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Nov 16, 2010 A comparative study in Jainism and Buddhism Buddhist Era 2550 Binara Full Moon - Thursday September 07, 2006 by Rohan Jayetilleke In the Vedic Society in which Buddha was born in India, there were four stages of the life of the individual, namely, Brahmacharya (stu-dent period), Gruhasta (Householder), Vanapravastha (Renunciation of household life) and Sannasi (Wandering ascetic). The last two stages, which were the norms of society was in search of Moksha or liberation from the recurring birth and death and reunion with Brahma, the Creator God. The Vedic scripture that dealt with the entire life cycle were the Four Vedas Rig, Yajur, Sama and Tharva. These Vedic codes of discipline were rooted in various forms of rituals, tantric rites, black magic, use and display of psychic powers, divination, occult and esoteric practices of all kinds, which are included in the list of the forbidden practices in the Brahmajala Sutta discoursed by the Buddha. These various concepts and faiths in India at the time approximated to around 300 and were based on scriptural authoritarianism (Vedapramanayam), belief in a Creator-god (Katruvada), Soul Theory (Atmavada), Holy did (Snane-dharmeccha and self mortification to overcome evil (Santaparambha papahanaya). Jainism, which was 20 years senior to contemporary Buddhism, during the time of the Buddha in India in the sixth century B.C., hinged on soul-theory and self mortification and extreme Ahimsa (non-violence). Buddharejected the soul-theory and self mortification and his doctrine of ahimsa was primarily based on mental states than on bodily action, through developing the sublime states of mind (Brahma Vihara) of metta (loving kindness), Karuna (compassion), muditha (blissful joy) and upekkha (equanimity). These mental states and the intellectual comprehension of the Four Noble Truths and following the Noble Eight fold path, the devotee is able to erase from his mind the three main taints of lobha (attachment to animate and inanimate things), dosa (anger or enmity) and moha (ignorance). These too lead one to gain Sila (morality) panna (insight) and samadhi (meditative concentration of the mind without allowing the mind to proceed on a wanderlust. It is imperative for a comparative study of the ultimate truth (parama sacca) expounded by the Buddha as against the conventional truths (sammutu sacca) of other contemporary Indian faiths, to delve into the concepts of Jainism. As regards the concept of God, Buddha elaborated gods are beings belonging to different divine planes of existence. Having acquired great spiritual merit (punna) they are born in these celestial planes and live enjoying an immense span of life. Unless they keep on replenishing the merits, upon death they are reborn in lower planes, like that of human beings. Buddhism does not advocate beseeching for divine favours. However, Buddhists offer merit (anumodana) born of their good deeds, and wish for their protection against evil forces that affect their spiritual and worldly wellbeing. This is an offering based on mutual benefit. Universal flux The Vedic concept as well as Jainism, is inextricably bound up with the metaphysical first cause or a creator god, which constitute the Atman or soul. Buddha reject this soul-theory and in its place expostulated in the context of continuous creation and universal flux, everything phenomenal is a process. Everything arises, continues and passes away, based upon the synchronocity of a set of conditions. This impersonal function of the stream of psycho-physical phenomena, otherwise called the personality, is without a substratum or an underlying changeless substance. The Anatta (self or soul) doctrine of the Buddha is dynamic, impersonal and unsubstantial process. It is not mere absence of a self. Since self is only and assumption and not a reality, there is no question of its presence or absence according to Buddhism. Jainism is essentially an Indian religion and it is still a living force in some parts of India with just over two million followers of whom the greatest majority are the richest sections of the country. It enjoyed royal patronage and its contribution to Indian art and architect are, to the preservation and promotion of Indian literature and to the cultivation of languages both Aryan and Dravidian are praiseworthy. The teachings of Jainism are antagonistic to Vedic religions. According to Jainism there have flourished 24 Thrianksras (for-crossers) or leaders of their faith. The first was Rishabha, the twenty-second Nemi or Neminatha, the twenty third Parusava and the last Mahavira (Niganthanatha Putra) who was a twenty-year senior contemporary of the Buddha. Mahavira was born at Kundagram near Vaisali to the north of Patna in Bihar. He hailed from the Naya (Jnata) clan and thus he is called also Nattaputta in the Pali Canon of Buddhism. His father was Siddhartha, a ruler of the areas. His mother Trisala (Priyakarini) was of the royal family of the clan of Licchavis of the Vajjian confederacy of Vaisali. Mahavira is renounced worldly life at the age of 30 years and engaged in penances in search of knowledge. He had no teacher as such, for he had his immediate predecessor Parsavanatha as the guide through his teachings although he had passed away many centuries ago. Mahavira wandered around for 12 years engaging in rigorous penances and attained his goal, enlightenment, as recorded in Jainism. His career was one of supreme detachment and was called Nirgrantha, one without ties, both internal and external. Mahavira advocated all living beings had a right to live and this sanctity of life became the fulcrum of his teachings. The followers included monks, nuns, householders and their women folk and built up a well-knit Sangha, or socio-religious organization. The nuns with the passage of time deviated from spirituality and misconduct was rampant. This was the main reason, like the Devadasis of Vedic shrines too degenerating similarly in behaviour Buddha was not readily inclined to set up a Bhikkhuni Sasana, which he did later on three entreaties of Ananda under certain conditions to govern the bhikkhuni conduct. He travelled around India Ganges Valley for 30 years and died at the age of 72 in 527 B.C. at Pava in Bihar. The death was celebrated with a lamp-festival by the two ruling families of the region, the Mallakis and the Licchavis. The present most popular annual festival of Hindus the world over Dipavali (Festival of Lights) is a continuation of this Jain Mahavira’s death celebrating lamp-festival. Eminent teachers In the wake of the death of Mahavihara, eminent teachers of Jainism such as Gautama, Jambu et al emerged, receiving royal patronage from kings such as Srenika Bimbisara of Magadha, Chandragupta Maurya, India’s first great emperor, Kharvel, the Kalinga (Orissa) conqueror and many others. Under the leadership of Bhadrabahu, Jainism spread to western and southern parts of India. Subsequently difference in ascetic practices split the organization to two main section, the Digambara and Svetambara. However, basic dogmas remained constant. The ruling classes and more specially the mercantile sector were impressed by the ascetism of Jain monks, they adopted Jainism as a way of life. The Jain followers of the mercantile sector were so financially stable that even during the East India Company days they were the noted bankers. Jainism does not invest in any particular language and treat language only as a means to an end. Unlike Pali in Theravada Buddhism and Sanskrit in Mahayana Buddhism Jainism has no doctrinal language as such. Mahavira preached in Ardhamagadhi, a mix of contemporary of Prakrit. Jain authors used Sanskrit for polemic and literary works according to the needs of the occasion. They contributed to the growth of languages such as Apabhramsa, Old Hindi, Old Gujarati etc. Jain authors were the pioneers in cultivating Tamil and Kannada languages. Jain literature is not entirely religious and has a wide spectrum of secular branches learning including mathematics and astronomy. Jainism commences with two principles, the living (jiva) and non-living (ajiva). The living is already in contact with the non-living from beginningless times. This contact results in living beings on account of thoughts, words and acts to the influx (asrava) of fresh energies known as karmas, which are conceived a subtle matter. This influx is to be counteracted (samvara) by rigorous penances. The salvation (Moksha) is thus attained. The Soul and Non-soul (jiva and ajiva) are the basic principles which comprise all that exists in the universe. The soul is characterised according to Jainism, by sentiency or consciousness, but in its embodied state has sense organs, acts of mind, speech, body, respiration and period of life. Further, Jainism advocates souls are infinite in not retaining their individuality and cannot be destroyed or merged into any other supreme being, thus denying a creator god. Living can exist in two states librated siddha or mukta and worldly (samsara). The latter is classified as mobile (trasa) and immobile (sthavara) and still a third state of nigoda beings. The nigoda are host-souls and present all over the world. They form the lowest stratum as against the higher state of the liberated ones. Jainism asserts that the soul is in a process of transmigration and led by kammas. In contrast, Buddha says positively, “Without cognizable beginning is this samsara cycle of births, deaths and rebirths. The earliest point of beings, who are obstructed by ignorance (Moha) and fettered by craving (tanha) wander and fare on, is not to be perceived. Samsara, literally, means recurrent wandering; Atthasalini describes Samsaras thus; “Khandhanam patpati datuayatanam ca abbhochinam vattamana samsara, ti pavuccat.” Samsara is the unbroken succession of aggregates, elements, and the sensebases. This life stream continues ad infinitum, as long as it is fed by muddy waters of ignorance and raving. When these too are completely served, rebirth ends, as in the case of Buddhas and Arahants. As regards kamma, Buddha says, ‘All living beings have kamma as their own’ (Majjhima Nikaya). Kamma is the law of moral causation. Rebirth its corollary. Both kamma and rebirth are inter-related. Buddha asserts emphatically that kamma is not the main and only cause. According to Buddhism there are five processes or norms (niyamas) which operate in the physical and mental realism. They are utu niyama, physical organic order e.g. seasonal phenomena or winds and rains, in the unerring order of seasons. Bija niyama the order of germs and seeds (physical organic order) The scientific theory of cells and genes and the physical similarity of twins and even the traits of persons of the same parentage could be attributed to this. If a person’s father, is alcoholic, ill-manner, non-socialised, repugnant to others, refers to others in disparaging language, always irritant, non-listening to others, ever quarrelsome and never show any symptoms even of kindness and benevolence to others, even if the children are professionally trained in any field, genetically these malevolent traits will be ever in them and such persons after death, will never have the chance to be reborn as human beings, even if they do they would be targets of vilification and physical debilities. Kamma niyama the order of act and result e.g. desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding good or bad results. The inherent kamma is also the continuity principle. Infant prodigies and wonderful children, who speak different languages without ever receiving any instructions, are noteworthy examples of the continuity principle. Dhammaniyama, the order of the norm, e.g. the natural phenomena occurring at the birth of a Bodhisatta in his last birth. Gravitation and other similar laws of nature, the reason for being good etc., come under this group. Citta niyama, the order of the mind of psychic law e.g. processes of consciousness, constituents of consciousness, power of mind including telepathy, telaesthesia, recognition, premonition, clairvoyance, calsi-audience, thought - reading and similar psychic phenomena come under this group and are inexplicable by science, other than by a Buddha. Thus kamma is only one factor and not the pivotal role of birth, death ad rebirth as explained in Jainism. The followers of Jainism, Niganthas were at Anuradhapura in the 6th century BC, during the reign of Pandukabhaya, namely Jothiya, Giri and Kumbhanda. Pandukabhaya built a house for Nigantha Jotiya eastward of the Lower Cemetery at Anuradhapura (nica susana). The Nigantha named Giri also lived in the same locality. Pandukabhaya is reported to have erected a devakula (chapel) for Kumbhandha Nigantha, and it was known after the name of this Nigantha (Mahavamsa). The Nigantha monasteries (assamapadani) of these three niganthas were in existence even during the time of king Devanmpiya Tissa and they were included within the boundaries of Mahasima, when Arahant Mahinda decided on the boundaries of the holy city of Buddhism Anuradhapura. (Mahabodhivamsa p.84). Thus it could be asserted that king Devanmpiya Tissa, prior to being a Buddhist was a follower of Jainism. The Mahavamsa - Tika says king Khallatana (50-43 BC) had three nephews named Tissa, Abhaya and Uttara who plotted against the king, jumped into the fire at this monastery and committed suicide Mahavamsa Tika says that the pyre was made at the spot where Abhayagiri Vihara stands today. The next king Vattagamani – Abhaya (43 BC) demolished this monastery and built Abhayagiri on the spot. We hear no more of Jain monasteries thereafter and no archaeological remains too have been discovered. The Jain monasteries with the advent of Buddhism would have been converted to Buddhist Viharas, as was the case with Giri Monastery at Anuradhapura Vide Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Colombo Branch) Vol XXII, No. 82 and Lewis Rice, Mysore and Coorgy p.3 ff). Emperor Asoka’s Pillar Edict VII (of 44 lines) Delhi Topra Pillar in line 25 says, “Some Mahamatras were ordered by me to busy themselves with the affairs of the Sangha; likewise others were ordered by me to busy themselves also with the brahamanas and Ajivakas, others to busy themselves also with Nirgranthas.” The writer is a member of the Bharathiya Kala Kendra of India. Further Reading: Future of Buddhism in India Emperor Ashok and Jainism Future of Jainism in India No comments: Popular Posts Mahavir Sanglikar's Articles शोध आणि बोध: Marathi Articles on General Subjects
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 The Imperative of Asteroid Defense The aftermath of the Tunguska Event, an impact from space in central Siberia. Check out this Op-Ed in today's New York Times from Russell Schweickart, former astronaut and co-chair of the Task Force on Planetary Defense. Asteroid defense is a subject that doesn't get nearly enough attention. Of course we don't want to alarm people, but at the same time, maybe people need to be a little more alarmed! That may be the only way to really see some action on this front. When you think about it, it's sort of surprising that we don't devote more energy to asteroid defense. We actively scan the skies for near-Earth objects, but in terms of actually deflecting an asteroid from a collision, our plans at this point are only theoretical. It's surprising because it seems like we should be able to get everyone on board with this mission. For some people, space exploration is seen as an esoteric endeavor, lacking practical purpose. But what could be more practical than defending the planet from a clear and present danger? To me, asteroid defense should be much easier to rationalize than studying the geology of the Moon or sending astronauts to Mars. The problem is that this is an issue that sounds fanciful. We've all seen Armageddon. You start talking about preventing an asteroid collision and everyone thinks about Bruce Willis flying up there to blow it up, with Aerosmith providing the soundtrack. But we all know what happened to the dinosaurs. What's so far-fetched about an asteroid collision? Even though impacts of that size are exceedingly rare, smaller objects are much more common and can do plenty of destruction. Let us not forget the Tunguska Event, the 1908 impact of a space object in central Russia that caused an explosion estimated to be as much as 1000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. That was more than 100 years ago, and it came down in such a remote corner of the Earth that few people other than space enthusiasts even know about it today. But it could just as easily have come down in New York City, in 2008 rather than 1908. As Schweickart points out, this sort of impact occurs every 200 to 300 years, statistically speaking. But that doesn't mean we have nothing to worry about. If you average two such impacts in 400 years, they don't have to be 200 years apart. This is not the sort of project that we can put off indefinitely. A mission to Mars can be delayed five or ten years and it won't make much difference; the lives of millions don't hang in the balance. But what if we were to discover an object that's going to hit us in the next five years? Is that sufficient lead time to get the project going today? Would we have to contend with congressional skepticism? I can hear the carpers now: "Are we really going to spend 10 billion dollars on a project to protect us from this rock you say is going to hit us? We don't even know where it's going to land, do we?" If there were more champions for this cause, I can imagine it might be similar to the fight over climate change. There would be those who would want to prepare for it, and those who would think it costs too much to prevent something that might not cause any harm in our lifetime. But think of the huge amounts of money spent on missile defense during the cold war. That danger was very real, but ultimately, thankfully, nothing came of it. The expenditures required for asteroid defense would be tiny by comparison. But unlike the prospect of nuclear war, which was possible but avoidable, the impact of a large object from space is inevitable given enough time. We just don't know when it might come. It could be 100, 200 or 300 years from now, but it could be much sooner than that. We owe it to the citizens of Earth -- even those who may not be born yet -- to start preparing for this scenario now. President Obama's new plan for the future of NASA calls for a manned mission to an asteroid. Assuming this directive is not changed in the years to come, this will be an astonishing achievement. But even more than a manned mission to Mars, it may prove to be of vital importance to the future of life on Earth. We won't just be going to look around and take some soil samples. We'll be learning how to interact with an asteroid. And one day that knowledge could save millions of lives. Scientists will be quick to point out that catastrophic impacts are still quite rare, and furthermore, the chances that an impact will occur near a major metropolitan area are smaller still. But we might not be able to determine the object's precise trajectory until it's too late. An object capable of destruction equivalent to Tunguska could land anywhere on Earth, killing millions, or killing no one. But a serious effort to plan for this contingency will be worth the cost no matter how many lives are at stake. There are certainly more immediate concerns on our horizon, but such will always be the case until the day we find the big one coming straight for us. 1. I agree that there is a very high potential for a world changing event as a result from an asteroid. Last night I watched a program that discussed the Tunguska Event and they were pointing to the amount of evidence that it was more likely a comet than an asteroid due to the amount of carbon and lack of nickel in the area of impact. This presents an extra challenge in developing a defense due to the variables in composition of the objects. I find the strain on resources due to population growth and the increasing life span to be a bigger concern. If I had to choose between getting squashed by an asteroid or killed by a mob to take my water, I'll take the asteroid. Not to be dismissive of the near earth object situation by any means, I just try to keep things in the proper perspective. Thanks for the article, it is a very important topic. 2. 10 billion ,huh? that's what, 8 bombers? 3. It's because of our view of risk. If something won't happen in 1 in a million then it's not risky.. except if that one in a million event happens and wipes out earth. Like the 1995 tsunami - a once in a hundred year event - so why worry? People argue that planes are safe. One will fall out of the sky once in a while but overall one death per 100 million miles is no big risk. And we extend that to mega strikes.. except one mega strike doesn't leave the majority of us flying out the next day. 4. I believe the 'risk' component is an interesting one. People are challenged with the notion of 'death' and the curiosity of a possible end to the human race being associated with the inculcation through literature (biblical, Quran, scrolls, etc)and fascination of an afterlife with 'Divine intervention'. This possibly gives impetus toward the choice of prevention of the human race by the hand of man or perceived 'heavenly' bodies(asteroids, comets). Capitalistic pragmatism at its epitome. 5. Hi. I have given a mention to this blog in my latest post. I often read it but haven't commented until now. Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Monday, June 13, 2011 Rakhain is a small tribe of BURMA Rakhain is a small tribe of BURMA (MYANMAR) origin belonging to the Bhotbarmi community of the Mongoloids. In the eighteenth century, many Rakhain people migrated from their homeland in Arakan province of Burma because of political turmoil and they gradually settled in different areas of COX'S BAZAR and PATUAKHALI DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH. The census of 1991 recorded the number of Rakhain population in Bangladesh at about 7,000.They are citizens of Bangladesh. Though Buddhists by religious faith, Rakhains, like other tribes and sub-tribes, believe in superstitions, MAGIC and supernatural powers. They lead very simple lives. The language of Rakhains belongs to the Bhotbarmi group of languages. Rakhain children start their education at Buddhist primary school or khyangs (monastery). They receive both religious and linguistic education there.They have rich culture and heritage.The songs of Rakhains are melodious. 1 comment: 1. You have beautiful cards! Would you be interested in sharing with me? I have postcards from the library in Prague but certainly znalazłabym something that interests you. Yours. ;)
a three day study plan for procrastinators Hello everyone! If you know me, you know that I am a huge procrastinator, as in I have a final on Tuesday and I start studying today (true story I have my Algebra I Regents actually on the 13th aaa). I do this a lot, which is not the greatest study method, but I still somehow do well. For all the procrastinators out there who encounter the same issues, I developed an efficient and simple three day study plan that'll accomplish everything you need to get done. Shall we? - If you have a textbook for this particular subject, close read it. Close reading is basically where you read a passage multiple times to gain complete understanding. Read the first time, highlight the second time, and annotate the third. - you can do this with the entire chapter or sections at a time. - Go back and review your notes. That's what they're there for! And if you haven't made any (boo you) then make some right now. They're helpful. A quick, and visual note taking strategy is using a mindmap, it'll help you fit and organize all of your information. - If something requires memorization, a thing I tend to do is put the words on my wall and go over them repeatedly so that I keep looking at them. Flashcards are extremely helpful, websites like Quizlet are efficient and on the go. - If you don't have time for notes, create a review sheet with main topics and information that you KNOW you'll need to know. This can contain definitions, names of people or events, and main events/topics. - Do some worksheets or exercises that will help you practice your knowledge. If it's a standardized test created by the state or country, you can probably find some from previous years online that you can use for practice. - Review your notes and mindmap AGAIN. Push that knowledge into your brain to really make sure you know it all. - If you don't know all the definitions of the things you need to memorize, DO THAT NOW. Tomorrow you'll need to go over them, so make sure you know them. - Read your annotations of the textbook, these are summaries of what you need to know and can be extremely helpful. - Read your notes out loud but record yourself. And then listen to it. This is such a useful strategy that actually works. - Go over the nitty gritty. Every test has that one curveball that came up in one line of the textbook, so make sure you know it all. - Read over your textbook one more time to make sure you didn't miss ANYTHING. Don't skip sections just because you think that you know it. - Listen to your recordings again to really get it in your brain. - If you have time, rewrite some of your notes. Try to do this without any noise in the background, focusing/writing is a deadly combination that is key for memorization. - Do some more exercises, but try to put yourself in an exam setting. No distractions, everything off the desk and no resources. Just you. I hope this helped a few people who are still going through their exams. I wish you luck, and I know you all will do great <3 Hopefully I will be back with regular posting as soon as exams are over which is close to the end of June :( Thanks for reading, may favorites Hello everyone! Happy end of May, I hope this was a good month for you and I hope June is even better <3 WELL. it's been a hot minute since ive done one of these, shall we? pablo neruda - the hands of day pure art. It's so good, I need to read more of his poetry asap. (Not going to lie, the reason why I bought this is because a character from my favorite TV show ((How I Met Your Mother)) likes Pablo Neruda). I've had a small obsession with poetry because words are so nice. my earth science review book I swear, I'm not a nerd but I've had my nose so deep in this book for the past month that it deserves a spot on this list.. whether I like it or not. stickers from etsy These look so cute in my bullet journal y'all don't even know how much I love stickers. And these ones are yellow flowers?? AGHHH garnier fructis anti frizz serum I am a girl with freaking thick hair. And in the summer, I look something like this: Tragic. But yeah I really need this stuff so I don't look like Hermione Granger and it works. Go purchase, (this is not a #spon) but it's cheap and useful!! staedler fine tip pens Around finals time I have to do review notes so why not spice up those review notes with color! 20 different colors to be exact. You can create color schemes! And cursive! And doodles! It's always a good time. even more etsy stickers THESE ARE ROWLETS. i freakin love pokemon yo. my algebra 1 review book This one is actually kind of fun. SIKE I HATE IT. It's long and there's no place to do your work. grinds teeth But I'd fail my regents without it so. CURSE YOU SCHOOL SYSTEM. chocolate cherry highlighter from kylie cosmetics ya because i'm rich. SIKE I USED HALF MY BIRTHDAY MONEY FOR THIS. But it's so pretty n shiny. And I use it all the time so it's totally 100% not a waste and I'm not a terrible consumer who buys everything in sight. sigh. vivid matte lipstick from maybelline and nyx soft matte lip cream These colors are so nice!! The Maybelline one is in Nude Thrill which is a not too light not too dark nude and it goes on soft and dries nicely! The NYX one is in Cannes which is probably one of the nicest colors I own and it is so creamy and soft (probably why it's called a soft matte lip cream). It doesn't dry completely which I actually like :D mac "in extreme dimension" mascara NO I AM NOT RICH. It was a free sample at Nordstorm's which I am slowly running out of :( And it's 32 dollars which I really don't feel like spending. Would anyone like to donate to my fund? ^_^ loads of washi tape Just. All of the Washi Tape. All of it. It's an obsession I'm sorry. HOW WAS YOUR MAY? LIKES? DISLIKES? LEMME KNOW. do you watch how i met your mother? LEMME KNOW. Thanks for reading, what i learned from multiple writing failures Hello everyone! Back in October of last year, I wrote a post talking about my 2 Horrible Attempts At Writing, and I realized that after not 2, but three failed attempts at writing a novel, I have learned literally nothing. So before I start plotting for Camp NaNo in July, I decided to figure this whole shabang out. I will always find an excuse to slap a Harry Potter gif onto my posts :)) give your plot some depth Anyone (just about) can come up with a plot, but can they come up with a plot. Most of my stories have had a storyline, but I had no plot twists, and it didn't all weave together. I had a ton of subplots, but none of them really found their way into the heart of the story. It was like a ponytail after a long day, the hairs are sticking out and aren't in the hairtie anymore. My goal is to form a plot that is smooth and pulled back, with all the hairs scenes tucked into place. I love my metaphors. give your characters a summary but also give them depth Depth is a theme that I was missing. I formed cute little summaries about my characters but where was the development? All my characters were static except for my main character, and their backstories were vague vague vague. Even if they did have backstories, they didn't fall into the plot. (I see some hairs peeking out) They should have a purpose. I added a character just to have a romantic interest for my main character, but that was completely unnecessary. The main character's life wasn't the focus, it was the problem that they both had. The romantic interest wasn't important, it didn't add to the plot. This is the third issue. (nice segway) make sure everything is relevant! Metaphor number two because we're reading this in English: in Romeo and Juliet (if you're familiar with the full story), Shakespeare doesn't give the reason for the Capulet/Montague feud, because it's not important. Don't include things that aren't important. If that blue house down the street doesn't have anything to do with the story, don't give a 2 paragraph detailed description of this. (strangely specific but I actually did this in my first NaNo story) please, it should make sense. Ok I'm about to call out my 10 year old self right now: a 16 year old living in a suburban town most likely does not have the money to own an underground lair full of weird devices, unless you explain it well, which I did not. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. My entire plot revolved around that. facepalm I'll give myself some credit, I had a wild imagination. it's not always about completing I want to make it perfectly that failure does not equal not completing. I did finish 2 out of 3 of those novels. But they were all failures. I failed to create a good story, therefore I was not successful. Even though I completed them. However, it could be seen as a success because I learned a lot from those 3 stories. epiphanies. What have you learned from writing? What do you consider a writing failure? SHARE YOUR STRUGGLES WITH ME, I HAVE ICE CREAM AND LOTS OF CARE. Thanks for reading, a tour of my rad desk Hello everyone! Happy Mother's Day! My desk is probably the only part of my room that is consistently clean. I find it extremely stressful to work on a messy surface, and organization with my desk makes me happy and motivated. I honestly consider my desk to be the best part of my room, even though it's probably where I spend the least amount of time... jk jk. enjoy this somewhat brief tour of my desk :D pics may be bad because the lighting was awful and i had to use my phone :( I have a bunch of things lined up along my wall just so I can have a large space to work, it looks a little cluttered but I promise I have use for all of these things :P In this corner I have my two Newts (aren't they cute :')) and a lil container from Target with Sharpies, colored pens, highlighters, my favorite Sharpie pens, a glue gun and some scissors! Rose gold is my obsession so when I saw this container I was like I MUST GET THIS. Here's the left middle :D There is a cute little plastic tray, again from Target, the only place you should buy anything :P In the bag are my all time favorite highlighters called Mildliners, they come in like 30 colors and are double sided :0. I have a notebook which I honestly never use but it looks cute. On top are my washi tapes which I cherish with all my heart. And then my Sonic Screwdriver because well, I am a nerd. Then on the right we got some pencils and some neutral markers. (which are also double sided because i'm a cool kid) (closeup of the markers) AND MORE TAPE, I am a hoarder. Yet another container full of scrapbook paper.. index cards... and these bomb brush markers which were like 5 dollars so score right. Ignore the right I am attempting to convince my parents to take me to Fan Expo Canada over the summer. #noortofanexpo ANYWAY I have some more markers but they're colorful. And then a lil Hagrid with his lil umbrella :') A gross picture of my wall next to the desk! I just have a load of crap like a calendar, some art, and then quotes to motivate myself while I cry work. Wall above the desk! I have some fairy lights, and then a wall dedicated to a Draco Malfoy aesthetic because I'm a nerd inspiration. I hope y'all enjoyed! Let me know what you like to keep on your desk <3 Desk inspo is so relaxing I always look it up on Pinterest :P Thanks for reading, why writing fanfiction is TOTALLY AWESOME HELLO EVERYONE ! Fanfiction is great, it's fun to read and it's fun to write! But I often feel extremely guilty when writing fanfics, as it's not truly original writing and it doesn't exactly take as much work as writing your own real baby. I present to you, 5 reasons why you should most definitely NOT feel guilty about writing fanfiction and instead love your favorite characters until the end of time. ahem Just like real original (common misconception) writing, fanfiction has little to no rules. Heck, you don't have to stick to the original plot, you can make up your own characters, tbh do whatever you want! That's why fanfiction is so much like original writing, because you can create plot twists and ideas that were never in the original book, movie, whatever, it's your story incorporated into that other one. DO ALL THE THINGS. Change a character's gender. Make them love chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla ice cream. you do you. You have an easy way to create a plot, you have the characters, now all you have to do is write. Test new things, practice intense descriptions, you have an outline, now you just have to paint it. And that is amazing practice that you may not get when writing an original. With fanfictions, developing the characters is not the most important part, because the people reading already have a sense of what they're like (unless you're introducing an OC or changing a character's personality) SO AGAIN, GO WILD WITH FUN FUN THINGS!! I don't know about y'all but whenever I read/watch something, I always find myself saying "Man I wish they added ____ or made ____ into a _____" Well, with fanfiction, you can make all your dreams come true! This especially works with ships. I prefer some characters together rather than what the author has written, and I can totally write that ship into my fanfiction. Again, my world, my ships :D Writing ships are also so much fun, sometimes I find myself in love with a ship, and I'm almost certain it's exactly what real love feels like. I honestly don't understand when people call fanfiction fake writing. if you are writing something... isn't it writing??? like ?? It's not exactly copying, when you write fanfiction you acknowledge that the characters aren't yours and the original story isn't either. You aren't copying it word for word, and it isn't paraphrasing, it's usually a completely different story or a subplot that wasn't part of the original. This kind of goes along with number 3, but I decided to give it it's own section. Earlier this year, I did a post about a lack of representation in YA novels, and how it really sucks. But, fanfiction changes everything. You can make a Caucasian character into a POC in an instant, and that doesn't suck. Fanfiction can give literature the representation it needs, especially since fic writers come from every inch of the world. And that's what makes it such a great community. me when i see poc in any form of media FANFICTION? YES OR NO? If yes, what’s your favorite type to read? OOH and what’s your favorite ship, I’d love to know :D Thanks for reading, things writers should remember (you're a gem to this world) Hello everyone! Weekend, finally augh :D Getting back to school after break was such a drag, I fell asleep in half of my classes on Monday... oops. However, I've been connecting with my writer side a lot more (aka my darker side, i would never kill anyone in real life.. maybe?) and I've often had to remind myself of simple little things, that have really made my writing experience a lot better. While you're writing, it may be helpful to remind yourself of these things, you know, so you don't want to like completely rip your hair out. (comment if u relate) i absolutely adore this book it's so inspiring and beautiful just get it ok #notaspon 1. You have literally read your writing thousands of times, it's going to sound bad, but I promise it's so much better than you think. 2. There's a reason it's called a first draft. You can even call it a rough draft, because it's supposed to be rough. That's what editing is for broski. cries 3. Don't write something just because it's trending! You're not going to finish this book for another 2 years and chances are, it won't be trending anymore. you do you boo boo. 4. Your character does not represent you. Do not be afraid to make a character insanely evil and horrible, you're not evil and horrible, the character is. it's not the same. 5. Writing fast does not equal good writing. Take your time, go with the flow, find the flow, and write at your own pace. Words are words, no matter how fast they're written. 6. And don't shame yourself for writing fast! You go you speedy little thing, you're awesome, and your writing is awesome. 7. Please don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you that "Writing is so easy." Instead, throw them in a pit and let them wallow in their ignorance. Or better, make them write your novel. All 150043994 drafts of it. 8. Don't be afraid to kill someone off. Heck, go on a murder spree if you'd like (calm down JK Rowling) ok maybe don't kill everyone, but if it's necessary to the story, go ahead, you don't have to make it graphic. 9. There's no 100 step list to becoming a writer. All you gotta do is write. 10. Your story is never too crazy. Go ahead and write the romance novel about mermaids in space, there's always a first for everything. spring is finally here and i love flowers 11. USING PROMPTS IS OKAY! Don't be ashamed if you need a lil inspiration :D 12. Don't force yourself to write, the flow and inspiration will never come if you're just not feeling it. 13. The worst thing you can do to yourself as a writer is compare your writing to someone else's. 14. The second worst thing you can do is try to closely imitate someone else's writing. 15. Don't ever doubt yourself. The fact that you brought yourself to attempt to write something is a brave and great feat, pat yourself on the back. 16. It doesn't take 30 days to write a book, sometimes it takes more than that to plan a book. You're not rushed. 17. TAKE BREAKS. You will go insane if you write for like 20 hours straight. And then you'll hate writing. And that's a disaster. (because your writing is a gem) 18. There isn't one 'write' way to write (HA IM FUNNY). In fact, I don't think you can correlate the word "write" with "right", because in writing, wrong and right just don't exist. 19. No one will judge you for being a planner or a pantser. once again, you do you boo boo 20. No one is going to judge you if you ditch a piece of writing. Maybe you didn't like it, that's okay, you get an infinite (kinda) number of chances, keep trying :D DID THIS HELP?? AT ALL??? What are some other things you need to remind yourself while writing? Join the #writersstruggle with me! Thanks for reading, the pros and cons of rereading and rewatching Hello everyone! Tis spring break! And that means plenty of glorious hours for reading and binge watching. Except I haven't watched or read anything new. In fact, I reread Harry Potter and I rewatched Jane the Virgin. someone help me i am too obsessed. the violin has nothing to do with this post i just love my violin It brought me to think, is rereading/rewatching something redundant? Or, when should you stop rereading a series? Is there even a limit? The answer that comes to mind is NO. I WILL LIVE THE MAGIC AS MANY TIMES AS I WANT TO NOOR LEAVE ME ALONE. (i have internal fights with myself it's probably not healthy but whatever) But shouldn't one be open to new things? Continously reading or watching one series gets boring doesn't it? (it really doesn't but that isnt the point) So, me being me, I made a pros and cons list, because what's life without lists? (a lot of things but lists are my life ok sh) the most obvious reason, so you can live it all again. Experience the quotes, laugh at the characters, cry at the deaths, go on the journey like you did the first time! If you really love it, you can't get enough of it. i will never get enough of Draco's snarky comments. never. no matter how many times i read the series. so you will always remain a fan. I don't know about you, but if I don't read or watch or talk about a book/series/tv show/movie (you get the point i don't have to keep on doing this) for more than a couple months, I'll start to lose interest in the series. I'll literally forget how amazing it is. Sometimes I just want a snap back to.. fantasy? I NEED THE FUEL. you may have not read a good book or watched a good show in a while. Find yourself constantly hitting the one or two star button on Goodreads? Can't get past the first episode of that new show? Reread your favorite book, or watch your favorite show! It's guaranteed that you'll like the book/show, and it's a refresher from all the literature garbage you've read lately. (jk it's not garbage, every book is a gift, some better than others, but all of them are gifts, in their own way) However some shows can be absolute garbage, several come to mind. you're forgetting all the details. me: buzzfeed quiz on harry potter trivia.. LETS GO. quiz: what was Ginny Weasley's Patronus? me: sweats pants heavily OH CRAP I DON'T KNOW. sinks into chair in shame It's a terrible feeling. After that, you just have to reread the series. Or you'll feel like a bad fan. This list was probably one of the toughest lists I've ever had to make in my life, it involved me hitting my head on my computer because I NEEDED ANOTHER REASON but my reading soul told me that there were NO REASONS. #readinglifeishard when are you going to tackle that TBR? me: is reading the lunar chronicles (again) me: glances over at bookshelf me: i'll get to you someday bookshelf: lol yea right THERE'S TOO MANY BOOKS, AND SO LITTLE TIME. I tell myself this like every day? But then I somehow find myself picking up my favorite books and looking past the ones I picked up at the store. It's not that I don't want to read them, it's just the others ARE SO GOOD. cries or that Netflix watch list? Trust me, I have around 15 shows on My List on Netflix that are calling my name but I still click "next episode" on Jane the Virgin so that I can watch that same episode for the fifth time. logic. the book/show/movie loses its suspense. After a while, you tend to know what happens in a series, you know all the funny lines, the scary moments. So it's never really the same the 5th or 6th time around, you may gain more knowledge of the thing, but you lose a lot of the fun. (i tried really hard to come up with more reasons I PROMISE) I still love rereading, don't me wrong, I think I just have to cut down, a little. REREADING / WATCHING? Yes or no? If yes, what’s your favorite book/show/movie to reread? And if I missed any pros or cons, let me know! Thanks for reading,
Globle issus that never end Solo disponible en BuenasTareas • Páginas : 4 (802 palabras ) • Descarga(s) : 7 • Publicado : 8 de julio de 2010 Leer documento completo Vista previa del texto There is one thing that is going to be always in this world and that is racism. This has been happening since the creation of the human race. Racism is aconflict that a person has with a several persons because of his/her color, gender, cultures, beliefs, social economic, religion and traditions. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary “racism: n. is abelief that some races are by nature superior to other; also discrimination based on such belief.” In order to know how to recognize a “racism” we must became aware of some of his/her traits, whichinclude dominate, aggressive, and discrimination. When a person is racism he/she think that they are superior to others, and when they trite they dominate the inferior people. The dominateperson want to make the other to do what he/she say. There are people that abuse of his/her position of their jobs to dominate innocent people. Another example: is when the holocaust began is becauseHitler want to dominate, and traits the Jewish as slaves. Hitler thought that the Jewish were like fleas or mice, and that he have to trait them bad, and be dominant with the Jewish, and kill themafter all that he made them suffer. The aggressive is a trait of racism, and there are many people that are aggressive with other persons that are different as them. When there is a person in ajob, and is a nurse or doctor, and a patient came, so the doctor or nurse see that the patient is different as them they race there voice or they do not want to attend that patient their beenaggressive with him/her. The aggressive person is always in bad attitude. One time one of my friend went to ask for a job and she went to make an application and she finish school and college and they told herthey cannot give her the job that she qualify for that job, but they did not gave her the job because she was Hispanic. Discrimination is another trait of racism, and people discriminate... tracking img
HCCUA Visit Us On Twitter Visit Us On Facebook Join HCCUA Today! Home > Health And Wellness Prostate Cancer : What you need to Know Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, excluding skin cancer. It is the third leading cause of cancer death in men. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 235,000 new cases of prostate cancer will occur this year. However, prostate cancer can be treated effectively if it is caught in the early stages. Take this short quiz to see how much you know about prostate cancer. 1. Prostate cancer may be described as follows: a. A malignant, or cancerous, tumor forms in the prostate gland b. Mostly effects men under the age of 65 c. Survival rates for prostate cancer are decreasing d. All of the above The answer is a. The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Tumors found in the prostate gland may be benign, or noncancerous, or they may be malignant, or cancerous. Benign tumors can usually be removed, seldom come back, and are not life-threatening. Tumors that are malignant are usually slow-growing, and mostly affect men over age 65. The cancer cells can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream, causing the cancer to spread. 2. Risk factors for prostate cancer include: • Family history • Race • Obesity • All of the above The answer is d. In general, all men are at risk for prostate cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease. However, having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease. Some risk factors that cannot be changed are race, genetics, family history, and aging. Other risk factors that can be changed are diet, obesity, and having a vasectomy. Some men with risk factors never develop prostate cancer, while some men without apparent risk factors develop the disease. The prostate cancer incidence is higher for African-American men than for any other racial or ethnic group, and conversely, Asian/Pacific Islanders have relatively low rates of prostate cancer. 3. Which of the following is a sign of prostate cancer? • Fever • Weight gain • Pain or burning when urinating • All of the above The answer is c. Symptoms linked to prostate cancer are frequent urination; inability to urinate; painful or burning urination; blood in the urine or semen; pain in the lower pelvic area; difficulty having an erection or having a painful ejaculation; frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs; and/or weight loss. A man who has these symptoms should see a physician immediately. Any of these symptoms could be caused by prostate cancer or by a benign condition, such as an infection or BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition where the prostate becomes enlarged). 4. Screening for prostate cancer includes: • A blood test called PSA • A stool test • An X-ray • All of the above The answer is a. Screening for prostate cancer usually includes two tests, a blood test for PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and a digital rectal exam (DRE). A PSA test is sent to the lab to measure for levels of PSA in the blood, which usually is elevated in men with prostate cancer (but, sometimes elevated in BPH or infection as well). The DRE is a test in which a physician inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum and feels the prostate through the rectal wall. 5. When a screening test for prostate cancer indicates a concern, further testing may include: • Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) • Computed tomography (CT scan) • Biopsy • All of the above The answer is d. Testing for prostate cancer may include transrectal ultrasound (TRUS uses sound waves to create an image to visually inspect for abnormal conditions) or computed tomography (CT scan uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images). When any of these tests indicate that cancer may be present, a biopsy will be required. A biopsy is a procedure in which tissue samples are removed surgically from the prostate gland to determine if cancer cells are present. 6. Health experts say that current information on prostate cancer risk factors suggest that some cases may be prevented. New emphasis for preventing prostate cancer is placed on: • Diet • Vitamin supplementation • Exercise • All of the above The answer is d. Research continues to add valuable information to the understanding of prostate cancer. Health experts are looking for new ways to prevent prostate cancer, but they are not in agreement on the risks for developing the disease. The American Cancer Society recommends that men eat a diet high in plant sources (tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and watermelon) and low in red meat (high-fat and processed). A study at the National Cancer Institute is looking at selenium and Vitamin E supplementation as a prevention measure. And, because obesity is a risk factor, experts recommend exercise to lower the risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is often found confined to the prostate gland or regional area and the majority of patients with this type of cancer can live for years with no problems. With early detection and improved treatment, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer found in a local or regional state is 100 percent. Over the past 20 years, the five-year survival rate for all stages has increased from 67 percent to 98 percent. Incorporate your knowledge regarding prostate cancer prevention and detection into a healthy lifestyle. Become knowledgeable about prostate cancer risk factors that may apply to you, and take appropriate actions including changing behaviors and being clinically monitored for the disease. Experts recommend that you contact your physician to develop a plan for prostate cancer screening based on your personal profile. Source: DeKalb Medical Center, Atlanta, GA [Go Back] Affordable Health Insurance - iCan
Contents > Contact-Equilibrium Processes- Applications > Extraction and Washing Print this page About the book Material and energy Fluid-flow theory Fluid-flow applications Heat-transfer theory separation processes Size reduction Index to Figures Index to Examples Useful links Feedback (email link) Rate of Extraction Stage-equilibrium Extraction Extraction and Washing Equipment It is often convenient to use a liquid in order to carry out a separation process. The liquid is thoroughly mixed with the solids or other liquid from which the component is to be removed and then the two streams are separated. In the case of solids, the separation of the two streams is generally by simple gravity settling. Sometimes it is the solution in the introduced liquid that is the product required, such as in the extraction of coffee from coffee beans with water. In other cases, the washed solid may be the product as in the washing of butter. The term washing is generally used where an unwanted constituent is removed in a stream of water. Extraction is also an essential stage in the sugar industry when soluble sucrose is removed by water extraction from sugar cane or beet. Washing occurs so frequently as to need no specific examples. To separate liquid streams, the liquids must be immiscible, such as oil and water. Liquid-liquid extraction is the name used when both streams in the extraction are liquid. Examples of extraction are found in the edible oil industry in which oil is extracted from natural products such as peanuts, soya beans, rapeseeds, sunflower seeds and so on. Liquid-liquid extraction is used in the extraction of fatty acids. Factors controlling the operation are: area of contact between the streams, time of contact, properties of the materials so far as the equilibrium distribution of the transferred component is concerned, number of contact stages employed. In extraction from a solid, the solid matrix may hinder diffusion and so control the rate of extraction. Rate of Extraction The solution process can be considered in terms of the usual rate equation rate of solution = driving force/resistance. In this case, the driving force is the difference between the concentration of the component being transferred, the solute, at the solid interface and in the bulk of the solvent stream. For liquid-liquid extraction, a double film must be considered, at the interface and in the bulk of the other stream. For solution from a solid component, the equation can be written dw/dt = KlA(ys - y) (9.8) where dw/dt is the rate of solution, Kl is the mass-transfer coefficient, A is the interfacial area, and ys and y, are the concentrations of the soluble component in the bulk of the liquid and at the interface. It is usually assumed that a saturated solution is formed at the interface and ys is the concentration of a saturated solution at the temperature of the system. Examination of eqn. (9.8) shows the effects of some of the factors, which can be used to speed up rates of solution. Fine divisions of the solid component increases the interfacial area A. Good mixing ensures that the local concentration is equal to the mean bulk concentration. In other words, it means that there are no local higher concentrations arising from bad stirring increasing the value of y and so cutting down the rate of solution. An increase in the temperature of the system will, in general, increase rates of solution by not only increasing Kl, which is related to diffusion, but also by increasing the solubility of the solute and so increasing ys. In the simple case of extraction from a solid in a contact stage, a mass balance on the solute gives the equation: dw = Vdy (9.9) where V is the quantity of liquid in the liquid stream. Substituting for dw in eqn. (9.8) we then have: Vdy/dt = Kl A(ys - y) which can then be integrated over time t during which time the concentration goes from an initial value of y0 to a concentration y, giving loge [(ys - y0)/ (ys - y)] = tKlA/V. (9.10) Equation (9.10) shows, as might be expected, that the approach to equilibrium is exponential with time. The equation cannot often be applied because of the difficulty of knowing or measuring the interfacial area A. In practice, suitable extraction times are generally arrived at by experimentation under the particular conditions that are anticipated for the plant. Stage-equilibrium Extraction Analysis of an extraction operation depends upon establishing the equilibrium and operating conditions. The equilibrium conditions are, in general, simple. Considering the extraction of a solute from a solid matrix, it is assumed that the whole of the solute is dissolved in the liquid in one stage, which in effect accomplishes the desired separation. However, it is not possible then to separate all of the liquid from the solid because some solution is retained with the solid matrix and this solution contains solute. As the solid retains solution with it, the content of solute in this retained solution must be then progressively reduced by stage contacts. For example, in the extraction of oil from soya bean seeds using hexane or other hydrocarbon solvents, the solid beans matrix may retain its own weight, or more, of the solution after settling. This retained solution may therefore contain a substantial proportion of the oil. The equilibrium conditions are simple because the concentration of the oil is the same in the external solution that can be separated as it is in the solution that remains with the seed matrix. Consequently, y, the concentration of oil in the "light" liquid stream, is equal to x, the concentration of oil in the solution in the "heavy" stream accompanying the seed matrix. The equilibrium line is, therefore, plotted from the relation y = x. The operating conditions can be analysed by writing mass balances round the stages to give the eqn. (9.5). The plant is generally arranged in the form of a series of mixers, followed by settlers in which the two streams are separated prior to passing to the next stage of mixers. For most purposes of analysis, the solid matrix need not be considered; the solids can be thought of as just the means by which the two solution streams are separated after each stage. So long as the same quantity of solid material passes from stage to stage, and also the solids retain the same quantity of liquid after each settling operation, the analysis is straightforward. In eqn. (9.5), V refers to the liquid overflow stream from the settlers, and L to the mixture of solid and solution that is settled out and passes on with the underflow. If the underflow retains the same quantity of solution as it passes from stage to stage, eqn. (9.5) simplifies to eqn. (9.6). The extraction operation can then be analysed by application of step-by-step solution of the equations for each stage, or by the use of the McCabe-Thiele graphical method. EXAMPLE 9.6. Counter current extraction of oil from soya beans with hexane Oil is to be extracted from soya beans in a counter current stage-contact extraction apparatus, using hexane. If the initial oil content of the beans is 18%, the final extract solution is to contain 40% of oil, and if 90% of the total oil is to be extracted, calculate the number of contact stages that are necessary. Assume that the oil is extracted from the beans in the first mixer, that equilibrium is reached in each stage, and that the crushed bean solids in the underflow retain in addition half their weight of solution after each settling stage. The extraction plant is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 9.5. FIG. 9.5 Extraction stages FIG. 9.5 Hexane extraction of oil from soya beans in stages Each box represents a mixing-settling stage and the stages are numbered from the stage at which the crushed beans enter. The underflow will be constant from stage to stage (a constant proportion of solution is retained by the crushed beans) except for the first stage in which the entering crushed beans (bean matrix and oil) are accompanied by no solvent. After the first stage, the underflow is constant and so all stages but the first can be treated by the use of eqn. (9.6). To illustrate the principles involved, the problem will be worked out from stage-by-stage mass balances, and using the McCabe-Thiele graphical method. Basis for calculation: 100 kg raw material (bean solids and their associated oil) entering stage 1. Concentrations of oil will be expressed as weight fractions. Overall mass balance In 100 kg raw material there will be 18% oil, that is 82 kg bean solids and 18 kg oil. In the final underflow, 82 kg beans will retain 41 kg of solution, the solution will contain 10% of the initial oil in the beans, that is, 1.8 kg so that there will be (18 - 1.8) = 16.2 kg of oil in the final overflow, Extract contains (16.2 x 60/40) = 24.3 kg of solvent Total volume of final overflow = 16.2 + 24.3 = 40.5 kg Total solvent entering = (39.2 + 24.3) = 63.5 kg Note that the solution passing as overflow between the stages is the same weight as the solvent entering the whole system, i.e. 63.5 kg. Basis: 100 kg beans Mass in (kg) Mass out ( kg) Underflow Underflow Raw beans 100.0 Extracted beans + solution 123.0 Bean solids 82.0 Bean solids 82.0 Oil 18.0 Oil 1.8 Solvent 39.2 Overflow Overflow Solvent 63.5 Total extract 40.5 Solvent 24.3 Oil 16.2 Total 163.5 Total 163.5 Analysis of stage 1 Oil concentration in underflow = product concentration = 0.4. It is an equilibrium stage, so oil concentration in underflow equals oil concentration in overflow. Let y2 represent the concentration of oil in the overflow from stage 2 passing in to stage 1. Then oil entering stage 1 equals oil leaving stage 1. Therefore balance on oil: 63.5y2 + 18 = 41 x 0.4 + 40.5 x 0.4 y2 = 0.23. Analysis of stage 2 x2 = y2 = 0.23 Therefore balance on oil: 41 x 0.4 + 63.5y3 = 63.5 x 0.23 + 41 x 0.23, y3 = 0.12. Analysis of stage 3 x3 = y3= 0.12 Therefore balance on oil: 41 x 0.23 + 63.5y4 = 63.5 x 0.12 + 41 x 0.12 y4= 0.049 Analysis of stage 4 x4 = y4 = 0.049, Therefore balance on oil 41 x 0.12 + 63.5 y5 = 63.5 x 0.049 + 41 x 0.049, y5 = 0.00315. The required terminal condition is that the underflow from the final nth stage will have less than 1.8 kg of oil, that is, that xn is less than 1.8/41 = 0.044. Since xn = yn and we have calculated that y5 is 0.00315 which is less than 0.044 (whereas y4 = 0.049 was not), four stages of contact will be sufficient for the requirements of the process. Using the graphical method, the general eqn. (9.6) can be applied to all stages after the first. From the calculations above for the first stage, we have x1 = 0.4, y2 = 0.23 and these can be considered as the entry conditions xa and ya for the series of subsequent stages. Applying eqn. (9.6) the operating line equation: yn+1 = xnL/V + ya - xaL/V Now L = 41, V = 63.5, ya = 0.23 xa = 0.4 yn+1 = 0.646 xn - 0.028 The equilibrium line is: yn = xn The operating line and the equilibrium line have been plotted on Fig. 9.6. FIG. 9.6 Extraction: McCabe-Thiele plot FIG. 9.6 Hexane extraction of oil from soyabeans: McCabe-Thiele plot The McCabe-Thiele construction has been applied, starting with the entry conditions to stage 2 (stage 1 being the initial mixing stage) on the operating line, and it can be seen that three steps are not sufficient, but that four steps give more than the minimum separation required. Since the initial stage is included but not shown on the diagram, four stages are necessary, which is the same result as was obtained from the step-by-step calculations. The step construction on the McCabe-Thiele diagram can also be started from the nth stage, since we know that yn+1 which is the entering fresh solvent, equals 0. This will also give the same number of stages, but it will apparently show slightly different stage concentrations. The apparent discrepancy arises from the fact that in the overall balance, a final (given) concentration of oil in the overflow stream of 0.044 was used, and both the step-by-step equations and the McCabe-Thiele operating line depend upon this. In fact, this concentration can never be reached using a whole number of steps under the conditions of the problem and to refine the calculation it would be necessary to use trial-and-error methods. However, the above method is a sufficiently close approximation for most purposes. In some practical extraction applications, the solids may retain different quantities of the solvent in some stages of the plant. For example, this might be due to rising concentrations of extract having higher viscosities. In this case, the operating line is not straight, but step-by-step methods can still be used. For some of the more complex situations other graphical methods using triangular diagrams can be employed and a discussion of their use may be found in Charm (1970), Coulson and Richardson (1978) or Treybal (1970). It should be noted that in the chemical engineering literature what has here been called extraction is more often called leaching, the term extraction being reserved for liquid-liquid contacting using immiscible liquids. "Extraction" is, however, in quite general use in the food industry to describe processes such as the one in the above example, whereas the term "leaching" would probably only cause confusion. Washing is almost identical to extraction, the main distinction being one of the emphasis in that in washing the inert material is the required product, and the solvent used is water which is cheap and readily available. Various washing situations are encountered and can be analysed. That to be considered is one in which a solid precipitate, the product, retains water which also contains residues of the mother liquor so that on drying without washing these residues will remain with the product. The washing is designed to remove them, and examples are butter and casein and cheese washing in the dairy industry. Calculations on counter current washing can be carried out using the same methods as discussed under extraction, working from the operating and equilibrium conditions. In washing, fresh water is often used for each stage and the calculations for this are also straightforward. In multiple washing, the water content of the material is xw (weight fraction) and a fraction of this, x, is impurity, and to this is added yxw of wash water, and after washing thoroughly, the material is allowed to drain. After draining it retains the same quantity, approximately, of water as before, xw. The residual yxw of wash liquid, now at equilibrium containing the same concentration of impurities as in the liquid remaining with the solid, runs to waste. Of course in situations in which water is scarce counter current washing may be worthwhile. The impurity which was formerly contained in xw of water is now in a mass (xw + yxw): its concentration x has fallen by the ratio of these volumes, that is to x [xw/(xw + yxw)]. So the concentration remaining with the solid after one washing, x1, is given by: x1 = x[xw /xw(1 + y)] = x[1/(1 + y)] after two washings: x2 = x1[1/(1 + y)] = x[1/(1 + y)]2 and so after n washings: xn = x[1/(1 + y)]n (9.11) If, on the other hand, the material is washed with the same total quantity of water as in the n washing stages, that is nyxw, but all in one stage, the impurity content will be: x'n = x[1/(ny + 1)] (9.12) and it is clear that the multiple contact washing is very much more efficient in reducing the impurity content that is single contact washing, both using the same total quantity of water. EXAMPLE 9.7. Washing of casein curd After precipitation and draining procedures, it is found that 100 kg of fresh casein curd has a liquid content of 66% and this liquid contains 4.5% of lactose. The curd is washed three times with 194 kg of fresh water each time. Calculate the residual lactose in the casein after drying. Also calculate the quantity of water that would have to be used in a single wash to attain the same lactose content in the curd as obtained after three washings. Assume perfect washing, and draining of curd to 66% of moisture each time. 100 kg of curd contain 66 kg solution. The 66 kg of solution contain 4.5% that is 3 kg of lactose. In the first wash (194 + 66) = 260 kg of solution contain 3 kg lactose. In 66 kg of solution remaining there will be (66/260) x 3 = 0.76 kg of lactose. After the second wash the lactose remaining will be (66/260) x 0.76 = 0.19kg After the third wash the lactose remaining will be (66/260) x 0.19 = 0.048 kg Or, after three washings lactose remaining will be 3 x (66/260)3 = 0.048 kg as above So, after washing and drying 0.048 kg of lactose will remain with 34 kg dry casein so that lactose content of the product = 0.048/34.05 = 0.14% and total wash water = 3 x 194 = 582 kg To reduce the impurity content to 0.048 kg in one wash would require x kg of water, where (3 x 66)/(x + 66) = 0.048 kg x = 4060 kg and so the total wash water = 4060 kg Alternatively using eqns. (9.11) and (9.12) = 3[1/(1 + 194/66)]3 = 0.049 xn' = x[1/(ny + 1)] 0.049 = 3[1/(ny+ 1)] ny = 61.5. Total wash water = nyxw = 61.5 x 66 = 4060 kg. Extraction and Washing Equipment The first stage in an extraction process is generally mechanical grinding, in which the raw material is shredded, ground or pressed into suitably small pieces or flakes to give a large contact area for the extraction. In some instances, for example in sugar-cane processing and in the extraction of vegetable oils, a substantial proportion of the desired products can be removed directly by expression at this stage and then the remaining solids are passed to the extraction plant. Fluid solvents are easy to pump and so overflows are often easier to handle than underflows and sometimes the solids may be left and solvent from successive stages brought to them. This is the case in the conventional extraction battery. In this a number of tanks, each suitable both for mixing and for settling, are arranged in a row or a ring. The solids remain in the one mixer-settler and the solvent is moved progressively round the ring of tanks, the number, n, often being about 12. At any time, two of the tanks are out of operation, one being emptied and the other being filled. In the remaining (n - 2), tanks extraction is proceeding with the extracting liquid solvent, usually water, being passed through the tanks in sequence, the "oldest" (most highly extracted) tank receiving the fresh liquid and the "youngest" (newly filled with fresh raw material) tank receiving the most concentrated liquid. After leaving this "youngest" tank, the concentrated liquid passes from the extraction battery to the next stage of the process. After a suitable interval, the connections are altered so that the tank which has just been filled becomes the new “youngest" tank. The former "oldest" tank comes out of the sequence and is emptied, the one that was being emptied is filled and the remaining tanks retain their sequence but with each becoming one stage "older". This procedure which is illustrated in Fig. 9.7 in effect accomplishes counter current extraction, but with only the liquid physically having to be moved apart from the emptying and filling in the terminal tanks. FIG. 9.7 Extraction battery FIG. 9.7 Extraction battery In the same way and for the same reasons as with counter flow heat exchangers, this counter current (or counter flow) extraction system provides the maximum mean driving force, the log mean concentration difference in this case, contrasting with the log mean temperature difference in the heat exchanger. This ensures that the equipment is used efficiently. In some other extractors, the solids are placed in a vertical bucket conveyor and moved up through a tower down which a stream of solvent flows. Other forms of conveyor may also be used, such as screws or metal bands, to move the solids against the solvent flow. Sometimes centrifugal forces are used for conveying, or for separating after contacting. Washing is generally carried out in equipment that allows flushing of fresh water over the material to be washed. In some cases, the washing is carried out in a series of stages. Although water is cheap, in many cases very large quantities are used for washing so that attention paid to more efficient washing methods may well be worthwhile. Much mechanical ingenuity has been expended upon equipment for washing and many types of washers are described in the literature. Contact-Equilibrium Processes - APPLICATIONS > CRYSTALLIZATION To top of pageBack to the top NZIFST - The New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology
Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 378 • Published : September 3, 2012 Open Document Text Preview By Sandra Cisneros The novel “Caramelo” by Sandra Cisneros deals with the issues of a young ¾ Mexican girl named Lala, who grows up with a father described as “traditional” and a mother described as “modern and tolerant” (grey box p. 44) In the first excerpt our main character, Lala, is in the car on the way to Mexico with her family. Before crossing the border, the kids sing title songs from American commercials and cartoons they remember. After passing the border “nobody feels like singing” (p. 40, l. 29) and this is where the reader is being presented to Lala’s impression of Mexico. Lala is a Chicano with a predominant American childhood, which is obvious from the songs the kids sing in the car. Lala gives a very sensuous description of everything she experiences. The descriptions are based on differences between Mexico and America, and that is what she focuses on - for instance “Toc, says the light switch in the country, at home it says click” (p. 41 l. 8) and “no more (…) cold bottles of 7-up, now we’ll drink fruit-flavored sodas” (p. 41 l. 3) Her language is also a bit influenced by the Spanish language as when she says “Ya mero, pero no. Almost, but not quite. Si, pero no. Yes, but no” which shows a divided personality. When Lala gets older (around 17 years) she is having a quarrel with her father, Inocencio, who was born in Mexico and has a very conservative Mexican view on tradition and family. He wants his daughter to act like a Mexican girl, and only leave the house when married. It is evident that Lala has reached her teenage years, and is trying to tear herself away from her family. She is very influenced by her friends: “But all my friends say…” and idols: “Just stuff like … like you see people doing in the movies. I want a life like…” (p. 45 l. 11 and l. 18). Her father, on the other hand, wants her to stay, and follow the traditions. “One must strive to be honorable” he says (p. 45 l. 34). The relationship between Lala and her father is... tracking img
Communism in China Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 35 • Published : April 12, 2013 Open Document Text Preview Communism in China Joe Wirth HST 204 “Spider Eaters”, a memoir composed by Rae Yang, presented the English readers her individual remembrances about the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution (GPCR). This was a social-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong. The first edition, which was printed in 1997, started with a quotation of Lu Xun and Author’s Note. The quotation delivers an accurate reference for the memoir’s name According to Lu Xun, “spider eaters” surrendered themselves by eating the poisonous insect, to guarantee that their offspring will not construct the same error. By implication, Yang recognizes herself as the victim and supporter of the GPCR. Yang stated her accountability in the last paragraph of this book, which is to brand the example she absorbed known and recalled by people. In the author’s note, Yang asserts that in this biography, her instantaneous emotion throughout the occasion and her afterward understanding have been noted and distinguished by using italicized font. Why is it significant for the author to consider the temporality of her recollection? Why does she want to notify the readers about her internal world? Does Yang accomplish her wish of educating a historic example to the younger generation by distributing her own remembrance? By rising questions on the landscape of singular memory and its relationship to history writing, I challenge to investigate how “Spider Eaters” provide to our understanding about the GPCR. I will examine on the author’s unique remembering the GPCR through contextualizing her direct feelings. Through admitting her instant reply, Yang re-emerges her subjectivity in the previous condition instead of making space from it. To some grade, a single memory fights being imposed with conclusive meaning and itself has the agency of generating another historical narrative to improve our understanding of history. In the Newer... tracking img
Comparative Essay of Goold and Polanski Macbeth Films Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 1096 • Published : December 16, 2012 Open Document Text Preview Macbeth, like any play, is open to interpretation by the performers. Each separate performance is unique. The different stylistic choices made in performances of the play change the way that viewers see the characters and events. This means that while the events of the Goold and Polanski films are the same, they tell us slightly different stories. It is interesting to look at the two films in terms of their faithfulness to, and their divergences from the original text, and the effects that these choices have on their viewers. The first clear point of interpretation is the setting of the play. Polanski chose to remain true to the play’s original setting, in 11th century Scotland. The costumes, behavior of the characters, and sets depict the time period accurately, but in doing so, can prove distracting for a modern audience from the story itself. Goold chose to shift the story into the 20th century, and so the sets and costumes were familiar enough to the audience to fade into the background, and allow them to focus on the story. While at very different points in history, both films were set in the past, which allows a modern audience to have a similar experience to that of theatre-goers in Shakespeare’s day, of an interesting historical drama. The two sets of actors also provide ample grounds for comparison. Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood, as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the Goold film, were both older than Jon Finch and Francesca Annis, their counterparts in the Polanski film. The two Lady Macbeths, in particular, were very different. Fleetwood was an power-hungry, conniving murderess, and Annis was a supportive wife first, and ambitious second. A number of Lady Macbeth’s more aggressive-sounding lines were actually never uttered in the Polanski film, most likely because they would have seemed at odds with Annis’s portrayal of the character. The difference in portrayal of the characters of course changed the impression that these characters left on... tracking img
Today's poem is by George Looney The Sleep of Wood in The Houses of Wrens It's not the wrens but the girl in overalls, his daughter, he talks to cutting and sanding wood to build houses wrens will only use if he doesn't paint them. He used to paint them, and they'd stay unvisited till they rotted and fell into pieces she'd pick up to save because it seemed something needed to be saved. Nothing was. But the splinter that festered in her finger from one of the gray shards, the one she didn't tell her father about but pinched and pushed until she gave up and let it rot its way into her blood, that dead wood went dormant. Sleep infected her years later in another state where wrens had so many houses built for them they were transient, their song a reminder everything just keeps going and then is gone. Like that shop thick with the refuse of wood, like the garden with wrens singing Oklahoma into a forgotten state where a man who once drove a truck could landscape his backyard into a paradise hummingbirds and wrens and blue jays dance in. When the heat was the worst, they'd bathe in dry soil because the council wouldn't let him water his garden when it looked like there wouldn't be enough water for people to drink in town. Even the drunks, singing harsh, took their whiskey straight, sacrifice an angel that grapples with us beside many rivers, even forgotten ones that have gone to dust. Can we expect wrens to live in graying wood and sing, or a woman with gray wood budding in her heart and other organs to wake after only eight hours? The sleep of wood is much longer than the sleep of flesh. And wrens, they sleep minutes at a time. Building the houses, the man breathes in dust from the sander and coughs. The same dust clings in his daughter's hair and makes her a woman the most invisible wrens could live in. Copyright © 2005 George Looney All rights reserved from The Precarious Rhetoric of Angels White Pine Press Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission Support Verse Daily Sponsor Verse Daily! Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Verse Daily All Rights Reserved
Prof. Steve Steve, how could you? Science Daily reports on Where And Why Humans Made Skates Out Of Animal Bones: Formenti and Minetti did their experiments on an ice rink by the Alps, where they measured the energy consumption of people skating on bones. Through mathematical models and computer simulations of 240 ten-kilometre journeys, their research study shows that in winter the use of bone skates would have limited the energy requirements of Finnish people by 10%. On the other hand, the advantage given by the use of skates in other North European countries would be only about 1%. Subsequent studies performed by Formenti and Minetti have shown how fast and how far people could skate in past epochs, from 3000BC to date. The research is being published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. The New York Times has an interesting article on A Question of Blame When Societies Fall: At the seminar, Dr. McAnany suggested that the very idea of societal collapse might be in the eye of the beholder. She was thinking of the Maya, whose stone ruins have become the Yucatan’s roadside attractions. But the descendants of the Maya live on. She recalled a field trip by local children to a site she was excavating in Belize: “This little girl looks up at me, and she has this beautiful little Maya face, and asks, ‘What happened to all the Maya? Why did they all die out?'” The Archaeology Channel has an interesting video by and about the Nimiipuu – the Nez Perce – called Surviving Lewis & Clark: The Nimiipuu Story. 6 Responses 1. “No one visits Stonehenge, she noted, and asks whatever happened to the English.” I wonder why? Perhaps because it wasn’t the English who built it? 2. Yeah. Well. The city of Rome has been around for 2000. Theancient Romans “died out”, but the city still stands. Theancient Maya civilization with its temples and cities died out for various reasons, but modern Maya people are still around — and they’ve tended to be pretty oppressed. Perhaps that’s the reason. But what do I know? I’m nt an archaeologist! Anne G 3. Re. the Maya: My understanding is that the urban Maya population collapsed following a period of sustained interurban warfare. The cities had always been supported by a rural, agricultural society, and those portions of the urban population not directly killed by warfare, sacrifice, or despotism gradually moved away and joined their rural brethren on farms and in villages. Eventually, the urban populations became so small that the cities could no longer sustain themselves. Mayan language and culture, on the other hand, is largely unbroken and continuous, despite the upheavals of de-urbanization, christianization, and colonization. Is this no longer the accepted view? Or am I misreading something? 4. Perhaps because it wasn’t the English who built it? From a genetic point of view, it was, actually. The modern population of England are still mainly the descendents of the original upper palaeolithic post-glacial colonisers of the place. With additional input from all over the place, of course, but there’s not much evidence of wholesale population replacement except locally. 5. “Englishness”, “Mayanness” etc. are not genetic concepts though, nor even ethnic, but primarily cultural. Englishness has no roots in the culture of the Stonehenge builders. 6. But there is a genetic continuity between the builders of Stonehenge and current populations in England whatever the impact of cultural evolution, migrations (and culture change arising therefrom), etc. The larger point that the above was trying to make is that the Maya – the ones that built all the pyramids and invented the calendrical system, etc, are still here. Comments are closed. %d bloggers like this:
Posts Tagged ‘Socratic Method’ The main body of my book, Dialogue with a Christian Proselytizer, is a Socratic dialogue between two characters: a Christian proselytizer and a skeptic. The skeptic does not discuss atheism, but instead tentatively accepts—for argument’s sake—the Christian’s premises that there is a Creator of sorts, that this said-Creator has made some sort of communication effort with mankind, and that the fundamentalists are correct in their assessment that “one religion is from God, the rest are man-made.” The two characters then discuss non-Christian religions, and the skeptic gets the proselytizer to pinpoint the telltale signs of the human authorship of foreign faiths by three criteria: (a) they’re pieced together from pre-existing religions, (b) their holy laws are often based on irrational prejudices and erroneous conclusions about cause and effect, and (c) their stories contain inaccurate and earth-bound descriptions of the universe—stars that are tiny, a moon that shines its own light, a sun that orbits a flat and stationary earth, etc. With those premises established, the discussion then turns to examining Christianity by the same light held up to the non-Christian religions. Using the Socratic Method means that the skeptic does not have to argue with the Christian, but instead the Christian is forced to defend himself against his own accusations: his own description of a religion created not by an Almighty Architect of the Universe, but by the flawed mind of man. Yet although I’ve found the Socratic Method to be an effective way to discuss skepticism of organized religion, I have not found it be an effective way to discuss atheism. (For example, I’ve yet to discover a good way to use the theist’s own arguments against himself when it comes to topics such as evolution.) To make up for this drawback, I expand upon the two characters’ discussions with numerous essay-length endnotes: essays that explore the way that the non-theistic perspective of our origins and our ethics can make sense out of life with a clarity and coherence unmatched by any variety of theism. This essay on the roots of morality is one of those endnotes—the first in a series that I plan on posting in the months ahead. * * * The Pre-Religion, and Pre-Human, Roots of Morality (Endnote #12 from Dialogue with a Christian Proselytizer, pp. 213–216) A common refrain from apologists for religion is that the existence of a Supreme and Just Being is the only possible explanation for human ethics. How else, they ask, could we have a conscience that values honesty, loyalty, kindness, and compassion; and condemns stealing, assault, rape, and murder? Blind natural selection, they say, couldn’t possibly produce anything akin to morality—for a world whose creatures came about by nothing more than a brutal struggle for survival would value little more than raw power. Non-theists of course see things differently, yet even in the secular world it’s common to think of aggressive competition as the key component in natural selection. We tend to think of our tendencies for violence as something that’s part of our animal history, and that our cooperative and compassionate tendencies represent our humanity, or humanness—the side of us that has “risen above” our animal nature. Yet victories in the struggle for survival and reproductive success can take many different forms, and caring and cooperation can sometimes be just as crucial as competition. Cooperative traits are widespread in just about all animals that live in social groups, as social animals need to work together in order to raise their young, warn each other of predators, and hunt their food and fight their enemies: Wolves depend on teamwork to bring down large prey such as caribou or moose; African wild dogs will carry fresh meat back for the “babysitters” who stayed at home with the cubs during the hunt; Harris hawks live in groups with well-defined divisions of labor: certain hawks have the role of rearing and protecting the young, while others never visit the nest but do the hunting and share their food; Dolphins will try to save companions trapped in tuna nets, and one or more dolphins will work together to help a sick or injured dolphin stay close to the surface to prevent it from drowning; Vampire bats that have had a successful night on the town demonstrate an altruism of sorts by regurgitating blood for companions that have been less successful. (Reciprocal altruism, however, is the rule—for a bat that fails to share will in turn be denied when the tables are turned.) In his book Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are, primatologist Frans De Waal’s extensive studies of apes reveal that even advanced forms of what may be called “ethics”—as demonstrated in acts of empathy, altruism, conflict resolution, notions of fairness, etc.—are not unique to humans. Examples of ape altruism include caring for injured companions, cleaning each other’s wounds, slowing down and waiting for those who move slowly, and carrying fruit down from trees for elders who have lost their climbing abilities. An example of empathy for those outside their own species was caught on videotape (and is widely available on the web) when a gorilla named Binti Jua[1] rescued a three-year-old boy who had fallen into the primate exhibit at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo: she scooped him up, carried him to safety, cradled him in her lap, and gently patted him on the back until the zoo staff arrived. The media highlighted this as something remarkable and hailed Binti Jua as a hero, but De Waal notes that empathy of this sort among apes is an everyday occurrence (yet “newsworthy” only when the compassion is directed toward humans). Conflict resolution is another trait that’s often overlooked in wildlife. Conflicts among social animals are inevitable as individuals compete for food, sex, and power—yet because they also depend on each other (raising their young, fighting enemies, etc.), self-interest demands a certain degree of what may be called peace-making skills (at least within one’s own community). De Waal writes that like married couples, animals need to maintain good relationships despite flare-ups, and that different animals do this in a variety of ways:[2] Golden monkeys [reconcile] with hand-holding, chimpanzees with a kiss on the mouth, bonobos with sex, and tonkean macaques with clasping and lipsmacking. Each species follows its own protocol. Take something I’ve seen repeatedly during reconciliations among apes … after one individual has attacked and bitten another, he or she returns to inspect the inflicted injury. The aggressor knows exactly where to look. … This suggests an understanding of cause and effect along the lines of “If I have bitten you, you must now have a gash in the same spot.” It suggests that the ape takes another’s perspective, realizing the impact of its own behavior on somebody else. The definition of reconciliation (a friendly reunion between opponents not long after a fight) is straightforward, but the emotions involved are hard to pinpoint. The least that occurs, but this is already truly remarkable, is that negative emotions, such as aggression and fear, are overcome in order to move to a positive interaction, such as a kiss. The bad feelings are reduced or left behind. We experience this transition from hostility to normalization as “forgiveness.” Forgiveness is sometimes touted as uniquely human, even uniquely Christian, but it may be a natural tendency for cooperative animals (150–151). As for primate notions of fairness, De Waal proposes that this went through three stages of development. Stage 1 is the resentment we feel when we get less than others. To demonstrate that this emotion exists even in monkeys, De Waal and fellow investigator Sarah Brosnan conducted an experiment that started out by teaching capuchin monkeys to exchange pebbles for cucumbers, which they learned quickly and happily. Once De Waal and Brosnan introduced inequity by giving certain monkeys not cucumbers but the more desirable “pay” of grapes, the cucumber-receiving monkeys became irritated about being short-changed. They sulked and sometimes even hurled their cucumber slices away—the food that they had previously been so satisfied with had become a symbol of injustice, and accordingly had become repulsive. The study was first published in Nature on 18 September 2003 under the title “Monkeys Reject Unequal Pay,” and De Waal notes that the article “struck a chord, perhaps because many people see themselves as cuke-eaters in a world with lots of grapes.” From Nature’s abstract: A monkey willing to perform a task for a cucumber may refuse to do so if its partner is given a tasty grape. … In balking at this unequal pay, the monkey is surely being irrational, rejecting food that is on offer. But the negative emotion of “unfairness” and the refusal to accept inequitable situations has been a positive influence in the long-term in the development of human society, and the same evolutionary pressures seem to have prevailed in other primates as well. From the New York Times coverage of the study (“Genetic Basis to Fairness, Study Hints,” 18 September 2003): “It’s not fair!” is a common call from the playground, and, in subtler form, from more adult assemblies. It now seems that monkeys, too, have a sense of fairness, a conclusion suggesting that this feeling may be part of the genetically programmed social glue that holds primate societies together, monkeys as well as humans. Stage 2 in the development of our notion of fairness starts with concerns about how others will react if we’re the ones who are getting the preferential treatment. De Waal notes that monkeys (which are a more distant relative to us than apes[3]) aren’t concerned about the reactions of others: the lucky grape-recipient capuchins could have shared their grapes with their disadvantaged neighbors, but never did—in fact, the grape-recipients would even cheerfully scoop up and eat the cucumbers that their disgruntled neighbors had thrown away. Apes, however, do occasionally demonstrate this type of empathy. When a bonobo named Panbanisha, for example, received highly-prized snacks such as raisins, other members of her colony noticed and moved close to her cage, clamoring for the same treats. Panbanisha reacted by calling for her caretaker to bring more snacks—but she wouldn’t accept the food when it arrived, and instead waved her arm in her friends’ direction. De Waal writes: … what fascinates me is the connection with resentment. All one needs for the larger sense of fairness to develop is anticipation of the resentment of others. There are excellent reasons to avoid arousing bad feelings. Someone failing to share is excluded from feeding clusters. At worst, the one being envied risks being beaten up. Was this why Panbanisha avoided conspicuous consumption in front of her friends? If so, we are getting close to what may be the source of the fairness principle: conflict avoidance (p. 220). Stage 3 is that general feeling that inequality is a bad thing, and equality is a good thing. There’s no reason to believe that any primate other than man has such thoughts, but the building blocks are shared with other primates, and thus are likely to date back to our common ancestor. The roots of our ethical behavior, in other words, predate not only Judaism and every other ancient religion, but humanity itself. De Waal concludes that the raw emotion of the resentment we feel at being mistreated, combined with an awareness of how our actions affect others, is what creates moral principles: This is the bottom-up approach: from emotion to a sense of fairness. It is quite the opposite of the view that fairness was an idea introduced by wise men (founding fathers, revolutionaries, philosophers) after a lifetime of pondering right, wrong, and our place in the cosmos. Top-down approaches (looking for an explanation by starting at the end product and working backward) are almost always wrong. They ask why we are the only ones to possess fairness, justice, politics, morality, and so on when the real question is what the building blocks are. What are the basic elements needed to construct fairness, justice, politics, morality, and so on? How did the larger phenomenon derive from simpler ones? As soon as one ponders this question, it is obvious that we share many building blocks with other species (p. 221). Once tendencies such as compassion and cooperation exist—even if they arose only to care for one’s kin and live peaceably within one’s own clan—they can branch out in any number of ways, such as having compassion for those outside our own communities. Religious founders take these innate tendencies and give them a formal structure by putting them in the mouths of their gods: sometimes limiting God’s orders for compassion strictly to those within one’s own community (that is, brutality towards outsiders is permissible, and sometimes even a direct order); sometimes expanding God’s directions for compassion to all humanity; sometimes—as found in the Judeo-Christian Bible—an incongruent mix of both of the above; sometimes, as is with Jainism, compassion is aimed at all living creatures, even—incredibly—mosquitoes: All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure, unchangeable, eternal law … Akaranga Sutra, First Book, Fourth Lecture (Righteousness), First Lesson: 1–2 De Waal’s take on morality and religion: Once this sensibility [kindness aimed at family and potential reciprocators] had come into existence, its range expanded. At some point, sympathy for others became a goal in itself: the centerpiece of human morality and an essential aspect of religion. Thus, Christianity urges us to love our neighbor as ourselves, clothe the naked, feed the poor, and tend the sick. It is good to realize, though, that in stressing kindness, religions are enforcing what is already part of our humanity. They are not turning human behavior around, only underlining pre-existing capacities. How could it be otherwise? One cannot sow the seeds of morality on unwilling soil … (p. 181). Modern religions are only a few thousand years old. It’s hard to imagine that human psychology was radically different before religions arose. It’s not that religion and culture don’t have a role to play, but the building blocks of morality clearly predate humanity. We recognize them in our primate relatives, with empathy being the most conspicuous in the bonobo and reciprocity in the chimpanzee. Moral rules tell us when and how to apply these tendencies, but the tendencies themselves have been in the works since time immemorial (p. 225). (NOTE: I uploaded a three-part video series of me reading this post on my YouTube channel [http://www.youtube.com/user/ToddAllenGates]: see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6jTAV9BJg4.) [1] Here’s a link to a YouTube video of Binti Jua and the fallen boy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp7cZ0AWxfI [2] Unless otherwise noted, all excerpts are taken from Frans De Waal’s Our Inner Ape. [3] In everyday language, the words ape and monkey are often used interchangeably. Strictly speaking, however, apes—chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans—are not monkeys (the easiest way to tell the difference is that apes don’t have tails). As for the evolutionary line that leads to humans, our most recent common ancestor with monkeys goes back some 25 million years. With orangutans it goes back some 14 million years; with gorillas, 8 to 11 million years; and with chimps and bonobos, 5 to 7 million years. Chimps and bonobos and even gorillas, in other words, are much more closely related to humans than they’re related to monkeys. (Chimps and bonobos split from each other after they split from the human line, so both are equally close to us.) Read Full Post »
Why debt is a huge problem Generally accepted wisdom tells us that excessive debt is a serious problem although some people question why government debt to a central bank is problematic. After all what is wrong with one government agency owing money to another? Why not just let the debt build up? In this case the generally accepted wisdom is probably correct because debt is an important part of our money supply. If we were to lose our money supply our economy would be in big trouble. Money is a complex part of our economy and I suspect few people, including a lot of economists, really understand how it works. Fractional reserve banking is complex but I have found it relative easy to understand. I have explained it in the essay LETS go to market: Dealing with the financial crisis on this weblog and there are numerous explanations that can be found with any search engine. I encourage you to figure it out. About 90 per cent of our money supply is based on the debt created in fractional reserve banking. This is a problem for three reasons. The first is that the money supply needs to be flexible up and down. The amount of money we need to facilitate the exchange of goods and services must be proportional to the quantity of goods and services we need to exchange. I know economists like to model the economy on a least squares regression formula which gives an upwards line with a steady slope. However, the reality is that the economy behaves like a fractal which means there are a series of ups and downs and more ups and downs within each trend. The amount of money needed varies with each up and down but fractional reserve money can only keep on increasing. This sort of works when there is continuous economic growth but if growth slows or reverses, then there are problems. The second problem with fractional reserve banking is that interest is charged on the debt created. This adds a purely financial demand for more money in that it is not needed for exchange of goods and services. If all outstanding debts plus interest had to be repaid at the same time there would not be enough money in the economy. From time to time this feature of fractional reserve banking catches up with us and we call it a financial crisis. The third problem is that when there is a financial crisis lots of people lose their savings. The need to save for a rainy day, or retirement, is a part of our psyche and fully exploited by the marketing arm of the financial industry but there are three ways in which we can lose our savings: a financial crises, inflation or a major economic downturn. these are more likely when the economy is not growing or declining. With the current economic climate most of us would probably be better off to live for today and worry about tomorrow when that day comes. The best way to secure one’s future is probably a market garden. These are real problems and from time to time they cause havoc in the lives of most of us. Therefore we are right to worry about excessive debt. The good news is that there are other ways of creating money and the bad news is that money is such an emotional concept that most people are not prepared to consider other ideas. One of the other ways of creating money is discussed in my ebook Funny Money: Adapting to a down economy which is available free from the link at the top of this weblog. We tend to take money for granted so long as the economy is working but it is such an important concept that we would do well to try to understand it and make changes. I cannot see that happening so in the meantime we should remember the advise of Shakespeare: Neither a lender nor a borrower be. 2 Responses 1. Grazie Rosetta, io ho provato sensazioni simili oggi pomeriggio all'ombra del salice, sulla panchina ad ammirare la natura che mi circonda…e tu hai messo in parole il mio pensiero!PS- poi ti rispondo alla mail…ora devo fare una cosa urgente per Lu con il pc…fammi gli auguri(come minimo sparisce la coeinssnone!)Un abbraccio cara e bentornata, mi mancavi sai?Anna Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
Home » Columns » Studio Recording » Here The Studio Recording Column Presents: What is a Studio Compressor? What Does It Do? What is a studio compressor? What function does it serve for the recording engineer, mixing engineer, or live performer? We're going to cover it all here in very simple language. How it does it might be complex, but what it is actually doing can be understood by almost anyone with the right explanation and images to help! Let's get to it... An audio compressor is one of those pieces of gear that everyone tries to get by without for some odd reason. Guitar players, for instance, feel they should be able to achieve the effect with their fingers. Vocalists try to do the job of the compressor by moving closer and further away from the mic. Some mixing engineers will even automate the volume or literally try to ride the fader during tracking. That's all 100% silly, nonsensical, and usually an admittance to not understanding to how to use a compressor. That's a sad situation, because it couldn't be easier once someone takes the time to show you. Sure, there's quite a few knobs for you to tinker with, but honestly most of them are set and forget. And once you have a grasp on what compressors do, then you also understand expanders, limiters, and noise gates! While other pieces of studio equipment are more important in terms of creating crystal clear recording quality, the compressor is the one piece that gets your songs closer to sounding like what you hear on professional releases than any other. Yes, you can record without one. You can even mix without one. But you're wasting your time and hurting your results if you do. So definitely get the idea that you don't need one out of your head and commit to learning about it right here and now with this easy to understand article: what is a studio compressor? What is a Studio Compressor? The short answer to this question is simple: An audio compressor tames the dynamic range of your signal so that there is less variance between the loudest portions and the quietest parts. It also provides a way for you to control the manner in which it does this. That's it. It squishes your recorded signal so the loudest parts are 10x louder than the quietest instead of 100x louder. I made those numbers up but it illustrates the point. A studio compressor's job is to pull off this feat in a way that is pleasant for the listener. Naturally a lot of people ask why we care about this. Dynamic range compression is important for many reasons. The main reason we're concerned about is that it helps us polish the audio in music, movies, and television in a way that is not only comfortable for the listener but also brings a greater sense of clarity. This is because the quieter details are equally as important to intelligibility as the loud parts. uncompressed versus compressed audio signal An analog compressor does this job through manipulation of the electrical signal flowing through your cables, while a digital compressor performs the task through tweaking and changing the binary code of your digitized audio signal. The algorithms and electronic gadgetry aren't important, we'll leave that to the manufacturers. But you'll definitely want to understand how to direct the compressor to do the job correctly, because it's not automatic! Audio Compression Basics The compressor is meant to tame your audio signal's amplitude (volume) to more reasonable and consistent levels. But by how much? Where should it start compressing? How quickly should it react? These are just some of the options you have available to you and your choices will vary depending on the source you send in. You won't compress a snare the same as a kick drum, let alone the same as a bass or vocals. Let's cover the four main functions. They are: • Attack • Release • Threshold • Ratio Wrap your head around these and not only are you ready to use a compressor but you'll understand how a limiter, expander, and a noise gate works as well! When it comes time to start compressing, you can tell the machine how quickly it should respond. I can fire into gear within as little as 0.2 millseconds or you can delay the response for upwards to 300 ms. Sometimes you want it to wait a second so that a certain nuanced detail can come through uncompressed, such as the initial crack of a snare drum. The time has come for the compressor to stop doing its job and release its grip on your signal. Just like the attack, you can tell the compressor to stop immediately or you can instruct it to hang on for a little longer. Immediately, in this context, is as fast as one or two milliseconds and slowly can refer to as many as several seconds. Sometimes too fast of a release can create a strange pumping feeling depending on the source material while too slow can create fade-outs that abruptly jump back to full volume. attack and release functions of a compressor example Envisioning the Attack and Release Functions So all of this begs the question of "when does the compressor start compressing?" The answer depends on where you've set your threshold. The threshold is a barrier that you set at a certain decibel level. Any time the audio gets louder than that level, compression will begin. For a limiter, no audio can get louder than this level. The choice is yours. The best way to get a grip on using the threshold is to experiment and see how it effects the sonic quality of the signal. There's no right or wrong, but there is better and worse depending on your goals. Finally, the ratio of a compressor tells it how much to compress once the signal has surpassed the threshold in volume. Generally you'll have a choice from between 1:1 and 25:1. One-to-one means no compression is taking place and 25:1 is essentially a limiter setting. Let's use an example of 7:1. This means that for every 7 dB of volume that shoots over the threshold, only 1 dB is allowed to sound out. If 14 dB pops over the threshold, only 2 dB will be allowed to slip through. This is how the volume reduction occurs. threshold and ratio of a compressor example Envisioning the Threshold and Ratio Functions Advanced Concepts & Related Tools Dealing with the four settings above is easy enough, but there are some advanced compression concepts that confuse people. I'll expose them to you with brief explanations so you'll at least be in the know! Limiters, Expanders, & Gates These three things are types of compressors. Knowing this greatly reduces the confusion and intimidation of studio recording. Limiters: We slightly touched on limiters before. A limiter is basically a compressor with the threshold set at 0 dB and the ratio as high as possible. The goal is to block any sound that is so loud that it will peak and cause distortion. In most scenarios, that's not what you want. Clipping comes from bad gain staging, but live performers or mastering engineers can find good use for limiters because they aren't always in control of the gain staging. So sometimes they can use one for damage control. Expanders: So think about the how the threshold says "reduce volume above this line." An expander is a compressor that does the opposite. It raises the volume below the threshold. If you ask me, there's never a reason you should be using one of these. There's two reasons for that. 1. Use proper gain staging and a compressor instead of a shortcut. 2. You're raising the volume of the noise floor when you expand. The second point above directly relates to noise gates. Gates: A noise gate works like an expander in that it manipulates the signal below the threshold instead of above it. But instead of turning up the volume down there, it reduces it or shuts it off completely. Imagine that you're recording two rappers in the same booth with two microphones. They are trading 4 bars each and then waiting for their next turn. While waiting, their microphone is picking up the voice of the other guy slightly. You don't want that in there so you set the threshold just above the volume of the unwanted voice and tell it to reduce that sound by 15 dB. Now you don't have to manually deal with it later. This works for live performance in bars and all types of scenarios I'm sure you can think of. Sidechain Compression People throw the term sidechain around and never get around to explaining it, which makes it hard for someone who doesn't understand it to follow the conversation. It goes like this... Compressors have inserts on the back of them that allow you to feed them a separate audio signal. Let's take ducking as our example. Ducking: Take the case of a news reporter. Her camera man has an ambient microphone recording the sound of the crowd cheering while her personal microphone is feeding directly in via a cable. (I don't know if this is how these cameras actually work, by the way). Let's say there's a compressor on the ambient microphone that's being fed the second signal from the reporter's mic through the sidechain insert. The compressor will analyze the amplitude of the second mic (the reporter) but will apply its compression to the ambient mic (the crowd). ducking example with sidechain compression So in the end, what happens is that when the reporter talks, the volume of the crowd is reduced so that it ducks out of the way and is less loud so that you can hear the reporter more clearly. Mixing engineers use this technique a lot, especially when mixing a kick drum and bass guitar or bass synthesizer together. They make the bass duck out of the way of the kick. Ducking is a way of automatically riding the gain on specific tracks (as is compression as a whole). De-Esser: Another common example is that of a de-esser, which serves to handle the issue of sibilance (the piercing and loud hiss that happens when people pronounce consonants that feature the letter 's'). By connecting an equalizer to a compressor you can determine exactly the small frequency range that screeching sound is in and compress only it back down to tolerable levels. Microphones are sensitive and will pick up these small bursts of pressure and convert them into loud audio. A de-esser will solve it! Parallel Compression Lastly, there's the concept of parallel compression. Sometimes you want to preserve some dynamics while still making sure the quiet parts of your audio can be heard. What you can do is have a version of the signal that isn't compressed at all and combine it a version that's heavily compressed. This turns up the volume of the quiet parts while leaving the volume spikes intact for emotional effect. It can be used on vocals, drums, guitar, or anything else. You then recombine the uncompressed and the compressed signals into one, and boom you've done parallel compression. Avalon VT-737sp Check out our reviews of the best studio compressors at each budget range! Two Common Questions If you want to read a list of frequently asked questions on the topic, check out our buyer's guide for the best vocal compressor. Otherwise we've just included the two most common here. Where Does It Go in my Recording Chain? This is a very basic question. If you have concerns with working through the logic on this yourself, read our guide to setting up your recording studio and you'll be able to make full sense out of routing your signal path around. Without explaining the logic behind it, you're going to want your compressor to come after your equalizer. This way the compression isn't being triggered by loud frequencies you want to remove anyways. Get rid of those first with an EQ. Also, a compressor should come before time-based effects like reverb and delay in most cases. There are some tricks related to parallel compression but you'll discover those later. Is there a difference between a plugin and a hardware compressor? At this stage in the technology game, they both will do the job perfectly. This leads to the question of why you would buy a hardware compressor at all. Plugins can be used on 100 tracks with one license and are generally cheaper. But they lack one aspect that a lot of musicians and mixing engineers seek, and that's analog components. There are two types of compressors: transparent and colored. You can assume all software compressors are transparent as well as most solid-state hardware ones. Colored compressors are solid-state ones with transformers and the old kind with vacuum tubes. The term color refers to a pleasant saturation effect that is added to your audio signal by these components. The saturation is made up of quiet harmonic distortion that creates a sense of warmth and fullness. While there are plugins that attempt to emulate this feeling, nothing beats the real deal. And also there's the consideration of live performances where a plugin won't help you. There's also the people who like to mix hands-on instead of just in the computer. Clients are generally impressed by the knowledge and skill it takes to use all this crazy-looking machinery and are amazed at their mere presence. It's good marketing to have one (or twenty), basically. That's it. At this point all that's left for you to do is play with a compressor. Knowing what each knob and setting does is one thing but hearing their effects is where it'll really start to click for you. Fire up your digital audio workstation and use a plugin to get the hang of it. If you decide you like it, I highly recommend having at least one solid, physical compressor in your main signal path! Now when someone asks you "What is a studio compressor?" you can answer (or send them here!).
What is a denture? Dentures, also known as “false teeth,” are a removable replacement for patients’ missing teeth and the surrounding tissues. Patients needing dentures have typically lost several teeth due to periodontal disease and tooth decay. Until the mid-19th century, dentures used to be made from human or animal teeth, but modern dentures are made from a plastic base. Contact Comprehensive Dental Health, LLC at 203-624-5515 to speak with one of our staff about dentures! What is the difference between a full denture and partial denture? Partial dentures are for our New Haven patients who are missing some of their teeth on either their maxillary (upper) or mandibular (lower) arch. Fixed partial dentures are made from dental crowns that are fitted on your remaining teeth and are created from materials to resemble your missing teeth. Full dentures are for patients who are missing all of their teeth in either the maxillary (upper) or mandibular (lower) arch. Full dentures (also known as complete dentures) can be either “conventional” or “immediate.” A conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth about 8 to 12 weeks after any decayed teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed properly. Unfortunately, this means our patients will have to be without teeth while waiting for the healing process to complete. Immediate dentures are made in advance and can be positioned and worn as soon as your teeth are removed. However, as your gums heal, they tend to shrink, so your immediate dentures are more likely to require extra fittings in the future. How do I get new dentures? The denture development process takes about three to six weeks and several appointments. You will meet with Dr. Joseph Tagliarini to help you determine what kind of denture is right for you and your mouth. In some cases, dental implants can be used in place of dentures. Once a course of action has been decided upon, the Comprehensive Dental Health, LLC team will: • Make a series of impressions of your jaw to ensure we make dentures that fit your mouth exactly. • Create models in the exact shape and position of the dentures you will eventually be wearing. To ensure proper fit and shape, you will get to “test drive” each denture model before the final denture is created. Once we have perfected the model, we will cast a final denture and any last minute adjustments will be made as necessary to ensure proper fit and comfort. Will new dentures make me feel, look, and eat differently? Your new dentures may feel a little odd for a few weeks, until the muscles in your cheeks and tongue learn to keep them in place and you get comfortable inserting and removing them. Dentures are designed to look and feel as close to real teeth as possible, but your mouth has to learn how to use them! Eating with your new dentures will take a little practice and may be uncomfortable for a few weeks. If you had braces as a child, you will remember re-learning how to shape your mouth and lips around them—the same holds true for dentures. Be careful with hot or hard foods and sharp-edged bones or shells, and avoid foods that are extremely sticky or hard, as these are harder to eat while you are getting used to your dentures and can cause your dentures to slip. Know that your dentures may occasionally slip when you laugh, cough, or smile. To reposition the dentures, simply bite down gently and swallow. If any speaking problem persists after a few weeks, please give us a call and Dr. Joseph Tagliarini will check to see if any adjustments can be made to ensure a better fit. For some patients who have lost too much supporting bone, dentures alone will not remain stable, and a treatment plan of dentures and implants may be recommended to stabilize the denture. Please keep in mind that it is not unusual for you to suffer from minor soreness or irritation when you first start wearing dentures. This is completely normal, and these problems will diminish as your mouth adjusts. Will my insurance company cover the cost of my dentures? Most dental insurance providers cover some, if not all, of the cost of your dentures. However, we recommend contacting your insurance company to find out the specifics of what they will cover. You can contact our dentist at Comprehensive Dental Health, LLC to learn more about full and partial dentures in New Haven, Connecticut.
Learn More Exposure to diesel exhaust may contribute to lung cancer in humans. It remains unclear whether the carbonaceous core of the soot particle or its coat of adsorbed/condensed organics contributes most to cancer risk. Equally unclear are the extent and rate at which organic procarcinogens desorb from soot particles in the lungs following inhalation exposure and(More) Two inbred mouse strains, CBA/J and CBA/CaJ, have been used nearly interchangeably as 'good hearing' standards for research in hearing and deafness. We recently reported, however, that these two strains diverge after 1 year of age, such that CBA/CaJ mice show more rapid elevation of compound action potential (CAP) thresholds at high frequencies (Ohlemiller,(More) 1,3-Butadiene (BD) is used in the manufacture of styrene-BD and polybutadiene rubber. Differences seen in chronic toxicity studies in the susceptibility of B6C3F1 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats to BD raise the question of how to use the rodent toxicology data to predict the health risk of BD in humans. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are(More) Species differences in the metabolism of 1,3-butadiene (BD) have been studied in an effort to explain the major differences observed in the responses of mice, the sensitive species, and rats, the resistant species, to the toxicity of inhaled BD. BD is metabolized by the same metabolic pathways in all species studied, but there are major species differences(More) Exposure to diesel exhaust is a suspected risk factor for human lung cancer. The carbonaceous core of the soot particles found in diesel exhaust and the condensed organic compounds adsorbed (or bound) onto the surface of the particles are both possible contributors to this suspected risk. The extent and rate at which organic procarcinogens desorb from soot(More) Recent chronic inhalation carcinogenicity studies of butadiene indicated that B6C3F1 mice are more sensitive to the tumorigenic effects of inhaled butadiene than are Sprague-Dawley rats. Tumors in mice included lymphomas, hemangiosarcomas, alveolar/bronchiolar adenomas and carcinomas, and hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas whereas in rats tumors(More) The chronic (2-yr) inhalation toxicity of 1,3-butadiene (BD), a chemical used in large quantities to make rubber and plastics, differs greatly between mice and rats. Mice develop lung tumors after exposures to concentrations as low as 6.25 ppm, whereas rats develop mammary tumors only after exposures to 1000-8000 ppm BD. Extensive research has been carried(More) Enzymes of the nasal tissue, one of the first tissues to contact inhaled toxicants, are relatively resistant to induction by traditional inducers. Because tobacco smoke has been shown to induce cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) in rat and human lung tissue, we hypothesized that it would also alter levels of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in nasal mucosae. In(More) While tobacco smoke has been conclusively identified as a lung carcinogen, there is much debate over which smoke constituent(s) are primarily responsible for its carcinogenicity. Previous studies in our laboratory suggested that highly lipophilic carcinogens are slowly absorbed in the thicker epithelium of the conducting airways, potentially allowing for(More)
# 1 Life begins at conception Fact: Human life begins even before conception because the sperm and egg are already living things. It is much more relevant to talk about when sentience starts – feelings and self-knowledge (see Myth # 5, 6). Studies have shown that higher-level brain development begins from the 23rd week. Also, there is a crucial difference between “life begins at conception” and “life begins at birth”. Legally and socially, it’s recognized that life officially begins at birth because that’s when a person gains a separate existence and legal rights. The status of life before birth is subjective – if the pregnancy is wanted, the woman and her friends and family can privately celebrate a coming baby. But if the pregnancy is unwanted and the woman wants an abortion, the fetus has no status at all, and it is nobody’s business. The Bible is pro-choice. Life begins at first breath – i.e., birth. The Bible does not support the value of fetuses or even babies over women. Many Old Testament passages encourage or condone the killing of pregnant women and babies. The prophet Jeremiah wished he had been aborted. In Numbers 5, abortion is a mandated punishment for unfaithful wives. The Bible doesn’t use the word abortion but the phrase “untimely birth” is sometimes used as a euphemism. Several passages say that an “untimely birth” (miscarriage or abortion) is better than being born to an unhappy life. Further, the few Bible verses cited by anti-choice people to justify their views about the value of fetuses apply only to specific important people (like prophets or Jesus), and have nothing to do with abortion or the value of fetuses in general. Anti-Choicers Don’t Have a Biblical Leg to Stand On, by Joyce Arthur Pro-Choice Action Network, The Fetus Focus Fallacy # 2 The fetus is a person from the moment of conception When anti-choice people say that a fetus is a person from the moment of conception, their concern is that the zygote has a unique combination of DNA from a man and woman that would create a unique person, who would be deprived of a chance at life if aborted. This logic is flawed, because although there is a continuum from conception to death, there is a difference between an actual person and a potential or possible person. A fertilized ovum, or zygote, is a cluster of cells; taking this genetic code argument to its extreme, each of those cells is encoded with the same specific DNA. If each of these cells is considered to be a possible human being, then any time any cell is removed, through surgery for instance, a potential life is destroyed. Potential life cannot have more value than a woman’s actual life, which would be compromised or even sacrificed if she was forced to give birth. Simply put, women are more important than embryos and fetuses. Women are existing persons with rights, fetuses are not. Legally and socially, it’s recognized that a person’s life officially begins at birth, because that’s when they gain a separate existence and legal rights. If fetuses were legal persons, pregnant women would lose their personhood and become mandatory incubators for the state, even at the expense of their health and lives. International law and global human rights agreements recognize that fetuses cannot have rights because this would seriously compromise the rights of women. In countries with strict bans on abortion, such as Ireland, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, doctors have refused to treat pregnant women with complications and even let them die. In the U.S., “fetal homicide” laws meant to protect pregnant women from assaults, but which give personhood to fetuses, have mostly led to hundreds of pregnant women being prosecuted for alleged harm to their fetuses. When fetuses are persons, women can become criminally liable for a miscarriage or stillbirth, as well as any behaviour that could possibly harm a fetus, such as drinking, taking drugs, or driving without a seatbelt. Sources: www.publiceye.org National Advocates for Pregnant Women The prohibition on abortion constitutes violence against women (International Federation for Human Rights) Ireland Abortion: the Law is Failing Women (Guardian) # 3 Abortion is murder Fact: This is a personal opinion that is not shared by the majority of people in western countries. Also, the anti-choice movement engages in semantic trickery when they falsely claim abortion is “murder”, or the fetus is a “baby” or “child.” Only a person can be murdered. Therefore, abortion is not murder unless one considers the fetus to be a person. But the word “person” does not include the unborn according to international human rights agreements, Supreme Court precedents in various countries, and the constitutions of most western countries. In common law for criminal matters, the definition of a “person” is one who has been born alive. Further, “fetus” is the correct term for a developing human in the womb, while “baby” and “child” refer to a born person. A fetus is completely dependent on a particular woman for its survival and is part of her body, while a baby is a separate individual. Abortion is legal to at least some extent in almost every country, while murder is not legal in any country. Even in countries where abortion is strictly banned, the penalty for abortion is generally not as serious as for murder. For example, women and doctors in Ireland are subject to up to 14 years’ imprisonment, while the penalty for murder is life imprisonment. The notion of fetal “personhood” has been taken to alarming extremes in the United States with the passage of “feticide statutes” in 38 states that criminalize the wrongful death of fetuses in the womb. These laws have been primarily used to prosecute hundreds of pregnant women. Attempts to confer legal personhood on fetuses has expanded into the civil and medical areas as well: there have been cases involving forced caesareans; forced blood transfusions against the pregnant woman’s religious convictions; and some states have even gone so far as to disallow the use of “living wills” for pregnant women. In all of these cases, the “rights” of the fetus, whether before or after the point of viability, have been held paramount to the rights of the pregnant woman. Center for Reproductive Rights, Who’s Right to Life? Wikipedia, Abortion in the Republic of Ireland National Advocates for Pregnant Women (U.S.), Punishment of Pregnant Women # 4 Abortions cause pain for the fetus. Fact: The scientific consensus is that fetuses cannot begin to feel pain until at least the 26th week of gestation (in the third trimester).By this time, 99 percent of all abortions have been performed. The perception of pain is a complex biological and psychological phenomena. First, the ability to experience sensation, perception, and thought requires a minimum number of neurons in the cerebral cortex, and interconnectivity between these neurons. While these synapses start to form at about the third month, the minimum number do not usually develop until about 31 weeks, and most are not formed until after birth. Second, pain is a subjective experience that requires a conscious interpretation by the brain – it is a complex interplay between thinking, emotion, and sensation. The degree of discomfort or trauma caused by a pain signal is directly related to the anticipation of pain, its duration, understanding of its cause and consequences, the memory of pain, and its lingering traumatic effects, as well as various personal and cultural factors. It’s therefore highly uncertain that even third-trimester fetuses can feel pain, because fetuses are not conscious – they are kept in a “continuous sleep-like unconsciousness or sedation” (RCOG 2010) – and they exist in a very different environment than born humans. As fetal pain expert Stuart W.G. Derbyshire explains: “The environment of the womb consists of warmth, buoyancy, and a cushion of fluid to prevent tactile stimulation. In contrast to this buffered environment, the intense tactile stimulation of birth and the subsequent separation of the neonate from the placenta, facilitate the rapid onset of behavioural activity and wakefulness in the newborn infant.” Derbyshire summarizes the research on fetal pain as follows: • The neuroanatomical system for pain can be considered complete by 26 weeks’ gestation. • A developed neuroanatomical system is necessary but not sufficient for pain experience. • Pain experience requires development of the brain but also requires development of the mind [after birth, through interaction with others] to accommodate the subjectivity of pain. British Medical Journal, Can fetuses feel pain? by Stuart WG Derbyshire (2006) Pro-Choice Action Network, Fetal Pain: A Red Herring in the Abortion Debate, by Joyce Arthur (2004) Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG), Fetal Awareness: Review of Research and Recommendations for Practice (2010)
Homemade Guppy Food Zedcor Wholly Owned/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images Guppies have simple needs compared with other aquarium fish, but they still benefit from a high-quality diet. Preparing your own guppy food may not be a necessity, but it allows you to know exactly what is going down your guppy's gullet. Brine Shrimp Brine shrimp are a nutritious and appealing source of live food for both young and adult guppies; their eggs can be stored and hatched as needed. Follow the supplier's instructions for hatching; typically you'll place them in a mixture of 2 liters water and 2 teaspoons kosher salt kept at 80 degrees Fahrenheit for two days. Once they hatch, you'll strain the brine shrimp through a fine net or mesh, rinse with fresh water and drop them into the guppy tank. Order microworms live for feeding or raise them in a container as small as a shoebox, where they will reproduce and provide a continuous supply of food. Start with a scoop of cooked oatmeal in the center of a small plastic container and sprinkle a little bit of brewer's yeast on top. Add worms and wait a few days. Harvest the worms that crawl up the side of the box for feeding to the guppies. Replace the oatmeal mixture every two to three weeks. Microworms are good for fry and adults. Frozen Beef Heart Baby guppies thrive on the protein in beef heart. Chop beef heart up as fine as possible using a blender or electric chopper. Place it in the freezer and scrape off fine shavings with a knife to feed growing guppies. Feed adults frozen beef heart that is not shaved as fine. Other Protein Sources Nearly any type of meat can serve as protein for adult guppies as long as it is chopped or shaved into pieces small enough for a guppy to eat. Fish, bloodworms, shrimp, liver and earthworms are suitable for guppies. Other protein sources include fruit flies, mosquito larvae, Grindal worms and water fleas. Alternate types of food with each feeding; offer only as much as your guppies will eat in a few minutes. Uneaten food will dirty the water. Plant Matter Guppies can benefit from a small amount of plants in their diet as long as it's rotated with live food and other sources of protein. Spinach, spirulina and algae are suitable. Chop spinach into very small pieces and mix it with a small amount of spirulina or dried algae. As with all other food, offer plant materials in small amounts, giving only as much as your guppies will eat in less than five minutes. Photo Credits • Zedcor Wholly Owned/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
Compact telehandlers focus on ground-engaging attachments Tool-Focused Compacts Are Breaking the Mold of Lift and Place Since the beginning of time, man has been trying to create ways to efficiently move and lift objects and materials. We have seen this transition take us from using animals and wagons to today where technology allows us to dig, haul and lift materials with the speed, accuracy and precision that the cave man could only dream of. When it comes to those modern machines that can dig, haul and lift, few reach higher than a compact telehandler. The history of the compact telehandler can be traced back to its distant cousin, the forklift. With forklifts initially relying on manual strength to lift loads, it did not take long before the combustible engine replaced man. The original forklift morphed into the rough terrain forklift which had a wider footprint to allow for a more stable base while transporting across uneven terrain. However, because it used a similar vertical-lift system as a forklift, it lacked the ability to reach out to manage loads. Responding to the need for both lift and reach, the 1960s saw the first version of what we now know today as the telescopic handler or telehandler for short. Today, telehandlers have maximum lift heights that range from 12.5 ft to nearly 70 ft. In North America, one of the more common telehandler classes is the compact telehandler. This machine typically has a lift height of approximately less than 19 ft and a maximum capacity of roughly 5,500 lbs. The combination of lift height, capacity and small footprint has allowed the compact telehandler to become a staple for construction sites, agriculture environments and rental fleets. Looking Past the Forks We typically think of the telehandler as a lift-and-place machine, meaning that it spends its life with a set of forks on the front and does just that, lifts and places pallets of material. However, changes are occurring rapidly. The newest trend in compact telehandlers is more than your run-of-the-mill lift-and-place machine. Think of them not solely as a telehandler but as a ground-engaging, telescoping, compact tool carrier. This machine has the functionality of three pieces of compact equipment in one: A compact wheel loader: Designed to withstand the rigors and stresses of digging and ground engagement, it shows its true value with a bucket and moving materials such as dirt, silage and lime through rugged terrain. A skid steer loader: Coming standard with a universal skid steer plate and front working auxiliary hydraulics, any attachment that you may use on your skid steer is compatible with this machine. The uses of the machine now extend well past material handling. Use a snow blower, silage defacer, sweeper broom and other high-performance hydraulic attachments to complete jobs that normally require multiple pieces of equipment. A compact telehandler: Able to lift, reach, extend and retract, a compact telehandler can effectively perform all of the tasks that any of its larger siblings can perform, just on a smaller scale. This versatility turns what was previously a machine with forks permanently attached into a piece of equipment that can operate 365 days a year, in any environment, performing nearly any task with any attachment. Take, for example, these tasks that are now possible with a ground-engaging compact telehandler: Construction: Lift materials to second floors of a structure, move bucket loads of debris from one side of a jobsite to the other, load the truck to take it away using a hydraulic grapple bucket and sweep the sidewalk all with one machine. Snow removal: Blow snow using a hydraulic snow blower, plow with a hydraulic angle blade, stack snow vertically instead of pushing it into an ever expanding-pile to clear space in your parking lot or create space by using the telescopic boom to reach and dump snow into drainage ditches and culverts. Agriculture: Stack bales with a hydraulic bale squeeze, deface silage at heights over 19 ft, clean out stalls using a bucket by driving under doors with a cab height less than 7 ft high, move pallets of feed and other materials, dig and haul dirt with a bucket or install fence posts using a hydraulic auger. These tasks are just the start of what can be done with a ground-engaging telehandler. A compact telehandler is a tool carrier and can take attachments like buckets, brooms and hydraulic grapples. Operator-First Design With so much versatility, it would seem easy for operators to become overwhelmed with multiple controls and other devices to distract attention away from effectively doing their job. That is not necessarily the case. The design of the machines did not start at the attachment; it started in the operator’s seat. If operators do not have the comfort, visibility and intuitive controls to reduce fatigue and minimize the time to acclimate to the machine, then they cannot efficiently work. The cabs are designed for panoramic visibility and to maximize sight lines to the four corners of the machine as well as the attachment. A single function joystick that is consistent in all machines controls drive direction, raising and lowering of the boom, extension and retraction of the boom, tilting and retracting of the attachment, auxiliary hydraulic functions, 100 percent differential lock and speed control all with one hand. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel and one on the joystick keeps the operator focused on the task at-hand instead of looking around the cab for various controls. A digital indicator monitors weight on the rear axle and notifies the operator, both visually and audibly, that the machine is nearing or in a potential tipping situation. Load settings such as bucket mode and fork mode adjust the functionality of the working hydraulics to optimize performance of each attachment. All of these features are designed to keep the operator’s focus on the job and to effectively and efficiently complete it. On the Move Not every jobsite offers the space to make it easy to get your job done. Compact telehandlers of today not only dig and lift but also excel in maneuverability. Three selectable steering modes enable the operator to precisely control the machine in any application. In four-wheel steering mode, all four wheels are synched to turn at the same time, delivering the tightest turning radius possible. In two-wheel steering mode, the machine operates like an automobile. The rear wheels remain fixed while all turning takes place with the front wheels. This is ideal for transport over longer distances. At top speed, a larger turning radius is more preferred. In crab steer mode, the machine can move horizontally. This is perfect for scenarios such as needing to get tight against a wall or fence. In all modes, a lever in the cab allows you to easily adjust from one to the other. On sites such as farms and large construction projects, getting from one side to the other can take away valuable time from the operator. With travel speeds of 19 mph, operators can get from point A to point B faster, leaving more time to get work done. One Machine, Many Solutions On nearly every jobsite in North America, from agriculture to construction, you will find a skid steer, a telehandler and often times a wheel loader. On many occasions, you find only one of them operating. This means it takes multiple trailers of equipment with multiple attachments to get equipment to a jobsite that all have specific uses. If you are renting the equipment or have purchased the machines, those are big investments to have sitting idle. With a ground-engaging, compact telehandler, you have one machine with attachments that all fit on your skid steer or wheel loader and can perform the same tasks as all three machines. Brent Coffey is the loaders product manager at Wacker Neuson. No comments yet.
Übersetzung von “spread” — Englisch-Türkisch Wörterbuch verb uk /spred/ us past tense and past participle spread spread sth across/over/through, etc B2 to arrange something so that it covers a large area yaymak, dağıtmak He spread the cards out on the table. TIME [ T ] also spread out B2 to arrange for something to happen over a period of time and not at once zamana yaymak The payments will be spread over two years. B2 to increase, or move to cover a larger area or affect a larger number of people yayılma, dağılmak, bulaşmak, artmak The virus is spread by rats. sürmek, yaymak He spread a thin layer of glue on the paper. B2 If information spreads or if someone spreads it, it is communicated from one person to another. yayılmak, yaymak, dağılmak, dağıtmak News of his death spread quickly. See also (Übersetzung von “spread verb” aus dem Cambridge Lernerwörterbuch Englisch–Türkisch © Cambridge University Press)
Monumental Art \| Mexico \| Living in Mexico Monumental Art What makes great cities even greater is public art, often in the form of statuary commemorating important figures or events. Part of the allure of old European cities—or Mexican ones—is the sight of a statue of an officer riding a rearing horse, or a Rococo fountain with gamboling nymphs and spouting dolphins. Having grown up in the burbs, something in me longs for a sense of age, of history, of roots. We have such art in San Miguel de Allende. Above, for example, we have Father San Miguel bringing light to a heathen Indian, offering the poor savage succor and comfort. And here, we have General Ignacio Allende, the man who is credited with starting Mexico's fight for independence from Spain. These two figures are the namesakes of our city: San Miguel de Allende. In modern times, we've somehow lost our way. In San Francisco, we have the eyesore known as the Vaillancourt Fountain. How we managed to allow a mistake of this magnitude to happen is beyond me. But it's indicative of a disturbing trend. In San Miguel, we don't have the money to create new civic art on the scale of the Vaillancourt Fountain. But that doesn't mean we don't get our share of the fevered delusions of alleged art experts scattered here and there. I mean, what the hell is this? Give up? OK. Here's the plaque giving its name. How this work represents oral fertilization is beyond me. It's certainly not the thought that came to my mind when I first looked at it. In fact, I have to ask, "What is oral fertilization?" It's really not something you want to think about too much. Another statue in the series of which Oral Fertilization is a part would perhaps bear that name more appropriately.
The stir-frying procedure requires high heat and the tossing and stirring of ingredients in a large pan to guarantee fast cooking. A wok is the traditional type of pan to use for stir-frying because it has deep tapered sides which permits food to be stirred and tossed easily. If a wok is not available, a deep heavy skillet works very well for stir-frying and nonstick pans are also easy to use. Wood or metal utensils should be used to stir the food. Plastic utensils should be avoided because they can melt. Each and every one of the ingredients should be prepared and within reach before the stir-fry process can commence. All vegetables should be chopped and ready to go. Herbs and spices and any liquid ingredients should be measured before beginning. It is helpful to put the ingredients in small bowls so that all is prepared. The beef for stir-fry recipes should be cut into small strips and should have very little fat. The small strips will guarantee that the meat will cook carefully, even when it is simply cooked for a short time. Ad blocker interference detected!
Friday, February 12, 2010 Percents % HEY EVERYBODY! Here is percent. PERCENT: A percent is an equivalent fraction out of 100. Our homework is to find the percent of the following fractions in 3 different ways. (I'll cover 1 and leave the rest to you guys). One way to find the percent of this fraction is by first, converting it to a decimal. In order to find the decimal equivalent of a fraction, we multiply the numerator by the denominator. 5 divided by 7 = 0.71 Now that we have the decimal, we have to find the percent, by multiplying the decimal by 100. We multiply by 100 because, remember a percent is an equivalent fraction out of 100. A decimal is an equivalent fraction out of 1, so in order to get from 1-100 we multiply by 100. 0.71 X 100 = 71% Another way to find percent is by creating an equivalent fraction out of 100. In order to get from 7-100 we have to multiply by 14.2. And remember, what you do to the top, you do to the bottom. 5 X 14.2 = 71 Now our fraction is 71/100 This means that our percent is 71% A third way to figure out percent is by using ratio. So there is 3 different ways to figure out percent. Have fun with the rest! P L E A S E C O M M E N T ! 1. good job explained everything well and it's also very easy to understand. 2. Hey Laura, you did really good! I like how you showed 2 different ways to find percents and told us what percent is. This scribepost can help many of us understand percent better than we did before. You did very good ! 3. Awesome job!! you explained it so well About This Blog Lorem Ipsum powered by math calculator at © Blogger templates Psi by 2008 Back to TOP
Testing and Diagnosis for Sleep Apnea The diagnosis of sleep apnea is made by taking your medical and family history, a physical examination, and the result of a sleep test (polysomnography or PSG). Your GP often performs an initial assessment, and decides whether to refer you for a sleep test. History and Physical Assessment Your GP might ask you questions about the length and quality of your sleep, symptoms of drowsiness or headache during the day, and how loudly you snore at night. You might not be aware of symptoms that occur when you sleep, such as if you stop breathing or gasp, and a bed partner or family member may need to report them. Your doctor will examine your mouth, throat and neck for anything that might predispose you to a narrowed airway. Diagnose Sleep Apnea Sleep Study A sleep study is the most accurate way to diagnose sleep apnea. It is an evaluation of your breathing and body functions overnight. There are two types of sleep studies: In-clinic and home-based. Polysomnography (PSG) is a sleep study where your brain activity, eye movements, and vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure are recorded. In addition, they measure the oxygen level in your blood, airflow in your nostrils, chest movement, and snoring. Sometimes a video records your movements during sleep. The test is painless and these measurements are made through sensors attached to your face, chest, scalp, and fingers. The test records: 1. The number of times you stop breathing for at least 10 seconds (apnea) 2. The number of times your breathing is partially blocked (hypopnea) The Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) is the number of apnea or hypopnea episodes you have in one hour. The AHI results are then used to diagnose sleep apnea. A normal test result will show: 1. AHI less than 5 (less than 5 episodes of apnea or hypopnea in an hour) 2. Normal brain waves and muscle movements when you sleep. An AHI greater than 5 may mean you have sleep apnea: • Mild sleep apnea: AHI 5-15 • Moderate sleep apnea: AHI 15-30 • Severe sleep apnea: AHI greater than 30 The final diagnosis and recommendations for treatment will also depend on: • Your medical history and symptoms • Other findings from the sleep test • Your physical examination Diagnose Sleep Apnea A home-based test is a simplified test done with a portable monitor that measures most of the same things. This is less expensive and allows the test to be done in the comfort of your own home. It is often recommended for patients with severe symptoms who have no other serious medical conditions that can interfere with the test results. The results of the sleep test are analysed and interpreted by a Sleep Physician, and a Sleep Nurse or Therapist will then meet with you to discuss the diagnosis. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, the Sleep Physician with recommend your treatment options. For more information about a bulk-billed Home Sleep Study on Gold Coast or in Brisbane, click here. Screening Tests Screening questionnaires to assess your of sleep apnea exist. Some only take a few minutes to give an accurate measure of your risk, and whether you should consider having a Sleep Study. Do I Have Sleep Apnea: Take our Quiz now
Economic Environment of Singapore Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 310 • Published : February 12, 2008 Open Document Text Preview International Marketing 560 Economic Environment of Singapore Laura L. Erwin-Hall October 12, 2007 "Home to some 4.48 million people (based on the last census in 2005 reported in 2006), Singapore is the fourth most densely populated country in the world and has one of the highest per capita gross domestic products in the world."1 The employment rate is 2.40 million (June 2006), with unemployment at an all-time low at only 2.5 percent. The labor force consists of mainly manufacturing, transportation and communication, construction, and financial, business, and other services. Singapore is orderly, prosperous, and modern. According to Richard H.K. Vietor, a Harvard Business School professor, Singapore, along with China and India are best positioned to take advantage of a global economy. Singapore is labeled the most developed state in Southeast Asia. "Hard work, incredibly efficient institutions, and great leadership have made Singapore rich."2 Most people live in high-rise apartment complexes and due to the high taxation on owning their own vehicles, most commute to work on public transportation systems. "The dominant ethnic groups are the Chinese, Malays, and Indians The literacy rate of Singapore stands at 95 percent."3 Every male citizen is obligated at age 18 to fulfill military commitment and are required to complete reserve enrollment and attend refresher trainings approximately once per year until they are 35 to 40 years of age. Since the ethnicity of Singapore is so varied, there are many languages spoken in Singapore, but the government recognizes four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. The national language is Malay, but English is used as the main business language. English was brought to Singapore by the British in 1819 when the British had a port and later a colony on the Island. When Singapore became independent in 1965, the government decided to keep English as the business language. English is used as the unifying language between the three major races in Singapore and the main reason English was chosen as the business language is because it is also the global language for most countries regarding business, technology, and science. English is also the main language in the Singaporean education system. There is a dialect of English which is also spoken. It is called Singlish. Singlish is quite difficult for British and American English-speaking persons to understand. This is because words are blended together to form new words. For example, "don't know" in Singlish is "dunno". The second official language is Malay which is similar to Indonesian and is written by using the Latin alphabet. Prior to English becoming the "common language", shared among most of the people in Singapore, Malay was the language most shared by people of different races and nationalities. In fact, their National anthem, Majulah Singapura, is still entirely in Malay. The third official language is Mandarin and it is considered one of the six official languages of the United Nations. "Globally, Mandarin dialects have more speakers than any other language."4 Today, many young, non-ethnic Chinese around the world learn Mandarin in order to compete in new opportunities in China. Tamil is the fourth official language. It is also an official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. There are over 77 million people in the world who speak Tamil. As well as varied languages in Singapore, the country is multi-religious too. "However, the main religion is Buddhism, with 42.5 percent of the population declaring themselves Buddhists."5 Other religious groups are Christianity, Islam, Taoism, and Hinduism or no religion at all. With so many races and so many religions within Singapore, the government has made religious tolerance and racial harmony a high priority. The "Singapore: International Religious Freedom Report 2006" makes note of the fact... tracking img
Information Systems Chapter 7 Rq Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 756 • Published : June 9, 2011 Open Document Text Preview Chapter Seven\| Review Questions Q1- What is Internet? Who used it and why ? A Collect of interconnected networks, all freely exchanging information. More than 1.3 billion people use the internet around the world, the internet make the life easier and faster at all things. Q2-What is the ARPANET ? A project started by the U.S. department of Defense (DoD) in 1969 as both an experiment in reliable networking and a means to link DoD and military research contractors including many universities doing military-funded research. Q3- Identify the features of the Internet that make it unlikely to stop working from a single point of failure. Why do you think the internet has such as high degree of redundancy? WAN – Connects large geographic regions . Q4-What is Web browser ? Provide two examples . Web client software such as Internet Explorer , Firefox, and Safari used to view web pages. Q5- Explain the naming conventions used to identify Internet host computers. --------------------------------------. Q6-Briefly describe three different ways to connect to the internet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach ? Connect via LAN SERVER \| Connect Via Dial-Up \| Connect Via High-Speed Service Q7- What is an Internet service provider ? What services do they provide ? ISP => Any company that provides Internet access to people or organizations . * Some ISPs such as America Online (AOL) of Microsoft Network (MSN) offer extended information services through software installed on the subscriber’s PC. Many others simply offer a connection to the Internet that subscribers use with Internet software to access various services. Q8-What are the advantage and disadvantage of e-mail ? Adv= No longer limited to simple text massage \| Dis= Spam Emails . Q9- What benefit dose IMAP e-mail have over POP ? IMAP => allows you to view e-mail using Outlook or other e-mail software without downloading and storing the messages locally. POP => is used... tracking img
Sound Patterns of Hughes' "The Weary Blues" Only available on StudyMode • Topic: Rhyme, Onomatopoeia, Jazz • Pages : 5 (1442 words ) • Download(s) : 544 • Published : November 17, 2001 Open Document Text Preview Hughes' "Blues" Jazz music is often associated with long, lazy melodies and ornate rhythmical patterns. The Blues, a type of jazz, also follows this similar style. Langston Hughes' poem, "The Weary Blues," is no exception. The sound qualities that make up Hughes' work are intricate, yet quite apparent. Hughes' use of consonance, assonance, onomatopoeia, and rhyme in "The Weary Blues" gives the poem a deep feeling of sorrow while, at the same time, allows the reader to feel as if he or she is actually listening to the blues sung by the poem's character. The Blues musical move was prominent during the 1920s and '30s, a time known as the Harlem Renaissance. Blues music characteristically told the story of someone's anguish, the key factors, and the resolution of the situation. This is precisely what Hughes' poem, "The Weary Blues," describes. Hughes uses the rhythmic structure of blues music and the improvisational rhythms of jazz in his innovative development of "The Weary Blues." The poem opens by first setting the scene. "Down on Lenox Avenue" the speaker heard a "mellow croon" (lines 2 and 4). The tune was played on a piano and sung by a man with the emotions coming from the "black man's soul" (15). The piano man expresses his feelings of loneliness and dissatisfaction with his life in lines 19-22 and 25-30: "Ain't got nobody in all this world, Ain't got nobody but ma self. I's gwine to quite ma frownin' And put my troubles on the shelf." "I got the Weary Blues And I can't be satisfied. Got the Weary Blues And can't be satisfied- I ain't happy no mo' And I wish that I had died." The piano man, in a slightly backward order, tells how he wished that he had died because he feels so alone. But, instead of an ultimate end, the piano man decides to "put his troubles on the shelf," or rather, push them aside and continue living without the distraction of those pains. The tone of "The Weary Blues" is quite dark and melancholy. This matches the sorrowful theme of the poem. Sound patterns play a key role in this poem. They enhance the already somber mood by way of consonance, assonance, onomatopoeia, and rhyme patterns. Consonance is found within the first line of the poem. "Droning a drowsy" brings a hard 'd' sound to Line 1. This hard 'd' sound can be thought to set the beat to which the rest of the poem is read. If this poem were actually put to a blues' tune, the hard 'd' beat would serve as the base rhythm. Another place that consonance is apparent is in line 5, "pale, dull pallor of an old gas light." The sticky 'l' sounds are difficult to produce off of the tongue quickly; therefore, these words slow the poem down. This is typical of the blues. The slow sounds of blues music are incorporated in the words of this poem. It seems as if the words with the 'l' sounds get extra emphasis, as well, because they are so difficult to pronounce. Added strength through word sounds helps boost the poem's glumness. Line 10 is another excellent example of consonance in "The Weary Blues." The 'm' and 'p' sounds of "He made that poor piano moan with melody" give the poem a juxtaposition of warm sounds from the 'm' to aggressive tones with the sharp 'p.' This is a nice element as it is characteristic of blues music, as well. Usually there are some elements of comfort and disdain within the blues. The contrast of the 'm' and 'p' sounds highlights this very well. There is a great amount of assonance in "The Weary Blues." The first example of assonance comes right away in the poem. Line 1 opens with the long 'o' sound in "Droning a drowsy syncopated tune" and continues with "Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon" in line 2. This long 'o' sound is representative of the forlorn blues aforementioned. The long 'o' is repeated throughout the poem, for example in line 10 with "poor piano moan with melody" and line 12, "Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool." I... tracking img
Biggest Meteorites on Earth These Are the 6 Biggest Meteorites to Ever to Be Found on Earth These guys are huge. Often, when rocks from space hurtle towards Earth, they burn up in the atmosphere before actually reaching us. The ones that vaporize become a meteor - or a shooting star. Willamette is the largest meteorite ever found in the US, at 7.8 square metres (84 square feet) long and with a weight of 15.5 tonnes (34,000 pounds). It has an interesting little story attached, because it was discovered by Ellis Hughes in 1902 who recognized that it was more than a piece of rock, and spent three months shifting it three quarters of a mile from land owned by the Oregon Iron and Steel Company, but he was caught. Mbozi was discovered in Tanzania in the 1930s. It's 3 metres long and weighs an estimated 25 tonnes, or almost twice that of Willamette. No crater was found, which means it probably rolled like a boulder when it hit the Earth's surface. The third largest meteorite in history, the Cape York meteorite, collided with Earth nearly 10,000 years ago. The Cape York meteorite, or Agpalilik meteorite, was discovered in 1993 in Greenland and weighs about 20 tonnes. The Bacubirito meteorite was fund in 1863 by the geologist Gilbert Ellis Bailey in the village of Ranchito near the town of Sinaloa de Leyva. He had been sent there by the Chicago journal the Interocean to Central and South America, and excavated the meteorite with the help of local people. El Chaco is the second largest meteorite on Earth, weighing in at almost twice as much as Bacubirito. Plus, it's just a fragment. This makes it the biggest naturally occurring piece of iron known on Earth's surface at 6.5 square metres. It never had to be dug up either - one theory is that the meteorite's shape caused it to skip along the surface of Earth rather than crashing and burying itself. This article was originally published by Business Insider.
What Makes a Patriot? by Christian Mobley Today, more and more people across the nation are protesting against our National Anthem. The protests, started by San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, are to bring forth attention to the injustices in America towards not only African-Americans, but to minorities as a whole. Not long after his first protest, people nationwide were quick to call Kaepernick “racist” and “anti-American”. High school athletes across the nation in states such as Alabama and New Jersey, whom have protested against the Anthem, have been faced with suspensions or other forms of punishment, infringing their constitutional right to free speech. Regardless of their playing level or social status, all these individuals share one thing: they are being called “unpatriotic” for expressing their freedom of speech against an anthem with a racist and bigoted history. To understand the purpose of protesting the Anthem itself, one must look back at the history of The Star Spangled Banner. Most people only know the first stanza of The Star Spangled Banner, and are unaware of there being three more stanzas to our National Anthem. However, the third stanza is the most shocking, showing the prejudice held by the author, Francis Scott Key, through an excerpt of his lyrics: “And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave Now, to truly comprehend the meaning behind these lyrics, you have to understand who Key was and what his beliefs were. Francis Scott Key was lieutenant during the Civil War and save for a few exceptions, he was your run-of-the-mill man of the time, being about as pro-slavery, anti-black, and anti-abolitionist as one could be. One thing to note as well is Key’s opposition towards the Colonial Marines, an army of runaway slaves whom were promised freedom for fighting with the British. At one point in his service, his squad was even attacked by the Colonial Marines, furthering his hatred and opposition of African-Americans. Despite his song being an almost “alright” attempt at being Patriotic, the third stanza of The Star Spangled Banner undermines it all by basically saying that the bloodshed of all the former slaves and other “hirelings” during the war will “wash away” the pollution of the British army. Sure, you could argue that protesting against the National Anthem, one of the most “American” things (next to obesity and a flaky education system), is the farthest thing from being patriotic. This leads to the question: What truly makes a patriot? Is it extravagant barbecues on the Fourth of July? Or is it waving an American flag from the back of your lifted truck as you fly down the highway? The short answer to these are yes. However, there’s more to being a patriot than what the surface allows to be seen. With the help of a quick internet search and we come upon the textbook definition of “patriot” – “a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.” Now couldn’t you say standing up against a racist regime and anthem is a form of “defending” the American people from those who commit the crimes against humanity, a.k.a our “detractors”? Regardless, I believe that standing up for justice among the weak is one of the most Patriotic things an American citizen can do, and out of context that is exactly what Kaepernick and those following in his footsteps (such as Megan Rapinoe, Brandon Marshall, and Robert Quinn) are doing; standing up for those who have been beaten down time and time again by the social injustices inflicted upon them throughout our country’s deep dark history.
ps7 - Cost Curves 1 A wheat farmer has total production... View Full Document Right Arrow Icon UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Economics 101 – Fall 2005 Wei Zhang Problem Set 7 Due By October 31, 2005 (in class) Public Goods and Externalities: Multiple Choice. 1) An example of a good that is both rival and excludable is a) the defense services provided by a new stealth bomber. b) a pair of pants. c) a beautiful sunset. d) an uncrowded theme park such as Walt Disney World 2) Which of the following illustrates the concept of external benefit? a) Good weather increases the size of the wheat crop. b) A new pesticide increases the size of the wheat crop. c) A gardener enjoys her flowers. d) Neighbors enjoy the gardener’s flowers. Background image of page 1 Unformatted text preview: Cost Curves 1) A wheat farmer has total production costs given by the equation TC=100+5Q, where Q is output, measured in bushels of wheat. a. What is the farmer's marginal cost (MC) of production? b. What is the farmer's fixed cost? Give some examples of what costs might be fixed for a wheat farmer. c. Write the equation giving the farmer's variable cost as a function of quantity. What are examples of variable costs for a farmer? d. Write the equations for the farmer's average total cost (ATC) and average variable cost (AVC), both as functions of Q. e. Show the ATC, AVC, and MC on one graph. Explain what is happening to average fixed costs as Q increases, and explain how this relates to what you see in your graph.... View Full Document Ask a homework question - tutors are online
DA 06 - For example a user may run a query asking for a... View Full Document Right Arrow Icon Metadata and the Data Dictionary are vital to the success of a DBMS. Provide a scenario as to what might happen to a database if metadata were not used or incorrectly used? Think about impact this misuse would have on the end-user, the administrator, and the designer. Metadata, or data about data, is crucial to database management. Metadata is information about how data is extracted and how it can be transformed. If metadata were used incorrectly it could produce problems for all involved with the database. Background image of page 1 Unformatted text preview: For example, a user may run a query asking for a report between two dates. If the metadata was used incorrectly, the resulting report could be incorrect or inaccurate or even turn up blank. If the user pulling this report was not the same user that input the data, they will not know that the report is not correct. Therefore, they will be using invalid reports and perhaps distributing those reports to other users. This issue could produce a snowball affect depending on how the report is used and how many hands it passes through.... View Full Document Ask a homework question - tutors are online
How does King Lear develop as a parent in the storm scene? 2 Answers Top Answer akannan's profile pic Posted on I think that pity becomes one of the most important affective developments in Lear as a result of the storm scene. Lear vacillates between pity and self- pity. It is in this condition where I think that Lear becomes a more wise and attune parent. Throughout the entire drama up to this point, Lear cannot understand nor fathom why his children act in the way they do. It is through this scene where Lear understands the implications of their actions. He also understands that his own condition is, in part, due to the lack of attention he paid to being a father. Lear had been driven in his identity as a ruler and his idea of how he might not have been an effective father is a secondary element. It is in this scene where Lear assesses his own condition as a father, first. There is not much in way of Lear's own assessment of him as a ruler, but rather as a father, focusing on "filial ingratitude" and how his children could have treated him in such a manner. Lear is focused on this element in this scene and as a result, actually progresses and advances as a father. The statement that Shakespeare might be making is that in order to become a better parent, one has to assess in an honest way one's own failures and shortcomings, something that Lear begins to do as a result of the storm scene.
Obituaries for Simon and Piggy includes date died, how they died, biography-where they lived,born,notable awards, hobbies, school and families.From Lord of the Flies 1 Answer coachingcorner's profile pic coachingcorner \| High School Teacher \| (Level 1) Senior Educator Posted on If I were writing an obituary each for Simon and Piggy, the characters in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, I would aim for a date around the time of the Hiroshima bomb which was dropped on Japan by the Americans near the end of the Second World War. This event is alluded to early on in the novel "they're all dead." That would give a rough date for the date of death - they probably couldn't be specific anyway as the marooned boys probably lost track of time and forgot to keep a calendar. I might choose something poetic for Simon's passing, such as 'sadly taken from us...' as this would reflect his innocent and spiritual nature. For Piggy I might gloss over the violent manner of death as it was simply too horrific to write on a tombstone. His hobbies seemed to involve a lot of reading as always had plenty of useful facts and ideas on hand.
Why does it make sense that slow developing/spreading diseases such as leprosy, polio, etc. must be the oldest diseases in the history or mankind? 1 Answer rrteacher's profile pic rrteacher \| College Teacher \| (Level 2) Educator Emeritus Posted on The answer to this question can be found in Chapter 11 of Guns, Germs, and Steel. Diamond says we know that these diseases must be the oldest because they they were the ones "we could evolve and sustain..when the total human population was tiny and fragmented." Thus they were the only ones that could survive and develop among early people. The epidemic diseases, which require large, dense populations to to sustain their development, could not have existed when all of humanity lived as hunter-gatherers. Aside from their slow spread, these diseases also carry the benefit (from the perspective of the germ, of course) of not leaving survivors immune from future outbreaks. Also, because the disease takes more time to kill, people can carry it around much longer, which allows it to be spread even among widely dispersed populations. Source: Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel, 204.
Monday, January 14, 2008 I got the blues People (Connor especially) have asked for a more in depth explanation of "Haunt blue". Haunt, or 'Haint' blue is a color that is used to decorate the underside of porches and window trim on houses all 0ver the Southern United States. Since Haint blue is a historical color, several variations of it exist. It can look like baby blue, but can also range into green blue tones. Below are samples of Haint Blue Light and Haint Blue Dark from the Savanna historical society (1980) for use on historic homes. The term Haint as used in the Southern United States is thought to derive from the mingling of Europeans and African slaves. For example, the Gullah people of South Carolina refer to a haint as a spirit or ghost. Another occurrence of the term haint is found in the Appalachian mountains, where it likewise means "that which haunts" and derives from Anglo-Germanic myths of spirits. The interaction between slaves and Europeans produced in Carolina people whose religion was Hoodoo but who had incorporated other ritualistic beliefs from Europe, such as the existence of spirits into their mythology. Ok, now that we know what Haint means, what about the blue, and why use it on porches, door and window frames? Blue painted porches are thought to have many purposes, one is to drive away nesting insects (this is probably caused by the lime originally used in mixed colored paints, rather than due to the color itself.) Apparently, painting the ceiling blue also prevents wasps from building nests on it, as they mistake it for the sky. A more relevant reason to paint entryways blue is that it was thought to confuse evil spirits into believing that the surface painted blue was made of water. In Gullah folklore, Haints cannot cross water, and by painting a surface blue you can trick them into not entering a house by a door or window. Similarly, this may have origins in the Mediterranean belief that the color blue protects against the evil eye. In addition I think I should mention another iconic New Orleans blue, "Commander's blue". This is named after the famous New Orleans restaurant, Commander's Palace, which, as you can see below, is painted an aqua color. In 1974 when the Brennan family took over the venerable Commander's Palace restaurant, they painted the brown Victorian mansion bright aqua blue, shocking the staid neighborhood which was colored white beige and brown. Now the color is emblematic of the restaurant, and you can request house paint colored "Commander's Blue". Blogger Benjamin said... Is it just my colorblindness, or is that "blue" really gray-green? January 15, 2008 at 6:17 PM Blogger Nora said... No its kinda grey green in color. I have seen porches painted a baby blue or sky blue color before, so I think the exact shade of Haint is variable. January 15, 2008 at 7:11 PM Post a Comment Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom] Links to this post: Create a Link << Home
What we think about today methods. Farming practices • Animal husbandry Farming methods vary considerably worldwide and between forms of animals. Livestock are usually kept in an enclosure, are nourished by human-provided food and are deliberately bred, but some livestock are not restricted/bounded, or are fed by access to natural foodstuffs, or are permitted to breed freely, or any amalgamation thereof. Livestock herding historically was part of a pastoral or nomadic form of material culture. The rearing of reindeer and camels in some parts of the universe remains unconnected with sedentary agriculture. The transhumance type of herding in the Sierra Nevada of California still is incessant, as cattle, goats and sheep are transferred from winter pasture in lower altitude valleys to spring and summer pasture in the foothills and alpine regions, as the seasons continuous. Cattle were herded on the open range on the Pampas of Argentina, in the Western United States and Canada and other prairie and steppe regions of the world. The enclosure of livestock in barns and pastures is a fairly a new invention in the history of agriculture. When cattle are restricted, the form of ‘enclosure’ may vary from a small crate, a large paddock or fenced pasture. The form of feed may differ from natural growing grass, to artificial animal feed. Animals are typically deliberately bred via artificial insemination or via supervised mating. Indoor production methods are usually used for dairy cattle, poultry and pigs, as well as for dairy goats, veal cattle, and other animals, depending on the place and season. Animals enclosed are usually farmed expansively, as large space needs would make indoor farming unfruitful and impossible. However, enclosed farming methods are challenging due to the odour problems, the waste they churn out, the potential for groundwater contamination and animal welfare concerns. Livestock source corroboration is used to track livestock. Livestock – particularly the cattle - may be marked to indicate age and ownership, but in recent farming identification is more likely to be designated by means of ear tags and electronic identification than branding. Sheep are also often marked by means of ear marks and/or ear tags. As fears of mad cow disease and other epidemic diseases increase, the employment of implants to examine and trace animals in the food production practice is gradually common, and sometimes required by government rules.
Toilet technology is one of the most underappreciated yet important aspects of green building. Niagara Conservation‘s revolutionary Stealth Toilet features a vacuum assist that steeply reduces the water it takes to do your business – it uses only 0.8 gallons per flush compared to the EPA maximum of 1.6 gallons. There are many engineers who spend sleepless nights conjuring a better way to make a toilet flush, and in this case the design secret is an air bubble. Hit the jump to learn how it works and see the most realistic toilet test permissible for a G-rated audience. super low flush toilet, epa toilet water standard, .08 gallon tiolet, water reducing toilet, lowest water usage toilet, sustainable design, green building, materials After you flush the Stealth Toilet, a special tube transfers air to the trapway below the tank. That air bubble displaces the water in the trap, which then pushes the water up into the bowl. This results in a dramatic reduction in water, and as you flush the air creates a vacuum that effectively discharges the bowl. Compared to the pressure tank type that can make a racket when flushed, the Stealth Toilet is similar to a regular toilet in decibels. To see it in action, take a look at this rather evocative video. The toilet has performed admirably in the industry standard Maximum-Performance (MaP) testing procedure and is competitively priced with a suggested retail of $305 for the standard model. + Niagara Conservation Via Green Building Advisor
Subscribe by Email Friday, July 20, 2012 Explain how the data is secured in HTTPS? HTTP secure or HTTPS can be thought of as an extended version of the regular HTTP. This communication protocol is the widely used one next to the regular HTTP when it comes to having a secure communication path between the user and the server over a computer network. The HTTPS finds quite a wide deployment over the internet when compared to deployment over intranet. If we understand it deeply we will come to know that in actual it is not a protocol in itself as it seems so from outside. It is actually a regular hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP) simply layered over SSL/ TSL protocol. The SSL/ TSL protocol thus lends its security capabilities to the standard HTTP communications when HTTP is layered up on SSL/ TSL. In this article we discuss how the data is secured in HTTPS. As we mentioned above that it is quite deployed in the internet services and it is so because it provides a quite convenient means to authenticate the web site as well as the web server associated with it (with which the connection is being established). How data is secured in HTTPS Such an authentication is of much importance as it provides the protection against the man in middle attacks which usually occurs because of eavesdropping between our communications with the server. - Moreover, HTTPS provides bidirectional encryption of the communications or the data that is exchanged between the clients and the servers. - The ability of the bidirectional encryption by virtue of which it protects against tampering and eavesdropping which otherwise would forge the contents of the communications between the clients and the servers, makes it much necessary. - HTTPS comes with a reasonable guarantee that you get to communicate only with the web site which you intended to communicate with and with none else. - Furthermore, a way to prevent the forgery of the contents of the communication that takes place between the users and the clients cannot be hampered or forged by any of the third parties is ensured by the http secure. In HTTPS, the entire HTTP is levied up on the top of the TSL or SSL thus enabling the total encryption of the HTTP communications content. - This communications content includes: 1. Request URL which states the particular web page that was requested. 2. Query parameters 3. Headers 4. Cookies containing the identity information about the user and so on. Negative Points of HTTPS Though the HTTPS has got many advantages, its minus point cannot be unseen. -HTTPS cannot protect the disclosure of the communication content. -This happens so because the addresses of the host web sites and port numbers form a necessary part of the TCP/ IP protocols that underlie the https. -To be seen practically, it means that the identity of the server can still be inferred by the eavesdroppers even on a correctly configured web server as well as the amount and duration of the communication. -In the early years, the HTTPS was common to be used in the money transactions over the World Wide Web and other sensitive transitions like e- mails. -In the recent years it has been known for the following: 1. Authenticating the web pages, 2. Providing security to the accounts, 3. Maintaining the privacy of the user communications, web browsing and identity. The HTTPS has also come to the rescue of the wi- fi since it is highly prone to attacks being un- encrypted. The importance of https is often more realized when the connections are made over tor or anonymity network. No comments: Facebook activity
Wondering about the best food for bearded dragons? What you feed them, how much you feed them and how frequently you feed them depends on many things such as their age and other circumstances like if they are sick or pregnant. What do bearded dragons eat Bearded dragons are omnivores which means they eat a combination of animals and plants. The recommended diet and food for bearded dragons who are young and in the wild would include 80% animal-based food and 20% plants, vegetables and fruit. But your adult captive bearded dragon would eat the reverse – with 80% plants, vegetables and fruit and 20% animal-based food. What is the best food for bearded dragons The best food for bearded dragons or better yet, best diet is one that contains fresh salad, healthy live feeder insects and a calcium and vitamin supplement. Calcium and multi-vitamins are fed to your beardie by sprinkling them on the food offered to them. Generally, crickets and feeders which jump are not good candidates for dusting as they lose the coating as they jump around. Fresh salads need to be available all the time to Bearded Dragons of all ages. Leafy greens such as mustard greens, dandelions and collard greens make a great base for the salad. If your dragon is a picky eater adding colorful vegetables such as butternut squash or red bell pepper or adding worms might make the salad more interesting and flavorful. Live feeder insects are a delightful food for bearded dragons as they contain vital proteins needed for your beardies growth. Many insects are readily taken by the beardie. Live feeder insects and worms We recommend dubia or discoid roaches as a feeder insect. Do not feed your beardie live foods which are bigger than the space between its eyes. Doing so can cause digestive problems and impaction which can be fatal for your beardie. And it is important to feed them using tweezers or only put a few live insects in their tank. They will stop eating when they are full. However, if they eat them all, continue adding live insects for 10-15 minutes and then remove all the live prey from their tank once the 15 minutes is up. Although bearded dragon mealworms are usually recommended by most. Our personal preference is phoenix worms. They are a great food and staple worm for bearded dragons. They come in large and small sizes. They are high in calcium and low in fat and unlike wax worms, butter worms and hornworms which are better suited as an occasional treat. You can free feed phoenix worms to babies and give 10-15 a day to adults or however much they’ll eat. Feeding Frequency When organizing your schedule of food for bearded dragons, the number of times a bearded dragon should be fed live food is depending on their age. While baby bearded dragons are typically fed 2-3 times per day, a full grown adult bearded dragon is fed less frequently usually once every couple of days. The feeding frequency is very much dependent on your own bearded dragon as eating habits may vary. The proper diet is essential to having a happy and healthy bearded dragon! However, it’s only one small aspect of their care. Pick up your copy of the comprehensive and easy to understand RBD: The Ultimate Care Guide! This guide is packed with an engaging video series, ebook, food list, and much more! We’ll teach you how to raise the healthiest, most delightful bearded dragon on the planet. Click here to grab your copy of the #1 Amazon Best Seller: RBD: The Ultimate Care Guide! Previous articleDangers of bearded dragon sand as a substrate Next articleHow to Create an Ideal Bearded Dragon Setup
Sunday, April 7, 2013 The First Web Server This NeXT workstation (a NeXTcube) was used by Tim Berners-Lee as the first Web server on the World Wide Web. It is shown here as displayed in 2005 at Microcosm, the public science museum at CERN (where Berners-Lee was working in 1991 when he invented the Web). The partly peeled off label on the cube itself has the following text: "This machine is a server. DO NOT POWER IT DOWN!!" The book is probably "Enquire Within upon Everything", which TBL describes on page one of his book Weaving the Web as "a musty old book of Victorian advice I noticed as a child in my parents' house outside London". Sunday, February 10, 2013 HTML5 Video Video on the Web Until now, there has not been a standard for showing a video/movie on a web page. Today, most videos are shown through a plug-in (like flash). However, different browsers may have different plug-ins. HTML5 defines a new element which specifies a standard way to embed a video/movie on a web page: the <video> element. Browser Support Internet ExplorerFirefoxOperaGoogle ChromeSafari Note: Internet Explorer 8 and earlier versions, do not support the <video> element. HTML5 Video - How It Works To show a video in HTML5, this is all you need: Your browser does not support the video tag. Try it yourself » The control attribute adds video controls, like play, pause, and volume. It is also a good idea to always include width and height attributes. If height and width are set, the space required for the video is reserved when the page is loaded. However, without these attributes, the browser does not know the size of the video, and cannot reserve the appropriate space to it. The effect will be that the page layout will change during loading (while the video loads). You should also insert text content between the <video> and </video> tags for browsers that do not support the <video> element. The <video> element allows multiple <source> elements. <source> elements can link to different video files. The browser will use the first recognized format. Video Formats and Browser Support Internet Explorer 9+YESNONO Firefox 3.6+NOYESYES Safari 5+YESNONO Opera 10.6+NOYESYES MIME Types for Video Formats HTML5 <video> - DOM Methods and Properties HTML5 has DOM methods, properties, and events for the <video> and <audio> elements. These methods, properties, and events allow you to manipulate <video> and <audio> elements using JavaScript. There are methods for playing, pausing, and loading, for example and there are properties (like duration and volume). There are also DOM events that can notify you when the <video> element begins to play, is paused, is ended, etc. The example below illustrate, in a simple way, how to address a <video> element, read and set properties, and call methods. Example 1 Create simple play/pause + resize controls for a video: Video courtesy of Big Buck Bunny. The example above calls two methods: play() and pause(). It also uses two properties: paused and width. Try it yourself » For a full reference go to our HTML5 Audio/Video DOM Reference. HTML5 Video Tags <video>Defines a video or movie <source>Defines multiple media resources for media elements, such as <video> and <audio> <track>Defines text tracks in mediaplayers courtesy : Saturday, February 9, 2013 Drag and Drop In HTML 5 Drag and Drop Drag and drop is a very common feature. It is when you "grab" an object and drag it to a different location. In HTML5, drag and drop is part of the standard, and any element can be draggable. Browser Support Internet ExplorerFirefoxOperaGoogle ChromeSafari Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, Opera 12, Chrome, and Safari 5 support drag and drop. Note: Drag and drop does not work in Safari 5.1.2. HTML5 Drag and Drop Example The example below is a simple drag and drop example: function allowDrop(ev) function drag(ev) function drop(ev) var data=ev.dataTransfer.getData("Text");; <div id="div1" ondrop="drop(event)" <img id="drag1" src="img_logo.gif" draggable="true" ondragstart="drag(event)" width="336" height="69"> It might seem complicated, but lets go through all the different parts of a drag and drop event. Make an Element Draggable First of all: To make an element draggable, set the draggable attribute to true: <img draggable="true"> What to Drag - ondragstart and setData() Then, specify what should happen when the element is dragged. In the example above, the ondragstart attribute calls a function, drag(event), that specifies what data to be dragged. The dataTransfer.setData() method sets the data type and the value of the dragged data: function drag(ev) In this case, the data type is "Text" and the value is the id of the draggable element ("drag1"). Where to Drop - ondragover The ondragover event specifies where the dragged data can be dropped. By default, data/elements cannot be dropped in other elements. To allow a drop, we must prevent the default handling of the element. This is done by calling the event.preventDefault() method for the ondragover event: Do the Drop - ondrop When the dragged data is dropped, a drop event occurs. In the example above, the ondrop attribute calls a function, drop(event): function drop(ev) var data=ev.dataTransfer.getData("Text");; Code explained: • Call preventDefault() to prevent the browser default handling of the data (default is open as link on drop) • Get the dragged data with the dataTransfer.getData("Text") method. This method will return any data that was set to the same type in the setData() method • The dragged data is the id of the dragged element ("drag1") • Append the dragged element into the drop element Content Courtesy: Monday, January 21, 2013 Classes Are Blueprints for Objects A class describes the behavior and properties common to any particular type of object. For a string object (in Objective-C, this is an instance of the class NSString), the class offers various ways to examine and convert the internal characters that it represents. Similarly, the class used to describe a number object (NSNumber) offers functionality around an internal numeric value, such as converting that value to a different numeric type. In the same way that multiple buildings constructed from the same blueprint are identical in structure, every instance of a class shares the same properties and behavior as all other instances of that class. Every NSString instance behaves in the same way, regardless of the internal string of characters it holds. Any particular object is designed to be used in specific ways. You might know that a string object represents some string of characters, but you don’t need to know the exact internal mechanisms used to store those characters. You don’t know anything about the internal behavior used by the object itself to work directly with its characters, but you do need to know how you are expected to interact with the object, perhaps to ask it for specific characters or request a new object in which all the original characters are converted to uppercase. In Objective-C, the class interface specifies exactly how a given type of object is intended to be used by other objects. In other words, it defines the public interface between instances of the class and the outside world. Thursday, August 2, 2012 50 characteristics of a great software developer Belly flop 1. Passionate; loves computers and programming, takes an interest and thinks about things even outside working hours. 2. Curious; wants to understand new things, researches unfamiliar terms. 3. Humble; recognizes that other people are smart and have great ideas and knowledge, respects relationships more than technology. 4. Creative; sees ways to do things that others don’t see, comes up with better ways of doing things, goes beyond. 5. Friendly; easy to get along with, does not sabotage or bring down team morale. 6. Fast learner; can quickly research, understand and use unfamiliar software technologies, tools and languages. 7. Focus; works towards completion of tasks with minimal distraction, avoids taking tangents. 9. Logic skills; ability to devise logical solutions for programming problems. 10. Pragmatic; able to make a value judgement about what is really important, values practical outcomes and getting the job done, avoids gold plating. 11. Not dogmatic; willing to change their mind and see things from the perspective of someone else, values the intellect of others. Not a jerk. 12. Workman like; willing to do the drudge work as well as the exciting work. 13. Thorough; puts in the 10% more needed to do a great job rather than an adequate job. 14. Intellect; able to grasp very complex computing concepts, able to develop very sophisticated code, able to do “the hard stuff”. 15. Energy; productive, motivated, strong work ethic, gets a lot of work done in the available working time. 16. Practices; writes lots of code, especially in the early years. 17. Persistence; sticks at it, takes the time needed to get something done or to learn something new. 18. Flexible; adaptable, happy to take new directions, happy to work with new technologies, happy to try new things, happy to change priorities. 19. Thirst for knowledge; actively self educates, reads and researches, willing to learn from others, always believes there is always much more to learn. 20. Expert knowledge; has superb knowledge of, and has thoroughly researched the primary programming languages (typically 3 or fewer), object models and frameworks that they do most of their day to day programming with. 21. Deep knowledge; has an in-depth understanding and experience in some small number (typically fewer than 10) programming languages and related technologies. 22. Broad knowledge; has passing familiarity with a very wide range of programming languages and related computer technologies. 23. Ability to write; can string words together to communicate. Client emails, co-worker emails, documentation, emails, proposals, blog posts, tweets. 24. Knowledge of computer science fundamentals; object oriented programming, design patterns, algorithms and data structures, how computers work at a low level, hardware, operating systems, networking, databases & much more stuff. 25. Verbal communication; able to explain their own thought process, can explain complex concepts, can participate in discussions with team members, can communicate with customers/users and other non technical people. 26. User oriented; can empathise with users, understands where the users are coming from and what is most important to them. 27. Software design and architecture; can design class structures, can design API’s, can design subsystems within an application, or can design entire application architectures. 28. Quality oriented; understands software testing, writes tests for their code where appropriate, understands the concept of test driven development, meets organisational expectations for testing & quality, feels satisfied by a job well done. 29. Balances coding priorities; knows when code should be written primarily for robustness, maintainability, reusability, speed of development, execution performance, scalability, security, polish, presentation, usability or some other factor. 30. Problem solving; knows how to attack a problem and has the tenacity to solve even very hard problems, uses appropriate debugging tools. 31. Development tools; understands their development tools, compiler/IDE and knows how to get the most out of them. 32. Seeks simplicity; understands the danger in complexity, prefers simple solutions. 33. Interested in the field; Knowledge of the industry, trends, directions, history. 34. Avoids re-inventing the wheel; able to look at a problem, analyse it, work out what class of problems it comes from, can find patterns, libraries, algorithms, data structures or other pre-existing solutions that might fit the problem well and reduce the need to write code. 35. Honest; can admit mistakes, unafraid to admit they don’t know something. 36. Detail oriented; pays close attention. Avoids missing things, not sloppy or half-baked. 37. Understands the lifecycle of software development; the roles played by developers and other people in that process. 38. Manages own workload; able to prioritise their own tasks, willing to adapt to change. 39. Cares about maintainability. 40. Uses source control. 41. Appreciates peer review; does not feel threatened or insulted by peer feedback. 42. Groks; is able to read source code and learn what it is doing. 43. Understands performance; able to optimise and write fast code when appropriate, knows how to avoid common performance problems. 44. Writes clean code; readable, well formatted, appropriately commented code. 45. Understands requirements specifications; able to make sense of software requirements, knows how to resolve questions and ambiguities, understands the relationship between requirements and testing. 46. Follows coding standards; where there is such an expectation. 47. Wants to be working on this project, at this company; a programmer is unlikely to do a great job if they are working on a project they don’t enjoy, or working at a company they don’t like. 48. Strong research skills; good at ferreting out information: digging through documentation, searching the web, reading reference guides, release notes, discussion forums, mailing lists. Knows how to find answers. 49. This slot reserved for suggestions - anything I’ve missed? 50. Goto 49. Sunday, May 27, 2012 Parallel Programming Parallel Programming in the .NET Framework .NET Framework 4
China, the most populous country in the world, a very diverse in culture and nature as well. in stretching from its southern borders in the Himalayas to the deserts of Mongolia in the north, and from the East China Sea through the Yangzi River Valley plains, to the Tibetan Plateau in the western mainland, China covers an area of 9,596,960 square kilometres. China also encompasses over 5000 islands, not to mention the disputed territories such as the Spratlys and the Paracels.The nation comprises five autonomous regions and twenty-two provinces, as well as Hong Kong, which is now titled a 'Special Administrative Region'.The seat of government, Beijing, is a large city of 11 million people, and like all of China's urban metropolises, life here contrasts immensely with that of the peasant farmers in rural areas. Due to its size, China's climate is obviously very diverse, ranging from an unbearable 48ºC in the northwest during Summer to an equally unbearable -40ºC in the far north in winter. The official language in China is Mandarin, as spoken in Beijing, but there are also many different dialects to listen for.
Floating dynamic cities - The possibilities of water-based urbanism With a population of over seven billion worldwide and a rapidly rising sea level, there is no question that soon something will have to yield. The climate change generation is learning that redefining traditional processes may be the best way to address common problems. The relationship people have with their surroundings is paramount to the cultivation of a healthy, happy, and productive community. Building cities the same way as 500 years ago is no longer addressing today's environmental concerns. Floating dynamic city Floating City Apps In addition to a change in climate, the fabric of society that is composed of political, economical, and social threads is also changing. With each passing decade, it is becoming more and more difficult to predict what the needs of tomorrow’s city will be. Since modern society's needs are variable, impulsive, and uncertain, architects and engineers are modifying the process of designing in itself to serve a mercurial atmosphere. Although static designs have served well thus far, current conditions now require buildings to be multifaceted in order to justify construction. When a city's infrastructure no longer satisfies the community's needs, demolition and reconstruction is considered the common solution, even if the structures have technically not even come close to the end of their expected lifespan. This rigid, unforgiving design ends up costing a lot more than construction costs, as verified by environmental assessments. Apart from knowing the ill effects produced by traditional construction methods, there is enough data analysis and modern technology available to alleviate human impact and find more suitable solutions. By providing a resolution to many problems stemming from climate change and urbanization, water-based developments are redefining urbanism. Water is one of few liquids that when it solidifies and becomes ice, it becomes less dense, allowing it to float, and just the same the world's perception should be more inclined to changing phases, for only an open mind may allow society to overcome what seems impossible. Water offers a solution to rigidity. It softens, cleanses, unifies, and makes things pliable. It will once again prove its perpetual value by challenging the limitations of conventional urbanism. Water is the basis for a dynamic city because with water, the possibilities are indeed endless. Just as the elevator was essential to constructing higher when the value of land increased, the technology that is required to construct more buoyant already exists. Floating foundations made up of modern materials such as foam and concrete now allow for anything that is usually built on land to be built on water. Water offers the flexibility sought after by contemporary designers and urban planners as well as an ample amount of space in the forms of rivers, lakes, canals, and coastal zones. Floating foundations could be as small or as large as necessary. It is now possible to make a floating city that offers all of the amenities required by society, complete with roads, houses, parks, and all utilities necessary to foster a typical, functioning community. Floating foundations do not hinder the quality of infrastructures; any house built on land can be built and stabilized over water. Water is a platform with the ability of sustaining the next conversation. In contrast to land construction, constructing on water does not overcome our surroundings. A floating development is constructed in a controlled environment, a warehouse near the waterfront. After construction, the development is then moved to its appointed location for installation. It is critical to consider the potential effects of the structure on its surroundings before the floating development is approved for the proposed location. Any evidence of contamination or negative influence on the surrounding waters will be enough to perform a thorough analysis of the floating foundation in order to correct any weaknesses and/or propose an alternate location. This process speeds up construction, lowering many costs associated with traditional construction delivery methods. The adaptable design of floating developments is fundamentally environmentally friendly, especially when compared to static structures. Floating developments are in alignment with a closed loop, cradle to cradle design. A floating development is used, re-modified, restructured, moved, and reused until the product's lifecycle has been completely exhausted, at which point it is recycled, and all wastes associated with this process are appropriately discarded of. The dynamic quality of floating developments and the system of production associated offers a new method of construction that is minimally invasive. Since most modern urban developments have a functional lifespan of approximately fifty to eighty years, a home or business owner is considered a consumer of a product with a limited lifecycle, that will eventually expire. Consumption urbanism is an appropriate term to describe the relationship that has evolved between people and their surroundings. Similar to how modern technology provides customization tools in order to organize and seamlessly integrate virtual amenities into a person's life, floating technology strives to make use of its adaptability by impacting consumption urbanism and offering mobile urban components known as City Apps. Adding an floating app to a city is similar to adding an application to a smart phone. City Apps are floating urban components with all different kinds of functions, which are added to an existing city's static grid. Flexible, reusable, and scarless, City Apps are created off-site then moved into an area, providing instant solutions that respond to a society's changing needs. Some examples of possible additions are floating apartment complexes, floating cruise terminals, floating car parks, floating forests, or even floating energy plants. City Apps are easily moved and updated, which opens the possibility of relocation, lease, or resale by transferring them elsewhere when and if there is no longer a need for them in their original location. Since consumers can order these floating developments through leading manufacturers, much like any other product hot off of a production line, the economy of the area will be influenced by association with the construction and management of these structures. Since the majority of the world's largest cities are located on or near the waterfront, a new understanding of consumption urbanism will help revitalize coastal metropolises. One example of the possibilities of water-based urbanism is being witnessed in south Asia. The Maldives, a low-lying country made up of over a thousand islands located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, has been devastated by rising sea levels. Climate change is not only threatening the country's citizens and structures, but also jeopardizing the Maldivian culture and way of life. The state of urgency has the country's leadership looking for any and all environmental remedies to protect their people. Floating developments have come to realization through a joint venture of the Maldivian government and Dutch Docklands, a Dutch developer in association with Waterstudio, a Dutch architecture firm specializing in the development of floating structures. Waterstudio has designed several floating concepts, considered large-scale City Apps. These initial projects will serve to inundate the country’s economy, which is largely dependent on tourism, and achieve the support necessary to spread the floating philosophy even further. The master plan, “The 5 Lagoons”, provides high-end luxury projects in the Maldives such as the world’s first 18-hole floating golf course. This project also includes sumptuous villas, a Venice-like village, and tailored private islands. Once these projects prove to be reliable and successful investments, floating developments will have the opportunity to impact more of the country's infrastructure, changing the face of urbanism. Water-based urbanism is also set to impact humanitarian and environmental reforms. It is becoming evermore difficult to allot an appropriate amount of land for the conservation of wildlife habitats within city limits. The increase of difficulty in promoting park developments have set back several preservation initiatives, eager to find a way to protect animal habitats. Conserving habitats for birds, bees, bats and other small animals would not only increase biodiversity, but it would also provide any city with a multitude of positive, environmental effects, promoting the general health and well-being of the community at large. In response to an increase in the demand and urgency for wildlife protection, Waterstudio has designed a urban component known as the Sea Tree, in order to create the necessary green spots within a city. Sea Tree is a floating, steel structure made up of vegetated, layered habitats designed exclusively for flora and fauna. As a way of giving back to nature, Sea Tree is designed and constructed taking into consideration every element essential to fostering an abundant habitat for species both above and below the water table. Under water the Sea Tree provides a habitat for small water creatures or even, when the climate allows, for artificial coral reefs. Sea Tree is built using the latest offshore technology, similar to the existing and proven technology required for the construction of oil storage towers, found in the open seas. Large oil companies will have the opportunity to give back by using their own intellectual property and resources to donate Sea Trees to communities in need, showing their concern and interest in preserving the distressed wildlife. Sea Tree provides the ideal environment for a multitude of species, not to mention a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. One Sea Tree has the potential to affect a zone of several miles around the moored location by providing habitat to many plants and animals in search of refuge. The Sea Tree will be the first floating object that is solely intended to be a contribution for the benefit of the environment. Another example of the potential of water-based urbanism as a solution to global challenges is seen through the development of City Apps for slum communities. Due to an increase in population, especially in urban areas, the number of slum dwellers in developing countries is rising. According to a study conducted by UN-HABITAT, it is estimated that one billion people worldwide live in slums and that this figure will to grow to 2 billion by 2030. Slums are characterized by an organic structure composed by unplanned, consolidated, makeshift buildings resulting in a dense combination of random materials. Slums usually develop on the borders of a metropolis, and many times slums are located on discarded waterfronts, growing unsafely further and further into the open water. On one hand, slums are sustainable by nature. They have a low impact on the environment, and inhabitants will slowly transform an abandoned or condemned area of a city into something of value. This transformation will usually result in a close-knit community of hundreds of thousands of people, with their own culture, way of life, and economy. On the other hand, slums are fragile and very sensitive to the climate changes, natural diseases, and city evolution. Slums contain some of the most important social and urban challenges of the 21st century. Slum communities require support to prosper, to create new opportunities for themselves in the future, and to address social and environmental problems. All over the world people have started to see the potential of floating developments. Floating developments, in particular, have the ability make a positive impact on slum communities that are living in conjunction with water, known as wet-slums. There are many communities all over the world that are threatened by rising sea levels, and it is important to shed light on people that are currently living without the most fundamental of necessities. A lack of sanitation and energy sources are common problems within slum communities that should be addressed. Slum communities are not only here to stay, but they are growing, and aiding these communities by upgrading living standards will offer prosperity and fortify the unique ways of life and cultures associated with these areas. City Apps are the catalysts that will set off an evolving chain of events with the potential to finally bring significant results in the challenge to aid slum dwellers. These additions are based on considering what is needed, and they can be floating schools, floating purification plants, floating housing, floating agriculture plots, etc. Mobile urban components have opened up a new avenue full of possibilities that address modern problems with sustainable, customizable solutions, which is exactly what complicated issues require. Gradually, this design will adapt to address what becomes known to work, as well as what simply does not work. Slum communities will benefit greatly from consumption, water-based urbanism, and it is paving the way for more aid to get to more people. In conclusion, although floating technology may not be the answer to every problem, water-based urbanism is set to transform communities around the world. Traditional, static cities will become more dynamic. The foundations necessary to entertain innovative creations that will give shape to the future already exist. City Apps have the potential to affect communities all around the world, with a wide spectrum of known applications and an endless amount of possibilities. It is important to fearlessly confront challenges and failures with the courage to think outside the box and not to rely on conventional ways that are proving to come up short. Changing the perception towards water-based developments is crucial to finding opportunities that will provide greener, safer, and more flexible urban developments. An open mind will prepare cities for the global challenges yet to come by providing economical, political, and environmental freedom and prosperity. The city of tomorrow is fast, flexible, conscious, and water-based. Waterstudio.NL lead by Koen Olthuis, is specialized in architecture, urban and research related to living, working and recreation on water. Join the team, apply for an internship +31 70 39 44 234 +31 70 26 010 96 Twitter Koen OlthuisFacebook Koen Olthuis YouTube Waterstudio.NLLinkedIn Waterstudio.NL
Science Fact Corporate education reform science fiction, is having an unintended(?) science fact effect. First the science If VAM scores are at all accurate, there ought to be a significant correlation between a teacher's score one year compared to the next. In other words, good teachers should have somewhat consistently higher scores, and poor teachers ought to remain poor. He created a scatter plot that put the ratings from 2009 on one axis, and the ratings from 2010 on the other axis. What should we expect here? If there is a correlation, we should see some sort of upward sloping line. There is one huge takeway from all this. VAM ratings are not an accurate reflection of a teacher's performance, even on the narrow indicators on which they focus. If an indicator is unreliable, it is a farce to call it "objective." This travesty has the effect of discrediting the whole idea of using test score data to drive reform. What does it say about "reformers" when they are willing to base a large part of teacher and principal evaluations on such an indicator? That travesty is now manifesting itself in real personal terms. Actually, they were near the very bottom. In New York City, fourth-grade test results can determine where a child will go to middle school. Fifth-grade scores have never mattered much, so teachers have been free to focus on project-based learning. While that may be good for a child’s intellectual development, it is hard on a teacher’s value-added score. These teachers are not the only ones. Bill Turque tells the story of teacher Sarah Wysocki, who was let go by D.C. public schools because her students got low standardized test scores, even though she received stellar personal evaluations as a teacher. She was evaluated under the the D.C. teacher evaluation system, called IMPACT, a so-called “value-added” method of assessing teachers that uses complicated mathematical formulas that purport to tell how much “value” a teacher adds to how much a student learns. As more data is demanded, more analysis can be done to demonstrate how unreliable it is for these purposes, and consequently we are guaranteed to read more stories of good teachers becoming victims of bad measurements. It's unfortunate we're going to have to go through all this to arrive at this understanding.
Reader Approved wikiHow to Use a Prong Collar on Dogs Three Parts:Choosing a CollarUsing the Collar ProperlyCeasing UseCommunity Q&A A prong collar is a training collar used to teach dogs leash manners. Prong collars are different from choke collars in that they use prongs rather than metal links so when the collar contracts the loose skin around a dog's neck is actually pinched in the process. Prong collars are designed to provide negative reinforcement when a dog pulls by mimicking pack behaviors used to assert authority, such as gentle nipping or biting of the neck. Such collars are not meant as permanent walking collars and need to be used properly and under the supervision of a trainer in order to be effective. Part 1 Choosing a Collar 1. 1 Talk to a certified dog training professional. A prong collar is not simply another piece of walking equipment like a harness or a gentle leader. It is a training device. A prong collar should not be used without consulting a professional dog trainer. • A certified dog trainer will likely have experience using a prong collar or choke chain to discipline a dog. If used incorrectly, prong collars can be ineffective or even painful.[1] • A prong collar is used as part of a longterm training process that teaches your dog why pulling is not appropriate. It should not be used for walks that occur outside of training time. Casually using the collar for walks does not teach your dog pulling is inappropriate. It only teaches him pulling while wearing the prong collar is inappropriate. Talk to a trainer about how and when to best use the collar.[2] 2. 2 Purchase a collar. Many people are wary of prong collars due to the potential for pain. However, purchasing the right kind of prong collar lessens the likelihood your dog will experience pain while wearing it. • Quality prong collars are designed to gently pinch the loose skin around the dog's neck, providing negative reinforcement in the event of pulling and misbehaving. A good collar will never puncture your dog's skin.[3] • The right size is important. Collars are divided by weight distinction, so know how much your dog weighs before selecting a collar. If you buy a collar labeled "For 100-120 pounds" for a 75 pound dog, this is far more likely to cause your dog pain and discomfort than a properly sized collar.[4] • Buy a collar from a certified trainer or a certified trainer's website. Prong collars sold at chain stores like Petco are often not as well made and the prongs have sharp rather than rounded edges. This results in puncturing rather than pinching your dog's skin, which can lead to aggression during training sessions.[5] • Never buy a prong collar with rubber-tipped prongs. Many people think such an investment is more ethical but rubber can rub against your dog's hair, causing pain. Metal, on the other hand, moves smoothly over a dog's coat.[6] 3. 3 Make sure you know how to properly fit the collar. A prong collar must be placed around a dog's neck in a specific manner to be safe and helpful for training purposes. • A prong collar should sit right behind the ears and under the jaw. Placing the collar lower than this will make the collar ineffective.[7] • The part of the collar that hooks onto a leash should be facing upward, just behind a dog's ears. Never clip the collar below a dog's jaw or on the side of the neck.[8] • The collar should fit snugly as it doesn't move around from the proper place. If the collar is loose, consider removing one of the prongs.[9] Part 2 Using the Collar Properly 1. 1 Use for only an hour at a time. A prong collar is a training device and not designed for longterm use. It is not your dog's primary collar and should not be used on casual walks or outings. • Use the collar for no more than one hour and only during designated training sessions. Using the collar any longer could irritate your dog's neck.[10] • It is dangerous to use a prong collar as your primary walking collar. Dogs learn by association. If, in the long term, your dog learns to associate pain with pulling he'll also learn to associate negativity with events that cause him to pull. Most friendly dogs pull in response to seeing other people and animals. If a prong collar is used on every walk, your dog will learn to associate people and animals with pain. With time, he'll become timid and even aggressive in the presence of others and might even begin growling and biting.[11] 2. 2 Use short tugs to correct behavior. A dog should never be allowed to freely tug on a prong collar. Prong collars are used during training sessions only to briefly correct behaviors. • Use short, firm tugs when your dog pulls or lunges in response to stimuli. Then, release the pressure. Your dog should let up when he feels the pull and it's unlikely you'll need much more than a quick tug.[12] • Prong collar mimics other dogs biting. A nip on the back of the neck from another pack member signifies a dog has stepped out of line and needs to behave. Constantly pulling or putting pressure on a dog's neck does not simulate a biting effect but rather causes a constant negative sensation. You do not want your dog to associate walks with pain.[13] 3. 3 Do not use a prong collar for a puppy. Prong collars are designed for larger, untrained dogs in order to teach leash manners. They are usually a last resort for dogs whose pulling problems are not resolved through other means. Puppies are new to walking and should not start off with the most intense level of training collar. This will only succeed in scaring a puppy. Also, prong collars are not safe until at least 5 or 6 months of age and, even then, they are not recommended unless other training methods have been exhausted.[14] Part 3 Ceasing Use 1. 1 Use a harness or gentle leader for walks. As stated, prong collars are used for training. Preferably use them under the supervision of a certified dog trainer. A better option for walking would be harness or gentle leader as they discourage heavy pulling but do so without putting unnecessary pressure on a dog's neck.[15] 2. 2 Take the collar off when you're not supervising your dog. Prong collars should not stay on a dog's neck like a regular collar. • Prongs can easily catch on objects leading a dog to become ensnared. If they pull to hard, they can choke and pass out. Prong collars can even be fatal if you leave them on without supervising your dog.[16] • It's not really necessary to leave a prong collar on when you're not training your dog. Unlike a conventional collar, prong collars do not contain tags or identifying information. They're merely used to train a dog and serve no other purpose.[17] 3. 3 Stop using the collar once your dog no longer needs it. Prong collars are not meant for longterm use. Working with a certified trainer, get your dog to a place where he has learned proper leash manners and no longer pulls. Once your dog has mastered good walking techniques, you no longer need to use the collar. Community Q&A Add New Question • Why should I use a prong collar if it has been banned in 13 countries? wikiHow Contributor The prong collar has been banned in 13 countries? The prong collar can be more humane than the so-called "choke chain." A choke chain, used inappropriately, can crush a dog's trachea, requiring corrective surgery. Prong collars aren't likely to cause that kind of damage because of how they are engineered. Prong collars pinch instead of crushing. • What size prong collars should 50-60 pound dogs wear? wikiHow Contributor Small: 12” - 15” Neck; Medium: 15” - 21” Neck; Large: 17” - 23” Neck; Extra Large: 19” - 25” Neck. • What is average amount of time to use a prong collar? wikiHow Contributor Some people use it for less than a week but others use it for 6 months or more. It depends on the dog. • I got a new prong collar and it has rubber tips. Do I remove these tips? wikiHow Contributor These rubber tips are to nullify the shock power, meaning it won't hurt as much. These are supposed to be on for the first days, but then you take them off. Consider them the training wheels to a bike. Ask a Question 200 characters left • Prong collar training walks will take longer than your previous walks because you may need to stop and re-start several times before your dog knows not to pull. Allow ample time for your prong collar training sessions. Made Recently Did you try these steps? Upload a picture for other readers to see. Upload error Article Info Categories: Dog Collars In other languages: Italiano: Usare un Collare Prong per Cani, Español: usar un collar de pinchos en perros, Português: Usar uma Carrana num Cachorro, Русский: правильно использовать строгий ошейник для собак, Français: utiliser un collier à pointes pour les chiens Did this article help you?
BL 7.2-inch howitzer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search BL 7.2-inch howitzer Mk I-IV 7.2 inch howitzer of 51st Heavy Regiment.jpg 7.2-inch howitzer of 51st Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, France, 2 September 1944. Gun crew emplacing recoil ramps in rear and setting wheel brakes. Front ramps prevent howitzer from rolling past position fired from. Type Howitzer Place of origin United Kingdom Weight 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) Length 24 ft 4 in (7.42 m) Barrel length 22.4 calibres / 14 ft 3 in (4.34 m) Width 9 ft (2.7 m) Height 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) Crew 10 Shell HE Shell weight 202 pounds (92 kg) Calibre 7.2 inches (182.9 mm) Breech Welin screw & Asbury mech Carriage Box trail Elevation 0° to 45° Traverse 4° Left & Right Rate of fire 1/3 rpm Muzzle velocity 1,697 ft/s (517 m/s) Maximum firing range 16,900 yd (15,500 m) BL 7.2-inch howitzer Mk 6 Weight 38,580 lb (17,500 kg) Length 34 ft (10 m) Barrel length 33.1 calibres / 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m) Width 8 ft (2.4 m) Height 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) Crew 12 Carriage Split trail Elevation -1° to 63° Traverse 30° Left & Right Muzzle velocity 1,925 ft/s (587 m/s) Maximum firing range 19,667 yd (17,984 m) The BL 7.2-inch howitzer Mks I–V and Mk 6, were a series of heavy artillery pieces used by the British Army throughout World War II. In 1940 the British Army concluded that the only available heavy artillery, the World War I era BL 8-inch howitzer, had insufficient range for the conditions of World War II. As a stopgap the decision was made to re-line the existing barrels to a smaller calibre and develop a new range of ammunition to achieve the desired ranges. Marks I–IV[edit] The 8 inch barrels were re-lined to 7.2 inches (180 mm) and the old carriages were retained although the original steel rimmed wheels were replaced with new pneumatic balloon-tyre wheels, as was consistent with the motorisation of the British Army. The new four-charge ammunition increased the range to 16,900 yd (15,500 m), but when fired at full charge the recoil caused the weapon to rear violently and jump backwards. To help counter this, two wedge shaped ramps were placed behind the wheels although the gun could sometimes still jump over them, presenting a hazard to crews. Marks I–IV differed only in the original 8-inch barrel used and the type of conversion; some barrels and carriages were also supplied from US World War I stocks. Mark V[edit] In 1944 several 7.2-inch barrels were placed in the US Carriage M1 used by the 155 mm Long Tom already in use by the British Army, becoming the BL 7.2-inch howitzer Mk V. Few Mk Vs were produced and it was never issued to batteries, as it was apparent that the Carriage M1 was capable of accepting greater recoil forces. Mark 6[edit] The BL 7.2-inch howitzer Mk 6 (there was a shift from Roman numerals) retained the Carriage M1 of the Mk V but had a new built 7.2 inch barrel 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) longer than previous marks and a fifth charge was added to the ammunition. The longer barrel and extra charge provided a range increase to 19,667 yd (17,984 m). The new carriage also provided a far more stable platform, greatly increasing accuracy. The Mk 6 was considered a highly effective gun. The original marks performed well. The first 7.2-inch howitzers were issued to batteries from mid-1942 and used in action in North Africa and later following the Normandy landings. In Burma they were provided as a pool of two guns per corps and used by Regiments as required. By the end of 1944, most of the earlier marks had been replaced by the Mk 6. The usual gun tractor for the 7.2-inch howitzer in the early war years was the Scammell Pioneer, although this was never available in sufficient numbers. From late 1943 the Pioneer was supplemented by the Albion CX22S.[1] The BL 7.2-inch howitzer formed parts of "Heavy" regiments of Army Group Royal Artillery (AGRA) units, providing heavy fire support for British and Commonwealth troops. The Mk 6 remained in British Army service until the early 1960s. A modified version of the gun was used as the main armament of the experimental FV4005 Stage II tank,[2] based on the centurion main battle tank, as well as the main armament of the experimental FV215b tank.[2] See: "7.2-Inch Howitzer". British Artillery in World War 2.[3] 7.2 in howitzer Mk 6 at Rhine crossing 1945 • 57 (later 166) (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment • 59 (Newfoundland) Heavy Regiment United Kingdom See also[edit] 1. ^ Pat Ware: A complete dictionary of military vehicles, Anness Publishing, 2012, p101. 2. ^ a b 3. ^ "7.2-Inch Howitzer". British Artillery in World War 2. 17 Nov 2007. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 4. ^ Gen Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Far East Theatre 1939–1946, London: Brasseys, 2002, ISBN 1-85753-302-X, Annex K. 5. ^ a b c d Brig N.W. Routledge, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, ISBN 978-1870114004, p. 244.
Monday, July 04, 2016 New technology locates Holocaust tunnel TECHNOLOGY WATCH: New Device Allows Scientist to Uncover Holocaust Tunnel Without Disturbing Historical Sites (Jamie A., Nature World News). A new device has helped archaeologists uncover a secret holocaust tunnel without digging on the site. A team of archaeologists, geophysicists and historians from U.S., Canada, Lithuania and Israel discovered the tunnel using a scanning technology called electrical resistivity tomography, which is the same device used in mineral and oil exploration. The device allowed the researchers to pinpoint the tunnel's location without digging. The legendary tunnel, known as Paneriai, is located in the Ponar forest in Lithuania, outside the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Jewish prisoners secretly dug out the 112-feet long tunnel using spoons to escape the Nazis during World War II. This story is about archaeological verification of a tiny victory in a modern period of horrors, but the technology has much potential for ancient archaeology as well. It is an example of the non-invasive and non-destructive technologies that I keep saying are the way of the future for the study of ancient material culture and architecture.
, , , Let’s begin the description of an ensemble space by recognizing that it is a probability space of all the species-level networks (SLNs) possible given a specific metanetwork. We will adopt a set of formal definitions of the space, namely as a probability space (S, F, P). The set S is the complete sample space of the metanetwork whose topology is U, F is the set of sets for which real-world SLNs exist (see below) and P is the probability of an element in F, that is, P(SLN). F is often taken to be the power set of S, or the set of all sets, but as shown below, many of those sets in S would contain SLNs that cannot exist in the real world. Ensemble size.– The number of SLNs that can be derived from a metanetwork ensemble is finite, because there is a finite number of arrangements or graphs of the species. The number or ensemble size also defines the maximum variation possible for a real community, unless the taxon composition itself changes. The number of SLNs (the number of elements in S, or the cardinality of S) is designated \|S\|. Examine the simple metanetwork in the figure. We will designate the metanetwork U, and the number of guilds as \|U\|. Guilds 1 and 2 (G1 and G2) comprise species that are preyed upon by species in G4. In order to construct a SLN, we must specify exactly which species in G1 and G2 are preyed upon by each species in G4. Let the presence of a metanetwork link be indicated by elements a_{ij} of the adjacency matrix, being one if a link exists, and zero otherwise. Then the maximum number of prey species (maximum in-degree) available to any species in G4, denoted r_{\mathrm{max}} is r_{\mathrm{max}}(G_{4}) = a_{31}\vert G_{1}\vert + a_{32}\vert G_{2}\vert + a_{33}\vert G_{3}\vert + a_{34}\vert G_{4}\vert = a_{31}\vert G_{1}\vert + a_{32}\vert G_{2}\vert = 5 since a_{33} and a_{34} equal zero. This can be generalized to a metanetwork of any complexity as r_{\mathrm{max}}(G_{i}) = \sum_{j=1}^{\vert U\vert} a_{ij}\vert G_{j}\vert Since every species in G4 may have an in-degree range of one to r_{\mathrm{max}}, and every one of these possibilities or predatory states could be combined with every other state of the remaining species in G4, the maximum number of possible networks is simply r_{\mathrm{max}}^{\vert G_{4}\vert}. Moreover, the in-degree or number of predatory states of every species in the network may be combined regardless of guild membership, allowing us to generalize to metanetworks of all sizes and complexity. By this argument, the number of possible SLNs, \|S\|, is the product of the number of predatory states of species in every guild, that is, \vert S\vert = \prod_{i=1}^{\vert U\vert} \sum_{j=1}^{\vert U\vert} \left ( a_{ij}\vert G_{j}\vert \right ) ^{\vert G_{i}\vert} This formula overestimates \|S\| because prey species in a guild are treated neutrally from a consumer’s point of view. Neutral is used here in the sense of ecological neutrality; the species are indistinguishable from each other on the basis of trophic properties. In other words, the above calculation of \|S\| does not specify which prey species are linked to when the predatory states of different predators are combined. Therefore, many of the combinations counted in the calculation will be isomorphic food webs, and they would not have unique ecological properties. In order to resolve this problem, and gain a more accurate measure of \|S\|, we need to understand the number of different ways in which a consumer’s links can be distributed among it’s prey. This is a classic partitioning problem, where say we wish to determine the number of ways in which n fossils can be distributed among m museum drawers, with k_{1} fossils in the first drawer, k_{2} in the second, and so on. The fossils (links) are not distinct, and we do not care specifically to which drawer (prey species and guild) they are assigned. The trick is to first state the problem as: How many combinations of n fossils can I get if I have m drawers to select from? Or, how many combinations of r links can I get if there are g guilds to select from? We recognize that we are in fact permuting n fossils plus m-1 partitions among the drawers, yielding Therefore in our sample food web, if a species in G4 has three in-links, then the problem is \binom{3+2-1}{3} = \binom{4}{3} = 4 The links can be partitioned between guilds G1 and G2 as {3,0}, {2,1}, {1,2} or {0,3}. None of these are isomorphic topologies. The calculation of \|S\| can now be refined, where the topologies obtained for a particular in-degree are combined with those of other species, rather than simply combining the number of in-degrees possible. We proceed in several steps. First, determine the maximum number of in-links possible for a species in guild G_{i}. Next, determine the number of in-link topologies possible for each in-degree (1 to r_{\mathrm{max}}), given the set of prey guilds, t_{i}^{x} = \sum_{r_{i}=1}^{r_{\mathrm{max}}} \binom{r_{i}^{x} + a_{i}-1}{a_{i}} where t_{i}^{x} is the number of topologies possible for species x_{i}, which is a member of guild G_{i} (x_{i}\in G_{i}, r_{i}^{x} is the in-degree of x_{i}, and a_{i} is the number of guilds upon which G_{i} preys (sum of the G_{i}^{\mathrm{th}} row of the adjacency matrix). Note that this is calculated and summed over all possible in-degree values, one to r_{\mathrm{max}}. Following from the earlier calculation of \|S\|, the number of topological combinations among species in G_{i} is \left (t_{i}^{x}\right )^{\vert G_{i}\vert}. We therefore re-calculate \|S\| as \vert S\vert = \prod_{i=1}^{\vert U\vert} \left ( t_{i}^{x}\right )^{\vert G_{i}\vert} This calculation is still an overestimate, however, because the number of links between a consumer species and any prey guild is unconstrained. It represents all elements in the power set of S. In terms of the museum fossils analogy, we have assumed that the cabinet drawers are of infinite capacity (sadly, a curatorial fantasy). A more accurate measure of \|S\| is possible if we limit drawer capacity to some finite number of fossils, thereby limiting ourselves to the set F of real possibilities. The food web situation is more complicated because different prey guilds will most likely have different species-richnesses, and hence differing capacities for links. The situations would be analogous if drawers in the collection were of different sizes, indeed a curatorial nightmare! The solution would be to modify the above formula for t_{i}^{x}, using only topologies where the number of links from a prey guild to x_{i} is less than or equal to the species-richness of the prey guild. That is, the capacity of the prey guild is not exhausted. This solution, however, requires partitioning r_{x} appropriately among the prey guilds so that this condition is met. The set of all such partitions that match the constraints of prey guild species-richnesses can be determined, but the solution is not straightforward and requires application of a partition function and partition theory. Both those topics are, unfortunately, beyond the scope of the current post. Therefore, the given calculation of \|S\| remains an overestimate at this point. It is possible, however, to determine the probability of any particular SLN being found in a metanetwork’s ensemble. I’ll follow this up in the next post.
Home‎ > ‎Laser Applications‎ > ‎ Copyright © Tiberius Brastaviceanu All rights reserved. Started in 2006, last modified in Feb 9, 2011 The self-focusing (SF) effect is the convergence of a high intensity laser beam during its propagation in a dielectric medium, caused by the change of the optical properties of this medium, under the influence of the intensity of the beam in question. It is responsible for a dramatic increase in the local intensity during propagation. SF was discovered by observing the damage induced to optical devices by very powerful laser pulses. It is better observed in materials with high Kerr non-linearity, and exhibits an intensity threshold dependent on the type of material. Historically, the experimental study of SF was carried out using pulsed lasers, which offer a much higher power than the continuous lasers. Fundamentally, the phenomenon depends only on the intensity of the light and its spatial distribution, as well as on the non-linearity of the material. Al-Saidi observed SF of a continuous laser beam at 632.8nm, in CS2 [10]. For a short historic review of the self-focusing effect see my theses part 1 and part 2 (written in French). Explanation of the phenomenon In the nonlinear regime, a high intensity laser beam influences its own propagation by modifying the optical properties of the medium through witch it propagates. The index of refraction n under these conditions can be written as: n = no + Dn\|E\|2 Where no is the index of normal refraction, and Dn\|E\|2 is called the nonlinear index of refraction (a parameter that depends on intensity, it represents the beam’s influence exerted on material). This expression defines what is commonly called the optical Kerr effect. To explain this change of refraction index (Dn\|E\|2), we must invoke mechanisms that can operate locally at the time of the interaction between the beam of light and the material. The most important ones are: libration, reorientation and redistribution of molecules, electrostriction, deformation of the electronic cloud (or polarizability), and local heating. The dependence on intensity, and on wavelength of these mechanisms varies with the type of material. Moreover, each one of them possesses its own characteristic reaction time, which is also typical to the material. The reaction time becomes very important in the case of pulsed laser beams, when the optoelectrical field is applied during a limited time, roughly equal to the pulse duration. For a given set of values of wavelength, pulse duration, and intensity, only some of these mechanisms will be dominant at the time. For example, in the fs time regime the deformation of the electronic cloud, which has a response time of about 10-16s, is by far the most significant for the optical Kerr effect. Depending on the material, Dn can carry a negative or a positive sign. For the latter, the optical Kerr effect can cause SF, witch is accompanied by a dramatic increase in intensity, that can lead, in some circumstances, to ionization and dissociation (or photolysis) of atoms and molecules composing the medium. The spatial aspects of SF give the spatial distribution of the new species generated by photolysis. Haw does an index of refraction having the form that appears in the equation above give an effect of convergence to the light beam? In essence, the radial distribution of the beam’s intensity modulates the radial distribution of the refraction index. This modulation of the refraction index translates further into a radial modulation of the speed of light, and ultimately into a radial phase modulation. For a Gaussian radial intensity distribution, the refraction index becomes smaller as we go from the center of the beam towards its edge. Consequently, the light on the edge of the beam travels faster that the light in the center, introducing a radial phase modulation. As a result, the beam converges after a certain distance of propagation within the material. The effect of SF forces the light beam to dimensions of only a few microns, generating a very high local intensity. In practice it is very difficult to achieve such tight convergence for low intensity beams, using conventional means such as lens, or parabolic mirrors. Aspects of self-focusing and filamentary ionization In reality, a laser beam has a global Gaussian space intensity distribution, but it can also manifest all sorts of irregularities. Let’s take for instance a laser pulse, and imagine that we look at a cross section (at a plan perpendicular to the propagation axes that cats through the laser pulse), as it travels through a dielectric medium. As the light propagates, the radial intensity irregularities are accentuated. The light converges towards the peaks with intensity above the SF threshold, thus forming small areas of high intensity levels. It seems that each peak with intensity higher then SF threshold undergoes its own SF, independent on the other peaks. Figure 1 shows the images of three plans perpendicular to the beam’s axis of propagation, at different positions on the trajectory. It illustrates very clearly how the radial distribution of the intensity "brakes into pieces", thus giving birth gradually to very well defined "small islands", where the intensity reaches, in certain cases, values beyond the threshold of photoionization. These areas of high intensity have a complex dynamic with reference to the coordinates attached to the laser pulse. This dynamic depends on the intensity, as well as on the ratio between the pulse duration and the reaction time of the Kerr mechanisms (mechanisms responsible for the Kerr effect). Figure 1 It was shown experimentally that these areas of high intensity shelter a core of a diameter of hardly a few microns (depending on the type of material, wavelength and pulse duration), where the intensity reaches a maximum value. This phenomenon is called intensity clamping [2]. When observed with a bad temporal resolution, these maximum intensity points that move with the laser pulse seem to be filaments of light (imagine a nighttime photograph with a long exposure time of a car passing by, the headlights are seen on the photograph as traces of light). In the old literature, the volume of space swept by these intense points carries the name of light traces, or light filaments. Depending on the value of the maximum intensity reached inside these areas, temporary or permanent local changes are induced within the material at the location of these light traces. Hence there is an equivalent of material temporal, or permanent, change-traces to these light filaments. We call them fossil filaments Figure 2 In the previous paragraph we claimed that cores of a maximum intensity are formed within the high intensity zones, identified by their local SF conditions. The maximum intensity value reached is material dependent. How can we explain this limitation of the intensity increase, and its dependency on the type of material? As the intensity increases during SF of each of these above-SF-threshold intense zones, several other mechanisms become active in the forming core. Some of these mechanisms counterbalance the Kerr effect responsible for SF. Their type depends on the type of material, as well as on the pulse duration, intensity, and wavelength. Examples are: stimulated Raman and Brillouin (front and back) emission [4-8], multiphoton absorption (including MPI) and avalanche ionization (AI) [9], self-phase modulation, group velocity dispersion, and others. They counterbalance the Kerr effect, either by modifying the refraction index in the opposite way, or by locally depleting or dispersing the energy. Ionization and excitation, for example, generate a local change of the refraction index, while consuming energy. The stimulated Raman and Brillouin emission, and the self-phase modulation are other examples of dissipative mechanisms. The group velocity dispersion on the other hand, which is important in the sub-picosecond regime, consists of a change in the intensity’s temporal distribution, decreasing the peak power. All these effects were observed experimentally at the same time as the SF. Their efficiency varies with the wavelength, the intensity, and the duration of the laser pulse. The incapacitation of the Kerr effect by some of these mechanisms (depending on the experimental conditions), leads to the limitation if the intensity increase, and the existence of a maximum intensity value reached during propagation. As the zones of high intensity advance through the material, part of the energy stored in the light pulse is dissipated through the various mechanisms mentioned above. The dissipative effects can reach equilibrium with the continuous energy flow, from the edges towards the center, maintained by SF. As the energy is progressively depleted, the intensity decreases below the SF threshold, the propagation becomes linear, and the light diverges. Experiments show that the core of maximum intensity persists a certain distance (Figure 2), which depends on the total energy stored around it, and on the efficiency of the dissipative mechanisms. This is how the length of light filaments, and equivalently the length of fossil filaments, is explained. They begin when the core is formed, that is when the maximum intensity value is reached, and they end where the local surrounding energy is depleted, and cannot sustain SF anymore. The diameter of these filaments appears to be independent of the entry intensity of the laser pulse, but it depends on the characteristics of the medium. Experiments carried out in a mixture of two different liquids showed that by continuously changing the proportions of the mixture, from one extreme to the other, the diameter of the filaments changes in a continuous way, from the characteristic value of one liquid to that of the other [8, 15]. Can diffraction limit the range of SF? It is well known that a beam of finite size undergoes diffraction, which has a defocusing effect, contrary to SF. The effect of diffraction is inversely proportional to the square of the beam’s ray (µ1/r2). In alkalis vapors, researchers observed filamentary traces of light having dimensions limited by diffraction [11]. On the other hand, in water, in the fs time regime, and at 800nm, the two effects should counterbalance each other at a size of approximately 2 microns. Experiments show that the minimum diameter of filaments in water created by an 800nm beam is around 10 microns [12-14]. In conclusion, for high-pressure gases and condensed materials, the SF is stopped before the diffraction can have an important influence. For extremely high intensity levels the Kerr effect is stronger, and the dissipating mechanisms might not be able to balance SF. The beam is collapsed even more, the intensity can reach higher values, and OB can occur. For powers beyond the OB threshold nothing interesting happens, other then the increase of the area occupied by the hot plasma generated, as well as an increase in local temperature, and of the amplitude of the shockwave produced by the Coulombian explosion (read the section on optical breakdown mode OB). Let’s see in more detail what happens at powers above SF threshold and below OB threshold, for various time regimes, and various types of materials. We mentioned above that some type of intensity dependent processes stop the SF effect, at a level witch depends on the type of material, and on the optical characteristics of the laser beam. Experiments made in atomic gases, with powers below OB threshold, show that in certain cases the saturation of the index of refraction is the cause of the filament diameter limitation [reference]. On the other hand, in the case of molecular gases, the experiments show that SF stops before the saturation of the index of refraction [reference]. The cause invoked in this case is the ionization of molecules under the action of the intense optoelectric field. The accumulation of free charge modifies the value of the refraction index in a manner contrary to the Kerr effect. For a given intensity level, the plasma becomes sufficiently dense and counterbalances the Kerr effect, thus stopping the beam’s convergence. This was first proposed in 1972 by Eli Yablonovith and N. Bloembergen [17, 18]. In condensed phase, SF stops well before the saturation of the index of refraction. In this case, the molecules interact more strongly with one another, introducing even more degrees of freedom into their interaction with the laser pulse. In the ns time regime, experiments carried out in liquid CS2 show that the mechanisms that stop SF are the stimulated Raman and Brillouin emissions [8]. It is worth mentioning that in this time regime processes that require atomic nucleus motion can occur. In the sub-picosecond regime, for powers below OB threshold, Bluembergen [17] proposed photonization (avalanche ionization - AI) as SF stopping mechanism in condensed media. Later, experiments in water and air (for pressures around 1 atm), in the fs time regime at 800nm, made by S.L. Chin reinforced the claims that photoionization is at the origin of SF stopping. He invokes MPI and AI as ionization mechanisms. His conclusions are supported by a combination of experimental results and simulations. For a better understanding of the mechanism behind the stabilization of SF, we must look at the two parameters that play the most important part: duration and intensity of the laser pulse. The duration of the pulse is important because any physical process takes a finite time to respond to a stimulation, to develop, and then to relax. With pulsed lasers, we can produce light pulses of duration comparable to the ultra-fast characteristic reaction time of the physical mechanisms responsible for optical effects. We cannot consider the response time of the material as being instantaneous anymore. Thus, the ratio between the pulse duration and the medium’s characteristic response time becomes an important parameter in the interpretation of experimental results. Moreover, for a given time regime, the intensity of the light will influence different processes in a different way. In a condensed medium, in the sub-picosecond time regime, and for powers below OB threshold, the photoionisation plays a crucial role in the stabilization of SF. Looking at the intensity irregularities on a transverse cross section of a light pulse, above SF threshold peaks individually undertake SF. The Kerr effect is sustained by the very fast polarizability of the medium, and this mechanism conveys SF a given "strength". Slow responding balancing mechanisms such as Raman or Brilouin are not active in this time regime. Other short-time responding mechanisms are induced by the increase in intensity, and their balancing effects increase as the intensity becomes higher. It turns out that photoionization is the dominant one in these conditions. The density of charge generated modifies the refraction index contrary to the Kerr effect, eventually establishing equilibrium, and stopping farther SF. The maximum convergence of the light, and equivalently the maximum intensity level, is reached whenever these two processes counterbalance each other. At this point the core is formed. Following along this SF zone, the energy dissipated by ionization in the core is replaced by the energy influx maintained by SF. Whenever the energy stored in the surroundings of the core is depleted the core disappears. The volume in space traced by the core forms the light filament and its associated fossil filament. Viewed only a few fs after the passage of the light pulse, the fossil filament is, in this case, a partially ionized region. As time passes, other physico-chemical relaxation processes take place, and the situation migrates towards a new equilibrium. Some transformations can be permanent. In water, studies conducted by A. Brodeur and S.L. Chin [19] show that the density of free electrons should be about 1017 electrons/cm-3 in order to balance the SF effect. They propose MPI and AI as mechanisms of ionization responsible for the accumulation of the free charge. Models proposed later by S.L. Chin et al. describe very well the SF process, taking into account not only the contribution of the plasma to the refraction index, but also the diffraction, and the group velocity dispersion (the latter being important in the sub-ps time regime) [references]. It predicts with a very good empirical adequacy: the evolution of the space-time intensity distribution during propagation (formation of filaments, intensity maximum value, diameter and length of filaments, pulse time-spliting, self steepning), nonlinear optical effects (continuum generation), and the OB intensity threshold. The experimental results conducted by myself demonstrate for the first time the existence of ionization fossil filaments, having the characteristics predicted by Chin’s models on SF. Non-linear optical processes In the ns time regime, the equilibrium intensity is below AI and MPI threshold, and SF is counterbalanced mainly by the stimulated Raman and Brillouin emission. It is also important to recognize that these mechanisms have a limited dissipative efficiency. By gradually increasing the entry intensity of the ns laser pulse, the capacity of energy dissipation of Raman and Brillouin conversions can be exceeded. In this case, SF becomes stronger at higher intensities, and surpasses the counter-effect of Raman and Brillouin conversion, causing the further collapse of the beam. Eventually, the AI intensity threshold is reached. OB is observed at intensities lower then the threshold of other nonlinear optical processes. Thus, in the ns regime it is not possible to observe self-phase modulation, nor 2 to 4 photons mixing, for their intensity threshold is higher than OB threshold. It is therefore impossible to observe continuum generation. As pulse duration is diminished, the contribution of AI to the plasma generation becomes less important. This raises the OB intensity threshold, making it more stable and more predictable. As OB intensity threshold becomes higher in the fs time regime, other optical non-linear effects can be observed, such as: self-phase modulation, multiphoton absorption, and 2-4 photons wave mixing. On the other hand, stimulated Raman emission decreases for powers just above the SF threshold, and becomes important only for very high powers. The Brillouin stimulated emission, disappears. The generation of continuum, which develops inside the core, is observed with an intensity threshold practically equal to that of SF. Being generated in the core, the continuum becomes more intense by increasing the intensity, as the filaments become longer, and as their number increases. Group velocity dispersion also becomes very important in the sub-ps time regime. The nonlinear propagation also affects the temporal intensity distribution, inducing effects like self-steepening [20, 23, 24] and pulse splitting [21, 22]. Self-focusing, filamentation, and continuum generation We spoke about continuum generation in the ps and fs time regime. A. Embroiderer et al. explored the link between continuum generation and SF. Their experimental results show that the power threshold for continuum generation and SF practically coincide. The continuum generation is easily detectable with the naked eye. It presents therefore a practical interest, as it becomes a sign for SF and filamentation. The continuum is generated within filaments. As mentioned above, the intensity of the continuum increases with the length and the number of the filaments. The spectrum of the continuum generation is also related to the maximum intensity reached inside the core; it can extend from the near infrared to the UV. The spatial color distribution of the continuum gives information on the core’s intensity distribution and diameter. The sampling and measurement of the continuum’s spectrum constitutes a convenient way to estimate and monitor these other important parameters. [1] Interference of transverse rings in multifilamentation of powerful femtosecond laser pulses in air; S.L. Chin, S. Petit, W. Liu, A. Iwasaki, M.-C. Nadeau, V.P. Kandidov, O.G. Kosareva, K.Yu. Andrianov; Optics Communications 210 329–341 ; 15 September 2002 [2] Intensity clamping of a femtosecond laser pulse in condensed matter; W. Liu, S. Petit, A. Becker, N. Akozbek, C.M. Bowden, S.L. Chin; Optics Communications 202 (2002) 189–197 [3] Visualization of the evolution of multiple filaments in methanol; H. Schroeder, S.L. Chin; Optics Communications 234 (2004) 399–406 [4] Self-focusing and stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering; Y. R. Shen, Y. J. Shaham; Phys. 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Lett., Vol. 29, No. 14, 2 October 1972 [18] The influence of electron plasma formation on superbroadening in light filaments; N. Bloembergen; Optics Communications, Vol. 8, No. 4, August 1973 [19] Ultrafast wihte-light continuum generation end self focusing in transparent condensed media; A. Brodeur, S.L. Chin; J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 637, Vol. 16, No. 4, April 1999; [20] Self-transformation of a powerful femtosecond laser pulse into a white-light laser pulse in bulk optical media (or supercontinuum generation); V.P. kandidov, O.G. Kosareva, I.S. Golubtsov, W. Liu, A. Becker, N. Akozbek, C.M. Bowden, S.L. Chin; Appl. Phys. B 77, 149–165 (2003) [21] Observation of Pulse Splitting in Nonlinear Dispersive Media; Jinendra K. Ranka, Robert W. Schirmer, Alexander L. Gaeta; Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 77, No. 18, 28 October 1996 [22] Self-Guided Propagation of Ultrashort IR Laser Pulses in Fused Silica; S. Tzortzakis, L. Sudrie, M. Franco, B. Prade, A. Mysyrowicz; A. Couairon, L. Bergé; Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 87, No. 21, 19 November 2001 [23] Catastrophic Collapse of Ultrashort Pulses; Alexander L. Gaeta; Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 84, No. 16, 17 April 2000 [24] Propagation Dynamics of Intense Femtosecond Pulses: Multiple Splittings, Coalescence, and Continuum Generation; Alex A. Zozulya, Scott A. Diddams, Amelia G. Van Engen, Tracy S. Clement; Phys. Rrev. Lett., Vol. 82, No. 7, 15 February 1999
What is chapter 14 in Elijah of Buxton about?Please answer with detail. 3 Answers dymatsuoka's profile pic dymatsuoka \| (Level 1) Distinguished Educator Posted on In Chapter 14, it is Sunday, and Mr. Travis, the Sabbath school teacher, is giving the sermon at church because Reverend King, the founder of Buxton Settlement and the regular preacher, is away in England. Elijah and Cooter are happy, because Mr. Travis' messages tend to be shorter than Reverend King's, and because after the service, Ma and Pa and Mrs. Holton are going to take "a bunch of...children" down to Lake Erie for a picnic! The ride to Lake Erie is long, and Elijah, hoping to eavesdrop on what the adults are talking about, sits up "right 'gainst the middle of the bench" in the buckboard. At first, the adults do not talk about anything interesting, and Elijah falls asleep. When he awakens, he hears his Ma telling Mrs. Holton about something that happened to her while she was a slave. In the incident she recounts, Ma, who is about Elijah's age at the time, is taken from her mother by her master's family to the north, specifically to Flint, Michigan, where it will be her duty to care for the master's little girl, Missy, for the summer. At one point during that time, she is taken even further north, to Detroit. While in Detroit, Ma looks over the water and can see Canada, which the slaves call "the land of milk and honey." Ma is disappointed to discover that Canada does not look any different from Detroit, in the United States. When Ma gets back home at the end of the summer, she tells her ma about what she did in the north. When she mentions that she saw Canada, however, her mother becomes irate, and strikes her, saying, "What kinda fool I done raised? You was close enough to see Canada and you standing here afor me now?" Ma tells her ma that she didn't think of running away to Canada, where slaves are free, because if she had, she would never see her ma again, but her ma strikes her again, telling her, "If them people ever...ever take you north again and you don't try reaching Canada, I'm-a make you a promise right here...I'll kill you myself once you get back here." The value of freedom having been thus instilled within her, Ma runs away to Canada when she is taken to Detroit again two years later, even though she knows she will never see her ma again. When the buckboard finally arrives at Lake Erie, everyone has a good time. There is plenty of good food to eat, and the children play a game they enjoy, "abolitionists and slavers" (Chapter 14).
Learn More Designing an energy efficient algorithm is one of the most important challenges in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, we present a node sleeping algorithm based on the minimum hop routing protocol to minimize energy consumption. The proposed scheme divides all the nodes except the sink node into terminal nodes and intermediate nodes according(More) In ZigBee networks, the classical Tree Routing algorithm only utilizes the father-child relationship between nodes to establish routes, thus the path usually may not be optimal, which leads to some extra overhead. To address this problem, in this paper, we propose an improved Tree Routing algorithm which utilizes the information of neighbors within two(More) In ZigBee wireless networks that use DAAM (Distributed Address Assignment Mechanism), the scheme may prohibit a node from accepting a child by network parameters. To address the problem, we propose BAIR (Borrowed Address Assignment based on Inheritance Relation) algorithm. Firstly the orphan is divided into the orphan router and the orphan end device, then(More) In the existing wireless network coding mechanism, the packets used to coded are always with equal length, which is always called symmetric network coding. This coding method can effectively improve the network performance. But it also limits the further improvement of network performance in the multimedia application environment, where data packets length(More) As a typical multi-hop clustering routing algorithm for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), RBMC (ring-based multi-hop clustering routing algorithm) needs to select cluster heads in every round and the nodes with little energy still have chance to become cluster heads. This leads to extra and uneven consumption of nodes' energy. to address the problem, we(More) In wireless sensor networks, it has been shown that collecting data using a mobile sink can drastically reduce energy consumption at the cost of increasing delivery delay of data. In order to decrease the delay, we propose an approach of sink mobility, in which the sink moves along a ring-like route instead of a reciprocal one. Thus, a part of data packets(More) OBJECTIVE To observe the effect of garlic oil combined with 5-FU induced apoptosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line ACC-M. METHOD Human salivary in adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line AC-M was cultured, divided into the experimental group (5-FU group, garlic oil group, garlic oil + 5-FU group) and the control group, to observe the growth activity of(More) This paper proposes a high energy-efficient clustering algorithm for WSNs (HEEC). In HEEC, an improved threshold of cluster head election based on optimal probability is presented. The threshold doesn't only consider the remaining energy of nodes, but also take the cluster heads number into account even when nodes have little energy. When the ordinary nodes(More) • 1
Need Inspiration? From Constant Paths of Curiosity to Developing Erotic Intelligence - Feb 29, 2016 These talks about being curious describe the benefits of having an inquisitive nature and using your imagination. Defined as "a strong desire to know or learn something," curiosity is an important trait for young people and experienced professionals alike given the rapidly changing world we live in. Television personality Bill Nye the Science Guy talks about being curious in his exploration keynote. The popular science educator states insatiable curiosity is the remedy to a lazy attitude or apathetic approach. When it comes to breaking bad habits -- from smoking cigarettes to spending too much time on social media instead of working -- psychiatrist Judson Brewer says mindfulness and getting curious about your body's reaction is key. Mark Rober identifies steps to creative ideation in his innovative keynote. The YouTuber explains how to have good ideas: be curious, work hard and get lucky.
How Far, How Fast? Note: From 2008, there will be greater emphasis on "green" Chemistry and environmental issues. This is only a half module, meaning the exam lasts 45 minutes and is marked out of 45, rather than 60. That means there's less to learn, but it's essential to get revising early! Enthalpy Changes You'll remember good old exothermic and endothermic reactions from GCSE. Exothermic is letting out heat into the surroundings in a reaction and endothermic is taking it in. There's a special name for this, and as you've probably guessed from the heading, it is enthalpy change. The symbol for enthalpy is a H and the enthalpy change is given the two symbols ΔH (good old Greek letter Δ -- capital Delta). If a reaction is exothermic, the ΔH value is negative. E.g. -164 kJ If a reaction is endothermic, the ΔH value is positive. E.g. +164 kJ Enthalpy change is given the units joules (J) or kilo joules (kJ). Remember, there are 1000 J in 1 kJ. What makes reactions exothermic or endothermic, though? Well, a reaction is basically just a combination of breaking bonds, and then making bonds. We need to put in energy to break a bond, and energy is released when bonds are formed. If more energy is released than was put in, it becomes exothermic, if less energy is released, it's endothermic. Pretty simple. The MINIMUM initial energy you need to put into the reaction is called the activation energy. Taking the above examples, we can draw diagrams of enthalpy change. Examiners like to ask you to sketch them, so make sure you know them! Exothermic Reaction Endothermic Reaction In order to compare enthalpy change, there has to be a standard for all experiments to follow. The symbol is used to denote standard conditions. These are: Pressure: 1 atmos Temperature: 25oC Solution concentrations: 1 mol dm-3 So, the standard enthalpy change of a reaction -- written as ΔH -- just means the heat exchange with the surroundings of a reaction, under standard conditions. The standard enthalpy change of combustion -- written as ΔHc -- means the complete combustion of ONE MOLE of a substance in O2 under standard conditions. For example, for CH4: CH4 + 2O2 -----> CO2 + 2H2O The standard enthalpy change of formation -- ΔHf -- means the formation of ONE MOLE of substance from its constituent elements under standard conditions. For example, for CH4: C + 2H2 -----> CH4 And finally, the standard enthalpy change of Bond Dissociation -- ΔHd -- means then energy required to break one mole of a bond under standard conditions. For example, for HCl: HCl -----> H + Cl (note, we have no charges here). Back to the Top Bond Enthalpy Bond enthalpy is the energy required to break a covalent bond. The bond enthalpy is written with the symbol E. For example, E(C-C) means the bond enthalpy of a C-C bond. The bond enthalpy of any bond is the same value as the ΔHd. Some common bond enthalpies are: Bond E(X-Y) kJmol-1 H-H +/- 436 C-C +/- 347 C-H +/- 612 O=O +/- 413 O-H +/- 464 C-O +/- 358 C=O +/- 805 You don't need to remember those though, because all questions will give you the required info! As you see from the table, bond enthalpy is measured in kJmol-1. It can also be either a positive (+ve) or negative (-ve) value. The sign is VERY important. If you're breaking a bond, the bond enthalpy is positive (breaking bonds is endothermic and needs energy). If you're forming a bond, the bond enthalpy is negative (forming bonds is exothermic). The bond enthalpy is only for gaseous bonds, which makes measuring it, tricky. We use an AVERAGE bond enthalpy, which means calculations might vary from the real thing... Using bond enthalpies, we can calculate the overall enthalpy change of a reaction. From the above table, work out the enthalpy of combustion for CH4. Before we do anything, we need to write down the equation. Combustion, remember, means burn completely in oxygen, so therefore, we get the equation: CH4 + 2O2 -----> CO2 + 2H2O Now, draw them out in their structural formula: Consulting the table above, we write down what we have. On the LHS of the arrow, all values are positive because the bonds are being broken, while on the RHS, they're negative because bonds are being formed. 4 x + 612 = + 2448 2 x + 413 = + 826 2 x - 805 = - 1610 4 x - 464 = - 1856 Finally, add up all these values (remembering the negatives) and you'll get the answer: - 192 kJmol-1 Easy! Remember your +/- ! Enthalpy Change of Solutions Bond enthalpies are fine when we have gaseous molecules, but what happens with solutions? As you might remember, there were different mol equations and it's no different here. The equation for enthalpy change of solutions is: ΔH = mcΔT Don't look so confused! ΔH is just the enthalpy change that we're calculating. It can be either +ve or -ve, so don't forget your sign! The answer to the equation comes out in joules - you merely divide by 100 to get kJ. m is the mass, but we assume that 1 cm3 of solution is the same as 1 g. The mass is the final volume. (i.e. if you added two solutions together, you add those volumes). c is a constant (gah, it's sounding like maths), which represents the heat capacity. This is usually around 4.2Jg-1K-1, but the exam question will always tell you what figure to use as the constant. ΔH is the change in temperature. If the temperature falls, we attach a +ve (to show it's endothermic) and if the temp rises, we attach a -ve (to show it's exothermic). Okay, a worked example to show how it's done: 50cm3 of concentrated sulphuric acid (10mol dm-3) was added to 950cm3 of water at a temperature of 19oC. The mixture was stirred gently until a maximum temperature of 28oC was reached. What was the enthalpy change for the reaction? Assume standard heat capacity is 4.2Jg-1K-1. First off, we remind ourselves of the equation: ΔH = mcΔT Next, it's just a case of sticking the numbers in: m = 50 + 950 = 1000 c = 4.2 ΔT ΔT= 28oC - 19oC = 9oC. It's exothermic, therefore: -9. Times all these numbers together and we get: -37800 J Finally, divide by 1000 to get: -37.8 kJ The question might ask you to calculate the enthalpy change per mole. This just means you divide the energy given out by the number of moles you have. In the example above: 50cm3 of concentrated sulphuric acid (10mol dm-3) Remember the old formula: 50 x 10 1000 = 0.5 mol. Then, - 37.8 kJ 0.5 = -75.6 kJmol-1 Hess's Law Hess was a scientist. He discovered: "The enthalpy change of a reaction is independent to the route taken." Going from A + B to C + D is the same as going from A + B to E + F and then to C + D. From this, we can say: We can use Hess's Law to calculate enthalpy changes that are difficult to measure in the lab. We use data from two sets of data: ΔHf -- the standard enthalpy change of formation -- means the formation of ONE MOLE of substance from its constituent elements under standard conditions. ΔHc -- the standard enthalpy change of combustion -- means the complete combustion of ONE MOLE of a substance in O2 under standard conditions. Calculate ΔH for CH4 + 2O2 ---> CO2 + 2H2O from the following data: Compound ΔHf/kJmol-1 CH4 - 76 CO2 - 394 H2O - 286 So, we have ΔHf here, so we need the following diagram: Because O2 is an element, it has no formation value. Because there are 2 moles of H2O, we need to times the value by 2. -286 x 2 = - 572. We want to go from CH4 and O2 down to the constituent elements and up to the products, so we need to change the arrows, and thus change the signs: Finally, we add up all the numbers, being careful of the plus and minus signs and get the answer: - 890 kJ mol-1 Calculate the ΔHc for 2C + 2H2 + O2 ---> CH3CO2H, using the following data: Compound ΔHc/kJmol-1 C -394 H2 -286 CH3CO2H -876 This time we have ΔHc values, so the arrows go the opposite way: We want to go from C, H2 and O2 and then up to CH3CO2H. So we change the arrow, and the sign. Add up to get the answer: -484 kJ mol-1 That's all there is to it! Remember, fomation arrows go from the box, combustion arrows go down to the box! Back to the Top Vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine are major polluters. Catalytic convertersare used to decrease the amount of pollution. Catalytic converters cylindrical structures containing a ceramic honeycomb coated in a mixture of palladium, platinum and rhodium. The honeycomb structure gives the maximum surface area so that the catalyst can be more effective, and it is fixed on the exhaust, so that the hot gases will react as they pass through. There are three main pollutants that you should know about: Carbon Monoxide Oxides of Nitrogen Formation Some of the fuel escapes unburned. When hydrocarbons burn with insufficient O2, CO is produced. O2 and N2 combine in heat of exhaust. Effect Carcinogenic and toxic. CO is highly toxic. It combines with haemoglobins in the blood to prevent oxygen reaching tissue. Nitrogen oxides cause smog, low level ozone, are irritant and contribute to acid rain. Catalytic Converter Oxidises the hydrocarbon into CO2 and H2O. Oxidises CO to CO2 and H2O: Step 1: Adsorption of CO onto active site of catalyst. Step 2: Bonds are weakened so chemical reaction occurs. Step 3: Desorption of CO2 and H2O from the catalyst. Reduces nitrogen oxides N2: Step 1: Adsorption of NO onto active site of catalyst. Step 2: Bonds are weakened so chemical reaction occurs. Step 3: Desorption of N2 from the catalyst. Catalytic converters aren't the complete answer, however, because CO2 is one of the main contributors to global warming. We'd be so much better off if we walked or cycled... Back to the Top Collision Theory In order to react, particles need to collide with the minimum activation energy and the correct orientation. If we increase the pressure of a gas, or the concentration of a liquid, we increase the rate of reaction. This is because molecules have less space to move around in and therefore are more likely to collide. A greater number of collisions means a greater chance of colliding with the EA and correct orientation as so reacting. If we increase the temperature, the rate of reaction increases again. This is because of two factors. Providing more heat gives the particles more energy, and so they move around faster. Thus they are more likely to collide and more collisions means a greater chance of a reaction. Also, with more energy, particles are more likely to have the correct EA and so when they collide, there's an even greater chance of reaction. We can see the affect of temperature in the Boltsman distribution. In a sample of gas, the Boltsman distribution shows the different energies of particles: • The area represents the total number of particles. For a higher temperature, there are a lot more particles with energy above the EA. • No particles have no energy, so the graph starts at the origin. • The graphs never touch the x-axis again, though, because there is no limit to the amount of energy a particle can have. A catalyst also increases the rate of reaction. It enters a reaction, provides an alternate route for the reaction to take place and so lowers the activation energy, without being consumed. Labelling a catalyst on the Boltsman distribution would look like this: There are two types of catalyst, homogeneous and heterogeneous. A homogeneous catalyst is in the same phase as the reactants, such as sulphuric acid in the esterification of an alcohol: All these are liquid. Another example is the chlorine free radical breakdown of the atmosphere: Cl + O3 -----> ClO + O2 ClO + O -----> Cl + O2 Overall equation: O3 + O -----> 2O2 All these are gaseous. A heterogeneous catalyst is in a different phase to the reactants. Catalytic converters (palladium, rhodium and platinum) are a good example. Iron in the Haber Process is also a heterogenous catalyst: Back to the Top Chemical Equilibrium A chemical equilibrium occurs when a forward and backward reaction are moving at the same speed. It takes place in a closed system and because the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, the concentrations are fixed. Controlling a chemical equilibrium is really useful in industry. According to Le Chatelier's Principal, whenever a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed, it changes so that the disturbance is opposed and equilibrium is restored. Temperature/pressure/concentration can all be altered to produce more or less product. The production of ammonia in the Haber Process is a good example of using equilibriums. The Haber process is very important because ammonia used to make fertilisers, such as ammonium sulphate: NH3 + H2SO4 -----> (NH4)2SO4 + H2O Ammonia is also used to produce nitric acid, which is used in explosives. The equation that occurs in the Haber Process is: ΔH = - 72 kJ mol-1 If we look at pressure, we can see that there are 4 moles on the LHS, but only 2 moles on the RHS. This means that if we increase the pressure, due to Chetalier's Principal, the equilibrium will try to oppose this. There will be more product produced, because on the RHS, there are fewer moles. This is what we want. However, increasing pressure is very expensive... The same happens with concentration. If we consider temperature, however, the ΔH = - 72 kJ mol-1. This means: It's endothermic towards the reactants side, and so if the temperature is increased, the equilibrium will try to oppose it by moving to the LHS and produce less product. This isn't what we want. However, a decreased temperature will slow the rate of reaction, and thus also lessen the yield... In real life, a compromise is reached. The conditions for the Haber Process are around 400oC and 250 atmos. Back to the Top Acids and Bases From GCSE, you'll have been told that acids had a pH below 7, alkalis a pH over 7. As usual, they were telling you lies and we now have a new definition for acids and bases: Acids are proton donors. Bases are proton acceptors. What does that mean? Well, when in aqueous form, acids dissociate into their ions, and one of these is a H+. Example: HCl --> H+ + Cl- If a hydrogen loses its electron, it basically becomes a proton. When they react, the base takes the H+ ion, "accepting" it, while the acid "donates" it. If we look at the following equation: HCl + HBr ---> H2Cl- + Br- We're used to HCl being an acid, but here, it is accepting a H+ and so is the base. This is because HCl is a weaker acid than HBr. Strong and Weak Acids We can differentiate between strong and weak acids depending on their ionisation or dissociation. Strong acids fully dissociate, which means in aqueous form they split completely into their ions. HCl is an example: HCl ---> H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) Not all acids fully dissociate fully, however. Weaker acids only partially dissociate into ions and there are still complete molecules. Organic acids, like methanoic acid are an example: HCOOH(aq) H+(aq) + HCOO-(aq) There is a lower concentration of H+ ions and this means the reaction is slower. Main Reactions - just gotta learn some, I'm afraid... 1. Acid + Metal -----> Salt + Hydrogen Equation: Ca + H2SO4 -----> CaSO4 + H2 Ionic Equation: Ca + 2H+ ------> Ca+2 + H2 2. Acid + Carbonate -----> Salt + Water + Carbon Dioxide Equation: Na2CO3 + H2SO4 -----> Na2SO4 + H2O + CO2 Ionic Equation: CO3-2 + H2+ -----> H2O + CO2 3. Acid + Base -----> Salt (a neutralisation reaction) NH3 + HCl -----> NH4Cl NH4+ + Cl- -----> NH4Cl 4. Acid + Alkali -----> Salt + Water (another neutralisation reaction) HCl + NaOH -----> NaCl + H2O H+ + OH- -----> H2O Back to the Top That's just about everything for How Far, How Fast!
Solid State Drives have been around for a while, but they have really become popular in the last year or so, primarily because of price drops. A SSD is basically a hard drive. But instead of having an actual disk that spins, a solid state drive has memory chips that store the data. It’s very similar to the ubiquitous flash drives (thumb drives), except on a larger scale and designed to function as a system level drive (ie not connecting through USB). Why would I want an SSD? There are many reasons to prefer a SSD over the standard hard drive. Speed, durability, and weight are key reasons. SSDs are much quicker at retrieving data because they do not need to wait for disks to spin up to speed, heads to search the disk, and data to be read and transferred, like a typical hard drive (HDD). With an SSD, the data is pulled from stationary memory chips. There are no moving parts and the lag that typically occurs with HDDs does not apply. With an SSD, you can boot your computer in a fraction of the time. The new Samsung laptops, which utilize SSDs, can reportedly boot Windows 7 in 18 seconds! SSDs are also more durable than HDDs. They can survive a drop much more than HDD because they don’t have moving parts. The delicate platters and heads in the HDDs make them especially susceptible to extreme vibrations. SSDs (solid state means that it is completely digital and has no moving parts) can sustain forces much greater, up to the point of physically breaking the chips, or circuit board in which they lie. Weight is also a key factor to SSD preference. They are much lighter. Also, they can be much smaller. This is a boon for computer designers looking to fit more stuff into smaller and smaller spaces (think smartphones and tablets). Another big reason that SSDs are superior is heat. Your typical HDD generates a good amount of heat. Some desktop computer cases (the better ones) come with fans built in right next to the drive bays (where you physically mount your hard drives). The reason this exists is because of the old truism that heat is the enemy. Typically, electronic devices run better at cooler temperatures. Almost all electronic devices generate heat, but the fault of the HDD is that it tends to generate a lot of heat (hence the fan situated right next to it in some cases). SSDs generate significantly less heat. Why would I not want an SSD? Do you have a huge music or video collection? Want to edit audio or video? Then don’t use an SSD. Well, you still can, but it takes some more work to get it setup right (more about that in a bit). A major drawback, currently, for SSDs is that they have very little storage capacity compared to HDDs. For HDDs, 3TB drives recently hit the market. That is a tremendous amount of storage space compared to what is currently being offered for SSDs (256GB). Another major drawback is price. They are expensive! You can currently get a 2TB HDD for less than $100, but it will cost you around the same amount to get a SSD that only has 60GB. The final drawback is that SSDs do not stream data as efficiently as an HDD. It gets pretty technical, but just know that the transfer of data is handled differently. If you want to run lots of small files quickly (like during boot), a SSD can work great. If you have a music project with 24 tracks of audio running simultaneously, it’s probably better to opt for HDD. This is ironic in many ways, but nonetheless, optimizing your system for the tasks it will perform is always the best route. That said, a neatly optimized system could have a SSD boot (and system) drive while also having HDDs for storage and assimilation (assembling various chunks of audio or video on demand). If setup and configured properly, it can make for an awesome computer experience! Of course, despite the pros and cons, things will get better and SSDs will gain storage potential and will probably one day make HDDs obsolete. But until that happens, hopefully the pros and cons outlined above will give you enough knowledge to research and make the correct decision for yourself. As always, we’d love to help you if you’d like a computer consultant. Contact us if you’d like us to partner with you in finding the perfect solution for your computing needs. Keith Clemmons Keith Clemmons has been the owner at ATL Computer Repair since 2009. He is fluent in computer repair, webdesign, and online marketing (SEO, PPC, Social Media, etc.). %d bloggers like this:
Why Muslin What is muslin? Made with 100% cotton, muslin is a soft, gentle and versatile fabric. This openly-woven fabric allows the air to circulate through the fabric and reduces the risk of overheating while keeping the wearer snug and cozy, making it suitable for hot as well as cool climates. History of muslin Archaeologists believe that Muslin of the finest weave found from the excavated sites in India was produced during the Indus Valley Civilization about 5000 years ago. Though the first documented origination of this finely-woven fabric is from Dhaka (ancient India). For millennia, was considered one of the finest luxury textiles, and adorned by the royals and the nobles across the world. While the fineness of this fabric found favor in Victorian times as a draping material for clothing, it also gained popularity for multiple other uses including swaddling the newborns. Why we chose muslin for babies? As history says it all, muslin has been loved for innumerable generations. Our special muslin is the most gentle and soothing fabric to put against baby’s skin. Breathable: open-weave reduce the risk of overheating while keeping baby warm and snug. Durable: Strong fibers and lightweight makes for the softest and most durable fabric – ideal for everyday use. Soft: With every wash, our muslin creates natural crinkles that make the fabric ultra soft. And the fabric only gets softer with each wash! Why we chose ORGANIC muslin? There is no doubt that muslin is the ideal fabric to be put against baby’s skin. However, our elevated awareness helped us to understand the seriousness of the toxic surroundings that impact us all. Our research led to scientific evidence that chemical and environmental hazards are a large contributor to the rapidly growing children health concerns. As Aura Weavers evolved, we chose to tackle the problems stemming from chemicals commonly found in non-organic cotton. Inspired by an organic lifestyle, we took a step forward in a right direction and combines the two best things for our little ones – ORGANIC + MUSLIN Learn more…
What day is it Today???? Thursday, September 07, 2006 We are playing When u have a few extra time just play a game... 1. ABC Bingo Ask students to write two words in English (you can choose a topic) - e.g. BLUE / PINK. Have a set of ABC in a bag. Take one letter. The students who have it can cross of this letter. The first one to finish the words wins. 2. Jumbled Words Write some jumbled words on the board. Students have to guess the words. 3. Bomb Number Take a number from a bowl and then pass a ball/balloon while the students count. When they reach the number you've taken, the student who has the ball loses. 4. Spell the word Ask your class to sit in groups. Give each group a cardboard with mini post-its stuck inside. Each of the post-its should have letters of the alphabet written on. (make sure that there are sufficient of the most commonly used letters). Dictate some familiar words to your class while they race to spell the word with their post-its letters. The group that spells the word correctly first wins. 5. Who is it? Cover a picture of a famous person with numbered post-its. Divide the class into groups and ask them to choose a number in turn. each number has a corresponding question. If they answer correctly, remove the post-it and the group can have one guess to identify the mystery person. Continue until one group gives the correct answer. (If they get the answer wrong you can cover the picture again). I'll give you some more tips another day...I'm waiting for your ideas. Just comment or send them in an e-mail to me and then I post them in the blog.
Red-Tailed Black Shark Genus name: Epalzeorhynchos Bicolor Also known as: Red-Tailed Labeo Distribution: Thailand Length: males up to 4.7″ (12cm) Minimum Tank Length: 24″ (60cm) Water Temperature: 72-79F (22-26C)Red-Tailed Black Shark Diet: Worms, crustaceans, insects, dried food, plant matter Water: soft and slightly acidic, and filtered through peat Breeding: Egg layers Community Tank The Red-tailed Black Shark is an elongated fish, which has a slight lateral compression. The mouth faces slightly downward, and it has swollen lips and two pairs of barbels. When the Red-Tailed Black Shark is in good condition, and is happy, the body, including all the fins, are a velvety black, and the tail is orange or red. If the Red-Tailed Black Shark is not kept in suitable conditions, or if they are upset (for instance when catching them to remove from the aquarium), the body will change to a grey colour. Red-Tailed Black Sharks, as they get older, can get very aggressive. Although suitable for a community aquarium, care should be taken. They tend to be aggressive to others of their species, so are best kept singly. They have also been known to chase new additions to an aquarium, so care must be taken when adding new fish. Red-Tailed Black Sharks are often called Red-Tailed Labeo, after the old genus name, which makes more sense, as the name ‘Shark’ is very misleading, as they are in no way related to true sharks. Due to the aggressive nature of Red-Tailed Black Sharks, they are not often kept in groups, which is why they are not often bred in home aquariums. Red-Tailed Black Sharks are hardy fish, and if looked after, will live for many years in an aquarium. The aquarium should have plenty of hiding places for the Red-Tailed Black Shark to hide in. Often a flowerpot on its side, or a coconut shell will provide the shelter needed, and allow the Red-Tailed Black Shark to establish its territory.
Dental Tips • Proper brushing involves moving the brush in soft, short strokes. Position the brush in a way that it forms a 45 degree angle against the gum and move the brush in a circular motion away from the gum. • Flossing before brushing helps dislodge plaque and food debris so brushing can wipe it away. • Baby´s first teeth usually come in on the top front. They start coming in when they are about 6 or 7 months old. • A child will usually have 20 teeth by age 2. • A child will usually lose it's first tooth at 7 years of age • The hardest thing in your body is the enamel on your teeth. • Mammals have two types of teeth, the primary teeth and the permanent teeth. • Avoid drinking water for at least 30 minutes after tea to avoid teeth staining • Avoid dry mouth - Saliva provides an essential defense against tooth decay and periodontal disease. Where there is insufficient saliva serious dental health problems can arise • In addition to cleaning thoroughly between the teeth it is recommended that you also clean your tongue on a daily basis. A major cause of bad breath can actually come from bacteria building up on your tongue with a high percentage of it accumulating at the back, making it hard to reach. • If you are looking for a good mouthwash then make sure it is alcohol-free, as alcohol is an irritant and can dry out the mouth. This will have the effect of reducing the amount of saliva present, and make your teeth more susceptible to bacteria. • Rinse twice a day – once in the morning and last thing at night and always after brushing Introduction Vision Infrastructure General Dentistry Periodontics Crowns and Bridges Dentures Implants Teeth Whitening Orthodontics Cosmetic Dentistry Pediatric Dentistry Dental tips Doctors Promotors
Inflammation: Foods to avoid “Everything is related to inflammation!”Barbara Mendez, R. PhD, M.D. joked in a recent interview. “It can cause skin conditions, allergies, headaches, very painful menstrual periods, chronic diseases… everything!” But what is inflammation? When we think of inflammation, we tend to think of ‘getting bigger’ or ‘inflamed.’ Although these are included, that is not all. Inflammation’s effects include heat, pain, redness and swelling. Inflammation happens when the body is sensitive to a substance that has been consumed. In attempt to fight inflammation, the body sends immune cells to try to kill whatever is causing the reaction. This seems helpful, but if it goes on for too long it can actually be harmful. In fact, when describing what occurs when these cells attack Nicholas Perricone, M.D. said: The immune system mistakenly attacks normal cells, and the process that ordinarily heals becomes destructive. It’s fair to say that inflammation is harmful, so how do we get rid of it? It’s simple- it’s all in the food! There are just 9 main foods and ingredients that when avoided, can reduce inflammation. These are as follows: dairy, sugar, agave, frozen yogurt, barley, rye, seitan, peanuts, and seasoning mixes. So what’s the secret? It’s easy. Stop eating those foods! Leave a Reply
Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Crazy Collaged Animals! This trimester, when we began the animal collage project I really tried to stress to the kids using all of their paper (and then some) and trying some interesting paper techniques. I think this is one of the most creative examples I've seen in a while. These kids did a great job! Colors, Tints, and Shades What's the most important part about a color wheel?.....color, right? I walk the 6th graders through this project by teaching them step-by-step how to make each color. They know where to put the colors based on the color wheel we do with colored pencil as a warm-up to the project. I always like seeing how this project turns out. These kids did a really great job this trimester! Strike a Pose! Make a Gesture! Tell a class of 6th graders that they are about to do a project based on drawing people and you can actually see the panic in their faces. So, I teach human figure drawing through gestures. Gestures are quick sketches used to capture movement. The kids practice drawing gestures a few times before beginning the final project. I'm still working on the actual project that we do with the gestures. This one is just a little different from last trimester and next trimester's is going to be completely different. Still-Life Drawings Drawing: it's the ABC's of art. I would imagine that most of my students would say that they really don't enjoy drawing still-lifes. However, the many things I can teach through still-life drawings are priceless. We cover shape, value, space, gauging, highlights, color, blending, shadows, and craftsmanship. It's really amazing to see how far the kids come from their first drawing of the trimester to the last still-life they create. We only spend the first 3 1/2-5 weeks (of a 12 week grading period) on drawing, but to see how far they come in that time is awesome! Gingerbread Houses My first year teaching I remember thinking, "How will I ever get my kids to focus enough to work the day before Christmas break?" Then, my mother suggested that I create gingerbread houses with them. Well, 12 years later we are still making the houses. However, I never used gingerbread. Instead, we use graham crackers and royal icing. All the kids have to supply are the decorations for their homes. They each have a "property" (posterboard cut to 6"x6") that they build the house on and then can landscape around it. Once the houses are all built, they join "Gingerbread Village" on my countertop and the teachers all come in to judge them. I give extra credit to the winners and at the end of the day the kids take their houses home (if they make it that far before being devoured!). Here are some pictures of my 8th graders making their houses.
This page has been updated by Maisie Simkins and Harry Sellers during Website Club Year 1 Spring 2 In Year 1, they have been making buns to eat! As well as being a great way to explain instructions, it was also a chance to do some cookery. For Fairtrade week, they flavoured the buns with chocolate and banana to help farmers receive a fair wage for their crops. All of Year 1 received a well-earned badge for all of their hard work! Spring 1 This term half term Year 1's imaginative learning project is called 'Dinosaur Planet'. They will be discovering facts, digging up fossils and working out what life was like when the dinosaurs ruled the Earth! Autumn 1 Year 1 had a fantastic time on Roald Dahl Day and got dressed up in extremely creative costumes. They also did some great labelling of some of Roald Dahl’s most famous characters .It was a gloriumptious day!All of the children worked very hard indeed. This week in Year 1 they took a tasty trip to Pizza Express. All different shapes and sizes were made and invented. They will soon be writing some extremely bossy instructions of how to make the perfect pizza. I’m sure their family and friends had a delicious meal that night! Here is some of the excellent learning in Year 1 last year: Spring 1 Can you remember being small? Being a baby and learning to crawl Do you recall a favourite toy, maybe a teddy bear or a best-loved book? Look back at family photographs pf special occasions, perhaps holiday snapshots or a birthday or two! Remember a wedding or a christening and find a funny photograph of your parents when they were young! Learn how to write a diary of days gone by and find out about the days before you were born: it’s called history and it’s all about the past. Then make a special memory box; a memory box, to keep special thins. In years to come you can revisit them and remember how you looked when you were young. Memories are special…let’s make some more. Miss Dakin visiting with Sam Miss Dakin and her son Sam came in to visit all of Year 1. Year 1 were really prepared and asked lots of sensible questions. Miss Dakin brought in some things that Sam needs to keep him safe, warm and happy. The children loved seeing him and were empathetic towards him when he was sleeping. Spring 2 KERPOW! Intergalactic greetings, young heroes. It’s time to rescue the planet from evil villains! Who’s your favourite superhero? Maybe your heroes are ordinary people who’ve achieved great things. Or is it those people who save lives in our emergency services that you admire the most? Superheroes have super senses. Use your senses to identify mystery items by their taste, smell, sound and touch. What do true superheroes eat to keep their senses and special powers sharp? Can we stop the dastardly plans of Professor Slime? He’s dropping his villainous instructions around town. We must stop following them, but can we make it in time? Is that phone box free? Please excuse me…I have to save the world! ZAP! WHIZZ! ZOOOOM! Fairtrade Banana and Chocolate Muffins Year 1 loved making banana and chocolate muffins for our Fairtrade Fortnight at school. We drew accurate pictures for each stage of making them so we should be able to replicate them. If you wish to try and make them at home, please visit Summer 1 CRASH! What’s that!? Let’s go and take a look. Stand back everyone - it looks like a UFO has crash-landed! Find out who might have landed by exploring the craft and investigating scattered scientific specimens. Create a ‘Welcome to Earth’ box for an alien explorer. What can you put in to help explain what life is like on our planet. Would you like to be an astronaut? You’ll need a pretty sturdy spacecraft if you do. Start off by making an air-propelled rocket…WHOOSH! How far can you make it travel? Find out the names of the planets. There’s Mercury, Neptune, Mars and…do you know the rest? Then, an alien is found…can you help him get home? It’s got the experts in a right kerfuffle. Professor Pong doesn’t know what to do! Are you ready to take off Year 1? Hold tight…5-4-3-2-1…LIFT OFF!
Children During World War Ii Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 25 • Published : May 30, 2013 Open Document Text Preview Garret Nelson A-G US History B Mrs. Betancourt Children During WII Reflection Paper I learned a lot from researching the life of children during World War II. There were some things I presumed, and other things that surprised me. I knew that Jewish children would have been treated unfair during the war; because of this I assumed that they had bad education. I was surprised in the differences between German and American kids education. I thought that American education would be very important and controlled. It ended up being the opposite of what I presumed. Researching children during WWII allowed me to clarify a lot of thoughts and learn. I was very surprised with how the Germans educated the youth. There was an idea that I found fascinating: whoever controls the youth controls the future. After giving it some thought I realized how true and scary the idea was. The Nazis used schools to indoctrinate the young. Biology focused on explaining Nazi racial beliefs (social Darwinism). Religious studies lost time and in 1935 it was dropped as a subject. Education for boys and girls was different. Physics focused on weapon making. History focused on showing how successful the Nazis had been. Geography focused on the harshness of the Treaty of Versailles. Overall, the German education system seemed to be very narrowly constructed; though I did like how physics focused on actual physics and not theoretical physics. I was surprised on how involved American schools were with the war. Kids would pray in school for the servicemen and women in the war. Students also recycled items that were used in the school for the war effort. A lot of the geography focused on war also; students would put pins where the armed forces were. I found it really interesting that they would write letters to soldiers and families who lost their loved ones during the war. Most of the kids ate at school, because rationing stamps did not apply to... tracking img
Com470 Behaviors of E-Tailing Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 483 • Published : November 12, 2012 Open Document Text Preview Behaviors of E-Tailing Maximino Ruiz University of Phoenix Behaviors of E-Tailing Technology changes the way companies do business throughout the globe. At one period in history when a technological change was introduced in an organization, it was a big deal because, unlike current advancements, the changes were not made so frequently. Every day, upgrades and new products are developed to make companies more efficient and productive. In the mid-1990s with the use of the Internet, companies realized that more people would be spending his or her hard-earned money online than ever before. They could also foresee that the number of people and dollars would increase through online sales from that point forward. E-tailing is the virtual storefront for companies that allow these organizations to sell their services and products online. Several behaviors will be discuss that are associated with e-tailing. These particular behaviors each have a communication medium associated with how the business and customer interact with one another. In some circumstances the information is simply data for research purposes, but for an organization interested in making money, these mediums must enable e-commerce, or the exchange of money online for goods and services provided by a specific company. Product and service search is the first behavior that introduces e-tailing to the consumer. The phase of purchase and how the organization presents and sells its products is a determining factor in how successful a company can be over another. Partnership after the purchase in the final behavior associated with e-tailing. How an organization continues their relationship with its customers determines word of mouth advertising and repeat business. The first behavior associated with e-tailing begins with the consumer. The desire to research a product or service entices people to sit in... tracking img
Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 494 • Published : January 25, 2013 Open Document Text Preview Siobhan Wolfe Communication Task 2 There are various different ways to care workers can adapt their style of communication to meet the needs of others. If for example they are dealing with a service user who has a speech impediment then they could use closed questions to allow them to communicate effectively on the other hand if a service user is able to talk and the care worker uses a lot of closed questions it could prevent effective communication as they are not given as much freedom to talk or explain how they feel. Using a lot of open questions (how, when, why?) allows the service user to expand of their answers and have effective communication with the care worker. The pace at which the worker speaks at can also be of great importance when trying to achieve effective communication they must change the pace at which they speak depending on the type of service users they are dealing with, for example if they are dealing with someone who is hard of hearing it may be beneficial for them to slow the pace at which they speak to allow the service user understand them. Many issues could arise if service users have misheard a worker and vice versa this could be because they may have thought they had heard them say they had already received their medication when they haven’t, this could have serious repercussions in the future. The tone which someone speaks can significantly change the type of message that is being communicated by speaking in a sharp tone it could upset someone. A communication passport aims to support people that have problems with communication and therefore can’t speak for themselves the passport presents information about the individual positively and not a set of problems it is easy to read and also describes how the person will try to communicate in the best possible way. The passport belongs to the person and not to family or staff, though these people may use it and update it accordingly. The passport it important when new... tracking img
SRPP Amplifier Moving the output from the bottom tube's plate to the top tube's cathode transforms the actively loaded grounded-cathode amplifier into the SRPP. Thus, all the same tricks and topological variations apply to this circuit as did to the actively loaded grounded-cathode amplifier. See SRPP Deconstructed or SRPP Decoded or SRPP Once Again. Understand that in a phono preamp, the SRPP functions more as a pure voltage amplifier and less as a power amplifier, so that much of the criticisms lodged at the SRPP do not apply in this application.) Two topological variations present themselves: the auto bias version, shown above and the fixed-bias version shown below. Fixed-voltage referenced SRPP amplifier While the SRPP offers a much lower output impedance than the grounded-cathode amplifier, it is more sensitive to reactive loads. Consequently, the passive equalization's impedance values should be kept high (i.e. high resistor values and low capacitor values), which unfortunately will increase the noise from the equalization network. Possibly the best technique might be to preload the SRPP's output with a low-valued fixed resistance to shunt out much of the network's varying impedance, say 10k, or whatever value yields the lowest distortion. The danger hidden in any multi-tube circuit that holds one tube atop the other is the chance of exceeding the maximum cathode-to-heater voltage of the tube, usually about 100 volts. The workaround is to use two heater power supplies, one referenced to ground (or a few tens of volts above ground) and the other referenced to some higher voltage, such as 120 volts. < PREVIOUS Copyright © 2002 GlassWare All Rights Reserved
The FBI Nuclear War Plan Revealed According to new documents released, the FBI made extreme top-secret plans in 1956 for preserving national security in the event of a nuclear attack during the cold war. reports: Government organizations would decide which of their employees were essential and have them hide out in backup offices. Soviet embassies would be searched for weapons, radios and explosives. Up to 900 Soviet diplomats and couriers would be taken into custody. In an emergency, the government would also have activated a detention program that would have led to arrests for “individuals whose affiliations with subversive organizations are so pronounced that their continued liberty in the event of national emergency would present a serious threat,” according to the documents. The exact number of people who would be affected was set at 12,949.
Random number generator The random number generator is pretty simple. A 16-bit seed is stored which for convenience in code is split into two 8-bit values. The routine is at 0xdd4 in the sf2ua ROM. Here’s the equivalent C code: short sf2rand(void) { int x = (g.randSeed1 << 8) + g.randSeed2; x *= 3; x = x >> 8; g.randSeed2 += x; g.randSeed1 = x; return g.randSeed2; As far as PRNGs go it’s pretty poor, but good enough for our purpose here. The output of it is often bitmasked to limit its values (e.g. masked with 0xf to get a number from 0-15, masked with 0xe to get an even number from 0-14, and so on), and also used as a bit index with the BTST instruction to get a 1-in-N chance. For example, to get a 1-in-4 chance: if( 0x88888888 & (1 << (sf2rand() & 0x1f))) The RNG is seeded with exactly the same value every time the machine starts (there’s nothing else to seed it with, no RTC, nothing), so it always produces the same string of random numbers. If you start the machine, wait for the player invite screen to start, insert a coin and play with Ryu, you will face Dhalsim on your first fight. If you insert your coin while the copyright warning is still printing, you’ll face Blanka instead. One of these days I should analyse it to see when the seed returns to its initial value, i.e. when the sequence starts repeating. Random number generator
Analyze Two Main Theories of Motivation Namely: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory and Herzberg Two-Factor Theory Essay Custom Student Mr. Teacher ENG 1001-04 15 March 2016 INTRODUCTION From as early as the beginning of the 20th Century, corporations began to realize that motivated employees are a strategic necessity in the harshly competitive and fast paced market place. This new understanding or paradigm shift brought to an end the era of coercive, machine-like workplaces where employees were considered to be just another input in the production of goods and services. Hence the reason, there has been substantial research that has been done and is still being carried in the area of employee motivation and there is a general consensus that that employee motivation and company performance are positively related. The concept of motivation has been variably described by many authors, but for the purpose of this analysis, Higgins (1994) definition will be borrowed. He describes motivation as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals. The global economic downturn has had damning effects on companies which have left many employees disengaged and demotivated and yet according to Smith (1994), companies need motivated employees for survival because motivated employees help organizations to survive even in the most turbulent of times. There has therefore never been a time when companies needed motivated employees more than this time. The purpose of this paper therefore is to analyze two main theories of motivation namely: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory and Herzberg two-factor theory and how they can be applied by companies to boost workers’ satisfaction and therefore, organizational effectiveness. DEFINITION OF TERMS 1. Organizational Effectiveness: There is no true consensus about the definition of this ubiquitous term. Wikipedia defines it as ‘the concept of how effective an organization is in achieving the outcomes the organization intends to produce’. 2. Employee Engagement: Is the ‘extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and put discretionary effort in their work. Passion, commitment, and most importantly, discretionary effort. Engaged employees are motivated to do more than the bare minimum needed in order to keep their jobs’, Custom Insight (2011) 3. Disengagement: has two levels a) Disengaged employees: Disengaged employees don’t have an emotional commitment to their work or their place of employment, according to Entec Corporation, which has conducted employee surveys since 1966. Entec emphasizes that disengaged employees aren’t necessarily bad employees, but they just do what’s necessary to get their jobs done. They typically don’t take part in offering suggestions for improving the workplace. Entec indicates that disengaged employees usually don’t stay at work late if it’s not required, and they don’t give their jobs much thought after they finish a workday. b) Actively disengaged employees: These are the workers who undermine their jobs and employers. Actively disengaged employees can sink employee morale and performance. In such cases, employers should try to determine what’s behind active disengagement to prevent it from getting out of control. 4. Employee satisfaction: Is the extent to which employees are happy or content with their jobs and work environment. MOTIVATION THEORIES: 1. MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THEORY: In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized that people have five basic needs and he further came up with a pyramid that prioritized these needs. His needs-based framework went on to become a model for both personal empowerment and workplace management, and embraces the concept that basic needs must first be satisfied before higher, unselfish goals can be pursued and achieved. Several companies have implemented the ideas of this theory with differing success levels. The theory is delved into below and examples are used to substantiate the analysis. Physiological Needs Maslow identified the core physiological needs to sustain human life as air, water, food and sleep. To perform their jobs, workers require healthy air to breathe, water to keep their systems hydrated, sustenance to fuel their bodies and adequate time to rest and recuperate between shifts, including regularly scheduled breaks. As described in his own book, “Maslow on Management (1963),” Maslow cites that when deficiencies exist in these four basic requirements for survival, people become incapable of developing any ambition, much less acting on it and achieving their full potential. In regard to a work place, this could mean furnishing a pleasant and comfortable environment for staff to work in. A company that has embraced this idea is MTN Swaziland. Their new state of the art building was not just constructed for aesthetics, but the construction was also a strategic goal with regards to their Employee Value Proposition. The building has ample work space, beautifully furnished staff canteen, gymnasium for the staff, day care center for staff children, golf course and a club house. A survey that was conducted after the relocation to these new premises showed that staff were now happier and were willing to work extra hours as it had become more comfortable for them to do so. According to Dan Romaniak, the communications Manager from Hewlett-Packard’s (HP) Geographic Operations, HP attempts to retain its employees and keep them motivated by offering not only competitive salaries and benefits, but also perks like flexible time off from work are specific examples of physiological, social and ego needs. They also provide company cars or memberships privileges at country clubs. He further mentioned that HP is also using benefits such as non-cash bonuses or additional paid time off if company goals are met. Others like managers taking employees out to lunch to reward good work or allowing them to use reserve parking spaces for performances above and beyond the norm. By offering attractive benefits and satisfying employee needs, the employers will reap the positive benefit of motivated employees a Safety Needs A safe and secure working environment reduces the threat of physical injury. When workers believe that the level of risk has been minimized and that good health and safety practices are judiciously enforced and monitored by management, they feel more comfortable and are less distracted from performing their tasks and interacting with others. Conscientious safety practices reduce absenteeism as well, which can impact productivity and morale. Security also extends to emotional well being in the workplace. An employer that provides medical benefits contributes to retirement plans and is financially solvent makes workers feel more secure about their jobs and the future. Conley (2010) writes that companies that demonstrate they care for the welfare of their workers create an atmosphere of trust which, in turn, encourages loyalty and decreases stress. Coca cola is a typical example of a company that has harnessed the power of this theory because they understand that their success depends upon ensuring the safety of their workers. So they integrated the Coca-cola Safety Management System as part of their day to day management. This system incorporates occupational safety, quality, environment and loss prevention into a single framework. It also defines rigorous operational controls. With this in place, the company has employees that are able to work without worrying 5 about safety, thereby focusing all their energy into production. This could explain why coca-cola has remained the world’s number one brand even throughout the economic down turn.nto a single framework. Social Needs Man is a social animal and, accordingly, seeks out companionship, acceptance and inclusion. Maslow identifies social needs as friendships, peer support and the ability to give and receive love. Podmoroff (2009) observes that the workplace offers an opportunity to be part of a team in which members share their respective knowledge, skills and unique experiences to solve problems in which they have a vested interest. Competitions, focus groups, mentoring, brainstorming sessions, after-work get-togethers and even office potlucks can make employees feel as if they are “family.” A small company that is nestled at Ezulwini is cognizant of this fact. Bethel Court Hotel has formalized daily devotion which is a crucial element to the staff. There is a special hall that is designated for such purposes. This hall is well taken care of and is well furnished. This crucial component unites the staff and makes them feel like family. Hence the reason, they are always motivated to go the extra mile with regard to their work. Esteem Needs In concert with social needs is the desire to be recognized for personal accomplishments. Maslow divides this portion of his theory into external and internal motivators. External motivators are prizes and awards bestowed for outstanding performance, elevation in status such as a coveted promotion and newfound attention and admiration from others. Internal motivators are the private goals that workers set for themselves such as beating a prior month’s sales figures and the satisfaction of experiencing self-respect for having done the right thing. Silverstein (2008), notes that fairness and consistency in the recognition process are critical. When employees know that their efforts aren’t going unnoticed by management, they take more pride in their work product. In addition, their coworkers see 6 the correlation between responsibility and reward and may endeavor to set the performance bar higher for themselves. Once again, MTN Group of companies makes a good example of how meeting esteem needs through reward and recognition can motivate staff. Their annual bonuses are not shared equally amongst staff, each staff member is rewarded a bonus in accordance with the performance appraisal score. The higher the score, the higher the bonus. Furthermore, individual annual increases are also determined by the performance of individual employees. The effect that this has is that; throughout the year, the employees work with a mind to deliver set targets because they are aware that delivering or mot delivering has an implication on their pockets. So there is always a drive and motivation to go beyond set goals. Self-Actualization Once the quartet of physiological, safety, social and self-esteem needs are met, Maslow believed that individuals are capable of achieving their true potential and embodying truth, meaning, wisdom and justice in their words and actions. Self-actualization moves them to a higher plateau of understanding as well as a greater empathy for the needs of others. Those who achieve this ultimate state and Maslow himself speculated that it was only 2 percent of the population enjoy a greater autonomy, have a deeper sense of humility and respect for others and a better sense of distinguishing between real and fake. Maslow also tied this to the belief that the journey in whatever form it takes can be more rewarding than the actual destination. Managers can apply this to a practice of appreciating the worth of each of the individuals “traveling” with them rather than focusing so intently on the end-game that they lose all sight of human emotions. 2. HERZBERG’S TWO FACTOR THEORY Herzberg’s work categorized motivation into two factors as described below: a) Hygiene or extrinsic factors: these are based on the need for business to avoid unpleasantness at work. According to Riley (2012) if these are the factors are considered as inadequate by employees, then they cause dissatisfaction at work, riley further makes examples of what hygiene factors are: Company policy and administration Quality of supervision Quality of interpersonal relations Working conditions Feelings of Job security b) Motivator or intrinsic factors: are based on the individual’s need for personal growth. When they exist, motivator factors actively create job satisfaction. Riley (2012) says that if these are effective then they can motivate an individual to achieve above average performance and effort. Motivator factors include: Status Opportunity for advancement Gaining recognition Responsibility Challenging/ stimulating work Sense of personal achievement and personal growth in a job. Apple is a major user of motivator factors. There is an outstanding creational culture within the organization which Steve Jobs as always argued that it is the main gravitational force that puts all the right and creative people together and motivates them to achieve above expectation. Although Steve Jobs was the centric force of innovation at Apple, employees were still allowed to directly contribute to their jobs by being given responsibility which they are accountable for. This job enrichment is challenging and stimulating staff not to let down their employer, but to always deliver beyond target. This practice also creates a sense of personal achievement 8 Job enlargement, rotation enrichment Another example is from HP; they create an excellent company policies and conditions of work and offer bonus incentives as increasing the hygiene factors for motivation. As a motivator, HP has implemented HP’s Educational Assistance Policy (EAP) which is very helpful for workers who want to go back to school. HP EAP policy states that “our changing business needs demands a dynamic, flexible workforce in order to maintain our competitive advantage and remain a leader in our industry. In accordance with PH’s employee development philosophy including our commitment to lifelong learning and career selfreliance, the company may provide employees with financial assistance for education relevant to meeting our business needs, Approval of financial assistance will be based on recommendation from the employee’s management and guidance from Human Resources” (HP 2003). The HP EAP can be looked at as a hygiene factor where employment security is tied to competitive realities as well as individual results and performance. Employees are responsible for ensuring that they possess the competencies required in HP’s dynamic environment which will definitely provide the grounds for employee striving to get the into the EAP and therefore getting motivated by higher qualification in the long run. Furthermore, for job posting, HP employees will receive consideration for open posting provided the competencies the employee possesses are competitive with external talent. Additionally, employees whose jobs have been eliminated or who working where excess capacity exist should have preference in filling open positions provided there is a current and future business need for the competencies the employee possesses and the those competences are competitive. Companies cited in this paper are successfully motivating their working through application of the two content theories (Hierarchy of Needs and Two-Factor theories). It is important to note, however, that there is no single content theories which can successfully stand alone as a sole motivator. Each theory has its drawbacks – each one is deficient in one or more ways. Each of the two content theories described above fails to account for individual differences, to link motivation and needs to both satisfaction and performance, or to consider cultural and professional differences” (Schermerhorn et al., 2002, p. 159). Using only one motivational technique is a poor solution; employee needs would remain unfulfilled and, therefore, create low-performing employees. In an effort to promote the ideal model of employee motivation, MTN, Coca-Cola, Bethel Court Hotel, Apple and Hewlett-Packard are efficiently utilizing a combination of motivational strategies in order to consistently and effectively motivate their employees to perform at peak standards for the company. Motivation drives existing talents and develops new areas of interest and expertise. 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How does Hosseini present point of view in order to tell the story of The Kite Runner?Can you help me on the different point of views? Much appreciated. 1 Answer bullgatortail's profile pic bullgatortail \| High School Teacher \| (Level 1) Distinguished Educator Posted on Author Khaled Hosseini uses a variety of literary devices to present his point of view in The Kite Runner. The protagonist, Amir, serves as the constant narrator with the exception of Chapter 16, when the narration is taken over by Rahim Khan. Since the story is actually told by Amir in retrospect, the reader is given a glimpse of many different aspects of his personality and inner consciousness. Amir shifts constantly from dialogue to long descriptive passages. Because he tells his story from an adult perspective, Amir's reflection upon past events allows for such devices as foreshadowing, flashback, imagery and metaphorical symbolism. The reader also is given a basic lesson in the Farsi and Pashtun language: Hosseini's characters use many common Afghan words, usually followed by translations. Internal monologue is also used frequently to describe the inner feelings of Amir and other characters.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013 This is written from a pilot’s point of view with the aim of giving a theoretical aerodynamic background to the actions that one takes in the cockpit. These actions would become instinctive if one understands the basic theory. We are not designers or engineers, but we need to fly the aircraft safely from A to B, under all conditions. Under normal conditions we would never be operating close to stall. The highest AsOA that we encounter in flight are during the take-off and landing phases. However, when operating under conditions that are not normal we are still required to fly that aircraft safely and thus we need to understand how our aircraft behaves at all times. • · In flight we have four forces that we should be aware of at all times. To maintain steady straight and level flight the Lift has to balance weight and the thrust has to balance the drag, and the sum of the moments has to be zero. This also implies that the Power available is equal to the power required. If the Power available is more than the Power required then the aircraft would have a ROC, and vice versa. Power required = Drag X TAS. Power available is Thrust X TAS. • · A stall is a condition of flight in which the aircraft has exceeded the stalling angle of attack or the critical angle leading to a sharp decrease in co-efficient of lift and a sharp increase in the co-efficient of drag. (Please refer to the AOA vs Cl/ Cd graphs). • · The decrease in Cl leads to loss of lift as L = Cl ½ pv2S. In straight and level flight the lift is now no longer able to balance the weight. • · The increase in co-efficient of drag increases the drag leading to a power deficit, as the power available at the same throttle settings is now less than the power required. On a training aircraft with rectangular wings, propeller slipstream and high thrust line, the wing stalls and the nose pitches down, helping in recovery of the aircraft from the stalled condition. • · This situation changes in aircraft that fly at high altitude, high speed, have sweep back wings and a thrust line below the CG (due to low slung engines). Sweep back wings tend to stall at the tips first causing the nose to pitch up; any addition of thrust from the low slung engines would aggravate the pitch up situation and lead to a stall. • · In a power deficit situation, the aircraft will develop a descent. When the aircraft commences descent, the direction of the relative airflow changes, as the flight path of the aircraft has changed. The relative airflow comes from further below than earlier leading to an increase in AOA – reducing Cl further and increasing Cd further. We are now entering into a deep stall zone which is more pronounced on sweep back and delta wings. The positioning of the tail also has an effect. Any other phenomenon like icing could also lead to reduction of Cl and increase in Cd. • · The only way out is to unstall the aircraft by reducing the AOA by aligning the aircraft with the relative airflow coming from below OR in pilot’s parlance by pushing forward on the control column. The throttle is advanced to increase the thrust so that the power available increases to match the power required. • · Once the aircraft unstalls, the aircraft can be eased out. This procedure has to be followed on all aeroplanes – the basic theoretical considerations do not change very much and you can understand the reason why ; the manufacturers give the finer points which would be peculiar to that aircraft type. • · The basic fact is that whether one flies the C-152 or the A-380, the aircraft needs to be supported by the air in which it flies. • · The airflow going around the aerofoil is what generates the lift and the aerofoil (and in turn the wing too) stalls when the airflow ‘separates’ from the aerofoil at a forward position on the chord, leading to sharp loss of lift. (As the AOA increases, the separation point keeps moving forward.) • · Every aerofoil has different aerodynamic characteristics, as can be seen in the books. When icing takes place the aerofoil shape changes, and so do its aerodynamic characteristics – Cl, Cd and separation of airflow too. It would happen every time the aerofoil shape changes – it could be because of dirt, pigeon shit on the wing or any other phenomenon. • · Standard operating Procedures are laid down for all normal operations that a company undertakes, and are a pilot’s life line and should be followed meticulously to go from A to B safely under all conditions – normal or not normal. An Aircraft Incident - Good CRM On 25 Oct 2005, Capt. L Marcelo (Brazilian pilot with 8400 hours) and F/O Thomas Abraham (Indian with 939 hours) were scheduled to operate flight BD 201 from Kolkata to Chennai. The crew arrived at flight operations about 0:50 mts before scheduled departure. After a detailed briefing by the FDO, the crew proceeded to the aircraft and spoke with the engineer at the aircraft regarding the snags reported by the previous crew. F/O Abraham was the PF for the first sector from Kolkata to Delhi. There was a slight delay on the part of ground operations and this time was utilized by the crew to discuss various operational aspects connected with the flight. Departure was from R/W 01R. During the take off roll, all callouts were made by Capt. Marcelo. All parameters were normal during the ground roll. After unstick, on selecting gear up, at around 400’ agl a loud bang was heard. This was followed by a yaw to the right, and high vibrations. Capt Marcelo took over control of the aircraft, made a quick scan of the engine parameters and found that there was a rapid rise in the No. 2 engine EGT, which was going beyond limits. Capt Marcelo partially retarded the No. 2 engine thrust lever in order to contain the EGT, while at the same time climbed to the security altitude of 800’. F/O Abraham made a PAN call to the ATC. At security altitude, Capt Marcelo asked for MCT on live engine, engine failure shutdown checklist and after take off checklist, in this order. Both crew members concurred that the No 2 engine was malfunctioning, and the checklist was called out by F/O Abraham. The flaps were left at flap 1 position, as the crew operating the previous flight on this aircraft had reported difficulty/ vibration while deploying flaps. Also, the Capt was not sure if the flap assembly had sustained any damage during this emergency. Capt Marcelo had the field in sight and elected to do a visual circuit to minimise the time in air. On D/W, the one engine inoperative descent approach checklist was carried out by F/O Abraham, followed by the one engine inop landing checklist. An overweight, flap 15 landing was carried out at a Vref of 150 kts. The landing was normal with manual braking, and No. 1 engine reverser deployed. Taxi in and shutdown was as per SOP. The tyres of the right main landing gear deflated on reaching the bay. The cause of the incident has been attributed to internal object damage caused due to fatigue failure of 3 blades of the HP Turbine. The engine sustained extensive damage to the HP and LP turbine section and downstream of the turbine. Capt Marcelo and F/O Abraham had arrived in Kolkata on 23 Oct 2005 after operating BD 102 from Chennai to Kolkata. This was their first flight together as a crew. The crew utilized the extended stay in the hotel at Kolkata to get acquainted with each other, personally and professionally. During this process, one of the situations put forward by Capt Marcelo was a condition of an engine failure after take off. They discussed the actions in such a situation and agreed that priority should be given to flight path control, followed by the appropriate checklists and a landing back at Kolkata. Overweight landing was discussed, and Capt. Marcelo opined that single aisle aircraft undercarriages were designed to perform overweight landings as the difference in their MTOW and MLW was not very large. Also, that it was preferable to carry out an overweight landing in such a case, as the cause of engine failure would not be known to the crew, and thus such an eventuality should be treated with the same priority as an engine fire. Crew Resource Management highlights 1. There was a large difference in the flying experience of the crew. In addition to this, there were cultural differences too considering the nationalities of the crew. This was also the crew’s first time together. Capt. Marcelo understood the importance of CRM and thus took advantage of the time available during the extended stay at Kolkata to get to know F/O Abraham better, both personally and professionally. 2. During this interaction, situational emergencies were discussed, including an emergency of engine failure after take-off at Kolkata. 3. The Captain immediately took over controls on encountering the emergency, with the F/O taking over the duties of PNF (PM). The F/O alerted the ATC with a PAN call, and carried out checklists as per the directions of the Captain. 4. The previous discussion of a similar situation helped the decision making process in this case, in terms of overweight landing and the other actions pertaining to the emergency situation. 5. Open cockpit communications helped optimize performance of both crew members. 6. Both crew members concurred on the engine malfunction before taking action. Thursday, January 24, 2013 Formal CRM training started sometime in the 70s; the first being KLM that introduced a human factors training programme, based on the Edwards SHEL model and the trans-cockpit authority gradient. Accidents involving fully airworthy aircraft were perplexing the aviation community – the most notable example being the collision of two B-747s in 1977, while on the runway at Tenerife. Accidents like these were pointing towards the breakdown of crew co-ordination and communications between the cockpit crew. It was finally the NASA workshop of 1979 where the role of human factors in aviation accidents came in to sharp focus. Participants at this conference were convinced that formal training in crew co-ordination was required to reduce accidents due to human error. The origin of CRM (initially called Cockpit Resource Management and later changed to Crew Resource Management in recognition of the complex nature of aviation operations - where human errors, anywhere in the chain, can lay dormant for extended periods until an active failure at the hands of pilot leads to an accident) training is now universally traced to this NASA workshop of 1979. As more knowledge was gained on the subject the training has undergone many generational changes, from the first generation CRM to the present day sixth generation CRM, also called Threat and Error Management. CRM training is crucial for flight crew (besides for others too who are connected with aviation) as they are aviation’s last of line of defence to prevent an accident from happening. Amongst the flight crew, the Commander of the aircraft has been given the final authority with regards to the safety of the aircraft, and its contents, from the time he/ she assumes command until he/ she relinquishes the command of the flight. This is elaborated in Rule 141 of the Aircraft Rules, which states that “The Pilot-in-command (PIC) shall have final authority as to the disposition of the aircraft while he is in command.” The rule also states that the PIC “shall supervise and direct the other members of the crew in the proper discharge of their duties in the flight operations.” It further clarifies that “In addition to being responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during flight time, the Pilot-in-command shall be responsible for the safety of the passengers and cargo carried and for the maintenance of flight discipline and safety of the members of the crew.” This is indeed a very onerous task for any one individual, especially one who is flying above mother earth, in the third dimension. Why? It is because the PIC is human, and has all the capabilities and limitations like any other human being. These capabilities and limitations have been studied by experts in the respective fields. These are required to be known by pilots to get any aviation licence, and pilots are also being tested for the same, before issue of the licence. ‘Human factors’ is the term designated by the ICAO for this important area of study by pilots (and lately by others like ATCOs, Maintenance too). This article is not going to go into details of the physiological factors like hypoxia, hyperventilation, decompression sickness, fatigue, sleep, etc. or the factors like illusions that most of the pilots are familiar with. The author has participated/ facilitated CRM training and always felt that the training mainly focussed on the ‘What’ and ‘How’ of CRM, after briefly telling the participants about ‘Why’ it is important for the aviation industry to have an even lower accident rate. It is the author’s view that if the CRM training focussed more on convincing the participants of the ‘Why’ it is important for the participants, then the person would be more receptive, and self motivated to listen to the ‘how’ and ‘what’. This article will attempt to make a strong case for ‘Why’ CRM is important for any crew, and especially so for the Commander because it is the Commander who finally signs on to the task of undertaking a safe flight from A to B, with the help of the crew, of course. It seems simple and every Commander intellectually understands its importance, but this fact needs to be internalised and acted upon if we want to prevent accidents like the one at Mangalore, and others around the world, where in fully serviceable aircraft met with fatal accidents. It is a fact that with the new generation of highly reliable aircraft and engines, the major cause of accident is due to factors that are termed as human error. When an accident does[J1] take place due to human error, it was found that the accident happened due to the active failure in the hands of the pilot, but a number of passive errors had happened at various stages in the life cycle of the aircraft viz., the design, manufacturing, loading, servicing stage, etc. or have been caused due to an error by the regulator, company management, ATC, dispatch or by the meteorologist. The other fact is that in some cases the PIC was the final person who could have prevented the accident from happening. A human error accident in the hands of the pilot is an acceptance by industry professionals that the accident could have been prevented; thus a human error (aircrew) is more appropriately a ‘pilot preventable’ accident. This brings us to larger questions – Firstly, Do human beings like to err? And the answer is ‘No’. Secondly, do humans err? The answer is ‘Yes’. Think of the number of times one tries to open the lock with the wrong key, or punches in the wrong password. This implies that although no human likes to err, ‘to err is human’. This also implies that PICs, being human, are also prone to errors. Why? Research in to the human brain has brought out a large number of limitations of the brain. The following are some of the important memory (storage and retrieval of information) problems that most human beings, including pilots, suffer from: - • Absent mindedness – Forgetting due to lack of attention. • Blocking – Temporarily forgetting – “did he clear us to land?” • Transience – Forgetting information with time – “What is the Approach frequency…? • Misattribution – Forgetting the source of the information. • Suggestibility – Developing a false memory because of new information received during retrieval. • Bias – Unconscious reshaping of memory due to personal beliefs or mood. • Persistence – Negative distortion of a memory of a traumatic event. • Memory changes – Memory changes from person to person, and also within the same person due to reasons like physical & emotional health, stress, quality and quantity of sleep, diet and age. • Inattention blindness - Attention resources are very limited and it is a known fact that things to which we are not paying attention to are not perceived; more importantly if we are devoting attention to one task, then we may not have adequate attention resources for other maybe more important primary tasks – fixation – a cause factor in many aviation accidents. Inattention blindness is affected by the following factors: • Conspicuity – All warnings in the cockpit are designed keeping this in mind. • Mental workload and task interference • Low workload and the effects of automation – Low arousal; low performance. • Limited processing capability of the brain as compared to large acquiring capability of the five senses. In aviation eyes, ears (hearing and vestibular apparatus) and seat of the pants are the most relevant sense organs. For example in the human visual system, the amount of information coming down the optic nerve is estimated to be in the range of 10 million bits per second. This far exceeds what the brain is capable of fully processing and assimilating; about 16 bits/ second (max 40 bits/ second). Guess why two people looking at the same scene would pick up different images – this is primarily based on what is being paid attention to by each of them. • Limitations (in terms of time, and capacity) of the working memory (like the RAM in the computer) in humans. These severe limitations of the human information processing mechanism would convince any human about what he is up to when he/ she is interacting with the outside world and trying to make sense of what is going on, or in aviation parlance when he is trying to get and remain situationally aware. This already difficult situation becomes even worse when the same set of information is to be processed under time constraints, like in a non-normal or unanticipated situation in the air. Being situationally aware at all times is very important for a crew primarily because without being situationally aware it would not be possible to take the right decisions every time. Poor situational awareness leads to bad decisions; a situation that is detrimental to the task at hand – of ‘flying the aircraft safely and efficiently from one place to another’ – the primary task of the PIC. How do we ensure that we are situationally aware at all times, or regain situational awareness at the earliest, if it is lost due to any reason? This requires the application of crew resource management –the effective use of all available resources: human resources, hardware, and information.” The PIC is the final decision maker in the air, but knowing his/ her limitations, he should be the one who makes all efforts to use all available resources to become situationally aware, and there after go on to making the right decision. This sounds simple and logical but a glance through the history of aviation accidents/ incidents would be able to convince any pilot that this is not so. The reasons are many. The reasons could be attributed to the way in which an average human grows up in this world – our formative years in school where we are taught to excel as individuals and compete with each other to stand first in class/ sports etc. The same pattern continues through college, and life there after – our individual successes are celebrated. When we enter aviation, our first solo is the most celebrated event, and solo flights are cherished by ‘real pilots’. ‘The individual is required to be competitive, and is complete’, is the message that life has given us thus far. Even our traditional checks and proficiency testing in aviation are done on an individual basis – testing is of our skills as individual pilot’s (a column for CRM has also been added to the check proforma to assess the pilot’s CRM behaviour). The early pilot’s with the leather jackets, white silk scarves and glasses is the macho image of a pilot, which even today is ingrained in many individual pilot’s minds, some of whom have never been close to a fighter. The author flew single seat fighter aircraft for over two decades and can vouch for the fact that he always felt complete – missed out a few checks here and there; made approaches on the wrong runway; had ‘action total’ on first solo; miscalculated fuel in the air while doing low level navigation, etc. Single seat fighter flying accepted a certain amount of risk due to the nature of the task, but commercial aviation is required to be safe, and risk free. Commercial pilots have to work with a different mindset where the aim safe and efficient flying has to be kept paramount. Commercial pilot’s need to be convinced about using CRM techniques, if we wish to better aviation’s accident record. The rapid growth in aviation, leading to a larger number of departures, in the coming years would lead to larger number of accidents, if nothing is done to bring down the accident rate/ million departures. The accident rate in commercial aviation has been brought down substantially over the years, from the 1950 – 60s, due to the move from reciprocating engines to the more reliable jet engines as a means of propulsion, and due to usage of better technology. However, the accident rate has stagnated at a low figure over the past few decades – it has refused to reduce any further. The major cause of accidents is now human factors. Aviation’s greatest challenge is to tackle this cause factor if we wish to reduce the number of accidents, with the growth of aviation. The most significant contributions to reducing human error accidents can come from internalisation of CRM techniques by the pilot community, because the pilot is the last line of defence of preventing accidents in the aviation system. Being situationally aware in terms of our location, spatial orientation, environment, aircraft systems, time and fuel requires all inputs that are available to the PIC. It has been found in many accidents that the accident happened in the hands of a situationally unaware PIC, when he was the PF, even though other crew members were situationally aware – the Mangalore accident is our own case in point. What this implies is that the whole crew should be on the same page and there should be no unresolved issues in the cockpit. It is not the PF who causes an accident; it is the entire crew. Accidents happen because either the PIC does not ask for, or permit (through verbal or non verbal communications) free flow of relevant information between the crew, or the crew does not share the relevant information due to reasons that are part of being human. You can be disrespectful/ rude to a machine and it would even then give you the right information if you have pressed the right buttons and controls, but humans are different – we are emotional beings. Emotions are facts as far as humans are concerned. Our life should convince us that emotions always matter. Other reasons could be: a human may feel that the other is aware; knows every-thing; or the other does not need to be told as he is so experienced; or a plain ‘I am not OK, you are OK situation’; or ‘why should I tell him’ he is responsible for his actions. These may be false assumptions, as has been brought to light in a number of aircraft accident/ incident investigations. Similar to situation awareness, the PIC needs all the inputs to make a correct decision – two heads are always better than one; time permitting though. There may be times when there is no time available and the PIC would then need to take a decision, as he deems fit based on his training and experience. However, when time is available it is best to solicit opinions on the problem; options; pros and cons of each option before taking a decision. Each of these should be weighed in terms of ‘what’ is right, and not ‘who’ is right, under the given set of circumstances. After the decision has been made; and responsibilities assigned to implement the decision, it should be reviewed, and the same process of decision making (DODAR) should continue. This sounds simple but how do we ensure inputs from all sources? This can only happen by empowering the crew. It is the PIC’s responsibility to empower the crew by facilitating the formation of a team at the earliest opportunity provided. This seems difficult but is actually not so. All crew members on the line are trained, licensed, and proficient to do their jobs well. However, it should be remembered that proficient individuals do not always make competent teams. Our cricket team brings this out clearly. It is the responsibility of the leader, the Commander, to turn these competent individual crew members in to a competent team. The team members are technically qualified, trained and proficient to undertake the flight, and contribute to the task of a safe flight. However, it is the human aspects that need greater attention by each and every PIC before, during, and after the flight to ensure optimum performance from every crew member. A study of past accidents/ incidents points towards a deficiency in this area. Just thinking of the co-pilot as a ‘Second in Command’, and the cabin crew as additional ‘eyes, ears and brains’ that are available, would help the PIC in finding better ways to making optimum use of all the available human resources within the aircraft itself. In addition, there are other human resources available too via the Radio Telephony. This suggested way of thinking subtly implies that the PIC needs to internalise the fact that each one of his crew in the aircraft, besides others who are outside the aircraft, are making vital contributions to the accomplishment of the common goal of safe flight from A to B, while being assigned seemingly different roles. The contribution of the crew towards the achievement of the common goal should be emphasised, valued, and acknowledged during the first meeting of the crew at the reporting point itself through appropriate behaviours and communicated through words, tone, and body language, so as to create an effective leader/ team relationship. Research has shown that high performance Captains use three methods to build an effective leader/ team authority relationship. They establish their capability to assume the legitimate authority bestowed on them through law, by establishing competence through a well organised and logical briefing about the specific task at hand – each flight may follow the same routing, but no two flights can ever be the same. Having briefed, they balance the leader/ crew relationship by having the crew members take responsibility for the work of the group as well – this is an important element to empower the other crew members. One Captain is known to have made this statement before an extremely effective crew performance in the simulator: “I just want you guys to understand that they assign seats in this airplane based on seniority, not on the basis of competence. So anything you can see or do which will help out, I’d sure appreciate hearing about it.” Lastly, these Captains interact with humans (emotional beings, unlike robots) who would be filling in different roles on the flight. Crew were encouraged to converse and made to feel comfortable, particularly when conversation was related to the task at hand. Questions and comments were encouraged by all crew members on any aspects of the briefing/ task. By doing this, these Captains had set an authority pattern ranging from the authoritative to consultative, to participative and finally to the democratic. This is what balances the need of a single authority responsible for the safety of the flight with the contributions of all crew members to achieve a safe flight. It is important for the PIC to understand the role of verbal and non verbal communications in the accomplishment of the task. Effective communications before (in the form of a briefing), during (inquiring if something is amiss/ not as planned; advocating one’s own professional opinion, with reasons; etc.), and after the flight (a thorough critique is essential for learning/ team building and growth) is crucial towards effective team work on the aircraft. Effective communications is more likely to result in a situation where the crews are empowered. The regulator and the company management empower the crew by laying down rules, SOPs and checklists that are required to be followed. The PIC can empower them further by providing them the right leadership, through effective communications, and by communicating, and more importantly by following all laid down SOPs and checklists. As has already been brought out, the leadership style utilised by the PIC would vary from Autocratic (in time critical situations) to Consultative, to Participative, to Democratic. However, it should always be borne in mind that this does not absolve the PIC of any of his responsibilities as laid down by the law. The law gives the PIC the authority, but he needs to earn the respect of his team members by his behaviour. A PIC who respects the others will be respected by the others. The formation of the team starts the moment the individual crew members start assembling at the reporting point. The Captain must lead by example by following all checklists, laid down procedures and SOPs so that all crew members are on the same page, and know exactly what is being done, and what needs to be done at each stage of the flight. This helps the crew to identify, and point out deviations from the normal, which could be unintentional. Following the Captain’s lead, other crew members would be less tempted to resort to violations or the intentional disregard for laid down procedures. Sterile cockpit procedures are one such procedure that has been violated on a number of flights that have met with accidents or incidents. Sterile cockpit needs to be observed so that our single channel processing brain does not get distracted from the task at hand during crucial phases of flight. The Captain sets the tone for this, and is also responsible to ensure its sanctity by disciplining non conforming crew members. The workload in the cockpit keeps varying on different crew members during different times/ flights. Workload management is one of the key responsibilities of the Captain. He must ensure that the work load is evenly distributed and that no crew is over or underworked – both situations lead to a drop in the arousal levels and in turn affect the processing capabilities of the brain. High workload leads to stress and fatigue, and its attendant problems, whereas under load leads to boredom, sleepiness, and loss of attention. Low workload situations are encountered during auto-pilot cruise on long flights. The Captain must ensure that the crew continue to monitor the systems for correct functioning. Even when the aircraft is on autopilot, the PF is responsible to ensure that the flight is on the desired trajectory and the systems are functioning as designed. The PM (PNF) must monitor any changes, even when engaged in non critical activities like flight plan, tuning, communications, etc. The standard dictum of flight prioritisation viz., ‘Aviate, Navigate and communicate’ should be followed. High or low workload, it is a known fact that a highly motivated individual performs better under all conditions. Motivating pilots is relatively simple because most love their job – it is easier to motivate an individual who loves his job, as the motivator is in the job content itself. The Commander should try and provide opportunities for the crew to grow, of course within the laid down regulations. This is very motivating for the crew and the performance of the team improves. Mentoring a relatively inexperienced crew member pays rich dividends in terms of motivation and job satisfaction for both the mentor and the mentee. Having gone through this paper, one is tempted to ask, “So what is CRM?” It is nothing but understanding that aviation is a complex system; we are human in that our physical, physiological and psychological performance keeps changing and that our information processing system has serious limitations (specially under time critical situations); that humans are emotional beings; that we need all the help possible to fly safely from A to B; that it is humanly not possible to do things by ourselves and that other crew members can be a big help, but would need to be led, motivated, involved to bring out their most optimum performance. Past accidents provide evidence that technical competence is an important requirement, but not the only requirement for safe operations; interpersonal and cognitive (information processing has severe limitations, especially under time critical situations) functions also have to be integrated in to flight operations to achieve a safe flight. Finally, CRM is a concept that recognises the critical role of human factors in determining the effectiveness of technically proficient crew in both normal and non normal situations and gives one a practical approach which can help in an attitudinal/ behavioural change so that competent individuals can come together to form a competent team. How does one recognise a competent team from just a technically proficient team? A competent team is one that can operate a safe and efficient flight from A to B, and also terminate the flight with the crews deriving satisfaction from working as valued professional members of the team, and also with a readiness/ willingness to perform together as a crew in the future.
Monday, June 26, 2017 The Challenge of Electrifying Africa \Electricity is the bloodstream of modern economies: powering lights, cooking, heating/cooling, motors, information technology, and more. Conversely, the lack of electrification across countries of sub-Saharan Africa is an anchor holding back their economic future. Simone Tagliapietra lays out some of the issues in "Electrifying Africa: how to make Europe’s contribution count," written as a Bruegel Policy Contribution (Issue #17, June 2017). He writes: "Less than a third of the sub-Saharan population has access to electricity, and around 600,000 premature deaths are caused each year by household air pollution resulting from the use of polluting fuels for cooking and lighting. Solving the issue is a fundamental prerequisite for unleashing sub-Saharan Africa’s economic potential. Given the magnitude of the challenge, only a joint effort involving sub-Saharan African countries and international public and private parties would pave the way to a solution. .... "Electrification rates in sub-Saharan African countries average 35 percent ... The situation is even starker in rural areas, where the average electrification rate in sub-Saharan Africa stands at 16 percent ... Furthermore, the number of people living without electricity in sub-Saharan Africa is rising, as ongoing electrification efforts are outpaced by rapid population growth. ... In sub-Saharan Africa, average electricity consumption per capita is 201 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, compared to 4,200 kWh in South Africa and 1,500 kWh in North African countries. The situation is even worse in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa with access to electricity, where electricity consumption per capita remains even below 100 kWh per year." For comparison, per capital electricity consumption in high-income countries around the world is about 9,000 kWh. Here's a heat map showing the share of population with access to electricity around the world. Perhaps just as disturbing as the lack of electricity across many areas of Africa is that even the seemingly aggressive plans in place--essentially, to triple electricity capacity by 2030--would lead to less than half of what is needed to provide provide full access to Africa's population at that time (leaving aside the question of what quantity will be available on a per capita basis). Tagliapietra writes: "The jump in capacity [forecast for 2030] is projected to be based mainly on hydropower (35 percent of total capacity in 2030) and gas (27 percent), plus oil (16 percent), coal (10 percent), solar photovoltaic (6 percent), geothermal (2 percent), biomass (2 percent) and wind (2 percent). Such a development lacks ambition, both quantitatively and qualitatively. From the quantitative perspective, reaching a level of total electrical capacity of 167 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 would not be sufficient to ensure access to electricity to all people in sub-Saharan Africa. The electrical capacity of sub-Saharan Africa would need to be expanded up to 400GW by 2030 in order to guarantee energy access to all." Of course, there are arguments about how this expansion of electrical capacity should happen. There are on-grid methods like expanding hydropower, which does not emit greenhouse gases, but if done at large scale implies large dams that pose their own environmental and social challenges There are proposals for widespread use of off-grid or mini-grid sources, from renewables to diesel generators. I'm open to all kinds of proposals, as long as the plausible addition to electrical capacity is genuinely large--a multiple of existing levels. The current electricity utilities across Africa are not financially sustainable,and aren't up for this job. "Sub-Saharan African electricity utilities are currently simply not financially sustainable. The seminal study by Trimble et al (2016) showed that across sub-Saharan Africa only the utilities in the Seychelles and Uganda fully cover their operational and capital expenditures. All other sub-Saharan African utilities run in quasi-fiscal deficit (ie defined as the difference between the actual revenue collected and the revenue required to fully recover the operating costs of production and capital depreciation), and thus need to be subsidised by the state." So the focus has been on outside sources of finance. The amounts involves are not earthshaking in a global context. "Enerdata (2017) estimates that from 2015 to 2030, sub-Saharan Africa will need around $500 billion in investment just to scale-up electricity generation. An equal amount of investment will be needed to scale-up electricity transmission and distribution lines. About $1 trillion by 2030 (or about $70 billion per year) will thus be needed to expand sub-Saharan Africa’s electricity sector in order to ensure universal access to electricity by 2030." Where might that $70 billion per year come from? One source of funds could easily be a reallocatino within a number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. At Tagliapietra points out, "Sub-Saharan African countries spend about US$ 25 billion each year in energy. This substantial amount of budgetary resource is mainly used to subsidise inefficient and wasteful electricity utilities and, in certain cases, to subsidise old forms of energy, such as kerosene. Redirecting these resources into productive energy investments would be a vital step in reshaping sub-Saharan Africa’s energy systems." In recent years, about one-third of the addition to Africa's electrical capacity has come from Chinese-based firms. The US government launched a Power Africa initiative, working with a number of intenational agencies, back in 2013. Congress approved financial support for the program unanimously in February 2016, based on a combination of a worthy goal and the opportunities for US exporters to provide goods and services in support of African electrification. A chunk of Tagliapietra's article is about how Europe might create a parallel initiative. Of course, a mass-scale expansion of electricity is an issue where financial resources are necessary, but not sufficient. Political leadership within nations of Africa will need to play a central role, too. Those interested in issues relating to the countries of sub-Saharan African might also want to check out these relatively recent posts: Saturday, June 24, 2017 Alan Blinder: Lamppost Theory and Dysfunctional Politics Alan Blinder is working on a book with the working title The Lamppost Theory: Why Economic Policy So Often Comes Up Short. The title is based on an old metaphor that academic economists use to convey their relationship with politicians: “Politicians use economics in the same way that a drunk uses lampposts—for support rather than illumination.” Blinder participated last week in a symposium on this topic at the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution (which can be watched online at the link), and one of his discussion slides offers the following thought experiment. "Imagine that rewriting the tax code was assigned to a bunch of technocratic experts—with instructions from Congress—and then brought back to Congress for an up-or-down vote. ... • Chances that we’d get a vastly better tax code: about 100% • Chances that this will happen: about 0% • Q: Does that make you think there’s something wrong?" Of course, Blinder's point is could also be applied to other settings, like health care reform, or reform of public pensions, or allocation of spending within various departments. Indeed, the way in which our political system was able to close some military bases was to have a group of experts come up with a list of what bases would be closed, and then require the political process to confirm or oppose the entire list as a group, rather than picking the list to pieces and eventually doing little or nothing. It can be hard for group with weak hierarchies to make decisions. Group members need to find a balance between making their own contributions in some areas but acquiescing to the group in others. To make this work, it takes a skilled political leadership with a combination of policy-related and hands-on managerial skills, together with group members who see themselves as acting in the context of a broader whole, not just as grandstanding individuals. The US political system seems lacking in these areas. Friday, June 23, 2017 Tobacco Taxes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries The appropriate taxation and regulation of tobacco use is well-trodden ground in US policy: after all, the breakthrough announcement by the US Surgeon General that "smoking is hazardous to your health" happened back in 1964 (for a commemoration of the 50th anniversary, see "Smoking, 50 Years Later," January 28, 2014). But there's a renewed stir about tobacco policy in the last few years, driven this time by an international focus. For example, back in June 2015 William Savedoff and Albert Alwang wrote "The Single Best Health Policy in theWorld: Tobacco Taxes" (Center for Global Development Policy Paper 062). They write: "Tobacco use is the largest cause of preventable disease and death in the world. ... A 10 percent increase in the real price of cigarettes leads to an average 4 percent reduction in tobacco consumption. ... Tobacco taxes are one of the most cost-effective health interventions available. Using taxes to raise the price of tobacco products in low- and middle income countries costs between US$3 – US$70 for each additional year of life (as measured by Disability Adjusted Life Years or DALYs) (Ranson 2002), comparable to the cost of child immunization." Last November, the Fiscal Affairs Group at the IMF put out a report called "How to Design and EnforceTobacco Excises?" In April 2017, the World Bank held a two-day event titled "Tobacco Taxation: Win-Win for Public Health and Domestic Resources Mobilization Conference" (the agenda and slides for some of the presentations are here). But for those who want a genuine doorstop of a report summarizing the state of knowledge on these issues, the useful starting point is the nearly 700-page report from the National Cancer Institute and the World Health Organization, "The Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Control" (December 2016). It includes an early chapter on "The Economic Costs of Tobacco Use, With a Focus on Low- and Middle-Income Countries," as well as discussions of supply and demand factors affecting tobacco use and the range of public policy options. Here, I'll just mention a few main themes that caught my eye, some of which may be useful for generating classroom discussion and lecture examples. Pretty much every report on the economics of tobacco taxation, and this one is no exception, quotes Adam Smith's thoughts on the subject (The Wealth of Nations, Book V, Chapter III): "Sugar, rum, and tobacco are commodities which are nowhere necessaries of life, which are become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are therefore extremely proper subjects of taxation. ... In the meantime the people might be relieved from some of the most burdensome taxes; from those which are imposed either upon the necessaries of life, or upon the materials of manufacture." In calculating the effects of a tobacco tax, a key parameter is how the higher price will affect the quantity of tobacco demanded. The NCI/WHO report notes (footnotes omitted): "Price elasticity of demand is the key economic concept used to understand or measure changes in cigarette consumption resulting from changes in the excise tax and in the retail price of cigarettes. In an economic context, elasticity refers to the responsiveness of one variable to a change in another variable. The price elasticity of demand measures how responsive demand (or consumption) is to a change in the price of the product. Technically, the price elasticity of demand is the percentage change in the consumption of a product in response to a 1% change in the price of the product, with all else remaining constant. As will be discussed below, nearly all empirical studies have found that the price elasticity of demand for tobacco products lies between zero and minus one. Estimates for high-income countries (HICs) are clustered around –0.4; estimates for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are more variable and somewhat greater in absolute terms (further from zero), with estimates clustered around –0.5. In other words, for HICs, a 10% increase in the price of tobacco is expected to decrease tobacco consumption by 4%. For LMICs, a 10% increase in price would be expected to decrease tobacco consumption by 5%. Thus, tax and price increases are a potentially potent tobacco control tool in all countries. "Many econometric studies have estimated price elasticities for other aspects of tobacco use beyond consumption, including prevalence, cessation, initiation, duration of smoking, frequency of smoking (e.g., daily vs. non-daily), and conditional demand (amount of the product consumed conditional on being a user of that product). Still others have estimated cross-price elasticities of the demand for tobacco products—that is, the impact of a change in the price of one tobacco product (e.g., cigarettes) on the use of another tobacco product (e.g., smokeless tobacco), or of a change in the price of a subcategory of one product (e.g., premium cigarette brands) on the use of a different subcategory of that product (e.g., discount cigarette brands)." Of course, the responsiveness of tobacco use to tax policy varies by group. For example, the immediate effect of a tobacco tax increase over the short-run of a year or two will be smaller (a common finding is about half as large) than the long-run effect over time. Smoking by younger people, not yet as well-established in the habit, tends to be more responsive to higher tobacco taxes than smoking by older people. And people in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) tend to respond more strongly to higher tobacco taxes than those in higher income countries. The NCI/WHO report states: "In summary, the number of studies based on aggregate measures of tobacco use in HICs is growing. These studies are becoming increasingly sophisticated over time, and the resulting estimates of price elasticity are remarkably consistent. Regarding the short-run price elasticities for cigarette demand, most estimates have clustered around –0.4, with the majority ranging from –0.2 to –0.6. Early studies of tobacco use in LMICs produced wide estimates of price elasticity, with most suggesting that cigarette demand in LMICs is much more responsive to price than cigarette demand in HICs. The rapid expansion of research in LMICs in recent years indicates that the range of price elasticity estimates has narrowed somewhat, with the majority of short-run price elasticity estimates falling between –0.2 and –0.8, with many clustering around –0.5. In all countries, studies that model the addictive nature of tobacco use conclude that the long-run price elasticity of demand is greater than that estimated for the short run. Price elasticity estimates tend to be more inelastic in countries where low-priced, relatively affordable cigarettes are widely available. "Since the early 1990s, many studies based on U.S. cross-sectional data have confirmed Lewit and colleagues’ 1981 conclusion that youth smoking is more responsive to price than adult smoking. For example, using data from the 1992–1994 Monitoring the Future surveys, Chaloupka and Grossman estimated an overall price elasticity of –1.31 for youth smoking. In a later study with similar findings, Lewit and colleagues examined the impact of cigarette prices on youth smoking prevalence and intentions to smoke. Data for this study came from cross-sectional surveys of 9th-grade students in 1990 and 1992 from the 22 U.S. and Canadian sites in the Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation. This study estimated that the price elasticity of youth smoking prevalence was –0.87, and the price elasticity of intentions to smoke by nonsmoking youth was –0.95. These results indicate that youth are somewhat more sensitive to price than adults." One difficulty for economists in thinking about tobacco policy is that many of the effects of smoking are felt by the smoker. If people choose to smoke, with knowledge of the health consequences, then who are economists or public health experts to say they are wrong? Of course, the issue of second-hand smoke or the effects of pregnant women smoking are different here--those are external effects on others. But for many smokers, the issue is one that economists sometimes refer to as "internalities," where your own decisions have an undesired and unexpected on yourself. If smokers are hooked by a habit whose power and effects they do not fully anticipate, then one can make a case for policies that make tobacco use more costly, or quitting easier. The report notes: "Smokers tend to hold erroneous beliefs about smoking and health: They think they will be able to quit when they want to, that low-tar cigarettes are less harmful than other cigarettes, that they are in a lower risk group compared with other smokers, or that the general health risks do not apply to them as individuals. In fact, many adult tobacco users struggle with quitting, the great majority of smokers regret having started, and young people taking up tobacco use significantly underestimate the addictive potential of these products and overestimate their likelihood of quitting in the future." One reason for the ongoing focus on smoking in low- and middle-income countries is that tobacco taxes are already relatively high in many high-income countries. As a result, the potential gains to public health (and the potential for using tobacco taxes to raise government revenue) are greater in many low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, tobacco taxes in low- and middle-income countries as a group have barely budged in the last couple of decades. The report notes (footnotes and references to tables omitted): "Total tax burden is defined as the sum of all taxes—including general sales taxes, such as a value-added tax—expressed as a percentage of the retail price. According to the 1999 World Bank publication Curbing the Epidemic: Governments and the Economics of Tobacco Control, the total tax burden on cigarettes is highest in HICs and decreases as a country’s income level decreases. Using 1996 data for the sample of countries in this study, the average tax burden was 67% in HICs, 50% in upper middle-income countries, 46% in lower middle-income countries, and 40% in low-income countries. A similar analysis based on 180 countries was performed by WHO in 2014 using the World Bank’s income categories. Although the choice of descriptive statistics (i.e., unweighted/simple average, weighted average, and median) substantially influences the results, the 2014 WHO data confirm the earlier World Bank findings that the tax burden is higher for HICs and lower for LMICs. In fact, considering unweighted average tax burdens, the picture in 2014 is not different from that in 1996." The rhetoric around tobacco taxes can become overheated. For example, the preface of the NCI/WHO report states at one point: "Globally, approximately six million people a year die from diseases caused by tobacco use, including 600,000 from exposure to secondhand smoke. This is six million too many. Every single death from tobacco is a preventable tragedy." But the notion that public policy should seek to prevent "every single death from tobacco" is an extreme form of prohibitionism. People act in many ways affect health: diet, exercise, driving cars, not taking a multivitamin ever day. In all of these areas, public policy can provide some information and incentives for healthier behavior, while still stopping far short of invasive micromanagement of people's day-to-day activities. In the US, federal cigarette taxes were raised dramatically in 2009, and many states have additional tobacco taxes of their own. But in many low- and middle-income countries, raising their low tobacco taxes to higher levels offers a substantial gains to public health--along with a government revenue source that does not discourage working, hiring, or saving. Thursday, June 22, 2017 The Story of Robert Keayne, Protocapitalist Self-made entrepreneurs often generate a mixed public response. On one side, there is often an appreciation for their skills, the economic dynamism they provide, and in some cases for the charitable work funded by their earlier profits. For example, remember the ecomiums written when hard-boiled capitalist and hard-driving manager Steve Jobs died, or consider the current feelings about Bill Gates which are now filtered through the perception of work done by the Gates Foundation. On the other side, there is a deep-seated suspicion that "behind every great fortune is a great crime" (which seems to be an off-kilter paraphrase of a comment from a play by Balzac), and a belief that such a fortune must have resulted in substantial part from hard and exploitative dealing. This tension reaches far back into American history, well before the creation of the United States. John Paul Rollert tells the story of protocapitalist Robert Keayne in "When making a profit was immoral," which appears in the Chicago Booth Review (Summer 2017). Rollert writes: "Keayne was born in 1595 in Berkshire, England, not far from Windsor Castle. A humble butcher’s son, he would later note that he had received “no portion from my parents or friends to begin the world withal.” Accordingly, he obtained little in the way of formal education and was apprenticed at 10 years old to John Heyfield, a merchant-tailor in London. ... "Keayne successfully completed his eight-year contract before striking out on his own. He proved adept at his trade, a blessing that was compounded by marrying well in his early 20s. By 1634, Keayne was prosperous enough to wager £100 on the Massachusetts Bay Company. It was an enormous sum, more than double the yearly income of the average wageworker in Victorian England 250 years later. The risk, however, was in keeping with Keayne’s conscience, which had been inflamed and enlightened by Puritan evangelists, while also being a considered bet by a savvy merchant on the bounty of a brave new world just across the ocean. "Along with Anne, his wife, and beloved Ben, the only one of his four children to survive infancy, Keayne voyaged to Boston in 1635, swiftly becoming one of the city’s most distinguished and widely despised merchants. In fact, we only know so much about him because of the 50,000-word will that he began writing in 1653, three years before his death, to provide a full account of his life and the probity of his business affairs in order to “cleare myself in all material things.” ... "In 1639, only four years after he had arrived in town, Keayne was accused of “oppression” in his dealings, a catch-all term that covered any instance of buyers or sellers taking advantage of the ignorance or necessity of one another in a business transaction. The specific charge was that he had sold sixpenny nails for 10 pence a pound, reaping a healthy profit off his neighbor. Too healthy, it seemed, for the customary profit margin on basic goods in the colony was between 10 and 30 percent. "Keayne argued that the matter was a simple misunderstanding, willful on the part of his accuser. He said that the man had originally purchased sixpenny nails on credit for 8 pence a pound and later exchanged them for eightpenny nails at 10 pence a pound, a profit margin of only 20 percent (hardly a “haynous sine,” Keayne observed in his will). It was only when Keayne asked him to pay off his balance, after giving him ample time to do so, that the man brought his suit to the authorities, with the accusation of oppressive pricing. "Early on during the trial, Keayne made a strong show of defending himself, with the messenger who delivered the second bag of nails testifying on his behalf, but then a raft of townspeople came forward to levy similar charges against him. As John Winthrop, the governor of the settlement and perhaps the most esteemed man in Boston, wrote in his diary, Keayne was widely known for being “notoriously above others observed and complained of” for the prices he charged and had been “admonished, both by private friends and also by some of the magistrates and elders”—all, it seemed, to no effect. He was convicted by the General Court of the offense, which had broadened beyond a single transaction to encompass a general way of doing business, and fined £200, a sum that was later reduced to £80. "Had the matter rested there, one suspects that Keayne would still have complained in his will of the “deep and sharpe censure that was layd upon me,” but the incident would not have been the defining moment of his professional career and, perhaps, his life. But then the elders of the First Church of Boston took up the matter to determine whether an ecclesiastical reproach was also warranted. "Keayne was fortunate to escape the most serious punishment, excommunication. That sentence was passed on eight offenses related to economic matters between 1630 and 1654, a period when only 40 such sentences were given, tantamount, as they were, to consigning one to eternal damnation. Instead, Keayne was formally admonished, according to the records of the First Church, “for selling his wares at excessive Rates, to the Dishonor of Gods name, the Offense of the Generall Cort, and the Publique scandal of the Cuntry,” a censure he lived under until the following May, when he became “Reconciled to the Church.” "Keayne continued to attend services, and the day after the rebuke was handed down, the Reverend John Cotton, the city’s foremost theologian, delivered a sermon that was obviously inspired by the wayward merchant. The subject, Winthrop wrote in his diary, was the “false principles” of trade that so many merchants seemed to abide by. They were recorded by Winthrop as follows: • That a man might sell as dear as he can, and buy as cheap as he can. • If a man lose by casualty of sea, etc., in some of his commodities, he may raise the price of the rest. • Where one gives time for payment, he is to take like recompense of one as of another. Again, following these bullet points are considered “false principles,” and following such principles was considered grounds for censure or even excommunication. The guiding social/religious principle for merchants, as Rollert quotes in the words of the famous Puritan John Bunyan (author of The Pilgrim's Progress) is that "A man in dealing should as really design his neighbour’s good, profit and advantage, as his own.” In the modern lingo, the parallel comment would be that there is a corporate social responsibility that all stakeholders should be taken into account. The story of Robert Keayne's last will and testament seems to have been unearthed some decades ago by Bernard Bailyn, who described "The Apologia of Robert Keayne" in the William and Mary Quarterly (7:4, October 1950, pp. 568-587, available through JSTOR). Keayne's actual will from 1653 was reprinted in 1886 in "A Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston containing miscellaneous papers," which is available through the magic of HathiTrust. Bailyn writes: "When his executors came to open this Last Will and Testament they found not only a complicated allocation of his worldly goods but an outpouring of long suppressed indignation, a helter-skelter apologia pro vita sua and a reiterated demand that justice be done him even if only in memory. It had taken him five months to write out the document, and when the will was copied into the first volume of the probate records of Suffolk County it filled no less than 158 pages ... The resulting 5I,000 words provide an insight into the workings of a seventeenth-century mind. What he had "here writt out of the greife and trouble of my heart" was an appeal to the Puritan conscience of New England to reconsider its "un- christian, uncharitable and unjust reproaches and slandrs" against him, and raised the hope "that such which have taken liberties to load me with divers reproaches and long to lay me under a darke cloude may have cause to see that they have done amisse and now to be sorry for it though they have not beene so before." Of course, we don't know the ins and outs of the dispute over the price of nails (which were a highly valuable commodity at the time). We do know that Keayne rose from being an impoverished apprentice to being one of the wealthiest men in the Boston of his time. We know that he had enemies, and that some of the accusations made against him were false, and that he a high-profile court case was decided against him. We also know that he gave considerable money to the poor and to the city throughout his life, and even left a bequest to Harvard. We also know that he was often chosen for responsible positions. Baily writes: "Until his death in 1656, however, despite unpopularity and repeated controversies with his fellow citizens, Robert Keayne continued to fill responsible public positions. He held his earliest public office in 1636, when the Boston Town Meeting elected him to a committee charged with the ordering of all land allotments and other business except elections. In the years that followed he was reelected selectman four times, chosen as a representative to the General Court at least seven times and served in innumerable lesser functions such as surveyor of the highways." From a modern view, almost 400 years later, Robert Keayne seems like a many of considerable practical talent, trying to combine a life of capitalist success and Puritan moral values--and sometimes getting caught in grinding of these two forces. (For a discussion of price controls in the colonial United States at the time of the Revolutionary War, see "Price Controls in the Colonial United States: "A Sharping Set of Mushroom Pedlers" (December 27, 2016). Tuesday, June 20, 2017 Unions in Decline: Some International Comparisons Union membership and clout has been dropping in the US economy for decades. But it's not just a US phenomenon: a similar drop is happening in many high-income countries. The OECD Employment Outlook 2017 discussed the evidence in "Chapter 4: Collective Bargaining in a Changing World of Work." Here are a couple of illustrative figures. Across the OECD countries, about 17% of workers belong to a union. As the report notes: "Trade union density has been declining steadily in most OECD and accession countries over the last three decades (Figure 4.2). Only Iceland, Belgium, and Spain have experienced a (very) small increase in trade union density since 1985 ..." In each of the panels, the solid black line is the overall OECD average, for ease of comparison. Here's a parallel figure showing comparisons across countries for "collective bargaining coverage," which is the share of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. On average, union bargaining coverage in OECD countries declined from 45% in 1985 to 33% by 2013. The distinction between these figures should make the point that a number of countries have rules which in some cases require that firms pay non-union workers similarly to union workers. Conversely, many of the same countries also have a raft of possible exceptions to these rules. The OECD chapter provides a more detailed discussion of these ins and outs. But several overall patterns seem clear. 1) Labor union power is weaker just about everywhere. 3) In the next few decades, the big-picture question for union workers, and indeed for all workers, is how to adjust their workplace skills and tasks so that they remain valued contributors in an economy characterized by new technologies and global ties. Workers need political representation--whether in the form of unions or in some other form--that goes beyond arguing for near-term pay raises, and considers the difficult problem of how to raise the chances for sustained pay raises and secure jobs into the future. Friday, June 16, 2017 An Update on Foreign Direct Investment Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Competition Issues in Seed and Agricultural Chemicals Bar chart Line chart
How Music Affects The Human Brain Music can help the brain of musicians Scientists have found music trains the brain for higher levels of thinking. The information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain. Activities which engages both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument, causes the brain to be more capable of processing information. Music connects and develops the motor systems of the brain, and enhances coordination, concentration and memory. In a recent study at the University of California, it was found that music increases spatial-temporal reasoning — the reasoning used in learning higher forms of math and science. High school students who study music have higher grade point averages than those who don’t.
Senior Cat Behavioral Changes Cats are so good at covering up health issues. Often, pet parents of a senior cat might not realize there’s a problem until it’s too late.senior cat Dr. Cindy Houlihan, DVM, owner of The Cat Practice of Birmingham, MI, states that the age range where cats are generally classified as senior is between the ages of seven and 10. Arthritis is a common condition in senior cats as they age. This often begins at the age of seven and is seen via an x-ray. The most common signs are: • Limping • Walking “hunched up” • Problems getting in and out of the litter box • Problems defecating because of difficulty squatting Other common issues that generally arise as a cat ages are changes in the look, color and consistence, as well as size and quality of bowel movements and difficulty eating and drinking. Issues with eating and drinking may be alleviated by elevating food and water bowls. Besides physical issues, cats often exhibit cognitive changes as they age. After 16 years of age, cats often stare off in the distance and look confused for a few moments. They might vocalize in confusion, have sight and hearing issues, have diminished hearing and eyesight and sleep more deeply. Changes in senior cat behavior such as being cranky and irritable due to pain when being petted are common. In cases such as this, Houlihan recommends trying to help them by purchasing a heated bed, a litter box with lower sides and a step stool. Photo Source: 1001slide Written by Stephanie Newman Stephanie Newman
Shinto, Shinotoism, or kami-no-michi meaning "the way of the gods" is the indigenous religion of Japan and the Japanese people. These practices are carried out diligently, since the practice links the present-day Japan with the ancestral Japan. Shinto practices were first recorded in the historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology. Shinto today is a term that applies to public shrines suited to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian Periods. The word Shinto ("Way of the Gods") was adopted from the written Chinese (神道, pinyin: shén dào), combining two kanji: "shin" (神?), meaning "spirit" or kami; and "tō" (道?), meaning a philosophical path or study (from the Chinese word dào). Kami are defined in English as "spirits", "essences" or "deities", that are associated with many understood formats; in some cases being human-like, in others being animistic, and others being associated with more abstract "natural" forces in the world (mountains, rivers, lightning, wind, waves, trees, rocks). Kami and people are not separate; they exist within the same world and share its interrelated complexity. There are currently 119 million observers of Shinto in Japan, although a person who practices any manner of Shinto rituals may be so counted. The vast majority of Japanese people who take part in Shinto rituals also practice Buddhist ancestor worship. However, unlike many monotheistic religious practices, Shinto and Buddhism typically do not require professing faith to be a believer or a practitioner, and as such it is difficult to query for exact figures based on self-identification of belief within Japan. Due to the syncretic nature of Shinto and Buddhism, most "life" events are handled by Shinto and "death" or "afterlife" events are handled by Buddhism—for example, it is typical in Japan to register or celebrate a birth at a Shinto shrine, while funeral arrangements are generally dictated by Buddhist tradition—although the division is not exclusive. Creation MythEdit Shinto teaches that everything contains a kami (神 "spiritual essence"?, commonly translated as god or spirit). Shinto's spirits are collectively called yaoyorozu no kami (八百万の神?), an expression literally meaning "eight million kami", but interpreted as meaning "myriad", although it can be translated as "many Kami". There is a phonetic variation kamu and a similar word among Ainu kamui. There is an analog "mi-koto". Kami are a difficult concept to translate as there is no direct similar construct in English. Kami is generally accepted to describe the innate supernatural force that is above the actions of man, the realm of the sacred, and is inclusive of gods, spirit figures, and human ancestors. All mythological creatures of the Japanese cultural tradition, of the Buddhistic tradition, Christian God, Hindu gods, Islamic Allah, various angels and demons of all faiths among others are considered Kami for the purpose of Shinto faith. The kami reside in all things, but certain places are designated for the interface of people and kami (the common world and the sacred): sacred nature, shrines, and kamidana. There are natural places considered to have an unusually sacred spirit about them, and are objects of worship. They are frequently mountains, trees, unusual rocks, rivers, waterfalls, and other natural edifices. In most cases they are on or near a shrine grounds. The shrine is a building built in which to house the kami, with a separation from the "ordinary" world through sacred space with defined features based on the age and lineage of the shrine. The kamidana is a home shrine (placed on a wall in the home) that is a "kami residence" that acts as a substitute for a large shrine on a daily basis. In each case the object of worship is considered a sacred space inside which the kami spirit actually dwells, being treated with the utmost respect and deference. Types of ShintoEdit To distinguish between these different focuses of emphasis within Shinto, many feel it is important to separate Shinto into different types of Shinto expression. • Shrine Shinto (神社神道 jinja-shintō?) is the most prevalent of the Shinto types. It has always been a part of Japan's history and constitutes the main current of Shinto tradition. Shrine Shinto is associated in the popular imagination with summer festivals, good luck charms, making wishes, holding groundbreaking ceremonies, and showing support for the nation of Japan. Before the Meiji Restoration, shrines were disorganized institutions usually attached to Buddhist temples, but they were claimed by the government during the imperial period for patriotic use and systematized. The successor to the imperial organization, the Association of Shinto Shrines, oversees about 80,000 shrines nationwide. • Imperial Household Shinto (皇室神道 Kōshitsu-shintō?) are the religious rites performed exclusively by the Imperial Family at the three shrines on the Imperial grounds, including the Ancestral Spirits Sanctuary (Kōrei-den) and the Sanctuary of the Kami (Shin-den). • Folk Shinto (民俗神道 minzoku-shintō?) includes the numerous but fragmented folk beliefs in deities and spirits. Practices include divination, spirit possession, and shamanic healing. Some of their practices come from Taoism, Buddhism, or Confucianism, but most come from ancient local traditions. • Sect Shinto (宗派神道 shūha-shintō?) is a legal designation originally created in the 1890s to separate government-owned shrines from local religious practices. They do not have shrines, but conduct religious activities in meeting halls. Shinto sects include the mountain-worship sects, who focus on worshipping mountains like Mount Fuji, faith-healing sects, purification sects, Confucian sects, and Revival Shinto sects. The remainder of Sectarian Shinto is New Sect Shinto. The current groups of Sect Shinto are Kurozumikyo, Shinto Shuseiha, Izumo Oyashirokyo, Fusokyo, Jikkokyo, Shinshukyo, Shinto Taiseikyo, Ontakekyo, Shinto Taikyo, Misogikyo, Shinrikyo and Konkokyo. An association of Sect Shintoists also exists. • Koshintō (古神道 ko-shintō?), literally "Old Shinto", is a reconstructed "Shinto from before the time of Buddhism", today based on Ainu and Ryukyuan practices. It continues the Restoration movement begun by Hirata Atsutane. All these main types of Shinto and some subtypes have given birth to many and diverse schools and sects since medieval times to the present days. A list of the most relevant can be found at the article Shinto sects and schools. There are a number of symbolic and real barriers that exist between the normal world and the shrine grounds including: statues of protection, gates, fences, ropes, and other delineations of ordinary to sacred space. Usually there will be only one or sometimes two approaches to the Shrine for the public and all will have the torii over the way. In shrine compounds, there are a haiden or public hall of worship, heiden or hall of offerings and the honden. The innermost precinct of the grounds is the honden or worship hall, which is entered only by the high priest, or worshippers on certain occasions. The honden houses the symbol of the enshrined kami. The heart of the shrine is periodic rituals, spiritual events in parishioners' lives, and festivals. All of this is organized by priests who are both spiritual conduits and administrators. Shrines are private institutions, and are supported financially by the congregation and visitors. The better-known shrines may have festivals that attract hundreds of thousands, especially in the New Year season. Shinto teaches that certain deeds create a kind of ritual impurity that one should want cleansed for one's own peace of mind and good fortune rather than because impurity is wrong. Wrong deeds are called "impurity" (穢れ kegare), which is opposed to "purity" (清め kiyome). Normal days are called "day" (ke), and festive days are called "sunny" or, simply, "good" (hare). Those who are killed without being shown gratitude for their sacrifice will hold a grudge (怨み urami) (grudge) and become powerful and evil kami who seek revenge (aragami). Additionally, if anyone is injured on the grounds of a shrine, the area must be ritually purified. Purification - Harai or OharaiEdit It is common for families to participate in ceremonies for children at a shrine, yet have a Buddhist funeral at the time of death. The Japanese conception of the afterlife, however, can sometimes take a distinctly non-Buddhist turn. In old Japanese legends, it is often claimed that the dead go to a place called yomi (黄泉), a gloomy underground realm with a river separating the living from the dead. This yomi is very close to the Greek Hades. Unlike many religions, one does not need to publicly profess belief in Shinto to be a believer. Whenever a child is born in Japan, a local Shinto shrine adds the child's name to a list kept at the shrine and declares him or her a "family child" (氏子 ujiko). After death an ujiko becomes a "family spirit", or "family kami" (氏神 ujigami). One may choose to have one's name added to another list when moving and then be listed at both places. Omairi - Visiting A ShrineEdit Any person may visit a shrine and one need not be "Shinto" to do this. Typically there are a few basic steps to visiting a shrine. • Approach the entrance and bow respectfully before entering. Harai (or Harae)Edit The rite of ritual purification, usually done daily at a shrine and is a ceremony of offerings and prayers of several forms. Shinsen (food offerings of fruit, fish, vegetables), Tamagushi (Sakaki Tree Branches), Shio (salt), Gohan (rice), Mochi (rice paste), and Sake (rice wine) are all typical offerings. On holidays and other special occasions the inner shrine doors may be opened and special offerings made. Misogi Harai — Water PurificationEdit Also known as: Misogi Shūhō (禊修法) The basic performance of this is the hand and mouth washing (Temizu 手水) done at the entrance to a shrine. The more dedicated believer may purify him- or herself by standing beneath a waterfall or performing ritual ablutions in a river. This practice comes from Shinto history, when the kami Izanagi-no-Mikoto first performed misogi after returning from the land of Yomi, where he was made impure by Izanami-no-Mikoto after her death. Amulets And Protective ItemsEdit Omikuji are paper lots upon which personal fortunes are written. Less popular protective items include dorei, which are earthenware bells that are used to pray for good fortune. These bells are usually in the shapes of the zodiacal animals: hamaya, which are symbolic arrows for the fight against evil and bad luck; and Inuhariko, which are paper dogs that are used to induce and to bless good births. Originally, the practice of kagura involved authentic possession by the kami invoked. In modern day Japan it appears to be difficult to find authentic ritual possession, called kamigakari, in kagura dance. However, it is common to see choreographed possession in the dances. Actual possession is not taking place but elements of possession such as losing control and high jumps are applied in the dance. Historical RecordsEdit • The Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters); The foundation to written Shinto history. • The Shoku Nihongi and its Nihon Shoki (Continuing Chronicles of Japan). • The Rikkokushi (Six National Histories) which includes the Shoku Nihongi and Nihon Shoki Jomon Period (Late and Final 2000 BCE–400 BCE)Edit Yayoi Period (400 BCE–250)Edit Kofun Period (250–552)Edit The great bells and drums, Kofun burial mounds, and the founding of the imperial family are important to this period. This is the period of the development of the feudal state, and the Yamato and Izumo cultures. Both of these dominant cultures have a large and central shrine which still exists today, Ise Shrine in the South West and Izumo Taisha in the North East. This time period is defined by the increase of central power in Naniwa, now Osaka, of the feudal lord system. Also there was an increasing influence of Korean trade and culture which profoundly changed the practices of government structure, social structure, burial practices, and warfare. The Japanese also held close alliance and trade with the Korean Gaya confederacy. The Paekche kingdom in Korea had political alliances with Yamato, and in the 5th century imported the Chinese writing system to record Japanese names and events for trade and political records. In 513 they sent a Confucian scholar to the court to assist in the teachings of Confucian thought. In 552 or 538 a Buddha image was given to the Yamato leader which profoundly changed the course of Japanese religious history, especially in relation to the undeveloped native religious conglomeration that was Shinto. In the latter 6th century, there was a breakdown of the alliances between Japan and Korea but the influence led to the codification of Shinto as the native religion in opposition to the extreme outside influences of the mainland. Up to this time Shinto had been largely a clan ('uji') based religious practice, exclusive to each clan. Asuka Period (552–645)Edit Hakuho Period (645–710)Edit Nara Period (710–794)Edit The priest Gyogi is known for his belief in assimilation of Shinto Kami and Buddhas. Shinto kami are commonly being seen by Buddhist clergy as guardians of manifestation, guardians, or pupils of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The priest Gyogi conferred boddhisattva precepts on the Emperor in 749 effectively making the Imperial line the head of state and divine to Shinto while beholden to Buddhism. Syncretism with BuddhismEdit In the 18th century, various Japanese scholars, in particular Motoori Norinaga (本居宣長, 1730–1801), tried to tear apart the "real" Shinto from various foreign influences. The attempt was largely unsuccessful, since as early as the Nihon Shoki parts of the mythology were explicitly borrowed from Chinese doctrines. For example, the co-creator deities Izanami and Izanagi are explicitly compared to the Chinese concepts of yin and yang. However, the attempt did set the stage for the arrival of state Shinto, following the Meiji Restoration (c.1868), when Shinto and Buddhism were separated (shinbutsu bunri). Cultural HeritageEdit Shinto has been called "the religion of Japan", and the customs and values of Shinto are inseparable from those of Japanese culture. Many famously Japanese practices have origins either directly or indirectly rooted in Shinto. For example, it is clear that the Shinto ideal of harmony with nature underlies such typically Japanese arts as flower-arranging (生け花, ikebana), traditional Japanese architecture, and garden design. A number of other Japanese religions have originated from or been influenced by Shinto. Also, much of Japanese pop culture, especially anime and manga, draws from Shinto for inspiration and stories (e.g. Spirited Away, Amatsuki, InuYasha, Higurashi When They Cry, Hell Girl, Kamichu!, and Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens). Ad blocker interference detected!
The Project Collab aim is to foster research collaboration. In this section, we highlight a research project conducted at University of Malaya. Signing of MoU Signing of MoU between RIKEN, JAPAN and University of Malaya Multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria is a major public health problem in the Asia Pacific region as well as globally. Although the regional disease burden is difficult to quantify, it can be assumed to be very substantial. The abuse of antibiotics usage in the region, both in humans and livestock, has led to the evolution of resistant pathogens in a wide array of bacteria, thus rendering these drugs ineffective in the treatment of the infection. In some cases, “superbugs” are being created such as the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which are resistant to practically all available drugs. There is a compelling need to obtain information on the extent of bacterial drug resistance and its evolution from the genomic point of view. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology is a powerful tool that makes it possible to scan the entire genome of drug resistant bacterial strains at a low cost, in a matter of hours to days. The University of Malaya-Ministry of Higher Education High Impact Research (UM-MoHE HIR) Nature Microbiome programme is proposing to set up the UM 1000 Genome Consortium Project (UM 1K GENOME PROJECT) for the study of MDR bacteria from human and animal origin in Malaysia, using the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. In the last three months, the use of NGS on several Malaysian bacteria strains has already resulted in >30 publications. In January 2013, UM HIR shortlisted the following for further studies using two main platforms, Illumina (HiSeq & MiSeq) and PacBio (Single Molecule Real Time Sequencer, SMRT). 1) Mycobacteria as follows: 1.1) MDR-TB, XDR-TB and rifampicin/isoniazid mono-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis 1.2) Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) that are resistant to anti-NTM drugs e.g. clarithromycin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin, linezolid, doxycycline (clinical or environmental strains; from humans or animals) 2) MRSA (nosocomial or community strains; pathogens or commensals; particularly those resistant to new antibiotics such as streptogramins, daptomycin and linezolid) 3) Penicillin-resistant and MDR Streptococcus pneumoniae (from putum/nasopharyngeal source, superficial or invasive infections) as follows: 3.1) Acinetobacter spp. (imipenem-resistant, as well as MDR strains; clinical or environmental source) 3.2) Aeromonas spp. (or Pseudomonas with plasmidmediated resistance) 1) To perform large-scale parallel sequencing of multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria from Malaysia and other Asia Pacific countries; 2) To identify the origin of multidrug resistance in the region and to understand the dynamics of the development of resistance; 3) To create a database for MDR pathogenic bacteria genomes sequences for the Asia Pacific region; 4) To collaborate with researchers outside the Asia Pacific region. Using the Illumina HiSeq and PacBio, the genomic sequencing and in-depth genomic study output in UM-HIR will be 140 de novo bacterial genomes in 20 days which is equivalent to 250-300 bacterial genomes per month or 600 bacterial genomes per year. Signing of MoU Signing of MoU between RIKEN, JAPAN and University of Malaya This project can be extended to the next phase on pathogen transcriptome analysis including the use of RNAseq. RNAseq is one of the newest transcriptome analyses that investigate the global gene expression at a particular time which will provide a very precise and clear picture on genes expression in the cell. RNAseq per se is an excellent tool for gene expression work, and also it can be explored for drug testing that is used to study the effects of drugs on the pathogen genes expression, and also environmental factors on the pathogen genes expression such as heat shock, pH shock, chemical or UV treatments, etc. Comparative genomes can be done on pathogens of the same group. This will provide insights into the various sources and origins of resistance (e.g. transposon, chromosomal mutation, or even lateral genes transfer). To illustrate, the Vibrio cholerae strain that caused a lethal diarrhoeal outbreak recently in Haiti was studied using the NGS method and its resistance origin was confirmed. Single cell genome will be the next niche area in NGS since >90% of the current scientific literature is based on population DNA extraction instead of DNA extraction from single bacterial cells. It is assumed that all bacterial cells are clonal but this is due to limitation of instrumentation to study single cells. The next phase of NGS work will venture into this niche research area that will help UM-HIR to establish high impact, informative and competitive advantage on single cell genome NGS involving micromanipulation of cells and microfluidic devices. This will provide individual genome NGS datasets and provide comparative genomes at the single cell level. DNA extractions will be done on various multidrug resistant bacteria from clinical and environmental settings, using robotic workflow for speedy, standardized and unbiased nucleic acids extraction. Purified DNA will be subjected to NGS. Using bioinformatics software, the NGS data will be analysed to: 1) Determine the spectrum of mutations by screening for mutations known to be associated with resistance to antibiotics (in all selected isolates) 2) Identify new mutations (by comparing pre- and post-treatment isolates) to provide a genetic basis for new antibiotic resistance mechanisms 3) Study genetic features associated with rapid acquisition (emergence) of resistance 4) Correlate strain genotypic features with host/environmental features (to determine what drives the development of resistance) 5) Describe the origin of drug resistance and the circulation of resistant strains (clades) over geographical regions 1. Publication of ISI-indexed journals [target: New England Journal of Medicine (Impact factor or IF: 53.29), Lancet (IF: 38.28), Nature (IF: 36.28), Science(IF: 31.20), Nature Medicine (IF: 22.46), PLoS Medicine (IF: 13.05), PLoS Biology (IF: 11.452), PLoS Pathogens (IF: 9.172), PNAS (IF: 9.681)]. 2. The setting up of a bacterial genome database hosted by UM-HIR with free access for the global scientific community. Find out more by visiting: Are you a researcher seeking collaboration with others in your field? Would you like others to know the importance of your research? Drop us an email at: [email protected] The Project Collab directory is available at:
Monday, June 26, 2017 Maratha Barracks: One Of The Oldest Surviving Buildings Of Cuttack The Maratha Barracks are among the oldest surviving buildings of the ancient city of Cuttack. Few of the residents of this millennium city know the relevance it has in the history of Odisha. Today, they house the 6th Battalion of the Odisha State Armed Police, tucked away at one corner of the city. The Maratha administration of Odisha effectively began from 1751. Raghoji Bhonsle became the master of the territory and a new system of government was put into operation. The Marathas divided Odisha into two broad political divisions known the Mughalbandi and the Garhjatareas. More than one third of the State was covered with thick jungles and had been unexplored. The general administration was under the Subedar who had been appointed directly by the Raja of Nagpur. He possessed both the civil and military power with him. The Marathas, being Hindus, repaired and restored the temples that had been destroyed by the Mughals and Afghans. The worship of Lord Jagannath at Puri received special attention, and a number of villages and lands were assigned to the temple to meet the expenses of the rituals and ceremonies. The internal stability, peace and security during the Maratha rule attracted pilgrims from Bengal, Benares, Rajasthan and the Central Provinces to Puri. Due to their patronage, pilgrims came in large numbers to Puri. The Marathas improved the communication in their territory. The Jagannath Sadak connected Bengal with Puri and passed through Midnapore, Jaleswar, Basta, Balasore, Jajpur, and Bhadrak and entered Cuttack. The road was made into a highway, bridges and ghats were made. The Marathas had built serais, mutts and temples all along the road. They dug wells and ponds for the pilgrims and gave rent-free land grants to Brahmins. The Maratha Barracks were built soon after the occupation. Rajaram Pandit started the work in 1775 and it was completed by Sadasiva Rao in 1793. Spread across a vast patch of forest land on the outskirts of the city, the place was infested by tigers, panthers, snakes and other wildlife. The forest was cleared except for some ancient trees, which are still standing tall. The domed structures were solidly built with local materials. Kiln baked bricks and lime mortar was used. There were big wells in the compound and underground cells. Separate stables for their horses and elephants, magazines for storing gunpowder, living quarters etc. were made. The barracks housed the artillery, cavalry and infantry forces. The Marathas had as many as 2,000 soldiers in the barracks. There was a thick wall around with watch towers, none of which now exist. The Maratha rule lasted in Orissa for a brief period of half a century. However it had a lasting effect on the socio-economic development of the region. They introduced proper land records, translated many classical Odia texts, and persuaded many Kings, Queens and rich Zamindars to endow lands to the Jagannath and other temples. Under the Marathas, Odisha enjoyed a simple judicial and revenue system. The East India Company was aware of the strategic position of Odisha, situated as the land between their emerging power in Bengal and Madras. They had started their trade in the early years of the 17thCentury, and had established their factories and acquainted themselves with the land and its people, while simultaneously making assessment of the strength and weakness of the ruling Marathas. On the 17th December 1803, Raghoji Bhonsle II signed the Treaty of Deogaon and handed over the reins of the province of Cuttack to the East India Company. After the Maratha forces abandoned the barracks, they were occupied by the Englishmen. However the Company officials built houses near the Barabati Fort and shifted the troops to the centre of the city. During the Great Famine of 1866, the barracks were used to store food grains. Later the barracks were used as stables. It is also said that a race course was made inside the compound and regular Sunday races were held. The few Englishmen in Cuttack even had fox hunts in the place.The East India Irrigation Company used it while they were working on the canals in the region. Half a dozen rows of the old barracks were torn down a few years ago because of structural instability. However, one continuous row of 70 rooms still exists and is being used by the OSAP as their headquarters. A visit to this awe-inspiring and imposing old edifice takes one back in time. There are huge banyan, jackfruit, mango and neem trees. The arched verandas that skirt the domed rooms give it an old world charm. There are huge manicured lawns and a parade ground where ceremonial parades are held. Many of the old louvered doors and windows have been replaced with newer ones, but one can still see the holes in the walls forthe punkahs strings that were pulled by the orderlies. Many of the small alcoves in the walls that were used to keep the lamps have been made over. Amiya Bhusan Tripathy, the former Director General of Police of the State and the Convener of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritageis of the opinion that the Maratha barracks should be converted into a museum. During his stint as the State’s Police Chief, a Police Museum had been set up in Cuttack with many interesting displays.However it was soon shut down and has remained closed for years. The barracks are one of the last original remaining structures and an unique example of the synthesis of Maratha and Orissan architecture. You can visit the place any working day; only take permission of the Commandant, who is only too happy to allow visitors.
Can Anything Save the Sumatran Rhino From Extinction? More rhino babies are needed—and fast—says the author of a new report on the dwindling number of species in Malaysia. View Images A Sumatran rhino calf, Andatu, at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in 2012. He was the fourth Sumatran rhino born in captivity in modern times. A new report shows the species is extinct in Malaysia and fewer than 100 of the animals remain in the wild. In 2008, a rhino wandered into an oil-palm plantation in Sabah, a state on the Malaysian island of Borneo. It was limping from a snare injury and, for a rhino, was unfamiliar looking: very small—and hairy. WATCH & LISTEN: A baby rhino runs around at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, and an adult bull rhino makes a humpback whale–like sound. Video courtesy Rasmus Gren Havmøller When Rasmus Gren Havmøller—a Danish Ph.D. student focused on conservation, ecology, and genetics at the University of Copenhagen—read about this little rhino in a World Wildlife Fund article, he was intrigued. So he began digging for more information about the species. What he learned was grim: The Sumatran rhino, one of three Asian species, had declined to the point of near extinction. Sumatrans are believed to be the oldest surviving rhino species. They’re the smallest living rhinos and the only Asian rhinos with two horns. They once roamed throughout Southeast Asia and are the closest surviving relative of woolly rhinos, which died off about 10,000 years ago. They’re very, very vocal, and it makes them incredibly cute. Rasmus Gren Havmøller, University of Copenhagen Havmøller and a team of researchers began a comprehensive analysis on the status of Sumatran rhinos. His study, published last month, revealed that the species is now extinct in the wild in Malaysia. The paper also noted that fewer than one-hundred are hanging on in the rain forests of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and in the state of Kalimantan, in Indonesian Borneo. Nine Sumatran rhinos live in captivity (one in the Cincinnati Zoo, three at facilities in Sabah, and five in the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Sumatra). Speaking from Copenhagen shortly after World Rhino Day and an outcry by conservationists over the fate of the Sumatran rhino, Havmøller explains his work in Malaysia; the threats facing these animals; their cute quirks; and what he thinks can save them from extinction. Your paper concluded that Sumatran rhinos are extinct in Malaysia. What’s the impact of this finding? It has a huge impact. You get to a point where you have so few individuals that actually starting a breeding program has proven very, very difficult. You need more individuals to make sure there’s a good foundation for a breeding program. The few we have left in the wild in Indonesia are now experiencing the same thing that happened in Malaysia over the last two decades—the signs of Sumatran rhinos become less frequent, which means that rhinos rarely ever meet and mate. And that’s a big problem. We need more rhino babies, and we need them fast. Your research was based on more than a year’s worth of camera-trap footage in Sabah. What was it like working in the field and setting up those cameras? Setting up camera traps is quite tiresome work. You walk all day. The terrain is quite strenuous—so it’s up and down, through rivers, it’s through mud. Actually finding the spot where you would place your camera trap is critical. And once you’ve found a spot, you also need to test it. You need to crawl on all fours and make sure that the camera trap is set up at the right height, and we aimed to set up between three and four per day. Even with the results from the footage, how do you know for sure that there are no Sumatran rhinos left in Malaysia? We’ve been doing quite a lot of surveys in quite an expansive area for a long time, and we have no signs. But when it comes to saying the species is extinct, this is of course with some sort of margin. I can’t guarantee that there isn’t one individual left in Sabah or Peninsula Malaysia, but I can tell you that there’s no hidden valley with 10, 15, 20 rhinos breeding and thriving. One rhino doesn’t make a population. View Images A keeper at a rhino sanctuary in Sabah in Malaysian Borneo inspects a Sumatran rhino rescued from an oil-palm plantation in 2008. Destruction of habitat for plantations and human settlement is a major threat to rhinos in Borneo’s rain forest. How has the population changed over time? The numbers are incredibly difficult to know because there’s never been any good explanation of how many there are. And that’s not just with Sumatran rhinos. It’s only in the last few decades that we managed to make protocols—for instance, using camera traps that give good estimates of entities. But they couldn’t have been common because if you look at the 1800s, 1900s, you get some very heartbreaking records of sales of rhino horn and export, in the thousands. Obviously Sumatran rhinos must have been quite abundant throughout Southeast Asia. But once they started getting rarer, during the 1950s and ’60s, there weren’t any good estimates. You mentioned poaching as one of the reasons for the population decline. Can you tell me more about this and also other factors that account for the loss? Initially, it was definitely the hunting for horns, traditionally for Chinese medicine. The horns were also used as daggers in the Arabian Peninsula, as well as for trophies and carving sculptures out of them. Then, the second thing was the habitat destruction. They were split up into much more fragmented populations as a result of habitat loss. Rasmus Gren Havmøller, University of Copenhagen And the third thing that happened was we had so few individuals in an area as a result of both poaching and habitat fragmentation, that rhinos rarely ever met and therefore rarely ever bred. Why is it important to get them breeding? What is worth saving is for people to have the option to go and experience this little rhino in the forest. Everybody should have that option. The second reason is that if you save the Sumatran rhino and its habitat, you save a lot of other species. Sumatran rhinos, they share habitat with tigers, elephants, orangutans. If you use them to promote conservation within their native habitat, you save a lot more. I’ve also read that Sumatran rhinos are quite quirky. The quirky things about Sumatran rhinos, apart from being the smallest rhino, is that they are hairy. It’s a very odd feature of any rhino, because you’re not used to seeing hairy rhinos. But they’re completely covered in hair, especially the young ones. And the funny part is that if you actually touch a Sumatran rhino they’re very, very soft. And finally, they sound mostly like humpback whales when you hear them. They’re very, very vocal, and it makes them incredibly cute. View Images An adult Sumatran rhino bull in his outdoor enclosure. Sumatrans once flourished in lowland rain forest habitat in many parts of Southeast Asia. In your paper, you suggest spurring population growth by creating a single “metapopulation” strategy. What does that mean? It means that although you have rhinos in three separate wild populations, you consider them all one. On paper, you consider them all one. And in practice, it means that you move individuals among the three populations. So you move males and you move females to ensure that you have the optimal breeding and you get the optimal amount of genetic diversity within the whole population. But currently, in Indonesia, you’re not allowed to catch Sumatran rhinos, let alone move them across internal state borders. In the 2013 Bandar Lampung Declaration, Indonesia agreed to a conservation strategy to increase the Sumatran rhino population. How well have they implemented it? The problem is that they haven’t. The real problem for Indonesia is that to change the laws of going out, capturing rhinos and moving them between states, it’s really a presidential decree that’s needed. It’s from the very, very top because it’s not just some local forest agency manager who’s allowed to go out and say, Fine, you can go out and catch Sumatran rhinos. So the call is really getting president Joko Widodo of Indonesia to amend the law so the actual implementation can be done, and actions can start to take place. How do you think poaching can be curbed? If you can increase the protection by hiring more locals, you’re also creating a local incentive for not poaching rhinos, because the locals are benefiting directly or indirectly from the anti-poaching unit and the salary they get. Much more protection is needed. Not just for the rhinos—the presence of anti-poaching units would also prevent elephant, tiger, and clouded leopard poaching. Now that it’s established that the Sumatran rhino is extinct in Malaysia and nearly extinct elsewhere, what needs to be studied next? This is a multiple step process. The first step is figuring out where the Sumatran rhinos are. That is a very, very crucial first step. The next step will be figuring out what’s in these areas—males or females? What does it look like in terms of competition? Rasmus Gren Havmøller, University of Copenhagen When that is sorted, you need to make sure you establish these intensive protective zones. Then the next step is actually making sure that you increase the amount of animals within these designated protection zones, and that means going out and catching rhinos. So you need to make sure there is room for them and that there’s some sort of area where they can adjust to the new home range. And then you need to start working on making sure you can move rhinos from one area to the other. Are you hopeful for the future of the Sumatran rhino? When you work in conservation, giving up is not really an option. It’s just one of those things you need to continue—despite the setbacks, despite all of the difficulties. When you look historically at rhinos, it’s interesting because the white rhinos in the late 1800s went down in South Africa to somewhere between 20 and 40 individuals. And they made it back to nearly 17,000 individuals 200 years later. They’ll go extinct if we don’t help them. This story was produced by National Geographic’s Special Investigations Unit which focuses on wildlife crime and is made possible by a grant from the BAND Foundation. Follow Jani Actman on Twitter @JaniActman
Best Engineering Schools in the USA Best Engineering Schools in the USA In general going to college for a degree in engineering can provide students with a platform to develop engineering habits that they will use all through their careers, such as analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of the design process. There are 30 different types of engineering degrees available, such as Civil, Aerospace, Industrial, Mechanical, Computer, Electrical, Robotics, Construction, and Biomedical to name a few. Petroleum engineers are those who choose to work in the petroleum industry, which is concerned with activities that create hydrocarbons of either natural gas or crude oil. Petroleum engineers work to develop and design methods of extracting oil and gas from below the Earth’s surface. Two of the top schools for obtaining a degree in Engineering are the University of California, Berkley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. The Princeton review cited the University of California, Berkley the ‘Best Value Public College’, and the engineering school is home to the Kresge Engineering Library which holds thousands of industry journals and engineering documents. A student can earn some valuable skills by participating in a cooperative engineering program, which earns academic credit for real life job experience. The job outlook for petroleum engineers looks very good; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics job growth is expected at 26 percent, much higher than other industries. The median pay in 2012 was approximately $130,000 annually. Another type of engineering degree is a Biomedical Engineer. Biomedical engineering uses the principals of engineering to solve problems of a medical nature such as developing artificial limbs. They also help hospitals with medical diagnostic equipment such as imaging machines. In fact, the medical equipment and supply manufacturers employ those with biomedical degrees more than other companies do, such as those for research and development. With humans living longer lives the field of biomedical engineering is expected to grow exponentially, much faster than other industries. The median pay for a biomedical engineer in 2012 was approximately $87,000 annually. Because of the fact that along with living a longer life, the public is becoming more aware of biomedical advances the industry is expected to grow by 27 percent in the next few years. Hip replacements, knee operations, and other artificial parts is becoming more mainstream than ever before; because of the large and active elderly population biomedical engineers will be in high demand. Other than medical equipment suppliers and manufacturers, a biomedical engineer could also work in the scientific research and development field, and in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing. They may also be employed by colleges, universities, and in general medical and surgical hospitals. A biomedical engineer usually works as a team with other professionals and when developing a new device may work directly with the patient to address their specific need, and also with the manufacturer to make precise adjustments to the new device. Finding the right school for you is a matter of research; there are many websites available which can show a student how to obtain financial aid and other incentives to get you back to school. Best Engineering Schools in the USA Credit Picture License: thulobaba via photopin cc
Vitamin B12 A Vital Multitasker Vitamin B12, alias cyanocobalamin, doesn’t work alone. It has a couple of friends in the person of vitamin B6 and folate. They form a triad and we need to be tight with all three. B12 is a strange one though. For starters, it is essential which means that we can only get it from food but the only food that will supply it is animal flesh. The implications are pretty grim for vegans and vegetarians, a dietary lifestyle that virtually guarantees a vitamin B12 deficiency unless it is supplemented. It turns out that there are different forms of vitamin B12. Because B12 is the only vitamin that has an ion of the metal cobalt, “cobalamin” was selected to refer to compounds having vitamin B12 activity. The human body can use two forms of B12, Methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosyl cobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is the form of cobalamin used in most supplements as it is readily converted to 5-deoxyadenosyl and methylcobalamin in the body. What a B12 deficiency exposes one to is not good. For starters, how does mental impairments or even Alzheimer’s sound? Since it is needed to create myelin, the sheath or insulation that covers neurons, a deficiency translates to an impaired nervous system as in multiple sclerosis, dementia or Alzheimer’s. It is fairly common for a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s to be nothing more than a B12 deficiency. Does increased risk for heart attacks sound better? High blood levels of homocysteine are common to both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Research has shown that insufficient amounts of folic acid and vitamin B12 can elevate homocysteine levels, potentially increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke. This vitamin is also needed for DNA synthesis so it figures that a deficiency presents the potential for damaged cellular DNA and all the hazards that entails; think replication of damaged and mutated DNA as in cancer. For example, inadequate levels of B12 have been shown to raise the risk for breast and cervical cancer. Since vitamin B12 is needed to make red blood cells, the least serious deficiency might be anemia, fatigue or cognitive problems due to reduced oxygen levels to the brain. Maybe you would rather go blind. Optic neuropathy, deterioration of the optic nerves, is another outcome of vitamin B12 deficiency. Long-term, chronic B12 deficiency is known to result in blindness and this is a one-way street; it is irreversible. While we’re on the subject of deficiency, here is another complication. Vitamin B12 is water-soluble so one would think that it would be expelled in urine if we get too much. Not so with this guy…it wants to be different from the other water-soluble vitamins so B12 doesn’t exit our bodies in urine; it gets stored in the liver, kidneys and other body organs. In fact the body can store about two years worth of B12 which means that a deficiency might not show up for several years. It all depends on ones diet and the body’s ability to absorb B12; more on absorption later. Storage in body organs and the resulting time lag is no small matter. Above we mentioned that a B12 deficiency can cause mental impairments. The bad news is that after about seven years of B12 deficiency, irreversible brain damage can result. The sad fact is that so many misdiagnosed health issues are nothing more than a B12 deficiency that a book has been written about it. After going through this web page, you may want to come back and order the book from Amazon via the image link. Interaction Deficiency There are numerous prescription medications, over the counter remedies and substances that work to block absorption of B12 and thus contribute to deficiencies. Diabetes is fast becoming a worldwide epidemic and the prescription drug Metformin or any of its popular brand names can impair B12 absorption by degrading the metabolism of calcium in the body. Calcium is a necessary element for the absorption of several vitamins and B12 is one of them. Time and dosage come into play for type 2 diabetics; high dosages over extended timeframes increase the risk of a B12 deficiency. Once upon a time dentists widely used nitrous oxide for anesthesia and it turns out that this rather benign gas tends to destroy B12 reserves in the liver. Who would have known? Over the counter remedies for acid reflux or anything that tends to reduce the amount of stomach acid will interfere with our absorption of B12. An adequate amount of acid, such as hydrochloric acid in the stomach, is necessary for proper digestion and thus adsorption of B12. Also worthy of mention is that gastric bypass surgery will also reduce B12 absorption. Research has shown that coffee lovers having over four cups of the brew a day are risking a 15% reduction of their vitamin B levels that those that don’t partake. Not to worry, other research shows that coffee drinkers are at a lower risk of stroke that those that don’t drink coffee. Keep the coffee flowing and supplement the B complex. Metformin was mentioned above as inhibiting vitamin B12 absorption. It turns out that there is a lot of company in this crowd. Here is a short list of classes of prescription meds that could interfere either with B12 levels or its absorption. It is not inclusive of all interfering drugs but it gets the point across. • antibiotics • statins (cholesterol lowering drugs) • birth control pills • high blood pressure meds (hypertensives) • mood altering drugs (antipsychotics) • chemo drugs (anti-cancer treatments) • Parkinson’s drugs • Getting Technical about Absorption As mentioned above, absorption depends on an adequate supply of stomach acid and something called an intrinsic factor from the parietal cells in the stomach. It’s the intrinsic factor that releases the B12; and the production of acid as well as the intrinsic factor is reduced as we age. Well, since we mentioned intrinsic factor, perhaps some explanation is in order. The short version is that intrinsic factor is a protein, specifically a glycoprotein; a protein with branches of complex sugars attached to it. It is produced by the cells lining the stomach, known as parietal cells, along with the hydrochloric acid. The intrinsic factor’s job is to bind with a B12 molecule and go hand-in-hand through the small intestine and into the large intestine. Since the B12 molecule is very large, it would not be able to be absorbed without help; that’s where the glycoprotein intrinsic factor saves the day. It gets absorbed first by the cells of the large intestine and since it is bound to the B12 molecule, it pulls the B12 into the cell with it. From there it is easy to be absorbed and used by the body where it is needed. In reality, the process is much more complex than that, but this is not intended to be a course on absorption. The point is that we can supplement with vitamin B12 pills all day but without the intrinsic factor, none of it would ever be absorbed. Remember how we said antacids and acid reflux meds retard acid production in the stomach? The message is that if we aren’t producing enough stomach acid, then by default we aren’t producing enough intrinsic factor either and we will become B12 deficient. This brings up the option of getting vitamin B12 shots to remedy a deficiency. A B12 shot right into the vein bypasses the whole absorption process and puts the vitamin directly into the blood stream and cuts stomach acid and the intrinsic factor out of the action. After reading the above, one might wonder how anyone would ever get enough B12. As we might suspect, many of us don’t. According to the famous Framingham Heart Study, 25% of the adults in the U.S. are deficient in B12 and over half have blood levels that are low in B12. This brings us to the numbers. Custom Search Testing: Enough is Enough and How to Know In checking with our friends at NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements, we see that the RDI for vitamin B12 increases with age. It begins with .4 mcg at birth to 6 months and rises to 2.4 mcg for teens and adults. It is slightly higher for pregnant teens or women and breastfeeding mothers, at 2.6 and 2.8 mcg respectively. Recall that an RDI is geared to healthy individuals, not sick or vitamin deficient people. The good news is that B12 is non-toxic and there is no such thing as too much. In doing a lab screening for vitamin B12 deficiency, picomoles per liter (pmol/L) are the units of measure. In using pmol/L we are dealing with some very large numbers that represent a very small quantity of a substance. A mole is a quantity measure of a substance and one mole of something means it has 6x1023 molecules or atoms; that’s a 6 followed by 23 zeros. A picomole is one-trillionth of a mole. The technicians who figured out how to measure and interpret these things have determined that the following values are relevant for screening for a vitamin B12 deficiency: • A B12 concentration less than 150 pmol/L is considered B12 deficient and is serious enough that a qualified medical professional should be consulted to determine the underlying cause and treatment. • A B12 concentration between 150 and 200 pmol/L indicates that one’s serum Methylmalonic Acid (MMA) level should be measured to determine whether or not the situation requires more investigation and treatment. MMA is a natural compound found in the body and elevated levels are an indication of B12 deficiency. • Supplementation and Fortification What could be simpler? If we think we might be vitamin B12 deficient, all we have to do is eat meat, dairy products or supplement. We already talked about the large size of the B12 molecule and how it won’t be absorbed if we don’t have enough intrinsic factor. So some smart people started thinking about how to shrink the molecule and/or bypass the whole intrinsic factor thing. So far so good, but how do you shrink a molecule without removing some key components. A molecule of something has to have just so many atoms of the elements that give it identity. If we remove an atom here and there, we no longer have that same substance. So science took the route of bypassing the stomach and need for intrinsic factor. It was found that the molecule could be absorbed easily by fine capillaries in the mouth if it was placed under the tongue or between the cheek and gums (we're talking B12 here, not snuff). The fastest, most efficient form of delivery was found to be in the form of spray containing microscopic droplets of vitamin B12. This method bypasses the intrinsic factor problem and is much easier, safer and less painful than a vitamin B12 shot. We could examine the labels on food packaging and look for cobalamin or B12. We would probably find that most breakfast cereals are fortified with B12. The problem is that most breakfast cereals are high glycemic and quickly break down into sugar which stimulates insulin production. Getting a little extra B12 through highly processed cereals in not worth the wear and tear on the pancreas and risking type 2 diabetes.</p> Since vitamin B12 supplementation is safe and cheap when compared to the cost of a lab test, it just makes sense to supplement first and see if symptoms recede before getting a test or a B12 shot. Anyway, if a lab test shows a deficiency, the first thing the doctor will suggest is supplementation so why not beat him to the punch and just do it. Let’s Not Forget the Ladies We already said that B12 deficiencies will raise homocysteine levels. We know what that does to our cardiovascular system…not good. For women, the news is not good if pregnant. Homocysteine can also lead to birth defects and increase the risk of complications during pregnancy. Neural tube defects are a type of birth defects that affect an infant’s brain and spinal cord. Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect that can result in paralysis. Neural tube defects start developing in the first four weeks of pregnancy so it is imperative not to wait before checking on B12 levels. B12 deficiencies have also been linked to difficulties in becoming pregnant or in infertility. The last consideration is breast feeding. If a breastfeeding mother is vitamin B12 deficient, abnormalities could develop in the baby’s brain. Considerations In Relying on Food for Vitamin B12 Seafood is a great natural source of B12 but the downside is that most fish and even shell fish are contaminated with heavy metals. It doesn’t make much sense to garnish your B12 with mercury. This is especially true if pregnant since mercury extremely harmful to central nervous system development in a fetus or child. Beef, chicken and pork are all good sources of B12 if you can find an outlet selling grass fed beef; organic free range chickens or non-factory farm raised hogs. In fact, it is best to avoid factory farmed animal products of any type due to the chance of consuming antibiotics, growth hormones or slaughter house pathogens. Try your local farmers market. Milk and eggs are two great non-meat sources of vitamin B12 but there is a “however” here as well. Organic is the way to go to avoid the same antibiotic, hormone and pathogen exposures present in most animal factory products. Some nutritionists recommend unpasteurized raw milk which is OK if you know that how it was produced, handled and bottled. Pasteurization of milk started for a reason so it is best to know your source and if you don’t, try to find a Certified Grade-A milk, produced under government supervision and guaranteed clean. Lotsa luck with that one. There are a few plant foods that have B12 but along with the B12 most of them also have a substance called an "analog" that tends to block the absorption of B12. Forget about relying on plant sources for your B12 requirement; it won’t happen. In Summary In summary, making sure that we have the right levels of vitamin B12 will greatly improve our quality of life, ward off a myriad of health challenges, give our cognitive abilities a fighting chance and help with a good night’s sleep. Supplementing with at least the RDI of B12 is a wise move. Leave Vitamin B12 and return to the Vitamin page Review the page on Folate, vitamin B9 Navigate to Vitamin Supplements Return to Home Page Go to the Sitemap
Flu is caused by infection with one of the three influenza viruses, called Influenza A, B and C. Flu viruses are small and contained within an envelope which has proteins on it’s surface enabling it to stick to cell in the respiratory tract and cause the symptoms of flu. Flu has a short incubation period, just 2 days between contact and symptoms arppearing. The severity of the symptoms generally depends on the health of the individual and the virulence of the infection. The flu virus changes each time it replicates, so even if you have had flu recently, you may not be immune to the current strain. This is why flu vaccinations can not offer a guarantee against getting the flu and at best may help alleviate symptoms. Flu is a killer on its own, especially in people who are vulnerable because of weakened immune systems or they have heart or lung disease. In the elderly it can lead to the development of bacterial infections such as bronchopneumonia. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms until the immune system kicks in to defeat the virus. Supplement/Herb What it does Dosage Vitamin C Boosts the immune system and helps heal inflamed mucous membranes. 1000mg 3 times daily Vitamin A Vitamin A is essential for the integrity of the lining and protective mucous secretions of the respiratory tract. 50,000iu daily Zinc Zinc is an important immune nutrient that supports white blood cell function. The lozenge form of zinc reduces the duration and severity of common cold symptoms. When the lozenges are dissolved in the mouth, the zinc appears to possess a direct, local anti-viral activity. 15mg 3 times daily Echinacea Enhances immune function by increasing the production of white blood cells and stimulating activation of white blood cells. It appears that echinacea is most effective taken at the onset of an infection. In long-term use many herbalists suggest that a 1-2 week break be taken every 8 weeks or so. 1 to 5 gm at 2 hourly intervals Elderberry Studies show that oral administration of elderberry extract reduces the duration of influenza symptoms from an average of 6 days down to 48 hours. Elderberry inhibits viral DNA replication, and thus this herb may also be useful in non-flu viruses. 1 to 5 gm at 2 hourly intervals Garlic Anti-bacterial, anti-viral it also helps to break up mucous. 1 to 5 gm at 2 hourly intervals Thyme Helps as a cough preventive and expectorant 500mg 3 times daily Diet and Lifestyle Factors Stay in bed for at least 24 hours and for the first day just have plenty of fluids, grapes, berries, citrus fruits and pears so that your body can rest and focus it’s attention on the immune system and fighting the infection. Juiced vegetables and fruits are particularly helpful as they are easy to digest. On the second day, add cooked vegetables and salads. On the third day start eating wholemeal bread, potatoes, brown rice and pasta to push up the white blood cell count. To alleviate headaches, temperature, aches and pains and cough, drink lots of lemon juice, hot water and honey. Try ginger tea made with raw root ginger steeped in hot water for 10 minutes. If you have frequent bouts of flu, your immune system needs support, so follow the guidance given in Immune Support. If your immune system is low, don’t have a flu jab as this will most likely give you flu type symptoms. Taking Korean and Siberian Ginseng for 3 weeks before and after immunisation can help to reduce reactions. Homoeopathic Remedies which may help. (Refer to the individual remedy for guidance on the one that is most appropriate for you.) • Aconite • Apis Mel • Arsen Alb • Belladonna • Bryonia • Ferrum Phos • Gelsemium • Nux Vom • Phosphorus • Rhus Tox • Sulphur Leave a Reply
14 Sep The Strength of Women Amongst the main principles of the Bahá’í Faith is the principle of equality between men and women. In my experience, this principle is one that is easily accepted and agreed upon by many, but when studied and reflected upon, it is clear that true equality has much deeper meaning in practice than simply giving both men and women the same rights in society. During ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s time in London, He spoke on many occasions about the strength of women, and expounded on what true equality is. This attracted many leading women to attend His talks and embrace His Teachings. Amongst them were Mrs. Annie Besant who was the President of the Theosophical Society and a famous women’s rights activist, Alice Buckton, a playwright and poet, and many others. I found the following selection in London Talks, which is a fascinating recount of a couple of these sessions on the strength of women: After contrasting the general position of the Eastern and the Western women, and then describing how in many respects the Eastern woman has the advantage of her Western sister, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá turned and said to the visitor: “Give me your reasons for believing that woman today should have the vote?” Answer: “I believe that humanity is a divine humanity and that it must rise higher and higher; but it cannot soar with only one wing.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá expressed his pleasure at this answer, and smiling, replied: “But what will you do if one wing is stronger than the other?” Answer: “Then we must strengthen the weaker wing, otherwise the flight will always be hampered.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá smiled and asked: “What will you say if I prove to you that the woman is the stronger wing?” The answer came in the same bright vein: “You will earn my eternal gratitude!” at which all the company made merry. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asked the company if they remembered the story of Zenobia and of the fall of Palmyra. He then continued as follows, using his hands in the grave and simple gesticulations characteristic of him: “There was once a Governor in Ancient Syria, who had a beautiful and clever wife. She was so capable that when the Governor died, she was made ruler in his stead. The land prospered under her sway, and men acknowledged that she was a better ruler than her husband. After a time the legions of Rome invaded the country, but again and again she drove them out with great confusion. She let down her beautiful hair, and herself rode at the head of her army, clad in a scarlet cloak, wearing a crown of gold, and wielding a two-edged sword in her hand. The Roman Caesar then withdrew his strength from five other provinces in order to subdue her. After a long and brave fight Zenobia retired into the city of Palmyra, which she strengthened with wonderful fortifications, and there she endured a siege of four months, Caesar being unable to dislodge her. The food she had stored within the walls at last was gone, and the misery of her starving and plague-stricken people compelled her to surrender. “Caesar was full of admiration for this great woman, because of her courage and endurance, and he asked her to become his wife. But she refused, saying that she would never consent to take as her husband the enemy of her people. Thereupon, Caesar was enraged, and determined to humble her. He took her back with him in his ships to Rome. For his triumphal entry a great procession was prepared, and the streets were filled with people. In the procession came first elephants, after the elephants came the camels, after the camels came the tigers and the leopards, after the leopards came the monkeys, and lastly, after the monkeys, walked Zenobia with a gold chain round her neck. Still she carried her head high, and was firm in her determination. Nothing could break her spirit! She refused to become the Empress of Caesar, so she was thrown into a dungeon, and eventually she died.” Queen Zenobia before Emperor Aurelianus ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ceased. Silence fell upon the room, and it was some time before it was broken. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá then added: “But in the sight of God sex makes no difference. He or she is greatest who is nearest to God.” What are your thoughts on the strength of women? 1 Comment • I had never heard the story of Zenobia before. I hope more women will be studied in history as time goes on.
Cultural consumer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The cultural consumer describes a person who avidly consumes art, books, music, and live cultural events within a society. With the rise of expressive technologies, cultural consumers have harnessed the Internet to fuel their own creative efforts. The term was coined[citation needed] by author Patricia Martin in her book, The Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What It Means For Your Business, in which she suggests that the convergence of art, technology and entertainment is remaking the American consumer. This new type of consumer values creativity, design and the power of personal values. These consumers will look toward companies that can "present an offering that solves a problem, does some good, and delivers aesthetically".[1] They also look for products that engage the senses as a way to discern truth. In other words, they believe what they can experience. Authenticity is paramount, and stories and images are powerful means for communicating messages. Although cultural consumers may have once represented a small segment of the population, this group is rapidly expanding through access to technology and the Internet.[2] Recent research indicates that these consumers are connected, active in their communities, and creative.[3] Additionally, they “aspire to be viewed as thinking, expressive human beings rather than mass market targets.”[4] 1. ^ Martin, P. (2007). RenGen (Renaissance Generation): The Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What it Means to Your Business. LaCrosse, WI: Platinum Press ISBN 1-59869-134-1 2. ^ [1] Archived February 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. 3. ^ Patricia Martin: American Life & Culture Survey 4. ^ Article in AdAge magazine
The Shakers Watched an interesting hour-long PBS/Ken Burns documentary on The Shakers last night via Netflix Instant. I knew of their furniture-making and had remembered something about them being celibate, but I didn’t know that the woman who essentially founded them was originally a Quaker and that they were called the Shaking Quakers at first. They were called Shakers (or Shaking Quakers) due to the ecstatic, joyous singing and dancing they did in their worship. The Shakers are sort of an intriguing version of Protestant monasticism, only with men and women living together (but separately). They’d have separate entrances and stairwells for men and women. The women were mostly seen as equals, much like the Quakers. Only because of the separation of the sexes, women couldn’t do men’s work and vice versa. They believed that was both male and female. Men and women were equal in the eyes of God. As such, women were not below men. But they were celibate, only took their members from converts, and orphans that they raised and were an American phenomenon. They believed that their labor was a form of prayer, which explains the craftsmanship they put into making each chair or piece of furniture. They were also known for their simple but sturdy architecture. Many of the original Shaker buildings still stand. Like the Quakers, they were pacifist. They believed in peace, in simple living, but unlike the Quakers, did it communally. They built everything themselves and worked hard to have a life of quality. It’s difficult to find that sort of quality anymore. I think we approach it when we look at monasteries that make items to sell for money to keep their community alive. Amish furniture is also know for its quality, and they are similar to the Shakers (without the celibacy, naturally) in that they are Christian communities that believe in peace, simple living, and in building things of quality. Like the Shakers, they shun the modern world. Surprisingly, there are still Shakers. Wikipedia give their current number as 5. That’s it. Just 5 Shakers. They’re probably all old as well. It’s sad to realize that such a wonderful American religion is dying. All at a time when our society desperately needs the message and gifts of the Shakers. The call to simple living, the giving up of sexuality, the belief in making quality long-lasting products by hand. The message of simplicity. ~ by sacredblasphemies on 06/02/2012. One Response to “The Shakers” 1. The Shaker Museum in Kentucky is, unfortunately, haunted by unhelpful personalities. Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
Marine Patrol Officer NYPD Police Boat, P.O. Kenny Hansen, patrolling the Hudson River Harvey Barrison/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 Who doesn't dream of spending their days on the water, enjoying the sun and surf and cruising America's coastal regions? The only way it gets better than that if is you could get paid to do it. For people interested in careers in criminal justice and criminology, working as a marine patrol officer allows you to do just that. Job Functions and Work Environment of Marine Patrol Officers Marine patrol officers serve to ensure the safety of boaters and others who enjoy both fresh and saltwater activities such as water skiing, jet skiing, rafting, swimming, and fishing. They also help encourage and enforce conservation efforts through the enforcement of laws related to fishing and boater safety and licensure. Officers may work for a separate state agency, a division of the state police, or a special unit within a local sheriff's office or police department. Regardless of who they work for, if it happens on the water, the marine patrol is generally responsible for it. Marine patrol officers investigate boating accidents and fatalities, as well as other water-borne tragedies including drownings. They may also be asked to assist in locating missing persons who were last seen near water bodies or who fell overboard from boats. Marine patrol officers are also called upon to remove dangerous reptiles and marine life, such as alligators, crocodiles, snakes and even sharks. The job of a marine patrol officer often includes: • Investigating boating accidents • Inspecting boats and boaters • Conducting safety checks and checkpoints • Inspecting and counting fish and fish species taken by fishers • Assisting in dangerous wildlife removal • Conducting boating and water safety seminars • Drug interdiction • Enforcement of boating laws • Report writing • Making arrests • Providing courtroom testimony Marine patrol Officers spend most of their time on the water or near docks and recreation areas. They work in all sorts of weather and thus may at times be required to endure harsh and undesirable conditions. Officers may be called upon to perform a variety of tasks and provide general law enforcement services to major bodies of water. Many officers are federally deputized, giving them expansive police powers and jurisdiction beyond state-controlled waters. Some jurisdictions have consolidated marine patrol functions with other conservation agencies so those marine patrol officers may also serve as wildlife officers. Marine patrol officers rigorously enforce laws related to underage drinking and boating under the influence. They ensure boaters have the required safety equipment, such as life jackets and flares, and they are on hand to provide rescues to people in distress. They may even provide a tow if necessary. Education and Skill Requirements for Marine Patrol Officers Marine patrol officers are law enforcement officers with full police powers. As such, they must attend a police academy. Sometimes, they may also be federally deputized, and they will also receive specialized training dealing with safety, conservation and laws and situations unique to aquatic environments. Individual departments may vary on specific requirements, but in general, officers must have at least a high school diploma or GED. Job candidates should also have either some college, some prior law enforcement experience or prior military service. Often, preference is given to those candidates who hold at least an associate's degree. Additionally, many agencies use veteran's preference points, meaning military veterans receive priority in hiring. Officers need to have strong interpersonal communications skills because they interact with a variety of individuals in a variety of situations and environments. They may as easily be found dealing with a family of four on a family outing as a poacher or intoxicated boater. Marine patrol officers must also be in excellent physical condition in order to be prepared for the rigors of the job, and they must be strong swimmers. Naturally, they will need to know how to drive a boat, and they should also be able to handle a vehicle-trailer combination and back a boat trailer. A thorough background investigation, possibly including a polygraph exam, will likely be required. Job Growth and Salary Outlook for Marine Patrol Officers According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, growth in law enforcement jobs in general. is expected to be below average through 2020. However, through natural attrition and turnover, candidates hoping to become marine patrol officers will continue to be able to find ample employment opportunities. The best places to look for marine patrol jobs are coastal states like Florida and communities with large bodies of water, such as those near the Great Lakes. Marine patrol officers can expect to earn between $32,000 and $88,000 per year, depending on agency and location. Typical starting salaries will more likely be between $32,00 and $46,000. Is a Career As a Marine Patrol Officer Right for You? Marine patrol officers often work in beautiful environments and spend a great deal of time on the water. If you're uncomfortable near the water or you're not a strong swimmer, then a job as a marine patrol officer probably isn't going to be what you're looking for. If, however, you enjoy being outdoors, boating, working with people and learning about marine life, then you may very much enjoy a fun and rewarding career as a marine patrol officer. In fact, you just might find it to be the perfect criminology career for you. Find Your Next Job Job Search by
Relationship between lyrics & melody throughout the ages Research Question What relationship does there exist between the lyrics (content, prononciation, morphology, ...) and melody of a song? Are there cultural differences? Does it depend on the musical style (pop vs. classical)? Are there temporal trends? What touches us the most in a pop song? Is it the melody or the lyrics, or both? How does the melody interact with the melody? Have songs with sad lyrics, different melodies? And has this link always been so obvious throughout the ages? (e.g. in opera) What factors possibly explain these differences, if any? In this thesis, the goal is to shine some light on this topic through the use of advanced Artificial Intelligence techniques and to interprete the results based on song style, genre, era, and possible other characteristics. 10% literature study 40% analysis & approach 50% implementation Contact Johan Loeckx for more information -- by email or just drop by at 10G.725D, near the table tennis! Please bear in mind that this description is just a starting point and that personal input is more than welcome!
Alternative Resource Energy Authority Project Overview Wind Farm Benefits Community What's New Project Approvals FAQs Contact Us Wind Farm Benefits There are several benefits to wind power. Here are a few: The government of Nova Scotia has set renewable electricity targets of 25% by 2015 and 40% by 2020. This project will help municipal utilities achieve this goal. Wind is a valuable emission-free resource; nature provides it and it is 100% renewable. The project will enhance the community’s economic development by providing additional tax revenue to the Municipality of the District of West Hants (between $60,000 to $100,000 annually). The construction phase of the project will also create jobs and more demand for local supplies and services, such as food and lodging. A renewable energy project in a community allows residents to gain a detailed understanding of how wind turbine generators work and how wind power can help us reduce our reliance for fossil fuels. Energy literacy is an increasingly important skill in today’s economy – the project development team will be available to answer questions and provide a better understanding of local and provincial energy issues. Copyright 2013-15 • Alternative Energy Resource Authority
MIT Science Professor: No Evidence Syrian Government Source Of Sarin Attack Donald Trump,Propaganda,Pseudoscience,Science A Quick Turnaround Assessment of the White House Intelligence Report Issued on April 11, 2017Theodore A. Postol Dear Larry: Figure 1 shows a Google Earth image of the northeast corner of Khan Shaykhun where the crater identified as the source of the sarin attack and referred to in the White House intelligence report is located. Also shown in the Google Earth image is the direction of the wind from the crater. At 3 AM the wind was going directly to the south at a speed of roughly 1.5 to 2.5 m/s. By 6 AM the wind was moving to the southeast at 1 to 2 m/s. The temperature was also low, 50 to 55°F near the ground. These conditions are absolutely ideal for a nerve agent attack. When the temperature near the ground is low, and there is no sun and very slow winds, the dense cool air stays close to the ground and there is almost no upward motion of the air. This condition causes any particles, droplets, or clouds of dispersed gas to stay close to the ground as the surrounding air moves over the ground. We perceive this motion as a gentle breeze on a calm morning before sunrise. One can think of a cloud of sarin as much like a cloud of ink generated by an escaping octopus. The ink cloud sits in the water and as the water slowly moves, so does the cloud. As the cloud is moved along by the water, it will slowly spread in all directions as it moves. If the layer of water where the ink is embedded moves so as to stay close to the ocean floor, the cloud will cover objects as it moves with the water. This is the situation that occurs on a cool night before sunrise when the winds move only gently. Figures 5 and 6 show tables that summarize the weather at 3 hour intervals in Khan Shaykun on the day of the attack, April 4, the day before the attack, April 3, and the day after the attack, April 5. The striking feature of the weather is that there were relatively high winds in the morning hours on both April 3 and April 5. If the gas attack were executed either the day before or the day after in the early morning, the attack would have been highly ineffective. The much higher winds would have dispersed the cloud of nerve agent and the mixing of winds from higher altitudes would have caused the nerve agent to be carried aloft from the ground. It is therefore absolutely clear that the time and day of the attack was carefully chosen and was no accident. Figure 2 shows a high quality photograph of the crater identified in the White House report as the source of the sarin attack. Assuming that there was no tampering of evidence at the crater, one can see what the White House is claiming as a dispenser of the nerve agent. The dispenser looks like a 122 mm pipe like that used in the manufacture of artillery rockets. As shown in the close-up of the pipe in the crater in Figure 3, the pipe looks like it was originally sealed at the front end and the back end. Also of note is that the pipe is flattened into the crater, and also has a fractured seam that was created by the brittle failure of the metal skin when the pipe was suddenly crushed inward from above. Figure 4 shows the possible configuration of an improvised sarin dispersal device that could have been used to create the crater and the crushed carcass of what was originally a cylindrical pipe. A good guess of how this dispersal mechanism worked (again, assuming that the crater and carcass were not staged, as assumed in the White House report) was that a slab of high explosive was placed over one end of the sarin-filled pipe and detonated. The explosive acted on the pipe as a blunt crushing mallet. It drove the pipe into the ground while at the same time creating the crater. Since the pipe was filled with sarin, which is an incompressible fluid, as the pipe was flattened the sarin acted on the walls and ends of the pipe causing a crack along the length of the pipe and also the failure of the cap on the back end. This mechanism of dispersal is essentially the same as hitting a toothpaste tube with a large mallet, which then results in the tube failing and the toothpaste being blown in many directions depending on the exact way the toothpaste skin ruptures. If this is in fact the mechanism used to disperse the sarin, this indicates that the sarin tube was placed on the ground by individuals on the ground and not dropped from an airplane. Figure 8 shows the improvised sarin dispenser along with a typical 122 mm artillery rocket and the modified artillery rocket used in the sarin attack of August 21, 2013 in Damascus. This is a very serious matter. The question that needs to be answered by our nation is how was the president initially misled about such a profoundly important intelligence finding? A second equally important question is how did the White House produce an intelligence report that was obviously flawed and amateurish that was then released to the public and never corrected? The same false information in the intelligence report issued by the White House on August 30, 2013 was emphatically provided by Secretary of State John Kerry in testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee! Sincerely yours, Theodore A. Postol Professor Emeritus of Science, Technology, and National Security Policy Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cell Phone: 617 543-7646 An better formatted presentation is at the Unz Review: “The Nerve Agent Attack in Khan Shaykhun, Syria (+Addendum).”
Sunday, December 8, 2013 Swine Flu ISSUE PAPER SWINE FLU OUTBREAK The topic that I have elect to write about has been all everyplace the news, in the papers, on the radio and television for the past some(prenominal) months. It has caused many schools gag rule nationwide and several deaths worldwide. Im speaking of H1N1. It has been called several different names: Swine flu, pig flu, slob flu, novel grippe A (H1N1) or just kick H1N1. H1N1 is a epidemic of global outburst. The H1N1 virus is a farm animal of the influenza family of viruses. The 2009 strain includes influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A k flatn as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3. Swine flu has been around since 1918, with a pandemic breakout that was associated with mankind and pigs. It was found that pigs became sick the same as humans. The symptoms then be much the same as now; patients complaint of body aches, muscle and phrase pain, headache, a unrestrained throat and an unproductive cough with occasionally harsh breathin g. The near common sign was a high school fever ranging from deoxycytidine monophosphate to 104 F and lasting for several days. The 1918 flu pandemic was called the Spanish Flu and was influenza pandemic same the current 2009 flu that has spread to nearly e sincerely part of the world. This caused a vicious and deadly influenza A virus strain of subtype of H1N1. is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers! more or less of the victims were water-loving young adults which is a big contrast to roughly influenza outbreak that strike, children, older and otherwise sickly patients. It was estimated that anywhere from 50 to 100 million die worldwide and l asted from evidence 1918 to June 1920. thi! ther was another much smaller outbreak in 1976. by and by studying the new strain they discovered is was very similar to the virus that caused the outbreak in 1918. This strain of H1N1 started at fortification Dix, New Jersey when two recruits broke-out with influenza like illnesses. atomic number 53 of the recruits died and over 200 soldiers became infected with the virus. This started the someone to person transmission system of the virus. This chain of events led the...If you want to get a broad essay, order it on our website:
The Battle of Taiyuan (All text here is in Japanese, but translated to english for convenience.) November 7th, 1937 He had heard of a large battle going down south, but had kept his forces where they were. For all he knew the battle was going perfectly well, going towards it when its already about to be won would be rather useless, and would allow the Chinese to possibly attack his positions as he went. Eventually, however. Orders from the Grand Marshall came once again. "The Battle of Taiyuan has gone in our favor for the most part, but the Chinese are beginning to surround Shijiazhuang, send your army over and break the surrounding forces, before assisting in the capture of Taiyuan. " With this, Hirotaka quickly began mobilizing his forces, hoping to prove his worth further to his fellow generals. His forces were blocked by troops from the other originally Chinese cities, all of them probably given the same order or already having been part of the battle. Eventually, his troops made first contact with the surrounding forces, a division of 94's and infantry attacking a group of mobilized infantry. A division of 95's was blocked by more T-34's, Hirotaka was worried by the increasing number of gifts from the Soviet Union to China. If the Soviets joined on China's side, it's doubtable that the Japanese could hold out against both. A large blockade of Chinese troops was holding the open plains towards Shijiazhuang, in case reinforcements for them came. The Chinese seemed to have become wiser after their constant losses. The blockade was being pushed through slowly but surely, the blockade "curling" towards Shijiazhuang in an attempt to further surround it. Despite the attempt to cause further casualties for Shijiazhuang, the blockade got heavy casualties themselves due to the previous deaths from the forces of the main Japanese armies, as the Shijiazhuang garrisons, forced the blockade back towards the huge army. The blockade was eventually wiped out, as Hirotaka planned to sneak behind the forces surrounding Shijiazhuang, and promptly take Taiyuan. Hirotakas forces had quickly pushed into Taiyuan, the Chinese not expecting for this large of a force to come, and thus expected them to entirely help Shijiazhuang, instead of being so large just part of it could break off to attack Taiyuan itself. Taiyuan was taken quickly, most of the forces having gone to attempt to take Shijiazhuang, as the entirety of the left Chinese army was either lying in their own blood or running away in utter shame. With the few survivors of the attack on Taiyuan retreating, they had quickly spread the news around, causing many of the generals to order their troops to dig out trenches and lay up barricades, attacking with this low of morale would be suicidal. The Japanese decided to do the same, not wishing to risk the casualties the defenses might cause, as the next day came around. November 8th, 1937 The Chinese had attempted a large offensive, hoping to retake Taiyuan, or at least part of it. However, the huge army under Hirotaka's command was able to hold out well, having had heavy artillery and 89s. Hirotaka had ordered his army to attempt a counter-attack, to reclaim the parts of Shijiazhuang that were taken. The counter-attack had gone well, for the most part. Hirotaka had ordered a handful of his troops to attack the bases south of Shijiazhuang, if they couldn't beat the surrounding forces, they could at least cut off their supply. The surrounding forces were beaten back, forced to retreat to the military bases, the plan to attack and capture them was still viable, however. As a means to push even deeper into China. The first base was heavily damaged in just one push, the Chinese retreating in panic at both bases. Although the Japanese had made much fewer gains than during the first push, they had decided to not capture the eastern base yet, instead working on eliminating Chinese stragglers, either trying to hold out on a mountain-pass or make a worthless attack on Shijiazhuang. November 9th, 1937. Most of the stragglers were killed or captured, as Hirotaka once again ordered his troops to attempt a final offensive for the battle, hoping to take a large base to the east. The Chinese defenses for the base were rather light, simple infantry with almost no anti-tank weapons. The base was almost taken in just the first push, as well. The Chinese constantly routing. The area was taken, the Chinese troops either dead or gone to better defended positions. And thus, another letter from the Grand Marshall was due. "Congratulations on your further success. You have more than proven your worth for any operation during this war, let alone Nanking. I will notify you when the attack finally begins properly. Glory to the Japanese Empire." Thus, the Japanese had gutted the lands of the Chinese heavily, while the Chinese could only pray that they could survive against the massive armies of the Japanese. Ad blocker interference detected!
Introduction to Judaism 1. What is the origin of Judaism, according to the Bible? 2. What are the distinctives of biblical Judaism? 3. In what way did Judaism change after the Jews lost their war with Rome? 4. What criticisms did Jesus make of first-century Judaism? 5. What criticisms did Paul have of first-century Judaism? 6. How did the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple affect Judaism? 7. What paths did Judaism take after the first century? 8. Explain the relationship between the oral Torah and the written Torah 9. What effect did the Holocaust have on Judaism? 10. Explain the interest Christians of today have in Judaism
The Cathedral of St. Basil is the most iconic structure in Russia, completed in 1561 A.D. under the orders of Ivan the Terrible. The structure is located in Moscow, Russia in the Red Square very close to the Kremlin. The main church has nine smaller churches around it, and a newer tenth church was added in the honor of Saint Basil. Each of the smaller churches has a dome which is painted in almost every colour of the rainbow. Today it is known as one of the most beautiful and unusual structures in Russia, but how long will it last without people? 125 Years after People: 125 years without maintenance has caused the structure to sink into the marsh that was Moscow. Finally, the central tower collapses against one of the domes. This causes a chain reaction and one of the most iconic structures on the planet collapses. Life After People - St01:33 Life After People - St. Basil's Catherdal Ad blocker interference detected!
Fight on Isla de Muerta 17 "It's not a bad look, really. Eh?" "That chest must be worth more than a shiny penny." Pintel to Ragetti[src] A penny was a coin (pl. pennies), a type of currency (pl. pence) used in the British Empire. It was often the smallest denomination within a currency system. External linksEdit Ad blocker interference detected!
Presentation is loading. Please wait. Presentation is loading. Please wait. Language Change Revision lecture Unit 3 ‘Developing Language’ Exam Section B. Similar presentations Presentation on theme: "Language Change Revision lecture Unit 3 ‘Developing Language’ Exam Section B."— Presentation transcript: 1 Language Change Revision lecture Unit 3 ‘Developing Language’ Exam Section B 2 Planning READ. ANNOTATE.PLAN. Aim for 15 minutes planning time- this should include any relevant annotation and an overview of the structure of your response 3 Structuring your response Remember to cluster your findings and analysis- if in doubt, the best way to organise your ideas is by analysing the text according to the key frameworks. That said, ‘significant language features’ (linked back to genre) can be the starting point of your response Ensure that you select fewer features and respond to them ‘in depth’, rather than ‘glossing over’. Select  analyse with link to genre  explore processes of change June 2010: ‘Good responses, for example, selected words that could exemplify semantic change or the influences of other languages on English were able to meet all the AOs, if developed. 4 Context is key! Remember: context must be your starting point, outlining the context of production and reception; linking to genre and purpose will provide a strong foundation for the rest of your response Read the data booklet carefully, it will provide all the details of production that you need. Don’t forget to read the secondary detail on the SOURCE of the data- this might give you more clues! 5 Context: The importance of genre Identification of the GENRE is essential; most examiner’s reports have drawn attention to the ‘superficiality’ of responses that fail to consider the genre of the data Ensure that you explore the implications of genre and situational factors: WHY was the text produced? What was the producer aiming to achieve? How does this impact on specific lexical, grammatical, pragmatic (etc.) choices? E.g. Defence testimony=> PERSUADE : How does the speaker represent themselves/ their opposition? 6 Genre/ purpose Must form the basis of your response – starting with the most salient features (lexis? Discourse structure?) Linked linguistic features to context For example: In the ‘A Charge’ Speech: E.g. genre of a speech- link to particular features of the text/s such as the prosodic effects of punctuation and rhetorical devices such as the address to ‘gentlemen’ the warnings and motivations to the male students in the rhetoric, the biblical lexis linking to the society of the time and the references to the ‘vulgar’ cementing the social hierarchy and expectations of students at the time More on context to come! 7 Considering the text producer Perspective Voice of the text: tone e.g. satirical, humorous Register Representation 8 Mode Good answers will consider mode and multimodality – if applicable! For example in a reported oral testimony students did well by acknowledging the complexity of the text as a written account of someone’s prepared, spoken testimony. This could be taken a step further to consider whether it was mode or the age of the text that was responsible for some of the features identified. 9 AO1: Linguistic methods Lexis + Change: The introduction of new lexical items; words that fall out of use Neologisms/ coining Borrowing- loan words (usually nouns and adjectives) Affixation –a ‘productive source’ of lexical developments; suffixes (word class) and prefixes (meaning) (see Latinate/ Greek sheets- e.g. ‘hyper’ Compounding: ‘jet set’, ‘body-blow’ (not always hyphenated) Blending: netiquette Conversion: text, chair, mail (words change class/ function) Back Formation- losing an element to a word: editor  edit; commentator  commentate Eponym: Hoover, Nicotine Proprietary name: Kleenex, Xeroxed 10 AO1: Linguistic methods Lexis+ change Abbreviations: Acronyms: SATS, NASA Initialism: FBI; FYI Clipping: dropping syllables- ‘deli’ Also consider lexical units such as noun phrases and any pre or post modification that occurs 11 AO1: Linguistic methods Lexis Archaisms : Obsolete words ‘doth’, ‘trow’ Less fashionable words e.g. courting, wireless 12 Lexical choices French: political Latinate: often compounds Greek : Science/ technology Often Polysyllabic – but not always! Vs Monosyllabic High Frequency lexis 13 Comparing Lexis – a note from the examiner Students will benefit from applying an integrated approach: E.G June 2010: Some of the best answers used the features which the two texts had in common- the lexical set of football and its fan base- to make interesting comments on the nature of status and celebrity, formality and informalisation. This enabled candidates to integrate their linguistic understanding with issues and concepts (AO2) and the contexts of production and reception of the texts (AO3) 14 AO1: Linguistic Methods Grammar Negative constructions: ‘I deny it not’ (now: negative before the verb) ‘Invented’ rules: double negatives: ‘I don't know nothing about that.’; prepositions should not come at the end of a sentence: ‘This is the man that I spoke to’ (could be linked to dialect) Pronouns: ye, thou, thee etc. Word functions: often technological influence e.g text Intensifiers: ‘I’m so not ready for this exam!’ Consider grammatical constructions + link to genre! E.g. imperatives in advice texts 15 Grammar: Syntax Syntax: More effective responses will identify where word classes have appeared to have changed position in more recent forms of English- Inverted syntax : VSO  SVO Complex sentences with a number of clauses 16 AO1: Linguistic Methods Semantics – changes in meaning Archaisms Obsolete word/ meaning Narrowing (for specialisation): ‘meat’  used to mean ‘food’ in general Broadening (for generalisation): ‘bird’, ‘place’ Amelioration- ‘nice’ Pejoration: (derogation) – ‘gay’ Political correctness (half-caste, actress); can obscure meaning ‘sanitation consultant’  toilet cleaner Metaphors, idioms, cliches, euphemisms : ‘figurative expressions give new meanings to old words’ 17 Pragmatics Implied meaning Shared understanding 18 AO1: Linguistic Methods Orthography Spelling  first major development with Caxton’s printing press (link to standardisation of Estuary dialect); Johnson- foundations of standardisation Spelling- sometimes phonetic, always evolving! Punctuation: increased complexity by end 17 th C ESH (Long S): initial and medial usage until 1800s Capital letters: nouns Modern changes: technology, ease, informalisation 19 Language Change Processes: Standardisation A gradual, ongoing process, not an ‘event’! Language EVOLUTION! Language was not completely ‘unstandardised’ before Johnson/ Lowth! By the end of the 19th century prescriptive grammar had reached its highest level of development; the system of grammar known in modern linguistics as ‘traditional’ had been established. 20 Ao2: Theories/concepts of Change Diachronic Standardisation Prestige Personalisation Informalisation/ Conversational style Accommodation Americanisation 21 Attitudes to change Prescriptivism: Lowth, Humphrys etc. Language change = Decay Classical languages (e.g. Latin) seen as ideal models for English: correct, pure forms ; sets of rules in order to use language ‘properly’ Prestige Dr. Samuel Johnson, in the preface to his 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, notes that "tongues have a natural tendency to degeneration" but mocks the lexicographer who imagines that his dictionary "can embalm his language", as "to enchain syllables, and to lash the wind, are equally the undertakings of pride". In the act of giving us the most enduring of our authorities for standard forms, Johnson sees its limitations. 22 Attitudes to Change Damp-spoon Crumbling Castle Infectious disease 23 Attitudes to change Descriptivism: Aitchinson, Crystal, Cameron etc Describes how language is actually used, rather than prescribing how it should be used OED early 20 th C: Editors were descriptivists – record, rather than prescribe Values all varieties No reason why ‘standard English’ should be the prestige form Language change is inevitable; language change is progress Crystal: language change is neither progress, nor decay 24 Synoptic studies: other relevant concepts Gender Power: instrumental, influential, positional etc. Overt/ covert prestige Synthetic personalisation Accommodation: Convergence/ Divergence; social networks Political correctness Standard/ non-standard uses 25 AO3: Contextual Influences Migration, travel, the British Empire- expansion, Globalisation Movement in and out of cities Wars or invasions Science and technology Trade, working practices, new inventions Social, ideological and cultural changes- esp. gender roles/ changing attitudes and perceptions; religion Media- esp. representation 26 Focus on the data! Careful with prescriptive/descriptive debates: do not reference linguists unless their arguments link directly to the data E.g. In the School Reports comparison: More thoughtful applications of prescriptivism were seen in the connections made to 'enunciated reading & recitation' to attitudes about speaking 'properly' and engagement with the subtleties of formality in both texts. Avoid commenting on language as ‘incorrect’ prior to standardisation Look for words that you could link to all three Aos 27 Do not just throw in ‘blocks’ of contextual information that are not linked explicitly to the data. Ensure your points are supported with evidence from the data. Avoid applying any ‘rehearsed’ AO2- don’t try to squeeze the data into your knowledge! Don’t ‘speculate’ on what a modern text might say or do IF there is a modern text in front of you! Only relate language change to a modern-day text if you are responding to a single text Don’t feature spot! Texts may be linked by topic rather than genre 28 And Finally… Good Luck! We wish you all the best!! Download ppt "Language Change Revision lecture Unit 3 ‘Developing Language’ Exam Section B." Similar presentations Ads by Google
Vancouver, Washington's skyline. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey photo. Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Clark County. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management's estimate in July of 2008, the city has a population of 163,186, making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is part of the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area, which is the 23rd largest metropolitan area in the United States with over 2 million residents The larger city of Vancouver, British Columbia is located 305 miles north of Vancouver, Washington. Both cities were named for sea captain George Vancouver, but the Canadian city was not incorporated until 1886, nearly thirty years after the incorporation of Vancouver, Washington, and more than sixty years after the name Vancouver was first used in reference to the nearby historic Fort Vancouver. City officials have periodically suggested changing the city's name to Fort Vancouver, Vancouver USA, or even Old Vancouver to reduce confusion with Vancouver, British Columbia. Many Pacific Northwest residents distinguish between the two cities by referring to the Canadian Vancouver as "Vancouver, B.C" and the United States one as "Vancouver, Washington", or simply as "The 'Couv(e)," as the latter is not used in reference to the Canadian city. The Vancouver, Washington area was inhabited by a variety of Native American tribes, most recently the Chinook and Klickitat nations, with permanent settlements of timber longhouses. The Chinookan and Klickitat names for the area were reportedly Skit-so-to-ho and Ala-si-kas, respectively, meaning "land of the mud-turtles." First European contact was in 1775, with approximately half of the indigenous population dead from small pox before the Lewis and Clark expedition camped in the area in 1806. Within another fifty years, other actions and diseases such as measles, malaria and influenza had reduced the Chinookan population from an estimated 80,000 "to a few dozen refugees, landless, slaveless and swindled out of a treaty." Vancouver's downtown in 1890. Based on an act in the 1859-1860 legislature, Vancouver was briefly the capital of the Washington Territory, before being returned to Olympia, Washington by a 2-1 ruling of the territory's supreme court, in accordance with Isaac Stevens' preference and concern that proximity to Oregon might give its southern neighbor undue influence. U.S. Army Captain (and future President) Ulysses S. Grant was quartermaster at what was then known as Columbia Barracks for 15 months beginning in September 1852. Soon after leaving Vancouver, he resigned from the army and did not serve again until the outbreak of the American Civil War. Other notable generals to have served in Vancouver include George B. McClellan, Philip Sheridan, Oliver O. Howard and 1953 Nobel Peace Prize recipient George Marshall. Fort Vancouver in 1917. Early twentieth century post card of downtown Vancouver. Vancouver's downtown, 1948. Downtown Vancouver, 1972. In 1956, Willie Nelson moved to Vancouver to begin his musical career, recording "Lumberjack." The single sold fairly well, but it did not establish his career. Nelson continued to work as a radio announcer in Vancouver and sing in clubs. He sold a song called "Family Bible" for $50; the song was a hit for Claude Gray in 1960, has been covered widely and is often considered a gospel music classic. Vancouver has recently experienced conflicts with other Clark County communities because of rapid growth in the area. As a result of urban growth and annexation, Vancouver is often thought of as split between two areas, East and West Vancouver, divided by NE Andresen Road. West Vancouver is home to downtown Vancouver and some of the more historical parts of the city, as well as recent high-density mixed-use development. More than one-third of the Vancouver urban area's population has spilled into an unincorporated urban area north of its city limits, including the communities of Hazel Dell, Felida, Orchards and Salmon Creek. If county leaders had approved a major annexation plan in 2006, Vancouver would have passed Tacoma and Spokane to become the state's second-largest city. Late fall in downtown Vancouver. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey photo. When clouds do not blanket the Puget-Willamette trough formed by the Cascade and Coast Range, Mount Hood, Mount Saint Helens and Mount Adams are all visible from somewhere in Vancouver. Vancouver lies just north of Portland, Oregon and shares a similar climate, with certain key exceptions. High pressures east of the Cascade Range create something of a venturi effect, leading to cold east winds down the Columbia River Gorge. Unsheltered by the Willamette Valley, Vancouver has historically seen colder temperatures, including "silver thaw" storms where freezing rain cakes limbs and power lines. Such storms can paralyze Vancouver, frequently froze the river and in 1916 cut electric power in the city for almost two weeks. Rainfall occurs frequently throughout the fall, winter, and spring, but shuts off starting around the middle of June, with dry and warm weather lasting through September. Average annual precipitation is 42 inches. Heavy snowfalls are infrequent and snow often falls and doesn't stick, with major snowstorms only occurring every 2–4 years. Vancouver is located at 45°38′1″ North, 122°36′11″ West (45.633743, -122.603011) just north of the Columbia River, just west of where the Columbia River Gorge bisects the volcanic Cascade Range and just east of where the Willamette River enters the Columbia. The city of Vancouver is in the Western Lowlands region of Washington. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.1 square miles. Districts and their NeighborhoodsEdit Vancouver's neighborhood map. Airport Green Bagley Downs Bella Vista Burnt Bridge Creek Burton Ridge Burton / Evergreen Carter Park Cascade Highlands Cascade South East Central Park Columbia Way Countryside Woods DuBois Park East Old Evergreen Highway Edgewood Park Ellsworth Park Ellsworth Springs Esther Short (Downtown) Evergreen Highlands Fairway / 164th Father Blanchet Park First Place Fisher's Creek Fisher's Landing East Forest Ridge Fourth Plain Village Fruit Valley Harney Heights Hudson's Bay Kevanna Park Landover - Sharmel Meadow Homes Mountain View North Garrison Heights North Hearthwood North Image Village at Fisher's Landing West Minnehaha Smith Tower is a landmark as well as numerous churches and Fort Vancouver. The Columbian Building in downtown Vancouver. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey photo. The Columbian The Vancouver Voice Vancouver Business Journal Basketball: IBL: Vancouver Volcanoes Health systemsEdit South West Washington Medical Center Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital Vancouver has two interstate freeways, I-5 and I-205, both of which run north–south, into Portland, Oregon. It also has two heavily travelled state highways within the city limits. SR 14 begins at I-5 in downtown Vancouver and makes its way east. It is a freeway all the way until Camas. SR 500 begins from I-5 at 39th Street in north Vancouver, travels east connecting with I-205, and continues east into the suburb of Orchards where the freeway terminates at Fourth Plain Boulevard, and meets with the south end of north-south-oriented 117th Ave., SR 503. A third state highway, SR 501, starts at I-5 and heads west through downtown and continues along a path that runs between the Columbia River and Vancouver Lake. The Interstate 5 Bridge separates Vancouver, Washington from Portland, Oregon. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey photo. The Port of Vancouver USA operates a port on the Columbia River, which separates Oregon to the south and Washington to the north. It handles over 400 ocean-going vessels annually, as well as a number of barges which ply the river and its tributaries as far as Lewiston, Idaho. The area's mass transit system is C-TRAN, the Clark County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority, which operates 135 buses, vanpools, and paratransit vehicles. There are also a number of express routes into Portland's downtown. Vancouver has always been well served by rail; current freight railroads operating in Vancouver include the BNSF, Union Pacific, and the local shortline Lewis and Clark Railway. Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Vancouver. Three routes, the Coast Starlight, the Empire Builder, and the Amtrak Cascades serve the city. Pearson Field, located near downtown Vancouver, is the main airport serving the city. The airport is intended primarily for general aviation without any commercial air service. The nearest commercial airport is Portland International Airport (PDX). Visit the Vancouver Photo GalleryEdit Ad blocker interference detected!
FAQ-Energy Efficiency Terms and Definitions What is Lumen Output? Lumens is a measurement of light percieved by the eye. In effect, this is an idication of the level of brightness of a particular type of lighting. Lumen Output declines over time. This means that the bulb you put in 3 years ago will not be producing the same Lumen rating as when it was installed. Older bulbs, especially Metal Halide lose 70% of their Lumen output in a 3 year period. An Inductive Fluorescent fixture on the other hand, only loses 10% of the output over the life of the system. But here, the life is more than 10 times more than the metal halide. Who is Kelvin (K)? Kelvin is used to compare the quality of indoor light to light experienced outdoors. In normal daylight conditions, typical Kelvin values are between 5000 and 6000. The BlueMax is very close to true, natural daylight as the bulbs have a Kelvin value of 5900K. The existing 400 watt Metal Halide fixtures likely have a value of approximately 4000. This alone will make the area seem much brighter than it currently is. What is the Color Rendering Index (CRI)- The color rendering index (CRI) (sometimes called color rendition index), is a quantitative measure of the ability of a light source to reproduce the colors of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light source. 100 is natural daylight, so the higher the CRI index, the closer the light source is to natural light. Most 400 watt Metal Halide fixtures have a CRI of between 20 and 60. Everlast Lighting manufactures The BlueMax bulbs which have a CRI rating of 93+ making it one of the closest light sources to natural light. What is the System Life? System life is the rated life of the system. There are multiple systems in a lighting system. There is the life of the ballast and the life of the bulb. The manufacturer rates this life typcially as hours. For instance, a fluorescent bulb may have a life of 34,000 hours compared to a 400 watt metal halide lamp that has a life of 18,000 hours. Understanding the life of the system is important in calculating how long you can expect the pay back and savings from installing a system. Looking only at the first 1 or 2 years is not sufficient. What are Footcandles? Footcandles is the unit of measurement utilized to quantify the amount of light in a given area. It is not always the best indicator of lighting quality, but is a simple way to determine the varying levels of light in certain areas. Understanding footcandles and existing lighting levels helps Hovey Electric determine the best application for new installation of lighting systems. Improving footcandle readings typically means improving lighting quality. Why is Lighting Quality important? Lighting quality is determined by categorizing the type of facility and type of functions that take place under the lighting system. Light levels play into this as different lighting levels are suggested for different types of activities. Most customers refer to lighting quality as saying "the lighting is much better than before" which means the new installation is much brighter than the old system. Employees that work in these areas are typically excited about the lighting improvements in their areas. Why do I need to understand Watts (w)? We wrote an article titled "Watt's" a Watt?. This article is geared toward those who haven't yet grasped the concept of energy efficiency. Watts have a major impact on what we spend each month in our energy bills. What is a Kilowatt hour (kwh)- This is the unit of measurement utilized by utilities to charge you for electricity. Reducing the amound of kwh means reducing the amount of expense related to energy. If you didn't read the article above, our article titled "Watt's" a Watt? explains fully how kwh is calculated. Energy Safety Needs Analysis- This is the process used by Hovey Electric to perform an energy audit of a facility. We refer to energy safety because we often run into safety issues that could potentially have an impact on employees or others who frequent an area. We are looking for your electrical systems primarily, but while we are looking we are also performing a scan to prevent any future problems or complications from your electrical system. This preventative approach can save you heartache down the road if you didn't even realize you have a problem. What is the Energy and Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct)- The Energy and Policy Act of 2005 was established by the Federal Government to encourage investment into energy efficiency. It was originally passed as legislation in 2005, but was renewed in 2008 as part of the Stimulus bill enacted by President Obama. This policy allows the owner who made improvements to essentially accelerate the depreciation for the year the improvements were made. The Act provides incentive on a per square foot basis for energy efficiency upgrades to any of the following categories: 1. Electrical (Lighting, Motor Efficiency) 2. HVAC (Heating, Air, Ventilation) 3. Building Envelope (Insulation, Roofing, Windows) The total potential deduction is $1.80 per square foot of area improved or $.60 per category indicated above. There are certain requirements that must be met. There is also a sliding scale that enables part of the deduction depending on where you fall on the scale. Determining qualification is an important part of the on site analysis as not all facilities will qualify. The deduction only applies to interior improvements. Why Energy Efficiency ROI important? ROI or Return on Investment looks at what type of return you can expect if you make an investment to upgrade your facility. Comparing Energy Efficiency ROI to that of a bank account, certificate of deposit or stock market will clearly show how good of an investment energy efficiency is. Is Payback relevent to Energy Efficiency? Payback is a look at how long it will take to get your original investment back from investing in energy efficiency. This is most often expressed in terms of time. Payback can also be referred to as finding the breakeven point. What is a Photometric Layout? A photometric layout takes all of the information for your facility and utilizes the engineered output of a replacement fixture or new installation. This layout will estimate the footcandle levels in all areas being considered for re-lighting. This will create an average which is an indication of improvement over existing systems. The layout takes into account ceiling height, color of walls, color of lfloor and working height. A photometric layout is a good way to make sure you are going to achieve the lighting levels you expect. Here is an example of a photometric layout.
• Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month analysis of Frankenstien Extracts from this document... Discuss the extent to which you feel sympathy towards the characters in relation to Frankenstein. In Frankenstein we see many moral issues being raised throughout the novel with various realist and non-realist techniques being used. We can see Sedgewick's list of Gothic rules within the novel seeing these gothic techniques and realist techniques working together with each other, helping the reader feel sympathy for the characters and their situations. Frankenstein is written in an embedded narrative with the story beginning in the epistolary style in Walton's letters to his sister. One effect of this narrative is that we get to 'see' Victor's character before his telling of the story. This narrative structure used makes it quite easy to forget exactly who is relating the story, which in turn helps to create sympathy for characters as the reader imagines that they are hearing the story directly from the person concerned. This should also make the reader aware that the accuracy of each account is to be questioned due to it being told through someone else. On opening, the novel conforms to the realist genre with character names, dates and recognisable places mentioned within the letters while also using the gothic technique of embedding the narrative. ...read more. He is rejected at every turn without ever being listened to which is why the De Lacey family is so important to him, the blind man is the only person to listen to him and not judge him by his appearance. The Creature's 'heart beat quick' (p. 108) at the time to 'decide my hopes, or realize my fears' (p. 108) guiding the reader to feel sympathetically towards him. Through the Creature's story we learn of his gentleness, almost childlike and innocent and it is only through the treatment he receives from society that he becomes aggressive. The Creature is a result of the rejection of not only his creator, but also that of society. This raises the point of Rousseau's nature verses nurture debate. It is not until the Creature encounters the De Lacey's that he starts to feel lonely, which Rousseau argued that had humanity stayed in it's natural state, much unhappiness would have been avoided. In the Creature's eloquent account of sufferings, it is easy to forget that he is not only a murderer, but a murderer of a child. Some of the most important moral issues raised within the novel are as relevant today as much as when Frankenstein was written. ...read more. 156). Shelley addresses the moral issues within the novel but does not provide any real answers but instead encourages the reader to make their own judgements, something that Forster encourages us to do in focusing 'upon our personal encounter with a novel' (The Realist Novel, p. 21). Overall, the Creature is the one who the reader feels most sympathy for. We see the Creature's birth and the shaping and development of his character helping in creating sympathy for him as it makes him appear more real to the reader. He was created and abandoned through no fault of his own and no matter how hard he tried to become accepted by society, he was unfairly attacked. Victor evokes less sympathy as he continually moans about his situation. Victor comes across as very self-absorbed even stating that Justine 'who on the morrow was to pass the dreary boundary between life and death, felt not as [he] did, such deep and bitter agony' (Frankenstein p. 67). Frankenstein is not only a novel of conflict between Victor and his Creature and that of the Creature and society but also on how we judge people morally and the sympathy we give to them. ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level Mary Shelly section. Found what you're looking for? • Start learning 29% faster today • 150,000+ documents available • Just £6.99 a month Not the one? Search for your essay title... • Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month See related essaysSee related essays Related AS and A Level Mary Shelly essays 1. Who is the real monster in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein It was after being disappointed by man, that the creature spotted a 'beautiful child' and believed that this 'little creature was unprejudiced'. Consequently, it decided to 'seize him and educate him as (its) companion and friend'. This behaviour undoubtedly indicates a failed attempt to behave humanly, although the creature tries to achieve this in a monstrous way. 2. In Frankenstein(TM) it is generally accepted that the female characters and their values are ... The only work they could have would revolve around domestic jobs such as cleaning other people's houses or perhaps being a nanny or a cook. Even then the pay would have been minimal. Mary Shelley writes under the Gothic theme which was most popular at the time. 1. [The] juxtaposition of the ghastly and the everyday suggests one of the defining characteristics ... We also have the prosecution of innocents due to the cowardliness of the guilty; this in the form of Justine's trial and execution based on a crime she never committed when all along Victor knows the real criminal. Also we have the guilty reaping the consequences of the death of 2. Frankenstien;In her 1831 introduction to the novel Shelley explained how she wanted to 'curdle ... Victor has not mentioned the monster to any other person. This shows the fear he has for the monster as the purpose of its creation was for victor to gloat that he could do what no man had previously done. 1. Compare and Contrast the ways in which rejection is presented in Mary Shelley's &quot;Frankenstein&quot; Similarly in Jane Austen?s ?Emma,? Mr Martin?s simplicity contrasts to the sophistication that Emma perceives in his letter. Therefore, Emma?s judgement of Mr Martin-she considers him simple and ?illiterate?- becomes perceived as cruel, much like human societies? treatment of the monster. 2. To what extent can the reader sympathise with the creature in Frankenstein? This suggests to the reader the monstrosity of society and there prejudice in terms of appearance, forwarding our sympathies more with the creature. 1. How does Shelley convey the concept of monstrosity? Frankenstein wants revenge on the monster for all the heart-ache he has caused and for killing his loved ones. This is monstrous because Frankenstein created the creature, so it is almost like his child, but he wants to kill him. 2. Through Victors narrative in Volume 1, what social comments about parentage and responsibility is ... There is a constant dark undertone to the adoption of Elizabeth, as despite the parents? benevolence in adopting the child they only choose the child that ?appeared of a different stock?; Victor?s parents single out the beauty within Elizabeth and choose to ignore the other ?hungry babes? that were simply ?dark-eyed, hardly little vagrants?. • Over 160,000 pieces of student written work • Annotated by experienced teachers • Ideas and feedback to improve your own work
• Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month "Peaceful Coexistence was a period of relative freedom from tension, rather than one of universal agreement." To what extend do you agree with this assertion? Extracts from this document... Name: Arie Adam Form: L6N Essay Question: "Peaceful Coexistence was a period of relative freedom from tension, rather than one of universal agreement." To what extend do you agree with this assertion? In the late 1950s, both the USSR and the USA opened their windows to dialogue and 'peaceful coexistence'. The new policy was introduced by Khrushchev, and was soon welcomed by the United States. Attempts to establish a dialogue between the superpowers led to what has been termed a 'thaw' in Cold War relations. However, many underlined tensions between the two superpowers still existed. They both continued to believe that the other side could never be trusted and had strong suspicions about each other's moves. Their attempts to communicate often ended in creating new 'frosts' between them; something that made universal agreement almost impossible. From the early 1950s the governments of the USA and the USSR were facing he same pressures, pushing them towards reaching an accommodation with each other. These were economic pressures and the fear of nuclear war. Both countries were trying to answer the question: How to reduce military spending to free resources for other sectors of the economy? Domestic reforms and living standards were held back by pouring money into an unproductive military sector. ...read more. This was dramatically expressed in the Domino Theory of April 1954: 'you have a row of dominoes set up and you knock over the first one...". However, the successful test of the first Soviet H-bomb in August 1953, a peace settlement in Indochina in July 1954 and Churchill's continued insistence encouraged Eisenhower to explore peaceful coexistence. Eisenhower had spoken of the need for Soviet deeds not words and in April 1955 the Soviet Union proposed a formal peace treaty with Austria. This was successful and led to full independence for Austria on 15th May 1955. In a further success of peaceful coexistence Khrushchev and Bulganin visited Yugoslavia in May 1955, and despite a very cold reception endorsed Tito's leadership and ended years of hostility. By spring 1955 peaceful coexistence had significantly reduced East-West tension and the Soviet Union proposed a summit. The Geneva Summit of June 1955 was the first meeting of Allied leaders since Potsdam. The key issue for the Soviet Union and the ultimate test of peaceful coexistence was the future of Germany. Marshall Aid had revitalised West Berlin and West Germany had been rearmed and admitted to NATO in May 1955. However, the West refused Soviet requests for the recognition of East Germany and rejected proposals for a unified but disarmed Germany. ...read more. However, Khrushchev blundered at a press conference when he boasted, 'We will bury you'. He was speaking in the context of economic competition and probably being a little sarcastic, but his words rekindled the US sense of threat. During the following years, tensions increased between China and the Soviet Union, as Mao Zeodong was increasingly critical of peaceful coexistence. In July 1960 the dispute with China burst into the open as Khrushchev condemned Chinese communism following Mao Zedong's complaint that 'peaceful coexistence was a bourgeois pacific concept'. Khrushchev never trusted China, and in a bizarre adoption of US rhetoric accused Chinese of a 'desire to rule the world'. In my opinion, agreement between the superpowers was not possible during the Late 1950s. Although they both made efforts to achieve peaceful coexistence, the fear of each other did not let then succeed. Also, the advance of communism in China threatened the United States and events in Korea and Vietnam justified the 'Domino Theory'. This was made worst by Mao's criticism of peaceful coexistence. The Soviet Union was willing to loosen up its foreign policy in Eastern Europe. Yet, this was limited as shown in the events in Poland and USSR's attitude towards the Hungarian Rising in 1956. I believe that peaceful coexistence was a period of relative freedom from tension, however not a universal agreement. The West lost a great opportunity to end the War! 4 ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text Found what you're looking for? • Start learning 29% faster today • 150,000+ documents available • Just £6.99 a month Not the one? Search for your essay title... • Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month See related essaysSee related essays Related AS and A Level International History, 1945-1991 essays other western Countries should give up supporting China and co-operate with Japan in establishing a 'new order' in the Far East. * The Japanese government was planning to set up a 'Greater South East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere'. In fact this was to be nothing more than a Japanese Empire, intended 2. Discussing Freedom. Today the individual is not judged by the 'content of their character' but by the 'content of their wallet'. Even as freedom in Australia is slipping away, the global loss of spiritual belief is propelled by this obscene, this all-consuming materialism. Hitler and Stalin were two of the same breed, former Ambassador to Russia William Bullitt insisted. Each wanted to spread his power "to the ends of the earth. Stalin, like Hitler, will not stop. He can only be stopped." According to Bullitt, any alternative view implied "a conversion of Stalin 2. Why did Mao Zedong introduce a second five year plan in 1958 and to ... This lead to a major famine, killing around 9 million people in 1960 alone. In 1960 Russia with drew all her aid from China. Rationing was introduced but the death toll continued to rise. Between 1959 and 1962, 20 million Chinese died of starvation. 1. Khrushchev's attempts at modernisation. There was still a shortage of basic commodities like soap and toothpaste made worse by the fact that factory owners, free to produce what they wanted, neglected low profit products. The economy was also not helped by a slump in oil prices and the devastating impact of Chernobyl and the Armenian earthquake. 2. To what extend do you consider Mao's domestic policies more successful than his foreign ... China to industrialize, they would have never been able to compare themselves with the Soviet Union after their Five Year Plan had Worked so well. Meaning, China was not as successful as Russia had been, because China got the Soviet Unions support, whereas Russia made it on their own two feet. 1. How far did peaceful coexistence ease Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and ... in 1953, one that had been called for by the West since 1951. And to follow this conciliation was the actions of the Soviets regarding Austria and Finland, which further showed the West that the Soviets were ready to improve relations as per their new foreign policy. 2. In the years 1953-1960 was president Eisenhowers cold war diplomacy based on confrontation rather ... - the destruction of the North Korean government - and sent UN forces across the 38th parallel to take over North Korea.[9] The rollback strategy, however, caused the Chinese to intervene, and they pushed the UN forces back to the 38th parallel. • Over 160,000 pieces of student written work • Annotated by experienced teachers • Ideas and feedback to improve your own work
, , The children of Israel are at a low point. An excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist Bible Study Tools • What do you think it is like to be a slave? • What does it mean to have a broken spirit? • What does it mean to be free? Creative Thinking Questions: • Are there different kinds of slavery? Explain. • Is anyone really free? Explain. Homeschool Activities: • Why is it harder to listen to someone when you feel down? • Give a presentation on slavery. • What characteristics make you listen to someone and want to follow him/her? • Had the slavery been easier on the children of Israel do you think that they would have been more likely to listen to Moses? Why? • Explain how you think the spirit of the children of Israel got broken. • Do you think having a broken spirit is the same as being depressed? What are the similarities and differences. • If the children of Israel did not like being slaves and Moses said that God would take them out of slavery why would they not listen to him?
Finally, lets start coding. This is where the fun begins. haXe Syntax haXe syntax is very similar to Javascript and actionscript. All statements end with a semicolon. But unlike javascript and actionscript, haXe is statically typed ( we will see what that means later). Lets Get Down to the Code Lets start our first code - class Main public static function main() trace("Hello World"); Copy this code into a text editor and save it as Main.hx. Now what is this? This program just prints Hello World in the command prompt. OK, fine. But, what platform does this code target? Good question. We have not defined that yet. We define the target by creating an hxml file. Here is the code - -main Main -neko hello.n Save this as compile.hxml. This build file tells the haxe compiler to use the static function main from the Main class as the main entry point and compile it for the Neko target ( remember Neko? I have explained it a little bit earlier). Now we need to compile this. To do that follow the steps below - • Place these files in the same folder • Open the command line • In the command line navigate to the folder in which Main.hx and compile.hxml are placed ( To do this in Windows, go to the cmd prompt, type cd (path) , where (path) is the path of the folder) • Type haxe compile.hxml Cool ! If you check the folder there will now be a file hello.n generated. This is a neko executable file, which can be executed on a computer with Neko installed. To execute this file type neko hello.n. You get a Hello World message displayed. Awesome! Lets now understand how it happened. Performing the Code Autopsy Lets dissect the code. A haXe file has the extension .hx. Everything in haXe is made up of something called classes. Classes are like separate entities which can be combined together to create an application. They contain data and functions that the program requires to execute. Most of the time, only one class can be made in a hx file and the name of the hx file should be the same as that of the class it contains. In our example, the name of the class ( as well as the hx file was Main). It is important to remember that classes are found not only in haXe. Classes are used in many languages, like Java, C++, etc. The technique ( or paradigm ) of using classes as the basis of your application and allowing them to interact in different ways ( by using inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, etc. ) is called Object Oriented Programming (OOP) . Now, OOP is a complex computer science topic and it needs a separate chapter to discuss ( a full book in fact, but we don't need that much ) . Don't worry if you didn't understand classes, I will be explaning them in a later section. Now, coming to the main function. Our main application class ( Main in this case ) should have a main function to execute. It contains the following code: trace("Hello World"); The trace function is a standard haXe function which allows you to output something to an output device. We want it to display Hello World on the command prompt screen ( which is the default output device). So, we pass the value Hello World to it. We then define the hxml file to target the neko platform. It must be noted that the main function has to be preceded by the word static. The meaning of the static keyword will be explained in the OOP section. We finally wrote our first code ! You can now go to the next lesson.
Page 1 ISSN: 2319 - 1163 Volume: 1 Issue: 3 496 - 501 Abstract This work describes the design of a divder technique Low-power techniques are applied in the design of the unit, and energy-delay tradeoffs considered. The energy dissipation in the divider can be reduced by up to 70% with respect to a standard implementation not optimized for energy, without penalizing the latency. In this dividing technique we compare The radix-8 divider is compared with one obtained by overlapping three radix-2 stages and with a radix-4 divider. Results show that the latency of our divider is similar to that of the divider with overlapped stages, but the area is smaller. The speed-up of the radix-8 over the radix-4 is about 23.58% and the energy dissipated to complete a division is almost the same, although the area of the radix-8 is 67.58% larger. -----------------------------------------------------------------------**----------------------------------------------------------------------1. INTRODUCTION Division is the most complex of the four basic arithmetic operations and, in general, does not produce an exact answer, since the dividend is not necessarily a multiple of the divisor. Therefore, the correct quotient and remainder are usually obtained through performing a sequence of iterations until the desired precision is reached. This procedure is called sequential division and serves as the basic principle for many practical implementations [1, 3, 4]. The algorithm used is the digit-recurrence division algorithm described in detail in [3]. Digit-recurrence algorithms retire in each iteration a fixed number of result bits, determined by the radix. Higher radices reduce the number of iterations to complete the operation, but increase the cycle time and the complexity of the circuit. There are not many implementations of high-radix dividers, and the purpose of this paper is to determine the performance and the energy dissipation of a radix-8 unit. An evaluation of the area and performance of a radix-8 divider was done in [3] without an actual implementation. In [4] an algorithm for radix-8 division and square root with shared hardware is implemented. In [11] the implementation of a divider with three radix-2 overlapped stages is presented. In [5] it is commented that stages with radices larger than four are not convenient because of the increased complexity of the digit-selection function. We present here our implementation of a low-power radix-8 divider, compare its performance with the implementation presented in [11] and evaluate the speed-up and the energy consumption with respect to a more common radix-4 unit. Moreover, some energy-delay tradeoffs are considered. The primary objective of the design is to perform the operation in the shortest time. Then low-power design techniques are applied in order to reduce the energy dissipated in the unit. Area is not minimized, but some energy reduction techniques reduce the area as well. This work describes the design of a double-precision radix-8 divider. The unit is designed to reduce the energy dissipation without penalizing the latency. The implementation of the divider was done using the Passport 0.56 ď m standard-cell library [2]. The structural model was obtained by both manual design and synthesis of the functional blocks, and was laid out by using automatic floor-planning and routing. The latency of the division is reduced by choosing appropriate parameters in the algorithm that affect both the critical path and the number of iterations, __________________________________________________________________________________________ IJRET \| NOV 2012, Available @ 496 ISSN: 2319 - 1163 Volume: 1 Issue: 3 496 - 501 as described in Section 2. Section 3 describes the design for low-power assimilation of the carry-save representation of [^y] and the actual digit-selection function. In Section 4 the divider is compared with a radix-8 obtained by overlapping three radix-2 stages, using a scheme similar to that implemented in the Sun UltraSPARC processor [11], and with a radix-4 divider [8]. Table 1: Summary selection function. The results show that the energy dissipation in the radix-8 unit can be reduced by up to 70% with appropriate low-power design techniques 2.ALGORITHM AND IMPLEMENTATION The radix-8 division algorithm, described in detail in [3], is implemented by the residual recurrence From Table 1, we can see that SEL for a = 7 is as fast as for a = 6, but its area is smaller. Surprisingly, the delay for the overredundant case a = 10 is larger. Therefore, the SEL for a = 7 is chosen, which results in a redundancy factor p = 1. A first implementation of the divider is shown in Figure 1. The scheme is completed by a controller (not depicted in the figure). The conversion block performs the conversion and the rounding. The quotient is rounded in the last iteration according to the sign of the final residual and the signal that detects if it is zero, which are produced by the sign-zerodetection block (SZD). w[j+1] = 8w[j] - qj+1d j = 0,1……. m with initial value w[0] = x , where x is the dividend, d the divisor, and qj+1 the quotient digit at the j-th iteration. Both d and x are normalized in [0.5, 1). The quotient digit is in signed-digit representation {-a,…..,-1,0,1, ……, a} with redundancy factor p = a/7. The residual w[j] is stored in carrysave representation (wS and wC). The quotient digit is determined, at each iteration, by the selection function qi=SEL (ds,y) To have the divider compliant with IEEE standard for doubleprecision (53-bit significand normalized in [1,2)) while operating with fractional values, 1-bit shifts are performed on the operands. Moreover, to have a bound residual in the first iteration (w[0] = x d ), when x� d we shift x one bit to the right obtaining a fractional quotient. To compute the 53 bits of the quotient and an additional bit to perform rounding, 54/3 = 18 iterations are required. An additional cycle is required to load the value x as first residual w[0]. However, for the proposed architecture and selection function, the simplest way to accomplish this is to do as follows:  where d is d truncated after the -th fractional bit and [y] = 8wS + 8wC truncated after t fractional bits. The recurrence is implemented with a selection function (SEL), a multiple generator, a carry-save adder (CSA) and two registers to store the carry-save representation of the residual. In order to avoid the implementation of a complicated multiple generator, the quotient digit is split into two parts qH with weight 4 and qL with weight 1 (qj = 4qH + qL) and the digit set of each part is reduced to {-2,-1,0,1,2}. Four signals (M2, M1, P1, P2) are used to represent these five values in a oneout-of-four code (zero is coded as (0,0,0,0)). This representation makes the multiple generator simple. Since the selection function (SEL) is in the critical path, to have the minimum latency we have to minimize its delay. We explored the implementation of three possible values of a: 6, 7, and 10 (the maximum value possible with the above mentioned representation). Table 1 shows a summary of the results. The gate-level implementation was obtained by synthesizing the VHDL description of the selection function with Compass ASICSynthesizer. This includes both the   Clear the registers for w (this is done at the end of the previous division). With the selection function we have implemented, this produces a q1 = 1. Compute w[1] = x - d using the hardware for the recurrence. This requires a multiplexer, which is not on the critical path. For q1 to be 1, we shift the dividend three bits to the right. As a consequence, it is necessary to shift the final quotient accordingly, In conclusion, the load cycle is substituted by an extra iteration for a total of 20 iterations: 19 to compute the digits and one for the rounding. Finally, the quotient is normalized in [1,2) by shifting it four positions to the left. Note that all shifts are done by wiring and do not affect the latency of the operation. In the recurrence (w[j]) we need 54 fractional bits and 2 integer bits: one to hold the sign and the other to avoid the overflow in the CS-representation (being p = 1). There are two possible critical paths, one going through qH and the other through qL. Since the delay of qH is smaller than that of qL, but the number of adders to traverse is larger, a good design tries to equalize the delays of both paths. The resulting critical paths, pre-layout, are __________________________________________________________________________________________ IJRET \| NOV 2012, Available @ 497 ISSN: 2319 - 1163 Volume: 1 Issue: 3 496 - 501 The addition of the delay due to the clock distribution tree and the interconnection capacitance results in a post-layout critical path of 10.5 ns. Figure 2: Low-power implementation. 3. LOW POWER IMPLEMENTATION Figure 1: Radix-8 divider implementation. In this Section we apply techniques for the reduction of the energy dissipation in the unit of Figure 1. Some of the techniques applied here are described in [8] for the case of a radix-4 divider. These are adapted for radix-8 in Sections 3.13.4. In addition, techniques specific to radix-8 are introduced: Section 3.5 describes the partitioning of the selection function and Section 3.6 extends the modified convert-and-round algorithm (refer to [8] for a complete description) to the case p = 1. Finally, in Section 3.7 an evaluation of the impact of dual voltage on the low-power implementation is given. __________________________________________________________________________________________ IJRET \| NOV 2012, Available @ 498 RAKESH JAIN et al Volume: 1 Issue: 3 ISSN: 2319 - 1163 496 - 501 Figure 2 shows the implementation of the low-power radix-8 divider and Table 2 summarizes the results obtained by applying the low-power techniques described in Sections 3.13.7. In the Table, entry std refers to the standard implementation, optimized for speed, and entry l-p is the lowpower implementation. It was not possible to implement dual voltage with our cell library so that entry d-v is an estimate of a possible implementation. 3.1. Switching- off not active blocks The sign-zero-detection block (SZD), which is only used in the rounding step, is switched off by forcing a constant logic value at its inputs during the recurrence steps. The reduction is about 8%. 3.2 Retiming the recurrence The position of the registers in a sequential system affects the energy dissipation. Retiming is the transformation that consists in re-positioning the registers in a sequential circuit without modifying its external behavior [6]. For the recurrence, the retiming is done by moving the selection function of Figure 1 from the first part of the cycle to the last part of the previous cycle (see Figure 3.a and Figure 3.b). Two new registers (qH and qL) are needed to store the quotient digit. Figure 3: Retiming and critical path. a) before retiming, b) after retiming, c) after retiming and skewing the clock. By retiming the recurrence we reduce the switching activity in the multiple generators and in the CSAs, and change the critical path that is now limited to the eight most-significant bits. This allows the rest of the bits in the recurrence to be redesigned for low power. 3.3 Reducing transitions in multiplexer The multiplexer in Figure 1 is used to select either x in the first iteration or the residual in the others. The number of transitions in the mux can be reduced by moving it out of the recurrence, as shown in Figure 2. Consequently, the operations in the first cycle are modified by resetting registers qH and qL to 0 and -1 respectively and by storing x in w[0] = 0 - (-x). 3.4Changing the redundant representation By using a radix-8 carry-save representation with three sum bits and one carry bit for each digit in the recurrence, as shown in Figure 4, we only need to store one carry bit for each digit, instead of three. This can be done for the 45 LSBs that, after the retiming, are not on the critical path. Furthermore, after the retiming, the eight MSBs, assimilated in the adder inside the selection function block (Figure 2), can be stored in wS eliminating another eight flip-flops in wC. Figure 4: Radix-8 carry-save adder (lower). By retiming, moving the mux, and changing the representation, the reduction in l-p with respect to std is about 14%. __________________________________________________________________________________________ IJRET \| NOV 2012, Available @ 499 ISSN: 2319 - 1163 Volume: 1 Issue: 3 496 - 501 As a first step to reduce energy dissipation, we load each digit in its final position [9]. In this way, we avoid to shift digits along the registers. To determine the load position we use an 18-bit ring counter C, one bit for each digit to load. 3.7. Using dual voltage Figure 5: partitioned selection function. 3.5 Partitioning and disabling selection function The quotient-digit selection is a function of three bits of the divisor and eight of the residual. In the radix-8 case, Figure 5 shows the partitioning in eight parts (all the possible values of d3) for both the higher and lower parts. The demultiplexer transmits the assimilated value of [^y] to the selected pair of selection tables and forces to zero the output of the others. Finally, an array of OR gates combines the partial values. Experimental results showed that the partitioned selection function dissipates less energy, but the critical path increased. The smaller selection functions are faster than the implementation in one piece, but the delays in the demultiplexer and the OR gates offset the improvement. 3.6. Modifications in conversion And Rounding The on-the-fly convert-and-round algorithm [3] performs the conversion from the signed-digit representation to the conventional representation in 2's complement. The conversion is done as the digits are produced and does not require a carry-propagate adder. The algorithm, in its original formulation, did not consider the energy dissipation, resulting in about 30% of the whole divider. For p = 1, the partial quotient is stored in three registers (Q, QM, QP) updated in each iteration by shift-and-load operations, and the final quotient is chosen among those registers during the rounding. The large amount of energy dissipated in the unit is mainly due to the shifting during each iteration and to the number of flip-flops, used to implement the registers. The power dissipated in a cell depends on the square of the voltage supply (VDD) so that significant amount of energy can be saved by reducing this voltage [1]. However, by lowering the voltage the delay increases, so that to maintain the performance this technique is applied only to cells not in the critical path. Different power supply voltages require level-shifting circuitry that dissipate energy. However, by using two voltages we only need to level-shift when going from the lower to the higher voltage [13]. In our case, the 45 least-significant bits in the recurrence can be redesigned for low voltage, as shown in Figure 7. The voltage-level shifters are not needed until a specific digit moves towards the eleven MSBs, by shifting across iterations and into the critical path. By placing the voltage-level shifters (a total of three) in the digit immediately before the eleven MSBs the cycle time is not increased and the energy dissipated in the level-shifting circuitry is small. We can apply the dual-voltage technique also to the convertand-round unit which is not in the critical path. The number of level-shifters required is 53, as many as the double-precision significand representation, but because of the new algorithm, each bit switches at most twice and the energy dissipation in the level-shifters does not offset the reduction due to the lower voltage. We estimated a reduction of about 50% in d-v with respect to l-p if low-voltage gates were available. IMPLEMENTATION To evaluate the tradeoffs between energy and delay, we compare the radix-8 divider with the radix-4 unit previously presented in [8]. We chose a radix-4 divider for the comparison because the algorithm is the same with the only variation of the radix, and the techniques to reduce the energy are similar. The radix-4 divider has the disadvantage of requiring more cycles to compute the quotient (30 cycles) but the advantage of a shorter iteration cycle (faster clock) and smaller area. The performance metric used is the time elapsed per operation which is tdiv = Tcycle Ă—(no. of cycles). The energy measure is the energy per division Ediv and we also include the energy per cycle Epc. Table 5 summarizes the characteristics of the two dividers. __________________________________________________________________________________________ IJRET \| NOV 2012, Available @ 500 ISSN: 2319 - 1163 Volume: 1 Issue: 3 496 - 501 radix-4 radix-8 [unit] Tcycle 9.3 Area 2.2 [9]A. Nannarelli and T. Lang. Low-Power Convert-and-Round Unit. Technical Report, Jan 1997. Available on the WWW at [10]W. Nebel and J. Mermet editors. Low Power Design in Deep Submicron Electronics. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997. [11]A. Prabhu and G. Zyner. 167 MHz radix-8 divide and square root using overlapped radix-2 stages. Proc. of 12th Symposium on Computer Arithmetic, pages 155-162, July 1995. [12]J. M. Rabaey, M. Pedram, et al. Low Power Design Methodologies. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1996. [13]K. Usami and M. Horowitz. Clustered voltage scaling technique for low-power design. Proc. of International Symposium on Low Power Design, pages 3-8, Apr. 1995. Table 5: Radix-4 vs. radix-8 divider. The speed-up for the radix-8 over the radix-4 is about 20%, while the increase in the energy-per-division is less than 2%. On the other hand, the radix-8 has an energy-per-cycle which is 50% larger. Our design shows that the increase of area (about 50%) does not reflect on the energy dissipated to complete an operation, which is almost the same because of the reduction in the number of cycles. The radix-4 divider is smaller, but it is slower and consumes almost the same amount of energy per operation. REFERENCES [1] A. P. Chandrakasan and R. W. Brodersen. Low Power Digital CMOS Design. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1995. [2]Compass Design Automation. Passport - 0.6-Micron, 3Volt, High-Performance Standard Cell Library. Compass Design Automation, Inc., 1994. [3]M. Ergegovac and T. Lang. Division and Square Root: Digit-Recurrence Algorithms and Implementations. Kluwer Academic Publisher, 1994. [4] J. Fandrianto. Algorithm for high-speed shared radix-8 division and radix-8 square root. Proc. of 9th Symposium on Computer Arithmetic, pages 68-75, Sept. 1989. [5]D. Harris, S. Oberman, and M. Horowitz. SRT division architectures and implementations. Proc. of 13th Symposium on Computer Arithmetic, pages 18-25, July 1997. [6]J. Monteiro, S. Devadas, and A. Ghosh. Retiming sequential circuits for low power. Proc. of 1993 International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), pages 398402, Nov. 1993. [7]A. Nannarelli. PET: Power evaluation tool, Aug. 1996. [8]A. Nannarelli and T. Lang. Low-power radix-4 divider. Proc. of International Symposium on Low Power Electronics and Design, pages 205-208, Aug. 1996. __________________________________________________________________________________________ IJRET \| NOV 2012, Available @ 501 Read more Read more Similar to Popular now Just for you

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