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Why did Christianity begin and why did it become the primary religion of the West? Why did Islamic terrorism become a major concern of the West? . . . . In senior high school I was taught that the real interest of historians is to ask why things happened. Memorizing dates and facts missed the point. Some biblical scholars today stress the importance of asking the “why” questions about Christian origins.
But ever since I came across historian Fischer’s Historian’s Fallacies I’ve not been so sure. To some extent I can understand what is meant by the appeal to dig into finding out “why”, but at the same time, and in the interest of clarity, I also find myself reflecting on this passage in Historian’s Fallacies:
In my opinion — and I may be a minority of one — that favorite adverb of historians should be consigned to the semantical rubbish heap. A “why” question tends to become a metaphysical question. It is also an imprecise question, for the adverb “why” is slippery and difficult to define. Sometimes it seeks a cause, sometimes a motive, sometimes a reason, sometimes a description, sometimes a process, sometimes a purpose, sometimes a justification. A “why” question lacks direction and clarity; it dissipates a historian’s energies and interests. “Why did the Civil War happen?” “Why was Lincoln shot?” A working historian receives no clear signals from these woolly interrogatories as to which way to proceed, how to begin, what kinds of evidence will answer the problem, and indeed what kind of problem is raised. There are many more practicable adverbs-who, when, where, what, how-which are more specific and more satisfactory. Questions of this sort can be resolved empirically, and from them a skilled historian can construct a project with much greater sophistication, relevance, accuracy, precision, and utility, instead of wasting his time with metaphysical dilemmas raised by his profound “why” questions, which have often turned out to be about as deep as the River Platte. (p. 14)
Alas, Fischer was not hopeful that his minority view would ripple out to move the entire pond:
It is improbable that this will happen, among historians, in the foreseeable future. “Why” questions are rooted in the literature and institutionalized in the graduate schools. . . .
I do wonder, however, if many modern historians have indeed seen the light — but I am basing this on only a small handful of recent historical works I’ve happened to read. I do see the concern for “why questions” to be at the forefront of inquiry among a handful of biblical scholars investigating Christian origins, however. | <urn:uuid:3c3e296e-5184-4564-a197-0d82f9ead845> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://vridar.org/2015/10/15/historians-asking-why-or-not-why-but-how/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970771 | 582 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Would a vacation to California be complete without catching a glimpse of a towering redwood tree? The tallest living organism on earth as well as capable of living for millenniums, the redwood is no less than impressive. Fast-growing and resistant to fire, this tree species is valuable for its wood and ornamental beauty. It grows best in climates that have warm, humid summers and mild, wet winters.
The redwood is a cone-bearing tree, or conifer, a member of the non-flowering group of plants called gymnosperms. Known botanically as Sequoia sempervirens, it is a member of the family Taxodiaceae. It is very closely related to the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and the deciduous dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides).
The redwood grows naturally only in a narrow band, about 450 miles, along the extreme western coast of the United States from the Chetco River in southwestern Oregon to the Santa Lucia Mountains in southern Monterey County, California. The width of this band varies from 5 to 35 miles. The climate in this area generally is cool, humid and rainy.
The redwoods are the tallest living species, reaching mature heights of 300 to 350 feet and trunk diameters of 16 to 18 feet. The tree has thick, soft, furrowed bark that is reddish brown. The sharp-pointed leaves are short dark green needles that are held in a flat plane from twigs on the large branches. On vigorous branches, the needles look more like scales. Undersides of the needles are silvery white.
Male cones shed pollen anytime from late winter to early spring, allowing the wind to carry pollen to the female cones on different branches on the same tree. The small female cones droop from the twigs and release seeds in autumn when they ripen.
Redwoods are known to live as long as 2,200 years, as noted by the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce.
Redwood trees grow rapidly, as much as 6 feet in one year. Growing best in moist, acidic, loamy soil and in full sunlight, with more than eight hours of direct light daily, seedlings are capable of growth even in the deep shade of nearby forest trees. The Sempervirens Fund reports that during dry summers, large redwood trees are able to create high humidity fog pockets under the branches, causing condensation and artificial rain to supply some water to the ground below.
Redwood is rated for culture in USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9, where winter temperatures never get below 0 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Redwood resists decay, in its soft outer bark as well as the interior softwood and hardwood core. It is used as timber for manufacturing outdoor furniture and open structures, like arbors. Although massive in size, this tree is also a regarded ornamental tree for parks and landscapes, where it is hardy. In fact, many cultivated varieties exist, including ones with variegated, bluish or pale green foliage as well as a form that is weeping. | <urn:uuid:a81f0b98-2423-4b70-9d7c-0b1ad297f715> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.gardenguides.com/94041-redwoods.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949591 | 643 | 3.84375 | 4 |
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Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Almost from the moment it opened in 1997, Gehry's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, with its distinctive titanium curves and soaring glass atrium, was hailed as one of the most important buildings of the 20th century. Gehry's use of cutting-edge computer-aided design technology enabled him to translate poetic forms into reality. The resulting architecture is sculptural and expressionistic, with spaces unlike any others for the presentation of art. The museum is seamlessly integrated into the urban context, unfolding its interconnecting shapes of stone, glass and titanium on a 32,500-square-metre site along the Nervión River in the old industrial heart of the city.
Eleven thousand square metres of exhibition space are distributed over nineteen galleries. Ten of these galleries have a classic orthogonal plan and can be identified from the exterior by their stone finishes. Nine other irregularly shaped galleries present a remarkable contrast and can be identified from the outside by their swirling forms and titanium cladding.
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Students read and answer questions about a chart that compares the Hubble Space Telescope with the James Webb Space Telescope.
Students write words and draw pictures of themselves and a friend.
Students complete various activities related to “Picking a President” (September 16, 2016).
Students complete various activities related to the cover story “Picking a President” (9/16/16).
Students answer questions related to the paired texts “Get Ready for the Games” and “A Bumpy Road to Rio” (May 6, 2016).
Students compare two related texts, “Star Ballerina” and “Firebird,” to learn about dancer Misty Copeland.
Students read a chart comparing the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
© 2016 Time Inc. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:db69378f-dd51-422f-8350-356fe82596ec> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.timeforkids.com/worksheets/?filters=im_35_field_skills%3A32&solrsort=ds_created%20desc&f%5B0%5D=im_field_skills%3A37 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.869304 | 185 | 3.296875 | 3 |
Teresa Hommel, 4/9/05
Electronic Voting – Why It’s Bad For Democracy
Table of Contents
Election procedures must be conducted in public before multipartisan observers. When election procedures are concealed, errors and fraud can occur. The use of computers prevents observation and makes elections vulnerable to fraud in new and profound ways compared to older technologies, and therefore if computers are used the law must require appropriate security:
All vote-recording and vote-counting must be observed as a routine matter. Participation in the conduct of elections, observation, and verification of outcomes should not require expertise in computers or other technical disciplines. Election outcomes must be easily verifiable -- and verified -- without technological or legal obstacles.
Elections should be about voters selecting our public servants, not about computers and technology. Elections should not require citizens to trust the word of technologists that computerized procedures were appropriate and computer-generated outcomes accurate, or force citizens and candidates to try to prove irregularities with circumstantial evidence (such as disparity between exit polls and announced outcomes) because of technological or legal barriers to direct observation of ballot-recording and vote-counting, or barriers to obtaining or viewing documents from Boards of Elections.
People cannot observe what a computer is doing in its internal memory. This is a problem if computers are used to record and/or count votes.
To solve the problem, Dr. Rebecca Mercuri (www.notablesoftware.com/evote.html ) developed the concept of voter-verified paper audit trails or VVPAT. The proper use of VVPAT converts both vote-recording and vote-counting to paper-based procedures, which enables people to observe.
1. Problem: A voter can't tell if his or her ballot is being correctly recorded in computer memory.
Solution: During the election, the voter-verified paper ballot enables each voter to observe that his or her votes are recorded correctly on paper (a permanent, non-electronic material).
2. Problem: No one can observe the computer’s internal tally process or confirm its accuracy.
Solution: After the election, an audit of the VVPAT enables election observers to observe that the votes on paper ballots are tallied correctly, and that any discrepancies between electronic tallies and paper tallies are reconciled.
An audit of an election conducted with electronic voting systems with VVPAT starts with a count of the votes on the voter-verified paper ballots, after which all discrepancies between the electronic and VVPAT tallies are reconciled.
Dr. Douglas Jones of the University of Iowa and three-time chairman of Iowa's board of voting system examiners, in a recent email, described part of the reconciliation. (Dr. Jones’ web site is http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/voting/ )
The electronic record and the printed record are both viewed as fallible and subject to subversion. A hacker can hack into a computer and corrupt data. A counterfeiter can print up counterfeit ballots and swap them for the real ones. We can adopt technical means to defend against either attack, but if we adopt laws that say:
In the event of a disagreement, the paper dominates.
Then all you need is a good counterfeiter, while if your rules say
In the event of a disagreement, the electronic copy dominates.
Then, all you need is a good hacker. The rule I would prefer to see says:
In the event of a disagreement, an investigation must be initiated in order to
determine which copy is most likely to be correct...
The rules could go on at length about what other things to examine, such as poll books, event logs, exit polls, and other evidence that could serve to corroborate one or the other copy.
In other words, there should be both an investigation into the conduct of the election (to determine whether there were irregularities by people) AND examination of the computer hardware and software (to determine whether the computer was hacked or made an error).
It is unlikely that audits as described above will be done. Boards of Elections do not have the staff, expertise, or resources to examine or correct their own election software. This would require thorough knowledge of the software used, but all major vendors claim that their software must remain a trade secret. Errors found but not corrected would continue to cause problems in later elections.
In the Information Technology world, we recognize that computers provide speed but audits provide accuracy. Companies do complete audits of their computer systems on a continuous basis, because that is the only way to find and correct errors which would otherwise cause customers to take their business elsewhere. Those customers can discover errors through the use of receipts, tracking numbers, invoices, monthly statements, etc.
In elections, because of the secret ballot, there are no comparable ways for voters and candidates to detect errors and fraud. This is why proper use of the VVPAT as described in section C. is needed.
Due to the need for audits of elections run with evoting systems, it is clear that computers make election legitimacy more complex, costly, and time-consuming to achieve. It would require much less effort to fully restore and maintain lever machines, or to securely guard paper ballots that were marked by hand and to recount such ballots by hand before an audience of observers.
If a surprise random check of a small percentage of transactions could ensure the accuracy of a computer system, no bank or other company would ever spend the time and money to perform a complete audit.
Yet the idea of counting only a small “statistically significant” percentage of the VVPAT appeals to many -- it acknowledges the limited resources that we allocate for elections; it enables our Boards of Elections to avoid the time and expense of counting all the VVPAT. For example, a bill in the New York state legislature would require counting 3% of the VVPAT. The bill does not require an audit or reconciliation of discrepancies, does not require 100% accuracy, and does not require the public to be informed of any discrepancies discovered.
Problems with counting only 3% of the VVPAT include:
1. Trust-the-statistician vs. observation. If observers can watch the count of 3% of the ballots cast, then the election has 3% legitimacy.
After the November, 2004, election, discussions about "statistically significant percentages" flooded the internet as experts tried to analyze the numbers, but most citizens are not statisticians.
If only 3% of the VVPAT is counted, and is considered significant, most citizens would be forced to trust the statisticians that 3% is in fact a statistically significant percentage, and would be unable to confirm the math or the theory of statistical significance. In effect, a degree in math or statistics would become the new requirement for voter confidence.
Moreover, statistical significance may be an inappropriate consideration. Each different ballot design involves different computer programming for vote recording and vote counting. There is no reason to believe that if ballots are counted correctly in one district, they would be counted correctly in other districts where the ballot design is different, requires different programming, and can generate different errors.
2. Corporate control of vote-counting. If 3% of the VVPAT is counted, 97% of vote counting would be in private rather than public hands, raising questions of corporate partisanship, as well as motivation and opportunity for fraud.
3. Some types of computer errors and fraud may not show up in small samples. These include:
a. Intermittent errors or fraud triggered by particular combinations of votes and/or particular ballot designs.
b. Legally "insignificant" vote switches per machine. A study by Yale students showed that with a single statewide system, centralized manipulation is facilitated and can swing elections with one or two vote switches per machine. This is why, when computers are used, 100% accuracy must be mandated. The study: www.wheresthepaper.org/p43_di_franco.pdf (requires Adobe 6.0). Comment on it: www.wheresthepaper.org/CACM_YaleStudy.htm
4. Creation of two classes of voters. 3% of voters would cast ballots that were confirmed to be tallied correctly. 97% of voters would cast ballots that were not.
5. Mandate for unverified elections. The requirement for only 3% of the VVPAT to be counted puts the burden on candidates and voters to pay for counts of the other 97%, or to struggle in the courts for the right to verify an election in a timely manner before certification of outcomes.
One trigger for recounts has been a “close election,” but this concept is appropriate only to older technologies, such as paper ballots and lever machines. With computerized voting, falsified tallies can easily be made to provide any margin of victory.
trigger for recounts is disparity between pre-election or exit polls and
announced outcomes. But in 2004, pre-election polls were manipulated (“Gallup
defends results against MoveOn.org attack," USA Today, 9/29/04) and in
November, 2004, exit polls as reported in the major media were
changed to match the announced tallies. ("Why Did CNN Change Their Exit Poll Data for Ohio After 1:00
6. Electronic voting and vote tabulating systems should not be treated as exceptions to professional Information Technology standards, which require 100% audit, 100% accuracy.
100% of computer systems comparable to voting systems are 100% audited, and discrepancies are reconciled to achieve 100% accuracy. The phrase "comparable to voting systems" means computer systems that capture transaction information from the human world into electronic memory (such as an order to purchase by mail, or a financial transaction).
The idea that counting 3% of the VVPAT is sufficient to prove integrity of 100% of computer operations is based on several false premises:
a. Computers are accurate and secure unless proven otherwise.
b. If one computer is proven accurate, hundreds of other similar computers are also accurate.
c. Elections are like a court of law where a piece of technology, or an unobserved procedure, should be assumed accurate until proven inaccurate.
These and other false premises, such as “if the chief election official of a jurisdiction trusts the computers, the computers are trustworthy,” have been used to evade the routine auditing to which all commercial systems are subject.
Computer systems are merely tools created by people, and are always error-prone and vulnerable to manipulation by insiders. 100% audits, including reconciliation of discrepancies to achieve 100% accuracy, have been the only way to achieve accuracy of operation. In the Information Technology world, one common definition of computer security is "the results of normal operation have been proved correct by independent audit."
Most people understand that 100% audits with 100% accuracy are needed to prevent or detect financial fraud, but don't apply this understanding to computer systems used for voting and vote tabulation. Obviously audits are needed in both worlds for the same reason.
If you find an error on your bank statement, and a bank officer says, "our records are never perfect, and we didn't audit your account this month because our 3% random check said we were accurate enough," that would be unacceptable. It should be unacceptable in elections.
One unspoken argument is that elections CANNOT be held to routine Information Technology standards – because in real life Boards of Election cannot perform computer audits. They lack not only the intention or will, but the legal mandate, expertise, staff, and funding. This is why any law that allows use of evote equipment must mandate and fund training of elections staff prior to use, require vendors to provide thorough training on their equipment, and ban vendor service contracts.
The vast majority of election professionals are not computer experts. Once they acquire and begin to use electronic voting systems, they become dependent on vendor technicians to handle the computers. They can’t monitor what's going on because they don't know the technology.
For example, a technician might say, "I better check the files." Who would question that? Or understand the answer if they do ask? Yet a brief unsupervised access to the computer is a large-enough window of opportunity for someone to falsify an election.
Given the public exposure of voting systems, and the fact that in most cases they are overseen by non-technical staff, it would be impossible to control what software is in the computer during the election, or to prevent later tampering with software, ballots, and tallies by insiders or technicians.
The Triad incident in Hocking County, Ohio in December, 2004, is an example. Prior to the recount in Hocking County, a Triad technician told non-technical election officials that the county’s tabulation computer needed a new battery. He then took apart the computer and possibly put in a “patch” (different software). When the story was publicized there was an outcry. Yet the deputy director of elections, Sherole Eaton, said that she trusted the company, that they “ran” the elections for the county, and that “A lot of the [election] boards hire the company that [makes] their program to come in on election night and do all of the computer work and run the tabulators….” Affidavit of Sherole Eaton, 12/13/04, www.bluelemur.com/index.php?p=494 "Ohio Recount Stirs Trouble" Kim Zetter, Wired News, 12/20/04. www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,66072,00.html
Large Boards of Elections have computer staffs, but these employees aren't running elections and overseeing the handling of the voting or vote tabulating equipment. Also, these employees may not be security experts.
1. They don’t work reliably.
VotersUnite.org has compiled a 97-page list of documented failures of evote systems from seven vendors (www.votersunite.org/info/messupsbyvendor.asp ). This list includes primarily dramatic visible failures, such as machines that freeze, crash, or refuse to register votes during an election; incidents where the voter selects one candidate but the computer screen registers the vote for a different candidate; machines that fail to show some races; elections where the number of ballots or votes is dramatically different from the number of voters; etc.
However, each visible failure usually means that many other failures are occurring which would be revealed only by an audit – votes recorded or handled incorrectly and wrong final tallies. Yet there has never been an independent audit of any electronic voting system, and in the absence of voter-verified paper ballots, such audits cannot be performed. For this reason, the accuracy of recorded ballots and final tallies cannot be proved, and the extent of errors is unknown.
Only in the professional field of elections have such repeated computer failures been ignored or tolerated, and defended with unfounded assertions such as “The election outcome was not affected” and “the problems were caused by voters (or poll workers, etc).” It is bizarre that such failures have not caused Boards of Elections to stop using computers and seek alternative voting technology, nor to demand routine auditing of their evote systems.
Studies that claim to prove the accuracy of evote systems, or compare evote systems to other voting technologies, have merely accepted the tallies provided by the computers -- and elections officials
-- and assumed that they are accurate. The recent CalTech/MIT study on residual votes in the 2004 election is an example. www.vote.caltech.edu/media/documents/vtp_wp21v2.3.pdf
2. Federal Certification does NOT mean that a voting system works.
Despite hundreds of documented visible failures of certified voting systems, and the fact that no evote system has ever been audited, some people still believe that certified systems are guaranteed to work -- until they read an interview in which an authoritative person states that certification does not involve comprehensive testing and does not require the system to work.
Federal certification means that “[an electronic voting system] has to have [certain] functions. But it doesn’t have to work."
This candid statement comes from the I-Team interview with executives of MicroVote, which makes electronic voting systems. www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1647598&nav=0Ra7JXq2
3. Unintended use of uncertified systems.
Another problem is that vendors can deliver or install uncertified versions of their hardware and software. Due to the lack of computer knowledge within Boards of Elections, uncertified systems have been used without anyone noticing until after one or more elections. This has occurred in California, Indiana, and other states. In the absence of an independent audit of the election, there is no remedy other than to run another election. This has not been done. Instead, the public is given the unfounded reassurance that “We are sure that the election outcome was not affected.”
4. Communications devices, Flash memory devices.
Communications devices, including wireless ones, in voting and vote tabulating equipment should be banned because they enable undetectable modification of all software, ballots, and tallies by individuals in remote locations.
Regular expert inspection of electronic voting systems must be required and funded to ensure that communications devices do not somehow appear. There must be criminal penalties for violation of this ban.
Dr. Mercuri told a story once of inspecting a particular evoting machine. The sales material and the salesman had said there were no communication devices in the system. She asked to look inside; the salesman opened it up, and there was a wireless communications device. She said, Oh, I see you have a whatever-it-was. The salesman slammed the unit shut and escorted her to the door.
Communications devices also make the secrecy of the ballot increasingly vulnerable as vendors create “integrated election systems” that verify the identity of the voter, present the correct ballot for their election district, and then record their choices.
Flash memory devices pose another danger. These devices now look like wristwatches, pens, and cigarette lighters, and would not be recognized by non-technical staff. A technician who is not supervised by knowledgeable staff can copy the entire election software and data, including ballots and tally sheets, etc., in less than a minute. Later the technician can return and restore a modified copy of the software, ballots and tallies. An entire county or state can be affected.
In contrast, imagine someone walking off with all the paper ballots for a county or state. Everyone would understand what they were seeing.
5. Evote systems are easily corrupted.
A person with moderate computer skills can read information that has been on the internet for over a year, and then hack these systems to give falsified election results. The hacks require only brief access. Direct physical access is not needed because hacks can be done over a phone line and modem, a wireless communication device in the voting system, or over the internet.
In September, 2004, in Washington D.C., Bev Harris of BlackBoxVoting.org held a press conference where she demonstrated how to change the votes in a Diebold GEMS central tabulator and in a Sequoia system (www.wheresthepaper.org/BBV_GEMSreport.htm ). Harris was dismissed by the major media, but in fact the "Trusted Agent Report" commissioned by the Maryland General Assembly had said the same thing in January, 2004, about the Diebold GEMS central tabulator (they used more technical language, and didn’t publicize the exact methods like Harris did):
"Given either physical or remote access ... it is possible to modify the GEMS database ... without detection. Furthermore, system auditing is not configured to detect access to the database."
-- Trusted Agent Report, www.raba.com/press/TA_Report_AccuVote.pdf , page 21
Additional vulnerabilities were found in a study done in Ohio, which discussed Diebold Election Systems, ES&S, Hart InterCivic, and Sequoia Voting Systems. The Ohio Secretary of State's DRE Security Assessment, Volume 1 of November 21, 2003, is a 46-page Summary of Findings and Recommendations produced by InfoSENTRY Services, Inc.
The full report is 280 pages. www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/hava/files/compuware.pdf
6. Procedures other than auditing cannot ensure election integrity.
A variety of activities can reduce the number of errors and discrepancies than may occur during elections, but these activities cannot ensure election integrity.
a. Hardware and software testing. Such testing, if accompanied by correction of all errors that are found, can reduce the number of discrepancies and computer errors found during an audit. Due to certification requirements and the length of time required for certification, however, such errors are likely to remain uncorrected. (Certification can take a year or more.)
b. Use of open source software. Open source software is software that is posted publicly for technologists worldwide to read. When errors are found they are discussed on the internet and suggestions for correction are made. Again, however, due to certification requirements and the length of time required for certification, such errors are likely to remain uncorrected.
c. Reading and examination of software. If reading and examining software could eliminate errors, no company would ever perform continuous audits. Professor Aviel Rubin, the computer security expert who headed the Johns Hopkins team that wrote the first report revealing the insecurity of Diebold software, has stated publicly that no examination of software of the size and complexity of voting systems can guarantee that the software does not contain fraudulent parts. http://avirubin.com/vote/analysis/index.html
d. Escrow copies of software. The idea of keeping copies of software in escrow has many flaws. First, it assumes that the escrow copy has no errors or backdoors in it. Second, it assumes that if software in an election system is changed once, it cannot be changed back to the original escrowed version. Neither assumption is true. Comparing software escrowed one day to what is in the computer on another day will reveal only very sloppily performed fraud.
1. The "private and independent vote."
The Help America Vote Act requires voters with disabilities to have a private and independent vote, and indeed the only legitimate use of computers in voting is to assist voters with disabilities or non-English languages to mark their ballot privately and independently. However some accessibility advocates have urged the use of electronic voting systems with accessibility attachments and without voter-verified paper ballots.
Unfortunately, one strategy for disenfranchising
voters in 2004 was to focus attention on the experience of voting and to gloss
over the question of whether or not the votes would be counted. This was done
with provisional ballots, called “placebo ballots” in a report by Demos.
A problem similar to uncounted provisional ballots faces voters with disabilities, for whom the “private and independent vote” cast into an unaudited computer may mean nothing more than a private and independent experience in a voting booth, fiddling with some assistive devices. This is why accessibility within the voting booth needs to be combined with verifiability AND actual verification when computers are used to record and tally the votes.
Moreover, electronic voting systems don’t give anybody a private and independent VOTE.
Every vote cast on a computer is handed over to a large number of anonymous technical people who have been responsible for the system from its initial design, programming, testing, maintenance, storage, programming for the ballot, transportation, and installation in the polling site. And another cast of characters after the election.
A computer is only an instrument created and managed by people. Every voter using the computer is being assisted by these people, so the vote is not unassisted, private or independent. Without the complete audit, we can’t know if these assistants are recording our ballot choices, or counting our votes, honestly and without mistakes.
Voters who are blind, or have visual impairments, would get accessibility, privacy, and security if they mark paper ballots by using ballot templates like those used in Rhode Island and in other countries. There are data-to-voice scanners that can read the paper ballot back to the voter through headphones. There are accessible ballot-printing machines such as Populex, and ballot-marking machines such as the Automark, that can assist voters with a wide variety of disabilities. www.populex.com/DPB_Intro.htm www.vogueelection.com/products_automark.html
2. Can all voters use the same voting technology?
Some people have suggested that all voters should use exactly the same voting technology.
This may not be practical or possible, because not all voters require accessibility devices or non-English language displays.
When voters with and without disabilities use what appears to be "the same machine," they are not using the same software.
Voters with disabilities will use accessibility attachments. Internally within the computer, each attachment is managed by a "driver" (software that handles communication between the computer and the specific accessibility attachment) that is different from other drivers (such as those for other accessibility devices, or the touchscreen or buttons used by voters without disabilities). A programmer can easily identify which voters are using each accessibility device. If an insider or technician wishes to switch the votes of blind voters, for example, these voters can be identified because of the devices they would be using.
Voters with non-English languages face similar problems, because each foreign language requires a separate font. A font is a set of graphic designs for displayable characters such as letters and numerals. Even Spanish, which has characters that are mostly the same as English, requires a character consisting of a tilde ~ over an "n" character, etc.
The separate font and processing needed for the computer to display non-English language ballots thus provide the opportunity to identify voters of specific language groups. There have been allegations that some voting systems are designed to enable an insider or technician to easily switch the votes by language group. This is done by inserting some lines of Visual Basic Script programming in the font files. Such programming might say, for example: if vote = Kerry, add 1 to Bush-tally; if vote = Bush, add 1 to Kerry-tally.
Since paper ballots can be printed in any language, it seems that the ballots of voters with non-English languages would be more secure if marked by hand or ballot-marking machine on preprinted paper ballots.
1. HAVA Requirements.
Jurisdictions with mechanical lever machines can keep and maintain them, and purchase an accessible ballot-marking device for each polling site to comply with the HAVA requirement that voters with disabilities be able to vote without direct human assistance.
Accessible computerized devices can enable voters with disabilities or non-English languages to mark or print paper ballots. Computers should not be used to record and count votes, however, unless they are used according to professional standards of 100% audit, 100% accuracy.
2. Lever machines can be repaired to nearly-new condition.
All parts for lever machines, as well as service
technicians, are supplied by International Election Systems Corp., 1550
Bridgeboro Road, PO Box 70, Edgewater Park NJ 08010. Telephone 609-871-2100.
The president of the company is Richard Nowetner.
Engineers say that with proper routine maintenance, the lever machines should work for 150 years or more. If they aren't working now, that is due to not being maintained. Proper repair can bring them to nearly-new condition. The most common damage is to the casters they roll on, and the repair is to attach new casters. Most damage occurs in trucking. Damage to the metal casing is repaired in a manner similar to car body repair.
3. Lever machines are more secure than evote systems.
a. Length of access time required to corrupt one or more machines versus magnitude of effect.
Lever machines: One person would require access for several hours to each machine. Seals outside the machine have unique numbers, and are not standard products that can be easily replaced.
Seals inside the machine would have to be broken or tampered with also, which would reveal the tampering. These are “crush seals” which consist of pieces of lead crushed over copper wires.
Tampering with the mechanical parts inside the machine would require disassembly of major portions of the machine, which would take many hours, followed by re-assembly which would take additional hours. All this would have to be done within the month before an election because in most jurisdictions the ballot is not prepared until then.
Evote systems: (1) One technical insider or hacker using an automated script running in one computer anywhere in the world would require less than a second access per computer and can corrupt all similar electronic voting systems in a state through their communications devices.
(2) One technical insider with no access to the computers can distribute a corrupt "patch" which technicians would install with or without knowledge that it is corrupt. This could have happened in Georgia, 2002, where allegedly the software in the Diebold systems was replaced repeatedly up to two days prior to the election.
(3) One non-technical insider, hacker, or technician can falsify precinct and overall tallies in the central tabulator, which would require less than a minute access either directly or via communications devices.
b. Ease of detecting corruption.
Lever machines: With an hour of training, one person can inspect lever machines and detect broken or wrongly-numbered outside seals. If the outside seals are broken or wrongly-numbered, an experienced technician can examine the crush seals and mechanics inside the machine.
Evote systems: With years of training, one person can read and examine the software for years and not find all corruption in it.
c. Possibility of oversight provided by Board of Elections staff.
Lever machines: Boards of Elections have many technicians who can safeguard and fix them.
Evote systems: Boards of Elections have few or no computer staff who can safeguard and fix electronic voting systems, or oversee the work of vendors.
HAVA requirements can be met by using paper ballots marked by hand or an accessible ballot-marking device in each polling site, with precinct-count optical scanners.
Optical scanners are computers, and pose the problem of programming errors, fraud, and unobservable counting. For example, there were widespread allegations of falsified tallies from optical scanners in Florida after our November, 2004, election. These allegations gained seriousness when county election officials refused to comply with Freedom of Information requests to view precinct tally sheets.
Should optical scanners be 100% audited with multipartisan observation, with 100% accuracy required? The problems in Florida seem to suggest "yes."
The March 2001 Caltech report called "Revised and Expanded Report: A Preliminary Assessment of the Reliability of Existing Voting Equipment" said that lever machines, and hand-marked paper ballots counted by hand or optical scanner, rank among the most reliable of voting systems. Summary: www.hss.caltech.edu/~voting/Executive%20Summary.March30.pdf
Full report: www.hss.caltech.edu/~voting/CalTech_MIT_Report_Version2.pdf
A system using hand-marked paper ballots, optical scanners, and ballot marking devices for accessibility is:
1) One of the most reliable systems available.
2) Inherently voter-verified.
3) Incorporates paper ballots that are easy to hand-count where necessary.
4) Precinct-based optical scanners allow automated counting to satisfy election officials.
5) Ballot-marking devices meet multilingual and accessibility needs.
6) Less expensive than evote systems both in initial purchase costs and ongoing maintenance.
1. States and big cities that use paper ballots and optical scanners.
Illinois, Chicago. 83% of the population of Illinois (10 million) votes using such systems, including Chicago. One Illinois County’s rationale:
80% of Arizona, including Phoenix.
Michigan Secretary of State’s recommendation:
States that use mostly precinct-count optical scan systems also include
South Dakota www.sdsos.gov/2000/00pripre.htm
2. Canadian elections with paper ballots.
National and provincial elections in Canada are conducted with paper ballots marked and counted by hand. They use ballot templates for blind voters. Unlike the attitudes expressed in this country in recent years that “elections are never perfect” and “we can’t possibly hand-count paper ballots” Canadians have no trouble hand-counting the votes on paper ballots. They expect and achieve 100% accuracy.
3. Hand-count methods.
The report “How to Hand-count Votes Marked on Paper Ballots” describes several easy methods for hand-counts. www.wheresthepaper.org/CountPaperBallots.htm
Hand counts are done in Vermont, and the election law of 2003 described in detail their procedures. Some of those details were omitted in their revised law of 2004, but the old version can be obtained from the office of the Secretary of State.
The Resolution on Electronic Voting, endorsed by thousands of computer technologists, says "Computerized voting equipment is inherently subject to programming error, equipment malfunction, and malicious tampering." www.verifiedvoting.org/article.php?id=5028
Every study of electronic voting has said that systems from the major vendors are insecure and of poor quality. www.wheresthepaper.org/links.html#sec
Many people have trouble with their Windows PCs, and the systems are notoriously insecure, but several of our major evote vendors have built their evote systems on top of Windows.
A study by Findlaw showed that in September, 2004, 42% of Americans distrusted electronic voting. http://company.findlaw.com/pr/2004/090704.electronicvoting.html
A continuous flow of bad news from around our country tells us that electronic voting and vote tabulating systems don’t work. www.votersunite.org/info/previousmessups.asp
In spite of all this, few government officials with responsibility for elections are heeding the constant stream of warnings about electronic voting, and the expressed distrust of voters. The major media and many officials are still urging us to convert to electronic voting. In 2004 Americans witnessed an overwhelming incidence of dirty tricks and failures of our election infrastructure, and the use of unverifiable and unverified computers is part of this failure.
Americans have a real need. We need election systems that work, that can be managed by the kind of staffs who work for our Boards of Elections at the county and state level, and that can be overseen by ordinary non-technical multipartisan citizen observers.
Computers can be made to work reliably through the use of audits, but no one in a position of authority is demanding that audits be performed. Around our country computers used in elections are being used incorrectly, accompanied by untested trust, assertions that elections are never perfect, and statements that elections cannot be run any other way because Americans are incapable of counting ballots, maintaining lever machines, recruiting and training poll workers, etc.
In states with electronic voting, some people have suggested that if any voter doesn't want to cast his or her vote on a computer, they should request a paper absentee ballot. But elections are not just about "my vote," they are about the will of the people -- all votes. Unaudited computers are the wrong technology for elections for all voters.
A broken democracy can’t be fixed by using unaudited computers to record and count votes. If democracy is government "of the people, by the people, for the people," the law needs to put people back into the center of our elections, and not replace citizen participation by computers.
There is a push now for national standards for voting technology, and national control and standardization of election procedure.
These things won't strengthen our democracy, however, because election integrity results from appropriate multipartisan observation. No one is proposing standards to require multipartisan observers for all election procedures, and to require all procedures to be conducted in a way that enables effective observation by ordinary non-technical citizens.
Uniform technology cannot provide uniform integrity because different insiders, technicians, or hackers can still falsify the ballots or tallies in different jurisdictions. Uniform technology DOES enable one insider, technician, or hacker to falsify all systems more easily.
1. www.votersunite.org is the best source of organized historical and current voting system news.
2. Daily Voting News from votersunite.org -- to subscribe send an email to John Gideon at email@example.com
3. Email clipping service, newspaper articles on voting machine and election issues from around the country -- To subscribe send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org
4. Much information is at www.wheresthepaper.org
5. When elections lack legitimacy, so does the government. Symptoms are arrogance, disregard for truth, and contempt for public opinion by government officials and institutions. For a daily email with analysis of many national subjects, subscribe to Progress Report, www.progressreport.org | <urn:uuid:0f6cf75a-f485-4047-9603-062407f61b92> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.wheresthepaper.org/Evoting_BadForDemocracy.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943803 | 7,825 | 2.546875 | 3 |
As we start the school year, listen to the incredibly wise words of this graduating 5th grader speaking to his school in June 2013, a transcript sent to me from his teacher along with a simple note:
I thought you might like to read Michael G’s promotion address. Just in case we ever wonder about the impact we have on children, the seeds we help plant or gardens we help cultivate – here’s testimony your effect on him and to the amazing ability of children – this one especially, a gifted and profound thinker. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for all you do for all of us. –K
5th Grade Promotion Address by Michael G.
All humans are different – or so they say. But really we are more or less the same.
Now, close your eyes. Imagine a cell floating in a vast, empty body of sea water. Then
imagine the cell splitting into two new cells.
This is the foundation for all life on earth- Humans, dogs, cats, birds, the trees in which
the birds perch, even the moss on the curbside, all come from that one cell splitting. But this is
not the only way we are the same.
We share hopes, dreams, fears, promises, strengths, weakness, interests, and a wish for a
better tomorrow. Some of you may remember Michael Foster, the Plant for the Planet guy. He,
along with Islandwood, the PMR fieldtrip, the ISP and even the green team members on their
shifts, taught us that the world needs to be cared for.
Look to the person next to you. Not only does what you do to harm the environment
affect you, it also affects that person next to you. This is how we are all connected.
Team work is what makes humans human. For instance when the first Homo Habilis left
Africa, the team work that they had adapted when they were on the Australopithecus Africanus
stage of the evolutionary ladder helped them out in this new unfamiliar climate. And even back
in their earlier stage they had adapted skills of team work to defend against forbidding threats.
You see how evolution and team work are tied in. Team work is essential for survival. At their
core humans are social animals.
Some of us remember Fun Day, the day where we went to the beach. At first, we
scattered like dandelion seeds in the wind. But at the end of the day, many of us worked together
on an elaborate canal system. No one told us to do it; we just did it as social beings, classmates,
brethren, and friends. We are bonded by our shared past, and our hopes for the future.
I remember the day I came to Lincoln in 4th grade-only knew 4 kids, 2 of them barely.
But because the kids here are so welcoming to new students, I ended up befriending the vast
majority of the 4th graders. I have gotten to know not only today’s 5th graders, but many kids in
other grades. Because kids here at Lincoln stay so open and willing to connect with new comers,
many kids arriving this year have made many new friends like I did.
And as we progress into Hamilton Middle School, keep in mind that we must all be
connected, and must remain so even when we part and go our separate ways. For there are many
challenges along the Road of Life, and you are always going to need someone to help you out
with these challenges.
As a final action in my elementary school career, I would like to thank everyone for
helping my progress, for listening to this speech, and for just enjoying this unique day. | <urn:uuid:884fd11c-e8a3-4b14-8b59-9d9b20a229ef> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://climatechangeforfamilies.com/2013/09/03/5th-grade-promotion-address/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965075 | 783 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Statistical and data analysis
Data Analysis Term Paper. Data Analysis Term Paper is the final paper for this course. Each student should identify a project topic, make research proposal and. United States General Accounting Office GAO Report to Program Evaluation and Methodology Division May 1992 Quantitative Data Analysis: An Introduction. Learning Math: Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability is one of five video- and Web-based mathematics courses for elementary and middle school teachers. This book is a guide to the practical application of statistics to data analysis in the physical sciences. It is primarily addressed at students and professionals who. Data and Statistics about the United States. Find data about the U.S., such as maps and population, demographic, and economic data. Provides access to SEER's cancer databases, statistical methods, and software tools for calculating population-based cancer statistics. StatSoft is the creator of STATISTICA, the most comprehensive suite of data mining and statistical analysis software.
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Statistical and data analysis
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Define Statistical data. Statistical data synonyms, Statistical data pronunciation Statistical analysis of human growth and development. What is statistical analysis? This definition explains this component of data analytics in terms of business intelligence and provides links to more resources. Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, suggesting conclusions, and. Statistical Data Analysis (Oxford Science Publications) and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more. Introduction This site provides illustrative experience in the use of Excel for data summary, presentation, and for other basic statistical analysis. Introduction Developments in the field of statistical data analysis often parallel or follow advancements in other fields to which statistical methods are fruitfully. Get answers to your statistics and data analysis questions with interactive calculators. Basic descriptive statistics to regression analysis, statistical.
This course is an introduction to statistical data analysis. Topics are chosen from applied probability, sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, linear regression. The Data Analysis System (DAS) is an application that allows users to create tables of estimates using Department of Education survey data. Data Analysis and Statistical Software for Professionals. Stata is a complete, integrated statistics package that provides everything you need for data analysis, data. In statistics, we try to make sense of the world by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting large amounts of data. For example, you may survey your friends. Statistical Analysis Manipulation, interpretation and presentation of quantitative data. Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, examination. Use R open source programming language to support big data analytics at enterprise scale with Microsoft R Server.
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What statistical analysis should I use? The following table shows general guidelines for choosing a statistical analysis. We emphasize that these are general. Data Analysis is the process of systematically applying statistical and/or logical techniques to describe and illustrate, condense and recap, and evaluate data. Statistical data analysis for your dissertation proposal or results chapters is available from a fully qualified statistician. The Master of Statistical Data Analysis is a one-year advanced master program, but as a part student it can be completed in 2 to 4 years. The program offers training. Advanced Data Analysis from an Elementary Point of View Cosma Rohilla Shalizi. | <urn:uuid:20b07db7-33ae-4904-abe1-898dbb3fae37> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://nlhomeworkizas.rguschoolhillcampus.com/statistical-and-data-analysis.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.85854 | 1,404 | 2.875 | 3 |
Like proteins, RNA has four levels of structural organization. The primary structure is the sequence of RNA is the linear order of the nucleotide monomers. As the RNA is synthesized, it forms localized folded structures by base-pairing and stacking interactions that are the result of the interplay between thermodynamics and kinetics. The complexity of the relationship between these two forces results in dynamic structure distributions where multiple forms co-exist (1). Tertiary structure is the overall three-dimensional structure that is the cumulative result of secondary structures. Tertiary structures are also dynamic. Interactions between two or more RNA molecules, such as in the ribosomes and spliceosome, are said to have quaternary structure (2).
- Edited by R. K. Hartman, A. Bindereif, A. Schön, E. Westhof. Handbook of RNA
Biochemistry: Student Edition. Weinheim: WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co, 2009,
- McKee, Trudy. Biochemistry: The Molecular Basis of Life. 4th ed. New York: Oxford
University Press, 2009. 659. | <urn:uuid:e596772a-b478-4ad5-b5b6-7aa6b38d4f8b> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.neb.com/applications/rna-analysis/rna-structural-analysis | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906566 | 240 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Tawny Frogmouths have a regular breeding season, but birds in more arid areas may breed in response to heavy rains. Both sexes incubate the eggs. The male sits during the day, but both sexes share sitting at night. The nest is a loose platform of sticks, which is usually placed on a horizontal forked tree branch. Normally only one brood is raised in a season, but birds from the south may have two.
Canon 7D, 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS | <urn:uuid:e18f0e87-ef93-48e7-9cfb-ca1994e13c49> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.redbubble.com/people/byronbackyard/works/9525118-dads-on-the-nest?c=165797-tawny-frogmouth-and-other-birds-nests&ref=work_carousel_work_collection_2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964865 | 109 | 2.703125 | 3 |
PDF (Acrobat) Document File
Be sure that you have an application to open this file type before downloading and/or purchasing.
0.8 MB | 7 pages
In this activity, students will practice finding the measure of interior and exterior angles and the sum of interior angles of regular polygons as they have fun coloring! Students will color their answers on the picture with the indicated color in order to reveal a beautiful, colorful pattern! Color motivates even the most challenging students and the students get a fun chance to practice their essential geometry skills. This activity is great for skills review, early finishers, sub plans, and enrichment. In addition, the finished products make fabulous classroom decor! | <urn:uuid:93baf611-1452-485b-84f5-fed217fbbf89> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Angles-of-Polygons-Color-by-Number-2479485 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929643 | 140 | 3.671875 | 4 |
TT Talk - Are you concerned about workforce fatigue?
Many organisations in the supply chain industry need to meet growing expectations to provide access to a 24/7/365 service. This commercial reality usually necessitates shift work, leading to workforce operating during what could be considered unnatural hours. This can be accentuated in a ‘global village’ with expectations to operate across time zones.
Recent studies suggest that operator fatigue could be a major contributor to incidents in the operational workplace, affecting the judgement and increasing the propensity to make what in hindsight could be considered incorrect decisions, thus increasing risk. In extremis, fatigue can be linked to severe stress and mental illness.
What is fatigue?
Fatigue is the state of feeling very tired, usually resulting from insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety. Boring or repetitive tasks can intensify such feeling. Fatigue can be described either as an acute or chronic condition. Acute fatigue, often resulting from short term sleep loss or intense short periods of heavy workload, can easily be reversed by sleep and relaxation. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a more severe state of tiredness that is not immediately relieved by rest.
‘One of the fundamental challenges associated with fatigue and stress is that they are not easy to identify, quantify or monitor’
One of the fundamental challenges associated with fatigue and stress is that they are not easy to identify, quantify or monitor. Signs of fatigue and stress can include irritability, depression, loss of appetite and an increased susceptibility to illness. Awareness therefore of the symptoms and effects of fatigue becomes critical in managing the related workplace risks.
The understood effects of fatigue include reduced decision making ability, reduced communication skills, reduced attention and vigilance, dulled reactions, increased tendency for risk taking and increased errors in judgement. It is not difficult therefore to correlate such effects with risks in the workplace, especially where individuals are working with machinery, moving parts and mobile equipment.
Getting enough rest
So how much sleep do we need? Each individual differs, but studies suggest on average somewhere between 7.5 and 8.5 hours sleep per 24 hour period is needed. Typically, a night shift worker will get 5 to 7 hours less sleep per week than a day worker. Humans naturally follow a biological clock, a cycle of sleep, wakefulness and alertness that is generally aligned with the hours of daylight.
Due to the ‘unnatural’ waking hours experienced by night, shift and extended time working, the effects of fatigue can be intensified when compared to those working a traditional day shift. Studies suggest that periods of intense fatigue are usually experienced during the hours where we instinctively require sleep the most, between 23:00 and 06:00. Furthermore, shift workers suffer from sleep deprivation because their sleep schedule changes frequently. Where shifts are rotated, experts recommend this is done clockwise in order to support the adjustment. This is because if you work say 1600 - 0000, you tend to sleep from around 0300 - 1100. If you then move to a shift beginning at 0800, your sleep pattern is disrupted, which is harmful to worker productivity. Workers reported an increase in productivity and happier working conditions in the clockwise rotation.
Assessing the impact of fatigue
A recent study sought to monitor personnel driving mobile equipment through the deployment of sophisticated camera technology installed in the vehicles. The equipment was mounted in the driving cab of the vehicles and monitored the behaviour and responsiveness of the operator. The associated software detected events such as where the eyes of the operator unwittingly closed for any prolonged period during their working hours.
The study started with an information campaign to the workers explaining the effects of fatigue, followed by two stages of monitoring. In the first stage the equipment was installed and only recorded fatigue events without alerting the driver, building a significant amount of information over a period. The second phase of the study introduced an audible warning if an ‘event’, related to prolonged eye closure, thus highlighting the issue to the operator.
The results of the study were illuminating. Notably and unsurprisingly, there was a much higher fatigue event rate during what was the traditional night shift, especially during the period 23:00 – 05:00. Events were recorded evidencing that operators could close their eyes for several seconds whilst driving the vehicle. Whilst this is inherently dangerous in any circumstances, when considered in the confined and often congested environment of a transport yard or container terminal, there is an increased risk of a high consequence incident. By way of context, travelling at 20 kph, a vehicle would travel in the region of 11 meters during an eye closure of just two seconds!
The introduction of an audible warning led to dramatic improvements; in some cases the number of events recorded reduced to zero. This suggests that once an individual is provided effective alerts and understands the impact of fatigue, self-management can overcome feelings of fatigue.
In addition to such monitoring, there are a number of known environmental factors which can be modified in order to mitigate the associated risks of fatigue. Whilst not an exhaustive list, dim lighting, high temperatures, high levels of comfort, tasks which must be sustained for long periods and tasks which are repetitive, difficult, boring or monotonous can all lead to increased fatigue levels.
Workforce management often focuses on ‘absenteeism’, but there could be greater cost associated with ‘presenteeism’, where workers are unaware of the risks and continue to work.
'there could be greater cost associated with ‘presenteeism’
Any attempt to address workplace fatigue and stress should start with engagement with the entire workforce to increase awareness and provide a broader recognition of this phenomenon. Workforce awareness about fatigue improves the ability to identify individual issues. Inclusion will be key in effective management to overcome barriers related to individual ‘coping strategies’ and strengthen feelings of workforce well-being and support.
We hope that you have found the above interesting. If you would like further information, or have any comments, please email us, or take this opportunity to forward to any colleagues who you may feel would be interested.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Risk Management Director, TT Club | <urn:uuid:7facbf99-ee1e-43ab-bcc1-0731cc0d1f28> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.ttclub.com/loss-prevention/tt-talk/article/tt-talk-are-you-concerned-about-workforce-fatigue-134633/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191396.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00234-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951324 | 1,257 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Inquiry based learning
Inquiry-based learning is a process of constructing knowledge through investigation, exploration, asking questions, hypothesising, reflection and application. Intentional teaching guides the children towards making meaning, becoming competent, conceptual understanding and learning how to learn.
“We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.”
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Please find below several examples of the documentation of our educational work: | <urn:uuid:9093a093-d5f8-460c-ba3d-4d3fdb9e4c20> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://germanschoolsydney.com/en/Our-School/new-Preschool-page/Inquiry-based-learning/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944737 | 153 | 4.15625 | 4 |
Sometimes called kousa dogwood, the Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa) is a deciduous shrub species prized for its showy flower bracts and purple autumn foliage. It is widely grown throughout U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 8, where it is used as an ornamental tree or shrub. Chinese dogwoods propagate effortlessly from fresh seed, which will germinate in just a few months if pretreated and then sown under warm, bright conditions. However, since most Chinese dogwood shrubs are hybrid cultivars, the resulting seedlings may not closely resemble the parent plant.
Gather Chinese dogwood seeds in autumn after the fruit ripens to a bright, raspberry red color. Collect two or three fruit and place them in a plastic bag. Gently crush the fruit with a rolling pin to loosen the seeds.
Place the crushed Chinese dogwood fruit in a bowl of water. Soak them overnight, stirring occasionally. Pick out the oblong, light-brown seeds and discard the remainder of the fruit.
Fill a plastic sandwich bag with moist sphagnum moss. Bury the Chinese dogwood seeds in the sphagnum moss and seal the bag. Store the bag in the refrigerator for two to three months to cold-stratify the seeds. Remoisten the sphagnum moss, as needed.
Sow the Chinese dogwood seeds in individual 6-inch greenhouse pots filled with a mix of equal parts sterile compost, loam and perlite. Sow them at a depth of 1/10-inch. Water them to a 2-inch depth after sowing.
Place the potted Chinese dogwood seeds inside a lightly shaded, unventilated cold frame. Warm the pots with a germination mat set to between 70 and 75 F. Turn off the mat at night.
Check the moisture level in the growing mixture twice daily during the germination process. Thoroughly moisten the top inch of the soil whenever the surface feels barely moist. Do not allow it to dry out completely on the surface.
Watch for signs of germination in approximately three months. Turn off the germination mat after the Chinese dogwood seeds sprout. Open the cold frame to increase air circulation around the seedlings and to acclimate them to normal outdoor conditions.
Move the Chinese dogwood seedlings to a sheltered area of the garden after the last spring frost. Provide 1-inch of water each week, if no rain falls for one week or longer. Protect the seedlings from direct midday sun until they produce several sets of mature leaves.
Grow the Chinese dogwood seedlings under light shade during their first summer to prevent heat stress and dehydration. Water weekly to a 1-inch depth. Acclimate them to direct sun in early autumn to prepare them from transplant into the garden.
Transplant the Chinese dogwoods into the garden in autumn after the first rainfall. Choose a sunny or lightly shaded planting site with moist, draining soil. Space multiple shrubs 15 to 30 feet apart.
Things You Will Need
- Plastic bag
- Rolling pin
- Plastic sandwich bag
- Sphagnum moss
- 6-inch greenhouse pots
- Sterile compost
- Cold frame
- Germination mat
- Floridata: Cornus Kousa
- Kootenay Local Agricultural Society: Tree and Shrub Seed Germination Information
- University of Florida Department of Environmental Horticulture; Landscape Plant Propagation Information; Cornus Kousa
- University of California; Alameda County Master Gardeners; Your Alameda County Garden Month-by-Month
- Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images | <urn:uuid:73c82836-e9b1-4120-9a00-8e99e8c75f79> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plant-chinese-dogwood-seed-67751.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904397 | 768 | 2.734375 | 3 |
The climate characteristics of East Siberia were deciphered, in particular, changes of its humidity within the time interval of up to 5 My BC. It was established that the main activity of speciation had occurred in the Pleistocene, i.e., during the period of frequent dramatic changes of the climate.
The dating of speciation events of all the kingdoms of Baikal organisms was for the first time carried out with a good approximation. The bunches of the most variable species which do not attach to the bottom during their whole life cycle are of ancient roots the age of which is compared with the age of Lake Baikal (Miocene, 25 My).
The multivolume series of Guides and Keys to Lake Baikal Endemic Species and Cosmopolites (2,642 taxa) was published for the first time during the history of Lake Baikal studies. This series is a result of long-term studies with methods of classical biology, systematics, taxonomy, light and electronic microscopy, as well as ecology of species.
The deposits of gas hydrates were discovered in surface layers of sediments in Southern and Middle Baikal. It was revealed that a rich community of organisms was connected with them. This community is chemotropic and receives its carbon from methane processing rather than from photosynthesis.
Structures of communities of archea and bacteria, and phototrophic picoplankton inhabiting the Baikal water column at depths from 0 to 1637 m were described. Many of nucleotide sequence clusters found do not have close analogs in the world database. It is supposed that Baikal microorganisms have a lot of “endemics” surviving dramatic climatic changes occurring in the Pleistocene. There were identified large-scale natural phenomena – methane discharge into the lake water column from its bottom in all the basins. A lot of “flames” of methane discharge including those from craters of mud volcanoes were recorded.
Deposits of methane hydrates in Baikal sediments, as well as in near-bottom layers were for the first time estimated.
The Institute has been carried out a great amount of work of applied character. The Institute headed the elaboration of the "Norms of Permissible Impacts on Ecological System of Lake Baikal" which are valid up to this date. In 1996 it initiated the inclusion of Lake Baikal into the List of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. The Institute took part in the elaboration of the draft of the “Law of the Russian Federation on the Protection of Lake Baikal”.
The production of bottled drinking water is being continued. Over 70 mln liters of Baikal drinking water (over 1 bln rubles) has been sold to commercial organizations using licence on patent “Method on Production of Baikal Drinking Water”. The stock of the Baikal whitefish omul was surveyed by trawling and acoustic techniques combined. Together with Joint Stock Company “Irkutskenergo” the scientific research fleet of the Institute carried out high-voltage cable laying for the electrification of Olkhon Island. Complex hydrochemical and biological studies were conducted in the area of New-Irkutsk Heat Station. This survey helped power specialists to give up the idea of building new costly ash-and-sludge dumps. The Institute developed for Irkutsk medical establishments a PCR-test-system for detection of rubella virus and techniques for quantification of medications in blood serum for therapeutic medical monitoring.
In 2006, the Institute hosted the 19th International Diatom Symposium (IDS2006) in which 97 foreign scientists, students and post-graduate students took part from 32 countries. For the last 40 years this Symposium is held every two years in different countries of the world. For the first time of its history it was held in Russia.
The Institute cooperates with international institutions. Since the 1990-s, 249 international expeditions have been carried out on Lake Baikal with the participation of 456 Russian and 1353 foreign scientists from 36 countries. Baikal has become an international laboratory for studying changes of the environment and climate, biological speciation, hydrochemistry and chemistry of atmosphere. | <urn:uuid:5695b5cd-6da8-42b5-835c-5cd4390f2571> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://lin.irk.ru/en/scientific | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961641 | 884 | 3.546875 | 4 |
- aerobic exercise - a long, low intensity, are effective for strengthening the cardiovascular system;
- exercise with the load.
Consult your physician before starting trainingSome aerobic exercise such as swimming, cycling or workout on a stationary bike is definitely helpful. But to strengthen the skeletal system more efficient exercise with the load (with optional weights). Use of additional weights for aerobic training causes extra stress muscles and strengthens bones.
When lifting weights, walking, during step aerobics classes the body overcomes the natural force of gravity. To enhance the load as the weights you can use light dumbbells or plastic water bottles.
As an exercise may be helpful:
- Work on the plot;
- Walking up the stairs;
- Exercises are based;
- Weight lifting;
Ideally, training should be regular and to combine different types of exercises. Use of additional weights strengthens muscles surrounding the bone. This improves the nutrition of bone mass, bones become denser and stronger.
In addition, regular exercise improves coordination, which reduces the risk of falls and, consequently, the risk of injuries and fractures of bones.
Regular workouts are extremely useful. But in osteoporosis, or the presence of other diseases, some of the exercises may cause serious harm to health. That is why before starting any type of exercise you should consult with your doctor and use it to select the optimal duration and a certain kind of exercise, the maximum useful specifically for you. It should also be made aware of the presence of a coach you have any medical conditions.
Remember the two rules of rigor:
- Any new type of exercise should start with a minimum load and duration, gradually increasing both the classroom and intensity;
- If during exercise you feel pain or discomfort, immediately notify the trainer or doctor.
Exercises to prevent fallsRegular exercise helps not only to strengthen the muscular and skeletal system, improve the overall health and mood, but also to improve the coordination and, consequently, reduces the risk of falls and related injuries.
Even if the fall is a good coordination will help to avoid serious damage.
For more information, to develop individual training programsAs we have noted, correctly designed program will bring many benefits. Excessive load or incorrectly selected exercises can cause injury or serious illness.
- before beginning training all people over age 40 should undergo a thorough medical examination;
- Some exercises can significantly increase the risk of fractures in women with established significant loss of bone mass (eg, squats and bending increase the risk of vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosi);
Women at high risk for heart failure may need a special load test prior to the training program.
Development of an individual program is tailored to your individual needs and associated diseases.Here are some exercises that your doctor may offer to reduce the risk of falls and improve the overall condition.
- Strength training (using a small additional weight) or with resistance exercise (with an elastic bandage). These exercises will improve balance, increase muscle strength and make the bones stronger. Weight should be small. For example, light dumbbells or plastic water bottles.v - Stretching improves flexibility, making movement easier and reduce the risk of injury.
- Tai Chi (Chinese popular gymnastics, which uses soft slow movements to relax the muscles), improves balance, flexibility and a positive effect on mood.
- Aerobic medium or low intensity, such as walking, dancing, climbing stairs, during which used an additional burdening, increase muscle strength and coordination, improve balance and make bones stronger (to avoid excessive stress on joints and muscles).
Consider one of the most natural forms of exercise walking. This is a simple, effective way to strengthen muscles, increase bone strength and improve overall health.
Sample the beginning of the program:
- Start slowly from 10 to 20 minute walk four times a week.
- Select to exercise the most comfortable time of day (in summer to avoid walking in the hottest time of day, not recommended to exercise immediately after eating).v - While walking keep an eye on your feelings, pay attention to any state of discomfort, pain, feeling of pressure in your chest, nausea. If any of these symptoms stop immediately and rest until the complete disappearance of the discomfort. Be sure to tell us about all the symptoms, your doctor and coach.
- Increase the load gradually. Travel distances may be increased from 400 m each day during the first 2 weeks of training up to 800 meters each day during the third week, 1.5 km during the fourth week, 1.6 miles - starting with the fifth week.
- For workouts, use the comfortable shoes of suitable size.
- Use the socks and clothes made from natural absorbent fabrics (cotton, wool), corresponding to the season.
The key to success - consistency. Only regular exercise are beneficial.One day, interrupting the usual training regimen, an effect achieved previously, much is lost in 2 weeks and disappears after a few months.
Here are some tips to help you make a regular practice:
- Selected exercises should not be complicated or boring for you, while training to be as convenient as possible.
- If possible, practice with friends or in a group.
- Try not to exaggerate its capabilities, perform an exercise to suit your physical fitness and health at the moment.
- Make training a mandatory part of your daily routine.
Where can I find out about training programs?If you are just starting to do, or not trained for a long time, the best choice will be a special training class. Exercises under the supervision of an instructor as efficiently and safely.
Depending on your individual needs the doctor may recommend a specific program or direct you to do this in consultation with a physiotherapist (a specialist in physical therapy). | <urn:uuid:25f565f7-eaf6-49f2-96e3-d0f7856afa46> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://medusanews.com/diseases-and-conditions/rheumatology/exercise-for-osteoporosis.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929295 | 1,181 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Food and Stress
There are so many things to discuss about how food causes us physical and emotional stress that I was feeling overwhelmed with tackling this subject. Melissa owns the Facebook page The Gluten Revolution and always has great spot on information about the health effects of food and the impact of what we eat on our health so I asked her to write this guest post. Next week I will talk more about the emotional complications of food and stress. I would love it if you could give Melissa some Natural Mamma love.
There is a close association between the food we eat and the stress placed on our body. The old cliché “you are what you eat” always comes to mind, but by large most people are unaware of what it is they are eating. There has never been a more important time than now to understand exactly what is on the end of your fork and how it may be affecting your body.
For the first time in history, children’s lifespans are expected to be shorter than their parents. Chronic illness is on the rise and will continue to climb, and is reaching younger generations. The food choices we make can either give us vitality, or slowly drain our state of health. While we know that busy schedules, conflicts, financial and health worries are causes of stress, many people do not understand the profound effect that food has on our ability to cope with stress.
Food can cause physical stress in different ways:
- Unidentified sensitivities to food can actually cause mental, emotional and physical stress, and can be directly attributable to depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, psychosis, autoimmune disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and more.
- The Standard American Diet we’ve been handed by the USDA, American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association, agribusiness, and others, leave our bodies under-nourished and confused.
- The toxins contained in and on food place a physical burden on our bodies and disrupt our body’s normal processes.
Food sensitivities can be difficult to identify because they are different from an allergy.
- Food allergies can be more obvious, and cause the typical reactions like hives, itching, or more severe anaphylactic shock. Allergies can be detected by use of a skin-prick test, in which IgE antibodies are activated.
- Food sensitivities are caused by other immune antibody responses, and are not as easy to detect. There are tests available, such as the ELISA/ACT tests, but the tests can be expensive and may not be covered by insurance. Food sensitivities can cause anything from headaches to neurodegenerative disease.
First I’m going to pick on wheat, the biggest offender of them all, because it is very important for you to understand the severity of unrecognized gluten sensitivity (whether it be celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity), and to also understand all of the other issues outside of gluten.
Wheat (and other glutenous grains)
The most severe and grossly under-recognized food sensitivity is to gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. It is linked to hundreds of diseases, ranging from ADD/ADHD, mood disorders, migraines, to cancer and everything in between. You do not want to continue eating gluten if you are sensitive to it, whether you are aware of it or not.
Common Signs of Gluten Sensitivity Include:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Headaches or migraines
- Thyroid problems
- Autoimmune and neurological conditions.
Celiac disease is on the rise, yet largely undiagnosed. Most people who are gluten sensitive do not have celiac disease, but if you suspect you may have celiac disease, you should consider being tested before removing gluten from your diet. It is estimated that approximately 1% of the worldwide population have celiac disease, but most are still undiagnosed. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a newly recognized medical condition. Estimates of people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity range from 30% to 50%!
Dr. Alessio Fasano, founder of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, has found that everyone is affected by gluten, but to differing degrees. No one can properly digest it. When eaten, it releases a chemical in our bodies that opens the cells in our intestines, a condition known as intestinal permeability. Normally the cells lining our intestines form a tight barrier so that food molecules and toxins cannot escape into our bodies. When these cells open, small particles escape into the bloodstream, becoming foreign invaders to our immune system. In some people the gates close quickly after consumption. In others the gates remain open and symptoms appear, such as depression, anxiety, arthritis, ADD/ADHD, headaches, autoimmune disease, ataxia, encephalopathy, or any of the 300 signs, symptoms and associated diseases.
The issue of gluten sensitivity is so severe that it should not be ignored. Don’t assume gluten is not an issue for you – be proactive and be certain. Undiagnosed celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are very serious conditions, whether you recognize it or not. To those of us with the sensitivity, gluten is poison.
So what if you’re not gluten sensitive?
Don’t assume that wheat is good for you. While research is still is in its infancy, the current research is painting a very demented picture of the Golden Child of the USDA, AHA and ADA. According to Dr. William Davis, as documented in his book Wheat Belly, wheat is directly responsible for food cravings, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, pre-mature aging, erectile dysfunction and hair loss. Two slices of whole wheat toast actually cause blood sugar spikes higher than eating a sugar-laden candy bar!
Wheat is actually so perverse, it releases exorphins that bind to the opiate receptors in our brains, similar to morphine and heroine, making us crave it. Withdrawal symptoms have been reported in people who eliminate it. Any way you look at it, wheat is not a good food choice. It places an insane amount of stress on our bodies. Instead of a heart healthy label, it should come with a warning label.
Other Food Sensitivities and Intestinal Permeability
When we eat wheat and other foods that irritate our digestive tract, we create intestinal permeability. Many food sensitivities are thought to be a consequence of this condition. When our intestines become permeable, food particles and toxins are able to move into our body. As food particles leak out, our immune system identifies them as foreign and launches an attack. We become sensitized to food and particles that would otherwise be harmless. If these particles resemble our organs (gluten closely resembles the thyroid), our immune system may launch an attack against our own tissues, resulting in autoimmune conditions. If these particles cross into the blood brain barrier, mood disorders can develop.
Food sensitivities can have a direct impact on our mental and physical health. Our immune systems become overwhelmed and eventually, after continuous assault, start to function ineffectively. As it becomes inundated with putting out fires, inflammation takes over and our health begins to fade.
Standard American Diet
The Standard American Diet, or SAD, has created a perfect storm for chronic illness in our country. The promotion of whole grain/low fat diets has left our guts in distress and our brains starving for nutrients. Fat nourishes our bodies and brains and provides us with necessary nutrients and satiety. The promotion of grains and sugar-laden foods, feed the opportunistic bacteria in our guts, causing an imbalance of gut very important bacteria. Consuming grains and sugar in the amounts consumed today has also made us an insulin-resistant and overweight society. In other words, fat doesn’t make us fat, grains do!
The promotion of processed franken-foods, slapping on a vitamin and mineral content and heart healthy label, has misguided us into believing we can get our nutrition from depleted, laboratory created, chemically-laden food-stuffs. Our bodies work overtime trying to identify and process all the junk we have been putting into it, and attempts to do so while being starved of the foundation of nutrients it requires. Mark’s Daily Apple has a lot of great nutritional advice and guidance on what foods to avoid and why.
Antinuntrients and Other Toxins
Certain foods are high in phytates and lectins, which are considered anti-nutrients. Grains and legumes are generally low in nutrients and high in anti-nutrients. The nutrients they contain are not readily absorbable because of their high phytate content. Phytates bind to nutrients, rendering them unavailable to our body. Lectins irritate our digestive tract. Since many of us are suffering from some level of intestinal permeability, removal of foods high in lectin content is advised.
Conventionally grown produce contains numerous pesticides. It is best to choose organic when possible. If it is not possible to obtain organic because of availability or budget, avoid the “dirty dozen”.
Even if you are not sold on the emerging science surrounding the dangers of genetically modified foods, the fact that they are heavily sprayed with the herbicide Round-Up should cause you concern. It has been shown to be toxic to human DNA in levels 450-fold lower than what is used in agricultural applications.
Avoid non-organic corn and soy.
Avoid products that list “sugar” as an ingredient, indicative of the genetically modified sugarbeet. Opt for a sugar-free brand or one that lists the type of sugar, i.e. cane sugar.
When buying meat, try to source out 100% grass fed, pastured or wild caught meat, eggs and fish. These animals have more nutrients because they have been fed their natural diet. Cows that have been able to graze on their natural diet of grass have a perfect balance of Omega 3:6, and are high in an antioxidant called conjugated linoleic acid. Contrarily, conventionally raised meat is full of toxins and is deficient in Omega 3’s. If you cannot find grass-fed meat, or if budget is a concern, find the leanest meat possible. Toxins are stored in fat, so by choosing the lean cuts you can reduce your toxin load. Conventionally raised animals are fed genetically modified corn and soy, so those pesticide residues are stored in the fat.
The Standard American Diet has put a horrific strain on our health as a society.
Most of us are walking around with some form of physical or mental stress, directly caused by our food supply. We have been given bad dietary advice by government institutions and our state of agriculture is in disarray.
Here is what you can do to improve the health of you and your family:
- Remove gluten from your diet and limit non-gluten grains or go grain-free.
- Limit or eliminate legumes, including soy and peanut. If you include these in your diet, ensure they are properly prepared. The best form to eat soy, if it all, is fermented.
- Eat more fat! It will not make you fat. Acceptable cooking fats are fat from grass-fed, pastured animals, coconut oil, butter or ghee. Other healthy fats include olive oil and avocado oil, but these should not be heated. Avoid vegetable oils (canola, corn, soybean). Here is a great guide to good and bad plant-based oils.
- If you tolerate dairy, choose full-fat dairy, and always buy pastured or organic.
- Avoid packaged, processed food-stuffs. These are full of non-food ingredients that were created in a lab for shelf life and profits, and not for your health or your gut.
- Opt for meat from grass-fed, pastured or wild caught animals, organic meat, or lean cuts of conventional meat, in that order.
- Buy organic when possible, and shop at your local farmer’s markets.
- Avoid genetically modified foods.
- Listen to your body! Many signs and symptoms can be directly attributed to something that was consumed. Healing the gut is of great importance.
- Above all, just eat real food.
Your challenge for the week, if you choose to accept it, is to identify the processed foods in your home and to move them into one spot in your house. This will help you easily identify the foods that blatantly cause stress to the body so when you eat them, it is a conscious decision. ANYTHING that comes in a package goes in that spot in your home. Fruits, vegetables meat, dry seeds, legumes, and unprocessed flours (unbleached) can be in your “real food” section (although, like she states in this post, it might just be best to go without the wheat).
By taking a more conscious approach to your food you will soon see what food is reducing your physical stress, and what food is CAUSING you stress. You are in control.
Is food causing your body unnecessary stress? How do you handle food stress on your body?
http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/glutenintolerance/a/Gluten-Sensitivity-Symptoms.htm http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/glutenintolerance/a/How-Many-People-Have-Gluten-Sensitivity.htm http://chriskresser.com/pioneering-researcher-alessio-fasano-m-d-on-gluten-autoimmunity-leaky-gut http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/oct2011_Wheat-The-Unhealthy-Whole-Grain_01.htm http://www.livestrong.com/article/246282-gluten-free-diet-and-withdrawal-symptoms/ http://chriskresser.com/the-gluten-thyroid-connection http://healthdetective.com.au/services/intestinal-permeability.html http://www.mercola.com/article/carbohydrates/lower_your_grains.htm http://whole9life.com/2012/09/the-legume-manifesto/ http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/#axzz2B9sNi48J http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/#axzz2B39zHFt7 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins/#axzz2B9t6KJ9x http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/#axzz2B39zHFt7 http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/research-roundup-herbicide-toxicity-vastly-underestimated http://www.naturalnews.com/025513_soy_food_soybeans.html http://chriskresser.com/9-steps-to-perfect-health-5-heal-your-gut
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- Natural Herbal Living Magazine – Print Edition - June 20, 2014 | <urn:uuid:e9844594-db76-4baf-8b4c-c5fe9e478050> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://naturallivingmamma.com/2012/11/04/food-and-stress/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925303 | 3,366 | 2.671875 | 3 |
- Selwyn, George Augustus
- (1809-1878)Protestant pioneer in New Zealand and MelanesiaSelwyn was born at Hampstead, England, on April 5, 1809. He received his M.A. from St. John's College at Cambridge University in 1834, and was ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1834. In 1841, he accepted appointment as the first bishop of New Zealand. Selwyn learned Maori on the sea voyage, and began to develop a facility with languages that later enabled him to learn other island languages.From his base at the Bay of Islands station of the Church Missionary Society (CMS), Selwyn traveled widely to organize the churches in his diocese, developing a structure similar to that of the church in England. His effort brought him into competition with the CMS. Its authority undermined, the CMS expelled Selwyn, and he moved to Auckland.Selwyn refused to accept an extra diocesan church structure for the native Maori people, under CMS control. When he opened the College of St John the Evangelist (commonly known as St. John's College), native students shared classes and other activities with European students, provoking hostility from both settlers and clergy, some of whom boycotted the college.In 1857, after extensive consultations, Selwyn called a constitutional conference that culminated in a Constitution of the Church of the Province of New Zealand. A unique act for its time, Selwyn offered both laity and clergy equal rights to manage the affairs of the church in New Zealand. He subsequently established several new dioceses and appointed new bishops. He assumed the office of primate/metropolitan and held the first general synod in Wellington in 1859.Selwyn accepted responsibility for the vast area of Melanesia, apparently assigned to him due to a clerical error, when the northern boundary of the New Zealand diocese was erroneously recorded as the 34th parallel north of the equator, instead of 34 degrees south. Selwyn began to travel through the region, gathering young people to be educated in New Zealand. In 1861, he consecrated John Coleridge Patteson (1827-71) as the first bishop of Melanesia.Building up enemies in his quarter of a century as head of the New Zealand church, Selwyn was "asked" to give up his post at the 1867 Lambeth Conference, and he returned to England permanently the next year. Once in England, he introduced his ideas on lay leadership to his new Litchfield diocese, where he died on April 11, 1878. Four years after his death, Selwyn College at Cambridge University was founded in his memory and the Theological College in Dunedin, New Zealand, was named after him.See also South Pacific.Further reading:■ F. W. Boreham, George Augustus Sel-wyn, D. D. Pioneer Bishop of New Zealand (London: S. W. Partridge, 1911)■ Allan K. Davidson, Christianity in Aotearoa: A History of Church and Society in New Zealand (Wellington, N.Z.: Education for Ministry, 1997)■ W. E. Limbrick, Bishop Selwyn in New Zealand 1841-68 (Palmerston North, New Zealand: Dunmore Press, 1983)■ H. W. Taylor, Memoir of the Life and Episcopate of George Augustus Selwyn, D. D. Bishop of New Zealand, 1841-1869■ Bishop of Lichfield, 1867-1878, 2 vols. (London: William Wells Gardner, 1879).
Encyclopedia of Protestantism. Gordon Melton. 2005. | <urn:uuid:c7c0ab7a-db2e-4396-a2e3-c6a1f7025552> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://protestantism.enacademic.com/540/Selwyn%2C_George_Augustus | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970638 | 758 | 2.984375 | 3 |
When your child brings home homework that asks her to read aloud, you might be confused. Should you correct your child? Should you drill her to make sure she understands? These reading tips for parents, including think aloud reading strategies, will help your child take an interest in reading.
“Read pages 36-38 in your reader to a family member. When you finish, answer the questions in the margin."
If you’ve ever seen this line in your child’s assignment book, you’ve probably wondered what your role is supposed to be. How can parents help their children read? Should you just sit there and listen to your child read? Should you drill her to make sure she understands what she’s read to you? Should you help her if she stumbles over the words? These questions and others plague many parents when their children bring home reading homework. Here are some reading tips and think aloud strategies for parents to use while helping with homework.
Before You Begin
Show excitement about listening to your child read to you. Announcements like “Wow, that seems like a really interesting book!" or “Oh, good, I love to listen to you read, and I can’t wait to hear what the story is about" are great ways to show your children the importance that you place on reading and books. Make sure that he has had a healthy snack or meal beforehand so that he will be able to concentrate on the story. Take him to a quiet place, make sure both of you are comfortable, and smile at him before he begins. Besides encouraging a love of reading, you’ll be preparing the perfect atmosphere for quality time with your child.
How to React
As your child reads, you may be wondering how to react. There’s a possibility that you won’t need to react at all. If you’ve created a positive atmosphere for your child, she may be so involved with her reading that she won’t seem to notice you. If this is the case, don’t interrupt their concentration by asking questions or inserting comments about the story.
Many children, however, enjoy positive feedback from a parent as they read. If your child looks up at you for approval after every few words, reward her with a smile and a nod. If she stops at the end of a sentence or a paragraph, feel free to offer her a comment: “Can you believe that Marcy did that?" or “I would have felt horrible if that had happened to me."
When a child is reading to a parent, it can be tempting to correct every mistake – but it’s often best to hold back. As long as your child understands the general idea of the book, correcting him can make him feel like he’s being tested, which can discourage him. Instead, wait until he finishes the sentence and ask him to summarize what he’s read. If he cannot do this, reread the sentence for him, leaving out the word that he mispronounced. Then let him fill in the correct word.
The most important part of reading isn’t sounding out the words; it’s understanding the message the author is conveying. That’s why it’s essential that you talk with your child and think aloud about what you’ve read, both during and after reading. Stay away from questions that seem like “quizzes" or that imply that you don’t trust that s/he understands, such as “Who was the main character in the story we just read?" Instead, discuss the parts of the book that you found most interesting, or tie a part of the book into your child’s daily life. For example, you might say, “Wow, Tim did a lot of fun activities in this book. Which do you think would be the most fun?" With an older child, you might ask a question like “Do you think Tim did the right thing? What would you have done differently?"
Once you discover the best way you as a parent can help your children read, you will really begin to enjoy reading time more and more. These reading tips and think aloud reading strategies will certainly help as well. Who knows, maybe you can even learn something from them reading to you! | <urn:uuid:5c0739d3-38c0-46ef-8b75-fb98f0468006> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.brighthubeducation.com/study-and-learning-tips/35424-think-aloud-reading-strategies-for-parents/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97505 | 894 | 3.96875 | 4 |
We are a bit over a week into another Arkansas duck season, and it has appearances of being a good one — depending on whether the birds come to your spot, to your decoys, to within shooting range of your blind.
What we have in this state today in ducks and duck hunting stems from three developments more than a quarter century ago.
This does not include the key element of Mother Nature and her ups and downs.
That trio of events affecting Arkansas ducks:
1. Building of rice reservoirs in the Grand Prairie.
2. Creation of the federal duck stamp.
3. Establishment of Ducks Unlimited.
Benefiting ducks was a byproduct of the rice reservoirs. They came into being to boost the growing of rice, which started a couple of decades earlier. The reservoirs gave farmers a means of watering rice crops in the dry period of the year, meaning late summer and early fall. Migrating ducks loved the additional habitat the reservoirs created. They were close to the bottomland hardwood tracts, rich with acorns, that flooded when enough rain fell.
In 1934, Congress passed and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, requiring anyone hunting ducks and geese to purchase and carry a special stamp. The money was earmarked for acquiring wetland habitat around the nation.
The 1934 duck stamps cost a dollar. That was a significant amount in those economically hard times, more than the $15 that today’s duck stamps cost.
More money channeled to more usages was needed to bolster ducks and their declining numbers.
Three years later, Ducks Unlimited was founded with the primary aim to raise money and put it to use for duck breeding grounds.
DU was not the first national conservation organization, but it became even more noteworthy because it brought the urgency of getting money into production and protection of wildlife.
Joseph Knapp, E. H. Low and Robert Winthrop were the founders of Ducks Unlimited in the United States, and about six weeks later Ducks Unlimited Canada was founded. Knapp, Low and Winthrop were well-to-do northeasterners, all philanthropists who wanted to turn around the decline in ducks in North America.
Preceding DU were the Boone and Crockett Club, founded in 1887 through efforts of future president Theodore Roosevelt, and the Isaac Walton League, founded in 1922 with Will Dilg, an advertising executive, the ramrod.
Also in 1937, the Arkansas Wildlife Federation began efforts to remove the state’s Game and Fish Commission from legislative control. This would come about with passage of a constitutional amendment in 1944.
Joe Mosby is the retired news editor of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas’ best known outdoor writer. His work is distributed by the Arkansas News Bureau in Little Rock. He can be reached by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:641d232f-d447-4c82-9c28-85c99238fc57> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/24149439/article-Duck-comeback-starts-in-Depression | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965694 | 595 | 3.09375 | 3 |
China is to launch the country's first ever unmanned probe on the moon next month, an official said on Tuesday. The probe has been named "Jade Rabbit" in a nod to Chinese folklore.
China will land its first ever unmanned probe on the moon in early December, an official said on Tuesday, marking a milestone in the country's space ambitions.
The Chang’e Three moon mission will deploy a buggy, called “Jade Rabbit” after the character that Chinese folklore says lives on the moon as the pet of Chang'e, a lunar goddess.
The rabbit's outline is said to be visible on the moon's surface, like the Western "man in the moon". Ouyang Ziyuan, head of the moon rover project, told Xinhua that the ancient beliefs had their origins in the marks left by impacts on the lunar landscape.
"There are several black spots on the moon's surface, our ancient people imagined they were a moon palace, osmanthus trees, and a jade rabbit," he said.
China showed off a model of the gold-coloured moon rover, with six wheels and wing-like solar panels earlier this month.
Xinhua, the Chinese news agency, did not give a specific date for the landing.
"Chang'e Three's mission requires mastering many key technologies. The technical difficulties and the risks involved in carrying out the mission will be high," spokesman Wu Zhijian told a news conference, carried live on state television.
"In taking on the mission to land on the moon, Chang'e Three will help China fulfil its lunar exploration dream, its space dream and the Chinese dream," said Wu.
Chinese social media users welcomed the name on Tuesday. "I look forward to the jade rabbit visiting the moon palace, go Chinese aerospace!" wrote one poster on Sina Weibo, a service similar to Twitter.
Xinhua reported that 3.4 million people took part in the online poll to choose the buggy’s name.
"Yutu is a symbol of kindness, purity and agility, and is identical to the moon rover in both outlook and connotation," it quoted Li Benzheng, deputy commander-in-chief of China's lunar programme, as saying.
"Yutu also reflects China's peaceful use of space," he added.
Advancing China's space programme has been a priority for the leadership, with President Xi Jinping calling for China to establish itself as a space superpower. Chang’e One was launched in 2007. Scientists have discussed the possibility of building a space station by 2020 and then sending a man to the moon.
Beijing insists its space programme is for peaceful purposes, but the US Defence Department has highlighted China's increasing space capabilities and said it was pursuing a variety of activities aimed at preventing its adversaries from using space-based assets during a crisis.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
Date created : 2013-11-26 | <urn:uuid:592081f6-4b00-48bd-af86-78b6d3e1c3be> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.france24.com/en/20131126-china-takes-small-step-lunar-exploration | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952911 | 610 | 2.546875 | 3 |
There are a few key settings of your 35mm camera to learn for properly setting film for beginner basic photography. Please note some cameras may have automatic features that others may not, such as photo film advancement and rewind, but this photography guide for beginners will encompass all steps for photographers using equipment without these automatic features.
Setting the Film Speed for Film Photography
Before you do anything else, you should always remember that the film speed must be set on your film camera. Typically on the upper left of the camera is a film speed dial, which will serve multiple purposes for film photography. First of all, you must be sure that the ISO film speed of your film is set properly on this dial. You will likely have to push a release button in order to move the film speed dial. This dial will also play an instrumental role for basic photography to open the back of the camera to allow you to load and unload your photo film, as well as rewind the film after the roll is finished. To open the back of the camera, simply lift the rotating part of the dial up to release and open the back of your camera.
Tips for Loading and Unloading 35mm Film
With the back of you camera open, you will see a space for your film on the left and a spool on your right. With the film speed dial still lifted, place the 35mm film into the left part of the camera and push the film speed dial down to lock in your film. Grab the film coming out of the canister and drag it across the back of the camera and into the spool on the right hand side. The spool will have a slip to slide the end of the film into and notches for the film holes to help when advancing your film. Make certain that the film is properly lined up with the notches so that your film will advance properly and that the film is held firmly in place. Advance the film with the film advance lever to be sure that the film catches. Close the back of the camera to ensure that no more film is exposed to light and continue advancing the film until the exposure counter reaches 1.
After your exposure counter reaches 24 or 36, depending on the amount of exposures from the roll of film, you will have to rewind the film before you can open the back of the camera. To do this, there will be a button on the bottom of the camera that needs to be pushed. This button will release the spool’s grip on the film so that you can rewind it. If you do not push this button it will be hard to rewind the film and you could damage your camera or film. After the button is pushed, you can use the lever on the film speed dial to rewind your film. You will hear the film finish rewinding or feel less tension when it is finished. You can then open your camera and remove the film. Your film is now ready to for film processing and development.
For a video guide to loading and unloading film from your 35mm film camera, please visit how to load 35mm film and how to unload 35mm film. | <urn:uuid:a66a5610-2207-4791-9178-052b7af823d0> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.guidetofilmphotography.com/film-photography-settings.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941961 | 637 | 3.375 | 3 |
India and the US differ widely when it comes to healthcare. With the perspective of outcomes, in India the life expectancy at birth is 63 years for men and 66 years for women, while that for US is 76 years for men and 81 years for women. Children under the age of five are also a lot more likely to die in India than in the US.
As this article in Forbes explains, India is still struggling with health basics.
"India faces a growing need to fix its basic health concerns in the areas of HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrhoea. Additionally, children under five are born underweight and roughly 7% (compared to 0.8% in the US) of them die before their fifth birthday.
This year's Budget has come under criticism for not addressing systemic problems adequately, emphasizing instead health insurance schemes and public-private partnerships.
Comparing the healthcare systems of two of the world's biggest democracies--the United States and India--highlights changes we can make to improve the access and outcomes in our own country while also bringing to the fore some of our potential strengths. The big question, of course, is whether the decision-makers are listening.
Let's look at the key areas of differences between the two countries.
1. Public health scenario
India lags far behind developed nations in the public health arena, with clean drinking water, adequate nutrition, sanitation and access to healthcare being long-standing challenges. This year's Budget, too, has come under criticism for not addressing systemic problems adequately, emphasizing instead health insurance schemes and public-private partnerships.
The picture is far rosier in the US, where per person healthcare expenditure is the highest in the world. Successive governments have consistently prioritized healthcare reforms.
2. Nature of healthcare
The Indian healthcare system can be described as 'mixed'. While the government provides healthcare at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, there is a burgeoning number of private hospitals with better medical facilities. Unfortunately, most are too expensive for the average citizen. Healthcare is taken far more seriously in the US, as we have already seen.
Notably, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), better known as 'Obamacare', was signed into a law in 2010 with a mission to reform the health insurance sector and to provide more Americans accessible, affordable and quality healthcare services. Consumer protections, regulations, subsidies, taxes, insurance exchanges and other such reforms go into making the system work. Similarly in India, a central initiative by the government will help make healthcare accessible to the vast population.
In India the total expenditure on healthcare as percentage of GDP is just 4%, while in the US it is 17%.
3. Vast difference in spends as % of GDP
In India the total expenditure on healthcare as percentage of GDP is just 4%, while in the US it is 17%. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data for countries performing best in the healthcare sector, the US ranks 37, while India stands at 112. While the US can still improve and learn more from the top performers, India still has a long way to go.
4. Out of the pocket expenditure
A whopping 70% of the Indian population pays out of their own pocket for medical expenditures. This typically strengthens the financial mechanism of the insurance sector. In the US, the out of the pocket expenditure is much lower at 10-12%.
5. Health insurance is mandatory in the US, unlike India
In the US, it's mandatory to get health insurance and you have to pay a penalty if for some reason you choose not to get it. Employers in the US, as per government guidelines, are supposed to provide health insurance to their employees. None of the above holds true in India, where the provision or purchase of health insurance is up to the discretion of employers or individuals.
In the US, it's mandatory to get health insurance and you have to pay a penalty if for some reason you choose not to get it.
6. Scope of coverage
In the US, health insurance cover is generally comprehensive, and includes everything from consultations for, say, a fever to hospitalization. However in India, visits to physicians are not covered under insurance. Only 30 days pre-/60 days post-hospitalization are covered, depending on terms of the policy. The other expenses are to be borne by the individual.
7. Premium charges
Since a larger number of people are covered under health insurance policies, with larger scope and a much higher standard of living, the premium rates are generally higher in the US. In India, since the health insurance policies are taken by a lesser percentage of the population and owing to cut-throat competition amongst various insurance companies, the premiums are much lower. For instance, a 30-year-old Indian male needs to pay around ₹ 500/month to get ₹ 5 lakh health insurance coverage. The numbers differ with different healthcare insurance providers, but you can get decent coverage for about ₹ 10,000 each year. Despite this, medical insurance has a relatively poor reach.
8. Differentiation in states
The US is a federation of various states, each of which has different regulations. This also has an impact on the health insurance rules and provisions, which differ from state to state. India, on the other hand, is a republic and the same rules apply across all states. Therefore a health insurance policy will have the same rules and regulations across the country.
Also see on HuffPost: | <urn:uuid:92d26eff-a3a2-4a27-ada4-2a42eb5df65b> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.huffingtonpost.in/utkarsh-sahu/8-major-differences-between-healthcare-in-the-us-and-india/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958215 | 1,122 | 3.03125 | 3 |
The distinguished history of Jackson State University began on October 23, 1877. The University started as Natchez Seminary, a private school, under the auspices of the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York for the purpose of educating Mississippi’s newly freed slaves. Beginning with only 20 students, the school operated for 63 years as a private church school. In November of 1882, the Society moved the school to Jackson to the site where Millsaps College now stands. A part of this transition was the renaming of the school to Jackson College in recognition of the institution’s new, central location in the City of Jackson. Natchez Seminary soon relocated from its site in north Jackson to a tract of land in the southwest section of the city. Construction on the new site began in 1902 and the University remains on this site today. In 1924, the first bachelor degree was awarded. During this period, the major educational activities were directed toward teacher education for in-service teachers. When the American Baptist Home Mission Society withdrew its support from the institution in 1934, it became apparent that state support was needed to sustain the school. The school was transferred from the private control of the church to the state education system and renamed Jackson State College. Initially the school had been specifically designated by the state to train rural and elementary teachers. In 1942, the Board of Trustees expanded the curriculum to a full four-year teacher education program culminating in the Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. The first four-year graduating class under state support received degrees in May 1944. A Division of Graduate Studies was organized during the summer of 1953 and the program of Liberal Arts started in the fall of that year. During the late sixties, the entire curriculum was reorganized and the following schools were established: The Schools of Liberal Studies, Education, Science and Technology, Business and Economics and the Graduate School. Through a legislative act, Jackson State College was designated Jackson State University on March 15, 1974. Jackson State College gained university status in accordance with the expanded breadth and quality of its faculty and academic programs.
From 1967-1977, the faculty had tripled in size and the number of faculty members with graduate degrees increased eightfold. In 1979, the University was officially designated the state’s Urban University by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. In the late 1980s, the University and its surrounding community were enriched through the expansion of the Universities Center; the establishment of the West Jackson Community Development Corporation to improve blighted housing around the campus; the organization of a Staff Senate; and the creation of a Center for Professional Development and the Center for Technology Transfer.
In the 1990s, a Campus Master Plan that projected the growth of the University into the 21st Century was developed. Fifteen new graduate and undergraduate programs evolved. These academic achievements were bolstered by the establishment of the School of Social Work, the formation of the School of Engineering, the fall 1998 opening of the School of Allied Health Sciences, the School of Business received by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), a $13.5 million expansion of the H. T. Sampson Library which doubled the capacity of the original structure; and the occupancy of the $17.2 million School of Liberal Arts building in 2001. In Fall 2000, the University received doctoral research intensive status with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This prestigious designation was based on the awarding of more than 20 doctoral degrees from the Division of Graduate Studies and the $40 million in federally funded research contracts secured through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. As the University entered the New Millennium and celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2002, it developed and implemented its strategic plan -Beyond Survival: The Millennium Agenda for Jackson State University. The five-point strategic plan moved Jackson State University to a new level of academic excellence. | <urn:uuid:51422167-d891-42b3-8503-3c5bb6acc3f9> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.jsums.edu/unite/jsu-history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970872 | 786 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Back in 2007, when we first started thinking about creating a new Ed School from scratch, Kenny and I met with 3 directors of Harvard Medical School affiliated residency program. We were trying to learn about common challenges in training bright 20-somethings: people who, as undergrads (and in medical school), were rock star students.
Each doctor described the same concern. Attending doctors (the veterans) were often reluctant to give enough negative (but needed) face-to-face feedback.
Instead, attendings would
a) make technical corrections to rookies, but in a way that withheld negative judgment, b) instead approach residency directors and say the nasty stuff.
Of course the residency directors would get frustrated. These rookie doctors wouldn't improve if they didn't get the tough feedback.
Why are people so cautious in giving feedback? Dopamine.
With an evaluation, you expect something. You make predictions. So there are 4 scenarios.
1. Expect critique -- get praise. 2. Expect praise -- get it. 3. Expect praise -- get critique. 4. Expect critique -- get it.
What happens in your brain? Courtesy of a great blog called Neurotopia, we learn about a defining 1997 experiment:
First, they took a bunch of monkeys (it has also been done in rats) and implanted electrodes to record neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, an area that contains lots of dopamine neurons. With these electrodes, they could watch the neurons fire. In this case, they gave the monkeys an unexpected reward, fruit juice.
See that spike above the "R"? That spike is a spike in dopamine neuron activity when the monkeys on unexpected fruit juice. The neurological equivalent of "w00t!".
They then trained the rats on a conditioned stimulus paradigm. Basically, they paired a tone or light with a dose of fruit juice for the monkey. This meant that, when the monkey was done learning, it knew that when it got a light, fruit juice was forthcoming. And the neurons in the monkeys brains SHOWED the result of the learning. It looked like this:
This is a condition where the monkey was given the tone (or light), and got the reward it expected. You can see that here, the spike in dopamine neuron activity has shifted, this time corresponding to the tone (woohoo! juice is on the way!) rather than to the reward itself.
But then, what happens when the conditioned stimulus of the tone or light is given, and no juice arrives?
The spike is there, the monkey is waiting for juice. No juice arrives. And instead of normal firing, when no reward appears, there's a DECREASE in dopamine neuron firing (the circled portion).
That monkey's been Rickrolled.
Makes sense to me. That's my own reaction when I get unexpected critique.
It also describes my 2 year old. Literally. When he expects juice, you basically have about 5 seconds to get it poured, cut it with water, in his sippy cup with lid securely fastened, and in his hand.
Otherwise dopamine hell.
As a teacher training program, how do you deal with dopamine?
1. Create environment where trainees give permission in advance to sometimes get the Oooh Buurn reaction. Use this permission to train coaches that they must shoot straight and not back down.
2. Use numerical ratings of each teaching session. We use 1 to 10 scale. Why?
a. Written/verbal evaluations alone require interpretation. If I say the class you taught had 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses and I describe each of those -- well that class could have been great overall or terrible overall.
But if I tell you it was a 2 out of 10 or a 7 out of 10, you know where you stand.
b. The only way you're going to be cool with getting, say, a 3 out of 10 is if last time you got 2 out of 10. Yes, the class overall is still weak. Yet you got a little dopamine boost because the 2 went to a 3.
3. Cross-coach ratings alignment. Needs to be like skating. If one judge gives a 5.8, almost all the other judges will be within .3 of that rating. Except the East German judge.
If a trainee gets 3's on Saturday and 6's on Friday, she'll of course be flummoxed.
4. Frequent feedback. For two reasons:
a. Frequency helps align trainee and coach. This lowers the hi-lo rating combo that cuts dopamine.
b. Frequency probably diminishes the size of dopamine effect. | <urn:uuid:489a7b13-fabc-46ef-b66d-15f8499b0dbc> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.matcheducation.org/blog/2010/07/24/dopamine | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945529 | 956 | 2.53125 | 3 |
The Primary Education Hub
by admin on 15/06/2010
Activities designed for Rang II focussing on common misspellings. Activities include Make the Word, Solve the Clues and Fill in the Missing Letters.
(.doc file 45.5KB)
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Princess Masako (Reizei)
Princess Masako (950–1000) was a princess and an Empress consort of Japan. She was the consort of Emperor Reizei of Japan. She was the daughter of Emperor Suzaku. Her mother was Princess Hiroko. She was born in 950 after the abdication of her father. She was made princess on the 8th lunar month, 10th the same year. Her mother Princess Hiroko died soon after her birth. Her father the former Emperor Suzaku died at the age of 30 in 952. Then she was raised by her paternal uncle Emperor Murakami due to the early death of her parents. She was made Empress consort after Prince Norihira acceded to the throne as Emperor Reizei in 967. After the abdication of Emperor Reizei, she was made Empress Dowager in the 7th lunar month, 973 and Grand Empress Dowager in the 7th lunar month, 986. She died from disease at the age of 50 on the 12th lunar month 1st, 1000.
Fujiwara no Anshi
|Empress consort of Japan
Fujiwara no Koshi
|This biography of a member of the Imperial House of Japan is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.| | <urn:uuid:62917ea5-cbbc-4ef9-8693-32f12aa5dd6e> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Masako_(Reizei) | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985751 | 276 | 2.875 | 3 |
20 Powerful Quotes From Rumi’s Spiritual Teacher, Shams Tabrizi
Rumi (1207-1273) was a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic. Over the past seven centuries, his influence has transcended international borders and ethnic divisions, and his poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s languages and transposed into various formats. Often described as the “most popular poet” and the “best selling poet” in the United States.
His poems and quotes are some of the most favored amongst spiritual communities, but the lesser-known inspiration and spiritual influence of Rumi’s work comes from his mentor – a man named Shams-i-Tabrīzī (1185-1248).
Tabrīzī was a Persian Sunni Muslim, who is credited as Rumi’s spiritual instructor, and is referenced in great reverence in the work entitled Diwan-i Shams-i Tabrīzī (The Works of Shams of Tabriz). Tradition holds that Shams taught Rumi in seclusion in Konya for a…
View original post 818 more words | <urn:uuid:51c085f8-539a-48b4-afa1-19855bf3e564> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://serendipitythirteen.wordpress.com/2016/10/23/20-powerful-quotes-from-rumis-spiritual-teacher-shams-tabrizi/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951596 | 252 | 2.59375 | 3 |
The gaur and cattle has chromosome complements of 2n = 56 and 2n = 60, respectively. Two types of chromosomal arrangements of the backcrosses were observed; namely an intermediate to the parental species (2n = 58) and a cattle type (2n = 60). The backcrosses with 2n = 60 shared similar chromosomal arrangement and banding characteristics of the cattle. A comparison of the gaur with cattle, as the model of the ancestors of the modern bovids, showed structural and characteristic differences in their karyotypes. The gaur exhibited two pairs of submetacentric chromosomes and lacked two chromosome pairs, which had resulted from Robertsonian translocations during their karyotype evolution. Banded karyotypes revealed extensive similarities of chromosomes 1 and 2 of the Malayan gaur to the homologous acrocentric chromosomes of cattle. For the first time, chromosome 1 of the gaur was identified to contain an ancient origin inverted segment compared to cattle, which was homozygous in all the studied gaur samples. The intensity of the C-bands on chromosomes 1 and 2 suggested that the translocations occurred at different periods of time during the karyotype evolution. | <urn:uuid:cdfc4409-c1a8-417b-9dd8-fa736bfde99f> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.clickoncare.com/malayan-gaur-and-cattle-are-relatives | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94886 | 245 | 3.265625 | 3 |
More than 100 years ago, a group of women started recording constellations using magnifying glasses and glass photographic plates. Half a million plates later, the images captured continue to provide a reference for how space has evolved over time.
“Some of those plates have as many as 50,000 stars on them,” said Dava Sobel, the author of “Glass Universe,” a new book about these early female astronomers. “The detail, the tedium of it — but the excitement of it because they were making bonafide discoveries.”
Sobel, a former New York Times science reporter and the author of several books about astronomy, joined us to talk about how the project began. Her answers were edited for brevity and clarity.
Edward Pickering and Anna Draper — who were they?
Edward Pickering was the director of the Harvard College Observatory and Anna Draper was a New York heiress, the wife of doctor Henry Draper and she was also his partner in his amateur astronomy pursuits.
And she gives a gift that sort of sets off this whole thing, right?
So as a memorial to him, she gave Pickering pretty much the equal of his entire annual budget just to do that project.
And Edward Pickering in the 1880s-ish, hires women to do this when women just were not in science.
That's true. He was very broad-minded, forward-thinking. He actually found about six women working at the observatory when he took it over in 1877 and he thought that was just fine and he even reached out to volunteers, women who had been through one of the women's colleges and had real background in astronomy but no place to apply that background and he gave them a chance to send in their observations and be part of a big important project.
They were cheap labor too, weren't they, these women?
Yes, women still are in many cases. But the opportunity he gave them, the confidence he placed in them and the recognition he brought them — all of those were recompense. They did complain about their salaries sometime, but they were happy to have the work.
WWII comes along. NASA comes along and space exploration. This all plays into that as well.
Yes. There were people from the Harvard Observatory who showed how well their background in astronomy had trained them to do war work. So the wife of the observatory director was computing ballistic tables for the Navy. There were many ways that a trained astronomer could participate and contribute.
Describe for me what it was like to look at these plates.
They're beautiful things. They look like, a little like museum relics...They started in 1885 and they cover a full century of the night sky, so the last one was taken in 1992. And that's what makes the collection so extraordinary because although digital techniques now can do more, see farther, they can't see what's on those plates. So today, new discoveries can be better understood, by looking back and seeing what was in those same sectors of the sky 100 years ago.
Click the audio player above to hear the full interview. | <urn:uuid:82c7d078-816a-450b-9819-a63fae9ac1ff> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.marketplace.org/2016/12/06/life/legacy-early-female-astronomers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988771 | 646 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Dividing Polynomials Using Long Division - Notes AND Dot Game!
If your students are tired of doing boring worksheets, this activity is for you! With this purchase you will receive a foldable (perfect for an interactive notebook!) and a dot game for your students to practice! Work through the vocabulary and steps on the front of the foldable, and solve the four practice problems on the inside. Then watch your students learn with the Dot Game. To play the game, students will connect adjacent dots by drawing a horizontal or a vertical line. They will take turns until someone closes a box. The person that "closed the box" gets that square. Students will solve the problem inside of the box on their Recording Sheet. The remainder from the division problem is the amount of points that that person will receive! My students LOVE playing the dot game! Try it out! | <urn:uuid:aad3db7e-c939-4458-b276-e4c21c79bd72> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dividing-Polynomials-Using-Long-Division-Notes-AND-Dot-Game-3040825 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218203515.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322213003-00254-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940251 | 178 | 3.703125 | 4 |
More than 9,500 researchers from dozens of scientific fields convened last month for the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Society, held annually in San Francisco. Although NASA’s Mars missions grabbed plenty of attention, some of the most compelling reports came from other areas of research. Among the highlights:
Dusting Off the Future: Given current trends, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will surely continue to rise over the next century. One important but previously overlooked consequence of all that CO2 may be less dust in the air, says Natalie Mahowald of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. She and her colleagues ran a computer simulation estimating the amount of dust in the atmosphere under a variety of different scenarios. The simulation revealed that high carbon dioxide levels, matching those predicted for the next 100 years, would reduce winds and increase moisture and vegetation. As a result, from 20 percent to 63 percent less dust would be churned off desert floors and up into the atmosphere. “For people living in dusty regions—North Africa, for example—it would definitely be a good thing, since the amount of dust really affects their life negatively. Even the southeastern United States has days when the air quality violates EPA standards due to dust from North Africa,” Mahowald says.
Other effects are far less desirable. Dust reflects sunlight, so with less dust in the atmosphere to bounce the sun’s rays away, surface temperatures will rise. (The researchers do not yet know by how much.) Also, dust that blows into the oceans provides iron, a vital nutrient, to marine organisms. “If you reduce iron deposition, you may well reduce ocean productivity and reduce the uptake of carbon dioxide by the oceans. This would cause even more CO2 to accumulate in the atmosphere, making our global warming problems worse,” Mahowald says.
Listen to the Lightning: Bruce Gungle has hit on an easy and accurate way to predict the amount of rain in a thunderstorm: Count the number of associated lightning bolts. While Gungle was a graduate student with the University of Arizona’s department of atmospheric science, he and his colleague, atmospheric scientist E. Philip Krider, measured rainfall and tallied the cloud-to-ground lightning strikes during nine thunderstorms in a 225-square-mile area around the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral in Florida. Each lightning strike was associated with 4 million gallons of rain, on average. The mechanism underlying the relationship is basic physics, says Gungle, now a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Resources Discipline in Tucson, Arizona: “The charge separation in a thundercloud that leads to lightning is the result of the interaction of the supercooled water and ice particles in the cloud. Because the precipitation in a thundercloud is responsible for the generation of the lightning, it follows that there will be a quantifiable relationship between the two.”
By tracking lightning strikes, researchers could produce real-time rainfall predictions, even though the actual amount of rainfall associated with strikes varies from region to region. “Once a lightning-rainfall relationship has been established for a region, on any given thunderstorm day you simply have to determine the cloud-to-ground lightning rate, or total, and enter that number into an equation to get a reasonable prediction of the rate or total amount of rain the thunderstorm is producing,” Gungle says.
Scorching the Silk Road: For centuries, the 4,000-mile-long Silk Road provided a vital connection between China and the West for trade and the exchange of ideas. Ancient civilizations arose and thrived in oases along the route, which traced along the Great Wall of China, climbed through the Pamir mountains, then ran across Afghanistan and west into the Levant. By the ninth century A.D., however, most of the inner-Asian cities along the Silk Road had been abandoned. Geologist Kuo-Yen Wei of National Taiwan University says the cities disappeared not because of the diminished trade that resulted from conflicts among Tibetans, Chinese, Arabs, and other local populations, as commonly thought, but because of a drastic climate change that turned formerly lush oases into hot, dry desert.
The idea that climate change could have affected the ancient Asian civilizations was suggested nearly a century ago, but “the theory seems to have been forgotten,” says Wei, who has bolstered the idea with modern evidence. He and his colleagues pulled sediment cores covering the past 5,000 years of climate history from China’s Lake Bosten, located in the northwest region of Xinjiang Uygur. They measured two forms of the carbon atom—common carbon-12 and its heavier and rarer cousin, carbon-13. These isotopes are known to vary in abundance in lake deposits depending on whether the local vegetation is adapted to wet or dry conditions. The cores revealed that the climate was stable—and humid—from the second century B.C. to about the eighth century A.D. but then suddenly dried up, perhaps in as few as 40 years. “The response of the human society to this drastic aridification took several decades. Basically, these oases civilizations struggled, migrated, and eventually vanished from the deserted desert,” Wei says.
The burgeoning desert may also have affected the expansion of the Islamic faith through inner Asia, Wei says. A millennium earlier, Buddhist ideas had traveled rapidly from India north and east into China, via the Silk Road. In inner-Asian communities, the religion was eventually displaced by Islam, but only gradually. “Dunhuang, where many famous caves with Buddhist paintings were found, were spared from the iconoclastic Muslims. I think the wide, arid desert might have provided a natural protection. In other words, the aridification in the last millennium in inner Asia made it hard for the spread of Islam, in contrast to the quick spread of Buddhism when the oases enjoyed better water supplies from the glaciers of the Tian mountains to the north and the Kunlun mountains to the south,” Wei says.
Fungus Down Under: A German geomicrobiologist has found fossil fungi buried below more than 150 feet of volcanic rock and under more than a mile of North Pacific water, hinting that life can persist in the most improbable locations. Gabriela Schumann of the University of Gˆttingen in Germany discovered distinctively funguslike filaments inside bubbles in a 46-million-year old basaltic lava flow, recovered during Leg 200 of the international Ocean Drilling Project. Although the fungi are dead, Schumann suspects that similar living forms may still exist deep below the oceans, where the earliest life on Earth may also have originated. “I believe that under the appropriate conditions fungi could live within deep-sea sediments and even within basalts,” she says.
Previously, only simple single-celled microbes had been found in deep ocean rocks. Fungi, however, are multicellular, relatively complex organisms—perhaps the first of many that will be found in this environment, Schumann says: “We believe this is further evidence for the impressive diversity and versatility of life in the deep biosphere. We should expect to find many more known and unknown organisms forming complex populations in this important habitat.” | <urn:uuid:0265b1e7-e424-4494-a9b8-50734fc958d1> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://discovermagazine.com/2004/jan/agu0124 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949589 | 1,505 | 4.03125 | 4 |
The November issue of Health Affairs explores where action is most needed to successfully build a Culture of Health and identifies how we might start. This month’s DataGraphic provides a pictorial view of key facts about how population well-being affects life expectancy.
Population well-being measures help explain geographic variations in life expectancy
Variation in life expectancy across counties in the United States is substantial and not fully explained by race and socioeconomic status. Anita Arora, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at the Yale School of Medicine and coauthors used county-level estimates from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index to determine whether population well-being—a comprehensive measure of physical, mental, and social health—helps explain geographic variation in life expectancy.
Cohesive neighborhoods foster good mental health during adolescence, with long-term benefits
Adolescent mental health is associated with future health and well-being, and new research shows that where a child lives may impact his or her mental health. Louis Donnelly of Princeton University and coauthors used data from a cohort of 2,226 children born in large US cities in 1998–2000 to examine whether neighborhood collective efficacy—a combination of social cohesion and control—is associated with improved adolescent mental health.
Preventable deaths decreased in communities with expanded population health activities
Using 16 years of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Public Health Systems (1998–2014), Glen P. Mays of the University of Kentucky and coauthors found that deaths as a result of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and influenza declined significantly over time in communities that engaged a broad array of organizations and sectors in population health activities.
Government spending associated with improved County Health Rankings
Measuring the impact of health- and nonhealth-related public spending over time, J. Mac McCullough of Arizona State University and Jonathon P. Leider of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found significant positive associations between public spending and the County Health Rankings for a number of social services, including community health care and public health, public hospitals, fire protection, K–12 education, corrections, libraries, and housing and community development.
Also of interest — Anna U. Morgan, a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, and coauthors look at public libraries as partners for public health.
The November issue of Health Affairs is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. | <urn:uuid:2711c3f3-219b-4d42-a275-e4854793123a> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2016/11/09/health-affairs-culture-of-health/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914256 | 483 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Here are two great books to use when you're teaching questioning to your students. Have them preview the book and ask "before reading questions". Remind them that good readers don't always find answers to their questions. Sometimes, though, the questions are what keep us reading and understanding. If you can ask a meaningful question, then it demonstrates that you are really thinking.
In The Wise Woman and Her Secret, the little girl in the book is taught to keep "wandering and wondering". It's a great way to help readers understand that we do the same thing as we read: We wander through the book and wonder about characters, setting, problems, and solutions. This book is beautifully illustrated and is probably best-used with students in grades 2 and higher.
Have students make a list of their own questions from before, during and after reading. They can put them on sticky notes and post them on a chart paper labeled, "Before, During, and After". Let them compare and contrast.
The second book was once a popular "war-song" by Peter, Paul and Mary. It is called, "Day is Done". Have students listen for the questions presented by the singer as well as the child. Then have them ask their own questions.
The book includes a CD in the back with the song on it. (Note: I like the original Peter, Paul and Mary version much better as it is a bit faster.)
Still readers love listening to songs made into books. It's a great way to discuss interpretation as well.
Remember to teach your readers that there are meaningful questions and "fluff questions". Readers must be asking about the deeper meaning of a book if it's going to help their comprehension. Those surface-level questions (what color was the character's shirt?) are OK, but they generally don't lead to more understanding. | <urn:uuid:95eeadc9-4b25-4ab1-b931-60fa932adc7a> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://literacycoachingservices.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976559 | 378 | 3.859375 | 4 |
Exploring Options to Keep Birds Away from Your Wind Turbine
Wind turbines have become hugely popular among the people looking for clean, green, renewable and inexpensive energy sources. Based on the average wind speed of his area, a homeowner can determine the size, design and features of the wind turbine. But many reports have highlighted the negative ecological impacts of wind power generators. The wind power generators are also infamous for killing birds and wildlife during the process of converting wind energy into electricity. However, you can still install wind turbines to use 100% clean, green and renewable energy without causing any harm to birds.
Measures to Keep Birds Away from Wind Turbines
Use Loud Noisemakers: Most birds want to stay in calm and quiet environments. So you can make the environment unfavorable for birds by emitting noise. It is a good idea to consider using loud noisemakers to scare the birds off. Along with shotgun and air cannon blasts, you can also scare off the birds by playing siren noises and distress on loud speakers.
Remove Bird Nests from the Area: Most people do some initial research to choose the best place to install wind turbines. While evaluating places for turbine installation, you can consider choosing an area that is not inhabited by birds. Also, you can consider removing bird nests from the area around the wind turbine to eliminate the chances of the birds being killed during wind energy generation process.
Install Visual Items: Similar to the noise-making devices, you can also consider using a set of visual devices to scare the birds off. There are a number of items that can be installed around the wind turbine to scare the birds. Along with silhouettes of scarecrows and hawks, you can further consider installing flashing lights and balloons with pictures of big eyes. However, it is important to change the visual devices at regular intervals to making these stationary enough for the birds to get used to these devices.
Install Radar: The signals emitted by radars are effective in keeping certain types of birds away. For instance, the sound generated by radar signals is effective in driving away bats from the area around the wind turbines. However, the radar may not be effective in scarring off all types of birds. As the radar can easily detect a flock of birds approaching in the direction of the wind turbine, you can program it to shut the turbine down temporarily.
Each of these scare tactics has its own pros and cons. Certain methods will be effective in scarring off certain types of birds and wildlife. Also, each scare tactic will take some time to frighten the birds successfully. It is a good idea to experiment with different devices till you decide the most effective way to keep the birds away from the area around the wind turbine on a daily basis.PREVIOUS NEXT | <urn:uuid:f7d36574-a314-494a-802c-7cca18836ab3> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.alekogreenenergy.com/articles.asp?ID=269 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941464 | 561 | 2.9375 | 3 |
A dental cap, or crown, is used to cover teeth that are badly decayed, broken or stained. Some or all of the outer tooth is replaced by the crown. The dental crown is made of either ceramic or metal depending upon your personal preference. To properly maintain your crown you will need to take care of it. This means you should avoid eating sticky foods that may pull it loose and cleaning it before bed and after eating.
- Skill level:
Things you need
- Fluoride toothpaste
- Soft-bristle toothbrush
Floss your teeth. Slide a clean flosser up and down gently between each of your teeth, including the capped tooth. Carefully go up around the curve of your tooth to the gum line. Replace your flosser when it looks dirty; you may use more than one each time you floss.
Apply a line of fluoride toothpaste to a wet, soft-bristle toothbrush.
Brush the outer surface of both the bottom and top of your teeth. Then, clean the upper and lower inner surfaces. Clean the chewing surface of your teeth last. Pay special attention to capped teeth when brushing, especially where the cap meets the gum line in your mouth.
Brush the roof of your mouth and tongue. Rinse your mouth with water.
- 20 of the funniest online reviews ever
- 14 Biggest lies people tell in online dating sites
- Hilarious things Google thinks you're trying to search for | <urn:uuid:4bd85ef8-eef4-4096-a80c-d38d0efcfda1> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7366278_clean-capped-teeth.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920113 | 306 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Every year, doctors and patients alike must prepare for the influenza virus by getting the appropriate flu vaccination. As the influenza virus develops and takes a new shape every year, flu vaccines must adapt to the constant change. Even then, people still risk getting sick with the influenza virus or H1N1.
But what if there were a vaccination that could help fight any and all flus? It’s not science fiction, it’s a possible medical breakthrough.
According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific trials performed on lab mice and ferrets using vaccine made from DNA encoding the influenza virus hemagglutinin surface protein and a booster dose of the 2006-2007 seasonal influenza vaccine containing the hemagglutinin flu protein–otherwise known as a “prime-boost” vaccine–produced a positive immune response in 80% of the test subjects.
In short, the two-step immunization process helped protect and fight off a wide variety of influenza strains.
Flu vaccines do not currently protect against such a broad range of influenza virus strains. Because of this, influenza vaccines must be re-formulated every year to protect against the most predominant virus strain.
While still in a trial stage only, this new finding could dramatically increase the life expectancy of every American.
Dr. Gary Nabel, lead researcher of the new “super vaccine,” said clinical testing on humans could be a progressive step in as little as three to five years.
Collaborators on these studies included Terrence Tumpey, Ph.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With an estimated 36,000 deaths yearly in America due to the influenza virus, the possibility of a universal flu vaccination could become the biggest medical breakthrough this century.
For more information on the possible universal flu vaccination, visit the National Institutes of Health. | <urn:uuid:5c0805ff-8668-44c6-834a-bbb626d606b0> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.expressmedicalsupplies.com/blog/is-a-universal-flu-vaccination-in-sight/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923859 | 383 | 3.703125 | 4 |
The monthly "first Friday" breakfast meeting of KM Forum had another discussion of "decision making" today, but this time focused on creating the environments for people to make "the right" decisions and choices: Choice Architecture: Another Take on Decision-making. The general idea is that everything humans interact with affects how they make decisions. We (as designers) have to take human behavior into account.
The primary source of starting materials is research from Richard Thaler, Cass Sunstein, and John Balz that has been published as Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness or as articles like Choice Architecture. They've been mentioned on NPR a number of times. I couldn't find the recent book review for Nudge, but there was a discussion on Robert Krulwich's science segment a year ago, There's a Fly in My Urinal. To give a sense for the material, here is the abstract to the Choice Architecture article:
Decision makers do not make choices in a vacuum. They make them in an environment where many features, noticed and unnoticed, can influence their decisions. The person who creates that environment is, in our terminology, a choice architect. In this paper we analyze some of the tools that are available to choice architects. Our goal is to show how choice architecture can be used to help nudge people to make better choices (as judged by themselves) without forcing certain outcomes upon anyone, a philosophy we call libertarian paternalism. The tools we highlight are: defaults, expecting error, understanding mappings, giving feedback, structuring complex choices, and creating incentives.
Flipping through this article and listening to the other materials, I couldn't help but make connections to other ideas I've been absorbing lately. Dave Snowden mentions an example in his talks where long-haul truckers make some of their biggest mistakes in the few minutes that they change between driving and dealing with unloading the truck. A simple change in their environment (making them wear different clothing - a belt), caused the number of accidents to drop significantly. And there were a number of examples in Chip and Dan Heath's Switch (my review) that have to do with changing how people see and experience things in order to effect changes in behavior.
One of the references I found led me to Mathieu Lehanneur's TED talk on science-inspired design, which has a bunch of examples of objects that he has designed to help people change their behavior. It's interesting to see how he combines beautiful design with insights from scientific studies about how people respond to stimuli. | <urn:uuid:05e02448-97d3-48dc-b31f-6466dbd87758> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2010/12/02/choice-architecture-at-boston-km-forum | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96135 | 521 | 2.75 | 3 |
Most Are Confident in Government’s Ability to Prevent Major Ebola Outbreak in U.S.
Just 11% Are ‘Very Worried’ They Will Be Exposed to Virus
As the Ebola outbreak in Africa continues, and two patients receive treatment in the U.S., most Americans have at least a fair amount of confidence in the government’s ability to prevent a major outbreak of Ebola in the U.S. In addition, relatively few are concerned that they or a family member will be exposed to the virus.
The new national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted Oct. 2-5 among 1,007 adults, finds that 20% say they have a “great deal” of confidence in the federal government to prevent a major outbreak of Ebola in the U.S., while another 38% say they have a “fair amount” of confidence. Fewer than half express “not too much confidence” (24%) or “no confidence at all” (17%) in the government to prevent a major Ebola outbreak.
So far, the Ebola virus has not led to widespread concern about personal health: Just 11% are very worried that they or someone in their family will be exposed to the virus, while another 21% are somewhat worried. Two-thirds say they are either not too (37%) or not at all worried (30%) about contracting Ebola.
Public concern over the possibility of contracting the Ebola virus is lower than for other recent public health threats. In August 2009, 45% were worried about the possibility of being exposed to swine flu, and in November 2005, 38% worried about contracting bird flu.
Republicans Less Confident in Gov’t Ability to Prevent Ebola Outbreak
Republicans are much more skeptical than Democrats and independents about the government’s ability to prevent a major Ebola outbreak in the U.S.
By more than two-to-one, more Democrats say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the government to deal with Ebola (69%) than not much or no confidence at all (28%). Independents also are confident in the government’s ability to prevent an Ebola outbreak in the U.S. (56% vs. 42%). Republicans are divided: About as many say they have little or no confidence (51%) in the federal government to prevent a major Ebola outbreak as say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence (48%).
In November 2005, amid concerns over an outbreak of bird flu, Republicans were far more confident than Democrats in the government’s ability to prevent a major outbreak. At that time, shortly after the Bush administration was widely criticized for its response to Hurricane Katrina, 74% of Republicans and just 35% of Democrats expressed confidence in the government’s ability to deal with a possible bird flu outbreak.
Blacks, Hispanics More Concerned about Exposure to Ebola
Women (37%) are somewhat more concerned than men (27%) that they or someone in their family will be exposed to Ebola.
Concern over Ebola exposure is higher among those with less education. Only about one-in-five college graduates (22%) say they are worried about being exposed to the Ebola virus. By comparison, 34% of those with some college experience and 38% of those with no more than a high school diploma say they are worried that they may contract Ebola. | <urn:uuid:23fbaa0a-ec48-438f-ae3e-7e596eb30f71> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.people-press.org/2014/10/06/most-are-confident-in-governments-ability-to-prevent-major-ebola-outbreak-in-u-s/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968592 | 695 | 2.890625 | 3 |
To demonstrate the dynamics of air pressure
As per the principles of air pressure, a moving stream exerts less pressure than the air surrounding the moving stream and a quick air stream has a lower pressure than a slow moving one.
- Plastic straw
- Table-tennis ball
Estimated Experiment Time
Less than five minutes
- 1. From one end of a plastic straw cut a 10 cm piece
- 2. Put one end of the straw in your mouth and tip back your head
- 3. Hold a table-tennis ball a few inches above the other end of the straw
- 4. Blow as air hard as you can through the straw while releasing the ball simultaneously
The harder you blow, the higher the ball will float above the straw.
As long as you blow air through the straw, the ball remains suspended in mid-air.
The reason why the ball remains suspended in air is because it is actually ‘imprisoned’ by the column of upward rushing air. The air that is in rapid motion has a lower pressure as compared to its surroundings and owing to this, as soon as the ball moves even slightly to one side, the greater pressure outside the air stream forces it back into the fast moving air stream again.
Take a moment to visit our table of Periodic Elements page where you can get an in-depth view of all the elements,
complete with the industry first side-by-side element comparisons! | <urn:uuid:73c58c16-06fd-495a-a990-2bf8a3f9bc3f> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/ProjectDetail.aspx?ProjectID=64 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911179 | 298 | 3.609375 | 4 |
Where: Study was conducted by Chris McManus, professor of psychology and medical education at University College London. Why: To determine why left-handed people are more intelligent and creative than right-handed people. How: Studies in the U.K., U.S. and Australia have revealed that left-handed people differ from right-handers by only one IQ point.
The studies suggest that 70–90% of the world population is right-handed, and 10% of the world population is left-handed. Right-handedness is most common. On average, right handed people live nine years longer than left handed people. A good number of technological devices today are made primarily for right handed individuals, such as refrigerators, scissors, microwaves, can openers, button down shirts, guitars, and even military rifles. In the past, many schools have forced children to write right handed.
Generally, males are three times more likely to be left handed than females. Throughout history being left-handed was considered as negative - the Latin word sinister meant "left". Hence, the many negative connotations associated with the word "left-handed": clumsy, awkward, unlucky, insincere, sinister, malicious, and so on. There have been, however, many famous left-handed people, and the associated right brain hemisphere that is said to be more active in left-handed people, has been found in some circumstances to be associated with genius and is correlated with artistic and visual skill.
I personally am right handed, and looking back on all the information that I have found regarding this particular subject, some of the information applies, some does not. However, a friend of mine is left handed and she is very creative like very good in drawing and in other creative ways but also I have a friend of mine, a right handed which is also has a talent in drawing and... | <urn:uuid:513856bf-7002-4877-b778-936627cadc5d> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.studymode.com/essays/Is-It-True-That-Left-Handed-People-1404620.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96816 | 383 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Religious treasure Nearly fifty rich works of art and craft from medieval Jerusalem, the worldly focus of religion for Christians, Jews and Muslims over 1000-1400, have been borrowed from the city’s present religious communities to share the spotlight at the Met with 200 works in total that include tomb statuary, remarkable huge choir books from the Franciscans with the four line staff of the time (above), ornate boxes for relics, very fine large lamps, goblets, bracelets, wedding rings, maps, bottles, crosses, mats, pillar capitals, bibles and Qu’rans all mellowed in the glow of deep religiosity, in a unique collection where the sole vast gap is an imaginative one, the legendary Temple of the Mount destroyed by the Romans in AD70 which was never rebuilt but which lives on vividly in the memory of Jews today, and where the attached exhibition shop allows visitors to buy their own reminders of how religion inspires unmatchable art and artifacts, including carpets and colored glasses, and guides to all three religions which competed over Jerusalem then and since.
September 26, 2016–January 8, 2017
The Tisch Galleries, Gallery 899
Monday, September 19, 10:00 am–noon
Beginning around the year 1000, Jerusalem attained unprecedented significance as a location, destination, and symbol to people of diverse faiths from Iceland to India. Multiple competitive and complementary religious traditions, fueled by an almost universal preoccupation with the city, gave rise to one of the most creative periods in its history.
“A kind of Jerusalem fever gripped much of the world from about 1000 to 1400. Across three continents, thousands made their way to the Holy City—from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions alike. Generals and their armies fought over it. Merchants profited from it. Patrons, artists, pilgrims, poets, and scholars drew inspiration from it. Focusing their attention on this singular spot, they praised its magic, endowed its sacred buildings, and created luxury goods for residents and visitors. As a result, the Holy City shaped the art of this period in significant ways.”
Opening at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 26, the landmark exhibition Jerusalem 1000–1400: Every People Under Heaven will demonstrate the key role that the Holy City, sacred to the three Abrahamic faiths, played in shaping the art of this period. In these centuries, Jerusalem was home to more cultures, religions, and languages than ever before. Through times of peace as well as war, Jerusalem remained a constant source of inspiration that resulted in art of great beauty and fascinating complexity. | <urn:uuid:a52a7ee8-6ded-4dbe-bd16-f1509ad76e3e> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.talkinnewyork.com/religious-treasures-from-jerusalem-glow-at-met/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951798 | 531 | 3.03125 | 3 |
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An epidural abscess is swelling between the spinal cord or skull and the nervous system. This usually is caused by an infection between the meninges, or the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, and the bones of the spine or the skull. About 90 percent of the time, an epidural abscess is found bordering the spine. The most common causes of abscesses in the head and spine area are infections either in the site of the abscess or elsewhere in the body. These infections might be caused by bacteria or fungus, but occasionally, an epidural abscess will occur in someone with no visible infection.
If the abscess is between the skull and brain, it is called an intracranial epidural abscess. This type of abscess causes typical symptoms of infections such as fever, nausea and vomiting. It also causes headaches, lethargy and pain at the site of the swelling. An intracranial epidural abscess is more likely to happen in patients who have a history of ear infections or sinus infections, and it also can happen after head surgery or a head injury.
If the site of the swelling is somewhere along the spine, it is called a spinal epidural abscess. Spinal abscesses can cause bowel or bladder problems such as incontinence or difficulty urinating. Some patients will also feel back pain, paralysis or weakness. People who have had back surgery or recent bloodstream infections are at the highest risk for spinal epidural abscesses.
Anyone who has persistent back pain or headache with a fever, experiences vomiting and a fever or has weakness and difficulty moving should consult a medical professional. The earlier the epidural abscess is diagnosed and treated, the better the prognosis. If the symptoms persist to the point of causing paralysis or severe weakness, however, it might be an indication that significant nerve damage has occurred, and in some cases, the damage is permanent.
If a patient has symptoms of an epidural abscess, a physician typically will do scans of the head and back area using a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After an abscess is found, the doctor might take samples of it to determine the cause of the infection. Typically, a treatment for abscess has two components. Patients undergo surgery to drain the abscess and relieve the pressure on the brain or spinal cord and take strong antibiotics, usually through an intravenous (IV) line for four to six weeks.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK! | <urn:uuid:a466088d-a2d1-4478-ab8d-a835b969bad0> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-epidural-abscess.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949489 | 564 | 3.578125 | 4 |
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The history of the ace of spades is closely tied to the history of playing cards in general, though there are a few unique aspects of the ace card itself. In the past, cards were typically numbered from ace to 10, with the court cards being the highest cards in each suit. Ace cards, however, were eventually promoted over the court cards, and different suits have been used in various regions, with the spade suit developing in French decks. The ace of spades is often associated with death and is commonly referred to as the “death card.”
Playing cards in general likely developed in China and made their way into Europe during the 14th century, where they promptly spread in popularity throughout various European countries. Some of the earliest decks of cards were plainly numbered from one to 10; the term “ace” was used to refer to the smallest unit of something. The highest cards in these decks were not the aces, but the court cards that often included knaves, queens, and kings. Games began to develop, however, in which aces were used as high cards, and the French Revolution likely promoted this idea further as the lowest card was promoted to be superior to the “royalty” within the deck.
Different suits were initially introduced in early European playing cards, with many cards using the swords, coins, cups, and wands suits often found on tarot cards. German playing cards, however, were created with bells, hearts, acorns, and leaves. Playing cards created in France introduced a different set of suits, keeping the hearts from the German deck, establishing diamonds instead of bells, changing acorns into clubs, and finally keeping a shape similar to a leaf but renaming the suit “spades.” This created a deck of cards in which the ace of spades could be found, and ultimately led to its promotion over court cards.
The ace of spades itself is often the highest card in the deck in many games, including most games of poker. Its reputation as the “death card” may stem from the fact that early British decks of playing cards were taxed by the monarchy. Anyone could print the other 51 cards in the deck, but the ace of spades had to feature an insignia from an approved printer to ensure taxes were paid on each deck. Illegal printing of cards was a lucrative yet dangerous business, and at least one person was sentenced to death for printing the ace without paying the necessary taxes, which may have established it as the “death card.”
This association between the ace of spades and death was likely furthered by its inclusion in the legendary “dead man’s hand” of two pairs of aces and eights, supposedly held by Wild Bill Hickok at the time of his murder. Due to its importance as the luckiest or highest card in the deck, the ace of spades was often painted onto vehicles or body armor of military in World War II for good luck. In the Vietnam War, however, some American soldiers placed the ace on the bodies of dead enemy soldiers in hopes of instilling a superstitious fear of the card and those wielding it into their enemies.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK! | <urn:uuid:92b6acb7-71e8-4bf3-af08-51aa29a2b59f> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-history-of-the-ace-of-spades.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989657 | 714 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Jnana Yoga is the Yoga of true knowledge, which incessantly strives to know and understand the difference between the real and unreal, the permanent and the temporary. The holistic path of Jnana Yoga was described as a straight, but steep course, by Sadananad in his Vedanta-Sara, a 15th century text. Jnana Yoga preaches that there are four means of salvation. According to Jnana Yoga, the person should be able to detach himself/herself from everything that is temporary, after following the holistic path. It also aims to attain tranquility, the control of the mind and the senses, endurance, faith and the ability for perfect concentration.
It is a popular belief that Jnana Yoga is based on the Hindu philosophy of nondualism. Contrary to the assumption, the holistic path of Yoga also finds its place in many branches of Buddhism, including Zen, Islamic Sufism and some branches of Christianity that follow the Gospel of Thomas. Jnana Yoga emphasizes on the use of mind to surpass or discern the mind. It aims to explore knowledge. There are the Eight Limbs of Yoga in Jnana Yoga. The person, who follows this holistic path, attains self-discipline, hears the truth and reflects upon it. There is an urge in the person to attain freedom from whatever is temporary.
The 'liberation' is attainted through knowledge, rather than following rituals and ceremonies. However, not everyone is knowledgeable. Knowledge is limited to the special few people, who are prepared for sound examination and clear judgment of the nature of consciousness. This knowledge is attained only if the person goes through conclusions of the seers by reading scriptures, accumulated through millions of years. The knowledge, thus accumulated, is examined by the individual in the light of his own intelligence and then comes to his own realization. After going through this rigorous process of Jnana Yoga, the person seeking the knowledge ultimately gains insight, the ability to discriminate what is true, and what is untrue.
The benefits of Jnana Yoga are manifold. The person, who follows this holistic path of Jnana Yoga, attains tranquility, which is the art of remaining calm even in the face of adversity. Self-control in one's own self is attained by following Jnana Yoga. Another benefit of following this holistic path is cessation, or keeping one's self abstained from the actions that are irrelevant to the maintenance of the body and the pursuit of inner-enlightenment. After a significant period, the person even attains endurance. He/she is remains unruffled by the play of the opposites in Nature, such as heat and cold, pleasure and pain, praise and censure. Apart from this, the person remains single-minded in all the situations. He/she also becomes able to increase his/her concentration power. | <urn:uuid:55ead0a8-c964-4896-a1b6-569710792595> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://yoga.iloveindia.com/yoga-types/jnana-yoga.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218186608.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212946-00429-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968847 | 586 | 2.875 | 3 |
Investing in stock can provide you not only with profits over time but also an ongoing source of income. Income from stock comes in the form of dividends, which some companies pay their investors. One option for investors is to reinvest their dividends to buy more stock. However, this can have disadvantages compared to other uses of dividends.
How Dividends Work
Dividends are payments that a company makes to its stockholders. Dividends are issued whether a stock value rises or falls, unless the board of directors votes to change the dividend or eliminate it altogether. A company can offer dividends in the form of more stock or in the form of cash. Cash dividends can be reinvested, usually through an automatic dividend reinvestment plan that uses dividends to buy partial shares at their current price when the dividend is issued.
Investing Without Planning
One of the disadvantages of dividend reinvestment is that it often happens automatically or with little thought given to the process. A dividend reinvestment plan will buy more shares without you needing to take any action. This will happen regardless of whether the stock price is high or low. It requires no planning but also has none of the benefits of carefully timed investing. Receiving dividends as cash and using them to buy at a more opportune time, based on your own research and planning, may be a better option.
Dividend reinvestment also represents an opportunity cost since the money that is reinvested can't be spent elsewhere. Dividends from stock can provide income for living expenses, help fund an early retirement or give you money to set aside for a major upcoming expense. None of this is possible with dividend reinvestment. Instead, to pay for something else, you'll first need to sell shares of stock that were purchased with dividends. If the share price has fallen since they were purchased, you'll receive less than if you'd taken a cash dividend.
Weighing the Decision
Despite the drawbacks, dividend reinvestment can be a valuable tool for investors. It requires little planning and costs nothing, other than the opportunity cost of the dividends. Over time, dividend reinvestment can result in new shares, which pay their own dividends. As a long-term investment, stock is often one of the best places to invest dividends. However, if you need the money soon, taking a cash dividend instead of reinvesting may be your best option.
- dollars image by peter Hires Images from Fotolia.com | <urn:uuid:3f593ddb-a20c-4bd8-adad-f01c62c50dbf> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://finance.zacks.com/disadvantages-dividend-reinvestment-1625.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960718 | 498 | 2.609375 | 3 |
The Armenian Genocide
By Hye Etch
Armenian genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century, perpetrated
by the Ottoman Turkish government against its defenceless and law-abiding
citizens, the Armenians, a Christian minority in a Muslim state.
This was a campaign instigated and
carried out by a legitimate government against its loyal Christian subjects.
Its aim was to loot, destroy and seize Armenian properties and businesses,
and the complete annihilation of an advanced and culturally superior civilisation.
For more than a quarter of a century,
the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Abdul
Hamid II and later under the rule of the Young Turk regime suffered
unspeakable abuse, torture, massacres and persecution. This resulted
in the rape, murder and deportation of more than 1.5 million Armenians
from their historic homeland, and the distruction of a 3000-year-old heritage
and rich culture.
In spite of all the evidences and
the eye witness accounts recorded during those horrible years by foreigners
and survivors of the genocide, the Turkish government denies to this date
that such atrocities and mass murders have taken place, and refuses to
admit the guilt and accept the responsibility.
Every year, on April 24 Armenians
all over the world commemorate the murder of their nation. The murder of
1.5 million innocent and defenceless children, women, elderly and men.
This is also the date on which in 1915 the Turkish government arrested
over 200 Armenian poets, intellectuals, religious and community leaders
in Constantinople and imprisoned them in the interior of Anatolia, where
most were summarily executed.
This chapter is dedicated to the
memory of all those Armenians who suffered terrible atrocities and were
murdered during the Armenian genocide. This is an introduction to the first
genocide of the 20th century, its context and legacy. You will learn about
the atrocities and oppressions that the Armenian nation had to suffer under
the Turkish rule. A detailed account of the events during 1913-1916 by
the former American Ambassador to Turkey - Henry Morgenthau, describes
the situation in Turkey.
A special page has been dedicated
to the eye witness accounts and stories recorded during and after the Armenian
genocide by foreigners, missionaries and survivors of the genocide. And
last but not lest you can read about the punishment of the murderers; declarations
of recognition (by governments and individuals) in favour of the Armenian
genocide; and the demands of the Armenian nation.
Please be advised that some of the
material in this chapter contains strong graphic descriptions of the atrocities
and massacres which took place during the Armenian genocide, and that they
may not be suitable for the faint-hearted.
Pictures and illustrations are provided,
as visual aids to assist the reader to better understand their subject.
By clicking on an image, an enlarged version will be displayed accompanied
by a caption.
This chapter will be regularly updated
with new material and images, so please visit often and explore these pages.
If you wish to contribute material (literature & pictures) suitable
for this chapter, please click "here"
to get in touch with us. | <urn:uuid:4e2fef9d-5dc7-4ad1-9091-31d618d5d3b7> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://hyeetch.nareg.com.au/genocide/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935487 | 667 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Super 8 Cartridge Notch Ruler
Important note: if you examine your camera please share the results on the discussion page, linked above. Thank you, WikiAdmin 10:39, 3 January 2006 (PST)
This Super 8 Cartridge Notch Ruler can be used to inspect the mechanism in your own camera. Print out the PDF version and you can examine the pins or levers in your camera's film chamber to see which film speeds it can detect.
There is one caveat - the camera may have one more ASA setting than the number of notches that it can detect. For example, if the camera has only one pin that is a switched by a certain size notch, it actually has two ASA settings - one if it detects the notch and another if it does not. If the camera has 3 pins, it may have 4 ASA settings, etc. You cannot determine the default ASA setting by inspection.
Printable Super 8 Cartridge Notch Ruler: use this PDF format ruler for actual-size printing.
You can use this ruler to determine how a camera will handle notches for new film stock Here is an example. The Canon 310XL instruction manual states that the meter understands 3 film speeds: 40T, 160T, and 250T. What will the camera do with Ektachrome 64T? Using the ruler, it appears that a 64T notch will be read as 160T due to Canon's placement of the notch reading switches. Testing with an actual E64T cartridge confirms this is true.
These are measurements taken directly from cartridges. Add to or correct this information but, please, only if you measure a cartridge yourself.
|Film stock||Distance to speed notch||Has filter notch?||Color balance||Unfiltered ASA||Source|
|Ektachrome 64T||0.7 inch 17.78mm||Yes||Tungsten||64 ASA||Reed Sturtevant January 10, 2006|
|K40||0.8 inch 20.32mm||Yes||Tungsten||40 ASA||Reed Sturtevant May 18, 2005|
|KII||0.8 inch 20.32mm||Yes||Tungsten||40 ASA||Reed Sturtevant May 18, 2005|
|Ektachrome 160 Type G||0.4 inch 10.16mm||No||Daylight||160 ASA||Reed Sturtevant May 18, 2005|
|Ektachrome 160 Type A||0.5 inch 12.7mm||Yes||Tungsten||160 ASA||Reed Sturtevant May 18, 2005|
|KACCEMA reloadable cartridge||0.7 inch 17.78mm||No||(empty cart - daylight assumed)||acts as 64T/40D||From filmshooting.com forums, May 20, 2005|
|Ektachrome 125T VNF||0.55 inch 13.97mm||Yes||Tungsten||125 ASA||christoph, oct, 2005|
|7276 Plus-X (old)||0.7 inch 17.78mm||No||B/W stock||50ASA D / 40ASA T||christoph, oct, 2005|
|7278 Tri-X (old)||0.4 inch 10.16mm||No||B/W stock||200ASA D / 160ASA T||christoph, oct, 2005|
|7265 Plus-X (new)||0.5 inch 12.7mm||No||B/W stock||100ASA D / 80ASA T||christoph, oct, 2005|
|7266 Tri-X (new)||0.4 inch 10.16mm||No||B/W stock||200ASA D / 160ASA T||christoph, oct, 2005|
The ruler is based on information from the standard SMPTE 166-2004 as described by the following sources:
There is an alternate ruler and flowchart published by Friedemann Wachsmuth. But be aware that he misreads the Super 8 Wiki ruler, in the link above Kodak states that 0.8 inch means Tungsten 40 ASA, not 0.7 inches as his example states: | <urn:uuid:fd57bf16-6f49-4474-9148-2fc9f3cdb556> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Super_8_Cartridge_Notch_Ruler | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.819545 | 883 | 2.515625 | 3 |
"She" is catching up to "he" when it comes to books.
A new study has found that the gap between masculine and feminine pronouns in books has closed dramatically in the past few decades, the Associated Press reports
Three university researchers pored through nearly 1.2 million texts published from 1900 to 2008 to track the frequency of gender pronouns.
They found that the ratio of male to female pronouns was about 3.5:1 until 1950. Male pronoun use increased from that point, peaking in the mid-1960s at around 4.5:1, an effect that's attributed to the larger number of women who stayed home after the Second World War. But by the time 1975 rolled around, the gap had shrunk back down to 3:1 and has continued to contract. In 2005, the ratio was 2:1.
"These trends in language quantify one of the largest, and most rapid, cultural changes ever observed: The incredible increase in women's status since the late 1960s in the U.S.," Jean M. Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of the book Generation Me
, said in a statement.
Fellow psychology professor James W. Pennebaker, who wrote The Secret Life of Pronouns
, said that "pronouns are a sign of people paying attention, and as women become more present in the workforce, in the media and life in general, people are referring to them more."
From scholarly releases to popular fiction, books by and about women have proliferated in the past half-century. Nine of the top 10 books on USA Today's current bestseller list were written by women and publishers have long believed that more women than men buy books. According to the market research company Simba Information, around 60 per cent of those purchasing books are women.
- With files from the Associated Press | <urn:uuid:436a6d00-c9c5-42d5-8201-1ee985ddee12> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.cbc.ca/books/2012/08/is-this-the-end-of-the-male-pronouns-golden-age.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978462 | 384 | 2.703125 | 3 |
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VOL. III. NO. 22.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, SEPT. 15, 1842. [WHOLE NO. 58.
From Stephen's "Incidents of Travel in Central America."
"As at Copan, it was my business to prepare the different objects for Mr. Catherwood to draw. Many of the stones had to be scrubbed and cleaned; and as it was our object to have the utmost possible accuracy in the drawings, in many places scaffolds were to be erected on which to set up the camera lucida. Pawling relieved me from a great part of the labour [labor]. That the reader may know the character of the objects we had to interest us, I proceed to give a description of the building in which we lived, called the palace.
A front view of this building is given in the engraving. It does not, however, purport to be given with the same accuracy as the other drawings, the front being in a more ruined condition. It stands on an artificial elevation of an oblong form, forty feet high, three hundred and ten feet in front and rear, and two hundred and sixty feet on each side. This elevation was formerly faced with stone, which has been thrown down by the growth of trees, and its form is hardly distinguishable.
The building stands with its face to the east, and measures two hundred and twenty eight feet front by one hundred and eighty feet deep. Its height is not more than twenty-five feet, and all around it had a broad projecting cornice of stone. The front contained fourteen doorways, about nine feet wide each, and the intervening piers are between six and seven feet wide. On the left (in approaching the palace) eight of the piers have fallen down, as has also the corner on the right, and the terrace underneath is cumbered with the ruins. But six piers remain entire, and the rest of the front is open.
The engraving opposite represents the ground-plan of the whole. The black lines represent walls still standing; the faint lines indicate remains only, but, in general, so clearly marked that there was no difficulty in connecting them together.
The building was constructed of stone with a mortar of lime and sand, and the whole front was covered with stucco and painted. The piers were ornamented with spirited figures in bas-relief, one of which is represented in the engraving opposite. On the top are three hieroglyphics sunk in the stucco. It is enclosed by a richly ornamented border, about ten feet high and six wide, of which only a part now remains. The principal personage stands in an upright position and in profile, exhibiting an extraordinary facial angle of about forty-five degrees. The upper part of the head seems to have been compressed and lengthened, perhaps by the same process employed upon the heads of the Choctaw and Flathead Indians of our own country. The head represents a different species from any now existing in that region of country; and supposing the statues to be images of living personages, or the creation of artists according to their ideas of perfect figures, they indicate a race of people now lost and unknown. The headdress is evidently a plume of feathers. Over the shoulders is a short covering decorated with studs, and a breastplate; part of the ornament of the girdle is broken; the tunic is probable a leopard's skin; and the whole dress no doubt exhibits the costume of this unknown people. He holds in his hand a staff or sceptre [scepter], and opposite his hands are the marks of three hieroglyphics, which have decayed or been broken off. At his feet are two naked figures seated cross-legged, and apparently suppliants. A fertile imagination might find many explanations for these strange figures, but no satisfactory interpretation presents itself to my mind. The hieroglyphics doubtless tell its history. The stucco is of admirable consistency, and hard as stone. It was painted, and in different places about it we discovered the remains of red, blue, yellow, black, and white.
The piers which are still standing contained other figures of the same general character, but which, unfortunately, are more mutilated, and from the declivity of the terrace it was difficult to set up the camera lucida in such a position as to draw them. The piers which are fallen were no doubt enriched with the same ornaments. Each one had some specific
meaning, and the whole probably presented some allegory or history; and when entire and painted, the effect in ascending the terrace must have been imposing and beautiful.
The principal doorway is not distinguished by its size or by any superior ornament, but is only indicated by a range of broad stone steps leading up to it on the terrace. The doorways have no doors, nor are there the remains of any. Within, on each side, are three niches in the wall, about eight or ten inches square, with a cylindrical stone about two inches in diameter fixed upright, by which perhaps a door was secured. Along the cornice outside, projecting about a foot beyond the front, holes were drilled at intervals through the stone; and our impression was, that an immense cotton cloth, running the whole length of the building, perhaps painted in a style corresponding with the ornaments, was attached to this cornice, and raised and lowered like a curtain, according to the exigencies of sun and rain. Such a curtain is used now in front of the piazzas of some haciendas in Yucatan.
The tops of the doorways were all broken. They had evidently been square, and over every one were large niches in the wall on each side, in which the lintels had been laid. These lintels had all fallen, and the stones above formed broken natural arches. Underneath were heaps of rubbish, but there were no remains of lintels. If they had been single slabs of stone, some of them must have been visible and prominent; and we made up our minds that these lintels were of wood. We had no authority for this. It is not suggested either by Del Rio or Captain Dupaix, and perhaps we should not have ventured the conclusion but for the wooden lintel which we had seen over the doorway at Ocosingo; and by what we saw afterward in Yucatan, we were confirmed, beyond all doubt, in our opinion I do not conceive, however, that this gives any conclusive data in regard to the age of the buildings. The wood, if such as we saw in the other places, would be very lasting: its decay must have been extremely slow, and centuries may have elapsed since it perished altogether.
The building has two parallel corridors running lengthwise on all four of its sides. In front these corridors are about nine feet wide, and extend the whole length of the building upward of two hundred feet. In the long wall that divides them there is but one door, which is opposite the principal door of entrance, and has a corresponding one on the other side, leading to a courtyard in the rear. The floors are of cement, as hard as the best seen in the remains of Roman baths and cisterns. The walls are about ten feet high, plastered, and on each side of the principal entrance ornamented with medallions, of which the borders only remain; these perhaps contained the busts of the royal family. The separating-wall had apertures of about a foot, probably intended for purposes of ventilation Some were of this form [symbol somewhat like a T], and some of this [symbol somewhat like a cross +], which has been called the Greek Cross and the Egyptian Tau, and made the subject of much learned speculation.
The ceiling of each corridor was in this form. [symbol somewhat like a ] The builders were evidently ignorant of the principles of the arch, and the support was made by stones lapping over as they rose, as at Ocosingo, and among the Cyclopean remains in Greece and Italy. Along the top was a layer of flat stone, and the sides, being plastered, presented a flat surface. The long, unbroken corridors in front of the palace were probably intended for lords and gentlemen in waiting; or perhaps, in the beautiful position, which, before the forest grew up, must have commanded an extended view of a cultivated and inhabited plain, the king himself sat in it to receive the reports of his officers and to administer justice. Under our dominion Juan occupied the front corridor as a kitchen, and the other was our sleeping apartment.
From the centre [center] door of this corridor a range of stone steps thirty feet long leads to a rectangular courtyard, eighty feet long by seventy broad. On each side of the steps are grim and gigantic figures, carved on stone in basso-relievo, nine or ten feet high, and in a position slightly inclined backward from the end of the steps to the floor of the corridor. The engraving opposite represents this side of the courtyard, and the one next following shows the figures alone, on a larger scale. They are adorned with rich headdresses and necklaces, but their attitude is that of pain and trouble. The design and anatomical proportions of the figures are faulty, but there is a force of expression about them which shows the
skill and conceptive power of the artist. When we first took possession of the palace this courtyard was encumbered with trees, so that we could hardly see across it, and it was so filled up with rubbish that we were obliged to make excavations of several feet before these figures could be drawn.
On each side of the courtyard the palace was divided into apartments, probably for sleeping. On the right the piers have all fallen down. On the left they are still standing, and ornamented with stucco figures. In the centre [center] apartment in one of the holes before referred to of the arch, are the remains of a wooden pole about a foot long, which once stretched across, but the rest had decayed. It was the only piece of wood we found at Palenque, and we did not discover this until some time after we had made up our minds in regard to the wooden lintels over the doors. It was much worm- eaten, and probably, in a few years, not a vestige of it will be left.
At the farther side of the courtyard was another flight of stone steps, corresponding with those in front, on each side of which are carved figures, and on the flat surface between are single cartouches of hieroglyphics. The plate opposite represents this side.
The whole courtyard was overgrown with trees, and it was encumbered with ruins several feet high, so that the exact architectural arrangements could not be seen. Having our beds in the corridor adjoining, when we woke in the morning, and when we had finished the work of the day, we had it under our eyes. Every time we descended the steps the grim and mysterious figures stared us in the face, and it became to us one of the most interesting parts of the ruins. We were exceedingly anxious to make excavations, clear out the mass of rubbish, and lay the whole platform bare; but his was impossible. It is probably paved with stone or cement; and from the profusion of ornament in other parts, there is reason to believe that many curious and interesting specimens may be brought to light. This agreeable work is left for the future traveller [traveler], who may go there better provided with men and materials, and with more knowledge of what he has to encounter; and, in my opinion, if he finds nothing new, the mere spectacle of the courtyard entire will repay him for the labour [labor] and expense of clearing it.
The part of the building which forms the rear of the courtyard, communicating with it by the steps, consists of two corridors, the same as the front, paved, plastered, and ornamented with stucco. The floor of the corridor fronting the courtyard sounded hollow, and a breach had been made in it which seemed to lead into a subterraneous chamber; but in descending, by means of a tree with notches cut in it, and with a candle, we found merely a hollow in the earth, not bounded by any wall.
In the farther corridor the wall was in some places broken, and had several separate coats of plaster and paint. In one place we counted six layers, each of which had the remains of colours [colors]. In another place there seemed a line of written characters in black ink. We made an effort to get at them; but, in endeavouring [endeavoring] to remove a thin upper stratum, they came off with it, and we desisted.
This corridor opened upon a second courtyard, eighty feet long and but thirty across. The floor of the corridor was ten feet above that of the courtyard, and on the wall underneath were square stones with hieroglyphics sculptured upon them. On the piers were stuccoed figures, but in a ruined condition.
On the other side of the courtyard were two ranges of corridors, which terminated the building in this direction. The first of them is divided into three apartments, with doors opening from the extremities upon the western corridor. All the piers are standing except that on the northwest corner. All are covered with stucco ornaments, and one with hieroglyphics. The rest contain figures in bas-relief, three of which, being those least ruined, are represented in the opposite plates.
The first was enclosed by a border, very wide at the bottom, part of which is destroyed. The subject consists of two figures with facial angles similar to that in the plate before given, plumes of feathers and other decorations for headdresses, necklaces, girdles, and sandals; each has hold of the same curious baton, part of which is destroyed, and opposite their hands are hieroglyphics, which probably give the history of these incomprehensible personages. The others are more ruined, and no attempt has been made to restore them. One is kneeling as if to
receive an honour [honor], and the other a blow.
So far the arrangements of the palace are simple and easily understood; but on the left are several distinct and independent buildings, as will be seen by the plan, the particulars of which, however, I do not consider it necessary to describe. The principal of these is the tower, on the south side of the second court. This tower is conspicuous by its height and proportions, but on examination in detail it is found unsatisfactory and uninteresting. The base is thirty feet square, and it has three stories. Entering over a heap of rubbish at the base, we found within another tower, distinct from the outer one, and a stone staircase, so narrow that a large man could not ascend it. The staircase terminates against a dead stone ceiling closing, all farther passage, the last step being only six or eight inches from it. For what purpose a staircase was carried up to such a bootless termination we could not conjecture. The whole tower was a substantial stone structure and in its arrangements and purposes about as incomprehensible as the sculptured tablets.
East of the tower is another building with two corridors, one richly decorated with pictures in stucco, and having in the centre [center] the elliptical tablet represented in the engraving opposite. It is four feet long and three wide, of hard stone set in the wall, and the sculpture is in bas-relief. Around it are the remains of a rich stucco border. The principal figure sits cross-legged on a couch ornamented with two leopards' heads; the attitude is easy, the physiognomy the same as that of the other personages, and the expression calm and benevolent. The figure wears around its neck a necklace of pearls, to which is suspended a small medallion containing a face; perhaps intended as an image of the sun. Like every other subject of sculpture we had seen in the country, the personage had earrings, bracelets on the wrists, and girdle round the loins. The headdress differs from most of the others at Palenque in that it wants the plumes of feathers. Near the head are three hieroglyphics.
The other figure, which seems that of a woman, is sitting cross-legged on the ground, richly dressed, and apparently in the act of making an offering. In this supposed offering is seen a plume of feathers, in which the headdress of the principal person is deficient. Over the head of the sitting personage are four hieroglyphics. This is the only piece of sculptured stone about the palace except those in the courtyard. Under it formerly stood a table, of which the impression against the wall is still visible, and which is given in the engraving in faint lines, after the model of other tables still existing in other places.
At the extremity of this corridor there is an aperture in the pavement, leading by a flight of steps to a platform; from this a door, with an ornament in stucco over it, opens by another flight of steps upon a narrow, dark passage, terminating in other corridors, which run transversely. These are called subterraneous apartments; but there are windows opening from them above the ground, and, in fact, they are merely a ground-floor below the pavement of the corridors. In most parts, however, they are so dark that it is necessary to visit them with candles. There are no bas-reliefs or stucco ornaments; and the only objects which our guide pointed out or which attracted our attention, were several stone tables, one crossing and blocking up the corridor, about eight feet long, four wide, and three high. One of these lower corridors had a door opening upon the back part of the terrace, and we generally passed through it with a candle to get to the other buildings. In two other places there were flights of steps leading to corridors above. Probable these were sleeping apartments.
(->) The foregoing extract has been made to assist the Latter-Day Saints, in establishing the Book of Mormon as a revelation from God. It affords great joy to have the world assist us to so much proof, that even the most credulous cannot doubt. We are sorry that we could not afford the expense to give the necessary cuts referred to in the original.
Let us turn our subject, however, to the Book of Mormon, where these wonderful ruins of Palenque are among the mighty works of the Nephites:-and the mystery is solved.
On the 72d page of the third and fourth edition of the Book of Mormon it reads as follows: And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land. And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites, should come upon us and destroy us: for I knew their hatred towards me
and my children, and those who were called my people. And I did teach my people, to build buildings: and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon, save it were not built of so many precious things: for they were not to be found upon the land; wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine. And on page 280-1 is full description of the Isthmus.
Mr. Stephens' great developments of antiquities are made bare to the eyes of all the people by reading the history of the Nephites in the Book of Mormon. They lived about the narrow neck of land, which now embraces Central America, with all the cities that can be found. Read the destruction of cities at the crucifixion of Christ, pages 459-60. Who could have dreamed that twelve years would have developed such incontrovertible testimony to the Book of Mormon? surely the Lord worketh and none can hinder.
HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
Meantime we continued to translate, at intervals, when not necessitated to attend to the numerous enquirers [inquirers], that now began to visit us; some for the sake of finding the truth, others for the purpose of putting hard questions, and trying to confound us. Among the latter class were several learned priests who generally came for the purpose of disputation: however the Lord continued to pour out upon us his Holy Spirit, and as often as we had need, he gave us in that moment what to say; so that although unlearned, and inexperienced in religious controversies, yet were we able to confound those learned Rabbis of the day, whilst at the same time, we were enabled to convince the honest in heart, that we had obtained (through the mercy of God) to the true and everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ, so that almost daily we administered the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins, to such as believed. We now became anxious to have that promise realized to us, which the angel that conferred upon us the Aaronic Priesthood had given us, viz: that provided we continued faithful; we should also have the Melchizedec Priesthood, which holds the authority of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. We had for some time made this matter a subject of humble prayer, and at length we got together in the chamber of Mr. Whitmer's house in order more particularly to seek of the Lord what we now so earnestly desired: and here to our unspeakable satisfaction did we realize the truth of the Saviour's [Savior's] promise; "Ask, and you shall receive, seek, and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you" for we had not long been engaged in solemn and fervent prayer, when the word of the Lord, came unto us in the chamber, commanding us; that I should ordain Oliver Cowdery to be an elder in the church of Jesus Christ, and that he also should ordain others as it should be made known unto us, from time to time: we were however commanded to defer this our ordination until, such times, as it should be practicable to have our brethren, who had been and who should be baptized, assembled together, when we must have their sanction to our thus proceeding to ordain each other, and have them decide by vote whether they were willing to accept us as spiritual teachers, or not, when also we were commanded to bless bread and break it with them, and to take wine, bless it, and drink it with them, afterward proceed to ordain each other according to commandment, then call out such men as the spirit should dictate, and ordain them, and then attend to the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, upon all those whom we had previously baptized; doing all things in the name of the Lord.
The following commandment will further illustrate the nature of our calling to this Priesthood as well as that of others who were yet to be sought after.
Revelation to Joseph Smith, jr. Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer, making known the calling twelve apostles in these last days, and also, instructions relative to building up the church of Christ, according to the fulness [fullness] of the gospel: Given in Fayette, New York, June, 1829.
Now behold, because of the thing which you, my servant Oliver Cowdery, have desired to know of me, I give unto you these words: behold I have manifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances,
that the things which you have written are true: wherefore you know that they are true; and if you know that they are true, behold I give unto you a commandment, that you rely upon the things which are written; for in them are all things written concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel and my rock; wherefore, if you shall build up my church upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.
Behold the world is ripening in iniquity, and it must needs be, that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance, both the Gentiles, and also the house of Israel: wherefore as thou hast been baptized by the hand of my servant, Joseph Smith, jr. according to that which I have commanded him, he hath fulfilled the thing which I commanded him. And now marvel not that I have called him unto mine own purpose, which purpose is known in me: wherefore if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments, he shall be blessed unto eternal life, and his name is Joseph.
And now Oliver Cowdery, I speak unto you, and also unto David Whitmer, by the way of commandment: for behold I command all men every where to repent, and I speak unto you even as unto Paul mine apostle, for you are called even with that same calling with which he was called. Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God: for behold the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh: wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth. Wherefore you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days, in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father?
And now if your joy will be great with one soul, that you have brought unto me in the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy, if you should bring many souls unto me? Behold you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation: ask the Father in my name in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost which manifesteth all things, which is expedient unto the children of men. And if you have not faith, hope and charity, you can do nothing. Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil. Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness, and as many as repent, and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Behold Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved: wherefore all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day: wherefore if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father.
And now behold, there are others who are called to declare my gospel, both unto Gentile and unto Jew: yea, even twelve, and the twelve shall be my disciples, and they shall take upon them my name: and the twelve are they who shall desire to take upon them my name, with full purpose of heart: and if they desire to take upon them my name, with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all the world to preach my gospel unto every creature, and they are they who are ordained of me to baptize in my name, according to that which is written; and you have that which is written before you: wherefore you must perform it according to the words which are written. And now I speak unto the twelve: Behold my grace is sufficient for you: you must walk uprightly before me and sin not.-And behold you are they who are ordained of me to ordain priests and teachers to declare my gospel, according to the power of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and according to the callings and gifts of God unto men: and I Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it.-These words are not of men, nor of man, but of me: wherefore you shall testify they are of me, and not of man; for it is my voice which speaketh them unto you: for they are given by my Spirit unto you: and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power, you could not have them: wherefore you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words.
And now behold I give unto you, Oliver Cowdery, and also unto David Whitmer,
that you shall search out the twelve who shall have the desires of which I have spoken; and by their desires and their works, you shall know them: and when you have found them you shall show these things unto them. And you shall fall down and worship the Father in my name: and you must preach unto the world, saying, you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ: for all men must repent and be baptized; and not only men, but women and children, who have arriven to the years of accountability.
And now, after that you have received this, you must keep my commandments in all things: and by your hands I will work a marvelous work among the children of men, unto the convincing of many of their sins, that they may come unto the kingdom of my Father: wherefore the blessings which I give unto you, are above all things. And after you have received this, if you keep not my commandments, you cannot be saved in the kingdom of my Father. Behold I Jesus Cerist [Christ], your Lord and your God, and your Redeemer, by the power of my Spirit, have spoken it. Amen.
ASCENT OF MOUNT SINAI.
"In the afternoon of March 23d, they commenced the slow and toilsome ascent along the narrow defile, between blackened, shattered, cliffs of granite, some eight hundred feet high, and not more than two hundred and fifty yards apart, which seemed ready at any moment to fall upon their heads. The whole pass was filled with large stones and rocks, the debris of those cliffs. As they advanced the sand was occasionally moist, and on digging into it with the hand, the whole was soon filled with fine sweet water.
At half past three o'clock they reached the top of the defile, from which the Convent was two hours distant. The interior and loftier peaks of the great circle of Sinai soon began to open upon them,-black, rugged, and desolate summits; and as they advanced, the dark and frowning front of Sinai itself (the Horeb of the Monks) began to appear. They were still gradually ascending, and the valley was gradually opening; but as yet all was a naked desert. Afterwards, a few shrubs were sprinkled round, and a small encampment of black tents was seen on their right, with camels and goats browsing. The scenery was uncommonly wild and desolate, strikingly resembling the mountains around the Merde Glace, in Switzerland.
As they advance, the valley still opened wider and wider, with a gentle ascent, and became full of shrubs and tufts of herbs, shut in on each side by lofty granite ridges, with rugged shattered peaks a thousand feet high, while the face of Horeb rose directly before them, when they involuntarily exclaimed, 'Here is room enough for a large encampment.' Reaching the top of the ascent, a fine broad plain lay before them, sloping down gently towards the south-southeast, enclosed by rugged and venerable mountains of dark granite, stern, naked, splintered peaks and ridges of indescribable grandeur; and terminated at the distance of more that a mile, by the bold and awful front of Horeb, rising perpendicularly in frowning majesty, from twelve to fifteen hundred feet in height. It was a scene of solemn grandeur, wholly unexpected, and of overwhelming interest. On the left of Horeb, a deep and narrow valley runs up South-Southeast, between lofty walls of rocks, as if in continuation of the southeast corner of the plain. In this valley, at the distance of near a mile from the plain, stands the convent. The deep verdure of its fruittrees [fruit trees] and cypresses is seen as the traveller [traveler] approaches, an oasis of beauty amid scenes of the sternest desolation. The whole plain is called Wady er-Rahah; and the valley of the convent is known to the Arabs as Wady Shu'eib, that is the 'Vale of Jethro.'
Still advancing, the front of Horeb rose like a wall before the travellers [travelers]. One can approach quite to the foot and touch the mount. As they crossed the plain, their feelings were deeply affected, finding here, so unexpectedly, a spot perfectly adapted to the Scriptural account of the giving of the Law. No one has hitherto described this plain, nor even mentioned it, except in a slight and general manner; probably because most travellers [travelers] have reached the convent by a different route, without passing over it. Another reason may be the fact, that neither the highest point of Sinai, (now called Jebet Musa,) nor the loftiest summit of St. Catharine, is visible from any part of it. The breadth of the plain, at a particular point, was
found to be nine hundred yards; though in some parts it is wider. The length, in another direction, was two thousand three hundred and thirty three yards.-The northern slope of the plain was estimated to be somewhat less than a mile in length, by one third of a mile in breadth. The whole surface, including one or two recesses or wadys, amounts to nearly two square miles. It is obvious, that here was room enough to satisfy all the requisitions of the narrative in Exodus, so far as it relates to the assembling of the congregation to receive the law.-Here, also, one may see the fitness of the injunction, to set bounds around the Mount, that neither man nor beast might approach too near.
The northern brow of Horeb, which overlooks the plain er-Rahah, rises perhaps 500 feet above the basin. The distance to the summit is more than half a mile. The extreme difficulty, and even danger of the ascent is well rewarded, by the prospect which is spread out from the top.
'Our conviction,' continues Dr. Robinson, 'was strengthened, that here, or on some one of the adjacent cliffs, was the spot where 'the Lord descended in fire,' and proclaimed the Law. Here lay the plain where the whole congregation might be assembled; here was the mount which one could approach and touch, if not forbidden; and here the mountain brow, where alone the lightnings, and the thick clouds would be visible, and the thunders and the voice of the trumpet be heard, when 'the Lord came down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai." We gave ourselves up to the impression of the awful scene."'-Rev. Dr. Robinson.
36 Chapel Street, Liverpool.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER.
You may expect after September, a great ingathering of the Saints from this land-things are in a dreadful condition here, and the desire of the Saints to escape is quite unexampled. I rejoice to say that many excellent and respectable individuals have been added to the church of late, and many are enquiring [inquiring].
Br. Pratt and family talk of leaving England in January, and of being in Nauvoo by the first of March.
We are very short of news from Nauvoo; we have received nothing save the "Times and Seasons" dated Feb. 15.
From Jahn's Biblical Archaeology.
Respecting the Knowledge of God before the time of Christ, as developed by Philosophy.
Not a single philosopher had any idea of a God of such an exalted character, as to be the agent in the construction of the Universe, till ANAXAGORAS, the disciple of Hermotimus. This philosopher came to Athens in the year 456 before Christ, and first taught, that the world was organized or constructed by some MIND or mental being, out of matter, which this philosopher supposed, had always existed. Socrates, Plato, and others adopted, illustrated, and adorned this opinion.
Aristotle, on the contrary, supposed the world to have existed in its organized form eternally, and that the SUPREME BEING, who was coexistent, merely put in motion.
The Epicureans believed a fortuitous concurrence of atoms to have been the origin of all things. Many were atheists; many were skeptics, who doubted and assailed every system of opinions.
Those, who maintained the existence of a framer of architect of the world, (for no one believed in a creator of it,) held also to an animating principle in matter, which originated from the supreme architect, and which animated, and regulated the material system.
Things of minor consequence, especially those, which touched the destiny of man, were referred by all classes, to the government of the gods, who were accordingly the objects of worship, and not the SUPREME ARCHITECT. Paul gives a sufficiently favorable representation of this defective knowledge of God, Rom. 1:19-24. After all, it may be made an inquiry, whether Anaxagoras or Hermotimus had not learnt [learned] some things respecting the God of the Jews from the Jews, who were sold as slaves by the Phoenicians into Greece, Joel 3:6, or from the Phoenicians themselves, who traded in Ionia and Greece, and whether these philosophers did not thus acquire that knowledge, which was thought to have originated with themselves. Perhaps they derived their notions of an eternal architect from the doctrines of the Persians respecting Hazaruam or the endless succession of time, and Ormuz. However this may be, we observe on this topic,
I. That the Hebrews remained firm to their religion before their acquaintance
with Grecian philosophy, although many receded from it, after forming such an acquaintance.
II. The philosophic doctrine respecting the architect of the world, rested on arguments of so subtle a kind, that they could not have been estimated by the Jewish populace, and could not have been applied by them, to confirm their minds in religious truth. For, according to Cicero, de Nat. Deorum, Lib. 1. 6. such was the contention, even among the learned, in respect to the doctrine of the gods, that those who had the most strength and confidence on their side were compelled to doubt.
We do not make the above extract so much for the intrinsic value of the article, as to show the danger of philosophising [philosophizing] upon religion:-Paul was well aware of this course when he exclaimed, "beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men; after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." The whole doctrine of salvation, as revealed by God at sundry time, has been diametrically opposed to philosophy. The world by wisdom know not God. Before the flood, and after, men, although they had been created upright, sought out many inventions, which, when viewed closely, all go to put God a great way off,-or to make him out a complete-nothing, showing that without the spirit you cannot know the living God.
TIMES AND SEASONS.
CITY OF NAUVOO,
THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 1842.
The following letter was read to the Saints in Nauvoo, last Sunday week, and a copy forwarded to us for publication:-and cordially we give it a hearty welcome, and a happy spread among those who love the truth for the truth's sake.
September 1st, 1842.
To all the Saints in Nauvoo:-
Forasmuch as the Lord has revealed unto me that my enemies, both of Missouri and this State, were again on the pursuit of me; and inasmuch as they pursue me without cause, and have not the least shadow, or coloring of justice or right on their side, in the getting up of their prosecutions against me: and inasmuch as their pretensions are all founded in falsehood, of the blackest die, I have thought it expedient, and wisdom in me to leave the place for a short season, for my own safety and the safety of this people. I would say to all those with whom I have business, that I have left my affairs with agents and clerks, who will transact all business in a prompt and proper manner: and will see that all my debts are cancelled [canceled] in due time, by turning out property, or otherwise as the case may require, or as the circumstances may admit of. When I learn that the storm is fully blown over, then I will return to you again.
And as for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have been my common lot all the days of my life; and for what cause it seems mysterious, unless I was ordained from before the foundation of the world, for some good end, or bad as you may choose to call it. Judge ye for yourselves.-God knoweth all these things, whether it be good or bad. But nevertheless, deep water is what I am wont to swim in: it all has become a second nature to me. And I feel like Paul, to glory in tribulation, for to this day has the God of my Fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Let all the Saints rejoice, therefore, and be exceeding glad, for Israel's God is their God: and he will mete out a just recompense of reward upon the heads of all your oppressors.
And again, verily thus saith the Lord, let the work of my Temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease: and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled; and you shall in no wise lose your reward saith the Lord of Hosts. And if they persecute you, so persecuted they the prophets, and righteous men that were before you. For all this there is a reward in heaven.
And again, I give unto you a word in relation to the baptism for your dead. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning your dead:-When any of you are baptised [baptized] for your dead, let there be a Recorder; and let him be eye witness of your baptisms; let him hear with his ears, that he may testify of a truth, saith the Lord; that in all your recordings, it may be recorded in heaven; that whatsoever you bind on earth, may be bound in heaven: whatsoever you loose on earth, may be loosed in heaven; for I am about to restore many things to the earth, pertaining to the priesthood, saith the Lord of Hosts.
And again let all the records be had in order,
that they may be put in the archives of my Holy Temple, to be held in remembrance from generation to generation, saith the Lord of Hosts.
I will say to all the saints, that I desired with exceeding great desire, to have addressed them from the stand, on the subject of baptism for the dead, on the following sabbath. But inasmuch as it is out of my power to do so, I will write the word of the Lord from time to time, on that subject, and send it you by mail, as well as many other things.
I now close my letter for the present, for the want of more time: for the enemy is on the alert, and as the Savior said, the prince of this world cometh, but he hath nothing in me.
Behold my prayer to God is, that you all may be saved. And I subscribe myself your servant in the Lord, prophet and seer of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
In order to give the community a fair understanding of the treatment which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has received from the government where it has been located, we shall revert to scenes gone by, and documents already published:-And in the first place, in union with the Declaration of Independence, "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and that the constitution of the United States and of the several states, save Louisiana, have ample provisions made for the enjoyment of religious liberty.
It can not have been forgotten so soon, that oppression, and want of the liberty of conscience, were among the first grievances that caused our government to usher into existence; nor should it be less a matter of surprise, that the sons of the fathers of our freedom, should have become so soon tainted with that tyranny, cruelty, oppression, and inhumanity which has overwhelmed and ruined kingdom after kingdom, and nation after nation-but so it is-and in 1838, without cause, the inhabitants of Jackson county, Missouri, signed the first specimen of mob law, from which we make the following extracts:-
"We, the undersigned, citizens of Jackson county, believing that an important crisis is at hand, as regards our civil society, in consequence of a pretended religious sect of people, that have settled and are still settling in our county, styling themselves Mormons: and intending as we do to rid our society, peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must: and believing as we do that the arm of the civil law does not afford us a guarantee, or at least a sufficient one, against the evils which are now inflicted upon us, and seem to be increasing by the said religious sect; deem it expedient and of the highest importance, to form ourselves into a company for the better and easier accomplishment of our purpose; a purpose which we deem it almost superfluous to say, is justified as well by the law of nature as by the law of self-preservation."
"They openly blaspheme the most High God and cast contempt upon His Holy Religion, by pretending to receive Revelations direct from Heaven-by pretending to speak in unknown tongues by direct inspiration."
"We therefore agree, that after timely warning, and upon receiving an adequate compensation for what little property they cannot take with them, they refuse to leave us in peace as they found us, we agree to use such means as may be sufficient to remove them. And to that end, we severally pledge to each other, our lives, our bodily powers, fortunes, and sacred honors!"
According to the above combination the church was driven from Jackson county, and Gov. Boggs, then acting as Lieutenant Governor; and living in this said county, sanctioned this first regular mob edict, that ever disgraced the asylum of liberty: Gov. Dunklin kept himself in with both parties, and performed a solemn nothing. After the trial of Col. Pitcher, for driving us off and taking away our arms, he gave an order for our arms to be returned, but never enforced it, and we never got them. Our losses, for lands, wheat fields, about two hundred houses burnt to the ground, cattle, farming utensils, and plunder of all descriptions, could not be less than one hundred thousand dollars! which have never been remunerated! Our armistice from the Jackson county persecution and tribulation, was performed in the surrounding counties, but mainly in Clay, where, to a certain extent, we shared and reciprocated hospitality enough to live, till another excitement caused another move. The arguments used against us this time, were as follows:-
"It is apparent to every reflecting mind, that a crisis has arrived in this county, that requires the deep, cool, dispassionate consideration, and immediate action of every lover of peace, harmony and good order. We cannot conceal from ourselves the fact, that at this moment the clouds of civil war are rolling up their fearful
masses and hanging over our devoted county, solemn, dark and terrible."
"We do not contend that we have the least right, under the constitution and laws of the country, to expel them by force. But we would indeed be blind, if we did not foresee that the first blow, that is struck at this moment of deep excitement, must and will speedlly [speedily] involve every individual in a war, bearing ruin, woe, and desolation in its course. It matters but little how, where, or by whom the war may begin, when the work of destruction commences, we must all be borne onward by the storm, or crushed beneath its fury. In a civil war when our home is the theatre [theater], on which it is fought, there can be no neutrals; let our opinions be what they may, we must fight in self-defence [defense]."
To save this horrible bloodshed and show our respect for the constitution and laws of our beloved country, we removed by compromise, and soon after had the joy and honor to occupy a new county, which was made expressly for our people, and called Caldwell. Here was began to spread and beautify the country more in two years than the whole State of Missouri had done in ten, notwithstanding the expense of our removal could not have been less than twenty five thousand dollars. But alas, as we began to enjoy our rights in common with other citizens, that same wild, ferocious, jealous disposition which had dictated, and consummated our expulsion from the counties of Jackson and Clay, agreeably to the before quoted edicts of blind infatuation, now assumed the character of official dignity and "authority," and after struggling some months, against such fearful odds, the whole church of twelve to fifteen thousand souls, yielded to the third specimen of mobocracy, viz:-
"Head Quarters of the Militia, City of Jefferson, Oct. 27th 1838.
Sir,-Since the order of the morning to you, directing you to come with four hundred mounted men, to be raised within your division, I have received, by Amos Rees, Esq. and Wiley C. Williams, Esq., one of my aids, information of the most appalling character, which changes entirely the face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of an avowed defiance of the Laws, and of having made war upon the people of this State. Your orders are therefore, to hasten your operations and endeavor to reach Richmond, in Ray county, with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated, or driven from the State, it necessary for the public peace.
Their outrages are beyond all description. If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so, to any extent you may deem necessary. I have just issued orders to Major General Wollock of Marion county, to raise five hundred men, and to march them to the northern part of Daviess county and there to unite with Gen. Doniphan of Clay-who has been ordered with five hundred men, to proceed to the same point for the purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons to the north. They have been directed to communicate with you by express. You can also communicate with them if you find it necessary. Instead therefore, of proceeding as at first directed to reinstate the citizens of Daviess in their houses, you will proceed immediately to Richmond and there operate against the Mormons. Brigadier General Parks, of Ray, has been ordered to have four hundred of his Brigade in readiness to join you at Richmond. The whole force will be placed under your command.
(Signed) L. W. BOGGS.
Governor and Commander in-Chief."
Let it be remembered that this self same Lilburn W. Boggs, is now swearing out affidavits constantly for the purpose of transporting Joseph Smith to Missouri, to obtain justice!-Friends of humanity, if there are any, what think ye, can Missouri do unto others as she would that others should do unto her? Is she justified, as a member of our great Republican family, professing to be governed by constitutional privileges, and equal laws, while as one man, her citizens rise up and put at defiance the civil law, acknowledged as the only rule of right between man and man, for the damning and forever disgracing mob laws, by which she has disfranchised and expelled from her blood stained soil, the church of Christ of Latter Day Saints? The blood of our fathers; the blood of our martyrs who have stained her soil; the voice of suffering humanity; the whispering of honest consciences: and the spirits waiting for redemption, aside from the heavenly hosts, exclaim, NO! Every honest patriot says NO!-And sooner or later, in awful judgment, God, in his anger, will thunder-No! Then, and not till then will weak humanity and weak authirity [authority] learn and know how much better it is to follow after righteousness, than to sport with innocence! Then will wicked men, bearing rule, ascertain that vengeance belongs to the Lord and he will repay! and the calamity shall cover the mocker.
"FACTS ARE STUBBORN THINGS."
From an extract from "Stephens' Incidents of Travel in Central America," it will be seen that the proof of the Nephites and Lamanites
dwelling on this continent, according to the account in the Book of Mormon, is developing itself in a more satisfactory way than the most sanguine believer in that revelation, could have anticipated. It certainly affords us a gratification that the world of mankind does not enjoy, to give publicity to such important developments of the remains and ruins of those might people.
When we read in the Book of Mormon that Jared and his brother came on to this continent from the confusion and scattering at the Tower, and lived here more than a thousand years, and covered the whole continent from sea to sea, with towns and cities; and that Lehi went down by the Red Sea to the great Southern Ocean, and crossed over to this land and landed a little south of the Isthmus of Darien, and improved the country according to the word of the Lord, as a branch of the house of Israel, and then read such a goodly traditionary account, as the one below, we can not but think the Lord has a hand in bringing to pass his strange act, and proving the Book of Mormon true in the eyes of all the people. The extract below, comes as near the real fact, as the four Evangelists do to the crucifixion of Jesus.-Surely "facts are stubborn things." It will be as it ever has been the world will prove Joseph Smith a true prophet by circumstantial evidence, in experiments, as they did Moses and Elijah. Now read Stephen's story:
"According to Fuentes, the chronicler of the kingdom of Guatimala [Guatemala], the kings of Quinche and Cachiquel were descended from the Toltecan Indians, who, when they came into this country, found it already inhabited by people of different nations. According to the manuscripts of Don Juan Torres, the grandson of the last king of the Quiches, which was in the possession of the lieutenant general appointed by Pedro de Alvarado, and which Fuentes says he obtained by means of Father Francis Vasques, the historian of the order of San Francis, the Toltecas themselves descended from the house of Israel, who were released by Moses from the tyranny of Pharaoh, and after crossing the Red Sea, fell into Idolatry. To avoid the reproofs of Moses, or from fear of his inflicting upon them some chastisement, they separated from him and his brethren, and under the guidance of Tanub, their chief, passed from one continent to the other, to a place which they called the seven caverns, a part of the kingdom of Mexico, where they founded the celebrated city of Tula."
ELDER RIGDON, &C.
On one of the last Sabbath's in August, Elder Rigdon made his appearance on the stand, and though he was somewhat emaciated from ill health, brought upon him by the malignant persecutions of Missouri, yet to behold an old veteran in the cause of our Redeemer, rise to address a congregation of the saints, was at once animating. That face, from whence eloquence once flowed copiously, made a welcome appearance, in its place among the heads of Israel,-He was not upon the stand to renounce his faith in Mormonism, as had been variously stated by enemies and licentious presses, but appeared to bear his testimony of its truth, and add another to the many miraculous evidences of the power of God. Neither did he rise to deliver any regular discourse, but to unfold unto the audience a scene of deep interest, which had occurred in his own family. He had witnessed many instances of the power of God, in this church, but never before had he seen the dead raised: yet, this was a thing that had actually taken place in his own family: his daughter Eliza was dead;-the doctor told him that she was gone, when, after a certain length of time she rose up in the bed and spoke in a very powerful tone to the following effect, in a supernatural manner:-and said to the family that she was going to leave them, being impressed with the idea herself, that she had only come back to deliver her message, and then depart again:-saying the Lord had said to her the very words she should relate,-and so particular was she in her relation, that she would not suffer any person to leave out a word, or add one. She called the family around her and bade them all farewell, with a composure and calmness that defies all description:-still impressed with the idea that she was to go back. Up to the time of her death, she expressed a great unwillingness to die, but after her return, she expressed equally as strong a desire to go back. She said to her elder sister, Nancy, it is in your heart to deny this work, and if you do, the Lord says it will be the damnation of your soul. In speaking to her sister Sarah, she said, Sarah, we have but once to die, and I would rather die now than wait for another time. She said to her sisters, that the Lord had great blessings in store for them, if they continued in the faith; and after delivering her message she swooned but recovered again. During this time she was cold as when laid in the grave, and all the appearance of life, was the power of speech. She thus continued till the following evening, for the space of thirty six hours:-at which she called her father unto her bed and said to him, that the Lord had said to her, if he would cease weeping for his sick daughter, and
dry up his tears, that he should have all the desires of his heart; and that if he would go to bed and rest, he should be comforted over his sick daughter, for in the morning she should be getting better, and should get well. That the Lord had said unto her, because that her father had dedicated her to God, and prayed to him for her, that he would give her back again. This ceremony of dedicating and praying, took place when she was struggling in death, and continued to the very moment of her departure; and she says the Lord told her, that it was because of this that she must go back again, though she herself desired to stay.
She said concerning Geo. W. Robinson, as he had denied the faith, the Lord had taken away one of his eye-teeth, and unless he repented, he would take away another. And concerning Dr. Bennett, that he was a wicked man, and that the Lord would tread him under his feet. Such is a small portion of what she related.
Elder Rigdon observed, that there had been many idle tales and reports abroad concerning him, stating that he had denied the faith, but he would take the opportunity to state that his faith was and had been denied unshaken in the truth. It has also been rumored that I believe that Joseph Smith is a fallen prophet:-In regard to this, I unequivocally state, that I never thought so-but declare that I know he is a prophet of the Lord, called and chosen in this last dispensation, to roll on the kingdom of God for the last time.
He closed by saying, as it regards his religion, he had no controversy with the world, having an incontrovertible evidence, that through the obedience to the ordinances of the religion he now believes, the Lord had actually given back his daughter from the dead.-No person need therefore come to reason with him, to convince him of error, or make him believe another religion, unless those who profess it, can show that through obedience to its laws, the dead has been and can be raised;-if it has no such power, it would be insulting his feelings to ask him to reason about it. And if it had it would be no better than the one he had, and so he had done with controversy-wherefore, he dealt in facts, and not in theory.
TO THE SAINTS ABROAD.
"And this stone, which I have set a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou givest me, I will surely give the tenth unto the." Gen. 28: 22.
We have placed this text at the head of this article, to stir up the minds of the Saints abroad, by way of remembrance, that the Temple of God at Nauvoo is still in progress, for the salvation of the living and the dead; that winter, in its ordinary coldness is approaching; and that the laborers upon the Temple will need clothes to continue the work, wherefore, we, whose hearts are warmed by the spirit of God, feel to call upon the saints abroad, in humility and meekness, to show their faith by their works, and if they believe in the God of Jacob, to be sure and give as much for "God's house" as did that pilgrim of the former days.
Many brethren here, instead of a "tenth," labor almost continually upon the house of the Lord, and where is the charity of the churches abroad if they neglect to furnish clothing, against the chilly winds of winter? Do ye not know that Paul said to Timothy:-Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and good conscience, and faith unfeigned. What a joy a gratification it must be to the saints, who possess such principles as Paul, and have this world's goods, to have a chance to manifest their love of the commandments and brethren, by sending cloth, clothes, or means that will bring them. Remember, brethren, that beautiful expression, "the laborer is worthy of his hire."
When abroad among the churches, the elders tell us, that many say that "they would gladly labor their tenth, if they were here" Now, how much like lively members in the church of our blessed Redeemer, it will be, to send a tenth of your labors from home, as a reasonable portion, dedicated to the great work of the Lord in the last days. We do not wish to be always calling upon the brethren abroad to help us, it looks so much more virtuous, charitable, and God-like, for them to do of their own free will and accord. The reward of the faithful is great: the generation to come will rise up and call them blessed,-even so, blessed is the name of the Lord, and he that keepeth his commandments.
We would also say a word in favor of the Nauvoo House; for that building is going on by revelation, and we desire that those who are able should help in this as well as the Temple. Brethren, come over from Macedonia and help us. The kingdom is the Lord's and for every good deed you do you shall in no wise lose your reward.
A manual synopsis of the holy scriptures, in the order of a concordance, and an appendix of ecclesiastical history, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has recently been published by Elder B. Winchester, in the city of Philadelphia. It contains 256 pages in small
type, and, if we should judge, from a hasty perusal, will be a useful prompter to the travelling [traveling] elders. Its small form renders it convenient. The present agents are
Wm. Small, Pittsburgh, Pa.
L. R. Foster, New York City.
Erastus Snow, Salem, Mass.
Price, (Portable form) 75 cents.
" Morocco bound, 62 1-2 cents.
The usual deduction to wholesale purchasers. Orders received at the corner of Sixth and Buttonwood Streets, Philadelphia-post paid.
We promised the minutes of a Special Conference, which was held in the city, in August last. As little business, more than to send forth laborers in the vineyard, was done, it has not been considered of sufficient importance to occupy a space in this number.
LETTER FROM WILLIAM ROWLEY.
20, Upper Pitt Street, Liverpool, }
June, 1842. }
My Dear Father, Brother, and Friend,-It is with no small degree of pleasure that I take up my pen to scribble a few lines in reply to your very kind, affectionate, welcome and intelligent letter; and I feel truly, that I am writing as unto a father, because through your instrumentality I was begotten again to a lively hope through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ-and I ever wish to cherish a grateful remembrance of this, in thus being rescued from the vain traditions of men, in which I had been so long entrameled and bound up. I can, I think, enter in some degree into those high and holy emotions which have pervaded in your bosom, in the contemplation and retrospection of the time when you were thus diffusing the light and truth of heaven, which had been for so long a period lost in the midst of an overwise and priest ridden people; and I know and am certain that had you not been sent of God-called of him, as was Aaron, to that Apostolic office, you would not, you could not have endured what you and your dear brethren did for the truth's sake. But thus sent-thus qualified-thus sustained-you endured all things as good soldiers; and I do pray that our Heavenly Father will still bless you-yea, doubly bless you, so that when he may again send you forth you may sow and reap an overabundant harvest, in bringing many souls into the new and everlasting covenant.
As you will have by the same conveyance, a letter from brother Harrison containing, I suppose, more information relative to the progress and welfare of the church than I can give, since you left, I shall not go into particulars, but just state that the cause of truth has progressed wonderfully, notwithstanding this sect is every where spoken against; but how true is that remark of yours: "the gospel must be received in its native simplicity--its humble, unassuming garb-we must be little children-divest ourselves of preconceived opinions, and enter in by the gate." Yes, dear sir, here is the grand turning point. Every day convinces me more and more, it is these humiliating principles that causes the heart of man to rebel and reject them, notwithstanding they were so clearly set down and practically illustrated by the Saviour [Savior] himself. You say "it would do your heart good to be in our midst in Nauvoo." The daily contemplation and idea of one day being in you midst, always does my heart good. I seem to take fresh courage and look up and onward to that time when I shall indeed be with you, surrounded by the brethren-by those, and by him, that were thus the gifted men sent to gather us out of mystery and tradition, even Babylon. I do thank you for thus giving me that personal assurance of the prosperity of the cause-as I relied fully upon your testimony when here, so can I now place the same implicit confidence in what you have now stated; and from that I do wish myself "in your midst." In reply to your kind enquiries [inquiries] after the health of myself, my dear children, mother and sister, I am thankful to say that hitherto the God of heaven hath been very gracious unto us in giving us health, with every other needful blessing. It would have given me great pleasure had I had to have communicated that any of my friends were any nearer in embracing the everlasting gospel-but there seems to be a more determined resistence [resistance] of the truth-closing their eyes and ears by prejudice from every argument that can be brought and refusing to listen to those principles which when received in simplicity and sincerity bring life, joy and peace to the soul. How long they will thus shut their eyes I know not, but I fear until it is too late-or until they are awakened from their priest ridden sleep by those judgments that shall come upon all those that reject this gospel. You may now have heard before this, from our brother Edwin Mitchell, and his partner, that just as they were leaving I was on the point of taking to myself another helpmate in a neighbor of theirs, in whom I found those excellencies and characteristics for making a good and affectionate wife, together with a heart already prepared, in some degree, through your instrumentality, for an obedience to the gospel. That has been consnmmated [consummated], and though at present she seems terrified at the
idea of leaving her native land-and having also an aged mother, and she too somewhat dependant [dependent] upon her, being sightless, are powerful drawbacks, I find, but I doubt not the way will be made clear and open for us, and we shall ere long be "in your midst." If I have had any fear in coming myself, it has arisen from these considerations: that being so physically unfitted for an agricultural life, that I should not be able to sustain myself and others with me-and to begin in a commercial line, my means at the present are so very limited that I have feared to venture on that account; but still I think when I am there, something or other will be open for me, according to my means, and wish myself again and again in your midst. I am exceedingly obliged for the trouble you took in writing to Cockson for me; he wrote to me soon after and said I should have it soon, but it is not come yet. I will write to him again and request him to transmit the same to you, and should he do so you can place that in the Temple fund, as you think best. I wish it were double the sum. I was exceedingly interested in the perusal of the extracts from the Book of Abraham. The discovery and translation are arguments sufficient to convince any that are candid, that the God of heaven must be in our midst; and yet, strange to say, they even reject this with every other evidence.-Many thanks for the number of the Times and Seasons.
Every thing around and about us in the commercial and political world is looking dark and portentious [portentous], as if something was about to transpire that would astonish and affright the nation. Men's hearts are beginning to quake and to fear. There is nothing but distress, perplexity, wretchedness, crime, and poverty stalking throughout the length and breadth of the land: and it seems quite impossible for matters to go on much longer in the way they are. Please present my very best remembrances to elders Richards, Young and Kimball-the former especially, having been more in his company-also, to brethren Mitchels, Melling, and others, whom you think I might know. I shall be exceedingly obliged if you will write to me again at your earliest convenience, as a letter from you will at all times be most cheering and instructive; and as I have made known to you some of my feelings and circumstances your counsel will be valuable. I think I told you that at the death of my mother I should then come into a share of property, but as this event is quite uncertain, I seem to think it is useless waiting for dead men's shoes, but to come at once; but then, having so little without, would it not be better to wait a few years longer; and possible by coming I might lose that, and more from another quarter, altogether. If I studied my own inclinations I should come at once, but when I look at those around me, it behooves me to consider which is the best path to pursue and adopt.
A great many of the Saints intend coming in the fall; Harrison, Greehow, Boyd, Hall, Dumville, and others, and especially your own friends, brother Cannon will come, I expect, the very first ship that sails in September. I think there seems to be a liberal spirit prevailing throughout the church in reference to the Temple, but all feel the pressure of the times. I am sure they will do what they can. I find my paper drawing rapidly to a close-need I say in conclusion accept my warmest heartfelt thanks for all you have done-still pray for me, that I may be kept faithful-and may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly in all things. My best remembrances to you and yours, and to all the brethren and sisters, and believe me to remain yours, very sincerely in the new and everlasting covenant.
TO JOHN TAYLOR.
The travelling [traveling] Elders, by obtaining subscriptions for the Times and Seasons, and Wasp, and calling upon Post Masters to frank the same according to the Post Office regulation, will confer a favor and be entitled be the gratuity proffered in the Terms.
The charge preferred against Elder Andrew L. Lamoreuux [Lamoreaux], in this paper, July 1st, has been withdrawn, and he restored to fellowship.
From the Antiqua Herald, June 24
EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIGUA.
This island has been visited by two severe shocks of an earthquake. The first shock commensed [commenced] at about five minutes after ten o'clock this forenoon, and continued for about the space of one minute. It was succeeded by another shock about one minute after the vibration of the first shock and subsided. With a vivid recollection of the horrors recently occasioned by this phenomenon at St. Domingo, eur [our] apprehensions were most awfully aroused by the first shock, which was the most severe of any similar occurrence in the island for many years; but the effects of the second shock, following so soon on its; predecessor, gave rise to feelings that bid defiance to expression; and apprehensions that no power but that of the all-wise
Disposer of events could have rendered supportable. Thus has it come to our turn, like the Jamaicians [Jamaicans], to humble ourselves before Almighty God, and in the most devout and solemn manner to return thanks for this great mercy vouchsafed us in preserving us from the ruin and devastation with which it has been His divine will recently to visit the Haytiens [Haitians]. It is with a deep sense of gratitude to the giver of all good gifts, that we say we are happy to report that no life has been lost on this most alarming occasion. The principal injury that has been occasioned by this terrific occurrence is to be seen at the Jail and House of correction, the walls of which have been severely rent. To this may be added the fall of a pair of stairs, and the partial overthrow of the ruins of the calamitous fire of April, last year. How grateful ought we to be for that portion of Divine mercy by which our lives have been spared!
A VISIT TO JOE SMITH.-We present the following extract from a letter received some days ago, from a clergyman now in Illinois:-Exchange Paper.
"I spent the night in the city of the 'Latter Day Saints.' In the morning I visited the lions of the place.
Nauvoo contains a population variously estimated at from five to ten thousand. Probably there are six to seven thousand people there. It is a beautiful location. The city is laid out in acre lots, each lot having a house, generally of one story; it extends from 3 to 4 miles along the river, and runs back about the same distance, and this space is all built on. I called to see the prophet, and had a short but pleasant interview with him. I asked him about the gold plates which he professes to have dug up an translated into the Book of Mormon. He said: 'Those plates are not now in this country; they were exhibited to a few at first, for the sake of obtaining their testimony-no others have ever seen them, and they will never be exhibited again.' He next asked me-
'What is the fundamental doctrine of your faith?' 'The unity of God-one God in one person.' 'We don't agree with you. We believe in three Gods. There are three personages in Heaven-all equal in power and glory, but they are not one God.' I suppose, from what I heard, that Smith makes it a point not to agree with any one in regard to his religious opinions, and adapts himself to the person with whom he happens to be talking for the time being."
(->) Tolerable fair: Though the idea that Joseph Smith adapts his conversation to the company, is an error. Joseph Smith opposes vice and error, and supports his positions from revelation: no odds whether there be two, three, or "Gods many." The Father, and the Son are persons of Tabernacle; and the Holy Ghost a spirit, besides the sons of God: for the scriptures say: "Ye are Gods."
To the Editor of the Times and Seasons.
DEAR BROTHER:-Having commenced our mission to the east, yesterday we held our first conference at Br. I. Morley's; we had a good time-the brethren here are in good spirits. We ordained 19 elders and baptized 12. We expect next Saturday and Sunday to hold a two days meeting in Quincy, being the 17, 18th inst., on the 24, 25th at Payson, the 1, 2d of Oct. at Pleasant Vale. the 8, 9th of Oct. Pittsfield, the 15, 16th Oct. at Apple Creek in Green co. From thence we shall proceed to Jacksonville, and Springfield.
If you please notice the above in your paper for the benefit of those friends scattered abroad.
Yours in the everlasting covenant
H. C. KIMBALL.
Morley Settlement, Sept. 12, 1842.
To those who covenant to keep the commandments of the Lord, we recommend a perusal of the 35th chapter of Jeremiah.
BOOKS OF MORMON, &C.
Just published and for sale, Books of Mormon, and Hymn Books, together with some other publications in defence [defense] of the faith of the saints.
Nauvoo. Aug. 20, 1842.
The Times and Seasons, Is edited, printed and published about the first fifteenth of every month, on the corner of Water and Bain Streets, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, by JOSEPH SMITH.
TERMS.-Two Dollars per annum, payable in all cases in advance. Any person procuring five new subscribers, and forwarding us Ten dollars current money, shall receive one volume gratis. All letters must be addressed to Joseph Smith, publishers, POST PAID, or they will not receive attention.
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Mitigation pays. It includes any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening, or lessen the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies. Investing in mitigation steps now such as constructing barriers such as levees and purchasing flood insurance will help reduce the amount of structural damage to your home and financial loss from building and crop damage should a flood or flash flood occur.
What is a Flood?
Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters - except fire. Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, or winter snow thaws. Floods can be slow, or fast rising but generally develop over a period of days.
Dam failures are potentially the worst flood events. A dam failure is usually the result of neglect, poor design, or structural damage caused by a major event such as an earthquake. When a dam fails, a gigantic quantity of water is suddenly let loose downstream, destroying anything in its path.
What is a Flash Flood?
Flash floods usually result from intense storms dropping large amounts of rain within a brief period. Flash floods occur with little or no warning and can reach full peak in only a few minutes.
Find out if you live in a flood-prone area from the Emergency Management Department or the American Red Cross.
Ask whether your property is above or below the flood stage water level and learn about the history of flooding for your region. Learn flood warning signs and your community alert signals. Request information on preparing for floods and flash floods.
If you live in a frequently flooded area, stockpile emergency building materials.
These include plywood, plastic sheeting, lumber nails, hammer and saw, pry bar, shovels, and sandbags.
Have check valves installed in building sewer traps to prevent flood waters from backing up in sewer drains.
As a last resort, use large corks or stoppers to plug showers, tubs, or basins.
Plan and practice an evacuation route.
Contact the Emergency Management Department or the American Red Cross for a copy of the community flood evacuation plan. This plan should include information on the safest routes to shelters. Individuals living in flash flood areas should have several alternate routes.
Have disaster supplies on hand.
Develop an emergency communication plan.
In case family members are separated from one another during floods or flash floods (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.
Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.
Make sure that all family members know how to respond after a flood or flash flood.
Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water. Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1, police, fire department, and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.
Learn about the National Flood Insurance Program.
Ask your insurance agent about flood insurance. Homeowners policies do not cover flood damage.
If In a Car:
Flood dangers do not end when the water begins to recede. Listen to a radio or television and don't return home until authorities indicate it is safe to do so.
Check for gas leaks.
If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
Look for electrical system damage.
If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.
Check for sewage and water lines damage.
If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.
Information compiled from the Federal Emegency Management Agency.
Are you looking for ways to protect your home from flooding? There are many things you can do, depending on the flood hazard in your area, the characteristics of your property, and the zoning and building codes in your community. Some methods are fairly simple and inexpensive; others will require a professional contractor.
This homeowner's checklist will help you become familiar with what you can do. For more information about the costs and benefits of each method, talk to a professional builder, architect or contractor. You should also ask the Building Services department about building permit requirements.
Call your the Emergency Management Department or Building Services Department for information about flooding. Ask to see a flood map of your community. There may be a projected flood elevation for your neighborhood. This information will help you determine how much water is likely to come in.
Even if you have taken steps to protect your home from flooding, you still need flood insurance if you live in a floodplain. Homeowners' policies do not cover flood damage, so you will probably need to purchase a separate policy under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
It takes 30 days for a flood policy to take effect. This is why you need to purchase flood insurance before flooding occurs. If your insurance agent is unable to write a flood policy, call 1-800-638-6620 for information.
The main electric panel board (electric fuses or circuit breakers) should be at least 12" above the projected flood elevation for your home. The panel board height is regulated by code. All electrical work should be done by a licensed electrician.
Consider elevating all electric outlets, switches, light sockets, baseboard heaters and wiring at least 12" above the projected flood elevation for your home.
You may also want to elevate electric service lines (at the point they enter your home) at least 12" above the projected flood elevation.
In areas that could get wet, connect all receptacles to a ground fault interrupter (GFI) circuit to avoid the risk of shock or electrocution.
Have electrical wiring done by a licensed electrician.
For protection against shallow flood waters, the washer and dryer can sometimes be elevated on masonry or pressure-treated lumber at least 12" above the projected flood elevation. Other options are moving the washer and dryer to a higher floor, or building a floodwall around the appliances.
The furnace and water heater can be placed on masonry blocks or concrete at least 12" above the projected flood elevation, moved to inside a floodwall or moved to a higher floor. You have more options for protecting a new furnace. Ask your utility about rebates for new energy efficient furnaces. The rebate plus the savings in fuel costs could make the purchase feasible.
Furnaces that operate horizontally can be suspended from ceiling joists if the joists are strong enough to hold the weight. Installing a draft-down furnace in the attic may be an option if allowed by local codes. Some heating vents can be located above the projected flood elevation.
Outside air conditioning compressors, heat pumps or package units (single units that include a furnace and air conditioner) can be placed on a base of masonry, concrete or pressure treated lumber. All work must conform to state and local building codes.
A fuel tank can tip over or float in a flood, causing fuel to spill or catch fire. Cleaning up a house that has been inundated with flood waters containing fuel oil can be extremely difficult and costly.
Fuel tanks should be securely anchored to the floor. Make sure vents and fill line openings are above projected flood levels. Propane tanks are the property of the propane company. You'll need written permission to anchor them. Ask whether the company can do it first.
Be sure all work conforms to state and local building codes.
Install a floating floor drain plug at the current drain location. If the floor drain pipe backs up, the float will rise and plug the drain.
If flood waters enter the sewer system, sewage can back up and enter your home. To prevent this, have a licensed plumber install an interior or exterior backflow valve. Check with the Building Services Department for permit requirements.
You may have other options for avoiding flood damage depending on your needs and financial resources. These include building drainage systems around the property, sealing openings such as low windows, building levees, constructing exterior floodwalls around basement doors and window wells, improving exterior walls, elevating buildings above projected flood levels and relocating buildings away from floodplains. For more information, talk to a professional builder, architect or contractor. Ask the Building Services Department about building permit requirements.
Information compiled from the Federal Emegency Management Agency.
A flood can cause emotional and physical stress. You need to look after yourself and your family as you focus on cleanup and repair.
Turn off the electricity at the main breaker of fuse box, even if the power is off in your community.
Information compiled from the American Red Cross.
Your local government can tell you in which flood zone your property is located. For unincorporated Charleston County, Awendaw, Kiawah Island, Meggett, and Rockville, contact the Charleston County Planning Department to obtain a flood zone determination. Flood zone determinations are available for property in other municipalities in Charleston County through the applicable municipality.
Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Charleston County are also available on-line at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) map service center.
Charleston County has experienced many hurricanes and other severe storms throughout our history, the most recent of which were Hurricanes Hugo in 1989 and Hurricane Floyd in 1999. The greatest threat for flooding in the Charleston County area is from storm surge associated with a hurricane from the Atlantic Ocean.
If a property within Charleston County is in one of the following flood zones:
Zone A: No base flood elevations determined.
Zone AE: Base flood elevations determined.
Zone AH: Flood depths of 1 to 3 feet (usually areas of ponding); base flood elevations determined.
Zone AO: Flood depths of 1 to 3 feet (usually sheet flow on sloping terrain); average depths determined. For areas of alluvial fan flooding, velocities also determined.
Zone A99: To be protected from 100-year flood by Federal flood protection system under construction; no base flood elevations determined.
Zone V: Coastal flood with velocity hazard (wave action); no base flood elevations determined.
Zone VE: Coastal flood with velocity hazard (wave action); base flood elevations determined.
Shaded Zone X: Areas of 500-year flood; areas of 100-year flood with average depths of less than 1 foot or with drainage areas less than 1 square mile; and areas protected by levees from 100-year flood.
Zone X: Areas determined to be outside 500-year flood plain.
Zone D: Areas in which flood hazards are undetermined, but possible.
Additional information regarding flood zones and flood insurance is available from the National Flood Insurance Program.
Federally subsidized flood insurance is available through the National Flood Insurance Program for most properties located in Charleston County and its inclusive municipalities. Damage caused by flooding is not covered by a standard homeowner's insurance policy. A separate flood insurance policy is required for flood peril coverage. Flood insurance is available for buildings only, contents only, or both buildings and contents. Insurance agents or the National Flood Insurance Program should be contacted for flood policy information. There is generally a 30-day waiting period for flood insurance policies to become effective. Charleston County currently has a few parcels of land that could potentially be developed located in "Coastal Barrier Resource Act" protected areas (COBRA zones). Under Federal law, the National Flood Insurance Program may not issue flood insurance policies for structures built in COBRA zones. If flood insurance is available for structures built in COBRA zones, it will be through a private insurer.
The Charleston County Flood Damage and Prevention Ordinance mandates that certain procedures be followed for construction-related work within properties designated as flood zones on the Charleston County Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Copies of this ordinance are also available from the Charleston County Building Services Department upon request.
The National Flood Insurance Program requires that if the cost of reconstructing, rehabilitating, adding to, or otherwise improving a structure equals or exceeds 50 percent of the building's assessed or appraised value, then the building must meet the same construction requirements as a new building. An improvement of 50 percent or more to a structure is known as a "Substantial Improvement". These requirements also apply to buildings that are substantially damaged; however, the value used in making the substantial improvement determination is the pre-damage value of the structure. In Charleston County and the jurisdictions for which it provides inspection-related services, the values of construction work on building permits taken out on a property during the past five (5) years are included in the determination of a "Substantial Improvement." This regulation is enforced through the construction permitting process. Any questions regarding "Substantial Improvements" may be referred to the Building Services Department.
Flood Elevation Requirements:
The finished floor of all new and substantially improved residential structures must be elevated to a minimum of one foot above the base flood elevation indicated on the applicable flood insurance rate map. A flood elevation certificate indicating this elevation must be submitted prior to any building inspection except for a foundation inspection. This certificate must be of the latest version available.
Only non-residential structures in all "A" flood zones may be floodproofed to a minimum of one foot above the base flood elevation in lieu of elevating the finished floor to this elevation. A pre-construction (prior to the plans being released for permit) and an as-built (prior to final building inspection) floodproofing certificate must be completed by a South Carolina registered Architect and/or Professional Engineer for all floodproofed buildings. Construction plans for floodproofed buildings must also be sealed by a South Carolina registered Architect and/or Professional Engineer.
Equipment Elevation Requirements:
With the exception of one electrical outlet and one switch on a Ground Fault Interrupter (as required to meet the National Electrical Code), there may be no electrical wiring, plumbing fixtures, mechanical fixtures, other equipment, appliances, or ductwork located within new or substantially improved structures below one foot above the base flood elevation. Replacement HVAC systems in all "A, AE, AH, AO, A99" flood zones must be located either at or above the existing finished floor elevation or the base flood elevation, whichever is lower, unless the property is undergoing a "Substantial Improvement," in which case the HVAC system must be elevated to or above one foot above the base flood elevation.
Construction Materials Requirements:
Per FEMA, only Flood Resistant Materials Technical Bulletin 2 (Class 4 or 5 materials) are permitted to be used below the base flood elevation unless the structure is a floodproofed non-residential structure.
Flood Control Vent Requirements:
Enclosed areas below the base flood elevation (e.g. garages, sheds, crawl spaces, etc.) must be provided with flood control vents located and sized in accordance with FEMA requirements (e.g. a minimum of two (2) openings on different walls, located within a maximum of 12 inches of grade, sized at a minimum of one square inch per one square foot of enclosed area, with vents that allow the free-flow of flood waters at all times. If these specifications are not met, a South Carolina registered Architect or Professional Engineer must certify in writing that the structure is designed to comply with FEMA requirements regarding equilization of hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces.
Permitted Uses Below Base Flood Elevation:
Permitted uses below the base flood elevation are restricted to those necessary for building access, vehicle parking, and limited storage of yard-related equipment.
Refer to the Charleston County Flood Damage and Prevention Ordinance.
Lowest Horizontal Member Elevation:
The lowest horizontal structural member of all new and substantially improved structures must be elevated to a minimum of one foot above the base flood elevation indicated on the applicable flood insurance rate map. A flood elevation certificate indicating this elevation must be submitted prior to any building inspection, except for a foundation inspection. This certificate must be of the latest version available.
Plan and Certificate Requirements:
Wall section and foundation plans for structures in "V or VE" flood zones must be designed and sealed by a South Carolina Registered Professional Engineer and/or Architect. Plans must detail breakaway wall construction, foundation design, and scour depth. If spread footings are used, the bottom of the footing must be a minimum of 12 inches below the anticipated scour depth at the structure location. Pre-construction "V-Zone design" and "V-Zone Breakaway wall" certificates must be submitted with the construction plans for review. As-built "V-Zone design" and "V-Zone Breakaway wall" certificates must be submitted prior to a final building inspection. Obtain copies of these certificates from the Charleston County Building Services Department.
Equipment Elevation Requirements:
With the exception of one electrical outlet and one switch on a Ground Fault Interrupter (as required to meet the National Electrical Code), there may be no electrical wiring, plumbing fixtures, mechanical fixtures, other equipment, appliances, or ductwork located within new or substantially improved structures below the design flood elevation (base flood elevation plus freeboard). Replacement HVAC systems in all special flood hazard areas (flood zones) must be located either at or above the existing finished floor elevation or the design flood elevation, whichever is lower, unless the property is undergoing a "Substantial Improvement," in which case the HVAC system must be elevated to or above the design flood elevation.
Construction Materials Requirements:
Per FEMA, only Flood Resistant Materials Technical Bulletin 2 (Class 4 or 5 materials) are permitted to be used below the base flood elevation.
Permitted Uses Below the Flood Elevation:
Permitted uses below the design flood elevation are restricted to those necessary for building access, vehicle parking, and limited storage of yard-related equipment.
Walls Below the Base Flood Elevation:
All walls below the design flood elevation in a V or VE flood zone must be designed and certified by a South Carolina registered Professional Engineer and/or Architect to break away from a water load less than that which would occur during the base flood.
No fill is permitted to be used for structural purposes in "V and VE" flood zones. Landscaping fill is only permitted if a South Carolina registered Professional Engineer certifies in writing that the fill will not cause wave run-up or deflection.
No obstructions are permitted below the base flood elevation within a structure. Obstructions not located within a structure (e.g. permanent planters, elevated swimming pools, elevated tennis courts, certain types of fences, etc.) are also not permitted unless a South Carolina registered Professional Engineer certifies in writing that the obstructions will not cause wave run-up or deflection.
For properties located in Unincorporated Charleston County, Awendaw, Hollywood, Kiawah Island, Meggett, Ravenel, Rockville, and Seabrook Island, the Charleston County Building Services Department maintains copies of flood elevation certificates for all new construction and substantially improved structures. If your structure was constructed in one of these jurisdictions since 1990, the Charleston County Building Services Department may have an elevation certificate on file for your structure. For structures where an elevation certificate is not available on file, a S.C. Registered Land Surveyor will need to survey the elevation of the structure and complete the flood elevation certificate form. Charleston County does not survey structures for the purpose of completing flood elevation certificates.
The Charleston County Emergency Management Department has information available on safety measures for flooding and other hazard events. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also maintains an electronic library of resources on flood safety. The South Carolina Flood Mitigation Program office also provides information on flood safety. It is important to remember to not drive through flooded areas.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency maintains an electronic library of reference materials on topics such as retrofitting structures for enhanced flood and hurricane resistance and protecting building utilities from flood damages. The Charleston County libraries also have multiple publications available in their reference sections on protecting property from flood damages. Since Charleston County is subject to hurricanes, measures such as protecting glazed openings in your buliding against high wind damages should also be taken for property protection.
Charleston County has passed an ordinance prohibiting the dumping of trash, landscape debris or other materials into stream channels, ponds, basins or ditches that regularly carry or store stormwater in the unincorporated areas of Charleston County. These channels are routinely cleaned and maintained by the Charleston County Public Works Department. Residents of Unincorporated Charleston County are encouraged to assist in maintaining the drainage channels and ditches by removing or reporting obstructions (i.e. shopping carts, debris, trash, etc.) at (843)202-7600. Keeping drainage channels free of obstruction reduces flooding potential in the event of heavy rains.
First and foremost, make certain the building is structurally sound and is not going to collapse or cause other physical harm prior to entering a damaged structure. Shut off the electrical and/or gas service to the structure if there is any possibility that the service is damaged. Notify all applicable insurance carriers of the damage immediately to begin the claims process.
If your property is one of many damaged by an event, make sure the address of your property is clearly indicated for inspectors and insurance adjusters.
Take photographs of any damaged areas. Secure the property from any additional damages if possible. Wait for your insurance company to give you clearance to begin cleaning up damaged areas.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also has information available online regarding the first steps to take after a flood and about repairing your flooded home. Be careful to avoid injury during post-event clean-up and salvage operations. Make sure any contractors you hire to repair your property are licensed or registered for the type of work they are performing and obtain applicable permits prior to starting work on your property.
Licensing and permit information is available from the Building Services Department.
Charleston County coordinates a regional planning initiative, involving the County and municipalities within Charleston County, in developing and maintaining the Charleston Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. This plan is updated annually to reflect changes that have occurred during the year. Anyone who would like to provide input into the Charleston Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan may do so by e-mailing the Building Services Department at email@example.com, or by calling the department at (843)202-6930. The public is also invited to attend committee meetings regarding plan updates.
If you have any questions contact (843)202-6930.
Flood hazard areas in Charleston County may contain wetland areas which serve natural and beneficial functions such as flood moderation, water quality enhancement, ground water recharge, and habitat for wildlife. Beachfront areas may also contain primary ocean front dunes, which serve as buffers against minor wave height fluctuations and beach erosion. Protecting these areas maintains their important functions. Activities that disturb beachfront and saltwater wetlands should not be undertaken without first obtaining permits from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Any disturbance of freshwater wetlands requires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and certification from S.C. DHEC's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has placed stream gages in rivers and streams that indicate real-time water elevations at the following locations within Charleston County:
For topographic map information please contact the Building Inspections Department.
These stream gage elevations are to be used for approximations only. Always follow emergency instructions that will be broadcast over local television and radio stations through the Emergency Alert System as weather advisories are released or updated by the National Weather Service. If evacuations are required, it is imperative that you follow instructions. Street patrols and door-to-door notifications may be used if an evacuation is mandatory. Generally, residents are given 48-72 hours notice in advance of a hurricane.
Charleston County also uses a telephone notification system for emergency information. For more information and free registration, please visit http://alert.charlestoncounty.org.
Questions regarding emergency procedures may be directed to the Charleston County Emergency Management Department.
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Copyright © 2000-2017, Charleston County, South Carolina. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:ded6be5d-ddf6-4b0a-ab95-0ea123df50dd> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/emergency-management/storm-flooding.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918348 | 5,266 | 3.671875 | 4 |
Summary: This is the story of how an obscure trade association, formed in 1944 to make standards for restaurant sanitation chemicals, grew to the point where today it has agency-like authority to approve fluoridation materials and other chemicals as safe to drink.
I refer to the National Sanitation Foundation, more commonly known as “NSF”. The EPA delegated authority to NSF to approve fluoridation materials and other additives to drinking water. NSF says on its website:
In 1988, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) replaced its own drinking water additives program with NSF/ANSI Standards 60 and 61, which set public health standards for all chemicals used to treat water and products coming into contact with drinking water ….
Starting in 1985 the EPA sent its experts to NSF to help them get up and running as a fluoridation approving agency. From the beginning EPA gave NSF money. EPA still gives NSF money to support NSF’s fluoride approval program. | <urn:uuid:4fbb0dba-cd14-4ee3-b1fd-4f69286bc0cf> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.fluoride-class-action.com/national-sanitation-foundation-nsf-sham-fda | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960081 | 203 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Study: Casual Gaming Helps Cognition
Many studies have disputed the actual efficacy of "brain trainer" games, but new research surrounding PopCap games suggests casual games may have a positive effect on cognition.
Though it was PopCap's games, like Bejeweled and Peggle, that were used in the study, the company didn't itself underwrite the research, which was conducted by East Carolina University's Psychophysiology Lab. It's been underway for almost six months and will continue for the better part of this year, and consumers age 50 and older are participating -- more than 40 have joined the study so far.
Thus far, the study's finding visible improvements in short-term cognition among the participants playing casual games -- promising news for health professionals interested in ways to provide mental exercise for the aging and those with dementia-family disorders like Alzheimer's.
"The initial results of the study are very intriguing, in that they suggest that the 'active participation' required while playing a casual video game like Bejeweled provides an opportunity for mental exercise that more passive activities, like watching television, do not," said Dr. Carmen Russoniello, director of the ECU lab conducting the study.
Researchers measured and tracked the participants' brain waves via electroencephalography (EEG) -- one group played the games, and a control group didn't. The study found that subjects who played casual games for 30 minute periods showed an 87 percent improvement in cognitive response time and a 215 percent increase in executive functioning. This makes it, according to ECU, about as effective as other medical treatments for cognition.
"Video games with more complex rules and controls, and more sophisticated or detailed imagery — so-called 'hardcore' video games — might provide similar cognitive benefits for many people," said Russoniello.
"But those games take significantly longer to learn to play and appeal to a considerably narrower subset of the overall population, especially older consumers. In our experience, 'casual' video games are ideal both in terms of their accessibility and ease of understanding and because they appeal to nearly everyone." | <urn:uuid:506b1de1-ed7e-48a7-937b-a1f19e7351be> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/28702/Study_Casual_Gaming_Helps_Cognition.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GamasutraNews+%28Gamasutra+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961354 | 428 | 2.78125 | 3 |
I watched with horror the fire that destroyed many homes in St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape recently. I live in a thatched home. What fire precautions can I take?
Marcel Wood of Risk Management at Etana Insurance has this advice:
“The fire spread through neighbouring thatch-roofed homes fanned by strong winds. Thatch in its simplest form is a dried type of grass interwoven to form a strong roofing material which is popular in holiday homes and delivers three main advantages: individualistic décor, superb insulation in all seasons and, compared with tile roofing, is comparatively cheap.”
But thatch presents a higher risk of fire than other roofing
Wood explains that common ignition sources for thatch fires include electrical faults, hot chimneys passing through thatch, lightning and power surges and, on rare occasions, the embers from open flames of a bonfire or braai can be blown on to a highly combustible substance such as a dry tree, a wood pile - or a thatched roof.
How to deal with problems?
* Electrical faults – require vigilant and regular maintenance.
* Hot chimneys passing through the thatch roof – require purpose designed protective linings
* Lightning and power surges – effective surge protection devices are available for domestic and business premises. These work better than lightning protection rods and more importantly protect electronic equipment during power interruptions caused by power surges and lightning.
How thatch fires spread?
According to Wood, a “fire front” is the portion sustaining continuous flaming combustion. As the front approaches, the fire heats both the surrounding air and woody materials – for example, the thatch roof adjacent to the one on fire.
It may also spread as winds carry hot embers and other burning materials through the air over roads, etc that may otherwise act as firebreaks. It follows, in areas with multiple thatch roofs, that embers set alight neighbouring properties downwind from the fire.
It also follows then that the best method to prevent the spread of fires between thatched roof houses in a suburb is the application of water which cools the thatch below its combustion /ignition temperature. Possibly, the best method to prevent this type of disaster happening is to have a dedicated drencher water system installed at the highest part of the roof, which can cascade water over and down all of the exposed thatch.
How prone are thatch-roof homes to fires?
Thatch-roofed properties are certainly more prone to fire than what is commonly termed “standard” construction in the insurance industry.
Thatch risks are insurable, but need to meet some specific risk management criteria to be insured.
* Wood is also board director of the Fire Protection Association of Southern Africa; SAIA board member, Environment and Social; SAIA Steering Committee: Strategic Risk Forum; SAIA Strategic Risk Forum Committee; and Chairman of the SAIA Fire Services Investigation Committee. - Saturday Star | <urn:uuid:7b077de9-40c2-4c5c-9ccf-7376054acdf9> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/home-garden/home/how-to-protect-a-thatched-roof-1431517 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941023 | 614 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Cahercommaun Stone Fort
- View as map
Tourist Information Office, Ennis, Clare, Republic of Ireland
Cahercommaun Stone Fort is set dramatically on the edge of a steep valley near Ballyvaughan, in County Clare.
Cahercommaun Triple Stone Fort (stone fort of Comin) is dramatically situated on the edge of a steep valley. Stone arcs within stone arcs enclose a central stronghold with 3m thick walls, which in turn enclose an inner sanctum reaching up to 3.5m high. The fort would once have been home to an extended family group living off the land. Built around 800 AD and remarkably similar to the great fort at Dun Aenghus on the Aran islands, the inner wall alone used 16,500 tons of stone and was almost a complete circle before the north wall fell down the cliff. It was excavated in the 1930s.
It’s about one kilometre from the road, but well worth the walk, for spectacular views of the wooded valley alone. | <urn:uuid:9e6d4f12-78fe-4cff-bfb3-deb660ce6e3c> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.ireland.com/en-us/what-is-available/attractions-built-heritage/museums-and-attractions/all/1-13094/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918902 | 217 | 2.875 | 3 |
4th U.S. Colored Infantry, Fort Lincoln, Washington, D.C., ca. 1864Item 67505 info
Maine Historical Society
The outbreak of war had led many northern blacks to volunteer for the military, and Union advances had been met by a constant flow of fugitive slaves, but the United States consistently resisted arming blacks, with Abraham Lincoln as staunch of an opponent as any.
By the summer of 1862, however, the failure of the Peninsula Campaign and the opening of the Mississippi Valley theater had made clear to both commanders and potential volunteers that this would not be a short war.
With enlistment flagging, the Army began to look to blacks, especially former slaves, as a new source of manpower.
The Militia Act of July 1862 authorized the president to receive blacks for "any military or naval service," but it was one of his generals, Benjamin F. Butler, who took the lead.
Holding onto New Orleans with a force of only 14,000 and fearing a Confederate counterattack, Butler mobilized several free black militia companies organized but never used by the Confederates.
Between August and December, he assembled three regiments with a total strength of more than 3,000 men, designated as the Louisiana Native Guards.
While Butler retained their black officers, his successor, Nathaniel T. Banks, who took over in December 1862, began systematically replacing them with whites. | <urn:uuid:49cd9c90-40c3-4fcf-bbb9-640d82ae006f> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/2016/slideshow/1040/display?use_mmn=1&prev_object_id=3301&prev_object=page&slide_num=3&=&= | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981538 | 285 | 3.703125 | 4 |
Promoting Inclusive Markets and Financial Systems
Over time, while some countries have experienced trends of poverty and inequality moving in the same direction, others have witnessed the two developmental issues panning out in opposite directions. The latter is observed in Ghana, where in the last two decades poverty has been reducing and consumption inequality is on the ascendency. Motivated by this observation, we address three objectives in this paper. First, we decompose inequality using administrative districts as the unit of analysis to examine within and between contributions to national inequality. Second, we examine trends of inequality in the only region (Eastern) of Ghana that experienced a reduction in inequality over the period 1991-2006; and, finally, we investigate the relationship between district-level inequality and household poverty. The last three rounds of the Ghana Living Standard Survey are used for our analysis. We observe that the contribution of within district inequality is higher than inequality between districts. This
pattern is observed for other geographical classifications, such as rural-urban, ecological zone and regions. In the Eastern region of Ghana, where overall inequality reduced over the period 1998 to 2005, this was not the case for about 50 percent of the districts in the region. Finally, district-level inequality shows a significant effect on household poverty, but with varying signs, depending on the state of economic activity of the unit of analysis (district) and factors that affect both poverty and inequality. We recommend that districtlevel policy implementers should be tasked with the responsibility of minimising inequality within their district and therefore overall inequality in Ghana. Also, poverty reduction strategies should take into consideration district-level poverty and other factors, such as land size distribution, that jointly affect poverty and inequality
To access this document, please click here. | <urn:uuid:6c3bd4b2-35ae-4205-aace-705d0fc22746> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.seepnetwork.org/spatial-inequality-and-household-poverty-in-ghana---resources-561.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950817 | 351 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Ecolabels have emerged as one of the main tools of green marketing. Although a great deal of effort has been invested in making them more effective and efficient, the market share of ecolabelled products is still low, partly because they have been addressed mainly to ‘green’ consumers. In a theoretical exposition of marketing theory, we find that green marketing could learn from conventional marketing in discovering other means than labelling to promote green products. Examples include addressing a wider range of consumers, working with the positioning strategies of price, place and promotion and actively engaging in market creation. http://www.sciencedirect.com
Green Marketing: A Challenge or an Opportunity in the Global Environment
The earlier perception of industry towards green marketing was that the pressure for making business environment green and behaving in a more responsible manner especially comes from Government and its legislations. Now that old perception is changing throughout the globe as studies performed on consumers reflect that in most countries consumers are becoming more aware and willing to act on environmental concerns. There is a radical change in consumer preferences and life styles. They prefer environment friendly products over the others and many times are ready to pay a little extra price for such green products. Due to this shift from traditional marketing to green marketing, companies these days are facing many new challenges.
This can also be viewed as a source of new opportunities to grow in today’s highly competitive global environment. A 2008 survey by the National Geographic Society and GlobScan on consumer choice and the environment reported on current behavior in fourteen countries (including Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Russia, the UK and the US). The study found signs that consumer in all countries “feel empowered when it comes to the environment and are taking some action in their daily lives to reduce consumption and waste.” A global Synovate survey conducted in 2007 in association with Aegis, and repeated in 2008 in association with BBC World, also found that consumers in most countries are becoming more aware and willing to act on environmental concerns. Most of such studies on green philosophy and green marketing are done in developed countries but such studies however, remain conspicuously missing in the context of developing economies like India. The present study discusses the concept of green marketing and its interface with consumers in India. A field survey of consumers was conducted to understand their perception towards green marketing and preference for green products. The data collected was analyzed by using the T-test and One Way ANOVA. The results of the study are highly relevant in this challenging era of liberalization and globalization and can be used by industries for exploring and exploiting new opportunities. This study also provides future direction to researchers in the field of green marketing. http://gsj.cgpublisher.com
International green marketing: A comparative study of British and Romanian firms
Purpose – The market of ecological products is growing exponentially at global level, however, there are very few studies focused on the international marketing strategies of eco-firms. Seeks to address the issues. Design/methodology/approach – On the basis of the information collected during interviews conducted with six British and six Romanian eco-firms with international activity, the main opportunities and challenges for international green marketing are identified and analysed. Findings – The findings show important differences between the Romanian and the British firms, mainly determined by the level of development of their domestic market. The Romanian firms usually export ecological products using foreign agents,... | <urn:uuid:e2c5991c-155f-4115-b42e-1fc94bc396c8> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.studymode.com/essays/Perception-Of-Green-Product-718789.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95528 | 695 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Internet Theology Resources:
Liturgical Studies and Liturgical Music
- Anaphora of Addai
and Mari ("Liturgy of the Blessed Apostles"). Nestorian.
Constitutions (late 3rd or early 4th C.). Syrian. Book 8 of the
Apostolic Constitutions [124K] may be of particular interest,
as it contains details of the so-called "Clementine" liturgy.
Creed (c. 200). Latin text,
- Fernand Cabrol, The
Mass of the Western Rites (1934). Historical, chiefly fifth through twelfth
centuries. 440K plain text file.
- Congregation for Worship
- The Coptic
Liturgy of St. Basil. [52K].
- The Coptic Orthodox Book
of Hours (Agpeya).
- Gerald Darring, Theology Library: Liturgical Year. [12K text,
77K graphics]. Directory of Internet resources. Darring teaches high school
- A brief description of The Divine Liturgies
used in the Byzantine Rite.
- The Divine
Liturgy of St. James (2nd C.?). Jerusalem. Forerunner of some Syriac,
Armenian, and Greek liturgies. [58K].
- The Divine
Liturgy of St. Mark (2nd C.?). Alexandrian. Influenced Greek and Ethiopian
- Eastern Liturgical
- Egeria (4th/5th C.)
- Egeria and the
Fourth Century Liturgy of Jerusalem. Latin text and English translation of
the final third of Egeria's Itinerarium. With
bibliography. Prepared by Michael Fraser.
- The Pilgrimage
of Etheria. 1919 SPCK edition, translated by M.L. McClure and C.L. Feltoe.
Preserves pagination of printed version. "Much is wanting," as the
editors themselves note, but this is the most complete version of Egeria yet
- Ruth Fox, Women in the Bible and the
Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar (1969).
- General Roman
Calendar. With observances proper to the U.S. Best viewed with a browser
that supports tables.
- John Paul II
- Dominicae Cenae (1980). One of a series of annual
letters to priests for Holy Thursday. This one deals with Eucharistic worship
in both senses--inside and outside of the Mass. Also touches on the role of the
- Redemptoris Mater (1987). Encyclical. On the role
of Mary in the life of the Church.
- Felix Just, The Roman
Catholic Lectionary Website. Tables of all the readings in
several editions of the lectionary, comparisons between the 1970 and
1998 U.S. editions and the 1992 Canadian lectionary.
- Justin Martyr (d. c. 165), First Apology
- Lecturas de la
Misa. Readings for Sunday Mass. Latin American Spanish--uses ustedes rather than vosotros.
- Lift Up Your Hearts. From the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. Many valuable resources for
- John Lilburne, RomanRite.com. News of recent developments
in Latin Rite liturgical law, and essays by an Australian student of
- Liturgical Vestments
in use in the Byzantine Rite.
- The Liturgy section from
the Order of St. Benedict home page. One of the best liturgical pages on the
- Liturgy of the
Presanctified Gifts. [60K text, 48K graphics]. Traditionally ascribed to
Gregory the Great, and used by Eastern rites and by the Orthodox on Wednesdays
and Fridays of the Great Lent.
- Roger Mahony, "Gather
Faithfully Together": A Guide for Sunday Mass (1997). [167K]. Cardinal
Mahony of Los Angeles shares his vision of Sunday Eucharist in the parish.
Long. Must reading for parish ministers.
- Mission of the Sacred Heart, Scripture readings for daily and Sunday Mass,
- NAB Lectionary Watch.
Of chiefly historical interest now, but also has references to a number of
interesting articles on inclusive language.
- Paul VI
- Marialis Cultus (1974)
- Mysterium Fidei (1965)
- Sacram Unctionem (1972)
- Quicumque vult, also known as the "Athanasian
Creed." Probably 5th C., with affinities to Vincent of
- Revised Common
Lectionary readings. NRSV.
- Saints: Autobiography, Biography,
- Hippolyte Delehaye, The Legends of
the Saints: An Introduction to Hagiography. Full text of 1907 edition.
517K. Thoughtful, interesting consideration of the principles and process of
- The ECOLE Initiative: Vitæ.
- Paul Halsall, Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Saints' Lives. [96K text,
20K graphics]. New Testament era through the Middle Ages, and helpful links for
- Jacobus de Voragine
(c. 1229-1298), The Golden Legend.
Full text of the immensely popular Legenda Aurea. Each
of 7 volumes of Temple Classics edition (1900) in its own file; some chapters
- Terry Jones, Patron Saints
Index. Brief profiles of 5000 saints and beati,
often with links to other sources of information, and sometimes
excerpts from the saint's writings.
- James Kiefer's
Hagiographies. Anglican. Uses frames. James Kiefer's Christian
Biographies is the no-frames table of contents.
- Rafael María López-Melús, Los Santos Carmelitas.
Carmelite saints. Calendar and biographical essays, in Spanish.
- Ed LoPresti, Lives of the Saints.
Directory. A very good starting point. Also links to related resources.
Calendar. With brief hagiographies. From the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
North America. Best viewed with a browser that supports tables.
- Kathy Rabenstein, Index of Saints. [90K
text; size of graphic varies]. Rabenstein has drawn on mainly public-domain
hagiographical works in compiling this index of about 11,000 saints and beati. Notes whether the person is included in the Roman
Martyrology, has an approved cultus, or is a center of
popular devotion. Sometimes too sanitized for my taste, but certainly worth a
- Société des Bollandistes, Christian Hagiography. No direct links
to primary texts, but tells where to look. Excellent bibliographies.
- Synexarium. [14K text,
41K graphics]. Coptic Orthodox. Arranged by Coptic date. Search not
- David Woods, The Military
Martyrs. If you have any interest in the soldier saints of late antiquity
and the early medieval period, this is a "must see" site. English
translations of the Latin and Greek primary sources, bibliographies. Woods'
doctoral thesis was on the Christianization of the fourth-century Roman
- Willibald Sandler, Josef Andreas
Jungmann. Brief biography, in German.
Table. In Spanish, from the Chilean bishops' conference. Server is often
- Selections from the Assyrian
- Ukrainian Rite Resources.
Sacramental rites, devotions, tropars and kondaks. Zipped Word 6.0 files.
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Liturgy of the Hours. Latin Rite Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Compline,
(partial) Office of Readings; and supplementary information. Also has a general
calendar, and local calendars for many English-speaking countries.
- Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on
Sacred Liturgy, 1963).
- We Believe! U.S.
organization promotes the liturgical reform envisioned by Vatican II. Supports
ICEL. News related to liturgy, quarterly newsletter, analysis and commentary on
liturgical matters of current concern.
- Tzvee Zahavy, Studies in Jewish
Prayer (1990). [388K]. Covers period from 200 B.C.E. to 200 C.E.
- Ben Chi, Pipe Organs and Related
Topics. Archives for the PIPORG-L Internet mailing list, plus many links of
interest to organists.
- Choral Archives.
Small but interesting collection of MIDI, finale (.fnl), and Quicktime movie
files. Some plain text files for lyrics.
- ChoralNet. Home page for several
discussion groups, and points to other online resources for choral music.
Available in English, German, French, and Spanish.
- The Church Music & the Kinetic
Arts section from Lift Up Your Hearts. A goldmine of categorized links.
Sparse annotations, though. [47K text, 12K graphics].
- A Collection of
Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodists (1876). [118K]. Hymn
- The Cyber Hymnal. Hymn texts and
MIDI files, together on one page. Organ sound. Listed by title. There are
also indexes for special topics. Some pages offer the option of reading a brief
biography of the composer.
- Nigel Day, Hymns.
Historical background on texts and tunes of selected hymns.
- The Exsultet. Text and
RealAudio file, both in English.
- Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), Hymns. Hymn texts only, in
German and English, from one of the great Lutheran hymnwriters.
- William Graeber, Classical Midi Organ Stop!
[28K text, 50K graphics]. MIDI files, mostly hymnody. Uses frames, which make
it more difficult to find the resources unique to this site. "Pipe
Organ" has sequences: most for MIDI organ, a few for sound cards.
"Midiscan for Fun" is the primary section for MIDI hymntunes for sound
card; these sound like piano. Hymns are listed by title. Also worth
investigating is the "Religious MIDI Links" page, which includes the
Baptist Hymnal, the Lutheran Hymnal, and the
Methodist Hymnal. Most pages automatically begin playing a MIDI
file, but a console is provided so that you can adjust the volume or turn the
- Tad Inoue, Church Music
Research Tools. English and Japanese. Frames-dependent. Featuring an
extensive bibliography: titles in original languages, annotations in Japanese.
Site also has directories of Internet resources related to the study of church
music. Inoue, who has earned both the M.Div. and the M.M.--Church Music, is
pastor of Hekinan Bible Church, Aichi, Japan.
- Sherman Isbell, How
to Use a Split-Leaf Psalter (1997). Review of The Psalms in
Metre (Oxford University Press, 1990), 316 pp.
- Rick Kephart, Gregorian Chant
Notation. Explains how to read Gregorian chant. Must have graphics
- Martin Luther (1483-1546)
- Music for the Church of God. Virtual
hymnal with texts and MIDI files, complete contents of three metrical psalters
online, articles related to metrical psalm singing.
- National Association of Pastoral
Musicians. Membership organization. Web site features news, job listings,
and an electronic mailing list.
"O" Antiphons, from the Dominican Antiphonarium, with the Christmas
Proclamation. For each of the Great O Antiphons, this site provides an image of
Gregorian chant notation with Latin text, an (unfortunately unsingable) English
translation, and a RealAudio file of the Latin.
- Prayer and Song. From
Taizé. Notation, MIDI files for four-part singing, MP3 clips.
- Thomas Ravenscroft, The Whole Booke of
Psalmes: With the Hymnes Evangelicall, and Songs Spiritvall. Scanned page
images of Ravenscroft's psalter of 1621.
- Sacred Congregation of Rites, Musicam sacram
(Instruction on Music in the Liturgy). 5 Mar. 1967.
- Willy Schuyesmans, Gregorian Chant. Of
particular interest are the bibliography (which includes a discography) and
"Gregorian chant on the Net." In Dutch, English, French, and
- William Walker, Southern
Harmony, and Musical Companion. New ed. (1847). The classic of American
shape-note singing. Scores scanned in .gif format, in two sizes. Includes
texts and MIDI files (organ sound), so that you can see the lyrics or the score
while listening to the music. Can search by hymn tune, first line, last name of
composer, or meter.
Internet Theology Resources,
by School of Theology Major Areas
Elizabeth T. Knuth's Home
Comments to: firstname.lastname@example.org
Internet Theology Resources. Liturgy. / Revised 13 August 2005 /
© Copyright 2005, Elizabeth T. Knuth / URL: | <urn:uuid:d189f066-0cf9-44dc-bf3a-ab579f4efb1e> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.users.csbsju.edu/~eknuth/itr/ltgy/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.782835 | 2,904 | 2.734375 | 3 |
There are several developing countries in todays world, most of these are located in Africa and Asia. There is no coincidence that these countries also have higer death rate, less educated people, higher child morality and a lower mean age. Some countries are considered being a developing country because of the bad economy or politics. We usually think of developing countries as the poorest countries with no water and where kids raises their siblings. In a country where all of this is fine, but the government is corrupt or unfair can be considered a developing country. The definition of a developing country is often discussed, because it indicates countries to follow the western economic developing. Countries like Cuba and Bhutan dosen’t support this, and is then considered a developing country.
One thing everyone agree on is that education is the first solution for developing countries either way. In most of these countries school costs a lot of money, which indicates that they can’t afford. Illiteracy is highest a
mong women. In 20 developing countries 70% of the women can’t read or write. By giving girls and women an education, their position in society gets stronger.Educated women are less likely to be exposed to human trafficking and is less likely to get HIV. Most of them marry later as well and have fewer kids. It will also help them raise their children, and they live longer to help them with their education. UNICEF educated 2300 female teachers in Nigeria in 2011, so young girls can have female role models at schools. This made it easier and more inspiring for them to go to school.
At school they don’t learn the same as we in Norway do. They learn about things they need in their everyday life, like agriculture, nutrition and farming. This way they can grow food and feed their families. It can improve the child morality and mean age rate. Education is also the key to improving the health standards. If they learn about vitamins they need during pregnancy, clean water, diseases and sanitation it can keep them healthier and help them live longer. Learning about sanitation can reduce the spread of diseases, which will help on the mean age. | <urn:uuid:da2baf17-3255-4e16-a5cc-e639b29fda54> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://englishonsandvika.wordpress.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976893 | 436 | 3.265625 | 3 |
A simple implementation of Schelling's segregation model in NetLogo
We present an introduction to the NetLogo simulation environment using the Segregation Model presented by Nobel Prize Winner Thomas Schelling in 1978. While reviewing the model, its Netlogo implementation is described step by step, using visual tools accompanied by the code for programming in the Netlogo language. Two extensions to the original model are proposed and programmed. All the models are fully described in the text.
|Date of creation:||Oct 2008|
|Contact details of provider:|| Postal: via Rontgen, 1 - 20136 Milano|
Web page: http://www.dondena.unibocconi.it/
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References listed on IDEAS
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- Schelling, Thomas C, 1969. "Models of Segregation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(2), pages 488-493, May.
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Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services. | <urn:uuid:4f52e245-6090-4230-ae8c-addcd8ec301c> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://ideas.repec.org/p/don/donwpa/015.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.854645 | 523 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Definition of flattery
Examples of flattery in a sentence
He tried to win his teacher's favor with flattery.
a talk show host who is known for charming her guests with disingenuous flattery
Origin and Etymology of flattery
First Known Use: 14th century
FLATTERY Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of flattery for English Language Learners
: praise that is not sincere
FLATTERY Defined for Kids
Definition of flattery for Students
: praise that is not deserved or meant
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up flattery? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). | <urn:uuid:566fd9ad-5a61-4742-a527-cf8156d0914b> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flattery | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218187519.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212947-00449-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950185 | 145 | 2.9375 | 3 |
It's appalling. Our educational system has gone from good to worse in the past decades. For the longest time, it seemed that the six-year elementary and four-year secondary education provided in our schools were sufficient. But times and needs have indeed changed. Today, the Philippines is now only one of the very few countries that use a ten-year basic educational system. In highly advanced countries, twelve years of basic education is offered. This makes their High School graduates more competitive than ours.
But there are a lot of changes that need to be made to improve our educational system. Adding two more years is a big step, but that is not all that is needed to produce better students and eventually graduates. There are a lot of changes that need to be made, especially if we want to come up with very competitive graduates who are ready to take on graduates from more advanced nations of the world.
- Add two more years to High School and split High School into Junior High and Senior High. Many advanced Asian countries like Japan and Korea have this setup. Three years of Junior High and three years of Senior High.
- Improve our basic education curricula. Fifth grade students are studying lessons that should have been taught in second or third grade. In High School, the same stuff is taught over and over again for four years. There is now no specialization for students in High School. For example, instead of teaching a different Mathematics subject (Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, etc) each year, all these subjects are taught per quarter. A better curriculum will improve not only the understanding of the students, but also the quality of graduates produced.
- Decrease the student-to-teacher ratio. In some of our poorest schools, the student to teacher ratio can go up to 50:1! A class size of 20-30 is ideal.
- Add more classrooms. The reason for the high student-to-teacher ratio is because of very few classrooms available.
- Hire better teachers. Teachers pass on what they know to their students. If they are teaching their students wrong information, then they are doing injustice to the hope of the fatherland. In fact, there should be a grade requirement for teachers. They should not be accepted to teach if they are merely average students. There should be no room for mediocrity especially in the classroom.
- Increase the salary of teachers. Many teachers migrate to other countries for better employment because of their pay. And most of these who turn to overseas employment are the better teachers, leaving behind the second-rate mentors.
- Recognize the individual abilities of each student. Many gifted students who do not know they are gifted, suffer because of the slow pace of learning of their classmates. True, we now have schools or classes for accelerated students, but is their curriculum enough? Plus, accelerated students need help for them to adapt themselves to their older classmates when they get integrated with them in High School or College.
- Improve facilities. There are at least three ways of learning--visual, auditory and cognitive. There are teachers who teach a concept without proper visual aids or experimentation. More facilities means more students learning on their own. How will the teacher reach out to students who learn in a different manner from their classmates?
- Promote the use of the vernacular in the classroom. The Philippines is one of the very few countries around the world that does not discuss abstract terms in the local language. Hence it is very difficult for students to understand mathematical and logical concepts. While English should be taught very well, Mathematics, Science and History should be discussed in at least a bilingual manner.
- Stop the corruption in the government. A big chunk of the budget is devoted to education. But a big chunk of this goes down the pockets of the crocodiles in the government. When converted, this money could be translated to more rooms, better facilities, greater pay for teachers. | <urn:uuid:2e8209a9-239a-4b11-aead-605204e92b97> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://4ever7.blogspot.com/2008/11/on-state-of-philippine-education.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967128 | 803 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Guest post by Heberto Hinojosa, Jr.
As we look toward equity in all aspects of our schools, the small representation of low-income Latino students in advanced courses is of note. Over the last four years, I have had an opportunity to conduct a qualitative study to investigate parental influences and their perception of effective school practices that contribute to low-income, first- and second-generation Latino student success across Texas. Middle school students who were enrolled in at least one pre-AP class and earned honor roll the previous semester are those considered successful for the purposes of the study.
The following research questions guided the study:
- What influences contribute to parents immigrating to the United States?
- What are the parental influences at home that contribute to positive school experiences for Hispanic student success?
- What beliefs do parents have that influence their children to succeed in school?
- What school-based elements contribute to positive school experiences for Latino student success?
- How do parents describe their relationship and involvement with their child’s school?
I traveled to very different parts of Texas to interview 10 sets of parents whose children qualified for the study. Each was very proud to share their story and thoughts on their schools. All but one spoke only Spanish. Interviews were approximately one hour long and conducted in their home. As I began to transcribe and collect data on the interviews, various themes emerged that are summarized by the research questions guiding the study:
1. The first research question investigated the influences that contributed to parents immigrating to the United States. They were (a) lack of opportunity in the home country and (b) to provide their children with a high-quality education.
2. The second research question investigated the parental and home influences that contributed to positive school experiences for Latino students. Four themes emerged regarding specific parental and home influences that provided a foundation for the positive school experiences of these eight students. These themes were (a) daily communication, (b) structure at home, (c) sibling support, and (d) intrinsic motivation.
3. The third research question investigated the beliefs parents had that influenced their children to succeed in school. The themes that emerged from these discussions included (a) emphasis on work ethic, (b) focus on moving ahead, and (c) an understanding of the importance of a college education.
4. Research question four explored the school-based elements that contributed to positive school experiences that resulted in Latino student success. Throughout the interviews, across four different regions in Texas where the schools these students attended were located, the overall response by parents was that their experience in school was a positive one. Three themes emerged which included (a) caring teachers, (b) positive influence of peers, and (c) recognition of personal determination.
5. The fifth research question investigated the relationship and involvement parents of successful students had with their school. Three themes emerged: (a) work culture and language barrier creates misconceptions, (b) feeling welcome, with reservations, and (c) respect and admiration for teachers.
Based on the findings from this study regarding home and parental influences as well as school-based elements that contribute to student success, the following implications for practice are recommended:
- Schools should provide specific guidelines to identify students and increase the number and success of minority students in advanced-level courses.
- Because sibling and peer support was noted as being an influence on student success, it is important for schools to implement a peer mentoring program.
- Because many times parents do not lack initiative to be involved in school, but instead lack the knowledge needed to access the system, educators should create informational meetings where various topics are explained in Spanish, including in-depth information about college.
- Because lack of English fluency is often a barrier to parent involvement, schools should provide training in English for parents.
- Educators should send out weekly talking points to parents that will encourage communication in the home.
- School leaders should implement culturally relevant professional development sessions where staff learns more about minority student populations.
- Safety-net mechanisms such as tracking should be put in place for students and parents.
- Because students who are on track for college might not have the financial resources, educators should promote and enhance the growth of dual-credit programs.
As you reviewed the findings, was there anything that resonated with you? What types of action plans are in place at your schools to increase low-income Latino representation within advanced courses?
Heberto Hinojosa, EdD is the principal of Fabra Elementary School in Boerne, TX and the 2016 Texas Assistant Principal of the Year. He is also a professor of school law at Schreiner University. | <urn:uuid:7d441616-4e1e-4134-b0de-26f433570b90> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://blog.nassp.org/2016/11/15/parental-influences-and-school-practices-that-contribute-to-first-generation-latino-student-success/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971028 | 960 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Music has traditionally played an important role in African culture. It is essential in representing the strong African heritage and its importance can be seen in many aspects of the culture. Unlike many cultures today, ancient African cultures encompassed music into their everyday lives. Dance, story-telling and religious practices are all grounded on the music of the culture.(History of African Music)
Music is especially vital in African dance, so much so that in many African cultures, there are no two words in the language used to distinguish between the two. Essentially, when one uses the term music in reference to African culture, it should include the idea of dance. And unlike many western civilizations, in the African culture, music and dance means so much more than something done just to have a good time. It has a much greater purpose. For many cultures, a dance is commonly between two people. In the African culture, a dance is usually done by a community or group and for a specific purpose.The idea of Utilitarianism suggests that the value of a thing depends on its use, and not its beauty. In many ways, African music is a utilitarian function used in vital aspects of life such as, a child’s naming ceremony, initiation rights, agricultural activities, national ceremonies, war times, religious ceremonies and ceremonies for the dead. (Exploring Africa)
The 1500s saw the beginning of slave labor as Africans were brought to North and South America and the Caribbean. Hundreds of different African dance styles, from various ethnic groups, were merged together, along with styles of European dancing. Because of the importance of dance in the daily life of Africans in their homeland, many Africans that were enslaved continued to use dance as a way to keep their cultural traditions and connect with their home country.Enslaved Africans that were taken to colonies in South America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal were given much more freedom to carry on their dance traditions than those who were brought to North America. Sadly, many of the North American slave owners prohibited Africans from performing most of their traditional dances.The importance and spirit of dance were not stopped by these restrictions, however. African slaves found ways to adapt their dancing and continue their traditions in secret. Out of necessity this caused some changes in the dances. For example, since slaves were prohibited from lifting their feet, they created moves that included shuffling the feet and moving the hips and body. (History of African Dance)
Besides using the voice, which has been developed to use various techniques such as complex hard melisma and yodel, a wide array of musical instruments are used. African musical instruments include a wide range of drums, slit gongs, rattles, double bells as well as melodic instruments like string instruments, such as: musical bows, different types of harps and harp-like instruments such as the Kora as well as fiddles, many kinds of xylophones and lamellophones; like the mbira, and different types of wind instrument like flutes and trumpets.
Drums used in African traditional music include talking drums, bougarabou and djembe in West Africa, water drums in Central and West Africa, and the different types of ngoma drums (or engoma) in Central and Southern Africa. Other percussion instruments include many rattles and shakers, such as the kosika, rain stick, bells and wood sticks. Also, Africa has lots of other types of drums, and lots of flutes, and lots of stringed and wind instruments. (African Music)
The example below is a video of young dancers entertaining the crowd with apiece of traditional Setswana dance during a wedding in Tlokweng. This piece reminds me of Ewe Agbekor that was played in class from chapter three. Like Ewe Agbekor, I would say this piece has antiphonic vocal texture to it. It is very upbeat and has an upbeat tempo. I would say that that this piece is polyrhythmic as well.
The next example is of the Zanla Forces War Songs. ZANU is the Zimbabwe African National Union, the political wing of the Maoist faction of the majority-rule movement in Zimbabwe in the 1970s; the militant wing being ZANLA, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army. They and ZAPU—the Zimbabwe African People’s Union, the Soviet backed faction (with its Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army, ZIPRA)—used song to stir up the masses. These are songs of the struggle. This LP, recorded in the soldier camps sometime in the 1970s, most likely in Mozambique, contains folk songs, church songs and European choral music with the words changed to spread the revolutionary message. The idea was to use songs familiar to the people, allowing for easy teaching. Most songs are purely vocal, since instruments were not widely available in the soldier’s camps. (Zanla Forces War Songs) This particular song of the Zanla Forces War Songs, has an antiphony vocal texture as well. The hand clapping in the background creates a faster beat.
This next video is a Zulu and Ndebele Traditional dance. In Africa, toplessness of women is a traditional norm and more importantly a display of culture. The harmony of the music below is exceptional and I could not stray from sharing it. This is the best call and response I have ever heard. The music is very peaceful.
As you can see, music in Africa is a way of life and not just a form of entertainment. African music is a used in vital aspects of life. Africa’s culture is deeply rooted in its music and well as struggles that were overcome. Music is an integral part of the African culture, with various ceremonies being preceded by some sort of music. Music is used to communicate, pass literature, welcoming heroes among other ritual functions. There are diverse genres of music in Africa like hymns, dirge, that create mood and feel for the occasion.
African Music. http://www.musicatschool.co.uk/year_9/african_worksheets/handout.pdf
Exploring Africa. http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/teachers/curriculum/m13/notes.php
History of African Dance. http://dance.lovetoknow.com/History_of_African_Dance | <urn:uuid:91de5a5a-9c9c-4087-a44b-b276777bf092> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://blogs.longwood.edu/samiuah/2012/04/30/the-importance-of-music-in-the-african-culturemore-than-just-a-song/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969621 | 1,315 | 3.859375 | 4 |
In 1831, the young naturalist Charles Darwin set sail on the most important journey ever made. Over the course of five years, Darwin circumnavigated the earth on the clipper ‘Beagle’, making discoveries that changed our ideas of time, space, chance, sex and nature. Almost 180 years on, his great-greatgranddaughter Sarah Darwin and British author Redmond O’Hanlon repeat this epic expedition…
They set off from Plymouth following Darwin’s original route, on an eight month voyage which takes them from Tenerife to Brazil to the Galapagos islands, then to Australia and Mauritius, examining countless beautiful animals, plants and fossils along the way.
Different scientists and artists have been invited aboard at different stages of the journey, to conduct research, consider Darwin’s observations, and discuss how they relate to the modern day. Perfect for science, history and adventure slots, Darwin’s Beagle will take your viewers on a fascinating journey. From dolphins to turtles to dodos, we explore how this voyage changed our understanding of the world forever.
In September 2009 the clipper ‘Stad Amsterdam’ set sail to circumnavigate the earth, repeating the most important journey ever made. Far more important than man’s voyage to the moon. It is a voyage that took the young naturalist Charles Darwin five years 179 years ago, and the passengers of the clipper eight months. Darwin’s travels changed our ideas of time, space, chance, sex and nature. What a privilege to be able to do them all over again! All the beauty and profusion in a world full of wondrous forms.
Darwin’s granddaughter, Sarah Darwin, and British author Redmond O’Hanlon will be repeating this journey. To them, it is a chance of several lifetimes.
And now? Now we will look at the state the world is in – and what possible consequences this could have for our future. With this in mind different scientists and artists have been invited aboard at different stages of the journey.
The first leg of the journey goes from England to Tenerife and Cape Verde, and takes us to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil. A spectacular beginning to the voyage of a lifetime.
This episode describes the journey from Rio to the southeast of South America, Puerto Madryn. In Rio the travelers are confronted with Brazil’s horrifying history of slavery, a history that has left its traces in the country even today.
But the ship sails on – to relive Darwin’s discovery of the gigantic fossil mammals of South America. The end of this journey brings us to a unique place; one of the oceans delivery rooms.
We all love fish – but we are running the risk of seeing them go extinct. Could extending the fishing limits to the center of every ocean solve the problem?
The Yagan Indians were killed off by good intentions: with the missionaries came lethal diseases from the civilized world. And then the genocidal European settlers arrived. We visit the last full-blooded Yagan Indian in Tierra del Fuego, before sailing on through the notorious waters of Cape Horn, where the Beagle was very nearly shipwrecked.
We say goodbye to one of the few remaining glaciers on earth to sail north. On board are two environmental activists: Douglas Tompkins and his wife Kristine McDivitt. Having sold their clothing companies and become multimillionaires, they have dedicated themselves entirely to environmental activism and land conservation. Their love for the Chilean landscape led them to buy a large piece of land and sustain it as a nature reserve: the Pumalin National Park. Humans create their own problems – but is humanity smart enough to avert its self-inflicted disasters…
The Andes produce deep thought about deep time and deep space. The snow and the glaciers of the Andes also provide the source of all the waters in the lowlands. The glaciers are melting, and the water supplies are dwindling. What does a city like Lima have to do to protect itself from these effects of climate change?
We’re off again, sailing for months along the coasts of South America. Now we’re on our way to The Galapagos. A Mecca for every naturalist. An island of dreams made of reason. Darwin’s reason – where the foundations for his greatest discovery were laid. A teenage dream come true for Redmond O’Hanlon.
Next, O’Hanlon leaves the clipper briefly to fly to Indonesia – in search of the story of Darwin’s greatest rival – the man who technically takes priority for the theory of evolution by natural selection – Alfred Russell Wallace. The journey is made in order to find the most desirable of all the birds of paradise – because it is the only one that Wallace discovered: the Standard Wing.
On the island of Tahiti the clipper is rejoined, in time for the great crossing of the Pacific Ocean. Astonishingly, our planet is composed of 70% water. This water is more important to us than anyone could imagine. We humans have much more in common with other life forms than Wallace or Darwin could have thought… if we take care of the oceans, we take care of ourselves…
Australia – the dry continent where Charles Darwin found nothing and where he stayed only briefly. How could he have foreseen that the population there would start to experiment with new ways of agriculture, unhindered by traditions left behind in England?
The Red Continent is beautiful, but shows no mercy. Drought, heat, isolation and disease put extreme demands on the survival strategies of man and animal. How does man cope with the harsh environment? Can geo-engineering prevent his extinction? Is his Do It Yourself survival kit good enough to save him?
The Clipper is still anchored in Australia – the plagued and exhausted continent. We take a close look at the solutions that science has to offer to prevent mass extinctions. Australia is the country of the future – especially when it comes to genetic modification.
But who are we to try to manage evolution? Are we adapting or are we just delaying our imminent extinction?
After two-and-a-half weeks at sea the clipper arrives in Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, a few hundred kilometers east of Madagascar. Mauritius remained uninhabited until Dutch seafarers settled there in 1589.
Mauritius and the Dodo – that strange flightless bird, the first animal to become extinct due to the actions of modern humans – are inextricably linked. Since Darwin’s time many animals have disappeared from the face of the earth because of us, but the Dodo became the symbol of the often destructive presence of mankind.
70% percent of the waste in the oceans consists of plastic. Together with restoring the fish stocks, cleaning up our oceans will be the greatest challenge.
We end our journey who may have a direct ancestry that stretches back 150 000 years. Today their culture is artificially kept alive. Is it right to preserve them in a state of so-called primitiveness purely for our pleasure?
Edited by BlueNote, 09 October 2013 - 12:20 PM. | <urn:uuid:ed16d7b1-f451-46c2-a2fd-c122c01b09a0> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://board.dailyflix.net/topic/87307-voyage-of-darwins-beagle-on-the-future-of-species-2009-2010/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936852 | 1,484 | 3.125 | 3 |
Breda Castle is located in north Brabant,
Netherlands. It is one of the first examples of monumental Renaissance architecture in the
Netherlands, constructed at a time (1530s) when large buildings there were still dominated by
the Late Gothic style from Brabant.
Breda Castle History
A fortress had stood on the site since the 13th century. In 1515–21
Count Henry III of Nassau (1483–1538) commissioned a gallery on the curtain wall and a portal,
both with ornate pediments, which was the first known piece of Renaissance architecture in the
In 1536 Henry initiated more thoroughgoing alterations, with the
intention of replacing the Gothic castle with a modern palace. The design comprised a
rectangular layout around a large courtyard overlooked by an arcade.
From the courtyard a stately, covered double staircase led to the
double-height great hall on the first floor, which occupied the entire west wing. The ground
floor below this hall was originally an open hall of columns. This design was finally completed
in 1686, when the medieval wing to the south was replaced.
Count Henry consulted the Italian artist Tommaso Vincidor on the
design. Vincidor had been working in Antwerp since 1520, supervising the manufacture of
tapestries to designs by Raphael, and he is recorded at Breda in 1534. This may account for the
fact that the overall impression of the inner court is Italian or Spanish, with the classical
superimposition of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders.
There were, however, various clumsy details in the use of classical
features. The ground-floor arcade displayed classical tondi in the spandrels. The frieze and
triglyphs, however, were positioned with unclassical proportions.
The first floor has a series of Ionic pilasters, which have brackets
placed between the capitals and the entablature, a device taken from timber construction, which
seems unnecessary here. The second floor had, until extensive restoration work was
carried out in 1826, Corinthian half-columns, again with brackets above the
Over all the windows of this top floor were ornamental gables with
spiral scrolls and angels’ heads. This linked series of gables seems French rather than Italian
Kasteelplein 10, 4811 XC Breda, Netherlands. Get help with directions using the map provided
View Larger Map | <urn:uuid:ddb99890-f213-4a14-81b0-9ec113b36457> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://everycastle.com/Breda-Castle.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95246 | 534 | 3.46875 | 3 |
When you see someone being bullied, what do you do?
While bystanders can play a huge role in stopping bullying, most young people who witness bullying do not step in.
Here are some things to keep in mind about bullying:
- 87% of Canadian students in Grades 8-10 reported witnessing school bullying in the past year.
- 60% of the time, bullying stops in less than 10 seconds when bystanders intervene.
- Bullying makes everyone in a school or community feel less safe.
- Effects of bullying on bystanders can include depression, anxiety, changes in sleep patterns, and loss of interest in friends, family, and hobbies. The more severe the bullying, the more severe the effect on
Most bystanders do nothing when they see bullying happen. They may be afraid of becoming the next target, worry that they won’t be able to help, or believe that their classmates will disapprove.
Unfortunately, doing nothing is actually doing something – it’s making the situation worse. Standing around and watching can be mistaken as approval, and can reinforce the bullying. Actively encouraging the bullying (by joining in, laughing, or egging the person on) is also a common bystander behaviour, and one that can be very damaging.
But bystanders can be a big part of the solution!
Here’s why bystanders can make a difference:
- There are usually more witnesses to bullying than people bullying, and there is power in numbers.
- Young people are more likely to convince each other to stop bullying than adults are. You can have a bigger impact on bullying than your teachers or parents.
- If you step in, other people are more likely to step in too. Most young people disapprove of bullying; they’re just waiting for someone to take the first step to
- The more people take a stand against bullying, the safer your school or community will be for everyone. This will discourage bullying from continuing.
Most young people disapprove of bullying
Here are some ways to help stop bullying when you see it:
Speak up. Examples of things you can say include:
- “A teacher is coming!” (Even if this isn’t true, it can create a distraction that breaks up the bullying situation.)
- “That’s mean!” (If you show disapproval others are likely to agree with you.)
- “Stop – you’re going to get in trouble!” (Reminding the person that what they are doing is against school rules can be a good discouragement.)
- “Why is everyone standing around watching this? Let’s leave!” (Bullying behaviour is reinforced by those who passively watch, so ask others to leave with you.)
Provide an escape for the person being bullied. For example:
- “Let’s get out of here.” (Inviting the person to leave with you is a powerful way to show support and provide an escape from the situation.)
- “Mrs Carter has been looking for you. She wants you to go see her.” (Inventing a reason why the person being bullied needs to leave is another good way to help them get out of harm's way.)
Other ways you can help:
- If you feel safe, talk to the person who is bullying privately, and ask them what's going on. Let them know you’re aware of the bullying and that it's not OK.
- If you see someone being bullied on their Facebook wall or other online space, leave a message saying that you think comments like that aren't OK.
- Tell a teacher, administrator, or other adult you trust if you are afraid for your safety or someone else’s. It’s not tattling if you’re trying to keep someone safe. If someone is being physically harmed, you can call the police or 911.
- Support the person being bullied after the situation is over. For example, you can ask them how they're doing, or remind them that it wasn't their fault.
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Last Reviewed October 2012 by the Kids Help Phone Counselling Team | <urn:uuid:77849a93-190c-4561-be18-8a2deb1b784e> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/InfoBooth/Bullying/Are-You-A-Bystander.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958234 | 866 | 4.0625 | 4 |
Seldom, in the annals of war, has a single campaign witnessed such a remarkable series of reverses as did that which began at Boston in March, 1776, and ended at Morristown in January, 1777. Only by successive defeats did our home-made generals and our rustic soldiery learn their costly lesson that war is not a game of chance, or mere masses of men an army.
spensable. First the city was commanded by Brooklyn Heights, rising at short cannon-shot across the East River. These heights were now being strongly fortified on the water-side against the enemy's fleet, and on the land-side against a possible attack by his land forces.
[Sidenote: New York in 1776.]
The second measure looked to defending the city from an attack in the rear. At this time New York City occupied only a very small section of the southern part of the island which it has since outgrown. A few farms and country seats stretched up beyond Harlem, but the major part of the island was to the city below as the country to the town, retaining all its natural features of hill and dale unimpaired. At this time, too, the only exit from the island was by way of King's Bridge, twelve miles above the city, where the great roads to Albany and New England turned off, the one to the north, the other to the east, making this passage fully as important in a military sense, as was the heavy drawbr | <urn:uuid:82f1f6e1-3abf-4092-8fa1-bb6b3ebba00d> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://manybooks.net/titles/drakes2474124741-8.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985429 | 306 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Most parents experience at least a small degree of relief when it's time for elementary school -- there's no limit to the tasks that must be accomplished in a day, and all those at-school hours mean more time for mommy and daddy's to-do lists.
But remember, being involved in your child's school life is as important as being involved in his or her home life. One of the best ways to help your child succeed in first grade -- and any grade -- is to communicate with the teacher, staying aware of what's going on in class and how your child is progressing. Knowledge of what your first-grade student is doing will not only give you clues about new supplemental activities you can introduce on at home, but will also let you know quickly if there are delays in mastering a specific skill. At such an early age, and especially when it comes to learning to read, a major delay can prove devastating to academic progress.
So talk to the teacher, look through your child's backpack every day after school, and know which lessons your child is focusing on at what time. Being involved and aware will lead you easily to all of the other ways you can help your child thrive this year -- and next year, and the year after that.
For more information on first grade, child development and related topics, check out the links on the next page. | <urn:uuid:03b7abb0-d36b-44a1-8dce-a8ebd740b142> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://people.howstuffworks.com/5-ways-to-help-child-succeed-in-first-grade5.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974448 | 277 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Choosing Plants: Understanding Sun Exposure
The amount of sun a plant is exposed to greatly affects its development.
Knowing how much light a plant needs to thrive seems like a relatively simple issue, but the numerous descriptions for sun exposure found on plant labels can sometimes leave your head spinning. Luckily, industry standards are bringing consistency to plant labelling; understanding a few key terms will help you in selecting the right plant for your landscape conditions.
All plants require sunlight to grow, but differ in the amount and intensity of light needed to prosper. Plant labels identify the amount of sun a plant requires as full sun, part sun, part shade or full shade as defined:
- Full sun – Plants need at least 6 hours of direct sun daily.
- Part sun – Plants thrive with between 3 and 6 hours of direct sun per day.
- Part shade – Plants require between 3 and 6 hours of sun per day, but need protection from intense mid-day sun.
- Full shade – Plants require less than 3 hours of direct sun per day.
While these terms seem rather straightforward, there is some room for confusion, for example in differentiating between part sun and part shade. We may also find other descriptors on plant labels such as half-day sun or dappled shade. Let’s take a closer look.
This category is easy to understand and describes the type of light we find in bright, sunny open areas. Many full sun plants thrive under sunny skies from dawn to dusk, but others may need a bit of a break. If a plant is labelled heat or drought tolerant and full sun, it is a good bet that plant will tolerate even the most intense summer sun day in and day out. The same is true for plants with silver or gray foliage.
But some plants simply cannot take the heat. So what is a gardener to do? Think local: full sun in the Appalachian Mountains and full sun on the Gulf Coast are very different. It is important to use label recommendations as a guide and tailor these to your local conditions. Experience will help you gain a better perspective on what sun exposure means in your backyard. If you are unsure, consult your County Extension Educator to gain the best understanding of how plants respond to your local conditions.
Part Sun and Part Shade
When it comes to sun exposure the terms part shade and part sun are the most confusing. By definition they are very similar, but there are subtle differences that have led to the use of these two terms, rather than just one. Most plants requiring either part sun or part shade do well in filtered light for most of the day or direct sun during the morning or afternoon. Keep in mind that several hours of afternoon sun are more intense and create more heat than morning sun.
Plants labelled part shade are going to be more sensitive to getting too much sun, particularly in the afternoon, and will need shade during the hottest parts of the day. Plants labelled as part sun can typically tolerate more light and need a minimum amount of direct sun to thrive. These plants may bloom poorly if given too little sun. For either group, providing direct morning sun is a good choice.
Shade plants may require anything from the indirect light found on the north side of the house to the deep shade found under evergreens. True shade plants, such as many ferns, can perish in too much sun. Filtered light, such as that found beneath a tree canopy, is a good setting for full shade plants. This type of light is referred to as dappled shade and offers many gardening opportunities.
Most full shade plants can tolerate some direct sun in the morning or evening hours, but not mid-day. Watch the landscape carefully to make sure areas you consider shady do not receive shafts of light for extended periods during the day. Get familiar with sun exposure in your landscape by checking on light conditions throughout the day and over the course of a full growing season. | <urn:uuid:755537ab-c2ae-41dd-86f0-a55502fe25a8> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://southernlivingplants.com/plant-care/article/understanding-sun-exposure | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943808 | 802 | 3.59375 | 4 |
Fuses are located either in the engine compartment or passenger compartment fuse and relay panels. If a fuse blows, a single component or single circuit will not function properly.
- Remove the fuse or relay box cover.
- Inspect the fuses to determine which is faulty.
- Unplug and discard the fuse.
- Inspect the box terminals and clean if corroded. If any terminals are damaged, replace the terminals.
- Plug in a new fuse of the same amperage rating.
- Check for proper operation of the affected component or circuit. | <urn:uuid:e1df9c35-5a65-4cd3-b285-02de14edc9cc> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.autozone.com/repairguides/Volkswagen-Golf-Jetta-Cabriole-1990-1999/CIRCUIT-PROTECTION/Fuses/_/P-0900c15280267e23 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.866877 | 114 | 3 | 3 |
Fire hose nozzles are specially designed appliances that deliver an optimal amount of water at a given rate of pressure. There are a variety of nozzles that come in different shapes and sizes. However, they all operate basically the same, using a simple shutoff valve to control the flow of water. Knowing which nozzle to use is dependent upon the type of fire and suppression needs at the scene.
Smooth bore nozzles are among some of the oldest types of nozzles used in the fire service. Aside from the shut-off valve, they contain no other parts. They use a tapered design and operate effectively at about 50 to 80 pounds per square inch. Unlike other types of nozzles, smooth bore nozzles provide a solid stream of water that is capable of penetrating through flames to directly attack what material is burning.
Fog nozzles are capable of producing anything from a wide dispersion pattern, similar to mist setting on a garden hose nozzle, to a straight stream of water. Unlike smooth bore nozzles, the introduction of air into the water column decreases penetration and the distance the stream of water can travel. These nozzles operate best between 80 to 100 psi. When used in its wide-dispersion setting, it is effective against propane fires because it creates a curtain of water that the fire cannot penetrate. In hydraulic ventilation, the fog pattern pulls air from behind it forward, pushing smoke out of an enclosed space.
Foam eductors are specially designed nozzles that are used to apply fire suppression foam. Unlike water, foam relies on its ability to cover an area and suffocate the fire by lying on top of the burning material. These nozzles are large, bell shaped cones and operate at a significantly lower amount of water pressure than smooth bore or fog nozzles.
Deluge guns are appliances that deliver water at a high rate of pressure. Because of their ability to supply water in large quantities -- upwards of 300 gallons per minutes -- they are also referred to as master streams. These can be mounted atop fire apparatus or fixed to aerial ladders.
Some nozzles are equipped with a wire mesh screen designed to catch large obstructions in the water supply. This screen should be checked after each use to make sure it is not blocked, reducing the flow of water through the nozzle. Nozzle shut-off valves should be firm, but not overly tight. Too tight makes them difficult to use. Check nozzle coupling "O" rings for wear periodically and replace as needed. These rubber rings are located right inside the coupling and help to create a seal between the hose and the nozzle to reduce leakage from the coupling.
- Essential of Firefighting and Emergency Response; T.R. Koonce, III; 2004
Fire Hydrant Wrench Types
Fire hydrants are strategically located around a city or town so the fire department has access to water to fight fires. The... | <urn:uuid:bfecb4af-eac0-4278-9c2d-2e0ab94212de> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.ehow.com/about_5448427_types-fire-nozzles.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941272 | 601 | 2.984375 | 3 |
eHealth (also written as: E-Health, EHealth, e-Health. Etc.) is widely discussed on the internet but do you fully comprehend this promising field? Today we will look deeper into the health aspect and why it is important to our future.
What is The Definition of eHealth?
eHealth refers to various information and services that is either shared or modified through technology such as the internet. The term itself emerged in the year 2000. It includes virtually all of the aspects associated with medical informatics but also sets the main focus around sending clinical data.
What does eHealth Encompass?
A broad range of elements are covered by eHealth such as:
- EMR (Electronic Medical Records)
- Health Informatics
- Evidence Based Medicine
Of course these are certainly not every facet of eHealth and as time goes on and technology grows more will be added to this list.
What Does this Mean For Us?
This is probably the most pondered question among those people that are new to this practice. This is one of the many new ways that technology can benefit the world. It is true that technology can often times be just as bad for mankind as it is good but not when it comes to eHealth.
To date, not many concerns are raised and those that are pale in comparison to the countless advantages.
So, to recap; eHealth is an informative and interactive method that both patients and health care professionals can come together and share information with others in the profession from around the world. Regardless of location, medical issue, health concern, etc. health care physicians can discuss data as well as past experience to provide the best possible solutions for the patient.
In doing this, electronic health records are employed to record all information and notes into an easily and readily accessible outlet (the internet) to minimize oversights and possible problems that the traditional paper work used to bring with it. The doctors now have all history and notes from other practitioners to help them further understand every aspect of the patient at hand. | <urn:uuid:e675540c-0937-4cb0-8e43-dd1bed0829f9> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.healthguideinfo.com/health-informatics/p7307/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961278 | 418 | 3.5 | 4 |
Reading time: 6 – 9 minutes
According to a recent survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 61% of adults look online for health information . Surprisingly however, three-quarters of those searching don’t consistently check the source and date of the health reference they find . Indeed, searching for health information online is dangerous and finding credible, up-to-date sources of health information can be a challenge.
Wikipedia is the Web’s most popular free online encyclopedia. If you’ve ever searched for health or medical content online, Wikipedia articles typically appear at or near the top of search engine results. Nevertheless, Wikipedia’s medical entries are prone to manipulation and are not reliable . Moreover, in many cases you don’t know who has contributed content nor their background or expertise.
Wisdom of crowds is the new model for innovation on the Internet in which collective knowledge is thought to be superior to the intelligence of the few. Nevertheless, not all crowds are wise. Recent cases and new research suggests that crowdsourcing is only truly successful when it is focused on a specific task and when the most effective collaborators are involved .
The Medpedia Project is a long-term, worldwide initiative to develop an online collaborative source of health and medical information for medical professionals and the general public. A joint effort with Harvard Medical School, Stanford School of Medicine, Berkeley School of Public Health, University of Michigan Medical School and other global health organizations, the intent of Medpedia is to be a repository of up-to-date unbiased medical information, contributed and maintained by health experts around the world and freely available to the general public. Unlike Wikipedia, which allows anyone to modify pages, Medpedia content creators and editors are required to have an M.D., D.O. or Ph.D. in a biomedical field; each contributor has an author page detailing their qualifications and background.
Health consumers can also create a profile on Medpedia. This enables them to suggest changes to the medical knowledge base, request articles, join Medpedia Communities and follow topics of interest.
The goal of The Medpedia Project is to evolve a new model for how the world accesses medical knowledge. Launched in February 2009, the website is comprised of three main sections:
- the knowledge base (i.e. a collaborative encyclopedia)
- a professional network and directory
- communities of interest
The Medpedia knowledge base consists of articles divided into two pages: a “Plain English” page for the lay public and a “Clinical” page for professional users. Medpedia currently has 14,700 pages of health and medical content (based on a Google domain search).
The Medpedia Professional Network and Directory allows users to find and maintain contacts. Designed as a LinkedIn for the medical community, in addition to direct user-to-user messages, the platform employs a Facebook-like Wall to communicate with other users, working groups and associations.
Lastly, Medpedia Communities provide a section for medical experts and patients to share information and communicate inside Medpedia.
Medpedia Answers and Alerts
Medpedia offers several tools for users to interact and stay informed.
Medpedia Answers enables registered users to ask or answer a question about health or medicine. Questions are organized into sixteen categories, including Allergies, Nutrition, Oncology/Cancer and Surgery. Once you ask a question, it is posted for the community to see. You’ll receive an alert by email when another Medpedia member answers it.
Medpedia Alerts aggregates breaking health and medical news from from Twitter, blogs and news media. Alerts are also divided into fifteen categories, including Research, Flu, Drug Research & Recalls, and Epidemics/Outbreaks. Each channel offers an RSS feed. Medpedia members can include an alert in the Medpedia Alerts Stream by submitting a short text description and URL; they can also submit a blog, website or Twitter account for integration into the platform on an ongoing basis. All submissions are reviewed by the Medpedia community before they go live.
Important updates and events about Medpedia are posted on Twitter @Medpedia. Medpedia Alerts also has a Twitter account @MedpediaAlerts, which is frequently updated with recent health news. Additionally, you can follow Medpedia on Facebook.
According to James Currier, Medpedia founder and chariman :
Over the last ten years on the Internet, remarkable breakthroughs have taken place in collaborative knowledge sharing and communication that have yet to be provided to the medical community. You can see the power of these breakthroughs in companies such as Wikipedia and WikiHow which provide collaborative knowledge sharing, LinkedIn which provides a professional network and directory, and Facebook which supports communities of interest. We’ve added to these breakthroughs, adapted them for medicine and health, and are putting them in one free platform for the medical community. The Medpedia Platform will continue to expand as the medical community finds even more uses for it.
Medpedia has only been publicly accessible since February, so it will take some time to build up a comprehensive article base. Nevertheless, it is already providing a reliable source of health and medical information in today’s all too often online world of anonymous wikis and blogs. The next time you search for health and medical information, use Medpedia.
- The Social Life of Health Information. Pew Internet & American Life Project. 2009 Jun 11.
- Online Health Search 2006. Pew Internet & American Life Project. 2006 Oct 29.
- Wikipedia isn’t really the patient’s friend. USA Today editorial. 2009 Jul 15.
- The Crowd Is Wise (When It’s Focused). The New York Times. 2009 Jul 18.
- Medpedia Launches. Medpedia press release. 2009 Feb 17. | <urn:uuid:88ecd0f0-3b89-447c-8174-8df5b6bff4f0> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.highlighthealth.com/resources/medpedia-a-reliable-source-of-health-and-medical-information/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909619 | 1,188 | 3.640625 | 4 |
It is estimated there are over 1,000,000 ants for every person on earth. If you have an infestation of crazy ants, you may have well beyond that number.
There are at least three species of ants commonly called “crazy ants” in Florida and none of them is native. They’re called crazy ants because of their rapid erratic movements. Most don’t form columns to forage like other ant species. Instead their actions are quick and irregular. They seem to come from everywhere at once — and don’t seem to have any destination. Some form loose columns, but ants will be seen scurrying every which way within the rough line. Because they don’t follow regular trails it is difficult to locate their nesting areas.
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By logging in you can see the full story. | <urn:uuid:0f59b32e-914d-4a0b-85f3-9a405fe7a26c> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.polkcountydemocrat.com/sunnews/desoto/desotocolumnist/5097322-444/sunnewspapersarecrazyantsdrivingyoucrazy.html.csp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970765 | 176 | 2.828125 | 3 |
- Quinnipiac women’s basketball takes on South Carolina in Sweet 16
- Column: Another game, another hero
- Quinnipiac women’s basketball advances to Sweet 16
- Harvard ends Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey season in Lake Placid
- Chronicle Sports Staff makes March Madness picks
- Multicultural Suite to open in Student Center
- Assistant director of OFSL to resign on March 10
- GSA hosts peaceful protest for transgender rights
- Sherman Ave building to be new QU theater
Wise words from an almost adult: How to disagree on social media
In lieu of some discussion-worthy events that ensued during the summer months such as the Trayvon Martin verdict or the Rolling Stone’s “The Bomber” cover, people have been posting their opinions all over social media platforms.
In the social media universe, there are a plethora of opinions to process. Some opinions may preach to the choir or boil blood. Either way speaking your mind is completely OK, and should be encouraged, rather than shunned.
I’ve done my fair share of Internet debating, whether it’s with friends on Facebook or complete strangers on Twitter. There’s a difference between being a social media scholar and a complete Internet idiot.
Normally, these annoying, infuriating and sometimes even hurtful comments are of no help for the opposing argument. In fact, it just makes social media annoying for the rest of us opinionated great debaters of the Internet world.
Debating keeps your mind healthy; and creating respectable arguments is a skill that will often come in handy. It is great practice for the professional world. If you want to polish your social media presence for when you face the big, scary working world, keep these tips in mind.
1. Do your research and show sources. If you’re going to start an Internet debate with someone, make sure you get your facts straight. Be specific, add evidence and have conviction.
2. Don’t name call. We all should be able to partake in a debate and kindly disagree with someone without taking it personally. Instead of passing judgement on a person’s intellect, why not inform them of why you disagree in a respectful way? The only thing name calling will do is make you seem ill informed.
3. Don’t take another opinion so personally. There are so many different types of people in the world. Some people will have marginally different opinions than you, just let it be. Just because someone has an opinion that is different than yours does not mean they are terrible people, it just means that you disagree on certain issues.
4. The worst offense yet is complaining about people being too political or opinionated on various social media sites. This particularly irks me because the whole point of social media is to communicate ideas. Opinions are everywhere, deal with it. How can people relate to you if you do not have opinions?
The beauty of social media is that we can choose to read it or scroll over it. We have a choice of whether or not to comment or to inform or ignore. | <urn:uuid:a771f80a-1b4f-44cd-a7c4-3b6d3345cc9d> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.quchronicle.com/2013/08/wise-words-from-an-almost-adult-how-to-disagree-on-social-media/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942688 | 644 | 2.625 | 3 |
Qat in Yemen
Photo story by IGVP member, Maarten de Wolf.
Yemen is known for its qat culture. The fresh leaf of the qat plant or tree is chewed by the Yemenis. The leaf is chewed upon and then stored in the cheek for hours. It is a social custom dating back hundreds of years.
The last 30 years qat cultivation has exploded. The World Health Organisation estimates that around 80% of the adult males and 40% of the adult females chew the qat leaf. And many do that on a daily basis.
Although qat is not seriously addictive, it can produce a psychological dependence. And it causes economic, health and environmental problems.
Many families spend half their income on qat, thus depriving their children of their basic needs. Chewing on a leaf that is produced with pesticides creates health issues. Qat cultivation also consumes lots of water and that´s an alarming fact for a country like Yemen where water is scarce. Around 40% of the country´s water supply goes toward irrigating qat.
Here is a photo story about qat and the struggle of eradicating qat from Yemen. | <urn:uuid:a607f2d2-38a8-4c18-aed2-0c0cdb22e107> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.visualpeacemedia.org/qat-in-yemen | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945866 | 241 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Public Education and Targeted Outreach to Underserved Women Through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
Published Date:Aug 15 2014
Source:Cancer. 2014; 120(0 16):2591-2596.
Early Detection Of Cancer
Health Services Accessibility
Medically Underserved Area
Patient Education As Topic
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
Pubmed Central ID:PMC4460797
Funding:CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
Description:The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) was established to provide low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women access to cancer screening and diagnostic services with the goal of increasing the early detection and prevention of breast and cervical cancer. Although this is a valuable resource for women who might not have the means to get screened otherwise, providing services at no cost, by itself, does not guarantee uptake of screening services. Public education and targeted outreach facilitate the critical link between public service programs and the communities they serve. The purpose of public education and outreach in the NBCCEDP is to increase the number of women who use breast and cervical cancer screening services by raising awareness, providing education, addressing barriers, and motivating women to complete screening exams and follow-up. Effective strategies focus on helping to remove structural, physical, interpersonal, financial, and cultural barriers; educate women about the importance of screening and inform women about the services available to them. This article provides an overview of the importance of public education and targeted outreach activities for cancer screening through community-based programs including examples from NBCCEDP grantees that highlight successes, challenges, and solutions, encountered when conducting these types of interventions.
image/gif image/jpeg application/octet-stream
You May Also Like: | <urn:uuid:3a509ac1-a471-4491-883a-ec6af845e759> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/31518 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901621 | 377 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Fun Feats of Physics
DO try this at home!
Astound your friends and family with twenty-five entertaining and safe physics experiments to try at home.Science Stunts will start a chain reaction of fun and experimentation outside the lab. Readers will be amazed and delighted by magic tricks that are based on important physics concepts such as gravity, inertia, magnetism, sound vibrations, and more.
An appendix and short bios of the physicists featured provide fascinating facts about the scientists' lives and achievements.
Watch "Science Stunts with Olivia":
Look Inside the Book:
Author & Illustrator Bios:Jordan D. Brown, author
Jordan D. Brown's works include Micro Mania and Crazy Concoctions. He has served as Educational Consultant for a variety of preschool children's shows, including The Mr. Men Show (Cartoon Network), Dinosaur Train (PBS), My Friend Rabbit (NBC), and Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends (Nickelodeon). He lives in upstate New York.
Read more about Jordan Brown.
Anthony Owsley, illustrator
Anthony Owsley has illustrated many books, including the acclaimed Ouch! He lives in Scottsdale, Georgia.
Read more about Anthony Owsley.
Awards & Honors:
Showman Dr. Dazzleberry and his friends Galileo, Newton, and Einstein demonstrate and explain 25 astonishing science tricks.
In seven engaging chapters, this collection of science explorations spotlights traditional physical phenomena: gravity, motion, heat, magnets, sound, light, and electricity. Clear instructions for each demonstration are laid out like a recipe, with a list of easily obtainable necessary materials and step-by-step directions. These are followed by "The Science Behind the Stunt," humorously explained in a simple but usually accurate first-person narration from one of the scientists. Some tricks are very easy; others require more time and practice and, occasionally, the supervision of an "adult sidekick." Other precautionary measures suggested include fully reading directions and wearing eye protection or glasses and washing hands where appropriate. Some projects may be familiar, but others are likely to be new and intriguing. Not every trick will work the first time, Dr. Dazz reminds his readers. Sometimes trial and error as well as practice are necessary. Sidebars add extra information sure to appeal to intended readers, such as an after-Halloween Punkin Chunkin contest in Delaware and a rock band made up of deaf musicians. Helpful cartoonlike illustrations feature a diverse cast including the African-American Dr. Dazz, whose showmanship is only exceeded by his sense of humor.
Magical science that's amazing, astounding, and sure to appeal to middle-grade and middle school readers.
Brown and Owsley follow 2012's Crazy Concoctions with another engaging collection of science experiments, this time centered around physics. Playing host to readers' explorations is Dr. Dazzleberry, an enthusiastic physicist/magician in a rhinestone-studded tuxedo, who is joined by cartoon representations of Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein. Brown includes 25 experiments, spread out over seven chapters devoted to gravity, magnetism, sound, light, and more. Motion-related experiments include creating a marshmallow catapult out of wooden craft sticks and using centripetal force to cause a penny to whiz around the inside of a balloon, à la a planet's orbit (sections titled "The Science Behind the Stunt" explain the forces at work behind each "trick"). Sidebars discussing real-life applications of physics (such as the record-breaking speeds of Japan's Maglev trains) round out this hands-on look at science in action.
School Library Journal Xpress Reviews
Educational consultant Brown’s collection of hands-on science books continues with these 25 experiments on gravity, motion, temperature, magnets, sound, light, and electricity. The book is narrated by Dr. Dazz, a cartoon physicist and magician. He is accompanied by three cartoon sidekicks (Galileo Galilei, Sir Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein), who explain how each of the experiments works. Each activity includes a description, a list of required props, and a numbered list of instructions and ends with an explanation of the history and science behind the stunt. The activities range from a tea bag rocket to a straw oboe. Cartoon drawings of a diverse cast of children demonstrating the experiments liven the text and clearly illustrate concepts and instructions. Readers are presented with safety rules and tips in the introduction and reminded of them of them throughout the book. In addition, experiments requiring adult assistance are noted. VERDICT Brown’s humorous and upbeat presentation will appeal to readers and would be a worthwhile resource for classrooms and public libraries.
Since he was a young boy Author Jordan D. Brown has loved doing science experiments and performing magic tricks. Now he has written a book about 25 physic experiments that are, in his words, “entertaining ‘magical’ experiments. Science Stunts is written to arouse curiosity and encourage readers to perform the experiments. The author states that this book is about “the magic of science and the science of magic” to entice the readers.
The book stars Dr. Dazz, a showman who leads the readers through the exciting physics–based experiments. Science snips from Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein, and their connections to the experiments are included with the experiments as “Science Behind the Stunts”. There are 25 physics–based experiments on gravity, motion, force, water, magnets, sound, light, and electricity and the scientific connections to Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. Illustrations easily capture a reader’s eye while reading the descriptions of the experiments. All experiments have graphics that clearly demonstrate how the experiment should be set up. A prologue includes important safety rules and tips. The author includes a graphic “Adult Sidekick Needed” when an adult is needed to help with the experiment. Author states when safety items such as safety glasses and gloves are need. Materials in the experiments are generally inexpensive and can be found around the house. There are short biographies of the three scientists and a glossary to conclude the book. Science Stunts is recommended for parents and children. The author has also written other science–based books for children.
ISBN: 978-1-60734-941-9 EPUB
ISBN: 978-1-60734-942-6 PDF
For information about purchasing E-books, click here.
Page count: 80
8 x 10
Correlated to Common Core State Standards:
English Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 3. Standards 1-5, 7, 8, 10
English Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 4. Standards 1-5, 7, 8, 10 | <urn:uuid:b8c3950c-4df0-4d57-a93d-115ddb21aadb> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.charlesbridge.com/products/science-stunts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923293 | 1,427 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Distributed generation of electric energy has become part of the current electric power system. In this book, a recent research study is arising on a new scenario in which small energy sources make up a new supply system: The microgrid. The most recent research projects show the technical difficulty of controlling the operation of microgrids, because they are complex systems in which several subsystems interact: energy sources, power electronic converters, energy storage systems, local, linear and non-linear loads and of course, the main grid. In next years, the electric grid will evolve from the current very centralized model toward a more distributed one. Summing up, it is pursued the generation of small quantities of electric power by the users (called, microgeneration in the origin), considering them not only as electric power consumers but also as responsible for the generation, becoming this way an integral and active part of the grid. | <urn:uuid:0279b932-cbc0-4cc5-afb3-85a0d0cfbc68> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.clickoncare.com/descentralized-control-management-applied-to-power-dgs-in-microgrids | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953371 | 180 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Gastritis occurs when the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed or swollen.
Gastritis can last for only a short time (acute gastritis). It may also linger for months to years (chronic gastritis).
Causes of Gastritis
The most common causes of gastritis are:
- Certain medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen
- Heavy alcohol drinking
- Infection of the stomach with a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori
Less common causes are:
- Autoimmune disorders (such as pernicious anemia)
- Backflow of bile into the stomach (bile reflux)
- Cocaine abuse
- Eating or drinking caustic or corrosive substances (such as poisons)
- Extreme stress
- Viral infection, such as cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus (more often occurs in people with a weak immune system)
Trauma or a severe, sudden illness such as major surgery, kidney failure, or being placed on a breathing machine may cause gastritis.
Many people with gastritis do not have any symptoms.
Symptoms you may notice are:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pain in the upper part of the belly or abdomen
If gastritis is causing bleeding from the lining of the stomach, symptoms may include:
- Black stools
- Vomiting blood or coffee-ground like material
Tests and Exams
Tests that may be needed are:
- Complete blood count (CBC) to check for anemia or low blood count
- Examination of the stomach with an endoscope (esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD)
- H. pylori tests
- Stool test to check for small amounts of blood in the stools, which may be a sign of bleeding in the stomach
Treatment of Gastritis
Treatment depends on what is causing the problem. Some of the causes will disappear over time.
You may need to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other medicines that may be causing gastritis. Always talk to your doctor before stopping any medicine.
You may use other over-the-counter and prescription drugs that decrease the amount of acid in the stomach, such as:
- H2 antagonists: famotidine (Pepsid), cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), and nizatidine (Axid)
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), iansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (AcipHex), and pantoprazole (Protonix)
Antacids may be used to treat chronic gastritis caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
The outlook depends on the cause, but is often very good.
Blood loss and increased risk of gastric cancer can occur.
When to Contact a Health Professional
Call your health care provider if you develop:
- Pain in the upper part of the belly or abdomen that does not go away
- Black or tarry stools
- Vomiting blood or coffee-ground-like material
Prevention of Gastritis
Avoid long-term use of substances that can irritate your stomach such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, or alcohol.
Kuipers E, Blaser MJ. Acid peptic disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 141.
Lee EL, Feldman M. Gastritis and gastropathies. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 51.
|Review Date: 1/22/2013
Reviewed By: George F Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program San Diego, California. Also reviewed by A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc., Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, David R. Eltz, Stephanie Slon, and Nissi Wang. | <urn:uuid:d61660e1-5a65-4671-9a6e-ff23bc13c950> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.drugs.com/enc/gastritis.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188773.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00469-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.796905 | 921 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Spring-Heeled Jack: the Scourge of London
Spring-Heeled Jack, 19th Century [Larger version here]
Reports of an unknown leaping figure began in south-west London in 1837; the descriptions of the strange character made it out to be a man in a shiny suit with helmet and cloak, fiery eyes, hands like iron claws, and the ability to spit flames. "Devil-like" was the only description given of the strange figure that escaped with incredible leaps and bounds after attacking Polly Adams, a farmer’s daughter who worked in a south London Pub; the same description was given of the assailant of another woman in Clapham churchyard. But it wasn’t until early in 1838 that the rumors were terrifyingly confirmed.
In January 1838, the Lord Mayor, Sir John Cowan, drew public attention to a letter he had received from a resident of Peckham giving details of an attack by the so-called "Spring-Heeled Jack." This public acknowledgement of the rumors by the Lord Mayor immediately led to a flood of letters from individuals who had been too frightened and embarrassed to report their own encounters previously.
On a February night of the same year, Jane Alsop, who lived with her father and two sisters, was assaulted by a devilish -- some say alien -- being who spat blue and white flames at her and scratched and tore at her with iron claws, only to leap away into the darkness when one of her sisters called for help. Less than a month later, Lucy Scales and her sister met Jack as they walked home through Green Dragon Alley in Limehouse. A tall, cloaked figure leaped from the shadows and belched blue flames into Lucy’s face, blinding her and causing her to collapse. As her sister attempted to help, the cloaked figure walked quietly away.
Sightings and encounters of Spring-Heeled Jack were reported off and on for more than sixty-six years. He was seen scaling the spire of a London church, leaping away into the darkness after a short time. Rumors spread of him also being seen on the Tower of London. Jack was sighted all over England through the 1850’s and 1860’s (especially in the Midlands). In the 1860’s, according to one report, the villain had been cornered by a mob only to escape by jumping a hedge in one bound. Parents kept their children off the streets for fear of the bouncing terror. In 1877, army authorities set traps for him after he slapped sentries with his icy hands and jumped atop their guard boxes; one sentry reported that he was sure he had shot Jack dead center in the body... but Jack showed no signs of noticing it as he leaped away. On another night in 1877, angry townspeople also tried to shoot him, to no avail. The last time Jack was definitely seen was in Liverpool in September 1904, where he was jumping from street to rooftops and back again. When some brave citizens tried to corner him, he simply leaped away into the darkness.
Some say that sightings of Spring-Heeled Jack continued until after World War II, but these reports are unconfirmable.
If only it were that simple...
Above is the legend as Spring-Heeled Jack as it is usually told, though the incidents that get mentioned do vary quite a bit from author to author.
For those of you new to the topic of Spring-Heeled Jack, just be aware that many, many things have been written about him; enough so that it is not entirely easy to understand and explain exactly how much the story has grown over time. When Spring-Heeled Jack first appeared in 1838, he was assumed to be a person (or group of people) utilizing costumes to alarm and startle victims. Over time, however, this idea was replaced by a more supernatural one that envisioned Jack as a sort of devil that was amused to torment people... and, in the 20th century, Jack was eventually presented as a possible alien from space trapped on Earth. To make matters worse, some authors started to create new "reported incidents" to either spice up a book or support a pet theory; so there is a large amount of completely false stories about Spring-Heeled Jack as well!
Despite the confusion around this topic, some of the accounts attributed to the being dubbed Spring-Heeled Jack are truely astounding and forever of interest; and speculation about his identity, motives, and possibly supernatural nature continues to be discussed. Below you will find a chronological list of reported encounters with Spring-Heeled Jack: see what you can make of it. | <urn:uuid:fb650afb-a575-4a19-9ae9-6404ff0aa067> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://anomalyinfo.com/Topics/spring-heeled-jack | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979717 | 957 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Page - BRAIN-MACHINE INTERFACE
Imagine waking up one day and not being able to move any part of your body. You try to call for help but discover you cannot speak. You attempt to look around the room to see if anyone is nearby, but your eyes won’t move either. Your mind is working perfectly, but you are trapped in your own body.
People with this rare horrific condition, known as “locked-in syndrome”, can become this way almost instantly from a brainstem stroke or severe trauma, or more either gradually from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gerhig’s Disease). In some cases, people will continue to maintain control over the eyes, allowing them to use assistive technologies like eye-tracking devices to communicate through a computer. Unfortunately, for those who lose eye control, communication is significantly more challenging and solutions are severely limited.
Area 10 Labs developed brain-machine interfaces (BMI, also known as brain-computer interfaces or BCI) that enables people to interact with and control machines through our custom-designed functional brain imaging system. These systems, which use functional near-infrared imaging (fNIR), monitor the brain’s activity in real-time to detect what types of mental tasks a person is doing. By giving the subject a choice of a few tasks to select from, the person is able to create a signal that can be interpreted by our software and thereby allow them to manipulate basic computer interfaces.
In our research lab testing our system on healthy people, everything appeared to function perfectly. The real test was when we visited a man who, because he was locked-in, had not been able to communicate with his family in years. The Area 10 Labs team looked on anxiously as the sensors were placed on his head and the computer started receiving data. As with many studies involving human subjects, our first tests did not work. But, over the course of several days, we worked through a number of challenges and were able to help this man answer several yes or no questions that his family wanted to ask him.
For the first time in years, he communicated!
After our initial success, we continued to improve our software for communication to improve its reliability and the speed with which someone could communicate. In parallel, we also worked on some fun applications to give locked-in people a way to entertain themselves while practicing the required mental tasks that allow them to control the system for communications. The applications included video games and painting applications. The painting application is discussed more below.
Area 10 Labs has developed a BCI called “brain painting”. This application allows someone to paint through consciously modifying the level of activity in a region of his or her brain. Typically this means either “singing in your head” or repeating nonsense syllables in your head (such as “la la la”). The first activity activates the language area, thereby raising the signal measured by OTIS, whereas the second activity lowers the signal. In addition to being a fun creative tool, brain painting also helps people learn the skills necessary to use a BCI effectively for communication.
For Brain Painting, Area 10 Labs worked closely with the late artist, Peggy Chun, whose tropical watercolor paintings made her a household name in Hawaii. Peggy was diagnosed with ALS in 2002, but never let the disease stop her from painting. As she became paralyzed, she switched to painting with her left hand, then by holding the paintbrush in her teeth. Even when she was only able to move her eyes, Peggy used an eye-tracking system to communicate and paint. At Area 10 Labs, we helped Peggy become the world’s first ‘brain painter’. Sadly, Peggy passed away in 2008, but her memory and spirit live on in her beautiful paintings. | <urn:uuid:93f38553-9d5b-4ca9-8125-6c95980f05eb> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://area10labs.com/brain-machine-interface/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971603 | 787 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Several of the interactive lessons that we use in class are created using SMART Notebook Software. We are able to view these files at school because all of the laptops that we use have the software installed. To access these lessons at home, follow the steps listed below. As always, please let me know if you have any trouble.
1) Click on the lesson. The file will open in either box.net or windows live.
2) Click on download. When the pop-up menu appears, choose to save the file. (Be sure you remember where you save the file.)
3) Go to http://express.smarttech.com/#. Select Open an existing Notebook file. Find the file that you saved and click Open. | <urn:uuid:e1826218-d1cf-476a-8316-3e3036b3383b> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://lambsgotmath.blogspot.com/2010/08/smart-notebook-express.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.882948 | 153 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Whether worn on the body, found under our feet, or used as part of high-strength, lightweight composite materials, fibers are ubiquitous worldwide. With more than 60 billion pounds of cotton grown each year, it is by far the natural fiber of choice throughout the world and an important part of a prosperous and innovative U.S. textile industry. While fibers play a pivotal role in our economy, they also help solve mysteries, particularly colored fibers. When found at crime scenes, they provide critical circumstantial evidence. Color and how it is perceived in textiles has fascinated people for hundreds of years. This talk will showcase examples of color illusions and how color and fiber science are being used today to generate economic prosperity and solve crimes.
About the speaker
Dr. David Hinks is the Cone Mills Professor of Textile Chemistry and currently serves as Interim Dean of the College of Textiles and the Director of the emerging Forensic Sciences Institute at North Carolina State University. The College of Textiles is recognized throughout the world as the leading academic institution dedicated to textile education, discovery, innovation and service. Dr. Hinks’ research focuses on color perception and management, the development of environmentally responsible textile coloration, and finishing and development of improved methods for forensic analysis of dyes and fibers. He is a member of NC State’s Academy of Outstanding Teachers, the Academy of Outstanding Faculty Engaged in Extension, and proudly serves on the North Carolina Forensic Science Advisory Board. | <urn:uuid:b289f876-62ef-46d3-aa83-1f34c32b5a49> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://naturalsciences.org/calendar/event/science-cafe-cotton-color-and-the-courtroom/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950762 | 298 | 2.84375 | 3 |
A Brief History of the Poster
We now feature nearly 3.500 antique posters on-line with thumbnails
This is the most famous American poster of all time. Few people know that it is a self-portrait of the artist, one of the leading illustrators in America. Flagg's riveting stare was dubbed by one observer as "mobilization by shame": there was no escaping this Uncle Sam. It was the most effective recruiting poster of all time, being reused in World War II and Vietnam.
Most people also don't know that this poster was a borrowed concept. It was taken from a British poster done three years earlier by Alfred Leete, who portrayed the head of the Army in a similar pose, with the headline "Your country needs you." Leete's poster was so effective that the concept was copied by almost every other combatant in the war.
In 1914 a weekly magazine, London Opinion, published a design by Alfred Leete featuring a picture of Lord Kitchener on the cover. Leete's design was later adapted by The Parliamentary Recruiting Committee and used as a poster to help recruit soldiers to fight for Britain in World War I.
The metamorphosis of a poster. The original magazine cover was created by Alfred Leete and depicts Britain’s Lord Kitchener.
Did Alfred Leete sue? | <urn:uuid:257b3379-8d16-4749-9504-c5ad279d9654> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://printaustralia.blogspot.com/2006/09/brief-history-of-poster.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955595 | 275 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Nuclear Technology / Volume 151 / Number 3 / September 2005 / Pages 334-340
Technical Note / Fission Reactors
This paper addresses the problems posed by running out of oil and gas supplies and the environmental problems that are due to greenhouse gases by suggesting the use of the energy available in the resource thorium, which is much more plentiful than the conventional nuclear fuel uranium. We propose the burning of this thorium dissolved as a fluoride in molten salt in the minimum viscosity mixture of LiF and BeF2 together with a small amount of 235U or plutonium fluoride to initiate the process to be located at least 10 m underground. The fission products could be stored at the same underground location. With graphite replacement or new cores and with the liquid fuel transferred to the new cores periodically, the power plant could operate for up to 200 yr with no transport of fissile material to the reactor or of wastes from the reactor during this period. Advantages that include utilization of an abundant fuel, inaccessibility of that fuel to terrorists or for diversion to weapons use, together with good economics and safety features such as an underground location will diminish public concerns. We call for the construction of a small prototype thorium-burning reactor. | <urn:uuid:64be74c4-882e-446c-8ee0-bc69f1b318ce> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.ans.org/pubs/journals/nt/a_3655 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930687 | 250 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Designed for a one or two semester non-majors course in introductory biology taught at most two and four-year colleges. This course typically fulfills a general education requirement, and rather than emphasizing mastery of technical topics, it focuses on the understanding of biological ideas and concepts, how they relate to real life, and appreciating the scientific methods and thought processes. Given the authors' work in and dedication to science education, this text's writing style, pedagogy, and integrated support package are all based on classroom-tested teaching strategies and learning theory. The result is a learning program that enhances the effectiveness & efficiency of the teaching and learning experience in the introductory biology course like no other before it.
Author is formerly from the Univ. of Missouri, St. Louis. Introductory textbook for undergraduates not majoring in biology. Goals of the text are to help students understand biological concepts, offer visuals to aid learning, make biology relevant, aid students gain an understanding of scientific processes, and review and assess student's understanding at various levels.
From the Back Cover
What’s all the buzz about?
In Sandra and Brian Alters’ years of teaching biology and training science teachers, they’ve worked to understand how to create the optimal learning environment and a buzz in the classroom. Biology: Understanding Life reflects this experience and dedication to teaching and learning by providing unique, classroom-tested examples, analogies, and explanation––along with pedagogy that points students to the important ideas in biology. Some of these unique, highly-praised pedagogical features include:
About the Author(s)
Sandra Alters is formerly a tenured professor of biology and education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a professor of biology at Salem State College (MA). After teaching for over 25 years and teaching non-majors introductory biology for 10 years, Sandy left academia to write full time. She has over 20 years experience in science textbook writing in particular and science writing in general. She and her husband Brian are the only Ph.D. science educators currently authoring a non-majors college biology textbook. This book and its related ancillaries reflect their strong focus on science education.
Brian Alters, Sir William Dawson Scholar, holds appointments internationally at McGill University, Montreal, where he recently won the university’s highest teaching award, and at Harvard University, Cambridge. Brian is founder and director of the Evolution Education Research Center, a joint involvement between professors of McGill and Harvard universities. He writes primarily about evolution education and teaching.
A Good Introduction to Biology, April 8, 2000
This book is an attractive package that invites the reader to dive in. Not only does it discuss basic biological concepts but mentions concepts that are in the news today, such as genetic engineering and DNA sequencing.
Although the introduction implies that it's appropriate for college-level courses, I think it could be used at the high-school level, too, especially since someone taking this course at the college level is someone who probably never took introductory biology in high-school, so the only difference between what would be covered in the college course and the high-school course is the number of chapters covered.
The book begins with an introduction to some basic concepts of life (what is biology? what are characteristics of life? how are forms of life classified? what are molecules? what is an organic molecule?) and then moves onto sections covering the structure of cells, systems in the human body and those of other animals. Next, it covers genetics, evolution, the five kingdoms, and social interaction of organisms.
I was surprised to see so much coverage of human anatomy (with many color drawings and some photographs, too) in a general introduction to biology (after all, biology is more than just humans), but I guess that the author included that to keep the reader interested, since it helps to relate each biological concept to a machine the reader already possesses---his body (see goal #3 below).
The goals that the author sets out for the text are these:
1. Help students understand biological concepts
2. Offer a range of visual learning aids to meet students' diverse learning styles
3. Make biology relevant to student's daily lives
4. Help students gain an understanding of scientifc processes
5. Review, test and assess student understanding
6. Integrate every aspect of the text into a comprehensive teaching package
The author meets each of these goals, and, particularly, the writing style and illustrations help to meet goal #2, in that, I believe, the author has specifically avoided complex sentence structure in order to make the text accessible to students with weak reading skills. That's probably good, and it further supports my contention that the book is good for college and high-school students alike to read. Also, there are lists of relevant vocabulary words at the end of each chapter, and a glossary in the back of the book.
I like the book and will continue to refer to it myself to refresh some of my own biology knowledge.
Rating: 3.2 | Added on: 11 Oct 2006
Rate this book: | <urn:uuid:a382fed2-4dc7-4f23-812c-98e3d67741ac> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.biology-online.org/books/biology_understanding_life_salters.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94546 | 1,051 | 2.703125 | 3 |
How do you build rapport with a new employer or someone on a first date? Eat the same food as your companion, a study has revealed.
According to the study published online in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, researchers from the University of Chicago launched a series of experiments to determine whether similar food consumption facilitates a sense of closeness and trust between adults.
The researchers tested the influence of food in a study, in which pairs were assigned to opposing sides of a labour negotiation.
Some pairs ate similar foods during the negotiations while others ate different foods. The pairs that had eaten similar foods reached an agreement almost twice as quickly as the groups that ate dissimilar foods.
"People tend to think that they use logic to make decisions, and they are largely unaware that food preferences can influence their thinking. On a very basic level, food can be used strategically to help people work together and build trust," said Ayelet Fishbach, Professor, the University of Chicago.
At large group meetings, organisers could limit the number of food options in order to encourage similar food consumption, which could lead to increased trust and collaboration among the peers, suggested the study.
The researchers also discovered that these findings applied to marketing products as well. Participants trusted information from advertisers when consumers ate the same type of food as the advertisers giving a testimonial about the product. | <urn:uuid:96ad497c-ed21-4ca0-9ace-070c34b17015> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.boldsky.com/health/2016/similar-food-habits-quickly-build-rapport-103238.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967742 | 272 | 3.03125 | 3 |
At six months, your baby will have a basic comprehension of names such as “Mum”, “Dad” and siblings has started, followed by basic words such as “no”, “bye” and “bottle”. To encourage them to learn words, talk slowly so they can register what words mean and give them a chance to imitate the sound of them.
Babies will be able to understand waving, kissing and recognise names and basic words such as yes and no. Talk slowly so they can register what words mean and imitate them. They are also able to copy facial expressions and roll over and back again. Eye colour can also change when babies turn six months.
Your toddler can also distinguish between male and female voices now and look at objects as a whole visually. Babies are also skilled at figuring out the orientation of objects – eg: up, down or sideways and have a keen interest in a variety of sounds.
If they can keep their head level when in a sitting position and sit by themselves with minimal support they are usually able to sit in a high chair, which is timely considering this is usually a good time to begin weaning. They should be able to hold a bottle.
Your baby might have realised that he can use rolling as a way to transport himself, or he may skip it altogether and move on to sitting, lunging, and crawling all of which enable him to actively explore his environment so don’t delay child proofing your home, keep a hand on your baby during nappy changes and never leave him unattended on any other elevated surface.
At six months the average number of hours a baby will sleep during the day is four and the average number of hours at night is ten.
Bouncing babies on their toes helps to strengthen their legs for crawling in a few months. Babies can also usually sit up unsupported at six months, although they may fall when reaching for an object in front of them or to the side, and it’s important to let your baby try and reposition herself if this happens, as it also helps her with crawling, provided she can’t hurt herself. Once babies are aware of their new found mobility they will begin to actively explore their environment and it might be a good idea to start child proofing your home.
At this age your baby also not only tolerates attention from others, he'll often initiate it. He is also aware that certain types of attention draw your attention and he will act accordingly, to try provoke a reaction from you.
Social and emotional imitation also begins at six months where if you shake a toy, your baby will copy you and if you are in a bad mood, your baby is likely to pick up on this and reflect this in his own behaviour and will perform certain actions specifically to draw laughter.
Eczema can appear during this time, often as a result of the new foods your baby is having. Eczema is a skin condition that presents as a red, scaly rash and often identifies an allergic reaction. The onset of eczema starts between two and six months and can continue for several years. Babies who have parents with a history of it or asthma or hayfever are most susceptible to it. It is extremely itchy but children must not scratch because this can result in infection and should wear mittens to stop them from being able to do this.
Changes in bowel movements are also common as babies begin to eat many different types of foods.
If a child is allergic or intolerant of a certain food can display symptoms such as reflux, rashes and hives, bloating and wind, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, constipation,a sore throat or runny nose and watery eyes. Other things such as wheezing and breathing difficulties are much more serious and can indicate anaphylaxis, which is a hypersensitive allergic reaction that can lead to death if left untreated.
At six months your baby will also need their third round of immunisations for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, haemophilus influenza b, Hep B, Pnuemococcal conjugate.
Most babies are ready to start solids now, supplementing breast milk or formula with pureed food with a paste like consistency that poses no choking hazard. There are a number of signs your baby will give you such as showing curiosity in foods, chewing or lip smacking when people eat in front of them, being constantly hungry and crying to be fed long before their regular feeding time, drooling at the sight of food and of course trying to eat your food when positioned nearby, by reaching.
You should wean your baby onto solids slowly though, one by one, in order to determine if allergies or intolerances to certain foods are present. Start with rice cereal, followed by pureed vegetables and fruits. It is best to try your baby on vegetables before fruits as baby’s taste buds are more attuned to sweet tastes and they may reject vegetables if fruits are introduced first. Cow’s milk, soy milk, honey, nuts, eggs and salt should not be added to any food your baby eats as they all place strain on the kidneys and are linked to common childhood allergies. Always use a rubber tipped spoon to feed babies of this age as they may be teething and using a metal spoon may damage their delicate little gums.
As a result their bowel movements will become thicker, darker and smellier, which is perfectly normal. A baby is only considered to be completely weaned once he is only consuming solids and no longer consuming breast milk. But six month old babies still require 600ml of breast and formula milk each day.
Babies are now capable of teaching themselves how to fall asleep both when they first go to sleep and when they wake up during the night but different approaches can be taken to teach babies how to sleep through the night. It is important to remember that if a baby has additional stresses such as teething, illness or has just started solids that it may be better to delay sleeping techniques such as controlled crying, until your baby is feeling better and will have a better chance of acquiring the new skill as quickly as possible. Fourteen hours of sleep is still the average, and babies that are starting to sleep through the night are inclined to rise early in the morning.
At six months the average number of hours a baby will sleep during the day is four and the average number of hours at night is ten. Most babies still need to get an important part of their sleep quota during the day. Babies of this age sleep because they are tired and cannot sleep if they are not and cannot stay awake if they are. It is important that they learn to fall to sleep on their own, which they are able to do at this age. Techniques such as controlled crying and gradual withdrawal may work at this time, although incidents such as travel, teething or illness can alter circumstances. It is better to wait until these situations have passed before trying these methods.
Babies who sleep uninterrupted can still be prone to waking very early in the morning and there are ways to discourage this, including keeping the bedroom sealed so that sunlight can’t wake him ahead of time and by keeping him up later during the day. Also if you wait a half hour to feed your baby breakfast after he wakes up, he will adjust to the new time and should cease rising early because of hunger pangs. | <urn:uuid:42c66be4-5c11-4d49-8374-41892dea0f90> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/development/0-6-months/babys-sixth-month-development-medical-and-sleep-20091027-hica | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974395 | 1,539 | 3.34375 | 3 |
A New World Beginning. By Nate,Alexa,Christian,Anthony,Shaniah,Savannah. The shaping of N orth A merica. 225 Million years ago, a single supercontinent contained all the worlds dry land. 10 million year ago, nature has sculpted the base of geological shape of North America.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
A New World Beginning | <urn:uuid:8f045916-1c5b-4d6b-8c15-2efeb17e434b> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.slideserve.com/keegan-richardson/a-new-world-beginning | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.885865 | 137 | 2.84375 | 3 |
When slavery first entered my consciousness long ago, I was most shocked by the plight of the unfortunate people who, against their will, found themselves subjected to unspeakable horrors. I also could not fathom the behavior of those who engaged in the exploitation - from the slave-traders themselves to those who abetted them.
Then, about 15 years ago, I realized that the most despicable aspect of slavery derives from its continued existence - indeed, expansion - in modern times. Slaves are cheaper than ever, and their worldwide number has reached about 30 million. Some are enslaved in the historical sense of the word, while others suffer from other forms of human trafficking such as forced prostitution and child labor. In any event, their service is involuntary; they are not at liberty to opt out of their miserable lives.
No matter how one describes it, modern slavery is cruel, demeaning and morally reprehensible.
Wait a minute. It is much worse than that. It is an absolute outrage.
I truly would like to hear the answer to a simple question that has been asked many times over the centuries in dealing with slavery: Where are the abolitionists?
They were present and accounted for in the mid-1800s, for example, when the issue of slavery tore the United States to its core. They spoke their minds and put themselves at risk in an attempt to show clearly and unequivocally that slavery was not acceptable. Eventually, they prevailed - and the U.S. Constitution was amended to mandate that slavery would not be tolerated in this nation.
Yet, slavery has not gone away - in the United States or elsewhere in the world.
Some people ignore the slavery problem because it does not affect them. Others like to pretend that modern slavery is a myth. Still others have no interest in hearing about it.
Not only are they wrong to adopt such perspectives, but they delay justice for victims who suffer under the burden of human trafficking, waiting for the day when the world will declare, "Enough."
People in all countries must rise, speak with a single voice and act with a stern hand against this abomination. If they do not, slavery will continue to inflict its uniquely perverse and ugly damage upon humanity.
Part of the solution falls to governments; they have an obligation to combat modern slavery of all kinds. Some try harder than others, but all could do a better job.
Individuals, too, have a role to play. To inform themselves, they should get in touch with organizations such as the American Anti-Slavery Group (www.iabolish.com), Anti-Slavery International (www .antislavery.org), or the Coalition to Abolish Slavery (www.castla.org). Also, the U.S. Department of State provides information on human-trafficking trends and recommendations for recognizing victims at (www.state.gov/g/tip/), and welcomes inquiries at (202) 312-9639. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Justice has a help line, (888) 428-7581.
And part of the answer lies in keeping this issue before the global public - whether they wish to hear about it not. Thus, on a regular basis, I intend to shine a spotlight on human trafficking. No nation will be exempt from this scrutiny, and none that falls short shall avoid criticism.
I invite readers to join me in this undertaking. Kindly send your thoughts, concerns, experiences and ideas to me at email@example.com, and I will include them in my ongoing examination of and fight against human trafficking. | <urn:uuid:74a96343-c56c-4095-aa1c-21b966e68595> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/aug/16/abolitionists_are_needed_today/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959129 | 743 | 2.640625 | 3 |
How do U.S. political parties nominate a candidate for President? To win the nomination in one of the parties, the candidate collects pledges from a majority of the delegates to the parties’ National Conventions, currently held during the summer before November’s general election. There are three methods used presently to allocate delegates to presidential contenders: 1) the Caucus System, 2) the Primary System, or 3) a combination of the two. To determine their candidate, each state hold’s a political contest, referred to as a caucus or primary. The caucus method is organized by the political parties, whereas, primaries are organized and overseen by the State government. The candidate who secures the highest number of delegates at the political convention wins the nomination and competes in the general election. How has history shaped this nomination process, and how did Freemasonry impact the evolution of that process?
As the older method of choosing delegates, the caucus system was utilized by all States in the Union until the 1832 election. The term “caucus” is derived from Latin origin, meaning, “a drinking vessel” and was used to describe informal local political clubs prior to the forming of the United States.
A caucus is defined as “a meeting of a political group to select candidates, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters.” In the nominating process, a caucus is a local meeting where registered members of a party gather to select a delegate that may represent them at the National Convention. In most states, the attendees at the precinct caucus vote for their preferred party candidate, which informs and directs a percentage of the State’s delegation at the National Party Convention. In 2016, approximately 123,500 Democratic voters in Colorado attended their local caucus on March 1st and voted to select a party candidate. In contrast, the Republican Party in Colorado decided to forgo voting for a candidate in their precinct caucuses and only selected delegates for their future convention. This means that of the 5.5 million citizens of Colorado, only 2.2 percent of the population voted to select a Presidential candidate for the 2016 general election.
In 2016, thirteen states (Iowa, Nevada, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Maine, Idaho, Utah, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Wyoming) utilized the caucus system. In most states, only registered voters can participate in a caucus, and they are limited to the caucus of the party with which they are affiliated. Caucuses are typically used in combination with congressional district assemblies and a state convention to elect delegates to the national nominating convention for presidential elections.
A primary is a state-run process of selecting candidates and delegates, where the results are used to determine the configuration of delegates at the national convention of each party. Unlike caucuses, primaries are conducted at regular polling stations, paid for by the state, and overseen by state election officials. Voters cast a secret ballot for their preferred candidate, as compared to caucuses where the voting is done in a group forum usually by a show of hands or breaking into groups based on support. In 2016, thirty-seven U.S. states (New Hampshire, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Arizona, Wisconsin, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, and South Dakota) and the District of Columbia will conduct a primary election. Voter participation tends to be significantly higher in primaries. In 2016, more than 1.5 million citizens of the state of Missouri voted to nominate candidates for president. With approximately 6 million people living in Missouri, this equates to 25 percent of the population voting for a presidential candidate.
There are several types of primaries in the U.S. system: closed primary, semi-closed primary, open primary, and semi-open primary.
- Closed primary: Participation is open only to a particular political party’s registered members. Independents or other party members cannot participate. Florida holds a closed primary.
- Semi-closed primary: Participation is open to registered party members and unaffiliated voters. State election rules determine whether unaffiliated voters may make their choice. New Hampshire holds a semi-closed primary.
- Open primary: Any registered voter may participate in any party primary. Illinois holds an open primary.
- Semi-open primary: Any registered voter may participate in any party primary but when they identify themselves to election officials, they must request a party’s specific ballot. Ohio holds a semi-open primary.
Prior to the 1970s, most states utilized the caucus system to choose their delegates, but public outcry over corruption by political bosses led to substantial changes in the process for the 1972 election. The caucus system favored powerful leaders with pull in their delegation like famous party boss Mayor Daley of Chicago. In 1968, CBS reporter, Martin Plissner, stated, “If Daley instructs the Illinois delegates to vote for Ho Chi Minh, all but twenty votes will go to Ho Chi Minh without question.” In an effort to make the nomination process more inclusive and transparent, most states have moved to the primary system.
Political Party National Conventions
Every four years, a political party national convention is hosted, usually in the summer, by the major political parties who field nominees in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November. The purpose of the national convention is to select the party’s nominee for President, adopt a policy platform, and adopt the rules for the party’s activities for the next election cycle. During the convention, a roll call of the votes is held, where each state delegation announces its vote totals. If no candidate secures a majority of delegates during the first vote, a “Brokered Convention” in invoked. In a brokered convention, most pledged delegates are released from their agreements to support a specific candidate and delegates are then able to switch their allegiance to a different candidate. The party nomination is then decided through a process of debate and rounds re-voting until a candidate is selected.
Historical Analysis: Freemason Andrew Jackson and Reforms to the Nomination Process
Before 1820, members of Congress would hold a caucus meeting and nominate candidates from their party. There were no primaries or national conventions, instead congressional party members gathered in a caucus meeting to decide the party’s candidate. The system was altered following the U.S. Presidential election of 1824, referred to as “The Corrupt Bargain,” when Andrew Jackson won the popular and electoral college vote, but the U.S. House of Representatives chose John Quincy Adams to be President. Mr. Jackson decried the corruption stating, “I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office.”
Andrew Jackson, a Freemason and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee (1822-1824), was among the most strident critics of the caucus method of selecting candidates. In his 1828 presidential bid, Jackson ran with the vocalized intent of restoring the voice of the people to the election process. As a man of the people, Andrew Jackson argued that the caucus system was elitist and undemocratic, as only a small percentage of the population was engaged in the process. Jackson pledged that he would open up the system to increase the political power of the electorate, and he proposed to eliminate the Electoral College and institute a direct popular election of the president. Jackson argued, ” Our government is founded upon the intelligence of the people. I for one do not despair of the republic. I have great confidence in the virtue of the great majority of the people, and I cannot fear the result.” The election of 1828 was described as a “triumph of democratic politics,” in which more than 1.1 million men participated compared to only 300,000 in 1824.
Andrew Jackson was elected U.S. President in 1828 and was re-elected in 1832. In 1832, national conventions were held by the political parties, including the Anti-Masonic Party which held its convention in Baltimore, Maryland on September 26, 1831 to select William Wirt as their Presidential candidate. President Andrew Jackson, candidate of the Democratic Party, won re-election against Henry Clay the candidate of the National Republican Party, and William Wirt the candidate of the Anti-Masonic Party. Jackson won with 219 of the 286 electoral votes cast in the national election. | <urn:uuid:c6567ed3-03da-44f8-b271-5a64a569ca02> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://blog.philosophicalsociety.org/2016/07/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952372 | 1,804 | 3.640625 | 4 |
[This originally appeared in KOTESOL’s “The English Connection” magazine in 2010 and was co-written with Manpal Sahota.]
If you’ve been following ELT conferences or journals over the last few years you’ve probably come across the term ‘reflective practice.’ Reflection seems to be one of the common buzzwords in teaching today and it might be the type of thing that we would typically dismiss out of hand as a fad or yet another term seemingly created to distinguish between the knowers and non-knowers in the ELT field. However, we feel reflective practice is an integral part of every teacher’s professional development and more teachers need to understand its benefits.
There have been several excellent seminars on reflective practice at various KOTESOL events, including seminars from one of the world’s leading voices in this field, Dr. Thomas S.C. Farrell. You can catch Dr. Farrell’s thoughts on reflective practice with his regular contributions to TEC in his column on professional development. For further information regarding other methods of reflective practice see Dr. Farrell’s book, Reflective Language Teaching, From Research to Practice.In this, our third column, we hope add to his work and share a bit about reflective practice and how it has shaped our thinking, teaching, and our work with in-service teachers.
What is reflective practice? It is analysing what you do in the classroom and challenging your beliefs about your teaching practice. Once you gather this information you use it to implement changes and guide your future teaching practices.
All teachers have classes that go very well and all teachers have classes that make them question why they got into teaching. Many times teachers attribute great classes to the strength of the lesson or teacher and terrible classes to the weaknesses of the students. However, more often than not the opposite is true. Perhaps the great class had nothing to do with what you did in the classroom and maybe the terrible class was a result of the activities you tried or the methods you employed during the lesson. This is a simple but important point often raised by Dr. Farrell. Reflective practice helps teachers to find the reasons behind successes and failures in the classroom.
We feel a great way to engage in reflective practice is through journal writing. Journalising your thoughts, experiences, successes, failures, fears and anxieties can prove to be a very insightful endeavor. You can choose when and how often you write journals, from writing everyday after each class to writing at home once a week. By writing about your classroom experiences you will be able to achieve a new understanding of your teaching practices and most importantly you will gain a new quality that all teachers should possess – awareness. Awareness of what you do, awareness of how you do it, and awareness of why you do it. Being aware of these three areas will help you develop and improve as a teacher.
Michael, who is generally proud of his healthy skepticism, decided to try keeping a reflective journal after hearing so much about reflective practice from many people in the field, including Manpal and Dr. Farrell. Michael was immediately impressed with the clarity of thought and peace of mind that keeping a reflective journal provided him. Michael started to think that reflecting on the class was at least as important as planning. He is quick to say that keeping a reflective journal is not a panacea but Michael strongly feels that there are definite and tangible benefits to such a practice. The first is that it helped him to frame the issues about his teaching in an unemotional way and gave him a chance to calmly approach the blur of activity that English lessons and training sessions can be. Teaching is often an emotional business and it has been very instructive for Michael to separate emotion from rational thought through the use of journaling.
If possible, it would be highly beneficial to share your journals with other teachers who are also engaging in reflective practice. By allowing others to read your journals and comment or give feedback your peers can support or challenge what you have written. You will able to learn from their experiences and thus improve your personal practical knowledge at a greater rate. A group of teachers engaging in reflective practice together in this way is what some refer to as a ‘community of practice.’
Manpal was part of a community of practice with two other teacher trainers when he worked at an in-service training institute for Korean English teachers. Being able to journalise our experiences and receive feedback from each other was very insightful for all three of us. It helped us to overcome classroom difficulties and encouraged us to implement changes in our lessons. Indeed, Manpal felt his teaching practices improved as a result of writing journals.
Where Manpal now works new teachers starting each semester are required to participate in a community of practice with 4-5 peers for their first 12 weeks. The teachers write about their successes and failures in the classroom, and offer advice/resources when a teacher is struggling with a certain class or topic/grammar point/etc. It was impressive for Manpal to see how open and supportive these communities became week after week. By the end the overwhelming opinion was positive as many teachers appreciated being able to discuss and share ideas with other professionals in their field. For many it was the first time they actually talked (thought) about what was going on in their classrooms.
In addition to sharing journals with peers, some teachers find sharing their journals with students to be helpful. For a few teacher training courses Michael posted his journal on his website for course participants to see. This provided a model of what a reflective journal might look like and offered at least two additional benefits. The first is that it showed course participants that Michael is committed to reflective practice and that he values it. Another benefit is that it gave course participants a chance to see what the trainer was thinking and feeling. Michael heard from many participants that reading his journal gave them a better understanding about teaching English as well as a better understanding about what he was thinking and feeling about the class. Michael felt that it was a good way to share both his thoughts and the decisions that he made related to the classes.
Of course, it is not easy to share your journals with just anyone. Many people don’t feel comfortable sharing their fears and failures with colleagues for fear of judgment and being labeled a ‘bad teacher.’ Some teachers feel a sense of competition with coworkers and are not interested in helping their colleagues improve as teachers. These are important obstacles to consider when forming a community of practice. You need to choose people you trust, feel comfortable with, and who are not afraid to share intimate accounts with you and the other members of your community. Another idea is to create ‘critical friends’ with friends you already have and who are in the EFL teaching profession. Sadly, it is quite rare for friends, even if they are both in the EFL/TESOL profession to critically discuss their teaching practice with each other (this was the case for Manpal and Michael for several years). Starting out with friends can be a gentle entry into the world of reflective practice.
While it is passionately supported by its adherents, reflective practice is still not part of mainstream TESOL education. Many teacher training courses, especially those for new teachers, do not include reflection. Apparently reflection is thought of as something for more experienced teachers. We feel that more courses and thus more beginning teachers should experiment with reflective practice as early as possible. Many of us have heard the difference between a teacher with 10 years’ experience and a teacher with 1 year experience repeated 10 times. We feel that healthy doses of reflection can help prevent teachers from getting stuck in ruts and having “Groundhog Day” type lessons, courses and careers.
If your New Year’s resolution was to become a better teacher, why not start reflective practice today? | <urn:uuid:bcaa79fe-85c6-4588-bcbd-0b7c47a26dec> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://eltrantsreviewsreflections.wordpress.com/improving-your-teaching-practice-through-reflective-journal-writing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977518 | 1,600 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Nambung National Park is a national park in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia (Australia), 162 km northwest of Perth. It contains the Pinnacles Desert.
Nambung is an Indigenous Australian word meaning crooked or winding referring to the Nambung River that drains into the area.
The park is bordered to the north by Southern Beekeepers Nature Reserve and to the south by Wanagarren Nature Reserve. A large area of vacant Crown Land is found along much of the eastern edge.
Europeans first visited the area in 1658 when Dutch maps recorded North and South Hummocks on their maps. Philip Parker King also mentioned the Hummocks in his journals in 1820. The Pinnacles Desert area remained relatively unknown until surveyed in the late 1960s after the area had been added to an existing national park that was formed in 1956.
Visitors can access the “Pinnacles” from Cervantes, 17 km north of the park, via Cervantes Road and Indian Ocean Drive. With the opening of the final (south) section of Indian Ocean Drive from Lancelin to Cervantes on 19 September 2010, visitors travelling from Perth can now access the “Pinnacles” Nambung National Park directly via Indian Ocean Drive.
The Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre features exhibits about the geology of the pinnacles formations and the cultural and natural heritage values of the area.
All Travel Maps - the best way to search amazing places to visit, travel destinations, trips, cruises, resorts, beaches, ocean islands, national parks, weekends, holidays trips, summer vacations, winter ski resorts, alpine skiing, snowboarding, hotels, apartments, villas, houses, cottages, buildings in Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, country capitals, cities, villages and regions... | <urn:uuid:21dbb04d-9211-48d2-9fab-fa1acbf7da72> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://ukka.co/pics/the-pinnacles-nambung-national-park-western-australia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916328 | 379 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Table of Contents
- What Is Learning?
- How Does the Brain Work?
- Importance of Emotions During the Learning Process
- Learning as Formation and Deformation Inside the Brain
- Localization of Learning Processes and Memory
- Memory Systems
- Development of Memory and the Papez Circuit
- The Different Types of Memory
- The process of Learning Inside the Brain
- Pathology of Memory Performance
- Review Questions
What Is Learning?
The word learning is originally related to “teaching somebody” and “trick.” Furthermore, learning also etymologically related to “tracing something.” The conclusion is that learning is a process to acquire new knowledge. Learning is the precondition for the brain to store experiences and to use those experiences in our actions to gain benefits and prevent damage.
Formation of synapses
Learning processes during the first six months of a baby’s life hold great significance for the development of the nervous system. Environmental stimuli and experiences also play a role in this process since they lead to the formation of new synapses and the improvement of already existing synaptic connections. The ability for the brain to from and improve these connections is referred to as neuroplasticity, whether they are based on physiological or neuroanatomical conditions.
How do infants learn?
Most brain cells are already formed during pregnancy. However, an infant’s nerve cells still cannot communicate at the time of birth, since they are not yet connected with each other. These connections are developed during the first three years of life. This process takes place by developing dendrites, which enable cells to absorb information. Moreover, synaptic connections, which are responsible for relaying information, are formed. The extent of these connections is far greater than what is required. This makes it easy to make adjustments later on anywhere they are needed.
Learning capacity of babies
Babies react strongly to stimuli. This is also an important indication that a learning process is carried out. Besides, these stimuli are necessary for the brain to even be able to develop at all. This means that an environment with few stimuli hinders the development of babies.
During this development stage, the ability to differentiate faces and vocal sounds are better developed than it is in adults, which enables the baby to differentiate between close reference persons, intimates, and strangers. After the first imprinting to the personal surroundings, the baby loses a certain amount of flexibility considering its mental abilities. However, learning processes become more specific. This development takes place during the first six months of life.
How Does the Brain Work?
The brain uses neurons to communicate and, to a large extent, manage itself. However, the development of neurons and the resulting brain capacities depend on environmental and sensory stimuli. The brain works in connection with the spinal cord to send and receive information via the neurons. The brain processes all perceptions, which are also connected with each other. For this process, the brain uses already stored experiences. However, most perceptions are suppressed. Perceptions that have to be processed during the learning process are differentiated by the brain according to:
- Value of new knowledge
Importance of Emotions During the Learning Process
Cognition and emotions play a major role in the process of learning. Sensations are used as somatic markers, which influence processing, storage, and memory. Learning also includes the strengthening of the most used neuronal pathways so they can be used longer and above all faster.
Learning as Formation and Deformation Inside the Brain
The process of learning starts with processing external influences. Learning leads to changes in the brain that can be classified into four categories: expanding, tuning, re-constructing, and pruning.
Expanding means to improve the number and strength of neuronal connections by developing a network of already existing information. Tuning describes the process of creating new connections. During the process of re-constructing, relearning takes place. In this time-consuming and exhausting process, preexisting learning achievements (motor patterns and routine processes) are replaced by new ones that are better suited for the respective task. Pruning describes the regression of neuronal potential, which is used little or not at all. During this process, connections can be changed in such a way that they cannot be activated anymore.
Learning is differentiated into:
- Intentional learning
- Individual learning
- Collective learning
- Physical learning
- Social learning
Significance of social interaction and physical activity
Humans need social interactions. This also applies to the brain. Mirror neurons inside the brain are responsible for the development of the required cognitive orientation pattern. Physical activity is important for brain performance as well. This particularly applies in the first years of life.
Localization of Learning Processes and Memory
Motor learning is located in the neurons of the cerebellum and basal ganglia. The declarative memory is located in the medial temporal lobe. A lesion of the hippocampus leads to an anterograde amnesia. This means that new information cannot be stored anymore.
The procedural memory is located in the striatum and uses the pathway of the neocortex. Associative learning takes place inside the amygdala for emotional processes and in the cerebellum for motor processes. Non-associative learning occurs in the form of habituation and sensitization (both via reflex circuits).
The Hebbian theory explains how the connection between certain neurons can be strengthened.
If an axon of neuron A is located close enough to neuron B so that neuron B can be stimulated by neuron A repeatedly or continuously, the efficiency of neuron A for the stimulation by neuron B is increased by growth processes or changes in metabolism in both or one of the two neurons. This means that experience-related changes of the nervous systems depend on certain conditions.
Development of Memory and the Papez Circuit
The Papez circuit is of great importance for the development of memory. The circuit is located in the center of the limbic system. The limbic system is located above the brain stem and exists in all mammals. It has an important role in social behavior, solicitude, love, fear, and learning by imitation.
The Papez circuit is a chain of neurons, named after its discoverer, James Papez. Research on the tasks of the Papez circuit for memory performance is still ongoing. However, the assumption that the circuit controls anger and rage are already outdated, since it has been discovered that the circuit is even more complex than Papez himself thought.
These days, it is assumed that the Papez circuit serves the storage of memories by transferring information from the primary memory (short-term memory) to the secondary memory (long-term memory) or to the tertiary memory (an independent part of the long-term memory).
The Papez circuit proceeds as follows: hippocampus → fornix → mammillary body inside the hypothalamus (corpora mammillaria) → cingulate cortex → hippocampus
The Different Types of Memory
The specialist term for mind and memory is called the mnestic function. Some things are easier to remember than other things. For example, important things are easier to remember than events that hold no meaning and positive experiences are easier to remember than neutral experiences. Moreover, the process of remembering is easier in a positive prevailing mood. This also means that remembering things is more difficult in a state of fatigue or grief.
Process of encoding information
Note: Encoding is the process of transferring sensory information into a construct which is then stored in our memory system.
Working memory stores information for immediate use as part of a mental activity (i.e. learning or problem solving).
- Is thought to include phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, central executive, and episodic buffer
- Allows for manipulation and organization of info vs. short-term memory
The primary effect is a cognitive bias that results in a subject recalling the first items on a list.
- (Theory) these items have had the most time to be encoded and transferred into long-term memory
Recency effect is a cognitive bias that results in a subject recalling the last items on a list.
- (Theory) these items are in the phonological loop and are highly accessible.
Humans have a declarative memory (explicit memory) and a procedural memory (implicit memory). The declarative memory stores information that can be reproduced because we are conscious of the experience/information. The procedural memory, on the other hand, contains experiences for which one has no direct memory of the learning process. Still, this type of memory has an influence on our behavior. A classic example is the process of learning a new language.
Sensory memory (ultra-short-term memory)
The ultra-short-term memory receives stimuli from sensory organs in the form of a neuronal excitation. This process has a duration of less than one second, and the perception can take place via the eyes or ears. The ultra-short-term memory via the eye is also referred to as iconic memory, and via the ears, echoic memory (and it perishes just as fast). Only stimuli that reach the short-term memory remain because the ultra-short-term memory has no storage capabilities.
Short-term memory (primary memory)
Memories in the primary memory (short-term memory) are available as long as we occupy ourselves with them. If that process is interrupted, the memory is lost too. Memories that begin in the primary memory can be available permanently but only if they are transferred to the long-term memory. It is assumed that the short-term memory is a transit for experiences into the long-term memory.
The hippocampus, located in the cerebral cortex, is apparently involved in the process of transmitting information from the primary memory to the long-term memory. The Hippocampus is thought to be involved in this process because when lesions appear in the hippocampus, only the short-term memory remains intact. Another term for primary memory is “labile memory” since it is very unstable. One distraction is enough to forget the perceived or heard information. Calcium has a major importance for these processes.
For storing memories in the long-term memory, repetition is particularly important. This is easily understandable when one considers the high amount of repetition required to learn new movement patterns, e.g. when learning a new sport.
Semantic networks and spreading networks
- Information stored in our long-term memory is done as an organized network
- Individual ideas or hubs are called nodes (i.e. cities on a map)
- Nodes are connected by links or associations (i.e. roads between cities)
- Strength of association is related to how frequently and deeply the connection is made
- Processing material in different ways leads to the establishment of multiple connections
- Nodes are only activated once they reach a response threshold
- Response threshold is reached by the summation of input signals from multiple nodes
- Activation of a node leads to stimulation of neighboring connecting nodes
- The activation of a few nodes can lead to a pattern of activation within the network that spreads inward (known as spreading activation)
- Explains contextual cues, priming, and associations
Process that aid in encoding memories
- Mnemonic is any technique for improving retention and retrieval from memory
- Rehearsal: use of the phonological loop
- Chunking is a strategy which organizes information into discrete groups of data
- Hierarchies organizes words or information into categories
- Depth of processing: deeper level, semantic content leads to better recall
- Acronym (i.e. AIDS, CD-ROM, FAQ)
Dual coding hypothesis indicates that it is easier to remember words with associated images than either along.
- More connections made to the memory
- Deeper content
- Items to be recalled are mentally associated with these physical locations or loci
- Provides a deeper representation
- Also known as the “Journey Method”
Self-reference effect involves making new info personally relevant
- E.g. “I live on Beatrice Ave…”
The process of Learning Inside the Brain
The hippocampus also plays an important role in the process of learning. There exists a connection between nerve cells and the neuronal mechanism which is assumed to be the physiologic substrate of learning. This physiologic substrate consists of continuous electrophysiologic, morphologic and molecular changes of nerve cells. For information to be available long-term, long-term potentiation (LTP) is necessary. LTP facilitates the stimulation of afferent axons over a period of weeks as well as a stronger Ca-influx.
Everything stored in the long-term memory is available during one’s entire life. The processes of the long-term memory take place under the influence of the neurotransmitter glutamate (glutamic acid).
Pathology of Memory Performance
The highly complex system of learning and memory is susceptible to malfunctions. If anomalies occur, the differential diagnosis has to be made with the greatest care. This is also because even changes in the mineral balance of the body can lead to disorders that give the impression of a disease (e.g. calcium deficiency). Furthermore, cases of dementia are increasing, which is partly due to increase life expectancy. Currently, approximately 1.5 million people with dementia are estimated to live in Germany.
Amnesia is one type of memory disorder in which a patient loses access to stored information. The term “amnesia” originates from the Greek a (without ) and mnémē (memory). Amnesia is not an independent disease but is the symptom of a disease or the consequence of an influence on the brain. This influence can be internal or external.
In the case of amnesia, it is not possible for patients to store experiences or learned knowledge. This can affect all types of information or only certain parts, for example patients can lose access to memories from certain stages of their lives. In most cases, the patient is able to remember events that happened long ago rather than events that occurred just lately. There are different forms of amnesia. However, they cannot be strictly separated from each other. The following forms are of importance:
- Retrograde amnesia
- Global amnesia
- Transient global amnesia
- Congrade amnesia
- Psychogenic amnesia
Alzheimer‘s Disease is characterized by a regression of nerve cells, which can result in the brain shrinking up to 20%. The consequence is an impaired relay of information. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s may make processing information nearly impossible. At the same time, plaques of protein fragments form. Particularly affected by Alzheimer’s are those brain regions responsible for processing information and memory performance.
Solutions can be found below the references.
1. Which statement concerning short-term memory is true?
- It is available for about one hour.
- It relays all information to the long-term memory.
- It depends on the functionality of the hippocampus.
- It stores the most important information.
- It does not absorb information from the ear.
2. Which statement is true?
- Newborns have yet to develop nerve cells.
- Newborns still have no connections between nerve cells.
- Connections between nerve cells develop during the third year of life.
- The development of connections is fixed and unchangeable.
- Dendrites are responsible for relaying information inside the brain.
3. The brain processes information according to:
- Individual impression
- Duration of the time it remains inside the short-time memory | <urn:uuid:55f3f898-3f17-4179-8f98-6f73a03b33bf> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.lecturio.com/magazine/physiology-of-learning-and-memory/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936459 | 3,235 | 3.828125 | 4 |
The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced this week a three-year, $1.6-million grant to the Science & Technology Interactive Center (SciTech) in Aurora, Illinois, to disseminate a traveling exhibition, "Midwestern Wild Weather." The project is intended to reach audiences in small and rural communities and the science centers and museums in the states of Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan.
This project will replicate five of a set of nine interactive exhibits on the topic of destructive weather that is prevalent in the Midwest. This exhibition is being produced in collaboration with SPARC (Springfield, Peoria, Aurora, Rockford and Carbondale, Illinois) and represents a strong model for collaboration between museums, science centers and the formal educational system. The SPARC Collaboration developed this program of traveling exhibits, demonstrations, and teacher materials under a major grant from the Illinois State Board of Education, Center on Science Literacy.
Founding Director of SciTech Ernest Malamud said, "Weather is a topic that affects and interests everyone, and through it we can teach principles of science and mathematics. Students will calculate dew point and learn how Doppler Radar is used to track a tornado. They will learn about the water cycle, air pressure and how snow fences work. The 'Thunder and Lightning' exhibit dramatically demonstrates the difference between the speed of light and the speed of sound and how electric charge builds up in a cloud. Students will begin to realize how much science is in things around them."
An innovative feature of this project design is the use of "attractor" exhibits to entice persons to come to the museum or science center. The project also delivers a set of exhibits to a school to set up a "Museum in a School" for one week, reaching 4th- through 8th-grade students. This collaboration of nine museums expects to serve over 79,000 children and 2,640 teachers. The teachers whose classes use the exhibits will receive additional training and hands-on activities for the classroom.
"This unique effort promises to effectively educate the rural Midwest public about the fundamental science underlying wild weather and disseminate to them practical information and facts of wild weather," said James Oglesby, program director for science literacy and informal science education at NSF.
"This project has the potential to fill the real need of making available quality exhibits to small museums and bringing informal education resources to small/rural communities," said project director Olivia Diaz at the Science & Technology Interactive Center.
The grant was awarded by NSF's Informal Science Education program and continues through early 2002.
Cite This Page: | <urn:uuid:3119e9ee-b722-4ee7-840e-c0b3461f6b3d> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/04/990419094755.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189090.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00489-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941548 | 536 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Tiny invertebrates known as water bears are in one sense far tougher than humans who can crush hundreds of them underfoot: A new study has shown that the water bears can survive the vacuum and radiation of space. The water bears, who are more properly known as tardigrades, were launched into orbit aboard a European Space Agency satellite, where they were exposed for 10 days to the cold, low pressure, and intense radiation of space before being brought back down to Earth to study.
Researchers already knew that water bears were unusually tough critters. [T]hey prefer to spend their days in water, perhaps on a beach or a dewy patch of moss. But when the water dries up, the millimetre-long ‘bears’ can contract into a dried-out state and survive like that for years. They are also one of the few animals that survive year-round on continental Antarctica, and are among the most radiation-resistant animals known [Nature News].
The water bears were shot into space in their dried out state to increase their chance of survival. Upon their return to Earth, researchers rehydrated them and watched to see if they would spring back to life and reproduce normally. The cold, low pressure, and lack of oxygen had little impact on the water bears’ survival and reproduction, researchers found, but the animals that were exposed to the highest level of radiation did have a higher mortality rate. But a few of one species of tardigrade, Milnesium tardigradum, did manage to survive both the vacuum and extreme levels of solar radiation. This was surprising to the authors, given that solar radiation in outer space is more than 1,000 times higher than on the surface of the Earth [CBC].
The report, published in Current Biology [subscription required], adds further credibility to the water bears’ reputation as extremophiles–organisms that can tolerate extreme conditions. Before this experiment, only lichen and bacteria were known to be able to survive exposure to the combination of vacuum and space radiation. “No animal has survived open space before,” says developmental biologist Bob Goldstein of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was not affiliated with the study. “The finding that animals survived rehydration after 10 days in open space – and then produced viable embryos as well – is really remarkable” [New Scientist]. | <urn:uuid:55ebe914-1459-4218-a79b-eb2d4973c30c> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/09/08/tiny-invertebrates-survive-a-trip-through-the-vacuum-of-space/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189316.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00509-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977257 | 489 | 4.03125 | 4 |
March 18th, 2013, 03:25 PM
If i in list
I am trying to check whether the input matches either of the fruits in the list or '1'
It works (prints "Correct!" and exits) if I type in '1' and press enter. However, when I type in 'apples' (for example, or any other fruit) it doesn't work and the loop repeats asking "Enter a fruit:".
It obviously works when i replace
if fru in [fruits, '1']
But that's not how I want to write the code. I want the code to be as short as possible
if fru in fruits or fru=='1'
Here is my code -
Any help would be appreciated! I couldn't find "in" anywhere in Python docs, or maybe I didn't check them correctly. Just started with python yesterday hehe.
from sys import exit
fruits = ['apples','oranges','bananas','mangos','strawberries']
fru = raw_input("Enter a fruit: ")
if fru in [fruits, '1']:
March 18th, 2013, 04:22 PM
The first thing that comes to mind is to make them both sets and then check if '1' is in their union:
Alternatively, you could flatten the [fruits, '1'] list by calling into the compiler.ast module, and use that:
if fru in set(fruits) | set(['1']):
To be quite frank though, I feel that your original if statement is the ideal one:
from compiler.ast import flatten
if fru in flatten([fruits, '1']):
Keep in mind The Zen of Python, particularly "Explicit is better than implicit" and "Readability counts". In your original if statement, it's very clear to see what the conditions are; whereas in the other two, even if it does the check against only one list (or set), it takes a bit more thought to see what the conditions are and when it would be true/false.
if fru in fruits or fru=='1':
March 19th, 2013, 02:59 AM
Well sure, but it’s just as easy to use list concatenation:
Originally Posted by codergeek42
I have no idea where you got that compiler.ast thingy–seems not be present in my Python installations, nor is it documented in docs.python.org!
if fru in fruits + ['1']:
My armada: Debian GNU/Linux 8 (desktop, home laptop, work laptop), Raspbian GNU/Linux 8 (nameserver), Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS (HTPC), PC-BSD 10.2 (testbed), Android 4.2.1 (tablet)
March 19th, 2013, 03:44 AM
Thanks a lot for your help guys. That was really well elaborated
Gotta get play around with lists for a while
March 23rd, 2013, 02:50 PM
I forgot you could do that with lists...Derp. Thanks.
Originally Posted by SuperOscar
Hmm...that's odd. I did a quick Google search and found it mentioned on some other forums. On my Fedora system, it's part of the core install, so... | <urn:uuid:2c28e5e6-608a-49fc-a510-99aa314a229b> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://forums.devshed.com/python-programming/941982-list-last-post.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189316.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00509-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902461 | 708 | 2.765625 | 3 |
252 kms from Bangalore and 1525 m above sea level lies Madikeri, the district headquarters of Kodagu. Coorg or Kodagu (originally called Kodaimalenadu) means 'dense forest on steep hill'. Dubbed as the Scotland of India, this town has a lot to offer to the tourist. Misty hills, lush forest, acres and acres of tea and coffee plantation, orange groves, undulating streets and breathtaking views are what make Madikeri an unforgettable holiday destination.
Formerly known as Dwarasamudra, Halebid is also referred as the Gem of Indian Architecture. Once the capital of the Hoysala Empire after Belur, Halebid is famous for the remnants of the glorious Hoyasala period and has one of the finest Hoysala temples.
Coorg is on the Western Ghats. Set amidst verdant valleys, imposing mountains and teak wood forests, this is one of the most beautiful hill stations you can visit. It lies on Karnataka's southwestern end, covering an area of 4,102 sq km.The river Cauvery originates here at Talacauvery and is worshipped by the locals.
The Kodagu district comprises different communities - Kodava, Tulu, Gowda, Moplah out of which the largest is the Kodava community, both economically and politically. The economy depends on agriculture, coffee plantations, foretry and tourism.
There are many versions behind the origin of the name Kodagu. According to the Puranas, Kodava is the redifned name of Krodhadesa, meaning 'Land of Anger', said to have been inhabited by the Kodava tribe. While for some, it is believed to hve been named after the River Cauveri, where 'kod' means 'give' and 'ava' means 'mother' - which means Cauvery is the 'mother to the people'. Few believe the name originated from the Kannada kudu which means 'dense forest' on a steep hill. It is said that the history of Coorg dates back to as early as 888 AD.
The kingdom was ruled by many dynasties, starting with Gangas of Talakad, Kadambas, Cholas, Kongalvas, Changalvas, Hoysalas and Nayakas. Information on its early history has come primarily from the various inscriptions on stone and copper plates of 9th - 10th century.
The Haleri dynasty was the last noteworthy dynasty to rule the whole of Kodagu. It came into power around mid-16th century and was founded by a young price from Ikkeri. It was the first dynasty in the history of Kodagu, whch spanned 234 years and ruled the entire region.
The construction of the Hoysaleswara Temple was completed in 1121 by King Vishnuvardhana. During the early 14th century, Halebidu was looted by Muslim invaders from Northern India, Malli Kafur (of the Delhi Sultanate), and the temple fell into a state of ruin and neglect. However, enough of the temple complex remains to showcase the greatness of the artistry of the site.
Sadly, while the Hoysala empire is very much part of Karnataka's historical consciousness and the sculpture and dancing of that era are still commemorated in the state, there is very little beyond the temples in Belur and Halebidu that remains in terms of the archaeological legacy of the Hoysala era.
Air: Mangalore is the nearest domestic airport, which is 168 km away and Bangalore is the nearest international airport, which is 222 km away. Taxi cab costs about Rs 2500 from Mangalore and Rs 3500 from Bangalore. Mangalore air terminal is connected to Bangalore and Chennai. Bangalore airport is well connected to almost all airports in India. International flights to major foreign cities are also operated from Bangalore.
Rail: The nearest railway station is Hassan, which is 27 km from Halebid. It takes about Rs 400 for taxi to reach Halebid from Hassan. Hassan is connected to many cities in Karnataka and neighboring states.
Road: Halebid is well connected by KSRTC bus services. It is connected to all major cities nearby, including Bangalore, which is 222 km away from Halebid. Private buses are available from Bangalore majestic bus station to Halebid, costing about Rs 600.
Halebid, the temple town in Karnataka is a must see place for the spiritual tourist. Shopping in Halebid can be fascinating for tourists looking for stone idols, sculptures and terracotta items. Hassan enroute to Belur is also a good place for shopping for curios, which are typical of the state of Karnataka.
Karnataka has a rich tradition of handicrafts and silk sarees, sandalwood, ivory brassware and wooden toys that you can buy in Bangalore from the government-sponsored emporia or from the numerous shopping malls in Bangalore.
The hotels in Halebid and Hassan cater to all categories of tourists, those belonging to the star category as well as the budget hotels. The hotels in Halebid include Karnataka Tourism's Mayura Santhala, Tourist Cottages of Department Of Tourism, Halebid and Traveller's Bungalow of PWD, Halebid.
Some of the prominent hotels in Hassan:
3 Star Hotels
Hotel Hassan Ashok
2 Star Hotels
Hotel Southern Star
Other Star Hotels
Hotel Suvarna Regency
Hoysala Village Resort | <urn:uuid:80eac445-83ad-4e87-a51d-e91db12e4e3d> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://indiaunveiled.in/location/halebid | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189316.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00509-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949153 | 1,142 | 2.71875 | 3 |