Datasets:

ruliad

/

fineweb_edu_100BT_chunk_16

like 0

Follow

ruliad 9

What is locked in syndrome? - Professor Derick Wade of the Oxford Centre for Enablement The locked-in syndrome, which people worry about quite frequently, is very, very different. And once you’ve seen somebody in the locked-in syndrome you realize that actually the two will never be confused. Because the person is clearly responding all the time, very quickly, to what you do. They can virtually always have eye movements which they can control well. So if you say, “look right” they will immediately look right. Not after a delay, but immediately. If you say “blink your eyes” they will blink their eyes immediately. If you say “blink twice”, they will blink twice. Immediately. Also – and it’s rather less easy to explain but, they look as if they’re aware. Sometimes they will have minor facial movements and then you can see the beginnings of a smile, for example, if there’s a joke. As time goes on people who are locked in often have other movements which make it obvious. But if it is just the eyes that move the responses are really really quick. And you could even set up, you know, a mathematical puzzle and ask the person to give you the answer to a question by the number of blinks that they do and they will do it. So it’s a very different situation. They are completely aware. They can control their eyes –they can’t move much else – but you can see that they’re aware. Last reviewed December 2017.

<urn:uuid:9d2b3733-1635-412d-bc9f-fed61c289cdc>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://healthtalk.org/peoples-experiences/nerves-brain/family-experiences-vegetative-and-minimally-conscious-states/what-locked-syndrome

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

The key difference between homology and similarity in bioinformatics is that homology refers to a statement about common evolutionary ancestry of two sequences whilst similarity refers to the degree of likeness between two sequences. Bioinformatics is a field of science that combines biology, information engineering, computer science, mathematics and statistics to analyze and interpret biological data. Homology and similarity are two terms we use in the field of bioinformatics. We can easily calculate the similarity as a percentage of similar residues over a given length of the alignment. However, we cannot calculate homology since it could be true or false and usually depend on the hypothesis used. 1. Overview and Key Difference 2. What is Homology in Bioinformatics 3. What is Similarity in Bioinformatics 4. Similarities Between Homology and Similarity in Bioinformatics 5. Side by Side Comparison – Homology vs Similarity in Bioinformatics in Tabular Form What is Homology in Bioinformatics? Homology in bioinformatics refers to the biological homology between DNA, RNA and protein sequences which are defined in terms of shared ancestral properties in the evolutionary tree of life. In other words, it is the common evolutionary ancestry of two sequences. The reason for such occurrence could be either due to speciation events (orthologs), horizontal gene transfer events (xenologs) or duplication events (paralogs).

<urn:uuid:1b3610a5-7ef3-45e9-a467-d8074350b280>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.28ing.com/index.php/difference-between-homology-and-similarity-in-bioinformatics-homology-vs-similarity-in-bioinformatics/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Socrates’s mother was a midwife and he compared his own work as a philosopher with the work of his mother as a midwife. Schwegler writes of Socrates: “his office was rather to help others bring forth thoughts than to produce them himself” This is a perfect description of the role of a facilitator. By asking questions and creating space for participants to “bring forth” their ideas, participants can create their own data and in doing so, develop an understanding and level of commitment deeper than if they had been given the data by someone else (much in the same way, as Socrates observed from his mother’s work, we think our own children are more unique and amazing than anyone else’s). The process of facilitation is not always as easy as it appears and requires as much preparation as delivering a presentation or teaching. The facilitator needs to prepare a range of questions that will encourage exploration, the sharing of ideas and reflection. A good starting point is to develop open questions that invite participants to share their experience and views. This can then be followed up with more probing questions that are still open but a little more specific. Usually the final question is a closed reflective question, this helps participants clarify the point that has been reached and can be used by the facilitator to check out they have understood. Another quality of the facilitator is to understand the group dynamic. This involves being able to recognise, classify and respond to the behaviours and norms demonstrated by a group. A gender dynamic that you may need to address is how women and men generally behave in the learning environment. Without making stereotypes, it is a common experience that some men will take up more “air time” than some women and often men will take on responsibility for feeding back from group work etc. This is a group dynamic issue that both women and men create. As a facilitator, you need to be aware of this potential and ensure you do not collude with reinforcing a stereotype about the behaviours and contributions of men and women in groups. Effectively managing conflict and conflicting ideas is also a key component of facilitation. It is not necessary or desirable that people all agree, but it is important that participants can be respectful in asserting their differences. A part of the role of the facilitator is to maintain a respectful environment. We update our facilitation practises by researching, developing and innovating new tools, techniques and approaches. We are strongly committed to continuous professional development as this forms the basis for maintaining a leading edge to our work. The cornerstone of successful facilitation of events, workshops and team retreats relies upon careful design and preparation. This is based on good team working, open communication and the requisite skills of managing group dynamics, strong listening skills and structured questioning techniques. Schwegier A (1890) Handbook Of The History Of Philosophy (Kessinger Publishing’s Photocopy Edition) by Albert Schwegler, James H. Stirling (Translator) Publisher: Kessinger Publishing (Jul 2007) We perceive and approach training as a process. Building on the work of David Kolb, we design our learning events to build on the prior knowledge and experience of the participants and undertake a journey of exploration, testing and experimentation to arrive at new learning and conclusions. By using Kolb’s learning cycle as the basis for our design, we can also acknowledge and speak to the four different learning preferences that will be present in the training room and cater for both introverted and extroverted learners alike. This ensures that each person will find some comfort zone during the learning event. We believe that drawing on the experiences of adult learners demonstrates respect and helps to build a trusting environment where people are relaxed and not defensive and can bring their honest thoughts and ideas into the room without fear of ridicule or judgement. We believe learning should be fun, but not at the expense of meeting the objectives of the learning event or the ambitions of individual learners. There is no reason (apart from lack of preparation) for learning to be boing, or for people to be subjected to long PowerPoint presentations. We are able to offer a great deal of experience in designing and delivering both face to face and distance learning activities and events. Here is a list of some of the things we already have experience of delivering, the list is not exhaustive, but gives an idea of our range; Programmes vary between 0.5 days and up to ten days, often delivered in a modular format over a period of several months. Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning: experience as the source of learning and development, Englewood cliffs, prentice Hall Coaching is largely future oriented and helps the person recognise both the obstacles and options ahead of them. In turn this aims to support each person in making the choices and taking the actions to bring about their desired result. Some basic information about our coaching methods: To access one of our coaches please look through the coach profiles on the International Coaching Hub, this is not a “yellow pages” these are all coaches that we know and trust. We have worked, coached and trained with them and we are confident of their skills and abilities. If you see someone who might be a good coach for you, contact us at email@example.com and we can arrange an opportunity for the coach of your choice to give you a call so you can decide if they are the right coach for you. We look forward in supporting you! Enter the The International Coaching Hub Zophiel is a sister company to The Development Alchemists. Through this company we focus our efforts in the therapeutic world, providing: or email directly to discuss Paul Hughes DHP Dr. Ho Law There is the side to coaching which primarily deals with the clients whole nature, this is not do do with the mundane activities that we have to do or the stresses of conscious activities that we want to solve within a job or our relationships with others, this is about what lies within, surrounding and beyond the person. These elements are about what we essentially have become and what the person derives and aspires to. Ever had an experience that you cannot explain well, but are deeply connected to in some way? This is a clue to something that is important to your evolvement. In this type of coaching Transpersonal techniques are used so that the client can begin to surface this greater aspect of the Self. Once this starts to happen distinct and often quite remarkable things start to occur and the realisation of these things can be life changing. Transpersonal work is useful when people are trying to address patterns or issues which are not so obviously dealt with, it is a method which allows the person to grow in a sensitive yet deeply spiritual way. Once the term “Hypnosis” is mentioned many believe that it is about either stage entertainment, influencing people to do things that present the person in an embarrassing situation or something spooky that is used against their will. Neither of this happens in true Hypnotherapy. Hypnosis being used to support people’s well being is quite old, the ancient Greek sleep healing temple of Asklepios springs to mind here. The patient would clean and prepare themselves before their treatment by Asklepios in the Abaton. There he would whisper his intentions to them, based on their ailment or conditions. Later in history with a particular focus on Franz Mesmer, we can see that his initial belief in animal magnetism, magnetic fluid and the “natural tides” of the self opened an appreciation to the connectedness of the inner personality. However, as we recognise today, the success of his patients’ recovery was largely due to the environment he created, tools used, his h2 theatrical delivery and h2 personality that made him a successful healer. This supports the idea about the therapeutic relationship between therapist and client which is paramount to the client’s ability to self heal or recover. The power of suggestion can transform experience and helps the client be more open to clinical intervention. Hypnotic methodologies are now accepted as a way to modify behaviour and this is used to help the client to modify their thinking and restructure their beliefs which may trigger unwanted ways of behaving. There is also a significant amount of questioning from the therapist to the client to help the client surface their solutions, this questioning can be linked all the way back to Socratic and Aristotelian systems. The union of hypnotic and psychotherapy techniques seem to comfortably merge together well and can address a range of psychological and medical conditions. This multimodal approach has been celebrated as a model for flexibility and effectiveness. Hypnosis can greatly help when clients talk about a lack of meaning, unexplained anxiety or impending doom in their lives; hypno-psychotherapy provides us with a greater capacity to work with issues about dysfunction and diminished self-efficacy. It is interesting that the client has all the answers they need, the answers just need to reveal themselves from the sub-conscious to the conscious state. Why would Art be important in healing? Art, as Jung suggested, is the language of the Soul and this idea supports an approach by using art to help the client, this can be highly beneficial. Art therapy can be the act of making art which is therapeutic in itself, or it can be about using art in therapy; this can be producing art this can be producing art to reveal meaning or experiencing others art for discovery of personal meaning. This involves the therapist, alongside the client, questioning about made art by the client or observed responses to art that they interpret to elicit responses toward meaning. Art Therapy is these days used in conjunction with other techniques such as Person Centred, Gestalt and Narrative therapies. The significant reasons for us in using Art Therapy can support the client in being able to connect to and work with resolving emotional conflict, improved self-awareness, liberating creativity and to develop and further personal growth and evolvement. This is about being able to work with the client about specific concerns ; examples are stress, anxiety, loss and depression. This can often draw on the approaches mentioned above. Clients bring to us a variety of needs and concerns ; these, for example, can be the desire to lose weight – stop smoking – improve performance in sex, exams, relationships and sport, – remove the fear of other things and situations like spiders, closed spaces, from delivering speeches and presenting to audiences to fear of heights and many more, – reduce anxiety, – reducing being distracted – be able to control pain, – improve health and well being, such as IBS and panic attacks, and be able to cope with bereavement. In all of this Nat, as an active artist as well as his therapeutic responsibilities and practice shares some of his ideas, art and thoughts, which can be accessed on the following blog when the moment takes him: www.natcleggart.blogspot.it Bronwen was born in Nigeria and brought up in Senegal. She is an American citizen now living in Turin. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in both Political Science and International Studies from Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN, USA, and a MSc. in Management of Development from the Turin School of Development and the University of Turin, in Italy. Her lifetime of international travel has contributed to her knowledge of English, French, Italian and Portuguese and has strengthened her ability to communicate across cultures. She began her career working in communications and fundraising, gaining professional experience at the UNESCO offices in Dakar, Senegal and working with political think tanks, human rights organisations, and other NGOs. Later, she moved towards education both as a coordinator for student affairs, but also as a language teacher. After gaining her Master’s in policy, programme, and project cycle management, she was able to combine her teaching interests with policy analysis during her tenure at the International Training Centre of the ILO where she worked specifically on developing learning activities, workshops and training materials. Bronwen joined The Development Alchemists Ltd in 2014 where she delivers training, facilitation, and coaching to businesses and professionals in both English and Italian. Her work takes her across continents in the public, private and international sectors as she also continues to consult in policy, programme, and project development. Incorporated in 2015, The Development Alchemists – Africa, based in Gaborone, Botswana is our sister company. The Development Alchemists have worked in sub-Saharan Africa since 1997 and has a strong commitment to the region,. In Africa, we already developed projects in Botswana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe Our services in Africa include research, field research, design and delivery of mentoring, coaching, training of trainers, training of coaches and work-build learning, we also partnered with organizations such as the International Labour Organisation to deliver entrepreneurship and coaching entrepreneurship courses and trainings. The company also delivers courses that touch themes such as Fragile Settings, Entrepreneurship for Youth, Entrepreneurship Programmes for poor and disadvantage women, local development and south-south and triangular cooperation. Our team is made up of women and men from the region, but also have a wider International perspectives and experiences, always counting with all of our headquarters expertise. Our partners all bring their own experience to the field of development, many of them running their own businesses as well as supporting the development of new and growing businesses in the region. To find out more about The Development Alchemists Africa contact firstname.lastname@example.org We perceive and approach training as a process. Building on the work of David Kolb, we design our learning events… The important issue in coaching is for the client to know what they think they need. Often this is part of the initial process… Socrates’s mother was a midwife and he compared his own work as a philosopher with the work of his mother… We recognise how importance our minds are, we also provide a variety of services about wellbeing and positive functioning… Richard Lewis Communications: Cultural behaviour is the end product of millennia of collected wisdom, filtered and passed down through hundreds of generations and translated into hardened, core beliefs, values, notions and persistent action patterns. As such, a culture cannot be depicted satisfactorily at random or evaluated according to impressions or recent observations. The essential key to survival for a nation or cultural group.? Richard Lewis Communications, we have researched and analysed the national cultures of more than 100 countries and provide training in cross cultural competence. SME founded in the year 2004, within the Incubatore of the Politecnico di Torino, with the mission of encouraging the use of innovative technological solutions within learning processes. e-Mentor designs and implements knowledge-intensive solutions for the Education and Professional Training fields. We also partner with business schools and government institutions, both national and international, in order to design and develop e-learning and blended courses, as well as edutainment solutions, on topics such as entrepreneurship, idea development; social an organizational skills. Prior to choosing to become an independent consultant George worked in the Public Sector for 17 years. He has a direct and engaging style and is skilled in the design and delivery/facilitation of individual, team and group learning interventions for use at various levels of an organisation. George is qualified in Personnel Management, Training Management and holds and MA in Human Resource Management. He is a registered practitioner with the British Psychological Society and is qualified to administer, interpret and feedback Occupational Tests. ISTUD is an independent Business School that has a long history – more than 40 years – in the field of management education. It has an industrial heritage, it has been founded by companies and it belongs to companies: Angelini Group, Assolombarda, Chiesi Group, Elica Group, Ferrero Group, Generali Group, OMR, Sapio, Sea among the others. The main characteristic of ISTUD is to be focused on business and the real world issues with a customized and effective approach. ISTUD intends to be a new voice in the field of training and development for management, focussing its activities on the uniqueness. Morag is a Coach Facilitator and Trainer with a passion for helping individuals and teams discover their defining characteristics and make the most of their potential, promoting not just performance but fulfilment! She takes a systemic, intercultural approach to projects and enjoys helping people and organisations give their best , whilst promoting understanding and cooperation. Born in Scotland, educated in the UK and in Australia she is currently based in Italy and is bilingual. MaxWorth Associates Limited (MAL) is a Kenyan Management, Research and Training Consulting firm established in response to the growing human capital management and institutional development challenges faced by public and private sector organizations including Civil Society and SMEs. MaxWorth delivers value driven services to its clients through three divisions; Public Sector Reforms and Policy Advisory Division, Institutional Development and HR Advisory Services Division, and Training, Research and Capacity Building Division. Trainer and consultant in: Business Plans, Marketing, E-Marketing Mostafa has conducted professional training for many corporations and organizations including USAID and ILO projects.? He has a proven track record in assisting private sector companies attain growth in sales and profitability by providing: Marketing /E-Marketing strategies and plans––re-positioning company products or services – Restructuring and establishing marketing departments. Mostafa lives in Cairo, Egypt and is bi-lingual in Arabic and English. MesoVision Consultancy Limited is a multidisciplinary consultancy providing various premium services to the corporate as well as other clients. MesoVision has already served famous organizations like DHL, Chevron, Johnson Controls, CESCO, Moduspec, Yokogawa, Honeywell, Wagner CAT, Emerson and many more. MesoVision is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh and looking forward to expand in the region. In last three years MesoVision has achieved more than 1000% growth and growing consistently. For more information please visit MesoVision The Development Alchemists LTD VAT Number: 875 2598 75 Registration Number: 5425884 Priors Marston- United Kingdom 6 Priors Court Additional Correspondence Address Torino – Italia Strada Madonna della Scala, 10 Here are some documents for you: look out for regular updates! Nat was born in the UK and began his career in teaching and moved into the management of schools and working to build vibrant communities before joining The Development Alchemists in 2006. His work today takes him all over the world where he specialises in coaching and coaching psychology. Nat has worked at policy level in several countries helping governments develop their policies in relation to education and the transition from school to work. He has also worked with many United Nations Agencies, providing facilitation, training and coaching services. Nat provides training in leadership and management, change and transition and specialises in team building and team development, where he is able to use his creative talents to design enjoyable retreats for whole teams that want to improve their performance, relationships or service delivery. He has worked extensively across both public and private sectors and in a wide range of International settings. Having established his own business in the Creative Industries sector, Nat has worked with micro, small and medium enterprises owned by artists, musicians and writers in Egypt and across the SADEC region of Africa. Nat has a strong commitment to equality and works toward this by providing training in developing gender equality. Nat was responsible for the development of the EU/ILO toolkit on Breaking Gender Stereotypes, which is a practical guide for HR managers and enterprise owners to improve their businesses by making the most of the talent they already have within their enterprise and a part of the evaluation team for the GENIS Lab EU project addressing gender equality in the world of science and technology. Nat graduated with a distinction for his Masters in Coaching Psychology and is a qualified hypno – psychotherapist, he is now embarking on his PhD in Coaching Psychology. Lenni grew up between the UK and Cyprus and now lives in Italy. She has more than twenty years experience of facilitation, training organisational design and development. In the past, Lenni worked for the United Nations on a range of issues supporting the Secretary General’s Reform process. In particular, Lenni worked on leadership and capacity development for successful public-private partnerships. Lenni’s work within the private sector has spanned working with multinationals such as Xerox and Pirelli and the finance sector, to developing the capacity of small businesses, especially in developing and emerging economies. She has written and published programmes for small enterprise growth. She has also worked with the public sector, particularly in organisational development and leadership and performance management. Her background in Human Resource Management provides the basis for designing and delivering training in many of the so-called “soft skills” such as leading change negotiation skills, conflict resolution, and effective communication. Lenni has always taken an interest in equality and diversity training, which lead to her work in multi and cross-cultural competences. Her International experience is extensive; Lenni has worked in more than 30 countries and with more than 170 nationalities. Lenni became an associate partner of Richard Lewis Communications and is licensed to teach the Lewis model of cross-cultural competence. Paul Hughes DHP A client in Wallingford once asked Paul: ”don’t therapists get tired of hearing about other people’s problems?” Paul replied, “I don’t feel like that at all because I don’t see my clients as people with problems, unable to cope. I see people and their qualities.” There are lots of people in who had hypnotherapy in Reading, Oxford, Didcot, Thame or Wallingford and who now feel happier about themselves and their lives as a result. Dr. Ho Law Ho has more than 25 years experience in the UK central government and private practice. He is highly energetic, creative, analytical and passionate about his work. Ho is director of Empsy® , a leading social enterprise in empowerment psychology offering the highest quality services in psychology, coaching, consulting and training to individuals, organisations and communities with ethics of social and environmental responsibility. Open Mind Therapy Jenny is a Transpersonal Therapist, Intuitive Coach and Personal Development Mentor, Trainer, Author, Speaker and Buddhist of 30 years. Her style is insightful, intuitive, authentic and challenging, inspiring therapists to become leaders of authenticity. After graduating from his first degree in Biomedical Science, Mike progressed with an MA in Religious Experience, his thesis centred on Spiritual Experiences in Western Esotericism. Mike’s interests urged him further to study and complete a PGDip in Consciousness & Transpersonal Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University. Mike loves writing and has had several papers and reviews published in the Journal for the Study of Spirituality, the Journal of Near-Death Studies, Paranthropology, the Journal of Exceptional Experiences & Psychology, De Numine, and by the Religious Experience Research Centre. He is a member of the AHSSSE, the BPS Transpersonal Section, the Association for Transpersonal Psychology, and the International Association for Religious Freedom.

<urn:uuid:291e7937-1ab5-465c-a91b-7951e7101380>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.development-alchemists.com/page/2/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Beryciformes (Sawbellies) > Holocentridae (Squirrelfishes, soldierfishes) > Holocentrinae Etymology: Holocentrus: Greek, holos = full + Greek, kentron = sting (Ref. 45335). Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 32 m (Ref. 3724). Tropical; 36°N - 28°S, 98°W - 31°W Western Atlantic: Bermuda and southern Florida, USA to northern South America and Brazil; throughout the West Indies (Ref. 3724). Antilles, northwestern Gulf of Mexico, Yucatan to Colombia (Ref. 26938). Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age Maturity: Lm 13.5  range ? - ? cm Max length : 35.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); common length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217) soft rays: 9 - 11. Conspicuous white spot behind tip of each dorsal spine (Ref. 26938). Body slender. Upper jaw extending posteriorly to middle of pupil (Ref. 37108). Body bright red or red striped, sometimes blotched (Ref. 7251). Similar in color to H. ascensionis, but each interspinous membrane of dorsal fin with a white spot near margin (Ref. 13442). Nocturnal (Ref. 37108), inhabits clear reefs (Ref. 5217). Found near mouths of caves and holes (Ref. 26938); at night they usually move to sandy areas and grass beds to feed on crabs, shrimps, gastropods and brittle stars (Ref. 3724). Marketed fresh but not popular as a food fish (Ref. 5217). Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251) IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 119314) CITES (Ref. 115941) Threat to humans Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303) Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion Estimates of some properties based on models Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969 ): 23.9 - 28.1, mean 27.3 (based on 817 cells). Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high]. Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01148 (0.00693 - 0.01903), b=2.89 (2.75 - 3.03), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245 Trophic Level (Ref. 69278 ): 3.5 ±0.4 se; Based on diet studies. Resilience (Ref. 69278 ): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.9). Vulnerability (Ref. 59153 ): Low vulnerability (19 of 100) .

<urn:uuid:d4479f46-b45d-4951-86b8-8690ce74367f>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.fishbase.org/summary/1062

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

How Fast Can Stars Spin? Objects With Extreme Rotation Stars can spin faster or slower than the Sun. What’s the fastest that’s ever been discovered, and what’s the fastest speed you can have before they tear themselves apart? Support us at: More stories at: Follow us on Twitter: @universetoday Follow us on Tumblr: Like us on Facebook: Team: Fraser Cain – @fcain Jason Harmer – @jasoncharmer Chad Weber – [email protected] Created by: Fraser Cain and Jason Harmer Edited by: Chad Weber Music: Left Spine Down – “X-Ray” Everything in the Universe is spinning. Spinning planets and their spinning moons orbit around spinning stars, which orbit spinning galaxies. It’s spinning all the way down. Consider that fiery ball in the sky, the Sun. Like all stars, our Sun rotates on its axis. You can’t tell because staring at the Sun long enough will permanently damage your eyeballs. Instead you can use a special purpose solar telescope to observe sunspots and other features on the surface of the Sun. And if you track their movements, you’ll see that the Sun’s equator takes 24.47 days to turn once on its axis. Unlike its slower poles which take 26.24 days to turn. The Sun isn’t a solid ball of rock, it’s a sphere of hot plasma, so the different regions can complete their rotation at different rates. But it rotates so slowly that it’s an almost perfect sphere. If you were standing on the surface of the Sun, which you can’t, of course, you would be whipping around at 7,000 km/h. That sounds fast, but just you wait. How does that compare to other stars, and what’s the fastest that a star can spin? A much faster spinning star is Achenar, the tenth brightest star in the sky, located 139 light-years away in the constellation of Eridanus. It has about 7 times the mass of the Sun, but it spins once on its axis every 2 days. If you could see Achenar up close, it would look like a flattened ball. If you measured it from pole to pole, it would be 7.6 Suns across, but if you measured across the equator, it would be 11.6 Suns across. If you were standing on the surface of Achenar, you’d be hurtling through space at 900,000 km/h. The very fastest spinning star we know of is the 25 solar mass VFTS 102, located about 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud’s Tarantula Nebula – a factory for massive stars. If you were standing on the surface of VFTS 102, you’d be moving at 2 million km/h. In fact, VFTS 102 is spinning so quickly, it can just barely keep itself together. Any faster, and the outward centripetal force would overcome the gravity holding its guts in, and it would tear itself apart. Perhaps that’s why we don’t see any spinning faster; because they couldn’t handle the speed. It appears that this is the fastest that stars can spin. One other interesting note about VFTS 102 is that it’s also hurtling through space much faster than the stars around it. Astronomers think it was once in a binary system with a partner that detonated as a supernova, releasing it into space like a catapult. Not only stars can spin. Dead stars can spin too, and they take this to a whole other level. Neutron stars are what you get when a star with much more mass than the Sun detonates as a supernova. Suddenly you’ve got a stellar remnant with twice the mass of the Sun compressed down into a tiny ball about 20 km across. All that angular momentum of the star is retained, and so the neutron star spins at an enormous speed. The fastest neutron star ever recorded spins around 700 times a second. We know it’s turning this quickly because it’s blasting out beams of radiation that sweep towards us like an insane lighthouse. This, of course, is a pulsar, and we did a whole episode on them. A regular star would be torn apart, but neutron stars have such intense gravity, they can rotate this quickly. Over time, the radiation streaming from the neutron star strips away its angular momentum, and it slows down. Black holes can spin even faster than that. In fact, when a black hole is actively feeding from a binary companion, or a supermassive black hole is gobbling up stars, it can rotate at nearly the speed of light. The laws of physics prevent anything in the Universe spinning faster than the speed of light, and black holes go right up to the edge of the law without breaking it. Astronomers recently found a supermassive black hole spinning up to 87% the maximum speed permitted by relativity. If you were hoping there are antimatter lurking out there, hoarding all that precious future energy, I’m sorry to say, but astronomers have looked and they haven’t found it. Just like the socks in your dryer, we may never discover where it all went.

<urn:uuid:e5171b7a-19cd-42ca-8b56-d4fd147a32f1>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.hotstream.org/5873/how-fast-can-stars-spin-objects-with-extreme-rotation/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

In this level our background information is: This time Network Security sam has saved the unencrypted level7 password in an obscurely named file saved in this very directory.In other unrelated news, Sam has set up a script that returns the output from the UNIX cal command. Here is the script:Enter the year you wish to view and hit ‘view’. This is a fun little level it shows how you can inject unix commands into poorly written perl scripts. What Sam has done is created an obscurely name php script that holds an unencrypted password. Sam is showing off his talent by creating a calendar program written in perl. When used correctly the perl script returns a calendar for the year you type in the text box. Hint: You will need more than one UNIX command to pass this level. Think about how you will enter more than one command and which commands you will need to use to list the files. You will need to change directories and list the files.

<urn:uuid:5909e383-da73-4b7b-bd85-4c2e5bb8b41b>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.patricktalmadge.com/2006/12/05/hackthissiteorg-basic-web-level-7/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Most of the knowledge we have about Earth’s deep interior comes from the fact that seismic waves penetrate the Earth and are recorded on the other side. Earthquake ray paths and arrival times are more complex than illustrated in the animations, because velocity in the Earth does not simply increase with depth. Velocities generally increase downward, according to Snell’s Law, bending rays away from the vertical between layers on their downward journey; velocity generally decreases upward in layers, so that rays bend toward the vertical as they travel out of the Earth . Snell’s Law also dictates that rays bend abruptly inward at the mantle/outercore boundary (sharp velocity decrease in the liquid) and outward at the outer core/inner core boundary (sharp velocity increase). Major Points to remember about P S and Love waves - P wave or primary wave. This is the fastest kind of seismic wave, and, consequently, the first to ‘arrive’ at a seismic station. - The P wave can move through solid rock and fluids, like water or the liquid layers of the earth. - P waves are also known as compressional waves. - S waveor secondary wave, which is the second wave you feel in an earthquake. An S wave is slower than a P wave and can only move through solid rock, not through any liquid medium. - Travelling only through the crust, surface wavesare of a lower frequency than body waves, and are easily distinguished on a seismogram as a result. The Crust of Earth It is the outermost and the thinnest layer of the earth’s surface, about 8 to 40 km thick. The crust varies greatly in thicknessand composition – as small as 5 km thick in some places beneath the oceans, while under some mountain ranges it extendsup to 70 km in depth. The crust is made up of two layers an upper lighter layer called the Sial (Silicate + Aluminium) and a lower density layer called Sima (Silicate + Magnesium).The average density of this layer is 3 gm/cc. The Mantle of Earth This layer extends up to a depth of 2900 km. Mantle is made up of 2 parts: Upper Mantle or Asthenosphere (up to about 500 km) and Lower Mantle. Asthenosphere is in a semimolten plastic state, and it is thought that this enables the lithosphere to move about it. Within the asthenosphere, the velocity of seismic waves is considerably reduced (Called ‘Low Velocity The line of separation between the mantle and the crust is known as Mohoviricic Discontinuity. The Core of Earth Beyond a depth of 2900 km lies the core of the earth.The outer core is 2100 km thick and is in molten form due to excessive heat out there. Inner core is 1370 km thick and is in plasticform due to the combined factors of excessive heat and pressure. It is made up of iron and nickel (Nife) and is responsible for earth’s magnetism. This layer has the maximum specific gravity.The temperatures in the earth’s core lie between 2200°c and 2750°c. The line of separation between the mantle and the core is called GutenbergWiechert Discontinuity. The interaction of matter and temperature generates these forces or movements inside the earth’s crust. The earth movements are mainly of two types: diastrophism and the sudden movements. The energy emanating from within the earth is the main force behind endogenic geomorphic processes. This energy is mostly generated by radioactivity, rotational and tidal friction and primordial heat from the origin of the earth. This energy due to geothermal gradients and heat flow from within induces diastrophism and volcanism in the lithosphere. Diastrophism is the general term applied to slow bending, folding, warping and fracturing. Wrap == make or become bent or twisted out of shape, typically from the action of heat or damp; make abnormal; distort. All processes that move, elevate or build up portions of the earth’s crust come under diastrophism. They include: orogenic processes involving mountain building through severe folding and affecting long and narrow belts of the earth’s crust; epeirogenic processes involving uplift or warping of large parts of the earth’s crust; earthquakes involving local relatively minor movements; plate tectonics involving horizontal movements of crustal plates. In the process of orogeny, the crust is severely deformed into folds. Due to epeirogeny, there may be simple deformation. Orogeny is a mountain building process whereas epeirogeny is continental building process. Through the processes of orogeny, epeirogeny, earthquakes and plate tectonics, there can be faulting and fracturing of the crust. All these processes cause pressure, volume and temperature (PVT) changes which in turn induce metamorphism of rocks. Epeirogenic or continent forming movements In geology, Epeirogenic movement refers to upheavals or depressions of land exhibiting long wavelengths [undulations] and little folding. The broad central parts of continents are called cratons, and are subject to epeirogeny. The movement is caused by a set of forces acting along an Earth radius, such as those contributing to Isostacy and Faulting in the lithosphere Epeirogenic or continent forming movements act along the radius of the earth; therefore, they are also called radial movements. Their direction may be towards (subsidence) or away (uplift) from the center. The results of such movements may be clearly defined in the relief. Raised beaches, elevated wave-cut terraces, sea caves and fossiliferous beds above sea level are evidences of uplift. Raised beaches, some of them elevated as much as 15 m to 30 m above the present sea level, occur at several places along the Kathiawar, Nellore, and Thirunelveli coasts. Several places which were on the sea some centuries ago are now a few miles inland. For example, Coringa near the mouth of the Godavari, Kaveripattinam in the Kaveri delta and Korkai on the coast of Thirunelveli, were all flourishing sea ports about 1,000 to 2,000 years ago. Epeirogenic movement – uplift Submerged forests and valleys as well as buildings are evidences of subsidence. In 1819, a part of the Rann of Kachchh was submerged as a result of an earthquake. Presence of peat and lignite beds below the sea level in Thirunelveli and the Sunderbans is an example of subsidence. The Andamans and Nicobars have been isolated from the Arakan coast by submergence of the intervening land. Epeirogenic movement – subsidence – arakan yomaEpeirogenic movement – subsidence – arakan yoma On the east side of Bombay island, trees have been found embedded in mud about 4 m below low water mark. A similar submerged forest has also been noticed on the Thirunelveli coast in Tamil Nadu. A large part of the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait is very shallow and has been submerged in geologically recent times. A part of the former town of Mahabalipuram near Chennai (Madras) is submerged in the sea. Orogenic or the mountain-forming movements Orogenic or the mountain-forming movements act tangentially to the earth surface, as in plate tectonics. Tensions produces fissures (since this type of force acts away from a point in two directions) and compression produces folds (because this type of force acts towards a point from two or more directions). In the landforms so produced, the structurally identifiable units are difficult to recognise. In general, diastrophic forces which have uplifted lands have predominated over forces which have lowered them. Orogenic- mountain-forming movements These movements cause considerable deformation over a short span of time, and may be of two types. It occurs when the surplus accumulated stress in rocks in the earth’s interior is relieved through the weak zones over the earth’s surface in form of kinetic energy of wave motion causing vibrations (at times devastating) on the earth’s surface. Such movements may result in uplift in coastal areas. An earthquake in Chile (1822) caused a one-metre uplift in coastal areas. An earthquake in New Zealand (1885) caused an uplift of upto 3 metres in some areas while some areas in Japan (1891) subsided by 6 metres after an earthquake. Earthquakes may cause change in contours, change in river courses, ‘tsunamis’ (seismic waves created in sea by an earthquake, as they are called in Japan) which may cause shoreline changes, spectacular glacial surges (as in Alaska), landslides, soil creeps, mass wasting etc. Volcanism includes the movement of molten rock (magma) onto or toward the earth’s surface and also formation of many intrusive and extrusive volcanic forms. A volcano is formed when the molten magma in the earth’s interior escapes through the crust by vents and fissures in the crust, accompanied by steam, gases (hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, carbon dioxide) and pyroclastic material. Depending on chemical composition and viscosity of the lava, a volcano may take various forms. Pyroclastic adjective of or denoting rock fragments or ash erupted by a volcano, especially as a hot, dense, destructive flow. The continental drift theory is the theory that once all the continents were joined in a super-continent, which scientists call Pangaea. Over a vast period of time, the continents drifted apart to their current locations. Alfred Wegener first supported continental drift. Wegener’s explanation of continental drift in 1912 was that drifting occurred because of the earth’s rotation.Fossil records from separate continents, particularly on the outskirts of continents show the same species. Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Theory of seafloor spreading was proposed by Harry Hess. Paleomagnetism is the study of the record of the Earth’s magnetic field in rocks, sediment, or archeological materials. Certain minerals in rocks lock-in a record of the direction and intensity of the magnetic field when they form. Rocks when heated above currie point records the magnetic fields direction and preserve it for millions of years. Plates are composed oflithosphere, about 100 km thick,that “float” on the ductile asthenosphere. While the continents do indeed appear to drift, they do so only because they are part of larger plates that float and move horizontally on the upper mantle asthenosphere. The plates behave as rigid bodies with some ability to flex, but deformation occurs mainly along the boundaries between plates. The plate boundaries can be identified because they are zones along which earthquakes occur.Plate interiors have much fewer earthquakes. There are three types of plate boundaries: - Divergent Plate boundaries, where plates move away from each other. - Convergent Plate Boundaries, where plates move toward each other. - Transform Plate Boundaries, where plates slide past one another. Divergent Plate Boundaries These are oceanic ridges where new oceanic lithosphere is created by upwelling mantle that melts, resulting in basaltic magmas which intrude and erupt at the oceanic ridge to create new oceanic lithosphere and crust. As new oceanic lithosphere is created, it is pushed aside in opposite directions. Thus, the age of the oceanic crust becomes progressively older in both directions away from the ridge. Because oceanic lithosphere may get subducted, the age of the ocean basins is relatively young. The oldest oceanic crust occurs farthest away from a ridge. In the Atlantic Ocean, the oldest oceanic crust occurs next to the North American and African continents and is about 160 million years old (Jurassic) . In the Pacific Ocean, the oldest crust is also Jurassic in age, and occurs off the coast of Japan. Because the oceanic ridges are areas of young crust, there is very little sediment accumulation on the ridges. Sediment thickness increases in both directions away of the ridge, and is thickest where the oceanic crust is the oldest. Knowing the age of the crust and the distance from the ridge, the relative velocity of the plates can be determined. Relative plate velocities vary both for individual plates and for differentplates. Sea floor topography is controlled by the age of the oceanic lithosphere and the rate of spreading. If the spreading rate (relative velocity) is high, magma must be rising rapidly and the lithosphere is relatively hot beneath the ridge. Thus for fast spreading centers the ridge stands at higher elevations than for slow spreading centers. The rift valley at fast spreading centers is narrower than at slow spreading centers. As oceanic lithosphere moves away from the ridge, it cools and sinks deeper into the asthenosphere. Thus, the depth to the sea floor increases with increasing age away from the ridge. Convergent Plate Boundaries When a plate of dense oceanic lithosphere moving in one direction collides with a plate moving in the opposite direction, one of the plates subducts beneath the other. Where this occurs an oceanic trench forms on the sea floor and the sinking plate becomes a subduction zone. The Wadati-Benioff Zone, a zone of earthquakes located along the subduction zone, identifies a subduction zone. The earthquakes may extend down to depths of 700 km before the subducting plate heats up and loses its ability to deform in a brittle fashion. As the oceanic plate subducts, it begins to heat up causing the release water of water into the overlying mantle asthenosphere. The water reduces the melting temperature and results in the production of magmas. These magmas rise to the surface and create a volcanic arc parallel to the trench. If the subduction occurs beneath oceanic lithosphere, an island arc is produced at the surface (such as the Japanese islands, the AleutianIslands, the Philippine islands, orthe Caribbean islands Transform Plate Boundaries Where lithospheric plates slide past one another in a horizontal manner, a transform fault is created. Earthquakes along such transform faults are shallow focus earthquakes. Most transform faults occur where oceanic ridges are offset on the sea floor. Such offset occurs because spreading takes place on the spherical surface of the Earth, and some parts of a plate must be moving at a higher relative velocity than other parts One of the largest such transform boundaries occurs along the boundary of the North American and Pacific plates and is known as the San Andreas Fault. Here the transform fault cuts through continental lithosphere Triple Junctions occur at points where thee plates meet. Areas where rising plumes of hot mantle reach the surface, usually at locations far removed from plate boundaries are called hot spots. Because plates move relative to the underlying mantle, hot spots beneath oceanic lithosphere produce a chain of volcanoes. A volcano is active while it is over the vicinity of the hot spot, but eventually plate motion results in the volcano moving away from the plume and the volcano becomes extinct and begins to erode. Because the Pacific Plate is one of the faster moving plates, this type of volcanism produces linear chains of islands and seamounts, such as the - Hawaiian – Emperor chain, the Line - Islands, the Marshall-Ellice Islands, - and the Austral seamount chainTypes of Mountains – Classification of Mountains - APPSC GROUP 1 Mains Tests and Notes Program - APPSC GROUP 1 Prelims Exam - Test Series and Notes Program - APPSC GROUP 1 Prelims and Mains Tests Series and Notes Program - APPSC GROUP 1 Detailed Complete Prelims Notes

<urn:uuid:67375fc6-ae3d-4ea3-bdbd-13e7e44bb513>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://andhrapradesh.pscnotes.com/prelims-notes/world-geography/broad-physical-features/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

This is the first of what may be a couple, several, or perhaps many entries which quote, in toto, an article from the Catholic Encyclopedia and then offer my own discussion by way of annotation. Obviously this discussion will tend to be quite critical, since the biblical and the Catholic positions tend to differ quite markedly. Catholic doctrine is frequently demonstrably irrational and at odds with clear scriptural teaching, and so harsh criticism is warranted. This entry is on free will. As with most humanistic thought, the assumption of man’s freedom is the cornerstone of most other doctrinal errors and inventions. For this reason, it is worth devoting some considerable time toward discussing it in detail; once refuted it becomes trivial to refute many other doctrines, since they stand or fall on the truth of this one. The Catholic Encyclopedia begins— The question of free will, moral liberty, or the liberum arbitrium of the Schoolmen, ranks amongst the three or four most important philosophical problems of all time. It ramifies into ethics, theology, metaphysics, and psychology. The view adopted in response to it will determine a man’s position in regard to the most momentous issues that present themselves to the human mind. On the one hand, does man possess genuine moral freedom, power of real choice, true ability to determine the course of his thoughts and volitions, to decide which motives shall prevail within his mind, to modify and mould his own character? Or, on the other, are man’s thoughts and volitions, his character and external actions, all merely the inevitable outcome of his circumstances? Are they all inexorably predetermined in every detail along rigid lines by events of the past, over which he himself has had no sort of control? This is the real import of the free-will problem. This introduction appears more concerned with the implications of philosophical naturalism than with the claims of Calvinism. Naturalism asserts that man is a purely physical creature, whose thoughts and actions are produced by various physical interactions in his brain. Since all these interactions are entirely subject to and governed by the inexorable laws of physics, it is an accurate representation to say that naturalism teaches that our character and actions are the inevitable outcome of circumstances over which we have no control. That said, however, it seems likely that Catholics would bring similar charges against the proponent of total divine sovereignty, by merit of the fact that, in the most ultimate metaphysical sense, it is really quite accurate to represent our situation as being one wherein “man’s thoughts and volitions, his character and external actions, [are] all […] inexorably predetermined in every detail along rigid lines”—not by events in his past, but by God himself. Having acknowledged this, however, we should also consider the representation of the Catholic position, as one in which man possesses “genuine moral freedom, power of real choice, true ability to determine the course of his thoughts and volitions,” and so on. I draw attention to this description not to critique it just yet, but rather to observe that it is creating something of a false dilemma. Although we should deny that man, without faith, has genuine moral freedom in the sense of being able to choose good or evil—for anything which does not proceed from faith is sin (Rom 14:23)—we nonetheless affirm that he has power of real choice, true ability to determine the course of his thoughts and volitions, to decide which motives shall prevail within his mind, and to modify and mold his own character. These things are self-evidently powers which we have; that is not in question. The introduction above seeks to establish a direct contradiction between these things and predetermination. But the contradiction is invalid because predetermination is a totally separate metaphysical issue to human agency. The first deals with the ultimate, primary cause of the second. Thus, to set them against each other merely causes confusion and results in arguing against a strawman, because they are in two different categories. To treat them as being in the same category is pointless and wrong. One is a matter of primary causes; the other is a matter of secondary causes. To say that we have moral agency says nothing at all about whether our thoughts and actions are predetermined; and to say that our thoughts and actions are predetermined says nothing at all about our moral agency. This is a crucial point, and so it is disappointing to see equivocation between these two things even in the introduction to this article. Such equivocation suggests that further discussion in the body of the article will make the same category error, and thus be misdirected against an incoherent position which ought not to be held. I will discuss primary versus secondary causation, and the various implications thereof, in greater detail as I critique the rest of this article. RELATION OF THE QUESTION TO DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY (1) Ethically, the issue vitally affects the meaning of most of our fundamental moral terms and ideas. Responsibility, merit, duty, remorse, justice, and the like, will have a totally different significance for one who believes that all man’s acts are in the last resort completely determined by agencies beyond his power, from that which these terms bear for the man who believes that each human being possessed of reason can by his own free will determine his deliberate volitions and so exercise a real command over his thoughts, his deeds, and the formation of his character. If we assume, for now, that perhaps this is so, how can we test these claims when no justification or even elucidation is given for them? Why, and in what way, will responsibility, merit, duty, remorse, justice, and the like have totally different significance if man’s acts are predetermined by agencies beyond his power (I will assume we mean God here, rather than physical laws, since naturalism is accepted by neither Catholics nor other Christians)? More importantly, what does the term free will used here mean? Again, predetermination does not exclude man from exercising a real command over his thoughts and actions, because predetermination is in a different metaphysical category to man’s agency. For example, my decision and subsequent action to eat chocolate instead of cheese was clearly performed by myself. God did not perform it for me. It was my decision and my action, because I performed each. However, this says nothing about the ultimate cause of these things. If the whole universe is upheld by God (Heb 1:3), and I live and move and have my being in him (Acts 17:28), then most certainly I can do nothing of my own power, for I have none at all apart from him. And if I have no power of my own, then that which I do must occur by his power. Thus, any action on my own part, though it is performed by me, must be caused by an active will of God in the most ultimate sense. It cannot be that I merely procure God’s power without his actually doing anything, because that would first require a power (of procurement) on my own part—but I have no power apart from God! God, being non-contingent and self-existent, is primary. I, being contingent and dependent upon him for my continual existence in every moment, am secondary. My secondary actions are mine in a secondary sense; but they are still caused, in the primary sense, by God himself. Confusion only starts to arise when the primary and the secondary senses are mixed together as if they were the same thing. The implication in the passage above is that free will is the ability of man to determine his deliberate volitions—but, as I have just explained, man is quite able to determine these despite God’s causative, determinative, and inexorable action. In other words, if predetermination is merely God’s foreknowledge of what he will do, and if what he will do is to cause certain human actions, then predetermined actions can nonetheless be volitional and deliberate; and so what relevance has free will, which has not yet even been defined? Free will has been implied to hinge upon the ability of man to determine his deliberate volitions, and this seemed to constitute a definition of sorts—but I have shown that this is invalid, and so it remains undefined by the article. It seems very strange to talk about something so complicated without defining it first. (2) Theology studies the questions of the existence, nature and attributes of God, and His relations with man. The reconciliation of God’s fore-knowledge and universal providential government of the world with the contingency of human action, as well as the harmonizing of the efficacy of supernatural grace with the free natural power of the creature, has been amongst the most arduous labours of the theological student from the days of St. Augustine down to the present time. It seems I can only reiterate what I have said above—no reconciliation is needed between God’s foreknowledge and providential government, and the contingency of human action. Human actions are providentially governed, certainly, but so what? They are still volitional and deliberate on the part of the people making them. Once again, the “free natural power of the creature” has been presupposed, though not explained or defined, and is said to be in some way difficult to reconcile with God’s sovereignty (no doubt it is, in fact, impossible to reconcile). But no explanation of the problem is forthcoming, and so what critique can be offered of it? (3) Causality, change, movement, the beginning of existence, are notions which lie at the very heart of metaphysics. The conception of the human will as a free cause involves them all. Where did the concept of human will as a free cause originate? What is a “free cause”, in the context of theological discussion? Presumably, what is meant is a cause which is not itself an effect—a cause which is entirely non-contingent upon other causes; and thus, presumably, we are speaking of freedom from God. I would agree that the conception of the human will as a free cause involves causality, change, movement, origin, and other eminently metaphysical topics—but until further elaboration is given as to the actual nature and meaning of free will, it is difficult to say anything about it except that it appears to be quite in conflict with everything revealed and understood about these areas of knowledge. (4) Again, the analysis of voluntary action and the investigation of its peculiar features are the special functions of Psychology. Indeed, the nature of the process of volition and of all forms of appetitive or conative activity is a topic that has absorbed a constantly increasing space in psychological literature during the past fifty years. Appetitive volitions are those governed by instinct, as opposed to conative ones which are more purposeful inclinations. I am skeptical of the relevance of psychology, here, however—at least inasmuch as it implies secular psychology, which is a field governed by naturalistic assumptions and humanistic theories entirely opposed to biblical views. To which psychological literature is this referring? (5) Finally, the rapid growth of sundry branches of modern science, such as physics, biology, sociology, and the systematization of moral statistics, has made the doctrine of free will a topic of the most keen interest in many departments of more positive knowledge. Modern science, as I have covered in The Wisdom Of God, is encumbered by numerous metaphysical and epistemological errors and problems. (Until it becomes available online, please refer to the series of articles on which The Wisdom Of God is based, linked in the sidebar—particularly On Science.) A view of science as a process of knowledge-acquisition, rather than as an operational tool, is simply false and irrational. To refer to the various fields of scientific endeavor as departments of positive knowledge is thus highly inaccurate at best, and suggests an unfortunate and flawed approach to this area of study. Free Will in Ancient Philosophy The question of free will does not seem to have presented itself very clearly to the early Greek philosophers. Some historians have held that the Pythagoreans must have allotted a certain degree of moral freedom to man, from their recognition of man’s responsibility for sin with consequent retribution experienced in the course of the transmigration of souls. The Eleatics adhered to a pantheistic monism, in which they emphasized the immutability of one eternal unchangeable principle so as to leave no room for freedom. Democritus also taught that all events occur by necessity, and the Greek atomists generally, like their modern representatives, advocated a mechanical theory of the universe, which excluded all contingency. With Socrates, the moral aspect of all philosophical problems became prominent, yet his identification of all virtue with knowledge and his intense personal conviction that it is impossible deliberately to do what one clearly perceives to be wrong, led him to hold that the good, being identical with the true, imposes itself irresistibly on the will as on the intellect, when distinctly apprehended. Every man necessarily wills his greatest good, and his actions are merely means to this end. He who commits evil does so out of ignorance as to the right means to the true good. Plato held in the main the same view. Virtue is the determination of the will by the knowledge of the good; it is true freedom. The wicked man is ignorant and a slave. Sometimes, however, Plato seems to suppose that the soul possessed genuine free choice in a previous life, which there decided its future destiny. Aristotle disagrees with both Plato and Socrates, at least in part. He appeals to experience. Men can act against the knowledge of the true good; vice is voluntary. Man is responsible for his actions as the parent of them. Moreover his particular actions, as means to his end, are contingent, a matter of deliberation and subject to choice. The future is not all predictable. Some events depend on chance. Aristotle was not troubled by the difficulty of prevision on the part of his God. Still his physical theory of the universe, the action he allots to the noûs poietkós, and the irresistible influence exerted by the Prime Mover make the conception of genuine moral freedom in his system very obscure and difficult. The Stoics adopted a form of materialistic Pantheism. God and the world are one. All the world’s movements are governed by rigid law. Unvaried causality unity of design, fatalistic government, prophecy and foreknowledge—all these factors exclude chance and the possibility of free will. Epicurus, oddly in contrast here with his modern hedonistic followers, advocates free will and modifies the strict determinism of the atomists, whose physics he accepts, by ascribing to the atoms a clinamen, a faculty of random deviation in their movements. His openly professed object, however, in this point as in the rest of his philosophy, is to release men from the fears caused by belief in irresistible fate. There is not much need to comment here—an historical overview of the concept of free will is interesting, but carries no particular theological importance. However, it ought to be noted that Epicurus’ clinamen, or randomness in the action of atoms, does not equate to free will as it is generally understood. Free will must be a faculty under our own control—if the atomists’ physics precluded it because of the inexorable and inviolable nature of the physical laws which govern our behavior, then adding an element of randomness to those laws would merely cause our behavior to become random also. Rather than being determined purely by prior events beyond our control, they would instead be determined in part by these prior events, and in part by unpredictable random deviations equally beyond any ability of ours to control. Thus, instead of being perfectly predicable, our actions might be somewhat unpredictable. But having our choices caused by random events rather than non-random ones does not solve the problem in the slightest; it merely replaces one situation in which we have no control with another one. Free Will and the Christian Religion The problem of free will assumed quite a new character with the advent of the Christian religion. The doctrine that God has created man, has commanded him to obey the moral law, and has promised to reward or punish him for observance or violation of this law, made the reality of moral liberty an issue of transcendent importance. Unless man is really free, he cannot be justly held responsible for his actions, any more than for the date of his birth or the colour of his eyes. All alike are inexorably predetermined for him. Again, the difficulty of the question was augmented still further by the Christian dogma of the fall of man and his redemption by grace. St. Paul, especially in his Epistle to the Romans, is the great source of the Catholic theology of grace. Here we get to the real crux of the issue. The argument is that, unless man is free, he cannot justly be held responsible for his actions. This is because, as the analogy goes, if his actions are predetermined then he has no more control over them than over his eye color or date of birth. But again, an error of equivocation is being made here. Eye color and date of birth are something done to man, in which he is entirely passive. Observance or violation of moral laws are something done by man, regardless of their ultimate metaphysical cause. This analogy would only be valid if man had no part at all in his own actions—but this is not the case, for they are performed volitionally. In other words, man’s actions are a result of the exercise of his will, and thus by definition are active from his own point of view, and not passive. Whether or not they are predetermined by some higher metaphysical cause is not at issue—what is at issue is that they are actively and volitionally performed by him, regardless of other metaphysical considerations. The analogy is not the most critical aspect of this argument, however. What is more important is the statement which it attempts to illustrate: that, unless man is really free, he cannot be justly held responsible for his actions. In other words, unless man has free will, it is unjust for God to hold him accountable for what he does—either to punish him, or to reward him. This assumption is critical to the whole issue of free will. It is the hinge upon which its very existence is supposed, as made evident here. Yet, what a very weak hinge it is! It is set out there to be agreed with and accepted, in order to get into the “meat” of the philosophical issues surrounding free will. But what is really happening is that it is being assumed without warrant, and then the rest of the text below is merely a long discussion (one might fairly use the word struggle) with the various inconsistencies, incoherencies, and other problems which the idea of free will creates. If this seems like an unfair representation, my comments below adequately defend themselves—but let me ask you, then, how would you go about proving that responsibility necessitates freedom? I cannot even think of the weakest argument to support this claim, and I have debated people who make it, so I ought to know at least one. But every “argument” I have ever faced has been not a series of logical propositions leading by necessary inference to the conclusion, but rather an analogy which supposedly shows that I would accept a similar conclusion in a similar scenario, and therefore must accept this conclusion here. I have asked for a biblical verse—just one, single biblical verse—to support the statement that man cannot be held responsible for his actions if they are not free; but I have never been given one. I have asked for a verse which describes free will, or even mentions it in passing; yet I have not ever been given one. The reason for this is simple: the Bible makes sense; free will does not. Let me elaborate— The statement above is that “unless man is really free, he cannot be justly held responsible for his actions”. Consider this. First of all we must ask for explication; and if my own explication I am about to give is poor, it is no fault of my own, but of the article for not adequately explaining itself. However, I have had occasion to delve into the meaning of this statement (that is, the general proposition it asserts) more than once in the past, and am quite confident that I can clearly represent what it is trying to say. So let’s start with the word free. Unless man is really free, he cannot be justly held responsible for his actions. Freedom is a term which is always used in a context of relationship—that is, it is meaningless to say that something is free without presupposing freedom from another thing. (One might argue that freedom can also be to something, but this generally just describes the other side of from; freedom from one thing is freedom to another, and vice versa.) So, in this statement about man’s responsibility, we must ask: free from what? This freedom has not been explained above any more than it is explained here, so I cannot let the article speak for itself, but the implication is most certainly free from predetermination—and not merely predetermination, but definite predetermination. This being the case, and since it is God who would be doing the predetermining, we might fairly expand the statement as follows: unless man is free from God’s definite predetermination, he cannot be justly held responsible for his actions. It is reasonable to simplify this a little by observing that God’s predetermination is really a description of his prior decision that something (as opposed to something else) will happen. So, for God to predetermine something is for God to decide beforehand that it will happen. Since we are speaking of actions which do happen, we can’t then separate God’s decision that something will happen from his bringing that something about—and so when we speak of predetermination, what we really mean is God’s decision that something will happen, and his causing it to happen as he has decided, in such a manner that it happens definitely and inexorably, inevitably and necessarily, with no ability on our part to change it. Having established this, we can rephrase the statement again to say: unless man is free from God inexorably causing his actions, he cannot be justly held responsible for those actions. The next term we must examine is justly. For man to be justly held responsible for his actions is for man to be held responsible in such a way as is considered fair, reasonable, and merited. In other words, unless man is free from God inexorably causing his actions, it is unfair, unreasonable, and not merited, to hold him responsible for those actions. So far, I am sure, the Catholic will be quite in agreement with me. So let me ask: who decides what is fair, reasonable, and merited? It is not merely the idea of the total freedom of the will which is philosophically problematic here: the matter of justice must equally be addressed. If we are engaging the topic as Christians, then there is only one source we can accept as authoritative on the matter of justice: God himself. This being the case, where has God revealed that it would be unjust for him to judge someone for their actions if those actions were not freely performed? It is insufficient to simply appeal to our own sense of justice, because this differs from person to person and society to society. It is by no means a reliable method for determining what genuinely is just, but rather is at best useful as a general guide which we have to constantly check against God’s revealed word to be sure that it is functioning correctly. It is subjective; but we are looking for an objective statement that holding someone accountable for actions that are not free is unjust. Do not think that I am merely trying to sidestep the issue, as if it is obvious that it is unjust. I am not. I am perfectly cognizant of the available analogies which free will advocates are quick to tote out. But even if these analogies were valid, in that they themselves are objectively justified through appeal to God’s law, they do not accurately reflect the metaphysical situation at hand. The person coerced unwillingly into evil at gunpoint is not comparable to the person metaphysically caused to willingly sin. The mentally handicapped person who compulsively and uncontrollably does what he knows he must not may expect leniency from a human court, but the Bible makes no comment on his state of accountability except to suggest that a slave to sin is guilty regardless of the form of his servitude; and God is not a human judge. And a robot does not sin willingly, and neither is the relationship between it and its programmer qualitatively or quantitatively similar to the relationship between ourselves and God. I am not sidestepping anything. It is simply the case that an analogy of the truth is not the truth itself, and that the Bible nowhere declares that it is unjust for God to judge us for actions which were not free from his causal control. In fact, the reason I so strongly labor this point is that it seems to me entirely fair, reasonable, and merited that God should cause us to sin, and then hold us accountable for those sins. Although I am in the minority, it is my genuine subjective gut instinct that it is perfectly okay for God to do this. Unless the Catholic is suggesting that we ought to determine justice by majority, we simply cannot appeal to our own senses of right and wrong in deciding this matter. Biblical warrant is essential—and biblical warrant simply does not exist. Lastly, I must briefly comment on the term responsible. Like freedom, responsibility is a relationship; it is the state of being accountable to some kind of judge. The state of being accountable, by definition, entails a certain curtailment of freedom. If the human will were completely free from God, then it would seem that God would not be in a position to hold us accountable for our actions. It is difficult to see how freedom from God’s predetermination, but subjection to his law, are easily reconciled. His determination and ability to judge us, and his giving of the law by which he judges, are both exercises of the same sovereign power. One is not separate from the other, as if he were divisible. On the contrary, he is indivisible—what the theologians call simple—and so if both are actions of his sovereignty, then both must presuppose our subjection to that sovereignty. We cannot claim that we are free from his sovereignty as regards our agency toward the law, but subject to it as regards accountability. No—we are accountable for the same reason that we are not free: that is, God is sovereign. But this is by no means the strongest argument which can be made. Most Catholics would assert that God can willingly suspend his sovereignty, and that freedom of will is indeed a sensible concept; and so it is better to grapple with these issues directly than to beat about the bush. Therefore, let us return to the original statement, having now considered it more carefully. I will reword it according to the commentary I have given, so that its meaning is clearer: Unless man is free from God inexorably and necessarily causing his actions, he cannot be fairly and reasonably held accountable by God for those actions in a way which is merited. That’s a little convoluted, though, so why not rephrase it as follows: If God inexorably causes man’s actions, then those actions cannot be reasonably merited to man himself, and thus cannot be fairly rewarded or punished. That, really, is what this comes down to, does it not? And I mentioned before that freedom from something is freedom to another thing. In this case, freedom from God’s causative control is freedom to act entirely independently of him. In other words, If man is not free to exercise his will apart from God’s causative control, then the exercise of his will cannot be reasonably merited to man himself, and thus cannot be rewarded or punished. So far, I think, any Catholic would continue to remain in agreement with me. He might even say I was merely stating the obvious, and have spent a great deal of time now saying what is already clear in the original statement. But I don’t think it necessarily is clear, and I think that once we rephrase that statement more precisely, the problems with it start to become evident. Thus, permit me to continue to use these two definitions—of freedom from, and freedom to—in the rest of this commentary. In other words, if man is caused to act by God, then he has no control over his actions, and he could not have acted differently, so he cannot reasonably be punished or rewarded. Indeed, since God is the cause of these actions, it is he who should be held responsible, and not man at all. But until the Catholic can explain why God cannot reasonably punish or reward man for actions which nonetheless have their ultimate cause in God himself, this line of argumentation simply cannot stand. An objective and perspicuous standard of justice must be given; otherwise, this is merely one opinion about what is just, and what is not. Besides, how can God be held responsible for these actions when responsibility entails accountability to some authority? Is there an authority higher than God? No, of course not; therefore, God cannot be responsible for anything in any meaningful sense of the word. Most importantly, however, God’s judgment of man happens in that secondary metaphysical sense I’ve already discussed. A man wills and then acts in a certain way, and God either punishes or rewards him for this, depending on whether it was in conformance to or violation of the revealed moral law. It is entirely for man’s intent and action that he is judged. What else can be judged, after all? But if man is judged for his intent and action, then what does the ultimate metaphysical cause of this intent and action have to do with anything? In fact, do we not see God deliberately and repeatedly hardening Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus, in order that he may judge Pharaoh’s sin and display righteous, wrathful judgment? In other words, God repeatedly causes Pharaoh to sin for the express purpose of judging him. I will not quote the entirety of all the relevant passages here, but I invite you to read over Exodus chapters nine to fourteen, and note how the Bible progressively emphasizes God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, and the reason which God himself gives for this. Now, every Catholic to whom I have spoken about this has said that it was a judgment on Pharaoh because of his initial hardening of his own heart. In other words, God only started to harden Pharaoh’s heart after Pharaoh had already done this himself. God merely confirmed Pharaoh in his sin—he did not initially cause it. Let’s imagine for a moment that this is the case. Then we must ask: so what? The crux of the argument for free will is that it is unjust to judge someone for actions they were caused to perform in some metaphysical sense. But here we have in the example of Pharaoh a clear and explicit case of God metaphysically causing him to sin, specifically in order to hold him accountable. What does it matter whether this was merely a response to Pharaoh’s initial rebellion, or was entirely God’s doing from the beginning? The relevant issue here is not whether God merely responded to Pharaoh’s own rebellion on strength of the fact that for him to start it would be unfair. The issue is that it is supposed to be unjust for God to hold man accountable for actions he himself has caused in man. Yet, here we have a clear, biblical example of him doing this. It is no good to argue that God’s doing this is actually a punishment for prior sin on Pharaoh’s part. This merely constitutes a red herring. Perhaps it is punishment—but we are not interested in the reasons for God doing it, but in the mechanism employed. Even if it is a punishment, it is still a case of God causing Pharaoh to multiply his sin, and then holding Pharaoh accountable for that sin which God himself caused. It is extremely clear from this instance that God does not consider it unjust to judge man for sins which did not have their ultimate metaphysical cause in man himself. Since this is the entire basis for the supposition that free will exists, little more need be said at this point. Biblical accountability is predicated upon man willingly violating God’s law. The ultimate metaphysical cause of man doing this is not relevant to the issue of responsibility. The fact that God causes man to will evil, and then causes man to perform evil, does not have any bearing on the fact that man does will evil, and does perform evil—actions for which he is held responsible by God, who punishes them accordingly. That said, I have only so far shown that free will is not necessary in order for man to be held accountable for his actions. This, in itself, ought to give us significant pause for thought, because the supposition of its very existence is almost exclusively based on the issue of responsibility. If man can be responsible without free will (and indeed, if in the Bible man is clearly held responsible in cases where he is not free, where his sin is inexorably and inevitably and necessarily caused by God, as I have shown), then there is no immediate reason to suppose that free will even exists. In the absence of any supporting evidence from Scripture, and given this evidence to the contrary, we certainly ought not to presuppose it dogmatically. However, we can most certainly go further, by showing that not only is free will unnecessary to Christianity, but as a concept is in fact completely irrational and incoherent, such that if it were true, Christianity would be false, because that which is irrational is most certainly not of God. Free will reduces the human volition to a lack of volition; it makes choices uncaused and thus not ours to begin with. It must be corrected by the biblical view that God causes all things, including human thoughts and actions. We will see this in a moment. Among the early Fathers of the Church, St. Augustine stands pre-eminent in his handling of this subject. He clearly teaches the freedom of the will against the Manichæeans, but insists against the Semipelageians on the necessity of grace, as a foundation of merit. He also emphasizes very strongly the absolute rule of God over men’s wills by His omnipotence and omniscience—through the infinite store, as it were, of motives which He has had at His disposal from all eternity, and by the foreknowledge of those to which the will of each human being would freely consent. St. Augustine’s teaching formed the basis of much of the later theology of the Church on these questions, though other writers have sought to soften the more rigorous portions of his doctrine. This they did especially in opposition to heretical authors, who exaggerated these features in the works of the great African Doctor and attempted to deduce from his principles a form of rigid predeterminism little differing from fatalism. The teaching of St. Augustine is developed by St. Thomas Aquinas both in theology and philosophy. Will is rational appetite. Man necessarily desires beatitude, but he can freely choose between different forms of it. Free will is simply this elective power. Infinite Good is not visible to the intellect in this life. There are always some drawbacks and deficiencies in every good presented to us. None of them exhausts our intellectual capacity of conceiving the good. Consequently, in deliberate volition, not one of them completely satiates or irresistibly entices the will. In this capability of the intellect for conceiving the universal lies the root of our freedom. But God possesses an infallible knowledge of man’s future actions. How is this prevision possible, if man’s future acts are not necessary? God does not exist in time. The future and the past are alike ever present to the eternal mind. As a man gazing down from a lofty mountain takes in at one momentary glance all the objects which can be apprehended only through a lengthy series of successive experiences by travellers along the winding road beneath, in somewhat similar fashion the intuitive vision of God apprehends simultaneously what is future to us with all it contains. Further, God’s omnipotent providence exercises a complete and perfect control over all events that happen, or will happen, in the universe. How is this secured without infringement of man’s freedom? Here is the problem which two distinguished schools in the Church—both claiming to represent the teaching, or at any rate the logical development of the teaching of St. Thomas—attempt to solve in different ways. The heresies of Luther and Calvin brought the issue to a finer point than it had reached in the time of Aquinas, consequently he had not formally dealt with it in its ultimate shape, and each of the two schools can cite texts from the works of the Angelic Doctor in which he appears to incline towards their particular view. Notice that this section presupposes the fact of human freedom. It assumes that man’s will must be free, again without any real explanation, before admitting that this creates numerous problems, and going on to list how theologians have attempted to resolve these. So far, it deals only with the contradictions immediately evidenced by comparing the supposition of freedom to the teachings of Scripture. Though “God’s omnipotent providence exercises a complete and perfect control over all events that happen, or will happen, in the universe”, the question is asked as to “how is this secured without infringement of man’s freedom”. Note the respectably biblical description of God’s sovereignty. The Bible is quite perspicuous on this matter. And then note how this biblical doctrine is made to bow before the supposition of man’s freedom. This freedom is not evidenced in the Bible at all, for it is obvious that human decisions are events, and that if God has complete control over events then he necessarily has complete control over human decisions. Thus, by definition of the word complete, we must ourselves have no control over our decisions—at least not from the metaphysical reference point of God. Yet it is considered of such utmost importance that we do have such freedom, even though it is obviously in direct contradiction to God’s nature (otherwise no one would be trying to “resolve” the problem), that it is upheld at the expense of all else. Even the sovereignty of God, as clearly taught in Scripture, is made to kneel before human freedom. It is not an exaggeration, nor an emotional accusation, but merely an observation of the passage above, to say that the Catholic Church is willing to sacrifice the clear biblical teaching about God’s power before the altar of their assumption about man’s freedom. At the risk of diverting the topic, I feel it must be noted that the supposition of freedom has an obvious and sinister origin, and one which ought to be clearly discernible to any Christian: the desire to be our own masters, and the belief that we have a personal sovereignty apart from God. This is the essence of sin, a central tenet of all Christian doctrine, and always has been—and this is why I consider the question of free will so vitally important to all theology. If it is true that a belief in free will has its origin in our own nature as rebellious and foolish beings, rather than in God’s word, then a belief in it will severely taint our entire understanding of all doctrine, and make proper communion with God impossible. This is because it has such dramatic consequences for our understanding of both ourselves and God, and our relationship to him. As Luther put it, if we know not how much we can do ourselves, and how far our ability extends, we shall be equally uncertain how much God is to do, and how much his ability extends. But if we know not the distinction between our working and the power of God, we know not God himself—and if we know not God, we cannot worship him, praise him, or serve him. The Encyclopedia passage above does, however, also contain some useful information. Firstly, it implies enough that we may conclude support for our thesis that the freedom involved in free will is a freedom from prior metaphysical causation. It might seem obvious that this is the freedom intended, but so far this has not been adequately explained in the article itself. Perhaps it seemed unnecessary to the author, but given how freedom is always a relationship, it appears to me quite sloppy to not explicitly spell out what this relationship is here. Since this whole article is about free will, the first thing that it ought to have explained is what this freedom is from and to. Without such information the term itself remains undefined, and is left up to the reader to decipher. This is not merely a stylistic problem, but a philosophical one—firstly, it may result in a faulty understanding of what free will is, and thus the article would completely fail to even address its named topic. Secondly, it is indicative of the sort of thinking involved in philosophical discussions of free will in general: imprecision and equivocation tend to be the norm. Further, though, the passage gives us an expanded explanation of free will which establishes another kind of freedom, apart from God’s prior metaphysical causation. It describes free will as the elective power of man to choose one beatitude over another, in recognition of the imperfection of each. Since none exhausts our intellectual capacity for conceiving the good, none irresistibly entices us to choose it. In other words, free will is the ability to choose between various options, without any of those options having a determining influence in the choice itself. So it seems that, as well as being free from prior metaphysical causation, a free will is also free from being entirely determined by factors outside of the person. Thus, just as God does not cause a free will decision, neither is the decision caused inevitably and necessarily by the situation about which the choice is being made. Of course, the explanation above is couched in terms of the good, which makes one wonder about how free will factors in when choosing evil. But we may assume that, as C S Lewis put it, even evil is only done in pursuit of that which seems good. Evil is never done for the sake of evil itself, since in evil there is literally no reward. The pursuit of evil is merely a perverted pursuit of good. But if free will is the ability to choose one option out of many, without any of those options having a totally determinative influence on the choice, then certain questions arise. The explanation above explicitly says that free will is the ability to choose between options when “none of them exhausts our intellectual capacity of conceiving the good,” and, subsequently, “not one of them completely satiates or irresistibly entices the will.” This seems to demand the question: would a situation which did exhaust our intellectual capacity for conceiving the good therefore irresistibly entice the will? In such a situation, it would seem that the goodness perceived would influence the function of the will to the point where it would actually determine the choice made—the choice, we might say, could not be resisted. Because of the overwhelming goodness perceived by the mind, it would be inclined inexorably and inevitably toward that option, such that no other option could or would ever be chosen. But if this were true, if the situation determined the choice, then what of free will? Obviously, the will itself was still involved, in that it did choose—but it was not free, since it could not have chosen otherwise. Is it the Catholic contention that in a situation where no greater goodness can be conceived, the will ceases to be free, and inclines irresistibly toward the superlative goodness perceived? This doesn’t seem an unreasonable contention at all to someone like myself, who does not believe that the will is free from either metaphysical or situational determinative influence. But surely it does raise a significant problem to someone who does believe that nothing influences the will to the point of determining its choices—to the point, that is, where the decision made proceeds inexorably and inevitably from factors outside of the mind. If the will is truly free from this sort of influence, then surely it ought not matter what is the object of choice. If it is possible for even one object of choice can have a determinative influence upon the will, then the will is in some sense not free. In other words, if a man’s choices are indeed uncaused by anything other than himself, then he could always choose the lesser good, because he would never be causally influenced by the greater good. If he were, then his will would not be free by definition (see the latter part of this article for more on this idea of the uncaused will). So the situation described above is in contradiction with the idea of free will, because the superlative good exerts a causative influence on man’s decision. It does not make sense to speak of man’s will being uncaused by external factors, by definition, but then creating exceptions for choices involving superlative good. Furthermore, this raises the related question: if the maximum good conceivable, when perceived, would always irresistibly incline the will toward it, is it not also the case that the maximum good possible, when perceived, would always irresistibly incline the will toward it also? Does not our will function by always choosing that which seems most good? When does a man ever choose that which is not the best option in his own view? But if man does always choose the best option in his own view, then what remains of freedom? The will must always be inclined to that which seems best, irresistibly, so that a man’s choice is quite determined by factors entirely beyond his control: namely, the situation, and his own psychological makeup. But if this conclusion is correct, and free will then does not truly exist in the sense intended, it must be observed that the situation which remains is still one in which the mind has a capacity, a power, to choose between one option and another. The fact that it will always choose according to certain parameters, as it were, does not obviate the fact that it does still choose. So what is the significance of free will, except as an invention which ascribes some kind of power to man that nonetheless doesn’t seem to exist (or even make sense) when examined? The faculty of volition, the power of the mind to consider and act toward one direction or another, really does not seem to require freedom from a higher metaphysical cause, or from the determinative influence of the direction chosen. It merely requires an ability to consider, and to act. Why is freedom relevant to the question at all? Thomist and Molinist Theories The Dominican or Thomist solution, as it is called, teaches in brief that God premoves each man in all his acts to the line of conduct which he subsequently adopts. It holds that this premotive decree inclines man’s will with absolute certainty to the side decreed, but that God adapts this premotion to the nature of the being thus premoved. It argues that as God possesses infinite power He can infallibly premove man—who is by nature a free cause—to choose a particular course freely, whilst He premoves the lower animals in harmony with their natures to adopt particular courses by necessity. Further, this premotive decree being inevitable though adapted to suit the free nature of man, provides a medium in which God foresees with certainty the future free choice of the human being. The premotive decree is thus prior in order of thought to the Divine cognition of man’s future actions. Theologians and philosophers of the Jesuit School, frequently styled Molinists, though they do not accept the whole of Molina’s teaching and generally prefer Suarez’s exposition of the theory, deem the above solution unsatisfactory. It would, they readily admit, provide sufficiently for the infallibility of the Divine foreknowledge and also for God’s providential control of the world’s history; but, in their view, it fails to give at the same time an adequately intelligible account of the freedom of the human will. According to them, the relation of the Divine action to man’s will should be conceived rather as of a concurrent than of a premotive character; and they maintain that God’s knowledge of what a free being would choose, if the necessary conditions were supplied, must be deemed logically prior to any decree of concurrence or premotion in respect to that act of choice. Briefly, they make a threefold distinction in God’s knowledge of the universe based on the nature of the objects known—the Divine knowledge being in itself of course absolutely simple. Objects or events viewed merely as possible, God is said to apprehend by simple intelligence (simplex intelligentia). Events which will happen He knows by vision (scientia visionis). Intermediate between these are conditionally future events—things which would occur were certain conditions fulfilled. God’s knowledge of this class of contingencies they term scientia media. For instance Christ affirmed that, if certain miracles had been wrought in Tyre and Sidon, the inhabitants would have been converted. The condition was not realized, yet the statement of Christ must have been true. About all such conditional contingencies propositions may be framed which are either true or false—and Infinite Intelligence must know all truth. The conditions in many cases will not be realized, so God must know them apart from any decrees determining their realization. He knows them therefore, this school holds, in seipsis, in themselves as conditionally future events. This knowledge is the scientia media, “middle knowledge”, intermediate between vision of the actual future and simple understanding of the merely possible. Acting now in the light of this scientia media with respect to human volitions, God freely decides according to His own wisdom whether He shall supply the requisite conditions, including His co-operation in the action, or abstain from so doing, and thus render possible or prevent the realization of the event. In other words, the infinite intelligence of God sees clearly what would happen in any conceivable circumstances. He thus knows what the free will of any creature would choose, if supplied with the power of volition or choice and placed in any given circumstances. He now decrees to supply the needed conditions, including His corcursus, or to abstain from so doing. He thus holds complete dominion and control over our future free actions, as well as over those of a necessary character. The Molinist then claims to safeguard better man’s freedom by substituting for the decree of an inflexible premotion one of concurrence dependent on God’s prior knowledge of what the free being would choose. If given the power to exert the choice. He argues that he exempts God more clearly from all responsibility for man’s sins. The claim seems to the present writer well founded; at the same time it is only fair to record on the other side that the Thomist urges with considerable force that God’s prescience is not so understandable in this, as in his theory. He maintains, too, that God’s exercise of His absolute dominion over all man’s acts and man’s entire dependence on God’s goodwill are more impressively and more worthily exhibited in the premotion hypothesis. The reader will find an exhaustive treatment of the question in any of the Scholastic textbooks on the subject. Here we have what is probably a quite clear and simple exposition of the two basic schools of thought regarding free will and God’s exhaustive, definite foreknowledge. I say this with some irony, since the situation is obviously so convoluted as to be almost unintelligible. Whatever mental gymnastics Catholics wish to perform, they cannot escape the basic fact that, if God definitely foreknows an action, then that action is definitely determined in the situation God foreknows. Whether the situation will occur or not is irrelevant—if it were to occur, it would proceed definitely, inexorably, inevitably, and necessarily as God has foreknown. Since God has definite and perfect knowledge of which situations will occur, and which will not, every situation, every human thought and action, unfolds exactly as he has foreknown. The Open Theists are correct in maintaining that if human actions are truly free, then they cannot logically be foreknown. However, let us read on a little before commenting further. Free Will and the Protestant Reformers A leading feature in the teaching of the Reformers of the sixteenth century, especially in the case of Luther and Calvin, was the denial of free will. Picking out from the Scriptures, and particularly from St. Paul, the texts which emphasized the importance and efficacy of grace, the all-ruling providence of God, His decrees of election or predestination, and the feebleness of man, they drew the conclusion that the human will, instead of being master of its own acts, is rigidly predetermined in all its choices throughout life. As a consequence, man is predestined before his birth to eternal punishment or reward in such fashion that he never can have had any real free-power over his own fate. In his controversy with Erasmus, who defended free will, Luther frankly stated that free will is a fiction, a name which covers no reality, for it is not in man’s power to think well or ill, since all events occur by necessity. In reply to Erasmus’s “De Libero Arbitrio”, he published his own work, “De Servo Arbitrio”, glorying in emphasizing man’s helplessness and slavery. The predestination of all future human acts by God is so interpreted as to shut out any possibility of freedom. An inflexible internal necessity turns man’s will whithersoever God preordains. With Calvin, God’s preordination is, if possible, even more fatal to free will. Man can perform no sort of good act unless necessitated to it by God’s grace which it is impossible for him to resist. It is absurd to speak of the human will “co-operating” with God’s grace, for this would imply that man could resist the grace of God. The will of God is the very necessity of things. It is objected that in this case God sometimes imposes impossible commands. Both Calvin and Luther reply that the commands of God show us not what we can do but what we ought to do. In condemnation of these views, the Council of Trent declared that the free will of man, moved and excited by God, can by its consent co-operate with God, Who excites and invites its action; and that it can thereby dispose and prepare itself to obtain the grace of justification. The will can resist grace if it chooses. It is not like a lifeless thing, which remains purely passive. Weakened and diminished by Adam’s fall, free will is yet not destroyed in the race (Sess. VI, cap. i and v). Although we have now quite adequately gleaned for ourselves that the freedom of free will is a freedom from causative (or determinative) influences external to the mind, another reader might less immediately apprehend this, and here again would find no real help. The term “free-power” is used to refer to some kind of volitional ability which man has in determining his own fate, but once again it has no obvious meaning which cannot equally be used of the word will without free appended. However, hints are given by the description of free will as being not purely passive—in other words, it is active in some way in relation to the action of God. And, because it is active, it is not “rigidly predetermined in all its choices throughout life”, so that man is not “predestined before his birth to eternal punishment or reward in such fashion that he can never have had any real free-power over his own fate.” On the face of it, this may seem reasonable, but the argument seems to run contrary to the doctrine of God’s definite and exhaustive foreknowledge. If God has a definite foreknowledge, as Catholics and Scripture maintain; if he does indeed know with such absolute and incontrovertible certainty which choices we will make in any situation that we will always inexorably and necessarily do as he foreknows; then from his point of view it must be the case that our choices are rigidly predetermined, and that our salvation or damnation is predestined before we are born. Since our choices could never happen in any other way than he foreknows, and since our actions must rigidly occur exactly as he has foreseen, it is simply not sensible to speak of them not being predetermined. This bears a little consideration. Catholics maintain that man’s choices are not predetermined, and that they do not occur of an inevitable necessity. But clearly, if they are definitely foreknowable, then they cannot happen any other way, since this would violate what definite means. If they cannot happen another way, this would appear to demonstrate that they are predetermined and inevitable—from God’s point of view. What it doesn’t demonstrate is whether this predetermination and inevitable necessity is caused by God, or if it is a result of the active will of man. Either situation could be true. So perhaps we ought not to get too hung up about the Catholics saying that man’s choices are not predetermined, when the context of the denial is with regard to God’s action itself. We should recognize that, while there is a definite denial here that God predetermines our choices, the possibility is left quite open that we predetermine them, from God’s perspective. What I mean is, given the Catholic position on the will of man being active in relationship to God and having no higher cause than itself, it follows that God’s foreknowledge of it must be passive in relationship to it. Thus, God’s foreknowledge is based on man’s choices—although God knows these choices in advance, it is only because he is timeless and “sees” all of time at once. His knowledge of them, though chronologically prior to their occurring, is logically consequent. Thus, God’s definite and exhaustive foreknowledge of man’s choices, being logically dependent upon those choices, would do no violence to the freedom of the will whatsoever. In such a situation, the apparent predetermination and inevitable necessity of man’s choices is merely an illusory result of God’s unique point of view, and not a question of metaphysical causality. It is the result of God being “simple”—that is, indivisible and irreducible—so that all the knowledge he has is always part of his being. Since he is present at all points in time, the simplicity of his knowledge means that he knows what will happen at all points in time, even though he only learned about it after it happened. This is a little convoluted and might require reading over once or twice, but it seems to me to be an acceptable situation. Basically, man’s choices cause their own predetermination and inevitability, when viewed by God. So, although from his point of view they are predetermined and inevitable, from our point of view, and in a true metaphysical sense, they are not. Thus, the Catholic may maintain that man’s will is indeed free, and our choices not predetermined by God—which is really the crux of the disagreement between Rome and the Reformers. The only other option, as I have said, is that God’s foreknowledge of our choices is not dependent upon the human will, but rather the human will is dependent upon his foreknowledge. In this situation, God knows our choices in advance because he has purposed and planned them, and causes them to occur inevitably and inexorably as he has predetermined. In this case, the predetermination is God’s, and not ours. It is this position which Catholics reject, since they teach that human actions are not predetermined by God. Therefore, they must say that God’s foreknowledge is logically consequent to man’s choices—and indeed, those Catholics with whom I have discussed this do say this. This position, however, has certain problems. If God’s foreknowledge of man’s choices and actions is predicated upon the actual occurrence of them, then two things must, by logical necessity, be true. Firstly, God learns. If some of his knowledge is based upon human choices, then, upon the occasion of these choices, he must acquire new knowledge. This presents an obvious problem: since God has infinite knowledge, and is omniscient, how can he gain more? Even if we ignore the mathematical problems associated with adding to infinity (the result does not increase), to say that God is omniscient is to say that he knows everything. But if he can learn, then he cannot know everything. Open Theists get around this problem by saying that God knows everything which can logically be known—but I don’t know that even Catholics will wish to start teaming up with such openly heretical people. In either case, the notion of a God who learns is definitely not an entirely comfortable one. Secondly, though, is a rather more problematic epistemological issue. If God’s foreknowledge of human choices is logically dependent upon them, then it would be impossible for him to know counterfactuals about people. A counterfactual is something which is not the case, but could be—the middle knowledge or scientia media mentioned in the article, above. When speaking of counterfactuals we generally discuss them in terms of “possible worlds”. For example, we can imagine a possible world in which rabbits can fly. Or, more pertinently, we can imagine a possible world in which Herod, instead of Pilate, was the person responsible for deciding Jesus’ fate. It seems very important that God would know, in this possible world, whether Herod would have acted as Pilate did, or whether he would not have. Otherwise, Pilate’s position would appear to be very lucky indeed for God’s plan of redemption—rather than being providential. If God does indeed work all things according to the counsel of his will, and if his omnipotent providence exercises a complete and perfect control over all events that happen, or will happen, in the universe, it appears to be of the utmost importance that he know the outcome of every possible human choice imaginable. He needs to know every possible world exhaustively, for, in order to have any control over history at all, he must act based on what he knows would happen, so as to direct events according to his purpose. He cannot simply be acting based on what does happen. God is not merely along for the ride in history, but actively forms it according to his own will. He would not be active at all, let alone in perfect control, if he could not know definitely and exhaustively every possible contingency in every possible world conceivable. But if his foreknowledge of human actions is logically dependent upon those actions occurring, then he could not know the outcome of an imaginary situation which was contingent upon a human choice. He could not know whether, if I were given the choice between chocolate and cheese tomorrow at seven pm, I would choose chocolate. Since his knowledge of my decision is dependent upon the actual active and free exercise of my will, and since no actual event occurred, there can be no actual knowledge. In other words, God only knows exhaustively and definitely which human choices are made, and not which choices would be made given a different situation. This would have the disastrous effect of completely eliminating God’s scientia media of human choices, and proportionately limiting his knowledge gained by simplex intelligentia, thus effectively reducing God’s omniscience to a state of scientia visionis where all he knows what does and will happen, along with trivial knowledge about what could happen in situation involving no human choices. Unless Jesus was guessing about Tyre and Sidon (Matt 11:21), this is obviously not the case. But, even if he was, this is not the Catholic position, as amply evidenced from the discussion in the Encyclopedia article above. Catholic doctrine holds that God does have a scientia media of all human choices. But then this returns us to the situation of God’s foreknowledge not being logically dependent upon our actions—or, put another way, God’s foreknowledge is not passive in relationship with man’s will. Either his foreknowledge is logically dependent on our choices, in which case he has no scientia media as demonstrated above; or our choices are logically dependent upon his foreknowledge. There is no middle ground. No other solution exists, and no amount of Thomistic and Molinistic cognitive acrobatics will alter this simple, logical fact. But the latter situation has already been described: it is one in which God always knows with certainty which choices we will make in any given scenario, and which choices we will make in the actual world, because he has himself purposed and caused them to come about. It is a situation in which our acts of will proceed inevitably and inexorably and necessarily as God has foreknown: a foreknowledge which is not passive, but active. In other words, our choices are logically dependent upon God’s foreknowledge. In such a situation, God’s foreknowledge is directly related to his sovereignty. He foreknows our choices because, in his perfect control of the universe, he has predetermined them, and caused them. So, one way or another, the Catholic position is self-refuting. If we have free will, then the Catholic view of God’s omnipotence is wrong. If the Catholic view of God’s omnipotence is correct, then we don’t have free will. This alone is sufficient to decisively refute the Catholic position, but since we are examining the entire article on free will, let us continue. There is still much more which can be said— Free Will in Modern Philosophy Although from Descartes onward, philosophy became more and more separated from theology, still the theological significance of this particular question has always been felt to be of the highest moment. Descartes himself at times clearly maintains the freedom of the will (Meditations, III and IV). At times, however, he attenuates this view and leans towards a species of providential determinism, which is, indeed, the logical consequence of the doctrines of occasionalism and the inefficacy of secondary causes latent in his system. Malebranche developed this feature of Descartes’s teaching. Soul and body cannot really act on each other. The changes in the one are directly caused by God on the occasion of the corresponding change in the other. So-called secondary causes are not really efficacious. Only the First Cause truly acts. If this view be consistently thought out, the soul, since it possesses no genuine causality, cannot be justly said to be free in its volitions. Still, as a Catholic theologian, Malebranche could not accept this fatalistic determinism. Accordingly he defended freedom as essential to religion and morality. Human liberty being denied, God should be deemed cruel and unjust, whilst duty and responsibility for man cease to exist. We must therefore be free. Spinoza was more logical. Starting from certain principles of Descartes, he deduced in mathematical fashion an iron-bound pantheistic fatalism which left no room for contingency in the universe and still less for free will. In Leibniz, the prominence given to the principle of sufficient reason, the doctrine that man must choose that which the intellect judges as the better, and the optimistic theory that God Himself has inevitably chosen the present as being the best of all possible worlds, these views, when logically reasoned out, leave very little reality to free will, though Leibniz set himself in marked opposition to the monistic geometrical necessarianism of Spinoza. It is true that only God is active in an efficacious sense. Unless we are willing to entertain the notion of some other non-contingent thing, apart from God, only he can be active. Of course, the Catholic would say that the human will is truly active, and not passive in relation to God; but we have already critiqued this view and shown that it is logically contradictory to other Catholic doctrine. We need only now observe that, were free will true, man would have the same metaphysical standing as God, in that his mind would have a quality of self-existence and self-movement. This view is, at best, very blasphemous. We are made in God’s image—we are not made God himself. It is worthwhile to take a moment here to repudiate a couple of the representations of the biblical position which are made above. Or, better said, since some of the positions above resemble the biblical position, we should be careful to ensure that they are not misunderstood. For example, it is true that “only the First Cause truly acts”, if we are speaking in the ultimate metaphysical sense. Since all things hold together in God, existing only by his continual power (Heb 1:3, Col 1:16-17), and since we ourselves live and move and have our being in him (Acts 17:28), we and the universe have no power of our own to do anything. Although, in the secondary metaphysical sense (that is, in the sense we normally perceive, rather than in the sense God perceives) we most certainly do act, we could not do so were we not continually caused to do so by God. Our action is dependent upon God’s action. So it is certainly true that the soul, like all things, possesses no genuine causality; and thus cannot be justly said to be free in its volitions. We are not free in relationship to God; we are entirely subject to his continual providence. This, however, is called a “fatalistic determinism” in the passage above. I agree that it is a form of determinism; but how is it fatalistic? It is true that some definitions of fatalism describe a doctrine which states that whatever will be will be, and that man is powerless to change things. But even this does not agree with the biblical worldview, which states that man has a secondary power granted by God, who causes changes by them—changes which are meaningful by merit of his rational and purposeful plan. Fatalism implies meaninglessness, which is thoroughly anti-biblical. However, I think fatalism is really is more correctly defined, as by the American Heritage dictionary, as a doctrine which holds that all events are predetermined by fate. Hence the name. And fate is an impersonal force; not a personal God. So to represent the biblical position as fatalism is disingenuous at best. It is not fatalism at all. (That said, even if it were fatalism, what does this prove except that Catholics don’t like it? Labeling a doctrine with a negative name does not constitute an argument against it, but rather is an emotional appeal in lieu of one.) As regards the allegation that God should be deemed cruel or unjust were free will not true, while duty and responsibility for man cease to exist—I have already answered this objection at the beginning. Even if every refutation I made afterward be answered, it remains that responsibility, duty, and God’s justice in no way presuppose, require, or necessitate human freedom. They remain perfectly cogent, sensible doctrines without it. The belief that responsibility entails freedom is a common one—but not a rational one. In England the mechanical materialism of Hobbes was incompatible with moral liberty, and he accepted with cynical frankness all the logical consequences of his theory. Our actions either follow the first appetite that arises in the mind, or there is a series of alternate appetites and fears, which we call deliberation. The last appetite or fear, that which triumphs, we call will. The only intelligible freedom is the power to do what one desires. Here Hobbes is practically at one with Locke. God is the author of all causes and effects, but is not the author of sin, because an action ceases to be sin if God wills it to happen. Still God is the cause of sin. Praise and blame, rewards and punishments cannot be called useless, because they strengthen motives, which are the causes of action. This, however, does not meet the objection to the justice of such blame or praise, if the person has not the power to abstain from or perform the actions thus punished or rewarded. Hume reinforced the determinist attack on free will by his suggested psychological analysis of the notion or feeling of “necessity”. The controversy, according to him, has been due to misconception of the meaning of words and the error that the alternative to free will is necessity. This necessity, he says, is erroneously ascribed to some kind of internal nexus supposed to bind all causes to their effects, whereas there is really nothing more in causality than constant succession. The imagined necessity is merely a product of custom or association of ideas. Not feeling in our acts of choice this necessity, which we attribute to the causation of material agents, we mistakenly imagine that our volitions have no causes and so are free, whereas they are as strictly determined by the feelings or motives which have gone before, as any material effects are determined by their material antecedents. In all our reasonings respecting other persons, we infer their future conduct from their wonted action under particular motives with the same sort of certainty as in the case of physical causation. Here again we find the “objection to the justice of such blame or praise, if the person has not the power to abstain from or perform the actions thus punished or rewarded.” And again, I need only point out that this objection is not an argument, but an appeal to an intuitive “feeling” of what is just, in conjunction with a conflation of primary and secondary metaphysical causes. Careful consideration of the question shows that blame or praise be perfectly just when predicated only upon the willing action of the person to whom they are assigned. The ultimate metaphysical freedom of this action bears no relevance to the case at all. The same line of argument was adopted by the Associationist School down to Bain and J. S. Mill. For the necessity of Hobbes or Spinoza is substituted by their descendants what Professor James calls a “soft determinism”, affirming solely the invariable succession of volition upon motive. J. S. Mill merely developed with greater clearness and fuller detail the principles of Hume. In particular, he attacked the notion of “constraint” suggested in the words necessity and necessarianism, whereas only sequence is affirmed. Given a perfect knowledge of character and motives, we could infallibly predict action. The alleged consciousness of freedom is disputed. We merely feel that we choose, not that we could choose the opposite. Moreover the notion of free will is unintelligible. The truth is that for the Sensationalist School, who believe the mind to be merely a series of mental states, free will is an absurdity. On the other side, Reid, and Stewart, and Hamilton, of the Scotch School, with Mansel, Martineau, W. J. Ward, and other Spiritualist thinkers of Great Britain, energetically defended free will against the disciples of Hume. They maintained that a more careful analysis of volition justified the argument from consciousness, that the universal conviction of mankind on such a fact may not be set aside as an illusion, that morality cannot be founded on an act of self-deception; that all languages contain terms involving the notion of free will and all laws assume its existence, and that the attempt to render necessarianism less objectionable by calling it determinism does not diminish the fatalism involved in it. It is true that “the notion of free will is unintelligible.” One reason is simply that when we think of free will, we tend to think that volition is integral to its meaning: that is, that a free will has a definite power to choose as it wishes. But this makes certain assumptions about the mind itself which are unwarranted. Firstly, we are our minds, and it should be quite evident that a great deal happens within our minds over which we have little or no control. Quite random thoughts will enter unbidden; emotions will surge up in a way over which we have no control; and once they arrive we have difficulty conforming them to our will, or dismissing them. Very often, we are not at all certain what we want, about our reasoning or motivations, or objectives and desires. But if much of what happens within our own minds is not under our control, or is at best under our imperfect control, then how can we have any confidence that our faculty of choice is entirely under our control either? If we imagine this faculty, this volitional power, as an ability of our mind to move in one direction over another, we should then ask: what causes the mind to move? Obvious problems arise if we say the mind causes itself to move, because this would appear to put us on an equal metaphysical standing with God—that is to say, it would mean that we (our minds) have a power of self-cause or self-existence, as if we did not rely on God at all for anything. As I have mentioned before, this is very problematic since the Bible indicates that quite the opposite is true; and, even if it didn’t, and even if this didn’t raise other metaphysical problems outside the scope of this discussion, we ought to be extremely wary of placing ourselves on such a pedestal without very clear warrant. But let’s suppose, for the sake of argument, that we do have this power of self-cause. If the mind causes itself to move toward one direction or another, then although it is influenced by external factors, what ultimately determines the direction of its movement is internal. That is, using our faculty of thought or consideration, the feelings, memories, and knowledge that comprise the mind are all brought to bear on the situation at hand, and, in light of these, a direction is chosen. It seems reasonable to view the mind as a single whole, indivisible in any meaningful sense, and so it seems similarly reasonable to say that the determinative influence in the direction taken is the state of the mind at the moment of choice. Its overall makeup, including its knowledge and feelings and memories, would determine the direction chosen. But proponents of free will seem disinclined to accept this. They would have it that, as with external influences, the internal influences of the mind are not determinative either. This is with good reason—for most of the internal influences are not self-caused themselves, but are out of our control one way or another. For example, I may have been bitten on my hand by a dog when I was young, and thus be phobic about dogs. This event was not within my control—and neither was the phobia. But the free will advocate would maintain that, in any given situation where I must choose something about dogs, this phobia plays an influential, but not determinative role in my choice. Neither do any of the other dispositions within my mind over which I have no real control. This seems like a good reason to reject internal influences as being determinative, just as it is to reject external ones. But then the question really must be asked: what does cause the mind to move in one direction over another? If both internal and external factors (ie, if both the state of the mind itself, and the situation under consideration) have only an influential role in the matter, then what determines the final direction taken? It would seem that, if our own state of mind does not have a determinative role in what we choose (and if it does, then we admit our choices to be by no means under our complete control since much of our state of mind is most certainly not), then the faculty of the mind which does the choosing is simply acting arbitrarily. We can have no confidence in it, since even a state of mind most severely inclined in one direction may not influence the mind to move in that direction—against all influence it may, of its own determination, move the other way. But if it does this, then we have already drawn a distinction between state of mind, and the faculty of choosing. If the mind is really a cohesive whole, such a distinction does not seem very sensible—what would this rogue element in charge of moving the mind actually be? We end up with a situation where we cannot trust that our state of mind, which is quite opposed to murder, will be determinative in our actions. And so how can we be confident that we will not murder? More importantly, if the murder is a spontaneous, undetermined and thus uncaused act, in what way is it really ours? How can we be held accountable for such a thing? Notice how this is also at odds with the comments of the Encyclopedia near the beginning regarding the will being irresistibly inclined toward a superlative good. If neither internal nor external influences have a determinative role in decision-making, then even the greatest good possibly conceived could never irresistibly incline us toward it. There is a definite inconsistency in Catholic doctrine here. A will entirely free from determinative influence is a will entirely unconnected to our own state of mind, and thus a will entirely arbitrary and outside of our own control. We could also question the difference between states of mind having influence without a determining influence, since influence of any kind must be in some sense determinative—but I think I have said enough to adequately show that the very notion of free will is incoherent, and defeats the thing it tries to defend in the first place: volition and accountability. The truth that phenomenalism logically involves determinism is strikingly illustrated in Kant’s treatment of the question. His well-known division of all reality into phenomena and noumena is his key to this problem also. The world as it appears to us, the world of phenomena, including our own actions and mental states, can only be conceived under the form of time and subject to the category of causality, and therefore everything in the world of experience happens altogether according to the laws of nature; that is, all our actions are rigidly determined. But, on the other hand, freedom is a necessary postulate of morality: “Thou canst, because thou oughtest.” The solution of the antinomy is that the determinism concerns only the empirical or phenomenal world. There is no ground for denying liberty to the Ding an sich. We may believe in transcendental freedom, that we are noumenally free. Since, moreover, the belief that I am free and that I am a free cause, is the foundation stone of religion and morality, I must believe in this postulate. Kant thus gets over the antinomy by confining freedom to the world of noumena, which lie outside the form of time and the category of causality, whilst he affirms necessity of the sensible world, bound by the chain of causality. Apart from the general objection to Kant’s system, a grave difficulty here lies in the fact that all man’s conduct—his whole moral life as it is revealed in actual experience either to others or himself—pertains in this view to the phenomenal world and so is rigidly determined. Again we have this erroneous assumption that “freedom is a necessary postulate of morality”. Of course it is not—and if less attention were paid to the godless foolishness of philosophers like Kant, it would be more obvious that God is the necessary postulate of morality, and freedom is merely a replacement. Though much acute philosophical and psychological analysis has been brought to bear on the problem during the last century, it cannot be said that any great additional light has been shed over it. In Germany, Schopenhauer made will the noumenal basis of the world and adopted a pessimistic theory of the universe, denying free will to be justified by either ethics or psychology. On the other hand, Lotze, in many respects perhaps the acutest thinker in Germany since Kant, was an energetic defender of moral liberty. Among recent psychologists in America Professors James and Ladd are both advocates of freedom, though laying more stress for positive proof on the ethical than on the psychological evidence. As the main features of the doctrine of free will have been sketched in the history of the problem, a very brief account of the argument for moral freedom will now suffice. Will viewed as a free power is defined by defenders of free will as the capacity of self-determination. By self is here understood not a single present mental state (James), nor a series of mental states (Hume and Mill), but an abiding rational being which is the subject and cause of these states. We should distinguish between: - spontaneous acts, those proceeding from an internal principle (e.g. the growth of plants and impulsive movements of animals); - voluntary acts in a wide sense, those proceeding from an internal principle with apprehension of an end (e.g. all conscious desires); and, finally - those voluntary in the strict sense, that is, deliberate or free acts. This explanation would, of course, have been helpful before, rather than being left to the end. But we have already mentioned mental states, and I have implied that while the mind contains such states, it is not the states itself (although, depending on what one means by state the implication might seem to go the other way). Nonetheless, I have simultaneously pointed out that the states of mind we experience are not entirely caused by the mind itself—at least, most certainly not by its perfect volitional control). And, again, even if we are abiding, rational beings which are somehow both the subject and cause of our mental states, this says nothing about the cause of us. I do not deny man’s ability, to some extent at least, of self-determination. I simply deny that this determination is metaphysically ultimate—ie, that it has, or needs, no higher cause than itself. In such, there is a self-conscious advertence to our own causality or an awareness that we are choosing the act, or acquiescing in the desire of it. Spontaneous acts and desires are opposed to coaction or external compulsion, but they are not thereby morally free acts. They may still be the necessary outcome of the nature of the agent as, e.g. the actions of lower animals, of the insane, of young children, and many impulsive acts of mature life. The essential feature in free volition is the element of choice—the vis electiva, as St. Thomas calls it. There is a concomitant interrogative awareness in the form of the query “shall I acquiesce or shall I resist? Shall I do it or something else?”, and the consequent acceptance or refusal, ratification or rejection, though either may be of varying degrees of completeness. It is this act of consent or approval, which converts a mere involuntary impulse or desire into a free volition and makes me accountable for it. A train of thought or volition deliberately initiated or acquiesced in, but afterward continued merely spontaneously without reflective advertence to our elective adoption of it, remains free in causa, and I am therefore responsible for it, though actually the process has passed into the department of merely spontaneous or automatic activity. A large part of the operation of carrying out a resolution, once the decision is made, is commonly of this kind. The question of free will may now be stated thus. “Given all the conditions requisite for eliciting an act of will except the act itself, does the act necessarily follow?” Or, “Are all my volitions the inevitable outcome of my character and the motives acting on me at the time?” Fatalists, necessarians, determinists say “Yes”. Libertarians, indeterminists or anti-determinists say “No”. The mind or soul in deliberate actions is a free cause. Given all the conditions requisite for action, it can either act or abstain from action. It can, and sometimes does, exercise its own causality against the weight of character and present motives. This has now already been discussed, and the problems with the libertarian, indeterminist, or anti-determinist positions made clear. Furthermore, note the statement that, “a train of thought deliberately initiated or acquiesced in, but afterward continued merely spontaneously without reflective advertence to our elective adoption of it, remains free in causa, and I am therefore responsible for it, though actually the process has passed into the department of merely spontaneous or automatic activity.” In other words, a spontaneous act can be one for which we are held accountable, despite my discussion above regarding the difficulties of even assigning to a person ownership, let alone accountability, of an act which is spontaneous (undetermined) in any true sense. Thus, the Catholic position would seem to be opposed quite positively to the Calvinist one, in that not only are actions with a metaphysically higher cause considered ones for which we cannot be responsible, but actions with no metaphysically higher cause—to the point of being entirely outside of what we can reasonably call our own control—are ones for which we are responsible. The evidence usually adduced at the present day is of two kinds, ethical and psychological—though even the ethical argument is itself psychological. (1) Ethical Argument. It is argued that necessarianism or determinism in any form is in conflict with the chief moral notions and convictions of mankind at large. The actual universality of such moral ideas is indisputable. Duty, moral obligation, responsibility, merit, justice signify notions universally present in the consciousness of normally developed men. Further, these notions, as universally understood, imply that man is really master of some of his acts, that he is, at least at times, capable of self-determination, that all his volitions are not the inevitable outcome of his circumstances. When I say that I ought not to have performed some forbidden act, that it was my duty to obey the law, I imply that I could have done so. The judgment of all men is the same on this point. When we say that a person is justly held responsible for a crime, or that he deserves praise or reward for an heroic act of self-sacrifice, we mean that he was author and cause of that act in such fashion that he had it in his power not to perform the act. We exempt the insane or the child, because we believe them devoid of moral freedom and determined inevitably by the motives which happened to act on them. So true is this, that determinists have had to admit that the meaning of these terms will, according to their view, have to be changed. But this is to admit that their theory is in direct conflict with universal psychological facts. It thereby stands disproved. Again, it may be urged that, if logically followed out, the determinist doctrine would annihilate human morality, consequently that such a theory cannot be true. I have already quite adequately refuted the idea that determinism adversely affects moral accountability, and indeed given reasons that determinism is required for such accountability; and also mentioned that self-determination and higher metaphysical causation are not at odds unless one is committing a category error—but let me make some observations about this passage. Firstly, the sort of appeal it makes—to “the chief moral notions and convictions of mankind at large” is incapable of proving anything at all. Such a foundation constitutes, at best, speculation. What guarantee is there that the general moral notions of mankind are in any way accurate? Secondly, in what way does saying that one ought to do something imply that one can do something? This is not at all obvious to me, and a trivial example will suffice to explain why: suppose that a thief has stolen a great deal of money. When he is caught, we find that he has already spent it. At his trial, the judge states that he ought to repay it—but of course, the moral obligation to repay the money in no way implies an ability to do so, since it has already been spent. Yet I know of no one who would say that the judge is unjust in stating the thief’s moral obligation here. Evidently my experience of universal moral notions (if we are appealing to such a ridiculous thing) is at odds with the Catholics’! Again, in what way does obligation imply ability? (For a similar, biblical example, see Luke 7:41f.) In short, this ethical “proof” relies upon intuition to establish its argument. It openly admits that, rather than being based on Scripture, it is based upon some supposed commonality of experience. But how do we even know how to interpret out experiences correctly without Scripture (see again my book The Wisdom Of God)? In fact, it astounds me to find any professed Christian appealing to commonality of experience in establishing an argument—but particularly here, where we are discussing moral experience, given that even Catholics affirm that man is by nature inclined to sin, and that indeed mankind is thoroughly fallen and trapped in sin, and thus frequently misses the mark on the matter of moral questions. Another example might be helpful here. Consider that, as well as finding it intuitively obvious that a man must have free will in order to be held morally accountable, most people also find it intuitively obvious that God is in the wrong for punishing man for just doing what seems right to him. And despite that Catholics dilute the doctrines of grace to the incredible point of affirming that even non-Christians can be saved, they nonetheless do affirm the doctrine of hell, which to virtually every non-Christian, and many professing ones, is morally unpalatable. It is their intuitive sense that no one deserves hell, and that a God who would create hell is in fact morally depraved! This illustrates easily that mankind is so completely morally destitute, and misses the mark so badly as regards issues of ethics, that he has completely reversed the correct order of things by setting himself up as the arbiter of moral judgment, holding God to his standards. It is his intuitive belief that all manner of things God does and has done are wrong in some way—in fact, the “Old Testament God” (as opposed to the “different” New Testament one!) is frequently referred to even by professing believers as vindictive, judgment, spiteful, petty, and generally unworthy of worship. And yet it is to this pool of universal moral notions and convictions that the Ethical Argument above appeals in establishing that free will exists? (2) Psychological Argument. Consciousness testifies to our moral freedom. We feel ourselves to be free when exercising certain acts. We judge afterwards that we acted freely in those acts. We distinguish them quite clearly from experiences, in which we believe we were not free or responsible. The conviction is not confined to the ignorant; even the determinist psychologist is governed in practical life by this belief. Henry Sidgwick states the fact in the most moderate terms, when he says: Certainly in the case of actions in which I have a distinct consciousness of choosing between alternatives of conduct, one of which I conceive as right or reasonable, I find it impossible not to think that I can now choose to do what I so conceive, however strong may be my inclination to act unreasonably, and however uniformly I may have yielded to such inclinations in the past (Methods of Ethics). The force of the evidence is best realized by carefully studying the various mental activities in which freedom is exercised. Amongst the chief of these are: voluntary attention, deliberation, choice, sustained resistance to temptation. The reader will find them analyzed at length by the authors referred to at the end of this article; or, better still, he can think them out with concrete examples in his own inner experience. The main objection to this argument is stated in the assertion that we can be conscious only of what we actually do, not of our ability to do something else. The reply is that we can be conscious not only of what we do, but of how we do it; not only of the act but of the mode of the act. Observation reveals to us that we are subjects of different kinds of processes of thought and volition. Sometimes the line of conscious activity follows the direction of spontaneous impulse, the preponderating force of present motive and desire; at other times we intervene and exert personal causality. Consciousness testifies that we freely and actively strengthen one set of motives, resist the stronger inclination, and not only drift to one side but actively choose it. In fact, we are sure that we sometimes exert free volition, because at other times we are the subject of conscious activities that are not free, and we know the difference. Again, it is urged that experience shows that men are determined by motives, and that we always act on this assumption. The reply is that experience proves that men are influenced by motives, but not that they are always inexorably determined by the strongest motive. It is alleged that we always decide in favour of the strongest motive. This is either untrue, or the barren statement that we always choose what we choose. A free volition is “a causeless volition”. The mind itself is the cause. This argument is really saying nothing that the one above it has not already said—ie, that since we perceive something to be the case, therefore it must be the case precisely as we have interpreted. But I quite agree that we have the perception of weighing a situation and choosing one way or the other. And biblical determinists do not deny that, in fact, we do weigh a situation, and that we do choose one way or the other. They simply deny that this choice is “uncaused”, as if that could mean anything useful anyway (see my comments previously). Why should it be? In fact, to suggest that the movement of our minds is caused by the minds themselves reduces metaphysical anthropology to garbage—it is only sensible if our minds move because God moves them, in ways which correlate to our own conscious thoughts and decisions. NATURE AND RANGE OF MORAL LIBERTY Free will does not mean capability of willing in the absence of all motive, or of arbitrarily choosing anything whatever. The rational being is always attracted by what is apprehended as good. Pure evil, misery as such, man could not desire. However, the good presents itself in many forms and under many aspects—the pleasant, the prudent, the right, the noble, the beautiful—and in reflective or deliberate action we can choose among these. The clear vision of God would necessarily preclude all volition at variance with this object, but in this world we never apprehend Infinite Good. Nor does the doctrine of free will imply that man is constantly exerting this power at every waking moment, any more than the statement that he is a “rational” animal implies that he is always reasoning. Much the larger part of man’s ordinary life is administered by the machinery of reflex action, the automatic working of the organism, and acquired habits. In the series of customary acts which fill up our day, such as rising, meals, study, work, etc., probably the large majority are merely “spontaneous” and are proximately determined by their antecedents, according to the combined force of character and motive. There is nothing to arouse special volition, or call for interference with the natural current, so the stream of consciousness flows smoothly along the channel of least resistance. For such series of acts we are responsible, as was before indicated, not because we exert deliberate volition at each step, but because they are free in causa, because we have either freely initiated them, or approved them from time to time when we adverted to their ethical quality, or because we freely acquired the habits which now accomplish these acts. It is especially when some act of a specially moral complexion is recognized as good or evil that the exertion of our freedom is brought into play. With reflective advertence to the moral quality comes the apprehension that we are called on to decide between right and wrong; then the consciousness that we are choosing freely, which carries with it the subsequent conviction that the act was in the strictest sense our own, and that we are responsible for it. But of course, although the article says that “free will does not mean the capability of willing in the absence of all motive, or of arbitrarily choosing anything whatever”, I have shown a few paragraphs above that, if we work out all the metaphysical implications, this is indeed what an assertion of free will necessarily means. This is why the very idea of it is incoherent. While it seems intuitively sound on the face of things, once we analyze it more closely we find that what we thought of as “freedom” is actually simply arbitrariness and the action of willing in the absence of all motive. Which is not how we are at all, and is not how we even think free will ought to work. Thus, it is a meaningless and useless idea which makes no sense in even a non-biblical worldview (as if any non-biblical worldview could make sense anyway). But when thrust upon the Bible, whose teachings are then forced into this new metaphysical framework in which man has some ill-defined metaphysical causal ability of his own apart from God, it reduces intelligible and consistent doctrines to unintelligible, inconsistent foolishness. It destroys the doctrines of grace in favor of a doctrine of works, and turns truth into falsehood. God can no longer elect to salvation, or reprobation—after all, that conflicts with our intuitive sense of morality, never mind how sinful it is—and man is no longer incapable of saving himself. It makes God less than what he is, and man more—and so we are left with what is no longer a Christian worldview, but a humanistic one forced from biblical teaching. When the whole doctrine of salvation—the whole message of the gospel—relies upon a coherent, accurate anthropology and theology, how much power can a gospel based on free will have to save? This is a very serious, sobering question. Our moral freedom, like other mental powers, is strengthened by exercise. The practice of yielding to impulse results in enfeebling self-control. The faculty of inhibiting pressing desires, of concentrating attention on more remote goods, of reinforcing the higher but less urgent motives, undergoes a kind of atrophy by disuse. In proportion as a man habitually yields to intemperance or some other vice, his freedom diminishes and he does in a true sense sink into slavery. He continues responsible in causa for his subsequent conduct, though his ability to resist temptation at the time is lessened. On the other hand, the more frequently a man restrains mere impulse, checks inclination towards the pleasant, puts forth self-denial in the face of temptation, and steadily aims at a virtuous life, the more does he increase in self-command and therefore in freedom. The whole doctrine of Christian asceticism thus makes for developing and fostering moral liberty, the noblest attribute of man. William James’s sound maxim: “Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratuitous exercise every day”, so that your will may be strong to stand the pressure of violent temptation when it comes, is the verdict of the most modern psychology in favour of the discipline of the Catholic Church. Let me conclude by simply reiterating that the description above can equally apply to moral faculty, to the power of choice within us, which is part of our mind—yet not free. Since our mind is metaphysically caused by God, this moral faculty itself, and the decisions it produces, are caused by God. It is only by presupposing that free will exists that one is able to discover it in the passages of Scripture, or in the requirements of moral law, justice, duty, and so on, which speak of self-control, turning from evil, and making eternally significant choices. Free will is not necessary to these things. The power of choice, given and sustained by God, is.

<urn:uuid:24cb55ee-e483-479a-ab9f-ed6966721e71>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://bnonn.com/annotating-the-catholic-encyclopedia-free-will/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Alberta Salt Company An oil company drilling for oil in the Lindbergh district in 1947 not only discovered crude oil, but also a good natural gas deposit as well as a salt bed over 300 feet thick. This find led to the formation of the Alberta Salt Company, a project backed by three different oil companies located in Alberta. With the announcement that a salt plant would be built somewhere in our area, the Elk Point Chamber of Commerce lobbied the salt company and tried to have the plant built near Elk Point. They were, however, unsuccessful. The Lindbergh site was chosen because of its proximity to the North Saskatchewan River, which would provide an ample supply of water needed by the salt plant, the good supply of natural gas nearby, and the railway line which was already located in the immediate area. CANADIAN SALT PLANT - at Lindbergh, Alberta, in its earlier days. The construction of the plant started in 1947, and it was put into operation in July 1948 however its official opening was delayed until March 19, 1949. According to a St. Paul Journal news write up, the official opening attracted 2 cabinet ministers, 31 MLAs, and many business leaders and newspaper editors from all parts of Alberta, all arriving by special train from Edmonton. There were many rural and village residents in attendance as well. It was revealed at this opening that the cost of building the salt plant exceeded one million dollars. The General Manager of this salt plant was G. L. Williams, who had his headquarters set up in Edmonton. Bert Ayres was the plant manager and Alec Wyness was the plant foreman. In 1951 a new salt company was formed to replace the Alberta Salt Company. It was known as the Canadian Salt Company. In 1953 H. Sills became the plant manager, and in 1956 he was followed by John Williams. Mr. Williams held the position for many years before retiring a few years ago. The salt beds were located 2600 feet below ground level. The method of extracting salt from this level was by using double eased wells. Water was first pumped down to the salt deposit through the outer casing well. There it formed a brine. The brine, being heavier than the water, sank to the bottom of the cavity and was then forced to the surface through the inner casing by the pressure of the water being forced down through the outer casing. The crystal salt was then recovered by evaporating the water. In 1951 the St. Paul Foundry developed a method which enabled the salt company to fuse salt. Consequently, the Canadian Salt Co. was credited with being the first plant in the world to fuse salt on a large scale. The enormous amount of salt produced daily was marketed under the trade name of "Cascade." The Canadian Salt Company provided a tremendous boost to Elk Point as well as all other surrounding communities. At one time the salt plant had a full time staff of 100 workers and strongly contributed to the economy of the town and district. Today, not as much salt is produced as in peak years, however, it is still considered a very vital industry in our part of the province. The Canadian Salt Company is in its 46th year of operation. Today's works manager of the plant is Ken Palamarek, and Alvin Meger, Walter Lesyk and Garry Gulayec are in charge of the operation of the plant. Among the long term workers of the salt plant was Fred.McAleese, who was one of the original laborers - he worked there for 40 1/2 years. Another long term worker is Raymond Hammond, who has been employed there for 42 years. Others were Neil Nelson, Alf Fakeley, Sheila Lorenson, Edith Young, Dan Allen, Tom McLennan, Augie Bartling, Chester Merrick, Walter Lesyk and Alvin Meger. There were others as well. For many years the salt produced at the plant was shipped mostly by rail, however it is now hauled by large trucking firms. I still remember some of the early stages of development at this salt plant. In 1947 I was a "roughneck" on the oil crew that drilled the initial salt well at the salt plant site. Our oil rig also drilled a couple of gas wells in the area. Part of my job besides working at the drilling rig table was filing the many core samples taken from the inner core bit in long flat wooden boxes. Being a souvenir collector, I managed to withold three small cylindrical core samples, one of limestone, one of iodized salt and one of pure white salt. These were about the first salt samples to come out of the original salt well in 1947. I still have them on display in my museum in Elk Point. Many other core samples taken from this original salt well had small sea shells imbedded in them, which would indicate that at one time, hundreds of thousands of years ago, the area we live in was a large sea or vast body of salt water. It is estimated that there is enough salt in this bed to supply all of Canada for the next 2000 years.

<urn:uuid:a7dd2091-2135-4115-8e6d-0fad02d1c3c7>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://elkpointhistory.ca/writers/steve-andrisak-introduction/other-columns/alberta-salt-company

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

The American Crisis The first page of the original printing of the first volume The American Crisis is a pamphlet series by eighteenth century Enlightenment philosopher and author, Thomas Paine, originally published from 1776 to 1783 during the American Revolution. Often known as, The American Crisis, or simply, The Crisis, there are 16 pamphlets in total. Thirteen numbered pamphlets were published between 1776 and 1777, with three additional pamphlets released between 1777 and 1783. The first of the pamphlets was published in Pennsylvania Journal on December 19, 1776. Paine signed the pamphlets with the pseudonym, "Common Sense". The pamphlets were contemporaneous with early parts of the American Revolution, during a time when colonists needed inspiring works. Paine, like many other politicians and scholars, knew that the colonists weren't going to support the American Revolutionary War without proper reason to do so. They were written in a language that the common person could understand, and represented Paine's liberal philosophy. Paine also used references to God, saying that a war against Kingdom of Great Britain would be a war with the support of God. Paine's writings bolstered the morale of the American colonists, appealed to the English people's consideration of the war, clarified the issues at stake in the war, and denounced the advocates of a negotiated peace. The first volume begins with the famous words, "These are the times that try men's souls." The first of the pamphlets was released during a time when the revolution was still viewed as an unsteady prospect. Its opening sentence was adopted as the watchword of the movement to Trenton. The opening lines are as follows: These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. The pamphlet, read aloud to the Continental Army on December 23, 1776, three days before the Battle of Trenton, attempted to bolster morale and resistance among patriots, as well as shame neutrals and loyalists toward the cause: Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. Along with the patriotic nature of The American Crisis, it displayed Paine's strong deist beliefs, inciting the laity with suggestions that the British are trying to assume powers that only God should have. Paine sees the British political and military maneuvers in the colonies as "impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God." Paine states that he believes God supports the cause of the American colonists, "that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent". Paine takes great lengths to state that American colonists do not lack force, but "a proper application of that force" – implying throughout that an extended war could lead only to defeat unless a stable army was composed, not of militia, but of trained professionals. Paine maintains a positive view overall, hoping that this American crisis could be resolved quickly, "for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire." Crisis No. 1 starts out with the famous line "These are the times that try men's souls," and goes on to opine about how Great Britain has no right to invade the colonies, saying that it is a power belonging "only to God." He also says that "if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then there is not such a thing as slavery on earth." Paine obviously believes that Great Britain is essentially trying to enslave the American colonists. He then opines a little about how the panicking of the sudden revolutionary war has both hindered and helped the colonists. Paine then speaks of his experience in the Battle of Fort Lee and their subsequent retreat. Afterward, Paine remarks on an experience with a Loyalist. He says the man told his child, "'Well! give me peace in my day,'" meaning he did not want the war to happen in his lifetime. Paine says that this is very "unfatherly", and the man should want the war to happen in his time so it does not happen in his child's time. Paine then gives some advice on how to do better in the war. He finishes Crisis No. 2 with a few paragraphs of encouragement, a vivid description of what will happen if colonists act like cowards and give up, and the closing statement, "Look on this picture and weep over it! and if there yet remains one thoughtless wretch who believes it not, let him suffer it unlamented." Crisis No. 3 starts with, "Universal empire is the prerogative of a writer." Paine makes it obvious his feelings toward George III of the United Kingdom when he says, "Perhaps you thought America too was taking a nap, and therefore chose, like Satan to Eve, to whisper the delusion softly, lest you should awaken her. This continent, Sir, is too extensive to sleep all at once, and too watchful, even in its slumbers, not to startle at the unhallowed foot of an invader." Paine makes it clear that he believes that King George was not up to their former standards when it came to his duties with the American colonies. Paine also sheds light onto what he felt the future would hold for the emerging country, "The United States of America, will sound as pompously in the world, or in history [as] the Kingdom of Great Britain; the character of General Washington will fill a page with as much luster as that of Lord Howe; and Congress have as much right to command the king and parliament of London to desist from legislation, as they or you have to command the Congress." Paine then goes on to try to bargain with King George III, "Why, God bless me! What have you to do with our independence? we asked no leave of yours to set it up, we asked no money of yours to support it; we can do better without your fleets and armies than with them; you may soon have enough to do to protect yourselves, without being burthened with us. We are very willing to be at peace with you, to buy of you and sell to you, and, like young beginners in the world, to work for our own living; therefore, why do you put yourselves out of cash, when we know you cannot spare it, and we do not desire you to run you into debt?" In the conclusion Paine explains that he considers "independence as America's natural right and interest, and never could see any real disservice it would be to Britain." |Wikisource has original text related to this article:| - Foner, Phillip S, The Complete Writings of Thomas Paine, Vol.2 (New York: Citadel Press, 1945) p.48 - "Thomas Paine publishes American Crisis - Dec 19, 1776 - HISTORY.com". HISTORY.com. Retrieved 2015-10-27. - William B. Cairns (1909), Selections from Early American Writers, 1607–1800, The Macmillan company, pp. 347–352, retrieved 2007-11-25 - "Age of Reason, Part First, Section 1". www.ushistory.org. Retrieved 2015-10-21. - Baym, Nina; Levine, Robert S. (2012). The Norton Anthology of American Literature. A. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. pp. 647–653. ISBN 978-0-393-93476-2. - Paine, Thomas (1819). The American Crisis. R. Carlile.

<urn:uuid:68c2ceee-df53-4a5f-961f-b1e56ed70cdf>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Crisis

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Dairy. Women should get 3 cups of dairy each day, but most women get only half that amount.6 If you can’t drink milk, try to eat low-fat plain yogurt or low-fat cheese. Dairy products are among the best food sources of the mineral calcium, but some vegetables such as kale and broccoli also have calcium, as do some fortified foods such as fortified soymilk, fortified cereals, and many fruit juices. Most girls ages 9 to 18 and women older than 50 need more calcium for good bone health. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight and one 30 or above is considered obese. For an idea of what this means, a 5-foot 5-inch woman who weighs 150 pounds is overweight with a BMI of 25. At 180 pounds, she would be considered obese, with a BMI of 30. Keep in mind that the tables aren't always accurate, especially if you have a high muscle mass; are pregnant, nursing, frail or elderly; or if you are a teenager (i.e., still growing). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared last week National Women’s Health Week (May 14-20th), but in reality we should be taking care of ourselves and have this awareness all year round, right? To kick this month off inspired by women’s health, let’s talk about health, nutrition, and of course answer your questions from Instagram, Twitter, and email from over this year! Women's Health magazine focuses on the emotional and physical process of healthy living. Featuring sections such as fitness, food, weight loss, Sex & Relationships, health, Eat This!, style, and beauty, this magazine focuses on the health of the whole woman. Although the magazine is relatively new, the success it has reached since its inception in 2005 speaks volumes about the magazine's ability to connect with women everywhere. Dietary fiber is found in plant foods like whole-grain breads and cereals, beans and peas, and other vegetables and fruits. At least one study suggests that women who eat high amounts of fiber (especially in cereal) may have a lower risk for heart disease. High-fiber intake is also associated with lower cholesterol, reduced cancer risk and improved bowel function. And one long-term study found that middle-aged women with a high dietary fiber intake gained less weight over time than women who ate more refined carbohydrates, like white bread and pasta. Nutrition interventions that target mothers alone inadequately address women's needs across their lives: during adolescence, pre-conception, and in later years of life. They also fail to capture nulliparous women. The extent to which nutrition interventions effectively reach women throughout the life course is not well-documented. In this comprehensive narrative review, we summarized the impact and delivery platforms of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions targeting adolescent girls, women of reproductive age (non-pregnant, non-lactating), pregnant and lactating women, women with young children<5 years, and older women, with a focus on nutrition interventions delivered in low- and middle-income countries. We found that though there were many effective interventions that targeted women's nutrition, they largely targeted women who were pregnant and lactating or with young children. There were major gaps in the targeting of interventions to older women. For the delivery platforms, community-based settings, compared to facility-based settings, more equitably reached women across the life course, including adolescents, women of reproductive age, and older women. Nutrition-sensitive approaches were more often delivered in community-based settings, however, the evidence of their impact on women's nutritional outcomes was less clear. We also found major research and programming gaps targeting overweight, obesity, and non-communicable disease. We conclude that focused efforts on women during pregnancy and in the first couple of years postpartum fails to address the interrelation and compounding nature of nutritional disadvantages that are perpetuated across many women's lives. In order for policies and interventions to more effectively address inequities faced by women, and not only women as mothers, it is essential that they reflect how, when, and where to engage with women across the life course. Calcium: Although some bone loss is inevitable with age, women can slow the process by getting enough calcium and vitamin D. Women between the ages of 50 and 70 need 1200 mg of calcium and 600 IU of Vitamin D a day. Women older than 70 require 1200 mg of calcium and 800 IU of Vitamin D a day. Because the skin becomes less efficient at converting sunlight to vitamin D as we age, older women may need more vitamin D in the form of supplements. Talk to your doctor. The best evidence that ALA can protect the heart comes from the Lyon Diet Heart Study, a randomized clinical trial in Europe. It tested the effects of an ALA-enriched Mediterranean diet in 605 patients with coronary artery disease. Over a four-year period, the high-ALA diet produced a 72% reduction in heart attacks and cardiac deaths and a 56% lower risk of dying from any cause (including cancer). The Mediterranean diet differed from the standard Western diet in many respects, but because it contained a special canola oil margarine, the greatest difference was in its ALA content, which was nearly eight times higher in the protective diet. The Center for Young Women’s Health (CYWH) is a collaboration between the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine and the Division of Gynecology at Boston Children’s Hospital. The Center is an educational entity that exists to provide teen girls and young women with carefully researched health information, health education programs, and conferences. A healthy vegetarian diet falls within the guidelines offered by the USDA. However, meat, fish and poultry are major sources of iron, zinc and B vitamins, so pay special attention to these nutrients. Vegans (those who eat only plant-based food) may want to consider vitamin and mineral supplements; make sure you consume sufficient quantities of protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium. You can obtain what you need from non-animal sources. For instance: The recommended daily intake for vitamin E is 15 mg. Don't take more than 1,000 mg of alpha-tocopherol per day. This amount is equivalent to approximately 1,500 IU of "d-alpha-tocopherol," sometimes labeled as "natural source" vitamin E, or 1,100 IU of "dl-alpha-tocopherol," a synthetic form of vitamin E. Consuming more than this could increase your risk of bleeding because vitamin E can act as an anticoagulant (blood thinner).

<urn:uuid:b90de1f6-8bdd-4c15-ad24-c30cfabde73f>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://getbestguides.com/why-does-keto-lower-cholesterol-why-does-exercise-lower-cholesterol.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Your financial contribution is an investment in our upcoming exhibit about Madam C.J. Walker, a self-made millionaire who broke racial barriers and built up communities.Donate Now Spend part of your Fourth of July with us and explore democracy, civics and government. Put your own spin on famous political speeches, test your U.S. civics knowledge and learn how bills become laws. Also, show off your skills with frontier-era games and activities. Admission to the History Center is free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Who is a Hoosier? Take a Civics Naturalization Test Test your civics knowledge with real questions a U.S. government officer asks future U.S. citizens to receive citizenship. Design Your Own Flag Flags have been around since antiquity to mark militaries. In some cases, these evolved into national flags. Today, organizations, states, counties, and even towns have their own flag. Draw and color your own. Play games that settlers might have played on Fourth of July when Indiana was still the Frontier. Find out how political party platforms have changed throughout history by playing a game. Write a Letter to Our Military Write a letter to members of the U.S. Military – active, reserve and veterans – for them to receive while at home, abroad or recovering from injury. Letters will be sent through A Million Thanks. Schoolhouse Rock! The Election Collection Get in the spirit of democracy and 1776 by viewing classic Schoolhouse Rock! videos that will inspire a new generation of patriots. Recreate a Famous Speech Have your chance to give a known speech by famous Hoosiers and other notables. You can even wear some historical props to set the scene. Enjoy patriotic music in the Cole Porter Room. Feel free to sing along.

<urn:uuid:5cbdc22f-aed0-41e9-83c5-8e462108dc73>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://indianahistory.org/events/fourth-of-july-free-admission/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Avian eggshells exhibit some of the most diverse and fascinating arrays of complex biological variability within the animal kingdom. The variation seen in eggshell colour and maculation (pigment spots), for example, can be found between species, within species, and even between eggs in a clutch from the same female. Eggshell maculation has fascinated scientists for decades, and many functional explanations for this maculation have been posited including crypsis, thermoregulation, microbial defence and sexual-signalling. While the variation and function of eggshell maculation has received much attention, the actual structure of the eggshell itself has received comparatively little focus. The relatively few studies that have investigated eggshell structure, particularly that of the egg surface, have found large variation in surface-structures and shell thickness. However, little is known about how these structures function, or rather, what their true function is. This project aims to characterise eggshell surface structure along the avian phylogenetic tree, and determine – through novel mechanical and structural engineering approaches – how different eggshell surface structures function. Bird eggs offer a fascinating model system, as birds breed on all seven continents on Earth; at altitudes greater than 4000 m above sea level, in temperatures ranges between -40°C and 50°C, and in environments varying from water-saturated to extremely xeric. Egg size can range from 1.4 kg to 0.4 g (for Common Ostriches Struthio camelus and Vervain Hummingbirds Mellisuga minima, respectively), while clutch size can vary from a single egg to broods of over fourteen.

<urn:uuid:9817eff1-faad-4fe5-8dac-d64443a98275>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://london-nerc-dtp.org/2018/10/08/evolution-of-eggshell-surface-structure-and-physiology/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

A competitive workforce is vital to establishing a sustainable agricultural future. As innovation continues to impact agriculture, current and future farmers, workers and scientists must learn to use more advanced technologies and draw from a broader base of scientific knowledge. Workforce development programs are intended to help current and future workers and scientists meet the demands of highly skilled positions. Importance of Workforce Development A huge constraint to addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges – increasing agricultural production to feed a growing population and increasing industrial demand, despite most natural resources being already fully utilized – is growth in human talent. Hence, in addition to indirectly supporting educational opportunities through capacity building programs at Minority Serving Institutions and Learning and Engagement Programs, NIFA directly supports recruitment and training of students through grants to educational institutions for Workforce Development Programs. NIFA is helping to expand the agricultural workforce by supporting programs that: - Fund scholarships for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in agriculture-related fields - Provide research and extension experiences through structured programs that incorporate mentoring and hands-on experiences in the United States or abroad - Train graduate students in targeted disciplines of national importance in USDA mission relevant areas - Support Pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students to help advance food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. Grant Programs that Support Workforce Development - Agriculture and Food Research Initiative's Education and Workforce Development - Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) Program - Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships - Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) - National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Program (NNF)

<urn:uuid:2cf98de5-d175-4c30-a69c-bb438eac1b0a>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://nifa.usda.gov/topic/workforce-development

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

What is SEO (and How Search Engines Work)? Last Updated on December 5th, 2017 Frustrated with my struggles with a start-up business, I used Google to find out how I could improve my business. (No, I didn’t see the irony at the time.) Following through on various links in the search results, I came across my first sighting of the term SEO in an advert similar to this one: “Professional SEO Services.” My first thought was a rather dull-witted: Huh? My next one was one of complete shock: Oh, my goodness! These escort agencies are getting more brazen by the day. Just as well they can’t spell properly. The next few adverts read: “Number One SEO Company in Australia” and “SEO Experts from $50 per hour.” I was gobsmacked. No way! There can’t possibly be so many shameless escort agencies making the same typo. After all, O is nowhere near X on the keyboard. Yes, this was my brainless introduction to the term SEO. Today, I understand it better, well enough to utilise search engine technology to my advantage. What is SEO? SEO is the abbreviation for Search Engine Optimisation, the process of improving or optimising a website’s page in a search engine’s organic (unpaid) results. The phrase “search engine optimisation” came into use in around 1997 as the first search engines had begun indexing the early World Wide Web in the mid-1990s. How do Search Engines Work? To try to make a fairly long story short, or in this case, a complicated process simpler, search engines—using complex algorithms—“crawl” the web adding website URLs to their index or database. When a searcher types in a search term into their browser, the search engine responds by offering the “best sites” available from its index to match the search phrase. For those who prefer this in diagram form: Yes, the search engine crawler (also called a “robot” or “spider”) works over time to take regular ‘snapshots’ of the World Wide Web (every 3-4 days) stored in its index, so that when a searcher types in a search query, quality search results are available from that storage index. Note: the millions of results you get within a few seconds of entering your search terms do not come from a crawl of the Internet at that particular second; the results are generated from the search engines’ index, information stored 3-4 days previously. Google has put together a page to explain How Search Works. While this amazing technology is not only helpful if you’re the searcher, it is also worth gold if you run your own business, and you want to be searched (and found). To switch metaphor, search engine technology benefits you as both the hunter and the hunted. Of course, being found on the “first page” of search results doesn’t just happen, and the quest to do so has generated a billion-dollar industry called SEO. The good news is that you can improve your chance of enjoying a slice of the SEO pie.

<urn:uuid:a555f62c-b078-4ac2-836a-a0d27c311c0d>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://seowebdesigns.com.au/google/what-is-seo-how-search-engines-work/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Speech and language impairment Speech and language impairment are basic categories that might be drawn in issues of communication involve hearing, speech, language, and fluency.A speech impairment is characterized by difficulty in articulation of words. Examples include stuttering or problems producing particular sounds. Articulation refers to the sounds, syllables, and phonology produced by the individual. Voice, however, may refer to the characteristics of the sounds produced—specifically, the pitch, quality, and intensity of the sound. Often, fluency will also be considered a category under speech, encompassing the characteristics of rhythm, rate, and emphasis of the sound produced A language impairment is a specific impairment in understanding and sharing thoughts and ideas, i.e. a disorder that involves the processing of linguistic information. Problems that may be experienced can involve the form of language, including grammar, morphology, syntax; and the functional aspects of language, including semantics and pragmaticsAn individual can have one or both types of impairment. These impairments / disorders are identified by a speech and language pathologist.

<urn:uuid:0a62d4f1-86c5-4388-afc0-a48a84d3dd3f>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://studyres.com/concepts/11079/speech-and-language-impairment

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Tablets and smartphones are no longer futuristic concepts. These devices are ubiquitous and extremely powerful, both in our daily lives as well as in our professional workflows. But how can we use them in our CAD lives? AutoCAD mobile lets us use the copious amounts of data we include in our DWG™ files anywhere we are. Whether in the coffee shop, on the factory floor, or in the middle of a field (cell signal not withstanding), you can get to your DWG files in the cloud, make changes to the native geometry, and share your changes with others. This class will go through the basics of adding cloud access to your app, drawing new geometry, and modifying existing work, as well as pulling information like dimensions and areas from your drawings. We will also cover best practices and access for non-AutoCAD users. - Learn how to download and set up AutoCAD mobile for cloud access - Learn how to open and modify native DWG files - Review best practices like templates - Explore collaboration with users not proficient in AutoCAD desktop

<urn:uuid:7b808e1b-3fb1-4f84-be69-f7307daab2b3>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Out-and-About-AutoCAD-Mobile-Basics-2017

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

WHY IS WINTER AN IDEAL TIME TO PRUNE MOST TREE AND SHRUBS? Correct pruning is a landscape practice that can enhance the health, vigor and aesthetics of your trees and shrubs. Below are Five advantages to pruning in the winter: 1. During the winter, most woody plants are dormant and so are the many diseases and insects that can potentially invade pruning cuts. 2. After leaves have fallen, it is much easier to see the plants overall form and structure. Damaged and diseased branches are more readily apparent when not obscured by foliage. 3. Pruning in the late summer or early fall can stimulate new growth that may not harden off before the cold weather. This is not a concern during the winter. 4. Winter pruning is good for your plants, leaving them with extra root and energy reserves to quickly heal wounds and support vigorous spring growth that will obscure the pruning cuts. 5. Winter pruning is also good for you, giving you a reason to go outside on a mild winter day to enjoy your landscape. Although winter and early spring is a great time to prune, if the tree or shrub is a spring flowering plant and the blooms are important to you, it may be best to wait and prune that plant shortly after it is done blooming. Even though pruning spring blooming plants in the winter will never adversely affect the plant;s health, it can reduce those blooms. There are many reasons to prune woody plants and its a good idea to understand why you are pruning before you start. Before making the first cut, ask yourself, Why am I removing this branch? Have a goal in mind and a vision for how you want the shrub or tree to look when you are done. The most common reason that homeowners prune their plants is to reduce or maintain a plants size. Other reasons to prune include removing dead, diseased, or damaged branches; increasing flowers or fruits; stimulating growth; and removing branches that may be interfering with or obstructing pedestrians, traffic, and buildings. There are two basic techniques that are used when pruning most woody plants: thinning and heading back. Both of these techniques should be practiced together when the objective is to reduce or maintain the size of the plant. With both of these techniques, using sharp, high-quality, and well-maintained pruning equipment will make the job easier and less likely to cause damage to your plants Thinning is the removal of an entire branch back to the next branch or the main trunk. This technique promotes better health and form by removing weak and diseased branches and increasing light penetration and air movement. When making a thinning cut, do not cut so near the trunk or next branch that you cut into the area at the base of the branch that you are removing. This area is called the branch collar. By cutting into or removing the branch collar, you will slow down the healing process and possibly increase the risk of infection. If you did it properly, you will see a circle of healthy callus material swell around the cut in the spring. Heading back is simply shortening the length of the branch back to a bud or the next side branch. A proper heading back cut should never leave a stub. Stubs that are left from pruning usual rot and later invite insects and disease to move in and attack healthy material. Make your pruning cut at a slight angle about a above the bud or side branch. Thoughtful pruning of your trees and shrubs during the dormant winter season will allow you more time to enjoy the fruits and blooms of your labors during the pleasant weather of spring! -Kirsten Johnson, Author, Why Good Nature

<urn:uuid:32ea2b3c-4eee-4089-a029-0461decd66f0>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.johnwelchent.com/faqs/winter-dormant-pruning/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Keep anything too hard out of the disposal. The shredder will dull and become less efficient. Small hard objects can also get stuck and jam the rotating parts. Each garbage disposal has its own capacity for hard objects. The more expensive models of the same brand tend to have higher hardness capacities. The instruction manual usually specifies a list of objects to avoid. You can also gain experience with your own garbage disposal. Strong vegetable fibres can jam some garbage disposals, as well. If something may be harder than what the disposal handles, just put it in your trash can or think about setting up a worm composting bin. Some items to avoid are: Do not put fibrous or starchy items in the disposal. Both can cause particularly stubborn drain blockages (fibers get tangled, and starches get thick). The following items should be put in the disposal in minimal increments, preferably cut into small pieces, or not at all: corn husk or corn cobs coffee grounds (in quantity) or coffee filters fruit pits and hard seeds from things like avocados or peaches onion skins (unless you're especially careful to completely remove the thin membranes of each, which can wrap around the shredder ring) egg shells should not be put in the disposal as they turn into a sand-like substance that clogs piping. All the above are easily composted - see the composting note and link below. Keep this out of your disposal Avoid placing trash or hard items down the disposal. Common sense will go a long way, but here are some examples of items to avoid: plastic or other trash plant or flower clippings Cut large items into smaller pieces If they are too large, like the skins of melons, cut them into smaller pieces and put them one at a time into the disposal instead of trying to shove a large amount in at once. If you find yourself with a lot of larger pieces to cut up, it may be best to place them in the compost or trash instead. Run water while the disposal runs Run cold water while the disposal is on. Keep disposer and water running for 30 to 60 seconds AFTER the waste matter has cleared your drain. The waste still has a distance to go. Cold water keeps the motor, bearings and shredder assembly from overheating. It also lets the waste go down easier because the water is pushing it down. Don't use hot water, because it can melt fat and allow it to re-solidify as a blockage further down in the drain. Clean it regularly With the disposal off, clean the inner side of the rubber in the center of the sink leading to the disposal. It gets very dirty, and gives off an odor when not cleaned. Just wipe it with a paper towel. Throw some ice down once in a while. While ice will not sharpen the shredders (as is commonly believed) it does knock off any debris buildup on the sharp edges that keeps them from grinding food properly. For better results, make special ice cubes from pure lemon juice or vinegar, or alternate with biodegradable cleanser (label them in your freezer!) Cover and seal ice trays used in your freezer for cleanser, and do not reuse trays for food or drink after having been used for cleanser. While using the disposal, be sure to run cold water at the same time. Any citrus fruit will do. Dispose orange peels, or any citrus rinds, to freshen the disposal and keep it smelling clean, but cut them into slices first as large pieces of citrus peel, e.g. half a lime, can jam a disposal. You can also use pieces of citrus fruit that may be too old to consume, as long as they're not too spoiled to smell nice. You can freeze these pieces first, if you wish

<urn:uuid:09e7d1ca-c69b-40fe-87a6-552e2fb16464>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.lexappliancerepair.com/how-to-clean-maintain-sink-darbage-disposal/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Thinking Cap is an app in Morphonix's NeuroPlay Adventures series of mobile apps, stories and songs that introduce children ages 5 - 8 to the workings of the brain in a fun and engaging way. Each app presents children with new wonders, new abilities, and new parts of the brain. Thinking Cap engages children in problem-solving, observation, and spatial logic as they learn about the part of their brain most involved in those activities: the Cerebral Cortex. Kids start out by finding cute little hippos hiding in trees. The hippos want to get back down to the ground, so the player builds a slide for them. The slide is made up of several pieces which kids puzzle together using problem-solving, logic, and spatial intelligence. When they put all the pieces together, the hippos slide to the bottom. During the game, kids learn that the Cerebral Cortex fits over the top of their brain like a thinking cap. That is exactly what this part of the brain does: Think and solve problems!

<urn:uuid:4c392177-2eee-40e6-abf3-31dcf7728676>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.morphonix.com/products/thinking-cap/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Definition - What does Turn Ratio mean? Turn Ratio is the ratio of turns of a wire in a primary winding to the number of turns of a wire in the secondary winding of a transformer. In the form of an equation it can be expressed as: Turn Ratio = Np/Ns Where Np represents number of turns in the primary coil of a transformer and Ns represents number of turns in the secondary coil of a transformer. Petropedia explains Turn Ratio A transformer is an electrical device that converts inbound electricity to a higher or lower value of voltage for specific purposes. It is a major component in power grid which helps in supplying voltage in many nations. A transformer has two main functions, i.e., to supply current from source to destination and regulate the voltage of the current. It consists of a coil system that manages the current flow within a specific range. It has a primary winding (coil) and a secondary winding. The primary winding is energized by an AC source whereas the secondary coil delivers this AC to the load. Maximum power is transferred from one circuit to another through a transformer when the impedance is equal, or matched. A transformer winding constructed with a definite turn ratio can perform an impedance matching function. The turn ratio will establish the proper relationship between the primary and secondary winding impedance.

<urn:uuid:b7e0e777-f297-49e0-af00-2a1fd818acd6>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.petropedia.com/definition/9643/turn-ratio

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

2015 was a momentous year for our world. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a universal and transformative development strategy. The 2030 Agenda commits the global community to “achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions—economic, social and environmental—in a balanced and integrated manner”. Almost four years in, there is consensus among Member States that the ambition and scale of the 2030 Agenda simply cannot be met with the efforts of the UN alone. It would require a “whole of society” approach where every actor, whether they represent business, academia, civil society or governments, must play their part to ensure the vision of the 2030 Agenda is realised. Multistakeholder partnerships are crucial to achieving such broad engagement from all actors and drawing on their relative strengths. This places the UN in a unique position where, its convening power can help countries to build partnerships needed at the global, regional and country levels and to bring together the actors with the right skills, resources and networks to address global challenges at scale. This means that the role of the UN too is evolving from that of an implementer of development projects to an enabler of partnerships where synergies between partners create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. To take the example of business: The 2030 Agenda offers the private sector numerous opportunities to access new markets and institutional investment, estimated at about $12 trillion by 2030 while adding 380 million new jobs. Of these, half of the value of the opportunities arise in developing countries. The majority of these jobs, almost 90%, will be created in developing countries. This in itself is a compelling argument for the private sector and governments to work together to make the 2030 Agenda a reality. Becoming an enabler of partnerships entails changing old mind-sets about the UN’s position in the development landscape as well as acquiring the right skills and knowledge of frameworks to effectively manage new collaborations. It also requires access to the tools and polices in place to manage reputational risk, while not stifling innovation. What is also needed is a bold move away from traditionally transaction or funding arrangements, towards synergistic partnerships built on shared values and common purpose. As outlined in the UN Secretary-General’s recommendations for Repositioning the United Nations development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda, “the UN experience in engaging in partnerships varies greatly. While some entities have developed advanced policies and practices for engaging external actors, others pursue a more conservative approach, often due to limited capacities and skillsets”. Through the Building Partnerships for Sustainable Development training programme we endeavour to address this imbalance by making participants understand the imperatives to build multistakeholder partnerships, learning about the Partnering Cycle Framework, diving into a masterclass on partnerships and due diligence and looking at examples of partnerships across sectors to understand what works and what doesn’t. The opinions expressed in our blog posts are solely those of the authors. They do not reflect the opinions or views of UNSSC, the United Nations or its members.

<urn:uuid:724b88ba-41a0-4cf4-9160-7e73aecde251>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.unssc.org/news-and-insights/blog/building-partnerships-sustainable-development/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999838.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625112522-20190625134522-00204.warc.gz

en

Week 4 was out last week to dig. Students and volunteers finished excavation in each of the 11 test units we opened this season. Everyone reached a clear stopping point: some on top of potential rock features; some within sterile (artifact-free) B subsoil horizons. A few students even excavated through the subsoil to the top of the pre-occupation C horizon-a layer left by the retreat of the glaciers! The number of artifacts in the units tapered off with depth, as expected. There were no surprises except for unit AH29. That unit had the most 18th-century materials and least 20th-century materials of any unit excavated. In it, we were very excited to find a rectangular soil stain inside a circular one: remnants of a post and filled post hole! Was this a sign of an 18th-century structure? We carefully dug out this fill only to find plastic artifacts in it! Not what we were hoping for, but informative nonetheless. We believe it is most likely part of the clothesline that was surely in this yard area (based on the number of clothespin springs we have found here). Week 5 began with students carefully cleaning their sidewalls in preparation for final photographs and drawings. They also took detailed notes about every soil level they saw, artifact they found, and theory they formed. We only get one chance to dig a site, so record keeping is very important. Photographs of the sidewalls of a unit show the soil levels in relationship to each other. Details are clearer when those profiles are measured down to the centimeter and drawn on graph paper. A few students have shared their final thoughts: This was our final week at the Akin property. I finished the east wall map of the well. I worked on the east side as it is the wall with flat faced dirt and loose rocks. The stone lining of the well on the west is a particular challenging drawing and the professor will be tackling that project on her own. We also decided on the 2 units to remain open for the open house. A volunteer unit and a student unit which shows the soil strata and use through the Akin generations were selected. We concluded by back filling the remaining units. The idea of using a layer of sand to coat the bottom of the unit to show an end of excavation proved to be an ingenious cost effective solution. Looking back on this class I am very grateful to have had this opportunity and I wish all of those involved the best of luck. This is it. End of class. I had a great time this semester learning about the Akin property. In total I took my unit, Unit 26 (34.5N/28E) through four contexts . . . at 36.0cmbs there are too many rocks to continue. A soil sample from the NW corner reveals only 15 more cm before hitting rock. I think excavations are DONE. I want to believe that the rocks were put there, probably piled and/or buried. Maybe a wall or foundation? I believe my unit was in close proximity to a coal shed or midden area because of the large amount taken out of the site. Though it wasn't an interesting center point to any of these features I'm glad I chose it. And we now have a precise account of what was found there so we can make an accurate interpretation. Back-filling my dig site gave me a great sense of accomplishment and discovery, as I thought about all of the things I learned over the course of the short semester. Digging at the Akin House has been a wonderful experience. Despite the dirty knees, lusterless fingernails, and fire ants at the bottom of the holes, the archaeology project has afforded me great insight and appreciation of the work, research, and patience necessary to this project. There seems a great deal of work to be done on the Akin House property, and I am excited to follow its development and growth in the years ahead. Everyone involved with Akin House who was able to make it to site - Dr. Hodge, us students, Diane and Peggi, and of course Jan Hodge - were a pleasure to work with and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to learn from everyone's hard work and theories. All the best! At the end of the season, we "backfill" each unit by putting down a layer of clean sand and then shovelling our sifted dirt back into it. Students pitched in and worked together to get backfilling done efficiently and safely. They also spent some time polishing off their final field notebook entries. Wonderful job, guys! So what did we learn? - The barn was not located on top of another structure. At least some of its floor was paved with thick, flat stones. There may have been some bricks as well, but they were salvaged (leaving nothing but mortar) when the barn came down. - The barn came down in the late 1930s or early 1940s, based on ceramics and glassware found on top of those flat stones. At least some of the architectural debris from the barn was burned, leaving many nails from different time periods mixed up with shells and other debris in a black charcoal layer. Some one's jeans or similar clothing items were burned as well - there were lots of snaps and buttons! - The small outbuilding seen near the barn in the 1922 movie Down to the Sea in Ships was used for coal. It was probably about as old as the barn, judging from the few 19th-century and 20th-century ceramics and glassware that were found mixed up with the coal fragments. The household also threw some animal bones into the stove and threw them out with the burned clinker. - The midden near the north edge of the property dates from around the time of the barn's destruction, maybe a bit earlier than a trash midden excavated in the back yard in 2007 and 2008. This year's midden contained different materials, including perfume and medicine bottles, jewelry parts, and several ladies hair clips. - While the early 19th-century household did not seem to have many expensive ceramics, the late 19th/early 20th century household had a least a few fancy pieces. Some had hand painted gilding and vibrant colors. - Children played in this yard from the early 19th century through the 1960s or 1970s! - Special finds, including a miniature smoking pipe and a Chinese-coin shaped token, deserve further research. - There is considerable artifactual evidence of mid the late 18th-century occupation at the site - ceramics, medicine bottles, and smoking pipes from households just before and after the Revolutionary War. We don't have any features from this period yet, but the potential is high in yard areas that have yet to be evaluated. Check under our "slideshows" heading at right to see a selection of photographs from this years dig! thanks for visiting!

<urn:uuid:020b9851-31ed-4c3b-85e6-b80924c7df81>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://akinhouse.blogspot.com/2009/07/dig-diary-weeks-4-5-june-21-july-1.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

The negotiations for a potential loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Egypt have been one of the most contested issues in the country since the January 2011 revolution. Shortly after toppling the Mubarak regime, the Egyptian authorities and the IMF began a series of negotiations toward a loan for the amount of $4.8 billion. These discussions have been occurring during a period in which Egypt’s budget deficit has been increasing and its foreign currency reserves, foreign investments, and returns from tourism have been declining. Consequently, the country has been experiencing a severe deceleration in growth rates. Yet Egypt’s economic and developmental ills did not begin after the revolution; they accumulated over previous decades and in fact contributed to the circumstances that brought about the revolution and its demands. The IMF’s structural adjustment programs in the 1980s and beyond focused on stabilizing and restructuring economies in debt, including through the advancement of austerity measures, macroeconomic policies that targeted inflation, and privatization and liberalization. Statistics from 1996 to 2009 illustrate the consequences of these policies. During these years, annual real economic growth ranged between 2.8 and 6.4 percent in Egypt, but productivity only grew between 0.3 and 3.7 percent on average. The labor force stagnated at around 44 percent of the active population, mainly due to the low participation of women. Unemployment remained close to 10 percent, with much higher rates among women and youth. During this period, Egypt also suffered from deindustrialization and a decline in manufacturing capacities, from 22 percent of GDP in the 1970s to 17 percent in 2009. Thus, while Egypt’s economy appeared to grow, inequalities and poverty were increasing. Wage depression, witnessed through a decrease in wages as the share of national income, reflected the marginalization of citizens as active economic actors. Overall, the Egyptian economy was constructed around a kind of growth that neglected sustainable and sustained development as well as economic and social rights. The potential IMF loan has been presented to the public as a support for a national economic program, as a means of unplugging additional sources of external financial support, and as a step toward the re-stabilization of the Egyptian economy. Yet with every visit of the IMF team to Cairo, political, labor, and civil society groups have taken to the streets in protest. Some groups stand in overall opposition to a loan from the IMF at this period in Egypt’s transition, whereas others oppose the process of the negotiations, highlighting the lack of transparency as well as what they see as misguided policy advice and preconditions associated with the loan, such as a cut in food and fuel subsidies and regressive taxation. In response, the IMF claims that it has changed its approach to interventions in Arab countries after witnessing popular quests for democratic transition in Morocco, Yemen, Jordan, and Tunisia, where new loan agreements are already in place. According to IMF officials, the difference between the era of structural adjustment programs that began in the 1980s and the basis on which the Fund is currently operating in Arab countries is that the IMF now pays specific attention to the poor and recognizes that numbers do not tell the whole story. Egypt and the IMF: Before and After the Revolution Despite the IMF’s reassurances that it has changed its approach, many still take issue with the potential loan. One of their primary concerns stems from the fact that the IMF often praised the economic choices of the Mubarak regime. Thus, the Fund is often associated with policies leading to the developmental regress from which Egypt suffered for decades. Indeed, just months before the revolution in 2011, the IMF lauded Egypt’s economic performance, sound macroeconomic management, and structural reforms. In April 2010, the IMF stated in a country assessment report (also known as an IMF Article IV report) that “five years of reforms and prudent macroeconomic policies have created the space needed to respond to the global financial crisis, and the supportive fiscal and monetary policies of the past year have been in line with staff’s advice.” This statement came at a time when the IMF was calling for even more austerity measures to contain public spending on wages and food and fuel subsidies, despite the fact that citizens were facing rising food prices due to global pricing fluctuations and would soon revolt in part due to their dire economic straits. In the same report, the IMF underlined the commitment of the Egyptian authorities to implementing the measures advised by IMF staff. Now, more than two years after the revolution, not a lot has changed. Many expected that the Fund would conduct a genuine and serious review of its previous policy advice and show readiness to break away from inflation targeting and austerity policies. In light of the global economic crisis and the failure to revive the Eurozone economies that are in recession, the IMF has undertaken reviews and has acknowledged mistakes in selected policy areas, such as its approach to capital controls and its austerity advice in the case of Greece. But when it comes to Egypt and Arab countries overall, the Fund continues to focus on the same policies, leaving ample doubt that it has undertaken a serious revision of its approach. The Fund also consistently advances recommendations for reducing or dismantling tariffs, for widening the scope of liberalization, and for deregulation under investment policy. These structural policies do not support a longer-term developmental reorientation of the economy toward sustainable, productive, and decent employment-generating growth. Rapid liberalization, especially at a time of decline in productive and manufacturing capacities, leads to a rise in imports that is disproportionate to that of exports. Therefore, it would create larger trade deficits and put pressure on balance of payment positions, exposing the country to additional need for external financing and more debt accumulation. It is worth noting that groups monitoring the IMF-Egypt deal have indicated that the plan presented by the Egyptian government as part of its negotiations with the Fund in November 2011 was also nothing but a replication of the IMF’s recommendations presented to the Mubarak government in 2010. The Need to Rethink Priorities Overall, the vision that the IMF presents to Egypt is one of deeper liberalization and deregulation, without serious assessment of the implications that such policies have reaped for the country thus far. Focusing on inflation, fiscal deficits, and servicing debt carried forward from years of unaccountable economic policymaking—the IMF loan’s prerogative—is too narrow a view of stabilization. The loan’s tenets will also restrict the space that the government will need to design a dynamic longer-term strategy that serves production, industrialization, decent employment, and social justice. What is needed is a revision of macroeconomic policies with a focus on longer-term objectives to reverse the declining trends of productive capacities and share of wages in the GDP. There is also a need to redesign trade and investment policies to serve these broader objectives. Egypt should not be faced with the choice between short-term, narrowly focused stabilization and longer-term developmental progress toward economic justice. Any external financing available to Egypt should be used to serve the collective redesign of national economic realities led by national stakeholders. For more information, see . World Development Indicators, . Hamed el-Kady, Mahmoud el-Khafif, and Raja Khalidi, “Liberalization and Employment in the Arab Region: A Recipe for Failure?” (unpublished paper), ILO/UNDP, Rethinking Economic Growth: Towards Productive and Inclusive Arab Societies, 2013. El-Kady, el-Khafif, and Khalidi, “Liberalization and Employment in the Arab Region.” ILO/UNDP, Rethinking Economic Growth. See also the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) calculations at . ILO/UNDP, Rethinking Economic Growth. UNDP Egypt National Human Development Report, 2008. United Nations Commission for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows that for Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco, the wage share has averaged around 33 percent of national income since the mid-1990s, with some short-lived improvement around 2005. After 2005, the wage share declined. UNCTAD, “Social Unrest Paves the Way: A Fresh Start for Economic Growth with Social Equity,” 2011. Groups such as the Popular Campaign to Drop Egypt’s Illegitimate Debts, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights have protested. See also, e.g., “Bread Protests against the IMF,” Anbar Moscow, 3 April 2013, ; Aly el-Malky, “In Anti-IMF March, Austerity Fears and Economic Disillusion,” Egypt Independent, 13 November 2012, ; Video recording of protests against the IMF loan, 22 August 2012, . The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights raised a case in the local courts (court case 56810) against the Egyptian president, prime minister, president of the Shura Council, and finance minister, demanding fulfillment of the obligation to reveal all relevant information related to negotiations of the IMF loan, including the economic plan proposed by the government, recommendations, and minutes emerging from meetings between the two sides. The Center indicates that neither the president nor the executive branch of government have the right to seal a deal with the IMF except after the election of a new parliament; otherwise, the process is unconstitutional. See the statement by Khaled Ali at and the statements of the independent labor unions at . The IMF approved a 24-month $1.74 billion stand-by arrangement with Tunisia; for more information see . “Update on the Middle East with IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde,” 3 August 2012, . See the timeline of Egypt’s history with the IMF at . International Monetary Fund, “Arab Republic of Egypt: 2010 Article IV Consultation, Country Report no. 10/94,” Washington, D.C., April 2010. For more discussion of this report see Patrick Bond, “Neo-Liberal Threats to North Africa,” Review of African Political Economy 38, 129 (September 2011). It is widely predicted that a key condition required to access the IMF loan would be a promise by Egypt to unrealistically reduce its budget deficit from around 12 percent of GDP to 7.7 percent by 2014/2015, along with undertaking blanket cuts to subsidy programs. For more information, see Mohammed Mossallem, “The Illusion Dispelled—Egypt Economic Crisis: Causes—Alternatives—Remedies,” The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, 2013, and Rick Rowden, “Egypt Should Say 'Yes' to Emergency Assistance, but 'No' to the Failed Development Model of the Past,” Center for Economic and Social Rights, 2013. Larry Elliott, Philip Inman, and Helena Smith, “IMF admits: We Failed to Realise the Damage Austerity would do to Greece,” The Guardian, 5 June 2013, , and “Washington Consensus: IMF Deals another Blow?” The Guardian, 5 December 2012, . IMF staff reports (Article IV consultation reports) for years 2006, 2007, and 2008, . See also the IMF press release noting that “an important objective of the authorities is to ensure a fair and competitive business environment with a level playing field among investors.” “IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement with Egypt on a US$4.8 Billion Stand-By Arrangement,” November 2012, . See also Masood Ahmed, “Toward Prosperity for All,” Finance & Development 50, 1 (March 2013), . It is worth noting that Article I.2 of the IMF Articles of Agreement establishes that the IMF will work “to facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade, and to contribute thereby to the promotion and maintenance of high levels of employment and real income and to the development of the productive resources of all members as primary objectives of economic policy.” See . The National Plan for Economic and Social Reform in the Context of the Egyptian Government Plan 2012- 2014. Mahinour el-Badrawi, “Reading into the Economic Policy of the Current Egyptian Government,” Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, 2013.

<urn:uuid:4e2c1da6-5f95-4214-b7ed-15265f33f1a8>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://margitsziget.info/content/egypt-imf-conditions-usual

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

Moat House Primary School Curriculum Year 1 Moat House Primary School Curriculum Year 2 Moat House Primary School Curriculum Year 3 Moat House Primary School Curriculum Year 4 Moat House Primary School Curriculum Year 5 Moat House Primary School Curriculum Year 6 Read Write Inc, Literacy & Language Coverage Chart; We value our curriculum and believe that it is crucial in engaging our pupils and preparing them for the next steps in their education. We revisit it regularly to keep it 'fresh and exciting.' It was last reviewed during the 2018 Summer Term when a few tweaks were made to enhance it. The changes are designed to stretch children's achievement and extend the range they need to study. The involvement of parents is essential in achieving these requirements. This is an area we have tried to foster over the last few years. Our logo is "Working together" and with home and school working together it can help the academic progress of all our pupils. We continue to ensure our approach is broad and balanced to provide our children with a range of opportunities to learn and achieve. We aim to develop an enjoyment of and a commitment to learning as a means of encouraging the best possible progress and the highest attainment for all our pupils. One of the areas we focus on is to build on our pupils' strengths, interests and experiences and to develop our children's confidence to learn and work effectively. We use Building Learning Power (BLP) which encourages children to become better at learning and helps them to develop as learners. At Moat House, we are committed to ensuring that our children learn the basic skills of reading and writing as quickly as possible. We recognise that without these skills our children will be unable to access other areas of the curriculum. One of our key priorities is to develop our children’s reading skills and we use “Read, Write Inc” a phonic programme to help our pupils gain confidence in learning to read. We are pleased with the impact the this scheme has had and the results have been really positive. This is a phonics based programme, which teaches children their sounds, as well as then using these sounds to learn how to read and spell words. As the children progress with their reading, they work through a variety of fiction and non-fiction books, which get more difficult, as the children grow in confidence with their reading. When the children begin school, in Reception, they start at the beginning of the programme so that they learn all of the sounds. In other year groups, the children are assessed at the beginning of the year so that they can be grouped according to the sounds that they know. The children are then placed into a group with children who are a similar ability and they are taught the programme with a fully trained member of staff. At regular intervals, the children are assessed and groups are altered to cater for children, who have made accelerated progress or children who have not made as much progress. Once the children have been assessed as being proficient readers, they join a Literacy group where we are confident that they will be able to fully access the curriculum and their reading will not hold them back. The programme has proved to be very successful with most children making good progress. The children speak very highly of Read Write Inc and we have had lots of positive responses from parents as well. If you have any questions or concerns about Read Write Inc, please speak to Miss Collins (Read Write Inc Manager) who will be able to help you with these queries. Our curriculum concentrates on English, Mathematics and Science as we feel it is essential that all our pupils have the basic skills to succeed as they move through the school. The children also engage in a number of topics throughout the year and this helps the curriculum become more “real” to the children. We introduce each topic with a “WOW” day which may include the pupils going on a school visit, e.g. Warwick Castle, Coombe Abbey, Cadbury World or we invite “specialists” in that topic to come and talk to the children. The comments from our pupils is that they really enjoy the topic work and look forward to the activities and tasks. On completion of the projects classes often present a class assembly to parents displaying some of the work they have produced. These assemblies are very well attended by our parents who appreciate all their children’s efforts and hard work. A very important part of the curriculum is the PSHE pastoral support which develops the principles for distinguishing between right and wrong and an understanding, respect and appreciation of different cultures, religions and beliefs. We believe that the Moat House values of working together, tolerance and respect are essential qualities for life. Our children have certainly shown these qualities as they move through the school. We also promote British Values: democracy; the rule of law; individual liberty; and, mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith. An area we have tried to foster over the last few years has been the partnership we have with our parents. Our school logo is “working together” and with home and school working together it can only help the academic progress of all our pupils.

<urn:uuid:da2197dc-eb4c-42da-bddd-9ab325a8e58f>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://moathouse.coventry.sch.uk/Curriculum

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

For the content of your paper: – Provide historical context/background for each document, connecting the individual accounts to the larger historical themes of the era. – Compare the experiences and attitudes of each author. – Based on what you have read in the textbook, explain how all of these documents relate to the history of colonial immigration and colonial economic development during the 1600s and 1700s. – You DO NOT need to answer the questions at the end of each document. 3) Writing Requirements: Each PSA must be more than 500 words in length. Direct quotes do not count toward the required word count. 4) Research and Citations: This assignment does not require any outside research and can be completed using the documents, the textbook, and the videos. In the case of these sources, only direct quotes need to be cited, requiring only the authors last name in parentheses. Outside sources (books, websites, etc.) may also be used, but in this case all information must be cited and must be listed in a works cited (or bibliography) at the end of the essay. For your citations, please use Chicago, MLA, or APA. You will submit your paper through plagiarism checking software, so be sure to cite any and all direct quotes. For help with citations, see the \”History / Writing Help\” section of the course menu.

<urn:uuid:3524af7d-2c30-4ec3-9bb4-3bd070ea38b8>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://topclassessayhub.com/subject-history/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

The ABC reported today that The Ngarrindjeri people have been asked by the South Australian Government for a clearer idea of what they see as the legal consequences for SA from what is known as the Letters Patent of 1836. The Letters Patent used the enabling provisions of the South Australia Act 1834 to establish the Province of South Australia and precisely define its boundaries. They also went beyond the strict provision of the Act by including a significant guarantee of the rights of ‘any Aboriginal Natives’ or their descendants to lands they ‘now actually occupied or enjoyed’. ANTAR SA provides a number of links to this issue. What does it mean? The consequences of this. Let’s keep watching.

<urn:uuid:95c0e3c3-9c6d-4520-a68d-8e33b880b1f1>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.criticalclassroom.com/letters-patent-a-legal-studies-case-study-to-keep-watch/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

The recent launch of the state owned mining company, the African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation (AEFMC) in South Africa, was met with stiff resistance by the foreign and minority commercial interests, who have traversed the geological terrain of that country for more than a century. Once the announcement was made, the vested interests expressed apprehension that the setting up of a state owned mining corporation could lead to further government actions, with nationalization as a possibility. Jacob Zuma has since issued several follow-up statements, dissociating his government from any plans towards a nationalization of the mining industry. He was quick, however, to insist that as a leading producer of metals such as gold, platinum, coal and other minerals, it is important that the role of the government transcends that of mere regulation of the industry to the more active participation in the form of extraction, processing and marketing. To decipher the weight of President Zuma’s policy pronouncements, it is expedient to delve into a brief history of the politics of mining in South Africa. The mineral dense grounds of the area known as South Africa, today, can be directly blamed for the numerous ills that have befallen the indigenous Zulu, Xhosa, Khoi-San, Sotho, Ndebele, Venda and other ethnic groups whose ancestral remains have mingled with the precious commodity underneath the soil. With the discovery in the mid 19th century that a site northeast of Cape Town was rich in diamond deposits, thousands of Europeans rushed to the area in a desperate attempt to strike wealth. What followed was the British annexation of the entire area comprising the mining fields. Towards the later part of the 19th century, gold was discovered in Witwatersrand, leading to the famous South African Gold Rush, and the near complete destruction of the region by greedy Europeans. Gluttony and ravenousness led to much bickering among the foreign usurpers, leading to the Second Boer War in 1899, the end result of which was the concentration of the gold and diamond mines in the hands of few European entrepreneurs. One hundred years later, not much has changed in the ownership of mines in South Africa. 94% of South Africa’s diamond mines are controlled by the De Beers Consolidated Mines Company. De Beers was founded in 1870 by the violent and brutal racist Cecil Rhodes, who is noted for the famous statement “I contend that we are the first race in the world, and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race… If there be a God, I think that what he would like me to do is paint as much of the map of Africa British Red as possible…” Speaking of black mine laborers in 1893, he said “Nine-tenths of them will have to spend their lives in manual labor, and the sooner that is brought home to them, the better.” With fortune dripping with the blood of black laborers working in South African mines, Cecil Rhodes established Oxford University’s Rhodes Scholarship, which was marked only for the white male until the trustees were forced to change the terms of its administration in the 1970s. De Beers controls the seven largest diamond mines around South Africa till date. Gold mining in South Africa, just as diamond mining remains almost exclusively in the hands of foreigners. More than 45% of the global gold reserves are held underneath the earth of Witwatersrand, and the nation’s mines are among the worlds deepest. Other minerals including platinum, chromium, vanadium, manganese, uranium, iron ore, and coal make up about 60% of South Africa’s commodity export. It is reported that South Africa holds the number one position – in terms of mining and volume of export – in platinum, manganese, vanadium and chromium. The vast majority of these mines are owned by foreigners and minority white former apartheid apologists, these were the landlords who appropriated the mines to themselves during the early days of apartheid and consolidated ownership with their children. Up until the year 2010, several mines such as the Great Basin Gold’s Burnstone mine in Mpumalanga did not have a single local person as part of the management team. Examples of such abound. The indigenous South African, today, represented by the majority government in power remains a negligible stakeholder in the industry that is the major driving force behind the economy of the country. Black owned South African companies are rare in a sector that directly employs over half a million people in nearly 700 mines. Several government policies including the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), the Public Finance Management Act (‘which provides that all minerals resources belong to all South Africans” and not only the white minority ),The Mineral Development Bill, to mention three have failed to concretely address the problem of the disenfranchisement of indigenous or majority South Africans in the ownership of the production process of minerals in South Africa. Beyond mere ownership by dark skinned South Africans, the most important issue is that of tangible and quantifiable economic empowerment of the majority of South Africans. The matter at stake is not the substitution of an Afrikaans name with that of a Zulu, Xhosa or Sotho name as the BEE seems to have degenerated to. At stake is the pathetic situation of the majority of black South Africans who are landless, jobless, unemployed, or underemployed. Those able to make it to the lower or at most, mid management level are edged out from further advancement by the foreign or minority owners of the mines. In all of these, the post-Apartheid government of South Africa, has meekly kept to its inherited role of a mere regulator, letting the” boys play the field,” report their earnings and pay a token percentage as royalty to the state. Refusing to ruffle feathers or risk being accused of racism, the successive governments of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki let sleeping dogs die. Jacob Zuma, determined to depart from the rhetoric of the past decided to establish a state-owned mining corporation. The major reason for this move is job creation and the need to empower black South Africans. According to Zuma, “the workers and the nation should get their fair share of the wealth generated (from mining) and secondly, (it is important that ) minerals mined are integrated into the rest of the economy through beneficia-tion before export”. The second part became necessary owing to the “export- first” policy of the mining companies who put profit before national interest. For instance, although a major producer of coal – about 90 percent of South Africa’s electricity is generated by coal – the country sometimes experiences several days of blackout because the mining companies would rather meet their export obligations than supply to ESKOM, the South African electricity company; this is among other similarly treasonable instances. The mining companies unsurprisingly, have fiercely resisted the newly established state owned mining corporation in what the union describes as “the state being both a player and referee.” The group of mining companies expressed fears that the state formation of a mining company would edge out competition, and discourage increased foreign investments. It is necessary, however, to weigh the actions of the South African government against the desperate needs of the majority of its citizens. According to Jacob Zuma’s statement at the launch of the AEMFC, “our state owned mining company will have to ensure that its business contributes to sustainable development and the upliftment of the local communities within which it operates. This means that we should balance the opportunities for growth and development with ensuring that the social, environmental and economic impacts of mining, both positive and negative, are managed in an open and accountable way.” In establishing the state-owned mining cooperation, the government put the people before profit. This is in stark contrast with the profit before people policies of the mining industrialists. At the moment, a state-owned mining corporation seems to be the shortest means for the majority of the South African population to gain a foothold in the industry that has been controlled for more than a century by foreigners and the minority population. In this sector, the Keynesian economics of social liberalism is most definitely needed, as against the neoclassical economics, being advocated by the mining industry. Moreover, neoclassical economics as previously enforced on Africa by the West has lost much credibility owing to the recent turn of events in the economies of Western nations. It must be noted, however, that the path state ownership in the mining industry, although seemingly viable, must be threaded with the utmost caution. The history of state owned extractive industry corporations in sub-Saharan Africa is fraught with corruption, embezzlement, mismanagement, apathy, and eventual collapse. Jacob Zuma and the ANC government must learn from history and avoid embarking on a project that is doomed to fail from the start. First, the human resources upon which the new mining corporation will be founded, will go a long way in determining its success. For a start, Jacob Zuma and his government must refrain from using the positions within the corporation to payback party loyalists or to score cheap political points. Well educated, tried and tested entrepreneurs, successful private sector participants, resident or in the Diaspora, must be lured into the corporation. Experienced, committed and motivated bureaucrats and technocrats should be retained to ensure that due process is enshrined. Intellectuals who are afro-centric in their orientation should be recruited as consultants, and if possible, the government should look beyond South Africa to recruit from other African nations where there is abundance of the needed skills. Most important, is the need to embark on specialized education for young South Africans in order to train and prepare them for future employment in the mining industry. Tailor made courses with global competitiveness must be established in select South African institutions to ensure the best quality manpower. Aside from the technological and entrepreneurial aspect of the training, it is also necessary, and gravely so, that young South Africans be trained in citizenship education and in courses geared towards self confidence and national pride. There seems to be little or no emphasis at psychologically reversing the effects of apartheid on the blacks of South Africa, as most policies are aimed at structural adjustments of the polity. Unless the mental effects of apartheid are dealt with, through targeted counseling and formal, informal and non-formal education, South Africa would sooner than later end up as the rest of the blacks in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Americas, who are having difficulty in fully acknowledging and overcoming the psychological effects of slavery and colonialism on different generations. Perhaps, South Africa if successful with its example will be able to salvage the rest of mineral producing sub-Saharan African from the clutches of the West and China. The global mining industry, despite the pretensions of the Extractive Mining Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) is steeped in secrecy and intimidation of the governments of African countries, by those who own the brains and equipments for drilling, mining and processing. The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo stares us all constantly in the face, to mention one. African governments have been constantly told that any mention of state participation in direct commercial ventures of extraction amounts to nationalization, but this is far from the truth. Why is the United States not allowing private oil drilling companies to explore it strategic crude reserves? South Africa could show that the government is able to, according to Jacob Zuma, “build a strong mixed economy, where the state, private sector, co-operative and other forms of social ownership complement each other, to achieve shared and inclusive economic growth.” If the right steps are carefully taken, sub-Saharan Africa will sooner than later break the jinx of dependence on the West and China in the natural resource production and processing, leading it on the path to genuine independence.

<urn:uuid:e064a58b-cdee-47c2-9605-242f58069e58>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://chikaforafrica.com/2011/09/16/towards-ending-apartheid-in-south-african-mines/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

The brain is the core of the central nervous system and is the most complex organ of the body. The cerebrum is the largest and thinking and reasoning part of the brain. It is also responsible for controlling the voluntary muscles of the body. Both the long-term and short-term memory is confined in the cerebrum while it is divided into two where the left half is deemed controlling the right side of the body and the right half is responsible for controlling the left side of the body. Encephalomalacia is counted among the most serious types of brain damage that can affect individuals from various age groups. Encephalomalacia is medical terminology used for brain softening. The part of brain affected is cerebrum. Encephalomalacia can affect anyone, even a developing embryo in uterus. There are a number of causes that can lead to the softening of the brain tissue, although the most implicated is some serious head injury that subjects the brain to tissue softening. The injury to the brain can result to the inflammation and swelling of the brain that a variation in the size of the brain from swelling can cause encephalomalacia. Encephalomalacia in a localized area is mostly seen with hemorrhage that it is also being implicated in the cause of the condition. Degeneration and deterioration of the brain are also believed to result in extensive softening of the brain although this one is rather rare in occurrence. Encephalomalacia is regarded as one of the most serious types of brain condition that can bring irreversible damage and affect the normal function of the body as a whole. No cure directed towards the condition of encephalomalacia has been identified and only the underlying conditions are directly applied to treatment and cure. Encephalomalacia (softened Brain Tissue) Encephalomalacia, also known as cerebral softening, is a very serious disorder inflicting permanent tissue damage to the patient’s brain. The disease is not limited to specific ages, genders or races. Even embryos in the womb and infants may be affected by this medical condition primarily resulting from trauma. The most prominent feature of softening of the brain, or encephalomalacia, is the alteration of consistence: but the disease results from other fundamental changes, and is treated of amongst the diseases of texture only for want of a more suitable place. Gliosis and Encephalomalacia Gliosis is a nonspecific reactive change of glial cells in response to damage to the central nervous system (CNS). In most cases, gliosis involves the proliferation or hypertrophy of several different types of glial cells, including astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. In its most extreme form, the proliferation associated with gliosis leads to the formation of a glial scar. Gliosis is the growth of glial tissue (astrocytes). Encephalomalacia is typically a “hole in the brain. Technically it means softening of the brain so all stages between initial injury and the “hole” would also be encephalomalacia. Encephalomalacia is the softening or loss of brain tissue after cerebral infarction, cerebral ischemia, infection, craniocerebral trauma, or other injury. The term is usually used during gross pathologic inspection to describe blurred cortical margins and decreased consistency of brain tissue after infarction. The softening may occur in a specific part of the brain or may be more widespread. In some rare cases, deterioration or degeneration of the brain may lead to extensive softening of the substances within. It can affect different parts of the organ and damage tissues in the frontal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe as well as the temporal lobe. Occipital Lobe definition Occipital lobe is the posterior lobe of each cerebral hemisphere, having the shape of a three-sided pyramid and containing the visual center of the brain. The occipital lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The occipital lobe is important to being able to correctly understand what your eyes are seeing. These lobes have to be very fast to process the rapid information that our eyes are sending. Similar to how the temporal lobe makes sense of auditory information, the occipital lobe makes sense of visual information so that we are able to understand it. Parietal Lobe definition The parietal lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The parietal lobe is positioned above the occipital lobe and behind the frontal lobe and central sulcus. The parietal lobe carries out some very specific functions. As a part of the cortex, it has a lot of responsibilities and has to be able to process sensory information within seconds. The parietal lobe is where information such as taste, temperature and touch are integrated, or processed. Symptoms of encephalomalacia are varied because they depend on the area of the brain affected by the softening. However, the early signs of encephalomalacia onset are similar regardless of the area affected, and these could be; • clumsiness and diminished coordination • visual impairment that may be permanent or temporary • extreme drowsiness • severe headaches • head-spinning sensation and vertigo • memory loss and mood swings if the frontal lobe is affected Encephalomalacia is also categorized according to the colors and stages of damage such as: • Red softening • Yellow softening • White softening Encephalomalacia treatment is not guaranteed to reverse the damage nor restore the functionality of the damaged part of the brain. There has also been no clear indication if the sensations can also be restored after changes in functional mobility of the brain. Some medications as: • Alprazolam (Xanax) is prescribed for anxious mood. • Amitriptyline (Elavil) may be prescribed for insomnia and pain. • Meloxicam (Mobic) and Tramadol (Ultram) may be prescribed for pain. • Hydrotherapy (water therapy) is also given as a physical therapy. Cystoperitoneal shunts or cyst taps are proven to be effective in managing multicystic encephalomalacia

<urn:uuid:b62d5bcd-d4a2-4a54-9472-22720f1b3f95>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://healthncare.info/encephalomalacia-softened-brain-tissue-definition-symptoms-treatment/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

“School Districts’ Obligations to Implement Positive Behavior Support and Prohibition of Aversive Techniques for Special Education Students” By Heather M. Hulse, JD, MA, MS School districts must follow specific requirements in managing the behaviors of special education children pursuant to Chapter 14 of the Pennsylvania Code. School districts must implement Positive Behavior Support programs that include research-based practices and techniques. This means that the practices and techniques utilized for behavior programming must have been scientifically proven to be effective in increasing positive behavior and decreasing problematic behavior. School districts must conduct a Functional Behavioral Assessment in order to develop a Positive Behavior Support plan. A Functional Behavioral Assessment involves several observations over a period of time, in various settings, by a qualified professional in order to assess the student’s “function” of the problematic behavior(s). In other words, the assessment involves finding the reason(s) for the problematic behavior(s). These reasons can include a variety of factors, including environmental and social factors. A Positive Behavior Support plan must be developed for students with disabilities who require specific intervention to address behavior that interferes with learning. Such a behavior plan must be developed by the student’s Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”) team, based on a functional behavior assessment, and become part of the student’s IEP. These behavior plans must include methods that utilize positive reinforcement and other positive techniques to shape a student’s behavior, including, but not limited to, the use of positive verbal statements, preferred activities, homework passes, and specific tangible rewards. When school districts must intervene to address problem behaviors, the types of interventions for special education students must be the least intrusive necessary. Restraints may be used only when the student is acting in a manner as to be a clear and present danger to himself or to other students or to employees, and when less intrusive measures have been used and proven ineffective. Thus, the use of restraints is a measure of last resort. The District must first use de-escalation techniques before using restraints. Furthermore, school districts have several requirements to follow when a student is restrained. Specifically, school districts must notify the parent of the use of restraint and formally offer to hold an IEP team meeting within ten (10) school days of the inappropriate behavior causing the use of restraints. A parent may agree in writing to waive an IEP team meeting, but only after receiving written notice. At this meeting, the IEP team shall consider whether the student needs a: 1) Functional Behavioral Assessment; 2) Reevaluation; 3) new or revised Positive Behavior Support plan; or 4) change of placement, to address the inappropriate behavior. If you would like to receive an electronic copy or more information regarding this article, please visit our website at http://www.mcandrewslaw.com/ or call [ln::phone].

<urn:uuid:50c5e97c-d7ee-49b7-99be-8ee439d2f7dc>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://mcandrewslaw.com/publications-and-presentations/articles/school-districts-obligations-to-implement-positive-behavior-support-and-prohibition-of-aversive-techniques-for-special-education-students/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

Estimated Monthly Savings: $150 Did you know that different goods are likely to have different prices depending on the time of year? Seasonal sales and production can have a not insignificant effect on how much you spend. Back to school sales are one such example. Naturally, you would use a back to school sale to shop for children starting school in the fall. However, adults can reap the benefits of these sales as well. Everybody uses office supplies. An expensive pack of printer paper might even go down from the mid-fifties to $40. Look around the stores you frequent and watch for back to school specials and sales. Even big-ticket goods like computers and printers will be going on sale, with savings that can reach $150. New models of cars and bicycles often tend to be released at the end of the summer, as well. Thus, vendors will be inclined to sell old models – leading to lowered prices and good deals. Lawnmowers are also considered summer products – as the summer ends, vendors will want to get rid of these, and lower prices. Seasonal produce is also an excellent way to save money. The USDA has a guide to seasonal produce to peruse, but this only goes by seasons, not monthly. August seasonal produce includes avocado, bell peppers, carrots, eggplant, garlic, onions, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, and more. September yield includes apples, broccoli, cucumber, lettuce, mushrooms, peaches, pumpkins, and spinach, among others. In October, a few things to look out for are beets, brussels sprouts, corn, grapes, kale, peppers, sweet potatoes, and watermelon. These are by no means the full extent of seasonal food – just a sample of the foods you can save on by buying in season.

<urn:uuid:421651a2-be2d-49e7-85c0-59362a713678>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://monthlyexpense.com/save-with-in-season-purchases-20-items-you-can-buy-in-august-september-and-october/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

Pteris longipes D.Don Pteridaceae, subfamily Pteridoideae Pteris longipes D.Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.: 15. 1825; Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 115. 1883; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 154. 1940; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE Asian Stud. 3(3): 83. 1965; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 81. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 235. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 129. 2000. Rhizome erect, sometimes more than 10 cm tall, bearing a few fronds in a tuft, scaly at apex; scales about 7 by 0.8 mm, concolorously brown to darker, entire. Stipes up to 1 m long, stramineous throughout, glabrescent upwards. Laminae tripartite, middle branch longer, 35–55 cm long, up to 20 cm wide, deeply bipinnatisect, lateral branches smaller, up to 30 by 12 cm, bearing no secondary branch; pinnae linear-lanceolate, broadly cuneate at sessile base, caudately acuminate at apex, deeply pinnatisect nearly to costa, up to 10 cm long; fertile pinnae usually about 1.5 cm wide, sterile ones sometimes more than 2 cm; ultimate segments oblong, oblique, round to moderately acute at apex, serrate near tip, papyraceous, green, glandular hairy on upper surface; veins forked, all free, visible on both surfaces. Sori along margin of segment, from base nearly to apex; indusia brown, rather firm , up to 1 mm in breadth. Distribution in Thailand NORTHERN: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phrae, Tak; NORTH-EASTERN: Loei; EASTERN: Chaiyaphum; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi; SOUTH-EASTERN: Chanthaburi. Distribution in Laos N India, S China, Vietnam and Taiwan, southwards to the Philippines. On mountain slopes usually in dense thickets in dry evergreen or lower montane forests at 700–1600 m alt. Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment Least Concern (LC). This species is widespread and not under any known threat. Voucher specimens - Thailand Middleton et al. 4868, Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep-Doi Pui National Park (E); Van Beusekom et al. 4143, Chaiyaphum, Nam Phrom (P); Middleton et al. 4751, Kanchanaburi, Khao Laem National Park (E). Voucher specimens - Laos Poilane 28356, Champasak, Boloven Plateau (P). Upper surface of lamina Spines on costa above Lower surface of lamina

<urn:uuid:0e01116c-e802-4c27-a6e7-4190176ef598>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/thaiferns/factsheets/index.php?q=Pteris_longipes.xml

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

Gable mask from ceremonial house facade mid 20th century attrib. Kapriman people Papua New Guinea Across the Sepik, spectacular ceremonial houses are found in every village. They are known as 'geko', 'ŋgaigo' or 'ngeko' in Iatmul, and 'haus tambaran' in Pidgin. In the Middle Sepik, the 'geko' embodies the paramount female ancestor whose enormous face appears on the gable and whose name is given to the house. Clans descending from a common ancestor build the 'geko', where cult objects are stored. Only men who are initiated are permitted inside the 'geko' and, during ritual ceremonies, the house becomes 'hot', indicating the presence of spirits. Gable masks are either carved from wood or woven using split rattan cane and are hung high above the entrance of the 'geko'. Woven examples such as this feature prominent foreheads, separately attached ears and broad, open mouths filled with fine teeth. [entry from Exhibition Guide for 'Melanesian art: redux', 2018, cat no 15] mid 20th century woven rattan cane, natural pigments, cassowary feathers (Casuarius), wood 181.5 x 102.0 x 51.0 cm Not on display © Kapriman people, under the endorsement of the Pacific Islands Museums Association's (PIMA) Code of Ethics Shown in 3 exhibitions Referenced in 7 publications JA Tuckson, Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterly, 'Some Sepik River art from the collection', pg. 666-679, Sydney, Apr 1972, 668, 671, 676 (illus.). plate no. 10 Tony Tuckson, Art and Australia, 'Primitive art collection', pg. 76-79, Sydney, Jul 1972, 79 (illus.). Image of work in the 'Primitive Gallery' at the AGNSW in 1972, with other works from the collection. Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterly, Sydney, Apr 1965, 232 (illus.). 1964 Acquisitions, Sydney, 1964, 62. cat.no. 112 Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterly (vol. 13, no. 4), Sydney, Jul 1972, 697 (illus.). "The primitive art area is temporarily situated on the first floor. Exhibits are from the Sepik River, New Guinea, along with a grave-symbol figure from New Hebrides, in the left foreground". The 'Gable mask' is seen on the wall, together with other works collected by Tuckson in the 1960s and early 1970s. Melanesian art, Sydney, 1966, front cover (illus.), 12. cat.no. 118 Aboriginal and Melanesian art, Sydney, 1973, 45. cat.no. 83

<urn:uuid:cb017cc7-4ce9-49eb-95a7-8b22029b09b2>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/IA13.1964/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

What is it? Deep-water corals are also referred to as cold-water corals, as they, unlike tropical corals, grow in water with temperatures ranging from 4°C to 12°C. The Lophelia species are the most common in UK waters. They feed on zooplankton, crustaceans and krill carried to them by the currents. Unlike shallow water corals, they do not depend on a symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) for growth and survival, resulting in slower growth. It is estimated that the Lophelia grows an average of 10 mm (0.39in) per year compared to 10-20 mm a year for warm water corals; from their size it is estimated that some mounds can be up to 8000 years old. The coral mounds provide habitats for species such as starfish, sponges, anemones, redfish and squat lobster, as well as several commercially important species including cod and crab. Various species use the habitat for feeding, spawning and nursery sites, as it can provide protection from strong currents and predators. Why is it like this? The coral form colonies that grow in large patches and in appearance they are much like reefs; the largest recorded in UK waters is 30m in height. The deep water aggregations are often described as mounds rather than reefs as it better describes the calcium carbonate skeleton remaining as the new coral grows. Deep-water corals are mainly stony corals, but also include black, horny and soft corals. Distribution in the UK Deep-water coral can be found worldwide in ocean depth ranging from 50m to 3000m, but most frequently found at a depth between 200m and 400m. In UK waters, they occur on the North and West coast of Scotland and the West coast of Ireland. The largest recorded formation in the UK is the Darwin Mounds located 186 km North/West of the coast of Scotland. Discovered in 1998 it is two series of coral mounds at a depth of approximately 1000m (3,300ft), together they cover an area of 100km2 (39 sqmiles). What to look for As deep-water corals tend to be found at depths between 200-400m, few people get to see the incredible sea life they support first-hand. But deep-water corals form an oasis of shelter and food for many weird and wonderful invertebrates, from anemones to sea urchins. They’re good news for fish too; pregnant redfish are thought to use them as a refuge and many commercially important fish species are known to use them as breeding grounds. The species-rich habitat that the coral provide means that they are extremely attractive fishing grounds. The main threat to deep water corals is therefore the damage caused by towed fishing gear/trawling that can act to break down and destroy the coral. What has taken thousands of years to generate can be destroyed in a matter of seconds, resulting in loss of important habitat for a range of marine species. Another threat to deep-water coral is oil and gas exploration and production, which can also act to break and destroy the reefs. Climate change is a further threat as changes in ocean temperature can potentially alter the current system which could remove or alter the food supply to existing corals. The Wildlife Trusts are calling for more Marine Conservation Zones to be designated in UK waters, protecting special habitats at sea. You can help by pledging your support and becoming a Friend of MCZs.

<urn:uuid:4e3f15cb-d0cd-45a9-bfa6-c2dd55a51310>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.bbcwildlife.org.uk/habitats/marine/deep-water-corals

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

Magnitude 6.7 Aftershock Strikes After Last Week's 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Last week, Papua New Guinea was shaken by a violent 7.5 magnitude earthquake, generating landslides and floods. The quake killed at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. As Papua New Guinea was beginning to recover, another earthquake hit the small island today, measuring at magnitude 6.7 -- that’s the equivalent to California’s Northridge earthquake in 1994. Two more aftershocks followed -- 5.0 and 5.1. Bringing the death toll to at least 67 people killed from the earthquakes in Papua New Guinea. Around 150,000 people require aid after these earthquakes and aftershocks. In the event of an earthquake, the initial trembler is only a portion of what can be expected. All 50 states (some more than others) are vulnerable to the unpredictable threats that earthquakes pose: - Followed by more earthquakes, known as aftershocks - Household items dangerously tossed - Collapsed buildings - Damaged utilities, roads, bridges, and dams - Tsunamis, fires, landslides, and avalanches Earthquakes are prone to occuring at any time and without warning. As scientists continue to seek out ways to predict future earthquakes, we must rely on our gut to protect and prepare ourselves. Before Disaster Strikes, prepare your family and loved ones today with Emergency Case.

<urn:uuid:675ccbda-dc4d-4327-8618-735d05b47e3c>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.emergencycasestore.com/blogs/news/magnitude-6-7-aftershock-strikes-after-last-weeks-7-5-magnitude-earthquake

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

Oil in your life Also called agricultural diesel ‘B’, it is mainly used in heavy farming vehicles. As a fuel, its composition is similar to that of automotive diesel, the difference being that agricultural diesel often benefits from a lower tax rate. For this reason, its use is limited by legal rules and regulations. Obtained from distilling crude oil, asphalt (or bitumen) is not a single product but a broad family of heavy materials containing multiple components. Asphalt is best known for its use as a binder in road paving materials One of asphalt’s main characteristics is that it is waterproof, making it the favoured product for sealing terraces, roofs and patios. Asphalt membranes, manufactured using bitumen or asphalt, is what makes asphalt waterproof. Also referred to as ‘diesel fuel’ or ‘gas oil A’, like gasoline, automotive diesel is a mix of hydrocarbons obtained from distilling crude oil and blending components from several process units. It is slightly heavier than gasoline and is used to fuel road diesel engines. Kerosene is obtained from distilling gasoline and is the basis of fuel used in jet engines. Nylon is another synthetic fibre derived from oil. Due to its durability, it is the main material used in medical bandages. These types of fuel consist mainly of gas and fuel oils and are among the heaviest fractions of crude oil. In order to meet the required commercial specifications, bunker fuels must undergo various treatments at the refinery prior to being brought to market. The shipping industry is a major user of bunker fuels. Butane is the other main ‘Liquefied Petroleum Gas’ (LPG). It is a light product derived from distilling crude oil. The key difference between butane and propane is that butane begins to liquefy at around 0º C and therefore must be stored indoors or in warm temperatures during the winter. It is mainly used for such household applications as cooking, heating and hot water. As a result of the many electrical appliances we use every day, it is no surprise that electricity is one of the most highly consumed energy sources. It is generated by transforming various types of non-electric energy into electric power. These substances are used to enrich soil and support plant growth. They can generally be classified into two types: organic and mineral. Petrochemical derivatives include a wide array of products which, once mixed and treated, are used to manufacture other transformable products. One common example is fibreglass. Due to its excellent thermal insulation and ability to withstand acid and high temperatures, fibreglass is the perfect material for manufacturing sail boat hulls. These chemical substances are used to control, prevent and destroy weeds, fungi and other harmful substances that damage crops. Gasoline, also known as petrol, is a mixture obtained from blending many light components from several refinery process units. Gasoline and diesel are the most commonly used fuels in the motor vehicle industry. As a product, gasoline must comply with a number of specifications. The octane number you see listed at the pump is one of these specifications, measuring the fuel’s overall performance. Also called heating oil ‘C’, this fuel is used in heating systems and hot water boilers. Certain additives are used to increase its heating power in comparison to other diesel fuels. Industrial oil is a lubricant containing specific additives in accordance with standards established by international governing bodies and original equipment manufacturers. These standards require that a specific lubrication is adapted for a particular piece of equipment, system or mechanism. For example, co-generation motors, gears, turbines, hydraulic devices and compressors all require a specific industrial oil. Lubricants consist of a base oil generally derived from mixing crude oil and additives. Compounds are added in small amounts until a lubricating oil forms, matching the desired level of quality and type of application. Lubricants are used for reducing friction and wear caused when two surfaces rub together. Lubricants also play an essential role in sealing, cooling, protecting and cleaning machinery – guaranteeing their effective operation and longevity. Medical equipment also benefits from refining products. From saline solution bags to medical tubing, the high compatibility and protective properties of the plastics derived from oil help ensure our safety against germs and bacteria. Natural gas is a gaseous hydrocarbon that exists naturally in underground oil and gas deposits. Its main component is methane gas. As an energy source it has a broad range of applications. In our homes we use natural gas in our kitchens, hot-water boilers and heaters. In the industrial sector it fuels co-generation plants and heats furnaces and foundries. Paint is a chemical product used to cover or decorate all kinds of surfaces. A broad range of paint types are available on the market, with various industrial, artistic and household uses. All paints are comprised of pigments and solvents, which are basic petrochemicals produced in refineries. Paraffin is typically recognised for its highly elastic, solid, glutinous, inert and waterproof characteristics – and for its ability to be handled at room temperature. It is also biodegradable and does not release any harmful gases when burned. Thanks to its low cost and wide array of applications, paraffin today has replaced the use of beeswax. One of its best known applications is in the production of candles. Of all types of plastic, one of the most common is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), most commonly used in the production of soft drink bottles.This product is favoured for its unique properties, including transparency, strength, and suitability for packaging food products. As an added bonus, PET plastic is also easy to recycle. Many of the pills we take are cased in capsules made from the derivatives of refined crude oil. Without this smooth coating, swallowing pills would be much more difficult, and suppositories would have difficulty reaching their targets. More so, without this coating it would be nearly impossible to package, preserve and use many pharmaceutical materials that we now take for granted. Plastics come from the compounds derived from crude oil and natural gas. One common use for plastics is in the production of toys. This is because plastics are highly resistant to mechanical and physical stress, in addition to offering a cost-effective solution. The general category of plastics includes specific chemical products such as polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene, among others. Although strong, polycarbonate plastics are remarkably easy to mould, giving them the flexibility to be used in a broad range of products. For example, in electronics, polycarbonates serve as the raw material for making CDs, DVDs and a number of computer components. Propane is one of the main ‘Liquefied Petroleum Gases’ (LPG). It is a light product that results from either distilling crude oil or by extracting it from the oil or gas streams found in the ground. Propane has considerable heating power and is typically stored outdoors, even in cold temperatures, because it easily liquefies and remains a gas in temperatures as low as –42 ºC. It has a variety of uses, including household heating and hot water, and in various farming and industrial services. It can also be used to fuel vehicles. Soap is the most commonly used washing detergent. However, as the fats needed to produce soap were extremely scarce during World War II, chemical syntheses were developed to produce similar products capable of performing the same functions. Today, the most commonly used raw material for the production of biodegradable detergents is linear alkyl benzene (LAB). One of the main raw materials used in the production of synthetic fibres is crude oil. The crude oil is first distilled, which creates the substances that the various fibres used in the textile industry are derived from. These resulting synthetic fibres can be used either alone or in combination with natural fibres such as cotton, wool and linen. For example, one method for manufacturing synthetic textile fibres is through a process that produces resins which, once spun and solidified, become flexible, light and strong. One of the most common synthetic fibres is polyester.

<urn:uuid:7e187df9-b77e-4cf8-89d3-e4c36a4b9096>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.fuelseurope.eu/knowledge/oil-in-your-life/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

What does the name Capoccia mean? Find out below. capo (“head”) + -ccia |█||Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander||1.48%||4.85%| |█||American Indian and Alaska Native||0.00%||0.69%| |█||Two or More Ethnicities||0.00%||1.76%| |█||Hispanic or Latino||3.25%||16.26%| People with the last name Capoccia are most frequently White I do not know how you feel about it, but you were a female in your last earthly incarnation. You were born somewhere around the territory of Newfoundland approximately on 1275. Your profession was builder of houses, temples, and cathedrals. You had a mind of a scientist, always seeking new explanations. Environment often misunderstood you. Had a respectable knowledge. Magic is everywhere around you, in most usual, most ordinary incidents. Your lesson - to learn magic and to help people to see it clearly. You are a magician!

<urn:uuid:b564a4bd-2a92-4fcf-9848-c351a4f0b806>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.names.org/n/capoccia/about

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560628000367.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20190626154459-20190626180459-00364.warc.gz

en

HTTP vs HTTPS The topics of security & encryption continue to be big items for 2016. Keep your eyes open for more conversation on this topic, but for now, I want to focus on a simple form of encryption that you’ve probably used without realizing it: HTTPS. HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a protocol for sending and receiving information across the Internet. Simply put, it’s one of the many ways computers can communicate to each other. HTTP is commonly used to access web pages, as a server communicates with your web browser and vice-versa. Perhaps you’ve noticed the prefix in various links on the web: http://bpimediagroup.com, for example. Secure HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) is a combination of HTTP and SSL/TLS protocol. This extra protocol allows for the secure, encrypted transfer of sensitive information such as banking data, payment gateways, personal information, and even emails. You’ll see these in Gmail, Facebook, and anywhere that you’re providing payment information. Many modern web browsers highlight HTTPS in URLs to help users have an easier understanding of the site’s security: If a certificate is present but expired (they stay valid for a year), most browsers will alert you so you can make an informed decision. As our Internet becomes increasingly connected, I expect we’ll see more flags like the above to deter visitors to insecure or potentially malicious websites. At the end of the day, there are lots of factors to consider when it comes to cybersecurity. Given the option, always use HTTPS when dealing with anything potentially sensitive. But it’s also important to understand that simply having a secure connection to transfer you information does not ensure that you’re completely safe, however. Just look at the Target breach: all of that user data was securely captured. And all of it was then leaked from there data center where it was stored! As the conversation and standards regarding security, encryption, and private data continues to evolve alongside the emerging markets, so the exploits, breaches, and overall confusion. All we can do as individuals is to make informed decisions about our engagement with these technologies.

<urn:uuid:2048d314-b7ef-41da-bb24-203e1463787f>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://bpimediagroup.com/2016/http-vs-https/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Do you suffer from feelings of isolation and loneliness? Everyone feels lonely sometimes. But if you feel this way severely or over a long period of time it can have a profound impact on your life. It can even lead to serious health issues like anxiety, depression, lowered immune system and disturbed sleep. As a therapist I understand how painful and difficult these feelings are, but I’ve also seen that they can be eased. Identifying the cause of your loneliness will help you gain control over it. And there are steps you can take to help yourself overcome feelings of loneliness. Loneliness isn’t the same as being alone Loneliness isn’t the same as comfortably spending time by yourself. It’s the feeling of being unable to connect with others. And you don’t have to be alone to feel lonely – you might be surrounded by friends and family but feel detached from them. What causes feelings of isolation? Isolation and loneliness can affect anyone at any stage in life. In today’s society more people are feeling lonely because we tend to move away from family and don’t connect with our new neighbours. But you can also experience isolation if you feel unable to conform in a close-knit community. Sometimes an event in your life can cause physical or emotional distance from others, like moving somewhere new, the loss of your health or a loved one, or the arrival of a new baby. Feeling different from others because of a language barrier or a disability can also cause acute loneliness. And if you’ve experienced physical or verbal abuse, this can make it difficult to trust people and make new connections. If you feel isolated and lonely, you can find yourself withdrawing from others and avoiding social situations, which in turn makes the lonely feeling worse. You can overcome your loneliness While it can be hard work – especially at first – you can break the cycle and overcome loneliness and isolation. I’ve outlined below some simple steps you can take to heal yourself: 1 Make a plan Spend some time to identify what’s making you feel lonely. Do you rarely come into contact with people? Or are you surrounded by people who don’t understand you? It can help to write your thoughts in a journal. Make a note of the times you feel most lonely. Then, plan an activity or some interaction with others to combat the feeling during these times. 2 Start slowly Making the decision to tackle isolation takes courage. The mental health charity Mind suggests that if the prospect of meeting people seems overwhelming, you could start by making small changes. Visit places where you’re around people but not expected to talk to them, for example a sports event or a café. Online support groups can connect you with people who experience the same issues, without having to meet face-to-face. The Blurt foundation has a helpful list of support groups on their website. 3 Quieten your inner critic Without someone to talk to, it can become easy to dwell on self-critical thoughts. You might begin to feel that there’s something wrong with you- that you’re unlikeable or an outcast. But that’s just not true. It’s the situation you’re in, not who you are that’s the problem. You can replace these negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Choose these from books or online, like this uplifting selection from Huffpost, or write out your own affirmations that have special meaning to you. Another way to quieten your inner critic is by practising meditation, which helps you identify and let go of destructive thoughts. Studies show 10 minutes of meditation a day can greatly improve your mental health and give you a new sense of wellbeing. 4 Reach out You shouldn’t have to suffer in silence – take a risk and tell someone how you feel. This might be uncomfortable, but loneliness is something everyone can relate to, and you might be surprised how helpful someone can be if you ask for support. Imagine if the roles were reversed. You probably wouldn’t judge someone for telling you they’re unhappy. You’d just want to help! If you don’t have friends or family, you could approach a religious figure, a colleague, or your GP. 5 Get busy Starting a new activity not only gives your mind something to focus on instead of your isolation, it gives you a confidence boost and expands your social network. You might want to consider volunteering – helping others is a great way to improve your own mental health. Attending a local club or group, or enrolling in a class to learn a new skill gives you the opportunity to talk to people who share your interests. 6 Be proactive Rather than waiting to be invited, you can take the first step and invite people to spend time with you; perhaps for a cup of tea, a walk or a meal. This might feel like launching yourself out of your comfort zone, especially if you find it hard to trust others – but the people you invite might welcome the chance to talk. Don’t underestimate the role you can play as a source of support for other people. 7 Recognise you’re not alone in feeling alone If you’re isolated, you might begin to feel like you’re abnormal or that people won’t like you, and comparing yourself to others who seem to socialise effortlessly can make this worse. But TV and social media show an idealised version of social interaction. On sites like Facebook for example, people tend to present the best version of themselves. But the reality is everyone has anxious moments. We all experience insecurity – and everyone can feel lonely and isolated, too. 8 Seek counselling Sometimes it can be hard to identify the cause of your loneliness, and seeing a counsellor can help you explore why you feel this way. Perhaps you’re uncomfortable talking to people close to you because you feel detached from them, or feel you have to put on a brave face for them. Speaking to someone in an intimate setting like a therapy room might sound a bit daunting, but counsellors are trained to put you at ease, and won’t rush or pressure you. A therapist will offer a confidential and safe place to explore the reasons for your loneliness. And he or she will provide ongoing support to help you find the strength to make positive changes in your life. These are some of the ways you can overcome loneliness and isolation. I hope you’ve found these suggestions helpful. Whatever you do to overcome your isolation, be kind to yourself. Remember you do have the power to change. And you don’t have to put yourself under pressure to try everything at once. But it’s a good idea to be persistent, too! If an activity isn’t working out, you can always try something new. If you’re feeling isolated, finding the willpower to make a change is the start of your healing journey. You can take one step at a time, and acknowledge each one as a step in the right direction. If you’re affected by loneliness and feel counselling could help you, you’re welcome to contact me. We can arrange a friendly chat about what you’d like to achieve from therapy.

<urn:uuid:bea938d9-e0c1-4ef9-bf13-d86d8e240cb1>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://breakthroughcounselling.uk/feeling-lonely-youre-not-alone-8-simple-ways-to-overcome-isolation/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

There are so many benefits to having your child in gymnastics. Whether you have a preschool aged child or a teenager, they can benefit from learning the basics of gymnastics and participating in this great sport. Here are some of the things that you should know if you are new to gymnastics. What Do You Wear? In most gyms, there will be a dress code of what the participant should wear. Girls should wear something called a leotard. This looks much like a one-piece swimsuit and can have shorts attached, or it can be a swimsuit cut. The reason for this leotard is that it allows for the most mobility and is best for the person watching as well. They can see all of the movements of the body and correct what is not being done correctly. If you wear clothing that is too baggy, it won't look right when you do your routines, and you don't have as good of range of motion. The leotard should fit well enough that is isn't riding up or falling down so that the person can comfortable do the movements without adjusting it. Boys usually wear a fitted tank top or shirt and shorts when they participate in gymnastics. Young boys who are just starting out may have less strict dress code standards. Is Gymnastics Dangerous? Early gymnastics are not any more dangerous than any other sport. The skills that a gymnast learns in the early stages of their instruction will be helpful for any other sport. They will learn balance, strength training, flexibility, and coordination. Many of the skills that they learn will be things that they need to know for other athletic events. As the participants get more skilled, it can become more dangerous as they flip and do different events. However, if the gymnast is trained properly to use the right techniques and if they are only attempting the techniques while at an approved gym and with a spotter they should be safe. How Old Should You Be Before You Start Gymnastics? Each gym will have a different age limit when they allow children to start. Many gyms will allow children to start about 3-4 years old since they know the many benefits of starting gymnastics young. However, some places will allow you to do a parent, child class even younger than that. These are some of the things you should know about gymnastics. For more information on leotards, contact your local gym clothing supplier.

<urn:uuid:5c9bf911-51f1-4368-8d49-cb57f15b8dbe>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://horsecentstack.com/2018/03/14/some-things-to-know-about-gymnastics/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Projects related to RITEAM: This research, which is financed by the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and which is called Impact d’un jeu vidéo sur l’apprentissage des fractions chez l’enfant avec et sans trouble de l’apprentissage : aspects neuro-cognitifs et didactiques (Impact of a videogame about learning fractions on children with and without learning disability: neuro-cognitive and didactic aspects), takes place at the Cognitive Science Institute Marc Jeannerod in Lyon. The goal of this research is to assess the impact of the use of a didactic videogame about learning fractions in primary school. It is part of a new area of research integrating cognitive science (psychology and neuroscience) and didactic knowledge with the aim of understanding and improving school learning. The research is broken down into three specific objectives. The first one is the evaluation of the impact of the videogame on learning fractions and on the brain functions of typically developing children from all social backgrounds, playing the game in their families. The second specific objective is the evaluation of the impact of the videogame on learning fractions in children with deep learning difficulties in mathematics (dyscalculia, for example). The children are from all social backgrounds and play the game in their families. The third specific objective is the evaluation of the impact of the videogame on learning fractions in children who play the game in class, within a learning sequence constructed by the teacher. The research started in September 2017 with the production of a diagnostic test to evaluate the knowledge and the skills of the students on fractions (later years of primary school) and with the first class’ experimentations in the last year of primary school and the first year of middle school. A disorder between different disciplinary fields (disability, health and education): dyscalculia Within the framework of the ongoing thesis (co-founded by the Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne and the Communauté d’Agglomération de Châlons-en-Champagne), we ask the following questions: what is the status of mathematics education in the research on dyscalculia? How can we reconcile the different approaches (cognitive and didactic) for a better understanding of this disorder and to promote interaction between professionals? The aim is to create a detection tool for mathematical learning difficulties to help the dialogue between teachers and speech therapists, proposing a common inventory of children’s difficulties usable by both. For this, we rely on theoretical elements of mathematics education, of numerical cognition and on an analysis of the existing tests for the evaluation of basic school mathematical skills or in order to determine a medical diagnosis. The teaching and learning processes in mathematics: MLD students This research aims to investigate the teaching and learning processes in mathematics in the context of inclusive teaching, identifying MLD students. For this reason, the research objective focuses on the analysis of the didactic conditions and choices (organisation of didactic activities, choice of the instruments to use, definition of tasks…) which can support learning in all students of the classroom. We use at the same time the theoretical framework of cognitive psychology and neuroscience, and the one of mathematics education, to benefit from combined efficient information. The research started in 2013 within a research-action group, called EduMath, composed of 30 primary and kindergarten teachers and a researcher (Elisabetta Robotti). It developed both case studies and experimentations on fractions and arithmetical facts, in particular in primary school, with approximately 400 students. The results have been and are the subject of many publications. Learning and teaching difficulties in mathematics HEP Vaud Project , 2013/2017 The research goal is to help answer current questions about MLD in the school setting. The study deals with the complexity of intellectual disability diagnosis. At the same time, it proposes food for thought about support for difficulties in the school context. We would like to explore the correlations between learning difficulties and teaching difficulties. In particular, we believe that the term “dyscalculia” is used in quite inappropriate ways and that the consequences of a too quick and systematic categorisation of these school phenomena often leave teachers in uncomfortable professional situations (Deruaz & Dias, 2016 ; Dias & Deruaz, 2012). In Deruaz & Dias (2016), for example, we conducted a case study in relation to an individualised support system for secondary school students with difficulties. We showed that the particular character of the supports which were used allows us to put in perspective the idea of MLD. Our study refers to students of different levels of education. This continuity was necessary for a deep exploration of the correlation links that we want to highlight.

<urn:uuid:f4d566da-3ecf-4d0b-b3bf-c77dc08d9853>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://riteam.ch/projets-de-recherche-2/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Our ageing world: UN predicts there will be more pensioners than children by 2050The number of people over 60 set to hit two billion by 2050Over-60s will outnumber under-15s in 40 years, according to reportNations urged to prepare for greater strain on healthcare and pensionsPopulation ageing fastest in developing countries 03:21 GMT, 2 October 2012 A startling UN report into global ageing has revealed that there will be more pensioners than children by 2050, when the number of people aged 60 or over will hit two billion. Today's report, called Ageing in the 21st Century: a celebration and a challenge, also revealed that the number of centenarians will rise nearly tenfold from 316,000 today to three million in 2050. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, said older people bring significant benefits to society, but warned that a spiralling population will spark major challenges for nations in areas like healthcare and pensions. An ageing world: The percentage of elderly people will increase as life expectancy grows Rapid ageing: Projected percentage of people aged over 60 in 2050 by country He added: 'Population ageing can no longer be ignored. Globally, the proportion of older persons is growing at a faster rate than the general population. 'This reflects tremendous and welcome advances in health and overall quality of life in societies across the world. 'But the social and economic implications of this phenomenon are profound, extending far beyond the individual older person and the immediate family, touching broader society and the global community in unprecedented ways.' Spike: This graph shows how the over-60s will outnumber children by 2015. Other findings in the report include that the number of older persons will surpass one billion people in just 10 years, an increase of close to 200 million people. The projected rise is down to medical advances, increased rights for older people and rising economic prosperity, but the report calls on countries to prepare so they can adequately care for their over-60s in the years to come. This is especially important for developing countries, as projections show 80 per cent of the world’s older people will live in developing countries by 2050. Longer life: Developing countries will experience greater numbers of elderly over the next four decades. The report said: 'Population ageing has significant social and economic implications at the individual, family, and societal levels. It also has important consequences and opportunities for a country’s development. 'Although the percentage of older persons is currently much higher in developed countries, the pace of population ageing is much more rapid in developing countries and their transition from a young to an old age structure will occur over a shorter period. 'Not only do developing countries have less time to adjust to a growing population of older persons, they are at much lower levels of economic development and will experience greater challenges in meeting the needs of the increasing numbers of older people.' The report, compiled by the UN Population Fund and HelpAge International, also notes that many older persons all over the world face continued discrimination, abuse and violence, which goes largely unreported because it is often considered a matter for families that should be dealt with without involving outsiders and older people in many societies may tolerate abusive situations to avoid conflict with their families. Timebomb: Health conditions like dementia will continue to trise It also highlights the challenges presented by a rise in dementia sufferers. The total number of people with dementia worldwide in 2010 is estimated at 35.6 million and is projected to nearly double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050. The total number of new cases of dementia each year worldwide is nearly 7.7 million, equivalent to one new case every four seconds. The total estimated worldwide cost of dementia in 2010 was $604 billion. It added: 'Some developed countries have launched policies, plans, strategies or frameworks to respond to the impact of dementia. 'However, by 2012 only eight countries worldwide had national programmes in place to address dementia. Some countries have regional or sub-national-level plans or programmes.' Richard Blewitt, chief executive officer of HelpAge International, said: 'We must commit to ending the widespread mismanagement of ageing. 'Concrete, cost-effective advances will come from ensuring age investment begins at birth – fully recognising the vast majority of people will live into old age.'

<urn:uuid:46f2c99a-8b5f-4993-97e2-5868a0be39a2>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.big-wife.com/our-ageing-world-un-predicts-there-will-be-more-pensioners-than-children-by-2050/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Create class IntegerSet for which each object can hold integers in the range 0 through 100. A set is represented internally as an array of ones and zeros. Array element a[ i ] is 1 if integer i is in the set. Array element a[ j ] is 0 if integer j is not in the set. The default constructor initializes a set to the so-called "empty set," i.e., a set whose array representation contains all zeros. Provide member functions for the common set operations. For example, provide a unionOfSets member function that creates a third set that is the set-theoretic union of two existing sets (i.e., an element of the third set's array is set to 1 if that element is 1 in either or both of the existing sets, and an element of the third set's array is set to 0 if that element is 0 in each of the existing sets). Provide an intersectionOfSets member function which creates a third set which is the set-theoretic intersection of two existing sets (i.e., an element of the third set's array is set to 0 if that element is 0 in either or both of the existing sets, and an element of the third set's array is set to 1 if that element is 1 in each of the existing sets). Provide an insertElement member function that inserts a new integer k into a set (by setting a[ k ] to 1). Provide a deleteElement member function that deletes integer m (by setting a[ m ] to 0). Provide a printSet member function that prints a set as a list of numbers separated by spaces. Print only those elements that are present in the set (i.e., their position in the array has a value of 1). Print --- for an empty set. Provide an isEqualTo member function that determines whether two sets are equal. Provide an additional constructor that receives an array of integers and the size of that array and uses the array to initialize a set object. Now write a driver program to test your IntegerSet class. Instantiate several IntegerSet objects. Test that all your member functions work properly.

<urn:uuid:4be6df42-0af9-4e77-af0e-68653563df7c>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.gibmonks.com/c_plus/ch10lev1sec16.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

By Sarah Klein By Rachel Swalin Most people love honey for its tasty goodness. The natural sweetener helps balance flavors, thicken sauces and add moisture to your dish, according to the National Honey Board. Although it is a versatile cooking ingredient, honey could also offer some health benefits. Here are four more reasons to thank the bees for this sweet nectar: It can help coughs. Honey may prove to be a lifesaver this cold season. According to a study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, researchers tested a single nighttime dose of buckwheat honey against honey-flavored dextromethorphan, a common cough suppressant, and no treatment at all in more than 100 children with colds. Overall, parents found that the honey was better than the other two approaches for relieving cough symptoms and improving sleep. No wonder the World Health Organization lists honey as a potential demulcent, a sugary liquid that coats the throat and soothes irritation. It could help treat wounds. Honey has quite a long reputation as a healer. Its first written reference dates back to 2100-2000 BC on a Sumerian tablet that mentions the use of honey as a drug and ointment, according to the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. There’s a medical-grade solution called Medihoney that is is derived from manuka honey, which comes from New Zealand bees that pollinate the native manuka bush. “The patches of Medihoney work fantastic on patients that come in with cuts and wounds,” says Robin Miller, M.D., a board-certified internist and co-author of The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife and Beyond. “They’re antibacterial and soothing.” Any type of honey might be helpful. In a study in the British Journal of Surgery, Nigerian researchers used honey to treat 59 patients with hard-to-heal ulcers. All but one of the cases improved, and infected wounds and ulcers became sterile within one week of applying the honey. It may boost your locks. Got a flaky scalp? Honey might solve that problem. A study in the European Journal of Medical Research used a solution of diluted crude honey (90 percent honey diluted in warm water) on 30 people with seborrheic dermatitis, a scalp condition typically associated with some serious dandruff and itchy skin. The patients in this case also had lesions. Researchers had half of the participants apply the honey mixture to the lesions every other day for four weeks. Itching was relieved and scaling disappeared within one week for those who tried the honey treatment, and skin lesions went away completely within two weeks. It might increase energy. There’s a misconception that carbohydrates aren’t good for you. Thing is, they’re present in such a wide variety of healthy foods, including fruits, veggies and nuts. Plus, your digestive system needs carbs to make glucose, which sends energy to your cells, tissues and organs, according to the National Institutes of Health. At 17 grams of carbs per tablespoon, honey happens to be just one food source you can count on to help relieve a sluggish day. It also makes the ultimate snack before or after a workout. “In addition to being an antioxidant-rich source of carbohydrates, honey acts as a ‘time released’ fuel to provide athletes with more steady blood sugar and insulin levels over a longer duration,” says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health’s contributing nutrition editor. 4 Things You Didn’t Know About Honey originally appeared on Health.com Read more here:: Huffintonpost

<urn:uuid:67f31709-1de1-408a-99cb-ba3d7d6427e1>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.herbscaremy.com/2014/4-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-honey/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Symptoms of retinal tear or detachment may include a sudden increase in flashes or floaters in the vision, or the development of a new area of shaded or dark vision in an eye. It is very important to have a prompt evaluation when these symptoms occur, as permanent loss of eyesight may occur if a retinal problem is not treated in a timely manner. Retinal Tears and Detachments Retinal tears and detachments are conditions where the inner lining of the eye (the retina) is damaged. A retinal tear describes a small break in this lining, whereas a retinal detachment describes a much larger separation of the retina from the back wall of the eye. The retina needs to be intact and attached for the eye to see. Aging, eye trauma, eye surgery, and high levels of nearsightedness (myopia) may cause increased risk for retinal tears or detachments.

<urn:uuid:14a764ea-6066-408a-96ba-e9dac8b26362>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.northernwatersophthalmology.com/eye-health-disease/retinal-tears-and-detachments/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Fielding A Question about Pterosaurs Staff at Everything Dinosaur do their best to answer the many questions that they get sent. We try our best to reply to every single query, for example, the other day we were asked a question about flying reptiles, one particular Late Cretaceous flying reptile – Pteranodon and was it the biggest of its kind. The genus Pteranodon contains a number of assigned species, the largest of which we believe is Pteranodon longiceps. This particular member of the Pterosaurs had a wingspan in excess of 7 metres in length and perhaps weighed as much as 50 kilogrammes. It is difficult to give an accurate estimate of body size as the fossils of Pterosaurs tend to be highly fragmentary and those that are discovered are often badly crushed. One of the hazards of having thin bone walls, and pneumatic bones (bones which are filled with air spaces). A Picture of a Pteranodon Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur Scientists think that the largest of the Pterosaurs did live at the very end of the Cretaceous Period, but they were not members of the Pteranodontidae but representatives of another type of flying reptile the Azhdarchidae. These Pterosaurs were very widely distributed, fossil remains have been found in China, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain and Uzbekistan, as well as North America. Palaeontologists still debate which was the largest of these type of Pterosaurs. Here again the fossil evidence is too fragmentary to provide firm conclusions but Quetzalcoatlus Q. northropi from Texas (United States) and Hatzegopteryx thambema known from fossils found in Transylvania are believed to be amongst the largest. These two Pterosaurs may have had wingspans in excess of 12 metres, much larger than any known member of the Pteranodontidae.

<urn:uuid:0cf12fbb-b357-47ec-8c8d-3ddad3e16650>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk/blog/_archives/2011/08/07

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

The Federal Government today introduced the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Bill 2012 into Parliament, with Minister Macklin asserting that this will be an “important step towards recognising Indigenous people in Australia’s Constitution” and “an opportunity for Parliament to show its support and commitment to constitutional recognition of Australia’s First Peoples”. This bill is the Federal Government’s response to the extensive consultation that took place around Australia, which culminated in the Report of The Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians, in January 2012. The Panel made five key recommendations for constitutional reform, the most important were to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, to preserve the Australian Government’s ability to pass laws for the benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to prohibit governments from passing laws which discriminate on the basis of race. These recommendations are consistent with Australia’s commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The new bill has been introduced not merely to recognise Indigenous Australians’ place in our constitutional past, present and future, but as a way to build up popular support for a referendum that will alter our Constitution. There have been concerns expressed that this bill might merely be a stalling tactic, and it could have been seen as a weak placebo for real constitutional reform. However the bill, while brief, and somewhat unorthodox, is another step forward and shows some positive signs for continuing our constitutional reform processes. The Bill is certainly short, with only 5 sections; its preamble is nearly as long as its two substantive sections. The preamble (which draws upon one of the recommendations of the Expert Panel) states that The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were the first inhabitants of Australia. The Parliament is committed to placing before the Australian people at a referendum a proposal for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Preamble goes on to acknowledge the important work of the Expert Panel, and its proposals for constitutional change. It also states that further engagement is needed to build the support necessary for a successful constitutional amendment (which under s128 of the Constitution requires the approval of a majority of voters in a majority of states). The first operative section of the bill is Section 3, which recognizes that Australia was ‘first occupied’ by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, acknowledges the ‘continuing relationship’ of Indigenous people with ‘their lands and waters’ and acknowledges and respects the continuing cultures, languages and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The second operative section is section 4, which requires a review of the Expert Panels’ proposals, as well as other proposals, and an assessment of the level of community support for constitutional reform. A two year sunset clause is included, in order to put in place “a clear timeframe to build towards change and ensures the focus remains on the ultimate goal of constitutional recognition.” The Expert Panel had made five key recommendations for changing the Constitution: - Remove Section 25 – which recognises that the States can ban people from voting on the basis of their race; - Delete section 51(xxvi) – the so-called ‘race power’, which can be used to pass laws which discriminate on the basis of race; - Insert a new section 51A – to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to preserve the Australian Government’s ability to pass laws for the benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; - Adopt a new section 116A, prohibiting governments from passing laws which discriminate on the basis of race; - Insert a new section 127A, recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages were this country’s first tongues, while confirming that English is Australia’s national language. There has been extensive legal commentary on the various proposals for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australia, for instance by Professor George Williams, the Law Council of Australia, Professor Megan Davis, the Cape York Institute and myself. Many more submissions and suggestions can be found at the You Me Unity Website and the UNSW Indigenous Law Centre page. However it is disappointing that this Bill does not really engage with any of the suggestions expressed either by the Expert Panel or others. In her press release, the only reference the Minister makes to the recommendations of the panel is that: The Australian Government agrees with the findings of the Expert Panel that a referendum should be held at a time when it has the most chance of success. The Minister did make note of the key Expert Panel recommendations in her statement to the House of Representatives the day before the bill was introduced. There are some positive signs in this bill: it recognises, albeit weakly, the history, culture, languages and heritage of Indigenous Australians, (but it in no way protects Indigenous Australians’ rights and relationships to land, language and culture). The bill puts in place some plans to review and reconsider the process of constitutional reform, and a Joint Select Committee has been established to progress Indigenous constitutional recognition and build support across Parliament. It was feared that this bill might merely be parliamentary procrastination, and be seen by both Indigenous communities and the wider Australian public as a panacea for genuine constitutional reform. But if bipartisan support can be maintained, if the review process is robust, and if wide ranging engagement on the meaning of reform ensues, then we can look forward to a referendum in the not too distant future. We should grasp the historic opportunity to remedy our constitutional deficit, close the referendum gap and fully recognize Indigenous Australians in our fundamental legal document. UPDATE: The ‘Recognition Act’ passed the House of Representatives on 13 February, 2013, on the 5th Anniversary of The Apology to Indigenous Australians, with bipartisan support. It is expected to pass the Senate and receive Royal Assent by the end of February 2013.

<urn:uuid:97c9c4b8-1acd-441a-b869-258b61f25d84>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://castancentre.com/2012/11/28/closing-the-referendum-gap/?replytocom=2934

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Is it a Cold or the Flu ? This week, English learners will be learning and applying vocabulary for our next unit, Ailments and Symptoms of Illness. Students will read and discuss and article about common symptoms of the flu, common cold and sinus infections. They will describe symptoms, compare and contrast the flu and cold symptoms and roll play a visit to the doctor to practice the vocabulary. Students will choose to create an informational poster, brochure or pamphlet to alert the community about symptoms, treatments and prevention of these illnesses. Yay for Winter Break! School will be closed February 20th through 24th

<urn:uuid:3219a633-4b50-4bf1-bd22-910bf4a680f1>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://cortesiel.weebly.com/iel-communication/week-of-february-13th-through-february-17th

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Argentina recalled on Monday, 10 June, a new anniversary of the creation in 1829 of the Political and Military command headquarters of the Malvinas Islands and adjacencies to Cape Horn in the Atlantic Sea, and which has been incorporated to the official calendar as the Day of Affirmation of Argentine Rights over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and its surrounding maritime spaces. A release from the Ministry of foreign affairs states that this date marks Argentina's affirmation of its sovereignty rights over the Islands since the country was emancipated, and as legitimate heir of the Spanish territory and of other islands in the South Atlantic. Further on the statement says that in those years Buenos Aires dictated rules, and legal and administrative structures were established consolidating the full exercise of Argentine sovereignty, promoting the development of commercial activities, the settlement of population and the establishment of a government seat, precisely on this day (10 June), and at the head of which was then Governor Luis Vernet. ”This effective exercise of sovereignty was interrupted on 3 January 1833, when the UK expelled, appealing to force, the legitimate Argentine authorities and the population there settled, interrupting the territorial integrity of Argentina. Since that date this act of force was never consented by any of Argentine governments, and currently the Islands are the object of a sovereignty dispute with the UK, which is recognized by the UN General Assembly Resolution 2065 (XX). That is why the recovery of the full exercise of our sovereignty over the Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and adjoining maritime spaces, respecting the way of life of its inhabitants and in compliance with International Law, are a standing and unrenounceable objective of all Argentines, as established in the First Transitory clause of the National Constitution. Since 2016 this Argentine government has promoted a constructive relation with the UK which has allowed us to advance in areas of mutual interest in the South Atlantic, reflecting our full willingness to an open and substantial dialogue that includes all issues. We are convinced that this dialogue climate will also generate a framework to resume sovereignty negotiations, in the terms established by US resolutions and its Special Committee on Decolonization. In this aspiration Argentina is seconded by countries from the region and numerous international forae such as Mercosur, OAS, G77 plus China, and Ibero-American summits, from which in multiple occasions we have received expressions in favor of the resumption of negotiations to find a definitive solution to this prolonged controversy. Finally, Argentina is committed to the peaceful solution of controversies and multilateralism in the framework of international order, based o rules. We trust that through the toils of the UN General Assembly and its Special Committee on Decolonization, recently reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice, it will be able to advance towards the elimination of colonialism in all parts of the world, and in all its forms, including the Malvinas Question. Thus is such a significant anniversary for all Argentines, we reaffirm once again our sovereignty rights over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and adjoining maritime spaces, since they are an integral part of the Argentine national Territory”.

<urn:uuid:d8d375ce-8033-4773-80d7-aff528a08fa8>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://en.mercopress.com/2019/06/11/argentina-recalls-the-day-of-affirmation-of-its-rights-over-the-south-atlantic-islands?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_content=argentina&utm_campaign=rss

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Theme is one of those concepts that can be hard to understand. We probably all learned in school that theme is a story’s “message”—the ideas that readers are supposed to take away from the story—but even that definition doesn’t clarify the answer enough. We often repeat themes in our stories. Why? We want to come up with unique characters and plots, so why are themes different? If we understand why we repeat themes, we might gain a better understanding of what themes really are. Our uncertainty about what themes are also isn’t helped by the fact that many of us encountered teachers during our school years who tried to tell us that the theme they identified was the theme—the important theme, the theme that mattered—and whatever we came up with was wrong. However, a story can (and probably will) have multiple themes. More importantly, by understanding themes, we’ll do a better job of satisfying our readers. Trust me. *smile* There’s been a big debate lately about readers being unhappy with some books being called romances, and believe it or not, the controversy comes down to themes. Let’s explore… Why Do We Repeat Themes in Our Stories? Whether we’re consciously aware of it or not, certain ideas and beliefs resonate deep inside us. Our view of the world—optimistic or pessimistic, God does or doesn’t exist, true love is possible or not, people are basically good or selfish, technology will help us or kill us, etc.—is deeply a part of us. More often than not, our stories will reflect that worldview. While we can write characters with opposite beliefs, we’d likely find it difficult to write a whole story where the point was to “prove” a worldview that we don’t believe in. For example, if we believe people are basically good at their core, we’re not likely to write a story that “proves” all people are selfish or evil. In other words, our story’s themes reflect our worldview. Therefore, unless we go through a massive psychological change that affects our worldview, our themes will repeat. How Do Themes Affect Readers? Our story’s messages or themes try to convince readers to consider another view of the world: - what to value, - what to believe, - what to hope for, - what to aim for, etc. But we don’t just come out and say those messages. Instead, themes play in the subtext of our story. Subtext can be powerful, however. A message that readers might reject if written out in a spoon-feeding or you-should-believe-this way might get through their defenses when presented in subtext. Subtext is especially powerful as the clues add up over the course of the story. During revisions, we can make our theme more powerful by weaving our message through all the different elements of our story. The plot arc can reinforce our character arc, which coordinates with the villain’s tragic flaw, etc. Each of those elements can create a theme, and hopefully those themes will work together to create a stronger, deeper message. What Are Some of the Types of Themes? The job of convincing readers to consider the world through a different perspective comes down to story elements. With that in mind, we can identify a list of the most common elements creating our themes: - Story Themes: What is the premise of the story? Who’s supposed to win or lose—and why? Making Our Case: Story Themes aim to convince readers by presenting a premise and resolution that match the values and beliefs of the worldview. - Character Themes: How does the character change over the course of the story? What does the character learn? Making Our Case: Character Themes aim to convince readers by presenting a character who learns the lesson for them. - Plot Themes: During the turning points of the story, what do the characters attempt? Do they succeed or fail—and why? Making Our Case: Plot Themes aim to convince readers by presenting evidence that reinforces Story Themes. - Choices Themes: What choices are the characters making? Do the results match the Story or Character Themes (choices that agree with the themes should succeed and vice versa)? Making Our Case: Choices Themes aim to convince readers by presenting evidence that reinforces Story or Character Themes. - Villain Themes: What are the villain’s beliefs? Are they reinforced or disproved by plot events? Making Our Case: Villain Themes aim to convince readers by presenting evidence that reinforces Story or Character Themes. But Wait—One More Theme to Add to the List! Since writing the post referenced above that delves into those different types of themes, I’ve realized there’s one more element that creates a theme for most stories. This element is so high-level that we probably aren’t consciously aware of it. Yet it might be responsible for why we write the genre we do. *smile* - Genre Themes: What is the promise to the reader from our genre? Does the story deliver? People often talk about genre stories being formulaic, but what they really mean is that genres make promises to the reader—and that promise is inflexible. Yet the reason the promise is inflexible is because that’s why readers of the genre pick up the story. When thriller readers pick up a story marketed as a thriller, they expect to find a story with a nail-biting race to a satisfying confrontation with the villain. Just as a slow-moving story with low stakes wouldn’t cut it for the thriller reader, neither would a story where the villain wins and the world is destroyed. The implicit Genre Theme for thrillers might be along the lines of: Survival is possible. When mystery readers pick up a story marketed as a mystery, they expect to find a story with a crime that’s solved in a satisfying way. Just as a story without a mystery or crime to solve wouldn’t cut it for the mystery reader, neither would a story where the criminal isn’t caught and the mystery isn’t solved. The implicit Genre Theme for mysteries might be along the lines of: Justice is possible. When romance readers pick up a story marketed as a romance, they expect to find a story with a central love story building to a satisfying and happy relationship. Just as a story without a love or romance plot wouldn’t cut it for the romance reader, neither would a story where the relationship doesn’t have a happy ending. The implicit Genre Theme for romances is: Happiness is possible. Don’t Break the Genre’s Promise to the Reader Most readers read many different genres, but when they pick a thriller over a mystery, they’re likely in the mood for a high-stakes story. When a reader picks a romance over science fiction, they’re often specifically in the mood for a happy ending. Authors who mess with the promise of the genre are risking very unhappy readers. No matter how much they might like or enjoy the story under other circumstances, the broken promise—the unfulfilled theme—is not what they were in the mood for. As Kristin Bailey hilariously tweeted to me yesterday, a broken promise is like: “I wrote a science fiction novel!” “What is it about?” “Aging siblings remembering their dead mother’s pie recipe…” “That’s not Science Fiction.” “But it takes place 20 years from now! That’s the future!!!” Obviously, every kind of story is possible, but the genre categories have meaning. Not every book set in the future is science fiction. Not every “thrilling” story belongs in the thriller genre. Not every love-focused or romantic story belongs in the romance genre. There are plenty of stories where the villain wins. Just don’t call those thrillers. Likewise, don’t call stories where the crime isn’t solved mysteries. And don’t call stories without a “happily ever after” or a “happily for now” ending romances. Readers who pick up those books expect the genre’s theme to be fulfilled. That’s why they read the story. Those implicit themes match the reader’s worldview—or at least their current mood. The readers of those genres hope they can believe in survival, justice, or happiness, etc. If the story doesn’t deliver on the theme, their worldview—their hope for the world—is attacked. No matter how good the story is, the reader will feel tricked and will not be happy with the author. As romance author Maisey Yates tweeted yesterday: “I might like an oatmeal raisin cookie … but I would not if I were expecting chocolate.” Disappointed readers are not happy readers. Take it from one of the millions who have trust issues because of oatmeal raisin cookies posing as chocolate chip cookies. *smile* The Romance Genre “Controversy” Recently, there have been many books marketed as part of the romance genre that don’t fulfill the genre’s promise. The romance genre is huge and money-making. It’s the latter aspect that’s bringing out the greedy, the authors who want part of the romance genre money-pie but don’t actually want to write it. So they get it into their head to rationalize their non-happy ending to romance readers: - “It’s edgy!” — Not really. Shakespeare did it with Romeo and Juliet hundreds of years ago. - “It’s just like Romeo and Juliet!” (or any other non-happy-ending love story *cough* Nicholas Sparks) — Yes, but those aren’t romances. - “It’s gritty and more realistic!” — Happiness isn’t realistic? The hope for happiness is part of the romance worldview. To push anything else is a disrespectful attack on readers’ beliefs and hopes. Attacks and rudeness won’t win over readers. - “The genre should change!” — Are there also calls for science fiction, thrillers, mysteries, etc. to change their essence? That mysteries should be “more realistic” and not solve crimes to reflect the reality of cold cases? No? Didn’t think so. Stop acting like romance readers are too stupid to know what they want. Unfortunately, success and opportunity always bring out the greedy. So the problem of false marketing for monetary gain won’t go away. As Nicholas Sparks’s success proves, there’s nothing wrong with love-focused or romantic stories without happy endings. Many of his readers are also romance readers, so it’s not like the greedy have to choose one type of reader or the other. But his books are not marketed as part of the romance genre, and his readers know that. That’s the difference. That’s the bait-and-switch. That’s the money grab. Just because some people want to trick readers doesn’t mean the definition has changed. Thinkpieces about the “changing” nature of the romance genre don’t understand the genre, as the dozens of comments on that post—all of which disagree with the premise—can attest. (Yes, this is one time to read the comments. *smile*) Genres are about the promise, the theme, the expectation, the worldview. Stories with internal themes that don’t match the genre’s implicit themes don’t fit. Those who don’t understand try to say that the romance genre is about love and romance, and therefore any story with love or romance should fit. But that’s not the case… Romance is—and always will be—about happiness at its core. Anyone who disagrees with that also doesn’t understand the drive behind the “we need diverse romance” movement. Diversity matters in the romance genre because people of all stripes want to believe that someone like them can find happiness. That’s why representation—good representation—matters so much in the genre. Everyone wants to see that someone like them—someone who’s darker-skinned, non-Christian, disabled, LGBTQIA, older, heavier, neurodivergent, divorced, a parent, a rape victim, in debt, or whatever, whatever, whatever—deserves to be happy too. That even those who don’t fit society’s idea of “perfect” can hope for happiness. The point of the romance genre is the hope for happiness. Period. Themes matter. Stories with broken themes don’t work. It’s far better to learn the themes of our stories and our genres to keep the readers happy. *smile* Have you ever thought about the expectations for a genre as being a theme? Do you disagree with my take on themes? Do you have other suggestions for the themes of genres? Is the theme of your genre part of what makes it appealing to you? What’s your opinion on the romance genre debate?Pin It

<urn:uuid:a5e030ee-f9c8-4a4c-ae0a-32e5479ab931>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://jamigold.com/2016/03/what-does-your-genres-theme-promise-to-readers/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s fertility regulator has approved a scientist’s request to edit the human genetic code in an effort to better understand how embryos develop — but critics fear the new technique crosses too many ethical boundaries. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority announced Monday it has granted a research application to a team led by scientist Kathy Niakan to try to understand the genes that human embryos need to grow successfully, which could potentially help prevent miscarriages. Scientists say gene-editing techniques could one day lead to treatments for conditions like HIV, which causes AIDS, or inherited diseases like muscular dystrophy and sickle cell disease. Niakan, of the Francis Crick Institute, plans to use gene editing to analyze the first week of an embryo’s growth. This research will “enhance our understanding of (in vitro fertilization) success rates by looking at the very earliest stage of human development,” said Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Peter Braude, an emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynecology at King’s College London, said the mechanisms being investigated by Niakan and her colleagues “are crucial in ensuring healthy, normal development and implantation” and could help doctors refine fertility treatments. Braude is not connected to Niakan’s research. Gene editing involves using tools to precisely edit genes inside living cells. Scientists typically find specific sections of DNA to slice and repair or replace, much like a biological version of cut-and-paste software. There are a few methods but the technique known as CRISPR-Cas9 is a relatively fast, cheap and simple method that many researchers are keen to try it. Yet critics warn that tweaking the genetic code this way could eventually produce a slippery slope that eventually leads to so-called “designer babies,” where parents not only aim to avoid inherited diseases, but seek taller, stronger or smarter children with specific physical characteristics. “This is the first step on a path that scientists have carefully mapped out towards the legalization of (genetically modified) babies,” David King of advocacy group Human Genetics Alert said last month when the British fertility regulator met on the topic. Around the world, laws and guidelines vary widely about what kind of research is allowed on embryos, since that could change the genes of future generations. In the U.S., the National Institutes of Health won’t fund this kind of research but private funding is allowed. Last year, Chinese researchers made the first attempt at modifying genes in human embryos. Their laboratory experiment didn’t work — the embryos weren’t viable from the very start of the experiment— but raised the prospect of altering genes to repair the genes of future generations. The CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technique was developed partly in the U.S. and scientists there have experimented with the method in animals and in human cells in the laboratory. The method has not been used for any kinds of patient therapies just yet, although first-step testing of an initial technique has begun by Sangamo Biosciences in Richmond, California, which is developing an HIV treatment based on gene editing. At an international meeting in Washington last year, scientists agreed that attempts to alter early embryos as part of laboratory research should be allowed but that the technique was nowhere near ready for use in pregnant women. Last year, British lawmakers voted to allow scientists to create babies from the DNA of three people to prevent children from inheriting potentially fatal diseases from their mothers. In doing so, it became the first country in the world to allow genetically modified embryos to be transferred into women.

<urn:uuid:1110d0a3-e81f-49f0-937c-91325b9173f1>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://jasperandsardine.wordpress.com/2016/02/02/britain-approves-controversial-gene-editing-technique/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Originally posted to 13.7 Cosmos & Culture on 12/14/2016 Around this time of year, we often pause and take stock of where we are on many levels: emotionally, financially, professionally, politically and, at least here at 13.7, cosmically. Where do things stand these days, when it comes to the universe? It is a remarkable feat of modern science that we have, during the past 50 years or so, learned an enormous amount about the cosmos. This has happened around our local neighborhood — from the planets of the solar system all the way to demoted Pluto, their moons, planets around other stars. And it has extended out to the far reaches of space and time — nascent galaxies billions of light-years away from us, radiation from when the first atoms were forming a mere 380,000 years after the Big Bang itself. Just think that around 1500, if you had asked an educated European about the universe, the answer would have been very similar to what the Greeks had been saying before the days of Christ: A static Earth is at the center of everything; the moon, sun and planets revolve around it in perfect circular orbits, the stars sit at the limit of space, closing the cosmos. Outside are God and the elect in a timeless existence. The telescope would change all that, first in the hands of Galileo, who pointed it up to the sky in 1609 to reveal a very different picture. He saw change and asymmetry in a sky that the ancients had thought perfect and immutable: moons orbiting Jupiter, sunspots, "ears" on Saturn, mountains and craters on our own moon. The telescope, as other tools would do in the history of science, was instrumental to change a worldview that a combination of common-sense observations and faith had sustained for thousands of years. Fast forward to the 20th century, and again our views of the cosmos were set for a radical overhaul. Much had been learned in the intervening centuries, especially about different types of objects out there in space, "planetary nebulae" and other colorful clouds that the late 18th-century astronomer William Herschel compared to a garden of "the greatest variety of productions." Ever more powerful telescopes, like the one Herschel built with a 4-ft. mirror, allowed for a deluge of discoveries. He himself found a new planet, Uranus, and produced a catalog with 2,500 nebulae. The skies were seen as the dynamic stage of an ongoing drama of change and transformation, the very opposite of the old static view. What we see of nature colors our perceptions of reality. The universe, of course, has always been what it is; but our views of it are always changing, thanks to the inventiveness of scientists and the amazing tools that help us amplify our myopic perception of the world. We should keep this in mind as we venture into more uncertain realms of knowledge. In 1924, Edwin Hubble used the 100-in. Mount Wilson telescope to redefine our place in the cosmos. The Milky Way, our home galaxy, was not, as most thought then, the only one out there, but one among myriads of others, separated from one another by millions of light-years. And in 1929, he made this view even more amazing, by revealing that these galaxies are moving away from one another. This is the discovery of the cosmic expansion, that space, as Albert Einstein had predicted, is stretchy, and can carry objects with it as corks floating along rivers. Under this view, galaxies are not like shrapnel from a primeval explosion but hitchhikers on a cosmic expansion where space itself stretches in time. Play the movie backward and we get to the Big Bang, the moment in the past where all the stuff that makes up the cosmos was squeezed into a tiny volume. In the past 90 years or so, this view became much more nuanced. First, we have confirmation that this was indeed the case, that the cosmos was very dense and hot early on, and that it has been expanding ever since. Modern numbers, collected by NASA's mission WMAP and by the European Space Agency mission Planck, date the universe at 13.8 billion years. (As if to prove the ongoing nature of scientific discovery, it was 13.7 billion years when this commentary blog started at NPR on Dec. 16, 2009.). To get to this level of precision, these missions, and many other ground-based observations, have been pushing technology to the limit, obtaining a wealth of data that leaves no doubt that our current view of the universe rests on firm ground: The universe is dynamic and it has a history that had a beginning in the distant past. The devil, as always, is in the details. What kinds of matter and radiation fill the universe? That, to our knowledge, is the oldest question philosophy has asked and that we continue to explore with our evolving tools. We now know that the stuff we are made of — electrons, protons, neutrons — makes up only about 4 percent of the total. All the stars you see with the naked eye, the nebulae that so enchanted Herschel, the billions of galaxies and globular clusters and gas clouds out there, make for a tiny fraction of what fills the cosmos. The rest is still an unknown, even if we can organize our ignorance into two groups. Some 26 percent of it is what we call dark matter, stuff that doesn't shine but has mass and thus gravity and collects around galaxies like an invisible cloak. We "see" its effects, as this excess of invisible matter bends light going through galaxies, and also makes galaxies spin faster than they would without it. Dark matter is also essential to provide the seeds for galaxies to grow, making Herschel's vision of a cosmic garden even more compelling. The challenge with dark matter is that we can't find it. We have been hunting it for decades, with detectors on the surface of the Earth and underground in deep mines, attempting to collect it as they collect other kinds of particles and radiation falling from the skies, with detectors in satellites orbiting Earth, and from collisions in particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Physics, where the Higgs boson was found in July 2012. Many theorists have hoped that more particles of nature exist beyond those of the "Standard Model" — the collection of all known fundamental particles of nature — and that some of those new players would be dark matter particles. Unfortunately, all these efforts failed, so far, to produce any reliable hints that these particles exist, leading some to question the whole dark matter business. The rest, all 70 percent of it, is what we call dark energy, discovered as recently as 1998. This is the most mysterious of all, a truly strange material (if we can call it that) that has the uncanny property of stretching space as a kind of repulsive force. Its net effect is to push galaxies away from one another at a fast clip, causing an acceleration of the cosmic expansion. A gargantuan effort known as the Dark Energy Survey has been afoot since 2013, with the goal to map hundreds of millions of galaxies, detect thousands of bright supernovae to use as distance markers, and to find patterns of cosmic structure in the distribution of galaxies that can give clues to the nature of dark energy with unprecedented precision. We still don't know what it is, but we are definitely learning a lot about the universe as we try to find out. As a species, we can be proud of our remarkable scientific prowess; we devise amazing tools of exploration that amplify our view of reality and, in the process, revise and redefine our place in the cosmos. This is an ongoing effort, a narrative we build slowly, gathering data and ideas that stretch our imagination. To think that only 400 years ago Galileo was dealing with heavy censorship from the Roman Inquisition (1616 was the year he was admonished by Cardinal Bellarmine and convinced to abandon his opinions about a sun-centered cosmos — which he did, at least temporarily) and that, now, here we are, pursuing mysteries at the cutting-edge of knowledge. Although we can't know how the search for dark matter and dark energy will turn out, we can be sure that our cosmic views are going to be up for grand new revisions in the near future. And this is precisely what makes science so exciting.

<urn:uuid:2c7cab15-4ed5-41f6-8fd7-6d64f81c8122>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://marcelogleiser.com/blog/taking-stock-of-the-state-of-the-universe

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Just finished reading a report over at the New York (Beta) Times about the psychological effect our clothing can have on us. If you wear a white coat that you believe belongs to a doctor, your ability to pay attention increases sharply. But if you wear the same white coat believing it belongs to a painter, you will show no such improvement. So scientists report after studying a phenomenon they call enclothed cognition: the effects of clothing on cognitive processes. It is not enough to see a doctor’s coat hanging in your doorway, said Adam D. Galinsky, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, who led the study. The effect occurs only if you actually wear the coat and know its symbolic meaning — that physicians tend to be careful, rigorous and good at paying attention. The findings, on the Web site of The Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, are a twist on a growing scientific field called embodied cognition. We think not just with our brains but with our bodies, Dr. Galinsky said, and our thought processes are based on physical experiences that set off associated abstract concepts. Now it appears that those experiences include the clothes we wear. This study points out two major things to me. First is that, whether we like it or not, the clothes we wear carry as much meaning as the words we say or the actions we perform. It’s another knife in the chest of the slobs who say it doesn’t matter how they dress. Sorry guys, it actually and measurably does. In the first[experiment] 58 undergraduates were randomly assigned to wear a white lab coat or street clothes. Then they were given a test for selective attention based on their ability to notice incongruities, as when the word “red” appears in the color green. Those who wore the white lab coats made about half as many errors on incongruent trials as those who wore regular clothes. In the second experiment, 74 students were randomly assigned to one of three options: wearing a doctor’s coat, wearing a painter’s coat or seeing a doctor’s coat. Then they were given a test for sustained attention. They had to look at two very similar pictures side by side on a screen and spot four minor differences, writing them down as quickly as possible. Those who wore the doctor’s coat, which was identical to the painter’s coat, found more differences. They had acquired heightened attention. Those who wore the painter’s coat or were primed with merely seeing the doctor’s coat found fewer differences between the images. Second is that our own latent abilities can be drawn out depending on how we dress. This is a key aspect in developing the confidence to accomplish whatever task you have your mind on. Are you nervous about approaching a girl because you feel like your life isn’t together enough to merit any attraction. Throw on a suit, it will have an actual change on the confidence you feel and therefore, the confidence you project. I went rock climbing last night for my first time. I can’t imagine how it would have felt if I were wearing jeans, a polo, and a jacket instead of gym shorts, climbing shoes and a T-shirt. Knowing that I was dressed appropriately gave me a bit more of an edge and made me more comfortable on the wall. I bet you play golf a bit better if you dress like a golfer. The possibilities of this could be very interesting and I’m curious to see if they go beyond this initial study. It would also be great Contrast Game for those who already have a gold-plated inner sense of themselves. If you can command a room of bankers wearing jeans and a T, the contrast will just make them and everyone else in there look up to you even more. Have any of you ever noticed an increase in your performance when you wore something more appropriate?

<urn:uuid:659e53b4-5ab3-4b6f-ae78-d6bf860fbc0d>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://masculine-style.com/dress-better-its-science/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Calming signals or emotion as a group mind? The most significant thing in this video is that the brown dog at all times acts as a mirror, as the equal and opposite to the Malamute and, it also has a drive to approach the Malamute, despite the situation looking like the Malamute intends some kind of aggressive incident. The Malamute is attracted to the brown dog, yet it “feels” blocked, thus it’s perceiving through its balance circuitry. Another way of saying this is that while the brown dog is magnetically orienting (rear end going “faster” than front end), in contrast the Malamute is electrically charged (front end going “faster” than hind end). This difference speaks to an internal flow dynamic within their respective body/minds; the current is flowing in the brown dog and this begets a magnetic field, whereas the Malamute is experiencing a sense of pressure in its head. Another way of saying this is that the brown dog feels its p-cog in its hind end, and feels pulled forward, whereas the Malamute feels pushed ahead with its p-cog in its head. The Malamute is afraid of falling over forward, it’s going forward while trying to hold itself back. Resisting movement and being upset by the movements of others is the hallmark of the balance perspective. The brown dog is a mirror because by virtue of feeling grounded within its own body, it is thereby implementing Newton’s 3rd law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Every aspect of the Malamute’s demeanor and deportment is instantly mirrored in the demeanor and deportment of the brown dog because when she feels a pull to her right, she feels a shift to her left and compensates by shifting to her right, as if Malamute is looking at its “self” in a mirror. The same is happening on all planes of movement, up/down, back/forward. This calms the Malamute because the equal/opposite of acting like a predator (electric) is acting like a prey (magnetic) and this makes the Malamute feel safer because there is some degree of visual grounding getting through its charge. How does the small brown dog know what to do and why is the Malamute calmed by this demeanor, and then why does the Malamute react explosively? The answer to this is that the first order of information organizing interactions is a transfer of momentum. So we see that the brown dog is being pulled into the Malamute (because of the constraints of the situation, being attached to a handler on lead and on a sidewalk going forward, if it were free it would act in a far more circuitous manner) almost as much as the Malamute is approaching her. Nevertheless, it is highly attracted. Meanwhile the Malamute is reflecting her emotional energy back to her, with its upright and stiffened posture and hard-eyed fixation. But at all times she remains engaged via her hunger circuitry or enteric nervous system, and she is absorbing the predatory energy the Malemute is projecting onto her because she can still feel her body even with this charge. She is accepting the transfer of momentum, feeling it as a warm sensual pressure that travels in and within along the subliminal beam of attention directed to her deep gut. Thus she licks her lips, the physical memory of ingestion. She is being “sensualized.” At a distance, she’s already imported his essence by sight and then she’s driven to lick his lips (tasting saliva, a preyful aspect) to thereby complete the emotional circuit with a tangible ground. She feels as if she is the object of attraction and feeling her body, she can feel leverage because she perceives pressure as warmth and the physical memories of early litter experiences. Note that as she pushes her head under his muzzle his head is pushed back, indicating that she has the emotional leverage in the interaction. She is ACTING on the Malamute by being indirect. The Malamute is paralyzed in Direct/Reactive. Her movements, tail and ear set, curve of body, softness of her weight on her pads, is a mirror image of the tense malamute. She is getting Under-the-Charge and then from this vantage point she begins to transfer the momentum back onto the Malamute. (Who is in control of who, who is getting more flow out of life?) The problem with a dog in balance mode such as the Malamute is that output-has-to-equal-input (which is why dogs do better in off/lead wide open venues because they have the time and space to outlet energy in circuitous ways and by maintaining discrete distances their output can satisfy the input until they get under the charge). Because she is acting conductive at the preyful polarity, she is absorbing the forward momentum of the Malamute and helping it out with the input/output problem. At about the one minute mark as they make contact you can see that the Malamute is sniffing ever so slightly, and then there is a subtle licking of its lips, its eyes have softened as it’s not staring as fixedly at the other dogs’ eyes. It’s beginning to feel its body and becoming open to receiving the transfer of momentum back from the brown dog. It is leaning forward because there is a trickle of current getting through, a magnetic pull beginning, but its shoulders are locked up with tension, hence it teeters forward. It’s own body/mind containing its own a dynamic of implementing 3rd law of motion, a pull forward while simultaneously a pull backward. Finally as the brown dog becomes more animated with getting on with the transfer, the Malamute’s handler becomes nervous, probably from prior incidents, and begins to pull the Malamute back. (The brown dog’s handler is violating protocol by letting the transfer proceed without the necessary softening happening in the Malamute). In previous incidents sniffing sessions would have begun well enough but as the momentum begins to transfer, the balance-dog goes “over budget” and then its emergency ballast/energy reserve gets dislodged (what the dog is trying to hold back) causing it to react explosively. Even so such a dog is merely trying to keep the transfer out of its body/mind because it can’t handle any more energy, it’s already at its upper limit of carrying capacity, the choke hold being its neck/jaw-pivot region. So the handler begins to pull back and the Malamute perceives this as too much of a transfer and it “brays.” In other words, it explosively yawns as it finally collapses from the pressure of the sensations of the p-cog lodged in its head. Note that the brown dog is not in the least flustered by the snark and doesn’t return fire because from its point of view, this is just the opening volley in the game of ping pong with which it is well experienced as we see in next video. She perceives it as the yawn that it is, there is no intention in it, it is part of the flow cycle. After the bray the Malamute feels better and is now well positioned to make contact with the brown dog and get into its body were they to resume their interaction. (A bark would have come in handy here as it speeds up the protocols of transfer.) Because the Malamute has released its grip on its p-cog and feels better, its jaw/neck region temporarily relaxed, the brown dog looks wistfully at the one that got away. So much energy has been left on the table, not converted to flow. (I should add that an optimal approach would have been right before the snark, to let the Malamute withdraw to a post to lift his leg and this would have shifted his perspective from being the object-of-attention, as the focus would have been shifted onto the scent post. Anointing a post with scent objectifies a mid-point, a common object-of-attraction, and then while the brown dog is smelling the post, the Malamute would be able to smell her body while feeling even safer since the brown dog is focused on the scent. ) Join the exclusive and interactive group that will allow you to ask questions and take part in discussions with the founder of the Natural Dog Training method, Kevin Behan. Join over 65 Natural Dog trainers and owners, discussing hundreds of dog training topics with photos and videos! We will cover such topics as natural puppy rearing, and how to properly develop your dog's drive and use it to create an emotional bond and achieve obedience as a result. Now you can join a subscription-based study group specifically for the Natural Dog Training method, which provides a direct line to its founder to ask your questions about its core exercises, raising a puppy right, rehabilitating an aggressive dog, and more.Signup Today Learn more Books about Natural Dog Training by Kevin BehanIn Your Dog Is Your Mirror, dog trainer Kevin Behan proposes a radical new model for understanding canine behavior: a dog’s behavior and emotion, indeed its very cognition, are driven by our emotion. The dog doesn’t respond to what the owner thinks, says, or does; it responds to what the owner feels. And in this way, dogs can actually put people back in touch with their own emotions. Behan demonstrates that dogs and humans are connected more profoundly than has ever been imagined — by heart — and that this approach to dog cognition can help us understand many of dogs’ most inscrutable behaviors. This groundbreaking, provocative book opens the door to a whole new understanding between species, and perhaps a whole new understanding of ourselves. |Natural Dog Training is about how dogs see the world and what this means in regards to training. The first part of this book presents a new theory for the social behavior of canines, featuring the drive to hunt, not the pack instincts, as seminal to canine behavior. The second part reinterprets how dogs actually learn. The third section presents exercises and handling techniques to put this theory into practice with a puppy. The final section sets forth a training program with a special emphasis on coming when called.|

<urn:uuid:fee4f6ef-0c0e-48a4-8924-4386ce7bb6eb>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://naturaldogtraining.com/natural-training-methods/a-snark-is-an-explosive-yawn/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

In electronics, I get equally confused by the different types of grounds involved in PCB design: digital, analog, and earth ground. It’s hard not to be perplexed when university lecturers have always pointed out that although the grounds share the same reference, they are represented by different symbols. Theoretically, it’s easy to understand that digital electronics components are referenced to the digital ground and the same applies to analog circuits. They are clearly differentiated by the ground symbols used in schematics. However, the real challenge is physically routing and placing the respective grounds on the PCB. What Does the Ground Actually Do? Digital currents, whether single-point ground current flow or proper grounding and grounding scheme with reference points, ground pins and ground testers for measurement for digital circuits. Whether you’re trying to incorporate components like an anti-aliasing filter or differential amplifier, or an analog-to-digital convertor, or being wary of signal and noise distinctions in your device or power supply with signal-to-noise ratio and voltage drop, you’ll need to know what you’re looking for. Sometimes, you need to get back to the basics to master the art of grounding in PCB design. This means going beyond the schematic symbols of the ground. In a typical electronics system, a ground provides a reference to the signals, both digital and analog. Therefore, to achieve a reliable signal, the ground needs to be relatively ‘clean’. The ground also functions as the return path to the electric current that flows through the signal traces. With respect to the current path, there are two things that you need to keep in mind: - Electric current always travels through the path of least resistance. - The size of the ground trace must be sufficient to handle any high current. Digital, Analog, and Earth Ground Digital circuitry is often characterized by the quick transition of signals swinging between the Vcc and 0V. Naturally, the ground would be subjected to spikes, as electric current pulses through. On the other hand, analog signals heavily depend on a stable ground to provide an accurate reading. The earth ground actually refers to the physical connection that extends to the earth itself. It is usually connected to the chassis or used to safely channel electrostatic discharge from adjacent components. Theoretically, the earth ground is a neutral electrical plane; reality, however, proves that it can sometimes be rather noisy. Connecting Different Grounds on the PCB Getting the ground patterns correct on the PCB can be a tricky subject, even for seasoned engineers. For instance, a single mistake in audio and digital grounding can lead to static noise coupling to the audio output. It’s for new designers to use a single ground plane, resulting in the analog inputs fluctuating randomly. Some electronics experts point out that a star connection is one of the best methods to connect the various types of grounds at a single point. However, in some situations, the star connection may not be practical, due to the component arrangement on the PCB or space constraints. After making many mistakes with ground connections, I finally learned how to design stable grounds. I prefer using the ground bar method and segregating the power, digital and analog modules on the PCB. Below is a general diagram of what this grounding system would look like. Sample layout of grounding Of course, this method of grounding is only applicable when components can be clearly separated according to their functions. The principle in arranging the ground planes is placing the noisiest ground at one end and the most sensitive ground on the other end. In some cases, the ground plane only needs to be separated at a specific component. This can be done by separating the ground planes beneath the component in the following manner: Ground planes underneath a component Ground placement in a PCB should not be treated as an exclusive subject. Instead, designers should apply sense, or rather the basic laws of electronics and a vivid imagination to visualize how electrons travel along the path formed by different ground arrangements. Once you’ve determined your grounding strategies, the actual implementation is pretty easy with intuitive polygon tools in Altium Designer® . If you’re unsure about your ground placement or need a refresher on key grounding topics, talk to an expert at Altium. About the AuthorVisit Website More Content by Altium Designer

<urn:uuid:8eec1853-e260-4602-9be3-ee8ea84be253>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://resources.altium.com/routing/stay-grounded-digital-analog-and-earth-ground-in-pcb-layout

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Long before all of the sound and fury—the lawsuits and ugly confrontations in town hall meetings, the livestock depredations and aerial gunning, before wolf reintroduction and the Endangered Species Act and even the Animal Damage Control Act of 1931 which sought to and largely succeeded in the extirpation of predators from the West—there was a story told by the Nez Perce people. It was a very different story from all that would follow. It was a story of creation, one told for thousands of years in the Nez Perce oral tradition, and one that two tribe members and brothers, Josiah and Jaime Pinkham, both shared with me on separate occasions. …Before humans walked the Earth, the Creator brought the animal-people together in council concerning a prophecy that foretold the coming of a two-legged creature. The two-legged creature would emerge naked, weak and unable to feed itself. Only those animals that could help the new creature survive, the Creator said, would themselves survive. The salmon came forward first and offered his flesh to feed the new creature. His skin, he said, could be used to bind together bows and spears so the new creature could hunt. Then the buffalo and elk offered their flesh for food and coats for warmth and shelter. Finally, the wolf approached the Creator and vowed to teach the two-legged creature about family. He would teach the humans new to the Earth how to take care of one another and, most importantly, how to live together… “If I could define a wolf, I would say they do three things: they travel, they kill, and they’re social,” said Doug Smith, project leader for the Wolf Restoration Project in Yellowstone National Park. Smith has been studying wolves not only since their reintroduction to Yellowstone and Idaho in 1995, but prior to that at Isle Royale National Park in Michigan and in Minnesota. He is witness to and a participant in what is arguably one of the biggest biological and ecological laboratories in the world: Yellowstone National Park itself. “Wolves choose to live how they want to live,” Smith explained. Specifically, they live in packs—approximately 95 percent of wolf packs comprise extended families—that can vary in size from a breeding pair and a pup or two, to a dozen or more. As a wolf reaches 2 to 3 years of age, he or she will commonly, but not always, break off from its pack to find a mate and form a new pack, a process called dispersal. “They have very complex behavior in terms of getting along with other individuals in their packs,” Smith said. “They have a pecking order and different relationships with different individuals in a pack. So, if you take out the wrong wolf—whether through hunting, livestock control or if another pack does it, it can have a greater or lesser effect on the functioning of that pack.” The social nature of wolves, according to Smith, is manifested in two key aspects of their survival: hunting and defending territory. In hunting, for example, wolves prey on elk and bison, animals that far outweigh them, so the number of wolves involved in a hunt is critical to its success. “The number of wolves optimal for taking down an item of prey varies with the size of the prey,” Smith said. In Yellowstone, where Smith and others have done extensive studies, the average number of wolves to kill an elk is four, whereas the average number of wolves to kill a bison is 10. Still, he pointed out, 80 to 90 percent of wolf hunts are unsuccessful. While two wolves can kill an elk and five wolves might kill a bison, the probability of success increases up to the optimal averages of four and 10. This difficulty of bringing down big prey underscores the importance of cooperative behavior. “There are different ages and sizes of wolves in packs, and they tend to do different things,” Smith said. Typically, a full grown female is, on average, 20 percent smaller than its male counterpart, and, consequently, tends to be speedier. The same is true of a young male 2 to 3 years old. These speedier wolves will be the ones out front in a hunt, choosing which prey to take down. “Wolves, almost always, choose an animal that has a problem,” Smith added. “They’re very selective killers. Sometimes these are problems we can’t even see when we film and watch these hunts.” Once the chasing wolves select an elk, they typically bite it in its hind legs, which slows the elk down so that the other wolves can catch up. The bigger wolves will then take down the elk and kill it with crushing bites to the neck area. It is worth noting that wolves live relatively short lives. The average age at death for a wolf in Yellowstone is 5; it is likely lower in Idaho, because human-caused deaths (hunting, trapping and lethal control) occur at a much higher rate in Idaho. While yearlings do help in a hunt, they aren’t very effective, and pups do not participate at all. The 2- to 3-year-olds are hunting masters. By the time they are 4 to 5, wolves tend not to hunt as much, particularly if there are other, younger wolves in the pack to hunt for them. There are exceptions, Smith noted: the oldest known wolf in Yellowstone lived to 12 and hunted until the day she died. Another key aspect of survival in which social behavior is critical is in defending territory. “Most animals live in what are called home ranges,” Smith explained. “These are areas of use that overlap with other creatures of your species.” Wolves, on the other hand, live in exclusive areas of use—a rarity in the animal kingdom. How well a given pack defends its territory often depends on the size of the pack and experience of the pack. Bigger packs with older males fare better in territorial conflicts. To suss out potential threats to their hunting territory, wolves will communicate with neighboring packs in two ways. One is through verbal communication; packs will howl back and forth and gauge the size and proximity of one another. A second method is through scent. According to researchers, wolves can smell other wolves or prey up to 8 miles away. However, in the end, if there are elk in the neighboring territory, Smith said, “Hunger may trump fear,” and two packs will have it out at the territory boundary for control of the hunting area. It has been well documented in Yellowstone that when elk and deer become scarce in a given area, pack-pack clashes increase, wolves die and the wolf population goes down. This is what Smith terms “self-regulation.” There have been several incidences in the park in which a pack crossed into another territory and killed an entire den of pups from the neighboring pack. “Now, if that doesn’t tip the balance in your favor,” Smith said. Such efforts can give a pack a competitive advantage for a year or two, maybe more. “I find it the most exciting part of my job to be surrounded by a pack of wolves,” Carter Niemeyer told me one winter day in his Boise living room. “When you get close to their den or kill site, … it’s upsetting to them and so there’s a lot of howling and howl-barking. Man, I could just sit and listen to that for hours … and just hope they come closer.” If there is one person who has lived in the thick of the long and sometimes nasty reality of wolf recovery in the Northwest, it is Niemeyer. As a trapper for Animal Damage Control (ADC) in the Department of Agriculture, later renamed Wildlife Services, Niemeyer’s job for 26 years was to kill or trap predators that preyed on livestock. Based in Montana in the 1990s, Niemeyer investigated incidents in which a predator—whether wolf, coyote, grizzly bear, fox, black bear or golden eagle—came into conflict with livestock. A day at work generally involved a dead cow or sheep that had to be skinned for examination, an irate rancher, and, with luck, some hard evidence—predator tracks, scat or other signs of the alleged predator. Niemeyer’s job was to determine what exactly had killed the livestock. He was also responsible for killing or relocating wolves that were determined to have caused livestock losses. On more than one occasion, Niemeyer, who is physically imposing but measured in demeanor, was toe-to-toe with angry and sometimes armed ranchers that didn’t hear the conclusion they wanted to hear. Also on more than one occasion, Niemeyer was faced with single-handedly hog-tying in the wild a half-drugged wolf with little more than the shoelaces in his boots. When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, under the auspices of the Endangered Species Act, began the process of reintroducing wolves to Idaho and Yellowstone National Park, Niemeyer was tasked with finding and trapping (along with other local trappers) wolves in Alberta, Canada, to be released in Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and in Yellowstone. “I don’t think any of us could have foreseen the success of bringing 66 wolves—35 to Idaho and 31 to Yellowstone,” Niemeyer said. As of December 31, 2015, Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) estimated there to be at minimum 786 wolves in Idaho. Well over 100 are thought to be in Yellowstone. “Two words I use in all of my talks about wolves: they’re prolific and resilient … No, due to the rugged terrain, the abundance of deer and elk in Idaho, the wolves are here to stay … However, I don’t accept the rhetoric that there will be 2,000 wolves, then 5,000 wolves, then wolves at your door. A thousand will probably be the peak in Idaho. There will be an eventual balance.” Beyond their own biological success, wolves have had a significant effect on the ecosystems in which they were put. While wolf country in Idaho is too rugged for any practical studies, much work has been done in Yellowstone to document what’s known as a trophic cascades. Researchers William Ripple and Robert Beschta have done exhaustive work tracking the effects of wolves on the landscape. Most immediately, and unsurprisingly, the elk population dropped. With less grazing pressure from ungulates, the aspen, cottonwood and willow trees have grown taller and the canopy cover has increased. With more woody-browse species available, the beaver population has increased, which has had dramatic positive effects on the riparian systems: reducing erosion, raising wetland water tables, improving the nutrient cycling, and providing healthier habitat for amphibians, reptiles and fish. In sum, the biodiversity of the system has increased dramatically. Though people are still fighting about wolves 21 years after their reintroduction, the argument has clearly shifted. Early on, the debate centered on whether wolves would be permitted to exist at all. Now, the issue has moved to “wolf management”—to what extent and how they will be managed. Having been in the middle of the the issue for so long, Niemeyer has had dealings with just about every constituency involved—ranchers, wolf advocates, biologists, the federal and state agencies, the Nez Perce tribe and the general public. Now retired, Niemeyer said, “I don’t have a dog in the fight one way or the other. But a lot of wolf advocate groups don’t accept the need for ‘management,’ which is just a long word for ‘kill.’ In a state like Idaho, I just don’t think it is realistic to think you’re not going to hunt, trap and control wolves. There are groups that still envision that wolves and elk should be allowed to live out their lives and do their thing. But ranchers and hunters and wildlife biologists do not accept that. And herein lies the problem.” Niemeyer’s relationship to wolves and all that they engender is no doubt complicated. For 26 years he was a loyal soldier for Wildlife Services: when predators had to be killed because they had preyed on livestock, he was the guy who had to do it. He was blamed for killing hundreds of wolves; however, he knows exactly how many wolves he has killed: 14. Reading his memoir “Wolfer” and talking with him about it at length, it is clear he got no joy from the task given him. In “Wolfer,” Niemeyer expresses more than a little anguish over his orders to kill the Whitehawk pack living along the East Fork of the Salmon River. A big chunk of his life and energy had been devoted to bringing wolves back to the Northern Rockies. Now he was killing them. Like many others entwined in the wolf debate, Niemeyer has been changed by it. “I’m not a wolf-lover, but I appreciate them … My level of appreciation of them absolutely grew.” Niemeyer sees a need for a distinction between policies on public and private land. He makes the point that if a property owner wants to rid his property of every wolf, coyote, elk and fox, well, fine. But, he feels, that principle shouldn’t carry over to public land management. “Are we going to kill wolves? Yes. Do I like it? No. I’m tired of the killing. I lived that lifestyle, and that’s what changed me. I participated in all this because it was my job, and I did my job. But we can advance. We can move forward and do better. There could be less killing.” The lethal control of problem wolves is not cheap. Typically, a gunner in a helicopter is sent out to destroy the pack from the air. In 2014 the Idaho Legislature appropriated funds to create the Wolf Depredation Control Board, a unit within the Governor’s Office that disburses funds to kill wolves causing livestock depredations. The board receives annually $110,000 each from livestock industry assessments and hunting license fees, and, if approved by the Idaho Legislature each year, $400,000 from the state budget. With funds left over from the previous year, there was approximately $924,600 available for wolf depredation control for fiscal year 2016, ending June 30. The reporting of lethal control of wolves is done by calendar year, so it’s difficult to accurately parse administrative costs and the precise expenditure per control action. However, intermediate reporting in 2015 showed that lethal control cost approximately $4,500 per wolf killed. In fiscal year 2017, available funds for the Wolf Depredation Control Board are projected to be $980,000. On June 15, 1994, then Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt signed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agency’s record of decision on wolf reintroduction. In that decision were provisions for the affected states (Idaho, Wyoming and Montana) and the Nez Perce tribe to manage the reintroduction. There was within Idaho, however, fierce opposition to the plan. Just three days after the first four wolves were released at Corn Creek on the Salmon River, the Idaho Legislature on January 17, 1995, prohibited the IDFG from participating in the recovery plan. In the wake of this action, the Nez Perce Tribe took the lead in managing recovery. This entailed hiring biologists, radio-collaring wolves, and monitoring wolf numbers, both the absolute number and the number of breeding pairs and packs. Jaime Pinkham, who was then the manager of natural resources for the tribe, said the Nez Perce stepped up to the responsibility because the majority of the recovery area overlapped with the ancestral homeland of the Nez Perce. What’s more, the tribe had previously, and on its own accord, committed to restoring all animal species to their homeland. In the Nez Perce treaty of 1855, that homeland was recognized to be almost 14 million acres of north-central Idaho—then the Oregon Territory. While the tribe was ultimately relocated to a much smaller reservation, it was guaranteed “access” to their original homeland, which, Pinkham said, included their rights to maintain their lifestyle, get sustenance from the land, recreate there, practice their religion and gather natural materials for their medicines. The tribe’s role in recovery was also a function, Pinkham said, “…of our role as a governing sovereign … so that any decision or action taking place on the federal lands had to be coordinated with the tribe.” One of the key goals of recovery for the Idaho plan—the presence of 10 breeding pairs each year for three consecutive years—was met by the end of 1998. Pinkham has long felt that the experience of the wolves mirrored that of the tribe’s. “Both had been displaced from their lands by Western expansion and the taming of the new frontier,” he said. “But (with recovery), both the tribes and the wolves were regaining their rightful place, not only on the landscape, but also socially and politically.” By 2002, it was clear that the wolves were in Idaho to stay. So, despite continued animosity toward wolves in general, the Legislature approved a management plan for Idaho and gave IDFG authority to co-manage the plan with the Nez Perce Tribe. Today, the man responsible for compiling and editing the annual IDFG wolf monitoring progress report is Jim Hayden. The task of counting and tracking wild wolves over millions of acres of central Idaho wilderness is a formidable one. Hayden and his team use a variety of tools to determine the number of wolves and packs in the state. These include radio-collar data, remote camera data, field observations, and DNA collections. They also employ what’s called patch occupancy modeling, which uses this data to predict wolf distribution. The number of wolves IDFG reports is almost certainly a minimum value. Hayden said that in counting breeding pairs, which is heavily dependent on radio-collar data (not all wolves are radio-collared; perhaps 20 percent are, but that number is a loose estimate), “The number of packs we identify is a function partly of effort. So, a change from one year to the next may not have anything to do with the number of wolves out there. It’s a function of funding, weather conditions and other variables … We spent $1 million one year and $250,000 a different year. So, you can come up with different numbers.” As it turned out for 2015, IDFG reported 786 wolves and 108 packs. While we were talking, Hayden pulled up a Google Earth map of Idaho that had dozens of clusters of dots, each dot representing a collared wolf. The map showed in real time where particular wolves were (each had a coded name). Hayden could track their movements, delineate the territories of given packs, even determine when a wolf was dispersing—that is, leaving its current pack to find a new territory, mate and create a new pack. The agency also reports annually the mortalities of both wolves and livestock. In 2015, there were 358 wolf mortalities, 256 of which were due to legal hunting and trapping. Fifty-four were killed through lethal control in response to confirmed livestock depredations. Another 21 wolves in northern Idaho’s Lolo elk hunting zone were lethally controlled in an effort to increase the ungulate population there. Wolf depredations documented by Wildlife Services agents last year comprised 125 sheep, 35 cattle, three dogs, and one horse. Suzanne Stone, like others in this debate, has been involved with the wolf issue for many years—in her case for 28 years. She is the senior Northwest representative for the nonprofit organization Defenders of Wildlife. Stone first felt the draw of wildlife conservation when she was 12 and read Aldo Leopold’s “Thinking Like a Mountain.” A few years later she read “Of Wolves and Men,” by Barry Lopez, and she knew she was hooked. Like Niemeyer, Stone has seen the tenor of the debate change over the years. “Originally, it was the ranching community that was opposing wolves. They would fill meeting rooms with hundreds of ranchers, and they fought it as hard as they could and were completely threatened by wolves being back on the landscape,” she said. “After wolves were here for about a decade, we really saw a transition with ranchers; most of them that were living in wolf range didn’t fear wolves as much as they expected to.” Stone feels, however, that while the reintroduction was a biological success, “Socially it could have been handled better. There was no attempt to bring stakeholders into the process … A lot of people felt that it was forced on them, even though more than 165,000 people commented on it … However, it was a very one-way communication … It was never explained why we were doing what we were doing, why wolves were necessary or important. That hurt wolves more than anything—not having any kind of social conflict process.” Twenty-eight years into it, Stone clearly appreciates the perspectives of others in the debate and devotes her time and energy to finding solutions for all parties involved. Still, Stone seems to be as passionate as ever about the issue and continues to press hard as an advocate for the wolves, particularly in the area of developing nonlethal wolf management techniques. “The wolf is a native species to Idaho. To me, they have an inherent right to be here. To the extent that we have complete ecosystems, wolves should be a part of that,” she said. “It’s up to us to learn how to live with all forms of wildlife if we want to preserve those ecosystems.” Brian Bean, president of Lava Lake Land & Livestock headquartered in Carey, Idaho, has since 1999 run sheep on approximately 875,000 acres of public and deeded land. As Bean explained in a presentation to state legislators I attended at the Capitol, he has seen his share of wolf depredation losses. In one day in 2002, he lost 36 ewes and lambs. Another night, in a few hours, he lost 25 ewes and lambs, two rams and one guard dog. “The truth is, we didn’t really know what to do,” Bean said. So he reached out to Defenders of Wildlife to see if they had any techniques that might be effective in protecting his sheep. With their help, Bean said, “We became proficient in applying nonlethal tools and techniques to keep our animals and wolves separate.” With that experience, in 2008, Bean became one of the original collaborators in the Wood River Wolf Project (WRWP), which seeks to minimize depredation events and sheep loss, minimize lethal control of wolves, and save livestock producers money. The organization brought together a number of stakeholders, including the Forest Service, IDFG, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Defenders of Wildlife, Wildlife Services, and several livestock producers. The organization, Bean said, has since developed a protocol of nonlethal practices for grazing sheep in wolf country. The tools and techniques include employing greater human presence, more guard animals, active animal management to avoid dens and rendezvous sites, temporary fencing called fladry, foxlights, air horns, satellite phones and SPOT devices for communication, as well as telemetry devices for locating radio-collared wolves. Over the course of seven years, the WRWP conducted a study (to be published in the Journal of Mammology) that looked at depredation rates in areas in which these techniques were employed (“protected areas”) compared to those in which they weren’t (“unprotected”). They found that the depredation rate in the protected areas was three and a half times lower than that in the unprotected areas. Sheep loss to wolf depredation was 0.02 percent, which, according to Bean, is the lowest rate in Idaho for areas in which sheep are grazed in wolf range. “We’ve been dealing with wolves for 14 years,” Bean said. With these deterrent methods in place, “…we’ll have a depredation event on sheep by wolves typically once every two to three years. When an event occurs, our livestock losses are on average one to three animals. When you are dealing with sheep in the thousands, then these losses, to us, are acceptable, particularly in the context of the much greater depredation loss from coyotes.” John Peavey, operator and co-owner of the Flat Top Sheep Company, attends meetings of the WRWP, but he doesn’t subscribe to the nonlethal methods espoused by Bean and Defenders of Wildlife. Peavey’s operation combines about 25,000 acres of deeded land near Carey, Idaho, with half again as much acreage in the Wildhorse Sheep Allotment, a shared BLM grazing allotment south of Carey and north of Idaho State Highway 24. It is a ranch Peavey’s grandfather started putting together in 1925. Peavey explained that Bean runs a shed-lambing operation, whereas he runs a range-lambing operation. With the former, ewes give birth indoors and are fed hay and perhaps some grains. Lambs are paired up with their mothers in the safety of the shed for a significant span of time. “There used to be a lot of shed-lambing, but it’s a very expensive way to run sheep,” Peavey said. In range-lambing, operators separate the ewes that have lambed from those that haven’t. So, one day 40 or 50 ewes might give birth; Peavey then moves the others a little ways away, say, over a ridgeline. As ewes continue to lamb each day, new bunches are formed and become spread out over 4 or 5 miles. “You try to keep them in these little bunches as long as you can—at least two to three weeks—so they learn to find each other (mothers and lambs). So, it’s very important to have lots of space.” Herding them into small fladry enclosures, Peavey said, is not practical when you’re running sheep in this fashion. Peavey also points out that depredation is not the only issue. “It’s just chaos when a bunch of wolves come in,” he said. “You don’t know how many there are—there could be one or six or seven. In the middle of the night they’ll run through these bunches spread over a couple of miles and mis-mother all of these lambs, and they’ll never find their mothers again … It’s just disastrous. You count the carcasses, but that’s just part of the problem.” A few years ago, Peavey had significant depredation losses on his deeded lands near Carey. He used the “flashing lights and noisemakers,” but, he said, it didn’t make much difference. It was then that he decided to move his early grazing and lambing south to the Wildhorse Allotment. “We’ve had no wolf deaths and no sheep deaths since we moved down to the desert. We were happy to do this, because nobody wants to agitate a bunch of people who truly love wolves. And we eliminated the conflict as much as we could.” Sometime around mid-May or early June Peavey has to move his sheep north through what’s considered more threatening “wolf territory.” Come September, the process is reversed and the sheep move south. Peavey has adapted to the reality of wolves disrupting his business, but he’s not particularly happy about it. The potential for wolf attacks adds to his operation a lot of man-hours and, consequently, cost to an already difficult way of life. For him, the burgeoning number of wolves is a concern, too. “There is a vast difference between what the plan was for the number of wolves in the state and what we ended up with,” he said. “It’s just a problem we didn’t need from an agricultural and ranching perspective.” In January, the Salmon River at Corn Creek is a subdued, solemn version of its summer self. The river is slow and frozen in places; snow dots the landscape. One such morning—January 14, 1995—four wolves scampered out of cages and onto the banks of the river. Though they could never know it, their purpose was about as momentous a one as any four animals could have—the regeneration of a species. Still, survival is the purest of instincts and, at heart, a simple one. Those who put the wolves on that riverbank and those who fought it, however, have had a much more uncertain and tortuous path forward. Reconciliation has been halting, but it has advanced. Whether or not the mythological wolf of the Nez Perce Creation story has fulfilled his vow to teach us to live together is harder to say.

<urn:uuid:ae6a9c51-feab-40d8-8401-10ef015ffe4f>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://sunvalleymag.com/articles/the-long-journey-back/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

The interest coverage ratio is a financial ratio used to measure a company's ability to pay the interest on its debt. (The required principal payments are not included in the calculation.) The interest coverage ratio is also known as the times interest earned ratio. The interest coverage ratio is computed by dividing 1) a corporation's annual income before interest and income tax expenses, by 2) its annual interest expense. To illustrate the interest coverage ratio, let's assume that a corporation's most recent annual income statement reported net income after tax of $650,000; interest expense of $150,000; and income tax expense of $100,000. Given these assumptions, the corporation's annual income before interest and income tax expenses is $900,000 (net income of $650,000 + interest expense of $150,000 + income tax expense of $100,000). Since the interest expense was $150,000 the corporation's interest coverage ratio is 6 ($900,000 divided by $150,000 of annual interest expense). A large interest coverage ratio indicates that a corporation will be able to pay the interest on its debt even if its earnings were to decrease. A small interest coverage ratio sends a caution signal. Since the interest coverage ratio is based on the net income under the accrual method of accounting, we recommend that you also review the cash provided by operating activities (which is found on the corporation's statement of cash flows) for the same time period.

<urn:uuid:17222d7d-5e07-4c4f-895e-fbccf4d11ed1>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.accountingcoach.com/blog/what-is-the-interest-coverage-ratio

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? Characteristic findings on physical examination Trichilemmal carcinoma usually presents as a solitary exophytic or polypoid nodule (0.3 to 6cm) on the sun-exposed hair-bearing skin of older individuals. It may be keratotic or ulcerated, but is otherwise asymptomatic. The lesion is usually present for less than 1 year, with an accelerated growth phase. Rarely, multiple lesions may be present. Expected results of diagnostic studies A skin biopsy is usually needed for a definitive diagnosis of trichilemmal carcinoma, as clinically, the lesion is most often confused with basal cell carcinoma. Histopathology shows the pilosebaceous unit with trichilemmal keratinization, defined as compact nonlamellar keratin with hypogranulosis. Biopsy also reveals prominent lobular proliferation of the follicular epithelium and epidermis (Figure 1). The invasive lobules exhibit peripheral palisading and contain clear, glycogen-rich keratinocytes that are periodic acid-Schiff-positive, diastase sensitive, and cytokeratin 17-positive due to their outer root sheath origin. Unlike trichilemmoma, there is cytologic atypia and high mitotic activity. Trichilemmal carcinoma must be differentiated from other cutaneous carcinomas such as basal cell carcinoma (histopathology with proliferation of basaloid rather than epidermal clear cells), clear cell squamous cell carcinoma (epidermal, rather than trichilemmal, keratinization on biopsy), invasive Bowen’s (quite a difficult distinction on biopsy, as invasive Bowen’s often shows adnexal differentiation, but epidermal, rather than trichilemmal, keratinization is present), and sebaceous carcinoma (histopathology with cells containing foamy cytoplasm and central nuclei). It is also important to distinguish trichilemmal carcinoma from melanocytic nevi and malignant melanoma (which may have balloon cells on biopsy, but stain positive for S-100 and negative for cytokeratin). Finally, one must rule out other adnexal tumors such as trichilemmoma and desmoplastic trichilemmoma (both with histopathology similar to trichilemmal carcinoma but without cytologic atypia and high mitotic activity), proliferating trichilemmal tumor (histopathology with intradermal mass of squamous epithelium), trichoepithelioma (keratin-containing horn cysts on biopsy), and trichofolliculoma (keratin-containing cystic cavity on biopsy). Who is at Risk for Developing this Disease? Trichilemmal carcinoma appears on sun-exposed sites, in patients who are usually older than age 50. Men and women appear to be equally affected. The exact incidence is unknown, but chronic actinic damage appears to be the biggest risk factor. There is one report of a trichilemmal carcinoma on the face of a 9-year-old girl, but she had xeroderma pigmentosum supporting actinic damage as a risk factor for trichilemmal carcinoma, since patients with xeroderma pigmentosum cannot repair UV-damaged DNA. What is the Cause of the Disease? Trichilemmal carcinoma is a carcinoma of the outer root sheath. The exact etiology is unknown, but it appears to be related to actinic damage. Immunosuppression may also be a contributing factor, as there is a case report of a lesion in a transplant patient on the mid-chest, a traditionally less sun-exposed site. X-irradiation may also be a risk factor, as there is a case report of three trichilemmal carcinomas occurring on the chest of a 67-year-old male who had a distant history of treated tuberculosis and had received several chest X-rays during his life. It is unknown whether trichilemmal carcinoma develops from an existing benign lesion or de novo. Few trichilemmal carcinomas show evidence of a coexisting trichilemmoma. Patients with Cowden syndrome, a rare autosomal dominant disorder in which multiple facial trichilemmomas appear, do not seem to be at increased risk of trichilemmal carcinoma, as there is only one case report of such a circumstance; however, there is a case report of trichilemmal carcinoma arising in the wall of a proliferating trichilemmal cyst on the scalp of a 77-year-old Japanese woman. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of DNA from both lesions investigating the wild-type p53 gene allele, a tumor suppressor gene, revealed loss of heterozygosity in the proliferating trichilemmal cyst and complete loss of the wild-type allele in the trichlemmal carcinoma. Such evidence suggests that total loss of the tumor suppressor gene p53 may contribute to the development of trichilemmal carcinoma. Systemic Implications and Complications Trichilemmal carcinoma is generally cured with surgical excision. Recurrence, perineural invasion, and metastasis are extremely rare, but reported. Treatment options are summarized in Table I. |Medical Treatment||Surgical Procedures| |Topical imiquimod 5% cream||Wide excision (1cm) with clear margins| |Systemic chemotherapy, e.g. cisplatin and cyclophosphamide||Mohs surgery| Optimal Therapeutic Approach for this Disease After a diagnosis of trichilemmal carcinoma is made on biopsy, surgical excision is the first choice for curative treatment. The decision between a wide excision (1cm) with clear margins versus Mohs micrographic surgery is based on anatomical site and aesthetic result optimization. There is a case report of trichilemmal carcinoma successfully treated with imiquimod 5% cream (used three times a week for 8 weeks), but this option should only be used if patients refuse surgery. The authors warn that imiquimod may mask tumor recurrence or create disconnected foci of tumor, so long-term surveillance is important. While recurrence, perineural invasion, and metastasis are extremely rare, patients should be evaluated for these sequelae with periodic monitoring. If symptoms occur, imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT) scans are helpful for evaluating disease extent. There is no established chemotherapy regimen for metastatic trichilemmal carcinoma, but regimens used for highly advanced cases of squamous cell carcinoma, such as cisplatin and cyclophosphamide, have been used. Once biopsy results are obtained, explain to patients that trichilemmal carcinoma is a rare type of skin cancer that is usually cured with surgical excision with clear margins. Recurrence, perineural invasion, and metastasis are extremely rare, but reported. Patients should be monitored with periodic surveillance, and any symptoms can be further evaluated with imaging studies such as CT scans. Unusual Clinical Scenarios to Consider in Patient Management Although it is not known whether trichilemmal carcinoma develops from an existing benign lesion or de novo, multiple trichilemmomas are not thought to be a risk factor for trichilemmal carcinoma. Multiple facial trichilemmomas occur in patients with Cowden syndrome, a rare autosomal-dominant disorder affecting the skin, breast, thyroid, gastrointestinal tract, endometrium, and brain. There is only one report of trichilemmal carcinoma occurring in a patient with Cowden syndrome. The recommendation is to biopsy any changing lesions in these patients. What is the Evidence? Wong, TY, Suster, S. “Tricholemmal carcinoma. A clinicopathologic study of 13 cases”. Am J Dermatopathol. vol. 16. 1994. pp. 463-73. (A study of 13 cases of trichilemmal carcinoma, all occurring on sun-exposed, hair-bearing skin. All tumors were treated with surgical excision with clear margins, without recurrence nor metastasis reported after 2-8 years of clinical follow-up.) Reis, JP, Tellechea, O, Cunha, MF, Baptista, AP. “Trichilemmal carcinoma: review of 8 cases”. J Cutan Pathol. vol. 20. 1993. pp. 44-9. (A study of of trichilemmal carcinoma in seven elderly individuals with sun-exposed skin and a 9-year-old girl with xeroderma pigmentosum. No recurrences or metastases were observed.) Garrett, AB, Azmi, FH, Ogburia, KS. “Trichilemmal carcinoma: a rare cutaneous malignancy: a report of two cases”. Dermatol Surg. vol. 30. 2004. pp. 113-5. (A report of two cases of trichilemmal carcinoma, one of which was a kidney transplant patient. Both patients were treated with Mohs surgery without recurrence after 4-5 years of clinical follow-up.) Chan, KO, Lim, IJ, Baladas, HG, Tan, WTL. “Multiple tumor presentation of trichilemmal carcinoma”. Br J Plast Surg. vol. 52. 1999. pp. 665-7. (This is the first case report of multiple trichilemmal carcinomas occurring in the same patient. The patient was a 67-year-old Chinese male with a distant history of treated tuberculosis who presented with three trichilemmal carcinomas on his upper chest, one of which was recurrent. The authors hypothesize that the lesions may be due to multiple exposures to x-irradiation. Surgical excision with a 1cm margin was performed on all lesions. There was no recurrence after 18 months of clinical follow-up.) O’Hare, Am, Cooper, PH, Parlette, HL. “Trichilemmomal carcinoma in a patient with Cowden’s disease (multiple hamartoma syndrome)”. J Am Acad Dermatol. vol. 36. 1997. pp. 1021-3. (A case report of a 56-year-old man with Cowden’s disease who presented with trichilemmal carcinoma on his face, and was treated with Mohs surgery.) Allee, JE, Cotsarelis, G, Solky, B, Cook, JL. “Multiply recurrent trichilemmal carcinoma with perineural invasion and cytokeratin 17 positivity”. Dermatol Surg. vol. 29. 2003. pp. 886-9. (A case report of multiply recurrent trichilemmal carcinoma with perineural invasion occurring on the cheek of a 65-year-old Caucasian male. The patient was treated with Mohs surgery with a split-thickness skin graft, but 1 year later the lesion returned. The lesion was again treated with Mohs surgery and it did not return after 2 years.) Jo, JH, Ko, HC, Jang, HS, Kim, MB, Oh, CK, Kwon, KS. “Infiltrative trichilemmal carcinoma treated with 5% imiquimod cream”. Dermatol Surg. vol. 31. 2005. pp. 973-6. (A case report of trichilemmal carcinoma occurring on the cheek of a 90-year-old woman. Since the patient refused surgical removal, she was treated with imiquimod 5% cream used 3 times a week for 8 weeks, without recurrence after 16 months.) Yi, HS, Sym, SJ, Park, J, Cho, EK, Ha, SY, Shin, DB. “Recurrent and metastatic trichilemmal carcinoma of the skin over the thigh: a case report”. Cancer Res Treat. vol. 42. 2010. pp. 176-9. (A case report of metastatic trichilemmal carcinoma occurring on the thigh of a 63-year-old woman. The initial lesion was excised with clear margins, but 2 years later metastasized to regional lymph nodes. The patient was then treated with cisplatin and cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy, which was discontinued after four cycles at the patient’s request. Six months later, lung and bone involvement occurred and the patient died.) Takata, M, Rehman, I, Rees, JL. “A trichilemmal carcinoma arising from a proliferating trichilemmal cyst: the loss of wild-type p53 is a critical event in malignant transformation”. Hum Pathol. vol. 29. 1998. pp. 193-5. (A case report of trichilemmal carcinoma arising in the wall of a proliferating trichilemmal cyst on the scalp of a 77-year-old Japanese woman. PCR analysis of the DNA from both lesions revealed loss of heterozygosity in the proliferating trichilemmal cyst, and complete loss of the wild-type p53 gene allele in the trichilemmal carcinoma. Such findings suggest that total loss of the tumor suppressor gene may contribute to the development of trichilemmal carcinoma.) Dalton, SR, LeBoit, PE. “Squamous cell carcinoma with clear cells: how often is there evidence of tricholemmal differentiation?”. Am J Dermatopathol. vol. 30. 2008. pp. 333-9. (An excellent study investigating the histopathological differentiation of squamous cell carcinoma with clear cells (SCC-C) from trichilemmal carcinoma by studying 40 cases of SCC-C. It was found that none of the SCC-C exhibited all the features expected in a trichilemmal carcinoma, and 85% were negative for antigens found in the outer root sheath epithelium.) Copyright © 2017, 2013 Decision Support in Medicine, LLC. All rights reserved. No sponsor or advertiser has participated in, approved or paid for the content provided by Decision Support in Medicine LLC. The Licensed Content is the property of and copyrighted by DSM.

<urn:uuid:2eb3daca-32de-4eb5-9fc2-cb0f8ad3f09b>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/decision-support-in-medicine/dermatology/trichilemmal-carcinoma-tricholemmal-carcinoma-trichilemmomal-carcinoma/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

What is a credit score? Why is it important? How do you improve it? A credit score is a number that indicates to lenders how safe a person is to lend money to. These scores are calculated by credit reference agencies, who gather financial information about people. These agencies allow lenders to see the information they hold about individuals (with their permission). Lenders can then assess whether they are suitable to lend money to. The three main credit reference agencies in the UK are Experian, Equifax and Callcredit. Your credit score can affect applications for everything from a credit card to a mortgage. So it’s important that you keep yours in good shape. Your credit report is a detailed list of your financial history. Your credit score is worked out from this information. How do I find out my credit score? You can find out your credit score by making an account with Experian, Equifax or Callcredit. Experian charges £14.99 and Equifax charges £9.95 per month for their services. Callcredit has a service called Credit Compass which charges £14.95 per month. They’re all quite expensive. The exception is Noddle, which is also administered by Callcredit, but is free to use. Instead of charging a subscription fee, it makes money through advertisements. It also receives commission from providers whose products appear on its comparison service. The credit scores provided by these agencies give a decent indication of where you sit on the scale of credit-worthiness. They can’t, however, give completely accurate suggestions of products you'll be eligible for. What does my credit report affect? Your credit report is a record of your finances over time. It details how well you’ve managed past accounts and will also display any past problems to lenders. It affects your ability to get credit. In other words, a good score means a lender is more likely to lend you money. In turn, a bad score means you’ll be seen as a risk, and many lenders may shy away from you. Why do I have a bad credit score? A bad credit score can be the result of missed payments, bankruptcy, or having a County Court Judgment made against you. If you only ever make minimum payments on your credit cards and loans, this will also act as a warning to lenders. They may see this as a sign that you're struggling to pay money back. If you’ve never borrowed money before, you won’t have a great credit score either. This is because lenders have no evidence that you can manage money well. It’s important that you start to build (or rebuild) your score so that lenders see you as less of a potential risk. They will then be more likely to offer you credit. How do I improve my credit score? There’s no quick fix for a poor record. You need to prove that you are consistently good with money so that lenders will trust you in the future. The first step should be setting up a Direct Debit for all of your credit agreements, to ensure you never again miss a payment. Another key thing you need to do to improve your credit score is register on the electoral roll. Being on the electoral roll is a sign of stability, which is something lenders value. Lenders also check it when doing ID checks, to ensure the application is not from someone impersonating you. Contact your local electoral registration office to register. Make sure that all your accounts are registered to the right address. This will help lenders be more certain of your identity. You should also take a look at credit cards designed for people with poor credit history. These ‘credit builder’ cards charge high rates of interest, so pay them off in full every month. Used responsibly, they’ll let you prove that you’re a responsible borrower. Cancel any unused cards. The more you have, the more access to credit you have. Lenders may perceive you as a bigger risk if you have a lot of credit already available. Although it shows that other lenders have accepted you, it also means you could take on a lot of debt. What to do if you get rejected If you get turned down by a lender, do not immediately apply to another. Lenders can see your applications but they cannot see if you were successful. Lots of applications for credit in a short space of time (even if they were all successful) will make you look desperate for money. With this in mind, they may question whether it would be a good idea to lend to you. First, ask the lender why they turned you down. They aren’t bound by law to provide an answer to this question but most will give a general idea. It might be something as simple as the fact you made a minor error while applying. It might be something more complicated, but you may be able to do something about it. Once you have identified the issue, then you can take action. Once you have fixed the problem you can re-apply. How to fix mistakes on your record If you spot a mistake on your credit report, contact the lender who has supplied that information to the credit reference agency. They may be able to rectify the problem by themselves. They should then get in touch with the credit agencies, who will amend your report. Equifax has a good guide on what further steps you can take if the problem remains unresolved. In the meantime, you can place a 200-word ‘notice of correction’ on your credit report. This gives you the opportunity to tell your side of the story and lenders will see this. You should send a copy of this to all three agencies, as they may not have exactly the same information as each other.

<urn:uuid:91a60328-9378-4580-9886-3832b1a79459>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.fairerfinance.com/guides/how-do-i-check-and-improve-my-credit-score

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

by Kyle Zanocco, MD and Cord Sturgeon, MD* What are the surgical treatment options? The surgical treatment of Graves’ disease consists of the removal of a portion or all of the thyroid gland in a surgical procedure known as thyroidectomy. This procedure was the treatment of choice for Graves’ disease prior to the 1950’s but is now less popular in the United States than radioactive iodine (RAI), which is felt to be lower-risk than surgery. However, major technical advances in the field of thyroid surgery make thyroid surgery a viable and sometimes superior treatment choice for Graves’ disease patients. In brief, the two surgical options are total thyroidectomy (sometimes called near-total), where all the thyroid gland is removed, and subtotal thyroidectomy, were some of the thyroid is left in place. Subtotal thyroidectomy may be offered in an attempt to remove enough thyroid tissue to cure the hyperthyroidism, but leave just enough to prevent the need for lifelong thyroid hormone medication. Unfortunately, it is not an exact science and it may be difficult to predict how much thyroid tissue to leave in place. Most surgeons agree that it is better to take too much than too little because it would be worse for the patient to still have hyperthyroidism after surgery. The other reason for performing a subtotal thyroidectomy is to minimize the risks of injuring both the recurrent laryngeal nerves and all 4 parathyroid glands. By leaving some thyroid tissue along the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the parathyroid glands, the likelihood of injuring them is theoretically lower. Despite these theoretical advantages, the majority of surgeons recommend a total, or near-total, thyroidectomy for Graves’ disease, and subtotal thyroidectomy is rarely performed. What are the advantages of surgery for Graves’ disease? The greatest argument in favor of surgery is that thyroidectomy is the fastest, most consistent, and most permanent way to restore normal thyroid hormone levels. There is frequently a prolonged delay after RAI before the treatment becomes effective (maybe even as long as 6 months). Furthermore, more that one RAI treatment may be needed in some patients. Following total thyroidectomy the thyroid hormone level always drops because the thyroid is the only organ that makes and stores thyroid hormone. The “rollercoaster” hormone levels that many patients complain of during medical therapy do not happen because the thyroid tissue is gone. As the body’s natural thyroid hormone washes out of the system, doctors calculate an appropriate dose of thyroid hormone to administer in pill form. Graves’ disease has no effect on the circulating thyroid hormone levels achieved from taking thyroid hormone pills. There are a number of clinical situations where thyroidectomy is considered the best course of treatment for Graves’ disease. If the finding of a suspicious nodule in a Graves’ thyroid gland raises the possibility of thyroid cancer, surgery is clearly the best option. The reason is that surgery is the first step in the treatment of most thyroid cancers, and RAI and antithyroid medications are ineffective treatments for thyroid cancer by themselves. Thyroidectomy is also probably the best treatment for patients with severe Graves’ eye disease. Controversy exists in the medical literature about to what degree thyroid surgery and RAI might improve or worsen eye disease. Some patients may not want to take the risk that their eye disease could be made worse by RAI, and therefore select surgery. Surgery is indicated for large goiters that have low iodine uptake and are therefore resistant to radioiodine therapy. Patients in whom the surgical treatment of Graves’ disease should be strongly considered include children (because of the effects of prolonged hyperthyroidism on their growth and development), young women (because of the limitations on childbearing that comes with RAI), and patients with thyroid nodules (because of the concern for thyroid cancer). Thyroidectomy is a very reasonable treatment for pregnant women with Graves’ hyperthyroidism because it avoids the need for antithyroid medications during pregnancy and the effects of radioiodine therapy on the unborn baby. Furthermore, normal thyroid levels are very important to the developing fetus. Surgery does not carry the possible long-term risks of cancer that some investigators have associated with RAI. What are the risks of thyroid surgery for Graves’ disease? The risks associated with thyroid surgery include common sense surgical considerations as well as factors specific to thyroidectomy. The common sense risks of surgery (that are the same for any operation) include bleeding, bruising, pain, infection, and scarring. Risks specific to thyroid surgery include possible temporary or permanent nerve injury, temporary or permanent low calcium levels in the blood, and the possible need for lifelong thyroid hormone replacement. There is also the risk that the hyperthyroidism from Graves’ disease would persist if not enough thyroid were removed. Temporary or permanent injury to the recurrent or superior laryngeal nerves during thyroidectomy can cause hoarseness, changes in the singing voice, or even problems breathing. In a very unusual case where both recurrent laryngeal nerves were injured a patient might need a temporary or permanent tracheostomy to breathe. The possibility of this tragic complication is what has kept many people from considering thyroid surgery for the treatment of their Graves’ disease. Fortunately, the risk of permanent nerve damage during surgery by a surgeon experienced in operating on the thyroid gland for Graves’ disease is less than 2%. Temporary or permanent low calcium can occur if the parathyroid glands are inadvertently injured or removed. Hypoparathyroidism (a low level of parathyroid hormone) can result, leading to a decreased calcium in the bloodstream. Patients with low calcium are required to take calcium and vitamin D pills several times a day. The risk of permanent hypoparathyroidism in the hands of an experienced endocrine surgeon is less than 1%. After total or near-total thyroidectomy patients are required to take a daily thyroid hormone pill for the rest of their life. You cannot live without thyroid hormone, and the thyroid gland is the only way the body can produce thyroid hormone. Fortunately thyroid hormone pills are effective and inexpensive. Thyroid hormone has a very long half-life, which means that it is a forgiving medicine. For example, if you forget to take your thyroid pill one day, you take two the next. Also, it takes a long time for thyroid hormone to build up in your system, so doctors do not need frequent blood tests for thyroid levels. Patients who undergo subtotal thyroidectomy have a chance of not requiring lifelong thyroid hormone pills. What does it take to prepare for thyroid surgery? A very important component of preparing for thyroidectomy is the medical control of hyperthyroidism prior to surgery. Patients should continue taking antithyroid drugs and undergo blood tests to ensure controlled levels of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). Patients are required to have a complete physical exam to be sure that all other medical conditions are optimized prior to general anesthesia and surgery. Ten days before surgery, patients are usually started on a low dose of potassium iodide orally. The iodine lowers the risk of thyroid storm, a dangerous condition caused by rapid secretion of thyroid hormone during surgery. This short course of iodine also makes the surgery easier and less risky by shrinking the blood vessels of the thyroid. How is the operation performed and what is recovery like? In our practice, thyroidectomy is performed under general anesthesia. An incision is made proportionate to the length of the short axis of the thyroid gland (usually 2 inches or less in length). A muscle-sparing technique is utilized: the strap muscles of the neck are pushed aside from their position over the thyroid and are left intact. The recurrent laryngeal nerve is preserved at all costs. The four parathyroid glands are either preserved or reimplanted so their activity is maintained after the thyroidectomy. Patients stay overnight in the hospital following the surgery, and are limited to consuming cool liquids that first night. Regular breakfast can be had the morning following surgery. Patients may shower the day after surgery. Calcium levels are checked following thyroidectomy to ensure proper functioning of the parathyroid glands. Most patients are no longer taking strong pain medications 3 days after surgery. We don’t allow patients to drive if they are taking prescription pain medications or have any limitations in turning their neck. Depending on how well hyperthyroidism was controlled before surgery, patients may need to stay on beta-blockers for a week or two after the operation. Antithyroid medications (PTU or Methimazole) are stopped right away. Moderate activity such as walking and climbing stairs is encouraged right after surgery, but any activity that would result in excessive exertion or perspiration is prohibited for 10 days. Thyroid surgery isn’t for everybody! If you are considering thyroid surgery for the treatment Graves’ disease, consult your physician. If you have already undergone RAI or medical treatment and it has failed, you are probably still a candidate for surgery. Not everyone is a good candidate for thyroidectomy, however. Select your surgeon wisely: recent studies suggest that fewer complications occur when experienced surgeons perform the procedure. Make sure you understand the risks of surgery as they pertain to you. The best course of treatment is probably different for every Graves’ patient. The decision to pursue medical, radioiodine, or surgical-based treatment should be made by the patient and doctor, and individualized based on the patient’s needs and other medical conditions. Used with permission *Cord Sturgeon, MD, FACS Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of Endocrine Surgery Northwestern University Department of Surgery, Chicago, Illinois 60611 © Copyright Graves’ Disease & Thyroid Foundation. All rights reserved. Download as a pdf.

<urn:uuid:3d56139e-e757-4835-8700-4495bf27e446>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.gdatf.org/about/about-graves-disease/patient-education/thyroidectomy-for-graves-surgical-option/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Nicholas Conn, a postdoctoral fellow at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the founder and CEO of Heart Health Intelligence, is part of the team that has developed a toilet-seat based cardiovascular monitoring system.Image Credit: A. Sue Weisler/RIT Every now and then we come across a technology that just begs the question: How on Earth did they think of that? Case in point, a toilet seat designed to detect heart failure by measuring a patient's biometrics during "natural" processes. A team of researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) are responsible for the idea, which is intended to lower hospital readmission rates by alerting doctors of a patient's deteriorating cardiovascular condition before the patients even realize they have symptoms. The idea is for hospitals to buy the seats and issue them to heart failure patients after discharge. The seats are equipped to monitor heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygenation levels, and the patient's weight and stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped out of the heart at every beat). Algorithms analyze the data so that a report can be passed along to cardiologists who will then determine if intervention is necessary. The researchers have formed a company, Heart Health Intelligence, which is in the process of seeking FDA clearance for the toilet-seat based cardiovascular monitoring system. "Typically, within 30 days of hospital discharge, 25% of patients with congestive heart failure are readmitted," said Nicholas Conn, a postdoctoral fellow at RIT and CEO of Heart Health Intelligence (HHI). Conn is part of the team that developed the device. "After 90 days of hospital discharge, 45% of patients are readmitted. And the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is penalizing hospitals for readmitting patients for heart failure." The toilet seats won't be cheap, but the investment should pay for itself rather quickly in terms of savings from reduced readmission rates. Using the national average for readmission rates, the penalty for readmitting 150 patients is roughly $500,000 a year, and Conn said the total cost of providing the seats to 150 patients is $200,000. That means hospital systems will save more than double their initial investment within one year, he said. HHI, which joined RIT’s Venture Creations business incubator earlier this year, is now focused on moving the product forward. The team is heavily involved in writing grants for additional funding and networking, and human testing and pre-clinical studies are well underway, the company said.

<urn:uuid:fe295f1a-7fb9-47cb-81c3-4b8f6e9227cc>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.mddionline.com/bet-your-toilet-seat-cant-do

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

The state of Illinois requires all children beginning kindergarten to have a comprehensive eye examination prior to starting school. A child's vision is essential to the development of fine motor skills and the ability to learn. conditions such as uncorrected prescriptions, muscle imbalances, amblyopia (lazy eye), and visual processing disorders can put a child behind. often times a child's lack of participation in the classroom can be the result of poor vision and is instead mis-labeled as a learning disability or behavioral disorder. appropriate vision testing at an early age is vital to insure your child has the visual skills necessary to perform well in school.

<urn:uuid:affb954b-1534-496a-981c-fac5da908e0c>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.modaeyecare.com/cuisine

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Ingrown toenails are a common affliction, and it’s very likely that you have either suffered from them or seen one at some point in your life. But do you what causes them? Ingrown nails are also known as onychocryptosis or unguis incarnates, and they are a condition in which the nail grows abnormally into the soft tissues around it, causing pain, swelling, bleeding and infection. There are several factors which can increase the risk of developing ingrown toenails, such as: - Shoes or even stockings which compress the toes. - Cutting toenails too short, irregularly, or in a rounded shape. - Trauma which affects the toe or nail. - Activities which put excessive and/or repetitive pressure on the toenails, such as ballet, soccer, or kickboxing. - Deficient foot hygiene, especially not keeping your feet dry. Sweat or humidity can cause tissues to soften and swell, which can cause ingrown toenails. - Genetic predisposition. - Age, since toenails thicken over time, making it more likely to develop ingrown toenails. - Bacterial or fungal infections toenail infections. Ingrown toenails can occur on any toe, but the toe most commonly affected is the big toe or hallux, and symptoms will vary depending on the severity of the condition. In the early stages of an ingrown toenail, you will experience: - Pain that worsens when pressure is applied on the toe, even if it is slight. It is felt along one or both sides of the toenail. - Swollen, red skin around the toenail. If the nail ruptures the skin and the tissue becomes infected, symptoms can include: - Pus or blood-tinged secretions oozing from the toe. Patients who suffer from diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or decreased sensitivity need to diligently care for their feet and treat ingrown toenails quickly and effectively, since people with these conditions have a harder time healing from injuries and could suffer greater complications, including the loss of the affected limb. If you are suffering from an ingrown toenail, make sure to make an appointment with your podiatrist before attempting any home treatments. Your ingrown toenail expert will be able to assess the severity of your condition, whether the toe has become infected, and if that is the case, the treatment you should take and how far the infection has spread. Attempting to fix your ingrown toenail at home might lead to complications. There are, however, easy steps you can follow at home to prevent ingrown toenails and to alleviate the symptoms they cause. These steps include: - Trimming your toenails straight across. - Wearing footwear with a wide toe box to avoid placing excessive pressure on your toes. - Soaking your feet in warm water a few times a day. - Keeping your feet and shoes dry and clean. There are two main types of ingrown nails Type 1: These are the early stages of irritation were the edge of the nail has become inflamed and swollen although the nail has yet to puncture the skin and there are no signs of infection. Type 2: Theses are the chronic ingrown nails were the nail has punctured into the skin and are often infected (blood, pus). Type 1 ingrown nails usually need minor conservative treatment. Type 2 ingrown nails often need minor nail surgery.

<urn:uuid:595dbc61-a1f3-405e-a52b-35cfe292acbc>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.modpodpodiatry.com.au/ingrown-toe-nails/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Narcolepsy (Labrador retriever type) is an inherited disorder affecting Labrador retrievers. Dogs with the inherited form of narcolepsy typically present between one to six months of age with an inability to stay awake for extended periods of time and episodes of collapse and sleep following positive stimulation such as play or food. Affected dogs fall asleep faster than normal dogs and appear sleepy more frequently. During episodes of collapse dogs have a sudden loss of muscle tone and appear uncontrollably sleepy but may or may not completely fall asleep. Symptoms do not progress after one year of age and affected dogs do not have other associated health problems.

<urn:uuid:16f068a9-5bb7-46d2-b896-76ef9d387624>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.pawprintgenetics.com/products/tests/details/70/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Sign up to receive ideas for the classroom! We have created websites on a range of topics where we share practical ideas for use in the classroom or at home. If you are an educator or family member interested in the education of students who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind or have multiple disabilities, we invite you to sign up and receive notifications when new posts are published. Additionally, we encourage you to share your own activities and ideas with our community. Classroom activities and resources for making science accessible to students who are blind or visually impaired. Dr. Lilli Nielsen's techniques that emphasize simple ways to change the environment so that a child becomes an "active learner." Lots of activities in all subject areas for students who are blind or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities or deafblindness. Interactive site with hands-on activities, information and resources for anyone interested in all aspects of literacy, including for children with additional disabilities or deafblindness Paths to Technology is designed to assist educators, families and students in learning and staying current on ever-changing technology for students with visual impairments and blindness. Explore ideas to promote independence as students prepare to leave school and prepare for the world of work. A practical resource for teachers, rehabilitation workers and parents interested in transition for youth in Asia who are blind or visually impaired with additional disabilities. Includes functional activities and case studies. Share your ideas for Continuing Education Credit Many of the Perkins microsites listed above have activities and teaching strategies that are designed to provide hands-on learning experiences for students who are blind or visually impaired, including those who are deafblind or have multiple disabilities. These strategies are set up in a lesson plan format and include a brief description, a list of necessary materials, recommended procedure and variations. We encourage you to contribute your own ideas and lesson plans. If you're a teacher, you can earn continuing education credits for submitting strategies on these sites. Contact us with questions or to learn more.

<urn:uuid:2b42d4ef-5c6b-4ec5-a55b-0c0e6e32d643>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.perkinselearning.org/teaching-resources

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

- Armament and disarmament - Conflict and peace - Peace and development Peacebuilding can be defined as the promotion of conditions, institutions and structures that enable and sustain cooperative relationships among former opponents so that they can work together towards lasting peace. Most peacebuilding efforts seeking to address the current conflict in Mali concentrate on the Malian Government and the various rebel groups. However, the creation of sustained peace in Mali also depends on 'track III' interventions: initiatives carried out by civil society organizations and other non-state actors to support the emergence of a conducive environment for the settling of conflicts. The most visible conflict in Mali is between the Malian Government and armed groups in northern Mali. Two of the main rebel groups—the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA)—are signatories to the preliminary peace agreement signed on 18 June 2013. However, the preliminary agreement also states that the peace process is ‘open for adhesion [accession] by other existing Malian armed groups under the condition that they unconditionally respect all its dispositions’. Other armed groups currently active in Mali include the Arab Movement of Azawad (MAA) and a number of self-defence groups that have emerged among the sedentary population to defend the rights of their communities against attacks by rebel groups such as the MNLA. These self-defence groups are not necessarily aligned with the Malian Government and wish to see their own grievances addressed through the ongoing negotiations towards a conclusive peace agreement. The preliminary character of the June 2013 agreement is due to the fact that it was signed by a transitional, unelected government which therefore lacked the power to negotiate a conclusive peace agreement. Furthermore, the signing of such a conclusive peace agreement depends on an inclusive dialogue that can guarantee a proper understanding of all parties’ issues and grievances. One year after the signing of the preliminary agreement, significant progress has been made, including the democratic election of a new government in September 2013 under President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and the launch of a series of inclusive dialogues that aim to identify appropriate pathways to resolving the recurrent rebellions in Mali and build sustainable peace. Nevertheless, the peace process can be further strengthened. The outbreak of violence in May 2014 between Malian Government forces and rebel groups in Kidal constituted a setback in trust building and progress towards an agreement. However, at the same time, significant dialogue initiatives have taken place under the auspices of the government and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). For example, in October 2013 the government organized a three-day national forum on the decentralization process in Mali, and in November 2013 another three-day forum on the northern regions of Mali allowed citizens to express their views and influence government strategies, especially in relation to the resolution of existing conflicts. In April 2014 the UN Security Council reported that MINUSMA had organized four workshops bringing together representatives of the Malian Government and armed groups to discuss disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, development plans for northern Mali, and evaluation of the implementation of the preliminary agreement. While the Security Council report expressed concerns about the slow progress of the peace talks, there is an obvious need for broad national dialogues, both between the government and rebel groups, and between the various armed groups, whose agendas do not necessarily align with the needs of the local population. The importance of dialogue between armed groups is illustrated by the Algerian Government’s ongoing efforts to set up explorative consultations between the armed groups currently active in Mali in an attempt to help them develop a shared platform before their next negotiation meetings with the Malian Government. This kind of mediation, usually carried out by external public officials intervening in order to bring conflicting parties to a negotiated settlement, is known as a ‘track I’ intervention. Diplomatic initiatives, including those undertaken by the UN special representative and regional organizations, also fall within this category. ‘Track II’ interventions operate at the same level of immediate conflict parties, with the exception that they are carried out by influential individuals, operating in non-formal, non-official manner to help establish communication and dialogue, and motivate protagonists to solve their problems without further violence. Presently, in Mali, there is broad domestic support for traditional authorities acting in this role. While the majority of international interventions in Mali have focused on high-level initiatives, ‘track III’ interventions also have the potential to positively influence progress towards a conclusive peace agreement. This type of intervention includes activities carried out by grassroots or civil society groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations and development agencies which contribute to the resolution of conflict. Such interventions involve raising awareness on the core issues of the conflict, building capacity for peaceful relationships among communities, and carrying out humanitarian and development work. Given the recurrent nature of the rebellions in northern Mali and the pending conclusion of a final agreement on the 2012 crisis, a clear understanding of the core issues at the heart of the conflict is needed on both sides of the conflict, including the fact that those issues cannot be settled by military means alone. While MINUSMA and the French forces acting under Operation Serval have helped ensure the non-escalation of armed violence, a change of attitudes and behaviour among conflicting parties is nonetheless necessary in order to enable a negotiated settlement of the conflict. Discussions facilitated by civil society groups, NGOs and development organizations can lead to the possibility of inducing a change of attitudes and behaviour, increased restraint and the recognition of other actors. The emergence of community-based self-defence groups distancing themselves from the rebel groups and claiming inclusion in the ongoing peace negotiations in Mali is a clear example of the need for broader discussions of issues and the recognition of all relevant actors. Both ordinary Malian citizens and public officials have been critical of previous agreements, which were often concluded in haste without sufficient consideration of issues or inclusion of all relevant stakeholders. This precedent should serve as a lesson and help ensure that space, time and resources are made available in the ongoing process towards a truly inclusive and participatory peace process. In addition to track I and II interventions, there is a great opportunity to build on the achievements of the October and November 2013 forums and invite civil society groups, NGOs and development organizations to continue to deepen the dialogue in Mali.

<urn:uuid:5f41c43f-6bce-4f75-8405-9872e8ec105a>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.sipri.org/node/354

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

Among 918 individuals aged 60 years and older with prediabetes, 204 (22%) reverted to normal blood sugar levels, 119 (13%) developed diabetes, and 215 (23%) died. Lower systolic blood pressure, absence of heart diseases, and weight loss were linked with a higher likelihood of reverting from prediabetes to normal blood sugar levels, while obesity accelerated its progression to diabetes. “Despite numerous studies focusing on prediabetes in the younger population, this is the first study describing the natural history of prediabetes in the older population,” said lead author Ying Shang, of the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. ”The results of our study suggest that even in old age, reverting back from prediabetes to a normal blood sugar level is possible with effective weight management and blood pressure control.” Full bibliographic information Natural history of prediabetes in older adults from a population‐based longitudinal study. JIM. 2019; 00: 1– 15. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.12920

<urn:uuid:a11b92a3-6616-4816-8632-9cdf6775efb9>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.thesynapse.net/medical-news-2/item/4871-study-follows-the-health-of-older-adults-with-prediabetes-problems

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627997801.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616062650-20190616084650-00404.warc.gz

en

We are on to the "T's" in our effort to learn culinary terminology. So let's get started: Tahini - is a sesame paste made from ground sesame seeds. Tamarind - is a sticky brown acidic pulp with citrusy flavors - widely used as a flavoring in Asian cooking. Tamis - is a type of sieve used in the kitchen to puree/strain ingredients by means of forcing them through a fine mesh, Tapas - are plates of Spanish cuisine. Tarragon - is a delicate herb that has a sweet, fragrant anise flavor. Tartare - is a raw preparation of finely chopped red meat. Tempering - is the process of slowly bringing the two temperatures together slowly so the eggs don’t cook and scramble. Tempura - is a light form of batter coating used in Japanese cuisine. Tender herbs - are Basil, Chervil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Parsley (both curly and flat-leaf), Tarragon. Teriyaki - is a sweet, thick soy sauce marinade used in this type of Japanese cuisine. |Homemade Teriyaki Sauce| What you need: 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon Honey 1 teaspoon sesame oil 3 Tablespoons Mirin *** 1/4 Cup water mixed with 3 teaspoons cornstarch What you need to do: Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a bout 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Use this sauce when you make your Shrimp Tempura. It's a lovely combination. The cause can be store in the refrigerator of up to a week. *** Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine, similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. If you don’t have mirin, you can use sherry with a pinch of sugar added to it. Thai bird chilies - are chiles that have a strong, sharp heat so use carefully depending on your heat tolerance. Tiramisu - is a popular Italian dessert of layered sponge cake, coffee-flavored syrup and whipped mascarpone cheese. Tofu - is curd made from mashed soybeans, used chiefly in Asian and vegetarian cooking. Tomatillos - are a tart flavored fruit that are commonly used in Latin cuisine. Tortillas - are unleavened flat breads made with corn or wheat flour, water, and salt. Trussing - is to tie and secure with kitchen twine in order to hold a shape which will ensure even cooking and attractive shape. Tuiles - are wafer-like small, lacy cookies.

<urn:uuid:d23f052a-1f42-4df5-9db3-49bf55a41c21>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://2pricklypears.blogspot.com/2013/08/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Posted On: Monday, April 1, 2019 Statistics Canada conducts the Canadian Health Measures Survey to collect physical measurements on the health of the Canadian population. Through fitness tests, measurements of height, weight, and blood pressure, as well as analysis of blood and urine specimens, Statistics Canada is producing health indicators which are important tools for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The mobile clinic and support trailer will be onsite at the Beaver Valley Community Centre, Thornbury from Monday March 25th, to Thursday May 16th, 2019. Some of the cities that have participated in the Canadian Health Measures Survey include Banff, Alberta and Owen Sound, Ontario. This walkthrough has the viewer moving through each room and section of the Mobile Examination Centre’s three trailers. The rooms are shown in the following order: Reception, Physical Measures 1, Laboratory, Phlebotomy (Blood Sampling), Screening 1, Physical Measures 2, Vision 1, Vision 2, Screening 2, Anthropometry (Height and Weight) and X-ray. The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), launched in 2007, is collecting key information relevant to the health of Canadians by means of direct physical measurements such as blood pressure, height, weight and physical fitness. In addition, the survey is collecting blood, urine, saliva and hair samples to test for chronic and infectious diseases, nutrition and environment markers and is storing blood, urine and DNA samples at the CHMS biobank for future health research projects. Through household interviews, the CHMS is gathering information related to nutrition, smoking habits, alcohol use, medical history, current health status, sexual behaviour, lifestyle and physical activity, the environment and housing characteristics, as well as demographic and socioeconomic variables. All of this valuable information will create national baseline data on the extent of such major health concerns as obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, exposure to infectious diseases, and exposure to environmental contaminants. In addition, the survey will provide clues about illness and the extent to which many diseases may be undiagnosed among Canadians. The CHMS will enable us to determine relationships between disease risk factors and health status, and to explore emerging public health issues. CHMS data are representative of the population whether they are healthy or not and provide a better picture of the actual health of Canadians. The following are some of the measures that the CHMS includes: - Anthropometry (standing height, weight, waist circumference, neck circumference) - Cardiovascular health and fitness (resting heart rate and blood pressure, modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test) - Musculoskeletal health and fitness (peripheral quantitative computed tomography, mechanography, hand grip strength, sit and reach) - Physical activity (accelerometry) - Vision (visual acuity, visual field, retinal photography, intraocular pressure) - Nutritional status (e.g., Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, ferritin) - Diabetes (e.g., glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c) - Cardiovascular health (e.g., apolipoprotein A1 and B, lipid profile) - Musculoskeletal health (e.g., procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide, C-telopeptide of collagen type I) - Environmental exposure (e.g., acrylamides, perfluoroalkyl substances, volatile organic compounds, metals and trace elements) - Infection marker (toxoplasmosis) - Environmental exposure (e.g., phthalate metabolites, alternate plasticizers, tobacco, metals and trace elements) - Nutritional status (e.g., iodine, sodium, potassium) - Infection marker (chlamydia trachomatis) - DNA extraction for future health research projects - 25 metals and trace elements (e.g., lead, cadmium, mercury) The CHMS team works closely with the Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada Research Ethics Board and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada in order to address privacy issues and to implement proper laboratory procedures. Reference period: Varies according to the question (for example: "over the last 12 months," "over the last 6 months," "during the last week") Collection period: January - December The target population for CHMS consists of persons 3 to 79 years of age living in the ten provinces. The observed population excludes: persons living in the three territories; persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements in the provinces; full-time members of the Canadian Forces; the institutionalized population and residents of certain remote regions. Altogether these exclusions represent approximately 4% of the target population. Two questionnaires were used for cycle 5 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey: 1) Household questionnaire: The household questionnaire content was developed with input from stakeholders (Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada) and from external experts who participated as members of various advisory committees. Much of the cycle 5 household questionnaire was the same as the cycle 4 questionnaire. Prior to finalizing the questions, one-on-one qualitative test interviews were conducted to look at specific questionnaire content, particularly the content new to cycle 5. As a result of this testing, improvements were made to questionnaire wording and instructions and to the flow of questions. 2) Clinic questionnaire: Development of the clinic questionnaire proceeded in much the same way as that of the household questionnaire. Content was determined through a comprehensive consultation process and multiple iterations of the collection application were generated. Each iteration was assessed on flow within the mobile examination center (MEC) for both the respondent and staff. Quantity and quality of data collected was also assessed. The clinic questionnaire includes a set of self-reported health questions similar to the type of questions asked within the household questionnaire. The questions included at the MEC were related to medication use, fish and shellfish consumption and Vision questions. In addition, the clinic questionnaire includes introductory text/instructions and screening and administrative questions related to the physical measures tests conducted at the MEC. This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design. The Canadian Health Measures Survey uses a stratified three-stage sample made up of one or two selected respondents from each dwelling selected in a sampled collection site. The sampling unit at the first stage is a collection site. A collection site is a geographical unit limited to a radius of about 50 km in urban areas and up to 75 km for rural areas. The sampling unit at the second stage is the dwelling and at the third stage, the sampling unit is the person. Strata are defined at every stage. At the first stage, collection sites are stratified in the 5 Canadian regions (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies, and British Columbia). At the second stage, dwellings are stratified in 7 hierarchical groups defined according to the presence or not of age groups and derived using the household composition obtained from recent auxiliary information: 1) dwellings with 3 to 5 year-olds, else 2) dwellings with 6 to 11 year-olds, else 3) dwellings with 12 to 19 year-olds, else 4) dwellings with 60 to 79 year-olds, else 5) dwellings with 20 to 39 year-olds, else 6) dwellings with 40 to 59 year-olds, else 7) other dwellings without household composition or with all ages outside the ones above. Finally, at the third stage, the persons in the household at the time of interview are stratified in two age groups prior to selection: 3 to 11 year-olds and 12 to 79 year-olds. SAMPLING AND SUB-SAMPLING The Canadian Health Measures Survey consists of a full sample and several subsamples. For the full sample, at the first stage, a sample of 16 collection sites was required. The sites are allocated by region: Atlantic (2), Quebec (4), Ontario (6), Prairies (2) and British Columbia (2). Within each region, sites are sorted according to the size of their population and whether or not they belonged to a census metropolitan area. Within the Prairies and Atlantic regions, they were first sorted by province. Sites are then randomly selected using a systematic sampling method with probability proportional to the size of each site's population. The sample size determination and allocation for the second and third stage are done together. The target sample size for cycle 5 is 5,700 respondents for the clinic component of the survey, which works out to approximately 356 respondents per collection site. To determine the number of dwellings to sample in each collection site to reach this target, previous response rates were used from both the CHMS and the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). The CHMS and CCHS are both used to calculate: - The expected probability that a dwelling would be eligible for the CHMS (the eligibility rate) - The expected probability that a roster of all occupants of the household would be completed (the roster rate) - The expected probability that a selected person would respond to the household questionnaire (the questionnaire rate) Finally, rates from the previous CHMS sites are used to calculate the expected probability that a household questionnaire respondent would also be a respondent to the clinic (the clinic rate). Since outside CMA, inside CMA urban and inside CMA urban core (downtown) collection sites each have distinct response rates, each collection site is classified into one of these three categories and the previously mentioned response rates are calculated and applied separately for each category. The distinction between urban and urban core collection sites within the CMAs is based on the dissemination blocks from the census, which are the lowest level of geography used by the census. If a collection site within a CMA has at least 80% of its dissemination blocks designated as core, it is designated as an urban core collection site. If the rate was less than 80%, it is designated as an urban collection site. Once all of the previous response rates are calculated, a simulation of 100 independent samples of dwellings is performed for the site being sampled. The goal of each of the 100 simulated samples is to use the expected response rates to predict if each sampled dwelling results in 0, 1 or 2 people responding to the clinic. The final frame for the site is used for each simulation. The average expected number of clinic respondents for each age and sex group over the 100 independent samples is used to determine if the specified sample size and allocation are sufficient. The entire simulation of 100 independent samples is performed multiple times with varying sample sizes and allocations in order to settle on a final overall sample size and allocation strategy. The first iteration uses approximate age/sex targets to come up with starting values for the overall sample size and the stratum allocation. Subsequent iterations require manually adjusting the overall sample size and stratum allocation, based on the previous iteration, to produce final values that satisfy the clinic target counts. The sample is allocated amongst the 6 age group strata (3-5, 6-11, 12-19, 20-39, 40-59 and 60-79), with a small portion of the sample going to an "other" stratum. A maximum number of 35 dwellings per site is selected in this stratum, with fewer being selected for sites that had fewer dwellings in the stratum. This stratum size helped to prevent extreme dwelling sampling weights. The allocation of the dwelling sample to each of the age group strata is done to allow for the best chance of meeting the age and sex clinic respondent targets for cycle 5 without going too far over. Where possible, the sample is allocated in a way that emphasized the strata where more sample was required to meet the targets. Once the sample of dwellings is in the field, when the household interviewer makes contact with a sampled dwelling, the goal is to create a roster for the household. A roster is a list of all persons residing in the household and includes pertinent information such as age, sex and whether the individual works full-time for the Canadian Forces. With this information, the computer application randomly selects one or two persons to take part in the remaining part of the survey, including the questionnaire and the clinic visit. The number of persons selected depends on the composition of the household: - If there is at least one child between the ages of 3 and 11, two people are selected: one child between the ages of 3 and 11 and one other person between the ages of 12 and 79. - If there are no children between the ages of 3 and 11, only one person in the 12 to 79 age group is selected. - If there are no one eligible for the survey, no one is selected. This includes households where all in-scope persons are under the age of 3, over the age of 79 and / or are full-time members of the Canadian Forces. When the roster is completed, the computer application assigns a sampling factor to each eligible member of the household and this information is used to determine the probability of selection. The sampling factor assigned to each individual is based on their age group and sex and the factors vary between groups in order to do a better job of reaching the clinic targets for each age group by sex. In households where two people are selected, the selection of the child (aged 3-11) is done independently of the person aged 12 to 79. Households with a large number of members can have very large survey weights and therefore be overly influential when calculating survey estimates. To prevent this, two reset values are put in place that would reset some of the sampling factors to 1 when certain conditions were met. In both cases described below, each member of the 12 to 79 age group have an equal chance of being selected: 1. If a household contained six or more people in the 12 to 79 age group, all sampling factors for the 12 to 79 members are reset to 1. 2. If a household contained three or more people in the 12 to 19 age group, all sampling factors for the 12 to 79 members are reset to 1. Among the full sample respondents, several subsamples will be selected. For the Fasted subsample, each sampled dwelling is randomly flagged to indicate whether a respondent should fast prior to the MEC appointment. It requires that respondents fast for at least 10 hours, whereas shorter eating restrictions were imposed on those with non-fasted appointments. Pregnant women, people with diabetes, youth less than 6 years old and other special cases were not asked to fast, even if the dwelling was flagged to be fasted. This random allocation reduces the potential for bias, which could occur if respondents were given the option to fast. The target fasted subsample size is 2,500 respondents aged 6 to 79. For the acrylamide subsample, respondents 3 to 79 year old attending the MEC are randomly selected to be included or excluded from this subsample. The targeted subsample size is 2,500 respondents: 500 respondents 3 to 5 year old, 500 respondents 6 to 19 year old by sex and 500 respondents 20 to 79 year old by sex. For the methyl and inorganic mercury subsample, respondents 3 to 19 year old attending the MEC are randomly selected to be included or excluded from this subsample. The targeted subsample size is 1,500 respondents: 500 respondents 3 to 5 year old and 500 respondents 6 to 19 year old by sex, For the chromium and perfluoroalkyl substances subsample, respondents 3 to 79 year old attending the MEC are randomly selected to be included or excluded from this subsample. The targeted subsample size is 2,500 respondents: 500 respondents 3 to 5 year old, 500 respondents 6 to 19 year old by sex and 500 respondents 20 to 79 year old by sex. For the environmental contaminants in urine subsample, respondents 3 to 79 year old attending the MEC are randomly selected to be included or excluded from this subsample. The targeted subsample size is 2,500 respondents: 500 respondents 3 to 5 year old, 500 respondents 6 to 19 year old by sex and 500 respondents 20 to 79 year old by sex. For the volatile organic compounds subsample, respondents 12 to 79 year old attending the MEC are randomly selected to be included or excluded from this subsample. The targeted subsample size is 2,500 respondents: 400 respondents 12 to 19 year old by sex and 850 respondents 20 to 79 year old by sex. For the NNK metabolites subsample, respondents 12 to 79 year old attending the MEC are randomly selected according to their smoker status (smoker, non-smoker exposed to smoke and non-smoker not exposed to smoke) to be included or excluded from this subsample. The targeted subsample size is 2,500 respondents. Data collection for this reference period: 2016-01-19 to 2017-12-19 Responding to this survey is voluntary. Data are collected directly from survey respondents. Collection includes a combination of a personal interview using a computer-assisted interviewing method and, for the physical measures, a visit to a mobile examination centre (MEC) specifically designed for the survey. The CHMS will collect data in 16 sites across the country. The collection sites are located in seven provinces: Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Collection is scheduled so that each region is distributed within the two-year collection period, distributed between seasons and in a way that tries to minimize the movement of staff and equipment between sites. The CHMS MEC stays in each site for five to seven weeks, collecting direct measures from approximately 350 respondents per site. First step: personal interview at the household The first contact with respondents is a letter sent through the mail. The letter informs people living at the sampled address that an interviewer will visit their home to collect some information about the household. At the home, the application randomly selects one or two respondents and the interviewer conducts a separate health interview with each of them. The interview takes 45 to 60 minutes per respondent. The interviewer then assists the respondent in setting an appointment for the physical measures at the CHMS MEC. Second step: visit to the CHMS MEC Statistics Canada uses MECs to conduct the physical measures portion of the survey. Similar MECs have been used successfully for years by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States. The MEC consists of three trailers (side by side), linked by enclosed pedestrian walkways. One trailer serves as a reception and administration area, the second trailer contains a laboratory and physical measure rooms, while the third trailer contains additional physical measure rooms. For each respondent, the complete visit to the MEC lasts about two hours. This is an approximate time, given that each respondent is assessed for their suitability for each measure and tested accordingly. For children under 14 years of age, a parent or legal guardian has to be present with the child at the MEC and has to provide written consent for the child to participate in the tests. At the end of their visit to the MEC, respondents are provided with a waterproof activity monitor. This small device is worn for a week at all times except when sleeping - even when swimming or bathing. It records information about normal physical activity patterns without the respondents having to do anything special. Respondents are also provided with materials to send a second urine sample from home to a laboratory for nutritional analysis. View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s). Most editing of the data was performed at the time of the interview by the CAI application. It was not possible for interviewers/HMS to enter out-of-range values and flow errors were controlled through programmed skip patterns. For example, CAI ensured that questions that did not apply to the respondent were not asked. Edits requiring corrective action were incorporated in the CAI application to deal with inconsistent responses. In addition, warnings not requiring corrective action were also included to identify unusual (i.e., improbable rather than impossible) values as a means of catching potential errors and allowing correction at source. At head-office, the data underwent a series of processing steps that resulted in some of the data being adjusted. As a final validation step, the CAI edits were re-applied to the processed data. As a result, the final data were complete and contained reserve codes for responses of "less than limit of detection", "valid skip", "don't know", "refusal" and "not stated". Table 8.1 Reserve code of responses Reserve Code label Reserve code Less than limit of detection 9.5, 95, 99.5 etc. Valid Skip 6, 96, 99.6 etc. Don't Know 7, 97, 99.7 etc. Refusal 8, 98, 99.8 etc. Not Stated 9, 99, 99.9 etc. Questions on personal and household income were not asked in cycle 5, instead, respondents were asked permission to use administrative files to obtain their income. The process involved finding personal income on administrative files for all members of the respondent's household and then to sum their income to derive the household income. However, in certain cases, the personal income was not obtained for all members of the household because: - the permission to use administrative files was not granted, and - for those who gave permission, some could not be linked/found. In these cases, the personal income was imputed. Details about the imputation process can be found in HSMD (2018) and are summarized here: - the personal income was set to 0$ for people aged 0 to 19 who gave permission but for whom no income was found on the administrative files; - for people aged 15 to 19 years old who did not give permission and people 20 to 39 years old who refused or could not be found on the administrative files, their personal income was imputed as the median revenue of their imputation class based on age, sex and collection site. - Finally for people 40 years old and over who did not give permission or could not be found, their personal income were imputed using the median, but with imputation classes based on 5-year age groups, sex, and collection site. The personal income of all household members, whether found/linked or imputed is then added to derive the household income of the respondent to the survey. The personal income of the respondent is also kept on the file. HSMD (2018), Income derivation and imputation for cycle 5 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey, Household Survey Methods Division (HSMD), August 2018, internal document. In order for estimates produced from survey data to be representative of the population covered and not merely of the sample itself, users must incorporate weighting factors (survey weights) into their calculations. A survey weight is assigned to each person included on the final dataset, that is, in the sample of persons who responded to the entire survey. This weight corresponds to the number of people represented by the respondent in the population as a whole. The survey weight is calculated as the inverse of the probability that the respondent was selected for the survey. The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) is a multi-stage sample. The probability of selection for the survey is determined by multiplying the probability of selection at each stage. In accordance with the weighting strategy, the selection weights for collection sites are multiplied by the selection weights for dwellings (households) and adjusted for non-response. The weight of non-respondent households is redistributed to respondents within homogeneous response groups (HRGs). In order to create these HRGs, a method based on logistic regression is used: first a logistic regression model is created to estimate the response probability, and then these probabilities are used to divide the sample into groups with similar response properties. The logistic regression models are created from the limited amount of information available for all households. This includes data from the frame such as the strata, and geographic location, and paradata about the data collection such as the number of attempts to contact the household and the elapsed time between the first and last contact. An adjustment factor was then calculated within each HRG. The weight of respondent households is multiplied by this adjustment factor to produce the adjusted household weight. Since the final sampling unit for the CHMS is the person, the adjusted household weight up to this point must be converted into a person weight. This is obtained by multiplying the adjusted household weight by the inverse of the probability of selection of the person selected in the household. The selected person is asked to complete an interview. In some cases, interviewers do not succeed in completing it either because they cannot contact the person(s) selected, or because the person or persons selected refuse to be interviewed. Such cases are defined as non-responses at the questionnaire level, and an adjustment factor must be applied to the weights of respondent persons to compensate for this non-response. Just as for non-response at the dwelling (household) level, the adjustment is applied within classes defined by a method using response probabilities from a logistic regression model. The model is based on the characteristics available for all respondents and non-respondents, which includes all the characteristics collected when the members of the household are listed, such as the number of persons in the household, in addition to geographic information and paradata. An adjustment factor is calculated within each class. The weight of respondent persons is multiplied by this adjustment factor. Respondents to the questionnaire are then invited to go to the CHMS Mobile Examination Center for physical measurements. In some cases, people refuse to participate or do not keep their appointment at the MEC. Such cases are defined as non-responses at the MEC level, and to compensate for this non-response, an adjustment factor must be applied to the weights of the MEC participants. Just as for non-response at the dwelling (household) and questionnaire levels, the adjustment is applied within classes defined by their probability of attending the MEC. This probability is obtained from a logistic model using the characteristics available for respondents and non-respondents. All the characteristics collected on the questionnaire during the interview (such as income class, whether or not the respondent is employed, general health status, and frequency of smoking), in addition to geographic information and paradata, were made available to create the non-response models. An adjustment factor is calculated within each class. The weights of the persons participating at the MEC were accordingly multiplied by this adjustment factor. The next step is calibration. This procedure is applied to ensure that the sum of the final weights corresponds to the estimates of populations defined at the scale of the five Canadian geographic regions, for each of the 12 age-sex groups of interest, the six age groups 3 to 5, 6 to 11, 12 to 19, 20 to 39, 40 to 59 and 60 to 79 for each sex. An additional criterion was used to calibrate the 20 to 39 age group to compensate for the fact that persons in this age group living with kids have a greater chance of being selected than those living without kids. In households where there was at least one person aged 3 to 11, a second person aged 12 to 79 was selected for the survey. The second person selected was usually a parent aged 20 to 39. To compensate for any potential bias caused by the selection method the 20 to 39 age group was split into those living with and without children aged 3 to 11. The population estimates are based on the most recent census counts, as well as on counts of births, deaths, immigration and emigration since then. The calibration was carried out using the mean of the monthly estimates (covering the survey period) for each cross-tabulation of standard regional boundaries and age-sex groups. The population estimate for the 20 to 39 age group in each region was split into those living with and without kids aged 3 to 11 based on the estimated ratio of 20 to 39 year olds living with and without kids from the sampling frame for cycles 1, 2 and 3. Note that following a series of adjustments applied to the weights, it is possible that some units will have weights that stand out from the other weights to the point of being aberrant. Some respondents may actually represent an abnormally high proportion in their group and therefore strongly influence both the estimates and the variance. To avoid this situation, a respondent weight that contributes aberrantly to the age-sex group is adjusted downward using a method known as "winsorization." In this process, respondent weights that are considered to be outliers are replaced by the highest non-outlier weight for that age and sex group. All of the weights are then adjusted to redistribute the surplus weight (the part of the weight that is higher than the highest non-outlier weight). This is done by multiplying the non-outlier weights by an adjustment factor to create the winsor adjusted weights. A second calibration (an exact repetition of the first calibration) is done on the winsorized weights to produce the final weight. The CHMS uses a complex sampling design to select the sample and there are no simple formulas that can be used to calculate the variance of the survey estimates. Instead, a re-sampling approach known as the bootstrap method is used to approximate the sample variance. The bootstrap method involves creating subsamples of the full sample by randomly selecting « n-1 » collection sites with replacement among the « n » collection sites in each region. An adjusted weight is then calculated for each respondent in the selected subsample. This is repeated 500 times to create the bootstrap weights. To calculate the variance of a point estimate (such as the mean), the estimate for each of the 500 replicates is calculated using the bootstrap weight. The variability among the 500 estimates gives the variance estimate. For the subsamples, additional weighting steps are done. The fasted subsample was selected when the sample of dwellings were selected, and thus occurred prior to completion of the household questionnaire. To create the fasted subsample weights, the subsample flags that were assigned to the dwellings were attributed to the selected person(s). Before adjusting for non-response at the questionnaire level, the person weight of those selected for the fasted subsample was adjusted to incorporate the subsample sampling weight. An additional step was required to adjust for persons who were selected for the subsample but who did not fast or did not provide blood. Such cases were defined as non-respondents to the fasted subsample and to compensate for this non-response an adjustment factor was applied to the weights of the persons with a valid measure. One of the unique features of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) is that three different sets of data are collected for the same respondent: household interview data, physical measures data, and laboratory results data. Each set of data has to be processed on its own, yet they cannot be completely separated from each other because at various points during processing the three sets of data have to be used together. The processing of the household interview data was performed in a manner similar to that of other health surveys at Statistics Canada. The data are validated first at the record level and then at the individual variable level, followed by detailed top-down editing. During data collection, processing takes place on a daily basis. The household interview responses have to be processed quickly in order for the data to be available at the mobile examination centre (MEC) in time for the respondent's visit to the MEC. Similarly, the processing of the physical measures data begins with the data being validated first at the record level and then at the individual variable level, followed by detailed top-down editing. Also, because the laboratory tests are determined based on responses received at the MEC, the MEC data are used to generate a file containing a list of the tests for which laboratory results are expected to be received. This laboratory "control" file is used in processing the laboratory results data. The processing of the laboratory data involves significant file manipulation due to the fact that several different file types are received from the MEC and the various reference laboratories. As with the household and the physical measures data, the laboratory data are validated at the record level and at the individual variable level, and several new variables are then derived. The laboratory data are processed as quickly as possible so that any results that have been identified as outside of a normal range at the reference laboratories and the MEC are available in a timely fashion for reporting to respondents. Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data. This methodology does not apply to this survey program. The survey aims at producing unbiased national estimates with a coefficient of variation (c.v.) of 16.5% or less for each of the 5 age groups (6-11, 12-19, 20-39, 40-59, and 60-79) by sex and for 3-5 year olds of both sexes combined. Examples of estimations and accuracy measures (c.v.) can be seen at the link below - "Additional documentation -Data accuracy". For the full sample, accuracy measures are provided for the average body mass index and for a selected non-environmental measure on blood (High-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Estimations and accuracy measures are also provided for the fasted subsample (glucose). In all, 8,539 dwellings were selected within the scope of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Of these dwellings, 6,361 agreed to provide information on the composition of the household, for a household response rate of 74.5 %. From these respondent households, 8,847 persons were selected (one or two persons per household) to participate in the survey, of whom 7,944 responded to the questionnaire, for a response rate of 89.8%. Of these persons, 5,786 then reported to the CHMS mobile examination centre (MEC) for physical measurements, for a response rate of 72.8 %. At the Canadian level, a combined response rate of 48.5 % was observed for cycle 5 of the CHMS. It is important to note that the combined response rate is not obtained by multiplying the response rates at the person and household levels (or questionnaire level and the MEC level), since two persons were selected in some households. Some respondents who attend the MEC are unable or unwilling to participate in the blood and urine components. Therefore a response rate is derived for each of these components (blood and urine) that were supposed to be done on the full sample respondents. The response rates for these measures use the full sample response rates up to the MEC and derive the rest in the following manner. Of the 5,786 participants who reported to the CHMS MEC for physical measurements, 5,482 participants provided blood and 5,688 provided urine. The combined response rate for blood draw was 46.3% whereas the combined response rate for urine was 47.7%. The response rate for the fasted subsample uses the full sample response rates up to the responding household and the rest is derived in the following same manner. From the 6361 respondent households, 3776 were selected for the fasted subsample. In these households, 4671 persons 6 to 79 years of age were selected (one or two persons per household) to participate in the fasted subsample, of whom 4155 responded to the questionnaire, for a response rate of 89.0%. Of these people, 3093 reported to the CHMS MEC for physical measurements, for a response rate of 74.4%. Of these people, 2389 were actually fasted and had a valid measure on at least one of the laboratory tests. At the Canadian scale, a combined response rate of 43.9% was observed. The CHMS covers the population 3 to 79 years of age living in the ten provinces. Excluded from the survey's coverage are: persons living in the three territories; persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements in the provinces; full-time members of the Canadian Forces; the institutionalized population and residents of certain remote regions. Altogether these exclusions represent approximately 3% of the target population. Since survey participants have to get to a mobile examination center (MEC) located near their home for the physical measurements, collection sites' areas were limited to a radius of about 50 km (or up to 75 km for rural areas) with a minimum population of 10,000 persons. The sites were created using a specialized software with the aim of covering the most of the 10 provinces. The most recent version of the dwelling universe file (DUF) of the Household Survey Frame (HSF) is used to select dwellings within selected sites. Using the date of birth of household members from the most recent version of the socio-economic indicators file (SEF) of the HSF, as well as more current information from other administrative sources, dwellings are stratified and selected to ensure coverage of the survey's target age groups. Much time and effort was devoted to reducing non-sampling errors in the survey. Quality assurance measures were applied at each stage of the data collection and processing cycle to control the quality of the data. The effect of non-response on survey results is a major source of non-sampling error in surveys. The scope of non-response varies from partial non-response (where the respondent does not respond to one or more questions) to total non-response. In cycle 5 of the CHMS, there was little partial non-response, since once the questionnaire began, respondents tended to complete it. There was total non-response when the person selected to participate in the survey refused to do so or could not be contacted by the interviewer. Cases of total non-response were taken into account during weighting by correcting the weights of persons who responded to the survey in order to compensate for those who did not respond. Location: St. George's Anglican Church Location: L.E. Shore Library Location: L.E. Shore Library - Story Tower Location: Blue Mountain Village Location: L.E.Shore Library Location: St. Georges Anglican Church Clarksburg

<urn:uuid:3c04e5ad-a70b-4329-be0b-ec75c52f0891>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://bluemountainsreview.ca/the-review.cfm?newsid=604

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

References in periodicals archive ? The space "between the two vessels" represented by the Guswenta, the Two Row Wampum, represents "friendship and peace, forever. A wampum belt craft project that is suitable for camps can be found on the Home School Life Journal website at http://homeschooljournal-bergblog. Inspired by the Two Row Wampum, Great Law, and "two arrows bound together," the Brant Memorial is one special place for considering what it may mean to recover new peaceful ways of reconciling and renewing relations. We are off--a flotilla to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Two Row Wampum, an epic journey to reclaim, and spread, its message. The many images of wampum belts are welcome, but the multiple economic, political, diplomatic, and spiritual dimensions of wampum receive rather cursory attention; less than one page of examples constitutes the "special consideration" given to Indian diplomacy (3, 81-82). This volume explores the White Dog Sacrifice, a ritual performed by the Five Nations Iroquois after 1800 that involved a sacrifice and cremation of one or two white dogs to carry away the sins of native believers, as well as wampum beads for ornamentation. The Kashwenta is also referred to as the Two Row Wampum Treaty--an agreement of parallelism with which to guide Canadian--Aboriginal realtions (Muller, 2007). Meantime, the Manitoba Museum hosted an exhibit of wampum beads, beading lessons and examples, and the original treaty medal and treaty coat from the signing of Treaty 5 at Berens River, 21 September 1885. Coming from two worlds, brought together by this river, they forged a covenant chain of peace, friendship, and perpetuity, embodied in the Two Row Wampum. But the title page is illustrated with a black-and-white drawing of a wampum belt, that is, a belt of beads made from shell. Pequot ambassadors ducked continual English demands to turn over the killers, probably believing that the wampum accepted by the English during negotiations was sufficient to settle the death. American Indians used to carry around strings of clam shells to use as money, which they called wampum. Use the glossary below to create a vocabulary activity: American Indian Caughnawaga Great moccasin tomahawk Spirit Movement (AIM) cliff hogan Mound totem dwellers Builders Anasazi comanchero Indian National tepee Territory Museum of atlatl coup Indian Wars the American travois Indian Basket Makers cradleboard Iroquois Native vision Confederacy American quest Bering Strait Dawes Act kachina Church wampum Black Hills earth lodge kiva potlatch wickiup Bureau of Indian Eastern Little Powhatan wigwam Affairs Woodlands Bighorn Confederacy (BIA) culture long house powwow Wounded Knee Cahokia Mounds Five medicine pueblo xat Civilized lodge Tribes Calumet Ghost Dance medicine sachem man Carlisle Indian sagamore School Visit www. In this, the film recalls the story of the Two-Row Wampum, a story that describes a spiritual dilemma that still speaks to many Native Americans today. While the argument linking wampum to landscape is solid, the conclusion that its importance "emerges when considered within the consequences of the wartime reorientation of spatial understanding" (68) falls short when we consider, as Larabee acknowledges, that Ford wrote the novel for the most part before the war. Idioms browser ? - wallow in - wallow in (something) - wallow in the mire - walls have ears - walls have ears, the - Walter Mitty - waltz around - waltz in - waltz in(to some place) - waltz into - waltz Matilda - waltz off - waltz off with something - waltz through - waltz through something - waltz up - wand waver - wander about - wander away - wander from - wander in - wander off - wandering hands - wangle (one) into (some place or some situation) - wangle (one's) way into (some place or some situation) - wangle from - wangle out of - wank off - wanna be - Wanna make sumpin’ of it? Full browser ? - Wammy bar - Wampanoag (tribe) - Wampanoag (tribe) - Wampanoag (tribe) - Wampanoag Powwow

<urn:uuid:2f12dff7-53d5-44e4-8ed9-060ac620b780>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/wampum

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Cell theory: the theory stating that cells are the basic unit of life, that all organisms are made of one or more cells, and that cells arise from existing cells. Cell membrane: a thin layer of lipid and protein separating the cell's contents from the outside environment. Phospholipid: a structural substance found in cell membranes. Cytoplasm: a jellylike substance made up primarily of water and the organelles suspended in it; the center for most of the cell's metabolic activity. Cytoskeleton: a network of fibers and tiny tubes throughout the cytoplasm; gives a cell support and helps it to maintain or change its shape. Nucleus: the control center of a cell. Chromosomes: a structure within a cell that contains a cell's genetic information. Nucleolus: a specialized organelle in the nucleus of cells; the site of ribosome production. Prokaryotes: an organism whoe cells do not contain a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles. Eukaryotes: an organism whoe cells have a nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane. Ribosomes: an organelle that helps to assemble proteins from amino acids. Endoplasmic reticulum: an extensive network of membranes that transports materials through a cell. Golgi apparatus: a membrane-bound organelle that packages and secretes products of the endoplasmic reticulum from the cell. Mitochondria: an organelle that changes energy found in food compounds into energy, or ATP, necessary to power the cell's functions; the site of cellular respiration. Lysosomes: a small saclike organelle that contains digestive enzymes that help the cell break down large molecules of carohydrates, proteins, and lipids. Cilia: short, hairlike projections that usually occur in large numbers on the surface of certain cells. Flagella: long, tail-like projections. Cell wall: a tough, rigid outer convering that provides a cell with protection and maintenance of its shape. Chloroplasts: an organelle common in plants and algae that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugars during the process of photosynthesis; contains chlorophyll. Vacuole: a membrane-bound compartment that absorbs water, store proteins, ions, and waste products of metabolism. Semipermeable: allowing only certain molecules to pass through membrane. Passive transport: the movement of a substance across a cell membrane without the use of ATP energy. Active transport: transport of a substance across a cell membrane requiring the use of enegrgy; usually occurs against a concentration gradient. Diffusion: the random movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration (more molecules) to an area of lower concentration (fewer molecules). Osmosis: the diffusion of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane. Endocytosis: a form of active transport in which a portion of the cell membrane surrounds outside particles and moves them into the cell. Exocytosis: a process in which wastes and cell products are secreted out of a cell through the cell membrane. There you go!

<urn:uuid:edefe70f-bb57-4808-bf23-0ffd9523dfb7>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://njhcheats.tripod.com/vocabulary.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

“If you induce a back of the envelope calculations given the hundreds of thousands of people who died every year of smallpox prior to when the campaign was started and looking at it now that its gone, D.A.’s work has saved literally tens of millions of lives. You can argue that he’s may of saved more lives than any other single human being in human history. “That’s the magnitude of his accomplishment.”- Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, on the accomplishments of DA Henderson after his death on Aug 19, 2016. Listen to what Dr Hotez had to say about the eradicator of smallpox in this short clip. - The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: A short history and lessons learned - Yellow fever in the US: A short history - Troubling statements about vaccines: Gloria Copeland and Milwaukee’s Patricia McManus - India eliminating trachoma and other global health successes in 2017 - Bioterrorism, antibiotic resistance and pandemic flu: Discussing ‘Deadliest Enemy’ - The flu pandemic clock is ticking: Are we ready? - The growing anti-vaccine movement: A discussion with Dr Peter Hotez - Infectious diseases Year-in-review 2017 with Dr Judy Stone - Anti-vaccine arguments rebutted - Vaccine history: Cell strain WI-38 - Outbreaks and the role of health promotion

<urn:uuid:68d57703-5307-4b4d-a340-5a58c5425c7c>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://outbreaknewstoday.com/thoughts-eradicator-smallpox-can-argue-hes-may-saved-lives-single-human-human-history-74149/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

In February 2010, the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific (ANSA-EAP) and Oxfam Great Britain in East Asia (OGB) organized a roundtable discussion on the social accountability dimensions of gender equality and sustainable livelihoods. The roundtable was part of the runoff to a Forum on Gender and Livelihoods that OGB held in Bangkok. This discussion paper was prepared for the roundtable. SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS a process of constructive engagement between citizens and government, in order to hold government answerable for its decision and actions. Through this, citizens are connected to the government, thereby giving them a concrete handle for sustaining meaningful participation in meeting their most immediate needs. It contributes to advancing people’s welfare and security. Two forces drive social accountability: informed citizen groups who are direct beneficiaries of public services and government, which provides the space for citizen participation in governance such as monitoring public programs. Its approach is premised upon the following: that government keeps the door open for people’s participation and that citizens are willing to engage the government. Certain enabling conditions must be in place in order for social accountability to happen. These enabling conditions, known as the Four Pillars of Social Accountability, are: organized and capable citizen groups; an enabling environment with government champions who are willing to engage; context and cultural appropriateness; and access to information. In the context of social accountability, an enabling environment refers to the set of eco-political and socio-cultural conditions as interrelated factors that define the space for constructive engagement and good governance. Adding the gender perspective to social accountability, several issues are raised to engage women in constructive engagement with government, such as the following: - How could women communicate their needs and have government account to them? - How do internal management systems, performance measures, incentives and accountability systems promote responsiveness to women clients? How would they make these systems and measure respond to their needs? - How could women negotiate the space where constructive dialogue is made possible? - Who would equip them with the knowledge on making governments account to them, such as the public finance, gender-responsive budgeting and tracking expenditures? Social accountability mechanisms improve governance at the local and national levels, especially where corruption is pervasive and prevents development. A voiced relationship should be fostered between the women-client and the policy maker so that a running dialogue would strengthen women’s claims to services that are due them. The government could also benefit from feedback on its service delivery mechanisms. This premise is important if the promotion of women’s economic development and leadership were to be undertaken to reduce rural poverty, which disproportionately affects women. OGB promotes a Poor Women’s Economic Leadership (PWEL) framework. PWEL focuses on enabling poor women to effectively participate in and meaningfully contribute to economic decision-making and to gain control over economic resource on equal footing with men at the household, community, national and global levels. Linking social accountability to OGB’s PWEL Framework—a multidimensional lens inclusive of social accountability, gender and good governance—would pave the way for women to have a sustained relationship with not only government, but also other stakeholders with a developed mechanism for monitoring towards achieving economic leadership and development. Re-conceptualizing the OGB Model from a Social Accountability Perspective First, a proposition: The promotion of women’s economic leadership and participation in all areas of their lives: politically, economically and socially, cannot be realized without effective engagement with the government. The discussion of the four interrelated dimensions of change that OGB identified as necessary: women as decision makers, women having control over resources, women having substantive earnings and women in equal relations, cannot be divorced from the idea that constructive engagement with government plays a crucial part in making these changes happen. The government sets policies and dictates the economic direction of the country, such as trade policies, etc. For the most part, the market in the formal economies is regulated by the government. (Perhaps, the informal economies where most women are subsumed may be a constructive discussion point between government and women.) Contextually, the absence of government engagement would be more effective in a laissez-faire economy where government interference in private economic decisions such as pricing, production and distribution of goods and services makes for a better economy. Given that most of the countries in the East Asia and the Pacific do not adhere to this system -- especially in East Asia and the Pacific where there are more strong states than weak ones, the absence of government in the equation of women’s economic development and leadership is not possible. Secondly, from a human rights perspective, it may be a bit too simplistic to assume or conjecture that securing economic resources and accessing and gaining the benefits of markets while changing attitudes and beliefs so that equal relations with men will be achieved, especially in economic decision-making at the individual, household, community and beyond would work in a way that protects the welfare and agency of the woman. Especially amongst the rural poor where violence against women is more prevalent, there has to be an enforcement mechanism that women could use should their rights be violated. Of course, these enforcement mechanisms are imperfect (and most women do not report), but at least the awareness exists that it is there and in place as legislation. In Naga City, in the Bicol Region of the Philippines, a collective of women hired a social worker to visit each family for the purpose of loan and/or collection. The social worker found many women battered women in these homes. The collective leader went to the Mayor to report the prevalence of domestic violence in these homes. In the Town of Capoocan, Leyte Province, the Philippines, the local government carried out a program called PRO-GAD Capoocan. This program successfully implemented participatory and gender-responsive governance. Its biggest accomplishment has been to reduce violence against women and children as the result of an intensive campaign. Transforming Women into Leaders It is difficult to turn everyone into entrepreneurs. There are those who have to mediate and prioritize competing needs that their situation dictates. While there are people who just want a decent living with wages, etc., there is a select group of people who are apt to be more dominant and, therefore, influential than the rest. For example, in the level of subsistence, very few women are able to successfully transition from small to medium to big enterprise. It is also crucial for entrepreneurs to know and understand their mission and work for society. Entrepreneurship should be seen as public service, i.e. creating jobs for workers and not going beyond a profit margin solely for the sake of making a profit. Economic leadership involves asking what kind of profit one is generating. The multidimensional approach—one where all the lenses and perspectives are used, would probe into what kind of economic leadership is one going to practice. The important element of leadership is knowing one’s purpose: to not only make profit for one’s self but also know where that profit is going. How are women transformed into leaders? Leadership is not lodged on one person. It is a relationship between different roles and competencies. The OGB framework will not work if leadership is seen only for a few select individuals. Drawing up competencies, clearly delineating roles and having these different roles and competencies talk to each other is also one crucial aspect mentioned, especially as it relates to the OGB framework. Group efficiency necessitates matching people’s capacities with the roles appropriate for them. Mobilizing a group or gaining confidence in setting a platform for collective action necessitates this delineation of functions and competencies. Those can teach cannot necessarily audit. Those who cannot audit may not necessarily be skilled in mobilizing. But how would one translate it into a practical tool on the ground when a few select women attend technical training and capacity building workshops? The bigger issue is how to put different people with different competencies and background together and get them to work efficiently and effectively. Another issue that came to the fore is highlighting the value in finding out where the communities of leaders are. Where is the leadership that is most palpable whether it be in the policy, environment or market/enterprise arena? OGB needs to come up with tools for analytics and capacity building. But then the issue arises on how to de-link those tools with the desired outcome of economic leadership. The first step is context. Within that context, OGB needs to profile a majority of women. If the focus is geographic or community, it has to contend with differentiated responses. Find out what is “dominant” so that there is coherence in intervention. If it is looking at a larger area, say in the provincial level, then OGB can decide whether it is more rights based. The ability to select those who have more needs is present within that context because OGB will not be driven by the needs of the community. From its platform, it can choose whom to service. Overall, there needs to be a clear layout on how women can transform from a minor player in the market to an economic leadership position. Importantly, once they have become leaders, what are the practices that would sustain their roles? Poor Women’s Economic Leadership and the Four Pillars of Social Accountability A multilevel analysis of women from self (the woman as having something of her own other than her children and husband), to family (how to involve them in becoming gender aware), to community (how to get families involved in discussions and dialogue) to the national level (becoming a part of a national movement) sets a enabling environment for women to realize their own agency, to own and direct their resources and to place a cost and value structure to their work. Organized and Capable Citizen Groups In the context of gender and sustainable livelihoods, the capacity of women is a key factor in the successful application of social accountability. The power of women’s groups is hinged upon the knowledge and capacity to organize themselves, their partners from other sectors and communities, as well as engage other development stakeholders and government. This capacity has technical and substantive components, as well as procedural requirement, so that efficient and effective initiatives in the form of agenda, platforms, projects and programs bring the outcomes and changes aspired for. Organizing and awareness-raising are central to social accountability and to gender. Training and education leads to increased decision-making power in the household and community. To address the gap between technical knowledge on subsistence and transition from small to medium to big enterprise, training could be undertaken so that women will not only develop a sense of clarity and confidence in their abilities, but also possess the ability to organize the group as strong economic leaders. Capacity building is necessary in providing a space in which women can negotiate a dialogue with government, i.e. about gender budgeting. Central to accountability and engagement is information; this is where the tools should be drawn and derived from. A critical approach would be public finance and gender-budgeting as an entryway into generating a constructive and productive relationship with the government. Questions of participation (Did you participate?), policy (Is there policy?), budget (Is there budget) and tracking expenditure (Is the budget expended according to budget or is there insertion of other expenses?) could be raised. The process of harmonizing planning, budget and expenditure is very important. In many local government units, the one doing the planning, the budgeting and expending are different people and, more often than not, there is something amiss when tracking expenditures. Third party monitoring is a major entry point in getting women to participate in governance. ANSA-EAP, for example, focuses on procurement monitoring. Given the fact that many corrupt practices stem from misuse of funds, the social accountability approach advocates for precautionary and sustainable governance practices. As a third-party monitor, the women could link procurement back to the scorecard: Did the government agency perform? Did they deliver? Where are the key government leaders who are accountable? To reiterate, leadership is not embodied solely by one individual, but by a group. The skills of dialogue and negotiation are skills of influencing. This is the core of leadership practice: How to influence? How to change? How to be a proponent of change? These are the key leadership elements. Enabling Environment for Engaging Government The two drivers for change for a social accountability set up are a responsive government and organized capable citizens. Together, they should know what their roles/functions are and to what extent they will engage each other. Social accountability is a very important element in the women economic leadership discussion. Bringing the analytics of governance in the OGB framework would expand its approach beyond the market. The core of social accountability is to know and have the capacity to engage other stakeholders. Given this, engaging governments is very critical in the OGB framework. Government is and remains a valuable resource because it sets economic policies and channels the budget for resources. Importantly, the government is accountable to women for efficient service delivery and procurement. If it can engage government, it can engage businesses, as well. There has to be a proactive and healthy relationship between the private sector and the government so that there is a free dialogue between the two. Sometimes, there is a disconnect in their relationship and the effect is apparent in the local governments lack of policy targeting training with the market/employment needs of a city. The usefulness of government in this situation is the trust that is built between the local population and the government. In Naga City, the local government came to a point where they got the trust of the private sector and citizens to tell them what they need in terms of training and employment so that training would be targeted to the intended occupation afterwards. A less than optimal relationship would be inefficient. For example, the local government or TESDA could you just give the women arbitrary training in any field, instead of considering the needs of that particular area in terms of market and employment. Women and government can work successfully together as demonstrated in the case of Naga City and the Naga City Council of Women where a lot of work was done in improving women’s livelihoods through proactive and intervention. Context and Cultural Appropriateness Social accountability must respond to the context of where it is operating, whether it be a sector, nation or region. The tools and techniques and other mechanisms of social accountability are determined against political, socio-cultural, legal and institutional factors. For example, the likelihood of success of certain social accountability initiatives are dependent on political context –whether the political regime is democratic or authoritarian, whether basic political and civil rights are guaranteed and whether there is a culture of political transparency. The areas of change, as stipulated in the PWEL framework, are attitudes and beliefs, flexible structures, law and policy, roles and responsibilities. They inform one another and are interrelated. After all, more often than not, law and policy stem from attitudes and beliefs of the policy makers and cannot be discussed in isolation. The cultural context needs to be figured in. Lastly, gender is an analytical tool to understand social processes and its attributes vary from society to society and change over time. Hence, the cultural appropriateness of intervention matters. Sometimes, culture is stronger than the law. Perhaps, in some countries, culture is in the law. In all these, attitudes and beliefs matter. The criteria for examining what will work for women and improving upon their current work are context-driven and country/culture-dependent. Access to Information The availability and reliability of public documents and data are essential to social accountability. Data turned into relevant and useful information is the basis for constructive engagement. Thus the quality of information and its accessibility are key factors for the success of social accountability mechanisms. Processed information is a very important component in running dialogues between women and government. If one cannot act on the information they have, the tendency is to resort to anger, which is counterproductive. If the protest mode is resorted to, the knowledge to effectively engage government is lost and, because of this, the opportunity for constructive change is, too. If one does not have the mechanism for engagement, one cannot use the information available to him/her. There is no meaning in powerlessness. Negotiation cannot be realized without constructive engagement. Importantly, economic leadership is not possible without informed choices. Recommendations to OGB from a Social Accountability Perspective - Research on case studies and best practices where the intervention marrying gender, governance and social accountability were successful. Research on how muscle monitoring could be strengthened amongst citizens/women’s groups. - Efficiency in framework implementation and ground work is dependent upon using analytics that embed gender. This is how the sensitization of stakeholders happens, particularly the government. The government is a major stakeholder because it sets policies and sanctions businesses and can give one access to resources. - A gender analysis of the production system is recommended because it underscores the invisibility of women in market analysis. - Engage government in delivery of services and rights protection for the promotion of welfare. Citizens have a right to information, association, expression and participation. People should feel protected and have sense of security. - Women should be taught the logic and practice of planning, budgeting, expenditure, procurement and monitoring. This is a powerful skill for women to have, especially in engaging government into a constructive dialogue. - OGB should have a strategy in every step of its execution. This is where prioritization of engaging stakeholders should be undertaken. - Link household analysis with market analysis and embed competency in accountability. - Training techniques should be less on lecture and theory and more on practicality. Use graded language and activities that are simple, such as role playing. The framework is not for ordinary women leaders. - Create a pool of talents who will have the capacity to implement the framework in varied roles and competencies. - Come up with toolkits that are synthesized, user-friendly and not too scholarly. They have to “speak” to the women. - Map and create competencies for OGB staff, talent pool and women and have them interrogated and validated through dialogue. - Gender is very personal. Establish a connection between the economic, analytics and the personal. Economic leadership is a good objective but certain issues need to be addressed both on the theoretical and practical level for OGB to realize its full use and potential. OGB’s strategy on gender and sustainable livelihoods and its framework could be augmented using the social accountability approach. The social accountability lens would provide both OGB and the women a practical approach in which to reduce rural poverty and advance the economic empowerment and leadership of women. Arroyo, D. & Sirker, K. 2005. Stocktaking of Social Accountability Initiatives in the Asia and Pacific Region. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. Washington, DC, USA. Asian Development Bank [ADB]. 2006. Implementation Review of the Policy on Gender and Development. Manila, Philippines. ADB. 2008. Paradox and Promise in the Philippines: A Joint Country Gender Assessment, Manila Philippines. Barrameda Villamor, T. 2007. Problematizing Gender in FSSI’s Economic Enterprises: A Discussion Paper. Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc., Philippines. Campos, E.J. & Pradhan, S. 2004. Informal Note on Governance for the World Bank PREM Governance Group: A Framework for Studying Governance Reforms at the Country Level. The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA. Cruz-Avisado, A. 2007. "Gender Law and Transformative Justice." Mindanao Law Journal 1: 54-85, Philippines Galing Pook Foundation. 2006. The Best Practices in Local Governance 2006: The Gender Approach to Combating Poverty, Capoocan, Leyte, Philippines Jacob, J. 2000. "Empowering the Local Government: The Naga City Experience." Asian Review of Public Administration, Vol. XII, No. 1, January-June 2000. Javate de Dios, A. 2008. From Budgets to Representation (Draft). UNIFEM and UN-GMC Input to the Country Gender Assessment with other Donors. King, R. & Sweetman, C. 2010. A Discussion Paper: Gender Perspectives on the Global Economic Crisis. Oxfam Great Britain, U.K. Zuckerman, E. 2002. Evaluation of Gender Mainstreaming in Advocacy Work on Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs): Synthesis Report. Oxfam Great Britain. The author has a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University.

<urn:uuid:93601edd-47eb-40d3-a5c6-818457f22579>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://voices.ansa-eap.net/2011/07/gender-and-sustainable-livelihoods.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

The 9th International Conference Buddhism & Australia Chinese Buddhist Encyclopedia Illustrations |Articles by alphabetic order| Meditation Advice for Lam-rim Practice |Please consider making little donation to help us expand the encyclopedia Donate Enjoy your readings here and have a wonderful day| Dr. Alexander Berzin Meditation is obviously an important topic if we want to put the Buddha’s teachings into practice. Meditation, however, is not something that is particularly Buddhist. We find meditation in all Indian traditions, as well as in non-Buddhist systems outside of India. The word for meditation in Sanskrit is “bhavana.” Bhavana comes from the verb “bhu,” which means “to become,” or “to make something into something else.” Bhavana, then, is a process by which we take a teaching about how to develop some constructive state of mind and, figuratively, we “become” that state. In other words, through the process of meditation, we make our minds come to be in a particular beneficial state. Since bhavana comes from the Sanskrit root “bhu,” from the word “to become,” bhavana implies a transformation. For example, if we are meditating on love, we actually transform ourselves into someone with love in our hearts. When the term was translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan, it was translated with the word that implies “building up a habit.” This is the Tibetan word “gom.” Gom means to habituate ourselves to something that is positive – not to something negative or neutral – and thereby to build up a positive, constructive habit. The Tibetan word, then, is quite similar in meaning or implication to the Sanskrit word. The implication of both terms is that in order to transform ourselves to become like our goal – someone with love in our hearts, for example – we need to build up love as a beneficial habit. The method that we use to build up this beneficial habit is meditation. Listening to the Teachings The main Indian philosophical texts that preceded Buddha’s time were the Upanishads, and these texts already contained references to meditation. In the Upanishads, meditation is discussed in the context of a three-step process: listening, thinking, and meditating. The Buddha did not invent this three-step process; it was already current in his time. So if we want to make something a positive habit, obviously we need to first hear about it; then we need to understand it by thinking it over; and finally, we need to integrate it into ourselves. If we do not know anything about the Dharma, we need first to gain basic information about Buddhism and we need to be certain that this information is correct. Only correct basic information can serve as a reliable foundation for taking interest in the genuine Dharma teachings. At the time of the Buddha, however, philosophical teachings were never written down. Compiling them into written texts started centuries later. This is why the three-step process begins with the necessity of “hearing” the teaching – in other words, listening to the teaching delivered out loud. Today, you could also include in the first step reading in books or on the Internet about certain types of practices or states of mind that you would like to develop. This point is debatable, however, because when we hear a teaching directly from a teacher, there is a special ambiance created by the teacher actually being present before us. When we listen to a live teaching, we may be inspired by the teacher in a way that we might not be inspired by reading a book. This is the case even though, obviously, someone had to write the book. We find that this is true in our everyday lives as well. For example, when you go to a live concert, the experience is much more powerful and inspiring than when you just listen to a CD at home. It is quite a different experience. When we listen to teachings, one of the most helpful instructions is to remove the “three faults that are like a clay vase.” First, we need to avoid the mistake of being like an upside-down vase, into which nothing will go. In other words, if our minds are closed, obviously we will not be able to learn anything from what we hear. Then, we also need to avoid the mistake of being like a vase with a hole in the bottom. In that case, anything that is poured in just goes right out the hole. In English, the expression is having things “go in one ear and out the other.” We need to avoid that. Finally, we also need to avoid the mistake of being like a dirty vase. When you pour clean water into a dirty vase, the water becomes soiled as well. In other words, when we have many preconceptions, these preconceptions contaminate our understanding of the new material. Rather than just hearing what the person says, we are always mixing the new material with projections of our own ideas. To help avoid these mistakes, then once we have heard certain teachings, it is very helpful to write them down or record them somehow, so that we can correctly remember the points that have been mentioned. This is very helpful if we do not have perfect memories – as most of us do not. The longer we wait to write down what we have heard, the more our preconceptions will contaminate our memories. And even when we have written them down or recorded them, we need to listen to them over and again. Just having the teachings in a book of notes on our shelf or as a file in our computers or on our iPods is certainly not enough! We first need to acknowledge that we have problems and that we are suffering. We then need to have the wish to get out of our suffering situation. Finally, we need to take interest in the Dharma as a way to get out of suffering. When we are newcomers, we certainly need to have open minds and try to retain what we learn; but most importantly, we need to listen to a Dharma teaching with the interest and intention to evaluate what we hear. We want to evaluate it in order to determine whether or not the teaching that we hear is something that could help us personally to overcome problems if we put it into practice. We are not learning about the Buddhist teachings to pass an examination in school or to impress others with our erudite knowledge. We are listening to the teachings to see if we can find something in them that will be personally relevant and helpful in our lives. When listening to teachings, then, there are various ways to regard ourselves and the situation. In the method known as the “three recognitions,” we regard ourselves as a sick person, the teacher as a doctor, and the teachings as medicine to help us overcome various sicknesses or problems – the sicknesses being our disturbing emotions. As we get more advanced in our practice, there are many further instructions regarding the attitudes that we need toward the teacher, in terms of seeing the teacher as a Buddha, and so on; but those instructions are not intended for beginners. Thinking about What We Have Heard The second step is to think about what we have heard. We think about a teaching in order to understand it. We reach the end point of this thinking process when we correctly understand what the teaching means. Not only do we need to correctly understand a teaching in order to put it correctly into practice, we also need to become convinced that the teaching is valid and that it is something that we need to adopt in ourselves because it will help us to overcome certain problems. We also need to be convinced that it is possible for us to actually achieve whatever it is that the teaching is discussing. If we think that it is impossible – that we are never going to be able to overcome our anger, for example – then what is the point of following a practice that is intended to overcome anger? We need to be convinced that the practice is going to work to achieve the stated goal. When we think about a teaching, we think about it from many points of view. For example, if we are talking about meditation to develop love equally toward everyone, we need to know the various steps that we need to take in order to develop that kind of love. For instance, what does equal love for everyone depend on? It depends on seeing everyone as equal, seeing that everyone has been kind to us, and so on. So in order for universal love to develop in our minds, we need to know what love depends on, and what insights and states of mind we need to develop beforehand in order for love to grow in us. In addition, we need to know what the opposing factors to love are that love is going to remedy. Specifically, we need to be convinced that the opposing factors are anger and hatred; and we need to be convinced that love can actually overpower those factors and rid us of them. We also need to understand how love would get rid of them. Further, we need to understand what is the purpose of developing love, and what are we going to do with this love once we develop it, which implies knowing the benefits of developing love. For example, when we look at many of the texts that give instructions on developing a bodhichitta aim – the aim of attaining our own, individual future enlightenments in order to benefit all limited beings – they usually start with describing the benefits of having a bodhichitta aim. The purpose of the texts starting this way is for us to become convinced that having such an aim in life is something that we would like to develop. Finally, we need to be convinced of the logic of the teachings. They need to be logical, they need to be reasonable, and they need to make sense in terms of the stages and the actual details of the teachings. So there are many things that we need to think about. To just jump into a meditation practice without having understood what do we need to develop first, and how is it going to rid us of this or that problematic state of mind, and what are the opposing factors we need to watch out for, and so on...that would be unwise. The analogy for that is: “Listening is like putting food in your mouth; and thinking about it is like chewing it.” If we try to swallow without chewing, we are going to choke. Likewise, if we try to meditate without thinking about the teachings, we are going to have difficulties. How exactly do we accomplish the thinking process? The thinking stage can be either some free-style form of thinking about the various points that I have mentioned, or once we have done that, it could be a more formal process. The Formal Thinking Process The formal thinking process means to follow a line of reasoning. When we want to develop a certain state of mind, we need to build up to it. We need to build up to that state of mind by going through stages or steps, and often those steps include working with lines of reasoning. For example, the teaching could include a line of reasoning that builds up to an understanding of impermanence (that things affected by causes and conditions change from moment to moment and come to an end); or it could include a line of reasoning that builds up to an understanding of voidness (that everything is devoid of existing in impossible ways). By thinking about and working through the logic of the lines of reasoning, we become convinced not only that impermanence and voidness are valid, but also that the lines of reasoning validly prove that impermanence and voidness are true. Not only that, but we also become convinced that by going through the logic of the lines of reasoning, we can generate a correct and decisive understanding of impermanence and voidness. Remember: becoming convinced is part of the thinking process. Alternatively, we could build up to a certain state of mind, not necessarily through a line of reasoning, but through stages. For instance, if we want to develop a bodhichitta aim, we would go through stages such as developing equanimity, and then seeing everyone as having been our mothers in some previous lifetime, remembering the kindness of motherly love, developing gratitude for that, and so on. We work through the stages so that we become convinced that by taking these steps, we can reach the goal of developing a bodhichitta aim. This is still part of the thinking process. Also we need to understand very well, in this thinking process, what actually is the state of mind that we are trying to cultivate. Some meditations are intended to help us to focus on a certain object, for instance, a visualized Buddha. To meditate on a visualized Buddha, we need to understand that this is the focusing type of meditation and its aim is to focus on a specific object, namely a small, three-dimensional, live Buddha made of light that we imagine at eye-level in front of us. On the other hand, there are different meditations that are intended to develop a specific state of mind, for instance, love. Love is not an object we are focusing on; rather it is a state of mind, a type of mental attitude that we develop. So we need to know which type of meditation are we working with: are we trying to focus on a specific object or are we trying to develop a certain state of mind? What are we trying to accomplish? In both cases, Tsongkhapa emphasized very strongly that we need to know two things: Firstly, we need to be clear about what the object is that needs to appear in our minds. Whether we are talking about meditation on a visualized Buddha or meditation on love, what is the object that appears in our meditation? If we are not completely clear about these two points, how can we possibly generate the state of mind that we wish to develop? For example, compassion: what is compassion aimed at? What is the appearing object? The object that appears in our minds when meditating on compassion is sentient beings, various limited beings with suffering. Our minds focus on them and distinguish a certain aspect about them, namely their suffering and the causes of their suffering. How does the mind take hold of those objects? The mind takes hold of these objects with the strong wish for these beings to be parted from their suffering and its causes, and with the intention to try to bring this about ourselves. In this way, through thinking about the instructions we have heard or read, we are able to specify and understand very clearly the state of mind that we want to generate. If we plan to meditate on bodhichitta, we need to think about and be very clear what our minds do in such meditation. Most people confuse bodhichitta with compassion; however, bodhichitta and compassion are not the same. Bodhichitta is a state of mind that has compassion as its basis; but bodhichitta goes much further than just wanting others to be free of all suffering and its causes. It goes beyond just wanting to bring all limited beings to enlightenment and assuming the responsibility to do this. But these good wishes and feelings are the positive emotions that bodhichitta depends on and grows from. We first need to have that foundation of love and compassion. What are we focusing on when we actually are sitting on our cushions and meditating on bodhichitta? We are focusing on our own individual enlightenment, which is not yet happening, but which can happen on the basis of our Buddha-nature factors and on the basis of all the hard work that we need to do in order to achieve that enlightenment. Our Buddha-nature factors are the basic qualities and features that we all have that will enable us to become a Buddha, such as the pure nature of our minds. We are not focusing on the enlightenment of Buddha Sakyamuni. We are not focusing on abstract enlightenment in general; but rather we are focusing on our own individual enlightenment, our not-yet-happening enlightenment. How do we focus on our not-yet-happening enlightenment? That’s not very easy. First of all, we need to understand what that means, what kind of phenomenon is that – a not yet-happening phenomenon or thing. For instance, we need to consider: does the not-yet-happening sprout already exist in the seed just waiting to pop out? Or is the not-yet-happening sprout totally nonexistent at the time of the seed? Obviously, the understanding of voidness is necessary here to really get a clear understanding of what we are focusing on when we are focusing on our not-yet-happening enlightenment. Our not-yet-happening enlightenment is not sitting out there somewhere, like the finish line of a race toward which we are heading. Nor is it sitting somewhere in our minds or in our Buddha-natures, waiting to pop out. It is not a findable object like that. On the other hand, we are not focusing on something that doesn’t exist at all; we are not focusing on nothing. Rather, we need to understand that our not-yet-happening enlightenment is something that can be validly imputed on our mental continuums on the basis of our Buddha-nature factors. We also need to know what it means for something to be validly imputable on an appropriate basis. In order to focus on that not-yet-happening enlightenment, however, we need to focus on it through some sort of mental representation of enlightenment that appears in our minds. For instance, we could imagine the sound of the word “enlightenment” or we could visualize a Buddha before us. In tantra, we could visualize ourselves in the form of a Buddha-figure. With each of these examples, we need to regard the mental sound or mental picture that appears in our minds as a representation of our not-yet-happening enlightenment. Next, how do our minds focus on this mental object that appears? We focus on our not-yet-happening enlightenment, as represented by the mental object that appears in our minds, with two intentions. The first intention is: “I am going to achieve enlightenment.” Now, to have that intention to achieve enlightenment depends on many other things that we need to have thought about and understood. We need to know realistically what we need to do in order to achieve enlightenment. Our attitude can’t just casually be: “Oh, I’m going to achieve this.” We need to know how we are going to achieve it, and be convinced that we can achieve it. We need to have a valid intention to achieve the state of enlightenment; otherwise, achieving it is just a nice dream. And of course, we need to understand correctly what enlightenment is, which is also not terribly easy to understand. We gain all these understandings through this second step in the process: thinking. The second intention that we have while focusing on this mental representation is that with that enlightenment we are going to benefit others as much as is possible. After all, enlightenment does not mean becoming an omnipotent god. And being able to benefit everyone, of course, is based on having taken the steps beforehand of laying the foundation that bodhichitta depends on, namely love and compassion. We are taking responsibility to bring others to enlightenment because we wish for them to be free from all suffering and to be endowed fully with happiness. This thinking step is actually quite a long step, and requires a great deal of work. But at the end of this step, we understand and know, precisely and with full certainty, what the state of mind is that we are trying to achieve and how to build up to that state of mind. We are also fully and validly convinced that we are capable of generating that state of mind and that generating it will be extremely beneficial. Although this process of thinking may look like meditation, it is not meditation according to the traditional definition. Western people who are not using the terminology very precisely might call this thinking process “meditation,” but that is not correct. We need to be clear about the differences between thinking and meditation. This thinking process is a very worthwhile activity, and thinking about the teachings is something that we can do any time. In fact, it is a very helpful thing to do while we are engaged in other activities in our daily lives. For instance, when we are caught in traffic, we could think about how a particular state of mind, for instance love, would apply in this situation. How would it be relevant? What would be its benefits? and so on. These are points that we can think about during our day. Meditation Now we come to the third stage in our three-step process: meditation itself. Meditation is similar to digesting the food once we have chewed it. The purpose of meditation is to make a particular positive state of mind a habit, to actually become that state of mind once we have thought about and understood the state and are convinced that we can generate it. Meditation is primarily a two-fold process. One step is what I translate as “discerning meditation.” It is usually translated as “analytical meditation,” but calling it “analytical” tends to confuse it with the thinking step. I think that the word “discerning” is a more accurate translation of the term. In this context, “to discern” means to scrutinize something very carefully and to understand it in a certain way. The second aspect of meditation is fixating meditation, in which we actually fix on that state of mind and stay focused on it. We can call this second stage “stabilizing meditation.” How do we accomplish the first step, discerning meditation? During the thinking process we went through a line of reasoning or we went through the stages and the steps for building up to a certain state of mind. We did that for the purpose of gaining an understanding of what the mental state is that we wish to develop and also an understanding of how we can develop it. Now, with discerning meditation, we go through once more the line of reasoning or the steps for generating a certain state of mind. But now we are going through this process in order to actually generate that state of mind and to have it freshly within us. For example, to generate compassion for everyone, we follow the line of reasoning: “Everyone has been my mother, everyone has been kind to me…,” and so on, so that we actually work ourselves up to the intended state of mind and actually feel it. Once we have worked ourselves up, in this step-by-step process, to the state of mind that we want to habituate ourselves to, then we actively discern or understand the object of focus in that way. If we are meditating on compassion, for instance, we focus on all limited beings and, in particular, on this detail that we distinguish about them: their problems and sufferings. We discern that they are suffering and we have the wish that they may be free from that suffering and the intention to help them free themselves of it. We are actually seeing sentient beings in our minds, we are looking at them in our minds in this way; or it could be in real life when we actually see people. Compassion is focused on others and their suffering, and it is with the wish for them to be free of it. We stay with that discernment for a while, in an active process. Subsequently, stabilizing meditation is basically just letting what we have discerned sink in, with full concentration on this topic or mental state. Obviously, we need to have concentration when we are doing the discerning meditation phase as well; but in this stabilizing phase we are letting the feeling sink deeply into our hearts: we are strongly feeling compassion. We alternate these two stages, discernment and stabilization, back and forth, and eventually we are able to combine them. Combining the discernment and stabilization stages of meditation is very difficult. The discussion of the stages through which we combine them is very complex. If you would like to know some of the details, you can read more about that on my website. [See: Meditation States That Are Discerning or Stabilizing] Also, when we become very advanced, we do not need to do what is called “labored meditation.” Labored meditation is one in which the discerning meditation process involves going through the stages and building up to a state of mind. At an advanced level, we are able to do unlabored discerning meditation. We are able to generate the desired state of mind instantaneously without building it up through steps or a line of reasoning. We still use that state of mind, however, to discern our object of focus as we did when our discerning meditation was labored. Types of Meditation We often hear about two types of meditation. The Sanskrit words for them are “shamatha” and “vipashyana,” or in Tibetan, “shinay” and “lhagtong.” These two terms actually refer to two states of mind that we aim to achieve through the process of meditation. Shamatha is a stilled and settled state of mind. It is stilled in the sense that, with it, we have quieted down all levels of mental dullness and flightiness of mind or mental agitation (a mind that flies off to some other attractive object). Shamatha is also settled in the sense that its focus is settled firmly on an object. The emphasis, then, is on stabilizing meditation. Even with shamatha meditation, we need to hear the instructions, and then think about the stages of the meditation. For instance, if we are visualizing a Buddha, we would hear instructions on how to build up the visualization step by step. We would then think about what to do first, second, and so on. “Vipashyana” means an exceptionally perceptive state of mind. It is a state of mind that is able to perceive things in a very exceptional way. Vipashyana meditation, then, emphasizes discerning meditation. When we talk about achieving a state of vipashyana, it could be achieved as an exceptionally perceptive state of mind that discerns impermanence or voidness, but it is not exclusively one of those two. In anuttarayoga tantra, the highest class of tantra, one method to develop vipashyana, this exceptionally perceptive state of mind, is by visualizing a tiny dot or drop at the tip of the nose. Then, while maintaining a visualization of that one dot, you visualize two dots in the next row, then four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, and so on. You must keep them all perfectly in order, and then dissolve the visualization in stages. By doing this type of visualization, you develop an extremely sharp, exceptionally perceptive state of mind. If you really want to develop this state of mind to a very high level, there are other practices in which you visualize, in each drop, the whole mandala of the deity system that you are practicing, with all the deities and all their details. If you accomplish this, you really have an exceptionally perceptive state of mind! These two types of meditation, shamatha and vipashyana, exist in all the Buddhist traditions, as well as in many of the Indian non-Buddhist systems. In the Theravada Buddhist traditions they are known by the Pali terms “samatha” and “vipassana.” We find the two also in Zen as well. For example, in Son Buddhism, the Korean form of Zen, there is a koan: “What is it?” When we focus on “What is it?” the point is not that there is an answer, for instance: “This is the table; this is the glass,” and so on. Rather, we develop the mind to be in the state of “profound doubt” – always questioning the reality of “What is it?” Then our state of mind becomes exceptionally perceptive. There is a funny story that shows that most Tibetans masters have not studied the Zen tradition; they aren’t familiar with it. There was a famous meeting between a Zen master and Kalu Rinpoche. The Zen master held up an orange and asked Kalu Rinpoche, “What is it?” Kalu Rinpoche looked at his translator quizzically and asked, “What’s the matter, don’t they have oranges in his country?” So we have shamatha and vipashyana. Shamatha is not just perfect concentration, which is developed through nine stages by using different types of attention and so on. But shamatha has, in addition to perfect concentration, is what is known as an “exhilarating state of mind.” “A sense of fitness” is actually the technical term. In addition to perfect concentration, there is a sense of fitness, which is an exhilarating physical and mental state. “Sense of fitness” is similar to the state of a perfectly trained athlete. Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche, my teacher, explained that having the state of mind of shamatha is like having a jumbo jet: if you put it on the ground it will stay, and if you send it flying in the air it will go. There is a sense that you can concentrate on anything for any amount of time. The body will not get tired; the mind will not get tired; you feel totally fit; and it is exhilarating. Shamathais a very exhilarating, uplifting, joyous state of mind. But it’s not joyous as in exuberantly running down the street singing and dancing like in a movie – it’s not like that. With shamatha the mind is totally honed, like an extremely well trained athlete. It is important to clarify that a mental state of vipashyana is one that is in addition to a state of shamatha. In addition to the perfect concentration and state of fitness of shamatha, vipashyana adds on top of that a second sense of fitness. This is a sense of the mind being fit to understand and discern anything. There is also another type of meditation that is usually called “glance meditation.” When we are working on a particular meditation practice, every now and then we need to review the complete Buddhist path. The purpose is to remind ourselves where our particular meditation topic fits into the whole picture, so that we do not overemphasize one topic and skip or neglect another. So glance mediation means reviewing the entire path; it is a type of review. Many years ago, I came to Moscow with Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, who was the personal physician of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We were working on a project to use Tibetan medicine to help the Chernobyl radiation victims. We stayed at very nice hotels and were formally escorted by officials from the Ministry of Health. Often we were taken out to the famous Russian seven-course banquets. Now, Dr. Tenzin Choedrak had spent twenty years in a Chinese concentration camp before he was able to leave Tibet and come to India. And so the first course of the seven-course banquet would be served, and no matter how much we warned him beforehand, he would eat as much as possible of the first course. It was as if this would be the only food he would receive for the next week. Then he would be so full, he could not eat any of the other six courses that followed. This is an analogy of the situation that we want to avoid by doing glance meditation. We want to review and keep in mind the whole menu of all seven courses, so that we don’t “overeat” and do too much meditation on one topic. That would be like gorging on the first course and missing out on the rest of the meal. Now, I was describing the type of meditation in which we build up to a certain state of mind, but that is not the only type of meditation that is done in Buddhism. In certain meditation practices, for example, in some of the Kagyu meditations on the nature of the mind or in certain Zen practices there is a different approach. Rather than building up to a state of mind, we quiet down to a state of mind in order to discover that there are certain innate qualities in our minds, such as love or clarity of mind, and to gain access to them. But even when we are doing this type of meditation, we need to have first heard the instructions and then thought about them until we have understood them. We also need to know what the state of mind that we are quieting down to is based on, what we are going to achieve, what we need to do first, second, and so on. The structure with the “quieting down” type of meditation is the same as with the “building up” type of meditation. The Environment Most Conducive for Meditation There are extensive instructions on how to set up a meditation session, how to arrange a meditation space, sweeping the floor and cleaning the room, and instructions on making prostrations, making offerings, and so on – all of which are very important for having an environment conducive to meditation. And although it is important to have conducive circumstances and a suitable environment for meditating, especially a proper seat and a quiet, clean environment; nevertheless, it is not necessary to have an elaborate scene going on around us. We do not need to spend a lot of money in order to get all the proper gold fixtures, and the incense, and the New Age music in the background, and all these sorts of thing. Milarepa certainly did not have all of that and he was quite successful in his meditation practice! We try to make our meditation space as nice as possible, but without going overboard and making things elaborate just for show. Also, we need to be able to meditate anywhere. If we go on a long train journey, we don’t say, “I can’t meditate on the train because I don’t have my water bowls and I can’t light any incense, I can’t prostrate,” etc. We can actually meditate anywhere, once we become a little bit proficient at it – on the train, anywhere, standing in a queue. Even in our everyday lives, between formal meditation sessions we can try to remember to treat others with love and compassion – that’s meditation isn’t it? Remember, the whole point of meditation is to integrate the teachings – to make them part of us so that we can apply them in everyday life. But when meditation becomes completely separate from our daily lives, then it is just a hobby. Especially when our meditation involves exotic tantric visualizations, it can easily become like a trip to Disneyland, to some fantasy land that has nothing to do with our daily lives. If we go down that path, we become mentally unstable and the meditation has very little effect on our daily lives. Remember, the whole point of the meditation is to apply it in life. And no matter where we are, when we meditate we need first to set the motivation, affirm the motivation, and have the intention to meditate with concentration. If our mind wanders, we are going to bring it back. If we get sleepy, we are going to wake ourselves up. And at the end, we have the dedication of the positive force. If we do not dedicate the positive energy that we have generated by meditating, then our efforts in meditation just improve our samsaric situations. We want to dedicate the positive energy to enlightenment, to the benefit of everyone. Some people do meditation individually. In fact, the Tibetans mostly do individual meditation; they do not really do group meditation, though in monasteries the monks and nuns do recite prayers and ritual texts all together as a group. However, in the West, we have developed the custom of group meditation. For most people, the biggest benefit of group meditation is the discipline. If we are alone, we do not have the discipline to just sit and meditate. We get up long before we had intended to end our sessions; whereas if there are other people around us, we have more discipline. We tend to fidget much less, because we are embarrassed to do so in front of the others. Some people find group meditation absolutely horrible, because they are distracted by the other people. Especially when someone is coughing or fidgeting, they find it terrible for their meditation, and so they prefer to meditate alone in private. Especially if the group is reciting something out loud in unison, and some people are reciting it much more slowly than we normally would, then we get incredibly bored and angry. And the other way around as well, if it is going too fast we also get angry. We need to judge for ourselves which is better for us – individual or group meditation. I’ve noticed an interesting feature, however, when participating in small group meditation, which means meditating with one or two other people. The meditation can be very successful when you have an especially close bond and connection with the others, so that you feel very harmonious with them. It’s as if your energies reinforce each other. The situation of meditating with them gives you a lot more energy and a lot more clarity. But when the energies of the individual people who are meditating in a small group clash with each other, the effect is just the opposite: it brings annoyance and makes your mind much duller. So you need to check who you are meditating with, if you are going to meditate with others. The Importance of Perseverance The last piece of advice is one of the most important, and that is that the nature of samsara is that it goes up and down. So our meditation naturally is also going to go up and down. It is never going to be a linear process that every day gets better and better. Some days our meditation is going to go well, and other days it is not going to go well. Some days we want to meditate, other days we do not feel like meditating at all. This is perfectly normal and natural – it’s the nature of samsara. The point is that no matter what you feel, you should just persevere and keep on going. If you have the thought: “I don’t feel like meditating” – so what? Meditate anyway. Maintain the continuity; do it every day, even if it’s only for two or three minutes. That continuity is very important in terms of bringing us stability on the path. Also, don’t make the meditation sessions too long, especially in the beginning. Three to five minutes is enough. Otherwise, you are thinking, “I can’t wait until it’s over,” and then you don’t want to go back to your meditation. If you end the meditation when you would still like to continue, you are very happy to go back. It’s like if you are with somebody and you part when you still would like to spend more time with the person, then you will like to see them again quite soon. But if they overstay to the point at which you really get tired of them and you wish they would go away, then you are not very happy to see them again. And finally, it is important to gradually extend the amount of time that you meditate. Be flexible – it is very important to be flexible. As I said: Never miss meditation even for a day. You gain stability, reliability and confidence if you meditate every day. But be flexible: sometimes you can do the full meditation that you want to do, and at other times when you do not have time, do a shortened version. But at least do something every day. Don’t be a fanatic; don’t push yourself too hard. My favorite Zen koan is: “Death can come at any time. Relax!”

<urn:uuid:7eea66f7-8ef2-40b4-91b3-3586fabf5d07>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=Meditation_Advice_for_Lam-rim_Practice

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

The creation of art has, since its beginnings, been determined by what tools, techniques, and mediums are available to artists. While many inventions have made artmaking easier and available to all, others have ushered in radical concepts and new understandings of how we define “art.” Some artistic innovations from centuries ago are now so deeply ingrained in the modern consciousness; it is hard to imagine what art would be without them. Below we share the brief history of nine inventions that, whether historically, practically, or conceptually, have changed artmaking for good. The Ceramic Kiln One of the oldest forms of art, ceramics have been embraced for millennia by dozens of cultures the world over, and the practice continues to flourish today as contemporary artists make their own impressions on the medium. This wide-ranging art form would not exist, however, if not for the prehistoric humans who witnessed what happens when clay is placed in a fire pit. Unknowingly, they invented the first ceramic kiln. While it is not known who these people were, or when exactly they made this discovery (though the oldest extant ceramic figurines, like the Moravian Venus of Dolní Věstonice, date to between 29000 and 25000 B.C.), their “pit kiln” is the earliest known type of the furnace used to make ceramics. Enclosed kilns would emerge among ancient civilizations; Ancient Greek kilns typically had a two-chamber design that directed smoke upwards, while Roman kilns were equipped with pipes, and some could hold up to 40,000 vessels. By 200 A.D., Chinese artisans in the Han period had developed equally massive “dragon kilns”—also called “climbing kilns” because of their steep slope along hillsides—that contained multiple chambers. These kilns produced the world’s first porcelain objects, and with them, China became the global centre of ceramics. The kiln’s design (along with porcelain) spread throughout East Asia and eventually reached Europe. While many dragon kilns still operate today, they have largely been phased out by electric kilns, which were invented in the 1920s by Brown-Boveri Ltd., a Swiss engineering company. Smaller in scale, safer to use, and easier to transport, electric kilns can be found in studios and schools, and have largely contributed to the thriving of ceramic artists today. The process of colouring glass with metallic oxide powders, otherwise known as stained glass, is most commonly associated with Gothic cathedrals. However, it probably has its roots in Ancient Egypt—specifically with a group of colored glass beads that were created around 2700 B.C., which are thought to be the earliest known example of fabricated glass. By the first century A.D., Romans were glazing glass panes for residential windows, though they were uniform in colour and somewhat opaque. Stained glass windows as we now know them—with multiple panes of luminous colours—were pioneered by Christians in the 1st century A.D., likely in the English town of Jarrow. In the 1970s, one of the oldest known pieces of multicolour stained glass were discovered at the town’s St. Paul’s Monastery, which formed in the year 686. Muslims were also using stained glass as early as the 8th century, as evidenced by Persian chemist Jabir ibn Hayyan’s writings on 46 glass-colouring techniques in the Book of the Hidden Pearl. By the Middle Ages in Europe, stained glass was both a refined art form and a religious phenomenon: Not only did its brilliant properties create a divine experience for churchgoers, it also provided a platform for Christian imagery. The oldest known surviving figurative piece of stained glass, which pictures Christ, dates to the 10th century and was found at the Lorsch Abbey in Germany. The ever-extravagant cathedrals of the Gothic age ushered in highly detailed and richly colored stained glass windows, often representing biblical scenes. While its peak was in Gothic Europe, stained glass has had its own renaissance in more recent years, popularized in 19th-century America by Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Art Nouveau lamps and John La Farge’s opalescent windows. Throughout the 20th century, artists like Henri Matisse, Theo van Doesburg, and Judy Chicago all tried their hands at stained glass. And in 2014, Kehinde Wiley began working on his radical stained-glass series that places contemporary black figures before cathedral-esque panes designed by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, subverting the connotations of white Christianity that stained glass inherently evokes. The Tang dynasty, widely considered a golden age of Chinese art and culture, ushered in many cultural innovations from 618 to 907, but the most consequential was woodblock printing. The technique—which involves carving into a block of wood, then adding ink to portions of it, before pressing it into paper—was initially used for replicating Buddhist texts, but the occasional image was made, as well. The earliest known example of a woodblock print artwork is an illustration for the Diamond Sutra from 868. However, as only one shade of ink can be used per block, it was not really established as an art form until the millennium, when artisans in the Song period developed two-tone printing, using separate blocks for different colours, namely vermillion along with the typical black. In the 14th century, during the Ming period, full-colour compositions emerged, made with multiple blocks. It was around this time, too, that woodblock printing reached Europe, with artists like Albrecht Dürer and Titian popularizing the technique in their homelands throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, though the monochromes they created are generally referred to as “woodcuts.” And in Japan, although people had used the technique for centuries to produce texts, artists there did not begin using woodblock until the 18th century. In 1765, Suzuki Harunobu developed his own technique of multiple-block colour printing, a process called nishiki-e; before then, prints were usually colored with vegetable dye. Soon, brilliantly hued depictions of geishas, kabuki actors, and city scenes appeared, all rendered in a style known as ukiyo-e and pioneered by artists like Utagawa Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusai (who famously made The Great Wave, c. 1829–33). Ukiyo-e prints were made in the thousands and sold on the streets of Edo for just a few cents—quickly making woodblock prints some of the most popular art in Japan. The Paint Palette If you were a painter back in the early Medieval days, you’d have to separate your precious pigments into several bowls and line them up along your workspace, running the risk of accidentally mixing paints (and evidently, having lots of dishes to wash). This inefficiency evidently led to the development of the artist’s palette, which offered painters greater mobility and productivity in their craft. Though it’s not exactly known when it was invented, some of the oldest known depictions of the palette—a flattened hand-held surface, traditionally made of wood, for arranging multiple oil colours—come from De Mulieribus Claris, a 1374 collection of famous women’s biographies by Italian scholar Giovanni Boccaccio. Several illustrations throughout the book show women painters at work accompanied by a small, wooden disc with blotches of paint on top. One lady, deep in focus on a self-portrait, has a palette upon her desk in the shape of a nine-pointed star; it appears again, this time held, as she works on a Madonna and Child composition. By the 16th century, the now-ubiquitous kidney bean-shaped palette design—complete with a hole for the thumb—had emerged, as seen in an engraved portrait of Flemish painter Hans Bol, where the finely dressed gentleman poses with his (likely just-used) palette. Rectangular palettes were also used among Flemish painters such as Dirck Jacobsz, who included one in a 1550 portrait, as did Dutch Mannerist painter Joachim Wtewael in a self-portrait from 1601. Nearly all early representations of the palette came from Northern Europe, but we know from Artemisia Gentileschi’s Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting from the 1630s and Diego Velázquez’s seminal 1656-group portrait Las Meninas that it reached other parts of Europe by the mid-17th century. Very little has changed about the classic artist’s palette since, other than the more recent introduction of materials like plastic, acrylic, and safety glass as alternatives to wood. Originally introduced in 14th-century Italy as a more affordable alternative to wood panel, canvas consists of strong; tightly woven fabric that is often primed with a paint binder called gesso and stretched across a wooden frame. Though a smoother surface and lower price points have made canvas the most popular support for painting today, it took centuries to catch on—perhaps because most Renaissance art was made for (and funded by) wealthy families who preferred to decorate their homes in the city, often visited by nobles and scholars, with lavish panel paintings. Works on canvas, meanwhile, were viewed as less significant, and thus reserved for secular paintings to be hung in private summer properties; Sandro Botticelli painted his mythological tempera-on-canvas masterpiece The Birth of Venus (c. 1486) for the Medici’s Villa di Castello in the hills of Tuscany. By the 16th century, Italian artists and their patrons started to realize that wood is prone to decay, and canvas became the ideal surface for painting. The best quality canvases came from Venice and eventually spread to Northern Europe, where they slowly overtook the panel tradition that had reigned supreme for years. Even staunch panelist Peter Paul Rubens painted works on canvas. His first experiment with the surface, Wolf and Fox Hunt(c. 1616), helped popularize canvas in his native Flanders, and by the 18th century it had become the de facto support for painting. Canvas painting in the 20th century was marked by experimentation and destruction. In mid-1940s Buenos Aires, Madí artists Gyula Košice, Carmelo Arden Quin, and Rhod Rothfuss began toying with conventional Western art practices by painting abstracted forms upon irregularly shaped canvases, a practice pursued further by American painters Frank Stella, Richard Tuttle, and Ellsworth Kelly in the ’60s. In the meantime, during the ’50s, Abstract Expressionist artist Helen Frankenthaler soaked unprimed canvas with turpentine-thinned oil paint, making the two materials fuse together into one (something she also owed to the invention of the paint tube). Yet no artist was as radical in their treatment of canvas as Lucio Fontana, who literally took knives to his surfaces beginning in the late 1940s, and continued working in this manner until his death in 1968. The artist explained that with these works he did not intend to create paintings, but rather to introduce new dimension to art. Technically, the world’s first “camera,” the camera obscure, is thousands of years old. The concept of the camera obscure—which involved projecting images through a pinhole in a darkened room—was understood by ancient scholars and formally developed by Islamic polymath Ibn al-Haytham in the 11th century. But, of course, it could not truly capture an image like cameras we use today. The first camera that resembles the modern-day device has its roots in an experiment conducted around 1826 by French amateur scientist Nicéphore Niépce. While playing with his camera obscure—which by then had become portable—Niépce tried placing a bitumen-coated pewter plate inside of it, and left it before a second-story window in his home for eight hours. Afterwards, as he washed the plate, pieces of bitumen that were not hardened by sunlight began fading away—and Niépce was left with the first-ever photograph, capturing the upper-floor view of neighbouring buildings and a distant landscape. Despite the outcome, however, Niépce’s process had some issues: Not only did it require an extensive exposure time, the image is faint due to his underexposure of the plate—meaning those eight hours in the sun were not enough. Enter Louis Daguerre, another Frenchman intent on making (lasting) photographs who had had some success with shortening exposure time, and began collaborating with Niépce in 1829. After 10 years (and Niépce’s death), Daguerre arrived at what would become the first commercially available photographic process: the “daguerreotype.” In the nearly 200 years that have passed, the camera has seen countless improvements: William Henry Fox Talbot’s 1841-patented negatives allowing for multiple prints; George Eastman’s invention of rolled film in 1889, and his Kodak company’s introduction of colour photography in the mid-1930s; the first Polaroid in 1947; the first point-and-shoot autofocus camera in 1978; and the rise of the digital camera in the 1990s (and beyond). Today, cameras have become so small that they are embedded in our cell phones and laptops. But perhaps the most crucial development the camera has had on artmaking has been the art world’s gradual acceptance, and eventual adoration, of the work it produced. As one of few mediums introduced into the art-historical canon at a relatively recent stage, it took quite some time for photography to even be considered art. Thanks to boundary-pushing photographers like Alfred Stieglitz, Diane Arbus, and William Eggleston (to name just a few), and the institutions that exhibited them before it was fashionable, photography went from a low-brow commodity into a leading art form by the end of the 20th century. And it all traces back to two French people playing with a camera obscure. The Paint Tube It is well known that the Impressionists revolutionized painting at the end of the 19th century, bringing the dawn of modern art with them. But art lovers have to thank someone other than Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and the rest of that Parisian circle, for their contributions to art history: an American portrait painter named John Goffe Rand. Although he died in 1873, the year before the group’s first exhibition, Rand single-handedly (though indirectly) helped the movement come to life with his invention of the paint tube. Back in the 1840s, Rand was living in London and had become increasingly frustrated with the shelf life of his oil paints; he’d often find them dried up before they were even used. At the time, there were two common (yet not ideal) methods for storing paint: in fragile glass jars or syringes, which were dangerous to carry around, or in pig bladders, which artists would fill with pigments and seal with string. To access these colours, artists like Rand had to poke a hole in the bladder and scrape out as much paint as possible; because the hole couldn’t be re-sealed, whatever paint they didn’t gather went to waste. (Besides, who wants to store their precious pigments in a pig’s bladder?) In 1841, Rand had an epiphany: Small metal tubes would make storing paints simpler, cleaner, and handier, while increasing their longevity and portability. By March 6th, he had taken out patents on these “metallic collapsible tubes,” and they soon became a hit. With this ingenious invention, artists were able to bring however many shades of paint they wanted, wherever they wanted—whether that was a cafe, a garden, or an open field. The tube also let artists work in completely new ways, such as applying thick layers of paint directly from the tube. It is clear that the Impressionists—whose practices were distinctly marked by all of these approaches—relied on Rand’s paint tube, and on the ability, it gave them to paint outdoors, directly from the world before their eyes. Indeed, as Renoir one remarked, “without colours in tubes…there would be no Impressionism.” But the paint tube was revolutionary even beyond Monet’s France, improving painting for artists everywhere. In 1904, British chemist William Winsor added a screwable cap to Rand’s tube, allowing painters to save colours for later use. Pigment experts could then produce and sell paints in bulk without fear of them drying out, thereby making the medium cheaper. These mass-manufactured paints also had more even consistency, which could be thinned down with material such as turpentine—enabling further experimentation among artists, like Frankenthaler’s inventive soak-stain technique in the 1950s. Written language is estimated to be some 5,000 years old. But the dawn of the typewriter, and later the keyboard, transformed artists’ usage of the written word in their work. Between the developments of artist’s books, painted typography, and the rise of Conceptual Art, this invention further expanded what artists could do, and what art can be. While the first mechanical typing devices date back to as early as 1714, the modern “QWERTY” keyboard was patented by American inventor Christopher Sholes in 1868, and soon after, the first commercial typewriter was on the market. Revolutionary, yet extremely heavy and not so user-friendly, the typewriter did not change much until IBM introduced its Selectric typewriter in 1961, a more compact (and in keeping with ’60s style) update to the now century-old device. IBM continued to improve upon their product leading up to the computer age, by which point the keyboard—its modern name—became ubiquitous. With these new devices, forward-thinking artists could move beyond antiquated handwriting and use mechanized text in their work. Conceptual artists were naturally drawn to the typewriter’s capabilities, especially Joseph Kosuth. His incorporation of machine-written dictionary excerpts into his “One and Three” installations beginning in 1965, and later deeming those definitions themselves as art in his “Art as Idea as Idea” series from 1966–68, challenged the centuries-old belief that works of art need to come from the creator’s own hand. Conceptual artists like Lawrence Weiner and Barbara Kruger would form their entire practices around typewritten text (the latter is particularly fond of Futura). The ’60s also witnessed artists’ first experiments with painting words onto canvas so precisely and consistently that they mimicked what a keyboard could do. In 1966, Japanese artist On Kawara began Today (1966–2013), in which he painted the current date in uniform block lettering, eventually accumulating to some 3,000 works over nearly five decades. Around the same time, Ed Ruscha started exploring similar concepts from a West Coast-informed Pop Art lens, beginning with works like the oil-on-canvas OOF(1962). A few years later, he made an artist’s book—itself a new form of art pioneered by Ruscha and aided by the typewriter—called Royal Road Test(1967), filled with pictures of the artist and two companions chucking a vintage Royal typewriter out of a speeding car. Ruscha was not nearly done with typographic work, however: In 1980, he designed his own font called Boy Scout Utility Modern, based upon the lettering style seen throughout his oeuvre, which he still uses today. But perhaps no artist’s work is as synonymous with the keyboard as that of Jenny Holzer. Her text-based “truisms”—statements on feminism, social injustice, and the complexities of being human—began in 1977, when Holzer typeset her one-liners in alphabetical order and printed them on cheap commercial paper, hanging them up around New York City. This radical body of work has since appeared around the globe on scrolling LED signs, theater marquees, marble benches, billboards, massive building projections, and beyond. Neon and Fluorescent Light Over the latter half of the 20th century, artworks made from neon and fluorescent light have increasingly appeared in museum collections, and have been central to art movements such as Light and Space. The media themselves were both born of the 20th century, as well: The first neon lamp was invented in around 1902 by French engineer Georges Claude, and the first fluorescent lamp in 1926, by Edmund Germer in Germany. However, neither neon nor fluorescent light—the former made of thin, bendable glass tubes whose colours are determined by gas mixtures; the latter made of long, straight tubes with more limited colour options—would cross the commercial-to-fine art threshold for some decades, until Gyula Košice (of the aforementioned Madí movement) incorporated neon into works like Estructura lumínica Madí 6 (1946), marking the first time an artist used such a medium. Artists of the 1960s and ’70s, like Dan Flavin, Robert Irwin, and Bruce Nauman, are most commonly credited with bringing neon and fluorescent light into the realm of fine art—yet it should be noted that while Flavin and Irwin only worked with fluorescents, their work was still instrumental in introducing commercial light as a possible art form. Since then, artists from Keith Sonnier to Tracey Emin to Iván Navarro have created brilliant works of art from neon and fluorescent light, and institutions—like Dia:Beacon in upstate New York and the aptly named Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, California—have mounted permanent displays of these illuminating artworks.

<urn:uuid:ed403608-7530-4517-ae32-1623b6084002>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.smartravel.ch/9-inventions-revolutionized-artmaking-paint-tubes-neon/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Testing is a very important part of the development process. It allows us to verify the functionality of our projects as well as judge the quality of our work. At Mozilla, we have multiple ways of testing our code, including: - Unit tests and integration tests, which are automated tests that verify that pieces of code work as expected. - End-to-end tests, automated tests which check the functionality of a project as a whole. For example, simulating clicks in a web browser to test how a site functions. - Manual testing, which is performed by a human and involves verifying features work as expected and exploratory tests. Assessing and managing risk¶ The end goal of testing is to manage the risk of something going wrong with your project. To this end, one of the first steps you should take is to assess the risk of each area of your project. More concretely, some parts of your project are going to be more likely to fail than others. Also, some parts of your project are more important than others, and it may be more harmful for them to fail than less important parts. A risk assessment lists out the different parts of your project (such as certain webpages or parts of an API) and ranks them based on their importance. For example, a news site rank being able to read existing articles as more important than being able to submit new articles. Ranking these parts allows you to make decisions about which to test more and what kind of tests to run. Unit and integration tests¶ As a developer, the most common type of tests you will write are unit and integration tests. Unit tests test the smallest possible chunk of functionality and are isolated from each other. Integration tests test the interaction between these chunks. In practice, any changes you make to a project should be tested in some automated way if it’s reasonable to do so. While each project varies, generally we’re not that picky about having perfect unit tests or perfect test isolation. If you’re unsure, look at existing tests for the project for guidance on the preferred style. For Django projects, these tests live within the tests module of each included Django application. For Node-based projects, they normally live in a directory named tests at the root of the repository. Refer to your project’s documentation for more details. End-to-end tests simulates how your project will be used by users and verifies that it behaves as expected. This is most commonly applied to websites, where we use tools like Selenium to simulate users interacting with the website. For many sites, these tests are written by WebQA contributors and run against the various server environments. Manual testing is good old-fashioned human-powered testing, where a living, breathing human uses your project and checks for any errors. Typically this is either for verifying that a new feature works as expected, or for free-form exploratory testing. In addition to writing automated tests, you almost certainly should be manually testing any changes you make to a project. The following is a non-exhaustive, possibly-out-of-date list of tools and libraries that may aid you in testing your projects. nose is a highly recommended testing library for Python. factory-boy replaces test fixtures with factories that generate test objects easily. It integrates with the Django ORM to generate model instances with a very conveninent syntax. Mock is one of the most popular libraries for replacing parts of the system you’re testing with mock objects and asserting things about their behavior.

<urn:uuid:2a0328b7-adfb-402b-9315-6eac5ad81cc8>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://ateam-bootcamp.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reference/testing.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Applied Aviation Sciences Radiative transfer simulations are performed to determine how water vapor and nonprecipitating cloud liquid water and ice particles within typical midlatitude atmospheres affect brightness temperatures T-B's of moisture sounding channels used in the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and AMSU-like instruments. The purpose is to promote a general understanding of passive top-of-atmosphere T-B's for window frequencies at 23.8, 89.0, and 157.0 GHz, and water vapor frequencies at 176.31, 180.31, and 182.31 GHz by documenting specific examples. This is accomplished through detailed analyses of T-B's for idealized atmospheres, mostly representing temperate conditions over land. Cloud effects are considered in terms of five basic properties: droplet size distribution phase, liquid or ice water content, altitude, and thickness. Effects on T-B of changing surface emissivity also are addressed. The brightness temperature contribution functions are presented as an aid to physically interpreting AMSU T-B's. Both liquid and ice clouds impact the T-B's in a variety of ways. The T-B's at 23.8 and 89 GHz are more strongly affected by altostratus liquid clouds than by cirms clouds for equivalent water paths. In contrast, channels near 157 and 183 GHz are more strongly affected by ice clouds. Higher clouds have a greater impact on 157- and 183-GHz T-B's than do lower clouds. Clouds depress T-B's of the higher-frequency channels by suppressing, but not necessarily obscuring, radiance contributions from below. Thus, T-B's are less closely associated with cloud-top temperatures than are IR radiometric temperatures. Water vapor alone accounts for up to 89% of the total attenuation by a midtropospheric liquid cloud for channels near 183 GHz. The Rayleigh approximation is found to be adequate for typical droplet size distributions; however, Mie scattering effects from liquid droplets become important for droplet size distribution functions with modal radii greater than 20 mu m near 157 and 183 GHz, and greater than 30-40 mu m at 89 GHz. This is due mainly to the relatively small concentrations of droplets much larger than the mode radius. Orographic clouds and tropical cumuli have been observed to contain droplet size distributions with mode radii in the 30-40-mu m range. Thus, as new instruments bridge the gap between microwave and infrared to frequencies even higher than 183 GHz, radiative transfer modelers are cautioned to explicitly address scattering characteristics of such clouds. Journal of Applied Meteorology American Meteorological Society Required Publisher’s Statement © Copyright 1994 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act September 2010 Page 2 or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a web site or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, requires written permission or a license from the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy, available on the AMS Web site located at (https://www.ametsoc.org/) or from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or email@example.com. Scholarly Commons Citation Muller, B. M., Fuelberg, H. E., & Xiang, X. (1994). Simulations of the Effects of Water Vapor, Cloud Liquid Water, and Ice on AMSU Moisture Channel Brightness Temperatures. Journal of Applied Meteorology, 33(10). https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1994)033<1133:SOTEOW>2.0.CO;2

<urn:uuid:758ef087-3e14-41bd-a41b-cfe638362b14>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://commons.erau.edu/publication/240/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) uses thinking and rationale to help change behavior. It is not considered just a method of "positive thinking," but rather focuses on balanced thoughts and how they contribute to a situation. CBT may be used in conjunction with diet and exercise for weight loss. According to the Weight-Control Information Network, 68 percent of people in the United States are considered to be overweight, with over 33 percent of these people classified as obese. Losing weight and keeping it off long term can be extremely difficult, as people tend to return to habitually negative patterns of eating. Overweight and obesity is linked to numerous chronic health problems, many of which can be avoided or significantly reduced by managing weight levels. By using CBT while making positive physical changes, you may be more likely to succeed with permanent weight loss. How it Works When trying to lose weight, CBT may help you to consider your motives for overeating and to overcome thoughts that take you away from making the right choices. A behavioral therapist or coach can work with you to teach CBT and provide guidance for making good choices. You may learn about how to incorporate healthy eating habits into your lifestyle, and how to develop an exercise plan and a schedule to keep track of how often you are working out. These lifestyle modifications are used in conjunction with CBT in order to have a higher rate of success. The goal is to change your lifestyle and physical habits and to support those changes through your thinking. You may meet with a therapist or behavior coach once a week, although some people may need more frequent contact. Some therapists offer weekly meetings in person but are also available for contact through emails or phone calls if you find that you are struggling. Your therapist will help you analyze what situations you find yourself rationalizing unhealthy behavior. She can then teach you about how to reorder your thinking to fit with your weight loss goals. For example, you may be tempted to overeat at a party, rationalizing that it is a celebration, so you will let yourself cheat for one occasion. With CBT, you may learn how to change your thinking habits to consider the consequences of your behavior and to remember your overall goals. You can then combine this thinking with your healthy eating habits to move closer to your goal weight. According to the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, CBT is a form of therapeutic intervention that is effective in treating many different types of psychological disorders. Additionally, CBT can help you lose weight by teaching you to: - Determine how your thoughts influence your feelings, both negatively and positively - Understand the difference between your thoughts and your feelings and how that affects your eating patterns - Consider other rationale to counteract some of your automatic, negative reactions to eating - Learn how to break into negative thinking patterns as they occur to replace them with positive associations Although you may work with a cognitive therapist to help you achieve your weight goals, you must still learn many tactics to do the work on your own. Because you are responsible for your own thoughts, you can learn CBT techniques to use, practice them on your own, and then meet with your therapist to discuss your results and your weight loss progress. Judith Beck, PhD., the director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, states that there are several successful CBT techniques that can be incorporated into diet and exercise regimens that can help you become more successful at losing weight and keeping it off: - Providing education about how to modify your approaches in response to negative thought patterns about eating - Monitoring your environment and planning ahead for times when you may struggle with overeating - Using a diet coach or therapist initially and then gradually transitioning to a supportive friend who can keep you accountable in your weight maintenance - Experimenting with feeling hungry or having a craving, so you learn that you do not have to be afraid of feeling hungry - Writing down the skills you have learned and tactics to employ so that you will make permanent lifestyle changes, keeping your weight off for the long-term CBT helps you to be mindful of your eating practices by being aware of not only how much you eat, but why you are eating. You may choose to eat out of boredom or depression, rather than true physiological hunger. By thinking about your reasons for eating, you can determine if you really need food for hunger or if you are eating for emotional reasons. You can then choose to eat only if you feel physically hungry, and reduce your overall intake, leading you closer to your weight loss goals.

<urn:uuid:8d120b00-e736-46e8-8948-7ca3d84eec19>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://diet.lovetoknow.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-weight-loss-tips

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

- A. General Materials & Mathematics - B. Statics - C. Kinematics & Dynamics - D. Rotational Mechanics - E. Gravitation & Astronomy - F. Fluid Mechanics - G. Vibrations & Mechanical Waves - H. Sound - I. Thermodynamics - J. Electrostatics & Magnetostatics - K. Electromagnetic Principles - L. Geometrical Optics - M. Wave Optics - N. Spectra & Color - O. Vision - P. Modern Physics L6-02. Optical Board - Circular Slab To show focusing of a circular lens. Optical board with a circular disc, concave and convex lenses to produce parallel rays. Parallel rays incident on a 12 inch diameter circular plastic disc converge at the focal point. Spherical aberration is clearly seen. Number of slits and their spacing can be changed by choice of slit baffle and distance of baffle from source. This cylinder can also be used to produce a nice rainbow; see Demonstration N1-44: RAINBOW - OPTICAL BOARD.

<urn:uuid:bcee5eb0-47a0-4c8d-a578-95d1ffa41463>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://labdemos.physics.sunysb.edu/l.-geometrical-optics/l6.-lenses/optical_board_-_circular_slab

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Garlic is a beloved ingredient in many culinary recipes because of the flavor and aroma that it adds to food. Due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties, garlic has also been used worldwide as a traditional medicine for fighting infection and boosting the immune system. Garlic is one of the most widely prescribed supplements both to prevent and to lessen the length and severity of the common cold and flu. An herbal tea, or tisane, made with garlic, lemon, and honey is a common home remedy during cold and flu season, especially in Spain and Latin America, where it is known as the “Spanish cure.” Like many bulbs, one of the unique qualities of garlic is that it is often planted in the fall rather than in the spring. Planting garlic in the fall is the preferred method for most garlic varieties, especially hardneck varieties, as the roots become established before the ground freezes and winter provides an adequate period of dormancy during which the young plants are exposed to cold temperatures (vernalization) without the tops breaking the ground. The bulbs then have a jump-start on the growing season and are usually one of the first crops to pop up in the early spring. This early root formation and slow, cool growth over a longer growing season contributes to bigger garlic heads. Garlic needs to be planted in a sunny, fertile, well drained spot that hasn’t been used for growing other plants from the allium (onion) family. It is best to not plant garlic from the grocery store because it may have been treated to prevent sprouting and the varieties available in the grocery store may not be the best for our growing conditions. When it is time to plant, break the garlic heads into pieces (called cloves) and plant the best cloves, saving the smaller ones for cooking. The best cloves will be the larger, plump ones. Plant the cloves 4 inches apart and 2 inches deep with the pointed end of the clove facing upwards. A protective layer of leaves, straw or grass clippings will help insulate your newly planted garlic from the cold winter temperatures. Enjoy this educational video from our friends at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds:

<urn:uuid:dbc53f47-af4f-4334-9f9c-2797914466bc>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://mggreene.org/2018/09/time-to-plant-garlic/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

How to Read Food Labels Attempting to decode the information on food labels can be overwhelming. You know that the nutrition panel contains clues to whether the food is a healthy choice or not, so learning how to read food labels is a skill you should have for your own wellbeing. Legislation for food labeling varies from country to country but there are some basics that are globally relevant. Your aim should be to understand the basics first and then, as you become more proficient, dig deeper into the nutritional information. Most people are happy being able to identify the major contents of the foodstuff and the key nutrients, but when you know there are at least 60 alternative names for sugar on food labels, you can see there is a lot of information to digest. Here’s how to get started with the basics of how to read food labels. Most food packaging contains various labels or panels within labels sectioning off the information: Back or Side Label The basic information is found on the back or side label. Usually in the form of tables or grids, the info includes the serving size, the number of servings in the package and the number of calories each serving contains. If you’re counting calories, this is a great place to start. You’ll also see the total fat content and the saturated fat content here. These sections also contain information on the protein, carb, sugar and salt content of the food. It’s important to limit your salt and sugar intake because a diet too high in either can cause health problems, according to experts . If you’re attempting to cut too many carbs from your diet, this is where you need to look. You will see how much of each item is in the food, along with the percentage of the daily intake recommendations, known as RDA . Some labels, below the main panel, provide a table of the key nutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements) in terms of the % of the RDA a serving contains. Most foods now contain a quick reference guide on the front of the package. With just a glance you can see how many calories are in a serving, as well as the amount of total fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar. This is handy when you’re buying something you’ve never purchased or are working within strict guidelines regarding your intake of certain nutrients. You might notice that labels have a color-coded system. It is a legal requirement in the UK but optional in the USA. The system uses red, amber and green. A food that lists its nutritional information in a red box is high in fat, salt and sugar. Amber refers to foods that have a moderate content, while green foods are those that are low in calories, fat, salt and sugar. The more green you see, the healthier the food is. Another important part of the packaging to look at is the ingredients list. There’s a simple rule at work here in that the ingredients are listed in order of their highest concentration in the product. Also, you will find that healthier foods have a shorter list, while processed foods have a longer one. The longer the list, the more unrecognizable names you’ll read. Generally, consider saying away from foods that contain items you can’t pronounce, sugar substitutes, long lists of E-numbers and partially hydrogenated fats. You are bound to see certain terms on food labels that may trick you into thinking they are a great choice. For example, something may be labeled high protein. Yes, protein is important, but that same item could also be high in simple carbs or salt, neither of which too much of are healthy. Likewise, a gluten-free item might sound like the healthier choice, but many such foods are filled with replacements for the gluten that are not good for your body. The same goes for foods labeled as high in calcium, low in fat or fat-free. Your best bet is to do some research. Read through the ingredients list and the nutritional panel for the information that can give you clues as to whether the food is a healthy choice or not. For more help and to have a better understanding of Nutrition, check out 4 Weeks to Fit Nutrition, which is a detailed nutrition program filled with information, a full 4 week meal plan, live support, recipes, shopping lists, and much more! https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/food-labelling.aspxUnderstanding Food Labels

<urn:uuid:60d17a6f-e5d8-4f75-87d7-1c4ada9c42ce>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://nathaliamelofit.com/art-understanding-food-labels/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Fine motor skills are the capability to manipulate hands and fingers to perform tasks that require small, refined movements, like picking up a pen or selecting an elevator button. People living with motor skill-related disabilities may have limited or no use of their hands and arms. They may also experience shaking or hand and arm tremors. People living with motor skill-related disabilities have various non-traditional mouse device options that make it easier for them to move around websites or other applications. Following are some assistive technologies that may be used by people living with motor skill-related disabilities: - Speech recognition software: This software allows a user to perform actions simply by speaking different commands. For example, a user may open a link by saying the link name, or moving a mouse by saying where in a grid they want the mouse cursor to be. - Mouth or hand sticks: These sticks assist users with activities, such as typing or pressing buttons. Mouth sticks have a plastic or rubber feature on the end that is inserted into the user’s mouth, and a rubber tip on the other end. Hand sticks are strapped around the user’s hands and typically have a rubber tip at the end to provide better traction. General Design Considerations for Accessible Websites Mouse-dependent websites, forms, and software products can be very exhausting for users who live with motor skill-related disabilities. When designing for website accessibility, it’s important to limit the need for the user to be reliant upon using their mouse. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when designing accessible websites for people with motor skill-related disabilities: - Make sure the element focus is visually indicated so the user can tell where they are, making it easier to navigate websites. - Leave ample space between links, such as when you are providing a list of resource links on a resource web page or sidebar. - Make radio buttons and checkboxes larger than you may normally make them, to ensure that they can be easily selected. - Avoid the use of long drop-down menus in navigation bars. It is recommended to limit the options in navigation bar menus to five or fewer selections. - Limit the number of links in a page, unless they are there for a specific reason, such as a list of resources on a web page. An example of improper use of links is web pages that embed too many keywords and require the user to click on them to receive vital information. - Make sure all elements and links are properly labeled. This ensures that users who are using speech recognition software can just say the word or words that are displayed for the element or link to activate them. Form Design Considerations for Accessible Websites When designing forms for users living with motor skill-related disabilities, consider the following: - When possible, avoid putting a timer on the form. Timers can make it difficult for the user to complete them and may result in lost work and require them to start over again. This can be frustrating and exhausting to a user. - If a timing feature must be present, as in the case of secure forms, such as those used by financial institutions, ensure that it offers an option to extend completion time. - Ensure that the user can tab through the form fields in order, eliminating the need to use a mouse to advance through them. - Make form fields and buttons large enough to be easily selectable for individuals with hand tremors or for users who have difficulty controlling their hands and arms. - Drop-down menus on forms should also be limited to five or fewer selections. Further reading from WeCo’s Accessibility Blog about Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG):

<urn:uuid:92e01489-fd1a-409d-8172-393f2c909828>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://theweco.com/developing-for-motor-skill-related-disabilities/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

A service department is a cost center that provides services to the rest of a company. The manager of a service department is responsible for keeping costs down, or meeting the costs stated in a budget. The services provided by a service department are then allocated to the other departments of a business that use these services. Some of the costs of a service department may not be allocated elsewhere, due to cost overages that cannot be passed through to other departments (as defined in service agreements that state the costs that can be allocated). Examples of service departments are: Maintenance department. Bills the production department for labor and equipment consumed during the maintenance of machinery. Costs are commonly accumulated by individual maintenance job for each machine. Janitorial. Bills all departments for cleaning services, frequently on a square footage basis. Purchasing. Bills a variety of departments for its efforts in procuring goods and services for them. The allocation may be based on total dollars purchased or the number of purchase orders placed. Information technology. Bills departments for their use of IT storage, bandwidth, by user, or some other reasonable method of allocation. Elements of the accounting department can be considered a service department, since payments to suppliers can be traced back to the ordering departments, and customer billings are related to customer-specific profitability tracking. If the charges of service departments are assigned to the production area, these cost allocations will probably be included in a cost pool, and then allocated to goods produced. This means that some service department allocations may not be charged to expense until several months later, when the related goods are sold and charged to the cost of goods sold account. There is a moderate trend favoring the outsourcing of service departments, on the grounds that outside suppliers keep tighter control over their costs, and so will charge less than an in-house department. Outsourcing of this type should be adopted with care, to ensure that only non-critical service functions are shifted out of a business.

<urn:uuid:4c90a1c5-c5bc-4971-80dd-10994ce2a847>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/what-is-a-service-department.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

See also onion. Green onions are small onions that have been harvested before they mature. They typically have long, straight tubular leaves and bases that have not quite developed into bulbs. Both parts are edible. Green onions are also commonly referred to as spring onions or scallions. While these terms are used interchangeably, there are some differences between them. True green onions have small white bases, or ends, that vary in size depending on when they were harvested. Most will have a slight roundness to them, but they have not developed into full bulbs. Spring onions are green onions that have been allowed to mature a bit further. They are slightly larger and rounder in shape, and they carry a slightly stronger flavor. While green onions can come from any variety of onion, scallions are actually a distinct variety. The ends of scallions have straight sides and they do not form rounded bulbs as other green onions do. They are generally milder in flavor as well. Green onions are available year-round, but their prime season is spring and summer. Typically sold in bunches, you should look for groups that are fairly consistent in size. The tops should be crisp and bright green and the white ends should be firm and unblemished. Compared to mature onions, green onions are quite perishable. Remove any rubber bands and store them unwashed and wrapped in paper towel in a tightly closed plastic bag. They will keep in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for three to five days before the tops begin to wilt. To use green onions, rinse in cold water and trim the roots and the very tops of the greens with a paring knife. They can be cooked whole as a vegetable (in the same manner you would cook leeks), or chopped and used in a multitude of recipes that would benefit from mild onion flavor. They're a perfect addition to all kinds of salads from green to pasta to potato. Green onions can be grilled, sautéed or stir-fried and they're a classic accompaniment to baked or mashed potatoes. In a pinch, green onion tops and chives can be used interchangeably. Try one of our favorite green onion recipes: Chicken-Shrimp Egg Rolls Lemon Artichoke Chicken Korean Barbecued Beef beef, chicken, coconut, corn, couscous, crab, eggs, feta cheese, garlic, lamb, lemon, pasta, shrimp, potatoes, sesame, spinach, soy sauce, tomatoes, white wine View BigOven's green-onion recipes

<urn:uuid:a1ed0f25-bb1d-437a-9b98-bc2ea6996685>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.bigoven.com/article/recipe/green%20onion

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

The World's Largest Ocean Cleanup Starts Now Ambitious dreams have now become a reality as the Ocean Cleanup deploys its $20 million system designed to clean up the 1.8 trillion pieces of trash floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Check out another Forbes piece on how Ocean Cleanup aims to reuse and recycle the ocean plastic. The floating boom system was deployed on Saturday from San Francisco Bay and will undergo several weeks of testing before being hauled into action. The system was designed by the nonprofit Ocean Cleanup, which was founded in 2013 by 18-year-old Dutch inventor Boyan Slat. Their mission is to develop "advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic." The floating boom system, with the help of dozens of more booms, is estimated to clean up half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch within the first five years. Each boom will trap up to 150,000 pounds of plastic per year as they float along the currents between California and Hawaii. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a vortex of trash created from an ocean gyre in the central North Pacific. The trash vortex was discovered in the mid-1980s and lies halfway between Hawaii and California. Read more at Forbes.com.

<urn:uuid:664a9db2-115c-42ac-bfbc-19cf64db5d28>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.cmgfi.com/agents/richard-quintana/news/read/the-worlds-largest-ocean-cleanup-starts-now

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

The Emergence of USB in Medical Devices USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It is a standard connection protocol that connects many types of devices to other hardware. You can find USB ports on computers, televisions, printers, and even household appliances. USB began in 1994 and has since become the most successful tool for integrating electronics around the world. Today, USB is ubiquitous and universally recognized. It enables almost any device to interface with other devices, no matter the manufacturer. In the medical industry, USB devices provide an opportunity to make communications between medical technologies more standardized. Although hospitals and clinics may use different software and hardware, they may still be able to communicate with the implementation of USB connections in their devices. Some of the most prevalent USB devices used in the medical industry include: The Continuation of Serial Connections in Medical Devices Despite the ubiquity of medical USB ports, serial connections are still prevalent. Many legacy medical devices are still dependent upon asynchronous serial lines. Replacing them is simply not cost effective. To solve interoperability issues, serial connections can be augmented with USB adaptors to help devices communicate. In some cases, devices may be fitted with custom USB ports if no adaptors are readily available. Nonetheless, serial connections tend to be slower than USB. Meanwhile, experts are continually improving USB standards. At present, the most advanced USB standard is USB 3.1. This standard is known as “Superspeed+” and can transfer data at 10 Gbps (gigabytes per second). Most devices adhere to the USB 2.0 standard. But manufacturers continue to develop devices and cables that adhere to 3.0 and 3.1. Technological Standardization in the Medical Industry Standardization remains the biggest barrier to healthcare interoperability. Through the proliferation of USB connected devices such as medical ID bracelets and other machines, more and more systems will be able to communicate efficiently. The purpose of medical technology is to aid in the care of patients. With USB standardization, healthcare professionals can bypass many of the roadblocks that keep them from their patients and deliver more optimized care. Get the Products You Need for Mission Critical Applications In the medical industry, there’s no room for error. You need innovative technology products that are paired with excellent customer support. For all your mission-critical technology, turn to Coolgear. Shop online now or contact us if you have questions.Contact us for your custom solution

<urn:uuid:1cb66a65-8671-4f5b-ba1d-765c581b269e>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.coolgear.com/medical

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Fight to end rape in war must begin in peacetime: Mukwege Date created : Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege may have won his Nobel prize for his work to end sexual violence in war, but the crusading surgeon said the groundwork for equality must be laid in peacetime, as he praised movements like #MeToo. Mukwege, whose work has made him a global expert on gang rape in conflict, will on Monday be presented with the Nobel Peace Prize that he shares with Yazidi activist Nadia Murad. The 63-year-old has seen a lifetime's worth of horrors at his Panzi hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo's war-torn east, which he set up in 1999 and has treated the wounds of tens of thousands of women and girls, even babies. "When one does not fight against an evil, it is like a cancer, it spreads and destroys the whole society," he said, noting that few perpetrators are ever brought to justice. While atrocities against women are often committed in conflict, Mukwege said that even countries like Norway -- which often tops equality rankings -- and France still have work to do, because "it is in peacetime that men forge a negative, disrespectful" view of women. "We must change masculinity, moving from toxic masculinity, domineering masculinity to positive masculinity that promises gender equality," he said, calling for schools and families to play a greater role in encouraging respect at a young age. Mukwege said he had been heartened by the #MeToo movement, which has spread across the globe after sparking in the United States over a year ago in response to accusations of sexual abuse and harassment by powerful men in the entertainment industry and other sectors. "If our society wants to change things, there are steps to be taken, changes to be made and I am very happy today to see the silence broken. It is an ultimate step to break the taboo in relation to rape," he said. Fellow laureate Murad has become a tireless campaigner for justice for Yazidis since surviving captivity, gang rape and forced marriage under the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria where it targeted her Kurdish-speaking community. Mukwege said while the Nobel prize itself will not have a "magical effect" on behaviour, he still hoped it could help improve the lives of women, not just in DR Congo, but also those in other conflicts like Syria, or threatened by Boko Haram. "The world must do more," he said. - 'Tip of the iceberg' - The Nobel laureate lives under armed guard at his hospital after an attack in 2012. He does not like to talk of his work in terms of statistics, because "each woman raped is one woman too many" and he fears people have become desensitised to the swelling toll. But he said more than 50,000 women and girls had been treated at the hospital for injuries from sexual violence, though he stresses this is "just the tip of the iceberg", accounting only for those able to get to his hospital. Many are not able to make the journey. Mukwege has emerged as an excoriating critic of President Joseph Kabila, set to be replaced in December 23 elections in a nation that has not had a peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. But he said he was not tempted by politics at the moment. His focus will stay on his work at the hospital, he said, despite the publicity of the Nobel award. "The Nobel Prize found me in the operating room. I will try to stay there as much as possible," he said. © 2018 AFP

<urn:uuid:4b0298e2-0aab-4c4c-abfa-141ec0611806>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.france24.com/en/20181209-fight-end-rape-war-must-begin-peacetime-mukwege

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Have you ever been checking out a jazz standard and saw something like Cmaj7-A7-Dmin7-G7, and thought to yourself “I thought the vi chord (A7) is supposed to be minor?” Well, you would be right. But in cases like this, you are experiencing the use of something called a “Secondary Dominant” in the music theory world. In this video, I explain what a secondary dominant is and how it works. We use the jazz standards All of Me, to help us out. Important Links and Resources If you’re wondering how to learn jazz standards in general, and what a good process to do so, make sure you get my free guide “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way”

<urn:uuid:303e5f4f-9425-4fb1-9015-bee85edbaee9>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/video/learn-jazz-standards-video/what-is-a-secondary-dominant-all-of-me-analysis/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

“Upon a high ridge behind the Priory are the church and burying-ground of St. Baodan, the patron saint of the parish.” ‘Deirdre and The Lay of the Children of Uisne’ translated by Alexander Carmichael, pub. 1914, via NLS A couple of years ago I wrote about the wonderful old Priory at Ardchattan, on the shore of Loch Etive in Argyll. In March this year we went there again. It was the week before Easter, and slightly earlier in the season than our last visit: the first primroses were out, and but the daffodil buds were still tightly wrapped against the chilly breeze. We didn’t go into the Priory itself, but instead we went through a gate into a field and headed up the hillside, past some cows that were idling the afternoon away, and along the side of a burn until we came to a small ruined building. This was once a church, dedicated to St Baodan. This simple little building must have a long history, but most of it remains deeply hidden. It is thought to date from the 15th century, and may have fallen out of use sometime in the mid-1600s, but no one knows for sure. It was reported as being ruinous in 1678, and for the next 50 years local services were held in Ardchattan Priory, before a new church was built nearby. The RCAHMS sums it up quite neatly: “Uncertain age. Oblong. Random rubble, much dilapidated. Overgrown. Roofless. Window in each gable.” and then adds an interesting footnote: “Burnt to the ground c.1800.” On the surface, it therefore appears that Ardchattan Priory was founded long before this little church was built, but by its name I wonder if the opposite is true. In the 13th century, something would have drawn the Valliscaulian monks to Ardchattan, and the presence of an ancient shrine and a holy well (Tobar Baodan or Baodan’s spring issues from the hillside nearby) would have held a strong appeal. But this is purely speculation. “There is a forest walk from the A828 just past the Sea Life Centre – it is called the Coffin Trail and it leads up to this ruin.” In the east gable wall, two aumbries or cubby holes can be seen, and the east window is still there, but that is pretty much it in terms of surviving features; instead, in the walls on either side, the trunks of dead trees bulge from the stonework, showing just how overgrown this place must have become when it was abandoned. The branches may have been felled to preserve the structure, but it would be impossible to remove their trunks as the walls would come away with them. Most of the west gable has fallen since the date of an RCAHMS visit in 1980, as the surveyor noted “a window in each gable”. What’s left is a crumbling shell, lonely but not lifeless: ferns and mosses are softening the broken edges, and thrushes find the slabs very handy for tapping snails. Like so many of these old churches – roofless or otherwise – you can stand in the nave and feel the stillness. Assuming that the place was indeed burnt to the ground around 1800, this would explain why some grave stones dating from the 19th century can be found within the building itself, because this is what happened with many derelict churches over time. Some of them tell the fragments of interesting stories: “In memory of Peter McIntyre, late of Ardachy, died 26th April 1838 aged 77 Isabella McIntyre, his wife, died 12th Nov 1847 aged 71 Donald, their son, died 5th (?) April 1824 (?) aged 26 Anne, their daughter, died 23rd Sept 1845 aged 29 whose remains are interred in the adjoining grave No.2(?)” Looking on a large-scale map, I see the area around the church still bears the name Baile Mhaodain, which suggests that it was once the ‘place’ or ‘home’ of St Baodan. It’s possible that it still is. - Saints in Scottish Place-Names - Undiscovered Scotland - ‘Saint Modan of Rosneath: A Fragment of Scottish Hagiology‘ by Robert Herbert Story, 1878 - National Library of Scotland Photos copyright © Colin & Jo Woolf Footnote: I originally described this church as being dedicated to St Modan, assuming that the name derived from Baodan or Bhaodain, and it is indeed described as ‘Kilmodan’ in historical records. However, a reader has kindly pointed out that St Baodan and St Modan were two different men, and the confusion arose in the 19th century because of the similarity of sound in genitive mutations. My thanks to Gilbert, whose helpful comments you can read below. Read about Ardchattan Priory, just down the hill from here; or explore some more lovely little churches of Argyll: - Keills Chapel, Knapdale - Kilmory Knap - St Moluag’s Cathedral, Lismore - Kilvickeon, Isle of Mull - St Brendan’s monastery on the Garvellachs

<urn:uuid:754fb3f8-ce01-462a-afa8-64de1a1b9ce7>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://www.thehazeltree.co.uk/2016/03/25/ardchattan-in-the-footsteps-of-st-baodan/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998475.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20190617123027-20190617145027-00004.warc.gz

en

Big Data,as the term refers, is a massive collection of data sets. Big Data is, indeed, a big challenge to store or share. Traditional Computing Techniques cannot be employed to process the large data sets. Hence, available data management tool sand traditional data processing applications are of no use in case Big Data is to be managed. In fact, various tools, techniques and frameworks are involved to manage Big Data. Big Data is meant to cater to huge and extensive variety of data and can be classified into three categories: 1. Structured Data- Relational Data 2. Semi-structured Data– XML Data 3. Unstructured Data– PDF, Text, Media Logs, Word, etc. Big Data is intensively required for the data which is produced by various devices and applications. Big Data is highly required by certain fields like Search Engines, Social Media platforms,Stock Exchange, Airlines, Transport Facilities, Hospitals, Power Grid, etc. Big Data is a storage system for storing the varieties of data generating from various sources. Storage is not the sole purpose, it should be accessed as well as processed as and when require. So, Big Data Hadoop is a solution to the problem. 4Achievers is one among the best Big Data Hadoop Training Institutes in Noida which caters to the current requirement scropping up in the field. The trainers, at the institute, are well-adept and experienced to know the subject matter well. Our institute is a big name in the vicinity as the course is well administered with the required expertise. Apart from the Big Data Hadoop Training, all the other trainings which are conducted at 4Achievers are stream lined with the specific types of modules, study material, sessions/tutorials, etc. Besides that, series of mock interviews, group discussions and grooming sessions get the students ready for vacancies in the field. This so happens as the institute equips the learners with the required confidence and expertise. Practical sessions make learners proficient and skilled with extreme concept clarity. The Big Data Hadoop course syllabus is constituted of: 1. Big Data Hadoop SDK 2. Big Data Hadoop Architecture Overview 3. Overview of Big Data Hadoop Resources 4. Overview of Big Data Hadoop 5. Big Data Hadoop Application Fundamentals 6. Big Data Hadoop Media API 7. User Interface 8. Big Data Hadoop on real-time Projects 9. Big Data Hadoop Placement Training It is a certified course by the institute and the learners can have a life changing experience here. Learners can acquire the best of the knowledge here at the institute and think of shaping up their future as per their choice. 4Achievers, ensures that all the essential aspects of the training are covered to well-equipped the learners with required skill. Basic and advanced are the two levels of the course.Sessions and tutorials are carefully taken with essential guidelines. Can't decide? Don't hesitate to contact us! Are you jobless or not into the right job? Don't worry, we are here to place you.

<urn:uuid:724fea0f-956b-4461-94f4-c5c5ddc1e660>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.4achievers.com/big-data-hadoop.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Printmaking on a Budget: 15 Lesson Plans for Inexpensive Printmaking in the K-12 Classroom This set of 15 lesson plans was created during the months of June and July of 2009 as part of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Undergraduate Research Internship funded through the University of Tennessee Office of Research.The goal of this research was to create 15 different kinds of prints using mostly found and recycled materials or economical substitutions as well as inexpensive paper making for the classroom. The inks used adhered to safety standards for school children and a press was not used for any of the lesson plans. All paper used for the projects was collected from recycle bins or made from recycled paper. Many of the printing plates were produced by using primarily recycled cardboard and Elmer's White Glue. Special thanks to Beauvais Lyons for serving as faculty advisor for the project and use of the printmaking department facilities. Action Research: Engaging Students in Critically Thinking About and Discussing Art Through Differing Critique Methodologies Students in the Advanced Placement high school art classroom must be able to speak about their own work as well as engage in thinking about the work of their peers. The students had all previously in the school year participated in several informal group critiques, with students having the option to participate in the oral discussion. This study was completed through timed , anonymous rotations with students writing prompted answers to questions on the sheet in front of each piece, with each student critiquing one work at a time and each student having a piece being examined. The purpose of this study was to examine the surveys for any possible correlations between written vs. spoken, anonymous vs. identified, and informal vs. structured methodologies and their relation to student confidence and comfort in discussing their own work as well as the work of their peers. The results of this study reported that students felt more comfortable with anonymous written comments and that the structure of a written response was effective. Thing Maker: MFA Thesis Paper This paper accompanies paper. Recycled paper, folded paper, sewn paper, cut paper, thesis paper.The words on this computer screen reflect the temporality of my installations and arrangements. I am drawn to the possibilities that a seemingly two dimensional plane can be transformed into the three dimensional.I am a person who does not distinguish between the lines of art and science, as both are creative fields that are based around trial and error, exploration, and pushing the boundaries of possibility. Because of this belief, I consider my works to not just be experiments in art, but my own personal experimentations of engineering, manipulating paper constructions that do not always work, but the experiment itself serves as a temporary gratification. This paper addresses my interest in installation, the disclosure of information and the source of information, the archival impulse, and the obsolescence of print.

<urn:uuid:2732e9ea-1950-4a10-bdf0-000102617ef9>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.bethanyrobertson.com/publications-papers

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Earlier this month the humble text message turned an incredible 22 years old. It was on December 3, 1992 that 22 year old Neil Papworth sent the first fifteen character message that simply read “merry christmas”. How far technology has come in such a short space of time, with SMS now one of the dominant forms of mobile communication that generates billions of dollars in revenue and is expected to surpass 9 trillion messages sent globally by 2016. Back in 1992 nobody could have predicted the explosion in SMS traffic that would happen over the next few decades, with every network and smartphone in the world now capable of sending the short 160-character messages that we are all familiar with. Since its launch, SMS quickly became a cornerstone of mobile operators’ revenues and even more important to their profit line; it is estimated that in 2011, SMS accounted for 16% of the total mobile revenue that was generated by Western European operators. Looking back, it’s perhaps no surprise that SMS became so widely adopted – it’s relatively cheap and enjoys universal support on every device. It’s also the only messaging system that you can guarantee is supported by the person on the other end, despite the availability of messaging apps such as WhatsApp. Its ubiquitous support and simplicity has certainly helped SMS maintain its longevity, and in that time the technology has even found some surprising uses that nobody could have foreseen 22 years ago. SMS can even be credited with the rise of “text-speak” as a convenient way to succinctly convey something in a message: OMG is an example that springs to mind… Why 160 characters? The story of why a single text message is limited to just 160-characters is an interesting one, based on some rather unscientific tests by the research engineers but also the limitations of the technology at the time. It was Friedhelm Hillebrand, chairman of the non-voice services committee for the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) who was responsible for designing a system for sending and receiving text messages. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, mobile networks were extremely limited and there simply wasn’t the bandwidth to send sizeable messages over cellular connections. As a result, Hillebrand was tasked with finding an alternative and efficient system that could handle short messages, but one that could also be supported across every network operator and phone…a tall order indeed. One approach was to utilise one of the relatively unused radio channels (known as SS7) that was already being used for reception and signal strength messages. “We were looking for a cheap implementation,” said Hillebrand. “Most of the time, nothing happens on this control link… it was free capacity on the system.” Hillebrand came up with a fixed maximum size of 160 characters, not by any concrete scientific methods, but by carefully analysing that other common form of communication – the postcard. He found that most postcards contained around 150-160 characters, but he also confirmed his belief with a unique typewriter-based experiment which saw him type out random questions and answers. He discovered that most of the time, 160 characters was sufficient. “This is perfectly sufficient,” he recalls thinking. But the engineers working on the project (which began in 1985) could only manage to squeeze 128 characters into the messages – but with a little optimisation, such as reducing the character set that could be used, they managed to reach 160 characters – the limit that we still have today for an individual SMS. The mobile networks were caught off guard by the success of SMS, which was driven by the younger generation who immediately took to it despite the limitations of the keyboards at the time (long before T9 predictive text, BlackBerry style keyboards or touch screens caught on), in which multiple characters were assigned to the a key. Teenagers and ‘Millennials’ in particular took to texting more than anyone else, which led to it overtaking the telephone call in popularity. “A generation of e-mailing, followed by an explosion in texting, has pushed the telephone conversation into serious decline, creating new tensions between baby boomers and Millennials — those in their teens, 20s and early 30s,” according to an article by the Washington Post. Others have echoed those sentiments calling the telephone call a dying institution, due the surge in text usage: the number of text messages sent monthly in the U.S. ballooned from 14 billion in 2000 to 188 billion in 2010. As if more proof were needed, Time magazine estimated that Americans between 18-29 send and receive 88 text messages per day compared with just 17 phone calls (even 17 phone calls sounds like a lot, compared to most people I know). This frequency decreases as we get older, but even for those over 65 the ratio of texting beats calling by a factor of 5:3. A Time survey found nearly one third of respondents said they would rather send a text message than use the phone – even with people they know well. Can you think of all the times that you’d rather just fire off a quick message (whether that’s an SMS or using a messaging app) than make a phone call? It’s a common phenomenon – call somebody and inevitably you get the buy tone followed by the obligatory “I’m busy” message. The rise of messaging apps Even though texting remains popular, messaging apps are eating SMS’s lunch. WhatsApp is currently the world’s most used with 600 million active monthly users followed closely by QQ Mobile and Facebook Messenger at 500 million. These apps are still gaining in popularity, even as text messaging in the UK fell for the first time in 2013… The issue with such apps of course is that you can’t guarantee everyone you know has it installed. The popularity of these apps tends to change over time and there are huge regional differences. For example, LINE is most popular in Japan and Thailand, while Facebook Messenger has fairly global popularity mainly because it was foisted on Facebook users as a replacement for messaging within the Facebook app itself. That episode actually caused an uproar by angry Facebook users, though anyone that uses the messaging app will know that it’s actually quite good. But even though apps are killing off the SMS, there are some apps which do much more than simply replace the text with a richer experience – apps which are able to parse traditional SMS conversations and attach contextual information such as your availability and travel plans. This might help traditional operators cling onto some of their declining SMS revenue by adding valuable new features for customers and even creating new m-commerce opportunities – that’s if subscribers agree to have their SMS messages analysed and dissected by their operator. BlackBerry’s BBM is also positioned as a way for operators to combat the reduction in SMS revenues through customisation of branding, content, and services within a standard framework. But just looking at the raw numbers of messages sent, if we look at the volume in China over the last year you’d hardly be aware that SMS was in danger because 62 billion text messages were sent in October alone. It’s no wonder the networks are keen not to hang onto SMS revenue streams for as long as possible. Are text messages a dying technology? For person to person communication, there is no doubt that SMS is on the way out, spurred on by instant messages (which incidentally surpassed the number of texts sent in 2012). However, A2P (application to person) messages continue to grow as a segment. For example, these include the type of messages that you receive when your bank sends you a confirmation code or account alert. But is it really wise for businesses today to invest in A2P SMS as a way to reach their customers? There were 8 trillion SMS messages sent last year, and as an established way to communicate it seems SMS will be around for a long time yet. Even if it eventually falls out of favour entirely, its influence will still be felt in related technologies and applications. Today, SMS is still the only way to reach everybody with a mobile phone – it’s a lot less invasive than a phone call, and means more to customers than an email. For the time being at least we’re not quite ready to say goodbye to the SMS. So happy 22nd birthday! As always, if you have any comments or opinions on this article, please let us know in the comments below.

<urn:uuid:be5d4878-3225-4f2d-95fc-2c26a7b90a77>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2014/12/text-message-sms-turns-22.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

The tooth fairy is a cultural icon and her magic is what dreams are made of around the world. But questions abound. What does the tooth fairy look like? Who is the tooth fairy? What does the tooth fairy do with lost teeth? Where does the tooth fairy live? How can I reach the tooth fairy? The answers to these questions and more are revealed just in time for National Tooth Fairy Day! For Immediate Release – Outer Realms– February 27, 2012 – February 28th is National Tooth Fairy Day and The Real Tooth Fairies are celebrating with a magical reveal to Earthies. With breaking news that the whole world is talking about, the Queen of Real Fairyland is seen ON EARTH in a video at the US Capitol! Actual footage can be seen at http://youtu.be/8LyauO44c7o. It’s clear these are THE OFFICIAL and the REAL Tooth Fairies and their website - therealtoothfairies.com/home- is a rich online world filled with imaginative, interactive fun for girls ages 6-10. Queen Sirona is now welcoming Earthie visitors to visit Real Fairyland with magical adventures, free gifts, and award –winning products for “everything Tooth Fairy.” To start the magic, girls 6-10 years-old take the Royal Quiz and get matched to the tooth fairy and meet her – all for free. How it works is simple. A girl goes online to www.therealtoothfairies.com/registration - with her parent’s permission – and gets matched to her tooth fairy during the Royal Quiz that asks about the girl’s interests. This match-up begins a magical friendship between a girl and her Tooth Fairy where the two write back and forth like best friends sharing all of a growing girl’s day to day experiences – her proud moments and her heartaches. Topics a girl can write about include: proud of a new activity, a good day at school or sports, a hard time, making friends, or EVEN losing a tooth! Then the Tooth Fairy writes back with a Magic Letter on the girl’s pillow! “The Real Tooth Fairies are positive role models with a focus on goal-setting, and spreading kindness – which is so important amidst parent concerns that we send anti-bullying messages to children of all ages,” says Marilyn Bollinger, President of TheRealToothFairies.com. Her background is in child and family therapy as well as product development for Disney, LeapFrog, and Fisher-Price. While girls love exploring all the attractions within Real Fairyland like playing magical games and doing fairy activities, the Real Tooth Fairies keep their focus on a special mission - to inspire girls to be heroes for kindness and help the tooth fairies change the world. The award-winning kindness program, EVERY KINDNESS COUNTS, motivates girls to do several kindnesses a week in their families and with friends. There’s a scoreboard on the site, which shows the Earth score for the day, as each kindness a girl does changes the score. “Earthie girls are picking gazillions of Kindness Tickets with their tooth fairy and doing the kindnesses in their families,” says Bollinger. “Will kindness win today? It’s up to the girls to share their Glow and make that happen!” From the pool of Earthie girls who are members of the tooth fairy website, one lucky family a day from February 27th to March 3 will win the royal gift of a five-minute phone call from Real Fairyland's Queen Sirona. The Earth family can ask her questions and share news about their girl to tell her tooth fairy. The National Tooth Fairy Day Celebration also includes 25% off the award-winning Tooth Fairy Books, Kindness Kits, and Tooth Fairy Fashions - all shipping from the Magic Street Shops of Real Fairyland. With over 40 tooth fairy settings and content that builds character and confidence, www.therealtoothfairies.com/home is a top favorite place for girls to “grow and Glow” with their Real Tooth Fairies. “Our site embraces the meaning of a happy, imaginative childhood,” says Bollinger, “Parents tell us it is the one site where they feel safe having their girl spend hours because they know it’s wholesome and positive.” Teachers praise the content and even use computer time on the site as a reward in school when kids complete their work. Since the Tooth Fairies also care about teeth, they have joined with some of the kindest dentists on Earth, who are Official Real Tooth Fairy Dentists. Families magically link to these dentist sites so girls can have the most tooth fairy fun at every dental visit. Engaging stories, silly spells, virtual shopping and customized decorating, make-overs and fashion, sports, and dream-building activities all entertain while helping a girl celebrate who she is with her own unique talents and goals. Girls develop imagination, literacy, math skills and get expert guidance in friendship challenges. Most importantly, a girl gets to know her Tooth Fairy and have a magical best friend who loves her and celebrates her! Parents are raving about the site because they play an active part in helping that girl’s fairy with Tooth Fairy letters and surprises. The entire “tooth fairy solution” is right on the site in the Parents Only Zone, and it’s all one stop. Parents praise the brand’s positive values, the focus on kindness and family togetherness, and the 20 Lost Tooth Virtues. The Real Tooth Fairies are a mom or dad’s partner as well as the girl’s magical best friend in reinforcing the important message to a girl that she is one in a million and a true gift to our world. About The Real Tooth Fairies The Real Tooth Fairies are represented to Earthies by the Royal Council of the Real Fairyland, LLC, an entertainment company dedicated to the production of excellence in programming and interactive media, tied to consumer products that inspire imagination, foster creativity, and encourage children to spread kindness and change the world. The Real Tooth Fairies focus on character-building through positive role models, the 20 Lost Tooth Virtues, and Every Kindness Counts. In addition, a school kindness program involves students in a 4-week program wherein kids are heroes for kindness in their family, school, and community while supporting a global charity. Marilyn Bollinger, president of The Real Tooth Fairies, is the author of 30 Disney books and has consulted for LeapFrog, Fisher-Price and other top children’s companies. As a licensed clinical social worker, she practices family and children’s therapy and is leader of parenting workshops. And of course, she’s honored to be the Earth’s ambassador to all things Real Fairyland, where Love is Magic and Every Kindness Counts! For more information on the Real Tooth Fairies, please contact: Rachel Frankel at 1.888.Yr Fairy or email rfrankel@TheRealToothFairies.com. Learn about the Real Tooth Fairies at http://www.TheRealToothFairies.com/guest-services/about-us. Get Matched to your Tooth Fairy at http://www.TheRealToothFairies.com/registration. Girls can ask their Tooth Fairy for personalized letters at http://www.TheRealToothFairies.com/ask-magic-letters. Shop at The Real Tooth Fairies Magic Street Shops at https://Shop.therealtoothfairies.com. For a Guide & Gift for parents of a Free Personalized Tooth Fairy Letter go to http://www.ToothFairyForParents.com. To start spreading kindness in your family now to http://www.therealtoothfairies.com/kindness. This is the only place on Earthie parents can buy Kindness Kits: www.shop.therealtoothfairies.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=32&pg=1 Watch the video of Queen Sirona’s arrival at http://youtu.be/8LyauO44c7o.

<urn:uuid:a4d89595-af5e-45c7-b1ab-8a299475a019>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

http://www.therealtoothfairies.com/news/articles/2012/02/27/the-tooth-fairy-is-magically-revealed-for-national-tooth-fairy-day

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Food is cooked/baked at temperatures that are significantly higher than what's considered normal for proteins/amino acids (40°C). Why is it, then, that such food is still considered nutritious after cooking? (meat, cheesecake, lentils, quinoa, mushrooms, etc.) Cooking is just a form of digestion. What is digestion? Digestion is the process of breaking down big molecules into smaller molecules. When you cook food you break down big molecules into its small components. Why do we digest food? Think about a long sequence of DNA for example. You eat corn and you have in your body a long sequence of corn DNA. What can you do with that long molecule....well, nothing. You need to break this long molecule down in order to be able to assimilate the constitutive nutrients. With those nutrients, you can now make up your own DNA. In other words, we need to break the big Lego castle that is food to get the building blocks in order to rebuild a spaceship. Digestion refer to the first process (breaking up the Lego castle). We refer to the part of the metabolism who breaks things down as catabolism and we refer to the part of metabolism that build things up as anabolism. Note that catabolism + anabolism = metabolism. Why do we cook then instead of digesting by ourself Digestion takes much energy and require the organism to have the right organs and to have the right matter (enzymes and stuff). We can save up energy (and the other stuff) by digesting the food outside our body. One could say that humans, (just like spiders for example) are performing external digestion. Why cooked food considered nutritious Cooked food don't have more nutrients than raw food. It is actually likely that in the process of cooking you would lose some nutrients going in the water that you throw away typically. The big difference is that nutrients in cooked food are easy to assimilate which might end up being more healthy depending on the specific food source. Cooking may also destroy potentially toxic products. Note that in response to the cooking behaviour, human gut has evolved to be shorter than it was in our ancestor.

<urn:uuid:2fb5e6c4-d619-44a1-9ad3-b2d8b6877ab3>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/35494/why-cooked-food-considered-nutritious-if-proteins-decompose-at-much-lower-temper

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Definition: Cheque refers to a negotiable instrument that contains an unconditional order to the bank to pay a certain sum mentioned in the instrument, from the drawer’s account, to the person to whom it is issued, or to the order of the specified person or the bearer. Parties to Cheque Basically, there are three parties to a cheque: - Drawer: The person who draws the cheque, i.e. signs and orders the bank to pay the sum. - Drawee: The bank on which the cheque is drawn or who is directed to pay the specified sum written on the cheque. - Payee: The beneficiary, i.e. to whom the amount is to be paid. Apart from these three, there are two more parties to a cheque: - Endorser: When a party transfers his right to take the payment to another party, he/she is called endorser. - Endorsee: The party in whose favour, the right is transferred, is called endorsee. Sometimes, the drawer and payee can be the same person, when the drawer writes a self-cheque. Types of Cheque - Open Cheque: Otherwise called as uncrossed cheque, it is one on which cash is payable at the counter of the bank, or it is transferred to the bank account of the person whose name is written on the cheque. It is negotiable, i.e. it is transferable in nature. - Bearer Cheque: Bearer cheque refers to the cheque which can be encashed by the person whose name is written on the cheque or anyone who presents the cheque before the bank for payment. It is negotiable in nature, which can be transferred by simply delivering it and so endorsement is not needed. No identification of the presenter or holder is required in case of a bearer cheque. - Order Cheque: As the name suggests, it is the cheque which becomes payable to the person or organization whose name is specified on the cheque or to his order. To convert a bearer cheque into an order cheque, the word ‘or bearer’ is stricken off from the cheque. Endorsement of the cheque to the third party is done by simply signing on the cheque. - Crossed Cheque: You might have observed, two transverse parallel lines at the top left corner of some cheques, which may or may not have the words – & Co., A/c payee or Non-Negotiable. Such cheques are regarded as crossed cheques. The amount on such cheques is credited to the account of the payee. - Self Cheque: When a person wants to withdraw money from his own account, by writing ‘self’ at the name of the payee, is called self-cheque. Do not cross the cheque or cancel the words ‘or bearer’ from the cheque. These cheques should not be crossed, as well as the words ‘or bearer’ should not be stricken off from the cheque, so that any person as your representative can receive the amount on your behalf. - Blank Cheque: A cheque which is only signed, but the name of the payee and date is not indicated, is called a blank cheque. Such cheques can be made account payee, and the maximum limit of withdrawal can be mentioned. - Stale Cheque: A cheque bears a date and is valid up to three months of the stated date. If a cheque is presented before the bank, after the expiry of the reasonable period, i.e. three months after the date, then it is called stale cheque. - Post-Dated Cheque: When a cheque is drawn containing a future date, it is called post-dated cheque. In such cases, money will not be payable by the bank before that date. - Ante-dated Cheque: A cheque containing a prior date, is called an ante-dated cheque. Bank honours cheques until three months to the date mentioned. - Banker’s Cheque: Otherwise called a pay order, it is a non-negotiable instrument, which is issued by the bank on behalf of the customer, which is payable in the same city. - Cancelled Cheque: Due to any kind of mistakes while writing the cheque, it is cancelled, and so it is called cancelled cheque. - Mutilated Cheque: A cheque which is torn, damaged, crushed or washed, is called a mutilated cheque. Such cheques are honoured only when certain details are visible, after confirming with the drawer. - Traveler’s Cheque: A cheque issued by a bank for a fee, containing a fixed amount. These cheques are enchased or used to make payment in a foreign country, after endorsement by the signature of the holder. - Gift Cheque: Cheques that are used for the purpose of gifts and prizes, usually very large in size, are called Gift Cheques. Banks charge a fee for issuing such cheques. Cheque includes both electronic image of a truncated cheque and a cheque in electronic mode.

<urn:uuid:f1cb8646-861c-449e-9856-7691ec58b145>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://businessjargons.com/cheque.html

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Retinoblastoma is a form of eye cancer. This particular type of eye cancer begins in the retina, which is the part of the eye that takes light that enters the eye and transmits it to the optic nerve to create an image in the brain. Retinoblastoma is a rare type of cancer. It generally affects children but in some very rare cases, it can occur in adulthood as well. Retinoblasts are the cells that form the retina that develop during early pregnancy. It is possible for retinoblasts to begin growing out of control rather than develop into more mature retinal cells, which is what occurs when a child suffers from retinoblastoma. As the retinal cells continue to grow and multiply, a tumor develops in the retina. Sometimes, retinoblastoma can spread beyond the retina. This can involve the tumor and cancer cells invading other areas of the eye. Retinoblastoma can also metastasize and get into the spine and/or the brain. The exact causes of retinoblastoma and the genetic mutations that cause it are usually unknown. However, if one of the child’s parents also had retinoblastoma, the genetic abnormality could be inherited. Retinoblastoma can cause a variety of symptoms. Because this cancer is often found in small children, parents may notice that one or both of the child’s eyes appear red or swollen. The eyes may also be irritated or painful. With retinoblastoma, a white or yellowish mass may be visible when looking at the eye and a white glow may be evident with a camera flash. If a child’s eyes seem to go off in different directions or are crossed, they may have a retinoblastoma tumor. Retinoblastoma is caused by genetic mutations of the nerve cells in the retina. The mutation causes cells to grow and multiply at a far faster rate than cells die, which creates an accumulating mass known as a tumor. If left untreated, the cells will begin to invade other parts of the eye or even metastasize to other parts of the body, such as the spine and brain. Although in many instances the cause of the genetic mutations are unknown, in some cases they occur as a result of inheriting a genetic trait from parents. Hereditary retinoblastoma is an autosomal dominant trait, which means that just one parent has to have a copy of the mutated gene for the child to have a 50% chance of having the same gene. However, just because a child inherits the mutation doesn’t mean to say that they will definitely develop retinoblastoma. There are numerous treatment options for retinoblastoma depending on whether it affects one or both eyes, the stage of the cancer, and whether or not it has spread beyond the retina. Chemotherapy and radiation are both treatment options for retinoblastoma. Laser therapy and cryotherapy are also known as focal therapies and can be used to target the retinal tumor and shrink the tumor or stop tumor growth. The surgical removal of the affected eye is also an option in some cases and may prevent the need for any other retinoblastoma treatments. It isn’t possible to prevent retinoblastoma, but early diagnosis and treatment may help to prevent the cancer from spreading to other parts of the eye and body. People with a family history of retinoblastoma should have their children screened for the condition via regular ophthalmologist examinations. It’s also important to look out for symptoms such as: Genetic testing may also be a helpful resource for parents with a family history of retinoblastoma. The testing will determine whether a child has inherited the genetic mutation, and could also offer insight into their risk of developing other related cancers. Although genetic testing won’t prevent retinoblastoma, it might help to make parents more prepared for the possibility of the cancer and allow them to understand what types of medical exams are necessary.

<urn:uuid:27ec863a-da2a-40fe-a891-b77522b2c673>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://healthery.com/health/retinoblastoma/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Nepal Adopts Secular Constitution Amid Violent Protests On September 16, 2015, the Constituent Assembly of Nepal adopted a new constitution almost a decade after the end of its civil war. The country’s constitution, the first to be drafted by popularly elected representatives, establishes Nepal as a secular federal republic. The constitution also divides Nepal into seven provinces and establishes a proportional electoral system to elect federal and state officials. While on the one hand, the constitution has received praise for its provisions protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, there has also been strong criticism about other aspects of the constitution. For example, the Madhesi and Tharu ethnic minority groups continue to protest provisions concerning the proposed provincial boundaries, on the basis that their political representation will be more limited. Additionally, women’s rights groups have protested on the basis that certain constitutional provisions discriminate against women. Scholars have also expressed concerns regarding the lack of public participation in the process of drafting and implementing the constitution. Protests against the constitution have already resulted in more than 40 deaths since August 2015. [NY Times: Amid Protests; BBC: Why is Nepal’s Constitution Controversial?] Background of the Civil War in Nepal The United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), established in 1994 by Pushpa Kamal Dahal (“Prachanda”), launched a “People’s War” in 1996, with the aim of ousting the existing government and creating a single-party communist republic, benefiting marginalized sectors of Nepali society, including Dalits (formerly known as “untouchables,” Dalits have the lowest status in the Hindu caste system), women, and ethnic and indigenous groups. Between 1996 and 2001, the Maoists gained control of rural areas in Nepal while the government continued to control cities and towns. The conflict escalated in 2001, when the Maoists withdrew from peace talks and attacked army barracks, district capitals, and army posts in more than half of Nepal’s 75 districts. In response, the government declared a national state of emergency and mobilized the Royal Nepalese Army. In 2005, King Gyanendra was involved in a royal coup to consolidate power, dismissing the entire government, assuming executive powers, and declaring another state of emergency during which period civil liberties were restricted. Following this, the Maoists engaged in more violent attacks against government targets and security forces. [BBC: Profile; Insight on Conflict; Reuters] Later in 2005, the Maoists announced a unilateral ceasefire and joined an alliance with Nepal’s seven main political parties. Shortly after this, the “People’s Movement” (known as Jana Andolan II) was established to restore democracy. On November 21, 2006 the government and the Maoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord, bringing about the end of the civil war, establishing a Constituent Assembly to draft the constitution, and putting into place an interim government. See Human Rights Watch, Children in the Ranks, The Maoists’ Use of Child Soldiers in Nepal (February 2007). [BBC: Profile; BBC: Nepal’s Ousted King; ICTJ; Insight on Conflict; BBC: Timeline] While figures vary widely as a result of under-reporting, according to Nepal’s Peace and Reconciliation Ministry, during the 10-year civil war, at least 1,300 people were forcibly disappeared, more than 16,000 people were killed, and tens of thousands were displaced. [Al Jazeera: Seeking Justice] In addition, all parties to the armed conflict arbitrarily detained people, and committed torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence. See International Center for Transitional Justice, To Walk Freely with a Wide Heart: A Study of the Needs and Aspirations for Reparative Justice of Victims of Conflict-Related Abuses in Nepal (September 2014). Background of the Drafting of the Constitution The recently adopted constitution is the first of Nepal’s constitutions to be drafted by elected representatives, as the previous six constitutions were drafted by a small select group of people. At the end of the civil war in 2006, it was agreed that a Constituent Assembly would be elected to draft a new constitution; an interim constitution was adopted in 2007. The following year, the monarchy was abolished and the Constituent Assembly (CA) was popularly elected to a two-year term. The CA was comprised of different political parties, including the United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), and Madhesi-based regional parties including the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, the Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP), and the Sadbhavana Party (SP). See Krishna Khanal, The Participatory Constitution Making Process in Nepal: An Assessment of the CA Process (2008–2012), in Participatory Constitution Making in Nepal: Issues of Process and Substance (2014), 1-2, 8, 12. Once the CA was elected, civil society groups began an outreach program to engage the public in the constitution drafting process. For example, citizens, political parties, and civil society were encouraged to submit their views regarding the constitution to relevant government committees. In response to the opinions received, the CA thematic committees developed detailed questionnaires. However, critics questioned the effectiveness of these questionnaires, noting that many found the questions to be too lengthy, technical, and complex. In addition to the CA outreach program, in 2008, with the Nepali government’s consent, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) coordinated the participatory constitution-making process among donors, forming a consortium that included the Department for International Development (DFID), the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), the Norwegian Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Additionally, the Support to Participatory Constitution Building in Nepal (SPCBN) project was created to gather international assistance and promote public participation. NGOs also made submissions on a number of issues including women’s rights (e.g., Pro-Public); children’s rights (e.g., CZOPP); and issues related to Dalits, indigenous groups, including the Madhesis (indigenous population of the flat southern region of Nepal, known as the Terai), and persons with disabilities. See id. at 14-19. Drafting, Negotiation, and Constitutional Crisis In 2009, the CA thematic committees started formulating drafts of the constitution. This process included consulting hundreds of experts. There were a number of issues upon which committee members had differing opinions, which led to the creation of a Dispute Resolution Subcommittee. Disagreements arose with respect to a number of issues including the form of government, type of electoral system, composition of the judiciary, and right to self-determination and citizenship. However, federalism was the most contentious issue, because of the impact it could have on caste and ethnic and regional groups, particularly in the context of Nepal’s diverse population , with approximately 125 caste or ethnic groups and about 123 languages. In determining how to divide Nepal into provinces, members of the CA had to consider whether the new boundaries should be demarcated on the basis of the country’s geographic features, capacity for governance, access to resources, and potential for development, or whether the boundaries should be based on ethnicity, which would allow members of the same ethnicity, caste, or language to exercise greater control in a particular region. See International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, Creating the New Constitution: A Guide for Nepali Citizens (2008), 177-178. The CA’s term was extended because the political parties could not agree on the number and political boundaries of the country’s provinces. Although parties came to an agreement in May 2012, the Madhesi parties began protesting, and the United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) withdrew from the agreement. This led to the dissolution of the first CA, thus stalling the constitution making process. Elections for the second CA were held in November 2013, after which the constitution-making process was resumed in 2014. See id. at 1, 19-24. See also The Carter Center, Political Transition Monitoring in Nepal 2009-2014, 2014, 18. [CNN; NY Times: Amid Protests] The Effect of the Earthquakes on the Constitution-drafting Process In April and May 2015, Nepal was hit by a 7.8 and 7.3 magnitude earthquake, respectively; these earthquakes killed more than 8,800 people, and damaged or destroyed almost 800,000 homes. Almost three million people were still in need of urgent assistance as of July 23, 2015. [Al Jazeera: Timeline; IFRC Press Release] Following this, Nepal’s political parties began compromising on issues on which they had been deadlocked, including whether Nepal should adopt a federalist system, noting that dividing the country into provinces would allow all major political parties to assist with post-earthquake reconstruction. [NY Times: Earthquake Prods Nepal] The draft constitution was endorsed by the Constituent Assembly on September 16, 2015 with 507 votes, significantly more than the required two-thirds majority. Out of 598 CA members, 532 participated in the voting process; 25 members, all belonging to the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, voted against the draft constitution. The majority of the votes in favor of the draft constitution belonged to members of the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Sixty representatives boycotted the vote, many of whom were members of Madhesi-based regional parties, and five representatives were absent. [The Himalayan Times: Overwhelming Majority Endorses Draft Constitution; CNN] The constitution was promulgated by President Ram Baran Yadav on September 20, 2015. [The Kathmandu Post: Constitution of Nepal 2015] Key Constitutional Provisions with Respect to Governance The new constitution, the first to be drafted by a popularly elected Constituent Assembly, contains eight parts and 305 articles. [The Himalayan Times: Nepal Embarks on Journey; The Indian Express: Nepal’s Latest Constitution; UN News Centre] Some key components of the new constitution include the following: The new constitution, which establishes Nepal as a secular republic rather than a Hindu Kingdom, as it was until the monarchy was abolished, defines secularism as “religious and cultural freedom including protection of religion and culture prevalent since ancient time.” [The Indian Express: Nepal’s Latest Constitution; WSJ Blog] Nepal will shift from a unitary (where most of the powers of the State are exercised by the government at the national level) system of governance to a three-tier federal structure, with federal, provincial, and local governments. The country will be divided into seven provinces, which will be carved out of the currently existing 75 administrative districts. [The Himalayan Times: Nepal Embarks on Journey] The constitution adopted a proportional representation electoral system to give marginalized groups, including women, ethnic minority groups, and low caste groups, more opportunities to participate in government. [The Indian Express: Nepal’s Latest Constitution] Reaction to the New Constitution Protection of LGBT Rights The Human Rights Campaign praised the provisions in Nepal’s Constitution which provide protection against discrimination and violence for the LGBT population. Specifically, the constitution states that “sexual and gender minorities” cannot be discriminated against by the State or the judiciary; citizens may choose their preferred gender identity on their citizenship documents; and gender and sexual minorities have the right to participate in State mechanisms. However, the constitution does not mention same-sex marriage. Sunil Babu Pant, Asia’s first openly gay federal member of parliament and founder of the Blue Diamond Society, a Nepali NGO that fights on behalf of gender and sexual minorities, stated: “This new Constitution makes clear that we can be proud of our LGBT identities, and that we can be proud citizens of Nepal.” [Human Rights Campaign Blog; Human Rights Campaign: The New Constitution of Nepal and LGBT Rights] Opposition to the Constitution More than 40 people have been killed since August 2015 as a result of conflicts between protesters and the police; the victims include two children. [Channel News Asia; CNN] After the promulgation of the constitution, protesters blocked off two of the main border crossings to India, thereby reducing Nepal’s supply of supplies such as sugar, salt, and petrol. [BBC: Nepal Constitution: New Border Protests] Most recently, protesters have blocked a trading checkpoint between India and Nepal, as a result of which Nepal has faced shortages of petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel, and cooking gas. Nepal has claimed that this has been due to a blockade put into place by the Indian government, while India has asserted that it is due to protests that have disrupted trade across the India and Nepal border. [Al Jazeera: Minority groups; Al Jazeera: Fuel crisis] As a way to demonstrate opposition to the constitution, Rajendra Mahato, a leader of the Unified Madhesi Democratic Front, an umbrella organization comprised of Madhesi parties, stated: “We are burning the document [the Constitution] as it curtailed our rights.” [NY Times: Amid Protests] Expressing dissatisfaction with the new constitution’s provisions concerning marginalized groups, including women, indigenous groups, ethnic groups, Dalits, and emphasizing the need for a fair and progressive constitution, some Nepalese have declared that: “Such Constitution is not and will not be my Constitution” and have started a movement called “Not My Constitution.” [Community Empowerment and Social Justice Foundation] Failure to Protect Ethnic Minority Groups’ Rights According to the representatives of the Madhesi and Tharu ethnic minority groups, the constitution dilutes their representation in the national parliament; while under the interim constitution 58% of the parliament was elected by proportional representation, under the new constitution, only 45% of parliament will be elected according to this method. The proportional representation system has tended to result in greater numbers of individuals from indigenous and low-caste groups being elected. Representatives of these communities are therefore concerned that they will now be under-represented in the government. [BBC: Why is Nepal’s Constitution Controversial?; Al Jazeera: Nepal anti-constitution protests turn violent; CNN; Crisis Group] Under the new constitution, 14 districts in the southern plains (Terai region) would be joined with provinces occupied predominantly by individuals living in the mountains, thereby diluting the political representation of the Madhesi and Tharu communities who largely live in the plains. [Al Jazeera: Unveiling Nepal’s Constitution; The Diplomat; The Kathmandu Post: Over 140 Lawmakers Seek Revision; Channel News Asia; CNN] While the new constitution can be amended, the Madhesi and Tharu representatives have rejected the government’s request for talks because the government allegedly has not “created a suitable environment for talks.” At the international level, while China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have welcomed the new constitution, they also remain concerned that minority groups were not fully consulted during the process. India recently urged Nepal to adopt seven amendments to its constitution in support of the Madhesi representatives’ demands. In response, Nepal has criticized India’s interference. [Al Jazeera: Nepal Passes Secular Constitution; BBC: Nepal Constitution; Channel News Asia; CNN; The Indian Express] Failure to Protect Women and Children’s Rights Under the new constitution, Nepali women do not have the right to pass on citizenship to their children and the Constituent Assembly rejected a recent amendment to this provision. Almost two weeks before the Constituent Assembly adopted the drafted constitution, 45 members representing the Terai and Tharu constituencies submitted a 25-point memorandum, in which they urged Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to review a number of provisions, including the ones concerning citizenship. [The Kathmandu Post: Over 140 Lawmakers Seek Revision] According to the new constitution, if a Nepali woman marries a foreign man, their children cannot become Nepali citizens unless the husband becomes a Nepali citizen; however, if a Nepali man marries a foreign woman and they have children, they can be Nepali citizens regardless of the mother’s nationality. In response, women rights’ activists participated in a 24-hour relay hunger strike for two weeks, noting that the new constitution renders them “second class citizens.” [BBC: Why is Nepal’s Constitution Controversial?; The Kathmandu Post: CA Snubs Proposal] The Madhesi communities residing in the Terai region close to the Indian border have also expressed concern that the citizenship provisions will have a disproportionate effect on them because of the number of cross-border marriages in the region. [BBC: Why is Nepal’s Constitution Controversial?] Renu Rajbhandari, president of the Women’s Rehabilitation Centre, noted that the citizenship provisions violate the international conventions that Nepal has ratified, including Article 9 of the UN Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), according to which women have equal rights with men with respect to their children’s nationality. [OHCHR Status of Ratification] Additionally, the citizenship provisions will render thousands of children stateless, adding to the already 800,000 stateless people in Nepal. [The Kathmandu Post: CA Snubs Proposal] Additionally, renowned Nepalese writer Manjushree Thapa has noted that the new constitution bars the children of Nepali women and foreign men from high political and security positions, while placing no similar restriction on the children of Nepali men married to foreign women. As a form of protest, Thapa burned a copy of the new Constitution. [Scroll.in Editorial; WSJ Blog] Lack of Public Participation in the Constitution Making Process During the drafting of the constitution, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) urged the Constituent Assembly to protect human rights in accordance with internationally accepted standards and emphasized that the drafting process should be inclusive and participatory. However, according to the ICJ, the four major political parties agreed on contentious issues and established a fast-track process to promulgate the constitution, thereby potentially undermining individuals’ ability to participate in the process. The ICJ released a detailed briefing noting its concerns with the draft constitution in July 2015. [Kathmandu Post: ICJ: Ensure Rights] Concerns Regarding Excessive Force against Protesters According to investigations conducted by Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission and civil society organizations such as Amnesty International, Nepali security forces have exercised “excessive, disproportionate, or unnecessary” force to quell protests, thereby violating internationally accepted standards. [Amnesty International] Additionally, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon expressed concern about the violence in Nepal and emphasized the need for dialogue and non-violence, and the importance of respecting the right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly. [UN News Centre]

<urn:uuid:dc49a250-a2bd-4222-b593-ce655c3efb90>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://ijrcenter.org/2015/09/30/nepal-adopts-secular-constitution-amid-violence-and-deadly-protests/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

One in fifty Americans suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This amount is alarming considering that not too long ago the disease was considered very rare. OCD is an anxiety disorder with obsession and compulsion that lead into many other symptoms. Since OCD can play a part in many other disorders, like Attention Deficit Disorder, it is difficult to diagnose. Obsessions are the sufferers constant thinking about a particular thing. Is the iron shut off? The thought never goes away and then you go back to check the iron repeatedly. Cleaning a surface or house repeatedly for fear that germs may cause harm or illness. With the obsession of OCD, the person will try to achieve perfection. This is not to be confused with perfectionism. With OCD, in trying to attain perfection, the sufferer will continue the process until the obsession subsides without rest or thinking it through. The perfectionist has the ability to think it out rationally and notice the errors. Obsession does not solely have to deal with the individual; it can and may include loved ones or anyone relating to the obsession. Compulsion is the performing of tasks or rituals. When walking down the sidewalk, the person would not be able to step on a crack in the cement, and to do so would bring on severe anxiety. Another example of compulsion is to have to count the paces from point A to point B. Other examples include washing your hands repeatedly and usually done in a ritualistic manner, like when drying the hands, the face also has to be wet. Or the inability to wash just one hand or get one hand wet. Numbering or keeping a strict watch on socks because the right sox must be on the right foot. These are just examples of compulsion, however a compulsion alone does not mean one has OCD. It is also important to remember that OCD is part of the anxiety family, so the compulsion is intended to reduce the anxiety which is crucial to the OCD sufferer. Notably, the rituals or tasks performed by the compulsion of OCD often create an anxiety of their own. In scientific research and many hours of therapy sessions, there is no known reason or cause of OCD. On the outset, an OCD sufferer may not know they actually have the disorder until actually confronted about a ritual. This may be the link to the disorder being so rare years past. Of course, severe OCD sufferers would know right away that something may be wrong. Due to the complexity of diagnosing OCD it is imperative that one talks to a health care professional. This fact is simply because a person may go into a fit when they smell fresh baked pumpkin pie. This may be thought to be an OCD symptom but may actually be a severe allergy to the smells of pumpkin pie baking, or the heating fumes of the oven. Once the health care professional has ruled out this factor or any health related issue, the next step would be to talk to a mental health therapist. Treatment for ocd in the UK and US is pretty much the same. The mental health therapist would do another series of tests and may require a log of suspected obsessions or compulsions. With the return of this data, the mental health professional will be able to select a medication or treatment plan or both combined to help alleviate the symptoms of OCD.

<urn:uuid:df46e9c5-ce75-459b-80ad-fed9aa2e2993>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://reliawire.com/identifying-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Eggshells as seed starters are actually really beneficial for your plants! - They’re basically free, and a great way to reuse what you’ve already got. - Once the seedlings are big enough to be planted, you just pop them in the garden, shell and all! - The eggshell will break down and biodegrade in the soil around the developing roots, which aerates the soil and provides nutrients to the new plant. - Once planted, your seedlings will be protected from pests such as grubs, who won’t go near plant roots that have coarse eggshell around them. - Eggshell seed starters are cute, easy to use, and offer a fun garden project for kids to help create. - They even come with their own drip-proof tray that holds a dozen at a time, and fits nicely on your windowsill. 1. Save the larger parts of your eggshells from breakfast. If you need several days or weeks’ worth of breakfasts to get enough eggshells, you can save them in a sealed container. You can also use your seed starting project as an excuse to bake a 6-egg paleo cake or a yummy quiche! 2. While it’s not totally necessary, it’s best to bake the shells in an oven for about 10 minutes to kill off any lingering bacteria. Some seedlings tend to grow best in sterile soil at first, which includes their planters. (Of course, there’s some debate about that, so you may choose to skip this step.) Just toss the eggshells in the oven immediately after baking that quiche, to make use of the residual heat while the oven’s cooling down. 3. Use a nail or sharp knife to make a small hole in the bottom of each eggshell. This allows for drainage so your seedlings don’t get waterlogged, and also helps the plant’s roots to break free of the shell once it’s ready to outgrow its first home. Get a GardenHOME Folding Stool with Tool Bag and 5 Tools Garden Tool Set All-in-one on Amazon! 4. Arrange the eggshells in their carton, spritz with water, and fill each one with your sterile potting soil mix or compost. Then plant seeds in them (only about as deep as the seed is wide!), and spritz again. 5. Place the carton in a sunny windowsill, and keep them moist by spritzing each day. Your seedlings will be big enough to plant outside when a root can be seen poking out of the drainage hole! Got more eggshells on hand? Here’s a great list of other garden applications for eggshells! How did your eggshell seed starters turn out? Leave a comment and tell us!

<urn:uuid:fc6d5379-9b35-46eb-8ff9-043d548e2ab7>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://thehomestead.guru/eggshells-start-seeds/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en

Variety of automatic charging relay wiring diagram. A wiring diagram is a streamlined traditional pictorial depiction of an electric circuit. It shows the components of the circuit as streamlined forms, and the power as well as signal connections in between the devices. A wiring diagram usually offers info regarding the relative placement as well as arrangement of tools as well as terminals on the gadgets, in order to help in building or servicing the gadget. This is unlike a schematic representation, where the arrangement of the elements’ interconnections on the layout normally does not represent the parts’ physical areas in the finished tool. A pictorial layout would certainly reveal more detail of the physical appearance, whereas a wiring diagram uses a more symbolic notation to stress interconnections over physical look. A wiring diagram is commonly used to repair problems as well as to earn certain that the connections have actually been made as well as that whatever is present. automatic charging relay wiring diagram automatic charging relay wiring diagram – automatic charging relay wiring diagram Collection Collection Blue Sea Wiring Diagram ML ACR Automatic Charging. File Type: JPG. Source: metroroomph.com. automatic charging relay wiring diagram – Wiring Diagram Split Charge Relay New Caravan Relay Wiring Diagram Refrence Boat Leisure Battery Wiring. File Type: JPG. Source: joescablecar.com. Assortment of automatic charging relay wiring diagram. Click on the image to enlarge, and then save it to your computer by right clicking on the image. Exactly what is a Wiring Diagram? A Newbie s Overview of Circuit Diagrams A very first appearance at a circuit representation could be complex, however if you could read a subway map, you could read schematics. The function is the very same: getting from factor A to aim B. Literally, a circuit is the path that enables electrical energy to flow. The Language of Circuitry Allow s look at some of terms that you will certainly require to understand: Voltage: Determined in volts (V), voltage is the pressure or force of electricity. This is normally supplied by a battery (such as a 9V battery) or mains power, the electrical outlets in your home operate at 120V. Outlets in other nations operate at a different voltage, which is why you need a converter when traveling. Current: Existing is the flow of electrical power, or more especially, the flow of electrons. It is measured in Amperes (Amps), and can just flow when a voltage supply is linked. Resistance: Gauged in Ohms (R or O), resistance specifies how conveniently electrons could stream via a material. Products such as gold or copper, are called conductors, as they conveniently allow circulation of movement (reduced resistance). Plastic, wood, and air are examples of insulators, inhibiting the motion of electrons (high resistance). DC (Straight Current). DC is a continuous flow of existing in one direction. DC can move not simply via conductors, yet semi-conductors, insulators, and also even a vacuum. Air Conditioning (Alternating Existing). In Air Conditioning, the circulation of current occasionally alternates in between two directions, typically developing a sine wave. The regularity of Air Conditioning is measured in Hertz (Hz), as well as is normally 60 Hz for electrical energy in household and also business purposes. Completing an electric design level as well as after that getting a work in the field implies you will certainly see a lot a lot a great deal of these schematics. It s vital to comprehend exactly just what is going on with these. Beginning to make good sense? These are the essentials and also could also seem apparent or user-friendly to you, such as the cords and also if they are attached. Whenever you determine your details field of electrical engineering, you may see a lot more intricate layouts and also symbols. You ll learn likewise that various nations utilize different signs. For instance, of the two symbols for resistors over, the very first one is made use of in the United States, while the 2nd is utilized in Europe. You will certainly also discover the different symbols made use of for buttons, other power products, inductors, meters, lamps, LEDs, transistors, antennas, and also a lot more.

<urn:uuid:9e5d5a73-bee1-41c7-aba5-2bbdf616226d>

CC-MAIN-2019-26

https://worldvisionsummerfest.com/automatic-charging-relay-wiring-diagram/

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998808.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618163443-20190618185443-00164.warc.gz

en