The unit was first used in the ninth century at the latest. The word "furlong" comes from Old English words "furh" ("furrow") and "lang" ("long"). Originally it was the length of the furrow in one acre of a ploughed field. An acre is an area that is one furlong long and one chain wide. For this reason, the furlong was once also called an "acre's length". Around the year 1300, England standardized the furlong as 40 rods or 660 feet.
The length of the furlong was standardized between South Africa, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada , New Zealand and the United States in the International Pound and Yard Agreement.
The furlong was abolished for official use in the UK in 1985. It is still occasionally seen on road signs in Myanmar.
Distances for horse racing in the UK, Ireland, and Canada are still given in miles and furlongs. The unit is not used otherwise. It is considered to be an "archaic" unit.
The proverb "one furlong per fortnight" means to express something in as obscure and little-used units as possible. (A fortnight is two weeks, or fourteen days). The proverb itself means speed, and is the same as 0.000166309524 m/s or 0.17 mm/s.
Stefan Zweig
Stefan Zweig (; November 28, 1881 – February 22, 1942) was an Austrian writer of Jewish descent. He was born in Vienna. He volunteered to be a soldier in the First World War, and got the post as a military commentator. This made him an enemy of war. The Nazis gained power in Germany in 1933, and their influence could be felt in Austria as well. 1934, Stefan Zweig emigrated, first to London, then to South America. That way he lost much of his audience. He committed suicide (together with his second wife) by barbiturate overdose in Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro in 1942.
He has written many books and poems. One of his best-known works is called "'Schachnovelle" ("The Royal Game", in English. In it, he describes a Chess player, that is forced to play against himself (while imprisoned). He explores the theme of madness. This book inspired the movie Geri's Game, made by Pixar in 1997.
Leeward Islands (Society Islands)
The Leeward Islands are part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia.
Complexity theory
Complexity theory is a type of Computer science. It looks at how hard a problem is to do for a computer, and how good particular solutions (algorithms) to that problem are. Different algorithms that solve a problem may be better or worse in multiple ways. An algorithm may be faster than some other algorithm, but it may need more resources, like memory.
Part of complexity theory is understanding how algorithms perform in their worst-case scenario. An algorithm's worst-case scenario is a problem that will take a long time, or lots of resources, to solve. If people know how good an algorithm is in its worst case, they can guarantee that the algorithm will be at least that good in "every" case. People are also interested in how a certain algorithm does on average; many algorithms are very inefficient in their worst case, but are okay on most cases. Knowing how good an algorithm is on average lets people know what to generally expect when using that algorithm.
Binary operation
In mathematics, a binary operation, often denoted *, on a set is a way of combining a pair of elements in that set that results in another element of the set. For example, if we take a pair of natural numbers and let the operation * be addition, then their sum is also a natural number, and is the result of applying this particular binary operation. Another example of an operation on the natural numbers is multiplication. For instance, take the natural numbers 2 and 3. When multiplied together they give 6, another natural number.
Others: The sum between matrices. The composition of functions. The union and the intersection of sets are also two different binary operations on the set of all sets, or on subsets in a power set.
Kubuntu
Kubuntu is a version of the free Linux distribution Ubuntu. It uses the desktop environment KDE instead of GNOME. Most of the software used in Kubuntu, is part of the KDE project, but all other software used in Ubuntu can also be used.
Because the only difference of Kubuntu and Ubuntu is the default software, an Ubuntu system can turn into a Kubuntu system, or a Kubuntu system into an Ubuntu system, only by installing some software.
Some examples of changes in software:
Xubuntu
Xubuntu is a free Linux distribution based on Ubuntu. It uses the Xfce desktop environment.
List of Linux distributions
Edubuntu
Edubuntu is the version of Linux distribution Ubuntu. It is used for education. It uses GNOME and is designed for use in classrooms.
Edubuntu has been created in collaboration with teachers and technologists in multiple nations. Edubuntu is built on top of the Ubuntu base, and incorporates education-specific applications, designed for the 6–18 years age group.
Included with Edubuntu is the Linux Terminal Server Project, a large number of educational applications including GCompris, KDE Edutainment Suite, The first Edubuntu release coincided with the release of Ubuntu 5.10, which was called "Breezy Badger" on 2005. Edubuntu CDs can be ordered for free through the official website service.
The principal design goals of Edubuntu are easier configuration, users and processes, together with ways for working together in classrooms. Equally important is the gathering together of the best available free software and digital materials for education.
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder (DID), is a mental disorder.
It was called multiple personality disorder (MPD). It is listed in the mental health diagnosis manual DSM IV.
This is one of the most controversial mental disorders because people disagree about what causes it. The main symptoms of DID are a person showing two or more "identities" or "personality states". The person behaves differently depending which identity is in control. The second important symptom is when a person forgets important, personal things which people normally do not forget.
A person is not diagnosed with DID if the symptoms are caused by drugs, illness or (with children) pretending to play with imaginary friends. Doctors must also rule out pretending to have DID for attention or sympathy, and malingering (pretending to have DID for some personal gain). Most patients with DID are also diagnosed with other mental disorders.
The DSM IV uses the terms "identity", "personality states" and "alternate identities" when talking about DID and other people use the term "alters" to mean the same thing. These words can be confusing since not everyone uses the same definition. Professionals have not agreed on a specific definition for a personality; other terms, including dissociation and amnesia, may also be defined differently by different professionals. When talking about DID, saying someone changes personalities or alters means the person speaks and acts differently, and usually responds to a different name.
Dissociation is a symptom. Most people experience normal dissociation, where they stop paying attention to what is happening around them. People with DID have pathological dissociation, which is much more serious. It involves problems with memory and attention that make it hard for people to work, shop and have relationships with other people. Everyone can dissociate but some people can do it much more easily and to an extreme that can be unhealthy. Some doctors think trauma causes the dissociation that is seen in disorders like DID.