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Fortaleza has implemented an online system to devolve municipal responsibilities, enabling innovative waste management strategies to be developed that recognize the rights of informal waste-pickers.
Fortaleza has set about reshaping residents’ connection to waste. As part of the Recycling Attitudes Program, the city is engaging civil society with awareness campaigns, institutional partnerships, and active campaigns to change the way people produce and think about their waste. Teachers are trained in best recycling practices in order to educate students and arrange community litter-clearing activities. The program has already benefited more than 50% of municipal schools.
Fortaleza is also formalizing the role of waste-pickers in society by offering short-term contracts to waste-pickers at municipally organized events and activities, keeping the city clean and offering an income stream for waste collection. Both strategies have been facilitated by the Fortaleza online system – a paperless, more efficient method of developing and approving all kinds of municipal strategies. Fortaleza aims to achieve 40% recycling and 20% composting rates by 2030 with the help of the new programs.
Around 1% of the world’s population sustains themselves with informal waste-picking and recycling. Recognizing their rights while changing perceptions around waste is the aim of Fortaleza’s waste program.
Economic More than 200 waste-pickers directly benefited from temporary contracting at community events supported by Fortaleza.
Environmental Sports communities, such as canoeing or paddle boarding groups, engage in regular beach-cleaning campaigns involving between 50 and 300 people.
Social Recycling Attitudes has trained 1,000 teachers and 10,000 students in environmental topics and benefited 200 litter collectors. | <urn:uuid:33d8b7bd-14aa-4fb0-acb9-36ff465527f5> | CC-MAIN-2018-26 | http://explorer.sustainia.me/cities/fortaleza-utilizing-digital-tools-to-transform-waste | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-26/segments/1529267864919.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20180623015758-20180623035758-00099.warc.gz | en | 0.927957 | 349 | 2.703125 | 3 |
The ability to learn well depends on many factors: physical and emotional state, stress levels, and the ways parents and teachers use to motivate them. How can you help your child better understand school subjects and form the foundation for a successful life already in childhood? Parents need to be patient, calm and attentive – if you follow these simple tips, you can noticeably improve a child’s learning abilities.
How to make sure that the child was happy to learn and remember the information about words that start adverb clauses well?
1. Choose the right motivation
Hardly any parent wants the learning process to be reduced to rote textbooks – which is why it is very important to awaken in a child’s interest in science and its practical application in real life. Together buy colorful and interesting encyclopedias with simple explanations of the theory of the main subjects, go to natural museums and planetariums more often, find a good channel with educational movies or find a quality online site for learning a foreign language.
2. Teach your child to train his or her memory at home
Quite often both children and parents lack the skills of conscious attention and behavior in everyday life. This applies to the simplest everyday things – constantly lose keys or small items, for example. In the little rules, meanwhile, lies great power. In order not to have to constantly run around the house in search of the right thing, it is necessary to bring their actions to automatism.
Rules should be based on regularity and cyclicality. An example of such a chain: entered the apartment, put the keys on this hook, put the shoes in the closet, went to wash your hands. All actions should follow the same pattern, the next step does not begin until the previous one is completed. The earlier you teach your child to control their everyday actions, the easier it will be to structure and learning processes.
3. Help your child master the skills of speed reading
The amount of information they need to absorb increases with age, and today’s children, unfortunately, increasingly prefer to watch a video than read a book about word with suffixes. As a result, children do not read at all – and this, of course, will have a negative impact on the educational process.
Most children of school age still have a lively and inquisitive mind. It is enough to instill in them a love of reading and properly motivate them to learn, and to teach them useful speed-reading skills. It is necessary to make reading effective: children read better and faster, but there was more comprehension and there was something left in the head.
According to experts, a child’s natural need for this art arises around grade 7-9. With younger schoolchildren you will have to study purposefully, but the child practically from the very beginning will begin to read quickly.
At a free webinar “How to teach your child to read quickly and correctly” children from 6 to 10 years old and their parents will learn how to read several times faster and at the same time remember information perfectly. Nikolay Yagodkin, Russia’s most famous expert on learning and language learning technologies, will show children a fun workout, offer games to hold their attention and reveal the secrets of accelerated reading. And adults will learn what problems most often arise when teaching children to read and how best to avoid them.
4. Close the gaps in the material you’ve learned
Quite often the learning of new material becomes impossible, because for some reason the child didn’t understand what was explained earlier – which means he didn’t have a foundation of the subject. Parents need to carefully find out if this point is the reason for poor performance (from the child himself and the teacher at school).
To effectively close the gaps in knowledge english participles examples, it is worth re-taking the entire subject. For example, if a child is in 7th grade, and the subject began in 5th grade, then take the textbooks from 5th grade and go over everything all over again. It will be easy and fast, because the material is already known. That way the child will get to his or her problem and close the gap. It is also important to train your memory and attention regularly, this will help avoid similar problems in the future.
5. Teach your schoolchild the basics of time management
The ability to plan your actions ahead for a day, a week, a month and so on helps greatly simplify the learning process. Help the pupil to schedule daily chores and responsibilities, show by example how important it is to be punctual and organized.
It is important that the child learns to prioritize, choosing the more important and necessary, but not forgetting the less important. Teach him that sometimes giving up a task is more helpful than not doing it at all for whatever reason. Show him how to break down a large task into smaller ones. And emphasize that vacations and activities need to be planned, too, in order to keep everything on track. | <urn:uuid:85d02305-35a0-4b3d-8e54-6bed8ba93e50> | CC-MAIN-2024-10 | https://ipcgeneralcouncil.org/how-to-help-your-child-learn-better-5-working-ways/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-10/segments/1707947474526.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20240224080616-20240224110616-00891.warc.gz | en | 0.958939 | 1,028 | 3.578125 | 4 |
What is Contract? : A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties. It may be oral or written. A contract is essentially a set of promises regularized by both parties mutually or under the superision of third party. Typically, each party promises to do something for the other in exchange for a benefit. The business environment is full of agreements between businesses and individuals.
While oral agreements can be used, most businesses use formal written contracts when engaging in operations. Written contracts provide individuals and businesses with a legal document stating the expectations of both parties and how negative situations will be resolved. Contracts also are legally enforceable in a court of law. They often represent a tool that companies use to safeguard their resources. Businesses frequently use contracts like; rental agreement with the help of rental agreement template, to ensure that a certain level of service is maintained or that competing companies do not have access to specific economic resources.
The main advantage of legal contracts to minimize liabilities is that it reduces the risk that the company issuing the contracts will be sued. By making sure that all parties agree on the terms of a particular agreement and making everyone sign a contract attesting to this, this strategy reduces the chance that one party will have grounds for legal action later on. Legal contracts provide more certainty for both parties than verbal contracts. They clearly set out the details of what was agreed. Matters such as materials, timeframes, payments and a procedure to follow in the event of a dispute, can all be set out in a contract. If a contract is legal, it will give you more certainty and minimize your business risks and enhance your business life.
Legal contracts have many benefits to your business life. They provide proof of what was agreed between you and the hirer, help to prevent misunderstandings or disputes by making the agreement clear from the outset, give you security and peace of mind by knowing you have work for how long and what you will be paid. Legal contracts clarify your status as an independent contractor, reduce the risk of a dispute by detailing payments, timeframes and work to be performed under the contract, set out how a dispute over payments or performance will be resolved. Legal contracts set out how the contract can be varied and serve as a record of what was agreed.
Legal contracts are changing business life in a positive way and are highly important for the business because they ensure that all parties to the agreement understand what they are agreeing to. For example, if you rent space you make sure that you understand the terms of the lease. If you have a vendor, your agreement would be regarding the costs and other terms of buying items from the vendor. Legal contract are useful for the business because they have consideration. Consideration is giving something of value in return for something else. For example, if you are buying a car, you give the seller a certain amount of money and the seller gives you the car. When you enter into an employment contract, you agree to give service for a specific amount of salary.
Post Articles, videos or images on any subject of your choice and earn cash from our Revenue Sharing Program.
We are also accepting Free Guest Posts with 100% Dofollow links. ... Read More Details | <urn:uuid:cbfb5876-f54f-406f-be0e-870bdbe7c22f> | CC-MAIN-2018-30 | http://gigwriting.com/171104071647/How-Legal-Contracts-Are-Changing-Business-Life-.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-30/segments/1531676591837.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20180720213434-20180720233434-00493.warc.gz | en | 0.961321 | 647 | 2.875 | 3 |
Afghanistan has a rich and diverse culture that has taken shape for thousands of years. The history of Afghani culture can be traced back to the Achaemenid Empire of the 6th century BCE. The culture of Afghanistan is influenced by Islam. There are two official languages in the country; Dari and Pashto. Modernization has resulted in the infiltration of western influences into the Afghani culture, which is most profound in the country’s major cities.
Religion In Afghanistan
Religion plays an integral role in the shaping of Afghanistan’s culture and has influenced other spheres of the country’s culture. Islam is the major religion in the country and is practiced by about 99.7% of Afghan citizens. However, the oldest extant religion in Afghanistan is Zoroastrianism which is believed to have its origins in the country dating back to the 18th century BC. There are an estimated 2,000 Zoroastrians in modern Afghanistan. The history of Buddhism in Afghanistan is traced back to 305 BC when the nation formed part of the Maurya Empire. Islam was introduced to the country in the early 8th century and had grown to be the nation’s dominant religion by the 9th century. 90% of the nation’s population practices Sunni Islam while about 10% of the population identify with the Shia sect of Islam. There is also a significant number of Muslims in the country who identify as nondenominational and modern Muslims. The Christian population in Afghanistan is believed to be comprised of between 500 and 8,000 individuals.
Clothing In Afghanistan
The types of clothes worn in Afghanistan are a reflection of the cultural composition of the country. Many of the traditional attires of the country are made out of light linen and are characterized by loose fittings. Among the most popular traditional attires in Afghanistan is the Pashtun clothing. The attire’s design is inspired by Pashtun culture and comes in male and female variants. The male Pashtun clothing is accessorized with traditional headgear such as the perahan turban or the karakul hat. The female variant is composed of a Firaq partug dress, a long shirt known as a “Kamis” and a belt, and is usually worn during festivities. Many prominent Afghani citizens and government officials wore the Pashtun clothing during formal occasions. The country is also known for its traditional carpets known as Afghan rugs which are woven locally in the western and northern part of the country. The carpets are popular across the globe and have even won international awards on numerous occasions.
Sports In Afghanistan
The most popular sport in the country is cricket, which has a fanatical following in Afghanistan. Interestingly, the Afghanistan national cricket team which represents the country in international competitions played many of its home matches outside the country owing to the security issues Afghanistan faced in the 1990s and early 2000s. Football is another popular sport in the country. The country’s national football team known as the Khurasan Lions was founded in 1922. Despite joining FIFA in 1948, the national football team did not participate in any international matches for 18 years between 1984 and 2002 due to internal political instability. Since returning to international football, the Afghanistan national football team has participated in major football competitions including the South Asia Football Federation Championship and the AFC Challenge Cup. The Khurasan Lions won the 2013 edition of the South Asia Football Federation Championship, their best performance in the competition. Another popular sport in Afghanistan in basketball and the national basketball team has participated in major basketball competitions. The Afghanistan national basketball team emerged as the champions in the 2010 edition of the South Asian Games.
Food In Afghanistan
Afghan cuisine is a reflection of the nation’s cultural diversity. The staple crops in Afghanistan are rice, barley, wheat, and maize. Rice is the dominant food item in many Afghan kitchens, with a local rice dish known as the “Kabuli palaw” being recognized as Afghanistan’s national dish. Meat, particularly lamb and beef, is another important component in Afghan cuisine. Roasted lamb kebab is a popular snack in the country and can be found on many street vendor stalls in the country. As an Islamic nation, consumption of alcoholic drinks is not popular in Afghanistan and mainly observed with expatriates living in major cities such as Kabul. A popular drink in the country is the “doogh” which is made using yogurt, water, and mint. The drink can be prepared at home or purchased in restaurants and grocery stores.
Music In Afghanistan
Music, like many other aspects of Afghani culture, revolves around the nation’s dominant religion, Islam. Traditional music in Afghanistan is diverse, with different regions of the country having distinct traditional musical styles. Indian, Pakistani, and Persian culture has also influenced the music of Afghanistan. The radio played an essential role in the growth of the nation’s music industry with Radio Kabul and Radio Afghanistan being the two oldest radio broadcasters in the country. The industry experienced its golden age in the 1970s, a period that saw the rise of many legendary Afghani musicians. The golden age also marked the explosion of pop music in the country, which catapulted the music careers of Afghani pop artists such as Ehsan Aman and Naghma Shaperai. The Taliban government repressed the music industry, but it has experienced a renaissance since the expulsion of the Taliban in the early 2000s. Bollywood has also influenced music in Afghanistan, with Bollywood music being the favorite in major cities, and especially among the young people. Western music genres have in recent years been embraced in Afghanistan. An example is hip-hop which has a considerable following in Kabul and even has attracted local artists including Soosan Firooz who is often labeled as the country’s first female rapper. Afghani hip-hop features the traditional style of the genre but also incorporates local cultural connotations.
Art In Afghanistan
Art has been part of the Afghani culture for hundreds of years. The oldest oil painting on earth is from Afghanistan. For many years, art in the country revolved around Islam, but in the modern age, artists are drawing inspirations from many other sources for their artworks. The National Gallery of Afghanistan has an extensive collection of local artworks and is the place where many of the top artists in the country exhibit their masterpieces. Other institutions where Afghani art can be seen include the National Archives and the National Museum, both of which are based in Kabul. | <urn:uuid:98e4456b-d029-47f4-bc80-c195251f7673> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/important-aspects-of-the-culture-of-afghanistan.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178376006.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20210307013626-20210307043626-00461.warc.gz | en | 0.966144 | 1,335 | 3.734375 | 4 |
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Curare is a common name for various arrow poisons originating from South America. The three main types of curare are:
- Tubocurare (also known as tube or bamboo curare, because of its packing into hollow bamboo tubes; main toxin is D-tubocurarine). It is a mono-quaternary alkaloid, an isoquinoline derivative.
- Calebas curare (also called "gourd curare" by older British classifications, being packed into hollow gourds; main toxins are alloferine and toxiferine)
- Pot curare (packed in terra cotta pots; main toxins are protocurarine, protocurine, and protocuridine).
Of these three types, some formulas belonging to the calebas curare are the most toxic, relative to their LD50 values.
A curare gun, then, is a gun that shoots darts containing one of these types of curare. | <urn:uuid:6e34ad50-fe2e-4938-9c9a-bfb47e887ec2> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://mafiawars.wikia.com/wiki/Curare_Gun | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102309.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816170516-20170816190516-00367.warc.gz | en | 0.848474 | 224 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Pollution control - Water Quality and Pollution
What areas of water quality are regulated by the Regulatory Unit (Environmental Health)?
- Private Water Supplies For those who extract their drinking water from private boreholes, springs and wells.
- Bathing Waters Swimming pools at leisure centres, Spa pools, hydrotherapy pools.
- Mains Water Mainly water used by manufacturers of foods and drinks, only occasionally looking at domestic supply.
Private Water Supplies
We have a number of domestic private water supplies where we are the responsible authority for monitoring their quality both microbiologically (bacteria) and chemically (e.g. pesticides). The legislation we use is made under the Water Industry Act 1991 and is called the Private Water Supplies Regulations 2010. This details what the standards of the water should be and how often we have to test the water.
We are responsible for inspecting all non Local Authority swimming pools including those in leisure centres, private health clubs, hotels, and Spa pools. If there is a complaint or a problem we will investigate.
Mains Water Supply
We also examine the quality of the mains water in our food manufacturers, including breweries and other food industries.
Domestic mains water is principally the responsibility of the statutory water undertaker, Anglian Water.
If you have any problems with your domestic mains water supply or your wastewater services you should call the Anglian Water Emergency Helpline 08457 145 145 .
Occasionally we become involved in the testing of domestic mains water in collaboration with Anglian Water. For example where ground pollution is affecting water supplies we may use our powers under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ensure the pollution is cleaned up.
Mains Water Quality
The Drinking Water Inspectorate who are the national body for ensuring the quality of water, provide an annual publication titled "How Good is Your Drinking Water?"
Anglian Water give a useful list of the allowable levels of various chemicals and other parameters in drinking water Drinking Water Quality Standards
Last Updated: 25 June 2020 | <urn:uuid:b318a1d6-5df0-484e-9529-aa7e21d4ed58> | CC-MAIN-2021-04 | https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/environmental-health-and-trading-standards/pollution/water-quality | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703517159.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20210118220236-20210119010236-00690.warc.gz | en | 0.928941 | 421 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Let us preface right now that this is not an article where we are giving advice. We are explaining what cryptocurrencies are, how they work, and then our personal thoughts on them as a summary from our podcast on them.
To listen to our podcast on our thoughts on crypto, check it out here.
Great, now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about cryptocurrencies.
Cryptocurrencies, or cryptos, are a fascinating, new age form of spending, buying, and transactions. We’re so used to the tangible forms of money existing in banks or our wallets, a cryptocurrency exists only on computers. Cryptocurrencies aren’t issued or regulated by any central authority, such as governments or banks. This makes a cryptocurrency exchange rate incredibly volatile and can change its worth in a matter of seconds, dropping up and down.
What is a cryptocurrency?
The word ‘cryptocurrency’ itself actually comes from the encryption techniques used to secure the data. Imagine a digital or virtual currency, it’s not tangible, and is secured by cryptography (encrypted using a secret ‘key’) and hosted across different computers around the world. Using an encrypted secret key or password as a form of security, it makes cryptocurrency basically impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. Instead of using a centralised authority to regulate the currency and record transactions, an algorithm does.
Cryptocurrencies are stored on a type of technology called ‘blockchain’.
What is a blockchain?
If you have ever searched Blockchains and Cryptocurrencies, you will find many convoluted answers and not-so-simple terms. In the most simplistic way we can write what a blockchain is, it’s a data structure that holds transactional records to ensure security and decentralisation. It’s a distributed ledger that is open and available to anyone on the network, and once information is stored on the blockchain, it’s incredibly difficult to change or alter it. When a cryptocurrency transaction is made, the transaction is sent out to all of the users hosting a copy of the blockchain. The process of adding to the public ledger is called “mining”. There are some users, called miners, who use software to solve the crypto puzzle and get a few coins as a reward.
Let’s look at what a blockchain is practically. Say you want to send money to your mate who lives somewhere else, perhaps Auckland to London. You would usually use a bank transfer or another third party application to send money across. Using these third parties (including a bank) can often result in a transferring fee, and you never know if a hacker will disrupt the network as you’re trying to send it across. Both options mean you can lose money!
This is why blockchain was created – the process is more direct, easier, and more secure.
How does cryptocurrency work?
Cryptocurrencies use virtual tokens, represented by ledgers in an online system. You can buy goods and services from peers on the online network, but instead of using your traditional debit card, you use numbers on the screen to represent the cryptocurrency in a cryptocurrency wallet.
You can use the software of the cryptocurrency wallet to transfer from one account to another, which means you will need a password (a private key) associated with the account you want to transfer to.
The blockchain database and algorithm is founded on consensus, meaning if the users all solve the puzzle of the transaction, submit the same data, it confirms the transaction is correct. This then goes into the queue for the public ledger to be submitted and voila, transaction complete!
What are the types of cryptocurrency?
There are thousands of alternate cryptocurrencies out there, but for the purpose of this article, we will talk about five of the main ones.
- BITCOIN: The very first, and most popular, type of blockchain-based cryptocurrency is Bitcoin created back in 2009. The first transaction ever recorded on this platform was for a pizza! PayPal has also recently opened themselves up to using Bitcoin as a form of payment.
- DOGECOIN: This cryptocurrency was created using a meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog. It was popularised after receiving support from Elon Musk, Tesla CEO on Twitter, shaking up the already volatile market. Unlike Bitcoin, Dogecoin has no limitations on the number of coins that can be mined using its server.
- ETHEREUM: Another type of cryptocurrency that uses blockchain technology. This software allows contracts to be built and created on its network, without fear or fraud from a third party. To enable transactions on this network, the token to be used is ‘Ether’.
- CARDANO: This was created by a team of engineers, cryptographers, and mathematicians, and was formed through a non-traditional research-based approach. Because it was created through research, it claims to be more sustainable and balanced in comparison to other coins.
- LITECOIN: A cryptocurrency created in 2011 that followed the same tech as Bitcoin, although prides itself on being faster. This means the blocks that are generated, and therefore transactions, are faster than Bitcoin.
Criticisms and commendations about crypto.
Many cryptocurrencies, and crypto as a whole, face criticism for many reasons. Because there is nothing ‘governing’ them, or even remotely regulating them, they are used in illegal activities, and have exchange rate volatility. There are even some vulnerabilities in the infrastructure that creates and binds them. In regards to their relationship to finance and banking as a whole, they are also criticised by regulating authorities for shaping or changing the way people approach money and banking in the future.
On the plus side, these centralised platforms have had praise for their inflation resistance and transparency. It gives more ownership to the individual who owns the currency and provides more security.
Getting your head around cryptocurrencies is a huge task, especially when taking into account the complexity of the software to create and transact on these platforms. Because we’re in the finance game, we love to see how these will change and shake up our industry. We think if a bank were to start to use digital currency, they would have to create and price their own form of it.
Now, that is where it will get interesting! At the moment, it’s a pretty grey area, there isn’t a bank account with it and there is a lack of regulation. We will continue seeing changes in this type of currency, because although we don’t give advice on cryptocurrencies, it is an interesting area to observe!
Head back to our blog to find out more about the industry. | <urn:uuid:22029aef-fe50-4822-badd-7ff646fe40d8> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://moneyempire.co.nz/blog/finance/cryptocurrencies-everything-you-need-to-know/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323585837.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20211024015104-20211024045104-00439.warc.gz | en | 0.952046 | 1,378 | 3.1875 | 3 |
International youth organizations are currently running with a clean slate, which is more than can be said for the boy scouts of America or some religious groups. Most international youth organizations have a positive effect on children and, at worst, have no effect on the children, which is better than a negative effect. So, do such youth organizations influence the development of leadership?
Developing leadership in the young
Whether you believe it or not, there are a number of things that can affect the development of leadership in younger people. It is not outside the realms of possibility to believe that youth organization play their part too. The only counter argument is that they squash as many leadership ambitions and opportunities as they start. Still, on the whole, youth groups seem more likely to have a positive effect on leadership development for the simple reason that it puts the younger person into a different situation in which they may shine.
The youth groups existing today may help influence leadership
This is possible because they put younger people into situations outside the norm, and it is their regular everyday situation that may be holding them back. Often these future-leaders are offset by their teachers, or the class clown, who has the spotlight and leadership abilities. It is a place where a young person may have trouble flexing his or her leadership muscle. But, put that same student in a situation where they are able to move, negotiate and build confidence, and you may start to see leadership abilities develop.
AEGEE is the biggest interdisciplinary student organization in the world. It spans 40 countries and must surely have an effect on the development of leadership. All experiences will have some effect on the leadership development of the younger generations, but this organization is big and tries to spread a positive message. It is encouraging to see that they are trying to convince people to vote for the first time. This non-profit organization is surly having an effect on the development of leadership with our youth.
AIESEC helps to build worldviews, which suggests that they do help the development of leadership in younger people. They are very keen on connecting thought leaders around the world, and such a passion for leading may be passed down to the young people that are part of the organization. They do look to challenge the world views of younger people, which again may help them break away and develop leadership skills. This may be further encouraged, as the AIESEC does claim to help young people identify what they are good at so that they may grow on it.
International Youth Organizations are not training facilities
It is not their job to influence younger people with regards to leadership abilities, but all of them claim the influence younger people in some way. This influence may be used to help a younger person build up some leadership skills.
Positive youth development is a motto that most youth organizations share, so it makes sense that if they can cultivate skills and talents that they should. This is especially true if the skills and talents do not have any other place to grow. Few students and young people are in a position to learn how to lead. As mentioned just above, they are stuck in classrooms where the teach commands the student’s time and the class clown commands their attention. There may be very few opportunities for a student or young person to grow leadership skills, even if that person joins extracurricular activities such as a drama group and such. If youth groups allow these same students to grow their skills, then it could lead to leadership development.
We should also remember that such youth groups do not discriminate based on race, gender, sexuality or height. It is true that most of the leaders of fortune 500 companies are above six feet tall. There are numerous forms of discrimination that may mean certain people do then get the chance to build leadership skills. The youth organizations are also trying to improve on a regular basis, which is very handy because the world changes very quickly and the youth organizations need to catch up. If they can help younger people by influencing them, then they should be able to help younger people build skills. One of the skills may be leadership skills, and if that is the case, then the youth academies will help create a better future for younger people as they emerge with confidence and new skills. | <urn:uuid:faab2785-e80c-4f4a-8b24-63a45b124fec> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://tech.co/news/youth-organizations-influence-leadership-development-2014-07 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662512229.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20220516172745-20220516202745-00057.warc.gz | en | 0.97293 | 854 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Dr. Peter F. Moore, Forestry Officer, Forest Fire Management & Disaster Risk Reduction, in the FAO-Forestry Department originates from Australia and posted the following statement in response to the ongoing wildfire crisis:
“In January 1994 there were four fire related deaths, hundreds of thousands of hectares burnt and fingers of fire crept into the city of Sydney.
- Parliament, the cabinet and the coroner held inquiries and released reports on the reasons, causes of death and the possible means of avoiding the same problems in the future.
On Christmas Day 2001, the concerns of fire authorities in New South Wales were realised – in full measure. The lead-up to summer conditions had been drier than normal. December 25, 2001 was hot with temperatures well over 30C; very low humidity of less than 15 per cent; and winds from the west. These bush fires burnt nearly 700,000ha, with 115 houses and many other buildings destroyed and scores of others damaged.
- And Parliament and the coroner held inquiries and released reports on the reasons and the causes …
Then in January 2003, the concerns of fire authorities in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT were realised – in full measure. Leading up to the summer, conditions had been drier than normal. Bushfires burned into Canberra the national capital …
- And Parliament, the coroner and the Council of Australian Governments held inquiries and released reports on the reasons and the causes …
In 2009 in Victoria with even more tragic results; over 170 deaths, hundreds of buildings, thousands of animals and tens of thousands of hectares.
- There was a Royal Commission, court cases and reports …
With minor variations the above could also be repeated for the fire seasons of 1897, 1912, 1926, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1949, 1951, 1957, 1960, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1977, 1980 and 1983. These events are not “unprecedented”. They have been experienced before and are within living memory. This was pointed out in 2005, noting that there was every reason the fires would be with us again. They are.
Australia is a fire-formed continent in many ways and fire is part of our landscape. The place and role of the invaders – people, plants, buildings and animals – must be mediated with the needs of our fire-formed landscapes for this uneasy relationship to be better managed.
Fires are events that have taken place across landscapes for millennia. They will continue to do so. People have direct and indirect influence on the incidence, impacts and nature of fires and are affected by them. In order to have any success in “managing” fire there must be a strong understanding and knowledge of fire in the landscape being managed. The measures to be put in place are those of sound management, informed by local ecology, shaped by history and constrained by current reality including political, economic, ecological and social reality.
Efforts to deal with the “landscape-sized” requirements to address bushfires and management of natural and human assets, and at the same time the efforts to incorporate protection of a particular species or habitat are not trivial. In most fire seasons, the uneasy relationship between scale, scope, management ethos, funding and political processes goes unnoticed. Bushfire impacts, however, cannot be avoided and the disconnected links are exposed by them, as is the case in the Arctic, the Amazon, California, Indonesia and Australia.
Fire Management has five facets and only one of them is firefighting. Integrated approaches to fire management place greater emphasis on addressing underlying causes and seek long-term, sustainable solutions that incorporate five essential elements (the 5Rs) that are the same as the globally adopted characterisation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, used in describing disaster risk reduction and management, to which Australia is a signatory:
- REVIEW – Analysis of the fire issue and identification of options for positive change;
- RISK REDUCTION – Prevention – focusing resources on the underlying causes of fires;
- READINESS – Preparing to fight fires;
- RESPONSE – Ensuring appropriate responses to unwanted or damaging fires; and
- RECOVERY – Community welfare, repairing infrastructure and restoration of fire-damaged landscapes.
Resources need to be directed to support fire data collection and analysis which improves the understanding of fire causes, identifies existing management practices that encourage harmful fires and promote management systems that take advantage of well-established fire use. Analysis in fire prone areas needs to start before a fire begins.
Data on wildfires/bushfires indicate that 90% of fires are readily contained and burn approximately 10% or less of the total area burnt. This suggests that for those fires the current planning, management and technologies are working reasonably well.
The other ~90% of the area burnt is by ~5-10% of fires. These events are the ones that we see reported and include loss of life, damage and loss to property, infrastructure and also have environmental impacts such as Greece and California in July 2018, again in 2019 and now Australia. These fires are uncontrollable as they exceed the limits of suppression until the weather conditions moderate (particularly wind strength) or the fire no longer has sufficient fuel and the fire burns out. There is nothing that fire fighters can do to stop or contain such fires until conditions change.
The maximum fireline intensity for working directly on the flames is generally considered to be ~4000 kW/m. For indirect attack, where the tactic is to work at a distance from the wildfire, the limit of suppression is ~10 000 kW/m. Extreme wildfire events always exceed these limits. For example, the Pedrógão Grande wildfire that occurred in Portugal in June 2017, burned with fireline intensities from 20 000 to 60 000 kW/m and a rate of spread of 65 m/min (~4 km/h). There will always be some wildfires that exceed the capacity for suppression. The limit of suppression capacity needs to be understood and factored in by communities, agencies and governments.
The dominant approach to fires in the history of developed countries has been to suppress them and undertake prohibition of fire use. The assumption is that damaging fires are due to a lack of means to fight them. The accumulating experience makes clear that firefighting is not a solution to the problem.
Fires are a landscape problem. They are not a problem resulting from insufficient or inadequate means of suppression but from the situation of fuel continuity and accumulation of fuels from vegetation and the proximity to those things of human assets (buildings, communities, infrastructure) and ecological values (particular habitats, species, natural features). The altered landscape has made the population increasingly vulnerable. The solution is resilient landscapes that balance the hazards, reduce risk and can be established and sustained.
Key to successfully integrating ecology, society and fire management technologies is effective analysis of the situation. What is the ecological role and impact of fire in a given area? What is the social, cultural and economic context in which fires are occurring? Who is starting fires and why? What are the characteristics of the fuels in the area and how does fire behave in them under different burning conditions? What other factors or threats are exacerbating the fire problem, such as land tenure issues, illegal logging, invasive species or climate change?
The conference statement of the 7th International Wildland Fire Conference held in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, October 2019, identified that the paradigm of addressing the wildfire (bushfire) problem through individual and disconnected services and actions in fire prevention or suppression should be reframed. Unified and integral planning must ensure and strengthen societal, environmental and economic resilience to landscape fires by addressing:
- Risk governance and ownership
- Dialogue of knowledge, including traditional and indigenous knowledge
- Gender, diversity and inclusion
- Socio-economic innovation in rural landscapes, favouring nature-based solutions
- Strengthening local action
- Creation of resilient ecosystems and communities
During the process of considering the disastrous wildfires in Portugal and Europe of 2017 one fire manager stated “I don’t want more resources I want a better landscape.“
This is one focus that is needed. There are two critical elements that will enable this to be done.
In 2020 there will be a conference held in Australia, Women in Firefighting Australasia (WAFA) Conference – Wednesday 26 – Thursday 27 August 2020. During the 7th International Wildland Fire Conference there was a plenary session on Women’s role on integrated fire management and a special session on Visibility, network, and leadership of Women in Fire, a session on Visions, voices and indigenous knowledge in traditional fire management and on Research, management and traditional communities’ knowledge on integrated fire management: the challenges of the dialogues of knowledge. In Europe the newly funded EU project PyroLife will be training a new generation of interdisciplinary experts in integrated fire management, with an emphasis on gender balance and breadth.
The input, influence, ideas and engagement of women and of traditional and indigenous knowledge in fire management is key both for now, post the bushfires in Australia, and for a risk reduced and resilient future for Australia the fire adapted continent and for wildfires in the world.” (Dr. Peter F. Moore)
Dr. Marcus Lindner, EFI Principal Natural Scientist stresses further the exceptional climatic conditions that fuelled the present wildfire season in Australia as average temperatures and drought were both at record levels in 2019 (see graph and New York Times). The relevance of these factors were described in this article on the impact of climate change on wildfire risk. Moreover, he comments: “Managing the wildfire problem must include not only the landscape level fuel management, it also needs to understand the climate crisis and forests can play a big role in climate change mitigation and shifting the mind sets from a fossil based to a renewable economy. Let us hope that 2020 will be a turning point so that decision makers understand the urgency and take action at all levels“
In this context, EFI published a publication called “straight from the seminar”, presenting the key messages (see Download) of the international conference, “Resilient landscapes to face catastrophic forest fires: global insights towards a new paradigm,” held recently in Madrid. Bringing together fire experts, policymakers and key stakeholders, the conference discussed potentials of new approaches across scales, disciplines and experiences.
Photo credit: MomentsForZen @Flickr | <urn:uuid:0e738b48-ef49-45b8-8008-19f0e270679b> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | http://resilience-blog.com/2020/01/03/bushfires-wildfires-and-damaging-fires-rinse-and-repeat-or-risk-reduction-and-resilience/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296948765.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20230328042424-20230328072424-00169.warc.gz | en | 0.943444 | 2,132 | 3.5 | 4 |
QUICKLINKS AND VIEW OPITONS
Fructose increases food intake, whereas, glucose decreases food intake
Thursday, April 09, 2009 7:38 pm Email this article
Fructose increases food intake is because fructose metabolism requires an enzyme that depletes ATP, whereas, glucose increases ATP, and therefore decreases food intake.
This according to a great new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
They also noted that the rise in consumption of high-fructose corn syrup and sweeteners parallels the rise in the obesity epidemic
Lane M, Cha SH. Effect of glucose and fructose on food intake via malonyl-coa signaling in the brain. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Apr 24, 382(1):1-5.
AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION
M. Daniel Lane
Department of Biological Chemistry
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
512 Wood Basic Science Building
725 N. Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
+1 410 955 0903 Fax
Articles on the same subject can be found here:
Please feel free to share your comments about this article.
© Copyright 2003-2014 - Larry Hobbs - All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:8c9045aa-69f2-4811-bcff-02f2ec6c69bc> | CC-MAIN-2015-40 | http://fatnews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/fructose-increases-food-intake-whereas-glucose-decreases-food-intake | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-40/segments/1443736682773.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20151001215802-00082-ip-10-137-6-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.797949 | 264 | 2.9375 | 3 |
or 'BSC', refers to a
new strategic management approach developed by Dr. Robert Kaplan and
David Norton in the early 1990's as a means of enabling an organization
to clarify its vision from different perspectives and create future
value for the organization by concretizing the metrics and actions
necessary for this vision to come true.
Scorecard is basically a methodology that defines an organization's
performance measurement system or
based on the organization's
Value drivers include everything that enhances the organization's value
- customer service, innovation, operational efficiency, financial
performance, etc. Once these metrics have been defined, they are rolled
up into a 'scorecard', which the company uses to measure, record, and
analyze its performance and determine if it is meeting its goals.
approach not only considers feedback information from the organization's
internal processes, but from various business outcomes as well to
achieve continuous improvements in all aspects that drive the
organization's over-all value. Using
from different aspects of the business (i.e., internal processes,
financial performance, customer satisfaction, human resource
development, etc.) allows the company to acquire a 'balanced' assessment
of its needs and weaknesses and develop the appropriate strategy to come
out with an improved and more balanced set of performance results.
Balanced Scorecard must cascade from the
levels of the company down to the
ranks. It goes without saying that the vision, mission, strategy, and
objectives to which the Balanced Scorecard will be aligned must be set
by no less than the company's top management. Without top management
buy-in, any scorecard defined for the company will have difficulty
getting the necessary support. It would also be a good idea to have a
champion for the Balanced Scorecard within the company.
Equally important is the
awareness of all company personnel of what the corporate goals are, how
these will be measured by the company's Balanced Scorecard, and how each
employee can contribute his or her own share towards the achievement of
This is realized by having everybody in the company keep a personal
scorecard in support of the company's Balanced Scorecard. As a
result, everyone will be driven by metrics and performance data that
toward company success.
scorecard approach works because people are
if they know that they're being measured and they know how they're being
measured. Experts say that this is true whether or not there's an
incentive given for the achievement of the goal.
Scorecard views an organization from
1) the learning and growth perspective; 2) the business process
perspective; 3) the customer perspective; and 4) the financial
perspective. A company must define metrics and collect and analyze
data for each of these perspectives.
'learning and growth'
perspective pertains to the development of the human resources of the
company, and includes the following: 1) personnel training and
improvement; 2) cultivation of corporate culture; 3) organizational
development, including the nurturing of corporate experts,
gurus, and mentors; 4) setting up of fast and efficient knowledge
transfer infrastructure; and 5) opening up of communication lines among
personnel. This perspective supports the concept that people are a
company's main resource and most valuable asset, so metrics defined for
this perspective must measure various aspects of employee improvement,
growth, and satisfaction.
the company's internal business processes. Every manager within the
company must have his or her own set of metrics that determine whether
his or her area of responsibility is performing business to expectations
set by the company's over-all Balanced Scorecard. These business
metrics, which measure various aspects (efficiency, speed, quality,
etc.) of how well the company's products and services are manufactured
to match customer expectations, must be carefully defined by people who
know the internal processes very well.
as its name implies, focuses on customer satisfaction. Keeping the
customers satisfied, if not delighted, is the best way to keep them
loyal to the company. Failure to satisfy the customers will prompt them
to look for other suppliers who can deliver what they want. Customer
satisfaction is not always easy to measure though, so ingenuity may be
needed for the establishment of the appropriate metrics and data
gathering system that will reflect the true sentiment of the customer.
exists to make money. The
perspective is about that - the
company's ability to make money. There is no need to emphasize the importance of
collecting and analyzing financial data in a timely manner, since every
company is doing this already anyway, whether under a BSC program or not.
The difference is that companies practicing the BSC concept do more than
in terms of their financial bottom lines,
which is what most
do. The BSC concept changes that traditional outlook - it ensures that
other non-financial but nonetheless just as important perspectives
influence how a company must be valuated.
The Balanced Scorecard
relies heavily on proper definition of the company's metrics. Choosing
the wrong metrics will not produce the desired results, no matter how
diligently the data are collected and analyzed. It is for this
reason that metrics need to be chosen by people who really know how
they'll impact the company's goals and vision.
will: 1) reflect the true present status of the company from many
different perspectives, allowing decision-makers to make their best
moves; 2) provide constructive feedbacks to various company processes,
leading to continuous improvement; 3) show trends in company performance
over time, facilitating adjustments to changes; and 4) quantify many
things, making analyses more accurate and solutions more effective.
Once the metrics have been
defined and implemented, and scorecard data start pouring in,
Movements in the metrics included in the balanced scorecards, whether
positive or negative, must be analyzed diligently to identify their
causes. Causes that produce positive changes must be sustained, if not
enhanced. On the other hand, causes that produce negative effects
must be eliminated.
When tracing the causes of
movements in the BSC's metrics, one must be aware of their possible
sources. Sources that affect the metrics may come from: 1) the
(government regulations, economic cycles, politics, natural calamities,
etc.); 2) the
(company strategy, company policies, employee compensation,
systems/processes/procedures, etc.); 3) a department or
of individuals (work loads and processes, group relationships, group
morale, etc.); and 4) an
(personality, management style, skills, attitude, etc.). Knowing
the causes of performance data movements and their sources will make it
easier for them to be put under control.
Kaplan and Norton, organizations that are successful in implementing the
balanced scorecard approach follow
to be able to
focus on their strategy and deliver the breakthrough results: 1)
mobilization of change through executive leadership; 2) translation of
the company strategy into operational terms; 3) alignment of the
organization to the strategy; 4) making the strategy everyone's job; and
5) making the strategy a continual process.
here's how Kaplan and Norton described their 'Balanced Scorecard'
concept (source:www.balancedscorecard.org): "The balanced scorecard retains traditional financial measures. But
financial measures tell the story of past events, an adequate story
for industrial age companies for which investments in long-term
capabilities and customer relationships were not critical for success.
These financial measures are inadequate, however, for guiding and
evaluating the journey that information age companies must make to
create future value through investment in customers, suppliers,
employees, processes, technology, and innovation."
TPM / TQM; Kaizen; 6-Sigma; Poka-Yoke; 5S Process
All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:faddce52-4993-40e4-abba-1be5c0232748> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.siliconfareast.com/balscorecard.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164936474/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134856-00083-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912502 | 1,677 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Akbar was the third ruler of the Mughal Dynasty in India from 1556 to 1605. He succeeded Humayun and went on to become one the greatest Mughal Emperors to conquer almost the entire Indian Subcontinent north of the Godavari river. Coins of Akbar also reflect the power of this mighty emperor and they are the most exquisite and varied among the ones that were minted by other Mughal emperors. He was the one who made his mark with the help of Mughal military apart from political, cultural, and economic reforms that he introduced. His religiously and culturally diverse policies helped him gain support of the non-muslim sections of the society. He was the one who revolutionised Mughal style arts, painting, and architecture. Akbar preached about Din-i-Ilahi, a beautiful amalgamation of Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity. He trusted his subjects, irrespective of their caste or religion and offered them important positions in the administrative and military setups. He got rid of the sectarian and celebrated all kinds of festivals.
Japan had conquered many colonies and other states during World War II. Special currency notes were officially issued by Japan in these states to replace local currency. These currency notes were known as Japanese Invasion Money. Both Wartime Finance Bank and the Southern Development Bank used bonds to raise money. Wartime Finance Bank gave loans to military industries, and the Southern Development Bank gave loans for hydroelectric generators, electric power companies, shipbuilding and petroleum. In March 1945, the outstanding balance of Southern Development Bank notes stood at more 13 billion.
Which type are you? Someone who likes to have his/ her tea on sofa, put their legs up and watch the raindrops trickle down the windows or someone who likes to go out there and get all drenched? Whichever type you are; you can’t not fall in love with rains! We thought of giving the monsoons a Mintage World twist. Starting with the ancient Indian musical raga, Raag malhar
To the Buddhists of Tibet, the 14th Dalai Lama is the epithet of compassion. His followers believe that he has so much love to offer that when he dies, he will be reincarnated so that he can keep working to end suffering. To the Indians he was no less.
The day of 4th July 1776 declared America free from the Great Britain and its Kings. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress adopts the “Declaration of Independence” proclaiming the independence of the United States of America! The thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer under British rule. Instead, they formed a new nation—the United States of America! | <urn:uuid:483e1a98-8cfe-408d-89f7-884563663ddd> | CC-MAIN-2018-34 | https://www.mintageworld.com/blog/2016/07/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-34/segments/1534221213247.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20180818001437-20180818021437-00345.warc.gz | en | 0.969352 | 564 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Cigarette smokers who quit the habit may reap the benefit in the form of healthier gums. This may help them hold on to their teeth over the long run, according to a new study.
Researchers found smokers with gum disease who quit smoking experienced a significant improvement in their gum disease within one year of quitting compared with those who kept smoking.
"Our study shows that people should stop smoking now if they want to increase their chances of keeping their teeth into old age," says researcher Philip Preshaw, a clinical lecturer in periodontology at Newcastle University's School of Dental Sciences in England, in a news release.
"Dentists have known for some time that smokers have worse oral and gum health than nonsmokers, but for the first time we have shown that quitting smoking together with routine gum treatment results in healthier gums," says Preshaw.
Gum disease is caused by bacteria found in plaque, the sticky white substance that builds up on teeth without proper cleaning. The bacteria causes the gums to become inflamed, and eventually the gums begin to recede from the teeth, resulting in gaps between the teeth and gums that gradually destroy the bone that holds teeth in place.
Over time, this process causes teeth to become loose, fall out, or require extraction.
Quitting Smoking Helps Teeth
Researchers say smokers are up to six times more likely to develop gum disease than nonsmokers because smoking dampens the body's immune system and makes it harder for it to fight back against the disease.
In the study, which appears in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, researchers followed 49 cigarette smokers being treated for gum disease. All of the smokers expressed an interest in quitting and were offered encouragement to quit smoking in the form of counseling, nicotine therapy, and/or medication at the start of the study.
A year later, one-fifth of the participants had quit smoking. Researchers found a significant improvement in gum health and decrease in some gum disease symptoms among the smokers who had quit compared with those who kept smoking.
Because gum disease is often painless until discovered by a dentist, researchers say many smokers may be unaware of the impact their smoking can have on their oral health.
"But the increased risk of tooth loss may be enough to persuade many to quit smoking. Dentists must do all they can to inform patients of the risks and to assist patients who smoke to stop before the disease takes hold," says Amanda Sandford, Research Manager for Action on Smoking and Health U.K., in the release.
SOURCES: Preshaw, P. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, August 2005; vol 32: pp 869-879. News release, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. | <urn:uuid:66e0c67b-2499-4127-b2de-b4ef4ee1c571> | CC-MAIN-2017-17 | http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/07/21/quit-smoking-get-healthier-teeth-and-gums.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917123491.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031203-00229-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961303 | 563 | 3.140625 | 3 |
What Is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?
OSHA Logo - Copyright of OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor. Originally, OSHA was created in 1970 and is responsible for directing initiatives that relate to the health and safety of workers across the country.
OSHA also helps businesses by providing guidance and compliance documentation on how to reduce accidents, workplace injuries, and to provide a safer environment for employees to work in.
OSHA originally had federal visitor powers to inspect offices and workplaces. OSHA’s coverage has since increased, and it now covers most private and public sector employers and their employees across a range of different industries.
OSHA’s coverage spreads across all 50 states and it also covers US territories and jurisdictions, including:
- The District of Columbia
- Puerto Rico
- American Samoa
- Northern Mariana Islands
- US Virgin Islands
- Wake Island
- Johnston Island
- Outer Continental Shelf Lands
Why Is OSHA Important?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s core mission is to offer trainings, compliance assistance and to pilot health and safety programs across the country.
OSHA’s mission is to “assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.”
OSHA outlines the responsibilities for employers to ensure that they provide a safe workplace to their employees. The OSH Act specifies these requirements to ensure employers create a safe workplace with no legal hazards.
In case any problems are detected, employers must take action and fix any health and safety issues. The OSH Act also specifies worker rights, including important clauses, such as the fact that temporary workers must be treated like permanent employees and should be accorded the same safety standards.
The OSH Act grants full authority to OSHA to issue guidelines for workplace health and safety. From regulations to limiting hazardous chemical exposure to making sure that employees have access to hazardous chemical information, OSHA works to ensure a safer and more secure environment for workers across the country.
What Is OSHA Responsible For?
OSHA is responsible for making sure that workplace accidents are reduced, and to provide a safer environment to employees and employers. To achieve its goals, OSHA’s responsibilities are divided across several categories.
Devising Standards and Safety Requirements
As mentioned above, OSHA is responsible for setting workplace standards and requirements, and determining which environments they apply to. OSHA’s role is two-part:
- Establish standards and determine which environments they’re applicable in.
- Enforce those standards and ensure that employers comply with them.
To ensure that employers abide by these regulations and standards set by OSHA, they also offer a wide range of tools and hands-on training for both employers and employees.
OSHA’s requirements include explaining the procedures, the equipment or detailing the training methods to ensure employers and employees both understand the purpose behind these safety measures, and how to enforce them effectively.
OSHA is also responsible for enforcing these standards. Employees or OSHA representatives have the authority to issue fines that can range well into the thousands of dollars if they find employers in violation of OSHA standards.
In serious situations, employees also have the authority to refer offenders or violators for criminal prosecution as well. In case of any illnesses or job-related accidents, OSHA is also capable of launching inquiries to determine the causes.
OSHA has handed out fines to many companies. It’s most significant action was in 2005, and against BP Products of North America Inc. After an explosion and a subsequent fire at their refinery that ended up injuring 170 workers and killing 15, OSHA launched a widespread investigation.
The resulting penalties amounted to a total of $87.4 million.
Requirements for Recordkeeping
As per OSHA requirements, certain employers, especially those working in industries that carry a higher hazard, are required to maintain records of any serious injuries or illnesses in the workplace.
This information is necessary for employers, its employees, and must be made available to OSHA in case of an inspection.
Coverage of the OSHA Act
The OSHA Act covers the following:
Private Sector Employees
All private sector employees across 50 states and other jurisdictions of the USA are covered under the OSHA Act. In some cases, coverage is offered directly via OSHA, or through a state plan that’s approved by OSHA.
Federal OSHA carefully reviews and monitors state plans and in most cases, offers up to 50% of the funding required to keep the programs running. It also requires state-run programs to be similar in terms of effectiveness to its federal counterparts.
Local or State Governments
While local or state government employees aren’t covered by federal OSHA, they still have access to OSHA protections, as long as the states they are in have an OSHA state plan.
All federal government agencies are covered by OSHA protections. All federal agency heads are directly responsible for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions for employees.
Federal agencies are also required to establish a health and safety program that is on par with the standards set for private employers.
What’s Not Covered Under the OSHA Act?
The OSHA Act doesn’t cover:
- Any self-employed individuals
- immediate family members of farm workers,
- Any workplace hazards that are regulated by another federal agency, such as the Department of Energy.
Ensure OSHA Compliance with EcoOnline’s Health & Safety Software
EcoOnline’s Health & Safety Software allows organizations to maintain illustrious records of all workplace incidents, responses, and assessments. It is a cloud-based platform that is highly modular, allowing organizations operating in different industries to seamlessly maintain records and track events.
This helps organizations maintain full compliance with OSHA requirements and also allows them to improve safety standards in the workplace. | <urn:uuid:d2f1cfe6-baa4-440d-82fb-9ac33384e280> | CC-MAIN-2024-10 | https://www.ecoonline.com/glossary/the-occupational-safety-and-health-administration | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-10/segments/1707947473738.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20240222093910-20240222123910-00331.warc.gz | en | 0.948382 | 1,240 | 3.65625 | 4 |
Progressives and Patriots
Filed Under: Opinion, Politics | Posted: 12/21/2012 at 1:22PM
Comments | Region: United States
The evolution of words throughout American history has become a battleground of ideals. Take the word “progressive” as an example. The use of “progressive” in politics has evolved greatly since the start of the 19th century. Theodore Roosevelt used the word freely during his campaign of 1912 when he ran as the presidential candidate for the Progressive Party, commonly known as the “Bull Moose” Party. He had previously served as president as a Republican, but ran as a third party candidate when the Republican Party chose Taft to be their candidate. He ran against the man he had chosen as his successor over a clash of political ideologies.
Roosevelt saw the key to America greatness as hard work. In an essay titled, “The Strenuous Life”, Roosevelt wrote, “No country can long endure if its foundations are not made deep in the material prosperity which comes from thrift, from business energy and enterprise, from hard, unsparing effort in the fields of industrial activity; but neither was any nation ever truly great if it relied upon material prosperity alone… If we stand idly by, if we seek merely swollen, slothful ease and ignoble peace, if we shrink from the hard contests where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by, and will win for themselves the domination of the world.” Roosevelt chose the word “progressive” to describe his attitude toward politics: He believed that true national greatness can only be achieved by constant effort.
“Patriot” is another word that has evolved over time to suit the needs of its users. It is solidly rooted in the soul of America. From our origins as a British colony, the concept of patriotism was chosen to create a collective identity, an intense desire to be a new nation separate from imperial control. The American patriot was a man who would put liberty ahead of his own life, sacrificing all that he had acquired. His family, wealth, and survival were secondary to the concept of creating a sovereign nation and protecting it all costs.
George Washington wrote, "Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations." Loosely translated from colonial English to contemporary language, the patriot of history was willing to sacrifice everything in order to protect the first principles of our nation’s founding.
The concepts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were new to America, setting our nation apart from the rest of the world. It is a model of government that has been copied by other new nations over the past 300 years, and no nation can be free of foreign control without the common identity founded in patriotism. The problem is, the patriot of today has been distorted into someone who would never be recognized by our founding fathers.
In recent years, the concept of patriotism has been confused with nationalism, that blind allegiance to government, no matter how corrupt and devoid of basic fundamental rights that government might be. In the United States, patriots have been characterized as mindless conservative zealots who seek to block all change in order to preserve the status quo. Democrats have used the word to attack Republicans, and liberals use it to attack conservatives.
In the middle of it all is the Tea Party, that leaderless, loosely organized collection of Americans who stand for a return to the fundamental Constitutional principles of the United States of America. They have been vilified by use of the word, ‘Patriot’, when the use of the word should describe the best ideals that they possess.
Somewhere in the evolution, the true meaning has been abandoned by both liberals and conservatives. While liberals use patriotism to symbolize war-loving, flag-waving dolts who are resistant to change, conservatives use the word ‘Progressive’ as an expletive; the antithesis of patriotism. Conservatives consider progressives as pacifist ideologues who seek to throw out the status quo in favor of change, without any regard for whether that change is good or bad for the country. They are both wrong.
It is possible to be both a progressive and a patriot. There are many Americans who have been indoctrinated through manipulation of the meaning of those words to believe that true patriots don’t believe in progressivism, and true progressives don’t believe in patriotism. Progressives should stand for constructive change, while patriots should preserve and protect the fundamental principles that made this country great. We need both. Without them, the balance that has provided generations of Americans with a blueprint for the future will never be regained.
True American patriotism, the New Patriotism, should be above party politics and ideology. True American progressivism, the New Progressivism, should be the means by which we address our problems as a nation and solve them. We will never solve our problems by fearing and resisting change. To deny that change is necessary, to huddle in the past with the attitude, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” is to deny that parts of our nation are broke and are in serious need of fixing.
It is the American Way. | <urn:uuid:8faa4af3-640b-4728-b9e1-69937b107646> | CC-MAIN-2014-42 | http://groundreport.com/progressives-and-patriots/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-42/segments/1414119660038.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20141024030100-00206-ip-10-16-133-185.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961394 | 1,147 | 2.84375 | 3 |
This session was originally held on March 6, 2020.
This interactive webinar will make use of several senses to explore simple ways to connect with elements of nature. There will be facilitated discussions around the benefits of nature on mental health, the value of growing and eating your own vegetables/herbs, and easy ways to “grow your own.” Outcomes include confidence to be in nature and conduct the activities presented resulting in deeper self-care.
Koh Ming Wei aka “intellectual farmer” has insatiable curiosity and is a researcher, educational consultant, curriculum developer, māmaki farmer, and distiller. Her research includes how the school learning garden experience is a context conducive to teaching core subjects, STEM, foundational life skills, and has created the Pedagogy of Food to frame the kind of education she believes in and shares. Widely traveled, Ming Wei is interested in how different cultures and indigenous communities work with nature to resolve ecological and social challenges through community partnerships, food, and place-based education. | <urn:uuid:610186b4-4bd3-4a94-bf54-c162e656aa62> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://vimeo.com/396039228 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500126.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20230204110651-20230204140651-00170.warc.gz | en | 0.954175 | 212 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Identity theft has been a serious concern among security professionals for the last several decades. Increased use in social media and Smartphones have led to additional risks. According to a survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute in 2010, half of all respondents said they did not protect themselves online. The 2012 Identity Fraud Report, released in February of this year by Javelin Strategy and Research, also pointed to concerns about online identity theft. Specifically, users of social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn experienced higher incidences of identity theft, although the report notes that no causative link has been found.
The Internet posed security threats to consumer behavior as more and more people signed up. Today, social media and Smartphones pose just as great a threat especially as the Internet becomes more integrated into daily life. Consumers and businesses must take steps to protect themselves and avoid risky behaviors. Using a service like LifeLock will help to keep your information safe, but is not a license to throw all caution to the wind.
A major risky behavior revealed by the Javelin report is inappropriate sharing of personal information on social media websites. Posting a phone number or home address on a public note is a major risk that can lead to identity theft. Unlike with paper documents, a social media user cannot shred a web page. The Javelin report emphasizes that social media users are simply not thinking before posting personal information.
Risky behavior connected with Smartphone usage includes not updating to a new operating system, not using a password and saving login data on the device itself. This makes a smartphone user vulnerable if the smartphone is ever lost or stolen. Third-party apps may also be a source of risk, especially the ones that demand broad access to a smartphone account in order to operate.
Other risky behaviors include giving out a credit card number to a suspicious website or vendor. The majority of identity theft involves shenanigans with credit cards. During tax season, which is fast drawing to a close, taxpayers are also susceptible to identity theft through bogus tax preparation schemes and the like.
Identity theft is a serious problem that can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars to repair once it has taken place. The best prevention is to act safely. Institutions may suffer data breaches, but consumers do not have to add to the likelihood of having their identity stolen. | <urn:uuid:aa71fde2-3b97-43db-938c-6e1a8fd33045> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | http://www.techpaparazzi.com/risky-behaviors-that-lead-to-indentity-theft/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128322873.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170628065139-20170628085139-00689.warc.gz | en | 0.951708 | 473 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Recent efforts toward developing vaccines against group B streptococci (GBS) have focused on increasing the immunogenicity of GBS polysaccharides by conjugation to carrier proteins. to tetanus toxoid by reductive amination. The resulting conjugates stimulated the production in animals of high-titer type II- and III-specific antibodies which induced opsonophagocytic killing of type II and III strains of group B streptococci. For the type II conjugates immunogenicity increased as oligosaccharide size decreased whereas for type III conjugates the size of the oligosaccharides did not significantly influence immunogenicity. When oligosaccharides of defined size were conjugated through sialic acid residues the resulting cross-linkages were shown to affect immunogenicity. When oligosaccharides were conjugated through terminal aldehyde groups generated by deamination modification from the exocyclic string of sialic acidity did not impact immunogenicity. Group B streptococci (GBS) are a significant reason behind neonatal sepsis and meningitis and of intrusive infections in non-pregnant adults with root ailments (7). Although antibodies aimed towards the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) antigens are protecting these antigens are variably immunogenic (6). The immunogenicity of GBS CPS antigens continues to be improved by covalent coupling to proteins to create CPS-protein conjugate vaccines (1-5 18 21 23 25 29 Experimental GBS type III polysaccharide (GBSP-III)- and oligosaccharide-tetanus PIK-75 toxoid conjugate vaccines of different styles have been created and their immunogenicity examined in pets (21 29 (The word “oligosaccharide” is normally utilized to designate sugars including between 2 and PIK-75 10 monosaccharide devices per molecule . For comfort and uniformity with related released materials [12 15 23 25 29 the word oligosaccharide can be used with this paper to point a fragment acquired by chemical substance or enzymatic cleavage of the indigenous polysaccharide.) Generating GBS oligosaccharides can be a difficult job due to the acid-labile antigenically essential sialic acidity residues present in the termini of the medial side chains of most GBS CPS serotypes. Enzymatic PIK-75 digestive function of the sort III CPS with endo-β-galactosidase allowed the creation of oligosaccharide-tetanus toxoid (TT) conjugates which became immunogenic in pets (21). Sadly the specificity from the endo-β-galactosidase is fixed to type III CPS. We wanted a facile chemical substance degradation for the sort III polysaccharide (PS) and perhaps those of additional CPS serotypes FCGR1A remember the acidity lability from the sialic acidity residues. Lately Laferriere and coworkers (15) used a traditional carbohydrate degradation technique sequential type b and diphtheria toxin induced by conjugates of oligosaccharides of the sort b capsule using the nontoxic proteins CRM197. Infect. Immun. 39:233-238. [PMC free of charge content] [PubMed] 2 Anderson P. M. E. R and Pichichero. A. Insel. 1985. Immunogens comprising oligosaccharides through the capsule of Haemophilus influenzae type b combined to diphtheria toxoid or CRM197. J. Clin. Investig. 76:52-59. [PMC free of charge content] [PubMed] 3 Anderson P. W. M. E. Pichichero E. C. Stein S. Porcelli R. F. Betts D. M. Connuck D. Korones R. A. Insel J. M. R and Zahradnik. Eby. 1989. Aftereffect of oligosaccharide string length subjected terminal group and hapten launching for the antibody response of human being adults and babies to vaccines comprising type b capsular antigen uniterminally combined towards the diphtheria PIK-75 proteins CRM197. J. Immunol. 142:2464-2468. [PubMed] 4 Anderson P. W. M. E. Pichichero R. A. Insel R. Betts R. D and Eby. H. Smith. 1986. Vaccines comprising periodate-cleaved oligosaccharides through the capsule of Haemophilus influenza type b combined to a proteins carrier: structural and temporal requirements for priming in the human infant. J. Immunol. 137:1181-1186. [PubMed] 5 Avery O. T. and W. F. Goebel. 1931. Chemo-immunological studies on conjugated carbohydrate-proteins. V. The immunological specificity of an antigen prepared by combining the capsular polysaccharide of type III pneumococcus with foreign protein. J. Exp. Med. 54:437-447. [PMC free article] [PubMed] 6 Baker. | <urn:uuid:b0a55fec-60a2-48b9-8c80-65eb307228fb> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | http://healthyfutureforkids.com/recent-efforts-toward-developing-vaccines-against-group-b-streptococci-gbs-have/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250609478.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20200123071220-20200123100220-00490.warc.gz | en | 0.827089 | 1,110 | 2.53125 | 3 |
There are many states in India where Hindus are in minority but still deprived of getting minority special status.
Jammu & Kashmir
After a continuous struggle of six centuries and several failed attempts of Umayyads, Abbasids, Ghaznavids, Kashmir finally fell into Muslim hands in mid of 14th century CE.Because of severe atrocities like forceful mass conversion, destructions of temples, abduction of women and massacres Hindus became minority in the region. In 1990 there were around 5 lakh Kashmiri Hindus who were compelled to leave the valley by Pakistan sponsored terrorism.
Today, there are only 28.34% (2011 census) Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir, completely wiped out from POK and Kashmir valley.
The ancient Panchnad region of Vedic Hindus faced countless invasion even since Alexander and before. But kept standing proudly as the bulwark of Bharat.
The Muslim atrocities medieval era reduced Hindu population to great extent. In 1947, a larger part of Punjab went into Pakistan where Hindus and Hindudom has been completely wiped out.
Today in Indian Punjab the Hindu population is only 38.5%.
Until the beginning of 19th century, the total population of Meghalaya was following indigenous religion. Ceaseless conversion for last two centuries has made the sate 75% Christian.
Today, Hindu population in Meghalaya is 11% only.
Arunachal Pradesh is the region where sage Parashuram washed away sins, the sage Vyasa meditated, King Bhishmaka founded his kingdom, and Lord Krishna married his consort Rukmini.
Today, Hindu population is only 29% in Arunachal Pradesh
Until the beginning of 18th century, 100% Manipuris were following indigenous religion.
Today Hindu population in Manipur is only 41%
Till early 19th century, Naga people were followers of indigenous religion.
Today, Hindu Population is only 8%.
In union territory of Lakshdweep the Hindu Population is only 2%.
Source: Census 2011. | <urn:uuid:d3bae14f-890c-4a44-b17c-31b3c1b3a03c> | CC-MAIN-2018-30 | http://theanalyst.co.in/2017/09/11/states-with-hindu-minority/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-30/segments/1531676589536.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20180716232549-20180717012549-00267.warc.gz | en | 0.94894 | 419 | 3.203125 | 3 |
Changing With the Tide
This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection
This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.
This resource received an Accept or Accept with minor revisions rating from a Panel Peer Review process
These materials were reviewed using face-to-face NSF-style review panel of geoscience and geoscience education experts to review groups of resources addressing a single theme. Panelists wrote reviews that addressed the criteria:
- scientific accuracy and currency
- usability and
- pedagogical effectiveness
- Accept with minor revisions
- Accept with major revisions, or
Following the panel meetings, the conveners wrote summaries of the panel discussion for each resource; these were transmitted to the creator, along with anonymous versions of the reviews. Relatively few resources were accepted as is. In most cases, the majority of the resources were either designated as 1) Reject or 2) Accept with major revisions. Resources were most often rejected for their lack of completeness to be used in a classroom or they contained scientific inaccuracies.
This page first made public: Aug 30, 2006
This material is replicated on a number of sites as part of the SERC Pedagogic Service Project
This lesson plan is written around a brief role-play in which students learn about and act out the behavior of plants and animals in a salt marsh habitat as the tides change. An unusual feature of salt marshes is the dramatic daily change in stresses and interactions that the organisms face.
- Describe three different aspects or life forms of the salt marsh.
- Compare and contrast the low and high marsh.
- Explain what happens in different areas of the marsh at low and high tide.
- Explain the roles different organisms (or other elements) play in the salt marsh by acting out a salt marsh scene. | <urn:uuid:16cd87af-db40-4ca4-9c54-635c92979d75> | CC-MAIN-2014-42 | http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/roleplaying/examples/tide.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-42/segments/1414637900397.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20141030025820-00241-ip-10-16-133-185.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948263 | 472 | 3.40625 | 3 |
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While our rights to protest are protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it’s an offense to block a highway or a workplace “for the purpose of compelling a person to abstain what he or she has a lawful right to do,” according to the April 1 court decision that approved logging company Teal-Jones’ request to ban blockaders so the company could continue cutting down trees in the area.
“What is at stake in this Court is the maintenance of law and order and respect for the rule of law. The protestors are free to protest, demonstrate, and attempt to influence the government in any lawful way they may choose. But no one has the right to disobey a court order, no matter how passionately they may believe in their cause.”
Refusing to abide by a court-ordered injunction is typically a civil offense, known as a civil contempt of court. But if a person further resists the injunction following a civil charge or resists police efforts to enforce the injunction it can result in a criminal charge, known as a criminal contempt of court.
Importantly, members of Pacheedaht and Ditidaht First Nations, whose traditional territories encompass what is called Fairy Creek, have special rights when it comes to accessing their lands as they have their own nations’ laws to follow. As journalists Erin Seatter and Jerome Turner ask in an explainer for Richochet related to the Wet’suwet’en standoff, these types of conflict beg the question: “Whose laws apply? And which laws?” Legal scholars have found that the use of injunctions overwhelmingly favours corporations at the expense of Indigenous rights.
At the same time, the tradition of civil disobedience uses non-violent protest as a way to challenge laws that are deemed unjust. In an information sheet about arrests created by organizers of the Fairy Creek blockades, they remind potential arrestees to stay calm and peaceful and remember that “what is legal is not a measure of what is right.” Demonstrators that are currently chaining themselves to trees or underground say they are knowingly risking arrest to protect old-growth forests. Whether or not their actions respect the rights and wishes of the Indigenous title holders of the lands in question is another matter.
History shows that these tactics work. Canada’s largest act of civil disobedience, which resulted in nearly 1,000 arrests in the forests of Clayoquot Sound in the ‘90s, resulted in significant changes to forestry practices in B.C. and the creation of a provincial park. Logging company Macmillan-Bloedel gradually turned over control of its tree farm licence to the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations, The Narwhal reports.
In its section outlining lessons from other jurisdictions, the old-growth strategic review notes that “most of the areas that adopted a system of significant old forest protection did so as a response to overwhelming public pressure that included either civil disobedience or legal actions.” [end]
Got a question about Fairy Creek? Write to us. | <urn:uuid:df5b8206-710c-4e0f-beb8-79b7c140e4a5> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://thediscourse.ca/vancouver-island/are-the-fairy-creek-blockaders-protesting-legally | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030337524.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20221004184523-20221004214523-00246.warc.gz | en | 0.954067 | 662 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge Monitoring
The Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located at the north end of Bear Lake in southeastern Idaho.
It is a managed wetland system through which streamflow diverted from the Bear River flows into Bear Lake.
In the late spring and summer, water stored in Bear Lake is pumped through the Bear Lake Outlet Canal and
back into the Bear River. The Outlet Canal flows through the wetland system.
This website presents continuous environmental monitoring data being collected in the Bear Lake National
Wildlife Refuge. These data are stored in a database that uses the
CUAHSI Observations Data Model
and are served via several different data access applications. | <urn:uuid:36d41e55-5903-4d22-be6b-d35a1ef4a646> | CC-MAIN-2016-40 | http://mudlake.usu.edu/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-40/segments/1474738660957.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160924173740-00095-ip-10-143-35-109.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927959 | 139 | 2.734375 | 3 |
No, it’s a guineafowl! Turkey raises and releases thousands of non-native guineafowl to eat ticks that carry the deadly Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Yet research suggests guineafowl eat few ticks, but carry the parasites on their feathers, possibly spreading the disease they were meant to stop.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever was identified as an emerging disease in Turkey in 2002. Initial symptoms include high fever, headache, back pain, joint pain, stomach pain and vomiting. Common symptoms include red eyes, a flushed face, a red throat and red spots on the palate. More severe symptoms include jaundice and mood and sensory perception changes. From about day four and for two weeks, patients have large bruised areas and serious nosebleeds. Recovery is slow; the existence of long-term complications is uncertain. Outbreaks of the viral disease have led to death rates ranging from 9 percent to 50 percent among hospitalized patients.
Between 2002 and last May, the tick-borne virus infected 6,392 people in Turkey and killed 322 of them. The virus was first identified in Crimea in 1944 and then in the Congo in 1969, and now it is found in Eastern and Southern Europe, the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, northwest China, central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Turkey has been attributed to several possible causes, including changes in land use and hunting practices, movement of livestock, climate change, migratory birds and fragmentation of habitat caused by a decline in agriculture and resulting increase in forest, creating habitats for both domestic and wild animals that carry ticks. See: http://goo.gl/QCfTx | <urn:uuid:8be87581-b76a-4cb1-9abd-27f206a04b59> | CC-MAIN-2016-50 | https://microbiologybytes.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/is-this-research-a-turkey/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-50/segments/1480698541692.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20161202170901-00275-ip-10-31-129-80.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94876 | 350 | 3.515625 | 4 |
The strength of the BMW M4 Coupé is evident in every detail.
Tokyo - Japan's eight carmakers have joined forces to develop environmentally friendly engines to stave off fierce competition from foreign rivals, a press report said on Sunday.
Two of Japan's leading universities will join Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Daihatsu and Fuji Heavy in the project, which is mainly aimed at slashing engine emissions to meet tougher environmental standards, the business daily Nikkei reported.
By 2020 the group, which includes the University of Tokyo and Waseda University, plans to develop technology that can cut diesel engine carbon-dioxide emissions by 30 percent from 2010 levels.
The manufacturers plan to adapt the technology for commercial use in both diesel and petrol-powered vehicles, the Nikkei said, hoping to gain a leg up over European carmakers as well as helping to meet tightening environmental regulations around the world.
Japanese car companies long held the advantage in low-emission and fuel-efficient engines, but German giants BMW and Volkswagen are seen as having caught up in recent years, particularly in diesel engine development.
The project is forecast to cost about two billion yen (R204 million) in its first three years from the current fiscal year, Nikkei said, with the Japanese government set to subsidise two-thirds of the first year costs.
Despite growing demand for electric vehicles, internal combustion engines are expected to remain the main source of power for cars for the time being.
Conventional combustion-powered vehicles are estimated to account for 89 percent of cars produced worldwide in 2030, according to a survey by the thinktank Fuji Keizai Group. | <urn:uuid:2c384026-1e57-416d-a07f-9c340efdfab2> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/japanese-team-up-to-improve-engines-1.1690124 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1406510273513.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20140728011753-00288-ip-10-146-231-18.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951683 | 344 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Discord is a social media site you get to engage with people through texts.
It is difficult to convey your emotion and gravitas through the text, emoticons can do that work but they miss out on subtlety and are not professional. Hence while writing the texts we need a certain type of formatting. In this article, we will learn how to bold, Italic, and strike through a text.
How to bold?
You can bold a single word or you can bold the whole sentence as per your requirement.
To bold a single word in discord use the following steps.
- Type “**” before the word you want to bold and then again add “**” after the word. Example: **discord**, it will appear as discord.
- There should not be any space between the “**” and the words you want to bold.
- To bold a sentence use type “**” before starting the sentence and again type “**” after finishing the sentence.
For example: **This is discord** it will appear as This is discord in the text message.
Again there should not be space between the “**” and first and last letters of the sentence.
How to Italicize?
Similarly, you can italicize a single word as well as a whole sentence.
To italicize you need to follow the following steps:
- Type “*” before the word and again “*” after the word
Example : *discord*, it will appear as discord.
- To Italicize a sentence use “*” at the starting of the sentence and end the sentence with “*”.
Example : *This is discord* it will appear as This is discord.
How to bold and italicize?
You can bold as well as italicize the words simultaneously. To bold and italicize simultaneously follow these steps :
Step1: Type “***” before the words and “***” after the sentence.
Example: ***Discord** it will appear as Discord.
How to Strike through
Strike through can be used to bring clarity and correction in the conversation.
- To strike through a word type “ ~~ ” before the word and “~~” after the sentence.
Example: ~~discord~~ it will appear as discord.
- Similarly to strike through a sentence using “~~” before the first letter of the sentence and again after the last letter of type “~~” of the sentence.
Example: ~~This is discord~~ it will appear as This is discord.
There you have the basics of formatting in the discord.
Discord is an extremely useful platform to connect and find the like-minded community a engage through them and you could use these formatting methods to convey your point further. | <urn:uuid:29a7f79b-aa71-4048-8f1c-683316b60820> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://www.imam-khomeini-isf.com/how-to-bold-italicize-and-strike-through-in-discord/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046154385.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20210802203434-20210802233434-00711.warc.gz | en | 0.931383 | 608 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Based on Robert Edsel’s book of the same title, George Clooney’s latest film, “The Monuments Men,” tells the true story of American and European art experts who recovered several million cultural objects from Nazi art repositories at the end of World War II.
Elizabeth Campbell Karlsgodt, an associate professor of history at the University of Denver, watched the movie with special interest. Author of “Defending National Treasures: French Art and Heritage Under Vichy” (Stanford University Press, 2011), which focuses on French cultural policy during World War II, Karlsgodt is an expert on Nazi art looting and was interviewed for a recent National Geographic special, “Hunting Hitler’s Stolen Treasures: The Monuments Men.” In preparation for her next book, she took a sabbatical last year to do research at the U.S. National Archives and in Paris, London, Amsterdam, The Hague and Brussels.
Q: You are working on a new book about Nazi art looting. What will this one focus on?
A: It will examine the art recovery process carried out by members of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) section of western Allied forces, otherwise known as the Monuments Men — and Women. I’m looking at the restitution process established by the MFAA in Germany, in which works of art were returned to countries of origin and national governments established claims procedures for private owners. The book will compare restitution policies in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, focusing on unclaimed works of art that eventually were appropriated by the governments for state-run museums.
Q: What does restitution mean in this context?
A: It means returning works of art to their rightful owners, which often was a complicated process. The major art collectors held significant ownership documentation, such as insurance policies and photographs. However, many smaller collectors or their descendants lacked documentation required to make a valid claim. Thousands of Jewish collectors also sold pieces under duress during the Nazi era as a result of anti-Semitic persecution. After the war, officials usually considered those sales voluntary and legal. The fact that many pieces have been resold over the last several decades continues to complicate legal and ethical notions of rightful ownership.
Q: So artworks were taken from private homes? Or were some public pieces taken too?
A: Most of the looted art came from private collections, mostly owned by Jews. The Nazis did seize some famous publicly owned works. For example, the film shows the Monuments Men hunting for two Belgian masterpieces, the Ghent altarpiece, a 15th century Flemish polyptych, and Michelangelo’s “Madonna” sculpture, which was taken from Bruges as the Germans were retreating in 1944. But most of the looted objects came from private collections in territories occupied by the Germans. The Nazis stole works from homes and repositories and dominated the European art market to purchase works funneled through unscrupulous dealers and sold by Jews under duress.
Q: Was “The Monuments Men” enjoyable to watch, or did the inaccuracies distract you?
A: I watched the film knowing it was designed to entertain with inevitable dramatization. However, it distorts history in some disappointing ways. For example, by focusing on the Ghent altarpiece and the Bruges “Madonna,” the film avoids examining the seizure of Jewish assets, which was central to the Nazi effort to eliminate Jews from Europe altogether. We get glimpses of the Holocaust in the film, such as the discovery of barrels of gold fillings taken from victims’ teeth. But those allusions are outnumbered by references to a collective heritage being rescued, “our civilization” and “our history,” an appealing narrative that avoids addressing whose assets, exactly, had been plundered.
Q: I understand you also have some issues with Cate Blanchett’s character in the movie.
A: Cate Blanchett’s character, Claire Simone, is inspired by a French curator, Rose Valland, who risked her life to spy on Nazi art looting operations. The film accurately depicts some of Valland’s work and the intelligence she gathered. Valland developed an important partnership with James Rorimer, an American curator who inspired the character played by Matt Damon, James Granger. Valland eventually shared her notes with Rorimer, who used them to track down some of the most important masterpieces taken from France. The film depicts romantic tension between the characters, which is an unfortunate interpretation of a professional partnership that was grounded in deep mutual respect.
Q: Why are stories about art heists and art looting so interesting to audiences?
A: I think audiences are open to learning about Nazi art looting, following greater public awareness of the Holocaust over the last few decades. The loss of human life has been examined through films like “Schindler’s List,” “The Pianist” and “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.” Institutions like the U.S. Holocaust Memorial and Museum have helped to teach this painful history to younger generations and the general public. This growing awareness of the Final Solution now allows a discussion of looted art that does not seem frivolous. Rather, the ongoing pursuit of restitution can be viewed as a way to achieve belated justice for the heirs of Holocaust victims. | <urn:uuid:487e1afe-0203-4a13-9ac0-19ce28b99960> | CC-MAIN-2014-35 | http://magazine.du.edu/academics-research/history-professor-tells-the-real-story-behind-clooneys-monuments-men/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-35/segments/1409535924501.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20140909014408-00449-ip-10-180-136-8.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963289 | 1,131 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Arthur Miller: The Creator of Theatre for Common Man
(i) Dr A S Rao, Asst Professor of English
(ii) Pawan Kumar Sharma, Research Scholar
MITS University,Lakshmangarh, Sikar, Rajasthan
Mob: 09950261775, 09587063792
Arthur Miller (1915-2005), an era man created a distinct place among the contemporary American literary giants. Arthur Miller's theatre of common man and his views of the tragic hero have acclaimed a universal appeal and a yardstick to gauge the theatrical dimensions. It is intended here to highlight that if ordinary people are put into the similar emotional situation of Greek heroes, the same result will appear. Miller explains that the tragic height which has been so far attached to the noble personage is unauthentic, and such dimension can be attained by the commonest individual who is willing "to throw all he has into the contest".
Willy Loman, an "unappreciated prince", John Proctor, a farmer, and Joe Keller, a "peasant like common sense" seek to protect their equitable position in the society.
Miller judges that common man is an appropriate subject to be a tragic hero because he can also has superior authority and appeal to all class of people. In this sense, we can declare that tragedy is the outcome of a man and total compulsion to evaluate himself justly.
Through his popular theatre essay, "Tragedy and the Common man", Miller has been successful to draw the attention of playwrights that the tragic intensity and height of the olden plays can be achieved by common man as the hero of the play. Tragedy has always some relevance to our modern society which is no longer bound closely to the facts of princes and queens. Moreover, the study concludes that the catastrophe of commoners in the plays of Miller, according to the position of... | <urn:uuid:3e908c4e-6911-4576-b7ce-4c9ef01f7469> | CC-MAIN-2017-09 | http://www.writework.com/essay/arthur-miller-creator-theatre-common-man | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501170708.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104610-00190-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945587 | 391 | 2.515625 | 3 |
The Month of Rajab - Part II
The Month of Rajab - Part II
Al-‘Ateerah (a kind of sacrifice)
During the Jaahiliyyah, the Arabs used to slaughter a sacrifice during Rajab as an act of worship towards their idols.
When Islam came, teaching that sacrifices were to be offered only to Allaah, this deed of the Jaahiliyyah was abolished. The fuqaha’ differed as to the rulings on offering sacrifices during Rajab. The majority of Hanafis, Maalikis and Hanbalis stated that the sacrifice of al-‘Ateerah was abrogated. Their evidence was the hadeeth, “There is no Fir’ and no ‘Ateerah”, narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah.
The Shaafa’is said that al-‘Ateerah had not been abrogated, and they regarded it asmustahabb (recommended). This was also the view of Ibn Seereen.
Ibn Hajar said: this is supported by the hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Nisaa’i, and Ibn Maajah, and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim and Ibn al-Mundhir, from Nubayshah, who said:
A man called out to the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): We used to offer the sacrifice of al-‘Ateerah during the Jaahiliyyah in the month of Rajab. What do you command us to do? He said, Offer sacrifices, no matter which month is it…
Ibn Hajar said: the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not abolish it in principle, but he abolished the idea of making this sacrifice especially in Rajab.
Fasting in Rajab
There is no saheeh report from the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from the Sahaabah to indicate that there is any particular virtue in fasting during Rajab.
The fasting that is prescribed in Rajab is the same as that prescribed in other months, namely fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, and the three days of al-Beed, fasting alternate days, and fasting Sirar al-Shahr. Some of the scholars said that Sirar al-Shahr refers to the beginning of the month; others said that it refers to the middle or end of the month. ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) used to forbid fasting in Rajab because it involved resemblance to the Jaahiliyyah. It was reported that Kharashah ibn al-Harr said: I saw ‘Umar smacking the hands of those who fasted in Rajab until they reached out for food, and he was saying, This is a month which was venerated in the Jaahiliyyah. (al-Irwaa’, 957; al-Albaani said: it is saheeh).
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim said: the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast for three consecutive months (i.e., Rajab, Sha’baan and Ramadaan) as some people do, and he never fasted Rajab at all, nor did he encourage people to fast this month. [of course the Prophet -pbuh- used to fast during Ramadan, but the hadith here means that he did not fast the 3 months consecutive]
Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in Tabayyun al-‘Ajab bimaa wurida fi Fadl Rajab:
There is no saheeh hadeeth that may be used as evidence has been narrated concerning the virtues of the month of Rajab or fasting this month or fasting in any specific part of it, or observing Qiyaam al-Layl specifically during this month. Imaam Abu Ismaa’eel al-Harawi al-Haafiz has already stated this before me, and we have narrated this from others also.
In Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah it states: with regard to fasting specifically in Rajab, we do not know of any basis in Sharee’ah for doing that.
‘Umrah in Rajab
The ahaadeeth indicate that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do ‘Umrah during Rajab, as it was narrated that Mujaahid said: ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr and I entered the mosque, and there was ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar sitting near the room of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). He was asked, “How many times did the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) do ‘Umrah?” He said, “Four times, and one of them was in Rajab.” We did not want to argue with him. We could hear ‘Aa’ishah Umm al-Mu’mineen brushing her teeth (i.e., the sound of the miswaak) in her room. ‘Urwah said, “O Mother of the Believers, did you not hear what Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan is saying?” She said, “What is he saying?” He said, “He is saying that the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did ‘Umrah four times, one of them in Rajab.” She said, “May Allaah have mercy on Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, [the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] never did ‘Umrah but he witnesses it (i.e., he was present with him), and he never did ‘Umrah during Rajab.” (Agreed upon)
It was reported by Muslim that Ibn ‘Umar heard this and did not say yes or no. Al-Nawawi said: the fact that Ibn ‘Umar remained silent when ‘Aa’ishah denied what he said indicates that he was confused, or had forgotten, or was uncertain. Hence it is an innovated bid’ah to single out Rajab for making ‘Umrah and to believe that doing ‘Umrah in Rajab has a specific virtue. Nothing to that effect has been narrated, besides the fact that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not reported to have made ‘Umrah during Rajab at all.
Shaykh ‘Ali ibn Ibraaheem al-‘Attaar (d. 724 AH) said:
One of the things that I have heard about the people of Makkah – may Allaah increase it in honour – is that they do ‘Umrah frequently during Rajab. This is something for which I know of no basis, all I know is that it was reported in the hadeeth that the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “ ‘Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj.”
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Fataawaa:
As for singling out some of the days of Rajab for any kind of good deed, ziyaarah (visiting the House of Allaah, the Ka’bah) or anything else, there is no basis for this, because Imaam Abu Shaamah stated in his book al-Bida’ wa’l-Hawaadith: specifying acts of worship at times that were not specified by sharee’ah is wrong; no time is to be regarded as better than any other except in cases where the sharee’ah gave preference to a certain act of worship at a certain time, or stated that any good deed done at this time is better than good deeds done at other times. Hence the scholars denounced the practice of singling out the month of Rajab for doing ‘Umrah frequently.
But if a person goes for ‘Umrah during Rajab without believing that this has any particular virtue and because it is just a coincidence that it is easier for him to go at this time, then there is nothing wrong with that.
Bid’ah and innovations in the month of Rajab
Innovation in religion is one of the serious matters which go against the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah. The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not die until after the religion had been perfected. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“… This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]
It was reported that ‘Aa’isha (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours [Islam] which is not a part of it, will have it rejected.” (Agreed upon).
According to a report narrated by Muslim: “Whoever does an action which is not a part of this matter of ours will have it rejected.”
Some people have innovated a number of practices in Rajab, including the following:
- Salaat al-Raghaa’ib. This prayer became widespread after the first and best centuries, especially in the fourth century AH. Some liars fabricated this prayer, which is done on the first night of Rajab. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Salaat al-Raghaa’ib is bid’ah according to the consensus of the scholars of religion, such as Maalik, al-Shaafa’i, Abu Haneefah, al-Thawri, al-‘Oozaa’i, al-Layth and others . The hadeeth that is narrated concerning it is a lie according to the consensus of the scholars who have knowledge of hadeeth.
- It was reported that major events happened in the month of Rajab, but none of these reports are true. It was reported that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was born on the first night of Rajab, and that he received his Mission on the twenty-seventh, or twenty-fifth of this month. None of this is correct. It was reported with an isnaad that is not saheeh from al-Qaasim ibn Muhammad that the Prophet’s Night Journey (al-Israa’) took place on the twenty-seventh of Rajab. This was denied by Ibraaheem al-Harbi and others.
One of the innovations that take place during this month is the recitation of the story of the Mi’raaj, and celebrations to commemorate it on the twenty-seventh of Rajab, or singling out this night to perform extra acts of worship such as Qiyaam al-Layl or fasting during the day, or rejoicing and celebrating. Some celebrations are accompanied by haraam things such as mixing of men and women, singing and music, all of which are not permitted on the two Eids which are prescribed in Islam, let alone innovated celebrations. Add to that the fact that there is no proof that the Israa’ and Mi’raaj happened on this date. Even if it were proven, that is no excuse for holding celebrations on this date, because nothing of the kind has been reported from the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, or from any of the Salaf (early generations) of this Ummah. If it were a good thing, they would surely have done it before us. May Allaah help us.
- Salaat Umm Dawood halfway through Rajab.
- The du’aa’s which are recited specifically during Rajab are all fabrications and innovations.
- Visiting graves specifically in Rajab is bid’ah, because graves are to be visited at any time of the year.
We ask Allaah to make us of those who venerate the things that He has made sacred and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) outwardly and inwardly; for Allah is the only One Whom we should ask and He is Able to do that. And the close of our request is: praise be to Allaah, the Lord of ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists). | <urn:uuid:9550e8d2-64d3-4be5-9f99-73e9bd67d8d1> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://knowingallah.com/en/articles/the-month-of-rajab-part-ii/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579251776516.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20200128060946-20200128090946-00252.warc.gz | en | 0.97127 | 2,818 | 2.796875 | 3 |
The Learning Pit is a tool that learners will be introduced to which helps them to visualise the process of managing challenge. When a learner is posed with a question or enquiry that they perceive as ‘hard’ we can support them to tackle this in a positive way.
We will be using the ‘Learning Pit’ which was developed by James Nottingham to help children respond to this cognitive wobble.
Our purpose in school is to learn.
The ideal conditions for new learning:
- Tackling a concept or skill that will require dedicated mental and physical response that elicits thoughts such as ‘This is hard’ or ‘I can’t do this’ and then using all the skills discussed previously will result in deep learning. (Even although it feels demanding and stressful!) | <urn:uuid:8a1e4bcc-f21e-40d7-bff1-ef56d57e14f4> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://www.edubuzz.org/campie/2017/03/20/growth-mindsetthe-learning-pit/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710533.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20221128135348-20221128165348-00520.warc.gz | en | 0.96477 | 167 | 3.75 | 4 |
1 Answer | Add Yours
Ann Putnam is resentful because she has lost seven infants shortly after their birth. She has only one living child, Ruth, who, in the beginning of the play is stricken with the same illness that has afflicted Betty Parris. She believes in her heart that someone is at fault for the deaths of her infants, she is desperate to find out why they died. Mr. Putnam makes it clear that the death of his infant children had nothing to do with their biological health, he comes from a strong line of sons, he is one of 11. So both the Putnams believe that they are the victims of some sinister plot that is out to get them.
The reason that the Putnams believe that they are being targetted by malicious people in the community is because they are jealous of their wealth. Thomas Putnam is one of the wealthiest men in the village. He is a powerful landowner and he has disputes with other neighbors, such as John Proctor, over the rights to land, which Putnam claims belongs to his family from his ancestors. So Putnam is regarded by the other members of the community as a self-serving opportunist who is trying to seize as much land as possible, to take advantage of the whole witchcraft hysteria which causes people who are accused to lose their property. Putnam especially wants the land of Mr. Jacobs, his neighbor's, who own property right next to his, he puts his daughter Ruth up to the task of accusing Mr. Jacobs so that his land will be available at a reduced price.
Ann Putnam is particularly resentful of Rebecca Nurse who has acted as her midwife through all her births. Rebecca has many children and grandchildren of her own, and Ann is jealous of the fact that Rebecca has so many children and believes that she has somehow, in the process of being her midwife, mishandled her babies causing their deaths.
Both the Putnams believe that their seven babies died through some fault of someone, they use the witch trials to exercise their revenge on the people they believe are responsible for their loss and sorrow.
We’ve answered 318,915 questions. We can answer yours, too.Ask a question | <urn:uuid:93d1584f-cc0b-4735-801c-15d2f7b69e19> | CC-MAIN-2016-50 | https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-reasons-do-ann-putnam-thomas-putman-have-96805 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-50/segments/1480698541170.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20161202170901-00101-ip-10-31-129-80.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991204 | 452 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Select your MAZDA's model to look for suitable car parts
Read more about MAZDA
Mazda was created in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. which produced tools for vehicles and weapons for the Japanese army during World War II. The first car was issued in 1960.
The company has officially been called Mazda from 1984. The name is a mixture of the company’s founder Matsuda Yujiro's name and the old Persian deity Ahura Mazdâ.
The Mazda badge features a winged ‘M’ upside down, representing the company stretching its wings into the future.
Although having started as a producer of tools for vehicles, Mazda started building complete cars from 1931.
In the 1960s Mazda distinguished itself from other Japanese car manufacturers by introducing Wankel rotary-powered vehicles. Today Mazda is the only manufacturer selling rotary as well as piston-powered cars.
Nevertheless the success of rotary-powered engines wore off during the 1970s as these cars were not very fuel efficient. Due to the oil crisis and rising oil prices, customers preferred piston-powered engines.
Both during the 1960 and the 1980s Mazda had financial difficulties leading to a partnership with Ford. The cooperation resulted in mutually used techniques and designs. Ford’s share in Mazda grew over the 1990s eventually leading to Mazda being the first Japanese car manufacturer with a foreign-born CEO.
By 2008 however Ford was having financial difficulties itself and consequently selling a large part of its shares in Mazda. Despite a declining influence, Ford and Mazda have continued their cooperation through a strategic partnership.
Mazda in sport
In 1991 Mazda won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Wankel rotary engine in an 787R. Interestingly, rotary engines have been banned in the Le Mans race from 1992. | <urn:uuid:17f11190-fcfa-4ded-af41-7e22e9324b0b> | CC-MAIN-2015-14 | http://makes.mister-auto.co.uk/en/parts-mazda-v72/?request_lang=en | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-14/segments/1427131300444.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20150323172140-00075-ip-10-168-14-71.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979467 | 375 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Republic of Cyprus
Independence was granded to the island in 1960 after a strucle against England. In 1974 a forceful Turkish invation divided the island. The results of the invasion were: 37% of the island is under Turkish occupation. 200,000 Cypriots are still refugees 1694 Greek Cypriots are still missing. On 15 Novermber 1983 the Turkish leader Rauf DENKTASH declared independance. His so called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC) was declared immediately by all nations as non existent. It is only recognised by Turkey.
6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos
16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island. In 1963 the Turkish Cypriot leadership, following there rejection to amendments to the constitution proposed by Archipishop Makarios (the president of Cyprus at that time), withdrew from all governmental activities and refused to cooperate with the elected government.
Independence Day, 1 October
Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL), Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS; Democratic Rally (DISY), Glafkos CLERIDES; Democratic Party (DIKO), Spyros KYPRIANOU; United Democratic Union of the Center (EDEK), Vassos LYSSARIDIS; Socialist Democratic Renewal Movement (ADISOK), Mikhalis PAPAPETROU; Liberal Party, Nikos ROLANDIS; Free Democrats, George VASSILIOU
National Unity Party (UBP), Dervis EROGLU; Communal Liberation Party (TKP), Mustafa AKINCI; Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Ozker OZGUR; New Cyprus Party (YKP), Alpay DURDURAN; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ergun VEHBI; New Birth Party (YDP), Ali Ozkan ALTINISHIK; Free Democratic Party (HDP), Ismet KOTAK; Nationalist Justice Party (MAP), Zorlu TORE; United Sovereignty Party, Arif Salih KIRDAG; Democratic Party (DP), Hakki ATUN; Fatherland Party (VP), Orhan UCOK; CTP, TKP, and YDP joined in the coalition Democratic Struggle Party (DMP) for the 22 April 1990 legislative election; the CTP and TKP boycotted the byelection of 13 October 1991, in which 12 seats were at stake; the DMP was dissolved after the 1990 election
C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities | <urn:uuid:3f0fbd61-9826-4c4d-894f-d5b3efbe4d55> | CC-MAIN-2015-27 | http://kypros.org/Cyprus/government.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-27/segments/1435375095346.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20150627031815-00265-ip-10-179-60-89.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.88968 | 721 | 3.125 | 3 |
While acknowledging that school cannot control all actions of its students, the school educate student on copyright use, including references, approved copying, and proper electronic material and downloadable music. The school will set up copyright procedures within the school to facilitate compliance with this policy, including training and education of staff.
The purpose of copyright law is to promote creativity, innovation and the spread of knowledge. The law does this by balancing the rights of both authors (copyright holders) and users. This policy applies academic or creative work and the core legal principles of the Copyright Act of 1976. | <urn:uuid:e556cfdd-90f0-4eb9-9237-64958ff07478> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://tshas.edu/copyright-policy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187821189.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20171017125144-20171017145144-00090.warc.gz | en | 0.958711 | 114 | 2.59375 | 3 |
In every arena—academically, socially, interpersonally—Spartans act with integrity. Spartans recognize the value of intellectual work, represent themselves honestly, and prove their trustworthiness in their interactions.
Maintaining academic integrity is very important to your success as a student at MSU.
International Center for Academic Integrity. The Center for Academic Integrity ( ) defines academic integrity as “a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action.” A publication entitled, “The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity” published by gives more detail on the importance of academic integrity.is a member of the
Academic cheating is defined as representing someone else’s work as your own. Examples include sharing another’s work, purchasing a term paper or test questions in advance, or paying someone to do the work for you. Statistics show that cheating amongst high school students has risen dramatically over the past 50 years.
Spartan Code of Honor
Student leaders have recognized the challenging task of discouraging plagiarism from the academic community. The Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) introduced the Spartan Code of Honor academic pledge, focused on valuing academic integrity and honest work ethics at Michigan State University. The pledge reads as follows:
"As a Spartan, I will strive to uphold values of the highest ethical standard. I will practice honesty in my work, foster honesty in my peers, and take pride in knowing that honor is worth more than grades. I will carry these values beyond my time as a student at Michigan State University, continuing the endeavor to build personal integrity in all that I do."
Visit the Spartan Code of Honor website to take the pledge and learn how to publicly display your commitment to academic honesty with fellow Spartans. | <urn:uuid:5cfbf30c-36cc-47c5-af7f-8df4bb99903e> | CC-MAIN-2019-04 | https://undergrad.msu.edu/academic-integrity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-04/segments/1547583657470.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190116113941-20190116135941-00471.warc.gz | en | 0.938379 | 388 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Medical Lab Coats: What Are They For?
Medical Lab Coats: What Are They For? Before there was medical lab coats for doctors, scientists were the first group of people who first wore a white lab coat. At that time, their research proved that most of the medication that doctors used was inferior. During that period also, scientists were very much respected and trusted, especially in the field of medicine. And for this reason, doctors started wearing lab coats in order to achieve some extra level of trust and respect, which also serves as a symbol of seniority.
As of now, white lab wear can be generally seen being worn in many different areas of the medical profession. The design and length of the jacket you use will depend on the policies enforced on a particular establishment you are working in. The way you wear them will also vary depending on which medical field you might be working in, or what may be ethical in your place of work.
Medical lab coats are important to doctors and other people in the medical field because they primarily protect the clothing that is underneath the jacket. Since they are typically working in an environment that involves different kinds of mess and spills, lab jacket are highly recommended or even mandatory to be worn in the workplace every time.
Lab jacket also enhance the image and overall look of doctors and other people in the medical field. These outfits give a unique presentation and help command respect and integrity.
It is important to note however that medical lab wear are not created in the same way and there are some important factors you might want to consider before buying yourself one. They include: resistance from stains and wrinkles, pockets available for storage and coat openings which allow accessibility to what is worn underneath it.
Nowadays, these coats are no longer restricted to the generic styles and designs as what the early doctor and scientists have been using. There are styles like lab jackets, slipover lab gowns, lab vests, and fitted lab coats. They are also much more customized to fit in the individual sizes of men and women.
Besides lab vest with a blend of polyester and cotton, they can also come in a 100% cotton variant. It also has the benefit of being much more comfortable and breathable, although it needs to be well taken care of and can be more expensive too. A 100% polyester white coat has the benefit of being more stain resistant.
There is also an issue with medical jacket which has something to do with etiquette. The colors of the jacket are highly debated, whether certain colors need to be restricted to particular persons in the medical field, or whether black colored ones should be used at all. Another issue has something to do with the buttons, whether it should be buttoned all the way or left completely unbuttoned.
Whatever the case maybe, the proper wearing of medical lab coats will always vary from person to person, and will always depend on standards set by an individual's workplace and what medical field they belong.
About the Author:
Your search for online comprehensive guides and resources about medical lab wear are now over. Our website ww.labcoatcental.com has this and more, with a brief history on how the white lab coat became the symbol of the medical field.
---------- This article is distributed on behalf of the author by SubmitYOURArticle.com SubmitYOURArticle.com is a trading name of Takanomi Limited. Takanomi Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 5629683. Registered office: 31 St Saviourgate, York YO1 8NQ. Full contact details are at takanomi.com ---------- | <urn:uuid:7102a3e1-7dfd-4be3-8839-967bc5618da6> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.hashemian.com/articles/2009/01/15/medical-lab-coats-what-they-for.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511002.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20231002164819-20231002194819-00017.warc.gz | en | 0.967267 | 748 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Humans and their activities have a profound effect upon the landscapes within which they live, as well as the broader environment that surrounds them. The first part of this report describes seven drivers of environmental issues that provide the broad context for assessing the condition of environmental resources in the second part of the report.
The population of NSW is continually growing and by June 2014 had reached 7.52 million people
As population increases, population density in urban areas has also risen. By June 2014 Greater Sydney had 390 people per square kilometre, 27 more than in 2009. Population has continued to rise in NSW since June 2014 and by March 2015 had increased by about 78,000 people. It is predicted that by 2031 9.23 million people will live in NSW, with the majority of the growth expected to be in Sydney. Increasing population and urbanisation can present environmental challenges through a greater demand for housing, energy and water and increased waste generation.
2: Economics and the environment
Since 1990 the NSW economy has experienced annual growth of around 2.5% per annum
The economy is intrinsically linked to the natural environment. While economic growth may be related to increases in population and increased resource use, the shift to a services based economy and improved efficiencies in the use of resources mean that growth can be achieved without increasing impacts on the environment. Economic instruments such as levies, subsidies, tradeable permits and performance-based regulatory charges are increasingly being used to achieve environmental quality objectives more flexibly and at lower cost.
3: Energy consumption
Environmental benefits from reduced electricity demand and growing renewable electricity supply are being offset by continued strong growth in fossil fuel demand by the transport sector
Over 90% of energy demand is being met by non-renewable sources – mainly coal, gas, and petroleum products. Around one-quarter of final energy demand is met by electricity, but demand for electricity has been falling over the past six years. At the same time supply has experienced strong diversification, with renewable (non-hydro) electricity generation growing five-fold between 2008 and 2014. Diversification of other energy supplies has been limited. Transport has now become the largest sector for final energy demand with strong growth in fossil fuel use, and minor use of renewable energy.
Use of public transport continues to rise; however, the dominant mode of transport for Sydney residents is still the car, accounting for 69% of all trips
The number of trips per person dropped by 4.8% for the decade to 2012–13. Changes in lifestyles and technological advances are likely to have influenced this outcome, with a 148% increase over the decade to 2012–13 in employees who have working from home arrangements in place. Transport is the main source of NOx emissions in the Greater Sydney Region and was responsible for 19% of NSW greenhouse gas emissions.
5: Greenhouse gas emissions
Annual greenhouse gas emissions in NSW peaked in 2007, and are now 1% below the 1990 baseline. The stationary energy and transport sectors make up 59% of all emissions
Emissions have declined across most economic sectors since 1990. In contrast, emissions from transport have undergone almost uninterrupted growth, with forecasts indicating continued growth. Overall, stationary energy emissions (primarily electricity generation) also rose from 1990, peaking in 2007 and then declining quickly.
6: Urban water
The quality of urban water supplies continues to improve. At the same time demand is continuing to grow slowly, maintaining pressure on the state's water resources
Overall water use is much lower than in the 1990s. However water demand by NSW cities and large towns over the past seven years has had an annual average growth rate of 1.35% (inclusive of recycled water). Sydney Water and Hunter Water are both maintaining per person water use below water licence targets, while per property consumption from regional water utilities is almost half of 1990 levels. The quality of this water is excellent and in 2013–14 all large water utilities had 100% compliance with microbiological and chemical standards. Demand for urban water is having ongoing impacts on aquatic ecosystems.
7: Waste and recycling
The proportion of waste that is recycled continues to rise and reached 62.5% in 2012–13
In NSW waste generation rose steadily from 2002–03 until 2010–11, but appears to have stabilised over the last two years to 2012–13. Over the same timeframe waste generation per person has decreased by 3%. The uplift in the housing market has led to construction and demolition waste increasing, and the amount of waste being recycled in this sector fell to 69% in 2012–13.
The second part of this report describes the condition of important environmental resources of NSW: Air quality; Soils and land management; Native species, vegetation and reserves and conservation; Water resources, rivers and wetlands; and some specific issues such as invasive species and contaminated sites.
8: Air quality
Most key air pollutants have remained at low levels, but microscopic particles (e.g. dust) and ozone (a component of smog) continue to impact air quality across metropolitan areas and some regional centres
The concentrations of a number of the most common air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, lead, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide, are now low (especially compared to the 1980s), as are air toxics. Oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds have reduced, but as these contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone (a key component of photochemical smog) they remain of concern within the Sydney region. There is growing evidence about the adverse health impacts of airborne particles. Depending on the location, bushfires, agricultural burning, dust storms, mine dust and wood heaters can be key sources of particulate pollution.
9: Contaminated sites
More potentially contaminated land continues to be identified with an additional 166 sites reported in the eighteen months to June 2014
The EPA currently regulates 332 contaminated sites and 130 sites have been remediated. In addition 860 sites reported prior to the end of 2014 are still awaiting assessment. To address the backlog the EPA set up a Backlog Program in late 2014.
10: Soil condition
The soil resources of NSW are generally in a moderate condition despite a broad but largely historical decline since the arrival of European settlers
While in a moderate condition overall, some soil degradation issues remain, with 74% of priority soil units being rated as poor or very poor for at least one soil degradation hazard. The loss of organic carbon and topsoil loss due to sheet erosion are the main causes of declines in soil condition over time. The widespread use of conservation farming practices is now helping to maintain soil condition and counteract land-use pressures.
11: Sustainable land management
Current land management practices are broadly sustainable, with only a moderate risk that they will lead to soil degradation
Most land in NSW is being managed within its capacity to support current management practices. However, some localised areas are at risk of soil degradation where land use is marginal for the area. The greatest risk is from soil acidification and wind erosion. Intensifying land use and unpredictable weather extremes are factors increasing these risks.
12: Threatened species
The number of species considered to be threatened, or at risk of survival over the longer term, continues to rise, but at a slower rate
Native species remain under threat in NSW, with 999 species presently listed as having a threatened status. Ten additional species have been listed as threatened since 2012. The greatest risks to biodiversity are from habitat destruction, in particular the clearing of native vegetation and the impacts of invasive species, particularly predation by foxes and cats. A major process of reform is underway to simplify legislation and improve outcomes for biodiversity.
13: Native vegetation
Clearing rates for native vegetation in NSW have remained relatively stable for most of the past 10 years, but the overall condition of vegetation is deteriorating
Due to new technology that provides a higher resolution for the monitoring of clearing of woody vegetation, the rate of clearing is now recognised to be lower than previously reported, presently at around 11,000 hectares per year. Changes in the condition of vegetation are harder to monitor. While about 61% of the state has not been cleared of native vegetation, its condition is considered to be good in only 9% of the state. The main pressure on vegetation condition is due to land use, but this is increasingly being addressed through better land management practices. Fragmentation due to clearing, weed invasion and climate change are factors maintaining the pressure on vegetation condition.
14: Protected areas and conservation
About 8.9% of NSW is reserved as public reserve system, and around 3.9% of land in NSW is currently subject to some form of management under a private land conservation program
Since 2012 the area of the reserve system has increased by about 26,600 hectares. This includes significant reservations in the South Coast (Dharawal National Park), Sydney (Berowra Valley) and the Darling Riverine Plains (Warrambool) as well as several thousand hectares of the Gwydir wetland, near Moree. While many ecosystems in NSW are well represented in parks, some ecosystems are poorly protected. To supplement the public reserve system a range of measures has been developed under the Conservation Partners Program to encourage and support conservation on private land.
15: Invasive species
Invasive species, including pest animals and weeds are widespread across NSW and have significant impacts on native species, ecosystems and agriculture
Many invasive species are listed as key threatening processes in NSW, with pest animals and weeds identified as a threat to over 70% of all threatened species. Pathogens and diseases are an emerging threat to both biodiversity and agriculture and are becoming increasingly prevalent. A revised NSW Invasive Species Plan 2015–2022 will provide better guidance to help prevent and manage the introduction and spread of invasive species.
16: Water resources
Much of NSW is returning to drier conditions, so the variability of river flows has been reduced and less surface water is available for use
As conditions become drier across much of NSW, less surface water is available for use and more water is being extracted from rivers. Seventy water sharing plans covering about 95% of water use have now been implemented, with plans for the remaining water sources to be completed soon. Greater amounts of environmental water are being stored and released to maintain or improve the health of rivers and wetlands. Over the past three years, around 600,000 megalitres of water per year, on average, have been targeted to priority aquatic ecosystems.
17: River health
The overall condition of rivers in NSW is moderate, but rivers in the Murray–Darling basin are generally in poorer condition than coastal rivers
While the overall condition of rivers is considered to be moderate, the condition of fish communities remains poor and continues to decline in the Murray–Darling basin. Most major inland river systems are affected by the ongoing impacts of water extraction and altered river flows, so they are in poorer condition overall. Coastal rivers are less affected by these pressures, so with the exception of fish communities, are in better ecological health.
Overall waterbird abundance has reduced, but targeted delivery of environmental water has helped maintain the health of some priority wetlands
Over the past three years the return to drier conditions has seen a reduction in the extent of wetland inundation and a decrease in waterbird abundance and breeding activity. The condition of wetland vegetation and waterbird diversity at some sites that received environmental water has been maintained.
Groundwater use has risen over the past three years as conditions dry out in most parts of the state
While use of groundwater has risen, extraction from most groundwater sources is below the long-term sustainable extraction limit. When water sharing plans commenced, extraction was above the sustainable yield for some groundwater sources, but is being reduced to align with long-term sustainable extraction limits over the life of these plans. Water sharing plans have now been completed for all sources in the NSW Murray–Darling Basin and will be completed for all coastal sources by 2016.
20: Coastal, estuarine and marine ecosystems
Although the majority of coastal, estuarine and marine systems in NSW are in moderate or good condition, most have been modified to some extent and continue to come under increasing pressure from coastal development
Overall, the water quality and the ecosystem health of the NSW marine environment are considered to be good, as they are in most coastal waters, although a wide range of threats and risks are present. Conditions in NSW estuaries are typically more variable, generally reflecting the level of disturbance locally and across their catchments, and their level of resilience to change. Recreational water quality is good at most ocean beaches, but water quality is lower in the more enclosed waters of coastal lakes and estuaries. | <urn:uuid:e5e211d4-51d0-4775-b3de-a5d042c8e276> | CC-MAIN-2022-27 | https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/about-us/publications-and-reports/state-of-the-environment/state-of-the-environment-2015/summary | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-27/segments/1656104375714.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20220704111005-20220704141005-00050.warc.gz | en | 0.959788 | 2,607 | 3.34375 | 3 |
On Jan. 4, members of the San Diego community gathered to commemorate the beginning of the 15th annual Enero Zapatista community festival. The event, hosted by the Enero Zapatista organization, goes the entire month of January to celebrate and remember the Zapatista uprising that occurred Jan. 1 to Jan. 12, 1994.
Seven Zapatista principles
Enero Zapatista centers each event in one of the seven Zapatista principles: (1) Lead by Obeying, (2) To Represent; Not Replace, (3) To Work From Below and Not Seek to Rise, (4) To Serve; Not Self-Serve, (5) To Convince; Not Conquer, (6) To Construct; Not Destroy, and (7) To Propose; Not Impose. Each organization contributing to the month of Enero Zapatista is assigned one of the seven principles. The opening event took place at The World Beat Center, and more importantly, on Kumeyaay land.
The opening ceremony began with a native-led Kumeyaay prayer. The speaker strongly emphasized the importance of reclaiming one’s lost language: “Indigenous people around the world are struggling to keep our culture, our language, our history, our ways of life.”
A brief description of the Zapatistas and their struggle followed. It was emphasized that the Zapatistas are not exclusively anarchist or Marxist. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation has created a movement with many aspects to suit the needs of the indigenous in Chiapas.
A fight to preserve the indigenous people of Mexico
With that in mind, the Zapatista struggle, according to Enero Zapatista, transcends any ideology as a fight to preserve the indigenous people of Mexico. This movement is international in nature as well: “As we gather to build a world without borders, we are conscious that it starts with the decisions we make and [that] our local action has a global impact.” After the prayer, a brief film described the Zapatista uprising.
Then, seven discussion groups, based around each of the seven principles, were formed. Each group introduced its assigned tenet to help those attending the commemoration identify with the tenet through their own personal experiences. Ideas discussed ranged from community policing to border elimination and an international approach to structuring society.
This opening event marks the anniversary of just one of many struggles for liberation that have taken place around the world. It is important that in the coming month we not only remember and learn from the great Zapatista uprising but use the conclusions and lessons of previous liberation movements to help in our current struggles. There is no blueprint for revolution, but progress can only be made by analyzing previous mistakes and successes of the many movements that have taken place. The Zapatistas represent a positive force for our continuing struggle against capitalism. | <urn:uuid:0cc1157f-02e1-4895-834d-b1275bac0a06> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | https://www.liberationnews.org/enero-zapatista-event-held-in-san-diego/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600400208095.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20200922224013-20200923014013-00513.warc.gz | en | 0.927629 | 601 | 2.734375 | 3 |
If you're new to the aerospace industry or are thinking about a career in aerospace, you may occasionally hear people speak of ISO 9100 certification. You won't find any such number if you search through a list of ISO certification programs because it's based on a confusion between two separate but overlapping standards.
ISO 9001 vs. AS9100
Speaking of ISO 9100 isn't factually correct. It's a mashup of the broad ISO 9001 quality management standard with the narrower AS9100 standard, which is specifically targeted to the needs of the aerospace community. They're both intended as global standards, a tool to ensure that companies in any country manage their processes by the same measures.
Ideally, a manufacturer should be able to order components from an ISO 9001-certified supplier anywhere in the world and be confident that those parts were produced with the same attention to quality no matter their point of origin. ISO 9001 is administered by the International Organization for Standardization, and it focuses on how a company manages its process rather than the details of the processes themselves.
AS9100 is administered by the Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, with the input and support of the International Aerospace Quality Group, an industry association. It's built on the ISO 9001 standard, using that as a base but extending and enhancing it to meet the needs of aerospace manufacturers.
The ISO 9001: 2015 Standard
The most recent version of ISO 9001, as of mid-2019, is the 2015 revision. It follows trends that began in the earlier 2000 and 2008 revisions, moving the standard away from its base in manufacturing and its focus on documentation. The newer standard is more widely applicable to businesses in any industry and puts less emphasis on documentation and more on performance.
It's designed to integrate smoothly with other quality and management standards, so enterprises that need to meet multiple standards won't be saddled with onerous and contradictory requirements. It's also explicitly designed with the thought that other industries, including the aerospace industry, can tailor it more easily to their own needs.
The AS9100 Rev. D Standard
The current version of the AS9100 standard as of mid-2019 is Revision D, which was released in 2016. It incorporates the changes made to the underlying ISO 9001 standard, but it adds a number of changes in its own right to reflect the current concerns of the aerospace industry. These include a tighter focus on counterfeit parts, supplier monitoring and product safety. There's also an emphasis on human factors, including ethics training.
AS9100 itself isn't applicable to the entire aerospace industry, just to designers and manufacturers. There are closely related specifications – AS9110 for aircraft maintenance companies and AS9120 for suppliers of electronics and hardware components – which give similar guidance to enterprises operating in those areas.
The bodies that set and administer these standards, ISO and SAE, don't provide certification for companies who need to demonstrate compliance with the standards. That task falls to a network of training and certification bodies who audit a company's operations and verify that their internal processes meet the standard's specifications.
When a new ISO standard is released, it takes time to realign a company's processes to bring them into compliance with the revised requirements. The same holds true for the companies offering training and certification. The International Organization for Standardization allows three years for this transition. If you're in the early stages of seeking certification when the standard changes, it's important to verify which version of the standard you'll be certified for.
Because AS9100 is based directly on ISO 9001, you won't need to seek separate ISO certification if you're certified to AS9100 standards. AS9100 certification innately includes ISO 9001.
Individual Opportunities in Certification
Certification is for businesses only, not individuals, though even a sole proprietor can choose to become certified if there's a business case to be made. Individuals with a stake in the aerospace sector, or with a background in aerospace and/or quality management, can train as auditors and play a role in the certification process.
As third-party auditors, they can work for one of the training and certification organizations or offer their services directly to companies that either want to become ISO/SAE certified or are already certified but wish to monitor their processes ongoingly to ensure compliance.
- candy jar image by jcpjr from Fotolia.com | <urn:uuid:61ca1b25-bca8-42ed-b69c-da77dfb47e08> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://bizfluent.com/facts-7171890-iso-9100-.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347458095.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20200604192256-20200604222256-00025.warc.gz | en | 0.954446 | 902 | 2.59375 | 3 |
After giving up on re-establishing contact with the Chandrayaan-1 lunar orbiter, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman G. Madhavan Nair announced the space agency hopes to launch its first mission to Mars sometime between 2013 and 2015. Nair said the termination of Chandrayaan-1, although sad, is not a setback and India will move ahead with its plans for the Chandrayaan-2 mission to land an unmanned rover on the moon’s surface to prospect for chemicals, and in four to six years launch a robotic mission to Mars.
“We have given a call for proposal to different scientific communities,” Nair told reporters. “Depending on the type of experiments they propose, we will be able to plan the mission. The mission is at conceptual stage and will be taken up after Chandrayaan-2.”
On the decision to quickly pull the plug on Chandrayaan-1, Nair said, “There was no possibility of retrieving it. (But) it was a great success. We could collect a large volume of data, including more than 70,000 images of the moon. In that sense, 95 percent of the objective was completed.”
Contact with Chandrayaan-1 may have been lost because its antenna rotated out of direct contact with Earth, ISRO officials said. Earlier this year, the spacecraft lost both its primary and back-up star sensors, which use the positions of stars to orient the spacecraft.
The loss of Chandrayaan-1 comes less than a week after the spacecraft’s orbit was adjusted to team up with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter for a Bi-static radar experiment. During the maneuver, Chandrayaan-1 fired its radar beam into Erlanger Crater on the moon’s north pole. Both spacecraft listened for echoes that might indicate the presence of water ice – a precious resource for future lunar explorers. The results of that experiment have not yet been released.
Chandrayaan-1 craft was designed to orbit the moon for two years, but lasted 315 days. It will take about 1,000 days until it crashes to the lunar surface and is being tracked by the U.S. and Russia, ISRO said.
The Chandrayaan I had 11 payloads, including a terrain-mapping camera designed to create a three-dimensional atlas of the moon. It is also carrying mapping instruments for the European Space Agency, radiation-measuring equipment for the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and two devices for NASA, including the radar instrument to assess mineral composition and look for ice deposits. India launched its first rocket in 1963 and first satellite in 1975. The country’s satellite program is one of the largest communication systems in the world. | <urn:uuid:76c1e308-a0ab-478d-b532-cfa7d321870d> | CC-MAIN-2015-35 | http://www.universetoday.com/38800/after-loss-of-lunar-orbiter-india-looks-to-mars-mission/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-35/segments/1440645340161.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20150827031540-00016-ip-10-171-96-226.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948111 | 575 | 3.34375 | 3 |
The world’s smallest magnetic data storage unit is made of just 12 atoms, squeezing an entire byte into just 96 atoms, a significant shrinkage in the world of information storage. It’s not a quantum computer, but it’s a computer storage unit at the quantum scale. By contrast, modern hard disk drives use about a million atoms to store a single bit, and a half billion atoms per byte.
Smallest Storage Unit Spin-polarized imaging with a scanning tunneling microscope reveals the structure of the world’s smallest magnetic data storage unit. It consists of just 12 iron atoms ordered in an antiferromagnetic structure.
Until now, it was unclear how many (or how few) atoms would be needed to build a reliable, lasting memory bit, the basic piece of information that a computer understands. Researchers at IBM and the German Center for Free-Electron Laser Science decided to start from the ground up, building a magnetic memory bit atom-by-atom. They used a scanning tunneling microscope to create regular patterns of iron atoms aligned in rows of six each. They found two rows was enough to securely store one bit, and eight pairs of rows was enough to store a byte.
Data was written into and read out of the bits using the STM — so it’s not like this type of bit will be integrated into hard disks anytime soon. But it answers some fundamental questions about the nature of classical mechanical systems, said Andreas Heinrich, the lead investigator into atomic storage at IBM Research
If you take a single atom, you have to look at quantum mechanics when you describe its behavior,” he said in an interview. “As you make the (system) bigger and bigger, several iron atoms start talking to each other, and at some point you can ignore all of this quantum behavior and just think of them as a classical magnetic structure.” It turns out that point is around 12 atoms big.
“Many people would anticipate you would have to use quantum mechanical systems to describe these structures,” Heinrich said. “That was the most surprising thing to me
At the smallest scales, quantum effects blur stored information. A bit using six atoms would switch magnetic states — switching from “0” to “1” — about 1,000 times per second, for instance, which is much too frequently to be useful for data storage, Heinrich said. Eight atoms switch states once per second. But 12 atoms switched their states infrequently enough to be usable for storage — instead, an outside magnetic influence (in this case, the STM) changes their states. The nano magnets are only stable at a chilly 5 degrees Kelvin, or -450 degrees F.
Today’s hard drives store data in what’s known as a ferromagnetic structure. This is how a compass needle or a refrigerator magnet work: They have lots of atoms lumped together, all pointing in the same magnetic directions.
IBM’s 12-atom bit-keeper uses an antiferromagnetic structure, however, meaning that the atoms point in opposite directions. This keeps the atoms from interfering with each other, an important feature when you’re storing data just 12 atoms at a time. “In a ferromagnet all of these atoms add together to make a big spin and that big spin interacts with the neighboring big spin. And so you cannot control these independently anymore,” Heinrich says. “But in an antiferromagnet there is no big spin, and so you can put these guys very close together”
12-atom storage devices would be much, much smaller than today’s disks. Heinrich’s friends at hard-drive maker Hitachi estimate that their storage drives require about 800,000 atoms per bit.So what’s keeping the atom-scale flash drive from showing up at your local Best Buy? Well, first off, they operate at 1 degree kelvin. That’s about -458 Fahrenheit. Bump things up to room temperature and Heinrich thinks it would take about 150 atoms per bit.
And there’s an even bigger problem. Nobody has a clue how to build something this small outside of the lab. And certainly, nobody can do it cheaply, Heinrich says. “That is something that many people are working on, but nobody has solved it yet.”Still, when Heinrich got his first glimpse at the 12 atoms holding a charge in his STM last spring, he was mesmerized. He sat at his Almaden lab for four hours straight, switching the tiny clump of atoms back and forth between magnetic states. “I was basically just blown away,” he says. The researchers switched the bit’s magnetic state five times to store the ASCII code for each letter of the word “think,” one of Big Blue’s slogans.
Tiny Think: A white signal on the right edge corresponds to logic 0 and a blue signal to logic 1. Between two successive images, the magnetic states of the bits were switched to encode the binary representation of the ASCII characters “THINK.” IBM Research | <urn:uuid:9378157c-8c57-4cc0-b5e0-4204da0f9dc2> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://mgitecetech.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/ibm-brains-turn-12-atoms-into-worlds-smallest-storage-bit/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284270.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00021-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937466 | 1,074 | 3.765625 | 4 |
Cooking With Oils
It only takes a trip to the supermarket to figure out that all cooking oils aren't created equal. Dozens of bottles crowd the shelves: There's oil made from olives and corn and seeds and soybeans and nuts. Some are flavored and fancy; many are popular abroad, particularly in Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Oils differ not only in origin but also in the type of fat they contain and how they're used in the kitchen. Familiarizing yourself with your options is part of the fun of cooking, since an oil's flavor plays a major role in the taste of your food.
For starters, it's useful to consider how different oils are made. Some are extracted from seeds with the use of solvents and high temperatures that can damage the oil and alter its chemical makeup. Others are pressed mechanically (sometimes called "cold pressed") at temperatures under 120 degrees and without the use of additional heat or chemicals. Corn oil, for instance, is often highly processed while flaxseed oil and extra virgin olive oil are created using minimal heat.
Once an oil has been pressed—whether manually or with the use of chemicals—it often goes through a refining process. The more processing an oil undergoes, the higher its smoke point: the temperature at which it starts to smoke. "Most oils do break down," says Julie Logue-Riordan, a chef and cooking instructor in Napa, Calif. "The higher the temperature is, the more they break down." And that means a loss in flavor, in addition to the risk of a kitchen fire. Oils with high smoke points (like sunflower, safflower, and peanut oils) can withstand high heat and are well suited for frying or sautéing. Those with low smoke points (such as flaxseed, extra virgin olive oil, and many nut oils), however, are best used over low heat. Some oils are minimally processed, may appear cloudy, and are best used unheated, such as in dressings.
In addition to determining how it is used, an oil's level of processing also plays a role in its nutritional value. "There is a nutritional difference the purer the product," says Robin Plotkin, RD, LD, a dietitian in Dallas. "The least amount of processing that happens, the better it is for you, as with other foods."
The Inside Story
Processing method is only part of what differentiates one oil from the next. The other factor: the type of fat an oil contains.
Like butter, lard, and red meat, some cooking oils are high in saturated fat, which can raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, which is believed to up your risk for heart disease and stroke. Palm and palm kernel oils both have high levels of saturated fat and are best avoided. Coconut oil is the highest in saturated fat of all common oils.
What happens when you turn liquid cooking oil into a solid? That's what scientists wondered when they added hydrogen atoms to unsaturated fat, such as vegetable oil. The result: partially hydrogenated oil. The oil stood up to high heat without breaking down, was solid at room temperature, and was cheaper—all of which made it seem like the perfect addition to packaged foods. Today, however, we know partially hydrogenated oils as trans fats, which can increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol and increase the risk for heart disease.
A better choice is monounsaturated fats, which are "tied to lowering our blood cholesterol and triglycerides," says Plotkin. "Those are the ones we like to use for people who have heart disease or who are at risk for heart disease." Canola, peanut, and olive oils are among those that contain monounsaturated fats. Less often used but fun to try are avocado and macadamia nut oils. For ideas on how to use them, see the recipes here, here, and here.
• Canola oil has a neutral flavor and cooks well at high temperatures. Use it for frying or sautéing as well as for baking.
• Peanut oil adds a mild nutty flavor to foods and can also withstand high temperatures. It's typically used for stir-frying since the flavor meshes well with Asian sauces.
• Olive oil's flavor depends on how it's made. The label should give a clue: Extra virgin olive oil has not been chemically processed, and has a richer flavor than other olive oils—which you pay for. If a label doesn't say "virgin" or "extra virgin," the oil may have been processed; it will have a lighter taste and be better suited to high-heat cooking. Since virgin olive oil can break down at high temperatures, it's best used cold, whisked into dressings or drizzled over cooked fish or chicken to add extra flavor.
Polyunsaturated fats, like monounsaturated ones, can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and reduce the risk of heart disease. They also contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the body can't make on its own. "We as Americans get plenty of omega-6s in our diet due to the amount of processed foods that we consume," says Plotkin. So if you use oils that are high in omega-6s (such as flaxseed, walnut, sunflower, safflower, grape seed, and corn oils), you'll want to decrease the amount of processed foods you eat and vary the type of oils you use, picking a good mix of poly- and monounsaturated fats.
• Flaxseed oil is a top source of omega-3 fatty acids, which means it's best suited for cold use. "The polyunsaturated fats that have those omega-3s can easily be damaged if they're exposed to high heat," says Plotkin. To maintain the nutritional value, use flaxseed oil in salsa or dressings, or drizzle it over cooked fish.
• Walnut oil is also high in omega-3s and has a mild, nutty flavor. "Walnut oil goes so nice with so many salads," says Logue-Riordan. She uses it in dressings or as a finishing oil for a flavor boost.
• Sunflower oil is ideal for cooking since it can withstand high temperatures and has a neutral flavor. "I find that very versatile," says Logue-Riordan, who em-ploys sunflower oil as an all-purpose oil. "It's light, it's flavorful. It really lets the ingredients shine through. I want something that's not going to be competing with my vegetables."
• Safflower oil has a mild flavor and a high smoke point, making it a good choice for frying and sautéing.
• Grape seed oil is another good choice for high-heat cooking. Like sunflower oil, grape seed has a neutral flavor suitable for most dishes.
• Sesame oil, when unrefined, has a deep flavor favored in many Asian dishes and works well in sauces and dips. The refined versions are suitable for cooking over high temperatures, such as in stir-fries.
• Corn oil is neutral-flavored and ideal for high-heat cooking. Though it's a polyunsaturated fat, it's often highly refined.
• Vegetable oil may be a single, unnamed oil or a blend of a variety of oils, such as corn, soybean, and sunflower. The label may not list the specific type of oils, but most vegetable oils work well at high temperatures. Since the flavor is bland, vegetable oil isn't a top choice for dressings or dips.
How you store your oils makes a difference to their flavor and nutritional value, too. "Once an oil is open, you really need to use the oil within six months," says Logue-Riordan. "You want to keep them away from heat and light. They will break down and go rancid really quickly." You'll know an oil is rancid when it smells and tastes "off." Logue-Riordan keeps some delicate oils, such as nut oils, in the refrigerator to maintain freshness. If you have room in the fridge, all oils last longer when refrigerated; just let them come to room temperature (and thin out) before using.
And keep in mind that regardless of their health benefits, oils are still fat. "A tablespoon of oil, regardless of where it comes from, is right around 120 calories," says Plotkin. "In that tablespoon, it is purely fat. Yes, it could be a healthy fat that you're using, but it is fat." Portion size is key, so use measuring spoons when mixing up salad dressing or even when drizzling some oil over a cooked meal. "We often under-guesstimate our calories and the amount we're actually pouring into something or onto something," Plotkin says. But as long as you keep serving size in mind, a good cooking oil can take your meal to the next level. | <urn:uuid:b10c5d03-341e-4440-85c9-4b37bb9e165f> | CC-MAIN-2019-30 | http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2011/mar/cooking-with-oils.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-30/segments/1563195528635.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20190723002417-20190723024417-00227.warc.gz | en | 0.969276 | 1,871 | 2.8125 | 3 |
University of Pittsburgh
The nature of worldwide food insecurity is staggering, with thirteen percent of the world’s population currently malnourished. The situation is particularly dire in Sub- Saharan Africa, where 265 million people face hunger daily, with 30 to 50 million dying yearly. Solutions to the problem are often unsustainable, save a select few. Once such attempt, coined the Green Revolution, garnered both praise and notoriety through its relatively successful transformation of Southeast Asia in the 1960’s. Aimed at increasing food production, the project focused on small-holder farmers and their acquisition of more productive inputs such as high-yield seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. African nations remained unsuccessful in their implementation of this ‘revolution’ as poor domestic conditions rendered them unable to compete effectively. Now fifty years later, organizations like AfricaRice, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) attempt to refurbish the endeavor for a new generation of self-sufficient and technologically advanced Africans. This paper is a study of the efficacy of this project and its potential to reduce and reverse the high incidences of poverty and hunger in Africa. Through a combination of interviews and an extensive literature review, this study attempts to determine the extent to which AGRA’s new interpretation of the Green Revolution is in line with the successes and failures of the previous endeavors. In conclusion, this paper in defense of the capacity of rural farmers to propel food sovereignty, and upholds bottom-up intervention and its new interpretations as an effective method of improving food production and reducing poverty and hunger
African Studies | Agricultural and Resource Economics | Family, Life Course, and Society | Inequality and Stratification | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Woluchem, Maia S., "New Approaches to the Green Revolution: Successes, Failures and New Rice for Africa" (2012). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 1307.
African Studies Commons, Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons | <urn:uuid:eed5efd4-94ef-44cd-a4d4-40005a666050> | CC-MAIN-2018-26 | http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/1307/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-26/segments/1529267859766.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20180618105733-20180618125733-00535.warc.gz | en | 0.889995 | 455 | 3.328125 | 3 |
This is the first article in a series on census records for Rhode Island.
Many researchers use the population schedules, but are unaware of other types of
census materials that exist, such as special schedules (agricultural,
manufacturing, mortality, and veterans), state censuses, and city and town
census reports. This column focuses on the federal census material that exists
for Rhode Island (both population and special schedules). There is a tremendous
amount of information in census records if you know what’s available and how to
Federal censuses began in 1790 and have been taken every ten years since
then. Since the United States government only releases census schedules
seventy-two years after they were created, this means that census material from
1790 through 1930 is currently available. The next release (1940) won’t be
released until 2012. To better understand the federal census, researchers should
consult Loretto Szucs’ advice in the chapter “Research in Census Records” from
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, Revised Edition
(Salt Lake City, Ancestry, 1997, pp103-46) and Kathleen W. Hinckley’s Your Guide to the Federal Census (Betterway, 2002).
Before you start using the federal census there are things that you need to
know about what information was enumerated and when. Hinckley neatly outlines
the basic tools of using the census for genealogical research in her book with
charts and well-organized chapters. Researchers should be aware of the following
basic “facts” of using the federal census as presented in Hinckley’s book:
Every researcher should keep in mind the following tip from Hinckley —
“there are always exceptions.” Census enumerators often recorded additional
information that they found interesting. By the same token, they sometimes
neglected to record information that should be in the census.
Where to Find the Census
For most enumerations in the nineteenth century there were multiple schedules
treating a variety of economic and social matters, but many have been destroyed.
Surviving originals are widely scattered. The Rhode Island State Archives
(RISA), the Rhode Island Historical Society Library (RIHS) and the National Archives have a mix of
originals, duplicate copies, and microfilm. The National Archives has microfilms
of the population census for Rhode Island. Ancestry.com and Genealogy.com have digitized versions of the census available
online to subscribers of their databases.
The Rhode Island State
Archives337 Westminster St., Providence, RI 02903(401)
Historical Society Library 121 Hope St., Providence, RI 02906(401)
What Exists: Population Schedules
The population schedule is what most people think of as “the census.” The
good news is that all years have been microfilmed by the National Archives and
widely distributed. The NEHGS Library has microfilms for all New England states
from 1790 to 1880 and 1900 to 1930. The census of 1890 for Rhode Island, with
the exception of the veterans’ schedules, was destroyed in a fire.
The 1790 census is available in printed form as well in Bureau of the Census,
Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year
1790: Rhode Island (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1908)
Surviving Rhode Island population schedules are indexed, with the exception
of 1910 and 1930. Most indexes from 1790 to 1870 have been commercially
produced and advertised extensively. For the 1880, 1900, and 1920 Rhode Island
returns, phonetic indexes (called Soundex) were federally prepared and have been
widely disseminated on microfilm by the National Archives.
The unindexed census presents special challenges for researchers, especially
when trying to locate an individual in an urban setting. There are tools that
make that process easier. For instance, city directories cite street addresses
and the Census Bureau’s separately filmed Descriptions of Census Enumeration
Districts, 1830–1890 and 1910–1950 (National Archives micropublication
T1224) helps identify the correct enumeration district. The corresponding census
enumeration district maps at the National Archives and those created by the
Rhode Island Historical Society for 1910 also help. Manuscript maps held by the
National Archives include six Rhode Island cities: Central Falls, Cranston,
Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket. Once a street address is known
in these cities, an order for the corresponding map can be addressed
toCartographic and Architectural Branch (NNSC)National Archives at
College Park8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. A
helpful discussion of these tools and examples of how to use them appears in the
spring 1993 issue of Prologue, the quarterly of the National Archives,
which is available in the government documents section of many libraries.
The following schedules can be found at either the Rhode Island State
Archives (RISA) or the National Archives.
Agricultural Schedules 1850–80 (RISA) These enumerate farms with
an annual produce of at least $100 (1850–60) or $500 (1870–80) giving names of
owner (or tenant), acreage, and both type and quantity of livestock and
agricultural production. Rhode Island’s agricultural manufacturing and
mortality schedules are not among those microfilmed by the National Archives.
Manufacturing Schedules: 1810, 1820 (National Archives); 1850–60, 1880
(RISA) Qualifications for inclusion varied across time. Only two pages of
the 1810 Rhode Island schedule survive. These pages represent Kent County and
have not been microfilmed (NARA houses them with materials from Record Group 29,
Bureau of the Census). For 1850 to 1870, the schedules include fishing,
mercantile, and mining operations that grossed at least $500 per year. The 1880
schedule focused on general industry.
Mortality Schedules: 1850–1880 (RISA) Theoretically, the mortality
schedules in these census years list all individuals who died within twelve
months prior to the office census date (June 1), giving such personal data as
name, age, birthplace, race, and cause of death. In reality, the returns are far
from complete but still invaluable.
Veterans’ Schedules: 1890 (National Archives). Union veterans and
their widows appear on a special schedule that includes name; veteran’s rank,
company, and regiment or vessel; dates of enlistment and discharge; length of
service; post office address; and disabilities. These are the only known
surviving schedules for Rhode Island in 1890. There is an index to this census
Remember to keep good records of the census pages you locate. Print out a
copy of the page so that you can refer to it again in the future or use a
special pre-printed form for transcribing information. In the rush to find your
next ancestor in the census, you might overlook a vital clue offered by a census
document. Transcribing full information and making copies enables you to consult
the pages for additional material when you reach a research roadblock.
So now that you are aware of the wide range of censuses available to track
down those Rhode Island ancestors, you can use them to expand what you know
about those individuals. You are sure to find data that you didn’t know, such as
occupations, number of marriages, and previously unknown children. | <urn:uuid:79c347eb-3d64-475f-83cb-8423b788c97d> | CC-MAIN-2014-49 | http://www.americanancestors.org/the-rhode-island-federal-census/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-49/segments/1416400372202.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20141119123252-00234-ip-10-235-23-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.898119 | 1,621 | 2.875 | 3 |
Pilgrim Congregational Church has had a long and colorful history in Duluth. Members of its congregation were among the first settlers of a village that in January 1869 was home to only 14 families. Despite significant growth during 1869 and 1870, Duluth in 1871 consisted of scattered wood frame buildings on a desolate, largely treeless and rocky hillside. During 1869-1870, early Pilgrim members were central figures in key developments in the nascent city, including construction of Duluth’s first grain elevator (Elevator A) and digging the Duluth Ship Canal.
On November 28, 1870, Congregational friends, meeting at 110 West Superior Street in rooms used by supporters of the Y.M.C.A. (which would not begin its corporate existence in Duluth until 1882), unanimously voted to organize a Congregational church and to call Charles Cotton Salter (B.A. Yale, 1852; M.A. Andover Theological Seminary, 1855) as its first minister. Salter taught at the Yale Divinity School (1856-1857), served in the early phases of the Civil War and was (1862-1867) the “…first settled minister…” of Plymouth Congregational Church of Minneapolis. Salter’s “…nature was large, and sunny, and kindly, with sympathy for all sides of human experience. Birth and training had given him a particularly fine and gracious social bearing. He was equally at ease with rich or poor, young or old. His was the merriest laugh, and his the tenderest sympathy…(M. T. Hale, Plymouth Record, vol. X, no. 1, January 1898, p. 3).
On January 18, 1871, Charles Salter joined fifteen other men and women in formally establishing Pilgrim Church. The first church building was constructed on two lots on at the northeast corner of 2nd Street and 1st First Avenue East. This building was dedicated (July 16, 1871) with the congregation free of all debt. The etching below was done in 1921 for Pilgrim’s Fiftieth Anniversary by Duluth’s iconic painter David Ericson. Ericson would have been very familiar with this building, his family attended Pilgrim and he joined the church in 1886.
Duluth’s fortunes changed dramatically after the Panic of 1873 when Jay Cooke of Philadelphia, who had invested heavily in Duluth and who started (February 15, 1870) construction of the Northern Pacific Railway near Duluth, was forced into bankruptcy. Duluth and Pilgrim Church struggled as the population of the city collapsed.
By the late 1870’s the population of Duluth and membership in Pilgrim Church were beginning to recover. Pilgrim was able to call its second settled minister, Edward McArthur Noyes (B.A. Yale, 1879 (Phi Beta Kappa); M.A. Yale, 1882) in 1883. Noyes was ordained in Duluth at Pilgrim Church on September 27, 1883. He oversaw a decade of stabilization and growth. Pilgrim’s second building (designed by William H. Willcox and Clarence H. Johnston, Sr. (who would later design Glensheen for Chester Congdon and many significant buildings in the Twin Cities)), at the southeast corner of Lake Avenue and Second Street, was constructed, “…with sacrifice and perseverance…”, between June 1887 and February 1889. “[The building]…was begun in June 1887, and the exterior was completed in November of the same year. The very day after the last ornament had been placed on the roof, the church was almost totally destroyed by fire. the blackened and partly crumbled walls alone remaining. The fire caught caught from a stone placed in the audience room [in times past, Pilgrim used the term “audience room” or “auditorium” when referring to what we have taken in recent years to calling the “sanctuary”] to keep the plaster from freezing. Three watchmen were supposed to be in the building and were certainly there half an hour before the fire, but as nearly as the truth can be ascertained, had left their trust a few moments to seek a saloon, for a glass of Sunday whiskey. The sudden cold of the day had frozen the nearest fire-plug, and the delay thus caused gave the fire such headway that it could not be controlled. The loss was some $40,000.00 above the insurance, and this was divided between the church and the contractor. As soon as the weather permitted the walls were thoroughly rebuilt, the tower being taken down clear to the ground, and the remaining walls in some cases as far as the water table…The first services were held in November ’88 and the main audience room was opened Feb 10th, ’89…” (contemporary newspaper account, exact publication and date unknown). Over four decades later (1931) Edward MacArthur Noyes wrote in a letter to Pilgrim Church members “…those of us who struggled to build the first stone Church and then watched it burn, before we had ever worshipped in its audience room, will never forget those days of trial and victory. They were a staunch and loyal group, tried in the fire, who worshipped and worked together in Pilgrim Church, when I knew it best…”. Recurrent typhoid epidemics in Duluth took the lives of Edward Noyes’ wife (Alice, 1891) and his daughter (Mary, 1892). Edward Noyes left Pilgrim in 1894.
Cornelius Howard Patton (B.A. Amherst, 1883; B.D. Yale, 1886; D.D. Amherst, 1899; D.D. Williams, 1921) conducted his ministry at Pilgrim (1895-1898) with a dignity and competence prescient of his later distinguished career (author of multiple books, creator of a major collection of books by and about William Wordsworth, Home Secretary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Boston, Massachusetts (1904-1927), Trustee of Amherst College (1905-1939)). Cornelius and his wife Pauline brought a welcome energy to Pilgrim Church and Duluth. Pilgrim, with its colorful Music Director and Organist, Arthur G. Drake, was home to a series of community concerts and (after 1900) Matinee Musicale performances. Pilgrim Church began years of support for Emily Susan Hartwell in Fuzhou (China) where Emily Hartwell founded a girl’s school, orphanage, kindergarten and the Christian Women’s Industrial Institute.
Alexander Milne (B.D. Yale, 1889; M.A. Ohio State University, 1898) came to Pilgrim July 1899. Milne, a somewhat introverted and thoughtful man, was in poor health much of his time in Duluth. He was concerned, from his earliest days in Duluth, that Pilgrim’s downtown location was a serious threat to the long-term well-being of the church as its congregation moved to new homes in the East End of the city. In 1907, Pilgrim Church began support of Herbert Irwin and his family. Irwin worked among Armenian people in the eastern Ottoman Empire and, after the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922), among Armenian refugees in Greece. Pilgrim Church supported the Irwin family without interruption from 1907 to 1927. Although well-liked, health issues made it increasingly difficult for Alexander Milne to carry out his duties as minister and he retired December 20, 1911.
Charles Nicholas Thorp (Amherst College, 1891; Yale, 1896) came to pilgrim in October 1912 ‘…with a fine enthusiasm and a broad optimism…”, an attitude which was a “…dominant characteristic…” of his seven year ministry. From the beginning of his time at Pilgrim, Thorp promoted the idea that the church should build a new building somewhere around 24th Avenue East, an area he referred to as “…our promised land…”. Two members of the congregation, Julius Barnes and Ward Ames, Jr. purchased the Pilgrim’s Lake Avenue building, tore it down and constructed, at their own expense, a new Boy’s Y.M.C.A. on the site – a building which was said to be the finest Boy’s Y.M.C.A. in the United States. Pilgrim Church hired the popular Duluth architect Frederick German to design a building on the corner of 23d Avenue East and Fourth Street. Members of the congregation contributed generously to acquire land, build and furnish the new building. For two years, from the Fall of 1915 to the fall of 1917, Pilgrim held its Sunday morning services in the auditorium of the Masonic Temple on the southwest corner of Lake Avenue and Second Street. Other church functions during this period were held at the First Unitarian Church on the southeast corner of 18th Avenue East and First Street. The first service of any kind in the partially finished Fourth Street building (September 24, 1917) was the ordination service for Ray Phillips, a young man who had grown up in Pilgrim Church and graduated from Carleton College and the Yale School of Religion. Pilgrim would support Phillips for almost forty years while he worked (more as a social worker and student than as a traditional missionary) among Bantu people in Johannesburg, South Africa. He related well to young black intellectuals. In 1924, Ray Phillips started the Bantu Men’s Social Centre in Johannesburg. The meeting rooms, library, theater, boxing club, social and cultural programs of the Social Centre became a focal point in the lives of many young South Africans who would later have great influence in the country. Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo (both of whom would serve as Secretary General of the African National Congress) were members, as was Nelson Mandela. Ray Phillips earned a Ph.D. in sociology from Yale University in 1937 for his research on the Bantu people. Pilgrim’s new church building on Fourth Street was dedicated December 23, 1917 with the church free of all debt. The dedication sermon was preached by Donald Cowling the 37 year old president (1909-1945) of Carleton College (Carleton was the local college Pilgrim tended to identify with and contribute to during the first half of the twentieth century). Oscar Mitchell, Chair of Pilgrim’s Board of Trustees from 1903 to 1937, was a long-time trustee of Carleton. During this period, Pilgrim Church began more than three decades of support for Cloquet’s Finnish Congregational Church and other Finnish churches in northern Minnesota. Charles Thorp preached his farewell sermon at Pilgrim on October 19,1919.
Noble Strong Elderkin (B.A. Amherst, 1901; B.D. Yale, 1905) was Pilgrim’s minister throughout what was perhaps Pilgrim’s most buoyant decade (1920-1930). Elderkin, a pacifist (see his enigmatic World War I sermon in the “Sermons” link at the bottom of this page) with sensitivity for social welfare issues, was modest and judicious in his interactions with the congregation – a style which was said to engender increasing “…admiration and love…” for him throughout his tenure. The church blossomed in its new building. Much of the interior was finished during this period, including placement of wainscoting in the chancel (1922, paid for by the Women’s Assembly) and installation (between 1918 and 1932) of five paired stained glass windows made by Tiffany Studios. An electropneumatic organ built by J. W. Steere & Son of Springfield, Massachusetts, with pipes located in tall chambers on each side of the chancel, had been installed in 1917 and dedicated to the memory of Ward Ames, Sr. The organ was described as a “romantic” four manual organ with 54 stops and 3,400 pipes. The much admired Belgian-American organ virtuoso Charles Courboin played the inaugural concert on this organ December 23, 1917. He would return to Pilgrim to give concerts three more times over the next decade. The Ladies’ Union was reorganized as the Women’s Assembly (1921). The women of the church continued and expanded their work, undertaking and funding a broad range of service and charitable projects. In 1929, the Women’s Assembly published the cookbook Pilgrim Recipes which sold for $1.00 ($1.25 if wrapped and mailed outside the city). Women’s_Association_Cookbook_1929 This cookbook was well-received and helped fund purchase of the empty lot east of the church (see 1929-30_WA_Annual_Report, written by Jean Matter). Noble Elderkin was absent from Pilgrim Church for four Sundays in October 1925 while he attended meetings of the Commission on Social Service and other meetings of the National Council of Congregational Churches. “A Statement of Social Ideals” (adopted October 24, 1925) was the product of these meetings. The Statement advocated: “…the building of a social order in which every child has the best opportunity for development…group interests, whether labor or capital, must always be integrated with the welfare of society as a whole…all ownership is a social trust…the unlimited exercise of the right of private ownership is socially unacceptable…the elimination of racial discrimination…[and in international relations] the removal of any unjust barrier of trade, color, creed and race and the practice of equal justice for all nations…”.
Pilgrim’s momentum from the 1920’s seemed to carry through the difficult times of the Depression in the 1930’s. Theodore Kampmann Vogler was installed as Pilgrim’s minister December 1931. There was a great deal of activity at the church. Pilgrim’s scout troops, initially established in the 1910’s, were flourishing (Girl Scout Troop No. 1, Boy Scout Troop No. 8, Pilgrim Sea Scout Troop, Pilgrim Cub Scout Troop). Pilgrim began binding weekly Sunday Bulletins by year and selling them for sixty cents a volume. On April 29, 1934, Theodore Vogler, noting that “…Tides of racial and religious prejudice threaten America once more…”, delivered a sermon titled “The Problem of Brotherhood”. On April 17, 1936, the Pilgrim Women’s Assembly sponsored a major fundraising event at the Duluth Armory, Port 0’ Duluth Showboat: “…tea will be served at gay little tables and guests will have an opportunity to witness a fine stage show and a style show put on by sixteen leading firms of the city and to hear lovely vocal and orchestral music…a buffet supper will be served…followed by dancing…”. Theodore Vogler left Pilgrim Church September 1936.
Pilgrim broke new ground when Thomas Craig McQueen became its eighth settled minister in September 1937. McQueen’s background and education were different from that of his predecessors at Pilgrim. He was a graduate of the University of Manitoba and Manitoba Theological College. Prior to his coming to Pilgrim, McQueen had been the minister of rural churches in Warroad, Baudette and Glencoe, Minnesota. At the First Congregational Church of Glencoe (where McQueen served 1933-1937), McQueen’s ministry was associated with substantial growth, including a 42% increase in membership on one day, Easter Sunday 1935, when 117 new members were added to a congregation of 277. McQueen’s “…strong and hopeful spirit…” was well-received Pilgrim which he served through the last part of the Depression and World War II. A physically large man, McQueen at Pilgrim was more than once characterized as “…a big man in a big pulpit…”. McQueen nurtured a close relationship between Pilgrim and local Roman Catholic and Jewish congregations. He worked to establish the Duluth Round Table of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Father Joseph A. Cashen, rector of Duluth’s Holy Rosary Cathedral, delivered the keynote address at Pilgrim’s annual meeting in January 1945. The famous French organist and composer Marcel Dupré (St. Suplice and the Paris Conservatoire) gave a memorable concert at Pilgrim on September 28, 1939. In 1941, Pilgrim, for the first time, printed and distributed its annual report to the congregation. McQueen attracted new members to Pilgrim as he had at the other churches he served. Pilgrim carried, in the Fall of 1937, 1,106 members on its rolls. After McQueen arrived, the membership list was purged of 465 inactive members, leaving Pilgrim with 641 members on December 31, 1937. During the 7 1/2 years of McQueen’s tenure, 526 people joined Pilgrim, and membership stood at 963 when he left in March 1945. Overall membership only increased by two members between McQueen’s departure and December 31, 1945. McQueen was a trustee of Carleton College (assuming the seat long held by Oscar Mitchell). McQueen left Pilgrim at a time of, perhaps, its highest active membership, a growing budget and with the church free of all debt.
Quiet and Dignified, John Milton Phillips assumed duties as Pilgrim’s minister in November 1945. Pilgrim’s vibrant infrastructure continued to support a great deal of activity: multiple groups of the Women’s Assembly met every month; several groups of the Pilgrim’s Men’s Club met regularly; the Cambridge Club, a group for college age students organized by Mary Van Evera in 1946, held regular meetings; Pilgrim’s Scout troops were active; and the church’s religious education programs were thriving. The flamboyant and popular American organist Virgil Fox gave concerts on Pilgrim’s organ in 1948 and 1951 to enthusiastic audiences. However, this was not a period of growth at Pilgrim, the church failed to fully fund its budget several years in a row and church membership declined slightly. A nascent sense of controversy developed in the church, related in part to Pilgrim’s support of various social action programs and discussion of a possible merger between the national Congregational denomination and the Evangelical and Reformed Church. In 1951, a committee representing the Trustees and the Deacons was formed to visit the minister and inform him of their concern about a “…lack of leadership in the Church… Neglect by the minister of some of his pastoral duties…factions…in the Church…[and] The belief that the minister would not be able to bring these factions together…”. John Phillips ended his ministry at Pilgrim December 1951.
William LeRoy Halfaker (B.A. Ohio State University, 1932; B.D. Chicago Theological Seminary, 1936) was 43 when he came to Pilgrim in November 1952. He would serve almost two decades as Pilgrim’s minister during the period of great controversy in Pilgrim’s history – but it was also a time which revealed the underlying strength and optimism of a congregation able to weather the storm and carry on with a fresh commitment and enthusiasm.
The controversy, spanning nearly two decades (from the mid 1940’s to the mid 1960’s), ostensibly was related to the issue of the merger of the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches (of which Pilgrim was a member) with the General Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church. After years of negotiations, the two national bodies united in 1957 to form the United Church of Christ (UCC). Thus, the controversy at Pilgrim was, in part, precipitated by decisions made by the Congregational Church at the national level to redefine the denomination. Between 1947 and 1964, members of Pilgrim voted six times on questions related to some aspect of this merger. The articulated points of controversy within Pilgrim centered on the meaning of our heritage as a “free and autonomous” church and on the implications of membership in the UCC for Pilgrim in the future. On the first five ballots, a majority of the congregation persistently favored maintaining an independent status. However, on the sixth ballot (February 1964), the congregation voted to join the United Church of Christ by a margin of 13 votes (out of a total of 595 with more than 13 ballots disqualified).
There was, of course, a complex mix of currents underlying the merger controversy. One of these surfaced at the annual meeting held on January 17, 1951. At that meeting, the Chair of the Board of Trustees read an unprecedented and lengthy report to the congregation, including ten typed pages discussing controversy surrounding the Council for Social Action (CSA) of the Congregational Christian Churches. He indicated that members of Pilgrim’s Board of Trustees held differing opinions on this issue. The Chair expressed his personal criticism of the CSA for taking the following actions: lobbying the Congress of the United States on broadly defined social issues; criticizing the National Association of Manufacturers; criticizing the American Medical Association; favoring socialized medicine; favoring federal aid to education; being pro-labor; being New Dealers; and advocating a variety of socialist programs. The Chair mentioned the merger controversy and referred to himself as “…an old-fashioned ‘unreconstructed’ Congregationalist…”. This and other evidence suggests that issues other than autonomy and church polity divided Pilgrim’s congregation, and that many of those opposing the merger favored a more limited role for government and less social activism by the church.
Throughout the the long period of controversy, Bill Halfaker made a scrupulous effort to remain neutral – an effort which earned the respect of the congregation. However, he was persistent in advocating that the congregation resolve the issue, saying (at the annual meeting in 1964) that the merger controversy “…has often distracted us from what should be primary concerns and has seriously damaged our public relations for nearly 20 years…”.
A number of consequences flowed from years of disagreement and the decision to act on such a close vote. The most immediate was that many people left Pilgrim. Duluth Congregational Church was formed, and, by the time of the January 1966 annual meeting, 146 individuals had had their memberships transferred to the new church. After these departures, Pilgrim’s active resident membership stood at 614. The prolonged controversy diminished the morale and energy of Pilgrim’s Senior Minister. A positive consequence was that those who remained in the church were more of one spirit than the congregation had been in the previous decade.
Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, the multifaceted Women’s Assembly and other organizations within Pilgrim remained vibrant. During the 1950’s, Pilgrim helped four European families displaced by World War II and the colonial disruptions which followed settle in the United States. Bill Halfaker was deeply involved with the design and installation of four new stained glass windows. Unable to continue Pilgrim’s tradition of installing Tiffany windows (which were no longer available after the bankruptcy of Tiffany Studios in 1932 and the death of Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1933), Halfaker creatively completed the series of auditorium windows and worked closely with Edward Leighton to design two interesting windows for the vestibule which depict important events in Congregational history. A major remodeling project was undertaken in 1958 which, among other things, renovated the Kitchen and replaced the two story atrium of Salter Hall with a second floor chapel. Pilgrim’s membership increased modestly during the late 1960’s. During this period, Pilgrim increased its support for Northland College (Ashland, Wisconsin), which became the subject of interest and patronage, much as Carleton College had been in the first half of the century. On January 31, 1971 (two weeks after Pilgrim’s centennial celebration), William Halfaker completed his tenure at Pilgrim enjoying the goodwill of the congregation.
Royal Francis Shepard, Jr. (B.A. Haverford, 1949; M.A. Columbia, 1950; B.D. Union Theological Seminary (New York), 1954; Th.D. Graduate Theological Seminary (Berkeley), 1971), Pilgrim’s 11th settled minister, began his tenure August 1, 1971 (at the age of 44). The author of multiple published volumes of poetry and other books, Shepard is remembered for his thoughtful and stimulating sermons (see “Sermons” link at the bottom of this page). His sophisticated and constructive approach to religion is illustrated in his paper “Manifesto for the New Liberal Church” (Christian Century, October 6, 1976, pp. 837-839, see link at the end of this page). Royal Shepard placed a small cross in Pilgrim’s sanctuary which had previously been devoid of such overt religious symbolism. He also oversaw the design and installation of the Roberts’ Memorial Window, installed in the chancel in 1979. With schematic representations of buildings from Yale, Harvard, Oberlin, Fisk, Mount Holyoke and Northland College, this window celebrates Congregational contributions to higher education. A pulpit exchange between Pilgrim and the Central United Reformed Church on Argyle Street (Bath, England) led to an ongoing series of visits by members of the two congregations. Dorothy Belt (Wellesley College, B.A., M.A. (Phi Beta Kappa); Hartford Seminary, M.A.; see “Sermons” link at the bottom of this page ) retired May 16, 1979 after serving 28 years on Pilgrim’s staff, as Director of Religious Education (1950-1955) and as Pilgrim’s much admired church secretary (1955-1979). The changes in Dorothy’s situation corresponded with the arrival in 1955 of James Schaefer as Associate Minister and the recent retirement of Virginia Manley (who had served as Pilgrim’s indomitable church secretary since the time of Noble Elderkin (In the early 1950’s, Noble Elderkin requested in a letter to William Halfaker that he “…bow in the direction of Mrs. Manley for me…”.)). In 1980, Elizabeth Oettinger (Yale College; Yale Divinity School) began her tenure as associate minister, the first ordained clergywoman to serve Pilgrim Church (see “Sermons” link at the bottom of this page). Royal Shepard completed his incumbency on February 27, 1983.
John D. Fitzgerald, Jr. (B.A. Colorado College; B.D. Chicago Theological Seminary) brought fresh excitement and optimism to Pilgrim when he arrived January 1984 . Jack’s engaging and dynamic personality energized the congregation which was deeply moved by Fitzgerald’s untimely death from cancer fifteen months later. A eulogy published at the time of his funeral at Pilgrim described Jack as “…good at everything, as pastor, leader, father, sailor, actor, swashbuckling wit…Jack was as close to a ‘natural man’ as any we have ever met. To his parishioners, he was as much a friend as leader, eloquent in the pulpit, brilliant, but at the same time so approachable, so understanding, so kind…”. Before, during and after Jack Fitzgerald’s ministry Liz Oetinger was a solid and welcome presence at Pilgrim Church.
John H. Kemp (B.A. Oberlin, 1956; B.D. Chicago Theological Seminary, 1962; D.Rel. Chicago Theological Seminary, 1970), Pilgrim’s minister from October 1986 to May 2000, oversaw a period of welcome stability after 3 1/2 years which included two long interim periods surrounding the inspiring but brief ministry of Jack Fitzgerald. Jack Kemp had links to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, an organization whose activities had been coordinated (1904-1927) by Cornelius Howard Patton (Pilgrim’s minister, 1895-1898) and which had served as the intermediary organization for Pilgrim’s missionaries. From 1957 to 1960, Jack Kemp taught at a Congregational secondary school in Tarsus, Turkey which provided a non-sectarian western education to Muslim boys. During his time in Tarsus, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions merged with other entities to form the United Church Board for World Ministries. Jack would later serve for ten years on the board of directors of this organization. Pilgrim’s entirely mechanical (tracker) organ, built in Duluth by Dan Jaeckel (who had served as Pilgrim’s organist and choir director, 1982-1984) was installed in 1988. This exceptional organ has 3,210 pipes, 49 stops and 67 ranks. The inaugural recital was performed by the renowned French organist Marie Claire-Alain (said to be the world’s most recorded organist) on October 30, 1989. Since then many of the world’s famous organists have performed on this instrument. In 1988, the congregation affirmed Pilgrim as a Just Peace Church “to make a difference in a world in which conflict and injustice abound.” In 1990, the Peace and Justice Committee co-sponsored the formation of a support group at Pilgrim of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). In 1992, Pilgrim Church established the Pilgrim Fund using funds given by Margaret Mitchell. Between 1992 and 2005, more than $400,000.00 of income from the Pilgrim Fund was donated to charitable organizations in the region. A major renovation of the kitchen and other areas of the church, including installation of an elevator, was completed in 1998. Three associate ministers served during Jack Kemp’s tenure: Emmajane Finney; Deanna Euritt; and Jody Ondich (see “Sermons” link at the bottom of this page).
Charlotte Frantz (M.Div. Eden Theological Seminary, 1975) was Pilgrim’s minister from May 2002 to January 2015. Pilgrim had declared itself an Open and Affirming Church on July 14, 2001, condemning “…all acts of discrimination and violence against people because of their sexual orientation…”. During the 2000’s, Pilgrim continued its advocacy for the fair and equitable treatment of all people. A major building project which included replacing the roof and rebuilding the front porch was completed in 2006. Pilgrim’s handbells were reconditioned and Pilgrim’s handbell choir began performing as Bellissimo in 2006. A popular series of community concerts, Pilgrim Presents, was inaugurated. A new governance structure, unique to Pilgrim, was developed and implemented. This structure eliminated many of Pilgrim’s traditional committees.
Karen Schuder became Pilgrim’s 15th settled minister on October 30, 2016 (see the Staff page on this website.)
Throughout its history, Pilgrim members have played an important role in the civic and charitable life of our city. Women at Pilgrim organized Duluth’s first: kindergarten; occupational therapy training program; and domestic science classes. Members of Pilgrim were significantly involved with the formation or development of many of Duluth’s institutions, including: the YMCA; the YWCA (together with the International Institute and the Raleigh Street Neighborhood House); the Bethel and the Bethel Rescue Home for Women and Children (later the Bethel Home for Girls); the Duluth Children’s Home; the Duluth Public Library; reorganization and building of a modern St. Luke’s Hospital in the 1920’s; and the acquisition and donation of land in the 1940’s and 1950’s which now forms the U.M.D. campus and the Bagley nature area.
Below are a number of helpful links for those interested in learning more about the history of Pilgrim Church.
Settled Ministers of Pilgrim Congregational Church
Building in the Promised Land
An Annotated Plan of the First Floor
An Annotated Plan of the First Floor with Additional Notes
Noble Elderkin Comes to Pilgrim Church
Brief Notes on Pilgrim’s Named Funds
Royal Shepard: Manifesto for the New Liberal Church
Author: Mike Zlonis <email@example.com> | <urn:uuid:89b0af6f-29a5-4fa6-a005-5f716a77abe3> | CC-MAIN-2019-30 | http://pilgrimduluth.org/history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-30/segments/1563195524568.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20190716135748-20190716161748-00549.warc.gz | en | 0.969115 | 6,708 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Metropolis - Sicherungsstück Nr. 1: Negative of the restored and reconstructed version 2001
Documentary heritage submitted by Germany and recommended for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register in 2001.
Fritz Lang's motion picture METROPOLIS (1927) is without doubt famous testimony of German silent film art, a testimony that made history. The combination of motion picture and architecture: this is above all and still METROPOLIS, the film which was shot by Fritz Lang in the Babelsberg Film Studios in 1925/1926, which, due to its immense expenditure, caused the UFA, the largest German film group, to run into financial difficulties, which then had a glittering première in Berlin in January 1927, and an unparalleled success all over the world ever since - and which became the symbol of a (film-) architectural model of the future.
Substantially shortened and changed almost immediately after the première in Berlin, only one (though fragmentary) of the initially three original negatives of METROPOLIS has been left in the possession of the German Federal Archives, as well as master copies of the lost original negatives in a few archives abroad.
As a result of intense investigations on the initiative of the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation, a new reconstruction has been produced. It was first shown in February 2001, on the occasion of the Berlin Film Festival. Considering that the result this time is again not the original version of METROPOLIS, but „only" a synthetic version made of the fragments handed down, it comes, however, as close to the original piece of work as possible. With this reconstruction project a new digitized "original" negative has been produced to provide more independence and better copying quality in the future. This reconstructed version of METROPOLIS is proposed for nomination here. | <urn:uuid:dd2d98f6-f6aa-40e0-9e6e-5fa979390851> | CC-MAIN-2014-49 | http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/flagship-project-activities/memory-of-the-world/register/full-list-of-registered-heritage/registered-heritage-page-5/metropolis-sicherungsstueck-nr-1-negative-of-the-restored-and-reconstructed-version-2001/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-49/segments/1416400379916.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20141119123259-00217-ip-10-235-23-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954661 | 384 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Exercising during pregnancy has many benefits. It has been shown to reduce many of the discomforts of pregnancy. Staying active helps alleviate backache, constipation, fatigue, bloating and swelling. Regular exercise can also help elevate your energy level, mood and self-image.
If a woman has worked out regularly before becoming pregnant, and everything is proceeding normally, regular exercise is highly recommended.
Exercising during pregnancy can maintain general fitness, improve circulation, relieve swelling and help the mother-to-be prepare for the physical stress of the birth. After pregnancy, exercise helps you get back into shape faster.
Here are some of the changes that occur in the body that a pregnant woman who wants to exercise should keep in mind:
Hormones: During pregnancy, there is an increase in the hormones relaxin and elastin. These hormones soften connective tissue, which in turn relaxes muscles and ligaments. This increased mobility and elasticity produce joint instability and an increased risk of injury. To prevent damaging loosened joints, modifying the range of motion of exercises is recommended.
Circulation: After the first trimester, the uterus enlarges and begins to press against the vena cava, especially when you are lying on your back. This large vein is responsible for carrying blood from the lower body back to the heart. To prevent lower-body circulation problems, limit the exercises you do while lying on your back after the first trimester.
Blood volume: Blood volume increases 30 to 55 percent during pregnancy. It is very important to spend additional time both warming up before exercise and cooling down afterward.
Metabolism: During pregnancy, there is a 15- to 25-percent increase in your metabolic rate. This produces an increase in body temperature. Since the intensity level of exercise directly affects the core body temperature, strenuous exercise can lead to high temperatures that are dangerous to the fetus.
Studies have shown that moderate exercise is well tolerated by the fetus. In addition, physically fit women sweat faster and cool off sooner.
But exercising should be avoided if you feel feverish or you are in a hot, humid environment where overheating could occur. Pregnant women should also avoid hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms.
Hydration: Proper hydration plays an important role in cooling. Dehydration can increase core temperatures to dangerous levels that could cause premature labor. Frequent urination associated with pregnancy often discourages a woman from drinking fluids. However, it is vital to drink water before, during and after exercising.
Balance: Center-of-gravity changes that occur during pregnancy place an increased strain on the back and hips. This can affect both posture and balance. Exercises that strengthen the abdominal and back muscles can help reduce this problem.
Lordosis: As the uterus enlarges, the center of gravity is pulled forward, causing lordosis, or sway back. This abnormal anterior curve of the spine often causes lower-back discomfort and pain. In addition, the abdominal muscles are stretched and weakened while the lower-back and hip-flexor muscles shorten. Strengthening the abdominal muscles helps maintain correct pelvic alignment and reduces back pain. Stretching the lower-back and hip-flexor muscles are also an important means of correcting this problem. Practice maintaining a neutral pelvic alignment.
Kyphosis: An exaggerated rounding of the upper back, or kyphosis, can occur because of the weight of enlarging breasts pulling the shoulders forward. This slumped posture produces weak and shortened chest muscles and a weak and stretched upper back. Focus on stretching the chest muscles and strengthening the upper-back muscles to help keep the shoulders in proper alignment and to improve posture.
Round ligament syndrome: Several ligaments surrounding the pelvis stretch as the uterus and baby increase in size. To prevent injury, avoid twisting motions or changing directions too quickly.
Diastasis recti: Separation of the main abdominal muscle may occur as the uterus increases. Depending upon the degree of separation, abdominal-strengthening exercises may need to be modified or discontinued.
Next week, we will look at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' new guidelines for exercise during pregnancy and also examine more of the advantages of exercising during pregnancy. | <urn:uuid:12d871ac-13f9-46db-83ed-63d4d9c346f8> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-03-09/news/9503100268_1_regular-exercise-pregnancy-blood-volume-increases | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187824537.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20171021005202-20171021025202-00710.warc.gz | en | 0.938246 | 873 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Introduction to AC Circuits
- Fundamental Definitions
- AC Circuit Analysis
- Power and Power Triangles in AC Circuits
- Power Factor Correction
- Star-Delta and Delta-Star Conversion in Three-Phase AC Circuits
- Voltage and Currents in Star- and Delta-Connected Loads
- Voltage and Current Phasors in Three-Phase Systems
- Power in Three-Phase AC Circuits
- Three-Phase Power Measurement and Data Logging
Electric power is generated, distributed, and used as sinusoidal voltages and currents in a great variety of commercial and domestic applications. Furthermore, in the industrial world a vast number of small-, medium-, or large-size ac power generators and loads are interlinked. Therefore, the design, operation, maintenance, and management of such systems very much depend on a good understanding of ac circuit theory.
The analysis of ac circuits involves the study of the behavior of the system under both normal and abnormal operating conditions. However, this book is not intended to include abnormal conditions. Instead, it focuses on the foremost fundamental issues and normal conditions and presents visual aids and interactive tools. Additionally, it is assumed that a steady-state sinusoidal condition is reached, which means that all transient effects in ac circuits have disappeared.
This chapter's topics are of practical importance in ac systems. The fundamental terminologies used in ac circuits are introduced, and a number of custom-written VIs, considering both single-phase and three-phase ac circuits, are provided.
The chapter begins with essential definitions of such terms as power factor, phasor, impedance, and per-unit value.
Section 3.2 describes the topological analysis of five basic ac electric circuits containing impedances and ac supplies. Then a reverse study is presented where an unknown impedance is determined by user-defined ac voltage and currents.
Section 3.3 is concerned with a description and visual demonstration of the powers in ac circuits and is followed by a discussion of power factor correction in Section 3.4.
The remaining sections describe various other aspects of three-phase circuits, accompanied by interactive VI modules. The chapter ends with a comprehensive study of real-time three-phase data logging.
The chapter develops appropriate relationships and visual aids for describing ac systems using ac voltage, ac current, impedance, ac power, and phasors. After completing this chapter, students should be able to
plot and interpret the characteristics of ac voltage, current, and power waveforms.
understand the definitions of peak to peak; peak and rms values; and phase/line voltage and current, phase angle, power factor, complex impedance, phasor and base (per-unit) values in ac circuits.
state the equations for series, parallel, and combination ac circuits that contain impedances and ac supplies, understand the effects on current caused by changes in impedances, and state the meaning of the term equivalent impedance.
analyze the sinusoidal steady-state behavior of single- and three-phase ac circuits using phasors, and study the effect of resistive, inductive, and capacitive loads in single-phase ac circuits.
understand the concept of complex power, power measurement methods, and power factor correction.
recognize the data logging techniques associated with ac circuits.
3.1 Fundamental Definitions
Steady-state sinusoidal time-varying voltage and current waveforms can be given by
where v and i are the time-varying voltage and current, and Vm and Im are the peak values (magnitudes or amplitudes) of the voltage and current waveforms. In equation 3.2, θ is known as the phase angle, which is normally defined with reference to the voltage waveform.
The term cos θ is called a power factor. Remember that we assumed a voltage having a zero phase. In general, the phase of the voltage may have a value other than zero. Then θ should be taken as the phase of the voltage minus the phase of the current.
In a linear circuit excited by sinusoidal sources, in the steady-state, all voltages and currents are sinusoidal and have the same frequency. However, there may be a phase difference between the voltage and current depending on the type of load used.
The three basic passive circuit elements, the resistor (R), the inductor (L), and the capacitor (C), are considered in this chapter. An ac load may be a combination of these passive elements, such as R + L or R + C.
Note that the current and voltage waveforms in the resistor are in phase, while inductances and capacitors both have a 90° phase shift between voltage and current. The inductor current waveform lags the inductor voltage waveform by 90°, while in the capacitor, the current leads the voltage by 90°.
The peak-to-peak value is also used in the analysis of ac circuits; it is the difference between the highest and lowest values of the waveform over one cycle. This can easily be visualized in the ac waveforms generated.
It might seem difficult to describe an ac signal in terms of a specific value, since an ac signal is not constant. However, as shown in Chapter 2, these sinusoidal signals are periodic, repeating the same pattern of values in each period. Therefore, when a voltage or a current is described simply as ac, we will refer to its rms or effective value, not its maximum value, which simplifies the description of ac signal.
In general, for nonsinusoidal systems (distorted waveforms), the power factor PF is equal to
where Stotal is the total apparent (or complex) power in VA, which is equal to Vrms · Irms.
If the voltage and current waveforms of an ac system are measured in real time, it is much easier to calculate the power factor simply by using the definitions of average and rms values (given in equations 2.3 and 2.4).
However, in many utility applications, the distortion in ac voltage is usually small, hence the voltage waveform can be assumed as an ideal sine wave at fundamental frequency. This assumption simplifies the analysis, which results in an analytical solution of power factor for the nonsinusoidal systems as
where Is is the rms value of the current (as in equation 2.4 for sinusoidal quantities), Is1 is the rms Fourier fundamental component of the current, and cos θ is the power factor in linear circuits with sinusoidal voltages and currents.
From equation 3.4, we can conclude that a large distortion in the current waveform will result in a small value of the current ratio, Is1/Is, which means a small value of power factor, even if θ = 0 (a unity power factor, cos θ = 1).
As seen, since the Fourier analysis is involved for the estimation of Is1, a quantity called total harmonic distortion (THD) can be defined in the current, which simplifies the estimation of PF.
Note that the definitions given for the PF will be utilized in the transformer experiment later since the excitation current of transformers is highly distorted.
In most ac circuit studies, the frequency is fixed, so this feature is used to simplify the analysis. Sinusoidal steady-state analysis is greatly facilitated if the currents and voltages are represented as vectors in the complex number plane known as phasors. The basic purpose of phasors is to show the rms value (or the magnitude in some cases) and phase angle between two or multiple quantities, such as voltage and current.
The phasors can be defined in many forms, such as rectangular, polar, exponential, or trigonometric:
where R is the real part and X is the imaginary part of the complex number, and |Z| is the absolute value of Z.
To understand the phasors theoretically, let us consider a sinusoidal voltage function. If the rotating term at angular frequency ω is ignored, the phasor function can be given by using the real part of a complex function in polar form.
and the voltage phasor function is
This phasor is visualized as a vector of length Vrms that rotates counterclockwise in the complex plane with an angular velocity of ω. As the vector rotates, its projection on the real axis traces out the voltage as a function of time. In fact, the “phasor” is simply a snapshot of this rotating vector at t = 0 and will be shown in the phasor graphs of the VIs implemented.
In addition, when the periodic voltage, current, and power waveforms are considered, each data point in these waveforms can be represented in the complex plane. This feature is also demonstrated in the chapter's phasor VIs.
The impedance Z in ac circuits is defined as the ratio of voltage function to current function. Hence, the impedance is a complex number and can be expressed in the rectangular form as
The real component of the impedance is called the resistance R and the imaginary component is called the reactance X, both of which are in ohms. The reactance is a function of ω in L and C loads, and for an inductive load, X is positive, whereas for a capacitive load, X is negative (Fig. 3-1).
Figure 3-1. Equivalent circuits of an impedance and impedance phasor in the complex plane.
The impedance can also be displayed in the complex plane as phasors, the voltage, and the current waveforms. However, since the resistance is never negative, only the first and fourth quadrants are required. This restriction is implied in the associated VIs by limiting the upper and lower values of the controls.
The per-unit system of measurement and computation is used in electrical engineering for two principal reasons:
To display multiple quantities (such as voltages and currents) on the same scale for comparison purposes
To eliminate the need for conversion of the voltages, currents, and impedances in the circuits and to avoid using transformation from three-phase to single-phase, and vice versa
The quantity subject to conversion is normalized in terms of a particularly convenient unit, called the per-unit base of the system. Note that whenever per-unit values are given, they are always dimensionless. To calculate the actual values of the quantities, the magnitude of the base of the per-unit system must be known. In electrical circuits, voltage, current, impedance, and power can be selected as base quantities. | <urn:uuid:95013e56-5ee1-4067-b76e-dd6fe9f76526> | CC-MAIN-2018-47 | http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=101617&seqNum=7 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039741660.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20181114062005-20181114084005-00492.warc.gz | en | 0.912609 | 2,199 | 3.796875 | 4 |
As the popularity of e-cigarettes continues to grow, a US scientist is claiming that the prolonged exposure to nicotine could increase the risk of developing a fatal heart condition.
New research studies
Experiments using both rat and human vascular smooth muscle cells have shown how nicotine stimulates the formation of “rosettes” on the outer surface of those cells. These structures penetrate the protective outer layer of tissue that safeguards the vascular cells of the heart resulting in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis has been described as “cancer of the blood vessels” leading to the build-up of plaque, clogged arteries and the danger of subsequent heart attack and stroke. Worryingly, this process occurs during the administration of nicotine in any form, not just through cigarette smoke.
The scientists behind the study concede that substituting cigarettes with some other form of nicotine will be beneficial in that the user will no longer be at risk from the harmful effects of the whole gamut of chemicals contained in cigarette smoke, but data does suggest that long-term e-cigarette use does increase the risk of atherosclerosis.
“Scaremongering” say e-cigarette supporters
The pro-e-cig advocates disagree. The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association (CASAA) argues that although it is proven that cigarette smoke causes heart disease, the science behind the allegation that nicotine consumption alone is responsible for such disease is nothing more than unfounded scaremongering.
The CASAA highlights other research which shows that smokers using nicotine replacement therapy following a stroke or heart attack were at no more risk of suffering a second acute incident within 12 months than those who were not. A Swedish study showed that men who chewed tobacco were at no greater risk of heart attack than those who did not. It also appears that the nicotine substitute study involved administering nicotine levels that were 10 times higher than would be inhaled by an average cigarette smoker.
Tobacco industry fuelling doubts on e-cig safety?
Vapers (as users of e-cigs are known) are bemused by the fuss and find it all rather frustrating. The flavoured liquid contained in most e-cigarettes includes nicotine, propylene glycol and various flavourings but does not carry the harmful toxins contained in cigarette smoke. Millions of smokers worldwide have successfully turned to e-cigs to help them quit the tobacco habit and are becoming tired of what they perceive to be attempts to frighten them into giving up their new found “healthier” fix.
It has even been alleged that the multi-billion dollar tobacco industry may be behind some of the studies which seem designed to put people off using e-cigs and other nicotine substitutes and that much of this research is driven by their fear of profit shrinkage, rather than concerns for the health of the smokers who fund it. | <urn:uuid:cf6b6354-f295-400e-9394-1ad9584d3c12> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://breathinghappy.com/nicotine-substitutes-cause-heart-attack-stroke/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187825436.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20171022184824-20171022204824-00518.warc.gz | en | 0.956512 | 580 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Peer at a map of the Arctic and it glows fluorescent red. The warmth, compared to normal, is again nearly off the charts.
It’s crazy and perhaps unsettling, but we have seen it coming.
In my Feb. 1 story, ‘Beyond the extreme’: Scientists marvel at ‘increasingly nonnatural’ Arctic warmth, I stated computer models predicted yet another round of incredible warmth in a week’s time. Current data show these predictions have verified.
Friday’s temperatures very near the North Pole are about 50 degrees warmer than normal, according to a temperature analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Reports from the ground offer further evidence of the unusual intensity of the high-latitude warmth.
On Wednesday, as the flux of warm air surged into the Arctic, the northernmost land station in the world in northern Greenland shot up 43 degrees (24 Celsius) in just 12 hours, cresting the melting point:
— WMO | OMM (@WMO) February 10, 2017
Early in the week, weather station Nord, in northeast Greenland, broke its all-time February high-temperature record by almost four degrees (two Celsius), the Danish Meteorological Institute reported.
In Svalbard, Norway, the island located about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole, high temperatures in the settlement of Longyearbyen have hovered near 40 degrees this entire week, compared with normal highs in the low-to-mid teens. Each day, these temperature were near or exceeded records.
The warmth funneled toward the North Pole as winds converged winds between a monster storm in the North Atlantic and a giant area of high pressure over northern Europe.
Current spike in #Arctic (80°N+) surface temperatures continue from poleward warm air advection event
— Zack Labe (@ZLabe) February 10, 2017
While this week’s sharp temperature spike resulted from the arrangement of these intense weather systems, scientists say such spikes are probably becoming more frequent and intense. Rising greenhouse-gas concentrations are increasing average temperatures and shrinking Arctic sea ice. Earlier this week, the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported January Arctic sea levels were the lowest on record.
Extreme temperature spikes such as this one have occurred multiple times in the past two winters, whereas they only previously occurred once or twice per decade in historical records according to research published in the journal Nature.
As Mashable science writer Andrew Freedman put it: “Something is very, very wrong with the Arctic climate.” | <urn:uuid:41b28d05-b608-46f7-94ec-b9894edd62b1> | CC-MAIN-2018-09 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/02/10/its-about-50-degrees-warmer-than-normal-near-the-north-pole/?utm_term=.63786b313a57 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891816912.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20180225190023-20180225210023-00022.warc.gz | en | 0.943304 | 528 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Like many proud citizens of the world today, there are times when you might feel like the country you live in is one of the best on Earth—and there are times when you might feel that your country could make some improvements. When it comes to education in particular, some countries are ahead of the game. What does a “well-educated” country look like? Things like high school graduation rates, number of citizens with a college degree, and even things like employment and rate of pay, can be combined together to serve as a reasonable meter for educational success. At the end of 2012, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) calculated what proportion of residents in 34 countries had obtained a college degree or the equivalent of one. From there, the top 10 “most educated” countries were determined. Some countries are more surprising than others, but all seem to have their own unique way of ensuring that their citizens are educated properly. While not all countries have the same resources available to create wonderful education opportunities, those countries that use their highly-educated citizens to further world progress and assist those countries who have less can do amazing things for the future. Take a look at the stats behind these well-learned nations.
Embed the image below on your site and Include Attribution to EducationNews.org | <urn:uuid:460aa58c-9989-4828-af48-5b0a4d9bda7e> | CC-MAIN-2014-35 | http://www.educationnews.org/higher-education/most-educated-countries/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-35/segments/1409535922087.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20140909045629-00238-ip-10-180-136-8.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964844 | 267 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Climate Ethics: What Can Science Tell Us?
Posted on 27 August 2011 by grypo
"This is really not a political issue so much as a moral issue. If we allow that to happen, it is deeply unethical. I have such faith in our democratic system, our self-government, I actually thought and believed that the story would be compelling enough to cause a real sea change in the way Congress reacted to that. I thought they would be startled and they weren't."
- Albert Arnold Gore Jr.
Before the release of "An Inconvenient Truth: A Global Warning", (transcript) the debate of what-to-do-about-all-that-co2 mainly took place out of the public's eye. In essence, academics did their thing and policy makers did theirs. While there is an argument that Al Gore's position as head communicator for the climate change movement was just as divisive as it was helpful, I find it hard to argue against one thing - Al Gore showed the public why climate change mattered, and why ethics were just as important as the economics, the science, and the politics.
So getting to the title of this post: What can science tell us about ethics? Well, directly? Absolutely nothing. The way in which we collectively develop a code of values is independent of way in which we attempt to determine truth, or the closest approximation to truth. But what science can do is act as a guide, or a tool, to determine how we behave when we are faced with ethical dilemmas.
Previously, here on SkS, John Cook examined the paper, "Geographic disparities and moral hazards in the predicted impacts of climate change on human populations" (Sampson 2011). In it, he described our moral hazard in the paper's main conclusions:
If those who are emitting the most greenhouse gas are the least affected by direct global warming impacts, how shall we motivate them to change?
And further, using his logic on adaptability, to which the paper did not cover:
[I]t doesn't take a great leap of the imagination to surmise that the poor, developing countries that emit the least pollution are also those with the least amount of infrastructure to deal with climate impacts. So we are left with a double irony - the countries that contribute least to global warming are both the most impacted and the least able to adapt.
The take home graphic:
A new paper, "Early onset of significant local warming in low latitude countries" (Mahlstein 2011) takes the idea even further.
The most strongly affected countries emit small amounts of CO2 per capita and have therefore contributed little to the changes in climate that they are beginning to experience.
What brings the authors to this conclusion?
Here we show that due to the small temperature variability from one year to another, the earliest emergence of significant warming occurs in the summer season in low latitude countries (≈25◦S–25◦N). We also show that a local warming signal that exceeds past variability is emerging at present, or will likely emerge in the next two decades, in many tropical countries. Further, for most countries worldwide, a mean global warming of 1 ◦C is sufficient for a significant temperature change, which is less than the total warming projected for any economically plausible emission scenario.
In short, those countries who have emitted the least CO2, and contributed least to the problem, will be the first to experience temperatures outside regional past variability.
And we're already committed to it.
The map shows the global temperature increase (◦C) needed for a single location to undergo a statistically significant change in average summer seasonal surface temperature (TAS), aggregated on a country level. The black line near the colour bar denotes the committed global average warming if all atmospheric constituents were fixed at year 2000 levels. The small panels show the interannual summer-season variability during the base period (1900–29) (±2 standard deviations shaded in grey) and the multi-model mean summer surface temperature (red line) of one arbitrarily chosen grid cell within the specific country. The shading in red indicates the 5% and 95% quantiles across all model realizations.
[H]ere we have documented a key aspect of tropical vulnerability that is physically based (rather than linked to the economical issues in these countries): the size of the warming signal relative to interannual noise.
Now push the clock ahead a generation or two. How long will it take for the climate to change enough to be outside those fully actualized persons' adapted variability? What can we do to mitigate that change and allow the next set of humans to progress without having to spend their inhertited treasure on dealing with the previous generation's inability to find a sustainable way to produce energy? How long before we begin to deal with these inequalities and deficits in justice?
This will depend on how much we can learn and our individual and collective code of ethics.
With science as our guide, we can get a look into the future. And with our ethical code, we can decide on a course of action We have tools at our disposal. Will we use them? | <urn:uuid:c5c2b01f-5de3-4358-b77a-3528f5df2447> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.skepticalscience.com/climate-ethics-what-can-science-tell-us.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400031.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00069-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948801 | 1,057 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Try to avoid negative thoughts; they are harmful to mental and physical health. Doctors have said after research that the more negative thoughts a person has, the sooner his brain cells will start to decline, Alzheimer’s or other such diseases can occur. The heart of negative thinking, It also affects many functions, including the digestive system. If someone already has a physical condition, negative thinking can make it difficult to restore health.
Why Does Negative Thinking Arise?
Psychologists say that negative thinking can be related to many things. Any kind of fear found in the heart can also be the cause, while depression is the main cause. This thinking can also arise from the environment. If the surrounding environment is really bad, negative thinking can increase. If you are not able to control, this thinking can become a part of the personality or habit.
Disappointing thoughts and constant self-criticism can also exacerbate this. Thinking like this stops the production of cells in the brain that create peace and happiness. The more negative thinking you give time to, the more dangerous it will become. If this situation is not dealt with quickly, it can become a habit, and then it becomes difficult to get rid of it. This habit can develop even in those who do not behave well with others. Sometimes there are good and bad aspects in a case but some people always think of the dark side, it should be avoided.
Some People Think
Some people are quick to draw conclusions before starting work. Even before they start work, they realize the disadvantages. Many people always think that some kind of disaster is coming into the world. They can also be victims. Many people get into the habit of looking for faults in others. Some people think that if the work environment or the office changes, happiness can set up camp at home. That is not possible. Most people think that it is my bad luck that the work in which I put my hand, becomes dust and look at it, if they put a hand in the dust, it also becomes gold.
Negative thinking losses
Problems such as headaches, chest pains, fatigue, stomach upset, sleep disturbances, depression, and lack of communication can be caused by negative thinking. Negative thinking causes stress, which triggers a system to deal with it and the release of excess amounts of cortisol into the bloodstream. The individual’s attention shifts further in one direction, that is, negative thinking becomes stronger. The individual stays alert because he also has to fight negative thinking. If this condition continues for a long time, digestion may be impaired, the immune system fighting against inflammation may be weakened, these types of people are more ill than others.
Prevention And Treatment
Try to confront the reality by analyzing the situation accurately, and think that if the world is too big, there are countless good things happening in it that are in your interest as well. Just focus on them. In any case, instead of getting lost in thoughts, keep thinking that success is coming to me. Stop being afraid of the future and be disappointed. Negative habits can also be changed through positive thinking. To get rid of this habit, constantly think of success and good things, make good and good thinking a part of life. Join the circle of enlightened people. Trust your strengths, and reflect on your strengths over and over again. | <urn:uuid:93ba500f-615a-41df-b768-743ba7ed2b63> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://urdufox.com/negative-thinking-weakens-the-strongest-man/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510334.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20230927235044-20230928025044-00610.warc.gz | en | 0.96561 | 675 | 2.8125 | 3 |
The 1930s were a tough time to be in politics. When the Great Depression set in, Canadians were among the hardest hit and many were forced into a life of poverty — a result of falling wages, high unemployment rates, and plummeting prices on exports. Helpless in the face of a worldwide crisis, Canadians looked to the government for help.
When governments proved unable to restore the faltering economy or provide enough relief, voters didn’t hesitate to give the job to a new leader. After all, they had nothing to lose.
Throughout the 1930s, Canadian governments at all levels were frequently turned over as voters tried to find someone who could to alleviate the effects of the depression. It’s in this context that we look at Prince Edward Island’s 1935 election and Walter Lea’s unprecedented political victory.
Walter Lea was born on February 10, 1874 in Tryon, Prince Edward Island. After a modest upbringing and education, he went on to manage the family farm. Lea always had an interest in politics and in 1915 he was elected to the House of Assembly. A few years later, he was reelected and named Commissioner of Agriculture.
When Premier Saunders joined the Supreme Court in 1930, Walter Lea was called on to form the Liberal government. He became the first farmer-Premier and undertook many initiatives to improve and diversify the island’s agricultural industry. However, his reign was short-lived and lasted just over a year. In 1931, his government was defeated when the Conservatives won 28 of the island’s 30 seats. Lea assumed the seat of Leader of the Opposition.
Four years later, Prince Edward Islanders were at the polls again. Lea was still vying to become Premier, although he was now suffering from poor health. He directed his campaign from a hospital bed for six weeks, and then from his home for the remainder of the election. He made only one public appearance during the entire campaign.
The circumstances of Lea’s campaign made the election results all the more astounding. When the votes were counted, Lea’s Liberals had swept the province. It was the first time in the history of the British Commonwealth that a party won every political seat and was left without an opposition in the House. Members of the Liberal party unofficially took on the role of opposition, providing voices of criticism to the government. In addition to assuming his duties as Premier, Lea took on the portfolios of Agriculture and Provincial Secretary.
Newspapers across the country carried the story of Lea’s victory, which reflected a broader change in Canadian provincial politics. When the Great Depression hit, many Canadian provinces elected Conservative governments with the hope that they would be able to control the economic crisis. However, by the mid-1930s, little had been done to alleviate the effects of the depression and voters began to elect new governments. Prince Edward Island was the last of six provinces to replace their Conservative government with a Liberal one. Just three months later, a similar change played out on the federal stage, as Mackenzie King’s Liberal party defeated the Conservative government.
Walter Lea’s victory was an unprecedented feat that was not be repeated until 1987, when Frank McKenna won all fifty-nine seats in New Brunswick. In the context of the Great Depression, Lea’s landslide win indicated that the people of Prince Edward Island, like the rest of their fellow Canadians, were ready for a change. Sadly, Walter Lea passed away a few months after his historic win. However, regardless of who was in charge, it seems that no government could stop the depression and Canada’s economy didn’t improve until the outbreak of the Second World War. | <urn:uuid:22249625-524d-4245-80b2-642489a865e7> | CC-MAIN-2020-50 | https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/politics-law/lea-s-landslide | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-50/segments/1606141737946.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20201204131750-20201204161750-00675.warc.gz | en | 0.987776 | 770 | 3.421875 | 3 |
The newly detected Omicron variant of coronavirus is “highly uncertain” but may require a “very stringent response”, scientists have said.
According to the scientists, it is “highly likely” that Omicron can escape immunity caused by previous infection or vaccination “to some extent”. The existing Delta variant is already more resistant to vaccines than the original version of the virus found in Wuhan, BBC reported.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies in the UK, which met recently, said the government should start preparing now for a “potentially significant” wave of infections while data on the variant is being collected and analysed.
The scientists believe that booster jabs are likely to provide protection against severe disease, hospitalisation and death from most variants in the short term.
However, “Any significant reduction in protection against infection could still result in a very large wave of infections. This would in turn lead to a potentially high number of hospitalisations even with protection against severe disease being less affected,” the scientists led by the government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical adviser Chris Whitty were quoted as saying.
Further they added that it is too early to know how severe the condition of people infected with Omicron variant or how that might vary by age. They noted that the first indications of the likely impact on vaccines should come from laboratory studies over the coming weeks, BBC report said.
Although the size of any future wave remains “highly uncertain”, the scientists say it may be of a scale that requires “very stringent response measures” to avoid unsustainable pressure on the existing healthcare systems. And the earlier measures to reduce transmission are introduced, the stronger they are and the wider their geographical coverage, the more effective they will be.
“The situation could develop quickly over the coming weeks and decision makers may need to act while there is a high level of uncertainty, including the potential need for stringent response measures,” they said.
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NEW DELHI:The Supreme Court on Monday. | <urn:uuid:d0a71a0a-13a1-4e08-97e4-891b1842ebd2> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://www.newsexperts.in/omicron-highly-uncertain-may-require-stringent-response-scientists/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662522270.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220518115411-20220518145411-00174.warc.gz | en | 0.930323 | 753 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Location: Horticultural Crops Research
Title: Root traits associated with Phytophthora root rot resistance in red raspberry Authors
|Valenzuela-Estrada, L -|
|Hoashi-Erhardt, W -|
|Moore, P -|
|Forge, T -|
Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: January 17, 2012
Publication Date: April 30, 2012
Citation: Valenzuela-Estrada, L.R., Bryla, D.R., Hoashi-Erhardt, W.K., Moore, P.P., Forge, T.A. 2012. Root traits associated with Phytophthora root rot resistance in red raspberry. Acta Horticulturae. 946:283-287. Interpretive Summary: Root rot is a common disease in raspberry in the northwestern United States. The disease is caused by a fungal-like soil organism called Phytophthora. Infected plants wilt rapidly under warm, dry conditions and often collapse and die. Raspberry cultivars vary in resistance to the disease, but the mechanism for resistance is unknown. The objectives of this study were to investigate root traits in red raspberry associated with increased resistance to root rot. The work is ongoing, but so far, it appears that root rot resistance may be related to both rapid root production and deposition of suberin in the roots, a waxy substance that inhibits Phytophthora infection. If this is the case, the traits could be selected during breeding to increase raspberry resistance to root rot.
Technical Abstract: Phytophthora root rot is a serious problem for commercial production of red raspberry. A study was initiated in 2009 to identify root traits in raspberry associated with little or no Phytophthora infection so that the traits can be selected and incorporated into breeding material to develop new cultivars with high resistance to root rot. The trial is located at the Washington State University Puyallup Research Center at a site with a long history of problems with the disease. The cultivars include ‘Summit’, which is highly resistant to root rot, ‘Cascade Bounty’ and ‘Cascade Delight’, also found to have high resistance, ‘Meeker’, the industry standard in the region with moderate resistance to root rot, ‘Tulameen’, which is similar to ‘Meeker’ in resistance, and ‘Malahat’ and ‘Saanich’, two cultivars highly susceptible to root rot. Our first year results indicate that cultivars with the highest resistance to root rot produced the most roots and the deepest root system. Resistant cultivars also had considerably less infection, according to qPCR analysis, by P. rubi, which is the species most often associated with root rot in raspberry. We began to examine the roots for evidence of suberin deposition, a physiological trait in some plants that inhibits hyphal penetration by soil pathogens such as Phytophthora. Preliminary histochemical observations on first- and second-order roots revealed that the most resistant cultivar, ‘Summit’, had less suberin in the root exodermis than blackberry, considered completely resistant to Phytophthora, but significantly more suberin than the least resistant cultivar, ‘Malahat’. The work is ongoing, but so far, it appears that root rot resistance may be related to both rapid root production and deposition of suberin in the exodermal layer of the root cortex. If this is the case, the traits could be selected during breeding to increase raspberry resistance to root rot. | <urn:uuid:a4fe7ece-4bb6-458d-9ed7-51809f94b28b> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/Publications.htm?seq_no_115=273584 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164961715/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134921-00088-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921749 | 773 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Farsi, Greek, and especially Turkish (Ottoman) have left traces in Arabic. Let’s continue our journey into the Etymology of words – foreign words in Arabic.
Etymology of Arabic words
The word بَقْشِيش
This word is very famous in Egypt. It means gratuity, tip or simply baksheesh. It is mainly used to bribe or tip a person to speed up services.
It may be derived from Turkish bahşiş, from Persian بخشیش (bakhšīš, “an honorary or pecuniary gratuity”) or بخشش (bakhšiš), from بخشیدن (bakhšīdan, “to give, grant”).
The word باشا
Pasha. It used to be a title (and form of address) of highest ranking officers and officials. Nowadays, especially in Egypt, it is commonly used to address high officials, particularly police officials!
The prefix باش is used in compounds and means senior, chief. The word باشمُهَنْدِس (“Bashmuhandis”) is a chief engineer.
The origin is not clear. It may have entered Arabic from Ottoman Turkish پاشا (pāšā) – Turkish paşa. It could also be from Persian پادشاه (pādšāh, padishah, king). Or from Turkish baş (head). Or from Turkish beşe (boy, prince), this in turn from Persian بچّه (bačče). It is not entirely clear, but it denotes the highest honorary title during the Ottoman Empire.
The word سِتّ
It is used in Egypt and means woman (امرأة). Some say that it is probably of Pharaonic origin. For men, there was once the very similar word سا/سى , which is not used anymore.
However, other scholars (for example Dr. S. Fritz Forkel, a German Arabist) suggested that it is NOT of Pharaonic origin – see comment below (in German).
The word أَفَنْدِي
This word is mainly used in Egypt. It entered Egyptian Arabic via the Turks who themselves had taken it from the Greeks. It is an epithet for sir (السَّيِّد النَّبِيل). It can be used similar to بك or باشا which are both used in Egyptian Arabic.
Dr. S. Fritz Forkel, a German Arabist, suggested that the Ottoman Turkish word افندي efendi, in modern Turkish efendi, is a borrowing of the Medieval Greek ἀφέντης afendēs, from Ancient Greek αὐθέντης authentēs – master, author, doer, perpetrator (cf. authentic). This word was widely used as a title for Byzantine nobles as late as 1465, such as in the letters of Cardinal Bessarion concerning the children of Thomas Paleologus.
The word أَفَنْدِم
This means: I beg your pardon. Or simply: Yes? Pardon? If you say it with a harsh tone, it may mean: “YES, I got it.” – which would be in Modern Standard Arabic: نَعَم، لَقَدْ فَهِمْت.
The Turkish the word efendim literally means my sir. Nowadays, it is used in shops or to answer a phone call simply meaning “hello” in a polite way.
خان and خانوم (feminine)
This word is commonly used in Egyptian Arabic to address people and has the meaning of Mister (السَيِّد) or Miss (السَيِّدة). In the Levant (الشّام), the word خانوم is used for السَيِّدة.
In Egypt, the word خانوم was turned into هانِم. It is a title and respectful term of address or reference to a lady. You will hear the expression “ya sitt’ hānim” very often (يا سِتّ هانِم).
The word خان is also used in countries where Persian is spoken (e.g. Iran, Afghanistan), as well as parts of Pakistan and India. Some scholars suggested that the word Khān may be borrowed from Turkic, literally lord, prince, a derivation of khaqan, which means ruler. However, the word has been known in Europe since the 13th century, e.g. Medieval Greek kanes, Russian khanu. Later it degenerated and became a title of respect. The female form is khanum, from Turkish khanim (see above).
Other scholars claim that the word is of Persian origin. The word خان can denote a big house or a hotel (“caravanserai“).
The word دُلاب
This term is used in Egypt for the thing in which you can store clothes, thus, a cabinet, closet. The term came probably from Persian دولاب (dolâb, “closet“). It is also known in Turkish (dolap) and has entered modern Greek: ntoulápi (ντουλάπι), which means cabinet.
The word فِنْجان
This word is used in several Arabic dialects and usually denotes a small cup without a handle. It is probably of Persian origin. It is also known in Turkish (fincan).
The word تَرابِيزة
This is used in Egypt for table (طاوِلَة) and is of Greek origin: trapézi (τραπέζι) which means table. Notice: The English word trapezium comes from this Greek word.
The names Khorchide and Chahine
- Mouhanad Khorchide (مُهَنَّد خُورْشِيد) is a professor in Germany who is advocating a very liberal version of Islam. So what does his name mean? The word خورشيد is the Arabicized form of the Persian word خورشِد which means sun.
- Youssef Gabriel Chahine (يوسف شاهين) was a very famous Egyptian film director who was credited with starting the career of actor Omar Sharif. The word شاهين is of Farsi origin and means falcon (صَقْر).
That’s not all! Here you can find part 1 and part 2.
Picture credit: Image by kalhh from Pixabay | <urn:uuid:c4a7dc24-9287-4061-98dc-25c1094ddfa2> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | https://www.arabic-for-nerds.com/etymology-arabic-words-3/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370496227.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20200329201741-20200329231741-00037.warc.gz | en | 0.928059 | 1,590 | 3.3125 | 3 |
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Not only do learners divide by five as the title implies, they warm up by practicing the five times multiplication facts. There are 28 division problems that follow the warm-up, and an answer key is available through the webpage.
8 Views 27 Downloads CCSS: Designed | <urn:uuid:0de70801-047e-4207-a6d5-c980c461be48> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.lessonplanet.com/teachers/worksheet-dividing-by-5-3rd-4th | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187945.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00037-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923931 | 100 | 3.5 | 4 |
The global cost of pegging global warming to 2 degrees Celsius has risen by $8 trillion in the last two years, due to soaring coal use which has eclipsed the roll-out of renewable energies, according to a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report released today (12 May).
A top IEA official told EURACTIV that there should be a halt to the commissioning of sub-critical coal plants with no potential for retroactive fitting of carbon, capture and storage technology (CCS) that may one day pipe CO2 emissions for storage in geological formations.
The Energy Technology Perspectives (ETP) 2014 study finds that the $44 trillion of clean energy investment needed by 2050 to prevent planetary over-heating, compared to $36 trillion in the previous ETP analysis
“Progress is not coming as fast as it needs to,” Jean-François Gagné, the head of the IEA’s energy technology division told EURACTIV. “We’re currently taking decisions that are preventing us from – or at least making it much more difficult to – ensure a low carbon, secure and economic energy system.”
Top of these decisions has been a massive expansion in coal use since 2010, greater than the rise in all non-fossil fuel sources combined. Some 60% of the new coal capacity has been ‘sub-critical’, the least efficient class of commercially available coal-fired generation technology.
The report predicts that if coal and CO2 prices stay low, unabated coal plants will be sufficiently flexible to remain profitable.
“We need to stop developing coal plants the way we have been doing in the last decade,” Gagné said. “The benefit we get from renewables is overshadowed by new coal use and it is even more alarming that a lot of the coal plants being built are not to the highest standards because of uncertainties associated with electricity prices.”
“When coal needs to be part of the energy mix, then the power plants should be built to the highest efficiency standards possible, to make it easier to retrofit CCS in the long term,” he added.
Poland, which has yet to transpose the EU’s CCS Directive, is currently embroiled in a dispute with environmentalists over its massive twin Opole coal plants, concerning the nature of its CCS-preparedness.
The IEA’s experts predict that CCS will start to play ‘a real role’ in the EU’s energy system by around 2030 but only if investments are made in the technology now.
According to the new IEA paper, which Gagné oversaw, the $44 trillion of clean energy investment needed by mid-century represents a small portion of global GDP and would be more than offset by the $115 trillion in fuel savings it would bring in tow.
This is especially so as the costs of making a clean energy transition in the teeth of a warming planet will be steep, incremental and subject to unpredictable change.
“The longer we wait, the more expensive it becomes to transform our energy system,” the paper says.
Two degrees window
The new report outlines three scenarios involving global warming of 2 degrees, 4 degrees and 6 degrees, indicating how the world’s energy system might be affected by each.
Underlying this analysis is an estimate by the agency – which employs the world’s most respected energy economists – that the window for a 2 degrees-warmed world will close at the end of 2016, due to the fossil fuel investments which will have been locked into future systems by then.
Gagné was quick to point out that this did not mean that a dangerously unstable future climate would then become inevitable. “It just means that once the window of opportunity is closed in terms of current infrastructure, that the discussions will have to look at retiring existing infrastructure early, and the cost of that,” he said.
To keep climate change within the 2 degrees paradigm, the IEA assumes a global carbon price of €90 a tonne by 2030, rising to around €150 a tonne by 2050.
Current carbon pricing schemes lack the strength, stability and credibility to inspire investor belief, the IEA says, leading to the perceived risk associated with carbon profligacy to be discounted.
Electricity v Oil
But the agency expects electricity use to continue an expansion that has seen its share of energy demand almost double in the last four decades.
“Electricity will play a defining role in first half of coming century as the source of energy to power economic growth and sustainable access for all,” Gagné said. “Our statement that the share of electricity in the system will increase under all scenarios is true.”
This would happen even without decarbonisation, he added.
However, decarbonisation moves could be obstructed by trends to regional policy fragmentation, such as the withdrawal of EU states from the Union or looser energy integration at the continental level.
“One key hurdle to the gains we want to see is the unavailability of a global carbon agreement, so the more fragmentation and less integrated our approach, the more difficult it becomes to bring solutions together,” Gagné said.
Global clean energy investment in the first quarter of last year fell to its lowest level in four years, driven by cuts in tax incentives at a time of austerity, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
The IEA said that coal-fired generation grew by 45 percent between 2000 and 2010, far outpacing the 25% growth in non-fossil fuel generation over the same period.
A revolution in shale gas technology has triggered a switch from coal to cleaner natural gas in the United States. Much US coal however has simply been exported elsewhere. Coal use has soared around the world, particularly in Europe, where its share of the power generation mix has increased at the expense of gas.
- International Energy Agency: Energy Technology Perspectives 2014
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Fifth Assessment Report
- US government geological survey: Effects of underground coal gasification on groundwater quality
Academic research & studies
- Nature Climate Change: Duke University authors' summary of work on gasification and China
- Carbon Tracker Initiative: Carbon supply cost-curves - evaluating financial risk to oil capital expenditures
- Natural Resources Defence Council: Coal in a changing climate
- Health and Environment Alliance: The unpaid health bill - How coal plants make us sick | <urn:uuid:8e9d4611-7880-4329-aa71-70ae59915b7f> | CC-MAIN-2017-39 | http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/iea-coal-use-is-spiking-climate-mitigation-costs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-39/segments/1505818686034.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20170919202211-20170919222211-00624.warc.gz | en | 0.940323 | 1,342 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Today, in the latest part of our mythical creatures article series, we are going to be telling you about the succubi, the legendary creatures that have been the subject of many different myths and legends since the ancient times. What is a succubus? Where does it come from? Is it as deadly as told in the stories? Read the answers to all those questions in our post about succubus, the mythical creature.
What is a Succubus?
A succubus is a supernatural entity or demon that manifests itself as a beautiful woman. This mythical creature appears in men’s dreams and seduces them into performing sexual acts.
Legends and religious traditions claim that repeated sexual interactions with a succubus can cause a man to lose his physical and mental health, and, in the most extreme cases, even die.
Folklore has likened the act of having sexual intercourse with a succubus to entering a cave of ice. In later legends, the succubus also took on the form of sirens, which were beautiful mermaids who lured unsuspecting sailors to shipwreck onto rocky shores.
Origin of the Term, Succubus
The word “succubus” first originated in the late 1300s and was derived from the Late Latin term, “succubare,” which means to “lie beneath.” This implies the creature’s implied sexual position in contrast to the man’s face-down position.
The Various Appearances of the Succubus
When it comes to her actual appearance, the succubus has been described in widely different ways. In many modern representations, the creature may appear in men’s dreams or in the physical world, as well.
In many works of literature, the succubus has been described as an extremely beautiful, voluptuous, and desirable woman who often has curled horns, a barbed tail, fangs, bat-like wings, or glowing eyes.
However, in older legends, the succubus was not so alluring. Well through medieval times, they were described as grotesque and deformed beings, with many characteristics that demons are thought to possess.
Faces like gargoyles, elongated clawed feet, and fingers with ragged claws were all common features believed to have been possessed by the succubus.
In some stories, the Succubus is depicted as being slightly smaller than an average woman, who either stopped or crawled on the ground instead of standing upright and walking.
Myths and Legends Surrounding the Succubus
There are dozens of myths and legends surrounding the creature in cultures and religions all over the world.
While the exact origin of the myth of the succubus is not known, St. Augustine of Hippo mentioned the creature in some of his works.
The first actual mention of the term “succubus” came in the late 14th century, though the myth has a few different versions. One version claims that a succubus is a female demon which impregnates itself by seducing a human male, while its male counterpart, the incubus, impregnates human women.
Other versions claim that the succubus and incubus are a single shape-shifter that can assume both male and female forms. The demon first collects human semen as a succubus and then transforms into an incubus to impregnate a woman.
Sometimes, these demons would possess their victims through sexual intercourse while the person is sleeping.
Judeo-Christianity folklore tells a tale of a woman named Lilith, who later turned into a succubus. Lilith was believed to be Adam’s first wife, who was created during the same time as him, before Eve.
She later left Adam, and there is plenty of conjecture to why she did it. However, one of the most famous accounts involves her mating with the archangel Samael and refusing to return to Eden.
She then transformed into a succubus, and her children engendered from demons, known as lilims, were sent out to the world as demons where they became lesser succubi.
However, some writers believe that the succubus was not necessarily evil. In fact, a succubus named Meridiana was allegedly involved with Pope Sylvester II, and helped him achieve his high status. Before his death, Sylvester supposedly confessed to his sins.
Throughout history, religious clerics from both Christianity and Judaism have been fighting to curb the powers of the succubus over humans. The most comprehensive treatise on witchcraft, Malleus Maleficarum, laid out ways to deal with succubi, the best of which included confession and exorcism.
Sumerian and Greek Myths
Lilith has emerged in Sumerian, Roman, Greek, and Egyptian legends as well, and is regarded as the mother of all succubi.
In Sumer, Lilith was first worshipped as a goddess of fertility, agriculture, and witchcraft. Later, in Babylon and Assyria, she was associated with night demons that stole babies and ate them.
In Greek mythology, Lilith was known as Lamia, and was given an extensive back-story. In the legend, she was once a beautiful woman who was transformed into a hideous monster by the goddess, Hera, who became jealous of her beauty. After she turned into a monster, Lilith wandered the world, seducing men and eating children.
Other references to Lamia claim that she was the mother to Zeus’s two children. When Hera found out about her husband’s deception, instead of punishing Zeus, she cursed Lamia into a snake-like monster similar to Medusa.
Hera then had Lamia’s children killed, and then cursed her to walk the earth looking for her lost children and eating the children of others.
In other myths, Zeus hid Lamia in a cave and gave her permission to kill any person who dared to enter her territory.
Medieval European Legends
Lamia also appeared in old English legends, and was called the lamia. This creature appeared in the form of a beautiful woman in graveyards, and would lure young men to their deaths by posing as a helpless woman.
The legend claims that if you see a woman in need of help in graveyards, you should call out to her. The lamia cannot answer you back in a human voice, as she has a serpentine tongue and can only hiss.
In the Middle Ages, the succubus appeared in the night to seduce men into sexual encounters. This lore was especially exploited by celibate monks, who claimed they were often attacked by the creature, and blamed the succubus for their lascivious thoughts and dreams.
Later, women who “tried to seduce” men were accused of being succubi in disguise, while those who became pregnant out of wedlock were charged with having sexual interactions with incubi.
After the advent of the Renaissance, the succubus declined in popularity as artists turned their focus towards the beautiful and unfairly-cursed Lamia from Greek mythology.
It wasn’t until the late 18th century when Gothic literature gained prominence, that the succubus made a comeback; however, by that time, they had experienced a dramatic transformation, turning from the hideous, demonic creatures into beautiful and cunning beings.
If you liked our post on succubus the mythical creature, you might want to check out our mythical creatures section from the top menu to read about many more legendary creatures. Thanks for reading, see you in the next post! | <urn:uuid:79048aae-8e70-4332-91ec-36f76fb77bd0> | CC-MAIN-2019-51 | https://mythologian.net/succubus-mythical-creature-legend/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-51/segments/1575540530857.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20191211103140-20191211131140-00219.warc.gz | en | 0.979395 | 1,589 | 3.1875 | 3 |
Overview of oral hygiene
Teeth are one of the vital structures in the human body, which not only make up a bright smile but also play a major role in other functions of the body. They are one of the easiest body parts to be maintained but they are the most ignored part of the body. Simple steps like brushing daily in a proper way, maintaining good oral hygiene can help prevent numerous conditions related to
teeth and gums.1,2
Maintenance of Oral Hygiene
It has been universally agreed that prevention is always better than cure; this statement is applicable to teeth also.
There are various methods in order to maintain good oral hygiene. Some of the commonly followed methods are as follows:
Proper brushing is necessary for the removal of soft films (plaque) and other substances that either form or remain on the teeth after eating. Certain guidelines for effective brushing are-
- Soft bristles are more flexible and hence clean more effectively the minor space between the gums and the tooth (hard deposits begin to form if this area is not kept clean) and also reach the surfaces between two teeth.
- With regular use most brushes wear out in about 3 months and need to be replaced.
- Brushing hard and for longer duration can lead to wearing away of the teeth and reduction in the height of gums.
Dental floss is made up of multifilament nylon yarn and is used to clean the deposits that are lodged in between two teeth. These are available as over the counter products and can be used after obtaining proper instructions. The floss is generally wrapped around the fingers of the hands and is guided into place with the thumb and index fingers of each hand. It should be moved front and back, starting from the gum side towards the biting or chewing surface of the tooth.
Dentifrice is the general term used to denote the aids for cleaning and polishing the teeth. These are available in the form toothpastes, powders or gel. Effective cleaning can be performed with any type of dentifrices.3
These are commonly available as over-the-counter products. Most commonly advised mouthwash contains Chlorhexidine that is effective in both preventing plaque formation and reducing gum inflammation. Other medications that are included in the mouthwashes are Listerine and Triclosan. Control of tartar to some extent is also possible with the use of Triclosan containing mouthwashes or toothpastes.4
Common Dental Problems Associated with Poor Oral Hygiene
You May Also Like To Read
Written by Healthplus24 Team
Date last Updated: March 26, 2012 | <urn:uuid:17152b45-73d3-4026-8bc3-6d334fcdf4a3> | CC-MAIN-2017-09 | http://www.healthplus24.com/dental-health/oral-hygiene.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501174159.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104614-00642-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940858 | 537 | 3.65625 | 4 |
Privilege escalation attacks, where unauthorized users gain elevated access to systems, are a major threat to all networks. Internal or external individuals with unauthorized privileges can exploit human behaviors, design flaws, or oversights to breach systems, employing tactics like lateral movement to penetrate deeper into the network in search of valuable assets. Such attacks range from minor unauthorized access to severe data breaches through ransomware attacks. Understanding the privilege escalation process is crucial for preventing and defending against various network attacks, including advanced persistent threats (ATPs).
What is Privilege Escalation?
Imagine a castle with layers of security, each granting increasing access to valuable treasures. Privilege escalation is like an intruder finding a secret passage to bypass lower guards and reach the highest vault. In the digital world, it’s the act of exploiting weaknesses to gain unauthorized access beyond your assigned permissions.
Think of user accounts like those guards, each with specific “privileges” to access system resources. Standard users have limited keys, while administrators hold master keys. Privilege escalation occurs when someone, often a hacker, manipulates vulnerabilities to climb this privilege ladder.
How do they do it? It’s like finding hidden doors. They might exploit software bugs, steal administrative credentials, or trick users into giving away their keys. Once inside, they can wreak havoc: steal sensitive data, install malware, or disrupt entire systems.
There are two main types of escalation:
- Vertical: Imagine scaling the castle walls, moving from lower to higher privileges within a single system. Attackers exploit weaknesses in software, configurations, or even tricking users to gain admin access.
- Horizontal: Think of sneaking between castles. Attackers compromise a low-level account and then use it to move laterally, accessing other accounts with similar or higher privileges.
Why is this a big deal? Privilege escalation is often a crucial step in major cyberattacks. By reaching the inner sanctum, attackers can steal everything from credit card numbers to government secrets.
So, how do we stay safe? The principle of “least privilege” is key. Users only get the access they need, reducing the potential for misuse. Regular security updates, strong passwords, and user awareness training help patch those hidden doors and keep the intruders at bay.
Remember, privilege escalation is a serious threat, but understanding it is the first step in defense. By staying vigilant and building strong security walls, we can keep our digital treasures safe from sneaky intruders.
Why is it Important to Preventing Privilege Escalation Attacks?
Preventing privilege escalation attacks is crucial as attackers with a single set of credentials can cause a lot of damage, potentially leading to substantial financial losses, data breaches, and reputational damage. The average cost of a data breach in the United States is estimated to be $9.44 million, according to Statista. Privilege escalation affects organizations of all sizes, including small businesses, educational institutions, and even national governments, highlighting the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures.
How Privilege Escalation Works
Privilege escalation attacks often start with social engineering techniques like phishing. To gain initial entry or basic privileges, attackers seek out weaknesses in organizational defenses, such as missing patches or weak authentication. Once inside the network, threat actors conduct reconnaissance, seeking opportunities to elevate their privileges and gain control over sensitive data or critical systems. This process typically involves identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in the system’s security mechanisms, such as weak passwords or misconfigurations. Attackers may also attempt to compromise privileged accounts by phishing or other social engineering methods. Once they have elevated their privileges, threat actors can move laterally within the network, accessing sensitive data, modifying or deleting files, or even installing malware.
Privilege Escalation Techniques
Cybercriminals are continuously developing sophisticated methods to breach accounts and compromise systems. As mentioned above, phishing attacks remain a prevalent tactic, which may involve deceiving users into disclosing sensitive information, downloading malicious software, or exposing network vulnerabilities. Other social engineering techniques employed by cyber attackers include cybersquatting or typosquatting, where they hijack or simulate URLs to trick users. Additionally, attackers may scan social media profiles for exposed passwords and security questions.
Attackers have the option of executing privilege escalation techniques either locally or remotely:
- Local privilege escalation begins onsite, often by someone inside the organization. For example, if an attacker has access to a physical machine, they may be able to use a variety of techniques to escalate their privileges, such as exploiting a vulnerability in the operating system or installing a malicious program.
- Remote privilege escalation can begin from almost anywhere. For example, if an attacker is able to gain access to a web server, they may be able to use a vulnerability in the web application to escalate their privileges to the level of the web server process.
Attacks are grouped into two primary types: horizontal and vertical.
- Horizontal Privilege Escalation (Account Takeover): Horizontal privilege escalation refers to an attacker gaining privileged access to a standard user account with lower-level privileges. This can involve stealing an employee’s username and password, gaining access to email, files, and web applications. This action is often referred to as “account takeover.”
- Vertical Privilege Escalation (Privilege Elevation): Vertical privilege escalation occurs when an attacker uses a foothold to try to escalate vertically, gaining access to accounts with higher privileges. This can involve exploiting flaws in software, firmware, or the kernel or obtaining privileged credentials for other applications or the operating system itself.
Attackers frequently use various types of malicious software to elevate their privileges. Examples include;
- Worms: These programs spread through a network, infecting computers and replicating independently.
- Rootkits: This software provides attackers with control over networks and applications, remaining hidden for extended periods.
- Trojans: Disguised as legitimate programs, they use social engineering to trick users into downloading them.
- Fileless Malware: This malware does not require installation on the target system, making detection more difficult.
- Spyware: Software that collects user information without consent, often for targeted advertising
- Keyloggers: This software monitors user activity, often through phishing attacks, to capture login and sensitive information.
- Scareware: This involves pop-ups and messages deceiving users about computer infections, promoting fake antivirus programs.
- Ransomware: Attackers encrypt victim data and demand payment for the decryption key, often spread through social engineering or security weaknesses.
Other techniques used in attacks:
- Brute force attacks: A method of hacking that involves systematically and automatically guessing passwords until one is successful.
- Password spraying: An automated attack that attempts to gain access to multiple accounts by using a common password across all of them.
- Credential dumping: A technique used to steal multiple credentials, such as usernames and passwords, from a system or a targeted individual.
- Shoulder surfing: A method of stealing credentials by observing someone entering them into a system or a device.
- Dictionary attacks: A hacking technique that involves using a list of common words or phrases to try to guess a password.
- Credential stuffing: A method of hacking that involves using credentials stolen from one system to access another system.
- Pass the hash or rainbow table attacks: Techniques used to crack passwords by accessing a hashed version of the password instead of the actual password itself.
- Password changes and resets: A method of hacking that exploits the process of setting new passwords by tricking the user into setting a weak or easily guessable password.
NOTE: Both Windows and Linux operating systems are susceptible to attacks that enable privilege escalation. For Windows systems, attackers may employ techniques such as token manipulation, user account control bypassing, and DLL hijacking to elevate their privileges. Conversely, in Linux systems, attackers can leverage methods such as enumeration, kernel exploits, and Sudo access to gain root privileges, granting them extensive control over the system.
How to Detect a Privilege Escalation Attack
It is also crucial to have robust detection measures in place for situations where prevention fails. These measures should continuously monitor network activity for suspicious patterns or anomalies that may indicate a breach. Detection systems should be capable of promptly alerting administrators to potential threats, allowing for swift action to mitigate the impact of an attack.
The detection of privilege escalation hinges on pattern recognition, the identification of outliers, and the flagging of abnormal events. However, this can be an arduous task due to the unpredictable nature of these attacks. Once a threat actor successfully infiltrates the network, they can maintain ongoing access, and the system perceives them as legitimate users with gained credentials. The challenge lies in the extended time it takes to detect an attack, as privilege escalation attacks can span weeks or months, making it challenging to estimate an average detection time. This period, known as “dwell time,” allows intruders to gather information, acquire credentials, and further escalate their privileges. To evade detection, attackers may attempt to cover their tracks by deleting logs, masking IP addresses, and employing other tactics. Despite their efforts, cybercriminals sometimes make mistakes that can render them traceable or cause them to fall into traps. However, successful arrest and prosecution of these individuals remain rare. Organizations must therefore remain vigilant and prepared to respond swiftly to detect and neutralize threats effectively.
The ever-changing landscape of cyber threats demands constant attention and vigilance to safeguard data and systems. Every business connected to a network, regardless of size or industry, is susceptible to cyberattacks. Therefore, a comprehensive detection, prevention and recovery strategy is essential. This strategy should involve every user within the system, emphasizing security awareness and best practices.
How Lepide Helps Prevent Privilege Escalation
The Lepide Data Security Platform is designed to detect and prevent privilege escalation attacks by employing a multifaceted approach. It collects and correlates data from various sources, both on-premise and cloud-based, allowing for comprehensive insights into user activities. The platform governs access to sensitive data by identifying excessive permissions and applying appropriate access controls, ensuring that users only have the necessary privileges to perform their duties. Its data discovery and classification capabilities help locate sensitive data in unstructured data stores, enabling organizations to comply with various regulations and standards. The platform also includes privileged access management features that determine the number of privileged users and monitor their activities. The platform has an intuitive dashboard that allows for overseeing logon/logoff activities and managing password resets. Advanced machine learning techniques allow for real-time detection of anomalous behavior, enabling organizations to respond quickly to potential threats. After a security incident, the platform provides a comprehensive timeline of events and highlights attacker actions, assisting in forensic analysis and incident response. The Lepide Data Security Platform can effectively safeguard your organization from privilege escalation attacks and ensures the integrity of their sensitive data. | <urn:uuid:d5711eff-85f1-4533-9efb-4157f79ba272> | CC-MAIN-2024-10 | https://www.lepide.com/blog/what-is-privilege-escalation-and-how-to-detect-it/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-10/segments/1707947474523.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20240224044749-20240224074749-00102.warc.gz | en | 0.902245 | 2,254 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Objective. Biomechanical analysis of kinematic structure variables of key elements of sports technique of apparatus exercises in the women’s gymnastics all-around based on the implementation of the method of postural marks.
Methods. Analysis of the data of scientific-methodical literature; video registration of exercises; use of computer programs; methods of mathematical statistics.
Results. Key elements of sports technique of gymnastic exercises are studied and identified in the phase structure of Yurchenko vaults, dismounts from uneven bars and balance beam, and floor exercises.
Objective variables of key elements are the new knowledge of sports technique of exercises and the basis for designing programs teaching previous and subsequent body postures in the phase structure of gymnastic exercise.
Conclusion. Significant correlation between kinematic structure variables of key elements of sports technique of gymnastic exercises and high scores of gymnasts in Romanian Championships in gymnastics, 2012, allow to recommend the method of postural marks of movements and the results of research for the use in coordination sports. | <urn:uuid:22fa28ed-5a26-4c51-ae41-da7c0e127cba> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://sportnauka.org.ua/article/?aid=7 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511361.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20231004052258-20231004082258-00283.warc.gz | en | 0.899536 | 216 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are creating AI-based software to help anyone make knitted garments, even those who have never knitted before in their lives.
The researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have released two systems to make industrial knitting with machines as accessible as 3D printing.
“The impact of 3-D knitting has the potential to be even bigger than that of 3D printing,” said Prof. Jim McCann from the Carnegie Mellon Textiles Lab, as reported by Venture Beat. “Right now, design tools are holding the technology back, which is why this research is so important to the future.”
InverseKnit translates photos of knitted patterns into knitting instructions, whereas CADKnit helps users knit design patterns through images, computer-aided design software and photo design techniques.
To prepare the InverseKnit programme, the team needed to compile a data set of 17 different knitting instructions through Shima Seiki’s KnitPaint software along with matching images. The photos were generated by knitting a subset of 1,044 real-world patches and rendering the patches through KnitPaint’s pattern preview feature.
As a result, the AI algorithm was taught how to interpret the knitting patterns from the images, with the ultimate goal of creating machine-readable instructions just from seeing a picture of a knitted object.
“Current state-of-the-art computer vision techniques are data-hungry, and they need many examples to model the world effectively,” said Prof. McCann. “With InverseKnit, the team collected an immense data set of knit samples that, for the first time, enables modern computer vision techniques to be used to recognize and parse knitting patterns.”
According to the research team, InverseKnit generates accurate instructions 94 percent of the time. Although it currently works with just a sample size and only acrylic yarn, they hope to expand both in the future.
CADKnit was created with causal users and beginners in mind, allowing them to write their own programmes or visually manipulate the corresponding shapes and patterns to customise the design. It evens warns users when a pattern is “undesirable”
“As far as machines and knitting go, this type of system could change accessibility for people looking to be the designers of their own items,” said Alexandre Kaspar, computer scientist and head of the initiative. “We want to let casual users get access to machines without needing programming expertise, so they can reap the benefits of customisation by making use of machine learning for design and manufacturing.”
CADKnit was tested on casual users to create patterns for socks, hats, sweatpants, yoked shirts and scarfs. After using the software, most said that the programme was easy to use.
“Whether it’s for the everyday user who wants to mimic a friend’s beanie hat, or a subset of the public who might benefit from using this tool in a manufacturing setting, we’re aiming to make the process more accessible for personal customisation,” Kaspar explained, as reported by Engadget.
However, the software was incompatible with sweaters, was limited to one type of yarn and can currently only use basic patterns.
“3D printing took a while before people were comfortable enough to think they could do something with it,” Kaspar told TechCrunch. “It will be the same thing with what we do.” | <urn:uuid:30958bd0-0139-446b-a704-b2148e4ef63b> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://globalshakers.com/mit-researchers-are-creating-ai-based-knitting-design-software/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662531762.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20220520061824-20220520091824-00711.warc.gz | en | 0.94378 | 753 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Rising prices for dairy products
The FAO dairy price index averaged 147.1 points in April, 1.3 points (0.9%) higher than in March, the eighth consecutive monthly increase, raising the index by 28 points. (23.5%) above its value a year ago.
In April, dairy prices continued to rise due to persistent restrictions on world supplies as milk production in Western Europe and Oceania continued to fall below seasonal levels.
International butter prices rose the most, reflecting supply constraints, including due to low product stocks, especially in Western Europe, amid growing demand for upcoming supplies, partly due to the current shortage of sunflower oil and margarine. Despite declining purchases abroad, stable domestic demand and low stocks in Europe have contributed to world prices for skimmed milk powder and cheese.
Decline in global milk production
World experts predict a decline in global milk production due to a significant increase in costs. Thus, the average price of corn in the world for the year increased by 20.8%, soybeans rose by 14.5% and oil - by 55.2%. The world dairy market is reacting painfully to the war in Ukraine. The supply of fodder has stopped, which has significantly shaken the balance of grain and oilseeds in the world.
For the dairy market, this was an additional pressure factor. The jump in oil prices also had a negative effect on the entire dairy chain. The increase of the already high cost of milk continues, and forecasts are disappointing.
Europe. As a result, even record milk purchase prices in major export regions do not encourage farmers to increase production. The average milk production in Europe has been declining for several months in a row. According to the latest data, in February 2022 the region produced 0.7% less milk than last year. Adverse weather conditions and environmental constraints add pressure to the already low profitability of milk production.
Oceania. According to the European Commission, the volume of milk produced in Australia since the beginning of the marketing season 2021/2022 decreased by 3.2% - to 6.7 million tons. In particular, in March, 596.4 thousand tons of raw milk were produced. 5.1% less than last year.
Production in New Zealand is also declining. Since the beginning of the marketing year, the region has produced 19 million tons of milk, which is 4% less than in the same period last year. In general, the downward dynamics of production is typical for New Zealand since last year.
USA. There are also negative values of production. In the first quarter of this year, the United States milked 25.5 million tons of milk, which is 1% lower than last year. Three months were with negative values. In particular, 8.9 million tons of milk (-0.5%) were produced in March.
Based on the above data, a special increase in world production should not be expected by the end of the year. According to the US Dairy Export Board (USDEC), the production dynamics of the seven largest exporters will be 0%. And only if the world situation changes from 2023, we should expect an increase in production of 1%.
Decreased demand and prices for milk
Despite the shortage of milk in the short term, the world market has faced a slump in demand for dairy products. This is largely due to declining Chinese import activity due to the deteriorating situation with COVID-19 and the slump in procurement in South-East Asia and North Africa.
Thus, according to the results of the last GDT trades on May 2, the average dairy price index fell the most since January 2022 - by 8.5%. Without exception, all traded dairy products became cheaper. Fats lost the most in price: butter fell by 12.5% - 5.8 dollars / kg, anhydrous milk fat - by 12.1% (up to 6 dollars / kg). Cheddar cheese sold for $ 5.6 / kg (-8.6%). SPM cost an average of $ 4.1. (-6.5%), and the SNM - $ 3.9. (-6.5%).
Oceania. Following such events, New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra lowered its forecast for selling milk prices for 2021/22, pointing out that the global crisis has had a "short-term effect" on global demand for dairy products.
Fonterra reduced the projected annual sales price range for milk from $ 9.30-9.90 to $ 9.10-9.50 / kg dry matter. Thus, the average point of the range, which is guided by payments to farmers, decreased from 9.60 to 9.30 USD / kg of dry matter. This was reported by Infagro with reference to dairyreporter.com
Fonterra CEO Miles Harrell said the move reflects demand for dairy products, which has been affected by COVID-19-related restrictions in China, the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and the кussian-Ukrainian conflict.
“While the long-term outlook for dairy products remains positive and global supply and demand are expected to be more balanced over the rest of the year, we are currently seeing how these short-term effects affect Global Dairy Trade (GDT) pricing. For example, average prices for whole milk powder (SMP), a key factor in rising milk prices, have fallen by 18% over the past four auctions”, - he said.
Recognizing that the current price update "disappoints our farmers", Harrell stressed that the decline was due to "record high" milk prices: "At an average of $ 9.30 per kilogram of dry matter, this will still be the highest forecast holiday the price of milk in the history of the cooperative".
USA. In the United States, milk prices have also reached record highs. In March, the average price of a quintal of milk there was 51.8 euros, which is 61.7% of last year's price and 8% of February this year.
Europe. It also shows a significant jump in price - 44.5 euros per cent in April. This is a quarter higher than the price paid last year and 2.3% higher than in March.
The forecast price for March from the international analytical agency IFCN was 6.6% higher than in February - 62.2 dollars per cent (ECM). The average price of milk in 2022, depending on the region, will range from 59 to 71 dollars / c. Estimated price for New Zealand - $ 65. (+ 6.5%), EU - 71 dollars. (+ 14%), USA - 59 USD. (+ 7.3%) per 100 kg of milk.
What is happening in Ukraine
At present, it is not possible and expedient to estimate or compare milk prices and their trend in Ukraine. After all, the current situation on the domestic dairy market does not yet fit into the overall picture of the world. In more than two months of war, the dairy industry has barely begun to raise its head and try to work. And now, in fact, at every step there is a stumbling block or problem that needs to be solved.
Many dairy farms continue to be under occupation and under enemy fire.
Farms in the occupied territories (Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy) are trying to resume work. However, it should be understood that the problem lies not only in the sale of raw milk, but primarily - animal health. Milking interruptions at most production sites resulted in health problems, including mastitis and reproduction. This will resonate in the future.
According to unofficial data, as of April 1, the number of cattle in Ukraine decreased by 20.7% to 2.47 million, and in industrial farms - by 11.8% (to 893.3 thousand). Cows decreased by 20.8% to 1.3 million, and on industrial farms by 12.3% (to 371.9 thousand). However, any estimates to date are quite approximate and will be adjusted after the war. Milk production in the first quarter decreased by 13.5% to 1.5 million tons.
Against the background of declining milk supply in early May, the market also reacted to increased demand due to the return of refugees to Ukraine (more than 1 million Ukrainians returned home). In addition, the factories of the occupied regions resumed their work. At the same time, in the areas affected by the fighting, according to preliminary estimates, the supply of milk fell by an average of 50%.
In general, there is a significant difference in milk prices - average and in some regions - due to a number of circumstances, including the military situation.
Thus, the average price for extra grade milk at the beginning of May was at the level of UAH 10.40 / kg (excluding VAT), see Graph 3. At the same time, enterprises with stable supplies had a price in the range of UAH 10.90–11.00 / kg. Some farms that are very close to large processing plants and the cost of logistics is minimal, receive 11.1−11.2 UAH / kg.
The range of prices for premium milk was at the level of UAH 10.00–10.65 / kg, while the average was at the level of UAH 9.94. The first grade was bought on average in the range of UAH 8.5–10.00 / kg (excluding VAT). The average price was UAH 9.82 / kg.
At present, special attention needs to be paid to the export of dairy products. After all, their stocks in warehouses are accumulating, and if in March there were active government procurement programs, now this area of implementation has become more sluggish. Processors are hoping that schemes to sell dairy products across Europe will work.
Today, when the roads to the main consumer markets are closed for us, the abolition of customs regulation and liberalization of trade with the EU for Ukrainian dairy products will be extremely appropriate. This will allow Ukrainian dairy farmers to sell more in foreign markets - both directly to Europe and in transit.
These routes take some time to complete. And ahead is the season of big milk, which could theoretically put pressure on the market. However, whether there will be a big milk season in Ukraine this year is a big question. After all, milking on farms will be strictly regulated - both by producers and by military circumstances. At the same time, according to dairy companies, at the end of April the demand from the food industry for powdered milk and butter began to increase.
Further development of events in the Ukrainian dairy market will depend, first of all, on events and success on the fronts, as well as on the possibility of organizing exports.
It should be understood that domestic demand will become more limited due to the end of Ukrainians' savings and the traditional decline in consumer demand for dairy products in the summer. At the same time, the cost of milk production continues to grow, as in most countries. Rising prices for fuels and lubricants, which account for the largest share in the cost of raw milk for the plant, as well as the second most important for the farmer, will significantly limit the efficiency of the dairy business.
Repost of an article from the magazine "Milk and Farm" № 2/2022 at the link http: //milkua.info/uk/post/oglad-rinku-moloka-v-ukraini-ta-sviti | <urn:uuid:6096ae37-93f4-4414-8b50-871b15a2dad3> | CC-MAIN-2022-27 | https://avm-ua.org/en/post/milk-market-overview-in-ukraine-and-the-world | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-27/segments/1656103917192.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220701004112-20220701034112-00362.warc.gz | en | 0.962146 | 2,375 | 2.609375 | 3 |
"The team is now working on creating iPSC models for treatment of liver, heart, and bone marrow disorders."
New York, May 18 - Dubbed as a step towards the development of safe stem cell therapies for humans, researchers have successfully grown a new bone using a monkey's own skin cells.
The researchers used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) which are derived from adult skin cells and can be reprogrammed to work as other cells.
Because monkeys are the closest model species to humans, with similar organ and tissue structure and immunity, testing iPSCs in monkeys should be indicative of the safety and efficacy of the process in humans, said senior author Cynthia Dunbar from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the US.
Pluripotent stem cells can be used to make any type of healthy human tissue and therefore have great potential for treatment of disease, say experts.
According to Dunbar, the results would sidestep ethical issues surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells.
For the study, skin cells were taken from rhesus macaques to form stem cells (iPSCs), which were then turned into bone-forming cells.
These bone cells were then implanted into the monkeys on ceramic particles that were already in use by reconstructive surgeons attempting to fill in or rebuild bone.
The implants were retrieved at eight, 12 and 16 weeks with bone shown to be forming as early as eight weeks, the authors reported.
Previous work in this field has relied on scientists giving human iPSC products to immuno-deficient mice, she said.
But because of the species differences, the cells do not behave normally in mice, and the lack of the immune system means that issues of immune rejection or inflammation cannot be studied, said Dunbar.
The team is now working on creating iPSC models for treatment of liver, heart, and bone marrow disorders.
The findings were published in the journal Cell Reports. | <urn:uuid:efba4a31-07ee-4ba3-8719-be00142db448> | CC-MAIN-2014-49 | http://www.nerve.in/news:2535002375062 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-49/segments/1416400379063.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20141119123259-00059-ip-10-235-23-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959011 | 403 | 3.234375 | 3 |
The Essential 55 Workbook (Paperback)
|Author: Ron Clark|
|"The Essential 55 Workbook will help parents and their children apply Ron Clark's rules to improve study and work habits. Here is a more "parent-directed" approach so that the parents and child can participate in and enjoy the activity together. The workbook will include: Everything You Need To Help Your Child Succeed in School, Activities to help fire up your child's enthusiasm for the classroom, Fun role-playing exercises, and Quizzes to discover your child's strengths.|
From the Publisher:
A companion to the New York Times best seller, The Essential 55, shares a wealth of adaptable self-tests, exercises, and questionnaires based on the theories from the original book.A companion to the
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Whaling has become one of the most controversial environmental issues. It is not that all whale species are at the brink of extinction, but that whales have become important symbols to both pro- and anti-whaling factions and can easily be appropriated as the common heritage of humankind. This book, the first of its kind, is therefore not about whales and whaling per se but about how people communicate about whales and whaling. It contributes to a better understanding and discussion of controversial environmental issues: Why and how are issues selected? How is knowledge on these issues produced and distributed by organizations and activists? And why do affluent countries like Japan and Norway still support whaling, which is of insignificant economic importance? Basing his analysis on fieldwork in Japan and Norway and at the International Whaling Commission, the author argues how an image of a "superwhale" has been constructed and how this image has replaced meat and oil as the important whale commodity. He concludes that the whaling issue provides an arena where NGOs and authorities on each side can unite, swapping political legitimacy and building personal relations that can be useful on issues where relations are less harmonious.
Subjects: Anthropology, Political Science, Environmental Science
Table of Contents
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The second part of ‘Theories on People and Things’ explores a thing and its properties and looks into the kind of meaning relations people have with it. It ends with the implications these findings have for design.
What things are
The definition of a thing given by material culture scholar Judy Attfield will be used here as a starting point: ‘a thing is the basic entity our entire material world is build up from’.(1)J. Attfield, Wild Things. The Material Culture of Everyday Life, New York 2000, p. 12. Because this is a rather broad definition, a closer look at the various categories of things that can be discerned from the literature and studies that are referred to in part 1 of this article, is needed. This will help make clear what kinds of things are included when researching the human-object relation and what kinds are not.
A distinction can be made between natural things and man-made things. The first come into being without any human interference and depend solely on the processes of nature. Man-made things are intentionally made by human beings.(2)H. Arendt, The Human Condition, Chicago 1958, pp.147-148; M. Csikszentmihalyi and E. Rochberg-Halton, The Meaning of Things. Domestic Symbols and the Self, Cambridge 1981, p. 14. Without human effort they would not exist. All the literature and research referred to here is based on the interaction between human beings and man-made things. What makes them interesting is that humans are responsible for their creation and get to interact with them.(3)Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 16. Knowledge about this process of producing and using is valuable, because it might help us in designing a material world that fits our needs better.
When talking about the relation between people and things, things are the totality of man-made entities that make up the material world. But not all things made by mankind are of interest here. Take for instance a train. A train is man-made, but it is not the type of thing the literature and studies used here are dealing with. This is because individuals have no influence on a train being there and functioning or not. An individual cannot dispose himself of a train as he can with his bike or car. This is not because of the sheer size of the train, but because they don’t own the train. So the second consideration in the relationship between people and things is the personal ownership. For this study things that are personally possessed by individuals are relevant.
Things have a lifespan. At some moment in time they enter our material world, eventually followed by a moment when they are no longer part of this world. The ‘death’ of a thing can be caused by material transience, meaning that things can break beyond repair. More often things ‘die’ by becoming prematurely obsolete in the lives of their owners. Between the moment of production and of being thrown away, things have a life during which they can take on different roles.(4)I. Kopytoff, ‘The Cultural Biography of Things: Commoditization as Process’ in: A. Appadurai (ed.) The Social Life of Things, Cambridge 1986, p. 66. In this respect, anthropologist Kopytoff distinguishes commodities and singularities. A commodity is a thing that has both use value as exchange value. A singularity is priceless, either because it is so common that humans do not find it worthy of a price at all, or because it is extremely special – for instance a crown jewel – that no price can possibly be attached to it. Once a commodity is exchanged, the new owner can either exchange it again or keep it off the market. In the latter case the thing is now singularized. But it does not mean it cannot re-enter the world of commodities in a later stage. For example, a can of beans is a commodity while waiting on the shelf of the supermarket, but turns into a singularity as soon as it is bought by someone who plans to eat the beans. This can of beans can become a commodity again, for instance during a situation of war. It can then be traded for other things that are of need. Another example of singularized goods are homemade and handmade craftworks. People often make these as a hobby without any intention of selling them. For the study of the attachment of people to things, both commodities and singularities are of interest.
The example of handmade products resulting from an individual’s hobby leads us to another categorization of things: that between handmade and machine made things. Before the industrial revolution things were made by hand with the use of various tools. This way of making things still exists, but since the industrial revolution machines have taken over most of the work. Handmade things have a different character than machine made ones. Machines produce the same things in large quantities, whereas handmade things are unique. Both are the subject of research concerning the relation between people and things.
The last differentiation that can be made is the distinction between digital and non-digital things. Digital technologies have developed rapidly over the last twenty years, leading to completely new types of products that did not even exist in earlier times. In 2011 not owning a mobile phone is a rarity, whereas owning one in 1990 was almost unheard of. The research and literature used here stems from the period between 1980 en 2011. They map the time when non-digital things were most common, but also that time when people have become so used to digital things, they cannot imagine living without them.(5)Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981; M. Wallendorf and E. Arnould, ‘My Favourite Things: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry into Object Attachment, Possessiveness and Social Linkage’, Journal of Consumer Research 14:4 (1988); M. Richins, ‘Valuing Things: The Public and Private Meanings of Possessions’, Journal of Consumer Research 21:3 (1994); P. Verbeek, What Things Do, Pennsylvania 2005; D. Miller, The Comfort of Things, Cambridge 2008; W. Odom, J. Pierce, E. Stolterman and E. Blevis, ‘Understanding Why We Preserve Some Things and Discard Others in the Context of Interaction Design’, CHI 2009. Proceedings of the 27th international conference on human factors in computing, New York 2009.
Things: form and function
So a thing is a man-made entity that an individual has ownership over, that is either a commodity or a singularity, that can be either handmade or machine made and that has a digital or non-digital nature. But what about the actual physicality of a thing?
According to Plato, a thing is an idea turned into matter.(6)In: Verbeek 1998. What material is used and how the thing is given shape, are decisions made by the designer. Modernists in the Twenties and Thirties of the previous century believed that the form of a thing should be dictated by its function. Their credo ‘form follows function’ has given way to the conviction that it is not so much function that gives shape to things, but meaning.(7)Verbeek 1998; Modernism and the belief in ‘form follows function’ was influential until after World War II. In the 1960s though, the modernist influence started to fade with the introduction of Pop Design. The Pop design aesthetic was about funny instead of functional designs, preferring decoration over minimalism and ‘less is more’. The definite break from modernism came with the emergence of post modern design. Postmodernists saw things not as functional but as carriers of meaning. Verbeek: ‘Form Follows Function has been replaced by Form Follows Fun.’
In any case, the form that is decided upon by the designer is part of the physical properties of that thing. Physical properties are inherent and objective qualities and humans perceive these properties by using their senses.
Things not only have a shape or form, but also a function. The primary function of a thing is determined by the designer, but this does not imply that the thing will be used to perform this function first and foremost. Only the interaction between an individual and an object will determine which function the object will fulfil in which situation.(8)N. Crilly, ‘The Roles that Artefacts Play: Technical, Social and Aesthetic Functions’, Design Studies 31:4 (2010), p. 313. The primary function is usually a so-called technical function. Take for instance a car. Its primary function is transportation. But a primary function can also be of symbolic nature. Plastic souvenirs that represent the Eiffel tower, have the primary function of reminding its owner of the city of Paris.
How does the human-object relation come about?
Before exploring the different functions things can fulfil in the lives of human beings, a closer look is needed at how the human-object relation can come about, or how things can come to mean something for us. As described above things have physical and functional properties that are inherent and objective to the thing itself. These properties are present, independent of a person interacting with the thing or not. What a particular thing can come to mean for someone depends on the process of interaction between the individual and some or all of the thing’s properties.(9)Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 172.
Ethnologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton recognize three types of interactions between people and things through which things can acquire meaning: the experience of the aesthetic quality of the thing, the attention devoted to the thing by its user and the outcome or goal the user wants to achieve with the transaction. In other words, interaction between people and things begins with how a thing feels, looks or smells to someone. Secondly, things that cannot function autonomously need people in order to fulfil their function. Interaction has to take place, whereby people invest attention into the thing. And lastly, people often have an idea of who they want to become in the future or how they want to present themselves to others. Things can play a role in both these processes. So, the expression of present or future ideas of self can be the goal of interacting with things. These three types of interaction are connected to the three levels of the brain that cognitive scientist Donald Norman describes.(10)D. Norman, Emotional Design, New York 2004.
He discerns the visceral level. This level is pre-consciousness and pre-thought. The brain reacts to sensorial stimulation by the appearance of a thing. Often it invokes feelings of intense longing, sometimes without knowing what to do with the thing. The second level is the behavioural level, which is about use and the experience of functionality. The behavioural level is also pre-conscious. Humans can do something while thinking about something else. An experienced driver can drive a car and at the same time talk to someone. The third level of the brain is connected to thinking. It is the reflective level and has to do with interpreting situations. It is our consciousness. The reflective level is connected to the transactions between humans and things that are guided by the desired goals and outcomes of this transaction. People know what they want to achieve and choose the things they want to interact with, based on achieving that future goal.
When a person interacts with an object through one of these three types, the object will start to mean something to this person. What kind of meaning, depends on specific individual interactions. Professor of Marketing Marsha Richins has shown with her study on meaning that there are public and private meanings and that they interact.(11)Richins 1994. Public meanings are shared by a large group of people and are shaped by societal norms and values. Objects with which someone has no personal experience, are often attributed with a publicly accepted meaning. Private meaning is the meaning a thing has for an individual and is based on personal interactions. A combination of both public and private meanings can also occur. Take for instance a diamond necklace given by a husband to his wife. What this necklace means to the wife may contain the public meaning that diamonds, because of their monetary value are a very special gift, and also the possible private meaning that diamonds symbolize a loving relationship between husband and wife.
Types of meaning relations
Besides the distinction between public and private meanings, researchers have also found various types of private meanings.(12)Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981; D. Prentice, ‘Psychological Correspondence of Possessions, Attitudes and Values’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 53:6 (1987); Wallendorf /Arnould 1988; Richins 1994; Miller 2008; Odom/Pierce/Stolterman/Blevis 2009. The schemes used to classify these meaning relations differ between these studies, but an attempt can be made to present a summary of the sort of meanings people most commonly attribute to their favourite things.
Symbolic meanings are based on what things symbolize for their owners. These meanings are not intrinsic to things, but are attributed to them by their users. All three types of interaction described above (visceral, behavioural and reflective) can lead to symbolic meanings. Data from various studies show that relations between people and things are usually based on symbolic meanings.(13)Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 84; Arnould 1988, p. 537; Richins 1994, p. 511; D. Miller and F. Parrot, ‘Loss and Material Culture in South London’, Journal of the Royal Anthropology Institute 15 (2009).
Most common are symbolic meanings connected to a sense of self. Material possessions are then used to invoke a feeling about one’s present, future or past self. Things can play an important role in the expression of the self to others, take for instance clothing, but a journal or diary to write in can also be important for a more private expression. Besides for their self-expressiveness, things are valued for their ability to represent some sort of personal achievement of or a source of pride for the owner. Objects that somehow remind the owner of himself in earlier times, are often treasured as well.(14)Prentice 1987, p. 996; Richins 1994, p. 511.
Another common type of symbolic meaning has to do with interpersonal relationships. Things that remind one of relationships with family or friends are treasured. These things can be a gift from someone close or any other object that somehow has come to be associated with a specific person or relationship. In the case of the death of a loved one, things can play a role in the grieving process. Anthropologists Miller and Parrott have shown how people use things to deal with emotions of loss.(15)Miller/Parrott 2009. Objects that are associated with a deceased person can be important for relatives and friends while grieving for that person. It is not uncommon for those left behind to hang on to all material possessions of a loved one who has died. As time goes by, they slowly let go of some things until only a few things are left. Whereas humans can not control death, they can control how and when they part with material things associated with the deceased.(16)E. Myer, ‘Phenomenological Analysis of the Importance of Special Possessions: An Exploratory Study’, Advances in Consumer Research 12 (1985), p. 563; Miller/Parrott 2009, p. 509.
Another type of symbolic meaning is connected to history and personal memories.(17)Wallendorf/Arnould 1988, p. 537; Odom/Pierce/Stolterman/ Blevis 2009, p. 4. People value objects because they remind them of certain times in their lives or of relationships with people that lay in the past. The best example would be heirlooms, for they are kept within families specifically to keep memories of family members alive. But a piece of furniture can just as well function as a symbol for times or people gone by.
The last type of symbolic meaning that was mentioned by respondents from various studies was connected to prestige or status.(18)Prentice 1987, p. 995; Richins 1994, p. 564. Things can function as status symbols, representing a certain social status that reflects on the thing’s owner. Objects that are attributed meanings of prestige are used to show others how well off one is.
What all these types of symbolic meaning have in common is that they are not inherent to products, but are attributed to them through the process of individual interactions. Predicting what kind of symbolic meaning will be attributed to what thing is very difficult and depends on the variables of the thing, the individual and the context of the interaction.
When meaning is attributed to a thing because of what it does technically, one speaks of utilitarian meanings. Things are valued when they provide some sort of necessity in a more general way, such as prescribed eyeglasses in order to see properly.(19)Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 85; Wallendorf/Arnould 1988, p. 427; Richins 1994, p. 511. Objects that perform their technical function over and over again or that perform a very specific function, are often loved for it. Utilitarian meaning mostly comes about through interaction on the behavioural level, as described by Norman, and is the second most common type of meaning besides symbolic ones.
Authors Odom, Pierce, Stolterman and Blevis, who have researched the nature of human-object relations concerning digital artifice, describe two kinds of utilitarian meanings that are unique to their specific study. The first is that of engagement. The authors found that when an object invites and promotes physical engagement from its owner during use, the attachment between owner and thing will be stronger than when an object can function autonomously.(20)Odom/Pierce/Stolterman/Blevis 2009, p. 4. So this is meaning based on the way in which an object functions and not so much on what it does. The second meaning type the authors discern is that of augmentation. By this they mean the extent to which an object can be (re)modified, repaired or altered by its owner. Through this process of changing and adapting the object, it is augmented with the energy of its owner. An augmented object then becomes more valuable. A person is less likely to part ways with an object to which he has dedicated his time and energy.
Meanings based on intrinsic qualities: perceived durability and aesthetics qualities
Another popular category of meaning is based on the appreciation of the intrinsic qualities of things. This is the case when something is valued by its user because of the so-called ‘perceived durability’ of the thing or because of its aesthetic qualities. Sometimes people simply like something because of the way it looks or feels. They value the aesthetic quality of that thing. This appreciation can be based on the materials that were used, the style of the design, or the way it was produced. Handmade things for instance often show traces of the production process that give the object a unique feel and therefore make it special. The object’s aesthetics can also be appreciated for their timeless appearance or because of the object’s style being in fashion.
Perceived durability Odom et al discovered, is the belief of an object’s owner in the expected duration of either the object’s materiality or its ability to fulfil its function. Objects that are expected to have long lifespans are valued by their owners precisely for that characteristic. They collected their data around 2009, at a time when digital things were a big part of almost everyone’s life. While digital technologies can make life easier in some ways, they are also known to be vulnerable. Digital things are fragile and often difficult and expensive to repair, certainly in comparison to anything analogue. We would expect that people value digital objects, but in another study they discovered that people rarely feel strong attachments to digital things and that they hardly believe digital things to improve with age.(21)W. Odom & J. Pierce, ‘Improving with Age: Designing Enduring Interactive products’, in: CHI 2009. Proceedings of the 27th international conference on human factors in computing systems, New York 2009, p. 3795. When one’s house is filled with digital things, analogue things in comparison can be perceived as more durable and will therefore be more appreciated. So in a time when people’s possessions very often have a digital character, the concept of perceived durability can play an important role in establishing relations between people and things, be they digital or not.
The final important category of meaning is recreational meaning. Things that give the owner some sort of pleasure while using it, are valued precisely for that quality.(22)Richins 1994, p. 511. Musical instruments, sports equipment, toys and collections of things are often attributed with recreational meanings. Recreational meaning is not based on the utility of things, but on the pleasure one gets from interacting with these things. Like utilitarian meanings, recreational meanings are mostly connected to things that people interact with on a behavioural level.
When looking at the human-object relation, the various types of meaning as distinguished by research and scholars are of interest. Knowing what kind of objects these meanings are attached to, is also valuable. Some of the studies into the attachment of people to things have tried to answer questions about specific connections between types of meaning and types of products. Their results indicate that it is very difficult to predict exactly what something will come to mean to someone.
Types of meanings and types of things
People attach meaning to objects in a very flexible way as the case of symbolic meanings has shown. Any one thing can become the carrier of every possible symbolic meaning depending on the individual. Take for instance a novel. It can have recreational meanings for some, while for others it can refer to memories of being in high school and reading it for English literature class. Or it can remind them of their grandfather, who gave the book as a present. Because symbolic meanings are completely dependent on individual experiences and interactions with things, it is almost impossible to predict relations that might come about between human beings and things.
In the case of utilitarian meanings predictions are less difficult to make. Designers are likely to incorporate the primary function of an object into their design in such a way that it becomes a denotative aspect. In that way a chair will most likely be used to sit on. Of course the user is still free to use the chair in any other way he pleases, but chances are he will indeed use it as a seat. It is not per se true that a thing with an obvious primary function, will only be attributed with a utilitarian meaning. A thing such as a chair can be used in various other ways than the designer intended and it can also become imbued with every possible symbolic meaning.
The influence of age and gender
It is almost impossible to predict what an object will come to mean for an individual. Age and gender however seem to indicate what kind of things people will value for recreational purposes. For instance, children tend to prefer so called active things over more contemplative things.(23)Csikszentmihalyi /Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 95. Active things invite some sort of kinetic interaction. They can carry this type of interaction as a primary function, like a football or a bike. Both are intended to be used in an active way and are not made only to be looked at. But children also use more static things like furniture or cutlery for playing purposes. A dining room table can for instance function as a tent or a boat.
Older people often have stronger relations with more contemplative things like photo albums and books.(24)Ibidem, p. 96. Things that symbolize earlier times are highly appreciated by them. This difference between young and old can be explained by looking at the different stages of life. When you are younger, interaction with things plays an important role in discovering who you are and what you can achieve with your physical energy. Young children therefore value things more for their recreational and functional meanings and less for their symbolic meanings. For adolescents the symbolic meaning of things will become more important. Adolescents who are slowly turning into their own person independent of their parents can, through the use of things, communicate to others their own developing identity.(25)Myers 1985, p. 565. Things can become symbols for the person they want to become. The ability of things to represent parts of a personal history becomes a plus when one gets older. Things then are representative of what one has done in life.
According to Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton and to Wallendorf/Arnould, gender also plays a role in predicting what kind of things a person will love. They saw differences between men and women in types of preferred objects. Men tend to like things that are more active, like sports equipment, electronics and vehicles, while women name more contemplative things like photographs, art and books as their favourite things. Their research explained this difference by the expected gender roles of men and women in society. Men are often seen as providers and protectors, while women take on more nurturing roles. Active and contemplative things comply with these roles. But even though age and gender seem to be indicators, it is important to remember that predictions of what things will actually mean to someone are still difficult to make.
For designers who want to turn the human-object relation into a more durable one, this knowledge is useful. It gives an insight into how a meaningful relation between someone and something can come about. So what can designers do to give their designs a better chance of being loved by their owners?
Looking at the reasons respondents in the various empirical studies mentioned for liking certain things, the category of symbolic meaning stands out as the most important one. Apparently symbolic meanings make strong human-object relations. These relations can be based on self-expression, interpersonal relationships, history or even matters of prestige and status. So things that enable people to attach symbolic meanings to them, are more likely to be loved and cherished. But these empirical studies also show that it is almost impossible to predict which things will get attributed with what symbolic meaning. This process is completely dependent on unique, individual interactions between people and things. Designers therefore cannot possibly know beforehand if their design will be used for self-expression, or if it will symbolize some sort of interpersonal relationship. It might not even get attributed with meaning at all.
The category of utilitarian meanings seems more promising for designers wanting to design objects with long lifespans. Things that function well, are obviously appreciated more than things that perform badly. Designing strong, proper functioning objects that are a pleasure for people to use and appeal to their sense of action might help creating strong attachments between people and things. Things that require some form of engagement from their user to function well, are liked more than things that function autonomous. Another way to strengthen the human-object relation, is to enable people to repair or modify the thing themselves. Objects that are invested with the individual’s time and energy – either by repairing them or adjusting their functioning to specific personal needs – are valued more than objects that can only be worked on by specialists. So things that are transparent in their functioning, are preferred over those that are opaque.
Besides symbolic and utilitarian meanings, there are also intrinsic qualities of things to be considered. In the case of aesthetics, objects can be loved for their feeling of ‘nowness’ or for their timeless look. The risk of designing fashionable things is of course that they are prone to fall out of fashion within a short period of time. In order to encourage enduring human-object relations a design should not be too time specific in its style. Choosing more mute colours and not adding too much elaborate detailing will give a design a better chance of surviving different fashions.
Objects that their owners expect to have a long life, are preferred over objects that feel to be of lesser quality. This means that designers should think about the quality and the durability of materials, but also about the object’s construction. Perceived durability is connected to transparency. When someone understands how something works and can personally alter or repair it, it will probably be perceived as more durable than something that is opaque in its functioning. Understanding brings with it a feeling of control over the object.
Because young people prefer active things over contemplative things, adding the possibility of kinetic interaction to a design increases the chance that a young person will like it. When designing for older people, creating contemplative things is more successful. The same goes for men and women. Men are more likely to like things they can actively interact with, whereas women prefer things that are more contemplative.
The difference in liking between the young and old, learns us that people’s preferences of certain things over others are not static in time. With today’s indestructible synthetic materials the tendency exists to design indestructible things. The problem with these things is that they might very well outlive our need for them. Summarizing, designing for durable human-object relations is not about attaching meaning to designs, but about making designs as susceptible as possible to meaning giving by their users. To accomplish this, requires the use of durable materials and leaving enough room for interaction between user and thing.
Dorien Duivenvoorden, 2012.
noten [ + ]
|1.||↑||J. Attfield, Wild Things. The Material Culture of Everyday Life, New York 2000, p. 12.|
|2.||↑||H. Arendt, The Human Condition, Chicago 1958, pp.147-148; M. Csikszentmihalyi and E. Rochberg-Halton, The Meaning of Things. Domestic Symbols and the Self, Cambridge 1981, p. 14.|
|3.||↑||Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 16.|
|4.||↑||I. Kopytoff, ‘The Cultural Biography of Things: Commoditization as Process’ in: A. Appadurai (ed.) The Social Life of Things, Cambridge 1986, p. 66.|
|5.||↑||Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981; M. Wallendorf and E. Arnould, ‘My Favourite Things: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry into Object Attachment, Possessiveness and Social Linkage’, Journal of Consumer Research 14:4 (1988); M. Richins, ‘Valuing Things: The Public and Private Meanings of Possessions’, Journal of Consumer Research 21:3 (1994); P. Verbeek, What Things Do, Pennsylvania 2005; D. Miller, The Comfort of Things, Cambridge 2008; W. Odom, J. Pierce, E. Stolterman and E. Blevis, ‘Understanding Why We Preserve Some Things and Discard Others in the Context of Interaction Design’, CHI 2009. Proceedings of the 27th international conference on human factors in computing, New York 2009.|
|6.||↑||In: Verbeek 1998.|
|7.||↑||Verbeek 1998; Modernism and the belief in ‘form follows function’ was influential until after World War II. In the 1960s though, the modernist influence started to fade with the introduction of Pop Design. The Pop design aesthetic was about funny instead of functional designs, preferring decoration over minimalism and ‘less is more’. The definite break from modernism came with the emergence of post modern design. Postmodernists saw things not as functional but as carriers of meaning. Verbeek: ‘Form Follows Function has been replaced by Form Follows Fun.’|
|8.||↑||N. Crilly, ‘The Roles that Artefacts Play: Technical, Social and Aesthetic Functions’, Design Studies 31:4 (2010), p. 313.|
|9.||↑||Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 172.|
|10.||↑||D. Norman, Emotional Design, New York 2004.|
|12.||↑||Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981; D. Prentice, ‘Psychological Correspondence of Possessions, Attitudes and Values’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 53:6 (1987); Wallendorf /Arnould 1988; Richins 1994; Miller 2008; Odom/Pierce/Stolterman/Blevis 2009.|
|13.||↑||Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 84; Arnould 1988, p. 537; Richins 1994, p. 511; D. Miller and F. Parrot, ‘Loss and Material Culture in South London’, Journal of the Royal Anthropology Institute 15 (2009).|
|14.||↑||Prentice 1987, p. 996; Richins 1994, p. 511.|
|16.||↑||E. Myer, ‘Phenomenological Analysis of the Importance of Special Possessions: An Exploratory Study’, Advances in Consumer Research 12 (1985), p. 563; Miller/Parrott 2009, p. 509.|
|17.||↑||Wallendorf/Arnould 1988, p. 537; Odom/Pierce/Stolterman/ Blevis 2009, p. 4.|
|18.||↑||Prentice 1987, p. 995; Richins 1994, p. 564.|
|19.||↑||Csikszentmihalyi/Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 85; Wallendorf/Arnould 1988, p. 427; Richins 1994, p. 511.|
|20.||↑||Odom/Pierce/Stolterman/Blevis 2009, p. 4.|
|21.||↑||W. Odom & J. Pierce, ‘Improving with Age: Designing Enduring Interactive products’, in: CHI 2009. Proceedings of the 27th international conference on human factors in computing systems, New York 2009, p. 3795.|
|22.||↑||Richins 1994, p. 511.|
|23.||↑||Csikszentmihalyi /Rochberg-Halton 1981, p. 95.|
|24.||↑||Ibidem, p. 96.|
|25.||↑||Myers 1985, p. 565.| | <urn:uuid:308137ea-c757-401b-8aaa-bf2bd05ad636> | CC-MAIN-2022-05 | https://www.designhistory.nl/2012/theories-on-people-and-things-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-05/segments/1642320301730.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20220120065949-20220120095949-00179.warc.gz | en | 0.948668 | 7,422 | 3.234375 | 3 |
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, OA, or osteoarthritis, is a form of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and the eventual loss of cartilage in the joints – the cartilage wears down over time.
Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over each other. It also helps absorb the shock of movement. In osteoarthritis, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together. The rubbing causes pain, swelling and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joint may lose its normal shape. Also, bone spurs may grow on the edges of the joint. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space, which causes more pain and damage. In addition, damaged joint tissue can cause the release of certain substances called prostaglandins, which can also contribute to the pain and swelling characteristic of the disease.
Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease; signs and symptoms gradually worsen over time. There is no cure. However, available therapies may help with pain and swelling (inflammation), as well as keeping the patient mobile and active. Experts say that patients who take steps to actively manage their osteoarthritis are more likely to gain control over their symptoms.
Any joint in the body may be affected. However, the disease is most likely to affect the patient’s:
- Lower back
When you hear someone saying they are suffering with osteoarthritis they will often say that they have:
- Pain which is worse when they move a joint or at the end of the day.
- Stiffness of a joint after rest which wears off after they get moving.
- A grating or grinding sensation (crepitus) when you move.
- Swelling and tenderness of the joint which may be hard or soft.
- Not being able to use your joint normally.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the UK. Osteoarthritis is a very mis-understood condition. Many people believe that it cannot affect you until you are much older. The truth is that ‘wear and tear’ can affect your joints as early as your late 20s. Factors such as a poor posture, bad lifting technique, lack of exercise and an accumulation of old injuries can predispose to early osteoarthritis.
- More than 6 million people in the UK have painful osteoarthritis in one or both knees. Prevalence increases with age with 1 in 5 adults aged 50–59 to almost 1 in every 2 adults aged 80+ having painful osteoarthritis in one or both knees.
- More than 650,000 in the UK have painful osteoarthritis in one or both hips, three quarters of whom are aged over 65. A further one and a half million have X-ray evidence of hip osteoarthritis (but may not have any symptoms).
- Osteoarthritis is most commonly found in the spine.
- There are almost 8.5 million people with X-ray evidence of osteoarthritis of the spine in the UK. Unlike other sites, it is more commonly found in men than women (by a ratio of 3:2). Back pain is the most frequently occurring symptom.
- One third of people aged 45 years and over in the UK have sought treatment for osteoarthritis
- 8.75 million people in the UK have sought treatment for osteoarthritis
- Women are more likely than men to have sought treatment for osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis increases between the ages of 45 and 75 years, of those aged 75 years and over, 49% of women and 42% of men have sought treatment for osteoarthritis.
The knee is the most common site in the body for osteoarthritis, followed by the hip. Osteoarthritis in the knee and hips can make walking, standing and sitting extremely painful.
Osteoarthritis is more common among females than males, especially after the age of 50 years. Most commonly, it develops in people aged over 40. Younger people may also be affected; usually after an injury or as a result of another joint condition.
Some people say that osteoarthritis is an inevitable part of ageing. This is untrue. There are people well into their nineties who have no clinical or functional signs of the disease.
Symptoms of arthritic pain/arthritis
Typically, osteoarthritis comes on slowly. For many, the first signs are joints that ache after physical work or exercise. The pain may be moderate and come and go, without affecting the ability to perform daily tasks. Some people’s osteoarthritis will never progress past this early stage. Others will have their osteoarthritis get worse. The pain and stiffness of more severe osteoarthritis may make it difficult to walk, climb stairs, sleep, or perform other daily tasks. Common symptoms include:
- Pain in a joint that is worse after activity or toward the end of the day
- Swelling or tenderness in one or more joints
- Problems moving affected joints
- Stiffness – more severe on waking up in the morning, and improves within 30 minutes when the individual starts moving about. You may also experience it after periods of inactivity such as sitting
- Flare-ups of pain and inflammation after use of the affected joint
- Crunching feeling or sound of bone rubbing on bone (crepitus) when the joint is used
- Referred muscle pain
- Affected joints are larger than usual
- After not moving the joint for a while pain and stiffness may worsen
- Joints are warm
- Loss of muscle bulk
- The affected joints will have a limited range of movements
The knees, hips or hands are most commonly affected.
Osteoarthritis in the knees – Because knees are primarily weight-bearing joints, they are very commonly affected by osteoarthritis. If you have osteoarthritis in your knees, you may feel that these joints are stiff, swollen, and painful, making it hard to walk, climb, and get in and out of chairs and bathtubs. In most cases both knees are affected, unless the osteoarthritis was caused by an injury (or another condition). The patient will experience pain when walking, especially uphill or upstairs. Knees may lock into position, making it much harder to straighten the leg. The knee may make a soft, grating sound when used.
Osteoarthritis in the hips – Osteoarthritis in the hip can causes pain, stiffness and severe disability. Hips both support the weight of the body and enable movement of your lower body. When you have osteoarthritis in your hips, you may also feel the pain in your groin, inner thigh, or knees. Osteoarthritis in the hip can lead to difficulty moving, bending and walking. Anything that requires movement of the hip joint causes problems, such as getting in/out of a car or putting on one’s shoes and socks.
Although pain in the hip is common, some patients with osteoarthritis in the hips experience pain in their knee (and not their hip). Less commonly, pain may be felt in the thighs, ankles and buttocks.
Typically, pain is felt whilst walking, but some people are in pain even when resting.
Osteoarthritis in the hands – When osteoarthritis occurs in hands and fingers, the base of the thumb joint is commonly affected and people experience stiffness, numbness, and aching. Other symptoms of hand and finger osteoarthritis include:
- Heberden’s nodes: small bony knobs that appear on the end joints of fingers
- Bouchards’s nodes: small bony knobs that appear on the middle joints of fingers
Three areas may be affected:
- The base of the thumb
- The top joint of the fingers (closest to the nail)
- The middle joint of the fingers
Fingers may be stiff, swollen and painful. Sometimes bumps may develop on the finger joints. In some cases, finger pain decreases and eventually goes away, while the swelling and bumps remain.
At the affected joints the fingers may bend slightly sideways. Fluid-filled lumps (cysts) may develop on the backs of the fingers; they are often painful.
A bump may develop where the base of the thumb joins the wrist. This may make writing, turning keys and opening jar-tops difficult and painful.
Osteoarthritis in the spine – If you have osteoarthritis of the spine, you may experience stiffness and pain in the neck or in the lower back. Sometimes arthritis-related changes in the spine can put pressure on the nerves, causing weakness or numbness in your arms or legs.
Causes of arthritic pain/arthritis
Process of wear and repair – often inaccurately referred to as the wear and tear arthritis, osteoarthritis should more aptly be called the wear and repair arthritis, because the condition is a slow repair process that the body utilizes to mend joints that have gradually become damaged.
In most cases, the repair process presents no symptoms. However, if there is a particularly traumatic injury to a joint and the body’s ability to carry out proper repairs is undermined, subsequent damage to the affected joint will continue and the patient will experience symptoms.
When there is damage to cartilage – the protective surface that cushions the ends of bones in your joints and allows the joints to move smoothly – osteoarthritis occurs. The smooth surface of the cartilage becomes rough, causing irritation. If the cartilage wears down completely, the bone in the joint may be rubbing against another bone, causing damage and pain.
The joints may become knobbly where the bones start protruding, forming osteophytes (bony lumps). The bones gradually thicken and become broader, making the joints stiffer, less mobile, and painful. If fluid accumulates in the joints they will swell.
Experts are not sure why the repair process breaks down. They believe several contributory factors are involved:
- Injury – a joint may have been previously damaged because of an injury or surgical intervention.
- Overuse – a joint may have been overused after an injury or operation.
- Rheumatoid arthritis – if the joints of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis have been severely damaged, osteoarthritis can occur.
When osteoarthritis has developed because of damage or another condition, it is called secondary osteoarthritis. Secondary osteoarthritis signs and symptoms may take several years after the initial joint damage to appear.
Here are some factors that may increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis:
- Age – Age is the strongest risk factor for osteoarthritis. Although osteoarthritis can start in young adulthood, in these cases, it is often due to joint injury.
- Gender – Osteoarthritis affects both men and women. However, before age 45, osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in men; after age 45, osteoarthritis is more common in women.
- Joint injury or overuse caused by physical labour or sports – Traumatic injury to a joint increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis in that joint. Joints that are used repeatedly in certain jobs may be more likely to develop osteoarthritis because of injury or overuse.
- Obesity – The chances of getting osteoarthritis generally increase with the amount of weight the body’s joints have to bear. The knee is particularly affected because it is a major weight-bearing joint.
- Joint Alignment – People with joints that don’t move or fit together correctly, like bowlegs, dislocated hips, or double-jointedness, are more likely to develop osteoarthritis in those joints.
- Heredity – An inherited defect in one of the genes responsible for manufacturing cartilage may be a contributing factor in developing osteoarthritis.
Treatment of arthritic pain/arthritis
There is no cure for osteoarthritis. Treatment has 4 goals: improve joint function, keep a healthy body weight, control pain, and achieve a healthy lifestyle. You will probably have/need a combination of the following.
Exercise. Too little movement can lead to stiffness and weak joints. Overall fitness improves health in many ways. Strong muscles protect joints, improve posture and help achieve body weight control.
An exercise plan will probably focus on improving the patient’s:
- Flexibility – to help with the range of movement. This will involve gently stretching the joints, making them suppler.
- Strength – to improve muscle tone and strength.
- Fitness – to improve stamina. This may involve swimming, walking or cycling.
Weight control. The more overweight/obese patients are, the worse their osteoarthritis symptoms will be, simply because there is much more weight bearing down on the joints, especially if the affected joints are in the lower limbs.
Rest and joint care. The use of splints to rest a painful joint.
Nondrug pain relief techniques to control pain.
Surgery. Arthroscopy, arthroplasty (joint replacement), arthrodesis (joint fusion), osteotomy (where a bone is cut and re-aligned)
Lifestyle modification. Eating a nutritious diet, managing stress and depression. The use of assisted devices such as using a stick or wearing special insoles which will be issued by an occupational therapist once they have assessed you.
Manual therapy. See How will osteopathy help? below.
How will osteopathy help?
Until very recently osteoarthritis was labelled “wear and tear” and it was thought that very little could be done apart from taking anti-inflammatory and pain medication and later a joint replacement. It has now been renamed “wear and repair” – so what does this mean?
Your body is continually repairing and healing itself, so the question that needs to be answered is “what is stopping my body from healing correctly?” Decreased mobility of the joints and hypertonic, short muscles impede the circulation and drainage to the area which will affect the repair process.
Pain – if something hurts, you avoid the movement that causes it. The body very quickly adapts and compensates and correct movement of the joint with balance of the muscles and ligaments is lost. Compensatory patterns lead to other joints doing more work, which perhaps they are not designed to do, which leads to the osteoarthritis process starting here.
Overall there is a general decrease in exercise, physical work and exercise leading to stiffness and reduced mobility of the joints.
Each joint has a surface area which should be used in its entirety – which requires the muscles to be able to fully stretch and contract, for the correct alignment of those muscles when contracting and relaxing and for the ligaments to be balanced. Trauma, pain, decreased usage of the joint in its full range of movement and prolonged periods of holding the joint in set positions cause muscles to shorten. This then stops the joint being able to be used in its full range and the surface area of the joint
that is actually used becomes decreased. The load bearing on a smaller surface therefore increases and the degenerative process accelerates.
At the Clinic treatment works to increase the range and quality of movement of your joints. This increases circulation and drainage to the area, improves the health of the muscles and allows them to work correctly; increased range of movement to the joint allows more of the joint surface to be used, distributing the weight more evenly.
Decreased pain and increased mobility leads to you feeling better and therefore more likely to be more active whether this this is in the home, out and about or joining an exercise class.
- Decrease pain and disability
- Improve mobility and flexibility
- Improve circulation and drainage to the area, supporting the body’s natural tendency to self-healing
- Address any mechanical imbalances to the body
- Improve wellbeing
- Encourage exercise and weight loss (if needed)
Patients usually feel improvement after their first session of treatment – articulating the joints and working on the soft tissues improves the circulation and drainage to the area reducing swelling and inflammation. It allows the joints to be articulated and muscles stretched improving quality and quantity of movement.
We tend to see patients on a weekly basis for 3 sessions and then reassess how the patient is responding to treatment and what they would like to do now that they see that their symptoms are improving. We recommend that anyone with osteoarthritis has regular treatment to keep them moving properly. This interval can be anywhere between 3 weekly to 4 monthly.
What to do now ……
If you’ve come to this website looking for help, then don’t in silence suffer any longer.
Contact us immediately on 01462 811006 for a consultation and let’s assess your condition.
At the assessment, we’ll take some details from you and build your case history. We’ll discuss why you’ve come to see us and where you have any aches and pains. Then we’ll examine you with the aim of giving you the appropriate treatment.
This will take a little while to complete, but it’s a necessary part of the ethical guidelines we work to. The guidelines are there to make sure everything is done professionally and to a high standard of patient care. I’m sure you agree that’s a good thing!
If you have any questions about what we do and how we do it, call us on 01462 811006 or use the contact form below – and we’ll be happy to help. | <urn:uuid:9e76929c-f51b-4852-879d-6708f7568cea> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://sheffordosteo.com/osteoarthritis-oa/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030337723.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20221006025949-20221006055949-00635.warc.gz | en | 0.941625 | 3,774 | 3.78125 | 4 |
Potential for Asian Carp in Great Lakes Could Cause Problems
Invasive species are a constant threat to natural ecosystems. Anglers and boaters are urged to take precautions to reduce the spread of certain plants and animals. One of the biggest battles is being fought against the spread of Asian carp in the Great Lakes.
The Asian “carp” are the bighead carp, silver carp, and black carp and are not related to the common carp. The eyes and mouth of the bighead carp and its more acrobatic kinfolk the silver carp, seem to have drifted strangely out of place. You may have seen videos of asian carp fishing with them jumping when startled by boat motors.
These fish originally escaped from aquaculture operations in the South. In 2008, they were reported within 15 miles of the electrical barrier in a Chicago canal. This year, a silver carp was seen beyond an electrical barrier. Scientists and fisheries managers also are using acoustic bubble barriers, chemical deterrents, nets, and electrofishing to monitor and stop the migration of asian carp in the Great Lakes.
Why the big concerns of Asian carp in the Great Lakes?
If Asian carp reach the Great Lakes the balance of the system may tip. These fish are highly tolerant of temperature extremes and low dissolved oxygen, so they can survive conditions other fish can’t. They grow rapidly and can weigh over 60 pounds. To achieve this growth, these “planktivores” must consume great amounts of plankton which would normally feed all other larval fish species, and such mild-mannered native fish as bigmouth buffalo, paddlefish, and gizzard shad.
Thus, Asian carp fishing is tricky and there is not a lot of carp fishing tips. Tiny plankton doesn’t exactly fit well on a hook. When trying to figure out how to catch asian carp, one method for Asian carp fishing is described in the informative article Carp Lemonade by Duane Chapman, Conservation Commission of Missouri. Under a large bobber, surround a large dough ball with a “nest” of tiny hooks tied above it so that they dangle around the dough ball. One report claimed success with cheese. And some fly fishermen have hooked them using heavy minnow patterns. Bow fishing is yet another option.
If anglers find Asian carp in the Great Lakes, we’ll just have to make “lemonade” out of the situation and try to make the most out of Asian carp fishing because in some places on the Mississippi river, they have become the dominant species. Please do your part to prevent the spread of these and other invasive species. The Great Lakes is an amazing fishery and it needs our protection. Funds from your fishing license and boat registration will help do just that.
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In order for a child to become happy and develop well, the role that parents play is quite critical. They are the children’s first heroes and friends. Children learn nearly all of their first lessons and concepts of the world around them using their parents. This is why parents should view the ways to put their children’s creativity and mental abilities to positive use. Among the easiest methods to do this is via encouraging the kids in coloring at a young age. Children who begin coloring when young have fewer mental problems than those who don’t. They are also better writers and artists, have fuller imaginations, and learn important life lessons and values easier.
Children who may have a robust and active imagination have a very powerful tool that will serve them well throughout their lives. Coloring books and coloring pages certainly are a terrific tool getting were only available in this process task. This is because such coloring pages develop and encourage the creativity lying latent in the child. Children are in a position to imagine what sort of picture might try different color combinations, and also this simple act has the strength to make a robust and flexible mind.
Besides helping the children to build up their imaginations, parents can utilize stories from your coloring pages to instruct their kids practical lessons. While your children are enjoying the procedure for coloring the images, they may be taught values that are necessary for the crooks to grasp in a young age. Lessons through the down to earth can also be taught as well. When parents take the time to tell their children stories as they color, the youngsters imagination is further strengthened and enhanced.
Many parents know that coloring pages help develop their children’s artistic abilities. They may not be informed about the ways that using coloring pages can help their toddlers to enhance their skills towards writing. As children practice coloring, their abilities to remain inside the lines improve with time. This focused power to control the pencils or crayons precisely is an essential part for being capable to hold a writing instrument still and steady for when it is time to draw the letters from the alphabet. Artistic abilities are cultivated and strengthened in children that well at coloring pages. Besides this, they are going to believe it is much easier to start writing their alphabet letters in the event the time because of this comes.
Children who use coloring pages will also better their capacity to concentrate. Being able to concentrate is a vital skill for children to get, as well as the earlier they start developing it, the higher. Focusing on a employing a website does much for children. Children learn being patient because they sit and think to apply colors to the photographs in the coloring book. Problems with hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders, in addition to add, adhd hyperactivity disorder, also referred to as ADHD, are diminished, psychologists believe, in children who devote a good portion time to coloring pages.
Finally, children who are linked to coloring pages will in all probability experience fewer psychological problems if they are young. The reason with this is that this minds of youngsters, that are capable to enjoy making use of their imaginations to generate exciting worlds filled with fantasy and adventure, are strong and flexible. This coloring creativity aids them in steering clear of problems like childhood depression.
The vast numbers of benefits to children practicing on coloring pages simply can not overstated from the psychological viewpoint. It’s important to start children on easy images so that they can experience a feeling of achievement. As their coloring skill improves, they could be given more advanced patterns and images to color. Giving children books and pages to color is often a successful way to help them become better artists and writers, to enable these to concentrate better, to relieve the likelihood that they are going to suffer from mental problems, and to instruct them important life lessons and values. Children who begin coloring with a young age will like the rewards it might bestow for many years. | <urn:uuid:c4974fa6-2c3d-4a84-b121-57732405f00b> | CC-MAIN-2020-29 | https://americangolfschool.com/online-coloring-book/color-by-number-coloring-pages-12/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593655887319.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20200705090648-20200705120648-00579.warc.gz | en | 0.962752 | 785 | 3.453125 | 3 |
The mic is the center of the recording studio, and it pays to know how they work and what they do.
By Joe Albano
The recording industry is changing rapidly, but there’s one area where the technology is pretty much the same as it always was—microphones. While it’s true that better mics are available at lower prices than ever, it’s also true that vintage models and designs are still the most sought-after options for recording today. In this brief primer, I’ll do a quick rundown of the basics of microphone design and recording techniques—just the background knowledge that any modern recordist should possess on that most important first link in the recording chain.
As some of you may remember from Physics class, microphones are transducers—they change a sound’s acoustic energy (variations in air pressure) into electrical energy (variations in voltage). From a technical design standpoint, therefore, the most basic way to classify different types of mics is by the method they use to do this.
In all cases, microphones employ a diaphragm, usually of thin, lightweight material, that is struck by sound waves and vibrates accordingly. The pattern of acoustical vibration is turned into an analogous pattern of varying voltage, and the electrical signal is then available for recording and processing. Based on the way this is accomplished, we can break microphones down into the following categories:
• Dynamic Moving-Coil designs (the diaphragm is attached to a coil of wire)
• Ribbon (actually, dynamic as well, but with a ribbon instead of a moving coil)
• Condenser (a.k.a. Capacitor mics, where the diaphragm is part of a capacitor)
Moving-coil microphone designs, better known as dynamic mics, use the principle of electromagnetic induction to convert acoustic energy to electrical. The diaphragm is attached to a coil, which lies in a magnetic field (generated by a magnet incorporated into the mic). When sound waves strike the diaphragm, it vibrates accordingly, and this causes the attached coil to move within the magnetic field, generating a voltage which varies in accordance with the pattern of the original sound wave (a typical loudspeaker works by the same principle, only in reverse). Moving-coil designs are usually sturdy and rugged, and so are popular for live use, especially hand-held applications—I’ll talk more about typical applications of the different designs below.
Another type of mic design that uses electromagnetic induction is the ribbon mic—although technically it is dynamic in design, most people refer to ribbon microphones just as “ribbons”. Here, a thin (usually) corrugated ribbon of metal foil is used as the diaphragm, again suspended in a magnetic field. When sound waves hit the ribbon, it vibrates in the field, inducing a voltage whose pattern is analogous to the original acoustic sound wave’s, as above. In older ribbon designs, the ribbon material itself was extremely fragile, making these mics more suitable for studio use than live, but modern designs can be much more sturdy (though dynamic moving-coils are still more widely employed when ruggedness is a prime factor).
All charged up
Condenser mics employ a design principle that’s different from dynamic mics. The diaphragm of a condenser mic is actually one of the two plates of a capacitor (“capacitor” is synonymous with “condenser”). The Physics geeks among you will recall that a capacitor is a device that can store a charge, comprised of two plates with a non-conductive material between (called the dielectric). In a condenser mic, one plate is fixed, the other is the mic’s diaphragm, and in between them is air. When sound waves hit the diaphragm, it moves (vibrates) relative to the fixed plate, resulting in a changing capacitance. When a charge (voltage) has been applied, this results in a varying voltage, one again analogous to the pattern of the original sound wave. The voltage signal requires a dedicated preamp to bring its level (and impedance) in line with other microphones.
Condenser mics must have some sort of power supply to provide the charge for the capacitor plates, as well as power for the required onboard preamp. Older models often came with their own power supply units, usually an external box which connected to the mic with a special multi-pin cable. Modern designs use 48 volts of DC power, usually supplied via the mic preamps (standalones or the ones in the console). This is supplied to the mic via a technique known as phantom power, where the DC is sent back to the mic on the same wires of the standard balanced mic cable that carries the signal (in the opposite direction) to the console/preamp.
A variation on the condenser design described above uses permanently charged capacitor plates, eliminating the need for phantom power, but still requiring power for the mic’s preamp. This type of condenser is referred to as an electret condenser (an electret is to electricity what a magnet is to magnetism). Typically, power for the mic’s onboard preamp is supplied by a battery, but some electrets can use phantom power for this as well. Years ago, some people looked down on electret condensers as inferior to regular externally-powered condenser designs, but nowadays they are widely accepted.
Bring on the tubes
On classic older model condensers, the dedicated preamp was typically powered by an onboard tube, which added its own and often pleasing coloration. Some of the most sought-after vintage mics are tube-based, like the Neumann U 47 and U 67, and others.
Modern condensers are more likely to employ transistorized preamp circuitry, but many models still do use tubes for the warm quality they impart to the sound—this trend includes not only high-end mics and reissues of classic models, but also relatively budget-priced units.
Pick a mic, any mic
In practice, condenser mics are generally the favorites for studio use, thanks to their superior clarity and delicacy of sound (along with the better-quality ribbons); this goes for most applications, like vocals, acoustic instruments, and ensemble (stereo) miking.
Dynamic (moving-coil) mics are the choice when ruggedness is of paramount importance, as in live situations, or in proximity to especially loud or aggressive instruments. Dynamics are often the mics of choice, even in the studio, for close-miking around the drum-kit, close-miking guitar amps, or close in on trumpet bells—situations where a more delicate condenser might be less likely to withstand an errant drumstick or a sudden blast of air.
That said, there are no hard-and-fast rules, and for every engineer that follows these suggestions, there’ll be another who breaks them with good results, so take the above as only the most general of guidelines.
Patterns of behavior
The way in which a microphone responds to sounds in the air around it is expressed as the mic’s pattern (short for pickup pattern, or polar pattern as plotted on a 360º graph). This describes the microphone’s sensitivity to sound coming at it from the front, sides and rear of the diaphragm—in other words, the microphone’s directional characteristic. Mics can be classified into three basic patterns:
• Omnidirectional: the mic responds with equal sensitivity to sounds from all directions (front, rear, sides);
• Bidirectional (aka Figure-8): the mic is sensitive to sounds from the front and rear (0º and 180º, resp.), but rejects sounds from the sides (90º, 270º);
• Unidirectional: the mic is primarily sensitive to sounds from one direction (Cardioid, Supercardioid, and Hypercardioid), and rejects sounds from the rear (see below).
An omnidirectional mic (omni, for short) picks up sounds from everywhere equally (well, almost equally). It consists of a disc-shaped diaphragm in a sealed enclosure, open only at the front. All sound waves, regardless of their point of origin, eventually work their way around and strike the diaphragm, resulting in a mostly uniform sound pickup (the body of the mic itself may shadow sounds from the rear very slightly). Since all sound is picked up by direct pressure on the (front of the) diaphragm, omnis can also be referred to as pressure mics. A two-dimensional graph of this pattern looks like a circle, but remember we’re really talking in three dimensions here, so an omnidirectional pattern could also be visualized as spherical.
Now, imagine instead the same diaphragm element without the enclosure, open on both sides. Sound waves still hit the front, but also the rear of the diaphragm, and sounds from either front or rear will be picked up equally well by different sides of the diaphragm. However, sound waves from the side (90º or 270º) will strike both sides of the diaphragm at the same time, resulting in equal but opposite pressure on the front and rear—this will result in no movement, and those sound waves will be rejected (cancelled). The mic therefore picks up sound from the front and rear, and rejects sound from the side—this is a pressure-gradient design, also known as a bidirectional mic, or a figure-8 mic (the “figure-8” designation comes from the plot of the mic’s response on a graph).
Point & shoot
For situations where a more restricted pickup characteristic would be desirable, the third type of pattern, unidirectional, comes into play. One approach to creating a unidirectional response uses a single diaphragm, open at both its front and rear. Sound waves arriving at the rear of the diaphragm are delayed, usually by rear-entry ports (acoustic chambers) in the body of the mic. This delays the arrival of a sound wave relative to its arrival at the front of the diaphragm—in other words it puts the sound coming in at the rear out of phase with the same sound coming in at the front.
If a sound wave originates in the rear, it can be delayed long enough to make it strike the rear of the diaphragm at the same time as it works its way around and strikes the front—this will result in equal but opposite pressure at front and rear, and cancel out, causing that rear-originating sound to be rejected.
A sound from the front will also be delayed at the rear, but as it’s already arriving ahead at the front, the rear arrival will be delayed long enough to make it once again in-phase with the front arrival, reinforcing that front-originating sound. As a result, you now have a mic which is more sensitive to sounds coming from the front, and which will reject sounds from the rear. When the pattern of this kind of unidirectional design is plotted, it looks like a heart shape, and so is commonly referred to as a cardioid pattern from the Latin for “heart”.
Now, a sharp reader will realize that using phase differences to cancel out rear sounds must be frequency-dependent. This is correct, and in the real world, the response to sounds arriving from the rear (off-axis sounds) is irregular—to get the full picture on a graph, you’d have to plot the directional pattern at different frequencies, which is often done on the same graph, using different line patterns or colors. This is why two cardioid mics with the same on-axis (front) frequency response can sound very different in reality—they may have significant differences in their frequency responses for off-axis sound pickup.
Pick your pattern
Now, another way that some mics achieve a unidirectional pickup characteristic is by using two diaphragms back to back. By combining the outputs of the two diaphragms, a variety of patterns can be achieved, from omni to bidirectional, and everything in between, which includes not only the basic cardioid pattern described above (maximum rejection at 180º), but other cardioid variations as well. Adjusting the blend will yield a supercardioid pattern, which allows a little more sound in at the rear (180º) and moves the angle of maximum rejection a little out to the sides of dead-center rear.
Further adjustment will yield a hypercardioid pattern, which allows even more sound in at 180º, pushing the maximum rejection points further to the sides. Eventually, the rear pickup will approach full response, and the side rejection points will approach 90º/270º, for a bidirectional characteristic. Multipattern mics often offer all these patterns, for a wide degree of flexibility in use.
Besides those basic patterns, there are a couple of other more specialized patterns worth mentioning briefly. A shotgun mic is an extreme variation of a unidirectional design, with a strong but especially narrow front pickup, and a number of rear/side rejection nodes. Shotguns achieve this degree of directionality at the expense of smooth response, and so are not very well suited for studio use, and are typically found in situations where isolated pickup from a distance in a noisy environment is more important than ultimate sound quality, such as Electronic News Gathering.
Another specialized type of pattern is found in a boundary mic, where the diaphragm is designed to be placed virtually flush with a room boundary (surface). The pattern is omnidirectional, but because the pickup is so close to a surface, in effect it becomes half-omnidirectional, or hemispherical (rather than fully spherical). This type of design is well suited for music, in situations where a wide pickup pattern is appropriate.
Set ‘em up
This discussion of mics wouldn’t be complete without a brief rundown of the basics of mic placement. For the sake of simplicity, I’ll divide miking techniques into distance miking and close miking approaches. Distance miking typically involves a stereo pair, and includes spaced mic arrays, coincident mics, and near-coincident mics. Close miking is often mono (though stereo is also employed), and usually means placement anywhere from a couple inches to a foot or so from the source.
Stereo miking techniques are commonly employed for recording both large and small ensembles. A basic technique involves placing two mics in front of the ensemble, widely spaced apart (several feet or so, depending on the spread of the source). These mics are often omnis, but if a less ambient sound is required, cardioids can be employed as well. Sometimes, to capture a widely-spaced group, the placement is so wide that a “hole” develops in the center of the stereo image (instruments tend to cluster too much to the left or right)—in that case, an additional mic is often used in the center, and mixed in just enough to stabilize the imaging.
When the mics are widely separated like this, the sense of stereo separation results from both amplitude differences and timing differences (between sounds arriving at both mics). This creates a nice wide stereo image, but if collapsed to mono, it runs the risk of revealing unpleasant phase cancellations due to the timing differences.
Another stereo miking technique, one that avoids this problem in mono, places the mics’ diaphragms as close as possible, so that only amplitude differences (based on the mics’ directionality) create the stereo image, and timing differences (and the resulting phase cancellations) don’t come into play. This approach is called coincident miking.
Just a coincidence
In coincident microphone placement, two directional mics are placed with their diaphragms as close as possible, typically at an angle of 90º–110º, with the mic on the left side pointing right, and the mic on the right side pointing left. One popular variant of this uses bidirectional (Figure-8) patterns at an angle of 90º—this is called the Blumlein system. The null spots of one mic correspond to the primary pickup of the other, and this yields a particularly well-balanced stereo image, although one that has a high proportion of room tone, thanks to the rear pickup of the mics. When less room (or audience) pickup is preferred, the same approach can be taken with cardioid mics—here, the angle is often widened slightly, to about 110º, to adjust for the difference in side pickup of the cardioids. This variant is called XY technique, and is one of the most common stereo miking approaches.
An interesting take on coincident technique is called Mid-Side, or M-S. This employs a cardioidmic and a bidirectional mic at a 90º angle, with the cardioid facing forward (0º, the “Mid”), and the bi facing 90º to pick up the “Side” signals. These two signals are then combined in a matrix which can be set up either in a specialized M/S preamp or in a console or DAW. The matrix duplicates the Side signal, then adds it to the Mid to create one side of the stereo image, and subtracts it to form the other. (Justin Peacock wrote a great article on setting this up.)
If the channels are combined to mono, the cardioid (Mid) mic is heard alone—the matrix completely cancels out the Side mic, and the signal is pure mono, without any possibility of potentially problematic phase cancellations. In stereo, the image widens and becomes more stereophonic as the Side mic is fed into the blend—this allows for a lot of freedom to adjust the spread after the recording is made.
Some people feel that a little bit of timing (phase) difference between the mics is more desirable than the purely amplitude-based stereo image of coincident pairs. To achieve this, a pair of mics is placed fairly close together, but with their diaphragms separated by about the width of a human head (more or less the distance between our ears). The ORTF system places the mics 17 cm (about 7″) apart, at an angle of 110º, while a variation of this approach, called the NOS system, moves the mics slightly further apart, to a distance of 30 cm (about 1′), at a 90º angle instead. Either approach works well, offering a nice sense of depth—these near-coincident placement techniques are also widely used.
There is also a specialized mic technique involving the use of a dummy head with mics placed in the “ears”, which captures a strong three-dimensional field (binaural recording), but this only works well when heard back through headphones and so is not a mainstream, everyday approach.
Close-miking is the way much (if not most) of today’s studio miking is done, with individual mics on each instrument for isolation and greater control in the mix. That’s a topic that could comprise a whole article (or several) by itself, so I’ll only mention a couple of basic points here. One is that, in a multi-mic environment, it’s important to watch out for leakage, when the sound of an nearby instrument leaks into another instrument’s mic unintentionally. This not only compromises control of the individual instruments’ balance later on, but can also impart unpleasant phase cancellations when both mics’ signals are present in the mix. Additionally, even if only one mic is open, reflections from the sound source off nearby surfaces (like the floor between the mic and the source) can also impart similar phase-induced colorations.
When multiple mics are in use, a suggested remedy is the often-cited “Three-to One Rule”, which says that any secondary mic should be at least 3X as far from the primary mic as the primary mic is from the source—this is designed to avoid overly strong phase effects from small timing differences that could otherwise occur. As far as the problem with reflected sound into the primary mic, keeping a greater distance (2X or more) between the reflective surface than the distance between mic and source is advised, and when this isn’t possible, damp down any suspect nearby surface to avoid potentially problematic reflections.
One last point to mention regarding close miking is a phenomenon known as the proximity effect, which occurs when directional mics are placed within a foot or so of the sound source. There is a strong rise in bass response (relative to midrange and high frequencies) that results, especially at very close distances (i.e. a few inches).
Some singers and most radio announcers like to “work” the mic live to use this effect to fatten up their voices, and even in the studio it can occasionally work to advantage, but as often as not engineers seek to minimize it by either keeping mic distance at around a foot or so when appropriate, or sometimes using lowcut filters—either on the mic or on the console—to compensate.
Well, that’s all the space I have here. Of course, there’s certainly much more to be said about mics and miking techniques; look through Recording’s online library for more useful information on this topic. After all, audio recording starts with the microphone—get it right up front, and the rest is smooth sailing. | <urn:uuid:eba30d93-b9b3-4e3c-8386-7c581d0e5852> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://recordingmag.com/resources/recording-info/for-songwriters/a-basic-mic-primer-senn/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347439019.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20200604032435-20200604062435-00461.warc.gz | en | 0.94434 | 4,555 | 3.296875 | 3 |
When we are sad the world seemingly cries with us. On the contrary, when we are happy everything shines and all around people's faces seem to rejoyce with us. These projection mechanisms of one's emotions onto others are well known to scientists, who believe they are at the core of the ability to interpret and relate to others. In some circumstances, however, this may lead to gross mistakes (called egocentricity bias in the emotional domain EEB), to avoid them cerebral mechanisms are activated about which still little is known.
Giorgia Silani, a neuroscientist at SISSA, in collaborartion with an international group of researchers have identified an area in the brain involved in this process. The results were published on The Journal of Neuroscience.
In their experiments researchers have first measured the likeliness of subjects to make these kinds ok mistakes. Then, thanks to functional magnetic resonance imaging, a cerebral area has been identified in which activity is clearly more intense when the subjects are making EEB mistakes.
The responsible area is the right supramarginal gyrus, a relatively unknown location to social neurosciences.
In a third round of experiments researchers have even tried to "sabotage" the activity of this cerebral area, by temporarily shutting it down through transcranial magnetic stimulation, a (harmless) procedure which can shortly silence the electrical activity of neurons. Silani and colleagues observed that during "shutdowns" the subjects made significantly more EEB mistakes than average, thus confirming the crucial role of this cerebral area.
"The results of our study", Silani explains "show for the first time the physiological markers of highly adaptive social mechanisms, such as the ability to suppress our own emotional states in order to correctly evaluate those of others. Future research will allow us to understand how these abilities develop and decay over time, and how we can train them".
Explore further: I'm ok, you're not ok: The right supramarginal gyrus plays an important role in empathy | <urn:uuid:c33d4a71-b3ba-4a8c-acee-fc1cc7427974> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-10-emotions-brain.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281419.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00365-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950985 | 411 | 3.265625 | 3 |
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Vietnam War Photo Essay by emily goodin on Prezi
The general consensus among American historians is that the American War in Vietnam was a “mistake,” although interpretations differ as to what exactly this means. This essay takes the view that the ‘mistake” was a product of U.S. global ambitions and misperceptions that developed in the aftermath of World War II and were compounded over time. It probes deeply into the origins and nature of the war, making it a long article for a website (about 70,000 words), with about one-third devoted to the antiwar movement at home (Part IV). A half-century of excellent scholarship on the Vietnam War is drawn together and frequently cited in this essay.
The first campus teach-in on Vietnam took place at the University of Michigan on March 24-25, 1965, the same month that U.S. troops landed in Danang. Over 3,000 people showed up on the Ann Arbor campus for lectures and discussions that ran through the night. The purpose, as one flyer put it, was to focus attention “on this war, its consequences, and ways to stop it.” The educational venue quickly spread to other campuses. Within one week, thirty-five more had been held; and by the end of the year, 120 had taken place. Some were organized locally, others by the Universities Committee on Problems of War and Peace, a three-year old group based at Wayne State University. For Doug Dowd, a Cornell University professor, lifelong leftist, and activist organizer, the teach-ins were an exhilarating experience. He had gone through the Red Scare period when “you couldn’t get anybody to say anything about the Korean War…. Everybody was scared.” The teach-ins aimed to both educate people on the issues and inspire greater confidence in questioning political authorities and foreign policy experts.
Vietnam War Photo Essay by Ian Monteith on Prezi
The First Indochina War ended with the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in the spring of 1954. On a flat valley surrounded by high hills close to the Laos border, General Henri Navarre positioned twelve well-supplied French battalions, about 13,000 troops, and dared the Viet Minh to attack. The Viet Minh first employed some 200,000 peasants to drag heavy artillery pieces through fifty miles of jungle, then reassembled the guns at superior positions surrounding the French. Led by General Giap, the Viet Minh attacked on March 13 and continued to bombard the trapped French forces for fifty-five days. Two American pilots were killed when their cargo plane was hit by ground fire.
Ask this question to a cross section of Americans, a housewife like Bobbie Lee Pendergrass who wrote a moving letter to President Kennedy looking for answers not about the death of her brother, but the reason why he fighting in Vietnam.
Vietnam War: Introduction | World Press Photo
Considering these three historical "documents" alongside each other, what do you know now about the Vietnam War that you didn't know before, and more importantly, why does that matter?
her name is Duncan"
"Yeah Judy Duncan " he said "She got transferred to a field hospital and it got hit, sorry."
Over the course of the photo essay that has been displayed has shown that throughout the entire novel Fallen Angels has displayed nothing but examples of the men strengthening the bonds between them and helping each other get through the brutal war unfolding around them it also teaches us that having friendship and brotherhood in such a hectic situation can mean the difference from being alive and winding up in a body bag.
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Free Vietnam Essays and Papers - 123helpme
We rationalized destroying villages in order to save them. We saw America lose her sense of morality as she accepted very coolly a My Lai and refused to give up the image of American soldiers who hand out chocolate bars and chewing gum. We learned the meaning of free fire zones, shooting anything that moves, and we watched while America placed a cheapness on the lives of Orientals. We watched the U.S. falsification of body counts, in fact the glorification of body counts…. Each day … someone has to give up his life so that the United States doesn’t have to admit something that the entire world already knows, so that we can’t say that we have made a mistake. Someone has to die so that President Nixon won’t be, and these are his words, “the first President to lose a war.” We are asking Americans to think about that because how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?
China-Vietnam Border War, 30 Years Later - Photo Essays - TIME
John Kerry, 27, former navy lieutenant who was wounded three times in Vietnam, testified in Senate Foreign Relations Committee on behalf of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, April 22, 1971 (AP photo by Henry Griffin)
(See TIME’s photo-essay “China-Vietnam Border War, …
The Pentagon Papers, Vol. 1, Ch. 5, “Origins of the Insurgency in South Vietnam, 1954-1960,” p. 299; Jean Lacouture, Vietnam: Between Two Truces (New York: Random House, 1966), p. 79; and Edward Miller, Misalliance: Ngo Dinh Diem, the United States, and the Fate of South Vietnam (Harvard University Press, 2013). On “personalism,” see Jessica M. Chapman, Cauldron of Resistance: Ngo Dinh Diem, the United States, and 1950s Southern Vietnam (Ithaca Cornell University Press, 2013), p. 121.
Vietnam War Photographs - Overview Introduction
Within the administration, three of Kissinger’s closest aides, Roger Morris, Anthony Lake, and William Watts, resigned in response to the Cambodian invasion. Laurence Lynn, senior staff member on the National Security Council, resigned after the Kent State killings. Pentagon analyst Daniel Ellsberg, having become convinced that the war was immoral as well as futile, proceeded with copying the Pentagon Papers, a 7,000-page classified study of U.S. involvement in Vietnam from 1940 to 1968, which he would later leak to the New York Times, exposing administration deceptions over the course of four presidencies.
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ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida doesn’t participate in winter, right? Maybe not in the traditional sense of cold and snow, but the season still exists, of course. [Insert joke here.]
While it still may be hot outside in mid-September, the overall pattern for the winter season may be coming into view.
There is a high likelihood that a strong El Niño will continue through the meteorological winter months of December, January and February and have huge ramifications for Florida.
Typically an El Niño winter is cooler and wetter than normal. This winter appears no different.
During an El Niño winter, the subtropical jet stream, a ribbon of fast-moving upper-level winds that hangs out near the tropical region, is much more active. This acts as a pathway for storm systems to roll across the Pacific into California, continue through the Southern Plains and Deep South and eventually into Florida.
As a result, Florida tends to see colder and wetter winters during this pattern.
Significant severe weather events are also more common in Florida during an El Niño winter due to increased wind energy in the atmosphere.
On occasion, the subtropical and polar jet stream merge off or near the Atlantic coast, creating the infamous Nor ‘Easters that pummel the northern states with snow and can bring severe weather/tornado outbreaks to the South.
Long-range climate models are honing in on an active subtropical jet stream as you would expect from a strong El Niño being present.
Several models are predicting above normal rainfall for the upcoming winter months. Below is the NMME model for average precipitation over the December, January and February period. Green represents higher-than-normal precipitation.
For the three-month average temperature anomaly, warmer-than-normal temperatures show up. However, if we peel back and look at the month-by-month breakdown, we can find out why.
Indications are autumn may end and winter may start warm, but the season could end cold and stormy.
Below is the CANSIPS climate model’s temperature anomaly for February.
While more-often-than-not Florida is the place to be during winter, just know that the upcoming winter could feature a few more cold snaps, especially the second half of the season, and rounds of severe weather thanks to El Niño. | <urn:uuid:96666b17-f159-4450-af3f-239e0e3ec582> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.clickorlando.com/weather/2023/09/15/bundle-up-this-winter-could-be-cold-and-stormy-in-florida-no-really/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511075.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20231003092549-20231003122549-00558.warc.gz | en | 0.947933 | 490 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
In geology, orogeny is the process of mountain building. An orogenic belt, therefore, is a geologic structure associated with continental collisions and mountain building. Generally orogenic belts consist of long parallel strips of rock exhibiting similar characteristics along the length of the belt. The details of the specific belt will vary with what collided and the details of the collision. Frequently, many of the rock formations involved in the collision (Orogeny) will be severely deformed and metamorphosed. During this process, deeply buried rocks may be pushed to the surface. Sea bottom and near shore material may be overthrust into the orogeny covering some or all of the active area. Someplace under the orogenic belt will be a subduction zone that promoted the collision by consuming crust and dragging the material on one side of the collision into contact with that on the other. The subduction zone may have volcanoes or lava flows associated with it.
List of orogenies
North American orogenies
- Acadian orogeny
- Antler orogeny
- Appalachian orogeny
- Grenville orogeny
- Laramide orogeny
- Rocky Mountains, western North America, 40-70 Myr ago.
- Nevadan orogeny
- developed along western North America during the Jurassic Period.
- Ouachita orogeny
- Penokean orogeny
- Taconic orogeny
- NE U.S. and Canada during the Ordovician Period.
- Alpine orogeny
- Caledonian orogeny
- Carpathean orogeny
- Hellenic orogeny
- Ural orogeny
- Variscan orogeny
- The Aravalli-Delhi Orogen (precambrian)
- The Cimmerian and Cathayasian orogenies
- Himalayan orogeny
South American orogenies
- Andean orogeny
- Andes Mountains, 0-200 Myr ago.
- Napier orogeny (4000 ± 200 Myr ago.)
- Rayner orogeny (~ 3500 Myr ago.)
- Humboldt orogeny (~ 3000 Myr ago.)
- Insel orogeny (2650 ± 150 Myr ago.)
- Early Ruker orogeny (2000 - 1700 Myr ago.)
- Late Ruker / Nimrod orogeny (1000 ± 150 Myr ago.)
- Beardmore orogeny (633 - 620 Myr ago.)
- Ross Orogeny (~ 500 Myr ago.)
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details | <urn:uuid:271e7c1f-0afc-41a0-afea-183d1eb1dd80> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/science_fair_projects_encyclopedia/Orogeny | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699977678/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102617-00073-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.831541 | 573 | 3.765625 | 4 |
As is so common, I had my share of childhood sunburns. So when my dermatologist examined the small lesion on my chest, we both thought it was cancerous. Luckily, we were both wrong.
Skin cancer statistics are stunning. Every year, 3.5 million skin cancers are diagnosed in the U.S., more than the tally for all other cancers combined. The deadliest form, malignant melanoma, will kill 9,700 people this year; the next deadliest, squamous cell, has increased 200 percent in the past 30 years. Fortunately, we've made tremendous strides in diagnosis and treatment.
Two technologies — MelaFind and dermatoscopy — use light waves and sophisticated data analysis to diagnose suspicious lesions. In a 2011 study, MelaFind was able to detect 98 percent of melanomas, compared with 78 percent by a dermatologist's examination alone. Because melanoma can be difficult to diagnose in its earliest stages, when it's most treatable, this is good news indeed.
On the treatment front, doctors are increasingly aggressive in attacking precancerous lesions with cryotherapy, phototherapy and topical chemotherapies such as trichloroacetic acid, 5-fluorouracil and ingenol mebutate.
Once a skin cancer is diagnosed, the first step is usually to surgically remove it. If that's not possible, the Food and Drug Administration has approved, in addition to topical chemotherapies, several medications — among them, imiquimod and ipilimumab — that treat skin cancers by activating the body's immune system.
The best treatment, of course, is to prevent skin damage in the first place. Be sure to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 daily. And if you notice any of the American Cancer Society's warning signs, at right, see your doctor right away.
Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D., is the chief medical editor for NBC News.
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Visit the AARP home page every day for great deals and for tips on keeping healthy and sharp | <urn:uuid:110eaf2b-8318-4f5f-8387-f17764d63095> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2014/skin-cancer-nancy-snyderman.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232256958.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20190522203319-20190522225319-00296.warc.gz | en | 0.936028 | 475 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Why is the percentage of coding DNA so low in the human genome?
May it be the result of millions of years of evolution of the species?
AMPARO LATORRE CASTILLO answers:
First of all, it should be clarified that coding DNA is that which contains the genes that produce protein within the genome, while non-coding DNA can be formed by genes that produce different types of RNA, but they do not translate into proteins. The percentage of coding DNA is low in the genomes of all eukaryotic organisms in general, especially in plants, not only in humans or in primates, their closest relatives.
Coding DNA represents 1% of the human genome. This is made up of exons, which are the gene parts or fragments that do produce proteins, which are important elements for the functioning of the organism.
Initially, experts considered that non-coding DNA (which represents the remaining 99% of the human genome) was of no use. Currently, and thanks to advances in genomics studies in general and human genetics in particular, we know that half of this DNA forms what we call transposons, DNA sequences that can change their position within a genome. This allows for mutations to be created or reversed and for the genetic identity and size of the cell genome to be altered. But, in addition, the set of non-coding DNA that forms RNA performs a regulatory function of the genome. In addition to participating in the synthesis of proteins, it can also, for example, activate or deactivate genes, regulate proteins, perform developmental functions…
All this is, in fact, an evolutionary process. Various tests have been carried out throughout the evolutionary history of the eukaryotic organisms that present this process, which have contributed to model the genome in its current form, but it should be noted that, however, DNA is not a code, but rather, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms, as well as many viruses.
Amparo Latorre Castillo is an expert in Genomics and Human Genetics, and Professor of the Department of Genetics of the University of Valencia, as well as a member of the Institute of Integrated Systems Biology (I2SysBio) of the University of Valencia – CSIC and former director of the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (ICBiBE) between 2010 and 2013.
Question sent by Àngels Peregrín Monós.
«Mètode’s whys and wherefores» is a popular science section in which readers can submit their scientific doubts or questions and an expert on the subject will answer them. You can submit your questions in https://perques.metode.cat/index-en.php. Among all those we receive until the 15th of September, five annual subscriptions to Mètode will be drawn. | <urn:uuid:896abd40-3879-48d8-9367-13127df3b0b4> | CC-MAIN-2021-25 | https://metode.org/metodes-whys-and-wherefores/why-is-the-percentage-of-coding-dna-so-low-in-the-human-genome.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487620971.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20210615084235-20210615114235-00546.warc.gz | en | 0.939369 | 602 | 3.21875 | 3 |
- What do you call a protagonist?
- Who is a major character?
- Can a protagonist be evil?
- What does Tagonist mean?
- What are the 6 types of characters?
- How do you make your character feel real?
- What is it called when a character speaks?
- Can you have 2 protagonists?
- What is a Tetragonist?
- What is a one sided character called?
- What is Pentagonist?
- How do you identify the protagonist?
- Is Sasuke a Deuteragonist?
- What are the 4 types of plot?
- What do you call the second protagonist?
- Is Vegeta a Deuteragonist?
- How do you introduce a second character?
- What defines a character?
- What are the 4 types of characters?
- Who was the first fictional character?
- What’s a static character?
What do you call a protagonist?
Protagonist comes from a Greek word for the principal actor in a drama.
In modern literature, the protagonist drives the story forward by pursuing a goal.
The protagonist of a story is sometimes called the main character.
The protagonist of a story is opposed by an antagonist..
Who is a major character?
Characters in fiction can be conveniently classified as major and minor, static and dynamic. A major character is an important figure at the center of the story’s action or theme. The major character is sometimes called a protagonist whose conflict with an antagonist may spark the story’s conflict.
Can a protagonist be evil?
The simple answer is no, the protagonist cannot be the antagonist, as the antagonist is defined by being opposed to the protagonist. They are antonym in that one opposes the other, but you could argue that they are a binary pair. … Making the protagonist a bad guy is much more difficult, but can be done.
What does Tagonist mean?
the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work. a proponent for or advocate of a political cause, social program, etc. the leader or principal person in a movement, cause, etc.
What are the 6 types of characters?
The different types of characters include protagonists, antagonists, dynamic, static, round, flat, and stock. They can both fit into more than one category and change from one category to another throughout the course of a story.
How do you make your character feel real?
5 Ways to Make Your Characters More Realistic. … Give them flaws. … Don’t make things black and white for them. … Give them unique appearances. … Let them talk like actual people. … Give them traits from real people. … Alliteration — throw that trash away. … It always works with my schedule.
What is it called when a character speaks?
dialogue. When characters speak, it is called: setting. When, where, and the time a story takes place is called the: plot.
Can you have 2 protagonists?
While there is usually only one protagonist in a story, this isn’t always true. In romantic comedies and “buddy stories,” there can be two protagonists. For example, in Romeo and Juliet it is the fate of both characters, not just one of them, that matters to the story.
What is a Tetragonist?
°The main character in a literary work or drama. °A leading person in a contest; a principal performer.
What is a one sided character called?
Term. FLAT CHARACTER. Definition. A character who is one-sided, and accentuates one aspect of a person. Term.
What is Pentagonist?
A protagonist (from Ancient Greek πρωταγωνιστής, prōtagōnistḗs ‘one who plays the first part, chief actor’) is the main character of a story. … The protagonist is the primary agent propelling the story forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles.
How do you identify the protagonist?
So who is the protagonist in a story, and how can we identify them? The protagonist faces challenges, particularly the central challenge or conflict within the story. The protagonist wants or needs something (has a goal). The antagonist’s actions are interfering with the protagonist’s ability to achieve the goal.
Is Sasuke a Deuteragonist?
Sasuke Uchiha (Uchiha Sasuke) is the anti-heroic deuteragonist villain and the final antagonist of the Naruto Manga and Anime series. He is a rival of the titular hero named Naruto Uzumaki.
What are the 4 types of plot?
Another theory which you might have learned in school says there are four types of plots….Finally, here’s a list of all the plot types referred to in Mark Nichol’s article:Overcoming the Monster.Rags to Riches.Voyage and Return.Comedy.Tragedy.Rebirth.Person versus higher power/fate.Person versus self.More items…•
What do you call the second protagonist?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. In literature, the deuteragonist or secondary main character (from Ancient Greek: δευτεραγωνιστής, deuteragōnistḗs, second actor) is the second most important character, after the protagonist and before the tritagonist.
Is Vegeta a Deuteragonist?
Type of Anti-Hero Vegeta is the tritagonist of Dragon Ball Z and the overall deuteragonist of its sequel Dragon Ball Super and the Dragon Ball franchise as a whole. He is the prince of the warrior race known as the Saiyans.
How do you introduce a second character?
Use action and/or dialogue to present new characters. Show the new character doing something or saying something. For example, make a new player stumble upon the scene, make a dramatic entrance, or interrupt a conversation. Save the backstory about that person for later, after the reader has formed a strong impression.
What defines a character?
noun. the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. one such feature or trait; characteristic. moral or ethical quality: a man of fine, honorable character.
What are the 4 types of characters?
One way to classify characters is by examining how they change (or don’t change) over the course of a story. Grouped in this way by character development, character types include the dynamic character, the round character, the static character, the stock character, and the symbolic character.
Who was the first fictional character?
So, the earliest extant text with a non-mythological fictional character that I could think of would be Aristophanes’ The Acharnians (425 B.C.), as comedy prior to Aristophanes comes to us in fragments alone.
What’s a static character?
In talk about literature, this has led to the development of a crude but useful terminological distinction of two sorts of characterization: “static” and “dynamic.” A static character, in this vocabulary, is one that does not undergo important change in the course of the story, remaining essentially the same at the end … | <urn:uuid:3eee5e5b-2bdf-4a69-8879-0ecdee3f5959> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://sildenafilusshop.com/qa/what-is-the-fourth-protagonist-called.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178381803.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20210308021603-20210308051603-00502.warc.gz | en | 0.926763 | 1,542 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Kari Heliövaara is the head of forest entomology at the University of Helsinki and the co-author of a standard text, entitled “Insects and Pollution.” A Finn, he has nonetheless spent a good deal of the past decade working in China. “Control strategy”—how to stop insects from killing trees—is one of Heliövaara’s areas of expertise, and he was recently part of a team hired to prevent an ongoing eco-catastrophe from marring the Olympics in Beijing.
For years, a blight had ravaged nearly all the deciduous trees in Beijing, leaving the branches naked and ugly. Civic leaders were worried, in the run-up to the Games, what the bare trees would say about their city’s environmental problems. So, a couple of years ago, they approached the Beijing Forestry University and the Chinese Academy of Forestry and asked if a way could be found to put the leaves back. The Chinese experts—many of whom had worked with or studied under Heliövaara—turned to the Finn for assistance. Heliövaara signed on, and, after he and the scientists discovered that the larvae of moths and sawflies were causing the problem, he helped launch a project called Green Beijing.
“Chemical control was possible but ecologically not recommended,” Heliövaara said the other day. “Precisely planned biological control is much more effective.” Biological control, in this context, means rearing parasites that attack only the defoliating pests. “This is very challenging, and is based on a high level of taxonomic know-how, ” he went on.
He explained how to create an antidote to an infestation: “First, you catch a female moth by net. Second, you catch a male moth using either natural female pheromones or artificial pheromones as a lure. The female moth mates with the male and produces eggs. After a few days, larvae hatch. Then the larvae are infected by parasitic wasps. This is where taxonomic knowledge is crucial. You need to infect the larvae with exactly the correct kind of parasite.”
Heliövaara is, in many respects, a typical Finn, wry and dry and proud. He owns a boat, and, in the summer, sails the Baltic with his family. But nothing excites him as much as talking about insects. “The larval stage takes one month, after which a larva pupates and makes a cocoon,” he continued. “The pupal stage takes another month, and if the larva has been successfully infected, if the female wasp laid her eggs there, only parasites will emerge from the cocoon. The parasites then attack and kill the larvae you’re trying to get rid of.”
Thus, in a mind-boggling and slightly James Bondish fashion, carefully orchestrated insect warfare is set in motion. Over the past decade, Heliövaara and Professor Yang Zhong-qi, of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, have developed this method in a fight against the Siberian moth, which had laid waste to millions of acres of forest in China’s northern provinces. But, given the tight deadline of the Olympics, new laboratories were required for the mass rearing of parasite-infected cocoons.
“They built about twenty huge buildings, in and around Beijing,” Heliövaara said. “Inside each lab are many rearing rooms, and thousands of larvae are feeding in each room simultaneously. Parasites are released into the rooms to lay their eggs in the larvae.”
Last summer, Green Beijing had a successful trial run: leaves returned to deciduous trees in the control area within weeks. So millions more parasite-infected cocoons were prepared, and in May of this year, and again in July, an army of more than a thousand Chinese students, supervised by entomologists, went from tree to tree all over Beijing, putting cocoons on two hundred thousand trees. Each one was attached to the bark by means of a brass screw, the metal piercing only the edge of the cocoon, so that the parasites teeming inside weren’t damaged. Within weeks, about twenty thousand parasites emerged from each cocoon, swarming through the trees and killing the moth and sawfly larvae before the pests could eat up all the foliage.
Heliövaara has been watching the Olympics on television, and he’s pleased with his work. “It is difficult to see the cocoons on the trees,” he said. “But the trees look great on TV. Beijing is green.” ♦ | <urn:uuid:1dfb720a-2e52-46f0-a04d-a426a5e16cd3> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/08/25/bug-wars | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250595787.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20200119234426-20200120022426-00558.warc.gz | en | 0.974934 | 991 | 3.296875 | 3 |
Fight or Flight (Reflex Response Time)
“Fight or flight” is a physiological response that occurs due to a perceived threat to survival. It can physiologically be observed through an increase in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen availability, and other mechanisms. In this experiment, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison investigate if the fight or flight response induced by an auditory stimuli will quicken reaction time. Respiration data for this study was collected using a BIOPAC SS5LB Respiration Transducer and the Biopac Student Lab System (BSL4 Software and MP36 Data Acquisition Unit). Read the full study: The Effect of Sympathetic Nervous System Stimulation on Skeletal Muscle Reflex Response Time (Anna Batley, Rebeca Certa, William Dyke, Celena Ho, Abigail Moeller).
Chewing the Fat
The objective of this Pharma Journal study was to examine the reproducibility of twelve mastication variables for entire duration of chewing, variables per chew and at three different stages (early, middle and late). Electromyography (EMG) of eight human subjects was conducted for two different recordings in a session. The variables were recorded as the bioelectrical activity of masseter muscles observed during chewing of five different textured foods. It was concluded from this study that chewing behavior is highly reproducible within a session for human subjects. The EMG data was collected using BIOPAC EL500 Electrodes, and a BIOPAC MP150 System with AcqKnowledge software and EMG100C Amplifier. Read the full study: A study to investigate reproducibility of chewing behaviour of human subjects within session recordings for different textured Indian foods using electromyography (Sarvesh Rustagi, Navdeep Singh Sodhi and Bhavnita Dhillon).
Arterial stiffness is a reliable prognostic parameter for cardiovascular diseases. The effect of change in arterial stiffness can be measured by the change of the pulse wave velocity (PWV). This study by the Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing compares the BIOPAC System to the widely-used Complior System for measuring PWV. The Complior system is used to measure PWV between the carotid and radial arteries by means of piezoelectric clips placed around the neck and the wrist. The BIOPAC system is an easier to use alternative that uses ECG and simple optical sensors to measure the PWV between the heart and the fingertips, and thus extends a bit more to the peripheral vasculature compared to the Complior system. The BIOPAC components used for this study are the TSD200 Photoplethysmogram (PPG) Transducer, PPG100C Amplifier, and AcqKnowledge software. Read the full study: Comparison between pulse wave velocities measured using Complior and measured using BIOPAC (Marit H.N. van Velzen, Arjo J. Loeve, Sjoherd P. Niehof, Egbert G. Mik). | <urn:uuid:312dfa50-1efc-48eb-9672-f3b1d908b497> | CC-MAIN-2018-47 | https://www.biopac.com/new-citations-psychophysiology-chewing-study-pulse-wave-velocity/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039749562.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20181121173523-20181121195523-00187.warc.gz | en | 0.897701 | 630 | 2.53125 | 3 |
A sandbar, or shoal is a landform which is in or partly in a body of water. Usually it is made of sand, silt, and/or small pebbles.
Shoals are long and narrow ridges. They can develop where a stream, river, or ocean current deposits sediment and granular material.
Shoals look like a coastal landform in the sea. They are classified as a type of ocean bank, or as fluvial landforms in rivers, streams, and lakes.
They are usually made up of sand. They can also be made up of soil, silt, gravel, cobble, shingle, or even boulders. | <urn:uuid:ac2f808d-e912-41a1-bc76-7b12bc1f6b65> | CC-MAIN-2020-50 | https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbar | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-50/segments/1606141188947.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20201126200910-20201126230910-00238.warc.gz | en | 0.968682 | 143 | 3.59375 | 4 |
(Natural News) A new field of medical science is emerging from six universities and five partner organizations in Europe. The POLYTHEA project, coordinated at the University of Limoges, aims to train doctorate candidates in the field of photodynamic treatments. Researchers are learning how to develop active light compounds that fight cancer and microbial infections. The new field of study provides applications for enhancing human health and food preservation.
The project investigates tetrapyrrolic photosensitizers (PS). These are molecules excited by light with the capability of inducing cell death. These photo-excitable molecules cause cell death through the formation of oxygen reactive species but are only toxic in the presence of applied light. These molecules are already being used to treat skin diseases, but improvements can be made to boost efficacy. Researchers are seeking to find new ways to target specific cells and utilize excitation pathways. They will investigate their bactericidal effects for the removal of biofilms. The research aims to identify new tetrapyrrolic photosensitizers for development of specific anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Some photo-physical properties could be used to stimulate immune system activity. Others could help preserve food and prevent food-borne illness. (Related: Scientists validate light therapy field of holistic medicine: light therapy can halt pain.)
Lightning bugs’ luminescence can be used to destroy cancer cells
One of the discoveries in this field involves the bioluminescence of the firefly or “lightning bug.” These gentle, flying beetles can be seen in the early summer, lighting up the night with their blinking luminescence. Early clinical tests show that firefly light contains a specific substance that can treat skin cancer and cancers lining internal organs.
That blinking light that so many children chase across the summer countryside is a secret formula for “lighting up” cancer cells and taking them out. Researchers from London have put the firefly light to the test, using it to confront and to eradicate modified cancer cells. In order for the therapy to work, the researchers modified the cancer cells to express the firefly’s specific bioluminescence gene. The cancer cells were then incubated with Luciferin, the substance that makes fireflies glow.
When the Luciferin was applied to modified cancer cells, the cells lit up. As the researchers added a photo-sensitizing agent, the bioluminescence became even more powerful. The cancer cells could no longer survive.
“The light is generated within the tumor cell, so there’s no need for outside penetration,” said study co-author John Hothersall of the Institute of Urology and Nephrology, University College London. The treatment has been named BioLuminescence Activated Destruction of cancer. The bioluminescence activates oxygen reactive species, creating the conditions for the cancer to die off.
“The cells produced enough light to trigger their own death,” said Dr. Theodossis Theodossiou of the National Medical Laser Centre, University College London. Right now the burst of light can effectively be applied to tumors on the surface of the skin or on the lining of internal organs. Dr. Theodossiou also sees the potential for treating more aggressive cancers. “Luciferase could be transferred to primary tumors, and from there it could migrate to cancer cells that spread,” he said.
As researchers move forward with photodynamic treatments, some of the most surprising cancer cures could come from the natural light technology found within lightning bugs. (For more breakthroughs in medicine, visit Medicine.News.) | <urn:uuid:ac7e881a-e3f3-40c3-9b46-f70b53cfc668> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://naturalnews.com/2018-03-21-photodynamic-treatments-light-compounds-fight-microbial-infections-cancer.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572898.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817092402-20220817122402-00106.warc.gz | en | 0.925506 | 756 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Sustainable development should be in focus of future-oriented, modern TVET.
Sustainable Development (SD) is the biggest challenge of the 21st century. Thus SD is an essential issue for a forward-looking Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and green skills are an integral part of vocational competence. The guiding principle of sustainable development stands for a transformation towards an ecological compatible and socially fair development of all societies all over the world, and TVET has to contribute to this transformation.
Sustainable development does not emerge by itself.
Sustainable development requires a great deal of effort, because it does not emerge by itself. On the contrary: Currently, all relevant trends indicate a non-sustainable development with ecological and social results already predictable. Overcoming poverty is still an unsolved issue in many parts of the planet, and already for years the use of natural resources exceeds the regeneration capacity of our planet significantly. A sustainable development will only succeed, if the absolute consumption of material will be reduced drastically (in industrial countries a factor 10 is assumed); relative improvements of efficiency are not sufficient, because of the dramatic growth of world population. "An overloaded ship cannot be saved from sinking be just moving the load but by reducing the load to a compatible level. The solution is not only an efficient use and distribution of natural resources. Above all the consumption of natural resources have to be limited absolutely“ (German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU); 2012: Responsibility in a limited world. Environmental report 2012. Berlin, 38f).
Sustainable development affects all.
Thus, sustainable development is not an issue as any other. Sustainable development challenges us to reflect existing concepts and mindsets if they are future-proof for everybody in a globalized world. Sustainability requires new perspectives in all areas of life. Thus, green skills play an increasingly important role in working life. They are not only relevant for specialists. Green skills demands can be found in every branch and in every occupation – though in different extents. All working must be prepared to meet these requirements.
For TVET sustainable development is a big challenge.
In the discussion on implementing the guiding principle of sustainable development as well as in the context of the green economy TVET is assigned to play a key role. A green economy as well as greening economy needs well-trained skilled workers who are capable to appropriately apply green skills in their scope for action and decision-making. Also, TVET itself is challenged to re-orient itself, because TVET, committed to social responsibility and promoting vocational shaping skill, can become a key for transforming economy and society towards sustainability. In contrast, TVET will stay part of the problem and not of the solution, if it uncritically follows the requirements of a conventional brown economy.
Different requirements occur on different system levels.
The strategic integration of green skills requirements in TVET contains different questions on different system levels:
- Macro level: How can the discourse on TVET towards sustainable development become a core topic in TVET? How can green skills requirements (occupation-specific or cross-occupational) be identified, operationalized and appropriately embedded in the TVET system?
- Meso level: Which requirements have to be met in TVET institutions? How can sustainability requirements be systematically integrated in organizational development of vocational schools and colleges as well as in-company, external and inter-company training centres?
- Micro level: How can green skills be trained adequately in vocational teaching and learning processes? Which teaching / learning arrangements, which methods and media are suitable or have to be developed? How can teachers and instructors as well as examiners be sensitized and trained for this new area of responsibility?
Essential are system and shaping skill as well as willingness to take on producer responsibility.
For sustainable action is an issue in every occupation and in every economic sector green skills become an integral part of vocational competence.
While in the context of general education in green teaching and learning processes the responsibility of an individual as a consumer is addressed, considering aspects of sustainability in the context of TVET means promoting vocational and social shaping skill as well as the willingness to take on producer responsibility in areas where the learners / working people can act and make decisions.
Sustainable development aims at the ability to shape the future and extends the concept of vocational competence by green skills like the following:
- ability to recognize, assess and avoid or reduce vocational action’s direct and indirect impacts on the environment as well as living and working conditions along the supply chain;
- ability to expert shaping work, economy and technology;
- knowledge and ability to manage energy and resources effectively and efficiently in one’s own scope of action and decision making;
- cross-occupational communication and cooperation skills along the supply chain;
- ability to participate in cooperate and social dialogues on sustainable development.
Technically, effective (and not only efficient) use of energy and materials as well competent that also means critically-reflecting application of procedures and technologies are essential.
TVET institutions have a key role to play.
Insofar TVET has an important role to play in the context of a green(ing) economy, state as well as private TVET institutions have to face considerable demands: Here, the approaches and concepts regarding the consideration of sustainability issues in vocational courses - developed on macro level - manifest themselves. Here, it appears in practice which specific green skills have to be trained in order to enable individuals to participate in the green social transformation process by means of competent occupational activities.
Thus, contributing to a sustainable development becomes a core task on TVET institutions. Thereby sustainability is much more than an additional temporary topic, which can be left to individual teachers, trainers or instructors or executed in single projects.
In the beginning of 2015, our institute developed a revised quality model on Greening TVET Institutions. It consists of ten quality areas (five input and five output areas, each concretised by guiding principles and criteria (input areas) or guiding principles, criteria and indicators (output areas). Fundament is a profound TVET performance in the institution.
If interested please don’t hesitate to contact us. | <urn:uuid:351ad105-f2a9-4455-8017-bedb19b672ea> | CC-MAIN-2019-18 | http://nachhaltige-berufsbildung.com/en/green-tvet | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-18/segments/1555578624217.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20190424014705-20190424040037-00001.warc.gz | en | 0.939258 | 1,261 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Language: French, with bilingual keys in English and French and multilingual summary in English, French, German, and Italian
This monograph is based on morphological and anatomical studies of herbarium material from the author’s own collections, made between 1954 and 2004 and preserved in the Conservatory and Botanical garden of the City of Geneva (G). Complete descriptions, with more than 125 original figures, are given for the species newly discovered in Switzerland and for the already known, but insufficiently described species. For the descriptions and illustrations of the well-known species, the reader is referred to the existing literature. A particular effort has been made to illustrate the anamorphic stages of the species. The number of powdery mildews species in Switzerland has increased from 75 to 122, representing 38.5 % more species than previously reported. A certain number of species were introduced after 1990, others were probably already in the country but never identified, or were incorrectly described. Three new species are proposed: Erysiphe caricae U.Braun & Bolay, Erysiphe scholzii U.Braun & Bolay and Erysiphe scholzii U.Braun & Bolay and Erysiphe scholzii Oidium vincae Bolay. Adoption of the new systematic concept based on molecular criteria resulted in a change of generic names of 60.7 % of the species known from Switzerland. The number of genera has increased from 8 to 10 and the species are divided among the following genera: Arthrocladiella (1 species), Blumeria (1), Erysiphe (60), Golovinomyces (12), Leveillula (2), Neoerysiphe (2), Oidium (9), Phyllactinia (5), Podosphaera (28) and Sawadaea (2). Keys based on morphological and anatomical characters, as well as on host specificity are proposed, in French and in English, allowing the identification of all the species of Erysiphaceae present in Switzerland. A list of host plants is presented for each species of the Erysiphaceae. More than 1340 host plants, belonging to 75 families have been reported in Switzerland. For each of these 75 plant families, an identification key to determine all the Erysiphaceae actually described on those plants is proposed. This monograph ends with an index of the genera of the host plants of Switzerland with a reference number for the associated Erysiphaceae, as well as an index of all the mentioned species of Erysiphaceae.
There are currently no reviews for this product. Be the first to review this product! | <urn:uuid:e5c73187-ec63-4422-a960-618d0b0b2b7a> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.nhbs.com/title/156015?title=cryptogamica-helvetica-volume-20-les-oidiums-de-suisse-erysiphacees-the-powdery-mildews-of-switzerland-erysiphaceae | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279368.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00517-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936343 | 551 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Sketchup tutorial: Prepare your model for 3D Printing with Sketchup
This tutorial was created for SketchUp 3D modeling software users and will focus on its use for 3D printing.
In this tutorial, we will provide a brief overview of modeling best practices. We will show you the main pitfalls to avoid and solutions you can use to resolve them. After reading the tutorial, you will be able to:
Then, you will be able to upload your 3D file on our website and 3D print it!
Developed by Trimble, SketchUp is a 3D software that is suitable for everyone. It is one of the most-widely used 3D-modeling software, used both in schools and at workplaces. It is surface modeling software with which you are able to manipulate faces and edges. One of the reasons for its success is that it has simple, intuitive modeling tools, with an easy-to-use user interface. This 3D design software can be used both by people wishing to use 3D printing, by interior designers, by design modelers, for architecture design or by engineers for product design.
You do not have to be an expert on SketchUp to take this tutorial. This tutorial is intended for both beginners and professionals alike, independently from their skill level, this tutorial will simply give you a good foundation.
We will give you some practices and quick tips for optimal 3D file creation to ensure successful 3D printable models. We will introduce you to the main design tools in Sketchup, how to deal with shapes in Sketchup, how to optimize file size in this 3D modeling program, and how to make the most of the essential Sketchup plugins to get the best user experience. You will become the next Sketchup modeling champion thanks to our essential training!
To learn about modeling with SketchUp, please refer to SketchUp’s learning center. In addition, you can consult Jean-Luc Clauss’ book, 3D Printing with SketchUp or his training video Modeling an Object for 3D Printing to start 3D printing with SketchUp on the right foot You will also find many Sketchup tutorials on Youtube.
This 3D modeling software tutorial was created based on the 2015 version of the software (Windows version). All of the operations described can also be performed on the Mac version of the software. Furthermore, you do not need Sketchup Pro, the professional and paid version of SketchUp software to create models for 3D printing. However, this version does provide you with additional tools (such as importing and exporting other documents) to optimize your modeling.
To download SketchUp, please refer to the developer’s website, you will install Sketchup in a few minutes: http://www.sketchup.com/fr/download/all.
For further information, you can also learn Sketchup with our online video tutorial. This video contains useful Sketchup tips. Getting started will be easy thanks to our introduction to the features of Sketchup, step by step. The design tools of this 3D modeling software won't have any secrets for you any more thanks to these tips and tricks! | <urn:uuid:57d259f3-9fa1-4d94-8cd4-8b62bcdd5db4> | CC-MAIN-2019-13 | https://pro.sculpteo.com/en/tutorial/prepare-your-model-3d-printing-sketchup/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-13/segments/1552912203438.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20190324103739-20190324125739-00549.warc.gz | en | 0.929425 | 647 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Throughout the history of Arab literature and poetry, great cities have been an inescapable part of both the identity and evolution of Arab writing, guiding it from century to century.
Serving as their biggest muses, the historic, beautiful and resilient capitals of the Arab World have inspired generations of incredible Arab writers, an inspiration drawn from pride and fascination.
These are the 5 Middle Eastern cities that inspired the greatest Arab poets and novelists.
The first city to become a source of major inspiration in Arab literature and poetry, Baghdad is also arguably the Arab city most immortalized in written works, so much so that its entire history was recorded in poetry.
Not only was it a strong presence in the most famous Arab literary work of all time, "One Thousand and One Nights," its mighty glories and tragic demises have influenced Arab writers since it was founded until our modern day.
Baghdad inspired the leading classical Persian poets Abu Nawas and Abu Tamam, and leading Egyptian modernist poets Ahmad Shawqi and Hafiz Ibrahim. Baghdad continued to show up in the writings of Syrian poets Adonis, who used it in his political commentary, and Nizar Qabbani, who had a special fondness for the city as he met his second wife, and the love of his life, there.
The Egyptian capital has also been incredibly prominent in Arab literature and poetry through all of its different eras. Its rise as the cultural and intellectual powerhouse of the Arab World inspired most prominent medieval Arab writers, but it was in the modern era that Cairo's influence on literature shined.
Shawqi and Ibrahim paid homage to the big city in elaborately beautiful descriptions time and time again, so did the father of modern Arabic literature Taha Hussein. But no Arab writer was more inspired by Cairo than native Cariene Naguib Mahfouz.
His Nobel prize-winning trilogy "The Cairo Trilogy," as well as the majority of his works, which were also set in Cairo, captured the essence of the city and its society like no other. Similarly, Alaa Al-Aswany's world-renowned novel "The Yacoubian Building" was inspired by the tales of modern Cairo.
The Syrian capital had a very prominent influence on the formation of modern Arabic poetry because of how much it inspired Qabbani, who pioneered the modernist movement.
Qabbani, who was often referred to as "Qabbani of Damascus," wrote incessantly about the hometown he idolized and even when he didn't out-rightly refer to it, its presence was still felt in his poems. The city's aesthetic beauty and modern urbanism and his unspoiled love for it helped shape his revolutionary romantic style. Damascus also inspired another one of the greatest Syrian poets, Adonis.
Like Damascus, Beirut had a great deal of influence on both the work of Qabbani and Adonis, who both lived there for significant portions of their lives. Adonis was particularly influenced by Beirut, as he often wrote reflections on the city after he moved to Paris. The city also inspired the great Lebanese poets of the New York Pen League Khalil Gibran, Elia Abu Madi, Mikhail Naimy and Ameen Rihani.
Moreover, Beirut was the major literary hub of the Arab World in the 20th century, it was where the leading Arab literary journals and publishing houses existed, launching various pioneering literary efforts and collaborations. Beirut's civil war turmoil then inspired award-winning Lebanese novelists Elias Khoury and Huda Barakat.
Jerusalem's influence united all of the greatest Arab writers with a shared sense of belonging, which in Arabic literature and poetry embodied the heart of Palestine and Palestine's Arab identity.
Its influence was very prominent on Palestinian novelist and poet Mahmoud Darwish, who was considered Palestine's national poet. Darwish had poems dedicated to Jerusalem, in which he talked about its holiness, purity and state of oppression during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Qabbani also dedicated a famous poem to the city titled "Jerusalem," in which he portrayed his sadness over its modern condition. | <urn:uuid:95f0b329-b215-487c-ac48-e0f397c8c076> | CC-MAIN-2019-43 | https://stepfeed.com/5-cities-that-inspired-the-greatest-arab-writers-4710 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570986648481.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20191014003258-20191014030258-00313.warc.gz | en | 0.980187 | 845 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Traditional Seminole Foods: Resistance and Resilience
Let’s face it – we all love to eat. But, food means more than just filling our stomachs. Traditional Seminole foods are intricately tied with family and culture. This week, join us as we learn about some traditional Seminole foods and how they can be looked at through the lens of resistance and resilience. Be warned, you may need a snack as you read along!
While many traditional foods today are primarily cooked for special occasions, the threads weaving food, family, and culture are still very apparent. Historically, multiple generations of family, from grandparents, to children, to siblings, would all gather to share in meal time. Guests are given coffee or sofkee from over the fire as greeting. A cooking chickee, the Miccosukee word for house, would be at the heart of the camp. That chickee would be dedicated only to cooking. The fire was tended and lasted for weeks at a time.
Foraging, gathering, hunting, and gardening are all important steps in Seminole food preparation. The Everglades is a harsh environment, but a vital one to Seminole people and culture. The connection to the land extended to everything they consumed. In times of struggle, such as during the Seminole War period, being resourceful and resilient was the key to taking care of your family. Access to food was tied closely with safety. Decades later, relationships with trading posts would also emerge and add to the available foods. These relationships and accessibility would shift and grow over time, and eventually augment what we know as traditional Seminole foods.
Would you eat something that could poison you? You need a vast amount of knowledge and skill to process this root vegetable! Coontie, or the Zamia plant, is a small woody palm-like plant found in the Southeast. It is a shrubby low growing plant with red seed cones and a large tuberous root system. Coontie flour is made from these roots. But, in order to make the flour you need to be careful!
The coontie plant contains cycasin, which is poisonous and can lead to liver failure and death. So, the cycasin needs to be washed away and the coontie processed in order to be edible. Roots would be peeled and washed from dirt. Then, they would be stored between dried palm fronds. Each root would then be grated and rinsed, then pounded into a pulp. The pulp would be rinsed many more times, strained, and dried in order to ensure the cycasin was washed away. The resulting flour could be used to make a number of foods. Flat cakes and even a type of sofkee were all made from coontie flour.
Knowledge of how to process the root was just one of the ways the Seminole people were able to outlast US Soldiers in the Everglades. In order to avoid capture after the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Seminoles relied on their extensive knowledge of plants, animals, and the landscape. Evading soldiers in the swamp, the unconquered Seminole people never signed a treaty despite facing war, removal, and extermination. Foodstuffs like coontie represent the deep connection to the land that helped them be resilient and unwavering in the face of incredible hardship. To learn more about the Seminole Wars and Seminole resistance, here is a good write up from the Tribal Historic Preservation Office.
If sofkee could be summed up in one word, it’s comfort. Made of corn or rice (or in the past, coontie flour), sofkee is a warm stewed porridge drink. A basic sofkee recipe is found here. A pot of sofkee would have been kept over the fire of the cooking chickee and consumed when needed or given to a guest. Sofkee is quite heavy and can keep you full for a long period of time. A sofkee spoon, like the one shown below from the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum collection, is used to dole out the porridge. These special spoons are carved from a single piece of wood and are a ladle shape, to serve the sofkee when needed.
Sofkee is popular to this day. It can be made plain, or flavored with pumpkin, fruit, or other spices. Guava sofkee was the first flavor I ever tried, and the sweet-tart mix of guava and porridge is comforting and satisfying.
Seminole people historically kept well stocked gardens and grew squashes such as pumpkin, tubers, corn, beans, citrus, and other hardy vegetables. Some of these, like pumpkin, would have been used in making flavored corn sofkee and eventually pumpkin fry bread. Seminole pumpkins are a particularly interesting and versatile squash that thrives in the Florida heat. With a thick shell like skin to trap water, they have a similar taste to a butternut squash. A native squash to Florida, they are grown vertically and have a high yield. Seminole pumpkins are a variety of colors and grow up to 12 lbs.
Land would be cleared in hammocks for gardens where they could be protected and hidden. Due to the landscape of hammocks, you would not be able to see the gardens from the outside. They also would be on slightly higher ground to avoid getting flooded by water. These gardens more than likely wouldn’t look like gardens to an outsider. This also was by design. If someone were to stumble across a garden of edible plants, what better way to protect it than make it not look like a garden?
Hammocks were particularly important during the Seminole War period for hiding gardens and living spaces. Dave Scheidecker, the Senior Research Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office was kind enough to talk to me about historic use of hammocks for garden plots. Gardens would “always be in a hammock separate from where they lived, up to a mile away” states Scheidecker. “One (hammock) for living, one for the garden.” This meant if “someone finds one, you still have the other.” Hammocks were regularly used for gardens up through the mid 20th century for protective purposes.
Fry bread can be sweet or savory – either option is a pleasure to eat. Different recipes for fry bread are found throughout the United States in indigenous communities. Oil, water, and flour are the main ingredients. Fry bread is simple, versatile, and delicious. From Indian tacos to pumpkin fry bread dusted in powdered sugar, this Seminole food is adaptable. To make plain fry bread, you mix the slightly sticky batter, hand form patties, and fry in very hot oil. Then, you drain the bread of excess oil and eat it fresh. Recipes like this fry bread would be ideal for feeding a large number of family members and guests. Made in bulk, you could feed dozens of people from one batch of batter.
A personal favorite is fresh pumpkin fry bread. A recipe for pumpkin fry bread is here in a Seminole Tribune article from 2012. Rich and sweet, this pumpkin fry bread is similar to a doughnut. Pumpkin fry bread are eaten with powdered sugar sprinkled on top, or plain. In many ways, this is the perfect blend of old and newer traditional Seminole foods. Pumpkin, a traditional crop, melded together with fry bread which came into popularity more after the establishment of Seminole reservations.
In November, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Big Cypress hosts its American Indian Arts Celebration. A Fry Bread competition has been held in the past, and people compete for the best fry bread recipe. If you are lucky some of the traditional foods we have talked about here may be on the menu! Located on the Museum’s festival grounds, you can come check out arts, crafts, fashion shows, and of course, food. Check here for updates on AIAC 2022.
Gar, a plentiful fish, inhabit the Everglades which serve as a resource for the Seminole people. They are found in the Southeastern United states, as far north as Georgia. With a distinctive torpedo-shaped body, broad snout, and sharp teeth, these fish are easy to identify on sight. Anglers consider them a nuisance or “trash” fish, but gar are a traditionally harvested fish for the Seminole people. Both garfish and turtles are popular roasted over the fire. Gar are roasted over the fire cleaned and whole, with the skin scored.
When preparing garfish, it takes some special care. Garfish teeth are extremely sharp, as adult garfish eat anything from other fish, shrimp, and crayfish. They also have bony scales that are tough to cut through. The roe from a garfish is toxic when consumed. So, whoever cleans the fish must be careful not to contaminate the meat. Like coontie, preparing garfish can be dangerous!
Taal-holeelke “Swamp Cabbage”
Have you ever seen canned Hearts of Palm in the grocery store? You may have had this food before without even knowing it! The deep heart of the sabal palm, swamp cabbage is a delicate and versatile. Tough outer leaves are stripped off to get to the inner heart. The heart is the most tender part, and a creamy white color. If you would like to know more about how it is prepared, here is a quick recipe. Beyond this simple recipe, it is also stewed with salted pork, cooked with sugar, or even eaten raw.
In a 2009 interview with the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum’s Oral History Coordinator, Lorene Gopher said “the swamp cabbage, we used to eat that all the time when I was younger because we did not go running into town for groceries or anything like that.” Like much of the Seminole foods we have discussed today, their availability in nature is central to their use. Sabal palm is plentiful in the Everglades, including along the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum boardwalk.
Seminole Food Today
Sofkee, coontie, fry bread, gar, and swamp cabbage are only a few of the traditional Seminole foods. Some, like sofkee, have been made for many, many generations. Others, like fry bread, are newer in the recipe book but just as important. All of them show a relationship between natural Florida and the Seminole people and their culture.
Today, Seminole people enjoy the same luxuries as anyone living in South Florida. Fast food, delivery pizza, and groceries stores are significantly more convenient than foraging for your dinner. But, these traditional Seminole foods are also closely tied with family and culture. Some are tied to periods of resistance or resilience in the face of environmental or government pressures. Today, you see Seminole foods like these at the American Indian Arts Celebration, Seminole Tribal Fair and Pow Wow, Brighton Field Days, and other festivals, events, and gatherings. If you would like to visit and experience Seminole foods for yourself, please subscribe for updates on events through the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, try some of the recipes linked above, or stay updated on the future re-opening of the Swamp Water Café on Big Cypress. | <urn:uuid:377bebdd-9410-4718-8eee-4a127140908e> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://floridaseminoletourism.com/seminole-foods-resistance-resilience/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500357.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20230206181343-20230206211343-00081.warc.gz | en | 0.965517 | 2,393 | 3.484375 | 3 |
Water Conservation Resources and Programs for Educators and Youth
Water Watchers Program
Water Watchers is a comprehensive program
for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers in
the Glendale water service area. The program
progresses through each grade, where baseline
knowledge of water-related issues is established
in fourth grade and then applied towards
real-life, service-learning projects in fifth
and sixth grades.
The Water Watchers program is designed to
supplement existing curriculum and provide
teacher support in the delivery of innovative
water education activities. Teachers will receive
free resource materials and one-hour Discovery
Station presentations from the Glendale Water
Conservation Office. Click here for more information (pdf).
Water Watcher Program Topics
Arizona Water History
Sonoran Desert Plant
Water Education Kit
|Guest Speaker Presentations
A unique element of the Water Watchers program involves guest speakers visiting classrooms and providing presentations on several water education topics.
Groundwater Flow Model - During this interactive presentation, students will observe the interconnectedness of surface water and groundwater through a three-dimensional, groundwater flow model.
Enviroscape Watershed Education Models -
By providing plenty of opportunities for student participation, this presentation allows students to watch how surface water moves through a watershed.
Arizona Water History Trunk - Go back to the future during this presentation, which highlights the important role that water played in shaping Arizona. In the Arizona Water History trunk, students will find plenty of interesting artifacts and historical photos of Arizona in the 19th century.
The Water Watchers program is available to fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers in public, private, and charter schools in the Glendale water service area. Please click here to see if your school is eligible for the Water Watchers program.
Enroll in the Water Watchers Program
To enroll your classroom in the Water Watchers program, please contact the Glendale Water Conservation Office at (623) 930-3535 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
Free School Assemblies and Student Workbooks
Invite the “Water Saver” to visit your school and teach students the importance of water conservation, the water cycle, and local water sources through the use of magic tricks, ventriloquism, games, and audience participation. This free school assembly is designed for students, grades K - 5.
Teachers receive free workbooks for every student. The workbooks are customized to meet state curriculum guidelines for science education and to suit all ages and different skill levels. Teachers and parents are encouraged to help students work through the pages and discuss what they have learned.
Assemblies require a minimum of 50 to a maximum of 300 students per show and last 30 minutes. The “Water Saver” arrives 45 minutes prior to the show for set up and needs a space of approximately 10 feet wide by 6 feet deep to arrange props, posters, and a 6-foot long rectangular table.
To schedule a show, please contact 1-800-489-0513. Shows are booked in the order they are received.
Free Puppet Shows
Invite the Great Arizona Puppet Theater to visit your school and teach students about good water conservation habits through a free puppet show. "Zoner and the Drip" is designed for students in grades 1and 2 and "Zoner and the Water Cycle" is designed for students in grades 3 and 4.
The puppet shows require a minimum of 50 to a maximum of 80 students per show and last approximately 50 minutes. Multiple shows can be booked back-to-back in order to accommodate additional students. If shows are booked back-to-back, please allocate a 15-minute break in between shows. The puppeteer arrives 30 minutes prior to the show for set-up and needs access to an electrical outlet. The puppeteer requires 30 minutes for breakdown.
To schedule a show, please contact the city of Glendale Water Conservation Office at (623) 930-3535. Register early. Shows are booked in the order they are received and dependant upon available funding.
Books for Educators
Curriculum for Educators
Water in Our Desert Community: Activities for Grades 6-9: An instructional resource for people who care about water and the Sonoran Desert, the activities in this water curriculum are meant to supplement the regular course curriculum. The activities include background information, reproducible student materials, a glossary and a list of resources.
The following activities will strengthen the students' awareness of the social, economic and environmental impact water has on all water users in Arizona.
The Properties and Importance of Water
History of Water in Arizona
Local Water Resources
Water Problems and Issues
For a FREE Copy
To obtain a free copy, please contact the city of Glendale Water Conservation Office at (623) 930-3535. | <urn:uuid:d8a00870-8ed6-4c29-9d0d-ac39d73f481e> | CC-MAIN-2015-14 | http://glendaleaz.com/Education/WaterConservation_Educators.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-14/segments/1427131296951.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20150323172136-00152-ip-10-168-14-71.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903101 | 1,006 | 3.484375 | 3 |
Copyright © University of Cambridge. All rights reserved.
'Caterpillars' printed from http://nrich.maths.org/
Why do this problem?
is likely to capture the attention of many children and you might discover that they find things to explore which had not occurred to you! It is also an enriching activity that has links both with spatial awareness, number awareness and number patterns. It could be used to broaden pupils'
experiences of number relationships.
You could introduce this investigation by drawing a caterpillar on a grid, perhaps on the interactive whiteboard, to establish the context. Invite a child to draw a different caterpillar on another grid and then ask pairs to talk about what they notice.
This leads into the first activity so this could be pursued further by the group, or some might prefer to opt for the second activity. You will need to have some conversations about how they might record what they have found. Having squared paper available, or perhaps some templates of different sized grids, would be a good idea, but children might have their own suggestions.
What do you see?
Tell me about the numbers you've.
I like this shape of caterpiller you've made, tell me about it.
Alan Parr (who has contributed many fantastic ideas to NRICH), also sent the following suggestions for investigating the Caterpillars in other ways:
- If a caterpillar has some segments which are black then you won't be able to see their numbers, so you can offer problems with missing numbers. You can have a surprisingly large number of missing numbers and still be able to fill in every one. For example, in caterpillar A you only need to know the $1, 5, 10,$ and $11$ and you can place all the other numbers. You could challenge children to
fill in the rest of the numbers, but also invite them to make their own so that they give as few numbers as possible in order for a friend to be able to complete the caterpillar. You could also extend this to larger caterpillars!
- For a tougher challenge, you could change the caterpillars so that you can't see the individual segments, only four mega-sections each of which covers four segments in a $2 \times 2$ square. Each mega-section shows you the product of the four segments of the caterpillar. For example, the top-left quarter shows $24$, top-right $7920$, bottom-right $15288$, bottom-left $7200$. Can learners
identify the number of each segment? (Alan attributes this idea to Mike Taylor - thank you!) You could also set this up in a "battleships-style" game where each player records a caterpillar in a square grid and player $1$ tells player $2$ the products of $2\times2$ blocks he/she asks about, and vice versa.
Here are some ideas to use if the pupils are new to the exploration of number patterns:
Adding horizontally, then vertically;
Adding in slanting lines - when you've done the two different sets, [North West to South East and then North East to South West] you can put them together in different ways;
Adding in squares and putting down the answer in a square. So, adding in a $2$ by $2$ square and performing all $9$ additions we would have:
There are lots of questions to be asked here, based on trying to explain the resulting totals.
Adding in $3$ by $3$ squares as above. | <urn:uuid:eb426e1c-4eed-49b8-bd5d-4b19a2fdd484> | CC-MAIN-2014-10 | http://nrich.maths.org/5742/note?nomenu=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-10/segments/1393999654345/warc/CC-MAIN-20140305060734-00081-ip-10-183-142-35.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955868 | 739 | 3.921875 | 4 |
Globalization describes the increasing interactions among cultures, economies, and societies across the world at multiple scales, driven by trade, investment, communication, or travel. Many aspects of the natural environment—including climate, natural resource stocks, and ecological structure and function—may influence or be influenced by globalization, in turn affecting the way that people derive value from the environment. Similarly, globalization may lead to socio-cultural changes that influence natural resources and their use.
Scholars have argued that globalization may lead to increasing similarity (“homogenization”) among natural systems, while economic, socio-cultural, and political systems may converge, diverge, or move toward some hybrid state. Under this Theme, SESYNC sought proposals for synthesis research focused on increasing fundamental knowledge related to the interaction of social and environmental systems as they respond to globalization.
Examples of research questions under this Theme might broadly include (but are in no way limited to):
- Under what circumstances do processes of globalization lead to diversification vs. homogenization within and across cultural or environmental systems?
- How can formal and informal institutions, political coalitions, and social movements act to maximize the societal benefits of foreign investment while limiting the risks to environmental and/or cultural diversity?
- How do technologies that facilitate rapid communications across wider areas alter environmental resource management and allocations? How can these technologies be employed to enhance ecosystem functioning and the sustainable provisioning of diverse resources?
Information on projects funded under this Theme can be found here. | <urn:uuid:810e3721-adf7-4296-bae3-b48dfb3eb985> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://www.sesync.org/globalization-and-environmental-change | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046154457.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20210803092648-20210803122648-00438.warc.gz | en | 0.893168 | 305 | 2.96875 | 3 |
please help, i'm not sure if i'm on the right track.
A spherical hailstone grows in a cloud. The hailstone maintains a spherical shape while its radius increases at a rate of 0.2 mm/min.
a) Express the radius, r, in millimeters, of the hailstone, as a function of the time, t, in minutes.
i came up with the answer,
r(t) = 0.2t
but i'm not sure if its right
b) Express the volume, V, in cubic millimeters, of the hailstone, in terms of r.
c) Determine (Vor)(t)
not sure if thats right either?
d) What is the volume of the hailstone 1 h after it begins to form? | <urn:uuid:aa1e1639-32f3-4f90-83aa-0e7bb9bff0b4> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://mathhelpforum.com/algebra/119423-composite-function-involving-word-problem.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422121914832.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124175154-00141-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.80478 | 166 | 2.90625 | 3 |
* * The Evolution of Our Federal Courts * *
- J.A.I.L. News Journal
Los Angeles, California June 3, 2002"Power is the great evil with which we are contending. We have divided power between three branches of government and erected checks and balances to prevent abuse of power. However, where is the check on the power of the judiciary? If we fail to check the power of the judiciary, I predict that we will eventually live under judicial tyranny." - Patrick HenryThe Evolution of Our Federal CourtsI have taken an excerpt from the webpage of Michael Joseph Kearns, full credentials below, and share it with all of you to educate those of you who aren't yet aware, about the danger that we now face, and have faced for decades without knowing it. Justice Harlan stated (quoted below) "we have in this country substantially and practically two national governments; one, to be maintained under the Constitution, with all of its restrictions; the other to be maintained by Congress outside and independently of that instrument,...." My question is, by what authority was the "second" government created? More specifically, by what authority did Congress act outside and independently of the Constitution, which created the Congress?It must be concluded that anything done "outside and independently of the Constitution" is void ab initio, having in truth no force nor effect. The only reason it is given de facto force is because we have in power a "force" which operates by usurpation of de jure power, running under the guise of "government" (the "second government" described by Justice Harlan.) In truth and in fact, constitutionally we can have only ONE government, despite what the usurpers have created by counterfeit power. The passage of time doesn't make the counterfeit "government" any more legitimate. It is just as bogus today as it was when devised by our froward Congress.We must forever keep in mind that the final authority within government is the judiciary, and it is up to the judiciary, in the final analysis, to see to it that our Constitutional Republic is maintained. When the judicial system fails, all else fails. The usurping force remains in power because the judiciary have allowed it to do so. The federal courts were designed to be the guardian of our rights, as the Supreme Court has well established. As we quote Justice Harlan below:"No higher duty rests upon this court than to exert its full authority to prevent all violation of the principles of the Constitution."Regardless of the federal courts, however, our state courts are also bound by the State and Federal Constitutions, and it is here that J.A.I.L. will have its major impact. Remember, our state courts are corrupt because the federal courts are themselves corrupt. However, state courts are not dependent upon the federal system to maintain their own constitutional integrity. The People must implement J.A.I.L. as soon as possible to end this scourge.Send your comments to Mr. Kearns, at the contact points shown below.-Barbie- victoryusa@...Michael Joseph Kearns
c/o 8916 Datapoint, Suite 3225
San Antonio, Texas 78229
210-614-5698 (fax and computer modem line)
email: jrkearns@...The following are excerpts taken from: http://users2.ev1.net/~jrkearnsThis Web Page is going to take you through a journey by one man in his search for the truth. You will see from the Federal government's own documents, the massive fraud pulled on the people of the nation, to steal their private property and their rights............ [T]he courts are not making "legal decisions" --they are making "decisions legal." In the engineering world, this is called reverse engineering.
Also, this illustrates that the courts are doing nothing more than making a ruling legal by affirming a decision that has already been made administratively.
Some questions are:What are the criteria to be "truly deserving" of (whatever you want to name, such as a truly independent, impartial court and judge, the best and most effective attorney, and on and on one could go ad nauseam)...?Was I "truly deserving" yesterday? Could I be "truly deserving" tomorrow?
This line of ruling from the Supreme Court shows you that the "law" is not in force today, but public policy is; and public policy changes at any time the people in power say that the public policy has changed.
In order to truly understand this problem, one has to fully digest the true status of the "law" and how the Federal government is really operating and not just how the Federal government says it is operating.
Justice Harlan gave Americans fair warning of what was possible to happen, back in 1901, by stating in a dissenting opinion:
"The idea prevails with some -- indeed, it found expression in arguments at the bar -- that we have in this country substantially and practically two national governments; one, to be maintained under the Constitution, with all of its restrictions; the other to be maintained by Congress outside and independently of that instrument, by exercising such powers as other nations of the earth are accustomed to exercise.
"I take leave to say that if the principles thus announced should ever receive the sanction of a majority of this court, a radical and mischievous change in our system of government will be the result. We will, in that event, pass from the era of constitutional liberty guarded and protected by a written constitution into an era of legislative absolutism.
"It will be an evil day for American liberty if the theory of a government outside of the supreme law of the land finds lodgment in our constitutional jurisprudence. No higher duty rests upon this court than to exert its full authority to prevent all violation of the principles of the Constitution." See Downes v. Bidwell, 182 U.S. 244 (1901), Harlan dissenting.
The start of the quest is to first determine whether the nation is under the contract the people have with the Federal government, the Constitution for the united States of America (1789), or not. The answer to that question can be found in documentation from the Senate of the UNITED STATES in Senate Report 93-549.
See for yourself what the document says.
THINK ON THIS - - - CAN THE NATION BE UNDER AN EMERGENCY CONDITION AND THE CONSTITUTION AT THE SAME TIME?
An anonymous legal scholar has so graciously pointed to a Supreme Court decision that states "the Constitution of the United States is a law for rulers and people, equally in war and in peace, . . ." in the whole paragraph in Ex Parte Milligan, 71 U.S. 2, 120(1866):
"Time has proven the discernment of our ancestors; for even these provisions, expressed in such plain English words, that it would seem the ingenuity of man could not evade them, are now, after the lapse of more than seventy years, sought to be avoided. Those great and good men foresaw that troublous times would arise, when rulers and people would become restive under restraint, and seek by sharp and decisive measures to accomplish ends deemed just and proper; and that the principles of constitutional liberty would be in peril, unless established by irrepealable law. The history of the world had taught them that what was done in the past might be attempted in the future. The Constitution of the United States is a law for rulers and people, equally in war and in peace, and covers with the shield of its protection all classes of men, at all times, [71 U.S. 2, 121] and under all circumstances. No doctrine, involving more pernicious consequences, was ever invented by the wit of man than that any of its provisions can be suspended during any of the great exigencies of government. Such a doctrine leads directly to anarchy or despotism, but the theory of necessity on which it is based is false; for the government, within the Constitution, has all the powers granted to it, which are necessary to preserve its existence; as has been happily proved by the result of the great effort to throw off its just authority."
There seems to be a difference of opinion between the legislative branch of the Federal government and the Judicial branch as to the effectiveness of the Constitution in a state of war. This difference certainly needs to be explored to find the real truth, after all that is exactly what we all want, is the truth.
The Supreme Court of the United States of America has stated the truth about the courts of the United States as far back as 1933, in an obscure case brought by a U.S. Court of Claims Judge concerning the diminishment of his salary while he was still in office. This case, Thomas S. Williams v. United States, 77 L.ed. 1372 (1933) is called by the government of the United States a "judicial embarrassment," but the fact of the matter is that this particular case opinion tells the story about the United States Courts under Article I, III and IV. The reader only has to read this case about 10 to 15 times before all that is said will sink in.
To come to the truth of what is really happening in the courts of the United States, one has to undertake a study of the three (3) articles in the Constitution under which courts of the United States are created and may operate, Article I, III, and IV.
Article I courts are legislative courts and are created by Congress and operate within very special limited areas of operation. Article III courts are of the third Branch of government, the Judicial Branch, and are supposed to be independent of the other two Branches of the government with no influence or coercion from those two Branches of the government on the Judicial Branch. Article IV courts are created by Congress for the territories, and even though called territorial courts, which they are, the said territorial courts are still under the thumb of Congress and not independent but serve their master, the Congress.
There are actually three areas in the court concerning jurisdiction. There is the court itself, operating on a location that is actually specified by statute or Rule, see Rule 54(c), above listed, and the cause of action needs to be authorized by the Congress or the Constitution as a cause of action requiring the judicial power of the United States, and the "judge" is required to be a member of the third branch of the government, the Judicial Branch, with no coercion or intimidation from either of the other two branches of the government, in order to be a true independent impartial decision maker.
The Supreme Court of the United States covered the matter of Article III courts very thoroughly in Northern Pipeline Company v. Marathon Pipe Line Company, 458 U.S. 50 (1982) in Footnote 39:
Our precedents make it clear that the constitutional requirements for the exercise of the judicial power must be met at all stages of adjudication, and not only on appeal, where the court is restricted to considerations of law, as well as the nature of the case as it has been shaped at the trial level. The Court responded to a similar suggestion in Crowell by stating that to accept such a regime, "would be to sap the judicial power as it exists under the Federal Constitution, and to establish a government of bureaucratic character alien to our system, wherever fundamental rights depend, as not infrequently they do depend, upon the facts, and finality as to facts becomes in effect finality in law."
While Northern is principally about the power and the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Courts under Title 11, the case also goes into a lengthy discussion about Article III courts and their power and jurisdiction or the lack thereof.
Historical precedents are mentioned in Part II, Section A, from the Founding Fathers and their reasons for the need for an independent and impartial Judicial Branch of the government. The whole Part A is very informative and illustrative of the need for the judiciary's independence and impartiality, with one of the reasons being for the confidence of the people to reside in the decisions of the judiciary, and not be made a mockery of. Compare that with today when the judiciary is nothing more than a stooge for the people in power and everybody knows it, but to date lacks the courage to rectify the situation.
Northern Pipeline is full of case cites for the student of the history and functioning of the federal courts, and sums up the matter by stating:In sum, our Constitution unambiguously enunciates a fundamental principle - that the "judicial Power of the United States" must be reposed in an independent Judiciary. It commands that the independence of the Judiciary be jealously guarded, and it provides clear institutional protections for that independence.
There is much more in this website-- too much to include here. But what we did include should be enough to make one realize that this is not just theory, but very real. It should provoke a sense of outrage in all of you and make you realize all the more how vital J.A.I.L. is to our future security. J.A.I.L. preserves that judicial independence while, at the same time, bringing about judicial accountability. J.A.I.L. is not just an "option" --it is a very essential and fundamental ingredient in maintaining our Constitutional Republic!
J.A.I.L. is an acronym for Judicial Accountability Initiative Law
JAIL's very informative website is found at www.jail4judges.org
JAIL proposes a unique new addition to our form of government.
JAIL is powerful! JAIL is dynamic! JAIL is America's ONLY hope!
JAIL is spreading across America like a fast moving wildfire!
JAIL is making inroads into Congress for federal accountability!
JAIL may be supported at P.O. Box 207, N. Hollywood, CA 91603
To subscribe or be removed: add-remove-jail@...
E-Groups may sign on at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jail4judges/join
Open forum to make your voice heard JAIL-SoundOff@egroups.com
Ask not what J.A.I.L. can do for me, but ask what I can do for J.A.I.L.
"..it does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." - Samuel Adams
"There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is
striking at the root." -- Henry David Thoreau <>< | <urn:uuid:f1ec9a53-0a11-45ae-822a-536853c45c42> | CC-MAIN-2015-18 | https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/jail4judges/conversations/topics/590?source=1&var=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-18/segments/1429246641393.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20150417045721-00251-ip-10-235-10-82.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960199 | 3,031 | 2.53125 | 3 |
IT must infuriate the shade of Machiavelli to see that he is still remembered mainly as the author of The Prince. It was his first serious work, and his shortest. It was not published in his lifetime and it is possible that it was not even properly finished. He went on to write a shelf-full of other works: on war, on politics; poems and plays; a history of Florence. The political book — the Discourses on Livy — was discussed as he wrote it by a circle of distinguished friends and literati. The Art of War was seen carefully through the press by its author. The plays were performed with great public success. The history was formally presented to its patron. But because The Prince was so brief, so brilliantly written, so extreme in its views, and because it broke up into quotations almost as readily as Hamlet, Machiavelli was doomed to be best known by his most impulsive, least publicised work.
The Prince has been the subject of mountainous commentary. Yet its precise nature has not proved easy to define. It contains too much that is exhortatory to be called simply a treatise on princedoms. It contains too much pure analysis of different kinds of state for it to be called simply a book on how to rule. It is instinct with a tone of I-know-best and is prefaced by a direct request for employment, yet it is too generalised, and too abstract to be a straightforward self-recommendation. As far as its tone is concerned, it has been taken on the one hand as a confession of faith, and on the other it has been interpreted, and recently, as a satire. For more than three centuries men have asked 'What is The Prince?' without finding a satisfactory answer. It might be useful to ask instead 'Why did Machiavelli write it?'
We know when the bulk of it was written, and in what circumstances. We know because he wrote about it in a letter to his friend Francesco Vettori, probably the most famous letter ever written by an Italian. In 1512 there had been a change of government in Florence. Machiavelli was dismissed from an office which had placed him at the heart of the administration of the state's diplomatic and military affairs, and he was forbidden for a year to leave Florentine territory, in case he should try to intrigue with his exiled chief, Piero Soderini. Worse still, he had, quite innocently, become involved in a plot to murder the new lords of Florence, and had been imprisoned and tortured. After his release in March 1513 he retired to his small farm at Sant' Andrea in Percussina, a few miles south of Florence.
He wrote the letter about The Prince on December 10 of that year. He began by describing how he rose with the sun and walked about his small property with a book under his arm, chatting to the workmen he was employing. Then he portrayed himself at the local inn, playing cards and dice for small stakes with the local rustics. Then the mood changes:
'When evening comes, I return home and go into my study. On the threshold I strip off the muddy, sweaty clothes of everyday, and put on the robes of court and palace, and in this graver dress I enter the antique courts of the ancients and am welcomed by them, and there I taste the food that alone is mine, and for which I was born. And there I make bold to speak to them and ask the motives of their actions, and they, in their humanity, reply to me. And for the space of four hours I forget the world, remember no vexation, fear poverty no more, tremble no more at death; I pass indeed into their world. And as Dante says that there can be no understanding without the memory retaining what it has heard, I have written down what I have gained from their conversation, and composed a small work DE PRINCIPATIBUS, where I dive as deep as I can into ideas about this subject, discussing the nature of princely rule, what forms it takes, how these are acquired, how they are maintained, why they are lost.'
This famous and beautiful letter, the prop and stay of every writer on The Prince, cannot, alas, be taken too literally. Machiavelli was not only a political thinker. He was a man of letters, playful, fanciful, and stylist enough to make his fancy sound real. Some years before, in answer to a correspondent's description of a successful love affair, Machiavelli had described a ludicrous and horrifically squalid one of his own. Was that distorting echo based on an actual event, or was it purely fictitious? We do not know. In 1514, as echo to an account by Vettori of another love affair, he once more described an infatuation of his own. 'I must, as you did me', he wrote, 'tell you how this love began', and he went on to describe feelings and circumstances which may have been true or not, or partly true; there is no way of telling.
In the same way, this letter of December 1513 is an echo. It echoes one in which Vettori had described a typical day in his life as Florentine ambassador in Rome. He rose late, in the capital — and Machiavelli rose at dawn, in the country; he went off to the Vatican and talked to officials and diplomats and the Pope himself — and Machiavelli went off to a spinney and talked to the woodcutters; he spent the middle of the day with the Cardinal de' Medici — and Machiavelli with the butcher and baker. Only at night did their lives run parallel. Vettori settled down to read from his library of ancient historians, and so did Machiavelli. So how far is this letter true, and how far is it a wry device for pointing out how much the paths of the two men had diverged since they represented Florence together at the court of the Emperor Maximilian?
We do not know. Certainly, a glance at The Prince shows that he was exaggerating the role played by his conversations with the ancients, for while there are plenty of classical ideas and references in the book, its vital lessons are taken from the contemporary world. But however inaccurate in its details, the letter strikingly suggests his boredom with an involuntary seclusion in the country, boredom and envy of Vettori's metropolitan life, his contact with affairs and with the men who manipulate them.
Before his dismissal Machiavelli had led an enthrallingly busy life. He had been sent on diplomatic missions to the king of France, the Pope, the Emperor; he had spent months in the company of Cesare Borgia. He had been entrusted with raising a militia force for Florence, and he had played an important part in the long-drawn-out attempt of Florence to take the rebel port of Pisa. When Pisa fell at last it was said — at least his friends said it — that the victory was largely due to Machiavelli.
He found this official life extremely stimulating. He was a man of great nervous energy. He was ambitious, he enjoyed responsibility and power. He also had a strong streak of the academic in his nature, and he looked on politics not only as an activity but as a subject. During the day-to-day business of negotiation and correspondence he was always looking for the general principles that underlay political behaviour. As he became more experienced so he became more confident, and when dismissal came at the age of forty-three, he was at the height of his conviction that he was of real value to the state. He tried to stay in office. On the eve of his fall he wrote letters of advice to the Medici. He sued [wrote?] to them from prison; he lived for the next two years in the constant hope that they would employ him. It is true they stood for a different sort of state, more autocratic, less independent than the one he had served before, but this was unimportant in the light of his impatience to have his advice listened to, and his value recognised.
Without a job he was comparatively poor, and he had a large family on his hands. Restless and de-pressed, he could see no other way of returning to active life save through the patronage of the Medici. He wrote Vettori letters about the current political scene in the hope that the ambassador would bring them to the attention of the Medici pope, Leo X. But it was soon clear that Vettori was merely embarrassed by this responsibility and that Machiavelli would have to call attention to himself directly. The only way he could do this was through a book. The independence of the states of Italy was threatened by France, Germany, the Swiss and Spain. In the hour of crisis, what was needed was a leader who, by ruthless negotiation and backed by a well-trained and loyal army, would present a front too strong to be attacked. A book describing such a man, written by an author who had pioneered such an army — surely this might tempt the Medici, the natural leaders in Italy, to recognise his quality and bring him back into government service?
The letter of December 10 plays down this purpose of The Prince, implying that it only occurred to him after the book had been written that it might be useful as a testimonial. But he was perhaps shy of continuing to expose the nakedness of his longing for employment to Vettori and, besides, we have seen that this letter cannot be accepted too literally. Though Machiavelli wrote primarily to demonstrate his familiarity with the origin and nature of rule by princes and the values and policies needed at that particular time, the book in fact reflected the whole complex of his interests. It reflected, for instance, his passionate belief in the power of history to teach. His dispatches and reports had shown him to be a treatise-writer in posse, and The Prince is an extension of this vein. To this donnish mood, which led him to analyse, to categorise, to compare, was joined a not wholly responsible love of effect, a desire to tease, to surprise and shock.
As far as subject-matter is concerned, his first passionate love was for Florence, and he believed that its constitution should be as broadly republican as possible. But his official work had kept him in touch with war and foreign policy, and he wrote in the fear that Italians would no longer retain enough independence to let them settle their own destinies; he was more concerned for a strong control in Italy than for a free constitution in Florence. Finally, it shows him imagining himself as, if not a prince, at least the confidant of princes, going out of his way to point out that he understood very well that they could not afford to be bound by the cautious morality of private life.
On several occasions Machiavelli said that he was taking up his pen in order to work off a feeling of oppression and despair. He was feeling oppressed and frustrated in 1513, and, moreover, his sense of mission, his vanity, and his sheer need called for employment. That is why he wrote The Prince. And that is why, in subject-matter and in mood, it was complicated by a conflict between his fascination with the subject for its own sake and his desire to sell himself. And that is why The Prince, the only one of his books written to satisfy an urgent need, is — if we ask, not what? but why? — the most movingly auto-biographical of his works. | <urn:uuid:329fb53d-57ef-4d78-a481-80e6c0545c77> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/halej/chap1.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046152144.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20210726152107-20210726182107-00067.warc.gz | en | 0.991457 | 2,409 | 2.90625 | 3 |
The nerves are the wiring system that transmits electrical impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the fingertips. Each nerve is similar to a telephone or electrical cable, made up of bundles of nerve fibers – each with an outer layer of tissue called myelin that protects the nerve bundle. Nerves can be motor or sensory. Motor nerves travel from the spinal cord to muscles for movement. Sensory nerves travel from the fingers and skin toward the spinal cord to provide sensation and feeling. Most nerves have both sensory and motor fibers.
What is a nerve?
What is a nerve injury?
Anything that disrupts the integrity of the nerve can cause an injury. A nerve can be cut by something like a knife or a sliver from a fractured bone. Alternatively, excessive pressure on a nerve can cause damage – such as Carpal Tunnel. Diseases like multiple sclerosis can damage the myelin covering the nerve and diseases such as diabetes can cause changes within nerves. In all cases, nerve injury can result in numbness, tingling, pain, and loss of motor function or movement.
Nerve Injury Specialists
Nerve injuries in the hand and arm can cause pain, numbness, tingling and muscle weakness or paralysis, thereby limiting daily activities at work and home. Dr. Leonard Gordon is an orthopedic hand specialist who treats nerve injuries in the hand and upper extremity at Hand and Microsurgery Medical Group for residents of San Francisco, California
What are the symptoms of nerve injury?
Nerve injuries result in altered sensations (such as numbness and tingling), or problems with movement. Depending on which nerves are affected and how serious the injury is, the patient may report weakness and difficulty moving fingers, wrists or elbows – and even the inability to move at all. If a nerve injury is not treated, the nerves inside the empty myelin “sleeve” may try to re-grow but are unable to connect to the opposite end. This can result in the formation of a nerve scar, called a neuroma, which can be very painful and cause an electrical shock feeling when touched.
One Hand at a Time
Nerves are tiny, complex parts of the body that serve an extremely vital function. It takes great skill to successful treat injured nerves.
A nerve injury that involves stretching or pressure is treated by correcting the pressure problem, such as in Carpal tunnel syndrome. When the nerve is cut or torn, the outer sheath of the nerve must be repaired. This requires the use of an operating microscope to correctly re-connect the nerve bundles. Dr. Gordon specializes in this type of microsurgical repair. The nerve fibers can then grow down the empty nerve tubes to restore function. Sometimes, there is a large segment of nerve missing and in these situations specialized nerve conduits or nerve grafts are needed to bridge the gap by splicing into the nerve at both ends. The nerve then regenerates at about an inch a month as it grows down the nerve tube
Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition that affects the limbs. They occur due to damage to the nerves in the extremities of the hands and feet. Common signs of neuropathy are numbness or tingling in the fingers and toes, pain and loss of movement in the hands and feet.
Just like other nerve injuries, peripheral neuropathy can occur due to injuries illnesses and excessive pressure on the nerves. But one of the most common causes for peripheral neuropathy is diabetes.
At the Hand and Microsurgery Medical Group, Dr. Leonard Gordon, MD and Dr. Joshua Gordon, MD first try to treat peripheral neuropathy using non-surgical interventions. A nerve biopsy may be done to identify the condition or to examine its severity. Usually medications like pain relievers, anti-seizure medications and topical numbing creams may be prescribed. If these don’t help alleviate the symptoms, our doctors may prescribe microsurgery to treat the damaged nerve.
Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy
If you undergo surgery, you will be advised to rest your hand for a few weeks. Numbness and tingling reduce slowly after the surgery and your hand should feel much better in a few weeks. Overall it takes between 6 months to a year for your peripheral neuropathy to heal completely. You may need to attend physical therapy to regain complete use of your hands and feet.
The doctors at our medical center are highly-experienced orthopedic surgeons and they are equipped to treat peripheral neuropathy. Give us a call today. | <urn:uuid:8168cc77-663b-483a-9a22-0dd82dea6db8> | CC-MAIN-2021-39 | https://handsurgerysf.com/services/nerve-injuries-neuropathy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-39/segments/1631780057403.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20210922223752-20210923013752-00015.warc.gz | en | 0.935253 | 927 | 3.34375 | 3 |
The world needs a decarbonised energy sector by the second half of the century. In many energy applications, the necessary technologies are available today, so the important next step is the development of enabling policy frameworks in place to scale up their deployment.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Environment Directorate
Behavioural insights can help policy makers obtain a deeper understanding of the behavioural mechanisms contributing to environmental problems, and design and implement more effective policy interventions.
This report estimates fossil fuel subsidies to be around USD 425 billion. Such subsidies represent the large lost opportunities for governments to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable development.
In recent years the circular economy has received increasing attention worldwide due to, inter alia, the recognition that security of supply of resources and environmental sustainability are crucial for the prosperity of countries and businesses.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Resources to Advance LEDS Implementation (RALI)
This paper aims to inform energy planners and investors about i) how climate change can affect power generation resources, particularly hydropower resources; and ii) an approach that can be taken to address climate change risks, both at the project and sector level, to improve power system resili
The new Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to end poverty and promote well-being and prosperity while safeguarding ecological systems of the planet by 2030, has placed a much-needed emphasis on energy access and gender equality, elevating them as stand-alone sustainable development go | <urn:uuid:87997e29-0130-4553-8ea1-7512705caa23> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.greengrowthknowledge.org/resources/browse/sector/27 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886133032.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20170824043524-20170824063524-00688.warc.gz | en | 0.905511 | 304 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Al Gore and his acolytes would have us believe that any warming of planet earth is due to the evil machinations of those of us in the West (primarily in the United States--the most evil of all nations) and that it is specifically the fault of SUVs, coal fired power plants and modern industry.
Interesting, then, that Yahoo News reports archaeologists have found several objects they say date back to about 4,000 BC about 9,000 feet above sea level in the Swiss Alps.
So far, 300 objects dating as far back as the Neolithic or New Stone Age -- about 4,000 BC in Europe -- to the later Bronze and Iron Ages and the Medieval era have been found in the site's former icefields.
But relative to the claims of Al Gore and his fellow anthropogenic global warming enthusiasts, consider this:
But it would never have emerged if climate change were not melting the nearby glacier.
Okay, so we have evil SUVs to thank for melting the ice and finding these treasures. So what?
They have allowed researchers not only to piece together snapshots of life way back when, but also to shed light on climate fluctuations in the past 6,500 years -- and hopefully shed light on what is happening now.
"For us, the site itself is the most important find because we have this correlation between climate change and archaeological objects," Hafner said.
"We know that people were only able to walk on this site when it was relatively warm," said Martin Grosjean, executive director of a national network called Swiss Climate Research. "When it was too cold, the glacier advanced and it was not a passable route."
Scientists have long known there were periods of warmer weather in the region but the artefacts allowed them to identify the exact years, when the site would have been passable on foot.
According to Grosjean, such data could help sharpen forecasts for the future by taking into account patterns of natural temperature fluctuation.
Hmmm. Natural temperature fluctuations. Not passable when it's cold, yet man-made tools were found there.
That must mean it was at least this warm several thousand years ago!
And according to the best archaeological data available to us, there were no SUVs or coal-fired power plants thousands of years ago.
This must mean that the climate was about this warm--if not warmer--several thousands of years ago. And that it was a natural phenomenon.
Wow! I can't wait to see what Al Gore thinks! He's going to be so surprised to find out he's been wrong all this time. | <urn:uuid:1698914b-97a4-4e07-b8e7-4d1064dfb85d> | CC-MAIN-2018-05 | http://www.dakotavoice.com/2008/09/archaological-find-global-warming.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-05/segments/1516084890947.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20180122014544-20180122034544-00343.warc.gz | en | 0.973192 | 539 | 2.671875 | 3 |
UN Warns of World Without Water
"Under current trends, future demands for water will not be met."
The world is on track to run out of water, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned.
He issued the message on Wednesday, the International Day for Biological Diversity, whose theme for 2013 is Water and Biodiversity.
"Although seemingly abundant, only a tiny amount of the water on our planet is easily available as freshwater. We live in an increasingly water insecure world where demand often outstrips supply and where water quality often fails to meet minimum standards. Under current trends, future demands for water will not be met," he said.
As the UN and others have noted, if current water consumption levels continue, by as soon as 2025 1.8 billion people will live in areas with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population may live under water stressed conditions.
To achieve water security, biodiversity is essential, the UN's message emphasized.
"Biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides are central to achieving the vision of a water secure world," the UN chief continued. "Ecosystems influence the local, regional and global availability and quality of water. Forests help regulate soil erosion and protect water quality and supply. Wetlands can reduce flood risks. Soil biodiversity helps maintain water for crops."
"Integrating nature-based solutions into urban planning can also help us build better water futures for cities, where water stresses may be especially acute given the rapid pace of urbanization," he said.
A report issued last year from the Defense Intelligence Agency also warned that the world's freshwater supplies would not keep pace with the rising global demand for water -- a situation that could soon bring water wars. | <urn:uuid:8ba01f8e-91a0-4f85-aade-b8545e6d963b> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://www.commondreams.org/news/2013/05/22/un-warns-world-without-water | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422115858171.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124161058-00001-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937137 | 356 | 3.359375 | 3 |
There’s a teacher shortage across the United States — but that’s not exactly news. The U.S. Department of Education maintains an annual list — state by state — showing the subject areas in which there are too few teachers going back to the 1990-91 school year. What’s new is the size of the shortage and the reasons for it.
The official nationwide Teacher Shortage Area list for 2015-16 year (you can see the list here or below) is not a list of job postings but a reference to where states and schools are potentially looking to hire administrators and teachers. And the comparisons within many states tells a disturbing story: growing teacher shortages in key subjects.
For example, in Arizona, in 1990-1991, fewer than 10 schools and no more than 15 districts were listed as having unspecified shortages. For 2015-16, statewide shortages in various disciplines are listed. For example, in middle schools, ESL and BLE teachers are needed, and foreign language, general science, math, reading, special education and art educators are in shortage supply. Then there are countywide geographic shortages, as well.
California, in 1990-91 and 1991-92 school years, had K-12 shortages in bilingual education, life science and physical science. In 2015-16, there are statewide shortages in English/Drama/Humanities, History/Social Science/ Math/Computer Education/ Science/Self-Contained Class/Special Education (including State Special schools).
But the fact that teacher shortages aren’t new doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Exactly how big the shortages are is not known; numbers are inexact, but officials in a number of states say they are concerned the shortages could be bigger than ever.
The reasons why this is happening are important. Teachers always come and go, but in recent years there are some new reasons for the turnover. Polls show that public school teachers today are more disillusioned about their jobs than they have been in many years. One 2013 poll found that teacher satisfaction had declined 23 percentage points since 2008, from 62 percent to 39 percent very satisfied, the lowest level in 25 years. Fifty-one percent of teachers reported feeling under great stress several days a week, an increase of 15 percentage points reporting that level in 1985.
I’ve written several posts about shortages in individual states, detailing how they are resulting amid school reform initiatives that have evaluated teachers by standardized test scores, and/or reduced collective bargaining rights, and/or forced teachers to administer a mountain of standardized tests to students and teach to the test, and/or suffered inadequate funding.
For example, teachers are fleeing Arizona in droves. From the post:
Over the last five years, thousands of teachers have left the state, according to a 2015 report by the Arizona Department of Education, with this past school year being possibly the worst. The report warns if teachers keep leaving, “students will not meet their full potential” and “Arizona will not be able to ensure economic prosperity for its citizens and create the workforce of tomorrow.” It calls for increased pay for teachers and more overall education funding in the state.
Why are so many teachers leaving? Educators say reasons include low pay, insufficient classroom resources, and so many testing requirements and teaching guidelines that they feel they have no flexibility and too little authentic instructional time.
The percentage of all teachers getting a teaching license — including veterans — fell by more than 50 percent from 2009-10 to 2013-14, and there was an 18.5 percent decline in the number of licenses issued to new teachers during the same period, according to Indiana Department of Education figures.
And, as the Greensburg Daily News reported in a story in early July, fewer students are enrolling in teacher preparation programs at Indiana universities….
What’s going on? Pretty much the same thing as in Arizona, Kansas and other states where teachers are fleeing: a combination of under-resourced schools, the loss of job protections, unfair teacher evaluation methods, an increase in the amount of mandated standardized testing and the loss of professional autonomy.
The teacher shortages are affecting many states around the nation, as noted in this piece by Carol Burris, who recently retired as an award-winning New York high school principal and who is now the executive director of the Network for Public Education Fund, a nonprofit that advocates for public education. This appeared on the NPE’s newsletter, which you can find here.
Carol Burris wrote:
New Mexico’s Rio Rancho School District lies just north of Albuquerque. When school opened, the district was still in desperate need of teachers. Students in 33 classrooms were met by a permanent substitute who in some cases had a bachelor’s degree, but no teaching certification of any kind.
Shortly before schools opened in Arizona, at least 1,000 teaching positions had yet to be filled. Some positions did not have even one applicant — choosing among the best candidates was not an option.
Nevada does not have enough teachers. If every graduate from Nevada’s teacher preparation programs were hired on the spot, the state still expected to be short. Clarke County alone anticipated having fewer than the whopping 2,600 teachers it needed to open school.
In Oklahoma, the shortage has reached emergency proportions as teachers flee like refugees across state lines to get jobs in better paying states. School officials have traveled to Puerto Rico and Spain to fill slots, especially in bilingual education.
The state of California has not been spared. Students in the Bay Area of San Francisco may find their teacher is a central office staffer, as schools scramble to put an adult in the classroom. Although the California shortage is most acute in the northern part of the state, some lawmakers are concerned that it is spreading from north to south.
These are a few of the recent stories that have appeared in local newspapers across the country. There are many more. Too many of our nation’s children do not have the qualified permanent teacher they deserve. There is no indication that the problem will be solved anytime soon, and every indication that it will get worse.
A recent story in The New York Times by Motoko Rich brought national attention to the problem. Rich described the extraordinary efforts districts are taking to put someone in the front of the classroom — ready and credentialed or not. She attributes the shortage to an improving economy — teachers were laid off during the recession and now when new positions are opening, there are job opportunities that are just more attractive to college graduates. There is some truth to the argument she makes.
But the economic upturn is only a part of the story.
Earlier this year, NPR also reported on the national teacher shortage. Correspondent Eric Westervelt’s identification of the cause went beyond the usual suspect — the economy. Noting the dramatic drop in enrollment in teacher education programs (a 74 percent drop in less than 10 years in California), he astutely attributed at least part of the problem to the way corporate reforms have impacted the profession.
Westervelt reported that the Common Core and its battles, high-stakes testing, the erosion of tenure, and the evaluation of teachers by test scores, have all contributed to the crisis.
This comes as no surprise to those inside the profession.
David Gamberg is the superintendent of the Greenport and Southold districts on Long Island’s east end. He has long worried that the politically hostile environment for teachers is contributing to the shortage we are seeing today. “I suspect that a range of issues conspire to exacerbate the problem. Certainly the ongoing, nationwide attack on teachers and unions is near or at the very top of the list of factors driving people away.”
What Gamberg suspects has evidence. There are frequent stories about public school teachers who are leaving the profession or taking early retirement because of the toll of working in a “test and punish” environment. A November 2014 National Education Association survey reported that nearly 50 percent of all teachers are considering leaving due to standardized testing. Of equal concern is how frequently educators are cautioning young adults about entering the profession.
Renowned author and teacher of literacy Nancie Atwell recently won the first annual $1 million Global Teacher Prize awarded by the Varkey Foundation. When she was asked by CNN whether she would advise others to become a public school teacher, her response was she would not. She said she would tell them to find a job in the private sector, or in an independent school instead. She spoke about how constricting both the Common Core and testing have made the profession. “If you’re a creative, smart young person, I don’t think this is the time to go into teaching unless an independent school would suit you,” she said.
Education Week reported on the story, which was followed by a poll. By nearly a 5 to 1 margin, respondents said that they would not recommend teaching as a profession. Considering that Education Week readers are by and large educational professionals, that response, combined with the NEA data, is a clear indicator of the stress felt within the profession from outside reforms.
If we are to turn this trend around, we need to act now to not only stop the attacks on teachers and tenure, but to stop evaluation systems designed to fire teachers based on metrics that no one understands. And we cannot forget that pay and working conditions matter. It should also come as no surprise that in states that pay teachers relatively well like New York State, the shortage does not yet exist. Even so, enrollment in teacher preparation programs in the Empire State dropped 22 percent in two years time. Many factors are contributing to the decline.
It is time for policymakers to step back and chart a different course. It makes no sense to cling to failed reforms. As school begins, students across the country are paying a hefty price.
How ironic it would be if the reforms based on the belief that three great teachers in a row are the key to student success, result in students not having certified teachers at all.
(Correction: A date was mistyped; it is now fixed)
Here’s the U.S. Education Departments teacher shortage list, state-by-state: | <urn:uuid:6d34526d-2b80-4125-8883-6380d3755f3e> | CC-MAIN-2017-39 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/08/24/the-real-reasons-behind-the-u-s-teacher-shortage/?utm_term=.73b8d32f2d35 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-39/segments/1505818689686.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20170923141947-20170923161947-00586.warc.gz | en | 0.972195 | 2,099 | 2.609375 | 3 |
What is interaction design?
Interaction design is essentially the art of truly putting the user (or user types) at the heart of a given design process. Historically, many products that require users to interact with them to carry out their tasks (e.g. buying a ticket online from a website, making a trade on a foreign exchange (FX) trading platform, photocopying an article, pre-recording a TV program) have not necessarily been designed with the users in mind. Typically, they have been engineered as systems to perform set functions. While they may work effectively from an engineering/development perspective, it is often at the expense of how the system will be used by real people, the systems end users.
Interaction design aims to redress this concern by bringing usability into the design process. In essence, it is about developing interactive products or services that deliver real value and at the same time are easy, effective, and enjoyable to use from the users? perspective.
Interaction designers tend to utilise core aspects of the UX toolkit of methodologies and skills such as personas and user journeys, usability best practice and UI design. As with many terms within the UX arena there is still plenty of crossover between the roles and different organisitions position the roles in different ways (see What is UX design for more on this).
See 'UX terminology' navigation (located below if viewing this page on your phone or tablet) for my perspective on other UX terminology.
Interested in learning more about UX?Receive my free UX insights & career guidance by email to help you on your journey:
Still got a question about UX? Please get in touch | <urn:uuid:7660a172-6bcc-4c15-ad06-9aa44fe725b3> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | http://userexperiencedesigner.co.uk/ux-terminology/what-is-interaction-design.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128321497.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20170627170831-20170627190831-00056.warc.gz | en | 0.947737 | 338 | 2.515625 | 3 |