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Books Palaeontology Palaeozoology & Extinctions
Popular Science
By: WJT Mitchell(Author)
321 pages, Col and b/w photos, col and b/w illus
University of Chicago Press
Hardback | Oct 1998 | #84743 | ISBN: 0226532046
Availability: Usually dispatched within 4 days Details
NHBS Price: £24.50 $32/€27 approx
About this book
For animals that have been dead millions of years, dinosaurs are extraordinarily pervasive in our everyday lives. Appearing in ads, books, movies, museums, television, toy stores, and novels, they continually fascinate both adults and children. How did they move from natural extinction to pop culture resurrection? What is the source of their powerful appeal? Until now, no one has addressed this question in a comprehensive way. In this lively and engrossing exploration of the animal's place in our lives, W.J.T. Mitchell shows why we are so attached to the myth and the reality of the "terrible lizards."
Mitchell aims to trace the cultural family tree of the dinosaur, and what he discovers is a creature of striking flexibility, linked to dragons and mammoths, skyscrapers and steam engines, cowboys and Indians. In the vast territory between the cunning predators of Jurassic Park and the mawkishly sweet Barney, from political leviathans to corporate icons, from paleontology to Barnum and Bailey, Mitchell finds a cultural symbol whose plurality of meaning and often contradictory nature is emblematic of modern society itself. As a scientific entity, the dinosaur endured a near-eclipse for over a century, but as an image it is enjoying its widest circulation. And it endures, according to Mitchell, because it is uniquely malleable, a figure of both innovation and obsolescence, massive power and pathetic failure – the totem animal of modernity.
Drawing unforeseen and unusual connections at every turn between dinosaurs real and imagined, The Last Dinosaur Book is the first to delve so deeply, so insightfully, and so enjoyably into our modern dino-obsession.
""[...] brilliant and truly original. It is the first serious attempt by a cultural historian to understand the extraordinarily strong hold that dinosaurs have taken on the imagination of whole sections of the population, not just children. Mitchell has wonderfully mastered the field of dinosaurs, from systematics to science fiction, and the delight of the book is in the interpretations."
- Keith Thomson, Director, Oxford University Museum of Natural History
1: Reptilicus erectus
2: Big, Fierce, Extinct
3: A Stegosaurus Made of Money
4: The End of Dinosaurology
5: The Last Thunder Horse West of the Mississippi
6: Dinotopia: The Newt World Order
7: The Last Dinostory: As Told by Himself
8: Seeing Saurians
9: Sorting Species
10: Monsters and Dinomania
11: Big MacDino
12: The Totem Animal of Modernity
13: The Way of Dragons
14: Dry Bones
15: On the Evolution of Images
16: Thomas Jefferson, Paleontologist
17: Frames, Skeletons, Constitutions
18: The Victorian Dinosaur
19: Coming to America
20: Bones for Darwin's Bulldog
21: Schizosaur
22: Dinosaurs Moralized
23: Pale-Ontology, or It's Not Easy Being Green
24: Potlatch and Purity
25: Diplodocus carnegii
26: Totems and Bones
27: Indiana Jones and Barnum Bones
28: Worlds Well Lost
29: Bringing Down Baby
30: Miner's Canary or Trojan Horse?
31: The Age of Reptiles
32: The Hundred Story Beast
33: Structure, Energy, Information
34: Catastrophe, Entropy, Chaos
35: The Age of Biocybernetic Reproduction
36: Carnosaurs and Consumption
37: Why Children Hate Dinosaurs
38: Dinos R Us: Identification and Fantasy
39: Calvinosaurus: From T. rex to O. Rex
40: Transitional Objects: From Breast to Brontosaurus Paleoart 265
A: Scrotum Humanum: The True Name of the Dinosaur
B: Science and Culture
Selected Bibliography
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VAT: GB 407 4846 44
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Around the South Jamaica housing projects in Queens, young men with pit bulls guard street corners and rap music blares from car stereos. But one house, on 110th Avenue, seems to openly defy its gritty surroundings.
Its owner, Milford Graves, has covered it with an ornate mosaic of stones, reflective metal and hunks of discarded marble, arranged in cheery patterns. The yard is a lush garden, dense with citrus trees, herbs and exotic plants.
Continue reading the main story
In 1967, Mr. Graves was honored in a Down Beat magazine critics' poll as the year's bright new talent. He had offers of lucrative gigs from artists like Miles Davis and the South African singer Miriam Makeba.
In his basement, he converted the heartbeats to a higher register and dissected them. Behind the basic binary thum-THUMP beat, he heard other rhythms -- more spontaneous and complex patterns in less-regular time intervals -- akin to a drummer using his four limbs independently.
"A lot of it was like free jazz," Mr. Graves said one day last week in his basement. "There were rhythms I had only heard in Cuban and Nigerian music." He demonstrated by thumping a steady bum-BUM rhythm on a conga with his right hand, while delivering with his left a series of unconnected rhythms on an hourglass-shaped talking drum.
Mr. Graves created computer programs to analyze the heart's rhythms and pitches, which are caused by muscle and valve movement. The pitches correspond to actual notes on the Western musical scale. Raised several octaves, the cardiac sounds became rather melodic.
"When I hooked up to the four chambers of the heart, it sounded like four-part harmony," Mr. Graves said.
He began composing with the sounds -- both by transcribing heartbeat melodies and by using recorded fragments. He also realized he could help detect heart problems, maybe even cure them.
"A healthy heart has strong, supple walls, so the sound usually has a nice flow," he said. "You hear it and say, 'Ah, now that's hip.' But an unhealthy heart has stiff and brittle muscles. There's less compliance, and sounds can come out up to three octaves higher than normal.
"You can pinpoint things by the melody. You can hear something and say, 'Ah, sounds like a problem in the right atrium."'
In 2000, Mr. Graves received a grant from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, which he said gave him money to buy essential equipment.
Dr. Baruch Krauss, who teaches pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and is an emergency physician at Boston Children's Hospital, said the medical establishment has only recently begun to appreciate the rhythmic and tonal complexities of the heartbeat and speak about it in terms of syncopation and polyrhythms.
"This is what a Renaissance man looks like today," said Dr. Krauss, who studied acupuncture with Mr. Graves and follows his research. "To see this guy tinkering with stuff in a basement in Queens, you wonder how it could be legitimate. But Milford is right on the cutting edge of this stuff. He brings to it what doctors can't, because he approaches it as a musician."
Dr. Ram Jadonath, director of electrophysiology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., said Mr. Graves's theories sounded plausible but should not replace a standard medical assessment from a doctor.
"The heartbeat is a form of musical rhythm, and if you have a musical ear, you can hear heart problems a lot easier," he said. "Many heart rhythm disturbances are stress-related, and you have cells misfiring. It is possible to redirect or retrain them with musical therapy. They do respond to suggestion. That's the area where his biofeedback could correct those type of problems."
Mr. Graves said he brings unusual strengths to his medical work.
"To hear if a melody sounds right or not, you've got to look at it as an artist, not a doctor," he said. "If you're trying to listen to a musical sound with no musical ability, you're not feeling it, man."
Mr. Graves claims he can help a flawed heartbeat through biofeedback. He creates what he calls a "corrected heartbeat" using an algorhythmic formula, or by old-fashioned composing, and then feeds it back to the patient, whose heart is then trained to adopt the healthy beat. The patient can listen to a recording of the corrected heartbeat, or it can be imparted directly through a speaker that vibrates a needle stuck into acupuncture points.
"If they don't want that," he added, "I can give them a CD."
Last week, Dennis Thomas, 49, visited Mr. Graves in his basement complaining of severe chest congestion. Mr. Thomas said his doctor had diagnosed bronchial asthma and given him medication that had not been effective.
Mr. Graves said the problem might be related to Mr. Thomas's heart and recorded his heartbeat. With the help of a computer program, Mr. Graves tinkered with the rhythm and amplitude and then attempted to stimulate Mr. Thomas's heart by playing the "corrected" beat both through a speaker and through a wire stuck into an acupuncture point in his wrist.
"I gave him a double shot," Mr. Graves explained. After 10 minutes of treatment, Mr. Thomas's heart rate had risen about 10 beats per minute, according to a monitor.
Mr. Thomas, a city bus driver from Jamaica who used to study martial arts with Mr. Graves, said that he felt improvement afterward.
"I started breathing easier and felt more relaxed," he said.
In addition to his medical work, Mr. Graves analyzes the heartbeats of his music students, hoping to help them play deeper and more personal music. The idea, he said, is to find their most prevalent rhythms and pitches and incorporate them into their playing.
The composer and saxophonist John Zorn called Mr. Graves "basically a 20th-century shaman."
"He's taken traditional drum technique so far that there's no further place to go, so he's going to the source, his heart," Mr. Zorn said.
"This culture is not equipped to appreciate someone like Milford," he said. "In Korea, he'd be a national treasure. Here, he's just some weird guy who lives in Queens."
Continue reading the main story | <urn:uuid:fa3708e3-dbdd-4aa7-8819-3794c1c43c82> | 2 | 2.09375 | 0.10323 | en | 0.975365 | http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/09/nyregion/finding-healing-music-in-the-heart.html |
Environment in emerging and transition economies
EaP GREEN: Reform of environmentally harmful subsidies
Reforming environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS) is a fundamental element of green growth strategies and confers a range of benefits to countries that undertale such reforms. These include, among others, reducing the use of resource intensive inputs (e.g. energy) and subsequent decrease in pollution levels, fixing market distrortions by making resource prices reflect resource value, and polluters pay for their pollution; releasing and/or relallocating public funding to other areas, such as education, energy saving or reducing debt.
Determining the environmental impact of different subsidies is often complicated because specific policy measures do not take place in isolation, but within a broad and evolving socio-economic and technological context. Due to very patchy data and information but also because of the lack of a harmonised methodology for recording and reporting subsidies, identifying and calculating the size of EHS schemes is not easy and will require the concerted efforts of many different parties in a given government.
Objectives and activities
1. Develop policy guidance tools to prepare EHS reform action plans. The guidance will be based on tools and methods for identifying, measuring and evaluating subsidies that are environmentally-harmful and economically wasteful. The experience with applying these analytical tools in preparing EHS reform plans, including from the EU countries, will be presented in several regional meetings with the participation of key stakeholders from the EaP countries.
2. Implement country projects. The OECD will work in three countries to develop action plans to reform EHS in selected sectors (such as energy, agriculture or water). Each project will aim at facilitating a national-level policy dialogue to generate political support for the adoption and implementation of the actions plan proposed for the country.
3. Build capacity and political support in other EaP countries to develop action plans to reform EHS. Organisation of stakeholder meetings in the EaP countries other than those hosting the pilot projects to disseminate policy recommendations and lessons learned from other countries in the region.
DID YOU KNOW? ....that there is some evidence that fossil fuel consumer subsidies in the EaP countries might be large. The International Energy Agency estimated that, in 2011, fossil fuel subsidies for consumers (oil, coal, gas, electricity) totalled about USD 2 billion in Azerbaijan (about 3% of GDP), about USD 6 billion (3.3% of GDP) in Kazakhstan and about USD 9 billion in Ukraine (about 6% of its GDP). | <urn:uuid:b069356a-720e-44d3-9386-6f78102e1789> | 3 | 2.796875 | 0.050953 | en | 0.917403 | http://www.oecd.org/env/outreach/eapgreen-ehs.htm |
Be prepared with our Hurricane Guide, forecasts and latest storm news
Henry M: The Day One Man's Memory Died
The Hartford Courant
Henry M. was awake as the surgeon inserted a metal straw deep within his brain and suctioned out a piece of tissue the length of an index finger.
The surgeon, William Beecher Scoville of West Hartford, talked to the 27-year-old Hartford man during the experimental operation, which he hoped would end his patient's epileptic seizures.
But a reduction in seizures came at a catastrophic cost: Henry no longer could make new memories.
From that summer day in 1953, Henry M. never again retained a conscious recollection of people, places or things he encountered. His intelligence remained intact, but his memory turned into a sort of Etch A Sketch, perpetually erased seconds after he turns his attention elsewhere.
Today, Henry M. is by most accounts a genial old man who lives in a Hartford area nursing home, unable to recognize aides who have cared for him for years. His most recent memories date to when Eisenhower was president. His full name and residence are secrets, jealously guarded by a few neuroscientists who have dubbed him H.M. and built their careers studying his profound loss.
The precisely carved hole in Henry's brain has turned out to be a treasure trove of information about the multiple facets of memory. Over the decades, dozens of scientists have made a pilgrimage to meet Henry, seeking to mine meaning from the man who lost his ability to hold a half-century of his personal history.
Henry is unaware that he has become one of the most famous subjects in the history of psychology -- a textbook example of the importance of memory in the formation of identity -- or that his story still spurs questions about medical ethics and patients' rights.
Dr. James Duffy, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut and director of psychiatric consultation services at Hartford Hospital, says he has not met Henry but suspects the man has become an afterthought in science's relentless pursuit of knowledge.
``Scientists are good at slicing off pieces of patients and manipulating them under a microscope,'' Duffy said, ``but we don't want to take responsibility for their well-being.''
Wiped Away
What the world knows of Henry M. is limited mostly to lifeless prose of psychology textbooks and scientific papers, which devote many more pages to the incisions that removed most of Henry's medial temporal lobe than to his likes and dislikes, his hopes and dreams.
Scientists who have worked with Henry say his memories of childhood, adolescence and young adulthood -- the only conscious memories he has -- have a brittle, worn quality to them. For Henry, the people he talks with are always strangers. And his stories are invariably the same, lacking the sinew, blood and muscle with which memory infuses experience.
``The stories he tells are incredibly similar each time he tells them,'' said John Gabrieli, a neuroscientist at Stanford University who studied Henry extensively during the 1980s. ``There is a bland, stereotyped quality to his conversations. What are you going to say when everyone is a stranger?''
Henry is a big man who has become bigger and softer after years of a sedentary lifestyle. He likes to eat. He is going bald and wears glasses. He still takes medication to control epileptic seizures, which were reduced but not eliminated by the operation. Today, he has osteoporosis and recently has had to depend on a wheelchair to get around. He will need cataract surgery soon.
Apparently, Henry was always good-natured, which makes it difficult to determine just how much his gentle, agreeable demeanor is the result of his operation.
Henry seldom expresses any interest in the topic of sex, but he also had no serious girlfriends before the operation. So scientists don't know if Henry's sex drive, like his memory, was a casualty of the surgery.
There is little biographical information available on Henry and much of it he has supplied himself.
Henry M.'s father was an electrician who migrated from Louisiana in the 1920s to Hartford, where Henry was born in 1926. The family attended church in Hartford and moved to East Hartford by the time Henry was a teenager. Later, they moved to a more rural part of Hartford County.
Henry remembers roller-skating. He remembers shooting his father's gun in the woods. But unless he is coached, he doesn't remember that his parents are dead.
Unofficial Guardian
The person who knows as much about Henry as anyone is Suzanne Corkin, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who has worked with Henry since 1962. Corkin acts as a sort of unofficial guardian of Henry's interests, along with Montreal scientist Brenda Milner. It was Milner who, with Scoville, in 1957 co-authored the first scientific paper describing the extent of Henry's memory loss.
Corkin and Milner decided that instead of conducting tests on Henry in Montreal, it would be easier to work with Henry at MIT, closer to his Hartford home.
Corkin's connection to Henry's case actually reaches back into her childhood. She was Scoville's neighbor growing up on North Steele Road in West Hartford and remains friends with the surgeon's daughter.
Corkin said she and Milner decided long ago not to allow the media to interview Henry and actively discouraged efforts to write about him. She said that it would be unethical to discuss his medical records and that there are few details of his life before the surgery.
Misinformation about Henry is rampant, including reports that he may suffer from depression, she added.
But other scientific researchers say that when it comes to controlling information about Henry, Corkin is as zealous with them as she is with reporters.
Endel Tulving, a memory researcher and retired professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, said Corkin refused to allow him to tape-record an interview with Henry.
``It's just silliness,'' said Tulving. He said he has worked with a Canadian amnesiac with a similar devastating memory loss who has been interviewed on several television shows.
Corkin said more than 100 scientists have worked with Henry during the past 50 years.
One fact is almost universally reported about Henry. At the age of 9, Henry was knocked unconscious after he was hit by a bicyclist. Soon after, he experienced his first minor epileptic seizures. On his 16th birthday, he suffered a grand mal seizure.
James Bond In Scrubs
Henry was 27 -- and having as many as 10 minor seizures a day and at least one major seizure a week -- when his case came to the attention of Dr. William Beecher Scoville, a flamboyant descendant of the illustrious Connecticut family that produced ``Uncle Tom's Cabin'' author Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Scoville was a fearless -- some say reckless -- pioneer in developing surgical remedies for a variety of intractable psychological conditions. He was best known internationally for his technical improvements in the performance of lobotomies, which then were regularly conducted at Hartford Hospital and the Institute of Living, one of the world's top centers for the treatment of mental illness.
He received many awards for his work. He founded an international society of brain surgeons that still gives out an annual award in his name. The University of Connecticut Health Center has an endowed chair that bears his name.
No one who met Scoville forgot him.
While Henry M. is genial, meek and eager to please, Scoville was a sort of James Bond in scrubs who loved fast, expensive cars and motorcycles, a demanding dynamo in the operating room, brilliant at his craft.
``Bill drove fast, lived hard and operated where angels feared to tread,'' said Dr. David Crombie, former chief of surgery at Hartford Hospital who met Scoville in the early 1960s as an intern at the hospital and became friends with his son.
Scoville was an early advocate of helmets for motorcyclists, but never wore one himself, despite riding at speeds that terrified friends and colleagues, Crombie recalled.
``He said you had to wear a helmet -- unless you were keenly aware,'' Crombie said. ``He had a sense of invincibility about him.''
Scoville typically operated on people with intractable schizophrenia or severe depression. But in 1953, Scoville thought he might be able to alleviate Henry's epilepsy. Epilepsy can originate within the medial temporal lobe, a structure that extends on both sides of the brain roughly under the temples.
Scoville decided to remove a greater area of brain tissue from Henry than had been removed from patients who had undergone similar surgeries.
A half-century ago, doctors did not need to get a hospital's permission to try innovative operations. They were under no obligation to conduct trials before they tried new procedures on a patient. Henry and other patients did not have to sign informed-consent papers saying they knew the risks involved, although it is unlikely Henry or his working-class parents would have questioned the advice of a famous surgeon.
``In those days, the doctor's word was God,'' said Al Herzog, a psychiatrist and vice president of medical affairs at Hartford Hospital. ``In an odd way, people like Scoville helped create the ethical standards in use today. By pushing the boundaries of surgical practice, Scoville and others led hospitals to establish institutional review boards, patient protocols, things like that.''
A `Successful' Operation
Late in the summer of 1953, either at Hartford Hospital or at the nearby Institute of Living in the single operating room where lobotomies were performed, Scoville took out most of Henry's medial temporal lobe, including all or parts of the hippocampus and amygdala.
Scoville originally dubbed the operation a success, although Henry couldn't remember the way to the bathroom or the names of the nurses who cared for him.
A few years later in a research paper, Scoville would strongly urge surgeons not to duplicate his ``experimental'' operation because of its devastating effects on Henry's memory.
``It bothered him. You could see it in his eyes,'' recalls Dr. Robert Correll, director of psychology testing services at Hartford Hospital who came to Connecticut from Iowa University in 1958 to try with Scoville to duplicate the effects of the operation in monkeys. ``Bill's goal was to be perfect. He didn't make mistakes.''
In the decades that followed, Henry often told researchers that as a child he had wanted to be a brain surgeon. Henry seems to mingle the recollection of his childhood dream and his own operation, the last memory he would ever preserve, in a sort of never-ending loop.
During one interview, Henry told a researcher that he nixed the idea of becoming a surgeon because he wore glasses, ``and you could make the wrong movement then ... and that person could be dead, or paralyzed.''
He was then asked if he remembered his own operation.
``Well, I think I was, ah, well, I'm having an argument with myself right away. I'm the third or fourth person who had it, and I think that they, well, possibly didn't make the right movement at the right time, themselves. But they learned something.''
They did, indeed, the researcher told Henry, who then again brought up Henry's childhood.
``A funny part, I always thought of being a brain surgeon myself. ... And then I said no to myself. ... An attendant might move your glasses over and you would make the wrong movement.''
Do you remember who the surgeon was who did your operation, the researcher asked.
``No, I don't.''
``Sc--,'' the researcher hinted.
``Scoville,'' Henry said.
Understanding The Mind
Scoville was killed in 1984, at the age of 78, when he backed up his car on the highway to get to an exit he had missed. Renowned in his time for innovative improvements to a surgical procedure now held in disrepute, the confident, perfectionist surgeon is best remembered for obliterating the memory of a young working-class Hartford man.
Science's understanding of the brain changed dramatically after Scoville and Milner published their paper in 1957 describing the effects of the operation.
It had been impossible for scientists to determine how specific areas of the brain created the richness of the human mind -- most often understood in abstract terms, such as Sigmund Freud's id, ego and superego.
``Freud was stuck; he couldn't make those connections,'' Herzog said. ``But with cases like H.M., the connections became more obvious. You can't run away from the importance of H.M.''
One of the first lessons Henry taught scientists was that intelligence and memory are separate entities.
Henry would have flunked out of any class in which he had to learn new information because of his inability to recall new facts. Yet his IQ remained slightly above average and his ability to solve problems was unaffected by the operation.
``We now know from 30 years of animal studies that it was the most devastating surgical resection you can possibly make, but it also stopped at the border of all the important areas of the brain associated with intelligence,'' Gabrieli said.
And because Henry could retain memories for very short periods of time, it became clear that different structures of the brain perform different functions in the storage and retrieval of memories.
The brain structures removed by Scoville turned out to be crucial in converting experience into long-term memories, but not in storing them.
``Until H.M., memory was viewed as essentially a unitary faculty,'' said Larry Squire, a neuroscientist at the University of California at San Diego and a leading memory researcher.
Scientists knew during the 1950s, for instance, that motor and muscle skill memories were processed differently than, say, how we recall that Bismarck is the capital of North Dakota. ``But that proved to be tip of the iceberg,'' Squire said.
One of the major hurdles that confronted scientists studying Henry is that the medial temporal lobe contains several brain structures. In the decades since Scoville operated, scientists such as Squire have worked with animals to try to tease out the specific function of each of these individual structures. The discipline known as cognitive neuroscience emerged to describe how various parts of the brain cooperate and allow humans to accomplish complex tasks such as memorization.
``He is the most dramatic example of a patient who tragically became an experiment of nature,'' said Eric Kandel, Nobel laureate and professor of physiology and psychology at Columbia University. ``That single case enlightened a whole body of knowledge.''
Learning Vs. Remembering
Scientists became so infatuated with Henry, Tulving said, that they missed evidence that other areas of the brain also contribute to memory.
``I think H.M. was a bad thing for our science. Everyone got mesmerized by H.M.,'' Tulving said. ``The whole world revolved around one case, and other cases were not followed up.''
Experiments with Henry and other amnesiacs and, more recently, various brain-imaging studies have revealed that memory is a multilayered set of processes. In some cases, such as in our recall of emotionally charged events, those processes can be at work without our conscious awareness.
In one early study, Henry showed that he could learn new skills, even though he had no conscious recollection of having previously performed the task. Henry got better at copying shapes he viewed through a mirror, even though he told researchers he had never done it before.
Gabrieli's research showed Henry can do the same thing with some word tasks. Gabrieli provided Henry with a list of words such as tangerine, apple and bazooka. When asked minutes later, Henry could not remember any of the words on the list.
``But when you ask him, `Can you name a weapon?' he will say, `Bazooka.' And then he says, `Why, that's an odd weapon. I wonder why I picked that one?''' Gabrieli said.
Such studies have shown that different types of memory are compartmentalized in different areas -- and also that the brain has the flexibility to compensate for some deficits.
For instance, Lawrence Weiskrantz of the experimental psychology department at Oxford University has studied a phenomenon he calls ``blindsight.'' Weiskrantz, who coincidentally was working at Hartford Hospital on his thesis when Scoville operated on Henry, worked with subjects who are blind because of damage in their brain. Despite the damage to their visual cortex, they can ``see'' objects. When asked to grab for flashing bars projected onto a screen, the subjects protested they could not see the bars. But, when asked to ``guess,'' they reached toward the flashing bars with great accuracy.
Henry knows nothing of his legacy. Time essentially stopped for him 50 years ago.
His last conscious memories are of the years before 1953, although his image in the mirror and other evidence seem to convince him that time has passed which he can't account for. Asked where he lives, Henry often gives the address of a house where he lived before the operation. Pressed to recall if he had met a visitor before, he might guess he or she was someone he knew in his youth.
``He thinks we went to high school together,'' Corkin said.
Since 1980, Henry has lived in a nursing home, where he likes to do crossword puzzles.
While doctors have treated Henry for a variety of ailments, Corkin said, ``there is no treatment for memory impairment.''
As Kandel said: ``It's hard for us to conceive what he really experiences.''
Waking From A Dream
Henry used to travel three times a year to MIT, where scientists conducted experiments on him. But Henry has become frail enough in recent years that the scientists now come to him, Corkin said.
When Henry is asked whether he is willing to participate in such studies, he invariably agrees, always saying other people may be helped by such knowledge.
Where does that belief come from?
``That's puzzled me, too,'' Gabrieli said.
Henry has no way of knowing that the research of the past 50 years has helped people. And such an idea couldn't be planted in his mind because he lacks the parts of his brain necessary to store and retrieve such a suggestion.
Gabrieli speculates that Henry might be reaching back to one of his last memories, when Scoville or another doctor might have told him that other epileptics could benefit from the lessons learned from his surgery. So, again and again for the past half-century, Henry has agreed to be the subject of experiments, just as he did before surgery robbed him of his memory.
Corkin offers a different explanation: ``I think he was just well brought up.''
Today, Henry is still the subject of experiments, although other amnesiacs with related memory deficits have been discovered and studied. New imaging technologies also have revolutionized the study of memory by allowing scientists to view the brain working in healthy subjects.
Yet Henry's life continues to fascinate.
``Whenever I give a talk about H.M., the questions never stop,'' Corkin said. ``The audience asks questions; people come up and ask me questions afterwards. It happens every time. He is a national treasure.''
As the 50th anniversary of the operation approaches, Dr. James Duffy has come to believe that society, which has learned so much from Henry, owes him something more.
``What is my responsibility as a scientist? Is it to just generate knowledge, or is it something else?'' Duffy asked. ``Henry presents us with questions larger than the mechanics of the memory system. We need to understand what he has become in the absence of memory.
``Why is it that we only ask about his memory,'' Duffy said, ``not about who he has become?''
Corkin cautioned against drawing any universal conclusions from Henry's situation.
``Henry is an `n' of one,'' she said, using a mathematical symbol to stress his singularity. ``It is not clear how his experience can generalize to anyone.''
Every moment, as his past disappears into an abyss, Henry asks his own set of questions.
``Right now, I am wondering if I have done or said anything amiss,'' Henry once told a researcher. ``You see, at this moment everything looks clear to me, but what happened just before, that's what worries me. It's like waking from a dream I just don't remember.''
Copyright © 2017, Orlando Sentinel | <urn:uuid:42736a73-037b-40e7-8d36-2673dd16655f> | 2 | 2.3125 | 0.069471 | en | 0.980592 | http://www.orlandosentinel.com/hc-archive-henry-m-dec-2002-story.html |
Tony Martin and English Self-Defense Laws
Calling back to a great scene in a classic 80s comedy film:
You can’t have a discussion about self-defense in the United Kingdom without gun owners pulling Tony Martin out of their asses, but I often wonder how many gun owners have a deep understanding of the case, and what the facts were surrounding it. To understand why takes a bit of delving into self-defense law in both the UK and US. While I’m far from an expert on these topics, I think I do have enough rudimentary understanding to try to explain the background, and illustrate how the Martin case shows the differences in self-defense laws between the US and the UK.
Despite common belief, English self-defense laws have changed little since 1968. You can see the current law here, which just clarifies the common law in England a bit. Self-defense in the UK can best be described as:
For contrast, you can find Pennsylvania’s law here. Pennsylvania justifies the use of force (not deadly force) under limited circumstances, and proscribes the use of deadly force except in extreme and dire circumstances. American self-defense laws commonly make a distinction between the use of force and the use of deadly force, where as English law attempts to cover the whole spectrum of force through a reasonableness test. If you use deadly force or force in most of the United States, you will still be subject to a similar reasonableness test, but a jury will be asked whether you acted reasonably, as a reasonable person, in terms of the circumstances under which you acted. In the United Kingdom, the jury will be asked whether the force you used was reasonable. In American law, that’s spelled out more distinctly. Pennsylvania, for instance, allows you to use whatever force is necessary, not reasonable, though Pennsylvania requires that deadly force is only permitted in certain dire and extreme circumstances.
But despite the differences, to the extent that self-defense in danger across the pond, it’s largely because of shifting cultural attitudes away from the use of deadly force in self-defense. If you brought the self-defense laws of England over to the United States, practically speaking not much would change about self-defense, because most Americans believe that using deadly force on a home invader is reasonable, while Englishmen do not embrace the concept to such a great extent anymore. In addition, American jury verdicts require unanimity, whereas English juries do not require it. These factors promote differences in the kinds of cases that will be prosecuted in each of those respective jurisdictions. Prosecutors are going to respond to what they know they will get out of a jury. Practically speaking, even in a state like Pennsylvania, which does not have Castle Doctrine, a prosecutor is going to be reluctant to bring a case of a homeowner shooting a home invader because that case is highly likely to end in acquittal. He will take care to make sure the facts of the case show a serious wrong or error on the part of the actor, more care than his English counterpart, because his English counterpart only has to get 10 out of 12 jury members to believe that the homeowners use of force was out of proportion, and therefore not reasonable. While it’s still theoretically justifiable to use deadly force in self-defense in England, it is much more likely to result in prosecution there, because it’s much more likely to result in conviction. Self-defense has not been eradicated in the UK, but it has been weakened. Changing mores about self-defense are only part of the story. There’s a much larger story at play here, a big part of which is an increasing belief that jury trials themselves are anachronistic and outdated, as has been shown in the recent decision that juries in criminal trials are not strictly necessary in England and Wales.
It is in these two contexts that you have to consider the case of Tony Martin. To see details of the case, I would encourage folks to read this appeals ruling in the Marin case. From this you can get a hint of how the English legal system deliberates on the topic of self-defense:
So now we have the background on the appeal, whether Martin, who was found guilty of using excessive force against burglars, can be convicted of murder, or is merely guilty of manslaughter. But in the appeal, we have the facts of the case, and from that we can see where Mr. Martin likely got into trouble:
When he was interviewed under caution he gave an account to the police officers which was basically similar to that which he gave in evidence. He stated particularly that he wanted to make it clear that when he fired his gun he genuinely thought that his life was in danger. He asserted that he had never got to the bottom of the stairs and had gone no further than was necessary to see into the hallway; that was about as far as he dared to go.
He was cross-examined on the basis that his evidence and the account he had given in interview was untrue; that he had heard the two men approaching the house and had readied himself so that by the time they entered the breakfast room he was downstairs, lying in wait in the hall with his gun already loaded; and that he had stepped out into the breakfast room and fired three times with the intention of killing. Mr Martin denied this version; although he acknowledged the effect of the expert evidence about two of the shots at any rate, he insisted that he himself never got below halfway down the stairs, and that when he was interviewed he was clear as to where he had been
The problem Martin had was that the forensic evidence the Crown put forward did not match Martin’s statement, but rather matched up with those of the burglars.
Two areas of shot damage were found on the far wall of the breakfast room from the door at the foot of the stairs, one below the window out of which the two men exited, and one to its right in a door. All the experts agreed that these two areas of damage were not in the direct line of sight of a person standing anywhere on the stairs, so that the shots that caused that damage could therefore not have been fired from the stairs.
Under the circumstances described in this appeal, in many US jurisdictions, prosecutors would still have had statutory legal grounds to bring charges for murder (though there are a number where they would not). But statutory law is not necessarily the law as juries see it, since a jury and a prosecutor aren’t necessarily going to view the same set of circumstances the same way. I’m not certain that Martin would have been prosecuted in the US, because most juries are going to tend to acquit a homeowner for shooting a burglar, let alone two burglars, especially when the actor is an old man, and the burglars young men. I suspect had Martin had better representation from the start, and not given a statement to police without the advice of counsel, he might have been able to escape conviction in England as well. The Martin case isn’t as simple and straightforward as many imagine it to be, but in looking closely at the facts and rulings in the case, you can see clearly how the our respective cultures are parting in their treatment of self-defense.
10 Responses to “Tony Martin and English Self-Defense Laws”
1. Andy says:
Up front, I admit to not getting into all the supporting research links. I’ll have to read them tonight, got to get some chores done shortly.
But, I did get to scan the Wikipedia article on Tony Martin. From that (and that alone, I admit this is not supported) I gathered that Tony shot the burglars as they were fleeing. Even in Castle Doctrine as defined by most states, would that not be unjustified use of force, due to the alegation that the burglars were fleeing instead of advancing with intent to harm?
IANAL, etc. Off to get kids ready for holiday travel.
2. Sebastian says:
The one everyone should read is the link to the appeal, which has all the facts of the case. The Wikipedia article doesn’t.
3. Ronnie says:
I read a Daily Mail article a few months back about the Tony Martin story. It was an update on the case which was not all that sympathetic toward Mister Martin. The article referred to him as an “eccentric vigilante” and claimed that he now prefers to live in seclusion so that the police will not be able to record a fixed address for him in their records. Here’s a link to this one:
4. Wolfwood says:
Minor quibble: criminal jury verdicts in America need not be unanimous. 10/12 has been upheld by the Supreme Court as okay.
5. Turk Turon says:
Tony Martin wasn’t a vigilante, but he WAS an eccentric loner, and not a sympathetic defendant. But the worst legal problem he had was the statement he made to the police. Same problem Bernard Goetz had. Ditto Martha Stewart.
Don’t talk to the police!
6. FatWhiteMan says:
No one in the case disputes the facts that the men were in Mr. Martin’s home to commit a crime. Martin’s home had been robbed several times before and both of these men had long rap sheets. No matter where Martin was standing in his house and no matter when he loaded his gun, there should never have been any charges filed. The only thing the cops should have said after investigating and determining the facts was “thank you for helping us take out the trash, have a pleasant evening”. If blame needs assigned for the death it should fall upon whatever government stooge let the dirtbag out of jail. If they had been serving their sentences for the crimes they had already committed, they wouldn’t have broke into Martin’s farmhouse. Perhaps Great Britain did not err on English law when they convicted Martin but then that is just one more reason why Great Britain is no longer great.
7. Philbert says:
“Don’t talk to the police!”
FYI, there is no fifth amendment in England.
8. Sebastian says:
FYI, there is no fifth amendment in England.
There isn’t, but the right to not be a witness against yourself is common law. When you read the account of Martin’s interview, you’ll note the interview being done “under caution” which means the police suspect you may have committed a crime, and they will advise you of your right under those circumstances. Same as here. You can refuse to answer police questions.
9. j huettl says:
The old COMMON LAW vs CIVIL LAW and the Legal Eagles playing ROCK PAPER SCISSORS.
Common Law..Jury is instructed to find a verdict.
Civil Law..Judge tells Jury what it may or may not do and tells the jury how to decide.
Common Law…Jury votes once. (If it voted twice, then double jeprody steps in.)
Civil Law…Jury votes and votes untill the Judge of the Court is happy with the verdict, if the Judge of the Court is unhappy with the indecision of the JURY, the Judge of the Court will end the Trial with a hung jury and dismiss the case as Without Prejudice allowing the matter to be retried at a later date.
10. Mike says:
What a sad, cowardly country Britain has become when people regard defending themselves as a crime. No wonder the world doesn’t take Britain seriously anymore. | <urn:uuid:ba4ad5f8-69c3-4329-b63e-113a9282d3a2> | 2 | 1.851563 | 0.114768 | en | 0.976261 | http://www.pagunblog.com/2009/12/23/tony-martin-and-english-self-defense-laws/ |
Plaza Cinema Field Trips
The Plaza is offering a variety of field trips suitable for grade school children to high school adolescents. If you enjoy films and believe this exceptional art form can be a fun and educational tool to teach history, social sciences, natural sciences, languages, art and culture - then partner with The Plaza.
By coming to The Plaza students are able to experience the Arthouse Cinema environment and learn about how it differs from the multiplex cinema. Every field trip includes a short presentation on what we do as a not-for-profit, and how we enrich the community culture through film.
SEED: The Untold Story
Directed by Jon Betz and Taggart Siegel
Featuring Vandana Shiva, Dr. Jane Goodall, Andrew Kimbrell, Winona Laduke, and Raj Patel
The Eagle Huntress
Directed by Otto Bell
Featuring Daisy Ridley, Aisholpan Nurgaiv, Rhys Nurgaiv
Persepolis (NR) This uniquely styled graphic novel traces the biographical history of its author, Marjane Satrapi as she depicts her progression from childhood to becoming an adult. Satrapi grew up at a pivotal point in Iranian history, spending her adolescence in the depths of the Islamic revolution. Told from her perspective, she moves back and forth between Iran and Iraq, facing societal clashes, losing loved ones to the revolution, and being consistently separated from her family both physically and in shared ideologies. The non-fiction graphic novel was ranked by Newsweek as the fifth on its list of the best non-fiction books of the last decade. PERSEPOLIS was adapted into a film in 2007, following the same artistic style as the graphic novel, but with some color added. A team of twenty animators were given the task of transforming Satrapi's graphic novel into a moving animation, a project that emphasized traditional animation techniques as well as the capabilities of only using two solid colors (black and white) to achieve depth. In 2007, the film was a co-winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes and nominated for an Oscar.
Directed by Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
To Kill a Mockingbird
In great depression era Alabama young “Scout” comes of age while her father Atticus takes on a racially charged court case. Spanning over about three years of her life, the novel Follows Scout, her father Atticus, and brother Jem through the trials and tribulations of growing up in the Deep South in the 1930s. The Pulitzer prize winning novel was adapted into a film by director Robert Mulligan in 1962, for which he received critical acclaim and several Academy Awards. As a part of the National Film Registry this film remains a symbolic icon of American Culture, much like Harper Lee’s classic novel.
Directed By Robert Mulligan
Starring Gregory Peck, Mary Badham
Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC’s Sherlock, The Imitation Game, Frankenstein at the National Theatre) takes on the title role of Shakespeare’s great tragedy. Directed by Lyndsey Turner (Posh, Chimerica) and produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, National Theatre brings this eagerly awaited production live to the cinema screen from its sold-out run at the Barbican. As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father’s death, but paralyzed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.
Directed by Robin Lough
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Sian Brooke
Romeo and Juliet
The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company Live cinema season continues with a new vision of Shakespeare’s heartbreaking tale of forbidden love. Branagh and his creative team present a modern passionate version of the classic tragedy. A longstanding feud between Verona’s Montague and Capulet families brings about devastating consequences for two young lovers caught in the conflict. Kenneth Branagh co-directs with Rob Ashford, reuniting with the stars of his celebrated film of Cinderella, Richard Madden and Lily James, as Romeo and Juliet. Also featuring Sir Derek Jacobi as Mercutio and Meera Syal as The Nurse. Romeo and Juliet will be screened in high definition black and white.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford
Starring Derek Jacobi and Lily James
KUS4Nexternal250 (2).jpeg
Killing us Softly 4
Filmmaker Sut Jhally
Production Year 2010
Tough Guise
Filmmaker Sut Jhally
Production Year 1999
Field Trips for Elementary School Students
The Plaza offers a variety of field trips that are appropriate for grades 3 - 5 focusing on the fundamentals of storytelling and animation. In the past students have participated in interactive lessons where they watch animated films, learn about the fundamentals of animation and gain hands on experience creating heir own stop motion films.
Boxcar Children
In past years 3rd, 4th and 5th graders from River Elementary enjoyed interactive field trips where they saw the animated film BOXCAR CHILDREN (based on the franchised book by the same name), learned about different animation techniques and created their own stop-motion films.
Based on a 1924 novel of the same name, The Boxcar Children has been adapted into a franchise including over 150 adventures in film and novel form. In the original premise, four siblings take to the road after their parents die and make a home in an abandoned boxcar.
Directed by Daniel Chuba
Starring Illenan Douglas, Martin Sheen, Zachary Gordon, Mackenzie Foy | <urn:uuid:e574e4e7-6804-486d-88c0-6fbacebd0d74> | 2 | 2.328125 | 0.030743 | en | 0.941127 | http://www.plazamac.org/for-teachers |
BooksPlus - Full program podcast
ABC Radio National
Arts, Literature
Books + - 2014-04-27
April 27th, 2014
Episode 33 of 240 episodes
Today three intertwined books tell a story about war and peace. One is a story about women doctors and nurses in the first World War, who set up their own hospital in France; the next tells about women pilots and spies in World War II; and the third is about the aftermath of war on the Australian homefront.
Featured Podcast | <urn:uuid:fe30cc19-e1d4-4f77-8ea6-0845349555a4> | 2 | 1.625 | 0.01853 | en | 0.894601 | http://www.podcastchart.com/podcasts/books-full-program-podcast/episodes/books-2014-04-27 |
Numerous industries utilize solid metal parts made of powdered metal. Powdered metal components, which are made from powdered metal via powder metallurgy, can be found in applications spanning across industries such as lawn and garden, computer, electronics, hardware, and automotive.
More specifically, powder metal parts include magnetic assemblies, filtration systems, structural parts, and automobile components. Powder metal gears are inherently porous and they naturally reduce sound, making them a suitable component to the sintering process. Bearings and bushings can simply be produced by way of sintering, however, they may require a secondary sizing operation because their fabrication leaves little room for error.
Powder metal is soft and can be formed in a variety of shapes with proper sintering; however, this variety is very limited. Powder metal is a popular choice of material for parts with magnetic properties, and its magnetism can be enhanced through the sintering process. Two processes can be utilized to make powder metal parts: sintering and metal injection molding. Both of these processes are used to produce powder metal parts made of aluminum, copper, and iron.
Sintered metal parts include sintered steel and sintered bronze parts, and they are made by melting metal powder and forming it into a shape. The metal injection molding process involves adding wax, resin, or polymers to powdered metal, heating the mixture to a pliable state, and formed within a mold. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Perry Tool & Research, Inc.
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Powder metallurgy is a process in which metal is formed and fabricated from powder to a finished part. The raw metal material is made into powder by way of atomization, mechanical alloying, electrolytic techniques, chemical reduction, and pulverization. The powder is then mixed with a lubricant, which assists in reducing friction between the powder material and the pressing dies. The next step involves forming, in which the material is molded, forged, or pressed. Sintering is a crucial step in the process, as it develops the products finished properties, such as regulating its porosity and increasing its strength.
In the high-temperature process of sintering, the compacted raw materials, also known as green parts, are melted down in a furnace. When the green parts are melted, the particles are bonded together while still retaining the part’s shape. Sometimes, the product requires secondary operations such as machining, deburring, sizing, or heating. The finished parts may appear solid, but they are actually made up of tiny capillaries that are interconnected with each other. Thus, the parts have a porosity of 25%.
Sintered metal products have many advantages over parts that are fabricated through other processes. Sintering uses roughly 97% of materials, and therefore does not produce as much waste. Sintered products are not sensitive to the shapes in which they are formed, and they frequently do not need to undergo any secondary operations. Powder metal parts have controlled porosity, enabling them to self-lubricate and filter gases and liquids. Because of all of these benefits, powder metallurgy is a highly recommended process in fabricating parts that require intricate bends, depressions, and projections. A wide variety of composites, alloys, and other materials can be used in the sintering process to fabricate products of numerous designs and shapes.
Metal injection molding is a powder metallurgy process which is frequently used to produce metal parts that are smaller, more complex, high density, and high in performance. The process of metal injection combines powder metallurgy and plastic injection molding, and is commonly used for parts used in industries such as electronics, computer, hardware, firearms, dental, medical, and automotive. Metal injection molding allows for more freedom in detailing and design, reduces waste, and offers products that are magnetic, more corrosion-resistant, stronger, and denser. However, this process is only used in making thinner, smaller parts, and is more costly than regular powder metallurgy.
Metal injection molding differs in a few ways. First, the metal powder is not only mixed with lubricants, but also with thermoplastics. The parts are only formed by molding using standard plastic injection molding machines. The next step involves using chemicals or thermal energy and an open pore network to remove the thermoplastics from the parts. Finally, the parts are sintered and undergo secondary procedures if necessary.
Bronze, steel, iron, brass, copper, and aluminum are just a few of the many metals that can be converted to powder and undergo the metallurgy process. Aluminum is frequently used because it is highly flammable, highly conductive, and light in weight. Aluminum is a popular materials to use in structural applications and pyrotechnics. Copper is highly conductive both electrically and thermally, and are thus popular for use in electrical contractor or heat sink applications.
Iron contains a graphite additive and is frequently used to fabricate bearings, filters, and structural parts. Steel is used for tool steel or stainless steel powders, are very high in strength. Thus, one application for which it is frequently used is automobile weight reduction. Finally, bronze is a metal that is higher in density and has a higher mechanical performance than brass, and bronze metal parts are commonly utilized to fabricate self-lubricating bearings.
Powder Metal Part Informational Video | <urn:uuid:87635d26-4e76-41fe-bc14-f96784cb0957> | 3 | 2.890625 | 0.139245 | en | 0.944716 | http://www.powderedmetalparts.com/ |
Mismanagement of Psychotherapy
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Psychotherapy can be defined as any type of persuasive or conversational approach designed to help patients. Although there are hundreds of techniques and schools of thought, most have in common a wish to understand the patient and help the patient change emotional or behavioral patterns. Unfortunately, explosive progress in the neurosciences and psychopharmacology and the rise of managed care during have been accompanied by decreased access to highly qualified psychotherapists and minimization of psychotherapy in psychiatric training programs.
Treatment Approaches
Simplistic Advice
A deep understanding of a patient's dynamics may enable a therapist to give beneficial advice. But sometimes therapists give advice without considering the complexity of the patient's situation. Such ill-conceived action may be the result of inadequate training, poor therapeutic technique, or an emotional problem of the therapist. The following composite cases illustrate this point.
A 60-year-old businessman complained of insomnia and depression. Worry about his business was keeping him awake. The physician advised him to take a vacation to "get away from it all so you can stop worrying." The man went to a seaside resort but found he could not relax. He thought that his business would suffer from his absence, and idleness merely served to intensify his worrying.
A 35-year-old junior executive sought treatment for headaches and abdominal fullness. The physician correctly diagnosed that these were bodily reactions to tension, which was generated primarily at work. The patient believed he was being asked to do more than his share but was afraid to speak up about it. The physician encouraged the man to express his resentment, but failed to discuss how to do this in a constructive manner. The patient "told off" his boss and quit in a huff-a decision he later regretted.
A middle-aged couple who consulted a counselor spent the first two sessions berating each other for one thing after another. Seeing only the hostility in the relationship, the counselor advised them to get a divorce. A more qualified therapist would have realized that they could not have remained together for many years without a positive side to their relationship. The therapist should have terminated the verbal slugfest, explored the positive aspects of the relationship, identified the issues in conflict, and tried to help the couple resolve them.
A 30-year-old housewife sought help to understand why she became angry with important people in her life, particularly her husband. The therapist encouraged discussion of her childhood, analyzed similarities between her father and her husband, and said: "You get angry with your husband when he reminds you of your father." Feeling that this information justified her resentment, the patient acted more nastily toward her husband, and their relationship deteriorated. Actually, the marital situation had been far more complex than the therapist realized. He should have explored the patient's contribution to the marital friction and helped her learn better ways to handle her feelings. Joint sessions with the patient and her husband might have helped the therapist understand the situation better.
Boundary Violations
Psychotherapy should not only help patients resolve problems but, in most cases, should also help foster independence from the therapist. Just as children must learn to handle situations without always running to their mother, patients must learn to handle upset feelings between sessions without the direct help of the therapist. Therapists who permit or encourage frequent telephone calls encourage overdependence. Therapists who receive many such calls from many patients are likely to have an underlying problem, such as a neurotic need to have people depend on them, which impairs their ability to treat patients.
A more subtle example of this problem is the therapist who cannot adhere to a schedule. Patients are scheduled for particular times, but sessions are allowed to run considerably overtime when patients are upset or appear to be talking about particularly meaningful material. Although an occasional brief extension may be justified, a general policy of this type encourages patients to manipulate the therapist to gain more attention. Other signs that a therapist is improperly crossing the patient-therapist boundary include:
You should also be wary of therapists who promote simplistic notions about the cause of their patient's problems. Some therapists, for example, conclude—regardless of the presenting problem—that most or all of their patients are suffering from repressed memories of sexual abuse or are suffering from multiple personality disorder. Another simplistic notion is the idea—commonly portrayed in the media—that childhood traumas are an excuse for antisocial behavior.
Sexual Exploitation
The most malignant type of therapist behavior is probably sexual exploitation. Although it is not unusual for therapist and patient to feel a personal or physical attraction toward each other, acting on such feelings is not therapeutic. A composite case history illustrates what can happen:
An unmarried 27-year-old woman entered therapy to overcome shyness, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of involvement with men. Few men had seemed interested in her, and she had rarely dated. As therapy proceeded, she developed an intense fondness for the therapist, based largely on the fact that he was the first man who had spent time with her on a regular basis. At this point, instead of helping her learn how to attract suitable dates, the therapist suggested that sex with him would help her become more comfortable with men. She consented, hoping that marriage to the therapist would result. Her eventual disillusionment was a shattering experience that led to suicide.
Nearly all psychiatrists believe that sexual contact with a patient is inappropriate and usually harmful. Several states have laws forbidding such contact. In some states it is a criminal offense, while in others it is considered malpractice and can lead to a loss of license. In 1990, a California jury awarded $1.5 million to a woman who said she had been exploited by a psychiatrist who had treated her. Testimony during the trial indicated that they had begun dating after almost two years of treatment. The patient said that although she was extremely happy during the beginning of their affair, she became severely depressed when it ended. In 1993, the American Psychiatric Association's board of trustees declared that "sexual activity with a current or former patient is unethical." [1-3] However, boundary violations do not have to involve sex [4-7].
In 2013, the Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology revoked the licencse of R. Scott Lenhardt, Ph.D. after concluding that he had sexually exploited two female patients, one for nearly seven years and the other for fifteen years. The case illustrates the extent to which sexual exploitation claimed to be "therapy" can develop.
1. The Principles of Medical Ethics with Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2009.
2. Legal sanctions for mental health professional-patient sex. American Psychiatric Association, 1993
3. Patient/therapist sexual contact. American Psychiatric Association fact sheet, 1995.
4. Sexual misconduct in the physician-patient relationship. Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia. December 2010.
5. Spero and Associates Web site, accessed July 22, 2011.
6. Professional conduct: Sexual Impropriety. Royal College of Physicians Canada Web site, accessed Aug 8, 2000.
7. Procci WR. A cautionary tale about boundary violations in psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Focus 5:407-411, 2007.
8. Barrett S. R. Scott Lenhart, Ph.D., loses psychology license due to sexually exploiting patients. Casewatch, May 12, 2013.
Portions of this article have appeared in Consumer Health: A Guide to Intelligent Decisions. Additional information was developed with help from psychiatrist Eric Goranson, M.D., of Portland, Oregon.
This article was revised on May 12, 2013.
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What to Do If Your Pilot Light Goes Out
January 19, 2017
Pilot lights are commonly found on older model furnaces, and while they serve a very important purpose, also pose a safety hazard in the event they should go out. Instructions on how to relight the pilot light are typically found affixed to the appliance itself, or in the original owner’s manual. Knowing what to do if your pilot light goes out, and when to call for service or repair, can help keep your home and family safe and comfortable throughout heating season.
Contact Rick’s Heating & Cooling for assistance, or around the clock emergency repair in the event you are unable to keep the flame lit or if you have any other questions or concerns with your heating or cooling system.
How Does A Pilot Light Work?
A number of components work together in older model furnaces, to maintain the flow of natural gas to the appliance as needed. When heat is called for and the furnace turns “on,” a valve releases gas to the main burner, and the pilot light ignites the gas. This small, blue, perpetually burning flame is created when a small amount of gas is channeled through a small tube in the gas pipe. In the event that the pilot light should blow out, the tube has a valve which, when shut off by the thermocouple, stops the flow of gas to prevent it from building up in side your home.
What Causes A Pilot Light To Go Out?
There are a number of reasons why your pilot light may blow out. Some you may be able to rectify yourself, while others require the services of a professional.
• Draft. A sudden or steady rush of air can easily blow out the standing pilot light. Once it is relit, check the surrounding area for the source of a draft to prevent it from reoccurring.
• Dirty pilot orifice. If, upon reigniting the pilot light, the flame burns a weak yellow instead of blue, the pilot orifice may be dirty. Call Rick’s Heating & Cooling for professional service.
What Should You Do If Your Pilot Light Goes Out?
The pilot light controls, assembly, and instructions for lighting, are typically located at the front of the unit for easy access. If you are unable to locate the manufacturers instructions, general instructions are as follows:
1. Locate the pilot light assembly, including the gas valve with “On,” “Off,” and “Pilot” settings, and pilot reset button
2. Rotate the valve to the “Off” position, and wait several minutes
3. Rotate the valve to the “Pilot” position, and hold a barbecue lighter or long match to the pilot opening while pushing the pilot reset button.
4. Keep the button pressed until the flame is lit and burning strongly, then release and turn the gas valve to the “On” position.
5. In the event the flame will not remain lit, rotate the gas valve to the “Off” position and call for service.
Emergency Furnace Repair In Morrow, OH
The skilled technicians at Rick’s Heating & Cooling can provide expert assistance with all your heating concerns, including issues with your pilot light. Give us a call today at 513-899-6005, or contact us online to request service. | <urn:uuid:e6dd8b9c-ef3d-4913-a036-233249506260> | 2 | 2.265625 | 0.107687 | en | 0.92071 | http://www.ricksheatingandcooling.com/blog/what-to-do-if-pilot-light-goes-out |
The Job of an In-Home Nurse
The Job of an In-Home Nurse
In home nursing is a form of nursing where patients get treatment right in their own homes. Some nurses will actually live with their patients in a separate room of the house, and others will visit on a frequent basis to administer medicine and provide general care for people. The job of an in-home nurse is much different than the job of a nurse in the public job sector. Both may have to fill out an RN report sheet, but there is still a big difference in the work at the end of the day. Here is a look at what a private nurse like this may do.
In-home nurses get to know their patients on an intimate level. They work with the same person or people on a regular basis and keep accurate track of their medical information. The work of an in-home nurse is similar to that of a public nurse in terms of the overall care, and in-home nurses still have to write an RN report sheet for their own reference in the future. This sheet also assists other nurses who may have to come in on the original caregiver’s day off.
In many ways, homebound nurses turn into mentors and friends for their parents. Rather than working with many different people day in and day out, they work with the same people and can therefore develop deeper relationships with them. Some patients have the same nurse for years at a time, and at that point the patient and nurse almost turn into family. The patient is more than just a case on an RN report sheet at that point. He or she is a loved one that gets even better care because of the emotions behind the relationship.
In-home nurses tend to get paid more money than other nurses because of the specialized care they provide. If they are actually live-in nurses, they may have their lodging paid for to accommodate their needs. In home nurses can still lead normal lives outside of work, but they have to be more dedicated to their patients and their special needs. A nurse that does not live in a home with someone may care for more than one patient at a time, but it all depends on the duties they have. You can look into private opportunities like this in your area if you feel that they are right for you.
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Term 3 Week 10
posted 19 Jun 2016, 12:59 by Primary 2 Teacher [ updated 19 Jun 2016, 13:00 ]
Literacy - Information Texts
Children will continue to practise spelling patterns in their spelling teams.
This week we will be looking at both fiction and non-fiction books about tigers.
Recognising questions and answers.
Writing a conversation using questions and answers.
Using correct punctuation in a sentence, using question marks.
Read and understand factual sentences.
Write factual sentences.
Read understand and sort facts.
Create a non-fiction text.
Write questions and answers in a non-fiction text.
Maths - Measures and Shape
Children will
Practise the order of the months of the year
Say the month before/after a given month
Find times 1 hour/1/2 an hour later than a given time
Recognise 3D shapes
Describe direction and position of 3D shapes
IPC-Water World
We will continue with our Geography learning, children will
Learn how to follow and give directions
Be given the opportunity to express views on attractive and unattractive features of the environment
Communicate their geographical knowlege and understanding in a variety of ways. | <urn:uuid:ab10b298-64a1-433f-9603-2cb283a24bd1> | 3 | 3.171875 | 0.502557 | en | 0.848061 | http://www.sakhalinschool.net/home/class-pages/primary-2/primary-2-news/term3week10 |
How True Capitalism Kills Racism
Bigotry carries a cost.
For decades, agitators aligned with the Democratic Party have argued that the only way to right the "historic wrong" of slavery is to enforce affirmative action - that is, to give unearned preferences to blacks or other minorities simply because they are black or minority. The thought is that, because black people were oppressed for hundreds of years primarily because of their skin color, it's only right for them to enjoy the opposite treatment for a while.
As we've discussed before, this notion flies in the face of anything resembling ordinary justice or ethics. Yes, slavery was a terrible wrong, but the slaveowners are all dead and so are all the slaves. Today's black people never suffered under slavery or even Jim Crow save for a few elderly; today's white people overwhelmingly have never participated in official bigotry. Why should the innocent be punished for the betterment of the never-harmed?
Let us set aside the philosophical arguments against affirmative action, for there's an even better reason not to do it: It does not work. Decades of official discrimination have merely made matters worse, as a few nights' viewing of TV news amply demonstrates.
Does this make the cause of racial justice a hopeless one? Actually, no. There is a proven means of achieving equality of liberty, which was fought for by early civil rights leaders like Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington, but has been forgotten by today's venal, race-baiting leeches.
What's more, it's been accidentally tried in powerfully racist environments far worse than anything we see today. This magic elixir was so effective at destroying discrimination that the racists had to legally ban it.
This magic wand? Free and open capitalism.
The Power of Cheap
Consider a fair-sized town in the Jim Crow South, one large enough to have several competing stores of major types. No doubt the main street would contain a store run by a bigot, offering goods "For Whites Only." He'd have a good business selling to other bigots.
In the South, however, at least a third of the population was black. By refusing to serve an entire race, this bigot shrank his potential market by a third.
Now consider another greedy, bigoted individual. In this case, his greed outweighs his bigotry: he doesn't like black people either, but he can't resist the color of their money. Unlike his competitor, his store is willing to serve blacks.
This lesser bigot may accept black customers, but he doesn't like them; he may treat them rudely. In a town of any size, though, there's bound to be another store run by someone who acts polite to customers of any color. Where will the black people shop? At the store that a) is willing to deal with them and b) that treats them like human beings - obviously.
The bottom line? There is a significant business advantage to a store owner who does not discriminate against customers and who treats everyone well. Over time, the non-racist businessman will do better than the racist one.
This advantage isn't just seen with customers. It's even more powerful with employees.
Like anything else, employment is subject to the laws of supply and demand. If there are more workers available, wages go down; fewer workers around, and they go up.
A business which refuses to hire blacks has cut itself off from a fair-sized pool of potential employees. The laws of economics dictate that the employees it does hire will, on average, be paid more than if the pool were not artificially restricted.
Again, over time, the non-bigoted business will have higher profit margins, lower prices, better employees, or some combination of the three than the bigoted one; naturally, more and more customers will gravitate to it as their greed overpowers their bigotry. Each bigot will suffer the penalty of his own folly, with no government intervention whatsoever.
This all sounds nice in theory, but does it work in practice? Yes, it does.
The Flawed Economics of Racism
If the South was as racist as generally portrayed, why were the Jim Crow laws necessary? After all, if all the white folks were racist, they wouldn't want to do business with blacks anyway. No legal requirements would be required.
No, the laws were put into place by powerful racists who were being undercut by thopse who acted non-bigoted just as described here. The only way to make bigotry pay is to make it the law of the land, enforced upon all equally whether they want it or not.
The apartheid South African government had the same problem. The racist authorities fought a constant running battle against companies and employers who wanted to save money by hiring blacks who were just as skilled as whites to fill jobs that were "reserved" for whites. This didn't apply merely to janitors or line management; as the Washington Post reported in an obituary a few years back:
Hamilton Naki, a former gardener who was so skilled in complicated surgery that he helped in the world's first human heart transplant -- but had to keep this secret in apartheid South Africa -- died May 29 at his home near Cape Town. He had heart- and asthma-related problems. He was in his seventies.
"He has skills I don't have," Dr. Christiaan Barnard, who performed the heart operation, told the Associated Press in 1993. "If Hamilton had had the opportunity to perform, he would have probably become a brilliant surgeon."
Barnard asked Mr. Naki to be part of the backup team in what became the world's first successful heart transplant, in December 1967. This was in violation of the country's laws on racial segregation, which, among other things, dictated that blacks should not be given medical training nor work in whites-only operating theaters nor have contact with white patients. [emphasis added]
The first heart transplant recipient, Louis Washkansky, received extra days of life thanks to Mr. Naki's illegal skill. What's more important societally, though, is that the hospital received decades of services from a brilliant surgeon for the price of a gardener - Mr. Naki's role had to be hidden from the authorities until the end of apartheid.
It was only because of the law that Mr. Naki was not able to practice medicine publicly, but he was able to perform surgery on a white person in what was supposedly the most racist society on Earth! Money trumped dogma; money trumped bigotry, in this case and in how many more lesser-known ones! - money trumped the law. It usually does. Funny about that.
Time's Up for Legal Racism
The evil laws of Jim Crow died decades ago, and far more evil slavery long before that. Today, we suffer under the less vicious but still damaging racism of affirmative action.
It's easy to understand why: it's in the interests of powerful racists like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to continue to con black Americans into believing that they're being kept down by "The Man." They are, but not by the white man; today's white men and women couldn't care less what color you are if you do the work well for a decent price, as witness the hordes of illegal Mexican immigrants doing all manner of things for low pay under the table.
No, America's blacks are being kept down by self-appointed black leaders who've managed to get put in place an insidious system that promotes the incompetent and devalues the competent. This is bad for competent blacks who don't get the respect they deserve; bad for incompetent blacks who perpetuate old stereotypes; bad for other races who see their rightful jobs go to less qualified members of preferred races; and bad for America because it makes us hate and fear each other.
The blunt hand of government is no solution to our racial problems; it only makes problems worse. Government can and must only be entirely color-blind in every way; in a free society, no governmental preference or discrimination based on race can be tolerated.
Then, let's trust to the invisible hand of the market to take care of racist bigotry. It works wherever it's tried, even where it's not welcome. The only trouble is, that wouldn't empower or enrich our greedy elites who can't stand competent competition.
Reader Comments
The men and women in government, those with a little power and are called "The Government" want the hate and fear to continue. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Barry Soetoro, Louis Farakhan, and their like, need the hate and fear so that they can continue to collect "checks in the mail" money from the people who think the hate and fear comes from someone other than the likes of Reverend Wright.
Thank you,
Robert Walker
June 13, 2011 10:25 AM
This is good:
June 13, 2011 10:31 AM
I think this article makes a lot of sense. I agree with the general theme, and agree to a large extent.
However, I have lived in the south. Louisiana in the 1960, and then deep southern Georgia, Thomasville from 2003 until 2008. From personal experience I can tell you that the "Plantation mentality" still dominates there. Not only is the racism deep and still powerful, but the entire 'serf/class' social structure is still prevalent.
The natives to the area may be polite and all smiles on the surface, but they are a deeply traumatized people, still longing for antibellum heritage, still deeply racist against any but whites. They are in effect still fighting the Civil War.
One has to live there and become close with these people before it comes out. Perhaps in another ten generations this will fade away--but it certainly hasn't yet.
June 13, 2011 11:41 AM
Where these people such strong racists that they wouldn't buy from a black merchant who had the best goods? Or were there no black vendors around?
June 13, 2011 12:33 PM
There was only one "black merchant" in the town, a fried chicken lunch place at the end of town. It had a good business--proving Petrarch economic theory.
There were of course hard core Dixienuts that wouldn't be caught dead there. The racism was subtle from the outside...they would refer to blacks as "Democrats" {Lol}, but in more private conversations with people you knew well the N-word would flow like a Mark Twain novel.
June 13, 2011 1:10 PM
Saw this via Reddit and had to respond though I shouldn't waste my time on you racist <expletive deleted>.
Since it's obvious I have to teach Affirmative Action 101, here's the FACTS you need to know about it before applying your perception to it.
Because as with anything, if a debate is to happen, all parties need to at least have a basic understanding of it.
You believe that the whole point of affirmative action is to give jobs to people who do not have the credentials to get them otherwise.
Affirmative Action does not give jobs to unqualified people. It gives jobs to EQUALLY qualified minorities to offset the bias and discrimination inherent in hiring practices. Some facts:
Whites hold over ninety percent of all the management level jobs (these are the people who do the hiring) in this country (1)
Whites receive about 94% of government contract dollars (2)
Whites hold 90% of tenured faculty positions on college campuses (3)
White men with only a high school diploma are more likely to have a job than black and Latino men with college degrees (5) - just to translate this into idiot-speak, this means that lesser qualified white men are more likely to have a job than black and Latino men with college degrees.
How anyone could know this information and STILL RAIL AGAINST affirmative action is beyond me. It's either a profound ignorance of the actual data that illustrates why affirmative action is so important, or it is a blatantly racist belief that despite these facts, minorities aren't as deservince as whites.
Either way it nauseates me that so many white folks are so ignorant of the data, yet they constantly think their opinion on affirmative action actually makes sense. Most whites who have your opinion watched American History X, heard Ed Norton's fathers speech about affirmative action at the dinner table, and thinks it makes total sense! Well, it does if you don't know a <expletive deleted> thing about the data behind affirmative action.
Next time you want to have an opinion about something, try having an educated opinion and read a <expletive deleted> book first.
(4) Sylvia Hurtado and Christine Navia, "Reconciling College Access and the Affirmative Action Debate," in Affirmative Action’s Testament of Hope, ed. Mildred Garcia (Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1997)
(6) Devah Pager, "The Mark of a Criminal Record," American Journal of Sociology 108, 5 (March 2003)
(8) "Young White Offenders get lighter treatment," The Tennesseean. April 26, 2000
June 13, 2011 1:30 PM
<expletive deleted>That is an interesting set of information, facts and opinion to get from you.
I find it curious to be called a racist as a poster on this site.
Isn't it rather a quick off hand 'pre-judgment'on your part?
You are part of a counter social engineering operation, it would therefore be educational on your part to understand social engineering on a larger frame. The heat of your post tells me that you don't have such a larger perspective.
Part of what you fail to comprehend is the way inwhich affirmative action has been put to work has been as a purposeful divide and conquer operation by the High Cabal, using the Hegelian dialectic.
This is a deep subject, one that you no doubt fail to grasp, as you have been so quick to throw out the term "racist" and to flame with your <expletive deleted><expletive deleted><expletive deleted>, showing an emotional attatchment and a lack of rhetorical skill.
You have valid points, ones that you have now wasted by this jejune attack on perhaps would be converts to some of your points.
June 13, 2011 1:57 PM
~Rod Serling's closing narration for, the Twilight Zone episode, "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street".
June 13, 2011 2:09 PM
"This magic wand? Free and open capitalism."~Petrarch
This is a huge and complex debate, the actual meaning of 'Capitalism'.
Technically "capitalism" is making money off of money. It has nothing to do with trading money for goods in place of barter.
The Capitalists are the bankers and the speculators, not the merchants.
The US is considered a 'Capitalist Society' because of its banking and trade in stocks and bonds on Wall Street. This is the engine that runs the 'capitalism' aspect of the economy. The use of fiat currency by the merchants does not make them 'capitalist', they remain merchants until they too join in on the casino that is 'Capitalism'.
'Capital' means 'money'--in this instance that is the fiat currency borrowed from the Federal Reserve--a private corporation.
Very few have any deep understanding of money in the US, as very few have any deep understanding of history, because this is a Public Relations Regime run by the High Cabal, and what is taught is simply a mythos to keep everyone ignorant and divided.
June 13, 2011 5:44 PM
So Sansdiety...from your post...I am not sure what to take away from it....are you advocating equal rights or extra rights? Because I am really confused.
Here are some mantras I want you to incorporate into your thought the next time you try to make a counter point, you do not come off as some true believer....(you can never have a discussion with a true believer)
(1) Correlation is not causation
(2) Absence of evidence, is not evidence of absence.
(3) You attract more flies with honey than vinegar, so make your points accordingly (calling people racists...
Perhaps there are more white people are applying for jobs...I mean there are more white it makes sense that there would be more OF THEM in the workplace.
Perhaps in white culture you are not considered a chump, sucker, oreo, a "sell out to the man" or an "uncle tom" for wanting to get a job.
I would be curious to your insight on the NBA and the hip-hop music industry then. I see the ranks of the whites, native americans, and asians grossly under represented in those fields.
June 13, 2011 7:14 PM
His/her moniker, "Sansdiety" would seem an attempt at sansdeity, which would say a lot about his view of theologhy as well...unless he/she is without a diet...which would be quite thin in itself.
All of the "<expletive deleted>" was 'clever' though, reminded me of the Nixon Tapes transcriptions.
A hit and run driver no doubt.
June 13, 2011 8:50 PM
All very interesting, although none of that proves racism from the information that you presented, granted I did not look into the details of the studies which may indeed prove racism, there are simply alternative explanations that could result in those statistics. All of that data however is in no way related to the argument presented in the article. At no point did the article attempt to argue that racism does not exist in the world. Therefore arguing that racism exists is arguing an agreed upon premise. That premise being that racism does exist.
Secondly I saw nothing in the article that can be described as racist. Racism is the belief that a person is less good, intelligent, ect due to ones race. The article in fact is the opposite of racist. It states that if given an even playing field blacks would show themselves too be equal in ability.
The point of the article which you seem to have missed is that only through equality of law can one achieve equality of society. Inequality of law, in either direction, causes resentment and, eventually, hatred. It goes on to argue that inequality of society between races can be broken down by simple greed. People that are actively racist will lose economically to those that are passively racist and those that aren't racist.
Once that happens racist people, both active and passive, will be around blacks that are earning their way in life on their own. They can no longer believe that the blacks are only there because of legal support. They will be forced to confront the fact that blacks are capable of earning their way equally well as whites. Thereby slowly decreasing racism until it is a thing of the past.
Under the current systems many blacks believe they are owed something and that whites are holding them down. This results in many blacks not believing that they can not succeed. Which causes many blacks to not try as hard, after all why play if you can't win.
Those blacks that do succeed are seen by many whites as having gained an unfair advantage. This causes many whites to see their opportunity as being stolen from them, not due to superior ability but rather due to legal favoritism.
Thereby perpetuating the belief of white superiority by many whites as they see data showing blacks failing, in their eyes, despite of unfair legal protection.
It may feel good to 'do something' about inequality but as with so many well intended actions it frequently only makes things worse.
June 13, 2011 9:21 PM
Thomas Sowell, a black columnist, wrote:
June 13, 2011 9:55 PM
jonyfries, very good comment.
It seems it can be summed up with that old saw.
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."
I would add that the road signs on that road are often purposely manipulated by those who fawn good intentions, misdirecting those who do have good intentions. These people are often called 'politicians', and most politicians are lawyers, and most of these lawyers have connections with bankers, and that it is the bankers banker that has been seen as the hand that holds the strings to this whole system.
June 14, 2011 12:24 AM
"Third World countries are poorer today than they were when they were ruled by Western countries, generations ago."~Fred
Pray tell, what thrid world nation today is not still under the grip of Neo-Colonialism? In fact what nation of any sort is not ruled by BIS, IMF, and the global financial oligarchy?
The ballance of an indigenous culture, once fragmented and spun out of control by Malthusian attack can never right itself again, while the present paradigm is maintained.
June 14, 2011 11:14 PM
So Willie, you think that global poverty in places like Africa which were once colonized is the fault of the Westyern powers who did the colonizing? That if they'd been left alone, they'd be rich today?
June 14, 2011 11:53 PM
"That if they'd been left alone, they'd be rich today?"
"Rich"? By what standard? Western materialist standards?
A rich and fulfilling life of ballance and sanity, is not what I see in the empire the west has created.
I would note that this pathological system is about to explode in your face. Good luck when the proverial fit hits the shan.
June 15, 2011 12:15 AM
Despite the joy that people take in thinking about 'what might have been's, there is no way to know what Africa would be like today with European colonization. All that we can be certain of is that Africa is different than it otherwise would have been.
It does not matter if Africa would have been better or not. History followed a different course, instead of finding long dead persons to blame worry about the future and how we move from the present to a more equal and prosperous future.
June 15, 2011 10:17 AM
jonyfries, Africa is not in anyway free of western colonialism yet even today. All the worlds nations today are still under the grip of Noe-Colonialism.All ruled by BIS, IMF, and the global financial oligarchy.
This is the NOW point you urge us to look at. History isn't dead, it is sitting heavily on everyone of our shoulders.
June 15, 2011 12:30 PM
A point on REAL HISTORY, and the architecture of modern political power, compared to the lollipop history in textbooks and entertainment:
A Study in the Hegemony of Parasitism
By Eustace Mullins 1984
[small portion]
It explains the secret writing of the Federal Reserve Act by Paul Warburg of Kuhn, Loeb & Co., and the even more secret deals which caused it to be enacted into law by Congress. It explains how the United States could fight World War I with Paul Warburg in charge of its banking system through the vice chairmanship of the Federal Reserve Board; Bernard Baruch as dictator of American industry as Chairman of the War Industries Board; and Eugene Meyer financing the war through his position as chairman of the War Finance Corporation (printing government bonds in duplicate); Kuhn, Loeb partner Sir William Wiseman with Col. House correlated British and American intelligence operations; Kuhn, Loeb partner Lewis L. Strauss was acting head of the U.S. Food Administration under Herbert Hoover. Meanwhile, Paul’s brother, Max Warburg, headed the German espionage system; another brother was German commercial attache in Stockholm, traditional listening post for warring nations, and Jacob Schiff had two brothers in Germany who were financing the German war effort. It was a classic case of a “managed conflict”, with the Rothschilds manipulating both sides from behind the scenes. At the Versailles Peace Conference, Bernard Baruch was head of the Reparations Commission; Max Warburg, on behalf of Germany, accepted the reparations terms, while Paul Warburg, Thomas Lamont and other Wall Street bankers advised Wilson and the Dulles brothers on how “American” interests should be handled at this all-important diplomatic conference.
June 15, 2011 8:24 PM
Well, as a South African, I feel obliged to stick an oar in here. I'm afraid to say that this article totally misunderstands how South Africa operated, and misunderstands racism generally. Racism isn't just a "bad thought"; it's a tool, a mechanism for justifying exploitation. Pretty much all whites in South Africa ate food prepared by black people, lived in houses built by black people, used products made by black people, shopped in stores staffed by black, and had black maids and servants in their homes. With the exception of a tiny minority of radical Afrikaaners who wanted an all-white society, total separation was not the goal, economic exploitation was. Getting a heart surgeon for the price of a gardner wasn't a failure of apartheid, that was the whole point. And the reason he was barred from being actually employed as heart surgeon was precisely so that he would stay cheap.
Basically this argument is complete bollocks, but as it is accompanied by the description of the likes of Sharpton as "powerful racists", I don't think the author of this "article" is really much interested in reality. It makes a bogus argument and draws a bogus conlusion right out of the stock material used by apologists for racism.
Petrarch, whoever you are, you would have been right at home in apartheid South Africa. Everyone one of the arguments you've deployed about how blacks are being kep down by black leaders was used by the old National Party state. Capitalism is not the enemy of racism, it is it's ally and partner. South Africa was an extremely capitalist state; it had no public health and very limited social services, for example. And apartheid was just a method for suppressing labour costs. South Africa was just a compressed version of the same exploitative relationship that exists between thre West and the Third World today.
June 16, 2011 4:50 PM
Well now, this is interesting indeed. But we need to understand where you're coming from in order to evaluate your argument, and I'm frankly a bit suspicious. For one thing, are you arguing that Sharpton is not powerful? Or that he's not a racist? He's not powerful compared to (say) Obama himself, but he's pretty darn influential compared to you or me. At the very least, he gets an audience whenever he pleases.
And you've totally ignored Petrarch's primary argument: OF COURSE apartheid was racist, it was the LAW, put in place by racists for the purpose of exploiting blacks. Just like Jim Crow. Yes, the heart surgeon was exploited - but that was possible ONLY because he was legally repressed. If the racist laws weren't there, his skills would have been bid over and his compensation would have wound up where it properly belonged, along with anyone else's willing to work and improve themselves.
In both apartheid South Africa and the Jim Crow South, it wasn't illegal for blacks to work - they were expected to. It was simply illegal, explicitly or implictly, for them to hold any jobs above the most menial.
Nothing capitalistic about that. In fact, it's the epitome of socialist exploitation, forcing people to work for the benefit of others without proper negotiated compensation.
June 16, 2011 5:08 PM
Sharpton is not a racist. That claim is simply absurd polemic.
I have not ignored Petrarch's argument in any respect. It is absolutely true that if Mr Naki had been an equal citizen of the state he would have been economically better off. But you're missing the point: that fact that he WAS discriminated against was not only perfectly viable within the capitalist system, but that system actively benefitted from it. In exactly the same way that it benefits from poverty wages in the Third World today to produce cheap products for Western consumers.
Furthermore, Petrarchs argument goes further, asserting that capitalism is inhenrently antagonistic to the sort of repression exhibited by apartheid. But this is not true, because although it did mean that white workers were paid much more, that didn't really matter because there were so many black workers. Overall, capitalism thrived because apartheid reduced labour costs; all that money paid as high wages to white workers was simply cycled back to the companies in return for the products manufactured on the cheap by black labour. The companies made fat profits; the white workers lived relatively high lifestyles; the only people who suffered were the blacks, and seeing as they couldn't vote that didn't matter. It was a win-win system for capitalism.
There was no demand by capitalist activists or agitators to dispose of apartheid, that was totally driven by the socialist Left. Contrary to your final claim, it is not socialism that is an exploitative system, but capitalism. Socialists regard everyone has having due right to the product of their labour, while capitalism transfers ownership of that product to the provider of capital. Advocates of capitalism were the heart and soul of the apartheid system. Don't forget that South Africa was originally Dutch colony, and that the Dutch were amongst the earliest and most zealous exponents of capitalism. South African state was absolutely committed to capitalism in theory and practice, and at no point did this ever translate into a hostility to apartheid. Indeed it regarded itself, more or less correctly, as one of the hot zones in the Cold War between capitalism and communism. Petrarch's argument is just plain wrong.
I am a Marxist, and proudly so, and it was seeing capitalism exposed for what it really was in Soth Africa that made me so. Capitalism is nothing more than systematic exploitation, and apartheid was merely one of the its tools.
June 16, 2011 5:39 PM
@SharpFish said:
"Sharpton is not a racist. That claim is simply absurd polemic"
Surely you jest.
Here's an overview on Sharpton's (recent) racism:
That should get you started.
June 16, 2011 5:43 PM
And 'round and 'round goes the Left/Right carousel...ridiculous fairytale BS--both Marxism and Capitalism.
One who gets to the bottom of the history of this realizes that "Capitalism" created "Marxism" as the 'Controlled Opposition'.
SharpFish should look into Milner and Rhodes, and the "conservatives" here should equally--as well as to the machinations of the Rothschild interlink with the Rockefellers in the Anglo-fication of the Eastern Establishment in the US.
While you people throw stones at one another the High Cabal is sewing up the loose ends of their global gulag, where it matters not what color you are--you all end up slaves.
June 16, 2011 6:21 PM
Michelle Malkin is a raging lunatic, and while you can take exception to some of what Sharpton says, to describe it as "racist" is to abuse the term. And indeed it is a matter of substantial irony that you should call on anything by Malkin as if she had any kind of credible position on racism, given her support for apartheid in Israel.
I know I'm not going to make any headway here because I know that this is really just a case of blaming the victim, and those of you who are committed to it aren't going to be persuaded by anything I say. But I will point out that exactly the same charges were levelled at Nelson Mandela, for example, and so as far as I'm concerned this is just a standard set of apologia for bigotry. And I'm not at all surprised that this article has attracted such apologists, as that's basically what it was for.
But I don't have to stand by and let the reality of South Africa be exploited for that purpose. You do not have the right to hijack our history and distort it to fit some odious right wing agenda.
June 16, 2011 6:30 PM
Netanyahu's Rabbi charged with raping 12-year-old girl
Now if this does not reflect on Nutenyahoo's character—How do you atone for the charges against the Kenyan for his association with Reverend Wright?
June 16, 2011 6:35 PM
It is ludicrous, and would be laughable if the issues weren't at a critical point, that neither the Left nor the Right has a reasonable responce to the questions and assertions outside of their mainstream boxes.
Both the "Right" lunatics here, and the "Left" passerbys that happen onto the sight have the same reaction...their eyes roll back in their sockets and their brains flatline.
Of course this will mean that the real crisis, that of the global elite agenda will hit both of these 'sides' as an utter surprise, even though it is happening in plain sight.
What? Do you actually believe the economy is crashing by mistake? By incompetence?
The cynical "we won't do it again," is a bit of a stretch. Don't you think?
Don't you think? That seems to need repeating here...
June 16, 2011 7:16 PM
"I am a Marxist, and proudly so"
No point in arguing with someone who is "proudly" Marxist. They are either too incompetent to understand the argument or too evil to care. He said he was Marxist. Debate over, he lost.
June 16, 2011 7:39 PM
Ben, that is a simpleton's non-argument.
Now you both "lost".
June 16, 2011 7:45 PM
You're right of course. Anyone that is proudly Marxist and believes that Capitalism is the *cause* of racism is hopeless. But it's fun to yank their chain and watch them fumble around.
June 16, 2011 7:47 PM
Being proudly Marxist is like being proudly flat-earther. And yes, those idiots still exist too:
If you're proud of something that is a universal failure, only life itself can convince you otherwise. So we'll wait and let life change DullFish's mind.
June 16, 2011 7:50 PM
You "conservatives" here are the Synthesis.
Synthetic, plastic, immitation, not real.
Such is life within a false paradigm.
June 16, 2011 8:26 PM
And yet you stay, Willy, and continue to convince us of our ignorance and "false paradigms" over and over again.
So what does that make you? Lonely, I guess.
Give it up. The intelligence of this community is far higher than the normal dregs that you're used to brainwashing. Move along. Sites like InfoWars exist for people just like you.
June 16, 2011 8:29 PM
Fishy, you clearly don't understand either Marxism or capitalism. "Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under Marxism, the opposite is true."
What's more, capitalism and Marxism/socialism are not a black/white dichotomy, they are a continuum. There was nothing whatsoever free-market-capitalistic about either apartheid or Jim Crow, because they were legal interference in the free market: they prevented certain individuals (black people) from freely offering whatever goods or services they wished to provide, and prevented their customers from freely purchasing them. Nothing free about that market - an unfree market was the whole POINT.
Obviously there were free market aspects to the old South Africa, such as between white people. There are also free market aspects of Communist China, pretty significant ones, just as there are increasingly Marxist aspects of the increasingly controlled and regulated American economy. Neither are purely free market or purely Marxist; they are passing each other in opposite directions.
But to the extent that apartheid and Jim Crow interfered in the ability of free individuals of whatever race to participate in whatever economic transactions they freely chose to do, they were ANTI-free-market.
June 16, 2011 8:31 PM
"The intelligence of this community is far higher than the normal dregs that you're used to brainwashing."~twibi
"Intelligence" is what you call it aye twibi?
No, hardly "lonely," I have a blog, we share in our ideas like those of you here. But I find "preaching to the choir," is not enough.
You would be a fish out of water on any other site without your backup squad. And the only "argument" I ever get is the same zip/nothing you just laid on me. Why, because you have no valid counter. So you want me to leave you alone.
The obvious ignorance of the architecture of modern political power is obvious here. That is the reason you can only counter "the Left." You have no overview of both the left and the right.
Naivete is not innocence. And going along to get along is fine...
..until you get where they are taking you.
That destination lies straight ahead. I guarantee you aren't going to like it.
You can puff yourselves up with your false bravado until then.
You won't have the luxury of saying you were not warned.
June 16, 2011 8:47 PM
When every question put on the table comes down to a Left/Right dogfight, or a Demoskunk/Repukelikan tango, it is obvious that the divide and conquer scheme of the oligarchs ruling this nation is working like a charm.
It's like reading the rantings of Pavlovian dogs.
The Petro-Dollar is dying a slow death. With its disappearance will come the Third World to the United States.~Jim Willie
David Rockefeller, Memoirs, page 405
June 16, 2011 11:09 PM
Although many fail to realize it, all is not well in Wonderland.
Most are still lulled by TV and mindless entertainment, whizzbang gadgetry, and delusional mantras of “recovery”...
Meanwhile on the croquette lawn, shock and awe austerity rises in the purple face of the enraged Red Queen.
When this austerity finally bursts the over inflated bubble of some 1 and a half Quadrillion dollars, will you keep your head?
June 16, 2011 11:48 PM
Ben wrote:
"Being proudly Marxist is like being proudly flat-earther."
Hahahaha. You guys are so living in the past, and the really funny part is that you are so oblivious to the fact.
Patience wrote:
Patience, I understand them both extremely well. Where you make your mistake is here:
CAPITALISM ITSELF is anti-free market. Because it systematically appropriates the product of labour from those who produce. Capitalism is not an expression of human freedom, it is a system of exploitative class rule.
The fact that apartheid and Jim Crow could work so well with capitalism absolutely confirm this. There is absolutely nothing in capitalism which contributes to human liberty or autonomy. Capitalist ideology just uses "free market" as a slogan for the untramelled right of capitalists to exploit labour. Both apartheid and Jim Crow assisted in that exploitation and were therefore perfectly in line with capitalism.
If you want a real free market, a society of free people, freely trading, and freely entering into voluntary transactions, the first thing you need to do is kill capitalism. What you in fact need is a communist mode of production.
June 17, 2011 6:08 AM
"CAPITALISM ITSELF is anti-free market"
Ha! Patience, are you *really* going to keep arguing with this clown?
"CAPITALISM ITSELF is anti-free market"
I had to read that again just to get another good laugh out of it.
June 17, 2011 7:58 AM
"CAPITALISM ITSELF is anti-free market. If you want a real free market... What you in fact need is a communist mode of production."
Hmm. OK, I declare myself a Marxist - and therefore, in favor of a capitalist economy.
In other news, black is white, up is down, and left is right. Oh, wait a minute - Willie already believes that last one.
Welcome to Bizarro World!
June 17, 2011 8:23 AM
You lack of comprehension is truly astounding Patience. Your argumentation is sixth grade playground level.
While I have an argument against socialism, I also understand that "Capitalism" is NOT 'free market', the Capitalism of that las hundred years has been monopolism, and centrally controlled--like your brainwashed mind.
What utter chumps.
June 17, 2011 9:06 AM
The interesting thing about capitalism is that it actually achieved what Marxism set out to do: allow the laborers to share in the fruits of production.
For example, the wealth of Walmart is owned by millions of middle-class shareholders as part of their 401k or retirement funds. This includes both the people that "give" their money to Walmart, by buying its products, and those that work there. Additionally, the low costs that Walmart's capitalism created is realized by its laborers and customers.
Here's a great article explaining why capitalism, and free enterprise in general, has beaten Marxism at its own game:
June 17, 2011 9:14 AM
Is this REALLY where you meant to send us with that URL Sam?
May 2007
Socialism, Free Enterprise, and the Common Good
Rev. Robert A. Sirico
President, Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty
At any rate, using Walmart as an example for anything positive is the biggest load of tripe I have ever read.
What a collection of nimrods...
June 17, 2011 9:57 AM
Hi Willy,
Yes. Now do yourself a favor and _read it_.
June 17, 2011 10:19 AM
Hi Sam, I did.
June 17, 2011 12:22 PM
Lol. But at least, Sam, I give you credit for acknowledging what "Marxism set out to do". That's a much greater degree of insight than that exhibited by anyone else here.
Of course, I would still say it's ridiculous to argue that capitalism has "beaten" Marxism at anything - indeed, given the recent crisis, Marx' critique of capitalism has been reaffirmed for the umpteenth time. But what really sticks out from this claim is that apparently workers are only to be allowed a SHARE in the fruits of production.
Why should that be, when all of production rests on their labour? It's not enough to have a share; we want it all. We made it all, why shouldn't we have it? Why should a parasitical, noncontributive capitalist class have any claim?
I have read the article you linked; to provide a proper counter-argument probably wouldn't be worthwhile. But while this article is much better informed than most, it is still completely mistaken. For example, the depiction of Bernstein, while not faulty is as such, is incomplete, and it fails to acknowledge the critiques to which his position were subject. Bernstein's argument was destroyed by Rosa Luxembourg, and Sirico is therefore not entitled to use it as a sort of uncompleted realisation of the invalidity of the socialist position.
I commend you though on finding something as detailed and serious as this, rather than depending on the shrill mouthpieces and stereotypes that so many rely on for the substance of their argument, and which we see above. But my challenge to you now is to go out and read Marxist material yourself, and to draw your conclusions rather than relying on the analyses of others.
June 17, 2011 12:43 PM
"what "Marxism set out to do".~SharpFish
What Marxism set out to do is a much deeper subject than simply analyzing the works of Marx. Marx after all is not all that original in his work Das Capital. What is more beneficial in understanding "Marxism" is the understanding of who was in the background promoting him, and what their motives were, and are.
When such an analysis is made, we find lurking in the background a combine of secret societies interlocking in a most complex matrix, and ultimately leading to the Perfectibles, who infiltrated the European Masonic lodges of the 18th century.
At any rate, after years of research by many from that era forward, it can be said with a great degree of certainty that it is high financial capital, in particular the House of Rothschild which is the hand pulling the strings and funding these movements.
In the final analysis, what "Marxism" set out to do was to generate a 'controlled opposition" to this high international finance. One that could be manipulated into unwittingly serving the interests of high finance and coopting any real resistance that was to come along.
For some clues into this look into the Left and Right schools of Hegelianism, a split manufactured by Hegel's own teachings and his star students.
June 17, 2011 1:22 PM
Hi again to Sam,
I am quite familiar with Hillsdale College.
Whether you are aware of it or not Hillsdale is part of Neocon think tank activities. One with the purpose of demonizing Islam for the benefit of the fraudulant "war on terror".
It's luminaries are in the main the usual suspects behind PNAC and the Rand corporation, the Crystal's and thier Daily Standard, etc.
These people come from a Marxist background themselves--all deciples of Trotsky and his 3rd Internationale. Almost all of this leads back to Leo Strause. They are all 'Statists'--Hegelians, who believe that the "state in the footsteps of 'God' on earth."
This means that any "Christians" involved with this cult have been duped.
Not that I expect anyone to follow leads and take anything seriously here, as all on this site seem to have swallowed the MSM kool-aid.
But the history is in the open record for any with some slight bit of curiosity left in their head.
June 17, 2011 1:35 PM
Normalcy Bias
Normalcy Bias; this is the psychological pathos of the conformists, the bean-counters, and those who go along to get along. It is indicated by extreme naivete and a dearth of imagination. Such personalities crave empty entertainment, convenience, and unfettered certainty.
The words, “tinfoil conspiracy nut” are set like a trigger, to be repeated like a Chatty Cathy doll at the slightest hint of suspicion of the system they float around in like party balloons at a kids birthday at Chuckie-Cheese.
Lack of imagination creates a type of memory loss, the inability to imagine what it was like before one became adjusted to the present. This creates a type of mental compartmentalization.
In-congruent information is isolated from itself to prevent cognitive dissonance. The information is still there subconsciously however, which results in neurosis. And it is that neurosis which is acted out as denial.
“Lack of curiosity in otherwise intelligent people is caused by fear. This fear is of finding out something that on might not want to know and face. It is an attendant effect of long term normalcy bias, in the case of the US it is caused by the strategy of tension generated by social engineering.~ww
“The normalcy bias is also known as the ostrich effect. It is also sometimes known as the incredulity response and analysis paralysis.
In situations of extreme danger, some people enter a mental state that is known as the normalcy bias. In this state, people deny that what is happening to them is really taking place.”
June 17, 2011 2:21 PM
To the ones that espouse communist ideals, I only have one thing to say:
F U!
I grew up in a communist country, and it was complete state control. Fear of the state was the way of life. Communism is great, it means some "chosen" ones at the top control the state-owned industries and the workers truly are slaves, because the state and the bureaucrats reap all the benefits. And let's not forget the brainwashing, since you have to be constantly reminded your hard work is for the "good" of the country, while you live off food rations. Meanwhile, the politicians are running around in luxury cars and living in mansions, while you get thrown in jail for daring to ask for more food.
Seriously, do you actually mean this?
Maybe because if they don't make any money off our work, they don't need to employ us. Why would anyone give me a job if not for them to make more money as well? I am sure you think that the state should own the industry, but like I already pointed out, it just means someone else would get rich off my labor.
Communism fails on so many aspects, that if you look at history all it has created is poverty and authoritarian states. And really wealthy state-sponsored oligarchs.
June 17, 2011 4:18 PM
If it is the private sector which is employing as well as being employed, what is the need of a financial class 'providing'the "money" as debt. Creating just the amount of fiat script to cover that "money" itself--but not the amount to cover the INTREST on that debt?
I think if you had a better grasp on how the ponzi scheme of fractional banking works that you would have an entirely different opinion of "Capitalism."
Rather than think in the duality manner of the dialectic of Capitalism/Comminism, why not think back to the concept that "money" is just a conveinience to barter--actual free-trade, not the Newspeak version propagated by the financial elite.
June 17, 2011 4:39 PM
My last comment is directed at Alin_S, and the first quote is from his post.
June 17, 2011 4:41 PM
Again addressing Alin_S,
What needs to be parsed is the distinction between the entrepreneur and a capitalist. Between 'finance' and 'trade'.
By 'trade' I do not refer to the casino of Wall Street. I am talking about actual trade between owners and buyers of goods and services.
June 17, 2011 4:50 PM
Willy, I know you constantly have to mention the financial conspiracy and a international nefarious cabal, but my post had nothing to do with finance. Capitalism has nothing to do with banks, but banks are necessary to provide capital to those who need it. Now imagine a world where I save money or raise capital through other means, and then I open a business. No debt for me, and no Rockefellers making money off me.
Here is an easy definition: An economic system that is based on PRIVATE OWNERSHIP of the means of production and distribution. Prices for goods and services are determined by the free market, and businesses are operated for the economic gain of the OWNERS. (I would like to think that I can be an owner one day, and I guess perhaps I am biased by such an ideal and you might even say a bit foolish for believing such things).
I have never disagreed with you on the federal reserve, which encourages fractional lending and has hijacked our money plus our government. I think your point was also trying to hint at the creation of money, but again, my point had nothing to do with that.
My point is simply this: communism sucks! And I will never ever live under communist oppression. You can take those as fighting words if you prefer...
June 17, 2011 5:01 PM
Alin_S, you say:
Read your first sentence here. It defeats itself in a circle. In effect it is self cancelling.
And the second is true, you have to “imagine” such a world because the “capital” you speak of is fiat debt based “money”. There is NO OTHER form of capital available in 'This World'...only the one you wish for the reader to imagine.
I can indeed 'imagine' such a world. But know that one will not exist until one faces the realities of this on we exist in now and change it.
By making the circular arguments you have above you are simply denying the real world, and playing make-believe, ie, “imagining.”
June 17, 2011 7:06 PM
But Alin, as you should realize the “prices for goods and services “are NOT determined by the free market. They are determined by a central controlled market—the Stock Market, which has manifold instruments of manipulation to play the prices. The 'derivatives' scheme, 'hedge funds', the casino techniques of betting on prices without even buying stocks: Spread betting on stocks and shares allows you to go long or short on a stock without owning.
And these are only a few of the tools the elites have implemented to control the market.
Again, it gets down to who the “OWNERS” are. The Owners are, again; the private banking cartel that you keep dismissing—they own the ability to write an amount on a ledger sheet and pronounce it “money”.
June 17, 2011 7:22 PM
Willy, I know it's hard to admit you are wrong, but you continue to go in a a circle and refuse to see the forest for the trees. Read the definition of capitalism that I provided. Based on this definition, this is how I CHOOSE to see it. Capitalism to me means private ownership (not state-owned), prices determined by free market (not monopolies), and benefits the owners (not the state or bureaucrats). Therefore, capitalism does not need banks. Additionally, the structure of the finance system is a whole different topic. However, since I have to say this again, banks are needed to provide money to those WHO NEED IT. Now, if you want to get into the nuances of my statements, go ahead and over-analyze.
I don't have to imagine a world where I don't need to take on debt. Here is another scenario for you: I inherit a bunch of money and put that into a business, I become a business owner and by default I would be called a capitalist. Now I would be an evil business owner who would hire other people so I could make more money, or I don't hire any and they can all go unemployed.
I think you and I both agree that we need to push the govt off our backs, but the grim realities of the world you live in have got you down. I simply choose to believe that capitalism works and corporations are not evil, but it's when they collude with govt that our lives are impacted typically for the worse. But I will not paint capitalism or all corporations with such a broad brush.
I agree with you, I am aware of how our money is nothing more than govt debt which we have to pay back to this private bank called the FED. I think you assume that the readers of this blog are dunces, and have been living under a rock. We are all well aware of the illegitimacy of the FED, the unconstitutionality of the income tax, the military industrial complex, etc. I really wish you wouldn't think that you are the only one who has seen the light.
June 17, 2011 7:43 PM
Willy, this is becoming a debate less about capitalism and more about manipulation. Commodities and currency trading can absolutely affect our everyday lives, I don't think a wise person would really try to disagree with that. I don't think I ever said that I "dismiss" the banking cartel, I only said that you bring it up in every post even though we are simply discussing capitalism and the positive effects it has on our society. Just like anything else, in the wrong hands it can be abused and misused. I would like for you to admit that capitalism works, and then you can get into how certain factions are trying to gain power and wealth underhandedly. It seems that you are dismissing capitalism as this evil system simply because some people have decided to hijack it for their own benefit. For me, capitalism means that I can go open up an ice cream shop in my neighborhood, and I have the freedom to do so. For you, it means that some wealthy bankers are getting richer. I would like to see your solution to this problem, my solution is simply to get it while the getting is good.
(That's a joke Willy)
June 17, 2011 8:09 PM
But that is my whole point in the first place. What you have been taught the definition of capitalism is not what is put in place and called capitalism.
The ideal system you have in your head that you call capitalism, is a worthy concept and a reasonable way to do business, regardless of what you name it.
What I am saying is that what has been CALLED capitalism from the inception on the use of the word has always been the manipulatory aspect we have discussed, with the Rhetorical cover story being the system that makes the best sense. All cons are sold that way, in economic law this is called a "Fraudulent Conveyance Racket".
The historical record proves that the entire Federal Reserve System can by shown to be a Fraudulent Conveyance racket. The Federal Reserve System is obviously a centrally planned economy. This is NOT a “free market,” as their Newspeak rhetoric claims.
Playing it for what it is worth is all any of us can do as far as personal survival tactics. However I think that trying to educated people as to the scam being played on them is worthwhile.
That is my whole reason for posting. There are a lot of misconceptions being propagated, and that needs countering.~ww
June 17, 2011 8:56 PM
More simply put: The dictionary definition of "Capitalism" that the "Capitalists" have used is a commercial advertizement. That is how they explain their operation.
But this is False Advertizement. Again history shows it to be a con racket.
That is the reason, I dispute the advertized definition. Because it is their Sales Pitch but not what you are sold.
June 17, 2011 9:04 PM
Now, as far as Communism; the very same historical record I refer to proves that it is a created "controled opposition"...
In other words Alvin, the very same financial power that runs this nation, runs the socialist opposition.
The real enemy then is the International Banking Cartel:
Capitalism/Communism/Total State = Totalitarian State
June 17, 2011 9:09 PM
The Final and Urgent Point:
To move further into the present situation is to observe that there can be no reasonable argument against that the US is a totalitarian police state. It is no secret but for putting it so bluntly. This is a Panoptic Maximum Security State based on the openly announced strategy of FULL SPECTRUM DOMINANCE. That term, 'full spectrum dominance” is as in your face as is possible. What does full spectrum mean? It means it is total , total dominance. How much clearer does this have to be made out. This is not my language this is the state's language. You have received your invitation to the ball. You have been absorbed under its umbrella. Since 9/11 and the PATRIOT Act, the superstructure of this panoptic police state has been constructed over the head of the population.
If one chose to pay attention the reality is out there everyday testifying to this.
It is only turning away into denial that can make one blind to the so very obvious.
All it will take to kick this machine on to full draconian force will be the shock of drastic austerity measures imposed. This will be an 'event', and it will ripple around the globe quickly.
Many well researched analysts are saying this is not long in coming. How long? Not long, for "ye reap what ye sow."
June 17, 2011 9:38 PM
And a final comment to Sharpfish:
Marx and Bakunin are both wrong, and their arguments between themselves irrelevant but as a historical footnote.
Marx is wrong. The only thing that has ever changed about human beings is their technologies, and unless technology is allowed to “win” over the human being, and create the cyborg which eliminates the natural humans—mankind will always be the human being he is.
All consensus is synthetic and temporary.~ww
June 20, 2011 11:12 AM
Alin S,
You're confusing communism with state capitalism. Obviously, if that's where you grew up, you'll have been denied this critique, even though it goes as far back as the earliest days of those state capitalist societies. Politicians in luxury cars and ordinary workers in jail for asking for food, that's capitalism in essence. Can you think of any capitalist society that hasn't produced precisely this outcome?
You say yourself, its a society organised by and for the interest of OWNERS, and that you aspire, one day, to being an owner yourself. Isn't that a confession that any capitalist society is the antithesis of democracy, that it is rule by the rich and for the rich? You admit that the only out you can see is to one day join their number. And in the meanwhile, like the vast majority of us, you can only be servant and a slave.
You ask, why should they employ us? Fatuously you assert "they don't make money of us". Of course they do, why else would they employ us, according to your own logic? Only becuase they benefit. Running through your account of capitalism is a truth you won't acknowledge: that we are only allowed to support ourselves when it is in the interests of capitalists. We are no more free than any feudal serf subordinate to their local warlord, paying tithe and rent to someone who, fundamentally, does not work to support themselves.
All value arises from human labour. As Adam Smith said, it is the original commodity from which all others are got. Capitalism cannot exist without workers; it exists for no other purpose than to seize the product of workers labour and channel it into private profit. Just like your state capitalisms, the few benefit from the labour of the many.
Willy Whitten, I don't really want to respond to you, your brand of conpiratorial theory is essentially nonsense, and ironically, precisely what you denounce us for, a "false opposition". So long as you continue to believe in these shadowy conpiratorial groups you'll never do anything to actually change the real, material, world. But your last point I must address, your argument about technology. No political philosophy is as science- and tech-friendly as Marxism. It appears, after all, as an attempt to form a scientific theory about how societies change and develop. It is a specific scientific antidote to the pre-industrial, superstitious cult of capitalist theology.
There is so much historical evidence against your wilder claims I won't bother going into it. Nobody who takes the topic seriously will be convinced by your garbage.
June 20, 2011 7:54 PM
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One of the major focal points in terms of processing the idea of spiritual teachers is wondering to what extent they are necessary at all in the development of the individual as a spiritual being. How does one define the spiritual life? How does one define a spiritual teacher? These are questions with answers that would likely be as different as the people asking them.
Whether or not a person feels the need for a spiritual teacher, whether a teacher in the
flesh or via a philosophical text, is also a very individualized process. Whether or not a person is open to the idea of having a spiritual teacher or guru likely has much to do with how they have been conditioned socially. If a person has been conditioned to be more accepting of a guru, then they will have a greater openness than someone who has been conditioned to be more or less open or hostile towards the process (or someone who has had a negative guru experience or been exposed to negative news reports about certain religious sects).
J. Krishnamurti uses the concept of the awareness of social conditioning as the basis for his
philosophy. He advocated a philosophy that, essentially, put forth the idea that there is no guru, there is no teaching, and only the individual can know his or her own consciousness. Only the individual can dig deep enough into his or her own consciousness and explore and, potentially, be free from social conditioning. Again, social conditioning would definitely factor in to whether or not one is open to the guru/disciple relationship. Krishnamurti said
If the very act of identifying a tree by a certain name is a sign of being conditioned, then
certainly, whether or not one is open to the idea of having a guru or spiritual teacher is also
influenced by conditioning. To put this idea into context, my own spiritual conditioning involved being raised as a Roman Catholic. Being raised Catholic was an integral part of my worldview and remains the foundation of my spiritual conditioning. As I grew, I became aware of other religions and became drawn to the ideas of Taoism and Buddhism. I also became interested in rationalistic points of view espoused by Secular Humanism.
Authoritarian Followers As Symbiotes
While eastern cultures have a greater tradition and support for the guru disciple relationship,
those in western cultures seem to have a greater skepticism towards them. Part of the mythology of America is that of the “rugged individualist” who “goes it alone” if need be while relying on the Christian god for spiritual support. In their popular mainstream forms, neither Roman Catholicism, Protestant Christianity or Fundamentalist Christianity seem particularly open to a guru/disciple relationship in the eastern sense; whereas, in “eastern” societies such a relationship has been a part of the culture for thousands of years. There is also a greater, and well documented, sense of collectivism in eastern societies versus what many like to think of as individualism in western countries (though I think the idea of individualism is highly debatable, especially in terms of how people in the west are socially conditioned on all sorts of levels).
While such attributes as collectivist versus individualistic may hold true, it is also important to avoid over-generalizing in terms of broad-based cultural attributes at the risk of essentializing a culture. Be that as it may, one thing that does link most modern cultures is some form of authoritarianism.
Unfortunately, authoritarianism in seems to be at work in many ways in terms of how individuals relate to religious and spiritual pursuits. Specifically, I am discussing the authoritarian follower personality. These are people who would be easily described in a general sense as “followers”, often seeming devoid of reason or critical faculties when it comes to their spiritual, religious or political views. While this may not always be the case, or may not even be the case most of the time in terms of religious or spiritual seekers, it is the case often enough to warrant scrutiny.
Indeed, the idea of the authoritarian follower personality is often at work in terms of
defining to which extent individual is open to submitting to the guru/disciple relationship. It is also very much present in most of the world’s major religions where a guru/student relationship is not present. The authoritarian follower personality is not the exclusive property of any particular culture or era. These personality types appear to exist throughout cultures and time periods, both religiously and politically. In The Authoritarians, Bob Altemeyer explores the idea of the authoritarian personality in great depth. He sees the related concept of dogmatism as a particular threat to free-thinking. Altemeyer says:
Once dogmatism turns out the lights, you might as well close up shop as a civilization and pull up the covers as a sentient life form. You get nowhere with unquestioning certainty. It’s thinking with your mind wide shut. But that would not faze most fundamentalists, because they know that their beliefs will get them exactly where they want to go.
To a further extent, Altemeyer explores the concept of fundamentalism along with its dangers as relates to, in this case, the authoritarian follower personality. It is clear from
Altemeyer’s sociological findings that this authoritarian follower personality is socially driven i.e. it is a socially conditioned aspect of a human being’s life. Altemeyer says of fundamentalist Christians:
That they are highly likely to be authoritarian followers. They are highly submissive to established authority, aggressive in the name of that authority, and conventional to the point of insisting that everyone should behave as their authorities decide. They are fearful and self-righteous and have a lot of hostility in them that they readily direct toward various out-groups. They are easily incited, easily led, rather un-inclined to think for themselves, largely impervious to facts and reason, and rely instead of social support to maintain their beliefs. They bring strong loyalty to their in-groups, have thick-walled, highly compartmentalized minds, use a lot of double standards in their judgments, are surprisingly unprincipled at times, and are often hypocrites.
Analyzing Altemeyer’s reflection, it becomes apparent that if there are not authoritarian
followers, there can be no authoritarian leaders. Both the authoritarian leader and follower must exist in a symbiotic relationship or they cannot exist at all. No authoritarian leaders, no authoritarian followers. The reverse is also true. This has implications for religion and spirituality, but also has implications for the greater idea society. When an authoritarian follower of a cult, religious sect or religion is deprogrammed, the symbiotic connection to the
authoritarian leader is broken, lessening that leader’s power by at least one follower. However, the individual’s authoritarian personality traits are still there in latent form and may find another outlet in the future. I reject the idea of a guru, not only because of my initial Roman Catholic religious conditioning but because at the same time I was rais ed with the opposite approach to dogma: question authority.
While some level of leading and following is necessary for the functioning of modern society, it does not need to be the rule of the authoritarian leader or follower. More consensus driven
societies are likely to have more of everything that authoritarian society’s lack: creativity,
openness, and freedom.
Giving Gurus a Bad Name
Another reason many people resist the guru-disciple relationship is that some deeply disturbed authoritarian leaders have given the term guru a bad name. Enough instances have occurred in recent memory where authoritarian followers and authoritarian leaders have come together and havoc has ensued to lead to very understandable questions in the popular press and the popular mind about the nature of the guru/disciple relationship and the very nature of the guru. The “bad” gurus have run the gamut from bizarre and abusive to murderous.
By definition, people are naturally drawn to charismatic personalities. Most, if not all, gurus
whether deemed positive or negative in their impact have some level of charisma to them
whether in personality or vital energy. Like the pop stars of today, however, it is not unusual for these charismatic personalities to go over the edge and fall into the abyss.
Beyond excess, there is also spiritual inconsistency that can bring a guru back down to the all too human level. Non-gurus regularly exhibit inconsistencies in their behaviors. However, followers of gurus expect spiritual teachers to be more than human. The inconsistencies demonstrate that faith in a guru can be shaken or, ultimately, shattered by a guru having them. The question remains as to the nature of who have been considered enlightened considering their excesses and inconsistent behavior.
While authoritarian leaders serve as symbols for the negative aspects of the guru/disciple
relationship, it is the followers who do not get the same “press” as their charismatic spiritual
teachers. Perhaps popular culture would somehow like to simplify the nature of the guru/disciple relationship. Perhaps the general public does not want to acknowledge their own authoritarian tendencies, whether as leaders or followers.
Though the “gurus-gone-wild” have come to be symbols of darkness or excess, over time they continue to crop up again and again. It is unlikely that society will see a complete end to such tragedies as Jonestown or thousands of disillusioned followers, as was the case with Rajneesh, until the authoritarian personality itself is fully explored, understood and, eventually treated. Unfortunately, for many involved with bad gurus, by the time the problem is discovered, it is often too late to stop psychological or physical harm from occurring.
Krishnamurti and Free-Thinking
A great focus of this paper is not on the benefits that many people find in following the eastern guru-centered spiritual traditions, but a critique of the authoritarian follower personality that makes such relationships often dangerous to the psyche or more of the would be follower. While I, personally, reject the idea of having a guru for the many reasons stated in this paper I very much feel that there are likely many spiritual teachers of great merit and many individuals who benefit as the recipients of their teachings. Ultimately, though, I feel that it is far too likely, especially in Western societies, that an individual has a much greater chance of being taken in by an illegitimate guru if they are either naïve of the process and background of the guru or have an unquestioning authoritarian follower personality and, thus, far more likely to do or have damage done to them. When authoritarianism is present thought becomes static, inventiveness and openness are gone. In Total Freedom, Krishnamurti said:
What we call happiness or ecstasy is, to me, creative thinking. And creative thinking is the infinite movement of thought, which is emotion, which is action itself, if unimpeded in its movement, is not compelled or influenced or bound by an idea, and does not proceed from the background of tradition or habit, then that movement is creative. So long as thought– and I won’t repeat each time emotion and action – so long as thought is circumscribed, held by a fixed idea, or merely adjusts itself to a background or condition and, therefore, becomes limited, such a thought is not creative.
To what extent does the guru/disciple relationship circumscribe or limit thought in the
manner that Krishnamurti is discussing? That would seemingly depend on the guru and the guru’s teachings and the personality of the follower. Krishnamurti rejects the idea of attachment to abstract concepts as being forms of conditioning. The mind is never free as long as it is fixated on anything. The very idea of the guru, in Krishnamurti’s terms, could be seen as a socially conditioned idea. If, as Krishnamurti suggested many times, only the individual can know her or his own consciousness, if there is no guru needed, if there is no religious or spiritual organization needed, if there is no path, then the very nature of the guru/teacher and the disciple/student is called into question. Krishnamurti went on to say:
Now this movement of creative thinking does not seek in its expression a result, an achievement; its results and expressions are not its culmination. It has no culmination or goal, for it is eternally in movement. Most minds are seeking a culmination, a goal, an achievement and are molding themselves upon the idea of success, and such thought, such thinking is continually limiting itself, whereas if there is not idea of achievement but only the continual movement of thought as understanding, as intelligence, then that movement of thought is creative.
In terms of Krishnamurti’s “teachings” the individual would not reach this freedom of thought, this creative essence by relying on anyone outside themselves. Certainly, the individual would not reach the essence of this creative thought by relying on a guru. It is, again, in this sense that in Krishnamurti’s rejection of the guru that he reminds individuals of the power they have to look within and discover themselves, most likely, for the first time.
Be Your Own Guru
Does Krishnamurti’s philosophy appeal to me because I am socially conditioned to accept the
idea of “questioning authority” or because it is reflective of my life experiences? Perhaps it is a combination of both. However, I do agree with his well known idea that “truth is a pathless land.” Indeed, to me, I cannot see any other way for the individual to truly have the potential of freeing themselves from social conditioning and realizing the transcendental without going into their own consciousness and exploring its nature. While I will leave the argument in favor of the guru/disciple relationship to others, I will conclude only by saying:
Be Your Own Guru
This article has been selectively republished from the Journal of Conscious Evolution
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Benefits of Using Small Plate Movement for Personal Training Clients
Today we asked Personal Trainer in London for there opinion on using the small plate movement and would it benefit there clients in London.
Personal training clients are looking for results. Generally, they are looking for someone to help and motivate them to exercise, and they are expecting to work hard. They may not be your best friend after you have put them through their paces, but they will thank you for it. Imagine how better the results would be if you could take a holistic approach and educate them on other changes they can make to their life style that will, in turn, lead to further weight loss and health benefits. Small plate moment is one such example.
Smaller plates, bigger benefits
No Comments on Smaller plates, bigger benefits
Research has empirically and scientifically validated results related to consumption that enables confident promotion of ways people can enjoy all food, but in smaller amounts. Based on findings found in the book Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, the Small Plate Movement continues the promotion of consumer awareness in regards to food intake. In particular, the Small Plate Movement promotes utilizing 10″ diameter plates to decrease the amount of food people eat, without having an effect on their perceived fullness or satisfaction.
Additionally, the movement will bring current and past research findings to local and chain restaurants as well as plate manufacturers in order to spread the movement across the country. Health conscious consumers would decrease their caloric intake, allowing restaurants to appeal to a nutrition-oriented market. Utilizing smaller dinnerware could decrease costs (via serving size), satisfying the economic interests of the restaurant owners. Smaller dinnerware would also effectively decrease the amount of waste produced by restaurants. The size of dinnerware could be simultaneously satisfying (win-win-win) to all aspects of the food industry. | <urn:uuid:f25464c6-eea5-4bf8-918b-71396a3a0b95> | 2 | 1.617188 | 0.062381 | en | 0.968309 | http://www.smallplatemovement.org/ |
An eye opener for Word Association Test - WAT:-
Friends, As we all know the Day 2 Psychological Tests are the most important factor in determining our Officer Like Qualities.
In this, I am going to give you few lines on answering the WAT. i.e. the second test in Psychology after the TAT - Thematic Appreciation Test.
In WAT, two type of words are given
1) Knowledge based.
2) Character based.
Knowledge based means, words such as Puzzle, Time, Light, Product etc.
Character based means, words such as anger, pretty, sad, demise, spoil, culture etc.
These include both positive and negative words.
In these two, our aim is to show the positive responses and to portrait our OLQ to both negative and postive words.
Aim of the Assessor:- The aim of the assessor in the WAT is to check out our all Officer Like Qualities. So in every responses for all our 60 questions, they are checking your OLQ.
Now, how to prepare?.
In the knowledge based words, we can reply by our observational sentences.
Eg:- Missile - India is one of the major ICBM holder. So no problem in answering these type of words.
But while answering the character based words, We are showing our OLQ's mostly. Also, the character based words are mostly negative words so the candidates feel tougher to answer those in that stipulated time i.e. 15 seconds.
So practice more with the given set of words below and analyse yourself with OLQ list. I assure you in few days you will get changes in your responses which also reflects in our normal life.
How the assessment is done:-
Let we take one of the OLQ, "Initiative".
We may get a word "Trip" - The recent trip organized by us to simla was so exciting. This shows the assessor that you have involved in some arrangement/organizing like that.
So like this, have the list of OLQ in your hand, practice the words by writing more and more words. Finally check your responses by matching with your OLQ list.
Note:- The assessment is done in many ways through the whole five day process, the aim of the assessors is to find our OLQ only. So let we try to acquire those quality and show our self best to the board.
Never and ever try to assess or read the assessors of the board as they are legends in the field of psychology and all. We cant able to assess them or read them, if we do so then we will lose our originality. Let we do our part clearly and show our OLQ best to the board to get selected :)
Friends, this is the best way to practice yourself for the Psychological part. The only thing to do well in these is practice. No one can change our personality other than us. :)
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SSB Preparation Material Free Download pdf
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Trees give us more breathing room
During the lazy, hazy days of summer, appreciate how trees clean the air. One way they do it is by scrubbing pollution from the air with their leaves.
"Think about how your clothes pick up lint, especially rough-textured clothing. That's essentially how trees pick up pollutants on their leaf surfaces," says John Dwyer, research associate at The Morton Arboretum.
Trees in the city of Chicago remove an estimated 888 tons of air pollution each year, according to the 2009 Chicago Urban Forest study. Trees are very good at capturing a type of pollution called particulate matter. This comes from car and truck emissions, power plants, road dust, and farming. It also forms in the atmosphere when other pollutants react.
The smallest particulate matter is called PM10 (smaller than 10 micrometers, which is one-seventh the width of a human hair). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PM10 infiltrates deep into the lungs, triggers asthma attacks and damages lung tissue. Chicago's trees remove about 300 tons of PM10 per year, which is equal to the annual PM10 emissions from 809,000 automobiles.
Some trees are better than others at catching PM10. "The ones that do the best job are large, healthy trees with many small, rough leaves with jagged margins," says Dwyer. "Because evergreens work for us all year, they are usually at the top of the list."
Consider planting spruce, fir, cedar, pine, buckeye, hackberry and zelkova. If you already have a large shade tree, nurture it to help it live a long life. Large, healthy trees remove up to 70 times more pollution than small ones.
The 2010 Tree Census is gathering data to determine air pollution-removal capacity and other environmental benefits of the urban forest in the seven-county Chicago metropolitan region.
For free information on the Tree Census or general tree/shrub questions, call the Plant Clinic, 630-719-2424. Laurie Casey is a staff writer at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle (
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Romance! As Understood By Little Girls
With Valentine’s Day coming up, and our theme on this month’s Roundtable being romance, I thought it was apt to write a little something about romance. But we don’t need just little old me talking about it. Oh no no, we need some fresh, young perspective! And so I decided to interview my little sister and her friend. Who better to give romantic advice than little girls? Cianna is 6 and her friend Chastity is 9. Let’s see what they have to say about this whole love thing, and about what makes a good romance story.
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Chastity: No
Cianna: Yes
Oh? Why do you, or don’t you believe in love at first sight?
Chasity: I think it’s really really weird. I don’t think you can start a relationship before you actually have a relationship as friends.
Cianna: Because it’s cute
Tell me about your favorite love story.
Chastity: I really like the love story of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. And I also like the love story of Aladdin.
What is it about those love stories that make it your favorite?
Chastity: Um, I don’t know. They’re really cute and adorable and sweet how they… they just meet and grow in their relationship together, and um…. it’s really adorable.
What is it they do together, or for each other, that strengthens them and makes them a good couple? Like, do you think making sacrifices for each other is a good thing?
Chasity: Yes yes. Like I watched a Tarzan video last night, and Tarzan sacrificed his life for his whole family, and for the girl that was killing him.
Wow, that’s pretty intense. Why did he sacrifice himself for the girl that was killing him?
Chastity: Because he’s such a nice person. *giggles*
What about you Cianna, what’s your favorite love story?
Cianna: Robin Hood. (note: She is referring to the old classic with Errol Flynn from 1938… she’s obsessed with it!)
What makes Robin Hood your favorite love story?
Cianna: ummmmm….. Robin.
What is it about Robin?
Cianna: Well he’s nice and practically the main character in this story.
Is it because he’s brave and dashing, and puts others before himself?
Cianna: Uh huh!
And what do you think of the maid Marian?
Cianna: Well she’s cute.
Why do you think they fall in love with each other?
Cianna: Well…. it’s kinda cute….
Chasity: We it’s probably because they are both really caring and loving to other people, and put others before themselves. So they have a lot of similarities so… them um…
Cianna: Yeah that’s what I was gonna say.
Chastity: *giggles* Yeah right!
I was just watching it, and I think when maid Marian saw that Robin Hood was actually the good guy and really helping people, that opened her eyes. And then when maid Marian helped rescue Robin Hood, he saw how much she cared about him. And so he fell in love with her, too.
Are there any stories that it didn’t make sense for the people to fall in love?
Chasity: Uh…. I think in a dream? Oh I remember! It was in the Braidy bunch, when a guy just met the girl that day. And they get married in the guy’s house.
Then the girls started talking about something else, and laughing and giggly, and the conversation was at an end. Ah well, I managed to get some good thoughts.
The first thing I noticed is that in Chastity perspective, the best relationships start small. Growing from a friendship into something more. Cianna likes ones that are cute. I think these things relate- that is, I think having a relationship that grows from the bottom up is what makes it cute.
See, Cianna used to not like kissing. She would be the first to say “eww” and hide her face when the characters kissed in a movie. But that has changed recently, and I think I have my oldest brother and his new wife to blame for that. Because she used to think kissing was weird (which it kinda is, I mean if you really think about it….. kissing is really weird!) What makes it not weird is when there’s meaning and intimacy behind it.
Cianna, from basically the day she was born, has seen Jubal and Bethany together. First as friends, then as best friends, then dating, then engaged…. Now that Jubal and Bethany are married and can kiss, she doesn’t think it’s weird at all. Because their kiss has a lot more meaning to it. Part of that being that they saved their first kiss ever for their wedding day, and the other part that they really have grown together. Something my little sister has seen and picked up on.
In a good story, a character is not the same from the beginning to the end. It would be boring and disappointing if there was no character development. That goes for relationships as well; the two characters, and the relationship itself, need to change and grow. I believe the strongest relationships grow from friendship and a genuine care for the other person. But in a story, you might not have time to lay out the relationship from the very beginning. That’s where some skillfully placed back story comes in handy, with the present taking place where the relationship is changing. Also, a dramatic life or death situation is great for bounding!
Another theme I noticed from our short conversation, is that the principle of sacrifice makes for a strong romance. Now it doesn’t have to be a total self sacrifice in which one person gives their life for the other. (That can be very dramatic and good, but it’s also very sad, so be careful, you don’t want the fans and shippers coming for your neck.) It can be any sort of sacrifice: spending time helping them with something instead of something you had planned to do, caring for them when they are sick, putting yourself at risk by going and seeking out help to free them from a hanging, or fighting off the deep space pirates to protect them. Anything that shows they care enough to put the other person’s needs and safety before their own.
Good love is selfless, and grand acts of selflessness make dramatic love stories. Drama is good for stories, and selfless love is good for love stories.
However, be sure not to portray a flawless couple. Perfect couples don’t make for good romance in stories. No one would be able to relate, and you need conflict to make a story. But as long as you work into your story the idea of them growing and changing together, and include selfless acts and sacrifices they make for each other, you’ll have a couple that readers will want to root for.
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About A. M. Freeman
• Very sweet…all the cuter because I just heard our local Christian radio station do exactly the same thing…they interviewed little children about love, and we even got:
• A. M. Freeman
Haha! The summer before last I was in a play of Aladdin. Cianna come to almost every show, and every time Aladdin and Jasmine kissed at the end, she’d very loudly say from the audience “ewwwww!”
During the school shows there was a chorus of “Eww!” 😉 | <urn:uuid:43b33cda-bb1a-46e3-9371-bea4b5b5dbd7> | 2 | 1.804688 | 0.032408 | en | 0.970028 | http://www.superversivesf.com/2017/02/10/romance-as-understood-by-little-girl/ |
Enterprise Software
SolutionBase: Using the Dsquery command in Windows Server 2003
Microsoft includes some handy GUI tools with Windows Server 2003 to help you manage Active Directory. Sometimes, however, command-line tools such as Dsquery can give you more flexibility and control. Here's a detailed look at the Dsquery command.
In the article "Getting started with Windows Server 2003's directory service command-line tools," I introduced you to the six basic directory service command-line tools and provided an expanded list showing you the particular objects that each tool is designed to work with. I also got you started with a basic understanding of distinguished names and the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) attribute tags.
The directory service command-line tools rely on these names to locate and work with objects in Active Directory. As I closed out that article, I briefly showed you how to use the Dsquery command to look at the distinguished names assigned to the objects in your Active Directory structure.
In this article, I'll pick up with the Dsquery command and examine its features. I'll then show you some cool search techniques you can perform with the Dsquery command to quickly and easily reveal information that would be a bit tricky to get out of GUI interface tools.
The commands
While the Dsquery command is one of the six main directory service command-line tools, it actually consists of 11 separate commands, as shown in Table A. Ten of these commands are designed to find objects of a specific type, and one is designed to find any object type in Active Directory.
Table A
Command Description
Dsquery * Finds any object
Dsquery computer Finds computer accounts
Dsquery contact Finds contacts
Dsquery group Finds group accounts
Dsquery ou Finds organizational units
Dsquery partition Finds Active Directory partitions
Dsquery quota Finds object quotas
Dsquery server Finds domain controllers
Dsquery site Finds Active Directory sites
Dsquery subnet Finds subnet objects
Dsquery user Finds user accounts
The Dsquery commands
Of course, each of these commands comes with a set of object-specific parameters that allow you to define the search criteria for each object. However, the majority of the parameters are common to most of the Dsquery commands.
The common parameters
Let's examine the common parameters and see how they work. Once you understand their function, you'll be able to look at the overly complex syntax layouts for each command and more easily pick out the object-specific parameters.
Targeting your search
The first set of common search parameters allows you to specify where you want your search operation to begin:
[{StartNode | forestroot | domainroot}]
To more narrowly focus your search, you can use a node's distinguished name (StartNode). To broaden your search, use the forestroot parameter, in which case the search is done using the global catalog. The default value is domainroot; while it's implied, if you don't type anything else, you can enter it on the command line if you really like to type out long command strings.
The second set of parameters in this category allows you to specify the scope of your search:
[-scope {subtree | onelevel | base}]
If you use the ï¿?scope base parameter, you target the search on a single object specified by command and the start node. In other words, you prevent the search from progressing down to child objects. Now, if you use the ï¿?scope onelevel parameter, you target the search on the object specified by command, the start node, and the object's immediate children. The ï¿?scope subtree parameter is the default, and it allows the search to freely progress down the tree from the start node.
As I mentioned, you can use the forestroot parameter in order to search the global catalog. You can also use the ï¿?gc parameter to require that your search specifically use the Active Directory global catalog.
One more way that you can target your search is by using the ï¿?r parameter. In this case, the r stands for recursion. This parameter allows you to specify that your search use recursionï¿?also described as following referrals during a search. As I understand it, this parameter allows you to extend your search to multiple servers.
Formatting output
The next set of common parameters lets you specify the output format for the search results:
[-o {dn | rdn}]
The default output is the distinguished name and uses the -o dn parameter. If you want to see the relative distinguished name, you'd use the -o rdn parameter.
As I said in the previous article, the Dsquery command will display only 100 objects by default. The next parameter allows you to expand the number of items displayed in the output:
-limit NumberofObjects
Essentially, you can use any number you want here. While it may seem a bit weird at first glance, if you want to see all of the objects, follow the -limit parameter with a zero. However, be careful when changing the limit because Microsoft's goal in limiting the output to 100 objects is to prevent the domain controller from being unnecessarily taxed by an exhaustive Active Directory search operation.
The last set of output format parameters also double as input format parameters and are designed to allow you to specify Unicode format:
{-uc | -uco | -uci}
The -uc parameter specifies a Unicode format for input from or output to a pipe (|). The -uco parameter specifies a Unicode format for output to a pipe (|) or a file. The -uci parameter is used to specify a Unicode format for input from a pipe (|) or a file.
While I'm on the topic of output, should you ever decide to run the Dsquery command and not see the results, you can use the -q parameter (a.k.a. Quiet Mode), which will suppress all output to the console. At first, this seemed like an odd thing to do, but then I thought it might be useful when you're redirecting output to a file. However, I've not had any luck getting the -q parameter to work at all.
Remote connection
The final set of common parameters that we'll look at are the remote connection parameters. By default, the Dsquery command assumes that you're running the command in the domain to which you're logged in. However, you can also run the Dsquery command on a remote server or domain.
{-s Server | -d Domain}
Using these parameters, you can connect to a specified remote server or domain. You might also need to specify a username and password, in which case you'd use these parameters:
-u UserName
-p {Password | *}
If you use the asterisk, you'll be prompted for a password.
Dsquery examples
Now that you have a good idea of how the Dsquery command works with its common parameters, let's look at some examples of where using this command will come in handy.
Tracking down servers
Suppose that while troubleshooting a problem, you discover that you need to quickly identify the domain controller that is performing one of the five Flexible Single Master Operation (FSMO) roles for a forest. What if you need to quickly identify which domain controllers are performing all five FSMO roles: the Schema Master, Domain Naming Master, RID Master, PDC Emulator, and Infrastructure Master? To perform this operation, you'll use the command:
Dsquery server
along with the parameters:
-hasfsmo {schema | name | infr | pdc | rid}
If you wanted to find only the Schema Master, you'd use the command:
Dsquery server -forest -hasfsmo schema
If you wanted to find all five, you'd use the command:
For %x in (schema name infr pdc rid) do Dsquery server -forest -hasfsmo %x
Here, I've simply incorporated the Dsquery server command in a pretty standard For In Do loop. To use this command line, you might want to type it in Notepad and save it as a batch file. You might also want to capture the output in a file. If so, you can add the following to the end of the command line:
>> FSMO-Query.txt
Tracking down inactive or disabled accounts
Suppose you've just taken a new job as a systems administrator. After a couple of days on the job, you discover that your predecessor wasn't very conscientious about cleaning up inactive and disabled user and computer accounts of employees who either left the company or were there only on a temporary contract basis.
You've already changed the name and passwords on all the Administrative accounts, and you want to plug any potential security breaches that have been left open by your predecessor. You need a way to quickly ascertain the magnitude of the problem. Fortunately, you can quickly gather the information you need with a few simple Dsquery commands. To find all user accounts that have been inactive for at least the last week or longer, you'd use the command:
dsquery user - inactive 1
To find all user accounts that have been disabled, but never dealt with further, you'd use the command:
dsquery user -disabled
To find all computers whose accounts have been inactive for the last week or more, you'd use the command:
dsquery computer - inactive 1
To track down all computers whose accounts are disabled, you'd use the command:
dsquery computer -disabled
Performing an inventory on the fly!
Now imagine this scenario: As a young network administrator, you learned the importance of documenting a network. Over the years, you've become very diligent when it comes to filling in the Description fields for every object account in Active Directory. The Description field for each computer account in your Active Directory structure contains a very detailed string of information that begins with a three-letter acronym specifying the operating system.
Suppose that your colleague asks you to find out how many computers in the Laptops organizational unit are still running Windows 2000 Professional. You could quickly open a command prompt window and type the command:
Dsquery computer OU=Laptops,DC=gcs,DC=com -desc W2K*
Similarly, you could find out how many computers in the Laptops organizational unit are now running Windows XP Professional by using the command:
Dsquery computer OU=Laptops,DC=gcs,DC=com -desc WXP*
Stay tuned
You should now have a pretty good handle on how to use the Dsquery command; you can use my examples as a starting point in your own explorations. In fact, if you come up with any cool examples of using the Dsquery command, please take a moment to share your command line by dropping a note in the Discussion area. In the next article, I'll focus on the Dsget command as I continue examining the directory service command-line tools.
About Greg Shultz
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FCC to look at overturning unlocking ban
The decision was made last year, and came into force at the end of Jaunary, prompting outrage from users. A petition calling for the ban to be scrapped recently hit 100,000 signatures, meaning the government will be forced to reconsider it.
The ban means that customers of one carrier can't switch to a different network, even after their contracts have expired. Doing so risks five years in jail and a half-million dollar fine. It's been criticized not only by consumer associations but by many carriers themselves, on the groupnds that it's bad for comeptition.
Now, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski has told TechCrunch that he's not entirely happy with the ban either. He said it "raises competitive concerns; it raises innovation concerns". And, he added, "It’s something that we will look at at the FCC to see if we can and should enable consumers to use unlocked phones."
Unfortunately, Genachowski isn't certain that he actually has any authority over the issue. But with the Obama administration now forced to reconsider the ban in the light of the petition, there's no doubt that Genachowski's opinion will carry a lot of weight.
Part of the problem is that the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) wasn't designed for this sort of situation. Its wording states: "No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title."
The idea was, of course, to protect creative works - and it's certainly arguable that using this provision to prevent unlocking is taking things a step too far. Even if a case ever did reach court, it might well decide that the DMCA doesn't actually make it illegal to unlock a phone after all.
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Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World (popularly known as "Wobblies"), a REVOLUTIONARY INDUSTRIAL UNION fd 1905 in Chicago. The IWW's rapid expansion in the Canadian West demonstrated the influence of American labour ideology on the region's labour movement. Wobblies were mostly unskilled, low-status migrant workers ("blanket-stiffs") - miners, loggers, navvies and harvesters - who were recruited to the West primarily from southern and eastern Europe and were brutally exploited in the booming economy. The IWW doctrine which attracted them was a peculiar form of syndicalism (an international doctrine based upon the primacy of industrial unionism and the use of the general strike in the settlement of class struggles). Wobbly syndicalism was essentially pragmatic; it advocated the organization of all workers into one body and supported direct action as the only form of protest open to immigrant workers, who were excluded from the electoral process.
IWW propaganda was disseminated primarily in street meetings. In 1912, when Vancouver authorities tried to ban street demonstrations, the Wobblies started and won a spectacular free-speech fight. Soon afterwards the IWW led 7000 workers out on strike against the CANADIAN NORTHERN RAILWAY in BC's Fraser Valley. The Wobblies lost, and massive state repression, combined with employer resistance and economic depression, began the process of the union's collapse. The Wobblies' days of glory ended before 1914, but their syndicalist ideology was adopted by the ONE BIG UNION. | <urn:uuid:72fde6df-a641-4cb0-9a6d-052be53d2b6c> | 4 | 3.859375 | 0.14609 | en | 0.967117 | http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/industrial-workers-of-the-world/ |
Where Is Kosovo?
Kosovo is a landlocked region in the Balkan Mountains in Europe. It borders Central Serbia to the east and Albania to the west. The region is a disputed territory. It declared independence on 17 February, 2008. The case, whether to grant the request for a new nation or not, is still pending with the United Nations. Serbia considers the region a part of the Serbian nation and strongly opposes the independence move of Kosovo.
KosovoThe name of the region comes from the Serbian language and it means ‘a field of the blackbirds’. Within Kosovo, the term ‘Kosovo’ refers to the eastern part of the region and the western part is known as ‘Metohija’. Both parts are sometimes collectively called ‘Kosovo and Metohija’. The largest city in Kosovo is Pristina, where approximately half a million people live. Most of the terrain of the region is mountainous and the highest peak, Djeravica (Đeravica), is 2656 meters high. About 39% of Kosovo is covered by forests and there is only one national park in Kosovo, Šar Mountains National Park. Islam is the predominant religion in Kosovo.
Both Serbia and Kosovo were once a part of Yugoslavia and the secular socialist government of Yugoslavia did its best to prevent any ethnic or religious tensions arising. The iron grip of the Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito held Yugoslavia together for decades but within 10 years after his death the nation broke up into several smaller countries. Kosovo became a part of Serbia after the dissolution of Yugoslavia but it wasn’t long before ethnic tensions began to rise and a war broke out. About 92% of the Kosovon population is ethnically Albanian and the Serbs are the largest minority comprising approximately 4% of the population. The relations between the Albanians and the Serbians are most of the time unfriendly. The war dampened down after a UN intervention but things have been simmering again since Kosovo declared its independence in 2008.
Category: Geography | <urn:uuid:13cbf6f6-2317-4481-a1e7-759944579c48> | 3 | 3.109375 | 0.835225 | en | 0.955628 | http://www.thegeminigeek.com/where-is-kosovo/ |
Summer in the City
by Cristiana Strava
Cooling off in the Bronx (2011). Source: Charles Brigand
In 1927, the Times reported that more than three thousand people had spent the night sleeping on the sand at Coney Island in order to escape the stifling heat of their tenements. Patrolmen had been assigned to stand guard over the sleepers. Many more spent their nights in Central Park, while others piled up on fire escapes to survive the sweltering heat of New York in July. Over the years, the image of children cooling off in the spray of a fire hydrant has become synonymous with summer in the city. Too poor to escape to the Hamptons, working class New Yorkers transformed available public spaces into impromptu vacation spots.
Sleeping on a fire escape in New York (1938). Source: Weegee Collection
Today, city officials and entrepreneurs attempt to provide options aimed at both locals and potential tourists. Capitalizing on a certain fetishistic obsession with "authenticity," they appropriate working class spaces and practices and regulate them or present them as fashionable. Sharon Zukin, an urban sociologist and staunch critic of New York's gentrification, refers to this process as "pacification by cappuccino," a scenario in which urban space is "imagineered" as an entertainment event for the consumption of those who can afford it.
This phenomenon is taking place worldwide, and what better season than summer to capitalize on people's use of city space?
Paris Plages on the Rive Droite. Source: Choblet et Associés
An urban summer staple, Paris Plages is perhaps the most famous and chic of European city beaches. Many Parisians abandon the city in summer for the South of France or countryside vacations. Since 2002, the month-long transformation of the Seine's banks (with the recent addition of La Villete) has aimed to offer a comfortable recreation space for those who remain in the city. The attractions of Paris Plages are mostly free and open to all. An "open air drinking ban," however, has meant that those who once brought a home-made picnic and bottle of wine might now be forced to avail themselves of the many and, according to some, overpriced Paris Plage brasseries instead.
Amsterdam City "Beach" on the roof of the NEMO Museum. Source: Tino Morchel
Beyond the issues raised by the commodification of public space, critics have questioned the environmental impact of carting in large amounts of sand for such a brief period of time. However, several European capitals now proudly present their summer residents and visitors with at least one man-made beach. Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Moscow, Prague and Vienna — to name just a few — are converting city spaces into sandy urban oases for a few weeks every summer. Amsterdam boasts no less than four city beaches, while Copenhagen's most famous summer splash spot is a riff off Copacabana, at least in name.
While London has so far resisted the trend, one can still enjoy sand in the shape of a couch in front of the Globe Theatre on the South Bank — before the tide of the mighty Thames wipes it away. Alternatively, during those brief spells of good weather, for £1.50 you can lounge for an hour in a Hyde Park deck chair.
Sculpting the sand on London's South Bank. Source: Normco
Deck chairs in London's Hyde Park. Source: Andy Pallister
In Moscow, known for turning into a boiling cauldron in summer, the range of choices is also rich. Until recently, most sunbathing and swimming spots were appropriations of existing river banks and parks rather than eventified realms. Now from Kirovsk and Strogino to Serebryany Bor (a longtime favorite for nudists), Muskovites can enjoy refurbished sporting and barbecue areas equipped with WiFi.
Serebryany Bor sunbathers. Source: In Moskau
There is nothing evil about providing city dwellers with options for an urban vacation. However, there is something disconcerting about government officials allowing corporations to reap financial benefits from social activities that were once free and improvised, as public space becomes more and more scarce.
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1. Very nice article and overview of the different types of public spaces, and urban vacation spots. I appreciate the range of modifications presented from capital intensive concrete steps for chairs to the simple lawn chair in a park.
The question I have is whether or not the presence of corporate/business interests makes these types of spaces more sustainable in the long term? What were the conditions 5, 10 or 50 years prior, and has the influence of money undermined the experience of a place? It would be nice to see a follow up showing a comparative case study that demonstrates the pro's and con's of infusing private interests in public space. If this is a trend, it would be best to identify best practices to promote a sensitive and appropriate marriage between public and private agendas.
Living briefly in NYC, I am aware of the transformation of Bryant Park, and the dramatic changes that have taken place over the past fifty years. From a derelict space, the park has seen vast improvements from it's previous condition. The public now experiences many free events and activities at the expense of subtle advertising and the presence of businesses such as a sandwich shop. It's not unreasonable, and in contrast to the rampant advertising in the street, I applaud the care taken to make the advertising in Bryant Park subtle.
2. I see the decreasing public character of public spaces as a huge con of involving the private, Bland. And corporate interests do tend to result in just this, also in Bryant Park. Many governments are unaware of the possible effect of private interests on public spaces and the public character of city centers. Undesirables (appointed by commercial stakeholders) are often pushed from city centers which affects, among other things, the sense of community. You may some like classics from Fainstein, Sorkin and good old Sennett.. | <urn:uuid:af5d36d9-9a99-451d-8378-b878e0ed4aaf> | 3 | 2.71875 | 0.019777 | en | 0.951874 | http://www.thepolisblog.org/2012/07/summer-in-city.html |
Mountains of the Tour de France
The course for the Tour de France varies each year (see more about the course), though there are several mountains and passes that commonly feature in the event, and are famous for those who follow the Tour. The most famous mountains are those in the hors-categorie (HC), which are peaks where the difficulty in climbing is beyond categorization.
Some HC Peaks
These hors-categorie peaks include:
Polka Dot Tour de France jerseyRelated Pages
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If you are worried about not speaking Spanish for your upcoming trip to Costa Rica, you’re not alone. We remember those days too and hear from lots of others who are unsure of how they’ll get by without much or any Spanish. The good news is that many Ticos (Costa Ricans) have some English skills, and others, especially those working in the tourism industry, are quite fluent. Costa Rica is a Spanish-speaking country, however, and you are bound to get some blank stares in certain situations. In this post, we’ll give you some of the most common Spanish words and phrases for your visit to Costa Rica.
Simple Spanish for Visiting Costa Rica | Two Weeks in Costa Rica
Talking with the Locals
Before we start in on the specifics, there is something you should know about talking Spanish to Ticos. Costa Ricans are in general some of the friendliest people on earth. For this reason, they will usually go out of their way to help you. This applies to speaking Spanish as well so don’t feel stupid if the person you are talking to is correcting your pronunciation or word choice. In most instances, they really appreciate that you are trying and only want to help.
Another thing that goes along with this is that many Ticos are just as shy about their English skills as you are about your Spanish. If you have the confidence to try speaking some Spanish, you might find that suddenly they get up the courage to use their English too. If you both sound bad but somehow figure it out, everyone wins!
Different Scenarios
Below are some of the situations you’re likely to encounter on your next trip to Costa Rica.
Saying Hello
Hola = Hello. This is the basic way to say hello.
Buenos días = Good morning
Buenas tardes = Good afternoon
Buenas noches = Good evening
Buenas = Shorthand way of saying hello, any time of day. It is more casual and works in the morning, afternoon, or evening. You’ll hear the locals use this all the time.
Saying Goodbye
Chao = Bye. The basic way to say goodbye.
Adiós = A slightly more formal way of saying goodbye. We have also heard adiós used as a sort of greeting and goodbye. For example, if you are driving past someone walking on the street and want to greet them, you could say adiós instead of hola. The idea is that you aren’t staying around to chat.
Hasta luego = See you later, or literally, until later.
Hasta mañana = See you tomorrow (“until tomorrow”).
Asking for Things
Discúlpe = Excuse me (when you need to get someone’s attention).
Quiero… = I would like…
Necesito… = I need…
¿Tiene…? = Do you have…? Good to use if you’re looking for a certain item at a store (e.g., ¿Tiene Tylenol?)
¿Puedo…? = Can I…?
¿Puede…? = Can you…?
¿Dónde? = Where?
¿Dónde está…? = Where is…? Useful when asking for directions or where something is (¿Dónde está el baño? Where is the bathroom?)
¿Cuanto cuesta? = How much does it cost?
¿Acepta tarjetas de crédito? = Do you accept credit cards?
¿Habla Inglés? = Do you speak English? Some Ticos might reply un poco (a little).
¿De donde eres? = Where are you from? Los Estados Unidos is the United States; Canadá is Canada. Remember that America is used to describe North, Central, and South America.
= Yes
No = No
Tal vez = Maybe
Claro = Of course
In a Restaurant
¿Para tomar? = What would you like to drink? This is usually the first thing a server will ask you.
Agua = Water. You might want una botella de agua (a bottle of water) or agua del tubo (tap water).
Una cerveza = A beer. Check out our post about the most popular local beers.
Vino = Wine. Vino tinto is red wine and vino blanco is white wine.
Café = Coffee. The server will ask you ¿Café con leche o negro? (Coffee with milk or black). Don’t worry, they always bring sugar packets.
Refresco naturale = A fruit drink with ice (hielo).
Batido = A fruit smoothie. Con agua means blended with ice and con leche means blended with ice and milk (milk shake).
Popular Local Dishes
Gallo pinto = Breakfast dish of rice and beans mixed together, served alongside eggs and fried plantain. Sometimes comes with fried local cheese (queso), toast (tostadas) or tortillas, and fruit (frutas). Gallo pinto literally translates to painted rooster.
Huevos fritos = Fried eggs
Huevos revueltos = Scrambled eggs
Casado = Lunch Plate. Casado translates to “married” and this traditional lunch dish truly has a marriage of flavors. The dish usually consists of rice (arroz) and beans (frijoles), a protein like meat (bistec/steak; chuleta de cerdo/pork chop; or pollo/chicken) or fish (pescado), and several side salads like green salad (ensalada verde), pasta salad (ensalada pasta), etc.
Arroz con pollo = Rice with chicken. This is a fried rice dish that is very flavorful. Instead of chicken (pollo), you might also see rice with shrimp (arroz con camarones) and other variations.
Sopa = Soup. Common soups are olla de carne (similar to beef stew), sopa de mariscos (seafood soup), and sopa negra (black bean soup, usually with a poached egg). Soups are typically served with a side of white rice.
Cashing Out
Para llevar = To go (for your leftovers)
La cuenta, por favor = The bill, please. In Costa Rica, the server won’t bring this unless you ask for it.
Servicio = Service. This is the 10% added to the bill for tip. You can add more if you like.
Impuestos ventas = Sales tax (13%)
Estación de buses = Bus station
Parada de bus = Bus stop
Tiquete = Ticket (for the bus, ferry, etc). Not all buses use tickets but it is good to ask. ¿Necesito un tiquete? (Do I need a ticket?).
Taxi = Taxi
¿A donde va? = Where are you going? What’s your destination?
Voy a… = I am going to…
Pare aquí = Stop here
¿Esta es la calle a…? = Is this the road to…?
Lleno con regular, por favor = Fill it with regular (gas) please. Gas stations in Costa Rica are always full service.
La llanta necesita aire = The tire needs air.
We hope these simple Spanish words and phrases will help you feel more comfortable while traveling to Costa Rica. When we first visited almost ten years ago, we had zero knowledge of Spanish and got along fine. Just remember, the one term you need to learn is Pura Vida. This can mean hello, goodbye, and that’s great, but the real meaning is more of an attitude that you will discover once you arrive and will never forget.
If you’re looking for a lot more helpful words and phrases, we highly recommend the pocket-sized Costa Rican Spanish Phrasebook by Lonely Planet. This is what we used to carry with us when we were newbies and it got us out of a lot of jams.
Notice anything essential missing from our list? Add it to the comments below!
Looking for more resources for your upcoming trip? Check out these posts: | <urn:uuid:76eab820-8a5b-4d8e-ac29-b225567779b0> | 2 | 2.359375 | 0.153871 | en | 0.892953 | http://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/simple-spanish/ |
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Minor stroke captured on video: Watch as it happens
On April 2, 2014, while driving home from work, Stacey Yepes sensed a stroke coming on. She pulled over, pulled out her smartphone and recorded what was happening so others could see. (UHNToronto/YouTube)
UPDATE: Stacey Yepes' stroke 'selfie' video goes viral
Settled in for the evening on her couch watching TV, 49-year-old Stacey Yepes suddenly felt the left side of her body go numb.
Her face froze.
-Dr. Cheryl Jaigobin
Then, the phone rang. She managed to answer, but slurred her words and couldn't speak properly.
The public service announcements for the signs of stroke flashed through Yepes' mind.
"Is this what's happening to me?" she thought.
Five minutes later, the symptoms subsided and Yepes felt normal again. Shaken by the experience, she went to her local emergency room and get checked out.
Tests run at the hospital were clear. She was told that the episode was most likely a result of stress and was given some tips on how to better manage the symptoms.
Yepes wasn't convinced.
"It's true that I hadn't slept well the last few days and that I have a stressful job," said Yepes, who works as a legal secretary. "But I was pretty sure that the symptoms I had experienced were due to a stroke."
Even as Yepes was exiting the hospital that day, she felt that strange numbing sensation return. It passed quickly. She went home and even went to work the next day.
Video: 'I don't know why this is happening to me'
Two days after her initial episode, while driving home from work, Yepes suddenly felt the left side of her body going numb again.
She pulled over as the symptoms returned full force. Then, she had the presence of mind to pull out her smartphone and film herself to show a doctor what she was experiencing.
"My tongue feels very numb," she said in the recording as the left side of her face starts to droop.
'Mini-stroke' confirmed
Yet again, the symptoms passed and Yepes felt normal. She had now experienced three of these events and was increasingly worried.
She went to another hospital for a second opinion. The symptoms she described and the video was enough for staff to suspect a minor stroke.
Yepes was referred to the stroke unit of the Krembil Neuroscience Centre (KNC) at Toronto Western Hospital (TWH) – the stroke centre of care of the west region of Toronto.
Because Yepes' episodes had been short and had passed each time, she had most likely experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or what's known as a "mini-stroke."
Warning sign of more serious stroke
TIAs are caused by blood clots and the only difference between a TIA and a full blown stroke is that the TIA is usually temporary. However, they are no less serious as TIAs are considered a warning that a more serious stroke could happen.
TWH has Toronto's only day unit to treat TIAs and minor strokes. Called the Transient Ischemic Attack and Minor Stroke (TAMS) Unit, it is dedicated to assessing patients at high risk for stroke and providing them with the necessary interventions to prevent them.
Traditionally, patients suffering from a TIA or minor stroke who arrive at a hospital emergency room are either discharged and referred to a stroke prevention clinic or admitted to hospital – averaging a stay of up to three days.
The stroke team at the KNC identified a more effective way of treating these patients by creating a unit that rapidly assesses them in a single day.
KNC's TAMS Unit: Assessment, resources, treatment
Yepes' assessment showed she had suffered a small stroke due to a small blockage in one of the arteries supplying her brain.
Further tests confirmed that this was caused by atherosclerosis – or the build-up of plaque in the artery supplying the area of her brain injured in her stroke.
Although relieved to have confirmed the cause of her symptoms, Yepes thought she had been leading a relatively healthy lifestyle and was surprised to have suffered a stroke at such a young age.
But her neurologist, Dr. Cheryl Jaigobin, noted that it's not uncommon for young people to suffer a stroke.
"Strokes can affect people of any age even if they have few risk factors, so it's very important to be aware and to know the signs of a stroke," said Jaigobin.
"There are recent studies that indicate that the incidence of stroke in young patients is increasing. Risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and elevated cholesterol are now seen in younger patients," she continued. "These findings are reflected in the patients we see in our stroke program. We treat many patients with stroke that occur at a young age."
Preventative measures
Jaigobin also recommends that people get their blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked and be screened for diabetes when they go for their annual check-up.
"My advice to others is, if you think you're having or had a stroke, don't wait. Go to the hospital and get checked out." –Stacey Yepes
"Everyone should be proactive about their health and aware of any changes as they age, especially people with a family history of stroke or heart disease," she said.
During her assessment in the TAMS unit, Yepes was engaged in her own care and partnered with nurse practitioner Anne Cayley for ongoing education and to develop a treatment plan to prevent any more strokes.
Yepes was also referred to an outpatient rehabilitation program to regain strength and improve the function of her left arm. She is slowly but surely adjusting to this altered lifestyle and, like many stroke survivors, is expected to return to a normal life.
"I thought I was leading a healthy lifestyle, but since I work two jobs I had a lot of stress in my life, was often eating on the go and didn't have time to exercise regularly," she said. "The TAMS Unit has really taught me a new way of living and how to address these areas so I don't have another stroke."
Though she suffered three separate events, she is fortunate they only affected a small area of her brain and she wasn't left paralyzed or with impaired speech. But had she dismissed those initial symptoms, the outcome could have been much worse.
"I've since learned that a person's greatest chances to return to pre-stroke strength is within the first three months after their stroke, so my quick reaction to my symptoms to get treatment is contributing to my recovery," said Yepes. "My advice to others is, if you think you're having or had a stroke, don't wait. Go to the hospital and get checked out."
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An ill-fitting new home for the National Zoo's elephants
By Peter Stroud
Sunday, August 22, 2010
I visited the National Zoo for the first time on a cold and rainy afternoon last fall. For more than 15 years, I have been deeply engaged with questions about captive elephant welfare, so I was particularly interested to see how the Smithsonian Institution had spent a colossal $50 million on Elephant Trails, the new home for its elephants set to open in early September.
Since that visit, I have continued to follow the work on Elephant Trails. As a former zoo curator and director, I know that zoo development projects are complex and time-consuming, with many competing issues to balance. There are engineering and design challenges, visitor needs to be accounted for, restrictions imposed by the landscape and climate, and, of course, the welfare of the animals to consider.
The needs of wild animals in zoos can be hard to define, but there are a few basic rules. Top of the list is checking carefully the key aspects of a creature's life in the wild. What does it do with its days and nights? How far does it move and why? How does it interact with others of its kind?
Generally speaking, this sort of accounting works well, and many zoo programs create conditions and routines for animals that are broadly analogous to life in the wild. But the bigger the animal, the more difficult this becomes, especially where space is limited, the terrain difficult and the way of life of the species so complex that it is almost impossible to simulate.
Take, for instance, elephants at the National Zoo.
Elephants need space. Zoo people will often say it's the quality of the space that matters, and indeed it is -- to a point. Why, then, is the Elephant Trails landscape so unimaginative? There are sweeping green lawns and a shallow-looking pool, but little shade or shelter. The exhibit looks more like a golf course than an elephant habitat. There is nothing to engage or challenge an elephant.
Elephants need exercise. There is what the zoo calls an Exercise Trek -- a there-and-back route up a hill -- but it seems to be designed for elephants to be walked, circus-style, up and down, under the control of a handler. Elephants have soft feet and should never be made to walk any distance on concrete or asphalt, but the route is paved.
Elephants like to dust-bathe and wallow in mud. They like to dig and clamber about, and they like to rest against mounds of soft earth. Where are the piles of loose earth and sand? Where are the scratching posts? Where is the varied terrain, the boulders and logs and mud wallows? Why all this close-cropped green grass that will be worn away in mere days by pachyderm feet?
There are some good aspects to the exhibit. It provides more room for the elephants than they had previously, always a good thing. The surroundings will be lush and green in spring and summer.
But the things that are wrong are glaring if you consider how wild elephants live and how elephants could live in captivity. Fortunately, some of what I have listed above is fixable.
Harder to address are the problems for zoo visitors. It's generally accepted by zoo designers that it's a bad idea to place the viewer high above the animals. Visitors feel disconnected; the animals look small and remote. Better to put the viewer close up, at or below animal eye level, to create a sense of immediate engagement. This works better for the animals, too. Few species feel comfortable with activity going on above their heads.
Why, then, is one of the principal viewing points for the new exhibit a bridge soaring high above the elephant paddocks? It's hard to think of a better way to make an elephant look insignificant, an odd approach to showcasing one of nature's most spectacular creatures.
The Smithsonian Institution declares that it exists for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge." It seems strange, then, that an elephant exhibit has been created that fails to account for what sound science tells us about elephants and their needs. It's as if a lot of published knowledge has been ignored. Unless improvements are made, Elephant Trails will fail to convey any real sense of what an elephant is.
The writer, a zoological consultant based in Melbourne, Australia, is a member of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
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Hi all,
I have a .CGI web page written in PERL language. The CGI script loads the information from a database.
So when i start the CGI page in my browser and it will only have a value in the whole page.
As in when the whole page started in the browser will have only a few characters.
Let say it retrieve Temperature recorded and which is stored in the database.
So the whole page when loaded will only show 1 temperature.
Which is "36.6" and will change when ever the database receive a newer data.
In additional, i have a html page.
There are tables in the page whereby show information. Like tables having temperature, id, sound and light columns.
My Question is that
Am i able to load the numbers/characters show on the CGI page directly into the table or any where in the HTML page?
What i can think of is putting up a link to the CGI page on the HTML file and click it when i want to view it.But it would just be too troublesome.
Lastly, thank you all for your time in reading and please pardon me for my bad English and weak HTML skills as I'm still learning.
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How To Create Mac OS X Lion Install Bootable DVD / USB With Lion DiskMaker
If you want to upgrade your Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher to Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), then it might be a good idea to create a bootable DVD or USB for installation or up gradation purposes.
Lion DiskMaker allows you to quickly install Mac Lion on older Mac OS X versions, without the need to use Mac Lion’s redeem code in the App Store. Using Lion DiskMaker, you will not have to find Mac OS X Lion packages in the application folder, as it auto starts a lookup for the package and displays the result.
Once the disk image is located, DiskMaker will allow you to select a disk on which the Mac Lion install disc is to be burned. However, in case you have moved it to another folder, click Select a folder and specify the exact location where the Mac Lion install package is residing.
When you click choose, DiskMaker will verify the disk image and then prompt you to select a target source i.e. a DVD or USB drive.
Now, to burn install disc on DVD, choose Burn a DVD. To install Mac Lion through a USB, select Create a boot disk. This will prompt you to select the target USB disk location to begin creating bootable install disk. Similarly, Burn a DVD option will start burning the Mac install disk image to a DVD.
Lion DiskMaker works on Mac 10.6 or higher.
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Dunstable: 01582 608 400
Leighton Buzzard: 01525 372 447
Dunstable: 01582 608 400
Leighton Buzzard: 01525 372 447
Paedatric Podiatry
Flat feet, intoeing, out-toeing, bowing legs and knocked knees are common in children and depending upon age are normal developmental variants. A careful history, examination and knowledge of normal development allow a Podiatrist to treat where necessary or in most cases reassure the parents.
Normal Development
The new-born infant’s skeleton consists of mainly cartilaginous bone which alters with external stresses. The hips of a new born face outwards at birth and are flexed due to a ‘close packed’ position in utero. Hip screening is done at birth and again at 6 weeks by the paediatrician and GP for developmental hip dysplasia (DDH). A condition where there is misalignment of the hip joint.
Predisposing factors to DDH
Signs and Symptoms
Breech Position
Reduce motion in the hip
Family History
Affected leg shorter
Asymmetrical gluteal (bottom) folds
First Born
A podiatrist with a specialist interest in paediatrics would be able to assess the hip for DDH and associated pathologies.
As the child continues to develop the legs appear to be bowed from the age of 10 months to 14 months, the average age when children start to ambulate. This continues up until the age of two and they then become maximally knocked knees at the age of three, a normal pattern of development.
However, there is a resurgent of nutritional rickets secondary to Vitamin D deficiency. Bowed legs are typical of rickets and needs to be excluded. Obesity is also a growing concern and has been proposed to increase the incidence of flat feet and conditions such as ‘Blount’s Disease’, a disturbance of the tibial growth plate.
Features that raise concern and warrant specialist referral:
Knocked knees in a child aged less than 2 years
Bowed knees in a child aged more than 3 years
Any asymmetrical findings
90% of concerns to GP’s are regarding flat feet. Toddlers and neonates have flat feet due to the presence of a fad pad under the arch, ligamentous laxity, lack of neuromuscular control and normal rotations of the one of the foot bones (talus). This typically resolves between the ages of 4-8 years of age. Treatment before this age can result in a premature arrest of the normal rotations of the foot bones. Treatment therefore is dependent on several factors predominately symptoms of pain and severity of deformity.
However a specialist podiatrist would be able to determine the difference between a flexible and rigid flat foot, i.e. one that would require further examination, x-rays and onward referral.
Intoeing (pigeon-toed gait), tripping and falling is another concern that often results in a podiatric referral. There are 4 main causes of intoeing 2 of which relate to rotational variants of the femur and tibia. 30% toddlers present with intoeing which continues in only 5-9% school age children and proceeds to only 1-3% adults. Treatment for intoeing therefore remains debatable. We as podiatrists treat when symptomatic with simple inserts that encourages the child to rotate the foot out.
Parents are also encouraged to monitor the child’s sleeping and sitting positions as they are both influential over the rotation of the femur. ‘W’ or ‘reversed tailor’ positions and sleeping on their tummy is discouraged.
Milestones are a good gauge of development and must always be discussed during examination. A delay of the milestones could be indicative of a neurological condition.
Head Control
1-2 months lift and turn head briefly
3-4 months stronger
Looks around
Rolls from front to back
Sits Alone
8 months
Can raise self to sitting
8-10 months
Stand, Walks Run
9-15 months
12months- stands/walks with support
15 months creeps upstairs
Hop Alternate Feet
4 years old
In the foetus the foot grows quickly until the eight week and slows down until week 14 when it rapidly grows to week 26 and then till term. The average weekly foetal foot growth is 3mm. Foot growth is rapid until the child is 5 years of age then reduces up until skeletal maturity which is around 12 in girls and 14 in boys.
Musculoskeletal symptoms are one of the leading reasons of referrals to general practitioners accounting for over 10% of the referrals. To manage the problem effectively, it is essential to determine the level of the deformity, as it may occur anywhere between the foot and the hip.
A podiatrist who specialises in paediatrics is able to assess from birth for hip pathologies and conditions. They are able to assess and treat where necessary knee pathology, in-toeing, out-toeing, growing pains, toe-walkers, flatfeet, juvenile bunions, verrucae etc.
Manju Mital (Paediatric Podiatrist) | <urn:uuid:a1f2bb05-c281-470b-8f7b-ffcc7276edb2> | 3 | 2.890625 | 0.028692 | en | 0.901662 | http://www.woodsideclinic.co.uk/faq/paedatric-podaitry/ |
Prevent Direct Execution of EXE
The sample code here is pretty simple:
#include "mainwindow.h"
#include <QApplication>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
QApplication a(argc, argv);
if (argc <= 1)
return 0;
if (argv[1] != "yourpassword")
return 0;
MainWindow w;;
return a.exec();
In the example above, your EXE will simply pop out an error message that says “Please run MyGame.exe instead.” if you double click on it directly. This is because the argc variable is either 0 or 1 (depending on platform, which means no additional input argument during launch) if you run it directly.
However, if there is one or more arguments being dumped to the program during launch, check (within the argv array) whether the second argument (the first argument is usually the program’s name) matches your secret phrase or password before allowing the program to launch. Usually there will be input arguments if the user drag one or more files to the EXE to make it launch, as this is very useful for programs like text editors or image editors. That’s why we must check if the argument matches your password or not.
Now that your program can no longer be run directly, what about the updater? How to ask the updater to execute your main program with an input argument? It’s actually pretty easy as well. In the following example I will be using C/C++ and Qt, but it should be similar across different programming languages and platforms:
QProcess *process = new QProcess(this);
delete process;
That’s all, it’s very simple to achieve. The tutorial above is by no mean professional: Technical names and phrases are not necessarily accurate, and the method used is not necessarily the standard way. I’m just trying to share what I know and what I did with my own projects. Peace.
Gigabyte BRIX (Intel NUC) GB-XM12-3227 Review
So… the other day I bought this Gigabyte BRIX barebone which is basically an Intel NUC system, but manufactured by Gigabyte. I’ve tried the vanilla Intel NUC systems before and it worked great, except the older generation which had over-heating issue but resolved after adding a thermal pad to it as well as a firmware upgrade, but overall still pretty okay I guess.
Now, back to Gigabyte BRIX, specifically the GB-XM12-3227 model. I can’t talk about the other models as I have never used it before, so let’s just stick to this one.
All-and-all, it worked fine at first. It booted up Windows 10 without any problem, HDMI connected to the monitor without any problem, great resolution, etc. UNTIL I tried to use the web browser. Even though the internet status is “connected”, I still couldn’t use the damn internet on my browser.
After hours and hours of research and trials, I realized that the issue is the firmware. Not only it’s old (from 2013), but it’s supposedly for Windows 8.1, and not Windows 10. Went to Gibabyte’s website to look for the latest drivers, and guess what, they only have firmware updates up to 2014, so still, no Windows 10 support.
Further more, I downloaded the latest BIOS and tried to flash it, only to realize the BIOS utility doesn’t support 64-bit Windows, because it is a god-damn Windows XP Service Pack 2 executable file!
Then, I went to Windows 10’s Device Manager and check out my wireless network adapter’s properties. This is when I realized the WiFi adapter only supports up to IEEE 802.11b/g and not the newer IEEE 802.11b/g/n, which unfortunately is what I set on my router. So then I moved over to my router’s admin page and changed the Transmission Mode to the appropriate setting.
I have no idea what’s causing this. Outdated BIOS? Outdated drivers? I have no idea.
However, despite able to connect to the internet now, the speed is still very limited. Often time it took roughly 20 seconds or more just to load a web page.
Then, I used a Chinese software called 360安全卫士 (translated as “360 Safety Guard”) and went to the “Optimization and Speed-up” page. That particular page contains an automated scan-and-fix feature which includes “network speed-up” option.
After running the optimization process, my wireless network is finally back to usable state! What sorcery is that?? (However, IEEE 802.11b/g/n is still not supported).
Overall, the Gigabyte BRIX works okay except the BIOS and drivers are really outdated and urgently need an update. That’s all for today, have a nice day folks.
OpenGL Side Project
At the moment my prototype does the following:
• Running OpenGL 3.2 core profile and GLSL 150
• Loads OBJ files and PNG/JPEG textures
• Move, rotate, scale model
• Skybox
Some Quick Update
Stay tuned.
Easter Egg
| <urn:uuid:916a607f-f7aa-47e0-9739-1c211723c907> | 3 | 2.8125 | 0.070512 | en | 0.928078 | http://www.zhieng.com/author/leezhieng/ |
Tag Archives: Art
This Ain’t a Trash Story
with Mia Lauzon
This week, Zero Waste Canada talks with Mia Lauzon, a artist, photographer, environmentalist about her project “This Ain’t a Trash Story”. Mia recently was part of Creatively United for the Planet’s inspirational Earth day event in Victoria B.C.
In 2010, Mia Lauzon while volunteering in Ecuador came upon the trashed-filled beach of Bunche on the Pacific Ocean and this is where Jenny, Leopol, Isaac, Oscar and Rebecca came to life.
Jenny, Isaac, Leopol, Oscar and Rebecca
Your art has a purpose, could you explain what you want to achieve?
I believe that like the characters I created, life is made up of multiple pieces, interacting and connecting in unsuspected ways, creating a whole. As one part of this whole, humans have to understand how their actions and choices impact the rest of it. I hope to bring awareness to the true cost of our lifestyle. Above all, I want people to know that it doesn’t have to be a trash story and like I did on that beach, they can change the narrative into one of creation, connectedness and beauty. I want for everyone to feel the uplifting energy of being part of the solution, working together with Mother Nature and all our brothers and sisters.
How did your volunteer experience in Ecuador impact what you are doing today with This Ain’t a Trash Story?
Is litter a problem in Ecuador?
The volunteering I’ve done out there had nothing to do with the trash-filled beach, even though, the organization would put up some beach clean-ups from time to time. Unfortunately it would take a very short time before it would be filled with plastic again as it kept being pushed along the shores of this little bay, carried by the ocean currents. Which amount was coming from Ecuadorian communities versus what was carried by the ocean from miles away, I do not know. One thing I know is that recycling infrastructures were almost nonexistent out there. It was one thing to clean the beach but there was nowhere for this plastic to go and be properly recycled. It would simply go from the beach to the landfill, spoiling another landscape.
People learn in many ways, do you feel that by creating art from the found litter on beaches people can learn about plastic pollution and change behaviours?
I consider that more you engage with something, less foreign it becomes to you and more you connect with it. So yes, my hope is that by creating an experience, I also help creating emotional connections, leading towards awareness and behavior changes.
The characters Jenny, Isaac, Leopol, Oscar and Rebecca you have created from waste found on the beach, look like friendly cartoonish illustrations from children books, yet that tooth paste tube or sandal on the beach is not a thing of beauty and is disruptive to nature, do you feel that is part of the power of the message in the art?
— Humans are fundamentally creative yet we seem to forget the true sense of it. Engaging in a creative process is reconnecting with the essence of being human. And we surely need to get back to our essence in order to create the change that will help us find balance and harmony with the Earth. Now, storytelling has been a component of human identity since the beginning of time, really. It helps us relate to the world, understand it and understand ourselves. So there is a huge emotional charge coming with storytelling and I truly believe that sharing our own stories is a great way to empower ourselves. Once empowered, we can choose a better story for the world.
Do you feel that by engaging people in a creative process with the storytelling component that people can be reached emotionally?
I’d say so, yes. The sources of information are multiple and the attention spend is to a minimal, suffering from this state of overstimulation. I am learning to accept that I can’t get everyone’s attention, I can’t touch everyone. That’s why it so important to have different voices out there, bringing their own color to the sustainability topic, resonating in different ways with different type of people. I can only hope that my approach might be the one that will make the difference for some.
History can offer examples of artist contributing to social awareness of environmental issues. In the nineteenth century landscape artists like Thomas Moran by showing the beauty of places like the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone helped to cause policy-makers to create conservations efforts like legal status for a park or reserve. Do you think artists can influence policy makers today to take action to reduce plastic pollution and reduce waste?
I think that artists and anyone can do it. We all have an impact. We are like raindrops, creating ripples, influencing everyone and everything on our way. Personally, I choose to use my voice and skills as a positive influence and agent for change. I encourage everyone else to do so. Now, the gift of artists might be in their ability to touch others, therefore yes I believe they can help rally people, gain momentum and influence policy makers and consumers alike.
You recently participated in The Creatively United for the Planet Earth Day event in Victoria BC, part of your interactive display was to ask “How do you choose to create a better world”, what kind of responses did you get from the participants?
It was interesting to me to see how people seemed to have a hard time figuring out what they did to create a better world. I don’t think it is because they do nothing, I think it is more because a lot of the little things that make a difference towards making a better world get overlooked. Another thing that came out is how people would give suggestions on how to create a better world instead of embodying their own actions. They would write Use less plastic instead of I use less plastic, Stop shopping and Start growing instead of I have stopped shopping and replaced it by growing my own food, Don’t litter and pick up others instead of Even though I don’t litter, I make a point of picking up others’ litter wherever I find it. Is it because we still think that as an individual, we don’t make the difference and that’s the others that have to change to make a real difference? Food for thought! Here are some of my favorite answers: cherishing the old instead of buying into the pressure of getting new stuff all the time, making a driftwood Christmas tree with the kids and returning it to the beach at the end of the festivities and a teenager wrote : Remember that stuff does not equal happiness! Loved it!
What are your plans for This Ain’t a Trash Story?
That’s a good question! Creatively United was marking the official public beginning of it. I learned a lot from the way people were interacting or not with the display and content. I wish I can keep inspiring more people and growing a bigger community through my facebook page. I also want to get a blog started and share stories of people making the world a better place in their own way. I would love to lead workshops at some points, helping people to be empowered when comes time to BE the change.Through creativity, beauty and playfulness, I want to keep sharing my vision of the world and what is worth protected out there. In true honesty, I am giving myself the next 6 months to explore and gain more clarity on what is my own unique gift and how I can best spread the love I have for the beauty of this world and how it all connects and come back to us and our choices and actions.
How do you choose to create a better world?
I have chosen to live a simple life with a minimal imprint, always keeping in mind the bigger picture of my consumption choices and acting accordingly. I almost exclusively shop in second hand stores, bring my reusable bags and containers to the grocery stores and refuse single use items as much as I can. I try to ride my bike more than my car, I go to the local Repair Café and get my stuff fixed instead of getting anything new, I borrow what I occasionally need instead of buying it. I show kindness and compassion to others, in an effort to keep positive energy flowing. I do my best to empower others and show support to people in my life so they can be their best possible self, to the benefit of all. I share my vision of all the beauty I see and feel, hoping it can inspire and uplift others.
This is not a story about trash instead it is a story about creating a better story for the world. We all have the power to create a meaningful story, one of unity, care and respect for all there is!
To join in for an uplifting story or to book workshops: | <urn:uuid:ffba6814-3505-4950-bca7-dd103b830589> | 2 | 1.695313 | 0.033352 | en | 0.960117 | http://zerowastecanada.ca/tag/art/ |
Fixing bugs like it's 1988
I grew up in the 80's, the decade home computers went from curiosity to mainstream. In primary school we had several Philips P2000T home computers and a pair of Apple Macintosh — ehm, Macintoshes? Two of those, anyway. A friend had a C64 we used to play games on, and at some point my dad bought a C128 for his financial administration. (What I really love is the fact that, to this day, he is still doing his financial administration on a C128, albeit an emulated one. He is an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda guy.)
Soon after the C128, we got a C64. Where the C128 was for business, the C64 was for fun. I have fond memories playing games such as Space Taxi, Super Cycle, Velicopede, Last Ninja II, and Electrix, to name a few. It was also the computer that got me into programming.
With the invention of the World Wide Web still a couple of years off, learning to program mostly involved reading books and magazines. Computer magazines would often publish source code listings which the reader could type in. The result could be anything: A game, a disk copy tool, a drawing program for GEOS, or, more often than not, something that didn't quite work because of typos. At some point, magazines started publishing listings with a checksum added to each line. They offered special tools that would compute the checksum of each line you typed, and checked it against the checksum you typed in at the end of the line. This helped a lot. Still, it must have been one of the slowest and most error prone ways to copy a computer program in the history of computer programs. It was fun though, or at least, that's what I thought.
One such magazine was Commodore Dossier, a "practical magazine for the active Commodore owner", which ran from 1984 until 1988. The 17th issue, which was also the last issue, featured a type-in listing for a rather interesting game. It was called Blindganger, which translates to dud, but was used to mean blind person (ganger literally means go-er, someone who goes).
The cover of Commodore Dossier, issue 17.
In the aftermath of what one can only imagine must have been a proper night on the town, the blind guy in question somehow wakes up inside the city sewers. It's the player's job to guide him back to the streets using only the sounds created by his white cane for guidance.
The city's wastewater division, being exceptionally keen on sewer hygiene, flushes the sewers every five minutes. Each flush lands our blind guy someplace else inside the sewers, from where he has to restart his search for the exit. On the third flush the game ends. A map of the sewers is displayed, showing the location of the exit as well as the locations visited by the player.
Having typed-in the listing sometime in the fall of 1988, I started the game. It had a sprite animation of a bat flying in front of the full moon on an otherwise completely black screen, which I thought was pretty cool. However, I couldn't figure out the controls. The sewer map should have helped, of course, but something was wrong with it. The locations marked as visited on the map did not seem to match the path I thought I had taken. Also, sections of wall would often be marked as visited.
An example of a sewer map produced by the original game.
After a couple of tries I gave up and went on to do other things, but this business with the sewer map and the incomprehensible controls somehow stuck with me. And so, when I came across a scan of this particular issue of Commodore Dossier I knew it was time to sort it out once and for all.
Of course, before I could start, I had to type in the listing again. Back in 1988, I lacked the checksum tool published by Commodore Dossier. Maybe the map of the sewers was messed up just because of my not-quite-touch-typing skills?
A quick Google search turned up a disk image that contained a program called "CHECKSUM DOSSIER". This sounded promising! To confirm, I ran the program and typed a short line from the Blindganger listing: "240 RETURN", followed by the checksum "7E". Then I tried inserting a typo either in the line itself or in the checksum. In both cases, this resulted in the message "FOUT IN REGEL", or "ERROR IN LINE", being printed on the screen. Oh yeah!
Ain't that cute, BUT IT'S WRONG!!
I typed in the listing using the checksum tool. Parts of the scan were of rather low quality and here the tool really helped a lot. I often found myself trying variants of some line and its checksum until I found a combination that matched. So far, so good. Now I had a copy of the original that was guaranteed to be free of typos. Surely, this copy would not produce the same sewer maps as the copy I typed in back in 1988. But... it did!
To find out why, I needed to locate the code that displays the map of the sewers. The sewer map is displayed when the game ends, which happens when the player finds the exit or when the sewers are flushed for the third time. Concentrating on the second case, I looked through the BASIC listing of the game for a check on zero or three.
Sure enough, on line 1780, the variable MAAL is compared to zero. This variable is initialized to three on line 1550 and counts down on each flush of the sewers.
The block of code on lines 1810 – 1840 is executed if MAAL equals zero. Line 1840 is an endless loop. Looking at the other three lines of BASIC, our next target is the machine code subroutine located at memory address 16540 ($409C).
1810 POKECROSS+4096,1 :REM MARK EXIT ON THE MAP
1820 SYS16540 :REM COPY MAP TO SCREEN
1840 GOTO1840 :REM ENDLESS LOOP
This subroutine consists of two parts. The first part copies 1000 bytes from the memory region starting a $6000 to screen memory ($0400 – $07E7). This fills the entire screen (40 columns times 25 rows = 1000 bytes) with a map of the sewers.
As it turns out, this part does not contain any bugs. The map of the sewers may look strange, until you notice that all of the blocky bits are walls, '@' marks a horizontal section of pipe, 'A' marks a vertical section of pipe, 'B' through 'J' mark different types of corners and crossings, 'K' marks a pit, and 'L' marks the exit. These characters are not random. They correspond to screen codes 0 through 12. The map is just a dump to the screen of the internal representation of the sewers used in the game.
The second part of the subroutine copies 1000 bytes from the memory region starting at $7000 to color RAM ($D800 – $DBE7). This marks all visited locations with the color yellow.
L40CB: LDA #$FF ; >-- initialization --
STA $FB ; |
LDA #$6F ; |
STA $FC ; |
LDA #$F4 ; |
STA $FD ; |
LDA #$D7 ; |
STA $FE ; <--------------------
LDX #$04 ; >-- outer loop -----------------
L40DD: LDY #$FA ; >-- inner loop I --- |
L40DF: LDA ($FB),Y ; (copy bytes) | |
STA ($FD),Y ; | |
DEY ; | |
LDY #$FA ; >-- inner loop II ----------- |
L40E8: INC $FB ; (update base addresses) | |
BNE L40EE ; | |
INC $FC ; | |
L40EE: INC $FD ; | |
BNE L40F4 ; | |
INC $FE ; | |
L40F4: DEY ; | |
DEX ; |
The bytes are copied in four blocks of 250 bytes. The outer loop uses the X-register to count from 4 down to 0.
LDX #$04
; inner loop
BNE L40DD
The first inner loop uses the Y-register to count from #$FA (250) down to 0.
L40DD: LDY #$FA
L40DF: LDA ($FB),Y
STA ($FD),Y
BNE L40DF
Indirect-indexed addressing is used to copy bytes in the inner loop. In this addressing mode, the Y-register is used as an offset that is added to a 16-bit base address stored in zeropage.
For example, the instruction LDA ($FB),Y is executed as follows:
• Read the litte-endian 16-bit base address stored in zeropage locations $FB and $FC. Little endian byte order means the least significant byte is stored at the lowest address ($FB). $FB is initialized to #$FF and $FC to #$6F, so the 16-bit base address is $6FFF.
• Add the value of the Y-register to the base address to compute the effective address. The Y-register is initialized to #$FA at the beginning of the loop. Adding to $6FFF yields $70F9 as the effective address.
• Load a byte from the effective address into the accumulator (A-register).
The Y-register counts down from 250 to 0. Note that the smallest value of Y used as an index is 1. (When the DEY instruction decreases Y to zero, the following BNE branch instruction will fall through, exiting the inner loop.)
The first byte to load is located at $7000. Because the minimal value of Y is 1, the source base address needs to be initialized to $7000 - 1 = $6FFF. Similarly, the first byte to store is located at $D800, so the target base address should be initialized to $D800 - 1 = $D7FF. Instead, it is initialized to $D7F4!
Accidentally typing #$F4 instead of #$FF is not very likely. But in decimal, this corresponds to typing 244 instead of 255. It seems the original author accidentally hit the 4 instead of the 5 while typing the constant 255! This shifts the colors used in the sewer map by 11 positions relative to the map itself. In turn, this means the locations marked as visited on the map are wrong.
The offending byte resides in a data statement on line 3670 of the BASIC listing:
3670 DATA 252,169,244,133,253
After changing it to the correct value of 255, the sewer map displays correctly. And that's that.... bug fixed after 29 years!
To celebrate, I've put together a 2017 version of the original game that includes this fix, as well as fixes for several other issues I came across while going over the code:
• Visited locations are correctly displayed on the sewer map shown at the end of the game.
• The time penalty for falling down a pit is taken into account when computing the amount of time left.
• The street noise volume is set such that it depends on the distance to the exit (as intended by the original authors).
• English translation. (Press and hold the H-key during the game to view the online help.)
Blindganger 2017 is also available as a BASIC listing including checksums. For the authentic 80's experience, just download and run the Commodore Dossier checksum tool (see link below) and start typing!
In the next episode, we will make some improvements to the (now correct) sewer map to make it easier to understand (see the example below).
X marks the spot!
Related links:
1. Very interesting! BTW what software package is your father using for finances? I'm a sucker for CBM retro.
1. You probably won't be familiar with it. The program is called Bookspeed. My father is a general practitioner. Bookspeed was written by J.L van Geijlswijk, another GP. It was specifically written for GPs to do their accounting. It was fairly comprehensive, featuring double entry accounting, annual balance sheet generation, et cetera. It stored the data entered by the user as part of the program itself as DATA statements.
I remember having to fix the disk image by hand from inside the emulator using Disk Doctor, because my dad had closed the emulator in the middle of a write. Fun times!
2. Very nice story! Had similar experiences with my ZX Spectrum and badly printed, hard to read source code listings found in various magazines.
On a related note: I also used the Spectrum for some of my homework in highschool - calculating parabolas and such. Back then it was called chaeting, where as today, I might have been considered the next Bill Gates or something...
3. I echo Marc Carson's sentiment: would be great to know what finance app your dad uses for the C128. Also, that is one hell of a cool debugging project, well done!
4. Wow. I love this. It'd be nice to see/hear a video of the game in all its fixed glory.
1. Thanks! Actually, I think a video would get pretty boring pretty fast. You really have to play it to get into it. The game needs (plenty of) your imagination. Like Rogue on the PC, if you're familiar with that. Unless you can convince yourself that 'B' is a ferocious bat and 'Z' really is a zombie, it stays rather dull.
5. Fun read, nostalgia warming the heart. Thanks! And I too would be curious to know what software your father is still using...
6. Crying from nostalgia here. Think it was more like 1983, writing self-taught machine code directly to memory.... and programming the sound chip from the register list that was in the printed manual YOU GOT WITH THE MACHINE!
7. Wow. What incredible commitment to revising the imperfect past. Have some groovy 80's-ish music on us:
Also, capital L Love Commodore, but came much later to the party. Amigas were my introduction to computers.
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A Philosopher's Blog
Food & The Future
Posted in Business, Environment, Technology by Michael LaBossiere on January 2, 2012
English: Description: Concentrated animal feed...
Image via Wikipedia
Throughout most of human history getting enough to eat has been a serious problem. The Green Revolution changed this for many humans. The Junk Revolution also changed things, especially in the United States: now we have significant numbers of people who are both obese and malnourished. There is currently talk of Blue Revolution in which aquaculture (farming fish, mollusks and so on) changes things on a large scale. Whatever the color of the next revolution, food will be an ever increasing matter of concern.
One point of significant concern is that modern agriculture tends towards monoculture. That is, factory farms will typically grow vast amounts of a single species of plant (or animal). While this does allow for efficiency and uniformity, there are some serious problems with this approach, as shown by the infamous Great Famine of Ireland. By relying heavily on a very small number of crop species we are very vulnerable to the impact of crop pests, diseases, and so on. While the use of pesticides and other means have helped, this is obviously a losing battle-we are simply contributing to the selection of the pests and diseases that can withstand our attacks. It is, obviously enough, simply a matter of time before we will not be able to keep up. The obvious solution is to move away from monoculture to having more diverse crops. While this will change the nature of factory farming, it will make us less vulnerable to pests and diseases. It will also provide people with greater variety in their food choices.
Another point of concern is that our agricultural methods rely heavily on chemicals. Modern crops are drenched in pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer. In many cases this is overdone, thus wasting money and also adding more chemicals to the environment than necessary. There is also the obvious concern that these chemicals are having a significant impact on the environment and our bodies. Changing our approach to a less chemical intensive one will save money and also reduce the impact on the environment.
A third point of concern is the rapidly growing population in general and the growing number of affluent people. More people means, obviously enough, more food consumption. Having more affluent (relatively speaking) people generally means an increased demand for “luxury” foods like meat and seafood.
Since the earth is finite and limited in resources, there is obviously a point at which the earth simply cannot support the dietary needs of the human population. While technology will expand this carrying capacity, this is also not limitless. Making matters worse is the fact that growing meat and seafood is far more resource intensive that raising plant crops. While the exact numbers vary, creating a pound of farmed meat can take up to 16 pounds of plant feed. In any case, animals convert plant food to meat inefficiently, so growing plants to feed meat animals is a very inefficient way of feeding the human population.
However, humans tend to really like meat and there is a strong psychological link between wealth and the consumption of meat (some also link eating meat with being “manly” or “macho” while vegetarianism is often seen as being for “sissies”). As such, as the world’s middle class begins to grow, they will demand even more meat. Unfortunately, the world probably does not have the capacity to produce enough meat for the expanding middle classes (at the very least, the planet could not provide enough for everyone on earth to eat like the average American) which could lead to some problems.
Given the finite resources and growing populations (especially populations that will demand meat and seafood) it seems reasonable to consider that the future will see a return to conflicts over croplands and growing space. Hitler claimed he was looking for “elbow room” for his people and we might see new wars fought for “hamburger room.” This is, obviously enough, not inevitable. Technological and social changes might head off the problem or their might be a die back of the human population from other causes.
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1. wtp said, on January 2, 2012 at 6:51 pm
I count seven “obvious”s. Obviously, the year is young. No sense in arguing that point.
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General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Title: Constant-roll Inflation in $F(R)$ Gravity
Abstract: We propose the study of constant-roll inflation in $F(R)$ gravity. We use two different approaches, one that relates an $F(R)$ gravity to well known scalar models of constant-roll and a second that examines directly the constant-roll condition in $F(R)$ gravity. With regards to the first approach, by using well known techniques, we find the $F(R)$ gravity which realizes a given constant-roll evolution in the scalar-tensor theory. We also perform a conformal transformation in the resulting $F(R)$ gravity and we find the Einstein frame counterpart theory. As we demonstrate, the resulting scalar potential is different in comparison to the original scalar constant-roll case, and the same applies for the corresponding observational indices. Moreover, we discuss how cosmological evolutions that can realize constant-roll to constant-roll eras transitions in the scalar-tensor description, can be realized by vacuum $F(R)$ gravity. With regards to the second approach, we examine directly the effects of the constant-roll condition on the inflationary dynamics of vacuum $F(R)$ gravity. We present in detail the formalism of constant-roll $F(R)$ gravity inflationary dynamics and we discuss how the inflationary indices become in this case. We use two well known $F(R)$ gravities in order to illustrate our findings, the $R^2$ model and a power-law $F(R)$ gravity in vacuum. As we demonstrate, in both cases the parameter space is enlarged in comparison to the slow-roll counterparts of the models, and in effect, the models can also be compatible with the observational data. Finally, we briefly address the graceful exit issue.
Comments: minor revision, typos corrected
Cite as: arXiv:1704.05945 [gr-qc]
(or arXiv:1704.05945v2 [gr-qc] for this version)
Submission history
From: Vasilis Oikonomou [view email]
[v1] Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:13:21 GMT (415kb)
[v2] Sun, 25 Jun 2017 18:35:12 GMT (414kb) | <urn:uuid:e611096b-17f3-4d5b-aa14-3b6045a029c2> | 2 | 2.015625 | 0.025444 | en | 0.850957 | https://arxiv.org/abs/1704.05945 |
The power of math can be exponential
When I was in elementary school, my parents made sure that I learned. They knew that all of my subjects were important, certainly. But I have special memories of discussing literature and history over the dinner table. They made sure that I really LEARNED my math. I had some terrific teachers in all of those subjects.
Somewhere along the line, though, I developed a special appreciation for math. As a result, I majored in business in college. It is certainly not a leap, since business is full of math. For the past 5 years, I have been a professional tutor, and have loved it. Although I tutor MANY subjects, the one that is in the most demand is math. I have a special love for tutoring pre-algebra and algebra. I practically skip through my day on the days I will be teaching math. I make it a special goal to help my students not only understand math, but perhaps to even fall in love with it.
It used to be that I would comb book sale tables at the library and garage sales for novels. But these days, I scour them for math textbooks. I am on the lookout for innovative explanations and examples that will help my students. I am quite enamored with Khan academy, as he explains so many things so well. I always let my families know about his resource. It is a terrific site to visit. You don’t have to be a student ~ he has tutorials on all kinds of things. Here is the site ~ go ahead, take a look. I will wait.
Many of my competitors think that I am crazy to tell them about a free resource. MY goal is to turn my students into independent learners, so that they can soar like eagles at some point. Through my tutoring, and multiple resources, they can learn every day, even when they are not in a session with me.
To those students who ask the typical question “Why do I have to learn this? When will I EVER have to use it in REAL life?” I smile and tell them a story.
When I took Algebra 2/Trigonometry in high school, I had a fabulous math teacher. His name (really and truly) was Mr. John Wayne. He was the tennis coach, and he was a great math teacher. One day I was particularly frustrated. I raised my hand and asked him those very questions. He just smiled at me. He tossed his chalk up and down, catching it every time. Then he said, “some day, years from now, you will be using algebra in ways you cannot even begin to imagine today. When you do, I hope you will think of me”. Believe me, I do think of him. After all, I walk in his magnificent footsteps when I tutor math. I raise my eyes to the heavens, and I say, “thanks. I LOVE algebra, and I completely understand why you taught it”.
I tell my students that learning is SO important. It IS worthwhile. I loved this article that I have included at the end of this post.
First person: Math has power over all else
By Kevin Levine
Friday January 10, 2014 9:03 PM
For as long as I can remember, I’ve liked numbers.
I like math.
That puts me in a powerful minority.
People who understand and embrace math wield the most powerful weapon ever made.
Let’s dispense with the obvious reasons that math is powerful.
The most effective (destructive) weapons rely on physics, or the science of equations, and chemistry. (Try making a stable mixture of chemicals without math.)
Some of the constructive uses are equally powerful: Medicines, medical equipment, roller coasters, air travel and cellular technology all rely on math.
Yet the true power of math comes from the ignorance and fear of it.
One of my earliest memories of math’s potency stems from this: “Four out of 5 dentists recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum.”
Anyone of a certain age knows the saying from a Trident gum commercial.
I remember thinking as a child that Trident gum must be good for me.
That’s power.
Before long, I started asking questions: Which doctors? Why didn’t the fifth doctor recommend sugarless gum? How many doctor s were asked?
A few years later: Do these dentists work for Trident? Why would dentists recommend gum at all?
How often is a statistic presented as fact, in a vacuum, without supporting documentation or an understanding of the source of the statistic?
A statistic is used as a club to hammer home a message. When one doesn’t understand all that went into generating the statistic, its power becomes immense — a blunt instrument that relies on the general population’s dislike, and ignorance, of math.
How about math as an economic weapon?
Isn’t it wonderful that tuna fish (or peanut butter or jelly) hasn’t gone up in price in years?
Thank math.
The tuna can contained 8 ounces, then 6 ounces, then 5 ounces.
Incremental changes in volume go unnoticed because the price remains constant.
Consumers think: “Wow, tuna prices are stable.”
The tuna company thinks: “Wow, consumers are ignorant.”
Politicians love math, too.
They cherry-pick one statistic from an obscure report commissioned by an obscure group whose agenda might not be to the betterment of humanity.
Politicians use math to convince us that everything would be OK if we just cut fraud and abuse in the welfare system.
They use math to confirm that the American education system is failing.
They use math to justify increased spending in their districts while bemoaning the spending everywhere else.
Politicians thrive on the public’s fear and ignorance of math.
The only way to weaken math’s destructive capabilities is to embrace math.
Instead of telling our children we weren’t good in math, we should tell them that math is the secret to power — that it will make them creative, competitive, powerful, less prone to scams and more valuable in the workplace.
We should tell our children to respectfully question authority, especially when numbers are used as weapons.
Mastering math, our children should learn, is akin to mastering the most powerful weapon on Earth.
Kevin Levine, 48, of Bexley teaches sixth-grade math at Karrer Middle School in Dublin.
About Kate Kresse
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7 Responses to The power of math can be exponential
1. Kathy says:
Love it!
Texas has decided to drop Algebra II as a graduation requirement. I have very mixed feelings about this change in our curriculum.While some students are not going to go to college and their trade school won’t require it others may be sadly surprised when they find that the school of their choice requires it even though Texas doesn’t.
• Kate Kresse says:
i have mixed feelings about that too, Kathy. there is such a feeling of mastery/accomplishment when you complete Algebra II. There are som many ways for them to learn it, and it robs them of something valuable to cancel the requirement. That is regardless of who “requires” it at the next level. {sorry it took me so long to reply!]
2. Kathy says:
Reblogged this on To Talk of Many Things and commented:
3. And it all begins with learning to count, add, multiply, etc. They want to skip that part, these days, the part that even as a math-unappreciative, I KNEW I would always need. Amazing, eh?
• Kate Kresse says:
In addition to the drilling of math facts, through repetition and competitively racing to the blackboard, we had so many other ways that we practiced math facts. We skip counted when we did jump rope, we skip counted when we walked, we counted and regrouped when we played jacks, and my folks would play math games. Math enriched us.We cooked and measured things with our moms (sewing, buttons, etc). We measured things and grouped things with our dads.{A number of my students have never even seen a yardstick, or used a measuring cup}. By doing those things, we had an ingrained “number sense” that many of my students lack. A number of my students don’t connect the integers and fractions to any real meaning. The integer and the word for a number doesn’t necessarily represent a group or a quantity to them at all.
This is similar to a student I had that had reading difficulties. He could read flawlessly, even if you gave him a 12th grade novel. The mechanics, the sentence pauses, the pronunciation, those were all done flawlessly. But he had NO idea what he had just read. This was true whether he read silently or aloud. If I asked him questions about it, he would have to re-check at least a half dozen times, even if I had him read just one sentence, and asked him a basic question about that sentence. There was no meaning attached to the words. This is something that he sort of “outgrew” a couple of years later.
Some of my students have a major disconnect in math, as I described. This makes it nearly impossible for them to memorize their math facts. We are working with counters and charts, so that they can begin to understand and retain the patterns. It mystifies me, it truly does. It frustrates my students!
4. It is no mystery to me, how they got this way, but surely is a mystery why caring adults are sending them this way. I understand, on a governmental level, why we’d want the next generation unable to function, but it seems every teacher out there just doesn’t get it.
Well, almost every…
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In just one day and one night - August 24 to 25 - in 79 A.D. a sequence of deadly pyroclastic currents coming from Mount Vesuvius destroyed and buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. But this volcano, periodically active and despite his modest size considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes of the world, due its vicinity of the urban conglomerate that is the city of Naples, provided also important insights how a volcano "works".
Fig.1. F. A. Perret with an improvised "geophone," listening to subterranean noises at the Campi Flegrei (Italy) probably in 1906-1907 (the photo was published in 1907). As an able inventor, Perret used a microphone to amplify the rumors from inside the earth; a cable can be seen in front of his face connecting the geophone to a loudspeaker, positioned on his ear. Photo from "The Day's Work of a Volcanologist." The World's Work, V. 25, November, 1907 (image in public domain).
Frank Alvord Perret (1867-1943) was an American inventor and volcanologist, interested particularly in the volcanoes of the Canary Islands, Japan, Hawaii, Martinique -the infamous Pelée nearly killed him - and Italy. He studied physics at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, but didn't graduate. As a gifted inventor he worked in the laboratories of Thomas Alva Edison, developing new motors, dynamos and batteries. In 1886 he became independent with his own "Elektron Manufacturing Company", which in the followings years experienced a notable success. His health began to fail in 1902 and a warmer climate - like on the Caribbean Islands - promised some relief. On the Island of Martinique he visited the ruins of the city of St Pierre, the desolation and destruction experienced there impressed him profoundly. In 1904, during a visit to Italy, Perret meet Raffaele V. Matteucci, director of the volcanological station of Mount Vesuvius. Matteucci got Perret interested even more in the young and emerging field of volcanology.
The deterioration of Perrets health continued and in 1906 he abandoned definitively his business to dedicate himself to a less strenuous and dangerous engagement: studying active volcanoes!
He monitored Vesuvius during its most recent phase of activity, lasting from 1906 to 1921, dedicating to the eruption of 1906 "the clearest and most complete report ever of a volcanic eruption and its aftermath" (as wrote Milderd Giblin in 1950). Mildred Giblin, from the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, commented Perret's work by stating that the:
"scientific contributions of Mr. Perret are unique in that no other volcanologist had the time and opportunity to make so thorough and varied observations on so many types of active volcanoes. He was a daring and sagacious researcher, indefatigable in his quest for information. He was a proficient and discerning photographer, and his publications are freely illustrated with fine pictorial records."
Perret and Matteucci used the "Osservatorio Vesuviano", a hut build in 1841 on the north-eastern slope of Vesuvius, as permanent observation point. It was there, lying in his bed, that Perret one day noted a strange buzzing sound. Rising his head the sound disappeared, so Perret put an iron bar of the bed between his teeth - now he could feel a constant tremor coming from the underground. Perret had discovered the "Harmonic Tremors" - vibrations often preceding a volcanic eruption, generated probably by uprising magma inside the volcano.
LOCKWOD, J.P. & HAZLETT, R.W. (2010): Volcanoes Global Perspectives. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing: 540
PERRET, F. A. (1924): The Vesuvius Eruption of 1906. Washington, DC, Carnegie Instution.
PERRET, F. A. (1935): The Eruption of Mt. Pelée, 1929-1932. Washington, DC, Carnegie Instution. | <urn:uuid:961ce4f4-c214-4c38-80f5-c6eaee1fc47f> | 4 | 3.71875 | 0.043867 | en | 0.95057 | https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/the-days-work-of-a-volcanologist-rumbling-mountains/ |
publisher Rodney Buike and Virtualization
When I was in Winnipeg, I had the good fortune to meet Rodney Buike at the Winnipeg IT Pro UserGroup. I also killed his Dell Laptop harddrive (which he fixed by smacking it on the desk a few times) and shared some pints of the local Fort Gary brew while debating virtualization technologies and various other topics. Rodney is a Microsoft MVP for Windows Server and the publisher of (Great Site!). He also provides content for and is working on a book on Virtual Server 2005.
He took up my challenge to provide content for the Canadian IT Pro team blog as a guest blogger - so please welcome him and his first post:
Virtualization technologies have been around for years. Vmware was one of the first to begin selling virtualization software in 1999 and in early 2003 Microsoft purchased virtual machine technologies from a company called Connectix. This purchase led to the development of Virtual PC 2004 and Virtual Server 2005.
In the past, when a user needed to use or test an application on a certain operating system (OS), the user would require a computer on which the OS could be installed which would allow them to test the application. Having to test the application on a number of different OS would require the hardware and time to install the desired operating system.
At the same time systems were becoming more and more powerful and utilized less and less. Today’s multi-GHz and multi-core CPUs, large hard disks and abundance of cheap memory provide more power than most users require. Typically, today’s computers run at about 10-15 percent utilization. By leveraging virtualization technologies, users can harness the extra power and reduce the amount of physical hardware required and instead, install multiple virtual machines with whichever combination of operating systems and applications they require.
The benefits of virtualization are easy to see. Software developers no longer need multiple physical machines, or ghosted images in order to test their applications in different operating system environments, students don’t need a pile of donated computers in order to build a lab environment and get hands on experience with new technologies and IT departments can benefit by consolidating servers and migrating legacy systems to new hardware.
Corporate system administrators can reduce costs by running multiple virtual machines, performing different tasks, on a single physical machine. By doing this, costs are reduced for both the physical hardware requirements as well as the operating system licensing needs. This also allows system administrators to utilize all the power available to them in a physical machine. For example, if an application running on a physical machine only utilizes 15% of machine resources, it would be possible to run 6 virtual machines at 90% utilization. This is a much more economical use of hardware resources.
Today more and more IT departments are looking to leverage the befits of virtualization in an effort to consolidate servers. Improvements in Virtual Server 2005 R2, such as virtual server host clustering, make the idea of virtualizing the corporate infrastructure more acceptable and appealing. If you are (or are not) using virtualization technologies drop me a line with a comment. I am very interested in hearing your reasons why (or why not) and your experiences.
Comments (2)
1. Anonymous says:
I posted my first guest post on the Canadian IT Professionals blog over at TechNet Canada. The article is a brief summary on the benfits of virtualization. Go check it out and add it to your RSS aggregator as there are some great guest bloggers over
2. Anonymous says:
Well time flies when you are having fun, and being an MVP this last year has been a blast. I got notified my term was up and that I am re-nominated and had to send in some information on what I did last year as an MVP. It got me thinking and boy was
Skip to main content | <urn:uuid:2f3e4f4e-04f7-4452-8ecd-c7fc53ffbc2e> | 2 | 2.09375 | 0.023237 | en | 0.93695 | https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/canitpro/2006/04/28/thelazyadmin-com-publisher-rodney-buike-and-virtualization/ |
Open Access
• Rajkumar Tulsawani1,
• Lorena S Kelly2,
• Nigar Fatma1,
• Bhavanaben Chhunchha1,
• Eri Kubo3,
• Anil Kumar4 and
• Dhirendra P Singh1Email author
BMC Neuroscience201011:125
Received: 10 April 2010
Accepted: 5 October 2010
Published: 5 October 2010
The ability to respond to changes in the extra-intracellular environment is prerequisite for cell survival. Cellular responses to the environment include elevating defense systems, such as the antioxidant defense system. Hypoxia-evoked reactive oxygen species (ROS)-driven oxidative stress is an underlying mechanism of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death that leads to blinding disorders. The protein peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) plays a pleiotropic role in negatively regulating death signaling in response to stressors, and thereby stabilizes cellular homeostasis.
We have shown that RGCs exposed to hypoxia (1%) or hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride display reduced expression of PRDX6 with higher ROS expression and activation of NF-κB. These cells undergo apoptosis, while cells with over-expression of PRDX6 demonstrate resistance against hypoxia-driven RGC death. The RGCs exposed to hypoxia either with 1% oxygen or cobalt chloride (0-400 μM), revealed ~30%-70% apoptotic cell death after 48 and 72 h of exposure. Western analysis and real-time PCR showed elevated expression of PRDX6 during hypoxia at 24 h, while PRDX6 protein and mRNA expression declined from 48 h onwards following hypoxia exposure. Concomitant with this, RGCs showed increased ROS expression and activation of NF-κB with IkB phosphorylation/degradation, as examined with H2DCF-DA and transactivation assays. These hypoxia-induced adverse reactions could be reversed by over-expression of PRDX6.
Because an abundance of PRDX6 in cells was able to attenuate hypoxia-induced RGC death, the protein could possibly be developed as a novel therapeutic agent acting to postpone RGC injury and delay the progression of glaucoma and other disorders caused by the increased-ROS-generated death signaling related to hypoxia.
Uncontrolled rises in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) are triggered by downregulation of expression and activity of protective molecules in response to changes in the extracellular environment. Such changes often include hypoxia, the scarcity of oxygen can lead to cell injury and death by apoptosis. Recent evidence has shown an increase of intracellular ROS expression in cells during hypoxia, with the source of the increase being the mitochondria [1, 2]. Mammalian cells respond to fluctuations in their micro environmental oxygen by regulating defense genes such as stress response genes, heat shock factor, NF-κB, and HIFα-1. These factors play a decisive role in the fate of cells by activating protective molecules such as PRDX6. However, a scarcity of oxygen to cells also results in functional or adaptive responses [36]. Conversely, prolonged hypoxia can induce genes involved in cell death [7, 8]. The increased levels of ROS during hypoxia and ROS-driven-oxidative stress induce deleterious effects by activating/deactivating genes and deregulating normal survival signaling [9, 10]. This process results in pathophysiology of cells and tissues, such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, tumorigenesis, and development of various blinding eye conditions [11, 12]. The death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a major blinding event, and RGC death has been reported to occur during retinal hypoxia/ischemia [13, 14]. Retinal cells that are highly active require a regular supply of oxygen [11, 15]. Any interruption in oxygen supply due to an abnormality in circulation such as retinal artery occlusion or retinal vein thrombosis or atherosclerosis results in retinal hypoxia/ischemia. An extended period of hypoxia leads to the development of complications such as glaucoma, optic neuropathies, diabetic retinopathies, and retinal vein occlusions [1619]. It has been found that the inner retina is more susceptible to hypoxia, in contrast to outer one [20]. To cope with oxidation-induced adverse effect one natural protective characteristic of eye is that intra-ocular O2 tensions are low however, many other cellular defense systems are evolved such as glycolysis, angiogenesis, vasodilation, and erythropoiesis in response to hypoxia [21], but these protective phenomenon are momentary [22], following which cell death and tissue damage occur [11]. Hypoxia-induced generation of ROS results in imbalance of the cellular oxidant-antioxidant status that leads to failure of cellular homeostasis. ROS-driven oxidative stress is a known cause of lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and DNA oxidation, which contribute to neurodegeneration [21, 23, 24]. Oxidative stress also has been reported to be cytotoxic to RGCs [10, 25], causing necrotic or apoptotic death [10, 22, 26, 27]. In addition, the generation of ROS is associated with activation or deactivation of several survival factors [28]. NF-κB is a transcription factor which is activated by various stimuli including oxidative stress. NF-κB plays multiple roles in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation and also in cell death as a pro- or anti-apoptotic transcription factor, depending on cell type or the nature of injury [29, 30]. A wealth of information documents that RelA containing NF-κB complex has an antiapoptotic effect [31]. In glaucoma, NF-κB is highly activated in RGCs and has been suggested to be proapoptotic and implicated in retinal neuronal cell death [32, 33]. Initiation of apoptotic response to a variety of stress signals via NF-κB requires its translocation into nucleus from the cytoplasm. Under normal circumstances, in cell cytoplasm an association between IkB, an inhibitor protein, and NF-κB dimers renders NF-κB inactive. IkB is a member of a family of regulator proteins, viz. IkB-α, IkB-β, and Bcl3. However, in response to stress signals, IkB undergoes phosphorylation, which releases its inhibition of NF-κB. NF-κB translocates to the nucleus and binds to DNA [10, 34].
Moreover, the over-expression of intracellular ROS caused by extracellular stressors is controlled by antioxidant defenses such as catalase, SOD, glutathione peroxidase, and, most importantly, the newly discovered peroxiredoxins [3539]. The peroxiredoxin (Prdx) family includes six known members (Prdx 1-6). Of particular interest is PRDX6 cloned by our group from human lens epithelial cells cDNA library [40]. This agent has GSH peroxidase as well as acidic Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 activities [37, 3944]. Recently, our group has shown that PRDX6 has protective potential in saving RGCs against glutamate and TNF-α induced cytotoxicity. It acts by limiting ROS and maintaining calcium homeostasis [10, 37, 42, 43, 4548]. The unique ability to regulate signaling and to maintain phospholipid turnover distinguishes PRDX6 from the other five peroxiredoxins (Prdx1 to 5). This molecule is widely expressed, occurring in high levels in the liver, lung, eye lens, and keratinocytes [37, 40, 4850] including RGCs [9], and its reduced expression can lead to cell death and tissue degeneration [47, 48, 51]. Recently, PRDX6 has been implicated in maintaining blood vessel integrity in wounded skin [52, 53] and in development and progression of several diseases, including oxidative-induced cataractogenesis [43, 54], psoriasis [55, 56], atherosclerosis [51], and parkinsonian dementia [57]. Thus, accumulating evidence indicates that underexpression of PRDX6 contributes to pathophysiology of cells and tissues, and this involves an increase in ROS levels. The increase leads to declines in a number of physiological functions because of overmodulation of ROS-mediated gene expression and activation of factors, including NF-κB. Stimulation of such factors in RGC has been implicated as a cause of the initiation of death signaling [58, 59]. However, given the role of PRDX6 in maintaining cellular homeostasis by blocking death signaling and thereby regulating ROS expression [9, 10, 37], we think that a supply of PRDX6 will attenuate the hypoxia-evoked ROS-induced deleterious signaling in RGCs. In the study described here, we used RGCs exposed to 1% O2 and/or CoCl2, a hypoxia mimetic, as a model system to explore the underlying event(s) of hypoxia-induced RGC death. We have shown that RGCs facing hypoxia for longer periods display elevated expression of ROS and reduced levels of PRDX6, and that RGCs over-expressing PRDX6 gain resistance against hypoxia-evoked generation of ROS and ROS-induced cellular insults, by negatively regulating death signaling.
In this study, we investigated whether chronic hypoxia evoked the production of ROS in RGCs, and whether over-expression of ROS initiated NF-κB-mediated death signaling by phosphorylation/degradation of IkB, resulting in RGC death. In addition, by using transfection and transactivation assays, we showed that ROS-mediated suppression of Prdx6 mRNA and protein expression in RGCs bearing higher levels of ROS could be attenuated by the over-expression of PRDX6. Collectively, these findings provide a foundation for rational use of antioxidant-based therapeutics for treating or preventing/delaying RGC death from ROS driven oxidative stress under hypoxic conditions.
Culture of the retinal ganglion cell
RGC-5 (a kind gift from Neeraj Agarwal, University of North Texas Health Science, Fort Worth, TX, USA) were maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 100 U/ml penicillin and 100 μl/ml streptomycin at 37°C with 5% CO2. The cells reaching confluency were trypsinized and subcultured using 1:20 split. RGCs of 5 to 7 passages were used to carry out the experiments.
Generation of Hypoxic conditions
Cells were either exposed to 1% oxygen using hypoxic chamber or they were treated with cobalt chloride, a hypoxia mimic [60, 61] at various concentrations and for various time intervals.
Cell survival assays: MTS and TUNEL assays
Cells (1 × 104) were grown in 48 well plates and treated with 50, 100, 150, 200 or 400 μM of CoCl2 for 24, 48 or 72 h. After treatment period, a colorimetric MTS assay (Promega) was performed as described earlier [37]. This assay of cellular proliferation uses 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2 to 4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazo-lium salt (MTS; Promega, Madison, MI). Upon being added to medium containing viable cells, MTS is reduced to a water-soluble formazan salt. The A490 nm value was measured after cobalt chloride treatment at specified duration with an ELISA reader. The values are represented as a percent change to matched controls within cell types.
A TUNEL assay was employed to assess and validate apoptotic cell death. TUNEL staining was performed using an in situ cell death detection kit, Fluorescein (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Germany), following the company's protocol. Briefly, cells were grown in 4 chambered slide, washed with PBS and fixed in freshly prepared 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS (pH 7.4), followed by incubation in permeabilization solution (0.1% Triton X-100, 0.1% sodium citrate) for 2 min on ice. Cells were rinsed twice with PBS, and incubated in a TUNEL reaction mixture for 60 min at 37°C in the dark. Cells were rinsed three times with PBS. After mounting, samples were microphotographed using a micro-scope (Nikon, ECLIPSE TE 300), and analyzed. To determine the total dead cells, other than only the apoptotic cells, RGCs were stained with trypan blue solution (0.4%), where non viable cells are stained with trypan blue which is normally excluded by the live cells.
Construction of Prdx6 Promoter-Chloramphenicol Acetyl-transferase (CAT) Reporter Vector
The 5'-flanking region from - 1139 to +109 bp was isolated from mouse genomic DNA and sequenced [10]. A construct of -1139 bp was prepared by ligating it to basic pCAT vector (Promega) using the SacI and XhoI sites. Similarly, construct of deletion mutants of different sizes (- 839 to + 109 bp, construct B; -430 to + 109 bp, construct C) of the Prdx6 promoter with appropriate sense primers bearing SacI and reverse primer with XhoI were made [10]. The plasmid was amplified and used for the CAT assay. Primers were as follows: Construct Afor, 5'-CTGAGAGCTC CTGCCATGTTC-3'; Construct Bfor, 5' CTTCCTCTGGAGCTC AGAATTTAC-3'; Construct Cfor, 5'-CACAG-AGCTC GTTCTTGCCACATC-3'; Constructs A, B, and Crev, 5'-CAGGAACTCGAGG AAGCGGAT-3'. We used construct B in the present study.
Assay for intracellular redox state
Intracellular redox state levels were measured using the fluorescent dye, H2-DCFH-DA as described earlier [37, 43]. Briefly, cells were washed once with HBSS and incubated in the same buffer containing 5-10 μg of DCFH-DA for 30 min at 37°C. Intracellular fluorescence was detected with Ex485/Em530 using Spectra Max Gemini EM (Molecular Devices, CA).
Western analysis
Nuclear, cytoplasmic extracts and total Cell lysates were prepared as described previously [10]. Equal amounts of protein samples were loaded onto a 10% SDS gel, blotted onto PVDF membrane, and immune-stained with primary antibodies; PRDX6 monoclonal antibody (1:1000) (Lab Frontier, S. Korea), NF- κB (p65) (Santa Cruz Biotech) and β-actin antibody (Sigma) (1:2000). The membranes were further incubated with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies (1:1500 dilution) following washing. Specific protein bands were visualized by incubating the membrane with luminol reagent (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) and exposing to film (X-OMAT; Eastman Kodak).
Real-time PCR
To monitor the levels of Prdx6, NF- κB (p65), and β-actin mRNA in RGCs, total RNA was isolated using the single-step guanidine thiocyanate/phenol/chloroform extraction method (Trizol Reagent; Invitrogen) and converted to cDNA using Superscript II RNAase H-Reverse Transcriptase. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed with SYBR Green Master Mix (Roche Diagnostic Corporation, Indianapolis, IN) in a Roche® LC480 Sequence detector system (Roche Diagnostic Corporation). We used primers specific for Prdx6 (forward 5'-TTGATGATAAGGGCAGGGAC-3' and reverse, 5'-CTACCATCACGCTCTCTCCC-3'), NF-κB (forward 5'-TTTCCCCTCATCTTTCCCTC-3' and reverse 5'-TGTGCTTCTCTCCCCAGG-3') and β-actin (forward 5'-CGTGGGCCGCCCTAGGCACCA-3' and reverse 5'-TTGGCCTTAGGGTTCAGGGGGG-3'). The primers were synthesized at University of Nebraska Medical Center, DNA Facility, Omaha, NE, USA. The comparative Ct method was used to calculate relative fold expression levels using the e-Roche software. The Cts of target genes were normalized to the levels of β-actin as an endogenous control in each group.
Expression and purification of GFP-PRDX6 fusion protein
A full length cDNA of Prdx6 was isolated from human lens epithelial cell cDNA library using sense (5'-ATGCCCGGAGGTCTGCTTCTCGGGG-3') and antisense (3'-AATTGGCAG CTGACATCCTCTGGCTC-3') primers, and the resultant amplified product was cloned in pcDNA3.1/NT-GFP-TOPO vector procured from Invitrogen [40]. This construct was used for over-expressing PRDX6 in RGCs. Cells transfected with empty GFP vector served as control.
Statistical method
Data are presented as Mean ± S.D. of the indicated number of experiments. Data were analyzed by Student's t-test when appropriate. A p value of < 0.05 was defined as indicating a statistically significant difference.
Hypoxia induced RGC death with apoptosis, and these cells harbored elevated ROS, reduced PRDX6, and increased NF-κB expression
Recently reports have documented that hypoxia-induced elevation in intracellular ROS is a cause of pathophysiology in cells and tissues [62]. However, hypoxia exerts both proapoptotic and antiapoptotic biphasic effects that seem to be associated with cell types and conditions surrounding the cells. In the present study, we initially used the hypoxia-mimetic agent cobalt chloride (CoCl2) to expose RGCs to hypoxic stress. We examined whether RGCs exposed to such stress showed reduced survival and died with apoptosis and displayed higher ROS levels. Results from cells exposed to cobalt chloride were compared with those from RGCs exposed to 1% O2.
Cells exposed to cobalt chloride showed decrease in cell survival, with levels depending on concentration and exposure time (Figure 1A; black bars). Exposure of RGCs to 1% oxygen for 24 h or 48 h resulted in cell death in a time-dependent manner (Figure 1B; black bars). With both types of exposure, the cellular effects produced by hypoxia were associated with concentration as well as the duration of exposure. These cells were photomicrographed and recorded (Figures 2A-C. arrow; dead cells). The mode of RGC death was apoptosis following treatment with CoCl2 (Figure 2B) or 1% O2 exposure (Figure 2C) after 48 h when compared to unexposed cells (Figure 2A), as shown by TUNEL assay (Figure 2insets).
Figure 1
MTS assay showing effect of hypoxia on the viability of RGCs. Cells (1 × 104) were cultured in 48-well plate containing DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS. 24 h later, cells were washed and treated with variable concentrations of cobalt chloride (A; black bars 50, 100, 200 or 400 μM) or exposed to 1% O2 (B; black bar) for a period of 24, 48 or 72 h. Results are means ± SE of three individual experiments. *p < 0.05.
Figure 2
Photomicrograph of RGCs without (A) or with CoCl 2 (B) or exposed to 1% O 2 (C). Arrow heads denote dead cells. TUNEL staining was performed as described in 'Methods' section to determine apoptotic RGC death following treatment. Insets: Photomicrograph of TUNEL-positive cells (green fluorescent) treated without (A) or with (B) or exposed to 1% O2 (C).
Next, to determine whether RGCs exposed to either CoCl2 or 1% O2 bore higher levels of ROS, we monitored the levels with the fluorescent dye, H2-DCFH-DA. Consistent with earlier reports, an increase in ROS levels was observed in cells exposed to hypoxic stress, and the levels of ROS were increased with increased time of exposure (Figures 3A and 3B; black bars).
Figure 3
Histogram showing intracellular ROS expression in RGCs following CoCl 2 treatment or 1% O 2 exposure. Cells were treated with different concentrations of cobalt chloride (50, 100, 200 or 400 μM) (A) or exposed to1% oxygen (B) for a period of 24, 48 or 72 h. ROS were measured with H2-DCFH-DA dye. Results are means ± SE of 3 experiments. *p < 0.05
Because reduced expression of intracellular PRDX6 is causally related to increase expression of ROS, and NF-κB is a regulator of PRDX6 in cells in the redox state [9, 10, 43, 45], we next examined whether levels of these two molecules were altered in cells under conditions of hypoxia. We conducted Western analysis with PRDX6-specific antibody, and the same blotted membrane was reprobed with NF-κB antibody following restriping. As expected, reduced expression of PRDX6 (Figure 4, PRDX6, 48 h or 72 h, lanes 2-4; Figure 5, PRDX6, 48 h, lane 2) and elevated expression of NF-κB (Figure 4, NF-κB, 24, 48 or 72 h, lanes 2-4; Figure 5, NF-κB, 24 or 48 h, lanes 2 and 4) were observed in cells exposed to hypoxia (48 h onwards) (Because the higher dose of cobalt chloride [400 μM] caused ~ 70% of the RGC death, that dose was excluded). Levels of PRDX6 were found to be increased when analyzed after 24 h of hypoxia exposure generated by cobalt chloride (50, 100 or 200 μM) or 1% oxygen (Figure 4, PRDX6, 24 h, lanes 2-4; Figure 5, PRDX6, 24 h, lane 2). The data illustrate the role of PRDX6 in RGC survival under hypoxia exposure.
Figure 4
Figure 5
Effect of Hypoxic stress on regulation of PRDX6 and NF-κB proteins in RGCs exposed to 1% O 2 . Cells (4 × 105) were cultured in 100 mm culture plates, and after 24 h these cells were exposed to 1% O2 for a period of 24 and 48 h. After treatment, cell extracts were prepared for Western analysis. A significant increase in PRDX6 protein expression was observed after 24 h and reduced after 48 h of 1% O2 exposure (lane 2). In contrast, an increase in NF-κB protein level was observed (middle panel) while no change was detected in the expression of β-actin level (lower panel), suggesting hypoxia specifically reduced the expression of PRDX6. Histogram shows relative density (Pixels) of protein bands. *p < 0.05.
Modulation of PRDX6 and NF-κB in RGCs during hypoxia was due to repression of their transcription
Although it was confirmed at the protein level that the expression of PRDX6 and NF-κB was modulated under hypoxia, it was not clear whether the changes in expression were due to modulation in the translation or in the transcription of these molecules. To clarify the regulation of PRDX6 and/or NF-κB by hypoxic stress at the transcriptional level, the cells were exposed to cobalt chloride (50, 100 or 200 μM) or to 1% O2 as described above for 24 h, and the mRNA from these cells was used to conduct real time PCR. Results demonstrated that RGCs exposed to hypoxia had an abundance of Prdx6 mRNA, but levels of NF-κB mRNA were not found to be dramatically high when compared to the controls (Figure 6A; black bars). To validate further activation of PRDX6 during hypoxia, we performed transactivation assays as described in Methods. RGCs were transfected with Prdx6 promoter linked to CAT construct B [10], and were exposed to hypoxia either by treating the cells with cobalt chloride (50, 100 or 200 μM) or by exposing to 1% oxygen. After exposure to various concentrations of cobalt chloride (Figure 6B; black bars) or 1% oxygen (Figure 6C; black bar) a pronounced activation in Prdx6 promoter activity could be observed, suggesting that Prdx6 is transcriptionally regulated in RGCs under hypoxia. This finding indicates that Prdx6 is upregulated to counteract hypoxia-induced cellular damage mediated via NF-κB, which plays an apoptotic role in RGC death.
Figure 6
Quantitative PCR showing differential expression of Prdx6 and NF-κB mRNA in RGCs with or without treatment with CoCl 2 or exposed to 1% O 2 . Total RNA was isolated and transcribed into cDNA. PCR was performed using specific primers as described in 'Methods' section. mRNA expression of each Prdx6 and NF-κB was adjusted to the mRNA copies of β-actin. Results indicate that mRNA expression level of Prdx6 was significantly increased after 24 h of exposure to different concentrations of CoCl2 (A; 50, 100 or 200 μM) with an increase of NF-κB mRNA. (B) CAT assay showing promoter activity of Prdx6 following hypoxia. Cells were transiently transfected with Prdx6-CAT (B & C). After 24 h of transfection, cells were either treated with cobalt chloride (50, 100 or 200 μM) (B) or exposed to 1% O2 (C; black bar). Transactivation assay was performed after 72 h of transfection. Results indicate that Prdx6 transcription (B and C) was up-regulated following cobalt chloride or 1% O2 exposure, respectively. *p < 0.05.
Hypoxia induced activation of NF-κB and its translocation into nucleus was associated with IkB phosphorylation/degradation
To examine the dynamics of NF-κB and IkB interactions under hypoxia, cells were exposed to 200 μM of cobalt chloride and subcellular fractions were assayed by Western blot NF-κB (p65) nuclear translocation (Figure 7A) and IkB phosphorylation/degradation (Figure 7C). Under normal circumstances, cytoplasmic NF-κB is inactive through interactions with an inhibitor protein IkB. The phosphorylation of IkB unmasks the nuclear translocation signal on the NF-κB. In the present study, cells treated with cobalt chloride showed decreased expression of IkB (Figure 7C; IkB; lane 2), with an increase in phospho-IkB levels (Figure 7D; pIkB, lane 2). The results revealed that kinetics of the increase in p65 in nucleus mirrors the kinetics for phosphorylation and degradation of IkB in cytoplasmic fraction. Further activation of NF-κB was confirmed by transactivation assay; RGCs transfected with pLTR-CAT construct, which consists of two NF-κB sites [43], were subjected to hypoxic stress (1% O2) for 24 h. CAT activity assessed with CAT-ELISA as described in Methods revealed activation of NF-κB (Figure 9C, dark gray bar). Collectively, the findings demonstrate activation of NF-κB by hypoxia.
Figure 7
Western analysis showing NF-κB translocation in nucleus from cytoplasm and phosphorylation of IkBα in RGCs facing hypoxic stress. Cell (4 × 105) were cultured in 10 mm culture plates and were treated with 200 μM of CoCl2 for 2 h. After treatment, cytoplasmic and nuclear extracts were prepared for western analysis. Cells treated with CoCl2 showed increased expression of NF-κB in nucleus (A, NF-κB, lane 2) with concomitant decrease in cytoplasmic expression (B, NF-κB, lane 2). These cells showed reduced expression of IkB (C; lane 2) and enhanced expression of its phosphorylated form pIkB in cytoplasm (D; lane 2).
PRDX6 over-expression attenuated hypoxia-induced RGC death, by reducing ROS production and optimizing NF-κB activation
PRDX6 exerts its protective function by regulating ROS expression and blocking cell death signaling. To determine the efficacy of PRDX6 in abolishing hypoxia-evoked ROS-driven damage to and death of RGCs, we transfected RGCs with pGFP-PRDX6 (2, 4 and 6 μg) as described in Experimental Procedures, and transfection efficiency was equalized with OD obtained from GFP fluorescence at Ex485/Em530. We also confirmed over-expression of pGFP-PRDX6 using Western analysis (Figure 8A) As expected, RGCs over-expressing PRDX6 showed reduced levels of ROS when they were exposed to either cobalt chloride (Figure 8B; 50, 100 or 200 μM; black bars) or 1% oxygen (Figure 8C; black bars). Cell death was reduced by ~20% to 30% as observed in these cells treated with various concentrations of the agents compared to controls transfected with empty GFP vector (Figure 9A; black bars). Similar results were obtained when PRDX6 over-expressed cells were exposed to 1% oxygen (Figure 9B; black bars). To test whether PRDX6 administration attenuated NF-κB activation in RGCs following hypoxia treatment, we did transactivation assay in RGCs using pLTR-CAT construct (Figure 9C). Results showed an increase in the promoter activity following hypoxia (1% oxygen) and the increase could be inhibited by a supply of PRDX6 (Figure 9C; black bar). Western analysis further confirmed that extrinsic supply of PRDX6 reduced expression of NF-κB in RGCs exposed to hypoxia (Figure 9D; NF-κB; lane 3). Taken together, the results demonstrated that PRDX6 protects against hypoxia-evoked oxidative stress mediated cell death by restoring survival signaling, at least in RGCs, and it does so by optimizing ROS expression and NF-κB activation and expression.
Figure 8
Effect of over-expression of GFP-PRDX6 on ROS levels in RGCs following hypoxic stress. Cellular extract was prepared and resolved on SDS-PAGE, and Western analysis was performed using antibody specific to PRDX6, to assess both exogenous and endogenous expression of PRDX6. ~55 kDa protein band was detected as recombinant GFP-PRDX6 protein (A, right lane). Histogram showing ROS levels in RGCs after exposure to hypoxia (B&C). Cells over-expressed with GFP-PRDX6 prevented excessive generation of ROS against CoCl2 (50, 100 or 200 μM). Cells were transiently transfected with either GFP vector or GFP-PRDX6. After 24 h cells treated with CoCl2 (50, 100 or 200 μM).
Figure 9
PRDX6 regulation of NF-kB expression and cellular survival during hypoxia (A). MTS assay showing protective effect of over-expression of PRDX6 on RGCs survival. Cells were transiently transfected with either GFP vector or GFP-PRDX6. After 24 h cells were either treated with CoCl2 (50, 100 or 200 μM) or exposed to 1% O2. Results indicate that GFP-PRDX6 over-expression significantly reduced death of RGCs exposed to CoCl2 (A; 50, 100 or 200 μM) or 1% O2 (B). To monitor the activation of NF-κB, cells were transfected with GFP vector or GFP-PRDX6. These cells were co-transfected with HIV-1LTR-CAT construct (C) having NF-κB sites [37] and were exposed to 1% O2. Results showed the repression of NF-κB-dependent transcriptional activation of HIV-1LTR in cells over-expressing PRDX6 (C; black bar). In parallel experiments, cell extracts was prepared and Western analysis performed to confirm whether GFP-PRDX6 over-expression reduced the expression of NF-κB (D). Upper panel showing decreased expression of NF-κB in nuclear extract of RGCs over-expressing PRDX6.
Changes in oxidant and antioxidant balance may alter cellular homeostasis; cells may go through survival or death pathways, depending upon expression of ROS and antioxidant defense capacity. Eye tissues are constantly exposed to external and internal environmental stresses such as sunlight, chemical irritations, and hypoxia. These stressors may lead to blinding disorders of the eye by inducing abnormalities in the homeostatic system of cells. Interruption of normal blood flow to an organ causes ischemia-hypoxia, which can result in tissue injury in many organs, including the heart, liver, lungs, and retina, all physiologically active tissues. Stresses or deficiency of O2 (hypoxia) in retinal tissues may cause severe damage, subsequently leading to blinding disease.
The manner in which chronic hypoxia causes cell or tissue damage or cell death has been described in several recent reports documenting that the hypoxia evokes overproduction of ROS, which are a major culprit in cell damage [11]. Moreover, as a physiologically active tissue, the retina requires large quantities of oxygen [11], and fluctuations in oxygen level may alter the entire retinal physiology and lead to failure of homeostasis [11]. Systemic hypoxemia caused by lung or heart disease or a vascular disease in the retina can also cause retinal hypoxia and be a major cause of RGC loss. Recent evidence reveals that chronic hypoxia attenuates the cellular prooxidant-antioxidant balance by accumulation of ROS [63], and this condition has been implicated in progressive neurodegenerative diseases. We believe that chronic hypoxia may be associated with reduced expression and activity of survival molecules and antioxidants such as PRDX6 [9, 10, 37, 42, 43, 64]. In the present study, we found that RGCs exposed to hypoxia displayed elevated expression of ROS, which was associated with reduced expression of PRDX6 (Figures 3, 4 and 5), and these cells underwent apoptosis (Figure 2). These results are consistent with earlier findings that human pulmonary and coronary artery smooth muscle cells bear higher levels of ROS, and the elevated levels of ROS are a major damaging factor [65]. Moreover, ROS is source of oxidative stress, has gained more and more attention recently because of its role as a cellular signaling for a various molecules released from activated glia or microglia such as glutamate [9], cytokines such as TNF-α and growth factors [9, 10]. The production of ROS by these molecules has been associated with activation or deactivation of several transcription factors [810, 12, 43]. We think that elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines in the microenvironment of RGCs are responsible for further elevation of ROS in RGCs that leads RGCs death. Recently, we reported that PRDX6 delivery to RGCs can protect against glutamate or TNF-α mediated cytotoxicity, and that the PRDX6 acts by removing ROS and stabilizing NF-κB activation. Notably, both PRDX6 and NF-κB are producers of ROS. While there is much discussion in the research community about increase or decrease of ROS expression during hypoxia, the present study provides evidence that longer periods of hypoxia generate ROS, and ROS-induced abnormal signaling is a major cause of RGC damage or death (Figures 1, 2 and 3). Our data further support our hypothesis that hypoxia induces ROS; RGCs that over-expressed PRDX6 showed resistance against hypoxic stress, reduced ROS expression, and improved survival. Along with others, we have shown that PRDX6 blocks ROS-mediated pathophysiology that occurs during cataractogenesis, neurological disorders, and diabetic-associated disorders [9, 42, 43], and plays a pivotal role in maintaining lung cell homeostasis [44, 48, 6668]. Moreover, our current study revealed that (i) hypoxia evokes intracellular ROS accumulation, which increases with an increase in time, (ii) ROS elevation is causally related to RGC death, and (iii) PRDX6 can attenuate hypoxia-generated oxidative stress-induced RGC death.
Recently, several reports have shown that hypoxic stress induces ROS production, which, if not quenched, leads to cellular pathophysiology [63, 65, 69, 70]. Using a cell culture system, we found that RGCs exposed to either 1% oxygen (physiological hypoxia) or treated with cobalt chloride, a hypoxia mimetic (chemical hypoxia), display elevated expression of ROS (Figure 2) We observed ~30%-60% RGC death in cells with physiological hypoxia (1% oxygen) and ~30%-70% death with cobalt chloride treatment (Figure 1). These data are consistent with previous studies which observed ~25% RGC death after 12 h of exposure to 5% oxygen [71], ~30% cell death after 24 h of 200 μM CoCl2 treatment and found that RGC death following hypoxia was predominantly apoptotic, although both apoptotic and necrotic cell death have been observed [71, 72]. Furthermore, in glaucomatous eyes, selective loss of RGCs occurs [73], and these cells are particularly sensitive to systemic hypoxic stress [74] as a result of long-term oxidative damage induced by ROS [75].
Interestingly, our present study found increased expression of PRDX6 for the first 24 h of hypoxia exposure (Figures 4 and 5), but when hypoxia exposure was prolonged, the expression of PRDX6 was reduced, and the reduction was related to cell death. Thus our results demonstrate a novel mechanism of hypoxia regulation of PRDX6, in which concentration and time of exposure of RGCs to hypoxia play pivotal roles in determining the fate of the RGCs, which is dependent upon PRDX6 expression. Our study further demonstrated that elevated levels of ROS in RGCs caused by hypoxia are a major cause of cell death, and that the increase in ROS can be eliminated by over-expression of PRDX6 (Figures 8 and 9). As other Prdxs did not counteract the changes in RGCs, we consider the role of PRDX6 to be pivotal, at least in those cells. Interestingly, we also found that acute hypoxia is beneficial to RGCs, as the acute condition may attenuate the extent of cellular ROS and provide an adaptive control mechanism. If that is the case, RGC death during eye disorders including glaucoma is probably caused by the cumulative effect of hypoxia over time, which produces ROS-driven oxidative damage. Moreover, elevated ROS expression has been observed in rabbit retinal cells during ischemia induced by high IOP [76]. We have reported that lens epithelial cells (LECs) deficient in PRDX6 bear higher levels of ROS, are vulnerable to oxidative stress, and undergo spontaneous apoptosis [37]. Collectively, our results suggest that the reduced expression of PRDX6 in RGCs exposed to hypoxia may be one cause of RGC death. Moreover, ROS-driven oxidative stress has been related to a number of diseases and disorders. In fact, it is possible that most pathology involves oxidative stress, at least to some extent, and this may occur due to suppression of antioxidants such as PRDX6. Our present work has demonstrated that hypoxia suppresses PRDX6 expression, leading in turn to RGC death.
The identification of genes or their products involved in etiology of oxidant-mediated pathology has already led to important insights into the cellular response to stress and mechanisms of oxidant damage. In previous reports, we described the regulation of PRDX6 gene expression by NF-κB [9, 10], and the dependence of PRDX6 expression level upon cellular redox state. However, when expression levels of ROS exceed the control of cellular antioxidants, cells die by apoptosis or necrosis. We believe that optimizing the level of ROS by the delivery of PRDX6 should prevent or delay ROS-induced deleterious signaling. Furthermore, the generation of ROS has been associated with the activation and deactivation of the transcriptional protein NF-κB [77, 78]. Modulation in the activity of NF-κB in neuronal cells is strongly associated with cellular fate, and NF-κB can have either an antiapoptotic or proapoptotic function [79, 80], depending on cell type or cellular microenvironment [29, 30, 81, 82]. Importantly, in RGCs, activation of NF-κB has been found to induce apoptotic signaling, and suppression of its activation significantly enhances the viability of RGCs [30]. Our results also vividly demonstrate that addition of PRDX6 in RGCs attenuates NF-κB activation induced by hypoxia, suggesting that PRDX6 can block the NF-κB-induced death pathway in RGCs. We believe the survival of RGCs is associated with of NF-κB activation in acute hypoxia, since upregulation of PRDX6 would be able to remove ROS, while hyperactivation or inadequate activation of NF-κB in RGCs may be disastrous. Thus, modulation of NF-κB activation should be an important strategy for reducing cellular injury. Overall, it appears that RGC death induced by hypoxia should also be associated with hyper-activation of NF-κB due to higher levels of ROS during glaucoma or other neurological diseases. The activation of NF-κB is seen in various cell types in response to hypoxia. Hypoxia induced activation of NF-κB occurs through IkB activation and its phosphorylation [83, 84]. In this study, we found that hypoxia exposure activates NF-κB with its subsequent translocation into nucleus. We also found increased phosphorylation of IkB in RGCs following hypoxia. These findings suggest that NF-κB activation in RGCs under hypoxic conditions involves the activation of the canonical pathway through degradation/phosphorylation of the IkBα. Our data demonstrate that cells over-expressed with PRDX6 protect the RGCs from hypoxia-induced oxidative stress by removing ROS and thereby normalizing NF-κB activation.
We have found that hypoxia induces ROS-driven RGC death caused by down regulation of PRDX6 in cells under prolonged hypoxia, and ROS expression is causally associated with PRDX6 expression level. Results further revealed that ROS are differentially regulated during hypoxia; however, increased expression of ROS, due to deficiency of PRDX6, indeed reflects pathophysiology of RGCs. Because delivery of PRDX6 may attenuate RGC death by optimizing intracellular ROS and NF-κB activation, PRDX6 should be considered as therapeutic agent for hypoxia-induced disorders. Further detailed research will be needed to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the PRDX6-mediated protection of RGCs.
Grants provided by the National Eye Institute, NIH (EY-13394 and EY-017613) (to DPS) and Research to Prevent Blindness (R.P.B.) is gratefully acknowledged. Grant support by American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF) (to NF) is gratefully acknowledged.
Authors’ Affiliations
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Fukui
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Missouri- Kansas City
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Life beyond the automobile in Southern California
Archive for the month “July, 2013”
Cars and the Environment Pt. 2
In my review of Tom McCarthy’s Auto Mania (Cars and the Environment pt. 1), we explored the unprecedented environmental harm resulting from the mass production and use of motor vehicles. Whereas McCarthy argues that consumer decision-making drove the automobile to its apex in modern American life, our next author, Christopher Wells, places those consumer decisions in the context of local and national government policies that created a physical environment that virtually required car ownership for full membership in society.
Wells’s book, Car Country: An Environmental History (University of Washington Press, 2012) provides a context for those consumer decisions. If, after all, one is dependent on the automobile because of an infrastructure designed primarily for automobility, how free are those consumer decisions? And how did this infrastructure come to be so dominant? Wells sets his interpretation apart from what he calls the “love affair thesis” (i.e., that America’s love affair with cars is the primary explanation for our car-dominant society) and what he calls the “conspiracy thesis” (i.e., that automobile dominance occurred as a result of a cabal of automobile manufacturers and oil companies removing streetcars and weakening public transportation).
Wells argues that we must look at the broader patterns of land use and development that shape people’s transportation needs and choices. Put bluntly, when developers and government agencies design a landscape to be accessed primarily by automobiles, they create a “car country” that virtually requires automobile ownership. If, on the other hand, a society designs mixed-use landscapes that are conveniently accessible by walking, bicycling, and transit, people will find it easier to get along without a car. He contrasts his own experience growing up in car-centric suburban Atlanta, where he was dependent on a car, and where he cherished his beloved Toyota pickup with his later experience living in Switzerland, where he found it easy (and inexpensive) to get around without a car and where, he notes, “I never really missed having a car.” When he returned to the US, he tried cycling for transportation but it “felt dangerous” once he got beyond the confines of his own neighborhood where “a crush of traffic had enveloped the city in the 1980s.” He concluded from his own experience that “How I felt about cars had little bearing on whether or not I needed one.” Thus, he seeks to understand how people’s need for a car influenced how they felt about cars, and he provides a social and environmental context for Americans’ widespread use of the car by the end of the 20th century. Wells makes a persuasive case that land-use patterns, not attitudes (i.e., the “love affair”) are the strongest determinant of a transportation system’s success, whether it is transit-based or car-based. (pp. xx-xxv) Critics of the car have tended, he says,
to focus on cars rather than roads and on the behavior of drivers rather than the powerful forces shaping American land-use patterns. (xxxiv)
Wells is at his best getting us to “think about landscapes,” and the impact they have on people’s decisions about driving. He contrasts older “streetcar neighborhoods” of the pre-automobile era that were organized around streetcar routes with walkable distances between housing, shopping, and other neighborhood destinations, and the post-WWII “exit ramp neighborhoods” zoned as single-use, geographically separated areas designed to be conveniently accessed only by automobile. The process did not happen by itself, but was facilitated and accelerated by government policies that drove highway design and funding while neglecting public transit and FHA loan guidelines that favored suburban housing and retail developments zoned for single-use. Meanwhile older, mixed-use streetcar neighborhoods were frequently neglected or destroyed by freeway construction and “urban renewal.” Wells shows that the postwar drive to the suburbs was indeed a “choice,” but it was a choice that was virtually the only rational one for many people, given the fact that its immense costs were effectively socialized by federal, state, and local policies. Once the process began, it locked in the auto-centered lifestyle, leaving people few convenient alternatives to the car.
streetcar vs. car design
Wells reiterates the tremendously destructive environmental impact of the automobile highlighted by Tom McCarthy, underscoring the imperative to change the policies that lead to car-dependence for millions. He also highlights the immense challenge this will pose, for the costs of car-dependence are often invisible on an individual level:
Both smog and climate change illustrate a persistent theme in environmental politics: problems that seem negligible or unimportant on an individual scale can, once aggregated, have national or even global environmental implications. Because the problems do not become clear until after large numbers of people are involved, the damaging behaviors have often accrued both widespread social acceptance and economic importance. Moreover, the causal linkage between seemingly harmless behaviors … and environmental problems … frequently requires elaborate scientific explanation. This creates opportunities for entrenched interests to challenge the science … which often take time and study to disprove. As a result, “attack, delay, and ask for more research” has proven a fruitful strategy for those hoping to avoid new environmental regulations. Moreover, because such problems frequently necessitate sweeping changes in established behaviors, effective regulations are frequently intrusive and perceived as onerous. (p. 351)
Applied to the effort to move people away from auto-dependence, this theme suggests a daunting challenge lies ahead for those of us who seek to build a new infrastructure around alternatives to the automobile. Nevertheless, Wells’s study proves that Americans are not hard-wired to love cars, and that creating more compact, mixed-use developments in cities and even suburbs around good transit and safe streets for bicycling and walking can wean Americans from their environmentally destructive and unhealthy auto habit. It also suggests that for many people changing attitudes are likely to follow, rather than precede, a change in our infrastructure.
Cars and the Environment (Pt 1)
As an historian, my summer reading lists lean heavily toward nonfiction history. As an advocate for bicycling, transit, and complete streets, it may strike some as odd that I’m interested in the history of the automobile, but there’s no question that, for better or worse, the automobile has reshaped our world and it behooves those of us who are critical of the car-centered transportation system to understand it in all its complexity. To that end, I will be reviewing two recent scholarly histories on my summer reading list that explore the social and environmental impact of the automobile and my reflection on what this means for moving our culture away from its auto dependency. I’ll provide these reviews serially, so that I can give sufficient attention to each.
The first study under review is Tom McCarthy’s Auto Mania: Cars, Consumers, and the Environment (Yale University Press, 2007), which explores what McCarthy sees as Americans’ “love affair” with the automobile from an environmental standpoint. According to McCarthy, this “love affair” was the result of millions of consumer decisions, and the car as a medium for Americans’ psychological and social desires. In other words, the car has played a central role in 20th century American society, McCarthy argues, because it has been much more than a mode of transportation, it has been an expression of economic success and social identity, Americans’ “chief talisman of successful belonging.” (p. 47) While McCarthy thinks Americans’ consumer-driven car culture has been significantly influenced by the auto industry’s marketing strategies, he argues that consumers have not always been passive recipients of industry marketing. He provides examples of consumers acting in ways that auto manufacturers did not expect, such as the rise of the simple Volkswagen in the 1950s and 1960s as a counterpoint to Detroit’s “bigger is better” mentality. Thus, he sees cars as providing consumers with important cultural capital, beyond the utilitarian aspect. As such, any effort to shift toward a multi-modal transportation system must grapple with the deep psychological attachment Americans have to their cars.
McCarthy’s assessment of the environmental consequences of the “love affair” with cars is the strength of this study. By the 1940s, the environmental impact of the use of automobiles and the burning of gasoline for personal propulsion became obvious and prompted an unprecedented government regulatory apparatus to deal with it. Los Angeles, “car capital” of the nation, not only had some of the nation’s worst smog, but led the effort to regulate it when it became apparent that the smog was negatively affecting the region’s carefully crafted image as a tourist destination. (pp. 116-17) It is sobering to realize that the industry resisted smog controls for decades, meaning that effective reduction of smog in US cities did not occur until the 1970s following the mobilization of the environmental movement. Ultimately, it was a mobilized citizenry demanding government regulation, rather than consumer choice and the free market that cleaned the air in Los Angeles. (p. 254-55) There are important lessons in McCarthy’s book for the effort to regulate carbon emissions today, since it can be argued we don’t have the luxury to wait decades for the industry to shift away from business as usual.
Where McCarthy is at his most trenchant, is his unpacking of a major portion of the oversized environmental footprint of the automobile, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, use, and disposal. While consumer demand may have driven the industry, McCarthy argues, that demand created unprecedented environmental problems. By the 1920s, auto manufacturers were (and still are) among the world’s largest consumers of raw materials such as iron, steel, rubber, plate glass, leather, lead, zinc, and aluminum. Modern strip-mining techniques were pioneered and expanded in order to meet the insatiable demand of the auto industry, deeply scarring the land. Manufacturing cars produced unprecedented levels of industrial pollution:
Fly ash, iron oxide, heavy metals, sulfur dioxide, and or course, millions of tons of carbon dioxide belched from the smokestacks of the coke ovens, blast furnaces, foundries, steel mills, and plants of American steel and auto industries. Iron, sulfuric acid, cyanide, phenols, and heavy metals poured into the sewers and rivers that served as liquid waste conduits away from the plants. (p. 46)
A full environmental accounting of the automobile industry would indeed be a vast undertaking, involving an assessment of the environmental impacts not only of the major manufacturers, but the thousands of smaller suppliers the industry relies upon. A total environmental accounting is beyond the scope of McCarthy’s study, but even focusing on one manufacturing plant, Ford’s River Rouge plant in Dearborn, MI, offers evidence of the profoundly troubling environmental legacy of the industry. McCarthy helps us see that a major portion of the automobile’s environmental footprint came from its raw material extraction and refining. That relative environmental impact remains true today whether the car burns gasoline or uses electricity to power its engine. Consider the amount of strip mining that will be necessary to provide lithium ion batteries for literally hundreds of millions—perhaps billions—of electric vehicles and the toxic legacy of their inevitable disposal. McCarthy’s historical analysis provides an opportunity for us to see why it simply may not be possible to manufacture cars on the massive scale necessary for even a fraction of the world’s population to drive and not cause serious damage to the earth and its climate, even if they don’t burn gasoline (and this doesn’t take into account the carbon footprint of sprawl attendant to the automobile lifestyle). McCarthy traces the efforts over the decades after World War II to reduce the industrial pollutants flowing from smokestacks, but large quantities of pollutants and tremendous energy consumption (often fossil-fuel derived) will continue to be an inevitable by-product of large scale automobile manufacturing. Viewed as an entire system of resource extraction, energy intensive mass production, distribution, use, and disposal, we might reasonably conclude that there is no such thing as a “green” car.
McCarthy helps us see the larger environmental impact of the car beyond tailpipe emissions, helps us understand that we shouldn’t expect these environmental consequences to be addressed by consumer choice alone, and suggests that our society may need to rethink its “auto mania.” If there is a blind spot in McCarthy’s analysis, it is that by placing so much emphasis on consumer choice as a driving force for automobility, he leaves little room for analyzing the way in which the radical redesign of the built environment around the automobile in the 20th century provided the context for those consumer decisions and eventually precluded virtually any “choice” not to drive.
It is to that aspect we shall turn in my next review.
A Sea Change
Something Happening Here
Pasadena Complete Streets Forum discusses Pasadena's Bike Plan. Photo courtesy DPNA
Pasadena Complete Streets Forum discusses Pasadena’s Bike Plan. Photo courtesy DPNA
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Archive for the ‘Spassky’ Category
Are We What We Have Been Influenced By?
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Have you ever thought about the past influences you show in the way you play Chess?. Think about it for a while.
My early Chess influences were , in this order, Karpov-Petrosian-Nimzowitsch (and the Hypermodern movement)-Botvinnik-Fischer and Spassky . I have learnt many things from all of them. If I reduce the list it would read: Karpov-Nimzowitsch et alii-Fischer-Spassky. Now you may say: “So what? Different chessplayers,different styles, etc.” Well, let’s try to find the common denominator. In fact when we speak of “influences” in Chess I immediately think of openings and certain middlegame recurrent positions.
1.- Openings: Karpov (from his beginnings till around 1986), Fischer, Spassky and Nimzowitsch have had 1. e4 as their main opening as White. As Black Karpov ,Fischer and Spassky have played the Sicilian (my main weapon). The four have played Hypermodern defences : the Nimzoindian, the Queen´s Indian, the Grünfeld, the King’s Indian, the Benoni. I have played all of them + the Orthodox (Spassky’s weapon for many years too).
2.- Middlegames: I have studied many books on strategy, middlegame Pawn constellations, etc. Books written by GMs from the Soviet Chess School and other GMs. like Pachman, Soltis, Grau (Argentina),Marovic, etc. I have studied Tarrasch´s and Steinitz´s games… BUT the greatest influence of all came from around 1979-80, when I came across my first copies of Nimzowitsch’s “Chess Praxis” and “My System” (the latter is a curious extended edition including different appendix with Nimzo’s articles which do not appear in the original and editions made after it (I suppose the editor decided to include them for the sake of completeness…). Then I managed to get a copy from “Blockade” published in the United States. And afterwards , I have tried to obtain anything on Nimzowitsch. For instance I have a copy from “Aron Nimzowitsch 100 Partier Forsynet med Stormensterens egne Kommentarer Og Skakcauserier” by Bjorn Nielsen in Danish (!!). And Nimzowitsch led me to Reti, Tartakower, Breyer,…
The Hypermodern reaction to the “classicism” represented by Tarrasch is known by everybody. I began to play Hypermodern Defences and typical middlegame set-ups avoiding the invasion of the centre with Pawns but trying to control and attack it from the wings. In my early years I used the English, the Reti or the Barcza System as White. I even tried bizarre systems like 1. c4, e5 2. e4 or 1. e4, c5 or …e5 / 2. c4. Or the Dresden Variation of the English, a most cherished set-up of Nimzowitsch’s.
In Chess we could distinguish several periods (Chess writers call them “Schools”): Morphy, Anderssen et alii belonged to the Romantic School. Then came the Classical School with Tarrasch and contemporaries. One step forward and we have the Hypermodern School (curiously both Tarrasch and Nimzowitsch claimed they were trying to explain Steinitz’s ideas … to reach conclusions poles apart…). Afterwards, the Soviet Chess School, comprising everything, re-formulating many concepts,discovering new ones, etc. Today’s chessplayers follow an eclectic path (I guess). In a period of ultra-dynamism you can still find positional masterpieces in a classical or a hypermodern style be those what they may. I have written that certain school of thought has proclaimed that there is no strategy these days because the opening stage has been so extended that modern “tabiyas” may place the game between the 20th and the 30th move. (You can notice it at top-level Chess and in CC). But nearly everybody has a favourite idol : you may like Capablanca’s classical approach or Tal’s romantic one. Etc.
Perhaps knowing about all this may help us to improve because by insisting upon those features we have subconsciously acquired since our beginnings we may play within” our true style” or at least avoid repeating past mistakes, when perhaps we mixed things… (after all , one cannot play the Alekhine (1. e4, Nf6/ with the idea of invading the whole board with our Pawns… Get it?)
(In a different post I will write about Richard Reti (1889-1929) but I would like to include one of his compositions -No, it is not the famous King/Pawn-race one…):
This study was published by Reti and Mandler in 1924. White to move wins. Instructions:
1.- This is not a mate problem.
2.- Study the position and try to imagine how White can proceed and how Black can defend his position.
3.- You can do it without moving the pieces. Then, try to find a solution by moving the pieces if necessary.
4.- You can cover the solution and try to find the first move and so on checking your election against the solution as if it were a game. White must play for the win, Black will try to , at least, get a draw. This is an exercise of threats/defences ,threats/counterthreats.
Remember that , in Chess, all the work you do always pays off, always reward.
1.- Ng1, Kd2! / 2. Nf3+ , Kd3! /3. Ke1, Ke3 / 4. Ne5, Ke4 /5. Nc4, Kd3 6. Nd2, Ke3/ 7. Nf3, Kd3 /8. Kf1! Ke3 / 9. Ne1, Kd2/ 10. Nc2!, Kd1 / 11. Nb4, Kd2 / 12. Nd5 winning.
Written by QChess
March 14, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Calculation,Intuition, Both…
with 2 comments
In a previous post I spoke of the influence Alekhine exerted on Spassky. If you study both, you will really feel the connection, though sometimes it is very difficult to express it in words. Spassky always strived for positions full of tactical or combinative possibilities relying on his intuition and calculation skill. In most of his games the overall landscape seems unclear, blurred, lacking clear strategical indications. In other players’ games you can follow their tactical lines of thought. As Spassky blended it with an immense underground intuitive work, many of his games seems very complicated, nearly chaotic, until the ideas finally emerge . Sometimes you will need to play through his games twice or three times to fully appreciate the details. Do not miss the following game or dismiss it because of the result, for instance:
W.: B. Spassky
B.: R. Jolmov
Moscow 1957.
1. d4, Nf6/ 2. c4, e6 / 3. Nc3, Bb4 / 4. Bg5, h6/ 5. Bh4, c5/ 6. d5, Bxc3/ 7. bxc3, e5/ 8. Qc2, d6/ 9. e3, Qe7/ 10. Nf3, Nbd7/ 11. Nd2, e4/ 12. 0-0-0, 0-0/ 13. g4, g5/ 14. Bg3, Ne5/ 15. h3, Ng6/ 16. Be2, Re8/ 17. Rdg1, Bd7/ 18. h4, Rab8/ 19. hxg5, hxg5 /20. Rh5 !!!?
(Typical Spassky’s kind of hammer-blow. What follows is a display of blows/counterblows which require precise calculation:)
20. …, Nxh5/ 21. gxh5, Nf8/ 22. Nxe4!!, Qxe4/ 23. Qxe4, Rxe4/ 24. Bxd6, Rbe8/ 25. Rxg5, Kh8/ 26. Bxc5, f6/ 27. Rg3, b6/ 28. Bd4, Nh7/ 29. Kd2, Rg8/ 30. Rg6, Be8/ 31. Bd3!? (Does the key of the game lie in this junction as Kasparov seems to hint at? Or at another point?) 31…, Bxg6/ 32. hxg6, Rxd4/ 33. cxd4, Nf8/ 34. c5, bxc5/ 35. dxc5, Nd7! 36. c6, Nb6 / 37 e4!!?, Kg7 /38. Ba6 (Kasparov suggests 38. a4!? but …) ,Kxg6/ 39. a4, Kf7/ 40. a5, Na8!/ 41. Bc4 Rd8. Draw agreed!.
I am still trying to understand the way Spassky understands “strategy”. Of course he has played many games where the strategical plans are more or less “clear”. But he has always been bordering the red line which separates the complicate from the chaotic. What I am going to write now may seem too strong, but it is what I think:
Boris Spassky has been one of the most injustly treated among the World Chess Champions of all times.
When I met him in 2007 he left a deep impression on me. I do not know if it was his personal charisma, the fondness with which he treated me or the traits of is character I could perceive, but this man is worth a clear and absolute vindication. And the problem is that you cannot mention Spassky without Fischer and the 1972 match cropping up immediately. But nobody seems to remember that Spassky was the leading figure of the 60’s, above Petrosian and Fischer. He had to play six gruelling Candidates’ matches and two World Championship ones to become Champion of the World, defeating Tal,Keres,Korchnoi,Geller ,Larsen,…and Petrosian. It is understandable that Fischer’s feat may overshadow any other achievement, but this does not mean justice to the man who also deserves it.
This is a mate in 3 composed by Pauly. (Click to enlarge if there is any problem.)
Written by QChess
January 24, 2014 at 8:06 am
Posted in CHESS, Chess games, Spassky
Tagged with ,
CChess is a Jungle…
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CChess is a jungle. Let me explain: you like CC and perhaps you are playing in any ICCF official event. This is my case. Of late, I have realized that most of my opponents are not only armed to the teeth with databases, and the rest of CC paraphernalia: many of them seem to be connected to the webserver perpetually: I work hard on my move, find it, check and recheck it well , not always…- send it and “voilà” , I have not written it down yet and the answer flashed on the screen. Believe me: I have sent moves at the oddest and infamous hours. It doesn´t matter: there is always someone with their move or conditional move ready and deciding s/he is not going to give you any respite. And it is not a matter of different time zones… Some days ago I told an opponent -and friend of mine from Sweden- that I saw today’s CC as a jungle full of lions, panthers, tigers … and me. The problem is that I saw myself as a kitten and the rest of felines instead of considering me a fellow-feline companion considered me as their food… Then, do I lack the famous “killer instinct”?. Or perhaps am I more an artist and not a fighter and so on?. The answer to both questions is in the negative. No, I want to win all my games, to beat all my opponents, I like fighting and winning. So, I do not know why I see myself as a kitten and the rest as a wild group of big felines out for blood. -And please, do not suggest I should need a psychiatrist 🙂 🙂 –
I have found the following position and notes (do not know where it appeared or wrote the accompanying legend) in my archives:
“J. Mendheim. 19th century. This 5-mover is a great example of stormy power play. The solution usually contains sparkling combinations, and positions resemble actual games”. (So mate in five moves)
How is Boris Spassky? Since he fled to Mother Russia already some time ago the only things that have come out are that he is recovering slowly from a stroke, that he made brief public appearances and that he decided to be inscribed as a Russian -instead on a French- chessplayer again. I have been unable to get in touch with him as I did before (you can read about all this in previous posts in this blog). Well, I frequently remember that July 2007 when we met in my hometown, and spent several days together… This episode was the second stroke he suffered in the space of several years. He managed to recover quite well from the first one, but experts say that a repetition is usually terrible. When I read about him and Fischer sometimes it seems as if the early seventies of the past century were placed two centuries ago, belonged to a part of my life lost in the mists of time. Curiously enough, unknown snaps featuring Bobby Fischer keep appearing: the last one (“Spraggett on Chess” Blog) depicts Fischer giving lecture at Hart House in Toronto, Canada. It is very curious but Fischer seemed to have been always doing something on my very birthday date along the years…
Those who regularly follow this blog may have realized that changes in the system have erased several images and positions. I do not know why this has happened…-the gremlings???- One of those images corresponds to a mate in three moves problem by Tavariani (level: difficult):
I think these problems are enough to make you feel the pangs of devoting your lives to playing Chess…Or not.
Written by QChess
November 8, 2013 at 8:29 am
Training with Spassky
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Boris Spassky’s childhood was not easy. Born in 1937 he and his family had to endure the hardships of the 2nd World War. A country devastated and a country ruled by no other than Stalin…
Boris used to spend many hours analysing games at home and trying to spend as much time as possible at the Pioneers’ Palace. His idol was A. Alekhine, whose games tried to understand for hours on end. This helped him to become not only a universal chessplayer, but also left a very deep influence in his tactical skills. That work left an indelible imprint for years to come: like Alekhine he was able to play positional games full of strategical sparkling ideas or combinative attacking games in the 19th century Chess tradition. Like his admired predecessor, he was able in a rather subconscious way to reach positions charged with latent energy ready to explode in a given moment. He developed also a very precise insight to perceive and take advantage of the critical moments during games.
Unlike Botvinnik, Karpov or Kasparov, Boris never liked to write about his Chess experiences. Unlike with Fischer, about whom scores of books have been written, very few people was interested on Spassky. (Perhaps because his enormous talent requires a lot of effort to be clearly dissected? .who knows…)
Many people know Boris as “the player who lost to Fischer”. But I must say he is one of the most complete and interesting chessplayer in the history of the royal game. If you devote time to study his games, the first thing you realise is the different sides his talent show. When you believe you know him quite well, a new aspect is revealed here or there.
So, is it possible to train with Spassky?.- Absolutely yes. In this post I have included games to be studied/analysed and five exercises taken from his games. Good luck.
Game 1:
W.: Spassky (1)
B.: Ciric (0)
Marianske Lazne, 1962
1. e4, c5/ 2. Nf3, Nf6 (an old variation of Hypermodern flavour .) / 3. e5, Nd5/ 4. Nc3, e6/ 5. Nxd5, ed5/ 6. d4, Nc6/ 7.dc5, Bxc5/ 8. Qxd5, Qb6 (an old line already played in 1924. Black gets an aggressive position and White has to show he has something to counter it). 9. Bc4, Bxf2+/ 10. Ke2, 0-0/ 11. Rf1, Bc5/ 12. Ng5, Nxe5/ 13. Qxe5, d5/ 14. Qxd5! (A critical moment. Spassky avoided 14.Bxd5 due to: 14…, Bg4+/ 15. Ke1, Rae8!/ 16. Bxf7+,Kh8/ 17. Bxe8, Qa5+ 18. Bd2, ,Bxf2+ and the White Queen is lost) 14…, Re8+/ 15. Kf3, Qf6/ 16. Kg3, Bd6/ 17. Rf4!, Be6/ 18. Nxe6, Rxe6/ 19. Qxd6. Qg6/ 20. Rg4, Re3+/ 21. Bxe3, Qxd6+/ 22. Kf2, Re8/ 23. Rf4, Re7/ 24. Bb3, Qe5/ 25. Re1, g5/ 26. Rf3, Kg7/ 27. Rd1, f6/ 28. Kg1, g4/ 29. Bd4 and Black resigned. Beautiful.
Game 2:
W.: Spassky (1)
B.: Gligoric (0)
Montilla/Moriles (Spain) 1978
1. d4, Nf6/ 2. Nf3, g6/ 3. g3, Bg7/ 4. Bg2, 0-0/ 5. 0-0, d6/ 6. Nc3, Nbd7 /7.e4 (a GM weapon: the transposition of moves: what seemed a King’s Indian is now a Pirc) 7…, e5/ 8. a4, c6/ 9. b3, Re8/ 10. Ba3, ed4/ 11. Nxd4, Nc5/ 12. Re1, Ng4/ 13. Qd2, Ne6/ 14. Nde2, Qf6/ 15. f3, Bh6/ 16. f4, Qd8/ 17. h3, Qb6/ 18. Kh1, Qe3/ 19. Qc1, Qxc1/ 20. Raxc1, Ne3/ 21. Bd6, Nxg2/ 22.Kxg2, b6/ 23. Rcd1, Bb7/ 24. g4, Rad8/ 25. f5, Nf8/ 26. Ng3, Bg5/ 27. e5, Bh4/ 28. Kh2, h6/ 29. Rf1, Nd7/ 30. e6, Nf6/ 31. ef7, Kxf7/ 32. fg6, Kxg6/ 33. Nf5, Bg5/ 34. Kg3, Nd5/ 35. Nxd5, cd5/ 36. h4, Bf6/ 37. h5, Kh7/ 38. Bf4, d4/ 39. Nh6, Re2/ 40. Rd2, d3/ 41. Rxd3, Rg2/42. Kh3, Rxd3/ 43. cd3,Rc2/ 44. Rc1, Rxc1/ 45. Bxc1, Ba6/ 46. g5, Bc3/ 47. g6, Kg7/ 48. d4, Bc8/ 49. Kh4, Bxd4/ 50. Ng4, Bf6/ 51. Bg5, Bc3/ 52. Bh6 . Black resigned.
Game 3:
W.: Spassky (1)
B.: Taimanov (0)
Moscow 1955
1. e4, e5/ 2. Nf3, Nc6/ 3. Bb5, a6/ 4. Ba4, b5/ 5. Bb3, Na5/ 6. 0-0, d6/ 7. d4, Nxb3/ 8. ab3, f6/ 9. Nc3, Bb7/ 10. Nh4!, Ne7/ 11. de5, de5/ 12. Qf3, Qd7/ 13. Rd1, Qe6/ 14. Be3, g5?/ 15. Nxb5!!, ab5/ 16. Qh5, Qf7/ 17. Rxa8, Bxa8/ 18. Rd8!, Kxd8/ 19. Qxf7, gh4/ 20. Qxf6, Rg8/ 21. f3!, h3/22. g3, Ke8/ 23. Qxe5, Rg6/ 24. Qxb5, Bc6/25. Qb8, Kf7/ 26. Qxc7, Rf6/ 27. Bg5, Re6/ 28. b4, Kg8/ 29. Qb8, Ng6/ 30. Kf2, Ne5/ 31. b5, Be8/ 32. Be3, Bd6/ 33. Qc8,, Kf7/ 34. b6, Rf6/ 35. Bf4, Bd7/ 36.b7, Be6/ 37. Bxe5, Bxe5/ 38.b8Q, Bxc8/ 39. Qxe5 and Black resigned.
Game 4:
W.: S. Flor (0)
B.: B. Spassky (1)
Moscow 1961
1.Nf3, Nf6/2. c4, e6/ 3. b3, d5 (I think Spassky’s approach to Chess is classical. In these types of set-ups in which White cedes the center he always occupies it playing a sort of reversed Queen’s Gambit) / 4. Bb2, Be7/ 5. g3, 0-0/6. Bg2, c5/ 7. cd5, ed5/ 8. d4, Nc6/ 9. 0-0, Bg4/ 10. dc5, Bxc5/ 11. Nc3, a6/ 12. Ne1, Re8/ 13. h3, Bf5/ 14. Nd3, Ba7/ 15. Rc1, d4/ 16. Na4, Be4/ 17. Nac5, Bxg2/ 18.. Kxg2, Qd5/ 19. Kh2, Ne4/ 20. Nxe4, Rxe4/ 21. Rc2, Rae8/ 22. Bc1, f6/ 23. f3, Rhe7/ 24. Ba3, Rf7/ 25. Nb4, Nxb4/ 26. Bxb4, Qb5/ 27. Ba3, h5/ 28. Qd3, Qxd3/ 29. ed3, Re3/ 30. Rd2, Rc7/ 31. Kg2, Kf7/ 32. Rc1, Rc3/ 33. Rcd1, Ke6/ 34. Bb2, Rc6/ 35. Rc1, Kd5/ 36. Rxc6, bc6/ 37. Kf2, Bc5/ 38. Rd1, Bb4/ 39. a3, Bd6/ 40. Bc1, Re7/ 41. Bd2, Rb7/ 42. b4, a5/ 43. ba5, Rb2/44. f4, Ra2/ 45. Ke2, h4/46. gh4, Bxf4/ 47. a6, Bxd2/ 48.Rxd2,Rxa3/ 49. Rb2, Rxa6/ 50. Rb7, Ra2/ 51. Kf3, Rd2/ 52. Rxg7,Rxd3/ 53. Kg4, f5/ 54. Kxf5, Rxh3/ 55. Rd7, Kc4/ 56. Kg5,, c5/ 57. h5, d3/ White resigned.
Now the positions to solve:
Position 1: Spassky – Korenski, Sochi 1973:
Position 2: Furman – Spassky, USSR Chess Championship, 1957: (Position from the Black side):
Position 3: Spassky – Portisch, Geneve, 1977:
Position 4: Spassky – Reshko, Leningrad, 1959:
Position 5: Geller- Spassky .Zonal T. of Seven, Moscow 1964. (Position from the Black side):
Pos. 1.: 1. e7!, Kg8/ 2. Qxf7, Kh8/ 3. e8=Q, Rxe8/ 4. Qxe6, Kg7/ 5. Qe5, Kg8/ 6. Qg5 and Black resigned.
Pos. 2.: 1…, Bg4!!/ 2. f3, Bxf3!!/ 3. gxf3, Nxf3/ 4. Kh1, Qh3/ 5. Rf2, Ne1!! / White resigned.
Pos. 3.: 1. Nh5!!, Nxd5/ 2. cxd5, gxh5/ 3. gxh5, Bg7/ 4. Bb2, f6/ 5. Bxf6, Rxf2/ 6. Re2, Qf7/ 7. Re6 and Black resigned.
Pos. 4.: 1. e7!!, Bxe7/ 2. Qxg4, Nd7/ 3. Nxe7, Kc7/ 4. Bf4, Ne5/ 5. Qg7!, Kb6/ 6. Bxe5, Qe6/ 7. Bxd4 Black resigned.
Pos. 5.: 1…., Qxc7!!/ 2. Bxc7, Be3+!/ 3. Kg2, Nxd2/ 4. Rxf8+, Rxf8/ 5. Bxd5, Rf2+/ 6. Kg3, Nf1+/ 7. Kh4, h6/ 8. Bd8, Rf8!!/ White resigned.
Written by QChess
January 17, 2013 at 8:15 am
Posted in CHESS, Spassky, Tactics
with 2 comments
B. Spassky
(As an homage to Spassky and my father, who taught me the moves around 1971 and from whom I first heard of Boris, here are some of the notes I wrote when I found some interesting stylistic features in Spassky’s games.)
In his games, Boris Spassky is always looking for aggressive moves, moves that pose one threat after another. This is what has been defined as “aggressive-thinking mode”. Instead of using defensive (passive) moves he answer with threats whenever possible. The aim is the attempt to break the coordination of his opponents’ pieces.In the following game we can see this feature in different moments. (Please bear in mind that these notes are totally subjective)
W.: A. Lein (0)
B.: B. Spassky (1)
Sochi, 1964
1. e4 , c5/ 2. Nf3, Nc6/ 3. d4, cd4/ 4. Nxd4, e6/ 5. Nxc6, bc6/ 6. Bd3, Nf6/ 7. 0-0, d5/ 8. Nd2, Be7/9. Re1, 0-0/ 10. Qf3, Nd7/ 11. ed5, cd5/ 12.c4,Nc5 (instead of 12…, Bb7 first) / 13. Bc2, Bf6 ( the plan is the attack on b2 and later the attack on the Q-side with long-range pieces so as to create indirect threats on the K-side. 13…Bf6 prevents White’s b2-b4 too.)/ 14. Nb3, Nxb3/ 15. ab3, Bb7/ 16. Qe3, Qb8/ (instead of defending passively with …a6/) 17. Ra2, Rc8 (threatening 18…,dc4) / 18. Qh3, g6/ 19. Bh6, dc4 (another attacking plan side-stepping White’s threats on e6) 20. Rxe6, Re8 / 21. Rxe8, Qxe8/ 22. Qe3, Qc6 (attacking on both sides of the board through files and diagonals)/ 23. Qf3, Qb6 ( this move and the following one threaten…Re1 and prevent white’s h2-h3 or h2-h4 due to …Be5/ ) 24. Qg3, Re8/ 25. Ra1, Bxb2/ 26. Rd1, Be5/ 27. Re1, Qa5/ 28. b4, Qxb4/ 29. Qxe5, Qxe1/ White resigned.
As Black, Spassky is always thinking of counterattack. Instead of seeing defence as something passive, he always try to create counter-threats. I think he prefers to isolate his opponents’ concrete threats and try to meet them one by one rather to set up a whole defensive strategy as the order of the day. In purely “Leningrad School of Chess”, he tries to counterbalance his opponents’ attacks in an active -never passively- way. He believes more in active plans than in prophylactic webs. This risky way of dealing with the problem of defence creates terrible clashes over the board.(Perhaps this is his Alexander Tolusch’s trademark -Tolusch was one of his first trainers. In my opinion,in some aspects of Boris approach to Chess, Tolusch influence is more conspicuous than Bondarevsky’s one.Tolusch trained Boris when he was a young boy and was forming his Chess style. Those first childhood influences are hard to erase because, due to psychological reasons, they tend to remain firmly stuck on one’s mind) . All in all, I have always found something elusive (indistint?, unclear?,blurred?, diffused?…) in Spassky’s style, something that is there but cannot be easily brought to the surface. Perhaps it is a blend of Alekhinian influence plus the Leningrad School of Chess, something he learnt as a child and later developed in thousands of games perhaps in a rather subconscious way. It is not only the way he plays Chess, it is also the way he understands the relations among the different elements that compose the game. In my humble and perhaps wrong opinion, this explains why in the sixties he became nearly unbeatable, why he managed to go through two gruelling series of Candidates’ matches to play for the World Championship in 1966 and 1969, and why the always ferocious Bobby Fischer, with his hate for the Soviets, failed to beat him during those years. In fact , between 1960 and 1971, the score between them was clearly in Spassky’s favour: +3 -0 =2, and forced Fischer to change his approach “to the Spassky problem” so as to beat him in 1972. (Nevertheless, in 1972 Spassky’s wrong approach and wrong punctual decisions helped a lot to allow Fischer play the type of psychological game most favourable to his interests. And this has been admitted by Boris himself.). During those years he also defeated all sort of chessplayers like Petrosian, Keres, Geller, Tal, Korchnoi, Gligoric, Larsen, Polugaevsky, Bronstein, Smyslov, Reshevsky, etc.
Another feature in Spassky’s style I have found some notes about has to do with his games against Keres in the 1965 Riga Match (5th game) and against Petrosian in Moscow 1966:
Spassky always attack undefended pieces/pawns using it as a sort of intermediate-move device. Whenever possible, he defends his pieces indirectly by attacking his opponents’ ones. This also allows him to improve the position of his own army without restoring to passive defence. Another effect of this way of playing is that he manages to charge the position with energy ready to explode later in the game. He always creates and maintains tension in the position sustaining it as longer as possible.
In the first game against Keres, the “e4 Pawn” is indirectly defended for many moves because taking it would mean to liberate all the tactical energy contained in the position. In the game against Petrosian he also uses the “Principle of the Two Weaknesses” and the constant attack on undefended pieces:
W.: B. Spassky (1)
B.: P. Keres (0)
Candidates’ Match. (5) Riga, 1965
1.e4, e5/ 2. Nf3, Nc6/ 3. Bb5, a6/ 4. Ba4, Nf6/ 5. 0-0, Be7/ 6. Re1, b5/ 7. Bb3, d6/ 8. c3, 0-0/ 9. h3, Na5/ 10.Bc2, c5/ 11. d4, Qc7/ 12. Nbd2, Bd7/ 13. Nf1,cd4/ 14. cd4, Rac8/ 15. Ne3, Rfe8/ 16. b3, ed4/ 17. Nxd4, Bf8/ 18. Bb2, Qd8/ 19. Ndf5, Bxf5/ 20. Nxf5, g6/ 21. Ne3, Bg7/ 22. Qd2, Nb7/ 23. b4, Qe7/ 24.f3, Qf8/ 25. Bb3, Nd8/ 26. Rad1, Rc6/ 27. Rc1, Qe7/ 28. Kh2, Qd7/ 29. Nd5, Nxd5/ 30. Bxd5, Rxc1/ 31. Rxc1, Qe7/ 32. Bxg7, Kxg7/ 33. Qc3, Kg8/ 34. f4, Ne6/ 35. g3, Ng7/ 36. Qc7, Qf6/ 37. Rc2, Rf8/ 38. Qb6, g5/ 39. fg5, Qxg5/ 40. Qxa6, Qe5/ 41. Qxb5, Ne6/ 42. Qf1, Kg7/ 43. Qf5 , Black resigned.
W.: B. Spassky (1)
B.: T. Petrosian (0)
World Championship Match. (19) .Moscow, 1966
1. e4, e6/ 2. d4, d5/ 3. Nc3, Nf6/ 4. e5, Nfd7/ 5. Nf3, c5/ 6. dc, Nc6/ 7. Bf4, Bc5/ 8. Bd3, f6/ 9. ef, Nxf6/ 10. 0-0, 0-0/ 11. Ne5, Bd7/ 12. Nxc6, Bxc6/ 13. Qe2 ( attacks e6 ,undefended), ... Qe7/ 14. Rae1 (attacks e6),…, Rae8/ 15. Bg3, a6/ 16. a3, Qf7/ 17. b4 (attacks b4 , undefended),…, Bd4/ 18. Be5, Bxe5/ 19. Qxe5, Nd7/ 20. Qg3, e5/ 21. f3 (with this and then with 27. c3, White prevents …d4 and …e4),… Qf4/ 22. Qxf4, Rxf4/ 23. Rf2, g6/ 24. Rd2 (attacks d4 to decoy the Nd7),… Nb6/ 25. Rde2, (attacks e4),… Nd7/ 26. Nd1, b5/ 27. c3, Rf7/ 28. Bc2, Kg7/ 29. Bb3 (with this and 30.Ne3 “d4” is attacked) 29…, h5/ 30. Ne3, Nb6/ 31. Nc2 (attacks d4 and prepares the opening of a second front on the Q-side. Black’s Re8 is undefended too.) 31…, Nd7/ 32. Re3, h4/ 33. h3, Rf6/ 34. Nd4 (attacks the undefended Bc6 and indirectly the Re8 -the Pawn e5 is pinned too.) 34…, Bb7/ 35. a4, Rd8/ 36. Ne2, ba/ 37. Ba4, Nb6/ 38. Bb3, e4/ 39. Nd4, Kh6/ 40. Rd1, Rc8/ 41. fe, de/ 42. Ne6, Nc4/ 43. Bxc4, Rxc4/ 44. Nc5 (attacks b7, undefended),… Rf7/ 45. Ra1, (attacks a6, undefended),… Kg5/ 46. Ra5, Kf4/ 47. Kf2, Bd5/ 48. Nb3, Ke5/ 49. Ke2, Rc6/ 50. Nd2 (attacks e4, undefended) … Ke6/ 51. Ne4, Bc4/ 52. Kd2, Rd7/ 53. Kc2, Kf7/ 54. Re5, Kg7/ 55. Nd2, Bb5/ 56. Nf3 (attacks h4, undefended),… Ba4/ 57. Kb2, Rd1/ 58. R5e4, Rf1/ 59. Re4, Rxe1/ 60. Rxe1, Rf6/ 61. Re4 (again h4)… Rf6/ 62. Ng5, Rf2/ 63. Ka3 (attacks a4),… Bc6/ 64. Rh4, Bg2/ 65. Ne4 (attacks f2), Re2/ 66. Nc5 ( attacks a6), Bf1/ 67. Rf4 (attacks f1), …Re1/ 68. h4 , Black resigned. (Some annotators considered that Petrosian had committed too many inaccuracies, for instance on moves 21st, 31st, 36th, 40th.. But this is Chess!)
Every Chess game by a GM contains a lot of subtleties. I have pinpointed two of them. You can discover many others.In Chess,the work you do not do is not done by anybody else…
Unfortunately, I have seen some photos of Spassky taken last December when he was taken by Vasiukov to the Central House of Chess in Moscow. I was shocked and could only remember Shakespeare words in “Hamlet”: ” Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect…”. The man I met in 2007 full of life and vitality… I wonder what we are here for, why so much suffering and pain simply to play the losers’ game we call life… I can forget those days we spent together talking of everything. Nobody can rob us of our memories. I am writing these words on December 29th 2012. Christmas time. Boris is in Russia, his beloved Russia. When he had to abandon it in 1976 little could have he imagine the day would arrive when his salvation would have to come from his friends in his Motherland. I’m sad and depressed. It’s all I can say. Quoting Shakespeare again, “…the rest,let sorrow say”…
In the meanwhile, I remember when Boris beat Karpov at Corsica in 2006 (Match of the Legends). After the match, he wrote to me informing me of the event and said something very curious: “I have beaten Karpov and I am no longer afraid of this man“. Why this?.- Years later I found out why: The overall score Spassky-Karpov is heavily in favour of the younger man (Karpov). In the past, Boris reached the conclusion that Tolya played very very strongly, adding that Karpov process of thought was completely different to his own one and that was why he found so difficult to play against him. He never forgot that fact, and in 2006 he managed to break the spell! Incidentally, an evidence of how deep feelings among super GMs. are!Here are both games played with a control of 15 minutes( + 3 additional seconds per move:
In the first game, Spassky played a Bogoindian Defence and the game was drawn after 62 moves. The definitive game was as follows:
W.: Spassky (1)
B.: Karpov (0)
Match of the Legends, Porto Vecchio, 2006
1. e4, c6/ 2. d4, d5/ 3. Nc3, dxe4/ 4. Nxe4, Nd7/ 5. Nf3, Ngf6/ 6. Nxf6, Nxf6/ 7. h3, Bf5/ 8. Bd3, Bxd3/ 9. Qxd3, e6/ 10. 0-0, Be7/ 11. c4, 0-0/ 12. b3, c5/ 13. Bb2, cxd4/ 14. Rfd1, Qa5/ 15. Bxd4, Rfd8/ 16. Qe2, Qf5/ 17. Rd3, Qe4/ 18. Qxe4, Nxe4/ 19. Rad1, Kf8/ 20. Kf1, f6/ 21. Be3, Rxd3/ 22. Rxd3, Ke8/ 24. Rxd2, a6/ 25. Ke2, Rd8/ 26. Rxd8, Kxd8/ 27. c5, Kd7/ 28. Kd3, Bd8/ 29. b4, Bx7/ 30. Kc4, h5/ 31. a4, Be5/ 32.b5, axb5/ 33. axb5, Kc7/ 34. g4, hxg4/ 35. hxg4, Kd7/ 36. f4, Bb2/ 37. f5, e5/ 38. Kd5, Ba3/ 39. g5, fxg5/ 40. Bxg5, Bb2/ 41. Bh4 , Black resigned (in view of 41…., Bc3/ 42. Bg3, e4/ 43. Kxe4, Bb4/ 44. Kd5,Bc3/ 45. Be5, Ba5/ 46. Bxg7 +-)
(This event was very important for Boris, perhaps also in view of the difference in ELO: Karpov 2672, Boris 2548 at the time.)
Written by QChess
January 3, 2013 at 7:05 am
Chess Under the California Sun
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World Champ. Spassky
In 1966 the Piatigorsky couple (the famous cellist George Piatigorsky and his wife Jacqueline) organised the “2nd Piatigorsky Cup”. The first one had taken place three years before. This time, Mrs Piatigorsky decided to invite Bobby Fischer who had not been invited in the previous one -provoking some disrespectful comments on Bobby’s part…-. The great event was scheduled to be played from July 17th all through August 15th, the venue was Santa Monica, California, USA. The importance of he tournament was such that even FIDE recommended its member nations not to organise any other event during the celebration of the Piatigorsky one.
It was a double round-robin tournament and the always seemingly reluctant Soviet authorities (sending players to the USA…) even agreed to send two players to it , and they were no others than the current World Champion Tigran Petrosian and the challenger Boris Spassky, the two best players in the world (during those years I consider that the World Champion and the challenger were the best players in the world though it is a matter of opinion) and who had just played for the title with the victory of Petrosian, as everybody knows.
Besides these two super GMs, the list of players included Bobby Fischer, B. Larsen, W. Unzicker, L. Portisch, S. Reshevsky, M. Najdorf, B. Ivkov and J. Donner. The event seemed tailored to Fischer’s taste: he had always complained about the USA Championships, with few players and in which any small “accident” may cost the championship: here every player would have to play eighteen games against some of the best chessplayers in the world.
Nevertheless, Fischer started the tournament in a rather dull way, with a poor showing: when the first round-robin ended -9 games- he only had 3.5 points. He reacted in the second part of the event beating Reshevsky, Portisch, Ivkov, Donner, Larsen and Najdorf. With two rounds to go Spassky and him were leading the field. But Spassky seemed unbeatable, playing overwhelmingly strong Chess to emerge as the winner with 11.5 points and no losses ( Boris won five of the nine matches and drew the rest losing no game at all). Fischer was second winning more games than Boris but losing three of them. The rest were Larsen, Unzicker, Portisch, Petrosian (a poor performance by the World Champion),Reshevsky,Najdorf, Ivkov and Donner. Knowing Fischer’s character, one may suppose that the worst for him was that he was unable to defeat Petrosian (two draws) and the loss in his particular duel with Spassky (1.5 -0.5 for the Soviet). I have read that during Petrosian’s years as World Champion many people considered Spassky as the “real” champion (poles apart stylistically speaking ,one may share or not this opinion but it is understandable. Spassky was not only an attacking player with what was defined as a universal style, he was also one of the most difficult players to beat, and up till 1972, he was Fischer’s “bête noir”).
W.: B. Spassky (1)
B.: R. Fischer (0)
2nd Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica 1966
1. d4, Nf6/ 2. c4, g6 / 3. Nc3, d5 / 4. cd, Nd5/ 5. e4, Nc3 / 6. bc, Bg7 / 7. Bc4, c5/ 8. Ne2, Nc6/ 9. Be3, 0-0 / 10. 0-0, Qc7/ 11. Rc1, Rd8/ 12. Qe1, e6 / 13. f4, Na57 14. Bd3, f5 /15. Rd1, b6 / 16. Qf2, cd/ 17. Bd4, Bd4/ 18. cd,Bb7/ 19. Ng3, Qf7 /20. d5, fe/ 21. de, Qe6/ 22. f5, Qf7/ 23. Be4, Rd1/ 24. Rd1, Rf8/ 25. Bb1, Qf6/ 26. Qc2, Kh8/ 27. fg, hg/ 28. Qd2, Kg7/ 29. Rf1, Qe7/ 30. Qd4, Rf6/ 31. Ne4, Be4/ 32. Be4, Qc5/ 33. Qc5, Rf1?/ 34. Kf1, bc/ 35. h4, Nc4/ 36. Ke2, Ne5/ 37. Ke3, Kf6/ 38. Kf4, Nf7/ 39. Ke3, g5/ 40. h5, Nh6/ 41. Kd3, Ke5/ 42. Ba8, Kd6/ 43. Kc4, g4/ 44. a4, Ng8/ 45. a5, Nh6/ 46. Be4, g3/ 47. Kb5, Ng8/ 48. Bb1, Nh6/ 49. Ka6, Kc6/ 50. Ba2 .Black resigned.
W.: B. Larsen (0)
B.: B. Spassky (1)
2nd Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica 1966
1. d4, d5/ 2.c4, dc/ 3. Nf3, Nf6/ 4. e3, Bg4/ 5. h3, Bh5/ 6. Nc3, e6/ 7. Bc4, Nbd7/ 8. 0-0, Be7/ 9. e4, 0-0/10.Be3, Bg6/ 11. Bd3, c6/ 12. a3, Rc8/ 13. Re1, Bh5/ 14. Rc1, a5/ 15. Be2, Bg6/ 16. Nd2, Ra8/ 17. Qb3, Qb8/ 18. Bf3, h6/ 19. g3, Rc8/ 20. Bg2, b5/ 21. e5, a4/ 22.Na4, ba/ 23. Qb8, Rab8/24.ef, Nf6/ 25. Nc4, Nd5/ 26. Ne5, Ne3/ 27. Re3, Rb2/ 28. d5, Rc2/ 29. Rc2,Bc2/ 30. Nc6, Kf8 /31. de, fe/ 32. Ne7, Ke7/ 33. Bd5, e5/ 34. Be4, Bb3/ 35. Bb7, Rc1/ 36. Kh2, Ra1/ 37. Re5, Kd6/ 38.Re3, Ra3/ 39. g4, Ra2/ 40. Kg3, Rb2/ 41. Re1, a3/ 42. Be4, a2/43. f4,Rd2/ White resigned.
W.: M. Najdorf (0)
B.: T. Petrosian (1)
2nd Piatigorsky Cup. Santa Monica 1966
1. d4, Nf6/ 2. c4, g6/ 3. g3, c5/ 4. d5, d6/5.Nc3, Bg7 / 6. Bg2, 0-0 /7.Nf3, Na6/ 8. 0-0,Nc7/9. a4, Rb8/ 10. h3, b6/ 11. e4, a6/ 12. e5, Nd7/ 13. ed6, ed6/ 14. Bg5, f6/ 15. Bf4, Ne8/ 16. h4, Ne5/ 17. Nd2, Nf7/ 18. Re1, g5/19. hg5, fg5 / 20.Be3, Ne5/ 21. Nce4, h6/ 22. Ra3, Ng4/ 23. Qc1, Rb7/ 24. Bf3, Rbf7/ 25. Bg4, Bg4/ 26. Qb1, a5/ 27. Qc1,Be5/ 28. Kg2, Qd7/ 29. Rh1, Qf5/ 30. Bg5, hg5/ 31. f3, Nf6/ 32. fg4, Qg4/ 33. Qd1, Qd1/ 34. Rd1, Ne4/ 35. Ne4, g4/ 36. Rd2, Bd4/ 37. Ra1, Re7/ 38. Nf2, Re3/ 39. Ng4, Rb3/ 40. Nh2, Rb4/ 41. Re1, Rc4/ 42. Re6, Ra4/ 43. Rd6, Rb4/ 44. Rc6, a4/ 45. d6, Kf7/ 46. Nf3, Ke6/ 47. Nd4, cd4/ 48. d7, Kd7/ 49. Rh6, Rf5/ 50. g4, Rd5/ 51. Kf3, d3/ 52. Rf6, b5/ 53. Rf4,Rc4/ 54. Re4, Kd6/ 55. Ke3, Rc2/ 56. g5, Rc1/ 57. Rg4, Re1/ 58. Kf2, Re8/ 59. g6, Kc5/ 60. g7, Rdd8/ 61. Kf3, b4/ 62. Kf2, Kb5/ 63. Kf3, a3/ 64. ba3, ba3/ 65. Kf2, Rg8/ 66. Ke3, Rd7/ 67. Rd3, Rd3/ 68. Kd3, a2/ 69. Rg1, Rg7/ 70. Ra1, Rg2/ 71. Kc3, Ka4/ 72. Rh1, Ka3/ 73. Rf1, Rg8/ 74. Rh1, Rc8/ White resigned.
W.: L. Portisch (1)
B.: T. Petrosian (0)
2nd Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica 1966
1. c4, g6/ 2. d4, Bg7/ 3. Nf3, Nc3/ 4. Nc3, Nf6/ 5. g3, 0-0/ 6. Bg2, Nc6/ 7. 0-0, a6/ 8. d5, Na5/ 9. Nd2, c5/ 10. Qc2, Rb8/11. b3, b5/ 12. Bb2, bc4/ 13. bc4, Bh6/ 14. f4, e5/ 15. Rae1, ef4/ 16. gf4, Nh5/ 17. e3, Re8/ 18. Nce4, Bf5/ 19. Bc3, Nb7/20. Qa4, a5/ 21. Rb1, Qe7/ 22. Rfe1, Bd7/ 23. Qc2, Bf5/ 24. Qa4, Kf8/ 25. Rb6, Rbd8/ 26. Qb3, Bc8/ 27. Nf1, Rd7/ 28. Nfg3, Ng3/ 29. hg3, Bg7/ 30. Qb2, f5 /31. Bg7, Qg7/ 32. Nf6 , Black resigned.
Written by QChess
December 27, 2012 at 7:46 am
Posted in CHESS, Chess History, Fischer, Spassky
Tagged with , ,
Boris Spassky.
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World Champ. Spassky
W.: T. Petrosian (0)
B.: B. Spassky (1)
Moscow 1969. World Championship Match
W.: Lenier Dominguez (2734) (1)
B.: R. Ponomariov (2735) (0)
Written by QChess
November 22, 2012 at 7:43 am
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The latest news on and the WordPress community.
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DEPTFORD QUATRAINS Why are Pterodactyls so called then?
Pterodactyl means “Winged Finger”. Their wings were formed by a membrane of skin, muscle, and other tissues stretching from the legs to a dramatically lengthened fourth finger. Well, I never. See below from Wikipedia:
A dactyl (Gr. δάκτυλος dáktulos, “finger”) is a type of metre in poetry. In quantitative verse, such as Greek or Latin, a dactyl is a long syllable followed by two short syllables, as determined by syllable weight. In accentual verse, such as in English it is a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables — the opposite is the anapaest (two unstressed followed by a stressed syllable).
An example of dactylic meter is the first line of Henry Wadworth Longfellow’s poem Evangeline, which is in dactylic hexameter:
A modern example is the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”:
Picture your self in a boat on a river with
tangerine tree-ees and marmalade skii-ii-es.
Written in dactylic tetrameter, the verses of the song have the rhythm of a waltz. The word “skies” takes up a full three beats. Dactyls are the metrical foot of Greek elegiac poetry, which followed a line of dactylic hexameter with dactylic pentameter.
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Home » X-Ray Full-Body Scanners
X-Ray Full-Body Scanners for Airport Security
X-Ray Full-Body Scanners home
Context - To improve airport security in the light of terrorist threats new full-body scanners have been developed to complement existing metal detectors and hand searches.
Scanner types that do not use X-rays - "millimeter wave scanners" are already allowed in the EU and deployed in some airports. Other types of scanners already used in the USA expose passengers to low levels of X-rays. They are not yet authorised in the EU because of concern about potential health risks.
How safe are such X-ray security scanners for passengers, in particular for frequent flyers?
• Source document:SCENIHR (2012)
• Summary & Details: GreenFacts
Latest update: 30 September 2013
How do those full-body scanners work?
Whole body scanners provide a picture of the person's body through the clothes to reveal hidden objects. Four technologies are currently on the market:
Millimeter-wave scanners, that don't use X-rays:
X-ray scanners:
How much radiation are people exposed to in x-ray scanners?
When exposed to X-rays our body absorbs energy, the amount of energy effectively absorbed over time is expressed in "sievert" (Sv). Over the course of one year, a person should not be exposed to more than a total of 1 millisievert from man-made sources such as medical diagnostic devices or security scanners. This is the maximum acceptable limit set for the general public and is roughly equivalent to the amount of natural radiation we are also exposed to.
Transmission scanners that see into the body use higher energy X-rays than Backscatter scanner that only view the surface and as a result the dose absorbed is 10 times greater. A single scan is roughly the equivalent of one hour of background radiation at ground level, or 10 minutes at cruising altitude in an airplane. In the worst case scenario, of a person being scanned three times a day every working day throughout the year, a backscatter scanner would contribute 0,3 millisievert to their annual dose. A transmission scanner, however, would contribute 3 millisievert and exceed the tolerable limit. In practice, most passengers would not be exposed so frequently to these scanners. This may however be a concern for airline crew or people who fly very frequently.
Does exposure to x-rays from scanners present health risks?
Exposure to high levels of X-rays can increase the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, lead to cloudiness of the lens of the eye and hereditary effects.
However, there is no evidence that the low radiation doses received from full- body scanners would induce any health problems. Nonetheless, each exposure adds to the overall radiation dose we receive in the course of our life and in the long term, the risk of developing cancer increases with radiation dose. While no dose can be considered completely safe, it is likely that the increased cancer risk from exposure to radiation from security scanners is so low that it cannot be distinguished from the effects of natural radiation or the background risk due to other factors. Direct evidence of an increased cancer risk has only been found for cumulative doses higher than 100 millisievert.
Is the use of full-body x-ray scanners justified?
To decide whether or not the use of X-ray scanners is acceptable, it is necessary to weigh the benefits and risks but this is not straightforward. The main benefit is improved flight safety but there are economic costs and low health risks. So, whether or not X-ray scanners are acceptable for passenger screening is ultimately not a scientific, but a political decision that needs to take into account various factors.
This fact sheet is based on the scientific opinion "Health effects of security scanners for passenger screening (based on X-ray technology)" adopted on 26 April 2012 by the independent European Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risk.
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Widely known in Southeast Asia as the “king of fruits”, the Durian fruit is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. The fruit can grow as large as 30 centimetres long and 20 centimetres in diameter, and it typically weighs one to four kilograms. Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species.
The edible flesh emits a distinctive offensive odour, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact but to many durian lovers, the soft flesh are tastefully pleasant. Some people regard the durian as fragrant while others find the aroma overpowering and offensive. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as almonds, rotten onions, turpentine, Limburger cheese, gym socks and stinky smell. The odour has led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in Southeast Asia.
However, it is perhaps the most popular local fruit and if given choices on fruits, a Malaysian would take the durian first. Many people especially Europeans are hesitant at first to eat the fruit because of its odour, but once they do, they find it delicious and irresistible.
In Malaysia durian are cultivated in orchards like farms in Pahang, Johore, Perak and Penang. Most of the peninsular states are suitable for durian cultivation especially around the hilly areas of Pahang, Perak and Johore.
While durian fruit is not native to Thailand, the country has become the largest exporter of the fruit. It was introduced to Thailand during the 18th century. There are many different durian species in Thailand. Prices range from 100 Baht up to 2000 Baht. The “Mon Thong” species commands a higher price with bigger sized flesh and small pits. Species “Kadum”, “Chanee”, “Kan Yao” have bigger pits and less flesh.
The durian fruit, is rich in energy, minerals and vitamins.The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose and some amount of simple fats when eaten replenished energy and revitalize the body instantly. Although it contains a relatively high amount of fats among fruits, but it is free from cholesterol. It is also a good source of antioxidant vitamin-C (about 33% of RDA). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.
While there are many durian lovers who would be willing to pay more just to have the satisfaction of tasting the best flavoured durian in their life time, still there are people who would rather be at a distance away from the smell of it. It is just a matter of preference. Each individual taste buds and sense of smell trigger different messages to their brains. Thus, not everybody likes what you like. Some even hesitate their first try in tasting a durian but many find it irresistible and enjoyable. So, durians anyone? Just like blogging and having your own website, you will never know unless you try. | <urn:uuid:dd652b43-e113-4237-89cc-5017f64c0b9d> | 3 | 2.609375 | 0.209444 | en | 0.957515 | https://createbetter.wordpress.com/tag/kadum/ |
Saltation (geology)
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Saltation of sand
In geology, saltation (from Latin saltus, "leap") is a specific type of particle transport by fluids such as wind or water. It occurs when loose material is removed from a bed and carried by the fluid, before being transported back to the surface. Examples include pebble transport by rivers, sand drift over desert surfaces, soil blowing over fields, and snow drift over smooth surfaces such as those in the Arctic or Canadian Prairies.
Saltation process[edit]
At low fluid velocities, loose material rolls downstream, staying in contact with the surface. This is called creep or reptation. Here the forces exerted by the fluid on the particle are only enough to roll the particle around the point of contact with the surface.
Once the wind speed reaches a certain critical value, termed the impact or fluid threshold,[1] the drag and lift forces exerted by the fluid are sufficient to lift some particles from the surface. These particles are accelerated by the fluid, and pulled downward by gravity, causing them to travel in roughly ballistic trajectories.[2] If a particle has obtained sufficient speed from the acceleration by the fluid, it can eject, or splash, other particles in saltation,[3] which propagates the process.[4] Depending on the surface, the particle could also disintegrate on impact, or eject much finer sediment from the surface. In air, this process of saltation bombardment creates most of the dust in dust storms.[5] In rivers, this process repeats continually, gradually eroding away the river bed, but also transporting-in fresh material from upstream.
Suspension generally affects small particles ('small' means ~70 micrometres or less for particles in air[5]). For these particles, vertical drag forces due to turbulent fluctuations in the fluid are similar in magnitude to the weight of the particle. These smaller particles are carried by the fluid in suspension, and advected downstream. The smaller the particle, the less important the downward pull of gravity, and the longer the particle is likely to stay in suspension.
Saltating dune sand in a wind tunnel. (Photo credit: Wind Erosion Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Manhattan, Kansas)
Saltation layers can also form in avalanches.
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
1. ^ Bagnold, Ralph (1941). The physics of wind-blown sand and desert dunes. New York: Methuen. ISBN 0486439313. [page needed]
2. ^ Kok, Jasper; Parteli, Eric; Michaels, Timothy I; Karam, Diana Bou (2012). "The physics of wind-blown sand and dust". Reports on Progress in Physics. 75 (10): 106901. Bibcode:2012RPPh...75j6901K. PMID 22982806. doi:10.1088/0034-4885/75/10/106901.
3. ^ Rice, M. A.; Willetts, B. B.; McEwan, I. K. (1995). "An experimental study of multiple grain-size ejecta produced by collisions of saltating grains with a flat bed". Sedimentology. 42 (4): 695–706. Bibcode:1995Sedim..42..695R. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3091.1995.tb00401.x.
5. ^ a b Shao, Yaping, ed. (2008). Physics and Modelling of Wind Erosion. Heidelberg: Springer. ISBN 9781402088957. [page needed]
6. ^ Electric Sand Findings, University of Michigan Jan. 6, 2008 | <urn:uuid:86f4375c-2cd0-4c8b-a5bf-0b9d0bcc18e3> | 4 | 4 | 0.642271 | en | 0.848825 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltation_(geology) |
Leaves of Grass/Book XXXIV
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My city's fit and noble name resumed,
Choice aboriginal name, with marvellous beauty, meaning,
A rocky founded island—shores where ever gayly dash the coming,
going, hurrying sea waves.
Sea-beauty! stretch'd and basking!
steamers, sails,
And one the Atlantic's wind caressing, fierce or gentle—mighty hulls
dark-gliding in the distance.
Isle of the salty shore and breeze and brine!
From Montauk Point[edit]
I stand as on some mighty eagle's beak,
The wild unrest, the snowy, curling caps—that inbound urge and urge
of waves,
Seeking the shores forever.
To Those Who've Fail'd[edit]
To those who've fail'd, in aspiration vast,
To unnam'd soldiers fallen in front on the lead,
their ships,
To many a lofty song and picture without recognition—I'd rear
laurel-cover'd monument,
Possess'd by some strange spirit of fire,
Quench'd by an early death.
A Carol Closing Sixty-Nine[edit]
A carol closing sixty-nine—a resume—a repetition,
My lines in joy and hope continuing on the same,
Of you, my Land—your rivers, prairies, States—you, mottled Flag I love,
Your aggregate retain'd entire—Of north, south, east and west, your
items all;
Of me myself—the jocund heart yet beating in my breast,
The body wreck'd, old, poor and paralyzed—the strange inertia
falling pall-like round me,
The burning fires down in my sluggish blood not yet extinct,
The undiminish'd faith—the groups of loving friends.
The Bravest Soldiers[edit]
the fight;
A Font of Type[edit]
This latent mine—these unlaunch'd voices—passionate powers,
These ocean waves arousable to fury and to death,
Or sooth'd to ease and sheeny sun and sleep,
Within the pallid slivers slumbering.
As I Sit Writing Here[edit]
As I sit writing here, sick and grown old,
Ungracious glooms, aches, lethargy, constipation, whimpering ennui,
May filter in my dally songs.
My Canary Bird[edit]
Absorbing deep and full from thoughts, plays, speculations?
Filling the air, the lonesome room, the long forenoon,
Is it not just as great, O soul?
Queries to My Seventieth Year[edit]
Approaching, nearing, curious,
Thou dim, uncertain spectre—bringest thou life or death?
Strength, weakness, blindness, more paralysis and heavier?
Or placid skies and sun? Wilt stir the waters yet?
The Wallabout Martyrs[edit]
Greater than memory of Achilles or Ulysses,
More, more by far to thee than tomb of Alexander,
Once living men—once resolute courage, aspiration, strength,
The First Dandelion[edit]
Simple and fresh and fair from winter's close emerging,
Forth from its sunny nook of shelter'd grass—innocent, golden, calm
as the dawn,
The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face.
Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,
Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,
Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love,
A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother,
Chair'd in the adamant of Time.
How sweet the silent backward tracings!
The wanderings as in dreams—the meditation of old times resumed
—their loves, joys, persons, voyages.
To-Day and Thee[edit]
The appointed winners in a long-stretch'd game;
The course of Time and nations—Egypt, India, Greece and Rome;
Garner'd for now and thee—To think of it!
The heirdom all converged in thee!
After the Dazzle of Day[edit]
After the dazzle of day is gone,
Silent, athwart my soul, moves the symphony true.
Abraham Lincoln, Born Feb. 12, 1809[edit]
To memory of Him—to birth of Him.
Out of May's Shows Selected[edit]
Apple orchards, the trees all cover'd with blossoms;
Wheat fields carpeted far and near in vital emerald green;
The eternal, exhaustless freshness of each early morning;
The aspiring lilac bushes with profuse purple or white flowers.
Halcyon Days[edit]
Not from successful love alone,
But as life wanes, and all the turbulent passions calm,
As gorgeous, vapory, silent hues cover the evening sky,
really finish'd and indolent-ripe on the tree,
Then for the teeming quietest, happiest days of all!
The brooding and blissful halcyon days!
Fancies at Navesink[edit]
[I] The Pilot in the Mist[edit]
Here waiting for the sunrise, gazing from this hill;)
Again 'tis just at morning—a heavy haze contends with daybreak,
Again the trembling, laboring vessel veers me—I press through
foam-dash'd rocks that almost touch me,
Again I mark where aft the small thin Indian helmsman
Looms in the mist, with brow elate and governing hand.
[II] Had I The Choice[edit]
Had I the choice to tally greatest bards,
Or Shakspere's woe-entangled Hamlet, Lear, Othello—Tennyson's fair ladies,
delight of singers;
Or breathe one breath of yours upon my verse,
And leave its odor there.
[III] You Tides with Ceaseless Swell[edit]
You unseen force, centripetal, centrifugal, through space's spread,
what Capella's?
aggregate of all?
you? what fluid, vast identity,
[IV] Last of Ebb, and Daylight Waning[edit]
Last of ebb, and daylight waning,
Many a muffled confession—many a sob and whisper'd word,
As of speakers far or hid.
How they sweep down and out! how they mutter!
Poets unnamed—artists greatest of any, with cherish'd lost designs,
Love's unresponse—a chorus of age's complaints—hope's last words,
Some suicide's despairing cry, Away to the boundless waste, and
never again return.
On to oblivion then!
On for your time, ye furious debouche!
[V] And Yet Not You Alone[edit]
And yet not you alone, twilight and burying ebb,
I know, divine deceitful ones, your glamour's seeming;
Duly the needed discord-parts offsetting, blending,
Weaving from you, from Sleep, Night, Death itself,
The rhythmus of Birth eternal.
[VI] Proudly the Flood Comes In[edit]
Proudly the flood comes in, shouting, foaming, advancing,
Long it holds at the high, with bosom broad outswelling,
Mainsails, topsails, jibs, appear in the offing—steamers' pennants
of smoke—and under the forenoon sun,
Freighted with human lives, gaily the outward bound, gaily the
inward bound,
Flaunting from many a spar the flag I love.
[VII] By That Long Scan of Waves[edit]
In every crest some undulating light or shade—some retrospect,
Joys, travels, studies, silent panoramas—scenes ephemeral,
And haply yet some drop within God's scheme's ensemble—some
wave, or part of wave,
Like one of yours, ye multitudinous ocean.
[VIII] Then Last Of All[edit]
Of you O tides, the mystic human meaning:
The brain that shapes, the voice that chants this song.
Election Day, November, 1884[edit]
your huge rifts of canyons, Colorado,
Nor you, Yosemite—nor Yellowstone, with all its spasmic
geyser-loops ascending to the skies, appearing and disappearing,
Mississippi's stream:
small voice vibrating—America's choosing day,
quadriennial choosing,)
The countless snow-flakes falling—(a swordless conflict,
peaceful choice of all,
pants, life glows:
These stormy gusts and winds waft precious ships,
Swell'd Washington's, Jefferson's, Lincoln's sails.
With Husky-Haughty Lips, O Sea![edit]
With husky-haughty lips, O sea!
Where day and night I wend thy surf-beat shore,
Imaging to my sense thy varied strange suggestions,
Thy troops of white-maned racers racing to the goal,
Thy brooding scowl and murk—thy unloos'd hurricanes,
Thy unsubduedness, caprices, wilfulness;
Great as thou art above the rest, thy many tears—a lack from all
eternity in thy content,
greatest—no less could make thee,)
Thy lonely state—something thou ever seek'st and seek'st, yet
never gain'st,
Surely some right withheld—some voice, in huge monotonous rage, of
freedom-lover pent,
By lengthen'd swell, and spasm, and panting breath,
And rhythmic rasping of thy sands and waves,
And serpent hiss, and savage peals of laughter,
And undertones of distant lion roar,
(Sounding, appealing to the sky's deaf ear—but now, rapport for once,
A phantom in the night thy confidant for once,)
The first and last confession of the globe,
Outsurging, muttering from thy soul's abysms,
The tale of cosmic elemental passion,
Thou tellest to a kindred soul.
Death of General Grant[edit]
As one by one withdraw the lofty actors,
From that great play on history's stage eterne,
Man of the mighty days—and equal to the days!
To admiration has it been enacted!
Red Jacket (From Aloft)[edit]
Upon this scene, this show,
Yielded to-day by fashion, learning, wealth,
smile curving its phantom lips,
Like one of Ossian's ghosts looks down.
Washington's Monument February, 1885[edit]
Ah, not this marble, dead and cold:
yours alone, America,
Old Asia's there with venerable smile, seated amid her ruins;
legitimate, continued ever,
defeated not, the same:)
Wherever Freedom, pois'd by Toleration, sway'd by Law,
Stands or is rising thy true monument.
Of That Blithe Throat of Thine[edit]
Of that blithe throat of thine from arctic bleak and blank,
I'll mind the lesson, solitary bird—let me too welcome chilling drifts,
E'en the profoundest chill, as now—a torpid pulse, a brain unnerv'd,
Old age land-lock'd within its winter bay—(cold, cold, O cold!)
These snowy hairs, my feeble arm, my frozen feet,
Not summer's zones alone—not chants of youth, or south's warm tides alone,
of years,
These with gay heart I also sing.
What hurrying human tides, or day or night!
What whirls of evil, bliss and sorrow, stem thee!
What curious questioning glances—glints of love!
Leer, envy, scorn, contempt, hope, aspiration!
Thou portal—thou arena—thou of the myriad long-drawn lines and groups!
Thy windows rich, and huge hotels—thy side-walks wide;)
Thou of the endless sliding, mincing, shuffling feet!
mocking life!
Thou visor'd, vast, unspeakable show and lesson!
To Get the Final Lilt of Songs[edit]
To get the final lilt of songs,
To penetrate the inmost lore of poets—to know the mighty ones,
To diagnose the shifting-delicate tints of love and pride and doubt—
to truly understand,
Old Salt Kossabone[edit]
Far back, related on my mother's side,
Old Salt Kossabone, I'll tell you how he died:
(Had been a sailor all his life—was nearly 90—lived with his
married grandchild, Jenny;
stretch to open sea;)
regular custom,
In his great arm chair by the window seated,
(Sometimes, indeed, through half the day,)
Watching the coming, going of the vessels, he mutters to himself—
And now the close of all:
One struggling outbound brig, one day, baffled for long—cross-tides
and much wrong going,
And swiftly bending round the cape, the darkness proudly entering,
cleaving, as he watches,
"She's free—she's on her destination"—these the last words—when
Jenny came, he sat there dead,
The Dead Tenor[edit]
As down the stage again,
With Spanish hat and plumes, and gait inimitable,
and test of all:)
How through those strains distill'd—how the rapt ears, the soul of
me, absorbing
Fernando's heart, Manrico's passionate call, Ernani's, sweet Gennaro's,
Freedom's and Love's and Faith's unloos'd cantabile,
(As perfume's, color's, sunlight's correlation:)
To memory of thee.
Nothing is ever really lost, or can be lost,
Nor life, nor force, nor any visible thing;
Appearance must not foil, nor shifted sphere confuse thy brain.
Ample are time and space—ample the fields of Nature.
To frozen clods ever the spring's invisible law returns,
With grass and flowers and summer fruits and corn.
A song, a poem of itself—the word itself a dirge,
To me such misty, strange tableaux the syllables calling up;
Yonnondio—I see, far in the west or north, a limitless ravine, with
plains and mountains dark,
Yonnondio! Yonnondio!—unlimn'd they disappear;
To-day gives place, and fades—the cities, farms, factories fade;
for a moment,
Then blank and gone and still, and utterly lost.
Ever the undiscouraged, resolute, struggling soul of man;
(Have former armies fail'd? then we send fresh armies—and fresh again;)
Ever the grappled mystery of all earth's ages old or new;
Ever the soul dissatisfied, curious, unconvinced at last;
Struggling to-day the same—battling the same.
"Going Somewhere"[edit]
My science-friend, my noblest woman-friend,
(Now buried in an English grave—and this a memory-leaf for her dear sake,)
Ended our talk—"The sum, concluding all we know of old or modern
learning, intuitions deep,
"Of all Geologies—Histories—of all Astronomy—of Evolution,
Metaphysics all,
duly over,)
"The world, the race, the soul—in space and time the universes,
"All bound as is befitting each—all surely going somewhere."
Small the Theme of My Chant[edit]
modern, the word En-Masse.
link'd together let us go.)
True Conquerors[edit]
Enough that they've survived at all—long life's unflinching ones!
Forth from their struggles, trials, fights, to have emerged at all—
in that alone,
True conquerors o'er all the rest.
The United States to Old World Critics[edit]
Wealth, order, travel, shelter, products, plenty;
The solid-planted spires tall shooting to the stars.
The Calming Thought of All[edit]
That coursing on, whate'er men's speculations,
Amid the changing schools, theologies, philosophies,
Amid the bawling presentations new and old,
The round earth's silent vital laws, facts, modes continue.
Thanks in Old Age[edit]
Thanks in old age—thanks ere I go,
For health, the midday sun, the impalpable air—for life, mere life,
For precious ever-lingering memories, (of you my mother dear—you,
father—you, brothers, sisters, friends,)
For all my days—not those of peace alone—the days of war the same,
For gentle words, caresses, gifts from foreign lands,
For shelter, wine and meat—for sweet appreciation,
(You distant, dim unknown—or young or old—countless, unspecified,
readers belov'd,
We never met, and neer shall meet—and yet our souls embrace, long,
close and long;)
For beings, groups, love, deeds, words, books—for colors, forms,
For all the brave strong men—devoted, hardy men—who've forward
sprung in freedom's help, all years, all lands
For braver, stronger, more devoted men—(a special laurel ere I go,
to life's war's chosen ones,
The cannoneers of song and thought—the great artillerists—the
foremost leaders, captains of the soul:)
As soldier from an ended war return'd—As traveler out of myriads,
to the long procession retrospective,
Thanks—joyful thanks!—a soldier's, traveler's thanks.
Life and Death[edit]
The two old, simple problems ever intertwined,
Close home, elusive, present, baffled, grappled.
By each successive age insoluble, pass'd on,
To ours to-day—and we pass on the same.
The Voice of the Rain[edit]
yet the same,
and make pure and beautify it;
Reck'd or unreck'd, duly with love returns.)
Soon Shall the Winter's Foil Be Here[edit]
Soon shall the winter's foil be here;
Soon shall these icy ligatures unbind and melt—A little while,
growth—a thousand forms shall rise
From these dead clods and chills as from low burial graves.
Thine eyes, ears—all thy best attributes—all that takes cognizance
of natural beauty,
delicate miracles of earth,
plum and cherry;
With these the robin, lark and thrush, singing their songs—the
flitting bluebird;
For such the scenes the annual play brings on.
While Not the Past Forgetting[edit]
While not the past forgetting,
To-day, at least, contention sunk entire—peace, brotherhood uprisen;
For sign reciprocal our Northern, Southern hands,
(Nor for the past alone—for meanings to the future,)
Wreaths of roses and branches of palm.
The Dying Veteran[edit]
Amid these days of order, ease, prosperity,
Amid the current songs of beauty, peace, decorum,
I cast a reminiscence—(likely 'twill offend you,
I heard it in my boyhood;)—More than a generation since,
A queer old savage man, a fighter under Washington himself,
Had fought in the ranks—fought well—had been all through the
Revolutionary war,)
Lay dying—sons, daughters, church-deacons, lovingly tending him,
"Let me return again to my war-days,
To the sights and scenes—to forming the line of battle,
To the scouts ahead reconnoitering,
To the cannons, the grim artillery,
To the galloping aides, carrying orders,
The perfume strong, the smoke, the deafening noise;
Away with your life of peace!—your joys of peace!
Give me my old wild battle-life again!"
Stronger Lessons[edit]
tender with you, and stood aside for you?
brace themselves against you? or who treat you with contempt,
or dispute the passage with you?
A Prairie Sunset[edit]
The earth's whole amplitude and Nature's multiform power consign'd
for once to colors;
North, South, all,
Pure luminous color fighting the silent shadows to the last.
Twenty Years[edit]
vehement notion;)
Since, twenty years and more have circled round and round,
Dress'd in its russet suit of good Scotch cloth:
Orange Buds by Mail from Florida[edit]
A lesser proof than old Voltaire's, yet greater,
To my plain Northern hut, in outside clouds and snow,
Brought safely for a thousand miles o'er land and tide,
Some three days since on their own soil live-sprouting,
Now here their sweetness through my room unfolding,
A bunch of orange buds by mall from Florida.
The soft voluptuous opiate shades,
The sun just gone, the eager light dispell'd—(I too will soon be
gone, dispell'd,)
A haze—nirwana—rest and night—oblivion.
You Lingering Sparse Leaves of Me[edit]
You lingering sparse leaves of me on winter-nearing boughs,
You tokens diminute and lorn—(not now the flush of May, or July
clover-bloom—no grain of August now;)
You pallid banner-staves—you pennants valueless—you overstay'd of time,
Yet my soul-dearest leaves confirming all the rest,
The faithfulest—hardiest—last.
Not Meagre, Latent Boughs Alone[edit]
eagles' talons,)
summer—bursting forth,
To verdant leaves, or sheltering shade—to nourishing fruit,
Apples and grapes—the stalwart limbs of trees emerging—the fresh,
free, open air,
And love and faith, like scented roses blooming.
The Dead Emperor[edit]
Mourning a good old man—a faithful shepherd, patriot.
As the Greek's Signal Flame[edit]
As the Greek's signal flame, by antique records told,
Rose from the hill-top, like applause and glory,
Welcoming in fame some special veteran, hero,
With rosy tinge reddening the land he'd served,
So I aloft from Mannahatta's ship-fringed shore,
Lift high a kindled brand for thee, Old Poet.
The Dismantled Ship[edit]
In some unused lagoon, some nameless bay,
On sluggish, lonesome waters, anchor'd near the shore,
hawser'd tight,
Lies rusting, mouldering.
Now Precedent Songs, Farewell[edit]
Now precedent songs, farewell—by every name farewell,
Or Paumanok, Song of Myself, Calamus, or Adam,
From fibre heart of mine—from throat and tongue—(My life's hot
pulsing blood,
and ink,)
indeed to that!
What wretched shred e'en at the best of all!)
An Evening Lull[edit]
After a week of physical anguish,
Unrest and pain, and feverish heat,
Toward the ending day a calm and lull comes on,
Three hours of peace and soothing rest of brain.
Old Age's Lambent Peaks[edit]
Objects and groups, bearings, faces, reminiscences;
The calmer sight—the golden setting, clear and broad:
we scan,
Bro't out by them alone—so much (perhaps the best) unreck'd before;
The lights indeed from them—old age's lambent peaks.
After the Supper and Talk[edit]
After the supper and talk—after the day is done,
As a friend from friends his final withdrawal prolonging,
Good-bye and Good-bye with emotional lips repeating,
(So hard for his hand to release those hands—no more will they meet,
Shunning, postponing severance—seeking to ward off the last word
ever so little,
e'en as he descends the steps,
Farewells, messages lessening—dimmer the forthgoer's visage and form,
Garrulous to the very last. | <urn:uuid:c9d043dd-740c-430a-9ac7-5a9d65a5229a> | 2 | 1.734375 | 0.018701 | en | 0.855067 | https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Leaves_of_Grass/Book_XXXIV |
Ctrl-W, the key sequence used to delete a word at a time in many UNIX environments. Strangely enough, tcsh just makes this a euphemism for ^U, and many programs don't even bother to implement it. Too bad, since it's really useful. At least tinyfugue uses it, and some people grok its meaning.
Mostly, it's useful for showing "accidental" long sections of text which need to be deleted without having a buttload of ^Hs.
A lot of fucking idiots^W^WWindows l^Husers could do to fuck off and die^W^W^W^Wlearn more about UNIX.
In fact, tcsh binds ^W to a different action (kill-region) than it does ^U (kill-whole-line). The binding is stolen from (X)Emacs. To use it, first set the "mark" somewhere in the line of text (hit C-space (^space) or C-@ (^@)), then go somewhere else and kill the region with C-w. Now you can use "yank", bound to C-y (^Y) to insert what you deleted.
When you start editing a line, mark is at the beginning of the line, which explains the behaviour Magenta complains about.
| <urn:uuid:92b504b9-d33f-4595-b0f9-f7128cb902bc> | 2 | 1.820313 | 0.381308 | en | 0.933789 | https://everything2.com/title/%255EW |
YY Chat- The Development of Online Chat Platform
As the online technology has been developing in high speed, online video chat platform, which is one of the most useful functions of IT tools, has been used in many different ways. The distance between becomes shorter and shorter, which increases the speed of globalization. From E-mail texts to Internet phone, that owns to the development of wide band. Most video chat apps and websites, are free, people can easily use them now, based on which plenty of company have become well known by Internet users. For most people, they cannot image the life without online video chat. In this report, I will focus on one of the video chat platform- YY Chat, which is one of the most popular online video chat website. The report will analyze the development of YY chat in China and the comparison of different online chat platforms.
What is YY Chat?
YY Chat began in 2005 creating Duowan.com, a gaming portal for gamers in China. Duowan company launched YY in 2008, a voice-based gaming communications service, which enabled gamers to voice chat over the Internet and text chat in real-time while slaying monsters or coordinating gaming missions.
In the beginning, YY was just common audio-chat software for the famous online game World of Warcraft (WoW), which is one of the most classic games made by Blizzar Entertainment. The players in a same team could easily create a channel, in which they can communicate well by their voice without typing texts on the screen.
However, YY has since grown beyond gaming into a much larger social communication platform, added video streaming, and grown to 310 million registered users and 60 million monthly active users.
On YY.com, users could play different games, talk to their friends, get educated or broadcast a video show program, or use virtual coins for social deals à la Groupon. Slutsky (2012) analyzes that what really makes YY standout is the fact that it has a built in system that enables site users to earn real profit.
As a website which originates from game function software, YY.com still treat the game broadcast as its most important part. When there are some top game competitions, YY’s live broadcast will attract a lot of game players to watch and join in the discussion. WangYi website (2013) shows that the 2013 WCG competition attracted 2 million users to watch live broadcast in 3 days, and on the top time, there were 400 thousands users watching the game at the same time, which had made a new record.
How can YY develop so fast?
Firstly, China has arround 520 million net users in 2012, which includes almost 5 million World of Warcraft game players. These players play an important part in YY users. Because YY Chat has stable and high quality of its online chat function. Even the game company develop its own software UC chat, most game players still prefer to using YY, which they are familiar with, to have group playing.
YY Chat is much easier to use than other chat software like QQ that when the players want to speak to others, they just need to press “F2” button on keyboard. Moreover, when the players create rooms in YY, others can easily join in without send any request. The most important reason YY has amount of users, as Bake website states is because that, YY has set its rules and operated strictly, which is forbidding any advertisement, solving any broadcast issues in 1 minute and avoiding any sexual, violent or selling contents. These rules help YY keeping most of its users.
As the technology is developing, Duowan game company, which YY belongs to, has gradually strengthened and consummated its function. By YY service, singers, teachers, or other people can earn money on its via virtual goods. Slutsky (2012) shows that the top performers on YY.com can earn more than $20,o00 monthly–a remarkable figure. Audience members buy and give virtual roses to performers they like and the performers cash them in for real money. Thus the singers have an incentive to deliver high quality performances. As li says, YY could help “rejuvenate a lot of industries. As many know it’s very difficult to make real money on the music business because of rampant piracy. But if you’re a talented singer or performer, and you have YY, a webcam and an Internet connection, then you can perform (and make money).”
How further can YY develop?
For Chinese video chat platform YY, now meet some problems. On one hand, the Chinese government has published some laws to control what can be broadcast on website and what cannot. They are very strict with the texts, pictures and videos, which will be put onto website. They create a system, which is called Great Wall to limit a lot of foreign websites and monitor everything from Chinese websites. These solutions limit the development of YY. On the other hand, when YY Chat is going to develop western users, it is also blocked. Echo who is senior analyst with the Maxim Group says, “If YY tried to expand into the US market, it would be unlikely to succeed. While it would be difficult for anyone to scale this business model, Western start-ups would have a better chance.” As some other video chat platforms enlarge their users, YY Chat has to consider the issue about replacement by others.
Other sides of online video chats
Firstly, online video chat platform serve people a more convenient way of life. However, some people use this platform in an unhealthy way that they broadcast sex video and strippers dancing in front of the camera. Such kinds of videos can be easily found that they attract young generations who cannot control themselves well, which probably lead to an unexpected terrible way of life in the future.
Secondly, because of the convenience of online video, some people can easily get information from others. They might cheat other’s money as their friends. WangYI website reported that due to 2012, the Internet fraud had reached a number of more than 30 billion RMB in China. Furthermore, some single girls’ safety is threatened because of their “nice” net friends.
Now, there are thousands of online video chat platforms. When some big companies attract more and more users, the small companies will disappear some day. However, there are still a lot of chance will be left for these small video chat companies.
In the future, live video chat may become the most popular way to communicate with people in distance.
Dan Ye, 2013, “YY借力WCG布局赛事直播” from网易website
Forbes. June, 2012.”YY.com: China’s Unique Real-Time Voice And Video Service With A Virtual Goods Twist“. Retrieved November 21, 2012. http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomiogeron/2012/06/11/yy-com-chinas-unique-real-time-voice-and-video-service-with-a-virtual-goods-twist/
Ross Slutsky , 2012, “The Largest Social Network You’ve Never Heard Of”,
published in Washington DC
YY语音” 百度百科
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Word of the Day: Nondimensional
How often have you used the word nondimensional in a sentence? There are occasions when I might have used it, had I known that was the word for what I was doing.
For example, when making calculations that involve physical quantities such as mass, length, time, velocity, and the like, it’s not enough to keep track of the numbers or variables as you calculate, you must also keep track of their units. As students know from bitter experience, it’s easy to confuse, or even lose, units along the way. I remember assignments returned with red ink circling my final result, beside which my teacher had posed the simple question: “Units?”
Had I known better, I might have answered that in fact I was employing a technique of mathematical analysis called nondimensionalization in which you deliberately drop the units from equations involving physical quantities. Among its other advantages, this technique can simplify problems. No kidding! It can also, as one MIT professor put it, “eliminate the possibility of reporting nonsense such as the logarithm of a kilogram.”
My own acquaintance with this word has humbler origins. This summer I decided to build steps from our deck to the ground. A total drop of just 32 inches. How hard could that be? Not very. Unless you use nondimensional lumber.
I inadvertently made nondimensionality part of my design the moment I had the bright idea to build the steps out of cedar logs lying around on the property, instead of using conventional, dimensional milled lumber. That one bright idea turned what could have been a weekend project into something more elaborate. For in sad contrast to nondimensional analysis, nondimensional lumber does not make calculations easier.
Practically speaking, for me nondimensional meant harder to measure, harder to calculate, harder to work with, harder to build. The roundness of the logs, their knottiness, and their continuously changing dimensions helped me appreciate why carpenters call unmilled wood nondimensional lumber. And why that’s not necessarily a compliment. Unlike your milled 2×8, who is a straight, reliable and measured fellow, your natural log is an irresolute, shifty, and dimensionless type who feels no compunction about his rough wavering character, nor gives a damn that his diameter is changing continuously from one end to the other.
I first heard of this exotic character—the more exotic for describing something as plain as lumber—the day my neighbor friend dropped off the cedar logs he’d split lengthwise down the middle for me. (He owns a sawmill.) Three of the four halves we unloaded from his truck eventually became my 12-foot-long steps, or treads, as they’re called in the trade.
But only after I’d done my dimensional analysis featuring nondimensional lumber, followed by headscratching and more than a little guesswork. Then I knew, roughly, how to size, cut and place the two stringers (the term of art for the logs that support the treads from below) that run from the underside of the deck down to the ground, where they’re fastened to footings set in concrete. After that, there was just the headache of measuring, notching, fitting, then re-measuring, re-notching, and re-fitting, before, finally, leveling and fastening the round (continuously changing) underside of the treads to the round (continuously changing) stringers, so that each step rises exactly 8 inches.
The finished treads, with stringers peeking through
The finished treads, with stringers peeking through
My work wasn’t finished until nearly a month after that day when my friend, a builder by trade, casually dropped nondimensional into the conversation. We’d hauled the treads from his truck to the worksite, and I was asking him what he thought of my design, and what advice he had for me. He looked at me from under his cap, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, and said, “Oh, so you’re gonna use nondimensional lumber. That will make things more interesting, but I’m sure they’ll turn out great. Just keep measuring and figuring, measuring and figuring.”
A tip of the hat to my father-in-law, who helped me get the treads on the stringers, and to my father, who helped me measure, mark and stake out the plan.
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French: Negatives and using them in the perfect tense, or with infinitives
Some bits of grammar about using negatives in various situations, like with past participles or infinitives. I don't think it's something that you would absolutely need to know, just if you are a bit of a grammar geek like myself ;) Sorry for the amount of times I've used the word 'sandwich' in this, literally couldn't think of a better word haha... Enjoy!!
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Just like in English there are many ways in which to express negatives,
meaning different things. Here are some examples.
French English Example.
ne...pas no/not any je n'ai pas de chien
ne...rien nothing/not anything je n'ai rien vu
ne...que only il n'a qu'un frère neither..nor...not...or je n'ai ni…
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Luckily there is a pattern, the same negative expressions which just go
around the avoir verb in the perfect tense are the same ones that go
before the infinitive in infinitive expressions.
'Sandwich' avoir only, go together 'Sandwich' both avoir and past
before infinitive expressions. participle, 'sandwich' infinitives
pas aucun(e)…
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Do Chinese factory workers have higher cancer rates than those workers in developed nations?
I ask because it seems the manufacturing process in China is less well regulated and the workers seemingly would be exposed to more harmful chemicals.
1. 0 Votes
Your guess is very accurate. As an average, Chinese workers are indeed frequently exposed to harmful chemicals and dangerous situations. This is because consumers want everything to be as cheap as possible and that means production costs will be cut.
For instance, there is evidence that asbestos causes cancer and has therefor been banned in many wealthy countries. Unfortunatly this does not included countries like India and China, who knowingly use asbestos in manufacturing.
Because of the lax regulations in poor manufacturing countires like China, pollution is rampent. Airborne and waterborne pollution from factories often drift or flow into nearly villages. Villages near factories have have cancer rates “much higher than the national average” according to many human rights groups. Cancer has been named the leading cause of death; 1 in 5 Chinese will die of cancer.
The factory workers themselves may be in the most danger, although exact statistics are hard to come by. The short answer is yes, they absolutely do have higher cancer rates than workers in developed nations. Until these developed nations are willing to pay more for products, production costs will remain as low as possible and human lives will be endangered.
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Posted by: r.m. | November 11, 2010
Lebanese merchants say no to regulated food prices
Agriculture, Food prices, Merchants, and Government — all intricately connected.
And in Lebanon the Merchants openly state their decision to ignore a Governmental ruling regarding elevated food prices.
From the excellent Al-Akhbar, once again
التجّار يهددون بتقنين السلع
المعركة مفتوحة لإبقاء الفوضى في السوق الإستهلاكية
في 26 تشرين الأول أصدر وزير الاقتصاد والتجارة محمد الصفدي القرار 196/1 الذي يعيد العمل بالقرار 277/1 الذي يحدّد نسب الأرباح التجارية القصوى على السلع والمنتجات الحيوانية والحبوب والزيوت والسكر والملح والخضرة والفاكهة… قبل أن يبدأ تطبيق النسب بدأ تجار الجملة والمفرّق يعترضون رافضين تطبيق القرار، وملوّحين بتقنين السلع الغذائية في السوق حيناً وتهديد الوزير أحياناً
read the article in full here
1. It seems that nowadays people are running behind one thing, which is “Money”. Even almost all friendship relationships are based on individuals interest (or personal benefits). And what individuals are interested for in these days? It is certainly money to heal what is called “their soul” or “their internal feeling”. I call this the unconscious mind or the ego. People are running behind money to say:” I possess, I exist”. And when someone say i possess, this means that he or she has something private. Our society is heading toward a world that is made only from “restrict private lands”(sorry, that is mine. You can not share it or touch it). This is the source of hatered in our world. In these days, no one is thinking about the other. For example, if a certain Lebanese person is really sick and he or she should enter the hospital, he or she will be asked first:” Do you have the X amount of money?” The person is really sick and the hospital is aking about the money at first, instead of asking first:”what is wrong with you?!”
Our Country,Lebanon, really needs some strict rules!! Look at the the new law that is being done to regulate speed! There is a camera that watches your speed, and if you break the law, you have to pay “money”. Money, money…. . People are obeying the law to avoid paying money, instead of thinking about the other benefits of slowing down while driving. Lebanese people are behaving like “dogs” (sorry about this word) just to avoid paying money!
Here, in Lebanon, merchants are saying no to regulated food prices because they are seeking their personal benefits, without considering the suffer of others. “Why should I suffer? I will let the others suffer”. Certainly, there are no morals behind a logic like this. What these merchants need is a strict rule or law that makes them behave like “dogs”. This rule or law certainly should be related to “money” or to the source of that money.
Yes, people nowadays are seeking money, and this is worsening the situation; it is increasing the gap between poor and rich, like postive feedbacks. It is making the poor poorer and the rich richer, and where is the equality (or morals) in that? This is the tyranny of capitalism! Our world need an ethical system, just like the economic one to honor humanity. Progress is not measured only by money, power or the word “I am stronger than you”.
Yes, nowadays people are running behind money.They are running behind something that can not actually run behind them in return, and what that is going to have as a real value? Hatered (certainly)…
Yes, nowadays people are running behind money. Hopefully, at some point, they will realize that they can not eat the money itself!
That’s why one of my favorite quotes is :”The Great thing in this world is not so much where we are , but in what direction we are moving.”- Oliver Wendell Holmes –
2. I agree with you. I was hoping two years ago when the world financial system collapsed that people would be attracted to alternative economic systems. Alas, that initial interest quickly evaporated and people began to accept again the status quo capitalistic system. How can we convince people that other systems are more just? There are some examples being set around the world but I do not think that capitalism will be gone in our lifetime. What really bothers me is how many people regard economic selfishness as an intrinsic part of human nature. This is a fundamental basis in the moral case of those defending capitalism and it seems to go unchallenged all the time unfortunately.
3. Yes, I agree with you too. A miracle is needed about that issue- capitalism-
I think, that we have made quite two good responses 🙂
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September 15 in history
921 At Tetin Saint Ludmila was murdered at the command of her daughter-in-law.
994 Major Fatimid victory over the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of the Orontes.
1254 Marco Polo, Italian explorer, was born (d. 1324).
1616 The first non-aristocratic, free public school in Europe was opened inFrascati, Italy.
1649 Titus Oates, English minister and plotter, was born (d. 1705).
1762 Seven Years War: Battle of Signal Hill.
1820 Constitutionalist revolution in Lisbon.
1821 Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica jointly declared independence from Spain.
1830 The Liverpool to Manchester railway line opened.
1831 The locomotive John Bull operated for the first time in New Jersey on the Camden and Amboy Railroad.
1835 HMS Beagle, with Charles Darwin aboard, reached the Galápagos Islands.
1851 Saint Joseph’s University was founded in Philadelphia.
1857 William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States, was born (d. 1930).
1879 Joseph Lyons, 10th Prime Minister of Australia, was born (d. 1939).
1881 Ettore Bugatti, Italian automobile engineer and designer, was born (d. 1947).
1883 The Bombay Natural History Society was founded in Bombay (Mumbai).
1889 Robert Benchley, American author, was born (d. 1945).
1890 Agatha Christie, English writer, was born (d. 1976).
1894 First Sino-Japanese War: Japan defeated China in the Battle of Pyongyang.
1916 World War I: Tanks were used for the first time in battle, at the Battle of the Somm
1928 Tich Freeman became the only bowler to take 300 wickets in an English cricket season.
1931 In Scotland, the two-day Invergordon Mutiny against Royal Navy pay cuts began.
1935 The Nuremberg Laws deprived German Jews of citizenship.
1935 Nazi Germany adopted a new national flag with the swastika.
1937 Fernando de la Rúa, 51st President of Argentina, was born.
1940 World War II: The climax of the Battle of Britain, when the Royal Air Force shot down large numbers of Luftwaffe aircraft.
1942 World War II: U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Wasp was torpedoed at Guadalcanal
1944 Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met in Quebec as part of the Octagon Conference to discuss strategy.
1945 Hans-Gert Pöttering, German politician, President of the European Parliament, was born.
1945 A hurricane in southern Florida and the Bahamas destroyed 366 planes and 25 blimps at NAS Richmond.
1947 RCA released the 12AX7 vacuum tube.
1947 Typhoon Kathleen hit the Kanto Region in Japan killing 1,077.
1948 The F-86 Sabre set the world aircraft speed record at 671 miles per hour (1,080 km/h).
1952 United Nations gave Eritrea to Ethiopia.
1958 A Central Railroad of New Jersey commuter train ran through an open drawbridge at the Newark Bay, killing 58.
1959 Nikita Khrushchev became the first Soviet leader to visit the United States.
1961 Hurricane Carla struck Texas with winds of 175 miles per hour.
1962 The Soviet ship Poltava headed toward Cuba, one of the events that sets into motion the Cuban Missile Crisis.
1963 The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing: Four children killed at an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama.
1966 U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, responding to a sniper attack at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a letter to Congress urging the enactment of gun control legislation.
1968 The Soviet Zond 5 spaceship was launched, becoming the first spacecraft to fly around the Moon and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere.
1969 Iron and steel from local ironsand (titanomagnetite) was produced for the first time at New Zealand Steel’s mill at Glenbrook, south of Auckland.
First steel produced from local ironsand
1971 Nathan Astle, New Zealand cricketer, was born.
1972 A Scandinavian Airlines System domestic flight from Gothenburg to Stockholm was hijacked and flown to Malmö-BulltoftaAirport.
1974 Air Vietnam flight 727 was hijacked, then crashed while attempting to land with 75 on board.
1976 The Rangatira arrived in Wellington from Lyttelton for the last time, bringing to an end more than 80 years of regular passenger ferry services between the two ports.
Lyttelton–Wellington ferry service ends
1981 The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Sandra Day O’Connor to become the first female justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
1981 – The John Bull became the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution operated it under its own power outside Washington, D.C.
1983 Israeli premier Menachem Begin resigned.
1984 Prince Harry of Wales, was born.
1987 United States Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze signed a treaty to establish centres to reduce the risk of nuclear war.
1993 Liechtenstein Prince Hans-Adam II disbanded Parliament.
2008 Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history.
2012 – Muslim protesters shouting anti-American slogans clashed with police, injuring 19 people, outside the US embassy in Sydney, Australia.
Sourced from NZ History Online & Wikipedia
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Deconstructing Government Word Magic
Take a word that describes a natural condition, reassign your own meaning while retaining the original defining aspect of the word. This is how the State manages to brainwash so many people.
Example, Law. Gravity is an immutable Law, as are all natural Laws. In the minds of the people, Laws are absolute and therefore can’t be broken or subverted. Make up your own rules, label them Laws, always refer to your rules as Laws and the people will start to believe that your rules are actually immutable laws instead of what they actually are, which is a series of contrived rules given authority by consent.
Another Example, Crime. A crime is an act of injustice where there is some form of injured party. The State refers to every breach of it’s rules as a crime, even though there may be no injustice or injured party. So all the State has to do to maintain absolute power is convince enough people that a breach of it’s contrived rules is a crime and the people will not only surrender their free will to the State’s dictates, but even bite the ankles of their fellow man for lack of subservience.
Rather than ask if an act is illegal according to government rules, ask: am I causing an injustice where the rights of another is being violated.
5 Questions to ask a Statist
Do I have the right (just claim) to impose my will on you without your consent?
Do I have the right to delegate such an act to another?
Does being part of a majority of people give me the right to impose my will on you without your consent?
Do I have the right to impose my will on you without your consent by delegating that act to an institution?
Do I have the right to impose my will on you without your consent if I, along with a majority of others, delegate that act to an institution called government?
Asking the questions in this order to someone who dogmatically believes in coercive governance may induce cognitive dissonance. Be prepared for emotive responses such as: Libtard, Conspiracy theorist, If you don’t like it move, and the old classic: if you don’t vote you can’t complain.
The Reason Why It’s Important To Speak Up Now
First they came for the Whistle Blowers, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Whistle Blower.
Then they came for the Independent Journalists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not an independent Journalist.
Then they came for the Activists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not an Activist.
An honest Israeli Jew tells the Real Truth about Israel
Power without Authority is Tyranny
[3] Ibid., page 1324
[4] Ibid., page 133
A Message To The Average Voter
Larken Rose explains the inherent flaws in voting that the average voter refuses to acknowledge.
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Light infantry
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
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For other uses, see Light infantry (disambiguation).
Portuguese Army light infantry (caçador) of the Peninsular War
History of the light Infantry
Modern Age
Contemporary Light Infantry Forces
Today the term "light" denotes, in the United States table of organization and equipment, units lacking heavy weapons and armor or with a reduced vehicle footprint. Light infantry units lack the greater firepower, operational mobility and protection of mechanized or armored units, but possess greater tactical mobility and the ability to execute missions in severely restrictive terrain and in areas where weather makes vehicular mobility difficult.
Light infantry forces typically rely on their ability to operate under restrictive conditions, surprise, violence of action, training, stealth, field craft, and fitness levels of the individual soldiers to address their reduced lethality. Despite the usage of the term "light", forces in a light unit will normally carry heavier individual loads versus other forces; they must carry everything they require to fight, survive and win due to lack of vehicles. Although units like the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) and the 82nd Airborne Division are categorized as Air Assault Infantry and Airborne Infantry respectively, they fall under the overall concept of light infantry.
During the Falklands War in 1982, both Argentina and the United Kingdom made heavy use of light infantry and its doctrines during the campaign, most notably the Argentine 5th Naval Infantry Battalion (Argentina) and 25th Infantry Regiment (Argentina) and the British Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines of 3 Commando Brigade. Due to the rocky and mountainous terrain of the Falkland Islands, operations on the ground were only made possible with the use of light infantry because the use of mechanized infantry or armour was severely limited by of the terrain, leading to the "Yomp" across the Falklands, in which Royal Marines and Paras yomped (and tabbed) with their equipment across the islands, covering 56 miles (90 km) in three days carrying 80-pound (36 kg) loads after disembarking from ships at San Carlos on East Falkland, on 21 May 1982.
During the 1990s, the concept of purely light forces in the US military came under scrutiny due to their decreased lethality and survivability. This scrutiny has resulted in the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, a greater focus on task organized units (such as Marine Expeditionary Units) and a reduction of purely light forces.
Modern Light Infantry Units
Light Infantry in Different Countries
The 7 battalions are composed of:
• Two battalions of mechanized infantry
• Two battalions of motorized infantry
• Two battalions of light infantry
• One battalion of paratroop infantry
Main article: Jægerkorpset
Chasseurs from a light infantry regiment of Napoléon's Grande Armée
The light infantry was organised in France in the 1.
Ancient régime
The name Chasseurs à pied (light infantry) was originally used for infantry units in the French Army recruited from hunters or woodsmen. Recognized for their marksmanship and skirmishing skills, the chasseurs were comparable to the German Jäger or the British light infantry. The Chasseurs à Pied, as the marksmen of the French army, were regarded as elite light companies and regiments.[2] The first unit was Jean Chrétien Fischer's Free Hunter Company in 1743. These units were often a mix of cavalry and infantry. In 1776 all the Chasseurs units were re-organized in six battalions, each one linked to a cavalry regiment (Chasseurs à cheval). In 1788, the special link between infantry battalions and cavalry regiment was broken.
Revolution and Napoleon
In 1793, the Ancient Régime Chasseurs battalions were merged with volunteers battalions in new units called Light Infantry Half-Brigades (demi-brigades d’infanterie légère). In 1803, the half-brigades were rebranded regiment. These units had three battalions of three regular Chasseurs companies, one elite Carabiniers company and one reconnaissance voltigeurs company.
Imperial Guard
In Napoléon’s IImperial Guard, many units used names linked to light infantry :
• Chasseurs à pied regiments : three regiments (1809-1815 ; 1815-1815 ; 1815-1815). The regiments were the elite of the light infantry regiments.
• Fusilier-Chasseurs regiment : originally the first Guard Fusilier Regiment (1809-1815)
• Voltigeurs regiments : 16 regiments, originally two regiments of Tirailleurs-chasseur and two regiments of Conscrits-chasseurs (1810-1815), then twelve new regiments (1811-1815). These regiments were expected to became Chasseurs à pieds regiments.
• Flanqueurs-Chasseurs regiments : two regiments, from drafted Forest Service members (1811-1815 ; 1813-1815)
XIXth Century
Light Infantry
The Napoléon-type Light Infantry regiment existed till 1854, but with very few differences from the line infantry regiment, so the 25 remaining light infantry regiments were transformed in line infantry in 1854.
Chasseurs à pied
The Duke of Orléans, heir to the throne, created in 1838 a new light infantry unit, the Tirailleurs battalion. It soon became, under the name Chasseur à Pied, the main light infantry unit in the French Army. The number of battalions grew up steadily through the century. The current Chasseurs battalions drew their lineage form this unit.
Chasseurs alpins
Some of Chasseurs à pied battalions were converted to specialized mountain units as Bataillons de Chasseurs Alpins in 1888, as an answer to the Italian Alpine (Alpini) regiments stationed along the Alpine frontier.
Chasseurs Forestiers
The Chasseurs forestiers (Forest Huntsmen) were militarized units of the Forest Service. They were organized in companies. The Chasseurs forestiers existed between 1875 and 1924.
The Zouaves battalions and regiments were colonial troops, formed originally by Algerians, then by European settlers and colonists. The first Zouave battalion was created in 1831 and changed its recruiting to Europeans in 1841.
Tirailleurs (Skirmishers) were light infantry who formed a shallow line ahead of the line of battle during the Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars and subsequently. The name was also used for the locally recruited colonial troops in the French Empire between 1841 and 1962.
XXth Century
Chasseurs à pied
The Chasseurs à pieds evolved during the mid-XXth century into mechanized infantry units (Chasseurs mécanisés) or armored division infantry (chasseurs portés). After World War Two, all Chasseur units were organized on the mechanized infantry model.
Chasseurs alpins
The Chasseurs alpins' became the only mountain warfare units in the French Army in 1945.
Chasseurs pyrénéens
The Chasseurs pyrénéens were the short-lived (1939-1940) mountain warfare units formed in the Pyrénées.
The Chasseurs-parachutistes were airborne infantry units formed in 1943 from Air Force infantry compagnies transferred to the Army.
Zouaves and Tirailleurs'
After the independence of the countries that made up the French Colonial Empire, the Zouaves and the Tirailleurs units, save for one, were disbanded.
Modern French Army Light Infantry
Although the traditions of these different branches of the French Army are very different, there is still a tendency to confuse one with the other. For example, when World War I veteran Léon Weil died, the AFP press agency stated that he was a member of the 5th "Regiment de Chasseurs Alpins". It was in fact the 5th Bataillon.
Main article: Jäger (military)
Of the 28 Infantry regiment of the modern Indian Army, the following 10 are designated as "Rifles". They are distinguished by their black rank badges, black buttons on their service and ceremonial uniforms and also a beret which is a darker shade of green than the other regiments. Apart from these two paramilitary forces: the Assam Rifles and the Eastern Frontier Rifles, also follows the traditions of the rifle regiment.
Rajputana Rifles
Garhwal Rifles
Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
3 Gorkha Rifles
4 Gorkha Rifles
5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
8 Gorkha Rifles
9 Gorkha Rifles
11 Gorkha Rifles
Basic training ("Tironut"):
• Non-combat soldiers are trained as Rifleman 02.
• Combat-support troops are trained as Rifleman 03.
Advance training ("Imun Mitkadem"):
Additional training for combat soldiers:
• Combat class commanders are trained as Rifleman 08.
• Combat Senior Sergeants are trained as Rifleman 10.
• Combat officers are trained as Rifleman 12.
Italian Rifle units were designated Cacciatori or Bersaglieri.
The Netherlands
Main article: Caçadores
In the 1950s, the title "Caçadores" was also given to the light infantry battalions and independent companies responsible for garrisoning the Portuguese overseas territories. Colonial troops with this title were recruited from both Portuguese settlers and from the indigenous populations in each overseas territory.
In 1975, the designation "Caçadores" was discontinued in the Portuguese Armed Forces. All former units of caçadores were redesigned as "Infantry".
The Rhodesia Regiment had an affiliation with the King's Royal Rifle Corps since World War I. The regiment's badge was the Maltese Cross, the colours were red, black and rifle green and rifle green berets were worn. A private soldier had the title of "Rifleman".
• Vânători de Munte, or "Mountain Huntsmen" comprised elite units of the Romanian infantry prior to 1945.
The Imperial Russian Army, which was heavily influenced by the Prussian and Austrian military systems, included fifty Jäger or yegerskii [егерский] regiments in its organisation by 1812, including the Egersky Guards Regiment. These regiments were disbanded in 1917-18.
Spanish Riflemen were designated as Cazadores.
United Kingdom
A historical reenactment with the British 95th Rifles regiment.
The rank of Rifleman instead of Private was officially introduced in 1923.[3]
United States
In 1808, the United States Army created its first Regiment of Riflemen. During the War of 1812 three more Rifle Regiments were raised but disbanded after the war. The Rifle Regiment was disbanded in 1821.
Riflemen were listed as separate to infantry up to the American Civil War.[4]
References and notes
3. "About the Royal Green Jackets". Retrieved 6 June 2011.
Further reading
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One of the best perks of a solar system is having the ability to monitor your system’s energy production. Property owners can see in real-time the productivity on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. What makes monitoring such an important factor of a solar home or business is having the cabability to track how thesystem is generating solar power in relation to the energy that’s coming from the utility company. It’s a great tool to visualize your electricity offset between the two.
Here are some key factors you should know about solar monitoring:
1. Is monitoring included
2. When and how is it installed
3. How do I know what my system is reporting
Before you understand more about the monitoring, it’s best to learn about the various types of monitoring.
Types of Monitoring
The type of monitoring will be determined by the type of inverter that’s been installed. An inverter is much like control center; gathering data, converting the electric signal, and distributing the energy to your property’s main electric panel box. A standard string/central inverter will have monitoring capability directly inside the inverter box that’s attached by the electric box while an inverter with optimizers and microinverters provides monitoring access via internet. In this blog, I will discuss monitoring with optimizer and microinverter systems.
Monitoring Access
If you have SolarEdge with Optimizer Inverter or Enphase, access your monitoring system portal here.
1. Is Monitoring Included
As a property owner with a solar system, there’s really no reason to not have monitoring included with an installation. It goes hand-in-hand with solar. There’s no additional cost to a solar system with monitoring and will always be accessible 365/24/7.
2. When And How Is Monitoring Installed
Intergrating monitoring with the soalr system will depend on the type of inverter. For an inverter with optimizers, monitoring will be installed directly after the system has been installed on the property. Microinverter systems on the other hand are installed after the system is officially turned on by the utility. A small wireless or ethernet device will be connected to the home’s or business’s internet connection to allow the inverter to send its production data through manufacturer’s online portal to which you will have log-in account to gain access. Monitoring is accessible via desktop, tablet, and smartphone app.
3. Knowing What The Solar System is Reporting
As you monitor your solar system, it’s important to be educated on what you see. The goal is to ensure that the system’s production is at or above what was guaranteed annually. Production will vary when tracking its results. The time of year, weather, clouds, the sun’s orientation and angle in the sky do determine your production for that day. Also, shading from roofing ventilation pipes, an HVAC unit, chimney, and tree branches will fluctuate production for the panels that may be effected by such obstructions. There also may be times when no production is being reported. If the property’s internet connection has been tampered with or changed, such as being moved or unplugged after the monitoring has been installed to the system, this will reset the data connection and no production report will be available.
Nevertheless, having the support you need is most important of all. Whenever any questions arise about the system and how it’s reporting production, it’s crucial to get immediate response and assistance to bring resolve to a concern to ensure that your solar system is bringing optimal solar energy to your home or business.
We do get common questions from homeowners asking about their monitoring and what it all means. For example questions asking why they see dramatic fluctuations with their system’s production. Solar panels produce energy based on certain factors such as time of day, time of season, any shading, and temperature. Also, at times the panels may actually over produce more of wattage than they are originally designed to. Daily data may present some inaccuracies and fluctuations to the production reports so we suggest homeowners to track and manage their solar monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Because the monitoring details can be accessed only via online, the home will need an to have internet connection so the inverter can send solar data to the homeowner. If for some reason, there’s no monitoring being displayed, that means that the inverter has lost connection with the home’s internet signal. But if was to happen, it doesn’t mean your solar system is not working. The system is still functioning at a 100%, it’s the details that are not be displayed in the monitoring portal.
When such issues occur, LA Solar Group ensures that we’re on top of it and will repair or readjust setting to bring the monitoring back online. Because we guarantee production with our warranty, we understand it’s important to for homeowners to manage their solar. What we do is set a specific threshold for the production so we can make sure that the system doesn’t under produce. The failure rate for a solar system a 0.01% which is close to nothing. Failure rate for a solar panel is .022%. This is why manufactures stand behind their production and product warranties.
4. Software updates
Software updates for the inverter and gateway monitoring device are run during weekends. If you notice on your monitoring portal that the inverter is offline over the weekend it is most likely due to the software update. The system will be back online by Monday and if it is not or if the monitoring system is offline for more than 72 hours please make a service ticket request on our website. Communication issues with the inverter and monitoring system usually resolve themselves. | <urn:uuid:e0f7705c-036c-45a8-867c-24a6c96c14fa> | 2 | 2.234375 | 0.046552 | en | 0.930765 | https://la-solargroup.com/blog/2017/03/15/quick-tips-on-monitoring-your-solar-system/ |
Always Providing You With Ongoing Information
Posts tagged ‘Tor’
New Firefox Exploit Can Expose Tor Users
The exploit was delivered through a Tor mailing list that when opened could unveil the MAC address and possibly even the IP address of a user running Tor Browser on Firefox. Researcher Joshua Yabut said it is “100 percent effective for remote code execution on Windows systems, versions 41 to 50 of Firefox are reportedly affected.”
A representative of Mozilla said officials are aware of the vulnerability and are working on a fix. While the vulnerability was already being actively exploited, the publication of the complete source code now puts it in the hands of a much wider base of people. Until a patch is available, Firefox users should use an alternate browser whenever possible, or disable JavaScript on as many sites as possible. People should avoid relying on Tor in cases where deanonymizing attacks could pose a significant threat. Tor users can also disable JavaScript, but turning it off goes against the official Tor recommendations.
Turkish Internet Users Running To Tor
Turkish internet users are flocking to Tor, the anonymizing and censorship-circumvention tool, after Turkey’s government block Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
Usage of Tor inside of Turkey went up from around 18,000 users to 25,000 users on Friday, when the government started blocking the popular social media networks, according to Tor’s official metrics. The Turkish information technologies and communications authority, or BTK, ordered internet providers in the country to block Tor and several other censorship-circumvention Virtual Private Networks or VPNs, such as VPN Master, Hotspot Shield
A Warrant For A Tor User?
The past few months, judges, defense lawyers, and the government have been fighting over whether obtaining a Tor user’s real IP address, perhaps through hacking, counts as a search under the Fourth Amendment. The debate has serious consequences for whether law enforcement requires a warrant to break into a suspect’s computer, even if it’s only to learn the target’s IP address. US District Court Judge Robert W Pratt argued that when the FBI hacked suspected Playpen users and grabbed their IP addresses, that constituted a search.
He stated “If a defendant writes his IP address on a piece of paper and places it in a drawer in his home, there would be no question that law enforcement would need a warrant to access that piece of paper—even accepting that the defendant had no reasonable expectation of privacy in the IP address itself,” Pratt writes in his order. Judges are divided over whether obtaining the IP addresses in this way constitutes a search, and whether Tor users have a reasonable expectation of privacy around their real IP address.
Riffle- More Secure Anonymity Than TOR
Tor — has prompted computer scientists to try to come up with more secure anonymity schemes. At the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium in July, researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne will present a new anonymity scheme that provides strong security guarantees but uses bandwidth much more efficiently than its predecessors.
The system is devised by Albert Kwon and his coauthors — his advisor, Srini Devadas, the Edwin Sibley Webster Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT; David Lazar, also a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science; and Bryan Ford SM ’02 PhD ’08, an associate professor of computer and communication sciences at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne — employs several existing cryptographic techniques but combines them in a novel manner.
The system is a series of servers called a mixnet. Each server permutes the order in which it receives messages before passing them on to the next. If, for instance, messages from senders Alice, Bob, and Carol reach the first server in the order A, B, C, that server would send them to the second server in a different order — say, C, B, A. The second server would permute them before sending them to the third, and so on. An adversary that had tracked the messages’ points of origin would have no idea which was which by the time they exited the last server. It’s this reshuffling of the messages that gives the new system its name: Riffle. Riffle also uses a technique known as onion encryption; “Tor,” for instance, is an acronym for “the onion router.” With onion encryption, the sending computer wraps each message in several layers of encryption, using a public-key encryption system like those that safeguard most financial transactions online. Each server in the mixnet removes only one layer of encryption, so that only the last server knows a message’s ultimate destination.
To thwart message tampering, Riffle uses a technique called a verifiable shuffle. Because of the onion encryption, the messages that each server forwards look nothing like the ones it receives; it has peeled off a layer of encryption. But the encryption can be done in such a way that the server can generate a mathematical proof that the messages it sends are valid manipulations of the ones it receives. Mixnets has been around for awhile, but unfortunately it’s always relied on public-key cryptography and on public-key techniques, and has been expensive. Whats different about this research is that it reveals how to use more efficient symmetric-key techniques to accomplish the same thing. They do one expensive shuffle using known protocols, but then they bootstrap off of that to enable many subsequent shufflings.
There’s no plan to commercialize Riffle, either, nor will it be a replacement for Tor, even though it does some things vastly better.
Tiny New Hampshire Library Fights Government Surveillence
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A tiny library in New Hampshire promotes privacy and fights government surveillance—to the dismay of law enforcement.
The Kilton Public Library in Lebanon NH, a city of 13,000, last year became the nation’s first library to use Tor, software that masks the location and identity of internet users, in a pilot project initiated by the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Library Freedom Project. Users the world can have their searches randomly routed through the library.
Computers that have Tor loaded on them bounce internet searches through a random pathway, or series of relays, of other computers equipped with Tor. This network of virtual tunnels masks the location and internet protocol address of the person doing the search.
What makes the Kilton Public Library unique among other U.S. libraries, it also has a computer with a Tor exit relay, which delivers the internet query to the destination site and becomes identified as the last-known source of the query.
Founder & Director of the Library Freedom Project, said her organization chose Kilton for its pilot project because it had embraced other privacy-enhancing software the project recommended and because she knew the library had the know-how take it to the complicated exit-relay stage.
What can Tor Do?
The Tor Project is funded largely by the U.S. State Department and other federal agencies, yet the Department of Homeland Security rejects the idea of its use by civilians because it can be used to mask criminal activity.
Local police, at the behest of Homeland Security’s Boston bureau, asked the Kilton library last July to stop using Tor. Its use was suspended until the library board voted unanimously at a standing-room-only meeting in September to maintain the Tor relay.
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Music, Arts & Culture » Music
School for Soul
Numero Group's 'database of weirdness' now includes kids' songs
There is no record label in the country today reissuing decades-old soul recordings with more avidity, frequency and sense for archaeology than the Numero Group, an academic and semi-mysterious company possessing the secret added ingredient of impeccable taste. While soul and funk reissue labels have flourished since the turn of the millennium, many of them, particularly of the highly elastic "heavy funk" or "northern soul" persuasion, are perfect examples of curators who confuse mediocrity with authenticity. The Numero Group got off on a similar foot, focusing on arcane recordings from the Capsoul and Bandit labels, which at best were historical facsimiles (the sounds of copied sounds) and at worst, painful to listen to (poorly recorded a cappella tracks).
But then the Numero Group took a vacation to Belize, which most Americans know as a trendy and inexpensive getaway offering empty beaches, scuba diving and, if you know where to look, cheap blow. Who could have guessed that there was such a rich musical legacy down there? The unearthed music from Belize City Boil Up, released early this year, runs the gamut, covering funk, soul, reggae, calypso and highlife, all with a hard-to-define Belizean twist that is as peculiar as it is intoxicating.
Next came the label's foray to the Bahamas, which produced the incredible Grand Bahama Goombay, the gold star of the label's work so far. Outputted from a single studio on the island, the tracks envelop everything attractive about music: rhythm, politics, love, sex and poetry, all done in such an innocent, unaffected fashion that you almost feel guilty listening to it, like traipsing uninvited into a private party. But by providing extensive liner notes and reproduced cover art from the original Bahaman albums, the Numero Group essentially shoves the invitation into your hands.
The latest addition to the label's catalogue is Home Schooled: The Sound of Kid Soul, which revisits American shores by spotlighting the attempts of grade-school children to capitalize on the Jackson 5's 1970 breakthrough success. Most of these recordings were masterminded by overzealous parents, but it's clear that the kids of Home Schooled are the ones in charge. The songs are largely sweet and unrefined, as in the particular case of the sublime and otherworldly "Time After Time" by a group of forgotten Milwaukee brothers called Step by Step, though other tracks flirt with youth empowerment, like the leadoff track "Trust Your Child" and the campy "Now That School Is Through" by a group called Cindy and the Playmates.
How did all of this great music come to suddenly see the light of day with proper licensing, royalties and historical perspective? Ken Shipley, head of the Numero Group, credits the curiosity of his small group of record-collector friends, who for purely personal reasons had taken to tracking down the original artists of obscure 45s that they had collectively discovered, pored over and fallen in love with. "I figured that as long as we're finding these people," Shipley says from his Chicago office, "why don't we document what we're doing?"
Part hoarder, part musicologist, part detective, Shipley as a child collected baseball cards and comic books and, more obsessively, G.I. Joes and Transformers (he still boasts owning complete sets of both). Coming of age in the early '90s San Jose punk scene, he started collecting records, booking shows and running a small indie label, all by the age of 18.
Around 10 years ago, Shipley discovered soul music, particularly of the unknown, thrift-store, what-the-hell-is-this variety, and after a stint at reissue label Rykodisc, he finally launched his dream label in Chicago. Right next to the Jackson 5's hometown of Gary, Ind., there's possibly no better city in which to compile the kid-group sounds of Home Schooled.
"The Jackson 5 actually set off something pretty important," Shipley emphasizes. "When you think about the Jackson 5, you think, 'OK, there might have been a couple other groups, like the Osmonds.' But you don't realize that hundreds and hundreds of groups were set off! People were really trying to ride this phenomenon."
The obstacles involved in finding now-grown singers on records made 30 years ago are myriad. The children of famed organist Merl Saunders, who contribute to Home Schooled a psychedelic, black-power jam in "Right On," were relatively easy to locate. But the adults often retained the rights, and in some cases, like the Three Simmons' playfully innocent "You Are My Dream (School Time)," the copyright holders turned out to be drug-smuggling criminals using record production as a tax shelter.
"Here's the real rub with the record: we were only able to find half the actual kids," Shipley says. "Like the Atons, for instance—nobody knows who that group is. Nobody knows who the Triads are. But these producers, they were just pumping kid groups out. They were like, 'You got some kids? All right, let's throw these three kids in the studio and see what happens.'"
Another problem Shipley faced was the Embarrassing Childhood Photos factor. The Eight Minutes' Wendell Sudduth was easy to find—he still lives in Chicago—but nearly impossible to convince that reissuing his group's killer track "Here's Some Dances" was a good idea. "A lot of this stuff, it isn't a positive note for most people," Shipley admits. "When they think about this stuff, they don't think, 'This is exactly how I want to be viewed in my life.'"
The Numero Group makes deluxe packaging, especially for vinyl releases, which always include extra tracks, heavy gatefolds, inner sleeves and full-color illustrated liner notes. There's a cohesion of style in the label's design, inspired by the matching spines of Impulse Records and Jim Thompson's crime books, and a variety of projects on deck for the future (this year's Ladies of the Canyon explores unknown female singers from the era of Joni Mitchell's Blue, which Shipley cites as his favorite album).
But the biggest task, always at hand, is the musical detective work, the Indiana Jones&–like passion for discovery. Shipley knows that even the tiniest clues from seemingly insignificant people can lead to goldmines, like the box of original tapes from long-lost soul singer Helene Smith that he listens to in the background during our interview, which he recently rescued from someone's ex-wife's basement in Miami, or the singers in the Bahamas who opened the nooks and crannies of their archives and shared every minute detail of their lives with him for Grand Bahama Goombay.
"If you keep cataloguing it and cataloguing it," Shipley says, referring to his reams of notes and boxes of old photos, "you get a real database of weirdness."
Add a comment | <urn:uuid:91354232-8457-495c-ab13-64a42ca0c8f3> | 2 | 1.539063 | 0.01859 | en | 0.964522 | https://m.bohemian.com/northbay/school-for-soul/Content?oid=2171710 |
Falling Into The Digital Black Hole With #de_VICE
In this day and age, social skills are not to be taken for granted. And when I say "social skills" I mean live, person-to-person interaction that requires actual eye contact and communication that happens more than 140 characters at a time and does not involve emotocons.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when I see people falling into the digital black hole. It's not an infrequent occurrence, you find it every time you see people seated at a table—their eyes glazed over and their noses pressed to their smartphone screens—completely ignoring the other people around them. You see it when someone is so busy mucking around on their phone as they walk down the street that they keep nearly walking into people. It happens every time someone interrupts a conversation because they want to check out something on Twitter. It's seen whenever someone is so busy yapping away as they wait in line or even stand at a counter that complete strangers know way, way too much about their love lives and they can't even do what they came in for. Basically they are all examples of people letting everyone else know they are not as important or valued as whatever is happening on their glowing screens.
Apparently, I'm not alone on my soapbox.
Atlanta-based photographer Zack Arias has come up with his #de_VICE series—a collection of images illustrating our culture's obsession with everything digital. Check out a selection of the series at CNN.com. | <urn:uuid:64a69077-5bf8-43be-b354-0fb0a017698c> | 2 | 1.53125 | 0.800227 | en | 0.970011 | https://m.boiseweekly.com/Cobweb/archives/2012/02/29/falling-into-the-digital-black-hole-with-de_vice |
Teeth grinding and snoring
Teeth grinding and Snoring
I am amazed at how many people grind their teeth and are recommended to use mouth guards at night. That’s not my idea of a sexy evening!
Now, it could be there is a problem with teeth alignment and a guard is needed, fair enough. On the other hand stress plays a big part in this. Tension in the body is commonly stored in shoulders, neck and jaw. When jaw muscles tighten up they clamp your teeth and the behaviour of grinding starts. Teeth grinding can lead to worn and broken teeth, aching, clicky and even broken jaws, and certainly to huge dental bills.
How do you know you grind your teeth? Well, some people don’t know until their dentist tells them their teeth are worn. Others are heard by their partners, while others have sore and aching jaws the next day. Some people clamp and grind during the day. Many, many people do it.
There are all sorts of treatments, including mouth guards. Some people get regular botox to release the tension in the muscles, others take tablets, plug their noses, and I am sure there are plenty of old wives tales and interesting things on pharmacy shelves.
If you grind here is something to consider immediately. What is going on in your life? Is there, or has there been, something you are angry or frustrated about? Are you worried? Uncertain work, money and relationship problems can be creating tension in your jaw. You may be completely unaware why. It is wise to come and get it checked out and healed before spending any sums on treatment that may be only a patch.
Those coming to see me to release jaw tension start with hypnotherapy to relax the muscles, a habit change which makes them aware of when they grind so they immediately loosen up, whether asleep or awake. The next session is an EFT tapping session looking for stress and releasing it. Should there be a deeper causal issue this will be addressed next, and the last session consolidates all.
There is a real sense of letting go, a real relief, resulting from this process. No more grinding. In fact, lots of other muscles relaxed at the same time. Perhaps quite a saving on dental procedures.
Snoring is an interesting one. Many people snore and don’t realise it. Their partners, though, are quite aware of it and get fed up having to put up with the noise. Some even move to another bed.
Everyone has the right to sleep properly so we need to get the snorers being more aware of when they start and turning themselves over, breathing better, losing weight stopping smoking, or going easier on the alcohol. Yes, all these things influence snoring. Send them along for some help, it will make all the difference to them and benefit the whole family.
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Thursday, February 27, 2014
the Junians
Monday, February 17, 2014
the Athomians
Athomian lives are rigidly dictated by social status, measured by both strength and artistic talent. Athomians are presumed to be descended from the Noblei, as their clans migrated north along with the Junians and the Eldragoths. Their society spread further north following the last Turning. Forced to compete with the Beastmen of the northern hills and plains, they have become fiercely barbaric and truly anarchic.
Athomians do not have a traditional family structure, nor do they perform weddings. When Athomians have children they form families that last only until the child, or children, are capable of taking care of themselves. However, they are not as divided as outsiders believe them to be, there is little to no rivalry between clans. Conflicts are always resolved by individual warriors, and clan members respect the outcome of the battle or contest.
Athomians are rarely encountered as single individuals. Outcasts from the Athomian clans are scarred or branded in some way so that other Athomians will know them and reject them as well. The most important thing to an Athomian is their place in the clan. To be cast out is to be dead in the eyes of their goddess, because of this many outcasts would rather commit suicide than try to integrate into other cultures.
Athomians value both skill with a weapon and artistic ability. The leader of a clan is often both the best fighter and the one who spends most of their time working a trade for the benefit or glory of the clan. Athomians have perfected the art of swordfighting, as well as swordmaking. Their intricate but sturdy weapons are highly prized and sought after. Disputes that are not settled by dueling are resolved by a comparison of talent by the two opponents, this usually entails both parties forging a sword and allowing other members of the clan to inspect them, but it can also involve skills as decorative as embroidery or as practical as woodworking.
An Athomian always keeps their personal equipment immaculately clean and weapons are kept perfectly maintained and oiled. Athomians prefer to wear vivid colors that many consider unpleasant, such as vibrant orange, bright green, and deep purple. They will also tattoo their entire bodies in these colors. Paradoxically, their grooming habits are awful and their focus on outward appearance means they are actually very dirty and unkempt, and many jokes have been made about how their awful color coordination cannot mask their awful body odor. Athomians do not prize bodily hygiene as much as their fashion sense or a perfectly balanced blade.
Every clan worships the same vicious and secretive goddess. Her name is never revealed to outsiders, and she grants power to a very select few. Sacrifices to her are common among all Athomian clans. The formal rituals and ceremonies performed in her esoteric name last for hours and sometimes climax in a brutal death, of a member of the clan if an outsider hasn't been acquired.
Friday, February 14, 2014
the Eldragoths
The Eldragoths represent a competitive culture that exalted fighting, but they have turned their savagery inward and suffered as a result. The Eldragoths are the poorest of the five major human cultures, and also the most savage. Their society spread to the far north following the last Turning, and rather than compete with Athomians and Beastmen for resources they fell into raiding and pillaging most of the settlements they encountered.
The Eldragoths are a divided people, clustered together into nomadic tribes that will hunt game in one area until the population withers, then forced to move on to more populous lands. Whole tribes frequently compete with other Eldragoth tribes for the best resources. A single Eldragoth, either an outcast or one who was dislodged from a role of command, will often fight as a mercenary for other races. The most important thing to an Eldragoth is food, and if fighting for gold or silver brings them food than that is what they do, even though they disdain the use of money as a sign of weakness.
Might makes right in their eyes, and the leader is always the strongest of the tribe. He or she may take whatever they like from the weaker members of the tribe, including life and property. All forms of disputes, as mundane as personal grudges or as inevitable as challenges to leadership, are settled by contests of physical strength - usually fights - and serious grievances involve bloody and prolonged fistfights that don't end until an opponent is bludgeoned to death.
Eldragoths always prefer to fight with their fists and they disdain large weaponry, an Eldragoth will never use a weapon to kill another Eldragoth, even in a tribal conflict. But outsiders should always be wary as Eldragoths have no disdain for picking up knives or bows to slay outsiders. An Eldragoth with a knife is a foe to be feared!
Anyone who is unable to fight or hunt is considered useless and will become an outcast. One who fights and loses is not considered dishonorable, but just of a lower station than one who wins. The children of these Eldragoth tribes learn how to fight at an early age, or they die. A few tribes will abandon their weaker children, these few usually become slaves to other tribes, or in worse cases become victims of the Beastmen.
No single tribe worships a god or pantheon of deities, but each seems to have their own form of religion revolving around the worship of nature spirits. These spirits often have elaborate names that are never pronounced the same way twice. The spirits across various tribes all have one thing in common, they respond to blood. The greater the sacrifice of blood, the greater the boon.
Eldragoths have spread out farther from the northern plains, and have not localized to one area for at least 140 years. Some tribes are spotted as far west as the Black Plateau. They hunt anything with meat on it, and it is an acknowledged fact that a few tribes have turned to cannibalism, willing to hunt other humans or dwarves when food is scarce. They don't ever seem to eat each other, just as they don't kill each other. An important facet of Eldragoth culture that must be remembered by anybody who wishes to hire one as a bodyguard or soldier.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
promoting kickstarters for a change
I usually only post about kickstarters when I'm complaining about their tardiness. I've grown really selective with what I invest my money into, and recently a few projects have come up that are really cool and I want to see them succeed.
LotFP Free RPG Day 2014
(left image is the cover for Doom Cave of the Crystal-Headed Children, art by Gennifer Bone; right image is the cover for World of the Lost by Rafael Chandler, art by Malcolm McClinton)
He's cutting it close to the wire to release for Free RPG Day this year, but I could see James Raggi doing a funding project like this every year now. I'm expecting the next project he throws up might be a "LotFP Free RPG Day 2015" project, and I would back that one too because I've only ever been disappointed by one of Raggi's projects (and it's one I never hear people talking about). This project is particularly interesting because it's set up to put some responsibility into the hands of the donor, you have to email James to tell him what rewards you want. One of the rewards is an adventure written by Rafael Chandler and the only way it will ever be published is through this campaign!
The Islands of Purple-Haunted Putrescence (an OSR module)
(art by Faustie)
A modest little kickstarter campaign from an accomplished self-publisher and a gamer in my neck of the woods. Seriously, he lives about 5 minutes away from me. He and I have the same haunts though we've never played a game together. I'd like to see him succeed both because he's a local and judging from his work we have similar tastes. I'm not sure where he comes up with his titles but I wish I had that same level of crazy creativity.
Darkest Dungeon
I think anybody who is an OSR gamer will want to take a look at this one even though it's a video game. I've been on their mailing list for a couple of months now and I knew this kickstarter campaign was coming. After one day of being live they're already very close to funding, because it's a video game I expect feature creep to potentially be an issue but this is one game that I would love to see hit some stretch goals.
And that's it. Go forth and spend some of your money to help make these projects happen and get cool games in return!
Friday, February 7, 2014
monster: the Quilid
the Quilid
This long furry, serpentine creature has thick, sharp spines all along it's segmented body. It has short legs ending in suction-cups along every part of it's body allowing it to crawl along walls and ceiling. It is constantly hungry and attacks by trying to devour the nearest, most magical target. It seems to crave a spellcaster's flesh!
Initiative: +3
Attack: +6
Bite (2d8+poison, save or stunned for 1 round)
Armor Class: 14 (ascending)
HD 6d6 (hp 24)
MV 80' (wall-crawling)
Save Fort +2 Ref -1 Will -1
Morale: nil
Special: attackers must Reflex save or get poked with spines taking 2d4-1 damage
Tactics: always attacks person with most magical items, failing that attacks spellcasters, wizards before clerics
monster: the Orsect
the Orsect
Alien insectile humanoids, they are sometimes found in nests where they number in the hundreds. They are larger than the average human at full maturity, but their torso is fragile and spindly. Their muscles are thin and lithe. Orsects have underdeveloped retractable wings that lie under a carapace, they can glide short distances and even hover momentarily, but the wings are too frail to support their size for long. Orsects can crawl along walls and ceilings, and their faces have large venomous fangs reminiscent of a spider's cephalothorax. Their chitinous skin often has stocks of black or brown hair sticking out between the plates.
Initiative: +1
Attack: +1
Claw x2 (1d6+1) or Bite (1d6; save vs poison/Fort, 1d6 damage over next 2 rounds)
Armor Class: 13 (ascending)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (hp 4)
Move: 30' (wall-crawling) / 60' (flight, once per four rounds)
Saves: Fort +0 Ref +2 Will -1
Morale: 8
Tactics: attacks smallest/weakest PC first
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Bargaining, or The Partial Success
My favorite part of the Apocalypse World rules is the partial success. The feature of the partial success is most illustrative with the "acting under fire" move. "Acting under fire" is trying to do something that requires unusual discipline or concentration or with reserves of willpower or under threat of violence or something like that. AW hacks have reinterpreted this move as "Defy Danger" "Act Under Pressure" "Strive Against Peril" etc. When you "act under fire" and you get the partial success, it specifically states that the MC (the GM) might offer you a worse outcome, an ugly choice or a hard bargain. The rulebook implies that the MC should pick one and offer it as the result, but during play this usually comes down to more than one option offered to the player who then chooses which result occurs.
Worse Outcome. Ugly Choice. Hard Bargain. It sounds like three things, but it's actually four. Let me give you a few examples to illustrate this:
We're going to follow Cyril for a bit. He's a bit of an untalented goon with no real skills to speak of, but he's got a knack for being in the right place at the right time and he's got a tongue that's as sharp as a cleaver. One big thing he has going for himself is that he's a Hocus, so he's got his own personal cult of about 15 devotees who worship him, hang on his every word, and follow him around like lost puppy dogs.
A biker gang is moving through the town where Cyril preaches to his flock and before they leave town they've decided to have a little fun. The gang's leader is trying to lasso Cyril with an old plastic rope that looks hand woven. When Cyril tries to escape he's acting under fire and rolls a 9. The MC can offer...
• a worse outcome: Cyril will take 4 harm as he runs into another biker and gets knocked down to the ground, unconscious, but he will get left alone afterward as the gang laughs their asses off in the assumption that he got accidentally killed.
• an ugly choice: Cyril will dive through a window, taking 2 harm, and escape through the back of the building losing sight of the gang and his followers, or get away down an alleyway but drop something important/valuable, like the wrought iron staff that he uses to focus his followers' attention during his sermons.
• a hard bargain: Cyril will get away, but his loyal followers will definitely not avoid the gang's attention.
Cyril takes the hard bargain and gets away, his followers are not so lucky. The MC gauges from the gang's size (small) and harm (3) that Cyril will lose 4 of his followers to the gang, 2 of them are killed and 2 of them are kidnapped.
The gang makes camp in a grassy ravine near town and Cyril, upon learning that 2 of his flock have been kidnapped, decides to sneak into their camp to liberate them. The closest thing to a sneak move in Apocalypse World is acting under fire so that's what Cyril is doing, and he rolls a 9 again. The MC offers...
• a worse outcome: Cyril is caught and captured, but not harmed, by the gang.
• an ugly choice: Cyril was followed by some of his enthusiastic cultists and they get caught but the distraction will allow him to sneak in undetected, or Cyril is spotted by the camp lookout and gets shot, taking 3 harm, but his enthusiastic followers make it into the camp from his distraction.
• a hard bargain: Cyril sneaks in, but his kidnapped followers have been tortured and killed and there's nothing he can do for them now.
Cyril takes the ugly choice this time and tells the MC that his enthusiastic followers get caught. The MC declares them dead, but Cyril is in the camp and his other followers who were kidnapped are there, and relatively unharmed.
The MC declares that the whole gang's encampment is now on high alert, it's going to be pretty tough sneaking out of here so Cyril is going to need to do something tricky to get his kidnapped followers to safety. Cyril is now keenly aware that 4 of his people got killed today and he might get 2 more killed, he's resolved not to let anybody else from his cult die. Cyril frees his followers and instructs them to get out of the camp and back home while he creates a distraction. Cyril runs out of hiding straight for the gang leader with his staff, and declares he wants to use the focusing power of the staff to heel the leader of the gang to Cyril's will. The MC decides that this isn't a manipulation and it doesn't fall under Cyril's normal use of his Hocus powers, she declares that this is another use of acting under fire but Cyril is being inventive and taking a huge risk, she lets him roll his best stat this time, but he still rolls a 9. The MC offers...
• a worse outcome: Cyril is shot, point-blank, by the gang's leader. 5-harm. His followers will get away clean.
• an ugly choice: He creates enough of a distraction that his followers get away, but they've been seen fleeing and he's captured, or he has the full attention of the gang leader but his followers won't leave without him and all eyes in the camp are on Cyril right now.
• a hard bargain: Cyril has the gang's leader under his command, but that doesn't sway the rest of the gang at all.
Regardless of where you're sitting at the table, this is my favorite mechanic. As a player it gives you a brief moment of control, like rolling with a punch or flipping between two choices in a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. As an MC, it offers a challenging moment of looking at ugly/hard/worse options and offering them up as a meal. It is really hard to pull off well as a MC, since a partial success is still fundamentally a success, but I believe that mastering this on-the-spot thinking is what can make or break GMing properly.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Apocalypse World of Darkness (brainstorming)
Apocalypse World, from now on AW. World of Darkness, from now on WoD
AW has playbooks, WoD has splats; I'm ambivalent about both but recognize the value for players to have easy choices
AW has 5 stats and a plethora of moves, WoD has 9 attributes and 21 skills; I like a simple system, so let's keep WoD's attributes but get rid of the skills
AW has countdown clocks, WoD has dots and points; I like dots and points
AW rolls 2d6, WoD rolls pools of d10s; I like pools of dice, but let's use d6s because this isn't WoD, this is AWoD
AW has complications and partial successes, WoD has exceptional successes and dramatic failures; I like complications and varying levels of success
Trying to fuse the Apocalypse World moves dynamic with the standard World of Darkness stat blocks: Everything is kept the same, roll dice pools and only count the highest number on any rolled dice.
Any result of '5' or higher can be used as a success for the roll.
All dice rolling at 4 or less means the GM can make a hard move, or mark a hard move for use later.
A dice that comes up a '6' allows you to roll another dice.
I'm not sure how the math would work out. Combat and damage would have to be tweaked slightly anyway. For now, let's see how it works.
From the WoD core rulebook: Perception
Dice Pool:
Wits + Composure
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure:
Your character notices something strange or out of place, but it’s not what has actually occurred, or he makes a dangerous assumption about the event. A picture hanging at an odd angle indicates that someone has moved it, but your character assumes that a door has been slammed, shifting the piece of art.
Failure: Your character notices nothing amiss or out of place.
Success: Your character recognizes that something has happened.
Exceptional Success: Your character not only recognizes when something unusual or quick happens nearby, he sees it all happen and gets a good look. Or he notices a variety of things that are amiss in his surroundings, just by entering the room.
My interpretation: Perception when you roll Wits+Composure, spend successes to ask questions.
• what does this mean?
• what happened here recently?
• what is about to happen?
• what here is not what it appears to be?
• what here is useful or valuable to me?
• what is this?
• where’s my best escape route / way in / way past?
• which enemy is most vulnerable to me?
• which enemy is the biggest threat?
• who’s in control here?
• is __ telling the truth?
• what does __ intend to do?
• what does __ wish I’d do?
• what’s __ really feeling?
I think that works but I'm not sure how partial successes would work out, because that's my favorite thing about AW. I'd be curious to figure out how combat would work, but that would require more work and I have to shelve this idea for now. I want to get back to working on... a few other things. I've got two D&D scenarios I'm writing, two maps I'm drawing, a new playbook for AW, rules for Fantasy Heartfucker or whatever I'm going to call it. I've got too many projects that I keep working on a little bit at a time, I need to focus on one and finish it sometime soon. | <urn:uuid:077c049d-04d4-44c1-9a39-5b2b76636069> | 2 | 1.976563 | 0.053573 | en | 0.974481 | https://nerdwerds.blogspot.com/2014/02/ |
Workers’ Compensation: Benefits The Employer Or Employee?
Daniel Stahl was working as a nurse for Hialeah hospital in 2003, just a few months after the state made changes to its workers’ compensation system. During one of his workdays, Stahl lifted a patient and ended up injuring his back from the movement. In October of 2005, his treating physician found he had reached his maximum medical improvement (MMI) and assigned him to a 6 percent impairment rating. At this point, he was entitled to impairment income benefits stretching 12 weeks and compensated for $5,472. He was eventually left with a permanent impairment and was restricted from lifting heavy weights—eventually ending his career. Still, it was later determined that Stahl did not meet the definition of permanent total disability (PTD) and his claim for PTD benefits was denied. He was then forced to pick up a teaching position at a nursing school.
Background Information
According to the Insurance Journal, “In his petition to the court, Stahl claims that the benefits available to him, and all injured employees since October 1, 2003 when state’s workers’ comp reforms went into effect are “inadequate and therefore cannot be the exclusive remedy for on the job injuries.” The court documents filed say the state’s workers’ comp law, as it is today violates the U.S. Constitution. The plaintiffs also argue that the Florida legislature has eliminate injured employees’ right to sue and the availability of partial disabilities benefits without providing an adequate replacement. The suit also takes issue with the addition of a copay for medical visits after a claimant reaches their MMI.”[1]
As such, the petitioners help to argue what many worker’s comp advocacy groups have been stressing since the implementation of changes. To advocates, Florida’s lawmakers have disregarded worker’s rights in several instances, including retracting the right to withdraw from the system in 1970, reducing the temporary disability benefits limit to 104 weeks in 1993 and approving the 2003 amendment removing benefits for partial disability. Before such measures, temporary total disability benefits were limited to 350 weeks, while temporary permanent disability benefits were not to exceed five years [2].
Having to play into the worker’s comp system means that employees must give up their right to sue their employers for negligently inflicted injures in exchange for all over coverage. While this is the essence of workers’ comp–American workers used to rely on that compact in exchange for if/when they were to be injured on the job, their employers would pay for their medical bills and enough of their wages to help them get by while they recovered. Where other states allow the employees to opt out, in Florida, employees are getting the raw end of the deal; they have no choice but to suffer through the possibility of being denied coverage. As proof of this denial, ProPublica described in their article that they found, “Florida has cut benefits to its most severely disabled workers by 65 percent since 1994.”
They also found that, “Many states have not only shrunk the payments to injured workers, they’ve also cut them off after an arbitrary time limit—even if workers haven’t recovered.” What makes all of this worse is that there has been no federal government involvement after they stopped monitoring state workers’ comp laws more than a decade ago.
How does Florida’s Workers’ Comp Work Against You
In several ways, the laws that govern Florida’s workers’ compensation process works against the employee, rather than the employer or insurance company.
• The law limits the amount of times you can receive worker’s comp payments. As described in the situation with Stahl, the system is built to get people back to work as soon as possible, sometimes overlooking proper treatment in favor of paying out lower amounts. As such, once doctors release you back to work, the insurance company does not have to keep issuing workers’ comp reimbursements to the injured employee, forcing an employee to go back to work, even when they aren’t 100% recovered.
• The insurance company picks the doctor. Knowing that the doctor’s diagnosis is critical to the amount of benefits you receive, insurance companies vet out doctors that end up restricting benefits by giving the insurance company a diagnoses that allows them to deny coverage. The process of going to the doctor is to prove that you have suffered a work-related injury and to recommend a treatment plan, but if the doctor is employer-friendly, they may not offer up the best solution; they would rather offer up the option with minimal impact for insurance companies to pay out. By doing so, they may gloss over an underlying problem so that you get back to work before you really should.
• There is no protection of your job. As the last two issues have stated how the program ensures that some employees will go back to work without fully being recovered, another issue is that there is no guarantee that your job is still there. Employers do not have to hold open the job for you for when you are able to return to work.
• It’s challenging to validate disability. The insurance company is concerned with limiting liability and payouts to inured employees. To achieve those objectives, they will often deny benefits if the injured employee is able to perform any other job. That means that if you are injured to the point where you cannot perform your usual job, but there is another job you can perform, you could be denied benefits. Even if this job pays substantially less than your previous job, it doesn’t matter. As long as you are working, the insurance company does not have to fill the gap [3].
Dolman Law Group
Laws also make it tough for workers’ compensation attorneys to get paid. Lawyers are not paid directly by the clients they represent; rather they are paid either by the employer through a payout from the insurance company or directly by the insurance company. Other times, attorneys aren’t paid until the case is settled, which could take a long time. These restrictive and employer-friendly laws and policies make it even more imperative to consult an experienced workers’ compensation attorney in Clearwater.
If you or a love one has sustained an injury while working, it is important to speak with a workers’ compensation attorney to discuss your rights and legal remedies. The worker’s compensation carrier may provide some reason for denying your benefits that sounds legitimate or follow along with the discrepancies mentioned in this post. It’s often a difficult and challenging time, thus, it is crucial to get the proper representation. This is our job. The attorneys at Dolman Law Group have extensive experience in handling workers’ comp benefits and insurance carriers/ employers. Let us help you get what you deserve today. Contact us at (727) 853-6275 for a free consultation.
Dolman Law Group
5435 Main Street
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 853-6275 | <urn:uuid:9f7587a9-8749-4ecc-ac7b-211b9211e123> | 2 | 1.921875 | 0.030992 | en | 0.97733 | https://newportricheyinjury.wordpress.com/2016/02/12/workers-compensation-benefits-the-employer-or-employee/ |
Creating Windows With Ruby Tk
A GUI application may consist of the following types of objects:
• Widgets – basic GUI objects that can be put directly in the window. Most of them generate events as a response to user actions. A label is a widget, too, but, usually does not generate events.
• Shapes – lines, arcs, circles, polygons and other that belong on a canvas.
• Timers – threads that perform an action the number of times specified and sleep for the specified duration. From the definition “thread” you can understand that they run in parallel.
The simplest Ruby Tk program is:
require 'tk'
This program displays the following window:
This is the default window. It is displayed on the screen when the line ‘Tk.mainloop’ is performed. Until this window is closed, no commands that are not responses to events will be executed.
“Programing Ruby – The Pragmatic Programmers Guide” suggests that you look at Perl/Tk guides to learn how to use Tk. A good place to look for Perl’s objects and their methods is Active Perl. I’m not going to write here the complete guide to Ruby Tk, but I hope the following chapters will help you understand how it works.
To be continued.
When you write for the web, you may want to send data to another server or to a client. A common way to transfer that data is in XML format. The data will then be processed using SAX, DOM or XPath. Every language support it.
If what you want is to define a variable, an object or an array in Javascript, you can use the JSON extension. JSON is an acronym for ‘Java Script Object Notation’. In Javascript you can use it as follows:
var myObject=<?php echo json_encode($php_object); >;
Here no parsers are required.
Here’s an example of using it in PHP:
class my_class {
public $prop1;
public $prop2;
function __construct(){
$obj=new my_class();
echo json_encode($obj);
The output looks like:
In addition to encoding, a JSON string can be decoded into an object in a language other than Javascript. Thus, you can pass data in the JSON format to any program supporting JSON, and, as you can see in, most languages used today support it.
The ability to encode varibles into JSON and decode it back in any language is not the only reason why JSON can replace XML. If you go to, you can see links in the bottom referring to other sites. For example, JSONPath, that allows you to access a member just like XPath. JSONPath is available in PHP and Javascript. | <urn:uuid:ac758967-d62e-43b6-905c-ae9b2fbfae9f> | 3 | 2.953125 | 0.15293 | en | 0.866851 | https://phpandmore.net/2011/07/ |
Sunday, 10 July 2016
A Cube That Can Jump Up, Balance And 'Walk'
The Cubli is a cube that can jump up and balance on its corner. The motor torques can also be used to achieve a controlled fall such that the Cubli can be commanded to fall in any arbitrary direction. Combining these three abilities the Cubli is able to 'walk.'
YouTube link
0 comment(s): | <urn:uuid:19ad9848-aba6-4514-9729-9118dd125f2b> | 2 | 1.71875 | 0.054467 | en | 0.930346 | https://presurfer.blogspot.com/2016/07/a-cube-that-can-jump-up-balance-and-walk.html |
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Food of the Middle Ages
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Jodie Morada
on 2 April 2014
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Transcript of Food of the Middle Ages
Food of the Middle Ages
Water was contaminated, so people of the Middle Ages had to resort to other drinks.
The poor drank:
Daily Meals
All classes had three meals a day.
Of course, commoner's meals were far less luxurious than upper class's.
They had many more choices to choose from.
Food for Upper Class
Food for lower class
Jodie Morada
Amber Julian
Elaina Ou
Water Unavailable
"Real" beer in the Middle Ages were made with barley, though other grains were used throughout the period.
When the use of spices became popular, people started putting spices in their beer.
Cinnamon, apples, lavender, and other spices were included in beer to have intense flavors of beer.
Most wines were a mix of wormwood,myrtle, hyssop and rosemary with sweeter wine flavored with honey. Wine was a luxury and therefore can be only drunken by nobles/ wealthy.
Ingredients For Daily Meals
-Ploughman's Lunch: was made of crusty bread, cheese, pickled onions, chutney, cold meats such as slices of ham, pate, or pork pie, and fruits such as apples or other seasonal fruit.
-Mylates of Pork (Pork Pie): included pork, four eggs, grated mozzarella cheese, powder fort, pine nuts, and salt with a pinch of saffron.
-Cormarye (Roast Pork): had pork loin, coriander, caraway, pepper, salt, minced cloves of garlic, red wine, and broth.
The English tried different variations and mixtures of resin to preserve the wine and prevent it from turning sour, since the climate was not warm enough for grapes to ripen.
Spices Included in Beer
How People of The Middle Ages Get Their Food
Food for a King
Cider is a drink usually made of apples. Water was poured onto apples then became steeped. Another way was to crush apples and mix them with water to extract a sweet and sour drink.
Even though this was a poor man's alcohol drink, this was made in a similar way as beer. One of their only differences is that Ale is fermented at a higher temperature, which makes it mature faster.
This drink was popular among all classes. It was made of honey, giving it the name, "honey wine".
Alcohol was essential, and almost everyone drank it. Fortunately, medieval drinks had a low level of alcohol.
Center piece
The Great Table
The usual staple of meals for peasants were bread, pottage, dairy, and meats such as beef, pork, and lamb.
Due to their amount of wealth, nobles are able to eat a huge variety of foods, unlike the poor peasants.
Deer, boars, hares, fish , rabbits, and other sources of meat were mostly eaten.
Despite being able to have luxury in food, nobles had little access to vegetables, leading to several illnesses.
First course: a civet of hare, a quarter of stag (had been coated in salt for one night), stuffed chicken, and a loin of veal
The poor and peasants mostly farmed and poached (if they were desperate), though they can be punished if caught.
Since nobles were incredibly wealthy, they could afford expensive spices such as pepper, cinnamon, cloves, mace, garlic, and mustard to flavor their dishes.
The rich and wealthy drank:
-many varieties of wine
The rich and wealthy got their food by hunting.
Preservation of Wine
-Alchin, L. K. (1970) Middle Ages Food. Retrieved July 16
2012, from Lords and Ladies Website www.lordsandladies.org/middle-ages-food.htm
-Haywood, J. (2008). Food and Drink. in Medieval
Europe (pp. 42-43). Chicago, Illinois: Raintree
-Bishop, M. (1970). The Noble's Life, The Life of
Labor. in The Middle Ages (pp. 138-39, 140-43, 242-44) Canada: Fitzhenry and Whiteside
-Rowling, M. (1968). Women and Wives. in Everyday
Life in the Medieval Times (pp. 85-87). United States: Batsford, B. T.
Mylates of Pork
Ploughman's lunch
Where Food was Prepared
Cooking Utensils
The poor lived in small huts, so they cooked meals on open fires.
Nobles lived in great castles which had kitchens ran by serfs and servants.
meat forks
Last course: wines and preserves are served with fruits and other sweet pastries.
Proper Manners at the Table
Pray before any meal.
Wash hands before eating.
Wipe your face so that no food/ grease is left.
More Proper Manners
Keep your elbows off the table.
Do not burp or spit.
Do not leave your spoon in a dish when you are done eating.
Put your napkins over your left shoulder or wrist.
Do not wipe your mouth on your sleeve, use the napkin.
Thank you for watching!!!
-Rosalie Gilbert (2006). Manners for the well-bred Medieval Women from Rosalie's Medieval Woman
Upper class didn't eat vegetables because they thought that food from the ground was only for lower class. Only on certain occasions, would they have vegetables in their food.
The centerpiece located on the Great Table was supposed to represent a green lawn. In the middle of the "lawn" was a small fortress, which was covered with silver, had a hollow interior, and had three banners placed on the gilt. The fortress was surrounded with large peacock feathers and green branches, which were tied to violets and other sweet-smelling flowers.
The Great Table was set on a dais.
It was strictly reserved for the invited guests. When guests arrived, they were taken to their assigned seats after they washed their hands at the entrance of the Great Hall.
Most of the time, to prevent the table from getting dirty, the host/ hostess would cover the table with a table cloth.
The plates on which food was served on was commonly made of gold and silver.
Dip your fingers in the sauce above your knuckles.
Smear your lips with soup, garlic, fat meat.
Stuff your face with food.
Drop any liquid onto your clothes.
Drink when you are chewing food.
Use forks because they were only used as cooking utensils.
Put the knife in your mouth.
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Chapters 13, 14, 15, and 17
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Juliet Morales
on 18 March 2014
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Transcript of Chapters 13, 14, 15, and 17
Gene Expression: From Gene to Protein
Gene Expression is a process by which a gene (DNA) is used to synthesize proteins.
- An example such as albinism is attributed to a faulty gene that codes the wrong information.
-In such cases, the gene could code the wrong protein, or even be absent.
Archibald Garrod proposed the idea that inherited diseases could be from the lack of a specific enzyme.
-Ex: Phenylketonuria
Neurospora experiment: Neurospora cells had a single gene disabled and noticed the mutant Neurospora were unable to grow on minimal medium while the non-mutants were able. Beadle and Tatum concluded that the mutants could not synthesize an important nutrient. This proved that "the function of a gene is to dictate the production of a specific enzyme."
Mutations are changes to genes.
-Point mutations change a single nucleotide pair.
-Substitution mutations replaces a nucleotide and its corresponding nucleotide with another pair
-Insertions and deletions are the addition or removal of nucleotide pairs.
These changes to genes can cause a silent mutation, missense mutation, or nonsense mutation.
-A silent mutation has no effect on the outcome trait of the gene.
-A missense mutation will have little effect on the protein since only 1 amino acid changes.
-A nonsense mutation stops translation because when the pair was changed, it was changed into a stop codon
Important Contributors
In Bacteria:
In Eukaryotes:
Regulation of Chromatin
Chapters 13, 14, 15, and 17
DNA contains the nucleotides: Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Thymine
RNA is the same except that instead of Thymine, there is Uracil.
Transcription is the synthesis of RNA from an original strand of DNA.
- In DNA replication, a DNA strand is made from the original DNA (template) strand.
- Then, that DNA strand serves as a template strand to make RNA. This is done by the RNA polymerase.
- Assembles in 5' to 3' direction.
- RNA polymerase starts at the promotor and the DNA sequence transcribed into RNA is a transcription unit.
- The pre-mRNA is given a 5' cap and a Poly-A tail and is removed of all introns and left with the exons (RNA splicing). After, it is moved into the nucleus.
The resulting mRNA strand from transcription is used in the synthesis of a polypeptide in a process called translation.
- The mRNA nucleotide sequence leaves the nucleus and into the ribosomes, the sites of translation (in eukaryotes).
- In the ribosomes, the mRNA undergoes translation to produce the amino acids for the protein.
Codons are mRNA nucleotide triplets.
There are 20 different amino acids which are made from making triplets of nucleotides. There is a combination of 64 different triplets.
60 of these combinations make up the amino acids while 1 makes a start codon, signaling the start of a nucleotide sequence and the other 3 make stop codons that signals when that nucleotide sequence ends for the protein.
Amino acids are read from 5' to 3'.
tRNA is used to transfer amino acids to the polypeptide in the ribosome by pairing up its anticodon to the codon in the mRNA. tRNA is 3' to 5'
It starts at a start codon and ends at a stop codon.
The Molecular Basis of Inheritance
DNA is the genetic material
DNA is the molecule that carries the genome
long thought to be proteins
Made in double helix, with specific base pairs (A-T; G-C)
DNA replication takes many proteins
Helicase separates two parent strands
DNA pol III creates leading strand continously and the lagging strand in Okazaki fragments
Primase adds RNA primers
DNA pol I changes primers to DNA
DNA ligase connects DNA fragments
DNA Polymerase corrects any mismatched nucleotides
A Chromosome is DNA molecule tightly wound around proteins
DNA of bacteria supercoils into a dense nucleoid
DNA in eukaryotes condenses around many histones
Frederick Griffith
Derrick Chen, Francis McMahon, Juliet Morales, and Anthony Velte
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Regulation of Gene Expression
Chapter 17
Adolf Mayer rubbed sap from Tobacco Mosaic Disease infected plants with sap from healthy plants. Believed small bacteria not visible under microscope
Second attempt at experiment by Dimitri Ivanowsky by using filter to catch bacteria. Disease still produced. Still believed bacteria were cause.
Martinus Baijerinck's experiments revealed that pathogen infected within host cell.
Wendall Stanley crystallized Tobacco Mosaic Virus. How? Are they cells?
can be single- or double-stranded, RNA or DNA
protein shell enclosing genome,
may be rod-shaped, polyhedral, or more complex
subunits called capsomers
- membranes derived from previous host
phospholipids, glycoproteins, and proteins
help to infect host
other cells!
"Obligate intracellular parasites"
Lacking equipment for protein synthesis!
Need a host cell to replicate
Limit on number of host species, called host range of the virus
Identify host cells with "lock and key" fit
Viral protein encoded reprograms the cell
only replicates through lytic cycle
replicates through either cycle depending on conditions
Simplified Viruses
With DNA:
With RNA:
*viruses that use reverse transcriptase*
Fighting Viruses!
Some viruses can mutate regularly, like the flu virus!
Further research is being conducted.
variant of the virus that causes the
immune system to create antibodies against pathogen
*HIV is a retrovirus!
Works Cited:
Biology in focus. (2014). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
The lytic and lysogenic cycles of phage lamda, a temperate phage [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://thegeneticsofvirusesandbacteria.weebly.com/diagrams.html
The lytic cycle of phage T4, a virulent phage [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://thegeneticsofvirusesandbacteria.weebly.com/diagrams.html
[Phage]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dbscience4.wikispaces.com/Jillian
The reproductive cycle of an enveloped RNA virus [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://thegeneticsofvirusesandbacteria.weebly.com/diagrams.html
A simplified viral reproductive cycle [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://thegeneticsofvirusesandbacteria.weebly.com/diagrams.html
Viruses [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/organisms_behaviour_health/disease/revision/2/
Respond to environmental changes through
Inducible Operon/
Catabolic Pathways
Reg. protein is typically active, no transcription
An inducer, typically the substance the structural proteins break down, will inactivate it
RNA polymerase is no longer blocked
Repressible Operon/
Anabolic Pathways
Reg. protein is typically inactive, transcription occurs
An corepressor, typically the substance the structural proteins synthesizes, will activate it
RNA polymerase is now blocked
Structure & Function:
promoter for synthesizing regulatory protein for gene
regulatory gene codes for reg. protein that controls operon
itself consists of:
for operon (including
) and
structural genes
promoter for binding RNA polymerase for transcription of structural genes
operator will stop transcription if reg. gene is bound to it (site of inhibition)
structural genes code for various proteins/enzymes to perform certain metabolic processes
Two types....
Funny thing about the lac operon...
Positive gene regulation also plays a role.
Because lactose isn't the cells first choice as an energy source (glucose is),
in presence of lactose and glucose, some lac operon is synthesized
in presence of lactose and absence of glucose, lots of lac operon is synthesized
Histone Acetylation - promotes transcription by opening chromatin
DNA methylation - reduces transcription
- epigenetics (licking rat pups!)
RNA Processing
miRNA / siRNA
mRNA Degradation:
if bases complimentary, mRNA is degraded
if bases not complimentary, translation is blocked
regulation of transcription factors
has life span before degradation
Genetic Recombination in Prokaryotes
uptake of foreign DNA from surroundings
through 3rd party temporarily joined
Hershey and Chase
Meselson and Stahl
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Short Story Analysis:
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Erin Wells
on 30 September 2014
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Transcript of Short Story Analysis:
Short Story Analysis:
"Tell Tale Heart" By Edgar Allan Poe
Will and Carlton
Brief Summary
Point of View
Foreshadowing and flashback
What is the point of view of Tell-Tale Heart and how does that affect our understanding of the story?
Tell-Tale Heart is told from the first person point of view. We only know the narrator’s thoughts, feelings, and actions as he sees them. Because the story is told from the first person point of view, we do not know anyone else’s thoughts or feelings and we do not know if the narrator is completely reliable. For instance, the old man’s eye may have been normal and the narrator just crazy.
What is an example of irony from tell-tale heart?
There is dramatic irony in Tell-Tale Heart. The reader knows more than the characters do. Specifically, the old man does not know of the narrator’s distaste for his eye and the old man does not know that the narrator is planning to kill him. There is also verbal irony in Tell-Tale Heart. The narrator says that he is not mad when the exact opposite ends up being true.
Foreshadowing and Flashback
What is an example of foreshadowing from tell-tale Heart? The author beings the story by indicating that he is not mad. He continues to say that he is not mad. This was the author providing us clues to the outcome of the story, which is that the narrator is actually mad.
What is an example of flashback from tell-tale heart? The entire story of Tell-Tale Heart is a flashback. The man is recounting the events of what happened previously.
The short story "Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe is about internal demons and reveals that humans will ultimately succumb to their guilt as a result of the internal anxiety they feel in order to preserve themselves.
Character Development
Internal conflict: The narrator is struggling to understand his distaste for the old man’s eye. He has no ill will towards the old man, but he feels the eye is evil and needs to be eliminated.
External conflict: The narrator sneaks in to spy on the old man every night at midnight for seven days. One evening, the old man wakes up. After an hour of silence, the narrator overtakes and kills the old man.
Tell Tale Heart is a short story about a man who is driven crazy by the eye of his old man tenant. This eye eventually causes this man to commit murder. He is overcome with guilt and anxiety; thus, he eventually admits to murder.
The setting of this story is a house in a time before electricity. The setting is intentionally obscure as this story could have happened anywhere at any time. The setting creates an eerie sense for the reader. For instance, when the man uses the lantern to very slowly shine a light upon the old man's eye while making sure he is making little noise, the reader feels a sense of suspense. This leads the reader to believe that the anxiety the man feels will result in his ultimate downfall.
The eyes through which the story is told is the man who is driven crazy by the old man's eye. We do not know the old man's perspective as the story unfolds.
How does setting, character, craft, and conflict lead to theme?
The eerie and suspenseful feeling created by the setting leads the reader to believe that the anxiety the narrator feels will ultimately lead to his downfall.
The main character exhibits large amounts of anxiety. He first feels anxious about the eye, but he then feels anxious and paranoid after committing the murder. Ultimately, this gets the best of him and he is forced to confess.
The author uses intentional strategies in order to develop theme, such as symbolism and irony. In this case, the old man's eye symbolized evil. When the narrator eliminates the eye, he is still haunted by it; therefore, the narrator is haunted by his own demons, not the demons of the old man.
The internal struggle is what ultimately ends up ailing the narrator, not the external struggle. He is forced to face his own guilt.
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Learn the hows and whys behind basic electricity, electronics, and communications without formal trainingThe best combination self-teaching guide, home reference, and classroom text on electricity and electronics has been updated to deliver the latest advances. Great for preparing for amateur and commercial licensing exams, this guide has been prized by thousands of students and professionals for its uniquely thorough coverage ranging from DC and AC concepts to semiconductors and integrated circuits.Written by Stan Gibilisco, an electronics legend and McGraw-Hill's most popular TAB authorPerfect for hobbyists, students, and those of you who want to get ahead in tech-related careersPacked with everything needed to enhance learning: 600+ illustrations, practical examples, and hundreds of test questionsNEW TO THIS EDITION:Updated to reflect the latest technological advances in: * Computers * Robotics * Artificial Intelligence * Amplifiers * Transmitters * The Internet * High-fidelityEXPERT HOW-TO GUIDANCE ON SOLVING PROBLEMS SUCH AS:Simple current-voltage-resistance determinatorsPower calculationsDesigning acoustical and audio systemsDesigning circuits and systems
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Saturday, December 10, 2016
A Person Who Maybe Motivated More People than Anyone Ever Had
Honestly, I can't think of anyone who had an effect on a greater number of people,
Get that part about the Ev's. Yea, Maybe no Beatles.
Hope you like it,.
1. two tunes at the same time--awesome!!
1. C-CS, PS, if you have the same stuff on the right sidebar as I do when I click that link I gave you, the top 3 at least are worth the time.
2. gave them a 'listen' and smiled the entire time -- thank you :-)
3. C-CS, So much out there. 50 years worth. What a body of work. And he was becoming an elderly man when this one was made.
2. Chet was not only a great guitar player, but a very nice man, too.
1. Adrienne, I think everyone who knew him would say even more of a person than a guitar player.
3. "I can't think of anyone who had an effect on a greater number of people,"
I can.
The calendar starts on the year of His birth.
1. Well, Geeezix Ed. I was talking mere mortals! :-)
2. Ed, PS, many would claim Chet wasn't a mere mortal, but certainly no candle to the Boy King regardless.
3. He is a joy to listen to, they have that much in common :)
4. The power of music to transform lives –– and entire cultures –– is either unknown or ignored by the majority. However, –– whether you believe it or not ––, what we surround ourselves with be it Music, Interior Decor, TV, the Internet, Movies, Stage shows, or SmartPhones, what we wear what we eat, who we date, what we talk about with our friends, what we do with our free time, etc. molds our character as individuals and shapes our destiny.
Not of us lives in a vacuum, therefore it's important for us to choose the way we occupy our time wisely. Chet certainly was a good influence on a whole generation of fellow musicians. I recognize that, even though I have to say I much prefer the profound influences great figures like Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, et al.
Few of us realize it, but without the great classical composers, Chet Atkins and Tommy .Emmanuel could not possibly have been what they are. To a large extent all significant musicians learned from each other, built on each other's work, and stood on each other's shoulders (metaphorically) in the constant search for "new sounds" for want of a better term.
As I said at the beginning, we rarely recognize what influences us most profoundly.
Learning how to differentiate between the good, the bad and the mediocre is important, but few get that far, because our culture does not give music a high priority.
1. FT, Yes, so much is reliant on the past and present. Few of us are creative. We are inspired by those who are. They call Chet country guitar but he as nothing in common with modern country and said modern country destroyed country music.
His earliest albums have a very eclectic makeup including classical. Fingerstyle Guitar for example. 1950 something.
5. Great guy. Inspirational, talented, good, .....
1. Z, I remember being at an outing our company had in Tempe Az while we were working on an RJ Reyonlds software project. One of the guys from RJR, as we stood around a fire in the desert having a beer, asked me if I had any heroes. I hadn't really thought about it to that point but fairly quickly answered Chet Atkins. He said Good hero to have. Chet honestly was selfless. Excellence was always his goal and he was never satisfied with his performance. Hard to do better than that regardless what you're doing. He inspired millions around the world.
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7. What an inspirational credo for all of life's endeavors. He was way more than just an excellent guitar player.
1. Yes he was Cube. He had no enemies that's for sure.
8. ~• A Visit with Pa Grouch •~
'Twas two days before Christmas
And Papa Grouch here
Made a pact with the Devil
To stay home this year.
The cupboard was bare
And the table unclad
Because of this grumpy
Self-centered old Dad,
Who'd decided it all
Was too much of a strain
That denuded his wallet
And caused him great pain.
Mama was despondent
The babe on her lap
Did nothing but howl
And spit up its pap.
The children were mopey
Their eyes sullen slits
They thought Papa'd gone mad
And had lost all his wits
When on the front lawn
There arose a great clatter
The neighbors had come
To see what was the matter
With no wreath on the door
Or lights on the eaves
They thought Papa'd grown poor
Or been looted by thieves
So up to the housetop
With garlands they climbed
Stringing green'ry and lights
Till they got all begrimed
The ladies walked in
With caskets of food
Then set up a tree
While the children they wooed
With carols in harmony
Sung at the door
With lighted red candles
That dripped on the floor.
Then in marched Tom Turkey,
Who went straight to the oven,
Saying, "Pluck me and stuff me,
I'm dyin' for lovin.'"
He made not a squawk
While they chopped off his head
Plucked out all his feathers
And stuffed him with bread
And onions and apples
And sausage and sage
And quite enough butter
To pay a week's wage.
The cranberry mold
Like a rubicund belly
Shook and shimmered itself
Like a gem made of jelly.
The scent of cinnamon
Ginger and pine
Along with the turkey
Smelled simply divine
A baker on crutches
Who only could hobble
Said, "Soon that old bird
Will be ready to gobble."
The men midst cold ashes
Placed branches for Yule
Their crackling splendor
A marvelous tool
For cheering and warming
Pa Grouch with his pain,
Who was soon moved to say,
"I've no right to complain.
"With neighbors like you,
I feel it's a shame
I ever indulged
A desire to maim
"The Spirit of Joy,
Good Will, and Good Cheer.
I promise you all
I'll be nicer –– NEXT YEAR."
Then placing his thumb
At the tip of his nose
He waved them Good Night
And to bed up he rose.
But I heard him exclaim,
As he moved past our sight,
"Don't let the door hit your butt,
When you leave. Now GOOD NIGHT!"
~ FreeThinke
Have Yourself a JOCULAR Christmas! | <urn:uuid:aa132bf9-3f98-435d-b392-caff8378ac1c> | 2 | 1.585938 | 0.027616 | en | 0.975486 | https://rightwingcat.blogspot.com/2016/12/a-person-who-maybe-motivated-more.html |
The Spirit of the Frescoes: The Unification of Light
In considering the frescoes of Giotto and Taddeo Gaddi from the early 14th century,
specifically in the Peruzzi, Bardi and Baroncelli Chapels to the right of the main chapel of Santa Croce, the beauty of their art is fancied by visitors, students of art history and Italians alike. Both painters are celebrated for their originality in composition, and for evolving the techniques in painting during their time. Giotto and Taddeo Gaddi’s use of light, shadow, and perspective provided attention to naturalism and optics. This rendered an experience for the 14th century beholder that was different from ordinary life; it left a special impression on the medieval viewer because the scenes oriented them in relationship with it, bringing the beholder closer to God.
As 21st century beholders of medieval art from an aesthetic point of view, we are
observers of cultural achievement, and not necessarily participants. Looking at the Middle Ages from a purely critical or historical point of view can be a dangerous and misguided attempt at understanding the beauty of the age. And yet, allowing ourselves to be visually swooned by looking at art from solely a romantic perspective is likewise not the most fitting position to be in.
To embrace and revel in the aesthetic integrity of the medieval age, perhaps experience a touch of the emotions that the artists intended, is certainly a challenge. Our mind on a day to day basis is overwhelmed with images and symbols, a fact untrue for individuals in medieval time. In respect to this, to recognize the beauty of these frescoes is something that demands some time and effort from us.
The artist’s great achievements in painting are reasons why these frescoes are so
compelling to look at, if only we are to understand a little of what they succeeded in doing. In the Bardi Chapel, Giotto depicted the Story of St. Francis in six scenes. From inside the chapel, the viewer is meant to see all the scenes from the same spot. Image
Therefore the inner space created within each individual scene is according to this central spot. Giotto further asserts this perspective by accounting for the stained glass window in the chapel, and using the window’s actual light as the light source within his scenes. The fresco’s architectural relationship, sharing the same space and the same light, provides an affect that puts the viewer in the scenes with St. Francis, nonetheless within the chapel of Santa Croce. It must be remembered, however, that in the medieval ages, the beholder was not surrounded by artificial lighting (it was actually the dark ages). Therefore, their perception of the light was much stronger, further illustrating their relationship with St. Francis and with God. Light, for medieval painters, was believed to be one way in which to represent God, as God was light.
As an artist, Taddeo Gaddi accounted for light much more implicitly than Giotto did.
Taddeo Gaddi learned Giotto’s techniques with light while he was his assistant, and went a step further with the study of optics.Image
His scenes depicting the Life of the Virgin in the Baroncelli Chapel are also completely unified with the architectural space surrounding it. However, in the chapel, one may notice that the location of the window is on the same wall as the frescoes.
Taddeo Gaddi was thus faced with a problem: there was no direct light source for those scenes on the same wall as the window. How did he account for a light source when the actual light source was backlit? He created an artificial light source instead, with the scenes taking place during nighttime. His supernatural light in the form of an angel provided a “flash” of light to make the scenes visible in the dark. Giotto on the other hand portrayed nighttime differently, for example by depicting torches, or not portraying scenes at night at all. Taddeo Gaddi introduced changes in the meaning of light, and his artificial creation of it also exhibits his attention to the architectural space in which he was working. His solution for maintaining a unification of light is brilliant, and further asserts the magnificence of naturalism to the beholder. This is additionally a key aspect of the mendicant order’s style, and these frescoes are undeniably part of the beauty of this Franciscan church.
Blogger Kaitlyn Laurie is a student at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She is studying philosophy, the theory of art and architecture, and languages.
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Stephan Grover Cleveland is the fifth of nine children born to Reverend Richard Falley Cleveland and Ann Neal Cleveland. He was born on March 18th of 1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey, although he was raised in Fayetteville, New York. The actual house in which he was born still stands today on 207 Bloomfield Avenue. He was named in honor of Stephan Grover, a minister at a local Presbyterian Church who Reverend Cleveland had recently taken over for. Life as the son of a minister was different than most boys. The Cleveland’s spent every evening at home in prayer. Cleveland felt that this moral upbringing was his most valuable tool in life. Grover Cleveland visited an uncle in Buffalo, New York, and obtained a job in a law firm.
While working there, he studied law and by May of 1859, the New York Supreme Court admitted him to the bar. Democratic politics had interested Cleveland since his arrival in Buffalo, so he became the county’s assistant district attorney. In 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. The Confederacy had collapsed and the United States was reunited and slavery was abolished. As the nation returned to peace, twenty-eight-year-old Cleveland won the demanding position of sheriff. When his term ended in 1873, he returned to his infamous law practice. On January 1,1882, Grover Cleveland took an oath to honor the city of Buffalo as their mayor. Cleveland was tough and honest. He was known as the “Veto Mayor,” because he continuously vetoed bills presented by corrupt politicians. In November of 1882, by a landslide margin of nearly 200,000 votes, Grover Cleveland became know as the “Veto Governor.” He understood the tremendous challenge of being the Governor of the State of New York, but his principles and values remained as strong as ever.
The door to his office was always open, and he kept no secrets. In two years’ time, Cleveland’s stubborn sense of fairness and honesty gave him the nickname “His Obstinacy.” He passed bills to enlarge the state’s water supply and established a 1.5 million-acre park at Niagara Falls. Due to his reputation, the Democratic Party convinced him to run for president. On the second ballot, Cleveland won the Democratic nomination. The Democrats chose Thomas Hendricks of Indiana, as his vice-president on the ballot. To oppose Cleveland for presidency, the Republicans picked former Maine Congressman, James G. Blaine. Blaine was highly respected as a brilliant politician and national leader. With both candidates the victims of scandals, in 1884 the United States had never witnessed such a nasty campaign. In the end, Cleveland won by a slim margin of less than 63,000 votes. In just three years, Americans had lifted Grover Cleveland from a city lawyer to the highest public office in our country. At the age of forty-seven, Grover Cleveland became the twenty-second President of the United States, on March 4, 1885.
A bachelor, Cleveland was not familiar with the comforts of the White House. During this first term, he ran into trouble. He filled every federal office with Democrats, whether or not they were deserving and merited the positions. In June of 1886, Cleveland married twenty-one-year-old Frances Folsom. He was the only president to be married in the White House and the first to have a child born in the White House, in 1893. Cleveland did not always make popular decisions, but based his treatment of injustices as the right thing to do. Over the years, unhappy trade workers banned together and formed the first trade unions. They were not pleased with their president. There was a huge gulf between the employer and employee. In December of 1888, he called on Congress to reduce high protective tariffs. The Democrats felt this would impact his re-election campaign, which he lost in 1888 to Benjamin Harrison. During his first term, Grover Cleveland was known as the “Veto President.” He issued more than 300 veto messages.
He vetoed many private pension bills to Civil War veterans, who submitted fraudulent claims, and vetoed a bill appropriating $10,000 to distribute grains to drought-stricken, Texas farmers, contending that aid would weaken the character of the nation. Another unpopular decision was ordering the investigation of the railroads. He forced them to return 81,000 acres of Government land, and enacted the Interstate Commerce Act, which was the first law passed regulating the railroads. During President Harrison’s term, many issues angered Cleveland. The McKinley Tariff was passed, which taxed import items at the highest rates in history. The Congress also granted higher pensions for Civil War veterans. By the end of Harrison’s term, Congress had spent so much money on wasteful projects, that the treasury was almost empty. Predicting a national disaster, Grover Cleveland agreed to run for a second term as president. He returned to the White House in 1893, as his wife had predicted. Four years of careless spending by the Republicans pushed the United States into an acute depression. He had to act drastically, and dealt directly with the Treasury crisis, instead of with business failures, farm foreclosures, and increasing unemployment.
On October 30, 1893, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed, and confidence was restored in the American dollar. In spite of Cleveland’s efforts, the national depression worsened, and the Democratic Party was divided. When railroad strikers violated an injunction in Chicago, the President sent Federal troops to break up the strike against the Pullman Company. His blunt treatment of the railroad company was very unpopular. His party deserted him and nominated William Jennings Bryan for president, in 1896. At fifty-nine-years-old, Cleveland felt disgraced as he finished his term in the White House. He retired peacefully in Princeton, New Jersey, but continued pressing for government reforms. At the age of seventy-one, Grover Cleveland died on June 24, 1908. Americans were deeply saddened and mourned the passing of this heavy, robust. man, who was so famous for his tremendous strength and energy. Grover Cleveland will always be remembered as courageous, hardworking, and honest, in spite of the outcome.
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The students, faculty, and staff of Princeton University have traveled from all fifty states in the nation and from nations around the world to be a part of our community. Because state laws vary greatly and SHARE-related terms can mean a lot of different things to different people, we have provided the following definitions to ensure that we can speak a common language around issues of interpersonal violence and abuse.
Note: Situations need not rise to the level of a criminal act or violation to Rights, Rules, Responsibilities in order for a person to obtain services at SHARE.
Interpersonal violence and abuseThe intentional use of force or power, threatened or actual, against another person, that can result in physical or psychological harm. Interpersonal violence and abuse includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking. (Adapted from the World Health Organization's definition)
Consent: The voluntary, informed, uncoerced agreement through words and actions freely given, which a reasonable person would interpret as a willingness to participate in mutually agreed-upon sex acts. Consent cannot be given when an individual is 1) incapacitated due to alcohol and/or drugs (lacking cognitive ability to make or act on conscious decisions); 2) unconscious; 3) mentally or physically incapacitated; or 4) underage.
Sexual Harassment: When a person making unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature and/or based on one's sexual orientation or gender identity 1) threatens or rewards academics, employment or participation in any University activity or benefit based on willingness to submit to such conduct; 2) gives grades or makes personnel decisions based on willingness to submit to such conduct; 3) interferes with a person’s educational experience or living/working conditions, due to the severe and/or pervasive nature of the conduct, by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
Sexual Assault: This is an umbrella term that encompasses any form of unwanted or involuntary touching or penetration of intimate body parts, by a person of any gender. This includes being forced to touch someone else. "Unwanted or involuntary" sexual contact means that:
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2) consent cannot be given because the contact is with those who are unable to give consent due to their age, physical helplessness, mental incapacitation, or incapacitation by alcohol or other drugs
Dating/Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): The actual or threatened physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse of an individual by someone with whom they have a current/prior intimate relationship or shared residence. These relationships may include: partner/spouse, family member, caretaker, someone with whom a child is shared, household member or roommate.
Stalking: Purposefully or knowingly engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety, the safety of a third person, or suffer other emotional distress. “Course of conduct” is two or more acts of maintaining a visual or physical proximity to a person, either directly or indirectly by any action, method, device, or means.
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Journal TangoMargarine's Journal: Ha, You're A Horrible Person!
What is up with the term Homophobia? It's an alarmist umbrella term for anyone who disapproves of homosexuals for any reason, while in every other use, the suffix "phobia" only describes an irrational fear. From Wikipedia:
Phobia: "an intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, or people"
Homophobia: "a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards homosexuality and people identified or perceived as being homosexual. Definitions[1][2][3] of the term refer variably to antipathy, contempt, prejudice, aversion, and (irrational) fear"
I disapprove of homosexuality, but I don't have an irrational fear of it. So I would probably be labeled homophobic.
Ha, You're A Horrible Person!
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Friday, July 19, 2013
Water timers & drip irrigation: vacay dilemma resolved!
Why didn't we ever think of this before? Maybe because we thought it would mean an expensive and elaborate irrigation system? Or that setting up the tubes would require more work than it was worth? I wish someone had planted the idea in my head much earlier, because even if we're never away during summer for more than a week at a time, we've always relied on a lawn sprinkler (set on a timer) to water the plants. This worked out fine for the yard, but with water rates going up each year, I wanted a solution where the H2O goes exactly where it's needed and not sprinkling all over the vegetable rows. Since the lay of the garden is on a slope, it made arranging the 25-meter long tube awkward, but I'm satisfied that now we're watering the vegs and not weeds along the garden paths where they flourished.
It has been 6 weeks since the last post (it just pains me that this year there is so little to report on the garden), and here are the brussel sprout plants now. It's amazing to see how much they've grown although I still need to keep them under protective cover from possible hailstorms. So far no problems with cabbage moths or slugs.
The tomato plants have thrived as well from being placed in the sunniest spot next to the house (I had to put some type of "fencing" to let the dogs know that it was off-limits). All that extra heat bouncing off the walls has done nothing but good for their growth. Other tomato plants growing in the ground are less robust compared to these.
First harvest for this year: 500 grams of gooseberries from our only plant, and a couple of zukes. The smaller one is from a zucchini bush that is bred to produce mainly flowers instead of fruit, but if female flowers are left to develop, they'll produce tiny zucchini like this one. | <urn:uuid:5f84e0aa-2bdb-4c0c-afb1-5c13ccb32a6f> | 2 | 1.6875 | 0.154493 | en | 0.980816 | https://theproudgarden.blogspot.com/2013/07/ |
Terrorism and The Government
Terrorism is a vast topic to be debated on. And for those in South Asia, it is a regular scenario. They see terrorism quite often. People getting abducted, executed and tortured. As Small Scale Incidences don’t reach the world so easily. The Peshawar attack, Mumbai 9/11, Gujarat Attacks, Samjhauta Express Attacks and the list never ends. But what we see is a one-sided world. A side of world where people’s belief is well faked, the world where citizens are nothing but the product of what the government has created.
If There is an Al-qaeda, LTTE and other extremist forces existing in the world, isn’t it because of some reason? isn’t there any reason for such a big group to be aligned in a single direction? Yes, and according to the people in power, they are anti-social, destruction seeking people who run like dogs just to taste the power of authority and rule over this world.
Of course, I am not supporting terrorism. But to Eradicate it, We need to bring down those people in power, the government! The group of people who can do anything to remain in power. Who can paint the right seekers into offenders.
Yes, I sound Lunatic! Because the reader’s nature is tuned by this organized System. Power is Overwhelming Nature!
Terrorist are known as the group of people who attack and kill innocent citizens and spread fear and darkness among the society. But Remember; “Jab Do Haathi Ladte Hain, To Aas Paas Ki Ghaas hi Kuchli Jaati hain”. When two bodies fight, Humanity goes in trash bin. Those People in power only think- how not to lose power. Hiroshima and Nagasaki was Bombarded by the Americans, more than a million people died – Weren’t the Americans a terrorist force at the time? This Terrorism is nothing but a war between, those group of extremists named as terrorists and those people in power, named as government. Those extremists are powerless and survive on Guns and Arms, they are well painted by the government as anti-social, destruction seeking people who run like dogs just to taste the power of authority and rule over this world. And the Government stands tall like A Superhero, A Savior, Servicing Humanity, Legitimate, Well-wisher, A Guardian, The Truth and everything. Those Who try to Compete them in a justified way are again suppressed down to earth.
Well, India is a Great Example for Such a Scenario. Prime minister of India is so powerful at the moment that no one can even push him an inch from his position. His Plans for India are allowed to be very non-analytic and irrelevant. His Vision for India ar allowed to be deadly. His history can also comprise being a murderer, Extortionist, and an Illiterate. He is allowed Spend A million Dollar on a Suit which embeds his own name “Narendra Damodar Modi” in Gold and meanwhile in the slums millions of people are homeless and in search for one time food . He can Spend hundreds of million rupees on an election campaign. He can Spread the Terror among the Muslim Indians. He can be Bias….He is allowed to be a terrorist as long as he is in power. And as long as he is in power, he can take up the dirtiest existing methods to market himself and leave his citizens with no option but to vote him. This is Gross! will people really allow any ruler to be like this?!! Smaller Parties having a real view of doing something good for the nation, who know the reality of the existing government have no option but to fight till they die. People are well brainwashed that they will be against me after reading this article.
In India, no Party exists without a level of corruption in it. Nothing Related to Politics is 100% Legit. “From Somewhere Something Goes into Someones Pocket For Sure”.
Not Only in India, It Happens in almost in every nation, If Today there is a group of Extremists & Terrorists, Its all because of this Organized Government. Its because of this uncanny division of power, there are forces against the nature. There were people who got affected by the system, nobody ever heard their need! They got exploited and ruined! Millions of people lived, rotten and died in hell, because of this government. Politics is the dirtiest human creation that no one should ever get into and no one should ever follow. But this is what rules the world.
Call it my prophecy: if the same scenario exists and is left unaffected, may be a century later from now, if the world wants to get into the direction of goodness, One day people will come together and throw away their governments, and then again the world will be ruling on the power of art and culture.
This is the power of expression and the exposure to reality. The Power of Truth. | <urn:uuid:1e19b8df-fb44-43a0-a64e-609ad1e85dc0> | 2 | 1.898438 | 0.118681 | en | 0.954564 | https://uncannyandhappy.wordpress.com/tag/politics/ |
In the film Blade Runner, a replicant was a biorobotic being which was virtually identical to a human but lacked emotion and empathy. I talked to Jakobsson about the future of interfaces and how they should use “the human APIs”.
“We see people and machines interacting in a very dumbed down way” he says. Jakobsson complains that 90 percent of the status updates in his Facebook stream are from Foursquare, Runkeeper or Gowalla.”The interface through which we are talking to each other is GPS coordinates, how many kilometers I have been running and songs shared on Spotify. We are using the APIs of a machine instead of the human APIs like voice and feelings and movement”.
Jakobsson sees a possible future in which our lives become cluttered with ever-fancier screens (see TAT’s future of screens video below), augmented reality and other machine-driven interfaces. “It’s not augmented reality, it’s dumbed down reality” he comments. “We come from an era where everything is clickable. Now we are saying, everything that is clickable in real life, let’s put a red tag on it, which is talking technology language. You are forcing people to become robots.” His alternative is to make interfaces more human and he sees designers as crucial to that process. “How do we create people to machine to people interfaces which make that interaction natural?”
Jakobsson is Swedish and he uses the analogy of cross-country skiing to explain the role of the designer. There is a huge difference between the effort required to ski on virgin snow and on a pre-defined track. The traditional role of the user interface designer was to make tracks that users can follow. While one of the designer’s jobs should still be “to create highway tracks”, Jakobsson would also like to see a process where users are allowed to ski around on a metaphorical open field and the tracks they create can be used by others. He describes this a more heuristic way to create a user interface.
Just as importantly, Jakobsson thinks that the designers role is not just to make a product pretty, something he regards as “lipstick on a pig” design. “Designers should be in the depth of engineering and even before engineering.” A large part of the designer’s task is to identify the specific niches or use cases which a product should address. “The question is really ‘Should we build a church or a monastery?’ Right now we are building holy places.” he explains. In other words, most technology products, and mobile phones in particular, address too broad an audience and set of uses.
“I think we will see much more of people having text and talk phones, in a sense. Simplifying but not dumbing down.” he says. “The problem today is that there are really just two phone categories: a smartphone with bells and whistles and no battery life or an old phone like a Nokia series 40”.
Every handset manufacturer is finding it hard to escape the trap of building an iPhone copy. Jakobsson cites INQ mobile as an exception to this trend. INQ makes phones designed for specific niches like social networking. “Let’s build this phone which has built-in Spotify and built-in Facebook. It doesn’t even look like an iPhone. I think INQ is going to be really successful” he says.
I asked Jakobsson for some examples of user interface technologies he likes. “I like gesture interfaces because that’s a very human approach. Gestures are very much more tactile.” But he also thinks that more natural interfaces introduce new problems. “The minute you do direct manipulation, for example using touch, it needs to be perfectly responsive. We are getting into the concept of the uncanny valley (when robots look and act almost, but not quite, like humans and actual humans are repulsed) for interfaces when you add physics engines, gestures, etc. because we are manipulating human to human interactions. When they are ten percent off, it’s just going to feel weird.”
He’s also not a big fan of haptics. “Haptics for me is like voice recognition. It’s the best idea in the world but it just doesn’t work. In 5 to 10 years they will both work.” The ideal for Jakobsson is that technology starts to disappear. “The device you are holding in your hand will become thinner and thinner, not physically necessarily, but conceptually. You are going to think that you are not even holding a device.” | <urn:uuid:2d015a45-44dc-445b-adda-6fbf843e705e> | 2 | 2.34375 | 0.041026 | en | 0.956412 | https://venturebeat.com/2011/02/21/tat-co-founder-on-how-technology-turns-us-all-into-replicants/ |
The Perception of Sound
By: Ken Humphreys
Speaker Engineer
After a sound wave reaches your eardrum, the real magic begins. When you’re aware of a sound, your ear and brain are working together on the difficult task of selecting which sound to pay attention to, what might be making it, where it’s located and much more. Here are a few of the important “processing” jobs you routinely but unconsciously accomplish:
Determining Loudness
You can hear a sound at 0 dB (but just barely) yet handle sounds with a trillion times the energy at 120 dB! The price you pay to be able pull off this remarkable feat is that you’re fairly insensitive to changes in sound energy levels. For example, a speaker receiving 100 watts of energy will sound only four times as loud as when it’s receiving 1 watt. One side-effect of this phenomenon is that you don’t need to concern yourself with amplifier power nearly as much as you might think. 70 watts—100 watts—what’s the difference? Only about 1½ dB. Not much, right?
This graph shows the sound intensity range that you’re able to make sense of. Each 10dB increase represents 10 times the energy, but only twice the loudness.
Another neat loudness related trick your ear performs is that it becomes increasingly sensitive to bass when the sound is loud and sensitive to the midrange when everything quiets down. The “loudness” button on your receiver is designed to compensate for this by boosting the bass at lower listening levels. This context-sensitivity was probably quite useful for cavemen by allowing them to derive useful bass information when encountering stampeding wooly mammoths — yet be able to tune into the slight rustle of a skulking saber-toothed tiger. Dinner is served!
Locating sound
When you hear a sound, you can immediately turn your head and face it. You probably take this for granted, but you might not if you knew the number of hard-to-believe calculations your brain just performed. Scientists are discovering that you construct a spatial model in your brain that updates constantly and uses sound as well as sight. Yes, very similar to bats.
To locate sounds in this model you constantly gather information from a variety of sources:
What kind of space are you in? When you hear a sound it has a “signature” that is unique. It arrives at your ear and gets “fingerprinted,” and a few milliseconds later a family of other sounds that bear the same signature arrive in the form of reflections. First, they are associated with the first arrival that created the signature so that the cacophony of other sounds around you can be ignored. Then, by calculating the direction of these delayed arrivals, how long they were delayed and the way that their signature has been “smeared” (whew!) you are able to tell a lot about what kind of environment you are in. For example, you may now know that you are in a small room with large, hard surfaces. In order to do this you had to determine the directions of the original sound and the way it echoed around the room. This was not simply done. Your brain just took into consideration at least three different kinds of information to calculate the direction. First, one ear heard the sound as louder simply because your head created a “sound shadow” and blocked the sound to the ear furthest away. Secondly, the part of your ear that sticks out from your head modified the sound in ways that clue you in regarding the direction the sound came from. And lastly, your brain calculated the phase thing: How much was the delay between the wave arriving at the left ear versus the right ear? Your brain then unconsciously applies this formula to what you just experienced.
And you thought you were bad at math! Your brain is a whiz.
For speaker designers, some of the important points are:
1. For familiar sounds, you are very sensitive to “tonal balance,” that is, are the treble, bass and midrange parts in the right proportion to one another? If a speaker’s frequency response graph is “flat”, that tells you that it’s reproducing the sound with the right balance (at least for the position of the measuring microphone). This has been shown to be the most important thing perceived as “accuracy” in the entire audio system.
2. How much of a time-delay does there need to be for an arriving sound to be identified as a reflection rather than part of the original sound’s signature? Jury’s out on this one, but if the “delayed arrival” is soon enough, say from reflections off of the grill frame or speakers that aren’t mounted flush, it is heard as part of the signature and you will hear it as a distortion to the tonal balance.
3. Your brain mostly ignores reflected signals when evaluating the balance of sound. Bass reflections get treated a little differently.
4. You cannot locate bass sounds unless you correctly associate a bass note’s overtones and then locate them in space. This allows for speakers that specialize in low bass—subwoofers—to be placed away from the main speakers and successfully fool you into believing that the bass is coming from the small speakers that reproduce the overtones.
5. Here is a neat little experiment you can try at home: Put your amp in “mono’ mode and notice that if you are just slightly off-center, the sound will appear to be coming completely from the speaker closest to you. This is because your brain is a detective, and the sound coming from this speaker gets “fingerprinted”, identified as the first arrival of sound and then used as the sole source of information as to the sound’s location. You are still hearing the other speaker, (try unplugging it) your brain just isn’t using it for location information.
In Conclusion
The study of how the brain processes sound – psychoacoustics — is a huge and very interesting body of information. If you’d like to read more, there’s a lot to dig into. You may want to bring a good shovel and start at this wikipedia article. Have fun exploring science!
Aperion Home Theater Gurus
Tags: Audio Technology, Guru Tips and Tricks
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Workers Compensation
In Lumberton or elsewhere in North Carolina Workers Compensation injury laws work the same. To collect benefits, first, you must be hurt by accident. Second, the accident must occur while you are on the job in the course and scope of your job duties.
Except for back injuries an accident which qualifies you for benefits must be an occurrence which is unusual or out of the ordinary. In other words, if you were just doing exactly what you do in the same way you always do it, you cannot recover. An unusual movement or twisting or other contortion of your body which you did not normally make while performing your work may be sufficient to prove accident, but your presentation of evidence of accident must be very specific throughout the development of the claim. Back injuries are in a special category. When the claimant injures his back while doing the same job in the same way he has always done it, there is coverage due to a special statute governing back injuries. So even if you have no accident in the usual way but there is sudden onset of symptoms of pain and/or numbness in your back, even if you have made no unusual movement, there is still coverage.
Claimants often compromise their case in the initial recorded statement with the adjuster who knows the information in the previous paragraph, but the claimant without a workers compensation attorney usually does not. That is why hiring an experienced workers compensation attorney just as soon after the accident happens is crucial. The adjuster usually asks the claimant if he or she were doing their job in the usual way. What is the natural expected answer to that question, if you don’t stop to think about it carefully? A poorly considered answer could cost you your case.
What do your Workers Compensation benefits cover? Your medical bills, of course. Then, if the doctor keeps you out of work for more than 7 days, you start drawing temporary total disability until the doctor releases you to go back to work on full or restricted duty. How much do you get? That is figured as two thirds of your regular GROSS income per week, not counting overtime and is called the “comp rate”. How long can you draw it? Until the doctor releases you without restrictions or until suitable employment can be found by you or for you to accommodate your permanent restrictions. If the doctor releases you he may give you a rating of your injures; that is, what percentage of the body part injured is impaired permanently. How does that equate to compensation. Each body part is assigned a different number of weeks of disability. Say, you’ve hurt you back, you’ve treated an reached maximum medical improvement so the doctor releases you with a ten per cent permanent rating to your back. Take the 300 weeks the workers compensation statute assigns for the back and multiply by ten percent which equals 30 weeks. Multiply that by the weekly comp rate and you get the value of that injury. At the time you reach maximum medical improvement and get your rating your temporary total disability stops. You could accept this sum and seek no more and you would continue to be eligible for medial benefits as long a no more than two years elapse during which you use no medical services for you injuries.
However, most people do not get a rating without some restrictions. If you have restrictions the employer must find you suitable equivalent work as what you were doing. That is you can’t be made to flip burgers if you had been a highly paid technician. Thus, the company has an obligation to provide vocational rehabilitation at their expense. NOT ONE TIME IN MY TWENTY FIVE YEARS OF WORKING THESE KIND OF CASES HAS A SINGLE CLIENT BEEN FOUND A JOB BY VOCATOINAL REHAB IN THE LUMBERTON OR ROBESON COUNTY AREA. Once an industry knows you have been hurt you are damaged goods and they simply will not hire you, not around here, anyway. As long as you have restrictions they have to continue paying you temporary total disability (remember, two thirds of your regular income, and it is non-taxable the CPA’s tell me).
What the insurance carrier looks at is the likelihood that they may be paying you this amount for the rest of your life. They want to get off the hook. So they will often pay you a great deal of money to end their obligation to mail you weekly payments which could extend well into six figures. Our job as your workers compensation attorney is to make them see their enormous liability and pay to you a much larger sum than you could ever get by simply taking your lump sum for your rating.
Often our clients get a very large settlement this way and then are qualified to receive full Social Security and Medicare which makes up for a significant part of the workers compensation payment which will be stopped after payment of the large settlement sum.
If the client is business minded at all he can often invest some of his settlement in a business venture that will accommodate his disability and at the same time proved his more additional income while reducing his Social Security little if any.
Workers Compensation is highly technical and there are pitfalls along the way too often made by those who represent themselves.
We offer a free first consultation for victims of on the job injuries. The sooner you get an experienced workers compensation attorney the better your likely outcome.
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Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, the county seat of Sacramento County and is situated in the Central Valley. The estimated population was 477,892 in 2011, making it the sixth-largest city in California. The Sacramento metropolitan area consists of four counties -- El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo -- which together had an estimated population of 2,527,123 in 2009. Sacramento is a major regional hub of economic and cultural movements and activities in the Sacramento Valley. Two major rivers, the American and Sacramento rivers, intersect in Sacramento and are international attractions for rafters, kayakers and boaters. Cyclists, runners and pedestrians also enjoy the tree-lined zones along the rivers.
The first settlers of the area now known as Sacramento were the Nisenan and Plains Miwok Indians. Between 1799 and 1808, Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga discovered and named the Sacramento Valley and the Sacramento River. A writer with Moraga's expedition noted that "canopies of oaks and cottonwoods, many festooned with grapevines, overhung both sides of the blue current. The air was like Champagne, and (the Spaniards) drank deep of it, drank in the beauty around them. It's like the Holy Sacrament." Thus, the valley and the river were then christened after the "most Holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ," a reference to the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist.
In August 1839, pioneer John Sutter Sr. arrived in the Sacramento area from Liestal, Switzerland, with other settlers and established Sutter's Fort, which was a trading colony and stockade that Sutter dubbed New Helvetia, or "New Switzerland." Sutter's orchard of fruit trees planted in 1847 was the inception of the agriculture industry in the Sacramento Valley. However, the following year, James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, about 50 miles northeast of the fort, and a large number of prospectors arrived in the area searching for gold. Sutter's son, John Sutter Jr., in association with Sam Brannan, planned the city of Sacramento, which overnight became a commercial success. Sutter hired William H. Warner, a topographical engineer, to draft the original layout of the city, which is situated just east and south of where the American River meets the Sacramento River. In 1849, the citizens of Sacramento adopted a city charter, which was recognized by the state Legislature in 1850, making Sacramento the oldest incorporated city in California.
Throughout the early 1840s and 1850s, when China was at war with Great Britain and France in the First and Second Opium Wars, many Chinese immigrants came to America. Many of them first came to San Francisco, which was then the largest city in California and which the Chinese called Dai Fow, meaning "The Big City." Some Chinese immigrants eventually came to Sacramento, which was then second largest city and which the Chinese called Yee Fow, meaning "Second City." They helped build the levees within Sacramento and the surrounding cities as well as railroads in the city and the transcontinental railroad across the United States. Today, Sacramento’s Chinatown is much smaller than in the 19th century, but nevertheless, Chinese-Americans are recognized as significant part of Sacramento’s history and heritage.
The California Legislature moved to Sacramento in 1854, and in 1879 at the Constitutional Convention the city was named the permanent state capital. The capital under both Spanish and Mexican rule once Mexico gained its independence in 1821 had been in Monterey. After California’s statehood was ratified, the Legislature met in San Jose, Vallejo and Benicia, before moving to Sacramento.
The city’s economic base is mainly governmental. Transportation is a also large sector, as are information technology, leisure and hospitality, business services, higher education, construction, and health services and research. The city’s top employers are Sutter Heath, Blue Diamond Growers, Aerojet and the McClatchy Company. The Sacramento area hosts a wide variety of higher educational opportunities. There are two major public universities, California State University, Sacramento, and the University of California, which has a campus in nearby Davis as well as graduate facilities in Sacramento. Many private institutions, community colleges and vocational schools are also located in Sacramento.
Sutter’s Fort and Old Sacramento are the oldest parts of the city, and buildings there have been preserved, restored and reconstructed, and the district is now a substantial tourist attraction with rides on steam-hauled historic trains and paddle steamers. Sacramento also has several major museums -- the Crocker Art Museum, the California State Railroad Museum, the California Automobile Museum, the California Museum for History, Woman, and the Arts, which is home to the California Hall of Fame, and the Sacramento History Museum. Sacramento is home to a significant music scene, including the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra, the Sacramento Youth Symphony, the Sacramento Master Singers, the Sacramento Children’s Chorus and the Camellia Symphony. Sacramento is well known as a center for Dixieland jazz, and jazz fans flock there every Memorial Day weekend to attend the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. Many theaters are in Sacramento, including the Community Center Theatre and Memorial Auditorium.
Sacramento has a Mediterranean-style climate, with winters that are wet and mild, and summers that are dry and hot. The Sacramento Valley is known for its tule fog, which is extremely dense, limits visibility to less than 100 feet, and usually lasts an average of 96 days per year. Summers in Sacramento are great for people who love the heat, as on average the temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit on 74 days during summer.
The Brod Law Firm takes tremendous pride in representing the interests of our clients in and around the greater Sacramento area, the Central Valley and in Northern California. We are committed to fighting for the rights of individuals, as well as small businesses in and around Sacramento, and we do not represent insurance companies or large corporations. Our law practice focuses on meeting the needs and challenges of our clients.
We are Sacramento injury attorneys, and we fight for people who have suffered serious and catastrophic injuries. In all personal injury cases, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means that unless a recovery of money is obtained, no legal fees are owed. We are Sacramento business attorneys, and unlike many large firms that look at business litigation as a way to bill excessively, our goal is to effectively and efficiently resolve our clients’ disputes.
Directions to our Oakland office from Sacramento: Take Interstate 80 east toward Oakland, and continue onto Interstate 980. Get off at the 18th Street exit toward 14th Street. Turn left on 17th Street, then left at Franklin Street. The office is at 1814 Franklin St. on the right side of the street.
Directions to our San Francisco office from Sacramento are as follows: Take Interstate 80 west to the Bay Bridge toward San Francisco and exit at Fremont Street. Merge onto Fremont Street and turn left onto Mission Street. Turn right onto Anthony Street and take the first right onto Jessie Street. The office is at 96 Jessie St.
(Please note that we will travel to Sacramento to meet with our clients in the greater Sacramento area and the Central Valley, and that it is not necessary for those clients to travel to our San Francisco or Oakland offices.) | <urn:uuid:67e2c4e0-f906-45d1-863d-73e3f29babd3> | 3 | 2.96875 | 0.022993 | en | 0.95716 | https://www.brodfirm.com/sacramento-california.html |
Why this Ginseng is the Right Choice to Fight Fatigue
Are You Tired and Looking to Increase Your Energy?
More and more people are looking for a way to increase their energy. At the same time, people are concerned about over consuming highly-caffeinated energy drinks or supplements. People are just simply looking for a different type of energy that will not give them a jittery feeling, one often associated with taking in an excessive amount of caffeine. That’s why we recommend looking at Ginseng as a good alternative. It is caffeine-free and the effect lasts for a long time, keeping you in a good mood and feeling alert. Ilhwa’s Ginseng is a particularly reliable selection.
How Does Ginseng Absorb in Your Body?
Ginseng’s unique active ingredient ginsenosides, possess important medicinal properties. Key ginsenosides from ginseng extract are not fully absorbed until they reach the lower intestine. After Ginseng is consumed, natural ginsenosides enter the stomach and small intestines without being digested.
Absorption in the Body
Absorption: Person-to-Person
Because the key ginsenosides are finally absorbed in the colon, many people do not fully absorb ginseng and gain all the benefits.
When the ginsenosides enter the large intestines, the beneficial bacteria residing in the large intestines play a very important role in metabolizing natural ginsenosides into highly absorbable compounds.
Individual Absorption Differences
How Does GinST 15 Solve the Absorption Problem?
ginseng elixir from IlhwaAs the world leader in ginseng science, Ilwa was determined to find a solution to this problem of absorption. Through diligent scientific research they discovered the main end stage metabolite and named it IH 901. This was the key marker which Ilhwa tracks when they work with the whole balanced ginseng extract, which is not fractionalized ginsenosides. In 1999 they secured 2 patents for creating ginseng extract metabolites via human bacteria.
They have continued their diligent work developing a high yield enzyme fermentation process with their famous ginseng extract. In fact they created 2 more patents in 2009 and 2010.
Since 1981 Ilhwa created a research and development center, and they have used the best in scientific research to create breakthroughs in ginseng growth, harvesting, processing and extraction. For the past 40 years ILHWA has done continuous scientific research and development making them the World Leader in Ginseng Science.
Ilhwa uses the best that modern science has to offer in all of its research and development. They really honor the essence of the remarkable ginseng root, which has been used for 5,000 years to heal and optimize the human performance. GinST 15 high absorption enzyme fermented ginseng is the result of dedicated science that honors the integrity of nature.
What Are the Benefits?
• Stress Management
• Smooth energy, vibrancy, and mental clarity.
• Optimizing your performance
• Balances Blood Sugar
• Improved Sexual Function
• Hormone Balance
• Regulates Sleep
We recommend that you take GinST 15 everyday to bring your body into balance. Click Here to purchase. | <urn:uuid:fd03e678-1a06-47d9-af67-bd720c9c724b> | 2 | 1.757813 | 0.069358 | en | 0.904225 | https://www.crohns.net/blog/ilhwas-ginseng-best-choice/ |
Mastering the art of bidding; Auction! The Guide to Bidding, Buying, Bargaining, Selling, Exhibiting, and Making a Profit, by William C. Ketchum Jr. New York: Stirling Publishing Company. $10.95. Cashing in on the Auction Boom, by James Wagenvoord. New York: Rawson, Wade. $ 6.95.
Whether or not you return home with a Victorian sofa or a slightly used ironing board, an auction can make a good afternoon's or evening's worth of entertainment. Those who know the right way to attend an auction, who have mastered the art of bidding and not bidding, will get good buys as well as entertainment. Those who don't may end up wishing they'd gone to a movie instead.
Recognizing that auctions are loaded with both pleasures and perils, William C. Ketchum Jr. has written a useful guide to making sure there are more of the former than the latter.
You begin, he says, by making wise use of the auction preview, the time period in which the public can examine the goods to be sold. Anything that interests you should be examined thoroughly. Does that dropleaf table have both its leaves intact? Does that quilt have too many moth holes to make it a worthwhile investment? Never, he advises, bid on anything you haven't seen before it goes up for bid.
Other chapters deal with the sale itself, including such crucial matters as where to sit and how to bid intelligently. He also tackles the thorny subject of how to protect yourself against a dishonest auctioneer. How do you know if the auctioneer is using a "shill," someone planted in the audience to bid in order to get the price up? Or what about those "phantom bidders" who aren't really there at all?
A lawyer as well as an avid auction-goer, Mr. Ketchum gives the reader a good idea of the rules and regulations governing most auctions. Just how binding a bid can be and the circumstances under which a customer can return an object are well-outlined. He also includes a chapter on how to use auctions as a seller rather than as a buyer, pointing out that certain auctions can yield particularly high prices for your own merchandise.
In addition there is some useful background on the types of antiques auctions that are available. They range from the elite city galleries such as Sotheby Parke Bernet and Christie's, where millions of dollars can be spent during a single sale, to the small country auctions that dispense everything from Chippendale highboys to boxes of bottle caps. Each, as Mr. Ketchum illustrates, requires a certain amount of know-how to obtain both profit and enjoyment.
James Wagenvoord's book is less of a how-to on auction attendance and more of a compendium of the many different types of auctions available today. While Mr. Ketchum deals with just those offering antiques and fine arts, Mr. Wagenvoord introduces the reader to everything from post office a uctions to those resulting from business liquidations.
| <urn:uuid:e5003378-b382-4673-a814-ed5b52a5df6c> | 2 | 1.914063 | 0.030753 | en | 0.956463 | https://www.csmonitor.com/1981/0420/042051.html |
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Severe eczema holding you back? Find the right treatment
tinea capitis
Definition: a common form of fungus infection of the scalp caused by various species of Microsporum and Trichophyton on or within hair shafts, occurring most commonly in children and characterized by irregularly placed and variously sized patches of apparent baldness because of hairs breaking off at the surface of the scalp, scaling, black dots (see black-dot ringworm), and occasionally erythema and pyoderma.
Synonym(s): ringworm of scalp
| <urn:uuid:e4f4c1f0-b6a0-4a58-b87d-8763ed0a53d1> | 3 | 3.078125 | 0.020277 | en | 0.916881 | https://www.drugs.com/dict/tinea-capitis.html |
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Rivastigmine Hexal
Active Substance: rivastigmine
Common Name: rivastigmine
ATC Code: N06DA03
Marketing Authorisation Holder: Hexal AG
Active Substance: rivastigmine
Status: Authorised
Authorisation Date: 2009-12-11
Therapeutic Area: Dementia Parkinson Disease Alzheimer Disease
Pharmacotherapeutic Group: Psychoanaleptics
Therapeutic Indication
Symptomatic treatment of mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's dementia.
Symptomatic treatment of mild to moderately severe dementia in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
What is Rivastigmine Hexal?
Rivastigmine Hexal is a medicine containing the active substance rivastigmine. It is available as capsules (yellow: 1.5 mg; orange: 3 mg; red: 4.5 mg; red and orange: 6 mg) and as an oral solution (2 mg/ml).
This medicine is the same as the capsules and oral solution of Exelon, a medicine that is already authorised in the European Union (EU). The company that makes Exelon has agreed that its scientific data can be used for Rivastigmine Hexal (‘informed consent’).
What is Rivastigmine Hexal used for?
Rivastigmine Hexal is used for the treatment of patients with mild to moderately severe Alzheimer’s dementia, a progressive brain disorder that gradually affects memory, intellectual ability and behaviour. Rivastigmine Hexal is also used to treat mild to moderately severe dementia in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
The medicine can only be obtained with a prescription.
How is Rivastigmine Hexal used?
Treatment with Rivastigmine Hexal should be initiated and supervised by a doctor who has experience in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Treatment should only be started if a caregiver is available who will regularly monitor the use of Rivastigmine Hexal by the patient. Treatment should continue as long as the medicine has a benefit, but the dose can be reduced or treatment interrupted if the patient has side effects.
Rivastigmine Hexal should be given twice a day, with morning and evening meals. The capsules should be swallowed whole. The starting dose is 1.5 mg twice a day. In patients who tolerate this dose, it can be increased in 1.5-mg steps no more frequently than every two weeks, to a regular dose of 3 to 6 mg twice a day. The highest tolerated dose should be used to get the maximum benefit, but the dose should not exceed 6 mg twice a day.
How does Rivastigmine Hexal work?
The active substance in Rivastigmine Hexal, rivastigmine, is an antidementia medicine. In patients with Alzheimer’s dementia or dementia due to Parkinson’s disease, certain nerve cells die in the brain, resulting in low levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (a chemical that allows nerve cells to communicate with each other). Rivastigmine works by blocking the enzymes that break down acetylcholine: acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. By blocking these enzymes, Rivastigmine Hexal allows levels of acetylcholine to be increased in the brain, helping to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia and dementia due to Parkinson’s disease.
How has Rivastigmine Hexal been studied?
Rivastigmine Hexal has been studied in three main studies involving 2,126 patients with mild to moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease. Rivastigmine Hexal was also studied in 541 patients with dementia due to Parkinson’s disease. All of the studies lasted six months and compared the effects of Rivastigmine Hexal with those of placebo (a dummy treatment). The main measures of effectiveness were the change in symptoms in two main areas: cognitive (the ability to think, learn and remember) and global (a combination of several areas including general function, cognitive symptoms, behaviour and the ability to carry out everyday activities).
An additional study in 27 patients was used to show that Rivastigmine Hexal capsules and oral solution produced similar levels of the active substance in the blood.
What is the risk associated with Rivastigmine Hexal?
The types of side effects seen with Rivastigmine Hexal depend on the type of dementia it is being used to treat. Overall, the most common side effects include nausea (feeling sick, seen in 38 patients in 100) and vomiting (seen in 23 patients in 100), particularly during the phase when the dose of Rivastigmine Hexal is being increased. For the full list of all side effects reported with Rivastigmine Hexal, see the package leaflet.
Rivastigmine Hexal must not be used in people who are hypersensitive (allergic) to rivastigmine, other carbamate derivatives or any of the other ingredients. It must also not be used in patients who are suspected to have had an allergic reaction called ‘allergic contact dermatitis’ to the Exelon patch in the past.
Why has Rivastigmine Hexal been approved?
The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) concluded that Rivastigmine Hexal has a modest effectiveness in treating the symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia, although this does reflect an important benefit in some patients. The Committee initially concluded that for the treatment of dementia due to Parkinson’s disease, Rivastigmine Hexal’s benefits did not outweigh its risks. However, following a re-examination of this opinion, the Committee concluded that the medicine’s modest effectiveness could also be of benefit to some patients.
Therefore, the Committee decided that Rivastigmine Hexal’s benefits are greater than its risks for the treatment of mild to moderately severe Alzheimer’s dementia and mild to moderately severe dementia in patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. The Committee recommended that Rivastigmine Hexal be given marketing authorisation.
Other information about Rivastigmine Hexal:
The European Commission granted a marketing authorisation valid throughout the EU to Hexal AG for Rivastigmine Hexal on 11 December 2009. The marketing authorisation is valid for five years, after which it can be renewed.
Source: European Medicines Agency
| <urn:uuid:cdb65275-5eae-49cc-b7de-5f7e79de3dc0> | 2 | 1.679688 | 0.028019 | en | 0.908643 | https://www.drugs.com/uk/rivastigmine-hexal.html |
tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:/topics/email Latest Email content from Econsultancy 2017-05-02T14:01:00+01:00 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/69035 2017-05-02T14:01:00+01:00 2017-05-02T14:01:00+01:00 How Lenny Letter used email newsletters to cultivate an online community Nikki Gilliland <p>With 500,000 subscribers and a reported 70% open rate, it has rapidly grown in popularity since its launch in 2015. So, what makes readers race to read it? </p> <p>Here’s a bit more on how Lenny has evolved so far.</p> <h3>Email as an intimate medium</h3> <p>Lena Dunham has famously championed the discussion of feminist topics, including friendship, health, sex and money – previously using the mediums of TV and books to do so. With the realisation that there was an appetite for more in-depth feminist content, she launched Lenny Letter to deliver it direct to women’s inboxes.</p> <p>Lenny takes the form of two emails per week – Tuesdays is for personal essays and short stories, while Fridays is reserved for interviews. Both are lengthy and usually feature illustrations by up-and-coming artists. </p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/5694/Lenny_2.JPG" alt="" width="500" height="820"></p> <p>So, why did Dunham choose to steer clear of the standard website-format, used by the likes of <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/68121-why-i-love-the-pool-and-its-refreshing-approach-to-publishing/" target="_blank">The Pool</a> and Jezebel?</p> <p>According to editor Jessica Grose, it is so that writers can directly speak to the audience, shining a spotlight on important messages rather than distracting them with a broad selection of articles. </p> <p>What’s more, it is built on the notion that email is a much more intimate and personal medium, with users deliberately opting in to receive content rather than absent-mindedly browsing on a public forum. </p> <h3>Encourages social community</h3> <p>Lenny does have an accompanying website, however, content is published with a delay of 24 hours or so to incentivise subscriptions to the newsletter. This is also done to give the design of the newsletter due attention, with illustrations and composition deliberately aligning with the medium.</p> <p>Like a lot of other publications, Lenny <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/68663-why-online-publications-are-ditching-comments-sections-for-social/" target="_blank">does not allow comments</a>, instead encouraging readers to use social media to start positive conversations about topics featured. In turn, Lenny employees are highly responsive, typically replying to Instagram or Twitter comments within the same day.</p> <p>Combined, this has helped the publisher to create a receptive online audience, which has in no doubt contributed to high open rates and loyal readership. </p> <h3>Advertising business model</h3> <p>The main reason for the existence of the Lenny website is to provide a permanent space for display and <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/67083-is-native-advertising-sustainable/" target="_blank">native ads</a> – the result of a partnership with Hearst Media. The deal involves Hearst selling space for advertising and branded content on the site, as well as promoting Lenny across titles like Marie Claire and <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/68384-how-cosmopolitan-reinvented-itself-became-the-number-one-women-s-magazine-in-the-uk/" target="_blank">Cosmopolitan</a> magazine.</p> <p>Lenny also stresses that its branded content is just as authentic as its regular features, collaborating closely with brands to ensure the publication’s tone of voice remains strong.</p> <p>For instance, an interview with writer Helen Ellis focuses on what it’s like to be in a stressful situation – and it also happens to be sponsored by Secret Deodorant. Examples like these show how sponsored content can blend seamlessly in with the over-arching brand. Of course, it also relies on the audience’s trust in its reputation and dedication to quality journalism.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/5695/Helen_Ellis.JPG" alt="" width="760" height="637"></p> <h3>Branching into other areas of business</h3> <p>Alongside the newsletter, Lenny also has an online shop selling branded clothing and accessories. </p> <p>Described as a place that ‘would rep grassroots feminist businesses’, it’s more of an extension of the brand’s values than a real money-making venture. Likewise, it also builds on the community element, with readers keen to wear subtly branded items like the ‘Dismantle the Patriarchy’ patch set.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/5696/Lenny_shop.JPG" alt="" width="760" height="467"></p> <p>Lenny is not averse to expanding its presence in other areas, too. Last year, it began a <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/68348-three-reasons-brands-are-using-podcasts-as-part-of-their-content-marketing-strategy/" target="_blank">podcast series</a> called ‘Women of the Hour’ and it currently has a video series in the works for HBO Now.</p> <p>Naturally, it will need to tread carefully. While expansion could help to increase new subscribers, even more brand involvement or corporate sponsorship could potentially alienate existing readers invested in the core premise. </p> <p>That being said, as long as it keeps its focus firmly on what women really want to read about, I can’t see it going too far wrong.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just read <a href="https://twitter.com/lennyletter">@lennyletter</a> interview by <a href="https://twitter.com/oliviaclement_">@oliviaclement_</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnaDeavereS">@AnnaDeavereS</a> . Lots of gems, but these really stuck with me. 1st on education.</p> — meghan (@meghafon) <a href="https://twitter.com/meghafon/status/852904569432571909">April 14, 2017</a> </blockquote> <p><strong><em>For more on the topic of email, you can download Econsultancy's <a href="https://econsultancy.com/reports/email-census/" target="_blank">Email Marketing Industry Census 2017</a></em></strong></p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:TrainingDate/3230 2017-03-21T16:49:38+00:00 2017-03-21T16:49:38+00:00 Email Marketing - Advanced <p>Give your email campaigns an injection of fresh thinking in this fantastic email marketing workshop.</p> <p>You’ll gain advanced, strategic email marketing training and get the opportunity to have your email campaigns reviewed by an industry expert who will provide practical tips for improvement.</p> <p>Strictly limited to 10 places, the workshop allows for plenty of interaction and you’ll be able to bounce ideas off other experienced marketers.</p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:TrainingDate/3229 2017-03-21T16:48:41+00:00 2017-03-21T16:48:41+00:00 Email Marketing - Advanced <p>Give your email campaigns an injection of fresh thinking in this fantastic email marketing workshop.</p> <p>You’ll gain advanced, strategic email marketing training and get the opportunity to have your email campaigns reviewed by an industry expert who will provide practical tips for improvement.</p> <p>Strictly limited to 10 places, the workshop allows for plenty of interaction and you’ll be able to bounce ideas off other experienced marketers.</p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:TrainingDate/3178 2017-03-21T11:39:19+00:00 2017-03-21T11:39:19+00:00 Intensive: Mastering eCRM <p>Implementing a robust CRM strategy delivers vastly improved effectiveness in your marketing programmes. This three day course will help you understand how CRM can help your business and give you the practical skills to apply and assess CRM techniques in the real world.</p> <p>Econsultancy’s intensives are three-day programmes offering you a deep dive into specific digital disciplines. With content drawn from our academically accredited digital certificates, the intensives offer the practical training without the need for long term commitment.</p> <p>Intensives:</p> <ul> <li>Are led by practitioner trainers</li> <li>Include access to resources to support the training</li> <li>Allow delegates to implement and evaluate what they’ve learnt through ‘homework’ and trainer feedback after training</li> <li>Lead to an Econsultancy certificate of completion</li> </ul> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:TrainingDate/3162 2017-03-21T11:14:13+00:00 2017-03-21T11:14:13+00:00 eCRM <p>The principles of traditional, offline-focussed, Customer Relationship Management are not up to the challenge of new web channels, social media and mobile engagements. This course will take you through the essentials of the new approach to eCRM - enabling you to execute a high performance CRM solution that drives revenue.</p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/68573 2016-11-30T11:01:07+00:00 2016-11-30T11:01:07+00:00 Seven examples of Black Friday email marketing from retailers Nikki Gilliland <p>Following on from our article on <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/68557-how-uk-retailers-are-promoting-black-friday-online" target="_blank">how UK brands promoted the event online</a>, here’s how seven retailers executed their email marketing campaigns.</p> <h3>ASOS</h3> <p>Let's kick off with one of the best of the bunch.</p> <p>ASOS executed a pretty heavy email campaign, first mentioning the event nearly an entire week beforehand.</p> <p>While this might sound a little excessive, the emails are still quite subtle, designed to build excitement and get customers in the mood.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1844/Black_Friday_warm_up.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="424"></p> <p>When the real event finally kicked off, ASOS used a discount code with the promise of 20% off all items.</p> <p>Just imagine the regret if you forgot to enter the code at the checkout...</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1845/ASOS_code.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="436"></p> <p>It also promoted the Black Friday offer on top of an existing sale of 'up to 70%'.</p> <p>It's not clear whether the items here were any good, but the email copy sure does makes you want to go and have a look.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1849/ASOS_extra.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="199"></p> <p>Likewise, ASOS's subject lines were nicely done, reinforcing the brand's young and conversational tone of voice.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1846/Asos_subject_lines.JPG" alt="" width="500" height="139"></p> <p><em>For more on ASOS, read our post on <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/67950-eight-ecommerce-checkout-design-features-that-make-asos-great/" target="_blank">eight checkout design features that make its site great.</a></em></p> <h3>House of Fraser</h3> <p>Unlike ASOS's strong but subtle approach, House of Fraser went overboard on the emails this year, as shown in the screenshot of my inbox below.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1850/House_of_Fraser_emails.JPG" alt="" width="300" height="508"></p> <p>The actual emails were fine - they nicely promoted the array of discounts on offer.</p> <p>It's just a shame they were sent every day for a week, which could be enough to put off even the most loyal customers.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1851/HoF_email.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="595"></p> <p>On the plus side, despite going down to 30% off, the emails become get more targeted as the week wore one.</p> <p>The one below obviously takes into account my previous interest in womenswear.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1852/HoF_30_.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="544"></p> <h3>Zara</h3> <p>In contrast to the aforementioned example, Zara took a very restrained approach, only sending out two emails in total.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1853/Zara_black_friday.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="613"></p> <p>As well as being underwhelming (in terms of the discount and the creative) - the subject lines were pretty boring to say the least.</p> <p>With no indication of how big the offer or how long it'd be on for, I'd be surprised if it received many click-throughs.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1854/Zara_subject_lines.JPG" alt="" width="430" height="139"></p> <p><em>For more on Zara, read <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/67581-six-reasons-i-love-zara-com-and-a-few-reasons-i-don-t/" target="_blank">'Six reasons I love Zara.com (and a few reasons I don't)'</a></em></p> <h3>John Lewis</h3> <p>Surprisingly, John Lewis wasn't very impressive either.</p> <p>Again, with no indication of the amount of money customers might save, it doesn't give much incentive to click through.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1855/John_Lewis_black_friday.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="563"></p> <p>Another thing I found interesting was that its Sunday email - sent when the weekend event was still running - used an entirely unrelated subject line.</p> <p>This was despite the fact that the email itself was Black Friday related.</p> <p>Maybe the retailer was trying to be subtle? It just felt a bit misjudged to me,</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1857/John_Lewis_subject_lines.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="121"></p> <p>However, with John Lewis <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/68512-john-lewis-combines-tv-ad-with-snapchat-lens-and-email/" target="_blank">traditionally more focused on Christmas</a>, perhaps Black Friday was deliberately underplayed.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1856/John_Lewis_black_friday_2.JPG" alt="" width="430" height="528"></p> <h3>H&M</h3> <p>H&M's emails on and around Black Friday were strong.</p> <p>With a bold and concise message of 20% off plus free delivery - customers were left in no doubt as to what they could expect.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1858/H_M_black_friday.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="546"></p> <p>Furthermore, I also like the fact that its emails included editorial-inspired content, motivating customers with how they could style their bargains rather than just promoting the sale.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1859/H_M_2.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="569"></p> <p>The only factor that let H&M down was its slightly dull subject lines.</p> <p>Not bad - just a bit lacklustre. Still, at least they're concise.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1861/H_M_subject_line.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="114"></p> <h3>Debenhams</h3> <p>On to Debenhams, and it demonstrated a good amount of variety in its emails.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1862/Debehams_black_friday.JPG" alt="" width="400" height="559"></p> <p>As well as giving customers a heads up on what was to come, it also included original content, such as a 'Top 10' deal countdown and editorial-inspired imagery.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1863/Debenhams_2.JPG" alt="" width="380" height="287"></p> <p>By incorporating more variety into its messaging, it feels less salesy, meaning customers are less likely to dismiss it as Black Friday noise.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1864/Debenhams_3.JPG" alt="" width="400" height="550"></p> <p>You can read how Debenhams' site redesign led to ecommerce sales growth <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/66644-how-debenhams-site-redesign-led-to-ecommerce-sales-growth/" target="_blank">in this article</a>.</p> <h3>Threadless</h3> <p>Finally, an interesting approach from US retailer Threadless.</p> <p>On the Wednesday before the event, it sent out this email offering an exclusive 40% off code that expired before the Black Friday deals began.</p> <p>While this might sound like it'd have limited impact as people would just hold out for Black Friday, it's obviously an attempt to foster customer loyalty for the long-term.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1869/Personal_email_threadless.JPG" alt="" width="500" height="454"></p> <p>By using a personal tone - even sending it from the Founder of the company - it is designed to make customers feel valued.</p> <p>A refreshing surprise just before Black Friday hit, it made for one of the most memorable emails of the week.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1871/Threadless_email.JPG" alt="" width="370" height="147"></p> <p>On to the actual Black Friday emails, and Threadless promoted it with a Christmas-themed creative.</p> <p>This could also prove effective for getting customers to think about the festive period (and why they might want to come back again soon).</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1868/Threadless_creative_2.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="487"></p> <p>Finally, hats off to the brand for including an original and humourous subject line in its Cyber Monday email.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/1866/Threadless_subject_line_2.JPG" alt="" width="450" height="123"></p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/68507 2016-11-15T14:36:49+00:00 2016-11-15T14:36:49+00:00 Which vertical sector is the king of the hill for email marketing? Henry Hyder-Smith <p>In addition, 10 years of increased integration between the technologies and channels used now means better segmentation, increasingly sophisticated personalisation and customer-driven marketing.</p> <p>However, in order to make such a tactics and strategy analysis more useful for marketers it’s important to drill down until we reach the sector level.</p> <p>This way marketers can learn from each other and even cherry pick (and test) good ideas that already work in other sectors.</p> <p>Using data collected for the Adestra/Econsultancy Email Marketing Industry Census 2016 – a survey of over 1,100 digital marketers around the world - we looked at the top six sectors: Retail/Mail Order, Print/Publishing & Media, Charities/Government & Non-profits, Financial Services & Insurance, Travel & Hospitality and Technology & Telecoms.</p> <p>We analysed each sector to see which are producing the best return for the budget they spend on email, the tactics and strategies they use, the time spent on them, how they focus on mobile and implement automation, and finally their outlook on the future.</p> <p>I’ve picked three sectors from the report which are notable for being best performing, most improved and showing most growth potential.</p> <h4><strong>Print, publishing & media</strong></h4> <p>Yet again, the Print, Publishing & Media industry has produced consistent results across the board. Publishers have seen email performance shoot up since last year (see fig.1), and they top the chart for total sales attributable to the email channel.</p> <p>They make use of the broadest number of ESP services and lead the pack in optimising email for mobile. It’s not surprising then that there is no other sector that feels more love for their ESP.</p> <p><em>Fig.1 How do you rate the performance of your company’s email campaigns? (Results show Excellent or Good)</em></p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/resized/0008/1327/2016_email_performance_sector_census-blog-flyer.png" alt="Email performance 2016 Sector Census" width="470" height="376"></p> <h4><strong>Charities, Government & Not-for-Profits</strong></h4> <p>From mediocre results last year, the sector with the biggest turnaround has to be Charities, Government & NFP. Their ROI is consistently higher (and now tops the chart at 84%, excellent/good ROI – see Fig.2), email performance has skyrocketed and more time is now spent on strategic activities.</p> <p><em>Fig.2 How do you rate the email channel in terms of return on investment? (Results show Excellent or Good)</em></p> <p><em><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/resized/0008/1329/2016_roi_sector_census-blog-flyer.png" alt="Email ROI 2016 Sector Census" width="470" height="329"></em></p> <h4><strong>Retail/ Mail Order</strong></h4> <p>ROI has grown considerably from last year for the Retail/Mail Order sector, and email performance is just keeping above the overall email industry average.</p> <p>Retailers also score above the industry average for mobile optimisation strategy. While they are keeping time spent on tactical activities down, they have however lost a little focus on strategy.</p> <p>Their use of tactics overall has dropped back since last year, however firms have seen modest improvements in success when implementing automated email programmes. With an eye on the future, retailers are the most innovative sector (see Fig.3), and feel most strongly about innovating with creative behavioural triggers.</p> <p><em>Fig.3 How do you intend to innovate with email in 2016?</em></p> <p><em><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/resized/0008/1328/2016_innovation_sector_census-blog-flyer.png" alt="Email Innovation 2016 Sector Census" width="470" height="339"></em></p> <h4><strong>And the king of the hill is…?</strong></h4> <p>Publishers have produced the most consistent results across the board, while charities have shown a huge upswing in both return and performance as they get to grips with more email tactics and strategies. Travel firms too have upped their game as they adopt more email tactics, data services and mobile optimisation techniques.</p> <p>Retail performance is largely middle of the road, however the sector has a great future potential if it can focus its efforts. While finance firms have experienced a rise in email performance, they are let down by not embracing email tactics or ESP services, and have low email optimisation strategies.</p> <p>Similarly, with few highpoints, tech companies are often trailing the pack in terms of how they use email and (predictably) the return it produces.</p> <p>While we can still highlight individual improvements across the board, some sectors need to use the experience and successes of their peers and look at the opportunities, services and tactics available to really make the email channel work harder for them.</p> <p>It might seem an uphill battle, but experimentation and testing are the name of the game.</p> <p><em>Subscribers can download the full <a href="https://econsultancy.com/reports/email-census/">Email Marketing Census 2016</a>.</em></p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/68391 2016-10-13T01:00:00+01:00 2016-10-13T01:00:00+01:00 Ten ways to freshen-up your email marketing Jeff Rajeck <p>So, though it seems like email is working well, companies are not increasing investment in the channel.</p> <p> <img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/0002/1.png" alt="" width="701" height="340"></p> <p>One potential reason for this is that email is a legacy technology and many marketers have become comfortable with how it fits into their organisations.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/0003/2.png" alt="" width="616" height="379"></p> <p>To others, though, email marketing is still evolving and<strong> there are a number of new best practices which can help even the most jaded email marketer.</strong></p> <p>To find out more about these, we spoke to a number of marketers about email at our recent Digital Cream Sydney and asked for ways to 'freshen-up' a stale email marketing programme.</p> <p>Here are ten tips provided by client-side marketers on the day.</p> <h3>1. Email marketing is a value exchange</h3> <p>One of the first things participants pointed out is that consumers are becoming much more savvy in managing their emails. Often, they pointed out, people have multiple email accounts to manage and ignore commercial emails.</p> <p>Because of this, email marketers should no longer send emails with a simple call-to-action and hope for the best. </p> <p>Instead, marketers should treat an email as a 'value exchange'. This means that every email sent should answer the customer's unspoken question, 'what's in it for me'. </p> <p>Special offers, exclusive content, and event invites all provide this, according to attendees.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/0004/email-2.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"></p> <h3>2. Email content must be engaging</h3> <p>In addition to providing value to get clicks and opens, marketers must also provide engaging content in order to be read.</p> <p>According to a <a href="https://litmus.com/blog/mobile-friendly-email-september-2016-email-market-share">recent report by Litmus</a>, <strong>email is most often opened on a mobile device.</strong></p> <p>Because of this, noted one participant, <strong>emails are not only in competition with other emails but with everything else available on mobile.</strong></p> <p>So, when writing emails, keep your user's short attention span in mind and make sure that the content is sharp, relevant, and to the point.</p> <h3>3. Use social media to build email lists</h3> <p>Attendees said that organisations still struggle to get email addresses from potential customers.</p> <p>While buying email addresses is now completely out of the question, many are wondering what to do to increase the size of their list.</p> <p>One participant said that social media can help. </p> <p>First off, educational advertising on social media helps drive high-quality traffic to the site. Then offering a free service or valuable information in exchange for an email address can help increase the list size.</p> <p>Also, <strong>if users need to login to your site for any reason</strong><strong>, use a social login.</strong> Then you should be able to get their email address as well as some demographic information.</p> <p>In either case, another noted, the organisation should still use an opt-in email in order to ensure that the customer is okay receiving promotional emails in the future.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/0005/email-3.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"></p> <h3>4. Marketers need to get email data under control</h3> <p>Another way companies can improve their email marketing programmes is to look at the data that they use to measure effectiveness.</p> <p>With so many departments having access to email, <strong>there is often no visibility in an organisation about how many times a customer has been emailed.</strong> </p> <p>This means that marketers have no way to gauge 'email fatigue', one of the most common reasons for unsubscribes.</p> <p>Also, another participant pointed out, <strong>most organisations do not have clarity on what click, open, and unsubscribe rates they should aim for.</strong> </p> <p>Some do use industry benchmarks, but attendees felt that these were too general.</p> <p>Email marketers should lead the way on the benchmarks and ensure that everyone who uses email knows what data and targets they should aim for and how they can help to avoid over-emailing customers.</p> <h3>5. A/B testing makes a big difference</h3> <p>Delegates were all enthusiastic about the positive effects of using A/B testing in their email marketing programmes.</p> <p>Things marketers test include: </p> <ul> <li>Email receiver's name.</li> <li>Subject line.</li> <li>Amount of content.</li> <li>CTAs.</li> <li>Frequency. </li> </ul> <p>Out of all those, participants felt that subject line was probably the most important and encouraged others to make testing that a general practice.</p> <h3>6. Use responsive design and video in emails</h3> <p>Emails have changed a lot in the past few years. Now that many people view them on mobile email clients which support rich media, they can include HTML5 design, graphics, and even video.</p> <p><strong>Participants agreed that better-looking emails tend to perform better,</strong> but urged marketers to test emails on multiple platforms.</p> <p>One attendee noted that many email platforms still do not use responsive design as standard and so emails may not render correctly.</p> <p>Another delegate said that video has worked very well for their company, but added that <strong>all video in emails should have subtitles as well as audio.</strong></p> <p> <img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/0006/email-4.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"></p> <h3>7. Use preference centres, but be careful</h3> <p>Participants said that email marketers should use web pages where customers can update their preferences, also known as 'preference centres'.</p> <p>They can help brands keep subscribers who were about to unsubscribe and get feedback from those who do.</p> <p>Poorly-designed preference centres, however, can cause customer frustration. </p> <p>Delegates warned that <strong>requiring customers to login to make changes or offering overwhelming options can turn what should delight customers into something which destroys brand loyalty.</strong></p> <h3>8. All employees who use email marketing should be trained</h3> <p>As email marketing has become more widely-understood in organisations, the use of the channel has become more widespread.</p> <p>What this means is that in many organisations, people who are not familiar with marketing principles often send out campaigns without abiding to the principles of good data management and integrity.</p> <p>At best this means that customers will get too many irrelevant emails and at worst, one participant warned, the organisation may be blocked by major email providers for spam.</p> <p>Because the stakes are so high, <strong>anyone who has permission to launch a campaign should be trained in email marketing</strong>. </p> <p>At the very least they should understand email design, copywriting, audience management, and relevant spam laws.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0008/0007/email-1.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"></p> <h3>9. Enterprise-grade email systems are becoming standard</h3> <p>Most participants on the day said that they use, or are in the process of buying, enterprise-grade email systems.</p> <p>Products mentioned included Salesforce, Oracle, and Adobe all of whom include email within their marketing clouds. </p> <p>Mailchimp was mentioned as a high-quality product for those companies who do not send massive amounts of emails.</p> <p>Along with buying these systens though, attendees said that <strong>marketing teams need to allocate resources to learn and use the system properly.</strong></p> <p>Without proper training, one warned, the advantages of having an enterprise-grade email system will not be realised.</p> <h3>10. Email is not the future</h3> <p>Interestingly, many delegates were keen to point out that email is a legacy technology and will probably not grow in influence.</p> <p>This is because consumers now have so many other ways to find information out about brands and keep in touch with customer service.</p> <p>This means that <strong>email marketers should start to see what other services they can integrate with emails</strong>, such as <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/64255-why-do-online-retailers-need-live-chat/">online chat</a>, in order to keep their skills current.</p> <p>That said, another participant pointed out that email will probably never go away completely.</p> <p>To back that up, they pointed out that we still receive physical, direct mail from brands to this day.</p> <h3>A word of thanks</h3> <p>Econsultancy would like to thank all of the marketers who participated on the day and especially the moderator at the Email Marketing table, <strong>Monica Villate Escobar, Marketing Manager at Ventura Health</strong>.</p> <p>We hope to see you all at future Sydney Econsultancy events!</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0007/9893/hosts.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"></p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/67395 2016-01-13T02:09:00+00:00 2016-01-13T02:09:00+00:00 Three things email marketing leaders do regularly [APAC case studies] Jeff Rajeck <p>In our recent <a href="https://econsultancy.com/reports/email-census">Email Marketing Industry Census 2015</a>, we discovered that email marketing is still a very popular strategy for brands globally.</p> <p>One reason for this is that email marketing offers great return on investment (ROI). </p> <p>Two-thirds (66%) of marketers felt that their email marketing ROI was better than average, and less than one in ten (7%) of those surveyed felt it was 'poor'.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/resized/0007/0595/roi_from_channels-blog-flyer.png" alt="" width="470" height="414"></p> <p>The same group also felt very positive about email marketing's future. The vast majority (78%) disagreed with the statement 'Email marketing will be redundant in five years' and only 9% agreed.</p> <p>So as email marketing is maintaining its popularity, it's useful to review the state of the art occasionally for some best practices.</p> <p>And though it's interesting just to see what everyone else is doing, it's also good to use these best practices to review your own email marketing and see if it is up to scratch.</p> <p>So, for your review and reflection, here are three things which Asia-Pacific email marketing leaders do regularly, each with a relevant case study.</p> <h3>1. They come up with a strategy first, then tactics</h3> <p>When thinking about all the things that you can do with email, it's easy to focus on the tactics. Tactics, after all, are where you provide value to the customer and get metrics to report upwards.</p> <p>And there are plenty of guides to help you with tactics. You can find dozens of blog posts telling you <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/64878-45-words-to-avoid-in-your-email-marketing-subject-lines/">how to write a better subject line</a> or about <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/62688-six-case-studies-and-infographics-on-the-optimal-time-to-send-emails/">the optimal time to send emails</a>.</p> <p>But without a good strategy, it's hard to know which tactics to use.</p> <p>And once your campaign is finished, it's much harder to analyse the effectiveness without referring to the original strategy.</p> <h4>OK, but what is an email marketing strategy?</h4> <p>There are many types of marketing strategies, but for email marketing one of the best is the segmenting, targeting, and positioning (or STP) approach.</p> <p>For a full explanation of STP, there are excellent resources available (<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/crisanthony/plenus-stp">here's one</a>), but here is a short description of how STP relates to email marketing.</p> <p>There are three steps to this approach: </p> <ol> <li> <strong>Segment</strong>: Divide your email list into exhaustive and mutually exclusive segments.</li> <li> <strong>Target</strong>: Decide which of your offers is most appropriate for each segment.</li> <li> <strong>Position</strong>: Then plan to communicate the value your offer provides to the targeted segment.</li> </ol> <p>How you execute on the strategy, the tactics, should be geared towards capturing the information you need to segment and delivering your offer to the intended target.</p> <p>It's fairly simple, but too often marketing departments lose sight of their original strategy and execute tactics without knowing why they are doing it.</p> <h4>Thai Airways: Strategy in practice</h4> <p>A good example of a company that had a <a href="https://www.marketingmag.com.au/hubs-c/jetting-towards-brand-loyalty/">clear strategic vision ahead of a tactical email marketing campaign</a> is Thai Airways.</p> <p>In order to re-activate its Australian customer base, Thai Airways sent an email to its Australian customers about a contest to win a free trip. </p> <p>To enter the contest, though, participants had to tell Thai Airways when they were available to travel.</p> <p>But instead of just using this data for the contest, Thai airways then segmented its customer base using the customers' preferred travel dates.</p> <p>Then, it sent targeted emails to each segment with an offer positioned to appeal to each customer's personal travel time frame.</p> <p>In short, Thai Airways </p> <ol> <li>Segmented its customers by travel date preference.</li> <li>Targeted those customers with a travel offer relevant to their preferences.</li> <li>Positioned the fare using a personalized email highlighting the offer and the travel dates.</li> </ol> <p> <img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0007/0596/Picture4.png" alt="" width="389" height="656"></p> <p>The results were great. Through using STP Thai Airways was able to increase the average open rate of its emails to 40%, well above the Australian industry standard of 16 to 24%.</p> <p>But more interesting than the results is how the team at Thai Airways: </p> <ul> <li>Thought about what product they wanted to position (time-sensitive travel deals),</li> <li>Worked out how to get the data they needed to segment their email list,</li> <li>And executed using a personalized email. </li> </ul> <p>Thai Airways truly executed a strategy-driven, tactical campaign.</p> <h3>2. They use customer behaviour to trigger emails</h3> <p>Brands gather customer data in other ways besides surveys though, too. Many companies are now using customer behaviour in order to better segment and target their customer base.</p> <p>For example, many businesses now send emails to customers who have 'abandoned' an online shopping cart on their site. </p> <p>Our email survey indicated that nearly two in five (37%) used this tactic in 2015, nearly twice as many who did so in 2013 (20%).</p> <p>But there are other behaviors which can used to trigger an email to improve customer experience. </p> <h4>Zuji's behavioural approach</h4> <p>Zuji, an Asian online travel site, <a href="http://www.experian.com.sg/resources/zuji-case-study-overview.html">sends emails which are triggered by browsing behaviour on its website</a>. </p> <p>That is, when someone registered at Zuji clicks on a link or conducts a flight search, Zuji records the behavior and associates it with the person's email.</p> <p>Then, should Zuji's algorithm determine that the customer needs more information or perhaps a special offer, Zuji's email systems sends a personalized message.</p> <p>According to a recent case study, using behavioural emails resulted in a 50-fold improvement on revenue per thousand emails.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/resized/0007/0597/capture-blog-flyer.png" alt="" width="470" height="467"></p> <p>But more than just increasing revenue, personalized emails are also a great way of improving the customer experience.</p> <p>Getting relevant, personalized information when you're in the research stage is almost always welcomed by customers. </p> <p>And it's not surprising that doing so led to more sales for Zuji.</p> <h3>3. They keep their email list clean</h3> <p>And finally, in order for these programs to work continuously, top brands put a lot of effort into keeping their mailing list clean.</p> <p>One big part of maintaining a clean email list is monitoring the bounces when you send a campaign. </p> <p>Just in case you weren't aware, every email campaign should have a 'bounce report' which tells you why an email couldn't be delivered to one of your customers.</p> <p>Sometimes, things happen out of your control. The customer may have closed their account or moved jobs. Or the company may have gone out of business and the domain is now invalid.</p> <p>But quite often you can fix the problem. The bounce may have been caused by a misspelling or the addition of an invalid character, such as a space. </p> <p>If you monitor your bounce report regularly, you can fix these manually and 'rescue' the email address quickly.</p> <p>But more serious problems can be identified from the bounce report, as well. </p> <p>Your domain may have been, unknowingly, blacklisted by a major email provider such as Hotmail or Gmail. This means that your emails will either be delivered to spam folders for people who use those services, or not at all.</p> <h4>Estée Lauder: Improving deliverability</h4> <p>Estée Lauder in Malaysia <a href="http://www.experian.com.my/assets/resources/case-studies/estee-lauder-malaysia-case-study.pdf">had a big problem</a>. Its emails had a bounce rate of 14.1% on average and ran as high as 21.6%. This meant that, at times, Estée Lauder was not able to deliver email to one in five people on its list!</p> <p>To improve deliverability, Estée Lauder implemented new email software (CheetahMail) and went to work on reducing bounces.</p> <p>First, the system validated its existing list and then deployed a bounce management scheme which removed emails which frequently bounced.</p> <p>But another problem it addressed was deliverability. This involved working with a high-quality email service provider (ESP) who had good relationships with major email providers and making sure that all of their anti-spam policies were being followed.</p> <p>Then, the emails it sent were far more likely to be delivered to recipients in their inbox, and not as spam.</p> <p>The results were that Estée Lauder reduced its email bounce rate from over 10% to under 1%.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/resized/0007/0598/picture2-blog-flyer.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="473"></p> <p>Now, it is easy see this and think you don't have a problem with a bounces. Most companies already have bounce rates under 1%. </p> <p>But maintaining focus on deliverability is still important as every email which bounces is a lost opportunity for better ROI. </p> <p>In fact, cleaning your email list is probably one of the most underrated and effective email marketing tactics for improving ROI.</p> <p>It's also a great place for to start looking for issues if you feel like your email campaigns aren't working as well as they used to.</p> <h3>So...</h3> <p>Brands that do email marketing well tend to have strategies before tactics, use multiple data sources when targeting emails, and use many tactics to keep their email list clean.</p> <p>If you could only do one of these, though, conducting strategic analysis of your email list before executing tactics is probably the most important. </p> <p>You can try all the tricks to improve open and click rates through A/B testing subject lines and body copy, but a good strategy is a much better way to spend your scarce time and resources.</p> <p>This means segmenting your list into meaningful groups, coming up with offers specifically for the segment, and then positioning it in a way which appeals to them.</p> <p>Doing so is the shortest path to improving email marketing ROI and boosting your email marketing program up with the best in the industry.</p> tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/67306 2015-12-10T11:10:00+00:00 2015-12-10T11:10:00+00:00 Is Pinterest or Instagram better for driving ecommerce? Georges Berzgal <p>However, what hasn’t always been obvious is how to convert these followers into sales.</p> <p>Both platforms recently developed new tools to more easily facilitate commerce across the board.</p> <p>So what are the inherent benefits of services like Pinterest and Instagram, and which provides the best platform for commerce?</p> <h3>Target audiences</h3> <p>It’s no secret that brands looking to target female consumers see the benefits of embracing social media.</p> <p><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231970">Women are 10% more</a> likely than men to show brand support and 17% more likely to access offers on social media, although <a href="http://digitalmarketingmagazine.co.uk/social-media-marketing/is-the-social-buy-button-poised-to-take-off/2766">research found</a> that men are slightly more interested in purchasing directly on social networks by using a social buy button than women (33 % vs. 30%).</p> <p>All social media networks, bar LinkedIn, have more female users than male, although women’s domination of social media is not equally spread across all networks.</p> <p>Figures suggest that <a href="http://www.conversedigital.com/digital-strategy/should-my-company-be-on-instagram-or-pinterest">Pinterest’s users are 70% and Instagram’s users are 55% female.</a></p> <h3>Buyable Pins</h3> <p>Pinterest launched <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/66529-pinterest-enables-ecommerce-with-buyable-pins/">Buyable Pins</a> earlier this year, allowing consumers to purchase items without leaving the platform, and to pay using Apple Pay or credit cards.</p> <p>With a <a href="http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/pinterest-stats/">user base of 70m</a> made-up largely of consumers who are the most active and engaged, it’s no surprise that Pinterest is often seen as the social network with the highest potential for ecommerce.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0006/9879/buyable_pins.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466"></p> <h3>Instagram's buy button</h3> <p>However, the truth, as unveiled by research from member-based business intelligence firm L2, is that Instagram actually <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/investing/trading-desk/how-instagram-is-becoming-a-must-have-for-retailers?__lsa=6904-3bfd">has the highest browser-to-shopper conversion rate</a> of the social media outlets it tracks.</p> <p>This is all the more impressive considering that Instagram only allows brands to link to their website from their profile page.</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0006/9878/instagram_ads.jpg" alt="" width="700"></p> <p>The introduction of the Instagram ‘buy button’ sounded like a shift for the network.</p> <p>It is not available on regular Instagram posts yet, but limited to <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/66689-how-brands-are-using-instagram-ads/">the recently-introduced ad platform</a>.</p> <p>So if consumers see an item on the brand’s Instagram page they would like to purchase, they still have to search for the item on the retailer’s website to be able to buy it.</p> <h3>So, why is Instagram better at converting browsers to shoppers?</h3> <p>The answer is two-fold. What Pinterest promises is a channel through which brands can speak to women in a way that they like being spoken to.</p> <p>From our experience with clients, marketing messages with gender specific content are five times more successful than unisex messages.</p> <p>Brands understand the need to target consumers by gender, what seems odd is that brands are excited to segregate their female-targeted messages onto an entirely separate platform. </p> <p>Instagram, on the other hand, has a much more level gender split, allowing brands to target both men and women through the same platform by separating their content through gender specific accounts.</p> <p>Apparel retailers like Nike and ASOS are amongst the pioneers of this approach to Instagram, and it makes total sense. Why would you split your product by gender in-store, but then present it all together online?</p> <p><img src="https://assets.econsultancy.com/images/0006/9880/Screen_Shot_2015-12-10_at_11.08.21.png" alt="" width="700"></p> <p>It is more difficult for retailers to push their products openly on Instagram, which is the second, counter-intuitive reason why the platform is better for driving commerce.</p> <p>Brands publish content on Instagram that describes the lifestyle and culture of the company; it is the social network where retailers can forge an emotional connection with consumers.</p> <p>With our own customers we often see marketing messages with an absence of product promotion bringing in the most revenue.</p> <p>Messages promoting the culture behind the brand – be it a tie in with another brand or a connection to the local community – have proven to be extremely effective at driving engagement and revenue.</p> <p>Pinterest has been under pressure to bring commerce to the front of its platform for some time.</p> <p>Buyable pins move Pinterest towards becoming an aggregator of ecommerce, something akin to a digital shopping centre.</p> <p>This is by no means a bad thing, either for brands or consumers, but this evolution also moves Pinterest away from its social origins.</p> <p>Brands looking to tap into Instagram for ecommerce must keep in mind that the logical benefits of a product are often outweighed by a decision based on emotion.</p> <p>Social media allows brands to share their brand story in a way that retail space and owned websites often cannot offer, and for this reason a targeted Instagram account looks to be the better choice for driving revenue now, and potentially in the future.</p> | <urn:uuid:3930a227-15f5-4804-b42d-ea6ba8fe6402> | 2 | 1.53125 | 0.02023 | en | 0.8849 | https://www.econsultancy.com/topics/email.atom |
Japanese Wages Slump Record 7.1% as Companies Slash Bonuses
1. Japanâs wages fell at the fastest pace on record in June as companies cut bonuses to protect dwindling profits, adding to evidence that consumers are unlikely to contribute to an economic recovery.
Monthly wages including overtime and bonuses dropped 7.1 percent from a year earlier to 430,620 yen ($4,500), the sharpest decline since the survey began in 1990, the Labor Ministry said today in Tokyo. Bonuses shrank 14.5 percent.
Less money to spend...
2. It's slightly interesting that the survey was established near the all-time high of their market........(when new "surveys" are created, be careful.) :cool:
3. It's okay: The U.S. Government will pass a CFJ bill.
'Cash for Japanese.'
4. Will Lexus vehicles be eligible for purchase in that program? :confused:
5. achilles28
This is something to take notice.
Wages are sticky. Prices aren't.
To see such a big drop in wages, that's significant. Perhaps not alarming, as bonus pay and overtime appears to be a large part of Japanese wage structure?
6. That's much more alarming :
Japan's core consumer price index fell 0.2% in June, or 1.7% lower than a year earlier, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said Friday.
he ministry also said that average household spending fell in June by 1.7% from the year before, in nominal terms to 277,237 yen ($2,901). Adjusted for inflation, however, real household spending inched 0.2% higher.
Adjusted for "inflation" ???? LOL !!!! Lower wages,alarmingly lower prices and falling household spending reminds me of what exactly...?:confused:
7. A bunch of "Public Relations People" who are unfamiliar with the concept of deflation, even after the 1990's. :cool: | <urn:uuid:13e29432-88ef-4350-9935-e5cf2e30c9e2> | 2 | 1.5 | 0.022575 | en | 0.948011 | https://www.elitetrader.com/et/threads/japanese-wages-slump-record-7-1-as-companies-slash-bonuses.172000/ |
Phrasal Verbs
give away
This page is about the phrasal verb give away
Meaning: If you give away something, you give it to someone without expecting anything in return.
For example:
• give away sth Bill Gates gives away most of his money to help poor people in developing countries.
• give sth away My dog had five puppies, and we gave four of them away and kept one for ourselves.
Quick Quiz:
If you give away a lot of money, most people will say you are
a. a generous person
b. a strange person
c. a selfish person
Phrasal verbs grammar
1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context ebook
Phrasal Verb of the Day
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Contributor: Matt Errey | <urn:uuid:39bc9e15-4ef1-45cf-8704-01ba5ba5e014> | 3 | 2.734375 | 0.818563 | en | 0.924665 | https://www.englishclub.com/ref/esl/Phrasal_Verbs/G/give_away_1944.htm |
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Iceland - Strokkur - Geysir's Smaller Brother | by Ben124.
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Iceland - Strokkur - Geysir's Smaller Brother
There is only one Icelandic word used in the English language: geyser. Though the word refers to all geysers in general, it comes from a single geyser (in fact, the geyser) located in the South West of Iceland. Unfortunately, the Great Geysir has been somewhat shy in recent decades, though on special occasions it can sometimes be coaxed into a performance with some soap. When Geysir does perform, it lives up to its name, spraying a jet of steaming water 200 feet skyward. Far more reliable, though less spectacular, is nearby Strokkur (“the churn”), which spouts a 60-100 foot jet about once every five minutes. The geyser area is also rich in walking paths that lead past steaming vents and colourful, mineral-rich mud formations. The whole area is a geothermal park sitting on top of a vast boiling cauldron. Belching sulphurous mud pots of unusual colours, hissing steam vents, hot and cold springs, warm streams, and primitive plants can all be found here.
We stopped at the geothermal area of Geysir, the geyser for which all geysers are named. The famous Geysir now only erupts after large earthquakes and last erupted in 2000. Its little brother, Strokkur, erupts much more frequently, about 6-8 minutes apart. . People gather around the geyser and stare at the mouth, watching the water boil, in full anticipation with cameras ready. If you turn away, you’ll miss it. When you take a photo of one there are not that many ways to come up with unique composition. You can try a longer exposure of 1sec to give it slightly softer feel. You have to be ready even if it means standing still waiting for the eruption for up to 20 min with the camera in the right position. The geyser spouts upward close to 30 meter high and then it’s done. Sometimes there is a smaller spurt immediately before the large eruption.
Why does a geyser erupt?
What will become of Geysir?
The water level in the Geysir has been artificially lowered, but recent volcanic activity has reactivated it, so Geysir has somewhat found it's renewed life. Unfortunately, Geysir now erupts to no specific timetable.
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Why are we there?
Glastonbury Festival enjoys a relatively crime-free existence and some parts still hark back to the early days of peace, love and free milk. However, there will be more than 200,000 people at the festival. This is bigger than plenty of towns across the United Kingdom and no-one would question why those towns had police officers stationed there.
In a gathering of such size, there are unfortunately one or two bad apples and the police would be remiss not to have a presence at the festival and make sure that the vast majority of people enjoy a happy festival, with crime the last thing on their minds.
Policing Team 5
In all seriousness, a policing presence at the festival is essential to the granting of the licence needed to hold the festival.
After historic problems including public order, overcrowding, crime and safety problems, the festival had questions to answer from the police before a licence would be granted for another festival.
The solid steel fence which now surrounds the whole site was a massive step forward in public order and safety of those inside and outside the festival and has done a lot to make policing the festival an easier task.
However, the need for policing is still there, unfortunately there still is crime at the festival. There needn’t be though – with your help, we can make Glastonbury Festival all about peace and love, and not about who might nick your iPhone. Keep it safe, keep it hidden, keep it.
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Paul, Alice
Paul, Alice, 1885–1977, American feminist, b. Moorestown, N.J. She helped found the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage (1913), which became the National Woman's party (1917). After the passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, she worked for passage of an equal rights amendment. See also woman suffrage .
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Social Reformers
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Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions Technology
Last Reviewed: 25-Jul-2017
Article ID: 000005779
What are Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions?
• Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD)
• Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions (Intel® SSE)
Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE)
SSE is a processor technology that enables single instruction multiple data. Older processors only process a single data element per instruction. SSE enables the instruction to handle multiple data elements. It is used in intensive applications, such as 3D graphics, for faster processing.
Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 (SSE2)
SSE2 extends the MMX Technology and SSE technology with the addition of 144 instructions that deliver performance increases across a broad range of applications. The SIMD integer instructions introduced with MMX technology have been extended from 64 to 128 bits, doubling the effective execution rate of SIMD integer type operations.
Double-precision floating point SIMD instructions allow simultaneous execution of two floating-point operations in the SIMD format This support for double-precision operations helps accelerate content creation, financial, engineering, and scientific applications.
Original SSE instructions are also enhanced to support a flexible and higher dynamic range of computational power by supporting arithmetic operations on multiple data types (for example, double words and quad words). SSE2 instructions allow software developers maximum flexibility to implement algorithms and provide performance enhancements when running software such as MPEG-2, MP3, 3D graphics, and more.
Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (SSE3)
Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 (SSE4)
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The mesenteric arteries supply blood to the small and large intestines; when these narrow or are blocked, blood flow is restricted and can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Two types exist:
• Chronic mesenteric artery ischemia is treated by removing the blockage and reconnecting the arteries to the aorta. A bypass around the blockage can be created with a plastic tube graft.
Mesenteric artery ischemia is often seen in conjunction with hardened arteries in other parts of the body (for example, those with coronary artery disease or peripheral vascular disease). The condition is more common in smokers and in patients with high blood pressure or blood cholesterol.
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Working out a repayment plan for your borrowing
It’s crucial to work out the total cost of the credit you’re taking out, including interest payments, and not just the amount you’re borrowing or how much you can afford to pay every month. Taking the time to work out the full cost of any borrowing lets you plan your finances and ensure that you really can afford it.
What affects your borrowing costs
How much you’ll pay to borrow money depends on how much you need and how quickly you plan to repay it.
For example, if you want to borrow a small amount over a short period of time with a low interest rate, you might well pay very little interest (or none at all if you use a credit card charging 0% interest).
On the other hand, borrowing a large amount of money over a long time will cost you more.
In general, use the APR to compare products.
The lower the APR the better, but also look at how much it will cost overall.
This will usually be more for a longer-term loan even if the APR is less, and will show as the total amount payable.
Borrowing options
Let’s look at an example. John needs to borrow £1,000 to replace his old boiler.
He gets a quote from a big energy company for the boiler and the installation, including paying back the cost over two years.
However, when he reads the contract he notices that if he takes out their credit for two years he will pay more than £300 in interest.
John looks around at other options.
As he has a good credit rating, he considers:
• Taking out a credit card with an introductory interest-free period of 15 months on new purchases, or
• Applying for a personal loan with an interest rate of 10% that he can pay back over two years
This is how much John might have to repay each month and overall:
Option Interest rate Monthly repayment Total amount repayable
Credit card over 15 months 0% £66.67 £1,000
Personal loan over two years 10% £46.14 £1,107 (£1,000 borrowed + £107 interest)
Energy company credit agreement over two years 30% £55.91 £1,342 (£1,000 borrowed + £342 interest)
In the end, John takes a look at his monthly budget and decides that he can afford to take out the credit card and pay the extra £10.76 each month to avoid having to pay any interest.
It means he will have paid off the balance in 15 months and he won’t have been charged interest.
John will only save money because he knows he can make the payments within the 15 months.
If you don’t think you would be able to do that, a credit card could cost you more.
What this table shows is the difference in repayment plans over different periods of time and how being able to pay a little more each month might mean you’re able to take out a much cheaper form of credit.
It also highlights the importance of shopping around for credit and not just taking the first product you are offered.
Always spend some time shopping around for credit. Use comparison websites to look at different deals.
Be aware of any extra charges or fees.
All loans should tell you how much you’ll pay back overall, including any interest.
Regular versus flexible payments
A loan agreement will have an amount you have to pay back every month.
It might charge an early repayment fee if you do clear it ahead of time.
Repaying your loan early at any time, in full or part, can be a good way of minimising cost.
• If you took the loan out before 1 February 2011, the most you can be charged is two months’ interest.
• If you took the loan out after 1 February 2011, by law no fee can be charged for early repayment.
That is unless the amount repaid early exceeds £8000. Even then, the amount is capped.
You can ask the lender for a ‘settlement statement’ showing how much you’ill save by repaying early.
Other forms of borrowing such as overdrafts and credit cards are more flexible with low or no minimum repayment.
But the interest rates on these tend to be higher and some overdrafts charge an initial arrangement fee.
Pros of regular repayments
• Repaying a regular fixed amount might help you budget.
• You know exactly when you will have cleared the debt.
• You should be able to repay your loan early with no penalty (or early repayment charge) as long as you overpay less than £8,000 in a year (unless you took it out before 1st February 2011, when a penalty of – typically – two months’ interest might apply).
• Regular payments might make it harder to budget if your income fluctuates.
Calculating the cost of borrowing
You can work out how much it will cost you to borrow if you take out a loan or a credit card using the information that lenders have to give you.
By law, when you apply they must tell you:
• How much you’ll have to repay in total
• How much you’ll have to pay every month
• The interest rates, any fees or charges and the APR
You should find this information on the credit card or loan company’s website.
It must also be in the pre-contract credit information form (the SECCI).
If it’s not on the website, the firm will need to send it to you before you enter into the agreement and explain key elements of the agreement.
In the case of credit cards, this will be based on certain assumptions about how you’ll use the card.
You can also use an online calculator to work out the true cost of any borrowing – and it will only take a few minutes.
Make sure you keep up with your repayments
If you miss any repayments you could be hit by fees and additional charges.
It could also harm your credit rating because lenders look at how you’ve managed your existing credit when working out whether or not to lend you money.
Make sure there is enough money in your bank/building society account each month to cover your repayments and set up a regular standing order (for a fixed amount) or Direct Debit (if the payments vary) so you don’t miss a payment.
Your tips for borrowing money and paying it back
Read a transcript of this video
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The Oregonian: Measuring the return on investing in a college degree
Author: Scott Dawson, dean of the PSU School of Business Administration
Posted: January 2, 2013
Read the original column in The Oregonian here.
Public higher education is under more pressure than ever to perform. State funding has declined sharply in recent years, triggering tuition increases and increasing demands from students and families for a quantifiable return on their investment.
As dean of the School of Business Administration at Portland State University, I understand the ROI perspective. I also see an increasing number of international students from Asia, the Middle East and other places flocking to U.S. universities at greater expense and seeking the same return on investment.
At PSU, for instance, we educate more than 470 Saudi Arabian students, who pay about three times more tuition than Oregon students. The Saudi government is paying for 40,000 students to attend U.S. universities with the goal that they will return with skills to help diversify their economy, which is now roughly 80 percent dependent on oil. China, Korea, Japan, India and other nations also know that the best investment in economic development is a college education for their young people.
That's true here as well. Research shows that lifetime earnings for a U.S. college graduate are 2.3 times higher on average than for those without a degree. Yet in Oregon, we have been steadily disinvesting in higher education. Five years ago, the state allocated $847 million to the Oregon University System, or 7.7 percent of the 2007-09 general fund. That amount has been cut to $669 million during the current biennium, only 4.9 percent of the general fund.
While state support has dwindled, the costs to educate students have remained about the same when adjusted for inflation, but those costs have shifted dramatically from the state to the student. As The Oregonian pointed out in a recent series, many students graduate with debt at a time when the economy is not creating enough well-paying jobs. In the long run, those graduates will get jobs, repay their debt and move up the economic ladder. But the state shoulders some of the responsibility for their debt burden. We do too. At PSU, access to higher education is crucial to our urban mission, and making college affordable means making our best effort to hold down tuition increases. So we and other universities are looking at other funding sources to make up the difference in lost state funding, such as private philanthropy and aggressively recruiting out-of-state and international students, who pay higher tuition.
The benefits include a more diverse campus that helps make the world smaller for the next generation of leaders. But there is also some perverse logic at work here -- we pursue our urban mission of providing access to Oregonians in part by attracting more international students who are not likely to stay and contribute to the Oregon economy.
We and other universities are developing efficiencies and cost-cutting measures, but the state cuts have been too deep, and our growth demands have increased each year. Enrollment at Oregon's seven public universities, for instance, has soared by nearly 20,000 students in the past five years, surpassing 100,000 students.
Other strategies being developed by PSU and other universities include designing high-quality interactive courses and programs for online delivery, program design maps, extensive advising and creating guarantees to students to ensure they can graduate in four years, which saves them significant money and time.
The Legislature convenes next month and will take up K-12 and higher education funding during a period when Oregon's economy is slowly recovering. The governor has recommended moderate budget increases in education, including boosting the Oregon Opportunity Grants that help low-income Oregonians pay for college. Restoring some of the cuts to universities is a critical step toward ensuring a better return on investment for Oregon's economic future.
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The postpartum risk that many moms don’t know about
Special to The Globe and Mail
When you give birth you are expecting a baby to come out, and then the placenta. Not many moms are expecting their bladder or uterus to come out – most don’t even know this is possible.
Pregnancy and childbirth are risk factors for a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse. Studies show that 50 per cent of women who have given birth one or more times will have some degree of prolapse but it is likely even higher given the low reporting rate and lack of awareness. In simple terms a prolapse is the progressive descent of the internal organs (the bladder, the uterus or the rectum) into and eventually out of the vagina.
It occurs in stages, with the first and second stages often being asymptomatic, so many women don’t even know they have a problem until it progresses to stage 3, when the organ is at the vaginal opening and may even bulge out periodically on exertion, or stage 4, when the organ is bulging right out of the vaginal opening.
Early stage prolapse is sometimes reversible and is very manageable. But once the prolapse progresses to stage 3 or 4, it becomes life altering and may require surgery – surgery that can in turn cause other challenges and potentially lead to more operations. Prevention and early detection are key when it comes to pelvic organ prolapse.
Here are some possible symptoms to look for:
• low back pain
• a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen
• discomfort with sex
• difficulty starting the flow of urine
• difficulty emptying the bladder
• inability to completely empty the rectum.
As the descent of the organs continues, symptoms may progress to:
• feeling like you are sitting on a golf ball
• feeling like something is falling out
• heaviness that gets worse as the day progresses
• tampons getting pushed out
• difficulty inserting a tampon.
The best thing a woman can do to prevent prolapse (and any pelvic floor dysfunction for that matter) is to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist, ideally prior to conception, then during pregnancy, then at six weeks postpartum and then annually. Visit www.pelviennewellness.com for a list of pelvic floor physiotherapists across Canada. They assess the pelvic floor muscles for function and the internal organs to see if they are where they should be.
If a prolapse is found, a number of lifestyle management options would be presented.
Stand, sit and move with a neutral pelvis
If your posture is such that your pelvis is not aligned with your breathing diaphragm, then you will be given tips on how to stand, move and sit properly which in turn will make the pelvic floor exercises more effective. Most baby carriers encourage poor posture, so ensure your physiotherapist shows you the proper form while you are holding and carrying your baby as well.
Avoid heavy lifting
Heavy lifting causes an increase in intra-abdominal pressure and if your core (pelvic floor) can’t manage that pressure, then your organs will continue to move down and eventually out. Generally anything over 15 pounds may be too strenuous for some, and most moms are “heavy lifting” many times a day. Work with your pelvic floor physiotherapist to develop strategies for proper core activation to make lifting safer.
Explore a pessary
A pessary is a device inserted high into the vagina that supports the its walls and the organs. There are many different sizes and shapes, and it may take a few tries to find the right one, but once you do, it can allow the muscles to function better and provide relief from the discomfort of prolapse.
Avoid crunches
Crunches are the standard “go to” exercise for losing the mummy tummy but they increase intra-abdominal pressure pushing the abdomen outward and the pelvic organs downward. With each crunch, the bulging bladder or uterus is pushed further south.
Having a prolapse does not mean all exercise should be halted, it just needs to be modified. Some great options for prolapse-friendly exercise are:
The hypopresive method
A series of hypopresive postures (meaning “without pressure”) done with rhythmic breathing and apneas (pauses in breathing) that improve resting tone in the abdomen and pelvic floor and may even reverse early stage prolapse. Visit www.metodohipopresivo.com.
The buoyancy from water is a welcome relief from the downward draw of being upright against gravity all day. The water also provides resistance, making it a great way to train your muscles without the heavy lifting.
Yoga in general is thought of as gentle but there are some styles that may be too strenuous for unsupported organs. Opt for yin yoga, restorative yoga or gentle hatha when living with prolapse. | <urn:uuid:17606998-0280-419f-bab1-cd17298e2225> | 2 | 2.359375 | 0.021837 | en | 0.927453 | https://www.pelviennewellness.com/blogs/news/14907385-the-postpartum-risk-that-many-moms-don-t-know-about |
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Constraints on the Gibbs Equation, Tds = dh - vdP
1. Sep 26, 2012 #1
What constraints are imposed on the use of the Gibbs equation Tds = dh - vdP
2. Relevant equations
Tds = dh - vdP
3. The attempt at a solution
I seem to be stuck on this question. So far I have come up with the following constraints, but I'm not even sure if they are correct:
1. The equation holds for only closed systems at constant pressure
2. The equations holds only for systems in which the free energy depends only on P and T.
3. The equation doesn't apply on mixtures or supercooled liquids.
2. jcsd
3. Sep 28, 2012 #2
rude man
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#1 can't be right - there is dp in the formula ...
#2 ???
#3 ???
So: 1st hint: how does the term Tds enter your equation?
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Double Pendulum with motor between segments
1. Apr 8, 2009 #1
Hello everyone,
First, I must apologize in advance as I am no physicist, and am unable to be of any help in physics to anyone else at a high level. I have a general knowledge of a wide range of subjects, and I have a problem that I need to understand better. So, with that said, here is my question.
I'm interested in the concept of momentum transfer between segments of a double pendulum system. Essentially conservation of momentum.. right? One segment decelerates while the other accelerates.
First question. Does one segment give up it's momentum to the next, or does one segment draw momentum from the other. Is this just semantics?
Second question. Both segments are interacting with one another through a pivot point. One segment slows down while the next segment speeds up. Let's change the scenario though. What would happen if there was a motor between the links at the pivot point forcefully causing the angle of the joint to change. In this case how would the transfer of momentum be affected between the segments? Would it just speed up?
I know i've most likely done a hatchet job to some physics terms in writing this out, so I hope you get the gist of what i'm trying to ask, But any help would be much appreciated.
Thank You
2. jcsd
3. Apr 8, 2009 #2
Andy Resnick
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What you are describing is a fairly complicated system- complicated because the range of possible motions and behaviors of such a system is quite vast: stable oscillations, unstable, chaotic oscillations... to name three.
To answer question 1, I don't think it's correct to divide up the system like that- the two segments do not act independently of the other (except, perhaps, as a limiting case). Rather, the total momentum is the only well-defined measure. How it is partitioned among the internal degrees of freedom, and how that varies in time, can probably be written down (most easily by working in terms of Lagrangian or Hamiltonian mechanics).
For question 2, what you describe is a phenomenon that can be modeled by 'negative friction' (Froude's pendulum). The dynamics are incredibly complex.
Does that help?
4. Apr 9, 2009 #3
soceric, perhaps you are thinking of the energy rather than momentum? If one bob is oscillating more rapidly, and then over time the other is, then could we say that the kinetic energy is transferring from one to the other?
One thing to keep in mind is that pendulums are difficult to model by conservation of momentum because there are net external forces on the pendulum. Strictly speaking, when a bob reverses direction because it's reached its peak height, the entire Earth moves (imperceptibly) to compensate.
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Equipotential Surfaces
1. Sep 15, 2013 #1
The drawing shows a graph of a set of equipotential surfaces in cross section. The grid lines are 2.0 cm apart. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field at position D.
Specify whether the electric field points toward the top or the bottom of the drawing.
2. Relevant equations
3. The attempt at a solution
I am uncertain how to solve for this problem, ΔV is usually between 2 variables, final - initial. Do I repeat this process for each field above point D?
2. jcsd
3. Sep 15, 2013 #2
Guys, help?
4. Sep 15, 2013 #3
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You can't say EXACTLY what the E field is. You can only approximate it. I would pick the two nearest points on the equipotential lines and work from there.
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Friction on an incline
1. Feb 22, 2016 #1
A block is sliding with an initial velocity of 7.3 m/s along a frictionless horizontal surface when it then goes up an incline of 51.5 degrees that does have friction. If the kinetic friction coefficient is 0.1 then how far along the incline (hypotenuse) will the object travel before it stops?
Θ = 51.5°
µ(k) = 0.1
v(initial) = 7.3 m/s
v(final) = 0 ...because the question asks at what point will it stop, meaning there is no more speed.
g = 9.81
d = ?
m = ?
a = ? ...i do not know if i even need acceleration
F = ?
W = ?
2. Relevant equations
KE = W = 1/2mv(final) - 1/2mv(initial)
F = mg
W = Fd
Force up ramp... F = mg sinΘ
Normal Force against ramp... Fnormal = mg cosΘ
Force of friction between block and ramp... F(f) = µ Fnormal
3. The attempt at a solution
Honestly i have no clue where to even begin, i am so lost on this problem :(
Also, my equations could be wrong. Could somebody please give me a detailed walkthrough on how to solve this?
2. jcsd
3. Feb 22, 2016 #2
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Alas, we cannot do that; it's against forum rules. You'll need to make some attempt at a solution before help can be given.
That said, I suggest that you consider how energy is traded and lost along the block's path.
4. Feb 22, 2016 #3
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There is a flaw in this question. The way the diagram is drawn, the transition from horizontal to inclined motion is sudden, implying a non-conservative impact. But my guess is that you should suppose there is a small radius allowing for a smooth transition.
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Group axioms - Verify?
1. Sep 25, 2006 #1
It is known that "the integers under addition" form a group,
that is (Z,+).
I have always wondered how to actually proof that (Z,+) is a group?
Definitions for a group from wikipedia:
I'm especially interested in two things:
1) Why does the associative law hold for (Z,+), that is
a+(b+c) = (a+b)+c for a,b,c in Z.
And moreover:
2) Why is closure fulfilled?
That is, if a and b in Z, then a+b is also in Z.
2. jcsd
3. Sep 25, 2006 #2
In order to prove that addition on integers is commutative and that they are closed under addition, you need to use the definition of addition on the integers. However, in order to define addition you need to know how the integers are constructed.
You can construct the natural numbers as a sequence of sets, and define addition. You can then construct the integers from the natural numbers, and define addition on the integers using the addition you've already defined on the natural numbers. The wikipedia pages on natural numbers and integers have some of the details.
4. Sep 25, 2006 #3
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Just to emphasize the importance of stating from which definition you're working -- in many contexts I would define the integers as "the free ring on zero generators"... in which case the additive group structure is trivial.
5. Sep 25, 2006 #4
How is that the case? Don't the integers have one generator? Either 1 or -1. Why isn't the ring with zero generators the trivial ring?
6. Sep 25, 2006 #5
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Because it's not free -- it satisfies a nontrivial relation amongst its elements. (in particular, 0 = 1)
For a ring R to be freely generated by the empty set, that means:
For any ring S, any function {} --> S extends uniquely to a homomorphism R --> S.
(There is, of course, only one function {} --> S)
If you plug in R = Z, you'll find the above is satisfied. If you plug in R = 0, you'll find it's not satisfied. (In fact, if 0 --> S is a homomorphism, then S = 0)
7. Sep 25, 2006 #6
So is this equivalent to saying that R has a basis? That was what I thought a free ring was.
And how does Z have zero generators?
8. Sep 25, 2006 #7
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Because it's generated by the empty set. ({1} is also a generating set for Z, of course, but Z is not the free ring on one object)
{} is clearly a subset of Z. What is the subring of Z generated by {}? Recall that it's the intersection of all subrings of Z that contain every element in {}. The only subring of Z is Z itself -- so {} generates Z.
9. Sep 25, 2006 #8
Okay, I think I see this. I was thinking of generating sets in terms of groups, and was trying to generate Z with addition. But that's not right. So the free ring on one generator would be Z[x], right?
On the level of groups, 1 or -1 generate Z, correct? So Z is the free group on one generator.
10. Sep 25, 2006 #9
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Sounds right; I think things don't get annoying until you have two generators. (Unless you specify "free commutative ring" -- then everything remains nice. :smile:)
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Gustav Daléns Invention
1. Apr 12, 2004 #1
Gustaf Daléns Invention
He won the Nobel price for Physics for his invention.
How did his invention actually work?
You could hardly call it a mayor contribution to Physics (with all respect) can you?
(Changed the name into the correct name, thanks to Chen)
Last edited: Apr 12, 2004
2. jcsd
3. Apr 12, 2004 #2
Well, he was blinded in a gas explosion before the award so maybe they gave it to him out of compassion? *shrugs*
(It's Gustaf, by the way.)
4. Apr 12, 2004 #3
That's what I read and it probably was the case, but still... they should have waited (when did he actually make this invention?). Then he probably wouldn't have won. It was probably a fine invention, but a Nobel price?, I think not.
But I'm still curious about what he exactly invented anyway. So does anybody know?
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