in may 2003, the joint national committee on prevention, detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood pressure ( jnc ) defined the following categories for blood pressure, based on extensive reviews of scientific literature. the figures are updated periodically to keep pace with new research. the biggest change is the addition of a new category called prehypertension, which identifies people at higher risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. | category | | systolic blood | pressure ( mm hg ) | | | diastolic blood | pressure ( mm hg ) | normal | | less than 120 | | and | | less than 80 | | prehypertension | | 120 - 139 | | or | | 80 - 89 | | hypertension | | | | | | | | stage 1 | | 140 - 159 | | or | | 90 - 99 | | stage 2 | | 160 or higher | | or | | 100 or higher | to classify your blood pressure, your doctor averages two or more readings. for example, if you have 135 / 85 mm hg on one occasion and 145 / 95 mm hg on another, your doctor will say you have an average blood pressure of 140 / 90 mm hg, which is stage 1 hypertension. when systolic and diastolic pressures fall into different categories, the jnc advises doctors to rate the blood pressure by the highest category. for example, 150 / 85 mm hg is classified as stage 1 hypertension, not as prehypertension. systolic hypertension is defined as a systolic pressure of 140 mm hg or higher and a diastolic pressure below 90 mm hg. people in the normal category those with a blood pressure below 120 / 80 mm hg have the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular disease. people in the prehypertension category have a greatly increased risk of developing hypertension. these people require lifestyle changes to reduce their risk. people with stage 1 hypertension generally require medication, although aggressive lifestyle changes ( in diet and fitness ) can sometimes help people avoid the need for medication. your doctor might recommend different numbers based on special circumstances, such as : - coronary artery disease : 140 / 90 ; lower if possible, especially if your symptoms of angina still occur. however, your blood pressure should be reduced gradually. blood pressure that is lowered too quickly over a short time decreases blood flow in the coronary arteries and stimulates the heart to beat more rapidly. this combination of increased work by the heart muscles with


the soul of a new hand tool hand levels are one of the standard tools in the kits of house builders, plumbers, and many other tradespeople. until 1990, all levels were bubble - type spirit levels. but in that year, a california carpenter, andy butler, and some silicon valley engineers patented a new level that depended on high - tech electronics to show digitally the precise angle of the surface being checked. the " smartlevel, " as the new tool was named, found a market among users of traditional levels who needed precise degree measurements. butler and his colleagues, more interested in developing a new idea than amassing a fortune, sold the smartlevel line and moved onto new projects. in 1995, the lemelson center supported oral history interviews with andy butler and other key individuals involved with the development, manufacture, and marketing of this new generation of digital hand tool. additional interviews with smartlevel principles outside california are forthcoming. at the conclusion of the project, the interviews, an archive of original documents, drawings, photographs, and other records, several generations of smartlevels, hardware store display elements, and sales training videotapes will be preserved in the archives center of the national museum of american history. for more information on this collection, email the archives center. originally published in fall 1995.


the invisible gardener ' s natural pest control center click here to hear andy talk about organic and natural home pest controls on his radio shows. if you decide not to use a raised bed then you must prepare the area first. draw a plan for what you want to grow in your raised bed. keep the tallest on one side with the smallest to the opposite side. if you have more then one raised decide which plants will grow where. change this design every year so as not to grow the same plants in the same place year after choosing a location for your raised bed is very important. the location needs to be close to the kitchen to provide easy access for the cook. the location must provide at least 6 to 8 hrs direct sun, with the more the better. must have proper drainage. so take a walk around your place and see if you can pick the perfect spot. another consideration is water, it must have a close source. never use city water in your raised bed. many cities have chlorine ( or? ) in their city water. chlorine kills bacteria, that is what it does best. however an organic garden requires natural bacteria in order to function correctly. a garden filter will help keep your garden alive! you will notice an increase in in worms and in the gardens overall health. you can make your own garden filter by converting your shower filter. info on a gardening filter is coming, ask me about it. putting together the raised bed a good raised bed should be at least 4ft x 10 ft x 12 inches high x at least 2 inches thick. use non treated wood. the wood can be screwed together for easy break down when needed. if you have gophers in your area, you will want to screen the bottom with extra heavy chicken wire. the size of the bed depends on the area and amount of space you have to use. an ideal situation is to have two or more raised beds. one 4ft x 12ft x 12 inches x 2 inches can produce enough food for a family of four. more beds allow you to rotate the beds and allow one bed to grow green cover which can be turned over. filling in the raised bed the following should fit just right into the raised bed. you will have to use what you find in your area. start out with a good layer of old horse manure. to this i add either llama pellets or rabbit pellets ( nature ' s time released fertilizer ). add 20 lbs of rock dust or any other trace mineral source. add


andrew jackson ' s mouth / barton letter / spybook ( # 804 ) this episode has not aired in the past few months on iowa public television. how is this fragment connected a political protest in the 19th century? 16 : 03 what does this little black book reveal about spying on the home front during world war i? 18 : 34 what does this letter reveal about america ' s early efforts to honor its war dead? 17 : 31 full program : barton letter ; andrew jackson ' s mouth ; spybook 55 : 10 full program : eduardo investigates the story behind a bill of sale for a 17 - year old “ negro girl ". 53 : 41 - watch more video from this program » information for teachers - grade levels - curricular areas - social studies - series length - 128 episodes - average episode length - 56 minutes - record rights - record and retain for 1 year from each broadcast. no duplication allowed. - visit the website for teacher resources visit the iptv education website to access timely, relevant resources for your classroom. news & announcements - more » - more » series description : history detectives returns to explore the stories behind historic sites, artifacts and tall tales told in cities across the country, with the help of an inquisitive team of fact - finders with an uncanny talent for uncovering the truth. all upcoming episodes there are no broadcasts currently planned. please check back for future broadcast dates. these episodes of history detectives aired in the last few months on iowa public television.


the holocaust just got more shocking by eric lichtbau, the new york times, march 1, 2013 thirteen years ago, researchers at the united states holocaust memorial museum began the grim task of documenting all the ghettos, slave labor sites, concentration camps and killing factories that the nazis set up throughout europe. what they have found so far has shocked even scholars steeped in the history of the holocaust. the researchers have cataloged some 42, 500 nazi ghettos and camps throughout europe, spanning german - controlled areas from france to russia and germany itself, during hitler ’ s reign of brutality from 1933 to 1945. the figure is so staggering that even fellow holocaust scholars had to make sure they had heard it correctly when the lead researchers previewed their findings at an academic forum in late january at the german historical institute in washington. “ the numbers are so much higher than what we originally thought, ” hartmut berghoff, director of the institute, said in an interview after learning of the new data. “ we knew before how horrible life in the camps and ghettos was, ” he said, “ but the numbers are unbelievable. ” the documented camps include not only “ killing centers ” but also thousands of forced labor camps, where prisoners manufactured war supplies ; prisoner - of - war camps ; sites euphemistically named “ care ” centers, where pregnant women were forced to have abortions or their babies were killed after birth ; and brothels, where women were coerced into having sex with german military personnel. auschwitz and a handful of other concentration camps have come to symbolize the nazi killing machine in the public consciousness. likewise, the nazi system for imprisoning jewish families in hometown ghettos has become associated with a single site — the warsaw ghetto, famous for the 1943 uprising. but these sites, infamous though they are, represent only a minuscule fraction of the entire german network, the new research makes painfully clear. the maps the researchers have created to identify the camps and ghettos turn wide sections of wartime europe into black clusters of death, torture and slavery — centered in germany and poland, but reaching in all directions. the lead editors on the project, geoffrey megargee and martin dean, estimate that 15 million to 20 million people died or were imprisoned in the sites that they have identified as part of a multivolume encyclopedia. ( the holocaust museum has published the first two, with five more planned by 2025. ) the existence of many individual camps and ghettos was previously known only on a fragmented, region - by -


as part of a multivolume encyclopedia. ( the holocaust museum has published the first two, with five more planned by 2025. ) the existence of many individual camps and ghettos was previously known only on a fragmented, region - by - region basis. but the researchers, using data from some 400 contributors, have been documenting the entire scale for the first time, studying where they were located, how they were run, and what their purpose was. the brutal experience of henry greenbaum, an 84 - year - old holocaust survivor who lives outside washington, typifies the wide range of nazi sites. when mr. greenbaum, a volunteer at the holocaust museum, tells visitors today about his wartime odyssey, listeners inevitably focus on his confinement of months at auschwitz, the most notorious of all the camps. but the images of the other camps where the nazis imprisoned him are ingrained in his memory as deeply as the concentration camp number — a188991 — tattooed on his left forearm. in an interview, he ticked off the locations in rapid fire, the details still vivid. first came the starachowice ghetto in his hometown in poland, where the germans herded his family and other local jews in 1940, when he was just 12. next came a slave labor camp with six - foot - high fences outside the town, where he and a sister were moved while the rest of the family was sent to die at treblinka. after his regular work shift at a factory, the germans would force him and other prisoners to dig trenches that were used for dumping the bodies of victims. he was sent to auschwitz, then removed to work at a chemical manufacturing plant in poland known as buna monowitz, where he and some 50 other prisoners who had been held at the main camp at auschwitz were taken to manufacture rubber and synthetic oil. and last was another slave labor camp at flossenburg, near the czech border, where food was so scarce that the weight on his 5 - foot - 8 - inch frame fell away to less than 100 pounds. by the age of 17, mr. greenbaum had been enslaved in five camps in five years, and was on his way to a sixth, when american soldiers freed him in 1945. “ nobody even knows about these places, ” mr. greenbaum said. “ everything should be documented. that ’ s very important. we try to tell the youngsters so that they know, and they ’ ll remember. ” the research could have legal implications as well by helping a small


” mr. greenbaum said. “ everything should be documented. that ’ s very important. we try to tell the youngsters so that they know, and they ’ ll remember. ” the research could have legal implications as well by helping a small number of survivors document their continuing claims over unpaid insurance policies, looted property, seized land and other financial matters. “ how many claims have been rejected because the victims were in a camp that we didn ’ t even know about? ” asked sam dubbin, a florida lawyer who represents a group of survivors who are seeking to bring claims against european insurance companies. dr. megargee, the lead researcher, said the project was changing the understanding among holocaust scholars of how the camps and ghettos evolved. as early as 1933, at the start of hitler ’ s reign, the third reich established about 110 camps specifically designed to imprison some 10, 000 political opponents and others, the researchers found. as germany invaded and began occupying european neighbors, the use of camps and ghettos was expanded to confine and sometimes kill not only jews but also homosexuals, gypsies, poles, russians and many other ethnic groups in eastern europe. the camps and ghettos varied enormously in their mission, organization and size, depending on the nazis ’ needs, the researchers have found. the biggest site identified is the infamous warsaw ghetto, which held about 500, 000 people at its height. but as few as a dozen prisoners worked at one of the smallest camps, the munchen - schwabing site in germany. small groups of prisoners were sent there from the dachau concentration camp under armed guard. they were reportedly whipped and ordered to do manual labor at the home of a fervent nazi patron known as “ sister pia, ” cleaning her house, tending her garden and even building children ’ s toys for her. when the research began in 2000, dr. megargee said he expected to find perhaps 7, 000 nazi camps and ghettos, based on postwar estimates. but the numbers kept climbing — first to 11, 500, then 20, 000, then 30, 000, and now 42, 500. the numbers astound : 30, 000 slave labor camps ; 1, 150 jewish ghettos ; 980 concentration camps ; 1, 000 prisoner - of - war camps ; 500 brothels filled with sex slaves ; and thousands of other camps used for euthanizing the elderly and infirm, performing forced abortions, “ germanizing ” prisoners or transporting victims to killing centers. in berlin alone


knowledge drives action 24 august 2012 | news story the ground - breaking work of iucn ’ s six commissions is highlighted in the latest issue of the journal s. a. p. i. en. s. set up as “ networks of expert volunteers entrusted to develop and advance the institutional knowledge, experience and objectives of iucn ”, the commissions enable iucn to link to cutting - edge science to advance knowledge and learning. sapiens ( surveys and perspectives integrating environment and society ), is a peer - reviewed, open access, multidisciplinary journal focused on integrating knowledge to promote sustainability research. this special issue shows how knowledge drives action. it explores how the knowledge generated by the species survival commission ( ssc ) is helping fight the global biodiversity crisis through the examples of amphibians worldwide and mammals in south - east asia ; how the debate in the commission on environmental law on the so - called “ non - regression principle ” is pushing the boundaries of law and policy ; and how the commission on ecosystem management is tackling existing knowledge gaps on the status of the world ’ s ecosystems. the world commission on protected areas presents its work on defining and applying the new concept of “ nature - based solutions ” to global challenges while the commission on environmental, economic and social policy focuses on an emerging framework for sustainable rural development. last but not least, the commission on education and communication looks at pathways to resilient people and a resilient planet. “ there is no question that the need for up - to - the - minute, user - friendly and comprehensive knowledge about biodiversity is greater now than it was 50 years ago when the first iucn commission, the ssc, was born, ” says iucn director general, julia marton - lefevre. “ what we also need more than ever today is to reach out beyond the conservation community, to other scientific and academic networks – and this is precisely what we are hoping to achieve through this joint publication between iucn and the institut veolia environnement. ”


on a bright, airy classroom on the west side, six youngsters are grooving to miles davis, their feet gently tapping, their bodies swaying a bit as they savor the trumpet sighs wafting out of a portable stereo system. meanwhile, at the tony symphony center downtown, a much larger group of kids is hanging on to every note that jazz trumpeter wynton marsalis is playing, as he re - creates the clarion sound of louis armstrong hitting a glorious series of high cs. the day ' s topic may be vintage miles or classic satchmo, but the subliminal message - - the one that the instructors are trying to get across - - is that music can save their lives and open up their futures, whether or not they decide to become musicians. if jazz long ago was the music of the street and the brothel, lately it has taken on a considerably more heroic role in the lives of some urban schoolchildren, thanks to two daring new projects. one, based in chicago and headed by the protean trumpeter orbert davis, uses jazz to save " at - risk " children. to date, davis ' musicalive program has been adopted in more than a dozen chicago schools and in classrooms as far away as mobile, ala. if davis has his way, musicalive eventually will be swinging in every state. the other, a jazz for young people curriculum conceived in new york and headed by marsalis, can give kids " the tools to speak to one another, " as marsalis puts it. the lessons may cover the basics of jelly roll morton and duke ellington, but - - in profound ways - - they show kids how to respect one another other, how to negotiate and how to get along. so far as davis and marsalis are concerned, no music can do more to give kids hope than america ' s only homegrown art form, jazz. moreover, in an era when arts programs rapidly are disappearing from financially hard - pressed school districts, the need for music education never has been greater, argue artists such as davis and marsalis. and at a time when science is discovering that musical training improves intellectual abilities and deters against anti - social behavior, they appear to have a point. " the intrinsic value and enjoyment of the music is important, but it ' s also a beautiful way to teach about democracy and about people working together, " says educator sandy feldstein, who helped create marsalis ' jazz curriculum. " because that ' s what jazz is all about - - a group


, but it ' s also a beautiful way to teach about democracy and about people working together, " says educator sandy feldstein, who helped create marsalis ' jazz curriculum. " because that ' s what jazz is all about - - a group of musicians trying to play together, improvising, being creative. " teach kids jazz, and you ' re teaching them history, because of all that has happened in this music in the past 100 years. and you ' re teaching them social studies, because you cover all the places that the jazz musicians traveled to, on the road. " really, you ' re teaching them about life. " easygoing approach " so what ' s new? " davis asks the kids awaiting him in room 307 of the victor herbert school, located just a few blocks west of the united center, which most of these kids never have seen on the inside. " band, " answers one of the youngsters. " basketball, " says another. " girls, " jokes a third. the approach may seem informal, but that ' s precisely the way davis prefers it. the idea is to establish a real rapport with these kids - - to talk about everyday life and its problems and its possibilities - - before a single note is played. davis knows that the youngsters sitting in front of him have had trouble in school. some have been failing their classes. some haven ' t been showing up. some have been showing up but haven ' t said a word. or at least that ' s what they were like a year ago, before the school picked them as prime candidates for davis ' musicalive, an innovative program that focuses as much on communication and coping as it does onbuddy bolden and king oliver. between discussions about jazz and related musical forms, davis and the instructors he trains teach kids why it ' s important to show up for a job interview looking good, just as musicians do when they have a gig ; why it ' s critical to " speak the ` king ' s english ' in proper settings, " says davis, to keep phrases as beautiful as those a trumpeter makes when he ' s standing in front of the public. " over the years, i ' ve come to realize that students who are involved in the arts learn the life skills of discipline, focus, self - confidence, expression, group dynamics, coping, communication and racial reconciliation, " says davis, who spent 14 years teaching at columbia college chicago and received a master ' s degree in music education from northwestern university. " these are


discipline, focus, self - confidence, expression, group dynamics, coping, communication and racial reconciliation, " says davis, who spent 14 years teaching at columbia college chicago and received a master ' s degree in music education from northwestern university. " these are skills that enable us to function in society and become responsible citizens - - and employable. so why is music the first thing cut in school curricula? " taking action a few years ago he decided that he wasn ' t going to sit around watching it happen. so he spent his own time and money developing musicalive, which he conceived as a 15 - session curriculum " for at - risk youth grades k - 12 " and unveiled in 1999. the project, which includes workbooks for students and teachers, was designed specifically to connect " every day life and music, " according to musicalive ' s mission statement. ultimately, the goal was to improve kids ' self - esteem, teach them how to express themselves verbally and show them how to solve problems and make decisions - - all through hands - on activities in music. thus the student workbooks that davis created include both miles davis ' recording of " on green dolphin street " and martin luther king jr. ' s " i have a dream " speech. since davis brought musicalive to victor herbert, the kids have formed a jazz band and jam together at least once a week, even when no one from musicalive is around to hear them. in effect, these youngsters are being transformed. " that music program has saved my boy ' s life, " says donna thadison, whose youngest son, 7th grader jerome, had problems before he started musicalive. " he was hanging with the wrong kids, he wasn ' t getting along with the other kids. now he ' s staying out of trouble and getting kids into the program and hardly listening to rap music at all. his life changed. " says jerome, " when i first came in here, i didn ' t know a single thing about louis armstrong or miles davis or any of that, " says jerome, after class. " now i ' m trying to play like him, which is not easy. " the magic of music there ' s more than just anecdotes supporting the notion that music education of almost any sort can turn a kid ' s life around. recent scientific studies confirm what jerome ' s mother has noticed. a few studies stand out : - second graders who used piano keyboard training in conjunction with computer software designed to teach math scored 27 percent higher


any sort can turn a kid ' s life around. recent scientific studies confirm what jerome ' s mother has noticed. a few studies stand out : - second graders who used piano keyboard training in conjunction with computer software designed to teach math scored 27 percent higher on math tests than children who used only the computer software, according to neurological research journal, march 1999. - students who were involved in instrumental music in middle school and high school had " significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12, " according to data from the u. s. department of education. moreover, this was true regardless of the students ' socioeconomic status. - students with music performance experience scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math sat tests than those who had no such experience, while students with music appreciation coursework scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math than those who took no such courses, according to the college entrance examination board. davis does not pretend to have a magic wand. some kids drop out of the musicalive program. many schools cannot afford it ( at the victor herbert school, in fact, davis provided the program for free, as a kind of pilot venture ). but davis and his longtime business partner, mark ingram, believe they ' re on to something. " we began to realize that there was a problem out there in america ' s schools, and that we were subconsciously ignoring it, " says ingram. " whole generations of kids have been lost. kids are failing. they ' re disconnected from learning for a lot of reasons, so we needed to find a way to reconnect them to learning. and we believe we have found it by using their favorite tool - - music. " the results, says victor herbert music teacher milton gardner, are unmistakable. " you can see the kids changing, " says gardner. " i just wish more kids could get a chance to get involved. " a different approach realistically speaking, however, struggling, inner - city schools that need jazz instruction the most are, by definition, the ones least able to afford it. which is why the jazz for young people curriculum created by jazz at lincoln center, in new york, may come as a godsend to schoolkids across the country ( including those at the chicago public schools, where it currently is being evaluated by administrators ). unlike davis ' musicalive, which was explicitly created to save at - risk kids, the lincoln center program has been conceived to increase jazz literacy among youngsters of all kinds. and while davis


schools, where it currently is being evaluated by administrators ). unlike davis ' musicalive, which was explicitly created to save at - risk kids, the lincoln center program has been conceived to increase jazz literacy among youngsters of all kinds. and while davis ' program emphasizes the role that teachers or mentors play in teaching life skills ( its instructors trained by davis himself ), the lincoln center program is a self - contained collection of materials that almost anyone can use, regardless of how much or how little the teacher knows about jazz. designed by marsalis, the artistic director of jazz at lincoln center, in conjunction with a team of educators, scholars, musicians and graphic designers, the jazz for young people curriculum kit includes 10 cds ( one of which is a cd rom ), video, student workbook and teacher ' s guide. it defines the " jazz lingo " and nearly everything else a youngster needs to know. more important, it teaches kids " to listen to one another with empathy, " notes marsalis in his introductory letter to teachers, " to understand and enjoy the individuality of each person. " you can see as much as marsalis stands before a group of school kids in symphony center ' s buntrock hall, where he somehow has persuaded a group of 300 - plus youngsters to pipe down for a moment. " we ' re hear to talk about jazz music, " says marsalis, who shrewdly speaks at almost a whisper, so that the kids will have to keep quiet to hear him. " we ' re going to talk about buddy bolden, " adds marsalis, referring to the nearly mythic precursor of the great satchmo. " buddy bolden is the beginning of jazz. before buddy bolden, new orleans music was about society dances and marches, but buddy bolden had another idea. " and that ' s what jazz is all about - - playing it your way. but it ' s also listening closely while someone else plays it their way. it ' s respecting someone else and them respecting you. " later, in a larger session in orchestra hall, where a couple thousand kids and their parents have gathered to learn about john coltrane, marsalis cuts to the heart of the matter. " for a while, john coltrane used drugs, " says marsalis, knowing that kids face this temptation, and others, every day they go to school. " but once coltrane licked drugs, he found god in his own way. he had a spiritual awakening. and he hooked up with


, " says marsalis, knowing that kids face this temptation, and others, every day they go to school. " but once coltrane licked drugs, he found god in his own way. he had a spiritual awakening. and he hooked up with another serious musician, the high priest of bebop, thelonious monk. " planting a seed and so the point has been made, tucked in amid the glorious tunes of coltrane that marsalis and friends unfurl. if a great artist such as coltrane can find salvation away from vice and inside the discipline and rigor of music, marsalis is intimating, maybe the youngsters in the audience can, too. " we ' re trying to reach the kids with ideas and with music that they don ' t hear on the radio very much, " says marsalis later. " we ' re trying to teach them in a very plainspoken way, a very accessible way. but we can ' t be in all the classrooms in america at once, so we came up with the jazz for young people curriculum, and we believe it makes it possible for kids to hear us even when we can ' t be with them. " according to laura johnson, education director of jazz at lincoln center, the program is trying to fill a void. " jazz has been around for 100 years, but outside of the jazz bands in many schools, there is no real school instruction in this music, " johnson says. " and you can ' t help but conclude that that has something to do with race. american schools mostly have taught music by white composers, and it ' s time for the schools to show the kids that great art comes from other races, as well. even apart from music, i think that ' s a worthwhile lesson. " so is the entire jazz for young people curriculum, which stands as by far the most exhaustive, interactive jazz course ever made available to primary and secondary schools. " this is very good stuff indeed, " says michael blakeslee, deputy executive director of the music educators ' national conference. " it ' s estimable. " adds henry chapin, arts coordinator for a brooklyn school district that has embraced the jazz for young people project : " i think this curriculum could fill a vacuum that never even has been acknowledged. " by howard reich tribune arts critic march 31, 2002 copyright ( c ) 2002, chicago tribune


many years ago, the philistines and the israelites were going to fight each other in a war. the philistines were on one mountain and the israelites were on another mountain. the valley of e ' - lah was in between them. the israelites were god ' s choosen people, but the philistines had a secret weapon - - his name was goliath. goliath was the champion of the philistines. he was a man who was 9 feet tall! goliath ' s coat weighed 150 pounds, he wore brass on his legs for protection and had a spear with a tip that weighed 20 pounds. only a very strong man could fight with such heavy armour and weaponry. because he was such a huge, fearsome man, goliath was very bold. he stood on the mountain across from the israelites and cried to the armies of israel saying, " why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not i a philistine, and ye servants to saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. if he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants : but if i prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. " and the philistine said, " i defy the armies of israel this day ; give me a man, that we may fight together. " when saul and all israel heard those words of the philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. goliath kept saying this every morning and every evening for forty days. king saul and the rest of the israelites were scared. no one wanted to fight goliath by himself! even king saul, the king of israel, was sore afraid and dismayed. what were they going to do? now at this time, there was a man named jesse who had eight sons. his three oldest sons were in king saul ' s army. his youngest son, david, lived with his father jesse and tended the sheep. david was a young shepherd with ruddy cheeks and a comely appearance. one day jesse told david to go the army camp where his brothers were and give them some roasted corn and ten loaves of bread. he also told him to give ten cheeses to their captain. jesse wanted to find out how david ' s brothers were doing. so david got up early in the morning and left the sheep with a


some roasted corn and ten loaves of bread. he also told him to give ten cheeses to their captain. jesse wanted to find out how david ' s brothers were doing. so david got up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and went to the valley of elah as his father had commanded him. when he got there, the philistines and the israelites were about to fight. david got out of his carriage and the man who was driving stayed with the carriage. david ran to the israelite army and saluted his brothers. as he talked with them, goliath cried to the armies of israel again daring someone to fight with him. david heard him. all the soldiers got really scared and fled away running as fast as they could. what a sight that must have been! after things had settled down, the soldiers explained the situation to david. they told david that the man who cried was named goliath. they told david that goliath was is defying israel. they told david that if any man would kill goliath, king saul would give him great riches and would give the man his daughter to marry and would make that man ' s family free in israel. david had a question - -... what shall be done to the man that killeth this philistine, and taketh away the reproach from israel? for who is this uncircumcised philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living god? ( 1 samuel 17 : 26 ) 27 and the people answered him after this manner, saying, so shall it be done to the man that killeth him. 28 and eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men ; and eliab ' s anger was kindled against david, and he said, why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? i know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart ; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29 and david said, what have i now done? is there not a cause? 30 and he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner : and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31 and when the words were heard which david spake, they rehearsed them before saul : and he sent for him. 32 and david said to saul, let no man ' s heart fail because of him ; thy


after the former manner. 31 and when the words were heard which david spake, they rehearsed them before saul : and he sent for him. 32 and david said to saul, let no man ' s heart fail because of him ; thy servant will go and fight with this philistine. 33 and saul said to david, thou art not able to go against this philistine to fight with him : for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 and david said unto saul, thy servant kept his father ' s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock : 35 and i went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth : and when he arose against me, i caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 thy servant slew both the lion and the bear : and this uncircumcised philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living god. 37 david said moreover, the lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this philistine. and saul said unto david, go, and the lord be with thee. 38 and saul armed david with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head ; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 and david girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go ; for he had not proved it. and david said unto saul, i cannot go with these ; for i have not proved them. and david put them off him. 40 and he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd ' s bag which he had, even in a scrip ; and his sling was in his hand : and he drew near to the philistine. 41 and the philistine came on and drew near unto david ; and the man that bare the shield went before him. 42 and when the philistine looked about, and saw david, he disdained him : for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43 and the philistine said unto david, am i a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? and the phil


, and shouted, and pursued the philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of ekron. and the wounded of the philistines fell down by the way to shaaraim, even unto gath, and unto ekron. 53 and the children of israel returned from chasing after the philistines, and they spoiled their tents. 54 and david took the head of the philistine, and brought it to jerusalem ; but he put his armour in his tent. 55 and when saul saw david go forth against the philistine, he said unto abner, the captain of the host, abner, whose son is this youth? and abner said, as thy soul liveth, o king, i cannot tell. 56 and the king said, enquire thou whose son the stripling is. 57 and as david returned from the slaughter of the philistine, abner took him, and brought him before saul with the head of the philistine in his hand. 58 and saul said to him, whose son art thou, thou young man? and david answered, i am the son of thy servant jesse the bethlehemite. did you know that the god of david can be your god? god sent his son jesus christ to die on the cross for your sins. if you will admit that you are a sinner and believe that jesus died and rose from the dead, david ' s god will be your god. you will become a christian and you will have the power of god on your side. go to children ' s bible stories on - line! | eternal life | hell is real | the gospel according to john | | my testimony | why i read the authorized kjv bible | | the hymnal | messianic prophecies fulfilled by jesus christ | | epistle dedicatory to the authorized king james of 1611 | home for hundreds of articles


march 22, 2012 looking into anne frank ’ s unblinking eyes is the image of anne frank heading in the same commercial direction as edvard munch ’ s “ the scream ”? munch ’ s expressionist painting, once an iconic representation of horror, for years has been available as a party inflatable, an action figure mask, even a bobblehead. with the installation of a lifelike wax figure of the famed holocaust diarist on display in madame tussauds in berlin, could frank ’ s image be susceptible to the same misappropriation and exploitation? considering that a 1999 issue of time magazine listed anne frank as one of the most important people of the 20th century, and that the “ diary of anne frank ” is one of the best - selling books of all time, it probably should not be surprising us that publishers and manufacturers are cranking out anne frank posters, postcards, limited edition t - shirts and key chains in an effort to cash in on her celebrity. the fact that madame tussauds has locations worldwide indicates tourist acceptance of the museums, which are filled with kitschy wax likenesses of celebrated personalities such as john kennedy, albert einstein, marilyn monroe and rihanna — all done up in unblinking cosmetic perfection. but are we ready for a young jewish martyr and personification of the holocaust to be melted into the waxy mix? it ’ s not entirely clear. the german publication der spiegel noted that the wax figure of adolf hitler, which the museum reintroduced after it was beheaded by a visitor in 2008, is in the next room. chris hale, a producer who lives in berlin, wrote on his blog that frank ’ s likeness is displayed in “ the city where the diabolical plan to murder all the jews of europe was hatched. ” but with several metal sculptures of frank already on display in the u. s. and europe — there ’ s even one near the anne frank house in amsterdam — why all the fuss? isn ’ t a wax figure just a sculpture done in a different medium? madame tussauds did not respond to jta ’ s request for comment. but museum spokeswoman nina zerbe told der spiegel that the museum wanted to convey a “ sense of optimism ” with the figure and that “ it ’ s important to let the story continue. ” perhaps it is the motionless three - dimensional quality of the wax likeness. frank is shown seated at her writing desk in the attic room made famous in her diary, complete with frozen


figure and that “ it ’ s important to let the story continue. ” perhaps it is the motionless three - dimensional quality of the wax likeness. frank is shown seated at her writing desk in the attic room made famous in her diary, complete with frozen smile that adds a dimension of jittery concern. the projects that put her and her world into motion — a tony award - winning broadway play, a movie, a japanese animation, a pbs movie of her life and a cd with a virtual tour of the house where she hid — all escape this effect. an anne frank comic book even seems to capture her spirit better. in 2010, the anne frank house in amsterdam approached two american comic book artists, writer sid jacobson and illustrator ernie colon, to create “ anne frank, the anne frank house authorized graphic biography. ” published that year by hill and wang, the book was among the first major projects in print to move beyond the boundaries of presenting frank simply in word and in photos. “ can anne frank ’ s story be told in a comic book? ” time magazine asked when the book first came out, foreshadowing some of the concern that the boundary - breaking frank wax figure has received. “ with a graphic format we could make a more truthful presentation of the story, ” jacobson said in a recent interview from his home in los angeles. from traveling to amsterdam and seeing the house and the research, he knew he wanted to put the frank story in context by also telling the story of the rise of nazism. “ seeing a person that you know introduced in a few quick panels is so much more effective than reading, ” said jacobson, a former executive with marvel and harvey comics and one of the writers of the comic book classic “ richie rich. ” jacobson also was the author of another retelling of tragedy, “ the 9 / 11 report : a graphic adaptation. ” the book, even in its two - dimensional comic book flatness, is better able than a wax statue to take the viewer inside the attic where frank hid from the nazis. it graphically illustrates where the rooms were situated. it also shows us the joy of frank ’ s first kiss with fellow hider peter van pels, the horror of her discovery by the ss, and her mother and sister ’ s awful death from typhus in bergen - belsen. as the book had broken boundaries when it was published — it has since been translated into dutch, german, french, italian and spanish with plans for a hebrew edition — i wondered


and sister ’ s awful death from typhus in bergen - belsen. as the book had broken boundaries when it was published — it has since been translated into dutch, german, french, italian and spanish with plans for a hebrew edition — i wondered what its author thought about the frank wax likeness. “ i found it offensive, i think they should have stayed away from it, ” jacobson said, adding that “ ours was done with dignity. ” on the madame tussauds website there is this introduction to a museum visit : “ you ’ ll find yourself saying sorry to someone for nearly bumping into them before realizing it ’ s a wax figure of penelope cruz or johnny depp. that ’ s the skill of our sculptors. ” but what if you are not ready for waxen verisimilitude or simply don ’ t want to bump into anne frank? a few years ago while visiting the hollywood forever cemetery in los angeles, i was startled by the engraved lifelike images in a section where many russian jews were buried. i had never seen an image of the dead on a headstone. they were done in such realistic detail that they creeped me out. i had a similar feeling at an open casket funeral, which is not a jewish tradition. on both occasions i was ready to honor the dead and was curious about their life story. but did i want to encounter them? no. in judaism, the viewing of a dead person is considered a violation of their modesty. we can look at them, but they cannot gaze back. in madame tussauds, when we look into those unblinking anne frank eyes, there is no return teenage glare that says, “ how could you let this happen? ” and there can be no look that says, “ don ’ t let this happen again. ” anne frank, the anne frank house authorized graphic biography, $ 11. 29, amazon. com. madame tussauds, berlin : admission, age 15 and older, 18. 85 euro ( about $ 25 ) ; ages 3 - 14, 14. 35 euro ( about $ 19 ). have something that might be good for goods for the jews? contact edmon j. rodman at firstname. lastname @ example. org.


diver a is lowered 28 feet below the surface of the ocean. she swims down another 6 feet. what integer expresses her position compared to the ocean ' s surface? find the curve ' s unit tangent vector. also, find the length of the indicated portion of the curve. r ( t ) = ( t ) i + ( 2 / 3 ) t ^ ( 3 / 2 ) k, 0 less than or equal to t less than or equal to 8 how do you simplify 29 over 9 i am in 5th grade and we are to find out who invented the order of operation. i understand how to use it and found web sites, but i am unable to locate who invented it. what about this science is great fun you get to use chemicals but safety is first is this better? had to write a haiku related to science, is this ok? chemicals make boom chemicals should not be ate it makes good science thank you! i have to write a haiku related to science, not sure what i need to do. please help. are the prime factors 2, 2, 3? what are the prime factors of 12? in photosynthesis, plants form glucose and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. 6co _ 2 + 6h _ 2o - - > c _ 6h _ 12 _ o _ 6 + 6o _ 2 a ) calculate deltah rxn at 15 degree c b ) calculate deltas rxn at 15 c ) calculate deltag rxn at 15 thanks! for further reading


earth, the. arabic arz ارض muhammad taught his followers that hust as there are seven heavens [ heaven. ] on above another, so there are seven earths one beneath another, the distance between each of these regions being five hundred years ’ journey. ( mishkat, book xxiv c i part 3 ) in the qur ’ an the earth is said to be stretched out like a carpet or bed ( surah ii 20 ; xiii 8 ; xxviii, 6 ), which expression the ancient commentators understood to imply that the earth was a vast palne, but circular ; and ( surah xxxix 67 ) to be but a handful in the sight of god, which in the last day shall be changed with another earth ( surah xiv 49 ). the earth is believed by muslim writers to be surrounded by a great sea called al - bahru ‘ l - muhit, or the circumambient ocean which is bounded by the mountains of qaf. the extent of the earth is said to be two hundred years journey being allotted to the sea two hundred to the uninhabited desert, eighty to the country of gog and magog ( yajuj wa majuj ) and the rest to the civilized world. certain terrae incognitae in the midst of the mountains of qaf are said to be inhabited by the jinn or genii. according to some, makkah ( or jerusalem according to others ) is situated in the centre of the earth. on the muhit is the arshu ‘ l - iblis, or “ throne of satan. ” the western portion of the muhit is often called the bahru ‘ z - zulmat, or “ sea of darkness, ” and in the south - west corner of the earth is the fountain of life of which al - khizi drank, and in virtue of which he still lives, and will live till the day of judgement. the mountains of qaf which bound the great sea muhit, form a circular barrier round the whole earth, and are said to be of green chrysolite, the color of which the prophet said imparts a greenish tint to the sky. the general opinion is that the mountains of qaf bound our earth, but some say there are countries beyond, each country being a thousand years ’ journey. the seven earth, which are five hundred years ’ journey from each other, are situated one beneath the other, and each of these seven regions has its special occupants


, but some say there are countries beyond, each country being a thousand years ’ journey. the seven earth, which are five hundred years ’ journey from each other, are situated one beneath the other, and each of these seven regions has its special occupants. the occupants of the first are men, genii, and animals ; the second is occupied by the suffocating wind which destroyed the infidel tribe of ‘ ad ( surah lxix 6 ) ; the third is filled with the stones of hell, mentioned in the qur ’ an ( surah ii 22 ; lxvi 6 ) as “ the fuel of which is men and stones ” ; the fourth by the sulphur of hell ; the fifth by the serpents of hell ; the sixth by the scorpions of hell, which are in size and color like black melons, and have tails like spears ; and the seventh by the devil and his angels. out earth is said to be supported on the shoulders of an angel, who stands upon a rock of ruby, which rock is supported on a huge bull with four thousand eyes, and the same number of ears, noses, mouths, tongues, and feet between every one of each is a distance of five hundred years ’ journey. the name of this bull is kujuta, who is supported by an enormous fish, the name of which is bahamut. the above is but a brief outline of the muslim belief as regards the earth ’ s formation ; but the statements of muslim commentators are so wild on the subject, that it seems quite useless to quote them as authorities, for they contradict each other in endless variety. based on hughes, dictionary of islam


federal and state fair housing laws were put into effect to create an even playing field for homebuyers in all areas of a real estate transaction. these laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. the civil rights act of 1866 prohibits all racial discrimination in the sale or rental of property. the fair housing act of 1968 makes fair housing a national policy. it prohibits discrimination in the sale, lease or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. title iii of the americans with disabilities act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in commercial facilities and places of public accommodation. the equal credit opportunity act makes it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on a credit application due to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or because all or part of an applicant ' s income comes from any public assistance program. the home seller, the home seeker, and the real estate professional all have rights and responsibilities under the law. you should know that as a home seller or landlord you are obligated not to discriminate in the sale, rental and financing of property on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. you may not instruct the licensed broker or salesperson acting as your agent to convey for you any limitations in the sale or rental, because the real estate professional is also obligated not to discriminate. under the law, a home seller or landlord cannot establish discriminatory terms or conditions in the purchase or rental ; deny that housing is available or advertise that the property is available only to persons of a certain race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. you have the right to expect that housing will be available to you without discrimination or other limitations based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. this includes the right to expect : agents in a real estate transaction may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. they also may not follow such instructions from a home seller or landlord. discrimination complaints about housing may be filed with the nearest office of the u. s. dept. of housing and urban development ( hud ) or by calling hud '


this is one in a series of vignettes celebrating history. the series name comes from the state motto, ad astra per aspera : to the stars through difficulties. her indian name was windagamen. it meant sweetness. her white name was anna. she was a lenape delaware indian who married moses grinter, and when she died in 1905, she was a wealthy, prominent woman in kansas city. moses grinter was among the first whites who settled in kansas ; first, operating a ferry across the kansas river and later opening a trading post for travelers, soldiers and freighters along the oregon - california and santa fe trails. together, the couple built a farm and an orchard. their two - story brick house, built in the late 1850s, is the oldest unaltered building in wyandotte county. it is listed on the national register of historic places and is operated as a museum by the kansas state historical society. in the early 1830s, the lenape delaware tribe was one of several relocated from the eastern united states to the fort leavenworth indian agency. in 1836, moses grinter married anna. at that time, kansas was indian territory. more than 10, 000 indians from nearly two dozen tribes emigrated to the kansas territory. two forts were built to oversee the tribes fort leavenworth and fort scott. some of those tribes were the wyandot, munsee and shawnee. the military hired grinter to operate his ferry on the kansas river near fort leavenworth. some of the earliest records giving an indication of what grinter charged to carry people across the river can be found in james kennedys list of expenditures for conducting kickapoo immigrants to their reservation above fort leavenworth, written in may, 1833 : moses r. grinter, for ferriage of indians, four wagons and baggage, across the kansas river [ the amount of $ 38. 75 ] and moses grinter for ferriage of 5 wagons and teams across the kansas river [ the amount of ] $ 9. 25. the venture was not without hazards. the rev. isaac mccoy wrote of a cholera threat that so alarmed the delawares, that they removed their ferry boat to prevent travelers from crossing to them. still, the grinters survived and prospered. they built a store. a government - run blacksmith shop was located nearby. a post office opened in 1849. the grinter land was part of the delaware reservation, covering what is now several counties in northeastern kansas. when the federal government moved


information contained on this page is provided by newsusa, an independent third - party content provider. worldnow and this station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. / national pest management association npma ) - signs of spring often include flowers sprouting out of the ground, leaves emerging on trees, increased animal activity and a general feeling of renewal. however, one of the more unpleasant signs that spring has sprung is the emergence of termites. as this is the time of year termites come out in search of a new habitat, the national pest management association ( npma ) has declared march 25 - 29 termite awareness week. this designation serves to warn homeowners about termite dangers and to educate them about ways to ensure their home isn ' t the next feeding ground for these voracious pests. " as many homeowners typically take stock of their homes in the spring time and plan for improvement projects, the npma has designated this week after the official start of the season as the perfect time to inform them about why their homes may be vulnerable to termites and how to protect their most expensive investments, " noted missy henriksen, vice president of public affairs for npma. termites are known as " silent destroyers " because of their ability to chew through wood, flooring and even wallpaper undetected. swarmers, looking to start a new colony, are typically the first sign of termite season as these winged pests show up inside homes in early spring. it is important that homeowners do not mistake swarmers for flying ants, as the two species look alike to an untrained eye. discarded wings near windowsills and doors signal that swarmers have already found their way in. as termites cause $ 5 billion in property damage every year, the npma offers these termite - prevention tips for homeowners : * avoid water accumulation near the home ' s foundation. * keep mulch at least 15 inches from the foundation. * repair leaking faucets, water pipes and ac units. * replace weather stripping, and repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows. * store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house and 5 inches off the ground. * routinely inspect the foundation of your home for signs of mud tubes ( used by termites to reach a food source ), cracked or bubbling paint and wood that sounds hollow when tapped. find more information about pest prevention, identifying an infestation and locating a pest control professional at www. pestworld. org


look out for asteroid 2012 da14. it is heading toward earth at 17, 450 miles per hour, according to nasa, and the tug of our planet ' s gravitational field will cause it to accelerate when it gets here. but it ' s not going to strike us, when it passes by on feb. 15. nasa is adamant about this. " it ' s orbit is very well - known, " said dr. don yeomans, nasa specialist for near - earth objects. " we know exactly where it ' s going to go, and it cannot hit the earth. " but it will give the blue planet the closest shave by any object it ' s size in known history, yeomans said. gravity will cause it to fly a curved path, tugging it closer to earth ' s surface than most gps or television satellites. while the asteroid is moving at a good clip, space rockets have to accelerate to an even higher speed to escape earth ' s gravity and make it into space. though 2012 da14 will be flying more slowly, its trajectory will keep it from falling to earth. getting a look at 2012 da14 star gazers in eastern europe, asia or australia might be able to see it with binoculars or consumer telescopes. it will not be visible to the naked eye, because it ' s small, " about half the size of a football field, " yeomans said. there are millions of asteroids in our solar system, and they come in all dimensions - - from the size of a beach ball to a large mountain, nasa said. researchers are looking forward to getting such a close look at an asteroid, as it flies from south to north past earth, coming as close as 17, 200 miles to our planet ' s surface. nasa will ping it with a signal from a satellite dish for a few days to get a better idea of its makeup. astronomers think there are about half a million asteroids the size this one near earth, nasa said, but less than one percent have been detected. twenty years ago, no one would likely have discovered 2012 da14, yeomans said. scientists spotted it nearly a year ago from an observatory in the south of spain. today, specialists track asteroids ' paths 100 years into future. they do so less to assess any possible threat of impact with earth and more to explore what opportunities they offer. " these objects are important for science. they ' re important for our future resources, " yeomans said. asteroids are potential gold mines asteroids can be chock full of metals and


of impact with earth and more to explore what opportunities they offer. " these objects are important for science. they ' re important for our future resources, " yeomans said. asteroids are potential gold mines asteroids can be chock full of metals and other materials, which could be mined for use on earth or on space stations. nasa has discussed the possibility of capturing near - earth asteroids and placing them into earth ' s orbit to study them and extract their resources. at least two start - up companies, planetary resources and deep space industries, plan to mine asteroids and sell the acquired bounty on earth and in space. being able to exploit asteroids ' resources would allow humans to fly farther out into the solar system, build stations a long way from earth and supply them with materials gathered out in space. some asteroids, for example, are made of ice, nasa said, which could be used as drinking water for a distant space platform. what if one like this did hit us? an asteroid this size passes this close to earth only every 40 years and collides with it only once every 1, 200 years. if nasa turns out to be wrong about this one not hitting the planet - - and they won ' t be - - then asteroid 2012 da14 would not destroy the world in any case, yeomans said. an asteroid made of metal that was about the same size collided with earth 50, 000 years ago, creating the mile wide " meteor crater " in arizona and obliterating everything for 50 miles around, he said. 2012 da14 is likely made of stone, which would do much less damage. in 1908 a similar type asteroid entered the atmosphere and exploded over tunguska, russia, leveling trees over an area of 820 square miles - - about two thirds the size of rhode island. not earth shattering, but you still wouldn ' t want to live nearby.


given that sad is so tied to the seasons and to sunlight in particular, you might predict that people who live in places with cold, dark winters would be more likely than people living in sunny climes to experience sad. you ' d be right. for example, the rate of sad in new hampshire has been estimated at 10 %, whereas less than 2 % of people living in florida suffer with the condition. in fact, i ' ve known many patients over the years who only developed sad when they left places like florida to live further north. in this way, sad is the quintessential environmental disorder - - no winter, no sad. but that is not the whole story. like all psychiatric conditions, sad occurs at the intersection of genes and environment, of nature and nurture. this point has been brought home by several remarkable studies showing that people in iceland have remarkably low rates of sad, despite living in one of the darkest winter environments on earth. even more remarkably, people of icelandic descent living in the prairie provinces of canada have far lower rates of sad than their fellow non - icelandic canadians, which greatly strengthens the argument that icelandic people carry an as - yet - undiscovered genetic factor that protects against sad. we don ' t know what causes sad, although abnormalities in multiple brain regions have been repeatedly observed in studies. the neurotransmitter serotonin seems to be implicated, as does melatonin, one of the hormones most involved in the onset and offset of sleep. perhaps most intriguingly, several studies suggest that the eyes themselves might contribute to the risk of developing sad, given that the eyes of people with sad respond differently to light. there also seems to be a strong association between being affected by the seasons and having heightened creative abilities. i was a practicing psychiatrist before i fully admitted to myself that i suffered from mild sad. in fact, i didn ' t really believe it until i bought my first light box and turned it on one fall. the results were amazing. thirty minutes in front of a bright light ( 10, 000 lux to be exact ) and my brain and body felt like they ' d been transported back to summer. my mind knew it wasn ' t true, but that didn ' t matter ; the melancholy was gone. of course, my experience is hardly unique, and if you suffer from winter depression you really owe it to yourself to buy a light box and give it a try. you might also look into dawn simulators, which have also been shown to treat sad.


5 wolf cubs narrator : once upon a time, in the middle of the jungle, there was great silence. suddenly, the tiger roared furiously. ( roaring ) that night, he was watching a group of campers, and specially a little boy who made him really hungry. tiger : hmmm … i have to eat that little boy … he looks so delicious! narrator : the boy started to walk away from the camping group, and headed to the wolves ’ cave. as soon as mother wolf saw him, he took him inside the cave along with her cubs. mother wolf : try to be quiet … i ’ m sure that the tiger must be around here. i know he can smell you from a very long distance. narrator : a few minutes later, the tiger came to the cave. tiger : mother wolf … give me the little boy! mother wolf : never! narrator : the tiger knew how well protected the little boy was, so he decided to leave. tiger : some day i ’ ll be back … i swear it! narrator : mother wolf took care of the little boy, and she even taught him how to howl like a wolf ( wolves howling ). when the boy grew up, she introduced him to some of the animals of the jungle. mother wolf : she is black panter … he is the great bear … and he is the brave elephant. narrator : the panter, the bear, and the brave elephant became the little boy ’ s tutors. they taught him to listen and understand all the languages of the different animals of the jungle. ( sound of the bear, the elephant, and the roaring of the panter ). they also taught him to love, respect, and to have fun with the other animals, the giraffe, the zebra, the rhinoceros, the rabbit, the eagle, and the snake. narrator : one day the boy asked the eagle. boy : listen, eagle … how is life over there in the sky? eagle : wonderful! … from over here i can see some of the animals i will hunt to live. narrator : then he asked the snake. boy : how do you spend your time? snake : i like to lie over the rocks and rest. narrator : next, he asked the giraffe. boy : what do you do to grow up so much? giraffe : i don ’ t know. my parents say that ’ s the way we are … and at night we get together to eat all the delicious leaves from the trees … that nobody can


what do you do to grow up so much? giraffe : i don ’ t know. my parents say that ’ s the way we are … and at night we get together to eat all the delicious leaves from the trees … that nobody can reach! narrator : he also asked the zebra. boy : what do you do to have fun? zebra : i run throughout the jungle … nobody runs as fast as i do! … but you look so strange …. and you ’ re so small. narrator : he asked the rhinoceros. boy : why do you have that big horn? rhinoceros : it ’ s my protection from the big animals who want to harm me. narrator : finally, he asked the rabbit. boy : what do you eat to jump so high, and run so fast? rabbit : i eat many carrots, and i excercise every day. boy : well, it ’ s late and i have to go back to the cave. i ’ ll see you all tomorrow … have fun and have a good night sleep. giraffe, zebra, rhinoceros, rabbit, eagle, snake : good night … take care! narrator : a few days later, while the boy was taking a nap in the jungle, a very funny monkey approach him. funny monkey : hello … who are you? narrator : without waiting for an answer, the monkey started to jump up and down just to get the boy ’ s attention. then more monkeys came, and took him to the abandoned city where they made him prisoner. the eagle saw what was happening, and he quickly went to see his friends, who immediately organized a rescue team. giraffe : i have an idea! rabbit : what is it? giraffe : the monkeys are scared of the snake … we have to go see her! narrator : so they went to see the snake. panter : hello … anybody home? snake : yes, yes, i ’ m here. what ’ s wrong? panter : the monkeys took the boy prisoner, and we need your help to save him. snake : where is he? elephant : in the old abandoned city. snake : let ’ s go! narrator : when they arrived to the city, the snake chased the monkeys, while the bear and the elephant set free the poor little boy. as they were celebrating, the tiger suddenly appeared. tiger : at last i found you! now you are mine little boy! narrator : the tiger furiously jumped over the boy, but the panter


those of us with responsibility for the health of canine athletes need to continually read and evaluate new scientific studies to ensure that we are taking the most appropriate care of our performance dogs. this article provides evidence through a number of recent studies to suggest that veterinarians and owners working with canine athletes should revisit the standard protocol in which all dogs that are not intended for breeding are spayed and neutered at or before 6 months of age. a study by salmeri et al in 1991 found that bitches spayed at 7 weeks grew significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months, who were taller than those not spayed ( or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed ). ( 1 ) a study of 1444 golden retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age. ( 2 ) the sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth - related hormones, promote the closure of the growth plates at puberty ( 3 ), so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. dogs that have been spayed or neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified by their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls. this abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths ( and therefore weights ) of certain bones relative to others. for example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. in addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier ( because it is longer ), and may cause increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament. in addition, sex hormones are critical for achieving peak bone density. ( 4 ) these structural and physiological alterations may be the reason why at least one recent study showed that spayed and neutered dogs had a higher incidence of ccl rupture. ( 5 ) another recent study showed that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1 / 2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1 / 2 months of age, although it should be


another recent study showed that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1 / 2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1 / 2 months of age, although it should be noted that in this study there were no standard criteria for the diagnosis of hip dysplasia. ( 6 ) nonetheless, breeders of purebred dogs should be cognizant of these studies and should consider whether or not pups they bred were spayed or neutered when considering breeding decisions. a retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed that there was a 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma, one of the three most common cancers in dogs, in spayed bitches than intact bitches and a 2. 4 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma in neutered dogs as compared to intact males. ( 7 ) a study of 3218 dogs demonstrated that dogs that were neutered before a year of age had a significantly increased chance of developing bone cancer. ( 8 ) a separate study showed that neutered dogs had a two - fold higher risk of developing bone cancer. ( 9 ) despite the common belief that neutering dogs helps prevent prostate cancer, at least one study suggests that neutering provides no benefit. ( 10 ) there certainly is evidence of a slightly increased risk of mammary cancer in female dogs after one heat cycle, and for increased risk with each subsequent heat. while about 30 % of mammary cancers are malignant, as in humans, when caught and surgically removed early the prognosis is very good. ( 12 ) luckily, canine athletes are handled frequently and generally receive prompt veterinary care. the study that identified a higher incidence of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in spayed or neutered dogs also identified an increased incidence of sexual behaviors in males and females that were neutered early. ( 5 ) further, the study that identified a higher incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs neutered or spayed before 5 1 / 2 months also showed that early age gonadectomy was associated with an increased incidence of noise phobias and undesirable sexual behaviors. ( 6 ) a recent report of the american kennel club canine health foundation reported significantly more behavioral problems in spayed and neutered bitches and dogs. the most commonly observed behavioral problem in spayed females was fearful behavior and the most common problem in males was aggression. ( 12


the american kennel club canine health foundation reported significantly more behavioral problems in spayed and neutered bitches and dogs. the most commonly observed behavioral problem in spayed females was fearful behavior and the most common problem in males was aggression. ( 12 ) other health considerations a number of studies have shown that there is an increase in the incidence of female urinary incontinence in dogs spayed early ( 13 ), although this finding has not been universal. certainly there is evidence that ovarian hormones are critical for maintenance of genital tissue structure and contractility. ( 14, 15 ) neutering also has been associated with an increased likelihood of urethral sphincter incontinence in males. ( 16 ) this problem is an inconvenience, and not usually life - threatening, but nonetheless one that requires the dog to be medicated for life. a health survey of several thousand golden retrievers showed that spayed or neutered dogs were more likely to develop hypothyroidism. ( 2 ) this study is consistent with the results of another study in which neutering and spaying was determined to be the most significant gender - associated risk factor for development of hypothyroidism. ( 17 ) infectious diseases were more common in dogs that were spayed or neutered at 24 weeks or less as opposed to those undergoing gonadectomy at more than 24 weeks. ( 18 ) finally, the akc - chf report demonstrated a higher incidence of adverse reactions to vaccines in neutered dogs as compared to intact. ( 12 ) i have gathered these studies to show that our practice of routinely spaying or neutering every dog at or before the age of 6 months is not a black - and - white issue. clearly more studies need to be done to evaluate the effects of prepubertal spaying and neutering, particularly in canine athletes. currently, i have significant concerns with spaying or neutering canine athletes before puberty. but of course, there is the pet overpopulation problem. how can we prevent the production of unwanted dogs while still leaving the gonads to produce the hormones that are so important to canine growth and development? one answer would be to perform vasectomies in males and tubal ligation in females, to be followed after maturity by ovario hysterectomy in females to prevent mammary cancer and pyometra. one possible disadvantage is that vasectomy does not prevent some unwanted


males and tubal ligation in females, to be followed after maturity by ovario hysterectomy in females to prevent mammary cancer and pyometra. one possible disadvantage is that vasectomy does not prevent some unwanted behaviors associated with males such as marking and humping. on the other hand, females and neutered males frequently participate in these behaviors too. really, training is the best solution for these issues. another possible disadvantage is finding a veterinarian who is experienced in performing these procedures. nonetheless, some do, and if the procedures were in greater demand, more veterinarians would learn them. i believe it is important that we assess each situation individually. for canine athletes, i currently recommend that dogs and bitches be spayed or neutered after 14 months of age. 1. salmeri kr, bloomberg ms, scruggs sl, shille v.. gonadectomy in immature dogs : effects on skeletal, physical, and behavioral development. javma 1991 ; 198 : 1193 - 1203 3. grumbach mm. estrogen, bone, growth and sex : a sea change in conventional wisdom. j pediatr endocrinolmetab. 2000 ; 13 suppl 6 : 1439 - 55. 4. gilsanz v, roe tf, gibbens dt, schulz ee, carlson me, gonzalez o, boechat mi. effect of sex steroids onpeak bone density of growing rabbits. am j physiol. 1988 oct ; 255 ( 4 pt 1 ) : e416 - 21. 5. slauterbeck jr, pankratz k, xu kt, bozeman sc, hardy dm. canine ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomyincreases the prevalence of acl injury. clin orthop relat res. 2004 dec ; ( 429 ) : 301 - 5. 6. spain cv, scarlett jm, houpt ka. long - term risks and benefits of early - age gonadectomy in dogs. javma2004 ; 224 : 380 - 387. 7. ware wa, hopper dl. cardiac tumors in dogs : 1982 - 1995. j vet intern med 1999 mar - apr ; 13 ( 2 ) : 95 - 103 8. cooley dm, beranek bc, schlittler dl, glickman nw, glickman lt, waters d, cancer


. j vet intern med 1999 mar - apr ; 13 ( 2 ) : 95 - 103 8. cooley dm, beranek bc, schlittler dl, glickman nw, glickman lt, waters d, cancer epidemiol biomarkers prev. 2002 nov ; 11 ( 11 ) : 1434 - 40 9. ru g, terracini b, glickman lt. host related risk factors for canine osteosarcoma. vet j. 1998 jul ; 156 ( 1 ) : 31 10. obradovich j, walshaw r, goullaud e. the influence of castration on the development of prostatic carcinomain the dog. 43 cases ( 1978 - 1985 ). j vet intern med 1987 oct - dec ; 1 ( 4 ) : 183 - 7 12. meuten dj. tumors in domestic animals. 4th edn. iowa state press, blackwell publishing company, ames, iowa, p. 575 13. stocklin - gautschi nm, hassig m, reichler im, hubler m, arnold s. the relationship of urinary incontinence toearly spaying in bitches. j. reprod. fertil. suppl. 57 : 233 - 6, 2001 14. pessina ma, hoyt rf jr, goldstein i, traish am. differential effects of estradiol, progesterone, andtestosterone on vaginal structural integrity. endocrinology. 2006 jan ; 147 ( 1 ) : 61 - 9. 15. kim nn, min k, pessina ma, munarriz r, goldstein i, traish am. effects of ovariectomy and steroidhormones on vaginal smooth muscle contractility. int j impot res. 2004 feb ; 16 ( 1 ) : 43 - 50. 16. aaron a, eggleton k, power c, holt pe. urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence in male dogs : aretrospective analysis of 54 cases. vet rec. 139 : 542 - 6, 1996 17. panciera dl. hypothyroidism in dogs : 66 cases ( 1987 - 1992 ). j. am. vet. med. assoc., 204 : 761 - 7 1994 18. howe lm, slater mr, boothe hw, hobson hp, holcom jl, spann ac


the debate in washington has been focused for months on income tax rates. but the way politicians and media frame the issue of the bush tax rates is at odds with one of the fundamental principles of the income tax system, and it unnecessarily warps public understanding of what ’ s on the table. facing record deficits and growing debt, president barack obama has proposed letting the bush tax cuts, enacted as a temporary measure in 2001, expire for income over $ 250, 000, raising that rate from 35 percent to 39. 6 percent, though he has indicated flexibility on the rate if new revenue can be found elsewhere. the problem is in the way this decision is too often formulated. the shorthand used by politicians of both parties as well as in the press, says that “ president obama wants to raise taxes on families earning more than $ 250, 000. ” put that way, the idea is understandably disturbing to people who earn anywhere near $ 250, 000. it offends their sense of fairness, raising complaints of class warfare. “ but we ’ re not rich, ” they say. why should we pay at a higher rate than other people? ” worse, some threaten to keep their earnings under $ 250, 000, so they won ’ t be taxed at a higher rate. but tax rates don ’ t apply to families. they apply to income. the system is built on “ marginal tax rates. ” under the current schedule, that means everyone pays the same tax rate — 10 percent — on the first $ 17, 400 of income ( figures for married couples filing jointly ). they pay 15 percent on taxable income between $ 17, 401 and $ 70, 700, and the brackets edge up from there to income over $ 388, 351, which is taxed at 35 percent. the point too few understand is that, under obama ’ s plan, all taxable earnings under $ 250, 000 — remember, that ’ s earnings after deductions, not gross pay — would still be taxed at the current bush rates. it ’ s only the amount over $ 250, 000 that would be taxed at a higher rate. in other words, if your taxable income is $ 251, 000, don ’ t worry that you ’ ll be punished for being rich. you ’ ll pay the same old tax rate on everything except the final $ 1, 000. the tax rate for the highest earners has been all over the map in the last half - century. it was 91 percent


be punished for being rich. you ’ ll pay the same old tax rate on everything except the final $ 1, 000. the tax rate for the highest earners has been all over the map in the last half - century. it was 91 percent on income over $ 400, 000 when john f. kennedy was president, 70 percent on income over $ 200, 000 during lyndon johnson ’ s second term, 50 percent on income over $ 106, 000 when ronald reagan was president, and dropped to 28 percent on income over $ 32, 000 under george h. w. bush. under bill clinton, the top rate rose to 39. 6 percent on income over $ 250, 000, and under george w. bush, it dropped to 35 percent on income over $ 379, 000, which is about where it stands today. yes, it ’ s difficult to explain to people unfamiliar with marginal tax rates that different dollars of their income are taxed at different rates. since these calculations are incorporated in the tax tables, it ’ s not something people really need to know. filling out tax forms is complicated enough as it is. but politicians and the press could make things a little less confusing if they would stop talking about raising taxes on households above $ 250, 000 and instead talk about raising rates on income above $ 250, 000. metrowest daily news, framingham, mass. kirksville daily express - kirksville, mo posted dec. 3, 2012 @ 4 : 26 pm » events calendar connect with kirksville daily express - kirksville, mo


with the recent landing of the curiosity rover on mars, interest in our planetary neighbor has never been greater. and why not? mars has long been believed the most viable planet to support life, and if we ever send mankind to another planet, it makes sense that we see what ' s next door. the purpose of the curiosity mission, in fact, is to investigate whether mars is, or ever was, capable of hosting microbial life. if they find it, let me be the first to welcome our martian microbial overlords. in the meantime, let ' s complete our journey that began with part 1 and part 2, and take a look at how mars was seen through the imaginative lens of science fiction. mars is of interest to us because it offers the nearby possibility of supporting life. but colonizing another planet is far from easy. want examples? check out the martian chronicles by ray bradbury, a 1950 collection of stories that, taken together, depict mankind ' s colonization of mars and the conflict with the indigenous population of martians. 1976 ' s man plus by frederik pohl features a man engineered into a cyborg meant to survive living on mars, mankind ' s only alternative to extinction. the 1994 sequel mars plus takes place 50 years later, and the now - firmly - established human population on the red planet must contend with a society mixed with humans and cyborgs... and a computer on which all martian life depends that has now gone rogue. besides his previously discussed mars trilogy, kim stanley robinson also wrote icehenge ( 1984 ) which features a colonized mars. in octavia e. butler ' s xenogenesis series ( 1980s, comprised of dawn, adulthood rites and imago ; and collected as the omnibus lilith ' s brood ) the human race, nearing rendered extinct from a nuclear war, becomes the subject of an alien - sponsored breeding program. the aliens intend to genetically merge their tri - gendered race with humans, except for ( as featured in imago ) a group of unaltered human living on a martian colony set up by the aliens. alien incursion begins the end of the world in greg bear ' s the forge of god ( 1987 ). a second alien faction intercedes — through spider - like robotic mind control! — but not soon enough to prevent the forced evacuation of earth and a relocation to a newly terraformed mars. mars get the magic - realist treatment in desolation road ( 1988 ) and ares express ( 2001 ) by ian mcdonald, which depicts


— but not soon enough to prevent the forced evacuation of earth and a relocation to a newly terraformed mars. mars get the magic - realist treatment in desolation road ( 1988 ) and ares express ( 2001 ) by ian mcdonald, which depicts the life of a colony on a partially - terraformed mars across many years. greg bear ' s moving mars ( 1993 ) focuses on the emancipation of a colonized mars amidst political tensions over revolutionary scientific discoveries. martian colonies are not exempt from the forces of politics. mars ' almost earth - like environment is in jeopardy in the chinese - dominated 26th century of paul j. mcauley ' s red dust ( 1993 ), which also features cool tech like artificial intelligence, personality downloads, virtual reality, and nanotechnology. in climbing olympus by kevin j. anderson ( 1994 ), a group of exiles who are surgically altered so that they can survive the martian atmosphere ( but no longer survive on earth ) seek to destroy the corrupt mars colonization project. the empress of mars by kage baker ( 2010 ), is a novel - length adaptation of her award winning short story about a twenty - fourth - century mars under development by a heartless company who cares little about the settlers it exploits. good old - fashioned adventure what good is featuring another planet if you don ' t have adventures there? besides the aforementioned burroughs classic a princess of mars, there ' s plenty of other examples of adventures on mars. in a similar vein is leigh brackett ' s eric john stark planetary adventures featured her hero traipsing around the galaxy... including mars in the secret of sinharat ( 1949 ) and people of the talisman ( 1951 ), both collecting as eric john stark : outlaw of mars. also by brackett is the sword of rhiannon ( 1953 ), where a man of questionable morals profiting from martian treasure is thrust back in time to fight a tyrant with a sword. in the courts of the crimson kings by s. m. stirling ( 2008 ), a pastiche to burroughs ' barsoom stories, is a planetary romance in an alternate solar system where intelligent life can be found on mars ( and venus, as depicted in the first book in the series, the sky people ). philip k. dick ' s martian time - slip ( 1964 ) features a 10 - year - old schizophrenic boy named manfred steiner who is marked by law for deportation and destruction, but is believed by some to be a window into seeing the future. speaking of time, larry


slip ( 1964 ) features a 10 - year - old schizophrenic boy named manfred steiner who is marked by law for deportation and destruction, but is believed by some to be a window into seeing the future. speaking of time, larry niven ' s rainbow mars ( 1999, the title a nod to robinson ' s mars trilogy ) utilizes a time machine to visit mars ' ancient past. but here ' s the rub : true time travel is actually impossible, so the traveler, a time agent in search of extinct animals, actually visits alternate, fictitious martian histories. labyrinth of night by allen steele is based on the idea that aliens once lived on mars and left behind artifacts accessible only by passing a series of tests that would prove a lifeform ' s intelligence. ilium and olympus by dan simmons features far - future post - humans taking on the roles of the greek gods and overseeing the re - enactment of the trojan war from their home on mars ' olympus mons. theodore judson leverages real - life history in the martian general ' s daughter, which, although structured like the memoirs of the illegitimate daughter of a general of the fictional pan - polarian empire, is based on history ' s roman empire. finally, the warhammer 40k novel mechanicum by graham mcneill ( 2008 ) is a military sci - fi adventure that depicts a civil war on mars. and yes, mars can be funny, too for the length of this series on mars in science fiction, all of the stories listed have been relatively serious, but who says mars can ' t be funny? certainly not fredric brown, author of martians, go home ( 1955 ), which features a pesky little green man who makes all sorts headaches for a science fiction writer. it ' s a parody of the genre itself and is played for laughs. the road to mars by month python alum eric idle ( 1999 ) is a comedic science fiction novel involving the exploits of two interplanetary stand - up comedians and their robotic secretary. how ' s that for a laugh? john denardo is the editor of sf signal, a hugo - nominated group science - fiction and fantasy blog featuring news, reviews and interviews. he also like bagels.


williamsport, md. ( ap ) — if scott bragunier has his way, cannon tubes that sat for more than a century on doubleday hill, a spot in riverview cemetery named for union gen. abner doubleday, will be returned to the same spot by spring. the cannon tubes — the barrels of a cannon — were procured for the town in 1896 to honor local men who fought and died in the civil war. they were dedicated on doubleday hill on july 4, 1897, said bragunier, a williamsport native and local firefighter who has spent a lot of time studying local civil war history. " there was a parade, and there was a big to - do in town for it, " bragunier said. three brick supports were built for the cannon tubes, and for more than 100 years, they served as a popular remembrance of the civil war and the williamsport men who died in it. " as a child, i went to doubleday hill and played on the cannons. i sat on top of them and pretended i fired them. my dad and mom did the same thing, " bragunier said. the spot chosen for the tubes related to doubleday ' s military duty. history has it that doubleday was assigned the duty of setting up a western defense for the union army at the beginning of the civil war in 1861, bragunier said. doubleday was in charge of setting up a defense over a broad area that stretched to washington, d. c., but williamsport became a " collection point " because it was a major crossing point along the potomac river, according to bragunier. at williamsport, he said, there was a ferry across the river and two fords for making the crossing. on a hill above salisbury street, three 32 - pound siege cannons were set, pointing across the potomac river. the union army eventually moved into virginia and it is not known whether the cannons on what today is known as doubleday hill were ever fired, bragunier said. but it has been a lasting memorial to the men in williamsport who fought and died in the civil war. after the war ended, cannon tubes that survived the fighting often were donated to towns in honor of war dead from their communities. three cannon tubes were donated to williamsport in honor of local war dead, bragunier said. over the years, however, they fell victim to vandalism and the steel became pitted from exposure to the weather, bragunier said. " people would


tubes were donated to williamsport in honor of local war dead, bragunier said. over the years, however, they fell victim to vandalism and the steel became pitted from exposure to the weather, bragunier said. " people would stuff all kinds of stuff down the tubes, " he said. in about 2000, a collector offered the town money for the tubes, bragunier said. it was at that point, bragunier said, that the town began to realize their value and former mayor john slayman had the tubes moved to the basement in town hall. they were replaced by plastic replicas that were set on the brick mounts on doubleday hill. bragunier worked on an effort to have the cannon tubes refurbished. in july, the town was awarded a $ 23, 000 grant for the work through the maryland heritage areas authority, bragunier said. in august, the tubes were loaded on a flatbed truck and sent to the steen cannon & ordnance works in ashland, ky., to be refurbished, bragunier said. there, the company smoothed out the rough finish on the tubes and made aluminum cannon carriages for them, he said. the insides of the tubes were coated with oil to preserve them and the ends were plugged so no one could shove items inside, he said. bragunier said it is his hope that by the beginning of may, the cannons will be rolled back onto the exact spot where cannons stood during the civil war. as the town did 116 years ago, bragunier said he hopes to have the cannons dedicated july 4 in a ceremony with local elected officials. bragunier said he would like to have a split - rail fence erected around the site, stairs leading up to the site from salisbury street and interpretive signs. williamsport town council member joan knode said she is looking forward to the cannon tubes being returned. " i think it ' s going to be a great day for williamsport, " knode said.


most active stories shots - health news wed november 14, 2012 i, robot : paraplegics get an assist originally published on wed november 14, 2012 9 : 41 am a robotic suit that gives the wearer superhuman powers sounds like the stuff of science fiction. but technology like that is making the leap from fantasy to reality. though much of the gear is still experimental, the equipment is giving some paraplegics a chance to walk again. researchers at vanderbilt university in nashville, tenn., for instance, have developed a robotic exoskeleton that straps over paralyzed limbs. with crutches, paraplegics can stand, walk and even climb stairs. " it ' s really a lot like a legged - segway, " says michael goldfarb, an engineer at vanderbilt and head of the exoskeleton project. " you lean forward to walk forward, lean less forward and cause it to stop, lean back and cause it to sit. " the researchers have tested the model with patients at the shepherd center, an atlanta hospital that specializes in spinal cord and brain injuries. and the developers have licensed their model to parker hannifin corp., a maker of industrial equipment, which aims to get a product on the market by 2014. the ekso device and argo ' s exoskeleton called rewalk are only available in rehabilitation centers and hospitals in the u. s. for now. to move wearable robots like these from hospital to home will require approval from the u. s. food and drug administration. and clinical trials to show there are health benefits for the exoskeletons are already under way. " what we really are selling until we have clinical proofs is a gadget, " eythor bender, ekso ' s ceo, tells shots. how do these contraptions work? the vanderbilt model is powered by four motors — one at each hip and knee joint — that are controlled by two micro - computers. with crutches for balance, users lean forward to stand up and control their steps with hip placement. to take a step with their right foot, they shift their weight onto their right hip. the battery lasts for about two hours of continuous walking. the rewalk and ekso devices employ similar but slightly different designs. rewalk uses a wrist band to control movement, and ekso includes a control pad to adjust various walking factors. the rex exoskeleton is heavier ( 84 pounds ), but it stabilizes the body,


similar but slightly different designs. rewalk uses a wrist band to control movement, and ekso includes a control pad to adjust various walking factors. the rex exoskeleton is heavier ( 84 pounds ), but it stabilizes the body, leaving the hands free. the vanderbilt device incorporates electrodes that are affixed to the skin and tell a person ' s muscles when to contract and relax to move the device. when the user ' s legs get tired, the motors kick in based on an adaptive computer algorithm that goldfarb ' s team developed. " it looks at what you did during your last few steps, and it alters from person to person and within a person from day to day and hour to hour, " explains goldfarb. the companies want to take their devices mainstream. but, the prices are high. ekso ' s rehab model runs $ 140, 000 plus a $ 10, 000 yearly service fee. the rewalk devices costs $ 87, 500. argo plans to submit a personal version of rewalk ( expected price around $ 52, 500 ) for fda clearance by the end of the year. until the devices receive the regulatory stamp of approval from the fda, it ' s unclear how much insurance companies would cover, says vanderbilt ' s goldfarb. most companies have models for everyday personal use in the works, but none have received fda ' s ok yet. " all these systems are designed differently, " says jose contreras - vidal, an engineer at the university of houston in texas. " we don ' t know which system is best for whom. " developers hope to tailor exoskeletons for those suffering from paralysis due to stroke or muscular dystrophy, as well. regulatory hurdles aside, the next technological step is controlling the robot with the mind. contreras - vidal has already developed a cap that measures brain signals and translates them into instructions for the rex exoskeleton. " by augmenting these exoskeletons, we can reach a larger population, " says contreras - vidal. " at the same time we can learn more about how the brain works. "