with other early settlers of the territory. The Pioneer and Lone Mountain Cemetery (aka Wright Cemetery) both contain markers dating as far back as the early 1860s. Many of the individuals buried at the hillside cemetery were moved to Lone Mountain Cemetery in the mid-1860s. Despite many of the individuals being reinterred at Lone Mountain, the little Pioneer graveyard was still patronized for many years, evidenced by one of the few remaining markers bearing the date of 1871. According to available records, there were originally seven separate cemeteries which were formed into one cemetery known as Lone Mountain in 1971. In 1979 the pillars at the entrance to the Cemetery were moved 500 feet east of their original location when Roop Street was expanded. Roop Street originally ran directly to the Civil War monument on the far north end of the cemetery grounds. Many of the oldest stones are made of sandstone from Abe Curry's quarries which were located on the site of what is now the Nevada State Prison on Fifth Street. Lone Mountain Cemetery today encompasses sections for the Masons, Oddfellows, Catholics, two Babyland areas, Hebrew, Grand Army of the Republic, veterans, and a city cemetery section which dates back to the territorial days. The forty-acre site contains memorials to Carson City pioneers of every denomination, ethnic background, and economic or social standing. Together they represent a unique cross-section of early-day Nevada. Many of the plots in Lone Mountain Cemetery reveal names of once, and still prominent Nevada families. A walk or drive through Carson City reflects names now familiar in other contexts: Curry, Long, Musser, Bath Streets, the Ormsby House, the mansions of Yerington, Bath, Curry, and Rinckel are just a few whose origins lie buried in Lone Mountain Cemetery. On the other hand, many gravesites at Lone Mountain and the other cemeteries in Carson City are unmarked. In some cases, the gravestones are broken or missing. The name of a person may be known through burial records, but the specific site is not. In other situations, particularly burials at public expense, a marker never existed. The known and unknown, the famous and forgotten, all now lie in our historic cemeteries, along with their stories that are quickly fading from memory with the passage of time. That is the reason for this history, to remember, to educate, and to preserve our past for the future.
How did Quebec Students Mobilize Hundreds of Thousands for Strike? Tuesday saw 400,000 people march through downtown Montreal against Bill 78, a law aimed at criminalising student protests that was passed last week in a special overnight session of Quebec’s parliament. The law lays out strict regulations governing demonstrations of more than 50 people, including having to give eight hours’ notice for details such as the protest route, the duration and the time at which they are being held. If violated, it threatens student associations with fines of up to $125,000 for ‘illegal’ marches. Student groups, labour federations and a wide range of other organizations claim the law is unconstitutional and a violation of basic rights. In the context of Australian education activism, there are crucial lessons to be learned about how to build a mass student movement. This video features some reflections from Quebecois student organisers on the strike that has been in place since February and provides a valuable point of departure for some of the discussions that will be had at EduFactory! surrounding organisation and representation. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Yellowstone Volcano Eruption Emienet? 21bAre bison and other animals fleeing Yellowstone National Park in record numbers because they sense an impending eruption of the park’s supervolcano Yellowstone Caldera? That’s the theory being tossed around by a number of bloggers who cite recent seismic activity, including a magnitude 4.8 quake that rattled the park near the Wyoming-Montanta border on Monday, just days after a magnitude 5.1 temblor was felt by an estimated 17 million people over a large swath of Southern California. “It also could be from this video, where poachers are killing them, chasing them, abusing them, running them around,” he said. “Could be hundreds of things for them to be running. I wanted you to listen [to the videos] and make up your own mind on what to think.” Seismic activity at Yellowstone isn’t unusual. The land boasts the world’s largest collection of geysers, formed by volcanic activity. Monday’s earthquake was the largest in 34 years and the latest in a flurry of temblors that began last week, with more than 25 smaller quakes reported in that time by the University of Utah’s seismographs. “Herds of bison running for their lives on the public roadways and they were not being chased or rounded up, the bison were running down the mountain slopes onto roadways running right past a filming crew. They detect something vast and deadly. The Yellowstone Supervolcano is the only thing there that would fit the bill,” said Tom Lupshu, a self-described survivalist and search-and-rescue expert, in a YouTube video. Researchers recently discovered that the supervolcano is approximately 2.5 times bigger than previously thought. A team that included professor Bob Smith of the University of Utah found that the cavern stretches for more than 55 miles. “We’ve been working there for a long time, and we’ve always thought it would be bigger … but this finding is astounding,” Smith told the BBC. Smith said researchers are unsure when the supervolcano would erupt again. They believe the last major eruption happened approximately 640,000 years ago and sent ash across the entire continent of North America. If Yellowstone erupts then it would essentially resemble the scene from the movie “2012” when Yellowstone erupted as part of the Mayan Apocalypse. Such an eruption would shutdown the Federal Empire, Occupied Texas, and Occupied Dixie within 8 hours. Furthermore 7 states would be completely destroyed, and everything west of the Mississippi Valley would be destroyed. Such an eruption would trigger a massive seismic event along the Pacific rim and throw that entire region into chaos. Down here in Florida we would be covered in up to 4 inches of ash, and the sun would be blotted out for months if not years as the volcano spews ash far up into the atmosphere. Essentially over night all vegetation in the area would be killed or damaged, and entire crops and herds that feed on the crops will cease to exist. This is why when explorers made their way to the “New World” they found a landscape void of a number of species that exist across the world, such as pigs, horses, and cattle. These animals were all killed off the last time Yellowstone erupted along with the North American Rhino, North American Elephant, Mammoth, and hundreds of other now extinct species of mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish. Across Dixie it will be impossible for vehicles to deliver goods, due to the ash clouds, and along the Mississippi the ash clouds will be toxic. The Republic of Texas will be basically barren land for years and the Confederate States of Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky will be not far off. Transportation will be impossible because the ash will clog air filters, thus causing cars and trucks to die out. This will also occur in Florida… even the keys will not be spared. So unless you are sitting high on at-least 3 years worth of doomsday food and water, you will likely be sol. Currently I’m sol as well. The Cracker Commander only has about 6 months worth of food, and despite a flurry of canning activity over the weekend I haven’t been able to break through to 7 months, let alone 3 years. Assuming Yellowstone will erupt this year or next, its a good enough time as any to get prepared now. About Cracker Commander Posted on April 3, 2014, in Doomsday and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
Challenges in tissue engineering: are hydrogels the answer? Carmen Piras Gels are materials with several applications in everyday life. They can be defined as coherent systems composed of a liquid as the majority component, and a solid as the minority component. In these systems, the liquid is the dispersion medium, with the solid acting as the dispersed constituent. These materials can be classified in different ways depending upon their origin, composition, constitution and the kind of interactions that are responsible for the formation of the gel. One of the main classifications is based on the medium they encompass and, in this case, further subdivisions can be made, into organogels, hydrogels, xerogels and aerogels. • In organogels, organic solvents represent the disphydrogel-wound-care-fillerersion medium. • In hydrogels, water is the dispersion medium, making them highly absorbent and flexible materials. Due to these amongst many other properties, they can be used for several applications, such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, diagnostics and clinical practice. • Xerogels are formed after evaporation by drying with unhindered shrinkage of the solvent in a hydrogel or an organogel. The main properties of these gels are high porosity and enormous surface area. These characteristics make them suitable for various optical, acoustic and thermal applications. • Aerogels are highly porous, low-density materials with excellent insulation properties, formed by evaporation of the solvent in supercritical conditions. They are utilised for several applications in the field of cosmetics and insulation. id35162Despite being around for only a few decades, hydrogels are now a class of versatile materials that have become a sine qua non in everyday life e.g. hair gel, nappies, contact lenses, wound healing products and medicines. They can be defined as three-dimensional, cross-linked networks of water-soluble molecules. These aggregates can assume different morphologies (micelles, vesicles, fibres, ribbons or sheets), depending on their molecular structure. Due to their composition, but also due to the conditions under which the hydrogels are formed, they present lots of interesting properties. One of these is the ability to absorb water, which is caused by the presence of hydrophilic groups within the molecules that constitute the gel. The presence of water inside the hydrogels, together with their swelling and elasticity properties, permits some solute molecules entrapped in the structure to diffuse, which is very important for the applications of these materials in drug delivery. Another important characteristic related to this application is their porosity that can be modified by controlling the density of cross-links in the gel matrix. The porosity of these materials is responsible for the release of drugs loaded into the matrix. Hydrogels can also show massive changes of their volume in response to the variation of external conditions, such as pH, temperature, solvent quality, etc. Furthermore, these materials show physicochemical similarity with the native extracellular matrix. This characteristic, accompanied by the high water content, makes them considerably biocompatible and permits their utilization in tissue engineering and in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. Hydrogels derived by natural molecules, such as polypeptides and carbohydrates, also show natural biodegradability, high biocompatibility and low toxicity that make these materials especially suitable for this kind of application. Tissue engineering has been of great interest to scientists for many years, as it holds great promise for tissue and organ regeneration. The high amount of water that hydrogels can incorporate, the presence of pores large enough to host living cells, and the similarity of these materials to the extracellular matrix, make them suitable candidates as matrices for tissue engineering. Many publications over the decades showed how they can be used for cartilage regeneration, bone and skin repair, and recently also for cardiac tissue repair (especially as injectable materials). cuoreHydrogels used for such purposes are predominately based on natural polymers or derivatives, such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, chitosan and alginate, which allow high viability and proliferation rates for cells, due to the abundance of chemical signals. This also helps the formation of neo-tissues, which is fundamental for organ regeneration and repair. Although hydrogels based on natural polymers show interesting properties and a wide range of biomedical applications, synthetic chemistry can also be used to produce similar materials from synthetic polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) and pluronics. Hydrogels obtained from these polymers, however, behave as inert scaffolds for cells, due to the absence of active binding sites. To overcome this problem, peptides, growth factors and other bioactive compounds can be added to the network. The use of hydrogels in tissue engineering has been facilitated by bio-fabrication techniques, which enable the industrial production of biomaterials. Different methods can be used for this purpose: 1. Laser-induced forward transfer technology, which allows the precise deposition of materials and cells in small 3D structures. 2. Inkjet printing, which permits the deposition of bioink (i.e. a hydrogel) on a substrate from a very small orifice. 3. Robotic systems, which are dispensing systems that use disposable plastic syringes to release hydrogels with suspended cells onto a building platform. Although hydrogels have now been studied for a number of years and their characteristics and applicability have been massively improved and tuned to many different purposes, the development of effective, low-price, non-toxic materials with high rates of water absorption, biocompatibility and biodegradability for tissue engineering still remains a challenge. However, research on hydrogels is one of the most rapidly developing fields of material science, showing their enormous potential in tissue engineering and organ regeneration. Chocolate, why it is so irresistible? The chemistry behind pleasure and addiction Carmen Piras Chocolate is one of the most cheap and popular antidepressants available in the market. What is in chocolate and why is it so good and irresistible? After you will read this articleyou will realise it is all about chemistry! All the properties of chocolate, in fact, depend on different molecules that are predominantly present in cocoa, one of the main components of chocolate. Cocoa comes from the seeds of a plant with very ancient origins. The ancient civilisations of Olmecs, Mayas and Aztecs used to 1cultivate it as a food and as currency trading. The last led to the first name of the plant “Amygdalae Pecuniariae” (“Money Almond”), later replaced by the Swedish botanist Carl Von Linne with “Theobroma Cacao” (“Food of Gods”), which referred to the religious cults of these populations. The consumption of cocoa was reserved mainly to upper classes (nobles, warriors and priests) that used to drink it for its energising and aphrodisiac properties with the addition of chilli, hot spices, anise, cinnamon and vanilla to mitigate the bitter taste. In 1528 it was imported to Europe, when the Spanish Conquistador Cortez offered it as a gift to the Spanish Royal Family. From Spain, the recipe of chocolate spread throughout Europe: Italy first, then France, England, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and then Scandinavia. Cocoa plant (Theobroma Cacao L.) is an evergreen tree that can reach up to 20 meters height. It can be cultivated only in certain areas, as it requires hot humid climates and mild temp2eratures ideally between 20 and 30°C. The main producing countries are, for this reason, situated in Africa (Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Madagascar), Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), Oceania (New Guinea, Papua) and Central and South America (Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). 3The fruits are collected a couple of times a year and the beans are extracted after natural fermentation. The fermentation takes place outdoors, in a 2 to 12 days period of time depending on weather conditions and quality of the beans. This process regards the sugars contained in the mucilage (glucose and fructose) and it is vital for the chemical composition and the biochemical characteristics. Once extracted, the seeds are then dried in order to stop the fermentation and decrease the moisture content to avoid the formation of mould. The drying process takes from 7 to 15 days when the seeds are exposed to the sun. The dry beans can be then processed to produce a variety of derivatives (e.g. chocolate, cocoa powder, pralines, snacks). The chemical composition of cocoa, thus the percentages of main components, varies depending on the geographical origin. The main components are: • water (5-7%) • lipids (45-53% – especially fatty acids such as palmitic acid, arachidic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, stearic acid and sterols) • proteins (10-15% – g. albumin, prolamin, glutelin, globulin and enzymes) • starch and carbohydrates (2-4% – i.e. fructose, sucrose, lactose, cellulose, lignin) • tannin (6%) • gums (2-3%) • polyphenols (g. catechins, anthocyanins, proantocyanins) • organic acids • vitamins (vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, biotin, folic acid, nicotinamide) • minerals (e. sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, chlorine, fluorine, iodine, chromium, nickel, zinc) • natural bioactive molecules. The last are responsible not only for the aroma of cocoa, but also for the effects it induces. The characteristic aroma of cocoa can be attributed to different fermentation products (firstly vicilin, but also pyrazines, esters, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, hydrocarbons, furans and phenols), whereas other natural components cause the effects that are normally associated with cocoa consumption. These include: • Theobromine and caffeine (methylxantines) 4These two molecules are present in different percentage (2-2.7% theobromine and 0.6-0.8% caffeine) and they induce: • increased concentration and attention • improved waking state • improved skeletal muscle contractility • vasodilatation • diuresis. Theobromine has a lower stimulant effect compared to caffeine, which however is present at a lower concentration. Both molecules act as antagonists of adenosine purinergic P1 receptors. Adenosine has normally an inhibitory effect on central nervous system; consequently the antagonist action is responsible for the psychostimulant effects of these substances, but also for the side effects related to abuse, such as insomnia, tachycardia and agitation. • Biogenic amines (tyramine, tryptamine, histamine, 2-phenylethylamine) 5These are vasoactive molecules that, at a high concentration or in combination with MAO inhibitors (drugs with an antidepressant effect), may cause the so-called “cheese reaction”, which is characterised by redness, headache, pressure changes and even circulatory shock. Among these molecules, 2-phenylethylamine is considered responsible for chocolate desire. Its structure is very similar to amphetamine, therefore it interacts with the same receptors, inducing various stimulant effects such as: • improved waking state • psychostimulation • reduction of fatigue • reduced sense of hunger. • Anandamide This molecule interacts with the cannabinoid CB1 receptors inducing: • behavioural effects • effects on cognitive functions • improved mood • improved sensory perceptions • euphoria • sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. • Salsolin and salsolinol These are alkaloids dopamine-derivatives, which are also present in the brain as endogenous molecules. They are responsible for the antidepressant effect of chocolate and the psychological dependence due to two actions on central nervous system: • inhibition of MAO enzymes and tyrosine hydroxylase, which results in increased serotonin levels with consequent improvement of mood • inhibition of catecholamines re-uptake (e. norepinephrine and dopamine), with consequent antidepressant effect and psychological dependence. • Clavamide, which has a considerable antioxidant activity.9 • Tetratetrahydro-b-carboline, which act as neuromodulators on MAO enzymes, thus contributing to the antidepressant action.10 All these molecules together with others are responsible for the different effects of chocolate. 1. Antidepressant effect12 Serotonin, associated with methylxanthines and 2-phenylethylamine, is responsible for the induction of endorphins production, opioids that are naturally synthesized by the brain and that have an exhilarating effect. 1. Feeling of pleasure and addiction 13The feeling of pleasure induced by chocolate can be correlated to various substances, including theobromine, caffeine and anandamide, which act on the brain reward circuit. This is modulated by the neurotransmitter dopamine, whose release is induced by natural rewarding stimuli (e.g. food, and water), or drugs. It acts by facilitating the establishment of a positive memory related to cocoa assumption, with consequent sensation of pleasure after chocolate consumption and desire of more chocolate. 1. Antioxidant effect This is related to the presence of flavonoids, a class of polyphenols present at a higher concentration than in other commonly consumed foods. The antioxidant activity is important to fight free radicals, which are formed as a result of oxidative stress and are responsible for damage to cells and cellular components. 1. Protective action on cardiovascular system Due to the fact that dark chocolate promotes increased levels of HDL cholesterol, the “good cholesterol”. This improves the functioning of blood vessels (by increasing the ability of the endothelium to dilate) and prevents heart diseases. Although chocolate has many positive effects, it is not for everyone! Are indeed excluded diabetics, people with allergies, gastroesophageal reflux (as chocolate consumption causes an increased gastric acidity), hyperuricemia, headache (due the presence of tyramine, that could trigger crises), obesity or liver diseases (due to the high lipid content). Anyway, after reading this article, next time you will be in a bad mood, try to have some chocolate and it might act as a magic medicine! Chemistry on the crime scene Carmen Piras 1One of my favourite TV series is Criminal Minds, an American police series set primarily at the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit, Quantico (Virginia). It focuses on a skilled team of FBI profilers who catch serial killers through behavioural profiling. Besides Criminal Minds, other series recently captured the interest of the audience, such as CSI, Law and Order and Cold Case. In all these TV programs the police solve the cases quickly and efficiently, thanks to the talent of the agents but also thanks to the evidence that is collected on the crime scene and analysed by the chemists in a crime laboratory, who provide essential information to reconstruct the story. Although the role of forensic chemistry is fundamental in case solving, this is not often recognised. However, chemistry plays a key role to put together the pieces of the puzzle in all investigations. In few words, a forensic chemist analyses physical evidence collected from the crime scene and provides the obtained information to the detective who is working on the case to solve the crime. The analysis of physical and chemical properties of substances is a crucial part of the process. The physical properties (e.g. appearance, texture, colour, solubility, polarity and odour) can be observed and measured without altering the 2composition of the matter. By contrast, the chemical properties may only be observed by performing a chemical reaction or change, characteristic of a particular substance. For example, cocaine is a drug that can be described as a fine white powder (physical property); it also reacts with cobalt thiocyanate to give a blue-coloured product (chemical property). These different properties of cocaine help the investigators to identify it. Chemical and physical properties, however, can only be used for presumptive analyses, as sometimes these characteristics are not enough by themselves to identify a substance. Methamphetamine, for example, gives a deep blue-coloured product when it reacts with sodium nitroprusside in the presence of sodium bicarbonate. Nevertheless, other substances with a similar molecular structure will react in the same way, giving the same product. For this reason, confirmatory analyses, which are based upon unique properties of substances, are required to identify a sample with certainty. Different techniques can be applied for this purpose and most of them are spectroscopic techniques. The ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy, for instance, is ued to test certain drugs of abuse to confirm their property to absorb UV light at a certain wavelength. This property depends on the presence of chromophores in the structure of the compound, which are functional groups that can absorb UV light and are responsible for its colour. Another technique is represented by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which gives a characteristic spectrum for each compound depending on which functional groups are present in the molecule structure. The analysis of the obtained spectrum depends on the recognition of these functional groups in the molecule, thus allowing its identification. These techniques are often used in combination with others, especially if the analysed sample is in fact a mixture of two or more compounds. In this case, the compounds in the mixture can be separated and individually analysed using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). This instrument allows the separation of the different components in the mixture and their recognition by breaking them into fragments whose mass can be measured. The generated fragments are exclusive foreach compound, enabling specific identification. Another technique used to separate different compounds in a mixture is thin layer chromatography (TLC), which can be applied to separate drugs, fibre dyes, poisons and inks. This method exploits the different polarity of the compounds in th3e mixture, permitting their separation by the different interaction with a solvent system (mobile phase) and a flat glass plate (stationary phase). Polar compounds tend to interact more with the stationary phase, therefore they “run less” on the TLC plate; whereas less polar compounds interact more with the mobile phase, therefore they “run more” on the plate and can be separated from compounds that have a different polarity. All the above techniques are applied to recognize and identify specific substances. However, the work of a forensic chemist also involves other types of analysis. The colour tests, for example, are utilized to probe drug samples for their chemical properties. These reactions are carried out on ceramic or plastic dishes c4alled spot plates, which contain several wells. Each well is filled with a small amount of the questioned drug and a chemical known to produce a coloured product in the presence of the drug. This allows for presumptive identification of many drugs. Some drugs can also be recognized through microcrystalline tests, which analyse representative crystalline structures under the microscope with transmitted illumination. These tests, though, are more complicated than the colour tests as few forensic chemists are sufficiently trained to recognize the characteristic crystalline structures. Different analyses can be performed to verify the properties of soil relating to a specific location where a crime was committed. This can help to confirm, for example, if the soil 5found under the shoes or on the car of a suspect is the same as that of the crime scene. Soil is a mixture of organic and inorganic materials whose properties can be analysed (pH, density, composition, colour, texture) through microscopic techniques, as well as sieves to determine the size distribution of a sample, and density gradients to evaluate the distribution of densities comprised in the soil mixture. Other common items of evidence collected on a crime scene are fingerprints. All fingerprints are unique for each individual (even twins have different fingerprints!) and they can be very useful to identify a suspect, especially if their fingerprints had been previously recorded in databases collected by law enforcement agencies. Latent fingerprints cannot be visualized by eye but development techniques can be used to observe them. One of these is called powder dusting, which involves the use of powders (dark, light or fluorescent) to see contrast a7nd to highlight the fingerprints, which can then be lifted and preserved using a fingerprint tape. Another substance that can be used to colour fingerprints is called ninhydrin, which is used in biochemistry for qualitative and quantitative determination of a-amino acids. This substance gives a purple-coloured product upon reaction with the amino acids contained in fingerprint residues. Further techniques that can be used for fingerprint development include the silver nitrate reaction (reaction between silver nitrate and soluble sodium/potassium salts to give a white solid product called silver chloride, which produces silver and chlorine purple-black gas when exposed to ultraviolet light) an6d the iodine sublimation (based on the absorption of iodine vapours by the fingerprint’s components to give an amber-coloured product). Finally, if the fingerprints contain traces of blood, these can be observed by employing luminol, a derivative of phthalic acid, which allows the detection of blood traces through reaction with metal cations (e.g. the iron-shaped cation present in the heme group of haemoglobin) to give a blue luminescencent product called 3-aminophthalate. Many different techniques are used to analyse evidence, which are essential to solve a case. Therefore, although it is not well known, forensic chemistry gives a vital contribution to all investigations. Think about it next time you watch a police TV series… Soap:properties and production….So much chemistry in just a bubble Carmen Piras Soap is a sine qua non in everyday life that has a very ancient tradition. Itmount sapos use dates back to the Babylonians and the Egyptians, who used to combine animal and vegetable oils with alkaline salts to produce it. According to the roman legend, the word “soap” comes from Mount Sapo, where the animals were sacrificed. The fat from sacrificed animals together with wooden ashes were washed by the rain to the Tiber River, where people used to wash their clothes and found out that this mixture could help to clean the clothes. A similar word was also present in German language for a mixture of ash and fats that was utilized to dye the hair red. Gallic women have been the first to realize that this mixture could easily remove stains. This recipe didn’t change for centuries and had a great diffusion all over the world, however it evolved during the years, finally allowing the industrial production of soap from the mid-nineteenth century. Since then soap, which was initially considered a luxury, became widely available to everyone. From a chemical point of view, soaps are water-soluble sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids. They are obtained by mixing a strong base with fats and oils from animal or plant sources. When these are heated up together, they react in the so-called “saponification reaction”. In the past, this reaction was performed using fat and lye, which was obtained from leaching ashes through a purification process by filtration and heating. Nowadays, the principle is the same, but some variations have been introduced to make the process easier and quicker.reaction In the saponification reaction fats and oils comes usually from animal or plant sources. These are used in the form of triglycerides, whose structure is composed of a glycerol molecule to which are linked three molecules of fatty acids. When these react with a base, the alkaline conditions hydrolyse the triglyceride allowing the formation of the corresponding salt (which constitutes the soap) and glycerin, which is reused for other purposes in industrial processes. Each soap molecule is constituted by two moities: fatty-acid-structure1An hydrophobic moiety or “tail”, which is a long hydrocarbon chain An hydrophilic “head”, which is represented by the carboxylate group that forms the sodium or potassium salts and is negatively charged. This hydrophilic part of the molecules interacts with water molecules through hydrogen bonding and ion-dipole interactions, whereas the hydrophobic parts attract dirt and do not interact with water molecules. However, this long hydrocarbon chains interact with each other by dispersion forces and form structures called micelles. In each micelle, the molecules are oriented in a way that allows the hydrophobic moieties of the molecules to hide from water, giving rise to a spherical structure. The hydrophilic heads of the molecules, instead, interact with water, but since they are negatively charged, they repel other micelles, which remain dispersed in water. The industrial manufacture of soap has a long tradition and it can be performed through discontinuous or continuous processes. The discontinuous processes include different phases: 1. Saponification, which is carried out in boilers heated with direct fire or steam, by stirring the fat mixture and the base that is gradually added. This operation takes about 3-4 hours keeping the temperature around 100°C. However, the same process can be carried out in few minutes under pressure and at higher temperatures (250°C). 2. Salting: from the saponification a colloidal solution is obtained and it contains soap, glycerin and base residues. These two components can be separated from the lye simply by adding sodium chloride (kitchen salt). During this stage, also soap and glycerin are separated and the glycerin can be recovered and reused for other industrial purposes (cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries). 3. Strong change: This process allows removing the fat that has not saponified by adding a strong caustic solution. In this way, all the fat is converted into soap. This step can be followed by a second salting treatment. 4. Pitching: During this process, the soap is boiled again with water, to form two different layers – “Neat soap”, which is formed by 70% soap and 30% water – “Nigre”, which contains most of the impurities (salts and dirt) and most of the water The neat soap is collected and cooled and finally treated with other substances such as emollients, colorants and perfumes. The continuous processes are the most common applied production systems and also the most convenient, as the prices are consistently reduced and the obtained products have consistent characteristics. Soap can be easily made at home with some nice experiments that will help you to understand the chemistry and to create your own unique soap. Some nice recipes are described in this website: Or you can simply follow this youtube video: What is paper made of…. A short journey through the chemistry of paper Carmen Piras During the weekend I often go to a nice café for a slice of carrot cake and a cup of coffee. On a lazy Saturday morning there is nothing better than reading a book while tasting goimagesod coffee. Whilst I was enjoying my coffee, last weekend I realised how paper was everywhere….My book, the coffee cup, the plate where my cake was sitting, the napkins and a newspaper on the table! All these things not only are made of paper, but different types of paper with different properties depending on their purpose. I then thought I wanted to know more about the chemistry of this material and hopefully this article will make you think about it next time you will be reading a magazine or a book with a nice hot coffee in your hands. Paper has always been used in numerous applications. Its history begins from 3000 BC, when the Egyptians discovered how to exploit the fibers of a plant (Cyperus Papyrus) that grew on the banks of Nile River to obtain a paper-like material. This material was called pappapyrus from the Latin word papyrus and the Greek πάπυρος, and from this word the modern word paper. However, the merit of the invention of paper as we know it today has to be attributed to the Chinese Ts’ai Lun, an officer of the court of the emperor in 105 BC. From China, the paper, reached Middle East and Europe, where, in the XIII Century the first “paper mills” were built. With the introduction of industrial labor in the XIX Century, the production of paper could finally be carried out on a large scale and at a relatively low price. The main component is undoubtedly cellulose, the most common structural polymer in the plant world. Its chemical structcelluloseure consists of multiple units of glucose linked together by b-glycosidic bonds that form long linear chains connected through hydrogen bonds. Several other substances are also present, including: – adhesives, which reduce the absorption of water making the paper less hygroscopic and more compact – filler materials, which make the paper more opaque and consistent – dyes. Depending on the type of paper and the type of processing other components may be present, such as hemicellulose. This polymer has a chemical structure that is similar to cellulose, but presents lateral branches formed by glycosidic units. Because of its structure, hemicellulose has a greater tendency to form hydrogen bonds and this makes the paper less stable and more easily degradable when exposed to chemical and physical factors. Another polymer that can be found in paper is represented by lignin. There are different types of lignin, which are composed of three different monomers: – Cumaryl alcohollignin – Coniferyl alcohol – Sinapyl alcohol Other substances may also be used as additives to improve the degree of whiteness, opacity and smoothing. These include: – Titanium dioxide – Kaolin – Calcium carbonate – Talc. Binder materials play also an important role; they are added in order to facilitate the adhesion of pigments and are used for coating. Among these we can highlight: – Polysaccharide compounds, such as starch, arabic gum, tragacanth gum newspapers– Fat compounds, such as waxes and drying oils, including linseed oil, sunflower oil, poppy seed oil – Resins, such as turpentine, rosin or mastic, which are used as protective coatings. All these components confer different characteristics to the paper (e.g. consistency, opacity, thickness), which can be exploited for the production of different types. The paper making process is nicely described in this video: https:// Have a look at this video, if you want to make your own home made paper, it’s easy and funny: Fifty shades of chemistry and their application in art Carmen Piras There pigmenti x introhas always been a very strong link between chemistry and art. The grinding of the pigments, the use of dispersants and the appropriate choice of the surfaces on which the color lays, are a clear example of this tight relationship. Chemistry, in fact, has always been very important not only to promote the evolution of art, but also for the maintenance of cultural heritage, allowing to protect it from the action of chemical and physical agents and to restore it when damaged. This close link between chemistry and art has evolved over the years. Thpittura rupestree first traces of use of mineral pigments date back to the Paleolithic (300.000-10.000 B.C.). Archaeological excavations in Zambia revealed some pigments preserved in a niche, probably used as a warehouse, in the caves of Twin River. These mainly included iron oxide (red), iron oxide hydrate (yellow) and coal (black) and were probably destined to body painting. Only later, thanks to a wider dissemination of communication and commerce, more rare minerals began to be used. The Neolithic was not very innovative from this point of view, but in this period was introduced the use of white colour, which was obtained from domestic animals bones that were dried and heated at high temperatures. Egypegizi pigmentitian civilization, by contrast, was more revolutionary. The Egyptians, in fact, discovered copper minerals such as malachite and azurite, lead ores, tin ores, chalk, many rare coloured minerals, stibite, native iron, cinnabar, natron and lime. Furthermore, the considerable knowledge of alchemy they had, led to the use of pigments such as Egyptian blue (a mixture of copper silicate and calcium, which was obtained by fusing white sand, gypsum and malachite), Egyptian yellow (produced by reacting an antimony derivative with a lead salt or a corresponding oxide in high-temperature ovens) and white lead. This last pigment was used for thousands of years until the second half of ‘800. More scientifically, it can be defined as lead hydroxycarbonate and its use was prohibited since 1921, due to its high toxicity. Alchemy had a great development also in Greek and Roman civilizations, which played a very important role in promoting and transmitting the empirical knowmurex commonledge accumulated over time. To the Phoenicians, instead, can be attributed fabric dyeing. Shades of red, such as madder or kermes, were the most utilized colours in dyeing techniques and they were obtained from vegetable or animal extracts. Alizarin, for example, was extracted from the roots of Rubia Tinctorum; Kermes was obtained by an insect (Kermes Vermilio) that lived on oaks; whereas purple was extracted from a mollusk (Murex Common). Some of these dyes were also used during the Middle Ages, when the oil technique started to become popular. To fix the colour to the fabrics, the dyes were anchored on alum particles (sulfate hydrates of aluminum and potassium), which adhered firmly to the textile fibers; this technique is also known as “etching”. Alum also allowed lighting up the colour, making it brighter and stronger. alchemistsWith the decline of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the middle Ages, the known alchemical techniques did not go lost, but were collected and developed by the Arabs, which integrated them with the knowledge from China and India. The most famous alchemist of the time was known as the Geber and was born in 722 A.D. To Geber and its school, was attributed the discovery of important substances such as concentrated acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, caustic soda and aqua regia. Aqua regia was one of the rare mixtures able to dissolve gold and for years it fueled the desire of alchemists to transform the substances into gold and vice versa. The Middle Ages brought to the discovery of new pigments (especially shades of blue) and lacquers, which were obtained by adsorbing the dye on white solid particles (for example alumina). Subsequently, during the XV Century, oil painting was introduced. This technique adopted for the first time as a dispersing medium for the color, poppy oil, walnut oil or flax oil, instead of yolk and albumen, which were used for tempera paint, technique that was gradually applied less and less. Compared to tempera paint, the mixed with oil colours showed several advantages, since the oil protected the pigments from the attack of external agents and slowed degradation. New pigments were then introduced in ‘600, century in which, thanks to the colonial empires, some prominent pigments reached Europe. These included: Lacquer Kermes (cochineal carminic acid, a plant pest), imported from Mexico Indian yellow (magnesium salt of euxantico); probably the first fluorescent yellow Gamboge (intense golden yellow), extracted from South-East Asia plants Kassel, a black-brown pigment extracted from peat. tubetti colori a olioWith the progress of chemistry between the ‘700 and ‘900, many new compounds were synthesized and enriched the palette of many painters due to a significant reduction of costs compared to the past. Another important novelty was the introduction, in 1840, of tin tubes with ready for use colours (i.e. pigments already mixed with linseed oil), whereas in the past each artist had to prepare the colours at time of use. Numerous new organic pigments were introduced, especially between 1930 and 1940, with an estimate of up to about 600 pigments in the late ‘900. It is interesting to note that the painters were not aware of the toxicity of some of the chemicals they used as colours. For example, it was hypothesized that Cezanne, who loved emerald obtained from acetoarsenite copper, contracted diabetes because of the arsenic contained in the colour he used. The same pigment together with lead chromate yellow pigments were thought to be responsible for the aggravation of Van Gogh’s neurological problems and that a similar poisoning was responsible for Monets blindness. The use of pigments containing toxic heavy metals, such as mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium and chromium may also have caused Renoir’s rheumatoid arthritis and Klee’s skin disease. However, the toxicity of these pigments was recognized only from the ‘900. New synthetic pigments enriched the Nineteenth Century: pigments synthetic • Phthalocyanines, which became indispensable for brilliant colors • Quinacridones, red and magenta • Azopigments, yellow, orange and red • Diketopirrols, orange, red and scarlet, as an alternative to cadmium-based pigments • Anthraquinones, several shades of red. These pigments, compared to natural pigments such as carotene, were much more stable and lasting in time. Moreover, their chemical structure could be modified, changing in this way their properties. In conclusion, there has always been a strong link between chemistry and art, which over the centuries has evolved, giving a great contribution to art. Artists may therefore be considered a bit chemists and, vice versa, chemists a bit artists. • “Alchimie nell’arte”, Adriano Zecchina From the coffee plant to the cup: a journey through the chemistry of coffee Carmen Piras Coffee is definitely one of the most popular and addictive drinks in the world. However, to obtain the coffee we drink from the plant, there are numerous steps in which the beans are extracted and treated to finally achieve the powder. Before we start our journey through the magic world of coffee, we will go back to the past to explore its history and find out how it arrived in Europe and became so popular. The word “coffee” comes from the Arabic word “qahwa”, originally used to describe a dark red beverage that was extracted from some seeds and caused exciting and stimulating effects. The turkish “kahve” came from this word, later the Italian word “caffè” and then “coffee”. According to the legend, the history of coffee began in the Ethiopian province of Kaffa, where a shepherd used to take his goats to graze. One day, he noticed that the goats, after eating the berries of the coffee plant, became more active and energetic. For this reason, he decided to roast the seeds of the plant and grind them to obtain an infusion. Coffee was probably subsequently exported by some slaves in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, where, in the fifteenth century, it started to be cultivated. Initially, Arabs banned coffee exportation; however in 1616 some Dutch merchants managed to bring some plants to the Netherlands, which could be cultivated in greenhouses. The Dutch began then to cultivate coffee plants in their colonies in India and Indonesia, from where coffee was exported to Europe by some merchants of Venice. From 1650, coffee was also exported to England, France, Germany and Austria. Nevertheless, it was from the ‘700 that coffee started to be grown on a large scale in the British and Dutch colonies, reaching in this way Central and South America, which currently holds the primate of world production (Colombia and Brasil). As coffee consumption was growing, the first coffee houses arose and diffused as meeting places for discussion and dissemination of political, literary and philosophical ideas. Important coffee houses were opened in Oxford, London, Paris, Vienna, Venice and Florence. coffee plant The coffee plant, Coffea, belongs to the family of Rubiaceae, which includes over 6,000 species of small trees and shrubs. The mainly produced species are represented by: – Coffea Arabica (Arabica Coffee – about 60% of world production): cultivated in Latin America, India, Indonesia, Africa and Middle East – Coffea Canephora (Robusta Coffee): cultivated in West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia and Brazil – Coffea Liberica (Liberica Coffee): cultivated in Malaysia and West Africa – Coffea Dewevrei (Excelsa Coffee): cultivated in Africa. Due to its botanical characteristics, the coffee plant grows easily in mountain areas. Depending on the variety it takes up to 3 or 4 years for the plant to start to produce fruits, which are then collected by hand or by machine. Each fruit looks like a red berry similar to cherries and contains two seeds (coffee beans), which are removed from the fruit and dried before being roasted. This process can be performed in two ways: 1. Dry method: the whole fruit is dried under the sun on large concrete patios. This is the most important stage of the process, as it can affect the quality of the obtained green coffee. The dried cherries are stored in silos and subsequently sent to the mill where they are processed to remove the outer layers of the cherry and obtain the beans. 2. Wet method: in this case the pulp is removed from the cherry by a machine and it is placed in large fermentation tanks to remove coffee mucilage through enzymatic reactions. When the fermentation is completed, the coffee is then dried under the sun or with a mechanical dryer and finally stored. In both cases, before the coffee is ready to be exported and sold it passes through the final stages of “curing”, which involves a number of cleaning, sorting and grading operations. coffee beans The roasting process is then fundamental to obtain all the aroma and flavors and it is crucial to produce a high quality coffee. This is done by heating the coffee beans to 180-240oC for 8-15 minutes in order to obtain the caffeol or coffee oil, which is the essence of coffee. The roasting process has to be carefully controlled to obtain a uniform resulting flavor. Coffee is then assessed for taste to create a flavor profile and evaluate its quality. This process is called “cup tasting” or “cupping“. The decaffeination process is performed on green coffee beans to extract the caffeine from the beans. Four different methods can be applied for this purpose: – Water method – Ethyl acetate method – Liquid CO2 method – Methylene chloride method All these methods involve some common steps: 1. The caffeine is made available for extraction by swelling the green coffee beans or steaming 2. The caffeine is extracted 3. Solvent residues are removed from the beans by steam stripping 4. The decaffeinated coffee beans are finally dried. Depending on personal preferences, coffee can be prepared in different ways. Espresso is one of the most common ways of making coffee. It was invented in Italy and it is made with specific machines which force hot water through ground, compacted coffee into the cups below. On top of the black coffee, lies a golden brown liquid called “crema” that can be used by an expert taster to judge the quality of the coffee. The Moka-Napoletana is another common way to make coffee in Italy and it combines the characteristic of espresso and the percolator made coffee. It works by boiling the water into a lower chamber and forcing it through the coffee which seats on a filter. A similar process is used by the Percolator, which works by heating the coarsely ground coffee and cold water until the water starts boiling and bubbles up in the top of the unit. A different way of making coffee is the Plunger/Cafetiere method, which works by placing the coffee and warm water into the pot. After few minutes the plunger is then pushed down to separate the infusion from the coffee grounds. coffee cup The most important active component of coffee is definitely caffeine. However, a huge number of chemical compounds and over 1000 aroma compounds are also contained in coffee. • Caffeine is an alkaloid that belongs to the family of xanthine (from the greek “xanthos”, yellow), which also includes theobromine and theophylline. The mechanism of action of caffeine can be re-conducted to its action as an antagonist of the adenosine A2A receptor, which is part of the class of purinergic receptors. This has a stimulating action on the central nervous system, on catecholamines release, on gastric acid production and on metabolism. The psychotropic effects include increased state of alert and ability to concentrate, improved physical and mental efficiency. By contrast, higher doses induce agitation, tremors, nausea, restlessness and diuresis. Phenolic compounds in coffee • Coffee also contains numerous Phenolic Compounds, which represent 12% of the dry weight of green unroasted beans. These include: quinic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-O-caffeolquinic acid, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid. These compounds are responsible for the bitter taste of coffee, its brown colours and also its antioxidants properties. For more information:
What is a whole food Supplements? October 5, 2015 What exactly are Supplements? Supplements are simply that — supplements, not substitutes. They can't replace a healthy diet plan, but could help to keep your body strong and well by concentrating on prevention and support. They may also assistance to address specific health needs for example joints, heart, brain, etc. Research-based advantages of particular nutrition can frequently be difficult to acquire from diet alone, thus… supplements! Need assistance identifying which supplements is worth considering? Here’s a listing of popular supplements and why you could have them, too. Top Most Widely Used Supplements Vit A: Required for growth, development along with a healthy defense mechanisms. Supports healthy vision and skin. Experts say… Don't consume greater than 8Thousand IU daily from diet and supplements combined, particularly if pregnant. Anti-oxidants: Helps safeguard your body against damage from toxins because of such factors as polluting of the environment, sunlight, smoking, exercise, poor diet and stress. Experts say… A combination of antioxidant-that contains meals provide a greater benefit than the items alone because of the synergy and also the additive results of the elements. Vitamin B Complex: Essential for energy, thinking processes and stress management. Experts say… Supplementation is suggested because of its poor stability throughout cooking, incomplete bioavailability and possibility of malabsorption. Ascorbic Acid: Supports healthy immune and thinking processes. Vital for ligament (for example bovine collagen) formation. Helps safeguard skin from toxins. Experts say… It can be hard to acquire sufficient levels through food sources alone because ascorbic acid is responsive to light, air, and warmth. Significant lack of ascorbic acid also occurs with storage and processing of fruits and veggies. Calcium: Provides critical support for healthy bones and healthy hearts Experts say… Although it's never past too far to aid and nourish your bones, early intervention through sufficient calcium intake, physical exercise, along with a diet wealthy in fresh, natural meals can help prevent bone loss later in life. Vitamin D: Plays a significant role in bone development and seems to possess a advantageous impact on most of the body’s systems. Experts say… Many people cannot get needed amounts of vitamins D and e vitamin from suggested diets. E Vitamin: Supports healthy levels of cholesterol as well as your body’s combat the harmful aftereffect of toxins. Experts say… E Vitamin and mixed carotenoids may enhance skin protection. EFAs (Essential Essential Fatty Acids): Vital for various functions in your body, together with a healthy heart, brain, mood, joints and skin. Experts say… Individuals who eat more polyunsaturated essential fatty acids, for example omega-3s, might be more prone to fare better on short-term memory tests. Fiber: Supports normal bloodstream sugar levels, hunger, levels of cholesterol along with a healthy intestine. Experts say… Soluble fiber, especially dietary fiber present in inulin, oatmeal and barley, might help keep bloodstream sugar levels balanced. Multi-vitamins: Contain advantageous nutrition that might be hard to obtain from food sources alone. Behave as dietary “insurance.” Source: www.wholefoodsmarket.com What is a whole foods diet What is a whole foods diet What Is More Important, Food Or Supplements? What Is More Important, Food Or Supplements? What is a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet? What is a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet? Share this Post follow us latest post
Thursday, 18 March 2010 The Aleuts The scattered archipelago of three hundred rocky islands far out in the Pacific Ocean was your home for eight thousand years. You called yourself Unangan, and your community of twenty five thousand people lived by hunting sea otter and fishing. In 1741, Russian explorers ‘discovered’ you. They called you Aleuts, and sent back news of rich hunting grounds. Russian fur traders descended on your islands, forcing you to hunt for them. When they ‘discovered’ sea cows, they ate them in such numbers that within twenty seven years they were extinct. You tried to resist, mounted a revolt, but their brutality and mainland diseases diminished your population to less than a tenth of its original number. You were slaves. You killed more and more otters until they were ‘commercially extinct’ and otter hunting was banned in 1911. For a while, conservationists were overjoyed to see otter numbers increasing. But today over-fishing has depleted herring and pollock stocks so badly that it has caused sea lion numbers to drop, and killer whales, deprived of their usual prey, are hunting sea otters into a second wave of extinction. Eleven thousand Aleutian islanders claim Aleut ancestry, but no full-blooded Aleuts survived the Russian occupation.
Monday, February 22, 2016 Airbus Creates Anti-Drone Technology This article discusses the issue of drones interfering with planes and flying into restricted air spaces, such as airports, and new technology that may solve this issue. A company called Airbus has created technology that will be able to detect drones up to 6.2 miles away, determine whether it is in restricted airspace, locate pilots nearby to alert them, and allows for the user of the technology to take control of the drone. Whether or not this technology will be useful or used by United States federal agencies has not yet been determined. Airbus presented this anti-drone technology at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas but will not have an operational version until mid 2106. The technology used in this product is a “jamming” kind of technology, meaning that it sends signals to the drone that “jams” the information that connects it to the user of the drone so that someone else, like the US government can use it. They used jamming technology that helps US soldiers in Afghanistan prevent road side bombs from exploding as the basis for their product. Airbus’ technology is already being used by the German military, and they hope to sell it to the US military and other federal agencies. They know that their product will be costly, however they hope that it will go down as they continue to innovate. Airbus also knows that there is a need for this technology as there have already been complaints from authorities about drones interfering with planes and drone sales are expected to increase greatly over the next year. The US federal government has expressed a desire for this kind of technology. They have announced a competition among engineers and researchers to create a similar kind of technology as Airbus has. Some engineers believe that the technology that Airbus has created will not be useful. An engineer at MIT is among the non-believers because he feels as though drone producers would easily be able to enhance their products and have them not respond to this jamming technology if they wanted to. Also, jamming technology is currently illegal in the United States, because it could be used against the greater good if it is made available to the wrong people. Although this product provides a solution to threat that drones present to air safety, it may not be allowed in the United States and may not be useful to the government as drone technology improves. One thing that the articles was missing was specific data and incidences of how drones interfere with planes. The writer also could have added reviews of the technology from the Consumer Electronics Show and how successful/helpful it has been to the German military. 1. Courtney presents some very valid points in her analysis of the Airbus Anti-Drone Technology article. Drones have gained popularity in the past five years and have been viewed as a progressive form of technology, allowing normal users to gather images from all over the world. This technology has made it possible for a person to take video and picture images from hundreds of feet in the air. While this new technology is a prime example of innovation and progression, it has proved to be dangerous in air traffic. Drones can interfere with the flying of air crafts and can potentially get caught in the engines or wings of an aircraft. If this results, the effects could be detrimental and can result in serious damage and possible fatalities. Courtney discusses how Airbus plans to use a different technology to gain control of these drones, so that they do not interfere with air traffic. While this idea does present benefits to the safety of air crafts, it poses its own problems. Technology that allows for the government to gain control over another person's equipment raises concerns of property rights and even privacy laws. If the government can access this equipment, other individuals can too. This can lead to thievery of other drones or an adaption of the technology so other forms of devices can be hacked into. While Airbus is providing the opportunity to avoid air craft accidents caused by drones, it also presents issues with privacy and property. 2. Hey Courtney, Your article has me thinking. We are living in a changing world on a daily basis, where technology poses new threats for our society everyday. Drones seem to be the most recent technology that has amazing capabilities, but needs regulation. With people posing new threats and security issues, there is a real need to make sure drones are regulated. These jamming capabilities are supposed to be ensuring our safety, but have you thought about these new regulations as too restricting? Drone owners who live near airports, historical landmarks, city landscapes, and other places of interest are being restricted where to and where not to fly their piece of property. The government and outside companies trying to gain control the operations of drones only creates a dangerous precedent that we have never faced before. I personally, would rather have my drone shot out of the sky for breaking regulations, than being potentially hacked into. Like Miranda has said, sure our safety is being protected in terms of air safety, but what is more important, privacy or safety? Lastly, if something like jamming is allowed to stop drones, we must be cautious of the other ramifications. Jamming could be put into the wrong hands, and made more powerful to interrupt aviation at a larger scale like commercial airplanes. In all we must have our voices heard, and protect our safety along with our privacy.
• anonymous I need help with Lesson 13: Literature of the Americas Unit Test... Anyone? • Stacey Warren - Expert • schrodinger • anonymous Macbeth is definitely a tragic hero. He has a tragic flaw, and must make choose between two undesirable alternatives, and by the end of the play, sees what he is faced with and what he must do, coming to the realization that it is all because of his own actions. Why could we consider Macbeth a tragic hero? A. He has to overcome much pain and sorrow. B. He becomes a powerful king. C. His tragic flaw helps to cause his downfall. D. He commits murder to get what he wants. Looking for something else?
Thursday, January 29, 2009 Barred Owls Earlier this winter I was standing in the drive way chatting with my neighbor when an owl swooped down out from the trees near by and landed on a fence post in my neighbor’s yard. Apparently my neighbor was feeding some resident red squirrels, who had made their home in the covered patio furniture directly under the fence post where the owl was now sitting, so there was no mystery about what he or she was after. The owl turned out to be a barred owl, Strix varia in the scientific nomenclature. Barred owls are quite common in Maine, they are certainly the ones I hear vocalizing the most. They are permanent residents of the state, meaning they do not migrate. They are generally permanent residents of their breeding grounds as well, so if you have barred owls around your house it is likely that they will remain. Most owls are active at night, called nocturnal, or during dusk and dawn, called crepuscular. The barred owl is active during all of these times, but may also be active during the day, especially if it is an overcast gray day, as it was the day I saw one on the fence post. The barred owl is exquisitely adapted to do what it does, which is hunt silently and effectively, preying on small rodents and other animals. All animals have adaptations that allow them to fill their niches, some more so than others. On one end of the spectrum are animals (and plants too for that matter) that are rather cosmopolitan , with very general adaptations that allow them to function and even thrive in a wide variety of conditions and use diverse food sources. Humans, rats, and sea gulls are examples of these wide ranging species. On the other end of the spectrum are plants and animals with very specific or narrow niches—basically they are highly specialized to eat a certain food, be pollinated by just one specific pollinator, or live a certain way. Owls, though they can eat a relatively wide variety of foods, are generally thought to be on the highly specialized end of the spectrum. The barred owl in my neighborhood, like barred owls all over Maine have their eyes on the front of their faces, like humans. Most other birds have eyes on the sides of their heads. The forward facing eyes do the same thing for owls that they do for us, that is give us excellent depth perception. This helps them hunt during low light conditions. Their ears are also specially adapted to help them hunt after dark. The ears of the barred owl are asymmetric. They have one on each side of their head, like we do, but they are not at the same level, one is higher than the other. This asymmetry helps them pinpoint the location of sounds. Barred owls tend to know their territory very well, so between their good depth perception, their acute hearing and their mental map of every perch in their hunting grounds, they are successful and opportunistic predators. Pay attention in the next couple of months, Barred owls will be mating, which usually means a lot of vocalization. You may hear their familiar “who cooks for you?” call, or even something that sounds like a pack of monkeys has arrived in the Maine woods. Either way, its more likely that you will hear an owl than see one. First Aired January 2008 Thursday, January 15, 2009 Snowshoe Hares One of my favorite things about walking in the woods during Maine winter is seeing animal tracks in the snow. Deer, red squirrel, turkey and probably most reliably snow shoe hare. Snow shoe hares are common throughout northern north America, though their numbers can varied wildly from year to year as a result of predation pressure. If you want to see their tracks look in the snow anywhere in the woods there is dense underbrush or stands of conifers. Swampy alder thickets, boggy areas, these are great places to look for snowshoe hare tracks. Snow shoe hares get their name from their big back feet—large in surface area, and covered with dense fur, they act like snow shoes and allow the hare to move around easily on the snow pack. They are also called varying hares—this name comes from the fact that they change color seasonally. In the winter the snow shoe hare is white, and in the summer it is brown to reddish brown. This is an adaptation to help them avoid their nearly inevitable fate—snow shoe hare are the all you can eat buffet of the northern forest. Essentially their job is to get eaten. They can live up to 5 years, but one study suggests that 85% of them make it barely a year—and this is what is described in the literature as being very good at avoiding predation. Clearly if they were any worse there wouldn’t be any left. But back to this seasonal color change. In the summer they have a thin brownish coat, they blend in well with their underbrush habitat. The change to white is controlled by photoperiod, or length of day. As the days start to shorten in the fall, the hare’s body senses it and responds by turning on a second set of hair follicles-the cells that grow hair and fur, this second set is the one that grow the thick white winter coat. The summer hair follicles, the ones that grown the summer coat, stop making brown hair, and the summer coat molts out and isn’t replaced. This transformation can take up to 10 weeks. And it reverses in the spring when the days get longer again. It is a great strategy when the timing is right, and the white coat coincides with the snow fall, and the brown coat coincides with the spring melt. When the snow is late, or early, or melts early, or hangs around late, the hare’s cammoflage can be compromised. Today is a double whammy when it comes to cool facts. Because not only does the snowshoe hare experience a seasonal color change that is controlled by day length, they also engage in coprophagy. And what is this you may ask. Quite simply it means they eat their own dung. Yes, you heard me right. It turns out that what hares eat is relatively hard to digest. Grass, twigs, bark, buds, all things that are full of cellulose and other difficult to break down organic compounds that do not readily give up their nutrients. The bacteria that live in the hare’s gut work away at digesting this material, but it takes a long time, longer than this material actually can stay inside the hare. So the hare goes to all the trouble to forage, but can’t fully digest the material it eats, thus it does a lot of work for not so much nutrition. The way it solves this problem is, you guessed it, after the first pass through the digestive track the hare eats its own fecal material, and gives its intestinal bacteria a second chance to liberate all possible nutrition from the hard to digest fodder. There are lots of animals I would love to be even if just for a little while, but between constant pressure of everyone trying to eat me, and having to survive by eating my own poo, I am glad I’ll probably never get to be a snowshoe hare.
When Animals Speak: Techniques for Bonding With Animal Companions By Penelope Smith Book Description In this comprehensive follow-up to the widely popular Animal Talk, a respected leader and pioneer in the field of interspecies communication, Penelope Smith, outlines advanced techniques for conversing with animals. She explains that since animals think and perceive differently from humans, readers need to have a true willingness to share, listen, and learn to successfully communicate with them. Although most humans assume that an animal functions on pure instinct, unaware of its own past or future, that’s just not the case. Many subtle secrets about the world can be gleaned from animals once readers know how to see the world through their eyes. Cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals may be more receptive to communicating with humans, but they’re certainly not the only ones with fascinating information to share—Smith shows how humans are also able to speak with roosters, rabbits, insects, llamas, snakes, and many others in the animal kingdom. In addition to chapters devoted to developing and enhancing mind-to-mind communication with animals, When Animals Speak includes an illuminating look at animals as healers, teachers, and guides and even delves into more abstract, advanced forms of interspecies communication, such as contacting spirits of nature. In this accessible book, Smith is sure to delight and instruct animal lovers interested in forging a new bond with animal beings and the natural world. From Asia I remember clearly reading this book as I sat in my old farmhouse I had just bought in 1999. I had never heard of these amazing ways animals could communicate and relate so intimately with their humans and helping them to heal! Wow, was all I could think as I sat reading with tears streaming down my cheeks. (Now I just finished writing my own chapter on this subject of animals helping us heal in my new compilation book, Extaordinary You. My Favorite Review from Amazon When Animals Speak is Penelope Smith’s strategy for discussing what happens, when humans listen. Penelope stays matter of factly in some instances and in other instances goes intuitvely empathic, while describing the full range of agenda and temperament required for humans to truly hear what animals are saying. She explains many aspects of animals’ infinite capacity for unconditional love, including how animals take on our insecurities and health issues to compensate for the human’s refusal to self-heal and evolve. Penelope also addresses animals’ eternal connection to nature, and she compels that human companions honor this instinctive call to serve the planet in fulfilling their own ‘higher-purpose.’ Sorry, comments are closed for this post.
Home - Photos - Books - Science - Videos Fun Facts About Snowflakes Designer Snowflakes At left is a photograph of a designer snowflake -- a real sliver of ice, grown from water vapor, but created under controlled conditions in the laboratory. They might also be called synthetic crystals, but I call them designer snowflakes because I am free to design the final shape by changing the temperature and humidity as the crystal grows. I like to think of this as a new form of ice sculpture, except I am not carving away from an initial block of ice, but rather growing a desired structure by adding water vapor. I am bound by the rules of ice growth, of course, so I cannot fashion any arbitrary shape. But I can make some fine-looking snowflakes. Creating designer snowflakes of this quality is a new thing, so for now I have the dubious honor of being the world's only snow crystal artist. This page shows some photographs from my designer snowflake collection. How does it work? I start by making a large number of tiny hexagonal ice crystals (see Freezer Snowflakes) and dropping a few of them onto a sapphire substrate (glass works fine also, but sapphire doesn't scratch as much). Then I blow moist air gently down onto the crystal and watch it grow. The diagram on the left shows the basic layout. The camera (not shown in the diagram) sits above the microscope objective. The camera's live view goes to a TV monitor, so I can watch the crystal grow in real time. A fast crystal might take 15 minutes to make, but I have let some grow for 2-3 hours. Since I photograph the crystals as they grow, the facets and edges are sharp and distinct. Natural snow crystals tend to have more rounded edges, since they evaporate a bit once they leave the clouds. Sometimes water droplets condense on the substrate, as shown in these photos. The tiny droplets are like the fog you see when you breathe on a cold mirror. Ice absorbs water vapor from the air, however, so no droplets condense near the crystals. These two snowflakes measure 0.36 mm (left) and 1.9 mm (right) from tip to tip. I also call these Plate-on-Pedestal crystals, because the ice plates actual grow above the substrate, supported by tiny pedestals of ice at their centers. The structure is shaped a bit like a broad, flat mushroom. The nub of ice supporting the plates is minute -- about the diameter of a human hair. The much large snowflakes balance on these tiny pedestals -- ice is stronger than you might think, especially a single crystal of ice Photographing with a plain white background yields blue-on-white snow crystals that I find quite attractive: Inverting the photos and playing with the colors gives some nice results also: The Hardware Making designer snowflakes is a rather involved process, alas, and expensive also. I use a recirculating chiller ($5k), several temperature contollers ($2k each), and a lot of hardware designed and fabricated just for this. You can read all about the experimental apparatus in detail here: An experimental apparatus for observing deterministic structure formation in plate-on-pedestal ice crystal growth, by Kenneth G. Libbrecht, arXiv:1503.01019 (2015).
'The American plays set for study use expressionist and symbolist techniques in order to change people's perceptions of the world' Essay by LIZAYA+, March 2004 download word file, 3 pages 0.0 Downloaded 26 times Thornton Wilder's 'Our town' is a widely studied piece which conforms to these notions of using expressionist and symbolic techniques in order to change peoples perception of the world around them. It is through such techniques Wilder illustrates his belief that human beings move about the world 'in a cloud of ignorance' unable to grasp the true beauty of the world about them until it is long disappeared, thus hoping to enlighten his audience to the simple fact that they unappreciated the gift of life so lovingly bestowed upon them. One such obvious use of expressionist techniques can be seen in the use of the ever present stage manager, quite a rarity in these early days of expressionism, the stage manager acts as a form of narrator, directly addressing the audience and providing a constant link between our world and the world of the stage. The stage manager also has the power to inform the audience of the past and future, as well as commenting on the present. Early in the play for example he tells us about the impending death of the passing paper boy Joe Crowell. "Goin' to be a great engineer, Joe was. But the war broke out and he died in France-". The character also allows for the introduction of Brectian style techniques within the play, i.e. 'He leans on the procillium pillar' such techniques break the illusion of the reality of the stage world, allowing the audience to better consider the message of ignorance. Another device used can be seen in the use of simplistic set design. A pioneer of its kind simplistic set such as the bare tables, chairs and ladders showcased in this piece allow for the further use of Bretchian type techniques i.e the audience is constantly reminded that...
Black or white, bad or good – it is not the only words that describe our life. But how often we forget about it and try to tag, pigeonhole and arrange to bad or good everything around us: emotions, behaviour, people, events. It is good or bad? Why do we limit ourself to these two states, why do not we pay attentions to other shades, other aspects of the surrounding world? During our life it is naive to think that everything will be ideal, happy and sweet. We should accept the life in all its aspects. We should let us for anger, dissatisfaction, displeasure, discomfort – only after you accept that you have a right to all the spectrum of your emotions you will find the needs that are behind them. You have a chance to satisfy them, you will improve yourself. If you hide or suppress these “bad” emotions and just pretend everything is fine you never discover the reason of the emotion, and never find the need behind. So you close you own way to the happiness when you reject your feeling and emotions. On the other side the emotions of children and other people, the cry and scream, often mean that they want you to listen to them. Sad unpleasent emotions do not destroy us, on the contrary, when they are satisfied, when we feel support and care of other people, they teach us sensitivity, compassion and empathy. Unsatisfied ones commulate and negatively influence on our future life. Our bad emotions should not be calm down. When we hear do not worry, do not cry, it means that other person does not accept them, not praise our behavior and feelings. All the emotions we feel are natural, when we calm down others, we unconsciously say: Your feel bad feelings, stop it. Instead of listen to others we try to make them behave as it is accepted and praised by the society. Do not expect that you will do it ideally. Just think if your own shames and feeling of disgrace do not prevent you from listening and understanding others. First meet your needs that are behind your emotions and feeling and then it is possible to talk empatically with people
Write a critical note on the essentials of Marxist literary theory or Freudian psychoanalysis. 2 Answers mstultz72's profile pic mstultz72 \| High School Teacher \| (Level 1) Educator Emeritus Posted on In Marxist theory, the 4 essentials are: • Economic power (society is shaped by its forces of production). There are two main classes: the bourgeoisie (those who control the means of production) and the proletariat (those who operate the means of production). Capitalism is flawed. • Materialism versus Spirituality: society is not based on spiritual forces (ideas, abstractions), but things (materialism); any notion otherwise is denial. • Class Conflict: in a capitalistic society there is a division of labor between the rich and the poor, the bosses and the labor: the former exploits the latter; the latter resents the former • Art, Literature, and Ideologies: art and literature are vehicles for the bourgeoisie (the makers of art) to instill its values on the proles (the consumers). For Freudian criticism: • There is an Oedipal / Elektra Complex: connotations of passive-aggression, repression, and guilt toward parents: 1. the son’s desire for his mother 2. the father’s envy of the son and rivalry for the mother’s attention 3. the daughter’s desire for her father 4. the mother’s envy of the daughter and rivalry for the father’s attention. • There is an emphasis on the meaning of private dreams as they oppose public and social values. • There is a correlation of the Id, Ego, and Superego to a trio of characters or all within the same character. kc4u's profile pic kc4u \| College Teacher \| (Level 3) Valedictorian Posted on This is just by way of addition--- Marxist Theory--- 1. Literature or art as a part of the superstructure, interpellatively determined by the economic base. Literature is thus a site of ideology c.f. terry Eagleton.Marxism and the influence on literary form.c.f. Fredric Jameson. 2. Literature and the alienation from realism--Bertolt Brecht's epic theatre going against theatrical illusionism. Alienation-effect as a way of de-familiarization. 3. Literature as a commodity--the stress on publishing 4. Raymond Williams and the anti-Bourgeois figurations of art. 1. Literature and its unconscious origin--automatic writing, Surrealism, Dadaism... 2. Literature and desire in language c.f. the works of Kristeva. 3. Literature as symptom c.f. Slavoj Zizek. 4. Literature and schizophrenia in all its capitalist contours c.f. Deleuze and Guattari. 5. Literature and lack as a textual and epistemic gap--how language creates holes in knowledge as it writes c.f. Jacques Lacan.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Investment and Securities Chapter Objectives     To understand the concept of investment To explain process of investment To learn about various types of securities To analyze various sources of investment information .  Investments in economic and financial terms are inter-related where an individual's savings flow into the capital market as financial investment.  In financial terms. . In economic terms. which are further used as economic investment.Investment  Investment is the employment of funds on assets to earn income or capital appreciation. investment is defined as allocating money to assets with a view to gain profit over a period of time.   The individual who makes an investment is known as the investor. investment is defined as the net addition made to the capital stock of the country. . An individual who undertakes the activity of speculation is known as speculator. It also involves the practice of buying and selling activities in order to profit from the price fluctuations.Speculation    Speculation means taking business risks with the anticipation of acquiring short term gain. Time horizon Has a relatively longer planning horizon. Attaches greater significance to market behaviour and inside information. His risk is high.Difference between Investor and Speculator Base Investor Speculator Has a very short planning horizon. Uses borrowed funds along with his personal funds. His holding period is usually of one or more than one year. Attaches greater significance to fundamental factors and carefully evaluates the performance of the company. Uses his own funds. Risk return Decision His risk is less. His holding period may be few days to months. Funds . . the investor receives during his holding period. Liquidity: The ease with which the investment is converted into cash. Safety: It refers to the legal and regulatory protection to the investment. Hedge against inflation: The returns should be higher than the rate of inflation. End period value  Purchase period value + Dividends Return =  100 Purchase period value     Risk: Variability in the return.Investment Objectives  Return Income: The total income. Securities   They are instruments which represent a claim over an asset or any future cash flows. Securities are classified on the basis of return and source of issue. Fixed income securities  Return Variable income securities Issuers      Government Quasi-Government Public Sector Enterprises Corporates . 3. Portfolio Construction: Portfolio is diversified to maximise return and minimise risk. industry and company analyses are carried out for the purchase of securities. Investment Policy: The policy is formulated on the basis of investible funds. Portfolio Evaluation: The performance of the portfolio is appraised and revised. objectives and knowledge about investment sources. Security Analyses: Economic. . 5. 2.The Investment Process The process of investment includes five stages: 1. Valuation: Intrinsic value of the share is measured through book value of the share and P/E ratio. 4. which are:       Cumulative preference shares Non-cumulative preference shares Convertible preference shares Redeemable preference shares Irredeemable preference shares Cumulative convertible preference shares .Types of Preference Stocks There are different types of preference stocks. Equity Shares Common stock or ordinary shares are most commonly known as equity shares. A share is a portion of the share capital of a company divided into small units of equal value. The advantages of equity shares are:       Capital appreciation Limited liability Hedge against inflation . Stock is a set of shares put together in a bundle. Sweat Equity   It is a new equity instrument introduced in the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance. It forms a part of the equity share capital as its provisions. The directors or employees who have helped the company to achieve a significant market share. Sweat Equity is for:   The directors or employees involved in the process of designing strategic alliances. limitations and restrictions are same as that of equity shares. . 1998. Non-voting Shares    The shares that carry no voting rights are known as non-voting shares. They provide additional dividends in the place of voting rights. . They can be listed and traded on the stock exchanges. . A company builds up its reserves by retaining part of its profit over the years. These are issued without any payment for cash. in addition to the cash dividends.Bonus Shares     Distribution of shares. to the existing shareholders are known as bonus shares. These are issued by cashing on the reserves of the company. . Like the equity.Preference Stock     Preference stock provides fixed rate of return. it is a perpetual liability of the corporate. Preference stockholders do not have any voting rights. Preference stockholders do not have any share in case the company has surplus profits. It is generally issued by private sector companies in order to acquire loan. which are:     Secured bonds or unsecured debenture Fully convertible debenture Partly convertible debenture Non-convertible debenture . which carries a fixed rate of interest.Debenture    It is a debt instrument issued by a company. The various features of a debenture are:  Interest  Redemption  Indenture  A company can issue various types of debentures. maturity date is specified Secured bonds and unsecured bonds Perpetual bonds and redeemable bonds Fixed interest rate bonds and floating interest rate bonds Zero coupon bonds  Some of the types of bonds that a company can issue are:     . Various features of a bond are:    The interest rate is generally fixed It is traded in the securities market At the time of issue of bonds. quasigovernment. public sector enterprises and financial institutions.Bond   A bond is a debt security issued by the government. They can be traded in the securities market. Puttable warrants: Represent a certain amount of equity shares that can be sold back to the issuer at a specified price. then they are known as detachable warrants. which gives the right to purchase or sell equity shares at a specified price and period. It is traded in the securities market where the investor can sell it separately. Two types of warrants are:   Detachable warrants: When the warrants are issued along with host securities and detachable. They offer potential for unlimited profits.  Some of the advantages of warrants are:    . before a stated date.Warrants    A warrant is a detachable instrument. They have limited risk. Investment dailies Magazines and Journals Industry Reports RBI Bulletin Websites of the SEBI. RBI and other private agencies Stock market information . The various sources from which an investor can gather the investment information are:       Newspapers.Investment Information   An investor must have adequate knowledge about the investment alternatives and markets before making any kind of investment. Chapter Summary By now. you should have:  Understood the concept of investment and speculation  Learnt about the various types of shares and debentures  Understood the various sources of investment information . :....739.0892039.0 &3/078944/90.0892039 31472.5907$:22.708.059413.3/ /0-039:708 &3/078944/90.-4:990.943 0.3/ 850..08413.7 34 4:84:/.43.943 .74:884:7.74:89508418. Sign up to vote on this title UsefulNot useful
. all rights belong to Tanis Harms – . refer to PARABLE OF JOY – written by Tanis Harms TOPIC: parable of the yeast, spreading good news SCRIPTURE: Matt.13:33, Luke 13:20-21 Style: allegory/prose: as a narrator recites, . people act along to the story of how . a young girl added color to a drab world Cast: NARRATOR (1-8, if you want one per verse) . GIRL, PEOPLE (as many as you want, . there are 24 “people” lines in total) Set & Props: brightly colored scarves or pieces of fabric . (enough for everyone on stage) (NARRATOR/S stand to the side and begin to recite. PEOPLE enter, sad and dreary.) NAR.1 In a land far, far away, . there lived people, gloomy and grey. . For no reason, they were sad, . with nothing happy to say. PER.1a It’s bad. PER.1b So sad. PER.1c There is no reason to be glad. (PEOPLE look around helplessly, then one by one, break down to cry and weep.) NAR.2 They looked and they looked . and they tried and they tried; . but could not find hope anywhere, . so they cried and they cried. PER.2a It’s bad. 2 PER.2b So sad. PER.2c There is no reason to be glad. (GIRL enters dancing, who has a bright scarf that flutters behind and all around her. PEOPLE do not react to this, but remain sad.) NAR.3 Then one day, a girl in color came to town . who did her best to get them to smile, . but all they could do was frown and frown. . Even as she danced, they pouted all the while. PER.3a It’s bad. PER.3b So sad. PER.3c There is no reason to be glad. (PEOPLE start to scratch their heads and wonder, but remain skeptical.) NAR.4 Although the people started to realize . that the girl had something different. . Perhaps it was her very small size. . And they began to question and comment. PER.4a She’s very small. PER.4b Not very tall. PER.4c Not very helpful at all. (PEOPLE start to get extra angry, grumpy and critical.) NAR.5 They did stop to look and look, . and they wondered, and they thought; . but no matter, by hook or by crook, . they could never see what they ought. PER.5a I just do not get it. PER.5b She does not seem to fit. . 3 PER.5c Not one little bit. (PEOPLE one by one become more accepting, as GIRL keeps dancing.) NAR.6 So at first her presence did annoy - . But on and on and by and by . as the girl kept dancing on with joy . the color of her scarf caught their eye. PER.6a I think I see it. PER.6b I am seeing it bit by bit. PER.6c Something she has just might fit. (GIRL now gets bunches of scarves to hand out to people. She could give a handful to a few PEOPLE, who in turn, hand them out to other PEOPLE and so on until everyone has a scarf.) NAR.7 Very soon, it did not take long, . the little girl’s joy began to spread. . Hope took root and love grew strong, . giving way, the grey and gloom was dead. PER.7a This is good. PER.7b Who knew we could? PER.7c We finally understood. NAR.8 Then the land, which was far, far away, . began to live in a bright new color, . growing brighter and brighter every day, . because now they were encouraging each other. PER.8a We can choose our way. PER.8b Joy is here to stay! PER.8b So then, have a good day! (ALL wave and dance off stage.)
Online Encyclopedia MARSUPIALIA (from Lat. marsupium, a "... Online Encyclopedia Originally appearing in Volume V17, Page 784 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. Spread the word: it! MARSUPIALIA (from Lat. marsupium, a "pouch," or "bag"), the group of mammals in which the young are usually carried for some time after birth in a pouch on the under-surface of the body of the female. The group, which has also the alternative title of Didelphia, is by some authorities regarded as a sub-class of the mammalia of equal rank with the Monotremata, while by others it is brigaded with the placentals, so that the two together form a sub-class of equal grade with the one represented by the monotremes. There is much to be urged in favour of either view; and in adopting the former alternative, it must be borne in mind that the difference between monotremes and marsupials is vastly greater than that which separates the latter from placentals. In elevating the marsupials to the rank of a sub-class the name Metatheria has been suggested as the title for the higher grade, with Marsupialia as the designation for the single order by which they are now represented. It is, however, less liable to cause confusion, and in many other ways more convenient to employ the better known term Marsupialia in both senses. Marsupials may be defined as viviparous (that is non-egglaying) mammals, in which the young are born in an imperfect condition, and almost immediately attached to the teats of the mammary glands; the latter being generally enclosed in a pouch, and the front edge of the pelvis being always furnished with epipubic or " marsupial " bones. As a rule there is no allantoic placenta forming the means of communication between the blood of the parent and the foetus, and when such a structure does occur its development is incomplete. In all cases a more or less full series of teeth is developed, these being differentiated into incisors, canines, premolars and molars, when all are present; but only a single pair of teeth in each jaw has deciduous predecessors. The pouch from which the marsupials take their name is supported by the two epipubic bones, but does not correspond to the temporary breeding-pouch of the monotremes. It may open either forward or backwards; and although present in the great majority of the species, and enclosing the teats, it may, as in many of the opossums, be completely absent, when the teats extend in two rows along the whole length of the under-surface of the body. Whether a pouch is present or not, the young are born in an exceedingly imperfect state of development, after a very short period of gestation, and are immediately transferred by the female parent to the teats, where they remain firmly attached for a considerable time; the milk being injected into their mouths at intervals by means of a special muscle which compresses the glands. In the case of the great grey kangaroo, for instance, the period of gestation is less than forty days, and the newly-born embryo, which is blind, naked, and unable to use its bud-like limbs, is little more than an inch in length. As additional features of the subclass may be mentioned the absence of a corpus callosum connecting the right and left hemispheres of the brain,' and of a fossa in the septum between the two auricles of the heart. In the skull there are always vacuities, or unossified spaces in the bones of the palate, while the " angle," or lower hind extremity of each half of the lower jaw is strongly bent inwards so as to form a kind of shelf, and the alisphenoid bone takes a share in the formation of the tympanum, or auditory bladder, or bulla. Didelphia, the alternative name of the group was given in allusion to the circumstance that the uterus has two separate openings; while other features are the inclusion of the openings of the alimentary canal and the urino-genital sinus in a common sphincter muscle, and the position of the scrotum in advance of the penis. The bandicoots alone possess a placenta. Lastly the number of trunk-vertebrae is always nineteen, while there are generally thirteen pairs of ribs. As regards the teeth, in all cases except the wombats the number of upper incisors differs from that of the corresponding lower teeth. As already stated, there is no vertical displacement and succession of the functional teeth except in the case of a single tooth on each side of each jaw, which is the third of the premolar series, and is preceded by a tooth having more or less of the characters of a molar (see fig. I). In some cases (as in rat-kangaroos) this tooth retains its place and function until the animal has nearly, if not quite, ' The presence or absence of the corpus callosum has been much disputed; the latest researches, however, indicate its absence. in which no such deciduous tooth, even in a rudimentary state, has been discovered. In addition to this replacement of a single pair of functional teeth in each jaw, it has been discovered that marsupials possess rudimentary tooth-germs which never cut the gum. According to one theory, these rudimentary teeth, together with the one pair of functional teeth in each jaw that has vertical successors, represent the milk-teeth of placental mammals. On the other hand, there are those who believe that the functional dentition (other than the replacing premolar and the molars) correspond to the milk-dentition of placentals, and that the rudimentary tooth-germs represent a " prelacteal " dentition. The question, however, is of academic rather than of practical interest, and whichever way it is answered does not affect our general conception of the nature and relationships of the group. Unfortunately the homology of the functional series does not by any means end the uncertainty connected with the marsupial dentition; as there is also a difference of opinion with regard to the serial homology of some of the cheek-teeth. For instance, according to the older view, the dental formula in the thylacine or Tasmanian wolf is i. , c, 4-, p. '-, m. 1=46. On the other hand, in the opinion of the present writer, this formula, so far as the cheek-teeth are concerned, should be altered to p. J, m. thus bringing it in accord, so far as these teeth are concerned, with the placental formula, and making the single pair of replacing teeth the third premolars. It may be added that the formula given above shows that the marsupial dentition may comprise more teeth than the 44 which form the normal full placental complement. __ As regards geographical distribution, existing marsupials, with the exception of two families, Didelphyidae and Epanorthidae, are mainly limited to the Australian region, forming the chief mammalian fauna of Australia, New Guinea, and some of the adjacent islands. The Didelphyidae are almost exclusively Central and South American, only one or two species ranging into North America. Fossil remains of members of this family have also been found in Europe in strata of the Oligocene period. History.—The origin and evolution of the Australian marsupials have been discussed by Mr B. A. Bensley. In broad contrast to the views of Dr A. R. Wallace, this author is of opinion that marsupials did not effect an entrance into Australia till about the middle of the Tertiary period, their ancestors being probably opossums of the American type. They were then arboreal; but they speedily entered upon a rapid, although short-lived, course of evolution, during which leaping terrestrial forms like the kangaroos were developed. The short period of this evolution is at least one factor in the primitive grade of even the most specialized members of the group. In the advance of their molar teeth from a tritubercular to a grinding type, the author traces a curious parallelism between marsupials and placentals. Taking opossums to have been the ancestors of the group, the author considers that the present writer may be right in his view that marsupials entered Australia from Asia by way of New Guinea. On the other hand there is nothing absolutely decisive against their origin being southern. Again, taking as a text Mr L. Dollo's view that marsupials were originally arboreal, that, on account of their foot-structure, they could not have been the ancestors of placentals, and that they themselves are degenerate placentals, Mr Bensley contrasts this with Huxley's scheme of mammalian evolution. According to the latter, the early monotremes which became specialized into modern monotremes, gave rise to the ancestors of the modern marsupials; while the modern placentals are likewise an offshoot from the ancestral marsupial steak. This phylogeny, the author thinks, is the most probable of all. It is urged that the imperfect placenta of the bandicoots instead of being vestigial, may be an instance of parallelism, and that in marsupials generally the allantois failed to form a placental connexion. Owing to the antiquity of both placentals and marsupials, the arboreal character of the feet of the modern forms of the latter is of little importance. Further, it is considered that too much weight has been assigned to the characters distinguishing monotremes from other mammals, foetal marsupials showing a monotreme type of coracoid, while it is probable that in the long run it will be found impossible to maintain the essential dissimilarity between the milk-glands of monotremes and other mammals. Another view is to regard both marsupials and placentals as derivates from implacental ancestors more or less nearly related to the creodont carnivora, or possibly as independently descended from anomodont reptiles (see CREOnoNTA). Finally, there is the hypothesis that marsupials are the descendants of placentals, in which case, as was suggested by its discoverer, the placenta of the bandicoots would be a true vestigial structure. Classification. Existing marsupials may be divided into three main divisions or sub-orders, of which the first, or Polyprotodontia, is common to America and Australasia; the second, or Paucituberculata, is exclusively South American; while the third, or Diprotodonts, is as solely Australasian inclusive of a few in the eastern Austro-Malayan islands. Polyprotodonts.—The Polyprotodonts are characterized by their numerous, small, sub-equal incisors, of which there are either five or four pairs in the upper and always three in the lower jaw, (fig. 2) and the generally strong and large canines, as well as by the From Flower, Quart. our. Geol. Sot. presence of from four to five sharp cusps or tubercles on the crown of the molars. The pouch is often absent, and may open'backwards. For the most part the species are carnivorous or insectivorous. The first family is that of the true or American opossums—Didelphyidae, in which there are five pairs of upper incisors, while the feet are of the presumed primitive arboreal type, the hind foot having the four outer toes subequal and separate, with the first opposable to them all. With the exception of the water-opossum, forming the genus Chironectes, all the living members of the family may be included in the genus Didelphys. The latter may, however, be split up into several sub-generic groups, such as Metachirus, Philander, Marmosa (Micoureus or Grymaeomys), Peramys, Dromiciops, &c. The small South American forms included in Marmosa, which lack the pouch, and have numerous teats, and molar teeth of a primitive type, are doubtless the most generalized representatives of the group (see ()Possum; and WATER-OPOSSUM). Nearly allied is the Australian family Dasyuridae, characterized by the presence of only four pairs of upper incisors, the generally small and rudimentary condition of the first hind toe, which can but seldom be opposed to the rest, and the absence of prehensile power in the tail; the pouch being either present or absent, and the fore feet always five-toed. The stomach Is simple, and there is no caecum to the intestine, although this is present in the opossums. The largest representative of the family is the Tasmanian wolf, or thylacine, alone representing the genus Thylacinus, in which the dentition numbers i. t, c. i, p. 4r m. = 46 ; with the incisors small and vertical, the outer one in the upper jaw being larger than the others. Summits of the lower incisors, before they are worn, with a deep transverse groove, dividing it into an anterior and a posterior cusp. Canines long, strong and conical. Premolars with compressed crowns, increasing in size from before backwards. Molars in general characters resembling those of Sarcophilus, but of more simple form, the cusps being less distinct and not so sharply pointed. Deciduous cynocephalus). molar very small, and shed before the animal leaves the mother's pouch. General form dog-like, with the head elongated, the muzzle pointed, and the ears moderate, erect and triangular. Fur short and closely applied to the skin. Tail of moderate length, thick at the base and tapering towards the apex, clothed with short hair. First hind toe (including the metacarpal bone) absent. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 6, S. 2, Ca. 23. Marsupial bones unossified. The gradual passage of the thick root of the tail into the body is a character common to the Tasmanian wolf and the aard-vark, and may be directly inherited from reptilian ancestors (see THYLACINE). The next genus is represented solely by the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus (or Diabolus) ursinus, a medium-sized animal with a dental formula similar to that of the dasyures, but with teeth (fig. 2) approximating to those of the thylacine, though markedly different in details. The first hind toe is absent. In the " native cats," or dasyures, constituting the genus Dasyurus, the dental formula is i. $, c. „ p. , m. t : total 42. The upper incisors are nearly equal and vertical, with the first slightly longer, narrower, and separated from the rest. Lower incisors sloping forward and upward. Canines large and sharply pointed. First two premolars with compressed and sharp-pointed crowns, and slightly developed anterior and posterior accessory basal cusps. Molars with numerous sharp-pointed cusps. In the upper jaw the first two with crowns having a triangular free surface; the last small, simple, narrow and placed transversely. In the lower jaw the molars more compressed, with longer cusps; the last not notably smaller than the others. Ears of moderate size, prominent and obtusely pointed. First hind toe rudimentary, clawless or absent ; its metatarsal bone always present. Tail generally long and well clothed with hair. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 6, S. 2, Ca. 18–20 (see DASYURE). The genus Phascologale comprises a number of small marsupials, none exceeding a rat in size, differing from the dasyures in possessing an additional premolar—the dentition being i. }, c. }, p. , m. t : total 46—and in having the teeth generally developed upon an insectivorous rather than a carnivorous pattern, the upper middle incisors being larger and inclined forward, the canines relatively smaller, and the molars with broad crowns, armed with prickly tubercles. The muzzle is pointed. Ears moderately rounded, and nearly naked. Fore feet with five sub-equal toes, with compressed, slightly curved pointed claws. Hind feet with the four outer toes sub-equal, with claws similar to those in the fore feet; the first toe almost always distinct and partially opposable, though small and nailless, some-times absent. In some respects intermediate between the preceding and the next genus is Dasyuroides byrnei, of Central Australia, an animal of the size of a rat, with one lower premolar less than in Phascologale, without the first hind toe, and with a somewhat thickened tail. The pouch is incomplete, with two lateral folds, and the number of teats six. Sminthopsis includes several very small species, with the same dental formula as Phascologale, but distinguished from that genus by the narrowness of the hind foot, in which the first toe is present, and the granulated or hairy (in place of broad. smooth and naked) soles. A pouch is present, and there are eight or ten teats. Nearly allied is the jumping Antechinomys laniger, of East Central Australia, an elegant mouse-like creature, with large oval ears, elongated limbs, a long and tufted tail and no first hind toe. In connexion with the large size of the ears is the excessive inflation of the auditory bulla of the skull. From all other members of the family the marsupial, or banded, ant-eater (Myrmecobius fasciatus) differs by the presence of more than seven pairs of cheek-teeth in each jaw, as well as by the exceedingly long and protrusile tongue. Hence it is made the type of a distinct subfamily, the Myrmecobiinae, as distinct from the Dasyurinae, which includes all the other members of the. family. From the number of its cheek-teeth, the banded ant-eater has been regarded as related to some of the primitive Jurassic mammals; but this view is disputed by Mr Bensley, who regards this multiplicity of teeth as a degenerate feature. On the other hand, it is noteworthy that this marsupial retains in its lower jaw the so-called mylo-hyoid groove, which is found in the aforesaid Jurassic mammals. Myrmecobius has a total of 52 or 54 teeth, which may be classed as i. c. , p. + m. 6Fi9. The teeth are all small and (except the four posterior inferior molars) separated from each other by an interval. Head elongated, but broad behind; muzzle long and pointed; ears of moderate size, ovate and rather pointed. Fore-feet with five toes, all having strong pointed, compressed claws, the second, third and fourth nearly equal, the fifth somewhat and the first considerably shorter. Hind-feet with no trace of first toe externally, but the metatarsal bone is present. Tail long, clothed with long hairs. Fur rather harsh and bristly. Female without pouch, the young when attached to the nipples being concealed by the long hair of the abdomen. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 6, S. 3, Ca. 23. From Gould. The single species, which is a native of western and southern Australia, is about the size of an English squirrel, to which its long bushy tail gives it some resemblance; but it lives entirely on the ground, especially in sterile sandy districts, feeding on ants. Its prevailing colour is chestnut-red, but the hinder part of the back is marked with broad, white, transverse bands on a dark ground. With the bandicoots, or Peramelidae, we come to a family of polyprotodonts which resemble the diprotodonts in the peculiarly specialized structure of their hind limbs; an adaptation which we must apparently regard as having been independently acquired in the two groups. The dentition is i. c. 1, p. t, m. p; total, 48; the upper incisors being small, with short, broad crowns; the lower incisors moderate, narrow, proclivous; canines well developed. Premolars compressed, pointed; and the molars with quadrate tuberculated crowns. Deciduous premolar preceded by a minute molariform tooth, which remains in place until the animal is nearly full grown. Fore feet with two or three of the middle toes of nearly equal size, and provided with strong, sharp, slightly curved claws, the other toes rudimentary. Hind feet long and narrow; the first toe rudimentary or absent; the second and third very slender and united in a common integument; the fourth very large, with a stout elongated conical claw; the fifth smaller than the fourth (see fig. 6). The terminal phalanges of the large toes of both feet cleft at their extremities. Head elongated, with the muzzle long, narrow and pointed. Stomach simple. Caecum of moderate size. Pouch complete, generally opening backwards. Alone among marsupialsbandicoots have no clavicles. More remarkable stile is the development of a small allantoic placenta. In the true batdicoots of the genus Perameles (fig. 5) the fore-feet have the three middle toes well developed, the third slightly larger than the second, the fourth somewhat shorter, provided with long, strong, slightly curved, pointed claws. First and fifth toes very short and without claws. Hind feet with one or two phalanges, in the first toe forming a distinct tubercle visible externally; the second and third toes very slender, of equal length, joined as far From Gould. as the terminal phalange, but with distinct claws; the fifth inter-mediate in length between these and the largely developed fourth toe. Ears of moderate or small size, ovate, pointed. Tail rather short, clothed with short depressed hairs. Fur short and harsh. Pouch opening backwards. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 6, S. 1, Ca. 17. (see BANDICOOT.) The rabbit-bandicoot, Peragale (or Thylacomys) represents a genus in which the cheek-teeth are curved, with longer crowns and shorter roots than in the last. Hind extremities proportion-ally longer with inner toe represented only by a small metatarsal bone. Muzzle much elongated and narrow. Fur soft and silky. Ears very large, long and pointed. Tail long, its apical half-clothed on the dorsal surface with long hairs. Pouch opening forwards. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 6, S. 2, Ca. 23. The one species, from Western Australia, is the largest member of the family, being about the size of a rabbit, to which it bears sufficient superficial resemblance to have acquired the name of " native rabbit " from the colonists. It burrows in the ground, but in other respects resembles bandicoots in habits. In the pig-footed bandicoot (Choeropus castanolis) the dentition generally resembles that of Perameles, but the canines are less developed, and in the upper jaw two-rooted. Limbs very slender; posterior nearly twice the length of the anterior. Fore feet with the functional toes reduced to two, the second and third, of equal length, with closely united tnetacarpals and short, sharp, slightly curved, compressed claws. First toe represented by a minute rudiment of a metacarpal bone; the fourth by a metacarpal and two small phalanges without a claw, and not reaching the middle of the metacarpal of of Fla. b.—Skeleton i the third; fifth entirely absent. Hind foot long and C/aoeropus catstanarrow, mainly composed of the strongly developed soils. fourth toe, terminating in a conical pointed nail, c, calcanium ; with a strong pad behind it; the first toe repre- a, astralagus; c6, sented by a rudimentary metatarsal; the remaining cular ; c3, ectocutoes completely developed, with claws, but exceed- neifam ; II. and ingly slender; the united second and third reaching III. ea o joined a little way beyond the metatarso-phalangeal articu- digits ; IV. the lation of the fourth; the fifth somewhat shorter. large andonlyfunc-Tail not quite so long as the body, and covered tional digit ; V. the with short hairs. Ears large and pointed, and rudimentary fifth folded down when the animal is at rest. Fur soft and loose. Pouch opening backwards. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 6, S. 1, Ca. 20. The only species of this genus is about the size of a small rat, found in the interior of Australia. Its general habits and food appear to resemble those of other bandicoots. A separate family, Notoryctidae, is represented by the marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops), of the deserts of south Central Australia, a silky, golden-haired, burrowing creature, with a curious leathery muzzle, and a short, naked stumpy tail. The limbs are five-toed, with the third and fourth toes of the front pair armed with enormous digging claws; IV there are no external ear-conchs; and the dentition includes four pairs of upper, and three of lower, incisors, and distinctly tritubercular cheek-teeth. The small pouch, supported by the usual epipubic bones, opens backwards. In correlation with its burrowing habits, some of the vertebrae of the neck and of the loins are respectively welded together. The eyes have degenerated to a greater extent than From Gould. those of any other burrowing mammal, the retina being reduced to a mass of simple cells, and the cornea and sclerotic (" white ") to a pear-shaped fibrous capsule enclosing a ball of pigment. The reason for this extreme degeneration is probably to be found in the sandy nature of the soil in which the creature burrows, a substance which would evidently irritate and inflame any functional remnant of an eye. The portion of the lachrymal duct communicating with the cavity of the nose has, on the other hand, been abnormally developed, apparently for the purpose of cleansing that chamber from particles of sand which may obtain an entrance while the animal is burrowing. (See MARSUPIAL MOLE.) 2. Paucituberculates. The second suborder of marsupials, the Paucituberculata, is exclusively South American, and typically represented by the family Epanorthidae, the majority of the members of which are extinct, their remains being found in the probably Miocene Santa Cruz beds of Patagonia, although one existing genus (Caenolestes) survives in Ecuador and Colombia. One of the two living species was, indeed, described so long ago as the year 1863, under the preoccupied name of Hyracodon, but attracted little or no attention, as its affinities were not fully recognized. Externally Caenolestes has a shrew-like appearance. The elongated skull (fig. 8) has four pairs of upper incisors and long upper canines, while in the lower jaw there is a single pair of procumbent incisors. After Thomas. followed by several small teeth representing the canine and earlier premolars. The three pairs of molars in each jaw are, like the last premolar, quadritubercular oblong teeth. The five-toed feet are of normal structure, and the rat-like tail is prehensile towards the tip. The female has a small pouch. The extinct members of the family are represented by the genera Epanorthus, Acdestis, Garzonia, &c. In a second family—Abderitidae—also from the Patagonian Miocene, the penultimate premolar is developed into an enormous tooth, with a tall, secant and grooved crown, somewhat after the fashion of the enlarged premolar of Plagiaulax. From the structure of the skull, it is thought probable that Abderites had an elongated snout, like that of many Insectivora. As a sub-order, the Paucituberculata are characterized by the presence of four pairs of upper and three of lower incisor teeth ; the enlargement and forward inclination of the first pair of lower incisors, and the presence of four or five sharp cusps on the cheek-teeth, coupled with the absence of " syndactyhsm in the hind limbs. 3. Diprotodonts.—The third and last sub-order of marsupials is the Diprotodontia, which is exclusively Australasian and includes the wombats, koala, cuscuses, kangaroos and their relatives. There are never more than three pairs of upper and one of lower incisors, of which the middle upper and the single lower pair are large and chisel-like (fig. 9); the canines are small or absent; the cheek-teeth have bluntly tuberculate or transversely-ridged crowns in most cases; and the hind-feet are syndactylous. With one exception, the intestine has a caecum, and the pouch is large and opens for-wards. It should be added that Professor Elliot Smith has pointed out a certain peculiarity in its commissures whereby the brain of the diprotodonts differs markedly from that of the polyprotodonts From Flower, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. and approximates to the placental type. Dr Einar Lonnberg has also recorded certain adaptive peculiarities in the stomach. Most of the species, particularly the specialized types, are more or less completely herbivorous. The first family, Phascolomyidae, is typified by the wombats; but according to the view adopted by Mr H. Winge, and endorsed by Professor Max Weber, is also taken to include the koala. In this wider sense the family may be characterized as follows. The tympanic process of the alisphenoid bone of the skull is short, not covering the cavity of the tympanum, nor reaching the paroccipital process. The tail is rudimentary, the first hind-toe opposable, the first pair of upper incisors very large, but the second and third either absent or small and placed partially behind the larger pair; and only five pairs of cheek-teeth in each jaw. The stomach has a cardiac gland, and the number of teats is two. In the wombats (Phascolomys) the dentition is i. 1, c. >u, p. + m. total 24; all the teeth growing from persistent pulps, and the incisors large and chisel-like, with enamel only on the front surface. The cheek-teeth strongly curved, forming from the base to the summit about a quarter of a circle, the concavity being directed outwards in the upper and inwards in the lower teeth. The first of the series (which appears to have no predecessor) single-lobed; the other four composed of two lobes, each subtriangular in section. Limbs equal, stout and short. Fore-feet with five distinct toes, each furnished with a long, strong and slightly curved nail, the first and fifth consider-ably shorter than the other three. Hind-feet with a very short nail-less first toe, the second, third and fourth toes partially united by integument, of nearly equal length, the fifth distinct and rather shorter; all four with long and curved nails. In the skeleton the second and third toes are distinctly more slender than the fourth, showing a tendency towards the character so marked in the following families. Tail rudimentary. Caecum very short and wide, with a vermiform appendage (see WOMBAT). in addition to remains referable to the existing genus, the Pleistocene deposits of Australia have yielded evidence of an extinct giant wombat constituting the genus Phascolonus (Sceparnodon). The koala, or " native bear " (Phascolarctus cinereus), which differs widely from the wombats in its arboreal habits, is less specialized as regards its dentition, of which the formula is i. c. o, p. + m. L total 30. Upper incisors crowded together, cylindroidal, the first much larger than the others, with a bevelled cutting edge (fig. 9). Canine very small; a considerable interval between it and the first premolar, which is as long from before backwards but not so broad as the molars, and has a cutting edge, with a smaller parallel inner ridge. The molar-like teeth slightly diminishing in size from the first to the fourth, with square crowns, each bearing four pyramidal cusps. The lower incisors are partially inclined forwards, compressed and tapering, bevelled at the ends. Cheek-teeth in continuous series, as in the upper jaw. Fore-feet with the two inner toes slightly separated from and opposable to the remaining three, all with strong curved and much compressed claws. Hind-foot (fig. I(3) with the ' first toe placed far back, large and broad, the second and third (united) toes considerably smaller than the other two; the fourth the largest. No external tail. Fur dense and woolly. Ears of moderate size, thickly clothed with long hair. Caecum very long and dilated, with numerous folds. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. I I, L. 8, S. 2, Ca. 8. Ribs eleven pairs (see KOALA). Here may be noticed three genera of large extinct marsupials from the Pleistocene of Australia whose affinities appear to ally them to the wombat-group on the one hand and to the phalangers on the other. The longest known is Diprotodon, an animal of the size of a rhinoceros, with a dental formula of i. c. $, p. m. 1, total 28. The first upper FIG. Io.—Skeleton of Right Incisor very large and chisel-like, Hind-Foot of Koala (Phas- molars with prominent transverse colarctus cinereus), showing ridges, as in Macropus, but without stout opposable hallux, fol- the longitudinal connecting ridge. lowed by two slender toes, Complete skeletons disinterred by which in the living animal are Dr E. C. Stirling indicate that in the enclosed as far as the nails in structure of the feet this creature a common integument. presents resemblances both to the wombats and the phalangers, but is nearer to the former than to the latter. On the other hand, the considerably smaller Nototherium, characterized by its sharp and broad skull and smaller incisors, seems to have been much more wombat-like, and may perhaps have possessed similar burrowing habits. The last of the three is Thylacoleo carnifex, so named on account of its supposed carnivorous habits. In the adult the dentition (fig. i i) is i. 1, c. p.+m. ,f, total 24. The first upper incisor is much larger than the others; canine and first two premolars rudimentary. In the lower jaw there are also one or two small and early deciduous premolars; third premolars of both jaws formed on the same type as that of the rat-kangaroos, but relatively much larger; molars rudimentary, tubercular. The functional teeth are reduced to one From Flower, Quart. lourn. Geol. Soc. pair of large cutting incisors situated close to the middle line, and one great, cutting, compressed premolar, on each side above and below. As already mentioned, Thylacoleo was originally regarded as a carnivorous creature, but this view was subsequently disputed, and its diet supposed to consist of soft roots, bulbs and fruits, with an occasional small bird or mammal. Recently, however, the pendulum of opinion has swung back towards the original view: and Dr R. Broom believes Thylacoleo to have been " a purely carnivorous animal, and one which would be quite able to, and probably did, kill animals as large or larger than itself." The affinities of the creature are clearly with the phalangers. By means of the little musk-kangaroo, the cuscuses and phailangers constituting the family Phalangeridae, are so closely connected with the kangaroos, or Macropodidae, that in the opinion of some naturalists they ought all to be included in a single family, with three sub-families. Theoretically, no doubt, this is correct, but the typical members of the two groups are so different from one another that, as a matter of convenience, the retention of the two families seems advisable. From the Phascolomyidae, the two families, which may be collectively designated Phalangeroidea, differ by the circumstance that in the skull the tympanic process of the alisphenoid covers the tympanic cavity and reaches the paroccipital process. The tail is long and in some cases prehensile; the first hind-toe may be either large, small or absent; the dentition usually includes three pairs of upper and one of lower incisors, and six or seven pairs of cheek-teeth in each jaw; the stomach is either simple or sacculated, with-out a cardiac gland; and there are four teats. With the exception of the aberrant long-snouted phalanger, the members of the family Phalangeridae have the normal number of functional incisors, in addition to which there may be one or two rudimentary pairs in the lower jaw. The first in the upper jaw is strong, curved and cutting, the other two generally somewhat smaller; , the single lower functional incisor large, more or less inclined forwards; canines I , upper small or moderate, conical I or o and sharp-pointed; lower absent or rudimentary; premolars variable; molars or I, with four obtuse tubercles, sometimes forming crescents. Limbs subequal. Fore-feet with five distinct subequal toes with claws. Hind-feet short and broad, with five well-developed toes; the first large, nailless and opposable; the second and third slender and united by a common integument as far as the claws. Caecum present (except in Tarsipes), and usually large. From Gould. The lower jaw has no pocket on the outer side. All are animals of small or moderate size and arboreal habits, feeding on a vegetable or mixed diet, and inhabiting Australia, Papua and the Moluccan Islands. As the first example of the group may be taken the elegant little long-snouted phalanger (Tarsipes rostratus, fig. 12), a west Australian creature of the size of a mouse, which may be regarded as representing by itself a sub-family (Tarsipediinae), characterized by the rudimentary teeth, the long and extensile tongue, and absence of a caecum. The head is elongated, with a slender muzzle and the mouth-opening small. The two lower incisors are long, very slender, sharp-pointed and horizontally placed. All the other teeth are simple, conical, minute and placed at considerable and irregular intervals apart in the jaws, the number appearing to vary in different individuals and even on different sides of the jaw of the same indi- viduals. The formula in one specimen was i.2, c.I_I —I o—o p. +m.2 _ 3 ; total 20. The lower jaw is slender, nearly straight, and without a coronoid process or inflected angle. Fore-feet with five well-developed toes, carrying small, flat, scale-like nails, not reaching the extremity of the digits. Hind-feet rather long and slender, with a well-developed opposable and nailless first toe; second and third digits united, with sharp, compressed curved claws; the fourth and fifth free, with small flat nails. Ears of moderate size and rounded. Tail longer than the body and head, scantily clothed with short hairs, prehensile. Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 5, S. 3, Ca. 24. As indicated in the accompanying illustration, the long-snouted phalanger is arboreal in habits, extracting honey and piobably small insects from long-tubed flowers by means of its extensile tongue. The remaining members of the family may be included in the sub family Phalangerinae, characterized by the normal nature of the dentition (which shows rudimentary lower canines) and tongue. Cuscuses and phalangers form a numerous group, all the members of which are arboreal, and some of which are provided with lateral expansions of skin enabling them to glide from tree to tree like flying-squirrels. The typical members of the group are the cuscuses (Phalanger), ranging from the Moluccas and Celebes to New Guinea, in which the males are often different in colour from the females. The true phalangers, or opossums of the colonists, constitute the genus Trichosurus, while the ring-tailed species are known as Pseudo-chines; the latter ranging to New Guinea. Dactylopsila is easily recognized by its attenuated fourth finger and parti-coloured fur; the flying species are classed as Petauroides, Petaurus, Gymnobelideus and Acrobates, the last no larger than a mouse; while Dromicia, Distaechurus and Acrobales are allied types without parachutes (see PHALANGER). An equally brief notice must suffice of the kangaroo tribe or Macropodidae, since these receive a special notice elsewhere. The dentition is i. i c. o 0 1 p• 3 m.3 ; the incisors being sharp and cutting, and those of the lower jaw frequently having a scissor-like action against one another. The broad molars are either bluntly tuberculated or transversely ridged; the outer side of the hind part of the lower jaw has a deep pocket; and the hind-limbs are generally very long, with the structure of the foot similar to that of the bandicoots. The family is connected with the Phalangeridae by means of the musk-kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) ; forming the sub-family Hypsiprymnodontinae. Then come the rat-kangaroos, or kangaroo-rats, constituting the sub-family Potoroinae; while the tree-kangaroos (Dendrolagus), rock-wallabie's (Petrogale), and wallabies and kangaroos (Macropus) form the Macropodinae (see KANGAROO). Extinct Marsupials Reference has been made to the Australasian Pleistocene genera Phascolonus, Diprotodon, Nototherium and Thylacoleo, whose affinities are with the wombats and phalangers. The same deposits have also yielded remains of extinct types of kangaroo, some of gigantic size, constituting the genera Sthenurus, Procoptodon and Palorchestes. Numerous types more or less nearly allied to the phalangers, such as Burramys and Triclis have also been described, as well as a flying form, Palaeopetaurus. It is also interesting to note that fossil remains indicate the former occurrence of thylacines and Tasmanian devils on the Australian mainland. Of more interest is the imperfectly known Wynyardia, from older Tertiary beds in Tasmania, which apparently presents points of affinity both to phalangers and dasyures. From the Oligocene deposits of France and southern England have been obtained numerous remains of opossums refer-able to the American family Didelphyidae. These ancient opossums have been separated generically from Didelphys (in its widest sense) on account of certain differences in the relative sizes of the lower premolars, but as nearly the whole of the species have been formed on lower jaws, of which some hundreds have been found, it' is impossible to judge how far these differences are correlated with other dental or osteological characters. In the opinion of Dr H. Filhol, the fossils themselves represent two genera, Peratherium, containing the greater part of the species, about twenty in number, and Amphiperatherium, with three species only. All are comparatively small animals, few of them exceeding the size of a rat. Besides these interesting European fossils, a certain number of didelphian bones have been found in the caves of Brazil, but these are either closely allied to or identical with the species now living in the same region. The occurrence in the Santa Cruz beds of Patagonia of fossil marsupials allied to the living Caenolestes has been mentioned above. The alleged occurrence in the same beds of marsupials allied to the thylacine is based on remains now more generally regarded as refer-able to the creodont carnivores (see CREODONTA). Mesozoic Mammals.—Under the heading of MULTITUBERCULATA will be found a brief account of certain extinct mammals from the Mesozoic formations of Europe and North America which have been regarded as more or less nearly related to the monotremes. The same deposits have yielded remains of small mammals whose dentition approximates more nearly to that of either polyprotodont marsupials or insectivores; and these may be conveniently noticed here without prejudice to their true affinities. Before proceeding further it may be mentioned that the remains of many of these mammals are very scarce, even in formations apparently in every way suitable to the preservation of such fossils, and it hence seemsprobable that these creatures are stragglers from a country where primitive small mammals were abundant. Not improbably this country was either " Gondwana-land," connecting Mesozoic India with Africa, or perhaps Africa itself. At any rate, there seems little doubt that it was the region where creodonts and other primitive mammals were first differentiated from their reptilian ancestors. Of the Old World forms, the family Triconodontidae is typified by the genus Triconodon, from the English Purbeck, in which the cheek-teeth carry three cutting cusps arranged longitudinally. There seems to have been a replacement of some of these teeth; and it has been suggested that this was of the marsupial type. To the same family FIG. 13.—Lower Jaw of are referred Phascolotherium (fig. 14), of Triconodon mordax (nat. the Lower Jurassic Stonesfield slate of size). England, and Spalacotherium (fig. 15), of the Dorsetshire Purbeck; the latter having the three cusps of the cheek-teeth rotated so as to assume a tritubercular type. Other From Owen. genera are Menacodon and Priacodon, the former American, and the latter common to Europe and North America. By one authority Amphilestes (fig. 16), of the Stonesfield Slate, is included in the same group, while by a second it is regarded as representing a family by it-self. Amphitherium, of the From Owen. Stonesfield Slate, typifies the FIG. 15. Spalacotheriumtricuspidens family Amphitheriidae, which Purbeck beds. includes the American Dryo- lestes, and in which some would class the European Purbeck genus Amblotherium, although Professor H. F. Osborn has made the last the type of a distinct family. Yet another family, according to the palaeontologist last named, is typified by the genus Stylacodon, of the English Purbeck. To mention the other forms which have received names will be unnecessary on this occasion. It will be observed from the figures of the lower jaws, which are in most cases the only parts known, that in many instances the number of cheek-teeth exceeds that found in modern marsupials except Myrmecobius. The latter has indeed been regarded as the direct descendant of these Mesozoic forms; but as already stated, in the opinion of Mr B. A. Bensley, this is incorrect. It may be added that the division of these teeth into premolars and molars in figs. 14 and 16 is based upon the view of Sir R. Owen, and is not altogether trustworthy, while the restoration of some of the missing From Owen. teeth is more o: less conjectural. As regards the affinities of the creatures to which these jaws belonged, Professor Osborn has referred the Triconodontidae and Amphitheriidae, together with the Curtodontidae (as represented by the English Purbeck Curtodon), to a primitive group of marsupials, while he has assigned the Amblotheriidae and Stylacodontidae to an ancestral assemblage of Insectivora. On the other hand, in the opinion of Professor H. Winge, a large number of these creatures are primitive monotremes. Besides the above, in the Trias of North America we have Dromotherium and Microconodon, extremely primitive forms, representing the family From Owen. Dromotheriidae, and apparently showing decided traces of reptilian affinity. It may be added that a few traces of mammals have been obtained from the English Wealden, among which an incisor tooth foreshadows the rodent type. (R. L.*) End of Article: MARSUPIALIA (from Lat. marsupium, a "pouch," or "bag") Additional information and Comments There are no comments yet for this article. » Add information or comments to this article. Please link directly to this article:
TWO-VARIABLE DATA Data sets are limited to arrays of at most twenty columns and 300 rows. Skeptic Tank! TWO-VARIABLE DATA Data sets are limited to arrays of at most twenty columns and 300 rows. The Rows and Cols values in the main menu serves to show how much data is currently on display. These indices can be reset to define the size of a new array, or to limit the display to the first two or three columns of a large array. (Even if only two columns are on display, the other columns are not forgotten, however.) Any data set can be Edited; in particular, a new data set can be created by editing an array of Zeros. When in editing mode, move the cursor with the arrow keys. To provide input, just start typing the numerical data; the program will go into input mode. Press RETURN after each entry; the cursor automatically jumps to the next entry. The default mode is row-by-row entry; pressing Ctrl-I will switch to column-by-column entry. In addition to data entry, you can also Swap columns, and Insert and Delete rows when in editing mode. In the event that data has been input in transposed form, requesting Transpose will right it. Press Escape when the required editing is done; or press U to Undo all the edits and recover the original data set. An edited data set is NOT automatically saved to disk, not even if the source file resides there; you must use Ctrl-S. If an array does not fit on the screen, the arrow keys will bring parts into view; PgUp and PgDn move a screen at a time. The display always warns of hidden entries. When a data set is saved, it is given a file name; you can also Label the columns of each array. Each heading is limited to at most twelve characters. When the column index is changed, the current heading is put on display. The default headings are "Column #". The headings are stored with the data. Column indices are not changed by the usual input- return process. Instead, the C keypress simply advances the display (cyclically) until the desired value is reached. You can obtain scatter Plots for any data sets. Each of the coordinate axes has a variable assigned to it; these assignments are designated as Hor and Ver, and can be changed at any time. Each column has an associated icon (a box for column 2, a plus sign for column 3, and so on); these are not adjustable, and they repeat after column 11. The program uses the icon associated with the Ver variable to draw the scatter plot. To obtain simultaneous scatter plots, see the discussion for Ctrl- A and Ctrl-W below. Press Data to refresh the numerical display. There are two other 2-variable menus: Fit Equations and Transform Data, described next. The Fit Equations menu is where you try to discover algebraic relationships between the variables. You can superimpose the graph of any equation of the form Y=f(X) on the current scatter plot; request Other and enter the desired formula for f(X). Most likely you want to fit a straight line to the data. This can be done in two automatic ways: the Median-Median line and the Least- Squares (regression) line. The resulting equation is put on display at the top of the screen after the line is plotted. In the least-squares case, the correlation coefficient is also displayed (along with the slope and the Y-intercept). In the median-median case, you can request Summary to see the three summary points and their coordinates. There are five other automatic curve-fitting modes, besides the linear Type. They are semilog, log-log, and power, quadratic, and exponential. In the first case, the Y data is transformed (by applying the logarithm function Ln to it) before the linear method (median-median or least-squares) is applied; in the second and third cases, logarithms of both X and Y are calculated. The power fit is really a special case of the log-log fit, in which the parameters of y = kx^m are displayed directly. The exponential fit is a redundant version of the semilog fit. The quadratic least-squares fit finds the quadratic function that minimizes the sum of the squares of the residuals. The median-median quadratic fit just passes a quadratic function through the three summary points. Whatever the fitted equation, you will want to see the errors of approximation (the differences between the Y data and the Y fit). These Residuals may be added to the data set, by assigning them to a particular Column. When R is pressed, the new data set appears on the screen; the column heading is automatically set to "Residuals". (You can always refresh either the Plot or the Data, by the way, when one or the other disappears from view.) You can also calculate a predicted Y-value based on an arbitrary X-value, or vice-versa. The second problem is subject to difficulty, for you are searching for X-values that might not exist, or that might exist outside the displayed domain, or that might exist in profusion. In any event, it may be necessary to Escape the search process if it does not seem to be getting anywhere. Pressing either Plot or Data brings the requested item into view. (For instance, you might want to erase an undesirable fitted curve, or you might want to take a look at the data without returning to the main menu.) In the former case, it is helpful that the Horizontal and Vertical variables are visible in the menu, and are changeable (in case you want to display a different plot, for example). The Transform Data menu allows you to apply arbitrary functions to data columns. Press F to input a function. The variables X, Y, and Z can be assigned to any of the columns. For instance, you can find the difference between columns 2 and 3 by setting F = X-Y and assigning X and Y to columns 2 and 3. You may also assign an Offset to each variable, which internally assigns a vertical shift to the assigned column. For example, assign both X and Y to column 2, but assign Y an offset of -1; now the function X-Y tables the difference between each entry of column 2 and the entry just above it (entries above or below the matrix are assumed to be zeros). In any case, you must specify which column is to serve as the Destination. Finally, Go executes the transformation; the destination column is relabelled "Transf". An incidental feature is that the variable I is interpreted as the row number of any entry, so that you can create an indexed column by applying the function F = I, for example. Before an unsaved data set can be discarded (by leaving the program or by requesting Old, for example), the program will ask for permission to discard. A response of "No" leaves things as they are, and the data can then be saved. Each Plot request automatically sizes the window so that the data points just fit, which makes it difficult to produce simultaneous scatter plots. Two special keys are helpful here: When the Ctrl-Accumulator switch is on, every Plot request resizes the window outward only. In other words, all data sets plotted since the Ctrl-A switch was turned on will fit in the most recent window. Simultaneous scatter plots are still impossible, however, if the program continues to refresh the screen for each plot, so you can turn off the automatic refresh with Ctrl-W (once the window is large enough for all the data), and the program will only plot points. The multiple-scatter-plot procedure: Turn Ctrl-A on, request all the individual scatter plots, turn Ctrl-W off after the last one, then replot the earlier ones on the fixed axes. This may involve retrieving some Old files, by the way. If different icons are desired for the final version, this must be planned before the Ctrl-W switch is turned off. Note the following: The screen-refresh switch is active only in the main 2- variable menu, and only when there is a plot on the screen. When it is off, many of the other menu items are also disabled (anything that involves putting data back on the screen: Editing, Transforming data, Help, etc). Special Ctrl-Keys: Ctrl-Accumulator is a switch. When it is on, each plot request can only enlarge the previous graphing window. Ctrl-Dot Density alters the speed of curve-plotting, by determining how many points to be calculated. A lower density speeds things up, of course. Ctrl-Format is for specifiying the appearance of decimal output. Here you choose the total width of decimal output and also the number of decimal places when the decimal point is fixed in position (Alt-F switches between floating and fixed mode). For data displays, you can Skip a line between rows. Ctrl-Overlay allows you to superimpose text on scatter plots. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the desired location, press T to edit the text, then press W to center the text at the cursor position. This text is part of the data set, and is saved with the figure. When the scatter plot is refreshed, the text can be put back on the diagram by requesting All in the Overlay menu. To make the graphics text larger, press Alt-B. Use Ctrl-Print for hard copy. When an array is on the screen, the program will print it directly; if a plot is displayed, however, you must look at the print menu, just in case the target printer (Device) needs to be identified. The default is the standard dot matrix, in which case simply pressing P should produce the desired result. Ctrl-Save data sets to disk files. In addition to the two dimensions and the entries themselves, the program also stores the two format specifications (fieldwidth and decimal places). The column headings are saved to a file as well. N.B. The program only saves the data that is on display; if Rows and Columns have been set so as to display only PART of a larger data set, the remainder will probably be lost. Ctrl-W is active only in the Main 2-Variable Menu, and only if there is a plot on the screen. It disables further screen refreshes until Ctrl-W is pressed again. ONE-VARIABLE DATA As above, data is arranged in rectangular arrays, but now the columns are of no significance. (Only a single column label is ever on display.) A data file can have at most 6000 = 30020 items in it. Given a data set, you usually want to see a Histogram. First the data must be organized into a specified number of Groups, each with a specified Width. Setting either value causes the other to be adjusted. The only values allowed for Groups are 2..100. You must also specify the Minimum start value for the lowest group. Instead of the graphical Histogram, you may wish to see the underlying Frequency table. Another description of the data is by Quantiles, whose number is set by the Groups value. For instance, requesting Quantiles when Groups=4 produces quartiles, or centiles when Groups=100. The second quartile and the fiftieth centile are the same as the median, of course. The Box and Whisker plot is a graphical method for seeing the data divided by quartiles. Requesting Statistics displays a list of standard data. In addition to the number of items, you will see the quartiles, min and max values, range, midrange, mean, standard deviation, and mean deviation. For purposes of comparison, you can Overlay a Normal distribution on the histogram; the overlay has the same mean, standard deviation and total weight (area). Use Ctrl-P to print the screen graphics. Press P for a numerical printout of the frequency table and quantiles for the specified number of groups. SIMULATION Rolling Dice: You can change the Number of faces and the number of dice Rolled with each toss. You can also select a Statistic to be tallied - sum of dice, low value, high value, number of different values, and product of values (if the number of dice rolled is too high, this statistic will produce meaningless data, however). As the trials proceed, the value of the statistic is kept up to date, as well as its range (low and high) and average. The tabulations are reset to zero if the dice data is changed (number of faces or number of dice). You can proceed One trial at a time, in which case the results are displayed in the right window, or else you can press M for many trials, in which case you must stop the trials with Escape. While the trials are running, pressing S will switch between an active display and a silent display; the latter runs more rapidly, of course. You can ask for a specific number of Trials. The Frequency table displays how many times each value of the statistic have occurred. If you press W, you will put the program into one of two Waiting modes. When One turn is requested now, the program runs as many trials as it takes for the statistic (sum, product, etc) to achieve a displayed objective - either matching a given Value (mode 1) or attaining all possible values (mode 2). It is possible to set an improbable (or impossible) goal, in which case Escape will be needed to halt the search. The variable that is now displayed (low, average, high) is the Waiting Time - how many trials are needed to accomplish the goal. Press W to change modes or to return to the non-waiting mode. The data produced by simulation can be put on file and examined using the data analysis subprograms. Press Alt-V to list the variables you wish to save; each is specified by a single letter: A for average, L for low, H for high, R for number of dice per Roll, N or F for the Number of Faces, T for the number of Trials, etc (other simulations augment this list). At any time, you can enter a data point (which is actually an n-tuple of values) by pressing Alt-New. Begin a new list of data points by pressing Alt-B. Save the entire list (as a matrix in which each column represents a variable) by pressing Alt-S and providing a file name. You can play with doctored dice: Press Ctrl-F to bring the Funny dice into play (or to switch them back out). You will also have to press Ctrl-A to Alter the pips on the faces; initially, they are standard - one pip on face number 1, two pips on face number 2, etc. Dealing Cards: This is essentially the same as the rolling dice simulation, EXCEPT that the cards are not independent of one another (are not replaced in the deck) the way dice are. In other words, each trial consists of removing a specified number of cards from the deck (before the next trial, they are of course put back). Dealing just 1 card per trial is equivalent to rolling one die. For data collection, variable D replaces R. You can play with doctored cards: Press Ctrl-F to bring the Funny deck into play (or to switch it back out). You will also have to press Ctrl-A to Alter the values on the cards; initially, they are standard - card number 1 is an ace, card number 2 is a deuce, etc. Throwing Darts: The principal parameters in this menu are the Radius of the bullseye and the Side length of the containing square (R and S in the data collection list). A single trial consists of a random throw at the square; a success (hit) occurs when the throw lies inside the circular target; the statistic has two values, 1 for hit and 0 for miss; the average over many trials is of course just the percentage of throws that are hits. The throws appear as dots on the screen. In the Waiting mode, you are waiting for a hit. Pitching Pennies: The principal parameters are the coin Radius and the Side length of a single square cell (R and S in the data collection list). A trial is classified as a hit if the coin lands entirely within a square, a miss otherwise; the statistic takes on only the values 0 and 1, as in throwing darts. When the trials are examined One at a time, they are displayed as circles on the screen. In the Waiting mode, you are waiting for a hit. PROBABILITY When a frequency distribution is plotted, only X-values for which the probability is large enough to be seen are actually plotted. This is why the displayed MinX and MaxX values do not always correspond to the tabled High and Low values for X. The graphing scale is chosen so that the modal frequency will fill the available space. Some of the routines have difficulty when large parameter values are input. This is usually because the program is being asked to deal with quantities that are very large and quantities that are very small in the same routine. If the total probability for a given distribution does not add up to 100%, that is a clear signal that the data is suspect. Binomial Menu: The parameters are N = number of trials and p = probability of success on an individual trial. The variable X is the total number of successes. Hypergeometric Menu: We are sampling from a two-stratum population, whose types are called Red and Blue. The parameters are R = number of reds, B = number of blues, and S = size of the sample. The variable X is the number of reds found in the sample. Dice Sum Menu: We toss N dice, each with faces numbered 1..k (equally likely, of course). X is the sum of the N values. When N=1, the distribution of X is uniform; when N=2, it is triangular. As N increases, the distri- bution approaches normality. Normal Menu: Given a normal variable X, the probability that X lies between Lo and Hi is calculated. The Mean and the Sigma (standard deviation) of the distribution are adjustable parameters. Dice Match Menu: We toss N dice, each with faces numbered 1..k (equally likely). Let X be the number of different values among the N obtained. The probability of finding a repetition is displayed in the menu. This routine runs into accuracy problems when N and k get large. K=365 corresponds to the classical birthday problem. Card Match Menu: A deck of N cards is shuffled. Let X be the number of cards that are found in their starting positions. The expected value of X is 1, regardless of the deck size. The probability that X=0 is virtually the same (1/e), once the deck size is ten or more. First Ace Menu: A deck of N cards that contains A aces is shuffled and dealt; let X be the position of the first ace in the deal. First Binomial Success Menu: A binomial experiment is repeated until the first success occurs; let X be the numbers of trials necessary. The probability of an individual success is of course p. The expected value of X is 1/p. Complete Set Menu: There are k equally likely different prizes available, one in each box of cereal. Let X be the number of boxes that must be bought, in order to obtain at least one of each prize; the possible values of X are k, k+1, ... . In other words, we roll a k- sided die until every face has turned up at least once; X is the number of rolls required. First Dice Match Menu: A k-sided die is rolled until some face has occurred for the second time. Let X be the number of rolls necessary for this to happen; the possible values of X are 2 ... k+1. If k=365, we have another birthday variable. There are a couple of Miscellaneous menus, which do not display probability distributions, but do give answers to probability questions: If a k-sided die is rolled X times (k <= X), what is the probability that every face will have appeared at least once? This is the cumulative distribution function for the probability function described above. If a k-sided die is rolled X times, what is the probability that some face will appear more than once (M times)? Answers given for M=2 and M=3. Accuracy problems occur in extreme examples. The following special Ctrl-Keys apply to the current probability distribution; if the example has not yet been calculated, there is a pause while this is done first: Ctrl-D: displays a bar graph on the screen. Ctrl-T: displays the table of values on the screen. Ctrl-H: prints the table of values. GENERAL INFORMATION PEANUT software should run on all IBM compatibles. It is only necessary that the appropriate graphics interface file be present. If these programs are copied, it is therefore important that the appropriate file .BGI be copied, too. It is advisable but not necessary that the .BGI files be in the same directory as the program file .EXE; if the program can not find the desired .BGI file there, it will search the root directory and the parent directory before giving up. The programs automatically try to select the finest graphics mode; to override the default selection, press Ctrl-G (this will be necessary with the ATT 6300, for example). The programs are compiled with version 7.0 of Borland Pascal. If the host computer has a numeric coprocessor (in other words, an 8087 chip), these programs will try to take advantage of it. All of the programs have associated documentation files .DOC; you are reading part of one now! These files can be edited or printed with your word processor. Interaction with the computer takes two forms: Either the user is making menu selections or else the user is providing buffered input (that is, numbers or names). In the former case, no ENTER is required - touching a single key (perhaps in combination with the Ctrl key) does the job. In the latter case, however, the computer has to be told when the input is complete, and this requires ENTER as a signal. When the computer is waiting for this type of input, a box will open up on the screen, into which the necessary information is to be typed. One may edit the data in the box, using the left and right arrow keys to move the cursor. If the first keypress of an editing session is not an editing keypress (an arrow, say), the input box is emptied. There are a few standard two-key combinations. For example, Ctrl-E erases the graphics window, Ctrl-P is for printing, Ctrl-W gets the window reset menu, Ctrl-F gets function library menus, and Ctrl-END ends programs. Other Ctrl-keys are described below. Alt-C allows the user to assign new values to the twenty-six variables A..Z. Pressing the desired letter displays the current value of that letter, and pressing = activates the input process. Alt-F toggles between fixed point and floating point display formats (see below). Alt-M calls up a list of memory data. In each program, Ctrl-K calls up a menu of active Ctrl-Key combinations, and Alt-K calls up a menu of active Alt-Key combinations. These keys are usually not mentioned elsewhere in the menus. Whenever the program is in a scrolling mode (the arrow keypad used to examine a text or a table), one can request a search by pressing ENTER. The program finds the first instance of the string you enter, and places it in the window, usually on the top display line. The search is not case-sensitive. For example, to scroll through THIS file, together with a program-specific help file, just press ?. The necessary .DOC files must be found in the current directory. The function interpreter built into the programs has been taught to understand most elementary function names (sin, cos, tan, csc, sec, cot, ln, log, exp, sinh, cosh, tanh, arcsin, arccos, arctan, int, sqr = square root, abs, and !) as well as some unconventional ones: root(n,x) = nth root of x; pow(n,x) = nth power of x; iter(n,f(x)) = n-fold iteration of f(x); max(a,b,..); min(a,b,..); sgn(x) = x/abs(x); frac(x) = x-int(x); binom(n,r) = n!/r!/(n-r)!; join(f\|c,g\|d,...,h) = function defined by y=f(x) for x<=c, y=g(x) for c E-Mail Fredric L. Rice / The Skeptic Tank
Working with Objects in Visual FoxPro JavaScript Editor js editor Web development Main Page Visual FoxPro provides many ways to work with objects. By using objects you can create objects from classes for more reusable code, use objects to store data, and create code that is easier to read and reference. In This Section Objects in Visual FoxPro Introduces objects in Visual FoxPro and how to create and use them. Creating Objects from Classes Describes how to create an object based on a saved visual class. How to: Add Classes to Forms Describes how to add a class to a form using Project Manager. Adding Objects to a Container Class Details how to add objects to a container through use of the ADD OBJECT clause in the DEFINE CLASS command or the AddObject method. How to: Add Objects to a Control or Container Class Describes how to add objects to a class using the Class Designer. Creating Table Navigation Buttons Provides an explanation of how to design and build table navigation buttons through code. Defining a Grid Control Outlines how to define grid control programmatically. How to: Set Properties Describes how to set the properties of an object at run time or design time. Container Hierarchy Object Referencing Describes how objects are referenced in the container hierarchy and explains the importance of identifying objects in relation to the container hierarchy. Object Reference Creation Explains how to make a reference to an object, and describes the benefits of creating references over making copies of objects. Object and Member Arrays Describes how to create arrays containing objects and to define class members as arrays. Data Storage with Objects Describes when and how to store data in objects. How to: Call Methods Describes how to call the methods of an object from anywhere in an application once it has been created. Object and Data Integration Contains information on why integrating objects and data is important. How to: Create Instances of Classes with the Class Browser Describes how to create a new instance of a class using the Class Browser. How to: Add Controls to Forms with the Class Browser Describes how to add objects to a form with the Class Browser. Objects, Collections, and Classes Provides a list of objects, collections, and classes in Visual FoxPro. Related Sections Managing Classes and Class Libraries Discusses how to create and modify classes and class libraries within Visual FoxPro. Working with Classes in Visual FoxPro Discusses methods to use, modify, and create classes within Visual FoxPro. JavaScript Editor js editor Web development
Explore BrainMass Crystal Engineering Crystal engineering studies molecular solid-state structures to understand the intermolecular interactions. There are two main concepts studied in crystal engineering which are hydrogen bonding and coordination complexation. These are understood with key concepts such as the supramolecular synthon and the secondary building unit. Polymorphism is where the same chemical compound exists in different crystal forms. In the intial stages of crystal engineering, polymorphism was not understood and was incompletely studied. Today, it is one of the most exciting branches of the subject partly because polymorphic forms of drugs may be entitled to independent patent protection if they show new and improved properties over the known crystal forms.
Life from Scratch? “For almost two weeks those in the evolutionary community have been claiming that scientists have made life “from scratch.” At Apologetics Press, we have received numerous requests to write an article on the subject. One of our outstanding auxiliary staff scientists, Joe Deweese, who has an earned Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Vanderbilt University, has given a response. You can read his excellent article on our home page at” The above was posted on Apologetics Press’ Facebook page this morning and caught me by surprise. I had not heard any report that any scientist was claiming to have “created life from scratch.” But Deweese’s article (available at gives references and abundant details of the claim. Deweese also reveals the, what I believe should be obvious, flaw in the scientists’ claims. First, in order to “make life,” the researchers borrowed a prototype. They used existing DNA structure as a model of how to create their own. Now, synthesizing DNA is an amazing feat. They had to know what genes could be manipulated without compromising the life sustaining qualities of the organism. They had to synthesize about 1080 base pair of genes in 1000 sequences. Then they had to stitch those together into 1,000,000 base pairs. (Incidentally, this is for a bacterial cell. Human cells require 3000 times that many base pairs.) So they are growing synthetic DNA and we come to the second problem: they used living material as a place to grow their synthetic DNA. The individual genes were placed in yeast where they were able to grow together to become DNA double-helixes ready to be used. (Once again, an amazing feat.) Now the DNA needs a cell to control. Third problem: The synthesized DNA was placed into an existing bacteria cell that had its original DNA expunged. The cell did proceed to “live,” that is, it processed nutrients and reproduced itself as it would have normally. As the resultant cells continued to reproduce, the original enzymes and proteins that make up the structure of the cell were transformed to carry the markers that had been imbedded in the synthesized DNA, thus “proving” that scientists had “created” life in a laboratory. I am sure you see why I have called these steps problems: 1. They did not design a living organism. Instead they copied the necessary information from an already living organism. 2. They could not make their copy without using a living organism as a host (active yeast). 3. They used an already living cell! They only thing that was not from already existing life was the DNA instructions of how that cell was to carry on its life. The enzymes, proteins and RNA that are required for a cell to be living were already there before the scientists began their work! So they did not create life from scratch. They did prove how complicated living organisms are. They did provide proof of the minimal number of genes necessary for life to exist (which brings the question, could these multiple hundreds of genes have occurred in nature simultaneously without divine intervention?). They did display amazing technical skill at manipulating DNA (in my opinion, supporting the Intelligent Design argument). But they did not “create life.” Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
Justification and Sanctification: What is the Difference? by Matt Slick Understanding the difference between justification and sanctification can be as important as understanding the difference between salvation and damnation. Rightly dividing between the two is of crucial importance. When you understand what they are, you can then draw a line in the sand and say, "This is what saves. This is not what saves." Sanctification is the process of being set apart for God's work and being conformed to the image of Christ. This conforming to Christ involves the work of the person, but it is still God working in the believer to produce more of a godly character and life in the person who has already been justified (Phil. 2:13). Sanctification is not instantaneous because it is not the work of God alone. The justified person is actively involved in submitting to God's will, resisting sin, seeking holiness, and working to be more godly (Gal. 5:22-23). Significantly, sanctification has no bearing on justification. That is, even if we don't live a perfect life, we are still justified. Where justification is a legal declaration that is instantaneous, sanctification is a process. Where justification comes from outside of us, from God, sanctification comes from God within us by the work of the Holy Spirit in accordance with the Bible. In other words, we contribute to sanctification through our efforts. In contrast, we do not contribute to our justification through our efforts. Now, there is one more point of clarification. To sanctify also means to set apart for holy use. Therefore, we can have verses that talk about us being sanctified already because God has set us apart for holy use. • John 10:36, "do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?" • Rom. 15:16, "to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." • 1 Cor. 6:11, "And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." • 1 Tim. 4:4-5, "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer." • Heb. 2:11, "For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." All that we need is given to us in Christ. So there is one sense in which we are not yet completely formed into the image of Christ (sanctification of being made like Jesus), yet in another sense, we are because we are seen as "in Christ" and set apart for holy use where all our spiritual needs and purposes are met through Jesus. Does this mean those justified by grace can sin as much as they want? Romans 6:1-2 says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer in it?" 1 Thess. 4:7 says, "God has called us not for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification." The Scriptures teach us that we are to live holy lives and avoid sin (Col. 1:5-11). Just because we are saved and eternally justified before God (John 10:28), that is no excuse to continue in the sin from which we were saved. Of course, we all sin (Rom. 3:23); but the war between the saved and sin is continuous (Rom. 7:14-20), and it won't be until the return of Jesus that we will be delivered from this body of death (Rom. 7:24). To seek sin continually and use God's grace to excuse it later is to trample the blood of Christ underfoot (Heb. 10:29) and to reveal the person's true sinful, unsaved nature (1 John 2:4; 2:19). Other verses worth checking out are: Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:14-16; and 1 Pet. 2:21-22. What the cults do with justification and sanctification The cults consistently blur the meanings of the two terms and misapply the truths taught in God's word. The result is a theology of works' righteousness--of earning their salvation, which only leads to damnation. This is because by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Gal. 2:16). Man cannot contribute to his salvation (Gal. 5:1-8). Man is sinful, and even his best deeds are stained and filthy before God (Isaiah 64:6). Therefore, making a person right before God can only be God's work (Gal. 2:20). Typically, in cult theologies, a person is not justified (declared righteous in God's eyes) until the final day of judgment when his works are weighed, and a reward is given; or he is found worthy of his place with God. Thus, a person with this errant theology can not claim 1 John 5:13 as his own which says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God." Contextually, "These things" refer to loving God, being obedient to Him, belief in Christ, and eternal life in Jesus. Therefore, 1 John 5:13 can be considered a test. If you are believing and doing the right things, then you will know if you have eternal life. Can a cultist know he has eternal life? No, he cannot; but a Christian can. People in cults don't understand the difference between justification and sanctification. Therefore, they must depend upon a cooperative effort with God to have their sins forgiven, which is, essentially, combining the filthy works of man (Isaiah 64:6) with the holy work of God. They don't mix. They can't. Hence, salvation is by grace through faith alone. To believe anything else is to miss salvation. About The Author
Why doesn’t anyone get it? Digging deeper with mental models Why doesn’t anyone get it? The age-old question scientists have been forgetting to ask for centuries. A mental models approach attempts to get to the bottom of this through describing and assessing beliefs of particular groups about an issue. This is particularly interesting in the context of climate change a field of research that seems to continually struggle to sell itself to the masses despite scientific evidence which begs the question, what are we doing wrong? To help answer this question, a mental model is a representation of how people understand how something works- an aspect that we have read is often taken for granted in streamlined attempts at stakeholder engagement. The idea behind a mental models approach being that if you take a moment to assess the understanding that individuals or groups have in the first place you will be better equipped to intercept false understandings of a problem at their source, such as climate change (CRED, 2009). The classic example of an inaccurate mental model in the field of climate change is the false perception many hold that the hole in the ozone is connected to climate change, said hole allowing more solar radiation to enter or escape thus warming or cooling the planet. This leads to the perception that banning aerosol cans solves climate change for example. Once such a model is identified however, advocates for global action on climate change can address it directly to correct this flawed logic (CRED, 2009). Other examples I stumbled upon include using a mental models approach to assess the communication of occupational health risks in machine shops which helped to understand disconnects between how workers receive information vs. how they would like to receive information and frustration from experts at the inability to convey risk successfully (not unlike the frustration of scientists at convincing naysayers that climate change needs to be addressed)(Nicol and Hurrell, 2008) . Another resource management study used a consensus analysis method in partnership with a mental models approach to better understand the level of consensus in 2 stakeholder groups around key players, causes, consequences, and priorities related to water use and management (Stone-Jovicich, 2011). Approaching a problem without making the assumption that the other groups involved have the same understanding of the problem is so often skimmed over and I think academics and scientists are highly prone to frustrations upon realizing that their understanding of the world is far different from the average Joe’s (my grad student self included!). Approaching situations such as stakeholder engagement with the assumption that you can’t assume anything is a habit that can only strengthen the success of participatory processes, though it is a challenging shift to make in practice. I myself can think of plenty of examples from my everyday life when assessing the mental model of my audience before acting or speaking would have come in handy, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Continuing to assume that everyone around me is a critically thinking equity-minded public health conscious individual doesn’t get me much besides frustration so why not shift my approach? Old habits die hard but I’d like to think that recognizing them is half (a third? part of?) the battle. Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED). (2009). The Psychology of Climate Change Communication. Available at: http://guide.cred.columbia.edu/index.html Nicol, A.M. and Hurrell A.C. (2008). Exploring Knowledge Translation in Occupational Health using the Mental Models approach: A case study of machine shops. Available at: https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/handle/2429/30876/SRA-ESREL_paper_FINAL_2008-06-03.pdf?sequence=1 Stone-Jovicich, S.S. et al. (2011). Using Consensus Analysis to Assess Mental Models about Water Use and Management in the Crocodile River Catchment, South Africa. Ecology and Society, 16 (1): 45. Available at: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss1/art45/ Tags: , , , Trackbacks / Pingbacks 1. Policy who? \| Communication4Health - November 6, 2013 Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
How to write a memoir A memoir is not what happens, but the person to whom things happen. Virginia Woolf Essential Questions: What is a memoir? (ie. what are the linguistic features of the genre?) The term ‘memoir’ is used to describe writing of various lengths. A memoir is based on one’s life. A Memoir is written in the first person. A Memoir renders the ordinariness of our lives significant. What is the value of reading and writing a memoir? How might I select the subject matter and angle for an engaging memoir? How can I write an effective memoir? How can I give and get effective feedback? Lets have a look at some examples of some memoirs. 1. The Ten Second Lesson By: Norhafizah Manaf 2. The First Moment of…The Sixties By: Joseph Duffy What types/styles of memoirs are there? – A short memoir will have an ‘angle’. 1. The Victim Memoir Did your mother give you away as a child to her crazy psychologist? Were you sucked into a cult as a teenager and married against your will to an octogenarian? 2. The Survivor Memoir This is a little different than the victim memoir, because the victim memoir places the author in a situation he or she can’t control but simply must endure. Survivor memoirs, on the other hand, describe scenarios in which the author performs feats of strength, intelligence, heroics, or sacrifice to survive. The term “survivor memoir” can also refer to books written about surviving the Holocaust, although not many folks from this time period are left to tell their stories. 3. The Celebrity Memoir Are you Madonna? No? That’s okay, because celebrity is a relative term anyway. You can write a celebrity memoir for just about anything these days. Were you a child star? A former hand model? A school board president or local judge? Do you hold the world record for eating the most safety pins in three minutes? Are you the child of a famous author, movie star, or athlete? Everybody’s got a claim to fame; you just have to find yours to write a celebrity memoir. 4. The Insider Memoir Perhaps you work in a unique industry or you witnessed something of historical significance. If you have a story to tell that can only be told by someone who was there, you should write an insider memoir. Did you fight in the Sandinista Revolution? Were you employed by Enron in its final days? 5. The Love Story Memoir Maybe you can’t think of a darn thing that makes you unique enough to write a memoir. But what about love? If you’ve had a great love in your life, now’s the time to write it. Everyone loves a love story, particularly if the lovers have to overcome obstacles to be together. A Memoir is always a selective representation. Tools for writing en effective memoir A memoir’s beginning should grab the reader’s attention. The middle of a memoir shares important actions and details about the experience. While the end, comes after the main action and needs to show what was learned. Writing the Outline & Planning Create an outline for this period of time in your life which needs to contain the details and emotions of your life at the time this memoir takes place. Divide the action into three parts and outline for events, details and emotions in each part.(Beginning/Middle/End) Divide a page into six boxes. On the left side, write the beginning, middle and end of your memoir in a few sentences, using as many details and as much information as possible. Create a three box planner. Draw three boxes in the middle of the page. In the middle box, draw the most important event of the story. In the first box, draw what happened immediately before the most important event. In the last box, draw what happened immediately after the most important event. Write a one sentence caption under each box. Draw a box outlining the page. On each side of the box, write key aspects of the memoir such as the setting, emotions felt, important people or key dialogue. These can be adjusted as needed to focus on a specific topic. Characteristics of a Memoir Get to know the narrator. The audience must connect with the narrator. Share information about yourself or things you might have in common with the audience. Use description that brings the story to life. Teachers commonly use the phrase “show not tell” here. Use descriptive words and phrases, making the reader feel like they were present when the action took place. Include dialogue that shows feeling. In this case, less often means more. Include only the most important dialogue that has the most impact. Feature a beginning that catches the reader’s attention. Hook your readers immediately. A few ideas include starting in the middle of the action, having the characters talk, beginning with a surprising statement or fact, or giving some important background information. Add sensory details. These are words or descriptions that appeal to one of your senses. Sensory details provide a complete look at the story, and make your memoir more interesting. Share thoughts and feelings. This allows readers to understand how the experience affected you, and what you were going through. Thoughts and feelings help build a connection to the narrator. Reveal why the event was important. Writers share what they learned from this experience, building a connection with the audience. Writers want to evoke an emotional response from the reader. Pulling it All Together Tips for constructing a first draft include: Write on every other line on one side of the paper. Keep your writing as neat as possible, but don’t worry if you make a mistake. This makes revising easier. Add new ideas that come to mind as you write. Memoir writing is a process of discovery. Note any parts you may want to change, or make the changes as you write. Remember your purpose and audience. Keeping your focus helps tell a good story. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Software Freedom The concept of free software was defined by the Free Software Foundation. The homonym sense of the English word “free” connotes free as in freedom and free as in zero cost. Software freedom is the principal concept, zero cost is just a by-product of it. However you look at it, the concept itself is radical, if not revolutionary. It reminds you of various movements in history like the struggle to freedom of suffrage, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the like. The struggle to break free from the clutches of commercial software is purely subjective on an individual or collective basis. That struggle is still being carried out today. If you don’t buy into the software freedom bandwagon, it’s perfectly fine. That’s the essence of a more basic freedom: free will. It’s either you vote in an election or not. It’s either you exercise freedom of religion or not (atheism). It’s either you speak for a cause or not (doing nothing). It’s either you exercise software freedom or not. It’s that simple. Happy Software Freedom Day! Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
The world will end not in Fire but in Ice This year’s Nobel Prize for Physics was announced this October and it has been awarded to Adam Riess, Brian Schmidt, and Saul Perlmutter for their discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe. Three astronomers taking home the Nobel for Physics this year is of course a welcome NEWS for all the Universe-worshippers in our department (and of course everywhere in the world). Nobel Prize Winners for Physics, 2011 This is in no way a review of their paper, but merely a historical approach on how our understanding of this expanding universe took shape. In 1919, the way we see the world changed – Einstein’s General relativity was verified by Eddington. Einstein was in favour of the Static Universe Idea, but when he applied his relativity equations to Cosmology, he found that without introducing a new ‘cosmological constant’ term, it is not possible to predict one. The repulsive effects of the cosmological constant exactly balanced the gravitational attraction of the matter, keeping the model static. However, in 1922, Friedmann published a paper to show that the universe must be dynamical, using Einstein’s equations without taking into account the Cosmological Constant and said that Space itself expands, Universe starts with a big bang and expands – Galaxies move apart as space between them expands. Hubble observed in 1929 that galaxies really were moving apart just and hence discovered expansion of universe. Einstein then called the cosmological constant his “biggest blunder”. In 1948 Gamow, Herman, and Alpher used Friedmann’s Model to predict that the early universe should be hot and that the hot radiation present back then should be around today as a microwave background and in 1965 Penzias and Wilson discovered this CMBR. But this radiation was very uniform and due to finite speed of light, it was impossible to see how same temp could be seen in different parts of the early universe. In 1981, Alan Guth proposed a theory of inflation to explain this. Inflation causes the big bang explosion. For a tiny amount of time the universe was very small which allows the different parts we see to come into contact with each other, thereby explaining the isotropy of the universe we observe. Scientists wanted to determine the energy density of the universe. As Friedmann said, if the density were above a critical density, the universe would continue slowing down in its expansion due to the gravitational attraction of the galaxies for each other, and finally the whole universe would collapse. If the universe was below that critical density, it would continue expanding forever. Two teams set out to measure this using distant large-redshifted supernovae. Saul Perlmutter led one team at Berkeley and Brian Schmidt formed a team at Harvard, including Bob Kirschner and Adam Riess. They determined the distances to these Type Ia supernovae by measuring their brightness. Moreover, the wavelengths of light coming from the supernova stretch with space as the universe expands. So, if we measure the redshift of lines in the specturm of a supernova, it is possible to find out how big the universe was (relative to today) when the supernova exploded. So it’s possible to see the expansion history of the universe. When Adam Riess first looked at the results, he surprisingly saw that the universe is accelerating – it is expanding faster and faster! The most likely explanation was that old cosmological constant term of Einstein! This cosmological constant is now a measure of the dark energy of the universe, which has a negative pressure and hence causes the accelerating expansion. The two teams came to the same conclusion and reported their results in 1998. Anyways, Later Adam Riess of Harvard Team observed very distant supernovae using Hubble to see that at earlier times the universe was decelerating just as expected. We have studied last semester in Nicola’s class in Rome, that as the universe expands, dark energy stays at nearly constant energy density while Radiation thins out as 4th-power and matter as 3rd-power. So a radiation-dominated universe gives way to a matter-dominated one and as the matter in the universe thins out the dark energy begins to dominate. Once that occurs, the universe goes from an expansion that is slowing down to an accelerating expansion. The repulsive effects of dark energy seem to guarantee that the universe will continue to expand forever. About Panchi This entry was posted in SciNews. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Responses to The world will end not in Fire but in Ice 1. Remudin Reshid Mekuria says: The end is what you have to care about, that means their is a beginning. I have no objection to accept this idea of the nobel prize winners, it not in contradiction to my knowledge from Al Quran. I hope we will discuss this more when we meet! Nice Job! • Hi Remudin, I don’t think Panchi was thinking about any religious scripture while writing this article. Anyways, It does not matter whether the scientific findings agree with or contradict any religious scripture. Because science does not bother about that. Instead science work by experimentation. Indeed, many modern findings had similar undertones to the writings of some ancient philosophers. Like the modern idea of quantum cosmology follows the same logical structure as the philosophy of Lucretius, but that does not make Lucretius the discoverer of quantum cosmology. Lucretius was not even a scientist. It is not surprising that you will find some theories agreeing with the scriptures. Because scripture can mean anything according to your explanation. It’s something like poetry or literature. Also Quran was written by Muhammad and his companions in 7th century and it obviously represent the aggregate of knowledge of the people of that time. But, I think this is not the right article to discuss about these things. Maybe later… • Panchi says: Mike 🙂 Yes there is a beginning 🙂 and most probably it was a big big bang! 2. Remudin Reshid Mekuria says: Ok, but I want to inform you that what you said about the Source or Authority of the Qur’an is not right, for more you may look in to this link. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
What is Trappist Monasticism? (Pt7) January 15, 2008 The Trappist obligation to live simply and sustainably within their natural setting produced excellent examples of small-scale community food production. The excess from their dairy production of cheese and butter were sold at market to provide income for the few things that the monks couldn’t make. Over the years, Trappist cheese became famous for its distinct flavour. Brother Albéric still makes cheese at the Trappist Monastery now in Holland Manitoba. Brother Albéric, came from the Trappist monastery in Oka, Quebec in 1967. In 1972, he won the Holstein Frisian Trophy for producing over 19,000 pounds of milk per cow for a year. 1. Although most Trappist Monasteries upheld strict vegetarian diets, the monks at St. Norbert had an official “Dispensation” (an exemption from a church law, a vow, or another similar obligation granted in a particular case by an ecclesiastical authority) to eat fish. They caught fish in nets in the LaSalle River. 2. In its largest configuration, the monastery housed 50 monks, 300 dairy cattle producing 36,000 lbs of milk/month, 50 beef cattle, 130 pigs,1600 chickens and 80 bee hives with an average annual 15 tons yield of honey. 3. “Idleness is the enemy of the soul. The brethren, therefore, must be occupied at stated hours in manual labour and again at other hours in sacred reading.” –Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 48
Can human rights law achieve real and meaningful equality for all? The case of same-sex marriage Whereas same-sex sexual activity was only decriminalised in 1993 in the Republic of Ireland, in 2015 the country officially legalised gay marriage, through a popular referendum, with a total ratio of 62% of ‘Yes’ votes. Gavin Boyd, a gay rights activist, declared to Irish citizens “you have chosen, as a nation, to extend marriage rights to your Lesbian Gay Bi and Transgender (LGBT) family, friends and neighbours and this will go down in history as another example of the decency and fairness of the Irish people” (McDonald, 2015). Peter Tatchell, a human rights activist, stated that “the Irish people have voted for love and equality” (Idem). As a matter of fact, during the campaign, LGBT and human rights activists worked hand in hand to open marriage laws to same-sex couples in Ireland. Access to marriage was envisaged as granting a basic fundamental right to the LGBT community as well as building a fairer, more equal society. This example can illustrate that human rights discourses are becoming central tools for protecting and defending LGBT rights in Europe. However, some gay rights activists oppose these methods and their results, most of them arguing that the ‘equality’ achieved this way is illusory and reflects the dominance of heterosexual norms in European societies. Focused on the issue of same-sex marriage, this article will question whether the use of human rights law in the past 30 years for the protection of LGBT rights is a successful strategy for completing real and meaningful equality. It will be first done by analysing the three ‘waves’ of LGBT rights protection in Europe and their inherent ties with European human rights case law. Then, reflecting on the dichotomy between substantive and formal equality, it will be discussed that same-sex marriage may not be a proper instrument for attaining substantive equality, but that the formal equality it grants to same-sex couples remains meaningful, in the sense of bearing major benefits. Human rights law and the three waves of LGBT rights protection If emancipatory movements for sexual reforms emerged already in the 19th century, it is the use of “human rights as a central vehicle and framing device for LGBT political claims” (Kollman and Waites, 2009: 2–3) which accelerated and enforced a deeper recognition of their situation. Framing the debate in terms of fundamental rights to privacy and family life in the name of an equal treatment for the LGBT community led to significant legal changes since the 1980’s. According to Waaldijk (2000), the protection of LGBT rights in Europe was progressively achieved in three ‘waves’: first, the decriminalisation of homosexuality, then the progressive implementation of anti-discrimination legislation, and finally, the recognition of same-sex families through access to civil ‘partnerships’ and then marriage While in Europe the ending of bans on ‘homosexual activities’ started in the 1950’s, in many countries the legal landscape in that matter remained rather heterogeneous for decades. As “many of the victories for LGBT equality have been achieved through judicial decisions” (Bribosia et al., 2014: 3–4), it is the cardinal 1981 European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case of Dudgeon v. UK which granted a European dimension to the decriminalisation of homosexuality. The Court ruled that classifying homosexual relations between males as a criminal offence was a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as it infringed the right to respect for private life. Homosexuality was decriminalised in Northern Ireland on the following year, and this legal move showed that “homosexual law reform had become an international human rights issue” (Waaldijk, 2000: 72). This legal shift resulted in a second wave of LGBT rights protection, through the national adoptions of anti-discrimination laws. Genevey Image 1The LGBT community became increasingly protected from various forms of discrimination (Waaldijk, 2004: 112). Consequently, a third wave of recognition occurred through the legal acknowledgement of same-sex partnerships and families. Once again, the ECtHR litigation paved the way to a broader understanding of the notion of ‘family life’. Concurrently to the judicial recognition that a stable unmarried same-sex couple could be granted some similar legal advantages to a heterosexual one, through the 2013 X and Others v. Austria case, several European countries started to create – or to open – civil partnerships to homosexual couples. However, many human rights activists are condemning this legal trend as being discriminatory. Professor Wintemute argues that this practice amounts to a ‘legal segregation’ similar to the apartheid system in South Africa (Bribosia et al., 2014: 6). Consequently, the latest struggle for several LGBT rights defenders is to open the institution of marriage to homosexual couples. Access to marriage is thus apprehended as a human right to family life, but also as an egalitarian objective. In 2010, with the Schalk and Kopf v. Austria case, the ECtHR has finally recognised that “the right to marry is not necessarily limited to marriage between persons of the opposite sex” (Bribosia et al., 2014: 4) – without obliging contracting states to open marriage to same-sex couples. Today, thirteen states of the E.U. recognise same-sex marriage (Lipka, 2015) Human rights law and the perpetuation of heteronormativity Going from being criminalised for their sexual orientation to progressively accessing the traditional institution of marriage, the LGBT community utilized and benefited from human rig hts law in order to attain equality. However, it is worth questioning the value of equality achieved through human rights instruments, with particular reference to the ECtHR case law. There is a theoretical debate surrounding the concept of equality, which often opposes the notion of ‘formal equality’ to the one of ‘substantive equality’. The first term “prescribes equal treatment of all people regardless of circumstances, on the understanding that all have the same rights and entitlements” (Australian Equal Opportunity Commission, 2014). In that sense, formal equality provides an equal treatment of all – including same-sex couples – before the law. The second term “recognises that rights, entitlements, opportunities and access are not equally distributed throughout society” (Idem). Taking into account dynamics of social privileges and powers, substantive equality is envisaged as “respectfully tailoring treatment to a group’s relevant features while recognising its moral worth” (Leckey, 2014: 5). Therefore, as same-sex couples accessing marriage is an embodiment of formal equality, many scholars believe that it does not achieve substantive equality. According to Butler, as our societies are organised around implicit norms (Butler, 2004: 41), the chief normalizing principle which should be deconstructed and overcome is the one of ‘heteronormativity’. This concept suggests that, through multiple channels, “heterosexuality is normalized, naturalized and privileged as an institution” while “homosexual practices and relationships are excluded, stigmatized, marginalised and minoritized” (Roseneil et al., 2013: 166). While heteronormativity is an implicit form of domination, highlighting that heterosexuality is in fact an oppressive social construct is made deeply problematic, since it is collectively taken for granted as an ordinary feature of society. More specifically, “law is central to the creation, maintenance and reproduction of heteronormativity within contemporary societies” (Johnson, 2011: 350). In this view, laws on access to marriage for same-sex couples are a form of perpetuation of the heterosexual dominant norm, since marriage has been envisaged for centuries as the normal legal means to acknowledge and protect opposite-sex relationships. Envisaging marriage as a chief development of heteronormativity leads to recognise that this traditional form of union relies on “models of heterosexual behaviours […] that may not adequately reflect the lived experiences” (Burns et al. 2008: 482) of same-sex couples. As many marriage laws are often gendered and built around a traditional and unequal vision of the division of domestic work, Leckey explains that “much research on same-sex domesticity points to a strong egalitarian ideal for division of labour” (Leckey, 2014: 11). These findings underline that, even if same-sex marriage grants the LGBT community with equal treatment regarding laws on marriage, these same laws cannot achieve real, substantive equality. They are indeed often tailored according to social conducts which have been traditionally ascribed to heterosexual couples and which are not necessarily in line with homosexual visions of couples and partnerships. Besides, as acceding to marriage can be interpreted as an incentive to conform to dominant heterosexual norms, some scholars have also stressed that it has a potential to further marginalise same-sex couples who refuse to get married (Spade, 2011: 126). Thus, not only same-sex marriage can appear as an improper tool to achieve substantive equality for the LGBT community, it can also be envisaged as a marginalising one. The pragmatic benefits of human rights law If access to marriage for same-sex couples has been a human rights struggle for many LGBT activists, reached through parliamentary law or litigation, this instrument has been questioned for being a symbol of heteronormativity, unable to provide substantive equality and being potentially exclusionary. However, whilst same-sex marriage does not grant real equality for the LGBT community, this does not mean that the equal treatment it provides is not meaningful in the sense of bearing crucial benefits. In his comparative analysis of liberalism and queer theory, Ball explains that philosophical disagreement between liberalism and queer theory should not lead to a rejection of human rights claims by the LGBT community, as they can have a pragmatic utility (Ball, 2001). According to the author, there is a “practical necessity of relying on humanist arguments”, especially in the constitutional field, as “gay men and lesbians have won constitutional cases when judges have viewed them as full human beings” (Ibid.: 286). This pragmatic argument can be extended beyond the context of constitutional battles. In the case of same-sex marriage, whether or not it is a reflection of heteronormativity, two types of benefits can be drawn from this equal treatment of homosexuals before the law: an instrumental one and a political one. The main instrumental benefit of access to marriage for same-sex couples is that, in many European countries, it is the only legal way for these couples to become parents. For instance, in Austria, while gay marriage has still not been enacted, the Austria Registered Partnership Act states that “registered partners, unlike married couples, cannot adopt a child, cannot adopt a step-child, and have no access to state-regulated artificial insemination” (Johnson, 2011: p 360). The right to marry can thus lead same-sex partners to a fuller enjoyment of their right to family life through access to parenthood, but can also provide legal protection to unmarried same-sex parents and their children. Moreover, access to marriage for same-sex couples can also be a political tool to fight intolerance. Indeed, quoting a constitutional Canadian case, Leckey explains that “the government’s failure to open marriage to same-sex couples telegraphed the message that same-sex couples were incapable ‘of forming loving lasting relationships’ and that same-sex relationships were ‘not worthy of the same respect and recognition as opposite-sex relationships’” (Leckey, 2014: 13–14). In this context, accessing marriage within the LGBT community can become a political statement, directed against the common societal belief that “same-sex couples are unstable or less committed than married different-sex couples” (Ibid.: 13). In fact, the main reasons identified by some authors for same-sex couples to get married are “greater acknowledgement of the couple by families and professional peers, sense of social equality and legitimacy, and reduction of internal, familial, and societal homophobia” (Schecter et al., 2008: 417). If getting married for these reasons does involve a sense of conformity to the norm, it also implies that access to marriage has a symbolic and political value, conveying the message that homosexual couples have an equal moral worth to heterosexual ones. In general, the formal equality granted by same-sex marriage should not be disregarded, as it has the pragmatic utility to both facilitate parenthood to same-sex couples, but also to serve as a symbol for tolerance and social acceptance. Human rights law has been an effective resource to move from a complete ban on homosexual activities in Europe to the recognition and protection of same-sex families, notably through the legalisation of same-sex marriage. However, these achievements are being criticised by many LGBT scholars and activists, as reproducing the social construct of heteronormativity and thus failing to attain substantial equality for the LGBT community. If the major instrumental and political benefits of same-sex marriage must be acknowledged, human rights laws must not be apprehended as the final and only way to protect and empower the LGBT community. The 2014 LGBT survey of the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) of the European Union suggests that, on average in Europe, 66% of gays and lesbians avoid holding hands in public for fear of being assaulted, threatened or harassed (FRA, 2014: 87). This concerning trend suggests that a deeper change in mentality is needed in Europe regarding the LGBT community, a change that any human rights legislation or litigation seem unlikely to correct on their own. Moana Genevey graduated in political science and European studies, before undertaking the E.MA program in 2014. She developed a strong commitment for equal treatment by working with various organisations involved in the fight against discrimination, such as the European Network Against Racism, the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities and Equinet. Journalist in a student newspaper for 5 years, she has also been a dedicated activist for different campaigns, raising funds after the Nepalese earthquakes or raising awareness on youth unemployment. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
How should future generations contend with the French-English divide? Has this divide changed over the past 20 years, if yes how so? Essay Custom Student Mr. Teacher ENG 1001-04 10 May 2016 As a part of Quebec’s youth and up and coming younger generation I have witnessed the conflicts between the French- English divide since I could remember and it is important that the needs of both sides are full filled or at least compensated for, future generations need to focus on other issues and need to resolve the French-English divide in a fashionable matter so that both sides can work together and benefit from each other such as the increase of speaking French in schools and businesses. Cleavages are defined as “a politically significant distinction among identifiable groups in a given population” (L7, S5). Language is an important cleavage in Canadian society (L7, S6), Canada is known to being a diverse country the population consists of many different types of people, cultural backgrounds and value systems each of which should be respected and tolerated by every citizen of this country. The English-French divide has persisted over time as a result of events and decisions by governing bodies that have continued to fuel the divide (L7, S7). There are different solutions to the language issue among French and English speakers but it takes time and although the divide has changed a lot, the past 20 years we aren’t where we want to be just yet and it is up to future generations to solve this problem. Further issues such as the compact vs contract theory will be discussed and also in recent news the dispute over the Charter of values the Pauline Marois government seek to put in effect that has sprung up a dispute other issues that will be discussed are Bill 101 and the disputes over the equalization of payments that has become a major topic for discussion and a large part of the French-English division if future generations were to resolve these topics they would be one step closer to a neutral decision. The language divide has played a key part in intergovernmental policies between the federal government and the provinces and is therefore an important part to understand. We’ve learnt throughout history that the English have often attempted to assimilate the French (L7, S8) you don’t often see the English trying to preserve the French language and this resulted in a heated battle among English and French especially in the late 1800’s and late 1900’s where the divide had intensified and almost seemed imminent. In a video demonstrated in the lecture slides (L7, S8) former premier of Quebec (2001-2003) Bernard Landry and former leader of the Parti Québécoise points out that 75% of Anglos in Quebec speak both French and English and almost all the younger generations speak both language and admits this is a great improvement. Part of Quebec’s problem is that you can become a citizen by speaking English or French this is a problem for the Quebecoise because people are coming from different countries with just an English background, if there was a divide they would make it so that if you were to become a Quebec resident speaking French would be mandatory. Preserving the French language has been a top priority for Quebec. The French lived in constant fear of losing their language (L7, S8) so in order to preserve the French language and culture the appropriate decision the Parti Quebecoise have decided to do is to promote separatism. There was talk of the separation of Quebec from Canada being more of a sovereignty-association, Quebec would separate but would retain a political and economic association with Canada. They would share the same currency and have some joint governments to oversee their relations. Quebec would not really be independent it would actually rely heavily on both Canada and the United States for trade. Quebec would then be able to change the language laws so that French would be the first language. This could be a good decision but there’s a large amount of English speaking Quebec citizens who disapprove. Bernard Landry points out that Quebec has improved over the years and that he has seen a lot more Anglo’s speaking French as well but he points out that it is a different issue in different provinces. Being an English speaker myself it is very encouraging and helpful that I am perfectly bilingual, being bilingual has helped me in the work force, in my studies and in my social life. These are some factors that have English speaking Quebecers speak more French and really made an impact among English and French speakers of Quebec. In Bernard Landry’s video he talks about speaking to his cousins that live in British Columbia and displays how they have lost their French Background it is in the Parti Quebecoise best interest to prevent this from happening. As we have seen, la survivance was the notion that fuelled traditional Quebec nationalism. The Quiet Revolution gave rise to a new type of nationalism in Quebec which had a different vision of the state and its ability, through its institutions, to help the French survive (L7, S49). The French-English divide was further aggravated when the Quebec government decided to use its institutions to implement legislation to ensure the survival of the French language in Quebec. This caused a great deal of controversy in English .In an attempt to counter such nationalist language tactics and appease the French, the federal government also used its institutions to enact legislation related to language. There is no doubt that the French-English divide has been fuelled by these issues (L7, S58). After all these events had taken place the French took action into preserving the French language and culture and to implement it on all of Quebec. The Quebec Board of the French Language (OQLF) more popularly known as the ‘language police’ by the English media are probably the most feared people to business owners. In Quebec, Bill 101 implements that all visible form of writing must be in French, there are strict laws that indicate that the French words have to be visually larger than any other language as well as businesses more than 50 employees were going to have to adjust and use French as their language of business (L7, S59). Maintaining the two official languages is not cheap. Even Canada’s current Prime Minister Stephen Harper commented on the cost of bilingualism even before he was elected as the prime minister. These factors have played a major role in the changes Quebec has had over the years and I have noticed it myself. The divide has changed a lot of the years and with Pauline Marois and the Parti Quebecoise who knows what will happen next. The French and English divide is becoming less and less of a problem in Quebec although tensions have been rising lately with the PQ it is in their interest to keep the French population in Quebec happy and to keep pushing new legislations to enforce the speaking of the French language. Although it is a great approach to preserve the language you could say that the language police have taken it a step too far at some points with disputes and attempted ban of these words in restaurants such as “pasta” and “fish n chips”. The Anglo’s have a hard time dealing with disputes such as these knowing our tax dollars are being spent on non-sense such as the banning of those words. In all I think it is important to implement that business owners change their signs and put in place a French first basis and plays a big factor in today’s language battle and it is a large reason why a lot of Quebecers are speaking French first. I myself walk in a place of business and speak French first to the clerk, when I am working myself I introduce myself in French first and I adapt to whomever I am talking too whether or not they are French or English it is important to respect the language of other people. In recent news a large dispute has sprung up with the “Charter or Values” Pauline Marois and the Parti Quebecois brought up the idea of banning religious symbols and dress codes when at work. This includes the Christian cross, Jewish and Muslim headwear, hijabs, turbans, etc. As the government expected, the plan to introduce the Chater of Value’s created street protests. Situations like these aren’t helping the French and English division it has strung up protests and aggravates the English speakers these aren’t ways to increase French speaking and culture in Quebec it had fuelled the fire in a way and bring us a step back from where we would like to be in the English – French division. The linguistic battle among French- English has improved in Quebec over the past 20 years with French being highly implemented in schools and businesses but I couldn’t say that for the rest of the provinces. These are ways to further increase the population of French speaking Canadians, future generations should focus on increasing French in schools and businesses rather than try to force the language on people with new legislations and fines. We have seen improvements over the past 20 years and that should continue if other provinces were to adapt more the French language in their place of business and in schools you would see a large increase in the population of Canada that speak French rather than just Quebec. Bernard Landry, former Premier of Quebec (2001 – 2003) and leader of the Parti Québécois (2001 – 2005 Brooks, Stephen (2004) “Canadian Democracy – An Introduction 6th edition” Oxford University Press: Toronto. PP.187-189 • Subject: • University/College: University of California • Type of paper: Thesis/Dissertation Chapter • Date: 10 May 2016 • Words: • Pages: Let us write you a custom essay sample on How should future generations contend with the French-English divide? Has this divide changed over the past 20 years, if yes how so? for only $16.38 $13.9/page your testimonials
Published on: North Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys By :Douglas A. Petho Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health problem. Each year, traumatic brain injuries contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability. Despite being often overlooked or undiagnosed, on average, approximately 1.7 million people are diagnosed as suffering a traumatic brain injury each year. What is a Traumatic Brain Injury? A TBI is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. It can occur as a result of falls, trauma such as automobile accidents or participation in sporting events. What are the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury? A person who sustains a brain injury may have both physical and psychological symptoms. The severity of a TBI may range from “mild,” i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness to “severe,” i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia. Sometimes symptoms may appear immediately after the injury but others may not appear until weeks later. Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries The symptoms of a mild traumatic brain injury may include: Loss of consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes No loss of consciousness, but a state of being confused, disoriented or dazed. Concentration or memory problems Loss of balance or dizziness Headache Mood changes or mood swings Light or sound sensitivity Nausea and /or vomiting Sensory issues such as blurred vision, ringing in the ears or a bad taste in the mouth Anxiety or depression Drowsiness or fatigue Trouble sleeping or sleeping more than usual Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury may include the same signs and symptoms of a mild injury, but may also include the following symptoms: Loss of consciousness Combativeness, extreme irritability or other unusual behavior Slurred speech Profound confusion Inability to awaken from sleep Loss of coordination Numbness or weakness in the extremities Loss of bowel or bladder control Persistent headache or headache that worsens Repeated vomiting or nausea Seizures or convulsions Dilated pupils Clear fluids draining from the nose or ears We Help People Suffering from Brain Injuries At Price, Hargett, Petho and Anderson, we have the knowledge and experience to help those who are suffering from the physical, emotional and financial burdens imposed on victims of brain injuries and their families. Since 1979, we’ve been helping fellow North Carolinians recover compensation for the pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, future medical care associated with brain injuries. Call 1-800-737-2160 to discuss your case. As always, consultation is free.
Sunday, May 17, 2009 Sophocles: The Oedipus trilogy Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC) was the second of the three greatest ancient Greek tragedians, the others being Aeschylus and Euripides. Of his 125 plays, only 7 survived. The story of Oedipus the King, or "Oedipus Rex" is part of a trilogy of tales whose most famous legacy is giving us the term "Oedipus complex", an unconsci0us desire for the parent of the opposite sex. This triology of dramas describes the downfall of Oedipus as he struggles to avoid his fate. His father, Laius the king of Thebes, receives a prophecy that his newborn son will eventually kill him. To prevent this, he has his son taken into the wilderness to die. Instead, he is rescued and is adopted by the king of Corinth as his son. When Oedipus learns that he is prophesized to kill his father, he leaves Corinth to avoid this fate. This sends him on a collision course with his real father whom he meets and kills. He then unknowlingly marries his mother, the queen of Thebes, and they have several children. (You know you have problems when you have a triangle in your family tree!) When a plague strikes Thebes, the only cure is to discover and banish the man who killed Laius. Oedipus then learns through the oracle that he killed Laius, who was his father, and married his mother. In anguish, he blinds himself and then seeks refuge at Colonus, near Athens (Oedipus at Colonus) Oedipus's children then fight amoungst themselves as to who will succeed him as ruler, which raises the death count even higher. The last drama, Antigone, chronicles Oedipus's daughter Antigone as she struggles to have her brother buried near Thebes, which eventually leads to her own death as well. I think that the theme of this story is that it is difficult to avoid fate. However, this entire tragedy could clearly have been averted if Oedipus had been ignorant of his lineage. Certainly ignorance would have been blissful compared to the chain of tragic events that unfolded after Oedipus discovered the consequences of his actions. It was very insightful to read on the earliest and greatest tragedies that we have a record of. I can see where Shakespeare derived some of his inspiration, including the clever phrases and descriptions than Sophocles uses. Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Plato: Apology “The unexamined life is not worth living. Know thyself” Socrates is brought to trial for corrupting the youth of Athens and for promoting impiety. He must now deliver his defense speech, or apologia. Socrates is known as someone who always asks questions and seeking the truth. He compares himself to a gadfly stirring the horse (Athens) into motion with his meddlesome questions. Socrates says that the Oracle called him the wisest of all men because he admits he does not know anything. Therefore, he knows what he does not know. Socrates is found guilty by a vote of 280 to 221. When asked to choose a penalty, he suggests a fine, although he admits he will never stop philosophizing. The jury then sentences Socrates to death. Socrates suggests that they try to live a better life rather than kill off their critics. He then marches off to prison awaiting his date with the hemlock. Plato: Crito In this dialogue, Socrates is in his cell waiting execution. His friend Crito visits him and tries to convince him to flee, saying that he can bribe the guards and help him escape. Socrates says that he cannot flee, since he has always obeyed the laws of Athens and he would be a hypocrite if he fled now. He would lose all integrity and respect and his life would mean nothing. Crito thinks that it is OK to break the law if he considers it unjust. Socrates has adopted a form of a “social contract” with the state of Athens and accepts their judgment. I am inclined to agree with Crito that I would rather rebel against an unjust law rather than sacrafice my life obeying a flawed state. I especially believe this given that democracies are unstable and capricious. The Republic: Allegory of the Cave The Allegory of the Cave This has been called the most famous metaphor in Western philosophy. Socrates asks us to imagine men who have spent their entire lives imprisoned in a cave underground, seeing only shadows and believing these to be real. One of the men escapes and sees the “real” world, not of shadows but of real things. He then travels back into the cave to enlighten his fellow prisoners with his observations. In Plato’s city-state, education will allow the philosopher-kings to see the real world. They then must return to the cave to help the great masses. This is their obligation to the state which has given them an education. Another way to think of this is to ask someone what beauty, courage, justice, etc “is”. Do you imagine, believe, think or understand the real concept of the word? Are these just "shadows" to you or do you really understand their meaning (can you seperate the word from an image?) No child left behind and information control Socrates was sentenced to death for crimes including corrupting the youth and impiety. In the Republic, Socrates surprisingly proposes a very strict regimen of study for the children of his ideal city. The classics from Hesiod and Homer, whom he calls ancient texts, must be significantly edited to remove any improprieties about the "gods". Foreshadowing Christianity, Socrates says that no god would do anything that would harm people - gods only do good things. Because Zeus is pure virtue and without fault it is therefore impossible for him to do anything that is not good. This is a severe deviation from traditional Greek thought, especially editing texts which many Greek consider sacred. However, this editing does reflect much of the editing that would take place at the "Council of Nicaea" when Christians tried to determine who/what God was. God is never the “author of evil” to anyone. God would also never assume a less perfect form (a beggar, a traveler, etc) since he could never lie or deceive. Plato has a complete plan for finding and training his philosopher-kings from childhood to their 50's. This includes much schooling in mathematics, which he regards as a step away from empirical reasoning (using the senses) toward a pure form of investigation using math and logic. For example instead of thinking of 2 apples or 2 oranges, Plato wants you to think of an intangible number “2”, not associated to any particular object. Plato's Ideal Government "the state is the soul writ large" Socrates explains the best and worst forms of government in this order: monarchy, oligarthy, democracy and tyranny. Finding democracy in third place is strange given the development of this form of government in Athens. Plato seems to think that democracy is a world of absolute freedom where everyone can do as they please. He thinks this will descend into anarchy as everyone pursues their own interests and will eventually lead to a strong leader emerging (a tyranny). Socrates describes a most bizarre form a government which seems authoritarian and proto-communistic, with the goal of establishing harmony and diminishing discord. First, information control is critical, such as regulating what poetry, stories, music and education the youth receive. The guardians also do not get to own property, which is a great idea and sort of reminds me of a cross between the Doges of the Republic of Venice and samurais of medieval Japan (both property/salary-less). The utopian vision become absurd when Socrates describes how babies will be taken from their mothers so no one knows whose child is whose. This will discourage people from treating other people's children differently, since any kid could be yours. I wonder if this makes it easier to find a baby-sitter? I would have to think this would really mess a kid up, especially if you do not look like any one else! Plato also wants people to share wives (which would keep you from coveting your neighbor's). Unfortunately sex is entirely for procreation and only done on certain times of the year (to ensure we all think those kids belong to us). Lying should be reserved only for the rulers of states to control the masses, but lying to rulers is the worst crime. This seems to contradict the virtuous nature of the philosopher-kings. Poetry and Television When I see people in television shows I remind myself that this is not how real people act (or should act). I am becoming more aware of it since we hope to start a family and I am becoming more cognizant of the ridiculous behavior of many TV characters. Plato saw the same problem with plays and stories performed or read in his day. Socrates states that stories that depict characters acting in inappropriate or unmanly ways will be banned or edited. I guess he thought this would be easier than just having a heart-to-heart with "your" child. Children should be taught false stories first, then true ones. The Republic: Theory of Forms Plato's Theory of Forms This is probably Plato’s most well known idea. Using the “allegory of the cave”, Plato suggests that all we see are shadows of images (animals, people, and objects). However, we do not see the real things as they are themselves. Plato hypothesizes that there is a true, ideal form for everything that is impossible to know. For example, an ideal horse which is the “idea” of a horse but not a horse that actually exists. Sweetness may exist in an apple, but nothing will ever be as sweet as the form (idea) of sweetness. Forms cannot be seen, but only visualized in the mind. To think about this, it may take a mind like Schopenhauer who once said, "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see." The sweetness that we visualize is unchanging, perfect, and will last forever. It is an abstract standard that can only be imagined. The pleasure of a philosopher (seeking truth) is the only real pleasure. Everything else is only a temporary relief from pain. Plato believed that cognitive ability could be divided into four tiers of ability. The lowest grade is imagination (he means imagining something is there when it is not). In today’s world this could be a person whose entire view of the world is from what they observe on television. They have no idea of how real people behave or how real events occur. The next step up is belief (like the belief in an almighty-creator-of-heaven-and-earth?). These lowest two levels are in the "visible" realm, which can be easily deceived. (my television analogy may belong here as well). The next two levels are in the higher "intellectual" realm: thought and understanding. Thought realizes on observations and making intelligent reasoning based on previous events. Understanding is a level up from this, when we are not thinking about particulars in that thing, but about a general idea of that thing, and this is not something can be actively observed with our senses. The Republic: Justice Right and Wrong versus “advantage” “Appearance tyrannizes over truth” The Republic: an overview The Republic is Plato’s most well-known dialogue, contains his most memorable metaphors and is his most articulate attempt at describing what “justice” is. Reading this was a long, slow journey (with my note taking), even though I had read it a few years ago. Much of this dialogue concerns Socrates conversing with others trying to understand what a just person is by comparing the individual to a city-state. “A city is the soul writ large”, Socrates says as he makes an analogy between different individuals within a city to qualities that exist within a person. Socrates says there are basically three elements to a person or a city. At the lowest level are the great masses of people, the “producers” of goods and services, which in an individual would be the “appetites”. These give us desires and drive us to do things. They must be controlled by the “auxiliaries” or soldiers, who in an individual would be represented as courage or spirit. These auxiliaries, who also protect us from outside forces, must in turn be ruled over by “reason” in the individual, or in a city-state this would be the “guardians” or “philosopher-kings”. Every class has its own desires: the mass of people (appetites) lust after all things and pleasure ,but especially desire money; the auxiliaries (courage) want honor and pride and can lead us to anger; the philosopher-kings (reason) strive for knowledge and wisdom and rule over all. When the balance is upset in a city, much as in an individual, disaster will result. I think Plato’s tripartite soul sounds very familiar to Sigmund Freud’s Id, Ego and Super-ego. The Id is like Plato’s appetites, the Ego could be considered the auxillaries and the Super-ego is certainly the guardians. I am not a Freud expert, so this is only an observation.
Fruit Bowl / Anyone Who? How Do I Play It? Students begin in a circle (ideally on a chair but doesn’t have to be). Label the children with a type of fruit approx 5 – banana, apple, cherry, strawberry, pineapple. Repeat the sequence until every child is labelled with a fruit. To check they remember and as a practice call out each fruit and get the students to raise their hand when their fruit is called. Now explain that you will call out a fruit and those who are that fruit must change places (not with people sat next to them). If you call out "fruit bowl" everyone moves. If the excitement is growing or the focus is drifting instead of calling out mime or mouth the fruit. You can change the theme from fruit to anything. You can also adapt the way they move and change places e.g. hop, like you’re on the moon, skip etc... Whole Group Short (5 mins or less) Spatial Awareness
History of Funan In the mid-3rd century A.D. two chinese traders, Kang Tai and Zhu Ying, visited Vyadharapura (town of the hunters), the legendary capital of the Funan kingdom. Their account became part of the Chinese Empirical Records: The Liang Shu account from Chinese Empirical Records Ed. note.: There was no translation of the original text up to now. The chinese text was published by Wheatley, P., The Golden Khersonese, University of Malaya Press, 1966. We thank Yun from China History Forum for the execellent English translation and Wolfgang Wintermeier for the German translation. The kingdom of Funan is south of Rinan prefecture (in northern Vietnam), in a big bay on the west of the sea. It is 7,000 li from Rinan, and over 3,000 li southwest of Linyi (Champa). The capital is 500 li from the sea. There is a big river 10 li across, which flows from the northwest and enters the sea in the east. The kingdom has a diameter of over 3,000 li, and its land is low-lying and flat. Its climate and customs are generally similar to Linyi. It produces gold, silver, bronze, tin, lakawood, ivory, jadeite, and five-coloured parrots. (Omitted: descriptions of neigbouring kingdoms of Dunsun, Piqian and Zhubo) The people of the Funan kingdom originally had the custom of going naked, tattooing their bodies and letting their hair hang down. Their ruler was a woman named Liuye (Willow Leaf, called Soma in a Cham version). She was young and muscular, like a man. In the south there was the kingdom of Ji, where there was a priest of spirits and gods named Huntian (Kaundinya). He dreamt that a god gave him a bow, and that he sailed to sea in a merchant ship. In the morning he got up and went to the temple, and found the bow under a sacred tree. He thus followed the dream and sailed to sea on a ship, reaching the outer areas of Funan. Liuye and her followers saw the ship approaching and wanted to capture it. Huntian then drew his bow and shot Liuye's ship, piercing its side and hitting one of the servants. Liuye was terrified and surrendered to Huntian with all her people. Huntian taught Liuye to make a hole in a piece of cloth and put her head through it, using it as clothing to cover her body. He then ruled over the kingdom and took Liuye as his wife. They had seven sons who were each made king of a region. Later, the king Hun Pankuang used cunning to cause dissension between the regions, making them suspect and obstruct each other. He then used his army to attack and conquer them all, and sent his own children and grandchildren to rule the various regions, with the title of Lesser King. Pankuang died in his 90s, and his middle son Panpan was made king. Affairs of state were entrusted to the general Fan Man. Panpan died after 3 years as king, and the people then appointed Fan Man as king. Fan Man was a brave warrior and skilled in strategy, and used his military strength to attack neighbouring kingdoms and make them all submit. He gave himself the title of Great King of Funan. He built large ships and sent them across the sea to attack more than ten kingdoms including Qudukun, Jiuzhi, Diansun, extending his territory by 5,000 to 6,000 li. Next, he planned to attack the Jinling kingdom, but fell ill and sent his crown prince Jinsheng to lead the attack in his stead. Fan Man's nephew Zhan was a general leading 2,000 men, and usurped Fan Man's throne. He sent men to trick Jinsheng and kill him. When Fan Man died, he had an infant son named Chang living among the people. When Chang reached tha age of 20, he made friends with brave men in the kingdom and attacked and killed Zhan, but Zhan's general Fan Xun then killed Chang and made himself king. Fan Xun governed the kingdom well and built viewing pavilions for his leisure, where from dawn to noon, he would receive three or four guests. The people gave sugarcane, tortoises and birds to each other as gifts. The law of the kingdom did not include prisons. Those who were charged with a crime first fasted for 3 days, and then an axe was heated until it was red-hot and the accused was made to carry it for seven steps. Also, golden rings and chicken eggs were thrown into boiling soup and the accused had to fish them out. If he was lying about his innocence, his hand would be scalded, and if he was telling the truth, it would not. They also kept crocodiles in the moat of the capital, and also a pen of fierce beasts outside the gate. Those accused of crimes would be fed to the beasts or crocodiles, and if they were not eaten within 3 days they were considered innocent and released. The larger crocodiles are more than 2 zhang long, and resemble the Yangzi alligator, with four legs, and snouts six to seven chi long with teeth on either side that are sharp as swords. They usually eat fish but also swallow river deer and people if they come across them. There are crocodiles south of Cangwu prefecture and in the foreign countries (to the south). In the time of the Wu state (Three Kingdoms period), Guard Commander Kang Tai and Xuanhua Operations Officer Zhu Ying were sent as envoys to Fan Xun's kingdom. The people there were still naked, except for women who wore a cloth with a hole for their head. Kang Tai and Zhu Ying said, "This is a fine kingdom, but it is not desirable for the people to be exposed like that." So for the first time, men in the kingdom were commanded to wear hengfu. The hengfu is what is now called the ganman (i.e. sarong). The rich made their hengfu out of cotton, but the poor used only simple (hemp) cloth. In the Taikang reign of Jin Wudi (280-289 AD), Funan sent its first tribute mission. In the first year of Shengping of Jin Mudi (357), the king Zhuzhantan sent a tamed elephant as tribute. The emperor Mudi issued an edict saying, "This animal is troublesome to transport, you need not send any more." Later, there was king Qiaochenru who was originally a Brahmin from India. A god told him "you will be king of Funan", and he was pleased in his heart and travelled to the kingdom of Panpan. The people of Funan heard about it and all welcomed him happily and made him king. He changed the institutions of the country to follow the Indian laws. After Qiaochenru's death, there was king Chilituobamo. In the reign of Song Wudi (420-422), he sent his local produce as tribute. In the Yongming reign of Southern Qi (483-493), king Sheyebamo (Jayavarman?) sent an envoy with tribute. In the second year of the Tianjian reign (of Liang Wudi, 503), Sheyebamo again sent tribute in the form of a Buddha statue made of coral, as well as local produce. The emperor issued an edict saying, "The king of Funan Qiaochenru Sheyebamo lives on the edge of the sea and his kingdom has been our vassal in the south for generations. His sincerity is known far abroad, and he places much value on translating the sutras and offering tributes of treasures. It is good to accept and reward him, and confer titles of prestige on him. He may be honoured as General Pacifying the South and King of Funan." The people of this kingdom are all ugly and dark, with curly hair. They do not dig wells where they live, and several tens of households share one pool to fetch water from. They worship the god of heaven, as an icon of bronze with two faces and four arms, or four faces and eight arms. Each hand is holding something - a child, or a bird or beast, or a sun or moon. The king goes in and out of his palace riding an elephant, and so do the concubines. The king sits with one (right) knee upright and the left knee hanging to the ground, and a white dish is placed before him on which is set a golden basin with an incense burner. The custom of the kingdom is that in mourning one shaves his moustache, beard and hair. The dead are buried in four ways: by water, thrown into rivers; by fire, burned into ashes; by earth, buried in the ground; and by birds, left out in the wild (for birds to eat). The people are greedy and stingy, without propriety, and the men and women form relationships without restrictions. In the 10th and 13th year (of Tianjian, 511 and 514), Sheyebamo sent tribute. That year (514) he died, and his son by a concubine, Liutuobamo (Rudravarman?) killed his younger brother, the son of the queen, and made himself king. In the 16th year (517) he sent the envoy Zhudangbaolao with tribute. In the 18th year (519) he again sent an envoy with an Indian sacred statue made of sandalwood, leaves of the Poluo tree, and various types of incense including Huoqizhu, Yujin, and Suhe. In the first year of Putong (520), the second year of Zhongdatong (528), and the first year of Datong (535), envoys were sent bearing tribute. In the 5th year (of Datong, 539), an envoy was sent with a live rhinoceros. It was also said that the kingdom had a hair of the Buddha, 1 zhang and 2 chi long, and the emperor (Liang Wudi) sent the monk Shi Yunbao to return with the envoy to bring it (to China). © 2004-2017
Thursday, April 22, 2010 Water: How much is enough? Did You Know: -Being 2% dehydrated can seriously degrade physical and mental functions. Feeling foggy? Grab a glass of water! -Water is important to fitness and fat loss because: Dehydration will degrade a person’s ability to exercise and burn calories. Dehydration will reduce protein synthesis which is needed to build or repair muscles. Did you know that obese people and older people have a lower percentage of water in their bodies than healthy, younger people and women have a lower water percentage than men? This is for two reasons: -Muscle is 75% water -Fat is 20% water -Women have naturally higher (%) body fat -Older adults have less muscle mass The average adult loses approximately 10 cups (80 oz) of water it loses each day through perspiration, the kidney/bladder system, bowel movements and the respiratory system. When exposed to extreme temperatures—very hot or very cold—your body uses more water to maintain its normal temperature. Pregnancy and breastfeeding increase the amount of fluid a woman’s body needs. High fiber diets require extra water to process the additional roughage and prevent constipation. So how much is enough? The answer may surprise you. It's B! According to registered dietitian Jacqualine Maillet, M.S., you have consumed enough water when your urine is the color of light lemonade. Dark yellow and clear are extremes and you should adjust your intake accordingly. Checking your urine output is the best way to tell if you are properly hydrated, so make sure that when you are in extreme conditions or under duress, you check before you flush! No comments:
Community Centres of Darjeeling District Setting up of Community Centres of the Lepcha Tribe of Darjeeling District. The Lepchas are the original inhabitants of the Darjeeling District. They have their own distinct culture, language, script, religion to which they adhere to even today. Due to historical causes the homeland of the Lepchas have been ravaged by unprecedented religious, cultural and demographic changes within the last few hundred years. The Community has been the victim of the terrible onslaught of these pronounced debilitating forces. This has resulted in the cultural domination of the people firstly in the form of religion through whose subtle ways the very nature, thinking and traditional ways were gradually moulded away into distinctively divergent directions. The first onslaught was through Buddhism which was foreign to the Lepchas. It was brought about by the contact with the aggressive Buddhists of Tibetan origin who came to wield power in their homeland. This process continued unabated with full vigour for over two centuries. The protracted religious domination culminated in the conversion of large numbers to which there are today a great number of adherents. The second and the third onslaughts came together with the advent of the East India Company. The second onslaught was the British- engineered migration of large masses of people of foreign origin who were brought in and settled for manual work in the exploitative plantations and now made home. The entire demographic pattern was disturbed. Culturally the new set of hardy and agile settlers brought with them their own language and culture and swamped the hill country and quickly took deep root. The British also took away the Lepcha land for commercial exploitation and new settlements, uprooting centuries-old local Lepcha villages and homes. Along with the British came their own particular set of religion and culture. The effects of which were quite pronounced on the Lepchas, meeker by nature, than on the other communities. Over a period of time the Lepchas started embracing the new religion and mores of the foreigners. In this scenario and the frenetic pace of the period the rich traditional Lepcha life was all but smothered. The Government of West Bengal has appreciated the community’s problems of existence and magnanimously formed the Lepcha Development Board that has been given the wide mandate to develop its Culture, language, traditions, education and general development of the community with financial assistance. The WBMLLDB has decided to undertake the first small steps of this humongous task of setting right what have been undone and lost over the centuries. One of the measures is the setting up of the Cultural Centres in various places in the District that will serve as cultural revival nodes. The Centres shall come up in twenty such places where the Lepcha people will congregate everyday for all social and cultural purposes which have been deprived them all along. The Centres shall serve as places where every aspect of the traditional Lepcha way of life shall be regenerated and put into practise. It shall form a platform for meaningful discussion on various aspects of Lepcha life, customs and practices, where research and study will be given scope. It will also act as learning centre where practical classes will be given in lifestyle adjustments in adverse communal settings. The rich cultural and traditional ways that have fallen by the wayside will be brought back and disseminated through these centres. It will be the crucible where Lepcha ethnicity will be distilled.
Algae-based bioplastics a fast-growing market 18 June 2010 09:00 [Source: ICB] http://www.icis.com/ Food crops are commonly being used as raw materials for plastics, but researchers are now looking out to sea for future feedstocks Algae is the most promising area of research right now. It is already widely used as a raw material for biofuels, but this is increasingly extending to plastics. US-headquartered Cereplast, which already makes plastics from starch, expects to start producing algae-based polymers by the end of this year. "The plastics industry is the success story of the 20th century," says Cereplast CEO Frederic Scheer. "But it was built on the back of a single feedstock: oil. To make a success of biopolymers, we need to rely on more than one feedstock." The theory behind biopolymers is that they use sustainable resources, rather than petrochemicals, as a raw material. A number of established products already exist: Ingeo, from US group NatureWorks, is the company's trade name for polylactic acid (PLA), a polymer derived from corn; MaterBi is a starch-derived polymer from Italian research group Novamont; and US chemical giant DuPont has produced a nylon that is derived in part from castor bean oil. It is also worth noting that one of the earliest polymers to be commercialized, Cellophane, is made from cellulose. "By 2020, the bioplastics industry could be worth $20bn [€16bn]. To make this happen, we must not create havoc for the commodities we use. We don't want to push up the price of starch - and we don't want to push up the price of food," says Scheer. The company has already begun to look at alternative feedstocks: last year, it launched biopolymer grades based on biomass, wood chips and flax. But it believes that algae could eventually become a more important feedstock than starch. Scheer says that, in five years, agricultural feedstocks could account for just 30% of Cereplast's business; a further 30-40% might be algae, with up to 30% coming from "other" sources. "We've encountered several brand owners in the US and Europe who are concerned about the fact we are using starches - as these are an agricultural resource. They've told us that, as soon as we have algae-based resins, they'll be interested," he says. Cereplast sources its raw material from companies that are creating "oil from algae" - taking the spent biomass, which "they do not know what to do with," and treating it until it has turned into a powder. "This is then very similar to starch. We then use the same kind of equipment to process it, although the configuration is different," says Scheer. There are a few other differences with its starch-based products: they are off-white, while the algae-based product is dark green. Algae also has a distinct odor. The Cereplast factory usually smells like a bakery, rather than a plastics factory; with algae, the smell is closer to a fish processing factory. Cereplast expects to have two algae-based grades ready by the end of this year: one for injection molding, and one for thermoforming. Its algae-based resins will be designed along the same lines as its starch-based Hybrid Resins. These products, which are not biodegradable, are nevertheless derived in part from a sustainable resource. Its Biopropylene, for example, is derived equally from petroleum and starch - producing a polymer that has "similar physical characteristics" to traditional polypropylene (PP). Looking further forward - by maybe three years - Cereplast hopes to create resins completely from algae. "We're starting to work out how to create a monomer from these materials. Once that's been done, we'll be able to polymerize it for lots of different applications," says Scheer. An ongoing challenge is to have steady access to raw materials. Scheer says that he must be sure that this is solved before ramping up production. "We don't want to go commercial with these materials, and then not be able to offer them on a consistent basis," he says. He also has a vision of how the materials might be used further in the future. "I'd like to think we could create a biodegradable alternative to expanded polystyrene [EPS]," he says. "It often ends up on the beach, or in the ocean as litter. If we could create a monomer that could be used in these applications, these products would biodegrade in the water. The algae would then be returned to the ocean." This fast-growing sector now has an industry association. The Algal Biomass Organization was created two years ago. While its main focus is biofuels, it also promotes a number of other uses for algae - including water remediation, animal feed and as a polymer raw material. "Companies such as General Motors, Dow Chemical and Kimberly-Clark attend our conferences, and are looking to use algae-based products. Algae-based resins is one area, though it's quite small. They are a few years behind fuel in terms of commercialization," says executive director Mary Rosenthal. That said, she says the potential market for bioplastics - of which a growing amount could be taken up by algae - is 45 billion pounds (around 20m tonnes). This is the amount of conventional plastics that could be replaced with sustainably derived alternatives, she says. Most - if not all - bioplastics are currently derived from "terrestrial" (or land-grown) crops. Rosenthal says algae could offer a key benefit in comparison. "Corn takes 100 days to mature, but algae can grow - and be harvested - in one week. Algae also has higher yields. Under the right conditions, you could have 50 harvests per year. That's truly sustainable." At the same time, algae is not an alternative food crop: corn is edible, while algae is not. While some algae crops are taken directly from the sea, most are grown "commercially'"- in open pond systems. "Algae-based plastics have emerged very quickly into the marketplace. Although very small, they have great opportunity because of their renewability," says Rosenthal. Cereplast is not alone in its quest to make plastics from algae - although most of the major players have been shy to show their hands. Algenol, a Florida-based company, has developed a biofuel plant based on algae, as well as setting up a partnership with a number of companies, including compatriot Dow Chemical - which will host a pilot-scale biorefinery at its site in Freeport, Texas. Algenol has devised a way to convert algae into ethanol - which it calls Direct to Ethanol - which can then be used, among other things, as a raw material to make plastics. Sustainably sourced ethanol has already been used to make plastic: Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem has made ethanol from cane sugar, then converted it into polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). And the Soley Biotechnology Institute, a global research leader in microalgae since 2000, is "producing bioplastic from Spirulina dregs." Spirulina is a type of algae. "When we extract some of the useful materials from Spirulina microalgae, a large volume of dregs are produced as a by-product," it says. "By our newly developed method, we are producing biodegradable plastics with the dregs."
Ethics in Game Design by Johnny Kilhefner Ethics and game design are complicated. We can probably agree that game designers don't set out with bad intentions to make a video game. Designers want to make fun games that people will love and enjoy playing. If a game's sole aim is to be fun, does that absolve it from questionable morality by using assault weapons? Can we deign moral responsibility on the game designer if the purpose of the game is to kill the opponent? Then there's the question of how much ethical responsibility is attributed to the player -- just how many opponents did the player decapitate? Intent of the Game Many developers now accept that "if a game is fun, it is okay" is a simple and too convenient explanation for a complex issue. The CEO of Lionhead Studios, Peter Molyneux, claims that the industry has a moral responsibility, especially when games are meant to be more than fun. If we look at what a game strives to be, we can examine it from an ethical standpoint; for instance, if it is simply a fun game in a non-real world or if it attempts to recreate a historical or real-world event of some kind. Developers of violent games may say its games are no worse than R-rated films or TV shows or they may pawn off responsibility on parents due to the ESRB ratings systems forbidding kids from under 17 from playing its games. Vince Desi, CEO of Running With Scissors, says that game developers who make games aspiring to be more than fun (portraying a deep story and mimicking movies) should be held morally accountable. Serious Ethics Whether a game profits or not has to do with its ethics. Many developers want to create new forms of games tackling deeper issues in a way only video games can explore. One company in particular, Kuma Reality Games, designs games based on real war scenarios, such as the capture of Saddam Hussein. Its games are episodic first-person shooters and rely on current events for backdrops. Kuma deals with ethical issues such as profiting from disaster and balancing news accuracy with fun gameplay. America's Army, a game developed by the U.S. Army, gives its game away for free to avoid profiting from misfortune. Furthermore, it restricts what players can do and claims to depict a realistic view of Army life so as not to glamorize it and mislead people. Ethics Designed for Players Many games, such as Fable and Heavy Rain carry moral weight. Fable is designed so players can choose to become good or evil. However, morality is hardly ever that black and white. While this type of game may teach players a thing about morality, it perhaps teaches more about how to manipulate the system to get the best possible utility for your character. Designers allowing free will within the game's context should be weary of the potential of abuse. For instance, Molyneux, the creator of Fable, took children out of his moral games to avoid players emulating villains and slaughtering children at school. Ethics and Utility In a poorly designed morality game, the values of the ethics are superseded by the benefits derived. Game designs, at their core, break down to numerical values, and players learn to give statistics precedence over the emotional, essentially gaming the game to give the player the best utility possible. This perspective takes the player from the guise of the character and focuses on stats. It's a world where morality and ethics are meaningless in the traditional sense and used to exploit the system for personal gain. Ethical Dissonance Other errors in game design ethics come from its reliance on a shame-based system that do not acknowledge ethical gray areas. If your character makes a mistake in a game, the game might penalize your character (literally shaming her with the public in the game), while you may realize your actions as your character were accidental and not feel guilty for it. In a game such as Red Dead Redemption, for instance, your character may be penalized for an accidental shooting of wildlife but celebrated for murdering criminals. This causes a dissonance between the player and the player's character, as the act of murdering within the game's context is rewarding for the character but a source of guilt for the player. About the Author Photo Credits • Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images Suggest an Article Correction
Want bigger stronger bones as you age? The answer is in the gut Home » Science & Technology » Want bigger stronger bones as you age? The answer is in the gut Much to the surprise of researchers scientists have found that the creation and destruction of bone in humans occurs with the release of chemical serotonin that is manufactured in the gut itself. The more serotonin your gut produces the more your bones grow weaker. The solution then as you age will be to create a simple drug that inhibits the production of serotonin in the gut itself. Bone growth is controlled in the gut through serotonin, the same naturally present chemical used by the brain to influence mood, appetite and sleep, according to a new discovery from researchers at Columbia University Medical Center. Until now, the skeleton was thought to control bone growth, and serotonin was primarily known as a neurotransmitter acting in the brain. This new insight could transform how osteoporosis is treated in the future by giving doctors a way to increase bone mass, not just slow its loss. Findings are reported in the Nov. 26, 2008 issue of Cell. Researchers have known that 95 percent of the body's serotonin is produced by a part of the gastrointestinal tract known as the duodenum, where it was presumed to be involved in digestion. The brain is where the remaining five percent of the body's serotonin is produced. The Columbia research group had originally set out to elucidate two rare human diseases affecting bone that are both caused by a mutation in a gene called Lrp5. To their surprise, Dr. Karsenty and his team found that Lrp5 regulates synthesis of serotonin in the gut, and that by turning on or turning off the production of this chemical within the gut, they could control bone formation. Specifically, they found that serotonin tells cells in the skeleton to slow production of new bone. By turning off the intestine's release of serotonin, the team was able to prevent osteoporosis in mice undergoing menopause. ... Quote: This proof-of-principle paper shows, to our amazement, that bone formation is regulated to a significant extent by the gut! Through our observations of two rare and severe forms of osteoporosis, one that causes drastic bone loss and one that causes extremely high bone mass, we were able to see clearly what happens with over-production or under-production of serotonin. Our hope is that this novel discovery will inform the development of new therapies for the millions of people with osteoporosis. said Dr. Karsenty. Reducing serotonin release from the small intestine should be relatively simple to achieve with a drug, according to Dr. Karsenty, because the cells that produce serotonin come into direct contact with drugs that pass through the gastrointestinal tract. An inhibitor of gut-derived serotonin synthesis would not need to enter the general circulation, thereby avoiding many potential side effects. More on the link http://www.sciencecodex.com... By netchicken: posted on 27-11-2008 Want bigger stronger bones as you age? The answer is in the gut \| [Login ] Powered by XMB Privacy Policy
More info about an animal species: click on a picture: Epilepsy is a condition that can affect any breed of dog. It’s is defined as a neurological disorder characterized by sudden, recurring attacks of muscular, sensory, or psychic malfunction with or without loss of consciousness or convulsive seizures.There is a higher incidence in pure breed dogs of any size than in mixed breed dogs, and is therefore likely to be inherited. What is Epilepsy is a functional abnormality in a neuron that causes an abnormal neurologic excitation that generalizes to the whole brain. It is similar to a lightning strike on a house that sends abnormal current through the normal electrical system. Types of Primary epilepsy: also known as idiopathic, genetic, inherited, or true epilepsy. There are no positive diagnostic findings that will substantiate the diagnosis. It is a case of ruling out every other possibility. The first seizure in a dog with primary epilepsy usually occurs between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. (Oliver, Seizures). However, a diagnosis of primary epilepsy is not proof of a genetic defect; only careful breeding studies could prove that. The breed, the age, and the history may suggest a genetic basis for primary epilepsy if there is a familial history of Secondary epilepsy refers to seizures for which a cause can be determined, and there are many. In dogs less than one year of age, the most commonly-found causes of seizures can be broken down into the following classes: degenerative (storage diseases); developmental (hydrocephalus); toxic (lead, arsenic, organophosphates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, strychnine, tetanus); infectious (distemper, encephalitis, and others); metabolic (such as transient hypoglycemia, enzyme deficiency, liver or kidney failure); nutritional (thiamine, parasitism); and traumatic (acute injury). In dogs 1-3 years of age, a genetic factor is most highly suspected. In dogs 4 years of age and older, seizures are commonly found in the metabolic (hypoglycemia, cardiovascular arrhythmia, hypocalcemia, cirrhosis) and neoplastic (brain tumor) classes. Seizures are also associated with hypothyroidism, which is a familial (inherited) autoimmune disease of purebred dogs. The main sign of epilepsy is seizures, which can be categorized in three ways. Intracranial causes of seizures have detectable defects, such as a tumor, inside the brain. Extracranial causes of seizures have metabolic or toxic changes that are outside the brain but affect the brain to cause a seizure. Seizures of unknown cause form the third category, called idiopathic epilepsy. Seizures in a dog less than one year of age are likely to be caused by congenital/genetic problems, infections, or toxins. A dog greater than six years old is likely to have tumors or infectious/inflammatory problems that are causing the seizures. Dogs between 1 and 5 years of age that are normal between seizure episodes are most likely to have idiopathic epilepsy. A seizure refers to the involuntary contraction of muscles. Seizures can result from abnormal electrical activity in the brain brought on by tumors, blood clots or scar tissue, or from chemical imbalances such as low blood sugar or nerve stimulating drugs. Tetanus toxin poisoning can stimulate muscles to contract resulting in a seizure. A seizure may involve all the skeletal muscles or be localized to spasms in a single bundle of muscles. Recognizing a seizure is important and often difficult. A seizure can be minor and show as only slight loss of muscle control (called a partial motor seizure), or it can be severe, with the dog paddling on the ground completely out of control (called a grand mal seizure). In general, a dog will lose bladder and bowel control during a seizure, will be unaware of its surroundings, and will appear abnormal after a seizure. Types of • A grand mal seizure refers to severe, widespread cramping of the body’s skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles in general are those that attach to bones and allow for body movement; there are special smooth muscles that don’t attach to bone that usually are unaffected during a seizure. These smooth muscles reside mainly in the intestinal tract, blood vessels and specialized organ tissues. The heart muscle is actually different from either skeletal muscle or smooth muscle. Grand mal seizures are rather shocking to see. • A petit mal seizure, see the short movie below, is a less severe form of seizure where the patient still has some voluntary control of movement and coordination but where certain muscle groups are “doing their own thing” and brain electrical activity is mildly disrupted. Staggering, momentary “staring into space” and other forms of incoordination may be visible to an observer. Convulsion usually refers to a grand mal seizure. Sometimes these terms are loosely applied to an epileptic episode. We might say a patient is having an “epileptic attack”, or “is having a seizure” or maybe even a “fit”. However we describe it, the occasion will be uncomfortable for the observer and the victim. Status epilepticus refers to a very dangerous situation where a rapid successions of grand mal seizures occur without periods of rest or muscle relaxation between epileptic episodes. Status epilepticus requires prompt medical intervention. Treatment for epilepsy does not cure dogs of the disease. Instead, the goal is to control the seizures. Left untreated, this disease and its signs will continue to The first line of treatment for epilepsy is a barbiturate, usually phenobarbital. This drug has anti-seizuring effects and can be used to treat dogs over the long term. The general goal of therapy is either to reduce the number of seizures by half or to double the time between seizures. This goal does depend somewhat on the individual case. In some cases Valium may be used when Phenobarbital cannot be utilized or when a combination of medications are Diazepam (Valium) is also used for treatment of status The second-line drug that is used in the treatment of epilepsy is potassium bromide. This drug does not have FDA approval and is available to treat seizures in dogs by special license only. Any dog receiving anti-epileptic medication should have periodic blood samples evaluated for blood chemistry balance. Since many medications are degraded and eliminated from the body via the liver, an assessment of liver function is a priority. Treatment Fails There are many reasons why medical treatments can fail. The biggest reason is the owner’s lack of proper administration of the prescribed drug. The progression of an underlying disease (such as brain tumor) may resist treatment. Also, gastrointestinal disorders can affect drug absorption, and tranquilizers may stimulate seizures. Drug interactions can occur and adversely affect the level of anticonvulsant drug in the dog’s system. And it just might be that a particular drug may not work for that animal. What to do during a seizure?  If you happen to witness a seizure, there is not much you can do at home to get it under control. Try to remove any objects from the immediate area that the dog may bump in to and injure itself. Do not try to open the dog’s mouth to pull the tongue out. Although it can happen, it is extremely rare for the dog to “swallow the tongue” and obstruct the airway. Plus the strength of the dog’s jaws will probably prohibit any attempts you make to open the mouth to inspect the area. It is important to note that an epileptic dog can live a normal life with proper treatment but usually will not live quite as long as a normal dog. If you would like further information, contact your veterinarian.
Open main menu Wikipedia β Blind Men Appraising an Elephant by Ohara Donshu, Edo Period (early 19th century), Brooklyn Museum Blind men and elephant The parable of the blind men and an elephant originated in ancient Indian subcontinent, from where it has widely diffused. It is a story of a group of blind men who have never come across an elephant before, learn and conceptualize what the elephant is like by touching it. Each blind man feels a different part of the elephant body, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then describe the elephant based on their partial experience and their descriptions are in complete disagreement on what an elephant is. In some versions they come to suspect that the other person is dishonest and they come to blows. The moral of the parable is that humans have a tendency to project their partial experiences as the whole truth, ignore other people's partial experiences, and one should consider that one may be partially right and may have partial information.[1][2] The earliest mentions of this premise occurs in the Rigveda,[3] and a complete version of the story is traceable to the Buddhist text Udana 6.4, dated to about mid 1st millennium BCE. According to John Ireland, the parable is likely older than the Buddhist text.[4] An alternate version of the parable describes normal men, experiencing a large statue on a dark night, or with blindfold masking their eyes experiencing a large object by feeling it. They then describe what it is they experienced. In its various versions, it is a parable that has crossed between many religious traditions and is part of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain texts of 1st millennium CE or before.[3][4] The story also appears in 2nd millennium Sufi and Bahá’í lore. The tale later became well known in Europe, with 19th century American poet John Godfrey Saxe creating his own version as a poem.[5] The story has been published in many books for adults and children, and interpreted in a variety of ways. The parableEdit The earliest versions of the parable of blind men and elephant is found in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain texts, as they discuss the limits of perception and the importance of complete context. The parable has several Indian variations, but broadly goes as follows:[6][7] The blind men and the elephant (wall relief in Northeast Thailand) In some versions, the blind men then discover their disagreements, suspect the others to be not telling the truth and come to blows. The stories also differ primarily in how the elephant's body parts are described, how violent the conflict becomes and how (or if) the conflict among the men and their perspectives is resolved. In some versions, they stop talking, start listening and collaborate to "see" the full elephant. In another, a sighted man enters the parable and describes the entire elephant from various perspectives, the blind men then learn that they were all partially correct and partially wrong. While one's subjective experience is true, it may not be the totality of truth.[4][6] The Rigveda, dated to have been composed between 1500 to 1200 BCE, states "Reality is one, though wise men speak of it variously." According to Paul J. Griffiths, this premise is the foundation of universalist perspective behind the parable of the blind men and an elephant. The hymn asserts that the same Reality is subject to interpretations and described in various ways by the wise.[3] In the oldest version, four blind men walk into a forest where they meet an elephant. In this version, they do not fight with each other, but conclude that they each must have perceived a different beast although they experienced the same elephant.[3] The expanded version of the parable occurs in various ancient and Hindu texts. Many scholars refer to it as a Hindu parable.[6][7][8] The parable or references appear in bhasya (commentaries, secondary literature) in the Hindu traditions. For example, Adi Shankara mentions it in his bhasya on verse 5.18.1 of the Chandogya Upanishad as follows: etaddhasti darshana iva jatyandhah Translation: That is like people blind by birth in/when viewing an elephant. — Adi Shankara, Translator: Hans Henrich Hock[9] Seven blind men and an elephant parable at a Jain temple The medieval era Jain texts explain the concepts of anekāntavāda and syādvāda with the parable of the blind men and an elephant (Andhgajanyāyah), which addresses the manifold nature of truth. For example, this parable are found in Tattvarthaslokavatika of Vidyanandi (9th century) and Syādvādamanjari of Ācārya Mallisena (13th century). Mallisena uses the parable to argue that immature people deny various aspects of truth; deluded by the aspects they do understand, they deny the aspects they don't understand. "Due to extreme delusion produced on account of a partial viewpoint, the immature deny one aspect and try to establish another. This is the maxim of the blind (men) and the elephant."[10] Mallisena also cites the parable when noting the importance of considering all viewpoints in obtaining a full picture of reality. "It is impossible to properly understand an entity consisting of infinite properties without the method of modal description consisting of all viewpoints, since it will otherwise lead to a situation of seizing mere sprouts (i.e., a superficial, inadequate cognition), on the maxim of the blind (men) and the elephant."[11] The Buddha twice uses the simile of blind men led astray. The earliest known version occurs in the text Udana 6.4.[4][12] In the Canki Sutta he describes a row of blind men holding on to each other as an example of those who follow an old text that has passed down from generation to generation.[13] In the Udana (68–69)[14] he uses the elephant parable to describe sectarian quarrels. A king has the blind men of the capital brought to the palace, where an elephant is brought in and they are asked to describe it. O how they cling and wrangle, some who claim For preacher and monk the honored name! For, quarreling, each to his view they cling. Such folk see only one side of a thing.[15] Sufi MuslimEdit Blind men and the elephant. The Persian Sufi poet Sanai of Ghazni (currently, Afghanistan) presented this teaching story in his The Walled Garden of Truth.[16] Rumi, the 13th Century Persian poet and teacher of Sufism, included it in his Masnavi. In his retelling, "The Elephant in the Dark", some Hindus bring an elephant to be exhibited in a dark room. A number of men touch and feel the elephant in the dark and, depending upon where they touch it, they believe the elephant to be like a water spout (trunk), a fan (ear), a pillar (leg) and a throne (back). Rumi uses this story as an example of the limits of individual perception: The sensual eye is just like the palm of the hand. The palm has not the means of covering the whole of the beast.[17] Rumi does not present a resolution to the conflict in his version, but states: The eye of the Sea is one thing and the foam another. Let the foam go, and gaze with the eye of the Sea. Day and night foam-flecks are flung from the sea: oh amazing! You behold the foam but not the Sea. We are like boats dashing together; our eyes are darkened, yet we are in clear water.[17] Rumi ends his poem by stating "If each had a candle and they went in together the differences would disappear." [18] John Godfrey SaxeEdit One of the most famous versions of the 19th century was the poem "The Blind Men and the Elephant" by John Godfrey Saxe (1816–1887). And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right And all were in the wrong! The poem begins: It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind[19] Each in his own opinion concludes that the elephant is like a wall, snake, spear, tree, fan or rope, depending upon where they had touched. Their heated debate comes short of physical violence, but the conflict is never resolved. So oft in theologic wars, The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen! Natalie Merchant sang this poem in full on her Leave Your Sleep album (Disc 1, track 13). Modern treatmentsEdit The story is seen as a metaphor in many disciplines, being pressed into service as an analogy in fields well beyond the traditional. In physics, it has been seen as an analogy for the wave–particle duality.[20] In biology, the way the blind men hold onto different parts of the elephant has been seen as a good analogy for the Polyclonal B cell response.[21] "Blind men and elephant", from Martha Adelaide Holton & Charles Madison Curry, Holton-Curry readers, 1914. Shah adapted the tale in his book The Dermis Probe. This version begins with a conference of scientists, from different fields of expertise, presenting their conflicting conclusions on the material upon which a camera is focused. As the camera slowly zooms out it gradually becomes clear that the material under examination is the hide of an African elephant. The words 'The Parts Are Greater Than The Whole' then appear on the screen. This retelling formed the script for a short four-minute film by the animator Richard Williams. The film was chosen as an Outstanding Film of the Year and was exhibited at the London and New York film festivals.[23] The story enjoys a continuing appeal, as shown by the number of illustrated children's books of the fable; there is one for instance by Paul Galdone and another, Seven Blind Mice, by Ed Young (1992). In the title cartoon of one of his books, cartoonist Sam Gross postulated that one of the blind men, encountering a pile of the elephant's fewmets, concluded that "An elephant is soft and mushy." An elephant joke inverts the story in the following way: See alsoEdit 1. ^ E. Bruce Goldstein (2010). Encyclopedia of Perception. SAGE Publications. p. 492. ISBN 978-1-4129-4081-8. , Quote: The ancient Hindu parable of the six blind men and the elephant...." 2. ^ C.R. Snyder; Carol E. Ford (2013). Coping with Negative Life Events: Clinical and Social Psychological Perspectives. Springer Science. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-4757-9865-4. 3. ^ a b c d Paul J. Griffiths (2007). An Apology for Apologetics: A Study in the Logic of Interreligious Dialogue. Wipf and Stock. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-1-55635-731-2. 4. ^ a b c d John D. Ireland (2007). Udana and the Itivuttaka: Two Classics from the Pali Canon. Buddhist Publication Society. pp. 9, 81–84. ISBN 978-955-24-0164-0. 5. ^ Martin Gardner (1 September 1995). Famous Poems from Bygone Days. Courier Dover Publications. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-486-28623-5. Retrieved 2012-08-25. 6. ^ a b c E. Bruce Goldstein (2010). Encyclopedia of Perception. SAGE Publications. p. 492. ISBN 978-1-4129-4081-8. 8. ^ [a] Chad Meister (2016). Philosophy of Religion. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-1-137-31475-8. ; [b] Jeremy P. Shapiro; Robert D. Friedberg; Karen K. Bardenstein (2006). Child and Adolescent Therapy: Science and Art. Wiley. pp. 269, 314. ISBN 978-0-471-38637-7. ; [c] Peter B. Clarke; Peter Beyer (2009). The World's Religions: Continuities and Transformations. Taylor & Francis. pp. 470–471. ISBN 978-1-135-21100-4. 9. ^ Hans H Hock (2005). Edwin Francis Bryant and Laurie L. Patton, ed. The Indo-Aryan Controversy: Evidence and Inference in Indian History. Routledge. p. 282. ISBN 978-0-7007-1463-6. 10. ^ Mallisena, Syādvādamanjari, 14:103–104. Dhruva, A.B. (1933) pp. 9–10. 11. ^ Mallisena, Syādvādamanjari, 19:75–77. Dhruva, A.B. (1933) pp. 23–25. 12. ^ Gomez, Luis O. (1976). "Proto-Madhyamika in the Pali Canon". Philosophy East and West. Univ of Hawaii Press. 26 (2): 164 note 73; 137-165. doi:10.2307/1398186. 13. ^ Archived [Date error] (5), at the Wayback Machine. 14. ^ 15. ^ Wang, Randy. "The Blind Men and the Elephant". Retrieved 2006-08-29. 16. ^ Included in Idries Shah, Tales of the Dervishes ISBN 0-900860-47-2 Octagon Press 1993. 17. ^ a b Arberry, A.J. (2004-05-09). "71 – The Elephant in the dark, on the reconciliation of contrarieties". Rumi – Tales from Masnavi. Retrieved 2006-08-29. 18. ^ For an adaptation of Rumi's poem, see this song version by David Wilcox here Archived October 9, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.. 19. ^ Saxe, John Godfrey. " The Blind Men and the Elephant". The poems of John Godfrey Saxe. Wikisource. [scan] 20. ^ For example, Quantum theory by David Bohm, p. 26. Retrieved 2010-03-03. 21. ^ See for instance The lymph node in HIV pathogenesis by Michael M. Lederman and Leonid Margolis, Seminars in Immunology, Volume 20, Issue 3, June 2008, pp. 187–195. 23. ^ Octagon Press page for The Dermis Probe Archived July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine., with preview of story External linksEdit
Newly Released Study Analyzes Perceptions of Plant-Based Diets Newly Released Study Analyzes Perceptions of Plant-Based Diets Written by Tyler Puckett Researchers from the University of Guelph's Department of Population Medicine have recently compiled research and findings about the general attitudes and perceptions towards plant-based lifestyles. In an effort to encourage future health promotion initiatives, the paper defines various terms, analyzes research from outside sources, and reports on common barriers to entry that those seeking a plant-based lifestyle often confront. In order to present a complete and accurate picture, over 1800 database records were screened while looking for appropriate research. Citations include sources such as The American Dietetic Association, Health Canada, The Heart and Stroke Foundation, and The American Cancer Society. Findings show that perceptions of plant-based diets are generally favorable, noting that "knowledge, in the form of scientific information and facts, was what drove positive attitudes." The paper also reiterates the health, ethical, well-being, and environmental benefits to pursuing plant-based living. However, the conclusion remarks that "it would be more beneficial to focus on eliminating or decreasing the barriers" to consuming a plant-based diet, rather than constantly fixating on the potential benefits. Through consistent innovation to knock down these barriers, more individuals are choosing to live healthy, compassionate, and environmentally-friendly lifestyles every day. Click here to view the paper, hosted through ScienceDirect.
Learn French With Random Sentences, Part II From “The Passer-Through-Walls,” a 1943 short story by Marcel Aymé: “Au cours de cette seule journée, la tête redoutée apparut vingt-trois fois sur le mur et, les jours suivants, à la même cadence.” Translation: “In the course of that one day, the dreaded head appeared twenty-three times on the wall, and, on the following days, with the same frequency.”* Now that’s a sentence, I say. Once you see the translation, it’s easy to go back and see how closely the French sentence mirrors its English counterpart in syntax, structure, and vocabulary. It’s very important, when learning, to choose sentences with similar structures, so that your eyes and ears can “follow” the translation. If you can’t see the logic of how to get from the French to the English and vice-versa, you won’t begin to internalize the logic of the target language. As you get better, and your knowledge of the language becomes more intuitive, you can move on to more complex and less obvious sentences. *Example taken from French Stories, edited and translated by Wallace Fowlie, Bantam Books, 1960, pp. 254-255. What do you think? WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Blue Flower FCE Listening Test 2 Part 4 Part 4 You will hear an interview with Patrick Shaw, who works as a pilot for a company that organises hot-air balloon trips. For questions 24-30, choose the best answer (A, B or C). 24 According to Patrick, what worries people most when they take a balloon trip? A how far the wind will take them B whether they will hit some obstacle C what the experience of landing will be like 25 Why does Patrick recommend joining the ground crew? A It's the best way of learning about balloons. B It provides some experience of flying a balloon. C It can be a fun way of earning extra income. 26 What makes the job of the ground crew particularly difficult? A poor communication with the pilot B unpredictable weather conditions C the nervousness of the passengers 27 Patrick says that all members of the ground crew must A be physically strong. B have good social skills. C know their area well. 28 Patrick finds it unsatisfactory when new crew members A fail to cooperate with each other. B distract him with unnecessary questions. C don't accept the way things should be done. 29 What does Patrick say about balloon competitions? A It is often difficult to determine who has won. B The finishing target area is often unmarked. C Some competitors are requesting clearer rules. 30 Patrick thinks his particular skills as a pilot result from A the way in which he was trained. B the fact that he's adventurous by nature. C the amount of experience he has. 24. C 25. A 26. B 27. B 28. C 29. A 30. C Interviewer: In the studio today is Patrick Shaw, who is a hot-air balloon pilot. Patrick, would you say ballooning is a safe sport? Patrick Shaw: Hi. Yes, a balloon's a very simple thing: when the air inside is heated, the balloon rises, and to descend, the pilot allows the air to cool. The pilot has complete control of the up-and-down movements. He may not know exactly where the balloon will land, but that doesn't mean he can't control the landing, which is what people are most anxious about. The fabric of the balloon is tough - if a bird were to fly into it, it would almost certainly bounce off. Interviewer: What's the best way to start? Patrick Shaw: Well, I started as a member of what's called 'ground crew'. That means the people who help with all aspects of the flight, from take-off to landing. It's a job which keeps you on the ground, but it does allow you to see at first hand what balloon flight is all about. That's why you do it, and for the fun - don't expect any money in return for your efforts until you become a pilot though. They're the only ones who make a living out of it. Interviewer: So how difficult is it to become a member of the ground crew? Patrick Shaw: The job of the ground crew is to assist the pilot. This includes setting up the balloon, and even talking to the occasional nervous passenger, then taking the chase vehicle and following the balloon. When the pilot has located a field for landing, the crew will be informed by radio. The crew must be there before the balloon lands, but every single flight is different in that any change in the wind will mean the crew must adapt to it; this is the main problem since not even the pilot can predict things exactly. Interviewer: So not anyone can be ground crew? Patrick Shaw: I'd say that the main skill of ground crew has little to do with the technical aspects of ballooning and more to do with dealing with the public. When the balloon is landing, the crew has to ask the landowner for permission to retrieve the balloon, avoiding any conflict and ensuring we're not disturbing or damaging property. And yes, some tasks do require a little bit of strength, but don't worry, the majority don't. Interviewer: As a pilot, how do you get on with the ground crew? Patrick Shaw: Pilots must get on with them. I've never treated any of the crew's questions as if they were silly, not even when I've been asked the same question by the same person over and over again. A new crew member has to understand that every task the crew performs is performed in a certain manner for a reason. When I see somebody ignoring an instruction because they can't see the point of it, that makes me very cross. Interviewer: Do you take part in balloon competitions? Patrick Shaw: Oh, yes, they're fun. Balloons don't race in the normal sense of the word. The objective is to get as close as you can to the target, rather than being the first to finish. And it's tough because unlike most other forms of flying, pilots do not have full control over the direction of flight. Competition pilots, though, have become so skilled in using the wind to their advantage that the difference between first place and third or fourth can be just a few centimetres, which leads to some heated arguments Interviewer: What makes you such a good pilot, Patrick? Patrick Shaw: All balloon pilots need a licence to fly. They must have at least thirty-five hours of flight instruction, get basic aviation training and pass a written test. But it's the hours of flying after that that gives you total confidence in your skills. You do things that you wouldn't have dared do when you started out. Like gently brushing the bottom of the basket across the top of a bush or tree so that the occupants can pick up a leaf as a souvenir of the flight. Interviewer: Wow, sounds great! Patrick, thank you.
Sunday, 7 December 2014 Were Richard III's parents second cousins as expected? Isabella of Castille: Unfaithful wife of Edmund, Duke of York? As I wrote previously, the investigation of Richard III's skeleton revealed that he does not share the same Y-DNA as his putative paternal-line relative Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort and there are 18 possible birth events where non-paternity may have occurred. There are four possible breaks between Edward III and Richard's own birth. One of the more probable false paternity events would be the birth of his grandfather, Richard of Conisburgh. Another is the birth of John of Gaunt. Provided the researchers were able to extract sufficient autosomal DNA, there is a simple, free, test which may reveal that there is a false paternity within these five steps of the broken line (John of Gaunt-Edward III-Edmund of York-Richard of Conisburgh-Richard Plantagenet-Richard III). has a tool which can take autosomal DNA testing results and compare one side of a chromosome pair against the other, looking for similarities in regions which are expected to vary. It can then estimate which percentage of the DNA on each side is likely to have come from a common ancestor and how many generations back (basically based on amounts shared). Everyone gets one side of each chromosome pair from their father and one from their mother and if the parents are not related, there will be the expected variety and little similarity. The test evaluates how related an individual's parents are without having to test anyone but the individual. According to the genealogy, Richard's parents are supposed to be, at their closest relationship, 2nd cousins (generations to most recent common ancestor would be about 4). His maternal grandmother's father should be the brother of his paternal grandfather's father. These brothers are John of Gaunt and Edmund of York and both paternity events are key interconnected steps on the broken line. Additionally, Richard's father is supposed to be the 2nd cousin twice removed of his mother as his father's mother, Ann Mortimer, was also descended from Edward III, as the granddaughter of one of his granddaughters. Finally, his parents should have an additional more distant cousinship from common ancestry that is not related to Edward III. Therefore, five steps in the paternity line happen to be uniquely tied to this supposed 2nd cousin relationship. Running Richard III's autosomal DNA results through the parental consanguinity calculator should indicate his parents have a common ancestor about 4 generations back. If the result is that the ancestor is farther back than 4 generations (or that his parents are unrelated), there is a break in the paternity line in the five steps between John of Gaunt and Richard III. The key question is, have the researchers recovered enough autosomal DNA? No comments: Post a Comment
I. ‘Doomsday’ Peering beyond scientific reticence. It is, I promise, worse than you think. If your anxiety about global warming is dominated by fears of sea-level rise, you are barely scratching the surface of what terrors are possible, even within the lifetime of a teenager today. And yet the swelling seas — and the cities they will drown — have so dominated the picture of global warming, and so overwhelmed our capacity for climate panic, that they have occluded our perception of other threats, many much closer at hand. Rising oceans are bad, in fact very bad; but fleeing the coastline will not be enough. Indeed, absent a significant adjustment to how billions of humans conduct their lives, parts of the Earth will likely become close to uninhabitable, and other parts horrifically inhospitable, as soon as the end of this century. Even when we train our eyes on climate change, we are unable to comprehend its scope. This past winter, a string of days 60 and 70 degrees warmer than normal baked the North Pole, melting the permafrost that encased Norway’s Svalbard seed vault — a global food bank nicknamed “Doomsday,” designed to ensure that our agriculture survives any catastrophe, and which appeared to have been flooded by climate change less than ten years after being built. The Doomsday vault is fine, for now: The structure has been secured and the seeds are safe. But treating the episode as a parable of impending flooding missed the more important news. Until recently, permafrost was not a major concern of climate scientists, because, as the name suggests, it was soil that stayed permanently frozen. But Arctic permafrost contains 1.8 trillion tons of carbon, more than twice as much as is currently suspended in the Earth’s atmosphere. When it thaws and is released, that carbon may evaporate as methane, which is 34 times as powerful a greenhouse-gas warming blanket as carbon dioxide when judged on the timescale of a century; when judged on the timescale of two decades, it is 86 times as powerful. In other words, we have, trapped in Arctic permafrost, twice as much carbon as is currently wrecking the atmosphere of the planet, all of it scheduled to be released at a date that keeps getting moved up, partially in the form of a gas that multiplies its warming power 86 times over. Maybe you know that already — there are alarming stories every day, like last month’s satellite data showing the globe warming, since 1998, more than twice as fast as scientists had thought. Or the news from Antarctica this past May, when a crack in an ice shelf grew 11 miles in six days, then kept going; the break now has just three miles to go — by the time you read this, it may already have met the open water, where it will drop into the sea one of the biggest icebergs ever, a process known poetically as “calving.” But no matter how well-informed you are, you are surely not alarmed enough. Continue reading The Uninhabitable Earth
Previous Lecture Complete and continue 1.2 + LESSON: What has a Spirit? 1.2 What has a Spirit? Well, you can start by asking yourself if there’s a word for it. If a thing has a word, it has an identity, and thus, it is a spirit. So think of some words: Ren, Hand, Car, Tree, Moon…Music, Rage, Freedom. Living things: Ivy, Horses, Jellyfish. Otherworldly things: the Ancestors, Faeries, Angels. Even if you don’t currently believe in those otherworldly sorts of things, you know the word “Angel”, don’t you? You’ve heard it before? Then, Angel exists as a spirit. It’s more a matter of what kind of spirit it is, not whether it is a spirit. Some folks say angels are spirits with wings and trumpets and much brimstone that live in the high, holy Other. Some folks say angels are an idea that mankind invented to explain certain phenomena. Using the definition of Spirit as Identity, then note that even if you believe something is just an idea of man--ideas are spirits. You can interact with an idea, converse with an idea. Are ideas not powerful? Do they not shape the world? Do they not live and die? I find that folks often hold to their beliefs or skepticism when there is some truth in it. The illusion is that just because one thing is true, that another thing can't also be true. More often, in matters like Angels, it’s a dash of column A and a pinch of column B. (Cause columns are like spices?) Angels are spirits that are so high and Wholly Other, that mankind had to invent an idea of wings and trumpets and brimstone as an interface to interact with and explain their powerful encounters. So, if mankind can invent an idea... Is that like a spirit giving birth to another spirit? Spirits give birth to other spirits! If I get married, my marriage becomes a spirit. If I have a child, that child is definitely a spirit. If I write a book about my family, that book is a spirit. There are spirits emerging from spirits, and there are the spirits from which we emerged. There is the spirit of Ren, the spirit of Ren’s father, the spirit of Ren’s family tree, the spirit of humanity. Can you identify it? Could you call Ren out of the stream of all Humanity as a unique person? Could you call Humanity out of the stream of all Earth-life as a unique species? If you can tease a part out of the whole, that part is a spirit. My liver is part of me. And my spleen and my heart. Each is both part of me and yet unique from each other. My heart is a spirit. But how do I know my heart exists? It is not on the surface--I cannot see it! So it is with spiritwork, that we seek to become those who can see and feel and listen through, who can see the heart under the ribs, the tears behind the eyes, the spirits inside of spirits. So next we ask: How are we able to perceive Spirit?
Friday, November 13, 2015 So What Exactly Are Teeth Made Of? We take our teeth for granted, really. It's just something we're born to have and other than the occasional maintenance or a throbbing toothache, we don't really think about what's in a tooth! In case you ever wondered, here it is! Our teeth are meant to be permanent structures. They are made up of four things; 1. Enamel - This is the hard white outer coating of your tooth. 2. Dentine - This is just inside the enamel. It's a yellow bone (connected to your jaw bone) that has nerves inside it. 3. Pupil - At the center of your tooth, the pulp contains important blood vessels and nerves. 4. Cementum - This is what covers the root of your tooth (the part of the tooth that is below the skin), and a periodontal ligament attaches the cementum to the jawbone. Did you know the enamel in your teeth is the hardest stuff in your body? Even more so than your bones. And when you get a cavity it is actually a hole in the enamel that leaves the dentin exposed. The pupil is the main message center to the brain. This is what tells your tooth to ache when the cavity gets too deep! Now you know! Keep smiling! No comments:
Information System Security Information systems security involves protecting a company or organization’s data assets. Programs in this career field are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels and can lead to a variety of job options. It also refers to: • Access controls, which prevent unauthorized personnel from entering or accessing a system. • Protecting information no matter where that information is, i.e. in transit (such as in an email) or in a storage area. • The detection and remediation of security breaches, as well as documenting those events. The term is often used in the context of the U.S. Navy, who defines INFOSEC as: Where COMPUSEC is computer systems security, COMSEC is communications security, and TEMPEST is compromising emanations. Internet security is a catch-all term for a very broad issue covering security for transactions made over the Internet. Generally, Internet security encompasses browser security, the security of data entered through a Web form, and overall authentication and protection of data sent via Internet Protocol. Malware and Anti-Malware • Malware, meaning malicious software, includes viruses, worms and Trojans. Although “virus” is used colloquially to refer to various malware types, its meaning is quite specific. A virus is a program that replicates itself throughout a system; it can spread to other computers, but needs user involvement since it requires a host file to spread: an individual must download the virus from the Internet or connect infected storage media, such as a USB drive, to his computer. A worm replicates itself and spreads more actively. A Trojan (from Trojan horse) can appear useful, but is actually dangerous. Trojans can steal data such as passwords or financial details or allow “back-door” access into computers. Networks of compromised computer systems, called botnets, are used to send spam or disseminate further malware. Install and use anti-malware applications to protect your computer. • Think of a firewall as a filter consisting of a device or array of devices that allow or deny access to a network. Firewalls, which can be hardware or software devices, prevent sensitive information from being uncovered and stolen from networks and also prevent dangerous information — such as malicious code — from being planted on networks. Firewalls apply a specific set of rules to all information coming in or going out of networks to determine whether it’s dangerous or benign. Browser Choice • Browsers can have security flaws, which allow hackers and cyber-criminals to attack computers and networks. You must choose a secure browser and keep it updated with new security patches the developer releases. One example of a dangerously insecure browser is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6 (IE6). Still in widespread use, IE6 has so many security flaws that even Microsoft wants to stop people from using it. Email Security • Electronic mail (email) offers many potential vulnerabilities. It’s often used to send sensitive information, which then becomes vulnerable to theft, and is also used to distribute malware. A solid email security strategy includes both anti-malware applications and good practice by users, such as not sending sensitive information via unsecured email and not opening suspicious messages. Denial-of-Service Attack • Denial of service (DoS) attacks are performed against computer resources such as websites. The aim of a DoS attack is to make a resource unavailable to users. One example is when a website is so overwhelmed by repeated communications requests that it cannot keep up with the demand. When multiple systems are involved, it becomes a distributed denial of service attack (DDoS). Methods for protecting against such attacks include firewalls and systems such as “clean pipes,” in which website traffic is routed through a proxy server that drops bad traffic, allowing only genuine requests. Social Engineering • The strongest firewall and best anti-malware suite won’t protect your system if you give away sensitive information such as passwords or security questions. Social engineering uses tricks to make you hand over information to criminals. An example is phishing, in which an email appears to come from a reputable organization such as a bank, tricking the recipient into entering their personal details. The phisher can then collect and use them to log in to the victim’s account. If you want excellent Internet security, it’s important to remain aware of social engineering. E–business Risk Management Issues Every Business faces the same 5 Key Risks 1. Development Risk Can the original product or service idea actually be created? 1. Manufacturing Risk If the product can be developed, can it actually be produced in appropriate volume? 1. Marketing Risk If the product can be made, can it be sold effectively? 1. Financial Risk If the product can be sold effectively, will the resulting company be profitable and can the profits actually be realized in a form that allows investors to receive cash 1. Growth Risk levels of risk can be distinguished: Technical risk – includes viruses, worms,trojans, backdoors, and other malware as well as hacker attacks plus risks due to hard-ware attacks.• Individual risk – besides security, indi-viduals greatly value their privacy, which is jeopardized by attacks such as phishing. Other individual risks result from fraud in e-commerce, missing or wrong information, or data manipulation. Business risk – for businesses, sales and reputation losses are major risks. Companies may never regain their full financial capacity after a computer downtime of several days, and even a company’s existence can be threatened as a result of technical incidents. Societal risks – loss of privacy (“transpar-ent user”), cyber-terrorism, and information warfare are key terms that outline the dangers on the societal level.They are interrelated and their occurrence is recursive.
Native Americans And Aztecs Essay Research Paper СОДЕРЖАНИЕ: Native Americans And Aztecs Essay, Research Paper Two of the biggest and greatest civilization in the Americas were the Aztecs and Incas. These two civilization were both said to be Native Americans And Aztecs Essay, Research Paper Two of the biggest and greatest civilization in the Americas were conquered by the Spanish, but it wasn?t just the Spanish who conquered them. These two civilizations both fell from a combination of a weak government, lack of technology, new disease introduced by the invaders, and not being prepared for the For many centuries the Aztec civilization revolved around a ideological, social, and political system in which expansion was the cornerstone. Expansion was the cornerstone of their whole civilization, because their religion requested that a large number of human sacrifices where to be made to the gods. To get the sacrifices the Aztec went to war with other tribes in Mexico to get these human sacrifices (Conrad & Demmest 47-49) . With each conquest more sacrifices and more land was added to the Aztec kingdom. The Aztec were a strong civilization who were familiar with organized large scale war, had specialized war chiefs, and a well organized system of territorial levy in which large armies could be amassed in a short time (Age of Reconnaissance 124-125). They may have been well organized for war, but they were not prepared for internal changes in there civilization. When expansion was no longer an option there system crumbled. Without expansion they could no longer give human sacrifices in the same amount in which they use too. Upon the arrival of the Spanish the Aztec government was falling apart, and “Moctezuma II programs of internal military consolidation and administrative and social stabilization had failed” (Conrad & Demmest). When the Aztec?s first met the Spanish they were amazed by them. The Spanish used the Aztec?s own legends to take advantage of them and gain the upper hand. Other disadvantages that the Aztecs had was the need to take prisoner to sacrifice, they were not untied with other tribes (Spanish were able to unite with other tribes to help fight the Aztecs), had primitive weapons, and couldn?t stay on the battle field for long, because they ran out of supplies quickly (Age of Reconnaissance 167). The Spaniards didn?t destroy the Aztec civilization all by their self another factor which helped the Spanish were the disease that they brought over to the Americas from Europe and Africa. The introduction of diseases like syphilis, measles, smallpox, malaria, mumps and yellow fever are just some sickness that plagued the Budhu 2 Aztecs. Also the introduction of different species of animals and plants caused a ecological imbalance (Plagues and Peoples 176-199). All these are some reasons to why the Aztec civilization was destroyed. With the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico rumors started to reach the ears of Spaniards about a great civilization to the south. This civilization was the Inca. The Inca civilization was inland so it made it harder on the Spanish to reach them. Unlike the Aztecs the Inca empire was held together by a tight social discipline based on commercial land holding and a system of forced labor. Discipline was enjoined by an elaborate cult of ruler-worship and enforced by a military organization which maintained fortresses and stores at strategic points (Age of Reconnaissance 170-171). The Incas government was more organized then the Aztecs. One of their strengths soon became a great weakness. The system that was set up to chose a emperor. The system tried to keep the purity of the royal families bloodline by incestuous marriage. The emperor would have to marry one of his full sisters and have a child who would then become the emperor upon his fathers death. It was also set up to prevent civil war in the kingdom (Inca Decline 134). Huascar became emperor just as the Inca empire?s problems became critical. The government need reforms, and Huascar believed that the royal mummies were the center of all the problems. Huascar decided that the royal mummies had to be removed, because they stood in the way of his reforms and wealth. This decision became a political disaster. His assault against the royal mummies caused the high nobility of the empire to turn against him. In 1529 a civil war broke out between the crowned emperor Huascar and his half brother Atauhualpa. This civil war lasted for about 3 years ending in 1532 with Atauhualpa emerging as the victor. Unfortunately his reign as emperor was cut short by Francisco Pizarro and his men who fought and kill Atauhualpa and his men when they were heading back to Cuzco (Inca Decline The Spanish invaders of the America?s came for wealth, settlement, and to spread their faith. The story?s of the wealth that could be found in the America?s lured many men looking to get rich quick. The governments of the European countries saw the Americas as two things a place to make money and a way to extend their boarders. The Catholic church came to the America?s, because they wanted to convert these “savages and give them salvation”. These are some of the reason to why Europeans ventured in this great unknown called the Americas. When the Spaniards first arrived in Latin America they were not well Budhu 3 organized armies. Most of the men were groups of adventures, arming them self, or hooking up with a leader who would provide them with weapons. While they may not have had the most well trained men they did have unity and leadership to guide them. The Spaniards had the upper hand over the Incas and Aztecs in both technology and unity. The Spanish had gunpowder, but couldn?t use it frequently because most of it was heavy artillery. They did have a few muskets, and steal weapons. The Incas and the Aztecs were still using “Stone age” technology. They depended on weapons made of stone and wood and leather armor. The invaders had steal swords and armor (Age of Reconnaissance). These advantages along with the internal problems of the Aztecs and the Incas made it very easy for the Spaniards to conquer them. Two of the greatest civilization to ever live in the Americas were destroyed in a few years. The Spanish are credited for the destruction of these two civilization, but did they really destroy them. By looking back on all the problems that these two civilization had on the eve of the arrival of the Spanish one would say that they destroyed them self and the Spanish was just there to do a little work and claim the credit for the destruction of the Aztecs and Incas. ДОБАВИТЬ КОММЕНТАРИЙ [можно без регистрации] перед публикацией все комментарии рассматриваются модератором сайта - спам опубликован не будет Ваше имя: Copyright © 2015-2017. All rigths reserved.
Monday, June 25, 2007 Organic Light Emitting Diode What is an OLED? An Organic Light Emitting Diode is an organic molecule (carbon, as opposed to silicon-based) that emits light when teased with electricity. This simple concept requires one to find the right molecule to get the right colour, and you are all set for dazzling displays. Displays made with OLEDs save both on thickness and power. Who invented OLEDs? Kodak researcher Ching Tang, a Hong Kong-born chemist working in Rochester, New York, noticed a blue glow emanating from one of the organic solar cells he was working on. How did he develop OLEDs? Tang investigated the above phenomenon and published a paper on the results in 1987, concluding that organic materials were efficient converters of electricity, were great to show moving images and needed a low voltage to glow. Why do we need OLED displays? OLEDs are thin. They can be sprayed or printed on to very thin substrates; they neither need high-voltages to be driven nor additional power to backlight them. They also have a higher contrast and look equally bright from all angles. Where can I find OLED displays? Right now, as screens on small devices. Typically, an external screen of a cell phone is likely to be OLED-based, if at all. When can I find OLED displays everywhere? 2005 is going to be the magical year for OLEDs. Expect them to proliferate from small devices such as cameras, cell phones to laptops and monitors, etc. No comments:
Plitvice National Park From Wikitravel Jump to: navigation, search Plitvice National Park in Croatia is considered to be one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe. Due to its natural beauty and significance, this system of 16 interlinked lakes and a large forest complex around it were set aside as a national park in 1949. In 1979 the park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Turquoise-colored lakes Plitvice Lakes and walkways Humans have inhabited the Plitvice Lakes area for thousands of years. It has been settled in turn by Illyrians, Thracians, Celts, Japods, Romans, Avars, Slavs and Turks. In 1528 the area fell to the Ottomans before being retaken by the Austrian Empire 150 years later. The Austrians subsequently incorporated it into their Military Frontier and, in addition to the native Croats who already inhabited the region, Serbs who had fled Ottoman repression settled there.[citation needed] The Plitvice Lakes became a major tourist attraction in the late 19th century. The first hotel was built there in 1896, and as early as 1893 it already had a conservation committee - the predecessor of today's national park authority. In 1949 the communist government of Yugoslavia nationalized the lakes and made them a national park. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 in recognition of its "outstanding natural beauty, and the undisturbed production of travertine (tuff) through chemical and biological action" [1]. The park soon became one of Yugoslavia's most popular tourist attractions. However, in March 1991 it became the scene of the Plitvice Lakes incident - the first armed confrontation of the Croatian War of Independence that resulted in fatalities. The park was held by forces of the Republic of Serbian Krajina during the conflict and suffered some damage in the process, with hotels and other facilities being used as barracks. At auto-camp Grabovac there was massacre of civilians (three children) by the Yugoslav Army in September of 1991[1]. It was retaken by the Croatian Army in August 1995 during Operation Storm, which ended the Croatian war. The war led UNESCO to add the park to its List of World Heritage in Danger. Due to the economic importance of the park, the Croatian government made it a priority for its de-mining efforts, and in December 1998 UNESCO recognised the park's newly mine-free status by removing it from the list of endangered sites. However, the surrounding Plitvice municipality outside the park boundary still has some problems with mine contamination. The lakes are situated on the eponymous Plitvice plateau, between the mountains of Lička Plješevica (Gornja Plješevica peak 1,640 m), Mala Kapela (Seliški Vrh peak at 1,280 m) and Medveđak (884 m). The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 m to 503 m over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two km², with the water exiting from the lowest lake to form the Korana River. The Plitvice Lakes lie in a basin of karstic rock, mainly dolomite and limestone, which has given rise to their most distinctive feature. The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae and bacteria. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. The lakes are divided into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes. Flora and fauna[edit] The Plitvice Lakes national park is heavily forested, mainly with beech, spruce, and fir trees, and features a mixture of Alpine and Mediterranean vegetation. It has a notably wide variety of plant communities, due to its range of microclimates, differing soils and varying levels of altitude. The area is also home to an extremely wide variety of animal and bird species. Rare fauna such as the European brown bear, wolf, eagle, owl, lynx, wild cat and capercaillie can be found there, along with many more common species. At least 126 species of birds have been recorded there, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there. Get in[edit] Buses between Zagreb and Zadar or Split will stop at the entrance to the National Park if you ask the driver beforehand. (Cost from Zadar 83 kn, from Zagreb 92kn) Keep in mind that buses in Croatia often do not run on time. They can come early or late, and either way they stop only long enough to pick up riders and then continue on their way. Especially in a place like Plitvice, which is quite a distance from a stopping point on a bus route, get to the bus stop early and plan on waiting for awhile. When you are coming from Zadar, bus driver may let you drop off at South entrance, which is apart about 4 KM from main entrance and very small. In case you reserve your hotel near Main entrance, you have to request bus driver to drop at Main entrance. If not, you need to expend taxi fare. Private bus companies like "Pruevoz Knezevic" make a day trip possible from Zadar although it is always recommended to wait at the bus stop before the designated time to ensure that the driver doesn't leave you behind. Tickets for these buses can be reserved before time from the main bus station in Zadar. Private taxi transfes cost aproximetaly 170 euro from Zagreb and Zadar. From Zagreb, private transfer for a day tour to Plitvice can be arranged via Zagreb Tourist Agency. A 4 seat car and driver, pick up and drop off at hotel, flexible time, cost 750 HRK (100 eu). It's not only a returned trip but also you can stop on the way at your favorite attractions such as Radstoke village - a beautiful village on the gorge 20 km from Plitvice, where you can enjoy fresh and delicious grilled fish. A ticket is required to enter the park (there are ticket offices on the paths as you enter the park). The tickets also entitle you to free travel on the boats which run on the lakes. Beware : In season the lines are long! The price for a non-student ticket is 110 KN for one day or 180 KN for two days in the off season. It's 180 KN per day in season. Student will pay 80 KN for one day visit. An ISIC or other valid student card is required to get a student discount. For more detailed prices such as different seasons and parking, see the price list. Currency Exchange[edit] Croatia uses Croatian Kuna (HRK). At both the park entrances, official foreign currency exchange counters are present from 7:00 to 19:00. They provide extremely competitive rates with minimal commission (1.5%) and it is recommended to use them. Most major currencies are accepted like USD, EUR, GBP, HKD, CHF, AUD, etc. As a matter of fact, most touristic outlets accept euros anyway. Get around[edit] You can choose from several different paths around the lakes ranging in both time and difficulty. A complete run through the park can be done on trail H in 4-5 hours (3.5 if you really hustle), but you'll want to take your time and enjoy it. The views are simply spectacular. Some trails have boat transfers and bus transfers (free of charge) to save you time walking. Make sure you hold onto your entrance ticket because they stamp it at the boat interchanges. The paths are very well maintained. They consist of wooden planks, gravel, rocks, and steps. Many of the paths are wheelchair accessible, but there are sections with steps and inclines. See[edit][add listing] Plitvice Lakes National Park is perhaps the most beautiful natural wonder in Croatia. In addition to the numerous waterfalls, a bevy of wildlife can be seen, including fish, frogs and a variety of bird species. Special attractions at Plitvice include the Veliki Slap, a 100 foot waterfall surrounded by nearby boulders to which tourists have access. There is also a large waterfall complex that can be access via a cave in the surrounding rock face. Do[edit][add listing] The main attraction is obviously the hiking and walking in the area. Keep in mind that swimming is not allowed anywhere in the park. Tip: If you arrive at the same time as a big group, walk one of the very well established routes in reverse. You'll probably be walking uphill for most of the trek, but you'll probably not see another person for a few hours. In peak season, though expect a heavy crowd on a narrow trail regardless of the direction taken. There are some trails off the beaten path that seemed remote but need allow yourself extra time if you plan to do them. Else, just arrive early and beat the massively long lines. Buy[edit][add listing] There are souvenir shops at the main entrance of the park. Eat[edit][add listing] See "Drink" Drink[edit][add listing] In addition to snack shops at the entrance and exit of the park, there is a large picnic area with various food stands which can be reached via ferry across the main lake. Sleep[edit][add listing] Water, water everywhere There is a travel agency at the entrance to the park. From here, you can organize for a homestay. There are numerous locals who will rent bedrooms in their house and provide food for a competitive price. Several large hotels have been built by the entrance to the park. These largely cater to older European tourists. If you are looking for less expensive lodging, ask around- some local apartment owners rent out rooms for low prices, in the range of €10(75 KN)/person. There is also a camping site in the nearby town, Korana (8km), mostly used by people visiting the park. Facilities are fine, good clean toilets, a small shop, and a couple of dining places. Camping can be made wherever you want; it is possible to choose a place between the trees, or a cosy hole in the hills or a more open place with a magnificent view. They also rent small bungalows if you don't want to carry camping gear. As long as you are staying at the camping site, your ticket to the park can be renewed for free at the information office. It’s a good way to spend more time at the park and visit it outside the busier hours. Parking at the park isn't free, but if you don't want to drive the camping site arranges buses to and from the park in the main season. Be aware that these buses run only once a day and there is no other bus service to and from the camping site. If you are getting in by a long distance bus, ask the driver to drop you off at Korana instead of the park entrance. The town of Borje (16 km) also has a camping site but that one has no bus service to and from the park. Stay safe[edit] Trails very well maintained and well marked. Please follow the rules during your visit, such as do not disturb the environment and stay on the paths. It's worth noting that this area is one of the only remaining regions of Europe where bears roam. It would probably be more interesting than dangerous to see a bear, but were you to surprise a mother and her cub because you did not expect to see bears at all, you could be in danger. A lone bear is more frightened of you than you are of it. Yell and bang something that makes loud noises, and the bear will almost always run off. Bears can run and climb faster than you can, and running signals “prey”, so don’t run. Get out[edit] Buses from the park leave to Zagreb, Zadar, and Split but are infrequent during the low season. Check schedules before taking a 5 hour hike in the park or you might be forced to spend the night. Bus schedules are available at the park entrance or at the hotels near the bus stop. Schedules for buses leaving from station "Plitvička Jezera" [2]. Taxi drivers will wait near the bus stations and will offer to drive for the same price of the bus ticket if around 10 persons are willing to take the taxi.It costs the same, takes an hour less and most won't charge extra for baggage (The bus service charges extra). If you are going to the ferry terminal, as the driver to drop you off there. There are buses that travel from Grabovac (near Plitvice National Park) to Bihac, Bosnia. As of 21 July 2013, the bus departs from Grabovac at 13:25 each day (except Sunday, when it is at 12:25), and arrives in Bihac about 45 minutes including the border crossing. Be warned, the signs posted at Plitvice National Parks regarding this bus do not mention the different Sunday departure time. On Sundays there is also a bus that departs Grabovac at ~16:15.
3.3. Information You Will Need 3.3.1. Documentation Installation Manual The document you are now reading, which is the official version of the Installation Guide for the wheezy release of Debian; available in various formats and translations. Hardware documentation Often contains useful information on configuring or using your hardware. S/390 Hardware References Documentation of S/390-specific boot sequence, commands and device drivers (e.g. DASD, XPRAM, Console, OSA, HiperSockets and z/VM interaction) IBM Redbook describing how Linux can be combined with z/VM on zSeries and S/390 hardware. IBM Redbook describing the Linux distributions available for the mainframe. It has no chapter about Debian but the basic installation concepts are the same across all S/390 distributions. 3.3.2. Finding Sources of Hardware Information Hardware information can be gathered from: • The manuals that come with each piece of hardware. • The BIOS setup screens of your computer. You can view these screens when you start your computer by pressing a combination of keys. Check your manual for the combination. Often, it is the Delete or the F2 key, but some manufacturers use other keys or key combinations. Usually upon starting the computer there will be a message stating which key to press to enter the setup screen. • The cases and boxes for each piece of hardware. Table 3.1. Hardware Information Helpful for an Install Hardware Information You Might Need DASD Device number(s). Available free space. Network Type of adapter. Device numbers. Relative adapter number for OSA cards. 3.3.3. Hardware Compatibility Drivers in Linux in most cases are not written for a certain product or brand from a specific manufacturer, but for a certain hardware/chipset. Many seemingly different products/brands are based on the same hardware design; it is not uncommon that chip manufacturers provide so-called reference designs for products based on their chips which are then used by several different device manufacturers and sold under lots of different product or brand names. This has advantages and disadvantages. An advantage is that a driver for one chipset works with lots of different products from different manufacturers, as long as their product is based on the same chipset. The disadvantage is that it is not always easy to see which actual chipset is used in a certain product/brand. Unfortunately sometimes device manufacturers change the hardware base of their product without changing the product name or at least the product version number, so that when having two items of the same brand/product name bought at different times, they can sometimes be based on two different chipsets and therefore use two different drivers or there might be no driver at all for one of them. For USB and PCI/PCI-Express/ExpressCard devices, a good way to find out on which chipset they are based is to look at their device IDs. All USB/PCI/PCI-Express/ExpressCard devices have so called vendor and product IDs, and the combination of these two is usually the same for any product based on the same chipset. On Linux systems, these IDs can be read with the lsusb command for USB devices and with the lspci -nn command for PCI/PCI-Express/ExpressCard devices. The vendor and product IDs are usually given in the form of two hexadecimal numbers, seperated by a colon, such as 1d6b:0001. An example for the output of lsusb: Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub, whereby 1d6b is the vendor ID and 0002 is the product ID. An example for the output of lspci -nn for an Ethernet card: 03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller [10ec:8168] (rev 06). The IDs are given inside the rightmost square brackets, i.e. here 10ec is the vendor- and 8168 is the product ID. As another example, a graphics card could give the following output: 04:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI RV710 [Radeon HD 4350] [1002:954f]. On Windows systems, the IDs for a device can be found in the Windows device manager on the tab details, where the vendor ID is prefixed with VEN_ and the product ID is prefixed with DEV_. On Windows 7 systems, you have to select the property Hardware IDs in the device manager's details tab to actually see the IDs, as they are not displayed by default. Searching on the internet with the vendor/product ID, Linux and driver as the search terms often results in information regarding the driver support status for a certain chipset. If a search for the vendor/product ID does not yield usable results, a search for the chip code names, which are also often provided by lsusb and lspci (RTL8111/RTL8168B in the network card example and RV710 in the graphics card example), can help. Testing hardware compatibility with a Live-System Debian GNU/Linux is also available as a so-called live system for certain architectures. A live system is a preconfigured ready-to-use system in a compressed format that can be booted and used from a read-only medium like a CD or DVD. Using it by default does not create any permanent changes on your computer. You can change user settings and install additional programs from within the live system, but all this only happens in the computer's RAM, i.e. if you turn off the computer and boot the live system again, everything is reset to its defaults. If you want to see whether your hardware is supported by Debian GNU/Linux, the easiest way is to run a Debian live system on it and try it out. There are a few limitations in using a live system. The first is that as all changes you do within the live system must be held in your computer's RAM, this only works on systems with enough RAM to do that, so installing additional large software packages may fail due to memory constraints. Another limitation with regards to hardware compatibility testing is that the official Debian GNU/Linux live system contains only free components, i.e. there are no non-free firmware files included in it. Such non-free packages can of course be installed manually within the system, but there is no automatic detection of required firmware files like in the debian-installer, so installation of non-free components must be done manually if needed. Information about the available variants of the Debian live images can be found at the Debian Live Images website. 3.3.4. Network Settings If your computer is connected to a fixed network (i.e. an Ethernet or equivalent connection — not a dialup/PPP connection) which is administered by somebody else, you should ask your network's system administrator for this information: • Your domain name. • Your computer's IP address. • The netmask to use with your network. If the network you are connected to uses DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) for configuring network settings, you don't need this information because the DHCP server will provide it directly to your computer during the installation process. If you have internet access via DSL or cable modem (i.e. over a cable tv network) and have a router (often provided preconfigured by your phone or catv provider) which handles your network connectivity, DHCP is usually available by default.
Stress & Its Role With Ear Infections The effects of stress have many effects on the systems of the body and may lead to increased risk of ear infection. Overcoming stress to take charge of your everyday schedule will help give the body a fighting chance against future ear infections. • Stress often causes diet and behavioral changes that weaken the body's immune system. Bacteria present in the ear canal is more likely to overcome the immune system and cause infection if the body is under sustained stress. • Stress may lead to erratic eating schedules causing malnutrition and fluctuating blood sugar levels. Nutrient deficiencies and imbalances of sugars effect blood flow and the ability of the immune system to fight an ear infection. • Stress tends to lead to a decrease in physical activity lowering the body's natural defenses against ear infections. Choosing to include a few minutes of exercise in your daily routine will increase immunity, reduce stress and improve overall health. • Loss of sleep due to increased stress makes it difficult for the body to recharge and continue the fight against infection. Adhering to a scheduled sleep pattern, despite stress, may help to both relieve stress and decrease the chance of an ear infection. • Ear infections have symptoms of inner ear pain, hearing loss, tenderness and discomfort. Doctors have found these same symptoms may occur due to increased stress or unbalanced diet, even when no ear infection is present. Related Searches Promoted By Zergnet You May Also Like Related Searches Check It Out This Is the Beauty Routine of a Yelp Sales Manager Submit Your Work!
Advances in technology will maximize the amount of oil and natural gas that can be identified and acquired off the shores of South Carolina. Technological advances have already revolutionized the exploration for and acquisition of oil and natural gas throughout the United States, and increased the amount of resources that were originally thought possible. 500% Increase In 1987, the Minerals Management Service (now the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement) estimated that there were 9 billion barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. By 2006, after major advances in seismic technology and deepwater drilling techniques, the agency revised its resources estimates for the area from 9 billion to 45 billion barrels. These same technologies are increasing the potential for greater amounts of oil and natural gas resources available for development off the shores of South Carolina. The government estimates 4.7 billion barrels (bbl) of oil and 37 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas are in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). That is a lot. But that 30-year-old estimate is most likely conservative given the industry’s proven ability to advance technologies that over time. Exploring for Oil and Natural Gas Years ago, when engineers were first trying to identify the potential resources available to be developed in South Carolina’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), technologies such as 3D and 4D seismic imaging were not available. Since then, seismic imaging has revolutionized the exploration process for oil and natural gas, allowing the industry to have “eyes” underground. This technology improves the industry’s ability to locate potential oil and natural gas reserves with greater accuracy. More precision in locating the resources can also optimize field development and the location of drilling sites and production facilities. These steps can further help to reduce a project’s environmental footprint. For example, computers use seismic data to create a 3D map of what lies below the surface. This is especially helpful as engineers plan the most efficient way to produce resources from the reservoir. By using 4D seismic technology, engineers and geologists can gauge how many wells a reservoir might need and where to place them. This “virtual drilling” can help protect the environment by reducing the number of wells needed for exploration and production. Acquiring Oil and Natural Gas The industry has developed multiple types of drilling rigs and platforms to acquire oil and natural gas more efficiently and cost-effectively from water depths of just a few hundred feet up to 10,000 feet. Technological advances have allowed the industry to increase safety while also reducing the environmental footprint. State-of-the-art innovations, such as subsea technology, allow oil and natural gas companies to install fewer platforms – with less effect on the environment – than decades ago. Twenty years ago a company might have to install 10 platforms to access multiple deepwater oil and natural gas fields. Now companies can use a single temporary rig and connect production from multiple fields into a single processing hub – all located underwater. Read more:
The Linux Key Logger's Help Screen Also known as a keystroke logger or keyboard capture, a keylogger is a piece of software that allows an attacker to record every stroke of a keyboard. The data can be made human readable through some formatting, but ultimately the primary purpose is the capturing of passwords and other sensitive data, as attempting to make sense of keystrokes in real time is not an easy task for a human -- there are many non-letter strokes entered, such as space and delete. There are many ways to mitigate a keylogger or potential keylogger. One method is to utilize a software keyboard when entering sensitive data such as passwords of credit card numbers. Anti-viruses do not detect all keyloggers, especially those that run as System or with root privileges. Simple Keylogger Code for Windows The following keylogger code will work on many older Windows systems, though may not function properly on a Windows 10 box. # include <stdio.h> # include <conio.h> # include <windows.h> # include <winuser.h> # include <iostream.h> int main ( void ) int cha; char ch; FILE fptr; HWND stealth; /creating stealth (window is not visible)*/ if ( kbhit() ) ch = getch(); cha = ch; fptr = fopen("KEYS.TXT", "a+"); if ( cha == 27 ) return 0; Keylogger Scripts The following are written in Python and relatively cross-platform. Of course, they require that Python is installed on a given system. Most of the web runs on Linux servers. Penetrated systems can be potentially keylogged with the following software. During the 1970s, KGB agents developed a method of recording the keystrokes of typewriters at US embassies in Russia. They were only able to capture 8 characters at a time and transmitted the data remotely to waiting receivers via radio, which required batteries to be periodically replaced. In the early 1980s, Perry S. Kivolowitz submitted code to the Unix users mailing list outlining a method of capturing Unix user passwords via keylogging. He did not consider his innovation to be novel, saying: I am not claiming it is a new idea and, actually, I send the following only at the prodding of some friends. [...] The bottom line: ANY USER CAN STEAL ANYONE'S PASSWORD by simply listening to the terminal as another user logs in. His entire message, including the code, is archived here. Article info Categories: Tools
Turn signal communication: use that blinker by kattiewampus Raise your hand if one (or more) of these scenarios resonates with you: You’re on the freeway in rush-hour traffic. The car in the lane next to you suddenly jumps over and cuts you off. You manage not to rear-end them, but you’re still a bit shaken and annoyed: if they had just signaled that they wanted to get over, you would have been happy to let them. That same scenario happens and, as they pull into your lane, they turn on their blinker after the fact. You’re on the freeway in rush-hour traffic yet again. The car in the lane next to you has their blinker on, signaling that they want to be in your lane. You’re trying to be a courteous driver, so you leave a space open in front of you to let them in. They have plenty of room to get over but, for whatever reason, continue to stay in their lane. Eventually, you get frustrated because you’re holding up traffic behind you by trying to leave a space open for them, so you accelerate and close the gap. You’re coming up to a stoplight intersection. The light is green, but the car in front of you is easing off the gas. The light turns yellow and the car continues to slow so that it can turn right, never once signaling their intention. That costs you the precious seconds you needed to accelerate through the intersection, and now you’re stuck at a red light. You’re driving through the main street of a neighborhood. The car in front of you starts to slow down for no apparent reason. Without bothering to signal or even move to the side so that through traffic can go around them, the car eventually makes a right turn. The line of accumulated cars behind them finally starts to accelerate. How many times have we been behind or next to a driver that seems determined not to use their blinker? Or even found ourselves in the car with a driver like that? I have seen instances first-hand where the driver wanted to get over into a lane of heavy traffic and complained that no one was letting them over, even though they had not put on their blinker to alert the cars in the neighboring lane that they were trying to get over. In these instances, it seemed almost as if the driver wanted to wait until they could be sure that there was a space for them, and then use the blinker. Now, maybe I’m behind the times here, but I’ve always understood the blinker as a way to communicate your intentions to other drivers around you (“intentions” referring to intended actions that have not yet occurred). I’ve never considered the blinker to be an after-the-fact form of explanation. Am I crazy here? I’ve decided that it would be an awesome research project to study the link between people’s communication habits and turn signal habits. Maybe you can tell a lot about a person by how effectively they utilize that turn signal. Do they take the initiative in communicating? Are they clear and up front about their intentions? Do they make it clear where they are going? Are they courteous to those around them? Are they focusing on their own safety as well as the safety of those around them? Or are they just looking to get ahead as quickly as possible, without paying attention to who gets hurt in the process? Are they pushy? Are they totally oblivious? Are they too busy checking their phone to see what’s right in front of them? I seriously feel like I’ve stumbled upon something big here: predicting the success of your relationships based on the correlation between your driving patterns and communication patterns. I’m going to conduct a case study, write a book about my findings that will quickly become a best-seller, retire early, and travel the world. Meanwhile, the next time you’re driving, think about what your driving habits might be indicating about your communication and relational awareness.
Whitman vs Dickenson on Locomotives Essay Custom Student Mr. Teacher ENG 1001-04 25 April 2016 Whitman vs Dickenson on Locomotives Walt Whitman’s poem “To a Locomotive in Winter” and Emily Dickinson’s poem “I Like to See it Lap Miles” are both based on what had been upcoming in their era: locomotives. Whitman used Old English to protray his admiration with the train, especially it’s physique and ‘will’, while Dickinson uses modern language to observe what the train does and how it acts. It almost seems as though Whitman is sexually describing the train, as if it’s a romantic poem of someone he loves. He describes the train as a, “fierce-throated beauty!” He also goes into details about not only the train, “Thy black cylindric body, golden brass, and silvery steel” but even the smoke that it emits, “Thy long, pale, floating vapor-pennants, tinged with delicate purple.” He is romantiscing the train and personifying it: “Thy piercing, madly-whistled laughter! thy echoes… rousing all!” He also admires it’s strenght for pushing past the cold winter, the “storm, and buffeting gusts of wind, and falling snow” leaving only “dense and murky clouds” behind it. From these lines, it’s clear that imagery is used multiple times through out so that readers may picture the image of the “twinkle” on it’s weels and all the metals it’s made out of. He points out it’s leadership, “Thy train of cars behind, obedient, merrily-following”, all while the front cart is “careering” through the snowy tracks. This can be symbolism for how the train can get past any obsticle even in the worst of situations. It seems he wants to indulge and share this feeling of power, “Roll through my chant, with all thy lawless music.”He observes every little detail of the train, it’s “ponderous side-bars… rods, gyrating, shuttling at thy sides”, and connects all the details with it’s beauty, strong will, superiority, and concludes that it results in being free, moving along the vast endless land. On the other hand, Dickinson’s poem was no where near as passionate as Whitman’s. Although it did protray similar feelings toward the train, she described the train without lust.She gives the train the traits of a horse, it would “lick the Valleys up.. and stop to feed itself at Tanks.” She shares the similar idea that the train is powerful. A horse is powerful enough to carry people and items to a far distance and quickly as well. In this way she found that the horse and train were similar. Free Whitman vs Dickenson on Locomotives Essay Sample • Subject: • University/College: University of Arkansas System • Type of paper: Thesis/Dissertation Chapter • Date: 25 April 2016 • Words: • Pages: Let us write you a custom essay sample on Whitman vs Dickenson on Locomotives for only $16.38 $13.9/page your testimonials
One Less North Atlantic Whale It is with great sadness to report that one of the remaining 500 North Atlantic Right whales was found washed ashore on the coast of Maine. The creature was completely entangled in fishing line. The most unfortunate thing about this story is that it is not uncommon, it wasn’t the first time this has happened, and it ultimately will not be the last.These whales, North Atlantic Right whales, are considered both the rarest and most endangered of whales protected by the Endangered Species Act. According to Nature World News, 85% of whale deaths between 2010 and 2015 were linked to entanglement by fishing gear.When fishing equipment is left or discarded in the ocean irresponsibly, they drift, ultimately causing “ghost fishing” where marine life is captured and entangled by these devices just because it is drifting freely. Unsuspecting creatures swim into traps and fishing line and can slowly or immediately drown, or if the gear is in their mouths it can hinder them from feeding properly. Just last week the Jersey Shore’s Sea Isle city had a humpback whale that washed ashore completely entangled in fishing line. This was the second whale this year to wash up on a New Jersey beach according to NJ101.5. The whale was said to be a juvenile, and was confirmed to have died due to entanglement. The whale was also struck by a vessel after the whale had died. Both the west and east coast face issues with an excess of fishing gear in the ocean. This gear includes traps like crab pots and nets as well as other traps. According to an article by NPR, “It’s estimated there are more than 85,000 derelict traps in the Florida Keys, affecting 79 species and killing 630,000 lobsters a year. An estimated 450,000 pots used to catch blue crab are lost each year in Louisiana. In the Chesapeake Bay, where nearly half of all U.S. blue crabs are landed, 160,000 crab pots go astray annually. And according to the environmental group World Animal Protection, of the 3 million lobster pots that go into the water in Maine, an estimated 10 percent are lost each year.” While some precautions have been taken to limit the amount of equipment that goes adrift, It has ultimately not been enough. Because of the competition to catch seafood, marine life is suffering. Although there’s not much one can do alone, there are petitions and other ways online to get involved. But one way you can help is by potentially eating less seafood.By eating less seafood, there is less demand for fisherman to put their traps and lines out there. If enough people do this, there may be some change. Until then whales will keep washing ashore in great numbers. Hopefully if more people become aware, and it takes a whale to wash up on their beach to get through to them, a difference can be made and a shift in consciousness will occur where people begin to understand that what they put into the ocean matters, and that there is always a price to pay for what gets taken out of it. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Protein is a critical part of our diet, we need it for energy, building and repairing muscle, processing nutrients, and boosting immunity. Protein is made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of body tissues, including muscles, blood vessels, hair, skin, and nails. Animal protein sources, such as meat, fish, milk, and eggs, contain all nine essential amino acids, while most plant-based protein sources don't have the full complement of amino acids in the exact right amounts (soybeans being an exception). If you spend a lot of time in the gym, protein should be especially important for you, because it not only builds muscle, but it also repairs and maintains muscle. There are many elements to take into consideration when determining how much protein you need on a daily basis. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of protein for adult men and women is around 50 to 62 grams per day, and it will prevent any protein deficiencies. But what happens when you go overboard? Here are three signs your diet might be too heavy-handed on the protein. You’re gaining weight A high-protein diet can help you lose extra pounds in the short term, but if you consume a lot of egg whites and whey protein without cutting off other food intake, you’re going to gain the weight instead of losing it. If you’re not careful about your complete diet, eating more protein than you should, can also put you at increased risk for metabolic disease. Make smart adjustments to your diet as a whole and make a plan to consume lean protein alongside quality carbs and healthy fats. You’re getting dehydrated Hydration is essential when you increase your protein consumption. With an excessive protein intake, you need to find a balance and increase your fluid intake also. Make sure you drink enough water so that you’re never thirsty and also avoid salty and caffeinated foods that dehydrate you. You get constipated Protein is great for packing on muscle, but it delivers precisely none of the fiber that your digestive tract needs to stay regular. Sometimes, the lack of fiber combined with dehydration is the perfect recipe for constipation. If you’re feeling constipated or bloated, you should check your protein intake and increase your fluid intake. You should also increase your grain consumption until the symptoms subside. You have bad breath When you cut your carbs to the minimum (which you're likely doing with consuming a super-high-protein diet), your body enters a state called ketosis, where it starts to burn fat for fuel instead of the usual carbohydrates. This is great for weight loss, but as far as your breath is concerned, the chemicals called ketones that can leave your mouth smelling rather bad. This isn’t something you can fix with brushing, flossing, or rinsing, since the smell is coming from inside you. You start having kidney problems Whenever your body needs to digest protein, your kidneys are the ones who do the crucial job of filtering the waste products. This puts a greater strain on your kidneys and can lead to kidney damage, especially among people with early stages of kidney disease. Your performance decreases When you increase your protein intake, your consumption of carbs and fats often decreases and both your training intensity and performance suffer. You need to divide your protein consumption between your meals and snacks and make sure you get all the energy-boosting carbs and healthy fats in moderation. Your mood changes Having a crappy mood? It’s not you, it’s protein. Your brain needs carbs in all their sugary, starchy glory to stimulate the production of the mood-regulating hormone serotonin. Not having them in your diet, you're more likely to feel grouchy and irritable. If you notice any of these signs, your protein, carbohydrates and fat balance may be out of sync. We recommend checking and making the dietary adjustments needed to make sure you don’t consume too much protein. Leave a comment Comments will be approved before showing up.
Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson - Jennifer Michael Hecht When one has certainty, there is no more room for further knowledge or understanding. Science and Reason never prove, at the most they can just show things to be less false than other things. There is a long history of people who haven't been certain and their story makes for a much more interesting revealing of human history than the ones who pretend to have no doubt. There are two recurring characters in this marvelous book about doubters throughout history, the Stoic, Cicero and his "On the Nature of the Gods", and the Epicurean, Lucretius, and his "On the Nature of Things". Both get major play in this book, firstly when they are introduced and secondly they keep popping up through the rest of the story because their influence with latter sages has been immense. Survey of philosophy books with their chronological presentation can often be dull since they lack a narrative to tie the story together. This book gives that necessary narrative and gives the listener a thread to understand the connections while telling a good story that includes snippets of world history, religion and summaries of what great doubters thought throughout the ages. The author gives enough of the major points and sometimes long quotations from the primary sources to make the book or person under consideration come alive and make the listener feel as if he understands the person who wrote it. For example, I now realize why I enjoy the book of Ecclesiastics so much more than any of the other books in the Bible (it's mostly a Epicurean type polemic on the meaning of life). Her considered amount of time she spends quoting Marcus Aurelius is well worth it for the listener. I've never found anyone who I tend to agree more with and would strongly recommend his "Meditations" which is available at audible, but it might not be necessary to read it if you listen to this book instead. The other thing to like about this book: she does not ignore the East at all. She gives them equal weight to the West throughout the text. Eastern Religions are fully explored since there is a much richer tradition of not being certain, "the more you doubt, the more you understand" would be a typical Eastern religion answer to the refutation of the certainty found in revealed religions. Overall, this book gives a great survey of doubt throughout the ages, with many synopsizes of great thinkers, and all within an overriding narrative tying all the pieces together. I would recommend this book for anyone who does not like to "pretend to know things that they do not know", and wants to understand the firm foundation that entails.
Saturday, October 19, 2013 the science of happiness Last week, I asked my class to engage in an experiment. I had them think of one person in their lives that is really important. Then, they thought of the reasons why this person is so important. They wrote letters to that person (mini-lesson: parts of a letter - score!). Their homework over the weekend was to read the letter aloud to that person. Some had to write emails as their letter was for someone in another country; some made phone calls to local family member or friends; some arranged visits with the help of their parents; some even got on Skype to share! Afterward, I asked them to share what they noticed. They came back with things like: "My dad put the letter on the fridge! He loved it!" "My mom put it up where she works in our house, like in her home office. Now when I see it there I always feel happy." "It made me feel really, um, good!" This was not my experiment: I showed the kids this video afterward. They stayed an extra ten minutes after the end of the school day talking about how the letters made them feel, what they noticed about the video, and how happiness is so important. Grade three! Yes, there are a couple of choice words in the video, so it's something to be mindful of. (Of course, you can always skip that part if you're on the ball - it's not crucial.) When the kids looked at each other with surprise and started talking about those words, I was able to simply and calmly ask, "Is that what's important in the video?" It was a clear no and I didn't hear another word about it. I really loved the rich discussion that came out of this experiment and I feel it's a great exercise for all of us! PS - Anyone read "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin? Wednesday, October 9, 2013 spiritual health + mindfulness After our experiments to test whether exercise affects our mental health and watching this video, we've decided it's a good idea to start everyday by getting our brains "ready" to learn. So this morning we started our day with one of these awesome interactive dance videos! We danced away to this one first: It was so much fun, but very confusing for a not-so-light-on-her-feet teacher! To start a more in-depth discussion about spiritual health, I'll be reading this book to the class this week: It's a story that you can read in a very open-ended way, stopping along the way to have students turn and talk, share in small groups, or discuss as a class, because the three questions are kind of big ones that are difficult to understand as is. The main character, Nikolai, just wants to know how to be a good person. He asks his friends and gets very different answers. In the end he has made a very interesting discovery... It's more correct to say we'll be examining the book as spiritual in the way of being mindful. Recognizing our selves, recognizing our actions, and understanding our impacts. We've also done a small bit of "inner thinking" (or meditation) using this website: And at the risk of being misunderstood, I've arranged to have a certified yoga instructor (a class parent!) come in to lead a beginning yoga session. She did warn me that this is a bit of an issue in the US, hence the focus on mindfulness rather than spirituality in our classroom. I'm really interested to see how my grade three's will react to it. I feel I'm lucky to have such an open class, so all should be fine. It seems inevitable, though, to get some giggles with 20 other 8-year-olds all stretching out and trying to find their "center" in our school Fitness Room! I've been meaning to try yoga for a long time now, so this is a sneaky way to bring it into the classroom that I'm definitely looking forward to. Friday, October 4, 2013 This is a really cool website to share with your class: Basically it asks a totally random question about the world and offers answers using videos and articles. It boosts imagination and curiosity. It can be used in SO many different ways! And you can subscribe to the daily wondering by email... PS - they're also on twitter. Wednesday, October 2, 2013 emotional and mental well-being in the classroom We've been learning a lot about Wellbeing these days as part of our Inquiry: Emotional, physical, spiritual, environmental, mental, and social health and finding balance in our daily lives. In order to help students understand emotional wellbeing a bit more, I read this book: This is such a beautiful story. It deals with a pretty heavy situation but one that is only to be inferred - the story never tells us explicitly whether the girl's father passes away, leaves the family, or what. It's all about how the young girl, once curious about everything around her, places her heart in a protective "bottle" when her father is no longer there to guide her wonderings. It follows her as she grows, as she comes to deal with this huge loss and then how she begins to overcome it. Our class discussion afterward was so rich and incredible. Tomorrow I'll read this book and have the students come up with a way to show their connections to and understandings of one of the stories. Today, to connect our understanding of mental health, students inquired into this question: Does exercise help our mental abilities? {Thanks to a student for coming with this Wednesday Wondering for us!} They created experiments to test their hypotheses and it was amazing to watch them get straight to work, figuring out how to test this big question and how to measure the results. My VP happened to come in just as they were beginning their experiments and, happily, he gave some great positive feedback. Particularly about how quickly the students were able to find a "smart" partner independently. And what's funny is I hadn't even considered that to be a great skill since I'm so used to the kids doing it on their own all the time now! When we talk about finding partners for any activity, the kids always say: You need to find a smart partner. You need to be a smart partner. They know that a smart partner is someone that will allow you to remain focused and will not be a distraction. Experiments ranged from doing jumping jacks and then answering some standard addition questions to jogging on the spot and then writing a series of sentences about their personal interests. Smart bunch! Most groups decided that exercise has a positive impact on our mental health, but some weren't so sure. Tomorrow I'm going to show this video and see if they have any connections or further inquiries: And next week we're going to be discussing what makes us happy and how we can be our happiest selves. Looking forward to that for sure!

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