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Resources: Lightning science and safety
During every minute of every day, roughly 1,800 thunderstorms
are creating lightning somewhere on Earth. Though the chances of being struck
by lightning are estimated at 1 in 700,000, these huge electrical sparks are
one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the USA each year with
an average of 73 people killed; about 300 people usually are injured by lightning.
The links below will take you to detailed information
and graphics that explain what lightning is, how it forms, how it generates
sound we know as thunder, and, most importantly how to play it safe around lightning.
Other links take you to outside sites that have information on the science of
lightning and strange kinds of lightning. | <urn:uuid:6e623470-88c0-4781-b5b9-5c7178450a1b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/thunder/wlightning.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392099.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00158-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9307 | 154 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Thursday, June 30, 2005
After driving across Nevada this week, I considered how difficult it is to find water in a barren desert. Even if you know where mountains are, it's hard to predict where water will be. Now think how hard it would have been for Joseph Smith to correctly specify the location of flowing water in the Arabian Peninsula as one of the many accurate details of First Nephi - a feat especially impressive given that he had no access to topographical information to guide his description. Even learned anti-Mormons have mocked the concept of the River of Laman right up to the present day. And yet there she is, an actual river in a valley in the location described in First Nephi, only recently confirmed by actual field work in the Arabian Peninsula by George Potter and others. It's sitting there, demanding attention, yet being largely ignored by the critics who chant "not a scrap of evidence, not a scrap of evidence."
Posted by Jeff Lindsay at 6:08 PM | <urn:uuid:1475e547-97c5-4bb5-910f-ccd5eba59685> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://mormanity.blogspot.com/2005/06/rivers-in-desert.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396029.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00112-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964017 | 201 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Just because people seem confused on all this (for some reason).
Before 1535, England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland were legally separate countries. Following the English conquest of Ireland in the 12th century and of Wales in the 13th, England, Ireland and Wales had a single ruler, who was styled King of England and Lord of Ireland, but were administered as separate countries. Scotland had a completely separate king.
However, Henry VIII is often seen as a chap who shook things up a bit, and relations between the Home Nations were no exception.
Between 1535 and 1543, the Laws in Wales Acts extended English law to Wales, replaced Welsh local government with an English model, and gave Welsh constituencies representation in the English parliament. After 1543, Wales was effectively part of England from a legal/administrative point of view.
In 1542, the Irish Parliament’s Crown of Ireland Act made the King of England, whoever he might be, the king of Ireland; but unlike Wales, Ireland remained administered separately.
In 1603, King James VI of Scotland also became King of England (and hence, Ireland), as Elizabeth I’s nearest heir. Although James liked the idea of unifying his territories, both the English and Scottish aristocracy and parliaments told him roundly to piss off. So at this point, James was king of the independent states of England (including Wales), Ireland and Scotland, in much the same constitutional way that Elizabeth II is queen of the independent states of the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Although obviously, he had rather more power then than she does now…
By 1706, following failed attempts throughout the 17th century, the Scottish aristocracy eventually accepted the concept of union between the two countries (largely because Scotland was bankrupt following its disastrous colonial adventures in central America). In 1707, each country’s parliament passed an Act of Union, creating a united kingdom of England and Scotland – referred to as Great Britain – with a single parliament, a free trade area and a single currency, although Scotland retained its unique and separate legal system, and the established Church of Scotland was not integrated into the Church of England or fully controlled by the UK monarch or parliament [see Chris in comments]. All laws of either nation that were incompatible with the Act were repealed by the Act. At this point, Queen Anne became Queen of Great Britain and Queen of Ireland.
In 1800, the parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland each passed another Act of Union, creating a united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, referred to imaginatively as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with a single parliament, a customs union, and a single currency – a similar drill to 1707. Part of the deal to gain Irish acceptance was that Catholics would be given the right to vote in and stand for the UK parliament (previously, only Protestants were eligible to stand for either parliament) – although this was later vetoed by King George III, much to the ire of the (posh, Catholic segment of the) Irish.
Unlike the 1707 Act, which was legitimately voted for by the Scottish parliament, the passage of the 1800 Act in the Irish parliament was driven by epic bribery, as well as by the lies about Catholic emancipation. The Catholic Relief Act was eventually passed in 1829 – too late to stop the Irish from being deeply and fairly pissed off about the whole event.
A few years after (most of – see Thumb in comments and my reply) Ireland effectively seceded from the Union in 1921 to form the Irish Free State and hence lost its representation in Westminster, the legal name of the remaining entity was changed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927. King George V became King of the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland) and King of (most of) Ireland.
(Most of) Ireland declared itself a republic in 1948, at which point King George VI ceased to be King of (most of) Ireland – although bizarrely, the Republic of Ireland parliament didn’t repeal the Act of Union until 1962.
The recent devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although massively important in practice, hasn’t changed the overall legal status of of the above – we’re still in the same position as in 1948. The state of which Elizabeth II is queen is still the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the UK Parliament is still sovereign over the four nations that make up the state.
Sources: Laws in Wales Acts (1535, 1543), Crown of Ireland Act, 1707 Acts (England, Scotland), 1800 Acts (Great Britain, Ireland), Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921, Royal & Parliamentary Titles Act 1927, Republic of Ireland Act 1948, Statute Law Revision (Pre-Union Irish Statutes) Act 1962. | <urn:uuid:ac1f1bcc-cb7d-4adc-a750-a3fd17773006> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.johnband.org/blog/tag/gb/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00131-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971323 | 984 | 3.34375 | 3 |
This was said at a lecture I attended:
$e$ is neutral element for operation $*$ if $\forall x (x*e=x \wedge e*x = x)$.
So, for example 0 is n. e. for disjunction and 1 is n. e. for conjuction (the truth value of disj./conj. equals that of $x$).
Conjuction ($\wedge$, neutral element $e = 1$) has inverse element because $\forall x(\neg x \wedge x = x \wedge \neg x = e)$. Notice the "$= e$" part. (Similiar thing was said for disjunction)
The problem is, 0 is $e$ (neutral element) for disjunction, not conjuction, and similarly for disjunction and 0.
My guess is that lecturer was talking about complements, not inverses, since there isn't always an element $y$ that could be found for any $x$ such that $x \wedge y = e = 1$ ($y$ would be an inverse since in conjunction with $x$ it would produce neutral element; there is no such y (for any $x = 0$)).
Am I missing something? | <urn:uuid:8ffd2b6e-34b6-4036-a00c-9cf337394cec> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/208277/terminology-question-inverse-vs-complement-in-boolean-algebra | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392159.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00029-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928495 | 270 | 2.96875 | 3 |
By John Annaloro
First and foremost, it is important to note that the first financial institution on record in the United States was a financial cooperative (like us), not a commercial bank. It emerged in 1732, with a focus on agriculture and business lending, in New London, Conn. It was regulated (Source: Farm Credit Association, a federal regulatory agency). More than an interesting history lesson, the takeaway here is that banks don’t “own” business lending in the United States. Credit unions, in essence, were here first, doing it first.
There was no cap on credit union business lending—ever—until 1998, when the Credit Union Membership Access Act (CUMAA) was passed. Before that, credit unions could do all the business lending they wanted.
CUMAA was needed as a technical fix for “exploitable wording” in the Federal Credit Union Act, which, if read in a certain context, seemingly restricted consumer access to credit unions. The bill was proposed on the heels of the Supreme Court decision in NCUA v. First National Bank & Trust, after a series of key lower court victories by the American Bankers Association (ABA) as part of their legislative agenda to use the justice system to deal major setbacks to credit unions.
Congressional passage of CUMAA reversed this Supreme Court ruling, authorizing credit unions to have multiple common bonds among their memberships—essentially improving safety by lessening concentration risk.
To get Congressional consensus needed for passage, some political horse-trading was done between the parties, bankers and credit unions. Banks conceded passage in exchange for getting amendments that would ring-fence future credit union growth. Accordingly, the final version of CUMAA allowed for changes to field of membership, but equally had banker provisions that included:
- Higher capital standards for credit unions than banks;
- Limits on growing capital (safety & soundness reserves);
- A portfolio cap on member business lending;
- Prompt Corrective Action, or fast regulatory action that would inhibit regulator “forbearance” on temporarily impaired institutions, presumably making them fail faster.
This “deal” was made without credit unions in the room. Principals were the following individuals:
- Peter Blocklin and Ed Yingling as top lobbyists for the ABA
- Rick Carnell, Assistant Treasury Secretary for Financial Institutions and a Clinton appointee
- Senator Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who helped deliver the Republican vote as minority whip. Before coming to the Senate, Hagel had become a multi-millionaire with a cellular phone company, and among other endeavors was president of the McCarthy Group, an investment banking firm.
Because the field-of-membership corrections were so important to the credit union industry, CUNA, other trades and the credit unions “held their nose” and accepted the terms, knowing that they would eventually have to come back to Congress to fix these things.
It is now time to fix things. The banking system, as evidenced by its failures, requires change. The American economy requires change.
Credit unions have an opportunity to be a part of creating that positive change, and raising the MBL cap will be one important step in that direction.
There has never been a better time to be a credit union.
John Annaloro is the CEO of the Northwest Credit Union Association. Member Business Lending is the subject of a House subcommittee hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011. For more information on how you can advocate in support of raising the MBL cap, read the “Call to Action” issued by the NWCUA and visit CUNA’s Grassroots Action Center.
Questions or Concerns? Contact Matt Halvorson, Anthem Editor: [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:9cb72038-8ac9-4bb8-ae92-361b85999b29> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nwcua.org/index.php/MemberResources/anthem/Entry/a-sit-down-with-the-ceo-john-annaloro-discusses-the-history-behind-the-mbl-cap | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00170-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959603 | 795 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Fitness FAQs-- By SparkPeople Experts
Should I use the Cardio Tracker or my machine to figure out how many calories my exercise burned?
SparkPeople’s database estimates the number of calories you burn during exercise, based on generally-accepted rates of calories burned for various activities. Our tracker also bases your individual calorie burn on your weight, because people of different weights burn calories at different rates. (A person who weighs more will burn more calories doing the same activity as a person who weighs less.)
Cardio machines are also estimating your calorie burn. Some can be more accurate than others—for example, if you input variables like your age, height, weight, and gender. However, even the actual machine you use tends to be inaccurate—and some overestimate calories burned by up to 30%.
Both SparkPeople's cardio tracker and cardio machines estimate the number of calories you burn. Estimates are always a problem because you never really know how hard a person is working. For example, two different people could go on a 2-mile walk at a speed of 4 mph, and that could be very easy for a fit person (so they’d burn fewer calories), yet very difficult for a beginner (so they’d burn more calories). Because these exercise trackers don’t really know how hard you are working, the estimates can be a little off.
The best way to monitor calorie burn is to wear a good heart rate monitor. This works better because your heart rate is an accurate measure of how hard you are working, and is directly related to oxygen consumption during exercise (which is the true predictor of calories burned, but you’d have to visit an exercise lab and be hooked up to a machine for that kind of accuracy).
Why does the Fitness Tracker not calculate calories burned through strength training?
Although you will burn calories from strength training, that number is going to vary widely from person to person. It will depend on how much weight you are using, how many sets/reps you are doing, how much rest you take in between sets and how hard you are working. Therefore any estimates would not be reliable. Just consider this to be an extra bonus to your weekly goals!
Circuit training is in the Fitness Tracker, since it is both a cardio and strength training workout. Click here for a description of circuit training.
How do I lose weight from a specific place on my body?
There is no way to target weight loss to a specific area of the body because your body decides where it wants to put on weight and where it wants to take it off. The midsection is a common "problem" area for many people.
The best way to lose fat is through cardiovascular exercise. It is important to do a variety of exercises to strengthen these areas, but until that excess fat is gone, you will not see the muscle definition. For example, if you’re not doing cardio, crunches are not going to help get the 6-pack you’ve been hoping for. Regular cardio exercise at a level that’s challenging for you is your best bet.
How do I add my own exercises to the Fitness Plans?
Go to your fitness plan. Click on the name of an exercise that our plan has given you. Then you’ll want to "swap" each of the exercises in your plan for an exercise of your choice, which you'll have to enter yourself.
A pop-up screen will appear, saying "Swap Exercise". Instead of simply clicking on a different demo, you can click on the "User Entered" tab on the top right. Here you can enter the exercise name (such as "Leg Extension Machine"), the number of reps you do, and the number of sets. After entering this info, go back to the Swap Screen and click on the name. It will automatically replace our demo with your exercise.
You'll have to do this for all of your exercises, but once you do, the changes you made will be saved and pop up again on all your strength training days.
I've been eating healthy and exercising, but I'm still not losing. What am I doing wrong?
It is very important to really track your food and exercise calories, because nine times out of ten, "mysteries" about not losing weight are due to underestimating calories consumed or overestimating calories burned. If you feel like you’re doing everything right and just not losing, the "Related Content" articles on the right will help. | <urn:uuid:0f514ce6-53fd-4ce1-878e-5b599be6a730> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://sparkpeople.com/resource/articles_print.asp?id=536 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00064-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94828 | 932 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Romania During the Second World War (1941 - 1945)
The break out of the war and the fall of France in June 1940, surprised Bucharest, leaving it without allies.
Taking profit of the confusion created, USSR presented at 26th June 1940 an ultimatum to Romania through which it demanded Bassarabia and Northern Bucovina. Without external support, Romania accepted the utlimatum. Also, on 30th August 2940, through the Dictate from Wien, the North of Transylvania (43,500 Km) was yielded to Hungary, under the pression of Germany and Italy, and at 7th September 1940 through the Treaty from Craiova, Bulgaria took the South of Dobrogea.
The fear of Soviet Russia determined general Ion Antonescu to sign the Tripartite Pact from 23rd November 1940, thinking that Russia would not attack an ally of Germany.
Although it rejected the proposal of Germany to participate along its side against Yugoslavia and Greece, Romania will be in war estate with URSS, that was considered aggressor still from 1940. On 22nd June 1941, Romania entered in war alongside of german troops against USSR, to restore the teritorial integrity.
Romanian armies released its teritories till Nistru to which they reached at 26th July 1941. The continuating of the war beyond the Nistru raised objections from some important political men, of some generals and of king Mihai. Considering that USSR was not defeated and the war has its laws, Ion Antonescu continued the military operations beside Germany. So, romanian army participated from thefight to conquer Crimeea (1941-1942), till the struggle from Stalingrad, after that it followed the retreat. The romanian opposition and even Ion Antonescu had several contacts with allies for Romania to get out of the war. USA and Great Britain wanted the unconditional surrender and they refused any quarantees.
On 20th August 1944, the soviets broke the West Front from Iasi and at South of Chisinău. So, Romania was in the situation to get out from the war at once, before the soviet army to occupy the country.
That is way the king Mihai arrested at 23rd August 1944 the marshal Ion Antonescu, who at his turn wanted the sortie from war, but not on that moment. They were arrested also Ion Antonescu's principal assistants.
On the evening of 23rd August 1944, the king Mihai read at radio a proclamatiom through which he announced to the whole world the political changes, the forming of a new govern, the going out from the war against United Nations and the joining of our troops to antihitlerist coalition. Till 28th August, Bucharest was released by german forces and on 30th August 1944 get into it the soviet army.
The king Mihai's brave act was saluted on those times by all political forces from the country and it was recognised on international plan.
The going out of Romania from the war modified the balance of forces of the two coalitions being in conflict. After the releasing of the teritory, Romania participated beside the soviet army at releasing of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and some zones from Austria, setting at the disposal of United Nations over one million soldiers.
The truce with allied powers was one of the objectives which the govern formed at 23rd August 1944 leaded by general Sănătescu proposed to accomplish urgently.
The truce convention signed at 12th September 1944 established the economical, political and military obligations of Romania. Being treated as an enemy, defeated country, it had to support the occupation soviet army, that meaned a financiar effort of 2 billions USA dollars, for 6 years it payed war damages of 300 million dollars in goods: grains, oil produces, machines, maritim and river ships. It canceled the Dictate from Wien, but the romanian-soviet border was established on Prute, as it was at 28th June 1940.
The period 23rd August 1944 - 6th March 1945 was a dramatic complexe stage. Two governs leaded by general Sănătescu (23rd August - 2nd December 1944) tried to bring back the democratic regime in Romania. | <urn:uuid:0bc44832-bbf5-4200-ad47-e9357203964a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://rohistory.ici.ro/eng09.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397842.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00043-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971684 | 911 | 3.6875 | 4 |
Perplexing Poverty Point Figurines
Archaeologists have found over a hundred clay figurines at the Poverty Point site. They think that these statues may have been sacred or religious objects. The figurines are of seated or kneeling women who have no legs or arms. Some of the women appear to be pregnant. The heads of the figurines are almost always missing and archaeologists think the heads were snapped off on purpose. The figurine heads have details like eyes and mouths carved into them, perhaps with a fingernail or a stick. Some of the heads even have lines to show hair on the head.
Brainstorm and think of reasons for the missing heads! Imagine what kind of ceremony might have accompanied the snapping off of the figurine's head. What do you think the Poverty Point people believed about the figurines? Why do you think they may have decapitated the figurines?
Write a short story telling about a woman and her sacred figurine. Give the woman a name and describe how she looks and what kind of clothes she wears. Give details about the setting. Where and when does your story take place? What kind of a house does she live in? Tell how and why the figurine was made. Tell how the figurine lost its head. Describe everything that happens and give details.
Jot down your ideas before you begin to write:
| Main characters:|
|Who is in the story?|
Where and when does the story take place?
What happens in your story? List at least three to five events.
|Steps in Writing a Story|
1. Write a rough draft of your story. find any mistakes and fix them.
2. Have a friend read your story for understanding. Change things that don't make sense.
3. Ask the friend to check your story for mispelled words, capital letters, and grammar.
4. Proof read your story one more time.
5. Write a final draft of your story for the bulletin board or a class book.
After you write your story, make your own clay figurine out of self-hardening pottery clay. Be sure to add details like eyes, mouth, and hair. | <urn:uuid:6befe502-08f9-49e9-886d-9d44634bd364> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.crt.louisiana.gov/dataprojects/archaeology/activity_guides/ppexpeditions/figurineshandout.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391634.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00074-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958347 | 452 | 3.890625 | 4 |
The term Internet stands for a broad network of computers which are interconnected and facilitate data transmission using a standard form of protocols such as TCP-IP.
The Internet, is a system which is publicly accessible worldwide. It can be accessed and used for a variety of purposes such as, transmission of data in various forms one of which being the popular electronic mail or e-mail, online chat, research. One of the main features of the Internet is the world wide web well known as the term WWW. The pages on the world wide web containing data and information on various subjects are known as web pages and a single page or many pages make up a website.
See also this WEB 2.0 tool
- The Whole Web at Your Finger Tips
Address book, To-Do-List Manager, RSS Reader, Notepad, all on one page! | <urn:uuid:de5bdf08-5209-4e15-8611-0328d7a086f8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.articleworld.org/Internet | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00080-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923394 | 173 | 3.25 | 3 |
The first lighthouse, built for about $3,000, was finished in 1829 along with a five-room keeper's house. A system of 10 lamps and reflectors sent light in every direction.
An 1838 inspection reported that the 30-foot stone tower had been poorly constructed; the walls were already badly cracked. It was reported in 1850:
A fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed in 1858, showing a fixed white light. By 1867, the tower was in such disrepair that a new one was needed. The extant lighthouse was built in 1868, and the 1858 Fresnel lens was moved to the new structure. The style is very similar to lighthouses built in the same period at Block Island, Sheffield Island and a few other locations. It's a handsome granite dwelling with a cast-iron tower attached to the front end of its roof.
In 1890, a fog whistle was added. The signal was upgraded to a powerful siren in 1905. The sound was a shock to Greenwich residents. A local paper asked, "What has Greenwich done that the government inflicts such severe punishment on this community?" A reporter compared the siren to "an army of panthers" and "the wail of a lost soul" among other things. The signal was modulated so that it was somewhat more acceptable to the local population.
A 1904 article described a visit of the lighthouse tender Larkspur to Great Captain Island. Arthur Hewitt wrote:
Abel later was Officer in Charge at Montauk Point Light Station on Long Island, New York in 1975-76.
For nearly two decades beginning in 1985, the caretaker was Otto Lauersdorf. Lauersdorf weathered hurricanes, medical emergencies, and vandals in his years on the island. His wife and children lived most of the time on shore, but they spent much time in the summer on the island.
Lauersdorf spent his time tending a garden, building model airplanes and reading. "If you have to depend on others, this is not the job for you," he said.
The Greenwich Chamber of Commerce started a campaign in the late 1990s to relight the lighthouse. The Indian Harbor Yacht Club worked with the Chamber to raise funds for renovation. With the building falling into increasingly poor condition, no caretaker lived there for several years.
Restoration was delayed numerous times, but the details were worked out and much restoration was completed in 2009. A nonprofit fundraising effort called Return the Light paid $250,000 of the $1.3 million lighthouse renovation.
Sadly, one of the original fundraising team members, Bennett Fisher, died in the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. As part of the restoration, a 9/11 memorial has been established at the lighthouse.
In November 2009, a light was installed in the lantern of the lighthouse. The flashing green light is not an official aid to navigation, but it helped bring the lighthouse back to life. "From a historical standpoint, I applaud it," Henry Marx of Landfall Navigation told the Greenwich Time newspaper.
Keepers: John W. Smith (1830-1834); James Merritt (1834-?); James Bride (1839-1848); Benjamin Merritt (1848-1849); George W. Anderson (1849-?); Charles McIntosh (?); Alexander (?) Worden (1856-1858); Gilbert Horton (1858-1861); James Merritt (1861-1863); James Travis (?) (1863-1864); George Lusk (?) (1864); James McCulloch (1864-1871); Eliakim F. Worden (1871-1890); George Porter (assistant, 1889); Eliakim F. Worden (Jr.?) (assistant, 1891); Frank Wadley (assistant, 1891); John Latour (assistant, 1891); John Shaw (assistant, 1891-1893); William Tooker (assistant, 1891-1892); Eugene Mulligan (1890-c. 1907); Julius Young (assistant, 1895); Otto Rudolph (assistant, 1903, 1907); Morell E. Hulse (assistant, 1905); Herbert S. Knowles (assistant, 1905); Louis F. Schlitt (assistant, c. 1907); Harry H. Fisher (assistant, 1907); John Nelson (c. 1916); Adam L. Kohlman (c. late 1920s to c.1944), James Honeycutt (Coast Guard, c. 1967-1969), Andrew Lampman (Coast Guard, c. 1968), Robert C. Jenkins (Coast Guard, c. 1968), Frank B. Abel (Coast Guard Officer in Charge 1969) | <urn:uuid:259f00ba-1592-4426-99fd-1535c85438c5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.lighthouse.cc/greatcaptain/history.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408840.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00092-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951636 | 999 | 3.125 | 3 |
Photo: Thomas Hawk
In the early 20th Century something was happening in the United States. In addition to the struggles of the Depression and two world wars – Islam in America was changing. At least among one population.
In the early 1930’s a form of Islam was being born centered on the African American experience. Wallace D. Fard Muhammad drew from both the Qur’an and the Bible when he took his message of black spiritual liberation to the streets of Detroit. Muhammad preached of black withdrawal from white society. After his disappearance Elijah Muhammad took over and took the “Nation of Islam” national.
In the beginning this early form of Black Islam differed quite a bit from mainstream Islam. The Nation of Islam did not recognize the Five Pillars or major Muslim holidays and Ward D. Muhammad was declared to be Allah.
Since those early days the beliefs of the Nation of Islam have come more in line with those of Sunni Islam – thanks to the reform efforts of people like Malcolm X and Warith Deen Muhammad. The group has even changed its name to the “American Muslim Mission.”
A branch of the “Nation of Islam” does still exist that retains its black separatist theology– lead by Louis Farrakhan. Although even this branch has begun a slow move toward more orthodox Muslim belief. | <urn:uuid:54983bc3-8623-4450-a4ba-2c9eb3a8899c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://muslimvoices.org/nation-islam/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00095-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969393 | 271 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Are they healthy? Happy or depressed? Mellow or stressed? Do they get enough exercise? If they lived in larger groups, would they reproduce more reliably? If they were free to choose how they spend their days, and with whom, would it be better for them?
Answers might come after an unprecedented, three-year study led by the Oregon Zoo and six partner institutions gets under way Dec. 1, funded by an $800,000 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. "Using Science to Understand Elephant Welfare" will involve all 290 Asian and African elephants housed in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Zoos with pachyderms were not required to participate, but all signed on.
The study comes at a time when such facilities are:
** Under attack from animal activists who claim zoos can't possibly give elephants what they need, given space constraints;
** Facing academic criticism for failing to use science to guide elephant care;
** Being forced to choose whether to build bigger, better facilities and grow their herds -- an expensive and challenging commitment -- or get rid of the animals many zoos consider their signature species and favorite draw for visitors.
"The whole point of it," says Mike Keele, the Oregon Zoo's director of elephant habitats, "is we'll end up with science-based benchmarks for what looks like good welfare. What doesn't?"
Plus, Keele says, if it's sufficiently illuminating, "this sort of study could be done on other species," leading to improved care for many more animals.
Elephant care has evolved, particularly since the 1990s, when standards were minimal. Today, AZA-member zoos in the United States and Canada follow standards adopted in 2001 and updated since. They dictate everything from training regimens to optimal temperatures inside barns; from how much time elephants should be allowed outdoors to how many years, at a minimum, offspring should remain with their mothers.
By and large, though, standards were developed based on experience rather than science. Elephant programs and opinions on best practices vary widely from zoo to zoo. It's even hard, Keele says, to get agreement about what "welfare" and "well-being" mean when it comes to animal care.
"We realized," he says, "there is no science, and why aren't we doing it?"
That was an essential question raised in the book "An Elephant in the Room: The Science and Well-being of Elephants in Captivity," written by a long list of experts and published in 2008 by the Center for Animals and Public Policy at Tufts University. Authors argue that because most zoos have little room to expand, they avoid "collecting empirical evidence that might help to answer the question of just how much and what sort of living space an elephant needs."
While the upcoming study may not specifically answer that, veterinary crews will comb through a decade of medical records for every elephant 10 years or older, as well as records for younger animals, looking for common health issues.
Bi-weekly blood samples from every animal will give chemistry baselines and may help with nutrition analysis.
Fecal samples and saliva will be evaluated to assess stress.
Photos will be systematically taken of each elephant, then studied for similarities and differences. The pictures may offer information about health and nutrition; obesity is common among zoo animals, and can be especially harmful for elephants prone to arthritis. Photos should help managers establish optimum body condition.
The amount and types of training will be examined, and so will keepers' perceptions of animals' personalities and moods. "We believe that the elephant keepers know when the elephants are happy, but there's no science to prove that," Keele says. "We hope to quantify that they really do know how their elephants are feeling."
Social groupings will be studied to see, for instance, how well new animals integrate into herds.
The animals' behavior will be charted to learn more about how they use their spaces, and whether exhibit components are ample to keep elephants active throughout the day. Some zoos, including Oregon's, are spending millions to enlarge exhibits, yet there's no science on the effects of space on elephant welfare.
Even as the study launches, the Oregon Zoo will forge ahead with big changes. Managers want to grow the zoo's seven-elephant herd and keepers are giving cows Shine, Rose-Tu and Chendra opportunities to breed with Tusko, one of four bulls. None is pregnant. Rose gave birth to Samudra about two years ago, shortly before voters approved a $125 million zoo bond measure, approximately $30 million earmarked for new on- and off-site elephant facilities.
The elephant welfare study is being coordinated by the Honolulu Zoo. | <urn:uuid:6baecf09-ba2e-4ed2-a6cb-50da41ded515> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/11/oregon_zoo_and_others_across_n.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00086-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964215 | 985 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Buy New Mexico Fruit Trees, Nut Tree, Bamboo-Berry Plants, Flowering Trees, Shade Tree, and Grapevines
New Mexico has a wide range of climatic factors that determine the best kinds of fruit trees that are adapted for growing during extreme temperature fluctuations and soil profiles. Because New Mexico can grow such a wide range of plants in 4 different zones, it is important to remember that most gardeners want to plant a vine or tree that will produce fruit in a hurry, and there are two options for doing this: either plant a large tree or transplant a fast growing tree. There is a problem with that logic, and that is that a fast growing tree will rapidly elongate and enlarge the cell walls. The cold weather insulating material in the cell walls is lignin and cellulose, both materials that are lacking in a fast growing tree. That means that sometimes it is better to plant a slow growing tree in order to avoid cold damage or trees being killed by sudden temperature drops. Santa Fe, NM is located in frigid USDA zone 5, and very limited types of apple trees and other types of fruit tree, especially peach, pear tree and plum trees can be grown in Santa Fe, NM. For instance, sweet cherry trees like Black Tartarian cherries and Bing cherry trees can often be damaged by late, unexpected spring frosts, however, sour pie cherry trees, like Montmorency cherries and North Star cherry tree are good for planting in Northern New Mexico. Apple trees such as Jonathon apple, Red Delicious apple tree and Golden Delicious apple trees are good for planting and on most New Mexico soils. For central New Mexico, the Elberta peach tree and the Reliance peach trees produce delicious dessert type peach fruits. The Santa Rosa plum tree produces a red, tried and tested plum, that is suitable for planting in most NM zones except for zones 4 and 5. The Green Gage plum tree is similarly grown and adapted in the above zones. The purple Stanley plum tree is a plum that is excellent for planting in colder New Mexico orchards zone 4 and 5. The Tilton Apricot tree produces a tasty, sweet, apricot fruit that can be grown throughout NM except zone 8, and the golden Moorpark apricot is an important commercial fruit that is commonly found in grocery stores.
Many nut trees can be grown in New Mexico, mainly because of the dry atmosphere that is the most favorable for growing thin shelled (papershell) pecan trees. New Mexico has become a major producer among States for pecan commercial production of in-shell nuts. The Stuart pecan and Desirable pecan trees are often found planted together as companion trees in order for proper cross pollination in pecan orchards, but newer pecan tree cultivars like Elliott, Sumner and Pawnee trees will probably be much more profitably commercially. Hall's hardy almond trees and the American black walnut and English walnut trees grow well in New Mexico, and the Chinese chestnut tree is very cold hardy and has proven to be a good producer of high quality, The American chestnut tree is blight resistant and is adapted to grow in NM. Chinese chestnuts in all New Mexico USDA climate zones. The American filbert tree is adaptable to the alkaline soils of New Mexico, and the filbert nuts are sweet and aromatic when toasted. The Allegheny chinquapin tree has not been widely tested in NM.
Red mulberry trees and Persian black mulberry trees offer great promise as producers of marketable mulberries. Red raspberry plants and black raspberries grow throughout NM. Blackberry plants, both thorny and thornless blackberry plants, can be grown not only as backyard garden berries, but as commercial berries. Blueberry plants are limited for growing in New Mexico, because of the alkaline basic soils, but the addition of peat moss or elemental sulfur to the soil surface will make blueberry planting possible. Thornless blackberry plants are highly productive in NM soil profiles and both red raspberry plants and the black raspberry plants are productive in similar soils.
Several kinds of fig trees are cold hardy to grow in New Mexico: Chicago Hardy fig tree and Tennessee mountain fig trees have survived in USDA climate zones of 5 and 6 in the extreme cold temperatures of the winter of 2014, when the trees were properly mulched. Ty Ty Nursery carries many other fig tree cultivars such as the Black Mission fig tree, the Green Ischau fig tree, and the white Italian fig tree.
Bunch grapevines and seedless grape vines grow in most USDA zones of New Mexico. Muscadine grape vines and Scuppernong grapevine production is limited to planting in zone 7 and 8. Wine grapes can be grown that contain high concentrations of sugar-excellent for wine production.
New Mexico Shade trees will cut power bills drastically and stop soil erosion, as well as increase property values. N.M. Maple trees, Oak trees and Green Ash trees all grow into very large shade tree. The Ginkgo, Sweet Gum trees and Sassafras tree provide brilliant colors of leaves during the fall season. Elm trees, River Birch trees and Sycamore trees prefer growing in drought resistant soils. The Tulip Poplar tree, the Weeping Willow Tree and Bald Cypress trees are fast growing trees that are cold hardy. One of the fastest growing shade trees is the columnar Lombardy poplar tree that can grow over 8 feet in a single year, and is an excellent choice to plant as a privacy screen or a windbreak, if the Lombardy poplar trees are planted in thick, dense rows.
The survival and conservation of wildlife animals and birds is foremost to animal lovers and hunters. The Kieffer pear trees produce a slow ripening hard pear, and the American persimmon tree ripens in the fall when wildlife food is scarce. The crabapple wild seedling tree, the Chickasaw plum and red mulberry trees are vigorous growers of abundant food for wildlife animals and game birds. The elderberry bushes, strawberry bush and autumn olive tree provide berries during the growing season. The wild, seedling pecan, the hickory nut tree and the American chestnut and Chinese chestnut trees drop plenty of nuts during the fall and winter months beneath the trees. The white oak tree, the Gobbler oak tree and the fast growing sawtooth trees produce bushels of acorns to feed wildlife deer and game birds.
The Japanese Magnolia tree and the Catalpa trees are excellent shade trees, but both of these trees are also beautiful flowering trees that are cold hardy in all areas of New Mexico. The Japanese pink Kwanzan cherry trees and the Yoshino cherry tree that produces white single flowers grow in all parts of NM. The white flowering Cleveland pear tree is lovely in the spring, and the multi-colors of flowering peach trees, pink, peppermint and white are quit stunning in the beginning of spring. The crabapple tree is an excellent flowering tree that also produces and edible fruit and is useful in pollinating apple trees that require a pollinator. Red dogwood trees and red leaf plum trees (Thundercloud) add striking color in smaller gardens. The flowering apricot tree is the very earliest flowering tree to bloom in the spring. Crape myrtle trees have become improved to flower in periods lasting three months, in colors of red, white and pink. Newer colors of True Blue crape myrtle and Black Diamond are dwarf trees that rarely grow over six feet tall. The flowering oleander bushes grow into trees under the proper pruning procedures and bloom in colors of white, pink and red. Newer colors of yellow, purple and apricot dwarf are rare and well worth acquiring. All oleander trees can grow under very harsh drought conditions, can take full sun, alkaline soil profiles and are salt water tolerant and unlike other plants can bloom 9 months out of the year.
New Mexico bamboo plants can be grown
from Las Cruces and Carlsbad in the South to Gallup, Santa Fe and
Albuquerque in the Northern part of the State. Fast growing bamboo
plants have stems with an outer casing of very hard and dense fibers
that are very effective in avoiding the heat damage of the desert and
also the cold hardiness can protect New Mexico bamboo clumps against
winter ice and snow damage to withstand temperatures of minus 20
degrees F. below zero. The bamboo canes are attractively grown in
beautiful colors of brilliant blue, waxy yellow and black-green, and
random variegation can occur in leaves or the poles. It is easy to
grow a bamboo plant privacy fence that will block out unwanted
animals or visitors and screen your private property from the
automobile noise and unpleasant fumes of carbon dioxide that are
transformed in time to oxygen for healthy breathing. Order your own
bamboo boxed living privacy screen from Ty Ty Bamboo Nursery, tytyga.com that will be sent fast and directly to your office or home
during any time of the year.
For trees lovers and garden planters in New Mexico, Aloe plants, Yucca trees and Agave plants are no strangers, since they are there as sentinels in the desert sand requiring no Maintenance, no fertilizer and no water. These xeriscape Agave plants are widely adapted for growing in most climate regions of the State. The Agave americana 'Marginata' is known as the variegated leaf Century Plant and can be grown outside or in containers. The Agave tequilana plant juice is a sweet syrup and is fermented to ferment into tequila. The 'Agave vilmoriniana 'Octopus' grows re-curved leaves resembling the dangerous tentacles of the octopus. The Agave angustifolia 'Marginata' grows saber-like hard, stiff leaves that grow at right angles to the stem. The Agave attenuata has no leaf teeth on the leaf edges nor terminal spikes and is called the spineless agave. The Spanish Bayonet, Yucca gloriosa, the Yucca rostrata and the Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia are all extremely cold hardy and produce tall flower spikes of white flowers in the spring. The Red Yucca plant ,Hesperales parviflora, has leaves that change to a red color during the winter months. The Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard' has striking leaf stripe variegation and the leaves are soft and suitable for growing inside the home with no dangerous thorns or prickly spikes to stick children. The Aloe vera plant cures burned skin and flesh wounds and when the juice is used as first aid on honeybee stings, wasps and fire ants the problems are healed. | <urn:uuid:b07ffec1-c44e-4cf8-b87b-85855155311e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.tytyga.com/New-Mexico-trees-a/297.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400572.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00034-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922886 | 2,224 | 3.203125 | 3 |
Folly Alert: Congress Poised to Restart Nuclear Waste Reprocessing
While clean-up at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington drags on, it’s hard to believe that the U.S. Congress would embrace a multi-million dollar scheme to begin commercially reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel – the very process that caused much of the Hanford mess in the first place.
Yet a little-noticed provision in Senate energy legislation would give $865 million over the next five years to government laboratories, as well as a handful of university and industry partners, to develop and deploy ways to reprocess commercial nuclear fuel by 2015.
Reprocessing is an innocuous term for extracting plutonium from nuclear waste, which could ostensibly be reused to fuel nuclear reactors. Proponents claim that this process offers a magical way to deal with the growing stockpiles of nuclear waste that are located at 103 nuclear reactors around the country. This wishful thinking should not fool anyone familiar with the costly environmental tragedy at Hanford.
A total of five reprocessing plants once operated at Hanford, producing plutonium for Cold War military purposes. They left behind millions of gallons of highly radioactive liquid waste, stored in leaking underground tanks at risk of fires and explosion. Massive quantities of so-called "low-level" radioactive waste, another byproduct of the process, were mostly discharged without controls, contaminating groundwater and the Columbia River. And then there are the millions of curries of radiation contained in the stockpiled capsules of solidified cesium and strontium that have been described as the most lethal source of radiation in the United States, except for the core of an operating nuclear reactor. The Department of Energy’s dubious plan for addressing this mess is in line to become the biggest budget clean-up project in U.S. history.
The moral of this story is that reprocessing will not make nuclear waste disappear. Plutonium makes up just 1 percent of nuclear waste. So removing the plutonium leaves most of the radioactive material, which must be isolated from people and the environment. What’s more, reprocessing itself generates new waste, including radioactive liquids and gases that are even more difficult to deal with than waste that has not been reprocessed. The Nuclear Control Institute estimates that conventional reprocessing increases the volume of radioactive waste in need of permanent disposition by at least a factor of ten.
As if the waste problems associated with reprocessing weren’t bad enough, there are other reasons why extracting plutonium from nuclear waste is not such a good idea. Once isolated, the plutonium – which remains radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years – can more easily end up used by terrorists in dirty bombs or nuclear weapons. That’s exactly why three decades of U.S. nonproliferation policy has banned commercial reprocessing of nuclear waste.
Current efforts to reverse this ban exemplify not only bad policy but also bad timing. International diplomacy efforts are presently aimed at talking North Korea out of its plans to restart nuclear reprocessing facilities to feed a nuclear weapons program. Here at home, we’re told that the country faces an unprecedented threat from terrorists, who may possess nuclear material. If they don’t, they’re certainly looking for it. Reversing the U.S. ban on reprocessing runs contrary to post-9/11 efforts to reduce national security risks. It would set a dangerous global precedent, encouraging other countries to create risky plutonium industries and undermining nonproliferation goals at a crucial moment of global instability.
This harebrained plan is outlined in Senate energy legislation sponsored by Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico. Lawmakers should learn from the problems caused by Hanford reprocessing, oppose these provisions, and prioritize clean-up of existing nuclear sites instead of creating new ones. The people of this country deserve a safe, clean and affordable energy future, not a dependence on Cold War nuclear technologies that threaten health and safety worldwide.
TAKE ACTION! Contact your Senators and urge them to oppose funding for nuclear waste reprocessing technologies in the energy bill (S.14). Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Send a free fax and find out more at http://www.stopenergybill.org. | <urn:uuid:58608a87-8856-40ed-b4ea-c424d57a007e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.citizen.org/cmep/energy_enviro_nuclear/electricity/energybill/articles.cfm?ID=9997 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396959.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00195-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926163 | 886 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Heartburn is a common stomach discomfort that affects approximately 60 million Americans annually and about 25 million adults daily. Heartburn gets its name from the chest pains that regularly accompany it—pains that can be so severe you may think you're having a heart attack.
In fact, the pains have nothing to do with your heart. Rather, they are caused by stomach acid that washes up into the esophagus and produces a burning sensation and discomfort. The symptoms are most often caused by a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
Symptoms of Heartburn
Most symptoms of heartburn occur after you eat or when you are lying down.
- Painful burning sensation in the upper abdomen that moves up into the chest, often making its way to the neck and back of the throat
- Fluid at the back of the throat
- Difficulty in swallowing foods
- Slight rashes on the body, such as on the face or abdomen
- Dental erosions
- Sore throat
- Belching and regurgitation of bitter gastric juices
- Discomfort that worsens when you lie down (unlike chest pain due to heart attack, which is often associated with physical activity)
- In some cases, nausea
Heartburn or Heart Attack?
Heartburn and heart attack do have overlapping symptoms. But there are major differences. The following symptoms are more likely signaling a heart attack:
- pain that radiates up to the jaw or out to the arm
- pain accompanied by sweating, nausea, dizziness, or shortness of breath
- pain on physical exertion
If these symptoms are present, call 911, or have someone take you to a hospital emergency room immediately.
What Causes Heartburn?
The principal cause of this stomach distress and of GERD, is the malfunctioning of your lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This muscle temporarily relaxes to let food pass into your stomach and then closes to keep stomach acids from splashing, or refluxing, into your esophagus—the food tube that runs from the throat to the stomach.
When the LES doesn't close properly, stomach acids back up and irritate the lining of the esophagus, causing an uncomfortable burning sensation. This typically occurs after meals, when the stomach is secreting gastric juices and when pressure in the stomach is more likely to push stomach contents up through the LES.
Other factors include eating right before bed, being overweight, drinking or smoking excessively, exercising immediately after eating, wearing tight clothing and using certain medications.
If you are pregnant, overweight, or over the age of 40, the LES begins to weaken, increasing your risk of heartburn. (At least one-quarter of all pregnant women experience heartburn every day.)
What If You Do Nothing?
Mild occasional heartburn will usually resolve itself in a matter of hours and is no cause for concern. But if you have heartburn frequently, you should see your doctor, since persistent acid reflux can lead to inflammation and scarring of the esophagus, making it difficult to swallow. Chronic GERD can also lead to a precancerous condition called Barrett's esophagus. You will probably need to adopt some lifestyle and dietary changes in combination with medications to reduce or eliminate the problem.
Home Remedies for Heartburn
There are many over-the-counter preparations aimed at alleviating heartburn. None is recommended for long-term use. Be sure to read warning labels carefully. Pregnant women, children and people with ulcers or kidney problems should consult a doctor before using any type of heartburn medication.
- Take an antacid. If you have heartburn symptoms, don’t try to “tough it out.” The discomfort of occasional heartburn (once or twice a month) can be relieved by taking an over-the-counter antacid. These medications come in tablet, liquid, or foam and in regular and extra-strength formulations.Be aware that magnesium-containing antacids may cause diarrhea, while those containing calcium most often cause constipation.Antacids should remedy the situation almost immediately. A recommended dose taken one to three hours after eating should provide varying degrees of relief. If a single dose fails to bring relief, the problem could be more severe and you should contact your physician.Don’t use antacids frequently or regularly. Not only may side effects worsen, but antacid use may mask symptoms that require medical attention. Antacids can also interfere with the absorption of other medications.
- Consider an H2-blocker. These over-the-counter drugs—which contain 50 percent of the minimum dosages in the prescription forms—are meant to be taken before heartburn strikes in order to prevent excess acid from being secreted. If you already have heartburn, you will get faster relief from a conventional antacid. If you think you are going to get heartburn, H2-blockers may be worth a try.
- Don’t drink milk as a remedy. Contrary to popular myth, milk is not a recommended antidote to heartburn. A glass of milk does provide immediate relief as it goes down, but milk lacks a buffering action and will eventually stimulate even more acid production in the stomach. In less than 30 minutes you may develop heartburn that’s more severe than the case you’re treating.
- Don’t overeat; instead, eat more frequent, smaller meals. When you overeat, the excess food squeezes your stomach and forces digestive juices upward. Instead of eating a large lunch and large dinner, which cause the stomach to produce a lot of acid, eat four to six smaller meals and space them throughout the day.
- Avoid fatty or acidic foods. Certain foods regularly bring on discomfort or exacerbate symptoms in many heartburn sufferers. Included on the list are oranges and grapefruit, Bloody Mary mix, yellow onions, tomatoes and tomato-based sauces and high-fat foods, especially greasy or fried meat. (Fat slows gastric emptying.) Red wine, after-dinner liqueurs, chocolates and peppermints are also prime causes of heartburn.
- Try to avoid becoming constipated. Straining during bowel movements can increase abdominal pressure and encourage heartburn. Increasing your intake of dietary fiber and fluids is the safest, most effective way to promote more efficient elimination.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking affects the lower esophageal sphincter and allows stomach acids to enter the esophagus.
- Avoid caffeine. The caffeine in soda, coffee, tea and chocolate can increase the production of stomach acid secretions and lead to heartburn.
- Limit your alcohol intake. Many beverages containing alcohol relax the LES and may cause heartburn.
- Loosen your belt. If you eat more than usual, loosen your belt after a big meal to keep it from squeezing your stomach and forcing acids upward.
- Watch those midnight snacks. Don’t eat just before retiring and don’t eat a large meal less than four hours before bedtime. The combination of a large meal and the horizontal resting position will tilt digestive juices toward your esophagus. It’s better to stay upright for at least several hours after eating.
- Sleep on your left side. If you often have heartburn at night, this position will keep the acidic contents of your stomach below the juncture with the lower esophagus, thus reducing acid backup into the esophagus.
- Raise your bed. Keeping your body at a slight upward-tilting angle will also help prevent stomach acids from moving into your esophagus at night. Put six-inch blocks of wood under the bed frame at the head of the bed, or buy a wedge that fits under your mattress.
- Reduce daily stress. If stress causes heartburn, find ways to reduce it through professional counseling, relaxation techniques, or regular exercise.
- Check medication side effects. Certain medications such as antihistamines, birth control pills, antihypertensives, sedatives, some heart drugs and asthma medications may aggravate heartburn because they decrease the strength of the LES. If you are taking any drug regularly, ask your physician if it may be the cause of your heartburn.
- If you’re overweight, lose weight. Extra pounds stress the LES and contribute to its weakening.
Beyond Home Remedies: When To Call Your Doctor
Contact your physician if you have persistent heartburn and experience little or no improvement after two weeks of self-care measures, or if symptoms include wheezing, difficulty swallowing, vomiting blood that looks like coffee grounds, or passing black stools. Your symptoms may be caused by a problem other than gastroesophageal reflux, such as an ulcer, gallbladder disease, or other gastrointestinal problems.
What Your Doctor Will Do
A good medical history will help your physician make a diagnosis of heartburn. The doctor will first seek to rule out angina and heart attack, since the chest pain of these serious ailments is often indistinguishable from heartburn. If heartburn is then suspected, your diet will be reviewed to identify offending foods. Your doctor may also prescribe an endoscopy, in which an endoscope is inserted into your esophagus and stomach (gastroscopy) to determine your condition and, if necessary, obtain a tissue sample for biopsy.
For chronic reflux and heartburn, your doctor may prescribe medications that reduce acid in the stomach. These drugs include H2-blockers (such as Tagamet and Pepcid AC) and proton pump inhibitors (such as Prilosec, Prevacid, or Acip-Hex). There are also medications that reduce heartburn by speeding up the emptying of stomach contents.
In rare cases, severe reflux may require surgical treatment. But never opt for surgery until all other measures have been exhausted.
The Complete Home Wellness Handbook
John Edward Swartzberg, M.D., F.A.C.P., Sheldon Margen, M.D., and the editors of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter
Updated by Remedy Health Media | <urn:uuid:a78e2603-df66-461e-a05a-c797bf8e8bc8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.healthcommunities.com/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd/about-heartburn.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397797.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00179-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921516 | 2,120 | 3.59375 | 4 |
What is a Favicon?
A Favicon is a small square icon associated with a website or a web page. In a browser, it is typically displayed before a web page’s address in the address bar and also before the name of the web page in the list of bookmarks, if you add it your Favorites. So “Favorites Icon” is where the name Favicon comes from. Browsers that have tabbed document interface show a page’s favicon next to the page’s title on the tab as well.
By a small square icon, I mean that a favicon is a really small icon measuring 16×16 pixels. You can also create a 32×32 pixels or 64×64 pixels icon. Creating a larger favicon is only useful if user opens up a folder that is set to display large icons. In all other cases, your Favicon will be scaled down to 16×16 pixels to be displayed in the tabs, favorites menu or the address bar.
Why Should You Use a Favicon?
At CSSJockey, making your web presence outstanding is a key point that is always on our mind. One of the ways to make your website stand out from other pages on the WWW is to use a Favicon that represents your website if it’s opened in a browser or saved in someone’s list of bookmarks. You probably know how cluttered can a person’s list of bookmarks or favorites can be. Having a graphic identity in the form of a Favicon is a great way to catch attention.
In this post, we’ll see how to create a Favicon.ICO file in 2 easy ways:
Create a Favicon.ICO using Photoshop
You can create your Favicon offline using Photoshop. This requires that you add a plugin to your Photoshop that allows it to open and save .ICO files. You can download the .ICO Format plugin for Photoshop from Telegraphics. Extract the contents of the .ZIP file and place the “ICOFormat.8BI” file into Plug-insFile Formats directory inside the Adobe Photoshop folder where it is installed.
The plugin reads and writes ICO files in 1, 4 and 8-bit Indexed and 24-bit RGB modes, and also reads and writes 32-bit “XP” icons (with 8-bit alpha channel).
Now we can start with a new 16 x 16 pixels canvas but since its a very small area it can be a little hard to work with. Instead, we can start with a 64 x 64 canvas (because if you plan to re-size an image later, it’s always good to use even multiples of the original dimensions.)
If you already have a logo, try scaling it down to this canvas size. It’s well and good if it holds.. and you can use it. But if it doesn’t look good and crisp, try creating a simple design that uses colors from your website’s design.
When you’re ready with your Favicon design, Select Image>Image Size menu and enter 16 x 16. NOTE: CS versions of Photoshop will have an option called “resample image” – If you’re using a CS version of Photoshop – Check the Resample Image option and choose “Bicubic Sharper” from the drop-down menu. This technique is for optimizing reduction transformation.
Save your image from the File > Save menu, enter a suitable name and select ICO (Windows Icon) .ico from the Format drop down menu.
Create a Favicon.ico from images in other formats using Online Favicon Generators
If you have your website’s logo or an image that you’d want to use as your Favicon in formats other than .ICO such as PNG, GIF, JPEG, etc. you can still Create a Favicon from those using Free Favicon Generators available online. Here are a few nifty Favicon generators that I have seen around the internet:
This FavIcon generator supports GIF, JPG, PNG, and BMP formats and you can even use a gif or png with transparency if you require it. However, the maximum image size that you can upload is 150 KB.
With this FavIcon generator you simply select a picture, logo or other graphic (of any size/resolution) for the “Source Image”.
This is my personal favorite! When you open this website, you’re presented with a grid where you can paint each pixel of the grid using any colors from the palette provided alongside and also preview the result of your creativity LIVE just below the workarea. Besides sketching a FavIcon, you can also import an image in various formats and convert them into a favicon.ico file. You have an additional option to keep the dimensions of the image you choose, or to shrink the uploaded image to a square icon. There are also user generated favicons in two sections – “Latest Favicons” and “Top Rated Favicons” that you can view or download.
How to use your Favicon
After you’ve created your favicon, it’s time to add it to your website. You can do so by following these steps:
1. Upload the favicon.ico file to the root directory of your website. Visit http://your-website.com/favicon.ico to make sure it is present.
2. If your website is a static website with different HTML pages, insert the below code in the HEAD section of your pages:
<link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="/favicon.ico">
If your website is based on WordPress and you’re using a theme, you’ll need to modify the above code as follows:
<link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="<?php bloginfo('wpurl'); ?>/favicon.ico">
and place it in HEAD section in the header.php file of the theme.
Some people suggest that the following is actually more correct:
You can use both if you want! Clear your browser’s cache, restart the browser and visit your web page. Ideally, you should be able to see your Favicon. However, it must be noted that sometimes the Favicon doesn’t show up immediately. You should try putting a ‘?’ at the end of the URL, which will trick a browser into thinking the page is new and not cached. In some cases the favicon might not show up in Internet Explorer 7. You’d want to add
<link href="favicon.ico" rel="shortcut icon" data-mce-href="favicon.ico">
<link href="favicon.ico" rel="icon" type="image/ico" data-mce-href="favicon.ico">
in the HEAD section to display your Favicon correctly in IE7.
Some Good Looking Favicons and Favicon Galleries
For your viewing pleasure …
- List of 50 Remarkable Inspirational Favicons – Smashing Magazine
- 88 Outstanding Favicons
- Favicon Gallery at FineIcons
- Favicons at Delta Tango Bravo
- Fresh Favicon – Inspirational Favicon Gallery
I hope you enjoyed this walk through and if you have something nice to share, please feel free to use the comments form below. | <urn:uuid:bd231bb5-1a47-4004-8d3a-a00ad24d9847> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://cssjockey.com/how-to-create-a-favicon-and-why-should-you-use-one/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399522.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00054-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.856186 | 1,574 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Making Cold Process Soap
We all care about the ingredients we're using on our skin! Once you realize how fun and easy it is to gather everything you need to make your own soap, and how much nicer your homemade soap is than normal synthetic commercially produced soap, you'll never go back.
To help you make your own soap, Voyageur offers everything you need, from ingredients to supplies and packaging.
We also have soap making kits with pre-measured ingredients and instructions for you to get a head start on soap making at home.
The Soap Making Process
When fats and oils (an acid) are combined with a solution of sodium hydroxide/lye (a base) and water, they combine in a process called saponification to form soap (a salt) and glycerin. Our homemade soaps are made using easily accessible materials and a simple process called Cold Process Soap Making.
Soap cleans in two ways – by helping to wet the surface to be cleaned and by trapping the dirt to the water, allowing the dirt to be rinsed away. This is possible because of the unique makeup of the soap molecule, which is attracted to water on one end, and oil or dirt on the other.
Basic Soap Making Ingredients
The basic ingredients in soap are fats and oils, sodium hydroxide (lye), and water. The water acts as a solvent to dissolve and help disperse the lye through the oils.
In the past, most soaps were made using readily available beef fat (tallow) or pork fat (lard). Today, there's also a wide range of vegetable and fruit based oils to choose from, including coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, canola shortening and liquid oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, and soy bean.
You also have the option of using specialized fats and oils such as almond oil, grapeseed oil, hemp oil, jojoba oil, wheat germ oil, apricot kernel oil, cocoa butter, shea butter and beeswax.
Always wear protective rubber gloves and protective eyeglasses when you are making soap. Sodium Hydroxide (also called Lye or Caustic Soda) is a toxic and caustic chemical, and must be treated with respect.
Unused sodium hydroxide can be stored for future use in a safely sealed and labeled container in a location not accessible to children or pets. Ingesting lye can be fatal if not treated immediately. A recommended action is to give water only – 4 ounces for children and 8 ounces for adults – and go immediately to a hospital emergency. Check with your local poison control center for the most up-to-date procedures available.
Remember that all soap makers use lye to make soaps. Using knowledge and common sense are the best safety measures. | <urn:uuid:8c00a4f5-5a54-4fa1-89ae-9dacc7987175> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.voyageursoapandcandle.com/Cold_Process_Soap_Making_s/261.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00192-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947217 | 587 | 2.71875 | 3 |
[from Plexus Publishing]
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- Web delivered
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- Scientist biographies | <urn:uuid:35168945-5e50-483b-a195-fb009be21bbb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://books.infotoday.com/infoscience/BioDigest.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398628.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00103-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.863975 | 1,056 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Legend Of Hoston-stone
( Originally Published Late 1800's )
Some years ago I communicated some remarks, which were inserted in the History of Leicestershire, concerning the stone called by the inhabitants of Humberston " Hoston-stone," or " Hoston ;" meaning, perhaps, High-stone. I have always regarded this stone, though now little noticed, as a very curious object; and having made myself of late years better acquainted than when I wrote before with the subjects with which I imagine this stone to be connected, I offer the following remarks, as correcting, in some measure, my former communications.
This stone is one of those blocks of granite found very frequently in the neighbourhood, and supposed by the celebrated De Luc to be fragments cast up by some convulsion of the earth from the primary and deepest strata. The Hoston-stone lies on the ridge of an eminence, which, though not the highest of the neighbouring hills, is yet very conspicuous for a vast distance from the West. Some old persons in the neighbourhood, still living, remember when it stood a very considerable height, perhaps eight or ten feet, in an artificial fosse or hollow. About fifty or sixty years ago the upper parts of the stone were broken off, and the fosse levelled, that a plough might pass over it ; but, according to the then frequent remark of the villagers, the owner of the land who did this deed never prospered afterwards. He certainly was reduced from being the owner of five " yard-land," to use the then common phrase, or about one hundred and twenty acres, to absolute poverty, and died about six years ago in the parish workhouse. This superstitious opinion attached to the stone, together with the following circumstances, persuade me to think that the stone was what is usually called "Druidical." It possibly may have been a Logan, or rocking-stone ; but of this there certainly is no evidence.
There are, or rather were, about fifty years ago, traditionary tales in the village that a nunnery once stood on Hoston ; and that steps had been found communicating subterraneously with the monks of Leicester Abbey, about two miles distant. But no religious house of this kind is to be traced here. The tale must have owed its origin to circumstances connected with the religion of earlier times ; probably anterior to the introduction of Christianity into Britain ; and therefore during the prevalence of the idolatry of the Britons.
Some years ago it was believed that fairies inhabited, or at least frequented, this stone ; and various stories were told concerning those pigmy beings. Such, according to the testimony of Borlase, in his " History of Cornwall," is the common opinion respecting the many druidical stones in that county. This belief was so strongly attached to the Hoston-stone, that some years ago a person visiting it alone, fancied he heard it utter a deep groan; and he immediately ran away to some labourers, about two hundred yards distant, terrified with the apprehension of seeing one of the wonderful fairy inhabitants.
In the adjoining vale, at the distance of about one hundred yards from the stone, on the north-east, is a plot of ground known, before the inclosure of the lordship, by the name of "Hell-hole Furlong." No circumstance belonging at present to the spot seems likely to have given rise to this strange name : it leaves room therefore for the conjecture that in this quarter the sacrifices, too often human, were wont to be performed; and that from this circumstance it obtained the Saxon name of " Hela," or " Death."
From these circumstances, and also from the situation of the stone on an eminence, such as were usually chosen for the celebration of the religious rites of the ancient British, there seems to be little room for doubt that Hoston was once sacred to the purposes of druidical, or rather of the more ancient bardic worship. These spots are in some places still termed " Homberds," or " Humberds," probably from the Erse word (according to Vallancey) uam, or owim, signifying fear or terror, and bardh, the name of a well-known order of priests. The word humberd, thus compounded, is but too justly applicable to the scenes of Bardic worship, which were terrible, both from the character of Dis, or Pluto, whom they especially worshipped, and from the rites by which he was propitiated.
These conjectures and opinions derive further support from the name of the village within whose liberties this stone is situate. Humberston is very plainly the ton, or town, of the Humberd, or sacred place of bardic worship ; for the village stands on the south side of the ridge, of which Hoston-height is part ; and about half a mile from the stone, which is as near as habitations seem to have been allowed to approach those dreadfully sacred places. The name of Humberston belongs to a village on the coast of Lincolnshire, near Grimsby. Should there be any Humberd near it, the conclusion must be, not only that the Lincolnshire village, but the river Humber itself, derived their names from a place of bardic worship. | <urn:uuid:b1e433ba-0d38-4f0b-808c-8cff349a8ae8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.oldandsold.com/articles31n/lore-1.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392069.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00090-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981359 | 1,101 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Posted on February 12th, 2014 by Rachel
Here in the Education Department at the Jewish Museum of Maryland we’ve come up with a fun and creative way to construct a Stereoscope. What’s a Stereoscope, you say? Well, a stereoscope is a mechanical tool used to view images that are side-by-side depicting a scene as seen independently by the right eye and left eye. These types of images are known as stereoscopic.
The first stereoscope was invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1838. Image via.
The Stereoscope that you may be more familiar with and the two that we have in our exhibit Passages Through the Fire Jews and the Civil War look more like this one. Image via.
Stereoscopes brought the images to life. Giving the viewer a sample of the subject in 3D. What we’ve done is somewhat modernized the device using simple and inexpensive materials. Check out the images below to construct your very own! You can also download the instructions as a PDF HERE: Stereoscope How To.
A blog post from Museum Educator Sean Schumacher. To read more posts from Sean, click HERE. To read more education related posts, click HERE. | <urn:uuid:00a8fd0f-da1b-444e-926a-695de9e84f80> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://jewishmuseummd.org/tag/stereoscope/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00005-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945892 | 257 | 3.421875 | 3 |
AFTER a two day coaching on how to use art to tell stories on Gender Based Violence, 18 participants in got down to business to use drawings to tell stories of violence against women and children. Participants sat in a circle and first shared their stories and supported each other as a way of opening up to beginning the healing process. The story circle created a platform for them to start to talk about gender based violence in the community and how it impact on women and children. Participants also drew images of their discussion. The images presented focused on women trafficking, physical, financial and psychological abuse. Participants revealed that the stories they were presenting were based on what they had heard, seen or read about in the newspapers. “This is what is happening around us,” one of the participants said. Nomalisa Ndebele, one of the participants drew a picture that portrayed a couple, Andrew and Lisa. The couple had a blissful relationship and used to share bank cards and credit cards. When they broke up Andrew ‘punished’ Lisa by withdrawing all her servings from the bank. He also borrowed a lot of things using Lisa’s credit cards. | <urn:uuid:f7cda587-91a4-42aa-910a-09548a1e2d36> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://wwwcreativecommunication.blogspot.com/2012/12/using-art-to-raise-awareness-of-gbv16.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393997.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00040-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978777 | 235 | 2.75 | 3 |
Charles Bernard Lear, a pioneering knuckleballer for the Cincinnati Reds, was born on January 23, 1891, in Greencastle, Pennsylvania. He was Frank and Mary Lear’s first-born child; his sister Mildred followed nine years later. Frank Lear worked in the metal trades, with his census professions indicated as moulder and tinner.
Greencastle, a small borough nestled within the Cumberland Valley not far from Gettysburg, provided a healthy baseball heritage for the boy. Frank Lear played in the 1880s alongside the hamlet’s first contribution to the majors: Bert Goetz, possessor of the “whip-poor-will swoop” – a colorful name for an ordinary curve, who pitched one game for the Baltimore Orioles in 1889.1 A decade later, Charles Pittinger ascended from the Greencastle lots to the majors, starring for the Boston Beaneaters and the Philadelphia Phillies. Young Charles Lear purchased his first baseball uniform from his hero Pittinger. Although Lear’s nickname was perhaps inevitable, Pittinger was also called “King” in south-central Pennsylvania. Perhaps local fans had more than just Shakespearean tragedy in mind when they bequeathed the handle to young Lear.2
After high school, Lear went on to nearby Mercersburg Academy, which had the “reputation of turning out one of the best preparatory school [baseball] teams in the East.”3 In 1910 his first season with the varsity, Mercersburg finished 19-0. Lear reportedly won 14 of these, including eight shutouts.4 In addition to prep and club teams, Mercersburg’s competition included freshman teams from regional collegiate powers Penn and Princeton. Lear shut out Penn on April 16, and pitched in relief when Mercersburg topped Princeton on May 20.
Duly impressed, Princeton recruited Lear, and he arrived on campus that fall. When the freshman baseball season arrived in the spring of 1911, he was a mainstay of its staff. But the freshman unit was a mild disappointment, finishing with a 6-5-1 mark, in part due to “erratic pitching.”5
Nonetheless, with graduation creating holes in the rotation, sophomore Lear figured to play a large role in the 1912 varsity season. Baseball was serious business at Princeton. Former major-league catcher Bill Clarke coached the Tigers and that spring, former major-league pitcher Carl Lundgren assisted him.
Under this tutelage, Lear emerged as one of the “best pitchers in the college ranks” that season.6 He shut out a strong Penn squad on ‘Straw Hat Day’ in early May, then lost narrow contests to Cornell (with President William Howard Taft in attendance) and Williams, before rebounding with a strong stretch that included victories over Harvard and Yale, bringing the Big Three championship to Princeton. When the season concluded, the Tigers were considered the best college team in the country, with the possible exception of the Williams College Ephs.7
Despite being at the core of such a squad, King Lear did not return to Princeton in 1913. Later in his life he claimed money as the reason. Contemporary reporting, and Coach Clarke, indicated “college conditions,” that is, some form of ineligibility, as the cause.8 It may well have been one and the same, if Lear had been discovered pitching for pay under an assumed name while at Princeton. As it was, his 1913 season indicated he was quite adept within the semipro circuits. He began with the Nassaus of Princeton in the spring, then put in brief appearances with Harrisburg and Chambersburg outfits in Pennsylvania, twirled for a Baltimore club, then concluded with a 15-3 stint for the Woodstock, Virginia, team.
That offseason, the Giants traded Buck Herzog to Cincinnati, where he was promptly appointed the Reds manager. Herzog was a Baltimore native, and financially backed the city’s semipro team that Lear had pitched for. Looking to build a stockpile of young arms for the coming 1914 season, Herzog signed Lear.9
Lear arrived at the Reds training camp in Alexandria, Louisiana, in late February 1914 as a lean (just under 6-feet, weighing 165 pounds) right-hander. He was a collegian in spirit, impressing teammates with his ability at billiards, and Southern belles with his dancing. Herzog saw a recruit with a serviceable curveball and a fastball that ran a bit. Then one day when he was warming up Lear himself, the manager recalled, the pitcher had mentioned another pitch. Years later, Lear recalled the moment: “Herzog said, ‘Let’s see that knuckle ball.’ I fired away, and he missed it. It bounced off his kneecap. Herzog then said, ‘If you don’t have any other pitch to throw, this will keep you in the league.’”10
The first two major-league knuckleballers of note came to prominence in 1908, with Eddie Cicotte joining the Red Sox staff and Ed Summers proving a rookie sensation with the Tigers. Cicotte’s pitch was reportedly held “on the three fingers of a closed hand, with his thumb and forefinger to guide it.”11 Summers’ pitch was “held between the lower thumb and the third finger, the index and second fingers being turned in much after the fashion of Cicotte’s hold.”12
Lear apparently threw the same pitch as Summers, stating in a 1915 interview that he used the “first and index fingers” to pinch the ball.13 (One’s first finger is usually referred to as one’s ‘index finger,’ or ‘forefinger.’ Thus it seems Lear was referring to his index finger and second finger. Modern fans can see the same grip in images of Tim Wakefield and R.A. Dickey holding a ball.) Lear reported first practicing the pitch in his Greencastle days, but seems to have used it sparingly until 1914; there is no mention of it in his Mercersburg, Princeton, and semipro career.
Lear survived the cut in the Reds training camp, and traveled north with the team for the start of the 1914 season. His debut came in the second game of the season, on April 17, when he pitched a scoreless top of the ninth against the visiting Chicago Cubs in a 6-5 loss. Lear continued to pitch well, in sporadic relief appearances in the early weeks of the season.
Cincinnati was off to a hot start. On June 3, at 26-17, the Reds stood in second place, a half-game behind the Giants. At this juncture, outfielder Armando Marsans argued with Herzog and was suspended by the manager. Without this valuable cog at the center of their offense, the Reds tumbled down the standings.
Lear remained mostly removed from action. But Reds business manager Frank Bancroft was fond of scheduling exhibition games (and barnstorming trips) and the rookie kept busy with shutouts of Toronto, Jamestown, and Toledo that summer. Finally, in the second game of a September 19 doubleheader at Brooklyn, Herzog gave Lear a starting assignment. The Reds had lost 14 games in a row, and occupied the cellar at 56-79. Lear lasted six innings and left with a 6-4 lead. Then Herzog sent in Phil Douglas, who surrendered four runs over the remaining two innings, and the Reds lost again.
Herzog handed Lear the ball again on September 23, again in the second game of a doubleheader. This time the Reds, their losing streak now at 19 games, were visiting the Boston Braves. These were the Miracle Braves, whose 1914 good fortune provided almost a reverse image of the Reds’ collapse. Pitching for Boston was George Davis, who had gained fame by no-hitting the Phillies two weeks earlier. Davis also, as an Eph, had bested Lear, in the major Williams-Princeton battle two seasons before.
“There was no logic, no sense, no possibility, according to all laws of anything, but base ball, in the way the game turned out,” wrote W.A. Phelon in The Sporting News. For, on this sweltering day, with the temperature hovering around 100 degrees, King Lear brought the Reds miserable streak to an end by shutting out the Braves, 3-0, on four hits. “The Reds’ least-known pitcher,” Phelon noted, showed “perfect control, beautiful speed, and a jumping hop that the Braves struck at like peevish monkeys.”14
Lear made two more starts in 1914, losing 7-4 to the Phillies on September 26, and losing 1-0 to the Pirates on October 3. He finished with a 1-2 record in 17 games (four starts). His 3.07 ERA and 1.329 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) stood a bit over the league average. But with the promise of the last month, Phelon suggested it a “rather better than even bet that Lear of Princeton will be one of the big pitchers next season.”15 At another Alexandria spring training, Herzog reported Lear looking better than he had in 1914.
Yet Lear did not progress in 1915. He finished with a 6-10 record in 40 games (15 starts). His 3.01 ERA and 1.276 WHIP again were some 10 percent over the league average.
Lear’s sophomore difficulties began when all three major leagues moved to outlaw the emery ball, a scuffed-ball pitch made notorious by Russ Ford several years before. “This year,” observed Phelon in September 1915, “even the small cuts left by finger nails on the surface of the horsehide are enough to make any umpire chuck away the ball that may be in action, and Lear’s pet delivery has been nullified.”16
Without his floating, unpredictable knuckleball, Lear was a more ordinary major-league pitcher. The King also showed a propensity toward inopportune walks, and despite an off-the-field friendship with Herzog, their on-the-field relationship snapped after the last-place Reds were swept in a doubleheader by the Phillies on July 24. In the first game, in relief, Rube Benton issued two passes at the onset of the eighth inning. In the second Lear issued two passes to begin the first inning. The fiery Herzog suspended both pitchers. Four games later they were back, and Lear promptly put in an even worse performance, in relief, against the Braves.
Finally, in the last month of the season, with the Reds occasionally scrapping into the first division, Lear returned to promise. On September 10 he pitched a complete game 7-1 victory over the Cardinals, with Rogers Hornsby making his (0-for-2) major-league debut. Four days later, another complete-game victory came against the visiting Giants. But then, in Lear’s final appearance of the season, another leadoff walk in the eighth set in motion a 5-4 loss against the Cubs.
As the 1915 season drew to a close, the Reds reserved King Lear for the next season. But a torn ligament, apparently suffered in a postseason barnstorming trip that fall, made him expendable. Lear was released in December, and sold to the Louisville Colonels of the American Association. To replace the “unlucky Princeton man,” Phelon noted, the Reds had a “swarm of crack right-handers on the roster … to say nothing of what may come back from the Federal League.”17
Lear’s professional baseball career played out quickly. After several unimpressive weeks with Louisville in early 1916, he was released, signed by the Southern Association’s Atlanta Crackers, then two poor starts later released again. Lear then returned to Franklin County, Pennsylvania, pitching for Chambersburg of the Blue Ridge League. Several weeks later came another release.
Lear was pitching for the Newport, Pennsylvania, team of the Dauphin-Perry League in 1917 when he married Beryl Margaret Stafford, an Alexandria, Louisiana, native, on June 21. By the 1920 census, they were apart, and a decade later Lear was indicated as divorced. Lear worked in a number of professions after leaving baseball, including serving as Franklin County’s chief assessor. In 1929 he was granted a patent on an automobile heater. Throughout, he called Greencastle home.
After a lengthy illness, Lear died on October 31, 1976. He was buried in Greencastle’s Cedar Hill Cemetery.
I would like to thank Bonnie Shockey of the Allison-Antrim Museum and Ann Hull of the Franklin County [Pennsylvania] Historical Society for their assistance in obtaining materials related to King Lear’s life in Greencastle.
In addition to the sources noted in this biography, the author also accessed Lear’s player file from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and the following sites:
1 On Goetz, see David Nemac’s entry in Major League Baseball Profiles, 1871-1900, Volume 2 (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2011), 230.
2 Several articles on Greencastle’s baseball history are available in The (Greencastle) Echo-Pilot, April 8, 1948.
3 “1913 vs. Mercersburg,” The Daily Princetonian,” May 20, 1910.
4 Tom Zullinger, “Lear Won Fame as School, College League Pitcher,” The (Greencastle) Echo-Pilot, April 8, 1948.
5 “Freshman Nine Fails to Fulfill Expectations,” The Daily Princetonian,” May 26, 1911.
6 “College Men in Big Games,” Boston Herald, May 6, 1912.
7 “College Sports in a Wonderful Year,” New York Tribune, December 29, 1912.
8 On his recollection: Tony Saitta, “Was Knuckleball Invented by Greencastle Pitcher,” Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) Times, December 12, 1970; on Clarke’s take: “Sporting Notes,” Reading (Pennsylvania) Times, February 13, 1913.
9 Walter E. Hapgood, “James Wins – Then Reds Break Losing Streak at Davis’ Expense,” Boston Herald, September 24, 1914.
10 Saitta, “Knuckleball.”
12 “How Summers and Cicotte Pitch Knuckle Ball and Dry Spitter,” Indianapolis News, April 3, 1908.
13 Dixon Von Valkenberg, “ ‘King’ Lear and the Knuckle Ball – They Are Cincinnati Hopes,” Philadelphia Public Ledger, May 9, 1915. Note that in this interview Lear specifically did not claim to have invented the pitch. In his statements featured in the 1970 “Knuckleball” article (see endnote 7), he did claim to have done so. The 1915 statements seem more sustainable.
14 W.A. Phelon, “Reds Sure Upset All the Dope Pots,” The Sporting News, October 1, 1914, 2.
15 W.A. Phelon, “Another Week Gone and No Red Trades,” The Sporting News, January 7, 1915, 8.
16 W.A. Phelon, “Toney One Relief in Reds’ Failures,” The Sporting News, September 9, 1915, 2.
17 W.A. Phelon, “A Chance for Red Fans to Enthuse,” The Sporting News, December 23, 1915, 2. | <urn:uuid:d8b688db-d3fc-4b70-849a-8afda76da9ed> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/e73f5313 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396959.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00067-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963997 | 3,336 | 2.875 | 3 |
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 10, 2005
An international team of chemists and molecular biologists has discovered a fundamental molecular mechanism that seems to play an important role in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, mad cow disease and two-dozen other degenerative and fatal diseases.
The discovery is reported June 9 in the journal Nature, where it is featured on the cover.
Amyloid fibrils, rope-like structures formed by linked protein molecules, are the common feature of these diseases and may well hold important clues to these diseases, said David Eisenberg, director of the UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, and a member of the research team.
Eisenberg and his colleagues report in Nature the three-dimensional structure of a small piece of a fibril-forming protein from yeast that behaves similarly to proteins involved in Alzheimer's and these other diseases.
Knowledge of the structure of this small peptide - known by the code of its amino acids, GNNQQNY - reveals a surprising "molecular zipper" that Eisenberg described as "pathologically dry."
"Proteins live in water, but here all the water is squeezed out as the fibril is sealed and zipped up," Eisenberg said.
"Our hypothesis is that this dry steric zipper forms in all of these diseases, and is universal in the fibrils. Once this steric zipper has formed, it's very difficult to reverse because it's so tight."
"Knowing the structure may provide a rational basis for developing drugs to fight these diseases," said Melinda Balbirnie, a UCLA postdoctoral scholar and a member of the research team.
Can scientists prevent the steric zipper from forming in the first place, or pry it open once it has formed?
Balbirnie is able to produce fibrils from the small peptide, and has developed a test, called an assay, to determine whether the fibrils break up.
"Her strategy is to add to this assay a wide variety of chemical compounds to see whether any will break up the fibrils," Eisenberg said. Balbirnie said she is "hopeful" her strategy will succeed in breaking up the fibrils.
Eisenberg and his colleagues also are investigating whether disease-forming proteins have similar structures. Their hypothesis is that Alzheimer's and other fatal "amyloid fibril" diseases have proteins containing the steric zipper.
"Our Nature paper presents the first atomic-level look at any of these structures," said Rebecca Nelson, a UCLA graduate student in biochemistry and molecular biology, and member of the team that determined the precise positions of all the atoms in the peptide.
The UCLA chemists and molecular biologists had difficulty analyzing tiny crystals from the small peptide using standards methods of X-ray crystallography.
Nelson and coworker Robert Grothe, formerly of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, worked indefatigably from 2000 to 2004 trying to develop new methods that would work.
"We wanted to learn which atomic-level interactions were giving the peptide the property to form fibrils of the type which the body cannot break down," Nelson said.
"We tried many techniques with promising technologies that didn't work, but we never got discouraged. We thought if we could better understand the structure of the molecules inside the fibrils, we would understand more about why they have the properties they do, how they form, why they might be involved in disease and conceivably how to get rid of them or even prevent their formation."
A key breakthrough occurred when the UCLA team began working with a distinguished scientist in Grenoble, France, Christian Riekel, who conducts X-ray microcrystallography with an instrument designed to analyze very small crystals.
"We sent some of our crystals to Christian Riekel and his student, Anders Madsen, and we worked closely with them," said Michael Sawaya, a research scientist with UCLA and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and a member of the team.
"Christian invented ways to get a fine beam of X-rays to bombard tiny crystals. He and Anders were able to collect diffraction data that allowed us to determine the structure of the peptide, as well as a second, related peptide that also contains the steric zipper."
"So many times I thought we were close," Nelson said, "but it didn't work until we tried this approach. When we solved the structure, I started dancing in the lab."
Nelson describes the proteins associated with Alzheimer's and other amyloid fibril diseases as "transformer" proteins that instead of doing their normal work, start forming pathological fibril structures.
"Like a transformer toy - a car that changes its shape and turns into a robot - the protein changes its shape, going from its normal function to a diseased state," Nelson said.
"Other proteins just do their jobs," Eisenberg said, "but these transformer proteins are different, and exceedingly strange. We believe we are now coming to grips with these proteins."
The researchers discovered that their measurements from the fibrils can all be characterized by what they describe as a "cross-beta diffraction pattern," Sawaya said. "They diffract in such a way that tells us there are many extended protein chains stacked like a spine or the rungs of a latter," he said. "That pattern is a common feature in these amyloid diseases."
Summarizing the connections, Eisenberg said, "All of these diseases have fibrils as their common feature; all of these fibrils have the same characteristic X-ray diffraction pattern, which is called cross-beta; our fibrils also have the cross-beta diffraction pattern in a small section of the protein that we call the spine.
"Because all of these diseased fibrils have a spine with the same diffraction pattern, and because diffraction patterns are characteristic of the arrangement of atoms, our hypothesis is that the two-dozen other diseases will each have a similar arrangement of atoms.
"Our hypothesis is that in all these diseases, a water-tight steric zipper has formed in the fibrils," Eisenberg said. "We have seen the teeth of the zipper in two related peptides."
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Balbirnie made the discovery that a small fragment of a protein - a mere 1 percent of the protein - can behave similarly to the entire protein, and is able to form fibrils. She and her colleagues reported this surprising finding in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2001.
"Like a detective, Melinda traced this fibril-forming property down to a little peptide," Eisenberg said.
"Nobody expected that 1 percent of the protein could have the essence of the whole protein and could form fibrils on its own; I certainly didn't expect that. There were only seven amino acids in that fragment. Rebecca later found the peptide could be cut to only four amino acids and form fibrils."
"No one has known the details of these structures before, which we can now see," Balbirnie said. "The fibrils are stable in all of these diseases; we can account for that stability, which suggests this may be a common feature. We are learning how these biological machines work."
University of California - LA
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UIC Developing Drug For SARS
Chicago IL (SPX) Jun 10, 2005
A prototype drug created by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago shows promise in slowing replication of the virus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
|The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement| | <urn:uuid:3fe37e41-fe76-4db8-93cb-69ebbb81680a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Molecular_Zipper_Holds_Clues_To_Alzheimers__Parkinsons__Mad_Cow_Disease.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399385.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00001-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959579 | 1,729 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Enhanced for Bible Study using the Resource Guide
Available for: iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows.
The modern church pays significantly less attention to this part of the Pentateuch. To many readers, the subjects of Leviticus—ritual, food, cleanliness, and purification laws—seem inapplicable to today’s church. What does Leviticus have to do with contemporary Christians?
In the New International Commentary: The Book of Leviticus, Gordan Wenham accounts for Leviticus’ original, textual meaning and its core theology. Wenham consults studies on Old Testament ritual/sacrifice, then compares and contrasts them to those of other ancient Near Eastern practices in order to rebuild the text’s contextual meaning. Wenham also refers to the work of social anthropologists and skillfully applies critical literary tools to highlight the author’s interests.
Wenham connects each section of Leviticus to passages from the New Testament and to modern Christianity to bring out its enduring theological themes. This reveals just how common some Levitical ideas are in the New Testament and helps us apply God’s command to be holy, just as He is holy. | <urn:uuid:ba5098c6-6c64-41de-9db3-486ccaaad40b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.olivetree.com/store/product.php?productid=17717 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399522.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00100-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914216 | 251 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Defining Shakespeare’s plays as ‘Romance plays’ is a relatively new affair. Shakespeare’s plays have traditionally been classified as ‘tragedies,’ ‘histories’ or ‘comedies’ but as time went by and scholars began to regard him as the greatest English writer of all times, his plays were studied more carefully by academics, researchers and critics. It became difficult to accept the old categories because many of the plays refused to fit into those categories, so they began to be described in different ways.
As Shakespeare approached the end of his career he became more interested in some of the ideas that he had touched on in the earlier plays. They were themes like the redeeming qualities of nature as opposed to the corrupt staleness of city and court life; the regeneration that the younger generation represented; and encounters with spiritual experiences. Instead of flawed characters dying as a result of their deficiencies, as we find in the more Aristotelian models like Macbeth, they could be redeemed by a daughter or by nature or by a combination of both. The character was able to repent for his mistakes and bad deeds and was allowed to live, to embark on a new life that those things had taught him.
Those late plays had elements of comedy and tragedy as well as having a wider view of life. They have become a new classification, named Romance Plays by scholars. The plays that usually fall into that category are Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest. These plays are also called ‘tragicomedies.’
The things that these four plays have in common are that some conflict or injustice that occurred a long time ago is resolved; the death of the perpetrator avoids death by heartfelt and full repentance; and that extraordinary occurrences like shipwrecks, improbable disguises and supernatural events act as dramatic devices. The plays also feature the re-unification of divided families. Whereas in comedies there is a happy ending where all the characters are paired of in love and happiness, there are pairings and happy endings in the romance plays but always with the dark shadows cast by the unpleasant events that lurk in everyone’s memory.
Although one finds beautiful poetry in all of Shakespeare’s plays he seems to be making a special effort to be poetic in the romance plays and the beautiful passages of those plays are favourite recitation pieces and have been put to music by some of the top composers of the past half century.
Shakespeare’s plays generally accepted as Romance plays are: | <urn:uuid:d123a9fd-eae8-4173-b262-dc4a1c56b200> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/shakespeares-plays/play-types/romance-plays/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400031.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00190-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986737 | 528 | 3.09375 | 3 |
Eukaryotes have ER which manufactures plasma membrane of cells. How is prokaryotic plasma membrane made ? What is the pathway and which enzymes are involved ?
The processes that occur at the ER membrane in eukaryotic cells take place directly at the bacterial plasma membrane. Phospholipids are synthesised and inserted at the plasma membrane, and there is a protein translocation apparatus for translocation of proteins into the periplasmic space and insertion of transmembrane proteins into the plasma membrane. | <urn:uuid:7971a56c-c18d-4c17-b3a4-2871080942b5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/16600/how-is-bacterial-plasma-membrane-made | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00015-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913753 | 105 | 3.421875 | 3 |
distance between parallel lines formula
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Answers:I don't understand. What are you trying ot prove? The distance between two parallel lines is uniform? Two parallel lines are always equidistant between each other, between any two points on the lines that are directly in line with each other. I don't get the question.
Answers:You need to find the distance along the y axis (which is 17 in this case) and the distance along the x axis (hint: set y = 0 in the bottom equation since the first equation goes through the origin). The distance between the lines will be the square root of the sum of the squares of these x and y distances (do you recognize the application of the Pythagorean theorem?).
Answers:Easy: Get the line perpendicular to them both, which has its gradient as -1/gradient of the 2 lines. Since both lines have the same gradient, then we can use any line: If we compare y = 2x + 7 to y = mx + c, where m is the gradient and c is the y-intercept, then we can safely say that the gradient is 2, so the gradient of the perpendicular line is -0.5. Using y = mx + c, we can say that the perpendicular line is y = -0.5 + c, and c can be any number because it will still intersect both the 2 lines at 90 degrees. So for simplicity, we will say that c = 0. So the equation is y = -0.5x. So now, to find the distance, we need to find the two points of intersection, and calculate the distance from them, so we will see the points of intersection of: y = 2x + 7 and y = -0.5x: at intersection the y will be equal for both equations. So we will say that 2x + 7 = -0.5x , and from there we will find that x = -2.8, which corresponds to y =1.4. So the first coordinates are (-2.8,1.4). If we do the same to the other equation, we will get the coordinates (1.2,-0.6). So to find the distance between them, we use the equation(\/ is the square root): dist=\/((x2-x1)^2 - (y2-y1)^2), then the distance will be \/18 = 4.24. And you're welcome :)
Answers:Since the lines are parallel all the points on one line are the same distance to the other line. So pick any point on one line and calculate the distance to the other line. y = 2x + 2 y = 2x - 3 Pick the point P(1, 4) on the first line and calculate the distance to the second line. d = | 2*1 - 1*4 - 3 | / [2 + (-1) ] = 5/ 5 = 5 | <urn:uuid:ce98f590-ef20-4a4d-bbe3-01bad7b70cf2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.edurite.com/kbase/distance-between-parallel-lines-formula | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393146.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00156-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911803 | 626 | 3.4375 | 3 |
The Trucks Are Coming . . .
With Their Noise,
Traffic Impacts &
UNLESS You Do Something About It!
The Hazards of Diesel Exhaust
Neither the County of Los Angeles nor the City Council of La Cañada have addressed the dangers of diesel truck exhaust and the sediment removal project's proximity to local schools.
The La Cañada schools that will be directly impacted are: Hillside Center, La Cañada United Methodist Church Pre-school, La Cañada High School, Crestview Preparatory School, Flintridge Preparatory School, St. Bede the Venerable Catholic School, and St. Francis High School.
Problems associated with diesel exhaust:
It can cause coughs and aggravate asthma.
It increases the risk of cancer.
Diesel exhaust can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and it can cause coughs, headaches, light-headedness and nausea.
Like all fuel-burning equipment, diesel engines produce nitrogen oxides, a common air pollutant in California. Nitrogen oxides can damage lung tissue, lower the body's resistance to respiratory infection and worsen chronic lung diseases. They also react with other pollutants in the atmosphere to form ozone, a major component of smog.
There is a link between elevated particle levels in the air to increased hospital visits, missed work and school days, and premature death.
Diesel exhaust contains more than 40 toxic air contaminants, including cancer-causing substances such as benzene, arsenic and formaldehyde.
It is most dangerous to children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease. The diesel pollution from trucks caused an estimated 4,500 premature deaths in California In 2005.
Recent investigations have suggested an increase of autism in children relative to proximity to freeway (diesel) emissions.
Due to the prevailing winds, the diesel pollution will also impact residents in La Cañada, Altadena, and Pasadena. Outdoor sports and recreation in the area will be compromised by the pollution and the truck traffic. Equestrians from Flintridge Riding Club and the Rose bowl Riders will also be challenged.
It is important that parents, students, residents and those that recreate near the site are informed and have a voice before the project begins. There should be announcements to the PTAs, parent groups, athletic teachers, and all others that will be impacted by this project. The City Councils of La Cañada, Altadena and Pasadena should have public meetings to discuss this project and give the public a voice.
Currently LA County is offering no alternative plan, nor a chance for public input. It is up to the public to demand a hearing, permits, and alternative plans. | <urn:uuid:4bc4ca4a-a93e-4a5c-9f71-335559990f1a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.savehahamongna.org/diesel.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00003-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918837 | 558 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Don't let foodborne illness find a home in your festivities. Following basic recommendations will help ensure safe food for you and your guests not only during the holidays, but year-round.
First, be sure to keep everything clean! That includes your hands and kitchen surfaces while you are preparing holiday meals. Wash hands and kitchen surfaces often with hot soapy water. Also, wash cutting boards, dishes, and utensils after preparing each food item and before you start another food item. Sanitize using a solution of one tablespoon chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Use paper toweling for cleaning up kitchen surfaces. Keep sponges out of the kitchen, they are not food safe!
Safely thawing the turkey can help prevent foodborne illness. Do not thaw foods on the kitchen counter! The three accepted ways to thaw a turkey are in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. For every 5 pounds of turkey, allow 24 hours of thawing time in the refrigerator. To thaw in cold water, submerge the bird in its airtight packaging. Allow 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. Follow the oven manufacturer's instructions when thawing a turkey in the microwave. Plan to cook the bird immediately after thawing.
Always separate raw and ready to eat foods. Cross-contamination is the scientific word for how bacteria can be spread from one food product to another. This process begins at the grocery store, continues in carry home bags, to your refrigerator, and to food preparation. Use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and another cutting board for ready to eat foods. Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat and poultry unless the plate has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
Cook food to the proper temperature. Use a food thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are cooked to a proper internal temperature. Keep a cooking temperature chart handy. Whole chicken and turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 180 degrees in the inner thigh of the bird. If cooking a turkey breast only, cook to at least 170 degrees in the thickest part.
Thoroughly reheat leftovers to 165 degrees and be sure to bring gravies, sauces and soups to a rolling boil.
Finally, chill everything promptly! Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours by placing them in shallow containers to cool rapidly. Marinate foods in the refrigerator in covered containers. Keep the refrigerator temperature at 40-degrees or slightly below and the freezer at 0 degrees to -10 degrees. Monitor the temperatures with an appliance thermometer. | <urn:uuid:df462536-0aac-48dd-bd46-47273dfbb428> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://mirror.augusta.com/stories/111705/com_111705_1718_21.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00045-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930147 | 535 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Autism Conference Reports Advances In Early Diagnosis, Role Of Immune System, Genes And Environmental Influences
"A critical mass of scientists and the new tools of molecular biology are deepening our understanding of autism at a breathtaking pace," said Helen Tager-Flusberg, chair of the conference and a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine. "The immune system, behavior, genetics, and the environment all factor in to this complex and devastating disease. We are putting the pieces together."
Among the advances reported by scientists were:
Scientists reported their findings at the 4th International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR). The UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute, Cure Autism Now, and the National Alliance for Autism Research initiated the annual conference, which is the most extensive exploration of research advances in autism.
Scientists reported progress in being able to diagnose the youngest children through both biomarkers and behavioral observations.
"Whereas today most autistic children are not diagnosed until they are two to three years old, detection in infants would allow early treatment, which can profoundly benefit some children with autism," said David G. Amaral, research director at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute. "And, ultimately, finding biological markers in infants may also yield the fastest route to a cure."
Reports on scientific advances in early detection included:
Biomarkers: Amaral reported on a comparison of blood samples from 70 autistic children and 35 same age normally developing children revealed differences in proteins, metabolites and the immune system. These included elevated levels of immune system B cells and natural killer cells in the autistic group, and more than 100 proteins that the two groups expressed differently.
Behavior: Researchers identified a variety of behaviors, some identifiable in the first year of life, that are predictive of autism. Lonnie Zwaigenbaum at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, reported that vocal differences at 12 months were predictive of autism in high-risk infants (those with older siblings who have autism, and Sally Rogers of the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute and Marian Sigman of UCLA found that at 12 months, high-risk infants are less likely to respond to their own name than low-risk infants. Other predictive behaviors in very young children included abnormalities in gesture, eye contact, body or limb posturing, and atypical sounds and words.
In addition, two studies showed that clinical diagnoses can be made reliably at 14 to 18 months of age. This is a major advance over current clinical practice, which diagnoses children between ages three and four.
Although autism is considered a disorder of the brain, emerging evidence indicates that it may be a disorder of the immune system as well. For instance, a study by Judy Van de Water at the UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute reported differences in protein molecules called cytokines. The study compared immune cell responses between autistic and typically developing same-age children aged two to five. One difference appeared in response to bacteria, with cells from the autistic group having lower levels of cytokines, which help mediate the body's overall immune response and can also affect mood and behavior. Scientists say the potential connection of cytokines to autism is an intriguing area of research that warrants further investigation.
Autism has a strong genetic component, and estimates are that five to 20 genes are likely involved in the condition. Some of these genes may be responsible for inherited traits that by themselves do not cause autism, but may be associated with it. These traits, called endophenotypes, can be behavioral or biological. Scientists are identifying such traits in the family members of autistic children.
"As we identify endophenotypes and their related genes, such as for language delay, we will be homing in on genes for autism," said Daniel Geschwind of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine. "This is one of the most exciting developments in the field of autism genetics today."
Scientists at the conference reported on endophenotypic traits such as large head size in family members, parents' abnormal brain processing of faces, and the degree to which relatives of autistic children can read another person's mental state. One recent study by Geschwind and his colleagues validated the importance of endophenotypes in teasing out the genetics of autism. The study identified autism-related regions of the genome in children who are part of the AGRE consortium (the largest publicly available collection of autism families). Using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), an instrument that rates 65 behaviors to measure the severity of a child's symptoms and social impairments, the scientists found that the SRS is a powerful tool to detect genetic loci for autism-related social impairment. Specifically they found evidence supporting the location of genes for autism on chromosomes 11 and 17, as well as in a number of other regions of the genome.
The number of children diagnosed with autism has increased significantly in recent years, leading many scientists to think that non-genetic factors in the environment may be at least partially responsible. Studies that investigated this possibility included:
PCBs and Language Development Dr. Tal Kenet, Michael Merzenich, and Isaac Pessah at the University of California, San Francisco and Davis, found that rats' exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) showed disturbances in the development of the brain's auditory cortex, but without affecting hearing. However, in humans such brain defects would almost certainly disturb language development in ways typical of autism, the researchers said. The study suggests that environmental factors may combine with genetic predispositions to contribute to the increased incidence of autism.
Environmentally Sensitive Genes Overlap with Genes Associated with Autism Dr. Martha Herbert at Massachusetts General Hospital found at least 51 overlapping genes when her team compared a scan of the Environmental Genome Project database with published autism genome scans. In addition, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who possessed alterations within one or more of these 51 genes were likely to exhibit altered susceptibility to environmental toxicants.
Other reported studies evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral treatments; costs of healthcare for children with autism; changes in the prevalence of autism; mental processes behind special skills in autistic people; and brain anatomy and development associated with autism.
"All of these studies reflect only a small snapshot of the wealth of insight and experience being accumulated by today's scientists," Amaral said. "It is heartening for parents, doctors and scientists to see this progress, while also knowing the distance we have yet to go to prevent and treat, and perhaps one day cure, autism." | <urn:uuid:f89dd35c-05f5-418e-945d-9dbd47f24dc0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.pregnancyandbaby.com/baby/articles/943675/early-diagnosis-of-autism | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00069-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95279 | 1,346 | 3.1875 | 3 |
Before horror movies laced with special effects kept people up at night, people got scared the old-fashioned way: through story-telling. The ability to spook people with only your voice is an ancient and endangered art, but through practice, it can be mastered.
Preparing for the Storytelling
1Do your homework. Go to the library or search online for the scariest stories you can find. Pick out 5-10 stories that have spooking potential.
- The more realistic and recent the story, the scarier it'll be when you tell it. That way, the listeners can relate.
- Urban legends make excellent scary stories. The danger with using an urban legend, however, is that some of your listeners may have heard variations of it, thus ruining the effect.
2Localize it. Change the details so that it seems as though the story took place nearby, and recently. Weave fact with fiction. If the story took place in a canning factory, but you know there's a pecan factory in your town, switch out that detail (if you can do so without changing the story too much). If you can tie the story to someone you know, even better. Since your local conditions are unique, some of the stories will lend themselves better to this step than others. If rain is a critical detail in the story, for example, don't use it if you're camping in the desert. You should be able to narrow it down to 2-3 stories at this point.
3Rehearse. Practice telling the stories you've chosen and pay attention to which one feels the most natural. Tell it the same way you'd tell the story about that time your cousin tried to swallow a whole hot dog (minus the humor). Don't over-dramatize. Don't use words you wouldn't normally use. You want it to sound as if you're telling the story reluctantly, like it makes you uncomfortable, but you'll tell it if they twist your arm...
Setting Up the Tale
1Plant seeds of terror. Way before you tell the story (like the day before, or that morning), find a way to casually mention a few details that are relevant to the story. If you drive by the pecan factory, for example, ask your friends if they've ever been there. If you come across anything mysterious or unusual while your future listeners are around, try to think of a way you can tie it into your story and improvise! Let's say you find a squirrel skeleton and your story is about a serial killer. Perhaps that serial killer had an appetite for squirrels...? If you want to be really proactive, set things up. Draw a strange symbol on a rock with red chalk, or cut claw marks into fabrics.
- Tweak the setting in the story to match the one you're in. If you noticed a huge tree next to a river, for instance, you can have one of the victims in your story cling to (coincidentally) a large tree next to a river as she flees from a ghost. Ideally, some of your listeners will remember having seen this tree, and will shudder when you mention it in the story. If it's a foggy night, make it a foggy night in your story.
Telling the Scary Story
1Seat your audience. Make them sit around you, facing you.You must be able to look everyone on the face.
2Build rapport with your listeners. The more they know and trust you, the easier it'll be to scare 'em. If you're the type to pull practical jokes often, it'll be much harder to establish credibility!
3Act nervous and scared. When the time draws near to tell the story, start pretending to be anxious. Be a little quieter than usual. Get the chills here and there, and rub your upper arms as if to warm yourself. Look suddenly behind you, or at the distance, as if you just saw something. Keep doing this kind of stuff subtly until someone notices. At first, brush it off as if it's nothing, but keep up the act. Eventually, you'll....
- Tell the story in a slow, quiet yet audible voice. Change your tone constantly.
4Break down and tell the story. After saying you "don't want to talk about it," act as though you're too spooked to keep this to yourself, and you can't hold it in anymore. Again, don't be overly dramatic. You want to come off as uncomfortable, worried, reluctant. Hopefully by now, your listeners are both curious and concerned. Ask for a blanket to wrap around yourself (because you keep getting the chills, because you're so, so terrified) and start telling your story.
5End it with a bang. This is, for some, the best part. The last sentence of your story - the punchline, if you will - should be yelled suddenly, with you lunging forward at your listeners and scaring the life out of them. Note, however, that this step will make it very clear that your story was told solely for horrifying effect, and challenge your future storytelling reputation. If you want your listeners to turn in their beds at night, end the story as quietly and uncomfortably as you started it. Throw in a little chill for maximum effect.
- Look each member of the audience in the eye. Make sure your face doesn't reveal that you're going to scare them. Wait and build up your story and come upon the scary part loudly or yell when they're least suspecting.
- Don't smile or laugh when you're telling the story. You want to establish a somber mood, tinged with anxiety.
- Always be on the lookout for new material. Read horror stories often, and think of ways you can adapt them into the spoken form.
- To give your audience a scare, at the end, whisper and talk quietly, then go in for the kill - scream like you are being possessed! However, if you want to maintain your reputation as a good storyteller, don't do this.
- Alfred Hitchcock said, "There is nothing more frightening than an unopened door." This works in scary stories too. So it may be scarier to say things like, "And to this day, no one knows exactly what happened." It scares your audience more because when they aren't told what happened, they start thinking of it themselves.
- At certain times pause before you speak to create more suspense.
- Don’t try to make noises or have people waiting to be scared. Don’t have people pop out to scare; it ruins the story and people lose their trust in the story.
- Sometimes happy endings are better than scary ones. It may give your audiences a bigger chill and more surprise if you keep setting up the story to be scary only to have something happen completely different than what they though it would be (the ghost was really a mouse in the air vents, the blood was tomato juice, etc).
- If you know there will be certain people around (e.g. young children, people who are scared easily, people with bad hearts, etc.), you should be careful about the scariness of your story.
- Do not tell a story where everyone dies in the end, because it becomes very obvious that the story is a fake. The more real the story sounds, the scarier it is.
- Even though you know it is not true, the story you are telling just might scare you yourself, or even give you nightmares about it. Beware of this.
- If they don't find it scary, try to turn it into a funny story. | <urn:uuid:90ee2c89-f57e-4e36-9aff-a162d1949622> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-Scary-Stories | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00200-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961943 | 1,586 | 2.921875 | 3 |
In 1989, Riki Ott was just your average marine biologist-turned commercial fisherman in Alaska, when the Exxon-Valdez dumped millions of gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound.
Ott witnessed first-hand the environmental, economic and social impacts of the Valdez spill and was part of a 20-year legal battle with Exxon-Mobil. She's written two books about the impacts of the Valdez spill and now travels the globe, helping other communities deal with oil spils.
Ott met with a small group of Share the Beach volunteers last week to share her experiences with them and warn them of the potential effects of the Deepwater Horizon spill on the Gulf of Mexico.
In the first video, Ott talks about the impact the Valdez spill had on commercial fishing in Alaska, and speculates about the impact it might have on the Gulf of Mexico and its fragile eco-systems.
|Exxon Valdez veteran, marine biologist on oil spill's impact on fishing|
In the second video, Ott focuses on the human health hazards of oil exposure, both on skin and inhaled.
|Marine biologist Riki Ott on human health risks of oil exposure| | <urn:uuid:8b3986d0-f723-48e8-83af-cfbbd2b077f4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blog.al.com/al/2010/05/exxon_valdez_veteran_marine_bi.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00067-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939594 | 240 | 2.78125 | 3 |
The phrases “Type 1” and “Type 2” have become commonplace in American conversations in recent years, as we’ve seen an incredible increase in the numbers of people diagnosed with diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls the increase in diabetes an epidemic, and doctors are particularly concerned with the jump in patients being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which is a preventable disease. Currently, the CDC estimates that more than 23 million Americans have diabetes — but 5 million of those cases are still undiagnosed. And, as if it weren’t bad enough to have diabetes, studies have shown that diabetic women also have increased risk of heart disease.
What is diabetes?
There are two kinds of diabetes, also known as hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. Most people are familiar with hearing the term “insulin” in relation to diabetes; insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose (sugar) in the blood. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by an insulin deficiency, while Type 2 — formerly known as “adult-onset diabetes” until it began to soar among children — is created when the body cannot process insulin effectively. Approximately 10% of diabetics have Type 1, while the rest have Type 2; Type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections, while Type 2 can be treated through a combination of diet, exercise, and medication.
The surge in Type 2 diabetes is linked to an increase in obesity in the United States, although anyone can get it. Risk factors also include women who have had gestational diabetes, family history of Type 2 diabetes, and people who smoke, have poor eating habits, or lead a sedentary lifestyle. A blood glucose test can determine if you have diabetes. An estimated 57 million people currently have “pre-diabetes” — elevated blood glucose; they are the lucky ones, because they have an opportunity to delay or even prevent diabetes by quickly taking control of their blood glucose levels.The heart disease link
Unfortunately for diabetic women, the battle against heart disease can be an uphill one. A 2008 study of 45,000 Type 2 diabetics found that women were more likely than men to have high cholesterol, uncontrolled high blood pressure, and had more trouble controlling their blood glucose levels. Of more concern, however, was that the study found that women were also less likely than men to be treated properly for these medical conditions, therefore increasing their risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Simply put, women were not being prescribed the same common medications as men to help lower their cholesterol or blood pressure.
A 2009 study highlighted a unique side-effect for female diabetics: atrial fibrillation (AF), or an irregular heart rhythm. AF is the most common arrhythmia and doctors estimate that it affects about 1 million diabetics in the United States; the study showed that while male diabetics are at some risk for AF, their women counterparts were at much higher risk, and also as much as 26% higher risk than non-diabetic women. The study’s co-author, Sumeet Chugh, MD, of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, saw the findings as important, saying, “The gender differences need to be looked at more closely because they could have significant implications for how we treat diabetes in men and women.”
Diabetes and heart disease can become an unexpected one-two punch for many women. Because each disease shares common elements, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight, and poor nutrition, you could start out as a woman with heart disease and also end up a diabetic, or be a diabetic who gets heart disease. This can be a real double-whammy for any woman, particularly since women tend to have lower incomes, more family responsibilities, and less health care insurance than men.Am I diabetic?
African American, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaska Native adults are twice as likely as white adults to have diabetes.
Possible symptoms include:
• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Blurry vision
If you have one of more of these symptoms, talk to your doctor about diabetes testing. Take the American Diabetic Association’s online risk test here.Living with diabetes and heart disease
Is there any good news in this? Sure. The good news is that both diabetes and heart disease call for women to make pretty much the same lifestyle choices: eat a healthy low-fat diet, exercise regularly, lose weight, and quit smoking. If you’ve been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, then making smart choices now can help you beat diabetes before it gets worse. Talk to your doctor about how to properly monitor your blood glucose and make sure that you are receiving proper treatment. These commonsense actions can help you stay healthy and lead a long life — don’t let those statistics get you down!Resources:American Diabetes Association: Diabetes & Heart Disease Diabetes At-A-GlanceDiagnosing Diabetes and Pre-DiabetesType 2 Diabetes Risk TestDiabetes Food Advisor
Women With Diabetes At Increased Risk For Irregular Heart RhythmLess Intensive Treatment Given To Diabetic Women With Heart DiseaseImage courtesy of testcountry.com | <urn:uuid:bc69a5b5-d59d-43f7-84dc-02d51596c056> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.womenheart.org/?page=Support_DiabetesHD | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397567.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00053-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955601 | 1,089 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Translation of four-stroke in Spanish:
- (British)de cuatro tiemposExample sentences
- Unlike two-stroke engines that have simple openings or ports for intake and exhaust, four-stroke engines have intake and exhaust valves at each cylinder head.
- The combustion chamber of a four-stroke engine is designed to induce turbulence through the addition of ‘squish’ areas in which the top of the piston is the mirror image of a corresponding area of the cylinder head.
- In four-stroke engines, one of the strokes is called the compression stroke.
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed. | <urn:uuid:14687372-afff-444c-9d7c-cae8bc58787d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/translate/english-spanish/four-stroke | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397696.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00149-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925547 | 147 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Over the last fifty years, there have been major changes in how food is produced and how it is supplied to the UK’s supermarkets. There have been changes in the source of food supply to meet our demand for year-round supply of produce such as fruit and vegetables with food imported from overseas. There has also been a switch from frequent food shopping (on foot) at small local shops to weekly shopping by car at large out of town supermarkets. These trends have led to a large increase in the distance food travels from the farm to consumer, known as food miles.
This section is about the different opinions about what and where we should buy our food. Does buying local reduce our impact on the environment and is buying local the solution? | <urn:uuid:c295edfc-e822-4300-ad2a-20e22e15e8c7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.yourclimateyourlife.org.uk/9_buying.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00073-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982629 | 149 | 2.828125 | 3 |
This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: https://info.ahrq.gov. Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information.
Please go to www.ahrq.gov for current information.
One-fourth of the U.S. population suffers from hypertension, and many hypertensive adults are seen in a typical dental practice. Most recommendations caution dentists about use of local anesthetics with epinephrine, which increases blood pressure, in hypertensive patients. Some caution against epinephrine use in controlled hypertensive patients taking antihypertensive medications with known epinephrine interactions. Others consider epinephrine use to be acceptable with appropriate precautions and monitoring. However, evidence is insufficient to gauge the actual risk that epinephrine-containing anesthetics pose for hypertensive dental patients, concludes a study supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (contract 290-97-0011).
A systematic review of 406 studies on the topic by researchers at the RTI International—University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center yielded six studies (a total of 325 patients, 177 hypertensive) that met inclusion criteria. These studies revealed low risk of elevated high blood pressure and related problems (for example, cerebral hemorrhage and acute heart failure) and minimal reporting of adverse events among hypertensive dental patients receiving epinephrine-containing anesthetics. The studies did not address effects of epinephrine-impregnated gingival retraction cords on hypertensive patients.
Unfortunately, the strength of the evidence is poor, with few studies and poor quality studies, note the researchers. The five studies of patients with uncontrolled (unmedicated) hypertension only assessed changes in blood pressure and heart rate as risk indicators (but not stroke volume, for example). Only one study noted patient-reported side effects. The studies varied on when they collected epinephrine exposure readings, and only one of the six studies examined controlled hypertensive patients.
See "A systematic review of cardiovascular effects of epinephrine on hypertensive dental patients," by James D. Bader, D.D.S., M.P.H., Arthur J. Bonito, Ph.D., and Daniel A. Shugars, D.D.S., Ph.D., in the June 2002 Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology 93, pp. 647-653.
Editor's Note: Copies of the AHRQ evidence report on this topic, Cardiovascular Effects of Epinephrine on Hypertensive Dental Patients (AHRQ Publication No. 02-E006), and a summary of the report (AHRQ Publication No. 02-E005) are available from the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse.
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November 15, 2012
A patron and I were working on her mother’s family. She told me the story of her great-uncle, who was killed by a train when he was 12 years old. The accident happened in Jackson County, Missouri, sometime in the 1920s. His name was Francis Bishop.
We easily found the death certificate. The volunteers at the Missouri State Archives have digitized over 2.2 million death certificates, ranging in dates from 1910 to 1961. The cause of death did not mention a train, and the doctor’s handwriting was difficult to read. All we could make out was "on the nose." I used Google Search to help us figure out the rest of the diagnosis. I typed in the letters we recognized and watched the suggestion list that came up. "Farumkl." No hits that looked medical. "Farunkl." I clicked on the word that looked likely, and when I scanned the websites, I knew I was on the right track. But it still didn’t lead to a train accident.
A "furuncle" is a boil. So, young Francis died from a boil on his nose. We laughed at the image that came to mind. But we sobered after I figured out the first word. I typed in the letters and watched the suggestion list. "Pyemia." There were several hits with medical sites, and I learned that the disease could be spelled many ways: pyemia, pynemia, pyaemia, pyanemia.
Pyanemia is a blood poison caused by staphylococcus. In the 1920s, before antibiotics, it was always fatal. Now that we knew how Francis really died, the unanswered question is, "Why did the family pass down the story that he was killed by a train?"
Midwest Genealogy Center | <urn:uuid:e8dd763a-65a1-44d0-bef6-40e302c4fec2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mymcpl.org/blog/family-tales | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404826.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00188-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986713 | 376 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Digital revolution changing lives of students with disabilities
He's also functionally blind.
Until last fall, the 7-year-old used, 8-by-11-inch Braille texts that teachers printed for him on a special machine.
Each page cost about $1. He once had four lockers just to store his textbooks.
Today, the student at Roosevelt Elementary School easily carries his own iPad and a special Braille translator that allow him to read all his textbooks, send emails, access the Internet, check the weather and do just about anything anyone else can do with a computer.
It's new technology that is fundamentally changing how blind people interact with their world, but it appears the digital revolution is just getting started when it comes to improving the lives of people with all sorts of disabilities.
Some of the developments border on the magical, compared with what was available 20 years ago. Schools are the places where people first encounter them.
Educators are scrambling to keep up with developments for those who can't see, can't hear, whose minds have trouble with the written word, who can't use their arms or legs and even those who can do little more than move their eyes.
The Janesville School District employs a teacher whose job is to find the technology that best suits each student who has a disability. Her name is Kathy White.
"Technology is exploding for us," White said.
Keeping up is a challenge, but colleagues said White is very good at it.
"Kathy White is a master at figuring out what students need then finding, adapting or building what is necessary to further enhance a student's ability to learn," Superintendent Karen Schulte said.
White keeps abreast of developments and matches the emerging technologies with the hundreds of students in the Janesville School District who have disabilities.
Kyle's translator—called Refreshabraille—is just one example. It has a Braille keyboard that allows Kyle to write as well as read. It communicates with his iPad, translating his Braille into English, and English into Braille.
Plastic Braille dots pop up instantly on a pad, corresponding to a text displayed on the iPad. Bluetooth technology lets the two devices "talk" to each other.
Kyle expertly reads the dots with his index finger. When he's done with one set of dots, the next set pops up.
Keeping up in class is easy, Kyle said with a proud smile.
Asked how he likes his Refreshabraille compared with paper texts, his face glowed proudly.
"I can read it faster," he said.
There's a learning curve, and Baumunk teaches Kyle problem-solving strategies for when he gets stuck, but he appears to have learned quickly since he got the devices last fall.
"It's making him incredibly independent," Baumunk said.
White gets calls from teachers who have students stymied by disabilities. White looks for a technology to overcome the barriers. She works with every age in the school district, from 12th-graders to 3-year-olds. The range of needs is wide.
Consider Correy Winke, who was slated for a slow-paced science class when he entered Parker High School about 18 months ago. College "was the farthest thing from my mind," he said.
Correy has dyslexia. His mind has trouble processing the printed word.
White figured Correy had what it takes to reach higher. She helped him get an iPod and a laptop computer, along with software that will read any text to him out loud and guess at the words he needs as he writes a class assignment.
He deftly manipulated a cellphone application and writing programs on his laptop as he showed a visitor how it all works.
Now a sophomore, Correy is pulling down A's and B's and taking courses such as honors geometry. Asked if he can handle the work, he responded with a confident, "Oh, yeah!"
There was a time when Correy would have had an aide assigned to him or perhaps even been placed in a special-education class.
"I'm in all regular classes," he says proudly.
Correy has a questioning mind. He is learning guitar and hopes to become a music producer. He recently decided he wants to read "Macbeth."
"I like a challenge," he said.
He's focused on getting into college.
"That wasn't even on the radar" when he was in middle school, White said.
White checks in with Correy about once a week. Now that he has gotten more adept with the technology, she will back off, she said.
White often has to prove that a particular kind of technology is what's best for a student. Once she has the proof, she can apply for the money to pay for it, often through Medical Assistance.
Funding is crucial because anything that is made to help with disabilities is bound to be expensive, she said.
One such case was a young girl who had never moved unless someone moved her. White thought she could handle a motorized wheelchair, but the girl could not control her hand well enough to drive one.
White got a motorized toy car from a store, rebuilt the seat and re-wired it so the girl could flip a switch to make it go.
White's father was a millwright at the Kenosha Chrysler plant, she said, so she inherited some of his skills.
"I like to do things like that when I have time to play around," she said.
The experiment was an instant success for the girl.
She was laughing so hard … we kept telling her to breathe," White recalled.
With that proof in hand, White was able to request that Medical Assistance cover the cost of a modified power chair.
Dealing with a computer keyboard is a challenge for many of White's students. She has found keyboards with larger- or smaller-than-standard keys, alternative key configurations, and keyboards for use with one hand.
White recently borrowed a computer system called a Tobii Communicator in hopes it would help a few students who don't have the use of their hands at all.
Developed for the paraplegic war wounded, the Tobii includes a camera that tracks a person's eye movements. Gazing steadily at designated spots on the computer screen is like pressing a button or clicking a mouse. It allows someone whose hands don't work to access the Internet and much more.
With the right connected hardware, a person can switch lights or a TV off and on, drive a powered wheelchair or even open a door. Users can write and send email or do just about anything else with a computer.
Three students are using borrowed equipment, and White hopes to document their efforts so they can get funding for their own machines.
"The students who are using it are using it extremely well," White said, and they're "extremely excited" once they see the possibilities to do things they have never been able to do for themselves.
"They become so empowered," White said.
One drawback: Constant concentration on controlling the dot on the screen can be draining.
White estimates she visits 50 to 60 students a week, helping them learn their new software or hardware, but that's not the biggest challenge.
"The hardest part for us is to keep up with what's going on," she said.
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2 Answers | Add Yours
The significance of the setting is indicated by the fact that Carver presents it in the first two sentences of the second paragraph. Both sentences are short and to the point: "The fur of use ere sitting around his [Mel's] kitchen table drinking gin. Sunlight filled the kitchen from the big window behind the sink." The narrator then says: "There was an ice bucket on the table." Repeatedly the narrator refers to the setting by saying things such as "Terry looked around the table" or "Mel reached across the table" or "She put her elbows on the table" and so on. In this way, the table becomes a motif that carries thematic meaning, suggesting it is an obstacle between these people that separates them and at the same time something that brings them together in a rather safe way. The light coming through the window also offers symbolic value, especially when we understand it in the context of the last words of the story, "the room when dark." The light at the beginning suggests the fairy tale notion we like to attach to love, but when all is said and done, what is left is a dark, existential moment when humanity is stripped of its illusions, leaving only the sound of four human hearts beating in the darkness.
The setting is the McGinnis' kitchen table in their home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but all four of the characters are "from somewhere else." This fact is important because it shows that it really doesn't matter where these four people are from or where this story is set. It's what the two couples represent--white, working-class America--that is important. Some have called this "Hopelessville, USA" because the characters have no hope of improving their lives. The pessimistic tone grows worse as the evening wears on, and the couples get drunker. The four people "talk" but they don't "communicate". It's only when they get drunker that their true feelings come out, and their feelings reflect the hopelessness of their lives. Once the alcohol is gone, so is the conversation between them, and both couples silently sit at the end, feeling the lack of hope in their futures.
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Click the more info link to see the map
The Curiosity rover is a robotic, car-sized rover exploring Gale Crater on Mars. The Curiosity Mars rover carries a radioisotope-powered mobile scientific laboratory and is part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission by the United States. The MSL mission has four main scientific goals: investigation of the Martian climate, geology, and whether Mars could have ever supported life, including investigation of the role of water and its planetary habitability. Curiosity carries the most advanced payload of scientific equipment ever used on the surface of Mars. It is the fourth NASA unmanned surface rover sent to Mars since 1996. | <urn:uuid:b9b1f9b8-c583-44e2-a273-f85a271141f4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/gale-crater-curiosity-rover-landing-site/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00184-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916601 | 134 | 2.96875 | 3 |
|Old Man Winter!|
A Happy Winter Solstice to you! As well as a Happy First Day of Winter. And why not throw in a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays while I'm at it?
Ah -- the time you have when you're unemployed. I suppose I'd better enjoy it before the honeymoon ends. And it will end -- trust me.
This day is an important event for many gardeners. It's time to put 2010 behind us. It's the shortest day of the year (for certain parts of the world) -- and it also means that -- from this day forward -- we'll start to see more sunlight.
Those long days of summer are closer than you think.
So what exactly is the Winter Solstice? For that answer -- we turn to people who are much smarter than me (anyone and everyone). This fine bit of information is provided by www.timeanddate.com:
"The December solstice occurs when the sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, it is when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. Depending on the Gregorian calendar, the December solstice occurs annually on a day between December 20 and December 23. On this date, all places above a latitude of 66.5 degrees north are now in darkness, while locations below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south receive 24 hours of daylight.
...for an observer in the northern hemisphere, the December solstice marks the day of the year with the least hours of daylight for those living north of the Tropic of Cancer. Those living or traveling north of the Arctic Circle towards the North Pole will not be able to see the sun during this time of the year."
For gardening FANATICS like me and the wonderful Wife that is Venus? It means the official kickoff to planning next year's spring and summer gardens. It's a time to place an order for certain -- selected -- varieties of seed. It's time to drag out and piece together ye olde seed starting rack.
In other words? There's lots to do.
|Pit River Bridge at Shasta Lake|
It's also a time to reflect. We've been incredibly fortunate so far this winter season in Northern California thanks to an early series of storms that have dropped a near-record amount of rainfall in the valley and boatloads of snow in the Sierra Nevada. Reservoirs that hold this bounty -- like the bathtub known as Lake Shasta -- are nearly full as the picture to the left indicates.
Water inflow is so strong at other storage facilities like Folsom Lake -- for example -- that dam operators are releasing record amounts of water into the American River below. River levels on the Sacramento -- American and Feather Rivers are at or near all-time highs.
|Recently Transplanted Artichoke Plants|
The rainstorms we've received so far have been so strong and so furious that they've overwhelmed the drainage system in the front and backyards. I have a series of small lakes to prove it -- and water flow from that drainage system has been strong enough to blow off the plastic drain caps in the front yard.
Merry Freaking Christmas!
Despite all of that good news -- we're not out of the woods just yet. But we're off to a mighty fine start in the wet weather season.
Although I don't personally enjoy this time of year (who enjoys getting pelted with rain?) -- there is one plant in the Bird backyard that can not only "take it" -- it absolutely cries out for more.
You might remember that this was the state of my poor artichoke garden (pictured above) last month when I decided to transplant some new plants from one overcrowded bed to another that wasn't so crowded. How do artichoke plants react when they are dug up and planted somewhere else? They flop down like they're dead.
|One Month Old Artichoke Transplants|
But they're not -- not really. This is the same bed about five weeks later. All of those plants that had FLOPPED have suddenly sprung back to life and are soaking up this cold and rainy weather. Artichokes do best in coastal weather conditions -- and we've had a lot of that in Northern California during the past couple of weeks -- with a lot more yet to come.
By this spring? It will be Artichoke City in the Backyard of Bird. And there is nothing quite like the nutty flavor of home-grown artichokes.
But -- don't worry -- all of those artichokes will find a good home. The phone just rang while I was typing this blog posting.
My days of "House Boy" for the Wife that is Venus are coming to an end. Unemployment is over. As of next week? It's back to the daily grind.
I hope the new boss likes home-grown artichokes and other home-grown goodies from our backyard. She has most certainly earned them. | <urn:uuid:bc482401-3946-4233-bc01-87c2e430773e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://sacramentogardening.blogspot.com/2010/12/its-winter-solstice-day.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959413 | 1,041 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Travelers over the age of 60 are more susceptible to a variety of health problems, but taking precautions can help guarantee a safe, rewarding trip.
Depending on the time of year, up to 30% of international travelers from the United States are 60 or older. Travel medicine specialists have unique concerns about this population for several reasons. Compared with younger adults, elders tend to have more trouble acclimatizing during travel; more difficulty in extreme temperatures, humidity, and high altitudes; increased risk for certain diseases; more underlying medical conditions; and a reduced response to new vaccinations and waning immunity from previous vaccines.
In an article
in the May/June 2012 issue of the Journal of Travel Medicine
, an international team of researchers reports on data collected prospectively from 1997 to 2009 with the goal of describing the epidemiology of travel-related disease. The researchers identified 7034 people over the age of 60 and compared them with a reference group of 56,042 patients aged 18 to 45. Unsurprisingly, they found that certain diagnoses were far more common in elders. These included lower respiratory tract infections, high-altitude pulmonary edema, phlebitis and pulmonary embolism, arthropod bites, severe malaria, rickettsiosis, gastritis, peptic ulcers, esophagitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease, trauma and injuries, urinary tract infections, heart disease, and death.
Pharmacists who counsel older travelers should take the opportunity to reinforce messages these elders should—but don’t always—hear from other clinicians and travel advisors. Crucial preventive measures for elders include:
use of anti-thrombosis compression stockings
sufficient hydration and exercise during long-distance flights
attention to hand hygiene
use of disposable handkerchiefs
consideration of face-masks in crowded conditions
progressive altitude acclimatization, especially in patients who have cardiac or pulmonary disease
liberal use of insect repellents and nets in tropical climates
In terms of drug therapy, elders may benefit from acetazolamide as a preventive measure if they are traveling to higher altitudes. Many travel advisors also suggest that older travelers carry antibiotics for presumptive treatment of respiratory and urinary tract infections, and antacids for gastrointestinal concerns.
Current vaccination with influenza and pneumococcal vaccines is of utmost importance. The CDC, which considers pneumococcal disease a travel-related illness
, reminds travelers that it occurs at higher rates in developing countries and is more common during winter and early spring, when respiratory viruses are circulating.
Refer all international travelers to the CDC’s Yellow Book
for the most current information on travel-related health risks. This book is updated every two years, with the most recent update published this year.
Ms. Wick is a visiting professor at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy and a freelance writer from Virginia. | <urn:uuid:d0126b26-253f-46a4-91e5-bcd5e78ba2c2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/Health-Concerns-for-Elderly-Travelers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396959.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00074-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918095 | 592 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Their Eyes Were Watching God Race Quotes
How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Daisy is walking a drum tune. You can almost hear it by looking at the way she walks. She is black and she knows that white clothes look good on her, so she wears them for dress up. She’s got those big black eyes with plenty shiny white in them that makes them shine like brand new money and she knows what God gave women eyelashes for, too. Her hair is not what you might call straight. It’s negro hair, but it’s got a kind of white flavor. Like the piece of string out of a ham. It’s not ham at all, but it’s been around ham and got the flavor. It was spread down thick and heavy over her shoulders and looked just right under a big white hat. (6.147)
Up until now in the book, the only attractive woman we’ve been introduced to is Janie, and she seems to be depicted as attractive because of her Caucasian features – and especially her hair and fair skin. This kind of makes you wonder about Hurston’s message about beauty. This passage is interesting because Daisy has more classically African American features and is clearly attractive. However, Hurston does comment on Daisy’s hair being reminiscent of Caucasian hair. What does all of this mean about how Hurston views beauty and race?
But Mrs. Turner’s shape and features were entirely approved by Mrs. Turner. Her nose was slightly pointed and she was proud. Her thin lips were an ever delight to her eyes. Even her buttocks in bas-relief were a source of pride. To her way of thinking all these things set her aside from Negroes. That was why she sought out Janie to friend with. Janie’s coffee-and-cream complexion and her luxurious hair made Mrs. Turner forgive her for wearing overalls like the other women who worked in the fields. She didn’t forgive her for marrying a man as dark as Tea Cake, but she felt that she could remedy that…her disfavorite subject was Negroes. (16.5)
Mrs. Turner seems like a perverted version of Janie. Like Janie, she is part white and has Caucasian features. Unlike Janie, Mrs. Turner takes an inordinate amount of pride in her appearance, despite having sharp, unappealing features and a totally flat butt. Every feature that dissimilates her from her black peers becomes a source of pride for her. This is because she buys into idea of racial hierarchy with white people as more valuable than blacks. For Mrs. Turner, race is more important than other classical determinants of social hierarchy, such as wealth (Janie works in the fields and could be assumed to be poor) or physical attractiveness (Mrs. Turner overlooks her own bad figure).
[Mrs. Turner]: "You got mo’ nerve than me. Ah jus’ couldn’t see mahself married to no black man. It’s too many black folks already. We oughta lighten up de race." (16.10)
Mrs. Turner’s hatred for the black race runs so deep that she refuses to marry a black man and she even goes so far as to say that black people should be eliminated. Though she does not state it so bluntly, such is her implication when she suggests that she and Janie should "lighten up de race" by marrying only white men. Doesn’t this make you think of Nazi Germany? | <urn:uuid:1cf6a123-fa27-456c-9a5e-3c03468b1c43> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.shmoop.com/eyes-were-watching-god/race-quotes-5.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395613.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00098-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973634 | 752 | 2.90625 | 3 |
New York -- As much as Americans revere the family, they differ sharply on how to define it.
New research being released Wednesday shows steadily increasing recognition of unmarried couples - gay and straight - as families. But there's a solid core resisting this trend who are more willing to include pets in their definition than same-sex partners.
How "family" is defined is a crucial question on many levels. Beyond the debate over same-sex marriage, it affects income tax filings, adoption and foster care practices, employee benefits, inheritance rights and countless other matters.
The new research on the topic is contained in a book-length study, "Counted Out: Same-Sex Relations and Americans' Definition of Family" and in a separate 2010 survey overseen by the book's lead author, Indiana University sociologist Brian Powell.
Between 2003 and 2010, three surveys conducted by Powell's team showed a significant shift toward counting same-sex couples with children as family - from 54 percent of respondents in 2003 to 68 percent in 2010. In all, more than 2,300 people were surveyed.
Powell linked the changing attitudes to a 10 percent rise between 2003 and 2010 in the share of survey respondents who reported having a gay friend or relative.
"This indicates a more open social environment in which individuals now feel more comfortable discussing and acknowledging sexuality," Powell said.
Only about one-third of those surveyed said they considered same-sex couples without children to be a family. And in 2006, when asked if gay couples and pets count as family, 30 percent said pets count but not gay couples.
"The sheer idea that gay couples are given less status than pets should give us pause," Powell said in an interview.
In the 2010 survey, 83 percent of the respondents said they perceived unmarried heterosexual couples with children as a family; only 40 percent extended that recognition to unmarried straight couples without children.
In line with several recent national opinion polls, Powell's 2010 survey showed a near-even split on same-sex marriage - with 52 percent supporting it and 48 percent opposed.
Even though five states and the District of Columbia now allow same-sex marriages, the federal government doesn't recognize them. The Census Bureau definition of "family" remains traditional: "A family is a group of two people or more (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together."
Many religious conservatives hope the government sticks by that definition, even in the face of shifts in public opinion.
"Same-sex marriage is a dangerous social experiment," said Glenn Stanton, director of family formation studies for Focus on the Family. "A lesbian couple who legally married in Massachusetts - are they family? We would say, 'Absolutely not.'"
Stanton said it was increasingly difficult to engage in serious debate on the definition question.
"We're moving in this headlong direction toward same-sex families without any intelligent discussion about whether it's actually good for the children and the adults," he said. "This whole issue has boiled down to, 'Are you a bigot or not?'"
The shifts described in Powell's research pleased Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Equality Council, which advocates on behalf of same-sex families.
"People are taking a more expansive view of what a family is," said Chrisler. "But for any family that doesn't fit the 1960s Ozzie and Harriet mold, slow and steady doesn't feel fast enough."
Chrisler and her wife, Cheryl Jacques, a former Massachusetts state senator, are raising twin boys.
The Family Equality Council has been lobbying on behalf of a bill pending in Congress that would prohibit states and child welfare agencies from denying adoption or foster care placements solely based on the sexual orientation or marital status of the potential parents.
The bill is targeted at states such as Florida, which bans gays and lesbians from adopting - a policy now being challenged in court.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., has been applauded by the Alternatives to Marriage Project because it encompasses single people as well as same-sex couples,
"I get frequent letters and e-mails from people who find the political rhetoric of 'family' to be extremely exclusive of singles," said the project's executive director, Nicky Grist. "For singles, it might be a code for 'You don't count.'"
For Powell, the major finding of his new research is the shifting view of same-sex families - which he compared to the gradual acceptance of interracial marriage.
"We envisage a day in the near future when same-sex families also will gain acceptance by a large plurality of the public," he wrote.
His book was published by the Russell Sage Foundation, a social science research center, as part of a series overseen by the American Sociological Association.
The surveys were conducted by telephone, among a random selection of households, and the characteristics of the samples were compared with census data to verify that they were representative. There were 712 interviews in 2003, 815 in 2006 and 830 this year. | <urn:uuid:fc86c102-ec96-4d4b-8c03-bb48c5a9b4a2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/study_finds_majority_of_americ.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398869.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00107-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969928 | 1,039 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Judaism: Ohr Torah on Pikudei
Rabbi Shlomo RiskinThe writer is the founding and Chief Rabbi of Efrata, Gush Etzion, as well...
“And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Sanctuary. And Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it…” (Ex. 40:34-35).
What is the significance of the symbol of the cloud, and its twin symbol, fire?
The cloud rested on the Sanctuary and directed the Israelites in the desert by day), the fire directed the Israelites in the desert by night and confirmed the Divine acceptance of a ritual sacrifice (Num. 9:15-23; Ex. 24:17; 1 Kings 18:38). Together, these symbols comprise the heavens, shamayim; the very Hebrew word shamayim is comprised of two words, aish(fire) and mayim (water), water being the stuff that clouds are made of and turn into. Fire and water are also the ultimate antinomies, the eternal opposites. Hence, since the heavens are the abode of the Divine, the heavens also express the consummate paradox which miraculously brings together in peace even those elements which seem to be constantly at war with each other, fire and water!
Furthermore, clouds within themselves express protective cover and life-giving rain, security as well as growth and development. And fire expresses warmth, which likewise nurtures life, and creativity, as evidenced in the myth of Prometheus: the Greeks thought that fire had to have been stolen by the gods themselves, since all inventiveness stems from the proper use of fire.
By using these two powerful symbols of the Divine Presence, the Torah conveys another message. It insists that as long as the cloud rested on the Tent of Meeting, Moses was forbidden from entering it – unless he were to be expressly summoned by G-d. Hence the Book of Exodus concludes with Moses’ inability to enter the Sanctuary (Ex. 40:35), and the Book of Leviticus opens, “And G-d called out unto Moses and the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting”. (Lev. 1:1) Moses would require specific summons from God before he could stand in the presence of the Divine and enter the cloud.
Similarly, while it is true that fire has the ability to bring warmth, it can also devour and destroy. The great Rabbi Eliezer declared, “Warm yourselves by fire of the Sages, but be careful of the coals lest you be burnt” (Mishnah Pirkei Avot 2:15); if this is true of Torah Sages, how much more so must this be true of the Almighty Himself!
From this perspective, the symbols of cloud and fire warn us to temper our desire for closeness to the Divine with reverence and awe which engenders distance. “Serve the Almighty with joyous love, but let there be a degree of trembling in your exaltation.” Too much familiarity can lead to a relaxation of discipline, and ecstatic devotion of the moment can sometimes overlook a religio-legal command. Passion is a critical component of religious piety, but it must be moderated by Divine law or it can run wildly into fanaticism. As the Psalmist declares, “Cloud and haze are around Him, so righteousness and just law establish His throne.” (Ps. 97:2)
Moreover, cloud and fire, the lack of clarity expressed by a cloud and the inability to gaze directly into a flame, likewise express one of the deepest truths of the Jewish message: religion is not so much paradise as it is paradox. G-d demands fealty even in the face of agonizing questions and disturbing uncertainty.
Egypt, with its ever-present waters of the Nile and its unchanging social order of masters and slaves, represent certainty; the desert, on the other hand, and especially the rain-expectant manna-less and leader-starved Land of Israel represent the unknown. God expects us to have the courage to enter into the haze, to scale the heights of the unknown, to take the risks of uncertainty as to immediate outcome in order to act as partners of the Divine. We must attempt to make light from darkness, order from chaos, gardens from swamp lands, and justice from inequity. And just as the Almighty took a risk, as it were, by creating a human being with freedom of choice, so must we take risks by venturing into the unknown. “I remember the loving kindness of your youth, the love of your engagement years, when you went after Me in the desert, in a land which was not seeded.” (Jer. 2:2)
Perhaps only a nation which has fealty to a God who has no form and is profoundly unknowable can enter into a cloud of the unknown. But even if the precise details of the challenge are not prescribed, we do have a Torah which does specify right and wrong ways to pursue our goal. And, at the very least, the end-goal is certainly guaranteed, when “nation will not lift up sword against nation, and humanity will not learn war anymore,” (Mic. 4:3 & Isa. 2:4) “When the Knowledge of the Lord (at last!) will fill the world as the water (from the clouds) will cover the seas.” (Hab. 2:14) | <urn:uuid:87975186-2000-438f-a2a3-4bdb87387fb0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/14595 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00084-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958057 | 1,146 | 3.140625 | 3 |
In the tech world, the word "homebrew" generally refers to code written by programmers that can run on devices such as gaming consoles, or other gadgets that are not made to run unauthorized code. The running of homebrew applications on devices not intended to run unsigned code is frowned upon by much of the gaming and computers industry. For example, Sony disapproves of users running their own homebrew on the PlayStation consoles.
Homebrew games would be those written by programmers with no financial aims. Most manufacturers of games disapprove of their games being played on devices that they weren't created for, but the ability to run homebrew code on a device usually leads to such a possibility through emulators.
Hardware solutions to run homebrew
Because the games industry is plagued by piracy, anti-piracy measures usually make running homebrew code impossible, or at least at first glance. In the past decade gaming consoles such as the PS2 and XBOX have used measures to prevent unauthorized software from being run, but both systems have been beaten by the use of Modchips that can bypass the security measures.
The legality of Modchips varies around the world. Sony disapproves of consumers modifying their consoles because it makes piracy of games possible. With the security measures beaten, launching a copy of a game with most modchips is easy. Also, with Modchips providing the ability to run homebrew code, programmers have written emulators for consoles that allow games from other platforms to be played. However, modchips will also usually allow you to play imported games, which is something else that wasn't possible with an unmodified console. A recent High Court ruling in Australia decided that the extra legal things you can do with a modified console, outweigh the illegal things.
See: http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6906.cfm (Modchips legal says Australian High Court)
Software solutions to run homebrew
Another example of how hackers have run homebrew on locked systems concerns Sony's latest console offering, the PlayStation Portable (PSP). The original PSP firmware allowed the running of homebrew without the need for exploits. However, an updated firmware, v1.50 changed that, locking out homebrew code. That didn't stop the hackers however, who through the use of exploits could launch homebrew on PSP 1.50.
See: http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6556.cfm (PSP v1.50 firmware cracked).
Two later versions of the firmware, v1.51 and v1.52 fixed the problem for Sony, and were a nuisance to users who bought their brand new PSPs to discover they had been sold with either of these firmware versions. Some months later, Sony released the next version of the firmware, v2.00.
See: http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6763.cfm (Sony releases PSP 2.0 update in North America)
Once again, hackers got the better of Sony. A flaw discovered in the image viewer allowed some homebrew code to be run. The first homebrew code to run on PSP 2.00 only changed the colour of the PSP screen. However, that was enough to excite 2.00 users as it was simple proof of concept.
See: http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6855.cfm (Progress being made with PSP v2.0 cracking)
Finally a solution emerged for 2.0 users. A downgrader (by MPH) was released which made it possible to change the PSPs firmware to v1.50. Though the process did show some error messages and came with a warning, it still has not shown any major problems for PSP users who downgraded, and can also be safely upgraded again. Also, homebrew code runs perfectly on a downgraded PSP.
See: http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6861.cfm (Downgrade PSP 2.0 to PSP 1.50)
Sony will continue to fight against homebrew being launched on a PSP. It is not surprising that so far, PSPs have not required a hardware solution (like modchips) to bypass security measures. Compare the PSP against the PS2 and XBOX, what are the major differences? The PS2 and XBOX were merely gaming consoles (expect for offering some music features and others) whereas Sony has created the PSP as a portable entertainment device that can do more than play games. With a PSP you can listen to music, view photos, watch videos, browse the internet (with firmware above 2.00) through a wireless network and the latest PSP firmware (2.50) has come even more feature packed.
See: http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6943.cfm (Sony releases PSP 2.50 firmware)
Also you can store any files on a Memory Stick, provided that you have enough free space. Therefore all these extra features meant that some bugs that could be exploited, most likely exist. When they are found by hackers, another solution is created to run homebrew code on a proprietary platform.
Another example of how a software flaw led to the possibility of running homebrew, is the PS2 Independence Exploit. Some versions of the PS2 console had a buffer overflow bug in the BIOS. Hackers discovered how to modify a file (TITLE.DB) to trigger a buffer overflow and ultimately run code from a Memory Card (unencrypted) when a specific PS1 game was run.
This allowed homebrew to be run on an unmodified console. Sony corrected the problem, but using a Modchips with a PS2 is by far the best way to launch homebrew code on the console.
Manufacturers will probably never stop their customers from finding ways of running unauthorized code on their products; homebrew is most likely here to stay.
As more major developments happen with homebrew code, this glossary item will be updated. | <urn:uuid:a37e9813-dc21-4d7a-89cc-d1b0669b6ffe> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/term.cfm/homebrew | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00045-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95432 | 1,225 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Secrecy Blamed for HIV/AIDS Spread in Tanzania
November 19, 2001
Health authorities blame parents' and teachers' lack of openness about HIV/AIDS as one of the factors contributing to the spread of disease in Tanzania. A recent survey conducted by the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) in some parts of the country showed that youths "are not being told the truth about the HIV/AIDS pandemic."Adapted from:
The research in 40 districts of mainland Tanzania, blames the community for not sharing issues on sexual relations with children. "Many young men and women interviewed complained that parents and teachers treat discussions on sexual relations as a taboo," the study said. It said the fact that many associate sex with European culture constitutes a stumbling block to the HIV/AIDS campaign in the country.
The Education Ministry urged parents and guardians to reverse the dangerous trend and save the children from destruction. "Whether we decide to remain silent or whether we remain embarrassed, this disease will continue to kill our young generation. We must act swiftly," says Ricky Mpama, a senior official of the ministry. According to Mpama, "It is a grave mistake to believe that today's youths will wait until they are mature enough to learn about sexual relations and the HIV/AIDS scourge," Mpama said, adding: "They must be taught . . . a practical method of protecting themselves from the disease."
Tanzanian educators argue that since children are exposed to adulthood through the mass media, the Internet and social gatherings, they cannot wait to hear about HIV/AIDS because "they know too much." "We understand the cultural background of the parents and respect their views. However, we are defeated by circumstances that compel every individual to play a role in the campaign to halt the spread of the disease," says Verdiana Mung'ong'o, chairperson of the Tanzania Parliamentary Committee Against AIDS. He said although the African culture embodies noble values, some traditions or customs that impede the fight against the disease must be discarded.
Panafrican News Agency
This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update. | <urn:uuid:67b0d9bf-40ff-441f-ae5d-2fb0b16213ba> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thebody.com/content/art18876.html?nxtprv | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398873.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00014-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958308 | 449 | 2.75 | 3 |
Placenta accreta is a serious pregnancy condition that occurs when blood vessels and other parts of the placenta grow too deeply into the uterine wall.
Typically, the placenta detaches from the uterine wall after childbirth. With placenta accreta, part or all of the placenta remains firmly attached. This can cause severe blood loss after delivery.
It's also possible for the placenta to invade the muscles of the uterus (placenta increta) or grow through the uterine wall (placenta percreta).
Placenta accreta is considered a high-risk pregnancy complication. If placenta accreta is suspected during pregnancy, you'll likely need an early C-section delivery followed by the surgical removal of your uterus (hysterectomy).
Placenta accreta often causes no signs or symptoms during pregnancy — although vaginal bleeding during the third trimester is possible. Often, placenta accreta is detected during a routine ultrasound.
If you experience vaginal bleeding during your third trimester, contact your health care provider right away. If the bleeding is severe, seek emergency care.
Placenta accreta is thought to be related to abnormalities in the lining of the uterus, typically due to scarring after a C-section or other uterine surgery. This might allow the placenta to grow too deeply into the uterine wall. Sometimes, however, placenta accreta occurs without a history of uterine surgery.
Many factors can increase the risk of placenta accreta, including:
- Previous uterine surgery. If you've had a C-section or other uterine surgery, you're at increased risk of placenta accreta. The risk of placenta accreta increases with the number of uterine surgeries.
- Placenta position. If your placenta partially or totally covers your cervix (placenta previa) or sits in the lower portion of your uterus, you're at increased risk of placenta accreta.
- Maternal age. Placenta accreta is more common in women older than 35.
- Previous childbirth. The risk of placenta accreta increases each time you give birth.
- Uterine conditions. The risk of placenta accreta is higher if you have abnormalities or scarring in the tissue that lines your uterus (endometrium). Noncancerous uterine growths that bulge into the uterine cavity (submucosal uterine fibroids) also increase the risk.
Placenta accreta can cause serious complications, including:
- Heavy vaginal bleeding. Placenta accreta poses a major risk of severe vaginal bleeding (hemorrhage) after delivery. The bleeding can cause a life-threatening condition that prevents your blood from clotting normally (disseminated intravascular coagulopathy), as well as lung failure (adult respiratory distress syndrome) and kidney failure. A blood transfusion will probably be necessary.
- Premature birth. Placenta accrete might cause labor to begin early. If placenta accreta causes bleeding during your pregnancy, you might need to deliver your baby early.
If you have vaginal bleeding during your third trimester, contact your health care provider right away. If the bleeding is severe, seek emergency care.
Often, placenta accreta is suspected after an ultrasound early in pregnancy. A follow-up visit can give you an opportunity to find out about the condition and develop a plan to manage it.
What you can do
Before your appointment, you might want to:
- Ask about pre-appointment restrictions. In most cases, you'll be seen immediately. If your appointment will be delayed, ask whether you should restrict your activity in the meantime.
- Ask a loved one or friend to join you for the appointment. Fear and anxiety might make it difficult to focus on what your health care provider says. Take someone along who can help you remember all the information.
- Write down questions to ask your health care provider. That way, you won't forget anything important that you want to ask.
Below are some basic questions to ask your health care provider about placenta accreta:
- What's causing the bleeding?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- What follow-up care will I need during the rest of my pregnancy?
- What signs or symptoms should cause me to call you?
- What signs or symptoms should cause me to go to the hospital?
- Will I be able to deliver vaginally?
- Does this condition increase the risk of complications during future pregnancies?
- Will I need to have a hysterectomy after the baby is born?
In addition to the questions you've prepared, don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment — especially if you need clarification or you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your health care provider is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- When did you first notice vaginal bleeding?
- Did you bleed only once, or has the bleeding been off and on?
- How heavy is the bleeding?
- Is the bleeding accompanied by pain or contractions?
- Have you had any previous pregnancies that I'm not aware of?
- Have you had any uterine surgeries that I'm not aware of?
- How long would it take to get to the hospital in an emergency, including time to arrange child care and transportation?
If you have risk factors for placenta accreta during pregnancy — such as the placenta partially or totally covering the cervix (placenta previa) or a previous uterine surgery — your health care provider will carefully examine the implantation of your baby's placenta.
Techniques to help diagnose placenta accreta might include:
- Imaging tests. Through ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), your health care provider can evaluate how the placenta is implanted in your uterine wall.
- Blood tests. Your health care provider might test a sample of your blood for an otherwise unexplained rise in the amount of alpha-fetoprotein — a protein that's produced by the baby and can be detected in the mother's blood. Such a rise has been linked to placenta accreta.
If your health care provider suspects placenta accreta, he or she will work with you to develop a plan to safely deliver your baby.
In the case of extensive placenta accreta, a C-section followed by the surgical removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) might be necessary. This procedure, also called a cesarean hysterectomy, helps prevent the potentially life-threatening blood loss that can occur if part or all of the placenta remains attached after delivery.
A cesarean hysterectomy should be done at a hospital that has an intensive care unit and is equipped to handle complications, such as severe bleeding. Your health care team for the surgery might include an obstetrical surgeon, a pelvic surgeon and an anesthesiologist, as well as a neonatologist to treat your baby.
Your health care provider might recommend scheduling the C-section and hysterectomy as early as week 34 of pregnancy to avoid an unscheduled emergency delivery.
During the C-section, your health care provider will deliver your baby through an incision in your abdomen and a second incision in your uterus. After delivering your baby, your health care provider or another member of your health care team will remove your uterus — with the placenta still attached — to prevent severe bleeding.
After a hysterectomy, you no longer have the ability to become pregnant. If you had planned to become pregnant again in the future, discuss possible options with your health care provider.
Rarely, the uterus and placenta might be allowed to remain intact, allowing the placenta to dissolve over time. However, this approach can have serious complications, including:
- Severe vaginal bleeding
- A blood clot that blocks one or more arteries in the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
- The need for a hysterectomy at a later date
In addition, limited research suggests that women who are able to avoid hysterectomy after having placenta accreta are at risk of pregnancy complications with subsequent pregnancies, including miscarriage, premature birth and recurrent placenta accreta.
If you're interested in uterine conservation, ask your health care provider if it's a possibility for you. If so, he or she can help you weigh the risks and benefits.
If your health care provider suspects that you have placenta accreta, you're likely worried about how your condition will affect your delivery, your baby and, possibly, your ability to become pregnant in the future.
To ease your anxiety:
- Find out about placenta accreta. Gathering information about your condition might help you feel less anxious. Talk to your health care provider, do some research and connect with other women who've had placenta accreta.
- Prepare for a C-section. If you're disappointed that you won't be able to have a vaginal birth, remind yourself that your baby's health and your health are more important than the method of delivery.
- Prepare for a hysterectomy. After the hysterectomy, you'll no longer have periods or be able to get pregnant. This might lead to a deep sense of loss. Ask your health care provider about what to expect during your recovery. If you need help coping with feelings of grief or depression, talk with a mental health provider.
- Take care of yourself. Set aside time for soothing activities that help you relax, such as reading or listening to music. Relaxation techniques, including meditation, deep breathing or guided imagery, may help ease stress and produce a feeling of calm.
March 28, 2015
- Wortman AC, et al. Placenta accreta, increta, and percreta. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. 2013;40:137.
- Creasy RK, et al. Placenta previa, placenta accreta, abruptio placentae, and vasa previa. In: Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2014. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Feb. 3, 2015.
- Cunningham FG, et al. Placental abnormalities. In: Williams Obstetrics. 24th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2014. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed Feb. 3, 2015.
- Resnik R. Clinical features and diagnosis of placenta accreta, increta, and percreta. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Feb. 4, 2015.
- Eshkoli T, et al. Placenta accreta: Risk factors, perinatal outcomes, and consequences for subsequent births. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2013;208:219e1.
- Resnik R. Management of placenta accreta, increta, and percreta. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Feb. 4, 2015.
- Legendre G, et al. Conservative management of placenta accreta: Hysteroscopic resection of retained tissues. The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. 2014;21:910.
- Relaxation techniques for health: An introduction. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress/relaxation.htm. Accessed Feb. 5, 2015.
- Wick MJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 19, 2015. | <urn:uuid:e873698c-d47f-4074-828d-40b0e6e93b98> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/placenta-accreta/basics/treatment/con-20035437?p=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00140-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916602 | 2,549 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Polyphthalamide is a thermoplastic synthetic resin of the polyamide (nylon) family that is used to replace metals in high temperature automotive applications, as the housing for high temperature electrical connectors and multiple other uses. It has found a degree of favor for use in cutlery.
As a member of the nylon family, it is a semi-crystalline material composed from a diacid and a diamine. However, the diacid portion contains at least 55% terephthalic acid (TPA) or isophthalic acid (IPA). TPA or IPA are aromatic components which serve to raise the melting point, glass transition temperature and generally improve chemical resistance vs. standard aliphatic nylon polymers. | <urn:uuid:e00f77c2-7cb9-43c6-90a6-695ee40bd6ae> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.entecpolymers.com/products/polyphthalamide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396027.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00191-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92764 | 149 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Pioneers of Newburgh, N. Y.
The settlement of what subsequently became the town and then the city of Newburgh, N. Y., on the west bank of the Hudson river, was made in 1709 by a company of immigrants from the Palatinate of the Rhine. This company, driven from their homes by the wars which had devastated the Palatinate during the reign of Louis XIV, reached London in the spring of 1708, and were sent to New York by Queen Anne in September of that year. From New York they were removed, in the spring of 1709, to the district then described as Quassek creek and Thanskamer. The company included the following families :
1. Joshua Kockerthal, minister, aged 39; his wife Sibylle Charlotte, aged 39, and their children, Benigna Sibylle, aged 10, Christian Joshua, aged 7, and Susanna Sibylle, aged 3 years.
2. Lorentz Schwisser, husbandman and viner, aged 25 ; his wife Anna Catharine, aged 26, and their child Johannes, aged 8.
3. Fleinrich Rennau, stocking-maker and husbandman, aged 24; his wife Johanna, aged 26, and their children, Lorentz, aged 2 years, and Heinrich, aged 5 months. Also, Susanna and Maria Johanna Liboschain, sisters of his wife, aged respectively 15 and 10 years.
4. Andries Volck, husbandman and viner, aged 30; his wife Ann Catharine, aged 27, and their children, Maria Barbara, aged 5, George and Hieronemus, aged 4, and Anna Gertrude, aged 1 year.
5. Michael Weigand, husbandman, aged 52; his wife Anna Catharine, aged 54, and their children, Anna Maria, aged 13, Tobias, aged 7, and George, aged 5 years.
6. Jacob Webber, husbandman and viner, aged 30 ; his wife Anna Elizabeth, aged 25, and their children, Eve Maria, aged 5, and Eve Elizabeth, aged 1 year.
7. Johannes Jacob Plettel, husbandman and viner, aged 40; his wife Ann Elizabeth, aged 29, and their children, Margaret, aged 10, Anna Sarah, aged 8, and Catharine, aged 3 years.
8. Johannes Fischer, smith and husbandman, aged 27 ; his wife Maria Barbara, aged 26, and their son Andries, aged 2 weeks.
9. Melchior Gulch, carpenter, aged 39; his wife Anna Catharine, aged 43, and their children, Anna Catharine, aged 12, and Heinrich, aged 10 years.
10. Isaac Turck, husbandman, aged 23 years, unmarried.
11. Peter Rose (or LaRoss), clothweaver, aged 34; his wife Johanna, aged 37, Mary Wierman, his mother-in-law, aged 45, and Catharine, her child, aged 2 years.
12. Isaac Feder, husbandman and viner, aged 33 ; his wife Catharine, aged 30, and their son Abram, aged 2 years.
13. Daniel Fiere, husbandman, aged 32; his wife, Anna Maria, aged 30, and their children, Andrew, aged 7, and Johannes aged 6 years.
14. Herman Schuneman, clerk, aged 28, unmarried.
The land patent which had been promised to these emigrants was not issued until 1719, and by that time several changes had occurred in the company. Johannes Jacob Plettel died on the passage to America, and his widow married George Lockstead; Joshua Kockerthal also died; Peter Rose removed to Pennsylvania and transferred his interest to one Burger Meynders, a blacksmith; Lorentz Schwisser, Isaac Turck, Heinrich Rennau, and Daniel Fiere removed elsewhere, and Christian Henricke and Peter Johnson or Jansen had been added to the company. These changes were recognized by the government, and the patent was issued to the then occupants, viz. : Lot No. 1 to George Lockstead and Anna Elizabeth his wife, Margaret, Anna, Sarah, and Catharine, their children, 250 acres - the interest being originally held by Johannes Jacob Plettel ; whose wife and children became his heirs ; No. 2 to Michael Weigand and Anna Catharine his wife, and Tobias, George, and Anna Maria, their children, 250 acres ; No. 3 to Hermam Schuneman and Elizabeth his wife, 100 acres; No. 4 to Christian Henricke, 100 acres ; No. 5 to Sibylle Charlotte Kockerthal, the widow of Joshua Kockerthal, and to Christian Joshua, Benigna Sibylle, and Susanna, Sibylle, their children, 250 acres ; No. 6 to Burger Meynders, 100 acres ; No. 7 to Jacob Webber and Ann Elizabeth his wife, and Eve Maria and Eve Elizabeth, their children. 200 acres; No. 8 to Johannes Fischer and Maria Barbara his wife, 100 acres ; No. 9 to Andries Volck and Anna Catharine his wife, and George, Hieronemus, Maria Barbara, and Anna Gertrude, their children, 300. acres.
SOURCE: Vol, I, No 4, January 27, 1912 Genealogy: a journal of American ancestry | <urn:uuid:df578ccf-0992-4b40-b3a6-ccaa1fdaa184> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.newyorkroots.org/index.php/new-york-counties/orange-county/161-pioneers-of-newburgh-n-y | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00110-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97739 | 1,146 | 2.625 | 3 |
Why Does “Terrible” Mean Bad and “Terrific” Mean Good?
Terrible and terrific are both formed off the same root: terror. Both started out a few hundred years ago with the meaning of terror-inducing. But terrific took a strange turn at the beginning of the 20th century and ended up meaning really great, not terrible or terror-inducing at all.
This happened through a slow reshaping of the connections and connotations of terrific. First it acquired the sense, not just of terror-inducing but of general intensity. You could talk about a “terrific clamor,” meaning a whole lot of clamor. This was a bit of hyperbole—“so much noise it was terror-inducing!”—that eventually got reduced to a general sense of “more intense than usual.” Once a word like that gets established as a general intensifier, it may also be applied to positive experiences—terrific beauty, terrific joy—and from there the jump to a fully positive “terrific!” isn’t so unexpected. The same thing happened to the word tremendous (“causing one to tremble in fear”). It happened to formidable (fear-inducing) too, but only in French, where it means “really great!” It hasn’t quite reached that stage in English, but it has acquired positive intensifier status (“a formidable talent”).
The path from fear to happy enthusiasm isn’t an inevitable one. Awful also started as a fear word—“awe” used to have much stronger connotations of quaking with fear before powerful forces—and came to be a general intensifier (“that pie was awful good!”), but it hasn’t crossed over to the happy side. On the other hand, its close relative, “awesome,” did make the jump.
The fully positive “awesome,” a child of the '80s, is a relatively recent innovation. It began as slang, with a dash of irony or sarcasm to it. That seems to be the crucial ingredient in these crossover words. The positive “terrific” dates to the slang-heavy flapper era, where “killer” also became a playful positive. “Egregious,” a word that made the opposite crossing from positive to negative (it used to mean notable, excellent), also appears to have arisen from an ironic use. And we have plenty of very recent examples of slang crossover (Sick! Ill! Wicked! Bad!).
Crossover words are a tremendous testament to our awesome ability to shape the language as we use it. To master our fears. To take our terror and use it to build something terrific. | <urn:uuid:31a29677-2b0e-4866-841a-76cae5fd43ea> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/56865/why-does-terrible-mean-bad-and-terrific-mean-good | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398873.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00061-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96175 | 593 | 2.53125 | 3 |
DETROIT - The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History begins the exhibit, THEM: Images of Separation, a traveling exhibition showcasing items from popular culture used to stereotype different groups.
The negative imagery - found on postcards, license plates, games, souvenirs and costumes - promoted stereotyping against such groups as Asian-Americans, Hispanics, Jews and poor whites, as well as those who are "other" in terms of body type or sexual orientation.
Through 35 separate framed pieces (some with multiple items, such as postcards), "THEM" tackles some of the most contentious, cultural hot-button issues: anti-Arab sentiment, Holocaust denial, "don't ask, don't tell" and immigration.
Says Ferris professor of Social Sciences David Pilgrim, "We want to raise awareness and generate discussion about learning how we can treat one another better. At the end of the day, we are all a part of a group, and each one of us could be 'them' in the right situation."
This exhibit contains graphic imagery and parental guidance is strongly recommended. Exhibit courtesy of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University. The exhibition is made possible by support from the DTE Energy Foundation. | <urn:uuid:12b6bf27-08ef-4f8a-8cd7-5207f384a50e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.blackradionetwork.com/museum_tackles_painful_stereotypes_with__them_ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394605.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00190-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940682 | 257 | 3.171875 | 3 |
The total number of days between Friday, December 19th, 1902 and Thursday, October 3rd, 1929 is 9,785 days.
This is equal to 26 years, 9 months, and 14 days.
This does not include the end date, so it's accurate if you're measuring your age in days, or the total days between the start and end date. But if you want the duration of an event that includes both the starting date and the ending date, then it would actually be 9,786 days.
If you're counting workdays or weekends, there are 6,989 weekdays and 2,796 weekend days.
If you include the end date of Oct 3, 1929 which is a Thursday, then there would be 6,990 weekdays and 2,796 weekend days including both the starting Friday and the ending Thursday.
9,785 days is equal to 1,397 weeks and 6 days.
The total time span from 1902-12-19 to 1929-10-03 is 234,840 hours.
This is equivalent to 14,090,400 minutes.
You can also convert 9,785 days to 845,424,000 seconds.
December 19th, 1902 is a Friday. It is the 353rd day of the year, and in the 51st week of the year (assuming each week starts on a Sunday), or the 4th quarter of the year. There are 31 days in this month. 1902 is not a leap year, so there are 365 days in this year. The short form for this date used in the United States is 12/19/1902, and almost everywhere else in the world it's 19/12/1902.
October 3rd, 1929 is a Thursday. It is the 276th day of the year, and in the 40th week of the year (assuming each week starts on a Sunday), or the 4th quarter of the year. There are 31 days in this month. 1929 is not a leap year, so there are 365 days in this year. The short form for this date used in the United States is 10/3/1929, and almost everywhere else in the world it's 3/10/1929.
This site provides an online date calculator to help you find the difference in the number of days between any two calendar dates. Simply enter the start and end date to calculate the duration of any event. You can also use this tool to determine how many days have passed since your birthday, or measure the amount of time until your baby's due date. The calculations use the Gregorian calendar, which was created in 1582 and later adopted in 1752 by Britain and the eastern part of what is now the United States. For best results, use dates after 1752 or verify any data if you are doing genealogy research. Historical calendars have many variations, including the ancient Roman calendar and the Julian calendar. Leap years are used to match the calendar year with the astronomical year. If you're trying to figure out the date that occurs in X days from today, switch to the Days From Now calculator instead.
This page was loaded in 0.0060 seconds. | <urn:uuid:be0da054-d5eb-4785-82e2-01a0bfb10258> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.convertunits.com/dates/from/Dec+19,+1902/to/Oct+3,+1929 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395166.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00068-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93968 | 645 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Course pages 2013–14
Principal lecturer: Prof Neil Dodgson
Additional lecturer: Dr Alex Benton
Taken by: Part II
Past exam questions: Advanced Graphics, Advanced Graphics and HCI
Information for supervisors (contact lecturer for access permission)
No. of lectures: 16
Suggested hours of supervisions: 4
Prerequisite course: Computer Graphics and Image Processing
This course provides students with a solid grounding in the main three-dimensional modelling and rendering mechanisms. It also introduces supporting topics, including graphics cards, mobile graphics, and animation.
The order of delivery of lectures is provisional and subject to change.
- Implicit surfaces, voronoi diagrams, mobile graphics. [PAB, 1.5 lectures]
- Ray tracing. The fundamentals of raycasting, constructive solid geometry (CSG), and bounding volumes. [PAB, 2.5 lectures]
- Computational geometry. The mathematics of discrete geometry: what can you know, and how well can you know it? [PAB, 1 lecture]
- Polygons, OpenGL, graphics cards, and shaders. Tools and technologies available today; previews of what’s coming tomorrow. [PAB, 3 lectures]
- Splines for modelling arbitrary 3D geometry. Features required of surface models in a Computer-Aided Design. Bézier curves and surfaces. B-splines, from uniform, non-rational B-splines through to non-uniform, rational B-splines (NURBS). [NAD, 3.5 lectures]
- Subdivision surfaces. Introduction to subdivision. The key methods. Pros and cons when compared with NURBS. [NAD, 2.5 lectures]
- Advanced illumination. Radiosity and photon mapping. [NAD, 1 lecture]
- Animation. Introduction to animation. [NAD, 1 lecture]
On completing the course, students should be able to
- compare and contrast ray tracing with polygon scan conversion;
- define NURBS basis functions, and explain how NURBS curves and surfaces are used in 2D and 3D modelling;
- describe the underlying theory of subdivision and define the Catmull-Clark and Doo-Sabin subdivision methods;
- understand the core technologies of ray tracing, constructive solid geometry, computational geometry, implicit surfaces, and particle systems;
- understand several global illumination technologies such as radiosity and photon mapping, and be able to discuss each in detail;
- be able to describe current graphics technology and discuss future possibilities.
Students should expect to refer to one or more of these books, but
should not find it necessary to purchase any of them.
* Shirley, P. & Marschner, S. (2009). Fundamentals of Computer Graphics. CRC Press ( ed.).
Slater, M., Steed, A. & Chrysanthou, Y. (2002). Computer graphics and virtual environments: from realism to real-time. Addison-Wesley.
Watt, A. (1999). 3D Computer graphics. Addison-Wesley ( ed).
de Berg, M., Cheong, O., van Kreveld, M. & Overmars, M. (2008). Computational geometry: algorithms and applications. Springer ( ed.).
Rogers, D.F. & Adams, J.A. (1990). Mathematical elements for computer graphics. McGraw-Hill ( ed.).
Warren, J. & Weimer, H. (2002). Subdivision methods for geometric design. Morgan Kaufmann. | <urn:uuid:7a33c521-3220-4aff-a076-306a1bdff746> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/teaching/1314/AdvGraph/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397842.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00059-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.823293 | 749 | 2.625 | 3 |
The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is the largest and most prestigious science competition for high school students. This year’s fair was held in May in Reno, Nevada. Participating students were finalists from over 500 regional ISEF-affiliated science fairs held in over 40 countries and territories. More than 65,000 students competed in these regional fairs, but only 1,564 advanced to ISEF.
Since 2005, ASM has sponsored special prizes in microbiology and sent a team of judges to ISEF to present ten awards. This year the ASM judges, Nancy Freitag of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Tim Donohue of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Robert Gunsalus of UCLA, interviewed over 85 students. The students brought a variety of topics and methods to their projects, but all featured an inspiring caliber of performance. According to Donohue, “Some of the work had produced publication quality results using the most modern approaches. Students used their ingenuity to identify collaborators or approaches that would best allow them to answer the questions they identified.”
Brady Welu, the first place winner, identified a problem in his daily life and tried to find a solution. His project, entitled "The Effects of Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B on Porcine Shown Using Laboratory Testing,” used avian antibodies to help develop a product to make vaccines more effective in swine. Welu described how his project developed:
“I live on a hog and dairy farm in southwestern Minnesota. Last year, I made an avian antibody product specific to a problem that we had in our farrowing barn for which there was no vaccine available. This year, I tried to move my practicality to a more national-level since there have been reports of some farms with 30% death loss due to problems with Clostridium difficile. After creating a product with avian antibodies specific to the bacteria, I tested the product in a lab to show that my product was effective.”Welu, a student at Marshall High School in Milroy, Minnesota, received a $2,000 cash prize.
Toby Douglas, of Oxford High School in Oxford, Mississippi, was awarded the second place prize of $1,250. Her project was called, “What is the Effect of pH and Temperature on Anaerobic Respiration in Yeast Cells?” The idea for Douglas’ project came from baking bread with her father. She decided to investigate ways to make yeast increase CO2 production to make the dough rise more quickly. Freitag, the chair of the judging committee, remarked, “To me, this is really taking science to heart and home.”
The third place winner was Stephanie Thompson of Mount Edgecumbe High School, Sitka, Alaska. She received $750 for her project, “A Molecular Phylogenetic Study of Archaea from a Muskeg in Southeast Alaska.” Ivan Lavander Candido Ferreira, a student at Collegio Guilherme Dumont Villares, Sao Paulo, Brazil, was awarded the $500 fourth place award. His project was entitled “Antibiotics from Eggs of the Spider Phoneutria nigriventer.” As a result of his success at the Intel Science Fair, Ferreira was invited to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Six fifth place prizes of $250 were awarded as well.
Gunsalus summarized the fair, “Regardless of the type of project, the students’ enthusiasm shines through brightly when they describe the question they addressed and how they went about solving it.” | <urn:uuid:85748c42-d88f-4e96-be0a-696c24fb4be0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.asm.org/index.php/asm-events/icaac2013/10-awards-a-grants/awards/7069-asm-honors-high-school-microbiologists-at-intel-science-fair | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00106-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969568 | 768 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Songs from the Gospels
These three songs for Advent and Christmas are scheduled for inclusion in a forthcoming hymnal based directly on New Testament texts copublished by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Faith Alive Christian Resources. The committee charged with selecting Scripture texts that are most likely to be connected to preaching texts for the collection has found it a very interesting exercise.
The difference between hymns and Scripture songs is, in a way, analogous to the difference between Scripture and sermon in a worship service. Sermons are the proclamation of Scripture, and many “sermon hymns” proclaim the truths of Scripture, though we also sing hymns that are prayers and testimonies.
The texts for this collection include scriptural narratives and teaching, sometimes using words straight from the New Testament, but more often they use arrangements in metrical form, similar to the metrical tradition of singing the psalms.
In Matthew’s Gospel There Are Five
The gospel according to Matthew begins with the long list of Jesus’ ancestors. Forty-two generations are listed in three sets offourteen, from Abraham to David, to the exile in Babylon, and then to the birth of Christ. I don’t remember hearing much preaching on this passage—until the past few years, when I’ve heard two excellent sermons on the topic.
Traditionally, one’s lineage was traced from fathers to sons. But Matthew includes the names of five women as well—women who were strangely out of character for the family tree of someone who was to be the Messiah. These women were all on the fringes of society, and not all of them were Jews. Their lives tell fascinating stories about God’s vision for salvation for all people, and their stories bring hope to everyone, especially the outcasts of society. (See pp. 22-23 for more information on these women.)
The song begins with its theme, followed by a refrain that connects each of these women to us, encouragingeveryone who might be on the fringes of society to rejoice in God’s power: “If God could find a use for them . . . then surely God can use us too.” Stanzas follow for each of the characters (see the Scripture references at the bottom of the song credits).
Sing the first and last stanzas, plus one inner stanza if preaching on a passage including just one of these women. Or sing the first and last stanzas and have someone read the inner stanzas.
The following comments could be used in bulletin notes or in a spoken introduction:
- Stanza 2 is about Tamar, a widow who seduced her fatherin- law, Judah, who had denied her justice. Tamar hoped for a child who would provide her with security, but in the long view, she gained a Child who would be her Savior!
- Stanza 3 celebrates Rahab, a prostitute from Jericho who protected Joshua’s spies. As a reward, she was spared when the walls of Jericho came tumbling down and was adopted into God’s family.
- Stanza 4 tells the story of Ruth. Like Tamar, she was a widow; like Rahab, she was a Gentile. But when she moved to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, she became the wife of Boaz and the great-grandmother of King David.
- Stanza 5 sings of beautiful Bathsheba, whom King David wanted for his own. He shamefully arranged to have her husband killed so he could marry her.
- Stanza 6 brings us to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was unmarried when she became pregnant.
All these stories of interracial marriage, adultery, and “illegitimate” children offer hope and encouragement today to people who are on the fringes of society but who are called to be our sisters and brothers in Christ—part of our own family today.
- Have musicians play this song as a prelude to introduce the melody before it is sung during the service.
- Have a soloist, choir, or worship team sing the stanzas, and have everyone join on the refrain.
- If this music would be difficult for your congregation (or small group or education class), consider singing to a familiar Common Meter Double tune, perhaps even one with an Advent or Christmas connotation such as noel. In that case, you would need to omit the refrain.
Here are some other worship ideas from Time Now to Gather, where this hymn was first published:
This hymn will encourage persons in a twelve-step recovery program or life situations that cause them to fear rejection by their faith community. It may also be used when any of the stories is the assigned text for the day. The hymn could also be used as the basis for a six-week adult class, a unit for a women’s Bible study group, or a project for an arts group in the church. Each weekly session could focus on the story of one of the “faith mothers” and issues it raises for women intoday’s world. The last session could be used to plan a creative dramatization for worship, possibly incorporating scripture accounts or paraphrases of the women’s stories and contemporary examples of women facing similar plights. Solo speakers, singers, or dancers could be assigned individual stanzas.—Mary N. Keithahn and John Horman, Time Now to Gather: New Hymns for the Church Family, Abingdon Press, 1998.
About the Author and Composer
The text was written by Mary Nelson Keithan, a pastorin the United Church of Christ based in Rapid City, South Dakota. She is the author of many hymns, articles, and materials for church education. John Horman wrote the music for her text; he is a retired elementary music teacher and minister of music at Warner Memorial Presbyterian Church in Kensington, Maryland. Both have extensive experience in leading workshops and have collaborated fruitfully on many anthems and on several published collections of new hymns. For more informationon both of them, see http://www.hymnsetc.com/biography.htm.
Angels in the Field Appear
Part of the joy of working on a newhymnal is trying to find just the rightmatch for texts and tunes. Sometimes,as in our first song, a poet and composerwork together, and sometimes, as in thesetting of the Magnificat on page 32,a composer works quite directly fromScripture. But in many cases, a poetworks in a structure that calls for a tunecomposed by someone else.
In this setting of the Christmas storyfrom Luke 2, Daniel Merrick chose the particular meter of 77 77, meaning that each of the four lines of poetry is seven syllables long. Only a few hymns have that same structure, so there are not many 77 77 tunes. henden is one, traditionally sung to “Take My Life, and Let It Be,” but that tune is not a good choice for this Christmas text.
The committee decided that the tune lauds had just the right sparkle of joy to carry this narrative text and provide a fresh setting. Five stanzas recount the story of the angels and shepherds, each ending with the refrain
Unto you a child is born
on this blessed Christmas morn!”
The refrain is repeated untilthe final stanza, which turns the announcement of the angels into a sung confession:
This, our Christ, has come to earth;
Hail, all hail his wondrous birth.
Suggestions for Using This Song
Here again, the several stanzas call for variety. You could have the congregation sing with organ or worship team. Or you may want to turn this song into a little “concertato” involving adult choir, children’s choir, congregation, handbells, organ, and trumpet, as follows:
- Introduction: Bell fanfare
- Stanza 1: Adult and children’s choir in unison with bell descant and organ; bell fanfare as interlude between stanzas 1-2.
- Stanza 2: Children’s choir in unison with adult choir humming on harmony, organ as needed; no interlude between 2 and 3.
- Stanza 3: Same as for stanza 2, this time followed by interlude.
- Stanzas 4-5: Add congregation; after stanza 5 play complete fanfare.
- Stanza 6: Everyone sings with full organ, and add the trumpet descant.
Bonus tip: Use these same ideas again at Pentecost for this tune with the words of “Holy Spirit, Mighty God” (Psalter Hymnal 278).
About the Author and Composer
Text writer Daniel B. Merrick (1926- 2004) was a pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and was editor of the Chalice Hymnal (1995).
John Wilson (1905-1992) was a major force in the British “hymn explosion” during the second half of the twentieth century as a composer, hymnal editor, and teacher. He taught music at the Royal College of Music in London from 1965-1980.
My Soul Does Magnify the Lord
The Song of Mary, also called the Magnificat, is always in season, but never more so than during Advent and Christmas. Here is a setting by African American composer Grayson Warren Brown, an internationally known liturgical song writer, author, recording artist, and speaker (www.graysonwarrenbrown.com).
This setting is accessible to any congregation. The tune has a narrow range with plenty of repetition. Phrases of text alternate with rests while the accompaniment picks up the movement, sustaining and building the energy for each successive phrase. In fact, because this song is so simple and easy to sing, the repetition in seven stanzas requires creativity to keep the momentum; it would be deadly to sing every stanza the same! Following are several ideas that will ensure that this song is not only singable the first time, but a joyful experience for young and old alike.
- Have a young girl sing the first two stanzas as a solo, then add the congregation.
- Alternate some stanzas between women and men: women on 2 and 4, men on 3 and 5. To be more inclusive of children, consider “sisters” and “brothers” rather than“women” and “men.”
- Consider singing the first five stanzas during the service and the last two as the doxology for a joyful conclusion to the worship service. Music Suggestions
- Use piano, and if at all possible add a bass guitar, either electric or acoustic. If you don’t have a bass player, have the organist play the bass line with strong support on the 16 foot stops.
- Choose a tempo that moves yet lets the text come through well (around 92 beats per minute).
- After the initial strong downbeat, keep the accompaniment to a minimum for the rest of that opening measure, or even drop out the rest of that first measure on each stanza, for the joy and contrast of hearing only the text on that measure each time.
- The notes on the page are minimal; feel free to improvise, adding variety and energy based on the text. For stanza 3, for example, play quietly on the first half, and then build up for the second half.
Celebrating Hymn Writers’ Anniversaries
2007 marks major anniversaries for many significant hymn writers. Here are a few of them, along with some suggestionsfor remembering and honoring their contributions to our worship life:
- 400th Paul Gerhardt (b. 1607), German pastor and author of many hymns, including the Advent hymn “O Lord, How Shall We Meet You” and “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded.”
- 400th Johann Rist (b. 1607), German pastor, physician, and poet, author of “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light.”
- 300th Charles Wesley (b. 1707), English pastor and author of more than 6,500 hymns, including “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” and “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.”
- 275th Franz Joseph Haydn (b. 1732), Austrian composer of the tunes cr eation and austrian hymn.
- 200th Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (b. 1807), American poet, author of “Holy Spirit, Truth Divine.”
- 200th John Newton (b. 1807), former slave trader; English pastor and writer of hymns, including “Amazing Grace” (also see the recent movie by this title), “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds,” and “Glorious Things of You Are Spoken”
- 200th Christopher Wordsworth (b. 1807), English writer and Greek scholar, author of “Alleluia! Alleluia!” “See, the Conqueror Mounts in Triumph,” and “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise.”
These are just a few; see the Winter 2007 issue of The Hymn (Vol. 58, No. 1), published by the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada (www.thehymnsociety.org) for a much larger list.
Here are three ideas for celebrating these anniversaries:
- When choosing hymns by any of these hymn writers for worship, include a bulletin note; for information, consult the companion to your hymnal (such as the Psalter Hymnal Handbook) or Austin Lovelace’s little gem Hymn Notes for Church Bulletins (available from the Hymn Society Book Service; see web address above).
- For All Saints Day or the first Sunday in November, plan to include some of these songs with song notes and prayers of thanksgiving for the gifts of these hymn writers.
- Plan a hymn festival of songs and anthems featuring texts and tunes by these hymn writers. | <urn:uuid:13facca6-e587-4818-a47a-4b825f30f85f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.reformedworship.org/article/september-2007/songs-gospels | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393332.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00090-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953025 | 3,014 | 2.546875 | 3 |
RILKE 201 hero who, in his fullness of being and deed, does not stay to ripen his fruit, but, like those who have passed away in youth, rushes to death. (The idea is mooted in the ist Elegy: 'Denk: es erhdltsicb der Held, selbsf der Unfergang war ibm \ nur ein Vonvand, *%u sein: seine let^te Geburt?} But if the hero is praised for his disregard of life the implication might be that life is without value. The yth Elegy disproves this by glorifying existence. 'Hiersein ist berrlich? And therefore the poet, addressing the angel, whom he fears no more, lauds what life has created - cathedrals, music, love. The essential thing is that now in the yth Elegy the human race is magnified - for its achievements - whereas hitherto only individual represen- tatives of humanity - lovers who love for love's sake, those who died young, the acrobat, the hero - had been praised. - The 8th Elegy is a variant of the 4th in which children are shown to have unity of being; in the 8th animals have it, for they too live an 'open* life unburdened by consciousness; that is, in a state of pure existence, which man can attain by death only. The 9th Elegy, a hymn to life, answers the question asked in the ist Elegy: What is the purpose of human existence? The answer is that we do not live to gain experience, knowledge, happiness, but for the sake of existence itself. We must, therefore, praise existence, praise the simple things of life, and give them permanence by making visible in them that which is invisible in ourselves. Here we have again Rilke's doctrine of things to which we, the most transitory of beings, give permanence by shaping them in art. There is another late elaboration of the theme in the poem Der Goldscbmied^ the seizure of the artist by the thing and the projection into the thing of the artist's soul: "&attm greift aus uns und uberset^t die Dinge : class dir das Dasein ernes Battms gelinge, mrflnmnraum urn ibn, ausjenem Raum9 das in dir west. Having thus, in the 9th Elegy, justified life, in the xoth the poet accepts pain and sorrow, which will pass with us into the next world. Life is the city of pain (Ljeid-Stadt\ death is the land of pain (Leidland). "If I were to cry out/ the ist Elegy begins, "who would hear me in the cohorts of the angels ?' In the loth Elegy the angel has heard and has approved all; approved, too, the cgrim insight' Gedichte und Fragmentarisches. | <urn:uuid:3ee905bb-dea5-424b-955e-150f8e357859> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.archive.org/stream/ModernGermanLiterature18801950/TXT/00000216.txt | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399425.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00063-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916335 | 638 | 2.671875 | 3 |
"Given that unconventional sources are needed, which ones make the most sense to extract? It takes an unusually high amount of energy to get at them—whether it be tar sands, natural gas from hydraulic fracturing shale, or old oil deposits that can be flooded with steam to scour out more petroleum. To help compare fuel sources with a common metric, ecologist Charles A. S. Hall of the S.U.N.Y. College of Environmental Science and Forestry has created a measure called the “energy return on investment” (EROI). It indicates the energy that fuels provide per unit of energy spent—a ratio of energy obtained."
Scientific American (sub required)
click on image to enlarge | <urn:uuid:c0e0e813-74dc-4a28-b7f5-79bad1448f08> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://florence20.typepad.com/renaissance/2013/03/energy-roi.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393997.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00068-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931435 | 145 | 2.921875 | 3 |
urea, which incorporates four hydrogen atoms per molecule --
Twice the amount of hydrogen found in water, and it needs 0.37V
to free those atoms. Not the 1.23V needed to split water. Every port-a-potty just became a power plant.
That’s a revolution . You can run the Empire State Building on the pee from everyone who comes to visit it.
That headline smacks of “Car runs on Water” . So I was pretty doubtful of the story, but when I learned that the Maker Movement was in Africa, and these 4 teenagers were part of it. I sat up at the keyboard. A commenter on NewsVine, james ca., came up with the 2009 paper , that made these girls invention work. The chemistry is bullet proof.
As the news cycle flowed on, I found a a much better picture of them with their invention. ……. (Links below)
So I got to thinking , this will fit in a “ShelterBox”
So in a disaster, one of these boxes can charge laptops, and provide light. And the victims just have to pee in it to get power. This is a very “green thing”, these 4 girls have done.
They’re burning hydrogen , zero CO2 output to make electricity. And it runs on urine .
All of this adds up to being greater than the sum of the parts. Tesla made “Car of the Year” at the same time we learned of these 4 girls in Africa.
The girls and their invention :
The 2009 paper behind their work :
Producing hydrogen from urine
July 3, 2009
Gerardine Botte of Ohio University uses an electrolytic approach to produce hydrogen from urine -- the most abundant waste on Earth -- at a fraction of the cost of producing hydrogen from water. Urine’s major constituent is urea, which incorporates four hydrogen atoms per molecule -- importantly, less tightly bonded than the hydrogen atoms in water molecules. Botte uses electrolysis to break the molecule apart, developing an inexpensive new nickel-based electrode to selectively and efficiently oxidise the urea. To break the molecule down, a voltage of 0.37V needs to be applied across the cell -- much less than the 1.23V needed to split water. Her work is described in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Chemical Communications. “During the electrochemical process the urea gets adsorbed on to the nickel electrode surface, which passes the electrons needed to break up the molecule,” Botte told Chemistry Worl | <urn:uuid:bb64350d-ae4a-4ccd-9bd9-9ffa56789c6d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://coloradobob1.newsvine.com/_news/2012/11/14/15151760-about-those-4-teenage-girls-in-africa-and-their-hydrogen-pee-power-plant | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398216.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936693 | 538 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈblækbɔɹd/, /ˈblækboɹd/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈblækbɔːd/
Audio (US) (file)
- Hyphenation: black‧board
blackboard (plural blackboards)
- A large flat surface, finished with black slate or a similar material, that can be written upon with chalk and subsequently erased; a chalkboard.
2012 March 1, Brian Hayes, “Pixels or Perish”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 106:
- Drawings and pictures are more than mere ornaments in scientific discourse. Blackboard sketches, geological maps, diagrams of molecular structure, astronomical photographs, MRI images, the many varieties of statistical charts and graphs: These pictorial devices are indispensable tools for presenting evidence, for explaining a theory, for telling a story.
a surface that can be written upon with chalk
- To use a blackboard to assist in an informal discussion. | <urn:uuid:94242c83-96af-4fd9-9475-4ee3c5777a95> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blackboard | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396887.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00183-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.769601 | 242 | 3.125 | 3 |
|Glossary of Glacier Terminology|
This glossary provides definitions of terms necessary to understand the modern glacier environment. Terms are listed in alphabetical order and are accompanied by photographs. A separate section provides definitions of each type, accompanied by a photograph of an example.
Intended for grade levels:
Type of resource:
No specific technical requirements, just a browser required
Cost / Copyright:
Information presented on this website is considered public information (unless otherwise noted) and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credit is requested. We strongly recommend that USGS data be acquired directly from a USGS server and not through other sources that may change the data in some way. While USGS makes every effort to provide accurate and complete information, various data such as names, telephone numbers, etc. may change prior to updating. USGS welcomes suggestions on how to improve our home page and correct errors. USGS provides no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of furnished data.
DLESE Catalog ID: DLESE-000-000-008-844
Resource contact / Creator / Publisher:
Publisher: The U.S. Geological Survey | <urn:uuid:e57207c6-8976-4495-84fd-08006b174326> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dlese.org/library/catalog_DLESE-000-000-008-844.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397636.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00156-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.880549 | 249 | 2.6875 | 3 |
The Shroud of Turin’s authenticity has been the focus of debates for decades. The piece of cloth that shows the imprint of a man’s face is believed to be the sheet that covered Jesus’ body after he was crucified in 33 A.D. The Catholic Church does not have an official statement regarding the authenticity of the fabric, but thousands of Catholics visit Turin Cathedral in Italy each year just to get a glimpse of the Shroud of Turin. Through the years, the question still remains: Is the Shroud of Turin real, or fake?
In 1988, radiocarbon dating was done by Oxford University. The conclusion was that the shroud was only 728 years old.
A group of research scientists from Italy led by Professor Alberto Carpinteri suggests that a magnitude 8.2 earthquake that happened in Jerusalem in 33 A.D. may have caused the imprint on the cloth. The earthquake may have also affected the radiocarbon dating results released by Oxford University.
According to the research team, the strong earthquake was powerful enough to discharge neutrons. The neutron emissions then formed the image on the shroud upon interacting with the nitrogen atoms on the cloth’s fibers. The theory has been published in the Meccanica journal.
Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit Director Christopher Ramsey has an issue regarding the new findings. The question he raises is why other geological and archaeological materials were not as intensely affected by the earthquake as the Shroud of Turin.
Mark Antonacci, the President of the Resurrection of the Shroud Foundation, is requesting the Pope to permit molecular analysis of the linen with the use of the latest technology. With this analysis, the radiation theory may be confirmed or ruled out.
This recent finding may have cleared questions about the Shroud of Turin for some people. However, it has also added another possible angle, and may even cause more confusion for others.
Video reveals new evidence validating Shroud of Turin
Image via YouTube | <urn:uuid:4952574a-098b-4cc3-ae40-f2ee0e3297ad> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webpronews.com/shroud-of-turin-could-it-be-real-2014-02/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397842.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00181-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958628 | 405 | 2.96875 | 3 |
(Science: zoology) The entire horn, or any branch of the horn, of a cervine animal, as of a stag. Huge stags with sixteen antlers. (Macaulay)
The branch next to the head is called the brow antler, and the branch next above, the bez antler, or bay antler. The main stem is the beam, and the branches are often called tynes. Antlers are deciduous bony (not horny) growths, and are covered with a periosteum while growing. See velvet.
(Science: zoology) antler moth, a destructive European moth (Cerapteryx graminis), which devastates grass lands.
Origin: oe. Auntelere, OF. Antoillier, andoiller, endouiller, fr. F. Andouiller, fr. An assumed LL. Antocularis, fr. L. Ante before _ oculus eye. See ocular. | <urn:uuid:e0f509f4-1eaf-4855-b7fb-f13b20b1b11c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Antler | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00201-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.847996 | 208 | 3.1875 | 3 |
When we think of Soviet art many of us conjure up heroic images of communist leaders and selfless peasant workers. These types of paintings are part of the Socialist realism movement started by Communist Party leader Joseph Stalin in 1934. Stalin wanted Soviet artists, who were financially supported by the government, to depict leaders and workers helping to raise living standards for all Soviet citizens.
Museum of Russian Art President, Brad Shinkle, says because the Soviet Union was geographically huge the Communist Party used socialist realism art as a tool to communicate a consistent political philosophy.
"Because many of the people in the Soviet Union were of non-Russian ethnicity and spoke different languages and had different historical and religious backgrounds," he says. "And the Communist party and the Soviet government were seeking to bring some standardization to the social motivation and control of their citizens."
The other movement in the exhibit is non-conformist art. The movement began after the death of Stalin in 1953 and continued until the fall of communism in 1991. Non-conformist artists rejected the state prescribed artistic guidelines and depicted the stark living conditions facing ordinary Soviet citizens. They used their work to criticize Communist Party policies. Fearing punishment from the government, artists displayed these works only in private apartments.
Alla Rosenfeld came to the museum to gave a lecture about the exhibit. Rosenfeld grew up in St. Petersburg and is the Director of the Department of Russian Art at Rutgers University. She's written a forward to the companion book for the Minneapolis exhibit. She says it's a rare opportunity for visitors to see socialist realist art and non-conformist art side by side.
"If you look at the figures depicting workers for example, created by socialist realist artists you can see that they represented as very strong-willed individuals and as an image of physically fit man, like a new Soviet person," she says. "If a non-conformist would depict an individual it would very frequently depict a very disturbing image. For example, a handicapped person after the second world war, something like this."
The non-conformists artists often painted impressionistic and abstract art. Communist leaders prohibited these forms of artistic expression because they focused on form over content. Soviet critics of non-conformist art said these forms distorted the pure image of the people engaged in building communism.
Rosenfeld says there were several categories of art which were deemed off-limits for socialist realist artists.
"Any negative commentary on society was not allowed. Religious art was out of the question and it didn't matter whether it was Christian art or Judaism-any kind of religious symbols and depictions of objects of veneration would be prohibited," she says.
"Soviet Dis-Union" is exhibited on all three floors of the Museum of Russian Art. The 1935 building began as a Spanish Colonial Church and was transformed into the museum in 2004. It has an open atrium that allows visitors to look at a painting on one floor and then gaze up and down to catch glimpses of paintings on the other levels.
The lower floor contains many works of art from socialist realist artists. The paintings depict social progress under the communist system and were intended to assure Soviet citizens of their bright future and secure employment.
"There are very good works created by socialist realist artists and not necessarily all of those works are Soviet propaganda. There are some very nice landscapes created by socialist realist artists, still-lifes. There were also so not very good non-conformist works," she says. "So we wanted to show with this exhibition that it was not black and white, that there are very interesting works in both types of Soviet art."
Denise Dion from Roseville recently visited the exhibit, slowly walking through the museum. She's been to Moscow and St. Petersburg and says this exhibit is not what she expected.
"I'm really surprised to see some much of it here. I didn't expect, when I looked at the name of this exhibit, for it to look like this," she says.
Dion said she was expecting something, "more Stalinist".
"More somber and sober. It's very bright and very idealistic which is what they're trying to show, and humorous."
Museum President Brad Shinkle says while art from the two collections has been shown separately in museums around the world--this is the first consolidated exhibition of the two collections. The 50-year period highlighted in the show features artwork that, due to the Cold War, Americans have not had much opportunity to see.
The Soviet Dis-Union: Socialist Realist and Nonconformist Art is on display at the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis thru August 19th. | <urn:uuid:d708dcca-7ec4-4179-bc4a-c370b84f5127> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mprnews.org/story/2006/05/17/sovietart | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392069.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00114-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981006 | 961 | 3.890625 | 4 |
International Programs News & Views Volume 10
Drainage Water Irrigation Projection in Egypt
“Egypt is the gift of the Nile” as expressed by Herodorus several centuries ago. His expression indicates the nature of the life that has dominated the Nile Valley since the dawn of Egyptian history.
While the Nile can truly be called the river of life, a project that concerns the reuse of its water for irrigation has taken on new social and economic concerns and has given a new meaning to international cooperation. The Drainage Water Irrigation Project (DWIP) of the Nile Delta in Egypt proved to be the vehicle for carrying out a truly cooperative international project with both private consultants and government agencies that will enhance the available water for irrigation of “the river of life”.
The DWIP was a project of the Drainage Research Institute (DRI), National Water Research Center, Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources, in Cairo, Egypt. The project was funded in 1994 by a grant of approximately $2.6 million from the African Development Bank through an agreement with the Arab Republic of Egypt, and with the assistance of the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage. The objectives of the DWIP were to enhance and ensure acceptable crop yields under varying irrigation conditions while using both fresh water and marginal-quality water for irrigation. The DRI has major responsibilities and concerns for limited irrigation water of the Nile River.
The project was executed by DRI with technical assistance provided by the consulting firm of Louis Berger International, Inc. (USA engineering firm) in partnership with PACER Consultants (Egyptian engineering firm) and the technical participation of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service/International Cooperation and Development (FAS/ICD), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The purpose of the project was to investigate the effects of different irrigation water management strategies involving reuse of drainage water and their impact on soil, ground water, crops, and the environment. The long-term goal of Egypt is to assure continued good crop yields under the varying conditions found in the Nile Delta and along the Nile River while protecting and enhancing the natural resources, environment, and health of its people.
The DWIP was a comprehensive 3-year project completed at the end of 1997 that had four major components-Monitoring; Experimental; Modeling; and Baseline Data.
The “Monitoring” component gathered and analyzed current soil, water and crop data from a large number of 1-feddan (3 acres) sized cropped fields to define crop yield relationships to irrigation water quantities and qualities. Included were studies of socio-economic and environmental conditions associated with the farmed area.
The “Experimental” component was conducted on two sites, one in the Eastern Delta and one in the Western Delta. The purpose of the component was to determine the effects of different water management strategies on crops and soil quality in an experimental setting and to provide calibration data for the “Modeling” component.
The “Modeling” component provided for the use of computer models, principally DRAINMOD-S, for guiding water management strategies. Refinement of models using project data provided guidance on formulating irrigation water plans for other sites. A major outgrowth of model use will be the longer term use of models in establishing water management strategies for marginal-quality water irrigation usage throughout Egypt.
The “Baseline” component provided physical and socio-economic information for reclamation areas (new land from the desert that can be brought into production as a result of a supply of irrigation water) that can be compared with similar information gathered from areas that have been cultivated for many years. These data will provide guidance for managing the new lands and will be used in the future as a reference for monitoring performance of the lands irrigated with mixed fresh and drainage waters.
A final report was completed in November 1997 and guidelines were developed for the use of low quality irrigation water ( primarily saline) for crop production in the Nile Delta. The guidelines will help decision makers minimize long-term degradation of crops and soils and are applicable to both the old lands in the Delta and new lands brought into production both in the East and West Deltas and in the North Sinai as the demand increases with an increasing population.
The DWIP represents a major breakthrough for USDA because it was the first collaboration between a U.S. government agency and a private, for-profit U.S. consulting firm in international development. Throughout the partnership, various NRCS technical specialists provided short-term technical services to the DWIP in Egypt. Richard Van Klaveren, Director, Conservation Engineering Division, Washington, D.C., served as technical advisor, traveling to Egypt three times during the duration of the project. Other contributions were made by Dennis Moore, Agronomist, Napa, California (agronomic); Frederick Kaisaki, Soil Scientist, Lincoln, Nebraska (soil chemistry); and Terry Sobecki, Soil Scientist, Reno, Nevada (also soil chemistry). These specialists also served as document reviewers in the U.S. as needed. In addition, four Egyptian engineers from the DWIP received on-the-job training with NRCS in California during the summer of 1995.
Author: E.B. Dyer, Jr., Retired NRCS/Earth Team Volunteer
Editor: Gail C. Roane (retired), International Programs Division | <urn:uuid:fdb8cd9a-f514-4e8d-be73-3cda6f26c38e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/alphabetical/international/?cid=stelprdb1043159 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00099-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941329 | 1,124 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Climate data are hardly available in remote areas like high arctic permafrost regions. Upscaling of climate processes becomes therefore an essential element in predicting the impacts of changing climate conditions.Methods for upscaling the major energy exchange processes between ground and atmosphere in permafrost regions are developed within the HGF-Project: Sensitivity of permafrost systems water and energy balance under changing climate: A multiscale perspective (SPARC). The project includes the important aspect of changing surface characteristics and their impact on permafrost energy balance. Field works for this purpose took place in July and August 2007 on the island Samoylov in the center of the Lena-River-Delta. The focus of this work rests upon energy balance variation within polygonal structures, which are the most dominant surface elements of this region. Surface properties of two typical polygons in different development stages are considered under the aspect of energy exchange processes between soil and atmosphere. This includes a more general analysis of the thermal properties of specific vegetation units in association with micro relief and moisture content. For evaluating inter polygonal energy balance variations, climate data have to be measured in a very high spatial resolution. Standard climate stations usually record temporal variations of energy balance on point scale. They are not able to provide information about spatial variations. This problem is sometimes bypassed by using multiple or mobile climate stations. However this generally results in very coarse data of spatial differences. Thus a climate station has been modified to a 10m long scanner system for getting a more detailed picture of the spatial energy balance variations between the chosen polygon types. This system allows the record of spatial variations in combination with high frequent measurements of a standard climate station.The scanner system measures short and long wave radiation balance, reflected photosynthetic active radiation, air temperature and humidity in 70 cm height. Variables like air temperature and humidity in 2 m height, as well as air pressure and wind speed that are not supposed to change significant along the running way are measured in a common manner. Soil temperature and moisture sensors where installed underneath the scanner track.The scanner technique gives a more detailed picture of the relation between energy fluxes and surface structures. The results will be used to close the gap between point based and spatial climate models. They also enhance the potentials of remote sensing data when surface information is related to energy fluxes.
AWI Organizations > Geosciences > Junior Research Group: Permafrost
Helmholtz Research Programs > MARCOPOLI (2004-2008) > POL7-From permafrost to deep sea in the Arctic
Helmholtz Research Programs > MARCOPOLI (2004-2008) > MARCOPOLI
Helmholtz Research Programs > MARCOPOLI (2004-2008) > I-MARCOPOLI | <urn:uuid:6ff342a5-fc63-4568-8f95-0d0d75abbcd8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://epic.awi.de/19801/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402699.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00025-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907897 | 574 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Both nature and nurture are two widely using terms in behavioral science. In the field of behavioral science, whenever you want to discuss about characteristics and specialties of a particular person, you talk about its nature and nurture. Most of people use both the words interchangeably, while talking about features of any person. This is a wrong thing. No doubt, both words are related with characteristics of persons. However, there is a vast difference in the meanings of both words.
According to behavioral science, the nature is the name of those genetic or hereditary habits or characteristics of a person, which he takes from his ancestors. In these types of habit, there is no influence of his efforts or environmental factors. You can understand this thing by taking considering an example. If, the grand father or mother of a person is an actor and interest of that person is also towards acting. This is because of his nature, which he has borrowed from his ancestors.
Behavioral science defines the term nurture as, it is the name of those characteristics of a particular person, which he has generated within himself with his deep efforts or automatically generated in him because of environmental impact. You can say that if a person becomes an actor by seeking acting with his great efforts, then obviously he becomes an actor. In this case, it is not necessary that any ancestor of this person remain actor in his whole life.
Nature vs Nurture
The crystal clear difference between nature and nurture is their origin. In case of nature, the characteristics of a person must resemble with his anyone ancestor. This is because of hereditary or genetic transfer from person to person. However, nurture related characteristics are the result of environmental factors or because of deep efforts for creating such habits or features in a person. Such characteristics of a person may be entirely different from his ancestors.
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- What is the Difference between Unicellular and Multicellular Organisms
- What is the Difference between Total Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse and Solar Eclipse
- What is the Difference between Summer, Winter, Autumn and Spring Seasons | <urn:uuid:1e7525fd-64a6-4dfd-8531-0234ddc8b15b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.whatisdifferencebetween.com/nature/what-is-the-difference-between-nature-and-nurture.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402479.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00188-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973568 | 515 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Definition of dyarchy
: a government in which power is vested in two rulers or authorities
First Known Use of dyarchy
Variants of dyarchy
Learn More about dyarchy
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dyarchy
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up dyarchy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). | <urn:uuid:485c5b64-acb7-4d75-aaaa-d00dab2fa7dc> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dyarchies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00133-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.869433 | 82 | 2.78125 | 3 |
“The Flight of A Republic: The Dreyfus Affair,” By Wilhelm Herzog. Europa Verlag.
The Europa Verlag has published a new description of the Dreyfus Affair.
In the first part of this work, Wilhelm Herzog treats in a number of essays with the basic problems of the famous case and gives portraits of the leading personalities involved. He decribes the cultural and economic causes of the affair and also deals with anti-semitism in France at about 1900.
The second part of the book describes the events in chronological order. Here Herzog reveals the very roots of the tragedy. The affair did not start on October 14, 1894, the day of the Dreyfus arrest, but from 1870, when a spy psychosis took hold of France. The book aptly compares the obvious similarity between the French nationalism of 1900 and present-day German nationalism. There are, of course, clearly discernible differences, between the France of yesterday and the Germany of today. But Herzog has written his book, mainly in order to reveal what these differences teach. He wants to show that a brave fight for the truth, for justice and law which suffered tremendously owing to the sentence passed on Dreyfus, saved the French Republic. If Germany had had political and cultural leaders, willing to sacrifice themselves in the same way, the country would not have been desecrated by Hitler.
But Germany did not know the higher political moral, and the unwaveringly consequent attitude, by which French public life always distinguished itself. Germany had neither a Zola, a Clemenceau nor a Jaures, who turned the personal tragedy of a Jewish officer into a fight for truth.
They made it the basic problem of the French Republic and showed that the honor of the nation was at stake. They were ready to go to prison and to be exiled in order to lead the truth to victory. Their readiness to sacrifice themselves brought about the virtual disappearance of anti-Semitism from French public life.
Captain Dreyfus was the first Jewish member of the French General Staff. After he was rehabilitated, other Jews were able to hold high posts in the French army and during the World War many were entrusted with important commissions. Out of the Dreyfus affair Mr. Herzog shows, equality for the Jews in France was achieved. | <urn:uuid:391b7977-60bc-4a90-a17c-3314039d3a28> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.jta.org/1934/10/07/archive/essays-review-dreyfus-affair-and-its-causes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399425.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00065-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974911 | 486 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Home What Fracking Will Do What's Happening in Michigan Laws and Loopholes Accidents & Hazards How You Can Help Information & Materials Videos Contact Us Our Blog
Thank you for your interest!Horizontal Fracking (a new fracking technology), to extract methane gas poses a huge threat to the environment, public health and economy in Michigan. Don't Frack Michigan is a coalition of groups and individuals who have come together to call for a ban on this dangerous drilling practice. Our petition, calling for a ban, has so far been signed by thousands of people. In every state where it has been used, horizontal fracking has caused serious damage to drinking water, freshwater aquifers, rivers, streams, human health, livestock, wildlife and air quality. Numerous studies by scientists, public interest groups and investigative journalists (including the New York Times) have documented environmental problems with fracking. We live in an era of diminishing freshwater supplies worldwide and throughout the US. Horizontal fracking poisons enormous quantities of freshwater and removes it forever from the hydrologic cycle. It should not be tolerated in Michigan where our tourism-based economy and our way of life depend upon clean water. Horizontal fracking has been banned in Quebec, Canada; France; New Jersey and parts of New York State. As of May, 2011, more than 30 municipalities around the country have passed resolutions or ordinances against fracking. These include the cities of Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and most recently, Detroit. We call on our elected officials and Governor Snyder to ban its use in Michigan. The following groups have joined with Don't Frack Michigan to call for a ban: Water and Air Team Charlevoix (WATCH) Friends of the Jordan River Watershed Food and Water Watch Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council (NMEAC) Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation Cheboygan Democrats Lone Tree Council Straits Area Concerned Citizens for Peace and Justice Friends of the Boyne River Water is our most precious and valuable resource. | <urn:uuid:5ce76e5b-e3d1-402c-88d0-1a77e4644024> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dontfrackmichigan.org/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00163-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921514 | 395 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Objection 1. It would seem that it cannot be lawful to be angry. For Jerome in his exposition on Matthew 5:22, "Whosoever is angry with his brother," etc. says: "Some codices add 'without cause.' However, in the genuine codices the sentence is unqualified, and anger is forbidden altogether." Therefore it is nowise lawful to be angry.
Objection 2. Further, according to Dionysius (Div. Nom. iv) "The soul's evil is to be without reason." Now anger is always without reason: for the Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 6) that "anger does not listen perfectly to reason"; and Gregory says (Moral. v, 45) that "when anger sunders the tranquil surface of the soul, it mangles and rends it by its riot"; and Cassian says (De Inst. Caenob. viii, 6): "From whatever cause it arises, the angry passion boils over and blinds the eye of the mind." Therefore it is always evil to be angry.
Objection 3. Further, anger is "desire for vengeance" [Aristotle, Rhet. ii, 2 according to a gloss on Leviticus 19:17, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart." Now it would seem unlawful to desire vengeance, since this should be left to God, according to Deuteronomy 32:35, "Revenge is Mine." Therefore it would seem that to be angry is always an evil.
Objection 4. Further, all that makes us depart from likeness to God is evil. Now anger always makes us depart from likeness to God, since God judges with tranquillity according to Wisdom 12:18. Therefore to be angry is always an evil.
On the contrary, Chrysostom [Hom. xi in the Opus Imperfectum, falsely ascribed to St. John Chrysostom] says: "He that is angry without cause, shall be in danger; but he that is angry with cause, shall not be in danger: for without anger, teaching will be useless, judgments unstable, crimes unchecked." Therefore to be angry is not always an evil.
I answer that, Properly speaking anger is a passion of the sensitive appetite, and gives its name to the irascible power, as stated above (I-II, 46, 1) when we were treating of the passions. Now with regard to the passions of the soul, it is to be observed that evil may be found in them in two ways. First by reason of the passion's very species, which is derived from the passion's object. Thus envy, in respect of its species, denotes an evil, since it is displeasure at another's good, and such displeasure is in itself contrary to reason: wherefore, as the Philosopher remarks (Ethic. ii, 6), "the very mention of envy denotes something evil." Now this does not apply to anger, which is the desire for revenge, since revenge may be desired both well and ill. Secondly, evil is found in a passion in respect of the passion's quantity, that is in respect of its excess or deficiency; and thus evil may be found in anger, when, to wit, one is angry, more or less than right reason demands. But if one is angry in accordance with right reason, one's anger is deserving of praise.
Reply to Objection 1. The Stoics designated anger and all the other passions as emotions opposed to the order of reason; and accordingly they deemed anger and all other passions to be evil, as stated above (I-II, 24, 2) when we were treating of the passions. It is in this sense that Jerome considers anger; for he speaks of the anger whereby one is angry with one's neighbor, with the intent of doing him a wrong.--But, according to the Peripatetics, to whose opinion Augustine inclines (De Civ. Dei ix, 4), anger and the other passions of the soul are movements of the sensitive appetite, whether they be moderated or not, according to reason: and in this sense anger is not always evil.
Reply to Objection 2. Anger may stand in a twofold relation to reason. First, antecedently; in this way it withdraws reason from its rectitude, and has therefore the character of evil. Secondly, consequently, inasmuch as the movement of the sensitive appetite is directed against vice and in accordance with reason, this anger is good, and is called "zealous anger." Wherefore Gregory says (Moral. v, 45): "We must beware lest, when we use anger as an instrument of virtue, it overrule the mind, and go before it as its mistress, instead of following in reason's train, ever ready, as its handmaid, to obey." This latter anger, although it hinder somewhat the judgment of reason in the execution of the act, does not destroy the rectitude of reason. Hence Gregory says (Moral. v, 45) that "zealous anger troubles the eye of reason, whereas sinful anger blinds it." Nor is it incompatible with virtue that the deliberation of reason be interrupted in the execution of what reason has deliberated: since art also would be hindered in its act, if it were to deliberate about what has to be done, while having to act.
Reply to Objection 3. It is unlawful to desire vengeance considered as evil to the man who is to be punished, but it is praiseworthy to desire vengeance as a corrective of vice and for the good of justice; and to this the sensitive appetite can tend, in so far as it is moved thereto by the reason: and when revenge is taken in accordance with the order of judgment, it is God's work, since he who has power to punish "is God's minister," as stated in Romans 13:4.
Reply to Objection 4. We can and ought to be like to God in the desire for good; but we cannot be altogether likened to Him in the mode of our desire, since in God there is no sensitive appetite, as in us, the movement of which has to obey reason. Wherefore Gregory says (Moral. v, 45) that "anger is more firmly erect in withstanding vice, when it bows to the command of reason."
Objection 1. It would seem that anger is not a sin. For we demerit by sinning. But "we do not demerit by the passions, even as neither do we incur blame thereby," as stated in Ethic. ii, 5. Consequently no passion is a sin. Now anger is a passion as stated above (I-II, 46, 1) in the treatise on the passions. Therefore anger is not a sin.
Objection 3. Further, "No man sins in what he cannot avoid," as Augustine asserts [De Lib. Arb. iii, 18. But man cannot avoid anger, for a gloss on Psalm 4:5, "Be ye angry and sin not," says: "The movement of anger is not in our power." Again, the Philosopher asserts (Ethic. vii, 6) that "the angry man acts with displeasure." Now displeasure is contrary to the will. Therefore anger is not a sin.
Objection 4. Further, sin is contrary to nature, according to Damascene [De Fide Orth. ii, 4,30. But it is not contrary to man's nature to be angry, and it is the natural act of a power, namely the irascible; wherefore Jerome says in a letter [Ep. xii ad Anton. Monach.] that "to be angry is the property of man." Therefore it is not a sin to be angry.
I answer that, Anger, as stated above (Article 1), is properly the name of a passion. A passion of the sensitive appetite is good in so far as it is regulated by reason, whereas it is evil if it set the order of reason aside. Now the order of reason, in regard to anger, may be considered in relation to two things. First, in relation to the appetible object to which anger tends, and that is revenge. Wherefore if one desire revenge to be taken in accordance with the order of reason, the desire of anger is praiseworthy, and is called "zealous anger" [Cf. Gregory, Moral. v, 45. On the other hand, if one desire the taking of vengeance in any way whatever contrary to the order of reason, for instance if he desire the punishment of one who has not deserved it, or beyond his deserts, or again contrary to the order prescribed by law, or not for the due end, namely the maintaining of justice and the correction of defaults, then the desire of anger will be sinful, and this is called sinful anger.
Secondly, the order of reason in regard to anger may be considered in relation to the mode of being angry, namely that the movement of anger should not be immoderately fierce, neither internally nor externally; and if this condition be disregarded, anger will not lack sin, even though just vengeance be desired.
Reply to Objection 1. Since passion may be either regulated or not regulated by reason, it follows that a passion considered absolutely does not include the notion of merit or demerit, of praise or blame. But as regulated by reason, it may be something meritorious and deserving of praise; while on the other hand, as not regulated by reason, it may be demeritorious and blameworthy. Wherefore the Philosopher says (Ethic. ii, 5) that "it is he who is angry in a certain way, that is praised or blamed."
Reply to Objection 3. Man is master of his actions through the judgment of his reason, wherefore as to the movements that forestall that judgment, it is not in man's power to prevent them as a whole, i.e. so that none of them arise, although his reason is able to check each one, if it arise. Accordingly it is stated that the movement of anger is not in man's power, to the extent namely that no such movement arise. Yet since this movement is somewhat in his power, it is not entirely sinless if it be inordinate. The statement of the Philosopher that "the angry man acts with displeasure," means that he is displeased, not with his being angry, but with the injury which he deems done to himself: and through this displeasure he is moved to seek vengeance.
Reply to Objection 4. The irascible power in man is naturally subject to his reason, wherefore its act is natural to man, in so far as it is in accord with reason, and in so far as it is against reason, it is contrary to man's nature.
Objection 1. It would seem that all anger is a mortal sin. For it is written (Job 5:2): "Anger killeth the foolish man [Vulgate: 'Anger indeed killeth the foolish']," and he speaks of the spiritual killing, whence mortal sin takes its name. Therefore all anger is a mortal sin.
Objection 2. Further, nothing save mortal sin is deserving of eternal condemnation. Now anger deserves eternal condemnation; for our Lord said (Matthew 5:22): "Whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment": and a gloss on this passage says that "the three things mentioned there, namely judgment, council, and hell-fire, signify in a pointed manner different abodes in the state of eternal damnation corresponding to various sins." Therefore anger is a mortal sin.
Objection 3. Further, whatsoever is contrary to charity is a mortal sin. Now anger is of itself contrary to charity, as Jerome declares in his commentary on Matthew 5:22, "Whosoever is angry with his brother," etc. where he says that this is contrary to the love of your neighbor. Therefore anger is a mortal sin.
I answer that, The movement of anger may be inordinate and sinful in two ways, as stated above (Article 2). First, on the part of the appetible object, as when one desires unjust revenge; and thus anger is a mortal sin in the point of its genus, because it is contrary to charity and justice. Nevertheless such like anger may happen to be a venial sin by reason of the imperfection of the act. This imperfection is considered either in relation to the subject desirous of vengeance, as when the movement of anger forestalls the judgment of his reason; or in relation to the desired object, as when one desires to be avenged in a trifling matter, which should be deemed of no account, so that even if one proceeded to action, it would not be a mortal sin, for instance by pulling a child slightly by the hair, or by some other like action. Secondly, the movement of anger may be inordinate in the mode of being angry, for instance, if one be too fiercely angry inwardly, or if one exceed in the outward signs of anger. On this way anger is not a mortal sin in the point of its genus; yet it may happen to be a mortal sin, for instance if through the fierceness of his anger a man fall away from the love of God and his neighbor.
Reply to Objection 1. It does not follow from the passage quoted that all anger is a mortal sin, but that the foolish are killed spiritually by anger, because, through not checking the movement of anger by their reason, they fall into mortal sins, for instance by blaspheming God or by doing injury to their neighbor.
Reply to Objection 2. Our Lord said this of anger, by way of addition to the words of the Law: "Whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment" (Matthew 5:21). Consequently our Lord is speaking here of the movement of anger wherein a man desires the killing or any grave injury of his neighbor: and should the consent of reason be given to this desire, without doubt it will be a mortal sin.
Objection 1. It would seem that anger is the most grievous sin. For Chrysostom says [Hom. xlviii in Joan.] that "nothing is more repulsive than the look of an angry man, and nothing uglier than a ruthless* face, and most of all than a cruel soul." ['Severo'. The correct text is 'Si vero.' The translation would then run thus . . . 'and nothing uglier.' And if his 'face is ugly, how much uglier is his soul!']. Therefore anger is the most grievous sin.
Objection 2. Further, the more hurtful a sin is, the worse it would seem to be; since, according to Augustine (Enchiridion xii), "a thing is said to be evil because it hurts." Now anger is most hurtful, because it deprives man of his reason, whereby he is master of himself; for Chrysostom says (Hom. xlviii in Joan.) that "anger differs in no way from madness; it is a demon while it lasts, indeed more troublesome than one harassed by a demon." Therefore anger is the most grievous sin.
On the contrary, Anger is compared to hatred as the mote to the beam; for Augustine says in his Rule (Ep. ccxi): "Lest anger grow into hatred and a mote become a beam." Therefore anger is not the most grievous sin.
I answer that, As stated above (1 and 2), the inordinateness of anger is considered in a twofold respect, namely with regard to an undue object, and with regard to an undue mode of being angry. As to the appetible object which it desires, anger would seem to be the least of sins, for anger desires the evil of punishment for some person, under the aspect of a good that is vengeance. Hence on the part of the evil which it desires the sin of anger agrees with those sins which desire the evil of our neighbor, such as envy and hatred; but while hatred desires absolutely another's evil as such, and the envious man desires another's evil through desire of his own glory, the angry man desires another's evil under the aspect of just revenge. Wherefore it is evident that hatred is more grievous than envy, and envy than anger: since it is worse to desire evil as an evil, than as a good; and to desire evil as an external good such as honor or glory, than under the aspect of the rectitude of justice. On the part of the good, under the aspect of which the angry man desires an evil, anger concurs with the sin of concupiscence that tends to a good. On this respect again, absolutely speaking. the sin of anger is apparently less grievous than that of concupiscence, according as the good of justice, which the angry man desires, is better than the pleasurable or useful good which is desired by the subject of concupiscence. Wherefore the Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 4) that "the incontinent in desire is more disgraceful than the incontinent in anger."
On the other hand, as to the inordinateness which regards the mode of being angry, anger would seem to have a certain pre-eminence on account of the strength and quickness of its movement, according to Proverbs 27:4, "Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?" Hence Gregory says (Moral. v, 45): "The heart goaded by the pricks of anger is convulsed, the body trembles, the tongue entangles itself, the face is inflamed, the eyes are enraged and fail utterly to recognize those whom we know: the tongue makes sounds indeed, but there is no sense in its utterance."
Reply to Objection 2. This argument considers the inordinate movement of anger, that results from its impetuousness, as stated above.
Objection 1. It would seem that the species of anger are unsuitably assigned by the Philosopher (Ethic. iv, 5) where he says that some angry persons are "choleric," some "sullen," and some "ill-tempered" or "stern." According to him, a person is said to be "sullen" whose anger "is appeased with difficulty and endures a long time." But this apparently pertains to the circumstance of time. Therefore it seems that anger can be differentiated specifically in respect also of the other circumstances.
Objection 2. Further, he says (Ethic. iv, 5) that "ill-tempered" or "stern" persons "are those whose anger is not appeased without revenge, or punishment." Now this also pertains to the unquenchableness of anger. Therefore seemingly the ill-tempered is the same as bitterness.
Objection 3. Further, our Lord mentions three degrees of anger, when He says (Matthew 5:22): "Whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council, and whosoever shall say" to his brother, "Thou fool." But these degrees are not referable to the aforesaid species. Therefore it seems that the above division of anger is not fitting.
On the contrary, Gregory of Nyssa [Nemesius, De Nat. Hom. xx.] says "there are three species of irascibility," namely, "the anger which is called wrath ['Fellea,' i.e. like gall. But in I-II, 46, 8, St. Thomas quoting the same authority has Cholos which we render 'wrath']," and "ill-will" which is a disease of the mind, and "rancour." Now these three seem to coincide with the three aforesaid. For "wrath" he describes as "having beginning and movement," and the Philosopher (Ethic. iv, 5) ascribes this to "choleric" persons: "ill-will" he describes as "an anger that endures and grows old," and this the Philosopher ascribes to "sullenness"; while he describes "rancour" as "reckoning the time for vengeance," which tallies with the Philosopher's description of the "ill-tempered." The same division is given by Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii, 16). Therefore the aforesaid division assigned by the Philosopher is not unfitting.
I answer that, The aforesaid distinction may be referred either to the passion, or to the sin itself of anger. We have already stated when treating of the passions (I-II, 46, 8) how it is to be applied to the passion of anger. And it would seem that this is chiefly what Gregory of Nyssa and Damascene had in view. Here, however, we have to take the distinction of these species in its application to the sin of anger, and as set down by the Philosopher.
For the inordinateness of anger may be considered in relation to two things. First, in relation to the origin of anger, and this regards "choleric" persons, who are angry too quickly and for any slight cause. Secondly, in relation to the duration of anger, for that anger endures too long; and this may happen in two ways. On one way, because the cause of anger, to wit, the inflicted injury, remains too long in a man's memory, the result being that it gives rise to a lasting displeasure, wherefore he is "grievous" and "sullen" to himself. On another way, it happens on the part of vengeance, which a man seeks with a stubborn desire: this applies to "ill-tempered" or "stern" people, who do not put aside their anger until they have inflicted punishment.
Reply to Objection 2. Both "sullen" and "ill-tempered" people have a long-lasting anger, but for different reasons. For a "sullen" person has an abiding anger on account of an abiding displeasure, which he holds locked in his breast; and as he does not break forth into the outward signs of anger, others cannot reason him out of it, nor does he of his own accord lay aside his anger, except his displeasure wear away with time and thus his anger cease. On the other hand, the anger of "ill-tempered" persons is long-lasting on account of their intense desire for revenge, so that it does not wear out with time, and can be quelled only by revenge.
Reply to Objection 3. The degrees of anger mentioned by our Lord do not refer to the different species of anger, but correspond to the course of the human act [Cf. I-II, 46, 8, Objection 3]. For the first degree is an inward conception, and in reference to this He says: "Whosoever is angry with his brother." The second degree is when the anger is manifested by outward signs, even before it breaks out into effect; and in reference to this He says: "Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca!" which is an angry exclamation. The third degree is when the sin conceived inwardly breaks out into effect. Now the effect of anger is another's hurt under the aspect of revenge; and the least of hurts is that which is done by a mere word; wherefore in reference to this He says: "Whosoever shall say to his brother Thou fool!" Consequently it is clear that the second adds to the first, and the third to both the others; so that, if the first is a mortal sin, in the case referred to by our Lord, as stated above (3, ad 2), much more so are the others. Wherefore some kind of condemnation is assigned as corresponding to each one of them. On the first case "judgment" is assigned, and this is the least severe, for as Augustine says [Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 9, "where judgment is to be delivered, there is an opportunity for defense": in the second case "council" is assigned, "whereby the judges deliberate together on the punishment to be inflicted": to the third case is assigned "hell-fire," i.e. "decisive condemnation."
Objection 1. It would seem that anger should not be reckoned among the capital sins. For anger is born of sorrow which is a capital vice known by the name of sloth. Therefore anger should not be reckoned a capital vice.
Objection 3. Further, a gloss on Proverbs 29:22, "An angry [Douay: 'passionate'] man provoketh quarrels," says: "Anger is the door to all vices: if it be closed, peace is ensured within to all the virtues; if it be opened, the soul is armed for every crime." Now no capital vice is the origin of all sins, but only of certain definite ones. Therefore anger should not be reckoned among the capital vices.
I answer that, As stated above (I-II, 84, 3,4), a capital vice is defined as one from which many vices arise. Now there are two reasons for which many vices can arise from anger. The first is on the part of its object which has much of the aspect of desirability, in so far as revenge is desired under the aspect of just or honest*, which is attractive by its excellence, as stated above (Article 4). [Honesty must be taken here in its broad sense as synonymous with moral goodness, from the point of view of decorum; Cf. 145, 1. The second is on the part of its impetuosity, whereby it precipitates the mind into all kinds of inordinate action. Therefore it is evident that anger is a capital vice.
Reply to Objection 2. As stated above (118, 07; 148, 5;k1 153, 4; I-II, 84, 4), it belongs to the notion of a capital vice to have a most desirable end, so that many sins are committed through the desire thereof. Now anger, which desires evil under the aspect of good, has a more desirable end than hatred has, since the latter desires evil under the aspect of evil: wherefore anger is more a capital vice than hatred is.
Reply to Objection 3. Anger is stated to be the door to the vices accidentally, that is by removing obstacles, to wit by hindering the judgment of reason, whereby man is withdrawn from evil. It is, however, directly the cause of certain special sins, which are called its daughters.
Objection 1. It would seem that six daughters are unfittingly assigned to anger, namely "quarreling, swelling of the mind, contumely, clamor, indignation and blasphemy." For blasphemy is reckoned by Isidore [QQ. in Deut., qu. xvi] to be a daughter of pride. Therefore it should not be accounted a daughter of anger.
Objection 3. Further, "a swollen mind" would seem to be the same as pride. Now pride is not the daughter of a vice, but "the mother of all vices," as Gregory states (Moral. xxxi, 45). Therefore swelling of the mind should not be reckoned among the daughters of anger.
I answer that, Anger may be considered in three ways. First, as consisting in thought, and thus two vices arise from anger. one is on the part of the person with whom a man is angry, and whom he deems unworthy [indignum] of acting thus towards him, and this is called "indignation." The other vice is on the part of the man himself, in so far as he devises various means of vengeance, and with such like thoughts fills his mind, according to Job 15:2, "Will a wise man . . . fill his stomach with burning heat?" And thus we have "swelling of the mind."
Secondly, anger may be considered, as expressed in words: and thus a twofold disorder arises from anger. One is when a man manifests his anger in his manner of speech, as stated above (5, ad 3) of the man who says to his brother, "Raca": and this refers to "clamor," which denotes disorderly and confused speech. The other disorder is when a man breaks out into injurious words, and if these be against God, it is "blasphemy," if against one's neighbor, it is "contumely."
Reply to Objection 1. The blasphemy into which a man breaks out deliberately proceeds from pride, whereby a man lifts himself up against God: since, according to Sirach 10:14, "the beginning of the pride of man is to fall off from God," i.e. to fall away from reverence for Him is the first part of pride [Cf. 162, 07, ad 2; and this gives rise to blasphemy. But the blasphemy into which a man breaks out through a disturbance of the mind, proceeds from anger.
Reply to Objection 2. Although hatred sometimes arises from anger, it has a previous cause, from which it arises more directly, namely displeasure, even as, on the other hand, love is born of pleasure. Now through displeasure, a man is moved sometimes to anger, sometimes to hatred. Wherefore it was fitting to reckon that hatred arises from sloth rather than from anger.
Objection 1. It would seem that there. is not a vice opposed to anger, resulting from lack of anger. For no vice makes us like to God. Now by being entirely without anger, a man becomes like to God, Who judges "with tranquillity" (Wisdom 12:18). Therefore seemingly it is not a vice to be altogether without anger.
Objection 2. Further, it is not a vice to lack what is altogether useless. But the movement of anger is useful for no purpose, as Seneca proves in the book he wrote on anger (De Ira i, 9, seqq.). Therefore it seems that lack of anger is not a vice.
Objection 3. Further, according to Dionysius (Div. Nom. iv), "man's evil is to be without reason." Now the judgment of reason remains unimpaired, if all movement of anger be done away. Therefore no lack of anger amounts to a vice.
On the contrary, Chrysostom [Hom. xi in Matth. in the Opus Imperfectum, falsely ascribed to St. John Chrysostom] says: "He who is not angry, whereas he has cause to be, sins. For unreasonable patience is the hotbed of many vices, it fosters negligence, and incites not only the wicked but even the good to do wrong."
I answer that, Anger may be understood in two ways. On one way, as a simple movement of the will, whereby one inflicts punishment, not through passion, but in virtue of a judgment of the reason: and thus without doubt lack of anger is a sin. This is the sense in which anger is taken in the saying of Chrysostom, for he says (Hom. xi in Matth., in the Opus Imperfectum, falsely ascribed to St. John Chrysostom): "Anger, when it has a cause, is not anger but judgment. For anger, properly speaking, denotes a movement of passion": and when a man is angry with reason, his anger is no longer from passion: wherefore he is said to judge, not to be angry. On another way anger is taken for a movement of the sensitive appetite, which is with passion resulting from a bodily transmutation. This movement is a necessary sequel, in man, to the movement of his will, since the lower appetite necessarily follows the movement of the higher appetite, unless there be an obstacle. Hence the movement of anger in the sensitive appetite cannot be lacking altogether, unless the movement of the will be altogether lacking or weak. Consequently lack of the passion of anger is also a vice, even as the lack of movement in the will directed to punishment by the judgment of reason.
Reply to Objection 2. The passion of anger, like all other movements of the sensitive appetite, is useful, as being conducive to the more prompt execution [Cf. I-II, 24, 3 of reason's dictate: else, the sensitive appetite in man would be to no purpose, whereas "nature does nothing without purpose" [Aristotle, De Coelo i, 4.
Reply to Objection 3. When a man acts inordinately, the judgment of his reason is cause not only of the simple movement of the will but also of the passion in the sensitive appetite, as stated above. Wherefore just as the removal of the effect is a sign that the cause is removed, so the lack of anger is a sign that the judgment of reason is lacking.
The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas
Second and Revised Edition, 1920
Literally translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province
Online Edition Copyright © 2008 by Kevin Knight
Nihil Obstat. F. Innocentius Apap, O.P., S.T.M., Censor. Theol.
Imprimatur. Edus. Canonicus Surmont, Vicarius Generalis. Westmonasterii.
Nihil Obstat. F. Raphael Moss, O.P., S.T.L. and F. Leo Moore, O.P., S.T.L.
Imprimatur. F. Beda Jarrett, O.P., S.T.L., A.M., Prior Provincialis Angliæ
MARIÆ IMMACULATÆ - SEDI SAPIENTIÆ | <urn:uuid:1cd67a7e-7847-45a8-bb9e-c3b32bf1145e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://newadvent.org/summa/3158.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398869.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00078-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964017 | 7,088 | 2.5625 | 3 |
In 1850, Millard Fillmore was President of the United States.
The Civil War and subsequent assassination of President Abraham
Lincoln were years away. San Diego, in that year, became one of
the original 27 counties chartered by the State of California.
(Today, there are 58 Counties.) It encompassed an area of over
42,000 square miles and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, boasted a population of 791 people. Agoston Haraszthy (shown
Hungarian Count, elected first Sheriff of San Diego County,
later went on to gain fame as the “Father of the California wine
industry” in the Napa-Sonoma area today known as Buena Vista. From those humble beginnings, the Sheriff’s Department has
carved out a remarkable rich history that is synonymous with
that of San Diego County. That history is now on exhibit in the
Sheriff Haraszthy built the first cobblestone jail in
historic Old Town, the birthplace of California. Two years
later, after the first San Diego jail was built, the famous
Judge Roy Bean became its first escapee. With a penknife, he dug
himself out under the foundation of the cell. That jail stood
less than 100 feet from where the Sheriff’s Museum now stands.
The late 1880’s of San Diego County saw the arrival of other
famous lawmen, including Wyatt Earp, who came to do his own
brand of peacekeeping. As a hired gun, he was indicted for
five killings in the Old West. San Diego’s Horton Plaza is now
the site of where Wyatt Earp opened a gambling hall just prior
In the term of Fred M. Jennings, the 18th Sheriff of San
Diego County, Mrs. Olive Belle Chambers was appointed as a
Deputy Sheriff in 1913, becoming the “first lady with a badge.”
Edgar F. Cooper, who became the 21st Sheriff in 1929 is
remembered most for forming the County’s first industrial road
camp and the creation of a Juvenile Delinquency Division with
the Sheriff’s Department.
The longest term of any Sheriff in San Diego County belongs
to Bert Strand, the 23rd Sheriff. Among his many achievements
during his 21 years in office, one of the most important was the
organization of the Sheriff’s Reserves.
As the 26th Sheriff of San Diego County, John F. Duffy served
five terms. His milestones include reclassification of women
from “jail matrons” to Deputy Sheriffs and the development of
the Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Program and the Emergency
Planning Detail. He was credited for bringing the Sheriff’s
Department into the 20th Century.
Bill Kolender served as the 28th Sheriff of
San Diego County from 1995 until his retirement in 2009. As the leader of one of the largest Sheriff’s
Departments in the nation with over 50 years in the law
enforcement profession, Sheriff Kolender made a
significant impact in improving law enforcement throughout
California. Among his accomplishments is the establishment of
the department’s first Domestic Violence Unit which became
operational in January ’98; the expansion of the Senior
Volunteer Program; and new small storefront offices throughout
the County focusing on Community-Oriented Policing. He has been
instrumental in improving equipment for the deputies, the
department’s infrastructure, including the building of new jail
facilities, new stations, new Communications Center, Jail
Information Management System just to name a few.
Following Sheriff Kolender’s retirement, Sheriff Bill Gore took office as the 29th Sheriff of San Diego County.
From horses to motor cars, airplanes, helicopters and highly
sophisticated computers and laboratory equipment, the San Diego
County Sheriff’s Department has come a long way since 1850. | <urn:uuid:98b36fbf-c012-49ba-9a63-01076795b7de> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.sdsheriff.net/about_history.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393332.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00076-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950352 | 838 | 2.75 | 3 |
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website
There is a kind of theft that happens every day in a majority of the world's poor countries - and in many of the richer ones too.
Illegal fishing deprives local catchers of their harvest and their income
It usually happens out of sight, and most perpetrators get away with it.
The monetary value of this theft is about $15bn per year; the ecological cost can only be guessed at.
Yet many people would turn their noses up if they chanced upon a trove of this treasure.
Because these jewels are fish.
"Those that are fishing illegally, they are paying nothing, so we are losing something from our country", says Mamadou Diallo, programme manager for the environmental group WWF's West Africa office, and a former fisheries officer.
One of the biggest problems is identifying the owners, because many of these ships fly flags of convenience
Environmental Justice Foundation
The amount that Africa is losing, if new figures from David Agnew of Imperial College London are right, is about $1bn per year - the cost of licences that illegal fishers should have paid to catch what they are catching.
The ecological cost may, in the long run, be much higher.
"The immediate ecological impact is damage to habitat, because they are using trawls, and trawls are not always good for the ecosystems - they damage habitat for fish," says Dr Diallo.
"The second thing is pollution, because they are discharging at sea, and they can do anything they want."
Precisely how much fish is removed illegally from West African waters is not known - apart from anything else, there is little good data on the state of stocks before the plunder began.
Elsewhere, where ecosystems and commercial fish numbers have been studied for longer, it is clear that illegal fishing can help wreak major damage.
In the Mediterranean Sea, where scientists estimate that illegal catches of bluefin tuna in recent years have almost matched legal catches in weight, changes are afoot.
"Some stocks are on the brink of collapse; but also, something remarkable has happened in the Mediterranean in the last couple of decades," says Ricardo Aguilar, research director for the conservation group Oceana.
"Most of the vertebrates are over-exploited, so populations of invertebrates are growing - that's one of the reasons why we have more jelllyfish."
The Med, like the North Sea, has seen politicians repeatedly raise legal catch quotas well above the levels that scientists recommend - but it is equally clear that illegal fishing contributes to the decline in these stocks.
It is hardly likely to be otherwise elsewhere.
Crossing the line
Fishermen have a whole raft of dodges and evasions that fall on the wrong side of the law.
They may fish where they do not have a licence. Or they may have a licence, but flout its terms by going to forbidden areas, or fishing at the wrong time of year, or targeting prohibited species.
Another class of infraction concerns equipment. Some fishing methods are widely banned, notably driftnets, the subject of a 1992 UN prohibition on the high seas.
Many authorities regulate the size of mesh allowable in fishing nets; and many fishermen use a mesh size below that legal limit, in order to prevent the young ones escaping.
Marine creatures such as turtles can be caught in fishing nets
In the Mediterranean, using planes to spot swarms of tuna is banned; but evidence from several sources suggests the practice continues.
In some jurisdictions, regulations prohibit trans-shipment - transfer of catch from one vessel to another - because when a box of fish has been passed around between ships and perhaps re-labelled in the process, tracing its origin is next to impossible.
Which is precisely why some dodgy operations love trans-shipment.
And there is more. As well as illegal fishing, there is unreported and unregulated fishing - "unreported" when fleets do not report their catches to the appropriate national or trans-national authorities, and "unregulated" meaning operations that may just be legal, but which damage fish stocks and the wider marine ecosystem.
When regulators put it all together, they use the term IUU fishing; and they talk of banning it from the oceans.
So far, it does not seem to be working.
"We found IUU fishing was rampant in West African waters," says Duncan Copeland of the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), which last year published results of an investigation into how much IUU fish ends up on British dinner plates.
"There are lots of Asian nations involved - Chinese vessels, Korean vessels - but one of the biggest problems is identifying the owners, because many of these ships fly flags of convenience."
Report after report echoes EJF's conclusions - that flags of convenience, where a country such as Honduras or Panama registers ships for nominal sums and administers little regulation in return, are a major problem for regulators trying to keep fishing legal.
The 2001 UN Plan of Action on IUU fishing, for example, identifies a phenomenon it calls "flag hopping - the practice of repeated and rapid changes of a vessel's flag for the purposes of circumventing conservation and management measures".
Getting a grip
There are some signs, at last, that governments are fed up with the theft.
The European Union recently approved a set of measures recognising that it "has a specific responsibility in making sure that fisheries products imported into its territory do not originate from IUU fishing".
Many African countries reserve coastal zones for traditional artisanal boats
Measures include mandating that imported fish is certified as legal, restricting trans-shipments, black-listing ships known to indulge in illegality and imposing trade sanctions on countries that do not regulate the vessels they flag.
"It's fantastic step," says Duncan Copeland, "but it has to be implemented and then enforced - if it is, it'll make a tremendous difference."
Some countries go to extraordinary length to tackle illegal fishers.
In 2003, Australian coastguards chased a Uruguayan ship they suspected of poaching Patagonian toothfish (also known as Chilean sea bass) for 7,000km across the oceans.
Most African countries could not contemplate such an adventure.
"We don't realy have the resources for surveillance," says Mamadou Diallo.
"Our coastlines are very long; and if you want to patrol the coast, you have to be at sea all the time."
Another part of the EU plan is to help coastal African nations acquire the resources they need.
But even where the resources exist, the lesson of Europe is that they are not always deployed.
Ricardo Aguilar says that while EU countries may be hot on preventing IUU fishing by foreigners, they may actually aid the trade when their own nationals are involved.
"We find illegal trawlers almost everywhere in Spanish waters," he says.
"In Italy they use driftnets, which are banned; while the French routinely exceed their quotas."
The experts agree that combatting illegal fishing - preserving the resources for legal exploitation by fishermen who may need the money more - is a question of two things - resources and political will.
This week, ministers from southern African nations are meeting in Namibia to discuss what they can do, and what assistance they need.
There are many examples of what can happen when regions are rapaciously fished - the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, where cod stocks may have collapsed permanently, is perhaps the starkest.
That collapse was predictable, because fishing was legal and therefore quantified.
The point about IUU fishing is that it is a wrecking ball for your ecosystem and your fishers' livelihoods whose impact you cannot anticipate.
It is vital that African nations, and everyone else, find a way to stop the wrecking soon. | <urn:uuid:a44e6b00-11e3-43d5-84e5-64ebd1ed158c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7485839.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397797.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00036-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951664 | 1,624 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Quest Joint Airlock
The Joint Airlock acts as a stowage area for EMU hardware as well as a staging area for crewmembers preparing to conduct a spacewalk. A combination of the depress pump and pressure equalization valves located within the hatches accommodate the depressurization/pressurization capability of the airlock.
The addition of the airlock permits Space Station-based spacewalks to be performed without major loss of environmental consumables such as air.
The Joint Airlock was attached to the Station on July 15, 2001. Five days later, Astronauts Carl Walz and Daniel Bursch were the first to perform a spacewalk through the new airlock. The first spacewalk to be conducted from Quest without a Space Shuttle present was on Feb. 20, 2002.
Related category MANNED SPACEFLIGHT
Text copied from the NASA Quest Joint Airlock web page.
Home • About • Copyright © The Worlds of David Darling • Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy • Contact | <urn:uuid:5e9891b1-b799-4301-9110-768664ace94e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/Q/Quest_Joint_Airlock.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00127-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914508 | 206 | 3.234375 | 3 |
In the marshy basin between Selçuk and Ephesus in Turkey are the pitiful remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis (or Artemision).
History of the Temple of Artemis
The ancient temple, built around 650 BC to the cult of Artemis, was constructed on a site already sacred to the Anatolian Mother Goddess, Cybele. The temple was financed by the wealthy king of Lydia and marshy ground was selected for the building site as a precaution against future earthquakes.
The temple soon attracted merchants, kings, and sightseers, many of donated jewelery and other treasures to Artemis and her temple. Its splendor also attracted many worshippers and pilgrims, strenghtening the cult of Artemis.
On July 21, 356 BC, the night Alexander the Great was born, legend has it that a psychopathic arsonist intent on immortality set fire to the temple. Plutarch remarked that Artemis was too preoccupied with Alexander's delivery to save her burning temple.
The arsonist, named Herostratus, was motivated by fame at any cost, thus the term "herostratic fame." The Ephesians, outraged, instructed that Herostratus' name never be recorded and that anyone who spoke of him should be put to death, but Strabo later noted the name.
Twenty-two years later, during his sweep through Asia Minor, Alexander the Great offered to reconstruct the temple. In the famous refusal recorded by Strabo, the Ephesians said it would not be right for one god to build a temple to another god.
The Temple of Artemis was eventually rebuiltremaining true to the original except for a raised platform, a feature of classical architecture adopted in the construction of later temples. By 263 AD, the temple had been plundered by Nero and destroyed by the Goths.
The temple was again reconstructed in the 4th century, but by the end of that century the temple had been abandoned and was being used as a marble quarry for new buildings, including churches.
The site of the temple was rediscovered in 1869 on an expedition sponsored by the British Museum, and several artifacts and sculptures from the reconstructed temple can be seen in the museum today.
What to See at the Temple of Artemis
Rising out of the marsh, a lone surviving column suggests the immensity of the Wonder of the World, four times as large as the Parthenon and the first monumental building to be entirely constructed of marble. As an illustration of its immensity, consider that the one remaining column stood an incredible 4m (13 ft.) below the point of the architrave. The site is best appreciated in the summer months, when the marshy waters are at their lowest, and the foundations of previous structures are recognizable.
Most of the description of the original Temple of Artemis comes from Pliny, though there are different and sometimes contradictory accounts. Pliny describes the temple as 377 feet long and 180 feet wide made almost entirely of marble. The Temple consisted of 127 columns, each 60 feet in height; many of which were carved decoratively. The columns were Ionic in style.
The Temple of Artemis housed many fine artworks. Sculptures by renowned Greek sculptors Polyclitus, Pheidias, Cresilas, and Phradmon adorned the temple, as well as paintings and gilded columns of gold and silver. The sculptors often competed at creating the finest sculpture. Many of these sculptures were of Amazons, who are said to have founded the city of Ephesus. Pliny tells us that Scopas worked carved reliefs into the temple's columns, who also worked on the Mausoleum of Mausollos.
Like a beehive with Diana as the queen, the Temple of Artemis was surrounded by priests and priestesses, musicians, dancers, and acrobats. The temple had its own mounted police and the city became rich from the silver statues and ex-votos offered to Diana. Unfortunately, all that remains of the Wonder of the World is a single column and some rubble on the ground. Some of the stone is believed to have been used for the nearby mosque and most of the archaeological remains have been removed to the British Museum.
The Ephesian Artemis
Artemis was the Greek goddess, the virginal huntress and twin of Apollo, who replaced the Titan Selene as Goddess of the Moon.
At Ephesus a goddess whom the Greeks associated with Artemis was passionately venerated in an archaic icon. The original was carved of wood, with many breast-like protuberances apparently emphasizing fertility over the virginity traditionally associated with the Greek Artemis. Like Near Eastern and Egyptian deities (and unlike Greek ones), her body and legs are enclosed within a tapering pillar-like term, from which her feet protrude.
On the coins minted at Ephesus, the many-breasted Goddess wears a mural crown (like a city's walls). She rests either arm on a staff formed of entwined serpents or of a stack of ouroboroi the eternal serpent with its tail in its mouth. Like Cybele, the goddess at Ephesus was served by hierodules called megabyzae, and by maidens (korai).
A votive inscription dating from about the 3rd century BC associates Ephesian Artemis with Crete: "To the Healer of diseases, to Apollo, Giver of Light to mortals, Eutyches has set up in votive offering (a statue of) the Cretan Lady of Ephesus, the Light-Bearer."
For a more in-depth look at Artemis of Ephesus and the role she played in Ephesian life and religion, please see our special article on Artemis of Ephesus.
Quick Facts on the Temple of Artemis
|Names:||Temple of Artemis|
|Dates:||650 BCE; rebuilt after 356 BCE|
|Visitor and Contact Information|
|Coordinates:||37.949798° N, 27.363988° E|
|Lodging:||View hotels near the Temple of Artemis|
- The Archaic Temple of Artemis at Ephesos – British Museum
- Temple of Artemis – Ephesus Guide
- The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus – Seven Wonders Home Page
- The Temple of Artemis – The Unmuseum
- Temple of Artemis – Kusadasi.biz
- The Temple of Artemis (Diana) at Ephesus – CNN Destinations
- Photos of the Temple of Artemis - here on Sacred Destinations
Map of the Temple of Artemis, Ephesus
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Temple of Artemis. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse. | <urn:uuid:8c9e58e5-d769-4d5f-8afe-a4219b371243> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/ephesus-temple-of-artemis/turkey/ephesus-temple-of-artemis | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393093.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00051-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956048 | 1,441 | 3.40625 | 3 |
The steady drip of water is a powerful force in Canada's efforts to feed the world's hungry. Dr. Daniel Hillel is the 2012 World Food Prize Laureate for his work on drip irrigation, a breakthrough innovation which enables food production in the world's driest climates. The Israeli scientist will be in Ottawa on April 17 to speak at a public forum about his micro-irrigation technique. He will also be thanking Canada for its decades of support as he developed his life-saving discovery.
Canada is a world leader in research for international development, foreign aid that invests in scientific innovation to find solutions to hunger, to address climate change, to augment the food supply, to alleviate poverty and increase health and well-being in developing countries. Many organizations contribute to Canada's overall development strategy. With the goal of achieving foreign policy objectives, the International Development Research Centre is the leader in partnering for research and an integral part of that effort with organizations such as the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) and the Canadian research granting councils, to address global issues and change lives, for the better. For greater impact, Canada also collaborates with other governments and aid groups, like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to amplify funding to key development priorities. In the last year alone over 100 million additional research dollars from partner organizations were leveraged for life-saving projects.
And we are getting results.
In women's and children's health, there has been dramatic change in the survival rate of moms over the last decade. For example, in 2010, close to 40,000 Nigerian women tragically died in childbirth, leaving families and communities devastated. A recent program in two Nigerian states funded by CIDA the Government of Nigeria and IDRC has already shown positive results by dramatically decreasing maternal mortality; thereby, paving the way for improvements across that country and elsewhere. Furthermore, Grand Challenges Canada is supporting innovations to save lives at birth. These are early days, but the GCC projects hold great promise.
There is no doubt foreign aid is changing. Gone are the days of aid projects, which increase dependency, but do not build self-reliance. Now the focus is on programs like the African Institutes for Mathematical Sciences Next Einstein Initiative, a clever out-of-the box program that trains young bright African graduates to use mathematical thinking to address complex challenges. Canada is a major donor. In 2010, Prime Minister Stephen Harper committed $20 million to help expand the program across the continent.
A powerful Canadian focus is food security. What could be more basic, more important than making sure land is arable, people have food to eat and farmers are able to make a living. It's an urgent priority. By 2030, it is projected the current food supply must double in order to meet demand. CIDA has taken a leading role (with IDRC as a partner and drawing on the private sector) to create the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), a $124 million Canadian commitment. One project in Southern Ethiopia is helping farmers improve the yield of crops like cassava by introducing seeds which also nourish the soil with nutrients. At the same time, farmers are being encouraged to rotate crops by planting chick peas and lentils (a group of crops called Pulses), which has a double benefit of giving the soil time to regenerate and introducing more protein into the local diet. Canada is a global leader in this area and our research results are being exported to countries around the world.
A creative project in the Middle East uses grey water (the water from household sinks and baths) to safely drip irrigate crops in dry lands and improve crop production. Which brings us back to Dr. Hillel and his discovery; micro-irrigation is now being used around the globe to improve food security.
IDRC is proud of the company we keep, our partners, the scientists and their programs, which have lasting impact. We are proud of the strong role Canada plays and the partnerships we create which leverage taxpayers' contribution to bring self-sufficiency to our foreign aid results. And it is our hope Canadians share in that pride.
Jean Lebel is Acting President of the Ottawa-based International Development Research Centre. To hear Dr. Hillel's lecture join the webcast at 10 am. April 17, http://idrc.canwebcast.net/live | <urn:uuid:675162c8-f5bc-4c89-a8a3-4c2b8be8a84a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jean-lebel/rd-canada_b_3112131.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396029.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00155-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954238 | 901 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Electrical Safety and the Family Pet
Your family pet can turn just about anything it finds into
a play or chew toy. Let’s make sure your pets don’t add electrical devices
to their toy chest.
A frisky dog or curious cat can cause an electrical hazard
or fire in ways you may not have thought about. Safe Electricity offers this
• Keep electrical cords away from puppies and kittens so
they don’t chew on them and receive a severe shock. If you have difficulty
getting your pet to stop chewing on the cord, you can paint it with a
bitter-tasting polish or wrap the cord in a thick plastic sleeve.
• Make sure nightlights and appliances are completely
plugged into wall outlets. Partially exposed prongs are a hazard for curious
children and animals.
• Keep halogen lamps away from play areas for pets and
children. Some halogen bulbs can reach very high temperatures, and if
knocked over during play, could easily start a fire.
• Keep appliances near sinks and bathtubs a safe distance
away from the water source. Playful pets can knock radios, curling irons and
other items into the water, creating a dangerous situation.
• Discourage animals from curling up behind warm computer
equipment. Pets should be kept away from all electrical connections.
Safe Electricity, All Rights Reserved | <urn:uuid:a06a3e9e-349a-42cd-a82e-e20a9c13dd1e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.co-opliving.com/coopliving/issues/2009/September%202009/safetysense.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397636.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00014-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.894214 | 290 | 2.59375 | 3 |
"We only move into the 21st century on the foundation of things that have been established long, long ago."
How do artists make the invisible visible? What hidden elements persist in their work? Is it the artist’s role to reveal them, or not? In this episode, artists share some of the secrets that are intrinsic to their work.
Elliott Hundley draws inspiration from many sources, including Greek tragedy, classical mythology, Japanese woodblock prints, and his own family history. His intricately collaged paintings, teeming with humble materials and ephemera, are like palimpsests that simultaneously reveal and hide meaning. At his Los Angeles home and studio, Hundley works with a team of assistants to create a new series of paintings and sculptures based on the myth of Eurydice and Orpheus. Arlene Shechet is curious about the obscured origins of industrial objects, folding clues about production processes into her handcrafted ceramic sculptures. With their hollow interiors often hidden from view, Shechet’s sturdy clay vessels disguise their true nature through dazzling surface effects and the illusion of solidity. For her exhibition Meissen Recast at the RISD Museum in Providence, Shechet juxtaposes her reproductions of original Meissen factory molds made during a residency at the Meissen Manufactory in Germany next to the original Meissen porcelain dating back to the 18th century, revealing the usually hidden industrial roots of those objects. Trevor Paglen makes the invisible visible, documenting evidence of the American surveillance state of the 21st century. Concerned with the politics of perception, Paglen investigates the development of machines that see and the historical relationship between photography and military technology.done reading | <urn:uuid:7760819c-8505-40ab-90ee-54af45e1592a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.art21.org/films/secrets | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00010-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947594 | 353 | 2.65625 | 3 |
A lithosphere is the rigid, outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet or natural
satellite that is defined by its rigid mechanical properties. On Earth, it is
May 20, 2015 ... The lithosphere is the solid, outer part of the Earth, including the brittle upper
portion of the mantle and the crust.
Get information, facts, and pictures about lithosphere at Encyclopedia.com. Make
research projects and school reports about lithosphere easy with credible ...
4 days ago ... Lithosphere, a peer-reviewed journal launched in 2009, focuses on processes
that affect the crust, upper mantle, landscapes, and/or ...
lithosphere. The lithosphere is the outer solid part of the earth, including the crust
and uppermost mantle. The lithosphere is about 100 km thick, although its ...
Lithosphere definition, the solid portion of the earth (distinguished from
atmosphere, hydrosphere). See more.
Dec 8, 2014 ... Lithosphere, Rigid, rocky outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the
solid outermost layer of the upper mantle. It extends to a depth ...
The lithosphere is where we live. It is also the source of many geologic events
that affect us. In this lesson, you will learn more about this...
Sep 14, 2010 ... Oceanic lithosphere consists mainly of mafic(rich in magnesium and iron) crust ...
90% mafic) mantle and is denser than continental lithosphere.
Lithosphere, a peer-reviewed journal launched in 2009, provides timely
publication of interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and cross-disciplinary research | <urn:uuid:b4933ede-7906-43ba-985e-6dfc0eef5047> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ask.com/web?q=Lithosphere&o=2603&l=dir&qsrc=3139&gc=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393442.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00014-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.849734 | 348 | 4.03125 | 4 |
List and essay first published in 1985 as:
"Latin Lives On--
333 Common Words That Are Letter-for-Letter Identical In Latin And English,
by Bruce Deitrick Price"
EVERY DAY WE USE WORDS
FOR 2000 YEARS
Almost 15 years ago I was riding
the New York subway and chanced to read a sign about “rapid transit.” It struck me that this word transit
must be pure Latin—that is, unchanged in a single letter in 20 centuries. Nero wrote this word, and spoke it!
I was astonished. Were there other such survivors? Yes, and one by one they came to mind: exit, ego, verbatim, stratum,
bonus, alias, minutia, victor. All pure Latin. Or more precisely, pure Latin-English.
But how could all this be
such a shock? I had studied Latin for three years in high school and almost entered a Latin course at Princeton, where I majored
in English literature. I had certainly heard endlessly about origins, etymologies, derivations, and roots. I had heard a hundred
times that English is profoundly “indebted” to Latin.
the rub: etymologies and derivations are abstractions, and dry ones. To say that a word derives from Latin or Chinese or Arabic
is interesting but not gripping. To say that you’re speaking a word unchanged in 2,000 years is gripping. I’m
sure this situation is unique in the world’s history. There are, I suspect, few French words identical to Latin ones,
even though the etymological debt may be greater. So it seems that by some marvel of perversity my books and teachers had
harped on origins without ever declaring one of the most arresting facts of our culture—that we daily use words that
I was, of course, aware of the legal phrases and
the occasional italicized Latin word. (If a word is italicized—or should be—it is ipso facto not English.)
But my emphasis here is on common English words, the profoundly ordinary words that do not announce their heritage. Words
like editor, pelvis, opera, humor, labor . . . .
Reasoning ad hominem, I suspected that a majority of
people have had a similar experience. Informal research confirms this. I have over the years asked dozens of people these
three questions: Did you take Latin? If so, do you know whether there are any words that are the same letter for letter in
both Latin and English? And if you think so, can you give an example?
The answers can be simply summarized. Roughly
half of the people who took Latin state flatly that there are no such identicals. These people, by the way, quickly add that
there are, of course, thousands of cognates and derivatives and linguistic descendants and so on and on. “You know,”
they say, “like manufacture and homicide.” Then they look proud of themselves.
What’s even more intriguing is that the other half—the people who assert confidently that there
surely are such words—can virtually never think of even one!
How can all this
There is Latin on sundials and Latin on coins and Latin on doorways and Latin on college rings, and all of
these occurrences are interesting. But the most interesting Latin of all is most definitely the Latin on our lips.
Would you not think that Latin teachers (and English teachers as well) would be eager to capitalize on these amazing survivors
from a long-ago culture? Yes, if you reflect on it for a minute, you would think that. But they often do not.
there is in the pedagogical mind, it seems to me, that does not like to consort too intimately with the immediate, the known,
the vulgar slant on things. If salt and pepper will illustrate a point in chemistry, you can be reasonably sure that the chemistry
text will speak in dispassionate tones of copper sulfate. And something there is in every textbook that is poisonously concerned
with seeming professorial in the worst sense—versus going for the students’ hearts or, better still, guts.
In short, the epiphany that started out with the word transit has led me to a world of insights into how education
should and should not be conducted. I have been thinking obsessively about my own education, and the thing that strikes me
over and over is how teachers and courses so often conspired to avoid mentioning the breathtakingly fascinating or the unforgettably
immediate. Let me offer as Exhibit A the accompanying list of 333 common words that are letter-for-letter the same in Latin
I hope that this list of glorious survivors will be used widely (and
xeroxed ad infinitum) to help excite beginning Latin students and to make Latin seem easier to learn and more vital
to all our lives.
It probably goes without saying that the meaning of the words or
the pronunciation or the part of speech (or all three) may have shifted over the centuries. But the changes and differences
are themselves fascinating and instructive. What the Romans meant when they said bonus and alias, and what we mean, can provide
an interesting story and a visceral way to remember a word and its full historic freight.
My list was stopped,
somewhat arbitrarily, at 333, mainly because I liked the symmetry of the number. Naturally, every Latin scholar will think
of words that might have been included. Indeed, the list could be pushed to 350 or even 400 (or, with lots of medical terminology,
to 500 or 600). But you quickly reach more and more obscure words, which defeats my purpose. The power of this list does not
come from its comprehensiveness, but from the ordinariness of the words. The power comes from being able to say to a high
school class: “You already know these words.” Omissions, therefore, are not of moment. What’s important
is that Latin (and English) teachers can use this list to increase the efficiency of their classes. Simply declare, as dramatically
as possible: “Isn’t this amazing?! Here are all these words you already know and—guess what?—Caesar
wrote these same words! Nero spoke at least a few of them while Rome was burning. The early Christians, awaiting the lions,
used these words in their prayers.”
This list, simply by being, tells us all—viscerally and unforgettably—that
Latin lives on. In our minds. In our thoughts. In our sentences. In our lives.
131 GREEK/ENGLISH WORDS...
click the title below.
JUST PUBLISHED--Sept., 2014
Seven pages with some pictures.
$2.50 to download.
Order PDF and give copy to everyone
in the class, etc.
(My "store" has several other
mainly about reading, phonics, etc.)
A Letter to the Pope--
"How To Do Latin Right"
where I try to enlist the Pope
in my crusade
(more than 80 traditional Catholic sites
to this article)
Lives On--333 Common Words That Are Letter-for-Letter Identical
In Latin And English" was first published in Princeton Alumni Weekly, Sept., 1985. It's okay to copy the
list and/or essay but please credit: Bruce D. Price / Improve-Education.org.
© Bruce Deitrick Price 1985-2014
Dear Mr. Price,
found your Latin word list, and your “How To Teach Latin” on YouTube this week. I have just today spent about
4 hours making a poster for my Exploratory Latin classes, with a 7th-grade version of that word list (only 267 of the 333),
faces of G.Iu. Caesar and Marcus Antonius at the top–”Look at all the Latin you already know! G.IU.C. and M.A.
spoke these very words and so do you.”
Would love to send
you the Publisher file in thanks for your having done the work of creating the list and the teach Latin video.
I have the great good fortune to be a Latin teacher. My students decline and conjugate
ad infinitum, we sing our grammar (I make grammar raps); year by year, I find they are turning into grammar nerds. They get
excited by new uses of the ablative. It’s heavenly.
And I taught my 3 daughters to read with the very phonetic 19th Century McGuffey readers–I
did not trust that critical learning/teaching endeavor to a public school system intent upon the "Whole Language Method."
Thanks for the work you are doing–even if you are preaching to the choir.
Article #3 is superb and I am entranced with Word Information.
What a service the author is providing! I took two and a half years of Latin in high school and my favorite part was the daily
derivation assignments. Over the years I have become a bit of an etymology geek and only find useful a dictionary that gives
a word's etymology. That always helps me more deeply grasp a fuller meaning of a word I "know" and then one day
realize my understanding is a bit vague. I then go and dig for a definition that includes the complete etymology. That helps
me appreciate an author's point and later remember the word meaning more fully. Words are wonderful things. I have grown in
my appreciation for the value those years of Latin study added to my entire life. Thank you for the article, insights and
Sincerely, C. M. | <urn:uuid:015b3abe-409e-429a-af9f-b5de7b9322b9> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.improve-education.org/latinliveson.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403826.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00151-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.876902 | 2,077 | 2.734375 | 3 |
SS8H3 The student will analyze the role of Georgia in the American Revolution.
SS8H6 The student will analyze the impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction on Georgia.
SS8H8 The student will analyze the important events that occurred after World War I and their impact on Georgia.
SS8H9 The student will describe the impact of World War II on Georgia’s development economically, socially, and politically.
SS8G1 The student will describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location.
SS8E3 The student will evaluate the influence of Georgia’s economic growth and development. | <urn:uuid:9ba94ffb-75cd-4f08-ad4d-72ba21eac6c2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://questgarden.com/63/14/1/080403063542/t-standards.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393146.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.881814 | 128 | 3.25 | 3 |
The thesis statement is the brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose. You might hear it referred to as simply a "thesis." Every scholarly paper should have a thesis statement, and strong thesis statements are concise, specific, and arguable. Concise means the thesis is short: perhaps one or two sentences for a shorter paper. Specific means the thesis deals with a narrow and focused topic, appropriate to the paper's length. Arguable means that a scholar in your field could disagree (or perhaps already has!).
Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper. Read on to learn more about constructing a strong thesis statement.
This thesis statement has no specific argument:
Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences.
This statement is concise, but it is neither specific nor arguable—a reader might wonder, "Which scholarly articles? What is the topic of this paper? What field is the author writing in?" Additionally, the purpose of the paper—to "examine…to find similarities and differences" is not of a scholarly level. Identifying similarities and differences is a good first step, but strong academic argument goes further, analyzing what those similarities and differences might mean or imply.
Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.
The new revision here is still concise, as well as specific and arguable. We can see that it is specific because the writer is mentioning (a) concrete ideas and (b) exact authors. We can also gather the field (business) and the topic (management and employee turnover). The statement is arguable because the student goes beyond merely comparing; he or she draws conclusions from that comparison ("can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover").
This thesis draft repeats the language of the writing prompt without making a unique argument:
Needs Improvement: The purpose of this essay is to monitor, assess, and evaluate an educational program for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will provide suggestions for improvement.
You can see here that the student has simply stated the paper's assignment, without articulating specifically how he or she will address it. The student can correct this error simply by phrasing the thesis statement as a specific answer to the assignment prompt.
Better: Through a series of student interviews, I found that Kennedy High School's antibullying program was ineffective. In order to address issues of conflict between students, I argue that Kennedy High School should embrace policies outlined by the California Department of Education (2010).
Words like "ineffective" and "argue" show here that the student has clearly thought through the assignment and analyzed the material; he or she is putting forth a specific and debatable position. The concrete information ("student interviews," "antibullying") further prepares the reader for the body of the paper and demonstrates how the student has addressed the assignment prompt without just restating that language.
This thesis statement includes only obvious fact or plot summary instead of argument:
Needs Improvement: Leadership is an important quality in nurse educators.
A good strategy to determine if your thesis statement is too broad (and therefore, not arguable) is to ask yourself, "Would a scholar in my field disagree with this point?" Here, we can see easily that no scholar is likely to argue that leadership is an unimportant quality in nurse educators. The student needs to come up with a more arguable claim, and probably a narrower one; remember that a short paper needs a more focused topic than a dissertation.
Better: Roderick's (2009) theory of participatory leadership is particularly appropriate to nurse educators working within the emergency medicine field, where students benefit most from collegial and kinesthetic learning.
Here, the student has identified a particular type of leadership ("participatory leadership"), narrowing the topic, and has made an arguable claim (this type of leadership is "appropriate" to a specific type of nurse educator). Conceivably, a scholar in the nursing field might disagree with this approach. The student's paper can now proceed, providing specific pieces of evidence to support the arguable central claim.
This thesis statement uses large or scholarly-sounding words that have no real substance:
Needs Improvement: Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures.
There are many words in this sentence that may be buzzwords in the student's field or key terms taken from other texts, but together they do not communicate a clear, specific meaning. Sometimes students think scholarly writing means constructing complex sentences using special language, but actually it's usually a stronger choice to write clear, simple sentences. When in doubt, remember that your ideas should be complex, not your sentence structure.
Better: Ecologists should work to educate the U.S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan.
Notice in the revision that the field is now clear (ecology), and the language has been made much more field-specific ("conservation methods," "green organizations"), so the reader is able to see concretely the ideas the student is communicating.
This thesis statement is not capable of development or advancement in the paper:
Needs Improvement: There are always alternatives to illegal drug use.
This sample thesis statement makes a claim, but it is not a claim that will sustain extended discussion. This claim is the type of claim that might be appropriate for the conclusion of a paper, but in the beginning of the paper, the student is left with nowhere to go. What further points can be made? If there are "always alternatives" to the problem the student is identifying, then why bother developing a paper around that claim? Ideally, a thesis statement should be complex enough to explore over the length of the entire paper.
Better: The most effective treatment plan for methamphetamine addiction may be a combination of pharmacological and cognitive therapy, as argued by Baker (2008), Smith (2009), and Xavier (2011).
In the revised thesis, you can see the student make a specific, debatable claim that has the potential to generate several pages' worth of discussion. When drafting a thesis statement, think about the questions your thesis statement will generate: What follow-up inquiries might a reader have? In the first example, there are almost no additional questions implied, but the revised example allows for a good deal more exploration.
If you are having trouble getting started, try using the models below to generate a rough model of a thesis statement! These models are intended for drafting purposes only and should not appear in your final work.
Words to Avoid and to Embrace
When drafting your thesis statement, avoid words like explore, investigate, learn, compile, summarize, and explain to describe the main purpose of your paper. These words imply a paper that summarizes or "reports," rather than synthesizing and analyzing.
Instead of the terms above, try words like argue, critique, question, and interrogate. These more analytical words may help you begin strongly, by articulating a specific, critical, scholarly position.
Read Kayla's blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement. | <urn:uuid:3b81f0de-e8c9-4a72-a814-1c5da922d400> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/thesisstatements | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396875.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00042-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941299 | 1,517 | 3.125 | 3 |
Please note: This information was current at the time of publication. But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may be out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of health topics, please visit familydoctor.org, the AAFP patient education Web site.
Information from Your Family Doctor
FREE PREVIEW. AAFP members and paid subscribers: Log in to get free access. All others: Purchase online access.
FREE PREVIEW. Purchase online access to read the full version of this article.
Am Fam Physician. 2012 Oct 15;86(8):online.
See related article on acne.
What is acne?
Acne is the most common skin disorder in the United States. It is a long-term condition that involves the oil glands around each hair. Hairs grow from a follicle, which can become plugged by oil. Once the follicle is plugged, germs invade and cause bumps that can fill with pus and become red, swollen, and sometimes painful.
Acne can range from mild to very bad. People of all ages can get it, including newborns and older adults. Acne is most common on the face, back, neck, and chest.
How is acne treated?
There is no cure for acne, but you can treat the symptoms by keeping hair follicles from getting plugged. Once a bump has formed, you can use medicines that help with the redness and swelling.
The most common type of acne medicine is a cream or gel that you put on your skin. Many of these can be bought without a prescription. These medicines may help if your acne is mild. Benzoyl peroxide is the most common type. It is in most over-the-counter acne medicines.
If over-the-counter medicines don't work, your doctor can prescribe other types of medicine. These are usually antibiotics or retinoids. These medicines can cause dryness or redness. If this becomes a problem for you, your doctor can tell you ways to make your skin feel better.
If you have very bad acne, your doctor may prescribe pills. You may need to take these for several months before your skin gets better.
This handout is provided to you by your family doctor and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Other health-related information is available from the AAFP online at http://familydoctor.org.
This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.
Copyright © 2012 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
This content is owned by the AAFP. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. This material may not otherwise be downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP. Contact [email protected] for copyright questions and/or permission requests.
Want to use this article elsewhere? Get Permissions | <urn:uuid:08b8aedb-a150-429c-bd81-edcc7be36d54> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.aafp.org/afp/2012/1015/p734-s1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00087-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932838 | 648 | 2.84375 | 3 |
A CLASSROOM OF DIFFERENCE™ provides teachers, administrators and other education professionals with the knowledge, tools and resources to address issues of bias. prejudice and discrimination, and promote an inclusive learning environment in which individual differences are respected and valued.
- Examine personal identity, the ways in which it is shaped by societal and cultural factors, and the impact of those factors on one’s interactions with members of other identity groups.
- Identify and address issues of bias, prejudice and discrimination—and their manifestations—in the school community.
- Develop individual and institutional strategies to foster an equitable learning environment and an inclusive, respectful school climate.
- Facilitated discussions in large and small breakout groups.
- Dynamic anti-bias education activities.
- Integrated multimedia resources.
- Increased awareness of personal and institutional biases and their impact.
- Enhanced understanding of diversity-related issues and their significance in the school community.
- Acquired anti-bias education tools, strategies and resources.
For more information, please contact Phil Fogelman
Director, A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute
Anti-Defamation League New England
617.406.6335 or [email protected] | <urn:uuid:7c0ba21f-f49f-4d28-ae13-20f95301b5a5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://newengland.adl.org/home/education/a-world-of-difference-institute/a-classroom-of-difference/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399425.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.897205 | 254 | 3.75 | 4 |
Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program
The mission of the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program is to improve cardiovascular health, reduce the burden, and eliminate disparities associated with heart disease and stroke. The program focuses on both primary and secondary prevention, detection, and monitoring of heart disease and stroke within South Dakota. We aim to prevent heart disease and stroke through public and professional education with the intention of empowering individuals and communities to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors and build skills to initiate environmental and policy change strategies.
Heart disease and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death in both South Dakota and the United States. These statistics are true for both men and women in all racial and ethnic groups.
The risk of heart disease and stroke can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control the risk factors that put people at greater risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Additionally, knowing the signs and symptoms of both heart attack and stroke, calling 911 right away, and getting to a hospital are critical to survival. It is important to note that people who have already had a heart attack or stroke can also work to reduce their risk of future events by controlling their risk factors. The more risk factors you have, the higher your risk of developing heart disease or stroke.
Controllable risk factors that affect your risk of heart disease and stroke
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Being overweight or obese
- Physical inactivity
Uncontrollable risk factors that affect your risk of heart disease and stroke
- Increasing age
- Sex (gender)
- Family Medical History
- Previous Heart Attack or Stroke
See your healthcare provider today to assess your risk for heart disease and stroke. Get empowered and take an active role in your healthcare by asking questions and knowing your numbers for blood pressure and cholesterol so that you can be informed and make the necessary changes to live a longer, healthier life.
The Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program is reflected in the Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion 2020 Strategic Map - the vision is that all South Dakotans will enjoy healthy lives free from the devastation of chronic diseases. | <urn:uuid:2c24e508-3102-4640-b9a0-faec21103c38> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://doh.sd.gov/diseases/chronic/heartdisease/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00048-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932637 | 432 | 2.765625 | 3 |
- (Photo: AP Images / Mark Humphrey)
Families, not schools, should decide when it is an appropriate time to discuss issues on sexuality, the Tennessee senator behind the "Don’t Say Gay" bill told CNN Tuesday.
Sen. Stacey Campfield's proposed legislation would forbid public schools from teaching on homosexuality prior to the ninth grade. The bill, which calls human sexuality a "complex subject," would prohibit elementary and middle schools from providing "any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality."
The measure, SB49, is expected to head to the Tennessee Senate floor on Thursday. It was cleared by the Tennessee Senate Education Committee 6 to 3 last Wednesday. All the no votes came from Democrats.
Campfield, a Republican from Knoxville, told CNN that inspiration for the bill came from his observations of "different agendas that people are pushing" nationwide.
His proposal would leave the handling of controversial topics in the hands of parents. According to the congressman, the bill is neutral and not discriminatory because it would prevent anyone with an agenda from speaking on homosexuality in the classroom, either for or against.
"There's some people who say we should be preaching against it, saying it's evil, dirty and wrong and there's some people who say, it's a great thing," Campfield said on CNN.
"I don't think that’s appropriate. I think we need to let the families decide that, especially in the very, very young children."
When asked by the CNN anchor why the word "heterosexuality" isn't also banned if the bill is neutral, the Tennessee senator said talking about heterosexuality is needed to discuss basic reproduction in sexual education.
"[W]hen you are teaching basic reproduction, you need to talk about heterosexuality, you know X Y chromosomes and things like that, how the bare bones basics of reproduction works. Otherwise you can't talk about that stuff."
"There's no need to mention homosexuality in reproduction because obviously homosexuals don't reproduce," he added.
Campfield proposed the measure without success for six years while serving in the House.
If the bill is approved by the Senate, it would move to the Republican-controlled House. | <urn:uuid:7e319aa8-e084-4566-870b-4e781ccd2a00> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.christianpost.com/news/talks-on-homosexuality-for-families-not-classroom-says-dont-say-gay-bill-author-49998/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00043-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96956 | 455 | 2.578125 | 3 |
EDISON — A chaplain wearing a tallis, or prayer shawl, is shown conducting a service at Camp Raritan in Edison in this circa 1920 photo.
Michael Feldberg, writing for the Jewish World Review in February 2003, notes that President Abraham Lincoln was instrumental in allowing Jewish chaplains to serve the religious needs of U.S. soldiers. During the Civil War, Congress adopted a bill that permitted regimental commanders to appoint a chaplain as long as he was “a regularly ordained minister of some Christian denomination.”
After Arnold Fischel of New York’s Congregation Shearith Israel was rejected as an applicant for regimental chaplain, he began a campaign in the press to address the issue. Fischel, who, in 1861 was living in Washington, D.C., and ministering to wounded soldiers, was granted a meeting with Lincoln on Dec. 11, 1861. He pressed his case for the need to change the law and Lincoln promised he would submit a new law to Congress.
Lincoln kept his word. Congress adopted Lincoln’s amendments to the chaplaincy law on July 17, 1862, allowing the appointment of chaplains of “the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish religions.”
If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call (973) 392-5950 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:ca8f0ba4-cfcf-461d-ad19-c9f05b67a980> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2013/04/glimpse_of_history_jewish_chap.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00082-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962723 | 305 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Houseplants can essentially be any plant that can survive in a household. The types of plants that can survive indoor conditions can be expanded if a combination of incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs is used in order to give plants the various color lights they need. However, there are some plants that are specifically designated as houseplants because of their ability to survive in partial or full shade and their preference to the same temperatures that people prefer.
Houses can sometimes be very dry, especially during the winter. Plants that prefer dry air will thrive in a home and can be considered houseplants as long as the other conditions for the plant are right. However, homes can be brought to the humidity level preferable for most plants, which is between 40 and 60 percent. Humidity can be increased for houseplants by grouping them together, since they tend to release water through transpiration.
Plants that prefer shade make the best houseplants. The more shade that the plant can tolerate, the more flexibility that home owners have in where they place their houseplants. Aglaonemas, Fittonias, Philodendron scandens and Sansevierias are plants that thrive in shade. Plants that prefer more sunlight can be houseplants if the home has enough sunlight coming in through the windows, just as long as the plant is placed near the window.
Houseplants usually want temperatures that range from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit at night, according to Texas A&M University. Flowers are brighter and last longer when the temperatures are lower at night.
Plants that need a lot of sun tend to have small, thick leaves, since larger leaves can become overwhelmed with sunlight. Shade plants will often have thin, broad leaves in order to collect the greatest amount of sunlight possible while having structures that use up as little energy as possible. However, some plants have leaves that can acclimate, meaning that the plant's leaves fall off when conditions change, allowing the plant to develop leaves that are beneficial to the plant. The leaves of houseplants also tend to be light green, according to Texas A&M University.
Houseplants usually need to be a size that is manageable in a household. Plants that are larger such as shrubs are not houseplants because they take up too much room in the house and can make a mess when they shed their leaves or flowers. | <urn:uuid:b0d8ab3f-7709-42a8-b409-14aaa40e5b91> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.gardenguides.com/129994-household-plant-identification.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396872.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00138-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968629 | 496 | 3.578125 | 4 |
Why capture screens, windows, and dialogs?
Though many technical writers hate to admit it, a picture is often worth a thousand words. Most good technical documentation includes images, generically known as screen captures or screen shots, that show windows and dialogs as they appear in the application that is being documented. Including images in documentation makes users more comfortable with an application because such images show menus, dialogs, and general program interaction in context, so that users can see exactly what to do and what an application will look like while they are working with it.
Capturing such images is not just a writing task. Most marketing material for graphical applications includes screen shots of significant portions of an application's interface, or the application with complex work underway, to highlight the appearances of capabilities of an application. Anyone who has ever filed a defect report against a piece of software knows that a screen shot that actually shows the problem establishes more credibility than a written or verbal description. Highlighting a problem via a screen shot also makes it easier for developers to focus on the actual source of a problem.
UNIX and Linux screen capture overview
All modern Linux® and UNIX® systems provide some sort of graphical
desktop, which usually includes at least one graphical screen
capture utility—most often one that is specific to a particular
desktop environment. For example, GNOME provides gnome-screenshot, and KDE provides
KSnapshot. However, every Linux and UNIX system that runs the X
Window System (in other words, all of them) includes a
xwd, that makes
it easy to capture an entire screen, a specific window, a window
showing pull-down menus, and even specific dialogs.
The next sections of this article explore various ways of using
xwd tool to capture different
types of images from a UNIX or Linux system's graphical display.
The X Window Dump (
xwd) utility has been part of the X Window
System since the mid-1980s and the early days of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Project
Athena. It is still typically installed as a part of most X11
xwd utility enables you to capture an entire
screen (by capturing the X11 root window) or a specific window
identified by using a mouse or a window ID on the command
line. Images of a single window can consist of just that window
or can also include menus and overlaid dialogs.
The simplest possible
xwd command line
looks like the following:
xwd > filename.xwd
When executed, this command displays a set of crosshairs. You
use the crosshairs to select the window that you want to capture an image of by
right-clicking on that window. The command then writes its output to the
filename.xwd file using shell redirections. The
xwd command also
provides a command-line option,
that eliminates the need for shell redirection by enabling you to
specify the name of an output file on the command line, as shown below:
xwd -out filename.xwd
However you specify the output file, the output of the
is a window image in a generic format (known as xwd format),
which you can easily convert to more standard graphical formats (such as, portable
network graphics (PNG); joint photographic experts group (JPEG); or
graphics interchange format (GIF)) using easily-obtained utilities (as
discussed in the next section).
xwd images to more popular formats
Several image processing and conversion toolkits are available for almost all Linux and UNIX systems. The most common of these are the ImageMagick and Netpbm toolkits (see Resources for more information). Of these, the most widely used is probably the ImageMagick toolkit, which is included on vendor distributions of Linux tools for various UNIX systems (such as, IBM AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications CD).
The ImageMagick toolkit contains a number of different utilities
for graphics conversion and manipulation. It includes a utility
(import) that provides a command-line alternative to the
utility. Of these utilities,
the most important when working with
xwd files is the
convert utility, which enables you to convert
images from one format to another. You can specify the format that
you want to convert an image to by preceding the name of the
output file with the abbreviation for an image format or by
specifying the target image format as the file extension of your
output file. For example, both the following commands
produce an output file in PNG format:
convert filename.xwd PNG:filename.image convert filename.xwd filename.png
The ability to specify the output format as a prefix is convenient if you do not want your output file to have a format-specific file extension. Figure 1 shows a screen capture of a simple GNOME terminal window that has been converted into PNG format.
Figure 1. Converted screen capture of a terminal window
Capturing entire screens
The previous example of using the
xwd command required that you
select a specific window interactively. In some cases, you may
want to capture an entire screen to show the contents and
placement of multiple application windows simultaneously. The
command provides the
-root option to
enable you to do this by capturing the X Window System root
window, which is the full-display window atop all other X
Window System windows and dialogs displayed. The following command
captures the entire screen and writes it to the full-screen.xwd file:
xwd -root -out full-screen.xwd
When used with the
-root option, the
xwd command is non-interactive because you are capturing
everything. If you need to capture a specific window in a specific
state, such as displaying a menu or some other interactive action,
you can do this by delaying the time at which the root window is
captured (giving you time to set up the screen in the way
that you want). To do so, use the
found on all UNIX and Linux systems, which simply
waits for a specified number of seconds, as in the following
sleep 15 ; xwd -root -out full-screen.xwd
This command sequence gives you 15 seconds to display whatever
menus or dialogs you want to capture before executing the
Capturing specific windows
When executed without arguments, the
xwd command requires that you
interactively select the window that you want to capture which
can be a problem if you want specific menus to be displayed. In
most cases, the action of selecting a window is a mouse event that
cannot proceed when any other pending mouse events, such as
selecting a menu item, are in progress. Trying to capture a window
with a pending mouse event results in an error message, as in
the following example:
$ sleep 10 ; xwd -out window2.xwd xwd: error: Can't grab the mouse.
You can work around this problem by taking advantage of other
command-line options for the
xwd command. The first one to try is
-id option, which lets you specify
the X Window System ID of the window that you want to capture and
therefore does not require that you select a window. The easiest
way to determine the X Window System ID of a window is to use the
xwininfo command, which provides that
information plus a huge amount of information about the location
and appearance of a specific window. When you execute the
xwininfo command, a set of
crosshairs is displayed. Use the crosshairs to click on the window for which you want
information. A sample
and its output are shown below in Listing 1.
Listing 1. Abbreviated output from the
$ xwininfo xwininfo: Please select the window about which you would like information by clicking the mouse in that window. xwininfo: Window id: 0x2c435b4 (has no name) Absolute upper-left X: 1811 Absolute upper-left Y: 99 Relative upper-left X: 1811 Relative upper-left Y: 99 ... Corners: +1811+99 -423+99 -423-116 +1811-116 -geometry 1126x835+1811+99
Using the window ID from this information, you can combine
imposing a delay via the
option to capture a window and any menus or other transient
graphics by using a command such as the following:
sleep 15 ; xwd -id 0x2c435b4 -out window-with-menu.xwd
Figure 2. Screen capture of a terminal window with menu
One side effect of identifying a window by ID is that a screen
capture based on the window ID may not capture other windows, such
as dialogs, that are overlaid on the specified window. All
windows, even dialogs, have their own IDs, and you can only
specify one ID at a time. Whether or not you capture overlying
windows is dependent on the graphical environment that you
are using. To work around potential problems capturing overlying
windows, you can use the
-screen option, which specifies that the
contents of a window are to be captured relative to the root
window, as in the following example:
sleep 15 ; xwd -id 0x2c435b4 -screen -out window-with-menu.xwd
-screen option captures a window as
it appears atop the root window and therefore includes any
overlaid dialogs, in-progress menu actions, and so on.
xwd command is available for every
Linux and UNIX distribution and, as a command-line application,
provides an easy, graphical user interface (GUI)-independent
screen and window capture tool. Combining
xwd with freely available graphics toolkits
such as ImageMagick and Netpbm makes it easy to capture screen
images on your platform of choice and deliver them in any graphics
formats that you need for documentation, marketing, bug reporting,
and other purposes where a picture may indeed save you a thousand
words of description.
The command-line screen and window capture tool discussed in this article are both easy to use and available on all Linux and UNIX systems, but different Linux and UNIX systems also offer a variety of graphical tools to further simplify capturing screen and window images. The next article in this series discusses the graphical screen capture tools that are available on different Linux and UNIX systems.
- The AIX and UNIX developerWorks zone provides a wealth of information relating to all aspects of AIX systems administration and expanding your UNIX skills.
- New to AIX and UNIX? Visit the New to AIX and UNIX page to learn more.
- Browse the technology bookstore for books on this and other technical topics.
Get products and technologies
- The ImageMagick Toolkit provides a popular set of command-line tools for graphics capture, conversion, and manipulation.
- The Netpbm toolkit provides another popular set of command-line tools for graphics capture, conversion, and manipulation.
- Follow developerWorks on Twitter.
- Get involved in the My developerWorks community.
- Participate in the AIX and UNIX® forums: | <urn:uuid:912d0944-308d-4d65-ae26-b0c3b01e832f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/aix/library/au-screenshots2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396100.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00037-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.8754 | 2,397 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Evaluating Character and Plot in Young Adult Fiction
As you write your manuscript for young adult fiction, edit your work by evaluating characters and plot. Self-editing lets you address story issues even before you ask someone to read your young adult novel. Here are five questions to help you decide whether you still have some character- and plot-shaping to do:
Did you force your protagonist out of his comfort zone at crucial moments?
Has each obstacle pushed the plot and characters forward?
Are the consequences of failure dire enough at each stage of the plot?
Does each scene in each chapter contribute to its chapter's overall goal, and does every chapter contribute to the character's achievement of his story goal?
If you take your protagonist as he is in the final scene and drop him back into the first scene of the story, has he matured enough to handle the initial conflict so well this time around that your novel wouldn't even be necessary?
If you're confident answering yes to all, you may indeed be at word-tweaking stage and perhaps last draft. | <urn:uuid:7f3d551d-3ab6-49d5-87d7-f38d36cb7bd8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/evaluating-character-and-plot-in-young-adult-ficti.navId-323317.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00126-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970866 | 219 | 2.75 | 3 |
Cross-Language Study of Age Perception
A number of studies have shown that listeners can estimate the age of talkers quite accurately by listening to speech alone. However, the effects of native language on age perception have not yet been explored. The current study examined the effects of listener’s language familiarity on the perception of a talker’s age in the three linguistic contexts varying the amount of information, i.e., vowel, phrase, and sentence. Two groups of listeners (English and Japanese) estimated the age of talkers whose native language were matched or mismatched with the listener’s. Furthermore, in order to investigate the effect of age stereotypes in each language, the same listeners estimated the age of talkers who disguised themselves as 20 year older or younger than their age.
Results indicated that listener’s estimation of talker’s age improved when more information was available. The listeners estimated the age of talkers more accurately in the familiar language than the foreign language. Better age estimation was found for female talkers than male talkers, but the effect of talker’s sex only appeared in the age estimation in the familiar language. Results of age estimation for age-disguised speech revealed that both language groups in this investigation have similar age stereotypes. These results suggested that the age-related speech characteristics are based on both on physiological factors and linguistic variation, variation that a non-native listener does not have access to. Results also suggest that there exists an underlying perceptual mechanism for identifying the age that is common across languages.
Copyright © 2002-2007 Kyoko Nagao All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:382f0e45-ce0c-47ff-8a3e-6ff654ab9000> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.asel.udel.edu/~nagao/dissertation.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396100.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00005-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947372 | 329 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Imagine if cars were built the way most houses are. A procession of trucks would deliver materials and parts to your driveway - sheet metal, spools of wire, screws, pistons, a roll of carpet, bumpers and a steering wheel. Then day laborers would arrive to put it all together. In the rain.So begins Building Blocks, an article in this month's Popular Science. The article discusses a new pre-fab housing project: The Open Source Building Alliance. The team (which includes MIT's House_n lab led by Kent Larson and Tedd Benson of Bensonwood Homes) plans to build 4 prototype homes that basically "plug and play". The first one was built this summer.
The concept behind open-source homes is based on pre-fab panels that are joined with industry-wide standard connectors (think USB ports). In theory, open-source homes would streamline both construction and renovation because every panel from every house would fit together.
Building Blocks discusses this concept for homes, but I see it working in a number of markets, specifically multi-unit housing and hotels. Different panels would have to be designed for different hotel brands, but the repetitious nature of hotels (not only within one building, but across the country) is a perfect match for the open-source homes concept. | <urn:uuid:bf3d2910-ca56-4aa8-9388-6403033af43c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.lauraehandler.com/2006/10/opensource-prototype.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00096-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960787 | 264 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Proud History of Education
Choctaw - a quiet, kind people - lived in present day Mississippi,
Louisiana, and Alabama. Their rural, agrarian life changed
in the late 1700s due to the impact of white settlement. To co-exist,
the Choctaw tried to understand and adopt the new ways.
Beginning as early as 1821, the Choctaw were
one of the first tribes to build schools and provide education
for their people.
Desire for Indian lands grew. Congress passed
the Indian Removal Act and the Choctaw were the first moved
to present-day Oklahoma in 1830 by the Treaty of Dancing
Rabbit Creek. Over 20,000 Choctaw began the journey. Thousands
died in what would later be called by Choctaw leaders as
a “Trail of Tears and Death.”
Missionaries sent to Oklahoma assisted the Indians. The Choctaw
accepted an alien religion, constitution and legal system.
Almost immediately they began building schools.
One school, established in 1891, was named after a Choctaw
Chief born in Mississippi, who traveled with his family to
Oklahoma over the Trail of Tears. Chief Wilson N. Jones had
little formal education, but believed strongly that education
would help his tribe.
In 1952, the Bureau of Indian Affairs ceased funding academic and vocational activities at most Indian boarding schools. Jones Academy students began attending the Hartshorne Public Schools. Wheelock Academy, a non-reservation girls’ boarding school near Millerton in McCurtain County, was closed in 1955 after having been in operation since 1839. Approximately fifty-five girls transferred to Jones Academy. For the first time since its beginning in 1891, Jones Academy became a co-educational boarding dormitory.
With the Indian Self Determination and Education Act (1972) and further legislation, the Choctaw Nation became the first American Indian tribe to operate a tribally controlled grant school. Known as a peripheral dormitory school, Jones Academy students are still part of the Hartshorne School District. | <urn:uuid:457da190-518a-4757-859d-2beb80bd30d6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://jonesacademy.org/history.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393463.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00040-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972789 | 436 | 3.890625 | 4 |
On Monday, August 12 from 1 - 4 p.m. there will be a workshop where teachers will be able to view these primary source documents with a closer look, and out of the box, to create ways to use them in the classroom for grades 4 - 12.
The workshop will take place in Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library. It will include a downtown walking tour of sites significant to the African American community.
To register, email [email protected]. There is no charge for this workshop with CEU’s.
For more information, please go to www.buncombecounty.org/slavedeeds. | <urn:uuid:50e141dc-a95f-4bae-a26f-2c63dccd11aa> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.buncombecounty.org/Governing/depts/Library/News_Detail.aspx?newsID=13649 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403826.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00036-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911826 | 136 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Contributions Made By William Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th president of the United States. Later, he became the 10th Chief Justice of the United States. When Taft became the president, he was adamant on continuing the program started by Roosevelt. His main aim was to create a framework that would allow the reforms to take place without any problems.
During his presidency, Taft focused more on administration rather than legislation. He had no problems signing laws, irrespective of what his personal feeling were towards the legislation. However, even after all this, the Taft administration was instrumental in getting number of reform legislations approved by the Congress.
The first thing that he did on becoming the president was to call a special session of the Congress to change the tariff law. He wanted to reduce the tariff rates, and he succeeded in this.
Another legislation that was passed by the Congress was the Mann Elkins Act of 1910. This legislation gave power to the Interstate Commerce Commission to stop the increase in railroad rate, and to set a fixed rate. The legislation also enhanced the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission to include telephones, telegraphs and radio.
Taft was also responsible for placing 35,000 postmasters and 20,000 skilled workers in the US Navy under civil service protection. He was also responsible for dividing the Department of Commerce and Labor into two cabinet departments. In addition, Taft vetoed the proposal to allow Arizona and New Mexico into the Union. This was because both the states had a judge recall clause in their Constitution. Once the states removed the clause, Taft supported statehood for both Arizona and New Mexico.
Taft pushed vigorously to get the Congress to approve the Sixteenth Amendment that dealt with income tax. However, he did not show the same enthusiasm when it came to the Seventeenth Amendment, the direct election of Senators.
Another one of William Taft's contributions was ensuring that those guilty of antitrust violations were prosecuted. In fact, during Taft's tenure around 99 trust prosecution occurred and this was more than what occurred during Roosevelt's presidency.
More Articles : | <urn:uuid:ea22021c-2b0b-4061-881c-1a15ca5d0359> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.historyrocket.com/American-History/political-history/william-howard-taft/Contributions-Made-By-William-Taft.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396875.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00067-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984909 | 427 | 4.125 | 4 |
- freely available
Pharmaceuticals 2010, 3(4), 1139-1161; doi:10.3390/ph3041139
Abstract: Lysostaphin is an antimicrobial agent belonging to a major class of antimicrobial peptides and proteins known as the bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are bacterial antimicrobial peptides which generally exhibit bactericidal activity against other bacteria. Bacteriocin production is a self-protection mechanism that helps the microorganisms to survive in their natural habitats. Bacteriocins are currently distributed into three main classes. Staphylococcins are bacteriocins produced by staphylococci, which are Gram-positive bacteria of medical and veterinary importance. Lysostaphin is the only class III staphylococcin described so far. It exhibits a high degree of antistaphylococcal bacteriolytic activity, being inactive against bacteria of all other genera. Infections caused by staphylococci continue to be a problem worldwide not only in healthcare environments but also in the community, requiring effective measures for controlling their spread. Since lysostaphin kills human and animal staphylococcal pathogens, it has potential biotechnological applications in the treatment of staphylococcal infections. In vitro and in vivo studies performed with lysostaphin have shown that this staphylococcin has potential to be used, solely or in combination with other antibacterial agents, to prevent or treat bacterial staphylococcal infectious diseases.
Bacteriocins are proteinaceous compounds produced by bacteria which generally display bactericidal activity against other bacterial spp. . The bacteriocin-producing strains have developed a protective immunity system against their own bacteriocin. Each bacteriocin has its own immunity system, which is generally expressed concomitantly with the bacteriocin structural genes .
Bacteriocins produced by Gram-positive bacteria are the most studied ones. They form a heterogeneous group of peptides and proteins. They can be active against other bacteria, belonging to only closely-related species (narrow spectrum) or to different bacterial genera (broad spectrum). Their genetic determinants are generally arranged in the form of operons, which may be encoded on the bacterial chromosome, although they are usually found on plasmids .
Recently, Bierbaum and Sahl and Nissen-Meyer and co-workers proposed modifications in the classification of the bacteriocins produced by Gram-positive bacteria to accommodate data related to the annual description of a repertoire of bacteriocins, some of them with distinctive characteristics. Based on the data so far available, a classification scheme is presented in Table 1, which is a combination of both classifications, with minor modifications. According to it, bacteriocins produced by Gram-positive bacteria can be grouped into three main classes, all of them with subdivisions. Bacteriocins from classes I and II, which comprise small peptides, occur more frequently and possess potential industrial applications [4,5]. Knowledge of all aspects of bacteriocin biology, including the elucidation of their structure-function relationships, production, immunity, regulation, and mode of action, is required when considering bacteriocin applications. However, for a more comprehensive review on both class I and class II bacteriocins, the reader is referred to recent publications written by Bierbaum and Sahl and Nissen-Meyer and co-workers .
Among the bacteriocins produced by staphylococci , lysostaphin, which is the prototype class III bacteriocin, is the most studied one with regard to clinical applications. Therefore, in the present review, we attempt to provide the reader with an overview of lysostaphin: its structure, relevant features, mode of action, and potential practical applications.
2. Relevant Features of Staphylococci
The genus Staphylococcus is composed of Gram-positive cocci arranged in grape-like clusters, divided currently into 42 recognized species and 24 subspecies . They are widespread in nature, being a commensal of the skin, skin glands, and mucous membranes of mammals and birds. Staphylococci generally have a benign or symbiotic relationship with their host. However, they may develop the life-style of a pathogen if they gain entry into the host tissue. Certain Staphylococcus species are found frequently as etiologic agents of a variety of human and animal infections .
|Class I (lantibiotics)||Small, heat-stable peptides (<5 kDa), containing modified amino acids (lanthionine, 3-methyl-lanthionine, dehydrated amino acids, S-aminovinyl-cystein, among others)||Type A (linear)||Nisin, Pep5, Epidermin,|
|Type B (globular)||Mersacidin|
|Type C (two components)||Lacticin 3147|
|Type D (reduced antimicrobial activity)||SapT|
|Class II||Small, heat-stable peptides (<10 kDa), containing no modified amino acids||IIa (linear; pediocin-like)||Pediocin PA-1|
|IIb (linear; two components)||Lactacin F|
|IIc (cyclic peptides)||Enterocin AS-48|
|IId (linear)*||Aureocin A53|
|IIe (linear; more than two components)||Aureocin A70|
|Class III||Large, heat-labile proteins||Type IIIa (bacteriolysins)||Lysostaphin|
|Type IIIb (non-lytic)||Helveticin J|
* This subclass includes a number of bacteriocins with distinctive characteristics such as non pediocin-like processed bacteriocins, bacteriocins with no leader peptides or with sec-dependent leaders.
Staphylococci are generally divided in two main groups, coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) based on the production of coagulase, an enzyme-like factor that causes fibrin to coagulate and form a clot, a trait which is generally associated with pathogenicity .
During the last century, S. aureus, a CoPS, has become the leading overall cause of nosocomial infections worldwide . S. aureus causes a wide range of serious infections, ranging from localized or systemic abscesses, septicemia, and endocarditis to septic emboli. This pathogenicity reflects its ability to produce a variety of toxins, to attach to medical devices by production of biofilms, and to an extraordinary ability to develop antimicrobial resistance . After introduction of the methicillin in 1961 to treat infections by penicillin-resistant S. aureus, there were reports of isolation of multi-resistant S. aureus strains [8,9]. Currently, strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are becoming increasingly difficult to combat because of emerging resistance to all current antibiotic classes . MRSA has gradually disseminated and MRSA is now a problem in hospitals worldwide and is increasingly recovered from nursing homes and the community [8,9]. CoNS, such as S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, S. lugdunensis, and S. saprophyticus, among others, can also be found in association with human infections. CoNS are the most frequently reported pathogens in nosocomial blood-stream infections, being responsible for 30% to 40% of these infections . They are often associated with implanted medical devices [8,9,11]. S. saprophyticus is a frequent cause of urinary tract infections in young women [8,11]. Increasing drug-resistance among CoNS has also become of concern [8,11]. Therefore, the rising level of resistance to a wide range of antibiotics by both S. aureus and CoNS represents a significant threat to future treatment efficacy of staphylococcal infections. The issue of drug resistance in this group of pathogens needs to be addressed via appropriate use of existing drugs as well as the development of novel agents [8,11]. Multidrug-resistant staphylococci are potential targets for bacteriocin applications, including lysostaphin.
3. Lysostaphin General Features
Class III bacteriocins include large peptides (Mr ≥ 25 kDa) which are generally heat-labile. This class of bacteriocins was further subdivided by Heng and co-workers into two distinct groups: (i) the bacteriolytic enzymes (or bacteriolysins) and (ii) the non-lytic antimicrobial proteins . Staphylococci have been shown to produce bacteriolysins, from which lysostaphin is considered to be the prototype. Lysostaphin, an extracellular enzyme secreted by strains of S. simulans biovar staphylolyticus , was probably the first staphylococcin (bacteriocin produced by staphylococci) discovered. Its bactericidal activity against staphylococci relies on its capability of cleaving the peptidoglycan present in the bacterial cell walls.
The peptidoglycan of Gram-positive microorganisms is an important component of the bacterial cell wall, conferring strength and rigidity to the cell, allowing growth and division, maintaining cell shape, and protecting against osmotic lysis . In S. aureus, it consists of a backbone made up of alternating β-1,4 linked N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid residues. Muramic acid residues are cross-linked by tetrapeptide chains consisting of D-alanine, D-isoglutamine, L-lysine, and D-alanine. These tetrapeptide chains are cross-linked by pentaglycine bridges between the ε-amino group of the lysine residues of one chain and the D-alanyl carboxyl group of another chain, resulting in a network of two or three dimensions (Figure 1). The products of the genes fmhB and femAB form this polyglycine bridge. FmhB is involved in the attachment of Gly 1 to the pentaglycine interpeptide. FemA is responsible for the incorporation of Gly 2 and 3, while FemB performs the introduction of Gly 4 and 5 [13,14]. The extreme mechanical strength of S. aureus cell walls is probably dependent on the high degree of cross-linking of the pentaglycine bridges between adjacent tetrapeptides. The peptidoglycan is insoluble due to this cross-linking of the polymers and hydrolysis of any single chemical linkage in sufficient number within the cross-linked network can bring about solubilization of the cell wall . However, during physiological growth of the cell wall, the peptidoglycan is hydrolyzed at specific times and sites . This is accomplished by murein hydrolases and lysostaphin is one example of such class of enzymes. In general, murein hydrolases harbor an N-terminal signal peptide followed by a second domain containing the enzymatic activity . In addition, these proteins harbor repeated sequences that flank either the N- or C-terminal side of the enzymatic domain.
Lysostaphin is a monomeric zinc-containing metallo-enzyme of 246 amino acids. It has a molecular mass of ~27 kDa, a pI of 9.5 and a pH optimum of 7.5 [18,19]. Lysostaphin is synthesized as a preproenzyme of 493 amino acids, which is initiated into the secretory pathway by an N-terminal leader peptide of 36 amino acids (Figure 2). The proenzyme is released into the culture medium and contains 15 tandem repeats of 13 amino acid length at the N-terminal end . Prolysostaphin is 4.5-fold less active than mature lysostaphin and the N-terminal repeats are removed in a growth phase-dependent manner by a secreted cystein protease to yield the fully-activated lysostaphin molecule . The lysostaphin molecule consists of two distinct domains: (i) an N-terminal peptidase domain responsible for the catalytic activity of the protein and (ii) a C-terminal targeting domain (CWT) involved in binding to the peptidoglycan substrate [22,23]. The C-terminal 92 amino acid residues of lysostaphin are dispensable for enzymatic activity but necessary and sufficient for directing lysostaphin to the cell wall envelope of S. aureus. A study using a reporter system of CWT-GFP (green fluorescent protein) revealed that CWT binds to the pentaglycine bridge bringing lysostaphin into proximity with the cell wall. A femAB mutation, reducing both the amount and the length of peptidoglycan cross-linking (resulting in monoglycine cross bridges), showed a dramatic reduction in GFP-CWT binding. Thus the CWT domain of lysostaphin directs the bacteriocin to cross-linked peptidoglycan, which also serves as the substrate for its glycyl-glycine endopeptidase domain .
* Replacement of these Gly residues by Ser residues results in resistance to lysostaphin. (reproduced with kind permission of Bastos et al. , with modifications)
A preprolysostaphin variant, smaller than that described above, has been reported in the literature, although the number of amino acid residues in the mature lysostaphin remained the same .
Lysostaphin production occurs in stationary-phase cultures of S. simulans grown under certain conditions and appears to be coordinated with production of other extracellular enzymes . Lysostaphin producers do not have specific immunity genes, but rely on a resistance mechanism (see below) to survive during lysostaphin biosynthesis.
The lysostaphin endopeptidase gene (lss) and the gene involved in lysostaphin resistance (lif) reside on plasmid pACK1 [21,27,28]. lss and lif are flanked by insertion sequences, suggesting that S. simulans biovar staphylolyticus may have received these genes by horizontal gene transfer .
The lss gene has been cloned and expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli , in a simian kidney cell line , and in Lactococcus lactis , a microorganism with a high biotechnological potential. The lss gene heterologous expression has advantages when compared to the homologous one: the amount of lysostaphin produced could be improved and the precise moment of bacteriocin production could also be tailored by using inducible-production systems. Using the NICE (NIsin-Controlled gene Expression) system, based on the regulation mechanism of the nisin operon , Mierau and co-workers produced lysostaphin in industrial scale obtaining a yield of 300 mg/L [30,31].
A homolog of lysostaphin, ALE-1 from Staphylococcus capitis, has also been described and characterized. Its molecular structure and targeting mechanism, as well as the producer resistance, appear to be similar to those described for lysostaphin [32,33].
4. Lysostaphin mode of action
Lysostaphin passes freely through the capsule layer of encapsulated staphylococci and is a cell-wall lytic enzyme. The cell-wall degrading activity of lysostaphin is primarily due to a glycyl-glycine endopeptidase activity (Figure 1), which lyses many staphylococcal strains . Lysostaphin has been described as primarily active against CoPS , retaining some residual activity against CoNS, although CoNS seem to require increased concentration of the enzyme and larger incubation times to be killed . Studies performed in our laboratory, however, have shown that lysostaphin exhibits an in vitro inhibitory activity against strains of many staphylococcal species, including CoNS (Table 2).
|Indicator Strains||Origin||Inhibition Zones|
|MB269, MB274, MB276, MB277, MB288, MB289, MB295, MB302, MB303|
|Bovine mastitis; Brazil||+++|
|2, 3, 7, 9, 10||Bovine mastitis; Argentina||+++|
|LI1, A70, A53||Pasteurized milk||+++|
|S. carnosus* CN83||Meat fermentation product||++|
|S. hominis CN70*||Blood||++|
|S. simulans CN87*||Blood||+++|
|S. xylosus CN93*||Skin||+++|
|S. hyicus ATCC 11249*||-||+++|
|S. intermedius ATCC 29663||-||++|
The spectrum of activity was tested by the deferred-antagonism test in BHI agar plates using a strain of S. simulans which produces lysostaphin. -, no activity; ++, inhibition zones between 10 and 19 mm; +++, inhibition zones larger than 19 mm; (t), turbid zone of inhibition. The inhibition zones disappear upon treatment with proteolytic enzymes. All strains marked with an asterisk are coagulase-negative staphylococci.
The target of the lysostaphin is the pentaglycine cross-bridge of the peptidoglycan , which in S. aureus and other staphylococcal species is composed of five glycine (Gly) residues [39,40]. Lysostaphin seems to cleave specifically between the third and the fourth Gly residues of the pentaglycine cross-bridge (Figure 1) . The peptidoglycan of staphylococcal species relatively resistant to lysostaphin contains higher amount of serine (Ser) than Gly .
In a study published in 2008, Francius and co-workers used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to track the structural and physical dynamics of single S. aureus cells exposed to lysostaphin. They observed that, after being incubated with 16 mg/mL of lysostaphin for a period of 260 min, the cells suffered a length increase of 100 nm. Such cell swelling was taken as an evidence for the formation of lysostaphin-induced osmotically fragile cells, resulting from peptidoglycan hydrolysis. Progressive alteration of the cell surface structure following lysostaphin addition was also observed. After 80 min, nanoscale perforations were seen, which were about 50 to 100 nm in diameter and 25 to 75 nm in depth. With time (e.g., after 260 min), these holes enlarged until they merged together to form larger perforations. These structures were related to reminiscent of the small depressions seen at the onset of normal cell division and could reflect the so-called murosomes, i.e., regions of the cell wall having high autolytic activity. Besides localized surface modifications, it was also found that lysostaphin increased the cell surface roughness. Progressive disintegration of the cell wall and separation from the plasma membrane after exposure to lysostaphin were also observed. These time-dependent cell wall modifications may result from peptidoglycan digestion, eventually leading to the formation of osmotically fragile spheroplasts, favoring cell lysis. Therefore, by hydrolyzing the cell wall, lysostaphin kills the sensitive cells.
Two basic procedures applied to bacteriocins in general may be used to investigate the lysostaphin spectrum of activity: the simultaneous-antagonism test and the deferred-antagonism test . Briefly, simultaneous-antagonism testing involves stab inoculation of the lysostaphin-producing strain into a freshly seed lawn of a target microorganism (~106 CFU). Following incubation for 18 h, the plate is examined for zones of growth inhibition surrounding the bacteriocin-producing culture. For deferred-antagonism testing, the producing strain is grown as a spot on the surface of an agar plate and then, after sterilization of the agar surface with either chloroform vapor or UV light, the plate is sprayed with the target strain (~106 CFU). Following incubation for 24 h, the extent of inhibition of the target strain by the producing strain can be assessed and the inhibition zones measured (Figure 3).
When a partially or totally purified lysostaphin preparation is available, the critical dilution assay may also be employed. In this method, a 100-μL volume of lysostaphin fractions at two-fold dilutions, and a 100-μL volume of the target strain (~5×105 CFU) are added to each well of a microtiter plate. Dilutions of lysostaphin should be prepared in medium containing 0.1% bovine serum albumin to prevent adsorption of lysostaphin to polystyrene microtiter wells . After incubation at 37 oC for 24 h, the growth of the target strain is measured spectrophotometrically at 600 nm. One bacteriocin arbitrary unit is defined as the amount of bacteriocin that inhibits the bacterial growth by 50% (50% of the turbidity of the control culture without bacteriocin) . Alternatively, a disk-diffusion assay (50 μg lysostaphin/disk) may be used and staphylococcal strains susceptible to lysostaphin give inhibition zones ≥11 mm.
S. simulans biovar staphylolyticus peptidoglycan is resistant to the hydrolytic activity of lysostaphin, since the cells produce a resistance factor that causes the incorporation of Ser residues into the third and fifth positions of the cell wall cross bridges (Figure 1) [21,46,47]. This incorporation requires the presence of FemA and/or FemB . If one or more Gly residues of the cross bridge are replaced by Ser residues, the cell wall becomes less susceptible to lysostaphin [21,48]. Lysostaphin is unable to hydrolyze glycylserine and serylglycine peptide bonds . It was also shown that lysostaphin binds much more avidly to S. aureus, which possesses a pentaglycine cross-bridge, than to S. simulans cells. When added to mixed bacterial populations, purified lysostaphin kills 1,000 S. aureus cells for every S. simulans cell .
The S. simulans gene lif is required for incorporation of Ser residues into the peptidoglycan . Lif shows similarity to FemA and FemB proteins , which catalyze the non-ribosomal synthesis of the pentaglycine cross bridges of the staphylococcal peptidoglycan .
5. Lysostaphin Potential Biotechnological Applications
The primary role of bacteriocins is to provide the producing bacteria with an advantage over their competitive organisms occupying the same ecological niche, especially in Gram-positive microorganisms, whose bacteriocins may exhibit a broad spectrum of activity directed primarily against other Gram-positive organisms . However, this antagonistic activity may be exploited for biotechnological applications, representing an alternative to antibiotics in either the prevention or the treatment of bacterial infections. As it will be explained to the reader in the next sections, the bacteriocin lysostaphin possesses many characteristics that make it a promising candidate for biotechnological applications.
5.1. Research Applications
A recombinant lysostaphin expressed in E. coli is sold commercially by Sigma-Aldrich and is indispensable for staphylococcal genetic studies, being used for DNA isolation , formation of protoplasts, and differentiation of staphylococcal strains .
5.2. Human Medical Use
Due to lysostaphin ability to kill human pathogenic staphylococci, such as S. aureus and S. epidermidis, various reports from the 1960s and 1970s have recommended its use against staphylococcal infections. However, study of lysostaphin as an antistaphylococcal agent was discontinued due to the lack of homogeneous preparations of lysostaphin and the availability of other effective treatments. With the rapidly decreasing effectiveness of current antibiotics for treatment of staphylococcal infections and the availability of recombinant lysostaphin (r-lysostaphin), studies investigating lysostaphin as a therapeutic agent for staphylococcal infections have emerged. Lysostaphin has many attractive features for use as an antimicrobial agent: (i) it has activity against non-dividing as well as dividing cells, (ii) it is digested by intestinal proteinases, having no influence on the gut microbiota, (iii) it has no toxicity, (iv) it is relatively stable when conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), and (v) it maintains its activity in human serum [29,51,52]. Moreover, studies demonstrate that lysostaphin retains its bacteriolytic activity in vivo, without any undesirable immune reaction, despite the presence of high-neutralizing antibody titer [53,54].
5.2.1. In vitro studies
In 1965, Harrison and Cropp reported the efficacy of lysostaphin over 50 S. aureus clinical isolates, most of them penicillinase producers . Lysostaphin was compared to the antibiotics penicillin G, ampicillin, methicillin, ristocetin, vancomycin, and erythromycin. The results have shown that the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for lysostaphin ranged from <0.047 to 12.5 µg/mL, with 96% of the penicillinase-positive strains being inhibited by 1.56 µg/mL of lysostaphin, whereas 3.12 µg/mL of vancomycin and methicillin were required to attain the same degree of inhibition. Similar findings using other clinical isolates of S. aureus, presenting the most diverse drug-resistance patterns, were also reported by other authors that together have tested ~1,000 strains, detecting no resistance to lysostaphin [36,56,57,58].
The use of combinations of antimicrobials is common in the clinical setting since it expands the spectrum of organisms that can be targeted, prevents the emergence of resistant organisms, decreases toxicity by allowing lower doses of both agents, and can result in synergistic inhibition. Synergy has been observed in vitro between lysostaphin and membrane-active agents, such as polymyxins B and ranalexin , a cationic peptide produced the Rana frog species, against MRSA.
The increasing use of indwelling intravascular catheters for diagnostics of diseases and for therapeutic procedures has led to an increase in the number of medical device-related infections . Sepsis associated with internal luminal colonization of central venous catheters has been described in many clinical settings and is a frequent occurrence in hospitals today [11,61]. S. epidermidis is by far the most frequently isolated species of CoNS from these infections, accounting for 74% to 92% of hospital-acquired CoNS bacteremia [11,62,63]. Therefore, lysostaphin was tested as a preventive agent in surface colonization by either S. aureus or S. epidermidis. Wu and co-workers reported that lysostaphin not only killed S. aureus in biofilms but also disrupted the extracellular matrix of S. aureus biofilms in vitro, on plastic and glass surfaces, at concentrations as low as 1 µg/mL. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that lysostaphin eradicated both the sessile cells and the extracellular matrix of the biofilm. For S. epidermidis, higher concentrations of lysostaphin were needed to achieve the same effect. In another study, Shah and co-workers tested lysostaphin over different surfaces (polystyrene plates and fluoroethylene-propylene polymer catheters). These surfaces were challenged with an inoculum of about 104 colony-forming units (CFU) of S. aureus. On average, 610 CFU were recovered from the polystyrene control wells, whereas only 3 CFU remained in the lysostaphin-coated wells, a 99.5% reduction in bacterial counts. The lysostaphin-coated catheters were completely cleared of bacteria as compared to control catheters, from which an average of 493 CFU were recovered. The inhibitory effect of lysostaphin-coated catheters was maintained for at least four days after coating. Both these studies suggest that lysostaphin binds to plastic surfaces, maintaining killing activity against staphylococci, and may protect catheters from staphylococcal colonization at the time of insertion and for several days thereafter.
5.2.2. In vivo studies
Experimental in vivo applications of lysostaphin are also well documented in the literature. The first report of efficacy of lysostaphin against S. aureus in vivo was published by Schuhardt and Schindler in 1964 . They tested lysostaphin therapy in mice infected with S. aureus. Therapy consisted of a single injection of a partially purified preparation of lysostaphin either intraperitoneally or subcutaneously. These experiments indicated that 10 U of lysostaphin (one unit was defined as the amount required to bring about a 50% reduction in the turbidity of a standard suspension of S. aureus FDA 209P in 10 min at 37 °C) by either route of injection cured all mice.
Abscesses are the hallmark of staphylococcal disease and many therapeutic failures appear to result from the inability of available antimicrobials to eliminate staphylococci residing in high titers in abscess lesions. Although antibiotics do penetrate abscess cavities in high concentration, it has been shown that these agents are relatively ineffective against sluggishly multiplying bacteria found in such lesions . Since previous studies had shown that lysostaphin kills CoPS regardless of their metabolic state , Dixon and co-workers tested the effectiveness of lysostaphin (5 mg) followed by treatment with methicillin (5 mg) against established renal abscess lesions in mice. A single dose of lysostaphin, followed by four daily doses of methicillin, produced striking reductions (>99.99%) of the staphylococcal populations. Such reductions were significantly higher than that achieved by either lysostaphin or methicillin alone, although lysostaphin alone proved to be more effective than methicillin alone. Similar results were reported by Harrison and Zygmunt .
With the development of r-lysostaphin which is more than 90% pure, it was possible to better study the efficacy of lysostaphin in an experimental S. aureus endocarditis model. Studies, using a rabbit model of aortic valve endocarditis, caused by clinical isolates of either MRSA or S. aureus with reduced sensibility to vancomycin (VISA) , attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of various regimens of dosing with intravenous lysostaphin to reduce the infection. Climo and co-workers , using MRSA strains, treated the animals for three days with different doses of r-lysostaphin, vancomycin or a combination of r-lysostaphin and vancomycin. The most active regimen, r-lysostaphin given three times daily, produced sterile vegetations in 10 out of 11 treated rabbits, with a mean reduction in vegetation bacterial counts of 8.5 log10 CFU/g compared to the counts in the untreated controls. In contrast, vancomycin given twice daily sterilized no vegetations and reduced vegetation bacterial counts by only 4.8 log10 CFU/g. r-Lysostaphin given once daily was less effective, reducing mean vegetation bacterial counts by only 3.6 log10 CFU/g, but the combination of r-lysostaphin once daily and vancomycin twice daily reduced the mean vegetation bacterial density by 7.5 log10 CFU/g, a result that was significantly better than that for either regimen alone. Yet, when evaluation of the immunological effects of r-lysostaphin administration was carried out, no evidence of immunological reactions following up to nine weeks of intravenous administration could be detected. In the study performed by Patron and co-workers , using VISA, it was observed that vancomycin was ineffective, with no evidence of sterilization of aortic valve vegetations. However, rates of sterilization of aortic valve vegetations were significantly better for animals treated with either a single dose of r-lysostaphin (43%) or r-lysostaphin given twice daily for three days (83%) than for animals treated with vancomycin. Rabbits given a single dose of r-lysostaphin followed by a three-day drug-free period had mean reductions in aortic valve vegetation bacterial counts of 7.27 and 6.63 log10 CFU/g compared with those for untreated control rabbits and the vancomycin-treated group, respectively. Using a similar experimental approach but with methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis isolates (generally less susceptible to lysostaphin) involved in central venous catheter infections, Kiri and co-workers showed that the rabbits treated with the combination of nafcillin (200 mg/kg intramuscularly) and r-lysostaphin (1mg/kg intravenously) had a significant reduction in mean log10 vegetation counts (5.32 log10 CFU/g) compared to rabbits treated with r-lysostaphin or nafcillin alone. Here again, synergy between r-lysostaphin and β-lactams was observed as already described in previous similar experiments performed with MRSA .
More recently, Placencia and co-workers performed a study to evaluate the use of lysostaphin to treat neonatal late-onset sepsis caused by S. aureus. This microorganism is the second most common pathogen for late-onset sepsis among very low birth weight infants, and nearly 20% die as a direct result of the infection. In developing countries, neonatal S. aureus bacteremia is even more prevalent, causing nearly a quarter of all bacteremic episodes. In their study, Placencia’s group compared lysostaphin versus vancomycin against the MRSA strain US300, in a neonatal mouse model. Pups were infected subcutaneously and littermates randomized to receive intraperitoneally either saline (group 1; 81 pups), vancomycin 15 mg/kg (group 2; 77 pups), lysostaphin 10 mg/kg (group 3; 79 pups), and lysostaphin 15 mg/kg (group 4; 75 pups), at time points 0.5, 6, 24 and 30 h after the infection. Pups were observed for survival and growth during seven days, and quantitative blood cultures were obtained 24 h after infection. The survival rates were 6.2%, 34%, 41% and 52%, respectively for groups 1–4. Interestingly, lysostaphin (15 mg/kg; group 4) improved survival compared with placebo and vancomycin. There was no significant difference in growth among the groups and all treatment regimens resulted in less bacteremia when compared with placebo. The MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for vancomycin and lysostaphin were 0.71/1.19 μg/mL and <0.008/0.015 μg/mL, respectively. The serum concentrations after 48 h were of 2.34 μg/mL for lysostaphin and 1.72 μg/mL, for vancomycin. Notably, both serum concentrations were greater than the MICs and MCBs and lysostaphin serum concentrations were higher than vancomycin ones, suggesting a higher half-life for this bacteriocin. These pharmacokinetics data is in agreement with the literature and similar results can be also seen in Oluola et al. and Kokai-Kun et al. .
Walsh and co-workers , using adult mice as model, compared the pharmacokinetics of r-lysostaphin with a PEG-lysostaphin conjugate (PEGylated). It was found that 24 h after a single dose of 40 mg/kg of r-lysostaphin, the serum drug concentration dropped 500-fold, whereas for the PEGylated derivative the drop was only 10-fold. This reflects an increase in r-lysostaphin stability due to PEG conjugation. This improved retention of r-lysostaphin should reduce the dosing quantities and frequency needed to maintain plasma drug concentrations above therapeutically effective drug concentrations. Maintaining these high levels of r-lysostaphin for longer periods of time may also result in more rapid clearance of bacterial infections and decrease the probability that r-lysostaphin resistance will emerge.
Eradication of staphylococcal biofilms by lysostaphin has recently been shown to occur also in vivo .
5.2.3. Reduction of nasal carriage of staphylococci
Nasal carriage of S. aureus has been repeatedly shown to have a significant epidemiological link with subsequent development of staphylococcal disease . Clearance of S. aureus nasal colonization can reduce the subsequent risk of development of infections by MRSA in addition to reducing the community and hospital spread of these microorganisms . Mupirocin ointment (Bactroban Nasal; 2% mupirocin calcium ointment; SmithKline Beecham) is the current standard of care for clearance of S. aureus nasal colonization, but resistance to this antibiotic has emerged . Several other interventions for the clearance of S. aureus nasal colonization have also been explored, including Neosporin® ointment (a bacitracin, polymyxin, and neomycin formulation; Burroughs Welcome & Co.).
Using the cotton rat model, Kokain-Kun and co-workers investigated the capacity of three antibacterial agents, lysostaphin, mupirocin, and nisin, a lantibiotic with a potent in vitro antistaphylococcal activity, to clear S. aureus [methicillin resistant or sensitive strains (MSSA)] nasal colonization. A single application of lysostaphin (actual dose, ~150 μg), formulated in a petrolatum-based cream, dramatically reduced S. aureus nasal colonization by both MRSA and MSSA (averages between 3,416 and 4,021 CFU/nose) in 100% of animals tested and eradicated S. aureus nasal colonization in 93% of animals. Interestingly, when lysostaphin was administered in PBS, only 33% eradication was achieved. Yet, a single dose of lysostaphin (formulated at 0.5% in a petrolatum-based cream) eradicated MRSA and mupirocin-resistant S. aureus from the cotton rat nares, some within 4 h of application, while three doses of mupirocin ointment over three days were required for eradication of MRSA in the same model. Nisin (actual dose, ~1.5 mg) failed in reducing staphylococcal nasal carriage in this model.
The potency of the lysostaphin formulation was also persistent in the nares and maintained its antistaphylococcal activity for at least 24 h after instillation, suggesting that lysostaphin cream could also prevent subsequent S. aureus nasal colonization. Lysostaphin cream could therefore be instilled in the nares of an uncolonized patient upon admission to a health care setting and protect the patient from nasal colonization for at least 24 h.
Quickel Jr. and co-workers tested the efficacy of lysostaphin to alter natural S. aureus carriage in 95 persistent carriers. In this work, the efficiency of lysostaphin intranasal spray was compared to Neosporin®. The treatment was carried out for five days with either agent significantly reducing carriage rates. However, this effect persisted through the 5th day only after therapy with lysostaphin but not with Neosporin®. Immunological parameters were also evaluated and, except for a single immediate wheal and flair skin test reaction, no other evidence of adverse reactions to topical lysostaphin was detected. As well, no consistent changes in hemagglutination-inhibition titers to lysostaphin were observed after therapy. Taken together, these studies have shown that lysostaphin appears to be more effective than conventional topical antimicrobial therapy in reducing nasal carriage of staphylococci.
5.3. Veterinary Use
Mastitis, an inflammatory reaction of the mammary gland that is usually caused by microbial infection, is recognized as the most costly disease in dairy cattle due to rejected milk, degraded milk quality, early culling of cows, drug costs, veterinary expenses, and increased labor costs for farmers. In the USA, annual losses are estimated at two billion dollars. This is approximately 10% of the total value of farm milk sales, and about two-thirds of these losses are due to reduced milk production in subclinically infected cows . Although several bacterial pathogens can cause mastitis, S. aureus is the major etiological agent. Intrammamary infections caused by S. aureus are usually chronic and subclinical in nature. Once S. aureus is established in the mammary glands of the animal, it is very difficult to eradicate [78,80].
Many drugs have been used for mastitis treatment, but several factors, including the ability of S. aureus to survive inside neutrophils, to induce formation of microabscesses, and its resistance to the antibiotics used for treatment, result in infections that are difficult to manage therapeutically . Lysostaphin has been suggested to be efficacious in the treatment of bovine mastitis caused by staphylococci .
The kinetics and therapeutic efficacy of the r-lysostaphin (100 mg, administered over three consecutive p.m. milkings) in S. aureus bovine mastitis have been investigated . In this study, 30 Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle in their first lactation were infected with S. aureus ATCC 29740 in all quarters. Infections were established and monitored for somatic cell counts and S. aureus CFU three weeks prior to subsequent treatment. Infected animals were injected through the teat canal with a single dose of r-lysostaphin (dose response 1 to 500 mg) or after three successive p.m. milkings with 100 mg of r-lysostaphin in 60 mL of sterile phosphate buffered saline. The in vivo titration suggested that the minimal effective therapeutic dose was 100 mg of r-lysostaphin: 95% of the quarters cleared the milk of detectable S. aureus for a minimum of one milking after the last intramammary infusion. Despite the maintenance of a bactericidal activity in the milk under this therapeutic regimen for up 120 h after initiation of therapy, the majority of the r-lysostaphin-treated quarters relapsed within five to six milkings. The data suggested that r-lysostaphin, although effective at eliminating bacteria present in the milk for as long as an effective therapeutic level could be maintained, was not sufficient to elicit cures. Such observations are most likely related to previous observations with S. aureus mastitis that showed that viable intracellular bacteria contribute to the reinfection and r-lysostaphin cannot kill intracellular S. aureus . The cure rate of quarters receiving r-lysostaphin (100 mg in sterile phosphate buffered saline, administered after each of three consecutive p.m. milkings) was 20% compared with 29% for sodium cephapirin in saline and 57% for a commercial antibiotic formulation (Cefa-Lak®), respectively. However, the authors proposed that an improved formulation of r-lysostaphin could be a safe alternative to antibiotic therapy.
Following this study, Daley and Oldham showed that intramammary infusion of r-lysostaphin failed to elicit significant serum titers in the bovine until 18–21 infusions were administered (total administered dose of 2–3 g of protein). Antibody titers from dairy cattle which did develop an immune response were predominantly of the IgG1 subclass. Dairy cattle with significant antilysostaphin titers showed no deleterious symptoms, such as anaphylaxis, upon subsequent infusion, and these titers did not affect the in vitro activity of r-lysostaphin. Intramammary infusion of r-lysostaphin did not elicit any observable effects on the host animal or on the potential efficacy of the recombinant molecule.
More recently, Wall and co-workers produced transgenic cows expressing a modified lysostaphin gene whose product lacks two glycosylation motifs, which are responsible for rendering lysostaphin inactive when glycosylated by mammalian cells. Cow’s lysostaphin concentrations ranged from 0.9 to 14 μg/mL and remained constant during most of lactation. Interestingly, the transgenic protein was 15% as active as the bacterially derived r-lysostaphin. The milk produced by the highest expressing cow was able to inhibit the growth of several Staphylococcus spp., including S. chromogenes, S. hyicus, S. epidermidis, S. simulans, and S. xylosus. The transgenic cows’ ability to resist infection by S. aureus was tested by intramammary infusion of viable bacterial cultures. Of the mammary glands infused, 34 of 48 glands (71%) became infected in nontransgenic animals compared to 3 of 21 glands (14%) in transgenic animals. The cow with the lowest S. aureus lytic activity had the highest infection rate (two out of six glands infected); the animal with intermediate activity had a lower infection rate (one out of six glands), and the highest expressing animal appeared to be completely protected. Furthermore, even in infected glands, the severity and duration of infections were less than in nontransgenic animals. Increase in milk somatic cells, elevated body temperatures, and induced acute phase proteins, each indicative of infection, were observed in all of the nontransgenic cows but in none of the transgenic animals. Milk from the highest expressing cow completely blocked growth of S. aureus in an in vitro lawn assay test. This milk, diluted 8 to 16-fold, exhibited full lytic activity.
6. Development of Resistance to Lysostaphin: A Possibility
The clinical application of lysostaphin could be compromised by the development of resistance as already observed for many antibacterial agents. No lysostaphin-resistant mutants were found in studies performed in vivo in which treatments with high doses of lysostaphin were employed [43,65]. However, development of resistance to lysostaphin by S. aureus has been reported by Strandén and co-workers .
The mechanisms involved in resistance to lysostaphin seem to vary, but the most common one involves mutations that affect either the femA or femB genes. These mutations result in monoglycine or triglycine cross bridges [13,85].
Climo and co-workers have demonstrated that resistance to lysostaphin can occur both in vitro and in an in vivo model of infection with MRSA following prolonged exposure to low concentrations of lysostaphin. Resistance to lysostaphin in such mutants was associated with three characteristics: increased susceptibility to β-lactams, mutations in femA, and an altered peptidoglycan structure in which the normal pentaglycine cross bridges were replaced with a single Gly. However, this resistance development was easily circumvented by the co-administration of β-lactam antibiotics. Moreover, the combination of lysostaphin and β-lactams appears to be synergistic. These data suggest that therapeutic trials with lysostaphin should include β-lactam antibiotics to both suppress resistance and promote synergy.
Other works also describe an intrinsic relationship between femA-mediated lysostaphin resistance and β-lactams increased susceptibility [70,85]. It has been demonstrated that the modified penicillin binding protein 2 (PBP 2a), encoded by mecA and conferring β−lactam resistance on MRSA strains, is unable to perform its function in the absence of the five-membered interpeptide chains . That is, while the low-affinity PBP 2a is still produced in MRSA strains that become lysostaphin resistant due to mutations to femA, PBP 2a can no longer function as a transpeptidase for monoglycine interpeptide chains. The normal PBP 2, however, can use these monoglycine interpeptides, but since β-lactam antibiotics can inhibit PBP 2, the resultant phenotype is methicillin susceptible .
Morikawa and co-workers , using S. aureus strain N315 and its derivative mutants affected in sigB gene, showed that cell-wall thickness also plays important roles in lysostaphin sensitivity. Cells depleted in sigB developed thinner envelopes and demonstrated increased sensitivity to lysostaphin. These cells were approximately 97% more sensitive than the wild-type N315 cells. On the other hand, over expressing sigB cells revealed an increased resistance to lysostaphin, being 300% more resistant than normal N315 cells. The increased resistance of these cells was attributed to an expressive increase in cell-wall thickness and evidence supportive of this assumption can be find in the literature. For example, the VISA strain MU50 has also been demonstrated to possess an expanded cell-wall and this characteristic has been intrinsically associated to its vancomycin resistance . In another work, Koehl and co-workers , studying the low susceptibility of VISA strains to lysostaphin, found out that besides the enlarged cell-wall phenotype, lysostaphin resistance was also linked to a decreased autolytic activity. They proposed that in intact cells the cell’s autolysins participate in the lysis seen upon lysostaphin treatment and that the defective autolysis of VISA strains is mainly responsible for the poor susceptibility of intact cells to lysostaphin. It appears that changes in the amount or activity of the autolytic enzymes are mainly responsible for the autolysin deficiency, even though some changes in peptidoglycan composition were evident in the walls of the VISA strains. Several autolysin genes are present in S. aureus. atl is the gene that encodes the major S. aureus autolysin that undergoes post-translation processing to yield a 63-kDa amidase and a 53.5-kDa glucosaminidase. However, in this work, northern blot analysis suggested that the expression of atl was significantly reduced in the VISA strains, reinforcing the assumption that these autolysins are responsible for promoting cell lysis upon lysostaphin treatment.
By transposon mutagenesis, Gründling and co-workers have identified in S. aureus another gene, lyrA (for lysostaphin resistance protein A), whose inactivation caused a high degree of lysostaphin resistance. lyrA encodes a 419- amino acid polypeptide with unknown function. In contrast to the case for femAB mutants, transposon insertion in lyrA did not cause gross alterations of cell wall cross bridges and did not result in a decrease in β-lactam resistance. Therefore, the resistance phenotype of lyrA mutants has proven difficult to explain. Many factors, including minor alterations in peptidoglycan, pentaglycine bridges and other envelope components were proposed as possible explanations for this phenotype.
Despite all of these reports about development of lysostaphin resistance among S. aureus strains, an important observation was made recently by Kusuma and co-workers , which have demonstrated that the development of lysostaphin resistance, due to mutation in femA, by two strains of MRSA also led to a loss of fitness in the mutants. The diminished fitness was reflected by: (i) a reduced logarithmic growth rate, with mutants being outcompeted in co-cultures by their wild-type parental strains; (ii) increased susceptibility to elevated temperatures, and (iii) at least fivefold less virulence of the mutants than their wild-type strains in a mouse kidney infection model, with the mutants being outcompeted in co-infection with their wild-type parental strains. During a 14-day serial passage without selective pressure, the lysostaphin resistant mutants failed to develop compensatory mutations which restored their fitness.
Taken together, these results suggest that, should lysostaphin resistance due to an alteration in the FemA function emerge in S. aureus during therapy with lysostaphin, the resistant variants would be less fit and less virulent and, in addition, infections with these strains would be easily treatable with β-lactam antibiotics.
A current understanding of lysostaphin, the only class III bacteriocin so far exploited for clinical applications, has been presented. Examples of its in vitro and in vivo applications as a therapeutic agent against pathogenic staphylococci, including multiresistant strains, have clearly been shown. However, its broad clinical application waits for standardization of drug formulations either alone or in combination with other antibiotics. Moreover, since S. aureus is also a very important pathogen transmitted by food, being involved in numerous outbreaks in several countries, and since strains of this microorganism isolated from different foods have been shown by our group to be inhibited by lysostaphin (Table 2), this bacteriocin might be useful also as a biopreservative in food industry.
M.L.V.C. and B.G.C. are recipients of scholarships from CNPq and CAPES, respectively. The studies developed in our laboratory are supported by grants from CNPq, PRONEX, and FAPERJ to M.C.F.B.
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© 2010 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). | <urn:uuid:2955e909-5a8d-4df7-8fef-e66ba39eb30e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/3/4/1139/htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00017-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.855608 | 18,827 | 3.09375 | 3 |
"Fishapod" Reveals Origins of Head and Neck Structures of First Land Animals
Embargo expired: 15-Oct-2008 1:00 PM EDT
Source Newsroom: University of Chicago Medical Center
Newswise — Newly exposed parts of Tiktaalik roseae--the intermediate fossil between fish and the first animals to walk out of water onto land 375 million years ago--are revealing how this major evolutionary event happened. A new study, published this week in Nature, provides a detailed look at the internal head skeleton of Tiktaalik roseae and reveals a key intermediate step in the transformation of the skull that accompanied the shift to life on land by our distant ancestors.
A predator, up to nine feet long, with sharp teeth, a crocodile-like head and a flattened body, Tiktaalik's anatomy and way of life straddle the divide between fish and land-living animals. First described in 2006, and quickly dubbed the "fishapod," it had fish-like features such as a primitive jaw, fins and scales, as well as a skull, neck, ribs and parts of the limbs that are similar to tetrapods, four-legged animals.
The initial 2006 report did not describe the internal anatomy of the head, because those parts of the fossil were buried in rock. In the October 16, 2008, issue of Nature, the researchers describe this region and show how Tiktaalik was gaining structures that could allow it to support itself on solid ground and breathe air.
"We used to think of this transition of the neck and skull as a rapid event," said study author Neil Shubin, PhD, of the University of Chicago and Field Museum and co leader of the project, "largely because we lacked information about the intermediate animals. Tiktaalik neatly fills this morphological gap. It lets us see many of the individual steps and resolve the relative timing of this complex transition."
"The braincase, palate, and gill arch skeleton of Tiktaalik have been revealed in great detail by recent fossil preparation of several specimens," said Jason Downs, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Academy of Natural Sciences and lead author on the new study. "By revealing new details on the pattern of change in this part of the skeleton, we see that cranial features once associated with land-living animals were first adaptations for life in shallow water."
"The new study reminds us that the gradual transition from aquatic to terrestrial lifestyles required much more than the evolution of limbs," said Ted Daeschler, PhD, of the Academy of Natural Sciences and co-leader of the team that discovered Tiktaalik. "Our work demonstrates that, across this transition, the head of these animals was becoming more solidly constructed and, at the same time, more mobile with respect to the body." These changes are intimately associated with the change in environment.
Fish in deep water move and feed in three-dimensional space and can easily orient their body in the direction of their prey. A neck, seen for the first time in the fossil record in Tiktaalik, is advantageous in settings where the body is relatively fixed, as is the case in shallow water and on land where the body is supported by appendages planted against a substrate.
Another important component of this transition was the gradual reduction of the hyomandibula, a bony element that, in fish, coordinates the cranial motions associated with underwater feeding and respiration. In the transition to life on land, the hyomandibula loses these functions and the bone becomes available for an eventual role in hearing.
In humans, as in other mammals, the hyomandibula, or stapes, is one of the tiny bones in the middle ear. "The bony part of Tiktaalik's hyomandibula is greatly reduced from the primitive condition," said Downs, "and this could indicate that these animals, in shallow water settings, were already beginning to rely less on gill respiration."
The discoveries were made possible by laboratory preparators Fred Mullison and Bob Masek, who prepared the underside of the skull of specimens collected in 2004. This painstaking process took several years. This work showed the underside of the skull and gill bones "beautifully preserved," said Shubin, "to a degree unlike any creature of its kind at this transition."
Having multiple Tiktaalik specimens enabled the researchers to prepare the fossils in ways that showed the bones of the head in "exceptional detail," Downs said.
The team discovered Tiktaalik roseae on Ellesmere Island, in the Nunavut Territory of Canada, 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Though this region of Nunavut is now a harsh Arctic ecosystem, at the time that Tiktaalik lived, the area was much further south and was a subtropical floodplain ecosystem.
The formal scientific name for the new species, "Tiktaalik" (tic-TAH-lick), was derived by the Elders Council of Nunavut, the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. The Inuktikuk word means "a large, shallow-water fish." The paleontology team works in Nunavut with authorization from the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. All fossils are the property of the people of Nunavut and will be returned to Canada after they are studied.
The fossil research in Nunavut is carried out with authorization from the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Government of Nunavut. All fossils are the property of the people of Nunavut and will be returned to Canada after they are studied.
A cast of Tiktaalik, along with a fleshed-out model of the animal, are on display in the Evolving Planet exhibition at Chicago's Field Museum, where Shubin serves as Provost.
The research was supported by private donors, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Putnam Expeditionary Fund (Harvard University), the University of Chicago, the National Science Foundation, and the National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration. | <urn:uuid:2ceaf586-7857-4858-8883-a784540be30b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://newswise.com/articles/view/545236/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396029.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00086-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947522 | 1,269 | 3.765625 | 4 |
Today's editorial cartoon might be a form of reductio ad absurdum - countering a claim by taking it to absurd lengths - yet the premise prompts useful debate.
What this argument in favor of extending unemployment benefits overlooks is every dollar given to someone who is jobless ostensibly comes from a taxpayer who has a job. (Sure, the federal government add that dollar to the deficit, but the national debt eventually will cost taxpayers dollars.)
First, the figure used in the cartoon often is attributed to calculations by Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. The theory is when the government gives a jobless person money, that person can use it to shop for necessities. A store owner, in turn, uses it to restock the shelves, and it continues to ripple through the economy. That is the fiscal multiplier.
The Congressional Budget Office uses his approach to predicting the economic impact of government spending. For example, in November 2011, a CBO update said a dollar in unemployment aid would increase the gross domestic product between $0.40 to $1.90.
Tax cuts typically are forecast to have a lesser economic impact because it's assumed taxpayers might save some of that extra cash in the bank or use it to pay down debt. That would reduce the fiscal multiplier, at least in the near term.
Of course, Congress could cut spending elsewhere by the amount needed to extend jobless benefits. Taxpayers wouldn't foot the bill. Plus, people receiving unemployment likely spend more frugally than government bureaucrats.
But a better approach might be a targeted tax cut.
According to information Zandi gave to the Senate Finance Committee in April 2010, a job tax credit would result in $1.30 of economic growth for every $1 employers saved on their taxes.
We argue the money needed to extend unemployment benefits would be more effective if used to offset a job-creation tax credit. That could boost the economy by putting people to work, increasing economic output and creating even more jobs indirectly.
Remember, when the government subsidizes something, it tends to get more of it. | <urn:uuid:d4c99cae-8772-48ba-b788-8e13a4d60ba6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/page/content.detail/id/560736/Subsidize-jobs-to-help-the-jobless.html?nav=5006 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392159.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00183-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954507 | 424 | 2.75 | 3 |
Death rates from leukaemia among people of all ages in Europe are falling, according to the latest predictions for European cancer deaths in 2016, published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology today (Wednesday).
The study shows that falls in leukaemia death rates will be greatest among children and young adults of both sexes. Between 2009 and 2016 death rates from leukaemia among children aged 0-14 will fall by 38% in boys and 20% in girls, and by 26% and 22% in young men and women respectively, aged between 15-44. Among men and women aged 45-69 the death rates will fall by 19%.
The authors of the study say that improvements in management, multi-drug chemotherapy, immunotherapies, stem cell transplants, radiotherapy and treatments that have less toxic side-effects have all contributed to the improvement in survival from leukaemia. However, some leukaemias remain hard to treat successfully, particularly those that are more common in adults and the elderly.
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is most frequent in children, adolescents and young adults, and it has a five-year survival rate of over 90%. Stem cell transplants and new chemotherapy treatments have improved survival in acute myelogenous leukaemia, which is relatively common in adults and the elderly. However, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), which is more common in the elderly, is difficult to cure, although long-term survival has been achieved in chronic myeloid leukaemia due to the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (drugs that block signals promoting cancer cell growth).
Carlo La Vecchia (MD), Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan (Italy), one of the study authors, said: "Predictions of death rates from leukaemia are complicated by the fact that leukaemias are a varied collection of blood cancers, with some being more treatable than others. However, the important falls in overall death rates from this group of diseases are very encouraging and are a testament to the hard work of researchers and clinicians in developing and implementing better diagnosis and treatments. We do not understand much about the causes of leukaemias, and so more research is needed in this area."
The study by researchers in Italy, Switzerland and the USA looked at cancer death rates in the EU 28 member states as a whole and also in the six largest countries - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK - for all cancers, and, individually, for stomach, intestines, pancreas, lung, prostate, breast, uterus (including cervix) and leukaemias for men and women. This is the sixth consecutive year the researchers have published these predictions and there are encouraging downward trends in deaths from most cancers.
Since 2011 there has been a fall in total cancer death rates in the EU of 8% in men and 3% in women. In 2016 the predicted age standardised rate of deaths in men will be 133.5 per 100,000 of the population and 85.2 per 100,000 in women. As the number of elderly people in Europe is increasing, the actual number of deaths will rise from 734,259 in 2011 to 753,600 in men in 2016, and from 580,528 to 605,900 in women, making a total of nearly 1,359,500 deaths predicted for 2016. However, Professor La Vecchia said: "The absolute numbers of cancer deaths are likely to level off in the future."
He continued: "Although we are seeing declining death rates, the number of new cases of cancer are increasing, placing a growing burden on national health services, and so governments should be aware of this and plan for it."
In men, death rates from lung, colorectal and prostate cancer are predicted to fall by 11%, 5% and 8% respectively since 2011. In women, death rates from breast and colorectal cancer will fall by 8% and 7% respectively, but lung and pancreatic cancer rates will rise by 5% and 4%; in 2016 the death rates from lung cancer in Europe will be 14.4 per 100,000 women (compared to 13.51 in 2011) and 5.6 per 100,000 for pancreatic cancer (compared to 5.39 in 2011).
However, the picture varies from country to country. For instance, among the six largest countries, although the actual numbers of female deaths from lung cancer will still be the highest in the UK in 2016 than in the other large countries (at 16,400), the rate per 100,000 women has started to fall (from 20.15 per 100,000 in 2013 to 19.37 predicted in 2016), while death rates are still rising in the other countries.
Professor La Vecchia said: "There is a moderate fall in deaths rates in female lung cancer in the UK, although UK rates are still higher than in other EU countries, except Denmark, as British women started to smoke earlier. Rates of deaths for all ages are still comparatively high, but they are levelling off, while rates for the young generation of UK women are lower than in most other large EU countries."
Co-author, Fabio Levi (MD), Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, (Switzerland), said: "We need effective tobacco control in European women in order for overall rates to level off at around 15 to 17 per 100,000, and so that subsequently we can start seeing a fall in female lung cancer rates in Europe."
"European cancer mortality predictions for the year 2016: with focus on leukaemias", by M. Malvezzi, G. Carioli, P. Bertuccio, T. Rosso, P. Boffetta, F. Levi, C. La Vecchia and E. Negri. Annals of Oncology. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdw022
The EU now has 28 member states, with Croatia joining in 2013. Updated data from the World Health Organization has made it possible to obtain accurate EU age standardised death rates for 2011, against which the predictions for 2016 can be compared.
Age-standardised rates per 100,000 of the population reflect the annual probability of dying. | <urn:uuid:787d73d4-382d-4da3-ae63-b8741dafec06> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-01/esfm-ifi012516.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396945.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00055-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952414 | 1,308 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Naturopathic physicians view multiple sclerosis (MS) as they do other disease processes, that is, from a wholistic perspective. The illness is seen as a combination of physical, mental/emotional and in some cases, spiritual aspects. A naturopathic physician will use a variety of
diagnostic methods to evaluate the patient. These range from conventional testing, such as laboratory studies, magnetic resonance imaging and ultra sound examination, to the less well known pulse and tongue diagnostic procedures. By using a combination of diagnostic modalities, as well as listening to what the person has to say about his or her illness, the physician is better able to assess the disordered internal environment.
Given 10 individuals with MS, the physician is presented with a set of
symptoms which have a commonalty and some which are unique to certain individuals. In the Naturopathic view, these symptoms are the body's way of telling the affected person that something is wrong and that it is attempting to correct the imbalance imposed on it by the disease. The pattern of symptoms experienced by the patient becomes even more important than the diagnosis, as it allows the physician to select the medicines with which to treat the person. This is based upon the vitalist tradition of medicine which was first expounded by Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine.
Prior to the early part of this century, MS was not recognized as a specific disease entity except in rare cases. The incidence of
the disease, especially in industrialized nations, has risen in the past 50 years to its present level. Conventional medicine generally views MS as being an incurable disease characterized by periods of
decline and remission.
Naturopathic physicians do not see the disease process as being incurable or one of inevitable decline, as they believe in the healing power of nature, or vis medicatrix naturae. What is important to understand is that the healing ability of the body begins early at the onset of the disease before any destruction of the nervous system or pathology takes place. This is why early diagnosis is often missed by conventional medicine as it relies primarily on the presence of diagnostic markers such as the presence of oligoclonal proteins in the spinal fluid or a poor flicker-fusion response. These changes are not seen until there is a considerable progression of the disease.
Because any symptom is seen as an attempt by the body to correct itself, MS may be treated early, allowing for a greater rate of success and
recovery. In my experience, even patients who are in the advanced stages will benefit from natural therapeutics as they act in harmony with the normal body healing processes.
Naturopathic physicians may use a variety of therapeutic modalities ranging from conventional drug therapy to diet and nutrition, homeopathy, physical medicine, acupuncture, and the use of plants or botanical medicine while treating the whole person, not necessarily the "disease".
Naturopathic physicians have long held that most of the chronic degenerative disease of our modern era are diet related. The higher incidences of multiple sclerosis parallel increased rates of cancer, heart disease and arthritis, as well as other chronic degenerative diseases, and all of these coincide with the introduction of high fat, high refined sugar and processed food diets which has become the standard diet of most Americans. There has been a considerable body of research which bears this out, most notably that of Francis Pottenger, M. D., Weston Price, DDS and Roy Swank, M. D.. | <urn:uuid:cbe8d538-46e2-47fd-9e20-315f89fb287e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Multiple_Sclerosis_and_Alternative_Medicine/729/1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00063-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962649 | 706 | 2.6875 | 3 |
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