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Today’s post comes from friend and colleague Allana Leblanc, who recently published a systematic review examining whether active video games were associated with health benefits in children. The paper was published in PLOS ONE (the same folks who host our blog), and can be read in its entirety here. You can find out more about Allana at the bottom of this post.
It is well documented that children and youth around the world do not meet current physical activity guidelines, and spend the majority of their day engaged in sedentary pursuits. It is also well understood that poor lifestyle habits formed in childhood (like low levels of physical activity, and high sedentarism) are likely to follow an individual into adulthood and put them at a higher risk for numerous health problems (Type 2 diabetes! Heart disease! Poor mental health!).
Since thus far, researchers have had little success in dramatically increasing population level physical activity, they’ve turned to other (more sneaky) methods to get people more active. One such intervention is the use of active video games (AVGs), or screen-based activities that require increased PA to play the game compared to conventional sedentary, or passive, video games (you can see the definitions we used for each of these terms in Table 1). These have been around for a little while now (remember the Power Pad?), but really came into the spotlight with gaming giants like Nintendo and Microsoft developing active video game consoles.
Table 1: Relevant definitions
|Passive video game||An electronic or computerized game played seated by manipulating images on a video display or television screen, using a conventional gamepad controller (e.g. a conventional hand-held game).|
|Active video game||A video game that requires physical activity beyond that of a passive game (i.e. conventional hand-held games). Active video games rely on technology that tracks body movement or reaction for the game to progress.|
|Traditional physical activity||Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure without the use of an electronic gaming system or display device.|
As with other public health interventions, it’s important to determine if these active video games are actually effective in increasing health or physical activity levels. So we set out to do a systematic review to determine the relationship between active video games and health in children and youth. Specifically,
The objective of this systematic review is to present current evidence on the relationship between AVGs and several health and behavioural indicators in children and youth aged 0-17 years.
What we did
To determine what studies have been done, we did a comprehensive search of five different academic databases (you can see more details on this in the full article) looking for any study that examined the relationship between active video games, and a pre-determined health or behaviour indicator (these are all listed in Table 2, which is available here).
To guide our review, we used the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) framework, which is basically the international gold standard to guide systematic reviews. This ensures that as many decisions as possible are made a-priori to minimize any bias the authors may have.
What we found
After de-duplication, we ended up retrieving 1,243 articles related to active video games and health in children and youth. Of these, 51 studies (represented in 52 papers) met our inclusion criteria and were included in the final systematic review. See Figure 1 (see below, and available in full size here) for the PRISMA flow diagram for study inclusion and exclusion.
The health and behaviour indicators represented in the included studies were energy expenditure (n=35), adherence and appeal (n=18), opportunity cost (n=2), adiposity (n=9), cardiometabolic health indicators (n=3), energy intake (n=2), and learning and rehabilitation (n=9). We didn’t identify any studies looking at the relationship between active video games and adaptation, or evolution of video games (**idea for your next grant perhaps?! **). Many of the included studies looked at more than one indicator, and were presented as such in the manuscript. Because studies used such different methods (e.g., brand of gaming consoles, game type, playing time), we weren’t able to conduct a meta-analysis, therefore a qualitative synthesis was conducted for all included studies.
What we concluded
From the paper:
While controlled laboratory studies clearly demonstrate that a motivated player can obtain some light- to moderate-intensity PA from most AVGs, the findings are inconsistent about whether, or the circumstances under which, having an AVG results in sustained PA behaviour change, or for how long the behaviour change persists. Some of these games offer nuances on game play that could be related to increased PA or decreased sedentary behaviour. AVG technology is innovating at a rate that outpaces the related research. Higher quality research is needed that tests conceptual models of how different AVGs may relate to the initiation and maintenance of increased PA or decreased sedentary behaviour and understand their effects on health outcomes to resolve these inconsistencies.
Where we go from here
Other reviews in this area have shown similar results to ours in that some AVGs are able to acutely increase light- to moderate-intensity PA in some children and youth but unable to elicit PA of high enough intensity, or volume to enable children to meet physical activity guidelines. More high quality, robustly designed and well powered studies are needed comparing AVGs to traditional PA (not just to rest or other sedentary games); comparing different types of video game consoles; measuring energy intake while playing AVGs (compared to a variety of both active and sedentary behaviours); assessing AVG use in limited areas that may be unsafe; assessing the ability of AVGs to displace sedentary time; examining the opportunity cost of AVGs (i.e., both time and financial considerations); and assessing behavioural compensation throughout the entire day.
Further, as Travis mentioned in an earlier post, Active Healthy Kids Canada (who helped fund this work), released a position stand on active video games back in November. The position stand, as well as supporting material, can be accessed here.
In my opinion (full disclosure, I’m not a fan of video games/active video games/television etc.), as of right now, I don’t think active video games are the panacea for childhood inactivity/sedentarism. Yes they can be super fun, and yes mastering Dance Dance Revolution is an awesome party trick, but, in my opinion, they don’t provide enough sustained activity, and we shouldn’t view them as a replacement for more traditional sports/activities. Further, what kind of life skill are you teaching your children when they can master the wrist flick needed in Wii tennis? Amirite?!
About the Author: Allana LeBlanc is a Clinical Exercise Specialist, a Certified Exercise Physiologist, a Physical Activity in Health Specialist and a PhD student in Population Health at the University of Ottawa. She is the lead author on the systematic review on active video games and health in children and youth, and a frequent guest poster at Obesity Panacea. You can find a list of all her guest posts here.
- WHO. (2010) Global recommendations on physical activity for health. Geneva: World Health Organization.
- Hallal PC, Anderson LB, Bull FC, Guthold R, Haskell W, et al. (2012) Global physical activity levels: surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. The Lancet S20-30
- Tremblay MS, LeBlanc AG, Kho ME, Saunders TJ, Larouche R, et al. (2011) Systematic review of sedentary behaviour and health indicators in school-aged children and youth. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 8:98.
- Peng W, Lin JH, Crouse J. (2011) Is playing exergames really exercising? A meta-analysis of energy expenditure in active video games. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw 14:681-8.
- Peng W, Crouse JC, Lin JH. (2013) Using active video games for physical activity promotion: a systematic review of the current state of research. Health Educ Behav 40:171-92.
- Daley AJ. (2009) Can exergaming contribute to improving physical activity levels and health outcomes in children? Pediatrics 124. | <urn:uuid:8039ba7d-1ab4-411c-b624-df89a97fc4a7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blogs.plos.org/obesitypanacea/2013/07/10/do-active-video-games-make-kids-more-active/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00008-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932747 | 1,732 | 3.40625 | 3 |
1. Describe Flan and Ouisa at the beginning of the play.
Flan and Ouisa - two wealthy and fashionable New Yorkers - are completely flummoxed at the beginning of the play. Something dreadful has happened in their condo, and they frantically argue back and forth about their safety. Their dialogue is borderline incomprehensible in many respects.
2. During the opening moments of the play, what do Ouisa and Flan do onstage?
In the first moments of Act 1, Flan and Ouisa try to calm each other down after some traumatic moment in their condo. They search the rooms to make sure that all of their valuables are still in place.
3. Why is the dinner with Geoffrey so important to the Kittredges?
Geoffrey is a very wealthy man, and Flan is a private art dealer who is trying to amass funds for a Cezanne sale. Though Geoffrey is a good friend, both Flan and Ouisa need his financial help, making the dinner a touchy affair.
This section contains 3,285 words
(approx. 11 pages at 300 words per page) | <urn:uuid:4803c0a9-dc2e-4a58-a70e-5490e4090cc5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/sixdegreesseparation/shortessaykey.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400572.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00159-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950153 | 230 | 2.53125 | 3 |
What is Storytime?
Storytime is an opportunity for parents to introduce their children to reading and language in a fun way. At Storytime, children have an opportunity to do activities that promote development and learning. All programs are designed for parents to participate with their children.
The Library offers three types of Storytime:
Preschool, Lapsit, and Family.
Children of all ages are welcome to any of our Storytimes. Please be aware content and extension activities are tailored to specific age groups and may be above or below a child's level. During winter, spring, and fall a short craft time follows Preschool Storytime.
The Library welcomes schools, daycares, and other groups. Arrangements for these visits need to be made in advance, by contacting Andrew Davis, Children's Librarian,
at 781-7805. ext. 111 or firstname.lastname@example.org
Guidelines for Storytime
- Be playful: Please join in and show your child that storytime is fun. The time to visit with other adults is before or after storytime.
- Distractions: Arriving late is sometimes impossible to avoid, but please enter the room with as little disruption as possible.
Toys and food should be put away, and phones should be turned off or set on vibrate.
- Those bad days: Remember, we all have bad days. If your child becomes upset, please step out of the room to "regroup," then quietly return.
- Those insecure days: Please be patient with your child if he or she wants to observe instead of joining in. We completely understand that for some children this will be their first group experience in the library, and that it may take a few visits for them to feel comfortable.
- Bring books home too: An important part of the storytime experience for children is checking out books to read or share at home.
- Group visits: Our storytimes are designed for parents and children; arrangements for school, daycare, or other group visits larger than five need to be made in advance. | <urn:uuid:7d2cda8f-60d5-4713-a809-818ff6c22bad> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bgpl.lib.in.us/Services/ChildrensDepartment/StoryTime/tabid/552/Default.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00146-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956571 | 432 | 3.375 | 3 |
The Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) on the Galileo spacecraft imaged Io at high spectral resolution at a range of 439,000 km (275,000 miles) during the G2 encounter on 7 September 1996. This image shows (on the right) Io as seen in the infrared by NIMS. The image on the left shows the same view from Voyager in 1979. This NIMS image can be compared to the NIMS images from the G1 orbit (June 1996) to monitor changes on Io. The NIMS image is at 4.9 microns, showing thermal emissions from the hotspots. The brightness of the pixels is a function of size and temperature.
At least 10 hotspots have been identified and can be matched with surface features. An accurate determination of the position of the hotspot in the vicinity of Shamash Patera is pending. Hotspots are seen in the vicinity of Prometheus, Volund and Marduk, all sites of volcanic plume activity during the Galileo encounters, and also of active plumes in 1979. Temperatures and areas have been calculated for the hotspots shown. Temperatures range from 828 K (1031 F) to 210 K (- 81.4 F). The lowest temperature is significantly higher than the Io background (non-hotspot) surface temperature of about 100 K (-279 F). Hotspot areas range from 6.5 square km (2.5 sq miles) to 40,000 sq km (15,400 sq miles). The hottest hotspots have smallest areas, and the cooler hotspots have the largest areas. NIMS is continuing to observe Io to monitor volcanic activity throughout the Galileo mission.
The Galileo mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.
This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo. | <urn:uuid:5d897291-c9cd-4cc5-aa9c-6c848f5bafcf> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00520 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402516.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00099-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909107 | 418 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Educational Programming Video
The Value Line Investment Survey
Program 8: Trailing/Median Price/Earnings Ratios
In this lesson, we're going to continue our discussion of Price/Earnings Ratios. In the last session, we discussed the basic information about the P/E Ratio shown at the top of each Value Line page. We will now focus on Trailing and Median P/Es.
To briefly review, all P/E Ratios are calculated by dividing the price of a stock by 12 months of earnings per share of the same stock. The price used in the calculation is almost always the most recent one, but depending on the source, the 12 months of earnings can differ, sometimes substantially.
The P/E Ratio at the top of the Value Line page is calculated by dividing the recent price of the stock by the most recent six months earnings per share plus the projected earnings per share for the coming six months. The Value Line calculation is a somewhat unique one, in that it partly uses actually reported historical earnings and partly uses projected earnings. It is also unique because the earnings Value Line reports for companies are "normalized," that is, they exclude non-recurring, one-time gains and losses. Value Line has long excluded unusual windfalls or charges from company earnings, and we believe that by doing so, we present an earnings picture that is most useful for an investor. We will further discuss "normalized" earnings in a future session.
Now for the Trailing Price/Earnings Ratio. On the top of each Value Line page, we show a Trailing P/E. This Trailing P/E is calculated by dividing the recent stock price of a stock by the last 12 months of reported earnings per share. There are no earnings estimates involved, just actually reported earnings per share for the past 12 months. The Trailing P/E is the P/E Ratio shown in most newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. It is also in Barron's.
The Trailing P/E Ratio is widely used because trailing historical earnings are the only earnings the newspapers have. Unlike Value Line or the larger securities brokerage firms, they don't have analysts, and they don't try to estimate earnings. They also don't have analysts or statisticians to determine which items in a company's income statement are unusual, or one-time, and should be excluded. They simply gather earnings reports as companies issue them, and then calculate a company's past 12 month's earnings.
Because of the different methods of calculation, the P/E shown in Value Line may differ considerably from the one shown in the newspaper. That will be particularly true if the Value Line earnings figure excluded unusual, large one-time gains or losses. It is also true if a company's earnings are expected to rise or fall considerably in the next six months. In the latter case, the Value Line P/E would reflect the expected rise or fall in earnings, while the newspaper's P/E wouldn't.
Which is better? Value Line's P/E or the newspaper's P/E. We think our P/E is because it does include an earnings forecast, and we suggest you use it. But the important thing is that when you are comparing the P/E of one stock with the P/E of another stock, you use the same source. Compare the P/E of one stock in Value Line with the P/E of another stock in Value Line. Compare the P/E of one stock in a newspaper with the P/E of another stock in the same newspaper. Don't compare the Value Line P/E with the newspaper's P/E; they will often not be comparable.
Now for the Median P/E, which is also shown at the very top of the Value Line page. The Median P/E is a rounded average of the middle values of a range of the annual price/earnings ratios over the past ten years. The statistic is designed to give investors an easy-to-understand "typical" P/E of a stock over the past 10 years. By comparing the current P/E Ratio with the Median P/E, the investor can quickly see how the current P/E compares with the stock's historical P/E and can tell if the current P/E is higher, lower, or about the same as the average P/E in the past. Investors often look at these two P/Es to try to determine if a stock is currently overpriced or underpriced on an historical basis.
We do offer a word of caution, however, about placing too much emphasis on the Median P/E. The booming stock market in the past decade has increased the P/Es of many stocks, often to levels well above anything ever seen in the past. This is particularly true of many of the largest capitalization stocks (General Electric being a good example) as well as of those associated with new technology and communications businesses. It is quite possible that the P/Es of some of these stocks will remain at historically high levels and not retreat to the historical norm.
Whether a stock's P/E will move up or down is something that you will have to decide for yourself. However, Value Line does provide guidance by providing our analyst's P/E forecast in the far right column of the Statistical Array in the center of each report.
We have a lot more to discuss about Price/Earnings Ratios. We hope you learned something today. In the next session, we will discuss Relative P/E Ratios.
Factual material is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results of actions taken based on information contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities or to give individual investment advice. © 2016 Value Line Publishing, Inc. RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION ARE RESERVED TO THE PUBLISHER. The Publisher does not give investment advice or act as an investment adviser. Value Line, Inc., its subsidiaries, its parent corporation and its subsidiaries, and their officers, directors or employees as well as certain investment companies or investment advisory accounts for which Value Line, Inc. acts as investment advisor, may own stocks that are mentioned on this Value Line Web site. | <urn:uuid:b1c1f5a9-8347-4afb-b567-3549a9d7e84f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www3.valueline.com/video/edu/eduvlis08.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00077-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957381 | 1,304 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Notes & Comments – The Status of Jesus Christ(as)No Comments | December 2011
Christmas Day is a holiday in the Western world observed to commemorate the birth of Jesus(as). Jesus Christ(as) is amongst the best known and most influential historical figures and yet there exist diametrically opposed interpretations of his status and message. The views range from the Orthodox Catholic belief that Jesus Christ(as) is part of a Divine Trinity and pre-existed before his birth on Earth to the belief that no such historical figure as Jesus Christ(as) existed at all and his story is pure myth.1
Despite so much being written about Jesus Christ(as), we still know little about him and his life. In recent times there has been an increasing number of scholars taking the stance that the historical figure of Jesus Christ(as) and the religious figure of Jesus Christ portrayed by the Catholic Church have very little in common.
One such scholar is Dr James Tabor, Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina. In his book, The Jesus Dynasty, he analysed in great depth the historical facts surrounding the life of Jesus Christ. In his conclusion, Dr Tabor wrote:
‘There are some rather striking connections between the research I have presented in The Jesus Dynasty and the traditional beliefs of Islam. The Muslim emphasis on Jesus as a messianic prophet that we find in the Q source, in the book of James, and in the Didache…there is little about the views of Jesus presented in this book that conflicts with Islam’s basic perception.’2
The Qur’anic teaching on the person of Jesus Christ(as) is very clear and specific. Numerous verses specifically emphasise the human nature of Jesus Christ(as) and deny claims he was in any literal way the ‘Son of God’.3
Analysis of the sayings of Jesus Christ(as) in the Bible are often overly complicated with sayings in the four Gospels compared, different codices talked about and further analysis done in the original Greek text. One area of complexity for those studying the Bible is the sheer number of available translations. For example YouVersion, the #1 rated Bible application for mobile phones, offers 26 different versions and renderings of the same text in to English. Some of these translations are hundreds of years old, such as the popular King James Version, while others are new translations written within the last decade. A reader can often get lost in technicalities when in fact reading some passages with a simple and fresh perspective can render their message as clear as day. Jesus(as) did not teach that he had a unique lofty position, but taught that his disciples could perform the same miracles as he and reach the same status he had reached.4,5
When someone praised him and referred to him as ‘good’, as recorded in the Gospel of Mark, he was quick to point out that he was not worthy of this praise and that ‘No one is good but God alone.’6 When asked what was the greatest commandment he did not talk about belief in him or belief in his prophesised Resurrection, but simply stated the greatest commandment was that ‘the Lord our God, the Lord is one’.7
When talking about John the Baptist, the forerunner to the Messiah and second coming of Elijah, he highlighted his lofty status and clearly declared that among humans ‘no one has arisen greater’ than John.8sup>
When accused of blasphemy his eloquent answer, according to the Gospel of John, was to highlight that the figurative language he was using already existed in the scripture and that was applicable to us all.9 Jesus(as) was here referring to the following quote from Psalms that described all of us as children of God.
I say, ‘You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you… (Psalms 82:6)
This view of a humble and subservient Jesus(as) is fully in keeping with the picture of Jesus(as) we are given at the Crucifixion. He was willing to give up his life for the sake of his Lord, with full faith that God would deliver him from an ignominious death on the cross.
Again, it is only the Holy Qur’an that has explicitly highlighted this wonderful truth about God’s favour on Jesus Christ(as); of not only saving him from an accursed death, 10 but then elevating him greatly in stature as a successful prophet who continued his mission in foreign lands for many years until his last breath.
Our readers are invited to explore the Islamic perspective on Jesus Christ(as) and be assured that it will lead to a brand new love and respect for him as mortal human being whose faith in God elevated him to the station of Messiah.
Arif Khan, a special contributor to The Review of Religions, is Editor of the Tomb of Jesus website
- This viewpoint was brought to masses via the The Jesus Mysteries by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy. This book was a Sunday Times bestseller and The Daily Telegraph’s Book of the Year, when published back in 1999
- Tabor, Dr James, The Jesus Dynasty, Harper Collins Publishers Limited, London, 2006, p.287
- Holy Qur’an Ch.2:V.117
- Luke 6:40
- John 14:12
- Mark 10: 17-18
- Mark 12: 28-30
- Matthew 11:11
- John 10:34
- Holy Qur’an – Ch.4:Vs.158-159 | <urn:uuid:d9a23149-2961-4ada-90be-8ab1470324d3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.reviewofreligions.org/5309/notes-comments-the-status-of-jesus-christas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00179-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968964 | 1,162 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Shortraker rockfish (Sebastes borealis) is an offshore, demersal species distributed from the southeastern Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, to Fort Bragg, California. It attains lengths greater than one meter (>39 inches) and weights to 20 kg (44 pounds). In the Gulf of Alaska, shortraker rockfish are sampled annually during longline surveys and are most abundant between depths of 300–400 metres (980–1,300 ft).
Commercial harvesting in the Gulf of Alaska began in the early 1960's when foreign trawl fleets were targeting more abundant. In recent years, high catch rates indicate that the domestic trawl fleet targets this species; shortraker rockfish comprised 14.9% of the species composition of slope rockfish harvested in 1990, although trawl survey data indicates they comprised only 2.5% of the biomass.
In 1991, catch limits were established for shortraker rockfish to prevent overharvesting of this species in the Gulf of Alaska. Catch limits are based on biomass estimates derived from bottom trawl catch rates. These biomass estimates are questionable, however, because the catch efficiency of bottom trawls on shortrakers is unknown. Fishermen report that shortrakers school off-bottom and above rugged habitat in steep-slope areas where bottom trawls cannot sample effectively.
In 2007 fishermen caught a specimen that was estimated to be between 90 and 115 years old. It was caught south of the Pribilof Islands at an estimated depth of 2,100 feet (640 m). The oldest recorded shortraker caught was 157 years old.
- ^ Kramer and O'Connell, 1986)
- ^ Sebastes spp
- ^ Heifetz and Clausen, 1991)
- ^ Encyclopedia.com
- ^ Century-old fish found off Alaska BBC News, 2007-04-06. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
- ^ Photo in the News: Century-Old Fish Caught in Alaska National Geographic, 2007-04-06. Retrieved 2007-04-07
- ^ Joling, Dan (2007-04-06). "Fishermen catch big, old Alaska rockfish" (in english). Yahoo! News (Yahoo! Inc.). Archived from the original on 2007-04-08. http://web.archive.org/web/20070408035926/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070406/ap_on_sc/big_rockfish_1. Retrieved 2007-04-09. | <urn:uuid:87671509-a5d6-4137-a571-b7cae47e9c91> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://eol.org/data_objects/17589535 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00025-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.897857 | 528 | 2.828125 | 3 |
In this tutorial, we will walk through some of the basic Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) commands you will need to manage files on HDFS.
1.) Open your vi editor with the following command:
Note: You can create any text file with data you want or you can follow the example. You could also download text file.
2.) In vi, press
i to insert text. Copy and paste the following data into the text file:
Rank Male Female 1 Noah Emma 2 Liam Olivia 3 Mason Sophia 4 Jacob Isabella 5 William Ava 6 Ethan Mia 7 Michael Emily 8 Alexander Abigail 9 James Madison 10 Daniel Charlotte
esc button and
:wq to save and quit the vi.
popularNames.txt in the example above is located in
Let’s learn by writing the syntax. You will be able to copy and paste the following example commands into your terminal:
# Usage: # hadoop fs -mkdir <paths> # Example: hadoop fs -mkdir /user/hadoop hadoop fs -mkdir /user/hadoop/dir1 /user/hadoop/dir2 /user/hadoop/dir3
# Usage: # hadoop fs -put <local-src> ... <HDFS_dest_path> # Example: hadoop fs -put popularNames.txt /user/hadoop/dir1/popularNames.txt
# Usage: # hadoop fs -ls <args> # Example: hadoop fs -ls /user/hadoop hadoop fs -ls /user/hadoop/dir1 hadoop fs -ls /user/hadoop/dir1/popularNames.txt
# Usage: # hadoop fs -du URI # Example: hadoop fs -du /user/hadoop/ /user/hadoop/dir1/popularNames.txt
# Usage: # hadoop fs -get <hdfs_src> <localdst> # Example: hadoop fs -get /user/hadoop/dir1/popularNames.txt /home/
# Usage: # hadoop fs -getmerge <src> <localdst> [addnl] # Option: # addnl: can be set to enable adding a newline on end of each file # Example: hadoop fs -getmerge /user/hadoop/dir1/ ./popularNamesV2.txt
Copies all files from dir1 and stores them into popularNamesV2.txt
# Usage: # hadoop distcp <src-url> <dest-url> # Example: hadoop distcp /user/hadoop/dir1/ /user/hadoop/dir3/
distcp: copies dir1 and all its contents to dir3
Visual result of distcp operation’s aftermath, dir1 gets copied to dir3
Help command opens the list of commands supported by Hadoop Data File System (HDFS)
# Example: hadoop fs -help
Hope this short tutorial was useful to get the basics of file management.
Congratulations! We just learned to use commands to manage our files in HDFS. We know how to create, upload and list the the contents in our directories. We also acquired the skills to download files from HDFS to our local file system and explored a few advanced features of the command line.
If you need help or have questions with this tutorial, please first check HCC for existing Answers to questions on this tutorial using the Find Answers button. If you don’t find your answer you can post a new HCC question for this tutorial using the Ask Questions button.
Tutorial Q&A and Reporting Issues
If you need help or have questions with this tutorial, please first check
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Tutorial Name: Using the Command Line to Manage Files on HDFS
HCC Tutorial Tag: tutorial-120 and hdp-2.4.0
If the tutorial has multiple labs please indicate which lab your question corresponds to. Please provide any feedback related to that lab.
All Hortonworks, partner and community tutorials are posted in the Hortonworks github and can be | <urn:uuid:ecc76507-e6df-421a-8b7a-37683f961ff6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://hortonworks.com/hadoop-tutorial/using-commandline-manage-files-hdfs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400031.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00143-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.737646 | 892 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Scottish descendants have easy access to more resources and records than ever before. Here's how to look past the plaid and get started finding your real Scottish ancestors.
Kilt-clad Highlanders have long held our attention when it comes to imagining Scottish culture. Alas, most actual Scottish immigrants to these shores were less colorful Lowland Scots. But Lowlander, Highlander or Scots-Irish, they came in droves: Between 1820 and World War I, more than 2 million Scots immigrated to North America, comparable to Ireland and Norway in percentage of the country's population that emigrated.
A few at the top of the economic ladder came to North America just as their poorer countrymen did, but most immigrants left Scotland for economic reasons. A few left for religious reasons, such as Scottish Quakers who left in the 1680s to avoid persecution. These Quakers came to east New Jersey and the Delaware Valley. At the same time, a group of Scottish Presbyterians tried to establish a Presbyterian colony in South Carolina. Sometimes there were both religious and economic motives. Furthermore, some of your immigrant ancestors did not come by choice: Many Scots came as prisoners under Oliver Cromwell, or as a result of the Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745. Sometimes Scottish prisons were cleared and convicts shipped to the American colonies. Occasionally women and children were even kidnapped to serve as colonial laborers.
Some Scots in the British Army chose to stay in the Mohawk Valley area as landowners rather than return to Scotland following the French and Indian War. They later brought their families from Scotland. Whatever the reason for leaving Scotland, all immigrants left the only lives they had known and came to their new countries with hope for a brighter future. | <urn:uuid:b7268e05-0d85-4d5a-b3de-f7fb211f5ed7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/great-scot | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396949.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00092-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972509 | 351 | 3.859375 | 4 |
Regional InitiativesThe institutional arrangements to facilitate and co-ordinate regional actions on environment and development include subregional organizations such as the Arab Magreb Union (AMU); the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control (CILSS); the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), formerly known as the Inter-governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD); and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
High-level regional forums have also been established to formulate regional policies and programmes dealing with environment and sustainable development issues. These forums include the African Ministerial Conferences on the Environment (AMCEN), established under the auspices of UNEP in 1985; the African Economic Community (AEC), established within the framework of the OAU and the Abuja Treaty in June 1992; and the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE), established as the special body of the League of Arab States, consisting of 11 North African States and 12 West Asian States. Under CAMRE, a Joint Committee on Environment and Development in the Arab Region (JCEDAR) was established in 1993 to facilitate co-ordination and co-operation among member states (CEDARE, personal communication, 1996).
In various regional forums of African Government leaders, priority actions have been identified in order to achieve progress towards sustainable development. At the Earth Summit in 1992, the Africa region, through the OAU, submitted a comprehensive report entitled the African Common Position on Environment and Development as its contribution to Agenda 21. This report clearly addresses the regional constraints, concerns, and opportunities for sustainable development. Some of the most important programmes for action developed since Rio include:
In 1996, the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative on Africa was launched to reinforce previous United Nations initiatives, such as the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development (UN-PAAERD) and its successor, the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa (UN-NADAF) in the 1990s. The System-wide Special Initiative reflects the priorities enunciated by Africa's leaders and was formulated in consultation with African leaders. The challenges of the Initiative are twofold: to carry out the best supportive actions congruent with Africa's priorities to stimulate development, and to mobilize international political support for action to remove some of the obstacles to Africa's development.
It is recognized in the African region that conflicts present a grave threat to environmental security. The impacts of conflicts are more openly discussed these days, and the importance of developing institutional structures and mechanisms to manage them is recognized. Examples of this are the OAU mechanism for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts and the wide range of civil society organizations engaged in conflict management efforts (UNDP, 1996).
In addition to the initiatives at the political level, collaboration with and participation of NGOs, women's and youth organizations, and the private sector are considered important for environmental protection and sustainable development. The creation of an enabling environment for the implementation of relevant actions in Africa involves the full democratization of political systems and the decision-making process, as detailed in the African Charter for Popular Participation in Development Transformation (UNECA, 1993).
Examples of regional NGOs active in strengthening regional co-operation and co-ordination in the field of environment include the Network for Environment and Sustainable Development for Africa (NESDA) and CEDARE. NESDA was established to bring together African experts, public-and private-sector institutions, and NGOs involved in sustainable development initiatives. It provides, among other things, expertise for capacity development and for environmental information. CEDARE was established in 1992 as an independent, non-profit organization to assist member countries in building capacity to enhance environmental management and to accelerate development. It has five priority programmes: freshwater resources, land, urbanization and human settlements, marine and coastal management, and industrialization. It also operates an active Information Service Unit.
Several sectoral action programmes have been developed and are implemented under regional environmental initiatives to enhance the implementation of global environmental conventions. For example, in combatting land degradation, implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is of prime importance to Africa, and one of the key initiatives of the region to implement the convention is the International Convention to Combat Desertification and Urgent Action for Africa. Most African countries have signed the Convention, although ratification has been very slow. Even more important in terms of an action-oriented common framework is the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) programme, which was prepared by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with the full participation of African ministries of agriculture and African experts and approved at an international level by the Rio conference in Agenda 21.
Regional co-operation in the field of land degradation has also been strengthened either directly through subregional institutions such as IGAD (see Box 3.7), SADC, and CILSS, and the African Development Bank (ADB), or indirectly through the institutes for applied research within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (UNEP, 1996). For example, under SADC, the Environment and Land Management Sector (ELMS) has developed an environ- ment and sustainable development policy and strategy that deals with land degradation issues, and the Southern African Centre for Cooperation in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research (SACCAR) and Training, established in 1984, co-ordinates and promotes co-operation in agricultural research and natural resources and training activities. The World Bank has also reinforced its activities on some of the major causes of land degradation and low food production growth (such as water, soil fertility, and technologies) (UNEP, 1996).
Other examples of regional activities on land issues include the Desert Margins Initiative (DMI) for Sub-Saharan Africa, a project in its early stages led by a consortium of six research centres within the CGIAR, UNEP, and other international, regional, and national institutes, and coordinated by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). The main aim of the project is to address problems of food security, poverty, and the sustainable management of natural resources and to promote innovative and action-oriented dryland management research to arrest land degradation in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative will first be implemented in the affected areas of Botswana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, Namibia, and Niger (Sivakumar and Willis, 1995).
The AMCEN also has a special role in the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification, through its Committee on Deserts and Arid Lands (ADALCO). In Zimbabwe, for example, it initiated five pilot projects in 1995 that address desertification problems through improved land management practices (IMERCSA, personal communication, 1996). In 1994, African NGOs established an international network on desertification-Reseau International ONG sur Desertification (RIOD)-including community-based organizations. RIOD will promote action to combat desertification and will give community-based organizations and NGOs an effective role in the preparation, implementation, and review of national action programmes (Mpande, 1995).
An important regional agreement that deals with hazardous waste problems in Africa is the 1991 Bamako Convention on the Banning of Transboundary Movement of Toxic Waste. Importation of any hazardous wastes into Africa is outlawed under the Convention. Twenty-two countries are signatories and at least 10 countries are Parties to the Convention.
IGAD Experience in Implementing Its Programmes
The Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), comprises presently Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda and has its seat in Djibouti. Most of the subregion is arid and semi-arid, and can be characterized by a vulnerable ecosystem with recurrent drought and rainfall variability both in space and time. IGAD was created to co-ordinate efforts of Member States in controlling drought and desertification. IGAD focuses on food security, the proper management of the environment, and desertification problems. A substantial number of programmes and projects were identified and developed through a consultative process with the Member States and donors.
Successful implementation of projects was mainly in the food security sector. One of the major projects in the sector, implemented with funds from Italy, was the Early Warning and Food Information System (EWFIS) with a Remote Sensing component. The project has created national early warning units, trained manpower, and developed standard methodologies and software, databases and networking both at subregional and national levels except in Djibouti.
The major constraints faced in implementing the agreed programmes and projects include the following:
A Special Summit of the Heads of State and Government of IGAD was held on 21 March 1996, to deliberate on the revitalization of IGAD and other matters of interest to the subregion. The Summit approved extensive amendments to the 1986 Agreement establishing IGAD. The amendments included changes to the organizational structures as well as the strengthening of programmes. The meetings of the Council of Ministers and Technical Experts decided on the new priority areas of IGAD (Food Security and Environment, Infrastructure Development and Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution) and a package of projects in the priority areas. A total of 31 projects selected from 105 subregional projects proposed by the Member States was submitted to the international community for consideration, three in the area of Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, and Humanitarian Affairs; 15 in the Infrastructure Development, and 13 in the Food Security and Environment Protection area.
The international community deliberated on the proj-ect profiles and expressed support noting the need for improved donor coordination and harmonization and the need for an improved mechanism for IGAD's cooperation with donors. The priority project profiles were presented to donors at the launching of the revitalized IGAD in November 1996.
UNEP. 1996. Report of the Regional Consultations held for the first Global Environment Outlook. UNEP. Nairobi.
|In the field of drought monitoring and early warning, as well as of climate in general, regional initiatives include the establishment of a Climatology Network under AMCEN to provide a framework for action on issues related to climate. In light of the climate-related disasters experienced in the African region, it has become important, especially for countries affected by drought, to adopt policies and programmes to minimize the impacts of these disasters. As a part of the Climatology Network and under the World Climate Impacts and Response Strategies Programme (WCIRP), UNEP established a Climate Impacts and Response Strategy Network for Africa (CIRSNet/Africa) to share information and experiences to facilitate the development and implementation of climate-related activities, particularly climate change-related activities in the region. In addition, the need for strengthening early warning systems for floods and droughts through existing institutions dealing with climate-related issues, such as Agrymet, African Centre for Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD), and subregional drought monitoring centres (for example, in Harare and Nairobi) is recognized (UNEP, 1996).|
Research activities are particularly strong on land degradation issues. These include the FAO Programme of Action for Africa initiated in 1986, targeting soil conservation techniques, communal grazing, fuelwood problems, and conservation-based resource development; Agroforestry Research Networks for Africa promoting, in collaboration with the International Council for Research on Agroforestry (ICRAF), research on soil fertility conservation; the four ICRISAT centres in Africa, specializing in drought-tolerant crop research; and the FAO Erosion-Productivity Research Network, looking at the link between land degradation and crop yields (Stocking, 1992).
In Africa, there is growing recognition that indigenous knowledge and systems make a valuable contribution to land and agricultural systems as well as other natural resource management, and these are increasingly being applied (IMERCSA, personal communication, 1996). For example, with regard to forestry, SADC has initiated a project on community-based management of indigenous forests to enable village communities in southern Africa to manage the surrounding natural forests in a sustainable way and to create income-generating activities through the sustainable use of wood and non-wood forest products (SADC-IFFWS, 1996).
Africa's strategy on biological diversity is clearly stipulated in the African Common Perspective and Position of the Convention on Biological Diversity (AMCEN, 1994). Policy directions emphasized for regional-level action are in the field of human resource and institutional capacity development:
In southern Africa, the SADC Plant Genetic Resource Centre (SPGRC), an autonomous regional organization, collects, conserves, documents, evaluates, and uses regional plant germplasm as part of Southern Africa's efforts to conserve biodiversity (IMERCSA, personal communication, 1996). A Seed Bank of the SPGRC was recently established, based in Lusaka. Another regional policy that provides a concrete basis for enforcing measures to protect biological diversity and to implement the Convention on International Trade Endangered Species (CITES) is the Lusaka Agreement of 1994. This was reached after the African States realized the wide scope for illegal trade in precious fauna and flora, resulting in large-scale poaching and depletion of the continent's biological diversity to a level that is gravely prejudicial to sustainable development. The agreement was signed by Kenya, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia, which are establishing a Task Force to investigate and fight the lucrative business of poaching and smuggling (IMERCSA, personal communication, 1996).
Actions are also being taken at subregional levels in the management and use of international waters and their basins. Only a few international river basins have been managed effectively through co-operation among riparian countries. One example of an important initiative is the Nile Basin Action Plan, which has five main components (integrated water resources planning and management; capacity building; training and assessment; regional co-operation, including harmonization of legislation and joint projects; and environmental protection and enhancement) and which promotes a comprehensive and co-operative framework for the basin. Another is the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses Systems negotiated by 11 of the 12 members of SADC and signed so far by nine countries. Member states are also working on establishing an SADC Water Sector, an intergovernmental organization whose responsibilities will include planning water issues (IMERCSA, personal communication, 1996; World Bank, 1996).
The FRIEND project of southern Africa is a well-functioning network of professional hydrologists and water resources institutions sharing hydrological information for effective water resources management (World Bank, 1996). Action plans for co-operation also exist for the Zambezi River Basin, Lake Chad Basin, and the Okavango (IMERCSA, personal communication, 1996).
While most countries have developed their own energy policies, regional co-operation in the energy sector is being developed through the creation of an African Energy Commission at the Ministerial level backed by the ADB, ECA, and OAU, with a goal to harmonize and co-ordinate the development of the energy sector in the region (UNEP, 1996). There are also ongoing activities to develop hydroelectric power for common river basins through regional co-operation. Examples are the Gambia, Mano, Niger, Nile, Senegal, and Zambezi rivers.
The policy direction of Africa is to promote environmentally sound energy systems by ensuring that policies and policy instruments support and stimulate effective actions. These include developing and strengthening regional, subregional, and national legislative instruments on energy within the context of national environmental conservation programmes. Some of the most important issues to be addressed through regional policies and co-operation include reducing the pressure on natural vegetation cover through the development and use of alternative sources of energy; developing the energy potential of common river basins through systematic co-operation between riparian states to speed up sustainable development and economic integration, including regional electricity grids; using African fossil fuels and renewable energies on a sustainable basis through co-operation agreements between producer and non-producer countries; mobilizing both human and financial resources to develop the energy sector; and improving the efficiency of existing energy use (UNEP, 1996).
Some examples of regional initiatives on coastal and marine areas include the Regional Seas Programmes, such as for the West and Central African (WACAF) region and for the Eastern African (EAF) region; various agreements for management of coastal resources, such as the Eastern African Convention on the Protection of Coastal and Marine Environment and the Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission; and Technical Assistance programmes, such as the Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance Programme (METAP) and similar programmes under CEDARE and SARDC. Constraints on the implementation of these regional programmes include a lack of adequate financial resources; weak co-ordination, resulting in duplication of efforts and waste of scarce resources; and lack of incentives and commitments of countries to participate fully in regional initiatives or programmes. A key action to address the constraints is to develop mechanisms for mobilizing the financial resources.
There are also several co-ordinated efforts in regional information sharing. The major international players are CILSS, IGAD, SADC-ELMS, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (SSO), the United Nations Sahelian Office in UNDP (UNDP/UNSO), UNEP, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), the World Bank, and the World Resources Institute (WRI), along with bilateral donors such as the German and U.S. development assistance agencies (GTZ and USAID).
The World Bank Programme for Environmental Information Systems in sub-Saharan Africa aims to bring together the major players involved in setting up environmental information systems. WRI supports the use of environmental information in the development and implementation of policy through its Natural Resources Information Management Programme, which has three main components: institutional development; statistics, indicators, and digitial data for policy-makers; and information access through guides, directories, and electronic communications. WCMC has created a capacity-building programme to provide services that empower institutions and individuals to assess their own information needs, set their own priorities, and build their own information systems.
UNDP/UNSO actively supports countries to develop programmes on Environmental Information Systems. They, for example, support case studies to better understand technical problems hindering EIS development in Africa. UNITAR, together with the SSO, also aims to reinforce African capacities in the domain of Integrated Information Systems for Environment.
The Environmental and Natural Resources Information Network (ENRIN) Programme of UNEP focuses on institutional and policy frameworks for data and information management to support environmental assessment and reporting, as well as networking and standardization. It undertakes liaison and joint activities with all the players and programmes mentioned. The SADC region has established a Regional Environment Information System Programme, a process that has been co-ordinated by SADC's Environment and Land Management Sector with the support of GTZ, USAID, and UNEP.
In the CILSS and IGAD subregions, EIS programmes are under development. As a start, the status of EIS in the member states has been assessed. In northern Africa, CEDARE is helping countries create national EIS networks. These are to be co-ordinated into a regional EIS network that is organized into a distributed, integrated environmental information network that links databases located at various institutions in the region. The system will also carry out monitoring functions that support decision-making on regional and national scales. | <urn:uuid:325ca62e-a582-4b7f-9703-8fc51068cf5f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.unep.org/geo/geo1/ch/ch3_12.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00083-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928224 | 4,043 | 3.015625 | 3 |
What Does Science Really Say About Forskolin Supplements?
Forskolin is one of the most misunderstood dietary supplements in the world today.
If you listen to TV doctors like Dr. Oz, then forskolin was handcrafted by the gods and can cure you of everything from diabetes to obesity.
If you listen to real science, then the story is different.
Today, we’re providing a science-based review of everything you need to know about forskolin supplements.
What is Forskolin?
Forskolin is a chemical compound found in the roots of a plant called the Coleus forskohlii plant, also known as the Indian Coleus plant.
The Indian Coleus plant is a type of herb. The chemical compound forskolin is extracted from the roots of that herb.
When you look at product packaging for forskolin supplements, you’ll see the terms Coleus forskohlii and forskolin used interchangeably.
Today, you can find forskolin extract supplements in virtually any health food store. Dr. Oz singlehandedly created a multimillion dollar forskolin supplement industry when he stumbled upon one small study (we’ll talk about that study below).
Typically, if you see a health supplement on the shelf with a label starting with “Fors”, then it’s a forskolin-based supplement.
History of Forskolin
Forskolin’s history is not well-known. The root extract was used in ancient Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine for hundreds of years.
Like most Ayurvedic treatments, forskolin wasn’t used to treat any specific illness: it was instead used to improve “general health and wellness”.
There is, however, some evidence that forskolin was used to treat certain specific conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system disorders.
How Does Forskolin Work?
Forskolin is thought to work by raising levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) by activating the enzyme adenylyl cyclase.
Why is raising cAMP levels important? cAMP plays a critical role in cell communications in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland axis, which thereby increase the feedback control of hormones.
When cAMP levels are raised, the body produces more of a specific enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase (and adenosine). This unique enzyme tells the body to burn fat.
At the same time, forskolin is also thought to work by stimulating the release of thyroid hormones, helping to burn fat and calories (see more about the interactions here).
If you don’t have a science degree, then here’s the basic version: forskolin signals your body to start producing more enzymes that burn fat. This, in turn, is thought to burn fat.
That sounds good, right? Read on to see if these results have ever been replicated.
Benefits of Forskolin (According to Dr. Oz)
Forskolin was famously called “lightning in a bottle” by Dr. Oz, who extensively praised the chemical compound for its “remarkable” weight loss properties. He called forskolin a “miracle flower to fight fat”. Although, as many websites clearly state, it is on the “pure forskolin” root extract that carries any real benefit.
As evidence for that claim, Dr. Oz brought a weight loss “expert” on the show who claimed that forskolin had single-handedly doubled weight loss results for her clients. That expert said that forskolin worked because “if your metabolism is sleeping, forskolin is gonna wake it up.”
Nevertheless, that weight loss expert stopped short of calling forskolin a miracle weight loss cure. She claimed it works well to complement an existing healthy diet and exercise routine.
Somewhere in between, there lies the truth about forskolin. Below, you’ll discover what science has to say about the unique herbal compound.
Benefits of Forskolin (According to Science)
Many people are surprised to learn that there have only been two studies on forskolin involving human beings over the years. That’s right: two studies. All of the wild claims made by Dr. Oz and his team are based on two studies (in fact, Dr. Oz only ever references one study when he’s talking about the benefits of forskolin.
2005 Study Shows Forskolin Does Not Lead to Weight Loss
The first major study on forskolin was a small preliminary study that involved just 30 men (15 obese men and 15 overweight men). The study lasted for 12 weeks and was published in Obesity Research in August, 2005.
For this study, participants took a forskolin extract supplement called ForsLean. That formula contains 10% forskohlii. Participants in the forskolin group took 500mg of ForsLean every day (separated into two doses).
Over the course of the randomized, placebo-controlled double blind trial of forskolin, researchers determined that the forskolin group “showed favorable changes in body composition”, including significant decreases in body fat percentage and fat mass. There were no significant changes in bone mass and lean body mass.
The forskolin group also raised its free testosterone levels. However, this is where the study gets weird and controversial: the ForsLean group had higher testosterone levels at the start of the study than the placebo group. This means that forskolin probably didn’t raise testosterone levels. It also throws the other results from the study into question.
If you glance over the results above, then you may think that everything is good and forskolin is a proven weight loss supplement. But if you read the results carefully, you’ll realize something: participants in this study did not lose weight!
Yes, participants changed their body composition, which is likely good for their overall health in the long run. But it’s extremely misleading for Dr. Oz and others to claim that forskolin is a miracle weight loss cure because of this study (which only involved 30 men anyway).
2005 Study Examines Forskolin’s Effects on 23 Women
A follow-up study was published later in 2005 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
That double-blind, randomized study involved 23 females. These women were instructed to take ForsLean or a placebo two times per day for 12 weeks. The ForsLean group took the same 500mg daily dosage as the men in the study above.
After 4, 8, and 12 weeks, the women were analyzed based on their body composition, body weight, and blood samples.
After 12 weeks of daily ForsLean supplementation, researchers concluded that ForsLean “does not appear to promote weight loss but may help mitigate weight gain in overweight females” compared to the placebo
Women had no significant differences in body mass, fat mass, or fat free mass. The only real difference was that subjects in the ForsLean group “tended to report less fatigue…hunger…and fullness.”
ForsLean also had no significant effects on metabolic markers, blood lipids, muscle and liver enzymes, electrolytes, red blood cells, white blood cells, hormones, heart rate, blood pressure, or side effects.
In other words, ForsLean basically did the exact same thing as the placebo in this study aside from minor changes in fatigue and hunger.
The above two studies are the only two human studies performed on forskolin thus far.
2014 Study Examines Forskolin’s Effects on Diabetic Rats
Researchers in 2014 decided to examine the weight loss effects of forskolin, this time by using diabetic rats. Results of that study were published in Biotechnic & Histochemistry.
Researchers used 50 female albino Wistar rats that were assigned randomly into five different groups, including:
Group 1) Control group
Group 2) High fat diet group
Group 3) High fat diet plus forskolin group
Group 4) High fat diet plus rolipram group
Group 5) High fat diet plus rolipram plus forskolin group
After 10 weeks, “the animals were sacrificed” (seriously, that’s how the study words it) and the rats were examined.
Researchers discovered that free fatty acid levels were higher in groups 3, 4, and 5 than in group 2. Weight grain in group 5 was also “significantly less” than in groups 3 and 4. Researchers concluded that “both forskolin and rolipram stimulated lipolysis and inhibited body weight increase by increasing cAMP levels….combination therapy using the two agents may be more effective in preventing diet induced obesity than either agent alone.”
Once again, this study was performed on rats.
Forskolin Side Effects
The studies above show mixed results for forskolin. Some participants experienced minor changes in body mass, but few participants ever lost significant amounts of weight.
Nevertheless, the studies all agreed on one thing: forskolin isn’t associated with many dangerous side effects.
In the above studies, participants took forskolin for 12 weeks (3 months) with no reported side effects. In other words, the compound appears safe for healthy people to take.
Nevertheless, you should not assume forskolin is safe if you have a pre-existing medical condition or if you are currently taking medication. The SupplementGeek.com website claims that forskolin may interact with medications that target the P450 enzyme system. If you mention that enzyme system to your doctor or pharmacist, then they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about.
Conclusion: Does Forskolin Improve your Health or Help You Lose Weight?
Based on the three major studies listed above, forskolin is associated with the following benefits:
-Forskolin raises levels of cAMP in the body, which can raise levels of a hormone sensitive lipase, which is an enzyme associated with fat burning.
-In one study, forskolin improved body composition. In another study involving the exact same dosage and forskolin formula, participants did not improve body composition. Participants did not lose weight in either study.
-Forskolin has not been linked to weight loss in any studies on humans. In the study on rats linked above, forskolin showed that it could reduce your body’s tendency to store fat when eating a high fat diet (although these effects were relatively minor compared to other treatments used in the study).
Other than that, forskolin has not demonstrated any significant effects in its studies performed thus far. In most studies, forskolin appears to have very similar effects to a placebo – which isn’t good news for Dr. Oz and others who call forskolin a “miracle” obesity cure. | <urn:uuid:5af65a26-c4c3-437a-91a3-207ef0ab33f0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.tribalconnections.org/foods/extracts/forskolin-science/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396100.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00094-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93493 | 2,291 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Migraine Headaches, Vision Effects (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
Migraines and Vision Effects Symptoms
Patient Comment Read 1 Comment
Migraine headaches typically occur on one side of the head and cause throbbing pain, but the features often vary. Migraineurs (people who get migraine headaches) often experience a bilateral event, meaning that the pain can be felt anywhere around the head or neck.
Early symptoms are experienced by a majority of migraineurs. Forewarning of a migraine may occur hours to days before a headache event. Although the specific symptoms vary, they tend to remain the same for a given individual over time. These warning symptoms may include the following:
Aura is experienced by of some migraineurs. Aura is defined as focused symptoms that grow over 5-15 minutes and generally last about an hour. In most cases, the migraine headache follows the aura. However, the two events can happen at the same time, or the aura may develop after the headache starts. With aura, visual symptoms are most common and include the following:
Motor symptoms like hemiparesis (weakness on one side of the body) and aphasia (poor or absent understanding and/or production of speech, writing, or signs) may occur but much less frequently.
Some people have auras only, without headaches. Treatment is usually unnecessary once the diagnosis is recognized and the migraineur reassured about it. If the aura always occurs on the same side, the risk of brain tumor or other abnormality is greater than in persons with routine headaches.
Typical headache characteristics are as follows:
Physical examination findings
Upon examination, the doctor may discover the following:
The following physical examination findings are considered particularly worrisome, suggesting that the problem is not migraine but a potentially more serious condition:
Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 4/22/2016
Ronald Braswell, MD
Joseph Carcione Jr, DO, MBA
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
James H Halsey, MD
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(Census Bureau news release) In 2010, 4.2 million more people worked at home than a decade before, according to a report released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to a news release:
According to the Survey of Income and Program Participation, the number of people who worked at home at least one day per week increased from 9.5 million in 1999 to 13.4 million in 2010, increasing from 7.0 percent to 9.5 percent of all workers. The largest increase occurred between 2005 and 2010, when the share grew from 7.8 percent to 9.5 percent of all workers, an increase of more than 2 million.
The Survey of Income and Program Participation has provided timely information on home-based workers since the mid-1990s and differentiates by those who work exclusively from home (home workers), those who worked only outside of the home (onsite), and those who worked both from home and at a location outside of the home (mixed workers). The survey revealed that median household income was significantly higher for mixed workers at $96,300, compared with $74,000 for home workers and $65,600 for onsite workers.
According to the American Community Survey, 5.8 million or 4.3 percent of the U.S. workforce worked the majority of the week at home in 2010. This is an increase of about 1.6 million since 2000. Because of its sample size and timeliness, with data collected from about 3 million households annually, the American Community Survey provides both reliable subnational estimates and detailed information about the class of worker, industry and occupation of home-based workers.
Estimates from the 2010 American Community Survey indicate that the Boulder, Colo., metropolitan area had among the highest percent of workers who worked from home most of the week with 10.9 percent, followed by Medford, Ore., with 8.4, Santa Fe, N.M., with 8.3, Kingston, N.Y. with 8.1; and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, Calif., with 7.9.
Detailed class of worker information from the American Community Survey suggested that although nearly half of home-based workers were self-employed, government workers saw the largest increase in home-based work over the last decade. Home-based workers increased by 133 percent among state government workers and 88 percent among federal government workers. There was a 67 percent increase in home-based work for employees of private companies.
“As communication and information technologies advance, we are seeing that workers are increasingly able to perform work at home,” said Peter Mateyka, an analyst in the Census Bureau's Journey-to-Work and Migration Statistics Branch and one of the authors of the report. “These changes in work patterns have both economic and social implications. Researchers and policymakers, including those in the fields of technology, transportation, employment, planning and housing, will find this report helpful in future transportation and community planning as well as technological trends.”
Read the entire news release from the Census Bureau HERE. | <urn:uuid:b8c1e34b-2acb-48c8-beb9-86fce43ebd03> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wbng.com/news/state/172852851.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00046-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969641 | 631 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Given that most all of us living today have been born and raised under a national-security state apparatus, we’ve all been inculcated with the notion that the enormous military empire, CIA, and NSA are a necessary and permanent part of our lives. We’ve all been taught that our very freedom and well-being depend on the existence of these agencies. In fact, we praise them and glorify them for “defending our freedoms,” “keeping us safe,” and protecting “national security.”
It’s important, however, to bear in mind that the Founding Fathers fully and totally rejected this type of governmental structure and way of life, which is why our American ancestors lived without such an apparatus for the first 150 years of American history. Our predecessors understood that enormous, permanent military establishments and secret intelligence agencies were hallmarks of totalitarian regimes, not free societies, and, in fact, constituted grave threats against the freedom and well-being of the citizenry.
So, how did the U.S. national-security state apparatus come into existence? What caused the American people to move in this totalitarian-like direction? Why did Americans decide to reject the philosophy of liberty and limited government of the Founding Fathers in favor of militarism, empire, foreign interventionism, covert operations, coups, torture, assassinations, spying, surveillance, and the like?
The justification for this revolutionary change in direction for the United States was rooted in the post- World War II fear of the Soviet Union in particular (and to a certain extent communist China) and communism in general. U.S. officials convinced the American people that a national-security state apparatus was necessary to prevent the United States from being conquered by communism and the Soviet Union.
As Senator Arthur Vandenberg told President Harry Truman, the president needed to “scare hell out of the American people,” which is precisely what Truman and his successor President Eisenhower did. Americans who grew up in the 1950s lived lives of constant fear—fear that communists were everywhere, fear that communism was a contagious illness of the mind that was spreading throughout America and the rest of the world, and fear that the Soviet Union was going to initiate a nuclear attack on the United States. Fear became the coin of the realm for the national-security state.
Why was there even a Cold War? Why was there a constant state of hostilities between the United States and Soviet Union for so long? After all, let’s not forget that these two nations worked together in partnership for four years to defeat the Nazi regime. Why couldn’t that spirit of cooperation have continued after World War II?
Sure, the Soviet Union was a brutal communist regime. No doubt about that. But the fact remains—the United States and the Soviet Union worked together to win the war. It didn’t have to be that way. The war could have been waged with the Soviet Union and the United States (and the Allied powers) acting independently of each other to defeat Nazi Germany. Instead, they worked together.
So, why couldn’t the United States and the Soviet Union have co-existed after World War II in the same way that the United States coexists with countries like China and Vietnam today? Those two countries are run by brutal communist regimes. In fact, during the Cold War U.S. officials taught Americans to hate China as much as the Soviet Union. Why couldn’t that type of situation have developed after World War II?
One big reason is that then there would have been no justification for the national-security state apparatus that the statists wanted to graft onto our constitutional order. In order to induce Americans to move in a totalitarian-type direction, the statists needed a new big official enemy, one as big as the Nazi regime, one that could be used to “scare hell out of the American people.”
U.S. officials pointed to the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe after the war was over and essentially ordered the Soviets to get out of those countries and to refrain from installing puppet regimes there. They expected their orders to be followed, especially given that the U.S. government was the only power to have nuclear weapons and, as shown by Nagasaki and Hiroshima, had the will to employ them.
President Truman went out of his way to insult and demean the Soviets. At a meeting in April 1945, Truman lashed out at Soviet Minister Molotov, insulting and demeaning him to such an extent that Molotov said to Truman that he had never been talked to like that. Truman said to him—Keep your agreements and you won’t be talked to like that. Truman later bragged to a friend that he had given Molotov “the straight one-two to the jaw.”
To Truman, it was irrelevant that the United States and Great Britain had previously delivered Eastern Europe into the hands of the Soviet Union. That was the cost of the partnership between the West and the Soviets. In fact, at any time during the war, the United States could have attempted to negotiate a peace with Germany before the Soviets had begun pushing the German forces back across Eastern Europe, that could have, say, sent Hitler and his henchmen to South America and kept Eastern Europe free and independent of both Nazi and Soviet control. FDR said no because this would constitute a betrayal of his partnership with the Soviet communists. Unconditional surrender was his policy.
Was it any surprise that the Soviets remained occupying Eastern Europe after the war? How could it be? The Soviet Union had been invaded by Germany twice in the past 20 years. Moreover, don’t forget that the United States was quickly rebuilding and rearming West Germany as well as integrating many Nazi officials into its Cold War military-intelligence operations.
While no one could condone the Soviet Union’s refusal to exit East Germany and Eastern Europe, one can still understand why they were doing it—to provide a buffer against a possible third invasion from Germany. Don’t forget, after all, that the extreme irrational paranoia that the U.S. government displayed with communist regimes in Cuba, Chile, and elsewhere in Latin America. Why would we expect the Soviet Union to behave with less paranoia about another German attack in the future?
But U.S. officials couldn’t see it that way. They used the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe and East Germany to convince Americans that the Soviet Union was bent on worldwide conquest. The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming They’re going to attack the United States, occupy our country too, run the IRS and the public schools, and brainwash Americans into loving communism.
It was a totally irrational fear. The last thing the Soviets wanted was a war with the United States. Remember: They lost more than 20 million people in WWII. Compare that to American deaths of 418,000. Their country had been invaded and destroyed by Nazi forces. The United States was never invaded or bombed. The Soviet Union’s productive capacity was decimated at the end of the war. The American productive capacity was still running at full speed.
Why in the world would the Soviets have wanted a war against its WWII partner and ally under those unfavorable conditions, especially since there was no possibility that they could have won such a war? And don’t forget the biggest factor of all: The United States had atomic weapons and the Soviets didn’t. Equally important, as U.S. officials showed the Soviets with their atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, U.S. officials wouldn’t hesitate to use them against Soviet cities.
Peaceful coexistence with the Soviet Union was the last thing that U.S. officials wanted. Peaceful coexistence wouldn’t justify the rise of the permanent military establishment, a foreign empire of military bases, a CIA, a NSA, covert operations, spying, foreign interventionism, coups, assassinations, torture, surveillance, spying, and support of foreign dictatorships. By “scaring hell out of the American people,” U.S. officials could induce them to reject the founding principles of their nation and support a communist-like and totalitarian-like governmental structure grafted onto their constitutional system, all in the new name of “national security” and protecting the nation from communists and the Soviet Union.
It wasn’t until the administration of John F. Kennedy when a glimmer of light shone through the Cold War darkness. In his famous Peace Speech at American University, Kennedy reminded Americans of the World War II partnership that had been entered into between the United States and the Soviet Union. He talked about the devastating losses that the Soviet people had lost during the war. He emphasized that the Russian people were human too. He asked Americans to put themselves in the position of the Russians and to empathize and understand their reasoning. Most important, he called for ending the Cold War. He said that there was absolutely no reason why the two nations, despite their philosophical differences, couldn’t peacefully coexist in the world.
While Kennedy’s Peace Speech was overwhelmingly well-received by the Russian people, including Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, it was a shocking notion to the U.S. national-security establishment, a notion that added to the deep anger and hatred that national-security officials had for Kennedy. For them, war with the Soviet Union was inevitable and necessary. They believed that the sooner war came, the better, given that the U.S. still had nuclear superiority over the Soviets.
But Kennedy, of course, has been proven right. If the United States could peacefully coexist with communist China and communist Vietnam, along with communist North Korea and communist Cuba, and a whole host of leftist-socialist regimes in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and elsewhere, there is absolutely no reason why the same couldn’t have been done with the Soviet Union, not only in 1963 but also in 1945. Of course though, that would have meant that there would have been no justification for the establishment and rise of the permanent U.S. national-security state, along with its army of well-paid lobbyists and contractors. | <urn:uuid:2950f743-4a97-470a-9c73-fc46cd35f7b5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://fff.org/2013/12/19/the-sordid-roots-of-the-national-security-state/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397696.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00030-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975854 | 2,106 | 2.734375 | 3 |
As an opening activity each day in my old kindergarten class, we sang a "Hello" song to the tune of "Bingo". It goes, "I'm so glad that you are here, hello I say to you. H E L L O, H E L L O, H E L L O, Hello I say to you. I wrote the word Hello on a card and placed it on my calendar bulletin board. The next day, we sang the song, but substituted "Bonjour" for hello, and it was placed on a card on the front board. Next, we sang NI HAO (Chinese), next we sang Konnichiwa (Japanese), next was Guten Tag (German), next was Hola.(Spanish) Once we learned all of these ways to sing Hello, I chose a student each day to decide which way to sing Hello for the day. My kids loved this activity,and looked forward to leading the song each day! | <urn:uuid:2f6e3482-0889-44f4-a31c-23a576f7c74c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/2207.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399522.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00150-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967135 | 197 | 2.5625 | 3 |
ChristianAnswers.Net WebBible Encyclopedia
spelled “colour” in the King James Bible
The subject of colors holds an important place in the Scriptures.
These four colors—white, purple, blue, and scarlet—were used in the textures of the tabernacle curtains (Ex. 26:1, 31, 36), and also in the high priest’s ephod, girdle, and breastplate (Ex. 28:5-6, 8, 15). Scarlet thread is mentioned in connection with the rites of cleansing the leper (Lev. 14:4, 6, 51) and of burning the red heifer (Num. 19:6). It was a crimson thread that Rahab was to bind on her window as a sign that she was to be saved alive (Josh. 2:18; 6:25) when the city of Jericho was taken.
White occurs as the translation of various Hebrew words.
This color was an emblem of purity and innocence (Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Rev. 19:8, 14), of joy (Eccl. 9:8), and also of victory (Zech. 6:3; Rev. 6:2). The hangings of the tabernacle court (Ex. 27:9; 38:9), the coats, mitres, bonnets, and breeches of the priests (Ex. 39:27-28), and the dress of the high priest on the day of Atonement (Lev. 16:4, 32), were white.
Black, applied to the hair (Lev. 13:31; Song of Songs 5:11), the complexion (Song of Songs 1:5), and to horses (Zech. 6:2, 6)
The word rendered “brown” in Genesis 30:32 (Revised Version, “black”) means properly “scorched”, i.e., the color produced by the influence of the sun’s rays.
“Black” in Job 30:30 means dirty, blackened by sorrow and disease.
The word is applied to a mourner’s robes (Jer. 8:21; 14:2), to a clouded sky (1 Kings 18:45), to night (Micah 3:6; Jer. 4:28), and to a brook rendered turbid by melted snow (Job 6:16).
It is used as symbolical of evil in Zech. 6:2, 6 and Rev. 6:5.
It was the emblem of mourning, affliction, calamity (Jer. 14:2; Lam. 4:8; 5:10).
Red, applied to blood (2 Kings 3:22), a heifer (Num. 19:2), pottage of lentils (Genesis 25:30), a horse (Zech. 1:8), wine (Prov. 23:31), the complexion (Genesis 25:25; Song of Songs 5:10).
This color is symbolical of bloodshed (Zech. 6:2; Rev. 6:4; 12:3).
Purple, a color obtained from the secretion of a species of shell-fish (the Murex trunculus) which was found in the Mediterranean, and particularly on the coasts of Phoenicia and Asia Minor
The coloring matter in each separate shell-fish amounted to only a single drop, and hence the great value of this dye.
Robes of this color were worn by kings (Judg. 8:26) and high officers (Esther 8:15). They were also worn by the wealthy and luxurious (Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:7; Luke 16:19; Rev. 17:4). With this color was associated the idea of royalty and majesty (Judg. 8:26; Song of Songs 3:10; 7:5; Dan. 5:7, 16, 29).
Blue. This color was also procured from a species of shell-fish, the chelzon of the Hebrews, and the Helix ianthina of modern naturalists. The tint was emblematic of the sky, the deep dark hue of the Eastern sky. This color was used in the same way as purple.
The ribbon and fringe of the Hebrew dress were of this color (Num. 15:38). The loops of the curtains (Ex. 26:4), the lace of the high priest’s breastplate, the robe of the ephod, and the lace on his mitre, were blue (Ex. 28:28, 31, 37).
Scarlet, or crimson. In Isa. 1:18 a Hebrew word is used which denotes the worm or grub whence this dye was procured. In Genesis 38:28,30, the word so rendered means “to shine,” and expresses the brilliancy of the color. The small parasitic insects from which this dye was obtained somewhat resembled the cochineal which is found in Eastern countries. It is called by naturalists Coccus ilics. The dye was procured from the female grub alone.
The only natural object to which this color is applied in Scripture is the lips, which are likened to a scarlet thread (Song of Songs 4:3).
Scarlet robes were worn by the rich and luxurious (2 Sam. 1:24; Prov. 31:21; Jer. 4:30; Rev. 17:4). It was also the hue of the warrior’s dress (Nah. 2:3; Isa. 9:5).
The Phoenicians excelled in the art of dyeing this color (2 Chr. 2:7). | <urn:uuid:d80e8bcb-96cf-4138-b35e-6f69097c8f23> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://christiananswers.net/dictionary/color.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396029.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00180-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933972 | 1,204 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Ilocos Sur Geography
A selection of articles related to ilocos sur geography.
Original articles from our library related to the Ilocos Sur Geography. See Table of Contents for further available material (downloadable resources) on Ilocos Sur Geography.
- Everyday Earth
- When you think of "Earth" what comes to mind? Perhaps you feel the stable element of solidity and grounding. Or maybe you see Earth as the third planet from the Sun. Or for you, is Earth the rich brown soil in your own backyard? Earth is all these...
The Elements >> Earth
- Egyptian Temples, part VI: The House of Life
- Library - Archive 'The House of Life' could well be called a library. It was that part of the temple where all records and texts were kept and stored. These papyrii encompassed many different fields of learning as well as the accountings on the daily and...
Religions >> Egyptian
- Everyday Water
- When you think of "Water" what comes to mind? A tranquil lake, gentle rain, or raging sea? Whether magical element or just a simple cup of tea, water can be a very special part of your life. Water Spirits Every body of water is an entity. Each lake,...
The Elements >> Water
- Pagan Roots of the Bible
- "The Bible is the innerrent word of the living God. It is absolutely infallible, without error in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as well as in areas such as geography, science, history, etc. Jerry Falwell I have heard this assertion...
Saga of Times Past >> History & Anthropology
- Mother Of The Gods And The Father Of The Gael
- There is no surviving, or as yet translated, Creation story within Irish mythology. We learn from the Lebor Gabala Erenn, a text from the Christian Middle Ages, of the Tuatha De Danann, or "People of the Goddess Danu", who came to Ireland either...
Deities & Heros >> Celtic, Welsh, Irish & Brittish
- A Treatise on Astral Projection, Part 4: More Rope Techniques
- ROPE is a very effective projection technique, but it still has to be learned to be effective. I would like to elaborate on a couple of points about the technique, inspired by the feedback I have received so far. There is NO visualization required - AT ALL -...
Parapsychology >> Astral Projection
Ilocos Sur Geography is described in multiple online sources, as addition to our editors' articles, see section below for printable documents, Ilocos Sur Geography books and related discussion.
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- In the Ilocos region, Binay also leads (24% of votes), but the margin between him and Poe is smaller (she got 22% of total text poll votes for the region). Senator Miriam Defensor ...
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- The geographical map of the country presents the disputed sea borders the entire western seaboard of the country. Several key provinces including Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Mindoro, and Palawan face the SCS.
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Great care has been taken to prepare the information on this page. Elements of the content come from factual and lexical knowledge databases, realmagick.com library and third-party sources. We appreciate your suggestions and comments on further improvements of the site. | <urn:uuid:c432fda8-d79c-4b0c-a346-b111c362e1fa> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.realmagick.com/ilocos-sur-geography/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395613.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00182-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93066 | 958 | 2.53125 | 3 |
A Bengali pioneer of science
Marking the 150th anniversary of J.C. Bose
The son of a deputy magistrate, Bose was born in Mymensingh, a district in the part of India’s Bengal province that is now Bangladesh. After graduating from St Xavier’s College in Calcutta, Bose pursued his studies in the United Kingdom, first at London University and then at Cambridge University. He received science degrees from both institutions in 1884.
Bose then became Professor of Physics at Presidency College — a founding institution of Calcutta University. It had no modern laboratory. Nevertheless, over the next decade Bose carried out ground-breaking investigations into radio, microwave technology and the use of semiconductors.
The 150th anniversary of the birth of an eminent scientist and pioneer of radio will be marked on 30 November 2008. He was Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858–1937).
In 1895, in the town hall of Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, Bose showed how electromagnetic waves can be sent wirelessly through not only air, but also walls and even people’s bodies. At a public meeting presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Bose transmitted a wireless signal from a lecture hall through three intervening walls — and Mackenzie — to a room where it rang a bell and ignited some gunpowder.
It was the year before Alexander S. Popov transmitted radio waves between buildings at St Petersburg University in Russia, and two years before Guglielmo Marconi demonstrated radio signalling to officials of the United Kingdom government.
A pioneering feature of Bose’s work was that it used ultra-high frequency (up to 60 GHz), millimetre waves of between 5 mm and 25 mm in wavelength. To carry out his studies, he devised novel equipment such as waveguides, horn antennas and polarizers. Improvising with local materials, Bose constructed one of his polarizers from Bradshaw’s Railway Timetable with sheets of tinfoil interleaved in the book’s pages.
Bose’s first paper, published in May 1895, covered the polarization of electric waves by double refraction, and it was the optical qualities of microwaves that interested him, rather than the wireless signalling potential of longer wavelengths. Other researchers did concentrate on this part of the spectrum, and microwaves were not to be studied seriously again for decades.
In 1897, Bose was invited by Lord Rayleigh (who had been one of his teachers at Cambridge) to lecture on his experiments at the Royal Institution in London. He demonstrated his work successfully, and — again ahead of his time — speculated on the existence of electromagnetic radiation from the sun, which was not discovered until 1942.
As the 20th century began, Bose turned his attention to the electrical response of living things. He was the first to study how microwaves create changes in the cell membrane potential of plant tissues. And he discovered that not only in animal but also in vegetable tissues, responses to various stimuli are conducted electrically (rather than chemically) — but much more slowly in plants. In order to measure this, Bose invented the crescograph, which was sensitive enough to show tiny changes in a plant’s growth caused by, for example, the presence of a poison. At a demonstration of the device in London in 1919, Bose said it was “tantamount to magnifying the highest powers of a microscope a hundred thousand times,” reported the New York Times.
A better coherer
A year earlier, in 1896 Bose had followed up his demonstration in the town hall by sending a radio signal between two colleges in Calcutta University — a distance of nearly 5 kms. To detect the signal he used one of his inventions: “a mercury coherer with a telephone detector”.
At this period, radio waves were detected with a “coherer”, invented in about 1890 by the Frenchman Edouard Branly (1844–1940). It worked because radio-frequency alternating current decreases the resistance of loose metal filings placed between two electrodes in a glass tube — causing them to clump together, or cohere. They had to be shaken loose again before another signal could be detected.
Bose produced a new coherer consisting of a metal cup containing mercury that was covered in a very thin insulating film of oil. Suspended above was an iron disc that touched the film of oil without breaking it. The film was broken, however, in the presence of a radio signal, so allowing an electrical current to pass through the device and operate a telephone receiver. The system restored itself automatically.
Bose announced the development in a paper presented to the Royal Society in London in 1899. Exactly the same principle was used by Marconi to receive the first transatlantic wireless signal in 1901, but he said that he had received the design from an Italian colleague.
The first patented semiconductor
Bose’s coherer was actually a semiconductor diode, and his work in this field led to the world’s first patent on solid-state diode detectors, granted in the United States in March 1904. It was for the “galena detector”, which Bose developed between 1894 and 1898 and demonstrated at the Royal Institution in London in 1900.
While studying the optical properties of electromagnetic waves, Bose discovered that polarizing crystals have selective conductivity. One of these crystals was galena, the mineral form of lead sulfide. Bose made a pair of point contacts from galena and linked them in series with a voltage source and a galvanometer. As he said in his patent, he had made “a coherer or detector of electrical disturbances, Hertzian waves, light waves or other radiations”. Bose called his device “a universal radiometer,” one of whose uses could be to detect “signals in wireless or other telegraphy”.
Writing about the “History of semiconductor research” in 1955, the co-inventor of the transistor Walter H. Brattain acknowledged Bose’s priority in using a semiconducting crystal to detect radio waves. And according to Sir Nevill Mott, a British physicist who won a Nobel Prize in 1977 for his work in solid state electronics, “J.C. Bose was at least sixty years ahead of his time”.
As well as contributions to physics, Bose made important discoveries in plant physiology (see box). He was also the founder of India’s first facility for modern scientific work: the Bose Research Institute, opened in Calcutta in 1917. It included a large lecture theatre whose purpose, he said, was to disseminate knowledge of scientific advances to the widest possible public “without any academic limitations, henceforth to all races and languages, to both men and women alike, and for all time coming.”
Also in 1917 Bose was knighted, and in 1920 he was the first Indian scientist to become a Fellow of the Royal Society. He left a lasting legacy for science in Asia — and the world.
From Bose to Bose to boson
Among Bose’s students at Presidency College was Satyendra Nath
Bose (no relation), who became renowned for his work on quantum
mechanics in the early 1920s, providing the foundation for
Bose-Einstein statistics. The subatomic particle, the boson, was
named in his honour. | <urn:uuid:917e7c69-0151-400b-b6b1-6d30e8583a69> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.itu.int/itunews/manager/display.asp?lang=en&year=2008&issue=07&ipage=34&ext=html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395166.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00163-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967527 | 1,571 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Saranda or Sarandë is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a population of about 30,000 (2001 estimate). Near Sarandë are the remains of the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Saranda’s current name derives from the name of the Byzantine monastery of the Agioi Saranda (Greek: Άγιοι Σαράντα), meaning the “Forty Saints” and honoring the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. Under Turkish rule, this became Aya Sarandi and then Sarandoz. Owing to Venetian influence in the region, it often appeared under its Italian name Santi Quaranta on western maps, This usage continued even after the establishment of the Principality of Albania, owing to the first Italian occupation of the region. During the second occupation in World War II, Benito Mussolini changed the name to Porto Edda, in honor of his eldest daughter. Following the restoration of Albanian independence, the city employed its Albanian name Saranda.
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A short history of Saranda
In antiquity the city was known by the ancient Greek name of Onchesmos or Anchiasmos and was inhabited by the Greek tribe of the Chaonians.Onchesmos flourished as the port of the Chaonian capital Phoenice (modern-day Finiq). In AD 552, it experienced repeated attacks from the Goths.
In 1878, a Greek rebellion broke out, with revolutionaries taking control of Sarandë and Delvinë. This was suppressed by the Ottoman troops, who burned twenty villages in the region. The town was included in the newly formed Albanian state in 1913 under the terms of the Protocol of Florence.
It was occupied twice by Greece in 1913 and from 1914 to 1916, the second time by Greek insurgents from the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus. It was then occupied by Italy between 1916 and 1920 as part of the Italian Protectorate on southern Albania. Sarandë was again occupied by Italian forces in 1939 and was a strategic port during the Italian invasion of Greece. During this occupation, it was called “Porto Edda” in honor of the eldest daughter of Benito Mussolini.
As part of Northern Epirus, the city came under Greek rule on 6 December 1940 until the German invasion in Greece in April 1941. The Axis troops were expelled from the town by the British forces in October 9, 1940, who were supported by the Albanian National Liberation Movement and the Greek EDES resistance. However, the British troops soon withdrew from the region, leaving the region to the Albanian communist forces.
Given its coastal access and Mediterranean climate, Sarandë has become an important tourist attraction since the fall of Communism in Albania. Saranda as well as the rest of the Albanian Riviera, according to The Guardian, “is set to become the new ‘undiscovered gem’ of the overcrowded Med.” Tourism is thus the major economic resource, while other resources include services, fisheries and construction.[/hide-this-part] | <urn:uuid:bcd0fb8e-2f34-4673-8569-55001f6143f2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://sarandealbania.com/saranda/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397636.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00128-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968522 | 715 | 2.875 | 3 |
In This Issue ...
March 12, 2013
Many parents have questions about the assessment process.
- What do neuropsychologists do?
- What information can psycho-educational evaluations provide?
- What type of evaluation deals with emotions, feelings, managing stress?
A good evaluation creates a road map about what to anticipate as your child gets older and expectations increase at school or elsewhere. It can provide a big picture view of your child’s vulnerabilities—and resources.
In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate you will find part 2 of our series, Assessment 101. Dr. Aida Khan describes the most common types of assessments and who does them.
Please don't hesitate to forward this series to other friends, families, or colleagues.
Find Wrightslaw on Facebook
Different Types of Assessment - Who Does Them?
Want a clearer understanding of your child? Need strategies for addressing your child’s needs?
The neuropsychological evaluation provides an initial detailed map of the terrain. The psycho-educational evaluation tracks progress, developments, and changes in that terrain over time.
Learn more about the Most Common Types of Assessments and who does them from Dr. Aida Khan, clinical psychologist and pediatric neuropsychologist.
Most Commonly Used Tests of Reading
Two important realities in testing:
- tests do not always measure what they appear to measure
- not all tests measure reading, writing, and math skills comprehensively
Learn about the most commonly used tests of reading - what they measure, how they are administered, and their limitations in What Reading Tests Measure . . . and Don't Measure by Dr. Melissa Farrall. | <urn:uuid:10885eda-2b9f-470c-9e08-3ca8a0c48d76> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/13/nl.0312.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403826.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00011-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906702 | 341 | 3.796875 | 4 |
From 18G1 to 18C5 Mr. Fairbairn was engaged in
aiding the Government on an official investigation respecting
the application of iron to defensive purposes in warfare. The present
construction of the iron armoured vessels of our navy has all arisen out of
this enquiry; and on account of the great public interest and importance of
the question, it demands a notice at some length.
It is necessary to give a short preliminary
account of the circumstances which led to the investigation.
Some twenty years ago it began to be perceived
that a great change must be made in the construction of ships of war, in
consequence of the introduction into heavy artillery of rifled shell. The
'Wooden Walls of Old England,' which had done such good service from the
time of the Spanish Armada to that of Trafalgar, were powerless against the
long range, the accurate aim, the penetrating power, and the destructive
effect, of these deadly missiles; and it was seen that unless something
could be done to meet the difficulty, the efficiency of our navy must be
The use of iron was one of the most obvious
modes of resisting the penetration of shells ; but hitherto the application
of this material had not found favour with the naval authorities of the
It has been mentioned in earlier parts of this
work how actively Mr. Fairbairn had exerted himself in introducing iron
ship-building. The first application of this material had been for
mercantile purposes, but in 1835-6 he had arrived at the conclusion that
wrought iron was the safest and most durable material for naval
constructions also, and he was anxious to impress on the Government the
advisability of its being employed for vessels of war. lie was, at an early
stage of the manufacture, in communication with the Admiralty, and he urged
that iron ships, if applied to war purposes, would be not only superior in
power, but safe under all the circumstances of attack and defence.
There was at that time a great deal of ignorance
and prejudice in regard to the use of the new material. Many people (among
them persons of influence in naval matters) conceived that the flotation of
a timber ship was due to the fact of wood being lighter than water, and
seriously argued that if a heavy material, like iron, were substituted, the
ship must inevitably go to the bottom This argument was of course met in a
simple way by the direct logic, of facts, inasmuch as iron ships, which did
really float, were m existence; but there were other objections less easily
disposed of, and one of the most formidable was the great damage likely to
be done to the iron plates by heavy projectiles. In a ship with wooden
sides, a shot hole was not a very serious matter; ir seldom made a great
leak, and the hole could easily be plugged up. Hut a shot blow on iron
plates rent them open with a fearful gash incapable of stoppage. It was
suggested that this evil might be diminished by backing the plates with soft
or elastic substances, and some experiments were tried, in 1840, by the-
Admiralty at Portsmouth with this view; but the results were so unfavourable
that they were deemed conclusive against the adoption of iron vessels for
war purposes, and the Government stood aloof from the general movement,
deciding to limit the construction of iron vessels to the. mail and packet
Still, however, in regard to wooden ships, the
awkward difficulty remained of their destractibility by the new rifled
shell. With solid shot the improved artillery woidd have been much less
formidable. The entrance of a solid shot into a ship, was an event always
expected in action ; and though it often did much damage, it did not destroy
the ship, which was capable, in brave hands, of holding out for a long
defence, even though 'riddled,' as the expression was, by the fire of the
enemy. But large shells, bursting out like fierce volcanoes among the
timbers of the structure, or scattering between the decks showers of
fragments of jagged iron, every piece dealing destruction in its path, made
such havoc as no bravery or skill could hold out against; and a wooden ship
efficiently attacked in this way must, in a very short time, either blow up,
or sink, or surrender.
Shells, in themselves, were no novelties; they
had, long before the introduction of rifled guns, been used for bombardment
with mortars, and had even been introduced as projectiles from ordinary
cannon ; but from the. uncertainty of aim and want of force when fired from
a distance, and from the imperfect construction of the missiles themselves,
they were not much more effective against ships than ordinary cannon balls.
It was only when rifling enabled them to be fired at long range, with great
accuracy and powerful impact, and when the improvements of their
construction gave full scope to their destructive capabilities, that they
became so formidable.
The use of timber ships being retained, there
remained the alternative of casing them with an armour of iron plate, of a
thickness which shells could not penetrate. There were many difficulties in
the way of this, and the first person who made any successful efforts to
overcome them, was the late Emperor of the French. At the time of the
Russian War, when rifled guns were first beginning to assume importance,
Napoleon III. saw the necessity of an impenetrable armour, and quietly
pursued experiments and investigations on the subject till he had succeeded
in building three floating batteries, which were protected by thick plates
of iron. They we're sent out to the Black Sea, where they arrived shortly
before the conclusion of the war, and they were employed by the French in
the allied attack upon Kinburn, on October 17, 1855. .
These batteries were exposed to a heavy fire, at
a distance of 700 yards, for about three hours, unsupported by the fleet;
and though some casualties occurred from shell and shot entering the large
old-fashioned port-holes, yet the vessels themselves were comparatively
uninjured. This success, so creditable to the skill and perseverance of our
ally, settled the question of the practicability of defending ships of war
by iron armour; and in France the further development of the principle was
soon rapidly pushed forward.
In England, however, the authorities were loth
to distrust their time-hallowed wooden walls; and although the subject was
looked into, very little was seriously done. In 1858, two floating batteries
were experimentally cased in iron plates, in imitation of the French
batteries at Kinburn, and were fired at for trial. Iron plates were also,
about the same time, placed experimentally on the sides of some of Her
Majesty's ships, and Mr. Whitworth's new rifled ordnance, with steel
projectiles, were used against them. The result demonstrated the value of
the protection, though it showed much imperfection through want of
In the mean time the French, profiting by their
experience at Kinburn, pushed on vigorously, and, a year or two after the
Crimean War, had completed a frigate plated with iron armour, which was
named 'La Gloire,' and was launched about 1859. She was timber-built,
resembling one of our line-of-battle ships cut down, and was cased from end
to end with iron plates inches thick; she was 250 feet long, and was
propelled by a screw, with engines of 900 horse-power.
When the news of the construction of 'La Gloire'
reached this country, our Government became alarmed, and naturally so; for
she was a formidable challenge to our navy. Accordingly, early in 1859, the
Admiralty determined, in great haste, to build a ship to approch her, and
they laid down the celebrated iron-plated frigate the 'Warrior,' which was
built with great celerity, and was launched in December 1860. This ship was
much larger than her opponent, being 380 feet long, 6,000 tons burthen, and
having engines of 1,250 horse-power. Her armament was much heavier than that
of 'La Gloire,' and her speed much faster. She differed also materially from
the French ship, in that she was built of iron instead of timber. The
Government had, as already stated, arrived, twenty years before, at the
conclusion, that iron was an unfit material for ships of war; but the
subject had since been much discussed, and the opinions of scientific naval
constructors in its favour had been urged so strongly, in opposition to the
prejudices of the Admiralty, that they were induced, almost against their
own will, to fall in with Mr. Fairbairn's original recommendation. This has
since become universally adopted, and wooden ships of war are now things of
Although, however, there was no timber hull to
set on fire, yet the thin plates were easily penetrable both by shot and
shell, and hence it was as necessary to protect an iron as a wooden ship.
But nothing was known experimentally as to how the iron armour could be
applied, our authorities having wasted, in indecision, the time that the
French Government had employed in investigation and experiment.
In this state of ignorance our designers
considered they could not do better than repeat the plan they had followed
with the floating batteries, namely, copy from the French as nearly as they
could. They, therefore, first made the hull of the ' Warrior' represent that
of 'La Gloire,' by fastening, on the outside of the iron skin, a thick
cushion of timber, on which they proceeded to iix the plates by bolting.
They introduced certain novelties into the details, which, however, were
afterwards found to be no improvement, but rather inferior to the French
On the finishing of the ' Warrior,' the
Government bethought themselves that it would be desirable to do what they
ought to have done five years before, namely, to ascertain something about
the principles which should guide the design of iron armour. In other words,
having already built the ship, they began to enquire how they ought to have
built her (a curious line of policy which, it will be seen, was repeated in
an analogous case a few years later). It was apparent that the use of iron
for such a novel purpose was so complicated by considerations of a
mechanical and metallurgical character as to demand a more searching
technical investigation than it could receive at the hands of purely
military or naval authorities; and at the end of 1860 the Government wisely
determined to submit the whole matter to a mixed special committee. The
Secretary-at-War, Mr. Herbert (afterwards Lord Herbert) therefore selected
six gentlemen, and, having obtained their consent to act, the Committee,
called the 'Special Committee on Iron,' was formally appointed on January
12, 1861. The members were:—
Captain (afterwards Sir John) Dalryrnple Hay,
chairman, to represent the Navy.
Major Jervois, R.E., to represent the Royal Engineers.
Col. W. Henderson, R.A., to represent the Royal Artillery.
Dr. John Percy, F.R.S., the eminent metallurgist
Civil Engineers, specially
Mr. William Fairbairn, F.R.S.
Mr. William Pole, F.R.S., experienced in the uses and properties of iron.
The Committee were actively at work four years,
during which time they presented to the Government four Annual Reports, each
accompanied with a large volume of minutes of experiments and proceedings.
The information contained in these volumes was of the greatest value, but
unfortunately they were never published. The Government, although no
particular secrecy had been observed in the proceedings (foreigners having
been often admitted freely to them), were reluctant to make the mass of
knowledge gained public property, and accordingly only-extracts and
abstracts were made known from time to time.
It is, however, no breach of confidence, after
this lapse of time, to give a summary of the principal matters that occupied
the Committee's attention.
Their first duty was to collect and classify all
the meagre information that existed, and the results of all the experiments
that had been made on the use of iron for resisting shot.
They then called before them various persons
whom they considered likely to have knowledge of the subject, military and
naval officers, engineers, ship-builders, and iron manufacturers; and their
evidence, given very fully, was recorded find considered. But the great
diversity of the opinions thus gathered showed the obscurity in which this
novel application of the material was involved.
The Committee then commenced an elaborate series
of investigations and experiments systematically carried out; first on a
small scale on single plates of various sizes and thicknesses; and then on
targets of large size, made to represent actual ships' sides, of a great
variety of constructions. These enquiries extended over several years, and
led to the establishment of many important principles as to the nature of
the material best adapted to the purpose; the arrangement and dimensions of
the armour; the mode of fastening to the ship; the effect of the iron and
material of the shot; and so on. It may be interesting to give an account of
some of the trials made and the results arrived at on these points.
One of the most important considerations was as
to the nature of the material best fitted to be used for armour; for as this
was capable of being given many varieties of character, according to the
mode of its preparation, it was desirable to ascertain which was best for
the purpose in view. On this point the opinions of the witnesses had varied
a good deal, but there had been a general impression that one of the most
important qualities to give was hardness. It was urged that the harder the
armour was made the better would it resist the shot, and that in fact the
best material, if it could be made and applied conveniently, would be hard
steel, or at least a combination of steel and iron.
This was a plausible idea, but it was not borne
out by investigation and experiment. It was found that hard plates were
brittle, and were broken up by the blows, when the detaching of the
fragments exposed the vessel to penetration; soft plates, on the contrary,
gave way, and became dented, bruised, and distorted, but still held together
and formed an efficient protection.
Both theoretical considerations and practical
experiments showed that the best principle of defence was not to attempt to
resist the blow, but to receive it in such a way as would do the least
mischief. The obvious mode of accomplishing this with iron armour was to
make it of soft, tough plates, which would allow the energy of the shot to
be expended in indenting and battering them without producing fracture.
The Committee, therefore, came to the conclusion
that the best material for armour was wrought-iron, free from hardness and
brittleness, but as soft and tough as could be procured. This opinion,
though it was arrived at in opposition to the ideas generally prevalent, has
been fully confirmed by subsequent experience.
The mode of making the plates also engaged the
attention of the Committee. It was a new thing in the iron trade to
fabricate plates of this enormous size; and the first attempts were
imperfect, the iron being of inferior quality. The Committee requested the
principal houses to produce plates for trial, invited them to witness the
experiments, and gave them every aid in their endeavour to perfect the
manufacture; and the result was a marked improvement and a much better
approach to the quality required.
Two processes were used for making the plates—
hammering and rolling. In the former, large lumps of iron, previously
prepared from 'scrap' or from 'puddled bars,' were brought to a welding
heat, and being laid together, were placed under heavy steam hammers, the
repeated blows of which welded the masses together, and shaped them to the
required form and dimensions. This process was the first adopted for the
manufacture of armour plates; it was used by the Thames Iron Company, who
built the 'Warrior,' and the plates of that ship were made in that way.
Shortly afterwards a firm in Yorkshire adopted
another plan, namely, by rolling—a process in tact the same as that used for
ordinary boiler-plates, but on a much larger scale. The masses of iron,
first prepared, were fiat iu shape, and several of these, being laid one on
the other, were heated to the welding point in a furnace, and then passed
between large rollers, which rolled them out into one solid plate of the
required size. The process was a difficult one, from all the apparatus
requiring to be of such great size, and the machinery of such immense power.
The Iron Committee tried extensive experiments
on plates made by both these systems. They found the hammered plates had a
tendency to be hard and unequal. The repeated blows of the hammer hardened
the material, and this effect was not always the same in different parts,
some receiving more action than others. Moreover, from the irregular form of
the primitive masses, the parts were not always perfectly welded together.
The rolled plates, on the other hand, from the more uniform and less sudden
action of the compressing force, were softer and more uniform in quality,
but they still had the defect of what was called 'lamination,' i.e. a want
of perfect welding between the different layers. The Committee, on the
whole, preferred the rolled plates, and this mode of manufacture has now
superseded the other almost entirely
Another point investigated by the Committee was
the effect of the form and material of the shot. They considered, however,
that too much importance had" been attached to these particulars. The shot
was merely a means of transferring to the plate a certain amount of
mechanical energy generated at a distance by the powder; and the orly way in
which form and material influenced the result was by causing a greater or
less proportion of this energy to be absorbed by the shot itself, and so
wasted, or diverted from its intended purpose.
It was attempted by a very ingenious process to
ascertain the amount of work absorbed by the shot. It was found that, after
striking the plates, the shot, or the fragments of them, became highly
heated, and, according to the recently established thermo-dynamic law, by
measuring the rise of temperature, an approximate estimate could be given of
the work absorbed. It was thus found that with a hard-tempered steel shot,
the energy expended upon the projectile was about one-tenth of that stored
up in it at the moment of striking; while with softer steel it was
two-tenths; with soft wrought-iron it amounted to above one-half of the
whole ; and with cast-iron to probably still more.
These results, which were fully corroborated by
the effects produced on the plates, pointed to hard steel as the best kind
of shot to be used against iron armour ; but this expensive material was
afterwards superseded, in consequence of a discovery made by Capt. Palliser,
that cast-iron shot would answer, if made of a particular quality, and in a
particular form. In the ordinary shapes, shot of cast-iron, whatever the
quality of metal, broke up with great facility; but Capt. Palliser showed
that if the head were made pointed and the metal were very hard, the shot
would penetrate the plate before breaking, and the minimum amount of work
would be lost on the projectile. The shot so designed was accordingly
adopted in the service.
The Committee further investigated the laws of
resistance offered by plates of different thicknesses to projectiles of
different natures and weights, and with different velocities. Reverting to
the principle that the damage to the iron plate was proportional to the work
in the shot, or to the charge of powder, it was assumed that some definite
estimate might be made of the thickness of plate necessary to resist certain
artillery. As far as could be made out, there appeared reason to believe
that, within certain limits, the resisting power of a plate bore a tolerably
near ratio to the square of its thickness; but there was so much difficulty
in estimating the amount of damage done, and the quality of the plates tried
was so variable, that no trustworthy relation could be fixed. In heavy
plates, moreover, practical effects came in which disturbed the application
of any general law.
Another question that occupied the attention of
the Committee was what form it was most advantageous to give to the
defensive material. Several forms were proposed, such as bars, superposed
thin plates, corrugations, ribs, bosses, and many other ingenious
contrivances. More than four hundred of such plans were submitted to the
Committee ; and a great many were fully considered and tried; but, through
all these complications, they arrived at the. simple result that the best
application of the material was a single plate of uniform thickness, with
the surface perfectly plane.
Great interest and importance were attached to
the mode of applying the iron armour-plates upon the h ill of the vessel In
the ' Warrior,' as already explained, a cushion or bed of timber about
eighteen inches thick had been interposed between the armour plates and the
iron skin of the vessel, a plan followed, probably, more for the purpose of
imitating the construction of 'La Gloire,' than with any very definite idea
of what object the wood was to serve.
Many objections were raised to this by persons
of considerable authority in ship-building and mechanical science. It was
said that the plates had better be fastened at once upon the iron skin, and
that the wood backing was not only unnecessary, but was absolutely
prejudicial, as liable to decay, and to destruction by fire and shells. It
was necessary to test this, and no less than three expensive targets were
constructed for the purpose.
The result of these trials was to convince the
Committee that the wood backing performed several important functions,
which, though they had not been foreseen, were of much advantage.
In the first place, by its softness, it deadened
the jar and vibration caused by the blow of the shot. In the iron targets
this was severely felt, breaking the bolts and rivets, and shaking and
damaging the structure generally ; but with the interposition of the soft
cushion these evils were much reduced, and the structure was greatly
Secondly, it had the advantage of distributing
the effect of the blow over a much larger area of the skin plate. When the
armour was fastened directly upon the skin the shot acted upon a small area,
which gave it a better chance of penetrating; but with the large thickness
of wood between, the area of operation enlarged backwards, like a cone,
thereby increasing materially the power of the thin skin to resist the
Thirdly, if. under heavy fire, the armour-plate
became broken, the pieces did not fall off, but became imbedded m the wood,
and were thereby hold in their places, retaining their utility of defence in
a considerable degree.
Fourthly, the wood was useful in catching what
is called 'langrage,' or pieces of shot and shell, and preventing their
entering the ship.
For these reasons the Committee recommended the
retention of the wood backing to the armour, and it has ever since formed an
essential feature of naval defence.
The best sizes of armour plates, the process of
bending them and adapting them to the form of the ship, and the modes of
fastening them to the hull, and securing them in their places, also received
the consideration of the Committee* and were fully reported on.
The Committee wished to carry their experimental
investigations so far as to put the ' Warrior' herself under the fire of
heavy guns. This was thought too expensive and troublesome a proceeding, but
the case was met by the construction of a target, about 20 feet long and 10
feet high, which was made exactly a counterpart of a portion of the ship's
side. This target was erected at Shoeburyuess in 1801, and was fired at with
the old 68-pounder gun, and with the Armstrong rifled ] 10 and 120-pouuders,
the maximum charge of powder being 20 lbs. It received altogether, from
these guns, twenty-nine rounds, the combined weight of the shot being 3,229
It was, of course, a good deal damaged at the
front, but it was not penetrated, and would still have afforded efficient
protection. This result, considering how small an area the fire was
concentrated upon, was very favourable, and showed that the ship's armour
was strong enough to resist guns of the size then used.
The Committee also experimented cm many other
targets of different kinds, made to represent ships' sides defended by
different iron constructions. One of these was designed specially by Mr.
Fairbairn, for the purpose •of testing certain views held by him.
The experiments were carried on for the most
part at Shoeburvness, where it was possible to get a large area of free
ground, and where the artillery depots enabled the Committee to obtain the
most powerful guns and the most skilled gunners. The trials involved a great
deal of risk, but by admirable precautionary arrangements no accident ever
Mr. Fairbairn, in addition to a frequent
attendance at the meetings and experiments of the Committee, undertook, at
their request, some special investigations for them, reports of which were
published in their proceedings. These were:—
On the Mechanical Properties of Specimens of the
Iron and Steel Plates subjected to Experiments with ordinance, their
Strength, Ductility, Resistance to Punching Force, &c.
In 1862 :—
On the Resistance of different kinds of Shot to
a Force tending to crush them, and the forms they assume under Pressure.
Experiments on Punching.
In 1863 :—
On the Mechanical Properties of Iron Plates.
On the Manufacture of Armour Plates.
Experiments to test the value of annealing Armour Plates.
On the Tenacity of Cast-Iron Shot.
On the Mechanical Properties of Iron Plates.
On the Manufacture of Armour Plates.
General Summary of Results.
In these investigations he was ably assisted by
Mr. Unwin, whose services in the matter were specially acknowledged by the
Mr. Fairbairn communicated information on this
subject in two papers read before the British Association in 1861 and 1862 ;
at a lecture at the Royal Institution in 1862; and in a memoir to the
Institution of Naval Architects in 1869.
In December 1867, the War Office called the Iron
Armour Committee together again, with the addition of some other members,
for the purpose of investigating the construction and properties of certain
large iron shields for land defences which had been sent out to the forts at
Gibraltar and Malta.
As iu the case of the 'Warrior,' previously
mentioned, the Government had first made the shields, and afterwards begun
to consider how they ought to be constructed. To enlighten themselves on
this point, they had one of the shields fired at, and it proved so weak
that, in alarm, they appealed to the Committee, who, after due examination,
reported unfavourably of the strength and construction of the shield.
Mr. Fairbairn attended some of the meetings, but
his great age and infirm health prevented his taking a very active part in | <urn:uuid:f8ce5e4a-24b7-48d5-806a-5fb2e9847088> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.electricscotland.com/history/fairbairn/chapter20.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00091-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976082 | 6,031 | 2.890625 | 3 |
|State Service Flag|
|pop. density:||251 inh./km²|
|Minister-President:||Georg Milbradt[?] (CDU)|
In the early Middle Ages the term "Saxony" referred to a different region, occupying today's states of Lower Saxony and Bremen and the northern (Westphalian) part of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Saxons, after whom the area was named, had migrated from the area of present-day Schleswig-Holstein during the second quarter of the 1st millennium AD. See the history section below for more details.
Saxony borders on (from the east and clockwise) Poland, the Czech Republic and the German states of Bavaria, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg. Its capital is Dresden, and the other principal cities are Leipzig, Chemnitz and Zwickau. Since 1989 the state and its urban centres have lost population through migration to the former West Germany.
The main axis of Saxony is the Elbe river, crossing the state from southeast to northwest. Another important river, located west of the Elbe, is the Mulde. The Neiße (Nysa) river forms the Polish border.
The portions in the east of Saxony are the southern parts of the historical region of Lusatia (Lausitz) and are called Upper Lusatia (Oberlausitz); the minority of the Sorbs live in the region, which is bilingual today.
The countryside rises gradually from north to south, culminating in the mountain ranges along the Czech border. The Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) extend from Bavaria to the Elbe river. The Elbe itself has cut a majestic gorge in order to pass the mountains of the Elbsandsteingebirge[?]. Further east the mountains are less high and form a hilly countryside called the Lausitzer Bergland[?].
Furthermore there are seven independent towns, which don't belong to any district:
For the origins of the Saxon tribes see Saxons.
The first duchy of Saxony emerged about 900 in a region, which is completely different from the present state of Saxony: It was located in today's Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The first dukes of Saxony were at the same time kings (or emperors) of the Holy Roman Empire (Ottonian or Saxon Dynasty).
In 1137 Saxony was passed to the Welfen[?] dynasty. It reached its peak under duke Henry the Lion, but after his death it began to shrink. In 1180 large portions west of the Elbe had to be ceased to the bishops of Cologne (these lands later formed the duchy of Brunswick-Lueneburg). The small remains were passed to an Ascanian dynasty and were divided in 1260 into the two mini states of Saxony-Lauenburg and Saxony-Wittenberg.
Saxony-Lauenburg was later called Lauenburg and had nothing to do anymore with the history of Saxony.
Saxony-Wittenberg (in present Saxony-Anhalt) became subject to the margravate of Meißen (ruled by the Wettin dynasty) in 1423. A new powerful state was established, occupying large portions of present Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. Although the centre of this state was far southeast of the former Saxony, it was soon called Upper Saxony and then only Saxony, while the former Saxon territories were now called Lower Saxony.
A collateral line of the Wettin princes diverged in 1485. This line received what later became Thuringia and founded several tiny states there (see Thuringia for more details). The remaining state became even more powerful. In the 18th century Saxony was known for great cultural achievements, but was politically inferior to Prussia and Austria, which pressed Saxony from either sides.
In the Congress of Vienna Saxony was forced to cease its northern territories to Prussia. These lands became the Prussian province of Saxony, which is today incorporated in Saxony-Anhalt.
Remaining Saxony was roughly identical with the present federal state. It became a kingdom in 1831. After 1918 Saxony was an administrative region in the Weimar Republic, the Nazi era and under Soviet occupation. It was dissolved in 1952, but reestablished in 1990 upon the German reunification. Today Saxony also includes a little part of Silesia around the town of Goerlitz which remained German after the war.
For the state's own website, see http://www.sachsen.de/ | <urn:uuid:57f60f1a-5a09-4910-af58-5ed6461d68b8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/sa/Saxony | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00057-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965071 | 991 | 3.703125 | 4 |
A new study has revealed that mother birds can provide an early advantage to the chicks that they have sired with their non-social partner (known as extra-pair offspring).
It has long been known that female birds commonly mate with males other than their social partner, producing broods of mixed paternity in which the interloper's 'extra pair' offspring often outperform their half brothers and sisters.
While the superiority of these extra-pair offspring has generally been attributed to improved genetics, the new study has revealed that the difference may have more to do with mothers giving these 'extra pair' offspring a head start.
The team from the Universities of Melbourne and Groningen in the Netherlands have found that the superior performance of these extra-pair young arises largely because they are placed earlier in the laying order.
"Our findings indicate that mothers often give extra-pair offspring a better start in life, which can have life-long benefits" said Dr Michael Magrath from the Department of Zoology at the University of Melbourne.
"Our study examined a population of blue tits which are usually socially monogamous, but females commonly mate outside their pair to produce clutches with mixed parentage. Remarkably, almost 75% of the offspring that resulted from these 'extra pair' matings were produced in the first half of the clutch."
The study will be published in the latest issue of Current Biology on May 12.
Over two breeding seasons, Dr Magrath and colleagues numbered all 1732 eggs from 190 blue tit nests to determine their laying order. They placed these eggs in incubators to determine hatching order and, as they hatched, brought the chicks back to their original nests to monitor survival and growth. All chicks were also genotyped in order to determine the offspring's sex and genetic father.
"Typically, the eggs in a clutch hatch over a period of several days, with the order of hatching closely reflecting the order of laying," said Dr Magrath.
"Consequently, extra-pair chicks ended up hatched almost 10 hours before their within-pair half-siblings, on average, allowing them to gain an initial size advantage because parents start feeding chicks as soon as they hatch."
Because of this early advantage, extra-pair chicks were more likely to survive and were also larger than their within-pair half-siblings by the time they left the nest. However, after correcting for variation in hatching time, the researchers found that all differences between extra-pair and within-pair chicks were reduced or absent, indicating that this non-genetic, laying order effect largely accounted for the observed superiority of the extra-pair offspring.
The next challenge for the team is to understand why there is a connection between paternity and the laying order of eggs in the first place.
"Genetic testing now allows us to determine the paternity of individual chicks in mixed broods, but we still don't understand why extra-pair offspring are laid earlier or even why females choose to mate with extra-pair males," said Dr Magrath.
One explanation could be in the timing of copulations. Females may engage in extra-pair matings to guard against the possibility that their social partner is infertile.
"Because females can often store sperm for several weeks, they may typically only copulate with extra-pair males before the start of laying as this may be adequate to fertilise all eggs in the clutch in the event of pair male infertility. However, in the vast majority of cases the pair male is fertile and this scenario could explain why extra-pair offspring become less likely among later laid eggs."
Even if females obtain a mix of sperm before laying, it is possible that the sperm from extra-pair males is more successful in fertilizing eggs if it is of higher quality (e.g. swims faster), or gets stored in a more advantageous position within the female's reproductive tract such as closer to the site of fertilization.
"The differential success of sperm from different males is a fascinating possibility but remains untested in wild birds."
While the study suggests that the superior performance of extra-pair chicks has more to do with good fortune than good genes, the team still don't discount the possibility that females mate with extra-pair males to improve the genetic quality of their offspring.
"Genetically determined advantages may become most evident in later life, such as living longer or having greater mating success. And if this is the case, then placing extra-pair offspring early in the laying order may be the mother's strategy to promote their chances of survival through the most risky period of their life".
|Contact: Nerissa Hannink|
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English Course Book 6
How Cultural Competency and Geoleadership ...
Core Competencies Assessment
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BUILDING LITERACY COMPETENCIES IN EARLY ...
1.9 The spelling of plural nouns with - s, - es and-ies ending.
1.10 To give past tense spelling of verbs (with 'ed'ending).
2.13 Identifying the time adverbials for different tenses
2.14 Asking for permission to do something
2.15 Suggesting probability of the occurence of an activity
2.16 Suggesting politely
3.4 Listening to announcements in school
4.6 Giving directions / instructions.
5.2 Understanding the meaning of unfamiliar words.
6.4 Leave letters
7.4 Locating books in a library
9.2 Copying a text without errors.
1.8 Spelling of mono/disyllabic words in their base/lexical form; to write correct spelling
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A Glimpse of Poverty in Bolivia's Rural High Plateau
The indigenous Aymara and Quechua people who live in the rural high plateau region of Bolivia, more commonly known as the Altiplano, are among the most impoverished people in the world. Ninety-five percent of the families in the region live in extreme poverty.
Basic needs on the Altiplano:
- sewage services
- drinkable water (children have to walk up to a mile to collect water from springs or rivers)
In the Rural High Plateau Region of Bolivia
Geography & Climate
- Rural Bolivians live against a backdrop of snowcapped mountains and economic uncertainty.
- The region’s climate is cold and harsh.
- They live in precarious one-room adobe buildings.
About three-fourths of the rural population in Bolivia lives on less than U.S.$1.50 a day.
Farming of potatoes, barley and quinoa sustains most families in rural areas, but the soil quality is poor, which results in less food for families and more children suffering from malnutrition.
Children at Home
Children in the Bolivian highlands live in houses made of adobe without plumbing or electricity, clean drinking water or basic sanitation.
Houses on the sprawling high plateau are spaced far apart and — to the uneducated eye — are spacious. In reality, multiple families typically live under one roof.
Few families have more than two beds, although most families have six or more members.
Families share homes with their animals in the winter.
Issues and Concerns
- Many children are chronically malnourished.
- Most family dwellings are disease-ridden.
- Children are victims of chronic gastrointestinal diseases.
- Cold viruses are common.
- Severe pneumonia often isn’t treated properly.
Local Needs and Challenges
Public buses, the primary mode of transportation in the rural highlands, don’t necessarily make daily stops. The fortunate have bicycles; others walk.
Some children walk great distances to their Compassion-assisted child development center, in unsafe conditions.
Extreme seasonal changes
When the region floods, most of the children can’t get to their center.
The lack of potable water is an urgent concern. People are forced to drink from streams and bad wells. The result is frequent outbreaks of illness and disease.
The closest medical facility is more than 30 miles away, causing minor illnesses to turn serious.
Schools and Education
In Bolivia’s Altiplano, getting an education is a challenge. Children, by law, are required to attend school February through November. But the region’s sky-high dropout and illiteracy rates tell a different story.
- Schools are scarce and falling apart.
- Most have no windows, lights, restrooms, water or heat.
- Children must make hourlong walks to attend school.
Because families in this area are so poor, many parents simply do not allow their children to go to school as they are needed more urgently at home to work the fields or provide child care for younger siblings.
At the Compassion Child Development Center
Child development centers provide registered children with a place to learn, grow and study.
Children whose families have never been able to offer them clean water, health care or an education now have access to these necessities. They also spend time writing to and praying for their sponsors.
What Compassion Sponsorship Provides
In the Altiplano, Compassion partners with local churches to bring help and hope to registered children in need in Bolivia, providing them with:
- regular nutritious meals and snacks
- health checkups and medical care as needed
- the support needed to attend school
- education of parents on specific health treatments and basic health care | <urn:uuid:f3c69ee4-f110-4fd1-abed-52baf5a649a8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.compassion.com/bolivia/quechua.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00152-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939784 | 788 | 3.578125 | 4 |
Designer Anders Wilhelmson, in collaboration with Camilla Wirseen and Peter Thuvander, has developed the Peepoo bag - a single-use, disposable toilet bag intended to improve sanitary conditions in developing nations.
The Peepoo bag is made from degradable bioplastic lined with urea.
The used bags are clean and safe to handle, and remain odour-free for at least 24 hours, meaning they can be stored in the immediate area.
After two-four weeks the treated faeces can be used as a high-value fertiliser.
The bags are due for production later his year. Here's some more information from Peepoople:
The Peepoo bag is in the form of a slim elongated bag size 14 x 38 cm. Within the bag there is a thinner gauze that measures 26 x 24 cm. The inside of the Peepoo bags is coated with a thin film of urea. Without sacrificing ergonomic function the bag’s design is adapted in every way so that it might be manufactured at as low a price as possible and sold to the groups with weakest purchasing power in the world.
The Peepoo bag is designed to be used once, sitting, squatting or standing. If one uses it with only the hand, the thin gauze prevents all contact with the excrement. It can also be used by being placed in a cut plastic bottle or small bucket and acting approximately as a chamber pot.
The Peepoo bag is a toilet which is not fixed to a particular place. It is simple to carry since it is small and weighs less than 10 grams. The only thing one needs to do is find a secluded spot where one can use it as a toilet.
Peepoo bags are odour free for at least 24 hours after use and can thus be stored in the immediate environment.
Peepoo bag is one of few sanitation solutions which require no water. The only water required is to wash the hands after use. This means that the traditional link between water and sanitation has been cut. A used Peepoo bag is clean to handle. It has become a waste that neither smell nor is dirty to take care of and collect.
The inside of the Peepoo bag is coated with a thin film of urea. Urea is the most common fertiliser in the world and is a non-hazardous chemical. It is found, for example, in toothpaste or skin cream often under the name of carbamide. When the urea comes into contact with faeces or urine, an enzymatic breakdown takes place into ammonia and carbonate, driven by enzymes which are naturally occurring in faeces.
As the urea is broken down, the pH value of the material increases and hygienisation begins.
Organisms which produce diseases (pathogens) which may be found in faeces (bacteria, viruses and parasites) are inactivated within 2-4 weeks depending on the surrounding temperature. The presence in urine of organisms which cause diseases is at a considerably lower level than in faeces and the hygienisation of the urine occurs more quickly. With conventional urine processing, urine sorting, the primary source of contamination is derived from faeces; this risk does not arise here since the bag is a disposable toilet.
Untreated faeces cannot be regarded as hygienised until 1-2 years storage has passed. The urea treatment is the simplest and most efficient treatment available. In the end when the bags degrade in the soil, the ammonia acts as a harmless fertiliser taken up by the plants.
The bag is made of a high performance degradable bioplastic which meets EU standard EN13432. This means that the plastic not only disintegrates but also that the molecules are broken down into carbon dioxide, water and bio-mass. Already today, the plastic is produced to 45% using renewable materials. Peepoople intends, within the near future, to find a solution which is 100% renewable. The bioplastic comprises a mixture of aromatic co-polyesters and polylactone acid (PLA), with small additives of wax and lime. PHB represent alternative bioplastics.
When all pathogens have been inactivated, two to four weeks after use, the treated faeces constitute a high value fertiliser with a considerable market value. The fertiliser will mainly be a nitrogen fertiliser due to the added urea for sanitation. Other nutrients are also available for the plants and thereby improving the soil fertility. Additionally, the organic matter in the faeces will improve the soil structure and thereby the buffering capacity and the water holding capacity which in the long term will improve the possible harvest from the fields.
Since fertilisers are an expensive and scarce commodity in developing countries, it is possible for simple economic systems to develop informally through the collection and distribution of used Peepoo bags. Consequently, the used bags represent a local resource instead of a contaminant.
The bag’s design is adapted in every way so that it might be manufactured at as low a price as possible and sold to the groups with weakest purchasing power in the world. The price is extremely advantageous compared with all competing methods, for end consumers and for society since there are no investment costs related to the use of the Peepoo bag.
Peepoo bags require no infrastructural solutions for implementation. No buildings or pipes need be built. Nor is there any need for any overhead system or investment costs. Peepoo can be simply distributed and can thus meet the enormous demand in a highly efficient manner.
Investment costs for different sanitation solutions
Local costs for installation
(not including use, maintenance costs, water costs and emptying)
Flush toilet connected to sewer or septic tank 400-1500 USD
Urban dry or wet Eco San 675-1500 USD
Condominal sewers 75-600 USD
Dry vault urine diversion 35-400 USD
Improved pit latrine or pour flush toilet 40-260 USD
Basic pit latrine 10-50 USD
Soil composting ecosan 10-40 USD
Communal toilet/latrine (50 persons per seat) 12-40 USD
Peepoo bag 0 USD
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Getting people to move -- challenges in promoting physical activity
Programs that discourage smoking have been reasonably successful. However, public health programs that encourage physical activity have not. While the benefits of regular physical activity are well documented in the medical literature and the problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle are even more apparent, public health officials struggle for methods to promote increased physical activity that will work in American society. In a study published in the January 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers examine the challenges in promoting physical activity in a society less and less inclined to walk, run or exercise.
Writing in the article, Antronette K Yancey, MD, MPH, at the UCLA School of Public Health, states, "Although the science of physical activity promotion is advancing rapidly, the practice of promoting physical activity at a population level is in its infancy. The virtual absence of a public health practice infrastructure for the promotion of physical activity at the local level presents a critical challenge to chronic disease, and particularly obesity, control policy."
The authors examined the current public health infrastructure and found that there are political and systemic barriers to effective physical activity promotional efforts. Competing interests have often conspired to hamper such programs. For example, funding public school Physical Education often loses out to increased money for more academic programs. While healthy eating to prevent obesity is desirable, demonizing the food industry as the sole cause of obesity undermines the importance of physical activity and deflects attention from activity-restricting consequences of other industries. With the automobile, oil and tire industries putting us in cars and the movie/TV, video game and spectator sports industries putting us in chairs, the public is encouraged to remain sedentary. The message that there is a fuller spectrum of benefits from physical activity is easily lost.
Dr. Yancey continues, "Physical activity promotion constitutes a critical role for public health practice, given the increasing prevalence of inactivity and sedentary behavior, the substantial protection against obesity and chronic disease conferred by regular physical activity, the major contribution of sedentariness and obesity to health disparities and the increasing understanding of the central role that physical activity plays in overall health and quality of life. The public health infrastructure for physical activity promotion, while undeveloped and untested, is not unlike the public health infrastructure for other major health concerns before they were recognized as such. Given the evidence, the time is right to move forward with putting the infrastructure into place. To not do so is to place future generations at risk."
The article is "Creating a Public Health Infrastructure for Physical Activity Promotion" by Antronette K. Yancey, MD, MPH, Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MBA, MPH, George R. Flores, MD, MPH, James F. Sallis, PhD, William J. McCarthy, PhD, and Lester Breslow, MD, MPH.
It appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 32, Issue 1 (January 2007) published by Elsevier.
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 30 Apr 2016
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Greek5273. hupokrites -- one who answers, an actor, a hypocrite
... one who answers, an actor, a hypocrite. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
hupokrites Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-ok-ree-tace') Short Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5273.htm - 7k
444. anthropos -- a man, human, mankind
2443. hina -- in order that, that, so that
611. apokrinomai -- to answer
470. antapokrinomai -- to answer again
612. apokrisis -- an answering
5485. charis -- grace, kindness
3081. lusiteleo -- to be advantageous, profitable
Strong's Hebrew8666. teshubah -- a return, answer
... Word Origin from shub Definition a return, answer NASB Word Usage answers (2),
return (1), spring (2), turn (3). answer, be expired, return. ...
/hebrew/8666.htm - 6k
6030a. anah -- to answer, respond
559. amar -- to utter, say
6070. Anthothiyyah -- a Benjamite
Touching Incidents and Remarkable Answers to Prayer
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How I Know God Answers Prayer
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The Answers of Patriarch Jeremiah to the Lutherans, AD 1576.
Answers to Prayer.
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ThesaurusAnswers (42 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Answers (42 Occurrences). Mark 15:5 But Jesus gave
no more answers, so that Pilate was full of wonder. (BBE). ...
/a/answers.htm - 17k
Arguments (29 Occurrences)
Questions (76 Occurrences)
Jesse (45 Occurrences)
Questioned (57 Occurrences)
Idea (64 Occurrences)
Law (670 Occurrences)
Full (1047 Occurrences)
Quantity (18 Occurrences)
Bible ConcordanceAnswers (42 Occurrences)
Mark 15:5 But Jesus gave no more answers, so that Pilate was full of wonder.
Luke 2:47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Luke 11:7 and he from within answering may say, Do not give me trouble, already the door hath been shut, and my children with me are in the bed, I am not able, having risen, to give to thee.
Luke 11:53 After He had left the house, the Scribes and Pharisees commenced a vehement attempt to entangle Him and make Him give off-hand answers on numerous points,
Luke 12:11 And when they take you before the Synagogues and the authorities and the rulers, take no thought about what answers you will give, or what you will say:
Luke 13:25 As soon as the Master of the house shall have risen and shut the door, and you have begun to stand outside and knock at the door and say, "'Sir, open the door for us' --"'I do not know you,' He answers; 'you are no friends of mine.'
Luke 21:14 So take care not to be troubled before the time comes, about what answers you will give:
Luke 23:9 He questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers.
John 13:26 Jesus answers, He it is to whom I, after I have dipped the morsel, give it. And having dipped the morsel, he gives it to Judas son of Simon, Iscariote.
John 13:38 Jesus answers, Thou wilt lay down thy life for me! Verily, verily, I say to thee, The cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice.
Acts 9:22 But Saul went on increasing in power, and the Jews in Damascus were not able to give answers to the arguments by which he made it clear that Jesus was the Christ.
Romans 9:20 nay, but, O man, who art thou that art answering again to God? shall the thing formed say to Him who did form 'it', Why me didst thou make thus?
1 Corinthians 4:13 When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers: we are made as the unclean things of the world, as that for which no one has any use, even till now.
Galatians 4:25 For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.
Genesis 24:14 Now, may the girl to whom I say, Let down your vessel and give me a drink, and who says in answer, Here is a drink for you and let me give water to your camels: may she be the one marked out by you for your servant Isaac: so may I be certain that you have been good to my master Abraham.
Genesis 43:7 And they said, The man put a number of questions to us about ourselves and our family, saying, Is your father still living? have you another brother? And we had to give him answers; how were we to have any idea that he would say, Come back with your brother?
1 Samuel 20:10 Then said David to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if perchance your father answers you roughly?"
1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?" Saul answered, "I am very distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do."
1 Kings 10:3 And Solomon gave her answers to all her questions; there was no secret which the king did not make clear to her.
1 Kings 18:24 You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers by fire, let him be God." All the people answered, "It is well said."
2 Chronicles 9:2 And Solomon gave her answers to all her questions; there was no secret which he did not make clear to her.
Job 20:3 I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
Job 21:34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, seeing that in your answers there remains only falsehood?"
Job 23:5 I would see what his answers would be, and have knowledge of what he would say to me.
Job 32:1 So these three men gave no more answers to Job, because he seemed to himself to be right.
Job 32:15 Fear has overcome them, they have no more answers to give; they have come to an end of words.
Job 32:16 And am I to go on waiting while they have nothing to say? while they keep quiet and give no more answers?
Job 33:13 Why hast thou striven against Him? seeing that He will not answer any of his words.
Job 34:36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.
Job 38:3 Get your strength together like a man of war; I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
Job 40:7 Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
Job 42:4 Give ear to me, and I will say what is in my mind; I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
Psalms 3:4 I cry to Yahweh with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah.
Psalms 20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the mighty acts of His saving right hand.
Psalms 99:6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who gave honour to his name; they made prayers to the Lord, and he gave answers to them.
Psalms 120:1 A Song of Ascents. In my distress I called unto the LORD, and He answered me.
Proverbs 15:28 The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.
Proverbs 18:23 The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth impudently.
Proverbs 27:19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
Ecclesiastes 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
Jeremiah 42:4 And Jeremiah the prophet saith unto them, 'I have heard: lo, I am praying unto Jehovah your God according to your words, and it hath come to pass, the whole word that Jehovah answereth you, I declare to you -- I do not withhold from you a word.'
Malachi 2:12 Yahweh will cut off, to the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob, and him who offers an offering to Yahweh of Armies.
LinksBible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus | <urn:uuid:97c31a89-5b26-4248-858f-fee7ca1d251c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://bibleencyclopedia.com/answers.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00097-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952293 | 2,058 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Biodiversity in 2010
Genetic diversity is being lost in natural ecosystems and in systems of crop and livestock production. Important progress is being made to conserve plant genetic diversity, especially using ex situ seed banks.
The decline in species populations, combined with the fragmentation of landscapes, inland water bodies and marine habitats, have necessarily led to an overall significant decline in the genetic diversity of life on Earth.
While this decline is of concern for many reasons, there is particular anxiety about the loss of diversity in the varieties and breeds of plants and animals used to sustain human livelihoods. A general homogenization of landscapes and agricultural varieties can make rural populations vulnerable to future changes, if genetic traits kept over thousands of years are allowed to disappear.
An example of the reduction in crop diversity can be found in China, where the number of local rice varieties being cultivated has declined from 46,000 in the 1950s to slightly more than 1,000 in 2006. In some 60 to 70 per cent of the areas where wild relatives of rice used to grow, it is either no longer found or the area devoted to its cultivation has been greatly reduced.
Significant progress has been made in ex situ conservation of crops, that is the collection of seeds from different genetic varieties for cataloguing and storage for possible future use. For some 200 to 300 crops, it is estimated that over 70% of genetic diversity is already conserved in gene banks, meeting the target set under the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also recognized the leading role played by plant and animal breeders, as well as the curators of ex situ collections, in conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources.
However, major efforts are still needed to conserve genetic diversity on farms, to allow continued adaptation to climate change and other pressures. Additional measures are also required to protect the genetic diversity of other species of social and economic importance, including medicinal plants, non-timber forest products, local landraces (varieties adapted over time to particular conditions) and the wild relatives of crops.
Standardized and high-output systems of animal husbandry have led to an erosion of the genetic diversity of livestock. At least one-fifth of livestock breeds are at risk of extinction. The availability of genetic resources better able to support future livelihoods from livestock may be compromised.
Twenty-one per cent of the world's 7,000 livestock breeds (amongst 35 domesticated species of birds and mammal) are classified as being at risk, and the true figure is likely to be much higher as a further 36 per cent are of unknown risk status [See Figure 13]. More than 60 breeds are reported to have become extinct during the first six years of this century alone.
The reduction in the diversity of breeds has so far been greatest in developed countries, as widely-used, high-output varieties such as Holstein-Friesian cattle come to dominate. In many developing countries, changing market demands, urbanization and other factors are leading to a rapid growth of more intensive animal production systems. This has led to the increased use of non-local breeds, largely from developed countries, and it is often at the expense of local genetic resources.
Government policies and development programmes can make matters worse, if poorly planned. A variety of direct and indirect subsidies tend to favour large-scale production at the expense of small-scale livestock-keeping, and the promotion of "superior" breeds will further reduce genetic diversity. Traditional livestock keeping, especially in drylands, is also threatened by degradation of pastures, and by the loss of traditional knowledge through pressures such as migration, armed conflict and the effects of HIV/AIDS.
The loss of genetic diversity in agricultural systems is of particular concern as rural communities face ever-greater challenges in adapting to future climate conditions. In drylands, where production is often operating at the limit of heat and drought tolerances, this challenge is particularly stark. Genetic resources are critically important for the development of farming systems that capture more carbon and emit lower quantities of greenhouse gases, and for underpinning the breeding of new varieties. A breed or variety of little significance now may prove to be very valuable in the future. If it is allowed to become extinct, options for future survival and adaptation are being closed down forever. | <urn:uuid:7eb50f89-173e-4655-ae35-80bbd4123b90> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.cbd.int/gbo3/?pub=6667§ion=6710 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393463.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00154-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950842 | 874 | 3.46875 | 3 |
by Staff Writers
Cambridge, UK (SPX) Jan 31, 2014
'Smart' holograms, which are currently being tested to monitor diabetes, and could be used to monitor a wide range of medical and environmental conditions in future, have been developed by researchers.
Responsive holograms that change colour in the presence of certain compounds are being developed into portable medical tests and devices, which could be used to monitor conditions such as diabetes, cardiac function, infections, electrolyte or hormone imbalance easily and inexpensively.
The 'smart' holograms can be used to test blood, breath, urine, saliva or tear fluid for a wide range of compounds, such as glucose, alcohol, hormones, drugs, or bacteria. When one of these compounds is present, the hologram changes colour, potentially making the monitoring of various conditions as simple as checking the colour of the hologram against a colour gradient.
Clinical trials of the holographic sensors to monitor glucose levels and urinary tract infections in diabetic patients are currently underway at Addenbrooke's Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals.
The interdisciplinary project by researchers from the University of Cambridge uses a highly absorbent material known as a hydrogel, similar to contact lenses, impregnated with tiny particles of silver. Using a single laser pulse, the silver nanoparticles are formed into three-dimensional holograms of predetermined shapes in a fraction of a second.
When in the presence of certain compounds, the hydrogels either shrink or swell, causing the colour of the hologram to change to any other colour in the entire visible spectrum, the first time that this has been achieved in any hydrogel-based sensor.
A major advantage of the technology is that the holograms can be constructed in a fraction of a second, making the technology highly suitable for mass production. Details of the holographic sensors were recently published in the journal Advanced Optical Materials.
"Currently, a lot of medical testing is performed on large, expensive equipment," said Ali Yetisen, a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, who led the research.
"While these sorts of inexpensive, portable tests aren't meant to replace a doctor, holograms could enable people to easily monitor their own health, and could be useful for early diagnosis, which is critical for so many conditions."
The holographic sensors produced by the Cambridge team are much faster, easier and cheaper to produce than current technologies - it is estimated that a single sensor would cost just ten pence to make, which would make it particularly useful in the developing world, where the costs of current glucose tests can be prohibitive.
The entire sensing process is reversible, and the same sensor may be reused many times, after which it may be easily disposed of.
In addition to the clinical tests currently underway at Addenbrooke's against current state-of-the-art glucose monitoring technology, the researchers are developing a prototype smartphone-based test suitable for both clinical and home testing of diabetes and clinically relevant conditions.
"In addition to medical applications, the holographic technology also has potential uses in security applications, such as the detection of counterfeit medicine, which is thought to cause hundreds of thousands of deaths each year," said Dr Fernando da Cruz Vasconcellos, Post-Doctoral Researcher in Professor Chris Lowe's group and a co-author of this study.
University of Cambridge
Satellite-based Internet technologies
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Definition of Delirium
Delirium: A sudden state of severe confusion and rapid changes in brain function, sometimes associated with hallucinations and hyperactivity, during which the patient is inaccessible to normal contact. Delirium can be due to a number of conditions, including infection, drug toxicity or withdrawal, seizures, brain tumor, poisoning, head injury, and metabolic disturbances.Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionary
Last Editorial Review: 5/13/2016
Get tips on therapy and treatment. | <urn:uuid:6e2664ca-9133-4d1f-bf5c-4f68d6c42301> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=23364 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00098-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.846751 | 101 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Microbubbles decrease the time and acoustic power of ultrasound required to heat and destroy an embedded target, finds research in BioMed Central's open access journal Journal of Therapeutic Ultrasound. If these results can be replicated in the clinic, microbubbles could improve the efficiency of high intensity ultrasound treatment of solid tumors.
High intensity ultrasound is already used to treat solid tumors. Ultrasound can be focused through soft tissue and, because it does not require probes or surgery, is non-invasive. However if the tumor is behind the ribcage or skull, the bone absorbs some of the ultrasound. Consequently the length of treatment needs to be increased, plus there is a potential for heat damage to the bone.
In order to improve ultrasound therapy, especially in these difficult to treat cases, a team from Boston University has developed phase shift nanoemulsions (PSNE), which produce tiny microbubbles when blasted with high intensity ultrasound. Microbubbles smaller than 200nm passively accumulate in tumors and this study shows that microbubbles of this size can amplify the effects of ultrasound in hydrogels designed to mimic solid tumors inside the body.
Holes formed in a predictable manner and with a predictable shape which altered with acoustic intensity. The acoustic intensity and exposure time required for thermal destruction of tumor tissue were both reduced by more than half, compared to ultrasound without microbubbles. The lower power levels and time needed to destroy a target in the presence of microbubbles could potentially improve cancer therapy, especially in hard to reach areas.
The first stage in any new treatment is to show safety and efficacy. Prof Tyrone Porter, who led this study explained, "We used PSNE of phospholipid coated perfluorcarbon which have no known toxicity and have already be shown to be safe clinically. Our technique pushes forward the possible applications of ultrasound therapy in treating solid tumors."
Open access publisher BioMed Central is proud to announce the launch of Journal of Therapeutic Ultrasound in partnership with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation and the International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound.
"Focused ultrasound technology has enormous potential to improve the quality of lives for millions around the world," noted Neal F. Kassell, M.D., Chairman and Founder of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. "The research reported in the Journal of Therapeutic Ultrasound will be central to advancing the field and will help accelerate the progress of focused ultrasound towards clinical adoption."
|Contact: Hilary Glover| | <urn:uuid:0d5a6569-d483-4a14-81a5-d41e08883c24> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Using-microbubbles-to-improve-cancer-therapy-104518-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395548.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00166-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909451 | 513 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Politician and statesman. Born in London, Campbell was educated at Edinburgh Academy, Eton and the Universities of St. Andrews and Cambridge. As Marquis of Lorne, he became Member of Parliament for Argyllshire (1868-71 and 1895-1900). Campbell married Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848 - 1939), a daughter of Queen Victoria, in 1871. He became Canada's youngest Governor-General in 1878, serving in this position until 1883. The couple made lasting contributions to Canadian society, especially encouraging the arts and sciences, promoting the creation of various institutions such as the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, the Royal Society of Canada and the National Gallery of Canada. Campbell served as Governor of Windsor Castle (1892 - 1914) and succeeded his father to the Dukedom of Argyll in 1900. The couple lived mainly at Kensington Palace (London), although their marriage was unhappy and gave rise to no children. He died on the Isle of Wight and was succeeded by his nephew. | <urn:uuid:79984726-0cdc-49c6-a76d-cda3467afdbb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst720.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00094-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978509 | 208 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Five scientists speaking at a workshop at the 2011 Fall AGU meeting in San Francisco on Tuesday, December 6 at 10 AM PST will discuss the complex -- and relatively new -- research area of space weather. The term refers to a host of disturbances that can alter the vast electromagnetic system stretching from the sun to Earth and all the way to the edges of the solar system. This system is increasingly dynamic as the sun moves toward solar maximum in 2013 and sends out correspondingly more energy and eruptions. Such energy can disrupt and even damage human technology, and scientists would like to predict space weather as well as meteorologists do for conventional weather on Earth. Our understanding of space weather has already improved substantially since the last solar maximum in 2001, and a host of spacecraft instruments are supplying data to continue to expand our knowledge.
The speakers will provide the context to understand the science of the sun-Earth system, discuss the details of potential space weather effects, and explain the state-of-the-art in terms of space weather modeling and prediction.
Earth's own magnetic environment, the magnetosphere, is an inextricable part of this system, changing constantly in response to incoming energy from the sun such as the stream of particles known as the solar wind, giant eruptions of radiation from the sun called solar flares, or bursts of solar material called coronal mass ejections. In the workshop, Daniel Baker from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo., explains the current understanding of the physics behind this system. Showing high-resolution pictures of the sun's roiling surface, Baker will trace ejections from their origin at the sun through space to Earth's protective magnetic envelope. Here, under the correct circumstances, the sun's energy can connect efficiently and effectively with Earth's own atmosphere.
Louis Lanzerotti from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, N.J., explains what happens next. At their most benign, such space weather events trigger beautiful aurora in the night sky as incoming particles collide with Earth's atmosphere and produce light. But space weather can also adversely impact our modern technological infrastructure. Even in the mid-1800s, telegraph operators noticed that auroras in the night sky coincided with disruptions to telegraph operation – and today such disruptions can affect a much wider array of technologies that have developed over the last century. Such space weather-produced effects include loss of radio contact for airplanes on transpolar flights, astronauts imperiled by radiation, damage to electric grids, and disruption of cell phone service and underwater telecommunication cables, and destruction of satellite electronics. The effects of the sun can be complex, subtle, and some times quite surprising, and we need accurate models and accurate forecasts to protect modern technology.
Discussing the state-of-the-art in such models, Michael Hesse of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., describes researchers' recent successes in data analysis and modeling efforts. Hesse leads the Community Coordinated Modeling Center at Goddard, which combines models with real time observations from NASA spacecraft that together show all sides of the sun. By incorporating stereoscopic views of a coronal mass ejection, for example, scientists at the CCMC can better predict its direction and velocity.
Such prediction techniques are still young, not unlike the early days of Earth weather forecasting, but they nevertheless represent a giant leap in accuracy. Antti Pulkkinen, a scientist with both Goddard and Catholic University in Washington, D.C., describes the new more accurate, numerical-based models. These have been made possible due to improvement not only in the models themselves, but due to more comprehensive observations and the increased power of supercomputers. One use for such models: the Solar Shield Project, which can predict which areas on Earth may experience the worst effects from an incoming solar storm. Power grid operators can then take steps to protect their technology from harm rather than risk damage to their transformers.
Rodney Viereck of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Co., wraps up the workshop with a discussion on how the SWPC forecasters disseminate information to customers such as electric power grid operators, high frequency radio operators, commercial airlines, satellite operators, emergency managers, and a vast array of users who depend on satellite navigation (GPS). NOAA works hand in hand with government agencies such NASA, DoD, NSF, USGS as well as the research community, to incorporate the latest models and data into their Space Weather Prediction Center. Viereck discusses their role in the ongoing effort to put an operational satellite between Earth and the sun to provide real time warnings of incoming CMEs. The NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) currently fulfills that role and provides key data to drive space weather models. NOAA is working with NASA and DOD to replace the aging ACE satellite with a successor satellite called DSCOVR. | <urn:uuid:caf2cbfb-7383-4467-a13d-bdbb5d5b6665> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/agu2011-spaceweather.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00126-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922849 | 995 | 3.703125 | 4 |
Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability (40S)
Course Code: 1128
Students conduct inquiry into the social, political, environmental, and economic impact of contemporary and emerging global issues. Through their inquiry, students focus on questions of quality of life locally, nationally and globally. This course is based on the principles of active democratic citizenship, ecological literacy, critical media literacy, and ethical decision-making, and consolidates learning across the disciplines to empower students as agents of change for a sustainable and equitable future. As a mandatory component of the course, students plan and implement a community-based action-research project.
This new optional course may be implemented on a voluntary basis in the 2012-2013 school year, which is the final year World Issues (course code 1179) may be offered.
Below are links to draft documents for this course. Other documents will be posted as they are finalized.
Areas of Inquiry Backgrounders
Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability Poster
- Take Action Blog
The goal of this blog is to serve as a source of inspiration for Take Action Projects as well as to connect youth with organizations and groups who are already working on issues of global citizenship and sustainability. Content is geared to students and teachers of the Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability course, but anyone interested in taking action for a more just and sustainable world will find ideas for action here.
- PEG – Winnipeg’s Community Indicator Site
Peg measures the health of our community year over year – in ways that count. They tally studies on everything from the health of babies born in Winnipeg right through to how many of them graduate 18 years later. They track how much garbage we take to the landfill and how often we give up our cars to take public transit. Peg calculate how often citizens volunteer and if we’re doing more or less of it. It’s here at Peg that Winnipeggers can learn how their life, their neighbourhood and their city is changing – for the good and the bad. Peg is a starting place for Winnipeg students to learn the facts so they can lead change to create a better city for the future.
- Facing History and Ourselves for Educators
- Learning for a Sustainable Future Teacher Resources
For further information, please contact Linda Connor. | <urn:uuid:2a40fa97-cce6-449d-b757-a70f99e38b87> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/global_issues/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397695.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00117-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945117 | 475 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Action Report: February/March 2012
How National Wildlife Federation is Making a Difference
Your Dollars at Work: Reducing Risks in U.S. Floodplains
NWF continues its historic efforts to protect flood-prone areas
NWF has been committed since the early 1940s to stopping development in sensitive areas prone to flooding. People who hold mortgages from federally insured or regulated lenders are required by law to have flood insurance, which private insurers often are unwilling to provide. So in 1968 Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program, housed in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Today nearly 20,000 U.S. communities participate in the program, which, through its subsidies, encourages coastal and floodplain development that inevitably will burden taxpayers with costly, repetitive insurance claims while causing habitat destruction. In recent years, high-risk properties have accounted for more than $35 billion in claims.
“As global warming increases the frequency and intensity of storms and associated flooding and causes long-term rise in sea level, the nation’s coasts and floodplains are increasingly jeopardized,” says Adam Kolton, executive director of NWF’s National Advocacy Center. “Meanwhile, FEMA continues to subsidize insurance for people and companies that build in flood-prone coastal areas.”
NWF has devoted special attention recently to measures designed to ensure that FEMA provides flood insurance only when proper safeguards for wildlife and habitat are in place. Among the successes:
• NWF and its partners in 2009 won a series of court cases requiring FEMA to ensure protections of wildlife and habitat in two flood zones proposed for development. These cases benefit endangered Key deer in Florida and dwindling orca and Chinook salmon populations in Washington’s Puget Sound.
• Late last year, NWF and the Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF) achieved a successful settlement of a federal case challenging FEMA’s practice of issuing flood insurance for storm-surge areas along the Florida coast, which includes 90 percent of U.S. sea turtle nesting habitat. “This settlement will require FEMA to scrutinize its flood insurance program as it relates to wildlife,” says Manley Fuller, FWF president.
• NWF stopped a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project in the Mississippi Delta that would have drained 314 square miles of wetlands and bottomland forest, and the Federation continues to block a Corps levee project in southeast Missouri that would close off one of the last Mississippi River floodplains.
• NWF has partnered with taxpayer groups and other organizations to create SmarterSafer.org, a coalition committed to reforming the federal flood insurance program. SmarterSafer.org has since successfully defeated schemes that would have expanded federal insurance subsidies and has helped advance a flood insurance reform bill through the U.S. House of Representatives.
“NWF advocates a range of new federal, state and local policies that reduce the risk to people and wildlife and that discourage developments that are sure to flood and to cost taxpayers money,” Kolton says.
NWF’s current efforts to reform the federal flood insurance program and protect floodplains—and the wildlife that depend on them—could not succeed without your support. In fiscal year 2011 alone, NWF members contributed some $90,000 to these efforts.
NWF Welcomes Two New State Affiliates
The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, and New Hampshire Audubon in Concord are NWF’s newest state affiliates, bringing the total number of affiliates to 48. Learn more about all of NWF’s affiliates at www.nwf.org/affiliates.
No More Drilling In The Dark
Amid growing concern over increased use of the drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing—or “fracking”—NWF last fall issued No More Drilling in the Dark: Exposing the Hazards of Natural Gas Production and Protecting America’s Drinking Water and Wildlife Habitats. While the report acknowledges that natural gas will remain part of the nation’s energy future, gas extraction is proceeding too quickly, it says, before sufficient environmental safeguards have been established.
The report makes a number of recommendations to reduce fracking’s threats to air, water and wildlife habitat. They include: eliminating industry loopholes and exemptions from laws such as the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act; safeguarding parks, tribal lands and other special areas; and encouraging greater public involvement in regions where natural gas drilling is occurring or under consideration.
“Transparency, sensible oversight and reliable safeguards for air, water and wildlife are just common sense when it comes to drilling for natural gas,” says Todd Keller, NWF’s senior manager for public lands campaigns. “What should be best practices for the industry are also what is best for local communities and wildlife habitat.”
To learn more, visit www.nwf.org/fracking
Conservation Found to be a Bargain
Reducing U.S. deficit doesn’t have to cost nature or human health
In October, a month before a special congressional committee’s deadline to produce its deficit-reduction plan, NWF released Conservation Works: How Congress Can Lower the Deficit and Protect Wildlife and Public Health. The report argues that conservation programs already have been disproportionately slashed from the federal budget and that further cuts would have a devastating impact on more than 6 million jobs supported by the outdoor recreation industry. This industry also contributes $730 billion to the economy and delivers $49 billion in tax revenue.
Critical conservation programs are at risk nationwide, notes the report. They include State Wildlife Grants that have helped bring back nearly extinct species, Clean Air Act grants that have improved air quality in once-heavily polluted cities, and Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds that provide safe water for people and wildlife from coast to coast. “Investments in conservation programs are a great bargain, accounting for just 1 percent of federal spending but delivering huge benefits to all Americans,” says NWF Senior Vice President Jeremy Symons.
To learn more, visit www.nwf.org/conservationworks
Outdoor Play Encourages Youth to Grow
Creating natural playspaces to allow children’s imaginations to run wild
NWF’s Be Out ThereTM campaign, the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) at North Carolina State University, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other national partners are stimulating children’s interest in the environment while improving their bodies and minds through playspaces—backyards, playgrounds and outdoor learning environments—that incorporate nature.
“Studies have shown that exposure to nature and green spaces can provide benefits such as reduced obesity, better sleep habits and increased attention and learning abilities,” says NWF State and Local Education Policy Director Allen Cooper, who is coordinating the project.
Last summer, the organizations launched a successful pilot playspace at the North Carolina Gateway Visitor Center, which used temporary structures such as fishing nets tied between trees and a “bear den” built out of logs. In April, NWF and NLI will launch a model backyard playspace in Charlotte, North Carolina, followed by another in Washington, D.C.
As part of this Natural Play and Learning Area Guidelines Program, the organizations are developing guidelines for the design and management of natural play areas in backyards as well as at public sites.
Ranger Rick® Photo Contest
Photographers 13 and younger, submit your wildlife images to Ranger Rick’s free photo contest “Your Best Shots.” Winners may be featured on the website and in the magazine.
National Wildlife Week
Learn about animals with extraordinary capabilities through fun activities during National Wildlife Week, March 19 to 25, 2012, at www.nwf.org/wildlifeweek.
Champion of Change Honored
NWF helped bring the wide-reaching efforts of a North Carolina college professor to foster innovative sustainable transportation technologies and green jobs to the attention of the White House this past November.
Richard Cregar, an automotive systems technologies instructor at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, is now among the White Houses’s weekly “Champions of Change.” Cregar has been instrumental in advancing green workforce skills by teaching his students and sharing his knowledge with a network of North Carolina colleges.
“Cregar is preparing students to provide clean, efficient transportation—a growing sector of our economy that is creating jobs, enhancing air quality and boosting energy security,” says NWF’s Senior Director of Campus and Community Leadership Julian Keniry.
Wake Tech is one of 20 institutions that have received grants from the Greenforce Initiative. This NWF and Jobs for the Future partnership, sponsored by Bank of America, advances clean-economy workforce education at more than 100 community colleges in Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington State. Winning projects range from ways to green campuses and promote green jobs to innovative solutions to climate change.
Ecosystem Breakdowns in Great Lakes
Interactions of toxic algae and invasive mussels are overwhelming lake wildlife
A one-two punch of invasive mussels and farm-runoff pollution is causing some of the most dramatic changes to the Great Lakes in decades.
Nutrients from animal manure, fertilizers and overflowing sewers are seeping into the lakes, causing toxic algal sludges to bloom. As the algae die and decay on lake bottoms, they suck oxygen out of the water, forming dead zones in which aquatic life cannot survive.
Meanwhile, the algae are feeding trillions of voracious, invasive quagga and zebra mussels, transported via ship ballast water in the late 1980s. These mussels consume food in offshore waters, starving aquatic organisms and fish. They also can serve as “ecosystem engineers,” altering the structure of lake habitats, and attach to the shells of native mussels and crustaceans, eventually killing them.
NWF’s new report Feast and Famine in the Great Lakes: How Nutrients and Invasive Species Interact to Overwhelm the Coasts and Starve Offshore Waters describes this lake ecosystem breakdown. Among the solutions the report recommends are: forging a stronger Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada; supporting U.S. Farm Bill programs to reduce polluted agricultural runoff; employing the Clean Water Act to uphold water quality standards; and Great Lakes restoration programs. NWF also is supporting strong ballast water protections to prevent further introduction of aquatic invasives.
To see more wildlife accomplishments, visit www.nwf.org/10in11 | <urn:uuid:7035f85e-7651-47fa-8dc1-fd2c044b05b4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/News-and-Views/Archives/2012/Action-Report-Feb-Mar-2012.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393332.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00009-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930395 | 2,200 | 2.53125 | 3 |
It was clear to US cryptologists even before WWII that the single-stepping mechanical motion of the German Enigma machine introduced several patterns into the code that would, in theory, allow it to be broken. William Friedman, director of the US Army's Signals Intelligence Service, devised a system to correct for this by randomizing the motion of the rotors. His modification consisted of a paper tape reader from a teletype machine attached to a small device with metal "feelers" positioned to pass electricity through the holes. For any given letter pressed on the keyboard, not only would the machine scramble the letters in a fashion largely identical to the Engima, but any holes in the tape at that location would advance the corresponding rotors, before the tape itself was advanced one location. The resulting design went into limited production as the M-134, and in addition to the message settings common with the Enigma, it added the positioning of the tape and the settings of a plugboard that said which line of holes on the tape controlled which rotors.
The M-134 had one distinct disadvantage compared to the Enigma, that the tape had to be identical for any machines hoping to decode messages from other machines. If this tape were intercepted the number of potential settings was large, but not infinite. Then there is the problem of any machine using fragile paper tapes in the heat of battle in field conditions.
Friedman's associate, Frank Rowlett, then came up with a different way to advance the rotors, using another set of rotors. This is not as trivial as it may seem. The Enigma takes one input signal (power from a battery) and creates one output signal, but in this case the rotors needed to be constructed such that between one and five output signals were generated, advancing one or more of the rotors. Rowlett wrote a book about SIGABA (Aegean Press, Laguna Hills, Calif)
There was little money for encryption development before the war in the US, so Friedman and Rowlett built a series of "add on" devices called the SIGGOO (or M-229) that were used with the existing M-134s in place of the paper tape reader. These were external boxes containing a three rotor setup where five of the inputs were live, as if someone had pressed five keys at the same time on an Enigma, and the outputs were "gathered up" into five groups as well – that is all the letters from A to E would be wired together for instance. That way the five signals on the input side would be randomized through the rotors, and come out the far side with power in one of five lines. Now the movement of the rotors could be controlled with a day code, and the paper tape was eliminated. They referred to the combination of machines as the M-134-C.
In 1935 they showed their work to a US Navy cryptologist, Wenger. He found little interest for it in the Navy until early 1937, when he showed it to Cmdr. Laurence Safford[?], Friedman's counterpart in the Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence. He immediately saw the potential of the machine, and he and Cmdr. Seiler then added a number of features to make the machine easier to build, resulting in the Electric Code Machine Mark II (or ECM Mark II), which the Navy then produced as the CSP-889 (or 888).
Oddly the Army was unaware of either the changes or the mass production of the system, but were "let in" on the secret in early 1940. In 1941 the Army and Navy joined in a joint cryptographic system, based on the machine. The Army then started using it as the SIGABA.
SIGABA was similar to the Enigma in basic theory, in that it used a series of rotors to encode every character of the plaintext into a different character of cyphertext. Unlike Enigma's three rotors however, the SIGABA included no less than fifteen.
Simply increasing the number of rotors does not make the machine more secure. This is because in the Enigma system, the rotors only move if the one to their right does so first, and it does that only after 26 key presses. In other words the message has to contain at least 676 (26^2) characters before the third rotor comes into play, and 17,576 characters are needed to move a fourth. For most messages of a few hundred letters, more rotors added no security.
What SIGABA did with these extra rotors was randomize the movement of the main rotors in the machine. In the Enigma the rotors turned one location with every key press, which led to a number of patterns in the cyphertext. While these patterns were hard to find, the British and US applied massive industrial might to the problem, and by the end of the war were able to read practically everything the Germans encrypted.
In the case of the SIGABA, a simple modification was applied that made it more secure. Instead of the rotors being turned by mechanical action of the keyboard, they were instead turned by the electrical action of a separate set of rotors. That is, the SIGABA was essentially two Enigmas in one, one controlling the motion of the other.
The "main Enigma" was known as the cypher rotors and was simply a five-rotor version of the Enigma system. It had all of the benefits and problems of that system, including the way it could generated patterns by which it could be attacked.
This "second Enigma" was itself very secure. It contained two sets of five rotors, only one of which was set to any sort of "day code". The first set, called the control rotors, received four signals every time. They then "ganged" these signals in a random way into the inputs of the next rotor. For instance any one input could be wired to several outputs. These signals travelled though the rotors until the exited with from one to nine outputs being powered.
These signals were then fed into a second set of five smaller rotors called the index rotors containing a day code. The purpose of the index rotors was to randomize the output from the control rotors. After travelling though the index rotors, one or more of five output lines would have power. These then turned the cypher rotors.
This might sound confusing, but the long and short of it was that the SIGABA advanced one or more of its main rotors in a random fashion. This meant that the patterns used to break Enigma were completely hidden. In fact even with the plaintext in hand, there are so many potential inputs to the encryption that it is almost impossible to work out the settings.
On the downside, the SIGABA was also large, heavy, expensive, difficult to operate and mechanically complex and fragile. It was nowhere near as practical a device as the Enigma, which was smaller and lighter than the radios it was used with. It found widespread use in the radio rooms of the US Navy's ships, but as a result of these practical problems the SIGABA simply couldn't be used in the field, and, at least in some theatres, the Navaho wind talkers[?] were used for tactical communications instead. In other theatres, less secure, but smaller lighter and tougher machines were used. SIGABA, impressive as it was, was overkill for tactical communications.
Note that the discussion above is misleading in places. The term 'random' is used in the common sense sense, not any mathematical sense. It is still not possible, in principle and mostly in fact, to produce random outputs from any deterministic machine. See random. In addition, the term 'code' is used in several places and each use is cryptographically mischevious. The SIGABA machines in all their variants were cypher machines, as were the Enigmas and the Japanese stepping switch machines (eg, 'Purple'). The most common use of code in the article above should have been 'setting' or 'partial key'. The 'index rotors' in SIGABA machines were set each day to a different 'combination'. This was not a code, nor even a cypher. In modern terms it was part of the key for this or that message. | <urn:uuid:866949aa-fe34-412d-90f2-b2d7805895eb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/si/SIGABA | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00186-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973028 | 1,731 | 3.59375 | 4 |
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The horse is an animal with a long history. Horses have been closely intertwined with humans for thousands of years, and while they are not as widely used as they once were, they are unlikely to vanish from human society altogether. Thanks to the long association of horses and humans, horses appear in many human myths, legends, and religions, and numerous works of art around the world depict the horse, from ancient cave paintings to Roman statues.
Many people are familiar with the horse, as the animals are a ubiquitous part of many societies. Horses have hooves, which makes them ungulates, and they are classified as “odd toed” because each leg has a single toe. They have also developed lengthy manes and tails made from stiff, coarse hair which is used for a number of things, including paintbrushes and bows for musical instruments. Horses come in a range of sizes and colors, and they have a few distinct shapes as well, with some horses being muscular and compact while others are fine boned and lanky.
The formal name for the horse is Equus caballus, placing it in the same family as zebras, donkeys, and onagers. These animals represent the survivors of a once much larger and more diverse group of animals; over the centuries, horses and their relatives developed unique adaptations to survive in the environments where they roamed. The horse is designed for life on the open plains; the animals have several anatomical features which allow them to run extremely quickly, and they are adapted to eat grasses and other plant forage.
Archaeological evidence suggests that many early humans ate horses and used byproducts such as hides for shelter and garments. The shift from wild to domesticated horse is a bit difficult to pin down. Some archaeologists believe that the horse was domesticated around 4500 BCE somewhere in Asia, perhaps by tribes in Russia. The domestication of early horses was the first step in thousands of years of coexistence, and it marked a distinct shift in the evolution of the horse, as people started to deliberately select specific traits through crossbreeding, causing distinct breeds of horse to emerge.
Hundreds of horse breeds have been developed all over the world. Some have been bred for strength so that they can work pulling carts and agricultural implements. Others were bred for speed and endurance, so that they could hunt, while some horses have been bred to be extremely intelligent, assisting their owners with tasks ranging from herding cattle to searching for people who are lost. The horse-owning community have developed a very specific language to discuss horses, with terms for everything from the color of a horse's coat to the shape of its ears. Many horse breeds are quite ancient, and some biologists believe that modern horses may be descended from several distinct wild horse populations.
Humans have used horses for work animals in a wide range of applications. Horses pull farm implements, carry riders, transport people and goods in carts, and help to herd other animals. Over time, the horse has become a beloved and iconic figure in many human societies, with people prizing well bred horses and using horses for sport and leisure as well as work. Some modern horses are pets, treated more like members of the family than work animals, while others are shown in competition to showcase their skills or physical attributes.
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:71e663f1-3da4-4475-8276-6a93848560f4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-horse.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00110-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977484 | 731 | 3.453125 | 3 |
The Earth is gaining heat faster than ever
In 2013 the Earth’s oceans accumulated energy at a rate of 12 Hiroshima atomic bombs per second, according to global ocean heat content records from the US National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). This rapid heating in 2013 compares to an average of 4 Hiroshima bombs per second since 1998, and 2 bombs per second since records began in 1955.
This is not the usual way to begin an article about global warming observations, but I have chosen to do so because ocean heat content is objectively the most important piece of evidence. The vast majority of heat from global warming goes into the oceans, so ocean heat content is a more reliable indicator of climate than surface or atmospheric temperature. This data shows global warming has accelerated in the last 15 years, contrary to denialist claims that global warming has “slowed”, “paused”, or “stopped” because the upper ocean, atmosphere, and surface have warmed more slowly in recent years. Warming oceans fuel hurricanes, raise sea level, melt sea ice, devastate coral reefs, and force fish to migrate to cooler waters.
Satellite measurements confirm Earth is gathering heat at the rate indicated by ocean heat content. This can be expected to continue as atmospheric CO2 is currently at 400 ppm and rising (its highest level in at least 13 million years and well above the estimated safe level of 350 ppm).
More evidence of acceleration
Some of the heat also goes into melting ice. The disappearance of Arctic sea ice has accelerated dramatically, hitting record low minimum volume in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2012. At its 2012 minimum, Arctic sea ice volume was a mere 20% of the 1979 minimum volume. In 2013 it was 30% of the 1979 volume, which deniers spun as a “recovery” from 2012, but in reality the trend remains sharply downward. The melt is proceeding much faster than predicted in the models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). If the trend is extended forward into the future, the Arctic Ocean in September will soon be entirely liquid.
The disappearance of Arctic sea ice is reducing the northern polar region’s surface reflectivity from very high to very low. This is a feedback that amplifies global warming and threatens to set off a chain reaction of tipping points, including large-scale release of carbon from melting permafrost and collapse of the Greenland ice sheet. Already permafrost is starting to thaw and emit carbon, and ice sheet mass loss is accelerating exponentially.
Several studies found climate scientists have systematically underestimated the impacts of global warming. New results are more than 20 times more likely to be worse than predicted than they are to be better. It appears scientists are overcorrecting in response to the deniers’ accusations of alarmism. One study concluded:
If the intention is to offer true balance in reporting, the scientifically credible ‘‘other side’’ is that, if the consensus estimates such as those from the IPCC are wrong, it is because the physical reality is significantly more ominous than has been widely recognized to date.
The surface is still warming
So contrary to what the denialists claim, there is no “slowdown” in global warming and certainly no “pause” or “cooling”, as the Earth continues to accumulate heat faster than ever. It’s true the rate of surface warming appears to have slowed slightly in the last 15 years. However, 2013 was still the 5th warmest year in the 164-year global temperature record, according to the University of York.
The global temperature during 2013 was 0.54°C above the 1961-1990 average. (Climatologists usually give temperatures as anomalies relative to an average, because they are easier to compare than absolute temperatures.) 2013 also included the warmest September and November, 4th warmest June, 5th warmest July and December, 6th warmest August, 7th warmest January, 8th warmest April, 9th warmest May, and 10th warmest October. If you remove the seasonal cycle, November 2013 was the 6th warmest of all months.
The four warmest years were 2010 (0.63°C), 2005 (0.59°C), 2007 (0.56°C), and 2009 (0.55°C). Every one of the 13 years so far in the 21st century is one of the 14 warmest (the other year being the oft-cherry-picked outlier 1998). The 2010s to date are warmer than the 2000s, the warmest complete decade on record (followed by the 1990s and 1980s). The last year with an annual temperature cooler than average was 1985.
The University of York dataset is a new analysis (too new to have been included in the recent IPCC report) which interpolates temperatures in regions with few weather stations. In particular it covers the Arctic, which is warming faster than the rest of the planet because of the regional amplifying feedback described above. It is considered more accurate than older analyses which do not use interpolation, and reveals the rate of global warming since 1997 has been twice as fast as previously believed, identical to the trend since 1951 and only a quarter less than the trend since 1980.
But you don’t have to trust the University of York. In all analyses, 2010 is the warmest year; 2013 is among the warmest (though its precise ranking varies); there is a warming trend since 1998; each of the last three decades has been successively warmest on record; and the Earth has warmed ~0.8°C since the preindustrial era. Even a reanalysis by a team of skeptics confirms the warming trend.
Temporary factors are masking surface warming
While surface warming may have slowed (a result that looks more significant in datasets excluding the rapid Arctic warming), describing this as a “slowdown” is misleading because its causes are merely temporary.
The main cause of slower atmospheric warming is an ocean circulation cycle called the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). Ocean cycles periodically redistribute heat within the Earth’s climate system (particularly between the ocean and the atmosphere), and are unrelated to long-term climate change caused by heat entering and leaving the system. This sort of internal variability is the reason climate scientists focus on long-term trends instead of short-term ones, and the total amount of heat building up rather than the rate of surface warming.
The IPO controls the relative frequency of phases in the shorter Southern Oscillation, which alternates between El Niño (warm), La Niña (cool), and neutral. In an El Niño phase, the trade winds slow and the surface of the tropical Pacific Ocean is warmer than usual. The anomalous warmth of 1998 was due to a super El Niño. In a La Niña phase, the trade winds accelerate and warm water is pushed to the western Pacific, bringing cold water to the surface behind it. 2011 and 2012 were cooler than the surrounding years because they occurred during a La Niña. The warmth of 2013 occurred in neutral Southern Oscillation conditions, in contrast to most warm years which tend to occur during an El Niño. Years with comparable Southern Oscillation conditions tend to be getting warmer.
Since 2001, the IPO has been in a cool phase (each phase lasts about 20 years) in which trade winds speed up and La Niña prevails. In this way, the IPO is temporarily burying much of the incoming heat from global warming in the depths of the ocean.
Temporary cooling influences
The buildup of heat has continued despite natural influences having had a net negative effect on the amount of heat coming in. The most important natural factor in the last decade has been the 11-year solar cycle, which had an unusually extended minimum during 2005-2010. The cumulative effect of reflective particles emitted by small volcanic eruptions may have contributed another cooling influence. These natural factors have temporarily offset part of the warming that otherwise would have occurred due to human-emitted greenhouse gases.
Another possible reason for slower surface warming is particulate air pollution (which, in contrast to greenhouse gas pollution, temporarily cools the Earth by reflecting sunlight). The amount and effect of these particles is poorly measured at present due to a lack of research funding, but emissions from increasing industrial activity in Asia may be cancelling out reductions from developed countries. This represents yet another potential factor helping to temporarily conceal global warming.
Explaining the apparent slowdown
The rate of surface warming remains within the range of model projections. Climate models were never designed to predict 15-year trends because the timing of ocean cycles is unpredictable. Instead they ran many simulations with random ocean fluctuations, and some of those simulations indeed predicted periods where atmospheric warming appeared to pause while the deep ocean warmed more rapidly.
Furthermore, new climate models are able to explain the surface temperatures observed in recent years by accounting for the observed ocean and solar cycles. Adjusting the surface temperature record to remove all natural factors (oceans, Sun, and volcanoes) again reveals global warming has continued, and if anything accelerated, since 2000.
Almost everywhere was hot in 2013
Most of the world was hotter than average during 2013:
Australia’s hottest year
The most extreme heat was in Australia, which suffered its hottest year on record (1.20°C above the 1961-1990 average), frequent heatwaves, and warmer than average temperatures throughout the year. Again, the Australian heat occurred despite the neutral Southern Oscillation. Australia broke all of the following records in 2013:
- Hottest national average daily maximum temperature (40.30°C on 7 January)
- Seven consecutive days of national average maximum temperature over 39°C (2–8 January)
- Hottest January
- Hottest month ever (January)
- Hottest January sea surface temperature in surrounding seas
- Hottest February sea surface temperature in surrounding seas
- Hottest summer (December 2012–February 2013)
- Record-breaking March heatwave in Melbourne
- Tasmania’s hottest March
- Hottest northern wet season (October 2012–April 2013)
- South Australia’s 3rd warmest autumn (March–May)
- 2nd hottest first half of a calendar year (January–June)
- 3rd warmest winter (June–August)
- Warmest winter day (29.92°C on 31 August)
- Warmest September
- Warmest month after removing the seasonal cycle (2.75°C above average in September)
- South Australia’s previous record warm September exceeded by an unprecedented almost 2°C (5.39°C above average)
- Hottest 12-month period (record broken three times: September 2012–August 2013, then October 2012–September 2013, then November 2012–October 2013)
- 2nd hottest November sea surface temperature in surrounding seas
- Warmest spring (September–November)
Yet another Australian heatwave began on 27 December, continuing into January 2014 and breaking records in many places. It was soon followed by one of southeast Australia’s most significant heatwaves (13–18 January 2014), killing almost 400 Australians and rivalling the 2009 heatwave that caused the Black Saturday bushfires.
Parts of central Asia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania suffered record heat. Greenland recorded its warmest air temperature (25.9°C on 30 July). In August, China saw one of its worst ever heatwaves, killing over 40 people. Russia experienced its hottest November and December (with Siberia 9°C above average in December). Few parts of the world were cooler than average, and nowhere experienced record cold.
Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and western Pacific surface temperatures were all warmer than average. The warm oceans helped fuel an above-average North Pacific typhoon season. Typhoon Haiyan was the strongest tropical cyclone ever to make landfall, killing over 5,700. Although global precipitation was near-average, extreme flooding and drought occurred in many parts of the world.
The most notable cold weather that occurred in 2013 was actually a side effect of global warming. The unusual Arctic warmth led to a record negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation in which cold Arctic air moved south (like a freezer door being left open). This in turn caused a cold northern spring in the US and Europe. This “warm Arctic, cold continents” phenomenon has occurred in several recent years and may be a permanent shift in weather patterns. Unfortunately this means North America, the hub of climate change denial, is experiencing consistently cold winters while the rest of the Earth’s surface cooks.
How climate change drives extreme weather
All the extreme weather we experience today is occurring in the context of a climate system containing much more heat than it did 50 years ago. An increase in average temperature increases extreme hot weather:
Cold weather doesn’t contradict a warming trend, just as an athlete taking steroids will improve their average strength and break more records but still have moments of weakness. Observations confirm the distribution of hot and cold temperatures is shifting as shown in the graph above. For example, heat records in Australia are now happening three times more often than cold ones.
The increase of energy in the climate system also causes the water cycle to intensify: more water evaporating from the ground; more water being held in the air; more water falling as rain. The combination of hotter temperatures and drier soils leads to more frequent and worse bushfires.
Why has the “pause” myth gained so much publicity?
The central conclusion from last year’s IPCC report was that human-caused global warming is more evident than ever, though the report neglected to highlight key evidence suggesting the climate is already reaching dangerous tipping points. Yet as I complained at the time, media coverage of the IPCC report was dominated by the false narrative of the warming “pause” and accusations of an IPCC conspiracy to exaggerate warming. Why did this happen?
Deniers have been claiming since 2006 that global warming has stopped, but until recently the myth was confined to the right-wing echo chamber (already a vast sphere encompassing the News Corp multimedia empire, talkback radio, and much of the business press). Its profile was raised considerably last April, when Reuters began promoting the idea with an article titled “Climate scientists struggle to explain warming slowdown” (I won’t dignify it with a direct link). This is indicative of a broader trend in Reuters’ climate coverage. The reason became clear in July, when Asian climate correspondent David Fogarty quit Reuters and revealed:
From very early in 2012, I was repeatedly told that climate and environment stories were no longer a top priority for Reuters and I was asked to look at other areas. Being stubborn, and passionate about my climate change beat, I largely ignored the directive…
In April last year, Paul Ingrassia (then deputy editor-in-chief [since promoted to managing editor]) and I met and had a chat at a company function. He told me he was a climate change sceptic. Not a rabid sceptic, just someone who wanted to see more evidence mankind was changing the global climate.
Progressively, getting any climate change-themed story published got harder. It was a lottery. Some desk editors happily subbed and pushed the button. Others agonised and asked a million questions. Debate on some story ideas generated endless bureaucracy by editors frightened to take a decision, reflecting a different type of climate within Reuters – the climate of fear.
By mid-October, I was informed that climate change just wasn’t a big story for the present, but that it would be if there was a significant shift in global policy, such as the US introducing an emissions cap-and-trade system.
Very soon after that conversation I was told my climate change role was abolished.
IPCC authors knew the supposed slowdown was a non-issue, but according to coordinating lead author Dennis Hartmann:
it became more and more of a public issue, so we felt we had to say something about it, even though from an observational perspective, it’s not a very reliable measure of long-term warming.
In August, a draft of the report’s Summary for Policymakers was leaked to Reuters, containing a statement that “Models do not generally reproduce the observed reduction in surface warming trend over the last 10-15 years.” This sentence was easy to take out of context to support the denialist narrative of a slowdown scientists can’t explain. The language was moderated for the final report in September (which the IPCC made the mistake of releasing on a Friday), but the damage was done. All the journalists wanted to talk about the supposed pause.
Rapid surface warming will be back with a vengeance
In summary, the Earth is gaining heat faster than ever before. Arctic sea ice is melting at an astonishingly accelerating rate and could soon be all gone. Most indications of climate change are proving worse than scientists predicted. When you include the fast-changing Arctic, surface warming in the last 15 years has continued at only a slightly slower rate. This apparent “slowdown” in surface warming is temporary and can be explained by a combination of ocean and solar cycles, with a possible contribution from reflective particles emitted by volcanoes and/or Asian industry. Global warming is driving an increase in extreme weather, with almost everywhere warmer than usual during 2013. The idea of a global warming “pause” is a false narrative promoted by ideologically motivated deniers, uncritically propagated by journalists, and unwittingly reinforced by the IPCC.
The apparent slowdown of surface warming is not only giving us a false sense of security; it actually indicates warming will accelerate in the future.
The “slowdown” of surface warming will not continue forever because natural cycles are just that: cycles. Although currently they are counteracting the underlying greenhouse warming trend, sooner or later the cycles will turn around and reinforce it, causing surface warming to catch up to where it would otherwise be. Solar activity is already ramping up again. And when the IPO inevitably shifts back into a warm phase, all the heat now being stored in the deep oceans will be released back into the atmosphere. Even if the cycles somehow get stuck, they will be overwhelmed by rising greenhouse gases as emissions continue (even if solar activity fell to its 17th-century low, the effect would be outweighed by just seven years of greenhouse gas emissions). Natural cycles are now merely waves on the rising tide of greenhouse warming.
Particulate air pollution also cannot continue sustainably because (by definition) it causes other harmful effects. In any case, it remains in the atmosphere for a much shorter timeframe than CO2, and cannot counter its ocean acidification impacts.
Temperatures over the next couple of years will be largely determined by the Southern Oscillation. Short-term models project it will either remain neutral or shift to an El Niño phase by mid-2014. In the latter case, 2014 will probably be warmer than 2013, and 2014 or 2015 is likely to be a record-smashing hot year.
Total cumulative CO2 emissions will be the main factor in the magnitude of long-term global warming. Under the world’s current climate policies we’re headed for >4°C warming by 2100, a temperature unprecedented for the human species and probably beyond our capacity to adapt. If we want global warming to truly pause, we must hit the pause button. We need to leave the vast majority of the Earth’s fossil fuel reserves in the ground, even just to have a good chance of limiting global warming to the unsafe level of <2°C. To have any hope of stabilizing the climate, we urgently need to phase out global greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible. Most importantly, we must phase out the largest and longest-lived cause of global warming, fossil fuel CO2 emissions.
There is no time to lose. Rapid global surface warming will be back – faster than ever before. | <urn:uuid:658abae9-db04-400e-ba5c-752c1ea9cfef> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://precariousclimate.com/2014/02/11/global-warming-not-slowing-its-speeding-up/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00050-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94778 | 4,141 | 3.375 | 3 |
Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and Peak Oil
"When people get hungry, they do desperate things," retired Santa Rosa, CA, firefighter Andrew Aguilar recalled at a Peak Oil meeting this summer in Sonoma County. He was referring specifically to the Mexican Revolution of 1910, during which his family fled the violence to get to safer America.
Aguilar's words came back to this reporter as he observed the chaos in New Orleans and elsewhere on the Louisiana and Mississippi Coasts in the devastating wake of Hurricane Katrina. The dead are left lying where they fell or float eerily down rivers created by water- filled streets. The dead were not even being counted by press time, though the mayor of New Orleans estimates that the number may be into the thousands. Armed gangs assault rescue and medical crews, making the tragedy even worse. The streets are filled with the stench of human waste.
It's a sad moment when we know that as of press time some 200,000 people were still scrambling to get out of a sinking New Orleans, once one of America's many great cities, now laid to waste. Katrina left a million homeless and created refugee camps to house hundreds of thousands of people for weeks and months. Preliminary damage estimates top $25 billion, making it the worst "natural" disaster in American history.
"Civilization is a thin veneer," is another quotation that comes to mind.
New Orleans will probably never be rebuilt. One wonders if this could be a preview of how some American cities-especially the poorer ones with racial tensions-will be impacted by Peak Oil crises. Various writers--including James Howard Kunstler in "The Long Emergency"-have predicted severe problems, especially in urban and suburban areas, as the supply of petroleum continues to dwindle in the years to come and individuals and nations compete for the remaining supply.
Civilizations have collapsed before. The causes of collapse often have to do with diminishing natural resources and losing wars, both of which seem to be happening for the US.
The pending crises may come sooner than even Peak Oil theorists predicted. Another dozen tropical storms are predicted to strike the US during this hurricane season, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Warmer water in the Atlantic Ocean-resulting from global warming-is being blamed for what NOAA calls a "very active" hurricane season. How well prepared is the US for a series of hurricanes strengthened by global warming?
In contrast to New Orleans, after the terrorist attacks on New York of Sept. 11, 2001, and this year in London, people pulled together. Good local leadership helped. Those attacks, of course, were not as devastating as Hurricane Katrina on a whole city, but their surprise and shock values were high. A hurricane attacking New Orleans was no surprise. New Orleans leading newspaper, the Times-Picayune, National Public Radio, and the New York Times all had major articles three years ago about the vulnerability of New Orleans to being flooded.
New Yorkers and Londoners have been able to recover after the attacks. New Orleans may never recover-the first major American city to fall to a combination of factors, including global warming and the oil industry that surrounds it. The Gulf Coast is America's major national site to extract oil. The Louisiana Coast is a center of the growing natural gas industry, which is symbolized by fires now burning from broken natural-gas mains. If one of the Liquefied Natural Gas terminals that is slated to go into the Gulf had been in place and had been struck by the hurricane, the disaster could be far worse.
Katrina's impact upon energy production will be tremendous. Some predict that the US just lost between 10% and 2o% of its energy supply. Most of this may not come back. Geological limits, such as the amount of oil in the ground, and climate limitations, worsening because of global warming, are contributing to a drastically diminished supply of energy here in America and world-wide.
New Orleans, which used to be described as "Big Easy," presents a much uglier picture than did New York or London. The people and their elected officials have not been able to pull together, for a variety of reasons. Though Hurricane Katrina is usually described as "natural" and an "act of God," in fact there are elements of it and its impact that are not so natural, but are in fact human-made.
Global Warming Strengthens Katrina
Hurricane Katrina's devastating impact was worsened by three factors: 1) its strength was increased by global warming; 2) the lack of preparation to avoid such a crisis and the availability of the National Guard to help manage it; 3) the massive destruction by development of wetlands, which contain storm run-off.
Global warming and our over-consumption of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas are related. Burning fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Among its symptoms are the strength of Hurricane Katrina, according to an Aug. 30 article in the Boston Globe by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ross Gelbspan, author of "The Heat Is On" and "Boiling Point."
"The hurricane that struck Louisiana was nicknamed Katrina by the National Weather Service. Its real name is global warming," Gelbspan contends. "As the atmosphere warms, it generates longer droughts, more-intense downpours, more-frequent heat waves, and more-severe storms. Although Katrina began as a relatively small hurricane that glanced off south Florida, it was supercharged with extraordinary intensity by the relatively blistering sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico."
Gelbspan connects the hurricane to the fossil fuel industries, "Unfortunately, very few people in America know the real name of Hurricane Katrina because the coal and oil industries have spent millions of dollars to keep the public in doubt about the issue. The reason is simple: To allow the climate to stabilize requires humanity to cut is use of coal and oil by 70 percent. That, of course, threatens the survival of one of the largest commercial enterprises in history."
President Bush, according to the British daily Independent, "found himself the target of an unusual degree of anger from across the political spectrum, as editorial writers demanded to know why he had sat out the first full day of the disaster." It added that "present and former government officials detailed the numerous ways in which Congress and the White House has cut funding for the very emergency management programs that the New Orleans area so desperately needs."
The Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Administration, for example, have had their budgets cut drastically and resources diverted towards Bush's "war on terrorism." In June Bush cut $71.2 million from the budget of the New Orleans Corps of Engineers, a 44 percent reduction-a costly mistake.
"Washington knew exactly what needed to be done to protect the citizens of New Orleans from disasters like Katrina," writes Will Bunch of the Philadelphia Daily News. "Yet federal funding for Louisiana flood control projects was diverted to pay for the war in Iraq."
The looting that happened in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit could be a wake-up call of what could happen elsewhere in the face of such major disasters. Much of the National Guard and its equipment were in Iraq, rather than at home, where they should be. In a speech in San Diego on Aug. 30 Bush finally admitted the real reason for the troops remaining there-to protect the oil fields.
More than a third of Mississippi's and Louisiana's National Guard troops were either in Iraq or supporting the war effort. Speaking for the Mississippi National Guard, Lt. Andy Thaggard was quoted as follows in the Washington Post, "Missing the personnel is the key thing in this particular event. We need our people."
When Katrina struck the Louisiana Coast had already made the mistake of building over much of its important wetlands, which can blunt a storm's power. Wetlands suck up surging waters, but in recent years development has compromised what oceanographer Abby Sallenger of the US Geological Survey calls the "first line of defense." Over the last 75 years Louisiana's coast has lost enough wetlands to cover the entire state of Delaware.
"One of the main reasons New Orleans is so vulnerable to hurricanes," writes Texas columnist Molly Ivins, "is the gradual disappearance of the wetlands of the Gulf Coast that once stood as a natural buffer between the city and storms coming in from the water."
Though New Orleans has gotten most of the attention, cities and rural areas in nearby Mississippi have also been hard hit. People there have been begging for help. The Sun Herald of Biloxi criticized the relief effort in its ravaged area, "People are hurting and people are being vandalized. Yet where is the National Guard?"
To the nearly 2000 Americans killed and scores wounded in Iraq, we can add many of the Katrina casualties, some of whom could have survived if we engaged in climate protection efforts, if the wetlands had not been built over, with better hurricane- and flood-control preparations, and with citizen soldiers present to defend the people.
(Dr. Shepherd Bliss, sb3.pon.net, teaches college in Hawai'i, where he will be offering a one-day class this semester on Peak Oil. This article may be reprinted, with permission from email@example.com, provided it is done in its entirety and with credit to both the author and the original publication.)
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This is a community site and the discussion is moderated. The rules in brief: no personal abuse and no climate denial. Complete Guidelines. | <urn:uuid:b1ea3d06-936e-4f36-b727-08cb971b2887> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.resilience.org/stories/2005-09-02/hurricane-katrina-new-orleans-and-peak-oil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00094-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963928 | 1,981 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Short stuff: Health roundupResearch that determined swim lessons, even for children as young as 1, can drastically reduce the risk of drowning comes as no surprise to Chicago swim instructor Glen O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan, a water safety instructor/trainer for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, says even toddlers can grasp the fundamentals of being safe around water. Their parents can learn lifesaving tips, too.
Swim lessons "give parents a better respect for the water," he says. "It’s the parents of kids who don’t take swim lessons who are putting water wings on the kids and thinking, ‘Oh, we can let them go now.’"
The study, published in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found an 88 percent drop in the risk of drowning for children, age 1-4, who had participated in formal swim lessons. The findings, according to the report, dispel a concern held by some that swim lessons for the very young could increase the risk of drowning due to overconfidence by the child or decreased parental vigilance.
Both the Red Cross and the YMCA offer parent-tot swim lessons beginning at 6 months old. Valerie Cahill, aquatic director at the Elmhurst YMCA, says one of the first things young children learn is how to get out of the pool by themselves.
"If you’re always helping your child get out of the pool and one day you’re not there, they’ll keep waiting for those two hands," she says. "So we show them how to grab on to the pool with both hands, hook one knee up on the side and climb out."
Along with swimming skills and water games, lessons teach children the importance of never swimming alone, of always wearing a life jacket on a boat, of jumping in feet first when the water depth is unknown. Toddlers learn how to tread water or roll while floating from their front to their back. They’re even taught how to assist someone who is drowning by throwing a flotation device and going to find adult help.
Parents learn right along with their children, either by being in the pool or receiving handouts after class.
"What we really hammer home is supervision," Cahill says.
To find swim lessons in your area, contact your local parks and recreation department, or visit www.chicagoredcross.org or www.ymcachgo.org.
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Score exclusive offers from our fabulous advertisers. | <urn:uuid:4b209957-3d23-4772-b11e-189f98ce4e1e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.chicagoparent.com/magazines/chicago-parent/2009-may/swim-lessons-reduce-drowning-dangers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397567.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00069-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954143 | 611 | 2.875 | 3 |
Helmut Baumann, Flora mythologica: griechische Pflanzenwelt in der Antike (Vollständig überarbeite Ausgabe). Akanthus crescens; 8. Kilchberg: Akanthus, 2007. Pp. 173. ISBN 9783905083248. €40.50 (pb).
Reviewed by Nassos Papalexandrou, The University of Texas at Austin
There is no scarcity of recent publications on the vegetal world in life, thought, and art of the Greeks, the Romans and their neighbors.1 Archaeobotanical and ethnobotanical studies are quintessential components of the archaeological method even as paleoenviromentalists have devised sophisticated ways of shedding light on the fluctuating floras of the past.2 The book under review here is the most recent edition of a seminal book of 1982,3 which was elegantly translated into English in 1993 by William T. Stern and Eldwyth Ruth Stern.4 The 2007 edition, occasioned by a photographic exhibition in Germany, is the most evolved version of this valuable book. Despite the fact that this edition targets a non specialist German-reading audience, its scholarship and the unprecedented quality of the production make it a useful companion for classical scholars. The wonderful 287 color illustrations speak volumes about the plants and flowers of the Greeks and their place in the Greek mythological imagination. Equally valuable is the encyclopaedic content of the book, especially for those interested in studying the flora of contemporary Greece vis-à-vis that of classical antiquity. However, in this respect, the previous German editions and the English translation of 1993 are still indispensable, especially for audiences in the English reading world.
The major differences between the 2007 and the previous editions of this book have to do less with content and organization than with formatting and selection of images. The structure and text are more or less that of the German editions and the 1982 translation. On the other hand, in this edition the number of images has been substantially reduced, especially by minimizing the number of black and white photos (a total of 287 illustrations versus 482 of the original German and the translation in English). As a result the text is much better coordinated with its accompanying illustrations than before and is thus easier to read. Nevertheless, one sadly discovers that the elided illustrations often include ancient monuments with depictions of plants discussed in the text. Equally notable is the occasional reduction of text in the legends of illustrations.
The supporting apparatus has been slightly reworked as well. The latest entry in the bibliography dates to 2005. The index follows the division of the original German edition in plants, ancient names, and geographical location. This will be of use only for those with a solid command of German and the scientific names of plants. Yet, I found it lacking, especially in its omission of the ancient names of plants or similar terms. For example, the discussion of Diktamus (Origanum dictamnus) mentions the alternate name "artemidion" for the same plant but there is no equivalent entry in the index (p. 80). Likewise, in the discussion of Muscari comosum there is mention of the word "volvoi" in Theocritus for the same plant (p. 95). If one comes across this word in Theocritus and wishes to find more about it, the index will not be immediately helpful. In this respect, equally disappointing is the frequent omission in the text of ancient names of plants or those used in modern Greek. For example, the discussion of what is known in German as Zaunwinde (Calystegia sylvatica, "Large Bindweed" in English) omits reference to the ancient name of the plant or, in case this is not known, the reader does not learn about this (p. 123). These observations may sound trite but readers will sympathize with the unavoidable frustrations generated by our need to fully understand what we know exactly about ancient categories and terms used for them in the surviving literature and art.
These quibbles, however, should not detract from the fact that the book is excellent throughout. It is an all encompassing overview of the role of all types of plants and flowers in the daily life of Greeks but also in myth, cult, and ritual. Although English speaking readers will still have to rely on the English translation of 1993, the 2007 edition will be a necessary acquisition for libraries even in this time of crisis and deplorable budget cuts in the humanities.
1. For example, two publications stand out in the last few years alone: Nikolaus Himmelmann, Grundlagen der griechischen Pflanzendarstellung (2005) [recently reviewed in BMCR, see BMCR 2009.03.27]; Peter Bernhardt, Gods and Goddesses in the Garden: Greco-Roman Mythology and the Scientific names of plants (2008); Erika Kunze-Götte, Myrte als Attribut und Ornament auf attischen Vasen (2006).
2. Oliver Rackham and Jennifer Moody, The Making of the Cretan Landscape (1996).
3. H. Baumann, Die griechische Pflanzenwelt in Mythos, Kunst und Literatur (1982).
4. H. Baumann, The Greek Plant World in Myth, Art and Literature, translated and augmented by William T. Stearn and Eldwyth Ruth Stearn (1993). | <urn:uuid:23c5bdb7-1496-4432-9eee-06cefa171564> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bmcreview.org/2009/04/20090446.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393093.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00014-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.889695 | 1,139 | 2.53125 | 3 |
TESTING FOR PROTEIN biomarkers in spinal fluid could show up the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, giving an early diagnosis, a study has found.
New research by the Perelman School of Medicine researchers at the University of Pennsylvania has found that people with early Parkinson’s had lower levels of amyloid beta, tau and alpha synuclein in their spinal fluid.
Those with with low levels of amyloid beta and tau were more likely to have the postural instability-gait disturbance- dominant (PIGD) motor type of disease. This form of the disease can cause those who have the disease to fall and walking can be difficult.
The study, which was published in JAMA Neurology, came from the five-year Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Spinal taps were carried out on 102 participants.
Of those that took part in the study, 63 people either had early and untreated Parkinson’s disease. The tests were compared to 39 individuals unaffected by the disease.
Protein bio-markers were found to be low in those suffering from the disease which researchers stating it could be key in further research on how Parkinson’s progresses.
ScienceDaily.com reports that Dr. John Trojanowski, director of the Penn Udall Center for Parkinson’s Research said that “early prediction is critical, for both motor and dementia symptoms.
This spinal fluid testing procedure is only being used in research studies at the moment and will be evaluated in a larger study at a later date. | <urn:uuid:d95abfd4-73e9-4463-9d34-6c385f7e7866> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thejournal.ie/spinal-tap-parkinsons-disease-1056574-Aug2013/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397111.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00182-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966759 | 327 | 2.96875 | 3 |
During a visit to Egypt two years ago, George Kerscher, Secretary General of the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium, found that the country’s major libraries had only a very small collection of books available for print-disabled patrons. And while staff and volunteers were working to make more books accessible, output was limited to only a handful of titles each year.
Discerning this as an outsider, Kerscher (who is blind himself) realized that it was very much a microcosm of how the process of producing accessible books has traditionally functioned in the United States. Publishers generate books, while nonprofit organizations and libraries generate accessible versions of some of those books. It is impossible to keep up with the volume. Offering a sense of context, Kerscher notes that nonprofit audiobook producer Learning Ally, where he serves as senior officer of accessible technology, converted about 7,000 books in a peak year. Yet more than 300,000 print titles are published each year in the United States alone.
The new EPUB 3 standard could promise a sea change, enabling publishers to integrate accessibility features into their ebook production workflows, creating ebooks that are immediately available to everyone, including customers with print disabilities.
“Ten years ago, it was ‘How can the Library for the Blind produce more books?’ Kerscher says. “Now, the thought is that all of the books published each year have the potential to be accessible right out of the box. That’s just mind-boggling to a person who has had such restricted access to information.”
The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF)—where Kerscher also serves as president—is responsible for the free and open EPUB standard, and accessibility features were considered an integral component as this latest iteration was developed. EPUB 3 is sometimes described as a marriage of EPUB 2 and the DAISY Consortium’s standard, which is designed specifically for accessibility.
With the notable exception of Amazon’s Kindle line, most ereaders support the EPUB format, including the Barnes & Noble (B&N) NOOK, Sony Reader, and Kobo, and most apps that run on Android and Apple iOS tablets. As publishers and device manufacturers begin to support EPUB 3, the reading landscape will be significantly reshaped for the print-disabled.
The way in which EPUB 3 renders text to speech is one example of how it will help. Text-to-speech technology has been instrumental in improving access to digital materials, but, by itself, it is far from being an adequate accessibility tool. On many ereaders, it offers no help for navigating an ebook, and its default is to treat all text content equally, ignoring visual cues offered by standard layouts.
So, a typical text-to-speech experience might begin with an ereader plowing through a lengthy table of contents, then jumping unannounced between a book’s primary content and any sidebars or footnotes. And with no way to interpret charts, graphs, illustrations, or mathematical equations, these are simply skipped, which is especially a problem with textbooks.
Even with linear narratives, such as novels, text to speech doesn’t always sync with the content on the visible page. In some cases, an ereader will begin and keep going, while the visible page remains the same. If users accidently tap the screen during playback, they are taken back to the point in the text where they started.
Web page in a box
These are just a few of the more obvious problems that EPUB 3 will address.
Matt Garrish, chief editor of the EPUB 3 specifications and author of several articles and books on the standard, including What Is EPUB 3? and EPUB 3 Best Practices, notes that some people describe ebooks packaged in the EPUB format as “a web page in a box.” In many ways, this is an apt description.
The prior standards, EPUB and EPUB 2, used web markup to support features such as hyperlinks and audio and video multimedia content and facilitate the use of embedded metadata and reflowable and resizable text, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for design, and XML for additional functionality. EPUB 3 uses HTML5, the latest revision of the HTML standard, to allow devices to render content in new ways.
With HTML5, “you have much better structured markup than you had previously in EPUB 2 and HTML 4,” Garrish explains. “HTML 5 now brings in more semantically and structurally meaningful elements such as sectioning and asides and figure tags. You’re able to separate the primary content from the secondary content so that it’s much easier for someone who is using an accessible device to follow the flow of the narrative.”
EPUB 3 also facilitates the creation of integrated navigation tools that can help readers identify and find content throughout an ebook. Together, HTML5 and EPUB 3 also support MathML, which uses XML to store the meaning of a mathematical formula rather than simply representing it as an image. As a result, a browser or ereader can then display this information as an equation or formula for sighted users, or use text-to-speech to read that formula to a print-disabled user. Meanwhile, the standard features support native captioning and subtitling of video and audio clips for hearing-impaired users, native descriptions of videos and illustrations for the print disabled, and syncing narration with text display using media overlays.
“EPUB 3 really represents the coming together of EPUB 2 and DAISY, the accessible book format that our books are in today,” says Betsy Beaumon, VP and general manager of the Benetech Literacy Program. Benetech is the parent nonprofit that operates the Bookshare accessible online library for people with print disabilities. “It really is an opportunity…. Everything is going digital in terms of publishing processes, and this is the opportunity to make sure that everything born digital is born accessible.”
The potential of enhanced accessibility has also given advocacy organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) a sense of urgency, as ebooks and digital content become increasingly prevalent. A letter of complaint sent last June by NFB president Marc Maurer to then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may have played a role in the Department of State’s abrupt cancellation of a $16.5 million contract with Amazon to stock libraries and educational centers around the world with Kindle devices. NFB also staged a protest outside Amazon’s headquarters in December 2012, criticizing the company’s push into K-12 classrooms, arguing that its devices offer only limited and problematic accessibility features.
NFB’s participation in the Authors Guild v. HathiTrust case was also crucial in Judge Harold Baer Jr.’s October 2012 ruling that scanning and preservation can facilitate access for the print-disabled and is therefore transformative and fair use. That decision has been appealed.
Libraries have not been exempt. In 2011, the organization filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Civil Rights, against the Sacramento Public Library, CA, over a program that loaned out B&N’s NOOK ereaders, which lacked text-to-speech capability. NFB followed up on that case by helping a group of patrons sue the Free Library of Philadelphia over a similar initiative in May 2012, arguing that a program that uses federal grants to purchase inaccessible ereaders violates both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Both libraries settled and agreed to incorporate accessibility requirements into their technology procurement contracts. In January, the Institute of Museum and Library Services issued an advisory citing these cases and encouraging libraries to make accessibility a key criterion in any ereader program.
The libraries involved in these suits essentially faced limited options for accessible ereader lending and, to some extent, found themselves playing the role of proxy in NFB’s broader efforts to reform device manufacturers.
Apple’s iPad is currently the gold standard for accessible ereaders, featuring gesture-based VoiceOver screen reading in 36 languages, text to speech, zoom functions, and compatibility with multiple hardware and software products designed for special needs. But these tablet computers are much more expensive than dedicated ereaders such as NOOKs these libraries were initially loaning.
Similarly, the Blio ereader software platform also debuted in 2010 with built-in accessibility features, including text to speech. Baker & Taylor operates a bookstore for Blio, and support is integrated into its Axis 360 digital media library. But this app also requires a tablet computer (Android or iOS) to function as a portable ereader.
The transition from print to digital is still in its early stages, but it is progressing rapidly, explains Amy Mason, NFB access technology specialist. That’s why the lawsuits were necessary. It is crucial to push for these changes now, she says, and make accessibility features an expectation for device manufacturers and a routine part of workflows for publishers, rather than allow inaccessible technologies and processes to become ingrained.
“It’s why we hit them so hard, it’s why we’re being so, what would seem to some to be, unreasonable right now,” Mason says. “If we don’t change this now, we will forever be playing catch-up. We’ll forever be a step behind. And there’s no reason for that.”
Unfortunately, accessibility continues to be a secondary concern for many companies. Notably, Mason characterized industry-leader Amazon’s history as one of “actively dragging their feet” on this issue.
When text to speech was first introduced on the second-generation Kindle in 2009, it was notoriously difficult for blind users to access without assistance. The function had to be turned on via a series of touchscreen menus every time a book was opened. Users can then essentially press play and let the reader keep going, with little ability to navigate the text with any precision. The feature wasn’t available for all titles, and Amazon dropped support for it entirely with the first-generation Kindle Fire and other recent models such as the Kindle Paperwhite.
However, accessibility improvements may finally be on the way for Kindle. In December 2012, Amazon announced that input from “vision-impaired customers” had led the company to plan support for new accessibility features for the Kindle Fire beginning this year, including voice guide navigation, adjustable font sizes, and modifiable text color. And in January, Amazon announced the acquisition of text-to-speech and voice recognition provider Ivona, which already supplied the software used on the latest Kindle Fire.
Amazon uses proprietary file formats for its ebooks, and its devices have never supported EPUB. However, the Kindle Fire’s .kf8 ebook format does offer publishers similar support for HTML5 and CSS3, which could potentially allow functionality that aligns with EPUB 3.
B&N has also begun moving toward accessibility enhancements for the NOOK, although in its text-to-speech beta test for the NOOK HD+ last fall, the function suffered from problems similar to those on the Kindle. Text to speech must be accessed via a tree of touchscreen menus, the function does not help users navigate those menus, and publishers can choose to make the function unavailable for specific titles, according to a November 2012 blog post by Mason and Clara Van Gerven, access technology content specialist for NFB.
EPUB 3 cannot address poor accessibility support with a device’s interface, so even if the new standard significantly improves how ebooks can be rendered for print-disabled
users, device manufacturers will still need to work on how they help those users find and access books on their devices.
Even with the out-of-the-box enhancements offered by EPUB 3, accessibility can still be improved. Kerscher explains that libraries that have traditionally served people with disabilities could continue to enhance off-the-shelf content by producing tactile graphics or detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs, for example. As new features such as note-taking and sharing become prevalent on ebooks and e-textbooks, publishers will need to find ways to keep up with those advances as well.
University libraries are beginning to recognize and address these types of issues. Last November, the Association of Research Libraries published a report on services to patrons with print disabilities that specifically notes that adaptive technology tools “require electronic text to be properly encoded for the tool to work.” And that “there is a growing sense of urgency regarding how best to effectively address these technology-based accessibility challenges in research libraries and in the broader institutional setting.”
Last month, the International Publishers Association recognized EPUB 3 as the preferred standard format for ebook publishing. Also, it will supersede DAISY as the new preferred format when publishers are required by the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) to submit accessible ebooks to the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), which could help incentivize those publishers to incorporate these features into their ebook production workflow.
[CORRECTION: Skip Stahl, project director for NIMAS notes in the comments that this is incorrect, stating that “The update to the NIMAS Standard has not yet been determined, although EPUB3 is certainly a contender.”]
Kerscher notes that a significant increase in accessible ebooks could lead to an increase in demand from print-disabled users visiting conventional public libraries. Describing libraries as “the heart and soul of information in our society,” he notes that functions as simple as reader recommendation could be a real help to print-disabled users who suddenly have access to a much larger selection of content.
“Some people just grab a book and start reading it, and not a whole lot of thought goes into which book they’re going to read next,” he says. “There’s better and worse choices that people could make. I see libraries helping people identify what it is that they want to read.” | <urn:uuid:befbdb40-a303-4d90-8fd7-d1dec54378ce> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/04/technology/ebook-accessbility/?ref=rel | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397428.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00039-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94285 | 2,966 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Article VII of the United States Constitution is the final part of the original document, as it pertains to the actual legal content therein. It is also quite short, containing only one sentence. It reads, "The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same." That one sentence held a great deal of importance and set forth the limitations by which the document could be ratified.
The United States Constitution was adopted under what was then a curious formula. Each of the territories affected by the document, now called states, would have what were called conventions. These conventions would result in the state offering a ratification of the document or a refusal to ratify. There was no single body speaking for the entire country. This was important, as the different states had very different needs at the time, which was a problem seen throughout the American Revolution and well into the 19th century.
Article VII states that nine of the conventions must conclude by ratifying the Constitution in order for it to be adopted into law. That means only four can refuse to ratify and it was a close call. The Constitution lacked a lot of things that would later be addressed in the Bill of Rights, which are the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. Many individuals would have liked to see them in the original document. Moreover, there was a common disdain for powerful central government at the time, so there were those who were loathe to give too much power to the federal government. Of course, in the end, and after ten months, nine states did ratify and the Constitution was adopted.
The first 10 Amendments were not long in coming after the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. In many ways, they are just as important culturally, politically and socially. They are not what establishes the rights of the government, but the rights of the people, which was as important then as it is now. | <urn:uuid:a3132868-a2c1-4afd-a847-a57e7296a58f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.examiner.com/article/examining-the-constitution-article-vii?cid=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396455.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00074-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988592 | 395 | 4.21875 | 4 |
A well-written essay should have at least three main components: an introduction, a body and a conclusion. While the introduction introduces the topic and draws the reader in, the body of the essay usually consists of several paragraphs supporting the essay's main argument or hypothesis. A strong conclusion will satisfactorily draw an essay's argument to a close. A conclusion for a compare and contrast essay should successfully paraphrase the main points in the essay and offer a closing thought or opinion.
Compare and Contrast Essays
A compare and contrast essay, also known as a comparison essay, talks about how two ideas or objects differ and how they are similar. Some essays may only talk about similarities, while others may only talk about differences. This focus depends on the length and scope of the essay. An example of a topic for a compare and contrast essay is a comparison between life in a city and life in the country. The conclusion to this essay will include at least two important components: the paraphrased thesis and the author's opinion.
Paraphrasing the Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is usually included in the introduction to the essay, and it provides the reader with a clear understanding of the essay's topic and scope. The first or second sentence of the conclusion should be a restatement, or paraphrase, of the thesis statement. For example, if the thesis statement is, "Many people prefer to live in a city because of access to better health care and a wider variety of cultural and athletic events," the paraphrased thesis statement could be, "In conclusion, many people find city life preferable because of closer proximity to more cutting-edge healthcare systems and because of more choices of extra-curricular activities."
The Author's Opinion
While the body of the essay should generally include objective information, the conclusion should include one or two sentences articulating the author's opinion. This stance should not be conveyed using an "I" statement, which is usually not recommended in formal writing. For example, a sentence relating to the thesis statement comparing life in the city versus life in the country could be, "For these reasons mentioned above and others, life in the city is more advisable for individuals for whom a better quality of life is non-negotiable."
Scope of Conclusion
The conclusion should not include much more than a re-stated thesis statement and the author's short opinion. It should never be a place in which new information or information unrelated to the topic is introduced. All information should be contained within the introduction and the body of the essay, and the conclusion's scope should be limited to what has already been mentioned in the essay. Usually, the conclusion will end with the author's opinion.
- Essay-Guide.Net: Avoiding Common Problems
- Great Essays; Keith S. Folse et al.
- Great Paragraphs; Keith S. Folse et al.
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Where to find Arizona census records, immigration records, land records, maps, vital records and more.
Because settlement was later and thinner, Arizona's records from the Spanish and Mexican periods aren't as rich as those of neighboring New Mexico. The state archives in Phoenix and the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson do hold some documents from this era, such as the 1832 census of Santa Cruz County.
Territorial records begin with the 1860 census, in which Arizona was a county in the New Mexico Territory. A special census was taken in 1864 after the establishment of a separate Arizona Territory, with others in 1866, 1867, 1869, 1871, 1872, and 1882. (Note that what was called Pah-Ute County was included in Arizona Territory until 1866; thereafter it was part of the state of Nevada.) The new territory was included in the regular federal headcount beginning in 1870. Various "great registers" of voters, housed in the state archives, may also be used as census substitutes, generally covering 1882-1911.
Statewide birth and death records began in 1909, just before statehood. Because laws protect the privacy of birth records for 75 years and death records for 50 years, only family members with proof of relationship can access many records. But Arizona has a website http://genealogy.az.gov
that lets you search for birth certificates (1887-1928) and death certificates (1878-1953), then view records in PDF format.
The Office of Vital Records also maintains a sampling of delayed birth records (from 1855) and death records (from 1877) from other sources. Marriage and divorce records, as well as probate records and any surviving information on pre-1909 births and deaths, are maintained by the clerk of the superior court in the county where the event occurred.
Obituaries and cemetery records can help fill in blanks when no death certificate is available. The state archives has a collection of cemetery records gathered by the Arizona Genealogical Society, as well as microfiche drawn from an index of obituaries covering 1865 to 1986.
Daniela Moneta, genealogy librarian for the Arizona State Archives, cautions researchers to remember that although Arizona is a large state, it's divided into just 15 counties. (Originally, only four counties were created: Yavapai, Mohave, Yuma and Puma.) Several Rhode Islands would fit into one of Arizona's counties. This makes travel from one county to the next time-consuming, especially if you want to visit historical societies and county courthouses.
You'll find a wealth of records post-1863, Moneta adds, but not much for the pre-territory years when Arizona was on the frontier. There are, however, several published indexes to Mexican censuses for the area that is now Arizona: 1801 for Pimeria Alta; 1831 for Tucson, Tubac, and Santa Cruz; and 1852 for Pimeria Alta. Remember to check repositories for Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico for those early years.
For statewide information post-1863, Barbara B. Sayler, a professional genealogist and past president of the Arizona State Genealogical Society, says the state archives is the place to start. The collection includes records of marriage, civil and criminal cases, probates, insanity, inquests, wills and estates, naturalization, census, assessor rolls, the Great Register of voters, and real-estate deeds. You'll find an obituary index, a cemetery index, city directories, school yearbooks, maps and a 15,000-volume genealogy collection. The state library has the best collection of Arizona newspapers on microfilm, dating to 1864. To see holdings, go to http://www.lib.az.us
and look under "Collections" for the Arizona Newspaper Project.
You can also try some unusual sources for clues to Arizona ancestors. Moneta mentions the archives' collection of more than 200 pioneer certificate applications, containing histories of families in Arizona before statehood. If your ancestors were ranchers, try the archives' cattle-brand books, in which families registered their unique marks. Arizona researchers are also lucky in having access to the second-largest Family History Center outside Salt Lake City, the Mesa Regional Family History Center http://www.mesarfhc.org/resources.htm
Besides the state genealogical society, Sayler advises researchers to contact the genealogical or historical societies covering the area you're investigating. The Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board lists societies and professional researchers on its website, http://www.azgab.org
. For specific county information, Sayler adds, contact societies and courthouses in that county, along with the libraries and special collections at the three state universities. Northern Arizona University in particular also holds a wealth of visual history; its online Image Database http://www.nau.edu/cline/speccoll/imagedb.html
features 700,000-plus images.
- Miscellaneous Archives Relating to New Mexico Land Grants, 1695-1842 from the US Bureau of Land Management (University of New Mexico Library, 1955-1957)
- Record of Private Land Claims Adjudicated by the US Surveyor General, 1855-1890 from the New Mexico (Territory) Surveyor-General's Office (University of New Mexico Library, 1955-1957)
- Records of Land Titles, 1847-1852 from the New Mexico (Territory) Secretary's Office (University of New Mexico Library, 1955-1957)
- Spanish & Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico and Colorado edited by John R. Van Ness and Christine M. Van Ness (Sunflower University Press, 1980)
- Vigil's Index, 1681-1846 by Donaciano Vigil (University of New Mexico Library, 1955-1957)
- Arizona Place Names by Will Croft Barnes (University of Arizona Press, 1988)
- Arizona Territory: Post Offices and Postmasters by John Theobald and Lillian Theobald (Arizona Historical Foundation, 1961)
- Arizona's Names by Byrd Howell Granger (Falconer Publishing, 1983)
- Ghost Towns of Arizona by James E. Sherman and Barbara H. Sherman (University of Oklahoma Press, 1969)
- Historical Atlas of Arizona, 2nd edition, by Henry P. Walker and Don Bufkin (University of Oklahoma Press, 1986)
- A History of Arizona's Counties and Courthouses edited by John J. Dreyfuss (National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Arizona, 1972)
- Arizona Frontier Military Place Names, 1846-1912, revised edition, by David V. Alexander and Daniel C.B. Rathbun (Yucca Tree Press, 2002)
- Arizona's Memorial to Vietnam Veterans by Frances Arthur Hortsch (Phoenix Genealogical Society, 1987)
- The Army in the West, A Guide to Microfilmed Records in the Library of the Arizona Pioneers' Historical Society from the Arizona Pioneers' Historical Society (W.C. Cox, 1974)
- Chains of Command: Arizona and the Army, 1856-1875 by Constance Wynn Altschuler, Don Bufkin (Arizona Historical Society, 1981)
- Frontier Military Posts of Arizona by Ray Brandes (Dale Stuart King, 1960)
- The Rough Riders: A Brief Study and Indexed Roster of the 1st Regiment, US Volunteer Cavalry, 1898 by Howard Markland Gabbart with the US Army Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, 1st (Arizona State Genealogical Society, 1992)
- The Transformation of Arizona into a Modern State by Charles Ynfante (Edwin Mellen Press, 2002)
- A Guide to Arizona Courts (Arizona Supreme Court, 1997)
- Arizona Death Records: An Index Compiled from Mortuary, Cemetery, and Church Records, 3 vols. (Arizona State Genealogical Society, 1976-1982)
- Northern Arizona Territorial Death and Burial Records, 1870-1910 by Dora M. Whiteside (D.M. Whiteside)
Return to the main Arizona page
From the Family Tree Sourcebook
Also available: the State Research Guide Book
, State Research Guides CD
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NASA's Opportunity rover has eyed an odd-shaped, dark rock on the surface of Mars — scientists think it could be a meteorite.
Opportunity's handlers spotted the rock, which measures about 2 feet (0.6 meters) across, on July 18 in the opposite direction from which the rover was driving. The rock, dubbed "Block Island," is unusual for its size, mission scientists said.
Mission managers decided the rock was worth a closer look and had the rover then backtrack some 820 feet (250 meters).
Over the weekend, scientists used the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to get composition measurements and to confirm it was a meteorite.
"It's pretty clear now that it is," Yen told SPACE.com.
The rock has a similar composition to another meteorite that Opportunity found in Jan. 2005. That meteorite was the first to be found on another planet. It was lying just over half a mile from its landing site in Mars' Meridiani Planum. Since landing on Mars in 2004, Opportunity has driven across 10.7 miles (17.2 km) of the red planet's surface.
The 1-foot (31-cm) diameter slug of iron and nickel gained the moniker "Heat-Shield Rock" due to the rover's discarded heat shield having come to rest only 20 feet (6 meters) from the meteorite.
There are some differences between the two meteorites though and scientists plan to use some of Opportunity's other instruments to learn more about Block Island.
"We're likely to spend a good amount of time here," Yen said, at least through the upcoming weekend.
The rover team has also taken color and microscopic images of the meteorite. Next up are measurements with the rover's Mössbauer spectrometer, which can tell scientists more about the mineralogy of the rock.
Studying the meteorite could tell scientists more about the surface conditions in place when the meteorite fell: The pitted surface of the rock shows millimeter-sized granules of what scientists think is hematite, which suggest the meteorite was once buried under the Martian sand, Yen said. The meteorite could also tell the scientists about the atmosphere at the time, since the chunk that is left is relatively large.
Opportunity and its sister rover Spirit have been rolling along opposite ends of the red planet for more than five years now. While Opportunity passed the 10-mile mark, Spirit has been mired in a Martian sand trap for more than a month. Rover engineers back on Earth are working with a test rover to come up with ways to free the mired robot.
In its five years on Mars, Opportunity has spent two years exploring Victoria Crater, revealing that the whole region the crater lies in was likely shaped by water and winds that blew up huge sand dunes. Its twin Spirit is on the other side of Mars in a region known as Gusev Crater.
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Homepages | History | Indian Woods Reservation | Meaning of Names | Using Census |Native American Genealogy|
The Southern Band of The Tuscarora |Links - Native American Research |Books Published
History of the Tuscarora
The ancestral home of the Tuscarora Indian Nation was centered in the northeastern part of North Carolina.
Visit The Southern Band Tuscarora Indian Tribe Web page (www.southern-band-tuscarora-indians.com)for a more complete Tuscarora history and to see the variety of villages---hemp gatherers; people of the pines; people of the water. In 1701 John Lawson, Surveyor General, identified 15 major Tuscarora towns living along the waterways throughout North Carolina.
Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina has four (4) clans which are the Bear, Wolf, Turtle and Beaver
*Note the two very different uses of the terms Southern and Northern. Originally the Southern Tribes referred to those tribes south of Pamlico; the Northern Tribes were those between the Roanoke and Pamlico Rivers. When the Tuscarora moved north to New York state, the term "Southern Tribes" changed it's meaning and referred to those Tuscarora Tribes that remained in N.C. in contrast to the "Northern Band" living in N.Y. near Lewiston, Niagra County.
When the first settlers arrived in Bertie County, they settled along the Chowan River building their plantations and Mosely's early map shows the Indian tribes already relocated to the Roanoke River along Bertie's southern border.
White encroachment into their territory was the source of conflict between the Tuscarora and these settlers. For the most part, the Bertie County villages were under the leadership of Chief Tom Blunt (between the Roanoke and Pamlico Rivers) and were friendly to the colonists.
The Chief of the Tuscarora was a close friend and neighbor of the Blount family of Bertie. He admired the family so much that he was baptized as "Tom Blount" taking their name. On September, 1711 when the Tuscarora War started, Tom Blount refused to allow his people to take sides in it, warned the southern branch not to bring it into his territory, and actually posted sentries to prevent any other tribe from entering Bertie.
As a reward for his loyalty to the settlers, at the defeat of the southern band of Tuscarora under Chief Hancock, Blount was acceeded by the Legislature the title of "King of the Tuscarora" and awarded 56,000 acres on the Roanoke River in Bertie as a reservation.. "In perpeturity, so long as the sun doth shine. Sadly this did not hold true.
Chief John Hancock and his villages near the Neuse River felt continually pressured as New Bern grew. There was raiding of Tuscarora villages, kidnapping young men and women and selling them into slavery.
The Chiefs of the Tuscarora villages decided that their only recourse was to fight back. This leads to the Tuscarora Indian Wars (1711-1713).
Another pictorial map of the war
Excavation of Ft. Neoheroka Battle on March 21, 1713 - Col James Moore
A brief timeline of events:
For complete history and chronology see Marilyn Livingston's book "Onkwehonweh-the first people-Tuscarora"
- Sept 1711, Chief Hancock captures John Lawson, Baron Christoph von Graffenried, leader of the Wiss and Germon colonists at New Bern; and a black servant. Lawson was executed.
- Sept 22, 1711 - Chief Hancock kills 120 colonists, took others captive, burned houses, and seized crops and livestock in Bath County.
- White settlers retaliated
- Jan , 1712 - Col. John Barnwell (S.C. company) capture Ft. Narhantes after bitter battle
- Peace conference ends in tragedy as Col Barnwell's troops kill 50 Tuscarora men and seize over 200 women and children as slaves.
- Chief Tom Blunt is promised control over his own tribe if he will assist the Colonists.
- Chief Blunt captures Chief Hancock and the colonists execute Hancock
- March 21, 1713 - Col James Moore (S.C. troops) attack Ft. Neoheroka killing or capturing ove 900 Tuscarora. Survivors forced into reservation in Hyde County
Excavation of Ft. Neoheroka
- 1717 - Bertie Co. Indian Woods Reservation given to Chief Tom Blunt.
- 1717 - Many Tuscarora Indians left North Carolina to join the Five (Iroquois) Nations in New York.
- 1748 - Survey further restricts and defines the reservation
- Historical Letters
- 1760 - More Tuscarora chose to move to New York.
- 1766 - Lease and subsequent land deals show 18,000 acres but in actuality over 58,000 acres, leave the Tuscarora only 2,196 acres
- 1803 - Last of Tuscarora depart for New York. Remaining descendants blended into the population
- 1831 - Deed written in Niagra County, N.Y. (7 chiefs) gave up their rights to the land in Bertie County.
- 1917 - Tuscarora Chiefs from New York visit Bertie at the end of the 150 year lease
Tuscarora School Website on the Tuscarora Language.
Meaning of Indian Geographical NamesContributed by: Deborah Cavel-Greant firstname.lastname@example.org
One of my Bertie lines is that of the Casiah/Kesiah family. My 4X Grandfather Sandifer Casiah/Kesiah was born in Bertie in 1737. I believe he got his first name because of the family's friendship with the Sandifer family who lived near the Indian Woods Reservation. His brother Dunning, appears to have been named after the Bertie County Dunning family. Another family member, Buxton, is named after another Bertie County family.
Our Casiah's left Bertie in the 1760s but preserved the tradition of Native ancestry and continued to speak the Tuscarora language until my generation. In fact, late in life my father had a series of strokes and for a time reverted entirely to using Skarure. I am now studying the language, and thought some of what I have learned may be interesting to Bertie researchers.
Unfortunately in this format I cannot reproduce the fonts used for Skurare. The 'e,' you see used below is actually a 'tailed' e, and is pronounced as is the 'i' in pizza. An accent mark before a vowel means the tone drops, an accent mark following a vowel means the tone rises. A : following a vowel prolongs the vowel sound. A question mark represents a glottal stop, the sound heard in English between the two syllables in the word uh-oh.
Casiah/KesiahTo begin with I'd like to address the Casiah/Kesiah name because of the questions about how the Cashie River got its name. One interpretation by Bertie County Historian Harry Thompson :
The Cashie River begins and ends in the county... Cashie is not an Indian name, as is commonly thought, but a corruption of the proper name, KESIAH, which appears often in the early records. Kesiah is the designation on the most reliable map prepared by Edward Moseley in 1733.
Deborah's statement: The original name of the Casiah River was drawn directly from the Skarure language. I would suggest that the river may have recieved its name when a European asked one of the Tuscarora, "What's this river called?" and the Indian thought the newcomer wanted to know the Skarure word for river and answered, "It-river," ("Kesh-hsh-ungh"). The settler, familar with a similar-sounding name from the Bible, wrote down "Kesiah" River.
The Skarure word for RIVER is -(i)yhnu- . The Skurare word "ke,'yhnu:?" has a literal translation of "it-river". The pronunciation of "ke,'yhnu:?" is: keh-hsh-ungh with a glottal stop on the end. Quishia, Casiah, Kesiah, Keziah, Kizziah etc. are all reasonable choices to represent the Skarure pronunciation.
It happened by the end of the 1600s because the Casiah River is documented as a landmark in Chowan County land records as early as 1707.CHOWAN CO NC LAND PATENTS DATE # ACRES PLACE OWNER Nov 4, 1707 640 Plantations lying on Casiah River John Hardy IIIWill of JOHN HARDY III OF CHOWAN CO., NC - 19th January, 1719
Item: I give & bequeath unto my loving Daughter Elizabeth Hardy both my Plantations lying on CASIAH River where Thomas Williamson now dwells and containing Six hundred & forty acres. Each as appears by the patents bearing date November the forth 1707,
(References: Colonial records Gallatin "keynugh" - refering to Cashie River; Chowan Co. Land Records, and the Blair Rudes Tuscarora- English Dictionary published 1999 by the University of Toronto.)
This does not necessarily mean that the Casiah *surname* was taken from the word for river, as there are a number of other Skarure words which sound similar. However it does seem a logical conclusion. The Tuscarora often adopted simple nicknames to use when dealing with the settlers. It may be that Casiah used as a nickname in one generation was adopted by the next generation as a surname.
We have documented seven Casiah siblings, born between 1730-1750, which points to a father named or nicknamed Casiah born abt 1700-1710. An additional four individuals have been uncovered who are either Casiah's children or grandchildren, but not enough information survives to determine which. One of these was a Tuscarora Chief who signed an Indian Woods Deed in NY in 1831. This document proves that the family was Tuscarora, ties them to Bertie County and shows that some members of the famiy migrated north.
Since he lived pre-history I had only my own family stories to go on. However, I found that when I compared our stories to those told by the Tuscarora in Bertie Co. (even though our Casiahs left Bertie in 1760) - the stories match. We preserved the tradition of the Casiah family being Deer Clan, as do the Bertie Co. Tuscarora. And now, to my amazement, when I translated the village name of Tandequemuc, which Tuscarora oral history says "Cashie" was Chief of at the time of its destruction... look what I found.English Spelling Tuscarora Spelling Translation Tandequemuc Ta'n-a'kweh-e? (Tan-ahk-weh-ee-ock) Village of the Deer Clan Tan = village akweh = deer e? = locator indicating "at"While searching Bertie Records I found the following record. There is an earlier reference but this one includes a description of where Cashoke was located. It is described as being in the same place as the old village of Tandequemuc is shown on maps.
Bertie County North Carolina Deed Book G page 299
John Sutton to James Lockhart of Scotch Hall May 17 1750. 15 pounds for 100 acres..." John Sutton of the province a'f'said son of Thomas Sutton, Senior.... whereas Mary Jones my aunt by her last will and testament .... bequeathed to me John Sutton....part of that plantation on which she had lived..." In CASHOKE. ADJ. HENDERSON's CORNER ON MORATUCK BAY at Spring Branch....Wit: George Lockhart, Nathaniel ?, Elizabeth Lockhart. August Court 1750.
Cashoke... In Skarure this form refered to the name of a village chief. "Ke" means "at", meaning the person is "at" this location, i.e. in this village, at this location. Hence Cashoke would almost certainly have had the meaning "Cashia's Village" or "Cashia is Chief here."
VillagesI note that there are questions about the meaning of some of the old Tuscarora village names. The names and terms which begin with "P", like poccosin, paricossy etc., are drawn from the Algonquin language. There is no "P" in Skarure, except for a very few borrowed words which came in after Europeans arrived.
Also, the word "Ahotskey" is often assumed to mean horse, but it does not. The Skarure word for horse is "ahawth". Ahotskey is a mispronounced version of the Skarure word "Rahsuta'?kye" - Rah-soot-Ock-yeh - which literally means, "Our Ancestors" (plural), implying that this is the place where our ancestors lived. This was "King" Blunt's town in the 1700's.
(This is a start on village names. I can't guarantee they are 100% correct, but they are probably pretty close. )
Name - Alternate spelling - Skaure spelling = English translation Ressootska - Rehorseky "Rahsuta'?kye" = Our Ancestors lived here Taughousie - "tuhke,'yhnu:?" = Little River Cauteghna - Cotechney "kahtehnu?a':ka:?" = Loblolly-pine-is-in-water Kintaigh - Kenta "kine,ha'?he,?" = Many Creeks **also means* - Village of the Beaver Clan Unaghnaranara - "una?kw`e:ya?" = Cattails *Unaghnaranara is another name for Tandequemuc or if it was a different village. I can't find a reference which tells when Tandequemuc was abandoned, so there is no way of telling. I don't have enough information. Tasqui - Tastiahk - "tiwahsa':kye:" = So many feet Ohaunooc - = Where boats go in the water Toherooka - "tuher'hkwah" = So grassy Fort Neoheroka - "-ne- heruke," = Broken Pasture Rarookshee - "wa?ruh'-cre,h" = Gathering place Caurookehoe - Cheroohoka "ciru?e,ha':kaka:?" = Nottaway's town Eukurknormet -Runiroy
= Village of the Clan Mothers Chounanitz - Junitz = Nottaway's town All the Upper Nine Tuscarora Towns in 1711 translated: 1) Ressootska - = Our Ancestors were here (Blount's Town) 2) Eukurknormet - = Village of the Clan Mothers 3) Taughousie - = Little River 4) Chounanitz - Junitz = Nottaway's town 5) Caurookehoe - Cheroohoka = Nottaway's town 6) Toherooka - = So grassy 7) Cauteghna - Cotechney = Loblolly-pine-is-in-water 8) Kintaigh - Kenta = Many Creeks, Village of the Beaver Clan 9) Unaghnaranara - = Village of Many Deer ===============Personal Names============= These are good examples of how Tuscaroran names were simplified by English speakers. In the first name, the second word is dropped, in the second and third names syllables are dropped. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ December 2, 1711 Chief Tom Blount and Representatives Chongkerarise, Rouiatthie and Rouiattatt went to Williamburg Virginia to meet with Governor Spotswood on behalf of the Upper Towns of the Tuscarora. Chongkerarise - Skarure spelling: ce?natkehahs weh`eye Pronunciation: chonk-gnawt-kehahs way eh-yay Translation: One raises the dead (What an extraordinary name! Wouldn't you love to know HIS story?) Rouiattatt: Skarure spelling: ru'?ta?rw Pronunciation: Roo-tau-at (as spelled, compared to Lawson) Proper pronunciation: Roo-ah-tau-ahrff (Rudes) Translation: Hickory Rouiatthie: Skarure spelling: ru'?ta?rwy Pronunciation: Roo-tau-ooe (Lawson) Proper pronunication: Roo-ah-tah-rrwesh (Rudes) Translation: Walnuts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ November 25, 1712: Preliminary articles of Peace signed between NC, Chief Blount and four other Chiefs: Saroona: Skarure spelling: Saw`a:nu Translation: Shawnee Pronounced: Chaw-ahn-oo Cited as not being present to sign the Articles: Sarrontha Horunttocken: Skarure spelling: Sawanu?a':ka:? Translation: The Shawnee Chief Pronounced: Cha-wan-oah-gah-ahk Heuhanohnoh: Skarure spelling: Uh`e:wekah`e:wa?ne? Translation - He is in the front of the canoe Pronunciation: Oo-eh-wikah-eh-waw-oc-naw-oc Neowoonttotsery - Skarure spelling: neyu?uwantah(-)e?n`a:weh Translation: Chief of two braided together Pronunciation: Neh-yoon-wan-tah-oc-n-ah-weh Cheutharuthoa: Skarure spelling: Cihehreh kw`e:ru? Translation: Black Rabbit Cihehreh = Black kw`e:ru? = rabbit Pronunciation: Chah-reh-gwahss-oo-ahk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Deborah Cavel-Greant email@example.com)
The accent mark after a vowel means the voice lifts. The 'ock' to represents the glottal stop in the pronunication. Think of the sound between the syllables in uh-oh.
Here there are a number of choices, none of which fit Runaroy exactly, but you can take your choice... The Tuscarora trilled their r's at the end of words, as do the Italians.
runa'wher (pronounced roona'-ffarr) high-bush blueberry
rune,hn`u:re,'? (pronounced rooneh-hin-'oo-ri-ock) White Oak
runya'?rha?r (pronounced roon-yaw'-ock-rhaw-ockrr) golden robin
runehu'hu (pronounced rooneh-hoo'-hoo) turtledove
ra'?kwihs (pronounced raw-ock-kwess) means Turtle Clan
(Deborah Cavel-Greant firstname.lastname@example.org) The accent mark after a vowel means the voice lifts. The 'ock' to represents the glottal stop in the pronunication. Think of the sound between the syllables in uh-oh
Personal NamesPeople traditionally got their names in various ways, mostly governed by the Clan system, sometimes through extraordinary feats, through physical characteristics or dreams/visions, but it was the Clan Mother's privilege to bestow names. The Clans owned certain names. The rights to use a name were acknowledged and repected among the Tuscarora just as the Europeans used and respected property. Here's some vocabulary regarding names: WORD SKARURE SPELLING PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION Name uhs`e:neh ooh-seh-neh Clan ur?e'hseh oorth-ih-sheh My Clan akir?ehse':te ah-dir-ahk-eeh-see'-taw Your Clan sir?ehse':te seer-ahk-eeh-see'taw The Tuscarora have several Clans within the Tribe. A Clan is comprised of the maternal descendants of one woman and is named after a guardian animal spirit. The NC Tuscarora have the Bear, Beaver, Turtle, Wolf, Deer, Snipe, and Eel (Nottaway) Clans. A child belongs to their mother's Clan. Members of a Clan regard themselves as brothers and sisters, so members always marry outside of their own Clan. The Clan Mother is the eldest woman in the Clan, and she is the one who names Clan members. A newborn child is given one of the clan's names that is not currently in use (that is, a name belonging to someone who has died or a name that has been given up for a new name by someone still living). It is my understanding that the child was traditionally looked over for characteristics which would be a clue as to whose spirit it housed before it was named. The ancestors were given some time to look the new one over and decide who was going to take up residence. This is why a name was never in use by two people at one time. Clan Mother ukuwana'?tha? oodoo-wawnaw-ahk-tha-ahk Chiefship (the title) kuwane'hcreh gu-wawn-ah-chreh mother - ene en-ay my mother - akene ahk-aynah father - ria ree-ah my father - akrie ahk-ree-ah grandmother - gusud goo-sood grandfather - ryasud ree-ah-sood nephew - ka?nu?ne?a'h caw-ahk-nuk-ahk-neh-ahk-ah Certain names carried special responsibilities, such as those belonging to chiefs. When a chief died, the women of his clan decided on a successor, a member from their clan. Rank followed the female line; and the successor might be any descendant of the late chief's mother or grandmother - his brother, his cousin or his nephew - but never his son. If the successor was approved by the other chiefs, he was given the name of the deceased chief. Bear Clan Uhcihre? ooh-chi-reh-ahk Beaver Clan Kine?aka:? kinahk-awk-ahk Turtle Clan Ra'?kwihs Raw-kwiss Wolf Clan (-)kwar`i:ne Thu-kwar-ee-neh Deer Clan ahkwahte?a'h ahgwah-teh-ahk-awh Snipe Clan Tawi'stawis Dawis-dawis Eel Clan Akunehukwatiha:?' Ah-du-nehoo-kwadi-hah-ahk (Akunehukwatiha:?' refers to the way they prepared their corn. Just think, your children for *generations* named for your corn recipe! She must have been SOME GREAT COOK!) Hereditary names for Clan Chiefs: Bear Clan Chief's Names: Chief of the Bear Clan - Nekaye':te? - Neh-kawyee-teh The Bear Cub - Utekwahte?a'h - Ooteh-gwahteh-ahk-ah Beaver Clan's Chief's Names: He Anoints the Hide Nihnuhk`a:we? - Nee-nook-awee-ahk It Goes Along Teaching Karihe':tye? - Karrri-hay-dye-ahk Twenty Canoes Nekahewah(-)the: - Neh-kaw-hia-wath-tha Snipe Clan Chief's Name: One is Holding the Tree Karetawa'?ke Kaw-reh-daw-ah-ahk-keh Turtle Clan Chief's Names: He Holds the Multitudes Hutyuhkwawa'ske Hoot-yoo-gwah-wah-skeh His Voice is Small Nihaweha?ah Nee-haw-weh-ahk-ah Spear Carrier Sekwari?(-)re: Seh-gwahr-ih-ahk-thray Wolf Clan Chief's Names: It Is Bent Neyucha'?kte Neh-shu-cha-ah-kuhteh Chief of Wolf Clan Nayuhkawe'we'?ah Naw-yuh-gaw-weh-weh-ahk-ah
Indian Woods ReservationBounded by the Roanoke River and Roquist Creek, the reservation contained some of the more fertile land of the county, and it was not long before whites began to encroach upon this territory. As early as 1721 interlopers threatened to "create Feuds and disturbances" among the Indians.
Reservation life was not satisfactory. By 1731 the original 800 Indians under King Tom Blunt, the Tuscarora chieftain, had been reduced to 600.
By 1748 continuing friction prompted the assembly to pass legislation to define more exactly the boundaries of Indian land.See Reservation Map created in 1748 by the General Assembly of North Carolina.
In 1760 many of these decided to also move to New York, and for a 150 year lease on approximately 8,000 acres, Robert Jones, William Williams, and Thomas Pugh advanced the 155 Indians sufficient money to make the journey. Only 100 older Indians remained. A deed signed in 1766 listed the names of the Tuscarora Chiefs who took part in the property transfer. These included: Chiefs: William Chew, Nicholas Casie, George Warchief, Jonathan Printup, Matthew Jack, William Johnson and Isaac Miller.
A series of exploiting land deals using long-term leases (misrepresenting the amount of acreage) and compensating very poorly, (between 1775-1777) led to the House of Commons appointing a commission to superintend Indian Affairs.
Harry Thompson in his new book Bertie Folklore pg 75-85 gives history of the events in Indian Woods, and also includes a story of "The Indians Gallows Tree". He also refers to an epic written on this subject by William H. Rhodes in the mid 1800's. This famous landmark tree is mentioned in Rich Square newspaper June 3, 1897: "has at last yielded to old age and decay."
Under a Treaty directed by Thomas Jefferson in 1803, many of the remaining Tuscaroras left North Carolina, leaving the remaining reservation land, or the Indian Woods area, which is near Woodville.
In 1831 by a deed written in Niagara County, NY, seven Tuscarora chiefs sold to the people of North Carolina all their rights to the land in Bertie County.This deed covered about 2,000 acres.Sources: Alan Watson " Bertie County: A brief History"
The Encyclopedia Americana
The Southern Band of The TuscaroraVisit the webpage of the Southern Band Tuscarora Indian Tribe. Chief Samuel Smith, the last Chief of the Indian Woods Reservation, died there in 1803. The Tuscaroran Smith's were the Bear Clan, called the Medicine Clan. The Tuscarora had a matriarchial society, following their mothers Clans. The Clan mothers were and are still held in high regard among the Tuscarora.
The Southern Band Tuscarora are the descendants of those who did not migrate north. We have the Bear, Deer, Wolf, Big Turtle, Sand Turtle, Snipe Clans.
A history book of the Tuscarora Confederacy called:
Onkwehonweh-the first people-Tuscarorahas a wealth of historical information including maps, deeds, villages, names, languages, and where the Tuscarora are today has recently been written by Marilyn Livingston. (email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.org) It is for sale for $35.00 plus $6.00tax shipping and handling. To order send check or money order to:
Southern Band Tuscarora Tribe
832 US 13N
Windsor NC 27983
Census ResearchThe following is from NORTH CAROLINA RESEARCH-GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY by Helen F. M. Leary (well known N.C. Scholar) page 10.
"During the early nineteenth century, Native Americans were described by federal census takers as free persons of color, mulattos, or whites simply because no correct racial category was included in the government's instructions. Consequently, genealogist searching for their minority or mixed-blood ancestors and local historians interested in ethnic representation within the community often must depend on present-day descendants' oral traditions, which are not primary sources but are nevertheless essential to these kinds of investigations".
As noted earlier by "The Miller Book" this also was the case in the eighteenth century.
1984 Webster's definition Mulatto: 1: the-first generation offspring of a Negro and a White 2: a person of mixed Caucasian and Negro ancestry.Shared by Neil Baker
Marilyn Mejorado-Livingston (email@example.com) is always happy to work with you on your genealogy questions. She has helped a number of individuals with their heritage lines.
Placing a QUERY is a good way to ask questions and share information.
Follow the link to SURNAMES and you'll find the QUERY PAGE.
Links to Help with Native American Research
- Federally recognized Tribes by State
- USGenWeb Native American Page Post queries on Native Americans of all tribes.
- Tuscarora and Six Nations of New York
HOMEPAGES OF BERTIE CO NATIVE AMERICANSEmory and Pam Thomas Family page of Thomas, Cale, Salmons, Price and Vanhoy [NEED URL]
Excellent page of information!
Two Water's NATIVE AMERICAN Home Page. NOT WORKING. NEED NEW URL.
Chief Cucklemaker - his story and descendants - Stanley Hoggard
Research from Bertie-L Mailing ListThere are varying opinions represented on our Bertie Mailing List, so these comments are meant to be suggestions for further research only! Investigate and make your own determination!
New tests are available for various kinds of DNA testing, including one that detects the presence of Native American ancestry. Unfortunately, that one only works on the maternal line (mother's mother's mother) whereas the oral traditions about Indian blood in my family come through my father's side. But it might be worthwhile for anyone whose mother's mother's mother is in a line alleged to have NA ancestry. Info is at http://familytreedna.com
Have seen statistics to the effect that on the whole, African-Americans are genetically 70% African, 30% other. Would like comparable statistics on the percentage of Native American and African ancestry in "white" (European) Americans. Also on how much of that non-African 30% in African-Americans is Native American versus European. I gather that in Bertie today, claims of Native ancestry are equally common among black and white families? Since there is so much oral history about Native ancestry in the county, it would be interesting to know what genetic evidence can be found to confirm it. Contributed by Paul Johnson.
You must remember that there are a lot of Johnsons, Johnstons in Bertie over the years. John Johnson (Johnston) settled in Bertie and established a large plantation called "Saponia" which was adjacent to the Indian Reservation. He was the brother of Samuel Johnston, Governor of the colony of Carolina, and Brother to Hannah Johnston - who married James Iredel who became the first chief Justice of the NC Supreme Court during the Revolutionary War. John became a noted Bertie County Clerk of Court. He was NOT Indian, nor did he in any way descend from Indians. My sister-in-law was a Johnson. Her Uncle was Rhodes "Mhoon" Johnson for whom I was his Estate executor. This entire group of Johnsons were Mhoons, and Rhodes Grandfather changed his name from Mhoon to Johnson in order to avoid the Confederate Draft. I have been to the cave or dugout where he and others hid out to avoid conscription. The Mhoons were a very old prominant family with thousands of acres of land in Bertie. One became the Treasurer of the State of NC and later sold his land to the Rascoe Family who still own the land today, and still have the original deed from that transaction. The Mhoons were NOT Indian either. Hawkins were of old English stock, and who came here with a land grant. I have owned the Hawkins tract, maintained the cemetary where they and Marcus Johnson are buried. Marcus joined the Union Forces, survived the war, and returned home with $500.00 in Union Gold money in his pocket, bought 700 acres of land, and raised a large family on them. Neither had any Indian blood that I know of, and I spent 20 years researching them both. Indian people who remained in Bertie after the end of the Tuscarora Wars started in 1711, had a tendency to take english names of people they new and liked. A case in point. King Tom Blount took the name of his good friend and neighbor Blount - and was baptized with that english name. One Indian took the name Johnson after John Johnson who lived at Saponia. Butler was an old English name and acquired by the Indians. Both Johnson and Butler signed a deed from the Tuscarora to Settlers. Thus it has arisen that all people with these names must be Indian. Not true, for they are all good English and Scottish names. In an attempt to adopt the English customs, religions, and ways, the Indians chose new names. Harry Thompson Wed Feb 28 06:37:38 2001 archive/latest/157
There was a WILLIAM TAYLOR who was on a list of "chieftains of the Tuscarora Indians" that sold 8000 acres for 1800 pounds to the Province of NC 12 July 1766, proved in Sep Ct. 1767. This is from Bradley's Deeds of Bertie County 1757-1772. I have also run across this William Taylor in other places in connection with Indian-related affairs. Researcher: Bill BLinder777@aol.com
Kenneth Johnson firstname.lastname@example.org In the course of researching my ancestors, I found that family traditions about Native American ancestry were strong in several of my lines. All my father's people were from the area north of Windsor and east of present-day US 13; Johnsons, Dunlows, Whites, Hugheses, Millers, Perrys, Cobbs, Willifords, and Butlers to name the major 19th century families. Of these, I find that Dunlows have preserved, in several independent lines, traditions about Indian ancestry although they are vague about details. To a lesser extent, this is found among Johnsons. I've been told it's true of Butlers, and of course know it is true of Cales and Castellows. What I'd like to know is what other families from the Marvel Swamp/Pell Mell Pocosin area (around present day Askewville) have a traditional claim to Indian ancestry. So far it all seems to go back to the Butlers; that is the Dunlows intermarried extensively with them in the 19th c., and the Johnsons to a lesser extent, and belief in Native American ancestry seems to be stronger in these lines the closer you get to Butlers. (For example, Josiah Dunlow was called "half-Indian" in family traditions, and this was alleged to be through his mother, Susanah Butler.) Are there any other similar traditions in nearby families? Paul Johnson PS-- I went to the Haliwa-Saponi Pow Wow this weekend in Warren County, NC, and since this tribe absorbed some Tuscarora long ago, I talked to several Saponi about family names that might have come from that tribe. No one recognized any of the Bertie County names listed above, except Johnsons which they said they had some of in their community. Mostly Richardsons and Lynches as best I can tell.
Lea Dowd ....Native American Intermarriage and Land Ownership. ....It has only become "popular" in the last century for one to have any NA blood. However, by opening one's eyes and accepting whatever you find that is documentable; the "brick wall" can be broken through and lead to a fabulous history and story!
The first intermarriage that would disprove this theory would be the most publicized.... Pocahontas. This marriage was legal and accepted. John Rolfe's son even came back from England to claim his land, given him by his grandfather, Powhatan. Among that re-claiming of land, you will aslo see mention of his Aunt, who had also intermarried with an English colonist. All of this was documented and in legal records. As a daughter of a "King" she was regarded as Royalty and accepted by the Queen herself.
A search in any State Archive would turn up several intermarriages which lead to thousands of NA descendants. These intermarriages were even encouraged by the English which can also be found in legal records. For thousands of years, intermarriages with an enemy was commonly practiced in Europe. As you are dealing with Europeans, why would this mindset change? Additionally, as many of these Tribes were matrilineal, IF a NA woman married a white, he became a member of her Tribe and that entitled him to live and own NA land. This worked well to the colonist's advantage. The Colonists had outlawed whites living within a specific radius of NA land, so why do Colonial Records show whites owning land in these areas?
The "secret" here is that MOST of these intermarriages involved the NA being "Christianized". Upon being "Christianized", these people were given English names, and accepted. Once Anglicized, their NA ancestry was lost to most researchers. They became white. Only their Angliziced names remain, leaving us genealogists trying to find a connection to a surname, where none exist. Talk about beating your head against a brick wall......
Another example, Capt. John West can be found http://www.baylink.org/treaty/signes.html The original document stands for itself. Study the original records on this one and you will be amazed at who you find here and the "whole story".....
My personal favorite can be found in the Maryland files and the Court Records involving Margaret Brent in the early 1600's. Now SHE was the first Woman's Liber in this country. I am just saddened that I could not have descended from her, she died a spinster. She took on the government of MD and Lord Calvert and won.....
Maryland Liber ABH, Folio 63. Immigrated 1638. On two occasions in the capacity of Chief Judge, Giles Brent issued orders to the Sheriff to attach goods of Gov. Leonard Calvert to satisy certain civil suits, one of which was brought in behalf of an Indian girl, Mary Brent (Kitomaqund), the daughter of the Emperor of the Piscataway Indians. Following the example of her father, she had embraced Christianity at an early age, and her guardians were Leonard Calvert and Margaret Brent (Gile's sister).
Another example would be my favorite, the BASS family. Their ancestry has been proven without a doubt, all through legal records spanning hundreds of years. http://www.nansemond.nativeland.com/bass.htm
For those more interested in NC records, I suggest following the Chowan Land and the Tribal members signing off on it..... Then go to the VA records where they discuss the boundary lines between VA and NC. Look at the testimonies given and who gave them....
Among the Cherokees, we have Sequoya and McIntosh, both a result of white and NA liasons. Did you know that the Cherokee were also in early Virginia, as well as North Carolina?
The Colonial Records are a vast source of information, naming names and placing these very people. As being NA was not popular until recently, one does have to remember that much of our history was written by people who did not want to acknowledge this heritage, "We don't talk about that...". Not all of the Tribal members died, they were Anglicized and assimilated into the English culture. It was their only means of survival. Study the Census Records and State records regarding the Southampton Reservation of the Nottoway and Nansemond Tribes. It gives new meaning to being a chameleon. Granville Co., NC is another excellent example of this. The early census records did not list a column for being a NA, you were either black or white... however some of the census records were extended to list a column as a Free Person of Color. Again, I suggest reading the VA legal definition of the term mulatto, it also gives new meaning to doing genealogy, especially if looking for NA connections.
.... Not all liasons between a white and a NA resulted in marriages. The court records show this aspect as well. They were also bastards produced, but how many people doing genealogy want to trace themselves back to a bastard child of a white and a NA fling? I haven't read a family history book yet that talks about this one, why I don't know. Many of the people listed in Burke's Peerage were actually a result of a liason and not a marriage and that is acceptable....
Genealogy is a very personal thing. It is done for many reasons, too vast to even fathom. For those who are really interested in a possible NA connections, the records can be found, just not on the Internet. They are buried among miles and miles of dusty folders and papers and will require a deep desire to know and hours and hours, even years, to prove. It involves the tracking of NA lands over a period of years, learning where these tribes were and when and more importantly, learning their history. They were as motile as our own English ancestors. They had almost no rights, so they are far more difficult to find.... The ethnohistorians have done a magificent job in saving the NA history, but most of them were not genealogists... there is a difference. Helen Rountree has done a wonderful job at sharing some of these names in her book, "Powhatan's People". email@example.com Sept-1999
East Carolina project: To get meaning of all the names in the Tuscarora homeland, not just Bertie County. A graduate student is doing her master's thesis on an ethnography of the Tuscarora and she is working closely with informants who speak the language.
Free men on Census 1810.... that Indians were called freedmen, or free persons of color, and were not listed as black or white, nor taxed as either. Marilyn Livingston
There were two Tuscarora Chiefs named Nicotaw-Warr, and Carrowhaughcohen and one Clanmother named Eruetsahekeh who leased to the Wyanokes, who had been run out of VA, hunting and fishing rights on their land on Tuscarora path called Auhotsky Swamp also referred to as Cochawaesco on nearby Cutawhiskie Swamp, between the Roanoke and Chowan Rivers, in 1645 for 30 strings of beads.
The Wyanoke spent 4 winters there without paying tribute, then the Wyanoke sold the land to Henry Plumpton, and Thomas Tuke. Then the Tuscarora attacked the Wyanoke running them off their lands. Unfortunenantly the settlers refused to give the Tuscarora their lands back. This led to a lot of hostilities between the Tuscarora and these settlers illegally residing on their lands. Marilyn Livingston
Most of the Indian names on our rivers and swamps came from the Tuscarora.. ie. Roquist - Turtle in Tuscarora, Roquista - Little Turtle.
An East Carolina University professor is working on this subject. He has maps and names of all trhe Indian Villages. It is believed the Meherrin were not Tuscarora, but cousins, and the Halawi-Saponi were not Tuscarora either.
1740 several Indian families moved North of Penn. before going further North to NY What I have is a BIA listing with names of Indian families of different tribes here in NC. After the Nat Turner Rebellion after 1831, It says the Indians were threatened to be placed under bondage and immigrated to the Quaker settlements in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. On down it list some of the Indians in Ohio, in Highland Co., Ohio, in 1807-?Also in Greene Co.Ohio before 1832, today the area is called Cedarville township in Greene Co. Ohio. the "heart of a Quaker Community". Also some were in Indiana, Randolph Co. in the 1820's. There is a side note that Indian families resided in Lake, Logan, Summit, Highland, and Ross Counties, Ohio after the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Nat Turner Rebellion of 1831, and the NC Disenfrachisement Act of 1835... Some of the Indian families names that were "relocated" are:Dempsey, Hathcock, Turner, Brooks, Williams, George, Tudor, Hill, Buck, Clearwater, Cummins, Jones, Mitchell, Crew, Head, Griffin, Teedrough, Collins, Hunt, Cowger, Coker are listed in the heart of a Quaker Community. As well as James, Sarah, Macklin, Jeffrey's and Decator, Washington, listed in Greene Co. Ohio. Hathcock, Headcock, Barnes, Parker, McGinnis, Reed, Coe, Paine, Manly, Eaton, Rown, Hawkins, Helmer,Watson, Sweet, Jones, Hill, Martin, James, Nichols, Austen/Austin, Brown, Hawks, Jordan in Montgomery Counties, NY. There are also Johnsons, Norton, Whitmore, Mohack, Morgan, Chavers, Colley, Silverlock, Top, Long, Paine, Mullins, Thorne, Eaton, Bowin, Barnett, Parker, Duck, Austin, Simmons, Shumake, Melton, Brewington...These are a few names listed in the BIA records as having their land taken by land grants in VA, which made the land grab in NC easier... As of yet the BIA will not give any Natives our listings of our ancestors sold and or taken out of NC, or removed or sold into slavery in Barbados. I do have a partial listing of Native American family surnames, but they are from every Tribe in NC and quiet numerous. Marilyn
There are statements and allusions in the Native American stories that list Chief "Cashie,"and that Cashie gave rise to Chief Cucklemaker. This is purely false, and is not even legend.
"Cashie" was a product of the fictional writer, William H. Rhodes of 1857. He never existed. Cucklemaker did exist, and married a French lady, taking her father's name "John Kale. They had as offspring Charney Dundalow alias John Cale as is proved in the pension and service lists in 1814.
William Rhodes' works are copyrighted, and recently republished. He used the names "Cashie" and "Roanoke" in honor of our land between the rivers upon which Bertie is now situated.
In book L-2 page 56 of Bertie County Deeds. James Allen,John Wiggins, BillyGeorge,Snifnose George, BileCainCharles Cornelius,Thomas Blount,John Rogers,George Blount,Wineoak Charles,Bille Basket, Bile Owens, Lewis Tuffdick, Isaac Miller, Harry Samuel,Bridgers Thomas, Seniear Thomas Howell, Bille Sockey, Bille Carelius, John Seniear, Thomas Baskett, John Cain, Billy Blount, Tom Jack, John Litewood, Billy Roberts, James Mitchell, Capt. Joe, William Pugh, as chieftans of the Tuskarora Indians, to Robert Jones Jr. attorney of NC province,& William Williams & Thomas Pugh gent. of same. 12 jul 1766. 1800 pounds proclamation. 8000 acreas on north side of Roanoke River, joining Deep Creek ( Called Falling Run). Wit. David Standley, Samuel Wynnes, James Bate. Sept Ct 1767
Cusick, David. Ancient History of the Six Nations. Niagara County Historical Society, 1961. Duvall, Jill D. The Tuscarora. Chicago: Children's Press, 1991. Graymont, Barbara, ed. Fighting Tuscarora. NY: Syracuse University Press, 1973. Grinde, Donald A. Jr. The Iroquois and the Founding of the American Nation. The Indian Historian Press, 1977. Hill, Tom and Hill, Richard W. Sr. ed. Native American Identity and Belief. Smithsonian Institute Press, 1994. McCall, Barbara. Native American People: The Iroquois. Rourke Publishing Inc. 1989 Schaaf, Greg. The Great Law of Peace and the Constitution of the United States of America. North Bend, WA 98045 Stannard, David E. American Holocaust. Oxford University Press, 1992. Swamp, Chief Jake. Giving Thanks. NY: Lee and Low Books Inc., 1995. Tehanetorens. Tales of the Iroquois, Volumes I and II. Akwasasne Notes Mohawk Nation, Rooseveltown, NY 1976 Tuscarora-English/English-Tuscarora Dictionary. University of Toronto Press, 1999. Weatherford, Jack. Native roots: How the Indians Enriched the Americas. Fawcett Publishing, 1992. Witt, Shirley Hill. The Tuscaroras. Crowell-Collier, 1972. Yolen, Jane. Encounter. NY: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1992. "1491 America Before Columbus." National Geographic, October, 1991.
Please send comments and suggestions to
Virginia Crilley firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:2731a9c8-54af-43eb-b166-ee340ec50fc4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Encbertie/tuscarra.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00112-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94594 | 10,699 | 3.671875 | 4 |
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Frothing at the mouth (symptom description): Frothing at the mouth is listed as a type of or related-symptom for symptom Drooling.
Frothing at the mouth (symptom description): For a medical symptom description of 'Frothing at the mouth', the following symptom information may be relevant to the symptoms: Drooling (type of symptom). However, note that other causes of the symptom 'Frothing at the mouth' may be possible.
Research the causes of these symptoms that are more broader types of symptom than Frothing at the mouth:
More information on symptom: Drooling:
Research related medical symptoms or conditions such as:
Search Specialists by State and City | <urn:uuid:f9b590a1-7dae-400e-b521-53873e492d2d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/symptom/frothing-at-the-mouth.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398869.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00037-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.890294 | 158 | 2.625 | 3 |
I am beginning a project with my 8th graders based on NPR’s This I Believe. My students are writing about what they believe in 350-500 words. I plan on having them podcast their pieces as well as create an “ipod” ad of themselves that is hosted on our wiki as the final project.
As I introduced the project, some of the students were struggling to define values and choose what five values are the most important to them…certainly a daunting task for 8th graders! I found this amazing podcast on the website that was written by a kindergarten student.
When Tarak McLain’s kindergarten group celebrated their 100th day of class, some kids brought 100 nuts or cotton balls. Tarak brought a list of 100 things he believes. Now a first-grader, Tarak shares his top beliefs about God, life, nature and war.
Click here to listen to his “This I Believe” podcast.
I’ll keep you posted on the progress of my own students’ pieces! | <urn:uuid:6fc64754-388e-4e1f-a875-9cf1e7aa1054> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://mrspal.org/2010/01/25/this-i-believe-out-of-the-mouths-of-babes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403823.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00079-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970748 | 219 | 2.78125 | 3 |
XSEDE Project Brings Advanced Cyberinfrastructure, Digital Services and Expertise to Nation's Scientists and Engineers
NSF to support the most advanced, powerful and robust collection of integrated advanced digital resources and services in the world
View a video interview with John Towns, leader of the National Science Foundation's new Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) project, talking about the vision for XSEDE and how it will build on the TeraGrid.
A partnership of 17 institutions last week announced a new project that allows researchers open access to the power of supercomputers, advanced computational tools and digital resources and services directly from their desktops.
Called Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), the project links computers, data and people from around the world to establish a single, virtual system that scientists can interactively use to conduct research.
Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), XSEDE will be the most advanced, powerful, and robust collection of integrated advanced digital resources and services in the world. NSF will fund the project for five years at $121 million.
"Enabling scientific discovery though enhanced researcher productivity is our goal, and XSEDE's ultimate reason for being," explained Barry Schneider, a program director in NSF's Office of Cyberinfrastructure.
"For this sort of cyberscience to be truly effective and provide unique insights, it requires a cyberinfrastructure of local computing hardware at sites around the country, advanced supercomputers at larger centers, generally available software packages, and fast networks. Ideally, they should all work together so the researcher can move from local to national resources transparently and easily."
XSEDE, and the experts who lead the program, will make that ideal a reality as it replaces and expands the TeraGrid project that started more than a decade ago.
More than 10,000 scientists used the TeraGrid to complete thousands of research projects at no cost to the scientists.
XSEDE will enable that same kind of work--only providing more detail, generating more new knowledge and improving our world in an even broader range of fields.
"The TeraGrid really helped invent the concept of having digital resources like supercomputers, tools and expertise spread across the country and allowing researchers to easily use them," said John Towns of the University of Illinois's National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Towns, who had a variety of roles in the TeraGrid project, will lead the XSEDE project.
"This is much more than just the same old resources that TeraGrid offered," Towns said. "XSEDE will take the next step by lowering technological barriers to access and use. We are creating a distributed cyberinfrastructure in which researchers can establish private, secure environments that have all the resources, services, and collaboration support they need to be productive."
The XSEDE User Access Layer, for example, will provide a comprehensive view of the resources available--not just those at XSEDE partner sites, but any resources. It will integrate authentication and job monitoring, providing a comprehensive view and single contact point for all the cyberinfrastructure that researchers need to achieve their science and education goals.
XSEDE will provide an array of services to ensure that researchers can make the most of the supercomputers and tools. This will include outreach to new communities that have not traditionally used cyberinfrastructure and other digital services. It will also include advanced support for very large, complicated, or novel uses of XSEDE resources.
Initially, XSEDE will support 16 supercomputers across the country. It also will include other specialized digital resources and services to complement these computers. These resources will be expanded throughout the lifetime of the project.
The XSEDE partnership includes: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Carnegie Mellon University/University of Pittsburgh; University of Texas at Austin; University of Tennessee Knoxville; University of Virginia; Shodor Education Foundation; Southeastern Universities Research Association; University of Chicago; University of California, San Diego; Indiana University; Jülich Supercomputing Centre (Germany); Purdue University; Cornell University; Ohio State University; University of California, Berkeley; Rice University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The University of Illinois's National Center for Supercomputing Applications leads the project.
The project officially began on July 1, 2011.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2016, its budget is $7.5 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 48,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $626 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
Useful NSF Web Sites: | <urn:uuid:eaf59d9a-3591-464a-bd0f-10a7b13cc0ad> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=121181&org=OCI&from=news | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00113-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911736 | 1,023 | 2.75 | 3 |
Bringing new researchers into our world is the way to go. Even better is a determined effort to get young people involved.
In addition to learning about their individual family histories and ancestors, this pursuit increases and hones writing skills, personal interest in world history, language study and other additional skills.
Tracing the Tribe has talked for a number of years about a tiered award system for students (elementary, middle/junior, and high school). From local awards, winners could move to state or regional awards, and then a national award.
Such a competition - especially for Jewish genealogy, but equally applicable to all genealogy societies - would bring much-needed publicity and interest at all levels from students, parents and schools.
High school junior or senior winners could indicate the award on university applications, setting themseves apart from the sea of similar applicants, and this would also help elevate the study of family history in the eyes of academics at many universities.
Here's the announcement of the NGS Rubicam Award, given to 2009 winner Thomas Adams.
What groups are willing to run with this idea to create more interest among young people in family history?
Dear Fellow Genealogist:
Young people with an interest in the history of their family, in search of a summer project, seeking to satisfy a school assignment or club project will want to see the videos of Thomas Adams, the 2009 winner of the National Genealogical Society Rubincam Youth Award.
Created by award winning filmmakers Kate Geis and Allen Moore, the videos go live today at the society’s website, http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/ and will soon appear on YouTube. The three short segments are:
· The Award: Genealogy puts history into personal perspective for high school student Thomas Adams, recipient of the Rubincam Youth Award.
· My Research: Young family history sleuth Thomas Adams talks about his "Eureka!" moment.
· Inspiring Others: Thomas' discoveries encourage his friends to follow their own
For more information, contact NGS President Jan Alpert. | <urn:uuid:48b9a9d7-8fbd-4162-b070-3e9f4c6fb1af> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://tracingthetribe.blogspot.com/2010/06/youth-awards_21.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00198-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932347 | 430 | 2.78125 | 3 |
PART OF THE CENTER CITY LOOP: Plans for the Crosstown Expressway were devised as early as 1930, when the Philadelphia City Planning Commission made references to a Center City "ring road" that would provide for smoother traffic flow. While specific mention was made in this report of a route along Vine Street, no specific mention was made of the route south of the central business district.
In 1947, Robert B. Mitchell, the executive director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, recommended the construction of a Center City highway loop as one of the elements for a restructured city. The Crosstown Expressway was to be the southern part of the Center City loop that also comprised of the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), the Delaware Expressway (I-95) and the Vine Street Expressway (I-676). At the time, the proposed Center City highway loop was designed to solve not only chronic congestion, but also the threatened obsolescence of the business center.
Seeking to promote transportation issues on the regional level, Mitchell founded the Urban Traffic and Transportation Board (UTTB) in 1953, and as its executive director, formalized his proposal for the Center City loop. Under his proposal, the east-west Crosstown Expressway was to be located between Lombard Street and South Street.
When the expressway was first proposed, South Street was a thriving local business center. East of Broad Street, South Street's merchants served a mixed ethnic clientele. West of Broad Street, South Street's stores and jazz bars served the area's black residents, many of who had recently arrived from the South.
THE CROSSTOWN BECOMES AN INTERSTATE: Support for the Crosstown Expressway solidified among planning and transportation officials with the 1956 Federal Highway Aid Act, which give birth to the Interstate highway system. With the promise of 90-10 Federal-state financing, the Crosstown Expressway - and other expressways in Philadelphia - moved one step closer to reality.
By 1957, the Pennsylvania Department of Highways and the Federal Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) approved the route as part of the Interstate highway system. The Crosstown Expressway, and its extension, the Cobbs Creek Expressway, was among the 1,500 miles of new urban routes added that year to the original Interstate highway system. In 1959, the Crosstown-Cobbs Creek route received a single designation: I-695.
DECIDING UPON A ROUTE: Soon after this approval, engineering consultants Wilbur Smith and Associates prepared a route planning report for the Pennsylvania Department of Highways and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. The following routes were considered:
Double-decked, elevated highway along the Washington Avenue corridor Depressed highway along the Lombard Street-South Street corridor Depressed highway along the South Street-Bainbridge Street corridor
From a community standpoint, the Washington Avenue corridor was most amenable, since fewer homes and businesses would have to be condemned along the 120-foot-wide avenue. However, the corridor offered the least amount of traffic relief, and threatened historical buildings such as Old Swede's Church. Furthermore, the railroad line that runs along the middle of Washington Avenue would have to be relocated, possibly leading to the loss of industrial jobs.
Future efforts focused on routing the expressway along South Street. Most maps showed the proposed 2.8-mile-long Crosstown Expressway along the Lombard Street-South Street corridor originally proposed by Mitchell, with Lombard Street serving as the westbound service road and South Street serving as the eastbound service road. However, the Wilbur Smith report recommended shifting the alignment south to the South Street-Bainbridge Street corridor.
Interchanges were to be located at the following locations:
I-95 / Delaware Expressway (semi-directional "T") South 5th Street (partial-diamond, eastbound exit, westbound entrance) PA 611 / South Broad Street (full-diamond) South 22nd Street (partial-diamond, westbound exit, eastbound entrance)
West of 22nd Street, a half-mile-long spur was to continue northwest along South Street to the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) at the current EXIT 346A (South Street). This spur was to carry westbound Crosstown traffic to the westbound Schuylkill, and eastbound Schuylkill traffic to the eastbound Crosstown. The mainline Crosstown Expressway was to continue southwest along Grays Ferry Avenue, where I-695 was to continue west of the Schuylkill Expressway (past the current EXIT 346B) as the Cobbs Creek Expressway. It was to handle all other movements between I-76 and I-695.
According to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the Crosstown Expressway was expected to handle 120,000 vehicles per day (AADT) from the Schuylkill Expressway east to Broad Street (PA 611), and 95,000 vehicles per day from Broad Street east to the Delaware Expressway.
In 1964, the consulting firm of Modjeski and Masters prepared a preliminary engineering report for the Crosstown Expressway. Their proposal, along a South Street alignment, was for an eight-lane depressed expressway. One justification was that "the Crosstown Expressway will serve as an effective buffer zone separating the proposed redevelopment areas to the north and the incompatible land usages to the south." This reasoning mirrored that of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission's "Center City Comprehensive Plan," which referred to the Crosstown Expressway as the southern boundary of the central business district. Finally, the Crosstown Expressway was to serve as an important artery for the city's planned 1976 bicentennial celebration.
The "Center City Comprehensive Plan" developed by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission in 1961 shows the expressway layout for Center City Philadelphia, with the Crosstown Expressway (I-695) running along the left side of the map. The Crosstown Expressway was to form the southern boundary for Center City development. The map also shows that the Crosstown Expressway was canceled in 1974. (Map by Philadelphia City Planning Commission.)
PRO- AND ANTI-EXPRESSWAY FORCES CLASH: Later that year, the Pennsylvania Department of Highways held initial public hearings on the routes and preliminary designs of the Crosstown, Cobbs Creek and Lansdowne expressways. Several alternative schemes for the Crosstown Expressway were offered, including (for the first time) a cover over the highway on which housing and recreational facilities would be constructed.
Over the next three years, neither the city nor the state took action on any of the Crosstown proposals. During this time, priority was given to planning and constructing the Delaware Expressway, leaving few funds left over for other expressways. Nevertheless, expectations remained that the Crosstown Expressway would eventually be built, and neighborhood groups in the affected area paid little attention to the proposal.
This complacency changed in 1967, when the Pennsylvania Department of Highways placed the $64 million Crosstown Expressway on its six-year construction program. Public opposition to the expressway, until then subdued, became vociferous. The Delaware Valley Housing Association, a non-profit group headed by W. Wilson Goode (who later served as mayor from 1984 to 1991), was outspoken in its opposition to the Crosstown Expressway.
Emily Achtenberg, a spokesperson for the association, opined as follows:
While we believe that the expressway has serious shortcomings from a transportation standpoint and would create a racial barrier between Center City and areas to the south, our overriding concern is with the city's inability to re-house adequately the thousands of low-income families whom the Crosstown would displace.
A new organization, the Citizens' Committee to Preserve and Develop the Crosstown Community (CCPDCC), unified the mostly white residents in the townhouses of Society Hill and Rittenhouse Square just north of the proposed expressway, and the mostly black residents along the route of the expressway. The CCPDCC charged racial discrimination in the selection of the route (e.g., "effective buffer zone"), failure to prove a need for a road that would bring more cars to the traffic-glutted Center City, and failure to provide an adequate plan to relocate several thousand people who would be uprooted.
In an interview with phillyroads.com, Joel Spivak, a resident of Queen Village, related his experience in organizing community support against the expressway as follows:
I moved to Queen Village in 1969. We all lived in the area because it was cheap to live there... By that time, the city of Philadelphia, which wanted to build the expressway, proposed a number of initiatives. Some groups were for it, and some were against it. The groups who were against it formed a coalition among different neighborhoods... Each neighborhood group did what it could… I headed the neighborhood group in Queen Village. We all organized at City Hall… wearing buttons like "Houses Not Highways."
George T. Dukes, the founder of the CCPDCC, challenged state highway officials to come up with a better plan in the following letter:
If the planners can prove a need for a superhighway along South Street, they should put a cover on it and build on the cover the homes, parks and other things that would bind people together, rather than create an open ditch that would keep people apart.
In response, state highway officials contended that the cost of constructing a covered Crosstown Expressway was prohibitive. (However, citizen groups in Society Hill were successful in convincing highway officials to construct the Delaware Expressway with a landscaped cover.) Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Highways purchased rights-of-way along South Street in preparation for the expressway. Over time, uncertainty about whether the freeway would be built ravaged property values and contributed to a serious decay of the area.
CROSSTOWN CONFUSION: The divisive Crosstown Expressway issue played an important role in the 1967 mayoral race. Influenced by the strident opposition, as well as by a letter from Robert B. Mitchell (the developer of the original plans) urging officials to abandon the project "in light of changed conditions," Mayor James Tate changed course and dropped his support of the expressway. When three of his cabinet members City Managing Director Fred T. Corleto, Planning Director Edmund N. Bacon and Streets Commissioner David M. Smallwood tried to insist on pressing ahead with the expressway, Tate said, "Let the people have a victory."
While Tate asserted that the Crosstown Expressway was "dying a slow death," state and Federal highway officials continued to explore alternatives. Supporters of the Crosstown Expressway contended that other expressways such as the Cobbs Creek were contingent upon construction of the Crosstown as proposed, and that the city would lose funds for these highways if the Crosstown were not constructed. New Federal laws permitting substantially increased payments for expressway-related relocation buttressed their case.
KYW-TV (Channel 3) supported the expressway in the following editorial:
We urge a careful study by the city to establish whether or not displaced families can be protected. If they can, then this essential expressway project should be built.
In the fall of 1968, state and Federal authorities approved construction of the interchange between the Crosstown Expressway and the Delaware Expressway. The imminent construction of the Crosstown prompted the CCPDCC to reach a broader spectrum of decision makers, including Governor Shafer, as well as officials at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
In the spring of 1969, John A. Volpe, the new transportation secretary under President Nixon, invited members of the CCPDCC to present their case before the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The persistence of the CCPDCC appeared to pay off. Not long after the CCPDCC appeals, the Pennsylvania Department of Highways formally removed the Crosstown Expressway from its six-year plan (although there still appeared a line item for an equivalent sum under the category of "controversial freeways"). However, the CCPDCC received a setback when the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, a long-time supporter of the expressway, convinced Mayor Tate to reconsider his decision not to have the expressway built.
By the spring of 1970, the issue of urban renewal funding along the South Street-Crosstown corridor became the subject of considerable controversy between the city, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the CCPDCC. The HUD notified the city that the South Street-Crosstown corridor would be eligible for urban renewal funds if the city committed itself to produce a decision on building the expressway, whose cost had risen to $85 million.
THE SOUTH CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION STUDY: In the fall of 1970, Alan M. Vorhees and Associates, an influential transportation and planning consulting group, presented its findings on before the Mayor's Policy Committee on the Crosstown Expressway as follows:
The full-length Crosstown Expressway through South Central Philadelphia would not be a worthwhile investment relative to other regional transportation improvements. It would have an unfavorable benefit-cost ratio (that is, benefits would be less than costs).
The Crosstown Expressway would not serve the regional demand for through traffic. The direction of desired traffic movements from southwest to northeast, and the alternative routes available to absorb these desired movements, leaves a crosstown expressway in a poor competitive position. Less than 25 percent of the expressway traffic would be through traffic. Therefore, the expressway is not a necessary element with respect to southwest highway improvements.
The Crosstown Expressway would attract substantial numbers of trips into Center City from the southwest. About 50 percent of Crosstown Expressway traffic would be destined to Center City. Alternative methods to provide adequate levels of Center City service are available, providing a higher benefit-cost ratio without the need for a full-length expressway. A combined program of a new grade-separated Grays Ferry Spur (an extension of the proposed Cobbs Creek Expressway along Grays Ferry Avenue), a reconstructed Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), and arterial improvements to Grays Ferry and Washington avenues, has the most favorable benefit-cost ratio of any of the alternatives that are intended to satisfy Center City-bound highway trip movements.
The Crosstown Expressway would require the relocation of between 850 and 2,050 households (that is, between 2,900 and 5,300 residents), depending on the size and the location of the expressway. It would be extremely difficult to adequately relocate these households because of the size and composition of the caseloads, and because of the overriding difficulties presently being experienced by the city in attempting to solve its housing problems. The Crosstown Expressway would also cause serious injury to the functioning of communities in South Central Philadelphia.
The Grays Ferry Spur and Schuylkill Expressway improvements, along with complementary transit and parking improvements, would involve a substantially smaller relocation load and a less severe social impact. These improvements would facilitate the growth of Center City while adequately serving transportation and access needs from the west and southwest.
In addition to the above-mentioned improvements, the Vorhees report called for the construction of the Cobbs Creek Expressway (I-695), which was to provide a connection southwest to Philadelphia International Airport, and the Lansdowne Expressway (US 1), which was to provide a connection west to Delaware County and the Mid-County Expressway / "Blue Route" (I-476).
In 1972, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission announced plans for "Southbridge," a comprehensive proposal that called for the construction of an underground Crosstown Expressway, thousands of apartments, new office space and a light-rail system. It was part of a last-ditch effort to get the expressway constructed amid charges that thousands of residents would be displaced. (Map by Philadelphia City Planning Commission and Temple University-Urban Archives.)
THE CROSSTOWN EVOLVES INTO SOUTHBRIDGE: The arrival of a new mayor in City Hall - Frank Rizzo - signaled new hope for the Crosstown Expressway. Rizzo contended that the route was needed to provide improved expressway service for Center City, and in conjunction with the Cobbs Creek Expressway, furnish access to a newly expanded Philadelphia International Airport.
On April 22, 1972, Rizzo and Bernard C. Meltzer, the chairman of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, announced plans for "Southbridge," a $750 million comprehensive urban development proposal that included an underground Crosstown Expressway. Work on the new Crosstown Expressway and Southbridge development was to begin after the bicentennial celebration in 1976, with completion scheduled for 1982.
Specific facets of the Southbridge proposal were as follows:
Three lanes of westbound expressway were to be constructed some 25 feet beneath South Street, while three lanes of eastbound expressway were to be buried beneath Bainbridge Street. The above-ground South and Bainbridge streets were to be three-lane service roads, linked by ramps to the expressway. Like the original Crosstown Expressway proposal, the expressway was to connect the Schuylkill and Cobbs Creek expressway to the west with the Delaware Expressway to the east. As part of I-695, the $130 million expressway portion of the project was to be 90 percent paid by the Federal government, with the rest coming from state and city funds.
3,000 low-income and 7,000 middle-to-upper-income housing units were to be constructed through a mix of high-rise and low-rise apartments.
Approximately 2.8 million square feet of office space and 200,000 square feet of commercial real estate were to be constructed. This construction was to be highlighted by two new 35-story office towers at Broad Street.
Several parking garages were to be constructed. The new garages would add approximately 14,000 parking spaces to the area.
An elevated light-rail system was to connect the linear Southbridge development with the Broad Street subway and other bus lines.
New green spaces were to be added, "opening up the congested area to increased amenities."
Controls were to be implemented for the control of air and noise pollution.
Meltzer pitched the Southbridge proposal as follows:
We must plan, envision and present, because Philadelphia needs Southbridge. If we had a few more projects of this magnitude on our drawing boards and underway, it would completely turn our city around as a place to live, work and play. Unless we get this enthusiastic support and cooperation from both the state and Federal levels, this dream and this demonstration project will never be fulfilled.
Despite promises of relocation and urban renewal, the anti-expressway forces did not budge. During presentations along the South Street corridor in the week following the Southbridge announcement, pro-expressway and anti-expressway sides waged shouting matches and (in one ugly moment) fistfights. W. Wilson Goode of the Delaware Valley Housing Association, also a longtime opponent of Mayor Rizzo, provided the following testimony:
So Southbridge, as it has been proposed, is absurd. What will we get if the Crosstown Expressway is accepted today? At best, a $200 million underground road, and an expansion of Society Hill with homes only the wealthy can afford. More likely, after displacing thousands of families, wreaking havoc with surrounding neighborhoods, destroying an irretrievable historic section, polluting the air, and congesting traffic, we will have expanses of vacant land slowly developed as capital and labor become available. What will be built will be determined by what is most profitable for developers, not the paper idea before us.
The anti-expressway coalition received key support from Governor Milton J. Shapp and Edward W. Furia, regional director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), both of whom voiced opposition to the Southbridge project.
FINALLY, A RESOLUTION: Despite valiant attempts through the early 1970's to revive the Crosstown and Cobbs Creek expressways, city and state officials eventually gave up on such attempts. On December 19, 1973, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission officially removed the Crosstown Expressway from its long-range capital program. Early in 1974, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission also withdrew plans for the Crosstown Expressway (but kept plans for its companion, the Cobbs Creek Expressway).
On June 21, 1974, under new Federal legislation permitting the use of Interstate trade-in funds for mass transit, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) formally approved PennDOT's removal of I-695 from the Interstate highway system. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) used $85 million in Federal funds to pay for 100 commuter rail cars, 120 subway cars for the Broad Street line, 190 buses, and 110 trolleys.
By 1977, the demise of the Crosstown Expressway ultimately led to the cancellation of the Cobbs Creek and Lansdowne expressways, the feeder roads that were to connect to the Crosstown route. That year, PennDOT halted funding of all proposed highway projects.
SOURCES: "Philadelphia Expressway Program," Philadelphia City Planning Commission (1947); "Loop Highways To Cut Tie-Ups Urged for Area" by James P. McFadden, The Philadelphia Inquirer (12/22/1957); Pennsylvania: Keystone of the Interstate Highway System, Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia (1958); "City To Ask Further Study of Route of Crosstown Expressway Near 22nd Street" by H. James Laverty, The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin (5/10/1964); "Philadelphia's Comprehensive Plan for Expressways," Philadelphia City Planning Commission (1966); "Analysis of the Centralized Relocation Bureau's Crosstown Expressway Survey" by Emily Achtenberg, Delaware Valley Housing Association (April 1968); "State Drops Crosstown, Cobbs Creek Expressway Plans," The Philadelphia Inquirer (1/09/1969); "Statistics Back Need for New Expressway" by Francis M. Lordan, The Philadelphia Inquirer (3/17/1969); "Crosstown Expressway: Editorial" by Wallace Dunlap and Kenneth T. MacDonald, KYW-TV (March 1969); 1985 Regional Transportation Plan, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (1969); "Expressway Construction Lags as Officials Heed Urban Outcry" by Donald Janson, The New York Times (2/15/1970); "Crosstown Link Still Just a Plan After 23 Years" by John F. Clancy and Gerald McKelvey, The Philadelphia Inquirer (6/22/1970); "Crosstown Substitute," The Philadelphia Inquirer (12/03/1970); "South Central Transportation Study," Alan M. Vorhees and Associates (1970); "The Crosstown Controversy: A Case Study" by Thomas A. Reiner, Robert J. Sugarman and Janet Scheff Reiner, University of Pennsylvania (1970); "The Philadelphia Crosstown Community," Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates (1970); "City Unveils $750 Million Crosstown Corridor Plan" by Brian C. Feldman, The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin (4/23/1972); "Crosstown Expressway Meeting Ends in Shouts, Fist Fights" by Dan Enoch, The Philadelphia Inquirer (4/25/1972); "Shapp Planner Challenges Southbridge" by Don Haskin, Philadelphia Daily News (4/27/1972); "Crosstown Expressway: Fact Sheet," Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (1972); "Southbridge: An Urban Development Proposal," Philadelphia City Planning Commission (1972); "Crosstown Is Zapped," Philadelphia Daily News (12/20/1973); "$85 Million Set To Update Area Transit System," Philadelphia Daily News (6/22/1974); Capital Program: City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Planning Commission (1975); "Schuylkill Carries the Load of Many Roads Left Unbuilt" by Paul Nussbaum, The Philadelphia Inquirer (8/19/1984); "I-95 Completion Program for Philadelphia's Central Waterfront," Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (1985); "House Divided: Philadelphia's Controversial Crosstown Expressway" by David Clow, Society for American City and Regional Planning History (1989); "South Street's Renaissance Plan May Gain New Life" by Linda K. Harris, The Philadelphia Inquirer (3/31/2000); Temple University-Urban Archives; E.C. Ballard; John Hay; Jeff Kitsko; Scott Kozel; Scott Oglesby; Len Pundt; Sandy Smith; Joel Spivak.
I-695 shield by Ralph Herman. Lightposts by Millerbernd Manufacturing Company. | <urn:uuid:f1e976d5-2058-4441-98bf-95712e89a20e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.phillyroads.com/roads/crosstown/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00064-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95687 | 5,137 | 2.78125 | 3 |
BOSTON, May 4 (UPI) -- The spread of dengue fever could cause more sickness and prove more costly globally than malaria, U.S. public health experts said.
Study co-author Donald Shepard of Brandeis University's Schneider Institutes for Health Policy said dengue fever inflicts a $37.8 million burden on Puerto Rico each year, but every $1 invested in traditional surveillance and prevention could save $5 in costs associated with the illness.
Known as "break-bone fever" for its capacity to cause excruciating joint pain, the disease -- transmitted by a bite from the Aedes aegypti mosquito -- broke out in the Florida Keys in 2010 and threatens nearly 3 billion people worldwide, Shepard said.
Puerto Rico experienced its largest outbreak ever of dengue in 2010, with 22,648 cases reported for an incidence rate of 57 per 10,000 people. The availability of treatment has limited dengue-related fatalities in Puerto Rico, with deaths averaging about 16 per year, the study found.
"People generally think of dengue as a disease of poor countries; The fact that we found it to be a major burden in a U.S. territory -- and because it recently has cropped up on the U.S. mainland -- is a reminder that mosquito-borne illnesses can present an equal opportunity threat," Shepard said in a statement.
The study, published the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, found overall, households accounted for almost half of the costs of the disease, with government paying for 24 percent, insurance companies 22 percent and employers 7 percent. | <urn:uuid:b5458dde-32aa-488e-ab5a-3029d1682ae3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2012/05/04/Dengue-fever-may-be-costlier-than-malaria/UPI-89781336187876/?pvn=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00175-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948191 | 331 | 2.921875 | 3 |
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Upper digestive system obstruction: Obstruction in the upper digestive tract can occur anywhere along the tract and can be mechanical or functional, complete or partial in nature. See detailed information below for a list of 3 causes of Upper digestive system obstruction, Symptom Checker, including diseases and drug side effect causes.
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Antibiotics often causes diarrhea: The use of antibiotics are very likely to cause some level of diarrhea in patients. The reason is that antibiotics kill off...read more »
Mesenteric adenitis misdiagnosed as appendicitis in children: Because appendicitis is one of the more feared conditions for a child with abdominal pain, it can be over-diagnosed (it can, of course, also fail to be diagnosed with fatal effect). One of the most common...read more »
Celiac disease often fails to be diagnosed cause of chronic digestive symptoms: One of the most common chronic digestive conditions is celiac disease, a malabsorption disorder with a variety of symptoms (see symptoms of celiac...read more »
Chronic digestive diseases hard to diagnose: There is an inherent difficulty in diagnosing the various types of chronic digestive diseases. Some of the better known possibilities are peptic ulcer, colon cancer, irritable...read more »
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Digestive system symptoms (5299 causes)
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These general medical articles may be of interest:
Search Specialists by State and City | <urn:uuid:4a5aaf01-a80d-46b3-b4c8-ddbf428dce40> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/sym/upper_digestive_system_obstruction.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00044-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917267 | 858 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Last I recall, the best way to start a campfire without paper is with dry kindle made up of dry pine needles, leaves and small twigs from dead trees and foliage.
Either, you stacked your twigs cross wise or arranged them like a teepee so the dry kindle or tinder set beneath could burn sending the fire up this miniature ladder until you added larger dry limbs, and chopped logs to burn. The perfect campfire is made in less than 10 minutes.
In recent times, over the last 164 years or so, Anglos settled the West suppressing fire to protect their towns and cities from destruction all to fuel the economic engine of growth. All the while, the forests have grown thicker and stronger as we have built our homes and cities closer to and amongst them. As nature would have it through the seasons of time, the trees and bushes shed their needles and leaves then died littering the forest floor with tree trunks, branches and twigs to wrought creating a rich nutrient soil and adding layer upon layer of dry kindle and tinder to it. The dry kindle and tinder are well known to modern day wild-land firefighters as ladder fuels.
The mountain pine beetle has come and gone through the centuries and ions of time, but never have they proliferated more the last two to three decades. Except say during the dry years of the 1930s and early 1940s commonly known as the Dust Bowl Era.
During that time, here in the Flat Tops Wilderness of Colorado it is easily observed the pine beetle significantly devastated the lodge pole pine forest and the forest was later burned through large natural fires aided by lightning strikes even as late as the early 2000s. The epidemic of the mountain pine beetle through recent warming trends without natural abatement via hard freezes below zero degrees over the course 40 days or more and with winter seasons decreasing in length has added significantly to the ladder fuels in all Colorado forests.
It stands to reason, these ladder fuels allowed to accumulate on an accelerated rate on forest floors due to climate change and warming trends are the tinder and kindling for the sizeable raging wild land forest fires burning in Colorado today. Like the camper's camp fire it takes only the flash point of a match for a forest fire to start when lightning strikes, a controlled burn runs wild or a spark from an existing fire blown on a breeze catches some dry tinder on the forest floor.
The direct correlation between added beetle-kill ladder fuels to the forest floor due to global warming are the single key variable in the size and frequency of the wild land forest fires we experience today. So what is all the ta do about scientific studies to prove whether this fact is true or not? I await the results of these studies with baited breath.
Correct me if I am wrong. | <urn:uuid:4207217b-3428-4b73-bbfd-6906a60d81f1> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_23648498/robert-castellino-forest-fires-climate-change-fuels-pine | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00129-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947223 | 568 | 2.828125 | 3 |
The Murchison meteorite has been thoroughly studied since it fell to Earth in 1969. This is due in part to its large size — 100 kg, but also because it is one of a group of meteorites known as carbonaceous chondrites. These objects are known to carry organic material, but small sample sizes have limited how much we could learn.
A new method developed by NASA allows researchers to scan much smaller samples of meteorites in search of the building blocks of life, and they tested it on the Murchison meteorite.
Past experiments have confirmed the presence of amino acids (the basis of protein) and nucleic acid (the basis of DNA) in these organic space rocks. That’s very interesting when you’re talking about the origins of life, but there’s so little sample to go around. Only 5% of meteorites that reach Earth are of the Carbonaceous chondrite variety, so it’s beneficial to examine smaller samples as a matter of conservation.
NASA used only small flecks of the Murchison meteorite in its new experiment — about 360 micrograms. That’s 1,000 times smaller than the usual size of meteorite samples. The team used nanoflow liquid chromatography to sort the molecules inside each of these specs. The separated molecules were then ionized and delivered to a mass spectrometer that could tell scientists what molecules were in the sample. This also makes it easier to draw conclusions about what tiny pits of dust could be carrying through space.
The results matched those obtained from much larger samples, meaning this could be a far more efficient way to test space rocks going forward. Especially when there is precious little sample, as in the case of the Stardust comet mission, this technique could be vitally useful. | <urn:uuid:7cb7be95-bcd1-44ca-9e66-0bf0f4317c01> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.geek.com/science/nasa-develops-method-to-scan-space-dust-for-signs-of-life-1584069/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396949.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00154-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956928 | 369 | 4.78125 | 5 |
As a result of mapping the structure of the protein complex implicated in autism spectrum disorders, a research team led by scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has discovered how particular genetic mutations affect this complex and contribute to the developmental abnormalities found in children with autism. Their work, published as the cover article in the June issue of the journal Structure, should help scientists pinpoint the consequences of other genetic abnormalities associated with the disorder.
“By understanding the three-dimensional structure of the normal protein, researchers can now make predictions about how mutations in the gene affect the structure of the gene product,” said first author Davide Comoletti, Ph.D., UCSD research associate at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy.
Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disabilities that cause impairments in social interaction and communication. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, interpersonal relationships, and leisure or play activities.
Comoletti and colleagues studied the neuroligin family of proteins that are encoded by genes known to be mutated in certain patients with autism. The neuroligins, and their partner proteins, the neurexins, are involved in the junctions, or synapses, through which cells of the nervous system signal to one another and to non-neuronal tissues such as muscle. These structural studies on neuroligins and neurexins represent a major step toward defining the synaptic organization at the molecular level.
“Normally, individual neuroligins are encoded to interact with specific neurexin partners. The two partners are members of distinct families of proteins involved in synaptic adhesions, imparting ‘stickiness’ that enables them to associate so that synapses form and have the capacity for neurotransm ission,” said Palmer Taylor, Ph.D., Dean of the Skaggs School, Sandra & Monroe Trout Professor of Pharmacology, and co-principal investigator of the study, along with Jill Trewhella, Ph.D., of the University of Sydney, Australia and University of Utah.
Incorrect partnering that results when a mutant neuroligin fails to properly align at synapses helps explain why the autism spectrum disorders are manifested in subtle behavioral abnormalities that are seen at an early age.
“Abnormal synaptic development in nerve connections is likely to lead to cognitive deficits seen in patients with autism,” said Taylor. He added that synapse formation and maintenance occurs early in development when the infant brain is still plastic and formative. Therefore, by understanding the structural mutations that affect neurotransmission during development, new leads into drug therapies may emerge.
“We really don’t know what causes autism, but this research represents a solid starting point,” said Sarah Dunsmore, Ph.D., program director with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, which partly supported the study. “The work suggests that genetic mutations that alter the shape or folding of adhesion proteins in the nervous system influence their interactions. This is another example of how research on basic biological questions, such as the three-dimensional structures of proteins in the brain, can yield valuable medical insights.”
Taylor and colleagues have been studying the structure and function of acetylcholinesterase – a structurally related protein that mediates neurotransmission between nerves and between nerve and muscle – for the past 30 years. They began studying the neuroligins because of the similarity in structure and amino acid sequence with acetylcholinesterase.
Source:University of California - San Diego
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11. VCU Researchers Identify Networks Of Genes Responding To Alcohol In The Brain | <urn:uuid:7852d8b2-cb66-48e3-bf34-bcc420a519db> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news/Researchers-reveal-structure-of-protein-altered-in-autism-5503-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408828.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00060-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92115 | 903 | 2.890625 | 3 |
We’ve all heard about hoarding, thanks to reality television, but until now, hoarding wasn’t even considered an official disorder by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
However, in the new edition of the APA’s bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), due out in May 2013, hoarding will be designated as a separate disorder instead of a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
According to the APA, the hoarding disorder diagnosis will help “characterize people with persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value.“
Hoarding is more common than previously thought. Experts believe 5 percent of the population is afflicted by the disorder, which affects more men than women.
There is currently no cure for hoarding, but cognitive behavioral therapy can help bring it under control. And mental health professionals believe hoarding’s new designation in the DSM will attract more research and make therapy more accessible to those with the disorder.
Last Updated: 1/11/2013 | <urn:uuid:4bc56159-a9b0-4c77-a833-cab64927c183> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/hoarding-designated-discrete-disorder-in-new-psychiatry-bible-4519.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396222.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00016-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93033 | 222 | 2.96875 | 3 |
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The gibibyte (a contraction of giga binary byte) is a unit of digital information storage. It is equal to 1,024 mebibytes.
Note that this site defines the gigabyte as 230 bytes, equivalent to the gibibyte. Some sites define the gigabyte as 109 bytes to distinguish it from the gibibyte, but most users prefer the non-SI form.
A nibble (often, nybble) is the computing term for a four-bit aggregation, or half an octet (an octet being an 8-bit byte). As a nibble contains 4 bits, there are sixteen possible values, so a nibble corresponds to a single hexadecimal digit (thus, it is often referred to as a "hex digit" or "hexit").
ConvertUnits.com provides an online conversion calculator for all types of measurement units. You can find metric conversion tables for SI units, as well as English units, currency, and other data. Type in unit symbols, abbreviations, or full names for units of length, area, mass, pressure, and other types. Examples include mm, inch, 100 kg, US fluid ounce, 6'3", 10 stone 4, cubic cm, metres squared, grams, moles, feet per second, and many more! | <urn:uuid:aea5c273-857c-4792-8316-d72265270b00> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.convertunits.com/from/gibibyte/to/nibble | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399385.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00019-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.850111 | 462 | 2.71875 | 3 |
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
MU Policy on Service Animals
MU generally welcomes service animals in its buildings, classrooms, residence halls, meetings, dining areas, hospitals, recreational facilities, activities and events when the animal is accompanied by an individual with a disability who indicates the service animal is trained, and provides, a specific service to them that is directly related to their disability.
MU may not permit service animals when the animal poses a substantial and direct threat to health or safety or when the presence of the animal constitutes a fundamental alteration to the nature of the program or service. MU will make those determinations on a case-by-case basis.
- Handler: A person with a disability that a service animal assists or a personal care attendant who handles the animal for a person with a disability.
- Service Animal: Any dog* individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability and meets the definition of “service animal” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) regulations at 28 CFR 35.104. The work or tasks performed must be directly related to the individual’s disability.
Examples include, but are not limited to: assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as books or the telephone, alerting a person to a sudden change in blood sugar levels, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.
The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence or the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
*Note: Under particular circumstances set forth in the ADA regulations at 28 CFR 35.136(i), a miniature horse may qualify as a service animal.
- Emotional Support Animal: An emotional support animal may provide physical assistance, emotional support, calming, and other kinds of assistance. Emotional support animals do not perform work or tasks that would qualify them as “service animals” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Animals that are not considered service animals under the ADA may still be permitted under certain circumstances in Residential Life Facilities, with prior approval from the Disability Center.
Service Animals: Students who wish to bring a service animal to MU are covered by Title II of the ADA, and thus students may bring their service animals to campus – including Residential Life Facilities, classrooms, and other university facilities - without prior approval. However, MU students are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Disability Center on campus to ensure that their experience bringing the animal to campus is smooth. Additionally, students who plan to live in Residential Life Facilities are also strongly encouraged to inform Residential Life and Campus Dining Services that they plan to have a service animal living with them. Advance notice of a service animal for Residential Life Facilities may allow more flexibility in meeting a student’s needs.
Emotional Support Animals: Students who wish to bring an emotional support animal into Residential Life Facilities as an exception to the pet policy must go through the reasonable accommodation process with the Disability Center. In addition, students with Emotional Support Animals that have been approved as a reasonable accommodation must be contained in the handler’s residence. Students are not permitted to bring emotional support animals into classrooms, meetings, or other university facilities.
Members of the MU community with questions about the use of service animals by students should contact the Disability Center.
Faculty, Staff, and Student Employees
Service Animals: In general, MU allows employees to use service animals in the workplace unless doing so would pose a substantial risk to health or safety. As required by Title I of the ADA, employees planning to bring their service animals to work should discuss the issue with their supervisor and request use of the service animal as a reasonable accommodation because of their disability. In general, supervisors should grant the request to use a service animal unless doing so would pose a substantial risk to health or safety (for example, where the animal would be entering a sterile environment, construction area, or a food preparation area). If the reason the animal is needed is not clear, then the ADA allows the supervisor to ask what tasks the animal performs and request simple documentation that confirms the existence of the employee’s disability. If either the employee or the supervisor anticipates issues with using a service animal as an accommodation, he or she should contact the Director of Accessibility and ADA Education for guidance as soon as possible.
Emotional Support Animals: Emotional support animals are generally not considered to be reasonable accommodations in the workplace under Title I of the ADA because they do not perform specific tasks that assist a person with a disability.
Members of the MU community with questions about the use of service animals in the workplace should contact the Disability Inclusion and ADA Compliance Manager.
Service Animals: Visitors are permitted to bring service animals into campus buildings, classrooms, residence halls, meetings, dining areas, hospitals, recreational facilities, activities and events without prior approval.
Emotional Support Animals: Emotional support animals are generally not permitted in campus facilities.
Members of the MU community with questions about the use of service animals by visitors should contact the Disability Inclusion and ADA Compliance Manager.
Permitted Inquiries Regarding Service Animals
In general, members of the MU Community should not ask about the nature or extent of a person’s disability. However, as permitted by the ADA, if it is not obvious that the animal is required because of a disability, the handler may be asked:
- If the animal is required because of a disability, and
- What work or task the animal has been trained to perform.
The handler should not be asked for documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Generally, MU community members should not make inquiries about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., if the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability).
Responsibilities of Handlers
- Caring for the Service Animal - The cost of care, arrangements and responsibilities for the well-being of a service animal are the sole responsibility of the handler at all times.
- Keeping the Animal Under Control - The animal should respond to voice or hand commands at all times, and be fully controlled by the handler.
- Being Responsible for Damage Caused by the Animal - Handlers are responsible for any damage or injuries caused by their animals and must take appropriate precautions to prevent property damage or injury.
- Being Responsible for Waste: Cleaning up after the animal is the sole responsibility of the handler. In the event that the handler is not physically able to clean up after the animal, it is then the responsibility of the handler to hire someone capable of cleaning up after the animal.
- Leash Requirements - The service animal should be on a leash at all times, unless the owner is unable to use a leash due to a disability or the use of the leash would interfere with the animal’s ability to perform its duties.
- Proper Identification – The animal should wear some type of commonly recognized identification symbol – such as a harness – which identifies the animal as a service animal.
- Vaccination – Service Animals must be immunized against diseases common to that type of animal. All vaccinations must be current, and the animal must wear a rabies vaccination tag.
- Observing Good Service Animal Etiquette - To the extent possible, the handler should ensure that the animal does not display behaviors or make noises that are disruptive or frightening to others, unless part of the service being provided to the handler (e.g. barking to alert the handler of danger).
Removal of Service Animals
Service Animals may be removed from campus facilities or events for the following reasons:
- An Out of Control Animal: A handler may be directed to remove an animal if it is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it. If the out of control behavior happens repeatedly, the handler may be prohibited from bringing the animal into university facilities until the handler can demonstrate that s/he has taken significant steps to mitigate the behavior.
- Non-housebroken Animal: A handler may be directed to remove an animal that is not housebroken.
- Direct Threat: A handler may be directed to remove an animal that MU determines to be a substantial and direct threat to the health and safety of individuals. This may occur as a result of an animal exhibiting aggressive behavior, a substantial lack of cleanliness of the animal, or the presence of an animal in a sensitive area like a sterile medical treatment room, certain laboratories, or mechanical or industrial areas.
- Illness: any animal with signs of illness, including but not limited to a known zoonotic disease (a disease of animals, such as rabies or psittacosis, that can be transmitted to humans), severe diarrhea, severe vomiting, fever or open sores should not be on campus until deemed non-infectious/contagious by the written statement of a licensed veterinarian.
Where a service animal is properly removed pursuant to this policy, MU will work with the handler to determine reasonable alternative opportunities to participate in the service, program, or activity without having the service animal on the premises.
Some people may have allergic reactions to animals that are substantial enough to qualify as disabilities. MU will consider the needs of both persons in meeting its obligations to reasonably accommodate all disabilities to resolve the problem as efficiently and expeditiously as possible. Students requesting allergy accommodations should contact the Disability Center. Staff requesting allergy accommodations should contact the Disability Inclusion and ADA Compliance Manager.
Service Animals in Training
A service animal being trained generally has the same rights as a fully trained service animal when accompanied by a trainer and identified as such in any place of public accommodation. However, handlers of service animals in training must also adhere to all of the requirements for service animals above and are subject to the removal policies as outlined in this policy.
Appeals and Grievances
Any person dissatisfied by a decision or action concerning a service animal or an emotional support animal may appeal using the procedures outlined below:
- Visitors: Visitors should contact the Disability Inclusion and ADA Compliance Manager.
- Students: Discrimination complaint / grievance procedures are outlined in the M Book. Students may informally discuss a complaint with the Director of the Disability Center. Formal grievances are filed with the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
- Faculty: Procedures for complaints / grievances are outlined in the Collected Rules, Chapter 370.
- Staff: Procedures for complaints / grievances are outlined in the Collected Rules, Chapter 380.
Individuals may also contact the MU Equity Office for assistance in resolving concerns. | <urn:uuid:6094a754-a063-443a-955f-4b54b01814e2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://bppm.missouri.edu/chapter1/1_076.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397565.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00159-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931019 | 2,294 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Classes at Marc Adams School of Woodworking
25 Ways to Machine Mortise & Tenon Joints with Jerry C. Forshee
Dates: 8/16 - 8/16
Tool List: Click here for tool list
The oldest joint in woodworking, dating back to the Egyptian culture around 2,500 B.C., is the mortise and tenon joint. Jerry will demonstrate how this joint can be cut on the table saw, band saw, router table, hand-held router, horizontal router, hollow-chisel mortiser and drill press. Even the most perfectly milled set of work pieces can yield tenons of varying thickness. Several machine procedures for producing tenons of exact thickness, independent of the work piece thickness, will be discussed and demonstrated. The use of the "floating" tenon as well as an alternative to the traditional way of making the blind mortise and tenon joint will be demonstrated. Jerry will show ways to fine tune the fit as well as present considerations for gluing up the joint including glue types and the quality of the their bonds.
Several commercial and shop-built jigs and fixtures will be reviewed that can aid the woodworker in achieving well-fitting joints, including tenoning jigs, tenoning sleds, mortising jigs and a shop-built horizontal mortiser. Each student will be given a gift of a custom commemorative hardwood clipboard which can be used during the class to organize the numerous handouts and take notes.
Anatomy and design of the blind mortise and tenon joint.
Ways to cut mortise and tenons on all common stationary equipment
Review of several mortise and tenon commercial jigs & fixtures
Reference to and sharing of plans and articles for shop-built mortise and tenon jigs and fixtures
Each student will get a free CD containing slide shows of all class demonstrations and references
There is a $45 annual registration fee that will be added to your the total amount of the class if this is the first class you are registering for this season. | <urn:uuid:114a2342-d522-44a7-8ea3-175f53871fd2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.marcadams.com/available-classes/weekend-workshop/1504/?query=misc0.eq.Visible&back=classes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00055-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921463 | 423 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Like the Moon, planets can also have phases. This demonstrates the view of Mercury, Venus, and Earth when viewed from any of these three planets. Planets in inferior orbits undergo complete phase changes like the Moon when viewed from a planet with a superior orbit. Planets in superior orbits only go though minor changes in phase when viewed from a planet with an inferior orbit.
In our solar system, Mercury and Venus are inferior planets: their orbits are entirely inside the Earth's orbit. When seen from the Earth, inferior planets go through phases, like the Moon's.
An inferior planet on the same side of the sun as the Earth appears dark and is not easy to see. Near the opposite side of the sun, we see the planet nearly in full illumination, and in between, we see crescents of various sizes.
Snapshot 1: Mercury and Venus are both in a crescent phase.
Snapshot 2: Mercury and Venus are both in a first-quarter phase.
Snapshot 3: Venus (left) is in a crescent phase and Mercury (right) is in a last-quarter phase.
Snapshot 4: Venus is in a full phase and Mercury is in a first-quarter phase.
Snapshot 5: Viewed from Mercury, neither the Earth or Venus can be viewed as a crescent since they are both in superior orbits.
Snapshot 6: Viewed from Venus, only Mercury can be seen as a crescent. Earth shows only minor phase changes. | <urn:uuid:240f3ec5-1495-4c24-9a33-aa56c228c10f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/PhasesOfPlanets/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393518.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00080-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933 | 307 | 3.796875 | 4 |
A Profile of Hispanic Public School Students
II. Grade Distribution
In 2006, 48 million students were enrolled in public schools. Ten million of them are Hispanic.6 Overall, two-thirds (67%) of all students are enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8 and the remaining third (33%) are enrolled in high school (grades 9 through 12).
The grade distributions of Hispanic and non-Hispanic students are similar, although a greater share of Hispanic students (70%) are enrolled in grades K through 8 than non-Hispanic students (66%) and a lesser share of Hispanic students (30%) are enrolled in grades 9 through 12, compared with non-Hispanic students (34%). This is partly due to the fact that school-aged Hispanic children are younger than school-aged non-Hispanic children. The average age of Hispanic school-age children is 10.8, compared with an average age of 11.2 for non-Hispanic school-age children.
The distribution of Hispanic students across grades differs greatly by nativity. Of the 1.6 million Hispanic public school students born outside the United States, more than 43% are enrolled in high school. In comparison, 27% of the 8.3 million native-born Hispanic students are enrolled in high school. Foreign-born Hispanic students are half as likely as native-born Hispanic students to be enrolled in kindergarten (4% versus 9%). The skewed grade distribution of immigrant Hispanic students is largely explained by the fact that they are older than their native-born counterparts. The median age of immigrant Hispanic students enrolled in public schools is 13, compared with 11 among native-born Hispanic students.
Additional Research on Hispanics and Education
Pew Hispanic Center Research on Education and Public Schools
National Survey of Latinos
Since 2002, the Pew Hispanic Center has conducted an annual survey of Latino adults. Over the years, education has emerged as an issue of primary importance among Hispanics. When asked how important the issue of education was to them personally, 95% of Hispanics in 2007 and 94% in 2008 reported that education was either “extremely important” or “very important.”
In 2002, 75% of Hispanics said that discrimination was a problem in schools. Just five years later, in 2007, 84% reported the same. Although discrimination in schools was viewed as problematic in 2002 and 2007 by a strong majority of respondents, the percentage of Hispanics who believe it is a major problem rose over the five-year period, from 38% in 2002 to 64% in 2007.
Despite concerns about discrimination, the 2004 survey found that the majority of Hispanics were satisfied with public education. When asked what grade they would give the public schools in their community, Latino respondents were more likely than either white or black respondents to give high ratings. Nearly two-thirds (63%) gave the public schools in their community a grade of A or B, compared with 58% of whites and 48% of blacks.
The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of U.S. Public Schools
Analysis of public school data finds that since 1993-94, white students have become less isolated from minority students while, at the same time, black and Hispanic students have become slightly more isolated from white students. These two seemingly contradictory trends stem mainly from the very large increase in the Hispanic share of the public school population since 1993-94.
The Changing Landscape of American Public Education: New Students, New Schools
This report documents the nation’s recent public school building surge and the composition of enrollment in newly opened schools as well as older schools still in operation. It also examines the impact of rapid growth in Hispanic enrollment and finds that a relatively small number of public schools absorbed most of the increase in Hispanic enrollment. Those schools differ in important ways from schools less affected by Hispanic population growth.
Government Studies on Hispanic Academic Achievement Scores
The Nation’s Report Card: Mathematics 2007 and A Profile of the American High School Senior in 2004: A First Look. Initial Results From the First Follow-up of the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002).
These government studies indicate that the achievement scores of Hispanic students lag well behind those of non-Hispanic white students and that large shares of Hispanic students have below-basic levels of proficiency in math and reading.
The Condition of Education 2008
According to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) of the U.S. Department of Education, the gaps in reading and math achievement between Hispanic and white students were not measurably different in 2007 compared to the early 1990s.
- Although this fact sheet presents data from 2006, findings will be discussed in the present tense throughout the remainder of the document. ↩ | <urn:uuid:6fe993b2-6acb-4097-a881-0eeea1c9ff27> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.pewhispanic.org/2008/08/26/ii-grade-distribution/?setDevice=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398628.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00047-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970516 | 949 | 3.125 | 3 |
Last updated: February 17, 2016
Brazilian garbage scavengers make solar cookers from scavenged materials using plans that they found here.
- October 2014: Dr. Paulo Araujo reports: We are working hard in parallel to try to transform the university cafeteria (Federal University of Sergipe) serving approximately 1,000 meals daily to 100% solar. We need support from institutions who wish to help us with this project.
- June 2014: Nicolau Bussolotti Francine of São Paulo, Brazil, and founder of Pleno Sol, is on a tour around the Natural Reseva of "Port Cashew". He is organizing workshops for building and using inexpensive solar cookers as he travels.
- November 2012: Baking with a solar box cooker - In 2010, Nicolau Bussolotti Francine of São Paulo, Brazil, developed a box solar cooker for baking. Francine reports that his model can bake up to one kilo of cookies or 36 muffins at one time. In 2011 he began developing a more powerful bread oven. Using the SCInet wiki, Francine was able to make contact with other solar cooker manufacturers who were using Fresnel lenses. He incorporated multiple plain Fresnel lenses into his new design. His company Plenosol Cozinha Solar has recently filled a large order from an NGO working in the Natural Reserve Serra das Almas.
- November 2012: An experimental solar cooking school has been established by the Energy and Materials Laboratory (LEM) at the Mechanical Engineering School of the Federal University of Sergipe in Brazil. The Project’s Field research is being coordinated in a socially vulnerable community in Brazil by Dr. Paulo Mário Machado Araújo. The Energy and Material Laboratory was founded in 2001. It’s situated in the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Federal University of Sergipe, and is coordinated by the professor Dr. Paulo Mário Machado Araújo. The laboratory works with applied research, focusing on social technologies and trying to improve the quality of life for people living in poor communities. One of LEM´s outstanding projects, the Experimental Solar Kitchen School, was innovational in creating a laboratory in a socially vulnerable community. There it was possible to experience the benefits of solar kitchens to guaranty nutrition, social inclusion, human health and environmental education, as well as the construction of solar ovens, and production of carbon credits. Another project developed at LEM is the SOLAGUA, which studies the disinfection of water using solar energy. A low cost water treatment pilot plant to be used in poor communities was studied, with results measured at 75 liters/day/m2 of water disinfected via solar energy. Other projects with solar energy that are being studied and tested include: dried fruits and vegetables; thermal treatment of concrete for accelerated curing; as well as the production of steam for the development of new solar kitchens or mechanical energy production. One of the most ambitious of LEM’s recent projects is to try to make a solar restaurant at the university, to provide the 1,300 daily student meals. Another challenge is to improve the pilot plant for water disinfection via solar energy. LEM will also promote the development of techniques for the use of low cost materials in solar equipment. Fixed focus solar concentrators are being studied for application in solar kitchens. One objective in particular is to continue teaching how to build and use solar ovens made of cardboard boxes. Governmental institutions have supported some of LEM’s projects, for instance, The Organization of the United Nations for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), The Foundation of Research Support and Innovation (FAPITEC), as well as the Secretary of Social Inclusion (SEIDES), the latter two in connection with the State of Sergipe.
Brazil is the giant of the continent, as seen below in the assessment of nations for solar cooking usage. However, little solar cooking activity has, to our knowledge, taken place in the country. The only indication of interest comes from an individual, Arnoldo Moura Bezerra, an instructor at the Universidade Federal of the Paraiba, who designed and demonstrated the use of a parabolic solar cooker to be used in campgrounds. (Solar Cooker Review Nov '02).
Climate and culture
Solar Cookers International has rated Brazil as the #7 country in the world in terms of solar cooking potential (See: The 25 countries with the most solar cooking potential). The estimated number of people in Brazil with fuel scarcity but ample sun in 2020 is 8,400,000.
In Brazil, huge areas are being transformed into deserts, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul and in the Northeast. By percentages, the state most affected by the desertification is Rio Grande do Norte, with 80.5% of its territory virtually transformed into desert, followed by Pernambuco with 75.2%, Paraiba with 70.3%, Ceara with 59.7%, and Sergipe with 31.3%.
Brazil loses about 300 million dollars annually due to the desertification that takes place principally in the states of the Northeast region and in the north of Minas Gerais. The Brazilian Government’s Annual Report, regarding the major flora of the world, shows that the destruction of the Amazon’s flora continues in a constant rhythm with the growth inspection around the risk areas. The Brazilian Amazon lost 16,926 km2 from the forests between 1998 and 1999.
But the actions up until that time put into effect by the Department of the Environment contributed to a strong reduction in the areas of the Amazon forest that were cleared, and already saw a fall of 90% in 2009. The reduction of these extensive green areas is responsible for the reduction of rainfall levels, for the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which ultimately causes the greenhouse effect, even turning soil vulnerable to erosion.
The annual demand of firewood per family would be 3.1 kg x 365 days, which is near 1,131.5Kg or approximately 1.2 tons annually. This reasoning assumes that the mass use of firewood is for food preparation.
According to the UN "one forth part of the Brazilian territory is threatened by the process of accelerated desertification." The introduction and use of solar cookers represents a priceless contribution to reducing desertification, soil erosion, and assuring the survival of the people, animals, and natural resources.
- January 2016:Solar cooking in south Brazil: dissemination and barriers - Elmo Dutra
- Cozimento Solar Brasil (Facebook group)
Articles in the media
- June 2014: Gestor ambiental aposta em forno solar como alternativa energética - Glogo.com (English version)
- August 2012: Argentino desenvolve fogão solar e invenções ambientais, no ES - G1 ES (English version)
- August 2009: Índios de MS experimentam fogão solar - Povos Indígenas no Brasil (English version)
Audio and video
- September 2015:
- May 2012:
- January 2011: A small village coverts to parabolic solar cookers.
- December 2010: Forno Solar
- June 2010: Fogão Solar on TV news
- December 2008: Forno solar para zona rural
- July 2008: Forno solar
- June 2008: Brazilian TV covers "A Solar Cooker Made at Home".
- Feb. 2008: Aprenda A Fazer Um Fogão Solar Por R$ 30
Manufacturers and vendors | <urn:uuid:0924448c-0818-4a30-94f5-6e3b65fe3363> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Brazil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00064-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937936 | 1,567 | 2.71875 | 3 |
MySQL Interview Questions – Part 1
1) What’s MySQL ?
MySQL (pronounced “my ess cue el”) is an open source relational database management system (RDBMS) that uses Structured Query Language (SQL), the most popular language for adding, accessing, and processing data in a database. Because it is open source, anyone can download MySQL and tailor it to their needs in accordance with the general public license. MySQL is noted mainly for its speed, reliability, and flexibility. …
2) What is DDL, DML and DCL ?
If you look at the large variety of SQL commands, they can be divided into three large subgroups. Data Definition Language deals with database schemas and descriptions of how the data should reside in the database, therefore language statements like CREATE TABLE or ALTER TABLE belong to DDL. DML deals with data manipulation, and therefore includes most common SQL statements such SELECT, INSERT, etc. Data Control Language includes commands such as GRANT, and mostly concerns with rights, permissions and other controls of the database system.
3) How do you get the number of rows affected by query?
SELECT COUNT (user_id) FROM users would only return the number of user_id’s.
4) If the value in the column is repeatable, how do you find out the unique values?
Use DISTINCT in the query, such as SELECT DISTINCT user_firstname FROM users; You can also ask for a number of distinct values by saying SELECT COUNT (DISTINCT user_firstname) FROM users;
5) How do you return the a hundred books starting from 25th?
SELECT book_title FROM books LIMIT 25, 100. The first number in LIMIT is the offset, the second is the number.
6) You wrote a search engine that should retrieve 10 results at a time, but at the same time you’d like to know how many rows there’re total. How do you display that to the user?
SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS page_title FROM web_pages LIMIT 1,10; SELECT FOUND_ROWS(); The second query (not that COUNT() is never used) will tell you how many results there’re total, so you can display a phrase “Found 13,450,600 results, displaying 1-10”. Note that FOUND_ROWS does not pay attention to the LIMITs you specified and always returns the total number of rows affected by query.
7) How would you write a query to select all teams that won either 2, 4, 6 or 8 games?
SELECT team_name FROM teams WHERE team_won IN (2, 4, 6, 8 )
8 ) How would you select all the users, whose phone number is null?
SELECT user_name FROM users WHERE ISNULL(user_phonenumber);
9) What does this query mean: SELECT user_name, user_isp FROM users LEFT JOIN isps USING (user_id) ?
It’s equivalent to saying SELECT user_name, user_isp FROM users LEFT JOIN isps WHERE users.user_id=isps.user_id
10) How do you find out which auto increment was assigned on the last insert?
SELECT LAST_INSERT_ID() will return the last value assigned by the auto_increment function. Note that you don’t have to specify the table name.
11) What does –i-am-a-dummy flag to do when starting MySQL?
Makes the MySQL engine refuse UPDATE and DELETE commands where the WHERE clause is not present.
12) On executing the DELETE statement I keep getting the error about foreign key constraint failing. What do I do?
What it means is that so of the data that you’re trying to delete is still alive in another table. Like if you have a table for universities and a table for students, which contains the ID of the university they go to, running a delete on a university table will fail if the students table still contains people enrolled at that university. Proper way to do it would be to delete the offending data first, and then delete the university in question. Quick way would involve running SET foreign_key_checks=0 before the DELETE command, and setting the parameter back to 1 after the DELETE is done. If your foreign key was formulated with ON DELETE CASCADE, the data in dependent tables will be removed automatically.
13) When would you use ORDER BY in DELETE statement?
When you’re not deleting by row ID. Such as in DELETE FROM test_questions ORDER BY timestamp LIMIT 1. This will delete the most recently posted question in the table test_questions.
14) How can you see all indexes defined for a table?
SHOW INDEX FROM test_questions;
15) How would you change a column from VARCHAR(10) to VARCHAR(50)?
ALTER TABLE test_questions CHANGE test_content test_CONTENT VARCHAR(50).
16) How would you delete a column?
ALTER TABLE test_answers DROP answer_user_id.
17) How would you change a table to InnoDB?
ALTER TABLE test_questions ENGINE innodb;
18) When you create a table, and then run SHOW CREATE TABLE on it, you occasionally get different results than what you typed in. What does MySQL modify in your newly created tables?
1. VARCHARs with length less than 4 become CHARs
2. CHARs with length more than 3 become VARCHARs.
3. NOT NULL gets added to the columns declared as PRIMARY KEYs
4. Default values such as NULL are specified for each column
19) How do I find out all databases starting with ‘tech’ to which I have access to?
SHOW DATABASES LIKE ‘tech%’;
20) How do you concatenate strings in MySQL?
CONCAT (string1, string2, string3)
How do you get a portion of a string?
SELECT SUBSTR(title, 1, 10) from test_questions;
21) What’s the difference between CHAR_LENGTH and LENGTH?
The first is, naturally, the character count. The second is byte count. For the Latin characters the numbers are the same, but they’re not the same for Unicode and other encodings.
22) How do you convert a string to UTF-8?
SELECT (sandykadam USING utf8);
23) What do % and _ mean inside LIKE statement?
% corresponds to 0 or more characters, _ is exactly one character.
24) What does + mean in REGEXP?
At least one character. Appendix G. Regular Expressions from MySQL manual is worth perusing before the interview.
25) How do you get the month from a timestamp?
SELECT MONTH(record_modified_timestamp) from test_questions;
26) How do you offload the time/date handling to MySQL?
SELECT DATE_FORMAT(record_modified_timestamp, ‘%Y-%m-%d’) from test_questions; A similar TIME_FORMAT function deals with time.
27) How do you add three minutes to a date?
ADDDATE(test_publication_date, INTERVAL 3 MINUTE)
28) What’s the difference between Unix timestamps and MySQL timestamps?
Internally Unix timestamps are stored as 32-bit integers, while MySQL timestamps are stored in a similar manner, but represented in readable YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS format.
29) How do you convert between Unix timestamps and MySQL timestamps?
UNIX_TIMESTAMP converts from MySQL timestamp to Unix timestamp, FROM_UNIXTIME converts from Unix timestamp to MySQL timestamp.
30) What are ENUMs used for in MySQL?
You can limit the possible values that go into the table. CREATE TABLE months (month ENUM ‘January’, ‘February’, ‘March’,…); INSERT months VALUES (’April’);
Tags: interview, php, technical questions | <urn:uuid:79ca03d0-f279-4980-a506-2e834655e507> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sandykadam.com/programming-stuff/mysql/mysql-interview-questions-part-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396455.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00110-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.851579 | 1,812 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Iran may be attempting a satellite launch this month. While it is always difficult to read the tea leaves when predicting Iran’s space activity, officials announced its new Simorgh launcher would be unveiled and a satellite would be launched soon.
Last week, a mock up of the Simorgh was displayed on the street as part of the events commemorating the Iranian revolution. Arms Control Wonk has been keeping an eye on Iran’s NOTAMs (notices to airmen), which keep air traffic at a safe distance during rocket launches, and therefore gives a window for upcoming launches. There’s a NOTAM in place near Iran’s Semnan launch center in the north central part of the country for the coming week.
This would be the first launch attempt of the Simorgh. (Simorgh is a mythical winged female creature; she looks pretty ferocious in the 16th century art below (Fig. 1), but I’m assured she is benevolent.)
Iran has successfully placed four satellites into orbit: the Omid (2009), Rasad (2011), Navid (2012), and Fajr (2015). These were all small satellites, 50 kg or lighter, lofted into such low-altitude orbits that atmospheric drag brought them down within weeks. There’s evidence that a number of launches failed between the Navid and Fajr successes.
What is the Simorgh?
These previous satellites were launched on Iran’s small Safir launcher. Safir is essentially a Shahab–3 missile (which is very similar to the North Korean Nodong missile) as the first stage with a small second stage on top (Fig. 2). It is much smaller than the Unha rocket North Korea recently launched, with a mass of less than 30 tons compared to about 85 tons for Unha. It can only lift lightweight satellites to relatively low altitudes.
Simorgh is believed to be similar in size to Unha, but with two stages rather than three (Fig. 3).
Like Safir and Unha, it uses liquid fuel. While the first stage of Safir is powered by a single Shahab engine, the first stage of Simorgh uses a cluster of four Shahab engines (Fig. 4)—similar to the way Unha uses four Nodong engines in its first stage. This stage is believed to continue to use 1960s Scud-type technology and fuels. Iran has not tested this stage yet.
Less is known about the second stage of Simorgh. The upper stage of Safir is believed to use a pair of small engines that burn a more advanced fuel than the first stage, but provide a relatively small thrust. The upper stage of Simorgh is significantly larger and heavier than that on Safir, so its engines must provide several times as much thrust. If the two stages of Simorgh are capable of putting a heavier satellite into orbit, this suggests this stage uses similar fuels as the Safir upper stage.
Simorgh was meant to be launched in 2010, and its conspicuous absence could have any number of meanings: that its development has been harder than anticipated, that sanctions on ballistic missile and space technology have limited Iran’s ability to get materials it needs, or that there have been test launches already that have failed and not been reported.
What would it launch?
Simorgh, being a much larger and more capable launcher than Safir, could potentially put larger satellites into higher orbits. Larger satellites mean more capability, and higher orbits mean they will stay up for longer. Some reports say Simorgh could place a 60 kg satellite in a 500 km altitude orbit; others, such as its poster for a Moscow airshow say up to 350 kg to low earth orbit, although that seems unlikely.
Iran has been building and displaying numerous satellites since it started actively trying to launch satellites. The lighter ones have been launched by Safir, but the more massive ones have been waiting for years. I’ve heard this launch might carry the Tolou, which is said to have a mass of 80 kg, measure 100 cm tall and 70 cm across, and is designed to take photos of the earth with 50 meter resolution (Fig. 5). Fifty meters resolution, of course, is far inferior to satellite imagery you can buy commercially, which can resolve detail at less than 1 meter. This is not the point, though. Iran’s goal is presumably to learn and improve satellite construction, control and communications, and to systematically improve its launch capabilities.
To avoid flying over foreign territory, to reduce risks of dropping debris due to a malfunction early in flight, it would have to be launched to the southeast and follow a path similar to that shown in Fig. 6.
Is this a step toward Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)?
Although more powerful than Safir, the Simorgh launcher is still able to carry only relatively lightweight satellites into orbit. To reach population centers in the United States, Iran would need a missile that could reach 10,000 km. Simorgh almost certainly does not have the ability to carry a first generation nuclear weapon, with a mass of 500 to 1000 kg, to that range.
While satellite launches can help Iran develop the kind of rocket technology it could use to build longer range ballistic missiles, the specific purpose of this launch appears to be placing another satellite in orbit.
Fortunately, Iran does not have a nuclear weapon, and its program for developing the materials that could be used to make a weapon has been curtailed by the recent nuclear deal.
A key part of an ICBM system is the re-entry vehicle, which Iran has not tested. An ICBM sends its payload (weapon) up to about 1,000 km above the earth, it travels many thousands of miles, but then it has to come back down to earth through the atmosphere at very high speeds. The heat created by atmospheric friction at these speeds will damage or incinerate anything not specifically designed to be protected. Building a heat-shielding re-entry vehicle that also keeps position errors to a minimum is a difficult technical task, and most definitely requires flight tests.
An update to this post can be found here (2/22/16).
Support from UCS members make work like this possible. Will you join us? Help UCS advance independent science for a healthy environment and a safer world. | <urn:uuid:c17f9089-68a3-4f83-b7fb-d9d6532d70a8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://allthingsnuclear.org/lgrego/irans-upcoming-simorgh-rocket-launch | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00066-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963657 | 1,315 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Comprehensive DescriptionRead full entry
| Common names: sanddab (English), lenguado (Espanol) |
Citharichthys gnathus Hoshino and Amaoka, 1999
Body elongate sharply wedge-shaped at rear; head large; eyes large, lower one slightly before upper one, narrow between them, strong bony ridge over lower eye; snout long (5.5-6.3% of SL), very strongly projecting in adults; eyes on left side; mouth medium length ends under front of pupil of lower eye; a large pointed knob at tip of chin of adults; blind side jaws not arched; teeth ~ equally developed on both sides of jaws, in 1 series of immovable teeth on each jaw, no canines but front teeth a little enlarged; gill rakers slender, moderately long, 16-20 lower rakers; dorsal fin origin slightly before upper eye, 78-86 dorsal rays; 62-68 anal rays; eye side pectoral 85% of head length; base of eye-side pelvic on midline of body; urinary papilla on blind side, immediately behind anus; eye-side lateral line ~ straight, from edge of opercle to tail base; scales large, slightly rough on eye side, smooth on blind side; lateral line 44-50 scales.
Eye-side dark brown; blind-side pale brown.
Size: 16.1 cm.
Habitat: sandy bottoms.
Depth: 95 m.
Known only from the Galapagos Islands. | <urn:uuid:0ad71176-4db1-4f32-91d6-591ee9499a84> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.eol.org/pages/220415/overview | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00090-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.799469 | 322 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Chapter II
REPUBLIC OF TLASCALA
ITS INSTITUTIONS- ITS EARLY HISTORY-
THE DISCUSSIONS IN THE SENATE- DESPERATE BATTLES
BEFORE advancing further with the Spaniards into the territory
of Tlascala, it will be well to notice some traits in the character
and institutions of the nation, in many respects the most remarkable
in Anahuac. The Tlascalans belonged to the same great family with
the Aztecs. They came on the grand plateau about the same time with
the kindred races, at the close of the twelfth century, and planted
themselves on the western borders of the lake of Tezcuco. Here they
remained many years engaged in the usual pursuits of a bold and
partially civilised people. From some cause or other, perhaps their
turbulent temper, they incurred the enmity of surrounding tribes. A
coalition was formed against them; and a bloody battle was fought on
the plains of Poyauhtlan, in which the Tlascalans were completely
Disgusted, however, with residence among nations with whom they
found so little favour, the conquering people resolved to migrate.
They separated into three divisions, the largest of which, taking a
southern course by the great volcan of Mexico, wound round the ancient
city of Cholula, and finally settled in the district of country
overshadowed by the sierra of Tlascala. The warm and fruitful
valleys locked up in the embraces of this rugged brotherhood of
mountains, afforded means of subsistence for an agricultural people,
while the bold eminences of the sierra presented secure positions
for their towns.
After the lapse of years, the institutions of the nation underwent
an important change. The monarchy was divided first into two,
afterwards into four separate states, bound together by a sort of
federal compact, probably not very nicely defined. Each state,
however, had its lord or supreme chief, independent in his own
territories, and possessed of co-ordinate authority with the others in
all matters concerning the whole republic. The affairs of
government, especially all those relating to peace and war, were
settled in a senate or council, consisting of the four lords with
their inferior nobles.
The lower dignitaries held of the superior, each in his own
district, by a kind of feudal tenure, being bound to supply his table,
and enable him to maintain his state in peace, as well as to serve him
in war. In return he experienced the aid and protection of his
suzerain. The same mutual obligations existed between him and the
followers among whom his own territories were distributed. Thus a
chain of feudal dependencies was established, which, if not
contrived with all the art and legal refinements of analogous
institutions in the Old World, displayed their most prominent
characteristics in its personal relations, the obligations of military
service on the one hand, and protection on the other. This form of
government, so different from that of the surrounding nations,
subsisted till the arrival of the Spaniards. And it is certainly
evidence of considerable civilisation, that so complex a polity should
have so long continued undisturbed by violence or faction in the
confederate states, and should have been found competent to protect
the people in their rights, and the country from foreign invasion.
The lowest order of the people, however, do not seem to have
enjoyed higher immunities than under the monarchical governments;
and their rank was carefully defined by an appropriate dress, and by
their exclusion from the insignia of the aristocratic orders.
The nation, agricultural in its habits, reserved its highest
honours, like most other rude-unhappily also, civilised-nations, for
military prowess. Public games were instituted, and prizes decreed
to those who excelled in such manly and athletic exercises as might
train them for the fatigues of war. Triumphs were granted to the
victorious general, who entered the city, leading his spoils and
captives in long procession, while his achievements were
commemorated in national songs, and his effigy, whether in wood or
stone, was erected in the temples. It was truly in the martial
spirit of republican Rome.
An institution not unlike knighthood was introduced, very
similar to one existing also among the Aztecs. The aspirant to the
honours of this barbaric chivalry watched his arms and fasted fifty or
sixty days in the temple, then listened to a grave discourse on the
duties of his new profession. Various whimsical ceremonies followed,
when his arms were restored to him; he was led in solemn procession
through the public streets, and the inauguration was concluded by
banquets and public rejoicings. The new knight was distinguished
henceforth by certain peculiar privileges, as well as by a badge
intimating his rank. It is worthy of remark, that this honour was
not reserved exclusively for military merit; but was the recompense,
also, of public services of other kinds, as wisdom in council, or
sagacity and success in trade. For trade was held in as high
estimation by the Tlascalans as by the other people of Anahuac.
The temperate climate of the tableland furnished the ready means
for distant traffic. The fruitfulness of the soil was indicated by the
name of the country,- Tlascala signifying the "land of bread." Its
wide plains, to the slopes of its rocky hills, waved with yellow
harvests of maize, and with the bountiful maguey, a plant which, as we
have seen, supplied the materials for some important fabrics. With
these, as well as the products of agricultural industry, the
merchant found his way down the sides of the Cordilleras, wandered
over the sunny regions at their base, and brought back the luxuries
which nature had denied to his own.
The various arts of civilisation kept pace with increasing
wealth and public prosperity; at least these arts were cultivated to
the same limited extent, apparently, as among the other people of
Anahuac. The Tlascalan tongue, says the national historian, simple
as beseemed that of a mountain region, was rough compared with the
polished Tezcucan, or the popular Aztec dialect, and, therefore, not
so well fitted for composition. But they made like proficiency with
the kindred nations in the rudiments of science. Their calendar was
formed on the same plan. Their religion, their architecture, many of
their laws and social usages were the same, arguing a common origin
for all. Their tutelary deity was the same ferocious war-god as that
of the Aztecs, though with a different name; their temples, in like
manner, were drenched with the blood of human victims, and their
boards groaned with the same cannibal repasts.
Though not ambitious of foreign conquest, the prosperity of the
Tlascalans, in time, excited the jealousy of their neighbours, and
especially of the opulent state of Cholula. Frequent hostilities arose
between them, in which the advantage was almost always on the side
of the former. A still more formidable foe appeared in later days in
the Aztecs; who could ill brook the independence of Tlascala, when the
surrounding nations had acknowledged, one after another, their
influence or their empire. Under the ambitious Axayacatl, they
demanded of the Tlascalans the same tribute and obedience rendered
by other people of the country. If it were refused, the Aztecs would
raze their cities to their foundations, and deliver the land to
To this imperious summons, the little republic proudly replied,
"Neither they nor their ancestors had ever paid tribute or homage to a
foreign power, and never would pay it. If their country was invaded,
they knew how to defend it, and would pour out their blood as freely
in defence of their freedom now, as their fathers did of yore, when
they routed the Aztecs on the plains of Poyauhtlan!"
This resolute answer brought on them the forces of the monarchy. A
pitched battle followed, and the sturdy republicans were victorious.
From this period hostilities between the two nations continued with
more or less activity, but with unsparing ferocity. Every captive
was mercilessly sacrificed. The children were trained from the
cradle to deadly hatred against the Mexicans; and, even in the brief
intervals of war, none of those intermarriages took place between
the people of the respective countries which knit together in social
bonds most of the other kindred races of Anahuac.
In this struggle, the Tlascalans received an important support
in the accession of the Othomis, or Otomies,- as usually spelt by
Castilian writers,- a wild and warlike race originally spread over the
tableland north of the Mexican valley. A portion of them obtained a
settlement in the republic, and were speedily incorporated in its
armies. Their courage and fidelity to the nation of their adoption
showed them worthy of trust, and the frontier places were consigned to
their keeping. The mountain barriers, by which Tlascala is
encompassed, afforded many strong natural positions for defence
against invasion. The country was open towards the east, where a
valley, of some six miles in breadth, invited the approach of an
enemy. But here it was, that the jealous Tlascalans erected the
formidable rampart which had excited the admiration of the
Spaniards, and which they manned with a garrison of Otomies.
Efforts for their subjugation were renewed on a greater scale,
after the accession of Montezuma. His victorious arms had spread
down the declivities of the Andes to the distant provinces of Vera Paz
and Nicaragua, and his haughty spirit was chafed by the opposition
of a petty state, whose territorial extent did not exceed ten
leagues in breadth by fifteen in length. He sent an army against
them under the command of a favourite son. His troops were beaten
and his son was slain. The enraged and mortified monarch was roused to
still greater preparations. He enlisted the forces of the cities
bordering on his enemy, together with those of the empire, and with
this formidable army swept over the devoted valleys of Tlascala. But
the bold mountaineers withdrew into the recesses of their hills,
and, coolly awaiting their opportunity, rushed like a torrent on the
invaders, and drove them back, with dreadful slaughter, from their
Still, notwithstanding the advantages gained over the enemy in the
field, the Tlascalans were sorely pressed by their long hostilities
with a foe so far superior to themselves in numbers and resources. The
Aztec armies lay between them and the coast, cutting off all
communication with that prolific region, and thus limited their
supplies to the products of their own soil and manufacture. For more
than half a century they had neither cotton, nor cacao, nor salt.
Indeed, their taste had been so far affected by long abstinence from
these articles, that it required the lapse of several generations
after the Conquest to reconcile them to the use of salt at their
meals. During the short intervals of war, it is said, the Aztec
nobles, in the true spirit of chivalry, sent supplies of these
commodities as presents, with many courteous expressions of respect,
to the Tlascalan chiefs. This intercourse, we are assured by the
Indian chronicler, was unsuspected by the people. Nor did it lead to
any further correspondence, he adds, between the parties,
prejudicial to the liberties of the republic, "which maintained its
customs and good government inviolate, and the worship of its gods."
Such was the condition of Tlascala, at the coming of the
Spaniards; holding, it might seem, a precarious existence under the
shadow of the formidable power which seemed suspended like an
avalanche over her head, but still strong in her own resources,
stronger in the indomitable temper of her people; with a reputation
established throughout the land for good faith and moderation in
peace, for valour in war, while her uncompromising spirit of
independence secured the respect even of her enemies. With such
qualities of character, and with an animosity sharpened by long,
deadly hostility with Mexico, her alliance was obviously of the last
importance to the Spaniards, in their present enterprise. It was not
easy to secure it.
The Tlascalans had been made acquainted with the advance and
victorious career of the Christians, the intelligence of which had
spread far and wide over the plateau. But they do not seem to have
anticipated the approach of the strangers to their own borders. They
were now much embarrassed by the embassy demanding a passage through
their territories. The great council was convened, and a
considerable difference of opinion prevailed in its members. Some,
adopting the popular superstition, supposed the Spaniards might be the
white and bearded men foretold by the oracles. At all events, they
were the enemies of Mexico, and as such might co-operate with them
in their struggle with the empire. Others argued that the strangers
could have nothing in common with them. Their march throughout the
land might be tracked by the broken images of the Indian gods, and
desecrated temples. How did the Tlascalans even know that they were
foes to Montezuma? They had received his embassies, accepted his
presents, and were now in the company of his vassals on the way to his
These last were the reflections of an aged chief, one of the
four who presided over the republic. His name was Xicontecatl. He
was nearly blind, having lived, as is said, far beyond the limits of a
century. His son, an impetuous young man of the same name with
himself, commanded a powerful army of Tlascalan and Otomie warriors,
near the eastern frontier. It would be best, the old man said, to fall
with this force at once on the Spaniards. If victorious, the latter
would then be in their power. If defeated, the senate could disown the
act as that of the general, not of the republic. The cunning counsel
of the chief found favour with his hearers, though assuredly not in
the spirit of chivalry, nor of the good faith for which his countrymen
were celebrated. But with an Indian, force and stratagem, courage
and deceit, were equally admissible in war, as they were among the
barbarians of ancient Rome.- The Cempoallan envoys were to be detained
under pretence of assisting at a religious sacrifice.
Meanwhile, Cortes and his gallant band, as stated in the preceding
chapter, had arrived before the rocky rampart on the eastern
confines of Tlascala. From some cause or other, it was not manned by
its Otomie garrison, and the Spaniards passed in, as we have seen,
without resistance. Cortes rode at the head of his body of horse, and,
ordering the infantry to come on at a quick pace, went forward to
reconnoitre. After advancing three or four leagues, he descried a
small party of Indians, armed with sword and buckler, in the fashion
of the country. They fled at his approach. He made signs for them to
halt, but, seeing that they only fled the faster, he and his
companions put spurs to their horses, and soon came up with them.
The Indians, finding escape impossible, faced round, and, instead of
showing the accustomed terror of the natives at the strange and
appalling aspect of a mounted trooper, they commenced a furious
assault on the cavaliers. The latter, however, were too strong for
them, and would have cut their enemy to pieces without much
difficulty, when a body of several thousand Indians appeared in sight,
and coming briskly on to the support of their countrymen.
Cortes, seeing them, despatched one of his party, in all haste, to
accelerate the march of his infantry. The Indians, after discharging
their missiles, fell furiously on the little band of Spaniards. They
strove to tear the lances from their grasp, and to drag the riders
from the horses. They brought one cavalier to the ground, who
afterwards died of his wounds, and they killed two of the horses,
cutting through their necks with their stout broadswords- if we may
believe the chronicler- at a blow. In the narrative of these
campaigns, there is sometimes but one step- and that a short one- from
history lo romance. The loss of the horses, so important and so few in
number, was seriously felt by Cortes, who could have better spared the
life of the best rider in the troop.
The struggle was a hard one. But the odds were as overwhelming
as any recorded by the Spaniards in their own romances, where a
handful of knights is arrayed against legions of enemies. The lances
of the Christians did terrible execution here also; but they had
need of the magic lance of Astolpho, that overturned myriads with a
touch, to carry them safe through so unequal a contest. It was with no
little satisfaction, therefore, that they beheld their comrades
rapidly advancing to their support.
No sooner had the main body reached the field of battle, than,
hastily forming, they poured such a volley from their muskets and
crossbows as staggered the enemy. Astounded, rather than
intimidated, by the terrible report of the firearms, now heard for the
first time in these regions, the Indians made no further effort to
continue the fight, but drew off in good order, leaving the road
open to the Spaniards. The latter, too well satisfied to be rid of the
annoyance, to care to follow the retreating foe, again held on their
Their route took them through a country sprinkled over with Indian
cottages, amidst flourishing fields of maize and maguey, indicating an
industrious and thriving peasantry. They were met here by two
Tlascalans envoys, accompanied by two of the Cempoallans. The
former, presenting themselves before the general, disavowed the
assault on his troops as an unauthorised act, and assured him of a
friendly reception at their capital. Cortes received the communication
in a courteous manner, affecting to place more confidence in its
good faith than he probably felt.
It was now growing late, and the Spaniards quickened their
march, anxious to reach a favourable ground for encampment before
nightfall. They found such a spot on the borders of a stream that
rolled sluggishly across the plain. A few deserted cottages stood
along the banks, and the fatigued and famished soldiers ransacked them
in quest of food. All they could find was some tame animals resembling
dogs. These they killed and dressed without ceremony, and,
garnishing their unsavoury repast with the fruit of the tuna, the
Indian fig, which grew wild in the neighbourhood, they contrived to
satisfy the cravings of appetite. A careful watch was maintained by
Cortes, and companies of a hundred men each relieved each other in
mounting guard through the night. But no attack was made.
Hostilities by night were contrary to the system of Indian tactics.
By break of day on the following morning, it being the 2nd of
September, the troops were under arms. Besides the Spaniards, the
whole number of Indian auxiliaries might now amount to three thousand;
for Cortes had gathered recruits from the friendly places on his
route; three hundred from the last. After hearing mass, they resumed
their march. They moved in close array; the general had previously
admonished the men not to lag behind, or wander from the ranks a
moment, as stragglers would be sure to be cut off by their stealthy
and vigilant enemy. The horsemen rode three abreast, the better to
give one another support; and Cortes instructed them in the heat of
fight to keep together, and never to charge singly. He taught them how
to carry their lances, that they might not be wrested from their hands
by the Indians, who constantly attempted it. For the same reason
they should avoid giving thrusts, but aim their weapons steadily at
the faces of their foes.
They had not proceeded far, when they were met by the two
remaining Cempoallan envoys, who with looks of terror informed the
general, that they had been treacherously seized and confined, in
order to be sacrificed at an approaching festival of the Tlascalans,
but in the night had succeeded in making their escape. They gave the
unwelcome tidings, also, that a large force of the natives was already
assembled to oppose the progress of the Spaniards.
Soon after, they came in sight of a body of Indians, about a
thousand, apparently all armed and brandishing their weapons, as the
Christians approached, in token of defiance. Cortes, when he had
come within hearing, ordered the interpreters to proclaim that he
had no hostile intentions; but wished only to be allowed a passage
through their country, which he had entered as a friend. This
declaration he commanded the royal notary, Godoy, to record on the
spot, that, if blood were shed, it might not be charged on the
Spaniards. This pacific proclamation was met, as usual on such
occasions, by a shower of darts, stones, and arrows, which fell like
rain on the Spaniards, rattling on their stout harness, and in some
instances penetrating to the skin. Galled by the smart of their
wounds, they called on the general to lead them on, till he sounded
the well-known battle-cry, "St. Jago, and at them!"
The Indians maintained their ground for a while with spirit,
when they retreated with precipitation, but not in disorder. The
Spaniards, whose blood was heated by the encounter, followed up
their advantage with more zeal than prudence, suffering the wily enemy
to draw them into a narrow glen or defile, intersected by a little
stream of water, where the broken ground was impracticable for
artillery, as well as for the movements of cavalry. Pressing forward
with eagerness, to extricate themselves from their perilous
position, to their great dismay, on turning an abrupt angle of the
pass, they came in presence of a numerous army choking up the gorge of
the valley, and stretching far over the plains beyond. To the
astonished eyes of Cortes, they appeared a hundred thousand men, while
no account estimates them at less than thirty thousand.*
* As this was only one of several armies kept on foot by the
Tlascalans, the smallest amount is, probably, too large. The whole
population of the state, according to Clavigero, who would not be
likely to underrate it, did not exceed half a million at the time of
They presented a confused assemblage of helmets, weapons, and
many-coloured plumes, glancing bright in the morning sun, and
mingled with banners, above which proudly floated one that bore as a
device the heron on a rock. It was the well-known ensign of the
house of Titcala, and, as well as the white and yellow stripes on
the bodies, and the like colours on the feather-mail of the Indians,
showed that they were the warriors of Xicotencatl.
As the Spaniards came in sight, the Tlascalans set up a hideous
war-cry, or rather whistle, piercing the ear with its shrillness,
and which, with the beat of their melancholy drums, that could be
heard for half a league or more, might well have filled the stoutest
heart with dismay. This formidable host came rolling on towards the
Christians, as if to overwhelm them by their very numbers. But the
courageous band of warriors, closely serried together and sheltered
under their strong panoplies, received the shock unshaken, while the
broken masses of the enemy, chafing and heaving tumultuously around
them, seemed to recede only to return with new and accumulated force.
Cortes, as usual, in the front of danger, in vain endeavoured,
at the head of the horse, to open a passage for the infantry. Still
his men, both cavalry and foot, kept their array unbroken, offering no
assailable point to their foe. A body of the Tlascalans, however,
acting in concert, assaulted a soldier named Moran, one of the best
riders in the troop. They succeeded in dragging him from his horse,
which they despatched with a thousand blows. The Spaniards, on foot,
made a desperate effort to rescue their comrade from the hands of
the enemy,- and from the horrible doom of the captive. A fierce
struggle now began over the body of the prostrate horse. Ten of the
Spaniards were wounded, when they succeeded in retrieving the
unfortunate cavalier from his assailants, but in so disastrous a
plight that he died on the following day. The horse was borne off in
triumph by the Indians, and his mangled remains were sent, a strange
trophy, to the different towns of Tlascala. The circumstance
troubled the Spanish commander, as it divested the animal of the
supernatural terrors with which the superstition of the natives had
usually surrounded it. To prevent such a consequence, he had caused
the two horses, killed on the preceding day, to be secretly buried
on the spot.
The enemy now began to give ground gradually, borne down by the
riders, and trampled under the hoofs of their horses. Through the
whole of this sharp encounter, the Indian allies were of great service
to the Spaniards. They rushed into the water, and grappled their
enemies, with the desperation of men who felt that "their only
safety was in the despair of safety." "I see nothing but death for
us," exclaimed a Cempoallan chief to Marina; "we shall never get
through the pass alive." "The God of the Christians is with us,"
answered the intrepid woman; "and He will carry us safely through."
Amidst the din of battle the voice of Cortes was heard, cheering
on his soldiers. "If we fail now," he cried, "the cross of Christ
can never be planted in the land. Forward, comrades! When was it
ever known that a Castilian turned his back on a foe?" Animated by the
words and heroic bearing of their general, the soldiers, with
desperate efforts, at length succeeded in forcing a passage through
the dark columns of the enemy, and emerged from the defile on the open
Here they quickly recovered their confidence with their
superiority. The horse soon opened a space for the manoeuvres of
artillery. The close files of their antagonists presented a sure mark;
and the thunders of the ordnance vomiting forth torrents of fire and
sulphurous smoke, the wide desolation caused in their ranks, and the
strangely mangled carcasses of the slain, filled the barbarians with
consternation and horror. They had no weapons to cope with these
terrible engines, and their clumsy missiles, discharged from uncertain
hands, seemed to fall ineffectual on the charmed heads of the
Christians. What added to their embarrassment was, the desire to carry
off the dead and wounded from the field, a general practice among
the people of Anahuac, but which necessarily exposed them, while
thus employed, to still greater loss.
Eight of their principal chiefs had now fallen; and Xicotencatl,
finding himself wholly unable to make head against the Spaniards in
the open field, ordered a retreat. Far from the confusion of a
panic-struck mob, so common among barbarians, the Tlascalan force
moved off the ground with all the order of a well-disciplined army.
Cortes, as on the preceding day, was too well satisfied with his
present advantage to desire to follow it up. It was within an hour
of sunset, and he was anxious before nightfall to secure a good
position, where he might refresh his wounded troops, and bivouac for
Gathering up his wounded, he held on his way, without loss of
time; and before dusk reached a rocky eminence, called Tzompachtepetl,
or "the hill of Tzompach," crowned by a sort of tower or temple. His
first care was given to the wounded, both men and horses. Fortunately,
an abundance of provisions was found in some neighbouring cottages;
and the soldiers, at least all who were not disabled by their
injuries, celebrated the victory of the day with feasting and
As to the number of killed or wounded on either side, it is matter
of loosest conjecture. The Indians must have suffered severely, but
the practice of carrying off the dead from the field made it
impossible to know to what extent. The injury sustained by the
Spaniards appears to have been principally in the number of their
wounded. The great object of the natives of Anahuac in their battles
was to make prisoners, who might grace their triumphs, and supply
victims for sacrifice. To this brutal superstition the Christians were
indebted, in no slight degree, for their personal preservation. To
take the reports of the Conquerors, their own losses in action were
always inconsiderable. But whoever has had occasion to consult the
ancient chroniclers of Spain in relation to its wars with the infidel,
whether Arab or American, will place little confidence in numbers.*
* According to Cortes not a Spaniard fell- though many were
wounded- in this action so fatal to the infidel! Diaz allows one.
The events of the day had suggested many topics for painful
reflection to Cortes. He had nowhere met with so determined a
resistance within the borders of Anahuac; nowhere had he encountered
native troops so formidable for their, weapons, their discipline,
and their valour. Far from manifesting the superstitious terrors
felt by the other Indians at the strange arms and aspect of the
Spaniards, the Tlascalans had boldly grappled with their enemy, and
only yielded to the inevitable superiority of his military science.
How important would the alliance of such a nation be in a struggle
with those of their own race- for example, with the Aztecs! But how
was he to secure this alliance? Hitherto, all overtures had been
rejected with disdain; and it seemed probable, that every step of
his progress in this populous land was to be fiercely contested. His
army, especially the Indians, celebrated the events of the day with
feasting and dancing, songs of merriment, and shouts of triumph.
Cortes encouraged it, well knowing how important it was to keep up the
spirits of his soldiers. But the sounds of revelry at length died
away; and in the still watches of the night, many an anxious thought
must have crowded on the mind of the general, while his little army
lay buried in slumber in its encampment around the Indian hill.
1. The Indian chronicler, Camargo, considers his nation a branch of the Chichemec. (Hist. de Tlascala, MS.) So, also, Torquemada. (Monarch. Ind., lib. 3, cap. 9.) Clavigero, who has carefully investigated the antiquities of Anahuac, calls it one of the seven Nahuatlac tribes. (Stor. del Messico, tom. I. p. 153, nota.) The fact is not of great moment, since they were all cognate races, speaking the same tongue, and, probably, migrated from their country in the far North at nearly the same time.
2. The descendants of these petty nobles attached as great value to their pedigrees, as any Biscayan or Asturian in Old Spain. Long after the Conquest, they refused, however needy, to dishonor their birth by resorting to mechanical or other plebeian occupations, oficios viles y bajos. "Los descendientes de estos son estimados por hombres calificados, que aunque sean probrísimos no usan oficios mecánicos ni tratos bajos ni viles, ni jamas se permiten cargar ni cabar con coas y azadones, diciendo que son hijos Idalgos en que no han de aplicarse á estas cosas soeces y bajas, sino servir en guerras y fronteras, como Idalgos, y morir como hombres peleando." Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.
3. "Cualquier Tecuhtli que formaba un Tecalli, que es casa de Mayorazgo, todas aquellas tierras que le caian en suerte de repartimiento, con montes, fuentes, rios, ó lagunas tomase para la casa principal la mayor y mejor suerte ó pagos de tierra, y luego las demas que quedaban se partian por sus soldados amigos y parientes, igualmente, y todos estos están obligados á reconocer la casa mayor y acudir á ella, á alzarla y repararla, y á ser continuos en re conocer á ella de aves, caza, flores, y ramos para el sustento de la casa del Mayorazgo, y el que lo es está obligado á sustentarlos y á regalarlos como amigos de aquella casa y parientes de ella." Ibid., MS.
4. Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.
5. "Los grandes recibimientos que hacian á los capitanes que venian y alcanzaban victoria en las guerras, las fiestas y solenidades con que se solenizaban á manera de triunfo, que los metian en andas en su puebla, trayendo consigo á los vencidos; y por eternizar sus hazañas se las cantaban publicamente, y ansí quedaban memoradas y con estatuas que les ponian en los templos." Ibid., MS.
6. The whole ceremony of inauguration, it seems, has especial reference to the merchant-knights.
7. "Ha bel paese," says the Anonymous Conqueror, speaking of Tlascala, at the time of the invasion, "di pianure et motagne, et è provincia popolosa et vi si raccoglie molto pane." Rel. d'un gent., ap. Ramusio, tom. III. p. 308.
8. A full account of the manners, customs, and domestic policy of Tlascala is given by the national historian, throwing much light on the other states of Anahuac, whose social institutions seem to have been all cast in the same mould.
9. Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.--Torquemada, Monarch. Ind. lib. 2, cap. 70.
10. Camargo (Hist. de Tlascala, MS.) notices the extent of Montezuma's conquests,--a debatable ground for the historian.
11. Torquemada, Monarch, Ind., lib. 3, cap. 16.--Solís says, "The Tlascalan territory was fifty leagues in circumference, ten long, from east to west, and four broad, from north to south." (Conquista de Méjico, lib. 3, cap. 3.) It must have made a curious figure in geometry!
12. Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.
13. "Los Señores Mejicanos y Tezcucanos en tiempo que ponian treguas por algunas temporadas embiaban á los Seéores de Tlaxcalla grandes presentes y dádivas de oro, ropa, y cacao, y sal, y de todas las cosas de que carecian, sin que la gente plebya lo entendiese, y se saludaban secretamente, guardándose el decoro que se debian: mas con todos estos trabajos la órden de su república jamas se dejaba de gobernar con la rectitud de sus costumbres guardando inviolablemente el culto de sus Dioses." Ibid., MS.
14. "The Tlascalan chronicler discerns in this deep-rooted hatred of Mexico the hand of Providence, who wrought out of it an important means for subverting the Aztec empire. Hist. de Tlascala, MS.
15. "Si bien os acordais, como tenemos de nuestra antiguedad como han de venir gentes á la parte donde sale el sol, y que han de emparentar con nosotros, y que hemos de ser todos unos; y que han de ser blancos y barbudos." Ibid., MS.
16. To the ripe age of one hundred and forty! if we may credit Camargo. Solís, who confounds this veteran with his son, has put a flourishing harangue in the mouth of the latter, which would be a rare gem of Indian eloquence,--were it not Castilian. Conquista, lib. 2, cap. 16.
17. Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.--Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 2, lib. 6, cap. 3.--Torquemada, Monarch. Ind., lib. 4, cap. 27.
There is sufficient contradiction, as well as obscurity, in the proceedings reported of the council, which it is not easy to reconcile altogether with subsequent events.
18. "--Dolus an virtus, quis in hosta requirat?"
19. "I les matáron dos Caballos, de dos cuchilladas, i segun algunos, que lo viéron, cortáron á cercen de un golpe cada pescueço, con riendas, i todas." Gomara, Crónica, cap. 45.
20. Rel. Seg. de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 50.--Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.--Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 62.--Gomara, Crónica, cap. 45.--Oviedo, Hist. de las Ind., MS., lib. 33, cap. 3, 41.--Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva España, MS., lib. 12, cap. 10.
21. “Que quando rompiessemos por los esquadrones, que lleuassen las lanças por las caras, y no parassen á dar lançadas, porque no les echassen mano dellas." Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 62.
22. "Entonces dixo Cortés, 'Santiago, y á ellos.'" Ibid., cap. 63.
23. "Una gentil contienda," says Gomara of this skirmish. Crónica, cap. 46.
24. Rel. Seg. de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 51. According to Gomara, (Crónica, cap. 46,) the enemy mustered 80,000. So, also, Ixtlilxochitl. (Hist. Chich., MS., cap. 83.) Bernal Diaz says, more than 40,000. (Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 63.) But Herrera (Hist. General, dec. 2, lib. 6, cap. 5) and Torquemada (Monarch. Ind., lib. 4, cap. 20) reduce them to 30,000. One might as easily reckon the leaves in a forest, as the numbers of a confused throng of barbarians. As this was only one of several armies kept on foot by the Tlascalans, the smallest amount is, probably, too large. The whole population of the state, according to Clavigero, who would not be likely to underrate it, did not exceed half a million at the time of the invasion. Stor. del Messico, tom. I. p. 156.
25. "La divisa y armas de la casa Y cabecera de Titcala es una garga blanca sobre un peñasco." (Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.) "El capitan general," says Bernal Diaz, "que se dezia Xicotenga, y con sus diuisas de blanco y colorado, porque aquella diuisa y librea era de aquel Xicotenga." Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 63.
26. "Llaman Teponaztle ques de un trozo de madero concavado y de una pieza rollizo y, como decimos, hueco por de dentro, que suena algunas veces mas de media legua y con el atambor hace estraña y suave consonancia." (Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.) Clavigero, who gives a drawing of this same drum, says it is still used by the Indians, and may be heard two or three miles. Stor. del Messico, tom. II. p. 179.
27. "Una illis fuit spes salutis, desperâsse de salute." (P. Martyr, De Orbe Novo, dec. 1, cap. 1.) It is said with the classic energy of Tacitus.
28. "Respondióle Marina, que no tuviese miedo, porque el Dios de los Christianos, que es muy poderoso, i los queria mucho, los sacaria de peligro." Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 2, lib. 6, cap. 5.
29. Ibid., ubi supra.
30. Oviedo, Hist. de las Ind., MS., lib, 33, cap. 3, 45.--Ixtlilxochitl, Hist. Chich., MS., cap. 83.--Rel. Seg. de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 51.--Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 63.--Gomara, Crónica, cap. 40.
31. Viaje de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. ix.
32. According to Cortés not a Spaniard fell,--though many were wounded,--in this action so fatal to the infidel! Diaz allows one. In the famous battle of Navas de Tolosa, between the Spaniards and Arabs, in 1212, equally matched in military science at that time, there were left 200,000 of the latter on the field; and, to balance this bloody roll, only five and twenty Christians! See the estimate in Alfonso IX.'s veracious letter, ap. Mariana (Hist. de España, lib. 2, cap. 24). The official returns of the old Castilian crusaders, whether in the Old World or the New, are scarcely more trustworthy than a French imperial bulletin in our day. | <urn:uuid:fe529427-00aa-4368-b23c-ab3a5b2d82da> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/prescott/bk03_ch02.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397565.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00177-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933971 | 9,723 | 3.390625 | 3 |
by Staff Writers
Sheffield, UK (SPX) Mar 02, 2016
Researchers from Sheffield Robotics have applied a novel method of automatically programming and controlling a swarm of up to 600 robots to complete a specified set of tasks simultaneously.
This reduces human error and therefore many of the bugs that can occur in programming, making it more user-friendly and reliable than previous techniques. This could be particularly advantageous in areas where safety of using robotics is a concern, for example, in driverless cars.
The team of researchers from the University of Sheffield applied an automated programming method previously used in manufacturing to experiments using up to 600 of their 900-strong robot swarm, one of the largest in the World, in research published in the March issue of Swarm Intelligence journal.
Swarm robotics studies how large groups of robots can interact with each other in simple ways to solve relatively complex tasks cooperatively.
Previous research has used 'trial and error' methods to automatically program groups of robots, which can result in unpredictable, and undesirable, behaviour. Moreover, the resulting source code is time-consuming to maintain, which makes it difficult to use in the real-world.
The supervisory control theory used for the first time with a swarm of robots in Sheffield reduces the need for human input and therefore, error. The researchers used a graphical tool to define the tasks they wanted the robots to achieve, a machine then automatically programmed and translated this to the robots.
This program uses a form of linguistics, comparable to using the alphabet in the English language. The robots use their own alphabet to construct words, with the 'letters' of these words relating to what the robots perceive and to the actions they choose to perform. The supervisory control theory helps the robots to choose only those actions that eventually result in valid 'words'. Hence, the behaviour of the robots is guaranteed to meet the specification.
We are increasingly reliant on software and technology, so machines that can program themselves and yet behave in predictable ways within parameters set by humans, are less error-prone and therefore safer and more reliable.
The experiments carried out in the research required up to 600 robots to each make decisions independently to achieve the desired actions of gathering together, manipulating objects and organising themselves into logical groups. This could be used in a situation where a team is needed to tackle a problem and each individual robot is capable of contributing a particular element, which could be hugely beneficial in a range of contexts - from manufacturing to agricultural environments.
Dr Roderich Gross, Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering at Sheffield, said: "Our research poses an interesting question about how to engineer technologies we can trust - are machines more reliable programmers than humans after all? We, as humans set the boundaries of what the robots can do so we can control their behaviour, but the programming can be done by the machine, which reduces human error."
Reducing human error in programming also has potentially significant financial implications. The global cost of debugging software is estimated at $312billion annually and on average, software developers spend 50 per cent of their programming time finding and fixing bugs.
The research at Sheffield is an important step forward in the area of swarm robotics. The next stage of the research will focus on finding ways in which humans can collaborate with swarms of robots so the communication is two-way and they can learn from each other.
University of Sheffield - Faculty of Engineering
All about the robots on Earth and beyond!
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We’re thrilled to introduce you to the winners of the Management 2.0 Challenge—the first phase of the HBR/McKinsey M-Prize for Management Innovation.
The Deliberative Corporation is a technology-supported process for sustainable decision-making. It allows any organization or governing group to consult its population. The process builds trust and knowledge so that the implementers can find out what the people would think if they were thinking. It builds political capital and informed consent so leaders can make the right decision even when this involves significant complexity and difficult tradeoffs.
This process integrates a proven methodology for obtaining representative, informed opinions from a scientific sample with a patented technology that empowers an entire population to offer their views. We call this combination of techniques the Deliberative Corporation process.
This process can enhance decision-making for almost any group, including global multi-national companies -- geographically dispersed and multi-lingual -- as well as companies with more regionally concentrated workforces. It works even when there are deeply divided cultures, and challenges for which the group has not thought through the complexities before the process begins. Because considered judgments of populations are more likely to be sustained than top-of-the-head opinion, the process can create a deeper form of stakeholder buy-in. It allows resilient solutions to be identified, accepted and sustained over time. It can engage the collective intelligence of the workers or the clients of a corporation and provide decision makers with a data driven basis for choices that might otherwise be dominated by anecdotes and impressions.
Deliberation creates "political capital" and is the basis for making decisions that can be successfully implemented
with the support of those who are affected by them. When leaders can show that what stakeholders think
under good conditions, this can create legitimacy for a decision and political cover to do the right thing. This
can apply equally for leaders of companies, governments and unions.
There are many reasons why a corporation might need to consult a population -- whether its employees, its customers, its clients, or some other stakeholder group. It might need to draw on the collective intelligence of that population, or it might need to get their informed buy-in for implementing difficult choices. Or it might need to engage a community about effects of some of its policies. In all these cases, there are a number of impediments to getting feedback that is accurate and actionable.
* Self-selection is unrepresentative.
* Self-guided learning is biased.
* Crowd-sourcing and open forums can be overrun with highly mobilized special interests.
* Top of the head opinion is uninformed on most policy issues.
* Pressures for consensus lead to false consensus.
* Informal feedback channels are skewed.
* Even when leaders know what to do, forcing consensus backfires.
However, the Deliberative Corporation process outlined here surmounts all the familiar impediments to meaningful consultation. Most importantly it provides representative data about informed opinion while also giving all members of the relevant population an opportunity for substantive involvement. We believe this combination to be unique. It can provide informed buy-in from a population facilitating decisions that are perceived to be more legitimate and sustainable.
1. When people are surveyed on a specific topic with conventional polls, they’re willing to give an answer regardless of whether or not they know anything about the topic or actually have an opinion. Respondents rarely like to admit that they don't know. Hence the notorious survey by George Bishop and colleagues about the Public Affairs Act of 1975. 44% of Americans said they were either for it or against it even though this Act was fictional. Of course many polls represent actual opinions but they may be very much top of the head opinion, based on little more than a casual impression of sound bites or headlines. It is easy for managers to invoke survey results in making decisions, but they must be wary of non attitudes, phantom opinions or responses about complex subjects based on little thought or information.
1. Create a deliberative process that includes the ability for participants to learn about opposing viewpoints and adjust their opinions accordingly. Measure these changes and effects.
2. If managers use informal feedback channels to get information, they are typically receiving feedback disproportionate to the actual affected population, skewed by their social network and trusted relationships.
2. Use scientific random sampling to ensure that all points of view are represented
3. When individuals are left on their own to inform themselves about a topic about which they are being asked questions, they tend to learn information that supports what they already think (ref: Sunstein, Cass, Republic.com 2.0 (Princeton University Press 2007))
3. Create briefing materials with a diverse group of experts who disagree with one another to ensure that arguments for and against each alternative are sincerely expressed.
4. When traditional methods of deliberation are conducted, they’re often dominated by a sub-community based on rank, gender, education, or other factors, and not representative of the diversity of the organization
4. Ensure that in-person discussions are moderated so that all individuals in each small group can participate roughly equally and fairly together. In the European Union Deliberative Poll, a random sample of the entire EU community (all 27 countries) was convened in Brussels overcoming language differences (requiring simultaneous translation and small group dialogue in 22 languages).
5. Deliberative Polls alone, while highly effective, do not actually consult the entire population, just a random sample. Deliberative Polls actually provide informed and representative opinion and allow people to engage with competing points of view. But they only involve the microcosm that deliberates.
5. Offer the ability for the entire population to participate in the discussion.
6. In an online crowd-sourced forum, when everyone is invited to rate comments, the results are often manipulated by a highly mobilized, marginal group. An example: when the GOP sought to consult Americans about their suggestions for policies nationally, one of the top rated suggestions in America Speaking Out was that the United States should replace the military with the Monty Python Knights of the Holy Grail. Obviously the process was gamed by pranksters. A process that can be manipulated just with mobilized voting is not one that can be trusted.
6. Provide a mechanism during online discussion that prevents highly mobilized groups from skewing the discussion, for example by having the random sample from the Deliberative Poll rate the comments.
7.Open meetings, like public comment processes, are easily swamped by unrepresentative groups who bring up unreleated issues in a way that leads to a distorted picture of public opinion
7. Ensure that all comments are moderated and relevant to guarantee that the discussion take place within the broad parameters established at the beginning of the process.
8. Consensus seeking advisory groups produce distortions of polarization and false consensus due to social pressure to reach an agreement.
8. Gather opinions in confidential questionnaires to insulate the collection of data from the pressure for consensus.
9. Leaders may know of an approach that would be effective, but a lack of understanding among staff results in a lack of political capital to make these decisions. In such cases the organization is incapacitated pending the need for informed consent of the staff for a successful implementation of the solution.
9. Enable sufficient discussion from a variety of perspectives to that ensure major concerns are aired; insert expert information where there is confusion, and build a robust understanding of tradeoffs involved. Wide consultation on the substance can provide a collective sense of informed buy-in to the results. Analysis and modeling of change of opinion can provide a sense of which arguments are key to gaining acceptance of the results.
10. In some situations, such as post-acquisition across cultures, there is a deep cultural divide that must be bridged first by building understanding of the opposing group’s points of view.
10. For serious cultural divisions, Deliberative Polling has proven effective--even regarding the division between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland and policies regarding the Roma in Eastern Europe. It creates mutual understanding even when the divide is deep or even intractable. Divisions within a corporation should be more manageable by contrast.
Updated August 19th 2011:
The Reframe It platform allows thousands of people to add comments on specific parts of a document. These comments can be rated, and they are displayed prioritized by either raw ratings or, more typically, by weighted ratings that allow those who have already attended the Deliberative Poll event to represent the population as a whole, minimizing the effects of mobilized groups.
The timeline for the overall process varies, depending on the availability of the Briefing Committee of experts and the desired length of time for the Online component. However, the process is typically three-six months.
|1. Briefing Committee of diverse experts to create briefing materials which identify the arguments for and against each alternative approach.|
|2. Convening a random sample of the population in an in-person Deliberative Poll.|
|3. Analysis of in-person event, followed by revision of documents for Online Deliberation|
|4. Online Deliberation with the entire population invited to participate|
|5. Analysis of online event, and revision of documents for Second in-person Deliberative Poll by briefing committee|
|6. Convening of second random sample of population for Second Deliberative Poll in-person event|
|7. Analysis of Second Deliberative Poll|
|8. Final report of recommendations that achieve informed consent|
The resources required for the process fall into the following category:
- Briefing Committee members to review and create Briefing documents throughout the process
- Continued participation by leadership to define scope and ensure realism in proposals suggested
- One moderator for every 15 people for the Deliberative Poll; each Deliberative Poll typically has 150-400 participants
- Deliberative Poll experts to answer questions
- Online moderators to ensure that questions are responded to by online experts
- Online experts to answer questions raised by the commenters
- Deliberative Corporation knowledgeable staff on technology, training, analysis, and project design
- Participants (typically compensated) 150-400 people
- People who can undertake the logistics of identifying the random sample of the population
- Hosting (SaaS or in house hosted solution) - depends on size of effort
- Technical support, if desired
- Training as required, particularly of online moderators and experts
- Incentives for online participation, as appropriate
Deliberative Poll Logistics
- Coordinative quality control from the Center for Deliberative Democracy
- A plenary room that can fit all partipants (150-400)
- One small-group discussion room for every 12-18 participants
- Optional videography
- Food and refreshments, typically
- Incentives to participate, as appropriate
- Travel expenses, as appropriate
- Communications to random sample participants
- Promotion of the project, as desired
Deliberative Corporation Background to the Process
The Deliberative Corporation process combines insights from multiple disciplines. One component of it, Deliberative Polling® in its modern form was invented by Professor James Fishkin, now director of Stanford's Center for Deliberative Democracy and on the Board of Directors of Reframe It. The process builds on the ancient democratic process that was used to govern the city-state of Athens more than two millenia ago. Another component of the Deliberative Corporation process is Reframe It's annotation platform. Bobby Fishkin founded Reframe It based on four years of research into what Tolstoy, George Eliot, CS Lewis, Herman Melville, ee cummings, Thomas Hardy and other authors scribbled, crossed out and underlined in their copies of Shakespeare. This rich history of hundreds of years of marginalia caused Bobby Fishkin to create the comany and technology of Reframe It to bring the positional meaning of conversation to life through digital annotation. These two traditions of histrocial marginalia and ancient Athenian democratic practice have been brought together in a 21st century approach to reinventing decision-making for corporations called the Deliberative Corporation process.
Deliberative Polling has been used in many areas with a history of conflict, in order to make decisions about how processes can be changed to reach mutually shared values from both cultures. Because changes in process can affect lives in fundamental ways, and because the implications of the changes can be complex, it's important to get the informed consent of the groups that are involved in these changes.
Deliberative Polling has been used in Northern Ireland to have parents consider issues of educational integration. There was a substantial shift in favor of various forms of cooperation between Protestant and Catholic schools. Further, there was a large increase in each group’s perception that the other group was “trustworthy” and “open to reason.” This DP was used to give guidance to political decision makers on issues involving education.
In a corporate example, in a merger situation, systems for employee development might follow two different models to which employees have adapted. A Deliberate Poll is held to discuss several alternatives offered by those within the firm who have ideas about the issues (the Briefing Committee). Not only does the Deliberative Poll show "what the employees would think if they were thinking," it also teaches the employees about the tradeoffs, and the Poll itself expresses the concern and seriousness that executives have regarding sensitive issues.
After the Deliberative Poll, the Briefing Materials are put online so that the entire company has the opportunity to comment on the issues, not just the random sample that attended the Poll. The analysis of the Poll and the online documents allow everyone to share their ideas and insights that reflect their own interpretation about what would be culturally viable and successful in the post-merger environment. This dialogue produces revised and hopefully improved policy options. The final Deliberative Poll on the new options allows for a statistically representative sample to make an informed decision based on balanced arguments for and against each of the alternatives.
Updated August 19th
A Deliberative Corporation process can be used any time there are tradeoffs that a population needs to consider in order to provide informed consent for a resilient solutions.
- Products and Markets: Prioritizing among different product or go-to-market strategies
- Sustainability: Choosing among approaches to achieve sustainability objectives
- Finance: Allocating investment capital and determining among risk management strategies
- Strategy and Accounting: Choosing among budgetary and cost reduction alternatives and mechanisms
- Human Resources: Determining appropriate mechanisms for motivation and incentivization
- Operations: Allocating excess capacity (people, facilities, manufacturing capacity, etc.)
Updated August 23rd
Deliberative Polls can also reveal surprising conclusions. In Italy, there was a Deliberative Poll about reform of the medical system. For many years, the region that surrounds Rome has had many more hospital beds and hospital wings than doctors to support them. There had been strong, entrenched public resistance to closing hospital wings based on the visceral sense that people had that they wanted to ensure there would be a hospital bed available to them. When participated in the Deliberative Poll however they realized that their empirical assumption was likely mistaken. The number of hospital beds was less relevant to their core objective of having medical services available to them if and when they needed them than whether there was a medical bed with a doctor to treat them.
The Deliberative Poll revealed a significant opinion change of individuals who were willing to support a shift in resources from the maintenance of empty wings to providing more doctors by closing down those facilities that were deserted. Corporations often have the challenge that employees are aware of problems, but are not necessarily well enough informed about the potential solutions to these problems that they can make a thoughtful decision or provide their informed consent. The Deliberative Corporation process lets them do this by asking questions about empirical assumptions, facts and opinions in a coherent framework of analysis that allows implications to be drawn from the results that can create a legitimate basis for decision-making.
Italy’s Health Care Delivery: (http://cdd.stanford.edu/Polls/italy/)
Updated August 22nd
1. Convene executives and management to identify the initial issue. For example, a company might want to investigate how best to attain sustainability targets without compromising product quality and profitability.
2. Create an advisory committee. In our example, this might include those internal experts who are responsible for the company meeting sustainability targets, in addition to those who know what programs have been tried historically and what is upcoming. It would also include representatives from product, manufacturing and operations, and possibly accounting and Corporate Social Responsibility functions. The committee would also include experts from local Universities on energy efficiency programs, supply chain management, sustainable materials.
3. Create a briefing document with executives and management to discuss relevant issues. The briefing materials contain 20 potential approaches for how to cost-effectively achieve sustainability objectives. The briefing materials present each option, the arguments for and against each option, and the assumptions relevant to each option, and any factual information that is uncontroversial and necessary to the dicussion.
4. Identify the entire population for which the issue is relevant. In the case above, this would include everyone at the company, and might include those along the supply chain depending on the scope.
5. Scientifically select a random sample that is representative of the entire population. The human resources department would work in conjunction with Reframe It & CDD personnel to select a random sample among the entire population. The random sample must be a microcosm of the entire population, and reflect its demographic components.
6. Administer the questionnaire to the random sample. The questionnaire measures three things: the degree of support, the degree to which people accurately understand the facts involved, and their feedback on what would be the result if certain policies were followed. The questionnaire is sent via email (or other means) to the random sample and to the control group, with instructions to complete it at least one week before the Deliberative Poll.
7. Conduct training for in-person and online moderators. The day before the Deliberative Poll, a class convenes to train the moderators, first giving instruction and then allowing for practice moderating sessions.
8. Convene the random sample for a Deliberative Poll with moderated discussions interspersed with experts in plenary sessions available to answer questions developed in the small group discussions. After completing the questionnaire, the random sample group is invited to attend the in-person Deliberative Poll. Their participation is incentivized, and encouraged by the highest level company champions of the project. The event is held in a pleasant venue, with refreshments available, and is often filmed for internal communications efforts and for additional analysis.
9. Train the random sample on the Reframe It online technology in order to continue the discussion for the entire population, with ratings and comments of the now-educated random sample providing a safeguard against manipulation by highly mobilized marginal groups. At the end of the in-person event, a demo encourages the participants to add their takeaways in the online comments, and to rate each others' comments.
10. Post the briefing documents online and invite the entire population (note: additional documents may be posted, for example video clips of the Deliberative Poll event should they be relevant.)
11. Have experts available to answer questions that arise online and moderators available to moderate comments based on criteria selected by the company leadership
12. Evaluate the results of the Deliberative Poll to identify learning as well as changes in underlying assumptions. Evaluate and code transcripts of the Deliberative Poll’s small group discussions to suggest ways of reframing the issues for the final DP. The point of all this deliberation is to indentify those risks that had been hidden and what approaches to these problems might mitigate or overcome these risks, whether that means revisions to existing proposed solutions or entirely new approaches.
13. Reconvene the briefing committee to establish changes to the briefing document and policy options. This includes reality-checking new proposals and eliminating proposals whose support has crumbled after the Deliberative Poll microcosm had evaluated them. They then reconfigure the questionnaire: in addition to testing new proposals and revised policy options, the questionnaire asks questions about empirical assumptions that were revealed to be important in the course of the analysis of the first Deliberative Poll and online deliberation.
14. Convene a second Deliberative Poll, using the revised policy options, a second (new) random sample, the new questionnaire, and new briefing documents; convene the event, administer a post-event questionnaire and analyze the changes.
15. The results of the Deliberative Corporation process will indicate four things: the change in the support for the policy options, the degree of change, the factual learning that occured during the process, and the shifts in the assumptions people have about what the results of any given policy option would be. For example, if two original policy options were to install solar panels on the roof of the building or to "green" the building by conforming to high Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ("LEED") standards, originally the solar panels might have seemed a simple and unobtrusive solution. However after discussing all the details -- for example the particular location of the company buildings -- as well as the reality of the long term cost savings, the building improvement might emerge as the more supported option. The results could show that the empirical assumptions people had about the hassle of implementing these change to their physical infrastructure were overly fearful compared to the reality revealed by discussion. Additionally, knowledge gains about the cost-effectiveness of such an approach could be demonstrated across the population.
16. Create a report of the process for executives and management to use as an identification of stable and secure support for decision-making. | <urn:uuid:0e8cb746-3854-4726-83df-08d933cb2916> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.managementexchange.com/hack/deliberative-corporation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395166.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00105-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941445 | 4,503 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Windows Programming/Driver Structure< Windows Programming
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Drivers, unlike user-mode programs, have a number of different entry points, and each entry point is specifically designed to handle a single type of interface. In this chapter, we will talk about the required interfaces, and we will also talk about adding additional interfaces.
Driver routines all receive a pointer to a DRIVER_OBJECT structure. The driver must fill in the appropriate fields of this structure, so that Windows can learn the whereabouts of the different access routines, and any other information about the driver. | <urn:uuid:b8ec8b80-2542-4e1d-9966-78aa468b1197> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Windows_Programming/Driver_Structure | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00126-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.891289 | 131 | 3 | 3 |
Copyright and Fair Use
The Federal Copyright Law of 1976, Title 17 of the United States Code which granted exclusive rights to copyright holders was later modified by The Fair Use Statute, Section 107. This Fair Use doctrine balances the copyright holders rights with society's need for copying for news reporting, criticism, teaching, research, scholarship and parody. While the Fair Use doctrine allows limited copying of copyrighted work without obtaining permission from the copyright holder, Fair Use is not clear-cut. Congress deliberately avoided exact parameters for claiming Fair Use to allow for flexibility and instead suggested these four Fair Use guidelines to consider in determining whether a particular use of copyrighted materials is fair use and therefore not an infringement:
1. What is the purpose and character of the use?
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Purpose: While nonprofit educational purposes are favored over commercial uses, this factor alone doesn�t constitute a fair use exemption. Generally the courts favor transformative use (excerpts incorporated into a new paper or pieces of a work mixed into a multimedia presentation) over reproduction of a work but the courts have allowed multiple copies of some works even if not transformative.
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Effect: Some courts have called this the most important factor in fair use analysis. No copying, whether of an educational or commercial nature should replace the sale of the copyrighted work. Having purchased a copy of the original work weighs in favor of fair use while the availability of a license would weigh against fair use.
These four factors must be balanced in considering fair use. Satisfying one factor is not enough to claim fair use.
Sources: The Federal Copyright Law of 1975, Title 17 of the United States Code
Section 107 of The Copyright Act of 1976
Fair Use Overview and Meaning for Higher Education by Kenneth D. Crews, Associate Professor of Law and of Library and Information Science; Director, Copyright Management Center, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis | <urn:uuid:0eecbaf5-d9be-45ab-809b-31ab8191fbaf> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://eprints.ccsu.edu/services/reserves/fairuse.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395546.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00027-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925588 | 588 | 3.625 | 4 |
Use of diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren) is associated with 91% increase in the relative risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke in healthy adults, and the risk was greater at higher doses, Danish researchers reported.
Based on registry data from more than a million users of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) from 1997 through 2005, the two NSAIDs with the greatest increased risk of cardiovascular events were diclofenac and rofecoxib (Vioxx), which was withdrawn from the market in September 2004.
The NSAID with the least cardiovascular risk was naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), according to the analysis, which was published online in Circulation, Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Emil Loldrup Fosbøl, MD, of Gentofte University Hospital in Hellerup, Denmark, and colleagues pointed out that diclofenac has a "high COX-2 inhibiting selectivity" making it similar to rofecoxib, which was a COX-2 inhibitor.
The analysis calculated cardiovascular risk for diclofenac, rofecoxib, celecoxib (Celebrex), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen.
For celecoxib, the only selective COX-2 inhibitor still on the market, the authors said they had no conclusive results, but they added that their "results are based on few events (especially in high doses) and showed a positive trend toward increased cardiovascular risk."
From a clinical standpoint, they pointed out that celecoxib was the only NSAID studied "that does not carry excess risk of bleeding."
Although the authors calculated an increase in relative risk, the absolute number of cardiovascular deaths was small -- 769 over the eight-year study period or 0.075% of the total population.
"More worrying is the fact that the results showed a dose-dependent relationship because diclofenac more often is used in high doses compared with the other drugs," they wrote.
Jerry Avorn, MD, of Harvard, pointed out in an e-mail to MedPageToday/ABC News that the Danish registry study is the latest in a decade-long series of studies all of which reached the same conclusion -- naproxen is the safest NSAID.
Curt D. Furberg, MD, PhD, of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., said there was little question that naproxen is safest NSAID. "All others may cause harm, especially diclofenac," he wrote in an e-mail.
Avorn said there really is no need for more of these me-too studies, but what is needed is for doctors to "get the word out to patients and doctors about such findings, which those of us who study drug safety have known about for years."
Although rofecoxib was pulled from the market, "diclofenac is still in widespread use, for no good reason," Avorn said.
Asked by MedPage Today/ABC News about safety of over-the-counter products, Furberg, who was not involved in the study, wrote, "[I] don't believe that over-the-counter painkillers are safe."
Fosbøl and colleagues linked Danish administrative registries to identify 1,028,437 individuals with no record of hospitalizations for five years before they received an initial prescription for an NSAID. They used crossover and Cox proportional analyses to estimate risk of cardiovascular death, as well as a composite of coronary death or nonfatal stroke or myocardial infarction.
Among the findings:
- The relative risk of cardiovascular death was 1.91 with diclofenac (95% CI 1.62 to 2.42).
- Use of rofecoxib was associated with a 66% increase in risk of cardiovascular death (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.59).
- Both rofecoxib and diclofenac had a "dose-dependent increase in risk."
- Ibuprofen use was associated with a 29% increase in relative risk of fatal or nonfatal stroke (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.63).
- No increased risk was observed with naproxen use (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.42).
In the U.S. all NSAIDs have carried a warning about the excess risk of cardiovascular events since April 2005, but the level of risk has not been quantified, Fosbøl and colleagues explained.
They wrote that their study was the "first to our knowledge to report on the specific cardiovascular risk among healthy individuals."
The authors noted that the main limitations of the study were its observational nature and the lack of information "about the precise indication for initiation of NSAID treatment. Thus, the disease or the pain preceding a condition being treated with an NSAID could alone indicate a condition with increased risk of cardiovascular disease or death, thus introducing the risk of confounding-by-indication or prothopathic bias."
The study was also limited by the reliance on registry data to certify cause of death and by the lack of data on cardiovascular risk factors such as lipid profiles, blood pressure, smoking status, and obesity.
This article was developed in collaboration with ABC News.
No outside funding source for was disclosed.
Fosbøl declared no financial disclosures.
Zalman S. Agus, MD Emeritus Professor
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner
Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and OutcomesSource Reference: Fosbøl, EL et al "Cause-specific cardiovascular risk associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among healthy individuals" Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2010; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.109.861104. | <urn:uuid:0288b5d7-7f93-406a-967b-03ccc2b70f2c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Prevention/20558 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00129-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954345 | 1,269 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Guatemala - HFC gas emissions
HFC gas emissions (thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent)
Definition: Hydrofluorocarbons, used as a replacement for chlorofluorocarbons, are used mainly in refrigeration and semiconductor manufacturing.
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC)/Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL). Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR): http://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
Topic: Environment Indicators | <urn:uuid:1e1db7db-6e80-4198-a683-881e702c8c3f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/guatemala/hfc-gas-emissions | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00105-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.721008 | 113 | 2.953125 | 3 |
So far we have discussed about different relationship between water content or water/cement ratio and strength of concrete or durability parameters; but do we know how does water is measured in calculating water/cement ratio? Is it total quantity of water?
Actually a more precise definition is required in this respect. We should consider that quantity of water which takes it position outside surface of aggregate particles; the time is also important i.e. the water should be at the time of stabilizing total volume of concrete.
This is assumed that measuring during setting is the right time. Thus there will have three terms
• Effective water/cement ratio
• Free water/cement ratio
• Net water/cement ratio.
Are you confused? Let’s explain component of water in concrete:
Water content consists of added water during mixing and water held within the aggregate while entering into the mixers.
The aggregates have wide range of pores; some are as large as can be seen with microscope or can even be seen with naked eyes. Some pores are entirely within solid portion of aggregate; but some are open to surface of aggregate particles.
Water has access to pores of aggregate and penetration rate and amount depends on
• Size of pores
• Their continuity
• Total volume of them
The held water on aggregate is partly absorbed through the surface to fill the void and if there have continuity the whole structure is filled. Some part of this water remains as free on surface of these aggregates.
So there have difference between these free water and added water in to mix. It is expected to treat aggregates before mixing so that if doesn’t absorb water from mix. Again like excess water on surface, as discussed above, there may have deficiency of water within aggregate i.e. aggregate is not entered in saturated surface dry condition.
In this case, unsaturated aggregates have some pores filled with air. When water is added to concrete mix, a portion is absorbed by aggregate and entrapped air will come out from aggregate pore and during compaction they will be reached to surface.
This absorption continues up to an hour starting from just after mixing. In this situation it is quite difficult to provide a demarcation between free and absorbed water.
So excess water remain in the mix, after absorption of aggregate to become saturated-surface-dry, is taken as effective water. Now can you remember during mix design a calculation for water adjustment is required? Sometimes water adjustment requires adding water (unsaturated aggregate) and sometimes requires subtracting water when there have excess water that is held by surface of aggregate.
Therefore water/cement ratio defined by mix design is based on added water excluding absorbed water i.e. free water in the mix. Sometimes laboratory test refer to gross water added to dry aggregate.
Interpretation of laboratory test results should be done carefully while making a mix proportion decision on the job site and all references of water/cement ratio should be clear whether it is based on total or free water. | <urn:uuid:0dccf015-1915-4319-9061-c8f8e77eedb3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://civil-engg-world.blogspot.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00043-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969772 | 618 | 3.546875 | 4 |
Thunderbolts, Routers, and Ruffians: Early Modern Bullies and Bullying, Panel, NeMLA Conference, March 21-24, 2013, Boston, MA
In the last ten years bullies have gained serious attention as cyber-bullies have inflicted emotional damage so serious that some victims have resorted to suicide to escape their tormenters. Mid- to late-twentieth-century popular depictions of bullies paint them in a different light, mythologizing these figures as threatening in appearance, but ultimately harmless. These images show bullies' power as rooted in language—their toughness is constructed in tough talk. Confronting bullies is portrayed as a rite-of-passage from childhood to adulthood: once bullies' victims openly expose their tormentors' cowardice, they render them impotent. If we consider a longer history of depicting bullies, it becomes clear that early modern culture mythologizes these figures in different terms. From capricious monarchs to vile usurpers, and all the figures in between, early modern artists take bullies seriously as threats to their societies' foundational institutions and to the larger social order. While the term bully as 'a tyrannical coward, who makes himself a terror to the weak' is relatively new (the first use in this context dates to the late seventeenth century England; see OED), bullies and bullying discourse are woven into the fabric of early modern cultural production. This panel asks us to consider a longer history of imagining the bully to investigate how bullying is depicted, how it is conquered, and the relationships between bullying, discourse, and social power and authority in early modern cultural production, in any national tradition. Paper topics might include analyses of bullying discourse, examinations of depictions of bullies, studies of the ways bullies' threats are contained or conquered in art or literature, or investigations of early modern cultural mythologies of bullies. Papers theorizing the bully are equally welcome. Papers considering national traditions other than English are encouraged, but abstracts should be in English or French. Please submit brief abstracts of 300 words or fewer via email to Elizabeth Ketner at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Please submit abstracts by September 30, 2012. | <urn:uuid:906dde51-73fa-4320-a62f-1555b95d247f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/node/46325 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393997.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00036-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94609 | 443 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Inuit Mythical Beasts and Creatures
Information and Theories 6/15/10
By: Yona Williams
Dwelling in the Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, the Inuit represent a cultural group of indigenous peoples. Just like any other culture, the Inuit have their own set of beasts and creatures that appear in myths and legends. A few to take note of include are mentioned in this article.
Background Details on the Inuit
The Inuit are found living throughout a great deal of the Canadian Arctic and sub-artic in a territory referred to as 'our land.' The coastal region of Labrador is known as 'our beautiful land' to the Inuit. The northern third of Quebec is named 'place to live' by the Inuit. They also call certain parts of the Northwest Territories (such as the coast of the Arctic Ocean and what was once known as the Yukon) their home. In the United States, the Alaskan Inuit call the North Slope of Alaska and the Siberian Coast their home.
The Inuits that live around the Labrador and Hudson Bay coasts tell myths that include the Adlet, which are monsters that drink blood. It is said that the creatures are the offspring of a woman who unnaturally mated with a giant red dog. Five children that the woman bore came out as dogs that that she sent across the seas to mix with the European races. Her other five children stayed behind and lived close to their mother. However, as they matured, they turned into what would be known as the Adlet, which were bloodthirsty, evil, and cannibals.
Taking the form of a large dog, the Qiqirn is a bald creature that frightens the locals. However, it has a few faults. It is jumpy and makes foolish decisions. While men and other animals run from the beast, it also runs from the men and other dogs. Hair covers it ears, mouth, feet and the tip of its tail. When a person approaches it, it is known to break into fits. Legend has it – to scare the Qiqirn, you must call out its name.
In Inuit myths, the Anguta (or Aguta) was known as the father of the sea goddess Sedna, who sometimes played the role of creator-god or a supreme being. Other myths depict the god as a mortal widower who mutilated his own daughter. The man was also described as a psychopomp (a guide of souls), who had the responsibility of ferrying souls from the land of the living to the underworld. It was here that the souls encountered his daughter, Adlivun, who ruled the land of the dead. The souls were required to sleep in her domain for a year.
In the waters near Key Island, Alaska, the Inuit believe there is a large, mythical creature that resembles a snake called the Tizheruk. It is thought to possess a head that measures 7 feet and a tail with a flipper. The locals claim that the creature would snatch people off of piers without even sensing the danger in their midst. | <urn:uuid:be4d0ae4-8bb6-43ec-b1f8-25d68be6b406> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.unexplainable.net/info-theories/inuit-mythical-beasts-and-creatures.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393442.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00050-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980746 | 653 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Schizotypal personality disorder
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Schizotypal personality disorder is a mental condition in which a person has trouble with relationships and disturbances in thought patterns, appearance, and behavior.
Causes of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) are unknown. Genes are thought to be involved because this condition is more common in relatives of schizophrenics.
Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) should not be confused with schizophrenia. People with SPD can have odd beliefs and behaviors, but unlike people with schizophrenia, they are not disconnected from reality and usually do not hallucinate. They also do not have delusions.
People with SPD may be very disturbed. They may also have unusual preoccupations and fears, such as fear of being monitored by government agencies.
More commonly, people with this disorder behave oddly and have unusual beliefs (such as aliens). They cling to these beliefs so strongly that they have difficulty forming and keeping close relationships.
People with SPD may also have depression. A second personality disorder, such as paranoid personality disorder, is also common.
Common signs of schizotypal personality disorder include:
- Discomfort in social situations
- Inappropriate displays of feelings
- No close friends
- Odd behavior or appearance
- Odd beliefs, fantasies, or preoccupations
- Odd speech
Exams and Tests
SPD is diagnosed based on a psychological evaluation. The health care provider will consider how long and how severe the person's symptoms are.
Talk therapy is an important part of treatment. Social skills training can help some people cope with social situations. Medicines may also be a helpful addition.
SPD is usually a long-term (chronic) illness. Outcome of treatment varies based on the severity of the disorder.
Complications may include:
- Poor social skills
- Lack of interpersonal relationships
When to Contact a Medical Professional
See your health care provider or a mental health professional if you or someone you know has symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder.
There is no known prevention. Awareness of risk, such as a family history of schizophrenia, may allow early diagnosis.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. 2013.
Blais MA, Smallwood P, Groves JE, Rivas-Vazquez RA. Personality and personality disorders. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2008:chap 39.
Rosell DR, Futterman SE, McMaster A, Siever LJ. Schizotypal personality disorder: a current review. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2014;16:452. PMID 24828284 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24828284.
- Last reviewed on 10/31/2014
- Fred K. Berger, MD, Addiction and Forensic Psychiatrist, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2013 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. | <urn:uuid:ceeb4c94-bbd9-4ad0-8bfc-97861ab216ba> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/schizotypal-personality-disorder | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00044-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901084 | 781 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Poverty in North Carolina
Posted January 16, 2014
Who's poor in North Carolina? The answers might surprise you.
According to the federal government, poverty level was defined in 2012 as an annual income of $23,283 or less for a family of four, or $11,945 for an individual.
The overall poverty rate for North Carolina in 2012 was 17.2 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
The rate hasn't changed much since 1986, when a WRAL documentary called "Every Fourth Child" explored the challenges a quarter of the state's children living in poverty face every day. Almost 30 years later, WRAL returned to reconnect with those families in a new documentary called "Every Fourth Child ... Still" to explore why the problem is so hard to solve.
Demographically, 12.9 percent of white North Carolinians lived in poverty in 2012. More than a quarter – 27.1 percent – of black residents were living in poverty. American Indians experienced a poverty rate of 29.8 percent. And 34.2 percent – more than a third – of Hispanic North Carolinians lived in poverty.
Families at Risk
According to the American Community Survey, 12.4 percent of all families in North Carolina lived at or below poverty level for at least a year between 2008 and 2012.
Families with children are at a much higher risk of poverty. For families with children under 18, the poverty rate was 19.8 percent. For families with children under 5 only, it was 21.2 percent.
Women and single mothers are at even greater risk. 34 percent of households led by women were living in poverty. With children under 18, that statistic jumps to 42.8%. And for single mothers with children under 5 only, it's 51.6 percent - more than half lived in poverty.
Explore the map above to find out how poverty affects each of North Carolina's 100 counties, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to the U.S.Census Bureau, 572,468 households in North Carolina received SNAP (also known as "food stamps") in 2012.
Three-quarters of those households – 75.8 percent – had at least one employed wage earner during the past year.
More than a quarter – 26.2 percent –had two wage earners during the past year, yet they still qualified for assistance.
Only 24.2 percent of SNAP households had no wage earner.
Demographically, whites made up the largest pool of SNAP recipients in North Carolina in 2012, at 45.9 percent.
Blacks accounted for 41.9 percent of the total. Hispanics made up 8 percent, and American Indians were 2.2 percent. | <urn:uuid:c0ee5d8e-4736-413c-8ffb-13273dbb61ce> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wral.com/poverty-in-north-carolina/13304389/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402516.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00020-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969647 | 571 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Canine Herpesvirus Infection (CHV) in Dogs
This infection is a systemic, usually fatal disease in young pups caused by the canine herpesvirus (CHV). Found worldwide, CHV especially causes high mortality rates in pups (two to three weeks old) due to their immature immune systems and poor temperature regulation. In fact, it rarely affects dogs older than three to four weeks.
Although any breed can be affected, purebred dogs are more prone, as are young pregnant females and their pups. Herpesvirus infections are also a leading cause of fetal death and spontaneous abortion.
Symptoms and Types
The following signs should be taken seriously, as the onset of symptoms is sudden and death can occur just 12 to 36 hours afterward:
- Nasal discharge
- Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)
- Severe gasping (in terminal animals)
- Loss of appetite (anorexia)
- Soft, odorless stool that is grayish, yellow, or green in color
- Persistent and distressing crying
- Eye inflammation
This infection is caused by the canine herpesvirus (CHV).
You will need to give a thorough history of your dog’s health to your veterinarian, including the onset and nature of the symptoms. He or she will then perform a complete physical examination as well as a complete blood count, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis -- the results of which are typically within normal ranges. In some dogs, however, a decreased number of platelet cells (which are responsible blood clotting) may be observed. Otherwise, your veterinarian will attempt to isolate the causative virus by conducting cell cultures or frozen tissue examinations.
Typically, treatment is not recommended in pups with this form of herpesvirus infection, as antiviral therapy is ineffective. Instead, preventative measures are often the only recourse. A serum removed from bitches that have recovered from CHV infection, which contain protective antibodies, will be injected into pups before the illness' onset.
Living and Management
Pups that survive from CHV infection may suffer from blindness, deafness, kidney damage, and nervous systems, while the bitches often give birth to future healthy litters. And although there is a CHV vaccine available in Europe for pregnant bitches that are at high risk, the effectiveness of the vaccine has not yet been proven. | <urn:uuid:d4a8d1a9-8388-4679-b18c-6461bafd1676> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_dg_canine_herpesvirus_infection?page=show | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403823.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94371 | 492 | 3.078125 | 3 |
100 Years of Protecting, Managing, Educating: Excerpts from To Be Forest Ranger
William T. Cox, Minnesota's First State Forester
In 1899 the Minnesota Legislature created a nineman State Forestry Board with the sole authority to manage state lands for forestry purposes. The 1910 fire disasters, including the Baudette-Spooner fire that killed 42 people, impelled the Legislature in 1911 to completely revise state forest conservation efforts. The Board centralized the responsibility for both forest management and forest fire control, and created the office of the State Forester. Later, this became the impetus for the development of the Minnesota Forest Service.
The 1911 act that established the Minnesota Forest Service authorized the Forestry Board to appoint as State Forester a technically trained forester, who would have power to appoint an assistant forester and other needed employees...(Laws 1911 Chapter 125 ). The first appointment went to William T. Cox. The assistant forester, by law, was to be an honor graduate of a forestry school. The job went to Dillon P. Tierney, a classmate of Cox and a 1906 graduate of the University of Minnesota.
The Forestry Board's annual report states "On May 2, 1911, the Board appointed a State Forester, Mr. William T. Cox. Mr. Cox received his forestry education at the University of Minnesota and had been in the United States Forest Service several years, and for last three years occupied the position of assistant forester. Both Mr. Cox and Mr. Tierney have had several years of experience in woods work, and Mr. Cox's work with the federal government gave him a wide acquaintance with forest conditions throughout the United States and Canada. Both of these officers have been actively occupied in the discharge of their duties, and the Board believes the Forest Service is on a good footing."
Where to start?
Now began the monumental task for Cox and Tierney, to build the organization. It was already spring fire season and they had rangers and patrolmen to hire, districts to establish, offices and towers to build, policies and directives to write, and the long process of developing a professional forestry service. From the beginning, and decades before a formal civil service system was in place, Cox insisted on a merit system based on high standards, exams, and interviews to place the best qualified rangers and patrolmen in the new Minnesota Forest Service.
On June 24, the earliest possible date after the task of selecting his rangers, Cox called his men together for a meeting in Cass Lake at the U.S. Forest Service headquarters. He undoubtedly had friends who could help train and orient his new hires. After excursions into the Minnesota National Forest (changed to Chippewa National Forest in 1928), policies explanations, and a campaign outlined for the remainder of the year, the 15 new rangers departed to their assigned headquarters.
Cox proceeded to organize the state forest protection system, which functioned much as it does today. Already in place were many of the township fire wardens appointed by General C. C. Andrews in 1895. The early organization of staunch woodsmen designated as district rangers was set up with both state and federal patrolmen, the latter being paid from a $10,000 grant under the Weeks Act of 1911, which protected the headwaters of navigable streams.
The fire prevention program included the coordination of fire control activities of the state, federal government, lumber companies, railroads, and citizens of the forested areas of the state. The work included firebreak construction, slash disposal, railway fire prevention, and the development of permanent improvements such as: roads and trails, lookout towers, ranger cabins, and telephone lines to be used in the prevention and suppression of forest fires. In 1911, $300 was allotted to each of the 20 ranger districts to build cabins and towers. Rangers and patrolmen constructed 92 wooden towers, 13 steel towers, and eight cabins for a total cost of $3,587.52.
State Forester Cox also conducted an extensive reconnaissance of the state's forest land, as required by law, to determine the extent and value of the timber as well as soil classification. Over the next formative years Cox led the Minnesota Forest Service in fire fighting and prevention, planting trees, establishing state forests, passing new laws, educating the public, and improving cooperation with the timber, mining, and railroad companies. In 1913 he was made a member of the Board of Timber Commissioners, composed of the governor, state auditor and treasurer, and the attorney general.
The drought in 1917 and 1918 proved deadly for Moose Lake, Cloquet, and several smaller communities, and many blamed the Minnesota Forest Service for not doing its job. With rangers, patrolmen, and cooperators off to the Great War, resources were limited, but a subsequent investigation exonerated the organization and highlighted numerous individual acts of heroism. Cox and his staff took advantage of the citizen and legislative support through the dry years between 1919 and 1923. Budgets were increased and improvements made, but the organization was still small, consisting of 15 rangers and 55 regular and 51 temporary patrolmen.
Cox was dismissed as state forester in 1924. During his entire term he had been critical of timber sales, placed under the state auditor's office in 1895. When State Auditor Preus was elected governor, Cox knew that his days were numbered. In his last annual report in 1922, Cox made many sound, long-term recommendations for the sale of timber, reforestation, land consolidation, tax policy, drainage restrictions, and the empowerment of his rangers to better manage Minnesota' forests. Grover M. Conzet, Cox's very able assistant, was appointed state forester.
Cox was not headed toward retirement however, because he knew how to create forestry organizations and that is exactly what he did in South America. From 1929 to1931 he was called upon to establish and organize the Brazilian Forest Service. Then in 1931, Cox was called back to Minnesota to become the first commissioner of the newly established Department of Conservation while Conzet remained the state forester. The Division of Forestry, as it was now titled, finally was granted the authority to sell and manage timber for the betterment of Minnesota's forests.
Written by Larry Hegstad, Division of Forestry retiree
Post script: Cox was a prolific writer. As an imaginative humorist, he wrote Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods in 1910 that included the likes of the Squonk (Lacrimacorpus dissolvens), a very shy forest critter, and the Splintercat (Felynx arbordiffisus), a hard-headed creature that would climb a tree only to leap to the next, slamming through its bole and leaving the tree shattered and useless. This book can still be found among the followers of forest folklore. | <urn:uuid:00fb65dc-e03e-4cf3-90a8-93da0edbc104> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/anniversary/cox.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399106.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00060-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972723 | 1,401 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Description of Historic Place
One of a complex of twelve buildings known as the National Training Centre, the Garage is a long, one-storey rectangular building with a gable roof, constructed with a rustic vocabulary of materials that include horizontal logs, shakes and shingles. The complex is isolated and self-contained around a large grassed area. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
The Garage is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.
The Garage and its complex are associated with the early development of Jasper National Park. The National Training Centre was originally part of a homestead known as the Palisades Ranch. The Palisades Ranch had been established by Lewis Swift, a personality who figured prominently in the history of the area. The Palisades Ranch was a trail-related tourist industry and, as such, contributed to the development and use of Jasper Park. It remained privately owned until 1962 when it was purchased by the National Parks Branch. It began operation as a training center for Park employees in 1964.
The Garage is a good example of a functional building type constructed in a rustic aesthetic. Its well-executed vocabulary of building materials consisting of horizontal logs, shakes and shingles, conforms with the architectural character of Canada’s National Parks.
The Environmental Value
As a significant building within the National Training Centre (formerly the Palisades Ranch), the Garage is compatible in size, design and placement with the character of the complex. Although the complex is self-contained and not visible from the highway, the Garage, by virtue of the fact that it is part of the National Training Centre, is known to the communities of Jasper and Hinton.
Kate MacFarlane, National Training Centre (former Palisades Ranch), Jasper National Park, Alberta, Federal Heritage Building Report, 87-010.
National Training Centre (former Palisades Ranch) Jasper National Park, Alberta, Heritage Character Statement, 87-010.
The following character-defining elements of the Garage should be respected, for example:
Its functional design and rustic vocabulary of materials, for example:
-The simple massing, consisting of a long, rectangular building with a gable roof and
-Its horizontal log construction.
-Its window and door arrangement.
-The choice of materials, including horizontal logs, shakes and shingles, which speak to
the rustic character of the building.
The manner in which the Garage is compatible with its setting, as evidenced by:
-Its scale, its functional appearance and rustic materials, all of which are sympathetic
with the other buildings in the complex. | <urn:uuid:10672f9b-2fc0-468f-8cce-c9091c2f737b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=3471 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00100-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947773 | 552 | 2.859375 | 3 |
D.J. Des Marais, M.R. Walter, Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics
This 26-page review article introduces the field of astrobiology and addresses novel differences between astrobiology and previous efforts in exobiology. Topics include: recent discoveries create a mandate; key components of the discipline; life in the universe, the basic issues (featuring the Drake equation); research and exploration (involving formation and distribution of habitable planets); the origins of Life; evolution on molecular, organism, ecosystem, and biosphere levels; recognizing signatures of Life beyond Earth (introducing biomarkers); other biospheres in our solar system; biospheres in other solar systems; and the whole exceeds the sum of its parts.
Subject: Biology:Evolution, Astrobiology, Microbiology Resource Type: Scientific Resources:Overview/Reference Work Grade Level: Graduate/Professional, College Lower (13-14), College Upper (15-16) Topics: Biosphere:Astrobiology, Evolution, MicrobiologyKeywords: microorganisms, Precambrian, biospheres, solar system, planets, origin of life
CMS authors: link to this resource in your page using [resource 13915] | <urn:uuid:370254c6-b3e7-46c4-bc38-882fee3b3f74> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://serc.carleton.edu/resources/13915.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00179-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.768582 | 249 | 2.875 | 3 |
Definition of gadolinite
n. - A mineral of a nearly black color and vitreous luster, and consisting principally of the silicates of yttrium, cerium, and iron.
The word "gadolinite" uses 10 letters: A D E G I I L N O T.
Direct anagrams of gadolinite:
Words formed by adding one letter before or after gadolinite (in bold), or to adegiilnot in any order:
f - defoliating s - gadolinites v - dovetailing
Words within gadolinite
not shown as it has more than seven letters.
List all words starting with gadolinite, words containing gadolinite or words ending with gadolinite
All words formed from gadolinite by changing one letter
Other words with the same letter pairs: ga ad do ol li in ni it te
Browse words starting with gadolinite by next letter
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Some random words: akvavit | <urn:uuid:baec2c9c-4cd0-4da3-aee4-e84405565f62> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.morewords.com/word/gadolinite/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00074-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.790595 | 226 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Music was a very important part of the culture of the 20's. It gave people
a new sense of fashion, such as hair styles, clothes, slang, and the way people danced. People
during the 20's would usually go to places called "SPEAK-EASY'S. A sort of underground bar or club, this is the place where a lot of jazz was played, and here people would dance and usally drink the Hootch/ Alcohol.
Dancing during this era was important. It was part of the culture. People usally went to Speak-Easys' to have a good time and socialize with other people.
During the 1920's Jazz was, at first, an unknown type of music. Due to the closing of the seaport in New Orleans, musicians were forced to travel up the Mississippi to find work. Two of the cities most affected by this move were Chicago and New York. From this New Orleans style came four major types of jazz: Boogie-Woogie, Chicago Jazz, Urban Blues, and Society Dance Bands.
One of the people that got Jazz all fired up was Louis Armstrong. Armstrong is known as the "father" of the jazz trumpet.
The style during the 20's was of a new breed. Many people had shorter hiar, men & women alike. Most young women who were current with the style during this time were called Flappers.
Jazz was the most popular music type of its time, and had great influence becuase of the times and the people that made it popular. Jazz was "born" and made popular in New York and Chicago. People loved to dance to Jazz, and being popular in Chicago and New York, being that these two locations had many people and many different types of people it made jazz addictive and it spread like an infectious disease.
Jazz obviously was an important step to the new traditions of the American Culture and developed to be a great and soothing pleasure to the human ear.
On A Night | <urn:uuid:c070d52e-bda2-42cf-b5c4-e6414dc7ac7b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.angelfire.com/anime4/sephirothbadazz/Reports/popularmusic.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396224.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00144-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989687 | 414 | 3.15625 | 3 |
1. What is Deluge, Inc.?
Deluge, Inc. is the development and commercialization company for the Natural Energy Engine™. Deluge, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in 1997 with its home office located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The President and CEO of Deluge, Inc. is Mr. Brian Hageman and holds over forty (40) patents worldwide as the inventor of the Natural Energy Engine.
2. What is a Natural Energy Engine?
The Natural Energy Engine™ (hereafter referred to as the "Engine") is a thermal hydraulic engine that operates without combustion and is fueled solely by hot water. The output of the Engine can be utilized to more economically perform tasks such as driving pumps and generators with less energy and more efficiency than other more conventional methods.
3. How does the Engine work?
The Engine operates in a three-step process.
(1) Heated water is collected where it enters a heat exchanger. From there, the heat from the water is transferred to the working fluid, typically liquefied CO2 because of its high coefficient of expansion.
(2) The working fluid expands and pushes a piston located inside the Engine’s cylinder.
(3) Cooling water next enters the heat exchanger causing the working fluid to contract thus preparing the piston for another revolution. The piston’s motion is then harnessed to operate a hydraulic motor or perform other work.
4. What is the optimum heat differential of the Engine?
The optimum differential between hot and cold water being applied to the Engine’s heat exchanger is approximately 100 (185 – 85) degrees Fahrenheit (F) / 38 degrees Celsius (C).
5. What is the size of the Engine?
The Engine that Deluge is currently marketing consists of sixteen (16) cylinder / piston sets (32 cylinders) that generate 335 hp. The dimensions of the pad which houses the cylinders, heat exchangers, hydraulic motor, valves and switch gear are 20 by 40 feet (800 square feet / 74 square meters). However, engineering and modularization are in process to reduce the width of the current pad requirements and for transporting the Engine assembly on a standard size flatbed truck. The unit’s height will extend a maximum of eight (8) feet / 2.4 meters above the pad for approximately 30% of its area.
6. What are the primary sources of hot water used to fuel the Engine?
Waste Thermal Energy - Thermal energy recovery, as it is sometimes known, is the process of recovering thermal energy that is destined to be a wasted byproduct from manufacturing or existing facility functions. Examples of waste sources include harnessing hot water in transit to a cooling tower, and utilizing a heat exchanger to transfer heat exhaust being discharged up a smoke stack or chimney. Geothermal Energy – Geothermal energy originates from the heat retained within the Earth's core since the original formation of the planet. This is due to the radioactive decay of minerals and from solar energy absorbed at the surface. Water heated by this geothermal energy is harvested both from shafts drilled deep into the earth’s surface or from certain locations where the geothermally heated water rises to the earth’s surface. Solar Thermal Energy - Solar thermal energy (STE) is the result of converting solar energy into thermal energy for the purpose of heating a liquid. The process utilizes solar thermal collectors to gather the sun’s rays and transfer the heat. There are various types of these collectors, such as solar parabolic, solar trough and solar towers.
7. What is the optimum hot water temperature and flow for the 335 hp Engine?
The 335 hp Engine works most effectively on 3.7 - 3.9 million BTU’s per hour from its heat source. The optimum temperature of water entering the heat exchanger is approximately 185 degrees (F) / 85 degrees (C) at a rate of 125 gallons per minute (gpm) / 473 liters per minute (l/pm).
8. What is the optimum cold water temperature and flow for the 335 hp Engine?
The optimum inlet temperature of water required to cool the 335 hp Engine is approximately 80 degrees (F) / 26 degrees (C) at a rate of 350 (gpm) / 1,325 (l/pm). The outlet temperature of the water is approximately 100 degrees (F) / 38 degrees (C). Cooling sources are primarily from cooling towers and water flowing from both above and below ground.
9. What is the efficiency of the 335 hp Engine?
It is the fundamental design of the Engine that provides the basis for its efficiency and economy. Specific efficiency advantages include (1) little energy being dissipated in heat loss, noise and indirect motion, (2) few moving parts, (3) no friction or power losses, (4) no gearing, (5) a fully hydraulic transmission, and (6) low fuel and operating costs. Given the unique characteristics and design, the Engine operates up to 23% efficiency at 3.9 million BTU’s per hour.
10. What is the output of the 335 hp Engine?
The output torque of the Engine’s hydraulic motor is 1,155 foot pounds (ft-lbf) at 1,800 revolutions per minute (rpm).
11. What are the application possibilities of the 335 hp Engine?
The potential applications for use of the 335 hp Deluge Engine are virtually limitless. However, the applications offering the most potential include: (1) pumping fluids, (2) water desalination, (3) and electricity generation. Pumping Fluids – Any requirement for moving fluid through a pipeline is a potential opportunity for the 335 hp Deluge Engine. Remote sites with limited or no electrical power to those sites and the pumping of liquids throughout a site utilizing waste thermal energy are two of the biggest opportunities.
Water Desalinization – "The process that removes excess salt and other minerals from water." Most of the modern interest in desalination is focused on developing costeffective ways of providing fresh water for human use in regions where the availability of fresh water is limited. The cost of desalinizing water continues to be very expensive due to the cost of energy required. However, utilizing the Deluge 335 hp Engine with a 180 degree (F) / 82.2 degrees (C) heat source and cooling water potential from the sea is much more economical and attractive.
Electricity Generation – The Deluge 335 hp Engine is ideal for driving either an induction or synchronous generator capable of producing 250 kW of electrical power. Given today’s emphasis on alternative fuels and power generation, this application offers probably the greatest potential. Depending on the magnitude and availability of both heat and cooling sources, multiple 250 kW generators can be networked together.
12. What are environmental and sustainability attributes of the 335 hp Engine?
The Deluge Natural Energy Engine is essentially a "green" technology. The Engine operates without combustion and can readily be configured to operate without the consumption of fossil fuels resulting in zero emissions. It has no secondary environmental impact and can utilize wasted heat from existing sources. The technology has a small footprint, operates almost noiselessly and is ideally suited to alternative energy applications in both municipal and remote locations.
13. What has been the history of development for the 335 hp Engine?
An early version of the Engine was first tested by Sandia National Laboratories in 1998. An indepth analysis of the Engine’s physics was published in 2001 in a Master’s thesis under the guidance of the Arizona State University Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department. The Engine also under went testing of its water pump system that same year at the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai, India.
In 2003, the first commercial application of the Engine’s ability to pump crude oil from underground formations was conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy at their Rocky Mountain Testing Center in Wyoming. Use of the Engine to pressurize salt water processed through a reverse osmosis membrane to produce drinking water was successfully tested in 2004 through a cooperative effort with the U.S. Department ofInterior in Yuma, Arizona.
A 2006 independent analysis by the ESG Engineering firm based in Tempe, Arizona resulted in confirmation that electrical cost can be reduced to less than one-twenty-fifth (1/25) of the of traditional pumping costs. And in 2008, an 18 month reliability test in Kansas on a nine (9) cylinder version of the Engine provided the current commercial design for manufacturing. In 2009, the first two sixteen (16) cylinder set Engines to be installed were designed, built and are in the process of being installed at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA), a state-owned facility near Kona, Hawaii. The 335 hp Engine is currently being designed into a modular, one-piece engine block. In addition, there are several other global installations currently under development.
14. What warranties and other support are included with the Engine?
As a matter of corporate policy, Deluge stands behind all of the Engines that it produces and will provide all necessary assistance to its customers to assure the proper and continued operation of the systems that the company sells. Specifically, Deluge will provide the following:
(1) Full, unconditional performance warranty for Engine and Engine components for one (1) year.
(2) Complete training of customer-designed operating technicians who will be able to repair, overhaul and maintain the Engine.
(3) Complete Operating & Maintenance Manual with delivery of the Engine.
(4) Complete sourcing of replacement parts including model numbers and source of reliable distributor parts.
15. Are there smaller sizes of the Deluge Engine available?
At this time, Deluge is only offering the 335 hp Engine. However, it is Deluge’s intention to design, engineer and manufacture smaller size engines in the future.
16. What components does Deluge supply and what responsibilities belong to the customer?
Deluge provides: (1) the Engine, including controls, (2) all heating and cooling tubing, valves, and pumps for circulating heated and cool water (provided by the customer) within the Engine, (3) a hydraulic motor for converting the hydraulic pressure generated in the Engine into rotary motion, and (4) a generator unit or pump assembly.
17. How much does a 335 hp Deluge Natural Energy Engine cost?
Because certain aspects of each Deluge Engine must necessarily be manufactured to specific customer requirements, it is not possible to quote an Engine price here. However, for planning purposes, Deluge suggests a budgetary number of US $3.00 per watt for Engines utilizing 250kW generators.
18. How do I work with Deluge, Inc. on projects?
Deluge, Inc. manufactures Engines for any company’s projects. Purchase orders will be delivered in approximately 120 days from receipt of a confirmed order. Installation and start-up engineering is available. Financing for projects is considered by the U.S. Government, state governments, private investment groups, and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). Projects must be accredited and financially accountable for government projects. Projects are limited to "shovel-ready" projects according to the funding requirements. Submit your project abstracts to Deluge through www.delugeinc.com "Contact Us" and we will respond with further information and due diligence requirements.
19. Are there any specific Federal Grants or Acts of Government that should be specifically focused on?
Yes, there are currently three (3):
(1) Geothermal Recovery Act (Active)
(2) American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 (Pending)
(3) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) | <urn:uuid:a34fc9f7-deb7-4d7a-b32d-81667c7ceacb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.delugeinc.com/FAQ_s.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402699.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00047-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931728 | 2,439 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Two increasingly shared perspectives within the international development community are that (a) geography matters, and (b) many government interventions would be more successful if they were better targeted. This paper unites these two notions by exploring the opportunities for, and benefits of, bringing an explicitly spatial dimension to the tasks of formulating and evaluating agricultural development strategies. We first review the lingua franca of land fragility and find it lacking in its capacity to describe the dynamic interface between the biophysical and socioeconomic factors that help shape rural development options. Subsequently, we propose a two-phased approach. First, development strategy options are characterized to identify the desirable ranges of conditions that would most favor successful strategy implementation. Second, those conditions exhibiting important spatial dependency – such as agricultural potential, population density, and access to infrastructure and markets – are matched against a similarly characterized, spatially-referenced (GIS) database. This process generates both spatial (map) and tabular representations of strategy-specific development domains. An important benefit of a spatial (GIS) framework is that it provides a powerful means of organizing and integrating a very diverse range of disciplinary and data inputs. At a more conceptual level we propose that it is the characterization of location, not the narrowly-focused characterization of land, that is more properly the focus of attention from a development perspective. The paper includes appropriate examples of spatial analysis using data from East Africa and Burkina Faso, and concludes with an appendix describing and interpreting regional climate and soil data for Sub-Saharan Africa that was directly relevant to our original goal. | <urn:uuid:69c69842-add9-419a-a61a-ae2b18eeb4ea> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ifpri.org/publication/spatial-aspects-design-and-targeting-agricultural-development-strategies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395548.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00135-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935671 | 317 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Lesson Plan- (Pre K - K): Joshua & Jericho
Joshua and Jericho
Objectives: The children will be able to
- retell the story Joshua and Jericho
- explain that after Moses died Joshua led the people
- discuss that God asks us to be obedient servants and to do what is right (even when people make fun of us)
Prayer and questions from last week’s lesson.
Joshua & Jericho Word Wall- Word wall templates are large flash card printables that you can hang on the wall to aid children when they are learning or using new vocabulary words.
Introduce story: When Moses died, who led the people? (Joshua)
Read story: “The Walls That Fell” from the book Snip-And-Tell Bible Stories by Karyn Henley, page 28 & 29, and do cut outs while the story unfolds.
Then ask some questions from below.
1. Who led the people after Moses died? (Joshua)
2. What city did God say He would give them? (Jericho)
3. What surrounded Jericho? (A huge enormous stone wall.)
4. What did God tell Joshua to do for six days? (Have everyone march once around the city. Behind them seven priests would blow ram’s horns as they walked in front of the ark.
5. What did they do the seventh day? (They marched around the city seven times and had the priests blow their horns. When the priests gave a long blast on the ram’s horns it was a signal for everyone to shout.)
6. What happened when they did this? (The walls came crashing down.)
Songs and/or Finger Plays:
Introduce songs and/or finger plays: Who led the people after Moses died? (Joshua)
sundayschoolsources.com- Here We Go Round the Jericho Wall (Tune: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)
sundayschoolsources.com- March, March Around Jericho (Tune: Row, Row, Row your Boat)
sundayschoolsources.com- Jericho's Wall Came Falling Down (Tune: London Bridge is Falling Down)
Introduce activities: What city did God say He would give them? (Jericho)
hennypenny.ourjunction.com- Joshua Battle of Jericho lesson with activities
childrensermons.com- Walls of Jericho object lesson
Baptist-church.suite101.com- Joshua and the Battle of Jericho lesson with activities
missionarlington.org- Joshua and Jericho (scroll down to Preschool Lesson)
clclutheran.org- Tower of Babel preschool lesson
ministry-to-children.com- Lesson: Going Into God’s Place (Joshua and the Battle of Jericho)
daniellesplace.com- Joshua (activities)
Bring a big tub of Legos and have the children build Jericho. (It’s amazing to see what they will come up on their own.)
Introduce movie: What surrounded Jericho? (A huge enormous stone wall.)
Veggie Tales: Josh & The Big Wall (30 minutes) and ask questions:
Note: You can skip “Silly Songs With Larry”
1. How long did the Israelites travel in the desert? (40 years)
2. When Moses died, who became the Israelites new leader? (Joshua)
3. Joshua asked the people of Jericho to leave. Did they do what he asked? (No)
4. Did some of the Israelites want to go back to Egypt? (Yes)
5. Who did Joshua get help from? (God)
6. What did God tell Joshua to do for six days? March once around the city with soldiers. Behind them seven priests would carry rams horns ahead of the ark.
7. What did they do the seventh day? (They marched around the city seven times and had the priests blow their horns. When the priests gave a long blast on the ram’s horns it was a signal for everyone to shout.
8. Who will take care of the Israelites if they will follow Him? (God)
9. Did the walls of Jericho fall down? (Yes)
Introduce craft: What did the priests blow when they went around the wall? (Ram’s Horns)
makingfriends.com- Joshua's Shofar
Follow the directions provided or you can decorate a large piece of brown craft paper with stamped or painted designs (the kids can color using markers, crayons etc too). Apply glue to the back of the brown paper after decorating, and then wrap it while still wet round the party horn. Trim excess, bend the open end up a little as shown in photo above. Let dry. You need: New Year's/birthday Party Horn (dollar store), brown craft paper, white glue, rubber stamps and ink pads or paint and brushes, glitter, and scissors.
Jericho’s Trumpet Blast- What could be more fun than making a paper towel roll trumpet and pretending to be part of Joshua’s army? (Preschool Christian Crafts by Linda Standke, page 20 & 21.)
Ram Horn Trumpet- Easy and fun horn craft to blow the mighty walls of Jericho down. (Crafts from your favorite Bible Stories by Kathy Ross, page 24 & 25).
Empty paper towel roll (one per child)
Wax paper squares
Rubber bands (one per child)
Markers and crayons
Help the children make horns. Let them each decorate a paper towel tube with markers and crayons. Place a square of wax paper on one end of the tube and secure it with a rubber band. Use a pencil to poke a hole in the wax paper. Show children how to blow the horns like kazoos.
gospelhall.org- The Walls of Jericho
Print out black and white pages of The Walls of Jericho (page 1 & 2) for the children to color and make into a 3D model.
hennypenny.ourjunction.com- Joshua Battle of Jericho Story Wheel (scroll near the bottom)
The Walls of Jericho- Bible Story Wheel (Bible Wheels to Make and Enjoy by Carmen Sorvillo, page 21 & 22.)
Introduce game: What did God tell Joshua to do for six days? March once around the city with soldiers. Behind them seven priests would carry rams horns ahead of the ark.) What did they do the seventh day? (They marched around the city seven times and had the priests blow their horns. When the priests gave a long blast on the ram’s horns it was a signal for everyone to shout.)
Have the children make a wall out of cardboard boxes and reenact the story of Joshua and Jericho using their horns and knocking the wall down.
The Walls Fall Down- This game will help your kids experience the victory that God gave to Joshua and the Israelites at Jericho. (The Encyclopedia of Bible Games for Children's Ministry by Group Publishing, page 39.)
Joshua Obeys- Kids will build a circular wall, march around it, knock it over, and remember how Joshua obeyed God. (The Humongous Book of Games for Children's Ministry by Group Publishing, page 67.)
This game is free, however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.
Walls of Jericho (file folder game)- The first player to go around Jericho 7 times and receive 7 tokens wins.
Introduce snack: What surrounded Jericho? A huge enormous stone wall.
Walls of Jericho- An edible craft that the children can make and eat.
Jericho Wall- Break graham crackers into fourths and use peanut butter to make the walls of Jericho (like a sandwich).
Prayers while students are doing coloring and/or puzzles.
bible-stories-library.com- Walls of Jericho (coloring) Joshua 6:20
first-school.ws- The Walls of Jericho (coloring)
4catholiceducators.com- Battle of Jericho (coloring)
ourpreciouslambs.com- Jericho (coloring)
Bringing Down The Wall of Jericho- Easy to make reproducible mini books that the children can color and keep. (Old Testament Take-Home Bible Stories PK – Grade 2 by Thomas Ewald, page 63.)
Joshua Horn (handwriting)
The Battle of Jericho (maze)- Obedience Bible Story Puzzles: PK - K by Enelle Eder, page 29.
Wall of Jericho (maze)- Bible Story Puzzles: PK - K by Linda Standke, page 11.
Joshua and Jericho (find the hidden picture)- Hidden Pictures Explore Hidden Treasures in God's Word: PK - K by Linda Standke, page 10.
The Trumpet Blast! (dot-to-dot)- Dot-to-Dot Bible Pictures: PK – K by Linda Standke, page 10.
The Battle at Jericho (color by number) page 38, Wall of Jericho (maze) page 39, Joshua and Jericho (find the hidden picture) page 40, The Trumpet Blast (dot-to-dot) page 4- Bible Story Puzzle ‘n’ Learn! PK - K
The Wall of Jericho (color by number)- Name That Bible Character! PK – K by Sharon Thompson, page 15. (Click on Sample and go to page 15.) | <urn:uuid:ac807b41-bfbb-4ef6-8f02-ae61098c96d5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://catholicblogger1.blogspot.com/2009/11/lesson-plan-pre-k-k-joshua-jericho.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00047-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.899766 | 2,049 | 3.8125 | 4 |
cases, your doctor may decide that they need a sample of your tissue or your
cells to help diagnose an illness or identify a cancer. This removal of tissue
or cells for analysis is called a biopsy.
biopsy may sound scary, it’s important to remember that most are entirely
pain-free and low-risk procedures. Depending on your situation, a piece of
skin, tissue, organ, or suspected tumor will be surgically removed and sent to
a lab for testing.
Why a Biopsy Is Done
If you have
been experiencing symptoms normally associated with cancer, and your doctor has
located an area of concern, they may order a biopsy to help determine if that
area is cancerous.
A biopsy is
the only sure way to diagnosis most cancers. Imaging tests like CT scans and
X-rays can help identify areas of concerns, but they can’t differentiate
between cancerous and noncancerous cells.
typically associated with cancer, but just because your doctor orders a biopsy,
it doesn’t mean that you have cancer. Doctors use biopsies to test whether
abnormalities in your body are caused by cancer or by other conditions.
a woman might have a lump in her breast. An imaging test would confirm the
lump, but a biopsy is the only way to determine whether it’s breast cancer or
another noncancerous condition, such as polycystic fibrosis.
Types of Biopsies
several different kinds of biopsies. Your doctor will choose the type to use
based on your condition and the area of your body that needs closer review.
type, you’ll be given local anesthesia to numb the area where the incision is
Bone Marrow Biopsy
of your larger bones, like the hip or the femur in your leg, blood cells are
produced in a spongy material called marrow.
If your doctor
suspects that there are problems with your blood, you may undergo a bone marrow
biopsy. This test can single out both cancerous and noncancerous conditions like
leukemia, anemia, infection, or lymphoma. The test is also used to check if
cancer cells from another part of the body have spread to your bones.
is most easily accessed using a long needle inserted into your hipbone. This
may be done in a hospital or doctor’s office. The insides of your bones cannot
be numbed, so some people feel a dull pain during this procedure. Others,
however, only feel an initial sharp pain as the local anesthetic is injected.
biopsies are used to reach tissue inside the body in order to gather samples
from places like the bladder, colon, or lung.
procedure, your doctor uses a flexible thin tube called an endoscope. The
endoscope has a tiny camera and a light at the end. A video monitor allows them
to view the images. Small surgical tools are also inserted into the endoscope.
Using the video, the doctor can guide these to collect a sample.
endoscope can be inserted through a small incision in your body, or through any
opening in the body, including the mouth, nose, rectum, or urethra. Endoscopies
normally take anywhere from five to 20 minutes.
procedure can be done in a hospital or in a doctor’s office. Afterward, you
might feel mildly uncomfortable, or have bloating, gas, or a sore throat. These
will all pass in time, but if you are concerned, you should contact your
biopsies are used to collect skin samples, or for any tissue that is easily
accessible under the skin. The different types of needle biopsies include the following.
- Core needle biopsies use medium-sized needle to
extract a column of tissue, in the same way that core samples are taken from
- Fine needle biopsies use a thin needle that is attached to a
syringe, allowing fluids and cells to be drawn out.
- Image-guided biopsies are guided with imaging procedures — such
as X-ray or CT scans — so your doctor can access specific areas, such as the
lung, liver, or other organs.
- Vacuum-assisted biopsies use suction from a vacuum
to collect cells.
The Risks of a Biopsy
procedure that involves breaking the skin carries the risk of infection or
bleeding. However, as the incision is small, especially in needle biopsies, the
risk is much lower.
How to Prepare for a Biopsy
require no preparation on the part of the patient. If you have a problem with
needles, you should talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner about ways to
ease your anxiety.
before a medical procedure, tell your doctor what medications and supplements
you take. You may need to stop taking certain drugs before a biopsy, such as
aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
Following up After a Biopsy
tissue sample is taken, your doctors will need to analyze it. In some cases,
this analysis can be done at the time of procedure. More often, however, the
sample will need to be sent to a laboratory for testing. The results can take
anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
results arrive, your doctor may call you to share the results, or ask you to
come in for a follow-up appointment to discuss the next steps.
results showed signs of cancer, your doctor should be able to tell the type and
the cancer’s level of aggression from your biopsy. They will use those results
to prepare a treatment course for you.
results are negative, it’s not cancer. Your doctor will probably still want to
follow up. Your biopsy might have shown a different problem that needs
treatment. If not, your doctor will need to do other tests to identify the
causes of the problems that brought you to the office in the first place. | <urn:uuid:acca43c2-8778-4072-8f4c-d0b5f36da0a4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.aarpmedicareplans.com/health/biopsy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393442.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00104-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911568 | 1,285 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site
Timber rafts at Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Lock. April 18, 1916© National Archives of Canada / PA-211603, April 18 1916
Originally used for trading purposes, the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal was part of the Montreal-Ottawa-Kingston inland waterway. Opened in 1843 this canal simplified the transportation of wood until the beginning of the 20th century. Like the other canals in Quebec, it gradually switched from being a commercial canal to a recreational canal and tourist attraction.
Learn more about the canal, its history, its role and operational manoeuvres by traveling through the Interpretation Panels Circuit. You will discover the importance of the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue canal for the commercial development of Canada. | <urn:uuid:75df480c-f056-417d-b61e-2264d18b5350> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/qc/annedebellevue/edu.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00053-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.86944 | 182 | 3.09375 | 3 |
By Mark Gordienko
British Columbia has a rich legacy of labour. It’s in our life blood. From the fur trade and coal mines of the late 19th century, to the lumber mills and mines of the 20th century and the construction boom of today, labour has and continues to serve as the backbone of the B.C. economy.
While labour plays a critical role in a number of sectors, it maintains a unique relationship with our resource industry: labour has allowed this province to capitalize on its natural resources for decades of economic prosperity.
In turn, the resource industry has provided good, family-supporting jobs, enabling generations of British Columbians to put food on the table, kids in school, and a roof overhead.
According to BC Stats, the forest industry, including logging, wood product and paper manufacturers, has employed an average of 83,500 workers since 1987.
The mining, oil and gas industry, including mineral, petroleum, chemical and plastic product manufacturers, has employed approximately 35,500 individuals, on average.
It’s important to recognize that the domestic resource sector also generates indirect employment in other areas, such as machinery and equipment distributors. This industry, which supplies the heavy machinery used in forestry and mining operations, has provided more than 17,700 jobs, on average.
Or consider the construction industry, which is frequently contracted to build natural resource-supporting infrastructure and has employed more than 140,000 labourers, on average.
Then there is the transportation and warehousing sector, which is essential to the movement of B.C. goods. This sector, which includes rail, water and truck transportation, as well as warehousing, has employed an average of 47,700 workers each year.
Workers in the transportation industry, including more than 3,000 International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) members, help facilitate the export of local products.
Natural resource exports add tremendous value to B.C. products and labour. They enable local businesses to access new markets, boost their profitability, and pay workers better wages.
According to Natural Resources Canada, natural resources account for 80 percent of British Columbia’s exports and 100,000 direct jobs. BC Stats figures indicate that workers in the natural resource sector earn nearly 58 percent more than the average B.C. salary.
A significant portion of B.C.’s exports are handled everyday by ILWU members at key export terminals in Port Metro Vancouver, Canada’s largest port.
Port Metro Vancouver, as a key facilitator of exports, underscores the significant role of exports in the provincial economy and for labour: not only is the port responsible for more than 76,000 jobs in B.C., it also supports jobs that pay about 45 percent more than the average B.C. wage.
Exports, and the workers along the supply chain, are crucial to the continued prosperity of British Columbia.
As is the need to keep growing our ports’ capacity, evidenced by the recent decision to expand Fraser Surrey Docks, which will develop the necessary infrastructure to handle increased exports and keep good paying jobs here in B.C.
As I look back at the four decades I’ve spent helping B.C. products reach foreign markets, I can’t help but swell with pride.
While labour in B.C. has changed dramatically over that time, there is little doubt that the grit, character and essential role of our local workers has remained the same.
Today, I call on all British Columbians to take this opportunity to reflect on how labour touches so many aspects of our lives.
Join me in celebrating the individuals who drive the provincial economy, who build communities across B.C., support families through their hard work, help us capitalize on our natural resource endowment, and enable all residents of this province to enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world.
This Labour Day, we should all be proud of B.C.’s labour legacy and be grateful for the future opportunities it affords our province.
Mark Gordienko is President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada. | <urn:uuid:767444e2-d559-4699-bdc6-ad65b0c772f5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.asianpacificpost.com/article/6402-celebrating-bc%E2%80%99s-labour-legacy.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402516.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00173-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942126 | 854 | 2.703125 | 3 |
The Kite Runner Theme of Religion
Early on in The Kite Runner it seems like there are only two approaches to religion. Either you're an extremist like the protagonist's teacher, who considers drinking an offense punishable by hell, or you're liberal like the protagonist's father, who thinks religion is silly and drinking is fun. Also, religion justifies some of the horrific acts in the book. However, by the end of the novel we do see the development of religious sentiment based on spiritual awakening and recourse to God in times of suffering. We wonder, however, if this development is enough to counter the novel's earlier depictions of religion as a justification for cruelty.
Questions About Religion
- Is the character of Baba just as close-minded about Islam as Mullah Fatiullah Khan (Amir's teacher) is about Baba's occasional scotch? Or is Baba not close-minded at all and instead just indifferent to religion?
- What role does Amir's spiritual awakening play in the novel? Why do you think Hosseini included it in the plot?
- It's easy to forget about Ali's faith in the novel since Hosseini rarely mentions it. Hosseini does, however, describe Hassan and Ali reciting their daily prayers. Do you think Amir aspires to Ali's practice of faith later in the novel? Does Amir discard both his father's approach to faith and Mullah Fatiullah Khan's in favor of Ali's?
- Late in the novel, Amir and Farid (Amir's driver in Afghanistan and Pakistan) witness a public stoning. Two adulterers are put in hole in the ground, blindfolded, and stoned. Baba also commits adultery in the novel. Do Amir and his father avoid punishment for their "sins"? | <urn:uuid:1aa57609-b087-4991-8d45-49e7b9c84ed1> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.shmoop.com/kite-runner/religion-theme.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395548.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00009-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972534 | 367 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Although “comprise” is used primarily to mean “to include,” it is also often stretched to mean “is made up of”—a meaning that some critics object to. The most cautious route is to avoid using “of” after any form of “comprise” and substitute “is composed of” in sentences like this: “Jimmy’s paper on Marxism was composed entirely of sentences copied off the Marx Brothers Home Page.”
There’s a lot of disagreement about the proper use of “comprise,” but most authorities agree that the whole comprises the parts: “Our pets comprise one dog, two cats, and a turtle.” The whole comes first, then “comprise” followed by the parts. But there’s so much confusion surrounding the usage of this word that it may be better to avoid it altogether.
Return to list of errors
Read about the book. | <urn:uuid:babdaa91-e6fe-4df1-97ab-1c90ca81db42> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://public.wsu.edu/%7Ebrians/errors/comprised.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396459.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949483 | 206 | 3.296875 | 3 |
Leslie Owen Wilson/Updated Spring 2002
10-12 grade, Advanced Foods
Number of Students: 25
Length of Lesson: 50 minutes, 1 class period
Aim: The students will be able to identify and understand types and the importance of vitamins and minerals.
Goal: The students will be able to identify the functions and sources of different vitamins and minerals.
~The students will be able to list the functions of 5 vitamins and 5 minerals.
~The students will be able to identify the sources of those vitamins and minerals.
~The students will list at least one symptom of a deficiency for each vitamin and mineral.
~The students will list at least one symptom of a toxicity for each vitamin and mineral.
~The students will learn to devise and organize informational summaries based on their investigations and research of assigned vitamins and minerals.
~The students will write a personal reflection on how they would change their diet to include sufficient amounts of essential vitamins and minerals.
~The students will learn to work in collaborative groups.
The Jigsaw Configuration and Method: The Jigsaw Model is a social model of learning and requires students to be pre-assigned to both expert (teaching) groups and instructional (learning) groups.
Subject areas, or specified content information, are divided so that instructional collaborative groups can be formed. For this exercise, the class is divided into two assigned sections -- expert groups and instructional groups. In the expert group students read, discuss, and develop assigned materials or concepts into a teaching presentation for peers. After the preparation period, a student (or two if the numbers are odd) from each expert group is assigned to teach in an instructional group. In these instructional groups each expert teaches his or her portion to other members.
Expert groupings should be based on the number of students divided by number of concepts to be taught. This peer teaching exercise needs to occur within a designated time period. Expert groups ( the teachers) usually consist of 3-7 members. Configurations for instructional groups are usually 3-6 members with 4 or 5 participants being ideal.
If there are an uneven number of students, there can be student experts can be paired and assigned to the same instructional group, thus sharing the teaching tasks. Try to keep in mind that groupings for the instructional group should not exceed 6 members.
this lesson each expert group is assigned a mineral and a vitamin to research. Specifically, students
are to research the vitamin�s and mineral�s function, source, as well as and
symptoms of both deficiency and toxicity. This
information is compiled over two classes periods prior to the instructional presentation.
The class period before the presentation, the �expert group� decides on both specific content to be presented and teaching strategies to be used. Each person has 5-10 minutes to present his or her expert information.
The day of the presentations, students meet in their pre-assigned instructional groups to exchange information. Each student expert offers members of the instructional group his/her information and participants are asked take notes on the vitamins and minerals in a table format.
The class period after the jigsaw exchange of information, students will discuss exchanged material and collected information about each vitamin and mineral and then this material will be reviewed for accuracy. Students will also be asked to reflect on the jigsaw process. Questions would be asked such as: What did you like about this activity? What did you dislike about this activity? How did you feel about teaching your peers about the vitamin or mineral you were an expert on? How did you learn the most information about the minerals and vitamins? What would you do differently next time?
The students will be asked to summarize the vitamin and mineral they researched. Then, they will write personal reflections on how they will change their diets to include sufficient amounts of presented vitamins and minerals. This portion of the exercise will be collected due in 3 days.
|Links Pages||Back to Lesson Plans|
To Graffiti Sample Contact Leslie | <urn:uuid:9a13b1d9-62d0-4b2f-9586-5975e8f451d5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www4.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/lessons/jigsaw/1jigsaw.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399428.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00009-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933025 | 814 | 3.875 | 4 |
Given the changing demographics of the nationís workforce over the next two decades, the current educational
disparities among racial/ethnic groups are projected to lead to a decline in the educational level of the U.S.
workforce as a whole. This drop in the levels of education completed would in turn result in a decrease
in personal income per capita among Americans.
This analysis is drawn from three projections, all based on both demographic trends and a continuation
of current disparities in personal income levels by ethnic group, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.2
The three projections differ as follows:
2Population projections are based on historical rates of change for immigration, birth, and death. Asian-Americans/Pacific Islanders are not included
in these projections because their level of education completed outpaces that of whites.
- Projection 1: Current educational gaps remain (but they do not continue to widen). This projection
assumes the status quo: that current levels and gaps in levels of education completed among racial/ethnic
populations would remain as they are. This means that inequality would persist within and among states
in the educational levels of racial/ethnic groups.
- Projection 2: Parity within each state. This projection assumes substantial improvement: that schools,
colleges, and universities within each state would raise the levels of education completed of African-
Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and Native Americans to that of whites currently in the state. However,
inequality would persist among states in the educational levels of their residents.
- Projection 3: Parity across the U.S. This projection offers a best-case scenario: that schools, colleges,
and universities nationwide would raise the level of education completed of African-Americans,
Hispanics/Latinos, and Native Americans to that of whites currently in the five best-performing states. | <urn:uuid:f5692230-6e52-42fa-b65f-14eb59d2f2a1> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.highereducation.org/reports/pa_decline/decline-impact-demographics.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00175-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961743 | 387 | 3.296875 | 3 |
CAMPAIGNS AND EDUCATION
An annual survey undertaken by NOP (latterly MORI) for Dogs Trust has consistently
shown that over 100,000 dogs a year stray. The number of strays euthanased has reduced
from 40,000 in 1992 to less than 8,000 in 2006, partly as a result of public education
campaigns and as a result of pro-active neutering by animal welfare charities and some
local authorities. This is a reflection of owner attitudes and therefore education of owners
is a crucial technique in reducing the number of strays.
Many local authorities find themselves with a growing population of kennelled dogs with
no hope of finding their owner, or new homes for them. Even when the owner is known,
the prospect of paying a fine, lack of transport, and other reasons may lead to the dog
remaining unclaimed. As a result a significant proportion of stray dogs impounded by
local authorities are destroyed.
In recent years many local authorities have seen the benefits of expanding services
beyond the legal minimum remit required by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and
Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996. Innovative campaign schemes have been introduced,
often in partnership with animal welfare charities or the private sector, to tackle the root
causes of poor dog ownership as a ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach. Two initiatives,
which tackle many of the issues above effectively, are microchipping and neutering.
Reducing the number of strays
There are various ways that local authorities can facilitate microchipping schemes within
their area. They can provide venues for voluntary organisations to visit and hold clinics.
Many have started their own microchipping service, training their staff to implant the
microchips, and these have been variously provided at reduced cost, cost price, and free
of charge. Authorities can provide local knowledge of their area, highlighting areas where
stray dogs are more prevalent and assist with the publicity of events planned. Effective
animal welfare officers know their target audience.
Experience has shown that microchipping schemes reduce the stray dog population, and
because stray dogs cannot pick up their own mess, complaints about fouling reduce
accordingly. One local authority reported that, one year after the introduction of a
microchipping scheme, there was a 20 per cent reduction in the number of stray dogs
handled, and an 18 per cent reduction in the number of complaints about dog fouling.
Thus a clear relationship between microchipping, stray dogs, and dog fouling was identified.
Microchipping provides an instant benefit, as many of the target animals stray every day,
and therefore the stray dog population has the potential to reduce immediately.
● Each dog microchipped is one less potential unclaimed stray to kennel and dispose of
● Each time a dog is microchipped, it provides an opportunity for educating the owner
about responsible dog ownership
● The chance of identifying a dog that fouls are improved
● Each dog microchipped has the potential to save the local authority money.
The practical issues for officers enforcing this legislation are that there is often little or no
contact between the owner and veterinary surgeons, so vaccination, worming, flea
treatment, microchipping and neutering never arise as an issue until the owner has either
lost his dog, or an unwanted litter is produced. These duties can provide officers with an
excellent opportunity to offer advice to owners in relation to their responsibilities and how
best to care for their dog.
Neutering is a generic term to cover castration in dogs and spaying in bitches, both surgical
procedures to prevent mating resulting in a litter. Neutering schemes are aimed principally
at preventing the unwanted litters that are associated with stray dogs but there are also
medical benefits for the individual dog as well. Neutering therefore benefits dogs and
bitches, their owners and local authorities. Neutering has a number of beneficial effects
on the dog:
● Preventing unwanted litters, many of which could be dumped or rehomed
● Helping to control aggression and hyperactivity
● Preventing bitches coming into season, eliminating mess in the house, and
preventing the attention of stray male dogs
● Preventing or reducing the risk of uterine infections in bitches and testicular cancer
● Reducing the urge to stray
● Reducing the risk of dogs forming packs
● Controlling inappropriate sexual behaviour, particularly in male dogs.
Neutering schemes can run within local authorities in partnership with charities and welfare
organisations. Neutering schemes can target key hot spot areas of straying and
fouling.The impact of neutering schemes is less immediate than microchipping, simply
because reaching reproductive age and actual reproduction takes time. It is never possible
to say exactly how many dogs have been prevented as a result of neutering one animal.
However most bitches, given the freedom to breed, will have one or two litters a year and
may have up to 10 puppies in each until relatively late in life. Each bitch puppy may start
breeding at six months of age and so contribute themselves to the population.
Tackling dog fouling
Local authorities generally have three levels of intervention with dog fouling:
Picking dog mess up off the streets
This is the lowest level of intervention, but deals with the immediate problem of street
cleanliness. It does nothing to catch the perpetrators or change behaviour. Simply picking
up waste could be seen as condoning and even encouraging dog fouling to occur.
Furthermore the costs to local authorities are significant, with one estimate being £22 million
in England alone.
Faeces disposal bins
The provision of disposal bins is an essential public service to assist keepers of dogs in
their public duty to pick up faeces after their dogs. The number of bins has increased
significantly over the past decade and local authorities are encouraged to provide them,
especially in public areas where dogs frequently exercise.
Enforcing the dog fouling legislation
Although enforcement may be difficult and expensive (it is difficult to witness and requires
lots of resources) it is an essential element of any control programme. A temporary increase
in officer resources can assist in public education about legislation and encourage support
for the authority in controlling fouling among dog owners as well as the general public.
A successful education campaign is the most effective form of intervention because it
secures a permanent change in behaviour.
Poop scoop campaigns
Giving away poop scoops is one of the most cost-effective methods in changing behaviour.
Because much of the dog fouling occurs outside of regular office hours, the cost of one
evening patrol at overtime can buy approximately 10,000 poop
scoops to give away! If only half of these are used it still means
much cleaner streets and smaller cleaning-up costs. No other
method can bring about such a benefit with so little effort.
Grab it Bag it Bin it
Poop scoops can also be used to advertise council services and get across key messages.
They can be given away during microchipping and neutering events and by park rangers,
street wardens, and ward councillors. Some authorities give awards when they see
responsible owners picking up.
The power of the media can never be underestimated. Press releases are free and local
media are usually looking for stories and will support campaigns which can help to:
● Promote positive messages about using poop scoops
● Advertise neutering and microchipping work
● Promote enforcement work. Experience has shown that the prospect of being
caught is the deterrent that stops offences
● Publicise prosecutions and name and shame offenders
● Encourage witnesses to come forward
There may be campaigns to join, such as National Pet Month, which can be used to
supports all these objectives.
In the longer term a concerted media campaign can change behaviour amongst irresponsible
dog owners in a way that one to one contact never can, because dog fouling becomes
socially unacceptable throughout the community.
Working with schools
Children are the dog owners of tomorrow and
their education can change attitudes in the long
term. Many animal welfare charities provide free
education materials to schools which are
designed to fit within the national curriculum.
Animal welfare officers can talk to groups or a Photo: Clive Tagg
school assembly in accordance with the agreed Education officer with children
format for school talks. There are a number of recommendations for working with children.
Most of these are for the animal welfare officer’s own protection.
● The local authority must be in possession of a full Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)
check for the animal welfare officer, which should include the section ‘Access to
● The officer should be accompanied by a member of the school staff at all times and
never be left alone with children
● The officer should not touch or come into physical contact with children.
● Children should not be frightened by the presentation which should be given in a
language and tone of voice appropriate to the age of the children
● It is the responsibility of the accompanying member of school staff to chastise
● Written permission must be obtained from the head/organising teacher to take
photographs for publicity. It is advisable to seek further advice on this matter from
the legal department.
● Taking a dog into a school can be both an attraction and a distraction. It is important
to obtain the permission of the school. Authority must be obtained before taking a
dog into school and public liability insurance checked. Some children may be frightened
by the dog and it should be removed if this is the case.
● A dog should be of known suitable temperament and confident in the presence of
children. It should be kept on a lead, closely controlled, well groomed and have
been wormed within the past three months.
● The welfare of the dog must be a primary consideration and it should be removed if
any signs of stress are shown. Obviously if the dog defecates on the school premises
faeces should be removed immediately and the area washed with disinfectant if
Dog training classes
Dog training classes are usually run by enthusiastic and experienced individuals. However
they may have no formal qualification and quality can vary. Animal welfare officers should
be aware of classes available in their area and their quality. Anyone who recommends a
dog training facility, be they vet or animal welfare officer, should understand what is good
and what is not. All training should be achieved by kindness and reward and methods
causing pain are not recommended.
Working with the Kennel Club
The Kennel Club licenses over 7000 canine events every year but the management of
these events lie in the hands of approximately 2000 dog clubs in the UK, catering for
every breed and every interest in the dog world. These dog clubs have all been set up by
enthusiasts and some have been in existence as long as the Kennel Club itself. There are
several categories of clubs all catering for people with different interests. Animal welfare
officers may be invited to various club functions throughout the year, plus it may prove
beneficial to build relationships with the various organisations.
Good Citizen Dog Scheme
Many dog owners start dog training via the Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Dog Scheme
(GCDS). The scheme is the largest programme in the UK with over 110,000 dogs and
owners passing through the Scheme since its inception in 1992. It teaches responsible
dog ownership as well as training for everyday situations. The scheme is open to all dogs,
large and small, regardless of age or breed and its primary aim is to promote responsible
dog ownership and, in turn, help make the community aware of the benefits associated
with a well behaved dog. Through the Scheme, dog training courses, lasting eight to 10
weeks, are organised by over 1000 dog training clubs, adult education centres and councils
throughout the country. The Scheme is deliberately non-competitive and is made fun for
both dog and owner alike. There are three levels - bronze, silver and gold - and areas
covered include cleanliness and identification, sit, stay, rejoining the handler on command
and walking on the lead under control. At the end of each course a testing session is held
by a Kennel Club approved organisation and the examiner will be either an animal welfare
officer, recognised Kennel Club judge, member of the British Institute of Professional Dog
Trainers, or a police/service dog handler. Animal welfare officers can qualify as examiners
and, as great emphasis is placed on educating dog owners about their responsibility to
their local community, for example ensuring that owners are aware of local byelaws, clean
up after their dogs and keep their dogs under control at all times, GCDS Clubs will certainly
be of benefit to the animal welfare officer’s role.
Safe and Sound
The Kennel Club Safe and Sound Award Scheme was launched in November 2003 as an
educational website. Its purpose is to promote the safety of interaction between children
and dogs. The constant development and updating of the scheme ensures that parents,
teachers, children or other enthusiasts can continually learn the ‘safe and sound’ principles.
For more details contact the Kennel Club. Their details are in the useful contacts section.
There are over 200 breeds of dog recognised by the Kennel Club and nearly all breeds
have at least one breed club. More unusual breeds have only one club, but really popular
breeds, like the cocker spaniel, boast over 20 clubs. The people who set up and belong
to these clubs are breed enthusiasts who may have been involved with a particular breed
all their lives, or be keen newcomers. Dog owners who are serious about showing their
dog usually become a member of their breed club as they offer more expert advice on the
chosen breed. As these clubs are for breed enthusiasts, they will be involved with all sorts
of activities that promote the well being and understanding of their particular breed. As
well as societies dedicated to specific breeds there are hundreds of clubs catering for
dog lovers on a regional basis.
General canine societies
Many clubs are geared towards more general interests and to scheduling shows and
some also run classes. There are hundreds of clubs set up specifically to cater for the
sports of obedience, agility and flyball, working trials, and field Trials and gundog working
tests and many of these clubs cater for more than one discipline. For further information
contact the Kennel Club (see contacts list).
Other animal clubs
Animal welfare officers may encounter a number of different clubs devoted to all animals
including birds, horses and exotics. National organisations to which such clubs may be
affiliated are listed in the useful contacts section at the back of the Handbook. | <urn:uuid:cc1cac70-8f64-44bc-b10c-14833dfc1a52> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.slideshare.net/dogstrust/handbook-chapter-5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00022-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948154 | 3,104 | 2.921875 | 3 |
The Fort Harrison: Its Heritage and Tradition
A history of gracious living brought to life in photo display and booklet
The women sat under the shade of a large, white umbrella. Wide-brimmed hats protected their fair skin from the sun’s heat. How they managed to look so cool and comfortable in those long dresses over layers of slips and petticoats we may never know.
That 1932 image taken of visitors to the Fort Harrison in a simpler time was one of the many photographs on display as part of the Fort Harrison’s 75th Anniversary open house. It and many other historical photographs were also captured in a booklet, “The Fort Harrison: Celebrating 75 Years of Heritage and Tradition.”
The historical display and booklet both highlight each succeeding decade, marking the different eras of the hotel’s 75 years, beginning with its construction in Florida’s boom years during the 1920s.
In 1925, Florida’s population was 75,000—a third of whom were said to be real estate agents. The population of cities throughout Florida was growing faster than the existing infrastructures could handle. For example, Miami’s population was growing so fast that officials there took measures to avert famine. There were frequent ice shortages and public utilities were hard pressed to keep up the demand for electricity, gas and phone service. Real estate advertising in the local Miami Daily News swelled to 504 pages.
Clearwater was seeing a similar boom, with accommodations at a premium. The city needed a large, luxury hotel in the heart of downtown.
Through the careful planning and financing of Ed Haley, construction of the Fort Harrison began in 1925. Over the next year and a half, the local newspaper ran stories about the hotel’s progress. Large ads placed in the same paper informed locals about the large amount of new residents that the project was bringing to the town—including skilled construction workers, plumbers and electricians.
The Fort Harrison officially opened in December of 1926 with a large dinner and dance in what would become the Crystal Ballroom. From that point forward, it became a social and cultural center for Clearwater. Most recently, the Fort Harrison has again become a popular location for weddings receptions, banquets and other special events. In addition to the renovated and restored Crystal Ballroom and Auditorium, the gardens and poolside pavilion are also popular venues for these occasions.
The photographic history also highlights the World War II era in Clearwater. The Fort Harrison billeted the 588th Army Airborne Squadron, but soldiers from all over the country stayed there while receiving military training. In seeing the photos, one can almost hear the echo of the soldier’s feet as they ran off to muster in front of the Pinellas County Courthouse in the early hours of the morning.
The post-war years through the 1950s marked an era of growth and prosperity for Florida’s west coast, including Clearwater. In response to a development boom, U.S. Highway 19 leading into Clearwater from the north was widened, and in 1954 the Sunshine Skyway was constructed, an engineering marvel of a bridge creating another link to the city from the outside world.
It was also during this time in the 1950s that the Fort Harrison was the springtime home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The hotel, then run by the Jack Tar Corporation, would undergo many changes and modernizations over the next 15 years, and by the 1960s it was being touted as a major convention center and a “Brilliantly Modern Motor Hotel.”
As described in the informative booklet, the Fort Harrison also played in the history of rock’n’roll (Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones wrote the rock classic “Satisfaction” while staying there in 1965) and the beginnings of the Clearwater Jazz Holiday (jazz greats such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie performed in the hotel during the early 1970s).
But into the 1970s, new housing developments and shopping malls on the city’s outskirts drew people from the city center and the pace of life in downtown Clearwater slowed. The Fort Harrison was not surviving as a commercial hotel and its owners decided to sell it off.
The building, purchased by the Church of Scientology in 1975, has since been restored to its original grandeur and beyond. While originally serving as the base of the Church’s international religious retreat, facilities are now once again open to the public, continuing its tradition as a valuable community asset.
The display and booklet—“The Fort Harrison: Celebrating Seventy-Five years of Heritage and Tradition”—commemorates in pictures and words the history of this Clearwater landmark, which mirrors the very history of the city.
The Clearwater and Pinellas County Historical Societies, the Tampa Library and local residents provided stories and photos for this 20 page publication. A limited number of copies are available at no cost by writing to Downtown Relations Director, 503 Cleveland St., Clearwater, Florida, 33755. | <urn:uuid:691dc33d-e998-4484-8b1a-30197a79bc3b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.freedommag.org/english/cw/iss15/page07.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00153-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962163 | 1,047 | 2.84375 | 3 |
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