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However, scholars in Gibbon's time were unsure of the exact point in the Roman succession that the name transitioned to an imperial title.
Augustus as Pontifex Maximus
photographed at the Palazzo
Massimo in Rome by Mary
Aurelius Victor (in Traj. 348, ed. Artzen) says that Hadrian first received this title on his adoption; but as the adoption of Hadrian is still doubtful, and besides this, as Trajan, on his death-bed, was not likely to have created a new title for his successor, it is more probable that Aelius Verus was the first who was called Caesar when adopted by Hadrian. Spart. in Aelio Vero, 102.- W." - Footnote, Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Adoption certainly accounts for Augustus, who was adopted by Julius Caesar, and Tiberius, who was subsequently adopted by Augustus. Claudius assumed the name of Caesar upon accession without previous adoption but he was a direct descendant of Caesar's bloodline. Claudius later adopted Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (Nero) thus transmitting the name Caesar to him. So Gibbon's initial observations are correct. However, Gibbon seems to become a bit confused with the successions occurring in the Year of the Four Emperors.
Roman emperor Otho in 69 CE.
Photographed at The Louvre in Paris
by Mary Harrsch.
Publis Septimus Geta 3rd century CE.
Photographed at the Palazzo Altemps
in Rome by Mary Harrsch.
Following the Flavians, the emperor Nerva assumed the title as well then passed it on through adoption to his heir Caesar Nerva Traianus who, supposedly, adopted his heir Hadrian, passing the title to him. At this point our path once more converges with Gibbon.
I thought it was also interesting to read that to further distinguish the use of the name to designate the imperial heir, the title Nobilissimus (meaning "most noble") was added in the 3rd century CE beginning with Publius Septimius Geta. | <urn:uuid:565e3358-2354-4549-b671-64a39b5d2e10> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://ancientimes.blogspot.com/2011/07/hail-caesar-evolution-of-family-name-to.html?showComment=1317692802062 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395546.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00069-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969782 | 451 | 3 | 3 |
University of Sheffield‘s new £4.4 million Arthur Willis Environmental Centre will allow researchers to study future climate scenarios and their effects on local biology, including plants and social insects such as ants and bees. The energy-efficient greenhouse gave Bond Bryan Architects and builders William Birch & Sons Ltd an opportunity for some innovative work. The facility has been built to not only blend seamlessly into the surrounding woodlands and sit upon on WWII rubble infill, but also to allow bees to fly in and out!
With the bees traveling freely between the facility and the outdoors, scientists will be able to study their behavioral patterns as they travel to their nearby hives. The Centre is the new home of researchers studying the biology of plants and social insects in the hope of gaining new understanding of the effects of climate change and potentially improving crop production in developing regions. The greenhouse has 16 different control zones to simulate conditions in different climate zones and future climate scenarios.
Professor Lorraine Maltby, Head of the University´s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences stated: “As well as taking great strides to help solve some of the world´s most pressing environmental concerns, the Centre will also help improve the city´s biodiversity, with plants and beneficial insects being protected in the surrounding woodland.”
It is nice to see that the University is keeping its neighborhood in good shape while tackling problems across the channel and beyond. | <urn:uuid:ffcae74c-72ac-4d27-8d18-9c274828ec31> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://inhabitat.com/beehive-building-innovative-eco-research-center/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398209.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00093-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945329 | 282 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Field Guide to Liverwort Genera of Pacific North America
W. B. Schofield
Illustrated by Patricia Drukker-Brammall and Muriel Pacheco
- $30.00s paperback (9780295981949) Add to Cart
- hardcover not available
Field Guide to Liverworts of the North Pacific Coast is the first comprehensive guide to liverworts and hornworts from southernmost California to Alaska. Small and insignificant to the casual eye, liverworts and hornworts are sometimes confused with mosses and lichens. Yet botanically they are quite distinctive and under a hand lens, these plants can assume a surprising elegance.
- Published: 2002
- Subject Listing: Natural History
- Bibliographic information: 232 pp., 93 line drawings, 7 x 10 in.
- Territorial rights: N/A in Canada
- Published with: Global Forest Society, Vancouver and San Francisco
The book describes representative species of each genus in the Pacific Coastal region, and explains how to collect and identify liverworts with the naked eye or aided by a 12x hand lens. Keys are provided to assist the collector in deciphering and identifying genera. The book introduces the role of liverworts in vegetation, their distribution patterns, and a history of collecting in the region. Graceful and informative line drawings accompany detailed discussions of each genus. A substantial glossary and comprehensive checklist are included.
This useful guide to genera found abundantly in the region will be welcomed not only by the professional field botanist, but by the enterprising amateur naturalist who wishes to discover these bryophytes' unusual beauty and fascinating variety.
To view the genera descriptions online, visit: http://www.eflora.bc.ca
W. B. Schofield is professor emeritus of botany at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of Introduction to Bryology and Some Common Mosses of British Columbia and coauthor of An Evolutionary Survey of the Plant Kingdom and Plant Diversity: An Evolutionary Approach.
"Wilf Schofield is one of the most respected bryologists in North America. He has produced a comprehensive study of liverworts of the North Pacific region. Each liverwort genus is illustrated by an excellent, full-page scientific drawing that will make recognition easy. The substantial glossary is invaluable. This book is one of a kind- and one of high quality."
-Arthur R. Kruckeberg, author of The Natural History of Puget Sound Country | <urn:uuid:8ef91663-9a2e-4b9c-8074-f8cce40b6547> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/SCHFIE.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392527.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00148-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.859712 | 531 | 2.6875 | 3 |
From The Desk Of Clarence Bass
“We propose that intensity, in its truest sense, is the level of effort applied to a given load, defined as the number of repetitions performed in relation to the number possible.” James Fisher et al, Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Science, Southampton Solent University, UK (Medicina Sportiva, August 5, 2011)
Intensity, What Is It?
Intensity, Failure, Rep Range, Muscular Endurance, Specificity
Just about everyone agrees that intensity is the key to building strength. But what is it? What’s the precise definition? Some contend that poundage or load is the best measure of intensity; they say heavy weights are necessary for building strength. Others say, nonsense; poundage is, at best, a nebulous measure of intensity. These people assert that effort is the only true measure of intensity—and the primary stimulus for growth of strength.
I’ve written about earlier review studies on this topic; see Forget Heavy, Think Effort and Lifting—Many Ways that Work (links below). Now we have a brand new review study from UK exercise and sport scientists James Fisher, James Steele, Stewart Bruce-Low, and Dave Smith. These researchers are from Southampton Solent University and Manchester Metropolitan University. After a comprehensive review, they “propose a set of scientifically rigorous resistance training guidelines, reviewing and summarizing the relevant research for the purpose of proposing more logical, evidence-based training advice.” (Their review includes 167 references)
We’ll limit our discussion to intensity and related topics. As you’ll see, the UK researchers expand the discussion beyond where we’ve been before. Let’s begin with their definition of intensity.
It’s crucial that intensity be defined in a logical and meaningful way, say the UK researchers. Strength training literature, they tell us, often uses the term as a reference to the load or poundage used. For example, intensity is expressed as a percentage of one repetition maximum (%1RM). They believe that is, at best, misguided. “We propose that intensity, in its truest sense, is the level of effort applied to a given load, defined as the number of repetitions performed in relation to the number possible,” they write. “This definition permits only one accurate measure of intensity, that of 100%; when the participant can perform no more repetitions with a given resistance.”
That makes sense, doesn’t it? Seventy percent of one repetition maximum, for example, would allow a range of reps. One person might be able to do 12 reps with 70% of one repetition maximum, while another can only do 8 reps. In short, percentage of one repetition maximum is a vague guideline. It’s not helpful as a description of intensity. What’s more, anything less than 100% intensity cannot be precisely measured.
Percentage of one repetition maximum is just what it says, a training load given as a percentage of one repetition maximum, as opposed to a measure of intensity or effort. “The problem with such a definition is the lack of any consideration of how hard the individual is working during the exercise,” the researchers write. “The definition incorrectly implies that two persons performing the same number of repetitions at a given %1RM have worked at an identical relative effort. This is, of course, not necessarily the case.”
They cite research data showing large variations between individuals in the number of repetitions possible for the same %1RM. For example, participants with a high percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers are able to perform fewer reps with 70% of 1RM than those with a low ratio of fast-twitch fibers. This is what one would expect, because fast-twitch fibers are stronger but fatigue more quickly.
This is a big deal. Here's why.
The fuzzy nature of %1RM is an important issue, because strength training literature places so much emphasis on training intensity. It is all the more "puzzling," the researchers contend, “given that the research evidence does not support the view that training with a relatively high percentage of 1RM is important for strength development.” (More about this below)
“Therefore, when intensity is referred to within this article we are referring to the percentage of momentary muscular effort being exerted, not %1RM, and we would suggest for consistency and accuracy in the literature, other authors follow suit.”
Momentary Muscular Failure
Momentary musculature failure means the inability to perform any more positive repetitions in good form against a given resistance. It’s synonymous with maximum effort. As we’ve seen, maximum effort is not one and the same as a given percentage of one rep maximum.
“A common misconception is that heavy weights are required to stimulate muscular growth,” the UK researchers write, “but Carpinelli pointed out that this ‘heaver-is-better’ principle is simply unsubstantiated by research.”
Here’s the key point, as expressed by the researchers: “Perhaps the most important aspect of this is simply that to activate all the motor units within a muscle group, and thus recruit all the available muscle fibers to stimulate them to adapt to the training, it is not the %1RM that is the primary factor but rather the requirement to train to momentary muscular failure.”
In support, they cited three studies comparing training to momentary muscular effort and stopping short of failure. All three studies controlled for other variables, such as load, volume, and frequency. “Each study reported that training to momentary muscular failure produced significantly better results,” they write.
The researchers conclude: “The evidence suggests that individuals should be encouraged to train to momentary muscular failure, and this appears to maximize muscle fiber recruitment and, according to most research to date, will maximize gains in strength and power.”
As you’ll see, they are open to discussion of the superiority of particular rep ranges, but only in specified cases.
Load and Rep Range
The UK researchers recognize and summarize Dr. Ralph Carpinelli’s review study discussed here earlier; see Forget Heavy, Think Effort (link below). They chose not to replicate his work, but rather to recognize his efforts, and recommend reading of his article.
“As previously stated by Carpinelli,” they write, “the research suggests that it is not the load lifted that determines fiber recruitment, but fatigue of the lower threshold motor-units resulting in a sequential recruitment of higher threshold motor units through continued repetitions.”
Continuing, they add: “Research has considered ranges from 2RM through 100-150RM and found no significant difference in strength improvements between the results [5 studies cited], with only one exception.”
In plain language, effort—not load or rep range—is the key variable in building muscle and strength. Resistance is largely a matter of personal preference. As Carpinelli wrote, “If a maximal—or near maximal—effort is applied at the end of a set of repetitions, the evidence strongly suggests that the different external forces produced with different amounts of resistance elicit similar outcomes.”
Pick your rep range, 2 to 20; it makes little difference—as long as you exert maximum effort in the final reps. Very high reps, over 20, may involve fatigue factors not conducive to gains in size and strength.
The researchers note that the 2009 position stand of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) claims that maximal strength gains are obtained with loads of between 1 and 6 repetitions. They, however add: “It is apparent from the above data as well as recent comprehensive reviews of the literature that the research findings to date do not support the ACSM’s conclusion.”
Nevertheless, they call for more research in at least two areas. The first is lifting to increase bone mineral density (BMD).
“Research appears to suggest that to increase BMD training loads need to be 80%1RM,” they write. One study compared training at 50%1RM (~13reps) to training at 80%1RM (~8reps). “Whilst they reported almost identical strength gains, the higher load group produced significantly greater increases in BMD.”
The second area in which they believe further research may be called for is lifters with a predominance of slow- or fast-twitch muscle fibers. It appears that there may be more favorable rep ranges for these individuals. “For example, Jones suggested that persons dominant in fast twitch muscle fibers might obtain better results performing fewer repetitions with greater resistance, whilst persons dominant in slower twitch fiber-type might obtain better results performing a greater number of repetitions and lighter resistance.”
That’s a logical assumption. As noted earlier, participants with a higher percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers are able to perform fewer reps with a given percentage of 1RM than those with a lower percentage of fast-twitch fibers (and more slow-twitch fibers).
The researchers believe this hypothesis may warrant further exploration. It’s important to remember, however, that most people have a roughly equal distribution of fast and slow fibers. Further research would affect only those with a predominance of strength or endurance fibers. This would include most competitive power lifters and Olympic weightlifters on one extreme, and elite endurance athletes on the other.
Conventional wisdom says that high reps are best for building muscular endurance. Is that true?
The ACSM says, Yes; when training for muscular endurance, use light to moderate loads (40-60% 1RM) and perform high repetitions, over 15.
The UK researchers, however, say there appears to be little support for the ACSM position.
Only one study supported the ACSM stand—20-28 reps produced more muscular endurance than 3-5 or 9-11 reps—while other studies “do not support the hypothesis that higher repetition schemes are more effective in increasing muscular endurance.”
For example, one study examined the effect of three different training protocols on muscular endurance: low reps (3 sets of 6-8 RM), medium reps (2 sets of 30-40 RM), and high reps (1 set of 100-150 RM). “No significant between-group differences in improvements in muscular endurance were found.” Another study compared 3 sets of 6-8 RM, 2 sets of 15-20 RM, and 1 set of 30-40 RM. “Again, no significant between-group post-test differences in muscular endurance were found.”
In short, research does not clearly support the proposition that high reps are best for building muscular resistance. If anything, the preponderance of the evidence supports the conclusion that more strength means more muscular endurance. That's where the UK researchers leave the issue.
I’m sticking with 2 to 20 reps. More muscular strength means more strength reserve and more muscular endurance. A person who can bench press 300 pounds can almost always do more push ups than the person weighing the same who can only bench 200.
Now, let’s turn to a related issue: how strength training can best be use to improve athletic performance. Conventional wisdom, once again, comes up wanting. You might say it strikes out.
The Issue of Specificity
It might seem logical to assume that swinging a heavy golf club or heavy baseball bat would improve performance—but you'd be wrong. In fact, it is more likely to slow down your swing, hurting performance. Strength training does improve performance—that’s why it is used in practically all sports—but only if it is used properly.
“There is no evidence that skill development is aided by performance of resistance exercises that bear some superficial resemblance to skills on the sports field,” the UK researchers report. “Not only is the transfer between superficially similar motor tasks quite low, but the performance of tasks that are similar (but not identical) to those used in actual performance can lead to negative transfer and concomitant decrease in performance.”
For example, the researchers cite a study that found the use of a weighted baseball bat for practice actually reduced the velocity of the swing when using the normal weighted bat. “This is hardly surprising as it is impossible to swing a heavily weighted bat as fast as a normal bat,” they write, “and therefore by slowing the movement down in this manner the athlete is effectively learning to swing the bat more slowly, and will change the mechanics of the swing accordingly.”
The same applies to the now common practice of lifting weights while standing on an irregular or moving surface. “It seems that instead of focusing an exercise on a muscle, many have succumbed to the concept of attempting that movement whilst challenging their balance,” the researchers write. “This often results in decreased force production due to instability.” Simply put, it makes the resistance training less effective—and does not improve general performance.
Balance is apparently a nontransferable skill. “Performing resistance exercises on unstable equipment will make an individual more proficient at performing resistance exercises on unstable equipment, but may not enhance the performance of sport skills,” an authority cited by the researchers wrote.
Building strength with resistance training does, in fact, improve athletic performance. But the focus must be on the muscle, not on balance or mimicking sport specific movements.
Here’s the bottom line from the UK researchers: “The use of resistance training for enhanced function and sporting performance should be based on muscular strength adaptations, and not on neuromuscular patterns including balance, which shows no transference.”
* * *
Resistance training makes us stronger, and that’s what it should be used for. Stick to the standard exercises, such as the squat, deadlift, row, pulldown, bench press, incline press, shoulder press, sit-ups, and sidebends. Do that—with effort—and you’ll be stronger, faster, more muscular, more enduring, and healthier.
You’ll be better in just about any physical activity you choose, as long as you also practice that activity.
See also our new article on cross training: GO
[To read the entire UK study, go to http://www.medicinasportiva.pl/new/pliki/ms_2011_03_08_Fisher.pdf . For an opposing view from a blogger, see http://trainingscience.net/?page_id=174 ]
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Copyright © 2011 - 2014 Clarence and Carol Bass. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:cc4b67de-6e96-4a64-8ddf-242fa5851559> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.cbass.com/IntensityResistanceTraining.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398216.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00065-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939857 | 3,180 | 3.046875 | 3 |
|Rome history||Sleeping||Contact Us|
Marriage was a fundamental institution of Roman society and as such was always venerated as something sacrosanct.
Through marriage the Roman woman left her father's household and family in order to enter that of her new husband. Once married she became almost equal to her husband in the household although not of the same legal standing as far as the state was concerned. Unlike their Greek counterpart, Roman women were free to go about the city as they wished, go shopping, visit the public baths or their friends in very much the same way they would do today.
There were a number of forms of marriage: The most conventional and traditional form reserved for Patricians was called "Confarreatio". It was presided by the Flamen Dialis and involved eating of a wheat (spell) bread loaf as part of the ceremony. The ceremony transferred the father's authority over the bride to her new husband. Then there was the "coemptio" form of marriage which involved a contract. An example of such a contract is given below. The third means of marriage was called "Usus" (use) which was equivalent to the man taking possession of the woman after they had spent an uninterrupted year living together.
Later in time a fourth form of marriage developed which essentially left the authority over the bride with her father ("patria potestas"). This type of marriage essentially freed the bride once her father died and although at first the authority over her passed to the husband this increasingly weakened until eventually women were essentially free to do what they wished with whatever inheritance they might have. Divorce became correspondingly more frequent.
These three forms of marriage gave different degrees of rights and correspondingly different degrees of difficulty in divorce. The last of the three, Usus (very appropriately named!) was particularly common amongst the plebeians.
Once married, Roman women would be in charge of the household and its slaves, look after the education of the children, particularly the girls, and manage the family treasury. Fathers would often look after the education of their sons, particularly in the early ages up to the Republic.
The purpose of marriage was quite plainly that of ensuring the family's descendency and the solidity of the family nucleus and hence of Roman society itself. As such the Romans were at great pains to regulate marriage through a specific section of law called "ius connubii", marital law.
Roman Marital Law - ius connubii
Marital law regulated a variety of aspects. For example since the earliest days of the city it established who was and wasn't allowed to marry. More is said in the law pages…..
As with funerals, the ancient roman marriage ceremony differed according to class and rank. The full shebang was a privilege of the noble Patricians.
In these cases, rather like arranged marriages of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the betrothed might be publicly promised to one another at a very tender age, several years before the actual wedding would take place. The age at which marriage could be undertaken could be as young as 7 but in any case the persons involved had to be capable of understanding what they were doing. The more usual age for marriage was at the age of 11 for women and of 14 for men.
Suetonius tells us that Augustus added a rule which nullified marriages where there was no hanky panky within two years of being contracted. I dread to think how you would prove it.
The wedding day would be picked with care as different periods of the calendar could be more or less propitious. The Kalends, Nones and Ides of every month were especially bad. Ovid tells us that the feast of the Parentalia (in February) was no good either. I guess a little like Christians not marrying during the period of Lent. Plutarch tells us that May wasn't a good time either. The second half of June, after "the sacred ides" as Ovid tells us, was especially good (for the weather I expect).
In terms of clothing the bride would wear a particular hair-do, possibly a wig, much in the style of the Vestal Virgins. The hair was split into six bunches each of which was plaited. The splitting of the bunches had to be done with a spear, possibly as a symbol of the warrior culture into which the bride was marrying. She also wore a long white dress and a veil with garlands of flowers. The dress was tied at the waist with a special knot. The groom would wear formal dress: a plain Toga.
ancient roman religion: The Origins of Religion in Ancient Rome | Mysticism and Signs in Ancient Rome | Family Spirits - Lares | Religious Orders of Ancient Rome | vestal virgins | Religious Rites | Rituale Romanum | The Sacred and Votive Feasts of Rome | marriage in ancient rome | Ancient Roman Marriage | Ancient Roman Weddings | Funerals in Ancient Rome | Sacrifices in Ancient Rome | | <urn:uuid:06e1a816-59e9-467f-893c-3c6811acac27> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/Ancient_Roman_Marriage.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00109-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983997 | 1,033 | 3.65625 | 4 |
Gravitational waves detected 100 years after Einstein's Prediction: Opens New Window on the Universe with Observation of Gravitational Waves from Colliding Black Holes
Gravitational waves carry information about their dramatic origins and about the nature of gravity that cannot otherwise be obtained. Physicists have concluded that the detected gravitational waves were produced during the final fraction of a second of the merger of two black holes to produce a single, more massive spinning black hole. This collision of two black holes had been predicted but never observed.
The gravitational waves were detected on September 14, 2015 at 5:51 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (9:51 a.m. UTC) by both of the twin Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors, located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, USA. The LIGO Observatories are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and were conceived, built, and are operated by Caltech and MIT. The discovery, accepted for publication in the journal Physical Review Letters, was made by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (which includes the GEO Collaboration and the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy) and the Virgo Collaboration using data from the two LIGO detectors.
"This first direct detection of gravitational waves is a breathtaking discovery that will stand out among the major achievements of the 21st-century science because it opens the door to many discoveries that I believe will be made in the coming decade," said Abhay Ashtekar, Director of the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos at Penn State University and Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Physics at the University. "This first detection by LIGO originated in a collision of two black holes orbiting each other, which we call binary pairs. It has already resolved the long debated issue of the existence of binary pairs with masses tens of times greater than that of our Sun," Ashtekar said.
"Gravitational waves are quite literally ripples in the fabric of our universe," said LIGO scientist Chad Hanna, an assistant professor of physics at Penn State affiliated with the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos. "This new way of discovering how the universe functions gives us the ability to begin to understand the universe in a way that simply has been impossible before. Just as Galileo with his small telescope could not have predicted what the Hubble Space Telescope has been able to show us now, it is almost impossible to predict how our new ability to detect gravitational waves will change our fundamental understanding of the universe."
Hanna, who is co-chair of one of LIGO’s largest astrophysics working groups, the Compact Binary Coalescence group, said "We can expect, because of this fundamentally new way of observing the universe, that in one hundred years what our children's children will know will be profoundly different from what we now are able to know."
Penn State's Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos has had an important role in developing gravitational-wave science for two decades. In 2001 National Science Foundation awarded the Penn State founding group the designation as a National Science Foundation Physics Frontier Center for Gravitational Wave Science. "Our center has promoted and sustained a lively exchange of ideas between experts in diverse areas that previously had remained distinct -- resulting in the creation of a collaborative gravitational-wave-research community," said Ashtekar, who has led the Institute since its beginnings. "The resulting contributions to the development of gravitational-wave science include our mathematical and numerical analyses concerning general relativity, our interface with relativistic astrophysics, and our innovative contributions to data analysis."
Adding to the excitement of LIGO's historic first detection of a gravitational wave was the scramble by scientists controlling other types of astronomical detectors to quickly look for other signals from the wave that LIGO was not designed to detect. "We had been planning for these observations for several years," said Penn State Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics David Burrows, who leads the instrument team for the X-ray Telescope on the Swift observatory. "In order to try to find an X-ray or ultraviolet counterpart for a gravitational wave, we had to rapidly point NASA’s orbiting Swift observatory to search for the precise location where the wave had originated." The science and flight operations of the Swift satellite are controlled by Penn State from the Mission Operations Center on the University Park campus.
Swift Mission Director and Penn State Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics John Nousek added "Among space telescopes, Swift is uniquely capable of rapidly responding to unpredictable events like this, which are a challenge to capture because the evidence they produce lasts such a short time. Swift's astronomical follow-ups will play a crucial role in advancing the understanding of LIGO's detections." Results of the Swift observations now are being prepared for publication.
More information from Penn State about LIGO is at ligo.psu.edu. More information from the LIGO Scientific Collaboration is at https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/. LIGO research is carried out by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), a group of more than 1000 scientists from universities around the United States and in 14 other countries. More than 90 universities and research institutes in the LSC develop detector technology and analyze data; approximately 250 students are strong contributing members of the collaboration.
[ Barbara K. Kennedy + LIGO ] | <urn:uuid:b99189c3-ff77-4605-9623-a8193177db42> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2016-news/LIGO2-2016 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396538.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00111-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94547 | 1,118 | 3.765625 | 4 |
FORSYTH - Coming soon to an outdoors theater near you: the return of the migrants.
With spring in swing, ruby-throated hummingbirds, chimney swifts and purple martins are among the more noticeable species beginning to appear at feeders, chimneys and fields across Georgia.
Jim Ozier of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources saw his first chimney swifts of the year over a Pike County soccer field last weekend.
Ozier, a Nongame Conservation Section program manager, had already been hearing about sightings of ruby-throated hummingbirds, the only “hummer” that nests in the state. The earliest-arriving purple martins are also checking out old nest sites, capping their long journey from winter ranges in South America.
These birds are just “some of the ones you may be on the lookout for,” the first wave of a spring migration that crests in late April or early May, Ozier said.
Georgians can prepare by:
** Hanging up hummingbird feeders and planting nectar-rich native plants such as coral honeysuckle, columbine and bee balm. Both nourish these high-energy acrobats that may travel more than 600 miles from Mexico to Georgia.
** Leaving chimneys in which chimney swifts can nest and roost uncapped from March through September. Appropriate flues are made of stone, firebrick or masonry tiles with mortared joints, materials that - unlike metal flues - swifts can cling to with their sharp claws.
** Erecting purple martin houses in suitable habitat, open areas with trees no taller than the martin house within 40-60 feet and no houses within about 30 feet. In eastern North America, these graceful blue-black birds depend on manmade cavity nest sites, according to the Purple Martin Conservation Association (http://purplemartin.org).
Other birds, from warblers to swallows, are also arriving in Georgia.
Ozier said they overlap in early spring with species such as white-throated sparrows and hermit thrushes that winter here but haven’t moved north yet, making this time of the season even more interesting for birdwatching.
Which brings up another way to prepare for the return of the migrants: Keep a pair of binoculars close.
Georgians can help conserve migratory birds and rare and endangered wildlife through buying a hummingbird or bald eagle license plate, and by donating to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund state income tax checkoff. Both programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state funds to help conserve Georgia wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats.
The license plates are available for a one-time $25 fee at county tag offices, by checking the wildlife license plate box on mail-in registrations and through online renewals(http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags).
The Give Wildlife a Chance checkoff is line 27 on the state’s long tax form (Form 500) and line 10 on the short form (Form 500EZ).
Contributions can be deducted from refunds or added to payments.
Details: www.georgiawildlife.com/node/338 . | <urn:uuid:e6cd7925-f0d0-4108-a9b6-7c3201954a22> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://savannahnow.com/outdoors/2010-03-31/early-migrants-showing-across-georgia | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00192-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922553 | 689 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Why is Christmas abbreviated Xmas?
Dear Straight Dope:
Every December one hears of the need to "put 'Christ' back in Christmas", but never a word about "putting 'X' back in Xmas." So just how did the term "Xmas" come to be used in place of "Christmas"?
SDStaff Mac replies:
Well, that letter may look like an "X" and walk like an "X" and quack like an "X," but it isn't an "X." That's the Greek letter "chi" which is pronounced about like "ch" was in Old English … which is to say, about how it's pronounced in German today, or in a few imported words, like "Christ" or "Christmas," for example.
"X" (as in chi) was used as an abbreviation for Christ from early times, perhaps initially as a camouflage for the religion. It was the first letter of the word Christos (meaning "the anointed one," e.g., the Messiah) and fortuitously was cross-shaped, so there seemed to be some symbolism or double meaning. It's been used as a scholarly and not-so-scholarly abbreviation since. | <urn:uuid:dec37d34-f9b4-48b8-ae32-ffa0c29e1b3d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1627/why-is-christmas-abbreviated-xmas | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392527.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00102-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986969 | 256 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Diabetes patients may soon be able to take a pill to control their condition instead of repeated injections.
Some patients need daily injections of insulin
UK company Diabetology, with experts at Cardiff University, says it has solved a crucial problem with oral insulin.
The capsule's special coating protects the drug from acids in the stomach, allowing it to pass into the small intestine where it is absorbed.
The researchers will present their early trial results in 16 patients to the American Diabetes Association.
The details of Dr Steve Luzio's presentation cannot be released until he has made it, but are expected to show that oral doses achieve the necessary changes in the body's blood sugar handling to treat diabetes.
The trial is expected to show that the oral dose, taken twice daily before breakfast and dinner, controls glucose levels successfully, at least in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Other scientists have also been looking at ways to deliver insulin by mouth without it being degraded in the stomach. Taiwanese investigators are using a chemical found in shrimp shells to protect the drug.
And inhaled insulin is already available to those diabetics with a proven needle phobia or people who have severe trouble injecting.
Diabetes UK welcomed the new research but said the findings were very early and should be treated with caution.
Dr Iain Frame, research manager at Diabetes UK, said: "There are currently 700,000 people in the UK who take insulin injections, sometimes up to four times a day, so being able to take their insulin orally would have a great impact on their quality of life.
"This research, however, is still in its early stages. We would like to see further results."
People with type 1 diabetes rely on insulin injections.
Often, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by diet alone or other oral diabetes drugs. It is only as the disease progresses that insulin may be needed.
Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. | <urn:uuid:06cc1765-12bb-4ed2-bc25-0a1ff93ea676> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6229398.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399428.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00027-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954256 | 394 | 2.703125 | 3 |
An object that fell through the roof of a house in Wolcott on April 19 was confirmed to be a meteorite by Stefan Nicolescu, mineralogy collections manager at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History.
The meteorite split into two pieces as it hit the roof and fell through the ceiling onto the attic floor. The smaller part, which was brought to the Peabody for identification, weighed 7.8 ounces and is 2.5 x 2 x 1.5 inches in size. Nicolescu described the meteorite as an ordinary chondrite, the most common type of meteorite.
It has an intense black, very thin fusion crust from heat generated when the rock came through the atmosphere, and a light gray interior. Small blobs — called chondrites — are visible on the fresh inside (where it broke from the other piece found). It has enough metallic iron interspersed in its mass to attract a magnet. These are all features that are common in meteorites.
This is the third recorded fall of a meteorite through the roof of a house in Connecticut. In 1971 and 1982 meteorites fell through roofs of houses only a few miles apart in Wethersfield. The latter is on view at the Peabody’s Hall of Minerals, Earth and Space along with one that landed in Weston in 1807. Known as the Weston meteorite, it was the first recorded fall of a meteorite in the New World. | <urn:uuid:c2bc4151-a9a4-4b76-83bb-99741dda8548> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://news.yale.edu/2013/04/24/mineralogist-peabody-museum-confirms-meteorite-fall-wolcott | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395613.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00083-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962165 | 300 | 3.765625 | 4 |
Anyone who has looked at the numbers realizes that the data center is between a rock and a hard place. Loads are going up, perhaps as much as 30 percent per year, while at the same time the cost of energy is on the rise now that the global economy seems to be on the mend.
For the IT industry, that means more resources going toward building and maintaining infrastructure, either at home or in the cloud, with no real guarantee that any of it will produce real value. Once Big Data analytics come on line, it may be that the vast majority of this data is, well, junk.
True value, of course, is in the eye of the beholder – just ask any modern art dealer – but at least we have ways to determine if the energy budget is going toward productive uses. A task force consisting of representatives from The Green Grid, the U.S. Department of Energy and various European and Asian government agencies recently unveiled their latest tool, the Data Center Energy Productivity (DCeP) metric, which promises to delve deeper into energy usage in data environments and whether it is being put to good use.
The metric is actually built on a number of earlier schemes, including the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Carbon Usage Effectiveness (CUE) metrics, which have come under criticism over the years as being overly broad and subject to manipulation. Power usage, after all, can be dropped to zero if you shut everything down, but then the facility won’t provide any value. The DCeP aims to combine usage patterns with detailed knowledge of the workload itself in order to give data center managers a peek into what their energy consumption is actually accomplishing and whether steps can be taken to improve productivity.
For those looking to find an industry-wide standard that can be used to compare one facility against another, the DCeP won’t suffice, however. Its designers readily admit that the “productivity” portion of the formula will be largely defined by the user, considering they are the only ones who can best determine what is and is not productive. That means the final measurement will vary widely across the industry, influenced not only by the amount of energy being consumed and the extent of virtualization and other low-energy architectures, but also by applications and the workloads themselves. Infrastructure dedicated to ecommerce or other Web-facing activities, for instance, will probably show markedly different results from back office or database systems, although both can be deemed efficient.
The question of how deep the enterprise needs to delve into the data load to view efficiency factors has also arisen. TSO Logic CEO Aaron Rallo says it will first require a detailed analysis of how data and applications relate to core business goals, followed by mechanisms that can track things like the power cost of individual transactions, the number of transactions per kilowatt-hour and revenue and utilization rates of individual servers. As daunting as this sounds, the IT management industry is clearly headed in this direction, with the idea that not only can this kind of granular information be gathered and analyzed, but also that automated systems will then be able to coordinate data and energy flows on the fly, producing an optimized energy/production environment.
Dreams of digital nirvana have been floating around the IT industry for years, but it seems that new technologies designed to solve existing problems inevitably lead to still more difficulties to be met by future generations.
Optimizing energy usage and data productivity is clearly a worthy goal, but it is not the kind of endeavor that lends itself to universal, uniform standards. | <urn:uuid:9a727565-b326-4297-bcd2-9555c57f9661> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.itbusinessedge.com/blogs/infrastructure/delving-into-the-energyproductivity-conundrum.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396538.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00148-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947679 | 728 | 2.578125 | 3 |
On this day, poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe is baptized in Canterbury, England, two months before the birth of his fellow playwright William Shakespeare.
Marlowe, the son of a Canterbury shoemaker, was a bright student. He won scholarships to prestigious schools and earned his B.A. from Cambridge in 1584. Historians believe Marlowe served as a spy for Queen Elizabeth while at Cambridge. He was nearly denied his master’s degree in 1587, until the queen’s advisers intervened, recommending he receive the degree and referring obliquely to his services for the state.
While still in school, Marlowe wrote his play Tamburlaine the Great, about a 14th-century shepherd who became an emperor. The blank verse drama caught on with the public, and Marlowe wrote five more plays before his death in 1593, including The Jew of Malta and Dr. Faustus. He also published a translation of Ovid’s Elegies.
In May of 1593, Marlowe’s former roommate, playwright Thomas Kyd, was arrested and tortured for treason. He told authorities that “heretical” papers found in his room belonged to Marlowe, who was subsequently arrested. While out on bail, Marlowe became involved in a fight over a tavern bill and was stabbed to death. | <urn:uuid:bdabb01a-05c5-4c4c-bacf-004916d1d9e4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/christopher-marlowe-is-baptized | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393463.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00037-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989906 | 287 | 3.953125 | 4 |
As one travels around McHenry County or gives directions, we make our way using the road names to help guide us, but have you ever stopped to think why a road has a particular name?
Some of the names may seem rather obvious, such as Algonquin Road or Crystal Lake Road, as they travel through those communities. But what about Flat Iron Road near Harvard, or who is James R. Rakow Road named after?
We’ll take a look at how road naming was started in the county and why some are named the way they are.
The first county engineer, Charles Tryon, was tasked in 1913 with giving the roads under the county’s jurisdiction unique names. Tryon noticed there were 27 County Routes, so he decided to assign each a letter of the alphabet, with the one extra named BB since it was an off shoot of Highway B.
As the number of county highways increased, it was decided that numbers instead of letters would work better. At its maximum, they were numbered 1 to 54.
With the state highways also numbered, Illinois set up a different system in 1959 for all the counties to avoid confusion using a letter and a number combination, which is the current system you see on the blue and yellow shields. At the north end of the state, all east-west routes begin with the letter A. North-south routes begin with A by the Mississippi River so by the time you get to McHenry County, we are on T and V. Then after each letter, a number is given sequentially as you move across the county.
For example, Algonquin Road (believed to be a Native American trail) started as County Highway P, then became 32 and now is A48. Today, there are 65 highways under the jurisdiction of the McHenry County Division of Transportation.
While letters and numbers are useful, names are what people most commonly use today for getting around on the county highways. So where did these names come from? After the county was settled in 1837, townships soon became the primary form of government. Roads (or paths back then) were named based on what township and urban center they came from. Examples are Alden, Algonquin, Coral, Dunham, Franklinville and Hartland Roads. Many of the urban centers still exist as unincorporated communities, while Algonquin has become the village it is today.
As cities and villages became more populated, the roads that took you to and from these destination towns continued to be named in this fashion. Names such as Cary-Algonquin (now Cary), Crystal Lake, Harmony, Lakewood, Spring Grove and Johnsburg roads are examples of this naming convention.
Many routes are named after prominent families and farms that the road went by or through. Examples include Ackman, Fleming, Pyott, Walkup, Richardson and McGuire roads. One prominent county highway, Randall Road, was named after a farm in Kane County that is the present location of the Randall Oaks Park in Dundee Township.
Several routes are named after natural features, such as River Road, Kishwaukee Valley Road and Oak Grove Road. Other road names date back to early settlement times and have stuck with us for well over 150 years. Keystone Road west of Richmond referred to the quarry that made keystone blocks for stone work. Deep Cut Road located between Harvard and Woodstock got its name from area quarries. Millstream Road near Marengo was named for a grain and lumber mill along the Kishwaukee River. Chapel Hill Road is believed to be named after the “little old chapel” in the area. However, it is disputed whether it was named after St. John’s Church in Johnsburg or the little chapel located on the Chapel Hill Country Club.
What about Flat Iron Road southwest of Harvard? There was a prominent blacksmith back in the day. Whether it was to fix a wagon wheel, make your horseshoes, or repair your tools, you took Flat Iron Road to get to the smithy.
There are two roads that were built relatively recently (in the past 25 years) that are named in honor of members of the transportation network of McHenry County. Charles J. Miller Road in McHenry named after a longtime township highway commissioner is one such road. The second is that of James R. Rakow Road, named after the third county engineer. He served from 1969 to 1993.
Lastly, we’ll leave you with a few street names that aren’t county highways but have interesting stories nonetheless. Seminary Avenue in Woodstock, which is Illinois Route 47, and Queen Anne Road, northeast of Woodstock, are named after what? Come check out the MCDOT on Facebook to find the answers. You can get to our Facebook page be visiting the MCDOT website at www.McHenryCountyDOT.org.
To learn more about what the county highways looked like and what their designations were over time, check out the MCDOT website under “100 Anniversary,” where you can view maps dating back to 1914.
• Ernest J. Varga is a project/design engineer with the McHenry County Division of Transportation. | <urn:uuid:996bfd5f-b86c-46c1-a0a1-c56b305852f2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nwherald.com/2013/11/29/mcdot-whats-in-a-mchenry-county-road-name-quite-a-bit-actually/c5va42l/?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398628.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00050-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980237 | 1,069 | 3.5 | 4 |
March 9, 2007
CSCB and TCD researchers team up with Teagasc to study food supplement that could prevent the development of diabetes and atherosclerosis
The health benefits of cutting down on dietary saturated fatty acids and including higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids are well documented. Nutritional research is focusing on the effects of incorporating these healthier fatty acids, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), into animal and human diets. CLA is present in dairy products and meat from ruminants and in very low amounts in our bodies.
Health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
Dr Helen Roche, a senior lecturer in molecular nutrition in Trinity College Dublin, has been studying CLA and its biological properties for several years. "CLA seems to protect cells programmed to become diabetic against development of diabetes and it also prevents disease processes that lead to atherosclerosis, chronic inflammation and colon cancer," says Dr Roche.
Classified as a nutraceutical or nutritional supplement, CLA is thought to change the balance between fat cells and muscle cells in the body and is currently on sale in health shops as a supplement to help people improve their body tone.
"The problem is that commercially available supplements contain two forms of the compound known as isomers," explains Dr Paul Evans, a researcher with the Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology (CSCB). "Isomers are molecules that have the same molecular formula but the atoms are arranged differently in space. In the case of CLA one isomer known as cis-9-trans-11 CLA has beneficial effects but the other form, trans-10-cis-12 CLA, can be detrimental and could induce a diabetic state."
Discovering a selective way to synthesise the beneficial CLA isomer
Dr Evans and his group while working at the School of Chemistry in Trinity College Dublin discovered a way to selectively synthesise the beneficial cis-9-trans-11 CLA in large quantities.1
During the CLA project the group also found a method for making trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), the precursor to CLA. Evidence suggests that TVA is converted into CLA by an enzyme in the bovine mammary gland and muscle and by a bacterial enzyme in the human intestine.
"Now that we have a supply of the beneficial form of CLA and TVA we can carry out nutritional studies to determine whether the health effects ascribed to CLA are due to the fatty acid alone or attributable to the metabolic conversion of TVA into CLA," says Dr Roche.
Studying the benefits of trans vaccenic acid (TVA) in livestock
Teagasc have also conducted studies to increase the concentration of CLA in livestock. In a feeding trial conducted in Moorepark they reported that in grazing situations where the levels of CLA were already high in milk fat, they could be increased further by supplementing pasture diets with full fat rapeseeds and soybeans, which are both good sources of unsaturated fatty acids.2
A Teagasc research group led by Dr Aidan Moloney in County Meath has now turned their attention to studying the conversion of TVA into CLA by livestock as this metabolic process may hold the key to explaining some of the benefits of CLA. The study aims to demonstrate the beneficial effects of CLA from beef as well as from chemically synthesised CLA.
"TVA is produced by cattle during digestion of unsaturated fatty acids. We are trying to increase TVA, and to understand how it is converted to CLA in muscle," explains Dr Moloney. "We want to investigate whether increasing TVA by manipulation of the diet of cattle will result in healthier animals and in turn produce higher quality meat and dairy products for the consumer."
The new synthetic methods have enabled the preparation of multi-gram quantities of these biologically important fatty acids.
"This collaborative approach paves the way for developing a pure nutraceutical which could be incorporated into our diet to help protect us against heart disease and diabetes," concludes Dr Evans.
1 Duffy, P. E.; Quinn, S. M.; Roche, H. M.; Evans, P. Synthesis of trans-Vaccenic Acid and cis-9-trans-11-Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Tetrahedron 2006, 62, 4838. | <urn:uuid:a4b3f44d-eb20-4624-ba2d-18fe44eb0c20> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ucd.ie/cscb/main_pages/media/press_releases/pressrelease060307.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393997.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00081-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959558 | 870 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Bees play a key role in pollinating plants.
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Bees are incredible insects. They existed before the dinosaurs and evolved at about the same time as flowers to pollinate them, thousands of years ago. Only now have we worked out how to wipe them out.
Bees are under threat all around the world, with massive winter bee die-offs reported from almost every country and insecticide bans enforced in many countries to try to stem the losses.
Doug Purdie with bees at his home
Australians are lucky. At the time of writing Australia is the only country in the world without varroa mite and colony collapse disorder. But because of this good fortune Australians are complacent and don’t care for their bees as they should. During spring, when the bees are swarming, the most common reaction is to kill them, even from public officials.
Many people don’t realise the vital role bees and other insects play in pollinating our food and other plants. When bees forage for nectar and pollen they pollinate each flower they visit, increasing the crop yield by as much as 60 per cent. Without bees, many food crops that need pollination by insects could not be grown on a scale large enough to feed us.
In some parts of the world, plants have to be hand-pollinated, a labour-intensive and expensive process where a human touches each flower with a feather. In the apple and pear orchards of China’s south-west, bees have been eradicated by pesticide use and habitat loss, and hand pollination is the only option.
Bees at work in a backyard hive.
This is the reason I started beekeeping: reading about bee decline and its impact, and realising that in Australia most people had not heard of the problems the rest of the world is facing. I wanted to get involved and tell people that bees need saving.
A few years on, the message is getting out and people are starting to listen. You, too, can help by telling everybody you know about bees and how we need them for pollination.
As well as the benefit to bee numbers, beekeeping is an amazing and rewarding hobby, whether you eat lots of honey or not. Even after years of keeping bees I find them fascinating.
Urban Beehive founder Doug Purdie inspects a beehive after extracting honey for the first time at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. Friday, April 26, 2013. (SHD NEWS) Photo by Mick Tsikas
If you get your own hive you will spend a lot of time just watching them on their mission to pollinate and collect pollen and nectar. Sitting beside your hive with a cup of tea watching the girls (as I fondly refer to them) come and go is gratifying; imagining where they are going and trying to identify the trees they have visited from the colour of the pollen sacks on their hind legs.
The first time you open a hive it is overwhelming. There are lots of bees buzzing around all armed with the much-feared stinger. But you soon realise that they are ignoring you and going about their business, seemingly unaware of the intruder in their midst.
Then there is that special moment of seeing a bee being born for the first time, as she crawls out of her cell all fluffy and new and ready to start work. Or seeing a queen being born.That is something special indeed.
Backyard Bees. A guide for the beginner beekeeper by Doug Purdie
So get a good grip on your fear of bees, if you have one, and get involved. You will be rewarded with a lovely gift: the gift of interacting with a super organism, a beehive.
Plus, you will be giving them a helping hand in surviving the insect apocalypse that is upon us. At the same time, tell people about what you are doing and why they should rethink that green lawn and plant flowers instead. And put down that insecticide can.
Myths and facts
Scraping the honey from a backyard beehive.
Bee stings are good for arthritis
I know plenty of beekeepers with arthritis so I’m not sure about this one.
Honey is antibiotic
This is fact. Honey - and I’m not just talking about so-called active honey like the famed Manuka - can be used to treat all sorts of infection. Pretty much all honey has some antibiotic activity, with tea tree (Leptospermum) honey being the best. It tastes pretty average, though.
Bees get to know their keeper
This is not true. Bees have short lives of about 40 days and will have forgotten who you are even between hive inspections.
Doug Purdie with bees at his home
Honey can be diluted with water or sugar before it’s sold
It’s true that you can dilute honey with water, but it will ferment and smell disgusting, and it can no longer be sold as honey. Candied honey - honey that has gone hard and has a white-ish tinge - has not had sugar added; it’s just raw honey that’s undergone a normal reaction.
Bees are naturally aggressive
Not true. Bees will not seek you out unless they believe you are threatening their hive, and even then the bees we keep these days are bred to be passive. The cartoon vision of bees rushing out of the hive to attack is just that, a cartoon unless you poke the beehive with a stick, and then you deserve it! Just like all wild creatures bees will respond to environmental stresses and their temperament will alter. You also can get genetic variations that produce angrier bees, like Africanised bees. Now they are grumpy bees!
** Doug Purdie and his partner, Vicki Brown, head The Urban Beehive, a business dedicated to bringing beehives to urban areas. theurbanbeehive.com.au
** This is an edited extract from Backyard Bees: A Guide for the Beginner Beekeeper, by Doug Purdie. (Murdoch Books, $35.) | <urn:uuid:9d378d32-3eeb-41a2-a1fa-8a06dd3c4ee6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/homestyle/urban-beehives-benefit-canberras-ecology-20140815-104jgu.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396945.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00089-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95755 | 1,317 | 3.109375 | 3 |
|Name: _________________________||Period: ___________________|
This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does Jefferson argue should be eliminated from the Constitution of the new nation?
(b) Freedom of speech.
(c) Women's rights.
(d) Freedom of the press.
2. What have several historians pointed out does not exist between a master and a slave?
(a) A hierarchy.
(c) Consensual sex.
3. With whom does Jefferson exchange a series of passionate love letters?
(a) Dolley Madison.
(b) Diana Ross.
(c) Abigail Adams.
(d) Diana Cosway.
4. Who claims this president?
(a) His wife, Martha Wales.
(d) Liberals and conservatives.
5. What is Jefferson's attitude towards slavery?
(a) He is completely against slavery.
(b) It is acceptable in certain situations.
(c) Inconsistent and inexplicable.
(d) Slavery is needed to have a successful society.
6. What is Jefferson's refuge from troubled times?
(a) The Continental Congress.
(b) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(c) Richmond, Virginia.
7. Besides slaves, what else does Jefferson inherit from his father-in-law's estate?
(b) A house.
8. Who is probably the most beloved and admired of American presidents?
(a) Thomas Jefferson.
(b) George Washington.
(c) George Bush.
(d) Herbert Hoover.
9. What does Jefferson become, very publicly, while an ambassador in France?
(a) A Democrat.
(b) A Christian.
(c) A Francophile.
(d) A hypocrite.
10. Of what does Ellis feel it is unfair to accuse a man of Jefferson's time regarding women?
11. How does Ellis feel about presentism?
(a) He suffers from it.
(b) He is unsure about his stand on it.
(c) He agrees with it.
(d) He argues against it.
12. On what are several of Jefferson's arguments based?
(c) Historical facts.
(d) The history of monarchies.
13. What do many slave owners require of their slaves?
(c) Sexual services.
(d) An education.
14. How would Jefferson have gone through life, if his pamphlet had not been published?
(a) As a Virginia politician.
(c) As a well-known lawyer.
(d) An American ambassador.
15. Who does Patsy confess to loving more than her husband?
(a) Her father.
(b) Her sister.
(c) Her nanny.
(d) Her mother.
Short Answer Questions
1. How are Jefferson's actions towards slavery and his views of slavery contradictory?
2. Regarding Sally Hemings, of what is Jefferson regularly accused?
3. What governmental position does Alexander Hamilton hold?
4. Of what has Jefferson either never learned the technique or accepted the necessity?
5. What happens to Martha Wales Jefferson several months after the birth of their daughter Lucy Elizabeth?
This section contains 462 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) | <urn:uuid:90f568d9-cb83-44d0-b346-caf4cbd363c0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/american-sphinx/test1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00190-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.894883 | 718 | 3.0625 | 3 |
A concise, comprehensive overview of sputter deposition technologyùa key technology for materials research in the next decade.
Cathode sputtering is widely used in the microelectronics industry for silicon integrated circuit production and for metallurgical coatings. High temperature superconductors can be synthesized with sputtering under non-equilibrium conditions. Diamond films and ferroelectric materials are other applications.
Electronics and materials engineers in the automotive, medical, semiconductors, space, plastics, and military industries.
Table of Contents
Thin Film Materials and Devices
Thin Film Processes
Deposition of Compound Thin Films
Microfabrication by Sputtering | <urn:uuid:2b576b8b-3587-4673-95c1-81f27bbbc561> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.elsevier.com/books/handbook-of-sputter-deposition-technology/wasa/978-0-8155-1280-6 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00181-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.794695 | 137 | 2.9375 | 3 |
The mission of the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board shall be to promote quality education by establishing standards designed to guarantee that educational professional meet threshold levels of knowledge and skills required to prepare all students for success. The governor appoints members of the PSTEB for a three-year term.
In 1971 the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Advisory Board (PSTEB) was established through regulation. Its primary function was to advise the State Board of Education concerning the following:
In 1991, the Maryland General Assembly enacted legislation that created the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board (PSTEB). This semi-autonomous board is composed of 25 members and shares, with the SBE, the authority to develop rules and regulations for the certification of teachers and other professional personnel and requirements for the preparation of teachers and other education personnel. | <urn:uuid:d108e023-143f-4a29-bfe5-8b4e0d54878a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/certification/certification_branch/professional_practice/professional_practices.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403823.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00155-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957381 | 163 | 2.6875 | 3 |
As a partner in Red Chair press I often see submissions that are written in rhyme. If you know me you know I am not a fan. Why do people think that a story for children should be written in rhyme? I think it's one of those stereotypes of children's publishing.
People have rightly pointed out to me that stories in rhyme help children learn though the use of repetition among other reasons. I agree.
But if you write in rhyme you have even MORE hurdles to get over rather than just writing the story simply.
For one thing- rhyming is harder! I can imagine a writer scratching his head to come up with a rhyme and thus changing what he intended to say. I call this forcing the rhyme and it usually changes the intent and does not help the story.
The other problem is the meter of the line readings. You want to get that nice "sing-song" meter going as you read it. Read any Dr Suess story and you pick up his amazing ability to keep perfect meters. But for the novice you often find a line or two that makes your tongue "stumble". This will not only make the reader upset as they won't now how to get back on track but doesn't help the flow of the story.
Arnold Lobel was an amazing writer as well as a top notch illustrator. One of his Frog and Toad stories opens with these lines:
Frog knocked at Toad's door.
"Toad, wake up," he cried.
"Come out and see how wonderful the winter is!"
"I will not," said Toad.
"I am in my warm bed."
"Winter is beautiful," said Frog.
"Come out and have fun."
I am sure you could say all that in cute rhyming lines and you can argue that that would help a child learn better but I can't imagine the text being done any better.
Of course Arnold also wrote in rhyme himself! Check out The Book Pigericks. Amazing as is all his work but I am sure it was a lot harder to write! | <urn:uuid:0d6ef771-781e-4025-827f-86bae4022bf8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://jeffdinardo.blogspot.com/2013/01/to-rhyme-or-not-to-rhyme.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00114-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985099 | 434 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Article, Author Interviews, Book Resources
Fredrick McKissack Interview Transcript
- Grades: 3–5, 6–8, 9–12
How did you find out about the story of Black Hands, White Sails?
We were watching a program on the cable “History” channel about ships. It was explained that whalers were often men of color — African Americans, Cape Verdeans, West Indians, South Sea Islanders, and a wide variety of people from all over the world. We were interested in finding out more, so we took a trip to Nantucket and New Bedford where the 18th and 19th century whaling industry was centered. We discovered that whaling ships and whalers were also involved in the abolitionist movement and served as conductors on the Underground Railroad, helping runaway slaves make it to freedom. Many of the whalers were runaway slaves who went to sea to escape the bounty hunters who came North in search of fugitives. We thought this was a good story — a piece of American history that had been left out of the mainstream. So, we decided to make the topic a book project.
What compelled you to write books?
As a teacher Pat wanted to share the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar with her 8th grade students. She looked for a biography about Dunbar. But there wasn't a children's biography of him in the library. So she decided to write the book herself. It was written in 1971, but it didn't get published until 1984. Fred joined Pat in 1982, and we began writing other books together. Researching is an important part of writing non-fiction. This is the part that Fred does. Pat does most of the writing, but he checks behind her to make sure she has the facts straight.
How does it feel to make such good books?
Writing is enjoyable to us. But what pleases us most is when young readers enjoy our books. You are the ones who tell us if the books are good, and that's the thrill of it all — knowing that we have touched the lives of students all over the world.
How is the experience of writing a book together different from writing a book on your own? How did you collaborate on the book? What was the hardest thing about working together?
We work together every day so there isn't a time when we aren't in some way working “together.” There are degrees to which we participate in each other's projects. We collaborated on Black Hands, White Sails the same way we have all our books. Fred does the early research to determine the scope of the idea. What's been written on this subject? When? By whom? Once it is decided that we have a possible book, we submit a proposal to the publisher. After that is approved and contracts are signed and in order, then we outline the book, chapter by chapter. Then comes the long period of research. Fred spends hours on the phone, on the Net, in the library, writing and sending e-mails, etc. gathering information. Every book has a large laundry basket full of materials. While he's gathering materials, Pat is busy writing or finishing up the previous book. When enough material is gathered, Pat begins to write a “first draft.” It is the first time we tell the “story.”
Once the first draft is completed, Fred edits the manuscript and decides what needs to be further researched. For this book, we went to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, New Bedford, Mystic Seaport, Sag Harbor, Boston, Plymouth, etc. to gather firsthand information about the subject. Looking at old captain's log books, sea records, and museum pieces was very special and brought us into the story even more.
The most difficult part of writing together is overlapping chores. We have to talk all the time to make sure we both have the same understanding of the project. If each one is thinking something different, then, as you can see, that would present a problem. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it can be problematic.
If only one could get to go to the awards ceremony for the book, which one would get to go?
Neither one. Why? Because Pat wouldn't dream of going without Fred and Fred wouldn't go without Pat. We are a team, and a team is just that — we come as a package, and those who give awards know that. Now, Pat has won awards for her work, and Fred has won awards that have honored his work. That's different. We go and cheer the other one's success. But when we share an award we share it 50-50. Think of it this way. If we get a bad review or don't win an award, that is certainly shared, then so should the rewards of our combined efforts.
Why did you decide to write a book together?
We have worked together since 1982. Actually we worked together in Fred's construction business long before we decided to write books as a team. We have an easy relationship that is based on respect and honesty. It's a natural.
How long did it take you to write Black Hands, White Sails?
It took us three years — including travel, research, writing, and rewriting.
How did you find out you won the Coretta Scott King award? How did you feel when you found out you had won?
We received a call on Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday holiday from a member of the Coretta Scott King Award Committee and she informed us that our books was an honor book. We were sooooooooo happy, but we were also moved by the idea that it had happened on Dr. King's Day. We said a prayer of thanks. Then we shouted for joy. We called our family and good friends to share the good news. Then we went out for a breakfast celebration at I-HOP and continued to celebrate our good fortune combined with the King holiday of peace, love, forgiveness, and joy — with friends and family. It was a good day. And even though we have won the King award before, this book was special to us because of the brave men and women we wrote about.
Which book was the most challenging for you to research and which book was the most fun?
It may seem strange, but we find all of our books challenging and fun. Every new project is different and therefore, exciting in wonderful ways. The book we're working on at the moment is ALWAYS the most challenging and the most fun. Then we move on to a new project, and that one consumes us.
Why do you give the characters the names you have given them?
Naming a character is probably the most important part of writing a fictional book. Once Pat has named the character, then the character becomes clearer in her mind. Pat chose Clotee because she liked the sound of the name. She liked Sarah Jane because it is her grandmother's name.
Sometimes Pat's characters name themselves! Here is that story. When she was writing Mirandy and Brother Wind, she wanted to use Fred's grandmother's name, Miranda. But midway through the book, Pat mysteriously started typing Mirandy. It seems the little girl who wanted to dance with the wind decided to name herself Pat changed her name and the rest is history. The book was titled Mirandy and Brother Wind.
How do you come up with titles for your books?
Most times the “working title” becomes the actual title. When we begin a book we give the project a name, e.g. “Clotee,” or “Sarah Jane,” or “Christmas Book,” or “Flossie and the Fox.” When we finish the manuscript, we read it and sometimes the title is found in the text. For example Black Hands; White Sails was used in the introduction and we thought that sounded like a good title. The working title was The Story of African-American Whalers. That became the subtitle. We named another book A Needle for Nettie Jo. After looking at the title we decided that a needle is sometimes associated with the “ouch” of a doctor's needle. Needles are also associated with the drug culture. So we decided that might not be a good title. Besides, that title gave the whole story away. It tells the reader that Nettie Jo is going to get a sewing needle. So we changed it to Nettie Jo's Friends. It's not the best title in the world, but it worked better than the “working title.”
Sometimes when we can't think of a good title, our editor will come up with one.
Are you working on another book now?
We are working on several. We always do. While Fred is researching the possibility of a story, Pat is finishing another. One project we are completing now is a revision of our History of the Civil Right Movement in America from 1865 to the Present. The book was first printed in 1985, then updated in 1990. So, it is long overdue for a revision. The year 2000 seems to be a good time to do it. We are also working on another Dear America about an African-American girl in the Colonial period in Philadelphia, and a royal diary about an African queen. And finally we are working on another picture book. We're always busy, looking for new and interesting ideas to develop. That's the fun of it all.
If you weren't writers, what would you do for a living?
We would probably do what we were trained to do. Pat would be an English teacher and Fred would be a civil engineer. But even if we couldn't write for a living, Pat would go on telling stories and writing them, and Fred would never stop exploring the world around him.
How frequently do you write?
We write every day. We used to have an office away from our home. Now we have offices in our home. Writing requires a lot of patience and persistence, so we have to discipline ourselves to get up, dress, and “go to work” as though we are working for someone else. So, every day we get up about 8:00 a.m., dress, eat breakfast, and “go to work” — downstairs.
Now, some days are more productive than others. Some days Pat manages to write a page or two and that's it. Fred can spend hours on the telephone interviewing a person or listening to a tape of a recorded interview, but on another day he runs into dead ends all day long and progress is slow. Then at other times, Pat can finish a whole chapter in a day, and Fred can proof a galley.
Planning is out best friend. We have short weekly plans (one to seven days out), monthly, and yearly. We try to stay on schedule so we meet our goals. In order to do that we have to work some almost every day — even some weekends, but not all of them. We enjoy playing as much as we enjoy our work. All work and no play. . . is unhealthy.
Did you want to be writers when you were growing up?
We never thought that we BOTH could make a living writing. It was never a goal because we had no idea such a thing was possible. Pat has always liked writing. Fred has always enjoyed learning. The two are a good nonfiction writing match.
Where are some the favorite places you have traveled? Is there some place
you haven't been that you would like to visit?
We have traveled to many places, but the sight of our own home is one of the best in the world. You never realize how much your family and friends mean to you until you have been away for a while and return. We love traveling and will continue to go as many places as our health will permit, but HOME is always where the heart is.
Spain is very special to us. The people, the food, and the land holds special memories for us. We are looking forward to an upcoming trip to Egypt. We really want to see the pyramids.
We just finished reading your book A Million Fish . . . More or Less. Why did you pick this swamp for the setting? Did you ever live there or visit there?
I have visited New Orleans and the surrounding area for many years. While visiting Houma, Louisiana, I saw a “swamp” for the very first time. I had never heard of a Cypress Knee, and the huge stump they call Napoleon's Elbow is very interesting. Louisiana swamps are a haven for wildlife — all kinds of birds and animals. A large number of them feed on the fish found in the slow-moving bayous. Bayou means “a slow-moving river.” The people are also a “gumbo” of cultures. I tried in this story to highlight the many cultures that helped shape this part of the country — the Spanish, French, English, Caribbean, Native American, and African-American. What a mixture of languages, food, customs, and stories!
What was it like growing up in St. Louis?
St. Louis was a segregated city in the 1950s. Although our community was racially mixed and we kids played together after school, we attended segregated schools. We attended separate churches and skated in separate skating rinks, and attended different movies — one for whites and one for blacks. It seems foolish today, but that's the way it was before 1954, when the Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional. In the school year 1954–55, I was the first and only black child in my sixth grade class. I missed all the friends I had attended school with all my life. Then when my parents divorced, I went to Nashville to live with my mother and grandparents. The schools there were segregated again. I never attended an integrated school again. St. Louis was integrated, but Nashville had a long way to go yet. All of that seems so long ago and so unnecessary. It makes me angry sometimes when I think about how unfair the system was, but I'm also glad that we live in a country where we have a document as wonderful as the Constitution. With it, we can make changes and improve what is unfair and unjust without the violence and bloodshed. The best lesson I learned during the civil rights movement of the 1960s was to express my anger about inequalities and injustices by voting.
Our first graders love Messy Bessey. Do you plan on writing more?
Yes, we plan to write more Messy Bessey books. Please look for these
Messy Bessey's Closet
Messy Bessey's Garden
Messy Bessey's School Desk
Messy Bessey's Birthday Sleep-over
Messy Bessey's Holidays
Messy Bessey's Family Reunion
What is your favorite book to read to celebrate Black History Month?
My favorite book to read for Black History Month is not the same every year. I try to read and/or learn about something or someone that I've not heard of before. This year I'm reading a biography of Hiram Revels, a senator from the state of Mississippi during the Reconstruction period. He was a very interesting man.
Which of your books was the most challenging for you to research and which book was the most fun?
The most challenging book that we've written is Black Hands, White Sails because we knew nothing about the subject. We saw black whalers of the 19th century featured on a history channel special. We wanted to know more — more led us to Boston, Mystic, Sag Harbor, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and other places. It was hard work, but it was also a lot of fun because we met so many interesting people. All of our books are challenging and fun. That's what makes writing such an exciting profession. Every new book is a new and wonderful experience. And just as no two books are the same, our experiences writing them are different as well.
Thanks so much for allowing us to spend this time answering your questions.
Keep reading and writing and expressing yourself with words — wonderful, magical, inspiring words! | <urn:uuid:d2827391-8633-4900-a45a-3a2a65fba7e2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/fredrick-mckissack-interview-transcript?pImag | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391766.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00012-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980625 | 3,363 | 3.125 | 3 |
Local governments throughout California have experienced a variety of benefits thanks to inclusive public engagement. ILG provides tipsheets and resources to effectively plan and implement inclusive engagement strategies. These resources range from the benefits of, and steps for planning successful engagement to specialized approaches to issues such as budgeting, land use, immigrant engagement, and economic development. Whether its supporting and connecting with local leadership programs as a pipeline to engage specific populations, or partnering with local community based organizations – from faith based groups to art or business associations – to reach beyond the small slice of the public that most frequently attends meetings, ILG’s inclusive public engagement resources will point you in the right direction.
Information and resources about the “basics” of public engagement benefits, principles, design, and other related topics to help local and regional agencies successfully involve residents and others in local public decision-making.
Research, resources and case stories to help ensure that participation in public engagement efforts more fully reflect the demographics of your community.
This includes information about ways to work with community partners to engage a broader cross section of the community, including youth and immigrant residents, as well as how to work more effectively with clergy and congregations.
Resources and case stories to help local officials in California successfully engage and integrate immigrant residents into the civic and public life of their communities. Also see information about pathways for legal permanent residents to achieve U.S. citizenship, and strategies for local officials to support these citizenship efforts and to engage new citizens in their community.
Resources and case stories to help facilitate partnerships between local governments and community based organizations. Community-based organizations can offer unique and important insights into the challenges and opportunities facing residents in their area and can help local officials improve their ability to communicate and connect with a wide range of community members.
Local agencies that take the time to assess their engagement strategies and activities are more likely to learn from their experiences and improve their future efforts. These resources and worksheets are designed to support local agencies as they explore how to measure success.
Map Key: Cities – star shape; Counties – square shape
Purple – Broadening Participation; Orange – Difficult Situations in Public Engagement; Green – Planning, Housing and Sustainability; Blue – Budgeting; Aqua Blue – Health and Other Human Services; Red – Reentry, Emergency Preparedness and Public Safety; Brown – Public Works; Black – Online Public Engagement & Technology; Gray – Sustaining Public Engagement | <urn:uuid:46743961-2d1a-4536-9526-40ec6695e3de> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ca-ilg.org/inclusive-public-engagement | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408828.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00096-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940394 | 503 | 2.8125 | 3 |
So there is a few types of hashes you may come across, on most Unix type systems you could have a MD5 hash password file. But not just a MD5 hash, these will include a salt to make the hash unique.
Now other systems will use hashes, say like a web application. Now you could do these with a salt but many web developers ether don’t know this or assume that is already there, you can pick. With out the salt a string will always hash to the same result on every system, this is a problem. You could use something like a rainbow table, where you have a pre-hashed password list so you can quickly look up the password. | <urn:uuid:29d1fd5e-6b77-4fe6-b196-bf55e31aed59> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/Irregular-Expressions/using-john-the-ripper-to-brut-md5-hashes-part-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404382.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00156-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9404 | 141 | 2.625 | 3 |
(CBS News) Overuse of antibiotics has become so prevalent that if the trend continues, a normal infection can become deadly, according to statements made by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan.
"Things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill," she warned.
Speaking at a conference called "Combating antimicrobial resistance: Time for action" in Copenhagen on Wednesday, Chan warned that "drug-resistant pathogens are notorious globe-trotters," saying they easily hop on board with air travelers, are shipped along in globally traded food and have been accelerated through hospital-acquired infections, thanks to the growth of medical tourism.
"We are losing our first-line antimicrobials. Replacement treatments are more costly, more toxic, need much longer durations of treatment, and may require treatment in intensive care units," she said.
Chan explained that patients who have been infected by some drug-resistant pathogens now have an increased mortality rate of about 50 percent. For example, there are now about 650,000 cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis strains. Because treatment requires two years of expensive and toxic medication, about 325,000 of those affected will die. The CDC reported in 2008 alone, 8.2 percent of tuberculosis cases in the U.S. were drug-resistant. Though the majority of the cases were from people born overseas, over 18 percent were found in U.S. born patients.
Drug-resistant pathogens might also be found in food. CBS News reported that a study showed that 47 percent of meat sampled from five U.S. cities in 2011 had drug-resistant staph bacteria, or MRSA.
To make matters worse, the most deadly pathogens - which are resistant to the strongest antimicrobials - are being found in more and more hospitals. HealthPop reported that a treatment-resistant form of C. diff bacteria that causes gastroenteritis has contributed to a five-fold increase in deaths from the disease between1999 and 2007. More than 14,500 people a year now die from this strain of the disease, up from 2,700 in 1999.
With antibiotics becoming less effective, more complex procedures like organ transplants and caring for preterm infants could become too risky and difficult to do.
The problem is many drug companies see no point in investing to develop better antimicrobial drugs because they will just be rendered ineffective in a few years because of overuse. "It's simply not profitable for them," Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, told ABC News. He compared the problem to Ford creating a car that people would drive only if all other cars were not working.
"If you create a new drug to reduce cholesterol, people will be taking that drug every day for the rest of their lives. But you only take antibiotics for a week or maybe 10 days," he explained.
The Director-General said that doctors need to prescribe antibiotics appropriately and only when necessary. She said there also needs to be an overhaul in how much antibiotics are used in food production, and more needs to be done to stop substandard and counterfeit medications.
In January, the FDA announced it's restricting the amounts of cephalosporin antibiotics used in cattle and livestock, citing concerns that people would be resistant to the drug if they develop a life-threatening disease, like pneumonia or meningitis.
"If current trends continue unabated, the future is easy to predict. Some experts say we are moving back to the pre-antibiotic era. No. This will be a post-antibiotic era," Chan said. "In terms of new replacement antibiotics, the pipeline is virtually dry...The cupboard is nearly bare." | <urn:uuid:ef5be903-601c-4df3-8f2f-f174a94af2a7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wibw.com/home/nationalnews/headlines/WHO_Antibiotic_Overuse_So_Prevalent_Scraped_Knee_Could_Be_Deadly_143017275.html?site=full | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398869.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00036-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968055 | 772 | 2.890625 | 3 |
by Robert Wilkinson
Given that this is truly an important point in our space-time reality, I thought I would do a little more research on the outer planet conjunctions to the Galactic Center. First, more on possible meanings and influences of this point at late Sagittarius. It is said to be a major source of motivation, aspiration, and the "gravitational energy" in our Milky Way Galaxy. I have also read that it accompanies "otherworldly" feelings and galactic experiences, The late degrees of Sagittarius also have other significance. To learn more about important points in our history when this point was activated, read on.
We are told that the GC was at 26 Sag 52 in 2000, and working back through the centuries we find it at the following approximate points: 26 Sag 31 in 1975, 26 Sag 10 in 1950, 25 Sag 49 in 1925, 25 Sag 28 in 1900, 25 Sag 07 in 1875, 24 Sag 46 in 1850, 24 Sag 25 in 1825, 24 Sag 04 in 1800, 23 Sag 43 in 1775, 23 Sag 22 in 1750, 23 Sag 01 in 1725, and 22 Sag 40 in 1700.
In researching the web, I found this: "In 1932, Karl Jansky, a Bell Telephone Laboratories engineer, was searching for the source of static affecting overseas telephone lines. To find the source he built the first 95 foot movable radio- telescope to detect it. Part of the static turned out to be created by the center of our Galaxy at 26 degrees of Sagittarius. Astronomers paid little attention to the discovery, but to the astrology of consciousness, this discovery should rank right up there with the discovery of Pluto in 1930.
In the late 1960's, astronomers finally honed in on the GC (Galactic Center) with radio and infrared instruments. They were astounded by the immense energies to be found there. A huge Black Hole is thought to be at the center, about the size of a large star, but containing the mass of four million suns. The staggering amount of material being drawn into the black hole radiates energy at many frequencies."
Before now, Pluto was last on the GC between February-May 1758, December 1758-January 1759, and June-November 1759, at 24 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn January-February 1762 and June-December 1962.
Neptune was on the GC twice in this span. The first time was February-June 1817, December 1817-January 1818, and June-November 1818, at 25 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn February-June 1820, December 1820-January 1821, and July-November 1821. The more recent time was January-June 1982, November-December 1982, January 1983, and July-November 1983 at 27 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn most recently January-February 1984, May-June 1984, November-December 1984.
Uranus was on the GC 4 times in this span. The first time was February-May 1735, December 1735-January 1736, August-October 1736, at 24 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn January 1737-June 1737 and November-December 1737. The second time was February-June 1819 and November-December 1819 at 25 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn January 1821, June-July 1821, and October-November 1821.
The third time was February-May 1903 and December 1903 at 26 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn December 1904-January 1905 and July-October 1905. The most recent transit of Uranus over the Galactic Center was February-June 1987 and November-December 1987 at 27 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn February-May 1988 and December 1988.
Saturn has been on the GC 9 times in this span, including 2 important conjunctions on the GC with Jupiter and 1 with Uranus. The first time Saturn was on the GC during this span was January 1723 during the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction setting a new 20 year cycle into motion on this important point, and later that year in August-October 1723 at 24 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn December 1723. The second time Saturn hit the GC was in 1752 between February-June and in November, also at 24 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn January 1753.
The third time Saturn was on the Galactic Center during this span was at another Jupiter-Saturn conjunction around April-May 1782. Jupiter was exactly on the GC that year in February, June, and October, while Saturn was exactly on the GC in December 1781 and August-September 1782. Saturn was at 1 Capricorn March-May 1782, and both Jupiter and Saturn were again at 1 Capricorn in November 1782.
The next time Saturn was on the GC was December 1840 at 25 Sagittarius, and it danced at 1 Capricorn in February, June, and November 1841. It again conjuncted the GC in 1870 in January-February, Jun-Jul, and October-November at 26 Sagittarius. That year it entered Capricorn December 1870. The next visit was brief, in December 1899 at 26 Sagittarius. It spent time at 1 Capricorn January, July, and October 1900.
Saturn again conjuncted the GC in January and July-October 1929 at 26 Sagittarius. It was at 1 Capricorn March-May 1929 and November 1929. It entered its present degree of 27 Sagittarius in March-May 1958 and November-December 1958, and most lately December 1987, January 1988, and August-September 1988. Saturn was at 1 Capricorn in January 1959 and August-October 1959, and February 1988, May-June 1988, and November 1988.
It was during this 1988 transit that it also conjuncted Uranus all year long, a very significant contact whose influence will last through May-June 2032, when they will again conjunct opposite the GC in Gemini. Any time the outer planets conjunct each other, it sets long-term cycles into motion that affect the entire world. With Saturn conjunct Uranus, we can expect new forms and structures (Saturn) for the on-going larger forces of change that are individualizing each of us and all of us (Uranus).
The critical turning points in the larger cycle that began in 1988 when they conjuncted at the Galactic Center were at the lower square of Saturn to that point in March 1996, the opposition to the GC point in August 2002, November-December 2002, and April-May 2003. Saturn will upper (waning) square the GC in September-October 2009 and May-June 2010. This is a significant time due to the accompanying Uranus waxing square the GC conjunction point at 27 Pisces between April-September 2009, February-April 2010, and October 2010-February 2011. January 2011 features a significant Jupiter-Uranus conjunction at 28 Pisces, also important in releasing energies symbolized by this cycle.
On a final note, Pluto slips into 1 Capricorn January-June and November-December 2008, and again August-October 2009. There is a very powerful Saturn square Pluto from in effect from September 2009 through October 2010, the exact aspect falling from 2 Libra to Capricorn November 2009, 5 Libra to Capricorn January-February 2010, and 3 Libra to Capricorn August 2010. I'll explore the possible meanings, manifestations, and how these will affect each of us personally and collectively in future articles.
All of this portends major Earth and societal changes, since these squares are part of a larger transpersonal spiritual T-square of Jupiter conjunct Uranus at 1 Aries in June 2010, Jupiter square Pluto and Mars conjunct Saturn both opposed Jupiter conjunct Uranus July-August 2010, Jupiter squares Pluto in February-March 2011, and Mars squares Pluto, conjuncts Jupiter, and opposes Saturn March-April 2011, after which a very long series of Uranus-Pluto squares begins. Revolutonary times are upon us indeed, which I touched on in this post on this important period leading us all to a rendezvous with destiny in 2012.
Here are three articles written in October 2007 that go into considerable detail about the squares and oppositions coming in the next few years.
© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson | <urn:uuid:8db12c05-1fe3-43f0-84e5-c46306e2925e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.aquariuspapers.com/astrology/2006/05/galactic_center.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404382.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00051-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964104 | 1,766 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Here is a helpful video explaining the concept of catalysts. Courtesy of: Wowmedialtd
Explains how manufacturers use catalysts to fade blue jeans.
Catalysts are extremely important in all of the sciences. Without them, tens of thousands of reactions would never take place, and we would not exist! But, how can you actually SEE a catalyst work AND drive an awesome reaction? Check out our project!
This real world application shows how a catalyst can affect real life situations.
Learn about how catalysts actually produce more carbon dioxide in car exhaust and why that might be a good thing.
A study guide to help review the Collision Theory, Activation Energy, and the affect of Catalysts.
This link will help you better understand chemistry. | <urn:uuid:88fdcc50-9ec7-4112-b085-387235c527bf> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ck12.org/chemistry/Catalysts/?by=all&difficulty=all | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394605.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00155-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900789 | 157 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Tales from Poland's home front: A Jew in the Warsaw Ghetto
This book supplies perhaps the last unwritten chapter in the history of the Second World War. One reason it has taken so long is that for Poland the war did not end until 1989 or, to be exact, 1990, when a treaty with Germany was at last signed. Another is the magnitude of the subject, involving as it does almost every theatre of the war and a human tragedy of staggering complexity and scale played out on several continents. The Polish armed forces were deployed widely, both conventionally and underground. The civilian population did not share a common experience, as the invaders broke it down by ethnic and social background and treated it accordingly. But the difficulties that faced historians taking on the subject do not end there, and they are part of the story.
The Soviet Union projected its own version of events, falsifying evidence on a massive scale. Poland's Western allies clung to their narrative of a good war fought for democracy and decency, in which Poland had no place and which its fate actually contradicted. The socialism and engouement with all things Soviet which reigned in academe and the media in the postwar period cast the Poles and their sympathisers in the role of crypto-fascists. Emigré Polish historians, usually incapable of shedding their emotional involvement, sounded strident at best. Foreign historians were impeded by language barriers and seemingly impossible complexities, and tended to be either too sympathetic or too condescending, or both.
For Britons, the fate of Poland after 1945 had the added inconvenience of being a painful reminder of their country's decline and diminished influence in the Allied councils at Tehran and Yalta. For Poles, it was difficult not to see the whole thing in personal terms: Poland had fought from the first to the last, and Poland had been betrayed.
There was little understanding of, or sympathy for, Poland in the West. Statistically, Russia had suffered far greater losses. Stalingrad and the siege of Leningrad, even Dresden and Hiroshima overshadowed the tragedy of Warsaw, even though the human and material losses were much greater. In terms of sheer horror, the Holocaust outranked all other tales of suffering, and although half of the victims were Polish citizens and it took place almost entirely on Polish territory, it did not figure in the popular imagination as part of the Polish story.
The Nazis and Soviets deliberately set their victims against each other, and after the war Poles, Jews, Ukrainians, Lithuanians and even the evicted Germans staked rival claims of victimhood which usually involved belittling the sufferings of the others and accusing them of collaboration, further clouding the picture. Not the least of the difficulties facing the historian was that what the population, Jewish or otherwise, endured bears no relation to the experience of the Second World War in any other part of the world, except in Manchuria and parts of southeast Asia. It was so grotesquely unthinkable that it was unbelievable to the average inhabitant of a Western democracy. | <urn:uuid:91e4d67d-95de-4dd4-81ad-dd80d9cb6923> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.standpointmag.co.uk/books-november-12-the-fate-of-a-forgotten-ally-adam-zamoyski-the-eagle-unbowed-halik-kochanski | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400572.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976467 | 615 | 2.875 | 3 |
Definitions for niagara river
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word niagara river
Niagara, Niagara River(noun)
a river flowing from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario; forms boundary between Ontario and New York
A river in North America flowing to the north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and including the Niagara Falls.
The Niagara River is a river that flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river. According to Iroquoian scholar Bruce Trigger, "Niagara" is derived from the name given to a branch of the locally residing native Neutral Confederacy, who are described as being called the "Niagagarega" people on several late-17th-century French maps of the area. According to George R. Stewart, it comes from the name of an Iroquois town called "Ongniaahra", meaning "point of land cut in two". The river, which is occasionally described as a strait, is about 56 kilometres long and includes Niagara Falls in its course. The falls have moved approximately 11 kilometres upstream from the Niagara Escarpment in the last 12,000 years, resulting in a gorge below the falls. Today, the diversion of the river for electrical generation has significantly reduced the rate of erosion. Power plants on the river include the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Power Stations on the Canadian side, and the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant on the American side. Together, they generate 4.4 gigawatts of electricity. The International Control Works, built in 1954, regulates the river flow. Ships on the Great Lakes use the Welland Canal, part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, on the Canadian side of the river, to bypass Niagara Falls.
The numerical value of niagara river in Chaldean Numerology is: 3
The numerical value of niagara river in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6
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If the Earth was your patient, how would you treat it?
The physiology of the planet is being ravaged by climate change and the health of its inhabitants is seriously under threat.
The world is in need of a radical ‘rehabilitation’ programme– and physios could form a vital part of the treatment plan.
That’s the message from CSP professional adviser Alex Lipman, who recently attended an international conference in London to examine the role of health professionals in tackling climate-related issues (see News, Frontline 2 November 2011) .
Climate change is certainly happening. After decades of research, the scientific consensus is now overwhelmingly in agreement about that.
Our combustion of fossil fuels is causing an ever-increasing accumulation of ‘greenhouse gases’ in the atmosphere.
The argument, among mainstream scientists, is now about details and the best ways of coping. The main opposition is not scientific but political.
But not everyone sees the particular relevance of climate change to health professionals.
The extinction of, say, polar bears might be sad but how does that affect human beings?
In reality, the polar bear’s present struggle is a warning to humans, a few years down the line.
And though developing countries are being hit first, the changes will spread to the rest of the world – not least as refugees flee from uninhabitable zones.
How it affects physios
It’s a subject that affects physiotherapists, for reasons that go beyond general health concerns.
As The Lancet reports(see ‘The impact of climate change on health’, next page) changing weather patterns will increase the strain on services including physiotherapy.
Floods and storms, for example, increase the risk of accidents, leading to an increased toll of injuries.
Ground-level ozone affects lung tissue while rising temperatures put a stress on the cardiovscular system - both affecting patients’ chances of successful rehabilitation.
The CSP has joined the Climate and Health Council, a group of more than 40 international health organisations emphasising the health implications of global climate change.
Other professional bodies include the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Nursing.
How physios can help
‘As physiotherapists we shouldn’t underestimate the role that we can play,’ says CSP member Lester Jones, lecturer at the department of physiotherapy at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.
‘As individuals and as a profession, we can take action to mitigate climate change.’
Lester Jones is a strong advocate for physiotherapists taking positive action on climate change. He believes they are well placed to influence the public and should be making environmental sustainability a priority.
‘As a profession,’ he says, ‘we can put pressure on manufacturers and suppliers to reduce carbon emissions.
We should demand energy-efficient equipment and less packaging, and buy products of environmentally sustainable manufacturing processes.
‘We can also provide messages about the environmental impact of behaviour to our patients – and highlight the personal benefits of lowering carbon emissions, such as lower energy bills and better physical fitness.’
Alex Lipman agrees that physios are well placed to educate patients about the multiple benefits of a environmentally friendly lifestyle. Less car use, for a start, would improve ex-drivers’ fitness as well as air quality.
Lead by example
Physios can help by setting a good example, Ms Lipman adds. And as with all good health advice, prevention is the key. Adaptation and mitigation strategies will both be necessary to cope with change.
By connecting health professionals and uniting the voices of international organisations, the Climate and Health Council aims to lobby for effective governmental and United Nations action.
It also hopes to inspire individual professionals, by encouraging them to take positive action – both at home and at work – and by stressing the importance of the health perspective.
Addressing climate change should be an issue of concern for all health professionals, according to the British Medical Association.
‘Action to tackle climate change not only reduces the risks to our environment and global stability but offers significant health co-benefits,’ many BMA members said in a statement issued at the recent conference.
‘Climate-change mitigation policies would thus significantly cut rates of preventable death and disability for hundreds of millions of people around the world.’ fl
The impact of climate change on health
Climate change is ‘the biggest global health threat of the 21st century’, according to a 2009 report produced by The Lancet in collaboration with University College London.
It caused the loss of 5.5 million disability-adjusted life years in the year 2000, according to statistics from the World Health Organization, and on a global scale this morbidity burden is increasing.
The main impacts on health are likely to be:
- Changing weather patterns, which are contributing to death, disease and injury. Widespread droughts have led to malnutrition, starvation, mental health effects and escalating conflict in the regions affected.
- Rising temperatures, changing sea levels and more frequent and extreme weather patterns are widening health and social inequalities, with developing countries bearing the brunt.
- In higher temperatures the cardiovascular system undergoes increasing stresses. Older people, babies, young children and people with cardiac conditions or ill-health will be much more vulnerable.
- Increasing air temperatures are likely to raise the concentration of ozone gases at ground level.
- Ground-level ozone is a pollutant that can damage lung tissue, exacerbate respiratory diseases and cause pulmonary congestion, nausea and chest pain.
- Diseases long associated with warmer countries could spread to northern Europe, including tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, malaria, dengue fever, leptospirosis and West Nile Virus.
- People will be exposed to more ultraviolet radiation, leading to more sunburn, sunstroke and skin cancers.
- Warmer temperatures will increase the chances of food poisoning and intestinal diseases.
- The UK’s sewerage systems are not designed to cope with climate change.
- An increase in rainfall could overwhelm them. If flooding and severe storms become more prevalent, the health risks from contaminated water will also rise.
Want to Find out more?
- Read the carbon re-education strategy developed by the NHS Sustainable Development Unit – ‘Saving Carbon, Improving Health:
- NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy for England’ available here: www.sdu.nhs.uk/publications-resources/3/NHS-Carbon-Reduction-Strategy
- Read the 2009 Lancet series on health and climate change. Available here: www.thelancet.com/series/health-and-climate-change
- Read the article ‘Physiotherapy and the Earth’s climate’ by Lester Jones, published in Physiotherapy Research International in 2009. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pri.441/pdf
- Sign up for free membership of the Climate and Health Council: www.climateandhealth.org/
- Join the interactive CSP Green Physiotherapy network: www.csp.org.uk/icsp/green-physiotherapy | <urn:uuid:2192705c-530b-46bf-af71-e306bb21983d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.csp.org.uk/frontline/article/health-warning-save-planet | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396945.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00102-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921754 | 1,504 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Music Items - A Glossary
A selection of musical words and items used in Anglican Church music:
An item sung by the choir that is not part of the liturgical service. Usually set
to a bibical text.
- 'A hymn or song from a bibical text'. Sung during the 'office' services (ie: not Eucharist), they form major
items of the choral parts of the service. See Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (Evensong), and Venite, Te Deum and Jubilate (Mattins).
'A song of praise to God'. Usually sung with the congregation. There are many
hymnals (books of hymns), such as 'Ancient and Modern (revised)',
'English Hymnal', etc.
An item sung by the choir before the start of the service. Sometimes from 'off-stage'.
- Jubilate Deo
'O be joyful in the Lord' - Psalm 100. A canticle sung at Mattins.
Also known as 'The Song of Mary' on hearing that she would be the Mother of Christ. Taken from The Gospel according to Luke chapter 1, verses 46 to 55. Sung during Evensong and part of the ancient office of Vespers.
- Mass Setting
- This is the set of music sung at the Eucharist service.
It consists of the
- Nunc Dimittis
Also known as 'The Song of Simeon' as the old man recognised the Christ Child in the Temple. Taken from The Gospel according to Luke chapter 2, verses 29 to 32. Sung during Evensong and part of the ancient office of Compline.
- Preces and Responses
A dialogue between the precentor and the choir.
Any item sung whilst processing to/from the choir stalls.
'A sacred song' - in the Anglican tradition these are the biblical Psalms of David.
The most common are those set in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), translated
by Miles Coverdale, and renowned for their use of the English language.
- Te Deum Laudamus
'We praise thee, O God' - a hymn of praise to God. Sung as a canticle at Mattins.
- Venite, exultemus Domino
'O Come, let us sing unto the Lord' - psalm 95. Sung as a canticle at Mattins.
Usually refers to the item the organist plays at the end of the service. Should
be considered as part of the service - listen, don't chat!
Last updated on Wednesday, 3rd December 2008
Copyright © 1999 - 2004, John Watkins - portions copyright © Richard Bloomfield. | <urn:uuid:2ac784a6-cfda-4798-98e1-82452f540722> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.churchmusic.org.uk/reference/musicitems.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397748.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00106-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.885825 | 578 | 3.375 | 3 |
Conservatoire Botanique National de Brest, Vallon du Stang-alar, 52 Allée du Bot, F-29200 Brest, France
Created in 1975, the National Botanic Conservatory of Brest (Conservatoire Botanique National de Brest), France was the first botanic garden in the world committed to the preservation of endangered plants. Since its origin, the Conservatory has worked at regional, national and international levels, cultivating threatened plants from Brittany, France and oceanic islands throughout the world. Depending on the particular circumstances, rescues are carried out as in situ or ex situ operations.
With more than 1,300 endangered species in cultivation (filed from X to I according to the UICN classification), Brest has one of the worlds largest collection of threatened plants.
In addition to rescue operations, the Botanic Conservatory has always carried out a variety of activities to make the public aware of the importance of protecting our plant heritage. This is indispensable if we want to assure the survival of threatened species in the long-term.
Why create a learning trail?
Since 1986, groups (school children, adults, students or specialists) have been able to request a guided tour with an education officer to learn about the Conservatory.
Because it is not always possible to give guided tours to individuals, we have designed a system for receiving and informing them. As a result we have created a learning trail so that they can visit our new educational greenhouses independently. In this way, we hope to considerably increase the attendance in our greenhouses, and spread the message of the necessity to conserve endangered species.
The educational greenhouses
The Conservatory cultivates plants from all over the world, and consequently the greenhouses are an indispensable tool for maintaining these fragile plants. With the installation of scientific and educational greenhouses in 1990, we have improved our ability to propagate rare plants and to educate people about conservation.
In 1993, we enlarged our educational greenhouses. We took advantage of this opportunity to add an interpretation trail.
Today, these greenhouses, with an area of 1,000 sq m, display four different environments: high-altitude tropical forests, temperate islands, dry tropical zones, and tropical rainforests. Of the 300 species shown, 95% are threatened in their natural environments.
Organising the information
In order to provide good quality and well structured information, we have developed a new method: general information appears on panels, and specific information about species is included in a booklet. Thus information is found in two different places which complement each other and interact together.
Inside each greenhouse, the visitor always finds three panels:
The presentation of each conservation theme is divided into four parts:
During their walk, visitors progressively acquire concepts and ideas to better understand the dangers that threaten biodiversity, the methods for rescuing endangered plants, and the necessity for botanic conservatories such as ours.
The panels are made of a new materal called Comoral. Framed with anodised aluminium, the panels are not effected by light or humidity. We are one of the first organisations to use this revolutionary material invented by GIAT Industrie.
When vistors arrive we give them a free booklet which presents 36 endangered species that are in culture inside the educational greenhouses. These plants have been selected because their individual histories illustrate the general notions described on the panels. The booklet, which the visitor keeps, is not only an informative guide but also a real tool to make people more aware of what is at stake.
The simultaneous use of the panels and booklets constitutes a very original method of education, and one which seems to suit visitors perfectly. During the summer of 1995, a survey was conducted which shows us that 87% of the public found this method useful.
The Conservatorys partners
The Brest Botanic Conservatory was created in 1975 by Jean Lesouëf, the first Curator, with the support of the Urban Community of Brest, the SEPNB environmental association, and the national Ministry of the Environment. Since 1990, the Ministry has awarded us national status, together with five other gardens (Bailleul, Gap-Charance, Mascarin, Nancy and Porquerolles).
The Garden is managed by a group of local communities, and the Conservatory currently (1996) employs eight people. Once a year a scientific council audits our activities and scientific programmes.
The Brest municipal council (Communauté Urbaine de Brest) is our most important partner. It gives us grants, but also finances 10 gardeners, grounds, buildings and the gardening equipment. We have received technical and financial support from the following organisations to equip the educational greenhouses:
Forward | Acknowledgements | Table of Contents | <urn:uuid:002e2e80-1a80-4851-880f-503bd5e3251a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bgci.org/congress/congress_1996_bbg/ruellan.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399522.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00030-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925468 | 979 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Construction's new era of innovation: Exoskeletons, 3-D printers, cross-laminated timber and more
There's no doubt that innovation in construction materials and methods is on the rise. From 3-D printing, to exoskeletons, to a timber that can safely build high-rises, new products have captured the imagination of the construction industry.
3-D printing, also knows as additive manufacturing, allows users to "print" an object, layer by layer, from a digital file. Researchers in the Netherlands have developed a printer that can produce fine, detailed concrete panels 36-feet long, 16-feet wide and 13-feet high. Two house-building printers have also been unveiled this year. The gargantuan WASP Big Delta — and portable Apis Cor, capable of building 1,000 square feet a day — promise to usher in a new era of homebuilding with their ability to build quickly and in a variety of environments. 3-D printing technology could even reach outer space.
New ideas about how material stalwart concrete should function have given rise to a new generation of products as well. A team at Cardiff University in Wales is exploring "self-healing" concrete, which could potentially save billions of dollars globally in concrete repairs each year. Topmix Permeable has also made waves with a video demonstration showing its product's capability of "drinking" up to 1,000 gallons of water in a minute, opening up a viable alternative to traditional methods of storm water management.
What drives innovation?
So what drives construction material and method innovations like these? Amanda Johnson, senior associate at OZ Architecture in Colorado, chalks it up to the market.
"The sophistication of the market is demanding buildings, both new and existing, to differentiate and provide users with qualities that they won’t be able to find elsewhere," she said. "In new construction, authenticity in the materials and construction methods are forcing architects and designers to look beyond the familiar."
Johnson and OZ are big proponents of another material responsible for changes in building: cross-laminated timber (CLT). CLT is a multi-layer engineered wood product with fire-resistant capabilities similar to heavy timber, meaning that buildings using CLT, despite myths to the contrary, are not "tinderboxes" waiting to go up in flames.
According to the American Wood Council, CLT also has the advantage of being renewable, sustainable and reducing a building’s carbon footprint, as CLT panels continue to store carbon absorbed during a tree’s growing cycle. The United States Department of Agriculture has also been promoting the use of CLT, awarding $1.5 million to the winners of the recent U.S. Tall Wood Building Competition, for which competitors submitted designs for high-rise wood buildings.
Another wood with the potential to be an industry game-changer is bamboo. Dirk Hebel, assistant professor of architecture and construction at the Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore, believes that bamboo, because of its tensile strength, could one day be used as an alternative to reinforced steel. Adding to its "green" appeal, bamboo does not require replanting after harvesting and, like CLT, retains carbon.
A competitive environment
Also encouraging breakthroughs in the development of construction materials and methods today is the NOVA Innovation Competition, created in 2008 and sponsored by Saint-Gobain, a manufacturer of construction and high-performance products. Organizers said the contest "rewards start-ups offering the most innovative solutions in the field of habitat, sustainable products, advanced materials, renewable energy sources and high-efficiency building solutions."
Minas Apelian, who oversees NOVA and is the vice president of R&D, quality and external venturing at Saint Gobain, said construction has been "a very traditional industry, with conservative spending, but it’s ripe for disruptive technologies and services that can change the construction market."
He added, "And innovation and entrepreneurship... well, that’s what America was founded on, and that’s what propels growth and advancement."
The winner of this year's NOVA competition will be decided on Nov. 18 at the Greenbuild Expo in Washington DC, and finalists this year run the gamut from materials made from paper waste to robotics.
One finalist, Melodea, has developed an industrial process for the extraction of Nano Crystalline Cellulose (NCC) from agricultural and industrial waste. The resulting product can be used in a wide variety of eco-friendly foams and to strengthen glues and paints.
Another competition hopeful is q-bot, which has created robots to survey and map difficult-to-reach locations and apply insulation in previously inaccessible locations, such as under floorboards and other tight spots.
Another finalist is US Bionics, creator of lightweight exoskeleton suits designed to reduce the muscle force required for construction work by 50%, thereby reducing injuries and stress to workers' shoulders, lower backs, and legs.
These are all examples of what the industry might see on job sites in the future, and innovators will always be motivated by the cash and prestige of winning a competition like NOVA. But in what other ways can the construction industry encourage and foster new ideas?
"The construction industry," Apelian said, "can encourage innovation through all of the players collaborating to identify, define and develop market needs. This includes large, established corporations working synergistically with start-up companies in the spirit of open innovation." | <urn:uuid:5bfa1209-00da-4f1f-9b50-0498186b0f6a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.constructiondive.com/news/constructions-new-era-of-innovation-exoskeletons-3-d-printers-cross-lam/408864/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392159.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00067-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944972 | 1,136 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Tea drinking isn't harmful and fits well with a healthy lifestyle.
Tea, especially green tea, is often said to be good for your health. But if tea is good for you, how good? And why?
It turns out that tea does contain substances that have been linked to a lower risk for heart disease, cancer, and other health problems that affect men. But if you just don't like tea, take heart: Tea drinking alone will never come close to the most potent health promoter we know of—a healthy lifestyle. And coffee may provide a similar health boost (see "A healthy sip for java junkies, too").
"Tea consumption, especially green tea, may not be the magic bullet, but it can be incorporated in an overall healthy diet with whole grains, fish, fruits and vegetables, and less red and processed meat," says Qi Sun, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health.
What's in your cup?
Tea contains certain substances linked to better health. The main players are chemicals called polyphenols, in particular catechins and epicatechins. "These are enriched in tea, especially green tea," Sun says.
The fermentation process used to make green tea boosts levels of polyphenols. Black and red teas have them, too, but in lesser amounts and types that are less strongly tied to improved health.
What do polyphenols do? For one thing, they are antioxidants. Antioxidants latch on to and neutralize chemicals called oxidants, which cells make as they go about their normal business. Elevated levels of oxidants can cause harm—for example, by attacking artery walls and contributing to cardiovascular disease.
The catch is that in studies of antioxidants in humans, as opposed
to experiments in rodents and test tubes, "the effect has not been substantiated," Sun says.
What's the evidence?
Some of the best circumstantial evidence on tea and health has come from large, long-term studies of doctors and nurses based at the Harvard School of Public Health: the female Nurses' Health Study and the male Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
By following these groups for long periods, researchers determined that tea drinkers are less likely over time to develop diabetes, compared with people who drink less tea. That makes sense, in light of research showing that polyphenols help regulate blood sugar (glucose).
As glucose rises in the blood, insulin shoots in from the pancreas to signal the cells to start metabolizing the glucose. Polyphenols seem to assist this process. "It makes cells more sensitive to insulin's effects," Sun says.
Some research suggests that tea drinking might be associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease. That's consistent with the lower risk of diabetes, which contributes to heart disease and stroke. Also, substances in tea may help to lower blood pressure or improve cholesterol.
What's the bottom line?
Drinking tea regularly seems to be
associated with better health. However, it remains unclear whether the tea itself is the cause and, if so, how it works its magic. The studies attempt to rule out the possibility that tea drinkers simply live healthier lifestyles, but it's difficult to be sure.
That said, tea itself appears to have no harmful effects except for a case of the jitters if you drink too much caffeinated brew. It fits in perfectly fine with a heart-healthy lifestyle. So if you drink tea, keep it up, but don't take up the habit thinking it will have a dramatic impact.
Although green tea has a high concentration of polyphenols, it does have a slightly bitter edge. You may find a weaker green tea brew more palatable if you are used to black tea.
But whatever you do, stay away from processed sugar-sweetened tea beverages and chai concoctions. These products may be loaded with extra calories, and consuming more than the occasional sweetened tea drink will tip you in the wrong direction. "If there are any health benefits to green tea consumption, it's probably completely offset by adding sugar," Sun says.
A healthy sip for java junkies, too | <urn:uuid:93e6dca9-4056-46e5-861c-9a5989f188a2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/tea-a-cup-of-good-health | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00051-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955355 | 851 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Homework is supposed to be for kids, not parents. Here’s how to help your child take more responsibility for his work – and take some pressure off yourself:
John Rosemond, a family psychologist and author of Ending the Homework Hassle, offers these guidelines:
A is for “All By Myself”: “Put the child in a private space. Homework shouldn’t be done in a family area like the kitchen or the homework itself will soon become a family affair,” says Rosemond.
B is for “Back Off”: “Be very conservative about the amount of help you give your child. Be available to consult, but not to give answers,” advises Rosemond. Younger children may need a little more guidance when they fi rst start doing homework. However, Rosemond suggests that even young kids can study spelling words or vocabulary alone by speaking the words into a tape recorder, pausing for a few seconds, then saying the answer on tape. They can replay the tape later, practicing their own answers during the pauses.
C is for “Call it Quits at a Reasonable Hour”: Give your child a deadline. Rosemond says children shouldn’t do homework after 8 p.m. Unfinished work simply goes back to school the next day. Your child really shouldn’t need to stay up late to finish schoolwork.
- Teri Cettina | <urn:uuid:3837d8f8-249a-4cb4-9f01-40ce17785e98> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.atlantaparent.com/article/detail/healthy_homework_habits_for_parents | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393518.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00106-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960658 | 302 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Refocus, in co-operation with UNICEF and the Youth Union held a six-week photographic workshop for 24 adolescents in Syria, many of whom were refugees from Palestine and Iraq.
Each participant was given a camera to freely document their life and express their views and opinions.
Refocus placed the emphasis on the participants’ exploring their identity, their environment and their rights through photography.
The workshops addressed issues of identity, respect, gender equality, childrens’ rights and social integration. In addition to photographic techniques, the participants gave their ideas on each issue during group discussions.
This book presents an overview of the course.
We are Kate Denman and Amy Coppins, two English girls with a love of photography and a fascination for the world. We have a great passion for meeting people and hearing their stories, which has taken us down the unusual route of teaching photography to young people whose voices are often not expressed, or given a platform upon which to be heard.
60 years in exile... Published December 13, 2008 | <urn:uuid:b6ea191d-05ce-4a40-b6b4-c49a56d02fa6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.blurb.com/b/1163339-bridging-the-gap | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00148-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970301 | 212 | 2.859375 | 3 |
(odocoileus virginianus clavium),
the smallest of all white-tailed deer, is
a subspecies of the Virginia white-tailed deer. These deer inhabit Big
Pine Key and various surrounding keys. They are not found anywhere else in
Due to uncontrolled hunting and habitat
destruction, their numbers were estimated less than 50 animals in 1940's.
With the establishment of National Key Deer Refuge in 1957 and intensive law
enforcement efforts, the population has since increased and has now
stabilized. The estimated population is approximately 600 deer on Big Pine
Key and No Name Key (this does not include other keys in the deer's range).
is the greatest known source of deer loss.
The shoulder height of Key deer is between
24-28 inches. Does weigh 45-65 pounds while bucks weigh 55-75 pounds.
Rutting season activities begin in September, peaking in early October and
decreasing gradually through November and December. Some breeding may occur
as late as February. The gestation period is 204 days with fawns born April
through June. At birth fawns weigh 2-4 pounds. Antlers are dropped February
through March, and re-growth begins almost immediately so that by June,
bucks with 2-inch stubs are seen. Antler growth is completed by August, and
velvet is rubbed and kicked off in early September.
Key deer feed on native plants such as
red, black and white mangroves, thatch palm berries and over 150 other
species of plants. Key deer can tolerate small amounts of salt in their
water and they will also drink brackish water, but fresh water is essential
for their survival. They must also have suitable habitat to ensure their
No records exist documenting the origin of
the deer in the keys. It is believed the deer migrated to the keys from the
mainland many thousands of years ago, across a long land bridge. As the
Wisconsin Glacier melted, the sea rose dividing the land bridge into small
islands known as the Florida Keys.
The earliest mention of Key deer is found
in the memoirs of Fontaneda, a shipwrecked Spaniard held captive by the
local Indians. Records suggest that the deer were found around Key West and
were used for food by residents and ship crews alike. Although early records
indicated sporadic wider distribution of Key deer throughout the lower keys,
current data indicates they occupy a range from Johnson Keys to Saddlebunch
for a downloadable, printable (PDF format) brochure (2.5 Meg.)
National Key Deer Refuge
US Fish & Wildlife Service has a good
website on the National Key Deer Refuge.
(clicking the link opens a new browser page.)
description of Key deer
From the US Fish & Wildlife Service's
Endangered Species Division, the official species description of the Key
deer, and some info on their habitat and range.
here. (clicking the link opens a new
Key deer are fond of many plant species
that folks try to grow. Knowing what plants the deer eat and don't eat
can make gardening and landscaping in Key deer country much less
Note: (Aug 14, 2007) The University of Florida Extension
Service has dropped the list of plants that Key deer won't eat from their Keys Gardening Guide.
It's apparent that a number of plants that have been considered less
attractive to the deer are increasingly being eaten by them, depending on
what else is available, and perhaps other unknown factors. Some plants
are still more and less attractive to the deer, and we hope to post a
revised list soon.
top of page
PO Box 430224, Big Pine Key, FL 33043-0224 | <urn:uuid:019a11f1-df23-429c-812a-3b207f489d78> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.keydeer.org/PAGES/about_key_deer.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00118-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941968 | 788 | 3.5 | 4 |
May 14, 2012 in Space
At the Eureka Festival, down by the Old Port of Montreal, on June 13th, 2010, Molecules of Life explored the importance of weak molecular forces for Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk propulsion. On a bright sunny day, to the vibrations of Michael Jackson’s music, hundreds of curious children and their parents visited the Molecules of Life booth and danced the moonwalk on two different surfaces. First, in their rubber-soled shoes and sneakers, they tried to glide like Jackson on vinyl and cardboard surfaces. Then, in their cotton sox, they attempted the same dance steps on the same surfaces. The smiling, enthusiastic moon walking participants were then questioned by the Molecules of Life pole-takers “on which of the two surfaces was it easier to dance the moonwalk.”
The poles were almost unanimous: when wearing rubber-soled shoes, the vinyl surface gave the better glide; in cotton sox, dancing the moonwalk was easier on cardboard.
First, we need to consult the 1910 Nobel Prize winning theories of Dutch physical chemist Johannes Diderik van der Waals, who demonstrated the existence of weak interactions between close molecules. Two of these interactions play key roles when dancing on vinyl and cardboard, respectively, dispersion forces and hydrogen bonds. Dispersion forces of attraction result from the rapid fluctuations of the location of electrons in molecules inducing similar fluctuations in other molecules. Such choreographed movements between the electrons of neighboring molecules are particularly important when hydrophobic surfaces like rubber and vinyl rub together. Hydrogen bonds are weak attractive interactions, which occur between hydrophilic molecules like cellulose, which is a major component of your cotton sox and cardboard.
Second, we need to consider the key step of the moonwalk: to slide one heel back and “into” the floor as you lean back on your other foot. Key for this movement is the ability to anchor the toes of the back foot as the other foot glides behind it. Weak molecular interactions, van de Waals forces are essential for the back foot to gain traction with the surface, otherwise your back foot would slip forward as the other foot moves back.
Rubber-soled shoes stick better on a vinyl surface, due to dispersion forces and cellulose-cotton sox anchor better on the cellulose of cardboard, due to hydrogen bonds. Hence, the slipperiness of the surfaces makes not for a good Moonwalk; instead, it’s the weak molecular interactions, those van der Waals forces, which allow you to anchor one foot so you may appear to glide with the other.
Dancing to music and learning about science is always fun as can be seen from the many happy faces enjoying our Molecules of Life experiment. | <urn:uuid:752770bf-f3df-417c-923f-68205a4ac427> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://moleculesoflife.ca/category/space/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393463.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00180-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93275 | 570 | 3.125 | 3 |
A panel is a window on which controls are placed. It is usually placed within a frame. It contains minimal extra functionality over and above its parent class Window; its main purpose is to be similar in appearance and functionality to a dialog, but with the flexibility of having any window as a parent.
Note: if not all characters are being intercepted by your OnKeyDown or OnChar handler, it may be because you are using the TAB_TRAVERSAL style, which grabs some keypresses for use by child controls.
There are no specific styles for this window.
See also window styles overview.
By default, a panel has the same colouring as a dialog.
Panel.new(Window parent, Integer id = $-1$, Point pos = DEFAULT_POSITION, Size size = DEFAULT_SIZE, Integer style = TAB_TRAVERSAL, String name = "panel")
Destructor. Deletes any child windows before deleting the physical window.
Boolean create(Window parent, Integer id, Point pos = DEFAULT_POSITION, Size size = DEFAULT_SIZE, Integer style = TAB_TRAVERSAL, String name = "panel")
Used for two-step panel construction. See Panel.new for details.
Returns a pointer to the button which is the default for this window, or NULL. The default button is the one activated by pressing the Enter key.
Sends a InitDialogEvent, which in turn transfers data to the dialog via validators.
The default handler for EVT_SYS_COLOUR_CHANGED.
Changes the panel’s colour to conform to the current settings (Windows only). Add an event table entry for your panel class if you wish the behaviour to be different (such as keeping a user-defined background colour). If you do override this function, call Event::Skip to propagate the notification to child windows and controls.
Changes the default button for the panel.
Overrides Window#set_focus. This method uses the (undocumented) mix-in class ControlContainer which manages the focus and TAB logic for controls which usually have child controls. In practice, if you call this method and the control has at least one child window, the focus will be given to the child window.
In contrast to Panel#set_focus (see above) this will set the focus to the panel even of there are child windows in the panel. This is only rarely needed.
[This page automatically generated from the Textile source at Wed Sep 09 02:21:18 +0100 2009] | <urn:uuid:3fd4d759-d610-4eec-85e7-a12fce2917da> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://wxruby.rubyforge.org/doc/panel.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00152-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.811515 | 540 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Scientific Name: forsythia suspensa
Chinese name: lian qiao
Other names: golden bells, weeping forsythia
What is Forsythia?
Forsythia is a deciduous shrub native to China. It is grown as an ornament in the United States for its bright yellow flowers. The Chinese medicine is obtained in the fall from the ripe fruits of the cultivated plant.
What are the health benefits of Forsythia?
Forsythia fruits are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity in the treatment of bacterial infections and upper respiratory ailments. They are commonly combined with honeysuckle flowers (lonicera) and other ingredients. Forsythia fruits are also reputedly used as a diuretic and cardiovascular tonic.
Where can I find Forsythia?
Forsythia can be found online through herb suppliers or at the offices of Chinese medical practitioners.
You can find this herb combined with other herbs in the Traditions of Tao formula:
Cold & Flu, which supports the body’s ability to fight infections.
To unlock more health secrets from the Natural Health Dictionary, download your copy for Amazon Kindle. | <urn:uuid:7668b213-7bd1-4be9-95f1-6aed413c7b26> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.askdrmao.com/natural-health-dictionary/forsythia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396455.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00174-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910345 | 252 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Attempting to drum up fear about global warming in the San Antonio Express-News, Andrew Dressler and Gerald North wrote an Oct. 6 article titled, “Climate change is real and denial is not about the science.” In their article they claimed political ideology rather than scientific evidence motivates skepticism toward their assertions of a global warming crisis.
In reality, sound science continues to deliver blow after blow to claims of a global warming crisis.
On September 17, the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change released Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science (CCR-2), containing more than 1,000 pages of scientific research indicating global warming is not an impending crisis. Forty-seven scientists contributed to CCR-2, presenting nearly 5,000 citations of peer-reviewed studies exposing flaws in global warming alarmism.
The following week, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Fifth Assessment Report, which backtracks on many prior IPCC predictions and contradicts many of the most frequent assertions made by global warming activists. The IPCC report contradicts claims that global warming is causing more extreme weather, acknowledges global warming is occurring more slowly than the IPCC previously predicted, predicts less future warming than previous IPCC reports, and admits the lack of global warming this century defies nearly all computer models that predict rapid future warming.
Several peer-reviewed studies published during recent weeks reinforced the lack of a global warming crisis. For example, a study in the peer-reviewed Nature Climate Change reported global warming is occurring more slowly than what was predicted by 114 of 117 climate models relied on by the IPCC and other government agencies. Real-world warming is occurring at merely half the pace projected by most climate models, the study found.
The peer-reviewed Geophysical Research Letters reported Earth is undergoing substantial greening as a result of higher carbon dioxide levels and more-favorable weather conditions. Plant life is flourishing, and foliage is becoming more prevalent all across the globe as Earth warms, with the most impressive gains observed in arid regions bordering deserts. The western United States is among the big winners, with many regions in the U.S. West experiencing 30 percent or greater increases in foliage during the past 30 years.
Mother Nature punctuated these reports and peer-reviewed studies with several exclamation points. Global hurricane frequency is undergoing a long-term decline, with global hurricane and tropical storm activity at record lows during the past several years. The year 2013 tied an all-time record for the latest formation of any Atlantic hurricane.
The United States is benefiting from the longest period in recorded history without a major hurricane strike. Tornado activity is in long-term decline, with major tornado strikes (F3 or higher) showing a remarkable decline in recent decades. Nearly all locations included in the global soil moisture databank show long-term improvement, signaling a substantial decline in the frequency and severity of droughts.
Dressler and North attempt to divert attention away from these scientific facts by appealing to political leanings. They write, “If you are skeptical of the science of climate change, then you almost certainly oppose the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and support gun rights.”
Attempting to connect climate alarmism with Obamacare and gun restrictions may help solidify support for global warming restrictions among political liberals, but it does nothing to address the scientific flaws in global warming alarmism. Dressler and North unwittingly illustrate the political prism through which they view the global warming issue.
Sound science—supported by objective, real-world data—indicates humans are not creating a global warming crisis. For some reason, Dressler and North consider this to be bad news.
Craig Idso (email@example.com | <urn:uuid:9c909b84-6c9f-4ffd-be25-7102ff264c00> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blog.heartland.org/2013/11/global-warming-alarmism-denies-sound-science/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00006-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933932 | 768 | 2.625 | 3 |
By William Elsey Connelley
Secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society
And a member by Adoption of the Wyandot Tribe
Illustrated by William Wallace Clarke
Rand McNally & Company
New York Chicago San Francisco
The Lord’s Prayer
How A White Man Became An Indian
How We Got These Indian Stories
How The Great Island Was Made
How The Sun Was Made
The Moon And Her Children
The Twins Who Were Gods
Ska’ reh Makes The Winter And Se’ sta Makes The Summer
The Beautiful Bridge To The Sky
Why The Leaves Have Many Colors In Autumn
Punishment Of The Rainbow
How The Milky Way Was Put Into The Sky
The Animals Go To The Land Of The Little People
Why The Deer Sheds His Horns Every Year
The Last Battle
Making The World Again
How A Man And His Daughter Became Stars
Se’ sta Makes The Eagles
The Death Song Of A Warrior
The Singing Spring
The Singing Maidens
The First Garden
The Golden Hornet
Men di’ yos
The Song of the Kingfisher
The Untruthful Man
The Bears of Red Mountain
The Flying Heads
The Game of Moccasin
The Hoo’ stra doo’
How The Dove Got Its Color And Its Song
Ska’ reh Steals The Coats of All The Birds
The Wampum Bird
The Witch Buffaloes, or How We Got The Cranberry
Why Flowers Are Fragrant
Suggestions For Teachers:
The Progress of Mankind
Religion of the Wyandots
Burial Ceremonies of the Hurons
The Solemn Feast of the Dead
These Indian myths were collected by William Elsey Connelley. They were secured from the old people of the Wyandot tribe many years ago. Mr. Connelley was adopted by the Wyandot as a mark of favor for the work he did among them.
These stories have been adapted for use in the third, fourth, and fifth grades of the American public schools. They are written in the vocabulary and expression of those grades. The adaptation was principally made by Miss Edna Clyne of the Seattle public schools.
Mr. Wallace Clarke, in his illustrations for the book, has admirably interpreted these Indian myths.
The value of such material as will be found in this book has always been recognized. It has not been utilized to any great extent for the reason that there has not heretofore been any intelligent effort to adapt it to any specific place in the schools. Schoolbooks on this subject have been collections of miscellaneous tales written in the vocabulary of ordinary literature. Whatever of adaptation was attempted was in the use of a patronizing style, which served only to offend the child. Having no definite place, the books failed of any extensive use.
These mythic tales are poetry. But they are not written in verse. They are not the poesy of civilized man, which must sacrifice strength to conventional expression. They are the lyric poetry of a strong primitive race with an untrammeled imagination running riot in contemplation of worlds and stars and suns and gods and creations. They are accounts of heroic achievement in those early periods of human development when the principles were evolved and the institutions created upon which civilization rests.
These echoes of the primal mind are sublime. Those who read them aright shall be enraptured, transported, made strong in the faith of the ultimate triumph of all righteousness. For when man passes out of that age when the stars speak to him, when the thunder has a voice for him, when the glory of nature is essential to him, he forgets God.
Some of these stories reach down to that period of progress in which flourished the Scandinavian skalds, when Celtic bards sang of Ossian and when the Semitic mind produced that survival set down in the annals of Israel:
“When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.”
And that other immortal one:
“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors.”
That man shall be in accord with nature, the imagination of the child must be touched. And in all efforts to influence society to turn to justice and prefer it and to live in right conscience and rejoice in it, we must ever bear in mind the eternal truth that “where there is no vision the people perish.”
W. E. C.
The art of story telling is being lost. Its value as a national trait is recognized – unquestioned. If it is to be revived, the beginning must be made with the children.
The child mind is ever eager for entertainment – amusement. This fact should not be forgotten by those who must instruct. If this inclination can be made the motive of effort, the greatest obstacle to study will have been overcome. For only when interested does the child receive and retain impressions. He works to permanent account when his enthusiasm is aroused and maintained. As an aid to that end, in connection with this work, the “Suggestions for Teachers,” pages 125-167, have been prepared.
This section is intended to provide, for the use of the teacher, ample information of a general nature concerning the Wyandot, their government, their religion, their customs, and their characteristics. Reference to it should be made before any assignment of work is given. Pupils will respond freely to the method of a preliminary review. They will ask many questions. If this preparatory inquiry has been effective, the hour of recitation will find them aglow with lively anticipations of a pleasant and profitable session in class.
Extending these suggestions into detail, it is evident that these stories may be made the opening door to a world of the child’s own making. We know that there must be developed in the child a creative imagination if he is to have any optimistic vision of the future of even his own life. There is no chapter in the book which does not readily lend itse1f to that purpose. But it is essential that pupils shall understand that these wonderful stories are only what the Wyandot had devised to account for the manifestations of nature, and that they are not scientifically true. Their value lies in art and not in science.
Examine any story with this in view or take any object mentioned – the sun, for example. When the origin of the sun was considered by the primitive man who knew nothing of science, he turned to his conceptions of cosmology for solution. Finally a cause was worked out which agreed with his religion. To make it easy of preservation he gave it the form of a story in the scheme of creation.
This same process is true of all these stories of cause – of the why. It was the plan of the Wyandot wise men to personify all the great forces of nature and give them the attributes of gods some good, some bad, as these manifestations of nature were harsh or gentle, mild or destructive.
These things may be made plain to the child by means always at hand. Say the topic is thunder – Heno. The teacher might inquire if the child had ever thought of what makes the thunder. Or she might ask if the child had gone to father and mother to find out what they thought about thunder. If so, what did they say? What had any other person said? Then the subject might be discussed from the view of fact and the Wyandot conception.
It is explained in some of the stories how the Wyandot believe that certain birds got their songs. Children may be encouraged to write imaginary stories telling how other birds might have gotten their songs.
The phases of the moon are of interest to children. In fact, the moon is a favorite with most people. Its nearness to the earth makes it loom large in the sky. Its growth and diminution have ever had a fascination for mankind. The Indian counted time by the moon. There is much to be said of the moon to children. And the Wyandot account will be eagerly heard and read as something wonderful and strange. But the child should be informed as to the facts about the changes of the moon.
The creation of various physical features of the world and the creatures that are found on the earth will furnish material for discussions and exercises in class. The thought that all bad things were made by the Evil One may be new to the children. But they will be inclined to accept that as reasonable, at least. And that The Good One should be concerned for the people and make things for their comfort, the child will accept as a matter of right.
The change of the seasons is a subject which will attract the mind of the child. The story of how Ska’ reh made the winter and how Se’ sta the summer will delight children. In the study of this chapter the real cause of the change of the seasons can be impressed indelibly on the child mind. This is a very useful as well as a beautiful story.
There is more beautiful object in nature than the rainbow. From time immemorial man had looked in love and wonder on the rainbow. It was a pledge of protection forever against the destruction of the world by water. God set it in the clouds as a reassurance. This is one of the few stories in the world in which inanimate objects converse with persons or animals. The real origin of the rainbow can be developed and illustrated.
“Why the Leaves Have Many Colors in Autumn” will be a lesson of interest. The beautiful leaves may be brought into the room and the degrees and shades of color be discussed. The smallest children can take part in the recitation of this lesson. Or in the autumn the children may be taken into the beautiful woods to see the leaves.
“The Punishment of the Rainbow” lends itself to a moral lesson aside from its beauty and novelty. The destruction of the fine bridge will be read with regret. The Wyandot were sorry that it burned, and devised another to take its place. This will prove a very satisfactory chapter. One version of the origin of the Milky Way is told in this Chapter.
Some of these stories are intensely dramatic: “The Bears of Red Mountain.” “The Wampum Bird,” “Why the Flowers are Fragrant,” “How the Dove Got Its Color and Its Song.” and others. Pupils in the fourth and fifth grades could with profit be encouraged to dramatize them.
Enough has been set out here to show that the teacher may make enthusiastic about these stories; in the “Suggestions for Teachers” there will be found information in detail to explain every feature of every story. The teacher should become familiar at once with that part of the book and be able to tell the children everything about this valuable collection of Indian literature.
And it will occur to the teacher to use these stories in many other ways to the delight and benefit of the pupils.
Style. These stories are written in the style of their delivery by the Indians to the author. Having them in their true and original form is of value. It shows how the Indians think. Poetry and sublime conceptions in prose are well expressed in writing of this style. Short sentences are strong sentences, and Indians use them almost altogether. Here are examples from the great oration of Logan, the Mingo:
“There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature.”
“Logan never felt fear.”
“He will not turn on his heel to save his life.”
“Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one.”
The Lord’s Prayer
Translated Into The Wyandot Language By
William Elsey Connelley
Squa-e steh ya-rohn yi-yeh ih-sta reh,
Our Father which art in Heaven,
Oo-ra meh tisheh-shen doo-tih.
Hallowed be thy name.
Oota-wa teh-steh sa-re wa.
Thy Kingdom come.
Teh-zhu tih teh-kyu tih ya-rohn yi-yeh.
Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.
Ta-wa nohnt no-ma ken-ta the ha-men tih-yeh kya-than de-ta queh da-wa eh-roh n yeh.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Na-nengk seh-sa de-yu hengk sa-re zha-kohn dih teh-zhu tih neh hen-dih tso-ma de-yo hehs.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Na-nengk wa-sta too toma squa-nyo deh teh-zha shu-ta quan-de yeh, ta-wa ta-te-rohn teh ka-oof keh:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
Sa ah-he sa-meh doo-ra meh na-nengk de-ya-wih shra, na-nengk de-doo-ra meh, he-e-e-e-yeh ha-a-a-ah-keh-e-e-e-yah.
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
How A White Man Became An Indian
Not so very long ago there was to be found living in the far West a quaint old man. He had seen many moons. His head was almost white from the frosts of some seventy winters. He was a Wyandot Indian, and he lived with his own people. His house stood among the trees by a clear, swift river in the beautiful hills. At a great city far from his home he had some land. This land was worth much money. Some mean white men were about to take the land away from him. But a kind white man made them pay the Indian what the land was worth.
This white man had been a friend of the Indians all his life. When he helped this good Wyandot, all the Indians were pleased. They said he must visit them at their homes among the hills. When he went there to see them, they told him beautiful stories, which he wrote down. They had him attend their secret feasts, which they did not let any other white man see. They taught him to speak like an Indian. He wrote down all they told him. Then they said he must be an Indian, too. He said that would be fine. And they made him a Wyandot Indian. This is how they did it.
A great feast was made. All the Indians were told to come to the feast to welcome the white man. Much food was made ready, for the Indians were very fond of good things to eat. They were the first people to grow corn. They had it in their fields for ages before the white people ever saw any of it. They knew how to cook it in many ways. At this feast all these dishes of corn were there in great plenty. And the Indians cook well all the food used by white people. They had bread, pies, cakes, beef, pork, ham, chicken, turkey, eggs, milk, coffee, and tea made from the sweet-smelling spice wood.
The men ate first, and the white man ate with them. Indian men do not talk much. They said little while eating at this feast. When they were done, the women sat down to eat. They were merry and gay. They talked and laughed as they ate.
Then the Indians cried out all in one voice, “Quah! Quah! Quah!” which means, “Hail! Hail! Hail!” This was their way of saying they were willing to receive the white man into their tribe.
With the Wyandots the woman is the head of the house. The Chief turned to the Head Woman and said, “Will you make a place by your fire for this white man? Will you take him to be one of your family?”
The Head Woman took the white man by the hand and said, “He will live by my fire. He shall be a Wyandot of the Deer Clan. He shall be one of my family. A Wyandot of my house was a great chief. He was the Head Master of all the Wyandots. He lived many years ago. Since that time no man has held his high office. I wish this white man raised up to his place. Give him the name and the office of the Half-King.”
The Chief then gave the white man the name and the office of the Great Chief of the Wyandot of the old times.1 Then all the Indians came and spoke to the white man. They made him welcome. They said he was their brother. They gave him presents. Some gave him wampum or Indian money. One gave a cannon ball which he found on a field of battle where he was a soldier. One woman gave him a horn of a buffalo. A very poor Indian gave him some feathers from the tail of a rooster.
The white man gave each Indian a present, and the meeting was ended.
1. Too-da re-zhu – The Great Deer.
How We Got These Indian Stories
Before the first white people came, only the Indians lived in our country. They had been here a very long time; they could not tell for how long. The Indians had a happy life. In summer the men hunted and fished. They went on long journeys into the woods or over the hills and plains. Sometimes they went in canoes on the lakes and along the rivers. The women and children often remained at home. Their lodges stood at the edge of the forest, or on the bank of a lake, or in the meadows beside the swift-flowing stream. For food they hunted game, gathered wild berries and fruits, dug up the roots of plants and trees, and in small fields raised squashes, pumpkins, beans and corn. Some raised tobacco.
When winter came the snow often lay white over the land. The cold wind blew about the Indian lodges. At night the dogs howled, and he lodges looked dark and lonely. But inside there was a bright fire of dry wood. At one side of the fire sat the mother on a pile of furs. She was weaving baskets or putting beads on buckskin clothes. On the other side sat the father. He smoked his pipe and told beautiful stories to the children.
The Indians had no books or papers. So the stories had to be kept in memory and told down from one to another. Would you not have liked to sit with the red children around the even fire of the Indian lodge? They had to remember the stories well, for the next night the father might call on them to repeat what they had heard. Then when they grew up they could tell the stories to their own boys and girls.
After the white people came, the Indian fathers did not always tell the stories to the children. For they had much trouble and had to move from place to place. At last only a few old men in the tribe knew the stories. A kindly white man found the old men living deep in the great woods. They made him a Wyandot Indian, like themselves. He wrote down what these wise old Indians told him. So now all boys and girls may read the stories which once were heard only by the red children.
How The Great Island Was Made
Long ago this world was almost covered with water. There was only a little land. The people lived in a world above the sky. These people were Wyandot Indians.
This skyland was a strange world. For it had no sun nor moon nor any stars. It had no need of these, for it was lighted by a great tree which stood near the lodge of Hoo-wa’ neh. The chief of the Upper World. Upon this tree grew large yellow flowers. It was thickly covered with them. From these yellow blossoms came the light of that land; and there was no night there.
This Tree of Light was holy. No one, save the priests, was ever allowed so much as to touch it. But one day, when Hoo-wa’ neh was away hunting, his wife took some of the yellow flowers and ate them. At once she knew she had done a great wrong. She was afraid of what her husband might say to her. So she ran away to her own people, who were the priests, or hookies. And she was sick from having eaten the flowers.
Hoo-wa’ neh knew that some one had touched the Tree of Light, for a twilight came over the Upper World. He went home from his hunt. When he heard what his wife had done, he was very sad. He tried to cure the Tree of Light and make it bright again. For many days he lay upon his face on the ground before it. He would not eat. But the Tree was not cured.
Then he told the priests to make his wife well. They said that what she needed to make her well would be found among the roots of the Tree of Light. So they brought the sick Woman and laid her down upon a mat at the root of the Tree. Then they began to dig by her bed to find that which would cure her.
The priests, or hookies, had dug but a little while when, all at once, the Tree of Light and the ground around it sank down. The Tree had broken through the Upper World. The Woman was caught in its branches. Both Tree and Woman fell through the sky. This rent in that broken land closed over them, shutting them out of that beautiful world above the sky.
Two Swans were swimming in the Great Water which covered the Lower World. Heno, the thunder god of the Wyandots, who came with the Woman, rolled a great crash of thunder over the waters. The Swans were alarmed, for they had never before heard so frightful a sound. Nor had they before seen so brilliant a light. They looked up. They saw the Woman as though standing in the rent of the broken sky. She was taller than the highest tree. Her arms were spread upward. She shone as brightly as the sun at noonday.
One Swan said, “What shall we do with this Woman?”
We must take her on our backs,” the other said.
These Swans were very large. They swam side by side, and the Woman fell upon them. They carried her over the Great Water.
At last the first Swan said, “What shall we do with this Woman? We cannot carry her forever.”
The other Swan said, “We must call a Council of all the swimming Animals, all the water tribes.”
And so they did. This was the first Great Council. The Big Turtle was the chief or leader. He did not know what to do. None of them knew. There was no place in all the Great Water where the Woman could live. The Tree of Light had fallen into the sea. There it lay on the bottom of the Great Water with the broken earth about it shining like the sun.
After all the Great Council had talked, the Big Turtle said, “If you can get a little of the shining earth which lies at the root of the Tree of Light, you may place it upon my back. There it will grow into a world, and the Woman may live in it.”
One after another the Animals dived into the great deep to bring up the earth. They could not get it. Some of them were drowned. Then the Toad said she would try. She was gone a long time. She was dead when she came up, and she floated upon the water. But her mouth was filled with shining earth.
The Little Turtle carefully spread this earth around the edges of the shell of the Big Turtle. There it grew at once into the Great Island. The Woman arose from the backs of the Swans and lived upon it. The Big Turtle stands yet on the bottom of the Great Water with the Great Island upon his back. And it is the land in which we live today. And this Great Island was called the Lower World.
Because the Toad was the only Animal which could get the earth from the bottom of the great deep, she was loved by the Wyandots. They call her their Grandmother.
How The Sun Was Made
The Woman who fell down from Heaven was unhappy on the Great Island. She was alone. There was no one to whom she could speak. She wept and wrung her hands. She was sorry she had done wrong. She had lost her country. She had lost her home and her husband. She wanted to go back to the land above the sky.
One day Hoo-wa’ neh heard her weeping. She was his lost wife. He had great pity for her. He could not take her back to the skyland, but he told her what to do.
The Woman did just as he said. She went into the hills. She came to a place where tall trees grew. It was like a beautiful park. A clear, swift river ran there, and the leaning trees along its bank made shadows on the water. From the hill the Woman looked far off. She saw an Indian lodge in a clump of trees on the river bank. From its top rose the smoke of a fire. She came to the lodge, and she sat on a stone before its door. A woman came out to speak to her. It was her mother. She had been sent there by Hoo-wa’ neh. So the Woman lived with her mother and was happy.
Before the Woman came, all the Lower World was dark. Now the Woman was its light. But when she went into the lodge, darkness fell again over the earth.
Having had the light of the Woman, the Animals did not like this darkness. They called the Great Council to plan how they might have more light. The Little Turtle said, “Let me go into the sky. I will put a light there to shine so that we shall not be in darkness when the Woman goes into the lodge.”
All the Animals thought this a good plan. A cloud, black and terrible, was called down. Heno rode in it. Harsh thunder and red lightning came out from it. The Little Turtle went into the cloud, and was carried away into the sky. There she took the lightning and kindled a great fire, which we call the sun.
This sun stood still in the middle of the sky. Its light did not reach the far sides of the Great Island. At the lodge of the Woman the heat was too great. Something had to be done about this.
Then the Animals made the sun alive so that It could move about in the sky. The Mud Turtle was directed to dig a great hole or way through the Great Island. The Sun was made to go by a certain path across the sky every day. Through the hole he went under the earth each evening, making night when the Woman in the lodge and the Animals, the beasts, and the birds could sleep. Then the Sun rose again in the east, bringing a new day to the world.
This hole or passageway which the Mud Turtle dug from side to side through thc Great Island was more than a mere tunnel. It was almost as broad as the Great Island itself. It had a sky and stars and clouds. Heno sent one of his sons to live there and make the thunder. There were rivers and lakes and seas in that land. Fishes were in the rivers, and great fishes swam in the lakes and seas. There were trees and grass and corn, beans, pumpkins, and squashes in that beautiful country. The same animals found in the Great Island lived there, also. All the Animals of the Great Council were gods. The Mud Turtle was one of the greatest of these and created the Little People to live in the Under World. It was called the Land of the Little People. And it became the country of the dead for the Wyandots -their happy hunting grounds.
The Moon And Her Children
At first the Animals were pleased with the Sun. But they soon found he was careless. Now and then he was sullen and cross. Sometimes he stayed long in the way made for him under the earth. This left the Lower World in darkness a long time. So the Little Turtle made the bright, warm Moon to light the world when the Sun was gone. The Moon was the wife of the Sun. They had many children. These children are the stars.
One day the Sun was very angry with his wife, the Moon. That night when he went under the earth he made her go with him, for he had planned to kill her. But the Little Turtle knew about the trouble and hurried after them. When she found them, the Moon was much hurt. All her heat was gone. That is why the rays of the moon are now said to be cold. Most of her light was gone. That is why the moon shines with a dim and mellow glimmer. The Sun had made her shrink in fear until she was very small. All that was left of her was the thin little New Moon, which you see at evening low in the western sky shining like burnished silver.
Slowly the Moon grew full and round and beautiful again. That made her happy, for she thought her husband would be pleased with her once more. But not so. He remained angry. This made her so sad that she became smaller and smaller until she was again the thin little New Moon. Each time that she grew round and full she hoped her husband would love her. But his anger was too great. He would not say a kind word to her. Then she would shrink again to the narrow shining bow seen in the evening sky just above the hills. So it has been to this day. And so now it must be to the end of the world.
The Twins Who Were Gods
The Woman who fell down from Heaven had twin sons. One was good. The other was bad. They got their names from what they were. The good one was named Fire, or Man of Fire, for he was always doing good. He was also called Se’ sta, as that name means “fire.” The bad twin was named Ice and Stone, or Man of Ice and Stone, for he was always doing evil. He was also called Ska’ reh, which means “ice or stone.” They had magic power. They were Indian gods.
Se’ sta tried always to turn his brother from his wicked ways. One day he said to his brother, “We have work to do. We were born for a purpose. We must make the Great Island a beautiful country. For at some time people wiII come to live in it. You take one half of the Great Island. I will take the other half. Each must do the best he can.”
Ska’ reh said he would do this. Each brother went his way to do his work. For hundreds of years they toiled at their task, for it was a mighty work, which only gods could do.
Se’ sta made a beautiful land. Everything was good. The people would need food, so he placed animals and birds in the woods. And he put fish in all the streams. The trees were made to bear fruits and nuts. Corn, pumpkins, and tobacco grew in fields. The beanstalk was a tree bearing pods filled with beans as large as an egg. The water in the rivers flowed in two directions. On one side the Indian might float downstream without having to paddle his canoe. When he wished to go back, he had but to cross to the other shore. Then he would find the water going up the other way. He could float back without having to use the paddle.
When each brother had finished his part of the work, thqy met to see what had been done. Ska’ rqh was not pleased to find the beautiful land made by his brother. He changed everything as much as he could. He caused thorns and briars to grow in the woods. He sprinkled his own blood over the land. Each drop of it became a sharp stone to cut the feet of the people who would live there. He put his great hands into the rivers and stirred their waters so that they flowed ever after that in but one direction. He made the beans small like those which we have now.
And he changed the animals. As they passed before him he made them fierce and wild. He frightened them with terrible noises. Some of them ran into the deep Woods, where they still live. Others hid in the holes and caves, and to this day they come out only in the darkness of night to find food. Everywhere Ska’ reh did what he could to spoil the works of his good brother.
Se’ sta went then to see the land which Ska’ reh had made. He found everything bad. Bare mountains of rock seemed to reach the sky. The North Wind was often there. He brought bitter cold and much snow from his home far away. Long icicles hung from the tall rocks and bare cliffs.
On going to the south Se’ sta found swamps through which no man could pass. They were filled with great snakes and other monsters. Millions of mosquitoes as large as crows rose from these swamps and flew over
the world to torment every beast,
Se’ sta did what he could to make better the evil works of his brother. He drove some of the cold away. He made the high mountains lower. He made the snakes and monsters smaller. He did all he could to make the Great Island a pleasant home for the people he knew would come to live in it. But he was sad. For he could not undo all the harm done by Ska’ reh.
Ska’ reh Makes The Winter And Se’ sta Makes The Summer
The Brothers met far to the north on the shores of a Great Water which was filled with ice. Se’ sta had done all he could to mend the evil works of Ska’ reh. Ska’ reh was angry with him. He was in a rage. He struck Se’ sta to kill him.
Then began the first great battle between the Good One and the Evil One. In that land of ice and snow Ska’ reh was the stronger one. As Se’ sta was pushed back, Ska’ reh waved his stone club toward the north and cried, “Come up! Arise, O Winter!”
Then a fierce white figure arose from the icy water. It spread across the sky. Its head seemed to touch the stars. Slowly it took the form of a man. And his name was Winter. He shook his long white hair. It streamed far out in the North Wind. Snow came out of it. Ice came out of his mouth, and his breath was the hail and the sleet. As he came riding on the clouds to help his master, the flowers died and the leaves of the trees fell to the ground. The birds flew in fright before him. Snow blew over the wastes and covered the world. Thick sheets of ice formed on the lakes and rivers. As Ska’ reh fought and Winter stalked in his wake, every green and growing thing took on the look of death. Only where Se’ sta stepped did life remain. Where his footsteps fell, there grew the pine and the evergreen.
Ska’ reh drove Se’ sta far down the Great Island. They came to the sea. One of the Swans lived there. She had helped to bear up the Woman who fell down from Heaven. Her home was in the blue water along charming shores. She was frightened. She saw forests gripped in death and mountains covered with snow and hail. The world grew dark, and she saw hideous Winter riding down upon his terrible clouds which filled the sky. She loved Se’ sta. She feared he would be driven into the sea and slain. She flew screaming over the water, striking it with her feet as though she were walking. Where she touched it, huge waves arose. They washed up the sands of the sea and made dry land for Se’ sta. He walked slowly backward upon this strip of new-made land, battling with his evil brother.
At the end of the new land Ska’ reh lost his strength. Se’ sta began to push him back. As Ska’ reh gave way, Winter stopped and turned about. Se’ sta waved his torch of fire over the seas. Heno came up, and thunder rolled along the sky. Se’ sta cried with a mighty voice, “Come forth! Arise from the Great Water!”
A shadow came out of the seas. It filled the sky. It took the form of a beautiful woman. And her name was Summer. She came on. She rode on the rain clouds. Heno was by her side. In her hands she held the lightnings. The Rainbow was under her feet. She stood in the sky above Se’ sta. She spoke to the Sun, who burst upon the world in his glory and bathed it in beauty. She moved up the Great Island. She drove Winter before her and he retreated far into the ice caves of the north. She poured down warm rains from the lazy clouds on which she rode. She melted the snow and the ice. She made the grass and the corn to grow. She scattered flowers on the hills and along the valleys. The geese and all the water birds followed her, and she sent the song birds to sing again and be happy in the trees.
When Ska’ reh came to the north, he ran into his ice caves. But he had done much harm. Every year at that time when he began to fight his brother, old Winter comes again out of the icy water. His white hair streams again in the North Wind. As he goes down the Great Island the land is locked in snow and frost and ice. The flowers die and the leaves fall to the ground.
When Winter reaches the place where Se’ sta turned about, Summer rises from her beautiful home under the seas. She drives cruel Winter back to his home in the north. She brings life and birds and grass and corn. She strews the land with flowers. She brings warmth and sunshine and joy for all. She is love and beauty and happiness, and she gives herself to the people of the world.
This great battle between Winter and Summer must go on as long as the world stands.
The Beautiful Bridge To The Sky
The Animals were not pleased with the ways of Ska’ reh. His evil work spread over the land. His plague was on all things. There seemed to be no help. The Animals were troubled. They thought they might go into the sky and live with the Little Turtle. Se’ sta did not want them to leave the Lower World. But the Deer was unruly and not willing to do as Se’ sta wished.
One day the Deer said to the Rainbow, “Carry me into the sky. I wish to visit my sister, the Little Turtle, and see the land where she lives.”
The Rainbow did not dare to refuse the Deer. But she feared that Se’ sta would not like it if she carried the Deer into the sky. So she said to the Deer, “Come to me in winter when I rest on the mountain by the lake. Then I will bring you to the home of the Little Turtle.”
All winter the Deer waited on the mountain by the lake. But the Rainbow did not come.
When the Deer saw the Rainbow the next summer, he said. “I am angry. All winter I stood on the mountain by the lake, why did you not come as you promised?”
“I was afraid,” answered the Rainbow. “Se’ sta would not like it if I took you to the skyland. But you shall go. When you see the mist heavy over the lake, come to me. Then I will carry you up to the house of the Little Turtle.”
One day the mist rolled over the lake in huge masses. On the hill above the water stood the Deer. When the Rainbow threw forth the beautiful bow, a white and shining light spread about the Deer. There before the Deer lay a path made of all the colors of the Rainbow. It led through the strange forest where the glory of the heavens rests on the rolling hills.
The Rainbow said to the Deer, “Follow the Beautiful Path. Turn not from it. It will lead you to the house of your sister, the Little Turtle.”
The Deer went along the Way of Burning Colors. He passed by he saw lakes and blue hills and bright streams and strange animals and gorgeous birds. He often stopped to turn aside an enter this magic land. But he was held back by one whom he did not see. At last he came to the house of the Little Turtle. He lived there near her in the land of the sky.
But when the Great Council met in the Lower World, the Bear said. “The Deer is not yet come to the Council. Where is the deer?”
Then the Hawk flew about to look for the Deer. But the Deer was not to be found in the air. The Wolf then looked through all the forest. But the Deer was not to be found in the forest.
When the Little Turtle came down in the black and fearful cloud, the Bear said. “The Deer is not yet come to the Council. There can be no Council without him.”
The Little Turtle said, “The Deer came into the land of the sky. The Rainbow made a fine Bridge of her colors upon which the Deer walked.”
The Animals looked into the sky. They saw the Deer there. There could never again be a meeting of the Great Council in the Lower World. So all the Animals went to live in the land of the sky. But the Mud Turtle did not stay in the land of the Little Turtle. She lived in a land she made under the Lower World.
This is the story of the Beautiful Bridge built by the Rainbow from the Lower World into the land of the sky.
Why The Leaves Have Many Colors In Autumn
The Bear was selfish and proud, He often made trouble among the Animals of the Great Council. When he heard that the Deer had walked over the Rainbow Bridge into the skyland, he was angry. “I will punish the Deer,” he said.
The Bear went to the Rainbow Bridge. He leaped along its beautiful way of glowing colors. He came into the skyland. There he found the Deer and said to him, “This skyland is the home of the Little Turtle. Why did you come into this land? Why did you not come to meet us in the Great Council? Why did you not wait until all the Animals could come to live here?”
Then the Deer was angry. Only the Wolf might ask him such questions. The Bear had no right to speak like that to the Deer.
The Deer said to the Bear, “You have gone about making trouble among the Animals long enough. You shall never do it again.”
The Deer said he would kill the Bear. He arched his neck. He tossed his head to show his long sharp horns. The hair along his back stood up. His eyes blazed as if a fire burned in them. He thought to slay the Bear with a single stroke of his terrible horns.
The Bear was not afraid. His claws were very strong. He stood erect for the mighty conflict. His deep growls shook the sky like rolling thunder. The struggle was terrific and long. The Bear was torn by the cruel horns of the Deer.
When the remaining Animals of the Great Council heard the awful noise, the Wolf went up into the sky to stop the dreadful battle.
All the Animals had to obey the Wolf. So the Deer turned and ran away. And the Bear fled along the paths of the sky. As the Deer ran, the blood of the Bear dropped from his horns. It fell down to the Lower World and made the leaves of the trees many colors. Some were red. Some were yellow. Some were brown. Some were scarlet. And some were crimson.
And now each year when the autumn comes the leaves of the trees take on these many colors. The forests are flooded with soft and glowing beauty. The Wyandots then say the blood of the Bear has again been thrown down from the sky upon the trees of the Great Island.
Punishment Of The Rainbow
When the battle between the Deer and the Bear was ended, the Animals called the Rainbow before the Great Council.
When the Rainbow stood there to answer them, the Wolf said to her. “Why did you make the Beautiful Path of your glowing colors for the Deer? Why did you make the Beautiful Bridge to go into the sky?”
The Rainbow answered, “I did not dare to refuse the Deer. I must obey every member of the Great Council. And the Deer said he wished to visit his sister, the Little Turtle, in the skyland.”
“What the Deer told you was only an excuse. It was but half the truth,” said the Wolf. “The Deer wished to go to the glorious sky land to live. Now the Bear has gone there, too. They will not come back. You did wrong to make the Beautiful Bridge for the Deer. And you must be punished.”
The Rainbow knew that she had done wrong. She felt guilty. She stood mute. She could not utter a word for herself.
Then the Big Turtle said, “All the Animals who are still in the Lower World may go over the Beautiful Burning Bridge to the happy skyland. As we go, it shall burn to ashes behind us. And the Rainbow shall lose her power to make another.”
So all the Animals walked over the Beautiful Bridge and came into the land of the Little Turtle, where they must live evermore. As they passed along, the Bridge was burned to white and feathery ashes. The winds carried these ashes away and scattered them across the sky. There you may still see them among the stars. And we call them the Milky Way.
And the Mud Turtle passed below the earth to the Land of the Little People, where she must live forever.
From that day has the Rainbow been seen only weeping in the feeble rays of the sun after a summer shower. But all the spaces of the heavens are no more filled with her glowing glory.
How The Milky Way Was Put Into The Sky
It was lonely in the Lower World when the Animals had gone to live in the skyland. Se’ sta had made a beautiful world. He wished for some people to live in it. He remembered that his mother had fallen down from the Upper World with the Tree of Light. So he went into that land to talk with his grandfather, Hoo-wa’ neh.
Hoo-wa’ neh was pleased to see Se’ sta. He gave him many good people to take with him back to the Great Island. These were the Wyandots.
When Ska’ reh saw that it was good to have people on the Great Island, he, too, went into the Upper World to see his grandfather, Hoo-wa’ neh. He was given people, also, and some were good and some were bad. Ska’ reh loved the wicked people and caused them to make trouble over the Lower World.
Then the good people wept. Even the trees and the rivers were sad. They wished that the Animals would come back and make the bad people stop their evil ways. So they prayed to Se’ sta to go into the sky and find the Animals.
Se’ sta called to the great Swans. He said to them, “O you who cared for my mother! You took her upon your backs and saved her from the sea when she fell down from Heaven with the Tree of Light. Help me now. I must find the Animals who helped me make the world. They have gone into the sky. If I can bring them back, they will give peace to the Lower World.”
Then the Swans gave Se’ sta the down from their breasts. It was whiter than snow. He carried it in a bag made from the foam of the waves of water. He went into the land of the sky. As he walked there he scattered the down of the Swans along the path to show himself how to get back to the Lower World.
The Wolf saw Se’ sta coming into the land of the sky, and he called the Animals to meet in the Great Council.
“Se’ sta comes to lead us back to the Lower World,” said the Beaver.
“We cannot go. We do not wish to return to a land where Ska’ reh lives. He makes a wicked world. Where can we hide?” said the Hawk.
“If we stay in the skyland, he will find us and take us back. We must hurry to the Land of the Little People,” said the Deer.
So the Animals ran quickly down the Sun’s path to the Land of the Little People. It was under the Great Island,
Se’ sta could not find the Animals. He went over all the land of the sky. As he walked in that land, he called to the Animals. “Come with me,” he said. “The people are hurt by Ska’ reh. They need your help. Go back with me and there will be joy and peace in the Lower World.”
There was no answer. Se’ sta turned to come again to his own land. He followed the wide way over which he had scattered the down taken from the breasts of the two great Swans. It led him back into the Lower World. He came back in sorrow. For there was now no escape from a terrible war with Ska’ reh and his evil forces.
But the great white path which he marked with the down given him by the Swans may still be seen there across the sky. And white men call it the Milky Way.
And for ages, when the warriors on the march and the women in the village looked up to heaven and saw there the Snow Path, they could hear the deep voice of Se’ sta singing the song of the stars to cause the Animals to come back to the Lower World and dwell again with mankind.
The Animals Go To The Land Of The Little People
The Animals stood far off. They loved Se’ sta. They knew he would not be pleased when they ran out of his sight in the skyland. For he would have to return without help to his troubled land. Some of them said they should go back with him. Others said it would not be wise to do so. They were not of one mind. So they called to the Big Turtle for his opinion.
“The Council has said that we are to go to the Land of the Little People under the Great Island. We cannot change that now. We must go.” he told them.
The Wolf was in fear. He knew that Se’ sta could make the Animals do his will if he found them. All the Animals knew this. The wolf called Heno, the thunder god. And the angry Beaver said to Heno, “Cast down your dart of lightning upon Se’ sta, O Heno! He is coming with the bag of white down given him by the Swans which live at the ends of the Great Island. Drive him back before he comes to take us again to the Lower World.”
Heno rolled along the sky, calling in deep thunder tones, “I cannot harm him. He is greater than I. He is my master. I am his friend. I came with his mother when she fell down from Heaven with the Tree of Light. I cannot help you. Go on now to the Land of the Little People. Stay there until he returns to the Great Island.”
Then the Little Turtle called the cloud. It is the great comet which sometimes burns across the heavens. It is the chariot of the sky. She had ridden in it from the Lower World to make the Sun. She caused the Animals to go into it. And she drove down the sky. She found the way dug for the Sun under the Great Island. Through this glorious passage they rode toward the Land of the Little People.
And the Little People were not pleased. Their land was yet for them alone. “Only the Sun and the Moon may come to us from the west,” they cried. “And when the Sun passes by he leaves us the night.”
The Little People used their magic power. A great stream of molten rock moved upward toward the cloud to consume it and destroy the Animals. The rock stream rolled along like a world of waters loosed. It roared like thunder and shook the earth. Terror filled the sky and all the Lower World. For here was to be a battle between the gods.
The cloud rose higher. But higher still rose the rocky stream. Black smoke and red lightning came from it, and its flames wrapped the sky. The stars stood still in awe of the awful conflict which was about to begin. But Heno rode down the west in the whirlwind to save the Great Council.
Then came the Mud Turtle. She stood clothed in fire between the great rocky stream and the cloud of the Little Turtle. She raised high the stone wand which all must heed. And she cried, “O my Little People! Is this the welcome you give to those who come in power and of right to visit you? Turn aside now this terrible river of rock which you have raised by your magic power. Let it not harm the Great Council. For they are gods, as you are. They will stay with us for a time and then depart for the land of the sky.”
The Mud Turtle was the ruler of the Little People. They were her children. They heard her. They did as she wished. The awful stream of rock flowed back from whence it came. The chariot of the Little Turtle came down. A great feast was made. And the Animals lived in the Land of the Little People many days.
And now when the earth groans beneath the weight and sting of the North Wind, and the sky is frightful with the fury of thick clouds boiling there above us, the Indians yet hear under their feet the roar and crash of the mighty conflict of the Little People with the Council of minor gods.
Why The Deer Sheds His Horns Every Year
Ska’ reh seemed never to tire of doing evil. When one wicked deed was done, he began another. He was restless and was always going from place to place. One day before the Rainbow Bridge was burned he met his brother Se’ sta, on the mountain by the lake. At once there was a battle between them. It was a struggle of Right against Wrong in the Lower World.
When Ska’ reh saw that he was losing the battle, he fled. Se’ sta pursued him. There was no place of rest for Ska’ reh He ran through the earth, but he found no place of refuge. He came to the Beautiful Bridge made by the Rainbow. Over it he ran into the sky.
When Se’ sta was about to come up with him, Ska’ reh said to one of his hookies, “My brother is coming upon me. I shall be slain. I can run no more. Bring me the swiftest animal in the forest of the sky.”
The wicked hookie brought the Deer. Now the Deer was very proud of his fine horns. He carried his head high. But Ska’ reh said to him, “I am beaten in my battle with my brother. For me there is no place of safety in the skyland. Take me upon your back and run swiftly down to the Great Island. For Se’ sta will slay me if I fall into his hands.”
The Animals hated the Man of Ice and Stone. The Deer did not wish to help the Evil One, but he did not dare refuse. And he said to Ska’ reh, “See my great horns. They will catch on the branches of the trees as I run. The Hawk could carry you more swiftly than I.”
This made Ska’ reh very angry. He said to the Deer, “The Hawk would say, “You are too heavy for my wings.’ I will not call the Hawk.”
Then he seized the horns of the Deer and broke them off. “Now,” he said, “carry me to my own country. Be in haste, for my brother is near. In that land I will give you back your horns.”
So Ska’ reh made the Deer do his will. But in his own land Se’ sta was so close upon him that he did not give back the horns. He carried them away as he ran and dropped them on the ground.
The Deer was ashamed. He had helped Ska’ reh whom all despised, and had lost his beautiful horns. He went apart. All winter he lived alone in a deep forest. The next summer another pair of horns grew upon his head as he grazed on the mountain above the lake. They were more beautiful than those he had lost. Then he was proud again. And he went back to the skyland.
To this day, when the season comes when Ska’ reh tore away the horns of the Deer, the horns of every deer in the Lower World drop off. Then they all live alone. The next summer new horns grow to take the places of those which fell off. And they all walk through the woods to show one another their beautiful new horns. They are proud again.
The war between the Brothers, Se’ sta and Ska’ reh, Fire and Ice and Stone, did not end. Se’ sta could overcome Ska’ reh, but he did not like to be always at strife.
One dark morning Se’ sta was wakened by the cries of his people. He knew at once that some new trouble had come upon the world in the night. When he came forth, he was told that all the water was gone. He went to the spring, but he found no water there. He went to the streams and found them dry. He went to the lake, and it was empty. He looked up to see why the sun did not shine, and he saw Ska’ reh standing in the sky. In his hands he held a bag of skin in which was all the water of the lakes, streams, and springs in the world. He had stolen it in the night. The bag was so large that it shut out the rays of the sun. Ska’ reh knew the people would die if they had no water, even his own people. But he did not care.
Se’ sta knew he must get the water back. He brought forth his giant bow. For an arrow he used the trunk of a mighty pine. He shot this great arrow into the bag, tearing it apart. The water was spilled. It fell upon the earth. It filled the valleys and covered the hills. So the Lower World was destroyed by the flood.
When Se’ sta saw that all life was in danger, he quickly lead his people to the beautiful forest above the earth. It was made by the Rainbow when she made the Beautiful Burning Bridge from the Lower World to the sky for the Deer. In that charming country they lived until the waters ran back into their places and left again the dry land. And even then only the beasts and the birds brought by Se’ sta returned to the Great Island. Before the Wyandot could come, the last battle between the Good One and the Evil One was fought, and all life in the Lower World was fought.
The Last Battle
Se’ sta was good. His heart was kind. He was more powerful than his evil brother, but had never wished his death even in their wars. But now he saw that there could be no peace in the Lower World while Ska’ reh lived in it. It was with deep regret that Se’ sta decided to bring the war to an end, for that meant the death of Ska’ reh. But, with the good, duty comes before all other things.
So Se’ sta went into the sky where Ska’ rah had hidden himself. He carried the horns torn by Ska’ reh from the head of the Deer. Ska’ reh was armed with the blades of the swamp flag, which he had made hard as flint and sharp as steel. He ran through the sky, but Se’ sta followed hard upon him. Then he ran into the Lower World. Se’ sta did not stop. They were gods. As they fought, earth and sky were wrapped in fiery clouds. The sky seemed to be in flames. Heno rolled his thunder over the world. And screaming birds flapped their helpless wings and fell into the raging sea. Beasts ran bowling to their hiding places. The elk and buffalo fled in terror over the grassy plains. For those who made all the beasts and birds were in deadly battle.
Ska’ reh found no rest. Help was not to be had. To make it hard for Se’ sta to run, Ska’ reh cut his own body. His blood flowed out, and each drop became at once a sharp stone to cut the feet of Se’ sta and hold him back. These flint stones may be found all over the earth. But at last Se’ sta came up with Ska’ reh and slew him with the horns of the Deer. Then peace settled over a black and wasted world.
Making The World Again
All life in the Lower World was destroyed in the war between Se’ sta and the Evil One. Flood, fire, and the North Wind had swept the earth. There were neither fruits nor flowers, trees nor animals, streams nor fishes. It had taken thousands of years to make all these. It would now take thousands of years more to make them, again. Se’ sta alone did it.
In the war the people of Se’ sta were in the mysterious forest made by the Rainbow when she built the Burning Bridge for the Deer. But they were not permitted to remain there always.
Far to the north Se’ sta built a great city under the ground. To this city he brought his people. He made a deep sleep to fall on them all. He closed the gate to the city and shut out the World. Inside the gate was his mother, the Woman who fell down from Heaven. She bore aloft a torch made of the fire of Heno. She stood on guard. No harm came to the sleeping people. To them, time did not count. They did not grow old.
Se’ sta had to make the world as it had been made by himself and his brother. That is why many bad things, are yet found upon the earth.
When Se’ sta went forth to his great work, he found a sledge. Three stags drew it. He rode in the sledge. The stags could go upon the land. They could go in the air. They could travel on the clouds.
It took a long time for Se’ sta to make the world again. For he made trees and streams. He made the seas and the fishes. The flowers and the fruits he caused to grow. He made the beasts and the birds. All things which we see here were made by him. And he made again the Beautiful Bridge, but it cannot be seen by men.
When Se’ sta had finished his work, he went back to the city underground. There he rested hundreds of years. He waited for the new world to get ready for his people. It had to be tried by the sun, the wind, the ice and snow, and the rain.
One day Se’ sta looked out. The world was ready. It was spring. Flowers were everywhere. The trees had new leaves. The beasts ran about. The birds sang for joy. Clear streams ran down the hills to the green valleys.
Se’ sta ran to waken his people. They did not know they had slept. They were strong. They went forth with Se’ sta. They shouted with joy. They lived long in the new world. Then the white man came and drove them once more from their happy homes.
How A Man And His Daughter Became Stars
Dandeek and his wife lived in the village by the lakeside. They had a beautiful daughter named Mao’ ra.
Mao’ ra was not like other children. When she was seven years old, she was very wise. Some said a spirit always stood by her to teach her. She knew more than the hookies and the ookies. All the beasts loved her. The birds came when she called them. At the sound of her voice the fishes swam about her feet in the shining waves. The trees talked to her. The streams sang to her. She loved the stars. Sometimes when she looked at them one would shoot across the sky. It left a trail of fire in the night.
One day a deep sickness came upon Mao’ ra. The medicine of the hookies could not cure her. The medicine of the ookies was no better. She seemed to sink into the arms of death.
When Dendeek came home from hunting, the hookies said to him, “Mao’ ra is very sick. She is not on her couch. By our magic power we see her on the way to the land of the Little People. We must not lose her. Follow her. Go quickly and bring her back to us.”
Dendeek was a mighty warrior. He could run faster than a deer. It was a long way. But he thought only, of his daughter. So he ran as swiftly as the wind.
He came to the hill over a city. It was where Se’ sta put the people when he made the world over again. Se’ sta’s mother lived there. She kept the city. A man was on the hill. He took Dendeek safely past the great rocks. They were ready to fan on the stranger to crush him.
Inside the gates Dendeek saw the Woman who fell down from Heaven. She was lying on a couch covered with deerskins. Near her, all harnessed to the sledge were the three stags which Se’ sta had driven through the sky and the Lower World. There was a fire on the stone floor. Smoke rolled below the roof of the city. And water roared beneath the stone floors.
“I come for Mao’ ra,” said her father. “I must take her back.”
”Mao’ ra was here,” said the Woman. “She was weak. She was pale and tired. But the hookies called her away by their magic power. As she passed out she carried two torches. She took them from the fire kindled there by Heno.”
Dendeek wept. He cried out in grief. He feared Mao’ ra was 1ost. He could not go back without her. What could he say to her mother? What could he tell the people?
There was a great noise. The city was shaken. Dendeek looked up. He saw Mao’ ra. She was as bright as the two torches which she carried. She was running into the sky over the new path of the Beautiful Colors.
Dendeek saw the harnessed, stags. He leaped into, the sledge of Se’ sta. The stags sprang away over the Beautiful Bridge of Burning Colors. When their feet struck that bridge, thunder rolled over the Lower World and lightning flamed along the sky.
Then the Woman who fell down from Heaven said, “They go into the sky! People must never go there. Now they cannot return. Let them become stars to shine there forever.”
And so it was. If you look up at the stars on a cold winter night you may still see Mao’ ra with her torches. Behind her Dendeek sits in the sledge driving yet the three stags.
And now, when the North Wind roars in fury through the great trees, the Indian warriors say it is Dendeck driving down the sky to bring Mao’ ra back to her people.
Se’ sta Makes The Eagles
Of all his children Se’ sta loved the Wyandot best. He made a beautiful country in which they were to live. He made deep woods where they could hunt. He made clear, swift streams where they could get fish. Geese, ducks and swans also swam in these streams. Many deer grazed on the fine grass. Bears and other wild animals lived among the trees. Nothing was left undone to make the country a good place to live.
Se’ sta was well pleased with this fine country. He walked through it. He said it was a good place for his children. He turned to go and bring them there. Then he saw some men on a mountain across a river. They were wicked sons of Ska’ reh. They had in some way escaped when the world was burned.
They saw Se’ sta. They shouted to him, “When you are gone we will destroy your fine country.”
Se’ sta was angry. He said he would kill these bad people. He began to climb up the mountain to get to them. They rolled great rocks down the mountain to crush him. But he was not hurt. The rocky cliffs hung high and smooth above him. He sank his fiery knife into those rocky walls and cut his way. He went up.
Se’ sta came to the top of the mountain. The evil children of Ska’ reh were there. He fought them. It was a great battle. The evil ones fought well. Once they threw Se’ sta to another mountain peak. By his magic power he came quickly back.
Se’ sta waved high his awful knife of fire. The evil ones knew they could not get away. They were about to be killed.
Then their chief cried out, “Hold your hand, O Se’ sta! Put aside your great knife of fire. We tire of the battle. Save our lives and we will serve you. We will no longer be the children of Ska’ reh.”
Se’ sta was kind. He put away his flaming knife. ”It shall be so,” he said. “You, O chief, shall be a great eagle. Your warriors shall be your eagle children. You will soar in the sky. No other bird shall fly so near the sun as the eagle. And you shall find and bring me game when I tell you.”
It was so. From that hour the children of Ska’ reh became eagles. They were the children of Se’ sta. And they brought him game when he was hungry.
The Death Song Of A Warrior
I am in the land of my enemies. I am a prisoner of war. I am bound to a stake. My foes come around me to see me die. I hate them. I defy them. I chant my song of death. Cowards, look upon me and learn how to die like a warrior! You fear me. I am a real man. I followed the warpath. It led to your towns. Many did I slay. Your chiefs did I strike down. I gave their bodies to the wolves and to the birds of prey. Nothing do I fear. The Wyandot feels no fear. The fire is my father. I am master of my own soul. Look upon me you cowards! See me rejoice in death! See me die in glory, as a warrior should die!
I am a dead warrior. My soul rises from my body. It is free. I journey. I stand by our Grandmother. She is in the great city built under the ground by Se’ sta. She speaks to me of the Land of the Little People. She directs me. She gives me the torch of Heno. It is a guide in the darkness. It is a weapon. None can stand before it. She tells me the brave can never fail.
I take the torch. I go in courage. I step forth on the way of terrors. The darkness rolls away. I am shown afar off the Land of the Little People. Mountains rise before me. I approach them. I ascend them. I see a broad valley of mystery and horror. Beyond that terrible mountains pierce the sky. They are lifted up and thrown down again to crush him without courage.
By valor do I conquer. I pass over the frightful hills. I stand at the border. At the foot of the tall rock a great black stream runs. I stand upon a crag. The river is under my feet. There is one more trial of my courage. I look beyond the river of darkness. I see the Land of the Little People. It is beautifu1. Great streams of light stretch across the sky. They reach to the ends of the heavens. Courage rages in my soul. It rises within me.
The black river thunders between its rocky walls. I come to cross it. It is the stream of Death. With the torch of Heno I strike the Flying Heads as they come about me with bloody fangs. And the serpent’s do I strike with my might. They utter horrible screams and flee away. I spring from stone to stone in the raging river. The furious waters are about me. They hiss and boil. I leap forward. I come over upon the far bank of the mad and raging water. There I see my mother. I see my father. I see all the warriors of old. They welcome me to the Land of the Little People. When I turn to see the terrible way over which I came into the beautiful land. I spread my arms and cry, “Flee away, ye monsters, and be forever gone! For you can never harm the brave. The long way is nothing. The terrors are forgotten. Upon this shore I am a god. I am in the Land of the Little People. It is mine from the beginning of the Lower World.”
The Singing Spring
Se’ sta walked through the pinewoods. Before he reached the lake he suffered from thirst. There was no water to be found in the pine forest. So he cried out, ”The way is long. I perish for water. I will can the Little People. They will find me water.”
He struck the rock with his war club. At once there stood before him one of the Little People. He was a tiny old man whose name was Goma.
Se’ sta said to Goma, ”There is no water. I sink down. I cannot go on. My mouth is dry and parched. Bring me, I pray you, a little water from the lake.”
Goma went around the pine whose twisted roots curled about a great rock. Se’ sta followed him. When he came to the rock, he found a Spring of clear water by the rock at the root of the old pine. Its pure water flowed out in a great stream and raced down the stony hill. Goma had but that instant made it for his Master.
Se’ sta drank from the Spring. He was refreshed. He was pleased. He rested beneath the old pine. The wind sang through its branches. He was comforted.
When Se’ sta rose to go on, he said to the Spring, ”You shall be called the Spring which sang for the Master. You shall give joy to my people. Goma Shall stay with you. In all springs shall his children live. The beasts and the birds shall be glad you came into this mountain. Springs shall sing softly in every land.”
The Spring was glad. It leaped and sang down the stony hill and through the beautiful valley. The deer came to the Spring. He drank the shining water. When he looked into it, he saw his horns. The birds dipped their wigs in its foamy ripples. The panther came. The big, lumbering bear came to drink at the Singing Spring.
The Spring was Goma’s home. There his children lived and played. Often they could be seen racing along on the bottom of the stream under the water. They could be heard singing gay songs. Sometimes Goma sat at the roots of the old pine to dry his long white beard.
Now, the wicked Stone Giant lived in the same forest. He did much harm. He hated the animals and birds. One day he said to the Spring, “When the bear comes to visit you hold him till I come. When the deer drinks, don’t let him get away. I wish to kill and eat them.”
The Spring heard all this. But it did not answer. It loved the deer and the bear. It would not do them harm. This made the Stone Giant angry. He struck the Spring with his stone club. He splashed its waters.
When the elk and the deer came down to drink, the Giant called, ”Do not go there for water. The Spring is waiting to do you hurt. Drink from the lake.”
The animals and the birds did not believe the wicked giant. This made him still more angry. “I will break the rocks from which it flows. I will break down the old pine. That will be the end of this Spring,” he said.
But one thing he had forgotten. Goma was the friend of the Spring. And the Little People have more power than any Giant. So when the Stone Giant struck the rock with his big war club, Goma came quickly out. He climbed up the stone club. His beard was dripping with water from the Spring. He caught the Giant by the throat. So great was his strength that when he let go the Giant was glad to run into the pinewoods, for he was choked. He was never seen again. Goma made many springs. To this day one of his children lives in each spring. They teach the waters to be happy and to sing. You may hear these beautiful water songs if you listen by the brook side or at the spring where the waters flow out.
Goma often visits his children. If you see and old man not nearly so big as the smallest babe, watch him closely. If he sits at the root of an old tree over a spring, and his long beard is as white snow, you may be sure his name is Goma. He is there to see his children.
And if you could find and drink from the first Spring, that which sang for the master, Goma himself would take you to visit the Land of the Little People far under the earth.
The Singing Maidens
The Sun and his wife, the Moon, had many children. These children are the stars. Among these were seven little girls. They were of the same age. Everyone loved them, for they were beautiful, gentle, and kind. They were the sweetest singers and the loveliest dancers in all the sky. They were called the Singing Maidens.
These little girls often looked down to the Lower World. They were sad when the hunter could find no food for his wife and children. And they were filled with sorrow when the corn would not grow.
One day they said to their father, the Sun, “Let us go down to visit the people in the Lower World. They are good. We love them. We wish to sing and dance in their village.”
The Sun said, “You must not go. Stay in your own country. Be happy here.”
When the Sun had gone away, the Singing Maidens went to walk in a grassy field where many trees grew. They looked down to the Lower World. They saw the children playing on the yellow sand by the lake. They saw children swimming and splashing in the blue waters. Little children were running along paths down the green banks to the shining lake.
The Singing Maidens were filled with delight. “Look!” they cried. “See the glorious shores! See them beautiful children! That is a lovely land. We should like to go down and sing and dance with the happy children on the banks of the bright lake.”
Then the Singing Maidens came down to the Lower World. They sang for the Indian children. They danced upon the waters of the lake. The children clapped their hands. They danced along the lake shore.
The people in the village heard the Singing Maiden. They said, “What music is this? We never heard so beautiful a song. Let us see who visit our children.”
They ran down to the lake. As they reached the shore a cloud cast a shadow over the Lower World. It was the cloud of the Little Turtle. The voice of Heno rolled in thunder over the lake and about the mountains. It was the Keeper of the Heavens sent to bring back the truant Maidens.
The Sun was angry with the Singing Maidens. He said, “I will give you a place so far away that you can never again visit the Lower World.”
Then he sent them to a place so far off in the skyland that we can scarcely see the faces of these little stars. But they still look down with love upon the lake, the woods, and all the children of the world!
And the Indian mother says yet to her children in the twilight, “Be quiet. Sit here at my feet. Soon you may hear the Singing Maidens as they dance among the leaves of the trees.”
The First Garden
The Hawk Clan lived in the village by the lake. An old Man of the Bear Clan lived there also. For he had taken a wife of the Hawk people. They had two daughters.
No man knows what time may hold for him. The Old Man did not. For one after another he lost his wife and his beautiful daughters. They went on to the Land of the Little People. So the Old Man of the Bear Clan was left alone. He went about the village to do good. The People loved him.
One day the Old Man stood on the bank of the lake. Others came and stood there also. For a strange noise arose from beyond the other shore. It was not long until a large flock of Hawks came from the blue hills to fly over the lake. One Hawk had bright red wings. It fell to the ground at the edge of the water. It lay with its wings thrown up as if in pain. The other Hawks flew about the lake screaming to one another. Then they passed behind the wooded hills and disappeared.
The people had never before seen Hawks so large. They were frightened. They thought something dreadful was about to come upon them. They ran about and shouted aloud for fear.
But the Old Man was not afraid. He said, “I will go and see the Hawk that fell down.”
“Do not go, we pray!” the others cried. “Great harm may come to you by this Hawk.”
But the Old Man answered, “I am old. I am alone. It matters little if I die. I am not afraid. The people of the village must know what the coming of these strange birds means. I will speak to the Hawk that fell down.”
He went on. When he came near the Hawk it became suddenly dark. But he was brave. He came very near the Hawk. Then a bright flame came out of the sky and burned the Hawk to ashes. He went nearer. Lying in the ashes was a glowing coal of fire. In this coal he saw his eldest daughter. He thought this could not be. He stopped to look carefully. It was indeed his daughter. He took her up. She spoke to him. This made him very happy.
The people came near. “Why did you come back this strange way?” they asked the little girl.
“I have come back with a wonderful gift for my people,” she answered. “Hoo wa’ neh took me from the land of the Little People. He carried me into the Upper World. There, with his own hands, he gathered these seeds from some of the Trees of Light. Then he sent me to bring them to you, O my Hawk people!”
She opened her hands and showed them the seeds. These she planted in the ashes around her. At once a large field of corn grew up. In it, among the corn, were squashes, pumpkins, and beans.
The girl taught them how to gather and cook the corn and the other gifts she had brought. So the Hawk People had food when the hunters could not find bears and deer in the forests. Soon all the people had food from the corn and beans and pumpkins which Hoo wa’ neh sent by the Hawk Girl.
Then the Old Man saw that his troubles had been the best, after all. Great good had come to the people because of his trials and his grief. So he was filled with joy. He was a happy man to the end of his days.
The Golden Hornet
Long ago there was an Indian girl whose name was Swa no’ wa. She could not live in the village with her clan. Some said she was too proud. Others said she had magic power and talked with those who were own their way to the Land of the Little People. She lived with her grandmother in a lodge in the forest. They were very poor. Sometimes they had no food.
From the lodge they could see a high and beautiful mountain. Swa no’ wa loved to watch it at sunset. On the top of this mountain, beyond the reach of any hunter, lived a very large bird. This bird was as tall as a tree. He was king of all the eagles, hawks, and owls on that mountain. He had great magic power. He could do wonderful things, and was much feared.
One day Swa no’ wa was walking in an old Indian field. A shadow fell over her. Looking up she saw the King of Birds flying down toward her. In great fright she ran into the woods and crawled into a hollow log.
The Bird followed her. He flapped his wings and made a wind which blew down trees. His cries sounded like the roar of thunder. He took the log in his terrible claws and carried it away to his home in the mountaintop. There he shook it to make Swa no’ wa come out. But she was so frightened she would not.
When the Bird had gone away the girl came out. From this high peak she could see only fog and clouds below her. She could not get down. She looked all about. She saw a large nest. In it were two young birds, each as large as an elk. The Bird had killed their mother.
So Swa no’ wa had to live on the mountain. She greatly feared the King of Birds. She was very sad. She wanted to go home to her grandmother. But there was way.
One day a Golden Hornet flew about the mountaintop. It stopped before her. It remained in space beating the air with its loud-humming wings. She wondered at it. And as she looked, it changed into a handsome young Indian warrior.
“I am the younger brother of the Bird,” he said. “On this high peak his magic is too strong for me. I cannot take you away. But some way for you to get down will be found. In the valley below I will keep you safe. There my magic is as great as his. I will not let him harm you.”
Then the fine young man became again a Golden Hornet. His shining wings beat the air before her. As she looked, the Bird flew back to the peak. The Hornet darted down and was gone.
Swa no’ wa thought long. She must find a way to get down from the mountain. Then she began to feed one of the young birds. She wanted it to grow rapidly, and she wanted it to be her friend. At last she was glad. The young bird could fly.
One day as it stood at the edge of the peak she sprang upon its back and threw her arms around its neck. This threw the bird off the rock and it went tumbling through the air. Soon it spread its wings and began to fly. With a small stick Swa no’ wa tapped it on the head to make it fly down to the valley. After a while she could see the land.
When they were about to come to the land, Swa no’ wa heard the bird coming after them. His angry cries were terrible. Now she tapped the young birds head sharply, and it came down quickly to the ground. She got down from the birds back and pulled the long feathers from its wings so that it could not follow her.
The Golden Hornet soon came to Swa no’ wa. In an instant it was once more the fine young man. They went into a cave where the bird could not get them. The bird went away and did not come back. He was afraid of his brother, the Golden Hornet.
The fine young man lead Swa no’ wa to the village. They were married. They lived in the lodge of her grandmother. Their children became the Hawk Clan of the tribe.
Men di’ yos
There was once a monster which had a body like a buffalo, horns like a deer, and a head like a snake. This monster was a wicked hookie with magic power. One day as he walked through the woods he found a lodge. Men di’ yos lived there with her grandmother. This young Indian girl was very beautiful. She was very lonely, for no lodges were near. But the beasts and birds visited her and her grandmother.
Men di’ yos was a lovely girl, so the wicked hookie, said he would visit her, too. But he knew she would be afraid if he came in his own ugly form. So he changed himself into a fine young man.
Men di’ yos was glad to see him, for he was very kind and agreeable. But the grandmother had little to say and she kept on the farther side, of the fire.
When the visitor had gone, she said, “Men di’ yos, he is no Indian. He is a wicked hookie.”
“O Grandmother!” the girl cried. “He was so very kind. He wished me to marry him.”
“Do not trust him,” answered the grandmother. “I knew him to be a hookie. In the end he would kill us both.”
So when the young man came back the next day, Men di’ yos would have nothing to do with him. He begged her to listen to him. When she would not, he was angry. He went into the woods.
That night by his magic, he moved the lodge into a strange forest. When Men di’ yos went out in the morning she could not tell where she was. The hookie came out of the woods to speak to her, for he had been lying in wait for her. He was not the fine young Indian he was before, but had taken again his ugly form.
“Now you must be my wife,” he said. “For you cannot escape. You can never find your way back to your own land.”
Men di’ yos turned about. She ran toward the lodge. But she could not go in, for she saw snakes crawling about the door. The hookie laughed in mockery when she did not enter.
The girl ran the woods. She called to her grandmother. But there was no answer. Men di’ yos found that the hookie had earned her away. Then she ran as fast as she could. She was afraid the monster was close behind her.
But Men di’ yos came to the lake. A canoe was there, and in it sat a man, He seemed to be expecting her. He was a brave warrior who had fought and killed great monsters in the lake. He, too, had magic power. When the girl came running from the woods, he knew at once all that had taken place. He told her to get into the canoe. When she was seated there, he started swiftly across the lake.
And now they heard the angry monster coming toward the lake. His crashing through the forest made mighty noise. His voice was an angry roar more terrible than the storm of many winds. He did not halt at the lake, but swam rapidly after the warrior and the maiden. He came up with them. He reached up his hand to drag Men di’ yos down.
Then the angry cloud came over the sky. It was black as midnight. Heno was in it. He saw that Men di’ yos was in danger from the monster. He sent a bolt of lightning. The monster saw it coming and went under the waters to escape it.
The monster did not come up at once. He waited. He feared Heno. When he thought Heno had gone, he rose from the water and tried to seize Men di’ yos. But Heno was still in the black cloud. When he saw the monster again at the canoe, he sent down a mighty flame of his lightning. It struck the monster. He sank beneath the waves and was never seen again.
The warrior brought Men di’ yos to the village. The people were happy to see her. They found her grandmother and brought her to the village also.
Men di’ yos and the brave warrior were married. And their children became a clan among their people.
The Song of the Kingfisher
When the Lower World was new, some of the birds and animals and fish had magic power. They could change their form and be like men and women when they wished to do so. They could build lodges on the bottom of the lake and no water would come into them. They had so much magic power that they could do these things.
At that time the Bears lived on the mountain which rose above the lake. The. Deer stood on this same mountain when the Rainbow made the Beautiful Bridge from the Lower World into the sky.
At the bottom of the lake the Fish had a village. It was a fine country there, and by their magic power the water was kept out of the village. When the Fish were there, they walked about in the shapes of men and women. They built fires and lived like people. But when they went around to other places in the lake they were just like fish.
Trees grew about this village at the bottom of the Jake. It was a good place for dances and feasts. The fish often invited the Bears, as well as the other animals and birds, to come to feasts and dances at the village.
Once the Turtles came a long way to hold a council with the Fish. A great feast was made. But there was just not enough food. Where could the Fish find food for the turtles?
Every day in summer the Bear children came down to the lake. They drank of its blue waters. They ran about and played on the yellow sands. They chased one another and splashed in the waves along the shallow shore.
One Fish said, “When the young Bears come down to the lake to swim, we will take them for the feast. We can eat them and no one will know where they have gone. Our friends the Bears will never know what happened to them.”
The next day the young Bears came to swim. When they were in the lake, the Fish dragged them down. They carried them to the Fish village, and they were eaten at the feast.
When the Bear children did not come home that night, their mother said, “Where are our children? They rolled and tumbled down the mountain in a fine frolic to play in the lake and to visit the Fish. Tomorrow we must ask our friends the Fish where our children are.”
When morning came, the Bears went to the lake and said the Fish, “Yesterday our children came down from the mountain to play on the sands and to swim in the blue waters. They did not come home. We ask our friends the Fish where our children are.”
The Fish answered, “The children of our friends the Bears did not come to see us yesterday. They must have gone another way. They must still be in the mountain.”
But the Bears did not believe this. They knew how to follow the trail. They said, “We see the footprints of our children on this shore. Why do our friends the Fish not tell us the truth?”
The Bears were angry, but they did not know what to do. They did not know that their children had been m at the feast for the Turtles.
The Kingfisher stood on the branch of a tree near by. He was at war with the Fish and ate their children when he could find them. Now he said to the Bears, “I saw the Fish eat the young Bears.”
Then the Bears fell upon the Fish and there was a great battle. Many of the Fish were killed. From that day the Bears have eaten every Fish they could catch. They even taught the Otter and some of the other animals to do the same.
And to this day the Kingfisher says, “I saw the Fish eat the young Bears.” It is his only song. He cannot sing any other.
The Untruthful Man
Indian boys and girls like fun as much as white children do. So sometimes the Indian father tells them a story just to make them laugh. Here is one such story.
Yenhen lived in a village on the bank of Lake Erie below the town of Sandusky, and he had a gun, for he was a hunter. One day he had no bullets for his gun. So he loaded it with cherry stones. He went across a field. At the edge of the woods he shot a rabbit in the head with his cherry stones and killed it. But he did not take up the rabbit. He let it lie where it fell.
On another day he went into the woods to hunt, He shot an elk, but did not kill it. The elk ran away. It was as big as any forty elks now found. Yenhen followed the elk he bad shot. He tracked it by the trail of blood it left on the ground from its wound. Suddenly his gun struck against something and he stopped. Then the gun fired itself. To his surprise Yenhen found that the elk was killed. He now had plenty of elk meat, which he took to his lodge.
When his elk meat was all gone, he went out again to hunt. He passed by the place where he had shot the rabbit. He found that one of the cherry stones had grown into a large tree. Then he heard a great noise, look up; he saw that the tree was full of pigeons eating cherries.
Yenhen fired into this flock of pigeon. He killed them al at one shot. But when the pigeons fell to the ground, each one grew at once into a cherry tree. And each tree was as full of pigeons as the first tree had been.
And he saw a large rabbit among the branches jumping from tree to tree.
He shot all the pigeons. But again when each pigeon touched the ground, it became a, cherry tree filled with pigeons, as the others had been. And great rabbits were jumping from treetop to treetop.
Soon the whole forest was filled with cherry trees, pigeons, and rabbits. Yenhen was so frightened that he ran home to his lodge. There he was sick. He supposed that he was sick two hundred years. But he found out that it was only one day.
Yenhen went again into the woods to hunt. When he came home, he told a friend he had found a bear tree. He thought there might be young bears high up in the hollow of that tree with their mother. So he set out to get these bears.
He leaned a small tree against a limb of the bear tree near the hole where the bears went in. Then he began to climb the small tree. The limb broke off and the small tree crashed to the ground. Yenhen fell clear around the Lower World, but struck the ground under the bear’s door. Be fainted and lay there a week.
When he opened his eyes he saw the whole sky full of bears dancing and laughing at him. One by one they went away until only the bear in the hole in the tree was left. She looked down and smiled from ear to ear.
Then his gun stood up without his touching it and fired itself and killed the bear. The bear fell upon him. He believed she broke every bone in, his body. He lay there, as he thought, for three hundred years before he got well. But when he reached home he found that he had been gone only two weeks.
Yenhen went again into the woods to hunt. He built himself a hunting lodge, for now he was far from home. He had good luck in hunting. When the spring came he had so many skins that he did not know how to get them home. He made a bag of deerskin and filled it with bear’s grease.
At last he thought of a plan. He made a frame of poles and put wings to it so he could make it fly. He covered the wings with skins for feathers. Then he put skins on this frame and got it up on the top of his cabin. There he got into it and sailed away like a big bird.
After flying along for a while, he said, “I forget. I am now a bird. All birds have oil bags. I must go back and get my bag of bear’s grease for an oil bag. I must do this at once.”
So he went back. When he got his oil bag, he flew to his own village. He landed near by and took the skins from the frames. There were so many of them that he had to make many trips to carry them to his lodge. The people wondered. They asked him how he had carried so many skins from the hunting grounds. He said he had found a way to do it.
It was now time to take his furs to market. Yenhen made a canoe. He packed his furs in it and went down the lakes to the Great Falls. Now, no one could go over these falls in a canoe without being dashed to pieces. But Yenhen went over without any difficulty.
At the town where he sold his furs, he bought some gunpowder. He also bought a flint and a piece of steel for striking fire. He put all these things into a bag together and started back to his canoe. The steel rubbed against the flint. This set fire to the powder and blew Yenhen above the clouds.
When he struck the ground, he bounced as high as he was before. The people now put feather beds on the ground for him to fall upon. When he came down they seized him and tried to hold him. But he carried them all as high as the tops of the trees. When they came down some were frightened to be near such a man.
When at last Yenhen found himself safely down, he went back to the merchant and bought more powder, flint and steel. But this time he put them into different bags. Then he set out for home.
He went up the river. When he came near the Great Falls he rowed so fast that he was going almost like lightning. When the water of the falls began to roar about him, he struck it with his paddle. The canoe rose and sailed through the air, and it came down again far above the falls.
When he reached home he told the young men of the village all the strange things that had happened to him. The young men could not believe that it was all true. This made Yenhen feel so bad that he went away into the woods and was never seen afterward.
The Bears of Red Mountain
Far in the north there is a mountain. It is covered with deep woods. The leaves of these trees are as red as blood. It is so. For here the blood of the Bear was thrown down from the sky in the battle between that Animal and the Deer. All the rain has not washed it away. This mountain is the home of the Bears.
Once an Indian set out to follow the trail. He made his wife go with him. By and by they came to a deep forest of dark pines. All at once, as they walked along, they saw that there were Bears on every side of them. More and more Bears came tumbling down the steep hillside into their path. There was no way to escape. .
The Bears did not try to harm them. The largest Bear stood on his hind legs and said, “You must go with us to our home on the Red Mountain. There you must stay until we send you home.”
The Indian and his wife were frightened. They thought they would be carried away and eaten by these Bears. But they could do nothing, so they went along.
No more jolly crowd of Bears ever lived anywhere. They played jokes on one another. They danced through the open woods. They tumbled through the dry leaves. They turned somersaults in the dry moss. The woods rang with their shouts and their growls.
The Indian forgot to be afraid of them. He joined them in their games. He had more than one hard tumble, and sometimes, in their play, the Bears gave him hard blows. But he was not angry. He loved all this. And the Bears said he was a fine fellow.
Night came on. They came to the Red Mountain. Bears gave a shout of joy.
Then the Big Bear stood up and said to the Indian his wife. “You are now in the Red Mountain. The blood of our grandfather made these leaves red. This fine cave with plenty of dry leaves in it shall be your home. The finest nuts grow here. Take them for your food. Be happy, for you cannot get away.”
So the Indian and his wife lived in the cave. They gathered nuts for food. But they were not happy. They wanted to go back to their own home.
One day they did not see the Bears. “Come,” cried the Indian, “let us get away before they come back!”
They ran a long way through the woods. At last they stopped to get their breath.
“I think we are safe now,” said the Indian.
As he said this he looked around and there stood Bears on every side of them.
The Big Bear stood up and said, “See this Indian. We gave him a home and food. Yet he runs away from us. He should be killed.”
The Bears picked up the Indian and threw him from a high rock. He was badly hurt, but not killed. Then the Bears carried him back to the cave.
They told his wife what leaves, bark, and roots to bring. They showed her how to mix these to make the medicine. When the Indian took this medicine, he became well at once.
For some time, the Indian and his wife lived in the cave. One day the Bears seemed all to have gone away.
“Come,” cried the Indian, “let us get away from here while we can!”
He took his wife by the hand. They ran through the woods as fast as they could to their own country.
At last they felt they must stop and rest a moment. “Now I think we are safe,” said the Indian.
They looked about and, there stood Bears on every side of them.
The Big Bear stood up and said, “We gave this man a home and food. We made medicine to cure him. But he has run away again. He does not love the Bears. He should be killed with our claws. Do with him as you will.”
The Bears fell upon the Indian and tore him with their claws. He was badly hurt, but not killed.
Then they picked him up and carried him back to cave. Again they showed his wife how to make medicine. When the Indian took the medicine, he was well at once.
S0 they lived in the cave for some time. The Indian was hurt in many ways. Each time the Bears showed his wife how to make medicine that would cure him.
One day all the Bears came to the cave. They were very happy. The Big Bear stood up and said, “We are your friends. We only brought you to this mountain to live because we wanted to teach you how to make medicine. We have taught your wife how to cure hurts and wounds. Now She can go back and teach her people.”
Then the Bears went with the Indian and his wife and showed them the way back to their own village. And from that day they taught the people how to cure hurts and wounds just as the Bears had told them. And none of the people in that village ever forgot the Bears who had done them this great kindness.
The Flying Heads
Before the coming of the white men, strange monsters lived in this land. The worst of these were the Flying Heads. These heads were as tall as the highest man. They had two short legs. Their feet were strong and they had terrible claws. Their cry was a thing to make the blood run cold.
Once some Indians were moving their village. They came to a river. This river was the home of the Flying Heads. They were the largest of their kind. Some of the old ones were as tall as trees. They lived in caves in the bottom of the river, and they would not let the Indians cross.
The Indians knew the Flying Heads were in the river, but some of the bravest got in a canoe and started across. “Then they reached the middle of the river, a great hand reached up and pulled them down, canoe and all, under the water.
The other Indians did not know what to do. They sat down on the bank to hold a council. While they were still talking, the Flying Heads came out of the river on the other side. With them they had the poor men who had been pulled down under the water. They set them down on the bank and began to dance around them. The frightened council thought each minute that their friends would be killed.
“Let us send for the Little People,” said one. “They may be able to help us.”
Runners were sent out. They struck a high rock with a war club. Soon they came back with three tiny men no taller than the smallest baby. They were three of the Little People.
These Little People listened to the story of all that had happened, and they watched the Flying Heads dancing on the other side of the river.
“They are very strong,” said one. “But we will send the Big Turtle and Little Turtle. We will tell them what to do.”
The Little People went away, and in a few minutes Big Turtle and Little Turtle came walking along the riverbank.
The Indians told their troubles to the Turtles. Big Turtle and Little Turtle thought for a long time.
“Lightning is the only thing the Flying Heads fear. Heno is my friend. I will ask him to send lightning upon them. But how can we get across the river to the place where they are?” said Little Turtle.
“I can take you across,” answered Big Turtle. “The Flying Heads have all come out of their caves and are dancing on the other bank, so they will not see us, for I will take you under the water. I have magic power so you shall not be harmed.”
The Indians put all their goods upon the back of Big Turtle. They placed the children in the center, while the warriors sat around the edge of the shell. Big Turtle went under the water and swam across. No one was hurt. The children wanted to laugh and shout, but their mothers told them they must be quiet.
When they reached the other side, they hid in the bushes while Little Turtle asked Heno to send the lightning. When they peeped out between the leaves, they could see the terrible Flying Heads only a few steps away dancing about their poor friends who had been taken prisoners.
Suddenly there was a roar of thunder, and the lightning flashed around the Flying Heads. They all fell to the ground in great fright.
Before they could get up, the Indians were upon them, dragged them down to the water, and threw them over the steep bank. The Flying Heads went down to their caves and did not come up again.
Big Turtle and Little Turtle went back to their own country, and the Indians went on their way.
The Game of Moccasin
All winter the Indians had lived in the deep snow of the great north woods. In the lodge nearest the frozen river were three children with their Chippewa father and their grandmother.
Early each morning the father went into the woods to hunt. Each evening he came back with bear or deer or other animal which was their food. The skins were poled in the corner of the lodge. When spring came, these would be carried to the fort where the white men lived and traded for many things which Indians need.
While the father hunted, the little boys made traps in which to catch rabbits, or shot at marks with their bows and arrows. They could scarcely wait for the day when they, too, would go into the woods to hunt. Sometimes they helped their grandmother carry in wood for the little fire on which their supper was to be cooked. But for the most part they thought this to be a woman’s work, and ran away to play at war or hunting.
At last the sun grew warm. The snow was gone and the ice on the river had melted. While the furs were being piled into the canoes, the children ran up and down the bank shouting with joy. Then all the men, women, and children got into the canoes, too, and paddled swiftly down the river to the fort.
This was a happy holiday time for all the Indians. Chippewa, Wyandot, all the tribes were there trading their furs for cloth, blankets, knives, guns, powder, and bright-colored beads.
Many days they stayed, playing ball, wrestling, and running races. At night there were feasts and dances. The chiefs and headmen held councils and smoked the pipe of peace.
On the first day, when dinner was eaten, the Chippewa took in his arms a load of furs. “I will go now to the fort to trade,” he said. “My sons have done well with their traps and bows and arrows. I will bring each of them a knife. Grandmother shall have a new red blanket to wear when the wind is cold.”
On the way to the fort the Chippewa met a Wyandot Indian.
“Come and play Moccasin with me,” the Wyandot said.
So they sat down to the game.
Four new moccasins were placed about the same distance apart in front of them. One player held the rifle ball in his hand and shuffled it back and forth over each of the moccasins. Then he dropped it in one. The other player must guess which moccasin held the ball. If he guessed right the first time, it counted four. The second guess counted two, but if he guessed right the third time, it counted only one. The player who first got ten won the game.
“I play well,” said the Wyandot.
“I shall win,” said the Chippewa.
“Are you sure?”
“So sure,” answered the Chippewa, “that if I do not win I will give you this pile of furs.”
So they played. The Chippewa lost the game and had to give the Wyandot the pile of furs which he had worked so long to get.
When he went home, he saw the little boys watching for their knives. “Tomorrow,” he said, “I will bring them.”
The next day he again set out with some fine skins. But again he met the Wyandot and played Moccasin and lost them as he had the day before. The third day it was the same.
At last he had only a few furs left.
“Go first to the fort and trade for the things we need,” said the grandmother. “Then play games with your friends.”
“Yes,” said the Chippewa.
But when he saw the Wyandot, he forgot his promise and sat down to play Moccasin. This time he lost the last of his furs.
“Play once more!” shouted the Chippewa. “This time I know I shall win. If I do not, I will give you my rifle.”
So they played again, and this time the Chippewa lost his rifle.
“Play yet once more!” he shouted. “If I do not win this time, you shall have my life.”
The Chippewa lost this game, but he did not wish to lose his life. So he jumped to his feet and start to run toward the fort.
The Wyandot was surprised that the Chippewa should be a coward, for so the Indians thought of such an act. Without thinking he raised his rifle and shot him.
At once all the Chippewa Indians were angry because a man of their tribe had been killed. They called a council and said that the Wyandot, too, must die.
The Wyandot stood before them and said, “I did not intend to kill the Chippewa. I did not intend to keep his rifle, for he would need that to get his food. But I shot him because he was a coward.”
This made the Chippewa Indians still more angry. Then an old woman came up weeping bitterly. It was the grandmother.
She said, “Wyandot, you have killed my only son. His wife, too, is dead. His children are orphans. I have no one to find food and care for them. Will you be my son? Will you be a father to these children?” The Wyandot replied, “Woman of the Chippewa, I have heard your talk. My heart was hard. Now it is soft. I am sorry for you and these children. I have no wife and no children. I will come and care for you. I will be a son to you and a father to the children.”
The grandmother talked to the angry Chippewa, and they agreed that it might be as she wished. The Wyandot kept his word. He was always kind to the grandmother, and he cared for the children until they were grown and no longer needed him.
The Hoo’ stra doo’
The Hoo’ stra doo’ were giants covered with stone and so they were called the Stone Giants. They were very strong and had magic power. Whenever they could, they killed Indians and ate them. So all the Wyandot were in great fear of them.
There came a time when the Hoo’ stra doo’ were not seen any more in the forests. The Indians thought that they had left the earth. But this was not true. They had only changed their form.
But their new form was worse than the other. Instead of being Stone Giants they were now wicked spirits. In the daytime they could do nothing. But at night they would enter the body of some dead Indian, which then became alive. They were very strong and cunning. It was a brave warrior, indeed, who could escape from them. If the body could be found and burned during the day while the Hoo’ stra doo’ had no power, the wicked spirit was killed.
One day three young warriors went into the forest to hunt. They saw a bear but it kept just beyond the reach of their arrows. It led them a long way. Then they lost sight of it.
Night was corning on. The warriors looked for a place to sleep. They found a beautiful lodge. This surprised them, for they knew no one lived in that part of the forest. A curtain of skins divided the lodge into two rooms. In one room lay the body of a dead chief.
The warriors built a fire and cooked some meat. When this was eaten they went to sleep in the outer room.
During the night the warrior nearest the door wakened. He saw the skin curtain move. Then he knew that the dead body of the chief in the other room was a Hoo’ stra doo’. He knew that he must be very careful if he wished to save his life.
He acted as if he had not seen the curtain move. He threw another stick on the fire as though he was cold. He did not look toward the curtain, but he knew the Hoo’ stra doo’ was behind it and was watching him.
“Before I lie down to sleep again, I will go to the spring and get a drink,” he said in a low tone. He was talking to himself, but he meant that the Hoo’ stra doo’ should hear what he said.
He arose and went slowly out of the lodge. But once outside he ran as fast as he could toward his own village. He was the swiftest runner in the tribe. But the Hoo’ stra doo’ came close behind him, and it screamed in a way to make the blood run cold. But the frightened Indian only dashed more quickly through the forest.
At last the Hoo’ stra doo’ came close. In another minute it would seize him. Just then he saw a light ahead. It was his own village. The sight gave him fresh strength. He ran faster and was soon safe at home.
The other Indians had heard the screams of the Hoo’ stra doo’ and had come out of their lodges. They were standing around the fire. The Hoo’ stra doo’ could not face so many people. So it slipped away.
As soon as it was light all the men of the village set out to see whether the other young warriors had been killed. But they had heard the sounds of the chase and had slipped away from the strange lodge before the Hoo’ stra doo’ got back. They came home another way.
So the Indians went on to the lodge. As it was daylight the body of the dead chief lay there as before. They burned the lodge with the Hoo’ stra doo’ in it. So it could never again harm or frighten anyone.
How The Dove Got Its Color And Its Song
Se’ sta made the doves. They were gentle. They lived near him. They sang to him all the day. They were white and had long graceful feathers. When they flew they seemed to float in the air. Their soft feathers trailed in the wind. The doves were very beautiful.
In those days there was a chief who had no wife. Once when he came back from war, he brought prisoners from the towns of the enemy. One of these was a girl.
The prisoners were divided at the council house. But no one wanted the beautiful girl. So she was in danger. For if she should not be adopted by some one of her captors, she would be killed. Then the chief took her and thus saved her life. When she was grown up he made her his wife, and they were happy.
The chief and his wife had but one child. This child was a lovely little girl. Her name was A yu’ ra, which means “a dove flying.” She loved the birds. But she loved the doves more than all the others. They came fluttering down when she called them. They sat upon her head, her shoulders, her arms. They clung to her clothing. She held them in her hands and talked to them. The doves knew what A yu’ ra said to them.
One day A yu’ ra was very sick. Nothing could be done to cure her. In a few days she passed on to the land of the Little People. It was hard to give her up. Her mother held her in her arms while her father and the hookies tried to call her back to this life.
While the hookies were singing and beating on their little drums, the people saw A yu’ ra coming back. She came like a dove, floating above them. They heard her chanting the dove songs. When they heard her singing, the doves rose in the air and gathered about her. Then, singing with her, they turned and went toward the city where lives the Woman who fell down from Heaven.
They came to the city. It was built under the ground. Great fires burned below it. The Woman let A yu’ ra come in. But the cloves she kept out. She said that A yu’ ra must now go on to the Land of the Little people, but that the doves could not go there. The doves were not pleased. They would not go away. They sat on the branches of the trees above the city. There they mourned day and night for A yu’ ra.
When the doves would not go away, the Woman came out of the great stone gate of the city. Then she said to the doves, “I am sorry. For I must make you go away. You frighten the souls who come here on their way to the Land of the Little People. I must loose the black smoke of the fires under the city. And you shall never again sing any but the mourning song.”
Suddenly the black smoke burst forth and almost smothered the doves. When they got out of it, they found that their long graceful feathers were singed off and that their beautiful white color was smoked to a soft gray. From that day doves have had only the color you now see. Their trailing plumage is gone. They sing only the mourning song they chanted at the gate of Heaven.
Ska’ reh Steals The Coats of All The Birds
Se’ sta went into the Upper World. While he was gone, Ska’ reh did many wicked things. He stole the feathers from every bird. These feather coats he put into a bag. Then he carried them to his ice caves in the high mountains of his own country.
The birds were left naked. And they were ashamed. Without feathers they were ugly. One was not better looking than another. They were too cold to find food. They were hungry.
The birds had a meeting. The Buzzard said he would go and try to bring back the stolen coats. Singer said he would go along to help the Buzzard.
So they set out. It was a long way. There was little to eat. They were very hungry. The Buzzard began to eat such things as no bird should touch. Singer would not eat such food. He hopped along lightly and was never tired. He found plenty of seeds for his food.
At last they came to the great ice caves of Ska’ reh. They were guarded by monsters. But the Buzzard and Singer got by them. After looking for a time, they found the stolen bird coats. But just then a wicked monster came near, and they had to hide. When it had gone, they took out the coats and looked over.
Now the Buzzard’s coat was a very fine one. It had feathers of many colors, but most of them were scarlet. It made the Buzzard a handsome fellow. But he was not satisfied with it now when he saw so many he thought finer. He tried many of them on, though Singer said they must hurry away. But he kept trying on the coats he knew were not his own. Some were too short in the wing and some too long. In others the neck was too short or too long. When he saw he could not get one to suit him, he put on his own. Singer had already put on his modest coat of black and was anxious to be off before Ska’ reh or some of his wicked monsters found them.
Just as the Buzzard was inside his fine coat, Ska’ reh came upon him. In a moment he would have been torn to pieces, but Singer darted at Ska’ reh’s eyes with his strong sharp bill. He called to the Buzzard to get all the coats back into the big bag and flyaway with them. He would torment the Evil One until this was done.
It was a hard fight for Singer. But he darted about so swiftly and struck so savagely with his sharp bill that Ska’ reh had no time to hurt the Buzzard. And he got out of the cave and flew away- Singer flew out of the cave and got among the bushes. Then he went on home.
When the Buzzard got back with the coats, Se’ sta had come home. All the birds came to get their fine feathers. Just then Singer flew in.
Se’ sta was angry with the Buzzard. But he was pleased with Singer. He took the scarlet coat of the Buzzard and made it to fit Singer. He put a fine topknot on the head, and he put black on the feathers about the bill to make Singer look saucy and smart. Then he made the black coat of Singer to fit the Buzzard.
The Buzzard had done some good. So Se’ sta made him the most graceful flyer to be seen in all the sky.
Singer is now the cardinal grosbeak. He is the beautiful happy songster that you see and hear summer and, winter, good weather and bad weather. He is always gay and cheerful in his beautiful coat of scarlet, his topknot, and his black at the bill and eyes.
The Wampum Bird
The village stood by a lovely lake. The Singing Maidens once danced on the waves of this lake. And from the mountains rising above it the Rainbow built the Beautiful Bridge to the sky.
The chief of that village had a daughter. Her name was I o’ ra, “the beloved.” She was kind to the old and the poor. She taught the boys to shoot arrows. She sewed beads on moccasins for the little girls. She was the life and joy of the village. The young men loved her, but she did not love one of them. She said she would marry a stranger. She had seen him in her dreams.
The marshland was on the other side of the lake. Cranberries grew there. One day I o’ ra went to the marsh to get some cranberries. When I o’ ra came to the cranberry marsh, she saw a great bird. It was half a tree tall. It was angry and frightful to look upon. It was eating cranberries, and it seemed unable to flyaway.
I o’ ra was afraid, for this bird was one of Ska’ reh’s monsters. She ran back to the village. There she told about the big bird she had seen in the cranberry marsh.
The village was in fear. The people ran to the council house. The hookies worked their magic. When they had done so, they said this new bird was the wampum bird. It was a wicked monster, and it might kill the people and burn the village. And they said the wampum beads with which it was covered were very precious. Wampum was Indian money. It was also for belts and for beads to wear on clothes and around the neck. And then the gods loved wampum, for it was often made of the finest pearl to be found.
The chief said that the young man who would kill the wampum bird should have I o’ ra for his wife. Then every young warrior got his bow and arrows and hurried away to kill the wampum bird.
This bird was so terrible that all were afraid to go near it. They stood far off and shot arrows at it. When the arrows hit the wampum bird it was very angry. It stood up to its full height and shook itself with rage. When it did this, great showers of the most beautiful beads fell all about. They covered the ground like hail. When picked up they were found to be of two colors, white and purple. They were the wampum. White wampum grew on the bird’s body, and the purple wampum grew on its wings.
When it seemed that no one could kill the wampum bird, a fine young warrior was seen coming out of the woods near by. The chief told him the wampum bird must be killed. The warrior said he, could kill the bird.
The stranger cut a slender willow from the marsh. From that he made an arrow, which he shot at the bird. No one saw the arrow leave his bow. And they did not see it hit the bird. But the bird rolled over and was dead in a minute. The arrow had gone through its head and eyes.
The bird was stripped of all its wampum beads, and those which had been shaken off were gathered up. They were all taken to the council house. They were more than the largest lodge would hold.
Then the chief said to the young warrior, “Tell me where you came from.”
The stranger answered proudly that he was a Delaware.
“Then,” said the chief, “you must die at the stake. You are an enemy. Our people are at war.”
When the young warrior was tied to the stake to be burned, he was not afraid. He began to sing his song of death. Then I o’ ra ran to him. She stood by him. She said he should not be harmed, for he had killed the monster wampum bird. “Send for his people and have an end to the war,” she cried.
As I o’ ra had said, so it was done. Peace was made. And I o’ ra and the young Delaware warrior were married. At her Wedding she wore many strings of the beautiful wampum pearl.
The Witch Buffaloes, or How We Got The Cranberry
The spring mentioned in this story is now said to be the Big Bone Licks, in Boone County, Kentucky.
There was a large spring. Some of the Indians say that Se’ sta made it. Others think it was made when the Great Island grew on the Big Turtle’s back. It was so broad that one could scarcely see across it. Its water was so clear that a pebble could be seen far down on the bottom. The water was cool and good to drink. There was so much of it that a stream ran from the spring to a very large river not far away. It tumbled over the stones in its bed and made the music of water songs.
Trees grew all around the spring. Flags and water lilies bloomed on its shallow shores. On all sides of the spring it was like a beautiful park. Se’ sta loved the spring. Some say that when his mother fell down from Heaven she lived there, and that he and his brother, the Evil One, were born there. If so, as children they had played by this spring and in the beautiful woods about it.
The deer, the elk, the buffalo, the bear, the birds, all came to drink from the spring. Then they went into the shady woods to rest. Geese, swans, and ducks swam on the clear water, and the cranes waded along the edges looking for fish. They flew lazily from one side to the other to see their pictures in the water.
Ska’ reh made many monsters. Among them were the Witch Buffaloes. They were as tall as a tree. They bad long horns on their heads and tusks longer than those of any elephant. They had thick hides, on which was coarse black hair. They had great magic power, and all the Indians and animals were afraid of them.
Ska’ reh brought these monsters to the great spring to live. He made a big drum of flint. It was larger than the biggest house. It could he heard as far as a man could walk in three days. He gave the big drum to the Witch Buffaloes. They beat upon it at the great spring to frighten the animals and birds that came to drink.
The animals and the birds came one day to see the Indians. They wanted the Witch Buffaloes killed. Then the Indians asked the Little People to help them. And Heno said he would be there with his thunder and his lightning. It was to be an awful battle.
When the battle began, Se’ sta sat on a high mountain to watch it and to help the Wyandot should the monsters prove too strong. And Ska’ reh sat on a mountain on the other side to help the Witch Buffaloes.
The struggle lasted all day. Many of the Witch Buffaloes were killed. Their dead bodies sank into the ground out of sight. Their bones were found there when the white people came.
As the sun was setting only one of the Witch Buffaloes was left alive. He was the king of them all. Heno threw his bolts of lightning at him. He let them strike him on the head and shook them off.
But the king of the Witch Buffaloes saw that he would be killed if he did not get away. So, when the sun was going down and was painting the tops of the trees with gold, he made a mighty leap. His magic power helped him, and this leap carried him over the Ohio River. Then he made another leap, and this carried him over the Great Lakes. From there he leaped again and landed in the far north where it is always winter. He lives there yet and is the Keeper of the North Wind.
When the blood of the Witch Buffaloes had dried up, there was found growing, where it had been, a field of red berries. They grew on small vines and were good for food. We call them cranberries. And now they grow in the marshlands at many places. They are the only good thing which came from the Witch Buffaloes.
Why Flowers Are Fragrant
Once the Indians were all going along a path in the woods. They were moving to a new village by a lake where the water was so clear that it was as blue as the sky.
The children ran along the path. They played among the trees. They crossed small streams which poured over stones and made soft water-music. They picked the wild flowers found on the hills. They loved the streams, the trees, and the flowers and were very happy. But all at once they stopped and screamed. They were frightened, for a panther leaped into the path before them. In its mouth it carried a babe dressed in beads and buckskin.
The panther stood in the path. In anger it held its head high and roared madly at the children. The warriors came running up. They shot arrows at the panther, but it was not hurt. It carefully put the babe down in the path and was seen no more.
The chief’s daughter ran to the child and took it up. It was not harmed in the least. Its dress was covered with pearl beads and flowers made of porcupine quills. It smiled at the children and they were in love with it at once.
The chief’s daughter kept the baby girl for her own. In the new village she soon grew large enough to run and play with the other children. She was a beautiful child. And she loved the wild flowers more than all other things. But the flowers had no sweet smell then as they have now.
Se much did the child love the flowers that they named her Seets a’ ma, which means “holding a flower.”
One day Seets a’ ma became very sick. All that was done for her did not help her. And she died as the sun went down. The people mourned for the lovely little girl and the hookies tried to bring her back. But this could not be done.
Seets a’ ma came to the city of the Woman who fell down from Heaven. She was on her way to live with the Little People. She said to the Woman, “Before I go on to the Little People, let me do something nice for my own village.”
“What would you like most to do?” the Woman asked her.
“I love flowers best of all things,” she said.
“I made you so,” said the Woman. “For, while you are not truly my own child, I brought you from the happy fields of the Upper World. And I sent the panther to leave you in the path. You shall cause all flowers to have fragrance. You shall carry the sweet odor of the Tree of Light. And you shall give some part of it to every flower in the Lower World.”
Then the Woman gave Seets a’ ma a beautiful bag. It was as red as blood, for it was made of the flowers of the redbud tree. In this bag was the color and fragrance of the flowers which grew on the Tree of Light which fell down from Heaven into the Great Water. Then she called the humming bird, and made it carry Seets a’ ma to every flower.
Seets a’ ma was as light as the down of the silkweed. And she was brighter than the sun at noonday. She rode on the back of the bird poised on the toes of her left foot like a dancing fairy. She was more graceful than the wild flowers she loved. The humming bird carried her to every kind of flower. From the beautiful bag she breathed fragrance into them. And this sweet smell they have to this day.
Then Seets a’ ma went to her own village. All the people ran out to see her. And behold! There were flowers growing thick all about everywhere as far as they could see. A sweet smell arose from these waving fields of many-colored flowers. It filled the air, and the people were pleased.
Seets a’ ma said to them, “Our Grandmother sent me back to give fragrance to all the flowers. She loves all the people in the Lower World, and this is her gift to them.”
Then the hummingbird darted away with Seets a’ ma standing on its back.
At the gate of the city the woman said to the bird, “The flowers shall bear honey for your food from this day. You shall live among them till the end of the world.”
And the Indian mother sometimes says yet to her little daughter, “If you are a good girl, you may see Seets a’ ma and the hummingbird as they fly among the flowers.”
Suggestions For Teachers:
Animals. The term “Animals” as used in this book embraces only the totemic animals of the Wyandot. See article “Wyandot Government.” The Animals were supposed to have great supernatural power. They made the Great Island from the earth which fell down from Heaven with the Tree of Light. The Little Turtle made the sun, and the Mud Turtle made the Little People and their beautiful land. They composed the “Great Council.” which seems to have controlled the Lower World before the Twin Brothers were able to take over its management and go on with the creation.
Authorities. The best authority on the Huron is that series of reports known as the Jesuit Relations, edited by Reuben Gold Thwaites, and published by the Burrows Brothers, Cleveland, 1898. Accounts of the Huron will be found in Volumes 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 2O, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, and 57 of that great work.
The one great authority on the destruction of the Huron Confederacy, the wanderings of the broken tribes, and the development of the modern tribe known as the Wyandot is The Jesuits in North America, by Francis Parkman.
City. The underground city was made by Se’ sta for a dwelling place for the Wyandot while he recreated those things destroyed in the wars between him and his wicked brother, and by the flood, fire, and the North Wind. The city was supposed to be far to the north, perhaps south of Hudson’s Bay. The Woman was placed there to send the souls of the Wyandot on to the Land of the Little People. The city was the entrance to that land. Great fires smoldered beneath it, and the surge and roar of many waters could be heard under the masses of stone about it.
Death Song. When the Indian was dying he sang his death song. If he was made fast to a stake for the purpose of torture, or if from any other cause he supposed he would immediately die, he sang his death song. Something of the nature of the song chanted by the warrior as he stood in the presence of death may be learned from the “Death Song of a Warrior,” page 59. Sometimes a prisoner quailed at the torture and died like a craven. This disgusted his enemies. If the prisoner defied his tormentors to the end and did not flinch while burning to death, his enemies regarded him with the deepest respect; they often ate the heart of such a captive to make themselves brave. In the Indian the nerves are not so sensitive as in the white people. They do not feel pain so quickly nor so intensely. The author never saw even an Indian child shed a tear from pain.
Flood. Most primitive peoples had accounts of floods which had destroyed everything on the earth. The Wyandot flood myth was almost lost at the time when these stories were collected. It had been preserved by a missionary to the Delaware, but one who knew many Wyandot Indians – the Reverend John G. Pratt, who lived at Maywood, Wyandotte County, Kansas. He supposed that it was a Delaware myth.
Great Council. This body was composed of the totemic animals of the Wyandot. See article “Wyandot Government.” The first session of the Great Council was called by the Swans to devise some place where the Woman who fell down from Heaven might live. The many things done and performed by the Great Council appear in the stories. It had the power of a god, as did each member of it.
Great Spirit. The Wyandot had no such conception as that expressed in the term “Great Spirit.” They used it only after their contact with white people and with the Christian religion. It was probably the term devised by the early Jesuits to convey to the Indians the idea of God. When first seen by white men, none of the Indians had such a conception as that expressed in “Great Spirit.”
Great Water. The ocean. Exactly what knowledge the Wyandot had of the ocean is not known. They had, no doubt, seen the Atlantic. It was supposed that the Great Water covered most of the earth in the beginning, for the Wyandot said there was only a little land when the Woman fell down, and this was composed of low-lying beaches. However, the land Animals existed on it.
Heno. The thunder god of the Wyandot, His name is written in different ways, for he was common to Iroquoian mythology. To the Wyandot, Heno was a friendly and helpful deity.
Hookies. A hookie was anyone or any thing exercising supernatural power. The priest was in a sense a hookie. The term “medicine man” is an effort to express the office and power of the hookie. Sometimes a malevolent soul was called a hookie, for such souls were supposed to exist only to work evil. Hookies were always masculine. Ookie is the feminine. A woman with magic power is an ookie.
Hoo ma’ yoo wa’ neh. The chief of the Upper World. By some, he was said to have been the father of the Twin Brothers. Others said he was their grandfather. It is not improbable that the accounts of the miraculous conception of the Brothers was the result of contact with the Christian religion. He was supposed to have possessed supreme supernatural powers.
Hoo wa’ neh. Hoo ma’ yoo wa’ neh. The name is simplified for the purpose of this work.
Land of the Little People. This was the “happy hunting grounds” of the Wyandot. It was made by the Mud Turtle when she dug the passageway through the earth for the use of the sun in getting back to the east to rise on a new day. It was supposed to be the most beautiful of countries. It was supplied with an abundance of game, animals, and birds, and the streams and seas were filled with fish. The Little People were made to have charge of it for the Wyandot. When the last Wyandot has come into that land, the Woman will he with him. Then they will take charge of it, and they and the Little People will live there together forever.
Little People. It was supposed that these had been created by the Mud Turtle when she made their land as she was digging the passage for the sun to use at night. They were born only as twins, and they usually acted in pairs. There must have been male and female Little People, but only the males ever came to the surface of the earth. They had great supernatural power, and were, in fact, Wyandot gods. They were the special friends of the Wyandot and never failed to help them. They could come to the earth’s surface only through the living rock, that is, the great mass of rock in the crust of the earth. When they walked on the rock they left the imprint of their feet, or tracks. A Wyandot Quaker minister went to Big Bone Licks, in Kentucky, to see if they left tracks in the rock there when they helped kill the Witch Buffaloes. He believed he found many of their tracks in the rocks of that country, and also where they had sat down to rest. So he told the author.
Lower World. Our world was called the Lower World by the Wyandot. It is not known how long this term had been used by them for the earth.
Monsters. There seems to have remained in the memory of the North American Indians something of the prehistoric animals of their continent. The mastodon must have been here after the Indians had developed the bow and arrow. The ancestors of the Indians may have seen the great reptiles which inhabited the ancient seas and their shores. Recollections of these enormous creatures entered into the myths of the Indians. Perhaps to a similar race memory in Asia is due the origin of the Chinese dragon also. It might account, too, for the Serpent of Genesis. For these prehistoric animals certainly troubled prehistoric man and were a terror to him. They were enemies and always remained enemies, in some form, even after they were extinct. In the myths they assumed various shapes and exaggerated dimensions. With the Iroquois they became Flying Heads, the great serpents living in the lakes and under the villages and causing sickness and death. Of course these monsters may have been the product of the Indian mind. Some of them certainly were. Whatever their origin may have been, they were much feared. The rivers connecting the Great Lakes were supposed to have been only the channels worn by these monsters, in crawling from one lake to another.
Ookies. The feminine hookies, See “Hookie.”
Rainbow. The Rainbow made the Bridge to the sky. This Bridge is spoken of under many names, as “Beautiful Bridge,” “Beautiful Path,” “Way of Burning Colors,” “Beautiful Burning Bridge,” etc. It is a beautiful conception. When the Bridge was made, there was also created, as a part of it, the most charming land of which the Wyandot could conceive. The Deer was admonished not to turn aside and enter this paradise. The Wyandot were permitted to live there during the flood, but not while the earth was being made again habitable by Se’ sta. Some Wyandot believe that land still exists, though not visible to mortals. They say it is just above us and causes the twilight.
Se’ sta. The form of the name of Tse’ she howngk’ chosen for use in this book. Tse’ sta would be a better form, as that is the Wyandot word for “fire,” but it is more difficult of pronunciation. See “Tse’ she howngk’.”
Ska’ reh. The diminutive of the name of Ta’ weh ska’ roongk used in this work. See “Ta’ weh ska’ roongk.”
Swans. The Swans who received the Woman who fell down from Heaven are not found in all the Iroquoian accounts of the fall. In some versions a miscellaneous assembly of aquatic birds receive her on their outspread wings. The Swans of the Wyandot account were supposed to have great supernatural power. One was stationed in the Gulf of Mexico, and the other was placed in the Arctic seas.
Ta’ weh ska’ roongk. The Evil One of the Twin Brothers born of the Woman who fell down from Heaven. He was the destructive force of nature personified. He is represented as the enemy of the Wyandot, and of other people as well. For use in this work his name is written “Ska’ reh.”
Tse’ she howngk’. The Good One of the Twin Brothers born of the Woman who fell down from Heaven. By some accounts his conception was miraculous. He is the beneficent force of nature personified. He was the guardian of the Wyandot. Some of them believed he was their creator. Perhaps all of them had at one time believed that. He was in the process of development when the white men first saw the Wyandot, and if they had ever come to a belief in a single god. Tse’ she howngk’ would have been the one selected. For (he purpose of this book his name is written “Se’ sta.”
Tree of Light. This is a beautiful conception. It was common to the Iroquois. See the writings of Dr. J. N. B. Hewett, of the Bureau of Ethnology, for the best account of it. There were many versions of the fall of the Woman among ,the older Wyandot. In some versions the Tree was the wild apple tree, the common wild crab apple of North America.
Underground City. See “City.”
Upper World. Wyandot cosmology separated the universe into a series of world, one lying directly above another. The Upper World was the center of this universe. There was a second Upper World immediately above it. The Lower World was the first below it. The Land of the Little People was sometimes regarded as a second Lower World. By some it was said to be entirely detached from the Lower World.
Wise Men. A group of the elders of the tribe. They told the stories to Mr. Connelley. Often there were women in the group. Sometimes the meetings were at the homes of the Indians. But no occasion was neglected. The members of the tribe were consulted wherever found.
Woman. The Woman who fell down from Heaven occupies a large space in the creation myths of the Wyandot, and also of other Iroquoian tribes. In some accounts of her, nothing is said of the miraculous conception of her Twin Sons. The stories of the manner of her falling through the sky do not agree. Neither do the versions of her life and her offices after the fall have any substantial agreement. Some tribes say that a daughter was first born to her, and that the Twin Brothers were born of this daughter. By the Wyandot she was placed in the city which is the entrance to the Land of the Little People.
The Progress of Mankind
This chapter is made up principally from Morgan’s “Ancient Society.” (Henry Holt & Company. New York, 1877.)
Civilization is an evolution from savagery. The ancestors of the most enlightened nations lived for centuries in that stage of human society exhibited by the Indian tribes at the time of the discovery of America. When we examine the degree of advancement made by the North American Indians, we see one of the ages of our forefathers on the tablelands of Central Asia. A brief statement of the general steps in the advancement of mankind from savagery to civilization follows.
The progress of mankind has resulted from two sources: (1) institutions; (2) inventions and discoveries.
Institutions are the result of unfolding relations, the one to the other, from the primary germs of thought or conceptions of savagery.
Civilization has never evolved a new institution, but has had to be content with modifying and improving those institutions discovered and established by man in his savage state.
All our modem institutions – as government, religion, etc. – have their immediate roots in barbarism, to which they had been transmitted by savagery.
Institutions have been modified and greatly influenced by inventions and discoveries.
Those institutions upon which modern society (civilization) is based are: (1) subsistence; (2) government; (3) language; (4) the family; (5) religion; (6) house life and architecture; (7) property.
When these institutions are closely examined we find:
First. That in order that man should have time to consider enterprises, improve government, protect expeditions, and erect mounds, temples, and public buildings it was necessary that there should be produced a surplus of subsistence far beyond the daily requirements of a people. Society had to develop specialization, one part of the population producing food for all, while the other part rendered such public service as to entitle it to a portion of the common subsistence. Following this undertaking requirement for a future civilization, the means of subsistence was developed from primitive grains, fruits, and roots, the foods of our savage progenitors, to the point where it embraces the animal, the vegetable, and the mineral kingdoms. The production of the means of subsistence includes agriculture and many other forms of specialized industry. Commerce arose largely as the result of the development of the means of subsistence. Commerce is based upon transportation, and the improvement of this has resulted in navigation, steamers, and the railroads, and it may utilize the flying machine. The production of the means of subsistence engrosses most of the energies of mankind.
Second. That the origin of government is found in the creation of the gens or clans of savagery. Primitive man, with the dawn of reason, recognized the need for general rules of conduct for himself and his fellows. These were embodied in the customs prescribed for the gentes so founded in the savage state. Their development has produced the establishment of political society (civilization) with all its problems and complexities.
Third. That primal man found himself under the necessity of communicating with his companions. Rude and simple gestures, sounds, and cries first served him, as they still serve all other orders of the animal kingdom. With the growth of the powers of reason came the need for fuller, freer, and more concrete expression of ideas, and, without conscious design, man improved the articulate sounds, and human speech resulted.
Fourth. That the family grew out of the relations of the sexes and affection for offspring. Systems of consanguinity originated in savagery. There were various forms of the family in the progress of mankind. The highest type of family is that founded on the marriage of one man to one woman. In the civilization produced by the Aryan people the family has usually been the unit of society.
Fifth. That the lowest savages have some form of religion. The human soul requires and seeks a sustaining power – something high and mighty back of it. Religion has grown and developed with the human race. The highest form is the Christian religion. The ideals and images of Jesus are political as well as religious. They are capable of indefinite expansion and interpretation. They are devoid of dogma and creed, and they make humanity the supreme end of effort for betterment. And they will rule the earth when once mankind shall comprehend them. Christianity was developed from a few principles discovered and practiced by the Semitic people. Many other forms of religion are still found in the world.
Sixth. That house architecture began in savagery. It has been modified by the form of the family and other demands of the various forms of society. It is still in the process of evolution, or adaptation.
Seventh. That the savage originated the idea of property. His weapon was necessary to his existence and was his own. The growth of the property idea was slow. The possessions of barbarians were few and simple. But the acquisition of property is now the strongest motive of mankind. Even land has been for ages classified as property to be acquired by individuals. The dominance of the love of property marks the beginning of civilization. Political society is now organized on the basis of territory and property. It has been said that “a critical knowledge of the evolution of the idea of property would embody, in some respects, the most remarkable portion of the mental history of mankind.”
It requires very little investigation to show that the progress of mankind has been by periods. These periods are: (1) savagery; (2) barbarism; (3) civilization.
These are, in fact, conditions of society, and they exist upon the earth even at this time. There are various degrees in each of these conditions. In each degree there is a corresponding status of society. For those peoples who have arrived at civilization, there were first, middle, and later periods of savagery. To correspond to these there were the lower, the middle, and upper status of savagery – or the lower, the middle, and the upper periods or degrees of savage society.
Savagery progressed into barbarism. The period of barbarism had, in like manner, the first, the middle, and the later periods of barbarism. Society was respectively in the lower, the middle, and the upper status of barbarism.
Barbarism progressed into civilization.
There are certain achievements of mankind, which serve in a general way to define the various conditions of society set forth here.
1. The lower status of savagery. This was the beginning of the human race. Where man lived at that time is not now with certainty known. It has generally been supposed that he lived in Asia, and that his original habitat, was restricted to narrow bounds. He subsisted upon fruits and nuts. Articulate speech began in this period. Man made progress, and this period ended with the acquisition of a fish subsistence and a knowledge of the use of fire.
2. The middle status of savagery. This period began with the use of fish for food and a knowledge of the use of fire. Man spread over most of the world in this period. It ended with the invention of the bow and arrow.
3. The upper status of savagery. This period began with the use of the bow and arrow, and it ended with the discovery of the art of making pottery.
4. The lower status of barbarism. This period of human society began with the discovery of the art of pottery. It ended in the Eastern Hemisphere with the domestication of animals and plants, and in the Western Hemisphere with the cultivation of corn and other plants and the use of stone and adobe brick in house building. In this status were most of the Indian tribes of the United States at the time of the discovery of America.
5. The middle status of barbarism. This period began with the domestication of animals and the cultivation of plants. It ended with the discovery of the art of smelting iron ore.
6. The upper status of barbarism. This period began with the manufacture of iron and ended with the invention of the phonetic, arbitrary, or conventional alphabet. The use of the alphabet marks the beginning of civilization.
7. The status of civilization. This period began with the use of the phonetic alphabet. It is now divided into ancient and modern periods.
Every civilized people came over the road indicated and marked out in the foregoing formula. The mind of man has ever moved in the same way, has worked in the same manner, has traveled in the same direction without regard to time, place, or conditions. Peculiarities of environment produced modifications of achievement; but even without communication with others, every people would have developed a civilization. And these civilizations would have shown a striking similarity.
The Wyandot are a tribe of the great Iroquoian linguistic family of North American Indians.
By the French the Wyandot were called Huron. It is said that this name was given them because of the band of thick, erect hair they left from the forehead to the back of the necks. This reminded the French of the bristling hair of the wild boars of Europe. From this circumstance they were called “Hures” or Hurons – from hure, “bristly,” as applied to the rough stiff hair of man or beast.
The Wyandot were found by the French in 1615. They were living about Lake Simcoe and the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron. The Jesuits were early among them. They set up a mission with stations in the principal villages of the tribe. The Relations of the Jesuit priests or missionaries make up a collection embracing many volumes-one of the great authorities on the North American Indians.
These priests relate that the Huron were a confederation of four tribes – the Attignaouanton, or Bear People; the Attigneenongnahac, or Cord People; the Arendahronon, or Rock People; the Tohontaenrat, or Deer People.
There were a number of dependent villages or small tribes attached to the confederation. The name of the confederacy in the Huron tongue was Wen’ doot, supposed to signify “Islanders,” or a people dwelling in the vicinity of bays and inlets of a large body of water.
The Bear People and the Cord People claimed to have been the original settlers in this ancient seat of the Huron stock. They affirmed that they had dwelt there at least two hundred years when the Rock People appeared in the country and were made a part of the confederacy. Twenty years later the Deer People applied for admission.
The Jesuits were told that the Rock People came into Huronia about the year 1590, and that the Deer People arrived some twenty years afterward. It is believed that the Rock and Deer People came from the Upper St. Lawrence Valley, as the result of wars with other tribes there – that is, that they were driven out. Their enemies must have been other Iroquoian tribes. The latter-day Huron have a tradition that they and the Seneca were formerly one people, and there are different accounts of the separation and its causes.
To the south of the Huron dwelt their kindred, the Tionontati and the Neutral Nation. East of these lived other related tribes; they occupied most of the valley of the St. Lawrence and the northern portion of the present state of New York. Those who lived in New York became known as the Six Nations. These engaged in the conquest of the country about them and their wars soon involved the Huron Confederacy, which was finally destroyed. To escape complete annihilation the broken Huron tribes fled westward along the Great Lakes. For many years the fragments of these tribes wandered from place to place about these inland seas. They were as far west as the Mississippi. They lived at the southwest extremity of Lake Superior. They fled to Shagwamigon Point, near the islands of the Twelve Apostles. There seemed no place exempt from the attacks of the Iroquois. At length the wandering Huron grouped themselves about the remnant of the Tionontati, whose social system had survived in a form, somewhat resembling that of the days of its power. In this way a homogeneous people was formed from the ruins of the Huron. And the ancient name of the confederacy – Wen’ doot – became the name of the new tribe. This name went through various forms and ended as “Wyandot.” This is the origin of the Wyandot of historic times in the country northwest of the Ohio.
The Wyandot bore an important part in all the stirring times of the Lakes and of the border of that day. They became the western representatives of their old-time enemies, the Iroquois, who claimed sovereignty of the country by virtue of their early conquests. At their instance the Wyandot were made Keepers of the Council Fire of the Northwestern Confederacy of Indian tribes. In this capacity they were always potent in the councils of the tribes opposed to the settlement of the country by the Americans. When the resistance of the Indians was broken by Wayne, the Wyandot made treaties with the United States. They gathered along the south shore of Lake Erie, in northern Ohio. Some of them had long lived in the Sandusky Plains, and their principal town was near the present Upper Sandusky.
In the year 1816 John Stewart, a free Negro, appeared among them as voluntary missionary of the Methodist Episcopal church. He founded, at Upper Sandusky, the Wyandot Mission, the first mission ever established in the world by the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1843 the Wyandot, having sold their possessions in Ohio, moved to the fork of the Kansas and Missouri rivers. They settled on a track of land, which they purchased from the Delaware, in what is now Wyandotte County, Kansas. The present city of Kansas City, Kansas, is a part of this tract, and was, in the beginning, only a Wyandot village. Here the Wyandot began to move for the organization of a territory to be known as Nebraska Territory. It was to embrace all of what is now Kansas and Nebraska and a part of Colorado. Abelard Guthrie, a Wyandot by marriage and adoption, was elected a delegate to Congress in 1852. William Walker, the principal man of the Wyandot Nation, was elected provisional governor. This government was not recognized by Congress, but the movement caused the repeal of the Missouri Compromise and the organization of Kansas and Nebraska territories.
In 1855 the Wyandot dissolved their tribal relations, took their lands in severalty, and became citizens of the United States. Many of them live yet in Kansas City, Kansas. They are successful in business and the professions and are excellent citizens. Some members of the tribe, after the Civil War, went to the Indian Territory now Oklahoma. They secured by purchase a reservation of twenty thousand acres near Seneca, Missouri, and there resumed their tribal relations. Their land has been allotted, and they are now citizens of the United States.
The Wyandot brought with them from Ohio a written code of laws for their government, probably the first in what is now the state of Kansas. They brought the organization of the Wyandot Mission. They immediately set up this mission in the present bounds of Kansas City, Kansas, where, at the present time, it is the Washington Boulevard Methodist Episcopal Church.
Like other primitive peoples, the Wyandots had evolved a way of living together. They had made rules and established customs for the family, the clan, and the tribe. The unit of this system was the clan,1 not the individual, not the family.
The Wyandot tribe was divided into twelve clans or gentes. In theory, at least, all the members of a clan were related by blood. While there was a well-defined system of consanguinity, expressed in such terms as “father,” “mother,” “uncle,” “cousin,” etc., every man of a clan was supposed to be brother to every other man in it; and the women were sisters, and sisters to each and every man. For this reason each individual was compelled to marry outside the clan. To marry in it would be, according to this theory, the marriage of brothers and sisters. The names of these clans are:
1. Big Turtle
2. Little Turtle
3. Mud Turtle
9. Striped Turtle
10. Highland Turtle
The Wyandot clans stood in different degrees of dignity. The older clans were first in importance and influence. The clans had a certain rank or order, called the Order of Precedence. The names of the clans are set down above according to this order. The Big Turtle Clan is the first, the oldest, and the most honorable clan in the Wyandot tribe. It was sometimes spoken of as the royal house of To-wa’ ra.
1) Genus is a better word. It is in fact the proper word. But the Wyandots say clan when speaking of this tribal subdivision. And I have adhered to their custom.
Each clan had a government of its own, at the head of which stood the clan council. This council was composed of at least four women and one man. There might be as many women as the council should determine, but there could be but one man. The man was selected by the women, and was chief of the clan. The clan council administered the clan affairs, civil and criminal. Only when a tribal question was involved was there any appeal from the decision of the clan council to the tribal council.
The allegiance of the citizen was first to his clan, then to his tribe. The right of private redress was surrendered by the individual to his clan, but there was no very strict adherence to this law. The clan was bound to secure an accommodation of his complaints and avenge his wrongs.
The Wyandot clans were grouped into phratries or brotherhoods. The first phratry consisted of the following clans:
The second phratry consisted of the following clans:
1. Big Turtle
2. Little Turtle
3. Mud Turtle
6. Striped Turtle
7. Highland Turtle
Standing between these phratries was the Wolf Clan with a cousin relation to each, and to the individual clans of each. The Wolf Clan was the mediator, the executive power, and the umpire of the Wyandots. The term “executive power” had not so broad a meaning as with the modern governments. It implied only that the Wolf Clan enforced all orders of the tribal council – had charge of the council house, was in command of the tribe when the people were migrating. And had charge of the means for tribal defense.
The gens followed the woman. The children belonged to her clan. If a man of the Deer Clan married a woman of the Porcupine Clan, their children would belong to the Porcupine Clan, etc. Children could not inherit the property of the father, for that would take the property out of the clan of the father, and was not permissible. His property descended to his relatives through his mother. The woman is by law the head of the Wyandot family.
The following clans of the Wyandot tribe are now extinct:
1. Mud Turtle
3. Striped Turtle
The origin of these clans is hidden in the obscurity of great antiquity. They probably resulted ultimately from the experiences of the primary people with the various forms of the family tried out in savagery. They came to be enshrouded in religious mysteries. We learn something of them from the Wyandot mythology, or folklore.
The ancient Wyandot came to believe that they were descended from those animals for which their clans were named. But the particular animals from which they were descended were different from the animals of the same species of today. They were deities. They could and often did assume and retain the forms of men and women. The animals of like kind, of our time, are descended from them. Those ancient Animals were, in some sense, creators of the universe.
The Big Turtle made the Great Island, as North America was called by the Wyandot, and he is supposed to bear it on his back to this day. The Little Turtle made the sun, moon, and many of the stars. The Mud Turtle made a hole through the Great Island for the sun to pass through back to the cast after setting at night, so he could rise upon a new day. While making this hole through the Great Island the Mud Turtle turned aside from her work long enough to fashion the future home of the Wyandot. Their happy hunting grounds to which they go after death. The sun shines there at night –our night – while on his way back to the east. This land is called the Land of the Little People.
The Little People were a race of pigmies created to assist the Wyandot, and were possessed of great supernatural power. They live there below our land, and they preserve their land. In it they maintain the ancient customs, habits, beliefs, language, and government of the Wyandot for their use after they leave this world by death.
All Wyandot proper names had their foundation in this clan system. They were clan names.
The laws governing the formation of clan proper names demanded that they be derived from some part, habit, action, environment, or peculiarity of the animal from which the clan was supposed to be descended. Or, in some instances they might be derived from some property, law, or peculiarity of the element in which such animal lived. Thus a proper name was always a distinctive badge of the clan bestowing it.
The parents were not permitted to name the child. That was the function of the clan. Names were given but once a year, and always at the anniversary of the Green Corn Feast. In old times, formal adoptions could be made at no other time. The name was given by the clan chief. He was a civil officer of both his clan and the tribe. At an appointed period in the ceremonies of the feast, each clan took’ an assigned position, which formerly was the Order of Precedence, and parents having children to be named filed before him in the order of the ages of such children. The council women stood by the clan chief, and announced to him the name of each child presented, for all clan proper names were made and selected by the councilwomen. The chief then bestowed the name upon the child. This he might do by simply the name to the parents, or by taking the child in his arms and addressing it by the name selected for it.
This manner of naming was advantageous. A man disclosed his clan in telling his name. The clan was his mother; he was the child of the clan; his name was his badge and always a sure means of identification.
Marriage was largely a clan matter. A man desiring a certain girl for a wife went first to see her mother. Or he might send his mother on this business. If the suitor was looked upon with favor, the matter was submitted to the clan council. If no objection was found, then the engagement was announced. An objection by the clan council might be over ruled by the parents, but this was not often done. The man was obliged to make such presents to the girl’s mother, as he was able. The marriage was set for a day before the end of the moon in which the engagement was made. And it was almost always celebrated by a feast and dancing. The ceremony was very simple, usually the announcement by the clan chief that the young people had decided to enter the marriage relation. But there might be such ceremonial as the parties wished.
Every tribe owned an area of land on which it lived. This land was held in common, and its use was free under certain regulations. The Wyandot cultivated crops of corn, beans, squashes, and tobacco. Their lands were divided into cleared fields and wooded tracts of hunting grounds. They held, under authority of the Six Nations, much of the land south and west of the Great Lakes. They could not use so vast a country, and they permitted the native tribe, to remain in it. Other tribes they permitted to settle in it – the Delaware, Shawnees, and others who had been crowded off their ancient possessions to the eastward by the whites.
Before clan chiefs could become members of the tribal council it was necessary that they be inaugurated or installed with certain ceremonies called investiture. This investiture was a function of the tribe.
For misconduct these clan chiefs could be deposed and expelled from the tribal council. This deposition was effected by the tribe. But the tribe could not deprive a chief of his clan office. That was a clan matter.
The tribal council administered the tribal affairs and determined, the relations to other tribes. It was composed of the tribal chief, to some extent hereditary, and the clan chiefs. Women could not become members. Distinguished citizens of the tribe might be called to the council fire. A question was decided by a vote, which was by clans. Women could appear before the council and urge any action. A matter of supreme importance was submitted to a vote of the tribe for settlement, and women had the right of suffrage.
Indians were the strictest people in the world as to the forms and ceremonies incident to their civil and religious life. Listeners were appointed to stand by their priests when rituals were recited. If a syllable was omitted, the ceremony had to be repeated.
There was, with the Wyandot a sort of dual tribal government. There was a War Chief, and a military organization over which he presided. The War Chief was usually appointed by the sachem or head chief, and was often called the Little Chief, and sometimes the War Pole. In time of war the civil government was subverted, and the military government ruled the tribe. The War Chief was then the head of all tribal affairs. He announced his assumption of power by erecting a war pole in front of the council house. It was taken down when the war was concluded, and the civil power reinstated.
Religion of the Wyandot
Many students believe that the North American Indians originated in Asia, and that they are of the Mongolian race; also, that science may determine that they came into America from the north in some geologic age when the Asiatic and American continents were still joined. It has been held that there is a possibility that the original scat of the Mongolian race was in America. None of these contentions is capable of complete and satisfactory proof.
The religious conceptions of the Wyandot are modifications of those held in common by Iroquoian families. Students believe it probable that the Huron were the parent stock of the Iroquoian peoples. The basis of their religion was a deification and personification of the great forces of nature. The twin sons born of the woman who fell down from Heaven were but heat and cold in their effects on the world. The Good One was the sun, the cause of vegetable life and the preserver of animal life by producing food. The Evil One was cold, the destroyer of vegetable life and incidentally of animal life. Their names, even, indicate this. The Good One was Tse’ seh-howngk’ – Fire, or Man of Fire. The Evil One was Ta’ weh-ska’ roongk – Flint, or Man of Flint, or Man or Ice, or Man of Stone. These Brothers were but the opposing forces of nature endowed with life and put actively into the affairs of men. All other religious conceptions of these people grew out of these basic ones.
The principal characters in the creation were:
1. Hoo-ma’ yoo-wa’ neh, the ruler of the Upper World and the second Upper World. The Lower World was also a part of his realm.
2. The wife of Hoo-ma’ yoo-wa’ neh. the Woman who fell down from Heaven. and mother of the Twin Brothers. She is the recognition and the representative of the mother principle in nature.
3. The Great Council. This was composed of the totemic animals of the Wyandot. The sessions of the body – even the first session – were attended by other animals. These totemic animals were twelve in number in the Wyandot tribe – one for each clan. The clan was supposed to be descended from a first or supernatural animal of that species, who could and often did assume the form of man and had the power of a god. This was the latest conception on this subject. There was a time when the Wyandot believed they had been created by Hoo-ma’ yoo-wa’ neh or some other agency in the Upper World. When that was their belief they supposed that Tse’ seh-howngk’ had brought them down into this Lower World by permission of Hoo-ma’ yoo-wa’ neh. Much of what students called inconsistency in the cosmology of Indian tribes came from finding in their beliefs persistent fragments of older beliefs not generally held by the people and which had been replaced in the common mind. The mythology of the Wyandot was full of these inconsistencies.
4. The Twin Brothers were born on the Great Island, of the Woman who fell down from Heaven. Some of the Wyandot believed they were the sons of Hoo-ma’ yoo-wa’ neh, and some believed they were his grandsons. The prevailing belief, however, was that they were the result of a conception worked by the flowers from the Tree of Light eaten by the Woman. And this idea may have been the result of contact with the Christian religion.
The manner of the creation is substantially told in the stories in the text of this work.
In. the Lower World the Twin Brothers were troubled by the monsters inhabiting it before they were born into it. They had various forms, but usually that of the snake with some modification. Ta’ weh-ska’ roongk also made many wicked monsters to plague the Wyandot.
The “happy hunting grounds” of the Wyandot were the Land of the Little People. All Wyandot were supposed to go there after death. That delightful land was made by the Mud Turtle when she dug the hole through the Great Island for the use of the sun at night. The entrance to the Land of the Little People was the underground city built by Tse’ seh-howngk’ in which the Wyandot lived while the Lower World was being again made ready for habitation. It was the office of the Woman who fell down from Heaven to keep this city and to provide each soul two torches for use on the terrible way to the Land of the Little People. These torches seem to have been the gift of Heno. At least, they were made from his fire, the lightning, for there was a close association of Heno with the Woman in all the mythology of the Wyandot. He was sent with her to protect her when she fell down from Heaven. In the stories of the text there are many references to the underground city, and the “Death Song of a Warrior,” page 59, gives an account of the entire journey to the Land of the Little People. The doves got their beautiful white plumage smoked at the gate there, and in other stories souls are found at the entrance to this strange city.
Like other tribes, the Wyandot had priests, or medicine men. These medicine men were adepts in the matters of deceit and duplicity, but they suffered no diminution of prestige because of these practices. They were supposed to be able to cure diseases, especially acute diseases. The drum was an instrument of much potency in the exorcisms undertaken. The theory held concerning disease was that it was caused by an evil spirit which had entered the patient. How to get this spirit to quit the sick person without giving it offense was the object of the medicine man. To accomplish this he beat the drum, danced and sang. He sometimes pinched, slapped, and even wounded the patient. He did not hesitate to affirm that the spirit had taken the form of a frog or other animal. To make it appear that he was successful in his exorcisms he would, after sucking the throat of the sick man, spit out a frog or small snake, which of course, he had concealed in his mouth for this deception. Other practices of like character were resorted to. Sometimes feasts were made. A portion of the food was put upon a shelf for the spirit which was making the person sick. The spirit was exhorted to leave the patient, take the food, and go its way. This was the Ghost Feast. For wounds and injuries, simple formulas were used, as in the story of “The Bears of Red Mountain,” page 90.
The priests or medicine men performed many functions aside from attendance on the sick. Very little was undertaken without consulting them. They were in charge of the feasts and dances. In time of calamity their services were always in demand. If sickness broke out, the priests were consulted. They immediately sought the cause. Sometimes they saw, in their divinations, a monster living far down in the earth under the village. It was afflicting the people, causing them to die that it might devour the dead bodies. Then in consternation the people would flee and set up the town on another site. This belief was not confined to the Huron. It prevailed south to the Gulf of Mexico. Tallahassee, Florida, is located on the site of a Creek village vacated for that reason, such a site being called “Tallahassee” by the Creeks, It was a monster of this sort which caused the Horseshoe at Niagara Falls. It was killed in Lake Ontario. Its body floated down and lodged on the Falls. So great was its weight that it broke down the rock over which the water poured, and this made the Horseshoe Falls. Or this is the way in which the Iroquois account for it.
Any person or any thing having supernatural power, or supposed to possess it, was called by the general name of hookie, Or, if of the feminine gender, it was an ookie, The lore of the Huron was filled with accounts of hookies and their doings, There might be good as well as bad hookies, but most of them were considered to be vengeful and malicious, The Wyandot had special deities. There were the god of war, the god of dreams, a god of nature, and other minor deities. They were to be propitiated rather than worshiped.
There were many feasts, such as the Strawberry Feast, which was celebrated when the wild strawberries were ripe The Green Corn Feast was the most important feast of the year. Many tribal rites and ceremonies were performed at the Green Corn Feast. Proper names were then given the children born during the year prior to that important event. In a Wyandot village, in a time of plenty, there were always dinners and feasts given by individuals, to which guests were invited. At some ceremonial feasts a guest was by custom obliged to eat all the food given him by the host. What a hardship this was may be imagined when it is known that as much as half a deer was sometimes put in the wooden bowl of a guest, If he could not eat it all, he was permitted to hire some one to eat it for him.
There were many dances celebrated by the Wyandot. All feasts and ceremonials involved dancing. There were the war dance, the snake dance, the dances of the various animals and birds. There were anniversary dances of various kinds, and there was a great annual tribal dance. Dancing was always to the music of the small drum, accompanied by rattles made of deer hoofs. Or it might be of some other form – the gourd rattle, the turtle rattle, or the rattle made of fragments of bone or horn strung together. To the rhythm of music and their own movements, all the dancers sang throughout the entire time of the performance, and often those not dancing sang also. Many of the dancers wore costumes considered appropriate to the occasion – grotesque or otherwise. In bird and animal dances these costumes were designed to make them appear as the animal or bird represented. And the cries of the animal or bird were constantly imitated.
Burial Ceremonies of the Hurons
In 1636 Jean De Brebeuf, a Jesuit priest, lived at the village of Ihonatiria, in the nation of the Huron. This village was near the Georgian Bay or Lake Huron, Canada. He described the burial ceremonies of the Huron. His account is extremely interesting. These ceremonies were those or the ancient Wyandot, and the following description of them, is condensed from the relation or Father Brebeuf, dated July 16. 1636. Slight changes have been made in the text. There are some omissions, and some variations from the original punctuation.
Our savages are not savages as regards the duties which nature herself requires us to render to the dead. They do not yield in this respect to nations much more civilized. You would say that all their labor and efforts were for scarcely anything but to amass means of honoring the dead. They have nothing too valuable for this purpose. They devote to this use the robes, the hatchets, and the shell beads in such quantities that you would think to see them, on these occasions, that they were considered of no great value, yet they are all the riches of the country. You may often see them in mid winter almost entirely naked, while they have good and fine robes in their chests, which they are keeping in reserve for the dead. This is, indeed, their point of honor. It is on this occasion especially that they wish to appear magnificent. But I speak here only of their peculiar funerals.
These good people are not like many Christians, who cannot suffer death to be spoken of, and who, in a mortal sickness, hesitate to break the news to the sick one for fear or hastening his death. Here, when the recovery of anyone is despaired of, not only do they not hesitate to tell him that his end is near, but they even prepare in his presence all that is necessary for the burial. They often show him the shroud, the hose, the shoes, and the girdle which he is to wear. Frequently they are enshrouded, after their custom, before they have expired, and they hold a feast of farewell to their friends, during which they sing, sometimes without showing any apprehension of death, which they regard very indifferently, considering it only as a change to a life very little different from this.
As soon as the dying man has drawn his last breath, they arrange the body in the same position that is to be preserved in the tomb; they do not lay it out horizontally, as is our custom, but crouched, like a ball. Until this time they restrain their mourning. After having performed these duties, all in the cabin begin to utter sighs, groans, and lamentations. No one seeing them thus weeping and mourning would think that they were only ceremonial lamentations. They blend their voices all in one accord and in a lugubrious tone, until some one in authority calls for peace. At once they cease, and the chief hastens to announce through all the cabins that such a one is dead. Upon the arrival of the friends they resume their mourning. Frequently some one of more importance will begin to speak and will console the mother and the children, now extolling the deceased, praising his patience, his kindness, his liberality, his magnificence, and, if he was a warrior, his great courage; now saying, “What do you wish? There is no longer any remedy; it was necessary for him to die; we are all subject to death”; and then, “He lingered a very long time,” etc. It is true that on this occasion they do not lack for conversation. I am sometimes surprised to see them discourse a long time on this subject, and bring up, with much discretion, all considerations that may afford any consolation to the friends of the deceased.
Notice is also given of this death to the friends who lived in other villages, and as each family employs another who has the care of their dead, they come as soon as possible to give orders about everything and to fix the day of the funeral. They usually inter the dead on the third day. In the morning the chief gives an order that kettles shall be boiled for the deceased throughout the village. No one spares his best efforts. They do this, in my opinion, for three reasons: first, to console each other, for they exchange dishes among themselves, and scarcely any one eats out of the kettle he has prepared; secondly, on account of the arrival of those of other villages, who often come in large numbers; lastly, and principally, to gratify the soul of the deceased, who, they think, takes pleasure in eating his share. All the kettles being emptied, or at least distributed, the chief informs all the village that the body is to be carried to the cemetery. All the people assemble in the cabin. The mourning is renewed, and those who have charge of the funeral prepare a litter upon which the body is placed, laid upon a mat, and wrapped in a robe of beaver skin. They then raise it and carry it by the four corners. All the people follow in silence to the cemetery.
There is in the cemetery a tomb made of bark and raised on four stakes of from eight to ten feet in height. While the body is placed in this and the bark is trimmed, the chief makes known the presents that have been given by the friends. In this country, as well as in others, the most agreeable consolations for the loss of relatives are always accompanied by presents, which consist of kettles, hatchets, beaver skins, and necklaces of shell beads. If the deceased was of some importance in the country, not only the friends and neighbors but even the chiefs of other villages will come in person to bring their presents. Now, all these presents do not follow the body into the tomb; a necklace of beads is sometimes placed on its neck, and near it a comb, a gourdful of oil, and two or three small loaves of bread; that is all. A large part of them goes to the relatives to dry their tears; the rest is given to those who have had charge of the funeral, to pay them for their trouble. They also keep in reserve some robes or hatchets to make presents to the young men. The chief places in the hand of one of them a stick about a foot long, offering a prize to anyone who will take it from him. They throw themselves headlong upon him and remain engaged in the contest sometimes for an hour. After this each one returns peaceably to his cabin.
I forgot to say that generally throughout the ceremony the mother or wife stands at the foot of the sepulcher, calling the deceased, singing, or rather lamenting, in mournful tones.
These ceremonies are not always all observed; those who die in war they place in the ground, and the relatives make presents to their patrons, if they have any, which is generally the case in this country, to encourage them to raise soldiers and avenge the death of the warrior.
When the funeral is over, the mourning does not cease; the wife continues it all the year for her husband, the husband for the wife; but the grand mourning itself lasts only ten days. During this time they remain lying on their mats wrapped in their robes, with their faces against the earth, without speaking or replying to those who come to visit them. They do not warm themselves in winter or eat warm things; they do not go to the feasts or go out, save at night, for what they need; they cut a lock of their hair from the back of the head and declare that it is not without deep sorrow, especially when the husband performs this ceremony on the death of his wife or the wife on the death of her husband. Such is the great mourning.
The lesser mourning lasts all the year. When they wish to visit any one, they do not salute them, neither do they grease their hair. The women do this, however, when commanded to do so by their mothers, who have at their disposal their hair, and even their persons. It is also their privilege to send their daughters to the feasts, without which several will not go. What I think strange is that during the whole year neither the wife nor the husband marries again, else they would cause themselves to be talked about in the country.
The sepulchers are not perpetual, as their villages are only permanent for some years, as long as the wood lasts. The bodies remain in the cemeteries only until the feast of the dead, which usually takes place every twelve years. During this time they do not neglect to honor the dead often. From time to time kettles are boiled for their souls throughout the village, as on the day of the funeral, and their names are revived as often as possible. For this purpose presents are given to the chiefs to be given to him who will consent to take the name of the deceased. And if the latter was of consideration and had been esteemed in the country during his life, he who represents him, after giving a grand feast to all the people of the country, to introduce himself under this name, raises a body of free young men, and goes to war to accomplish some brave feat which will show to the nation that he has not only inherited the name but also the bravery and courage of the deceased.
The Solemn Feast of the Dead
The feast of the dead is the most celebrated ceremony that takes place among the Hurons. They give it the name of festival for the reason, as I should say now, that when the bodies are taken from the cemeteries each chief makes a feast “to the souls” in his village.
This feast is full of ceremonies, but the chief one is evidently that of “boiling the kettle.” This outdoes all the others, and the festival of the dead is spoken of even in the most serious councils, only under the name of “the kettle.” They appropriate to it all the terms of cookery, so that when they speak of hastening or retarding the feast they say “rake out” or “stir up the fire under the kettle”; and when anyone says the kettle is overturned,” that means there will be no feast. There is generally only one festival in each nation. All the bodies are placed in the same grave.
The twelve years or more having expired, the old people and great men of the nation assemble to decide upon the time when the feast shall be held, so as to satisfy all the people of the country and the outside nations who are to be invited.
Then the decision is made, as all the bodies are to be transported to the village where the common grave is made. Each family taking charge of its dead with a care and affection that cannot be described. If they have relatives buried in any part of the country whatever, they spare no trouble to go and bring them in. They take them from the cemeteries, carry them on their shoulders, and cover them with the finest robes they have in their possession. In each village a good day is chosen, and they repair to the cemetery, take the bodies from the tomb in the presence of the relatives, who renew their tears and repeat the mourning of the day of the funeral.
After the graves are opened all the bodies are laid out on the ground and left uncovered some time, giving the spectators an opportunity for once to see what will be their condition some day.
Now, when the bones are well cleaned, part of them arc placed in sacks, part in blankets. and they carry them on their shoulders, covering these bundles with other beautiful hanging robes. Entire bodies are put on a sort of litter and carried with all the others, each one taking his bundle into his cabin, where every family makes a feast to its dead.
Returning from this festival with a chief, who has considerable intelligence and who will be some day of high standing in the affairs of the country, I asked him why they called the bones of the dead Atisken. He explained as clearly as he could, and I learned from what he said that many believe that we have two souls, both divisible and material and yet both rational. One leaves the body at death, but remains, however, in the cemetery until the feast of the dead, after which it either is changed into a turtledove, or, according to the more general belief, it goes immediately to the village of souls.
The other soul is attached to the body; it marks the corpse, as it were, and remains in the grave after the feast, never to leave it. He mentioned to me, as a proof of this, the perfect resemblance which some persons bear to others who are deceased. This is why they call the bones of the dead Atisken, “the souls.”
A day or two before departing for the feast they carried all these bodies into one of the largest cabins of the village, where some of them were attached to the poles of the cabin, and others laid around it, and the chief entertained and made a grand feast in the name of the deceased chief whose name he bore. I was present at this “feast of spirits,” and observed four things in particular: First, the offerings which were given for the feast by the friends, and which consisted of robes, necklaces of shell beads, and kettles, were hung on poles extending the whole length of the cabin from one side to the other. Second, the chief sang the song of the dead chief, according to the desire he had expressed before his death, that it should be sung on this occasion. Third, all the guests had the privilege of dividing among themselves all the good things they had brought, and even of carrying them home, contrary to the custom at ordinary feasts. Lastly, at the close of the feast, as a compliment to him who had entertained them, they imitated as they sang the cry of the spirits, and left the cabin crying, “Ha-e-e, ha-e-e.”
The seven or eight days before the feasts were passed in collecting the bodies as well as assembling the strangers who were invited. Meanwhile, from morning till night gifts were distributed by the living to the young men in honor of the dead. On one side women were drawing the bow to see who should have the prize, which was sometimes a girdle of porcupine quills or a necklace of beads. On the other hand, in several parts of the village the young men were drawing clubs upon anyone who would try to capture them. The prize of this victory was a hatchet, some knives, or even a beaver robe.
Every day the remains were arriving. There is some pleasure in seeing these funeral processions. Which number sometimes from two to three hundred persons. Each one carries the remains of his friends, that is, the bones, packed upon his back after the manner I have described, under a beautiful robe. Some arranged their packets in the shape of a man, decorated with strings of beads, with a fine crown of red hair. On leaving their village the whole company cried. “Ha-e-e, ha-e-e,” and repeated this “cry of the spirits” all along the way. This cry, they say, comforts them greatly, otherwise their burdens, although souls, would weigh very heavily and cause a weakness of the side for the rest of their lives. They travel by short stages. The people of our village were three days in going four leagues. As soon as they arrive near any village they shout again the “Ha-e-e, ha-e-e.” The whole village comes out to meet them; many presents are again distributed on this occasion. Each one repairs to some one of the cabins; all find a place to put their bundles; this is done without confusion. At the same time the chiefs hold a council to decide upon the time that the company shall spend in this village.
The following is the arrangement of the grave. There was a space about as large as the Place Royale at Paris. In the center was a large grave about ten feet deep and five fathoms in diameter, round it a scaffolding and a sort of stage nicely made from nine to ten fathoms in diameter and nine or ten feet high. Above the stage there were several poles raised and well arranged, and others laid across them on which to hang all the bundles of skeletons. The entire bodies, as these were to be placed at the bottom of the grave, were laid under the scaffolding the day before, resting on bark, or mats raised on stones to the height of a man, around the grave. The whole company arrived with the bodies about an hour after midday, and divided into parties according to the families and villages, and laid their bundles upon the ground. They also unfolded their robes and all the offerings they had brought, and hung them upon the poles which extended for from 500 to 600 fathoms. There were nearly twelve hundred gifts, which remained thus on exhibition for two whole hours, to give strangers an opportunity to see the riches and magnificence of the country. About three o’clock each one fastened up his bundles and folded his robes. Meanwhile each chief in order gave a signal, and all immediately took up their bundles of bones, ran as if at the assault of a city, mounted upon the stage by means of ladders which were placed all around, and hung them (the bundles) to the poles; each village had its department. This done, all the ladders were taken away. Some of the chiefs remained upon the platform and spent the rest of the afternoon, until seven o’clock, in announcing the lists of presents which were given in the name of the deceased to some particular persons. For instance they would say, “Here is what such a one, deceased, gives to a certain relative.”
About five or six o’clock they lined the bottom of the grave and bordered it with large new robes, each made of the skins of ten beavers, in such a way that these extended more than a foot out of it. As they were preparing the robes which were to be used for this purpose, some of them descended into the grave, and came from it with their hands full of sand. I inquired what this ceremony meant, and learned that they believed that this sand will render them happy at their games.
Of the twelve hundred offerings that had been exhibited on the platform, forty-eight robes were to line and trim the grave, and each complete body had, besides the robe in which it was wrapped, another one, and some even two others, to cover it.
At seven o’clock the bodies were lowered into the grave. We had great difficulty in approaching it. Nothing ever pictured better to me the confusion among the damned. You could see unloaded on all sides bodies, and everywhere was heard a terrible uproar of confused voices of persons who were speaking without hearing one another. Ten or twelve men were in the grave and were arranging the bodies all around it, one after the other. They placed exactly in the center, three large kettles, which were of no use save for the spirits; one was pierced with holes, another had no handle, and the third was worth little more. I saw a few necklaces of shell beads there; it is true, many of them were put on the bodies. This was all that was done on this day.
The whole company passed the night on the spot, having lit a great many fires and boiled kettles. We retired to the old village with the intention of returning the next day at daylight when they were to cast the bones into the grave; but we barely arrived in time, notwithstanding all the diligence we employed, on account of an accident which happened. One of the skeletons, which was not well fastened, or perhaps was too heavy for the cord which held it, fell of itself into the grave. The noise it made awoke the whole troop, who ran and immediately mounted, in a crowd, to the platform and emptied, without order, all the bundles into the grave, reserving, however, the robes in which they had been wrapped. We were just leaving the village at the time, but the noise was so great that it seemed almost as though we were there. Approaching, we saw suddenly an image of the infernal regions. This great space was filled with fire and smoke, and the air resounded on all sides with the mingled voices of the savages. The noise, nevertheless, ceased for a while, and was changed to singing, but in a tune so doleful and weird that it represented to us the terrible sadness and the depths of despair in which the condemned souls are forever plunged.
Nearly all the bones had been cast in when we arrived, for it was done almost in a moment, each one being in haste for fear that there was not room for all these skeletons; never, the less we saw enough of it to judge of the rest. There were five or six men in the grave, with poles, to arrange the bones. It was filled up within two feet of the top with bones, after which they turned over them the robes that bordered the grave all around, and covered the whole with mats and bark. The pit was then filled up with sand, rods, and stakes of wood which were thrown in promiscuously. Some of the women brought dishes of corn, and on the same day and the following days several cabins of the village furnished basketfuls of it, which were cast into the pit. | <urn:uuid:fd2be40d-8f85-4a5a-8eeb-a3b69f20c1eb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wyandotte-nation.org/culture/folk-lore-and-myths/indian-myths/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397111.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00165-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988525 | 45,617 | 3.09375 | 3 |
As grassland has morphed into farmland across the American Midwest, wildlife diversity and abundance have declined. But for some birds things might not be so grim. Some grassland species appear to have adapted particularly well to no-till soybean fields, according to research published in March in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment.
Tilling is a process in which farmers remove weeds and loosen soil before seeding the ground, but no-till farming eschews that practice. Detritus from the previous season's harvest is left covering the ground, where it provides a nice foundation for nesting birds.
That birds were more likely to nest in no-till fields than in tilled ones was not terribly surprising. Rather it was “the extent that birds used no-till [fields], the species of birds we found nesting, and their nest success relative to what we consider quality habitat,” says Kelly R. VanBeek, who conducted the study for a master's thesis at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
James Herkert, director of the Office of Resource Conservation at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, was also surprised by the species diversity in no-till fields, including several “that are of conservation interest such as eastern meadowlark, dickcissel [and] upland sandpiper.” American robin nests were the most common found in both field types, which was also unexpected because robins tend to prefer nesting in trees and shrubs. It “shows just how adaptable they are,” he says.
Nest loss was high in both types of fields, though. The birds whose nests were destroyed by machinery would have been spared if planting were delayed until June 1. But in the past 10 years farmers have planted, on average, 66 percent of soybeans by May 30, in part because soybeans have better yields if planted earlier.
The conflicting needs of farmers and wildlife “make finding win-win solutions challenging,” Herkert says. Still, the researchers suggest that rather than buying small tracts of land to set aside as wildlife reserves, conservationists should work with farmers to implement more ecologically sustainable strategies, such as no-till farming. | <urn:uuid:40353686-997c-492f-8b9e-e7e23e6ea12f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/no-till-farming-is-even-better-for-wildlife-than-thought/?mobileFormat=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403508.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00122-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976459 | 465 | 3.3125 | 3 |
In 2012, a group of UCLA researchers set out to mine thousands of electronic health records for a more accurate and less expensive way to identify people who have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. The researchers got much more than they bargained for.
Not only did they develop a screening algorithm with the potential to vastly increase the number of correct diagnoses of the disease by refining the pool of candidates who are put forward for screening; they also uncovered several previously unknown risk factors for diabetes, including a history of sexual and gender identity disorders, intestinal infections and a category of illnesses that includes such sexually transmitted diseases as chlamydia.
The findings appear February 16 in the Journal of Biomedical Informatics.
"With widespread implementation, these discoveries have the potential to dramatically decrease the number of undetected cases of Type 2 diabetes, prevent complications from the disease and save lives," said Ariana Anderson, the study's lead author and an assistant research professor and statistician at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
Anderson and Mark Cohen, a Semel Institute professor in residence, led a team that examined electronic records for 9,948 people from hospitals, clinics and doctor's offices in all 50 states. Although the patients themselves were not identifiable, the records included their vital signs, prescription medications and reported ailments, categorized according to the International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes.
The researchers used half of the records to refine an algorithm that allowed them to predict the likelihood of an individual having diabetes, and then tested this pre-screening tool on the other half. They found that having any diagnosis of sexual and gender identity disorders increased the risk for Type 2 diabetes by roughly 130 percent -- about the same as high blood pressure, which is a leading risk factor.
Other health conditions were shown to be nearly as important risk factors for the disease. Among them were a history of viral infections and chlamydia (which increase people's risk for diabetes by 82 percent) and a history of intestinal infections such as colitis, enteritis and gastroenteritis (88 percent increase). In fact, those predictors were nearly as strong as having a high body mass index (101 percent increase).
Herpes zoster had previously been shown to have a link to diabetes, and the project confirmed that connection (finding that it increases the risk by about 90 percent) -- along with some other lesser-known risk factors. Chicken pox, shingles and a range of other viral infections (which are grouped together under one ICD diagnostic code) increased the risk for Type 2 diabetes as much as high cholesterol, the team found.
Researchers also determined certain factors that appear to be related to a lower risk for diabetes. Being prone to migraines, for instance, reduced an individual's risk for the disease by the same amount as being 29 years younger. And people taking anti-anxiety and anti-seizure medications such as clonazepam and diazepam had a significantly lower risk.
"The overall message is that ordinary record keeping that doctors do is a very, very rich source of information," said Cohen. "If you use a computerized approach to studying patterns in that data, you can greatly improve diagnosis and medical care."
The researchers are affiliated with a laboratory run by Cohen that uses mathematical modeling to analyze large quantities of brain images. The team has applied similar techniques to predict diseases, including epilepsy and irritable bowel syndrome. In this case, they targeted Type 2 diabetes because so many Americans with diabetes have yet to be diagnosed.
Additional research will be required to determine the medical reasons that certain factors correlate with greater or lesser risk. And because the analysis was based largely on diagnostic codes, rather than actual individual diagnoses, the findings are not fine-grained enough to tell precisely which conditions are linked to diabetes.
For instance, the ICD code for sexual and gender identity disorders includes a wide range of conditions ranging from transexualism to exhibitionism, and the researchers do not know which one or ones are most important for a diabetes diagnosis. Similarly, the code for viral and chlamydial infections encompasses a wide range of conditions, including the human papillomavirus, chlamydia and coxsackie virus, which causes conjunctivitis and hand, foot and mouth disease.
Traditionally, medical providers have determined whom to screen for the disease based on a limited range of factors, including blood pressure, BMI, age, gender and whether or not they smoke. But the pre-screening tool based on the entirety of a patient's electronic health record proved 2.5 percent better at identifying people with diabetes than the standard approach, and 14 percent better at identifying those who do not have it. The researchers calculated that if the new method were used nationally, it would identify 400,000 people who have not yet been diagnosed with the disease.
"Given that 1 in 4 people with diabetes don't know they have the disease," Anderson said, "it's very important to be able to say, 'This person has all these other diagnoses, so we're a little bit more confident that she is likely to have diabetes. We need to be sure to give her the formal laboratory test, even if she's asymptomatic.'"
Mining big data for ways to improve medical care emerged as a national trend following the 2009 economic stimulus package, which included incentives for digitizing medical records. Advocates argue that using computers to uncover unexpected patterns in vast amounts of data -- or machine learning -- has the power to revolutionize medicine.
Left untreated, diabetes can cause blindness or lead to problems with the feet and legs that necessitate amputation. Although current approaches to screening for the disease are generally accurate, they can be costly and onerous because they involve blood draws and fasting for lengthy periods of time.
"There's so much more information available in the medical record that could be used to determine whether a patient needs to be screened, and this information isn't currently being used," said Cohen, who also is the director of UCLA's Laboratory of Integrative Neuroimaging Technology. "This is a treasure trove of information that has not begun to be exploited to the full extent possible."
The research was supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. | <urn:uuid:2714463e-1d06-4e11-94c9-fca95a77bcb5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-02/uoc--ehr020916.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400572.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00067-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959503 | 1,273 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Originally Posted by American Dane
I agree, you should be extremely proud of your ancestors for not only the above but the Danish rescue of the Jews in World War 2, among other events. I sometimes wish Denmark was a superpower but that's a whole other topic!
DK has a long history of protecting the Jews living here. Also in connection with the state bankrupcy in 1814. Someone had to be blamed by the street mob and the Jews were easy to pick on because you could tell them apart. - In a time where you by a glance at people's clothing could tell their occupation, social standing and often where they came from with a very high degree of accuracy.
There were riots and at least one Jew was killed, so King Frederik VI cracked down hard on the rioters and had soldiers protecting the Jews. - Leading him for a period to be labelled by the rabble as "King of the Jews".
By 1943 the Jews had been assimilated into the Danish tribe and people would almost stop and stare if they saw an orthodox Jew in the street. In practically every other respect the Jews were indistingushable from other Danes. Now, being a part of the tribe also means protection.
In that year the Danish government resigned as it felt it could no longer function due to the increasing demands by the German occupation and for the rest of the war DK was administered by civil servants.
Until then Denmark had been an autonomous protoctorate. Which from a very pragmatic point of view was an astonishing feat of diplomatic tight-rope-walking. Hardly something to be proud of though. It's a national embarrasment that can be compared to the Vichy government in France. Pragmatic, but....
Anyway, the Danish Jews had been left alone. They were never required to wear the yellow Star of David, their properties were left alone and they were rarely harrassed, enjoing the full protection of Danish law.
However the plans for die Endlösung also included the Jews living here and they had all been registered, ready to be rounded up. The order was given shortly after the resignation of the government and the internment of what was left of the military, leading to sporadic fightings, also around Amalienborg.
But, and this is something Germans can be proud of.
There was throughout the war a silent agreement between the Danish resistance and the German Wehrmacht about live and let live. German soldiers could walk the streets unarmed and alone without fear of being harmed and German officers and soldiers would not be direct targets for the resistance. In return the German military kept one eye shut, - often both eyes.
As such the German high command in DK knew perfectly well how to get in contact with the Danish resistance. And when the plans for arresting the Danish Jews were laid out, they were leaked to the press, to civil servants, to the resistance and to prominents Danes. The vast majority of Jews were warned and went underground at least with hours of warning.
It goes without saying that the resistance movement simply could not organise the hiding, feeding, moving and evacuation of thousands of men, women and children. That involved many thousands of ordinary Danes who often with a moments notice found themselves joining the resistance, because the local priest, doctor or police officer knocked on their doors and asked if they could hide a family in the attic for a few days.
Others were asked to provide motor transport, provide food (the rationing made sudden hoarding of food suspicious) or to sail refugees across to Sweden.
Some wanted payment, it wasn't all charity and good will. A very few betrayed the Jews. - They paid a high prize later on, either being liquidated by the resistance or stripped of their citizenship after the war and expelled to Germany.
All that took time, weeks, before the Jews had all been evacuated to Sweden.
It's litterally impossible to hide say 30 people in the outskirts of a costal town in DK. Within two days half the town knows it.
During all that time especially the German navy was - shall we say - surprisingly inefficient. Patrolships were out for maintanence, off on excersize, very conspicious, suffered "engine problems", so they couldn't catch up with a fishing boat, alas..., and if they did board a fishing boat the German sailors were often blind and deaf.
In other words: It should have been no particular problem for the German navy to intercept or at least discourage any effective evacuation to Sweden if they really wanted to. Yet, the vast majority of the Jews got across.
What the Jews had to fear the most were Danish collaborators, stupidity (there was after all a limit to how blind and deaf the Germans could be), bad luck, the Sicherheits Dienst, SD (along with the then handful of Gestapo officers in DK. But the German security forces were few and relied on the Wehrmacht. And the German military intelligence, Abwehr, couldn't care less) and the odd and eager Nazi officer/NCO.
I can't remember off hand how many Jews who were captured, certainly much less than a thousand in total. And they still enjoyed the protection of the tribe. Despite there being no Danish government, the Danish Jews were not send to the extermination camps. No labour camps, where they would be worked to death. They were placed in an "ordinary" (bad enough!) concentration camp, where they were allowed to recieve red cross parcels and were reqularly enquired upon by the Danish (civil servant) administration.
In fact it appears to be very likely that Danish and Norwegian prisoners. be they Jews, resistance, police officers and others in the camps, were treated very mildy in return for a very convenient unofficial diplomatic channel via Sweden, and in particular via Bernadotte. There are certainly enough pointing in that direction...
Well, I intended this to be a very brief account of the evacuation of the jews, and look how it turned out!
Okay, I hope I didn't bore too many of you. | <urn:uuid:df1b19c0-05d9-4ac6-b89b-a02b70feb7fe> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f32/crown-princely-couples-dannebrog-tour-of-jutland-august-22-26-2011-a-30538.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404382.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00096-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984534 | 1,256 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Son of Peter III of Aragon and Constance of Swabia (daughter of Manfred), Frederick III was named as if to follow in the footsteps of the two Holy Roman Emperors, Frederick I and Frederick II. At the death of Peter III in 1285, the kingdom of Aragon was willed to Frederick's oldest brother, Alfonso III, and the Kingdom of Sicily fell to his second born, James II. When Alfonso died in 1291, James also inherited the Aragonese crown, and left Sicily to reside in Aragon, appointing Frederick as his regent.
A peace process which had been underway between James II of Sicily and Charles II of Naples resulted in a 1285 treaty by which James would renounce his claim to the Sicilian island in favor of the Pope, and would restore the mainland portions of Sicily to Charles. Not willing to accept the treaty, members of the Sicilian parliament crowned Frederick as King in November of 1285. A prolonged war with Naples and the papacy produced no real political effects, and the 1302 Peace of Caltabellotta stipulated that Frederick would retain the island of Sicily as "King of Trinacria" until his death, at which point it would return to Angevin control. After 1311, Frederick was able to take advantage of the presence of the new Emperor Henry VII in Italy, creating an alliance against Naples. Although he eventually succeeded in assuring the continuance of Aragonese rule in Sicily, Frederick achieved it at the expense of decades of war which greatly depleted his kingdom's resources. Frederick was never able to reunite Sicily's island and mainland territories.
Frederick III of Aragon appears in the fifth tale of Day II of the Decameron, defending himself from the plots of the Angevin sympathizers in Sicily. In the sixth tale of Day Five, he is presented as somewhat immature in his proud and impetuous attitude. He nearly causes the unjust death of a relative of Gianni Procida, one of his father's most trusted servants and his father's most faithful admiral. In this tale, Ruggiero di Lauria gives Frederick a lesson in gratitude and humility. It is possible that this quite uncomplimentary portrait is intended to retrospectively explain the disaffection of both men to the Angevin side.
(R.P./N.S.) Fodale, Salvatore. s.v. Federico III (II) d'Aragona. Vol. 45. Dizionario biografico degli italiani. Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia italiana, 1960. pp. 682-694. | <urn:uuid:b4a25142-3321-4a8e-9562-cf9567c4ef34> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/history/characters/frederick_iii.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398216.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00106-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963778 | 549 | 3.34375 | 3 |
A top-secret study, commissioned by presidential assistant Henry Kissinger, is completed by the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Code-named Duck Hook, the study proposed measures for military escalation against North Vietnam. The military options included a massive bombing of Hanoi, Haiphong, and other key areas of North Vietnam; a ground invasion of North Vietnam; the mining of harbors and rivers; and a bombing campaign designed to sever the main railroad links to China. A total of 29 major targets in North Vietnam were pinpointed for destruction in a series of air attacks planned to last four days and to be renewed until Hanoi capitulated. This plan represented a drastic escalation of the war and was never ordered by President Richard Nixon. However, Nixon did order certain elements of the proposal, such as the intensified bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong and the mining of North Vietnamese harbors, in response to the 1972 North Vietnamese Easter Offensive. | <urn:uuid:add16ef0-b0fb-4460-add5-d6ba26394de8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/duck-hook-plan-completed | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00116-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961149 | 192 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Posted by Lee on Monday, October 29, 2012 at 4:39pm.
You throw a rock off the balcony overlooking your backyard the table shows the height of the rock at different times use quadratic regressin to find a quadratic model for this data.
0 1 2 3 4 5
24 44.2 54.8 55.8 47.2 29
would someone explain this to me had a problem like this before and got it wrong
- algebra - Steve, Monday, October 29, 2012 at 5:02pm
Judging from your other problems, I think quadratic regression is a bit beyond the current subject matter. (If not so, let me know just what you have studied in regards to quadratic regression.) So let's try a simpler approach.
evidently the equation is
y = ax^2 + bx + 24
plugging in the given values,
20.2 = a + b
30.8 = 4a + 2b
31.5 = 9a + 3b
23.2 = 16a + 4b
5 = 25a + 5b
Solving these equations in pairs, we get
(a,b) = (-4.8,25),(-4.9,25.2),(-4.7,24.6),(-4.8,25) and so forth.
If you're not looking for the best fit, you could use a model like
y = -4.8x^2 + 25x + 24
If this approach is not what you wanted, please clarify.
- algebra - Lee, Monday, October 29, 2012 at 9:38pm
The y=4.8x^2+25x+24 was correct answer, but I'm not sure how you got that.
- algebra - no of your business, Monday, October 19, 2015 at 12:14pm
the actual answer to this is
y=-4.8^2+25x+24 you did not put a negative on it :)
- algebra - Rach, Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at 1:56pm
1-7 answers for Factoring quadratic quiz
You're welcome now do good in school kids!
- algebra - Lilah, Monday, November 2, 2015 at 9:16pm
Suppose a parabola has vertex (-4,7). and also passes through the point (-3,8) write the equation in a a parabola vertex form
Answer This Question
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- Algebra - Which is NOT true about the following table. X. 1, 2, 3, 4 Y 1, 4, 9, ... | <urn:uuid:ff191f54-450b-45a7-bf82-766ab89457c7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1351543150 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399385.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00018-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906937 | 750 | 3.1875 | 3 |
The temple brings heavenly blessings because it is a special place where we get answers to our prayers. Prophets often receive revelations there so that they can teach us how to gain eternal life.
Hannah lived in ancient Israel. She had sorrowed for many years because she had no children, so she decided to pray at the tabernacle, which served as a temple then. She vowed that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate his life to the Lord. The priest, Eli, saw her weeping as she prayed. He said, “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him” (1 Sam. 1:17). Soon Hannah gave birth to Samuel.
When Samuel was a young boy, Hannah kept her promise and took him to the temple. He lived with Eli and learned how to become a priest.
One night, Samuel was sleeping in the temple when a voice called his name. “Here am I,” Samuel answered. He ran to Eli, but Eli had not called him. Samuel tried to go back to sleep. Then he heard the voice again. He ran to Eli, and again, Eli said that he had not called him. The third time Samuel appeared at Eli’s bedside, the priest realized that the Lord was calling Samuel. Eli said, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” The voice did call Samuel’s name once more, and he did as Eli had told him to. The Lord then told Samuel of things to come. (See 1 Sam. 3:1–11, 19–20.)
Like Hannah, we can have comfort and answers to our prayers. We can also receive blessings by listening to the prophets. They speak with Jesus Christ in the temple, and they teach us what we must do to have the blessings of heaven on earth.
Samuel the Prophet As a Boy
Vision of the Boy Samuel by William Henry Margetson
Step One: Remove page 43 from the magazine and glue it on a piece of thin cardboard.
Step Two: Cut along the solid lines, then fold along the broken lines (use a ruler to fold against to get a straight fold).
Step Three: Carefully cut out the word balloon and glue it to a piece of thin cardboard; trim.
Step Four: With a 2″ (5 cm) piece of tape, form a tube, sticky-side-out. Put it on the back of the cutout word balloon. Attach the word balloon over the dotted word balloon on this page. | <urn:uuid:9fb51472-01c5-4cdb-bfb6-28e6d46ce7ae> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.lds.org/friend/2002/04/blessings-of-heaven-on-earth?lang=eng&media=audio | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399425.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00012-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982264 | 553 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Fewer marriage licenses are issued when blood tests are required. Is that such a bad thing?
Until the 1980s, most states required people to get a blood test in order to get a marriage license. The test, which screened for certain illnesses, like syphilis and rubella, was put in place to cut down on the spread of communicable diseases and prevent birth defects. By 2006, however, the blood test requirement was phased out everywhere U.S. except Washington D.C. and Mississippi.
Three researchers (Kasey Buckles of Notre Dame, Melanie Guldi of Mount Holyoke, and Joseph Price of Brigham Young) recently decided to find out if the elimination of the blood test had any relationship to the number of couples who applied for marriage licenses each year. Studying data on state marriage rates between 1980 and 2006, they found that, when blood tests were required, 5.7% fewer licenses were issued. Marriage And Health: Damned If You Do And Don't
Buckles believes the study's results are not a mere case of correlating numbers. In her opinion, many people chose not to get married specifically because of the test. As she sees it, the burden of discovering a positive test result for a certain disease or even the fear of the sight of blood kept people away from the licensing office.Would You Date Someone With An Incurable STD?
Whether other factors were also allowed for in the study (like the state of the economy, the changing social climate, advanced education levels, etc.), we don't know. But it does make sense that when people are required to take a blood test that might reveal something awful, they often choose not to take the blood test.
We can't help but wonder: If blood tests were suddenly required of soon-to-be-married couples again, would marriage rates drop back down? Are there certain things that should be tested for before tying the knot? And when blood tests are in place, do they actually succeed in cutting down on the spread of disease and occurrence of birth defects? | <urn:uuid:0b59d784-c98b-432e-9c93-f4aee9ce8edb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.yourtango.com/200931584/should-blood-tests-be-required-get-married | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00171-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961525 | 420 | 2.53125 | 3 |
About Bihar City
is located in the eastern part of the country and is an entirely land-locked state, although the outlet to the sea through the port of Kolkata is not far away. It shares its borders with Nepal and Jharkhand, Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Jamshedpur and Bokaro are famous for its steel plantations.
About Bihar City
This place is mainly known as a Buddhist circuit and the culture has a very strong influence of Buddhism. Initially, the Buddhist trait starts at Patna. Buddha remained in Rajgir for five years after enlightenment; Hill of Gridhrakuta is also very famous as Buddha delivered most of his sermons from here.
Pataliputra, now Patna, is one of the oldest cities in the state and is one of the main attractions. It was the Magadha EmpireâÂÂs capital the in 300 BC. Bhodgaya and Rajgir also have their share in the historical importance given to the state.
Bihar has a very old tradition of beautiful folk songs, sung during important family occasions, such as marriage, birth ceremonies, festivals, etc.
Language: Hindi, Bhojpuri
Transport: Road, Rail, Air
Patna is one of the oldest inhabited places of the world, situated on the southern banks of Ganges. This state capital was earlier known as Pataliputra. The name derived from Hindu goddesses Patan Devi. The tourist spots here reflect the glorious past of Pataliputra. Ancient monuments and constructions show the rich culture and heritage of Patna. It is one of the finest pilgrimage spots in India since it is home to several holy places such as Hanuman Mandir, Takht Shri Harmandir Saheb and Begum Hajjam's mosque. State Secretariat Building, Patna Planetorium, Golghar, Patna Museum, Zoological and Botanical garden and Padri Ki Haveli are other attractions.
One of the famous holy places for Hindus, Every year thousands of devotees visit this place. Vishnu temple is the main pilgrim centre of Gaya; it is believed the temple was built on lord Vishnu's footprints. Another believes is that if the final rights are performed in Gaya, the departed soul goes to heaven. Bodh Gaya located in the central part of Bihar. The climate is tropical
Gaya is one of the important holy places for Hindus and thousands of devotees throng this small town every year for pilgrimage. The main pilgrim center in Gaya is the Vishnu temple. Legend has it that this temple was built on Lord Vishnu's footsteps and is thus considered very sacred by the devotees. It is also believed by Hindus that if the final rights are performed in Gaya, the departed soul goes to heaven. Oct to Feb is the best time to visit the city. Inscriptions during King Ashoka's time were found near Gaya.
Vishnu temple was built in the Hindu Shikhar style of architecture and is located on the west bank of Falgu River at the southeastern edge of the town. The Brahmajuni hill is another famous spot. one thousand stone steps will lead the pilgrim to the hill top, from there you can have a full view of Gaya.
This city situated in Nalanda district. Earlier it was the capital of Magadha. Rajgir means the home of loyalty. This place has been associated with lord Bhudda and Buddhism. The Jivekarmavan monastery was the favorite residence for Buddha. Even Bimbisar gave Venuvan Vihar to Buddha for his residence. It is said that it was at Rajgir that physician treated Buddha, Jivak after he was injured by his cousin Devdatta.The teachings of Buddha was penned down at Rajgir and it was also the venue for the first Buddhist Council. This is the reason why Rajgir has come up as one of the most important pilgrimage spot. Ajatshatru, Shanti Stupa, Venu Vana, Venu Vana, Karanda Tank, Sonbhandar Caves are some other attractions which you should not miss out.
Vaishali today is the small village mainly for cultivation. The village is surrounded by mango groves as well as rice fields. The place is well associated with the name of the heroic king Vishal. Vaishali was the centre for trade and commerce during early ages. Jainism also has its origins in Vaishali. Vaishali remains an important pilgrimage centre for both Bhuddists and Jains. This is a very god location for historians and research students foraging for the past.
The double storied Buddhist monastery located in the outskirts of Vaishali. Buddha often discoursed here. He extended spiritual enfranchisement to women by admitting them to the Holy Order which was founded here. Legend has it that on one of his visits, several monkeys dug up a tank for his comfortable stay and offered him a bowl of honey. This is regarded as one of the great incidents in the legends of Buddha, who announced his approaching Nirvana and preached his last sermon here. Emperor Ashoka built The Lion Pillar at Kolhua. It is made of a highly polished single piece of red sandstone, surmounted by a bell shaped capital, 18.3 m high.
A life-size figure of a lion is placed on top of the pillar. There is a small tank here known as Ramkund. This pillar beside a brick stupa at Kolhua commemorates Buddha's last sermon.
Nalanda, founded in the 5th century AD, is famous as the ancient seat of learning. The ruins of the world's most ancient university lies here which is 62 km from Bodhgaya and 90 km south of Patna. Though the Buddha visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime, this famous center of Buddhist learning shot to fame much later, during 5th-12th centuries. Emperor Ashoka and Harshavardhana were some of its most celebrated patrons who built temples, monasteries and viharas here. Recent excavations have unearthed elaborate structures here. An International Center for Buddhist Studies was established here in 1951.
Nalanda University Ruins Archaeological Complex:
The total area is about 14 hectares. It has got beautiful gardens. A central walk way goes south to north divided the building. The monasteries are east of this central alley. The Vihara-1 is the most interesting building with its cells on two floors built around a central courtyard. A small chapel still retains a half broken statue of the Lord Buddha. Nalanda archeological museum is a very interesting place to visit. | <urn:uuid:8c61319e-061c-4ae5-8298-fb4ba6703cf5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://travel.siliconindia.com/travel-article/Bihar-aid-26.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399425.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00072-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976658 | 1,394 | 2.8125 | 3 |
The United States Congress designated the Bald River Gorge Wilderness (map
) in 1984 and it now has a total of 3,791 acres
All of this wilderness is located in Tennessee
and is managed by the Forest Service.
Bald River is a small wild trout stream flowing cold and clear northward through the middle of the steep-sided Bald River Gorge and hence down the middle of this Wilderness. The Wilderness ends just before the river plunges dramatically over a 90-foot waterfall, Bald River Falls, and into the Tellico River. Southern Appalachian hardwoods, pine, dog hobble, and other flora cloak the mountain slopes above the river, home to black bears, deer, wild turkeys, and wild hogs. Fall turns the area into a quilt of color. Summer wildflowers are plentiful. The Bald River Trail climbs steeply from the Bald River Falls parking lot on the northern edge of the Wilderness, descends past a series of waterfalls and along an old logging railway bed, then rises to follow the side of the gorge. Alternating between riverbank and gorge rim, the trail eventually passes through thick stands of laurel and rhododendron before climbing briefly to the Cantrell Parking Area on the southern boundary. The distance is less than six miles, the hiking fairly easy, and campsites exist in several sheltered spots. Two additional trails provide shorter hikes. Human use is heavy. Anglers are limited to fly-fishing and must have a special fishing permit. | <urn:uuid:ca05bc05-dc52-4130-864f-425e6627d3fa> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&WID=26 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394987.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00047-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925164 | 304 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Jack Andraka is a 16-year-old who won last year's Intel science fair for developing a simple cancer detection test. His brother Luke, 18, is a two-time Intel competition finalist and MIT Think Award winner.
It boils down to one central tenet: Teach your kids to think through problems and innovate solutions on their own.
The Andrakas offer a lot of smart advice about raising kids who think independently in their interview with Nosta, which can be found here.
Here are a couple of practical takeaways from the interview:
Encourage your kids to focus on a single project: "When you focus just on a specific goal or problem and ‘wrap your head around the goal’ it opens up all kinds of creativity and problem solving," the Andrakas said.
Don't have too many rules: Rules can kill creativity, so the Andrakas keep it simple: "Treat people with respect, do your homework, be honest and try to be safe."
Set expectations early: The Andrakas have set the expectation that their kids would attend college since they were in elementary school.
Be proactive: Don't wait for opportunities for your kids to appear — seek out extracurriculars and higher level competitions that the school might not even know about. | <urn:uuid:0d1b5176-308b-4f59-9004-9fcafd4ec911> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-raise-smart-kids-2013-2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397428.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00009-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970473 | 268 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Linux and Android users may have recently noticed that the text on their mobile screens is a bit easier to read. That's because devices that render fonts using the FreeType open source library now have access to Adobe's CFF Engine. In June, Adobe joined with Google and FreeType to add its CFF font rasterizer technology, previously availalble only to Windows and Mac users, to the FreeType Project.
"Because CFF fonts rely on the intelligence of the rasterizer to ensure that each letterform is represented as faithfully as possible, including the Adobe CFF Engine in FreeType is a step toward improving how CFF fonts display on the billions of devices that use FreeType," said Nicole Minoza, Adobe’s product marketing manager for Type Globalization Core services, via email.
Here, Minoza discusses how the addition of Adobe's CFF Engine to FreeType benefits Linux and Android users and developers; why Adobe released its CFF Engine to the open source community; and other open source projects underway at Adobe.
How was the CFF engine built, and what was Adobe using it for?
Adobe has several font rasterization engines, each with its own focus. The CFF engine donated to FreeType is based on one Adobe initially developed specifically for use in mobile devices. The best-known use of that engine is in Flash. Adobe worked with FreeType to port the code to FreeType’s environment & style and helped make adjustments to ensure it works optimally within FreeType.
How does the CFF Engine make a developer’s job easier?
There are two primary font formats used in the world today – TrueType and CFF. TrueType was developed by Apple in 1990, while CFF (the Compact Font Format ) was developed by Adobe as a second-generation form of the Type 1 format (often called PostScript fonts) that Adobe first released in 1984. In the case of CFF, high-quality rasterization engines were built into Windows and Macintosh operating systems as part of agreements between Adobe, Apple and Microsoft. However, many other users have not had access to that technology, and have been using FreeType to provide the screen rendering of fonts.
While FreeType is an excellent solution, the quality of the rendering of CFF fonts has been deficient, and, as such, Linux developers who have been relying on FreeType have had to be content with sub-par rendering of CFF fonts. With the addition of Adobe’s rasterization technology, FreeType developers will be able to rely on the same quality of glyph rendering that people have come to expect from Windows and Mac operating systems. This will allow them to choose from tens of thousands of fonts available in the CFF format.
What has been the issue with displaying CFF fonts on Linux and Android devices?
Although CFF fonts have been widely popular on the desktop over the last decade, the Web and mobile devices almost exclusively use TrueType. This reflects the legacy of low-resolution monochrome displays, an area where “superhinted” TrueType fonts could produce better results. With the inclusion of the Adobe CFF Engine in FreeType this is no longer the case. Users can expect high-quality rasterization of CFF fonts on devices that use FreeType and developers have more fonts from which to choose and will enjoy the benefits of CFF – smaller file size and powerful hinting.
Why did Adobe decide to release CFF engine to the open source community?
Adobe has become much more active in contributing to open source projects over the last five years. Many of those efforts have been contributions which benefit the web community and the burgeoning market for mobile devices. At Adobe, the proper use and consumption of type has always been a goal. This dates back to the birth of our company and is evident in the creative products that Adobe develops – most of which require interaction with typefaces. The lack of high-quality rasterization for CFF in FreeType was something that we were aware of, but this was increased when Google reached out to us.
As you are probably aware, Google is a strong proponent of open-sourced technologies, and they currently use FreeType in Android and Chrome OS. When Adobe realized how widespread the usage of FreeType was, we looked into making our technology available so that their users could also benefit from high-quality rendering of CFF fonts. Partnering with Google and FreeType helped us to make that happen.
The release happened more than a month ago, what have been some early results?
Well, the release was issued as a beta, and was not turned on by default. Releasing it as a beta allowed developers who were interested to start testing, as well as to make their own comparisons to the previous rasterization engine. The beta was met with very positive feedback, not only from FreeType users, but also from the FreeType organization and Google. This resulted in some minor tweaks which make the latest version available in build 2.5 of FreeType even better. The updated version of the Adobe CFF Engine was accepted by FreeType on June 19 and is now on by default.
What other open source projects are you working on that benefit Linux and Android developers and users?
Adobe contributes both our own technologies directly as well as to projects outside of Adobe. We are active members of a number of Apache Foundation projects , such as Apache Chemistry, Apache Felix, Apache Jackrabbit, and Apache Sling. We have also contributed Flex, (now Apache Flex ) and PhoneGap (now Apache Cordova ) to the Foundation. We also contributed our work in jQuery Mobile to the jQuery Foundation, and continue to contribute to efforts like Webkit.
Adobe also has released significant technologies under open source licenses, including Brackets (a code editor for the web), CSS technology enhancements and implementations such as Topcoat for developing web apps, font set like Source Sans and Source Pro.
For more information on Adobe's open source efforts, please visit http://adobe.com/open-source . | <urn:uuid:6bba724f-40a5-4fab-afde-07f77405c310> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.linuxfoundation.org/print/10148 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391766.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00036-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958324 | 1,253 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Elie Wiesel is a Holocaust survivor and author of more than 50 books. He is most famous for Night, the autobiographical story of his experiences in the German concentration camps during World War II. In addition to writing, he has dedicated his life to political activism and humanitarian causes, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, is the official Israeli commemoration of the 6 million Jews murdered in Nazi Germany during World War II. Yom Hashoah 2011 takes place on Monday, May 2. | <urn:uuid:3a4e3e8b-e523-4134-a295-8aebb1dcc110> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/02/elie-wiesel-holocaust-remembrance_n_856131.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396872.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00127-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971599 | 113 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Jump to: Smith's • ATS • ISBE • Easton's • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms
International Standard Bible EncyclopediaNACON, THE THRESHING FLOOR OF
na'-kon, (nakhon; the King James Version Nachon): The place where Uzzah was smitten for putting forth his hand to steady the ark, hence, called afterward "Perezuzzah" (2 Samuel 6:8); in the parallel passage (1 Chronicles 13:9) we have kidhon, and in Josephus (Ant., VII, iv, 2) Cheidon. In 1 Samuel 23:23 the word nakhon occurs, and is translated "of a certainty," margin "with the certainty" or "to a set place"; also in 1 Samuel 26:4 it is translated "of a certainty," margin "to a set place." It is uncertain whether in 1 Samuel 6:6 it is a place-name at all; and no successful attempt has been made to identify either Nacon or Chidon; possibly they are both personal names.
thresh'-ing (dush; aloao): Dush means literally, "to trample out." In Jeremiah 51:33, darakh, is used of threshing. Fitches and cummin were beaten off with a rod. The distinction between beating and threshing is made in Isaiah 28:27. Gideon, in order to avoid being seen by the Midianites, beat out his wheat in a wine press instead of threshing it on the threshing-floor (Judges 6:11). For a general description of the threshing operations see AGRICULTURE.
TOWER OF PENUEL
TOWER OF SILOAM
TOWER OF SYENE
TOWER OF THE FURNACES
Greek257. halon -- a threshing floor
... a threshing floor. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: halon Phonetic
Spelling: (hal'-ohn) Short Definition: a threshing-floor Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/257.htm - 6k
248. aloao -- to thresh
Strong's Hebrew4173. morag -- a threshing sled
morag or morag. 4172, 4173. morag or morag. 4174 . a threshing sled.
Transliteration: morag or morag Phonetic Spelling: (mo-rag') Short Definition: sledges ...
/hebrew/4173.htm - 6k
1786. dayish -- a threshing
1637. goren -- threshing floor
147. iddar -- a threshing floor
2742. charuwts -- sharp, diligent
4098. medushshah -- that which is threshed
1758. dush -- to tread, thresh
2757. charits -- a cut, thing cut, sharp instrument
2251. chabat -- to beat off, beat out
2982. Yebus -- an early name of Jer.
For I am a Man of the Threshing-Floor of Christ...
The Husbandman and his Operations
David and Araunah.
Discussion of Pelagius' First Answer.
Song of Songs
The Devotion of Ruth
A Sermon for the Time Present
On Earthly Things
The Specimen of Catechetical Discourse Continued, in Reference ...
Smith's Bible DictionaryThreshing
ATS Bible DictionaryThreshing
Was anciently and is still performed in the East, sometimes with a flail,
The instrument most used in Palestine at this time is simply two short planks fastened side by side and turned up in front, like our common stone-sledge, having sharp stones or irons projecting from the under side, Isaiah 28:27 41:15 Am 1:3. The Egyptian mode is thus described by Niebuhr: "They use oxen, as the ancients did, to beat out their corn, by trampling upon the sheaves, and dragging after them a clumsy machine. This machine is not, as in Arabia, a stone cylinder, nor a plank with sharp stones, as in Syria, but a sort of sledge, consisting of three rollers fitted with irons, which turn upon axles. A farmer chooses out a level spot in his fields, and has his corn carried thither in sheaves, upon asses or dromedaries. Two oxen are then yoked in a sledge; a driver gets upon it, and drives them backward and forward upon the sheaves; and fresh oxen succeed in the yoke from time to time." By this operation, the straw is gradually chopped fine and the grain released. Meanwhile the whole is repeatedly turned over by wooden pitchforks with three or more prongs, and in due time thrown into a heap in the center of the floor. The machine thus described is called a moreg, and answers to the Hebrew morag mentioned in 2 Samuel 24:22 1 Chronicles 21:23.
When the grain is well loosened from the straw by the treading of oxen, with or without one of the instruments above mentioned, the whole heap is next thrown with forks several yards against the wind, which blowing away the chaff, the grain falls into a heap by itself, 2 Kings 13:7; and if necessary, the process is repeated. For this purpose the threshing-floors are in the open air, Jud 6:37, and often on high ground, like that of Araunah on Mount Moriah, 1 Chronicles 21:15, that the wind may aid more effectually in winnowing the grain, Jeremiah 4:11-12, which is afterwards sometimes passed through a sieve for farther cleansing. The ground is prepared for use as a threshing-floor by being smoothed off, and beaten down hard. While the wheat was carefully garnered, the straw and chaff were gathered up for fuel; a most instructive illustration of the day of judgment, Matthew 3:12.
Easton's Bible Dictionarysee AGRICULTURE.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Thresh.
ThesaurusThreshing (57 Occurrences)
... see AGRICULTURE. Noah Webster's Dictionary. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Thresh. Int. Standard
Bible Encyclopedia. NACON, THE THRESHING FLOOR OF. ... EWG Masterman. THRESHING...
/t/threshing.htm - 28k
Threshing-floor (36 Occurrences)
Threshing-floors (2 Occurrences)
Threshing-sledge (2 Occurrences)
Threshing-place (1 Occurrence)
Threshing-instruments (1 Occurrence)
Threshing-wain (1 Occurrence)
Threshing-sledges (1 Occurrence)
Araunah (14 Occurrences)
Threshingfloor (18 Occurrences)
Bible ConcordanceThreshing (57 Occurrences)
Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."
Luke 3:17 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
1 Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it for the oxen that God cares,
1 Timothy 5:18 For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain." And, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."
Genesis 50:10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation. He mourned for his father seven days.
Genesis 50:11 And the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing-floor of Atad, and they said, This is a grievous mourning of the Egyptians. Therefore the name of it was called Abel-Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
Leviticus 26:5 Your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time; and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
Numbers 15:20 Of the first of your dough you shall offer up a cake for a wave offering: as the wave offering of the threshing floor, so you shall heave it.
Numbers 18:27 Your wave offering shall be reckoned to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress.
Numbers 18:30 "Therefore you shall tell them,'When you heave its best from it, then it shall be reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the winepress.
Deuteronomy 15:14 you shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; as Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.
Deuteronomy 16:13 You shall keep the feast of tents seven days, after that you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your winepress:
Deuteronomy 25:4 Thou dost not muzzle an ox in its threshing.
Judges 6:11 The angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
Judges 6:37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken."
Judges 8:7 And Gideon saith, 'Therefore -- in Jehovah's giving Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand -- I have threshed your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with the threshing instruments.'
Judges 8:16 And he taketh the elders of the city, and the thorns of the wilderness, and the threshing instruments, and teacheth by them the men of Succoth,
Ruth 3:2 Now isn't Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing floor.
Ruth 3:3 Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, and put your clothing on yourself, and go down to the threshing floor, but don't make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
Ruth 3:6 She went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law told her.
Ruth 3:14 She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up before one could discern another. For he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."
1 Samuel 23:1 David was told, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors."
2 Samuel 6:6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled.
2 Samuel 24:16 When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough. Now stay your hand." The angel of Yahweh was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
2 Samuel 24:18 Gad came that day to David, and said to him, "Go up, build an altar to Yahweh on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
2 Samuel 24:21 Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David said, "To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people."
2 Samuel 24:22 Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood:
2 Samuel 24:24 The king said to Araunah, "No; but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
1 Kings 22:10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
2 Kings 6:27 He said, "If Yahweh doesn't help you, from where could I help you? From of the threshing floor, or from the winepress?"
2 Kings 13:7 For he didn't leave to Jehoahaz of the people save fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing.
1 Chronicles 13:9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
1 Chronicles 21:15 God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was about to destroy, Yahweh saw, and he relented of the disaster, and said to the destroying angel, It is enough; now stay your hand. The angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1 Chronicles 21:18 Then the angel of Yahweh commanded Gad to tell David, that David should go up, and raise an altar to Yahweh in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
1 Chronicles 21:20 Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
1 Chronicles 21:21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
1 Chronicles 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Give me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build thereon an altar to Yahweh: for the full price you shall give it to me, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.
1 Chronicles 21:23 Ornan said to David, Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: behold, I give you the oxen for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meal offering; I give it all.
1 Chronicles 21:28 At that time, when David saw that Yahweh had answered him in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
2 Chronicles 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father, which he made ready in the place that David had appointed, in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
2 Chronicles 18:9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
Job 5:26 You shall come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of grain comes in its season.
Job 39:12 Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather the grain of your threshing floor?
Job 41:30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
Proverbs 20:26 A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
Isaiah 21:10 You are my threshing, and the grain of my floor!" That which I have heard from Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.
Isaiah 27:12 And it will be in that day that the Lord will get together his grain, from the River to the stream of Egypt, and you will be got together with care, O children of Israel.
Isaiah 41:15 Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.
Jeremiah 50:11 Because you are glad, because you rejoice, O you who plunder my heritage, because you are wanton as a heifer that treads out the grain, and neigh as strong horses;
Jeremiah 51:33 For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while, and the time of harvest shall come for her.
Daniel 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them: and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Hosea 9:1 Don't rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
Hosea 9:2 The threshing floor and the winepress won't feed them, and the new wine will fail her.
Hosea 13:3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist, and like the dew that passes away early, like the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing floor, and like the smoke out of the chimney.
Joel 2:24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
Amos 1:3 Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Damascus, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron;
Micah 4:12 But they don't know the thoughts of Yahweh, neither do they understand his counsel; for he has gathered them like the sheaves to the threshing floor.
LinksBible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus | <urn:uuid:5bf70122-e784-42ec-9154-bfd23aa58b6d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://bibleencyclopedia.com/threshing.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00184-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955425 | 4,252 | 2.859375 | 3 |
The peaceful uprising of the people of Korea against Japan in the spring of 1919 came as a world surprise. Here was a nation that had been ticketed and docketed by world statesmen as degenerate and cowardly, revealing heroism of a very high order.
an and the farmer was to escape notice and live quietly.
Foreigners attempted, time after time, to make their way into the country. French Catholic priests, as far back as the end of the eighteenth century, smuggled themselves in. Despite torture and death, they kept on, until the great persecution of 1866 wiped them and their converts out. This persecution arose because of fear of foreign aggression.
A Russian war vessel appeared off Broughton's Bay, demanding on behalf of Russians the right of commerce. The King at this time was a minor, adopted by the late King. His father, the Tai Won Kun, or Regent, ruled in his stead. He was a man of great force of character and no scruples. He slew in wholesale fashion those who dared oppose him. He had the idea that the Christians favoured the coming of the foreigner and so he turned his wrath on them. The native Catholics were wiped out, under every possible circumstance of brutality, and with them perished a number of French Catholic priests. By one of | <urn:uuid:761a4671-5db8-458c-9b50-38a547fe2304> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://manybooks.net/titles/mckenzief13361336813368-8.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00173-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986813 | 265 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Calculating Percent Increases
Date: 10/29/96 at 23:22:23 From: Anonymous Subject: Re: Calculating percent increases Dr. Math, I am a college student, but my question is quite elementary. I'm sure that you can help. In order to explain how to find a percent increase, a gentleman gave me this as an example: I want to find what a 5 percent increase of 1200 is: First: .05 x 1200= 60 Second: (.05 x 1200) + (1 x 1200) = 1260 This is a correct answer, but I am confused why this gentleman multiplied 1 x 1200 in the second parentheses. Why didn't he just add the results from the first parentheses to 1200? Instead, he used an extra step of multiplying 1 x 1200. What does that number one represent? Obviously, the one will not change the answer, but I would still like to know why he has that one in the equation. Thanks!
Date: 10/30/96 at 13:41:46 From: Doctor Mike Subject: Re: Calculating percent increases Hi Jason, Of course you are right that multiplying by one makes no difference in the final result. I can think of two possible reasons for doing this. You might refer to "the original amount" or "the whole original amount" depending on whether you wish to give emphasis by adding the extra word. Multiplying 1200 by one emphasizes that in the end, you have the entire whole original amount plus a little bit more. In other words, it's not a big deal. Perhaps you have run across the Distributive Law of multiplication over addition, which has many forms, among which is A*X + B*X = (A+B)*X. This is sometimes called the rule for multiplying out something, or the rule for factoring out something, depending on how you are using it. Here I want to use it to help with factoring out 1200 as follows: (.05 * 1200) + (1 * 1200) = (.05 + 1) * 1200 = 1.05 * 1200 You probably would not notice this connection without the "one times" in there. The benefit of this is that it shows a calculator shortcut for figuring out the total. Instead of figuring out the increase as a first operation, and then adding in the principal as another operation, you can do the "1 + .05 = 1.05" part in your head, and then multiply the 1200 original amount by 1.05 as the one and only operation. This is not going to save you enough hours to take off fishing, but it's not a bad thing to understand. I hope this helps. -Doctor Mike, The Math Forum Check out our web site! http://mathforum.org/dr.math/
Date: 10/30/96 at 22:22:23 From: Anonymous Subject: Re: Calculating percent increases Dr. Math, Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. By the way, are you a math professor? Anyway, let me make sure I got this straight. 1.05 is the same as 105 percent, and essentially in doing a percent increase I am adding a certain percent to 100, correct? I am still a bit confused, however, on why a 5 percent increase is shown as 1.05. Is it because 1.05 converted from a decimal to a percent is 105 percent and that is essentially what I am looking for? Please write back. I am still confused about what the one really represents. Why wouldn't it be 100.05 "times" 1200?
Date: 11/06/96 at 13:41:46 From: Doctor Mike Subject: Re: Calculating percent increases Hello again Jason, I'll try to get to all your questions. First, I am neither a prof nor a student, but a mathematician in industry. There are math doctors here with many different backgrounds and situations. Second, the task "take 105 percent of something" is the same as "multiply something by 1.05". Another way to think about what ONE represents is that 100 percent means "all of it", which is ONE complete quantity. Another example that might help is that you could go into a grocery store and ask for "ONE dozen" eggs, which is in effect asking for 100 percent of a dozen eggs. Does that help? Finally, I will ask you to think carefully about what 100.05 "times" 1200 would mean. That would give you something a little more than 100 times 1200, and this is quite different from 100 percent of 1200. If a cooking recipe calls for 100 percent of a dozen eggs, and you put in 100 dozen eggs, then you will have one messy kitchen! I hope this straightens the percentage area out for you. Best regards, -Doctor Mike, The Math Forum Check out our web site! http://mathforum.org/dr.math/
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© 1994-2015 The Math Forum | <urn:uuid:bf82d8ff-b18c-4b0b-a4d5-d54a3c6a3024> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/58124.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404405.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00057-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950052 | 1,026 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Does the Bird's Point floodway case reveal a problem with the Clean Water Act?
On May 2, the Army Corps of Engineers blew up Birds Point levee, in Missouri, to redirect the surging Mississippi River, virtually saving the upstream town of Cairo, Illinois and likely averting significant additional downstream flood damage. Like a relief valve, the broken levee allowed floodwaters to discharge into the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway, an area comprised of 130,000 acres of largely agricultural land and 200 homes. The right to flood the low lying area was purchased as easements by the federal government, after the passage of the law, the Flood Control Act of 1928, that authorized the floodways. The Corps decides when to 'operate' the floodway, one of four along the river.
The floodways were a new concept. Prior to the massive floods of 1927, managing the Mississippi was limited to building higher and higher levees. The floodways essentially introduced a means to relieve flooding, but they were controversial. The Birds Point Floodway system took 14 years to complete due to myriad lawsuits brought by residents claiming its construction amounted to a taking of their property. In short, they wanted compensation, which many of them received, though not all. To this day, there is property within the floodway for which the federal government has not secured flowage rights.
Though incomplete, the floodway was last 'operated' in 1937 but only after the National Guard was deployed to drive off armed residents preventing Corps personnel from blowing up the levee. Over the years, the operations plan for the floodway has changed several times. The destruction of the levee on May 2 was predicated on the most recent operations plan, written in 1986.
Historically, opposition to the floodway was largely centered on property rights issues. However, the recent injunction application filed by the State of Missouri Attorney General, Chris Koster, to prevent the destruction of the Birds Point levee asserted that operating the floodway constitutes a violation of Missouri's Clean Water Act. Mr Koster argues that the release of floodwaters may result in the contamination of state waters, a direct of violation of Missouri's Clean Water Act, and points to the section in the federal Clean Water Act that supports his thesis that the Corps is subject to state water quality laws.
The court, in its opinion, states that the federal Clean Water Act includes an exception that protects the Army and its mandate to maintain navigation. This, the court maintains, is a direct reference to the Corps' mission of flood control and navigability. Since the floodway serves the purpose of maintaining navigability, an assertion that is based on flimsy testimony recounted in the opinion, the Corps is exempt from Missouri's Clean Water Act, the court concluded.
However, the court went on: ''If indeed the plaintiffs are correct [that the Corps is subject to state clean water act laws], then [the Clean Water Act] eviscerates the core functions of the Corps under the Flood Control Act.'' It would appear that, based narrowly on the law, the plaintiffs are incorrect, but it raises a critical legal flaw, in that local water quality regulations may be violated for purposes of flood control and navigation. Though flood control and navigability are critical and often save lives and mitigate economic impacts, they should not be achieved at the expense of local water quality. Also, there appears to be no legal recourse for states if water contamination or violations occur as a result of floodway operation.
The case speaks to the broader issue of a fractured federal water resources management system. USGS measures water quantity, EPA regulates water quality, NOAA predicts flood events, the Corps oversees flood control, etc. There is a need to integrate these services, in which flooding and water quality concerns are given voice. A good first step was taken recently when USGS, NOAA, and the Corps announced a new partnership to foster collaborative water resources management across the agencies. Much remains to be done, but it seems a legal loophole that sacrifices water quality for navigation needs mending. | <urn:uuid:4112f90f-9a8c-4734-9e8b-a87bafcc2dc9> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.earthtimes.org/politics/does-birds-point-floodway-case-reveal-problem-clean-water-act/923/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397565.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00134-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9635 | 822 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Title: Particle size distributions from laboratory-scale biomass fires using fast response instruments
Author: Hosseini, S; Qi, L.; Cocker, D.; Weise, D.; Miller, A.; Shrivastava, M.; Miller, J.W.; Mahalingam, S.; Princevac, M.; Jung, H.;
Source: Atmos. Chem. Phys. 10: 8065-8076
Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
Description: Particle size distribution from biomass combustion is an important parameter as it affects air quality, climate modelling and health effects. To date, particle size distributions reported from prior studies vary not only due to difference in fuels but also difference in experimental conditions. This study aims to report characteristics of particle size distributions in well controlled repeatable lab scale biomass fires for southwestern United States fuels with focus on chaparral. The combustion laboratory at the United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service's Fire Science Laboratory (USDA-FSL), Missoula, MT provided a repeatable combustion and dilution environment ideal for measurements. For a variety of fuels tested the major mode of particle size distribution was in the range of 29 to 52 nm, which is attributable to dilution of the fresh smoke. Comparing mass size distribution from FMPS and APS measurement 51–68% of particle mass was attributable to the particles ranging from 0.5 to 10 μm for PM10. Geometric mean diameter rapidly increased during flaming and gradually decreased during mixed and smoldering phase combustion. Most fuels produced a unimodal distribution during flaming phase and strong biomodal distribution during smoldering phase. The mode of combustion (flaming, mixed and smoldering) could be better distinguished using the slopes in MCE (Modified Combustion Efficiency) vs. geometric mean diameter than only using MCE values.
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Hosseini, S; Qi, L.; Cocker, D.; Weise, D.; Miller, A.; Shrivastava, M.; Miller, J.W.; Mahalingam, S.; Princevac, M.; Jung, H. (2010) Particle size distributions from laboratory-scale biomass fires using fast response instruments. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 10: 8065-8076
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Nathan Hale (6 June 1755 – 22 September 1776) was an American soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured by the British and executed.
- I wish to be useful, and every kind of service necessary to the public good becomes honorable by being necessary. If the exigencies of my country demand a peculiar service, its claim to perform that service are imperious.
- I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.
- ‘On the morning of his execution,’ continued the officer, ‘my station was near the fatal spot, and I requested the Provost Marshal to permit the prisoner to sit in my marquee, while he was making the necessary preparations. Captain Hale entered: he was calm, and bore himself with gentle dignity, in the consciousness of rectitude and high intentions. He asked for writing materials, which I furnished him: he wrote two letters, one to his mother and one to a brother officer.’ He was shortly after summoned to the gallows. But a few persons were around him, yet his characteristic dying words were remembered. He said, ‘I only regret, that I have but one life to lose for my country.’
- Some speculation exists that Hale might have been repeating or paraphrasing lines from Joseph Addison's play Cato, Act IV, Scene IV:
- How beautiful is death when earned by virtue. Who would not be that youth? What pity is it that we can die but once to serve our country.
- See George Dudley Seymour, Captain Nathan Hale, Major John Palsgrave Wyllys, A Digressive History, (1933), p. 39.
- Another early variant of his last words exists, as reported in the Independent Chronicle and the Universal Advertiser (17 May 1781):
- I am so satisfied with the cause in which I have engaged, that my only regret is, that I have not more lives than one to offer in its service.
Quotes about Hale
- He behaved with great composure and resolution, saying he thought it the duty of every good Officer, to obey any orders given him by his Commander-in-Chief; and desired the Spectators to be at all times prepared to meet death in whatever shape it might appear.
- Robert MacKensie, a British officer, in his diary entry regarding Hale's execution.
- However, at the gallows, he made a sensible and spirited speech; among other things, told them they were shedding the blood of the innocent, and that if he had ten thousand lives, he would lay them all down, if called to it, in defence of his injured, bleeding Country.
- Hale's execution, as reported in the Essex Journal (13 February 1777).
- ‘Hate of oppression’s arbitrary plan,
The love of freedom, and the rights of man;
A strong desire to save from slavery’s chain
The future millions of the western main,
And hand down safe, from men’s invention cleared,
The sacred truths which all the just revered;
For ends like these, I wish to draw my breath,’
He bravely cried, ‘or dare encounter death.’
And when a cruel wretch pronounced his doom,
Replied, ‘Tis well, — for all is peace to come;
The sacred cause for which I drew my sword
Shall yet prevail, and peace shall be restored.
I’ve served with zeal the land that gave me birth,
Fulfilled my course, and done my work on earth;
Have ever aimed to tread that shining road
That leads a mortal to the blessed God.
I die resigned, and quit life’s empty stage,
For brighter worlds my every wish engage;
And while my body slumbers in the dust,
My soul shall join the assemblies of the just.’
- "To the Memory of Capt. Nathan Hale" by Eneas Munson, Sr.
- And because that boy said those words, and because he died, thousands of other young men have given their lives to his country.
- Dr. Edward Everett Hale, great-nephew of Nathan Hale, at the dedication of the Hale statue in New York, 1893.
- Hale is in the American pantheon not because of what he did but because of why he did it.
- Former CIA chief Richard Helms
- "Nathan Hale, American Patriot" at AmericanRevolution.com
- "Captain Nathan Hale (1755 - 1776)" by Rev. Edward Everett Hale
- "Captain Nathan Hale (1755 - 1776)" by Mary J. Ortner
- "Nathan Hale Revisited" by James Hutson, in the Library of Congress Information Bulletin (July/August 2003)
- "The Last Days and Valiant Death of Nathan Hale" in American Heritage magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 3 (April 1964)
- "Nathan Hale 1755-1776" at U-S-History.com | <urn:uuid:fcc98758-370b-4126-a82e-5c59f6770ad6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nathan_Hale | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00008-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966564 | 1,077 | 2.59375 | 3 |
John Conway's Game of Life
Library Home || Full Table of Contents || Suggest a Link || Library Help
|The Game of Life is played on a field of cells, each of which has eight neighbors (adjacent cells). A cell is either occupied (by an organism) or not. The rules for deriving a generation from the previous one are these: Death - If an occupied cell has 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 occupied neighbors, the organism dies (0, 1: of loneliness; 4 thru 8: of overcrowding). Survival - If an occupied cell has two or three neighbors, the organism survives to the next generation. Birth - If an unoccupied cell has three occupied neighbors, it becomes occupied. Also available from http://www.tech.org/~stuart/life/.|
|Levels:||High School (9-12), College|
|Math Topics:||Cellular Automata, Statistics, Biology|
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This page focuses on resources for teachers and students preparing for the AP Vergil exam, rather than the wider world of Vergilian or Aeneid resources on the web. Perhaps you can obtain further assistance by searching one of the other pages at this site via the site navigation to the left of the screen.
The links have been updated in time for the 2010 AP Vergil exam.
(NOTE: This page contains annotated links of those sites and pages that provide teacher-student online resources for AP Vergil, but not class pages that simply list assignments. If you have online materials for the Vergil syllabus, please contact me through the Guestbook so that I may add a link to your resources. I might create a comprehensive teachers' assignment pages list somewhere else if enough teachers requested it.)
- The College Board's Student Portal for the Latin: Vergil Test: This starting page provides lists of lines covered on the AP exam (by the way, the total is 1,855!) and the abilities tested, for which the remainder of the page then provides further information. Besides obtaining general information about the AP exams (registration, calendar, costs), from this page it is also possible to
- The AP Aeneid Page of Your Host: This site contains numerous links to resources of interest (online texts of the Aeneid, Iliad, and Odyssey; online commentaries in English and German; metasites of relevance; sound files of the Aeneid in Latin; information on meter and figures of speech), but focuses on practice materials (grammar, vocabulary, meter, figures of speech, content, sight reading) for each portion of the syllabus and contains over 25 of the world's only online AP-style reading passages of both poetry and prose that visitors may take online!
- The AP Vergil Page of Ms. McGlennon at the Maret School: This Quia page contains a number of valuable practices for vocabulary, figures of speech, quotations, and Roman history. Its primary contribution consists of several years' worth of old National Latin Exams transformed into online multiple choice quizzes. In at least one case, the text for the site reading portion is missing. The list of links is also valuable.
- The AP Vergil Page of Magistra Sameth at Thomas Dale High School: Another Quia page, this long-standing resource has valuable practices of vocabulary, the life of Vergil, background of the Aeneid, poetic devices, grammar, and review materials. It also has a large list of valuable links.
- The Aeneid Page of Magistra Gilmore: This Quia page offers vocabulary practices for the complete Book 1 AP syllabus vocabulary and portions of the syllabus vocabulary for Books 2 and 4. It also has separate practices for verb conjugations, important deponent verbs, adjectives that require special cases, and preparation for the National Latin Exam. No links.
Magistra Bloomberg's Vergil Page at Dana Hall: Numerous practices of vocabulary, grammar, and contents of the Aeneid, plus many useful links, highlight this Quia page.
The Aeneid Page of Mr. Odhner: A Quia page with vocabulary, figure of speech, myth, and grammar practices, plus a small number of links.
The Vergil Project's Text and Resources Page: Just select the book and line numbers. You will be directed to a version of the Aeneid in which every word of the text is hyperlinked. Click on any word, and you will be provided with invaluable information about grammar and even translation.
Dr. Melissa Schons Bishop's AP Vergil Page: Check out the useful vocabulary practices linked from this main page plus the materials for scansion and figures of speech. Each term of the school year has its own page, which includes Dr. Bishop's "magic" vocab lists: all the vocabulary of each passage as it occurs in the text!
Mrs. Lukes's Page for Latin IV/AP Latin at Pius VI High School: A Quia page with focus on vocabulary practice. It contains thorough vocabulary practices for the lists in both Pharr's Aeneid and the Song of War of LaFleur and McKay.
Mrs. Kehoe's AP Page at Wichita Collegiate School: A Quia page with focus on vocabulary practice. It contains vocabulary practices for both Song of War and Pharr's Aeneid along with a few years of National Latin Exam practices of poetry and grammar.
Jennifer M. Romanic's AP Latin Class Page: A newer and still small but potentially valuable Quia page. The hangman games for figures of speech (38 items that you had better read carefully) and for background material (40 items) are unique contributions worth a visit.
Mr. Bruce M. Johnson's Vergil Page: A page of useful links for Vergilian study.
- Magistra Gilmore's AP Latin Page at Milton Area District School: Another resource of Magistra Gilmore that includes a few links, all of which are provided elsewhere at virgilius.org, but its important contribution is its separate and individual book-by-book question and answer pages. Students may test their knowledge of the epic on one page and check the answers on another. Thorough. | <urn:uuid:0e3c172d-4f36-4aab-8b90-f3e5963593c3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://virgilius.org/ap_vergil_links.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00182-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910529 | 1,084 | 3.109375 | 3 |
An electric current produces magnetism, and a magnet can produce an electric current. The two forces are so closely connected that scientists talk about the single force of electromagnetism. Without it, we would not have an electricity supply, or ELECTRIC MOTORS.
Each electron is surrounded by a force called an electric field. When an electron moves, it creates a second field—a magnetic field. When electrons are made to flow in a current through a conductor, such as a piece of metal or a coil of wire, the conductor becomes a temporary magnet—an electromagnet.
If a coil of wire is placed near a magnet with an unchanging magnetic field, nothing happens. But if the magnetic field is changed, by moving the magnet back and forth or spinning the wire, the changing magnetic field produces an electric current in the wire.
Generators supply us with most of the electric current we use. They turn mechanical energy (movement) into electrical energy. Inside a generator, a coil of wire is spun inside a powerful magnetic field. This creates an electric current in the wire. A large generator can produce enough electricity to run an entire city.
Electric motors are machines that turn electrical energy into mechanical energy to do work. Electric motors can be small, like the motor that turns the fan in a hair dryer, or huge, like the engine that drives a train.
A current turns a conductor into an electromagnet. If the current is reversed, the electromagnetic poles will reverse, too. When the electromagnet is placed near a fixed magnet, the two sets of poles repel and attract each other. This produces a force that makes the conductor rotate (spin) at high speed. This turns a shaft, which then drives a machine. | <urn:uuid:0c6586cc-3a58-44c1-a843-93ede722f8e2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.factmonster.com/dk/encyclopedia/electromagnetism.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00115-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921439 | 358 | 4.09375 | 4 |
A sweetener is a food additive which adds the basic taste of sweetness to a food; it may come from a natural source or it may be artificially manufactured.
The list below includes the apparent sweetness of the sweetener, when compared to granulated sugar, and also includes the common trademarked names these sweeteners are often sold as.
- acesulfame potassium (also known as Acesulfame-K or Ace-K) - 200x
- aspartame - 160x (trademarked as Equal and Nutrasweet)
- cyclamate (calcium cyclamate or sodium cyclamate) - 30x
- saccharin (also spelled saccarine, saccarin, or saccharine) - 300x (Sweet'n Low)
- stevia - 250x (also called Steviosides, or Sweetleaf. Marketed as a 'Dietary Supplement'. Truvia and PureVia are sweeteners partially derived from Stevia. )
- sucralose (trademarked as Splenda or Splendar) - 600x
- xylitol - 1x (gram for gram); 1.5x (joule for joule) | <urn:uuid:12a5e80b-1d55-4b50-b51a-d5d8c542f5ac> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Sweeteners | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00002-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.835263 | 250 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Traditional manufacturing processes of fabrics we use in clothing, personal products and the like, include the overuse of water, toxic chemicals used in the process and the harmful impact it causes to the environment. But all that could change if a group of talented engineers, entrepreneurs and thinkers can come up with a better solution. Nike, NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. State Department present the LAUNCH System Challenge 2013—a competition that calls for the creation of new sustainable materials. Specifically, the group is seeking innovative ideas for fabric materials that center on human and planetary prosperity and sustainability.
“LAUNCH System Challenge 2013 seeks innovations that will transform the system of fabrics to one that advances equitable global economic growth, drives human prosperity and replenishes the planet’s resources,” the group says on their website.
Characteristics of dynamic innovations include projects that can scale within two years, materials with a positive social and environmental impact such as bio-synthetic materials, smart fabrics with self-healing properties and fabrics that can be efficiently and effectively recycled. Additionally, the competition will manufacturing processes, their use (and re-use) of water, zero-waste systems, and the utilization of technologies that will help to maximum conversion of materials with minimum consumption of natural resources.
Entrepreneurs, consultants, research institutions, social enterprises, groups and companies interested in submitting their work for consideration have until July 15th to enter the challenge. Ten proposals will be selected and members from each group will be invited to attend a two-day event hosted by NASA, USAID, U.S. State Department and NIKE at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. For more information on the challenge, visit their website at www.launch.org/challenges/systems-2013. | <urn:uuid:4a0a2913-05f7-4d9e-82e9-715600e82079> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ecouterre.com/nike-nasa-team-up-with-u-s-government-to-crowdsource-fabrics-of-the-future/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00187-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925963 | 373 | 3 | 3 |
Help support New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more all for only $19.99...
A Benedictine historical writer, born at Diessenhofen in Thurgau, 29 December, 1599, died at Weingarten, 9 June, 1681. A scion of the distinguished line of Bucellini counts, Gabriel, at the age of thirteen, entered the Benedictine monastery at Weingarten. After a course in philosophy and theology at Dillingen he was ordained priest 23 April, 1624, and in the same year sent, as master of novices, to restore the primitive fervour and raise the standard of studies in the monastery of St. Trudpert in the Black Forest. Having filled the position of master of novices at Weingarten and professor of humanities at Feldkirch (1635), whence on the approach of the Swedish army he was forced to flee to Admont (1646), he was appointed prior of St. John's monastery, Feldkirch (1651), where he remained until a few months before his death. Bucelin was a very prolific writer, being the author of some fifty-three works, a large number of which are still in manuscript in the royal library at Stuttgart. His chief claim to the gratitude of posterity lies in the fact that he was, if not the very first, at least among the first authors to deal with the ecclesiastical history of Germany. Of his published works the most important are: "Germania sacra" (Augsburg, 1655), containing accounts of the principal ecclesiastics, archbishops, abbots, etc., as well as a list of the most important monasteries of Germany; "Germaniae topo-chrono-stemmatographia sacra et profana" (1665-78), treating, as its name implies, of the genealogy of the most distinguished members of the clergy and the nobility; "Constantia sacra et profana" (Frankfort, 1667), "Rhaetia etrusca, romana, gallica, germanica" (Augsburg, 1661); "Nucleus historicae universalis" (Ulm, 1650, 1654; carried from 1650 to 1735 by Schmier, "Apparatum ad theologiam scholastico-polemico-practicam"), of great importance to Scholars interested in ancient charts, bulls, diplomata, etc. Bucelin was also the author of many works on the Benedictine Order and its most illustrious members, among them "Aquila imperii benedictina" (Venice, 1651); "Menologium benedictinum" (Feldkirch, 1655).
APA citation. (1908). Gabriel Bucelin. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03025c.htm
MLA citation. "Gabriel Bucelin." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03025c.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph P. Thomas.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads. | <urn:uuid:352d26ea-c7a1-4a1f-88ab-7f18712882ee> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03025c.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392159.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00053-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921653 | 811 | 2.53125 | 3 |
A new generation of insect larvae is eating the roots of genetically-engineered corn intended to be resistant to such pests. The failure of Monsanto's genetically-modified Bt corn could be the most serious threat ever to a genetically-modified crop in the U.S.
And the economic impact could be huge. Billions of dollars are at stake, as Bt corn accounts for 65 percent of all corn grown in the U.S.
The strain of corn, engineered to kill the larvae of beetles, such as the corn rootworm, contains a gene copied from an insect-killing bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. But even though a scientific advisory panel warned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the threat of insects developing resistance was high, Monsanto argued that the steps necessary to prevent such an occurrence -- which would have entailed less of the corn being planted -- were an unnecessary precaution, and the EPA naively agreed.
According to a recent NPR report:
The scientists who called for caution now are saying "I told you so," because there are signs that a new strain of resistant rootworms is emerging ... [A] committee of experts at the EPA is now recommending that biotech companies put into action, for the first time, a "remedial action plan" aimed at stopping the spread of such resistant insects ...
The EPA's experts also are suggesting that the agency reconsider its approval of a new kind of rootworm-killing corn, which Monsanto calls SmartStax. This new version of Bt corn includes two different Bt genes that are supposed to kill the rootworm in different ways. This should help prevent resistance from emerging, and the EPA is allowing farmers to plant it on up to 95 percent of their corn acres. But if one of those genes is already compromised ... such a high percentage of Bt corn could rapidly produce insects that are resistant to the second one, too.
There can be little doubt that genetically-engineered crops are the most dangerous aspect of modern agriculture. Not only are we seeing rapid emergence of super-weeds resistant to glyphosate, courtesy of Roundup Ready crops, we now also have evidence of emerging Bt-resistant insects. Add to that the emergence of a brand new organism capable of producing disease and infertility in both plants and animals and a wide variety of evidence showing harm to human health, and the only reasonable expectation one can glean is that humanity as a whole is being seriously threatened by this foolhardy technology.
Bt Corn: A Most Dangerous Failure
Monsanto's genetically-modified "Bt corn" has been equipped with a gene from soil bacteria called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which produces the Bt toxin. It's a pesticide that breaks open the stomach of certain insects and kills them. This pesticide-producing corn entered the food supply in the late 1990s, and over the past decade, the horror stories have started piling up. And the problem with Bt crops go far beyond the creation of Bt-resistant insects.
Monsanto and the EPA swore that the genetically-engineered corn would only harm insects. The Bt toxin produced inside the plant would be completely destroyed in the human digestive system and would not have any impact at all on consumers, they claimed. Alas, they've been proven wrong on that account as well, because not only is Bt corn producing resistant "super-pests," researchers have also found that the Bt toxin can indeed wreak havoc on human health.
Bt Toxin Now Found in Many People's Blood!
Last year, doctors at Sherbrooke University Hospital in Quebec found Bt toxin in the blood of:
• 93 percent of pregnant women tested
• 80 percent of umbilical blood in their babies
• 67 percent of non-pregnant women
The study authors speculate that the Bt toxin was likely consumed in the normal diet of the Canadian middle class -- which makes sense when you consider that genetically-engineered corn is present in the vast majority of all processed foods and drinks in the form of high fructose corn syrup. They also suggest that the toxin may have come from eating meat from animals fed Bt corn, which most livestock raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO, or so-called "factory farms") are.
These shocking results raise the frightening possibility that eating Bt corn might actually turn your intestinal flora into a sort of "living pesticide factory," essentially manufacturing Bt toxin from within your digestive system on a continuing basis.
If this hypothesis is correct, is it then also possible that the Bt toxin might damage the integrity of your digestive tract in the same way it damages insects? Remember, the toxin actually ruptures the stomach of insects, causing them to die. The biotech industry has insisted that the Bt toxin doesn't bind or interact with the intestinal walls of mammals (which would include humans). But again, there are peer-reviewed published research showing that Bt toxin does bind with mouse small intestines and with intestinal tissue from rhesus monkeys.
Bt Toxin Linked to Allergies, Auto-Immune Disease, and More
If Bt genes are indeed capable of colonizing the bacteria living in the human digestive tract, scientists believe it could reasonably result in:
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Autoimmune diseases
• Food allergies
• Childhood learning disorders
And lo and behold, all of these health problems are indeed on the rise. The discovery of Bt toxin in human blood is not proof positive of this link, but it certainly raises a warning flag. And there's plenty of other evidence showing that the Bt toxin produced in GM corn and cotton plants is toxic to humans and mammals and triggers immune system responses. For example, in government-sponsored research in Italy, mice fed Monsanto's Bt corn showed a wide range of immune responses, such as:
• Elevated IgE and IgG antibodies, which are typically associated with allergies and infections.
• An increase in cytokines, which are associated with allergic and inflammatory responses. The specific cytokines (interleukins) that were found to be elevated are also higher in humans who suffer from a wide range of disorders, from arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, to MS and cancer.
• Elevated T cells (gamma delta), which are increased in people with asthma, and in children with food allergies, juvenile arthritis, and connective tissue diseases.
Rats fed another of Monsanto's Bt corn varieties, called MON 863, also experienced an activation of their immune systems, showing higher numbers of basophils, lymphocytes, and white blood cells. These can indicate possible allergies, infections, toxins, and various disease states including cancer. There were also signs of liver and kidney toxicity.
Topical vs. Internal Toxins
Farmers have used Bt toxin from soil bacteria as a natural pesticide for years, and biotech companies have therefore claimed that Bt toxin has a "history of safe use in agriculture." But there's a huge difference between spraying it on plants, where it biodegrades in sunlight and can be carefully washed off, and genetically altering the plant to produce it internally.
Bt crops have the Bt toxin gene built in, so the toxin cannot be washed off. You simply cannot avoid consuming it. Furthermore, the plant-produced version of the poison is thousands of times more concentrated than the spray.
There are also peer-reviewed studies showing that natural Bt toxin from soil bacteria is not a safe pesticide either:
• In one study, when natural Bt toxin was fed to mice, they had tissue damage, immune responses as powerful as cholera toxin, and even started reacting to other foods that were formerly harmless.
• In another study, farm workers exposed to Bt also showed immune responses.
• The EPA's Bt Plant-Pesticides Risk and Benefits Assessment, created by their expert Scientific Advisory Panel, states that "Bt proteins could act as antigenic and allergenic sources."
Do You Know what You're Eating?
Did you know that two years ago, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on all physicians to prescribe diets without genetically modified (GM) foods to all patients? They sure did, although few doctors seem to have gotten the memo. They also called for a moratorium on genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), long-term independent studies, and labeling, stating:
Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food, including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system ... There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation ...
I couldn't agree more. Avoiding genetically-engineered foods should be at the top of everyone's list -- at least if you want a decent shot at optimal health.
The simplest way to avoid genetically-engineered (GE) foods is to buy whole, certified organic foods. By definition, foods that are certified organic must never intentionally use GE ingredients, and must be produced without artificial pesticides or fertilizers. Animals must also be reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs. Additionally, grass-fed beef will not have been fed GE corn feed.
You can also avoid genetically-modified (GM) ingredients in processed foods, if you know what to look for. There are currently eight genetically-modified food crops on the market:
• Sugar from sugar beets
• Hawaiian papaya
• Cottonseed (used in vegetable cooking oils)
• Some varieties of zucchini
• Canola (canola oil)
• Crookneck squash
This means you should avoid products with corn, soy, canola, and any of their derivatives listed as an ingredient, unless it's labeled USDA 100 percent Organic. As of late last year, this also includes sweet corn, as Monsanto introduced a brand new genetically-engineered sweet corn called Seminis, which contains not just one but two types of Bt toxin, plus the Roundup Ready gene for weed control! So besides containing the insecticide, their toxic Roundup herbicide will also accumulate in the kernels.
For a helpful, straightforward guide to shopping non-GMO, see the Non-GMO Shopping Guide created by the Institute for Responsible Technology.
Why We Must Insist on Mandatory Labeling of GM Foods
Mandatory labeling may be the only way to stop the proliferation of GM foods in the U.S. Monsanto and other biotech companies spend huge amounts of money lobbying the U.S. government each year to ensure favorable legislation. In the first quarter of 2011 alone, Monsanto spent $1.4 million on lobbying the federal government -- a drop from a year earlier, when they spent $2.5 million during the same quarter.
Their efforts of persuasion are also made infinitely easier by the fact that an ever-growing list of former Monsanto employees are now in positions of power within the federal government.
To learn more about GM foods, I highly recommend the following films and lectures:
For more by Dr. Joseph Mercola, click here. | <urn:uuid:68b708da-94a1-49c3-a3f4-81f2ce87caea> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/bt-corn_b_2442072.html?ir=Health%20News | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393146.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00055-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954273 | 2,286 | 2.875 | 3 |
Waves from the galactic centre in December of 2012? Two crop pictures from West Kennett 1996 or Wayland's Smithy 2006 seem to provide detailed information
Summary: Having correctly predicted the outburst of Comet Holmes in 2007, those crop artists will presumably turn their attention next to whatever astronomical event may be scheduled for December of 2012. I therefore scanned the archives, to see whether any crop pictures from 1990 to 2007 might shed light on what will happen next? Only two pictures from that entire 17-year period seem to address the events of December 2012 directly. Wayland's Smithy of 2006 suggests that powerful rays from a deep-space explosion will reach Earth around the end of their Sun-Venus calendar in March 2013. West Kennett of 1996 suggests that rays from the centre of our galaxy will be detected initially on Earth by December 14, 2012, at the time of a new Moon and a comet. Further information will hopefully be provided by new pictures from the 2008 summer season.
Introduction: a quantum leap in our understanding of English crop pictures from 2007 to 2008
During the past year, our understanding of English crop pictures has taken a quantum leap forward. Thus by the end of 2007, many of us had come to the conclusion that a series of future-predictive crop pictures from two years earlier, during the summer of 2005, had accurately predicted the outburst of Comet 17P Holmes in October-November of 2007. By all standards of normal human science, such a feat would be impossible! Yet it happened nonetheless, even if most current academic scientists choose to ignore those important findings:
A careful review of the archives later revealed two other cases of "future prediction in crops" from the years 1994 or 1995. In other words, not only was the outburst of Comet Holmes in 2007 predicted two years beforehand by crop pictures from the summer of 2005 (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007h.html or www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007g.html), but the outburst of Comet 73P Schwassman-Wachmann 3 in September 1995 was likewise predicted three months beforehand by crop pictures from June or July in the same year (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007a.html). Finally, a future predictive or simultaneous crop picture showed the impact scar G of Comet Shoemaker-Levy on Jupiter during the summer of 1994
No real evidence for human fakery, just media disinterest or disinformation
Some sceptics might argue at this point: "What you are saying is impossible! How can hundreds of people know privately about such mind-blowing results, yet none of those important results ever appear on TV or in major newspapers, where everybody can see them? One can only find out about English crop pictures from certain websites, yet everyone knows how unreliable Internet sites can be for true information."
In response to such self-assured sceptics (who tell me that all the time), I can only say that you are imagining a TV-based world of integrity and truth that does not really exist. For example, last year on July 7, 2007, a dedicated team of researchers including Winston Keech, Gary King and Terje Toftenes filmed a 300-meter-long crop picture while it was being made around 3 AM at East Field near Avebury. Yet their historic discovery received no serious media attention, apart from small notices in a local Wiltshire paper and on a regional BBC website: see www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.1559662.0.the_crop_circle_mystery.php or www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2007/08/14/wilts_crop_circles_2007_feature.shtml. When we travelled back to London a few weeks later, no one there had even heard of it!
In fact, there seems to be no evidence at the present time that any "future predictive" crop picture (of the kind discussed above) could have been made by some local human faker. Indeed, how could any faker know of an unexpected astronomical event far out in space, more than two years in advance? Current evidence points instead to a paranormal origin for most complex crop pictures, whether they predict the future or not (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007j.html).
If not made by local human fakers, then who could be making such intricate and amazing designs? This is still a matter of controversy, but my feeling is that modern crop pictures may be intended as open messages to the people of Earth from human-like extra-terrestrials who lived and taught among us long ago (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007k.html or www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007e.html).
"We have seen the aliens, and they are us."
A few researchers have objected to certain crop circles as hoaxes because they are "full of human logic" (see http://mmmgroup.altervista.org/e-crab.html). Those objections would seem to be obviated by this hypothesis.
An unexpected Mayan connection and symbols for Quetzalcoatl
Not only do modern crop pictures show a paranormal means of construction, and often apparently human logic (however advanced), but they also show a mysterious aspect known as the "Mayan connection". Thus, several crop pictures each year tend to show long-forgotten themes from Aztec-Mayan culture, which was essentially destroyed in 1519 after Cortez and his soldiers landed there (although first contact by the Spaniards was somewhat earlier in 1492).
A more detailed analysis showed that those crop artists actually "keep time" in our modern era 1990-2007 by means of an ancient Sun-Venus calendar, that the Mayans and Aztecs used in central America long ago, along with their famous Long Count calendar (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007c.html). Both calendars appeared recently in English crop pictures, whether at Silbury Hill in 2004 or at Woolstone Hill in 2005:
Quite remarkably, all of these many hundreds of modern crop pictures seem to be appearing at special time in history: just as one 5000-year-long Mayan Sun ends, while another begins!
Their Long Count calendar will end on December 21, 2012, marking an end to the Fifth Sun which began on August 13, 3114 BC. Likewise, their Sun-Venus calendar will end on March 28, 2013, marking an end to the current 52-year cycle of Venus which began on April 10, 1961, and also marking the start of a new 5000-year Sixth Sun.
Many traditional symbols of a legendary, fair-skinned, blue-eyed teacher called Quetzalcoatl have also appeared recently in English crops: for example his "feathered serpent", "Venus" or "Jester's Hat" motifs
The same legendary figure was known as Kukulkan to the Mayans, Pahana to the Hopis, or Viracocha to the Incas
(see www.crystalinks.com/preinca.html or www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/9054/viraco.html).
"The Incas, who had great technology when Europeans were still barbaric nomads, said that their technology was given to them by Viracocha, who was described as a white-skinned bearded man."
"Kukulkan lived twenty centuries ago, and was the founder of all empires in ancient America. He came from the sky to earth, and because of that was usually represented as a feathered serpent. White-skinned and bearded, he brought love, penitence, and forbade blood sacrifice."
"Viracocha-Kukulkan-Quetzalcoatl was said to be responsible for giving many useful crafts to the Aztecs, Incas and Mayas. How did he manage to impart his knowledge across such a vast area? That mystery could be explained if he were an alien (or a group of aliens), since he seems to have taught all over the place. Such a hypothesis could also explain many references to his arrival from the sky."
An extra-terrestrial hypothesis for Quetzalcoatl
However much modern scholars would laugh at me for considering such outrageous ideas, I would still tend to agree with the theory of extra-terrestrial origin for Quetzalcoatl just cited above. We must be guided by the evidence, and not by any kind of social or academic prejudice, or else we will learn nothing. In fact, there are six different lines of evidence relevant to this point: (a) the surprising ability of those crop artists to predict the future; (b) their ability to create intricate and amazing crop pictures by paranormal means which we do not currently understand; (c) their unusual preference for Mayan-themed crop pictures; (d) their use of a Mayan Sun-Venus or Long Count calendar to count time in our modern era; (e) an upcoming end to the Fifth Sun in 2012; and (f) their desire to show us traditional symbols for Quetzalcoatl, which often lie near other more important crop pictures, just as if an artist had "signed" his work!
When police detectives are trying to solve a crime, and six different lines of evidence point to the same suspect, what do they conclude? Could Quetzalcoatl and his colleagues---benevolent extra-terrestrials who lived and taught on Earth long ago---be making the majority of modern crop pictures today, in order to prepare us for their imminent return in 2013 or perhaps 2039? (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007k.html)
Indeed, they told us explicitly at Crabwood in 2002: "Believe: there is good out there. We oppose deception. (Space-time) conduit (now) closing." In other words, they are not living in the close vicinity of Earth at present, yet are still able to make regular contact with us in crops each summer, by means a space-time conduit or wormhole.
According to certain legends, Quetzalcoatl promised that he would return after "five full cycles of Venus", or equivalently 5 x 104 = 520 years as shown at Chute Causeway in 2007. Counting from first contact of those Spaniards with the Aztecs, that would give 1492 + 520 = 2012 AD. Alternatively, counting from the destruction of Aztec culture by Cortez and his sailors in 1519, that would give 1519 + 520 = 2039 AD.
Only two crop pictures so far seem to concern themselves with the events of December 2012
Now when the Mayan Long Count calendar ends on December 21, 2012, what might happen? Will December 21 be a purely symbolic date just as for our New Year's Day? Or will something unexpected and astronomical happen then? Being able to "see" the future, if something is going to happen around December 21, those guys would surely tell us about it! So have they given us any clues so far in crops, as to what might happen astronomically upon end of the Fifth Sun in late 2012?
I went through the crop-circle archives carefully in an attempt to answer that question (see http://www.cropcirclearchives.co.uk/archives/ccarchives.htm), but could only find two crop pictures from 1990 to 2007 which seem to deal specifically with the events of December 2012. Those were (a) Wayland's Smithy of July 8, 2006 and (b) West Kennett of July 13, 1996.
Some people originally interpreted Wayland's Smithy 2006 in terms of the "New York skyscrapers" lost five years earlier on September 11, 2001. Yet that interpretation now appears less accurate than "square rays" as used commonly in astronomy, to describe an intensity-distance relationship for light rays emitted by a distant source. West Kennett 1996 was always interpreted in terms of our galactic centre, because it showed the ancient Mayan symbol for "galactic centre". Yet no one understood until recently why any long-forgotten Mayan symbol should appear in English crops.
No other crop pictures from 1990 to 2007 seem to show specifically the near-future events of December 2012. Yet some do show other astronomical events from the same year. For example, Etchilhampton of August 1997 showed a time remaining of 26 x 30 = 780 weeks (or 15 years) from its appearance during the summer on 1997, until a transit of Venus during the summer of 2012 on June 6. A schematic picture of Venus was even drawn nearby, superimposed on the face of the Sun (see www.lucypringle.co.uk/photos/1997/uk1997cg.shtml#pic2).
Here we will focus specifically on the events of December 2012 in order to ask: what might happen astronomically at the end of the Fifth Sun?
Wayland's Smithy 2006 suggests that periodically-emitted rays from the galactic center will reach Earth, when our current Sun-Venus calendar ends in early 2013
A preliminary analysis of Wayland's Smithy 2006 was given earlier
(see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/waylandsmithy2007a.html). Even at first glance, one can see that it seems to show a series of "astronomical rays" emerging from some central source in all three spatial directions x ,y or z:
Those rays have been drawn as "square" along their lengths, because the intensity of any astronomical wave or ray becomes weaker as it proceeds further from the source by a factor of distance-squared.
What could be the central source of energies shown there? One plausible candidate might be an ultra-massive black hole at the centre of our galaxy known as Sgr A*. A ring of 12 stars surrounds Sgr A* in space, just like a ring of 12 points surrounds the empty centre of that crop picture. Alternatively, the source of emission could be another nearly-round structure near the centre of our galaxy called the Sagittarius Star Cloud, which is much more easily visible than Sgr A* to the naked eye (see www.seds.org/messier/m/m024.html).
Next we may ask: why are there rays of four different lengths emerging from the center, in each of three directions x, y or z?
When interpreted in terms of emissions from our galactic centre, the answer becomes obvious. Earth and Sun lie 25,000 light years away from Sagittarius A* or its nearby Star Cloud at the galactic centre. If such square rays are emitted periodically once every 5000 years, then one should see a regular and periodic distribution of rays moving outward from the centre at light speed c, just as shown in the crop picture. Any set of three rays of equal length (say 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25) seems to rotate slightly relative to its neighbour, just as if the central galactic source had rotated slightly over long periods of time.
The central source of Sgr A* could be a pair of black holes that come close together once every 5000 years, and thereby exchange powerful energies. Could that be an underlying physical explanation for the Mayan Long Count calendar, which asserts that Earth and Sun have undergone major astronomical changes once every 5000 years in the recent past? Finally, Wayland's Smithy 2006 shows a very curious feature at the ends of its three longest rays as shown below:
Each of its three longest rays seems to contain a 7 x 8 = 56 grid of mini-circles within any open square end. Could that be some kind of time code, telling us when the longest ray will reach Earth? A plausible answer in terms of their Sun-Venus calendar is given below.
Table 1. Important Sun-Venus conjunctions in our current 52-year calendar
Thus, the number 7 x 8 = 56 as shown at Wayland's Smithy seems to represent the number of Sun-Venus conjunctions that had expired by July 8, 2006, when that crop picture appeared, in terms of their current Sun-Venus calendar (which began on April 10, 1961). When the total number of conjunctions reaches "65" on March 28, 2013, then their 52-year Sun-Venus calendar will end, and the longest astronomical ray (as shown) will reach Earth.
Any Sun-Venus conjunction lasts for 292 days, whether inferior (Venus between Earth and Sun) or superior (Sun between Earth and Venus). And ever since that date of July 8, 2006 two years ago, when there were still "9 left", the countdown to 2013 has continued! Last year for example on August 12, 2007, the Mayan number "six" appeared at Stanton St. Bernard (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/2007/stanton/stanton2007.html). It was intended to tell us that "only 6" Sun-Venus conjunctions remained until Venus transit on June 6, 2012, or "only 7" until an end to their Sun-Venus calendar on March 28, 2013
In summary, something astronomical and unexpected will perhaps happen in late 2012 or early 2013, close to the end of the current Sun-Venus calendar. We will apparently come into contact with astronomical rays from a distant source, possibly from the galactic centre. But when exactly will those rays reach Earth? And will they provide just a pretty light-show as for Comet Holmes, or are they something that we need to be concerned about? (One year before on August 9, 2005, a Mayan-type crop picture predicting the explosion of Comet Holmes appeared in the same field.)
We cannot answer any of those questions today with certainty, because not enough crop pictures have been shown so far to provide sufficiently reliable details. Yet one other picture from West Kennett 1996 did seem to describe the same near-future astronomical event in a slightly more precise way, so we will study that one next.
West Kennett 1996 suggests that a new Moon and comet will align in Earth's sky with the galactic centre, when we first see rays emerging (possibly on December 14, 2012)
The summer of 1996 in crops was
devoted to telling us about phases of the Moon. It began
with a "lunar phase diagram for sunset" at Stonehenge on
July 7, 1996, then continued with a "lunar phase
diagram for midnight" at Windmill Hill
Amid all of that lunar phase information, we saw at West Kennett on July 13, 1996 a very peculiar kind of crop picture, which showed an ancient Mayan symbol for "centre of the Milky Way", along with curly "waves emerging in all directions" from the centre:
That ancient Mayan symbol seems to be authentic, since
it appeared several times in a 16th-century manuscript
called Codex Magliabecchiano
Yet that particular symbol has also become popular recently among New Age enthusiasts as the so-called "Hunab Ku" or "Galactic Butterfly". Thus I thought it necessary to ask: could West Kennett 1996 be a human-made fake? It seems far less complicated in design than Wayland's Smithy of 2006, and hence more easily amenable to ordinary human construction.
examination of a pole-shot taken by Stuart Dike
A new Moon and a bright comet: four astronomical objects in total
Hence West Kennett of 1996 does seem to be authentic. Now we were shown also in that same crop picture two other astronomical objects: (i) a new crescent Moon and (ii) a bright comet:
Any new Moon always lies close to the Sun as seen from Earth. Yet our Sun only lies close to the galactic centre in late December of any year, as seen from Earth. Taken together, all of those observations would seem to imply:
"A new Moon, the Sun and a bright comet will line up with the galactic centre as seen from Earth, in December of some upcoming year when we will first see rays emerging there."
On which day of our short-term future will Earth's sky look like the crop picture? There will of course be a new crescent Moon in the month of December for every year 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 or 2012, and each of those new Moons will lie close in Earth's sky to both the Sun and the galactic centre: see below.
Table 2. New Moons which lie near the Sun and the galactic center as seen from Earth
Values of Declination for any new Moon will decrease from -26 degrees in 2008 to -20 degrees in 2012, owing to the 19-year Metonic cycle of its orbit.
All years 2008 to 2012 thus seem equally plausible, if we consider only the Moon, Sun and galactic centre. But let us look more closely at December of 2012, because that is the approximate time suggested by Wayland's Smithy in 2006. On both December 13 and 14 of 2012, a new Moon will lie close to the Sun and also close to several sky markers for the galactic centre: namely Sagittarius A*, its dark rift, and the Sagittarius Star Cloud.
Of possible relevance here, West Kennett of July 1996 appeared on the same day of the month (13th) as the new Moon of December 13, 2012, and also at the same value of lunar phase ("new"). By drawing it on that particular day, were those crop artists trying to tell us about the year 2012?
An ancient Mayan prophecy says that "the Moon will be eight days old" on December 21, 2012 when their Long Count calendar ends. Indeed, December 13 plus eight days equals December 21. But these are only guesses: what about the comet?
Tentative identification of the West Kennett comet as 152P Helin-Lawrence
In order to assign a calendar year with any certainty to that West Kennett crop picture, we need to identify its "comet". I therefore carried out a survey of all known comets that will reach perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) during the years 2008 to 2012, and thereby found one promising candidate which will lie close to a new Moon near the galactic center in mid-December of 2012: namely Comet 152P Helin-Lawrence (see http://cometography.com/pcomets/152p.html or www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/index-T-earth.html or www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/0152P/2012.html).
Comet 152P Helin-Lawrence will reach perihelion on July 9, 2012, then will travel into Sagittarius by December 14 where it will be located at a Right Ascension of 18 hours 50 minutes and a Declination of -25 degrees. Thus it will lie fairly close in Earth's sky on December 14, 2012 to a one-day-old Moon at R.A. 18 hours 30 minutes and Dec. -19 degrees (see Table 2 above). With those ideas in mind, I next assigned R.A. and Dec. coordinates to all four astronomical objects shown at West Kennett, in order to assess a quality of fit:
The year 2012 does seem to provide a reasonable fit to West Kennett, especially if its ancient Mayan symbol for "centre of the galaxy" refers to the easily seen Sagittarius Star Cloud, rather than to a nearly invisible black hole Sgr A* (only discovered in modern times). I also noticed while making this diagram a "faint round circle" in the crop, which is located just below and to the left of the large spiral shown there for "galactic centre". That faint round circle lies directly next to my assigned sky-location for Earth's Sun. But perhaps that was intended?
When we study the long-term orbit of Comet 152P Helin-Lawrence through time (see http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits), we can see that it will pass behind the Sun as seen from Earth during July or August of 2012, possibly with an outburst to greater brightness Then it will move away from the Sun by 10 degrees on December 14, in good accord with the crop picture:
It should be emphasized, however, that this tentative identification of the West Kennett "comet" as 152P Helin-Lawrence cannot be regarded as completely certain. The basic problem is that we cannot predict how bright any near-future comet may become when it reaches perihelion, and outbursts close to the Sun. If this difficult astronomical problem is of interest to any readers, they may go to the website www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/index-T-earth.html to examine finder-charts for other comets that are predicted to lie in Earth's sky near the galactic centre in Sagittarius, during the month of December for all years 2008 to 2012.
What exactly we will see in the sky during December of 2012?
In summary, if our current understanding of that West Kennett crop picture is correct, then we may see the first emissions from our galactic centre just after a new Moon on December 14, 2012, or one week before the Mayan Long Count calendar ends on December 21. Whether those emissions will prove harmless to the inhabitants of Earth (as for Comet Holmes), or whether they will have some deleterious effect, remains to be determined. Gamma ray bursts are also very powerful explosions that happen far away in space, but we often receive the emissions from those without anyone even noticing
Despite some progress in this area, we will definitely need to receive more crop pictures during the summers of 2008 to 2012, in order to gain a more complete understanding of December 2012.
Appendix 1. A long history of planetary or cometary astronomy in English crops: they want us to learn how to understand their drawings, so that we will see the future too!
Even from its very beginnings in 1990 to 1993, the modern crop-circle phenomenon was astronomical in nature, and showed planetary or lunar conjunctions in Earth's sky using ancient symbols from Ptolemaic astronomy
(see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007f.html). For example, the famous Alton Barnes crop picture of July 12, 1990 showed several ancient symbols for "conjunction" or "opposition". Those were used to tell us that Jupiter and Venus had come closer together in Earth's sky that summer, than for any other time during the past 100 years. The order of sky brightness goes as Moon = 1, Venus = 2, Jupiter = 3, so their symbol for Venus was drawn with two prongs, while their symbol for Jupiter was drawn with three prongs.
Today we still use some of those ancient symbols in natal astrology, another subject that Ptolemy wrote a book about. Hence the crop artists were trying to tell us from the very start that: (i) they know all about Earth's past, and (ii) are very concerned with astronomy.
Many more astronomical themes were shown during the years 1994 to 2007, with new glyphs concerning our Moon, Sun, planets or comets (see www.swirlednews.com/article.asp?artID=659). Some of their pictures even became future-predictive of unexpected astronomical events: say the outbursts of Comet 73P Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 in 1995 or Comet 17P Holmes in 2007 (see www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007a.html or www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007h.html).
Nor were they trying to keep such information hidden. It was meant for us, not for anyone else. But only if we were intelligent, determined and open-minded could we understand what they were trying to say! For example at Wayland's Smithy in 2005, Jaime Maussan and Stuart Dike quickly realized that the binary codes shown there gave dates for some unexpected astronomical event, that would happen in our near future
(see the 2005 DVD "Circle Chasers" on www.thecropcircleshop.com/circle-chasers-2005-dvd-4-p.asp). Eventually that crop picture was decoded to give both its own date of appearance (August 9, 2005), plus a near-future date when Comet Holmes would conjunct a bright star Mirfak in Perseus (November 20, 2007).
The long-term history of this phenomenon, therefore, seems to favour the idea the we (the human race) have been sent on a steep learning curve: where some of us (at least) must learn how to correctly interpret their drawings, so that we will be able to see the future too, before the "much pain but still time" period that was described at Crabwood in 2002 takes place (see www.martinkeitel.net/cropcircles/articles/alien2.html or www.lucypringle.co.uk/articles/crabwood).
Appendix 2. Martin Keitel's dream of a "feathered serpent" just before Crabwood 2002
While researching the possible events of December 2012, I came across a remarkable psychic experience by Finnish researcher Martin Keitel. He received a dream message relating to ancient Mayan culture, just before a long message in ASCII code was laid down in crop at Crabwood on August 15, 2002 (see www.martinkeitel.net/cropcircles/articles/alien3.html):
"The place is a schoolroom. Tapani Koivula (a Finnish UFO researcher) is presenting a huge book. He says this book has been received from space. It tells about future changes, for example our "new Sun". Then a woman begins to speak. She says she has something to say about the Mayans. She suddenly turns into a "snake" with black and yellow stripes. Yellow stripes represent flattened crop (0), while black stripes represent erect crop (1).
The "snake" speaks to me with a low male voice. It says I have an important task to perform, but that I don't have to do it alone. I feel a loving energy radiate from it. Then it gives me a box filled with red plates. Each plate has text written on it. The "snake" says they are instructions. I should take out one plate at a time as it becomes necessary.
Then it turns back into a woman. She says we need to listen to the Mayans. The dream continues. We are now discussing how some children will be ready for a near-future spiritual change in the world, although Earth governments will not support it." | <urn:uuid:e078f09f-ded0-4c4f-b379-347cb103712a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/anasazi/time2007m.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394987.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00183-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951353 | 6,434 | 2.796875 | 3 |
The narrations of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were recorded by the Companions in the form of Hadith. After Quran, these hadiths are what help Muslims understand Islam in the rightful manner. Among these hadiths, there are some that are famous and every Muslim uses them as a common reference, while there are other narrations that are there for scholarly debate and they hold great intellectual depth for the understanding of Muslims. One of such narrations is the Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave His Last Sermon on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah in the year 10 Hijri or 632 AC in the valley of Arafat. This is one of the most renowned Sermons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as He gave it on His first and last Hajj. The sermon is a series of proclamations in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spoke about various matters of guidance for Muslims.
Khutba e Hujja Tul Vida:
“O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn ‘Abd’al Muttalib (Prophet’s uncle) shall henceforth be waived…
Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety (taqwa) and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.
Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people”
Reference: Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1623, 1626, 6361.
The lines below try to highlight and discuss the major elements discussed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during His last sermon.
Sanctity Of Life And Property Of A Muslim:
One of the primary factors discussed and addressed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in His sermon is the life and property of a Muslim. Prophet (PBUH) told the people that the way they think sacred of the month of Dhul Hijjah and the city and day on which the sermon was taking place, so should they also consider sacred the life and property of a Muslim. When they are entrusted with these two elements, they should take care of them and consider it a sacred trust.
Returning Trust And Justice:
In His Last Sermon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also spoke about keeping the trust of people and fulfilling it in addition to being just with people. He told that if someone entrusts a person with some kind of goods then he or she must return the goods to the rightful owner and fulfill the trust. On the other hand, the other thing that a Muslim must do is treat others justly so that he or she does not receive any unjust treatment from others. All of this should be done with the thought in mind that one day we all have to meet our Lord and He will hold us accountable for our deeds.
Recommended Reading – Islam Spreads the Message of Peace, Justice And Equality
Islam Spreads the Message of Peace, Justice And Equality – See more at: http://www.quranreading.com/blog/islam-spreads-the-message-of-peace-justice-and-equality/#sthash.gCB7lvnY.dpuf
Another thing that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) addressed in His last sermon is the forbidding of usury. Prophet (PBUH) forbade usury and told Muslims that whoever had any previous usury receipts left, they are waived off from them and the only thing that they can keep is the capital. This verdict regarding usury stands explicit and from then onwards usury is forbidden in Islam.
Beware Of Satan:
There is no denying the fact that Satan is the greatest enemy of mankind and all he wants to do is to make people go stray from the path of righteousness and commit the acts that go against the will of Allah Almighty. Prophet (PBUH) also warned Muslims to beware of Satan, but this warning was a slightly different compared to the other warnings regarding Satan. In this warning Prophet (PBUH) told Muslims that Satan has lost hope in making people astray in big things, therefore, one should remain aware and not follow his temptations in small things. Therefore, the idea that one should refrain from the big evil deeds and be lenient pertaining to the ordinary or small ones is wrong and one must remain away from the small evil deeds as well.
Rights Of Women:
The other important thing regarding which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spoke during His last sermon was the rights of women. According to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) although men have rights over women however, they also have rights on men as well. For a husband it is imperative to be kind to his wife and feed and clothe them with kindness as they are the partners and helpers of men. Therefore, in His last sermon as well, Prophet (PBUH) spoke about giving women their rights and asserting the fact that they have the same level of rights over men as men have on them and because of their being women they should not be considered inferior or treated badly.
The Pillars Of Islam:
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also stressed on Muslims following and establishing the five pillars of Islam. He told them to believe in Allah as the only God worthy of worship, perform the daily prayers five times a day, fast during the month of Ramadan, give Zakah and perform Hajj if one can afford to perform it.
Perhaps the most important element for which the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is known is the message of universal equality about which He spoke. According to the sermon, all the humans are created from Adam and Eve therefore, no one enjoys any superiority over the other whether it is on the base of race or color. All men are equal in the eyes of Allah and the only differentiator between them is the piety and good actions. Therefore, if humans are to compete with each other in order to be different then the only two things that can make them different are piety and good deeds, other than that everyone is equal to God.
Moreover, all Muslims are brother and a thing of one Muslim brother is not lawful on any other Muslim until and unless he or she gives it to the other with free will. This stands as a clear message to all those who want to usurp the belongings of others. Therefore, they should avoid any such actions and not be unjust in their dealing with others.
Islam As The Last Religion:
By the end of His Sermon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told the Muslims that He is the Last Prophet and that there will be no other Prophet after Him and the only way to stick to the path of righteousness after Him is by following Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Prophet (PBUH) took all the people present there as a witness to His conveying the message of Allah to mankind and commanded them to pass on His message to all those who are not present. Since then Muslims continue on spreading the message of Islam to different parts of the world and showing people the last religion of guidance sent by Allah for the guidance of mankind.
In a nutshell, the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stands as the most quoted and referred sermons of His. This sermon mainly stresses on the conclusion of the message of guidance from Allah and that Prophet (PBUH) had completed His duty and now it rests upon Muslims to make sure that the message is spread to all those who weren’t there and who haven’t heard about it at present. | <urn:uuid:3c3b50ba-2212-4fa3-ad76-dfc8ddbb346f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.quranreading.com/blog/last-sermon-of-our-beloved-prophet-saws/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395546.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00081-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959197 | 2,177 | 2.625 | 3 |
Balancing Bipolar Disorder
Better treatments and increased awareness make living with bipolar disorder easier.
Better Bipolar Treatments
Once a correct diagnosis is made, treatment can be highly effective. Medication and psychotherapy both help, Gitlin says. Research suggests that interpersonal and social rhythm therapy -- where the focus is on improving interpersonal relationships and regularizing daily routines and sleep schedules to help prevent manic episodes -- gets results. The number of medications available to treat bipolar disorder has increased in the past five years, with the overall goal being long-term stabilization of mood.
Lithium was the first mood stabilizer approved by the FDA, more than 35 years ago. The medication works by stabilizing or smoothing out moods, helping to prevent both extremes of depression and mania.
Anticonvulsants such as valproate (Depakote) or carbamazepine (Tegretol) also can help stabilize mood. Some doctors think these drugs are helpful for difficult-to-treat bipolar episodes.
Atypical antipsychotics (also called second-generation antipsychotics) such as aripiprazole (Abilify), clozapine (Clozaril), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), risperidone (Risperdal), and ziprasidone (Geodon) have also been tried as mood stabilizers when lithium or anticonvulsant medications do not work well for a particular patient.
Doctors may also prescribe antidepressants, but how to use them is a matter of debate. Some experts frown on them because, as Gitlin explains, they might lift mood too much, tipping the patient into a manic state. But others, including Gitlin, think that antidepressants can offer some benefits and that their use must be decided on a case-by-case basis. (Another wrinkle: The FDA recently issued a warning of an increased risk of dangerous behaviors among children and teens who took antidepressants.)
Treatment choices may change with time, depending on a person's mood and episodes. But treatment itself must be long-term, say Gitlin and other experts.
These days, Karen Renken is a changed person. The combination of better medications and continued therapy, she says, has made all the difference. "I'm pretty happy with my life," she says.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Bipolar Disorder
- Could I have bipolar disorder or some other condition?
- If I do, what treatment plan is best for me?
- What else can I do to minimize my symptoms?
- Where can I find resources and emotional support for my family and me? | <urn:uuid:0b282112-4ed8-4ceb-b773-631072e7b959> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/features/balancing-bipolar-disorder?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393442.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00169-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936153 | 554 | 2.59375 | 3 |
The intent of this book and video review guide is to help us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth.
“Can chickens talk? What does a rooster do all day? Would a mother hen attack a hawk? What happens within a family of chickens?”
These questions, posed by the author of A Rooster’s Tale, are beautifully and tenderly answered by the young rooster, Change, who tells the story of his life, as he sits, adorable and bright-eyed, perched on a fence, one year after he and his brothers and sisters hatched under their silvery-gray mother, Margarete, in a handsome two-story coop with full access to the outdoors, including the brook they wade in and the trees they sit in, once they’re old enough.
His story is a lyrical drama, full of color and sound, of voices and activities which place these vibrant chickens in a world of their own within the dynamic ecology of life surrounding them. Anyone who lives with chickens, as I do, knows how vocal chickens are. Roosters crow and hens cluck, but the vocabulary of chickens is much more varied. As Change explains, “Our chicken language is a wonderfully melodious and extensive one. You’ll hear every sound from very gentle and lovely to unpleasantly piercing and harsh. Every tone has its distinct meaning. All emotions, their own pitch and volume. Every action, its very particular sound, its own tune.” He reveals to us, by example and dramatization, how totally attuned chickens are “with sounds that guide us as reliably as our eyes and feet.”
CChange’s family not only live among trees; they have a family tree, with Mama and Papa, Uncle Fritz, brother Franziskus, sister Mirabelle, Aunt Leona, and the other clan members who share and contribute to the family history and personal biography of each bird. Since A Rooster’s Tale is designed to entice and educate children and adults of our species, the chickens are humanized to the extent that Change uses verbal language to tell his story. But what distinguishes this book, in addition to the beautiful color photographs by the author that accompany the narrative, and the delightful illustrations, is that it portrays the actual behaviors, interests, and enthusiasms of chickens, through Change’s vivid account.
As well as the exuberantly happy adventures that fill A Rooster’s Tale, there are occasional squabbles, trembling dangers, separations and strains of sadness. When they are 12 weeks old, seven of Change’s brothers are abruptly sent away, one hopes harmlessly, “to the country where there were no angry neighbors to complain about our joyously loud trumpet calls.” Change evokes the three mother hens’ distress over this “sudden loss-hurt,” and how, on that painful evening “our mothers spread their wings over the remaining chicks-unbeknownst to us, for the last time.” This is gut-wrenching, but the mothers are weaning their youngsters, who, after 10 excruciating days, “realized we would never again sit under our mothers’ wings.”
Thereafter, new adventures animate Change and his siblings, as they adjust to their new circumstances, and new places are discovered and excitedly explored. New experiences, Change tells us, include sunbathing with the dog (shown in a wonderful photograph) and the daily pleasures of being chickens that make “our hearts ring with joy” and “our life grow wings.”
A Rooster’s Tale is “A reading joy for children, adults, and everyone who takes animals seriously.” Author Claudia Bruckert, born in Munich, Germany, lives in Northern California with her husband, 2 dogs and 20 chickens. It is lovely to share their story.
Return to Book, CD and Video Review Guide | <urn:uuid:2199caf3-639a-480c-a0e6-30e1b3fc4193> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.all-creatures.org/book/r-a-roosters-tale.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00175-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96618 | 839 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Overall, [Chaco's Legacy] is achieving what we hoped for—the re-creation of an ancient landscape and lifeway. Now, Native people can offer critical input that will help convey what it all means.
Tucson, AZ (PRWEB) May 29, 2014
Now on display at Aztec Ruins National Monument and Salmon Ruins Museum, Chaco’s Legacy explores the rise and spread of a powerful ancient southwestern Pueblo society from New Mexico’s remote Chaco Canyon. Based in Archaeology Southwest’s latest research, the exhibition provides an intuitive vision of ancient Pueblo landscapes, sites, and artifacts through a virtual-reality game engine, Unity 3D. The National Science Foundation funded development of the exhibition, which will celebrate its grand opening at Bloomfield, New Mexico’s Salmon Ruins Museum on June 5.
Doug Gann and Paul Reed, Preservation Archaeologists with nonprofit Archaeology Southwest, conceived and developed the exhibition, and Gann and independent programmer David Koontz designed the digital infrastructure. That infrastructure ultimately provides archaeologists with a potent tool for sharing findings with the public—Chronological Virtual Reality (CVR). The CVR is a content management system for building interactive exhibits.
“I’ve been developing computerized tools to interpret archaeology for the public for almost three decades,” notes Gann, “but a paradigm shift came when I showed a prototype of this project to David, and he said, ‘Doug, this won’t pass the grandmother test.’” Koontz meant that mimicking the first-person interface of today’s video games as Gann had initially envisioned would create a world that only proficient gamers could negotiate. As a result, Koontz devised a system that enables the less-technologically-savvy to tour ancient places through defined pathways. Each stop on a virtual path can share text, 3D models, audio narration, and—in the interest of promoting public understanding of scientific inquiry and interpretation—dissenting scholarly views.
Through a touch screen, users can tour part of the Chacoan world through time and across space, interactively exploring eight monumental pueblos, several small villages, some pueblo room interiors, two ceremonial spaces, and hundreds of ancient objects, all dating between about A.D. 850 and 1200. The Chacoan landscape users navigate is a photorealistic digital model generated from photographs taken especially for the project by noted aerial photographer Adriel Heisey. Gann, fellow digital archaeologist Aaryn Brewer, and intern Brian Crosby created the 3D reconstructions of architecture and objects through a photogrammetric process on actual museum collections and by poring over nearly a century’s worth of published archaeological data.
Zuni cultural consultant Dan Simplicio enriched Chaco’s Legacy through his knowledge and guidance, challenging the team to create something that would not only serve as an education and preservation tool, but also help users appreciate the continuity among past, present, and future for Native peoples. “The [CVR] system behind the exhibit can help people achieve a partial understanding of the past while protecting esoteric aspects that are private and exclusive to indigenous people,” affirms Simplicio. “Overall, it’s achieving what we hoped for—the re-creation of an ancient landscape and lifeway. Now, Native people can offer critical input that will help convey what it all means.”
For Archaeology Southwest, the Chaco’s Legacy experience and the forthcoming release of the CVR as an open-source tool are central to its mission to explore and protect the places of the past. “I hope that the experiences realized through the CVR raise people’s awareness of where they fit in a 12,000-year continuum of life in the Southwest—and the whole of human history, globally,” says President and CEO Bill Doelle. “When people find a meaningful connection to those who came before, they become better stewards of the places and traces of the past.” Reed, who lives in northwestern New Mexico, adds, “I want people to know some of the stories of this fragile Chacoan landscape I love, which may be obliterated if it opens to oil and gas extraction through fracking, as planned.”
Chaco’s Legacy celebrates its grand opening on Thursday, June 5, 2014, 6:00–8:00 p.m., at Salmon Ruins Museum, 6131 Highway 64, Bloomfield, NM. Chaco’s Legacy is also on display at Aztec Ruins National Monument, 84 County Road 2900 ("Ruins Road"), Aztec, NM.
Evaluation copies of Chaco’s Legacy are available for download and professional review. Follow the contact information with this news release.
About Archaeology Southwest
Archaeology Southwest is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Tucson, Arizona, that explores and protects the places of our past across the American Southwest and Mexican Northwest. For three decades, Archaeology Southwest has practiced a holistic, conservation-based approach known as Preservation Archaeology. By exploring what makes a place special, sharing this knowledge in innovative ways, and enacting flexible site protection strategies, we foster meaningful connections to the past and respectfully safeguard its irreplaceable resources. Learn more at http://www.archaeologysouthwest.org. | <urn:uuid:15c36f87-162e-4848-b4d7-106add9a2c56> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/05/prweb11889445.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396872.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00066-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918977 | 1,125 | 2.75 | 3 |
They tore it down, and now they’ve cleaned it up.
On Tuesday, the final remnants of the K-25 uranium-enrichment facility were trucked off-site for disposal, essentially completing the billion-dollar demolition project that began in December 2008.
The last shipments including K-25 equipment that was contaminated with technetium-99, a radioactive material of particular concern, and Department of Energy spokesman Ben Williams confirmed those materials were being shipped to DOE’s Nevada National Security Site for disposal.
Most of the K-25 waste has been trucked to DOE’s Oak Ridge landfill, known officially as the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility. The disposal facility was designed and built specifically to accommodate cleanup wastes contaminated with low-level radioactive materials and hazardous chemicals.
URS-CH2M Oak Ridge (UCOR), the government’s cleanup manager in Oak Ridge, finished the demolition of K-25 — a World War II facility that was the world’s largest building under one roof at the time of its construction — in December. Since then, the effort has focused on removing the rubble and transporting it to landfills for disposal.
UCOR President Leo Sain said in a prepared statement: “While this final load of waste was just one in thousands of shipments that have been made, it represents so much more. A great deal of planning and careful execution has allowed us to finish this project safely and ahead of schedule, bringing a successful end to the largest demolition project DOE has ever undertaken.”
Photo credit: Wayne McKinney/UCOR | <urn:uuid:9ae8f071-d938-476c-b669-6c3b631a65bd> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://knoxblogs.com/atomiccity/2014/03/11/another-milestone-debris-free-k-25/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393997.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00042-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965766 | 327 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Comprehensive DescriptionRead full entry
BiologyFound in inshore habitats, lagoons, lakes and large to medium-size rivers; on sand or mud bottom. Spawns after first winter in March-July; individual females spawn several times during a season. Adhesive eggs deposited under or between stones, shells and aquatic plants and males guard the eggs until hatching. Feeds on a wide variety of benthic invertebrates (worms, amphipods, Ref.4696) (Ref.59043). | <urn:uuid:a00a7e16-5d07-4049-a17a-c684220e8d99> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://eol.org/pages/223790/overview | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408828.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00036-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920616 | 107 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Checkers (American English and Canadian English), also called American Checkers, Straight Checkers or, English Draughts (British English), is a popular board game all over the world. Unlike International Checkers, it is played on an eight-by-eight squared board (with sixty-four total squares) with twelve pieces on each side. The pieces move and capture diagonally. They may only move forward until they reach the opposite end of the board, when they are crowned or kinged and may henceforth move and capture both backward and forward.
As in all checkers variants, American Checkers is played by two people, on opposite sides of a playing board, alternating moves. Traditionally the pieces are either black, red, or white. The opponent's pieces are captured by jumping over them.
Over-the-board tournaments are (or were) held in Australia, Barbados, Canada, Channel Islands, China, Denmark, Germany, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- Pieces – Though pieces were traditionally made of wood, now many are made of plastic, though other materials may be used. Pieces are typically flat and cylindrical. They are invariably split into one darker and one lighter colour. Traditionally, these colours are white and red, but black and red are common in the United States, and light- and dark-stained wooden pieces are supplied with more expensive sets. There are two classes of pieces: men and kings. Kings are differentiated as consisting of two normal pieces of the same colour, stacked one on top of the other. Often indentations are added to the pieces to aid stacking.
- Starting position – Each player starts with twelve pieces on the dark spaces of the three rows closest to that person's own side (as shown in the diagram). The row closest to each player is called the crownhead or kings row. The player with the darker coloured pieces moves first.
- How to move – There are two ways to move a piece:
- A simple move involves sliding a piece one space diagonally forwards to an adjacent unoccupied dark square.
- A jump is a move from a square diagonally adjacent to one of the opponent's pieces to an empty square immediately and directly on the opposite side of the opponent's square, thus jumping directly over the square containing the opponent's piece. An uncrowned piece may only jump diagonally forwards, kings may also jump diagonally backwards. A piece that is jumped is captured and removed from the board. Multiple-jump moves are possible if when the jumping piece lands, there is another immediate piece that can be jumped; even if the jump is in a different direction. Jumping is mandatory – whenever a player has the option to jump, that person must jump (even if it's to the jumping player's disadvantage; for example, a player can choose to allow one of his men to get captured to set up capturing two or more of his/her opponent's men). When multiple-option jumping moves are available, whether with the one piece in different directions or multiple pieces that can make various jumping moves, the player may choose which piece to jump with and which jumping option or sequence of jumps to make. The jumping sequence chosen does not necessarily have to be the one that would have resulted in the most captures; however, one must make all available captures in the chosen sequence. Any piece, whether it is a king or not, can jump a king.
- Kings – If a player's piece moves into the kings row on the opposing player's side of the board, that piece is said to be crowned (or often kinged in the U.S.), becoming a king and gaining the ability to move both forwards and backwards. If a player's piece jumps into the kings row, the current move terminates; having just been crowned, the piece cannot continue on by jumping back out (as in a multiple jump), until the next move. A piece is normally crowned by placing a second piece on top of it; some sets have pieces with a crown molded, engraved or painted on one side, allowing the player to simply turn the piece over or to place the crown-side up on the crowned piece, further differentiating Kings from ordinary pieces.
- How the game ends – A player wins by capturing all of the opposing player's pieces or by leaving the opposing player with no legal moves. The game ends in a draw, if neither side can force a win.
In Tournament Checkers, a variation called three-move restriction is preferred. The first three moves are drawn at random from a set of accepted openings. Two games are played with the chosen opening, each player having a turn at either side. This tends to reduce the number of draws and can make for more exciting matches. Three-move restriction has been played in the United States championship since 1934. A two-move restriction was used from 1900 until 1934 in the United States and in the British Isles until the 1950s. Before 1900, championships were played without restriction: this style is called go-as-you-please (GAYP).
One rule of long standing that has fallen out of favour is the huffing rule. In this variation jumping is not mandatory, but if a player does not take their jump (either deliberately or by failing to see it), the piece that could have made the jump is blown or huffed, i.e. removed from the board. After huffing the offending piece, the opponent then takes their turn as normal. Huffing has been abolished by both the American Checker Federation and the English Draughts Association.
Two common rule variants, not recognized by player associations, are:
- That capturing with a king precedes capturing with a regular piece. (In such a case, any available capture can be made at the player's choice.)
- A piece which in the current move has become a king can then in the same move go on to capture other pieces (see under Kings, above).
- Main article: Portable Draughts Notation
For recording games, there is a standardised notation. All 32 reachable positions of the board are numbered in sequence. The numbering starts in black's double-corner. The blacks squares on the first rank are numbered 1 to 4, (in algebraic chess notation those being g1, e1, c1, a1. The next rank starts 5 to 8 (h2, f2, d2, b2) and so on. Moves are recorded as from-to, so a move from 9 to 14 would be 9-14. Captures are notated with an x connecting the start and end square. The result is often abbreviated as BW/RW (Black/Red wins) or WW (White wins)
A sample game. White resigned after blacks 46th move.
[Event "1981 World Championship Match, Game #37"]
[Black "M. Tinsley"]
[White "A. Long"]
1. 9-14 23-18 2. 14x23 27x18 3. 5-9 26-23 4. 12-16 30-26 5. 16-19 24x15 6. 10x19 23x16 7. 11x20 22-17 8. 7-11 18-15 9. 11x18 28-24 10. 20x27 32x5 11. 8-11 26-23 12. 4-8 25-22 13. 11-15 17-13 14. 8-11 21-17 15. 11-16 23-18 16. 15-19 17-14 17. 19-24 14-10 18. 6x15 18x11 19. 24-28 22-17 20. 28-32 17-14 21. 32-28 31-27 22. 16-19 27-24 23. 19-23 24-20 24. 23-26 29-25 25. 26-30 25-21 26. 30-26 14-9 27. 26-23 20-16 28. 23-18 16-12 29. 18-14 11-8 30. 28-24 8-4 31. 24-19 4-8 32. 19-16 9-6 33. 1x10 5-1 34. 10-15 1-6 35. 2x9 13x6 36. 16-11 8-4 37. 15-18 6-1 38. 18-22 1-6 39. 22-26 6-1 40. 26-30 1-6 41. 30-26 6-1 42. 26-22 1-6 43. 22-18 6-1 44. 14-9 1-5 45. 9-6 21-17 46. 18-22 BW
In Unicode, the checkers are encoded in block Miscellaneous Symbols:
- U+26C0 WHITE CHECKERS MAN
- U+26C1 WHITE CHECKERS KING
- U+26C2 BLACK CHECKERS MEN
- U+26C3 BLACK CHECKERS KING
The first English draughts computer program was written by Christopher Strachey, M.A. at the National Physical Laboratory, London. Strachey finished the programme, written in his spare time, in February 1951. It ran for the first time on NPL's Pilot ACE on 30 July 1951. He soon modified the programme to run on the Manchester Mark 1.
The second computer program was written in 1956 by Arthur Samuel, a researcher from IBM. Other than it being one of the most complicated game playing program written at the time, it is also well known for being one of the first adaptive program. It learned by playing games against modified versions of itself, with the victorious versions surviving. Samuel's program was far from mastering the game, although one win against a blind checkers master gave the general public the impression that it was very good.
In the 1990s, the strongest program was Chinook, written in 1989 by a team from the University of Alberta led by Jonathan Schaeffer. Marion Tinsley, world champion from 1955–62 and from 1975–91, won a match against the machine in 1992. In 1994, Tinsley had to resign in the middle of an even match for health reasons; he died shortly thereafter. In 1995, Chinook defended its man-machine title against Don Lafferty in a thirty-two game match. The final score was 1–0 with 31 draws for Chinook over Don Lafferty. In 1996 Chinook won in the USA National Tournament by the widest margin ever, and was retired from play after that event. The man-machine title has not been contested since.
In July 2007, in an article published in Science magazine, Chinook's developers announced that the program had been improved to the point where it could not lose a game. If no mistakes were made by either player, the game would always end in a draw. After eighteen years, they have computationally proven a weak solution to the game of Checkers. Using between two hundred desktop computers at the peak of the project and around fifty later on, the team made just 1014 calculations to search from the initial position to a database of positions with at most ten pieces.
The number of legal positions in American Checkers is estimated to be 1020, and it has a game-tree complexity of approximately 1040. By comparison, Chess is estimated to have between 1043 and 1050 legal positions.
When draughts is generalized so that it can be played on an n-by-n board, the problem of determining if the first player has a win in a given position is EXPTIME-complete.
The July 2007 announcement by Chinook's team stating that the game had been solved must be understood in the sense that, with perfect play on both sides, the game will always finish with a draw. Yet, not all positions that could result from imperfect play have been analyzed.
List of Top Checkers Programs Edit
See also Edit
- Minicheckers, a variant played on a 4x4 board
- Suicide Checkers, the misère variant
- Tiers, a complex variant of Checkers that allows players to upgrade their pieces beyond kings
- World Draughts Federation
- English Draughts Association
- American Checkers Federation
- List of World Checkers Champions | <urn:uuid:faf1f4e6-4650-454b-8ffd-39f0164048ba> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://checkers.wikia.com/wiki/Checkers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402479.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00081-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956349 | 2,559 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Data about the United States from the American Community Survey, Census, Housing and Economic Surveys, and more.
American Community Survey (ACS) - FAQs
What is the difference between the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year estimates?
Mostly the available geography.
1-year estimate = Data for areas with populations of 65,000+
3-year estiimate = Data for areas with populations of 20,000+ (most counties)
5-year estimate = Data for all areas
Does Social Explorer contain ACS 5-year estimate data for tracts, block groups, and blocks?
tracts = YES
block groups = YES
blocks = NO
What does "owner occupied" mean? What is a tract?
Definitions of "owner occupied" and other variable and geographic terms can be found in the American FactFinder glossary.
What is the difference between ACS and Census 2000/2010 (the Decennial Census)?
In previous Decennial Censuses, a short list of questions was sent to 100% of the population (short form questionnaire). In addition, a longer set of questions was sent to a sample of the population (long form questionnaire). This long form questionnaire contained detailed questions on such things as educational attainment. In order to provide data on the population between censuses, the American Community Survey was developed. Beginning in 2010, the American Community Survey also takes the place of the long form questionnaire. Many of the detailed variables formerly in the Decennial Censuses will now only be found in the American Community Survey data. | <urn:uuid:f04ef13a-0112-4875-8e7d-2b38e7b36e52> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/econ38acs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00025-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928229 | 326 | 2.65625 | 3 |
It is quite admirable that the Russian Government is commemorating the lives of those who were unfortunately murdered by Stalin [Foreign, ”Giant Cross Erected in Moscow in Memory of Stalin’s Victims,” August 8, 2007].
The government seems to be denouncing these unjust murders.
Still, the Russian government refuses to disclose the fate and whereabouts of a man named Raoul Wallenberg, who saved close to 100,000 innocent lives from the hands of the Nazis.
Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat sent by America to Budapest with the daunting task of saving Jews during the Holocaust. He created Swedish protective passes and safe houses for Jews in danger.
At the end of the war, Wallenberg was imprisoned by the Soviet Union.
Now, the Soviet Union is gone and President Putin still declines to disclose Wallenberg ‘s fate. Mr. Putin can prove that Russia finally believes in democracy and human rights by revealing Wallenberg’s fate and honoring him as the hero that he is.
The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
New York, N.Y.
August 14, 2007 | <urn:uuid:fd62d8b8-b15d-4e4f-9ec4-7c8567790288> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/press/2007/giant-cross-erected-moscow/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00123-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948035 | 227 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Eating one portion of fatty fish every week, or four of lean fish, could halve the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden sent a questionnaire to all women between 1987 and 1990 who were a part of The Swedish Mammography Cohort Study and born between 1914 and 1948.
The questionnaires requested information on their diet, height, weight, parity and educational level.
In 1997, a follow-up questionnaire was sent to 56,030 women still alive requesting the same information, but with additional information on smoking history, physical activity, and use of dietary supplements and aspirin.
As part of the dietary information request, the women were asked to complete food frequency questionnaires about how often they ate a choice of 67 foods in 1987, and 96 foods in 1997. These choices included a variety of lean and fatty fish.
Around 32,000 of the women had their health monitored between 2003 and 2010. Of these women, 205 were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
The results showed that across the study group overall, the women with the highest consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) had four times higher intake than those with the lowest intake.
Of the women who developed arthritis, 27% had a dietary omega-3 PUFAs intake of less than 0.21g a day.
The women who exceeded 0.21g a day - the equivalent to a minimum of one serving of fatty fish, or four servings of lean fish a week - in both 1987 and 1997 had a 52% lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
Overall, eating more than one serving of all types of fish every week for a minimum of 10 years was linked to a 29% reduced risk of arthritis when compared with eating less than one portion a week.
Additionally, the results showed that women who consumed the least omega-3 PUFAs included the highest number of smokers and the lowest proportion of alcohol drinkers and aspirin takers.
Arthritis is a disease that affects the musculoskeletal system, causing swelling, inflammation and stiffness of the joints. It is common in people aged over 50 years.
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of the disease, mainly affecting the fingers, arms, legs and wrists.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 50 million adults in the US suffer from some form of arthritis. It is estimated that by 2030, 67 million Americans will have developed the disease.
The researchers note that the results of this research sit in line with guidelines presented by the American Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, who suggest "eating seafood twice per week to get an average daily intake of 250mg of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet."
The following oily and lean fish are recommended in order to boost omega-3 fatty acids in the diet:
Eating one portion of fatty fish, such as mackerel or salmon, could cut your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis by 50%
- Fresh tuna
- Sea Bass
- Tinned Tuna
- Dover Sole
However, the researchers note they did not see a link between the use of omega-3 supplements and the decrease in risk of arthritis, but they add that the number of cases were limited in which supplements were used.
"The study indicates a potentially important role for dietary long-chain n-3 (omega 3) PUFAs in the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis, and that adherence to existing dietary guidelines regarding fish consumption may also be beneficial in terms of RA risk."
Previous research has also suggested that a regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent other diseases. Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London found that omega-3 fatty acids could help in the prevention of oral and skin cancers.
Another study from Michigan Technological University found that omega-3 oils could help protect the heart from mental stress. | <urn:uuid:fd8bf07d-41a2-40f0-935c-fa7cf90000cb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/264712.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00049-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954949 | 838 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Editor’s Note: Distance learning expands access to education and training to persons who could not otherwise participate. To be effective, it must resolve the retention problem that faces all higher education programs. There are several approaches to this problem: courses that are interesting and informative, training and support for course designers and instructors, along with time and the necessary resources to adapt to online learning environments. A blended course may facilitate transition by providing some face-to-face contact.
in Distance Learning Classes
Judy A. Serwatka
Much has been written about retention in distance learning courses. Authors have different ideas about what causes students to drop out of these courses. Some of the issues include lack of instructor training, poor course design, lack of student interaction, and personal commitments. Few actual studies have been done to provide evidence for these assumptions. This paper provides possible solutions to the problem of retention and offers suggestions for improvement in the entire field of distance education.
Keywords: distance learning, on-line learning, retention, MERLOT, instructional web sites, teaching modules, learning styles, faculty interaction, blended courses.
Retaining students is a number one priority in higher education. One way to improve overall retention is to reduce the withdrawal rate in on-line courses. The format of a course can have significant impact on student retention. Simply putting the same material that was used in an on-campus class on a web site and expecting the on-line students to learn at the same level as their on-campus counterparts is not logical. Distance learning requires a new pedagogy and alternative teaching tools to enable the learner to grasp material without the benefit of an instructor’s lecture.
On-line discussion boards are one way to provide interaction between instructor and students, and between students and students. Other forms of on-line learning can be used, however, to enhance the learning experience. Searching the Web for appropriate teaching materials and on-line simulations can be time-consuming and frustrating. The sheer volume of Web sites is overwhelming and a search that returns thousands of potential Web sites for a particular subject is enough to discourage anyone from trying to find Web-based materials for courses. Project MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching) is an effort to try and minimize the number of Web sites searched and provide a way to find quality instructional materials in a minimum of time.
Background and Purpose of Project MERLOT
Project MERLOT was initiated by faculty and administrators at several universities across the United States. The leaders for the project are located at California State University. The project was originally implemented by continuing an NSF project titled “Authoring Tools and An Educational Object Economy” at the Center for Distributed Learning (CDL) of California State University. Because of the interest generated by the initial project, the CDL invited other institutions and higher education systems to participate in order to expand MERLOT. The project is currently sponsored by the NSF Digital Library Project and endorsed by NLII/EDUCAUSE.
The purpose of Project Merlot is to develop a place where faculty can share instructional materials for all forms of on-line teaching. Material on the MERLOT Web site can be reviewed and downloaded by anyone, at no cost. Downloads are not limited to university faculty. This unlimited access provides the opportunity for more faculty and instructors to become involved in on-line teaching without “reinventing the wheel” each time the same topic is taught. Of course, this means that contributors must agree to allow their material to be use by other faculty.
Currently, 12 disciplines are included in the MERLOT project including Biology, Business, Chemistry, Foreign Languages, Health Sciences, History, Information Technology, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Psychology, and Teacher Education. The sites listed in each discipline are reviewed and rated by a team of faculty reviewers for that discipline. The faculty who were chosen as reviewers have been identified as outstanding educators in their discipline and have demonstrated expertise in using the Internet as part of their courses.
The web site for Project MERLOT (www.merlot.org) encourages contributors to submit course modules on specific topics. The contributor chooses which discipline under which to list the module. For instance, an instructor teaching a course in Computer Information Systems might submit a tutorial module on token-ring networks. Such a module could consist of lecture materials and a self-study quiz. A module submitted in Physics, currently on the site, illustrates the concept of Thermodynamic Equilibrium, using a Java Applet to show how gas particles move based on their temperature. Projects such as these, which are modules limited to a single topic, are the most useful for the Project. Many different types of modules can be submitted, ranging from tutorials to simulations. Anything that an instructor would find useful is acceptable.
A problem that has surfaced with on-line courses is the perception that they are not of the same quality as traditional courses because there has been no peer review process in place for the materials. Faculty who teach distance education courses have found that their institutions require peer review of their materials for promotion and tenure. Project MERLOT provides such peer review of the materials posted on its Web site. Before reviewing modules, the faculty reviewers scan the lists of submitted modules and determine which ones are eligible for review. This process is known a ‘triage’ and the team in each curriculum does this on a regular basis to ensure that the site has only good materials. The Merlot system also has a mechanism for updating out-dated links. The original contributor is contacted when an old or bad link is discovered and is asked to either update the link or eliminate it from the database.
Review Process in Project MERLOT
Each discipline team is made up of two team co-leaders and several faculty reviewers (the author is a member of the Information Technology team, made up of 12 faculty). Before the review process started, the teams are given the task to find Web-based modules and post them on the MERLOT Web site under the appropriate discipline. Because of this, the faculty reviewers have become contributors as well as reviewers. When the project first began, it was important to populate the site with as many modules as possible. The current focus is to find high quality sites and then post them for review.
After a sufficient number of modules have been identified and posted, the team members choose the sites they wish to review. In Information Technology, we divided our team into sub-teams, since there are so many different areas of expertise (programming, databases, networking, etc.). Each team then chooses sites from the MERLOT site to review, or the team leader chooses sites to review. An important aspect of the review process is the use of a single review form by all members of a review team. Project Merlot has developed an on-line review form that each discipline team now uses to ensure that the reviews are equivalent.
The formal review process consists of informal reviews by individual team members, sharing the review forms among the team members, then a walk-through of the site with all members involved in analyzing the merits and problems with a particular site. Prior to the formal review, a letter is sent to the author of the module, indicating that the site has been posted to MERLOT and asking permission to review the site and post the reviews for all faculty to see. If the author denies permission, then the review process ends, and the site will remain on MERLOT with no posted reviews. If the author agrees to the review, the final review is posted on the MERLOT web site, with a 1 to 5 star rating, similar to that used by the motion picture rating system. The author is also sent a letter that contains comments by the reviewers along with suggestions for improvement of the module, if needed. We have found that authors sometimes request that the reviewers postpone their review of a particular module until a later date because the site is undergoing upgrades. If this occurs then we respect the author’s request and delay the review.
The review process provides benefits to faculty in several ways. The author is provided with a peer review of the material by faculty from across several universities. The perspectives and teaching experiences of several people are incorporated into the review, giving it a better review than could be done by an individual reviewer. Evaluating a course module in this manner is very valuable. As accrediting bodies take a close look at distance learning programs and individual courses, obtaining peer review of the teaching materials will be an important benefit to those developing the materials. In addition, the promotion and tenure process often requires that non-tenured faculty provide evidence of teaching effectiveness and this process often requires peer review of teaching materials. The MERLOT review process and the letters sent to the author can provide evidence of such a review.
Another benefit to faculty of the MERLOT review process is the public posting of the reviews. By browsing the MERLOT Web site, an instructor can find materials for specific topics. When someone searches the site for a specific item, modules that meet the criteria are listed with the highest ratings first, giving the searcher the benefit of finding the highest quality modules very quickly. The reviews can provide an efficient way to determine if the materials are appropriate for a specific class or a specific group of students. The rating system also provides a quick review of the quality of the material in the module. Comments by reviewers are included in the posted review as well.
Future of MERLOT
The success of MERLOT depends both on the willingness of faculty to spend the time to review the modules, and the time taken by those who seek out and post modules to the site for review. Anyone can post a module on the site. Reviews can only be posted, however, by those who are designated as faculty reviewers. MERLOT is not a repository for the actual modules, but instead is a database of URLs with links to the actual modules. Thus, if a module changes, the MERLOT web site does not need to be changed. This keeps control of the module in the hands of the author.
The ultimate goal of this project is to hand over review of modules to professional organizations in the various discipline areas. The faculty chosen as reviewers have made a two year commitment to this process, so a permanent solution to the review process is needed. Since professional organizations are made up of faculty who are interested in the educational needs of their disciplines, it is logical that they should take over this review process. One way to achieve this is to introduce the organizations to the concept of Project MERLOT as often as possible. The discipline team members are encouraged to write about and make presentations at their institutions, professional conferences and other venues to introduce Project Merlot to as many faculty as possible.
In order to further the discussions about peer review of the online materials, the First International MERLOT Conference was held in August 2001 and was open to anyone interested in this topic. The conference, titled “Faculty Approaches to Instructional Technology: Content, Collaboration, and Community" was designed for those interested in learning about shared content, peer reviews, learning objects, standards, and online communities. The conference was a good way for all reviewers and others to come together to discuss issues relating to the peer review of on-line teaching materials. Subsequent conferences in 2002, 2003, and 2004 have continued the discussion of the peer review process in order to improve the quality of submissions on the Merlot Web site.
The Issue of Retention
Project Merlot is an excellent resource, as long as faculty make use of it, as well as any other technologies that are available to make an on-line course interactive and interesting. Faculty must also take into account the differences in students in an on-line class. When we teach a face-to-face class, after a few weeks the instructor can get a feel for which students are lagging behind and those who are keeping up with the material. We don’t have that luxury in an on-line course. And no instructor can design a class to meet all learning styles (Palloff and Pratt, 2003). Addressing learning styles is at the heart of retaining students in on-line courses.
The generation of students that we now have in college was brought up working with computers; they have them in their homes and in their elementary and high schools. As faculty, we have a different mindset, one that is not so technically oriented, and thus our teaching methods match our mindset. Modifying the presentation of course material to fit with today’s students is necessary to retain these students. Students today process information differently than we did, so we need to take advantage of that when creating on-line courses.
Faculty interaction with the students has also been cited as a reason that students drop out of on-line courses (Olgren, 2004). Specifically, it is not the type of interaction that is the problem, but rather the lack of interaction. The faculty that teach in this relatively new form of education should be given instruction in how to manage the class and the training should stress the importance of faculty interaction with the students. It is not unreasonable for a student to expect a response within 24 hours from a faculty member. The response may be to an e-mail or to a discussion posting. In order to set the stage for this interaction, it is very important for the faculty member to specify at the beginning of the course how responses will be handled. While it is important to respond quickly, it is also important to tell the students when responses cannot be expected (for instance, I always tell my students that I check e-mail at least once over weekends and holidays, just so that they don’t always expect a response within 24 hours during those times). If guidelines are set up early, and posted when students can check them, the students’ frustration level will be greatly reduced.
Student retention can also be addressed by the format of the course. A form of learning in which the students come to campus or to a learning center for a limited number of meetings during the course, called hybrid or blended courses, may be better than courses that are offered entirely on-line (Rovai and Jordan, 2004). Such a course can give the students the reassurance they need to see the instructor and ask questions in person, along with the convenience of not meeting on a bi-weekly or weekly basis. Such courses fit better into a student’s life when family or employment demands prevent the attendance in a regularly scheduled class.
One theory on distance learning says that discussion forums and debates are the main method that should be used to engage students and keep them interested in a course (Pallof and Pratt, 2003). However, this is only one form of interaction that can be used. One must also keep in mind that students may not be comfortable with such interaction. Most traditional students and adult students have spent the majority of their school years in environments in which lecture was the primary tool for disseminating information (Conrad and Donalson, 2004). Trying new techniques may be difficult at first. Using exercises that provide an ‘ice breaker’ may help students get used to interacting with their peers. One method of doing this is to provide an informal discussion area. The instructor can invite the students to share personal information about themselves or their careers. Most people like to talk about themselves. Such an exercise will give the students a chance to know more about each other and to practice writing to a discussion board and responding to others. Making the students feel comfortable in the learning environment is an important part of retaining them in the class. The instructor should strive to create a sense of community among the students so they care about one another and are interested in what others have to say.
Once the students have become familiar with each other, various forms of discussion boards can be used. The teacher can post a case study with questions to be answered. This activity can be done as an entire class project, or the class can be divided into groups, with a group leader, and the discussion can take place among the smaller group of students. An instructor may use a real-life case scenario where a group of Computer Technology students are given a project, such as creating a Web-based business, and they must use all the talents in their group to decide on a business model, design the site, and possibly even program it. Another activity could be virtual field trips, using on-line resources available for a specific discipline. Some examples include China Virtual tours, Virtual Tour of the Ear, and Historical Tour of the White House (Conrad and Donaldson, 2004).
When planning alternative activities for an on-line course, Project Merlot is a good place to start. Materials found at Merlot may be the foundation to use to start the discussion on a topic, or to be used as background material for a discussion on some other topic. While creating on-line courses does require much research up-front on the part of the instructor, the value to the student is immeasurable. And, making the material fun and informative can engage the student and give them an incentive to complete the course and go on to others toward the completion of a degree.
Solving the retention problem in higher education is of primary interest to faculty and administrators alike. Providing on-line courses that are interesting and informative is one way to help retain students.
Project MERLOT is a concept that is desperately needed in the world of distance learning. Anyone who has faced the possibility of developing an on-line course from scratch will appreciate the help that such a Web site provides. The support the faculty members receive from their individual institutions in this project will determine the ultimate success of failure of the project.
One problem that has been identified is the additional work that this has put on the faculty reviewers. One reviewer indicated that she had been given what she called “virtual release time” to work on the project. Even though on paper she had a release for Project MERLOT, in fact she had been asked to teach an extra class during the same semester so the release time was really non-existent. Support for this project is needed in order to have quality reviews. The only way this will happen is if the faculty involved in the project have time to work on it. Those who are involved in this project are dedicated to improving the materials available for distance learning instructors. The importance of this form of teaching is evident in the number of commercial ventures that have been developed. The success of MERLOT will be measured by how well it helps faculty develop and improve their distance learning courses.
Better training for instructors may also be a key to improving student retention. A teacher that is well-suited to the classroom environment may or may not be a good on-line instructor. In addition, the format of the on-line courses should be studied. A blended course may serve the students needs and provide some face-to-face contact to give the students the instructor contact they want.
Conrad, R.M., and Donaldson, J.A., Engaging the Online Learner, Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Hanley, G. L., and Thomas, C. (December, 2000). MERLOT: Peer Review of Instructional Technology. Syllabus [On-line], 14(3) Available: http://www.syllabus.com/syllabusmagazine/oct00_fea.html.
Olgren, C. (December, 2004). “Reasons for Attrition”, Distance Education Certificate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, http://uwmad.courses.wisconsin.edu/d2l/tools/files/accessFile.asp?file-6847687&code=641915067.
Palloff, R.M., and Pratt, K. The Virtual Student: A Profile and Guide to Working with Online Learners, Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Rovai, A. P. and Jordan, H. M. (August, 2004). “Blended Learning and Sense of Community: A Comparative Analysis with Traditional and Fully Online Graduate Courses”. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning [On-line], ISSN: 1492-3831. Available: http://www.irrodl.org/content/v5.2/rovai-jordan.html.
Young, J. R. (June 1, 2000). Merlot Project Brings Peer Review to Web Materials for Teaching. The Chronicle of Higher Education, [On-line], Available: http://chronicle.com/free/2000/06/2000060101u.htm.
About the Author
Judy A. Serwatka Ed.D, CDP
Judy A Serwatka Ed.D, CDP received her A.S. and B.S. in Computer Technology from Purdue University Calumet. She received an M.S. in Management from Purdue University Calumet and completed her EdD in Business Education at Northern Illinois University. Dr. Serwatka has taught courses in Computer Technology for 20 years at Purdue and held several positions in the computer industry for 13 years prior to her teaching career. She has taught on-line courses since 1996 and was Distance Education Coordinator at Purdue University Calumet. Dr. Serwatka is also the author of a textbook, Business Data Communications, Introductory Concepts and Techniques. The fourth edition of this text was published in December, 2003.
Dr. Judy A. Serwatka
Associate Professor of Computer Technology
Purdue University North Central
1401 S. US 421, Westville, IN 46391 | <urn:uuid:e36fc05d-9e26-4515-888f-3550c50a766e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.itdl.org/journal/jan_05/article06.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00105-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950198 | 4,457 | 3.078125 | 3 |
I know your time is limited, and this site is very big--90,000 words at last count--so here's a quick rundown of what you'll find in its pages. The emphasis is on teaching you how to bring your blood sugars down to the level that peer reviewed research has shown will prevent complications. The statements you'll find here are not just opinions. They're backed up by mainstream medical research which you can read--and evaluate--for yourself as we provide links to the actual journal articles.
Here's a summary of the most important topics you'll find on this site. Each topic is followed by a link or links to the pages that go into each point in detail.
You Can Avoid Deterioration and Complications No Matter How Bad Your Blood Sugar is Right Now
- Type 2 diabetes does not have to be a progressive disease. Doctors think it is progressive because they don't recommend blood sugar targets that are low enough to prevent deterioration.
Do People with Type 2 Always Deteriorate?
How Blood Sugar Control Deteriorates
From Normal to Type 2
- Prolonged exposure to blood sugars over 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/l) damages your organs and causes diabetic complications.
Research Connecting Organ Damage to Blood Sugar Levels
Healthy Blood Sugar Targets
- No matter how bad your blood sugar right now, you can get it down to a safe level.
Inspiring Stories of People Who Did
- The way you get your blood sugar down is to do the following:
- Cut back on your carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the main thing that raises blood sugar. Replace starch and sugar with protein and non-trans fat.
How to Get Your Blood Sugar Under Control
A Diabetes Diet is Different from a Weight Loss Diet
- If cutting your carbohydrates down to about 15 grams a meal doesn't give you normal blood sugars, ask your doctor to prescribe Metformin ER.
The Truth about Oral Drugs - From Research
Oral Drugs--A Quick Summary
Be Safe with Rx Drugs
- If Metformin ER doesn't help or isn't appropriate, try Byetta for a short time and continue using it only if you get strong results. DPP-4 inhibitors like Januvia and Onglyza are dangerous drugs capable of turning off the part of the immune system your body uses to fight certain cancers. Avoid it.
- If you still don't have normal blood sugars talk to your doctor about adding basal insulin. If basal insulin doesn't give you normal blood sugars, use insulin after meals too. Used properly with a lower carb intake, insulin will always work. If it isn't working for you, you need to find a doctor who can help you fine tune your dose.
Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes
- Lowering blood sugars to normal levels can reverse some diabetic complications, most notably nerve pain (neuropathy) and early kidney changes.
Diabetic Kidney Disease
- Diabetes is not caused by gluttony and laziness. Research shows it is a genetic disease caused by many different genetic flaws. Much evidence is accumulating that many of these genetic flaws are caused by toxins in our environment including common herbicides, arsenic, plastics, and pharmaceutical drugs.
You Did Not Eat Your Way to Diabetes
- Diabetes is often Not Diagnosed Correctly and Undiagnosed Diabetes Causes Complications
There are many more topics covered on this site, but these are the ones that are most important. I invite you to come and read the whole site when you have time. The information you find here could save your health!
Our Diabetes Update Blog is Where You'll Find a Wealth of Articles and the Latest Diabetes NewsYou'll find our blog HERE. There are almost 500 articles posted there which cover research and topics of interest to people with diabetes. Use the "Search" you'll find on either the blog or this web site to find articles that answer your questions and address your concerns
The "Updates to Blood Sugar 101" Blog Is Another Blog That Helps You Keep up with Updates to This SiteAll changes to this site are posted in a second, special update blog. Each blog entry lists a change made to the pages here, with a link to the changed page and a brief description of the change.
Here's the Site Update Blog
Search This SiteThis site is huge. You'll find a Google search bar you can use to find what you are looking for at the top of the left hand column of every page. This search will search both the Blood Sugar 101 main site and main blog.
Remember to use caution when responding to any ads Google displays. We monitor these ads on a regular basis and block any that we see that are clearly bogus, but occasionally abusive ads slip through. So please don't fall for "miracle cure" claims for supplements and diet products.
Now There's a Book Version of This Site's ContentTake it to the beach with you. Give it to your friends or relatives who are having trouble controlling their blood sugars.
Blood Sugar 101: What They Don't Tell You About Diabetes presents the information found on this site in a logically organized, easy-to-read form.
Check it out and read the reviews HERE.
How to Leave Feedback and Communicate with UsJenny Ruhl, the author of this site, welcomes your emails which you can send to the address you'll find on the "Contact the Author" page you'll find linked at the top of every page.
Please keep in mind that Jenny is not a doctor and cannot answer specific questions about your medical condition or that of a family member. She cannot help you collect evidence for legal actions involving medical malpractice. She does not give diet advice beyond suggesting that you try the technique you'll find described HERE.
Jenny's research into the validity of claims made for various kinds of low carb diets is the subject of her latest book, Diet 101: The Truth About Low Carb Diets. If you are concerned about the long term health effects of a low carb diet, this book will give you a much better idea of what the real challenges are that face those who attempt to eat this way over the long term. Like all Jenny's writing, this book avoids evangelizing for any one solution to the complex health problems many of us face, keeping in mind that even when we share a symptom, be it high blood sugar or a weight problem, our individual physiologies differ and each one of us must carefully study the alternatives and choose solutions that work for our own unique situation. | <urn:uuid:b709e444-ccd7-4643-9b5c-e6737639d986> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/18217337.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00114-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9245 | 1,337 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Purchased by the deGrummond Collection.
Noncirculating; available for research.
The collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. Code). Reproductions can be made only if they are to be used for "private study, scholarship, or research." It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials, other than that noted above.
Perhaps a child can inherit his parent's artistic touch. At least of Walter Crane this seems to have been true. As a young boy, Crane spent many of his days in the studio of his father, a lithographer and portrait artist, sketching the hands and feet of his father's commissions. Born in mid-nineteenth century Victorian Britain this young man studied John Gilbert's engraved illustrations in the Illustrated London News--an illustrator who exerted a great deal of influence on his contemporaries' illustration style and consequently on Crane's early artistic development.
In 1857 at age eleven, Crane moved to London and worked as an engraver's apprentice for noted master engraver W. J. Linton, who recognized and wished to develop Crane's talent as a designer. Crane had already won the praise of the famous art critic, John Ruskin, for a color illustration of Tennyson's Lady of Shalott. During his three years as an apprentice, Crane drew a variety of things from iron bedsteads for mail-order catalogs, and medical dissection diagrams, to biblical and book illustrations as well as court sketches for the magazine News of the World. After leaving Linton's tutelage, Crane illustrated the paper covers of cheap railway novels. Edmund Edwards, the engraver of his designs, persuaded Crane to try his hand at colored picture books for young people, and so began Crane's work as a children's book illustrator. He was only twenty years old.
During the next ten years, Crane produced about four picture books every year, mostly nursery rhymes. Most readers will recognize Little Red Riding Hood The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast. Once he finished those, Crane made three little books of nursery songs, with the music set on one side of the page and the illustration on the other. Book publishers rejected the first of these, The Baby Opera 1877), because of its design, but the public accepted Crane's book and demanded a printing of more than 40,000 copies. Crane followed Baby Opera with Baby's Bouquet, a collection of German, French and English songs translated by his sister Lucy, and The Baby's Own Aesop. These three books found an eager audience in Britain.
In addition to his picture books and nursery songs, Crane illustrated some sixteen children's stories by Mrs. Molesworth, who was often criticized for the child-like grammar and moralizing tone present in her work. Among those that Crane decorated were The Rectory Children (1889) and The Children in the Castle (1890). Crane also provided illustrations for two of Robert Louis Stevenson's books.
Crane's travels took him all across the European continent and even to America, where his work was greatly admired. He died at home in West Kensington, London, at the age of sixty-nine a year after the First World War began.
A. Illustration1/1 Original matted ink drawing of St. David's Cathedral, Wales -- 1885. One item.
The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive, #5148
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Comments and Questions | <urn:uuid:df16bd53-0b08-456c-a448-f51e039f8272> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/public_html/html/research/findaids/crane.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394937.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00011-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962532 | 758 | 2.703125 | 3 |
The cause for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is a febrile disease. It is caused by group A beta hemolytic streptococci. Initially, it affects the throat (streptococcal sore throat). Later it affects the joints. Ultimately it affects the heart. The usual saying is 'it licks the joints and bites the heart'.
Rheumatic heart disease occurs mainly in the form of mitral stenosis. It may also affect aortic, pulmonary and tricuspid valves. The complications of RHD are pulmonary hypertension, congestive cardiac failure, sub acute bacterial endocarditis (SBC) and atrial fibrillation.
Prevention and control
1. Identification and treatment of cases with streptococcal sore throat. Throat swab culture must be done in suspected cases. Positive cases must be treated with long acting penicillin.
2. By means of School health services, school children can be screened. This will help in early detection and treatment.
By improving socio economic conditions. Improvement of living conditions, better housing and breaking of poverty can prevent infection. | <urn:uuid:8a0faf6f-7512-4c38-b56a-fe788fb4eeae> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.preservearticles.com/201105277195/how-to-prevent-rheumatic-disease.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395621.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00108-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.895962 | 242 | 3.609375 | 4 |
The legal effects of an archaeological discovery can depend on a number of different circumstances.
First, many discoveries occur within the context of pre-planned archaeological research, conducted by professionals under the auspices of the requisite provincial/territorial authorization. Such research is conducted with the consent of the landowner. The normal procedure, on making a discovery, would be to notify the landowner to ensure that any threatening work in the vicinity is halted and that the site is secure. That is usually uncontroversial, since the landowner would not have had the archaeologist on the property unless there was some expectation this might occur. If the discovery was of human remains that were not very old, the archaeologist would also ensure that the police were contacted immediately.
Otherwise, the archaeologist would also notify the provincial/territorial archaeological authorities and (as described later) consult with likely descendants of the people whose property or remains had been discovered.
Accidental or fortuitous discoveries are a different matter. There are fundamental legal differences in the treatment of discoveries of:
human remains and
Each of these will be discussed in turn. | <urn:uuid:a8f08ac6-b7a7-4125-bf3c-57f7ee6fcb79> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/docs/r/pfa-fap/sec7/decouv_discov2.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00040-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969628 | 226 | 3 | 3 |
The 1641 Depositions
Politics, Society and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The conference will take place on Saturday, 10 April 2010, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Arts Building, 6th Floor, IIIS Seminar Room, Trinity College Dublin
To register, pleasee-mail email@example.com
Registration Fee: €10 (payable on the day)
The Research Resource
The three-year project aims to transcribe and digitise the Depositions comprising 3,400 depositions, examinations and associated materials, located in the Library of Trinity College Dublin, in which Protestant men and women of all classes told of their experiences following the outbreak of the rebellion by the Catholic Irish in October, 1641. Collected by government-appointed commissioners, the witness testimony runs to approximately 19,000 pages, and constitutes the chief evidence for the sharply contested allegation that the rebellion began with a general massacre of protestant settlers. As a result, this material has been central to a protracted and bitter historical dispute. Propagandists, politicians and historians have all exploited the depositions at different times, and the controversy surrounding them has never been satisfactorily resolved. In fact, the 1641 ‘massacres’, like King William’s victory at the Boyne (1690), and the battle of the Somme (1916), have played a key role in creating and sustaining a collective Protestant/British identity in the province of Ulster.
This body of material, unparalleled elsewhere in early modern Europe, provides a unique source of information for the causes and events surrounding the 1641 rebellion and for the social, economic, cultural, religious, and political history of seventeenth-century Ireland, England and Scotland. In addition, the depositions vividly document various colonial and ‘civilizing’ processes, including the spread of Protestantism in one of the remotest regions of the Stuart kingdoms and the introduction of lowland agricultural and commercial practices, together with the native response to these developments. However, they are both difficult to access and to read, which has severely restricted their research potential. This project, transcribing the depositions and making them available online, will greatly facilitate their use by a wide audience, build on established links between TCD and the University of Aberdeen, and develop the strategic aims of both institutions.
Aims and Objectives
The main objectives are to transcribe and digitise the ‘1641 Depositions’, and to create a comprehensive electronic resource. This material will be published on the web, providing a unique research tool, of interest to both the academic community and the general public. There will be a major international conference, held in Dublin during Year 3, with an edited volume of the proceedings appearing after the project has been completed. It is also planned to hold an exhibition in Year 3 (with a published catalogue) in the TCD Library, which attracts over 30,000 visitors each month. The project will also deliver a working methodology for the transcription and digitisation of manuscript collections, which can be applied to other unique historical collections.
There are also a number of wider outcomes. Web site publication would give users access to all images and transcripts, with search options allowing free text search, while the database (described in the technical appendix) will facilitate more detailed projects in a variety of disciplines, and provide an ideal tool for use in the teaching environment, at both taught postgraduate and undergraduate levels. The transcripts and database will also provide the raw source material for further research. In addition, the transcriptions and database are also designed to be of interest to the general public, both for historical and genealogical purposes.
The principal methods will include:
a) Digital imaging of the source material at preservation standard and to archival specifications.
b) Comprehensive transcription and mark-up of the source in XML, using the Text Encoding Initiative [TEI] P4 guidelines, to realise the widest achievable functionality in the time frame allowed.
c) Output of digital images for display online.
d) Output of transcripts to open source SQL format and PDF (for download)
e) Publication online, incorporating the images and SQL database (using PHP), allowing users to search across a wide variety of fields, as well as free text.
f) Conservation treatment for 7 volumes of Depositions
The 1641 Depositions Team
• A collaborative initiative between Trinity College, Dublin (Aidan Clarke, Bernard Meehan, Jane Ohlmeyer, Micheal O’Siochrú); Aberdeen University (Tom Bartlett) and Cambridge University (John Morrill)
• Cost €1M - funded by Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS, Research Project Grants; €247k), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC, Resource Enhancement Scheme; €650k) and the Trinity College Dublin Library (€105k)
• Three postdoctoral researchers working for 3 years (now in place)
• Technical support (Brian Donovan of Eneclann Ltd)
• Susan Bioletti, Keeper of Preservation and Conservation, Trinity College Library
• Begins October 2007 for 3 years
• One Conservator (now in place) | <urn:uuid:179be0c2-1434-432e-beeb-55a4176f11f7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.tcd.ie/history/1641/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396945.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00004-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913402 | 1,081 | 2.546875 | 3 |
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Differences in Home-Range Size Computed in Commonly Used Software Programs
Elise J. Gallerani Lawson and Arthur R. Rodgers
Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006)
Vol. 25, No. 3 (Autumn, 1997), pp. 721-729
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3783526
Page Count: 9
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With the advancement of radiotracking techniques, there has been a dramatic increase in the quantity and quality of locational and movement data obtained for a variety of wildlife species. Automated tracking systems, in particular, produce enormous amounts of data. These data help researchers determine movements, home ranges, and habitat use by individuals and populations. One of many challenges is determining not only which home-range estimators to use, but also which home-range program will best fulfil study objectives. We used data from a moose (Alces alces) fitted with a test Global Positioning System (GPS) collar to compare home-range sizes estimated by 5 commonly used software packages (CALHOME, HOME RANGE, RANGES IV, RANGES V, TRACKER). We found large differences in calculated home-range sizes using minimum convex polygon, harmonic mean, and kernel estimators at 3 levels of resolution (95%, 75%, and 50% of locations). Comparing home ranges among different research studies can be misleading unless researchers report choices for software program, home-range estimators, user-selected options, and input values of required parameters.
Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006) © 1997 Wiley | <urn:uuid:6476b192-40f1-4626-9e2d-0127a5026f2c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.jstor.org/stable/3783526 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396959.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00187-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.811526 | 364 | 2.546875 | 3 |
An ideology that begins with the idea that humans can be divided into distinct categories or groups based on perceived physical differences, which in turn are seen as being intrinsically related to differences regarding intellectual abilities, moral character, personality traits, and cultural values. These differences are used to depict some groups as being inherently superior and others inherently inferior, thereby serving as a rationale for systems of racial stratification and domination (Banton 1987, Shibutani and Kwan 1965).
Prior to the nineteenth century, religion was the primary vehicle used in the articulation and propagation of racist ideas. Modern thinking about racial divisions arose at the time that Europeans began to explore and colonize vast part of the globe. The impetus for such thinking revolved around the question of what kinds of policies Europeans ought to enact in establishing relations with the indigenous peoples they encountered. This was clearly an important matter in the Americas. It was unclear to the earlier colonial powers whether the proper course of action was to attempt to incorporate or assimilate these peoples, establish some form of pluralism, or engage in exclusionist policies.
These questions were apparent in the famous sixteenth-century debate in Spain between Bartolome de las Casas and Juan Gines de Sepulveda. The latter, using Aristotle's description of the "natural slave," argued that the domination by Spaniards of the indigenous peoples of the Americas was just because of the sins of those peoples (especially important to him was the sin of idolatry). Subjugation was considered necessary as a precursor to efforts aimed at converting the natives to Christianity. In short, Sepulveda offered a philosophical and theological justification for the colonial domination and enslavement of the Indian population.
Las Casas countered this conclusion by arguing, first, that the Indians were fully human and therefore the equals of the Spaniards. Although he did not disagree with the proselytizing work of Catholic missionaries, he forcefully challenged what he took to be the unwarranted arrogance of those who failed to realize that nobody is born enlightened. Las Casas argued that every human must be nurtured and instructed, and that this must be done in all instances with a sense of humility and compassion. In short, his understanding of Christian theology provided him with a basis for challenging the racist doctrine advanced by his opponent. Although some observers at the debate found Las Casas to be the more persuasive of the two, subsequent historical events clearly indicate that Sepulveda's views prevailed in practice, as the Spanish initiated a ruthless campaign of subjugation (Hanke 1970).
Similar views were held by other European colonizers and were clearly evident throughout the nineteenth century. In the United States, for example, an ideological justification for the policy of Indian removal from their ancestral lands was contained in the Manifest Destiny doctrine. This doctrine reflected a conviction that the white settler nation was destined to control the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Underpinning the concept was the religious belief held since the Puritan period that the United States had a providential mission to tame the continent and Christianize it (Dinnerstein et al. 1990:87 ff.).
According to Roy Harvey Pearce (1967), the American Indian was seen as religiously and morally incomplete and as an impediment to civilization. Although some EuropeansCatholics earlier than Protestantssaw it as their duty to convert these nonbelievers, others were less sanguine about the prospects of "civilizing" them and sought to remove or otherwise eliminate the American Indians from their midst.
However, during the nineteenth century, two developments emerged that reshaped the role of religion in the formulation and perpetuation of racist discourses. The first development involved the supplanting of religion by science in providing an ideological grounding for racialist thought. This shift was evident, for example, in Arthur de Gobineau's The Inequality of Human Races , which first appeared in the middle of the nineteenth century. De Gobineau offered a quasi-scientific, rather than religious, justification for the European colonization of much of the rest of the world. Such scientific racism also was evident in the nativist attacks on mass immigration in the early twentieth century. By this time, Darwinism and eugenics had become the dominant conceptual undergirdings of racist thought. Although such thinking has increasingly come under attack, particularly after World War II, those ideologues who still attempt to advance racist ideas generally do so by turning to science rather than religion, as the most recent example of such thinking, Herrnstein and Murray's The Bell Curve (Free Press 1994), attests.
The second change occurred at the same time that science replaced religion in legitimating racist discourses. Increasingly from the nineteenth century onward, religion was used as a vehicle for attacking racism. The abolitionist movement, generally rooted in Protestant churches, became the focal point of opposition to slavery. Abolitionists, despite their desire to abolish what historian Kenneth Stampp referred to as "the peculiar institution" in a book with that title (Knopf 1956), often shared with proponents of slavery a belief in the inherent inferiority of blacks. But they understood that presumed inferiority, not by recourse to religious discourse about the children of light and the children of darkness, but to biology, and later to cultural explanations that were not generally infused with theological arguments.
Religion performed a crucial role in structuring a distinctive worldview within the African American community. Beginning during the antebellum era, as historian Eugene Genovese (1972) has shown, the world the slaves made was shaped by a Christianity that had been transformed from the version promoted by the slaveholders, with its emphasis on quiescence and acceptance of slavery, to one in which Christianity became the primary ideological basis for resisting oppression and for seeking liberation from slavery. After emancipation, with the emergence of a distinct African American community, the church proved to be a center of resistance to the oppressive conditions of the new racial order that emerged after the failure of Reconstruction. With the beginning of the civil rights movement in the 1950s, the church proved to be an important resource insofar as it supplied the movement with leaders, a mobilized mass, and an ideological rationale for nonviolent confrontation. The singular importance of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in the campaign to end segregation in the American South is evidence of the important role religion played in resistance to racism (Lincoln and Mamiya 1990).
The white Christian churches were divided. Many liberal Protestant denominations and liberal Catholicsthe clergy often before the laityembraced and often actively took part in the civil rights movement. While some conservative religious bodies expressed vocal opposition to the civil rights movement, many churches simply remained silent on the issue. However, by the end of the 1960s, racism was rather roundly repudiated by religious bodies across the political spectrum. Thus the New Christian Right publicly condemns racism and argues on behalf of racial equality.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the religious center has become an important component of antiracist discourses. Only at the peripheryand one can look on the one hand at the Christian Identity movement and on the other at the Nation of Islamcan one find religion being used to legitimate racist thought.
M. Banton, Racial Theories (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987)
L. Dinnerstein et al., Ethnic Americans (New York: Oxford University Press, 1990)
E. Genovese, Roll, Jordan, Roll (New York: Pantheon, 1972)
A. de Gobineau, The Inequality of Human Races (London: Heinemann, 1915 [1853-1855])
L. Hanke, Aristotle and the American Indians (Bloomington: University of Indiana Press, 1970)
C. E. Lincoln and L. H. Mamiya, The Black Church in the African American Experience (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1990)
R. H. Pearce, Savagism and Civilization (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1967)
T. Shibutani and K. M. Kwan, Ethnic Stratification (New York: Macmillan, 1965).
|return to Encyclopedia Table of Contents| | <urn:uuid:0351af50-b5fa-4a06-97b4-5749b3e852f6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/Racism.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399106.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00013-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955132 | 1,662 | 3.9375 | 4 |
Books by Stefan Stenudd:
The Pisces Symbol
Its Origin and Meaning in Astrology
The above image is the established symbol (also called glyph) for the Zodiac sign Pisces, the Fish. It's a very simplified drawing of two fish swimming in converging streams of water. Both the Zodiac sign and its symbol have been along for ages.
The Zodiac, very much like the one we know today, might have emerged in Mesopotamia around 1000 BC. But Babylonian astrology is probably far older than that.
Two TailsThe Babylonians called this constellation and sign "The Tails," picturing the two fish swimming in opposite directions, also representing the rivers Euphrate and Tigris. The reason for the connection between the constellation and the fish is hidden in history, but it has been persistent. The constellation gives no clue.
When the stars in the constellation are connected with lines, it's not possible to make out the two fish, not even with the wildest imagination. Several of the Zodiac constellations are equally vague in depicting their Zodiac sign. Here's the constellation Pisces:
Below is an antique illustration of the same constellation, where the figures of the fish has been added. It's from a 17th century book: Firmamentum sobiescianum, by Johannes Hevelius, 1690.
Pisces in InkBelow is an ink version of the symbol for Pisces, which I did a number of years back in an experiment of using Japanese ink calligraphy (shodo) for old European astrology symbols. I've used these pictures on my astrology websites, mainly for fun and for the odd graphic effect, and I've seen them copied all over the Internet. I'm fine with that, although I think it wouldn't hurt if the source was mentioned. Well, what to do?
Anyway, here's that ink again, this time in the original black and white (click on the image to see a bigger version):
Pisces the SignAs for the picture commonly used to represent the Pisces Zodiac sign, it's been an image of two fish since the days of old Babylonia - surely much longer than the symbol described above has existed. Below is one typical example of the figure, where the stars of the constellation Pisces have also been marked, though not with unquestionable astronomical accuracy. It's an illustration from Poeticon astronomicon, a 1482 book by Hyginus.
Zodiac Sign SymbolsHere are the symbols (glyphs) of all the twelve Zodiac signs, and links to pages telling more about each Zodiac sign symbol. | <urn:uuid:adf10cec-2d5a-44bf-8ac6-8101206b041e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.pisceszodiacsign.net/piscessymbol.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954669 | 549 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Stroke Warning Signs
Think you are having a stroke? Call 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY!
F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the sudden signs of stroke. When you can spot the signs, you'll know that you need to call 9-1-1 for help right away. F.A.S.T. is:
Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "the sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly?
Time to call 911
If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
Beyond F.A.S.T. - Other Symptoms You Should Know
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the leg
- Sudden confusion or trouble understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
In the past, doctors couldn't do much to help stroke victims. That's not true today. Now stroke doesn't have to lead to disability or death. The key is to recognize a stroke and get to the hospital immediately. The clot-dissolving drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) can reduce long-term disability if it's given within three hours after an ischemic stroke starts. (Ischemic strokes are caused by clots and are by far the most common type of stroke.)
Unfortunately, tPA isn't used as often as it could be because many people don't seek care quickly. Don't you make that mistake. If you or someone near you has the warning signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Has your local hospital set up the appropriate steps for treating stroke as an emergency? One way to find out is by checking the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organization's (JCAHO) list of certified primary stroke centers. If your local hospital isn't currently on this list, they still may be prepared to treat stroke. Contact the emergency room administrator and ask if the hospital has acute stroke protocols that include guidelines for the use of tPA. Knowing which facilities are equipped to treat stroke can save valuable time. | <urn:uuid:38e4ffea-225d-4ed2-a8bd-149fdb919804> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://powertoendstroke.org/stroke-recognize.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395166.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00021-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950108 | 536 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Resolution 1261(1999): the Annual Report by the Secretary-General
With resolution 1261(1999) the Security Council asked the Secretary-General to provide a report on Children and Armed Conflict to the Council - this was the start of the Council's engagement with Children and Armed Conflict. The first report was based on the initial study of Graca Machel, which gave a basic impression of the subject and aimed to estimate developments in the field.
The following regular reports became fundamental for Security Council action on the issue of Children and Armed Conflict. Today, the report is a monitoring and reporting document that focuses on individuals or organizations within country specific situations. The report mainly concentrates on the six grave violations the first Special Representative Olara Otunnu identified after reviewing international humanitarian law - and which form the basis of Security Council considerations:
- Killing or maiming of children;
- Recruiting or using child soldiers;
- Attacks against schools or hospitals;
- Rape and other grave sexual violence against children;
- Abduction of children;
- Denial of humanitarian access for children.
In his annual reports the Secretary-General concentrates on violations and compliance by parties within country specific situations, which can be distinguished into two categories: Countries that are on the agenda of the Security Council and countries that are not. Besides providing the necessary data-basis, the report focuses on identifying perpetrators of violations where possible. This specific focus on incidents and perpetrators gives this report a one-of-a-kind character in the UN system. | <urn:uuid:6d664cbc-9f33-49aa-8b66-2c8139d337c3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.new-york-un.diplo.de/Vertretung/newyorkvn/en/06/caac-1261.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400572.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00132-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940238 | 314 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Phoenix on Mars
The latest successful landing craft has made new discoveries about water on the red planet
Although several missions to Mars over the last decade have suffered from failures and cutbacks, the most recent Mars lander, Phoenix, has made great strides in studying water on the red planet. Phoenix landed safely in Mars’ northern polar region in May 2008. Using an onboard robotic arm to gather samples, and various instruments for on-site analysis, the lander has definite evidence of frozen water in Martian soil. The lander has also studied soil chemistry, soil erosion patterns, dust devils and nighttime cloud formation, giving great insight into the complete water cycle on Mars.
Go to Article | <urn:uuid:122a0bbd-da10-40ba-b50a-34f38a492007> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/2010/1/phoenix-on-mars | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396538.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00054-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939154 | 138 | 3.328125 | 3 |
by Morten Ryhl-Svendsen
This is an example of the deteriorating effect of acetic acid vapors on calcareous objects. At the photograph two hens eggshells are shown. The one to the right has been stored in an inert environment, while the one to the left under laboratory conditions has been exposed to acetic acid vapors and high humidity for one month. The surface of the egg shell is heavily attacked by efflorecense. A few days after the photograph was taken, the shell crumbled to dust.
The salts which are formed in the calcium carbonate structure of the eggshell is calcium acetate. Also on Mollusca shells this type of efflorescence can be found, if the shells has been stored in an acid environment, e.g. in an oak case. The salts are then a mixture of hydrated calcium acetate salts and calcium acetate formate salts.
Below is shown two 150x Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images; the first one of the surface of the egg shell stored in an inert atmosphere (no salts), the following image is of the surface of the egg shell stored in an acetic acid containing atmosphere (lots of salt efflorescence).
Thanks to Jettie van Lanschot, School of Conservation, Denmark, for help with SEM.
N. Agnew (1981): "The Corrosion of Egg Shells by Acetic Acid Vapour". ICCM Bulletin, vol 7, no. 4, pp. 3-9.
L.T. Gibson, B.G. Cooksey, D. Littlejohn & N.H. Tennent (1997): "Investigation of the composition of a unique efflorescence on calcareous museum artifacts". Analytica Chimica Acta, vol. 337. Elsevier, The Netherlands, ISSN 0003-2670, pp. 253-264.
F. R. Nicholls (1934): "Deterioration of Shells When Stored in Oak Cabinets". J. Soc. Chemistry and Industry, vol. 53, Dec. 21st, pp. 1077-1078.
S.Y. Shelton (1996): "The Shell Game: Mollusks Shell Deterioration in Collections and its Prevention". The Festivus, Vol. XXVIII(7). pp. 74-80. .
N.H. Tennent and T. Baird (1985): "The Deterioration of Mollusca Collections: Identification of Shell Efflorescence". Studies in Conservation, 30, pp. 73-85.
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Rice University, Department of Computer Science
What is a "Swarm"?
As robots become more and more useful, multiple robots working together on a single task will become commonplace. Many of the most useful applications of robots are particularly well-suited to this "swarm" approach. Groups of robots can perform these tasks more efficiently, and can perform them in fundamentally different ways than robots working individually. However, swarms of robots are difficult to program and coordinate. My work focuses on developing software and programming techniques applicable to large swarms of robots, with populations in the 10 to 10,000 range. Software is evaluated on the 100-robot iRobot swarm.
Applications of Robot Swarms
There are many applications for swarms of robots. Multiple vacuum cleaner robots might need to share maps of areas where they've previously cleaned. A swarm of mars rovers might need to disperse throughout the environment to locate promising areas, while maintaining communications with each other. Robots used for earthquake rescue might come in three flavors: thousands of cockroach-sized scouts to infiltrate the debris and locate survivors, a few dozen rat-sized structural engineers to get near the scene and solve the "pick-up-sticks" problem of getting the rubble off, and a few brontosaurus-sized heavy-lifters to carry out the rescue plan.
In all these applications, individual robots must work independently, only communicating with other nearby robots. It is either too expensive (robot vacuums need to be very cheap), too far (it takes 15 minutes for messages to get to Mars), or impossible (radio control signals cannot penetrate into earthquake ruble) to control all of the robots from a centralized location. However, a distributed control system can let robots interact with other nearby robots, cooperating amongst themselves to accomplish their mission.
Software from Insects?
The main goal of my research is to understand how to use local interactions between nearby robots to produce large-scale group behaviors from the entire swarm. This idea is not new, in fact it is almost 65 million years old. Ants, bees, and termites are beautifully engineered examples of this kind of software in use. These insects do not use centralized communication, there is no strict hierarchy, and no one in charge.
However, developing swarm software from the "top down", i.e. by starting with the group application and trying to determine the individual behaviors that it arises from, is very difficult. Instead, I am developing a library of "group behavior building blocks" that can be combined to form larger, more complex applications. The robots use these behaviors to communicate, cooperate, and move relative to each other. Some behaviors are simple, like following, dispersing, and counting. Some are more complex, like dynamic task assignment, temporal synchronization, and gradient tree navigation. There are currently about forty of these behaviors. They are designed to produce predictable outcomes when used individually, or when combined with other library behaviors, allowing group applications to be constructed much more easily.
Robots are going to be an important part of the future. Once robots are useful, groups of robots are the next step, and will have tremendous potential to benefit mankind. Software designed to run on large groups of robots is the key needed to unlock this potential.
The behaviors described below are primitive building blocks for building more complicated swarm applications. Their inner workings are described in detail in my Master's Thesis.
matchOrientation (3,661,KB mpg)
matchOrientation (3,661,KB mpg)
beaconNavigation (3,071 KB mpg)
The pictures above show how a long-range ISIS beacon can be used with the matchHeadingToRobot behavior to guide the robots in along global heading. The robots are trying to move "north". As the beacon is rotated, all the robots change their direction accordingly. If the heading of the beacon is kept constant, the robots can use it like a compass to determine their absolute heading. Multiple beacons can be used to cover the entire workspace.
orbitRobot (4,027 KB mpg)
This video clip shows a group of robots orbiting a reference robot. The reference robot is the one with the tall black antenna.
disperseFromSource (3,702 KB mpg)
This video clip shows the disperseFromSource behavior in action.
disperseUniformly (4,363 KB mpg)
disperseUniformly-2 (4,010 KB mpg)
These video clips show the disperseUniformly behavior in action. For the keen of eye, robots that are near walls are flashing their blue light; robots in the interior are flashing their green light.
followTheLeader (20,903 KB mpg)
This video clip shows the followTheLeader behavior in action. Constant handshaking between successive robots keeps the line robust. If a robot does not respond, another is recruited to take its place. The chain breaks in image four, re-forms in image five, and is stable in the final image.
navigateGradient (4,948 KB mpg)
This video clip shows the navigateGradient behavior in action. The source robot is wearing a small flag and is highlighted in green in the bottom center of the images. The active robot is highlighted in red.
clusterOnSource (4,635 KB mpg)
This video clip shows the clusterOnSource behavior in action.
clusterIntoGroups (3,298 KB mpg)
This video clip shows the clusterIntoGroups behavior in action. There are three groups, red, green, and blue. Each group elects a leader, and robots use the navigateGradient behavior to move towards the leader of each group. Once robots are grouped, entire groups move away from other nearby groups.
counting (8,010 KB mpg)
This video clip shows the counting behavior in action.
dockToCharger (3,629 KB mpg)
This video clip shows the dockToCharger behavior in action.
SwarmTrek-DarkRoom (31,251 KB avi)
This video clip shows the Swarm dispersing into a large room.
SwarmTrek-WalkThrough (2,718 KB mpg)
This video clip shows a walk-through of a dispersed Swarm.
SwarmTrek-clusterWithBreadCrumbs (8,688 KB avi)
This video clip shows the clusterWithBreadCrumbs behavior pulling the swarm out of the large room. | <urn:uuid:77b35917-14fe-40a1-ad7c-92b1233cbf52> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://people.csail.mit.edu/jamesm/swarm.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00125-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909697 | 1,356 | 2.875 | 3 |
It's easy to forget that every piece of our current infrastructure--roads, rails, runways, bridges, industrial plants, housing--was built with a certain temperature range in mind. Our agricultural system and much of our electrical generating system (including dams, nuclear power stations and conventional thermal electric plants which burn coal and natural gas) were created not only with a certain temperature range in mind, but also a certain range of rainfall. Rainfall, whether it is excessive or absent, can become a problem if it creates 1) floods that damage and sweep away buildings and crops or 2) if there isn't enough water to quench crops and supply industrial and utility operating needs.
This summer has shown just what can happen when those built-in tolerances for heat, moisture (or lack of it) and wind are exceeded. The New York Times did an excellent short piece providing examples of some of those effects:
- A jet stuck on the tarmac as its wheels sank into asphalt softened by 100-degree heat.
- A subway train derailed by a kink in the track due to excessive heat.
- A power plant that had to be shut down due to lack of cooling water when the water level dropped below the intake pipe.
- A "derecho", a severe weather pattern of thunderstorms and very high straight-line winds, that deprived 4.3 million people of power in the eastern part of the United States, some for eight days.
- Drainage culverts destroyed by excessive rains.
Past attempts to forecast the possible costs of climate change have been largely inadequate. They failed because of unanticipated effects on and complex interconnections among various parts of critical infrastructure.
Back in 2007 Yale economist William Nordhaus wrote in a paper that "[e]conomic studies suggest that those parts of the economy that are insulated from climate, such as air-conditioned houses or most manufacturing operations, will be little affected directly by climatic change over the next century or so." Having air-conditioning does not do you much good, however, if the electricity is out. And, manufacturing operations depend on reliable electric service. Many manufacturing operations are also water-intensive and so will be affected by water shortages. In addition, damage to transportation systems (as detailed above) could hamper the delivery of manufactured products.
Where Nordhaus does acknowledge considerable effects, he seems to underestimate the impact:
However, those human and natural systems that are “unmanaged,” such as rain-fed agriculture, seasonal snow packs and river runoffs, and most natural ecosystems, may be significantly affected. While economic studies in this area are subject to large uncertainties, the best guess in this study is that economic damages from climate change with no interventions will be in the order of 2½ percent of world output per year by the end of the 21st century.
I have commented on this assessment in a previous piece. Nordhaus imagines that because agriculture, forestry, and fisheries make up only about 1.0 percent of the U.S. economy, negative effects on these from climate change would do minimal damage. We cannot, however, look only within the border of the United States for effects, though those have been bad enough. Extreme drought in the grain-growing areas of the world's major exporter of grain has already sent soybean and corn prices to record highs. This has the potential to affect political stability in countries where food costs are a much larger share of income. If high prices persist, then it's possible we'll see food riots similar to those in 2007-2008 that were a precursor to the Arab Spring which destabilized so many regimes in a short period of time. This kind of disruption to an economy and society is far beyond anything Nordhaus anticipates.
Naturally, the oil industry agrees that the problem of adaptation will be fairly minor. Rex Tillerson, current CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest international oil company, recently told the Council on Foreign Relations the following:
We have spent our entire existence adapting, OK? So we will adapt to this. Changes to weather patterns that move crop production areas around--we'll adapt to that. It's an engineering problem, and it has engineering solutions.
Not surprisingly, Tillerson doesn't understand that costly existing agricultural infrastructure won't be easily moved or replaced. He also doesn't seem to understand that soil quality is not uniform from place to place. Does he think that as temperatures warm and devastate the American grain belt with recurrent drought, we can simply transfer the growing of much of the world's export grain crop north to the Canadian Shield which has soil so thin it has never supported agriculture?
Writer Bill McKibben, who sounded one of the first warnings about climate change in his 1989 book The End of Nature, has explained in his recent book Eaarth that we now live on a new planet, one created by irrevocable and increasingly rapid climate change. One of our biggest problems is that our current infrastructure was built for the old planet Earth. Neither Rex Tillerson, who leads an organization that has consistently put out disinformation about climate change, nor William Nordhaus, who has long acknowledged that climate change is a problem, seem to understand the scope and scale of our infrastructure predicament.
Kurt Cobb is the author of the peak-oil-themed thriller, Prelude, and a columnist for the Paris-based science news site Scitizen. His work has also been featured on Energy Bulletin, The Oil Drum, 321energy, Common Dreams, Le Monde Diplomatique, EV World, and many other sites. He maintains a blog called Resource Insights. | <urn:uuid:6f62f9b7-c8f7-4e40-9886-21cade6dce80> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://resourceinsights.blogspot.com/2012_07_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396459.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00189-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963981 | 1,143 | 3.234375 | 3 |
The coccyx, also known as the tailbone, is a small, triangular bone resembling a shortened tail located at the bottom of the spine. It is composed of three to five coccygeal vertebrae or spinal bones. The vertebrae may be fused together to form a single bone; however, in some cases, the first vertebra is separate from the others.
The coccyx is connected to the sacrum by means of an amphiarthrodial joint. This is a type of joint that functionally only allows for a slight amount of movement. Later in life, the coccyx may fuse with the sacrum, though this is more common in women than in men. The coccyx serves as an attachment site for tendons, ligaments, and muscles. It also functions as an insertion point of some of the muscles of the pelvic floor. The coccyx also functions to support and stabilize a person while he or she is in a sitting position.
The coccyx may be fractured when a person falls abruptly on his or her buttocks. A woman's coccyx may be broken during a complicated childbirth. A qualified medical professional may prescribe pain medication until the coccyx heals. In extreme cases, the coccyx may need to be surgically removed. This procedure is called a coccygectomy. | <urn:uuid:52b443e1-55ea-4cfa-97eb-cc721aae2951> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/coccyx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00106-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95856 | 276 | 3.734375 | 4 |
Theogony and Cosmogony
Prometheus 1 : said to have moulded man. 7734: Prometheus. Perhaps by Tomasso Cazzaniga, active 1486-1499. Marble. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
"Creation" means, in this context, Creation of the World, which is also called Cosmogony or Origin of the Universe (Cosmos). Cosmogony normally includes, not only an account of the origin of the world, but also a description of its physical qualities, declaring, for example, whether there is light or darkness in Cosmos, or of which parts it is formed. Likewise Theogony (Origin of the Gods) does not limit itself to give an account of their coming into being, but it also establishes their number and describes their nature and functions.
Cosmos created through Love and intercourse
Cosmogony and Theogony cannot be completely separated because the myths have established that the parts of the Cosmos are gods, saying, for example, that the Earth (Gaia) and Sky (Uranus) are at the same time physical realities and deities endowed with the kind of power and intelligence that is the exclusive attribute of the divine. For this reason, the Cosmos may be said to have been created by the gods, yet not as a result of the work of constructors or demiurges, but through Love and intercourse. Primeval Chaos, which some have called a void and others have equalled with disorder, appears sometimes as a being capable of intercourse and procreation. Likewise Tartarus, described by some as a gloomy place in the Underworld, being "as far distant from earth as earth is from the sky" (Hesiod, Theogony 720), has fathered several creatures.
Creation and Procreation
Since Cosmos is not a lifeless stage where actors perform their deeds, but instead the stage and the actors at the same time (these actors being divinities), it may be asserted that the myths make no difference between Cosmogony and Theogony, or between the Cosmos and the gods. For the gods create new segments of Cosmos by consorting with each other, and these new segments, being gods themselves, are both created and procreated. Therefore the mythical accounts, though differing in their details, regard Creation and Procreation as one and the same thing. In this view, "creation is the outcome of an encounter, and genesis is a product of interaction." (Arnold Toynbee, A Study of History).
Night without starry Sky
But if the different sections or gods are created through procreation, then there were times when some of them did not exist, being the children of those who came before them. So, for example, when Nyx (Night) appeared in the world, there was no starry sky by night, since there was no Sky (Uranus) at the moment, and the stars were yet to be born. Going thus back in the chain of Creation or Procreation, one should come to the ultimate ancestor, or as some have said afterwards, a first cause. Some have called this ancestor Chaos, whereas others have called him otherwise, or also pointed out several simultaneous ancestors. Nevertheless, some beginning is often found, either in Chaos or in them.
Beginning or not
Now, what is before that beginning remains unknown, for nobody has explained whence Chaos (or whoever else) came, and the poet only asserted:
"In truth at first Chaos came to be ..." (Hesiod, Theogony 116).
... without ever declaring how Chaos came to be. Some have found it an aberration to assume that Chaos came out of nothingness; for then Chaos, being the first, had nothing to come from and nowhere to go. This is why they concluded that no one of these things came first or second, but that they existed always.
These and many other cosmogonic and theogonic questions have been addressed, throughout the history of mankind, first by the myths, and later by philosophy, religion, and science. However, in spite of all extraordinary efforts and sometimes genial presentations of the subject, no general agreement has ever been reached. On the contrary: the legion of cosmogonies and theogonies has continually increased since the dawn of human civilization up to our days; and among the Greeks, as among other peoples belonging both to the past and to the present, there have circulated through time myths, beliefs, theories, and all kind of speculations concerning the origin of the world and the gods, and the nature of them all.
Theogony and Cosmogony separated
An ingenious and rather successful device, to which both science and later religions have resorted to when addressing these issues, has been to separate Cosmogony from Theogony, and Creation from Procreation, making of the Cosmos just a stage where immortals and mortals may perform their deeds. In some later philosophical and religious views, the Cosmos is, except for those sections which are biologically alive, a lifeless scenery, either created by a demiurge or by a single God. Science, which has reached farther than any other discipline in systematically describing and explaining natural phenomena, is not seldom seen approaching the issue of the origin of Cosmos in our days with the help of pseudomythical images such as Superdensity or Big-Bang, which attempt to explain how the Cosmos evolved but not its coming to being. Likewise, expressions like "Long ago ..." or "Once upon a time ..." have been, on the ground of observations, rephrased by scientists and transformed into "Some two thousand million years ago", or similar.
Highest authorities disagree
As a result, Existence itself has not been accounted for, and the highest authorities disagree so radically that anyone could suspect the unavoidable works of Discord. For in the course of history, some have said that there are many gods, and others that there is only one single God. Still others have said that there is neither gods nor any God at all. And concerning the universe, some have said that there is one, and others have declared that there are many. So, when it comes to this sort of question, only partial agreement is to be expected among mortals; and authorities do not only argue about the number of gods and universes, or whether they have come into being at a certain point, or whether they have existed eternally, but also about their nature. And so, for example, some have believed that the universe is a terrible place created and governed by some devil, whereas others have said that its constructor is good, the cosmos being his amazing work of art, or he being the Cosmos itself. And since these discussions are endless, mortals either turn to themselves, or else start debating the Soul, whether it is mortal or immortal, or whether there is a soul at all. And since no agreement is reached in this issue either, they then, eager to see tangible results, might take History as their supreme teacher and turn to matters of social, economical and political organization. For these structures and functions are believed to be easier to grasp than those of the universe, and consequently, they reason, their endeavours might yield visible results; and these are never underrated.
The first to describe the beginning
Concerning the beginning, it has been discussed, not just the beginning itself, but also who was the first to describe it. Some have thought that Hesiod was the first to systematically expose the origin of the gods; but others have said that the first to compose a genealogy of the gods was Musaeus, who having been trained by Apollo and the MUSES, wrote songs and poems, uttered oracles, and besides could fly. Also Linus 1—son of the Muse Urania 2, either by Apollo, or by Hermes, or by Amphimarus (son of Poseidon)—is said to have composed a poem describing the creation of the world in which he declared that all things were originally together, until Mind set them in order. Also Orpheus is named among the first who concerned themselves with the origin of the gods and the creation of the world. But on the ground that he charged the gods with all human suffering, some have refused to give him any credit, saying that Orpheus was not killed by women but punished by Zeus, who slew him with his thunder. The evidence, they say, was the epitaph in Orpheus' tomb:
"Here have the Muses laid their minstrel true,
The Thracian Orpheus whom Zeus' thunder slew." (Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 1.4.5).
Most humans think about it
In the same manner, some have said that certain ancient peoples—other than the Greeks—were the first to explain the origin of the world and the gods. So, for example, the Egyptians—who ignoring the true form of the divinities symbolically represented them in the shape of animals—were known for having declared that matter was the first principle, establishing that the four elements (fire, air, water, and earth) derived from it, and that all living species were produced after them. But the Egyptians considered the sun and the moon to be gods, and the universe as a sphere, both created and perishable. The stars, they said, were made of fire, and they believed that the moon is eclipsed when it falls into the earth's shadow, and that the soul survives death and is reborn. The Egyptians gave physical explanations to all other phenomena and so, for example, they believed that rain is caused by change in the atmosphere. | <urn:uuid:02835d7c-e1ca-4668-a831-8b717010fc32> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.maicar.com/GML/MythsCreation.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394605.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00039-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972442 | 1,977 | 3.125 | 3 |
Hygrometers – Controlling Indoor Humidity
Condensation - Controlling Indoor Humidity
Several years ago, a friend of mine called me. She was frantic. It was bitterly cold outside. She opened an interior closet door to find one of the walls covered with frost! She thought something was seriously wrong and wanted my advice.
I went to her house and sure enough, the closet was frosty. I went into the attic and located the problem. Someone had cut a hole in the top wall plate of the closet wall. In addition, there was a gap in the insulation which allowed the cold, dense attic air to fall into the wall void. This cold air chilled the wall surface to such a degree that it was below 32 degrees F! The warm, moist inside air readily condensed on this cold surface. It didn't take long for it to then freeze.
Think Soda or Beer....
Condensation happens in warm weather all of the time. Unless you live in the desert or some other very dry location, surely you have seen the outside of a can of soda pop or beer get wet from condensation. The warm, moist outside air readily turns to liquid as it is cooled by the metal surface of the can. The temperature of the cold can is at or below the dew point of the humid air and condensation immediately begins to collect.
The easy way to stop this problem is to stop drinking beer....
If you have a condensation problem in your older home, it might not cause too much concern. Why? Old homes were naturally leaky. Many old house had no insulation or lack building materials which readily trapped moisture. As such, humid air could readily mix with colder air outside and dissipate.
However, modern building practices have created tighter and tighter houses. Foil faced sheathing products completely stop moisture transmission. Tight houses tend to have very high levels of indoor humidity as cold, dry air is not allowed to mix. The mixing of cold, dry air with indoor humid air lowers the overall humidity of indoor air. This is another reason you probably did not have a condensation problem in the house you lived in as a child.
Measuring Humidity Levels
Humidity is a relative thing. That is why your TV weather person says "..the relative humidity is now....." As you heat a constant volume of air it can hold more moisture. Eventually it becomes saturated. This is when the relative humidity of that volume at that temperature reaches 100 percent.
Dew point temperatures are also indicators of humidity. The dew point is the temperature when water will condense out of the air for a given humidity. This is why humidity is relative. Confused? It can be tough to understand, so don't worry.
Humidity is measured using devices called hygrometers or sling psychrometers. These devices are calibrated in such a fashion that they can tell you the relative humidity of air within a given temperature range.
The hygrometers can be electronic or ones with a standard dial face with a moving needle. The sling psychrometers are weird devices that incorporate two thermometers. One thermometer is dry while the other one has a wick attached to the bulb end. You get the wick wet and spin the two thermometers around in the air. Depending upon how humid the air is or is not, the water in the wick will evaporate at different rates. The faster the rate of evaporation (drier, less humid air) the lower the wick covered thermometer will read. Remember, evaporation is a cooling process (Why do you think Mother Nature created us so we sweat....?).
Using a chart, you correlate the temperatures of the dry and wet thermometers to determine relative humidity. They are pretty cool devices!
Checking Your House
If you have an indoor humidity or condensation problem, I recommend that you purchase an inexpensive hygrometer. Take readings in the same room(s) at the same spot each day at the same time. Start to chart your readings. Then begin to isolate sources of indoor humidity. Try to control them. See how it affects your readings each day. It may take several days to see a drop in humidity readings.
Take readings at different points within your house. Try to avoid the bathroom and kitchen. You can get widely spaced readings because of ever-present moisture sources.
Hygrometers - Manufacturers / Features
There are many manufacturers of hygrometers - instruments which measure relative humidity. I have listed just a few here. You can usually find these instruments advertised in the back of Popular Science or Earth magazines. These magazines always seem to have an abundance of ads about companies who sell weather related equipment. Your grade school or high school science teacher will also have science equipment catalogues you can browse through. Want REALLY sophisticated equipment? Call your local TV station's staff meteorologist - they absolutely know who makes top flight hygrometers.
- NovaLynx Corporation ... 800-321-3577
Humidity Dial Model # 220-730 - Features a brass case and sufficient openings to allow good air flow over the inner humidity element. Certified to +/- 3 percent accuracy. $120.00
- Radio Shack ... 800-THE SHACK
Wireless Weather Forecaster Model #63-1090 - Handy electronic gizmo that forecasts using temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. Shows date and Atomic time. Requires 2 AAA batteries for sensor; 3 AA for meter. $39.99
Indoor / Outdoor Thermometer with Hygrometer Model #63-1032 - Displays interior temperature, exterior temperature and relative humidity and humidity comfort readings. Electronic. Requires 2 AA batteries. $19.99
- Robert E. White Instruments 800-992-3045
Call for current pricing!
Model BA777 Compact and accurate. 2 1/2 inch diameter Wall mount $45.00
Model BA410 4 inch dial, graduated every 1 percent. Accurate to +/- 4 percent, $66.00
Model CONH6 Outdoor dial hygrometer, 4 1/2 inch diameter, swivel mounting bracket. $39.00
Model 730 Most accurate (+3 percent), 6 inch diameter, brass case. Wall mount $120.00
Tips on Controlling Indoor Humidity / Window Condensation
People who live in colder climates can become victims of condensation. Water can collect on both visible and hidden surfaces. My eyeglasses always fog up when I enter my favorite chili parlor on a cold winter night. The thin glasses get cold walking from the car to the restaurant. When I hit that humid environment, BINGO! my glasses steam up.
If you see visible condensation on windows, walls, etc., it is a sure sign that your indoor humidity might be too high. Water can collect in wall cavities and attic spaces if you do not take aggressive action to lower the humidity and/or ventilate the hidden spaces.
Identify the Source of Humidity
All types of things add humidity to indoor air. Aquariums, cooking, washing clothes, bathing activities, house plants, human and animal breathing, slabs, crawl spaces, basement floors & walls lacking vapor barriers, etc.
It can be tough to identify any single source of excess humidity. All the above activities or conditions can collectively add to the problem. What's worse is that as the outside temperature drops, it takes less humidity in the indoor air to cause a problem! That is why indoor humidifiers are supplied with controls that tell you what the setting should be in relation to the outdoor temperature.
Controlling Indoor Humidity
Bathing activities (hot showers and baths) probably cause more indoor humidity problems aside from humidifiers that are set too high. Try to see if you can't take shorter showers and/or ones that use less hot water.
Install and use an excellent bathroom exhaust fan. Turn it on during your shower or bath. Leave it on after your bath for 10 minutes or so. Be sure the exhaust air is piped to the outside of your house. DO NOT dump this air into an attic space. It will rain in your attic!
Do you have a crawl space? Does it lack a high quality vapor barrier? If so, the soil in the crawl space is liberating vast quantities of water vapor into your house. Cover the soil with a vapor barrier and you will drastically lower your indoor humidity. I have written a past column and bulletin on this very topic.
Older homes that have basements are just as bad as houses with crawl spaces. However, it is tough to solve this problem. I am currently doing research on water based sealers that can be sprayed on indoor masonry surfaces which will stop moisture transmission. Stay tuned for that upcoming column!
Cooking liberates lots of water. Boiling water for noodles, vegetables, etc. puts lots of moisture in the air. Try to minimize these activities or install a ducted kitchen exhaust fan.
I get mail every winter from people who install new windows. They think the windows are bad because water condenses on them. Well, the source of the problem usually lies in the fact that the windows are doing too good of a job! The old windows leaked vast amounts of cold air into the house. This very dry air mixed with the indoor humid air and lowered the overall humidity in the house. The new windows stop the dry air resulting in a higher indoor humidity! This humidity then fogs the cooler glass surface.
To minimize new windows from fogging or condensation, be sure to order ones with soft coat Low-E glass. This type of coating produces a warmer interior glass surface. The warmer the glass surface, the less chance of condensation. Read my past column and Builder Bulletin on Low-E glass.
Look for windows that offer warm edge technology. This refers to special spacers that are used to separate the pieces of insulated glass in your new windows. The spacer strips are made so that the cold outer pane of glass conducts a minimum amount of cold to the inner pane of glass. Ask tough questions to get the right answers when you window shop! | <urn:uuid:3b945e02-a272-46e1-ae30-7891cbee0700> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.askthebuilder.com/hygrometers-controlling-indoor-humidity/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00083-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928081 | 2,088 | 2.96875 | 3 |
The world has seen the first tram operating in New York, USA in 1842, then in Europe (Paris in 1854 and London in1860); whereas those vehicles started wandering the streets of Istanbul on the 3rd of September, 1869, operating in Tophane-Ortaköy line.
Bound by a contract concluded regarding the "Construction of the Tramway in Dersaadet and Its Facilities", dated 30th of August, 1869; the management of vehicles that were driven by horses and that comprised of the construction of railroads for the transportation of passengers and goods along the streets of Istanbul was allocated to the company named `Dersaadet Tramway Establishment`, established by Krepano Efendi, being valid for 40 years.
The first horse-driven tram started servicing in 4 lines; which are Azapkapı- Galata, Aksaray - Yedikule, Aksaray - Topkapi and Eminönü- Aksaray in 1871. 53,000 TL income was collected with carrying t 4,5 million passengers, using 430 horses during its first year of operation.
Afterwards more lines were added to the system such as Kabristan Street-Tepebaşı- Taksim-Pangaltı-Şişli from Voyvoda, Beyazıt-Şehzadebaşı, Fatih- Edirnekapı-Galatasaray-Tünel and Eminönü-Bahçekapı.
The horse drawn trams that had been operating within the Ottoman Empire boundaries were established in the main cities of the empire and started operating firstly in Thessalonica, then in Damascus, Baghdad, Izmir and Konya. The Ministry of Defense took over the horses of the trams during the Balkan War that commenced in 1912 for 30.000 gold pieces; hence Istanbul remained without tram for more than a year. The Tramway Enterprise that had been turned over to the Government on the12th of June, 1939 by the law numbered 3642, then turned over to Municipality of Istanbul on the16th of June, 1939 by the law numbered 3645.
The Tramway Management has reached to an end with the removal of trams from operation on the 12th of August 1961 on the European side, and from the Anatolian side on the 14th of November, 1966.
By the end of year 1990,the historical tramline of Tünel-Taksim has recommenced to service with restoration of old wagons taken out from the museum. and it has been operating on a line of 1640 meters with 3 mortises and 2 wagons, making 14.600 trips, totaling 23.944 kilometers per year and carrying 6,000 passengers a day on average; as well as serving for touristic purposes. | <urn:uuid:c9aee963-e20e-46be-a380-0805c16b6cb6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/main/pages/nostalgic-tramvay/155 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00143-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963704 | 603 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson says consumers will see food prices increase and the state faces serious economic consequences if the prolonged drought in southeast Florida continues.
Total statewide economic losses have already topped an estimated $100 million this year, and are expected to surpass $1 billion over the next two years if the current situation is not altered.
“Some agricultural industries like cattle, citrus and sugar won’t feel the worst of their financial pains until 2008 and 2009,” Bronson said.
While the normal summer rains have eased the severity of urban water shortages throughout the state, many Floridians are unaware that agricultural producers around Lake Okeechobee are facing ongoing water shortages and storage dilemmas that will continue well into next year and beyond.
In addition to providing a backup drinking water supply for the densely populated communities of south Florida and a critical supplemental water supply for the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee stores irrigation water for some 700,000 acres of agriculture - considered by some as the most productive farm land in the world.
“Agriculture around the lake is facing a dire situation,” Bronson said. “If there’s any hope of avoiding a financial meltdown, it’s absolutely essential that the state, the South Florida Water Management District and the Army Corps of Engineers do everything possible to increase water levels in Lake Okeechobee.”
Even with the increasing rainfall in recent weeks, Bronson believes state agencies must find a way to put more storage water back into the lake. Florida’s “dry season” starts in November, and most agricultural producers do not feel there is sufficient water to get them through the critical period until next spring.
And without ample water, the state’s valuable winter vegetable production, citrus crop and sugar production are in peril, Bronson said.
Many south Florida farmers have been under water restrictions since November of 2006 and some are now questioning the viability of even planting a fall crop.
“This is a tough situation,” Bronson said. “Think about it; would you invest hundreds-of-thousands of dollars planting crops with the prospects of having an insufficient water supply to keep them alive?”
Bronson stressed that agriculture losses will no doubt also show up in lost tax revenues, unemployment and higher food prices.
“It’s not just about farm profitability. It affects everyone who eats and relies on the economy,” he said. | <urn:uuid:87252ff1-926d-4ddc-a7d2-bf86921d8473> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://southeastfarmpress.com/print/lake-okeechobee-water-level-critical-florida-s-economy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396027.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00040-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933868 | 520 | 2.609375 | 3 |
As the world seeks new green energy sources for the future, fuel cells have emerged as a viable and highly attractive technology. The University of South Carolina (USC) is home to the nation's only National Science Foundation-funded Industry-University Research Center for Fuel Cells. USC recruited renowned fuel cell researcher, Dr. Kenneth Reifsnider, as a SmartState Endowed Chair and Director of its Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Center.
A member of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, Dr. Reifsnider’s research focus is in fuel cell science and mechanical engineering, with a focus on how materials behave—their durability, damage tolerance, and the way they perform over time. Fuel cells are continually replenished with fuel and thus provide a continuous supply of electric power without running down like a battery. Solid oxide fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy.
His research holds tremendous relevance and applicability as the world searches for safe, clean energy sources. Fuel cells hold tremendous promise for commercial and personal power. Applications include large-scale power distribution for municipalities, rural areas and industries, as well as heat and power for homes. They could also provide mobile power for computers, cell phones and other electronics.
Solid oxide fuel cells are a “green” technology. They are highly efficient; operate with a number of fuels, including renewable fuels; and produce very low amounts of greenhouse gasses and pollution.
The work of Dr. Reifsnider and USC has attracted a cadre of influential partners, including General Motors, Boeing, BASF, John Deere, LG Electronics, and the Savannah River National Laboratory.
Dr. Reifsnider is highly regarded. In 2009, the White House named him to the Air Force Science Advisory Board. He is the only University of South Carolina researcher who is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He is a former Deputy Director of a National Science Foundation Center. Prior to joining the USC faculty, he was the director of the Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center at the University of Connecticut.
A prolific researcher and innovator, Dr. Reifsnider holds three patents. | <urn:uuid:7780bec1-3ce8-4141-b095-4d975c6c01ab> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://smartstatesc.org/kenneth-reifsnider | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399428.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00129-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947172 | 434 | 2.921875 | 3 |
DR EMILY BALDWIN
Posted: 20 May 2010
According to new data collected by Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), the hottest known exoplanet in the Galaxy, WASP-12b, may also be the shortest lived, for it is being mercilessly consumed by its host star.
Astronomers already knew that WASP-12b was an oddity, orbiting its star so tightly that its atmosphere is superheated to some 2,200 degrees Celsius and the whole planet is contorted into an elongated rugby ball shape. Its swollen atmosphere has ballooned to three times Jupiter's radius and is swirling catastrophically into the star such that it may only have 10 million years left before it is completely devoured.Artist concept of WASP-12b spilling into its host star. Gravitational forces due to the planet's proximity to the star have stretched the planet into an egg shape. Image: NASA, ESA, G. Bacon (STScI) and C. Haswell (The Open University, UK).
The exchange of matter between two stars is not unusual, but this is the first time it has been seen so clearly for a planet. “We see a huge cloud of material around the planet which is escaping and will be captured by the star,” says team leader Carole Haswell of The Open University. “We have identified chemical elements never before seen on planets outside our own Solar System.”
WASP-12b was discovered in 2008 by the SuperWASP (Wide Area Search for Planets) automated survey that searches for tiny dips in a stars' brightness as a planet passes in front of it. WASP-12b is so close to its star that it completes one orbit in just 1.1 days.
The sensitivity of Hubble's new COS instrument permitted measurements of the star's light at ultraviolet wavelengths that revealed absorption lines from elements such as aluminium, tin and manganese that become more pronounced as the planet transits the star, meaning that the elements exist in the planet's atmosphere as well as the star's. Furthermore, the fact that COS could detect these features at all suggests that the planet's heated atmosphere is highly extended.
In addition, COS measurements enabled astronomers to produce a light curve to show precisely how much of the star's light is blocked out during a transit event, which can be translated into the planet's radius. The planet is 40 percent more massive than Jupiter and its exosphere is so deformed that its radius exceeds its Roche lobe – the region of space around the planet within which material is gravitationally bound, and beyond which can escape onto the star, which is exactly what the Hubble observations confirm.
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© 2014 Pole Star Publications Ltd. | <urn:uuid:c3cb26ac-21cf-42dc-bfd7-2e3a72035b71> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1005/20exo/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400572.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00062-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953254 | 599 | 3.328125 | 3 |
The Andhra Brahmins can trace their origin to the time of the Brahmin Satavahana dynasty. It was one of the earliest records in their history, which was a period of prosperity for the region as well as a time of Brahminical achievement.
(Last Updated on : 12/02/2009)
Andhra Brahmins, born to learning and nurtured in it, were often of invaluable help to their rulers who rewarded them suitably. Copper-plate charters of the Chalukya rulers record the extensive grants made to the members of this community. Their competence led to the rulers appointing them in secular posts.
This also created one of the main subdivisions of the community on the basis of pursuits, the religions being followed by the Vaidikis and the secular by the Niyogis (a word which comes from niyogani, meaning employment). The Vaidikis continued the traditional occupation of priesthood, observing Vedic rituals and vows; officiating at ceremonies; expounding the sacred books and the Mahabharata and the Ramayana to the royal family and the public; and serving as temple priests and astrologers. Since Brahmin tradition had to be perpetuated, some of their time was given to teaching. The Vaidikis were either looked after directly by their royal patrons or were settled in the 'agrabarams' (villages) given as sifts for their maintenance. Some lived on alms, which was devoid of stigma, being ordained by the scriptures. The Niyogis also followed Brahmin tradition in their personal lives.
During the Chalukya rule, a number of Brahmin families from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka settled in Andhra. They formed the nucleus of the Dravida sect of the Telugu Brahmin community. The Telugu kingdom under the Vijayanagar rulers extended its sphere of influence as more and more opportunities for important posts came the way of these people. This period also saw the burgeoning of Telugu culture all over south India. A number of Telugu Brahmins migrated and settled in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and assimilated some of the customs of the Brahmins residing there. The Telugu Brahmins, for their part, produced great musicians, such as, Kshetrajna and Tyagaraja who was also a great saint poet as was Narayana Tirtha and more recently like Visvesvarayya and Radhakrishnan, who was a leading philosopher as well. The only cultural element that suffered in the process was Kannada as when the Telugu Brahmins settled in Karnataka, its language lost its purity and lyrical quality.
Some of the subjects of the Vaidikis, which evolved long ago on a regional basis, are the Velanadu, Mulakanadu, Kasalnadu, Veginadu, Koneseema, Telaganyam, Karnakammulu and Partha-masakis. The subjects of the Niyogis, which are based mostly on distinctions of employment, are Nandavarikulu, Kammalu, Desalavayulu and Pranganadu. In times past the distinctions of each sect were jealously maintained by it and intermarriage was not permitted but these distinctions and restrictions are slowly wearing away.
Apart from these divisions based on occupational or regional differences, there are the sects based on faith: the Madhavas, Shaivas (numerically the largest group) comprising the Smartas who worship all the gods of the Hindu pantheon and the Lingayats or Virsaivas who wear lingas on their persons and proclaim the supremacy of Lord Shiva. At one stage during the mediaeval period, the conflict between the Virashaivas and the Vaishnavas was so bitter that it threatened to split the community. This was in the twelfth century when the linga cult was popularised by Basava of Karnataka and his contemporary, Mallikarjuna, a Telugu Brahmin. Calling themselves Aradhyas, the followers of this cult tended to be extremists. A most unusual decree called for a woman to leave her husband if he did not follow the cult and to sacrifice herself to a practising Aradhya.
Vaishnavism was present among Telugu Brahmins as far back as the second century. In the 12th century the stirring lyrics of Jayadeva found their way into Andhra adding a poetic dimension to the Bhakti cult. This inspired a number of artistic works in Andhra, which were suffused, with devotion. Inspired by divine ecstasy, Potana, a Telugu Brahmin poet, wrote the 'Bhagavata.' The love of Krishna and the need to seek redemption through divine grace found expression in the creation of two major classical dance styles - Kuchipudi and Bhagavata Mela.
It is believed that during the proselytizing crusades of the Vaishnavas, some Smartas were converted but continued to dominate Telugu Brahmin society and Shaivism continues to remain a pervasive force in the community.
As in the rest of India, the Andhra Brahmin's confrontation with the modern age has caused many a compromise with tradition and orthodoxy. Within the community there is a definite trend towards modernization but this trend is not very marked. They still cling to certain attitudes, especially, regarding women and though education for girls is acceptable, it is mostly meant to enhance their matrimonial projects. A woman's role is strictly limited to the home and the family and the dowry system exists in one subtle form or another though forbidden by the law.
The Telugu Brahmin shares many temperamental characteristics of the Andhra natives in general. He is excitable but amiable; quick to take offence at any attempt to belittle his honour or status; frank to the point of bluntness; and emotional, impulsive and gregarious; by and large he is nevertheless, a hearty person.
The Telugu flair for humour is seen in the 'chatuvulu' (humorous verses) composed on the spot and based on contemporary events and characters. Srinatha, a colourful character of the 15th century, wrote a number of these, wittily exposing flaws in the social fabric.
The community has not been lacking in pioneers of social reform. The dowry evil, child marriage, the miserable condition of widows, sati - all have been targets of attack. Many Telugu Brahmins rallied to the call for national independence. | <urn:uuid:6bddcfe8-a641-48ba-b47e-a25150099bd7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.indianetzone.com/27/andhra_brahmin_community_brahmin_caste.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00054-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971482 | 1,356 | 3.71875 | 4 |
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