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|Salvador Allende Gossens|
|Chile's First Socialist President|
November 3, 1970 – September 11, 1973
|Vice President||Carlos Prats|
|Preceded by||Eduardo Frei Montalva|
|Succeeded by||Augusto Pinochet Ugarte|
|Born|| June 26, 1908|
|Died|| September 11, 1973|
|Political party||Socialist Party of Chile|
Allende was born on June 26, 1908 in the port city of Valparaiso, Chile to a well-to-do family. Like many Chileans, Allende had a mestizo (mixed) racial background (Europen and other races mixed with Native Americans), his father Salvador Allende (senior), a lawyer, was of Basque background and his mother Laura Gossens had a Belgian Jewish background (though converted to Catholicism).
In 1918 his father sent Allende to study at the Instituto Nacional (National Institute) in Santiago. He then did his compulsory military service and entered the University of Chile to study medicine. Allende was a gifted, friendly and popular student; a great debater and public speaker and quickly becomes a student leader and vice-president of the FECH. (Student Federation of Chile). As an undergraduate student Allende requested to his parents to let him earn his own livelihood and he started to work as a paramedic in the ambulance services and as an assistant in pathology. He graduated with a medical degree in 1933.
Allende first ran for the presidency in the 1952 elections but failed. Determined to succeed he tried again in 1958 and then in 1964. In both instances he failed again. Allende would tour Chile from Iquique to Magallanes, for example one end to the other, speaking to peasants in the south and miners in the north and held rallies in the big cities. Allende found it hard to win an election because of the successful scare campaigns launched by opposing parties, many financed by large multi-national corporations and powerful national institutions such as private banks and schools.
Finally, and to the surprise of many working people - who had voted for him in previous elections and felt he would never win - in 1970 he won and became the President of Chile.
Allende always ran for election on the same socialist platform (plan) proposing the same resolutions (things to be done), focusing on the persistent inequality in the country and the underdevelopment (poverty for large part of the population) which Allende saw as being rooted in the lack of control the Chilean people had over their natural resources and vital industries. (e.g. banks, copper mines, electricity companies etc.).
Allende promised that he would nationalize (put under control of government) vital industries and then create an advanced public health system and educational system that would be free and accessible to all. During the cold war (between the U.S. and the former U.S.S.R) many people feared that Chile would fall under the influence of the USSR and after the 1960s under the influence of Cuba.
Allende’s speeches were said to be very radical (extreme) and Allende’s vision for Chile seemed completely different to the Chile that most people were familiar with. For example: Allende was said to be an atheist and Marxist. He was a non- practicing Catholic This was considered odd in a country that was very catholic, held traditional family values, and in which people were taught that political freedoms (the freedom to elect politicians from different parties) was more important than solving problems such as extreme poverty or economic inequality (division between the poorest and the wealthiest people).
Allende also wanted revolutionary change, i.e. he wanted deep changes to Chilean society very quickly, such forms of changes have been said to have tended to cause great divisions in society between those who oppose the changes (called reactionaries) and those who support the drastic changes (revolutionaries). Through history such situations tend to end up resolved violently. For example civil war (where one group of people fight another group of people of the same country), or military coup (when a government is overthrown before it finishes his term).
As a result many Chileans, especially professionals like University professors, doctors and business people left the country–this had a negative effect on Allende’s reforms. E.g. Allende increased health services and places at Universities for the underprivileged while many professors, specialists and doctors were leaving the country.
However, Allende was unique in that he did all he could to prevent this sort of violence, calling his revolution a “peaceful one within democracy” or calling it “the Chilean road to socialism.” In 1973 Allende’s enemies accused him of preparing a secret war and that his supporters were hoarding stocks of illegal weapons (in shanty towns and in rural areas) that were being sent from communist Cuba. To prove that this was not true, Allende allowed the Chilean Army to enforce a “weapons control’s law” that allowed the Chilean military to search and comb for any illegal weapons anywhere in the country. The Chilean army confirmed that after thoroughly searching for such weapons throughout the country they had found no significant stocks as the opposition was claiming. This ended up creating more support for Allende and allowed Allende to begin to focus on the upcoming election.
Allende came to power with a socialist plan. His vision for Chile was one in which the country's resources and wealth would be owned by Chileans and distributed more democratically. Allende started his program by nationalizing (put under control of government) major industries. Such as, Chile's copper mines (Chile had one of the largest copper mines in the World) but these mines were not owned by Chileans but by very powerful U.S. business people.
The coup, September 11, 1973
The American Central Intelligence Agency was said to be involved in the overthrowing of his government. Allende was a socialist. Many of his reforms and programs revolved around socialism. He created universal health care for all, made education better, and took a stronger level of control within the economy. He died in 1973. His death has been disputed for years; some feel that he took his own life by committing suicide, but others feel that he was murdered by Augusto Pinochet's militia. Pinochet would then become the ruler of Chile.
Death and myth
Allende was replaced by those who overthrew him as president. Allende committed suicide by shooting himself. The new ruling Junta justified their coup claiming that “Chile could no longer tolerate the cancer of Marxism”. The Pinochet regime claimed Allende had violated the Chilean Constitution–strange considering that Pinochet ended up writing a completely new one.
Also, after the coup many rumors and myths emerged about Allende’s death and life. Many of these myths attempted to discredit the character of Allende i.e. make him appear as a coward, weak or cruel person:
- Some of his enemies claimed he was living in Cuba or East Germany–photographs appeared depicting people with the likeness of Allende.
- One of the more current myths about Allende, has been that he was an anti-Semite and white supremacist–odd considering that he was a mestizo with Jewish extraction who advocated Marxism (which teaches that people are divided by class not race, ethnicity or nationality).
Legacy and place in history
Allende became of interest to people all over the world because he was the first democratically elected socialist in Chile and the first democratically elected Marxist in the world. Many people felt Allende was the beginning of a new era in which great changes to society - especially in developing countries - could be brought about peacefully through an election.
Allende has become one of the most commemorated Latin American polital figures in history. Since his death monuments, statues, parks and streets have been named in his honour all over the world. In France alone there are more than 320 public places named in honour of Allende. Ministries and municipalities in many countries have also officially approved the naming of schools and educational departments in his honour.
Despites Pinochet’s 17 years of military rule and an attempt to deny Allende his proper place in Chilean history, he was officially honoured in Chile as a defender of representative democracy (i.e. people’s right to elect their political representatives through free and fair elections) with a state funeral in 1990. A monument was also erected outside the Moneda Presidential Palace (Chile's house of Government) where he died defending the democratically elected Popular Unity government he lead.


To analyze the relationship between a
how a bat strikes a baseball and the flight of the ball then
use what you discover to provided a slumping hitter with
advice to bring him out of a slump.
- In his first two seasons playing
Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, Ichiro
Suzuki had 450 base hits. That many hits in the first two
seasons is a Major League record.
But in his third season, things
changed! Line drives that used to zip through the infield
became towering shots right into the waiting gloves of
outfielders. Instead of hitting .404, Ichiro's average
dropped to .243.
This is what we call a
As the Mariners' batting coach it
is your job to help your batters climb out of a slump
when it happens. What could be causing line drives to
turn into towering fly balls? Could it be that the
physics of the swing are all wrong?
- Recruit a group of kids to help
you. Using the materials listed above, videotape each kid
hitting a baseball from a batting tee. Film from the side
that has the best view of the bat making contact with the
Study the videotape. Look for a
relationship between the spot on the ball that the bat
strikes and how the ball travels after it is
- The Mariner's are on a long road
trip. Back at the training facility you decide to produce
a video to send to Suzuki. The video should include
visual examples and a detailed explanation of what Ichiro
might be doing wrong with his swing and what he needs to
do to get back on track.
This activity was developed
by the Event-Based Science Institute with generous
support from the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. A
version of this
and all other baseball/physics activities is available
free from the EBS Institute. This activity was written
by, Scott Durbin, a science teacher at Robert Frost
Middle School, Rockville, MD.
© 2003-12 Event-Based Science Institute


Every piece of the guitar affects the sound of the instrument to varying
degrees. With an understanding of wood properties, you can make a better
selection of materials to achieve the best combination of sound and visual
The top of the acoustic guitar has the
most effect on the sound. The traditional choice for the top of an
acoustic guitar is spruce. Spruce is most widely used because of its high
strength to weight ratio. Spruce's light weigh provides
quick, true response to the vibration of the strings while the
strength helps prevent deformation under the tension of the strings.
Mahogany and western red cedar are both popular alternatives to spruce and
have gained popularity in recent years. Both of these woods provide
a warmer, more mellow sound than the bright sound of spruce. Other
woods may be used for guitar tops, but each must be evaluated
individually to determine the effect on the guitar sound.
Although the top is the most critical choice for the sound of the guitar, each
piece of wood will have minor effects on the sound. Traditionally,
sides, backs and necks are often made form rosewood or mahogany.
Both these woods are strong and easily workable. Just about any
other wood can be used for the sides and back of the guitar with only
minor differences in the sound. Lighter woods will provide warmer
overtones to the main sound produced by the top. Denser woods will
provide brighter overtones.
Wood choices will affect the sound of an electric guitar,
but not as
dramatic as the effect on acoustic guitars. Regardless, it is
still important to understand the properties and choices.
Traditionally, the bodies of electric guitars are made from alder or swamp
ash. Both alder and swamp ash provide strength and good tone without being too
heavy. Lighter, less dense woods will provide warmer overtones while
more dense woods will provide brighter overtones.


Aerial Fiber Optics: Concept, Application and Safeguards
An optical fiber is a thin, long, transparent material (usually made of glass or plastic) that confines and propagates light waves. Fiber optics use light pulses to transmit information down fiber lines.
At one end of the system is a transmitter. This is the place of origin for information coming on to fiber optic lines. The transmitter accepts coded electronic pulse information coming from copper wire.
Download to find out more.


Stem cell therapy for knees offers the hope of a possible cure for osteoarthritis. The development of stem cells into the cartilage layers of the bones has been used for decades to treat such ailments as leukemia and various forms of cancer. Stem cell therapy is still being researched, but for some people it may hold the answer for long-term relief of pain. A recent study in China, funded by the National Institutes of Health, showed promise that the procedure might be effective for osteoarthritis in the knee.
While stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis has proven successful in the research lab, it is not yet available on a large scale in the United States. While stem cell injections into the arthritic knee are now a common treatment, few insurance companies cover the entire cost of this painful knee stem cell treatment procedure. Surgical options such as physical therapy or surgery only diminish over time, meaning the small cost benefit study often seems moot. Patients and their doctors must decide if the physical therapy and surgery are a realistic treatment option for the patient.
The potential for a new form of arthritis relief is a subject of much debate. While some doctors believe it will be too difficult to create an entirely new system for the knees, others believe that stem cell therapy for knees therapy is the answer. Either way, the procedure is not yet approved by the FDA and there are risks involved in undergoing it. Physical therapy, while widely used for treating arthritis, may actually make the condition worse.
Stem cell injection therapy uses the patient’s own stem cells, taken from the body, directly into the damaged cartilage. The stem cells are grafted directly into the damaged cartilage, encouraging the formation of new, healthy tissue. This new tissue replaces the damaged portion of the knee cap and provides pain relief. Physical therapy also aids in the development of new cartilage and strength within the knee joint. Stem cells provide a unique opportunity for athletes with knee injuries to heal faster through active rehabilitation therapy.
Many critics of stem cell treatments point out that the long-term effects of such treatments have not been fully tested. It is possible they could cause the deterioration of bones and other tissues in the body. It is also not completely clear how stem cell treatments will impact the function of the immune system over time. Many researchers agree more research is needed to better understand how stem cells affect the body’s various functions. One controversy is the idea that the body builds up immunity to specific foreign substances injected into the body; stem cell treatments might add a new problem altogether. Scientists are also unsure how long stem cell treatments will be effective in knee replacement surgeries.
Stem cell injections into the knee have proven successful for many patients who are in need of knee pain treatment. They are very effective for relieving pain and reducing inflammation. The potential side effects of stem cell injections must be carefully considered before undergoing surgery. Stem cells for knees can be a very beneficial part of knee pain treatment, but more research is needed to determine their safety and the extent of their effectiveness in treating different kinds of knee injuries and ailments.


The Kruger-Dunning effect - a cognitive error bad for your health
Updated: Jun 7, 2020
If you want to learn why your facebook friends claim to know how to cure cancer, but your Internist does not...
The Case of McArthur Wheeler
After robbing a bank without a mask, McArthur Wheeler was spotted on security cameras and apprehended shortly afterwards by police. When questioned about the lack of a mask, he claimed that he applied lemon juice to his face. Perplexed, the police asked him to explain. "Lemon juice" he explained, "has been used for ages as an invisible ink, and therefore, if rubbed on the face he reasoned, it could help evade being seen on a security camera". This strange but true story inspired two psychologist, David Dunning and Justin Kruger, to learn about incompetence.
Lack of Metacognition
McArthur was certainly too stupid to rob a bank, but he was also too stupid to realize he was too stupid to rob a bank. He lacked metacognition. Metacognition (meaning - "above thinking") is the ability to step outside one’s own mind and watch oneself think. A form of self-reflection to assess one’s own cognitive skills. (It is something encouraged both in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and most meditation practices.)
The Illusion of Superiority
Another cognitive error linked with McArthur’s behavior is the illusion of superiority; also known as the ‘Lake Wobagon effect’. This illusion is responsible for the fact that 90% of us think we are better drivers than the average person, 90% of us think we are better looking than the average person, and 90% of us think we are smarter than the average person. I certainly have never met a doctor who said, “Compared with other doctors, I am average”.
From an evolutionary perspective why would we have the illusion of superiority? Possibly, thinking we are more skilled than we are could have survival benefits such as dealing with hardship, maintaining self-esteem, or inflating ones self-worth to others in our group.
The Kruger-Dunning Effect
In the modern world, however, an illusion of superiority and lacking metacognitive skills are a bad combination. A kind of evolutionary mismatch. Kruger and Dunning put this all together to write their important paper in 1999. The Kruger-Dunning effect - simply stated - amateurs are surprisingly confident despite being incompetent. They don’t know that they don’t know.
If McArthur had metacognitive skills and humility he would have thought the following thoughts before robbing the bank:
Do I have the skills necessary to rob a bank?
The people designing the technologies to protect a bank must be very experienced and smart.
Do I know enough about these technologies?
It can’t be easy to rob a bank otherwise everyone would be robbing banks.
What percentage of bank robberies are successful?
What methods were used when robberies were successful and what methods were used when not?
* If lemon juice makes me invisible to security cameras do I know how to test that hypothesis?
* Why has someone not used this lemon juice trick before to rob a bank?
The more you learn the less you know
Most of you are probably very knowledgeable in at least one topic. Think about that topic. How many years did it take for you to become knowledgeable? How do you compare what you know now with what you knew then? Have you noticed progressively more complexity to a seemingly simple idea? Did those years of experience leave you with more questions than answers?
Likely, you noticed that increasing experience leads to a deeper understanding of a topic - and the realization of more complexity. Therefore, when you embark on a new topic do you have the cognitive humility to acknowledge that answers may not be as simple as they initially appear? Can you acknowledge that just because you are bright in one field, it does not make you bright in another? Linus Pauling, the famous physicist and Nobel prize winner, couldn’t. He devoted his life after physics and staked his reputation on the hunch that supplemental Vitamin C is a cure-all. (Sorry to disappoint but... other than causing kidney stones and saving pirates from scurvy it’s pretty much useless.)
Being wrong is the normal state in medicine
In my last email on cognitive dissonance and opposing nutritional claims, I explained the dissonance my sister-in-law experienced when a new diet vilifying plants conflicted with her vegan beliefs. This kind of cognitive dissonance is not new to experts in the field. In my 30 years of learning medicine I have experienced it at least several hundred times. Here is a small incomplete list of some of the ideas that have changed since I entered medical school:
Opening stable blocked coronary arteries with angioplasty - not helpful
Tonsillectomy to prevent strep - not good
Antidepressants for mild to moderate depression - probably not good
Cortisone injections for tendinitis - not helpful in many circumstances
Knee arthroscopy for meniscal tears - not any better than physical therapy for degenerative meniscal tears
Digitalis for heart failure - not good
Antioxidants to prevent cancer and heart disease - does not work
MSG syndrome - does not exist
Chronic fatigue - not explained by hypoglycemia, Epstein-Barr Virus or gluten
Stress is the main cause stomach ulcers - not true
Stress causes cancer - not true
Saturated fat causes heart disease - not true
PSA testing helps to significantly reduce prostate cancer death - not true
CA-125 and ultrasound screening help reduce ovarian cancer death - absolutely not true
Yearly screening chest x-ray - not helpful
Hormone replacement in women to prevent heart disease - does not work
Antibiotics for bacterial infections - does not work in all circumstances and may affect gut microbiome
The ideas I once thought sacred and immutable were, in fact, wrong. It does not shock me anymore. This is the nature of medicine. The ideas are temporary, acting as a placeholder, until they are proven, disproven, or something else better comes along.
(this is known as the pessimistic meta-induction argument - that is, because science is always proving older science wrong, the newer science is also probably wrong.)
An excellent book covering this topic of medicine being wrong is here.
Knowledge in medicine uncovers increasing complexity
When we are wrong in medicine we usually realize that the human body is more complex than we initially thought. The antioxidant hypothesis stands as an excellent example. It was first proposed in 1956 by Denham Harman. Free radicals are constantly produced in your cells as a by-product of metabolism - just being alive and breathing results in the release of free radicals. The free radicals cause damage by binding to cell structures such as DNA. This leads to aging and diseases of aging such as cancer and heart disease. However, free radicals can be neutralized by antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables contain lots of antioxidants and the people who eat them seem very healthy. So far so good... Unfortunately, further study with hundreds
of very large clinical trials testing antioxidant supplements against placebo yielded not a single benefit (accept in the AREDS study of macular degeneration). The antioxidant hypothesis is dead. Billions of dollars and trillions of pills later, where did we go wrong? It turns out that after 3 billion years of evolution, cells have learned to protect themselves from free radicals by producing their own antioxidants. When antioxidants are given in a pill form, the internal production of antioxidants is shut down - net effect is zero. We underestimated the complexity of human physiology.
As we uncover fields like the human genome, the epigenome, the microbiome, and stem cells it does not lead to more answers; rather, it leads to more questions, more complexity, and more reasons to be wrong.
Kruger-Dunning effect in medicine
Lately, we have all noticed the abundance of amateurs, biohackers, bloggers, supplement sellers, Silicon Valley CEO’s, and vegan sister-in-laws making health claims with extreme confidence. Even within medicine, there are doctors that change from one field to another, and start to make big claims. I am not a surgeon and certainly wouldn’t profess to know how to rearrange your cardiac blood vessels; why a Columbia heart surgeon has become the nations expert on weight loss supplements and anti-aging skin creams is beyond me?
The oversight common to all of these over-confident individuals is that they miss the grand scale of ideas in medicine. Usually latching on to a single idea, they fail to see their idea often has a counter-idea claiming the exact opposite. Their idea is but one of hundreds of unproven ideas and one of thousands of already disproven ideas.
Thus, the reason medicine is so prone to the Kruger-Dunning effect is because human physiology is revealing itself to be increasingly more complex, the volume of ideas is growing exponentially, and most of the ideas are wrong; leaving only experienced individuals with the wisdom to avoid falling prey to the latest, greatest, trendy idea. Without an understanding that we are almost always wrong, it’s hard for most entering medicine to appreciate that they, indeed, could be wrong. They don’t know that they don’t know.
Ways to remedy the Kruger-Dunning effect
Learning critical thinking is the best solution to counter the Kruger-Dunning effect. Here is an introduction to critical thinking in medicine if you are interested.
A few quick tips:
Have humility when approaching a new field.
Seek out opposing arguments.
Seek out people with experience and without bias (Don’t treat yourself with diets, supplements, medicines, or experimental injections without asking an unbiased expert.)
Learn the history of your idea. Where did people go wrong in the past with similar ideas? Is it possible your are making the same mistakes?
Don’t confuse what you want to be true with what is true.
Try to verify the credibility of your sources
Don’t rob a bank without a mask.
Be like Socrates
Critical thinking in Western thought began a long time ago with Socrates. In "The Apology of Socrates", Socrates’ friend comes back from the Oracle at Delphi and tells him what the Oracle said, “there is no man wiser than Socrates”. After inquiry into the so-called experts of his day, Socrates realizes that the Oracle was correct. Neither the experts nor Socrates had any remarkable knowledge; however, Socrates possessed one insight they did not, “I know that I know nothing”.
For those of you interested in further exploring the topic of ignorance, see this video by architect and TED conference founder Richard Saul Wurman. He attributes his success to the fact that he embraces his ignorance, “I always strive to be the dumbest person in the room”.


Why was the learning process so difficult for the apostles? First of all, they lacked spiritual understanding. They were slow to hear and slow to understand. They were at various times thick, dull, stupid, and blind. All those terms or their equivalents are used to describe them in the New Testament. So how did Jesus remedy their lack of spiritual understanding? He just kept teaching. Even after His resurrection, He stayed forty days on earth. Acts 1:3 says that during that time He was “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” He was still persistently teaching them until the moment He ascended into heaven. A second problem that made the learning process difficult for the disciples is that they lacked humility. They were self-absorbed, self-centered, self-promoting, and proud. They spent an enormous amount of time arguing about who would be the greatest among them (Matthew 20:20–28; Mark 9:33–37; Luke 9:46). How did Jesus overcome their lack of humility? By being an example of humility to them. He washed their feet. He modeled servanthood. He humbled Himself, even unto the death of the cross.
Third, not only did they lack understanding and humility, but they also lacked faith. Four times in the Gospel of Matthew alone Jesus says to them, “O you of little faith” (6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8). In Mark 4:40, He asked them, “How is it that you have no faith?” At the end of Mark’s Gospel, after they had spent months in intensive training with Jesus—even after He had risen from the dead—Mark writes, “He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart” (Mark 16:14). What remedy did Jesus have for their lack of faith? He kept doing miracles and wonderful works. The miracles were not primarily for the benefit of unbelievers; most of His miracles were deliberately done “in the presence of His disciples” so that their faith could be strengthened (John 20:30).
Fourth, they lacked commitment. While the crowds were cheering and the miracles were being multiplied, they were thrilled. But as soon as the soldiers came into the garden to arrest Jesus, they all forsook Him and fled (Mark 14:50). Their leader ended up denying Jesus and swearing he didn’t even know the man. How did Jesus remedy their proneness to defection? By interceding for them in prayer. John 17 records how Jesus prayed that they would remain ultimately faithful and that the Father would bring them to heaven (vv. 11–26).
Fifth, they lacked power. On their own, they were weak and helpless, especially when confronted with the enemy. There were times when they tried but could not cast out demons. Their faithlessness left them unable to harness the power that was available to them. What did Jesus do to remedy their weakness? On the day of Pentecost He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower them. This was His promise to them: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). That promise was mightily fulfilled.
We’re inclined to look at this group with all their weaknesses and wonder why Jesus did not simply pick a different group of men. Why would He single out men with no understanding, no humility, no faith, no commitment, and no power? Simply this: His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Again we see how He chooses the weak things of this world to confound the mighty. No one could ever examine this group of men and conclude that they did what they did because of their own innate abilities. There is no human explanation for the influence of the apostles. The glory goes to God alone.
from "Twelve Ordinary Men" by John MacArthur, Chapter 1
O that the Church would embrace who we are!
1 Corinthians 1
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”


Ms. Kelsey Wilson at South Park Elementary School has used the Classroom Cash Grant award for her 5th grade ecosystem lesson.
“We take time to look at different types of ecosystems and within that would be the food chains and webs of different animals,” explains Kelsey.
Owl pellet dissection teaches the students in a hands-on way about what type of food the owls depend on. Stepping away from the textbooks and diving deeper into the learning material will be something Kelsey’s students will be able to share with others. This cash opportunity for teachers in the Black Hills gives students the opportunity to learn outside the box in creative, memorable ways making education fun. Want more info? Click HERE!


ACP Guide for Chemical Terrorism Identification
Epidemiological Clues of a Chemical Terrorism Attack
- Chemical casualties are usually readily recognized due to the short latency of most agents.
- Rapid onset (immediate or minutes to hours) of similar symptoms among victims in close proximity to a hazardous materials release.
- The chemical release might result from an explosion, fire, spill or release of vapor under pressure, or from open containers.
- The abrupt group onset of symptoms or a sudden release of chemicals in a closed or semi-enclosed non-industrial area (e.g., subway, school, convention center, etc.) is suspicious for terrorism.
- Unprotected would-be rescuers becoming victims themselves indicates the presence of conditions immediately dangerous to life and health.
None of these clues are pathognomonic of chemical terrorism, but indicate a high likelihood that victims are suffering from chemical exposure.
Possible Scenarios of Chemical Attacks
- Use of weaponized chemical substance or attack on a weapons stockpile.
- Aerosol spraying (handheld devices, crop dusters).
- Attack on industrial/commercial chemical sites.
- Intentional hazardous materials transportation mishap (truck, rail car, or tanker with chemicals).
Immediate identification of specific chemicals is usually not possible.
Sentinel Clues for the Major Chemical Agent Syndromes
- Cardiovascular and CNS manifestations reflecting tissue hypoxia often accompanied by lactic acidosis. Absence of respiratory irritation or relatively minor. No increase in secretions. Pupils normal or dilated. Mild: Headache, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, dizziness, nausea. Moderate to severe: dyspnea, altered mental status, cardiac ischemia, syncope, coma, seizures.
- Terror attack. Consider cyanide.
- Elevated carboxyhemoglobin. Consider carbon monoxide.
- Smoke inhalation. Consider combined carbon monoxide and cyanide.
- Sudden collapse around "rotten eggs" odor. Consider hydrogen sulfide.
Cholinesterase Inhibition (e.g. Nerve Agents)
- Cholinergic syndrome with pupil constriction (miosis) and increased exocrine secretions +/- fasiculations. Mild: Miosis, dim vision, eye pain, rhinorrhea, irritability, headache, chest tightness, sweating. Moderate to severe: wheezing, muscular weakness, fasiculations, cognitive impairment, incontinence, coma, seizures.
- Terror attack. Consider sarin and other nerve agents.
- Incident involving commercial pesticides. Consider organophosphorous and carbamate insecticides.
Pulmonary Irritation: Choking Agents
- Respiratory tract irritation and symptoms, usually much more prominent than eye and skin irritation. Mild: nose and throat irritation, sore throat, cough, chest tightness, eye irritation. Moderate to severe: laryngitis, wheezing, stridor, acute lung injury, laryngeal edema, non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema.
- Rapid onset of primarily upper respiratory and mucous membrane irritation. Consider tear gas, chlorine, ammonia, or chloramines.
- Delayed onset of primarily lower respiratory symptoms. Consider phosgene gas.
Vesicants: Blistering Agents
- Eye injuries and skin burns prone to vesicle formation. These may be followed later by respiratory irritation, and after high doses, late systemic effects. Mild: conjunctivitis, limited skin erythema, epistaxis, sore throat, cough. Moderate to severe: corneal damage, skin vesicle and bullae formation, nausea, wheezing, stridor, laryngeal edema, hemorrhagic pulmonary edema.
- Delayed onset. Consider sulfur mustard.
- Rapid onset with vesiculation. Consider lewisite.
- Rapid onset with sequence of skin blanching, erythema, wheal formation, and necrosis. Consider phosgene oxime.
Further information on chemical exposure and toxicological syndromes (toxidromes) may be found online at the ACP Bioterrorism Resource Center
Basic Initial Management
- Cessation of exposure. Extrication is best performed by properly protected emergency personnel.
- Early pre-hospital decontamination: Clothing removal, irrigation with water, followed by soap and water washing.
- Focus on airway patency, ventilation, and circulation, while surveying for burns, trauma, and other injuries.
- Consult the regional poison center to assist with syndrome-based therapy.
- Stockpile essential antidotes in advance: Diazepam for convulsions, cyanide antidote kits, and atropine and pralidoxime (2-protopam) for treating cholinesterase inhibitors.
If you suspect chemical terrorism is responsible for an illness, contact your local health department and the CDC. A federal emergency technical assistance line, the "Chemical and Biological Hotline," is available 24 hours a day at 800-424-8802.
More information may be found online at:
Download a PDA version of this card
Produced by the American College of Physicians.
© 2004 ACP
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Let’s face it, we love bricks. Think about it. Steel rusts. Wood takes a lot of maintenance. But bricks are so sturdy, beautiful, low maintenance and just plain reliable. Today, antique bricks have become popular building material. They give a building charm, character and time-tested style. Salvaged from old buildings, reclaimed bricks age beautifully. The rough edges, pockmarks, and old stains lend texture and integrity to buildings, qualities that you just cannot get from newer materials. There are many types of reclaimed brick. One favorite is reclaimed Chicago brick.
How do you know it’s authentic Chicago brick?
Bricks have been around for a very long time. In fact, they were in nearly the same way for thousands of years, using clay, fire and water. The earliest bricks were dried brick, made of clay-bearing earth or mud and dried in the sun. Fired bricks have also been used since circa 5000 BC.
One important difference between modern brick and reclaimed brick is the way the bricks were made. Until the turn of the century, bricks were usually made by hand, which gave each brick a distinctive appearance. The bricks were fired in kilns which had wide variations in temperature, so the resulting bricks were not uniform in color or texture. It is these variations in texture and color that make reclaimed brick so beautiful.
But why Chicago brick? Again, history holds the answer. During the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, hundreds of people died and over four square miles of the city were destroyed. After the fire, the city was rebuilt, much of it with what we now know as Chicago Common Brick. Identifying authentic Chicago bricks is easy when you know what to look for. These bricks looked different primarily because they were made with the grayish blue clay deposited by the last glacier. When fired, the high temperatures turned the blue clay salmon or buff colors. The resulting bricks were very durable, as well as breathable. These common bricks were cheap and abundant, in part because at that time people preferred the more uniform look of factory made bricks. Today, those bricks are highly prized for their irregularities.
Many of us may find it hard to recognize the differences, but reclaimed Chicago bricks just look different from new bricks. Even if they were made from the same clay, in the same manner, the antique bricks have been knocked around. Over the years they have been exposed to all kinds of weather, and may be chipped. But an antique brick looks good, even when chipped, because the chips are weathered, which just adds more character. Many of the authentic Chicago bricks bear the “union-made” logo, proudly stamped into the clay.
There are many reasons for the current popularity of reclaimed brick. In addition to providing a tangible connection to the past, reclaimed brick also helps preserve the future. Using reclaimed brick is environmentally friendly, because you are using recycled material. It is also an excellent material to save heating and cooling costs.
But for many people, the main reason is that they feel a strong connection to the past. They are drawn to the matchless, timeless look of reclaimed brick and believe that it simply cannot be duplicated.
The best way to be certain you are using authentic reclaimed Chicago brick is to work with a trusted, experienced supplier of reclaimed brick. They obtain their bricks from reliable sources, and use bricks that have been carefully removed and properly prepared. At Gavin Historical Bricks, we are a family run business. We work with architects, designers and individuals to help you choose the right brick for your project and your budget. If you have any questions or would like further information about using reclaimed brick in your project, please contact us.
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|Location:||Afqa. Beirut towards Jbail (Byblos), Qartaba exit between Jounie and Byblos. Through Qartaba and Mughaira to Afqa. 65km from Beirut.|
|As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.
Magharet Afqua is a river cave and the resurgence of the Adonis river. During spring the melting water from the mountains makes the spring rise, and because of the water bringing a lot of red clay with it, it is called the Blood of Adonis. The Romans believed that this was the place where the legend of Aphrodite and Adonis had happened. After being wounded Adonis went to this cave to die, and since this time the water is coloured red every year.
The Dispute Of Persephone And Aphrodite Over Adonis
Aphrodite hid the newborn child, Adonis, in a chest, which she gave to Persephone, Queen of the nether world. But when Persephone opened the chest, she was beheld by the beauty of the baby, so she refused to give him back to Aphrodite. The goddess of love went down to the Underworld herself to ransom the baby Adonis from the power of the dead.
The dispute between the two Goddesses of love and death was settled by Zeus. He decreed that Adonis should abide with Persephone in the underworld for one part of the year, and with Aphrodite in the upper world for another part. When he stayed in the underworld, it was winter. When he returned, the Earth blossomed into spring and summer.
The Myth Of Aphrodite And Adonis
When Ares, the God of War and Aphrodite’s lover, heard that Aphrodite loves the youth Adonis, he got jealous and decided to take revenge.
Aphrodite was chasing Adonis to mate with him, but Adonis was more interested in hunting. Aphrodite begged Adonis to give up the dangerous sports he enjoyed because she could not bear to lose him, knowing that the young man would have a terrible end. Adonis ignored her advice and was killed while hunting by a wild boar, that was actually God Ares.
When Adonis died, Aphrodite heard his cries and hastened to his side in her swan-drawn chariot. She cursed the Fates and Ares that had ordained his death. With Adonis still in her arms, Aphrodite turned the blood drops that fell from his wounds onto the soil into windflowers (the short-lived anemone) as a memorial to their love.
Anemones sprung from the blood of Adonis and his spirit returned to the underworld. In response to the tearful goddess, Zeus determined that Adonis should stay just for the half of the year in the Underworld.
The cave is not developed, but it is possible to climb up on the left side of the river. It is a little difficult, so a little climbing experience and the right shoes are necessary. The road crosses the cave river right in front of the cave entrance and resurgence. But below the modern bridge is the remains of an ancient bridge which spans the river for some 2,000 years.


Using a previous exercise about Hallux abducto valgus (HAV) (deformation of the big toe that often requires surgery). Doctors used x-rays to measure the angle (in degrees) of deformity in 38 consecutive patients under the age 21 who came to a medical center for surgery to correct HAV. The angle is a measure of the seriousness of the deformity. Here is the data:
28 32 25 34 38 26 25 18 30 26 28 13 20
21 17 16 21 23 14 32 25 21 22 20 18 26
16 30 30 20 50 25 26 28 31 38 32 21
It is reasonable to regard these patients as a random sample of young patients who require HAV surgery. Carry out the Solve and Conclude steps of a 95% confidence interval for the mean HAV angle in the population of all such patients.
A good way to judge the effect of an outlier is to do your analysis twice, once with the outlier and a second time without it. Using the above data follow a Normal distribution quite closely except for one patient with HAV angle 50 degrees, a high outlier.
(a) Find the 95% confidence interval for the population mean based on the 37 patients who remain after you drop the outlier
(b) Compare your interval in (a) with your interval in part 1. What is the most important effect of removing the outlier.
In order to find the 95% confidence interval for this question, we will use the following formula:
confidence interval = mean +/- z(sd/square root n)
Where z for 95% confidence equal is 1.96, sd is the standard deviation and n is the number of samples.
Mean = sum of all data points/n
A complete, step by step solution to solve the 95% confidence interval for a specific data set. Second portion of this answer investigates the effect of removing an outlier from the same data set.