In mathematics, the lowercase formula_1 is used to represent characteristic function, chi-square distribution in statistics and Euler characteristic in geometry.
Psi (letter)
Psi (uppercase/lowercase Ψ ψ) is the 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet. It is used to represent the "ps" sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 700. Letters that came from it include Cyrillic Ѱ.
In mathematics, the uppercase formula_1 is used as a variable for sets of sentences (in logic), and the lowercase formula_2 is used to represent the sum of reciprocals of Fibonacci numbers. Other applications include the polygamma function, the gamma function and the super golden ratio.
Omega
Omega (uppercase/lowercase Ω ω) is the 24th and the last letter of the Greek alphabet. It stood for a long "o" sound in Ancient Greek. It still stands for "o" in Modern Greek, but there is no longer a difference between long and short vowels, so it sounds the same as Omicron. In the system of Greek numerals, it stands for the number 800.
There was also once a letter "Omega" Ѡ in the Cyrillic alphabet. It was there so people could spell Greek names both in Cyrillic and in Greek in the same way. However, this letter is no longer used today.
In mathematics, the uppercase omega Ω is used in big-Omega notation (a variant of big-O notation). It is also used to represent the Omega constant. In electromagnetism and engineering, the uppercase Ω is used as the symbol for ohms, which are the units of electrical resistance. In physics and other sciences, the lowercase ω is often used to represent angular frequency.
In modern English, the phrase "From alpha to omega" expresses the idea of "everything".
Sampi
Sampi or Disigma is a mysterious Greek symbol. Its meaning is still debated today. Some believe it to be a replacement of 'san'. Before that, it was a letter that was used in the Greek alphabet in a few Greek cities in the 5th century BC. At that time, it looked like or . It was probably pronounced like "ts" or "tch" in the dialect of those cities. Over time, it was changed from to or and at last to . Eventually, the letter came out of use, while it was still used to denote "900" in the system of Greek numerals.
Aliteracy
The problem of aliteracy is the state of being able to read but being uninterested in doing so. Teachers and school librarians are trying to deal with this problem.
Stratford P. Sherman wrote, in a November 18, 1991 article in Fortune magazine, about the need for America to read more. He began by saying that most Americans could not understand the article. He referred to a study by John P. Robinson, a sociology professor at the University of Maryland, showing that the average American at that time spent only 24 minutes per day in reading. He mentioned the continuing decline in newspaper sales, and referred to a guess by Leonard Riggio, CEO of Barnes & Noble, that 50% of books sold by his company were never read. He quoted Samuel Robert Lichter, director of the Center for Media and Public Affairs, on his preference for the ease of turning on the TV instead of reading a book. Sherman went on, in his article, to mention the growing need for skillful commmunication in American business but also the decreasing quality of the same activity. He quoted Monsanto CEO Richard Mahoney on the importance of reading in helping a business manager to see connections between events. He described print media as being first among different media with respect to (1) the amount of information conveyed by so few widely understood symbols, (2) portability, (3) suitability for the user's own speed of use, and (4) economical distribution of broad and deep information which can be used immediately.
Sherman said that Motorola was making preparations to pay $5,000,000 to teach workers reading and other basic skills, and that, since 1982, Ford Motor Company had already sent 32,000 workers on a similar program. He said that Simon & Schuster predicted a market of $500,000,000 per year in the sales of remedial programs to corporations. He quoted a spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters as saying that "the biggest predictor of scholastic success is the time parents spend reading to their children." However, Sherman said that the amount of time thus spent meant that the outlook was "not bright".
L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows is a historical settlement on the island of Newfoundland in eastern Canada. It was settled by Vikings from Greenland, Iceland, and Norway around the year 1000, almost 500 years before Christopher Columbus came to the Americas. It is the only known Viking place in North America outside of Greenland. The remains of the settlement were discovered in 1960, and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
The Wealth of Nations
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations is better known simply as The Wealth of Nations. It was written by Adam Smith in 1776, who was a Scottish man. It looks at division of work, following self-interest, and freedom of trade.
The book was not the beginning of classical economics, and market economics. Smith said that if everyone did what was best for themselves, the result would be best for society. Before that, economics was about the king's personal interests, and the wealth of a nation was measured by the king's treasury or by the gold and silver in the country.
Smith said what's important is what's best for the whole nation, and that wealth should be measured by the yearly income of the nation. He wanted to discover how wealth can grow, and how people could do things to support that growth. Smith's book said land, labour, and capital were the three "factors of production" and the main contributors to a nation's wealth.
Prices naturally adjust to having more or less of something: supply and demand. If there is too much of something (more supply), prices go down so that people have more reason to buy it. If a lot of people want something (high demand), there may not be enough of it (scarcity); there will be a competition among the people who want to buy it, and some people will agree to pay more to get what they want, and prices go up.
Smith said markets should be free. At the time, some big companies (like the East India Company) were controlled by the government. Sometimes the rulers made laws that were good for themselves but not for workers or customers. For example, in the American colonies, colonists could grow cotton but were not allowed to make clothing from it. They had to ship it to England to be made into clothing, then buy it back after it was finished. Smith said this was bad for individuals and for society. He thought it was better for money to flow freely and naturally between buyers and sellers without outside interference. Money would naturally go to the sellers who made the best product at the best price. This way if people did what was best for them, it would end up being best for society as a whole, almost like an "invisible hand" was guiding everything.
La Dessalinienne
La Dessalinienne (The Dessalines Song) is the national anthem of Haiti, honoring Jean-Jacques Dessalines. The lyrics (words of the song) were written by Justin Lhérisson and its music composed by Nicolas Geffrard; it was adopted in 1904.
Aisin Gioro Yuhuan
Aixinjueluo Yuhuan (; ) (October 1929 – 23 June 2003) was a recent Chinese traditional artist in both traditional Chinese paintings and traditional Chinese music. He is also one of the few descendants of the royal family of the Qing Dynasty. He is the great-great grandson of the Daoguang Emperor. He was born in the Prince Gong Mansion in Beijing, China.
In 1957, he joined the China Artists' Association, and in 1981 he was added into The Chinese Great Artists' Dictionary. He has won many art prizes in China dealing with Chinese traditional art, his pieces are mostly landscapes, people, and close-up flowers and bamboo.