by the lead project published august 2012 list price : $ 24. 95, your amazon. com price : $ 13. 95 amazon. com sales rank : 1, 750 availability : usually ships in 24 hours scratch is the wildly popular educational programming language used by millions of first - time learners in classrooms, libraries, and homes worldwide. by dragging together colorful blocks of code, kids quickly learn computer programming concepts and make cool games and animations. in super scratch programming adventure!, kids learn programming fundamentals as they make their very own playable video games. they ' ll create projects inspired by classic arcade games that can be programmed ( and played! ) in an afternoon. the book ' s patient, step - by - step explanations of the code and fun programming challenges will have kids creating their own games in no time. this full - color comic book makes programming concepts like flow control, subroutines, and data types effortless to absorb. packed with ideas for games that kids will be proud to show off, super scratch programming adventure! is the perfect first step for the budding programmer. gdnet staff review : super scratch programming adventure is a departure from the typical books i review. for one, it is for kids. and it is written in the style of a comic book ( or " graphic novel " as some soon - to - be - mentioned kids corrected me ). it is a book designed to gently get kids involved in game programming using the already - gentle " scratch " programming / animating tool for kids. as for my reviewers, i knew i was so far out of the target demographic that i wouldn ' t be able to fairly review this title, so i recruited a couple of local kids to help me. my first reviewer was my ten year - old daughter, and the second was her 12 year - old male manga - obsessed friend from across the street. i figured they would give me a good idea of how this book would appeal to kids. my daughter was already a bit of a scratch - adept, having taken a one - week course in it over the summer. she was also a bit lazy in her approach, as each chapter of the book is a two - page framing story followed by several pages of " how to make a scratch program that resolves the situation in the story ". there are plenty of code listings and screenshots, but since scratch is such a colorful lego - esque environment to start with, the code listings merge in seamlessly with the comic characters. and that ' s how programmers start


the story ". there are plenty of code listings and screenshots, but since scratch is such a colorful lego - esque environment to start with, the code listings merge in seamlessly with the comic characters. and that ' s how programmers start out! super scratch programming adventure is a bit of a grand experiment in cultivating baby programmers. it is written for a very young audience ' ' ' the 10 and 12 year - olds i tested the book on were probably on the upper bound of the audience. it is clearly the child of no starch press ' s " manga guide " series, only even more approachable and colorful, with splashy colorful listings and screenshots on every page. the amazon price for this book at the time of this review is under $ 14. you can buy a pdf version from no starch press ' s website but it ' s more expensive. and if you get this in the hands of the right kid, it is going to be read a dozen times and will be traded with friends and will be generally abused, so you probably want the paper copy anyway. if you have a 6 - 10 year old boy or girl in your family, i unhesitatingly recommend super scratch programming adventure for their holiday gift. it is not too expensive, and if it ends up in the hands of the right kid, it will be a life - changing experience. if anything, check out the " click to look inside " link on the amazon page to see how kids ' programming books should be done. this is one of those books that, 40 years from now, experienced programmers will be sharing " oh yeah, that ' s the book that got me started " stories.


( best months for planting tomato in usa - zone 5a regions ) s = plant undercover in seed trays. p = plant direct in garden where they are to grow. there is nothing like the taste of a freshly picked tomato, warm from the sunshine. in the smallest of gardens or even an apartment with a window - box, it is worth growing at least one tomato plant for the pleasure it will give you. they will grow in pots, troughs or even hanging baskets. tomatoes are frost tender and should be grown in shelter or under cover in cool climates. tomatoes need feeding. in a garden bed, compost and mulching will produce a crop from one or two plants. in containers, use some suitable long term fertiliser pellets or feed regularly when you water. feeding also improves the flavour of the fruit. when you plant out, put the seedlings in a deep holes, up to the top set of leaves. the covered stems will put out extra roots and you will have a stronger, healthier plant. there are many different varieties of tomatoes but they all have one of two growth habits. compact bush growth, stops at a specific height and useful for containers. if left without supporting stakes, they will form a dense carpet which excludes weeds and keeps the soil cool and damp. will continue growing a main stem, or vine until stopped by frost. the majority of heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate. both types need stakes to give them some support otherwise they will sprawl across the garden. varieties include acid - free, bush, tall, cherry, yellow and many others. use in sauces, with fried meals, in sandwiches. can be frozen whole or in pieces. this planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. we recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. for specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. the information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.


the length of amyloid fibrils found in diseases such as alzheimer and parkinson appears to play a role in the degree of their toxicity, according to researchers at the university of leeds. their findings are published in the journal of biological chemistry in a paper titled “ fibril fragmentation enhances amyloid cytotoxicity. ” sheena radford, ph. d., and colleagues systematically analyzed the effects of fragmentation on three of the 30 or so proteins that form amyloid in human diseases. their results showed that in addition to the expected relationship between fragmentation and the ability to seed, the length of fibrils also correlated with their ability to disrupt membranes and reduce cell viability. this was evident even when there were no other changes in molecular architecture. co - author, eric hewitt, ph. d., says that while the findings provide scientists with unexpected new insights for the development of therapeutics against amyloid deposit - related diseases, the next stage of research will involve looking at a greater numbers of the proteins that form amyloid fibrils. “ we anticipate that when we look at amyloid fibers formed from other proteins, they may well follow the same rules. ” “ it may be that because they ’ re smaller it ’ s easier for them to infiltrate cells, ” dr. hewitt suggests. “ we ’ ve observed them killing cells, but we ’ re not sure yet exactly how they do it. nor do we know whether these short fibers form naturally when amyloid fibers assemble or whether some molecular process makes them disassemble or fragment into shorter fibers. these are our next big challenges. ”


santo domingo, aug 03 ( ips ) - one of the major difficulties to overcome in climate change adaptation policies in the dominican republic is society ’ s low awareness of the risks, even though this caribbean island nation is seriously exposed to the impacts of the phenomenon. the probable consequences of climate change for the dominican republic range from the loss of 14 percent of the country ’ s territory by 2100 and the salinisation of half of its aquifers, to more intense natural catastrophes like hurricanes and unusual rainfall patterns. “ this is why one of the main focuses of our work is to try to sensitise people about the issue, to get them to understand how much they could lose due to this problem, ” the projects coordinator at the dominican institute for integral development ( iddi ), evaydee perez, told ips. she said risk perception among dominicans is low. that is also true for those involved in the tourism business, she added, pointing out that the rule for building hotels at least 60 metres from the coast is not always respected. and awareness remains low, she said, despite the risk of salinisation, which is already affecting the water supplies of hotels that depend on the millions of tourists who visit the country every year. the expert said there is still a tendency to see climate change as a problem of the future. nor do people realise that it is not only an environmental issue, but also an economic and social concern, she added. “ many people don ’ t understand this, and see it as a myth, an excuse, ” she said. a gallup poll commissioned by the government found that climate change was the fifth most pressing concern among the dominicans surveyed, and that the population had very little knowledge about the causes of the phenomenon. the iddi, a non - profit institution created in 1984 to help fight poverty in both rural and urban areas, sponsors several projects designed to foment understanding and promote climate change adaptation measures in the most vulnerable communities. the institute is part of climaccion, a dominican initiative that brings together individuals, organisations, companies and academic institutions in a movement that generates ideas and actions mainly aimed at raising awareness on and researching climate change. after clarifying that the idea is to complement government efforts, perez said public policies would be more efficient if the local population participated. “ for example, it is important for women to talk about how they are affected by climate change, and what can be done. they are hit harder by the effects of this problem, ” she said. in


more efficient if the local population participated. “ for example, it is important for women to talk about how they are affected by climate change, and what can be done. they are hit harder by the effects of this problem, ” she said. in the la barquita de los mina neighbourhoods, one of many that stretch along the ozama river in santo domingo, eridania rosario is one of the women who do not seem to be daunted by the rigours of the climate - even though on more than one occasion, her house has been almost completely covered with water when the river flooded. “ if you ask 50 people from la barquita, they will all say the same thing. our main problem here is the river, which overflows its banks when it rains a lot, ” she told ips. as the president of the neighbourhood association, rosario is more informed than most local people, and believes the rains have become more intense as a result of climate change. other people told ips they did not know why the ozama river kept flooding, and said they built their humble shacks there, defying the danger, because they had nowhere else to live. “ without a doubt, these sectors are the most vulnerable to climate change, ” perez said. some 30 organisations in the capital joined together in may in the “ community network for adaptation to climate change ”, to come up with joint actions, especially in the city ’ s most vulnerable communities, which are home to some 400, 000 people, according to perez ’ s estimates. the network was created through an iddi project to promote education and communication. “ we talk about the issue in plain language, because one of the hurdles to eliminating barriers is that information on climate change is still couched in scientific terms, and the message doesn ’ t reach the public, ” she said. a study that the iddi published in july states that 13 of the country ’ s 31 provinces face high or very high vulnerability to climate change, including santo domingo, the country ’ s industrial and economic hub, as well as provinces along the border with haiti. ( the dominican republic covers two - thirds of the island of hispaniola, and haiti makes up the remaining portion. ) the study says that one of the top priorities is capacity - building to raise the level of awareness of the local population on the risks they face. “ there are many families who live in those areas as if they had adapted to the danger, ” said luis alejo, coordinator of the iddi


is capacity - building to raise the level of awareness of the local population on the risks they face. “ there are many families who live in those areas as if they had adapted to the danger, ” said luis alejo, coordinator of the iddi risk management group. the strategy followed by his unit in communities at risk of natural disasters is to sensitise people about the dangers to which they are exposed, while strengthening local capacities of prevention, mitigation and response to extreme weather events. “ there is a national system that includes municipal prevention committees, but they have to be rooted in, and accompanied by, the grassroots level. neighbourhood organisations and associations, clubs and churches must be included in the process of training, capacity - building and coordination, ” alejo told ips. the support includes supplying the tools for local residents to act in an organised manner in case of floods, landslides or other emergencies, such as loudspeakers, generators, radio equipment, shovels, wheelbarrows, flashlights and other elements. © inter press service ( 2012 ) — all rights reservedoriginal source : inter press service latest news headlines read the latest news stories : - u. s. - taliban talks set to begin wednesday, june 19, 2013 - u. s. and rest of g8 won ’ t follow uk on corporate transparency wednesday, june 19, 2013 - opponents question proposed trans - atlantic trade deal wednesday, june 19, 2013 - job creation looming challenge for post - 2015 world wednesday, june 19, 2013 - hunger persists in latin america ’ s bread basket tuesday, june 18, 2013 - rural mexican communities protest wind farms tuesday, june 18, 2013 - clean ripples spread across east europe tuesday, june 18, 2013 - colombia, the united states, and montesquieu tuesday, june 18, 2013 - the taliban torches a lifeline tuesday, june 18, 2013 - entrepreneurs seek way out of crisis in spain tuesday, june 18, 2013


new study finds link between flu shot, h1n1 pandemic a new study has found that people who received a flu shot before the outbreak of the 2009 h1n1 pandemic were more likely to catch the swine flu virus, a startling discovery given the fact that experts have blamed the pharmaceutical industry for deliberately engineering the pandemic to make huge profits from vaccines. “ researchers, led by vancouver ’ s dr. danuta skowronski, an influenza expert at the b. c. centre for disease control, noticed in the early weeks of the pandemic that people who got a flu shot for the 2008 - 09 winter seemed to be more likely to get infected with the pandemic virus than people who hadn ’ t received a flu shot, ” reports the vancouver sun. despite the claim that the link was only related to canadians who had received the flu shot, dr. skowronski was able to re - create the results in ferrets. giving half the ferrets the 2008 seasonal flu shot and the rest a placebo injection, eventually all the ferrets were infected with the pandemic h1n1 virus. despite the results of the experiment, skowronsk still bizarrely encouraged people to get the flu shot. according to the cdc, the 2009 h1n1 outbreak killed as many as 400, 000 people – although others dispute this figure. confirmation that the seasonal flu vaccine could very well have been the cause of the h1n1 outbreak or at least helped it spread validates the testimony of experts like former chair of the council of europe ’ s sub - committee on health wolfgang wodarg, who in february 2010 told the alex jones show that the pandemic was manufactured by pharmaceutical companies in league with the world health organization to make vast profits while endangering public health. initial reports that the swine flu bug was a never - before - seen intercontinental mixture of human, avian and pig viruses from america, europe and asia prompted theories that the virus could have been synthetically manufactured in a lab. wodarg said that governments were “ threatened ” by special interest groups within the pharmaceutical industry as well as the who to buy the vaccines and inject their populations without any reasonable scientific reason for doing so, and yet in countries like germany and france only around 6 per cent took the vaccine despite enough being available to cover 90 per cent of the population. wodarg said there was “ no other explanation ” for what happened than the fact that the who


you can speed up the access to nodes of a large info file by giving it a tags table. unlike the tags table for a program, the tags table for an info file lives inside the file itself and is used automatically whenever info reads in the file. to make a tags table, go to a node in the file using emacs info mode and type m - x info - tagify. then you must use c - x c - s to save the file. info files produced by the makeinfo command that is part of the texinfo package always have tags tables to begin with. once the info file has a tags table, you must make certain it is up to date. if you edit an info file directly ( as opposed to editing its texinfo source ), and, as a result of deletion of text, any node moves back more than a thousand characters in the file from the position recorded in the tags table, info will no longer be able to find that node. to update the tags table, use the an info file tags table appears at the end of the file and looks like this : ^ _ ^ l tag table : file : info, node : cross - refs ^? 21419 file : info, node : tags ^? 22145 ^ _ end tag table note that it contains one line per node, and this line contains the beginning of the node ’ s header ( ending just after the node name ), a ‘ del ’ character, and the character position in the file of the beginning of the node.


* * * i ' ve posted a copy of this in here, but you may want to check the link at the bottom as it gives a variety of resources. * * * did you know that with one wrong mouse click you could make it possible for someone to read all your email, documents, or instant messages? that they could also view your grades, online bank accounts, or change your course schedule? that they could read or change anything on your computer? or anything accessed from it? that they could turn on your computer ' s microphone to listen in on conversations? or command your computer to attack other network users or sites? or use your computer for a computer crime for which you may be blamed? did you know a newly installed windows xp, 2000, nt, or linux computer is likely vulnerable to the same type of compromise without even a mouse click just by being attached to the network? did you know several such incidents have occurred on computers at jmu... from windows 95 and macintosh desktops to windows nt and unix servers? that they ' ve been used to attack other computers and divulge information? did you know all our computers are scanned constantly from around the world by people hoping to take advantage of them? did you know that your behavior impacts your neighbors ' security and their behavior yours? the internet, paired with today ' s software, provides us astonishing capabilities for sharing and communication. however, these same capabilities also provide access and computer power to more than 300 million people around the world... some of whom may not share our behavioral expectations. examples, such as random acts of vandalism, can be found in any local newspaper. the threats associated with online folks ' behavior are very different from similar threats in the physical world. using the same freedom and functionality we treasure, they can communicate with our computers almost instantaneously, almost anonymously, and en masse from around the world. they don ' t even need to be a computer expert. it only takes one person to write a destructive program to enable many people without technical knowledge to cause problems, just as all of us use word processors and web browsers without knowing how they work or being able to write one ourselves. while the risks associated with these threats can be decreased by limiting communications, limiting computer functionality, and increasing the complexity involved with our computing environment, they can ' t be eliminated because security is never absolute. moreover, the more we wish to maintain our current freedom in communications and computing, the more necessary it is that we individually take steps to


, and increasing the complexity involved with our computing environment, they can ' t be eliminated because security is never absolute. moreover, the more we wish to maintain our current freedom in communications and computing, the more necessary it is that we individually take steps to take care of ourselves and reduce the need for outside controls and limitations. the only person ultimately in control of a computer is the operator in front of the keyboard. that person presently has the freedom to run any software he or she wants and communicate with anyone around the world. each of us must do his or her part to help ensure the integrity of our network by operating our computers safely. our computers can do almost anything we tell them to do. unfortunately, this versatility makes them very complicated. a certain amount of awareness and skill is necessary to operate such a complicated device safely on a world wide network. the goal of the r. u. n. s. a. f. e. program is to help you attain the knowledge and skills necessary for safely operating an internet connected computer. the information and associated steps listed on this page are key components to everyone ' s online security. everyone should understand them and be able to take the actions described. r. u. n. s. a. f. e. workshops are offered once per semester that describe the incidents we ' ve seen at jmu, the threats we ' re exposed to, and that teach the defensive concepts and procedures described here. onsite workshops are also available to groups. ( contact gary flynn to schedule one ). click here to download the runsafe workshop powerpoint presentation. if you don ' t have powerpoint, you can get a free viewer from microsoft here. a sixteen minute runsafe awareness video is available. it can be downloaded here. the material is copyrighted by jim blackburn but may be used for educational purposes. the file is 161 mb in size. r. u. n. s. a. f. e. goal for all computer operators on the jmu network : * understand the material on this page. * run anti - virus software and update it weekly. preferably the campus supported norton anti - virus. * treat email attachments and other unknown programs with caution. * use the windows update site on every new installation and monthly thereafter. * choose strong passwords for your own desktop, particularly windows nt / 2000 / xp machines, and on servers which you may use and keep them confidential. * use care if you enable microsoft file sharing. * visit the hot topics! page at


. * choose strong passwords for your own desktop, particularly windows nt / 2000 / xp machines, and on servers which you may use and keep them confidential. * use care if you enable microsoft file sharing. * visit the hot topics! page at least monthly. * for all server operators ( windows 2000 / iis / unix / mac / whatever ) and all unix desktop operators : 1. set up new computers with the network cable disconnected. 2. turn off all services running on the newly installed computer. 3. connect to network and download and install patches. 4. turn on only needed services. 5. subscribe to vendor security bulletins and check the hot topics page weekly. refuse to run unknown programs our computers operate the way they do entirely because of the programs we run on them. when we run a program, we give control of our computer to the author of the program. in fact, a computer break - in is just someone running a program on our computer. a perpetrator may convince us to run their program which then takes control of our computer. or they may force our computer to run their program by using software defects or unintentional access. the program may then tell our computer to email viruses to our friends. it may tell our computer to collect and reveal our passwords. it may tell our computer to disable its anti - virus and personal firewall protection. it may tell our computer to flood a web site with traffic in an attempt to disable it. or it may tell our computer to break into someone else ' s computer to help hide the identity of the perpetrator. since programs control the computer and everything the computer does or has access to, it is very important that we not run programs written by people we don ' t know or trust. almost every other security precaution depends upon our having control of our computers. if we run unknown programs, we don ' t. a program can take many forms. it might be a windows. exe file. it might be a microsoft word macro. it might be a script. we may find programs in many places. they may be offered to us in email attachments. they may be on web sites. they may be on shared folders. as we ' ll see later, they even may be forced on us over the network if we don ' t keep our computers up to date. for now, we ' ll concentrate on the programs over which we have a choice about running. in our point and click world, knowing what to


even may be forced on us over the network if we don ' t keep our computers up to date. for now, we ' ll concentrate on the programs over which we have a choice about running. in our point and click world, knowing what to click and what not to click can be confusing. we are conditioned to click on everything. here are some rules of thumb that may be helpful : * we should pause a moment to consider the nature of the site, file, or message and how much we want to trust our computer to it before clicking : o when the file or icon is an email attachment or associated with an instant message o when the file or icon is in a shared directory accessible to other people on the network. for example, a kazaa or windows file sharing directory. o when our browser asks us if we want to allow extra access. for example, to download or execute a file, plug - in, or activex control. o when our word processor or spreadsheet asks us if we want to allow a macro to run. o when we don ' t know for certain where the file came from or through whose hands it passed * we ' re generally safe to click in the following situations as long as our computer software is kept up to date. o when the file is on our own computer. note that an icon may point to a file actually on a shared drive or web site particularly with microsoft ' s active desktop enabled. o when we ' re browsing the web and our browser doesn ' t prompt us for extra access. o when we ' re reading email and there are no attachments. it all cases, risk is decreased if we save a file and open it with its related application rather than double - click it or choose " open this file from its current location ". * by design or defect, a file displayed on our screen may not always appear as it should. it may look like a relatively harmless word document ( resume. doc ), picture file ( mydog. jpg ) or sound file but may actually be a malicious executable program ( spy. exe ). by saving it to disk and opening it with the application that should go with it, we ' ll protect ourselves from this scenario. the couple of additional mouse clicks it takes to do this may save a lot of aggravation or worse. * for example, if you are offered a file displayed as " resume. doc " in an email attachment or on a web site, don ' t double - click it or


takes to do this may save a lot of aggravation or worse. * for example, if you are offered a file displayed as " resume. doc " in an email attachment or on a web site, don ' t double - click it or open it from its current location. instead, save it to disk, open word, and use word ' s file - > open menu to open the file you saved. if the file doesn ' t open properly, or its name changes, its almost a sure sign something is badly wrong with the file. there have been many instances of malicious programs spread automatically or getting passed around purposely or innocently. when such a program is discovered, vendors of anti - virus software update their products to recognize the new program. running the anti - virus product on our computers protects us from this recognized program if we fail in our efforts at refusing unknown programs. but like flu shots, anti - virus software won ' t protect us from new viruses. fast moving, email based viruses can circle the globe in hours and infect a lot of computers before antivirus software can be updated. nevertheless, installing and maintaining anti - virus software is a very important part of maintaining the security of our computers. jmu has purchased licenses for norton anti - virus for faculty, staff, and students home and office computers. it is fully supported by the helpdesk. why not install it now? * click here to learn how to install the campus provided norton antivirus software. * click here for instructions on checking the campus provided norton antivirus software for proper operation. when we receive email, we can rarely be sure who sent it. the from : information is as easily falsified as the return address on a paper envelope. virus programs running on an infected computer can easily send out email in anyone ' s name. accordingly, email attachments, which may contain malicious programs, should all be treated with caution. one click is all it takes to lose complete control of our computer and everything it accesses. * be particularly careful of unexpected or unusual email or attachments regardless of the source, content, or attachment name. * treat any email attachment whose name ends in ". exe ", ". com ", ". bat ",. " scr ", ". pif ", ". shs ", ". js ", ". hta ", ". vbs ", or any ending you ' re not familiar with as you would hazardous waste material. find out what it is from


pif ", ". shs ", ". js ", ". hta ", ". vbs ", or any ending you ' re not familiar with as you would hazardous waste material. find out what it is from the sender before opening it! - - > more information on refusing unknown programs... update our computers regularly computer programs frequently contain defects. some of these defects can allow third parties to run programs of their choice on our computers without any action on our part. this allows the third party to take control of our computers, and all the resources and data they have access to, for their own purposes. * defects in client programs like browsers, email clients, and media players may allow unwanted programs to run if we click a link to a malicious web page or receive malicious email. these types of defects can cause us to lose control of our computer simply by browsing the web or starting our email client. * defects in server programs like web or file servers, can allow someone to force unwanted programs to be run on our server. they exploit the defect by making malicious web or file requests. the exploitation might be carried out by an individual or by an automated program like a worm. running defective, vulnerable software on our networked computers is similar to leaving broken windows in our homes and offices for strangers to enter. except with the internet, people can enter these " windows " from anywhere in the world. large scale scans from around the world are often seen within days of new vulnerabilities being announced. machines with defective software or vulnerable configurations have been known to be compromised within hours of being attached to the network both here and elsewhere. most software is out - of - date and full of vulnerable defects on the installation cds and even sometimes when downloaded from vendor web sites. scanners and automated worms may find a vulnerable server almost as soon as it is connected to the network. it is necessary to check for updates as soon as new software is installed and regularly thereafter. microsoft windows systems windows desktop operators : * use the windows update service after every new installation. * re - use the windows update service once a month to keep the computer up to date. * if microsoft office is installed and you ' re not using jmu ' s novell services for software management, visit the office update site monthly. you ' ll need the original distribution media to install office patches. people using jmu ' s novell services can wait until office patches are available through the jmuapps menu or use the office update


management, visit the office update site monthly. you ' ll need the original distribution media to install office patches. people using jmu ' s novell services can wait until office patches are available through the jmuapps menu or use the office update site as desired. * double - click the norton anti - virus gold shield icon in the lower left of your screen. a norton window will come up. check the date of the virus definition file. if it is more than two weeks old, the norton anti - virus program is not updating itself correctly. click here for further instructions. * upgrade or replace software which microsoft doesn ' t support with security patches. of particular importance in this respect are : o microsoft personal web server and peer web services o internet explorer versions 3 and 4 o office 97 and 98 for windows o windows 95 * cygwin users must also check for defect updates in unix programs packaged with cygwin or installed separately. for example, openssh. * review computer security hot topics page at least monthly for announcements of software defects or other issues that may affect you. windows server operators : servers need to have more timely patches as they run software that is accessible to anyone on the internet. patches should be installed as they become available. * never bring up a server until all patches and configuration changes have been completed. unpatched servers have been found and compromised in minutes by automated worms and scripts. install the software while the machine is disconnected from the network, make sure all servers are shut down, connect to the network and download the patches, disconnect from the network, and apply patches. * use microsoft ' s hfnetchk patch analyzer tool to check windows nt, 2000, and xp systems for needed patches. the qchain utility may be used to chain together multiple patches so they canbe installed without individual reboots. * subscribe to microsoft ' s security bulletin mailing list and apply patches as soon after they are announced and can be tested as possible. * cygwin users must also check for defect updates in unix programs packaged with cygwin or installed separately. for example, openssh. * review computer security hot topics and serious defects pages weekly for announcements of software defects or other issues that may affect you. * if you install non - microsoft software, subscribe to vendor security bulletins or check their web site regularly for updates. linux and other unix systems these systems often have server programs running after even a desktop default installation. * never bring up a server until all patches and


non - microsoft software, subscribe to vendor security bulletins or check their web site regularly for updates. linux and other unix systems these systems often have server programs running after even a desktop default installation. * never bring up a server until all patches and configuration changes have been completed. unpatched servers have been found and compromised in minutes by automated worms and scripts. install the software while the machine is disconnected from the network, make sure all services started in the inetd. conf file, / etc / rc * files, or your vendor ' s equivalent have been disabled, connect to the network and download the patches, disconnect from the network, and apply patches. * subscribe to vendor security bulletins and apply patches as soon after they are available as possible. click here for a list of various vendor security sites and notification services. * review computer security hot topics page at least monthly for announcements of software defects or other issues that may affect you. server operators should check both the hot topics and serious defects pages weekly. macintosh osx is based on unix. many unix related defects also affect macintosh osx. * current security roll - up patches can be viewed and downloaded at http : / / www. info. appl... ty _ updates. html * software updates can be requested using the software update pane in system preferences. * email notification of security defects in macosx can be obtained by subscribing to the apple notification service at http : / / lists. apple. c... curity - announce * review computer security hot topics page at least monthly for announcements of software defects or other issues that may affect you. * keep anti - virus software up to date. * if available, check your vendor ' s security site monthly for critical security updates. - - > more information on updating our computers... nullify unneeded risks whether by operator mistakes, attempts at making computers easy to use, or encouraging open access, our computer ' s software sometimes grants more access to our computers than is needed. we can decrease risk by eliminating unneeded access to our computers. * microsoft windows generally installs with several open doors by default. shut these doors by following the following precautions : o assign a good password to all windows nt, 2000, and xp accounts paying particular attention to the administrator and other privileged accounts. o disable network access to the windows administrator account. o be very careful with microsoft file sharing. it is commonly misconfigured. don ' t share more


2000, and xp accounts paying particular attention to the administrator and other privileged accounts. o disable network access to the windows administrator account. o be very careful with microsoft file sharing. it is commonly misconfigured. don ' t share more than you need to. * install and configure the iis lockdown tool on nt, 2000, and xp computers to disable unneeded access and oft - exploited functionality on iis web servers that may be running. * disable unused linux services * nullify risks of anonymous, public storage. * limit unwanted network communications with a firewall. if your computer is only used to communicate in certain ways, the consequences of mistakes or defects can be decreased by disabling other, unnecessary communication channels. one way this can be done is through desktop firewalls. windows xp comes with firewall functionality built - in in the form of its internet connection firewall. other windows operators have many commercial and no - cost choices. zonealarm, by zonelabs, is free for personal or non - profit use but they specifically exclude educational institutions from this offer. you can, however, use it on a personal computer at home. keep in mind that all desktop firewalls are vulnerable to locally run code. some viruses disable them. linux operators can take advantage of the built in ipchains or iptables facilities. more information on personal firewalls. * web service designers, providers, and administrators should familiarize themselves with guidelines on securing public web servers ( pdf - national institute of standards and technology ) * follow platform specific " best practices " guidelines when configuring a public server * disable music and peer sharing services when not needed * use the nt / 2000 / xp administrator and unix root accounts only when needed for system maintenance. use a normal user account for all other activities particularly browsing the web and reading email. the checkup! security scanning service periodically scans jmu computers looking for those with vulnerabilities that others may exploit. if your computer is found to have a vulnerability, you may receive an automated email message alerting you to the problem. more information will be available shortly. - - > more information on nullifying unneeded risk... safeguard our identity and password passwords are the combination locks used to protect our computer accounts. it goes without saying that giving out our combination or leaving the lock unlatched ( i. e. walking away from a logged on computer ), compromises our security. however


password passwords are the combination locks used to protect our computer accounts. it goes without saying that giving out our combination or leaving the lock unlatched ( i. e. walking away from a logged on computer ), compromises our security. however, technology provides ways for people to obtain our combination even if we aren ' t careless. to thwart such misuse, we must choose complex combinations. there are three elements to a complex combination : 1. it can ' t be obvious. that is, it can ' t exist in an attack dictionary. * every word in an english language dictionary can be tried in minutes. attack dictionaries also include names, common misspellings, words with numbers, and other commonly used passwords. you also don ' t want the password to have any personal significance to you... your dog ' s name for example. using a dictionary word for a password is like using a locker number for a combination. 2. it can ' t be a short * a combination lock with a two number combination wouldn ' t protect very well. anything less than an eight character password is like having a such a combination. it simply won ' t hold up for long on the network. 3. it can ' t be made up of just a few characters * a combination lock with only ten numbers on the dial isn ' t as effective as one with fifty. using just lower case letters is like limiting a combination lock to ten numbers. on systems that support them, passwords should contain at least one of each of the following characters : o uppercase letters ( a - z ) o lowercase letters ( a - z ) o numbers ( 0 - 9 ) o punctuation marks (! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + = - ) etc. different systems have different capabilities. some will not let you use all the strength features mentioned here. when you get an account or change your password on a system, you should be given instructions on any limitations. how, you may ask, am i ever going to remember such a complicated password? * pick a sentence that reminds you of the password. for example : o if my car makes it through 2 semesters, i ' ll be lucky ( imcmit2s, ibl ) o only bill gates could afford this $ 70. 00 textbook ( obgcat $ 7t ) o what time is my accounting class in showker 240? ( wtimacis2? ) * if you absolutely have to, record it in


o only bill gates could afford this $ 70. 00 textbook ( obgcat $ 7t ) o what time is my accounting class in showker 240? ( wtimacis2? ) * if you absolutely have to, record it in a secure location. it ' s probably safer to store a strong password in a place where someone would have to physically break in than to expose a weak password to 300, 000, 000 people on the internet. accounts that are not accessible from the network, or that can be disabled if too many unsuccessful attempts are detected, are not as susceptible to high - speed guessing attacks. however, some systems have network accessible accounts you may not know about. passwords for windows nt, 2000, and xp professional administrator accounts and accounts included in the administrator, backup operator, and server operator groups must be as strong as possible as these accounts have full, remote access to the entire file system through hidden shares. you can disable network access to these accounts by following the procedures here. never type your password into an untrusted computer or web site. - - > more information on safeguarding passwords... assure sufficient resources for proper system care do you want your organization ' s web server to become known as the one that makes headlines when it is used to bring down a high profile internet site? that is used to break into your neighbors computer? that harbors illegal or inappropriate files? that gives away any privileged information that is stored on it? that is unreliable? a publicly accessible network resource needs special care in its initial setup. today ' s development projects often encompass many architectures, products, and technologies. depending upon the level of your involvement with each component, you or your project team may need to be aware of a wide variety of issues. for example, a safe deployment of a web based application may involve taking into account implementation and development issues in any of the following environments : * core operating system issues in unix or windows * web server issues in internet information services or apache * web development issues in server and client side scripting and components * issues with transaction processors or application servers like tuxedo or mts * backend database issues with access, oracle, or mysql issues with authentication, file access controls, data authorization, encryption, and network access controls often cross os, web server, web development, application server, and database realms. perhaps less well known due to vendor marketing efforts and perhaps our own wishful thinking, a service needs ongoing monitoring and maintenance regardless of platform. without


and network access controls often cross os, web server, web development, application server, and database realms. perhaps less well known due to vendor marketing efforts and perhaps our own wishful thinking, a service needs ongoing monitoring and maintenance regardless of platform. without this care, the server may not remain in operation long, it may not preserve the confidentiality and integrity of resident data and accounts, or it may be used as a base of operations for criminal activity including attacks on other computers. * budget planning, hiring procedures, staffing levels, and job descriptions should reflect the need for developer and administrator training and ongoing monitoring and maintenance in a complex and ever changing environment. * allow time for regular maintenance * elevate security and ongoing maintenance to the same level of consideration as cost, ease of use, functionality, and performance. - - > more information on assuring system care... it is impossible to provide absolute security for our computers just as it is impossible to provide absolute security for ourselves or our possessions in the physical world. insecurity is a fact of life. there are no technical panaceas. there are 200 million people connected to the internet and we cannot control their actions. they have world - wide, almost instantaneous and anonymous access to our computers ' network ports. there are practical compromises in the design of our computers and networks that may leave them vulnerable to certain activities. accordingly, we must temper our actions with awareness and take some precautions. * regularly backup critical or hard to replace data * be careful about whom and what you trust. don ' t believe everything you see on the web or in email messages. * do not ignore warning messages. in particular, those associated with : o web browsers warning about site certificate mismatches o web browsers warning about file downloads or potential security problems o ssh clients like putty, f - secure, and securecrt warning about host key mismatches o repeated virus warnings - - > more information on facing insecurity... everybody needs to do their part your particular computer may not seem to be a desirable target of a compromise attempt but any computer is attractive as a stepping stone or attack vehicle. simple windows 95 and macintosh desktops have been involved in security incidents. even with switched networks, a compromised computer may be used to sniff network traffic from neighboring computers. thus, your security is dependant upon your neighbors ' security and their security on yours. in the days of standalone computers, reckless or unauthorized use of a computer affected just one computer. with a network


be used to sniff network traffic from neighboring computers. thus, your security is dependant upon your neighbors ' security and their security on yours. in the days of standalone computers, reckless or unauthorized use of a computer affected just one computer. with a networked computer and its access to shared network resources and common communications lines, the same actions may affect many computers, accounts, services, or people. as long as we want to continue to have relatively open computing and communications choices, and preserve our privacy, services, and data, each one of us must do his or her part to help ensure the integrity of our network. * do your part - runsafe * encourage and help your peers to do their part - runsafe - - > more information on doing our part... feel free to use or derive from r. u. n. s. a. f. e. material as long as you give credit to jmu. a note to email @ example. com describing your project would be greatly appreciated! sponsored by : sparkhost - hosting without compromises! hybrid performance web hosting spark host stream hosting hybrid irc & ircd server shell accounts no replies to this topic 0 user ( s ) are reading this topic 0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


our oceans are an absolute marvel - but they are also in a deep, deep crisis. if we don ’ t act fast, our oceans will continue to deteriorate and vital food sources and essential functions provided to our planet and its people by the oceans could be lost forever. since healthy oceans underpin our very survival, greenpeace is today releasing an “ emergency oceans rescue plan ” aimed at world leaders, which sets out the best way to save our oceans - something that can and should be done at the convention on biological diversity ( cbd ) which takes place later this month in japan. our plan shows how to create a global network of marine reserves - wildlife parks at sea - to cover 40 % of the world ’ s oceans. as scientists keep telling us, that ’ s exactly the kind of large - scale protection we need if we are to maintain living oceans. our “ emergency oceans rescue plan ” is a call for policy - makers to implement it. the benefits are obvious. large - scale marine reserves will not just protect the full diversity of marine life and ensure healthy fisheries. they will also help us to alleviate food insecurity and poverty and build the resilience of our oceans to the impacts of climate change and, ultimately, allow us to sustain life on earth for future generations. if we want our oceans to thrive and to continue to support human and animal life, then we need marine reserves now. marine reserves are off - limits to fishing, fossil fuel extraction and other industrial activities. establishing marine reserves effectively puts a massive ‘ stop ’ sign right in the front of those destructive bottom trawlers and dirty oil exploration ships that roam our oceans so freely right now, and says “ yes ” to healthy oceans and fish for the future. ’ last month, un secretary - general ban ki - moon told politicians gathered in new york that a “ rescue package similar to that introduced after the global financial crisis is urgently needed to halt the worldwide loss of biodiversity, which is resulting in a heavy human cost. ” well, with respect to our oceans, world leaders preparing for the cbd meeting need look no further than the emergency oceans rescue plan. the cbd meeting is a chance for world leaders to halt the massive loss of marine biodiversity and ensure the survival of the millions dependent on the oceans for food and their livelihoods - all that is needed is political will. please spread the word and join the call for marine reserves.


organizations or clubs are designed for students in diverting their attention and with purpose of bringing them extra form of relaxation and interaction with other students. it may be innumerable but almost serving the same purpose, they may differ from types of it. some are into music, religion, science, major subjects or let us say law, theatre, political, sports, community service and groups that are dedicated with the all about of “ essay on speech writing and presentation. ” approval of the faculty and the dean is significant in order to make it formal and legal. these organizations are led by fellow students who they thought would best fit the position of being the president. advantages lie from joining and participating from the aforesaid. it keeps you on track, active and away from vices. school clubs also serves a training ground for selected participants and haven especially with their free time. social interaction is enhanced and which develop at its best that will be beneficial on their future. the students are draw closer despite of their differences. sharing ideas, swopping of opinions can bring them together which in the end can give them positive result in terms of personality building. today, students are always up for challenges and responsibilities, and these clubs is counted in. at times, being not able to attend the class they make these clubs as an excuse. but is taken for granted to the fullest that sometimes affect their performance in school. the policies of school organizations when not executed well will always be the reason of irresponsible students in skipping classes.


greenwood strongly believes that students need to develop their hidden talents and deserve every opportunity to do so. at previous schools many greenwood students have never had a chance to develop their creative abilities ; they were pulled out of fine arts classes in order to receive more individualized academic instruction. for this reason, greenwood has developed a strong fine arts program that encompasses art, music, and drama. each fine arts class is taught by professionals in their respective fields, who also enjoy working with young people while many schools question the role that the arts have in education, greenwood has seen how : - it encourages creative problem solving and self - expression. - it fosters patience and confidence in handling unfamiliar materials and assignments. - it helps students improve their visual - spatial skills. although the object of art classes is to develop imagination and skill, the therapeutic benefits, such as the enhancement of fine motor skills, cannot be ignored. many of our students have been found to possess superior talent in this discipline. a typical greenwood student ’ s class week includes two art classes. drawing, sculpture, pottery, watercolor painting, and pen - and - ink techniques are taught. in addition, a popular student - drawn calendar is distributed to all on our mailing list each year. crafts are also offered as extracurricular activities and as part of the village program. music is a valued and required course at greenwood. we provide regular instruction in music appreciation and drumming, with private instruction for students who are studying an instrument. our more advanced students perform as a rock band. it is our belief that developing a sense of rhythm, meter, and pitch is important for all students and may have significant benefits for those whose learning is hampered by auditory or kinesthetic difficulties.


field biology laboratory the field biology laboratory is not only a space for the continuing study of the flora and fauna of north carolina, but is also a rich source of archival materials collected over many decades. the lab contains a collection of study skins and mounts of birds native to north carolina, and a collection of bird nests from the piedmont region. this laboratory houses two historical collections of bird eggs gathered in the 1800s, including the t. gilbert pearson egg collection. in addition, students have access to a herbarium of north carolina plants, and reference collections of preserved reptiles, amphibians, and mammal skulls of species native to north carolina and beyond. anatomy and physiology laboratory students investigate various aspects of human physiology using computer - based software for recording electrocardiograms, electromyograms, and electroencephalograms. advanced studies in neuroscience include the recording of individual neuronal action potentials. an associated laboratory for field studies in fisheries biology houses a complete array of equipment for the investigation of aquatic ecology, limnology, and ichthyology. microbial genetics and molecular biology facility standard and advanced equipment in the molecular biology and microbial genetics lab provide students with the tools for the study of the phylogenetic relationship between microbial organisms and the molecular analysis of signaling processes in nematodes. in their independent research projects, students utilize instrumentation for the growth of organisms under a variety of conditions, and the isolation, purification and quantification of genomic dna. students routinely utilize the techniques of pcr, pulsed - field gel electrophoresis, fluorescent microscopy, recombinant dna technologies and rnai. the department has two fully - equipped laboratories dedicated to independent, student research projects. forensic biology laboratory the forensic biology laboratory supports advanced forensics students in molecular cell biology and forensic anthropology. students pursue the identification of drugs and toxins utilizing the gas chromatograph - mass spectrograph, which provides definitive identification of these substances. the laboratory is also where students investigate a variety of topics related to cause of death, e. g., identification of diatoms related to deaths by drowning, and skeletal damage due to ballistics, cutting and blunt force trauma. the highlight of the forensic anthropology course, the investigation of clandestine graves, utilizes the equipment and archival materials of the forensic biology lab for this capstone experience in forensics. forensic chemistry laboratory students utilize research - grade microscopes for the analysis of trace forensic evidence, and explore a variety of chemical methods for developing latent fingerprints. forensic chemistry students employ the fully automated shimadzu


become a fan of h2g2 there is a stretch of coast running along north west somerset, which points to an extraordinary episode in the life of the earth. along this coast is evidence of : a jurassic sea invading a triassic desert in the form of fossilised ripples of sand. the recession of the sea preserved in cliffs composed almost entirely of alabaster. the resurgence of the sea, as evidenced by thousands of iridescent ammonites, tiny scallops, fish, and a myriad of warm, shallow sea fossils. unfortunately, the exact location will have to remain obscure, as fossil ' collectors ' have had a deleterious impact over the years. a general location, however, will probably cause no harm. the following beaches and their fossils can be found between hinkley point and porlock. look across the bristol channel and you will be able to make out the south coast of wales. the modern coast other than the odd flat section caused by shallow river valleys, this coast is a mass of cliffs which end abruptly, diving straight down on to beaches that shelve off into the deep waters of the bristol channel. the coast here is exposed to the atlantic weather, which is why, in part, it is so attractive to the fossil hunter. based on observations by the renowned geologist dr peter hardy of the university of bristol, it has been estimated that the water erosion on this stretch totals about a millimetre a year ( for the hard cliff rock ). there are other, lower, cliffs composed of red mudstone which erode at a much faster rate, often causing a lethal environment for the unwary walker. one of the reasons for this quick mudstone erosion is the height of the landscape behind the cliffs. the quantocks are at one end, and exmoor begins a little further on. rain thunders down on to both, and percolates down, saturating the porous and mudstone rocks. mudstone is similar to clay, in that it is composed of microscopic sheets of crystal lattice. when pressure is applied to these lattices, they slide off each other, like a surf board over water. this is why clay is so slippery. destabilise these mudstone cliffs with lots of water, and things begin to slide. pillars of alabaster the alabaster cliff fall in 1998 was a tremendous sight. five or six house - sized squares of cliff had fallen to the beach and jammed up against each other to form a room. these squares were composed of


slide. pillars of alabaster the alabaster cliff fall in 1998 was a tremendous sight. five or six house - sized squares of cliff had fallen to the beach and jammed up against each other to form a room. these squares were composed of pink, orange and red alabaster, striated ( marked with striate ) with a shale - like rock. where they had bashed against each other on the tumble down from the cliff, thousands of shards of alabaster had been knocked off, and lay scattered across the beach like a carpet. within a couple of months there was not a single shard left. a mixture of high tides and tourists had scoured the beach. today, the fall is even more impressive. several more blocks of alabaster, weighing at least a hundred tons apiece, have fallen from the cliff to join the other pioneers. now it is easy to see that the entire cliff behind is composed of the same material. one of the layers of alabaster has slipped out, slid sideways, and now rises 35ft into the air from the beach. from the sea side of the beach it resembles a pillar. erosion of the alabaster is fast. since 1998, the sea has eroded the lower portions of the blocks, so they have ' waists '. although interesting to look at, this feature has rendered the blocks even more unsafe than before. be very careful when close to the blocks, and get ready to run at the faintest of noises. this coast records the turning point between the triassic and jurassic eras. it used to be mountainous desert around here and you can still see evidence of it. the soil is stained red by haematite ( oxidised iron ore, usually in particulate form ), laid down when the desert was young. there is also more obvious evidence. among the two hundred million - year - old rocks on the beach you can see fossilised ripples - identical to those found on the beach sand after the tide has gone out. there are also rocks that look like the cracked mud you would get at the bottom of a dried up puddle or pool, and this is precisely what they record - an incursion of sea into a desert, followed by a retreat. this happened many times, perhaps over a period of millions of years. there is other evidence of a turbulent past ; jumbled conglomerates lie here and there. conglomerates usually gather where a vigorous, fast flowing river or stream connects with a slower moving body of water or lake. the


a period of millions of years. there is other evidence of a turbulent past ; jumbled conglomerates lie here and there. conglomerates usually gather where a vigorous, fast flowing river or stream connects with a slower moving body of water or lake. the vigorous river then dumps its detritus ( wood, gravel, rocks, etc ) into the slow body, where it might compact over years and turn into a conglomerate. the higgledy - piggledy patterns of the conglomerate rocks on this beach point to violent flooding and recession as the seas washed in and out of the ancient desert. the desert was eventually covered in ocean, marking the beginning of the lower jurassic period. the iridescent ammonites found here ( caloceras johnstoni ) are the ' zone fossils ' for the lower jurassic. a zone fossil marks definitive borders between one age and the next. when a fossil is particularly common worldwide, strata can be identified and dated by their presence. sea - shells, bone - beds and iridescent ammonites among the more famous fossils along this stretch are the bone beds. these are, as the name would suggest, beds of fossils composed of bones, mainly of fishes, but also containing scales and teeth. entire fishes have been found a little further on. there are also what appear to be miniature scallops in profusion, captured in a dark, hard rock. but the most obvious of fossils in this area have to be the aforementioned iridescent ammonites. some are over two feet across, and when wet, shine like mother of pearl. this researcher has a 12 " by 10 " slate covered edge to edge with ammonites of this nature, none larger than an inch across. people have been down to this beach with pneumatic drills and other heavy equipment to dig these prizes out of the rock. this is a huge shame, as some of the largest ammonites are otherwise too heavy to move, and would have given the casual passer - by enjoyment for years to come. is there somewhere else you could go? the short and happy answer is yes. britain is brimming with fossils, some of which are easier to find than others. the easiest of all are in gravel paths and driveways. have a good look in among the stones and, if you find one that has a patterned surface ( rather like someone has pushed a sponge into it ) you have found yourself a fossil coral. also, everyone has heard about lyme regis. again, caution is advised under the cliffs


click here to view an interactive map of the northern ireland dataset as currently collated by cedar. the map is generated through the nbn gateway using their interactive mapping tool. coregonus autumnalis pollan thompson pollan is a glacial relict of an alaskan - siberian whitefish species and is not found anywhere in western europe outside of ireland. it is a good example of the importance of correct taxonomy in determining conservation importance. for most of the twentieth century, pollan was regarded as one or other of two coregonid species found in britain. however, molecular studies in the 1970s showed conclusively that it was c. autumnalis, but that there were sufficient differences to regard it as a distinct subspecies c. a. pollan. in a recent revision, kottelat has suggested that it should be designated as a full species c. pollan rather than a subspecies, which would make it an endemic irish species. further work is required to validate this proposal. irrespective of its exact classification, pollan is one of the most unique elements of the irish fauna. pollan entered the shannon system as a migratory fish at the end of the last ice age, some 14, 000 years ago, and from there it spread to loughs erne and neagh, all of which were interconnected in the period of glacial retreat. as the sea temperature and salinity increased, pollan lost its migratory habit and became restricted to freshwater. however, pollan have been found in the erne estuary at ballyshannon and downstream of coleraine on the lower river bann. since neagh, erne and shannon ( ree and derg ) stocks have been isolated for over 10, 000 years, undoubtedly genetic differences have evolved among them as a result of adaptation to local conditions and by genetic drift. there is also some evidence of distinct populations within lough neagh, presumably maintained as a result of natal homing to separate spawning areas. pollan is a silvery trout - shaped fish, with a dark greeny - blue back. superficially, it resembles a herring but is easily recognised due to the presence of the diagnostic salmonid adipose fin, a small fleshy dorsal fin just in front of the tail. pollan spawn in december and january in shallow rocky areas of the loughs where wave action provides good oxygenation for the developing eggs. the young fish feed on animal plankton and on larger invertebrates as they grow older. $ mysis relicta $, a glacial relict crustacean


shallow rocky areas of the loughs where wave action provides good oxygenation for the developing eggs. the young fish feed on animal plankton and on larger invertebrates as they grow older. $ mysis relicta $, a glacial relict crustacean, is an important food source in lough neagh, as are the abundant larvae of chironomid midges. spawning takes place from about three years of age and individuals can generally live for about five years, although a seven - year - old has been recorded from lower lough erne. there are no similar freshwater species present in ireland but two related whitefish species are found in scotland, cumbria, and wales, although several populations of these have become extinct in recent decades. how to see this species lough neagh pollan are fished for commercially and can be seen as fishermen land their catches at various quays around the lough. they can be bought in some fish markets and shops during the fishing season ( march to october ). pollan sometimes move down the lower river bann and they have been caught by anglers downstream of coleraine. although still common in lough neagh, pollan is no longer found in upper lough erne and has become very rare in lower lough erne since the 1970s. it was abundant in lough erne in the early part of the twentieth century where it formed the subject of a substantial commercial fishery. exploitation of lough neagh pollan is controlled by fisheries legislation, enforced by the fisheries conservancy board northern ireland. why is this species a priority in northern ireland? pollan is not found anywhere else in western europe outside ireland threats / causes of decline pollan require water with a good level of oxygen and so eutrophication, due to nutrient enrichment, and climatic warming are major threats, especially in the deeper lakes where oxygenation due to wind - mixing is reduced. the other major threat is increase of non - native species such as pike, roach and zebra mussel, which have been linked to the decline in lower lough erne, possibly as a result of predation and decline in zooplankton availability. the recent introduction of zebra mussel into lough neagh presents a serious threat to pollan in this lough. conservation of this species an all - ireland species action plan was published in 2005. there is also a uk species action plan which was published in 1995. what you can do support the restoration of northern ireland lakes to high water quality status. help prevent the further spread of zebra mussels within lough neagh. text


power is actualized only where word and deed have not parted company, where words are not empty and deeds not brutal, where words are not used to veil intentions but to disclose realities, and where deeds are not used to violate and destroy but to establish relations and create new realities. - hannah arendt, the human condition arendt ’ s conception of power is one of the most subtle and elusive features of her political theory. here arendt poses the problem of power in terms of power ’ s loss, of powerlessness, which is also what she calls “ the death of political communities. ” what is powerlessness? what, exactly, is lost when power is lost? there are many ways to become powerless in the world of twenty - first century politics. in the united states we often imagine that citizens would be powerless without their constitutional rights – the vote, free speech, due process. in and around the world ’ s many war zones, the loss of military protection seems to produce a very different kind of powerlessness, one that is linked to both our physical vulnerability to violence as human beings and the persistence of violence between sovereign states ( and within them. ) there is also the powerlessness that seems to follow from the dislocations or migrations of peoples, a condition that arendt calls mass homelessness, which may come from the movement of peoples across borders or the redrawing of borders across peoples. poverty appears to be another form of powerlessness altogether, one that disrupts our capacity to appropriate nonhuman nature through labor and work and thereby sustain our lives. arendt argues that mass destitution, alongside mass homelessness, is a form of powerlessness that is peculiar to the political condition of the modern age. many other kinds of powerlessness can be added to this list. the list is disturbing not only for its variety and length, but also because the felt urgency of each danger invites us to elevate one or two above the others, so that we risk settling for powerlessness of several kinds in order to secure power in one or two “ emergency ” domains. we choose between the power of kill lists and drone strikes and the power of due process for americans accused of terrorism. we weigh our powerlessness in the face of global warming against the powerlessness caused by the great recession, where the hoped - for “ recovery ” will be defined by consumption - led “ growth, ” rendered tangible by lower gas prices and more crowded shopping malls. or, we may think that us power in the globalizing world of


by the great recession, where the hoped - for “ recovery ” will be defined by consumption - led “ growth, ” rendered tangible by lower gas prices and more crowded shopping malls. or, we may think that us power in the globalizing world of free trade and faster capital flows is dependent upon “ securing our national borders, ” achieved through the quasi - militarization of immigration enforcement. hard choices are the stuff of politics - they are supposed to be what power is all about - but the dilemmas of modern powerlessness are peculiarly wrenching in large part because they are not readily negotiable by political action, by those practices of public creativity and initiative that are uniquely capable of redefining what is possible in the common world. rather, these “ choices ” and others like them seem more like dead - ends, tired old traps that mark the growing powerlessness of politics itself. the death of the body politic, which can only occur by way of the powerlessness of politics itself, is arendt ’ s main concern in the above quote. in contrast to hobbes, rousseau, weber, and habermas, among others, arendt distinguishes power from domination, strength, rationality, propaganda, and violence. located within the open and common world of human speech and action, power reveals its ethical and political limits when it is overcome by deception, empty words, destruction, and “ brutality. ” rooted in the human conditions of natality and plurality, and constituted by the gathered actions of many in a public space of appearance, power exists only in its actualization through speech and deed. like action, power depends upon the public self - disclosure of actors in historical time. actors acting together with other actors generate power. yet because we do not know “ who ” we disclose ourselves to be in the course of collective action, or what the effects of our actions will turn out to mean in the web of human stories, power itself is always “ boundless and unpredictable, ” which in part explains its peculiar force. given its boundlessness and unpredictability, power cannot be stored up for emergencies, like weapons or food and water, nor kept in place through fixed territories, as with national sovereignty. power therefore co - exists only uneasily with machpolitik. power can overcome violence and strength through the gathered voices and acts of the many ; it can also be destroyed ( but not replaced ) through the dispersal of the many and the dissolution of the space of appearance. in - between gathering and dispersal, power


. power can overcome violence and strength through the gathered voices and acts of the many ; it can also be destroyed ( but not replaced ) through the dispersal of the many and the dissolution of the space of appearance. in - between gathering and dispersal, power is preserved through what arendt calls “ organization, ” the laws, traditions, habits, and institutions that sustain the space of appearance during those interims when actors disperse temporarily and withdraw back into the private realm, only to reappear later. for arendt, the loss of power is the loss of our capacity to act with others in a way that generates, sustains, and discloses a common world. powerlessness is marked by the receding of public spaces. this may occur, for example, through the gentle decline of a formally constituted public realm into the technocratic shadows of the social, or through the brutal sovereign repression of spontaneously emergent spaces of appearance. in both cases, our ethical and political incapacities to act together, and the philosophical inability to recognize power when we see it, are at the root of modern political powerlessness. power - seekers, on arendt ’ s view, would be well advised to cultivate a deeper political appreciation for both the immaterial force and fragility of human natality, plurality, and public space, which will be lost when power is mistaken for its rivals, like reason, strength, violence, or sovereignty. congratulations and welcome to the newest hannah arendt center fellows, wyatt mason, bill dixon, laura ephraim, and ursula ludz. wyatt mason ( senior arendt center fellow ) is a contributing editor of harper ' s magazine and a contributing writer to the new york times magazine. his writing also appears in the new york review of books and the new yorker. modern library publishes his translations of the works of arthur rimbaud, rimbaud complete and i promise to be good. a 2003 - 2004 fellow of the cullman center for scholars and writers at the new york public library, he received the 2005 nona balakian citation from the national book critics circle and a national magazine award in 2006. he teaches non - fiction in the bennington writing seminars and will be senior fellow at the hannah arendt center at bard college for 2010 - 2011. charles ( bill ) dixon ( post - doctoral fellow ) is a political theorist and a phd. candidate in political science at johns hopkins university. dixon ’ s research interests include ancient and modern theories of democracy, political judgment and action, political economy, and


depression is a mental illness characterized by feelings of profound sadness and lack of interest in enjoyable activities. it may cause a wide range of symptoms, both physical and emotional. unlike a blue mood, depression can last for weeks, months, or years, and rarely subsides without treatment. depression in college here ’ s what you need to know about how to prevent and treat depression while you or your child is in college. can folic acid help ease depression? folic acid, the b - vitamin that is famous for its role in preventing birth defects, is now under scrutiny for its effects on another devastating condition — depression. how to choose a therapist or counselor perhaps you have a chronic or difficult problem, or maybe you feel depressed or sad. before you jump into therapy, there are important issues that you need to consider. could your depression be related to your medication? after two weeks of taking accutane, an acne medication, 19 - year - old joe began experiencing fatigue, lack of motivation, sleep problems, and crying spells. he was diagnosed with depression — something his healthcare provider eventually believed was related to his use of accutane. creativity and depression : is there a link? history is filled with writers, poets, artists, musicians, composers, and other creative people who wrestled with mood disorders. but is this portrayal just a stereotype, or is there really a link between creativity and depression? depression screening advised for all adults soon your doctor may start asking more questions about your mental health. prompting these changes are innovative new recommendations from the us preventive services task force on screening for depression in adults. the role of depression in adolescent obesity about 5 % of children and adolescents in the unites states suffer from depression. could this put them at increased risk for obesity? a study from the journal explores the possible link.


international healthcare worker safety center global initiative for healthcare worker safety a forum for sharing research and best practices worldwide in the prevention of needlesticks and occupational exposures to bloodborne pathogens defining the problem... healthcare workers are a critical resource in every corner of the globe - - the infrastructure without which healthcare cannot exist. but in caring for us, they place themselves at risk daily of contracting life - threatening infections from bloodborne pathogens, including hiv, hepatitis b and hepatitis c. injuries from needles and other sharp medical devices, along with accidental exposures to blood and body fluids from splashes and sprays, are the most serious occupational hazard faced by healthcare workers. ( read more )... and the solution. who should use this site? devices with engineered sharps injury protection are highly effective in reducing the risk of needlesticks and sharps injuries. we know that a combination of safer devices, hepatitis b vaccine and basic barrier garments save lives. the challenge is to get protective devices and products into the hands of healthcare workers who need them most - - in every corner of the globe. - occupational health and infection control practitioners looking for training and educational resources in needlestick prevention and - researchers looking for the latest articles and abstracts related to occupational - hospital and healthcare administrators looking for information about epinet, a sharps injury surveillance program - epinet users worldwide who want to share ask technical questions - medical device manufacturers looking to improve their products and participate in the global strategy for healthcare worker protection we welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions for additions to this website. to submit a comment, please click here. to learn more about the center ' s global initiative for healthcare worker safety and how you can participate, click here.


any responsible pet owner knows that owning pets, especially dogs, is a big responsibility. however, in costa rica there is a big dog dilemma. with thousands of puppy mills, so - called breeders, and pet shops throughout the island nation, dogs are everywhere, yet sadly, an estimated one million dogs are released to the streets each year by owners no longer able to or perhaps no longer want to care for them. just as in many other countries, dogs in costa rica are used as status symbols, given as gifts to children and loved ones, and brought in as companions. however, when the novelty wears off and the dogs grow, often without proper training or space to live, they can become more work than their owners think they are worth, and the dogs are thrown out into the street. dogs once welcomed into homes are just as quickly left to fend for themselves on the streets and even given a new name, “ callejeros ” or “ street dogs ”. animals rescue workers have long urged residents to carefully consider bringing a pet into their home, and to never buy from pet stores, as many of the dogs come from puppy mills that continue to mistreat and over breed dogs, that as many now see just wind up on the streets. during a recent national geographic channel documentary, “ dog whisperer ” cesar milan traveled to with last chance for animals ( lca ) to take a look inside puppy mills. lat year, the cesar milan foundation and lca teamed up to create a psa in costa rica tilted, “ adopt, don ’ t shop. ” see the spanish - language psa here.


the problem of the holy roman empire in the survey course : a chaos approach in 1980 jack gagliardo noted that the holy roman empire had " virtually disappeared from modern european history textbooks. " the situation has probably gotten worse in the past 15 years. despite the efforts of historians like mack walker, one would be hard pressed to find a western civilization student who has even a remote understanding of or interest in the empire. the reasons for this neglect are well known. european history has long been fettered by an overly teleological conception of history, in which the " modern " nation is seen as the inevitable culmination of human development. within this context the holy roman empire appears as an embryonic german nation - state that died before it could be bornand thus as a failure. a reconsideration of the way we teach the " old reich " would be welcome, if only because it offers us a unique oppor tunity to break out of the linear and highly nationalist framework of the standard survey. 1 but to transcend the nationalist framework, we need to understand it. a brief examination of the main western civilization texts shows that they continue to evaluate institutions like the old reich in terms of how they contributed to the development of the modern nation. although more recently published survey texts generally pay lip service to the idea that we cannot really project the notion of " france " and " germany " into medieval times, they nevertheless treat the empire as an essentially german entity, even when they know otherwise. marvin perry, for one, sees the empire merely as a " kingdom consisting mainly of german - speaking principalities. " in the same vein, thomas greer and galvin lewis note that " by the eleventh century there were three principal feudal states in europe ; the holy roman empire, the kingdom of france, and the kingdom of england, " thus putting all three on the same footing and tempting us to regard them all as embryonic national monarchies. 2 confining the facts about the empire within the nationalist paradigm inherited from the 19th century distorts the history of central europe by prematurely marking it off as unique. for example, by holding that otto and his successors were merely kings of germany, the investiture contest and its sequelae appear as the harbingers of a kind of political anarchy unique to middle europe. likewise, equating the disintegration of the holy roman empire with the disintegration of the german state gives central european history a uniquely anarchic and " backward " character. this in turn implies that


unique to middle europe. likewise, equating the disintegration of the holy roman empire with the disintegration of the german state gives central european history a uniquely anarchic and " backward " character. this in turn implies that german history in particular is cursed with a lingering barbarism, preventing germans from forming a modern state. the rulers of central european states like austria, bavaria, prussia, and wurttemberg thus appear as purely destructive forces of decentralization rebelling against an imaginary german kingdom that never was. any reconsideration of the empire ' s place in european history really depends on emancipating ourselves from the nationalist presuppositions of the last two centuries and beginning with entirely new categories. but to ask whether the nation - state was the inevitable culmination of some developmental sequence is ultimately to question whether historical outcomes are always predetermined. one way to approach this question is to examine the emerging science of " chaos. " according to evolutionary paleontologist stephen jay gould, a distinction must be made between historical and experimental knowledge. while theoretical physics may attempt to deduce universal laws which can be tested in the lab, historical explanations depend on " contingent detail " that occurs only once. although " we can explain an event after it occurs, " gould argues that " contingency precludes its repetition, even from an identical starting point. " 3 astro nomer stephen dole affords an example of this contingency on a vast scale. with the aid of a computer program known as acrete, dole suggests how the present planetary system might have evolved from a primeval gas cloud. specifying the exact size and shape of the gas, dole simulated the evolution of a number of alternative solar systems out of more or less the same cloud. some of the solar systems generated featured planets even larger than jupiter, while others ended up with a number of smaller planets. in a later discussion of dole ' s work, richard isaacman and carl sagan noted that it was possible to generate very different solar systems by only slightly varying the initial conditions. 4 if isaacman and sagan are correct, the history of our solar system apparently depended on contingencies which preclude that history being repeated, even if one started with more or less the same conditions. at some point in the historical process, the chance collision of two gas molecules might have set in motion a chain of events leading to the formation of a very different solar system. moreover, even if we


one started with more or less the same conditions. at some point in the historical process, the chance collision of two gas molecules might have set in motion a chain of events leading to the formation of a very different solar system. moreover, even if we accept the inevitability of our solar system and the formation of earth as we know it, the human species ' rise to prominence was by no means guaranteed. gould thus argues that humanity ' s ascension to dominance was the result of a " curious chain of events " that " would probably never happen again. " 5 a matter of probability now, i would argue that the history of europe lends itself to a chaos approach. although authors of the major texts write as if nationalism was some ineluctable component of " modernity, " the emergence of nations such as france or germany may have actually been a mere matter of probability. if the carolinian empire had either held together or fallen apart completely, the history of the west would have been radically different. even the treaty of verdun in 843 was, according to geoffrey barraclough, " the result not of racial or provincial differences, but simply of dynastic conflicts within the royal house " in which power was up for grabs. 6 in this context, the emergence of the various states in the west appears as a fortuitous accretion of territorial units not unlike the emergence of our solar system out of some primeval gas cloud. while the cloud ( europe ) might have resolved itself into a single star ( empire ) or fragmented into billions of asteroids ( anarchy ), it ended up slowly resolving itself into a number of small planets ( nations ). that the western frankish kingdom eventually resolved itself into one state while the eastern developed into a number of states may have been the result of a series of unpredictable choices made by real individuals at crucial points in the historical process. the constant division and redivision of the carolinian realm after verdun meant that any rival king within that realm had the right to take the imperial power if he was strong enough. no supposed " national character " predisposed otto the great, rather than his royal contemporary across the rhine, to take the imperial title. not only was the imperial title not reserved for the eastern ( as opposed to the western ) franks, but otto ' s assumption of the imperial crown was a kind of accident. if otto had died or a west frankish ruler of equal ability had arisen, the latter might have taken the imperial crown, intervened in papal affairs and fragmented


western ) franks, but otto ' s assumption of the imperial crown was a kind of accident. if otto had died or a west frankish ruler of equal ability had arisen, the latter might have taken the imperial crown, intervened in papal affairs and fragmented his realm. consequently, the association of the " empire " with the east franks ( and thus the germans ) was also a mere accident of history. moreover, as d. j. a. matthew has pointed out, the medieval emperors had every reason for believing that the division between east and west francia was not permanent. 7 the fact that the eastern rather than western kingdom happened to produce a leader powerful enough to claim the imperial title does not in any way establish some kind of metaphysical link between the eastern franks and the reich. even after the division between the eastern and western frankish kingdom, otto and his successors claimed a spiritual domain over the west in some ways similar to that of the pope. in this context, the east frankish domains of the ottonian rulers appear analogous to the papal states, because both were local temporal symbols of a universal moral authority. the emperors ' special relationship with the church gave them an indirect authority over other european kings that should not be underestimated. according to barraclough, there was thus originally " less divergence between europe and asia [ china ] than is sometimes supposed, " because the european imperial " ideal " embodied by the reich " was basically the same as that of the chinese and other oriental rulers. " 8 regarding the empire as a vestigial universal state that only gradually shrank to its final dimensions, rather than a stillborn german national entity, allows us to open up a whole new way of looking at central european history. by recognizing the genuinely universal characteristics of the empire, we are in a position to see the history of mitteleuropa in a new light. the universal claims of otto and his successors, we may now argue, led to two related developments concerning the princes. on the one hand, otto ' s elevation promoted them. when their liege lord claimed a vague supremacy over even the king of france, the east frankish vassals became potentially equal to that king. on the other hand, the papacy confirmed the independence of the great princes by periodically excommunicating the emperors. a common european history in other words, by putting the story of the empire on an equal level with that of the papacy, we put the history of wurttemberg and bavaria on an equal level with that of france. if the empire, like the papacy,


a common european history in other words, by putting the story of the empire on an equal level with that of the papacy, we put the history of wurttemberg and bavaria on an equal level with that of france. if the empire, like the papacy, was a fundamentally universalist institution, it became the framework for a system of states that stretched far beyond the domains of " germany. " what the princely states had in common with states such as france was their basis in dynastic politics. in the making of a state : wurttemberg, 15931793, james a. vann delineated in the greatest detail how even one of the smaller central european states followed the same pattern of centralization as its larger neighbors on both sides of the rhine, at a time when the old reich itself was becoming a sort of league of central european states. 9 again, mary fulbrook notes that " concomitant with " the " overall pattern of imperial decentralization was... a rather high degree of centralization of power at the territorial level, " a fact that takes on new significance when we free ourselves from the erroneous notion that the old reich was the national german state that should have evolved in middle europe. 10 only such a reinterpretation of the history of the empire will enable us to recognize that the development of central europe was " normal " and not inherently " backward, " thus avoiding the necessity of postulating a german special path predestined from time immemoriala postulate that has provided both an explanation and an alibi for nazism. like other european rulers, the german princes were not proponents but opponents of feudalism. no less than the kings of france, the princes struggled against the pretensions of their vassals. indeed, the transformation of the empire during the struggle between the reformation and the counter - reformation makes perfect sense within a larger european context. like elsewhere in europe, religious war in central europe actually strengthened the dynastic state ( as opposed to european unity under emperor or pope ). within this framework, a good deal of the peculiarity of central european historyat least before the 19th centurybegins to disappear. if european history was not some inevitable progress toward the nation as 19th - century scholars would have had it, if chance events could have enormous long - run consequences, we can ask ourselves what might have happened if the emperors had been successful in creating a chinese - like europe dominated by a universal empire, or if the west frankish rather than the east frankish rulers


, if chance events could have enormous long - run consequences, we can ask ourselves what might have happened if the emperors had been successful in creating a chinese - like europe dominated by a universal empire, or if the west frankish rather than the east frankish rulers had taken the imperial crown. clearly, a different europe with different national boundaries, or perhaps no nations at all as we understand them, might have resulted. by opening up a new appreciation of the unpredictability of the historical process, the study of the holy roman empire might well have a truly universal significance to students of history after all. lawrence birken teaches history at ball state university. his most recent book is hitler as philosophe : remnants of the enlightenment in national socialism ( new york : praeger, 1995 ). he is currently working on a new intellectual history of modern europe. 1. see john gagliardo, reich and nation : the holy roman empire as idea and reality, 17631806 ( bloomington : indiana university press, 1980 ), 3. 2. thomas greer and galvin lewis, a brief history of the western world, 6th ed. ( new york : harcourt brace jovanovich, 1992 ), 214 ; marvin perry, western civilization : a brief history, 3rd ed. ( boston : houghton mifflin, 1997 ), 260. 3. stephen jay gould, wonderful life : the burgess shale and the nature of history ( new york : w. w. norton and co., 1989 ), 278. 4. stephen dole, " computer simulation of the formation of planetary systems, " icarus 13 ( 1970 ) : 494508 ; richard isaacman and carl sagan, " computer simulation of planetary accretion dynamics : sensitivity to initial conditions, " icarus 31 ( 1977 ) : 530. 5. gould, wonderful life, 285. 6. geoffrey barraclough, factors in german history ( westport, conn. : greenwood, 1979 ), 6. 7. d. j. a. matthew, " reflections on the medieval roman empire, " history 77 ( october 1992 ), 36869, 390. 8. geoffrey barraclough, turning points in world history ( london : thames and hudson, 1977 ), 2122. 9. james a. vann, the making of a state : wurttemberg, 15931793 ( ithaca : cornell university, 1984 ), 1819, 3435. 10. mary fulbrook, a concise history of germany ( new