Technology and the Internet have made education more accessible to millions of people. Whether looking to earn a degree, complete a certificate program, or simply learn a new skill, online learning offers flexibility and convenience that the traditional classroom can’t. This type of learning format, however, isn’t right for everyone, and there are some important things you should consider before enrolling in a program. This guide explains the different types of online programs, how they work, and their potential benefits. Read on to learn more so you can decide whether online learning is your best bet.
Overview of Online Education Providers
All kinds of topics and skills can be learned online, and there are formats that cater to different kinds of learners, from those who merely want to explore something new in their free time to those who are ready to earn a degree to help advance their careers. Below is an overview of the types of online education providers.
|Type||What is it?||Advantages||Drawbacks|
Four-year, not-for-profit colleges and universities may be either public or private. Both offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in traditional academic areas, such as economics, English and psychology.
|Community and Vocational Colleges||
Community and vocational colleges provide two-year associate degree and/or diploma programs. Some programs are designed for students looking to go on to earn a four-year degree; others, such as nursing programs, lead to degrees that can be put to use immediately.
Massive online open courses offered by providers like Coursera, Udacity, and Khan Academy use lectures, readings, and quizzes from highly regarded professors to allow people to learn about a specific topic.
|Independent online education platforms||
Online education platforms, such as Lynda and Skillshare, are geared toward teaching a specific marketable skill, such as Web design or expertise in a particular piece of software.
For-profit colleges offer everything from diplomas to doctorates in a wide range of disciplines
How Online Learning Works
Once you’ve decided that online learning is something you want to pursue, you’ll still need to get up to speed on how it works on a practical level. Here’s what you can expect from an online program.
There are two basic delivery formats for a class — synchronous and asynchronous — with various delivery platforms used in each. Synchronous courses are taught live, in real-time. Asynchronous delivery means that students can log in to access classes at any point within a given time period. Individual courses can use one or both formats, depending on the teacher’s preference. Students are expected to log in regularly, even for asynchronous classes — at minimum once a week, but likely more often — with many instructors giving grades for class participation.
When choosing a program, students should know what’s realistic for them. Asynchronous learning methods are great for self-starters with busy schedules. Synchronous methods may better suit those who gravitate to traditional learning formats that involve more structure and interaction with instructors and other students.
Here are some examples of how an instructor can relay information to students in an online course:
An instructor teaches as you watch. If the class size is small enough, your webcam might be turned on so you can interact with the teacher and classmates during the class. Otherwise, you’ll probably ask questions via a chat screen or save them for a Q-and-A session at the end.
These work like a webinar, usually with the instructor talking while giving a slide presentation. Web conferences are likely to be interactive as well, with the instructor asking students to answer questions and make comments via a chat screen or even Twitter.
These can be done via video or podcast, allowing students to pause and rewind. They are usually shorter than synchronous lectures because there’s no student interaction. Instructors may also give out PowerPoint presentations to supplement the lecture material.
Classmate and Instructor Interaction
Despite the absence of a physical classroom, effective online learning is not just a one-way stream of communication. Here’s how students might interact with teachers and peers:
Conducted synchronously or asynchronously, these are places where students can interact and share their thoughts or ask questions.
Video conferencing makes small-group assignments a feasible option for online students. Instructors may also have students deliver presentations to the entire class via a videoconference.
Some professors have used Twitter to communicate with online students during live videoconferencing. By creating a unique hashtag for the class, professors can take live polls or hold real-time Q&A sessions.
Basic Technology Requirements
Online programs typically publish minimum technical requirements and these requirements can vary depending on the college or specific program. As an example, here are the basic technology requirements of Penn State World Campus:
Operating system: An operating system released within the last eight years
Specifications: 2 GHz processing speed, 1 GB of memory and 60 GB of hard drive space
Hardware: DVD-ROM, printer, sound card, microphone, speaker
Purchased software: Microsoft Office
Downloadable plug-ins: Adobe Reader, Flash Player, QuickTime
Internet connection: Broadband
To protect against cheating, many programs require students to have proctors for tests and quizzes. Depending on the program’s rules, testing can take place at specified sites or in the presence of an approved proctor (in some cases an online proctor).
Certain online programs, such as social work, require practical experiences or internships. Students may need to find local internship opportunities in their area to apply toward their degrees.
Hands-on learning on campus
Programs that require hands-on learning in addition to theory may ask students to come to campus for concentrated seminars and lab work. This is especially common for nursing programs.
MBA degrees, and other programs of study in which networking is key, may have residency requirements for which students meet on campus or other locations at regular intervals.
Choosing an Online Program
Over 5.5 million college students took a for-credit course online in 2013, some at for-profits, others at nonprofits, and still others at community colleges. That number swells even larger when taking into account those who took a MOOC or a course through a non-degree education platform. If you’re considering joining their ranks, ask yourself these five questions when choosing an online learning program:
People turn to online learning for a variety of reasons. Some need the resume boost that an academic credential provides, while others only need to learn a particular skill. In general, the former costs more so those who don’t need a formal degree can build their knowledge and skills through free – or at least more affordable – course offerings and platforms.
No online program can promise its students a job after they complete the coursework. However, it’s possible to get a good idea of employment prospects by looking at two things: support services and previous job placement figures. Look for a school that is committed to helping you not only get through the program, but also to helping you find a relevant job post graduation.
A lot of online learners have done coursework here and there. Depending on where it was done—and how recently—these credits may be transferable. Schools set their own rules about allowable transfer credits, so ask what their policies are.
Depending on the type of program, you may be required to do an accelerated class on campus, an internship, a practicum, or in-person intensives between quarters/semesters. Certain degrees, such as nursing, require hands-on work, especially at the advanced levels. Although in theory online learning means you can study from anywhere, it’s best to check first about travel requirements before signing up—especially at a school that does have a campus location in your local area.
Online degrees should be accredited by a regional or national accreditor recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the Department of Education. There are at least three reasons for this:
Accreditation is an indication that the program has been vetted and approved by educators and professionals in the field, and degrees from unaccredited schools are not highly valued by employers
Unaccredited schools cannot take part in federal financial aid programs, which means you may pay more out-of-pocket
Course credits from accredited schools are more likely to be transferable to other programs, which will come in handy if you decided to pursue more education later on down the road
Students should also check whether their future career requires certification. Certification often requires that a particular program of study be accredited by an appropriate professional organization (in addition to the school’s overall accreditation status).
For more information on choosing an online college, check out the following guide:
Overall Benefits of Online Learning
Most people name time, money, and flexibility as the prime benefits of online learning. It saves students time by cutting out the commute to and from school, and by giving them the flexibility to study at their own convenience. Ten minutes spent in line at the grocery store can be converted into a quick review of work on their smartphones, for example. Students also can take advantage of asynchronous courses over several days or a week, rather than needing to be in class at a set time for a month or more. Lastly, in some cases, online learning can save students money by eliminating peripheral costs such as parking, campus health insurance, or athletic fees typically required of campus-based students. Online programs, however, are not always cheaper than their traditional counterparts, so students will need to compare expenses and all required fees closely.
Here are a few other advantages of online learning that get less attention:
By their very nature, classroom-based programs tend to attract local residents—people who are more likely to have similar life experiences and backgrounds. Online programs, on the other hand, attract people from all over. These learners are usually of various ages and bring with them a wide range of life and professional experiences. As a result, online students are exposed to more varied perspectives and can expand their worldviews.
A more diverse student body means a more diverse personal and professional network. If you’re interested in exploring new parts of the world or other industries, the connections you forge in an online program can help lead to career opportunities.
Smaller towns in particular may lack people with certain specialized skills. Perhaps there are not many Web developers in your area, or maybe there is a shortage of caterers for events. Online courses can provide the educational foundation to start your own business and fill the gap.
Employers can leverage the power of online learning by working with providers to craft courses or programs that meet their specific needs or the needs of the local business community. This is a clear win for students because they’ll gain the exact knowledge and skills that employers are looking for.
The real world increasingly operates online and on computers. According to Job Outlook 2016, a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 55 percent of employers looked for computer skills on applicants’ resumes. You’ll get those as a side benefit of studying online.
Because online programs typically accommodate students from across the country or even around the globe, many of whom work different shifts, most support services aren’t limited to nine-to-five hours. If you have a problem with loading something on your dashboard at 3 a.m., you can probably get support right then and there.
Military Students and Online Learning
Online learning is a particularly good option for people in the military. Active-duty service members and veterans can take advantage of:
Asynchronous courses and 24/7 support perfectly suit military members serving overseas.
Active-duty military are limited to where they can physically attend school by the location of their base. No such limitations exist in online learning.
Each branch of the armed forces pays up to 100 percent of tuition costs for active members. Military members can verify the exact amounts with their branch of service. Through the GI Bill®, veterans can also receive financial assistance with college, including through online programs.
Is Online Learning Right for Me?
Now that you have an overview of online learning and how it works, it’s time to figure out if this type of approach is right for you. Before enrolling, consider the following questions:
Online learning requires a lot of discipline and self-motivation since no one will be checking in on you to make sure you finished last week’s reading assignment or watched yesterday’s lecture. If you feel like studying is a chore and need a push to get things done, the structure of a campus environment might be the better option.
Interpersonal communications have a different character in virtual learning, relying heavily on email, chat, video conferencing, and other remote mechanisms. If you do better with real face time, dip your toes in the water by taking a free online course before committing to a full online degree program.
The more time and flexibility in your schedule, the more options you have. Online learning is typically ideal for students who have unpredictable or limited schedules and, therefore, cannot commit to a strict schedule and timeline. Make sure to compare all programs, not just online ones.
Still not sure? Take this quiz to find out if online study is a good choice for you.
Tips for Online Learners
Online programs are distinctly different from campus ones, and require their own academic strategies. To be successful, consider incorporating some of the following into your study habits:
You’re going to be spending a lot of time on the computer using various software tools and Web applications. If you aren’t comfortable using a computer, take some online tutorials before enrolling. In addition, you can’t rely on autocorrect, emojis, and shorthand when you’re communicating with professors and classmates, so now is a good time to brush up on your typing skills, if necessary.
Create your study zone
Without the structure of a classroom, you have to create your own learning environment. Make a spot away from the television, family, and other distractions where you can concentrate on the class. Get a comfortable, ergonomic chair to sit in. Set limits—and stick to them—when it comes to off-topic Internet surfing, Facebook, texting, and the like.
Dress for success
But why? Isn’t the advantage of studying from home that you can put on a bathrobe, log in, and learn—with no need for time-consuming activities like showering and getting dressed? As fashion psychologist Dr. Karen Pine told Forbes magazine, “A lot of clothing has symbolic meaning for us, whether it’s ‘professional work attire’ or ‘relaxing weekend wear,’ so when we put it on we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with that meaning.” In other words, students may perform better by dressing like they’re going to a real classroom.
Get on schedule
On a bustling college campus, it’s easy to run into a classmate, subconsciously reminding you that you have a paper due the following week. When you learn online, however, you’re not in an environment where everything revolves around school. Instead, you have to be proactive about getting into a learning mindset. Keep a schedule of classes, map out study time, and aggressively work through your to-do list to make sure you’re making progress on assignments.
It’s easy to get out of the habit of checking in with classes via the online learning portal, especially if you have all asynchronous classes. To avoid falling behind and getting caught off guard by assignments and readings, create your own check-in schedule and follow it.
Join a study group
Just because you haven’t shaken hands with your classmates doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to know them. Joining a study group—or starting one of your own—will not only help you learn the material, but also provide another way to keep structure in your schedule. Plus, you’ll get a sense of camaraderie you might otherwise miss.
Keep your eye on the prize
Online students can’t just follow the crowd into the classroom. They have to be self-motivated. A simple but effective aid is to write down your personal “mission statement”. Whether it involves earning more money, landing that dream job, or just learning something new. Display it where you will see it regularly, perhaps as your computer wallpaper or on the bulletin board beside your desk.
Myths About Online Education
Most people grew up going to school inside a classroom, and may be wary of the very different approach taken with online education. Here are some common stereotypes surrounding online learning and why each is not true:
Online learning isn’t as effective as traditional learning
A 2012 report found learning outcomes for online programs at public universities to be similar to their brick-and-mortar counterparts in terms of overall pass rates, final grades, and performance on standardized tests.
Schools don’t invest the same resources into their online curricula
Many courses are developed specifically for online learning, although the content is designed to be as rigorous as a traditional campus class. One online Spanish instructor puts it this way: “I was very skeptical. But then I started looking through the curriculum, and I was thoroughly impressed. They have clearly spent a lot of money and time to put together a well-rounded curriculum that’s not just ‘read the textbook’. [Students] have to have an online tutoring session every week. There’s a lot to it.”
Credits don’t transfer
Each school decides whether to accept transfer credits — and most schools are more interested in whether the credits were earned at an accredited institution than about the delivery format they came in. Credits earned at regionally accredited schools typically transfer.
The students aren’t as good
There’s a perception in some sectors that online students can’t cut it in a traditional program. On the contrary, students go online to help navigate difficult schedules, access better programs in their field, and learn in a more effective environment. Online schools can be quite selective, with top graduate programs often requiring high minimum GPAs and turning down a majority of applicants.
There is less interaction between students and instructors
Whether online or in a physical classroom, the level of interaction depends on the attitude of the teacher and students. As Nate Sleeter, an online teaching assistant, writes in Inside Higher Ed, interaction can actually increase in virtual classrooms because “some students are more likely to engage in an online discussion with instructors or other students absent the pressure of speaking ‘in public.’”
Employers don’t respect online degrees.
This is true of some employers but certainly not all. Mary Massad, a recruiter with Insperity, which recruits for some 100,000 businesses, told U.S. News & World Report that about 75 percent of her clients welcome — and hire — applicants with online degrees.
GI Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site.


The particular usage of a few other words, not defined in the Code, is also indicated; these are italicized in the list below and are accompanied by editorial explanation of their use.
admixture. [Not defined] – something mixed in, especially a minor ingredient, used of components of a gathering that represent a taxon or taxa other than that intended by the collector, and which do not preclude the gathering, or part thereof, being a type specimen, the admixture being disregarded (Art. 8.2).
alternative family names. The eight family names, regularly formed in accordance with Art. 18.1, allowed as alternatives (Art. 18.6) to the family names of long usage treated as validly published under Art. 18.5.
alternative names. Two or more different names proposed simultaneously for the same taxon by the same author (Art. 34.2).
analysis. See illustration with analysis.
anamorph. A mitotic asexual morph in pleomorphic fungi (Art. 59.1).
ascription. The direct association of the name of a person or persons with a new name or description or diagnosis of a taxon (Art. 46.3).
automatic typification. (1) Typification of a nomenclaturally superfluous and illegitimate name by the type of the name which ought to have been adopted under the rules (Art.7.5). (2) Typification of the name of a taxon above the rank of genus by the type of the generic name on which it is based (Art.10.6 and 10.7).
autonym. A generic name or specific epithet repeated without an author citation as the final epithet in the name of a subdivision of a genus or of an infraspecific taxon that includes the type of the adopted, legitimate name of the genus or species, respectively (Art. 22.1 and 26.1).
available. [Not defined] – applied to an epithet in a legitimate (Art. 11.5 and 15.5) or illegitimate (Art. 58.1) name, the type of which falls within the circumscription of the taxon under consideration and where the use of the epithet would not be contrary to the rules (see also available name)].
available name. A name published under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature with a status equivalent to that of a validly published name under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Art. 45.4 footnote).
avowed substitute (replacement name, nomen novum). A name proposed as a substitute for a previously published name (Art. 7.3 and 33.4).
basionym. A previously published legitimate name-bringing or epithet-bringing synonym from which a new name is formed for a taxon of different rank or position (Art. 33.4, 49.1 and 52.3).
binary combination. A generic name combined with a specific epithet to form a specific name (Art. 23.1).
binary designation. [Not defined] – an apparent binary combination that has not been validly published (Art. 46 Note 2; see also Art. 6.3).
combinatio nova (comb. nov.). See new combination.
combination. A name of a taxon below the rank of genus, consisting of the name of a genus combined with one or two epithets (Art. 6.7).
compound. A name or epithet which combines elements derived from two or more Greek or Latin words, a regular compound being one in which a noun or adjective in a non-final position appears as a modified stem (Rec. 60G.1) (see also pseudocompound).
confusingly similar names. Orthographically similar names of genera or epithets of names of subdivisions of genera, of species, or of infraspecific taxa likely to be confused (Art. 53.3 and 53.4).
conserved name (nomen conservandum). (1) A name of a family, genus, or species ruled as legitimate and with precedence over other specified names even though it may have been illegitimate when published or lack priority (Art. 14.1–14.7). (2) A name for which its type, orthography, or gender has been fixed by the conservation process (Art. 14.1, 14.9–14.11).
correct name. The name of a taxon with a particular circumscription, position, and rank that must be adopted in accordance with the rules (Art. 6.6, 11.1, 11.3, and 11.4).
cultivar. A special category of plants used in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture defined and regulated in the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (Art. 28 Notes 2, 4, and 5).
date of name. The date of valid publication of a name (Art. 45.1).
descriptio generico-specifica. A single description simultaneously validating the names of a genus and its single species (Art. 42.1).
description. [Not defined] – a written statement of a feature or features of a taxon required for valid publication of its name (cf. Art. 32.1 (d) and 32.3).
descriptive name. A name of a taxon above the rank of family not based on a generic name (Art. 16.1).
designation. [Not defined] – the term used for what appears to be a name but that has not been validly published (Art. 23.6, 46 Note 2; see also Art. 6.3).
diagnosis. A statement of that which in the opinion of its author distinguishes the taxon from other taxa (Art. 32.2).
duplicate. Part of a single gathering of a single species or infraspecific taxon made by the same collector(s) at one time ( Art. 8.3 footnote).
effective publication. Publication in accordance with Art. 29, 30, 31 (Art. 6.1).
epithet. The final word in a binary combination and the word following the connecting term denoting rank in other combinations (Art. 6.7, 11.4, 21.1, 23.1, and 24.1).
epitype. A specimen or illustration selected to serve as an interpretative type when the holotype, lectotype, or previously designated neotype, or all original material associated with a validly published name cannot be identified for the purpose of precise application of the name of a taxon (Art.9.7).
exsiccata. [Not defined] – Latin adjective used as noun, nominative plural “exsiccatae”, refers to a set of dried specimens, usually numbered and with printed labels, distributed by sale, gift, or exchange (cf. Art. 30.4 and 30 Note 1)].
ex-type (ex typo) [also ex-holotype (ex holotypo), ex-isotype (ex isotypo)]. A living isolate obtained from the type of a name when this is a culture permanently preserved in a metabolically inactive state (Rec. 8B.2).
final epithet. The last epithet in sequence in any particular combination, whether in the rank of a subdivision of a genus, or of a species, or of an infraspecific taxon (Art. 11.4, footnote).
forma specialis. See special form.
form-taxon. In pleomorphic fungi, a taxon typified by an anamorph (Art. 59.3).
fossil taxon. A taxon the name of which is based on a fossil type ( Pre. 7 footnote and Art. 13.3).
gathering. [Not defined] – something brought together, used for a collection of one or more specimens made at the same place and time (Art. 8.2).
heterotypic synonym (taxonomic synonym). A synonym based on a type different from that of the accepted name (Art. 14.4); termed a “subjective synonym” in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and the Bacteriological Code ( Art. 14.4 footnote).
holomorph. A pleomorphic fungal species in all its morphs (Art. 59.1).
holotype. The one specimen or illustration used by the author or designated by the author as the nomenclatural type (Art. 9.1).
homonym. A name spelled exactly like another name published for a taxon of the same rank based on a different type (Art. 53.1). Note. Names of subdivisions of genera or infraspecific taxa with the same epithet even if of different rank are treated as homonyms disregarding the connecting term (Art. 53.4).
homotypic synonym (nomenclatural synonym). A synonym based on the same type as that of another name in the same rank (Art. 14.4); termed an “objective synonym” in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and the Bacteriological Code (Art. 14.4 footnote).
hybrid formula. An expression consisting of the names of the parent taxa of a hybrid with a multiplication sign placed between them (Art. H.2.1).
illegitimate name. A validly published name that is not in accordance with one or more rules (Art. 6.4), principally those on superfluity (Art. 52) and homonymy (Art. 53 and 54).
illustration with analysis. An illustration with a figure or group of figures, in vascular plants commonly separate from the main illustration, showing details aiding identification (Art. 42.4).
improper Latin termination. A termination of a name or epithet not agreeing with the termination mandated by the Code (Art. 16.3, 18.4, 19.6, and 32.7).
indelible autograph. Handwritten material reproduced by some mechanical or graphic process (such as lithography, offset, or metallic etching) (Art. 30.2).
indirect reference. A clear (if cryptic) indication, by an author citation or in some other way, that a previously and effectively published description or diagnosis applies (Art. 32.6).
informal usage. Usage of rank-denoting terms at more than one non-successive position in the taxonomic sequence. Note: names involved in such usage are validly published but unranked (Art. 33.11).
isonym. The same name based on the same type, published independently at different times by different authors. Note: only the earliest isonym has nomenclatural status (Art. 6 Note 2).
isosyntype. A duplicate of a syntype (Art. 9.10).
isotype. A duplicate specimen of the holotype (Art. 9.3).
later homonym. A homonym published later than another (Art. 53.1).
lectotype. A specimen or illustration designated from the original material as the nomenclatural type if no holotype was indicated at the time of publication, or if it is missing, or if it is found to belong to more than one taxon (Art. 9.2).
legitimate name. A validly published name that is in accordance with all rules (Art. 6.5).
misplaced term. A rank-denoting term used contrary to the relative order specified in the Code (Art. 18.2, 19.2, 33.9, and 33 Note 3).
monotypic genus. A genus for which a single binomial is validly published (Art. 42.2).
morphotaxon. A fossil taxon which, for nomenclatural purposes, comprises only one part, life-history stage, or preservational state represented by the corresponding nomenclatural type (Art. 1.2).
name. A name that has been validly published, whether it is legitimate or illegitimate (Art. 6.3).
neotype. A specimen or illustration selected to serve as nomenclatural type if no original material is extant or as long as it is missing (Art. 9.6).
new combination. A combination formed from a previously published legitimate name and employing the same final epithet (or employing the name itself if formed from a generic name) (Art. 7.4).
new name. A newly published name. Note: this name may be the name of a new taxon, a new combination, a name at a new rank (status novus), or an avowed substitute (nomen novum) for an existing name (Art. 7.3, 7.4, 9 Note 1, Rec. 45A.1).
nomen conservandum (nom. cons.). See conserved name.
nomen novum (nom. nov.). See avowed substitute.
nomen nudum (nom. nud.). A name of a new taxon published without a description or diagnosis or reference to a description or diagnosis (Rec. 50B.1).
nomen rejiciendum (nom. rej.). A name rejected in favour of a name conserved under Art. 14 or a name ruled as rejected under Art. 56 (see also “rejected name”) (App. II, III, IV, and V).
nomen utique rejiciendum. A name ruled as rejected under Art. 56. Note: it and all combinations based on it are not to be used (see App. V).
nomenclatural novelties. New names and descriptions or diagnoses of new taxa (Rec. 30A).
nomenclatural synonym. See homotypic synonym.
nomenclatural type. The element to which the name of a taxon is permanently attached (Art. 7.2).
non-fossil taxon. A taxon the name of which is based on a non-fossil type ( Pre. 7 footnote and Art. 13.3).
nothogenus. A hybrid genus (Art. 3.2).
nothomorph. A rank-denoting term formerly used for a subordinate taxon within a nothospecies. Names published as nothomorphs are now treated as names of varieties (Art. H.12.2 and footnote).
nothospecies. A hybrid species (Art. 3.2).
nothotaxon. A hybrid taxon (Art. 3.2 and H.3.1).
objective synonym. See homotypic synonym.
opera utique oppressa. Works, ruled as suppressed, in which names in specified ranks are not validly published (Art. 32.9 and App. VI).
original material. Specimens and illustrations indicated in the protologue of a name (see Art. 9 Note 2 for details).
original spelling. The spelling employed when a name was validly published (Art. 60.2).
orthographic variants. Various spelling, compounding, and inflectional forms of a name or its epithet, only one nomenclatural type being involved (Art. 61.2).
page reference. Citation of the page or pages on which the basionym or replaced synonym was validly published (Art. 33 Note 1).
paratype. A specimen cited in the protologue that is neither the holotype nor an isotype, nor one of the syntypes if two or more specimens were simultaneously designated as types (Art. 9.5).
plant. Any organism traditionally studied by botanists ( Pre. 1 footnote and Pre.7).
position. [Not defined] – used to denote the placement of a taxon relative to other taxa in a classification, regardless of rank (Prin. IV, Art. 6.6 and 11.1).
priority. A right to precedence established by the date of valid publication of a legitimate name (Art. 11) or of an illegitimate earlier homonym (Art. 45.3), or by the date of designation of a type (Art. 7.10, 7.11).
protologue. Everything associated with a name at its valid publication, i.e. description or diagnosis, illustrations, references, synonymy, geographical data, citation of specimens, discussion, and comments ( Rec. 8A footnote).
provisional name. A name proposed in anticipation of the future acceptance of the taxon concerned, or of a particular circumscription, position, or rank of the taxon (Art. 34.1).
pseudocompound. A name or epithet which combines elements derived from two or more Greek or Latin words and in which a noun or adjective in a non-final position appears as a word with a case ending, not as a modified stem (Rec.60G.1(b)) (see also compound).
rank. [Not defined] – used for the relative position of a taxon in the taxonomic hierarchy (Art.2.1).
rejected name. A name the use of which is prohibited, either by formal action under Art. 14 or 56 overriding other provisions of the Code (see nomen rejiciendum and nomen utique rejiciendum) or because it was nomenclaturally superfluous when published (Art. 52) or a later homonym (Art. 53 and 54).
replaced synonym. The name replaced by an avowed substitute (nomen novum, replacement name) (Art. 33.4).
replacement name. See avowed substitute.
sanctioned name. The name of a fungus treated as if conserved against earlier homonyms and competing synonyms, through acceptance in one of two sanctioning works (Art. 15).
special form (forma specialis). A taxon of parasites, especially fungi, characterized from a physiological standpoint but scarcely or not at all from a morphological standpoint, the nomenclature of which is not governed by this Code (Art. 4 Note 4).
specimen. A gathering, or part of a gathering, of a single species or infraspecific taxon made at one time, disregarding admixtures (Art. 8.2).
status. (1) Nomenclatural standing with regard to effective publication, valid publication, legitimacy, and correctness (Art. 6 and 12.1). (2) Rank of a taxon within the taxonomic hierarchy (see status novus) (Art. 7.4).
status novus (stat. nov.). Assignment of a taxon to a different rank within the taxonomic hierarchy, e.g. when an infraspecific taxon is raised to the rank of species or the inverse change occurs (Art. 7.4, Rec. 21B.4 and 24B.2).
subdivision of a family. Any taxon of a rank between family and genus (Art. 4 Note 1).
subdivision of a genus. Any taxon of a rank between genus and species (Art. 4 Note 1).
subjective synonym. See heterotypic synonym.
superfluous name. A name applied to a taxon circumscribed by the author to definitely include the type of a name which ought to have been adopted, or of which the epithet ought to have been adopted under the rules (Art. 52.1).
synonym. A name considered to apply to the same taxon as the accepted name (Art. 7.2).
syntype. Any specimen cited in the protologue when there is no holotype, or any of two or more specimens simultaneously designated as types (Art. 9.4).
tautonym. A binary combination in which the specific epithet exactly repeats the generic name (Art. 23.4).
taxon (taxa). A taxonomic group at any rank (Art. 1.1).
taxonomic synonym. See heterotypic synonym.
teleomorph. Meiotic sexual morph in pleomorphic fungi (Art. 59.1).
type. See nomenclatural type.
validate. [Not defined] – to make valid, used in the context of valid publication of a name, either with reference to an existing designation (e.g. Art. 42 Ex. 1), or in describing the method by which this is effected (e.g. Rec. 32A.1).
validly published name. A name effectively published and in accordance with Art. 32-45 or H.9 (Art. 6.2).
voted example. An Example mandated by a Congress to be inserted in the Code in order to legislate nomenclatural practice when the corresponding Article is open to divergent interpretation or does not adequately cover the matter (as contrasted with other Examples provided by the Editorial Committee) (Art. 7 Ex. 10 footnote).
(c) 2006, by International Association for Plant Taxonomy. This page last updated 23.03.2007 .


The term ålas (derived from the Spanish term alhajas, which means jewelry) refers to turtle shell valuables used within the highly reciprocal associations of the indigenous people of the Mariana Islands. Women, most especially, wore turtle shell as body ornamentation.
Used as necklaces and belts, ancient CHamorus prized turtle shell and used it in many ways. There were variations of the plain turtle shell plates, or lailai. Lailai with holes cut into it were called pinipu. Each hole signified an increase in value. Maku dudu were lailai polished on both sides that were worn around the waists of particularly wealthy women, and fastened by means of a double cord.
The terms guini and lukao hugua refer to turtle shell necklaces made of flat, round and perforated disks strung on coconut fiber. The highly prized guinahan fama’guon (children’s wealth) consisted of shell disks of varying thickness worn draped around the neck on special occasions.
Shell money should not, however, be viewed primarily as a form of body adornment, but rather as an item entangled in complex webs of sensitive social relations. Its main use in society was ceremonial, spanning the whole of the social horizon from offerings at funerals to payments for special and religious services; from servings as gifts at wedding celebrations to gestures of reconciliation in times of conflict and warfare.
For further reading
Cunningham, Lawrence J. Ancient Chamorro Society. Honolulu: Bess Press, 1992.
Freycinet, Louis Claude Desaulses de. An Account of the Corvette L’Uraine’s Sojourn at the Mariana Islands, 1819. Translated by Glynn Barratt. Saipan: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Division of Historic Preservation, 2003.
Russell, Scott. Tiempon I Manmofo’na. Ancient Chamorro Culture and History of the Northern Mariana Islands. Micronesian Archaeological Survey No. 32. Saipan: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Division of Historic Preservation, 1998.


Low vitamin D levels linked to poor blood sugar control in type 2 diabetesWednesday, June 30, 2010 by: S. L. Baker, features writer
Krug and her research team reviewed the medical charts of 124 people between the ages of 36 and 89 years old who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and treated at an endocrine outpatient clinic between 2003 and 2008. As part of their health evaluations, all of these patients had their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels measured at the clinic. So the researchers looked to see how many of the patients had normal levels of the so-called "sunshine" vitamin.
The answer? Almost none. In fact, an astonishing 91 percent of the patients studied had either vitamin D deficiency (defined as a level below 15 nanograms per deciliter, or ng/dL) or vitamin D insufficiency (15 to 31 ng/dL), the authors reported. When the investigators looked at the patients' levels of hemoglobin A1c (a measure of blood sugar control over the past several months), they came up with another startling fact. There was a clear relationship between uncontrolled blood sugar and low levels of vitamin D. African-Americans were found to have the highest A1c levels and were most deficient in vitamin D, when compared to Caucasians.
"Since primary care providers diagnose and treat most patients with type 2 diabetes, screening and vitamin D supplementation as part of routine primary care may improve health outcomes of this highly prevalent condition," Dr. Krug concluded.
NaturalNews has previously reported on other natural ways to treat and even prevent type 2 diabetes -- including eating Mediterranean style by consuming a diet rich in "good" fats (like Omega-3s and olive oil), veggies, fruit and whole grains. A study published last fall in theAnnals of Internal Medicine concluded the Mediterranean diet dramatically improved type 2 diabetes and even eliminated the need for many people to take blood glucose regulating medication (http://www.naturalnews.com/027140_d...)


Bruxism is the dental term for teeth grinding and clenching. Grinding and clenching may cause wear of the enamel of the teeth sometimes even fractures of the teeth, recession of the gums (the pulling down of the gum tissue from it's natural level), bone loss around the teeth and TMJ (jaw joint) disorder.
Many people are not aware of a grinding/clenching habit until their dentist or dental hygienist point out warning signs within the mouth. Also, people who grind/clench may have extraoral symptoms such as headaches, ear, neck, facial or jaw pain. Grinding usually occurs during the night because it is a subconscious neuromuscular disorder. Clenching can occur during both the day and night.
A custom-made night guard is recommended for those who grind/clench their teeth to prevent further wear/breakdown of the tooth structure. Use of a nightguard can also help relax the TMJ (jaw joint), muscles of the face, head, and neck thus preventing excess strain and the subsequent discomfort that may come with it. Keep the TMJ joint in neutral position with a night guard fitted to your mouth. Night guards that are custom fit by the dentist leave the TMJ (jaw joint) in a neutral position. The guard trains the joint to relax and relieves pressure.


Anatomy and Physiology is the single most important topic to master if you want to succeed in nursing school. If you’ve never been a fan of anatomy and physiology, then you’re in the right place! I believe in breaking through all the confusing technical jargon to get right to the point of what’s most important to remember. What does that mean for you? Clear, understandable explanations that give you that “lightbulb” moment you’ve been hoping for.
Here’s an overview of what you should be familiar with when it comes to the A&P of the ear:
Auricle: “Auricle” is the most recognizable part of your ear. You’ll also see it referred to as the “pinna.” The unique shape actually helps funnel sound waves into the auditory canal!
Earlobe: Still the most popular location for a piercing!
(External) Auditory Canal: This is the official name for those holes in the sides of your head! It’s about an inch long in adults, and ends at the eardrum. The Auditory Canal also contains the glands that produce ceruman (ear wax).
Tympanic Membrane (aka Ear Drum): The ear drum is the very thin membrane that acts as a “wall” completely separating the external ear from the middle ear. Which means that your mom was right…if you stick that q-tip too far into your ear, you really CAN puncture your ear drum! The ear drum is the first step in the chain reaction that turns sound waves into sound.
Tympanic Cavity: This is the name of the physical space that contains the all the structures of the middle ear.
Ossicles: These are the 3 smallest bones in the body. They pick up on ear drum vibrations and pass them through to the middle ear.
- Malleus (aka Hammer): The first little bone in the series. It is attached to the center of the ear drum on one end, and to the Incus on the other end. It is commonly referred to as the “Hammer” bone because of the way it looks. The name can help you remember: Malleus -> Mallet -> Hammer.
- Incus (aka Anvil): The second little bone in the series. It’s attached to the Malleus on one end, and the Stapes on the other. Nicknamed the “Anvil” because that’s what it kind of looks like.
- Stapes (aka Stirrup): The third and final little bone in the series. It’s attached to the Incus on one end, and the Oval Window on the other end. By now, it shouldn’t surprise you to discover that it’s also called the “Stirrup” because it sort of looks like…a stirrup.
Oval Window (aka Vestibular Window; not labeled in diagram): The Stapes covers up this little hole that marks the separation of the middle ear and the inner ear. The sound vibrations that the ossicles are transporting move through here and into the cochlea.
Round Window (not labeled in diagram): This nifty little hole is covered by a thin membrane that is similar to the ear drum, but it has a very different function. When the stapes vibrates against the oval window, it’s supposed to cause the fluid in the cochlea to start swishing around. But since the cochlea is a stiff structure filled to the brim with fluid, there’s really no room for swishing…except that the membrane covering the round window stretches to accommodate the extra space needed for swishing. Pretty cool design!
Cochlea: This is a very complex little organ that looks like a snail’s shell. It’s filled with all kinds of stuff, including fluid, the Organ of Corti, cilia (aka tiny hairs), a couple membranes, and the Cochlear Nerve. When the Stapes vibrates, it makes the fluid swish. When the fluid swishes, it causes the cilia to move. When the cilia move, the Organ of Corti notices and transfers that information to the Cochlear Nerve. Then the Cochlear Nerve transfers that information to the brain for interpretation into sound. Whew! I could probably do a whole article just on the Cochlea!
Semi-circular Ducts: There are actually 3 of these: the posterior canal, the horizontal (aka lateral) canal, and the superior (aka anterior) canal (isn’t it annoying how almost everything in anatomy seems to have at least 2 names?). The body uses these 3 semi-circular canals to determine position and movement.
Cranial Nerve VIII (aka the Vestibular and Cochlear Nerves, aka Vestibulocochlear Nerve, aka Acoustic Nerve): Do you remember your mnemonic for the 12 cranial nerves? Nerve #8 is in charge of balance and sound (it IS in the ear, after all).
Temporal Bone: No tricks here, the temporal bone is just a piece of your skull. Review the
Bony Labrynth: A special name for the area within the temporal bone that is carved out specifically for the cochlea and semi-circular ducts to fit into.
Auditory Tube (aka Eustachian Tube): This canal connects the ear to the nose and throat cavity. Does it now makes sense why “Ear, Nose, and Throat” topics are usually all lumped together? This little tube is usually closed, but can be opened when you do things like yawning or swallowing. Go ahead, try it for yourself right now…nobody will think you look weird


In a Queue of Strangers
- October 2, 2016
- Clayton Rice, Q.C.
On July 13, 2016, Privacy International and Article 19 were granted leave by the European Court of Human Rights to intervene in Breyer and Breyer v Germany, App. No.: 5000/12. The case raises the data retention requirements in s. 111 of the German Federal Telecommunications Act (Telekommunikationsgesetz or TKG) in its 2004 and 2007 versions.
Privacy International is a London based nongovernmental organization established in 1990 and dedicated to defending the right to privacy around the world. Article 19 is an international organization established in 1987 that defends and promotes freedom of expression. It took its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They have now filed joint written submissions that elaborate upon the importance of anonymity to the rights of privacy and freedom of expression. The brief provides an opportunity to consider the foundational role of anonymity that I have discussed previously on this blog. (See, e.g.: Privacy Is A Human Right dated October 12, 2015; and, Privacy After Paris dated November 28, 2015)
The German law requires telecommunication service providers to store the personal information of all their customers irrespective of whether it is necessary for billing or contractual purposes. The applicants, Patrick and Jonas Breyer, argue that they cannot communicate anonymously by mobile phone because their personal data, as users of pay-as-you-go SIM cards, is stored by their service providers.
The written submissions of the intervenors address (a) background on anonymity and its importance to a democratic society (b) international and domestic legal authorities that advocate for protecting anonymous speech under human rights standards and (c) general data retention obligations and how they interfere with anonymity and the rights of privacy and freedom of expression. The intervenors say this about anonymous speech, at paras. 5-9:
- Anonymity and anonymous speech have played a foundational role in human history. Anonymity is one of the essential tools available to individuals to mitigate or avert unlawful interferences with their rights to privacy and free expression, and it has long been a means by which individuals could freely enjoy their right to impart and receive information free from state control. As such, anonymity, which has traditionally been linked to the right to privacy and protection of personal data, is also an important safeguard for the exercise of the right to freedom of expression.
- “At its simplest, anonymity is the fact of not being identified and, in this sense, it is part of the ordinary experience of most people on a daily basis, e.g. walking as part of a crowd or standing in a queue of strangers.” As such, “an activity can be anonymous even though it is also public.” That one can be both public and maintain her dignity as secret is the very benefit of anonymity – that is what allows individuals to freely engage in works that critique governments or powerful actors, or expose wrongdoings.
- It is in this context that this Court has emphasized the importance of anonymity as “a means of avoiding reprisals or unwanted attention. As such, it is capable of promoting the free flow of ideas and information in an important manner, including, notably, on the Internet.” The Supreme Court of the United States has also characterized anonymous speech “as an honourable tradition of advocacy and of dissent” and that it acts as “a shield from the tyranny of the majority.” It has also identified anonymity’s historical significance: “Anonymous pamphlets, leaflets, brochures and even books have played an important role in the progress of mankind. Persecuted groups and sects from time to time throughout history have been able to criticize oppressive practices and laws either anonymously or not at all. The obnoxious press licensing law of England, which was also enforced on the Colonies, was due in part to the knowledge that exposure of the names of printers, writers and distributors would lessen the circulation of literature critical of the government. The old seditious libel cases in England show the lengths to which government had to go to find out who was responsible for books that were obnoxious to the rulers.
- In other words, anonymity has given individuals throughout history a necessary cloak with which to shield themselves from reprisal – reprisal from the state, their fellow countrymen and women, or, increasingly, would-be oppressors located anywhere in the world. These individuals may be whistleblowers, who seek to expose the latest abuse of power by a government agency or private company. They may be dissidents, who seek to expand the channels of governance to include the dispossessed. They may be sources for journalists, who provide the necessary informational inputs to make democracy work. Or they may be everyday people who are not comfortable discussing their trials and tribulations without the layer of protection that anonymity provides. For all of these speakers, anonymity “protects the freedom of individuals to live their lives without unnecessary and undue scrutiny.” If we value anonymity as a tool for an open and diverse conversation in society, we mist also value the anonymity between two persons in a telephone conversation. Investigative journalism, whistleblowers and other individuals that are preparing to make a controversial or government-opposing message public should not just be protected once they are standing in the public eye. Without these anonymous sources, many essential news stories would never be published. “Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.”
- But “without effective protection of the right to privacy, the right of individuals to communicate anonymously and without fear of their communications being unlawfully detected cannot be guaranteed.” That is particularly true in the modern world, where people rely on a growing range of both fixed-location and mobile electronic devices which enhance their possibilities to communicate, participate in and manage their everyday lives. While these devices have greatly expanded human experience – they are also capable of collecting and storing data, including personal data such as websites visited, keystrokes that reveal passwords, geographical locations that potentially allow tracking and surveillance of people. This data can reveal sensitive personal information (such as sexual orientation, health, political and religious preferences). The type and amount of personal data collected is increasing exponentially as computing is now ubiquitous with the apogee of smartphones. The large amount of personal and sensitive data collected via these devices can be used or abused by political authorities against the speaker. Consequently, the right to privacy and to communicate anonymously in our digital economy is of the utmost importance to protect from unlawful government surveillance. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that “[a]nonymity is a deeply held value for many internet users and has contributed to a robust internet sphere.” [Citations omitted]
The court had directed the intervenors not to comment on the facts or merits of the case. But the brief does address important international and domestic legal authorities that have moved towards recognizing anonymity as a right underpinning the rights of privacy and freedom of expression.
At the international level, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a declaration in 2003 that “member states should respect the will of users of the Internet not to disclose their identity.” And the United Nations Special Rapporteur, David Kaye, has emphasized the interconnectedness between anonymity and the rights of privacy and freedom of expression noting how anonymity counterbalances “unlawful censorship through filtering and other technologies.” (See: Council of Europe, Declaration on freedom of communication on the Internet (2003), at p. 12; and, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (2015), A/HRC/29/32, at para. 16)
National courts of the United States and Canada have also recognized the foundational role of anonymity. It has been held in the United States that “anonymous speech on the Internet, like other types of anonymous speech, enjoys First Amendment protection.” And the Supreme Court of Canada has recognized the importance of anonymity as “the foundation of a privacy interest that engages constitutional protection against unreasonable search and seizure.” (See: Awtry v Glassdoor, Inc. US Dist Ct, Case No.: 16-mc-80028-JCS (ND Cal 2016), at p. 33; and, R v Spencer,  2 SCR 212, at para. 48)
Laws that require telecommunication companies to store the personal data of customers violate anonymity by facilitating surveillance – surveillance that is conducted on a massive scale when personal data is tied to smartphones that are used as primary communication devices. The intervenors summarize their position this way, at para. 25: “The Intervenors do not challenge the well-established principle that surveillance in some form may be necessary in combatting serious crime and genuine threats to national security. But general data retention laws are indiscriminate – they subject all individuals to potential surveillance by forcing companies to store identifying information on all their customers. As such, those laws interfere with the public’s rights of privacy and freedom of expression and must be analyzed under the standards of Articles 8 and 10 – that is, they must be subject to the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality. In turn, that means that the laws must incorporate certain safeguards to minimize the risk of abuse.”
This, then, is a case to follow – not least because the European Court of Human Rights, and its sister Court of Justice of the European Union, stand at the boundary between legitimate intrusion upon an individual’s privacy and unlawful surveillance. Tomaso Falchetta, a legal officer with Privacy International, has asserted that the European courts are at the vanguard for good reason: “…[T]he international human rights framework developed after the Second World War may well be old, but it is not dated. Even on the most technologically advanced (and continuously developing) issues, it has proved to have a certain resilience. By focusing on the individual, by putting the burden on the state (and increasingly on companies) to justify invasions of privacy, by applying strictly the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality, human rights law has been successfully used to challenge over-broad modern communications surveillance laws and practices.” (See: Tomaso Falchetta. A shrinking feeling: Anonymity, Privacy, and Free Expression. Privacy International. September 20, 2016)


Apr 2, 2021
The Trees and Hydrology in Urban Landscapes report has recently been released as part of the EPA-funded Healthy Watersheds, Resilient Baylands project. It supports building links between stormwater management and urban ecological improvements by evaluating how complementary urban greening activities, including green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) and urban tree canopy, can be integrated and improved to reduce runoff and contaminant loads in stormwater systems. This work expands the capacity for evaluating engineered GSI and non-engineered urban greening within a modeling and analysis framework, with a primary focus on evaluating the hydrologic benefit of urban trees. Insights can inform stormwater management policy and planning.
Effective implementation of urban greening strategies is needed to address legacies of landscape change and environmental degradation, ongoing development pressures, and the urgency of the climate crisis. With limited space and resources, these challenges will not be met through single-issue or individual-sector management and planning. Increasingly, local governments, regulatory agencies, and other urban planning organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area are expanding upon the holistic, portfolio-based, and multi-benefit approaches.
Separately, another report, Integrating Planning with Nature, illustrates how nature-based solutions can be integrated from downtown San José to Coyote Valley upstream to build climate resilience; quantifies associated ecosystem services; and identifies planning and policy approaches for implementation. Scenarios were developed with the help of an interdisciplinary group of local experts through two charrettes to generate holistic solutions that will contribute to a number of ongoing planning efforts.
These projects were featured on KGO-TV on July 1, 2021.
Programs and Focus Areas:
Clean Water Program
Geographic Information Systems
Resilient Landscapes Program
Urban Nature Lab


Do you find yourself craving sweets, chips, and pasta? Are you hungry only an hour or two after eating a big meal?
If you answered ‘yes’ to those questions, then you probably need more vegetables in your diet. When your diet consists mainly of sweets, pasta, and unhealthy starches, those things turn to sugar in your body. That sugar turns into fat and leads to high blood sugar, spiking insulin levels and, in turn, sugar cravings. Sugar feeds disease. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, acid reflux and many other gut related conditions can often be attributed to diets lacking in quality fruits and vegetables.
When your diet contains enough vegetables, that’s what you will crave! Now, you’re probably thinking, “That’s insane! I’ve never craved spinach and broccoli!” Well, you could! The more of something you eat, the more your body will crave it. Consuming more vegetables will help you keep your ‘bad’ cravings under control. By adding more of the vitamins and nutrients contained in veggies and removing the empty calories from sugars and starches, you’ll stay full longer between meals. Vegetables, especially the organic ones, are often high in energy vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants and fiber. These nutrients are essential for sustaining long term energy, because they help keep your body healthy. Vegetables aid in better digestion, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar, leveling out insulin levels and helping to eliminate sugar cravings. All of these changes will lead to a boost in the immune system. Feeling healthier often prompts even more healthy choices. Veggies are also low calorie and many provide hydration to your body as well. For example, cauliflower, eggplant, red cabbage, peppers and spinach all have a 92% water content.
There are many vegetable options, so it’s not too difficult to get a large variety into your daily diet.
Buying fresh, organic, vegetables is recommended and that can get a little pricey so, look for ways to make your dollar stretch and use the entire plant. When selecting vegetables like carrots and beets, get some with nice, leafy, green stems. You can roast the main portion of the vegetable itself for dinner then use the stems in a salad for lunch the next day! Salads are a fantastic and easy way to get a lot of vegetables into your body. We recently shared ideas to help you Build a Superfood Salad.
Chopping your greens will help your salads (and dollars) stretch a little further. Pickier eaters also might be more prone to eat something that’s chopped up into smaller pieces. That can be time consuming during your meal preparation, but a quality knife and cutting board can help immensely with that. You can add seeds, walnuts or boiled eggs for vegetarian protein – or add chicken or tuna for some animal protein. Salads are also great way to get your vegetables when you’re on the go! Just throw your salad into a glass jar with a small container of dressing and you’re set! Dressings don’t have to be complicated either. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice are easy and healthy ways to dress a delicious salad.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring or hard. Challenge yourself to find creative ways to get veggies in your diet this week! Here’s a great one to try:
- Spinach or other greens
- Carrot tops
- Beet tops
- Green onions
- Lemon thyme
- other toppings of choice
- Wash all of the veggies and herbs
- Chop all ingredients into a large mixing bowl
- Drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or fresh lemon juice and sprinkle sea salt and black pepper (to your taste level)
Now have some fun with it! This is a great way to use up any extra veggies and herbs in a fun, healthy way and it makes a beautiful side dish. You can also have this salad as a main dish with salmon, chicken, boiled eggs, nuts, seeds, fresh berries, dried fruit, feta, crumbled goat cheese, olives or capers. The possibilities are endless!


1926 National High School Orchestra at the Music Supervisors' National Conference, Detroit, MI
1927 National High School Orchestra at the conference of the Department of Superintendence, National Education Association, Dallas TX
1927 National High School Orchestra Camp booklet
1927 Letter from Joseph Maddy
November 15, 1927 should be a day to remember: the “shot heard ‘round the world” that would eventually affect the lives of all of us. This was the date Joe Maddy sent a letter accompanied by a 20-page booklet to hundreds of music “supervisors” across the continent describing his vision that would grow to become the Interlochen we know today. One tradition tells us that a boy had climbed a ladder after the 1927 National High School Orchestra played their final concert in Dallas and implored Joe Maddy to find a place where the they could spend a whole summer making music together. It’s a poignant tale, but Joe had already written and published the same idea well before the students going to Dallas had boarded their trains! By midsummer he had incorporated the “National High School Orchestra Camp Association”, taken Giddings and a few other friends to inspect the proposed site and made a contract with Willis Pennington to lease land for the cabins that would be built to house campers.
Fortified by the success of the national orchestras he’d recruited for Detroit and Dallas, Maddy went to work to secure the money it would take to build the Bowl and cabins. He appealed to music publishers and instrument manufacturers and anyone who would listen to his “crazy” idea. It might never have happened were they pessimistic in the face of so little time and the early rumbling of the political, social and economic storms just ahead, but Joe’s unbridled enthusiasm won out, armed with a vision that could not be shaken, and we are the beneficiaries of his confidence in what was “just an idea”.


Google recently released 8 new top-level domains – the bits at the end of a website address such as .com, .org, .ca, and so on – and cyber security researchers are not happy.
That’s because two of the top-level domains share their name with common file type extensions: .zip and .mov.
As the researchers indicated, criminal hackers could exploit the way web addresses are displayed on emails, web posts, and File Explorer to launch phishing attacks and malware campaigns.
The new domains, which also include .dad. .esq, .prof, .phd, .nexus, and .foo, were made available for public registrations via any domain registrar on May 10, and there have already been signs that they are being used maliciously.
Why is this a problem?
The problem relates to the way software reads and understands text that appears to be a top-level domain. In many cases, any string of text with a period in it will be displayed as a hyperlink, and clicking it will direct the user to a web page.
That link will often be a dead end, because it’s not a genuine domain, but in other cases users will open a genuine webpage.
However, web addresses are not the only thing that full stops are used for. They’re also used in file names, and two of the most common – at least when transferring files online – are .zip, which compresses large files into smaller packages that can then be opened, and .mov, which is a type of video file.
Because .zip and .mov are now valid top-level domains, some platforms will convert any string of text referring to a file into a valid URL.
Cyber criminals, having spotted the potential for confusion, have started squatting on domains that could be mistaken for files.
For instance, security researcher mr.d0x has developed a phishing toolkit that lets hackers create fake in-browser WinRar instances and File Explorer Windows that are displayed on ZIP domains to trick users into thinking they are opened .zip file.
“With this phishing attack, you simulate a file archiver software (e.g. WinRAR) in the browser and use a .zip domain to make it appear more legitimate,” explains a new blog post by the researcher.
In a demonstration with BleepingComputer, the toolkit was used to embed a fake WinRar window directly in the browser when a .zip domain is opened.
In another example, discovered by the cyber intelligence film Silent Push Labs, fraudsters purchased the domain ‘microsoft-office.zip’.
A confused user might find the page after attempting to download the Microsoft Office suite. If they follow the instructions on the page, they will hand their login credentials to the criminal operating the website.
How concerned should you be?
Although many experts have condemned Google for its carelessness in creating a new threat vector, it’s unclear how much of a threat this will pose.
It’s unlikely that cyber criminals will register thousands of domains to try and catch specific instances of people clicking a certain .zip or .mov domain name. However, it only takes one mistake for someone to install malware and the entire network to be compromised.
Cyber criminals might also find more effective ways to leverage this threat rather than simply squatting on domains and hoping that people find their way on to the site.
For the time being, users can use the same techniques to stay safe as they would do with standard phishing scams. That means avoiding links or downloads from unknown senders, and checking that senders’ email addresses are genuine.
You can find more advice with IT Governance’s Phishing Staff Awareness E-Learning Course.
This online course explains everything you need to know about scams, from phony text messages and emails to telephone con artists.
Your staff will learn about specific cons, the consequences of a successful attack, and how to identify a bogus message before it’s too late.


SHAME AND GUILT
Shame is not the same as guilt.
When we feel guilt, it's about something we did.
When we feel shame, it's about who we are.
When we feel guilty we need to learn
that it's OK to make mistakes.
When we feel shame we need to learn
that it's OK to be who we are!
WHERE SHAME COMES FROM
Shame comes from being taught
that we are worthless or bad or something similar.
It comes in childhood from adults who say things like:
"You'll never amount to anything!"
"You are worthless!"
"I wish you were never born!"
"Shame on you!"
It also comes from severe physical discipline
since each hit of the hand or fist or belt says to the child:
"You don't matter at all!
Only what you do matters!"
And shame comes from being humiliated for our behavior.
It comes from adults who say:
"What would the neighbors think of you if they knew...?"
"You look ridiculous!"
"Don't you have any pride?"
"What's wrong with you anyway!?"
And it comes from being threatened
with shaming, or physical discipline, or humiliation.
When we are threatened with these things,
the psychological message is the same:
"I can and will treat you any way I want to...
You are a worthless weakling at my disposal!"
WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SHAMED?
People who are shamed
have to live in the same world as all the rest of us
but they have to live in it
with the deep-down conviction that they are worthless.
The amount of continuous pressure
a deeply shamed person feels is immense.
When they are doing well,
they think it's only a matter of time
before they are discovered as useless.
When they make mistakes,
they expect a terrifying degree of anger
from the people they disappoint.
Every act is a "test"
- and they are convinced
that it's only a matter of time
before they fail completely.
LIVING IN SHAME AND LIVING "AS IF" YOU ARE
Some people who are convinced they are worthless
live out their lives to prove that they are worthless!
The most severe alcoholics, drug addicts,
and impulsive criminals are good examples.
Like all of us, they have a deep need to be known and to
and to be recognized "for who I really am."
But since they actually believe they are worthless,
they have a strong need to prove their worthlessness
to everyone in their lives.
They don't hurt their families and friends because they
don't love them
or because they want to hurt them.
They hurt their families and friends
out of this need to be "known"
- and out of the wrong belief that they are worthless.
Most people who are convinced they are worthless
live out their lives trying to prove they DO have worth.
These are the people who are constantly worried
about what you think of them,
and who constantly think
that you are judging them.
When you tell them they did a good job
they feel good for a few minutes,
but they soon feel worthless again
(and think that you wouldn't like them
if you "really" knew them).
If you tell them they did a poor job
they will either feel a strong urge to cry
or they will show an immense amount of anger
at you for saying such a "horrible" thing!
They don't understand
you are only commenting on the last thing they did.
They think you are commenting on them,
and on their worthlessness as human beings.
People who've been deeply shamed
need to be fully loved and accepted and valued!
Some people find a lover who deeply accepts, loves, and
Others find a group of friends who deeply accept, love, and value them.
Most people need a therapist along the way
who shows them their value,
and who, perhaps more importantly,
helps them to stop
all the repetitious self-talk about their lack of worth.
Every person who is overcoming shame
will need to have many sources of love and acceptance.
One lover or friend or therapist is never enough.
The more totally they can trust these new sources of love
in their life,
the more deeply they will accept the love they need.
(The love of less trustable people is also valuable, of course
- just not nearly as valuable.)
Overcoming shame takes a long time.
But it is well worth it for the moment
when the deeply shamed person finally says
with unmistakable surprise and amazement in their voice:
"You know, I really am a good person!"
ANOTHER TOPIC ABOUT SHAME...
It would be good to read the next topic about shame now:
Shame: What You Can Do About It
Please Tell Your Friends About
Enjoy Your Changes!
Everything here is designed to help you do just that!
Write To Me, I Want To Hear From You!
Tony Schirtzinger, Therapist (Milwaukee)
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One of the best known items from the Viking Age is the Thor's Hammer (Mjölnir in Old Norse). The Thor's Hammer was worn by pagans who followed the Norse Gods and in particular, Thor. The Thor's Hammer was a magical weapon carried by the God and made by dwarves. It had many powers and the image of the hammer was usually worn by Heathens, one of the most famous and instantly recognisable Hammers is the archaeological example from Skåne in Sweden.
The original hammer was made of silver with filigree ornamentation and was found in an undocumented location in Skåne, Sweden. It belonged to a collection owned by the baron Claes Kurck, who donated it to the Historical Museum in Stockholm in 1895, where it is to this day. Although the location of the find is unknown, unreliable sources says that the hammer was found in Kabbarp near Staffanstorp in Skåne, Sweden.
This brown leather medieval leather pouch has a Thor's Hammer charm at the front and is fastened with the help of a decorative brass closure. It is hand made from smooth brown leather which is approximately 1-2mm thick and cut from a single circular piece of leather of an approximate diameter of 25cm. sizing is approximate as this is a handmade item made of soft yet robust leather.
Width when fastened: 9 cm
Height when fastened: 7 cm
Material: black cow hide


"Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect of Darfur isn’t that gunmen on the Sudanese payroll heave babies into bonfires as they shout epithets against blacks. It’s that the rest of us are responding only with averted eyes and polite tut-tutting."
– Nicholas D. Kristof, from “If Not Now, When?,” The New York Times, 2007.
As World War II ended, the world beat its collective chest defiantly and proclaimed it would "never forget" the genocide of the Holocaust so that it could "never again" be repeated. The world – as history has proven – has a short memory. The Holocaust was not the world’s first genocide, and it has not been the last.
Holocaust Museum Houston has been active in raising public awareness of the genocide in Darfur and in pressuring government officials to act. Beginning with a resolution of its Board of Directors in August 2004 recognizing the genocide and urging government action, the Museum initiated a program of action through periodic letters to the president, vice president, other executive branch officials and members of Congress. The Museum has maintained visibility on the issue through exhibitions, teacher training, presentations to students and public programs.
Genocide Never Happens by Chance
Sudan, Africa’s largest country, has been in near constant conflict since it became independent from British colonial rule in 1956.
Sudan is divided by religion (70 percent Muslim, 25 percent animist and 5 percent Christian); ethnicity (African and Arab origin Sudanese); tribe; and economic activity (herders and farmers).
In the Sudanese government, power rests primarily with an elite Arab group based in the capital of Khartoum. Historically, regions outside of Khartoum, such as the South and Darfur, in the West, have been marginalized politically and economically. The country’s conflict stems from this exclusion.
In an effort to fight for their rights, African rebel groups in Darfur (made up predominantly of the Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit tribes) took up arms against the government in 2003. In response to this rebellion, the Sudanese government armed and coordinated "Janjaweed" militias to carry out systematic assaults against civilian populations of African tribes thought to be supportive of the rebellion.
Darfur is home to more than 30 ethnic groups, all of which are Muslim. The "Janjaweed" militias — recruited, armed, trained and supported by the Sudanese government — are drawn from several of the groups in Darfur that identify themselves as Arab.
The "Janjaweed" have terrorized and displaced civilians in more than half of Darfur’s villages using mass murder, rape and the systematic destruction of livelihoods. To date, more than 400,000 African Darfurians have been killed, and more than 2 million people have been driven from their homes.
In 2004, the United States government publicly stated that genocide was occurring in Darfur based on the United Nations definition of the term.
In Article II of the United Nations (UN) Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the UN defines genocide as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
- killing members of the group;
- causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
- deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
- imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
- forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."
Learn More about Current Darfur Legislation
The Genocide Intervention Network has created the first-ever anti-genocide hotline. Call today to be connected directly to your elected officials for free. All you need is your zip code. The hotline will provide you with up-to-date talking points related to current Darfur legislation and other actions your elected officials can take to help end the genocide. Make Darfur a top priority for your governor, representative, senators and the White House. Call 1-800-GENOCIDE or visit www.1800genocide.com learn more.
Learn about Other Advocacy Tools
Visit www.savedarfur.org and click on the "Take Action" tab to learn more about advocacy options you may choose to take on this issue or visit www.ushmm.org to watch a new interactive program on genocide from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Genocide Watch exists to predict, prevent, stop and punish genocide and other forms of mass murder. It seeks to raise awareness and influence public policy concerning potential and actual genocide. Its purpose is to build an international movement to prevent and stop genocide.
Committee on Conscience
The Committee on Conscience's mandate is to alert the national conscience, influence policy makers and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity. In carrying out its mandate, the Committee uses a wide range of actions, including public programs and activities, temporary exhibitions and public or private communications with policy makers. It seeks to work whenever possible with other governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Genocide Intervention Network
The Genocide Intervention Network envisions a world in which the global community is willing and able to protect civilians from genocide and mass atrocities. Its mission is to empower individuals and communities with the tools to prevent and stop genocide.
Using media outreach, public education, targeted coalition building and grassroots mobilization to pressure policy makers and other decision-makers in the United States and abroad, this coalition works to help the people of Darfur.
Student Anti-Genocide Coalition
STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition formerly known as "Students Taking Action Now: Darfur" serves as an umbrella organization for student groups active in promoting awareness, advocating for an end to the current genocide in Darfur, Sudan and working to create a permanent anti-genocide student movement. It serves as a guide for student groups in high schools and colleges, helping them to develop their grassroots efforts for Darfur and anti-genocide activism, to unify their message and to coordinate efforts.
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. It stands with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime and to bring offenders to justice. The group investigates and exposes human rights violations and holds abusers accountable. It challenges governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. It enlists the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.
Amnesty International's vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. In pursuit of that vision, its mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.