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Take it with a pinch of salt
putting iodine in salt, public health experts say, may be the simplest and most cost-effective health measure in the world. Each ton of salt needs about two ounces of potassium iodate, which costs about $1.15.
Worldwide, about two billion people — a third of the globe — get too little iodine, including hundreds of millions in India and China. Studies show that iodine deficiency is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation. Even moderate deficiency, especially in pregnant women and infants, lowers intelligence by 10 to 15 I.Q. points, shaving incalculable potential off a nation’s development.
The most visible and severe effects — disabling goiters, cretinism and dwarfism — affect a tiny minority, usually in mountain villages. But 16 percent of the world’s people have at least mild goiter, a swollen thyroid gland in the neck. NY Times
“Deadly sprinkles in lunches” and “cheese stick could be killing your children.”
We were told that we are feeding our children things that are going to cause heart attacks and strokes later in life and that the salty foods parents are allowing their children to eat are like feeding them “solid seawater for lunch.”
The evidence for these headlining claims was a recent study .. published in the journal Hypertension. The media echoed the CASH press release, saying this study proves that a modest reduction in salt intake among children can almost immediately cause significant falls in blood pressure, “which in turn could lead to major reductions in the risk of developing stroke, heart attacks and heart failure later in life.”
Their press release promised possible “massive population health gains.”
·But this study did not examine a single child.
·It conducted no clinical research to learn how much salt is needed or might be harmful for children.
·It offered no clinical evidence to know if a lower blood pressure reading of 1 point means anything for children’s health or is maintained as a child grows.
·It offered no proof that a blood pressure reading during childhood has any bearing on adult blood pressures or heart disease.
·And worse, it didn’t follow a single child to see if there were any health effects from the salt restrictions they are recommending.
In other words, this study offered no clinically meaningful evidence, only speculations. While controversy, debates and politics have surrounded salt recommendations for decades, as Gary Taubes outlined in the magazine Science, the body of evidence has not demonstrated that low-salt diets result in health benefits for the general population, nor that current salt intakes of Americans pose health risks for the general population. Even a recent Cochrane Library review of the evidence found insufficient information to know what effect salt reduction might have on health and mortality.
Of greatest concern is evidence suggesting that low-salt diets may actually be harmful for most people; increasing heart attacks, mortality and insulin resistance (a precursor to diabetes).
Shouldn’t we have something tenable to go on before experimenting on an entire generation of children? I suspect most parents would think so.
I think I ought to go back to buying the Iodised Cerebos Salt - I stopped because it blackens the silver spoons so, but that is probably a small price to pay to prevent my children becoming morons. (I seem to remember that the word Moron comes from the inhabitants of a small village in the Jura mountains that suffered iodine deficiency and were therefore stupid - can't find confirmation via Google, am I right?)
Update: Thanks to a comment I realise it was Cretin - not Moron I was thinking of:
From the Wikipedia:"The term cretin was brought into medical use in the 18th century from an Alpine French dialect prevalent in a region where persons with such a condition were especially common ..Endemic cretinism arises from a diet deficient in iodine and has affected far more people worldwide and continues to be a major public health problem in many countries. Iodine is an essential trace element, necessary primarily for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Although it is found in many foods it is not universally present in all soils in adequate amounts. The soils of many inland areas on all continents are iodine deficient, and plants and animals grown there are correspondingly deficient. Populations living in those areas without outside food sources are most at risk for iodine deficiency diseases.
Iodine deficiency results in the impairments of varying degrees of physical and mental development. It also causes gradual enlargement of the thyroid gland, referred to as a goiter. It is being combatted in many countries by public health campaigns of iodine administration.
Endemic cretinism was especially common in areas of southern Europe around the Alps and was described by Roman writers, and often depicted by medieval artists. Alpine cretinism was described from a medical perspective by several travellers and physicians in the late 18th and early 19th centuries."
Though there is a village called Moron in the Swiss Jura mountains which is probably what confused me.... | <urn:uuid:4c3d2029-b784-498a-9ff9-591b79f3116a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.anenglishmanscastle.com/archives/003490.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962461 | 1,050 | 2.921875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
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Re: infants and pitch
Rather than providing a basis for maintaining some kind of pre-linguistic
absolute pitch perception, I think it could easily be argued that early
exposure to a tonal language, at least one with more than one phonetically
level tone (e.g. Thai, Cantonese), would promote the development of a
strongly relative (talker dependent) perception of voice pitch. See
Francis, A.L., Ciocca, V.C., & Ng, B.K.C. (2003). On the (non)categorical
perception of lexical tones. Perception & Psychophysics, 65(6), 1029-1044.
Wong, P. C. M., and Diehl, R. L. (2003) Perceptual Normalization for Inter-
and Intra-Talker Variation in Cantonese Level Tones. Journal of Speech,
Language, and Hearing Research, 46, 413-421.
I'm not really sure how this fits with the Deutsch article posted recently,
as that was on production of single words in a list from languages that do
not have multiple level tones, while the work on talker normalization of
tone involves the perception of tokens within sentences, from languages
with multiple level tones (that is, lexical tones distinguished primarily
by their relative height within the talker's pitch range).
Annemarie Seither-Preisler wrote:
The findings by Saffran appear to be very revealing in this respect,
showing that young infants at the age of 8 months, unlike adults,
primarily rely on absolute pitch cues.
Saffran, J. R. & Griepentrog, G. J. Absolute pitch in infant auditory
learning: evidence for developmental reorganization. Dev Psychol 37, 74-85
Saffran, J. R. Musical Learning and Language Development. Ann NY Acad Sci
999, 397-401 (2003).
In summary, these results suggest that absolute pitch is a primary
perceptual mode that is heavily superseded by relative pitch (probably in
the course of language acquisition). Early musical training or learning a
tonal language like Thai or Japanese may help to prevent this edging
out-process, with the consequence that certain subjects retain the ability
to perceive absolute pitch throughout life. Verbal categorizations of
notes may be helpful in this respect, but it would be misleading to take
them for the main underlying cause.
Alexander L. Francis http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~francisa
Assistant Professor [email protected]
Audiology and Speech Sciences ofc. +1 (765) 494-3815
Purdue University lab. +1 (765) 494-7553
500 Oval Drive fax. +1 (765) 494-0771
West Lafayette IN 47907-2038
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please notify the sender by return email. | <urn:uuid:eb0bb6d7-bc9c-428f-af27-8a35bc3d7253> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.auditory.org/mhonarc/2004/msg00490.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.871668 | 766 | 2.703125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
A CRT projector is a video projector that uses a small, high-brightness CRT (or picture tube) as the image generating element. The image is then focused and enlarged onto a screen using a lens kept in front of the CRT face. Most modern CRT projectors are colour and have three separate CRTs (instead of a single, colour CRT), and their own lenses to achieve colour images. The red, green and blue portions of the incoming video signal are processed and sent to the respective CRTs whose images are focused by their lenses to achieve the overall picture on the screen.
o Long CRT life, typically that of a normal television picture tube.
o Can achieve good to very good colour resolution, brightness and picture size.
o Once set-up, minimal maintenance is required, unlike projectors that use lamps.
o Superior black level – black is actually black and not dark grey.
o As with CRT monitors, the image resolution and the refresh rate are not fixed but variable within some limits. Interlaced material can be played directly, without need for imperfect deinterlacing mechanisms.
o Tends to be bulky and heavy (and non-portable) due to the CRTs.
o Low maximum brightness levels – the room has to be completely dark and eyes of viewers coming from a daylight environment have to adapt to the darkness for a minute or two before image details can be seen.
o Suffers from uneven colour mixing, since it is done by projecting the individual lines (made on the CRTs) onto the screen. The result is that the picture optimised for the central area of the screen tends to split into the individual colours towards the edges. Sophisticated circuitry is required to compensate for this.
o Focusing is not even, again due to the way the image is projected and requires sophisticated circuitry to compensate.
o Requires more time to set up and adjust for a good overall image.
o Costlier than other types of projectors due to the complex circuitry required to control and synchronise the three CRTs to achieve optimum picture quality. | <urn:uuid:778212ac-d123-47c1-bb32-d230393086b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.avblog.nl/woordenboek/c/crt-projector/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926986 | 431 | 3.140625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
(Science: zoology) Any one of several species of south American monkeys of the genus Pithecia. They have large ears, and a long hairy tail which is not prehensile.
The black saki (Pithecia satanas), the white-headed (P.leucocephala), and the red-backed, or hand-drinking, saki (P.chiropotes), are among the best-known.
Origin: Cf. F. & Pg. Saki; probably from the native name. | <urn:uuid:81662616-6cf0-439b-926f-948f7b9d4d95> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Saki | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905173 | 113 | 2.921875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Chinese ceramics are classed as one of the finest crafts in the world. Chinese artisans have perfected earthenware throughout the centuries and have turned everyday utensils into beautiful art works admired by all.
Ceramics include objects which are created from earthen materials. The object is moulded into its desired state either by hand or on a rotating wheel and placed into a hot kiln. It is then glazed to create a smooth and shiny texture.
The first pottery ware found in China dates back to the Dawenkou culture (5000-3000 BC) in the Shandong Province. Small tripods and vessels have been discovered in many regions in southern China from the Neolithic Period (10000-2000 BC) and many believe it could have started as early as 11000 BC.
During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) pottery consisted solely of the colours brown and black. They were rough and unglazed with limited carved patterns, however, considered advanced for this time in history. Pottery was often placed in the tombs of the wealthy. Themes included souls of the deceased, animals, flames and clouds. Small figurines of animals were also extracted from tombs of this era.
Porcelain first emerged during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and quickly found a booming market within China and other parts of the world through the Silk Road. It was as widely used within China as pottery in the Three Kingdoms Period (220-265 AD).
Glazed ceramics can be traced back to the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD). Pottery from the Jin Dynasty can be distinguished by its round base and geometric designs.
The influence of the foreign world started to invade Chinese pottery during the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD). Foreign animals, objects and people started to appear in ceramic designs. Three basic colours dominated pottery from this era, white, yellow and green. The influence of foreign ceramics is also visible in the shapes of the pottery in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Pottery of this time was known for being glazed in blue flux and featured only one colour.
The Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) is famous for its blue and white chinaware. Blue and white ceramics have been popular within China since its emergence and are still known worldwide as a characteristic of Chinese culture. It is well known for its translucent, liquid proof body and beautiful white colour. Jingdezhen became the central place of production for porcelain when craftsmen started using finely crushed porcelain stones.
During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) Dynasties, enameled decorations appeared on many forms of ceramics and exportation to the foreign world peaked. Porcelain also started to be exported dramatically with many countries realizing the sophisticated and talented skills of Chinese craftsman. During this period, chinaware started being mass produced and widely exported.
Glassware is rare within China and there is limited record of its history. Glassware is mainly produced from western techniques which have been introduced into China throughout the past centuries. It is known that moulded glass has been in use since The Warring States Period (475 -221 BC). It was popular during the Wanli period (1573-1620) of the Ming Dynasty in the Shandong province. During this time the techniques of glassware were spread to Beijing. The first large glassware plant was opened during the Qing Dynasty. Most glassware features a round flower shape opening with a wide round base and is either white or yellow opaque. Snuff bottles are the main glassware exported from China to the rest of the world.
Many ceramic designs in China are mass produced and are now available in most department stores throughout the world. Fake traditional ceramics are often sold as authentic Chinese art making it hard for art collectors to purchase proper pieces of ceramics. It is important to know the origin of the art work and confirm its authenticity before purchasing. | <urn:uuid:d10bef52-739f-4751-8a07-aa01897fe775> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.chinacrafts.org/EN/Chinese_handicrafts_category/html/10029.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976586 | 836 | 3.40625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
starting at letter C.
Cormack meaning: Charioteer.
Cormack origin: Gaelic
Cormag meaning: Raven.
Cormag origin: Scottish
Cormic meaning: Charioteer.
Cormic origin: Irish
Cormick meaning: Charioteer.
Cormick origin: Gaelic
Cornal meaning: Variant of Cornell: College, name of a town.
Cornal origin: English
Cornall meaning: Variant of Cornell: College, name of a town.
Cornall origin: English
Cornel meaning: Variant of Cornell: College, name of a town.
Cornel origin: English
Cornelia meaning: Form of Cornelius. Horn-colored.
Cornelia origin: Latin
Cornelio meaning: Horn.
Cornelio origin: Latin
Cornelious meaning: Variant of Cornelius: Horn.
Cornelious origin: Latin
Cornelius meaning: Horn-colored.
Cornelius origin: Latin
Cornell meaning: Form of Cornelius. Horn-colored.
Cornell origin: Latin
Cornella meaning: Feminine form of Cornelius: Horn.
Cornella origin: Latin
Cornelus meaning: Variant of Cornelius: Horn.
Cornelus origin: Latin
Corney meaning: Diminutive of Cornelius: Strong willed or wise. Cornelius is sometimes used as a translation of the name Conchubhar meaning High Desire.
Corney origin: Irish
Cornilius meaning: Variant of Cornelius: Horn.
Cornilius origin: Latin
Cornwall meaning: 'Tragedy of King Lear' Duke of Cornwall.
Cornwall origin: Shakespearean
Cornwallis meaning: Man from Cornwall.
Cornwallis origin: English
Corona meaning: Kind.
Corona origin: Hindi
Coronis meaning: Mother of Aesculapius.
Coronis origin: Greek
Corradeo meaning: Sage counselor.
Corradeo origin: Italian
Corrado meaning: Bold.
Corrado origin: German
Corran meaning: Spear-bearer.
Corran origin: Irish
Correen meaning: Maiden.
Correen origin: Irish
Correena meaning: Maiden.
Correena origin: Irish
Corren meaning: Spear-bearer.
Corren origin: Irish
Correy meaning: Variant of Corey: Hill hollow.
Correy origin: English
Corri meaning: Variant of Cory meaning variously: From the round hill, seething pool, or ravine.
Corri origin: English
Corrianna meaning: Variant of Cory meaning variously: From the round hill, seething pool, or ravine.
Corrianna origin: English
Corrianne meaning: Variant of Cory meaning variously: From the round hill, seething pool, or ravine.
Corrianne origin: English
Corrick meaning: Variant of Corey: Hill hollow.
Corrick origin: English
Corrie meaning: Variant of Cory meaning variously: From the round hill, seething pool, or ravine.
Corrie origin: English
Corrin meaning: Spear-bearer.
Corrin origin: Irish
Corrina meaning: Maiden.
Corrina origin: Greek
Corrissa meaning: Maiden.
Corrissa origin: English
Corry meaning: Variant of Cory meaning variously: From the round hill, seething pool, or ravine.
Corry origin: English
Corsen meaning: Reed.
Corsen origin: Welsh
Cort meaning: Bold.
Cort origin: German
Cortez meaning: Courteous. Variant of Curtis. The Spanish explorer and adventurer Cortez conquered the Aztec civilization of Mexico with only a small expeditionary force.
Cortez origin: Spanish
Cortie meaning: Short.
Cortie origin: Norse
Cortland meaning: Courtier, court attendant.
Cortland origin: English
Cortlandt meaning: Variant of Courtland: Farm land.
Cortlandt origin: English
Cortney meaning: Courtly, courteous.
Cortney origin: English
Corvin meaning: Raven-haired.
Corvin origin: English
Corwan meaning: Friend of the heart.
Corwan origin: English
Corwin meaning: Friend of the heart.
Corwin origin: English
Corwine meaning: Friend of the heart.
Corwine origin: English
Corwyn meaning: Friend of the heart.
Corwyn origin: English
Corwynn meaning: Variant of Corwin: Heart's friend.
Corwynn origin: English
Cory meaning: Helmet.
Cory origin: Celtic
Corybantes meaning: Priest of Rhea.
Corybantes origin: Greek
Corydon meaning: Ready for battle or war.
Corydon origin: English
Coryell meaning: Wears a helmet.
Coryell origin: English
Cos meaning: Order.
Cos origin: Greek
Cosam meaning: Divining.
Cosam origin: Biblical
Cosette meaning: Victorious.
Cosette origin: French
Cosgrave meaning: Variant of Cosgrove: Triumphant.
Cosgrave origin: Irish
Cosgrove meaning: Triumphant.
Cosgrove origin: Irish
Cosima meaning: Universe, harmony.
Cosima origin: Greek
Cosimia meaning: Of the universe.
Cosimia origin: Greek
Cosimo meaning: Variant of Cosmo: From kosmos, meaning order.
Cosimo origin: Greek
Cosma meaning: Of the universe.
Cosma origin: Greek
Cosmas meaning: Order.
Cosmas origin: Greek
Cosme meaning: Variant of Cosmo: From kosmos, meaning order.
Cosme origin: Greek
Cosmo meaning: The universe.
Cosmo origin: Greek
Costa meaning: Diminutive of Constantine: Steady, stable.
Costa origin: English
Costard meaning: 'Love's Labours Lost' A clown.
Costard origin: Shakespearean
Costello meaning: Surname.
Costello origin: Irish
Cotovatre meaning: Name of a lake.
Cotovatre origin: Arthurian Legend
Cottus meaning: A titan.
Cottus origin: Greek
Coughlan meaning: Hooded.
Coughlan origin: Irish
Coulson meaning: Triumphant people.
Coulson origin: English
Coulter meaning: Variant of Colt: Young horse, frisky.
Coulter origin: English
Countess meaning: Titled. Feminine equivalent of Count.
Countess origin: English
Court meaning: Courtier, court attendant.
Court origin: English
Courtenay meaning: Courtier, court attendant.
Courtenay origin: English
Courtland meaning: Dweller in court.
Courtland origin: English
Courtlandt meaning: Variant of Courtland: Farm land.
Courtlandt origin: English
Courtlyn meaning: Courtly, courteous.
Courtlyn origin: English
Courtnay meaning: Dweller by the dark stream.
Courtnay origin: Anglo-Saxon
Courtney meaning: From the court.
Courtney origin: French
Covell meaning: Lives at the cave slope.
Covell origin: English
Coventina meaning: Name of a nymph.
Coventina origin: Anglo-Saxon
Covey meaning: Hound of the plains.
Covey origin: Irish
Covyll meaning: Lives at the cave slope.
Covyll origin: English
Cowan meaning: Dwells by the hillside hollow.
Cowan origin: Gaelic
Cowen meaning: Twin.
Cowen origin: Irish
Cowin meaning: Raven.
Cowin origin: Latin
Cowyn meaning: Twin.
Cowyn origin: Irish
Coyan meaning: Modest.
Coyan origin: French
Coyle meaning: Searches for battle.
Coyle origin: Gaelic
Coyne meaning: Modest.
Coyne origin: French
Coz meaning: A thorn.
Coz origin: Biblical
Cozbi meaning: A liar, sliding away.
Cozbi origin: Biblical
Cradawg meaning: Mythical son of Bran.
Cradawg origin: Celtic
Craddock meaning: Affection, beloved.
Craddock origin: Welsh
Cradoe meaning: Beloved.
Cradoe origin: Welsh
Cragen meaning: Shell.
Cragen origin: Welsh
Craig meaning: From near the crag.
Craig origin: Celtic
Crandal meaning: Variant of Crandall: Crane valley.
Crandal origin: English
Crandall meaning: From the crane valley.
Crandall origin: English
Crandell meaning: From the crane valley.
Crandell origin: English
Cranleah meaning: From the crane meadow.
Cranleah origin: English
Cranleigh meaning: Variant of Cranley: Crane meadow.
Cranleigh origin: English
Cranley meaning: From the crane meadow.
Cranley origin: English
Cranly meaning: From the crane meadow.
Cranly origin: English
Cranmer meaning: 'King Henry the Eighth' Archbishop of Canterbury.
Cranmer origin: Shakespearean
Crannog meaning: Lake dweller.
Crannog origin: Scottish
Cranston meaning: From the crane estate.
Cranston origin: English
Cranstun meaning: From the crane estate.
Cranstun origin: English
Crawford meaning: From the crow's ford.
Crawford origin: English
Crayton meaning: Variant of Creighton: Rocky town.
Crayton origin: English
Creag meaning: Dwells at the Crag.
Creag origin: Gaelic
Creed meaning: Belief; guiding principle.
Creed origin: English
Creedon meaning: A surname meaning 'Belief; guiding principle'.
Creedon origin: Irish
Creiddylad meaning: Jewel of the sea.
Creiddylad origin: Welsh
Creiddyladl meaning: Daughter of Llud.
Creiddyladl origin: Arthurian Legend
Creighton meaning: Near the creek.
Creighton origin: Celtic
Creissant meaning: To create.
Creissant origin: French
Creketun meaning: Lives at the creek town.
Creketun origin: English
Creola meaning: Native to the land, Creole.
Creola origin: American
Creon meaning: Prince. Jocasta's brother.
Creon origin: Greek
Crepin meaning: Variant of Crispin: Curly-haired.
Crepin origin: Latin
Crescens meaning: Growing, increasing.
Crescens origin: Biblical
Crescent meaning: One who creates.
Crescent origin: French
Crescentia meaning: Growing.
Crescentia origin: Latin
Crespin meaning: Curly haired. The 3rd century martyr St. Crispin is known as patron of shoemakers.
Crespin origin: English
Cressida meaning: Gold.
Cressida origin: Greek
Cresswell meaning: Watercress river.
Cresswell origin: English
Creswell meaning: Variant of Cresswell: Watercress river.
Creswell origin: English
Crete meaning: Form of Lucretia. Brings light.
Crete origin: Latin
Cretien meaning: Christian.
Cretien origin: French
Creusa meaning: Daughter of Erechtheus.
Creusa origin: Greek
Crevan meaning: Fox.
Crevan origin: Irish
Crichton meaning: From the town by the creek.
Crichton origin: English
Criostoir meaning: Christ bearer.
Criostoir origin: Gaelic
Cris meaning: Diminutive of Christopher: He who holds Christ in his heart. Diminutive of Christian: Follower of Christ.
Cris origin: English
Crisann meaning: Variant of Chrysantus.
Crisann origin: Spanish
Crisanna meaning: Variant of Chrysantus.
Crisanna origin: Spanish
Crisdean meaning: Christ bearer.
Crisdean origin: Gaelic
Criseyde meaning: Old English form of the Greek Cressida, used by Chaucer.
Criseyde origin: English
Crispen meaning: Variant of Crispin: Curly-haired.
Crispen origin: Latin
Crispian meaning: Variant of Crispin: Curly-haired.
Crispian origin: Latin
Crispin meaning: Curly haired.
Crispin origin: Latin
Crispina meaning: Curly haired.
Crispina origin: Latin
Crispino meaning: Variant of Crispin: Curly-haired.
Crispino origin: Latin
Crispo meaning: Variant of Crispin: Curly-haired.
Crispo origin: Latin
Crispus meaning: Curled.
Crispus origin: Biblical
Crissa meaning: Abbreviation of Christine. Follower of Christ.
Crissa origin: Irish
Crissie meaning: Abbreviation of Christine. Follower of Christ.
Crissie origin: Irish
Crissy meaning: Abbreviation of Christine. Follower of Christ.
Crissy origin: Irish
Crist meaning: Christian.
Crist origin: Welsh
Crista meaning: Appointed one. A Christian.
Crista origin: Spanish
Cristabel meaning: Beautiful Christian.
Cristabel origin: Latin
Cristabell meaning: Beautiful Christian.
Cristabell origin: Latin
Cristelle meaning: Form of Crystal. A clear, brilliant glass.
Cristelle origin: Latin
Cristen meaning: Variant of Christian.
Cristen origin: English
Cristian meaning: Follower of Christ, the Annointed.
Cristian origin: Spanish
Cristiano meaning: Christian.
Cristiano origin: Latin
Cristie meaning: Abbreviation of Christine. Follower of Christ.
Cristie origin: Irish
Cristin meaning: Variant of Christian.
Cristin origin: English
Cristina meaning: Follower of Christ.
Cristina origin: Italian
Cristine meaning: Follower of Christ.
Cristine origin: Italian
Cristiona meaning: Christian.
Cristiona origin: Latin
Cristobal meaning: Variant of Christopher: He who holds Christ in his heart. Famous Bearers: actors Christopher Plummer and Christopher Walken; explorer Christopher Columbus.
Cristobal origin: English
Cristofer meaning: With Christ inside.
Cristofer origin: Spanish
Cristofor meaning: With Christ inside.
Cristofor origin: Spanish
Cristoforo meaning: Variant of Christopher: He who holds Christ in his heart. Famous Bearers: actors Christopher Plummer and Christopher Walken; explorer Christopher Columbus.
Cristoforo origin: English
Criston meaning: Follower of Christ, the Annointed.
Criston origin: Spanish
Cristophe meaning: Christ bearer.
Cristophe origin: Greek
Cristos meaning: Follower of Christ, the Annointed.
Cristos origin: Spanish
Cristoval meaning: With Christ inside.
Cristoval origin: Spanish
Cristy meaning: Form of Christopher. Christ-bearer.
Cristy origin: English
Cristyn meaning: Variant of Christian.
Cristyn origin: English
Croften meaning: From the enclosed town.
Croften origin: English
Crofton meaning: Cottage town. From the enclosed town.
Crofton origin: English
Crogher meaning: Loves hounds.
Crogher origin: Irish
Crohoore meaning: Loves hounds.
Crohoore origin: Irish
Crom meaning: Crooked.
Crom origin: Scottish
Crombwiella meaning: Lives by the winding stream.
Crombwiella origin: English
Crompton meaning: From the winding farm.
Crompton origin: English
Cromwell meaning: Lives by the winding stream.
Cromwell origin: English
Cronan meaning: Dark brown.
Cronan origin: Gaelic
Cronus meaning: A titan.
Cronus origin: Greek
Crosbey meaning: Variant of Crosby: By the cross.
Crosbey origin: English
Crosbie meaning: Variant of Crosby: By the cross.
Crosbie origin: English
Crosby meaning: Dweller near the town crossing.
Crosby origin: English
Crosland meaning: Literally 'cross land'.
Crosland origin: English
Croslea meaning: Variant of Crosley: Meadow with a cross.
Croslea origin: English
Crosleah meaning: From the cross meadow.
Crosleah origin: English
Crosleigh meaning: From the cross meadow.
Crosleigh origin: English
Crosley meaning: From the cross meadow.
Crosley origin: English
Crosly meaning: From the cross meadow.
Crosly origin: English
Crossland meaning: Variant of Crosland: Literally cross land.
Crossland origin: English
Crossley meaning: Variant of Crosley: Meadow with a cross.
Crossley origin: English
Crow-Hreidar meaning: Son of Ofeig Dangle Beard.
Crow-Hreidar origin: Norse
Crowley meaning: Hunch backed.
Crowley origin: Irish
Crowther meaning: Fiddle player.
Crowther origin: English
Croydon meaning: Surname and place-name.
Croydon origin: English
Cruadhlaoich meaning: Hunch backed.
Cruadhlaoich origin: Irish | <urn:uuid:8efaa76f-9202-49af-9e99-ebe054bafe8e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cutebabyname.com/names-c-10.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.669104 | 3,910 | 2.734375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The same rule for watering in containers holds true for watering in a raised bed garden. You water when the bed needs it. And you test that by using your finger - touch the soil, if you finger comes away damp, the garden is fine. If it comes away dry, then you have to water.
The confusion normally happens because a raised bed will normally use more water than a standard ground-level bed assuming all things are equal. In other words, if the soil is the same, a raised bed will use slightly more water than a ground level bed. And soilless mixes will generally require more water than ground-level soil as well so if you're modifying your soils, you have to pay attention to the moisture levels.
Why? More evaporation from the sides of the beds primarily but there's also changes in the downward movement of water due to soil "wicking" in a container raised above the ground (particularly if the soil has been modified a great deal) It's in the physics of water movement. But in my opinion, this isn't important stuff to know - just understand a raised bed will use more water and be done with it. Then you can sort out how much more your soil will use.
So - you do have to water a raised bed more than you do a ground-level bed. That's the bottom line here.
And when you do of course, the water is going to dissolve the nitrogen and take it with it on the way down the bed. So you have to replace this nitrogen on a regular basis, as in every week, to get a great yield of vegetables or flowers. This is particularly true when you're using a soilless mix instead of garden soil. Soilless mixes do not have the same mineral and micronutrient content contained in regular garden soil so you have to provide it.
So that's the easy method of figuring out the watering in a raised bed - it's all about giving the bed the finger. ;-) | <urn:uuid:7e636780-7db2-4452-a9f8-15e459d71e90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.douggreensgarden.com/watering-the-raised-bed-garden.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944182 | 408 | 3.3125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
English has many varieties and that is hardly surprising. English is spoken in many parts of the world. Even in countries where English is not the first language, it enjoys considerable popularity. Needless to say, the English spoken in different countries are slightly different. For example, Indian English is different from British or American English in many aspects. Although many forms of English exist, the most accepted varieties are still British and American English. These are the two forms of English taught in ESL / EFL programs.
British English is different from American English in many ways. It is not possible to say whether one version is more correct or better than the other version. The three major differences between British and American English are in the following areas.
Vowels and consonants are pronounced differently in British and American English. The stress patterns of words and sentences are also different.
There are differences in vocabulary. Some verbs which are irregular in British English are regular in American English. Phrasal verbs are also different in many ways.
The most significant difference between British and American English is in the spelling. Many words ending in –our in British English, end in –or in American English.
It doesn’t necessarily matter which form of English you learn. These days American English enjoy more popularity than British English, thanks to the dominance Americans have over the internet and the popularity of Hollywood films all over the world.
As an ESL student you can decide which form of English you want to learn. However, you must try to be consistent in your usage. If you intend to use British English spellings, then stick to it. Don’t write some words in British English and some words in American English. Remember that although there are a few differences between the two forms, British English speakers have no difficulty understanding American English. In the same way, Americans have no difficulty understanding British English either. | <urn:uuid:2cafa4e0-ebbc-4b68-a3ce-2bd9ef426d6c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.englishgrammar.org/british-american-english-differences/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966926 | 381 | 3.140625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Wind Power Technologies
The ORNL Wind Program works to improve the environmental performance of wind systems. ORNL expertise provides technical knowledge to Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Wind Power working groups that disseminate information through publication, panel sessions, and tutorial sessions to utility engineers, wind developers and wind plant designers, which help to lower cost of integration and interconnection while increasing operational efficiency of wind power plants.
Water Power Technologies
The ORNL Water Power Program works to improve the environmental performance of hydropower systems. ORNL expertise includes modeling technology and policy impacts on the U.S. hydropower fleet, nationwide assessment of non-powered dams and streams for development, modeling the role of water constraints in power system reliability and efficiency, turbulent flow field measurement and analysis for conventional an hydrokinetic machines, technology reference models for small hydropower development, and quantification of biological responses to hydropower development and operations.
Advanced Hydropower Technology
Hydroelectric power is one of the nation's most important renewable energy resources. Hydropower has significant advantages over other energy sources: it is a reliable, domestic, renewable resource with large undeveloped potential, it produces few solid wastes, and it emits essentially none of the atmospheric emissions that are of growing concern, such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides and greenhouse gases. Hydropower projects can provide substantial non-power benefits as well, including water supply, flood control, navigation, and recreation
Hydropower poses unique challenges in energy development, because it combines great benefits with difficult environmental challenges. The environmental issues that most frequently confront the hydropower industry are blockage of upstream fish passage, fish injury and mortality from passage through turbines, and changes in the quality and quantity of water released below dams and diversions. ESD staff have been instrumental in identifying and mitigating these environmental impacts for more than 25 years.
The Advanced Hydropower Technology (AHT) activity supports the development of technologies that will enable hydropower projects to generate more electricity with less environmental impact.
The ORNL’s Water Power Technologies Program is composed of an interdisciplinary research team addressing technological hydrological and environmental issues related to both developed and emergent hydropower technologies within four major areas: Conventional Hydropower, Environmental and Ecological Impacts, Marine Hydrokinetics Research and Development, and Grid Interconnection. Expertise of the team members includes engineering, aquatic ecology, hydraulics, modeling and economics. | <urn:uuid:7eb17b75-a53f-408e-81eb-b4980c3f908d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.esd.ornl.gov/WindWaterPower/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911049 | 503 | 3.34375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
[bas relief by Oleh Lesiuk]
The New York Times. 26 June 1931
STALINISM SOLVING MINORITIES PROBLEM
Many Languages and Customs in Soviet Union Are Welded by Communist Party.
RACIAL FAVORITISM BARRED
Heterogeneous Group in the High Posts of Russia Offers Hope to All Sections
PROGRAMS COVER NATION
Aim is to Foster Pan-Sovietism While Permitting Liberal Measure of Cultural Freedom.
This is the tenth of a series of articles on Russia today by The New York Times Moscow correspondent, who is at present in Paris.
By WALTER DURANTY.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
PARIS. June 25—One of the most evident ways in which Soviet Russia is modifying Marxism is in the matter of nationalities and Soviet federation, for which Joseph Stalin is directly responsible as Commissar of Nationalities during the period prior to 1923, when the Constitution of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics was adopted and the commissariat in question abolished.
Karl Marx conceived of the establishment of a proletarian dictatorship in a highly industrialized state, where the actual majority of the population would be urban workers speaking the same language and having the same needs, habits and aims. For this homegeneous majority the elimination or absorption of other classes and sections of the population would be a relatively simple matter, once it gained political power and held the economic reins.
Many Languages and Customs.
In Russia, however, things were quite different. The urban workers not only formed less than 15 per cent of the population and the peasants more than 80 per cent, but there was a vast divergence or race, 1anguage, custom and culture, to say nothing of religion, among the 160,000,000 inhabitants of the Soviet Union. And what, from the Bolshevik point of view, was no less important was the vast difference in “social consciousness” also.
In organizing the U. S. S. R. Stalin was forced to take cognizance of this anomaly from a Marxist doctrinal standpoint. He met it by a compromise, of which even British genius for making two ends meet need not have been ashamed.
Every nationality in the union was allowed full linguistic autonomy and what might have seemed a dangerously lavish degree of cultural and political autonomy. Thus the Jews who had remained alien expatriates under Czardom received a small autonomous area with the promise of an independent republic if and when the number of the population concentrated at any one point should justify the augmented status.
At first sight such an arrangement might seem to foster a spirit of petty nationalist and racial antagonism and universal disintegration—that is the exact opposite of what the Bolsheviki are trying to achieve. In a heterogeneous capitalist State—the British Empire, for instance—liberty given minor nationalities must have had a centrifugal effect, but in the U. S. S. R. the Communist party acts as a cement to bind the whole mass together and permit the facile exercise of central control.
For in practice two rules are followed in regard to the Soviet national system. First, the power is progressively restricted to “proletarian elements” of the population—the workers and poor peasants, whether industrialized or not. Secondly, 95 per cent of the political leaders are Communists, and, what is more, it is an almost invariable rule that the national Communist party secretaries and their most important district subordinates are either Russians or members of a different nationality from the people around them.
System Works Well.
The strictness of the party discipline does the rest, and, although there have been cases of regional friction and sporadic difficulty, the system on the whole seems to work more smoothly than any organization of a heterogeneous State yet devised by man.
Perhaps one of the secrets of its success is the annual convocation to the centre of the regional party executives for a conference or congress and their relatively frequent switching from one national] post to another. It must be admitted also that the Bolsheviki adhere with remarkable steadiness to their creed of Communist equality irrespective of race or color, which assures the members of former “subject’’ peoples opportunities to rise to the highest central positions and removes any feeling of racial inferiority.
Stalin is a Georgian, Trotsky a Jew. Rudzutak a Lett,. Dzerzhinskv was a Pole. These men offer salient examples for Communists of every nationality in the U. S. S.R. It is thus clear that the Soviet federal system, white reinforcing nationalism, did not sacrifice cohesion and centralized direction.
The subsequent evolution of Stalinism tended still further to fuse or coalesce these apparently opposite forces—first, by an intensive and union-wide propaganda for the “defense of the Socialist fatherland against capitalistic intervention.”
The purpose of the propaganda—and the achievement of it—was to divert and merge the fresh, strong currents of minor nationalism into a mighty river of Pan-Sovietism.
Construction in All Parts.
Secondly, the new industrial construction—new dams, railroads, mines and factories, often in remote parts of the union—was concrete proof that each for all and all for each was true. Thirdly, there is the new system of State and collective farms, not the least purpose of which is to bring the advantages of mechanized and organized effort to the humblest Tadzsik peasant or Kasak nomad.
Finally, there is the ever-driving energy of the Communist party, from graybeards to children, which the Kremlin radiates to the remotest edge of the U. S. S. R. like a current that makes all molecule cohere.
To say that this process. Is fully accomplished is premature, but there is small doubt that Stalinism has already achieved a marked degree of transmutation of petty nationalism into a great Pan-Sovietism—not aggressive, not, the writer firmly believes, “Red imperialism” aroused for world conquest, but strong and potent dangerous should attack from without provoke it to reprisal.
© The New York Times. 1931. N.B. The executive editor of The New York Times, Bill Keller, told The Washington Post on October 23 2003, that the newspaper would have no objection if the Pulitzer Prize Board wanted to revoke Mr. Duranty's award. Mr. Keller called Mr. Duranty's work "pretty dreadful. ... It was a parroting of propaganda." It will be taken as read that no royalties are due on this un-authorised reproduction of this article As such they are also perceived, as having no truthful value whatsoever, are only reproduced for academic and educational purposes, not intended to defraud The New York Times of any morally legitimate royalty revenue and are published without financial gain. In any event, the copyright for the above may well only reside, 70 years after its publication with the heirs of Walter Duranty, and with whom we have no personal animosity whatsoever. Nevertheless, any contention of copyright violation may by taken up under the jurisdiction of English Law. My service address for any legal correspondence is: Nigel Linsan Colley, 1, Crown Street, Newark, Nottinghamshire, England, NG24 4UY. Any prosecution will, you can be assured, be defended in the public domain.
Original Research, Content & Site Design by Nigel Linsan Colley. Copyright © 2001-11 All Rights Reserved Original document transcriptions by M.S. Colley.Click here for Legal Notices. For all further details email: Nigel Colley or Tel: (+44) 07796 303 8888 | <urn:uuid:0aa30223-325c-4667-b675-e7e8a7f0d20b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.garethjones.org/soviet_articles/duranty_1931_10.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939578 | 1,575 | 2.625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Many children are aware of the fact that bugs and birds are living animals, but many do not know that plants and flowers are also living. For that reason, you may want to teach them about plants and flowers. Depending on when your backyard was lasted mowed, you should be able to find a number of different plants and flowers. As with most other living things, you should also be able to purchase books and resource guides that cover common plants and flowers. You and your child may have fun comparing the plants and flowers in your backyard to those in their books.
Besides, there are plenty of outdoor games or indoors that can played on your backyard like play Halo Wars. I believed you already know about this games in PC,PS3, or other games media. I think we can’t play Halo wars in the backyard if we play it in the games media. For example this picture, I’m sure you will know and I believed it can be played with your child at the backyard.
It is amazing what you can find in your own backyard. While you may not give any thought to the plants, flowers, bugs, or birds that can be found in your backyard, your child will likely be impressed with them. | <urn:uuid:ec2775fb-ca52-4c59-b422-bb49fc65c16e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jauhari.net/playing-games-with-your-child-in-your-own-backyard | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975821 | 250 | 2.609375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
history most people have worked and lived primarily outdoors in natural
light. In the non-industrial world, this still holds true. In the developed
nations however, life has become largely an indoor event. Depravation of
natural light and exposure to artificial light can lead to a variety of
ills, including chronic fatigue, irritability, and frequent illnesses such
as colds and depression. Just as we need wholesome food, clean water and
fresh unpolluted air to maintain our health, so do we need the natural light
of the sun.
Less than a hundred years ago 75% of the population worked outdoors, it is probably correct to say that at present 75% of the population work indoors. We eat, work, shop, study and even exercise inside. We travel in mobile structures such as cars and buses, trains and aeroplanes. Most of the time we are in a building under artificial light.
Office employees working under full spectrum TRUE-LIGHT fluorescent light suffer less from headaches, sore eyes and fatigue. The benefits of this form of lighting in an office environment is becoming much more widely accepted.
More recently, it has been found that full spectrum lighting in the work place creates significantly lower stress on the nervous system than standard fluorescent lighting, and reduces the number of absenteeism due to illness. These findings seem to indicate that full spectrum lighting may act to boost the immune system in the same ways as natural sunlight. As we continue to discover and understand the role that light plays in our lives, its use as both a therapeutic and preventative tool, becomes much more evident.
Whilst we have some measure of choice as to whether we smoke or not, and about what we eat, the artificial lighting we are exposed to, is very often not a matter for individual choice. Therefore, it would be prudent to install TRUE-LIGHT FULL SPECTRUM lighting in all those places where people spend most of their time, particularly in working areas already lit by fluorescent lights. The evidence todate suggests that there would be real benefits to health, moral and working ability, and that those personal benefits will translate into social and economic benefits, not just for individual enterprises, but for our whole community.
FULL SPECTRUM FLUORESCENT TUBES ARE AVAILABLE IN ALL STANDARD LENGTHS,
AND CAN BE FITTED INTO NEW AND EXISTING FIXTURES WITHOUT ANY ALTERATIONS.
ALTHOUGH INITIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER TUBES, FULL SPECTRUM TRUE-LIGHT
Helps People To See Better And Feel Better As Well!
it be that your lighting is endangering two of your greatest assets…..your
in the QUALITY of indoor lighting can have a direct benefit in increased
FULL SPECTRUM FLUORESCENT LIGHT HELPS REDUCE GLARE, | <urn:uuid:1b9f480a-663c-411c-b24f-a5b738a07b5a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.litech.ie/fullspec_page.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942178 | 592 | 2.765625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Common enzyme deficiency may hinder plans to eradicate malaria
22 November 2012
Source: Wellcome Trust, 15 Nov 2012.
A Wellcome Trust-funded study estimates that around 350 million people living in malaria-endemic countries are deficient in an enzyme that means they can suffer severe complications from taking primaquine, a key drug for treating relapsing malaria.
This finding is important because primaquine is recommended in the global action plan to eliminate malaria and is the only drug to prevent malaria relapse. The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, suggests that the benefits of implementing a treatment programme with this drug need to be weighed against the potential harm to a substantial proportion of the population.
People who have a deficiency in the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) experience severe complications in response to treatment with primaquine, caused by the breakdown of their red blood cells. The deficiency is caused by a mutation in the gene for the enzyme.
Using community surveys and mathematical models to predict geographical distribution of the defective gene, the researchers estimate that up to 8 per cent of people living in malaria-endemic areas could be affected, corresponding to around 350 million people.
Rosalind Howes from the University of Oxford, who led the study, explains: "Malaria control and elimination are a top priority on the global health agenda, yet a key drug to help achieve this goal remains too dangerous for widespread use.
"We have developed a map of this risk factor, G6PD deficiency, and find it to be very common across many malaria-endemic regions. Much work remains to be done to fully understand this disease, notably its genetic diversity."
The international team - from Indonesia, Kenya, the Philippines and the UK - found that the predicted frequency of G6PD deficiency varied considerably over relatively short distances in many areas, but the predicted level is highest in tropical Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (malaria-endemic areas) and lowest in North and South America.
In countries that are currently planning to implement malaria elimination programs, the frequency was 5.3 per cent, corresponding to 100 million affected individuals. When the authors took into account the severity of the G6PD deficiency, associated with a higher risk of red blood cell breakdown, they found that the greatest risk was across Asia where severe G6PD variants are commonly inherited.
The findings of this study suggest that the prominence of G6PD deficiency represents a barrier to current options for malaria elimination therapy. The complexity and diversity of both malaria epidemiology and G6PD deficiency mean that no single solution will be applicable for ensuring safe and effective primaquine treatment, say the authors.
The study was conducted as part of the Malaria Atlas Project, principally funded by the Wellcome Trust, and is published this week in 'PLOS Medicine'.
Howes RE et al. G6PD deficiency prevalence and estimates of affected populations in malaria endemic countries: a geostatistical model-based map. PLOS Med 2012 (epub ahead of print) | <urn:uuid:c88c6930-4bc7-41e5-bf8f-4112cb109a2a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.malariagen.net/node/355 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933785 | 622 | 3.109375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
What is Gardasil?Gardasil is a vaccine used in girls and women 9-26 years old to help prevent cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar (external genitals) cancer, and genital warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).
Gardasil is also used in boys and men 9-26 years old to help prevent genital warts.
What is the most important information I should know about Gardasil?Gardasil is intended as a preventive measure; it should not be used for treating active genital warts, HPV infection, or vaginal or cervical cancers. This vaccine will not protect against diseases that are not caused by HPV, and it does not protect against HPV infections that are already present.
Gardasil does not prevent all types of cervical cancer, so it is important to continue seeing your doctor for routine cervical cancer screening.
Fainting is a possible side effect after receiving Gardasil. Your doctor may advise you to sit or lie down for 15 minutes to monitor your reaction to the vaccine.
If you have immune system problems, you might have a weak response to this vaccination and therefore not receive full protection.
Gardasil can cause allergic reactions or other side effects that may require medical attention. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any of the following: wheezing; breathing problems; rash; hives; swollen neck, armpit, or groin; joint pain; unusual tiredness or weakness; confusion; seizures; chills or flu-like symptoms; leg or chest pain; muscle aches; severe stomach pain; or unusual bleeding or bruising. Tell your doctor even if you develop these symptoms several months after the vaccination.
Who should not take Gardasil?Do not take Gardasil if you are allergic to any of its ingredients (including an allergy to yeast). Gardasil has not been studied in children younger than 9 years and adults older than 26 years.
What should I tell my doctor before I take the first dose of Gardasil?Tell your doctor about all prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medications you are taking before beginning treatment with Gardasil. Also, talk to your doctor about your complete medical history, especially if you have HIV infection (AIDS), any type of cancer, or high fever (>100 degrees). Especially tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
What is the usual dosage?The information below is based on the dosage guidelines your doctor uses. Depending on your condition and medical history, your doctor may prescribe a different regimen. Do not change the dosage or stop taking your medication without your doctor's approval.
Adults and children 9-26 years old: Gardasil is an injection given in the upper arm muscle as three separate doses according to the following schedule: the first dose at the elected date you and your doctor choose, the second dose at 2 months after the first dose, and the third dose at 6 months after the first dose.
How should I take Gardasil?This vaccine will be given by your doctor.
What should I avoid while taking Gardasil?After receiving the injection, do not drive or engage in activities that require alertness and coordination until you know how the vaccine affects you.
Avoid missing any of the scheduled doses.
What are possible food and drug interactions associated with Gardasil?If Gardasil is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Gardasil with medications that suppress the immune system.
What are the possible side effects of Gardasil?Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, tell your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking this drug.
Side effects may include: injection-site reactions (such as pain, swelling, itching, bruising, or redness), fever, nausea, dizziness, headache, vomiting, fainting
Can I receive Gardasil if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?The effects of Gardasil during pregnancy and breastfeeding are unknown. Tell your doctor immediately if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
What should I do if I miss a dose of Gardasil?Contact your doctor if you miss a Gardasil dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible.
How should I store Gardasil?Gardasil will be stored by your doctor.
- Common Side Effects of AntidepressantsFind out about common and not-so-common side effects of antidepressants and how to manage them.
- How Drugs Can Lower CholesterolDiscover how cholesterol-lowering medications work in your body to bring your cholesterol numbers down to ideal levels.
- Do Over-the-Counter Proton-Pump Inhibitors Work?You might wonder why you need a prescription for GERD if many PPIs are available over the counter. Get the answers to this and other questions about OTC PPIs. | <urn:uuid:183b71b8-50b0-4a56-882a-d7580595039d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pdrhealth.com/drugs/gardasil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914388 | 1,050 | 3.234375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract bacterial infections.
A common side effect of antibiotics is diarrhea, which may be caused by the elimination of beneficial bacteria normally found in the colon. Controlled studies have shown that taking probiotic microorganisms—such as Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, or Saccharomyces boulardii—helps prevent antibiotic-induced diarrhea.1
The diarrhea experienced by some people who take antibiotics also might be due to an overgrowth of the bacterium Clostridium difficile, which causes a disease known as pseudomembranous colitis. Controlled studies have shown that supplementation with harmless yeast—such as Saccharomyces boulardii 2 or Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s or brewer’s yeast)3—helps prevent recurrence of this infection. In one study, taking 500 mg of Saccharomyces boulardii twice daily enhanced the effectiveness of the antibiotic vancomycin in preventing recurrent clostridium infection.4 Therefore, people taking antibiotics who later develop diarrhea might benefit from supplementing with saccharomyces organisms.
Treatment with antibiotics also commonly leads to an overgrowth of yeast (Candida albicans) in the vagina (candida vaginitis) and the intestines (sometimes referred to as “dysbiosis”). Controlled studies have shown that Lactobacillus acidophilus might prevent candida vaginitis.5
In six healthy men, nitrofurantoin absorption was reduced by also taking magnesium trisilicate.6 Another magnesium compound, magnesium oxide (commonly found in supplements) was shown to bind with nitrofurantoin in a test tube.7
In a study of 11 people, the rate of nitrofurantoin absorption was delayed despite the fact that the amount of nitrofurantoin ultimately absorbed remained the same when the drug was administered in a colloidal magnesium aluminum silicate suspension.8 It remains unclear whether this interaction is clinically important or if typical magnesium supplements would have the same effect.
Several cases of excessive bleeding have been reported in people who take antibiotics.9 , 10 , 11 , 12 This side effect may be the result of reduced vitamin K activity and/or reduced vitamin K production by bacteria in the colon. One study showed that people who had taken broad-spectrum antibiotics had lower liver concentrations of vitamin K2 (menaquinone), though vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) levels remained normal.13 Several antibiotics appear to exert a strong effect on vitamin K activity, while others may not have any effect. Therefore, one should refer to a specific antibiotic for information on whether it interacts with vitamin K. Doctors of natural medicine sometimes recommend vitamin K supplementation to people taking antibiotics. Additional research is needed to determine whether the amount of vitamin K1 found in some multivitamins is sufficient to prevent antibiotic-induced bleeding. Moreover, most multivitamins do not contain vitamin K.
1. Elmer GW, Surawicz CM, McFarland LV. Biotherapeutic agents. A neglected modality for the treatment and prevention of selected intestinal and vaginal infections. JAMA 1996;275:870–6 [review].
2. Elmer GW, Surawicz CM, McFarland LV. Biotherapeutic agents. A neglected modality for the treatment and prevention of selected intestinal and vaginal infections. JAMA 1996;275:870–6 [review].
3. Schellenberg D, Bonington A, Champion CM, et al. Treatment of Clostridium difficile diarrhoea with brewer’s yeast. Lancet 1994;343:171–2.
4. Surawicz CM, Elmer GW, Speelman P, et al. Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea by Saccharomyces boulardii: A prospective study. Gastroenterol 1989;96:981–8.
5. Elmer GW, Surawicz CM, McFarland LV. Biotherapeutic agents. A neglected modality for the treatment and prevention of selected intestinal and vaginal infections. JAMA 1996;275:870–6 [review].
6. Naggar VF, Khalil SA. Effect of magnesium trisilicate on nitrofurantoin absorption. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1979;25:857–63.
7. Naggar VF, Khalil SA. Effect of magnesium trisilicate on nitrofurantoin absorption. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1979;25:857–63.
8. Soci MM, Parrott EL. Influence of viscosity on absorption from nitrofurantoin suspensions. J Pharm Sci 1980;69:403–6.
9. Suzuki K, Fukushima T, Meguro K, et al. Intracranial hemorrhage in an infant owing to vitamin K deficiency despite prophylaxis. Childs Nerv Syst 1999;15:292–4.
10. Huilgol VR, Markus SL, Vakil NB. Antibiotic-induced iatrogenic hemobilia. Am J Gastroenterol 1997;92:706–7.
11. Bandrowsky T, Vorono AA, Borris TJ, Marcantoni HW. Amoxicllin-related postextraction bleeding in an anticoagulated patient with tranexamic acid rinses. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 1996;82:610–2.
12. Kaiser CW, McAuliffe JD, Barth RJ, Lynch JA. Hypoprothrombinemia and hemorrhage in a surgical patient treated with cefotetan. Arch Surg 1991;126:524–5.
13. Conly J, Stein K. Reduction of vitamin K2 concentration in human liver associated with the use of broad spectrum antimicrobials. Clin Invest Med 1994;17:531–9.
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Like many modern breeds, it is impossible to be completely sure of the details of the American Pit Bull Terrier's long history. However, many pit bull enthusiasts believe the origins of the breed can be traced back to antiquity and the Molossian family of dogs. The Molossian family of dogs bears the name of the people with whom they were most often associated - the Molossi tribe, a group of people who lived in ancient Greece and favored the use of robust, muscular dogs in warfare. Officially termed canus molossi (dogs of the Molossi), these animals were reknowned for their fierceness, and for their innate ability to intimidate the enemies of the tribe.
During this same time period, it is also believed that the Molossian dogs were used for other purposes. In fact, early Phoenician traders may even have used the Molossians as a bargaining item in their commercial transactions.
The Molossians gave rise to another family of dogs known as the Mastiffs. The early Britons employed a variation of the Mastiffs as pugnaces - fighting dogs that could be used in either a guardianship or warfare capacity. When the Roman emperor Claudius defeated the Briton Chief Caractacus in 50 AD, the powerful pugnaces piqued his interest. He quickly seized on the opportunity and began exporting select quantities of the dogs back home to satiate his countrymen's appetite for entertainment in the arenas and coliseums of Rome.
Once in Rome, the British dogs were crossbred with their Roman counterparts. From the years 50 AD to 410 AD, the breed was widely disseminated throughout the Roman Empire for use as fighting dogs. Along the way they mixed with other indigenous breeds throughout Europe, creating a genetic melting pot for the bulldogs that are thought to have been the immediate antecedents of the American Pit Bull Terrier.
Sadly, the Romans would not be the last to use pit bulls in cruel and grisly blood sports. When the Normans invaded England in 1066, they introduced a new sport called baiting. Interestingly enough, baiting originated with butchers who kept dogs (called Bullenbeissers) to handle unruly bulls as they were herded to the market for slaughter. When a bull stepped out of line or exhibited uncontrollable behavior, the dogs would clamp down on its nose and simply hang on until the handler could regain control of the wayward animal.
Like most dog owners, the butchers were proud of their canine companions and their stubborn tenacity in dealing with the much larger, and potentially dangerous bulls. Consequently, public displays were arranged to showcase the dogs' abilities and, quite frankly, to appease the multitudes that attended baiting events for their entertainment value.
By the 16th century, nearly every town in England had its own baiting ring. The popularity of baiting events was unparalleled at the time, as was their ability to draw spectators from every level of society. Their popularity was further enhanced by the misguided perception that prolonged torture ensured the tenderness of the meat.
In baiting events, no more than one or two dogs were unleashed on the bull. They were trained to unrelentingly harass the bulls until they collapsed from fatigue, their injuries, or both. These episodes lasted for prolonged periods, sometimes as long as three or four hours. Eventually, the public's grew bored with bulls and introduced a creative flair to the sport, baiting dogs with bears, boars, horses, and even monkeys!
In 1406, Edmond de Langley - the Duke of York - produced a short treatise for Henry IV entitled, "The Master of the Game and of Hawks." In it, he described a descendent of the ancient Mastiffs that he called the "Alaunt", the most commonly used baiting dog of the era. A 1585 painting of the Alaunts hunting wild boar portrayed lean, muscular animals with profound similarities to the dogs we know as pit bulls.
Baiting was made illegal by the British parliament in 1835. However, this legislation did little to satiate the public's desire to watch the spectacle of dogs in fighting sports. As a result, their attention turned to a variety of other pursuits such as ratting - a practice in which a dog was thrown in a pit with a varying number of rats. The dogs raced against the clock and each other to determine which one could kill the most rats in the shortest period of time. The "pit" in pit bulls comes from the fact that ratting occurred in a pit that kept the rats from escaping.
Ultimately the public's fickle gaze fell on the sport of dog fighting, primarily because it could be more easily hidden from the prying eyes of the law than baiting and other fighting sports. Since dog fighting required smaller and more agile animals than the ones that were used in baiting, fighting bulldogs were bred with terriers who were known for their feistiness and indefatigable focus. The result was the bull-and-terrier, more commonly known as the first pit bull terrier - a muscular, canine gladiator bred specifically for combat with other dogs.
As you can imagine, dog fighting was an extremely cruel and sadistic pursuit. The canine combatants were put through a rigorous training process depriving them of normal contact with humans and instilling in them an intense desire to spill the blood of their opponents. It was not unusual for these dogs to be fed a diet of blood and raw meat, and to be kept in complete darkness apart from the few hours a day they spent training with their handlers. To further enhance the dogs' eagerness for the kill, handlers forced them to run on a stationary treadmill with a weaker animal in front of them, but just out of reach. At the end of the exercise, the dogs were allowed to kill the animal as their reward.
During the course of a dog fight, the dogs were expected to fearlessly hurl themselves at their opponents without flinching or hesitation. If a dog turned away, it was viewed as a weakness and could be grounds for forfeit. Even if the hesitant animal was lucky enough to survive the encounter, he was still not out of the woods. Many handlers killed their own dogs because they believed a dog that hesitated even once could no longer be relied on to fight with the verve and tenacity the sport required.
When English immigrants came to America, their dogs came with them. Not surprisingly, dog fighting was common in America throughout the 19th century. However, as the immigrants traveled west, the pit bull took on a broader and more humane function. On the frontier, pit bulls assumed the role of an all-purpose dog. In addition to herding cattle and sheep they served as faithful guardians, protecting families and livestock from the ever-present threat of thieves and wild animals.
Despite their gallant history, pit bulls faced an uphill battle in gaining official recognition. The American Kennel Club was formed in 1884 for the sole purpose of promoting the interests of purebred dogs and their owners. To accomplish this, they sponsored events designed to test various breeds in the areas of performance and conformation.
Conformation events judge the dogs according to the breed standard - a pre-established set of guidelines that describe the most-highly valued physical characteristics of each breed. Performance events, on the other hand, test the dogs according to the function for which they were bred. Some of the more common performance categories include the working, sporting, and herding categories.
The performance events created an immediate problem for the pit bull since the function for which they were bred - fighting - was illegal. Furthermore, the AKC understandably refused to remotely endorse anything related to dog fighting.
In response to the AKC's unwillingness to include pit bulls as a bonafide breed, in 1898 an alternative group was formed - the UKC (United Kennel Club). The purpose of the UKC was to certify breeds that were not eligible for certification by the AKC. Not surprisingly, the UKC's charter member was the American Pit Bull Terrier.
Ultimately the AKC did recognize the pit bull in 1936, albeit under the designation of the Staffordshire Terrier, named after the region of England where the crossbreeding of bulldogs and terriers is thought to have begun. Today, the AKC continues to include the American Staffordshire Terrier in its registry, although ironically this has now developed into a breed that is distinct from its American Pit Bull Terrier cousin.
Over the years, the American Pit Bull Terrier has been a beloved symbol of Americana. In World War I, a pit bull named Stubby captured the heart of the nation. Stubby was the unofficial mascot of the 102nd Infantry Division and was credited with saving the lives of several of his human comrades. For his valiant service, Stubby won several medals and was even awarded the rank of sergeant! He came home from the war to a hero's welcome and went on to become the mascot for Georgetown University.
Over the years, many famous Americans have owned pit bulls. Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Thomas Edison, Woodrow Wilson, John Steinbeck, Helen Keller, and Fred Astaire have all been proud to own dogs of this breed. The actor Ken Howard (the father on the TV show Crossing Jordan) even credits his pit bull with saving his life.
Pit bulls have crept in the hearts of Americans through a variety of ways. For years, RCA recording company looked to a pit bull as its corporate logo. Similarly, Buster Brown Shoes used a pit bull as the cornerstone of their marketing campaign.
But, perhaps the most famous pit bull was Petey, the adorable ring-eyed cutey featured on the TV show Little Rascals. In no time at all, Petey secured a place alongside Alfalfa, Spanky, and the other rascals as a national treasure. A little known fact about Petey is that his telltale ring actually changed form one eye to the next between seasons of the TV show. Although no one knows for sure why this happened, it is rumored that the original Petey was poisoned and was replaced by a look-a-like, or at least a look-a-like with markings that necessitated the eye change.
Today, the American Pit Bull Terrier is a beloved animal that is used in a variety of helping functions in society including police dogs, search dogs, therapy dogs, and farm dogs. Even so, negative publicity has led many cities to condemn them as a community problem. This perception has been supported by the prevalence of illegal dog fighting in cities and small towns across America. In recent years, gangs have taken a fancy to dog fighting and elevated the ownership of trained fighting dogs as a status symbol.
Pit bulls have born the brunt of the backlash because of their popularity with dog fighters. This has caused the public to demand legislative action against pit bulls. Yielding to the pressure of their constituents, public officials have banned pit bulls in many civil jurisdictions and others are following suit including insurance companies who reserve the right to cancel a homeowner's policy if it is learned that a pit bull resides on the premises.
The negative treatment of pit bulls in our society is unfortunate to say the least. Pit bulls and people can live harmoniously if given the chance. Training is an important consideration in pit bull ownership. The history of the breed demonstrates that unless he is properly trained and socialized at a young age, this strong-minded dog will quickly attempt to dominate the household. However, with the proper training the American Pit Bull Terrier can be a remarkably loyal and valued member of the family.
- Dr. Dieter Fleig, The History of Fighting Dogs, trans. by William Charlton, (Neptune, NJ: TFH Publications, 1996)
- D. Caroline Coile, Pit Bulls for Dummies, (Indianapolis, Indiana: Wiley Publishing Inc., 2001)
- American Pit Bull Registry (http://www.pitbullregistry.com/Pit%20Bull%20History.htm)
- BulldogBreeds.com (http://www.bulldogbreeds.com/americanpitbullterrier.html)
- The Bulldog Information Library - Molossars (http://www.bulldoginformation.com/ molossers-mastiff-type-dogs.html)
- Dog Owner's Guide - American Pit Bull Terrier (http://www.canismajor.com/ dog/amerpit.html)
- The Real Pit Bull (http://www.realpitbull.com/history.html)
Author: This article was researched and written by Timothy Morral for Pitbull 411. | <urn:uuid:6898bf2f-147a-4f0b-bc9c-92e6727b9328> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pitbull411.com/history.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973705 | 2,614 | 3.578125 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
When people go to purchase cookware they often let price, trendy designs or ease of cleaning guide them. And although these are all things one should consider prior to buying pots and pans, one essential element that all cooks should weigh is the materials used in making the cookware.
Your cookware will perform, clean-up and be maintained differently depending upon its composition. Here’s an overview of the different kinds of basic materials utilized in creating pots and pans and how they’ll influence your experience in the kitchen.
People often gravitate towards aluminium for two reasons—it is lightweight and comparatively inexpensive. Although aluminium conducts heat quickly and evenly, the major drawback with pure aluminium cookware is that it is affected by alkaline and acidic foods, which will cause this metal to corrode, creating an off-taste in the food you’re preparing. For this reason, aluminium is most often used as the primary conducting material in cookware and then coated with another material to protect the overall integrity of the pot or pan and the taste of the food.
Aluminium cookware that has an anodized coating performs well in terms of conducting heat, while the coating resists alkaline and acidic foods and enables easy clean up of the various vessels. However, foods that are highly acidic or alkaline will compromise the coating and damage the finish. Another drawback to cooking items in anodized aluminium kitchenware is that these dark-toned pots and pans can make it difficult to observe changes in food as it’s cooked. Anodized aluminium cookware should not be cleaned in the dishwasher. This will discolour and ruin the finish.
Most cooks agree that a kitchen is not complete without at least one or two cast iron pans. These types of pots and pans are preferred due to the fact that they heat slowly and evenly and once hot, they retain their temperature nicely. They are also moderately priced.
Cast iron is versatile due to the fact that it can be used on top of the stove and in the oven. Although they are prone to rusting, staining and pitting, with the right care cast iron cookware will last a lifetime.
In caring for cast iron, you never want to wash it in soapy water. The preferred method of cleaning is to wipe it clean with a paper towel, running hot water over any food that’s been cooked onto the surface. Wash in warm water, dry thoroughly and then prior to storing coat lightly with oil. This process will prevent rusting and preserve the surface.
One of the aspects that cooks like about lined copper is its responsiveness to heat and changing temperatures. It will get warm quickly, maintain its temperature under steady heat and cool down once the heat is turned down or removed. Lined copper is expensive, but this versatile material is extremely efficient in terms of preventing the burning or overcooking of foods.
When it comes to upkeep, lined copper cookware should be cleaned gently in warm, soapy water and the copper bottoms treated with copper polish to prevent discolouring. Do not use abrasive cleaners or place in the dishwasher. Depending on how often these pans are used, their interiors need to be re-tinned every two to four years.
Non-stick cookware is coated on the inside with a synthetic material that helps prevent food from sticking. You’ll often find that aluminium is the base metal used in these types of pots and pans. One drawback occurs when attempting to cook at high heat due to the fact that the non-stick coating can impede the heating of the interior of the pan. Kitchenware featuring a non-stick coating is attractive because less fat can be used in food preparation, clean-up is usually effortless and foods that are sensitive to sticking, over-heating or burning are less likely to do so. Never use abrasive cleaners or metal utensils with non-stick surfaces. Such items will scratch and compromise the effectiveness of the surface.
Cookware made from stainless steel is durable, resisting denting, discolouration and pitting. Just about any type of food can be cooked in this type of moderately priced pan. The primary problem with stainless steel is its tendency to heat unevenly.
The solution to this dilemma is to include in each vessel a thick copper or aluminium core that helps increase overall conductivity. In the best stainless steel pots and pans, the core runs up the walls of the vessels, ensuring that heat is evenly distributed on all sides of the pan. Stainless steel cookware that includes a heavy metal core will be higher priced than the type that is simply composed of stainless steel. | <urn:uuid:9ea25a35-4f3b-47db-84c1-1476108f6b7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.superstoresearch.com/buzz/tag/pots-and-pans/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954072 | 948 | 2.5625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Systemic events are intrinsically difficult to anticipate, though once they have occurred it is easier to look back and agree that a disruption was, in fact, systemic. Because of the severity and reach of the current crisis, renewed attention on what constitutes a systemic crisis and whether it can be uncovered, early or even concurrently, has come to the fore. The task of identifying warnings of impending systemic crises has become increasingly complex as global financial markets have become highly integrated and hence systemic shocks can cross national borders.
Policymakers want to know when problems in financial institutions, and markets more broadly, are likely to become “systemic.” Being able to identify systemic events at an early stage enhances policymakers’ ability to take necessary (and perhaps exceptional) steps to contain the crisis. Similarly, being able to detect when those pressures may be easing would help to determine when to initiate exit strategies. Given that there are many facets and causes of systemic risks, the third chapter of the IMF’s recent Global Financial Stability Report present a range of measures to discern when events become systemic. Other recent influential work on systemic risk includes Acharya and Richardson (2009) and Brunnermeier et al (2009).
Methodologies and key findings
Firstly, the chapter reviews the basic information typically used to identify a financial institution’s vulnerability. These standard “financial soundness indicators” are examined to see if they could identify which financial institutions proved vulnerable in the current crisis. For the sample of global financial institutions examined, leverage ratios and return on assets proved the most reliable indicators, while risk-weighted capital-asset ratios and non-performing loan data lacked predictive power. In the current crisis, key vulnerabilities went unanticipated due to off-balance sheet exposures and lenders’ dependence on wholesale funding. Indeed, many “failed” institutions still met regulatory minimum capital requirements. While financial soundness indicators can still be helpful in assessing individual vulnerabilities when reliable market data may not be available – particularly in less developed financial markets – they should be complemented by other measures and systemic stress tests and broadened to better capture off-balance sheet exposures and liquidity mismatches.
Secondly, several techniques also analyse (high-frequency) forward-looking market data for groups of financial institutions in order to detect whether and when systemic risks became apparent. Starting from a simple correlation and cluster analysis, market-based measures are then calculated to capture joint tail risks – the risk that multiple financial institutions become distressed simultaneously – which seem to have given prior indications of impending stress for the overall financial system. Specifically, some of the more advanced tools examined include:
- Contingent Claims Analysis (CCA): This approach explicitly accounts for the inherent uncertainty in the value of assets, and links the market value of equity, assets, and debt in an integrated way. This approach permits the estimation of asset values and asset volatility (that are otherwise not directly observable), which are used to provide an equity market-based assessment of default risk (see Gray and Malone, 2008).
- The option-implied probability of default (option iPoD): This approaches uses equity option prices to infer default probabilities on individual financial institutions, with the advantage that determining when the institution goes into default (the default barrier) is also derived within the model in line with the observation that the value of debt moves with market conditions (see Capuano, 2008).
- Multivariate Dependence and Equity Options: Equity option information is used to calculate tail-risk indicators for individual institutions as well as between institutions. These tail risks encompass both the skewness and the kurtosis and thus adjust to stressful conditions (see Gray and Jobst, 2009).
- Joint of probability of defaults, distress dependence and cascade effects: Based on credit default swap prices, joint probabilities of distress and then a matrix of (pairwise) distress dependencies are estimated. The probability of cascade effects whereby the distress of a particular financial institution affects another is also calculated (see Segoviano, 2006; Segoviano and Goodhart, 2009). Regime-switching techniques are then employed to examine the different states of the multivariate stability indicators (see Hesse and Segoviano, 2009).
Thirdly, proxies for “market conditions,” such as variables used to measure investors’ risk appetite, that influence (and reflect) the risks facing financial institutions are also examined to capture the bigger picture of system-wide stress (see González-Hermosillo, 2008). The signalling capacity of these indicators is explored by observing whether and when they move from low, to medium, and to high volatility “states,” with the high state associated with systemic crisis (see González-Hermosillo and Hesse, 2009, and summarised on Vox).
Several measures suggest that letting Lehman Brothers collapse on 15 September 2008 aggravated what appeared to be a global systemic financial crisis already in the making. The various techniques used in the chapter clearly identify major stress events, such as those associated with the assisted merger of Bear Stearns and JPMorgan in March 2008, as well as the failure of Lehman Brothers a few months later, as systemic. Some indicators, as early as February 2007, also signalled rising systemic pressures. However, advance notice of systemic stress using market-based data can be relatively brief at times.
Policy implications and conclusion
The analysis presented could help calibrate the marginal contribution of a financial institution to systemic risk conditional on the state of global markets (as reflected in, for example, the level of global liquidity and interest rates, the degree of volatility and uncertainty in capital markets, and the general price of risk). The tools presented in the chapter could be useful to financial regulators as the basis for additional regulatory measures to encourage behaviour that mitigates systemic risk. In particular, macro-prudential regulation should aim to require institutions to enhance their stress tests and hold additional capital to take account of the build-up of systemic risk and their contribution to it.
Since the practical utility of measures to identify systemic risk depends on their ability to reliably predict stress events, which may only become apparent concurrently in some cases, policymakers should monitor a wide range of market indicators tuned to systemic risk and combine these indicators with more thorough information from financial institutions.
More public information on key data, especially on off-balance derivative exposures and measures of market liquidity, is needed.
Due to the difficulties in predicting systemic events, policy makers should develop comprehensive contingency plans that can be implemented quickly if needed. Having such a scheme in place may help diminish uncertainty, which is often a key factor in the transition of a “contained” financial crisis to one that is systemic.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the IMF, its Executive Board, or its management. Any errors are the responsibility of the authors.
Acharya, Viral and Matthew Richardson (eds). Restoring Financial Stability: How to Repair a Failed System, Wiley, March 2009.
Brunnermeier, Markus, Andrew Crockett, Charles Goodhart, Avi Persaud, and Hyun Shin, 2009, “The Fundamental Principles of Financial Regulation,” Geneva Reports on the World Economy 11.
Capuano Christian, 2008. “The option-iPoD. The Probability of Default Implied by Option Prices Based on Entropy,” IMF Working Paper 08/194 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).
González-Hermosillo, Brenda (2008), “Investors’ Risk Appetite and Global Financial Market Conditions,” IMF Working Paper 08/85 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).
González-Hermosillo, Brenda and Heiko Hesse, 2009 (forthcoming), “Global Market Conditions and Systemic Risk,” IMF Working Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).
Gray, Dale F. and S. Malone, 2008, Macrofinancial Risk Analysis, by Dale F. Gray and Samuel Malone, John Wiley & Sons.
Gray, Dale and Jobst, Andreas A., 2009 (forthcoming), “Tail Dependence Measures of Systemic Risk Using Equity Options Data – Implications for Financial Stability,” IMF Working Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).
Hesse, Heiko and Miguel Segoviano, 2009 (forthcoming), “Distress Dependence, Tail Risk and Regime Changes,” IMF Working Paper (Washington: International Monetary Fund).
International Monetary Fund, 2009, Global Financial Stability Report, Spring 2009 (Washington: International Monetary Fund).
Segoviano, Miguel, 2006, “The Consistent Information Multivariate Density Optimizing Methodology,” Financial Markets Group, London School of Economics, Discussion Paper 557.
Segoviano, Miguel and Charles Goodhart, 2009, “Banking Stability Measures”, IMF Working Paper 09/04 (Washington: International Monetary Fund). | <urn:uuid:ce0493e5-fd67-49d7-a8ec-b3b5746e8bc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.voxeu.org/article/methods-identify-systemic-financial-risks | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911922 | 1,833 | 2.59375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Reducing Nonpoint Source Pollution and Protecting Water Quality
Water is the most precious resource on our planet. The extraordinarily rich quality of life in Washington is jeopardized by threats to water quality. Failing on-site sewage systems, livestock in or near streams, contaminated stormwater runoff, erosion from poor land use practices and improper applications of pesticides and fertilizers send pathogens, heavy metals and other harmful substances into our waterways.
Changing behavior through education and community involvement is vital to preserving the state's water quality. Washington Sea Grant water quality specialists provide watershed-wide education programs, technical assistance and information to local governments, tribes, industry, schools and other water resource users.
Shellfish in Your Front Yard
Learn about the biology of bivalve shellfish, which shellfish grow best on their beach type, and various methods for enhancing tidelands with clams, oysters and mussels. This July 21, 2012 workshop will also focus on ways to protect water quality so that harvested shellfish will be safe to eat.
- More information (453 KB)
Bivalves for Clean Water
Shoreline residents can do many things to help their beaches stay clean and healthy. Learn more from the following publication:
- Bivalves for Clean Water (231 KB)
State of the Oyster Study
Participate in a study of bacterial contamination in recreational shellfish on privately owned beaches in Hood Canal and Puget Sound. Washington Sea Grant arranges for laboratory testing of samples provided by volunteers, which are analyzed for the presence of harmful bacteria–fecal contamination and Vibrio bacteria.
- What is the State of Your Oyster? (94 KB PDF)
For more information about the State of the Oyster, see the following Web page:
Well Education and Testing
Keep your well well and your drinking water safe. See the following form for information about getting your well water tested.
- Well Education and Testing (119 KB PDF)
Clean and Simple
Contaminants in Puget Sound are a growing concern. Heavy metals like mercury, copper and lead are known to have neurological, developmental and reproductive effects on wildlife and humans. Cleaning products may not be responsible for the majority of contaminants in Puget Sound but they do contribute to pollution problems. Find more information about less-toxic cleaning products through the Clean and Simple program.
- More information (250 KB PDF)
- Jeff Adams, Marine Water Quality Specialist, 360.337.4619, [email protected]
- Teri L. King, Marine Water Quality Specialist, 360.432.3054, [email protected]
- Geoduck Aquaculture—a Sound Science Seminar
- Blue Thumb Gardening: Ten Tips for Protecting Water Quality while Helping Your Garden Grow (836 KB)
- Low Dissolved Oxygen Levels in Hood Canal (180 KB)
- Septic Sense. Two versions are available: (1) downloadable PDF, unabridged; (2) Web site
- Landscaping Your Septic System (84 KB)
- Pumping Your Septic Tank (76 KB)
- Homeowners Manuals
*Software capable of displaying a PDF is required for viewing or printing this document. You may download a free copy of Adobe Reader from the Adobe Web site. | <urn:uuid:8964743c-4580-4514-af80-422e60ec91cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wsg.washington.edu/mas/ecohealth/waterquality.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.8736 | 690 | 3.375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Necessary Illusions by Noam Chomsky
Necessary Illusions is a 1989 book by American writer Noam Chomsky
about how political power uses propaganda to distort and distract from
real issues to maintain confusion and complicity, preventing real
democracy from becoming effective. Like many of the titles by Chomsky,
such as Pirates and Emperors the themes come from such titles as St. Augustine's City of God and Public Opinion by Walter Lippmann,
the title of this book borrows a phrase from an earlier political
commentary; in this case, Chomsky quotes from the writings of Reinhold Niebuhr.
The book is based in Chomsky's 1988 Massey Lectures on CBC Radio in Canada and extends his propaganda model to a variety of new situations. Appendices address criticisms of the work and provide additional detail.
As a genre of political thought, parallels exist between Niebuhr's "necessary illusions" and the "noble lies" of Leo Strauss, "public relations" of Edward Bernays, and "myth making" of Niccolò Machiavelli. Likewise, Chomsky's analyses in Necessary Illusions
represent a rediscovery of the use of these patterns of power, Chomsky
implies to underscore the failure of populations -- particularly in a
democracy -- to learn from history in this regard. | <urn:uuid:1d98c64c-675c-4829-91a9-bfd3fcefba47> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zinelibrary.info/necessary-illusions-noam-chomsky | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702414478/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110654-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901011 | 280 | 2.5625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Saltworks, in Redwood City, would have built thousands of homes in salt ponds on the Bay
Salt ponds in Redwood City where the new Saltworks development is proposed.
The low-lying land along the Bay in Redwood City has been the center of a climate controversy: should the salt ponds that have been producing salt for Cargill for decades be turned into housing, or back into wetlands? Supporters of the development point out that Silicon Valley needs more housing. Supporters of the wetlands respond, birds need a place to land, too — plus, the wetlands will provide a much-needed buffer as the sea level rises.
Now, the fight is on hold: DMB Associates, the developer that is working with Cargill on a plan to turn nearly 1,500 acres of salt ponds into Saltworks, has officially withdrawn its application from the City Council of Redwood City. That’s after an ad hoc subcommittee of the council recommended that the application be denied at this coming Monday’s meeting.
Shorebirds, especially, are imperiled by rising seas and habitat loss
Birds like the Black Oystercatcher that live along the shoreline are threatened by rising sea levels.
More than one hundred species of California’s birds are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Scientists at the California Department of Fish and Game and PRBO Conservation Science examined nearly 400 species and subspecies for a study, released today. Of those, 128 are at risk.
San Francisco Bay is home to the majority of the most vulnerable birds. “That’s primarily because of sea level rise and also because there are already so many imperiled species that use that habitat in the bay,” says Tom Gardali, an ecologist is PRBO Conservation Science.
Radio documentary explores the social and economic impacts of adapting to climate change
Rising seas will irrevocably change life near the San Francisco Bay. That’s the premise of RISE: Climate Change and Coastal Communities, a three-part documentary by independent producer Claire Schoen. The final part, “Chuey’s Story,” airs this evening at 8 pm on KQED 88.5 FM.
By Claire Schoen
Chuey Cazares works as a fisherman out of the South Bay town of Alviso. Adapting to climate change may save his town, but it's having unintended consequences for his livelihood.
There’s an old adage that goes something like this: “The human capacity to create technology exceeds our capacity to understand its impact.”
Lots of people have referred to this idea, Einstein perhaps most famously when he said, “The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe.” Splitting the atom certainly brought us the promise of unlimited energy to run industry and military might to protect the world from Hitler. It also brought us a nuclear North Korea and Fukushima.
A new documentary attempts to find the answer
Sea level rise will irrevocably change life near the San Francisco Bay. That’s the premise of RISE: Climate Change and Coastal Communities, a documentary that starts airing this week on KQED Public Radio. Producer Claire Schoen sets the stage on a personal note.
Climate scientists predict that sea level rise and extreme weather will cause flooding of San Francisco's Financial District by 2050.
By Claire Schoen
“Mom, can you please can it with the climate change lecture – just for once,” my children complained. At ages 22 and 26, my politically correct, Berkeley-raised kids are well educated in all things scientific and political. But… “Enough already,” they cry.
And I confess that their complaint has some validity: I can bring up the topic of climate change in pretty much any conversation.
But really, what other topic is there?
Google Maps image of the Bay Area from Cal-Adapt’s online interactive sea level rise tool.
Developers building on the shore of San Francisco Bay will now have to consider climate change in their plans.
Despite a unanimous vote on Thursday by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), it hasn’t been easy planning process for the state agency that regulates development along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. The state agency approved a first-of-its kind policy that makes sea level rise part of regional planning decisions.
“It’s kind of like childbirth,” said Will Travis, the Executive Director of the commission.
“It wasn’t an easy thing to get done,” he said. “Some didn’t even believe that climate change was happening, and some weren’t aware of the great impact that sea level rise will have the Bay Area.” Continue reading
Salt ponds in Redwood City where the new Saltworks development is proposed. Photo: Lauren Sommer.
What do Bay Area airports and some big Silicon Valley companies have in common? They sit right on the edge of San Francisco Bay, where sea level rise is expected to have a big impact by the end of the century.
That may seem far in the future, but state agencies are preparing for climate change now by writing new rules for construction along the bay’s shoreline. As you can imagine, developers and environmentalists aren’t exactly seeing eye to eye.
That’s evident on a patch of land at the edge of the bay in Redwood City. For more than a century, it’s been home to one thing: salt. Continue reading | <urn:uuid:1acd7f16-7938-4e82-b02c-99dc558612b2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/tag/san-francisco-bay/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929136 | 1,162 | 2.65625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The word Xochitécatl is Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. It means "home of the flower lineage", and is pronounced "So-shee-tek-atl." The site was built more than 1500 years before the Aztecs arrived in the area, and what the original inhabitants called it is unknown. The Pyramid of Flowers, Serpent Temple, and Spiral Pyramid all date back to the Middle Preclassic era (800 BC - 300 BC), making early Xochitécatl contemporary with the Olmec Civilization, the "Mother of Cultures." Except for one significant gap in time, people used the site from then until around 950 AD, when the Classic era civilizations all over Mesoamerica collapsed. Between 150 AD and 600 AD, the site was abandoned because of the eruption of the nearby, and still-active, Popocatépetl volcano. The volcanos Iztaccihuatl and La Malinche are also visible from the site. Between 600 AD and 950 AD, the ruins were reoccupied by the people of Cacaxtla as a subsidiary ceremonial site. During this period, the Platform of the Volcanos was constructed and the Pyramid of Flowers was used for the ritual sacrifice of children. Even though Xochitécatl was abandoned again about 950 AD, there is evidence that ritual activity continued well into the Spanish Colonial period, and may continue even today. Major archaeological work did not occur until very recently, in 1993-94.
The Spiral Pyramid
The Serpent Temple | <urn:uuid:515131e5-42eb-4998-b9eb-0901be30deef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cookjmex.blogspot.com/2011/12/puebla-part-13-hilltop-citadel-of.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955608 | 313 | 3.828125 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Hot and Stinky: the Oceans without Oxygen
1. Global climate changes
We live in an unusual time of Earth history, because there are large ice sheets in the northern and southern polar areas. Considerable evidence from sedimentary rocks and from fossils demonstrates that the Earth usually lacked large ice sheets, even in the polar regions. The Earth's climate has thus alternated over time between times during which ice sheets existed at high latitudes (Icehouse Earth), and periods where ice sheets were essentially absent (Greenhouse Earth).
Figure from W. F. Ruddiman, 2001, Earth's Climate: Past and Future. (W. H. Freeman & Co), p. 84. 'During Earth's 4.55 billion years history, intervals when large continental ice sheets were present alternated with times when they were not (left). The earliest history of these changes is poorly defined because few ancient records are preserved. The movements of continents in relation to ocean basins are well known only for the last several hundred million years (right).'
We do not know what causes these swings in the Earth's climate. The position of the continents may play a role: polar ice sheets can form only when there are continents close to the poles. The position of the continents also limits the patterns of ocean surface currents, which can transport heat from low to high latitude. We think, however, that in many cases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may have played an important role. During times when huge flood basalts formed, for instance, large amounts of carbon dioxide from such flows reached the atmosphere, and caused warming. During times when continents collided (such as India with the Asian mainland), large mountain ranges formed (such as the Himalayas). During the extensive weathering of the mountain ranges much carbon dioxide was taken out of the atmosphere for the weathering reaction, and atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide dropped, leading to global cooling.
2. The Biosphere and Global Climate Changes
Biospheric processes were of major importance for the carbon cycle. During times when large deposits of coal or oil were formed, the carbon dioxide which was used to make the organic matter in photosynthesis was taken out of the atmospheric and buried in the rocks (lithosphere), causing global cooling. Major events in the history of life thus may have had a large effect on global climate.
The evolution of burrowing animals at the beginning of the Cambrian period (550 million years ago) may have influenced the recycling of carbon from the ocean floor into the ocean waters, as discussed under 'Snowball Earth'.
Evolution of land plants, followed by the establishment of the first forests in the late Devonian (about 415 million years ago) probably had a large effect. When these forests evolved, many logs were buried in the sediments, forming large coal deposits. We think that many of these logs were buried because insects that can digest wood using bacteria in their guts had not yet evolved, so that wood did not rot easily. Much CO2 was taken out of the atmosphere (present in the organic matter of the coal), and the amount of oxygen gas in the atmosphere increased. Giant insects then evolved; insects have no lungs, breathe through little tubes in their body, and are limited in size because oxygen moves slowly inside these tubes. Large insects can not survive and suffocate because of a lack of oxygen. But under high-oxygen conditions in the atmosphere giant insects could evolve, who became extinct when oxygen levels dropped again. The world underwent a severe cooling at the end of the Carboniferous (coal-forming) period.
3. The Rocks as Recorders of Global Climate
How can we judge whether ice sheets occurred on Earth? We can recognize rocks which indicate that glaciers are close. In the oceans, we use the occurrence of ice-rafted material, including drop stones. On land, we use various types of rocks, including rocks that were scratched by glaciers, and mixture of coarse boulders, sand and clay that were dropped at the end of glaciers by the melting ice. We also can recognize sediments deposited in lakes close to glaciers.
We need information on the age of rocks showing evidence for the existence of ice sheets, as well as for their latitude and altitude (distance from sea level; after all, high up in the mountains we find glaciers even in the tropics). If we find evidence for the existence of ice sheets close to sea level at high latitudes, we know that polar ice caps existed. If we find evidence for the existence of ice sheets at sea level even at low latitudes, we know that we have a very unusual situation: Snowball Earth.
The oldest period of Earth history for which we find evidence for the existence of ice sheets occurred about 2914-2990 million years ago, in the period called Middle Archean. We have a very limited rock record from rocks that are so old, and do not know how extensive glaciation was at the time. A second period of glaciation occurred in the period called Proterozoic, between 2400 to 2200 million years ago. This glaciation was recognized on several continents. We have no records at all of the occurrence of ice sheets between 2200 and 950 million years ago.
Between 520 and 950 million years ago there were several ice ages (probably 2 to 3), some of which were extremely severe (Snowball Earth), and may have influenced the evolution of animals on Earth. There was a fairly short and severe ice age in the Ordovician-Silurian period (445 to 429 million years ago), and another one in the late Devonian through early Carboniferous (363 to 353 Ma). During the later part of the Paleozoic (338 to 256 Ma) ice sheets waxed and waned, and climate showed strong fluctuations. Note that ice sheets had disappeared by the end of the Pemrian at 250 Million years. But during the whole of the Mesozoic (the time of the dinosaurs) climate was dominantly warm, with possibly a few short periods during at least small ice caps may have existed, but no major ice sheets.
The world started to cool once again in the Cenozoic, towards the end of the Eocene time period at about 40 to 45 million years ago, which will be the topic of next week's discussions. Today's discussion concerns the long period of warmth of the Mesozoic, during which period all our most extensive oil reserves formed.
4. The Oceans in Warm and Cold Climates
In the present day oceans, the waters at the bottom are very cold (close to freezing). This is valid for waters all over the Earth: deep waters are cold all over the world, although the surface temperature of the oceans varies from close to freezing at the poles to about 30oC at the equator. This temperature pattern is caused by the fact that the deep waters fill the oceans at the poles: at these high latitudes the waters are very cold. If sea-ice forms (which is not salty because the salt remains behind when sea water freezes), the remaining water is very cold as well as very salty. Cold and salty water has a high density, and sinks to the ocean floors. Deep waters stream from the North Atlantic (close to Greenland) to the South Atlantic, where they mix with waters streaming out of the Weddell Sea (Antarctica). This cold mix streams around the Antarctic continent, with currents flowing over the bottom into the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It takes water that sinks in the northern Atlantic about 1000 years to reach the northern Pacific.
Upwelling of the deep waters occurs much more diffuse than sinking. The deep cold waters well up to the surface in several areas of upwelling, for instance in the eastern equatorial Pacific, along the coast of Peru, of Namibia, and off Oman. The deep cold water have been enriched in rotting organic matter (which falls to the bottom of the ocean), and they are thus enriched in nutrients (fertilizer). Where these waters well up, high primary productivity occurs in the surface waters. Such regions are the richest fisheries in the world.
In the present-day oceans, almost all deep waters are well oxygenated, with the exception of two types of environments: the Black Sea and the Oxygen Minimum Zones along the continents. We are looking at these environments when trying to understand sedimentation in the past. During warm periods of Earth History, however, we find indications of the widespread occurrence of anoxic conditions. Sediments deposited during such conditions are typically very dark brown to black, and show fine laminations (similar to the sediments deposited in lakes, seen on the field trip). The sediments have these laminations because no worms who dig through sediments and disturb lamination can live without oxygen.These fine-grained sediments are called black shales.
Such anoxic conditions in the oceans were particularly widespread during the Early Cretaceous, between about 85 and 125 million years ago. Periods of widespread occurrence of black shales are called Oceanic Anoxic Events (or OAEs). The best-documented OAEs occurred between 121 to119 Ma (OAE 1a in the early Aptian period), between 112 and109 Ma (OAE 1b in the early Albian period), between 102 and 98 Ma (OAEs 1c-1d in the late Albian period), and between 93 and 94 Ma (OAE 2 at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary).
The two regions with low oxygen conditions in the oceans today are:
There has been and is a long-standing discussion on the origin of black shales, which have been studied extensively because of their economic value (oil). There is still no agreement, whether black shales reflect dominantly high productivity and are an ancient analog of oxygen minimum zones in the present oceans, or whether they reflect low productivity and restricted, sluggish circulation, and are an ancient analog of the Black Sea. Or maybe the ancient anoxic conditions have no counterpart in our present world, because the deep sea is now frigid. All ancient black shales conditions occurred during times that the oceans were very warm (as deduced from the oxygen isotopic composition of carbonates), up to 10 to 15oC warmer than today. This had many consequences.
Points 2 and 3 suggest that the overall productivity of the oceans was lower during warm periods. This point is still strongly debated: if oceanic productivity was so low, then how could all the organic matter that is preserved in oil be formed in the first place? There is thus no agreement on the question whether the ancient episodes of anoxia in the oceans reflect oceans resembling the Black Sea (very limited circulation) or resembling the present Oxygen Minimum Zones (good circulation but very high productivity).
5. How to start an Oceanic Anoxic Event
Oceanic Anoxic Events did not occur during human history, and not even during the whole of the Cenozoic (the last 65 million years). There is a possibility that at least one Cenozoic event represented an Oceanic Low-Oxygen Event (low oxygen instead of no oxygen). This event occurred in the Latest Paleocene, about 55.5 million years ago. This period was characterized by a very warm climate for the Cenozoic, and the absence of ice caps at the poles. Fossil crocodiles and palm trees have been found at very high northern latitudes (Spitsbergen Island, at >65oN). During this warm time period the mammals evolved rapidly, with groups such as the primates (including monkeys and us), the bats, the whales, and the hoofed mammals evolving.
In the deep sea, there was a sudden mass extinction of unicellular Eukaryotic organisms with a calcareous shell (foraminifera) living on the bottom of the oceans. The three figures below show Scanning Electron Micrographs of three species of foraminifera: Aragonia aragonensis, left, specimen length about 125 micrometer; Tappanina selmensis, middle, specimen length about 100 micrometer, and Gavelinella beccariiformis, right, specimen diameter about 350 micrometer. G. beccariiformis was a cosmopolitan, common species from Late Cretaceous through the Paleocene, survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and planktonic foraminifera at the end of the Cretaceous, but became extinct at the end of the Paleocene. It is typical for the 30-50% of species becoming extinct: large and heavily calcified. The other two species are opportunistic species which bloomed to great abundance after the extinction.
The extinction of the benthic foraminifera (including G. beccariiformis) at the end of the Paleocene occurred at the same time as a rapid warming of the deep-sea all over the world, by 4 to 6oC. A similar change was observed in the shells of planktonic foraminifera at middle to high latitudes, and surface waters at these latitudes thus also warmed, although temperatures did not change much in the tropics. This short period of extreme warming has been called the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (abbreviated as LPTM).
During this warming (which can be seen clearly in the oxygen isotope records of benthic foraminifera) the carbon isotopes of these same benthic foraminifera show a large change to very low values (by more than 2.5 per mille). A similar change was seen in the records of planktonic foraminifera worldwide. In addition, a similar change was observed in land plant fossils, in teeth of herbivores, and in soil nodules formed on land. The abnormally light values of carbon isotopic composition thus were present throughout the ocean-atmosphere.
FIGURE (after Koch et al., 1992, Correlation between isotope records in marine and continental carbon reservoirs near the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary. Nature 358, p. 319-322). Transmission of changes in carbon isotopic composition throughout the ocean-atmosphere system: the various components of the system have different values, but the offsets between these values remain constant.
The change towards a much lower carbon isotopic composition of compounds formed on land (teeth, nodules) and in shells formed in the shallow as well as deep oceans worldwide must mean that a large amount of isotopically light carbon was let loose in the worlds' environments: a process similar in effect to the burning of large masses of fossil fuel. This addition of isotopically light carbon happened rapidly (in geological terms), i.e., over less than a few thousands of years.
The three 'usual suspects' for changes in the carbon isotopic composition of the atmosphere-ocean system thus were all out!
Therefore, there was a major problem in trying to explain this rapid change in the global carbon cycle, until the discovery of very large deposits of gas hydrates (also called clathrates). These gas hydrates are also called methane hydrates, because methane is the most common gas. The hydrates consist of ice, which is filled with methane gas. They occur in large quantities along the continental margins. They occur everywhere where the temperature is low enough, and/or pressure is high, and where methane and water are present. Under the sea, water is clearly present. The pressure comes from the overlying water masses. The methane is made by bacteria which use organic matter. Present estimates are that about 10,000 Gigaton of carbon is present in such gas hydrates. This is a huge amount (see figure below), about a third of all the carbon dissolved in the deep oceans, and much more than is present in the total biosphere, in soils, and in fossil fuel. We must update are ideas about the carbon cycle to include these large, until recently unsuspected carbon reservoir.
In the last few years, many governments (including those of the US, Canada, Russia, India and Japan) have become very interested in possibilities of methane hydrates as fossil fuels, but there are environmental concerns. The methane hydrates are stable under high pressure and low temperature. There is thus a possibility that they can dissociate, fall apart, and liberate their methane into the oceans, and from there into the atmosphere when pressure falls (sea level falls) or when temperature rises (and the temperature of the deep oceans is going up!). If global warming would result in warming of the oceans, for instance, methane hydrates might dissociate and get into the atmosphere. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and release of large amounts of methane into the atmosphere will result in more global warming. The methane will become oxidized to CO2 within about 10 years or so, but then the CO2 will contribute to global warming, which could lead to more dissociation of gas hydrates and more warming and so on: a typical example of destabilizing positive feedback. Presently, the potential of dissociation of gas hydrates as a result of future global warming is being investigated.
The carbon isotopic composition of methane in methane hydrates is very low (about minus 60 per mille on average). We can thus possibly recognize past blow-ups of large amounts of such gas hydrates in the rock record: they are represented by vary rapid and very large decreases in the carbon isotope record of foraminifera. We now have the following scenario for the events in the late Paleocene, about 55.5 million years ago:
We do not quite know why the warming stopped. Maybe the high latitudes became so warm that there were only very small temperature differences between the tropics and the high latitudes. That would have really slowed down winds and therefore also ocean currents, which would have slowed down heat transport to high latitudes. These high latitudes then cooled, and the cooler waters flowed to the bottom of the oceans, cooling them again. Maybe the oceanic organisms took up much carbon dioxide and oceanic productivity increased, thus counteracting the greenhouse effect. Maybe productivity on land increased, similarly taking CO2 out of the atmosphere.
Recently, detailed investigation of the carbon isotope records across interval of black shale deposition in the Cretaceous, long before these events in the late Paleocene, has shown a curious pattern in carbon isotopic records across the anoxic events; it has been well documented for OAE1b. The organic matter deposited in black shales has a light carbon isotopic signature, as has all organic matter (delta values around minus 23 per mille). During the deposition of such black shales we thus see an increase in the carbon isotopic signature of limestones (the lighter isotope is stored in the black shales, and the heavier one remains in the oceans, and is used during formation of carbonate). BUT just below the black shales and the interval with heavy carbon isotope values there was a very short, very large peak of very low carbon isotopic values.
It has now been suggested that this large, but short-lived change to very light carbon isotopic values represents release of gas hydrates in the environment. The release of gas hydrates then caused extreme warming (shown in the oxygen isotopic records), and the oxidation of the methane used up what little oxygen there was in the oceans. Then organic matter was stored in the oceanic sediments, because it could not rot in the absence of oxygen in the ocean waters. But this storage of organic matter also meant that carbon dioxide was once again taken out of the atmosphere, and the world cooled once again. And the cooling of the ocean waters brought oxygen back into the deep oceans.
Such a pattern has now been found in early Jurassic black shales (about 183 Ma) as well. Similarly, carbon isotopic excursions across the largest extinction of the last 540 years, the mass extinction at the end of the Permian, have been seen as indications that this extinction was triggered by methane release, which caused severe anoxia in the ocean. Note that during and just before the end-Permian extinction there were huge eruptions of flood basalts in Siberia, which could have led to the initial global warming by carbon dioxide emissions. Similarly, there were large flood basaltic eruptions in the Early Cretaceous just before and during the Oceanic Anoxic Events (e.g., the Ontong-Java Plateau in the Pacific Ocean), and in the early Jurassic (Karroo-Ferra basalts). The simple schedule outlined for the Late Paleocene event (above) thus may have validity to explain events of much more severe anoxia in the past.
In conclusion, the Earth's has alternated between warm periods ('greenhouse Earth') and cold periods ('ice house Earth'). We are now in the ice house; green house periods have been much more common than ice house periods over all of Earth History. During warm periods there were no polar ice caps, the continents were flooded and shallow seas (commonly with reefs) were extensive. The oceans contained little dissolved oxygen, and oceanic primary productivity may have been low, on average. The species diversity of oceanic organisms was high during these times of low productivity. Cold periods (such as we have now) characteristically have large ice caps, low sea level and relatively few shallow seas, high primary oceanic productivity but relatively low species diversity. During the warm periods, the dissociation of gas hydrates may have caused climatic instability, extreme warming, and anoxia.
7. Figure of the Carbon Cycle incorporating Gas Hydrates
This field of research develops very rapidly. Here are some recent references; you can also look in the book edited by M.-P. Aubry, S. Lucas, and W. A. Berggren, eds., Late Paleocene-early Eocene Biotic and Climatic Events in the Marine and Terrestrial Records, Columbia University Press, and you can look at the most recent volume of the quarterly journal of The Geological Society of Sweden (GFF vol. 122, part 1, pages 1-192), which shows extended abstracts of a meeting held in June 1999.
Bains, S., Corfield, R. M., and Norris, R. D., 1999. Mechanisms of Climate Warming at the End of the Paleocene. Science, 285, 724-727.
Bains, S., Norris, R. D., Corfield, R. M., and Faul, K., 2000. Termination of global warmth at the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary through productivity feedback. Nature, 407, 171-174.
Beerling, D., 2000. Increased terrestrial carbon storage across the Palaeocene Eocene boundary. Palaeogeography, Paleoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 161, 395-405.
Dickens, G. R., 1999. The blast in the past. Nature, 401, p. 752-853
Dickens, G. R., 2000. Methane oxidation during the Late Palaeocene Thermal Maximum. Bull. Soc. Geol. France, 171, 37-49.
Hesselbo, S. P., Groecke, D. R., Jenkyns, H. C., Bjerrum, C. J., Farrimond, P., Morgans Bell, H. S., and Green, O., 2000. Massive dissociation of gas hydrates during a Jurassic anoxic event. Nature, 406, 392-395.
Katz, M.E., Pak, D.K., Dickens, G.R., Miller, K.G., 1999. The source and fate of massive carbon input during the latest Paleocene thermal maximum. Science, 286, 5444, 1531-1533.
Koch, P. L., Zachos, J. C., and Gingerich, P. D., 1992, Coupled Isotopic Changes in Marine and Continental Carbon Reservoirs at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary. Nature, 358, 319-322
Larson, R. L., and Erba, E., 1999. Onset of the mid-Cretaceous greenhouse in the Barremian-Aptian: igneous events and the biological, sedimentary, and gechemical consequences. Paleoceanography, 14, 663-678.
Norris R. D, and Röhl, U., 1999, Carbon cycling and chronology of climate warming during the Palaeocene/Eocene transition. Nature, 401, 775-778.
Röhl, U., Bralower, T. J., Norris, R. D., and Wefer, G., 2000. A new chronology for the late Paleocene thermal maximum and its environmental implications. Geology, 28: 927-930.
Thomas, E., 1998, The biogeography of the late Paleocene benthic foraminiferal extinction, In: M.-P. Aubry, S. Lucas, and W. A. Berggren, eds., Late Paleocene-early Eocene Biotic and Climatic Events in the Marine and Terrestrial Records, Columbia University Press, 214-243
Thomas, E., Zachos, J. C., and Bralower, T. J., 1999, Deep-Sea Environments on a Warm Earth: latest Paleocene - early Eocene. B. Huber, K. MacLeod, and S. Wing eds., Warm Climates in Earth History, Cambridge University Press, 132-160.
Zachos, J.C., Lohmann, K.C., Walker, J.C.G., and Wise, S.W., 1993. Abrupt climate change and transient climates during the Paleogene: A marine perspective. Journal of Geology, 101, 191-213 | <urn:uuid:402d4ca3-5f3f-4935-a213-6f0e2c70d9d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ethomas.web.wesleyan.edu/ees123/hotstinky.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942515 | 5,348 | 4.03125 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
G.L.Piggy [at] gmail.com
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Richard Harper links via Twitter to an interesting blog post by Harvard researcher Kate Hinde who suggests that “mothers have the capacity to synthesize milk in relation to infant sex.” Hinde shows that in general and across species, mothers tend to produce milk with higher fat concentration for males compared to females. In humans, socioeconomic factors come into play. Paging Kevin Williamson:
More recently, Fujita and colleagues (2012) revealed sex-biases in the milk fat concentration among 72 women in rural Kenya. On average, mothers of sons produced significantly higher fat concentrations in milk. However there was an interaction between infant sex and maternal socio-economic status. Relatively wealthier women- women whose household owned more land and more dairy animals (such as camels, cattle, goats, and sheep)- produced milk with higher fat concentrations for sons. But relatively poorer women produced higher fat concentrations for daughters. Interestingly, higher socio-economic status was associated with lower mean fat concentrations in milk, possibly because such mothers were producing more milk. However investigating milk volume among Ariaal people in Kenya presents ethical and cultural challenges. The data from this study suggests that sex-biases in milk synthesis among humans may be sensitive to cultural and economic factors. These results provide support for the Trivers-Willard hypothesis (1973) that mothers in the best condition should favor sons because they will likely have high reproductive success, but that women in poor condition should favor the “safer” investment in daughters.
Hinde points out that this topic has been sparsely researched, possibly because of fears that a “milk is sexist” argument won’t sit well with many. | <urn:uuid:bd17c81c-4b1a-49bd-a7e0-ae02d7ca0413> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://glpiggy.net/2012/08/28/milk-differences/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950227 | 374 | 2.71875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
There are a few different ways to approach subnetting, and it can get confusing because of the complexity of some subnets and the flexibility they offer. For this reason I created this little paragraph to let you know how we
We are going to analyze the common subnet masks for each class, giving detailed examples for most of them and allowing you to "see" how everything is calculated and understand the different effects a subnet mask can have as you change it. Once you have mastered this, you can then go on and create your custom subnet masks using any type of class.
Default subnet masks of each class
By now you should have some idea what the subnet mask does and how it's used to partition a network. What you need to keep in mind is that each class has its DEFAULT subnet mask, which we can change to suit our needs. I have already mentioned this in the previous page, but we need to look into it in a bit more detail.
The picture below shows our three network classes with their respective default subnet
The effect of a subnet mask on an IP address
In the IP classes page we analyzed and showed how an IP address consists of two parts, 1) The network ID and 2) The host ID. This rule applies for all IP addresses that use the default subnet mask, so we call them classful IP addresses.
We can see this once again in the picture below, where the IP address is analyzed in binary,
because this is the way you should work when dealing with subnet masks:
We are looking at an IP address with its subnet mask for the first time. What we have done is take the decimal subnet mask and converted it to binary, along with the IP address. It is essential to work in binary because it makes things clearer and we can avoid making silly mistakes. The ones (1) in the subnet mask "lock" or, if you like, define the network ID portion. If we change any bit within the network ID of the IP address, then we immediately move to a different network. So in this example, we have a 24 bit subnet mask.
All class C classful IP addresses have a 24 bit subnet mask (255.255.255.0).
All class B classful IP addresses have a 16 bit subnet mask (255.255.0.0).
All class A classful IP addresses have an 8 bit subnet mask (255.0.0.0).
On the other hand, the use of an IP address with a subnet mask other than the default results in the standard host bits (the Bits used to identify the HOST ID) being divided in to two parts: a subnet ID and Host ID. These types of IP addresses are called classless IP addresses.
In order to understand what a "classless IP address" is without getting confused, we are going
to take the same IP address as above, and make it a classless IP address by changing the default
Looking at the picture above you will now notice that we have a subnet ID, something that didn't exist before. As the picture explains, we have borrowed three bits from the host ID and used them to create a subnet ID. Effectively we partitioned our class C network into smaller networks.
If you're wondering how many smaller networks, you'll find the answer on the next page. I prefer that you understanding everything here rather than blasting you with more subnet ID's, bits and all the rest :)
In this page we saw the default subnet mask of each class and also introduced the classful and classless IP addresses, which are a result of using various subnet masks.
When we use IP addresses with their default subnet masks, e.g. 192.168.0.10 is a class C IP address so the default subnet mask would be 255.255.255.0, then these are "classful IP addresses."
On the other hand, classless IP addresses have their subnet mask modified in a way so that there is a "subnet ID". This subnet ID is created by borrowing bits from the host ID portion.
The picture below shows us both examples:
I hope that you have understood the new concepts and material on this page. Next we are going to talk about subnet bits, learn how to calculate how many bits certain subnet masks are and see the different and most used subnet masks available.
If you think you might have not understood a few sections throughout this page, I would suggest you read it once more :)
Click over to Firewall.cx for more articles like this one. You don't have to register or jump through any hoops. All you do is get the networking information you want. Copyright 2004 Firewall.cx.
This was first published in October 2004 | <urn:uuid:6161c662-e1d6-4a04-b603-dd0eb9473259> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/tip/Protocols-Lesson-7-Subnet-masks-and-their-effect | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946595 | 1,005 | 3.578125 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Women who have ever been around smokers regularly may have more difficulty getting pregnant than those who have not, a new study suggests. The findings, researchers say, offer one more reason for women to kick the smoking habit.
Studies have found that women who smoke raise their risk of a number of pregnancy complications, as well as their infants' risk of health problems. Less is known about the dangers of second-hand smoke, though some studies have linked exposure during pregnancy to an elevated risk of miscarriage.
In the new study, of more than 4,800 women, researchers found those who'd grown up with a parent who smoked were more likely to report they'd had difficulty becoming pregnant -- defined as having to try for more than 1 year.
In addition, women who'd been exposed to second-hand smoke in both childhood and adulthood were 39 percent more likely to have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth, and 68 percent more likely to have had problems getting pregnant.
"These statistics are breathtaking and certainly (point) to yet another danger of second-hand smoke exposure," said lead researcher Luke J. Peppone at the University of Rochester, New York.
"We all know that cigarettes and second hand smoke are dangerous," he added. "Breathing the smoke has lasting effects, especially for women when they're ready for children."
Peppone and his colleagues at the University of Rochester in New York report their findings in the December 5 online issue of the journal Tobacco Control.
For the study, the researchers analyzed surveys from 4,804 women who'd visited the university's Roswell Park Cancer Institute between 1982 and 1998 for health screening or cancer treatment. All had been pregnant at least once in their lives.
Overall, Peppone's team found 11 percent of the women had difficulty becoming pregnant, while one third had a miscarriage or stillbirth.
The risk of these problems tended to climb in tandem with the number of hours per day that a woman was exposed to second-hand smoke -- a pattern that suggests a cause-effect relationship.
Second-hand smoke contains a host of toxic compounds that could potentially harm a woman's reproductive health, Peppone and his colleagues note. Tobacco toxins may damage cells' genetic material, interfere with conception, raise the risk of miscarriage, or inhibit the hormones needed for conception and a successful pregnancy.
6 months ago | <urn:uuid:e13250c7-c9c9-4142-9337-b3cf9035d8fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://spoonfeedin.blogspot.com/2008/12/health-second-hand-smoke-tied-to.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979161 | 486 | 2.71875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Horn of Africa tested by severe drought
Millions of people in the Horn of Africa are facing severe shortages of food as the worst drought in the region for six decades withers crops and kills livestock, as the BBC's world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge reports.
"I had a herd of 200 cows. I took them to Ethiopia when the drought started. All the cows I had taken there died and I came back without a single cow."
That story told by a resident of Wajir district in northern Kenya might not immediately appear to symbolise the humanitarian emergency increasingly gripping swathes of East Africa and the Horn of Africa - in the way that the rapidly growing number of acutely malnourished children trekking out of Somalia does.
But the distress being experienced by pastoralist communities across the affected region also goes a long way in explaining the severity of the current drought, its impact and the limits to the strategies people use to try to protect their livelihoods in such circumstances.
The Wajir cattle herder acted when he saw the grazing for his precious animals drying up.
But in the area of Ethiopia he took them to there turned out to be no greater chance of saving them. They started dropping dead, he says, one by one.
Aid officials estimate that up to half a million cattle have been lost in Ethiopia this year.
It often takes pastoralists at least two years to recover from a severe drought, particularly where it means building up a milking herd again.
This year's drought has hit hard when many people have not yet recovered from the last serious drought in 2009.
And the more marginalised the communities - and many of them are - the more likely people are to be pushed over the edge.Food 'safety net'
On top of this, the cost of food is higher than at any time since the price crisis of three years ago.
This deeply alarming combination of factors has resulted in acute malnutrition affecting 35-40% of children under five in a lot of places, according to aid officials - twice the threshold that requires an emergency response.
In parts of southern Somalia - where the conflict between the Islamist extremist group al-Shabab and the Western-backed but weak government make aid operations so difficult - the real level of malnutrition is simply unknown.
One Nairobi-based aid official said: "In southern Somalia, it is not inappropriate to start worrying about it becoming a famine."
There have been many pledges over the years that lessons have been learnt from the humanitarian crises of the past - all the more relevant for this region of the world because of the history of famine in Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan.
In Ethiopia, there is now a food "safety net" scheme assisting some eight million people vulnerable to chronic food shortages.
They are often supplied for food in return for work, and the idea is that many can also get access to micro-credit and to ways of helping them generate their own income.
The advantage of supplying food aid on a planned basis and not just once an emergency has struck, aid officials say, is that it can help prevent the need to sell off livestock or take children out of school.
And the hope is that it helps to build up the resilience of people in vulnerable communities.Early warning
Britain's Department for International Development promised an increased focus on this after a recent review of its response to humanitarian emergencies.
But even in a year of good weather conditions, Ethiopia still needs food assistance over and above the safety net scheme.
New government figures for the requirement in the light of the deepening drought are expected imminently.
This crisis will be a test, too, of the increased effort that has been made in recent years in Ethiopia to monitor and manage malnutrition among children in the community to reduce the numbers ending up in feeding centres during crises.
Famine early warnings - of the kind we are seeing now in East Africa and the Horn of Africa - and projects designed to help people resist the impact of disasters are not new, but they have attracted increasing attention.
Once it seemed highly likely that a drought described as "the worst in 60 years" would mean that the number of people affected would be similarly record-breaking - as potentially would be the number of deaths.
Now the hope is that this link is being broken and, given a sufficiently timely and adequate response, while such an emergency will still be very serious, those do not have to be the consequences.
But across parched lands and in countless hard-pressed communities - and almost certainly in Somalia above all - that is the challenge now. | <urn:uuid:d8940dbe-5900-43fa-8dfb-854efae96862> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14023160 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966397 | 936 | 2.671875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
- A Guide to Nutritional Empowerment
The Power of the Atom
Hiroshima. In 1945 atomic power leveled an entire city in seconds. Life on earth was changed forever without warning or discretion. Although many people believe the deployment of this innovation was justified to end World War II expeditiously, it was far from a display of harnessed might. It was more like a juvenile experiment let loose with an insidious anticipation of the unknown. Still, to this day, our understanding of atomic energy is based on the theory of atomic construction. No one has actually seen the components making up the atom; we’ve merely measured the energy dynamics that signify their existence and interaction. The atom bomb is a crude invention of the human intellect pretending to comprehend the power of the atom—the stitch that constitutes the fabric of the universe and everything in it, including humanity. Imagine that a metal frying pan, the gold ring on a finger, the diamond in that ring, the glass in a window, the wood of a tall cedar, living flesh and blood, and the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima are all made of the same fundamental unit of matter— the atom. The only measure that differentiates the various atoms of one form of matter and another is the distinct pattern of energy each harnesses. You and I have the ability to extract the energy potential of the atom to power our existence. The power of the atomic bomb is the same potential that fuels our cells, though our bodies are able to harness and direct it better. The relatively lifeless materials of our world don’t possess this ability as we experience it, but the potential still pulsates with bounding life deep within the core of the atomic building block. The extraction of this potential within the animate system requires precise activity, which we explain in terms of chemistry, molecules, co-factors, catalysts (reaction facilitators), minerals, and vitamins. The potential that’s packed within ourselves, within our genetic codes, within our atomic embodiment, is far beyond what most of us can fathom. The notion that man can change the nature of nourishment, thus altering the cell’s ability to extract atomic potential, is absurd. Not only do we not have the intellectual capability to under-stand the true nature of the atom but we don’t possess the insight into the dynamic of nutrition that encompasses the biochemistry or bioenergy of human life. A minute deviation from this meticulous biochemical design impairs our ability to derive the full potential from within the atom, taking the animate flesh and blood one step closer to the energetic state of the lifeless dust that constitutes our being. This is the essence of nutrient deficiency, and it’s not an all-or-nothing occurrence. Nourishment delivers a dose-dependent potential for life, with optimal nutritional states promoting maximum vitality, while anything less than paramount nutrient status results in a dose-related lower state of vitality. In other words, our levels of vitality depend almost exclusively on our bodies’ nutrient statuses. Every mouthful of food evokes a hormonal cascade that permeates the body, affecting each molecule. The right food choices provide a healthy hormonal wave on which we can ride to enhanced vitality. The wrong selections prompt a bioenergetic rippling much like the disruptions of a glassy stone by a stone tossed into its center. Manhandling of the food supply and environment has resulted in catastrophic consequences. In essence it provokes a rippling interruption of cellular chemistry, interfering with the delicate dynamic of body and mind. Ageless Performance, the dietary and nutritional program detailed in this book, gets this biochemistry flowing in the right direction again. It shifts our metabolisms so that they work with us toward our goals, taking the battle out of disease prevention and therapy and elevating performance potential to completely new levels. Ageless Performance kick-starts the bio-energetic state, making it vibrate with harnessed atomic power. The biochemistry of our nourishment was crafted over millions of years of evolutionary design. In terms of the evolutionary timeline, we’ve changed this carefully proportioned food chemistry in the blink of an eye with processing. Our genetic designs require specialized dietary influences that come from whole nourishment. In essence, whole-food chemistry acts as programming for the human genome system. Our hormonal works, as well, depend tremendously on whole food’s biochemical language, which also regulates its activity. What we’ve done by transforming the language of this nutrient chemistry is to create an inflection point in the evolution of humanity—a shift in the internal biochemistry of human life. This shift cultivates a sort of weeding process—natural selection, survival of the fittest, a process designed to choose the genetic strains of life that will tolerate the new environmental standard. The result of this powerful inflection point is the overwhelming escala-tion of disease and death whose vastness we’re just beginning to grapple with. Every bite of this newly designed food chemistry evokes a foreign cascade of hormones that we try to survive. Few of us are genetically pre-pared to tolerate this new biochemistry, and if it weren’t for our incredible medical advances, which have helped us limp along in these compromised conditions, even fewer of us would be here today. There is hope, however. Ageless Performance can offset this biochemical shift of nourishment. That’s right—it modifies genetic activity to help reestablish the body’s natural biochemical performance. Taking back our health requires feeding the body many of the biochemical influences that directed its evolution, and the same is so if maximum physical and mental performance is desired. The first step toward this state is to return to whole foods as the major source of nourishment. These foods closely resemble the biochemical profiles that dictated our genetic designs. The second step is to compensate for the proven shortfalls of today’s whole foods and those produced by an unnatural degree of environmental toxicity. The evidence in this book validating these strategies will overwhelm you with enthusiasm as you begin to realize that by applying this science you can control your health and level of performance. Recent research has revealed that many of our common nutrients find their way into our genetic codes to stimulate or inhibit specific genes that are involved in the construction and maintenance of hormones, tissues, neurotransmitters, and entire biological systems. This activity permeates much deeper than the simple action of enzymes and mitochondria (the powerhouse of every cell in the body that generates adenosine triphosphate, or ATP). These recent findings indicate that common vitamins like C play a role in gene regulation, and a limitation of this vitamin results in the failure of a gene to partake in its biological role. This activity wasn’t known only a few years ago. Many other similar models have been unveiled. We’ve found that free radicals play a role in gene regulation, as well, and that antioxidants, which counter uncontrolled free-radical activity, are important gene regulators. Imagine that—we can actually take an active part in the regulation of our genes by modifying our diets and augmenting our dietary nutrient intakes with a strategic nutritional supplement program. It’s not science fiction; it’s scientific fact. The latest research has revealed how we can use specialized nutrients to activate genes that may have become dormant with age. This amazing activation has been shown to prevent and even reverse diseases as serious as cancer, diabetes, and chronic inflammation. It has literally put a new face on medicine, health care, prevention, and athletic performance. This new age has brought nutraceuticals and the natural health industry to a new level of credibility. In fact, the synergy of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical care, which is irrefutably demonstrated in this book, will be the new wave of effective therapy. I’ve seen the results of nutrient-induced gene activation and gene inhi-bition in the laboratory and in those outside the laboratory who have consulted me. I’ve witnessed firsthand, in vivo, in vitro, through personal and client trials and tribulations, the onslaught of toxicity that can so easily and inexpensively be intercepted to prevent terminal disease. Diabetes is terminal. Most diseases, although not viewed as terminal, reduce life span. Just because the process of dying that a diabetic experiences may be slower than that of an individual with liver cancer doesn’t change the fact that diabetes causes death. But most cases of Type II diabetes are easily curable. The disease is only terminal because most of us choose the type of health care that allows secondary diseases to develop without opposition. The medical practitioners who previously scoffed at these claims were mesmerized without comment when the program prompted, in mere weeks, the result they battled for years to deliver to their patients. The result I’m referring to is the reestablishment of cellular responsiveness to natural secretions of insulin in Type II diabetics—complete reversal of the disease. The same thing happened when I recovered completely from severe ulcer-ative colitis without any residual trace. How was it done? In the case of diabetes it was accomplished by adminis-tering the right mix of nutraceuticals that activates the genes responsible for the manufacture of the cell membrane’s glucose-transport sites. This activity literally rejuvenates the cell with respect to insulin function and, conse-quently, turns back the biological clock because any state of insulin resistance, even one that’s prediabetic, accelerates biological aging. Keep in mind that this innovation is not at all like insulin compensation such as metformin, which might be required indefinitely. Ulcerative colitis is more difficult to overcome and requires a more comprehensive program, something we’ll see in subsequent pages. The point is that a state of disease can be reversed. However, Ageless Performance isn’t just limited to rectifying diabetes and ulcerative colitis. It’s aimed at the biochemical correction of the cellular problem that’s at the root of many diseases. The chemistry of inflammation is one of these common disease-promoting denominators, and producing a sort of anti-inflammatory environ-ment in the body is a key preventive tactic. It’s not so much that Ageless Performance induces an anti-inflammatory hormonal cascade; more accurately, the program corrects the cells’ chemistry to create a neural state of non-inflammatory activity. Processed, refined foods, which tend to be insulin-straining, promote an inflammatory hormonal cascade that Ageless Performance blocks and reverses. The solutions I’m referring to are the consequences of a complex science and relate to multiple disorders, including cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, dementia, asthma, and more. The simple administration of precise mixes and doses of nutraceuticals and, of course, mild dietary changes, result in profound shifts in health. This book teaches how this can be accomplished. You’ll also learn how this science can be applied to maximize athletic-performance potential and to shed, with ease, unwanted pounds. It’s truly an exciting time—new-age medicine and a new standard for sports performance. We all have the ability to extract and focus this power any way we choose. Most of us don’t know that this possibility exists within us and therefore will never experience true human potential. Some of us are aware that we’re filled with potential from the day we’re born, but we don’t know how to tap into it. Ageless Performance is designed to help release this power in a controlled manner to fuel cellular chemistry and navigate its course along the path it was designed to take. Diseases such as dementia and other cognitive disorders; arthritis, colitis, and other inflammatory conditions; cardiovascular illnesses such as hyper-tension and hypercholesterolemia; and asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, even aging are all caused and propagated by common factors. These disorders can be treated easily in one clean sweep by rectifying the cause instead of applying drug compensation for each ailment. Biochemical correction is a more logical solution. Human life was designed with a host of intrinsic genetic miracles that are geared to support life. Disease isn’t a natural state. We’ve created it by adulterating our environment and our precisely formulated nourishment, thus polluting the chemistry of life, hindering the flow of energy within ourselves, and thwarting our ability to liberate the miracles that lie deep within our genetic codes. Ageless Performance prepares the way for the resurrection of our inherent gift of healing, recovery, performance, and life. Most of us have heard about the frail woman who lifted the back end of a crumpled car to save the life of her gasping child. This potential didn’t come from an external source. The power came from within. The uninhibited mind of that frail woman was able to dig deep into her atomic core, which embodies humanity and its genetic codes, to focus this harnessed might. We’ve inhibited this potential through mental, emotional, environmental, and food-borne toxicity. Extraction of this potential is next to impossible unless we free ourselves of these inhibitions. In the face of a life-or-death ordeal few inhibiting factors are profound enough to interfere with the mind’s impermeable focus. Because of the toxicity we’ve imposed on ourselves, it takes an extreme experience to overcome toxic interference. However, if we can accept that this atomic power is real, we can empower our minds to activate this potential day after day. Once we’ve released ourselves from self-imposed mental bindings, the next step is to neutralize the free-radical interference that also impede the resurrection of this harnessed power for healing, prevention, and athletic performance, propelling us farther along the road to experiencing a pro-grammed state of well-being. Ageless Performance is about clearing the mind and guiding the way to the potential within. Ageless Performance is about neutralizing the chemistry that interferes with our genetic programming. Ageless Performance activates the path to biological self-sufficiency so that the body, mind, and soul can function in harmonized synergy to perform according to an evolutionary design programmed for vigorous life, not disease or death. THE NATURE OF POTENTIAL WITHIN The research-documented evidence in this book conveys how our environ-ment has influenced gene expression (activity) in a way that throws off endocrine-hormone balance (insulin, thyroxin, and sex hormones) as well as eicosanoid-hormone balance (prostaglandins, for example). Eicosanoid hormones, such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and prostacyclins, regulate multiple biological systems related to all of the epidemic diseases I’ve already mentioned. If you’re like most North Americans, these systems are out of line. Merely addressing this biochemistry can bring the struggle with disease, including obesity, to an end easily. The prolific use of COX inhibition such as the ongoing administration of high doses of ASA is compensation for these hormone imbalances. The typical nutrition-based remedies of the past such as flaxseed and salmon oils won’t address the common problem of imbalance. They’re only part of a comprehensive strategy. These fats need all of the essential co-factors that guide them down the biochemical path to hormone status. The solution to our epidemic problem isn’t more technology and drugs; it’s a series of corrections to allow the body to do what it was designed for: to heal and prevent disease, and to exist in biochemical harmony. This process involves carefully organized synergistic combinations of nutraceuticals augmented by basic food choices. The program must be easy to apply, and Ageless Performance meets that criterion. Man-made environmental toxicity influences far more than gene integrity and gene health; it actually transforms how these genes send out their encoded instructions and can even alter the instruction or prevent it from ever being received. Translation of the genetic code involves countless biochemicals, and the modification of any single one along the extensive chain of activity can significantly change the outcome from the original instruction. Each and every one of these biochemicals must battle with the cesspool of free radicals and other forms of toxicity we impose on ourselves. Clean up the environment, and the likelihood of gene misinterpretation decreases and self-regulation is enhanced. The environment we have the most control over is our own biochemistry. Potential Within is a detailed description of the Ageless Performance program that will induce this bio-logical self-regulation. Our nutrient-depleted foods don’t deliver the essentials our immune and antioxidant systems require to defend the body from this environ-mental assault, leaving us vulnerable to the rigors of hellion free radicals (an atom or group of atoms with one or more unpaired electrons making the free radical highly unstable and potentially toxic to the body) and chemical toxicity. This vulnerability leaves our precious genetic material open to infiltration, mutation, and misinterpretation. The penultimate chapter of this book, “Applying Ageless Performance,” details the utilization of the Ageless Performance strategy. Each of us has unique metabolic needs based on individual metabolic rates, personal activity levels, age, goals, and differing states of health. In this chapter you’ll be guided to your general program template—your starting point for the program—and you’ll be instructed on how to craft your personalized version from this template to meet your unique nutritional demands. Each template is designed with the same fundamental nutritional strategy, one that instills biochemical correction and biological self-sufficiency within each cell. With this new balance the hormonal systems that make up the inner workings of the biological clock will operate with a more efficient tempo to recover, rebuild, and revitalize every aspect of the body and mind with more accuracy. In essence, biological time will slow down and the “inner clock” will be turned back to reverse biological age. The exogenous (external) drug or nutrient doesn’t cause healing. The exogenous application, whether topical, oral, or injected, is designed to give the body an opportunity to deploy its own inner healing potential, but true healing occurs only if the body’s chemistry is operational. The miracle of healing, health, and outstanding athletic performance comes from within. Ageless Performance will resurrect this miracle by activating it and forming the conduit from the inner core to the surface for human experience. The final chapter of this book contains a series of condition-specific therapies that can be applied once the Ageless Performance chemistry is in place. Ageless Performance is a powerful therapy and prevention in itself, but some cases of disease require specialized priming to guide the biochemical flow of life in the right direction. These condition-specific therapies will do just that. However, if the biochemical foundation isn’t set, the therapy will have little or no effect. This could be what you’ve experienced in the past with incomplete nutraceutical therapies or pharmaceutical drug administration. Faith is an integral component of Ageless Performance; it fuels the program’s incorporation into our beings and facilitates successful outcomes. The power of a positive mind is critical to the triumph of any therapy. If we doubt our health practitioners’ therapeutic strategies, our minds can work against the treatments. If we believe in the therapy, the powerful cellular inscription induced by the positive mind will manifest positive results more expeditiously. Belief in a program also promotes a more diligent application, and this compliance, too, contributes to a successful outcome. The message in Potential Within excites me as no other message in life because it has changed me forever. It’s created opportunity both person-ally and professionally. It has founded the passionate, healthy life I lead today. My excitement is further intensified by the chance to share this craft and show other people the way to their true inner potential. So let’s get started. Time is passing, and if you’re like most North Americans, your biological clock is ticking faster than it has to. Don’t worry, though, because we’re about to reset that pace in short order. | <urn:uuid:9e49e400-0687-43ea-8041-622d381c893a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biologicnr.com/books/potential-within-a-guide-to-nutritional-empowerment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927361 | 4,145 | 2.734375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Anti-bullying / Stop Bullying in Schools
Definition of bullying: Bullying is repeated forms of aggression toward another individual. It can take many forms. There is an imbalance of power where the victim/target cannot defend himself.
Children frequently do not tell anyone they are being bullied. They fear retaliation, embarrassment, or fear of being blamed. It is essential that parents (and school personnel) make sure children feel safe if they want them to be able to perform to the best of their abilities.
Victims of bullying typically do not retaliate
Children targeted by bullies are usually intelligent, sensitive, creative, and have a low propensity to violence. Bullied children often possess a well-developed sense of moral values, and a clear understanding of the need to resolve the conflict verbally. Kids that are bullied will, rightly so, try to use dialogue rather than a physical response.
Unfortunately, children are often never taught how to defend themselves, either verbally or physically. (Yet children will sometimes hear that they need to 'stand up' for themselves, without any practical knowledge on how to do so.)
Martial arts classes can help
Children should always be taught how to handle bullies in a verbal manner, and with the help and support of school administrators and parents. A non-violent resolution is always the best outcome and goal of any bullying scenario.
However, it is useful for children to know self defense should a situation ever develop where a physical confrontation cannot be avoided. Martial arts classes will teach children various techniques for blocking, breaking an attacker's grasp, and other methods to protect themselves from injury.
"Having the martial arts or self defense background is something that you really need to have." ~Mrs. Fitzsimmons
Some questions to ask when evaluating a martial arts program:
Is there a firm philosophy that self defense is to be used only when everything else possible has been done first?
Does the program focus on the 'how' rather than the 'why'? (practical instruction, not scare-tactics)
Are the teachers positive and encouraging? (Good instructors do not make negative remarks or allow others to do so.)
Is there plenty of hands-on practice? Children (and adults) learn more effectively through doing, rather than being shown or told what to do.
Why Master Chong's Tae Kwon Do?
Choosing the right martial arts school is important. The attitude of the school and quality of the instructors make a big difference:
All students at Master Chong's Tae Kwon Do are taught (and consistently reminded) that martial arts are to be used only as a last resort. Children learn (in their very first lesson) to only practice their Tae Kwon Do here at our schools. Self defense should only be used in an emergency.
Our students learn a variety of blocks, take-downs, and methods to disable an opponent that can be applied to any number of threatening situations.
Students are always taught in a positive manner. Instructors focus on what your child is doing right and how they can get even better.
At Master Chong's, children learn by practicing self defense techniques regularly with a partner in a safe, controlled environment.
One of the greatest benefits your child will also gain by learning martial arts at Master Chong's is a higher level of self-confidence. Just having more confidence helps children avoid being bully victims most of the time. Plus, being more confident is a trait that will help your child excel in all areas of life.
Choose Master Chong's:
Give your child the opportunity to learn self defense safely
and effectively by getting them started with
our FREE Martial Arts Trial Program.
We promise you'll find our tae kwon do classes
to be a positive introduction to martial arts. | <urn:uuid:d69e2611-1aeb-4658-bcac-60af94b008c8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.buffalotkd.com/anti-bullying-stop-bullies-schools.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9459 | 771 | 3.90625 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
One of the greatest challenges in this project has been to access and report information at geographic scales that are manageable and relevant to Basin residents, communities and organization.
From a local government perspective and for Canada census purposes there are 23 municipalities, 21 electoral areas, two full regional districts and parts of 3 other regional districts in the Basin. In many areas the residents of municipalities and the adjacent electoral areas come together to make decisions and take actions. Also, there simply is not space to report on each local government area.
For these reasons, data was collected for the smallest geographic unit that it was available. This raw data is available on the State of the Basin website. The data for most indicators was then combined into 'local areas' shown on the large map. For most indicators these local areas follow the commonly used BC Local Health Areas, which are government defined areas that are used to collect various types of data.
The exceptions to using the 'local areas' shown on the map below are:
CBT encourages you to discuss the indicator results in this report with others in your community, local area, or community of interest to better understand the unique local conditions, and to participate in actions to improve the well-being in your area. | <urn:uuid:0a732cd0-c181-4711-bc10-7d07160e2939> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cbt.org/Initiatives/State_of_the_Basin/Report/?Appendix | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939846 | 248 | 2.890625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
A Venusian day, strange to say, is longer than a Venusian year. How can such an apparent paradox be allowed? It's easy: Venus rotates on its axis once every 243 earth-days, but it revolves around the sun in 225 earth-days. How appallingly counter-intuitive! If I had any gift at all for thinking in the abstract, I'm sure that I wouldn't find the idea that a day can be longer than a year so disorienting. But I do; for me, the word "day" has a metaphorical as well as a scientific dimension: "days" are short, "years" are long. I'm consoled by thinking that my counterpart, a philosophically-handicapped Venusian visiting the earth, would find our speedy days and our disproportionately long year quite incredible. On Venus, the lazy old sun takes 116 days to rise in the west and set in the east (Venus, ever the contrarian, rotates, so to speak, "backwards"). So much for Ovid's swift horses; on Venus, they're all glue and molasses, their forward progress barely perceptible. There's a mythological corollary that might please the poets. Randy Jupiter would be happy on Venus: the venereal night is truly a megala nux.
I suppose that the example of Venus teaches us that days and years are not things but concepts. For me, this is a hard lesson. I recognize that it's earthocentric to measure the long Venusian day in terms of earth-days, but I can't seem to reason my way around doing so -- the only day that I've ever experienced is 24 hours long and the only year with which I'm familiar has 365 and a bit days. It's alarming to realize how short-sighted it is to assume that a day, a month, a year, tied in, as they are, to astronomical reality are natural, when, in fact, they're only artifacts of our earthly orbit.
Other measurements of time are less "natural" and therefore even more troublesome. How entirely arbitrary to divide the day into 24 parts! Since everything else is going metric, why shouldn't we divide the day into ten or a hundred parts -- decidays or centidays? And minutes and seconds -- why sixty of them, when decihours and centihours makes so much more sense? (The ancients, incidentally, struggled mightily with hours -- read all about it here.) And the week? No natural reason at all for the week. The Romans, as is well known, were weekless.
Venus, having no moons, has no months. Mars has two moons -- would a Martian calendar, if there were such a thing, have had months, or demi-months, or monthettes, or what?
When I was a boy, I was a diligent if uncritical reader of science fiction. In those days, it was not uncommon for entire fanciful Venusian civilizations to rise, peak, and fall and the course of a novel. But in the 1950s, almost no data was available to us about the mysterious planet. Now, I'm afraid, the glamor is long gone. The surface temperature of Venus averages 869F, the atmospheric pressure is 90 times that of the earth, the atmosphere is 97 per cent carbon dioxide and contains no oxygen, and the pretty swirling clouds are entirely composed of hot, concentrated sulfuric acid. It's hardly a place in which an advanced culture would be likely to thrive nor a place from which we would expect much in the way of sophisticated calendrical theory. | <urn:uuid:53b5544e-1795-4bad-8b2b-6d82ff6d6568> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.drmetablog.com/2007/02/where_a_day_is_.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968847 | 747 | 2.703125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The Environmental Summit is a research symposium designed to bring together a community of high school aged scientists to present and discuss their original research to their peers, high school and college science faculty, graduate and undergraduate students. The research is conducted as part of the Global Environment course curriculum, enabling the high school students to engage not only in the knowledge but process of science.
ESF in the High School is a collaboration between ESF and partner urban, rural, and suburban school districts. ESF in the High School enables qualified high school students to take the Global Environment course for college credit while still in high school and to prepare for a successful transition to college.
The Environmental Summit encourages students to:
Dr. Richard Beal
ESF Educational Outreach | <urn:uuid:3328dd8c-2356-4785-8862-1d2eb12f5000> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.esf.edu/outreach/esfhs/summit/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946744 | 151 | 2.53125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Jesus and the crowds
A CONSTANT FEATURE of the ministry of Jesus was the crowds that followed Him. This is not surprising as the teachings of Jesus were refreshingly simple, cutting away the excess debris of human philosophy and rules, and getting to the heart of the matter.
Listening to Jesus, the crowds were astonished both at what He said and how He said it – with such authority. And He matched His walk with His talk, for though His enemies tried to pin Him down with all kinds of accusations, His character shone through. He also performed many miracles as He healed the sick and drove out tormenting evil spirits from imprisoned souls. The crowds were naturally attracted to Him.
But the Lord was not swayed by the crowds. He refused to measure success by the numbers in the crowd. As Gordon MacDonald wisely observes, “Jesus seemed unconcerned with empty seats.” He was focused on producing deep people rather than super-crowds. There were several times when Jesus avoided the crowds. For example, at one time, when Jesus saw a crowd forming by the Sea of Galilee, He ordered His disciples to cross by boat to the other side of the lake. It appears that Jesus was trying to get away from the crowds. He had done many miracles and His popularity was rising. One would have thought that He would have seized the opportunity to build up the crowd’s response. Instead He sought to move away from the crowds.
Jesus knew the Scriptures and was aware how dangerous crowds could be. The Hebrew Scriptures do point out the many negative features of crowds. God’s Law warns, “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong” (Ex. 23:2). In this context the temptation was to follow the wishes of the crowd even if it was clearly wrong, to side with the crowd and pervert justice. This, ironically, happened to Jesus when He was tried unjustly and crucified by the actions of a violent and rebellious mob. There were a few brave men who tried to speak against the crowd’s blind and twisted thinking, but the vast majority of them were crowd-followers, taking the apparently safe route of pleasing the crowd (Mt. 27:24).
The Hebrew Scriptures also speak about a “hostile crowd” (Judges 6:31), a “noisy crowd of evildoers” (Ps. 64:2), “a crowd of unfaithful people” (Jer. 9:2), and the tempting “noise of a carefree crowd” (Ezek. 23:42). The potential temptations of a crowd were well-known to Jesus. That is why though He was followed by crowds, He refused to submit to their popular agendas or be swayed by their herd instincts.
The Lord protected Himself from the crowd by praying and maintaining a deep relationship with His Father. After a long and busy Sabbath day ministering to the crowds, He intentionally got up very early in the morning to pray and centre Himself in the Father’s will and purposes (Mk. 1:35). After miraculously feeding a huge crowd with just five loaves and two fish, Jesus dismissed the crowd and spent time praying alone (Mk. 6:45-46). Obviously He wanted to hear His Father more than the crowd. It was this rootedness in the life and will of His Father that enabled Jesus to address the popular demands of the crowd that persistently followed Him.
Realising the crowd was following Him for the wrong reasons (for they wanted only material and temporal benefits) Jesus said some unpalatable things – about the need to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to gain eternal life (Jn. 6:53-58). His earth-bound listeners found this to be “hard teaching” and many turned away (Jn. 6:60, 66). It is strange how Jesus seemed keen to reduce the size of the crowds that followed Him.
ON ANOTHER OCCASION, when “large crowds were travelling with Jesus”, He turned to them and talked about how difficult it was to be His disciple – it was not a holiday, but a journey on the way of the cross (Lk. 14:25-35). I wonder how significantly the crowd was reduced after what Jesus had to say.
If the Lord’s stance regarding crowds was one of caution and a refusal to be shaped by the crowds, it became the very basis of His compassionate ministry among the crowds. In order to minister effectively, we must remember that we are called to be in the world but not of the world. The Lord’s freedom from the “wants” of the crowds gave Him liberty to minister to the real needs of the crowds. Thus, when “he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them” (Mt. 9:36; 14:14).
When Jesus saw the crowds, He saw the individuals in the crowds. Just think of Levi (Mk. 2:13-14) or the woman who bled for 12 years (Mk. 5:24-34) or blind Bartimaeus (Mk. 10:46-52). In each case, Jesus picked out the individual in the crowd. Not only that, Jesus had the power to transform a crowd into a community.
Take the feeding of the 5,000. We don’t know the details of how the miracle took place. Let us imagine this possible scene. Jesus breaks the bread and distributes it. Ten people have half loaves with them. They could have eaten them with gratitude, but they find it difficult to eat their bread with hungry faces looking at them. The action of Jesus inspires them to break the piece of bread in their own hands into two, and to give one of the pieces to another person. Somehow both the piece they keep and the piece they give away seem to have miraculously grown in size so that it is enough for them. Soon there is a wave of bread-breaking. People begin to recognise that something awesome is happening among them as they break bread. Jesus has miraculously transformed, even if for a moment, a selfish crowd of masks into a loving, sharing community of faces.
In church we must heed Scripture’s many warnings about crowds. We must stay close to Jesus who teaches us what to do about the crowds. Then we will not follow and ape the crowds but, rather, humbly see them with compassion and allow Jesus to minister to the individuals within them and transform the crowds that attend our churches into communities that reflect His glory.
NO POPULAR AGENDAS
“The potential temptations of a crowd were well-known to Jesus. That is why though He was followed by crowds, He refused to submit to their popular agendas or be swayed by their herd instincts.” | <urn:uuid:69377cf3-8ad4-4937-9fb1-2ba9eb5f2fa2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.methodistmessage.com/sep2011/bishopwrites.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979618 | 1,421 | 2.859375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Unstructured Free Play Time for Kids is Critical
Using their imaginations – not just the Internet – is still crucial for today's children. Here's why, and what parents can do to help foster more of it.
Make-believe was a hallmark of kids' games a generation or two ago – playing "house" and "restaurant" or racing Big Wheels around the neighborhood until sunset. Sure, we watched TV – but there was always a limit, a time to turn it off and go "find something to do."
Today's children aren't quite as lucky. Yet scientists maintain free play is critical for becoming socially adept, coping with stress and building cognitive skills like problem-solving. If it goes extinct, experts say childhood – and society – will pay a high price.
So why has free play languished, and how can you rekindle it with your kids?
What has changed
But between 1981 and 1997, free-play time dropped about 25 percent, the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine notes. Modern parents shifted focus to early academics and organized activities – an "over-programming" trend that's persisted.
"It turned out to be not so much the 'academics' we were adding but the time we subtracted from the children's fantasy play that would make the difference," says educational leader Vivian Paley in A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play. "We blamed television for making children restless and distracted, then substituted an academic solution that compounded restlessness and fatigue."
A big mistake, she says, is making kindergarten academic. When it was pretend-focused, Paley says, "first-grade teachers could take their time beginning formal lessons. The earlier we begin academics, the more problems are revealed."
One reason for reduced play time today is more parents are working, and they're working longer hours – resulting in the need for children to spend before- and after-school time in structured, safe programs. Coupled with that is the fact that many modern parents opt to enroll their younger children in highly academic, structured programs in the hope it will give their kids an educational edge.
Why play still matters
It's all with good intentions, of course. But without the necessary freedom to explore the world early on, children may gain advancement in academics at a cost of losing interpersonal, social and emotional coping skills.
"In school and in the home, we've become overly goal-oriented and we're losing the process for the product," says Aviva Dorfman, an associate professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Michigan-Flint. "By imposing testing as a means of finding out what children know, we are preferencing certain kinds of thinkers and leaving others out."
Dorfman says the same is true of the highly structured nature of children's lives.
"All these activities are wonderful, but if you overly structure children's lives, they don't learn control," she says. "They don't have the opportunity to develop their own interests, to follow their own inspiration – to experience the competence of conceiving an idea, initiating it and following it through."
A study from the Alliance for Childhood shows extreme aggressive behavior in children is exhibited today more than ever before. Coincidence? Nope.
The research illuminates three universal truths:
- Childhood play is crucial for social, emotional and cognitive development.
- Imaginative free play – as opposed to games and structured activities – is the most essential kind of childhood play.
- Kids who do not play when they are young grow into anxious, socially maladjusted adults.
The kind of play is as important as the amount of time doing it. Encouraging "open-ended toys" – which don't focus or stifle a child's imagination – is key.
More and more toys are "licensed" products of popular culture (movies and TV shows), stifling the imaginations of children who use them. Experts say these items limit the possibilities of imaginative play as opposed to open-ended, take-them-anywhere-you-want toys like blocks, clay and art supplies.
It's also key that kids have frequent chances to play outdoors – safely, of course. Being in nature is restorative, invigorating and nurturing, says Dorfman.
This doesn't nix mom and dad. Kids need and want adults – especially their parents – to play with them. Just not with a structured, "do-it-this-way" approach.
Let the child lead, says Gartenberg: "Dress up in costumes, role play and perform. Take cues from the children.
"Whatever parents play should be open-ended and nonjudgmental – no winner, no right, no wrong," she adds. "Make up stories and games in the car when traveling from school to home. Hide the cell phone. Look into your child's eyes when playing or communicating."
Get involved with your kids' sports, too, whether coaching or volunteering. When you exercise, involve your children, so it becomes a family effort. Making meals is also a prime time to explore; let children plan dinner and give them opportunities to make up recipes. Trial and error is one of the best ways of learning.
The long view
"Children will learn technology," Gartenberg says. "Now, they need to learn to laugh and to share. Texting and emails and Internet activity need to be monitored carefully. Parents should find childcare that emphasizes more than academics – a place that includes physical activity and lots of opportunity for play."
Starting early to play with your children – and making it free-wheeling and open-ended – not only helps your kids. You'll benefit, too.
"Children who see parents as fun-loving, communicative adults will continue communicating with them as they grow into teens," says Gartenberg. "Hopefully, as children learn to interact and play appropriately, they also will learn to stick up for each other and defy the bully and help others feel accepted." | <urn:uuid:2fb049cb-1179-44e6-a66d-1ad0dc03ecbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metroparent.com/Metro-Parent/January-2012/Unstructured-Free-Play-Time-for-Kids-is-Critical/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967231 | 1,245 | 3.078125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Water is known as the universal solvent. Most water supplies
are usually saturated with large amounts of minerals, such as calcium
carbonate (lime scale), calcium sulfate, iron and manganese, which can cause
corrosion and scaling. The amount of minerals carried in saturation varies
with the type of rock formation and other factors such as pH, oxygen content
is saturated with minerals, any increase in temperature or pressure drop
will cause the minerals to precipitate (form scale). So, water passing
through a water faucet, shower head, or the heat in a water heater will
change with the waters ability to hold the dissolved minerals in suspension.
Very simply, Scaltrol stops mineral scale by introducing a measured
amount of sequestrant into the water. The mineral molecules, which have a
positive charge, are attracted to and held in suspension by the negative
charge of the sequestrant. The mineral molecules are unable to join
together, so scale is unable to form.
Scaltrol has developed a patented venturi dispensing head which
provides an effective and efficient feedrate of the polyphosphates!
Scaltrol controls corrosion by chlorides and minerals, by depositing
a microscopic film of phosphate to all surfaces. It is well known that a layer
of scale 1/4" on a heating element will decrease the efficiency, and will
subsequently increase your energy bills by up to 40%.
Information provided by manufacturers of equipment using water indicate that
80% of all service calls are problems caused by water. Water that is heated
will cause scale nine times faster as it approaches boiling point.
Water that is pressurized (for instance, spray nozzles) will form scale four
times faster than regular cold faucet water.
A Scaltrol unit is simple to install because it is non-electrical,
non-magnetic and non-mechanical.
Product Dimensional Data
P. O. Box 609
Norcross, Georgia 30091
6350 Regency Parkway
Norcross, Georgia 30071
Toll Free: 800-868-0629 | <urn:uuid:0a960734-da4c-4ab7-aefb-3b3e8999afea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.scaltrolinc.com/intro.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904485 | 443 | 2.921875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The science teachers here love Science, but then we would, wouldn't we!
We have four magnificent new laboratories, spacious and well-equipped. To us science is fun, exciting and educational. Work is easy because we enjoy it so much.
In Year 7 all boys study a General Science Course. This course examines large topics, such as Geology, Weather and Electric Circuits. The aim is to experience the world and to combine this with scientific demonstrations of the simple principles which lie behind it.
In Year 8 the pupils move onto the three separate sciences. We are fortunate here to have specialists in all three sciences. The pupils respond as much to the teacher as to the subject. This helps them decide when it comes to choosing which subjects to take to GCSE. Many go on to study all three Sciences to GCSE level.
In Year 9 the pupils may chose one or more of the three separate sciences: Physics, Chemistry and Biology. We study OCR Science specifications.
In all three sciences we study essential topics at the beginning, and then make an early start on the GCSE course. Results are strikingly good in all three.
Again at A level, the three separate sciences are taught by specialists. This gives an atmosphere of unmistakeable happiness in the laboratories. The key to this is that the pupils are studying the subjects they love with teachers that they admire and look up to. The atmosphere in a sixth form lesson is one of brilliance, friendliness and mutual discovery. | <urn:uuid:eea8cf70-31bf-49fc-8aa8-c8f00fa6f7d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.stjamesschools.co.uk/seniorboys/school-life.php?page=departments&subsection=Science&tertiary=Science | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936935 | 303 | 2.65625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Toddler Activities: A Preview of Chinese New Year Activities
What Is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year is the most important of the Chinese holidays, and is a time of feasting with the family, celebration, fireworks, and gift-giving. It is a 15-day holiday, beginning on the first day of a new moon and ending with the full moon on the day of the Lantern Festival. The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar year, so the date of Chinese New Year changes every year.
Make a Dragon Puppet with our free printable pattern
Firecracker and Confetti
Celebrate Chinese New Years and make a festive picture.
Gung Hee Fat Choy Banner
Happy New Year....in Chinese...Gung Hee Fat Choy Banner
Make a Good Luck Money Envelope to share with a friend.
Play Memory Match with Chinese numerals.
Peach Blossoms play a significant role in Chinese New Year celebrations. Here is a unique way to use paint and tissue. A fun toddler activity for sure.
The Chinese calendar follows a 12-year pattern with each year named after an animal. There are various stories which explain this. The simplest is that Buddha invited all of the animals to join him for a New Year celebration, but only 12 animals turned up. To reward the animals that did come, Buddha named a year after each of them in the order that they arrived, starting with the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig
Depending on the year you are born, you are believed to have the various character traits of that year's animal.
When is Chinese New Year?
2008 February 7: Year of the Rat
2009 January 26: Year of the Ox
2010 February 14: Year of the Tiger
2011 February 3: Year of the Rabbit
2012 January 23: Year of the Dragon
2013 February 10: Year of the Snake
2014 January 31: Year of the Horse
2015 February 19: Year of the Sheep
2016 February 8: Year of the Monkey
2017 January 28: Year of the Rooster
2018 February 16: Year of the Dog
2019 February 5: Year of the Pig
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Copyright© 2008-2013 teaching-tiny-tots.com. | <urn:uuid:deec8b0e-0cbf-4559-941e-8ac5c4d84826> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.teaching-tiny-tots.com/toddler-activities-chinese-new-year.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925851 | 505 | 3.203125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
3D Printed House Is a Giant Möbius Strip
Why did the chicken cross the Möbius Strip? To get to the same side.
That's the old joke that might have inspired Dutch architect to Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe architects to design a house this way, with "One surface folded in an endless möbius band. Floors transform into ceilings, inside into outside." I am not certain if it even needs a door.
According to 3Ders.org, the 3D printed parts will be hollow formwork and filled with fiber-reinforced concrete.
Together with a Dutch construction company, Ruijssenaars is working with Dini to realize the idea. "It will be the first 3D printed building in the world. I hope it can be opened to the public when it's finished. "says Ruijssenaars.
3D printing is not a very good term, and can be applied to a number of different technologies. Dini's technique is a form of additive manufacturing, where he squirts out a mix of sand and a binding agent. Perhaps the architect is biting off a bit more than he can chew at once here, trying to use experimental technologies to build a house that is a Möbius Band. I suspect that Dini will beat him to the punch with his more traditional Trullo house.
© Facit Homes
I think a case can be made that the first 3D printed house has already been made, by FACIT in London. See Mind-blowing Digital 3D Printing of Super-Green Houses is Happening Now. | <urn:uuid:3a39f0ff-e30d-4629-b9a8-6a01f2e1d58f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/3d-printed-house-giant-mobius-strip.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95342 | 338 | 2.5625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
A pristine Midway Beach meets the blue Pacific.
Peter Pyle, the resident Oceanic Society ornithologist, says that people dream a lot on Midway. It's been suggested, he says, that the soft, round-the-clock clacking and lowing of the island's million albatross keep visitors in REM sleep, the level where dreams wind through the mind. Maybe. But maybe people dream a lot because this tiny atoll, which measures just about one by two miles, is the very stuff of dreams. White sand beaches pour into water that is exactly aquamarine. Dolphins leap from the blue, and three miles from shore a ring of waves breaks over the edge of a circular reef, home to some of the world's most spectacular and endangered species of bird and sea life.
The atoll's human history begins at the turn of the last century. One hundred miles shy of the international date line, halfway between Japan and the U.S. mainland, 1,150 miles northwest of the 50th state, and at the western edge of the northern Hawaiian chain of islands, Midway was used as a station for the first trans-Pacific cable. In the 1930s, it served as a Pan American Clipper stopover for Orient-bound flights. Exactly 58 years ago this June 4, a tide-turning World War II naval battle in the waters and skies around Midway took some 3,057 Japanese and 362 Americans lives.
Today the government's role at Midway is to protect life.
When the navy left in 1997, the two Midway islands—Sand and Eastern—were officially transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service, which operates nearly 60 wildlife refuges in the Pacific. But none quite like Midway. Considered the U.S. version of the Galapagos, Midway is the world's largest breeding ground for the Laysan albatross—the one colored like a seagull—and the dark black-footed albatross. Today the atoll is a work in progress. It is the only Pacific Island refuge trying its wings as a refuge and a tourist destination.
Utilitarian military buildings have been turned into a dining hall, bowling alley, and theater. There's a new beachside French restaurant and watering hole. History tours are offered, as are diving, snorkeling, and fishing. Even though only 100 visitors are allowed at a time, Aloha Airlines recently began once-a-week service from Honolulu. And, since Midway opened in 1997, one of the most popular ways to travel there has been with the San Francisco-based Oceanic Society and its "working vacations," on which you can help study the birds and dolphins or help with historic building restoration projects.
At length did cross an Albatross
As our plane touched down on Sand Island in the dark, it swerved to the left, then to the right before rolling to a stop short of the hangar. The pilot came on the intercom to apologize: "We've got a gooney bird that is taking its own sweet time about moving out of the way." Gooney is the pet name for albatross. They are why we are arriving after dark (since most of the birds are bedded down by then), and why we will take off in the dark when we leave. The first thing you learn here is that the wildlife has the right-of-way.
The first thing I did, in my spiffy-clean room, was shut off the air conditioner that was keeping the tropic humidity at bay and open the window. After a dream-filled night in the barracks-turned-hotel (Charlie and Bravo wings), I stepped outside and laughed. The Ancient Mariner would have to rime a whole new story here.
There are plenty of other birds here, and plenty of wildly interesting sea life, but it's hard to remember that on the flat, ironwood tree-covered island. Albatross are everywhere, scattered across green fields and deteriorating tarmacs; shifting barely out of the way as I walk by—and always doing their crazy, constant macarena mating dance. My favorite move: the head dip under the wing to a beak-to-the-sky stretch.
In late winter and early spring, some 400,000 albatross babies are perched in tiny, anthill-like structures all around Midway, waiting for their parents. This wait can last for up to two weeks—the birds have been tracked flying to Alaska and back four times in a month to bring food to their young. As people pass by, the scruffy-looking, eiderdown-covered chicks follow you with their intense eyes as if to say, "Are you my mother?"
In late spring, after being left in the hot sun to fare on their own, the young birds realize they have to move to live, so they stretch out their long wings to learn to fly. This slapstick routine often includes stumbling and tripping; sometimes they land on their faces, sometimes they catapult into the air. Or not. While it seems like such fun, I felt a pang of nature-channel reality when I came across decomposed little bird bodies—often the babies dehydrate before they can learn to fly. What's worse, they can get snatched by sharks in the ocean—it's a whole different skill to take wing from water. According to Pyle, "The saddest thing is that a lot of chicks die from ingesting plastic that their parents pick up in the ocean."
To the delight of naturalists, Midway has become home to a male and a female yellow-headed short-tailed albatross. Pyle says there are only about a thousand of them in the world. But to his frustration and that of preserve manager Rob Shallenberger, the two don't seem interested in each other.
As for other amazing birds: On Eastern Island, where Corsairs and Dauntless dive-bombers once took off from runways that are now crumbling in the sun, male great frigate birds try to impress females by billowing their red throats. Nearby red-footed boobies watch from tree-limb nests. And birders can add Bonin petrels, gray-backed terns, bristle-thighed curlews, and red-tailed tropicbirds to their life lists.
Water, water, everywhere
A liking for birds is a plus, but one doesn't need such a passion to enjoy Midway. The atoll's aquamarine waters are home to a colony of 60 Hawaiian monk seals (there are only 1,000 all told) and 250 spinner dolphins that race into the lagoon every morning. As we crossed the blue water to tour Eastern Island, the dolphins raced in our boat's wake, spinning and flopping in the water. Under the surface, for snorkelers and divers to see, are wild-colored and crazy-striped sea life— sunrise wrasses, mask angelfish, sharks, eagle rays, green sea turtles, and, of course, the coral that is the atoll. Divers can also descend to the wreck of a fighter plane. And, according to Mike Gautreaux, island resort manager, "In the three years that we've been deep-sea fishing here, we've broken 18 records." Out there are amberjack, yellowtail, six species of billfish, and five of tuna, to name a few.
It is because of the rare monk seal's shy nature that only one of Midway's fine white sand beaches is open to the public. As I left Captain Brooks late on my last night, I slipped off my sandals and wandered out on that beach to the water's edge. The moon hung bright in the sky, casting shadows from the smallest of seashells as if it were day. I could have been shipwrecked—there was no one else in sight. After a long while just breathing the salt air, I made my way back to my room, and was lulled to sleep, one last time, by the clacking and lowing of about a million gooney birds.
Oceanic Society trips cost $1,472 to $1,932, including room, board, and airfare from Honolulu; (800) 326-7491, www.oceanic-society.org. Rooms on Midway run from $112 to $344 per person (and include three meals a day). Aloha Airlines flights from Honolulu start at about $535 round-trip; (888) 477-7010. For more information call the Midway Phoenix company at (888) 643-9291, or see www.midwayisland.com.
Photo by Douglas Peebles
This article was first published in May 2000. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information. | <urn:uuid:8ef5ef91-9c10-4e20-907a-e707f4bb8eef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.viamagazine.com/destinations/midway | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705407338/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959619 | 1,846 | 2.6875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
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Respiratory rate and body mass in the first three years of life
- aDivision of Neonatology, Ospedale Niguarda Ca’ Granda, Milan, Italy, bDepartment of Paediatrics 2, University of Milan and ICP, Milan, Italy
- Dr Luigi Gagliardi, Divisione di Patologia Neonatale, Ospedale Niguarda Ca’Granda, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milano, Italy.
- Accepted 24 September 1996
The correlation between respiratory rate and body mass in the first three years of life was examined in 635 infants and children, aged between 15 days and 3.5 years. Assessments were made during quiet sleep and when awake and calm. Their body weight (2.8-20.5 kg) was measured at the same time.
Respiratory rate decreased exponentially with increasing body weight. After log transformation of the data, a linear correlation was found between log(respiratory rate) and log(body weight) both during the sleeping and the wakeful states. For each body weight group, boys had about a 6.5% higher respiratory rate than girls, but both the boys’ and the girls’ lines were parallel. The slope of the line was -0.43 during sleep and -0.41 during wakefulness, indicating that the respiratory rate: body weight ratio is not a constant in either state, and that it decreases as body weight increases. Adding age to the model did not significantly increase the precision of the fitting.
A simple equation of the form respiratory rate=a·body weightb, can accurately describe the decrease in respiratory rate with growth. Smaller (hence younger) infants and children have a higher respiratory rate per unit body weight than larger (hence older) children.
Across mammalian species an inverse relation exists between resting respiratory rate and body size. As Crosfill and Widdicombe put it, ‘The most obvious difference in the patterns of breathing in different mammalian species is that small animals breathe faster than large ones.’1 The decrease in respiratory rate is not proportional to body size. Over a century ago, Bert (cited in Mead2) observed that the mouse breathes about 100 times more rapidly than the elephant which is 1 million times its size, and subsequent interspecies studies have shown that the relation between respiratory rate and body weight is described by an equation of the type: respiratory rate = a· body weightb (so called ‘allometric’ equations).1 3-9
Adult humans breathe less frequently than children, and children less frequently than infants and neonates.10 11 No data are, however, available on the relation between respiratory rate and body mass during growth. Like many other variables, body mass changes very rapidly in the first years of life. In a previous study we measured respiratory rate in the first three years of life in a large sample of normal subjects in both sleeping and wakeful states, and described its diminution with age.10 The aim of the present study, performed on the same sample, was to investigate the relation between respiratory rate and body weight. The influence of other variables such as gender and age on the estimation was also investigated.
This was an observational, cross sectional study. Full details of recruitment of the sample have been reported elsewhere.10Briefly, 662 infants and children aged 15 days to 3.5 years were enrolled in the study: 334 were seen in day care centres, and 328 as inpatients or outpatients. The main diagnoses were gastrointestinal and urological disorders, skin diseases, and orthopaedic problems. Exclusion criteria were the presence of any chronic or severe illness, dehydration, or a history of fever or respiratory findings suggesting a respiratory infection in the previous two weeks. No preterm infants were included.
Respiratory rate was assessed by four investigators, each one assessing more than 100 subjects, by listening to breath sounds for 1 minute with a stethoscope. In each child respiratory rate was recorded by the same assessor, both when the child was awake and calm, and when s/he was in quiet sleep, according to behavioural criteria (sleep without spontaneous movements, including no eye movement or vocalisation). The repeatability of respiratory rate counting, expressed as standard deviation (SD) of the differences between duplicate counts obtained by the same investigator 30-60 minutes apart, was 1.7 and 2.5 breaths/min in data on sleeping and awake infants, respectively, at a mean respiratory rate of 30.1 and 39.7 breaths per minute, respectively.10 Body weight was measured using standard scales during medical examination. For the present study, 27 subjects were excluded from the original sample after close scrutiny of the forms, eight because body weight data were missing, and 19 because the reason for seeking medical attention was possibly associated with body weight disturbances, regardless of whether body weight was within (n=8) or outside (n=11) the 5th-95th National Center for Health Statistics centile range.12 Thus 635 records (for 353 boys and 282 girls) were analysed.
Body weight increased with postnatal age, ranging from 2.8 to 20.5 kg, and was larger in boys than girls. Body weight was lower than the 5th centile for age12 in 5.7% of boys, and higher than the 95th centile in 7.9%; the corresponding figures for girls were 8.2% and 8.5%, respectively. Mean Z scores (subject’s body weight minus mean body weight for age/SD for age) were 0.004 (SD 1.14) for boys, and 0.078 (DS 1.17) for girls, both not significantly different from zero. These values indicate a slightly larger spread than expected, but no systematic bias in the sample.
The relation between respiratory rate and body weight was curvilinear both in data from wakeful and sleeping infants, and the equation respiratory rate = a·body weightb was fitted. When both respiratory rate and body weight are log transformed, the relation is that of a straight line. Log(respiratory rate) = log(a)+b·log(body weight), and log(a) and b can be estimated with a standard least squares method. Logs to base 10 were used.
The relation between respiratory rate and body weight differed in boys and girls: at each body weight, boys had a higher respiratory rate than girls. The scattergram of respiratory rate in the sleeping state against body weight in boys and girls is shown in fig 1, and the corresponding plot for awake data in fig 2. Both in sleeping and in wakeful states, the slope of the regression lines of log(respiratory rate) on log(body weight) was not significantly different in boys and girls (Student’s t test = 0.70 and 0.11; p > 0.48 and > 0.9 in data from sleeping and wakeful infants, respectively)—gender did not change the relation between log(body weight) and log(respiratory rate), but only influenced the intercept. We fitted parallel regression lines, the distance between the lines being an estimate of the sex difference.14
For data on sleeping subjects, a linear regression was sufficiently accurate to describe the relation between log(respiratory rate) and log(body weight), and the second degree term was not significant. The estimated parameters of the equation describing the function are shown in table 1.
Conversely, for data on awake subjects, a slight curvilinear shape was found, and a second degree function was also tried. Although the second degree term was significant, the importance of deviation from linearity in data on awake subjects should not be overemphasised. The difference in the goodness of fit between the linear and quadratic functions was trivial, as shown by the finding that R2 was 0.474 with the linear equation and 0.486 with the quadratic equation, that the residual SD was similar in both models (0.0866 with the linear function; 0.0857 with the quadratic function), and that in 96.5% of the observations the discrepancy in fitted (estimated) values obtained with the two equations was less than two breaths/min. Thus the simpler linear equation was also preferred14 for data on awake subjects (table 1).
In both the sleeping and wakeful states, the exponent was negative and significantly smaller than 1, indicating that respiratory rate decreases with increasing values of body weight, and that the decrease is not directly proportional to the body weight increase but is simply slower. The effect of gender was quantitatively very similar in both sets of data (table 1): at each body weight, the respiratory rate of boys was 6.6% higher during sleep, and 6.4% higher during wakefulness, than that of girls.
A model including age (after log transformation) was also tried, and the estimated parameters are reported in table 2. In this sample, however, log(age) was highly correlated with log(body weight):r=0.96. As a result, the increase in explained variance(R2) and the decrease in residual SD were trivial both during sleep and during wakefulness. The inclusion of log(age) was significant only in data on awake subjects, but in those for sleeping subjects, it rendered non-significant the log(body weight) term. Using the technique suggested by Healy13 — that is, regressing log(respiratory rate) on the mean and difference of log(body weight) and log(age) instead of on the variables themselves, yielded non significant results for the difference, confirming that body weight and age provide essentially the same information.
This study shows that respiratory rate can be expressed as a simple function of body weight during the first three years of life, both in sleeping and wakeful subjects, and that the respiratory rate:body weight ratio in humans decreases with growth. This means that the expression ‘respiratory rate per unit body weight’ is potentially misleading, and must be used with great caution to avoid false conclusions being drawn.15
As in mammals,3 a relation between respiratory rate and body size in infants and children might be expected. Although the control of respiratory rate is not completely understood, minute ventilation is known to be intimately related to the metabolic rate; the level of ventilation is regulated so as to match metabolic demands (carbon dioxide production and oxygen consumption), and higher metabolic rates must be accompanied by larger ventilation levels. It has been known for many years that metabolic rate (and hence oxygen consumption per unit body weight, as metabolism is mainly aerobic) is not a constant per unit body weight, but decreases with increasing body weight3 16-18—that is, larger animals have a smaller metabolic rate per unit body weight than smaller ones. Thus smaller animals must match higher energy expenditure per unit body weight with higher ventilation levels per unit body weight. An increase in alveolar ventilation can be accomplished by several breathing strategies, including increasing tidal volume and/or respiratory rate, or reducing dead space. It is generally believed that, for a given level of ventilation, each animal spontaneously chooses a combination of tidal volume and respiratory rate that minimises either the work of breathing1 19 or the average force of respiratory muscles.2 Mortola has pointed out that in neonates and younger children increasing respiratory rate (instead of increasing tidal volume) is probably a cost effective strategy to cope with higher ventilation levels.7 The strategy of changing respiratory rate rather than tidal volume agrees with the data obtained across various species, which show that higher minute ventilation is achieved by higher respiratory rate whereas tidal volume and dead space remain constant per unit body weight.3 In resting humans both tidal volume and dead space per body weight remain essentially unchanged from birth to adulthood (about 7 and 2.2 ml/kg body weight, respectively).20
Our study further supports these observations, the major finding being that respiratory rate per unit body weight in neonates, infants, and children is not constant but decreases with increasing body weight. During quiet sleep in the first three years of life respiratory rate varies inversely in proportion to about body weight-0.4. According to our equation, a sleeping boy weighing 5 kg has an expected respiratory rate of 36.1 breaths/min (respiratory rate: body weight ratio = 7.2), compared with 19.9 breaths/min (respiratory rate:body weight ratio = 0.995) in one weighing 20 kg.
Boys, whose metabolism per unit body weight is higher than that of girls,16 17 21 also have a higher respiratory rate for any given body weight than girls (about 6.5% both during sleep and wakefulness).
Admittedly, this model—and its explanation in biological terms—is rather simplistic. Even with the knowledge of body weight, sex, and age, only about 50% of the scatter (variance) of respiratory rate counts is explained, and much of it is due to body weight. The residual SD is around 0.09 in log terms—around 23% in either direction. We did not measure length, so that it is impossible to know how much this would have changed predictions. The large scatter around predictions, however, is not only due to poor fitting, but to real dispersion of respiratory rate counts10 11—that is, biological differences across subjects.
The relation between body weight and respiratory rate should not be dismissed as ‘merely descriptive.’ The fact that the same very simple basic relation (the allometric equation) which holds for all mammals is also adequate for humans despite variations in age and sex, indicates that the same ‘lawlike relationship’ is true.22
Obviously, our results cannot be extrapolated beyond the range of weights (age) used to construct the curves. Increasing the age range, besides modifying the slope, would probably have introduced a substantial deviation from linearity with resulting inaccuracies in estimation.
These data were presented in part at the annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society, September 1995, Barcelona, Spain.
↵* Members of the working party on respiratory rate included: M Castagneto; G Leo N Porta; S Razon (Milan); A Pellegatta (Busto Arsizio) | <urn:uuid:aa73449a-2621-4e33-be1b-825d2d49dd68> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://adc.bmj.com/content/76/2/151.full | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958519 | 2,956 | 2.71875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
EDITOR’S NOTE: A University of Florida faculty member and Nassau County Extension Horticultural Agent, Rebecca Jordi addresses some of the questions she receives about landscaping and gardening in northeast Florida. The Extension also offers helpful clinics throughout the year, providing assistance to local gardeners on Amelia Island and in the surrounding areas of Nassau County, Florida.
_____GARDEN TALK Q & A____
QUESTION: I continue to have sprouts coming up from the bottom of my crepe myrtle. When should I prune them? EF
JORDI: These sprouts growing around the base of the crepe myrtle are called suckers. If you leave them they will eventually become large making the tree have more trunks than desired.
We would suggest limiting the crepe myrtle to no more than five main trunks with three to five being acceptable. This makes the tree much easier to manage. It is appropriate to prune suckers from any tree any time of year. Removing them early, while the stem is small, is the preferred practice.
Remember anytime a pruning cut is made there is the potential opportunity for decay to occur. Therefore, removing the stem when it is small minimizes the possibility for disease. No need to paint the cut with any substance. Allow the natural ability of the tree to seal over the pruned area. Several pruning sessions may be required to control suckers from forming but eventually fewer and fewer will be produced. You may also remove any dead or decaying branches any time of year. Stems rubbing each other, those growing straight up from a branch (water sprouts) or those growing toward the trunk should also be pruned.
QUESTION: My gardenia plant has yellowing leaves. It is planted next to the house near the down spout. Do you think it is getting too much water? What fertilizer should I use? HB
JORDI: I believe you have diagnosed the problem yourself correctly. The gardenia is indeed experiencing some stress. The dark green veins with yellowing between the vein tissues indicate a nutrient deficiency. It is difficult to determine exactly what nutrient might be lacking without a tissue sample but we can try a few things to determine what might be the cause. Gardenias, like azaleas, camellias, and evergreen plants generally prefer well-drained, acid soils. The heavy amount of water this plant has been receiving has contributed to the stress.
In addition, there is a possibility the soil pH is too high as gardenias prefer the pH between the ranges of 5.0 – 6.5. Often soils in our area are higher than this range which means the plant is unable to absorb the required nutrients from the soil efficiently. When the plant is unable to take up the nutrients through the root structures, the leaves will eventually start to yellow. If you just add iron sulfate or magnesium sulfate the plant leaves may respond, but it will probably only be a temporary fix.
My suggestion would be to relocate the plant to an area where it will not be exposed to heavy amounts of water. In addition, use a pine mulch product which will help alter the soil texture and lower the pH temporarily. Keep the mulch light (only a few inches deep) and be sure it is not touching the trunk of the shrub. This is true for any tree or shrub. When fertilizing use a fertilizer specifically formulated for “acid loving” plants. Be sure to follow the directions on the label.
QUESTION: I planted tomatoes and beans a few weeks ago and they are not doing well. What is wrong? MJ
JORDI: July in Florida is a little late or too early (depending on how you look at it), for the plants to produce fruit. It is too hot for tomatoes or beans to produce efficiently. Insects and disease are at their peak performance and vegetable plants are normally on the decline. Tomatoes and beans should have been planted between February and April in the spring or plant a fall crop in August. The link below is a publication on growing vegetables in Florida from the University of Florida/IFAS. This publication contains a chart on when to plant vegetables here in Northeast Florida, how to prepare the ground, when to water, how to fertilize and much more information. Feel free to contract me if you need more information. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021
Rebecca L. Jordi
UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture
Nassau County Extension
543350 U.S. Highway #1
Callahan, FL 32011
904-548-1116 or 904-879-1019 | <urn:uuid:51b67194-8f4b-4852-8061-d0198a1e37b8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ameliaislandliving.com/fernandinabeach/2010/08/crepe-myrtle-pruning-gardenia-stress-florida-fall-season-tomatoes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946882 | 968 | 2.671875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Teunissen, W.A. and Schekkerman, H. and Willems, F. and Majoor, F. (2008) Identifying predators of eggs and chicks of Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa in the Netherlands and the importance of predation on wader reproductive output. Ibis, 150, (Suppl. 1): 74-85. ISSN 0019-1019.
|PDF - Published Version |
Restricted to KNAW only
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919X.2008.00861.x
Farmland bird populations in the Netherlands have shown an accelerating decline in recent years, despite extensive conservation efforts including reserves, agri-environment schemes and protection of nests by volunteers. Although agricultural intensification is the main cause underlying these declines, there is a growing concern that the ongoing decline of grassland-breeding shorebirds in recent years is caused or aggravated by increasing predation. Although Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and Carrion Crow Corvus corone are often accused of causing widespread breeding losses, and calls for management of these species are made, very few field data are available on the incidence of predation on grassland shorebirds and the relative importance of different predators. To obtain such data, we identified egg predators using temperature loggers and continuous video recordings of 792 clutches, and chick predators by radiotagging 662 chicks of Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus. In total, 22 species were identified as predators of eggs or chicks, of which Red Fox, Common Buzzard Buteo buteo, Grey Heron Ardea cinerea and Stoat Mustela erminea were the most frequent. Eggs were taken primarily by mammals and chicks more often by birds. There was great variation in predation levels and species involved in predation of clutches between sites and years, but less in chick predation. Hence, there was no correlation between predation levels on clutches and those on chicks within the same sites. In sites where more then 50% of clutches were lost to predation, however, nocturnal predators took the larger share. As temporal and spatial variation on a small scale significantly influences predation levels, a site-specific approach based on sound knowledge of the local situation will be more effective in reducing predation on farmland birds than general, country-wide measures. Calculations based on our data indicate that eliminating only one loss factor at a time will often not reverse a local population decline, and provide a strong argument for targeting several locally limiting factors simultaneously instead of focusing on mitigation of predation alone.
|Institutes:||Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie (NIOO)|
|Deposited On:||29 Sep 2009 02:00|
|Last Modified:||24 Apr 2012 16:47|
Repository Staff Only: item control page | <urn:uuid:58f3bfa6-89bb-4629-9fdc-3d2b25fa4ed0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://depot.knaw.nl/4764/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902143 | 626 | 2.75 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Google Docs Support Access and Collaboration
How might web-based word processing applications strengthen opportunities for student expression, collaboration, and writing? In the specific case of creating science fair projects, students and teachers can use web-based Google Docs to generate written work and collaborate. While the uses of web-based word processing applications described here relate to science fair projects specifically, the possibilities extend across all classrooms, projects, and purposes. Google Docs address two issues that often go hand-in-hand with technology in education: access and collaboration.
Household access to the Internet might be increasing nationwide, especially through mobile computing devices. However, a teacher might not assume that all families have access to expensive word processing applications. Furthermore, school districts may be hard-pressed to maintain the latest versions of computer hardware and software, which can result in a system of mismatched computers, operating systems, and software programs. Public libraries, which students may use to access the Internet, may or may not have software that match that found in nearby schools.
A web-based application like Google Docs allows an individual to create, edit, and save a word processing file on any computer with Internet access. Mac at school and PC at home? No problem. Want to edit a file on a smart phone? Edit away. Forgot to email your last draft from another computer? Herein lies the beauty of a web-based application: Google Docs automatically saves and stores files on an external server, which means there is no longer a need to email a file or worry about an older draft of your document. (Additionally, a program like Google Docs does save previous drafts that you can access and compare to newer versions. You have a virtual portfolio of drafts.) Students can access a file they created from any computer at any time, as long as Internet access is available.
Google Docs provides a number of opportunities for collaboration in the classroom. First, a student may create a written document, spreadsheet, presentation, or drawing and allow others to access the file to offer comments and feedback. A teacher, for instance, with access to the file (again from any computer connected to the Web) can view a student’s document, type in feedback, and offer questions. A teacher also can see student progress and ensure student accountability. These opportunities for feedback constitute the very purpose for which Google created the application in the first place. Google Docs provides a "comment" function that leaves side notes on a document for the creator to view.
Second, a teacher might use a Google Form, which is one type of Google Doc, and have students submit written answers, responses, or even parts of a project.
The teacher-created Google Form is connected to a Google Spreadsheet that collects all of the individual student submissions. A teacher then has a spreadsheet of student responses to specific prompts that can be compared and considered as part of a class assignment.
For instance, during preparations for a science fair, a teacher might create a form requesting that students submit a testable question and the related variables. Once students submit their questions and variables, a teacher can then print out a class spreadsheet of questions and variables (with or without the name of the student who submitted the work). As part of a class assignment, students and teacher can review the different examples and offer feedback. These student-generated examples provide an excellent opportunity for peer review and collaboration. | <urn:uuid:63922a35-02cd-46a2-9be4-bc9055dfb3b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://digitalis.nwp.org/resource/713 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936435 | 693 | 3.546875 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
- black eye (n.)
- "discoloration around the eye from injury" c.1600, from black (adj.) + eye (n.). Figurative sense of "injury to pride, rebuff" is by 1744; that of "bad reputation" is from 1880s. In reference to dark eyes, often as a mark of beauty, from 1660s. Black-eyed, of peas, attested from 1728. The black-eyed Susan as a flower (various species) so called from 1881, for its appearance. It also was the title of a poem by John Gay (1685-1732), which led to a popular British stage play of the same name in the mid-19c.
All in the Downs the fleet was moored,
The streamers waving in the wind,
When black-eyed Susan came aboard,
"Oh! where shall I my true love find?
Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
If my sweet William sails among the crew?" | <urn:uuid:98304591-bff8-42ac-b139-5e2bbe8008ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://etymonline.com/index.php?term=black+eye&allowed_in_frame=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965611 | 218 | 3.078125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
It's not just the company we keep that influences how much we eat. A new study suggests it's the sex of the people around us that leads us to consume more or less food.
Researchers from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the University of Akron found that the average number of calories college students consumed varied depending on whether they ate with men, women or a mixed-sex group.
"What we found was that on average, when men were eating with women, they tended to purchase more calories than their counterparts who were eating with other men. Women tended to purchase fewer calories when with men as compared to when they're with women," said Marci Cottingham, a co-author of the study and a graduate student at the University of Akron.
The study's lead author, Molly Allen-O'Donnell, a graduate student at Indiana University, sat at an eatery on the Indiana campus during lunch and dinner times over a 10-day period. She observed what foods students bought and who their dining companions were.
"We observed them in a campus eating environment, during routine meals and just looked at the amount of calories purchased," said Cottingham.
Food Plays Big Role in Forming Impressions
The results, she explained, suggest that food strongly influences the impressions people form of each other. For White, college-age females, eating less is a way to seem more feminine when men are around, and for college-age males, eating more when around women is a way to appear more masculine. Men, whether unconsciously or consciously, don't want to be seen as light eaters, especially in front of women.
"The theory is you're more aware of gender when you're with the opposite gender and may want to prove your gender more," Cottingham said.
"In a mixed group, women may think they're being judged if they eat more calories," said Keith Ayoob, associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y.
"It's also possible that women are eating more calories when they're with each other because they're more relaxed, or people may eat fewer calories in groups because they're enjoying the social aspects of the meal and aren't focused on eating," Ayoob said.
Alex McIntosh, a sociology professor at Texas A&M University in College Station, has done extensive research on eating behavior. He said it's a well-known idea that food helps form strong impressions of people in a variety of situations.
"I've had undergrads talk to me about eating on dates and in particular on the first day, if you're a female, some students reported even when given the opportunity to eat, they don't, and if they do, they eat far less than they ordinarily would because of the impression it makes," he said.
Can Findings Help Shape Healthier Eating Habits?
"Much attention has been given to the increase in obesity among both children and adults in the United States, as well as to eating disorders among young people, particularly women," the authors wrote. "Those who are trying to address these concerns should consider the importance of the role of gender and social context in developing solutions and meeting needs."
Because of the power of social relationships, they should be considered when educating the public about better nutrition.
"The impact of others is, of course, the logic behind nutrition education in schools, integrated into school meals and can offer opportunities in communities," said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis.
But giving people the nutritional information they need is also key, because even though people may eat less or eat healthier around certain groups of people, they may not make the same when they're alone.
"Restraining themselves when in a group doesn't mean that's all the food they're going to consume," said Ayoob. "People may eat very sparingly in a group and then hit the ice cream and chips at home." | <urn:uuid:03d588aa-8bac-469f-9ea9-f7c122da2799> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://gma.yahoo.com/gender-eating-companions-influences-much-people-eat-says-191545706.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982086 | 818 | 2.609375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
'Work' and 'listening to music' as if two opposite activities. Works identical to activities that require concentration and close to the formality while listening to music is often associated with activities looking for entertainment or pleasure. But it does not make them can not be done simultaneously.
Listening to music while at work is commonly done by the employees either as it was already accustomed to deliberate in order to keep the spirit. Combining working with pleasure is sometimes necessary especially if it turns out positive impact on work productivity. A research states that employees who use earphones to listen to music at work tend to show improved performance compared to that does not listen. This also applies to the installation of background music in the workplace a factory.
Music relationship started working with the productivity of the effects of music on human feelings or mental condition. Music is believed to improve morale, create a relaxed, happy to stimulate the mind. This was required by employees who often feel bored, tired, and sleepy due to perform the same job during the day. If employee morale is declining, then the productivity will decrease. Music, especially that suit the tastes of his audience, can reduce the sense of saturated and tired and raise morale back.
Seeing the results of this research, several companies in the United States has used the background music as accompaniment work for its employees. However, is it true these conditions apply to all types of companies, personalities of employees, workplace conditions, and so forth? For that there are some things to consider in presenting the music in the workplace.
Not all types of music give the same effect in certain situations. For example if your job requires full concentration, instrumental music that has a light melody with a beat that was judged suitable to accompany you. Classical music with full orchestra at times it makes the head dizzy and distracting because of the tempo up and down. But if you need extra energy to do your work, listen to rock or techno song with upbeat rhythm. Better still you listen to songs that match your musical tastes, so you can more enjoy without feeling compelled to listen.
Music will not have much effect if the working atmosphere was noisy. Because in addition to his music does not sound, music playback just messing concentration because too many voices around. There are several companies that imposed a ban on the use of headphones or listen to music while working as employees feared did not hear the phone ring (which may come from a client) or a fire alarm.
3. Personality types.
There are some people with certain personalities who do not like listening to music while working. They actually think the sound of music can disturb their concentration. The atmosphere is calm and peaceful are the ideal conditions for them to work.
4. The order of playback songs.
After learning that classical music can stimulate the brain to work more quickly and carefully but can also reduce stress, many people who tend to play the classic song repeatedly. This is not necessarily appropriate because the working conditions of employees are not the same per-hour. Here are some simple benchmark that can be followed:
a. For the morning until the afternoon, when the condition of the body is still fresh and morale is still high, classical songs and light jazz right to rotate. Because at times like this that steady performance and vitality is needed so that the songs needed to stimulate the body and mind. Romantic pop songs usually meet these criteria.
b. After lunch, the rotate the song with a slower tempo than the song on the first point above. Because the body was not a fit in the morning, so take a moment of relaxation.
c. Do not be too long playing the song tempo slow because employees might become sleepy. Immediately boost up their morale with upbeat songs.
d. By the hour home office, while the workload has begun to decrease, return the tempo of music as in points 1 and 2 so that they become calm and relaxed. | <urn:uuid:606e076a-2e9e-40ad-883b-d73af55b8f08> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://info.lowongankerjacv.com/2011_01_26_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965995 | 788 | 2.53125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Consciousness, Non-conscious Experiences and Functions, Proto-experiences and Proto-functions, and Subjective Experiences
Journal of Consciousness Exploration and Research 1 (3):383-389 (2010)
|Abstract||A general definition of consciousness that accommodates most views (Vimal, 2010b) is: “ ‘consciousness is a mental aspect of a system or a process, which is a conscious experience, a conscious function, or both depending on the context and particular bias (e.g. metaphysical assumptions)’, where experiences can be conscious experiences and/or non-conscious experiences and functions can be conscious functions and/or non-conscious functions that include qualities of objects. These are a posteriori definitions because they are based on observations and the categorization.” Non-conscious experiences are equivalent to relevant proto-experiences and nonconscious functions are equivalent to related proto-functions at various levels as these terms are precursors of respective conscious subjective experiences and conscious functions aspect of consciousness. The non-conscious experiences and non-conscious functions may be considered as a part of the definition of mind and/or awareness.|
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Robert W. Lurz (1999). Animal Consciousness. Journal of Philosophical Research 24 (January):149-168.
Ram Lakhan Pandey Vimal (2010). Interactions Among Minds/Brains: Individual Consciousness and Inter-Subjectivity in Dual-Aspect Framework. Journal of Consciousness Exploration and Research 1 (6):657-717.
Timothy J. Bayne & David J. Chalmers (2003). What is the Unity of Consciousness? In Axel Cleeremans (ed.), The Unity of Consciousness. Oxford University Press.
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College is a key learning experience that actually helps to build character as well as building knowledge. There are lots of students whose families don’t have any cash to send family members who desperately want to go to college. Students like this usually wind up going to Junior College or simply bypassing college altogether.
There are many options available to scholars who hope to go to college but do not have the funds to do it. Here are a few different ways you can get a higher education without a lot of money.
To begin with most colleges offer financial help. Be cautious with student loans as they can wind up being extremely costly. Be certain to use loan money cleverly and work to help your cash flow so that you can keep the amount you borrow down to a bare minimum. Student Loans are the easiest way to get money for school but if finances are a problem you may also be suitable for grant money. Grants are monetary endowments you can sign up for and usually there are limitations to who cannot apply. When talking of grants remember that they do not have to be paid back making it a worthwhile option to look into.
Another option for those that are looking out for a cheaper price alternative choice to a high cost college education is to apply to a community college or even to take some web classes to help scale back your out of pocket cost for school. By beginning at a junior college you can earn valuable credits for basic needed courses. Then if you do make a decision to pursue a degree it is often possible to transfer the credits you obtained thru the net college or community college to the varsity of your preference.
Getting cash for college isn’t as tricky as you may think and it is vital to consider all of your options before starting assessing which faculties are perfect for you. Take into account that if you have remarkably impressive grades or athletic talent that you will fetch help attending a good college or perhaps even a free ride if you are that talented. Check with your High School Counselor about grants and scholarships for tuition and your college books. Contact colleges and tell them that you need help financing your education and you’ll be shocked at the numerous different options they can provide you with.
Mr Jones has been helping students cut school costs by finding cheaper textbooks. For more information visit the website at www.buytextbookscheaper.com | <urn:uuid:5f8c6eeb-2faf-40b9-b3a9-5b4270565799> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.azoomed.com/76105/do-not-let-money-stop-you-from-going-to-college/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96941 | 474 | 2.6875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
WHY isn't there more cheering in Bangladesh as the country gets ready to mark 40 years of independence? So far there have been few efforts to rouse the masses, though the government did confer a posthumous prize last week on Indira Gandhi, as a way of crediting India for helping create Bangladesh in 1971. Ties between the neighbours are warming, with India's home minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, just in Dhaka to sign a new deal that is supposed to bring an end to killings along their long, shared border. But there is little evidence yet of ordinary Bangladeshis rushing to celebrate. Perhaps this is in part a reaction to official efforts to commandeer the nation's history for fleeting political goals.
Bangladesh's birth—the secession of the eastern part of Pakistan from the western bit—was painful and bloody. No one is sure how many people died: the total was perhaps in the hundreds of thousands, though the wildest estimates talk of millions of deaths and of attempted genocide on the part of Pakistan. In March 1971 Pakistan's army (dominated by soldiers from the western part of the country) and their Bengali allies did carry out massacres in a brutal effort to quell the secession. That failed, provoking a more intense push for the break-up, floods of refugees and finally military intervention by India. By December 1971 Pakistan's forces were defeated.
In the process however, there were many more massacres, retaliatory killings and a host of other forms of score-settling, such as between Bengalis and “Biharis”, non-Bengali Muslims who had moved to the territory during India's partition in 1947. Pakistani forces were responsible for a host of horrors, such as a massacre of intellectuals in Dhaka very late on. But as a correspondent of The Economist pointed out on December 25th 1971: “It is often forgotten that the bloodshed in the spring was not all one-sided, and that the east Bengalis killed thousands of non-Bengalis.” After the war, as Bangladesh struggled to come to terms with its new existence, little effort was made to account for who did what.
Now, however, some efforts are under way to reassess that history. The official effort, directed by the current government of Sheikh Hasina, is to start a process of war-crimes trials. The first of these is supposed to get under way in the next few weeks. In theory this is welcome, and could indeed bring wrongdoers to account, even four decades on. In practice, there are strong reasons to doubt the process. These trials are to investigate only seven individuals (so far), seven who sympathised with the idea of a united Pakistan, but who deny any criminal wrongdoing. The facts that they happen to be leading members of the opposition today, and that the government has taken little advice from human-rights groups or international war-crimes bodies, cast doubt on the purpose of the prosecution. Nor is it reassuring that Bangladesh's judiciary looks increasingly politicised.
The trials also happen to come amid efforts by Mrs Hasina's government to claim more powers by amending the constitution, which will revert to a version which the country had instituted shortly after independence. Apart from some outdated promises (a devotion to Socialism with a capital S) and apparently inconsistent ones (all religions are to be treated equally—though Islam is the state religion—while the state is also secular), the resurrected constitution will make it easier for Mrs Hasina's party to control the running of the next general election in 2013. On top of that, it encourages a personality cult around the figure of Bangladesh's murdered independence leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Mrs Hasina's father. Now the late Sheikh Mujibur is to be hailed as the father of the nation, and his portrait must be put up in every office or business. It all smells of emerging autocracy.
Beyond the government, too, there is evident touchiness over unofficial attempts to reassess what happened at independence. For example a new book by an Oxford scholar, Sarmila Bose, has drawn vitriolic scorn by reviewers and historians of Bangladesh. “Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh war” is an effort by an Indian former journalist to interview Bangladeshis and Pakistanis who took part in, or were victims of, atrocities during the war. Her book is indeed flawed: it rushes to sweeping judgments and fails to offer much context for the snippets of interviews she presents. For its failings, the book deserves sharp criticism. Yet Ms Bose also does something rather admirable in raising difficult questions about the numbers of people who actually died in 1971, casting doubt on the official tally of 3m or so. And she speaks to perpetrators and victims on different sides, recording their testimony. In the process she provides a reminder that it is not for governments alone to write any country's history.
(Picture credit: Wikimedia Commons) | <urn:uuid:f61bda95-3022-40e9-91e8-95fb3f0cbfa2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/08/bangladesh-looks-back | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977052 | 1,011 | 3.046875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
International Survey of Jewish Monuments
Yad Vashem not displaying Bruno Schulz Holocaust art
by AMIRAN BARKAT
The Holocaust murals of Bruno Schulz that were clandestinely brought to Israel by Yad Vashem four years ago, causing an international furor, are not being shown in the new history museum for "technical and curatorial reasons," despite Yad Vashem stating then that Schulz's work "will be preserved for generations, and may be viewed by the millions of tourists from all over the world who visit Yad Vashem each year."
In the clandestine operation in June 2001, the murals painted by Schulz, a Jewish-Polish writer and artist, were covertly brought to Israel from the village of Drohobycz shortly after their discovery.
The arrival of the paintings in Israel created an international stir, casting a shadow over Poland-Israel relations and provoking angry responses from artists and scholars around the world
Yad Vashem justified the act saying that the new museum of Holocaust history is the most appropriate place for the rare work. However, anyone hoping to view the famous murals in the museum is in for a disappointment: They are still in storage.
A member of the Polish delegation who came for the museum's opening told Haaretz he was surprised the work was not on display, "in light of what Yad Vashem was willing to do in order to obtain it."
Yad Vashem says the murals have not yet been exhibited for "technical and curatorial reasons," principally the limited space in the art museum.
Born in 1892, Bruno Schulz lived most of his life and died in Drohobycz, a town then in eastern Galicia about 60 kilometers south of Lvov, where 15,000 Jews lived before the Holocaust. He taught art and crafts in the local high school, and wrote and painted in his free time. His world renown came years after his death, when his stories began to appear in English. To many literary critics, Schulz is one of Poland's greatest short story writers, often referred to as "the Polish Kafka."
On July 1, 1941, the Germans entered Drohobycz. Gestapo chief Felix Landau was taken by Schulz's talent and ordered him to decorate his son's room with images of German folk tales. Despite Landau's vow to protect Schulz, he was shot on November 19, 1942, by another Gestapo officer. Most of his art work was lost.
After the war the Soviets housed peasant families in the villa where Landau had lived with his son. The nursery became a kitchen, and the murals were covered over with plaster. Drohobycz's Jewish past was forgotten, the synagogues were destroyed or became public latrines.
In 1991 Drohobycz became part of the independent Ukraine. Schulz's nursery murals were uncovered in February 2001 by Benjamin Geissler, a documentary film director. The discovery sent waves of excitement through Poland, and among Schulz's admirers around the world. Polish conservationists rushed to the site. While Geissler and the Poles were talking to the local municipality about establishing a museum in the village, they learned to their astonishment that the murals had disappeared.
On May 29 that year Yad Vashem announced that most of the paintings were in its possession. Haaretz reported, in the name of Yad Vashem officials, that a special Mossad team had convinced the house owners to give them the paintings for free, for the new museum. The couple, who used to charge money for a `peek' at the murals, said they received no more than 100 dollars from the Israelis "for expenses."
It would be naive to think that Yad Vashem took the paintings out of the Ukraine legally, said Bartosz Weglarczyk, an editor at Gazetta Wyborcza, which reported the affair extensively.
Yad Vashem was the center of an international scandal that ensued, reported in a front-page story in The New York Times, along with a petition signed by 30 distinguished Holocaust scholars in its prestigious literary supplement.
Yad Vashem issued a statement then saying it had "the moral right to the remnants of those fragments sketched by Bruno Schulz."
The Polish government sent an official protest to Israel, and even Polish-Jewish leaders criticized Yad Vashem for the unprecedented act. "We feel robbed," said Konstanti Gebert, editor of the Jewish Polish magazine Midrash. "A limb of our heritage was cut off, our pain is undescribable."
A counter-petition signed by authors Aharon Appelfeld and A.B. Yehoshua, and Holocaust scholars in Israel claimed that the Drohobycz municipality had recognized that Yad Vashem would know better how to preserve the memory of Drohobycz's Jews. Three years have gone by since the petition, and it seems that the burden of proof is still on Yad Vashem.
International Survey of Jewish Monuments
c/o Jewish Heritage Research Center
Box 210, 118 Julian Pl.
Syracuse, New York 13210-3419, USA
tel: (315) 474-2350
fax: (309) 403-1858 | <urn:uuid:dcbd0213-440b-40f0-b082-e9414d54edd1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.isjm.org/news/040805har.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975967 | 1,082 | 2.640625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Culmer Family Papers:
Harold Harcourt Culmer was a black West Indian medical doctor. He was born on March 6, 1908, and was raised on Cat Island, Nassau, Bahamas (now known as San Salvador). The 5′4″ stocky man received his Bachelor of Science degree and later medical degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. (Class of 1930 and 1935, respectively). His wife, Etta Williams Culmer, was a school teacher prior to her marriage to Harold Culmer. Born on September 18, 1914, the 5′10″ stately Etta grew up in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina. Harold and Etta met in Monroe, after Harold came there to complete his medical residency at the local black hospital. Harold Culmer and Etta Williams were married in Monroe, North Carolina, on December 24, 1942.
During World War II, the United States faced a shortage of physicians, and Texas was home to more military camps than any other state. Harold and Etta Culmer moved to Texas. Though his medical specialty was the treatment of tuberculosis. Harold Culmer established himself in the practice of Family Medicine. Unlike the East Coast, there were few black hospitals in Texas and only one existed in Dallas--Pinkston Hospital. Black hospitals were privately owned by black doctors. The doctors could not treat patients in county hospitals. Dr. Culmer, as did many black doctors, built his practice by making house calls. For the remainder of his professional career in Dallas, Dr. Harold Culmer never affiliated with a hospital. His patients were treated at home at his clinic. His first clinic was located in the Green Building in black North Dallas. His last clinic was located on Gaston Avenue, near Baylor Hospital in Dallas.
As the Culmers became more and more affluent, they travelled extensively. In 1951 they took a trip to Havana, Cuba. There they adopted a two-year old toddler, Miguel Gregorio. He was born on July 29, 1949. The child, who had been born to a black Cuban father and a white Cuban mother, had been placed in an orphanage. Miguel was educated at the all black St. Phillips Catholic School. It was located in the historic Thomas Avenue-State Street neighborhood. He attended Houston-Tillotson College and Prairie View A&M College, but eventually graduated from Dallas' Bishop College. Though the dates are uncertain, it is known that Miguel entered into three marriages. Two of the marriages ended in annulments. The third marriage was to Beverly (her maiden name is unknown). By 1993, the marriage had lasted some thirteen years, but it also (along with other matters) resulted in Miguel's estrangement from both of his parents. Miguel Gregorio was not favored in the Last Will and Testaments of Harold and Etta Culmer. Miguel won a court challenge to the provisions of the will, which heavily favored Etta Williams Culmer's relatives. Miguel survived both of his parents following their deaths in 1993. Since the death of his mother, Miguel Gregorio Culmer's whereabouts are unknown as of 1997.
The Culmer family lived at 6633 Aubrey Street, Dallas, Texas, for fifty years. The black neighborhood was referred to by some as "Elm Thicket" or "North Park," depending upon the oral history statements of old Dallas natives. The pink two-story wood frame house was located off Mockingbird Lane, one city block from the entrance to Dallas' Love Field Airport. After the death of Etta Williams Culmer, the home was purchased by a national car rental company. Court documents appraised its value in 1993 at $78,790.00. The house was demolished and was used by the company to expand its location. Much of the home's expensive furnishings--oriental rugs, an organ which Etta Williams Culmer played with great enjoyment, silver service pieces, and art work--disappeared.
The Culmers placed great value in familial relationships. Etta was the oldest of fourteen children. Harold was the eldest of three siblings--one brother and one sister, Rachel Culmer Williams. They loved pets and travelled by automobile with their chow dog.
The Culmers' interests could be divided into three categories--medical profession, civil rights, and cultural pursuits. While Harold Culmer's activities focused primarily on medical interests, the Episcopal Church and his fraternity, Alpha Pi Alpha (the oldest black men's Greek organization, established in 1906 at Howard University, Washington, D.C.), Etta's concerns were more extensive and far reaching. She was a charter member of the Dallas chapter of Links, Inc., and was historian until her death, of the oldest black women's social club in Dallas, the Priscilla Art Club established in 1911.
The Priscilla Art Club was one of the most prestigious, if not elitist clubs for African American women in Dallas, and as of 1997, remains so. The club's maximum membership was set at twenty-five. Twenty-three women of "good moral character" began to build an organization, the motto of which was, "Art and Beauty, Home and Duty." The motto has lasted eighty-six years as of this writing in 1997.
The women who were the wives of businessmen, preachers, teachers, doctors, lawyers and bureaucrats in the years following Plessy v. Ferguson in Texas, sought to create a life of gentility amidst the harsher reality of life under "Jim Crow," Texas style. The women met every Tuesday afternoon promptly at 3:30 PM. They would rotate their meetings, which were always held in a member's home. (This practice subsided after 1964 when public accommodations became available via civil rights legislation). The names of some of the original members are found on buildings, school houses and educational scholarships. Initially membership was restricted to any woman of good moral character, but later was restricted to matrons only.
The club members were firmly steeped in their religious beliefs. It is presumed, therefore, that the name of the club, "Priscilla," was chosen for its association with a biblical character who was a helpmate to her husband, a tent maker and an associate of the Apostle Paul of Tarsus.
The club's activities focused on subjects of interest to married women. Their primary focus, however, centered on the quest for refinement and domesticity. The housewives held gatherings when they made quilts (called "quilting bees"). They read books and poetry, often by African American authors and poets. They created what they considered to be artistic projects, and they presented these projects once per year.
Invitations were extended to prospective members who met the criteria of being wives of excellent moral character and who were considered members of an elite social strata. As was the custom of the day, and being one or two generations removed from the bonds of slavery, social etiquette was enormously important to these women. As a result, at Priscilla meetings the women referred to each other by their formal married names. As Mrs. Ella M. Bailey explained, "The ladies of the club were very sensitive about the fact that they were often referred to as `girl' by racist whites." Referring to each other by their husband's names reinforced the legality of their status as married women (something slaves did not enjoy until Reconstruction) and reinforced their social standing as being married to men who were on parallel status (if only in name) with white society. Formality of this nature was also in keeping with the traditions of the day.
The foci of the Priscilla Art Club changed with time. Though the original members were housewives, the Industrial Revolution and two World Wars took African American women into the workplace far sooner than their white sisters. Many even became social activists. Education, women's suffrage, and children's rights became increasingly important to the members of the organization. The changes in the club's social and political consciousness took the form of financial contributions it made to various organizations, e.g. the American Bible Society, a children's day care center, the United Way, the Negro Chamber of Commerce, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Negro College Fund, and the Progressive Voters League.
The club has produced "Yearbooks" every two years since its inception. These books list the members, motto, colors (Baby Blue and Royal Purple), meeting calendar, and addresses and birthdays of its members.
Membership in the Priscilla Art Club is for a lifetime unless a member leaves the city, is absent from three or more meetings or dies.
The club does not engage in fund raising, but maintains itself only by means of dues from the members. The social events which moved from the homes to outside locations over the years included costume parties, Easter and Christmas banquets and soirees.
The Priscilla Art Club replenishes members by invitation based upon the referral of friends within the organization. The invitation is issued only after a member has died or left the city. Some members may take a sabbatical, going on inactive status thereby becoming an honorary member. All members must agree upon the acceptance of a new member.
The club makes an effort to remain true to the founders' by-laws and constitution, however, the demands of the late twentieth century have reduced the meeting times to once monthly in the evenings.
Harold and Etta Culmer were socially active and prominent in civic and religious organizations. Though Etta grew up as a Methodist in North Carolina, she became an Episcopalian to accommodate her husband's religious upbringing. They helped to establish Epiphany Episcopal Church, a small predominantlyAfrican American congregation in the Oak Cliff section of southwest Dallas.
Harold Culmer died on February 4, 1993, of heart failure. He was eighty-four years old. His wife, Etta Williams Culmer, died on September 4, 1993, after a fifteen year battle with a form of leukemia commonly referred to as "L.L.L." She was seventy-eight. Both of the funeral services for the Culmers were held at St. Matthew's Episcopal Cathedral on Ross Avenue in Dallas, Texas. Harold and Etta Culmer's remains are interred in a mausoleum located in Monroe, North Carolina. Their estate was estimated to have been valued at about $498,104.05.
The Culmer Family Papers, in two legal size document boxes and one oversize box, are composed primarily of photographs and color slides. The collection did not contain documents, such as letters, diaries, or other forms of personal correspondence which would provide a more detailed view into the lives of the Culmer Family. There are, however, a few newspaper clippings, event programs, and subject specific newspapers. The subject of the materials is career achievements of friends and associates as opposed to current events or community news. Some of the materials are newsletters specifically on the issues of education. This interest would be consistent with Mrs. Culmer's interests as a former school teacher in her native North Carolina. In spite of materials of limited value, the record of the Culmer Family is found exclusively in the black and white and occasional color picture which comprise this collection. The collection also contains historical documents about the Priscilla Art Club. This organization is the oldest African American women's club in Dallas, formed in 1911. These materials are much more revealing about the social lives of middle to upper middle class African American women over the course of some seventy years. Finally, the oversize box contains a scrapbook and home movies transferred to a T-120 video tape. The home movies are random and of extremely poor quality. It is difficult to identify any coherent definition of subject, place or time in the home movies. There is also a guest book containing the names and addresses of guests at a Priscilla Art Club function in 1973. This book provided the means by which to interview and verify membership in the historic organization.
There are no means by which to identify the subjects, locations, or time during which the photographs were taken. The Culmers were reputed to be extremely private individuals so all that is known about them is to be found within the photographs and color slides. Interviews with old friends and acquaintances helped to provide some insight about the lives of the Culmers. Additionally, the review of public documents also contributed to definitive revelations about the Culmer family. These materials, which were not a part of the original collection, may be available upon request. The items are currently housed in the collection's holding file.
The time period which the predominantly black and white photos depict range from the 1930s to the late 1970s. They reflect the family life of an African American family (Probably in North Carolina, Cuba, Washington, D.C., and possibly Dallas). In spite of the fact that both Dr. and Mrs. Culmer came from extremely humble beginnings, they reached a pinnacle of social and economic success uncommon for many African Americans, and one which challenged the stereotypes of social descriptions of the 1960s. The Culmers realized the "American Dream" for most of their married lives, but also experienced the American family's nightmare as they struggled to handle the problems of drugs, addiction, the social unrest of the 1970s and their adopted son. It is, nevertheless, very poignant that Dr. Culmer, who became to the United States as an immigrant, succeeded in the South at a time when America was in the beginning throes of the Great Depression and at a time when America was its most segregated. Toward that end, only one white person--a priest--is seen in the color slides. The photos are of children in cowboy costumes, children with pets (a chow dog), what may be a family reunion, children riding bicycles, teenage girls in frivolous poses, parties, men in social gatherings and women in similar activities, and pictures of infants and toddlers (possibly Miguel Culmer). Harold Culmer was never a member of the United States military, but there are photographs of African American men (unidentified) in the collection, and one large group photograph of an African American army company. There are couples who appear to be romantically involved. They may be members of the Williams family as Etta Williams Culmer had twelve living brothers and sisters, of whom she was the oldest. All in all, the photographs depict happy times. The single photograph of a grave is laden with flowers. There is nothing to indicate the identity of the occupant or relationship to Harold or Etta Culmer.
The socially prominent Culmers were members of numerous civic and social service organizations. One such group, of which Mrs. Culmer was historian until her death in 1993, was the Priscilla Art Club. This portion of the collection (Box 2) is a testimony to the genteel lives of some African Americans just after the turn of the century. Moreover, this segment of the collection documents not only social mores, religious values, and aesthetic values contributing to the quality of life of blacks in a southern city at a time when the Ku Klux Klan was extremely active, but acts as a documentary of southern urban blacks who managed to create a social elite, a politically sophisticated elite, and an active elite that emerged from under the weight of "Jim Crow." It is a view of women in a domestic setting that does not center on the black woman's place in the domestic lives of southern whites. Most historical pictures see the African American woman as a crusader or domestic, but seldom as the homemaker who exclusively devotes her time and energies to the care of her own family and home. This is not to suggest that the economic conditions of African Americans were in any way equal to those of whites during the period, but it is to suggest that there was some manner of a stratified caste system among blacks similar to whites.
The historical materials about the Priscilla Art Club are in relatively good condition. The Yearbooks, which are very informative about the club members in so far as their addresses and amenities (i.e. telephones in 1914), give some idea of the economic status of these women. Photographs, which appear to be dated from the very late 1930s to the 1980s, show faces of the women, fashion, art projects, and events. Some of the photographs were taken by famed African American photographer, R.C. Hickman. Others who documented Dallas black life were photographers Dewitt and Bell, respectively. These photographers were often invited into the homes of the members to document their luncheons, brunches, costumes parties, and photograph group shots of the members annually. There is a biography (author unknown) of one of the founders, Mrs. J. L. Patton. There are obituaries of two other founders, Mrs. Hendricks and Mrs. Dyson. Regrettably, there is no correspondence or minutes which record the "voices" of the women over the decades. There are a few financial records in the form of cancelled checks. These documents, dating from the late 1940s through the 1950s, show an interesting change in the social and political awareness of the women. They proceed from contributions to day care centers to the Progressive Voters League, later the Negro College Fund, and later yet, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The collection was originally found in a garage sale and purchased by a dealer, David Grossblatt of Dallas. The materials were eventually purchased by the University of Texas at Arlington on July 3, 1995. Prior to the demolition of the Culmer home, which was located at 6633 Aubrey Street in Dallas, the materials had gone unclaimed by the family, Culmer estate and members of the Priscilla Art Club. Photographs were loose, slides were housed in the boxes which came from the development laboratory over thirty years ago, and the 8mm (eight millimeter) home movies were in their laboratory processing canisters. Priscilla Art Club yearbooks were in highly acidic scrapbooks secured by rusting brads. Some news clippings were on adhesive backings in an oversize scrapbook. Yearbooks were beginning to deteriorate from lack of proper preservation. Financial records were sparse, inconsistent, and randomly unsecured in the box containing the collection.
All materials were arranged alphabetically by subject matter. The most significant problems with the collection were the inability to identify subjects, places or occasions; and, the lack of continuity in financial records of the Priscilla Art Club. Moreover, no part of the collection contained personal correspondence (as was earlier stated), which would provide insight or enlightenment as to the nature and personal behavior of any of the subjects. There are no written documents which provide a more detailed picture of the people. There are no early photographs of the Priscilla Art Club members contained in this collection. Also lacking are contemporary photographs of club members after the 1970s. The kinds of personal items which tell the stories defining the lives of the Culmers or members of the Priscilla Art Club are missing from the collection. Yet, the yearbooks do contain programs and other such notes which say a great deal as do the photographs of the Culmer family. From 1914 to 1993, the yearbooks provide some revelations as to the club's interests. The financial records, though sporadic and incomplete, show the evolution of the club's interests from concerning itself with the home to more sophisticated and timely issues of the day.
While the Culmer collection might be considered a small one, it does offer insight to those with the background in African American history to evaluate the materials against the stereotypes presented of African American life in the South.
Open for research.
Literary Rights Statement
Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.
Culmer Family Papers, AR395, Box Number, Folder Number, Special Collections, University of Texas at Arlington Library.
The Culmer Family Papers were purchased by the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Gerald Saxon, Associate Director of the Library and Director of Special Collections, received the materials from David Grossblatt, a dealer. The materials were taken possession of by the University in 1995. The collection was purchased in its entirety from the dealer.
Finding aid prepared by Marilyn A. Walton, May 16, 1997.
In processing the collection, it was necessary to organize photographs and color slides by subject category and then to alphabetize them. There was no means available by which to identify the individuals, pets, places or time periods except by clothing styles or automobile models. The photographs were placed in acid-free folders, interleaved and then placed in acid-free, lignin-free boxes. Slides and negatives were placed in acid-free polypropylene jackets and sleeves followed with placement in acid free folders, then lignin-free document boxes. The Priscilla Art Club materials were methodically preserved as well. The club's yearbooks were transferred to acid-free folders with interleaf sheets, and placed by chronology in acid-free lignin-free boxes. The same procedure was used with photographs as well. The home movies were transferred to one T-120 VHS tape. The original movies, along with the transferred VHS, and one oversize scrapbook and the odd-shaped guestbook were placed in an oversize box. | <urn:uuid:bbe01217-5b37-4465-91b8-ab2cd02fe7a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/utarl/00035/00035-P.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978785 | 4,410 | 2.75 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Contact: Vicki Cohn, (914) 740-2100, [email protected]
E. coli Bacteria More Likely to Develop Resistance after Exposure to Low Levels of Antibiotics Reports a Study in Microbial Drug Resistance
New Rochelle, NY, June 14, 2011-E. coli bacteria exposed to three common antibiotics were more likely to develop antibiotic resistance following low-level antibiotic exposure than after exposure to high concentrations that would kill the bacteria or inhibit their growth, according to a timely article in Microbial Drug Resistance, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available free online.
E. coli bacteria in food and water supplies have been responsible for disease outbreaks and deaths around the world in recent years. The current outbreak in Europe has sickened thousands of individuals and caused multiple deaths and life-threatening complications in hundreds of persons infected with a new strain of E. coli.
Bacterial resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics is an enormous and growing problem, largely due to misuse of antibiotics to treat non-bacterial infections and environmental exposure of the bacteria to low levels of antibiotics used, for example, in agriculture. In the article "De Novo Acquisition of Resistance to Three Antibiotics by Escherichia coli," the authors studied the mechanisms by which E. coli acquire resistance to three common antibiotics: amoxicillin, tetracycline, and enrofloxacin. Depending on the antibiotic and the level of exposure, different mechanisms may come into play. The authors report that exposure to antibiotics at relatively low levels--below those needed to inhibit growth of the bacteria--are more likely to result in the development of antibiotic resistance. "Exposure to low levels of antibiotics therefore clearly poses most risk," a finding that "contradicts one of the main assumptions made questioning the threat of usage of antibiotics in food animals," conclude the authors.
Microbial Drug Resistance is an authoritative peer-reviewed international journal published quarterly in print and online that covers the growing threat and global spread of antibiotic resistant microbial pathogens and resistance genes. Led by Editor-in-Chief Alexander Tomasz, PhD, The Rockefeller University (New York, NY), the Journal covers topics that include the molecular biology of resistance mechanisms, virulence genes, and disease, as well as molecular epidemiology, drug design, infection control, and medical practice. Complete tables of content and a free sample issue may be viewed online. | <urn:uuid:2915a29a-2943-4f60-922f-bee5f7f10662> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.liebertpub.com/global/pressrelease/e-coli-bacteria-more-likely-to-develop-resistance-after-exposure-to-low-levels-of-antibiotics-reports-a-study-in-microbial-drug-resistance/910/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927574 | 500 | 2.84375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
A Jackson native and wind energy industry professional, I would like to address several misconceptions and inaccuracies in Linda Sunkle-Pierucki's recent letter, "Renewable energy not efficient use of dollars."
Renewable energy provides the state of Michigan benefits far greater than its cost. Wind is a locally produced fuel that emits no pollutants, requires no mining and incurs no disposal. Currently, Michigan generates 58 percent of its electricity load from coal-fired electricity plants, despite having no native coal resources (U.S. Energy Information Administration). More than $1.7 billion annually are sent out of state to purchase coal for electricity generation. Every megawatt hour of renewable energy generated in Michigan keeps dollars in state and in the communities in which projects exist.
The $22-per-megawatt hour production tax credit benefits wind projects only once they become operational. This support helps provide Wall Street financing and builds projects in Michigan. Industry non-profit AWEA estimates more than 37,000 wind energy jobs are at risk from the expiration of this federal support. Thousands have already been lost.
All forms of energy receive some form of subsidy. Wind energy, as a fraction of total energy production, sees a fraction of federal energy subsidies. The development of wind projects benefits local landowners, communities, infrastructure and social services through the creation of permanent and temporary jobs, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes.
Continued support of wind energy is a critical part of this country's "all-of-the-above" energy strategy. A vote for Prop 3 is a vote for the Michigan economy.
— COLLIN WHITEHEAD, wind energy development manager/Chicago | <urn:uuid:4a4751b9-f0c5-4b7f-84d4-1a9d781dd379> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mlive.com/opinion/jackson/index.ssf/2012/09/letter_support_for_wind_power.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928517 | 346 | 2.578125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Unique's Monster workshop
A workshop was run at the Unique Coffee Bar last week in collaboration with the Newark Young Archaeologist Group. Susan Rodgers from NYAG came and spoke to the young people about how forensic scientists reconstruct people's faces when a skeleton has been found.
Susan brought various images of faces that had been constructed in the past, including one of Jesus and explained how the scientists complete the process.
The young people then had a go themselves, reconstructing faces using a skull and clay. As it was close to Halloween, the young people decided that it would be a fun idea to construct a face of a monster and the pictures show some of the interesting end products! The young people used glow sticks in the eyes so that the eyes shone green and yellow, and added wool and other materials to the monster's heads to create hair. The young people were then able to make a mini version of their monsters which they were able to keep as a memento of the workshop.
In total, 7 young people took part in the workshop and all of the young people really enjoyed the session, requesting to do more work on archaeology in the future. | <urn:uuid:ac8ba0d2-1352-451d-a59d-d5dd37e9f357> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.p3charity.org/news_unique_monster_workshop.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977272 | 233 | 2.625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Agricultural Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has good news for anyone who’s ever wished for fresh kale in mid-December, instead of another comfort carb. Merrigan announced Thursday that the number of winters farmers’ markets is on the rise, up 38 percent since 2010.
According to the National Farmers Market Directory, the number of farmers’ markets open at least once between November and March leapt from 886 to 1,225 since 2010. The uptick is a win-win for local produce fans and farmers alike.
“Consumers are looking for more ways to buy locally grown food throughout the year,” Merrigan said, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Marketing Service. “Through winter markets, American farmers are able to meet this need and bring in additional income to support their families and businesses.”
Farmers have been able to extend their growing season in part due to assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA,) which has been helping small farms to implement hoop house technology under the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program since 2009. A hoop house is a greenhouse with a clear plastic roof that allows sun in, then traps the heat of the solar radiation, warming crops inside the greenhouse even in cold climates. With the freedom to grow without weather considerations, farmers can continue to produce locally grown food well into the winter months.
The White House garden boasts its own hoop house tunnels, setting an example for farmers to follow suit. Under the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Program, farmers can get financial assistance from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to build one hoop house per farm. (Go here to see what hoop houses look like on presidential turf.)
An increase in winter farmers’ markets has an additional perk: helping farmers and their customers build relationships year-round.
Want in on the action? Check out Local Harvest to find a farmers’ market near you.
On Our Radar
How to Cleanse the Right Way (Kris Carr)
Safe Sunscreen & Sun Protection: Your Questions Answered (KRIS CARR)
Sweet Potato Chili with Kale (FORKS OVER KNIVES)
Watch The Video That Coca-Cola And McDonald's Hope You Never See (UPWORTHY)
Italian White Bean, Kale and Potato Stew (FORKS OVER KNIVES)
Is Subway 'Real' Food? (100 DAYS OF REAL FOOD) | <urn:uuid:e3e5a74f-59e9-4f95-9ec0-0b6f57896bb3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.takepart.com/article/2011/12/16/farmers-markets-bloom-dead-winter | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928274 | 511 | 2.53125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
You have so much to think about during pregnancy, but don’t overlook your dental health, which can be affected by the hormonal changes you will experience during this time. For example, women are more likely to develop gingivitis during pregnancy. Gingivitis is an infection of the gingiva (gums) that can cause swelling and tenderness. Your gums also may bleed a little when you brush or floss. Left untreated, gingivitis can affect the supporting tissues that hold your teeth in place. Your dentist may recommend more frequent cleanings to prevent gingivitis.
Sometimes lumps appear along the gum line and between teeth. These swellings are harmless, but they bleed easily and are characterized by a red, raw-looking mulberry like surface. Although these growths are called “pregnancy tumors,” they are not cancerous. They usually go away on their own after pregnancy, but they can be removed under a local anesthetic if they bother you.
You should continue to see your dentist during pregnancy for oral examinations and professional teeth cleaning. Tell your dentist that you are pregnant and about any changes you have noticed in your oral health.
Also, be sure to let your dentist know about any medications or supplements you are taking. Your dentist may need to use or prescribe medication as part of your treatment. Some medications are considered safe for limited use during pregnancy and some should not be used at all. For example, if you develop an infection, your dentist might prescribe penicillin or amoxicillin. However, pregnant women should not be treated with tetracycline because it can stain the fetus’ developing teeth. Once they erupt, the teeth may look gray or brown or permanently as a result of these stains. Your dentist or physician can talk with you about medications that are safe to use during pregnancy.
Although radiographs (x-rays) often can be delayed until after your baby is born, your dentist may need to obtain a radiograph as part of your dental treatment. To minimize your exposure and that of the fetus to x-rays, your dentist will cover your abdomen with a protective apron and place a thyroid collar over your throat.
Talk with your dentist or physician about any concerns you may have about your treatment. Good daily care is key to your oral health. To help prevent caries (tooth decay) and gum disease, brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque. Be sure to clean between your teeth daily with floss or another inter-dental cleaner. Ask your dentist or hygienist to show you how to brush and floss correctly. When choosing oral care products, look for those that display the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance, your assurance that they have met ADA criteria for safety and effectiveness.
Frequent snacking may increase your risk of developing tooth decay, which is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that forms constantly on teeth. The bacteria convert sugar and starch that remain in the mouth after eating the acid that attacks tooth enamel. The longer the sugars remain in your mouth, the longer the acids attack. After repeated attacks, tooth decay can result.
Oral Health And Overall Health
Your oral health is an important part of your overall health, and untreated dental disease can be harmful to you and your baby. Be sure to include your oral health in your daily self-care routine and keep your dentist informed of any changes in your oral health during pregnancy.
If you enjoyed this article on dental health during pregnancy, there is a good chance you will like these articles from my blog as well:
- Oral Bacteria Linked To Premature Births
- Oral Bacteria Found In Amniotic Fluid
- Calcium Important For Mothers That Breastfeed
- Expectant Mothers: Dental Facts You Need To Know
- Gum Disease Linked To Preeclampsia In Preganant Women
Thanks for Reading !! | <urn:uuid:4fc112a4-c3da-4893-abe7-cf940afff9d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtnperioblog.com/dental-health-during-pregnancy-expect-when-expecting/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708946676/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125546-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953719 | 816 | 2.796875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Dutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease (DED) is caused by a member of the sac fungi (Ascomycota) affecting elm trees, and is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native populations of elms which had not had the opportunity to evolve resistance to the disease. The name "Dutch elm disease" refers to its identification in 1921 and later in the Netherlands by Dutch phytopathologists Bea Schwarz and Christine Buisman who both worked with Professor Johanna Westerdijk. The disease is not specific to the Dutch elm hybrid.
- Ophiostoma ulmi, which afflicted Europe from 1910, reaching North America on imported timber in 1928.
- Ophiostoma himal-ulmi, a species endemic to the western Himalaya.
- Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, an extremely virulent species which was first described in Europe and North America in the 1940s and has devastated elms in both areas since the late 1960s.
The origin of O. novo-ulmi remains unknown, but the species may have arisen as a hybrid between O. ulmi and O. himal-ulmi. The new species was widely believed to have originated in China, but a comprehensive survey there in 1986 found no trace of it, although elm bark beetles were very common.
DED is spread in North America by three species of bark beetles (Family: Curculionidae, Subfamily: Scolytinae):
- The native elm bark beetle, Hylurgopinus rufipes.
- The European elm bark beetle, Scolytus multistriatus.
- The banded elm bark beetle, Scolytus schevyrewi.
In Europe, while S. multistriatus again acts as vector for infection, it is much less effective than the large elm bark beetle, S. scolytus. H. rufipes can be a vector for the disease, but is inefficient compared to the other vectors. S. schevyrewi was found in 2003 in Colorado and Utah.
In an attempt to block the fungus from spreading farther, the tree reacts by plugging its own xylem tissue with gum and tyloses, bladder-like extensions of the xylem cell wall. As the xylem (one of the two types of vascular tissue produced by the vascular cambium, the other being the phloem) delivers water and nutrients to the rest of the plant, these plugs prevent them from travelling up the trunk of the tree, eventually killing it. (Xylem comprises the bulk of the hard tissue of the interior of trunks and branches of woody plants and is nearly synonymous with "wood". Phloem can be thought of as a thin sheet of tissue wrapped around the central cylinder of xylem, although just beneath the phloem is another thin sheet, the vascular cambium, which produces both phloem and xylem.)
The first symptom of infection is usually an upper branch of the tree with leaves starting to wither and yellow in summer, months before the normal autumnal leaf shedding. This progressively spreads to the rest of the tree, with further dieback of branches. Eventually, the roots die, starved of nutrients from the leaves. Often, not all the roots die: the roots of some species, notably the English elm Ulmus procera, put up suckers which flourish for approximately 15 years, after which they too succumb.
Disease range
Dutch elm disease was first noticed in Europe in 1910, and spread slowly, reaching Britain in 1927. This first strain was a relatively mild one, which killed only a small proportion of elms, more often just killing a few branches, and had largely died out by 1940 owing to its susceptibility to viruses. The disease was isolated in The Netherlands in 1921 by Bea Schwarz, a pioneering Dutch phytopathologist, and this discovery would lend the disease its name.
Circa 1967, a new, far more virulent strain arrived in Britain on a shipment of rock elm U. thomasii logs from North America, and this strain proved both highly contagious and lethal to European elms; more than 25 million trees have died in the UK alone. The disease is still migrating northwards through Scotland, reaching Edinburgh in the late 1970s, and Inverness in 2006. By 1990, very few mature elms were left in Britain or much of continental Europe. One of the most distinctive English countryside trees, the English elm U. procera Salisb. (see John Constable's painting Salisbury Cathedral from the South-West), is particularly susceptible. Thirty years after the outbreak of the epidemic, nearly all these trees, which often grew to more than 45 m high, are gone. The species still survives in hedgerows, as the roots are not killed and send up root sprouts ("suckers"). These suckers rarely reach more than 5 m tall before succumbing to a new attack of the fungus. However, established hedges kept low by clipping have remained apparently healthy throughout the nearly 40 years since the onset of the disease in the UK.
The largest concentrations of mature elms in Europe are now in Amsterdam and The Hague. In 2005, Amsterdam was declared the 'Elm City of Europe': the city’s streets and canals are lined with at least 75,000 elms, including several generations of research-elms (see below: Resistant trees). Some 30,000 of the 100,000 mature trees in The Hague are elms, planted because of their tolerance of salty sea-winds. Since the 1990s, a programme of antifungal injections of the most prominent 10,000 elms, and of sanitation felling, has reduced annual elm losses in The Hague from 7% to less than 1% (see below: Preventive treatment). The losses are made up by the planting of disease-resistant cultivars. The largest concentration of mature elm trees remaining in England is in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, where 15,000 elms still stand (2005 figures), several of which are estimated to be over 400 years old. Their survival is owing to the isolation of the area, between the English Channel and the South Downs, and the assiduous efforts of local authorities to identify and remove infected sections of trees immediately when they show symptoms of the disease. Empowered by the Dutch Elm Disease (Local Authorities) (Amendment) Order 1988, local authorities may order the destruction of any infected trees or timber, although in practice they usually do it themselves, successfully reducing the numbers of elm bark beetle Scolytus spp., the vector of elm disease.
The largest concentration of mature elms in Scotland is in Edinburgh, where over 5000 mature elms still stand (2009 figures) out of some 35,000 in 1976. Edinburgh's Leith Links has the highest concentration of mature elms of any U.K. park (2012). A policy of sanitary felling has kept losses in the city to an average of 1000 a year. Elm was the commonest tree in Paris from the 17th century; before the 1970s there were some 30,000 ormes parisiens. Today, only 1000 mature elms survive in the city, including examples in the large avenues (Avenue d'Italie, Avenue de Choisy, Boulevard Lefebvre, Boulevard de Grenelle, Boulevard Garibaldi) and two very old specimens, one in the garden of the Tuileries in front of the l'Orangerie and another in the Place Saint-Gervais in front of l'hôtel de ville de Paris. Losses are now being made up with disease-resistant cultivars, especially the Dutch-French research elm 'Nanguen' (Lutèce), named after the city.
North America
The disease was first reported in the United States in 1928, with the beetles believed to have arrived in a shipment of logs from The Netherlands destined for use as veneer in the Ohio furniture industry. The disease spread slowly from New England westward and southward, almost completely destroying the famous elms in the 'Elm City' of New Haven, reaching the Detroit area in 1950, the Chicago area by 1960, and Minneapolis by 1970.
Dutch elm disease reached eastern Canada during the Second World War, and spread to Ontario in 1967, Manitoba in 1975 and Saskatchewan in 1981. In Toronto, 80% of the elm trees have been lost to Dutch elm disease; many more fell victim in Ottawa, Montreal and other cities during the 1970s and 1980s. Quebec City still has about 21,000 elms, thanks to a prevention program initiated in 1981. Alberta and British Columbia are the only provinces that are currently free of Dutch elm disease, although, in an isolated case, an elm tree in southeastern Alberta found diseased in 1998 was immediately destroyed. Today, Alberta has the largest number of elms unaffected by Dutch elm disease in the world; many streets and parks in Edmonton and Calgary are still lined with healthy, mature trees. Aggressive measures are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease into Alberta, as well as other parts of Canada. The City of Edmonton has banned elm pruning from March 31 to October 1, since fresh pruning wounds will attract the beetles during the warmer months.
The largest surviving urban forest of elm trees in North America is believed to be in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, where close to 200,000 elms remain - at least double that of Amsterdam, the "Elm City of Europe". The city of Winnipeg spends $3 million annually to aggressively combat the disease using Dursban Turf and the Dutch Trig vaccine, losing 1500-4000 trees per year.
New Zealand
Dutch elm disease has reached New Zealand. It was found in Napier where it was eradicated and was also found in the Auckland Region in 1989. The Ministry of Agriculture funded a national management programme but it was cancelled to allow more funds to be available for pests of a higher priority.
Preventive treatment
The first attempts to control Dutch elm disease consisted of pruning trees to remove and burn diseased timber. While this method was effective in New York State and adjacent areas, its cost made it uneconomical except in large cities where elms were considered valuable attractions.
When Dutch elm disease spread away from the Atlantic coast, control focused on controlling the bark beetle by means of such insecticides as DDT and dieldrin, which were sprayed heavily across all parts of elm trees, usually twice a year in the spring and again at a lower concentration in the summer. In its early years it was generally thought by observers that pesticides did slow the spread of the disease across the United States but as early as 1947 concern was raised that many bird species were killed in large numbers via ingesting poisoned invertebrates. In areas sprayed during the 1950s local people observed birds such as the American Woodcock, American Robin, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper and various Poecile species dying. Biologist Rachel Carson consequently argued against spraying elms and for improved sanitation, which she saw as having been more effective in areas with earlier and greater experience countering Dutch elm disease. Although modern critics of Carson have argued that the bird deaths were caused by other factors such as mercury poisoning in the soil, spraying against elm bark beetles declined very rapidly after 1962, a trend aided by fungicides without dangerous side-effects being discovered for the first time after many years of research.
Lignasan BLP (carbendazim phosphate), introduced in the 1970s, was the first fungicide used to control Dutch elm disease. This had to be injected into the base of the tree using specialized equipment, and was never especially effective. It is still sold under the name "Elm Fungicide". Arbotect (thiabendazole hypophosphite) became available some years later, and it has been proven effective. Arbotect must be injected every two to three years to provide ongoing control; the disease generally cannot be eradicated once a tree is infected. There is a process called tracing that was invented by Rainbow Treecare in Minneapolis. It has proven to be effective at saving infected elms as long as the Dutch elm disease fungus has not grown into the roots.
Arbotect is not effective on root graft infections from adjacent elm trees. It is more than 99.5% effective for three years from beetle infections, which is the primary mode of tree infection.
Alamo (propiconazole) has become available more recently, though several university studies show it to be effective for only the current season it is injected. Alamo is primarily recommended for treatment of oak wilt.
Because of the ban on the use of chemicals on street and park trees in the Netherlands, the University of Amsterdam developed a biological vaccine by the late 1980s. Dutch Trig is nonchemical and nontoxic, consisting of a suspension in distilled water of spores of a strain of the fungus Verticillium albo-atrum that has lost much of its pathogenic capabilities, injected in the elm in spring. The strain is believed to have enough pathogenicity left to induce an immune response in the elm, protecting it against DED during one growing season. This is called induced resistance. Trials in the US most notably Denver Colorado showed that Dutch Trig had no effect on saving Elms and that the treated trees were made sick by the treatment.
Preventive treatment is usually only justified when a tree has unusual symbolic value or occupies a particularly important place in the landscape.
Resistant trees
Research to select resistant cultivars and varieties began in the Netherlands in 1928, followed by the USA in 1937. Initial efforts in the Netherlands involved crossing varieties of U. minor and U. glabra, but later included the Himalayan or Kashmir elm U. wallichiana as a source of antifungal genes. Early efforts in the USA involved the hybridization of the Siberian elm U. pumila with American red elm U. rubra to produce resistant trees. Resulting cultivars lacked the traditional shape and landscape value of the American elm; few were planted.
In 2005, the National Elm Trial (USA) began a 10-year evaluation of 19 cultivars in plantings across the United States. The trees in the trial are exclusively American developments; no European cultivars have been included.
Hybrid cultivars
Many attempts to breed disease resistant cultivar hybrids have usually involved a genetic contribution from Asian elm species which have demonstrable resistance to this fungal disease. Much of the early work was undertaken in the Netherlands. The Dutch research programme began in 1928, and ended after 64 years in 1992, during which time well over 1000 cultivars were raised and evaluated. The programme had three major successes: 'Columella', 'Nanguen' LUTÈCE, and 'Wanoux' VADA, all found to have an extremely high resistance to the disease when inoculated with unnaturally large doses of the fungus. Only 'Columella' was released during the lifetime of the Dutch programme, in 1987; patents for the LUTÈCE and VADA clones were purchased by the French Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), which subjected the trees to 20 years of field trials in the Bois de Vincennes, Paris, before releasing them to commerce in 2002 and 2006, respectively.
The Conservation Foundation, conservationfoundation.co.uk, is currently running two elm programmes - the Great British Elm Experiment and Ulmus londinium, an elm programme for London. These build on earlier elm projects in the past 30 years and both use saplings grown from mature parent elms found growing in the British countryside and cultivated through micro-propagation. The parent trees are monitored for Dutch elm disease. Saplings are offered free to schools and community groups, who are asked to monitor their tree's progress on the Foundation's online elm map. Elms are available at a small price to others who don't qualify for a free tree. In London, places with 'elm' in their name are offered a sapling. This is an experiment with the aim of finding over time why some elms have survived while others succumbed to Dutch elm disease.
Asian species to feature in the American DED research programs were the Siberian elm U. pumila, Japanese elm U. davidiana var. japonica, and the Chinese elm U. parvifolia, giving rise to several dozen hybrid cultivars resistant not just to DED, but also to the extreme cold of Asian winters. Among the most widely planted of these, both in North America and in Europe, are 'Sapporo Autumn Gold' and 'New Horizon'. Some hybrid cultivars, such as 'Regal', are the product of both Dutch and American research. Hybridization experiments using the slippery or red elm U. rubra resulted in the release of 'Coolshade' and 'Rosehill' in the 1940s and 50s. The species last featured in hybridization as the female parent of 'Repura' and 'Revera', both patented in 1993, although neither has yet appeared in commerce.
In Italy, research is continuing at the Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante, Florence, to produce a range of disease-resistant trees adapted to the warmer Mediterranean climate, using a variety of Asiatic species crossed with the early Dutch hybrid 'Plantyn' as a safeguard against any future mutation of the disease. Two trees with very high levels of resistance, 'San Zanobi' and 'Plinio', were released in 2003. 'Arno' and 'Fiorente' were patented in 2006 and will enter commerce in 2012. All four have the Siberian elm U. pumila as a parent, the source of disease-resistance and drought-tolerance genes. Further releases are planned, notably of a clone derived from a crossing of Dutch elm Ulmus × hollandica with the Chinese species U. chenmoui.
Species and species cultivars
North America
Ten resistant American elm U. americana cultivars are now in commerce in North America, but only two ('Princeton' and 'Valley Forge') are currently available in Europe. No cultivar is "immune" to DED; even highly resistant cultivars can become infected, particularly if already stressed by drought or other environmental conditions where the disease prevalence is high. With the exception of 'Princeton', no trees have yet been grown to maturity. Trees cannot be said to be mature until they have reached an age of 60 years.
Notable cultivars include:
- 'Princeton', is a cultivar selected in 1922 by Princeton Nurseries for its landscape merit. By happy coincidence, this cultivar was found to be highly resistant in inoculation studies carried out by the USDA in the early 1990s. As trees planted in the 1920s still survive, the properties of the mature plant are well known.
- 'American Liberty', is, in fact, a set of six cultivars of moderate to high resistance produced through selection over several generations starting in the 1970s. Although 'American Liberty' is marketed as a single variety, nurseries selling the "Liberty Elm" actually distribute the six cultivars at random and thus, unfortunately, the resistance of any particular tree cannot be known. One of the cultivars, 'Independence', is covered by patent (U. S. Plant patent 6227). The oldest 'American Liberty' elm was planted in about 1980.
- 'Valley Forge', released in 1995, has demonstrated the highest resistance of all the clones to Dutch elm disease in controlled USDA tests.
- 'Lewis and Clark' (Prairie Expedition TM ), released in 2004, was cloned from a tree found growing in North Dakota which had survived unscathed when all around had succumbed to disease.
In 2007, the Elm Recovery Project from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada reported that cuttings from healthy surviving old elms surveyed across Ontario had been grown to produce a bank of resistant trees, isolated for selective breeding of highly resistant cultivars .
The University of Minnesota USA is testing various elms, including a huge now-patented century-old survivor known as "The St. Croix Elm", which is located in a Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN suburb (Afton) in the St. Croix River valley — a designated National Scenic Riverway.
The slippery or red elm U. rubra is marginally less susceptible to Dutch elm disease than the other American species, but this quality seems to have been largely ignored in American research. No cultivars were ever selected, although the tree was used in hybridization experiments (see above).
Among European species, there is the unique example of the European white elm U. laevis, which has little innate resistance to DED, but is eschewed by the vector bark beetles and only rarely becomes infected. Recent research has indicated it is the presence of certain organic compounds, such as triterpenes and sterols, which serves to make the tree bark unattractive to the beetle species that spread the disease.
In 2001, English elm U. procera was genetically engineered to resist disease, in experiments at Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland, by transferring antifungal genes into the elm genome using minute DNA-coated ball bearings. However, owing to the hostility to GM developments, there are no plans to release the trees into the countryside.
The spread of DED to Scotland has revealed a number of Wych elms U. glabra apparently surviving there unscathed, prompting the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to clone the trees and inoculate them with the fungus to determine any innate resistance (2010). A similar programme in Europe, testing clones of surviving Field Elms for innate resistance, has been carried out since the 1990s by national research institutes, with findings centrally assessed and published.
In the UK, clones from two of the elms that have so far survived in an area of high infectivity are now available commercially. Mr Paul King of King&Co The Tree Nursery took cuttings from the two elms, thought to be nearly 200 years old, located in Essex in 1990. Having potted the cuttings and found that the trees had indeed a high level of resistance to DED, Mr King then cultivated these cuttings via micro-propagation and now has over 2000 resistant trees for sale to the general public at around 10 foot tall.Paul King supports the research findings of R.H.Richens as described in his paper "Essex Elms" which describes great natural hybridisation of Ulmus species and the resulting resistance to DED of some trees. Mr King does not claim that his trees are immune from DED, but the continuing survival of the original mature trees, the first cuttings and the micropropogated stock does bode well.
Possible earlier occurrences
The 'Elm Decline'
From analysis of fossil pollen in peat samples, it is apparent that elms, an abundant tree in prehistoric times, all but disappeared from northwestern Europe during the mid-Holocene period about 6000 years ago, and to a lesser extent 3000 years ago. This roughly synchronous and widespread event has come to be known as the 'Elm Decline'. When first detected in the mid-20th century, the decline was attributed to the impact of forest-clearance by Neolithic farmers, and of elm-coppicing for animal fodder, though the numbers of settlers could not have been large. The devastation caused recently by DED has provided an alternative explanation. Examination of subfossil elm wood showing signs of the changes associated with the disease has suggested that a form of DED "may" have been responsible. Fossil finds from this period of elm bark beetles support this theory. A consensus of opinion today is that the Elm Decline was probably driven by both factors.
Historic period
A less devastating form of the disease, caused by a different fungus, had possibly been present in Britain for some time. Dr Oliver Rackham of Cambridge University presented evidence of an outbreak of elm disease in north-west Europe, c.1819-1867. "Indications from annual rings [a reference to the dark staining in an annual ring in infected elms] confirm that Dutch elm disease was certainly present in 1867," he wrote, quoting contemporary accounts of diseased and dying elms, including this passage in Richard Jefferies' 1883 book, Nature near London:
- There is something wrong with elm trees. In the early part of this summer, not long after the leaves were fairly out upon them, here and there a branch appeared as if it had been touched with red-hot iron and burnt up, all the leaves withered and browned on the boughs. First one tree was thus affected, then another, then a third, till, looking round the fields, it seemed as if every fourth or fifth tree had thus been burnt. [...] Upon mentioning this I found that it had been noticed in elm avenues and groups a hundred miles distant, so that it is not a local circumstance.
Earlier still, Rackham noted, "The name Scolytus destructor was given to the great bark beetle on evidence, dating from c.1780, that it was destroying elms around Oxford." It has been suggested, indeed, that "for thousands of years elms have flourished in natural balance with the scolytidae, combating occasional infections of Duch elm disease.
Though dead elms also appear in Italian paintings of the late 15th century, a link between these trees and Dutch elm disease remains largely speculative.
See also
- Schwarz, M. B., Das Zweigsterben der Ulmen, Trauerweiden und Pfirsichbaume, Mededelingen Phytopathologisch Laboratorium "Willie Commelin Scholten" 1922;5:1-73
- Buisman, C., De oorzaak van de iepenziekte, Tijdschr Ned Heidemaatsch 1928;40:338-345
- Forestry Commission. Dutch elm disease in Britain , UK.
- Macmillan Science Library: Plant Sciences. Dutch Elm Disease
- Brasier, C. M. & Mehotra, M. D. (1995). Ophiostoma himal-ulmi sp. nov., a new species of Dutch elm disease fungus endemic to the Himalayas. Mycological Research 1995, vol. 99 (2), pp. 205-215 (44 ref.) ISSN 0953-7562. Elsevier, Oxford, UK.
- Spooner B. and Roberts P. 2005. Fungi. Collins New Naturalist series No. 96. HarperCollins Publishers, London
- Brasier, C. M. (1996). New horizons in Dutch elm disease control. Pages 20-28 in: Report on Forest Research, 1996. Forestry Commission. HMSO, London, UK.
- DutchAmsterdamnl website, dutchamsterdam.nl/127-amsterdam-trees
- Amsterdamse Bomem
- DutchTrig® website: dutchtrig.com/the_netherlands/the_hague.html
- Brighton and Hove Council page on the city's elm collection (viewed 2 June 2010)
- Coleman, Max, ed.: Wych Elm (Edinburgh, 2009; ISBN 978-1-906129-21-7), p.47
- Ulmus 'Nanguen' (Lutèce®), www.international.inra.fr
- Ulmus 'Nanguen' (Lutèce®)], www.foretpriveefrancaise.com
- Contact, Laval University, Volume 28, Number 1
- City of Winnipeg Elm Bark Beetle Control Program
- "Dutch Elm Vaccine Tested In Winnipeg"
- "Dutch Elm Disease". Biosecurity New Zealand. 26 May 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- Benton, Allen H.; “Effects on Wildlife of DDT Used for Control of Dutch Elm Disease” in The Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jan., 1951), pp. 20-27
- Dempsey, Dave; Ruin & Recovery: Michigan's Rise as a Conservation Leader; p. 126 ISBN 0-472-06779-6
- Carson, Rachel; Silent Spring; pp. 105-115; ISBN 978-0-618-24906-0
- Berlau, John; Eco-Freaks: why Environmentalism Is Hazardous to Your Health; p. 33 ISBN 1-59555-067-4
- “ New Fungicide Fights Dutch Elm Disease” in Chem. Eng. News, 1964, 42 (37), pp 29–31 DOI: 10.1021/cen-v042n037.p029
- About Dutch Trig®
- Ghelardini, L. (2007) Bud Burst Phenology, Dormancy Release & Susceptibility to Dutch Elm Disease in Elms (Ulmus spp.). Doctoral Thesis No. 2007:134. Faculty of natural Resources and Agricultural Services, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique. Lutèce, a resistant variety, brings elms back to Paris , Paris, France
- Santini A., Fagnani A., Ferrini F., Mittempergher L., Brunetti M., Crivellaro A., Macchioni N., Elm breeding for DED resistance, the Italian clones and their wood properties. Invest Agrar: Sist Recur For (2004) 13 (1), 179-184. 2004.
- Santini A., Fagnani A., Ferrini F. & Mittempergher L., (2002) San Zanobi and Plinio elm trees. HortScience 37(7): 1139-1141. 2002. American Society for Horticultural Science, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA.
- Martín-Benito D., Concepción García-Vallejo M., Alberto Pajares J., López D. 2005. Triterpenes in elms in Spain. Can. J. For. Res. 35: 199–205 (2005).
- 'First Genetically Modified Dutch Elm Trees Grown', unisci.com
- Coleman, Max, ed.: Wych Elm (Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, 2009; ISBN 978-1-906129-21-7). A study of the species, with particular reference to the Wych elm in Scotland
- Screening European Elms for resistance to 'Ophiostoma novo-ulmi' (Forest Science 2005)
- Δoκιμή ανθεκτικότητας ελληνικών γενoτύπων πεδινής φτελιάς (Ulmus minor) κατά της Oλλανδικής ασθένειας, Σ. Διαμαντής και X. Περλέρου (:Resistance test of Greek Field Elm against Dutch Elm Disease, by S. Diamantis and H. Perlerou)
- Coleman, Max, ed.: Wych Elm (Edinburgh, 2009; ISBN 978-1-906129-21-7), p.17
- The mid-Holocene Ulmus decline: a new way to evaluate the pathogen hypothesis
- Oliver Rackam, The History of the Countryside (London 1986), p.242-3,232
- Vaclav Vetvička, Trees and Shrubs (London 1985)
Further reading
- Walter E. Burton "Army of Experts Wage War on Dutch Elm Disease" Popular Science Monthly, May 1937
- Elm Recovery Project - Guelph University, Canada
- Dutch elm disease at the Government of Alberta
- Dutch elm disease at Government of British Columbia
- DED info from Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements
- The Mid-Holocene Ulmus decline: a new way to evaluate the pathogen hypothesis
- Dutch Elm Disease - Gallery of Pests
- Species Profile - Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma ulmi and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library. Lists general information and resources for Dutch Elm Disease. | <urn:uuid:9549be2a-3661-4525-9050-ba9115670d39> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_elm_disease | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941197 | 6,958 | 3.65625 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Height restriction laws
Height restriction laws are laws that restrict the maximum height of structures.
There are a variety of reasons for these measures. Some restrictions limit the height of new buildings so as not to block views of an older work decreed to be important landmark by a government. For example, In the Tsarist Russian capital of Saint Petersburg, buildings could not be taller than the Winter Palace.
Other restrictions are because of practical concern, such as around airports to prevent any danger to flight safety.
Hong Kong
In Bali, Indonesia, a building cannot be higher than a palm tree, which is about 20 meters. The only building that is higher than a palm tree is the Bali Beach Hotel because the hotel was built before the height restriction was announced. How much this is enforced is in question.
In Europe, there is no official general law restricting the height of structures. There are however height restriction laws in many cities, often aimed to protect historic skylines.
In Athens, buildings are not allowed to surpass twelve floors such as not to block the view towards the Parthenon. There are several exceptions though such as the Athens Tower, the Atrina center and the OTE central building which exceed that level. This is due to them being either built far away from the centre or the fact that they were constructed in periods of political instability. The city's tallest structure is the Athens Tower reaching 103m and counting 25 floors.
There is however a height restriction for new onshore wind turbines in the European Union, which set their total height to 200 metres ( http://www.energiekeuze.nl/nieuws.aspx?id=954 ).
North America
Canada has no national height restrictions, but many individual cities do have height restriction bylaws and building is restricted by the national aviation authority (Transport Canada) near airports. Some examples:
- Edmonton: due to the proximity of the city centre airport, the federal aviation authority, Transport Canada, mandates that all buildings be lower than 815.34 metres (2,675.0 ft) above mean sea level. This effectively limits the maximum height to around 150 metres (490 ft) in the downtown.
- Montreal: until the late 1920s, all buildings were limited to 10 stories. Currently buildings are limited to a height of 200 meters and are subject to not contrasting the view of Mount Royal, the city's central green space, with the only exception being antennas and communication towers, that are allowed to reach 223 metres (732 ft) above mean sea level. The downtown today possesses only building exceeding 200 m, the 1000 de la Gauchetière tower, which was built as a special project in 1992.
- Ottawa-Gatineau: Until 1973, buildings in downtown Ottawa were limited to 45.5 metres (149 ft) so that the Peace Tower, part of the parliament buildings, could dominate the skyline.
- Saskatoon: continues to limit building heights to a maximum of 76 meters due to a flight path that bisects the downtown core, however, the recent proposal of a 90 - 100 meter tower could potentially lead to the lifting of this height limit.
- Vancouver: maintains "view corridors" that protect views of the North Shore Mountains. It also has a density bank that allows developers to exceed maximum building height restrictions in exchange for preserving heritage buildings.
- Whitehorse: No buildings should be taller than four stories due to the nearby fault line. The Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce said that maintaining the height restriction of four stories would discourage businesses from coming to the city. On 2007, the city rejected the proposal to increase the height limit to eight stories. In order to exceed height limit, the developer would have to apply for an amendment to the city's official community plan.
United States
Both the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have a rebuttable presumption not to build any antennae over 2,000 ft above ground level. This is to prevent those structures from being a hazard to air navigation.
For airports, sometimes there are exceptions for height restrictions made for important infrastructure equipment, as radio towers or for structures older than the airport. These structures have to be marked with red and white paint, have flight safety lamps on top, or both. Often red and white paint and flight safety lamps have to be installed on high structures (taller than 100 metres) far away from airports. Height restriction laws are not always kept strictly.
Local level
There are also some locales where no building may be higher than a designated building. An example is in Madison, Wisconsin, where no building located within one mile of the Wisconsin State Capitol may be higher than it.
- Terterov, Marat. Investing in St Petersburg. GMB Publishing Ltd, 2005, pg. 132.
- HKIP's Position on Building Height Restrictions for Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay Business Areas
- Sanur - Indonesia images
- Bali Apartments And The Evolving Bali Real Estate Market
- Discover Singapore: The City's History & Culture Redefined By Susan Tsang, Edward Hendricks; ISBN 981-261-365-X, 9789812613653
- "Edmonton City Centre Airport". City of Edmonton. 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
- Ottawa - Student World Book
- "Whitehorse puts brakes on highrise rule change". CBC News. 2007-04-24.
- Antenna Tower Lighting and Marking Requirements
- 1989 WISCONSIN ACT 222 | <urn:uuid:39768705-985c-4b56-941f-c1ad22f4dd8e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Height_restriction_laws | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925382 | 1,152 | 3.1875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Interlibrary loan (ILL
) is a widespread service by which one library
materials to another library for the purpose of checking it out to a patron
The most widely recognized ILL system is run by OCLC, but informal and formal agreements among local libraries (public, academic, school, and sometimes corporate) extend this system. Typically, books are available for ILL if they are not rare, delicate, or needed for other purposes; other kinds of materials (music, audiobooks, realia, etc.) are often not available.
Some libraries charge a small fee to cover the expense of shipping your requested materials back and forth; other libraries absorb this cost as part of their budgeted expenses. Because each library's patrons are typically also its main source of funding, ILL agreements often allow borrowing by other people (this means YOU) only under certain restrictions. You can usually only check out an ILL item for a few weeks, and usually cannot renew these items.
Despite these restrictions, interlibrary loan is still a wonderful system of great value to scholars and casual readers who seek items which are only available several time zones away. | <urn:uuid:04c1e861-12d3-4bc5-ad16-e46c0434bea5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://everything2.com/title/interlibrary+loan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9559 | 233 | 2.546875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Are the poor really more trustworthy? A micro-lending experiment
AbstractPurpose – This paper aims to clarify the relationship between wealth and trustworthiness with the goal of understanding why micro-lending institutions grant loans to poor individuals countering well-known models of credit markets and credit rationing, such as those proposed by Stiglitz and Weiss. Micro-credit markets appear to be based on two conjectures: the poor are trustworthy, and their willingness to pay for credit is relatively high. Design/methodology/approach – The paper simulates trust-based lending in an experimental setting to determine whether the conjecture that the poor are trustworthy is plausible. By conducting the experiments in the USA, a wealthy developed country, and China, a developing country where formal micro-finance institutions have not established a visible presence, it is possible to test the conjecture and draw cross-cultural comparisons. Findings – The paper finds that while the absolute level of family income had no significant effect on repayment behavior, US borrowers that perceived themselves as having a family income that was relatively lower than other US households repaid at higher rates. Therefore, evidence was found that trustworthiness might be a function of perceived relative wealth or social status rather than the absolute level of wealth or income. Research limitations/implications – The research results may be difficult to generalize because of the experimental approach and use of students as participants. Practical implications – The paper includes implications for the administration of micro-credit loans in China and other developing nations. Originality/value – This paper experimentally tests a conjecture which appears to be the foundation of micro-credit markets.
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Last week, calcium supplements were called into question after a report concluded that regularly taking them might increase the risk of heart attack.
The report - a combined review of 11 studies conducted in the past 20 years - linked calcium supplements to a 30 per cent greater risk of heart attack, especially among people who also consumed high amounts of the mineral from their diet.
Based on their findings - and the fact that taking calcium only modestly reduces the risk of bone fracture - the study authors called for a reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Does this mean it's time to trade in your calcium pill for a glass of milk? It's too soon to say. Not one of the studies included in the analysis focused on heart attack or other cardiovascular events. The studies were designed to assess the relationship between calcium and bone health or colon polyps.
What's more, the researchers chose to exclude trials that gave participants calcium combined with vitamin D. The large U.S. Women's Health Initiative, for example, reported that calcium and vitamin D supplements had no effect on the risk of heart disease.
Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to boost the risk of heart disease and heart attack. The nutrient helps keep heart cells healthy, maintains normal blood pressure and reduces inflammation.
Interestingly, among the trials included in the analysis that did measure the vitamin D status of participants, two reported blood vitamin D levels considered insufficient. (The researchers are currently conducting further research that will look at vitamin D with calcium supplements. The findings are expected to be published later this year.)
Last week's findings certainly shouldn't dissuade you from meeting your daily calcium requirements.
An adequate intake of calcium - from food and supplements - has repeatedly been shown to preserve bone density in older adults. Studies have revealed that age-related bone loss is more pronounced when dietary calcium is low, which is the case for many Canadians.
A low calcium diet is a risk factor for osteoporosis, a silent disease characterized by low bone mass making bones fragile and more likely to break.
Adults aren't the only ones who need calcium for bone health. Adequate calcium is also vital for kids to build strong bones and teeth. In fact, our bones continue building mass until sometime in our twenties, when they stop and natural bone loss begins.
Getting enough calcium also helps keep blood pressure in check. Several studies have found that increasing calcium intake from food and supplements reduces blood pressure in people with and without hypertension.
Calcium-rich dairy products are key components of the DASH diet, an eating pattern proven to dramatically lower elevated blood pressure in people. (DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.)
Research also suggests that getting enough calcium can lower the risk of colorectal cancer. Randomized controlled trials have shown calcium supplementation to reduce the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, polyps that can develop into cancer.
Studies in the lab have demonstrated the ability of calcium to slow the growth of - and kill - certain cancer cells. It's also thought that calcium, once it is consumed, binds to certain compounds in the intestinal tract, preventing their toxic effects on colon cells.
Meeting your daily calcium requirements is also an important strategy to prevent kidney stones made from calcium oxalate. Once consumed, calcium binds to oxalate, a natural compound found in foods, in the intestinal tract. This reduces the amount of oxalate that gets absorbed and makes its way to the urine where it can form stones.
So don't give up on calcium. It's very important to consume adequate - though not excessive - calcium to meet daily requirements. And if your diet falls short, a calcium supplement can bridge the gap.
Adults aged 19 to 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. After age 50, Osteoporosis Canada advises a daily intake of 1,500 milligrams. Kids aged 9 to 13 require 1,300 milligrams of calcium each day; 4 to 8 year-olds need 800 milligrams and younger children should get 500 milligrams.
For most adults, these numbers translate into three or four dairy servings per day. One cup (250 ml) of milk or yogurt delivers roughly 300 milligrams of calcium, as does 1.5 ounces (45 grams) of hard cheese. Calcium-enriched beverages such as soy, rice and almond milk and orange juice also provide about 300 milligrams per 250 ml serving.
Cooked green vegetables, legumes, almonds, tofu and canned salmon with the bones also provide some calcium.
Food is the best source of calcium. If you're getting what you need from your diet, you don't need a calcium supplement.
But not everyone can meet their daily requirement from foods alone. If you do need to supplement your diet, choose a calcium product with vitamin D. (The Canadian Cancer Society advises a daily vitamin D intake of 1000 international units (IU), an amount that can't be obtained in the diet or from sunlight in the fall and winter.)
If you need to take more than 500 milligrams from a supplement, divide your dose over two or three meals. (The amount of calcium your body absorbs decreases as the dose in a supplement increases.)
For women and children over one year, the safe upper daily limit for calcium is 2,500 milligrams. An excessive calcium intake can cause elevated blood levels of calcium, impaired kidney function and decreased absorption of other minerals.
Keep in mind the study reported last week found no increased risk of heart attack among supplement users who consumed less than 800 milligrams of calcium from their diet.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday. Her website is lesliebeck.com. | <urn:uuid:d329319a-36cf-4a24-957c-3faaebc37810> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/conditions/can-extra-calcium-hurt-your-heart/article572549/?service=mobile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940708 | 1,202 | 2.875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Cooperative Water Program
Products > Hazard Risk and Assessment > Fires
All Fires Products
Assessing Lake Storage to Accommodate Flooding in Burned Areas of Coconino County, Arizona –USGS, in cooperation with Coconino County, Arizona, and the U.S. Forest Service, used geophysical surveys and boreholes to assess storage capacity at Cinder Lake, which was used to capture flood waters resulting from massive fires northeast of Flagstaff that burned more than 15,000 acres. The flooding in areas downgradient of the burn resulted in extensive damage to private lands and residences, municipal water lines, and roads. Channels were built to move the waters away from communities into Cinder Lake. USGS techniques helped the County to determine how much could be diverted and stored in the underlying cinder deposits and alluvial deposits. (Full report)
Potential for Debris Flows in High Park Area, Colorado –USGS, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation, details the probability and volumes of potential debris flows associated with the High Park wildfire. The report presents a preliminary emergency assessment of the debris-flow hazards on structures, roads, bridges and culverts, as well as results of models developed to estimate the probability of potential debris-flow along with associated volumes of debris flows. The models were developed using data collected throughout the intermountain west, and are driven by topographic parameters, soil conditions, the severity of the burn and expected precipitation. (Technical announcement))
Real-time Alerts for Flooding and Droughts across the Nation –Sign up for "Project Alerts" to keep up with USGS scientists as they respond to floods, droughts, and chemical spills. These "real time" notifications are official, and yet informal, and describe flood, drought, or water quality conditions across the country, as well as how USGS field crews are responding to the event. Stay up-to-date on flows in flooded streams, drought-depleted groundwater, water quality in a lake, stream, or well, and deployment of USGS storm surge sensors in anticipation of a hurricane. A link to the RSS feed and the web archive can be found at http://water.usgs.gov/alerts/. (Press release)
Post-wildfire debris flows near Marble, Colorado –USGS, in cooperation with Gunnison County, released a report and empirical models derived from statistical evaluation of data collected from burned basins throughout the intermountain western United States to estimate the probability of post wildfire debris-flow occurrence and debris-flow volumes for drainage basins occupied by Carbonate, Slate, Raspberry, and Milton Creeks near Marble, Colorado. | <urn:uuid:7c2dd719-c480-4060-9199-a55c630a9a94> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://water.usgs.gov/coop/products/hazards/fire.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941788 | 548 | 2.796875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Creating Social Media Guidelines for Educators
More videos are uploaded to YouTube in 60 days than the combined number NBC, ABC, and CBS have produced in 60 years, and yet many schools restrict students from accessing this world of information.
At 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, administrators at North Carolina’s Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WSFCS) gave teachers permission to use YouTube in their classrooms. As Steven Anderson and Sam Walker presented the session “Understanding and Creating Social Media Guidelines for Educators,” teachers in WSFCS tweeted to thank them for pushing for this access.
Anderson, a WSFCS district instructional technologist, and Walker, a technology facilitator at the district’s Kimmel Farm Elementary, are at the forefront of bringing social media into the classroom and teaching safe and ethical use. With their help, Kimmel Farm Elementary became the first North Carolina school to include teaching social media in their school improvement plan.
"We live in a world where we’re hyperconnected and our students are even more hyperconnected than we are," Anderson said.
Anderson and Walker recommended that schools ask students how much access they have to the Internet, social media, and social networking —the numbers will surprise many. Forty-one percent of the 3rd through 5th grade students Walker surveyed reported having a Facebook account. Worldwide 21,000 kids log into Club Penguin, the number one social networking site for kids under 12 years old, every hour.
"The reality is kids live in these spaces, but when they come to the school door, we say no," Anderson said.
Although Walker and Anderson recognize the vast potential of social media, they understand educators’ concerns. At Kimmel Farm Elementary, they have helped craft online policies to help guide educators. The policies include
- Don’t share secrets.
- Protect your own privacy.
- Be honest.
- Respect copyright laws.
- Be the first person to admit your mistakes.
- Think about the consequences.
- Don’t neglect your day job.
- Remember that quality matters.
Even online the school’s code of conduct still applies. So teachers should use common sense, Walker and Anderson warned. Inappropriate student-teacher relationships are not allowed online just as they are not allowed in or out of the classroom.
Anderson and Walker had recommendations for students too, and they encouraged educators to include students in crafting social media policies and best practice guidelines. Anderson cited one example of students who created a district’s mission statement in World of Warcraft. Student collaboration is one benefit of social media that Walker said he believes in, and it’s a benefit he said schools should not deny.
However, teachers should remind students to be mindful of their presence online. Studies report nearly 25 percent of selective colleges and universities check applicants’ Facebook accounts. What Anderson wants is for schools to help students learn how and what to share so that students can be proud of their digital footprints.
"What we’re teaching them in our schools is to have that presence, so when they go to college, colleges can see the positive [things] they’re doing," he said. "Ultimately kids have to know how to manage this themselves, ethically and responsibly."
The full presentation is available online at http://bit.ly/ascdsocialmedia. | <urn:uuid:11333da8-d143-46c5-87c2-9d5b90ead3c5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ascd.org/conferences/conference-daily/ac12/social-media-guidelines.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945717 | 697 | 3.625 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Louis Auguste Blanqui (February 8, 1805 - 1881) was a French political activist.
He was born at Puget-Théniers, where his father, Jean Dominique Blanqui, was subprefect. He studied both law and medicine, but found his real vocation in politics, and quickly became a champion of the most advanced opinions. He took an active part in the July Revolution of 1830, and for maintaining the doctrine of republicanism during the reign of Louis Philippe, was condemned to repeated terms of imprisonment. Implicated in the armed outbreak of the Société des Saisons, of which he was a leading spirit, he was in 1840 condemned to death, a sentence later commuted to life imprisonment.
He was released during the revolution of 1848, only to resume his attacks on existing institutions. The revolution did not satisfy him. The violence of the Société républicaine centrale, which was founded by Blanqui to demand a modification of the government, brought him into conifict with the more moderate Republicans, and in 1849 he was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.
In 1865, while serving a further term of imprisonment under the Empire, he escaped, and continued his propaganda campaign against the government from abroad, until the general amnesty of 1869 enabled him to return to France. Blanqui's leaning towards violence was illustrated in 1870 by two unsuccessful armed demonstrations: one on January 12 at the funeral of Victor Noir, the journalist shot by Pierre Bonaparte; the other on August 14, when he led an attempt to seize some guns at a barrack. Upon the fall of the Empire, through the revolution of September 4, Blanqui established the club and journal La patrie en danger.
He was one of the group that briefly seized the reins of power on October 31, and for his share in that outbreak he was again condemned to death on March 17 of the following year. A few days afterwards the insurrection which established the Commune broke out, and Blanqui was elected a member of the insurgent government, but his detention in prison prevented him from taking an active part. Nevertheless he was in 1872 condemned along with the other members of the Commune to transportation; on account of his broken health this sentence was commuted to one of imprisonment. In 1879 he was elected a deputy for Bordeaux; although the election was pronounced invalid, Blanqui was freed, and immediately resumed his work of agitation.
At the end of 1880, after a speech at a revolutionary meeting in Paris, he was struck down by apoplexy, and died. His uncompromising communism, and his determination to enforce it by violence, had brought him into conflict with every French government, and half his life had been spent in prison. Besides his innumerable contributions to journalism, he published an astronomical work entitled L'Eternité par les astres (1872), and after his death his writings on economic and social questions were collected under the title of Critique sociale (1885). | <urn:uuid:7ce28724-357a-48b7-a51a-831935e109c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Blanqui_Louis_Auguste.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.989492 | 622 | 2.8125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
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New Hythe area
More than a dozen lakes and disused gravel-pits form this excellent birding area of inland north Kent. To the east of the River Medway, this area is close to extensive housing and industrial development but regular watching has shown there to be much of interest for the birder, particularly during passage periods and winter.
As well as the lakes there are reedbeds, willow and hawthorn scrub and small patches of mixed woodland. Regular watching has led to a good species list for the site and this is becoming an increasingly popular inland site for Kent's birders.
Notable Species
Breeding species include Great Crested Grebe and Common Kingfisher with Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting in the reedbeds. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is resident but rarely seen when the trees are in leaf and Common Cuckoo is present in summer, more often heard than seen. This is a stronghold of Nightingale and there are warblers including Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap.
Hirundines can be extremely numerous on passage over the lakes and a small numbers of migrant terns and waders occurs. Greylag Goose and Canada Goose form moulting flocks on these lakes and sometimes the overland passage of Dark-bellied Brent Goose can be seen overhead. Passerine migrants include Whinchat and Northern Wheatear, sometimes also Black Redstart.
Wintering waterfowl such as Gadwall, Common Teal, Northern Shoveler and Common Pochard are joined by Common Goldeneye, Smew and Goosander in colder winters as well as Red-necked Grebe and occasional divers. Water Rail is a regular winter visitor in good numbers and there is usually Bearded Tit and 1-3 Great Bittern present.
There is a regular Corn Bunting roost here and one or two Stonechat winter, in recent years Cetti's Warbler has become a regular winter feature. The hawthorns attract large numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing to feed on the berries. Common Chiffchaff and Blackcap often winter in the area and Firecrest appears most years in late autumn.
Rarities are sometimes seen in the New Hythe area and have included Ferruginous Duck, Red-rumped Swallow, Marsh Warbler, and Penduline Tit but the area became nationally famous in January 1989 with the appearance of a Golden-winged Warbler, not only Britain's first but the first to be recorded in the entire Western Palearctic. The bird was first seen in the Tesco car-park and stayed in the area until April.
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Cormorant, Great Bittern, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Smew, Goosander, Ruddy Duck, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Northern Lapwing, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Feral Pigeon, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Common Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Common Nightingale, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Bearded Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Brambling, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Common Bullfinch, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting
Other Wildlife
Site Information
History and Use
Areas of Interest
One productive walk in the north of the area can be reached from Snodland. Head north on the A228 to Snodland and turn left, then immediately right going over the A228, left over the bridge into the car-park. Walk under the railway and follow the footpath, first past a lake heavily used by windsurfers and then on to Abbey Mead, one of the best lakes in the complex with reedbeds, marshland and dense scrub around its edges.
This area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Continuing on this path leads to the river and eventually back to the car-park
Just across the river from here is Burham Marsh Local Nature Reserve where there are more reedbeds and hawthorn scrub where Barn Owl can often be seen hunting in late afternoon.
Access and Facilities
To explore the New Hythe area take the M20 and turn off onto the A228 from where there are several points of access.
Other Sites Nearby
Further south are the New Hythe and Leybourne lakes which can be reached by parking in Leybourne Way or the New Hythe Lane Business Park.
There is also a lake close to the Tesco Superstore which is worth viewing and Castle Lake on the opposite side of the M20.
Contact Details
External Links
Content and images originally posted by Steve | <urn:uuid:961297a0-69d7-4efb-9c5e-6ef786c3b25a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.birdforum.net/opus/New_Hythe_area | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915475 | 1,371 | 2.578125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
It was really enjoyable to hitch a ride to the edge of the solar system through the Curiosity Corner link in Odyssey 22. It reminds us (as if we needed reminding) of the good science results coming in from probes around the planets and their satellites, and especially these days from the Curiosity rover on Mars. However, I suspect that, if we’re absolutely honest with ourselves, it’s the photographs that many of us really look forward to seeing, because they show us what it would be like to stand on the surface of another planet. Not an artist’s impression, or a science fiction writer’s description, or a computer simulation, no matter how good those might be, but the real thing.
Perhaps some of the Society’s younger Members may one day stand on Mars; but to all of us, whether we’ll ever be there in person or not, the inspirational value of such photography is enormous. I remember a similar reaction on first seeing the Viking images from the surface of Mars in 1976. Someone commented at the time that it looked like “just another desert,” adding that you could see that sort of thing all over the place on Earth. No, it wasn’t “just” another desert – it was a desert on another world, and that was amazing.
The fleeting Venera images from the surface of Venus in 1975, and the Huygens photos on Titan from 2005, can inspire in just the same fashion. Sadly, the NEAR Shoemaker probe wasn’t equipped to take a surface photo of Eros when it landed there in 2001 (though that, of course, was never what it was designed to do). Many Apollo images from the surface of the Moon, particularly at the more interesting locations on the later missions, are spectacular; but people of my generation will never forget the first views of the lunar surface from Luna 9, and soon afterwards Surveyor 1, in 1966.
Which leads us to the question of what further impressive surface images we might look forward to seeing in years to come. Just imagine views of the 10-mile high ice cliffs on Miranda, the geysers on Enceladus, or the mile-high escarpments on Mercury, and who knows what the sub-surface ocean on Europa may have to show us.
It’s always been a shame that the Cydonia region of Mars became so associated with theories about the artificial nature of the supposed “Face on Mars,” which was conclusively shown by photos from Mars Global Surveyor – and subsequent probes – to be nothing more than a natural mesa. Putting aside all those ideas about a long-lost Martian civilisation, the whole region could provide some really dramatic images of the planet’s surface. And then there are those strange mound-like features which might just form a geometrical pattern, as Horace Crater explained so intriguingly in his paper on the subject in the January 2007 issue of JBIS, following the BIS Archaeology for Space symposium in 2006.
Mark Carlotto’s paper in the same issue actually uses a statistical approach to satellite imagery to identify the potential for certain features on the Moon and Mars to be artificial. He concluded that there are enigmatic features as close as the Moon that are more likely to be artificial than the infamous “Face.”(Go on, admit it, did you let a brief glimpse of a monolith flash across your mind at that point?) Wouldn’t you like to see what these features look like close-up, even if they turn out to be entirely natural? I would.
Now, it’s not for me, a Brit, to suggest how taxpayers in other countries might wish to spend their taxes; but there are undoubtedly some intriguing places in the Solar System which can provide spectacular surface images of other worlds. The inspirational value of such photography will continue to be immense and you never know what they might find…
Richard Hayes, FBIS
Odyssey Guest Columnist
Dr Sheila Kanani’s talk on Planetary Moons takes place at the BIS on the 18 February 2013.
A full archive of all Odyssey back issues can be found in the Members section of this website. However, if you would like to receive any back issues directly please contact the Editor at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:1c17ec25-2b9c-4a38-a247-755dc9a5dc81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bis-space.com/2013/01/10/8464/hitching-a-ride-around-the-solar-system-2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949047 | 905 | 2.703125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
BLUElink> provides timely forecasts of the oceans around Australia.
BLUElink: A triumph of scientific collaboration
Users of the vast ocean areas around Australia will be able to obtain broad-scale information on ocean currents, temperature and salinity for the first time following today’s launch of BLUElink – a new ocean forecast system.
BLUElink provides a seven-day forecast of sea temperature, salinity and currents reflecting the complex movement of Australia’s offshore and coastal waters.
Bluelink has been developed by CSIRO through its Wealth from Oceans Flagship, the Bureau of Meteorology and the Royal Australian Navy.
The inner working of the ocean has long been a part of the weather and climate puzzle for scientists. Understanding the ocean is also vital for ensuring safety at sea, disaster mitigation, marine and offshore operations, marine environmental management, the fishing industry and for defence operations.
Appreciating the behaviour and circulation of Australia’s oceans and seas has previously been restricted by the availability of ocean measurements, inadequate scientific understanding and modelling capabilities, and the ability to process large amounts of data.
This has all changed with today’s launch of BLUElink.
“In the same way that weather prediction relies on access to accurate observations of the atmosphere, BLUElink depends on access to a range of oceanic observations (surface winds, temperature, sea level, ocean currents, and sub-surface temperature and salinity). ”
CSIRO – through the Wealth from Oceans Flagship – and the Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre have collaborated to provide the scientific intelligence for the BLUElink project. Together, the two agencies also operate the High-Performance Computing and Communications Centre that provides the essential computational power needed to run the ocean forecasting system. The Royal Australian Navy has provided an important national security perspective and is a significant end user of the ocean forecast products generated by BLUElink.
The ability to forecast ocean conditions has been greatly improved by the long-term investment in ocean monitoring technology and by Australia’s participation in satellite science missions and the deployment of specialist monitoring instruments.
Thanks to technology, the understanding and measuring of the influences on ocean behaviour are making rapid progress. This has been brought about by:
Access to immensely powerful computer networks able to synthesise and process vast volumes of data describing physical ocean conditions.
Ocean observing satellites tracking sea level, sea surface temperature, and wind.
Technological advances in the development of free-drifting robotic Argo ocean profilers, observing the upper two kilometres of the ocean in the same way as weather balloons observe atmospheric conditions.
In the same way that weather prediction relies on access to accurate observations of the atmosphere, BLUElink depends on access to a range of oceanic observations (surface winds, temperature, sea level, ocean currents, and sub-surface temperature and salinity). To be useful to the forecasting system the data must be obtained and processed in close to real time to ensure best performance of the model.
BLUElink provides the core of an extended oceanographic service for Australia, in which the ocean model, data assimilation and prediction system maintain up-to-date analyses and predictions of the state of the ocean. Daily high-resolution analyses and twice-weekly forecasts are generated incorporating the latest changes in the weather and ocean, particularly in extreme conditions such as tropical cyclones.
Read more media releases in our Media. | <urn:uuid:a55bc8be-4ce6-4b13-84d5-33e77b7998a6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.csiro.au/en/Organisation-Structure/Flagships/Wealth-from-Oceans-Flagship/BLUElinkOceanMedRel.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902068 | 699 | 2.71875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
You're on the lookout for info that is clear and simple to understand when talking of techniques for the best way to improve your memory. You would like to make sure that the language is not above your head. This article is going to be precisely the resource you want for this information.
One tip to help maintain your memory is to make sure you get lots of rest. Sleep deprivation makes you absent minded and unable to comprehend things as well which may hurt your ability to create new memories. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
Read to improve your memory! When you read, use your finger to track the words of what you are reading. This increases the quantity of brain cells you are using, leading to a sharper mind and a better memory. Aim to read at least 30 minutes each day to get as many benefits as feasible from this activity!
A useful system when tasked with the memory of new information is to restructure and reorganize the information. The simplest way to do this is to take the info and create a outline outline in a notebook or on your personal computer. This works for two reasons. It is easier to remember something that you have worked with, and the process also naturally reorders the info in a way that is easier for you to remember.
If you're a student studying for a test, it is very important not to over study. Of course it is natural to need to remember information on the test, but by studying too much you are actually overworking your grey matter cells, which could lead you to not remember anything.
Sleep is crucial to maintaining mental clarity and memory. By steering clear of sleep, you make your senses and mind foggier, injuring your ability to focus and piece together info. In addition, while asleep, your cortex forges pathways that lead to memory. Getting deep sleep (and a good amount of it) will enhance your memory.
Keep your social life active. It has been proved that those with an active social life have a better memory. Talk with your friends and family, either in the flesh or over the phone, because it will stimulate your grey matter. Having an active social life will slow your memory from fading.
Increase the dark leafy greens in your diet like spinach to help raise your memory power. They contain crucial B vitamins and folic acid, which have a huge job in looking after the neurons in your cerebral cortex. They also help in keeping oxygen flowing thru your body, which is integral to healthy brain activity.
Another helpful way to help you remember info such as people’s names, is to utilise images that may jog your memory when need be. Using photographs to beef up facts is a simple method to categorize the data, but will help you relate the critical details in the short and the long term.
Try and learn by heart things in sets of 7. According to a study, the human capacity for Short Term Memory, or (STM) is 7, add or minus 2. That's why humans learn by heart things best in groups of 7. This is also why, for instance, your phone number is seven digits.
Keeping your brain active is critical for maintaining a good memory, but what you eat is just as important as well. Brain healthy food include whole grains, fruit and vegetables. Decrease your intake of alcohol and boost your daily consumption of water. Low-fat proteins also help with memory, so try to incorporate fish, chicken and other lean meat into your diet as well.
Socializing with regularity can considerably reduce the chances of loss of memory. By having an active social life you can ward off stress and depression, which can both lead straight to memory disfunction. Keep active in your community. Share dinners with family. And take up invitations to go to with family and friends, especially if you are living by yourself.
In conclusion, you want to steer clear of the hard to understand technical jargon and just get the plain facts in regards to how to boost your memory function. This article provided many different simple to digest tips and with luck you'll be in a position to apply them.
As well as hebs which can help improve memory, there are more options like vitamins to raise brain power. Though it is critical to also exercise the brain with regular games and systems, since it is these that help to improve the workings of the brain. | <urn:uuid:5a5bf56f-4cbd-47eb-bd41-cb2fd8a0d93c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eliminatepanicattack.com/panic-attack-related-articles/herbal-cures-that-may-assist-in-increasing-your-memory | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959216 | 892 | 3.078125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
New Zealand Earthquake
23 November 2004
A large earthquake occurred this morning off the west coast of the South Island, New Zealand.
The earthquake of magnitude 7.3 occurred at 9.26 am New Zealand time (7.26 am EST).
The event occurred 250 km west of Invercargill, New Zealand, at a depth of 33 km.
"The event would have been felt across the South Island," said Geoscience Australia's duty seismologist Dr Trevor Allen. "However there is unlikely to be any damage as the epicentre was located offshore," Dr Allen said.
"On average this region of New Zealand experiences an earthquake of this magnitude every 25 years. The last large earthquake was of magnitude 7.1 and occurred in August 2003," Dr Allen said.
Topic contact: [email protected] Last updated: May 31, 2012 | <urn:uuid:7f11ca2d-c407-442b-8a3f-ff78870f28cd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ga.gov.au/about-us/news-media/media/media-archive/media-2004/new-zealand-earthquake.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976085 | 179 | 2.875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The total farm gate value for vegetables grown in New York's six northernmost counties (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence) exceeds $11 million annually. To help fresh-market vegetable growers, the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) funded research and educational outreach on improving soil fertility.
"Consumer interest in local foods is driving a dramatic increase in fresh-market vegetable production and sales in northern New York," says Amy Ivy, a horticulture educator and executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension for Clinton County.
"We have seen large increases in vegetable acres--up 38 percent--and vegetable farms--up 60 percent since 2002," says NNYADP Vegetable Fertility project leader Dr. Stephen Reiners of the Cornell University Department of Horticultural Sciences.
"'Hungry' crops are a common sight in northern New York vegetable fields, and growers' commonly used solutions are costly and often insufficient to meet crop needs. Our short growing season makes it especially important for growers to keep crops growing at full capacity all season long to get the maximum yield possible in just a few months," Ivy says.
With NNYADP funding, Reiners and Ivy developed educational outreach to help growers increase their potential for season-long productivity, and to respond to new and smaller-scale growers who want and need training on how to best manage production challenges due to the northern New York region's colder climate and short growing season.
"Many growers in the northern New York region were suffering the effect of midseason nutrient deficiencies when crop needs are greatest. Plants experiencing deficiencies of the macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium will have lower yields, and that negatively impacts farm income," Reiners says.
Reiners says pH issues and uneven applications of soil amendments to try to combat the deficiencies were frustrating growers further.
Working with Cornell Cooperative Extension educators across the northern New York region, Reiners and Ivy encouraged growers to submit soil samples for nutrient analysis in the fall of 2011. At daylong workshops in Watertown and Plattsburgh in 2012, they presented the results of five soil tests reflecting a range of soil nutrient levels and led growers in discussions on how to solve the particular issues each test revealed.
Of the 40 northern New York vegetable growers who participated in the first phase of this project, nearly half (18) indicated they would begin testing their soil on a regular basis. Eighteen growers indicated they would begin using cover crops to improve soil fertility; 20 growers said the training convinced them that investing in irrigation would be worth the cost.
More information on vegetable production in northern New York can be found under Horticulture on the NNYADP website at www.nnyagdev.org
and is also available from local Cornell Cooperative Extension offices. | <urn:uuid:8e94b470-66cb-4163-8e37-bfe2ad0f58c6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.growingmagazine.com/blog-4571.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943679 | 568 | 2.609375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
National Sleep Awareness Week Spotlights The Dangers Of Insufficient Shut-Eye
How'd you sleep last night?
If you're among the third of Americans who don't get enough shut-eye, then there's no better opportunity to make sleep a priority than National Sleep Awareness Week, taking place this year from March 7 to 13.
This annual education and awareness campaign, spearheaded by the National Sleep Foundation, aims to help the public, healthcare providers and policymakers better understand the benefits of good sleep habits and the importance of identifying the signs of a sleep disorder.
Sleep deprivation has become a badge of honor for many people, but research shows that adequate sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping the recommended seven to nine hours nightly can benefit your heart, weight and mind -- not to mention your appearance.
The end of National Sleep Awareness Week appropriately coincides with the beginning of Daylight Saving Time -- the "springing forward" that causes Americans to lose an hour of sleep. It is on this day, perhaps more than any other, that the effects of insufficient sleep are felt and lamented. It's important to realize, however, that sleep deprivation may be negatively affecting you all year long.
Take the time to educate yourself about your own sleep needs this week -- and don't forget to get some rest! | <urn:uuid:ce6103bb-a2c7-430c-9e6b-a02084fdfafd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/07/national-sleep-awareness-week_n_831431.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950645 | 263 | 2.90625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
From where did the heavens and earth come? How did the sun, moon and stars, as well as the many things on earth, come to be? The Bible gives the true answer when it says that they were created by God. So our book begins with Bible stories about creation.
The first creations of God, we learn, were spirit persons somewhat like himself. They were angels. But the earth was created for people like us. So God made the man and woman named Adam and Eve and put them in a beautiful garden. But they disobeyed God and lost the right to keep living.
In all, from Adam’s creation until the great Flood, there were 1,656 years. During this time many bad persons lived. In heaven, there were the unseen spirit persons, Satan and his bad angels. On earth, there were Cain and many other bad persons, including some unusually powerful men. But there were also good people on earth—Abel, Enoch and Noah. In Part ONE we will read about all these people and events. | <urn:uuid:3bedba91-00a5-47a9-a689-cf68dab22b91> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/bible-stories/part-1-creation-to-the-flood/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.993012 | 214 | 3.296875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
|Great candle making instructions, information, and projects!||Techniques for candle wax, candle wicks, & candle molds!||Learn how to choose the best candle wax, natural wax, & candle gels!||Find wholesale candle making supplies!|
It is always an interesting subject, discussing the sources of paraffin wax and the components involved.
Wax in today's society is a generic term. Wax can cover a broad spectrum of products that include petroleum, animal, vegetable and synthetic based materials. The primary wax used in candles today is refined from petroleum. However, other types of waxes have become extremely popular in the last number of years. These include vegetable or plant based waxes such as soy, palm or bayberry as well as waxes from insects such as beeswax.
This series will focus on various wax types and their applications. With this information, you, the candle maker, will become more knowledgeable about waxes and better equipped to differentiate between them when choosing which wax to purchase.
Basically, paraffin wax is a petroleum product that has gone through a refining process. The end result is a product that is solid at room temperature. Within the refining process, waxes can be classified as fully refined wax, semi-refined wax, scale wax and slack wax.
Most candle makers generally work with fully refined and/or semi-refined wax, which is available in melting points ranging from 121° F to approximately 160° F. Waxes such as slack and scale can be used to make candles, but their applications are generally limited to filling containers or jars because the melting points on these waxes are generally below the 121° F level. Also, slack and scale waxes have a tendency to have an "oily" smell.
For the balance of this article we will focus on making candles with fully refined paraffin waxes.
As a candle maker there are further choices that must be made such as which melting point to use and choosing between a straight (non-blended) paraffin or a blended paraffin in your formulation. Previously, we did a feature on blended vs. straight paraffin.
A straight paraffin is a wax not altered by adding additives such as vybar(r), stearic, or microcrystalline waxes. Examples include our Container Fill (CF), 3032, 3134 and 3035. A straight paraffin is for the candle maker willing to experiment and develop a unique formula that may achieve a specific finish on the candle. The candle maker creates this formula by combining additives, as mentioned, with the straight paraffin. Best uses for straight paraffin are as follows: 121° F-131° F can be used to fill jars, containers and tins, 128° F-141° F are best for making votives, 133°-146° F are best for making pillars, novelties and figurines and 141° F-146° F are best for making tapers.
A blend is a wax that already has the additives in the formula, allowing the candle maker to save time because all that needs to be added is color dye and fragrance. Blended waxes also assist the candle maker because they are uniform from batch to batch, allowing for ease of use. One drawback with blends however, is the fact that it is more difficult to achieve different looks in the candle, because most blends are developed for specific applications such as jars, votive, pillars and tapers.
The properties of waxes can be very specific and in some applications knowing these properties becomes important, especially when using automated equipment. However, for most candle makers the important facts to know about the wax can be limited to the melting point of the wax, the oil content of the wax and in some applications the needle penetration of the wax (hardness of the wax).
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and maintained by MoJo | <urn:uuid:4f22a200-2c97-413d-aa1f-c7077130cb56> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.letsmakecandles.com/Proj_Easter_Egg_202.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934417 | 874 | 2.78125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Postpartum depression is a fairly well-known condition that women suffer after giving birth to a child. While depression once had a stigma attached to it, mothers have spoken out about their own experiences and brought an element of normalcy to the condition that affects nearly 10–15 percent of new mothers.
Now, a small portion of postpartum mommies are also experiencing post–traumatic–stress disorder (PTSD). The PTSD label is commonly used when referring to vets returning from war zones or people recovering from violet occurrences. To see what some contributing factors to PTSD are and what the government is doing about it, read more.
Some believe that traumatic deliveries, premature births, life-threatening issues to the baby, or even past sexual abuse can lead to a woman developing PTSD. Women who seem happy after giving birth may be surprised to develop PTSD months afterwards.
Therapy, medication, talking, and relaxation can all serve as relievers to someone suffering from PTSD. Leaders in the House of Representatives are trying to pass legislation that would offer screening for postpartum mood disorders for new mothers. The proposed law is called the Melanie Blocker Stokes Mothers Act and will be reintroduced in the Fall. The act has its opponents, as some fear such screening would invade a mother's privacy and possibly lead to her being drugged for otherwise treatable issues.
Would you approve of mood-disorder screening for new mums? | <urn:uuid:df9b55e2-2c95-4757-b8b0-d862fb9e5834> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lilsugar.com/Mood-Disorders-New-Mothers-1846166 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96474 | 291 | 2.96875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Click any word in a definition or example to find the entry for that word
She didn't even thank me.
I just wanted to thank you for the flowers – they're beautiful.
I thanked him for his help and left.
I'd like to thank everybody for coming along today.
This is the British English definition of thank. View American English definition of thank.
the part of the nucleus of an atom that has a positive electrical charge | <urn:uuid:b79893f6-3971-4e00-b87b-1dbc07613e39> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/thank | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934013 | 92 | 2.828125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Bad Breath (Halitosis)
Bad breath (halitosis) is a common problem and affects most people to some degree at some point in their life, though for some people it can cause them problems.
Unfortunately, the person with bad breath is unaware of their problem and it is the people around them that notice it.
Most bad breath originates in the mouth. It can often be caused by odorous food that is eaten (e.g. garlic).
Ongoing bad breathe is often caused by growth of certain bacteria in the oral cavity, between teeth and in pits on the back of the tongue. These bacteria break down food particles, malodorous sulphur gases are formed and these cause bad breath in the exhaled air.
If you have a continuous problem with bad breath, you should get it checked with your dentist to ensure you do not have an infection.
There are many breath fresheners available to freshen breath. Many of these work by masking the smell and have a pleasant smell themselves.
Other breath fresheners, such as CB12 neutralise and prevent the origin of gases in the mouth. | <urn:uuid:31a7ca09-25ab-42f0-8a18-51c0be77d8ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mccabespharmacy.com/bad-breath-halitosis/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967758 | 234 | 3.3125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Apollo 13’s Battery Charge Miracle
Jerry Woodfill, Former Apollo 13 Warning System Engineer
Only two of the Bible’s sixty-six books feature women as the main character: Ruth and Esther. Ruth’s story is only four pages in most Bibles, Esther’s only nine. Remarkably, Esther’s book never mentions God. Yet, no sequence of circumstances is more obviously the hand of God’s providence than Esther’s experience. Likewise, few Apollo 13 accounts acknowledge God or prayer contributing to the rescue. Nevertheless, a succession of “fortuitous” happenings is inexplicable. To understand the rescue, God must be included in the outcome. Indeed, God’s providential care for Esther and her Jewish brethren is a template for Apollo 13’s rescue. Though twenty-five centuries apart, correlation of Apollo 13 and Esther’s story makes this point.
God promised Esther the same kind of oversight given Apollo 13 three centuries earlier. He made the Prophet Isaiah His spokesman, “Before you call, I will answer, and while you are yet speaking I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24). It became an everlasting two part pledge to the faithful: the first part has Him ordering our ways and directing our paths as an overseer. That’s His definition of Providence. But the second part is every bit as important. It is answered prayer for those “who are yet speaking.” Esther and Apollo 13 are products of this spiritual duality, Providence and Prayer.
To begin, let’s compare Esther and Apollo 13 as historic accounts. Admittedly, they are unlikely ecclesiastical “bedfellows.” Nevertheless, their examination confirms that principle cited by the Apostle Paul, that both Scripture and Jesus, the Lord, are “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
A brief paraphrase of Esther has four principle characters: Esther, her Uncle Mordecai, King Xerxes. and the Villain Haman, Incidentally, Esther’s name in its native tongue means, star, just as Apollo 13 journeyed among the stars. Neither Ester nor Apollo 13 appeared exceptional among their kind. Esther, though a beautiful Jewish maiden, hoped to be picked as the King’s Queen. Likewise, Apollo 13 was not especially notable among ten potential moon landing missions.
Yet, both Esther and Apollo 13 were uniquely selected, singled out for God’s plans and purposes, in Esther’s case for the salvation of the Jewish people, for Apollo 13 as a demonstration of his providence and answered prayer. Each fulfilled the words of Isaiah, providentially and prayerfully.
Both began with adversity. The King’s Queen refused his request and is banished from her throne and executed. This led to a Persian queen beauty contest, akin to American Idol competition. Likewise, Apollo 13 began with the adverse explosion of its life sustaining power and oxygen system. The contest which ensued was one of survival, not unlike Esther’s contest for the lives of the Jewish people. Whether it be three astronauts or three million Hebrew men, women, and children, God fulfills his promises. But first, read the paraphrase below from the Book of Esther to examine the correlation of events:
Chapter 1 - The account begins with a lavish banquet thrown by King Xerxes of Persia, a potentate of great wealth and power. Because Queen Vashti refuses to attend, the king has her executed.
Chapter 2 - The king launches a search of the realm for a new queen. A particularly fair Jewish maiden named Esther, whose devout uncle is Mordecai, is brought by the king's officers to the palace. There, she participates in an extended beauty pageant to replace the former queen. Xerxes chooses Esther as his queen. Per her uncle’s command, she does not disclose her Jewish lineage. Then, Mordecai hears of a plot to assassinate the king. As a result of Mordecai warning the king, the conspirators are killed, and Mordecai’s heroic deed is recorded in the king's chronicles.
Chapter 3 - After the king appoints the self-serving Haman as his viceroy, all citizens are ordered to bow before the pompous opportunist. However, Mordecai refuses. Such incites Haman’s wrath not only on Mordecai but also Mordecai’s people, the Jews. Through the casting of lots, Haman decides that the 13th day of the month of Adar shall be the appropriate time to exterminate Mordecai and his people. Citing the disloyal act of Mordecai’s failure to bow, Haman receives the king's permission to murder all Jews. In the realm. He edicts that this be done in all 127 provinces of Xerxes’s kingdom..
Chapter 4 – Predictably, earnest mourning prevails among the Jewish people. Mordecai sees in Esther one who might intercede in behalf of her people. Despite knowing that the former Queen met her death by disobeying the King, Esther risks her life by agreeing to go before the king without being summoned.
Chapter 5 – Only after fasting three days, does Esther approach the king. As a result God favors her such that the king is not angered by her forthrightness. In fact, she is able to invite both King Xerxes and Haman to a feast. This is to be a subtle trap planned to snare the wicked Haman. At the banquet, Esther invites the king and his viceroy Haman to yet another banquet. It is to be held the following day. In the interim, Haman is building the gallows on which he plans to hang Mordecai.
Chapter 6 – But that very night the king has insomnia. He can not sleep. As a result, he asks that his book of chronicles be read to him. During the reading, the king is reminded how Mordecai had saved him from assassination. “But I have never rewarded Mordecai for this heroic act,” thinks the king. Haman has been in the outer courtyard of the palace planning to ask the king's permission to hang Mordecai. However, when he is brought before the king, the kings first asks, “Haman, what should be done for a man whom the king wants to honor?” Of course, the pompous Haman, thinks it is he the king wishes to honor. For that reason, Haman suggests a lavish award which includes having the honoree dressed in royal garments and paraded around the city on the finest of the king's steeds. Then, to Haman’s surprised dismay, King Xerxes commands the heinous plotter, Haman, honor Mordecai with the celebration Haman had suggested for himself.
Chapter 7 – Next comes the second banquet at which Esther tells the king of Haman’s plot to destroy her people. King Xerxes is so angered that he orders Haman hanged on the very gallows which he had built to execute Esther’s uncle Mordecai.
Chapter 8 – Mordecai is made the new viceroy, replacing Haman. Additionally, Esther entreats the king to cancel Haman's decree to kill the Jews. The king not only grants Esther’s wish but gives permission for the Jews to defend themselves and annihilate their enemies on the same day Haman called for their destruction. Great rejoicing sounds throughout the city by and for its Jewish people.
Chapter 9 - It is on the 13th day of Adar when the Jewish people not only defeat their adversaries but also hang the ten sons of Haman. Then, the Jewish brethren of the city are given yet another day to destroy their enemies. It is Esther’s Uncle Mordecai who records these historic events which establish the festival of Purim.
Chapter 10 – Mordecai is honored by his Jewish people.
How the events in the book of Esther relate to Apollo 13’s rescue are a parable of joyful victory over adversity. Such was the characterization of the month of Adar by the Jews as a result of the rescue from Haman’s gallows. Adar became, on God’s calendar, the time to set aside grief and mourning for happiness and joy…so it was for Jim Lovell and crew, though their joy came a month later as recorded on man’s Gregorian calendar.. Obviously, the number 13 relates to Apollo 13 when the circumstantial technical adversaries began to be defeated on April 13th of the year 1970.
These verses relate to the rescue of both the Jewish people and Apollo 13…
In…the month of Adar, on its thirteenth day ... on the day that the enemies of the Jews were expected to prevail over them, it was turned about: the Jews prevailed over their adversaries. - Esther 9:1
The Jewish month of Adar is characterized by joy because it is the month of transforming dread into joy. Adar was the month that Haman selected for grief and mourning, specifically on the 13th day, but for the past 2,400 years it has, instead, been a time of Jewish rejoicing and celebration. In 1991, when Saddam Hussein tried to rain missiles down on Israel, he was defeated on Purim day, the thirteenth day. Adar contains the power to succeed against an opposing force, both on a national level and on an individual level. Likewise, it not only was Apollo 13’s day of potential doom but the day of the onset of the rescue. With regard to the threat of the depleted batteries, it directly relates to Purim.
Apollo 13’s Haman gallows are analogous to the depleted command module’s batteries, over-used to keep the ship alive until the guidance platform numbers could be transferred from the mother ship’s computers to the lander’s. Those gallows were erected around ten p.m. Houston time on Apollo 13’s thirteen day of the month.
But, like the God sent King’s insomnia, the lander’s power manager is awakened from slumber by the voice of Mission Control via a phone call. Told of the peril, the power manager recalls, like the King, an obscure document prepared long ago as a means of charging those batteries.
As with King Xerxes, the manager’s recollection promises to save Lovell and crew just as remembrance of Mordecai’s good deed might be the Jewish people’s salvation. Likely, both divine interventions came at like-periods in the night, at the onset of sleep, both on the 13th day of the month, the Apollo 13 Purim. For Apollo 13, the recollection was the detailed recording of the charging procedure. The written text was never found in the power manager’s files. But the manager had fully transcribed the step-by-step plan from memory by midnight. Thus, as Scripture had promised for Esther and the Jews, likewise for Lovell as crew: Apollo 13 had gained potential relief on the fourteenth:
And they gained relief on the fourteen - - Esther 9:17
Yet, the fullness of the miracle required the taking down of the depleted battery “gallows.” This would be the miracle of the recharge. But how was it accomplished?
The answer requires a brief primer on rudimentary battery technology as well as Apollo’s spacecraft power systems. Perhaps, the best example for discussion is the common car battery, its function, design, and charging approach. Consider the sketch below for what is to follow:
The three tiered diagram above has the Apollo 13 lander and command ship compared to the modest sized yellow vehicle on the left and more massive purplish auto on the right, each with their respective batteries. Sandwiched between the Apollo vehicles and automobiles is a representation of the battery systems in each. The lander’s batteries held considerably more charge (electrical capacity or power) than the depleted emergency reentry batteries of command module entry capsule. For that reason, they are depicted as the HEAVY DUTY battery. In that sense the massive power source resides in the lander identified with the yellow economy car.
Because the Apollo command module’s main power source, its fuel cells, was rendered useless by the Oxygen tank 2 explosion, those modest entry batteries (three in number with total amp hour capacity of ?????) were called upon to keep the ship’s systems alive while the crew powered up the lander as a rescue vessel.
Continuing the space/auto analogy would have the Cadillac’s generator failing during a night crossing of a desert highway. With the yellow Volks-wagon in tow, soon electricity drained by the lights would deplete the Cadillac battery. The road would no longer be illuminated. However, the towed vehicle has a working generator and fully charged battery. Before the Cadillac’s lights fully deplete its battery, a work-around is enacted, The cars are interchanged such that the Volkswagon tows the Cadillac. The Cadillac’s engine and electrical power system are inactive during the tow.
Obviously, the night journey can continue as long as the Volkswagon’s generator is turning, charging its battery. All depends on having adequate gasoline available to the vehicle’s engine. Once daylight comes, and the desert is crossed, the pair of vehicles can move onto the highway shoulder. There, a jumper charge from the Volkswagon replenished power into the depleted Cadillac battery. With the Caddy’s battery charged, the large sedan makes the final leg into a nearby town. Since no lights are needed in daylight, the charged battery need only start the Cadillac engine. This would be akin to reentry of Apollo 13’s capsule under entry battery power.
It is the charging procedure which has made the final leg of the Cadillac’s trip possible. While such a process would seem rudimentary, the nature of the physics involved is instructive. The figures below help explain the battery charge. By comparing the flow of electricity to water current, understanding is enhanced.
The above Figure 2. likens the flow of water to electric current. The measure of current is in amps. or coulombs per second moving within the circuit wire. (A coulomb is the measure of current moved by one volt of electromagnetic force through a resistance of one ohm.) To move water some kind of pump is needed to pressurize the pipe.
The extent or magnitude of the pressure force which moves the electrical current is measured in volts. Just as water will only flow from higher pressure to lower pressure through a pipe, electric current will only flow through a wire from a higher voltage device or battery to one of lower voltage.
As the Apollo emergency batteries were depleted, the electrical pressure or voltage they possessed dropped as well. This meant that placing a higher voltage device, i.e., a fully charged battery in parallel with their positive and negative terminals would recharge them.
Figure 3. below continues the water to electricity analogy, showing that a switch or, in the case of the Apollo 13 charging, a circuit breaker, does the same job as a valve enabling and disabling current flow.
For Apollo 13’s charging of the command module’s batteries, the pump was the lander’s batteries, the load or resistance was the entry battery system. Continuing the comparison in the sketch below demonstrates the importance of attaching like polarity terminals of the lander and entry capsule’s batteries. Such a connection is deemed a “parallel” hookup for charging. Alternatively, connecting unlike terminals, i.e., plus to minus, and minus to plus, known as a “series” hook-up, will not charge the weaker battery but simply add it pressure or voltage to the pump’s circuit. Such a series connection increases the overall voltage or pressure whether fluid or electrical.
This leads to examining the makeup of the lander’s battery system. As with the command ship, more than one battery comprised the power systems for both the ascent stage and the descent stage. Of course, the descent stage needed far more electrical capacity than the ascent by virtue of the systems powered and duration of use. For that reason the lander’s ascent stage had but two batteries, each providing 296 amp-hours capacity, while the descent stage had four batteries, each providing 400 amp-hours capacity for operating the lander’s electrical systems during descent and lunar operations until ascent stage liftoff when the ascent batteries were employed.
The concept of amp hours is a good one for describing the rescue scenario. With regard to the water analogy, it is likened to how long a pump is able to supply a given water flow for filling a reservoir with an adequate pressure (voltage) to keep the water (amps or current) flowing. Of course, even though current may continue to flow, it may become a trickle unable to push a paddle wheel or power an electrical device requiring a minimum voltage for operation. For Apollo 13’s command module, the range of operating voltage designed into electrical devices was approximately 26.5 to 32 voltage DC. Below 26.5 volts, an alarm would trigger warning the crew that corrective action must be taken. The lander had similar specifications.
Providentially, the Apollo Operations Handbook has the lander’s batteries at a nominal voltage of 30.0, a full two volts above the operating voltages for Apollo entry capsule electrical systems. It seemed from the beginning, God had foreseen making those LM batteries ideal for charging those in the entry vehicle. There would be a natural plus two volts pressure available to flow an electrical charge through “jumpers” between the two vehicles.
However, the extent of God’s “keeping and care” is seen by the post flight comment: The Lunar Module batteries performed above the specified requirements when emergency power was needed during Apollo 13 after the loss of command and service module fuel cell power. However, post-flight analysis revealed that an unexplained current spike occurred during trans-earth coast. The charging by the batteries created a short circuit, igniting the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen normally produced by a silver-zinc battery. The discharged mixture was ignited, thus causing the “thump and snowflakes” experienced by the crew. This mode could not be reproduced and the battery continued to operate satisfactorily throughout the mission. A number of significant design changes were made to preclude the possibility of any future explosions. The spike was associated with the occurrence of “thump and snowflakes” reported by the crew. The postulated cause was venting of potassium hydroxide by one of the descent batteries.
(The previous comments were reported in the Apollo Experience Report subsequent to the last Apollo mission. Incidentally, this author wrote the lunar lander caution and warning section of that Apollo Experience Report which included a discussion of the battery/electrical power alarm design.)
Remarkably, the above italized commentary shows yet another instance of God’s keeping and care subsequent to Apollo 13’s Purim. Imagine an exploded battery operating nominally for the duration of the mission. The mystery event could not even be reproduced in later Earth simulated tests. This is, indeed, a case of God doing wonders “above and beyond” man’s expectations.
It is true that the power manager was singled out for a specific commendation regarding the miracle battery charge. The honor was bestowed in a later awards ceremony at the space center. Likewise, the above account is offered as a special commendation to God the Father. His Purim, the 13th of Adar, kept that scarlet thread alive, a thread which lead to the birth of His Son, in human form, centuries later.
Former Apollo 13 Warning System Engineer
(April 13, 1970 – Purim Day for Apollo 13) | <urn:uuid:445131be-a959-402c-8c36-256e2a10ae66> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.spaceacts.com/apollo_13_battery_charge.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953937 | 4,155 | 2.6875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Artists' books are books made or conceived by artists. There are fine artists who make books and book artists who produce work exclusively in that medium, as well as illustrators, typographers, writers, poets, book binders, printers and many others who work collaboratively or alone to produce artists' books. Many artists' books are self-published, or are produced by small presses or by artists' groups or collectives, usually in limited editions.
Artists' books that maintain the traditional structure of a book are often known as book art or bookworks, while those that reference the shape of a book are known as book objects. Other types of work produced by artists in book format include concrete poetry, where meaning is derived from the spatial, pictorial and typographic characteristics of the work, as well as from the sense of the words.
Contemporary artists' books are noteworthy for their many different forms and perhaps because of this they have an equally large number of precursors and influences. Artists have been associated with the written word since illuminated manuscripts were developed in the medieval period. Many have been concerned with books as an artistic enterprise, notably William Blake at the end of the 18th century and William Morris at the Kelmscott Press from the 1890s. Avant-garde artists throughout the 20th century also produced many books as part of their artistic endeavours.
It is however the livre d'artiste, also known as the livre de peintre, that is generally considered to be a key precursor to the contemporary artists' book. Originating in France around the turn of the 20th century, the livre d'artisteis a form of illustrated book. They are distinguished by the fact that the pages have been printed directly from a source created by the artist themselves rather than from a source that has been created by a technician from the artist's design. An early exponent of the livre d'artiste was the dealer Ambroise Vollard who commissioned Pierre Bonnard to illustrate with lithographs a collection of poems by Paul Verlaine, Parallèlement, published in Paris in 1900 (NAL pressmark: Safe 1.A.1). The works produced were essentially deluxe, limited editions, produced on high quality paper using specialised printmakers. They were generally left unbound so that they could be dismantled for display and so that bespoke bindings could be commissioned if desired. Vollard produced numerous works in association with a number of artists, matching them up with texts to illustrate. Various other publishers followed suit, collaborating with artists of their own association. The National Art Library holds a number of livres d'artisteswhich are described in the exhibition catalogue: From Manet to Hockney: modern artists' illustrated books, edited by Carol Hogben and Rowan Watson, London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985 (NAL pressmark: CTR REF).
In the 1950s and 1960s Swiss-German artist Dieter Roth (1930–98) and American artist Ed Ruscha (1937–) created conceptual works which are considered the foundation of the artists' book genre. In 1962 Ruscha published the first edition of Twenty-six gasoline stations (NAL pressmark: SA.91.0042) which comprised 26 deadpan photographs of gasoline stations along Route 66 from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City. The book was not intended as a means for the reproduction of pre-existing photographs, but rather as an artwork in its own right. As the piece retains the essential characteristics of a book, such as the idea of seriality and sequence provided by the turning of pages, it is considered central to the development of the genre. Ruscha produced a series of bookworks in a similar vein. Another characteristic of this series was that they were published in unlimited editions, had a wide distribution and were inexpensive to buy, in a deliberate attempt to bring art to a wider audience.
Roth's distinctive contribution to the genre was his examination, through his bookworks, of the formal qualities of books themselves. These formal qualities, such as flat pages bound into fixed sequences, were deconstructed and investigated, this investigation becoming the subject matter of the book itself. For example 2 Bilderbücher (1957) (NAL pressmark: X920000) consists of two picture books of geometric shapes with die-cut holes cut into each page to allow glimpses of patterns from the pages beneath. Subsequent works such as Daily Mirror (1961) involved the use of found materials manipulated to a particular purpose, a technique that was much used by later book artists.
Artists' books became popular throughout the 1960s and early 1970s and the genre has continued to expand. During the 1980s and 1990s many more artists began to use the book as a medium for self-expression and they continue to do so. Techniques remain varied and range from the traditional to the experimental. Small presses and individuals have continued to promote the art of letterpress printing and the hand-crafted book. Some artists have chosen to use computer-generated images while others have used the photocopier to reproduce their work. Many artists have taken up the challenge to experiment with the content and physical structure of the traditional book form. Bookworks and book objects have continued to step outside conventional boundaries to encompass concepts associated with the fine arts. Works range from the minuscule to the gargantuan. Bookworks are not restricted to the use of paper and ink but can incorporate all kinds of materials and appended objects. While such works are usually unique or limited editions, some are produced in multiple copies.
Artists' books in the Victoria & Albert Museum
The National Art Library holds the largest collection of artists' books in the UK. The collection is international in scope and is particularly strong in examples from the British Isles and the United States. The Library also has significant holdings from other western European countries, as well as some examples from Russia, Australia, Latin America, Japan and a number of other countries. The collection includes both multiples and unique works. New acquisitions of works are made on a highly selective basis.
The Library has an extensive collection of contextual material, known as the Artists' Book Reference Collection, for research into artists' books. The Artists' Books Reference Collection can be browsed on the NAL Catalogue by choosing the NAL pressmark search from the drop-down list and searching under the pressmark AB. The second element of the pressmark indicates the year a particular work was published, e.g. AB.88.0010 indicates a work in the Artists' Books Reference Collection published in 1988. Information files, many of which contain ephemeral documentation about individual book artists and their books and presses, are also available for consultation.
Artists' books are all listed on the NAL catalogue. Known items may be found by searching under the artist's name or the title of the book. Items can also be found by selecting a Genre or Publication Format Keyword search from the dropdown list and entering the appropriate search term e.g. artists books, book objects, pop-up books, etc.
Access to Artists' Books
Access to the Library is by reader's ticket. For more information see, Registering to use the National Art Library. Due to the fragile nature of much of the material, readers are encouraged to be selective in choosing the items they wish to see. A maximum of six items may be seen in any one day without an appointment.
Group visits can also be arranged to look at artists' books in the Library's collections.
The V&A is committed to respecting the intellectual property rights of others. We have therefore made all reasonable efforts to ensure that the reproduction of content on these pages is done with the full consent of copyright owners and that all credits are correct. We apologise for any inadvertent omissions. If for some reason a credit has been omitted, or there are queries in this respect, please email [email protected] | <urn:uuid:661a7827-66f7-48e9-83c8-bd5f181563f3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/books-artists/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969249 | 1,637 | 2.984375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Biofuels are becoming increasingly important in sustainable energy and climate policy. Apart from their significant potential to replace fossil fuels, they also harbour high CO2 reduction potential. Consideration of their CO2 efficiency should not be limited to the raw materials and products – instead the entire production process needs to be taken into account.
The raw materials cultivated for the production of our biofuels grow again and have no harmful repercussions for the environment. The CO2 cycle of biofuels remains closed. And during combustion, only as much CO2 is released as was absorbed during growth.
The VERBIO bio-refinery is based on the closed loop system and the use of the whole crop. Of the raw materials used, over 90% are converted into energy in the form of bioethanol and biomethane (verbiogas). The remaining inorganic components are returned to the cycle as organic fertilizer, hence enabling a high degree of sustainable agriculture. This integrated plant means that the yield from one hectare of land is more than twice that when using current biofuel production methods.
Biofuel Sustainability Directive
For VERBIO, sustainability in biofuel production has been an absolute must since the word go. The German Biofuel Sustainability Directive has been in force in Germany since 1 January 2011.
It states that all biofuels used in Germany must comply with strict sustainability criteria. This applies to both biofuels produced in Germany and those imported. The Biofuel Sustainability Directive bans the use of conservation areas such as rainforest for the production of biofuels. In addition, each biofuel must cut CO2 emissions by at least.
35% compared to fossil fuels – a figure which is to rise to 50% by 2017.
VERBIO is already able to exceed these aims. verbiodiesel produces 62% less CO2, verbioethanol 80% and verbiogas as much as 90%. And we are continuing to work to make the production processes more efficient and to further reduce greenhouse gases throughout the value chain.
We require certified raw materials for the sustainable production of our biofuel. Back in early August 2010, VERBIO’s production sites were awarded the REDcert certificate to confirm their compliance with the Biofuel Sustainability Directive – and hence their sustainable production of biofuel. To this end, VERBIO works closely with its agricultural partners.
Märka GmbH, a subsidiary of VERBIO AG, is in direct touch with regional farmers and responsible for certification management. | <urn:uuid:9cff0faa-35aa-4d47-8ab5-b9ccfc39365a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.verbio.de/en/sustainability/sustainable-biofuels/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954673 | 521 | 2.96875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Autoimmune DiseasesThe term "autoimmune disease" refers to a varied group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that involve almost every human organ system. In all of these diseases, the underlying problem is similar--the body’s immune system becomes misdirected, attacking the very organs it was designed to protect. About 75% of autoimmune diseases occur in women, most frequently during the childbearing years. Autoimmune diseases can affect connective tissue. Autoimmunine disease can also affect the nerves, muscles, endocrine system, and gastrointestinal system.
For more information on autoimmune diseases, please click on one of the links below:
Overview of Autoimmune Diseases
Chronic Fatigue Syndome | <urn:uuid:70557f41-30a8-461f-a5e0-ccd6664fa106> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.womenshealthzone.net/autoimmune-disease/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698554957/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100234-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.892486 | 142 | 3.015625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Pint-sized gymnastics powerhouse Gabby Douglas stands out for her strength, grace and show stopping routines, particularly on the uneven bars. She also stands out because of her race. The only black gymnast on this year’s U.S. women’s team, she is one of only a few black gymnasts to ever represent the U.S. in Olympics competition (click here to see a slideshow of others). Douglas joins swimming phenom Lia Neal, who became the second black American woman to win an Olympic medal in swimming this past weekend, in flourishing in sports not traditionally known for their racial diversity.
Before the eye rolling begins, this is not a column about rampant racism in sports. But it is an attempt to understand why some sports end up predominated by one racial group versus others, and the long-term social and cultural implications of such segregation on the field, court, or gymnastics mat.
According to Professor Rob Ruck, a sports historian at the University of Pittsburgh who has written extensively about why certain sports flourish in certain communities and not others, there are three factors that dictate which “sport takes on significance within a community of people.” First, “A set of environmental and class, or socioeconomic factors. Second, when the sport provides certain tangible and material rewards, benefits and opportunities. The third is when a particular sport has acquired a deeply rooted historic meaning to people.” | <urn:uuid:5976d9ad-d98b-4fb5-95cb-7ed837f60bb3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://elev8.com/584027/why-are-some-olympic-sports-whiter-than-others/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961298 | 293 | 2.984375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
|Description: This detail of a map of Florida shows railroads and major cities and towns current to 1932 for Wakulla County. Major waterways are shown, as well as towns, railroads, islands, and marsh. Features included in this detail are Crawfordville as the county seat, the Ochlockonee River, and the Apalachee Bay.|
Place Names: Wakulla, Crawfordville, Panacea, Sopchoppy, Smith Creek, St. Marks, Arran, Ben Haden, Benhader, Wakulla , Shell Point, Ivan, Newport
ISO Topic Categories: boundaries, transportation, inlandWaters, oceans
Keywords: Wakulla County, physical, political, transportation, swamps, everglades, wetlands, physical features, county borders, railroads, boundaries, transportation, inlandWaters, oceans, Unknown,1932
Source: , (, : US Department of the Interior Geological Survey, 1932)
Map Credit: Courtesy the private collection of Roy Winkelman. | <urn:uuid:c7308a8b-7d0b-4c7e-ac80-9cc1397a5eb3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/10800/f10893/f10893.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.856092 | 209 | 2.59375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Continuing with the IELTS Academic Writing, in this section you will find the sample IELTS Academic Samples Tasks with answers (Band 9).
Graph Sample 1
The graph exhibits people using new music places on the internet in fifteen days period of time namely personal choice and trendy pop music.
The overall trend shows fluctuation with slight increased towards the end of the period.
Staring with Music Choices websites; 40,000people went on this new site on the first day. Half of them backed out the next day. In contrast to this pop parade net sites were visited by 120,000 music lovers on the day one which decreased slightly on the next day there after regaining the same fame on 3rd day.
After 3rd day the enthusiasm for both music lines on the internet dropped slowly- reaching maximum fall of 40,000 on the 7th day. Whereas Music Choice gained popularity, slightly improving to get the original strength of 30,000 viewers on the screen, but was getting still less visitors then their opponent Pop group i.e. 40,000 on day 7.
In the beginning of the next week both gained remarkable recovery after few fluctuations for 8th and 9th day having 40,000 and 50,000 visitors respectively, reaching to their peaks of one and half thousand new visitors for Pop Parade on the 11th day showing the contrast of very few people visiting music capital choice for the same day. Thereafter, Music Choice gained popularity on the 12 day for having more than 120,000 new visitors on web.
In the end of the period Pop sites were visited by maximum viewers of 180,000 where as sides located to Music Choice were nor explored by more than 80,000 explorers on he last day of the report.
Graph Sample 2
The bar chart indicates a survey on two different age groups on the factors contributing to make their environment pleasant for working.
These factors are divided in to internal and external factors. The internal factors are the team spirit, competent boss, respect from colleagues and job satisfaction. The external factors are chance for personal development, job security, promotional prospects and money.
On the internal factors above 50 % in both age groups agreed that team spirit, competent boss and job satisfaction are essential to make their environment pleasant. Whereas on the external factors, there are contrasting results. On the chance of personal development and promotional aspects, 80% to 90% of the younger groups were in favor while only less than 50% of the older group thought so. A similar pattern is also noted on job security. With regards to money, 69% to 70% on both age groups said it is essential.
In conclusion, the internal factors have similar responses from the two age groups while they had dissimilar responses on the external factors.
Graph Sample 3
The most striking feature is that there was a dramatic increase in the number of cars passed on the Long Lane from 1993 to 2001, during which the number increased from 400 cars in 1993 to 1400 cars in 2001.
However, the number was stable during the following year at 1400 cars.
The evidence reveals that the number of cars on Harper Lane rose between 1993 and 1998. One year before the introduction of the methods to slow down traffic, the number declined with slight fluctuation.
The facts show that the average number of cars passed on Great York Way increased significantly from 1993 to 1999, the same year in which methods to slow down traffic was introduced. There were 600 cars in 1993 and 911 cars in 1999. However there was a slight reduction in the number of cars during the following years.
To sum up the introduction of traffic calming had a non significant impact on the cars passing on roads Long Lane and Great York Way. In comparison there was a slight effect on the cars passing on Harper Lane.
Graph Sample 4 – (Sorry No Graph for this)
The bar char shows the predicted sales of silver goods in ‘OOOs of units for two companies; Meteor Products Ltd and Mark Jones Ltd for next year.
The most striking feature is that sales will increase for both companies. It is anticipated that sales of Mark Jones Ltd will start at 450,000 units in January decreasing by 200,000 units following month with a gradual recovery over the subsequent four months reaching 400,000 units in June. Those of Mark Jones Ltd are predicated to be stable until August picking up to 600,000 units in September and
October. Sales of Mark Jones Ltd will reach peak of 900,000 in December. For those of Meteor Products Ltd is forecasted a gradual increase with the largest sale of 600,000 units in December. In the beginning of the next year those of Meteor Products Ltd will stand at 150,000 units falling back to 100,000 units in February, rising steadily to 250,000 in June. In subsequent months sale will reach 450,000 units increasing 500,000 units in August, staying stable until November.
Regarding the pie chart the sales of Mark Jones Ltd will share 30 % of the market whereas that of Meteor Products Ltd 20% to 50 % of market is set to be shared by other companies. | <urn:uuid:41c33cac-3c3c-4796-806a-f31f871b2312> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ielts88.com/archives/87 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961858 | 1,038 | 2.5625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) is the first nationally standardized set of tests to evaluate higher level cognitive functions in both children and adults.
With nine stand-alone tests, comprehensively assess the key components of executive functions believed to be mediated primarily by the frontal lobe.
Its game-like format is engaging for examinees, encouraging optimal performance without providing “right/wrong” feedback that can create frustration in some children and adults.
- Assess the integrity of the frontal system of the brain
- Determine how deficits in abstract, creative thinking may impact daily life
- Plan coping strategies and rehabilitation programs tailored to each patient’s profile of executive-function strengths and weaknesses
D-KEFS offers two forms: Standard Record Forms include all nine D-KEFS tests, while the Alternate Record Forms include alternate versions of D-KEFS Sorting, Verbal Fluency, and 20 Questions Tests. An alternate set of Sorting Cards is also available.
Correlates with CVLT–II
D-KEFS is correlated with the CVLT®–II, providing information concerning the role of memory on D-KEFS performance.
The D-KEFS Scoring Assistant® makes generating D-KEFS score reports faster and easier.
- Record and score the nine D-KEFS subtests as a complete battery or as individual subtests
- Produce, view, and print score reports in a tabular or graphic format | <urn:uuid:d244070a-79e0-46d6-834f-512945906ff7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pearsonassessments.com/haiweb/cultures/en-us/productdetail.htm?pid=015-8091-108&Community=CA_Psych_Settings_Neuro | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.868802 | 306 | 2.828125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The Flash Coordinate System
The coordinate system used in Flash is called the Cartesian coordinate system. (This may sound vaguely familiar to you from math classes, and if so, the information here should be a simple review.) Understanding how the Cartesian coordinate system is set up and how to use it is very important for a game developer. Why, exactly? Because in your games you will be creating and moving objects around the screen, using ActionScript to tell an object which coordinates to move to. And to write ActionScript that does this, you've got to have an understanding of the coordinate system. In this section I'll (re)acquaint you with this all-important grid. We'll also discuss how the Flash coordinate system measures angles.
The Cartesian coordinate system is grid-based (made up of many equal-sized imaginary squares), with a horizontal axis called the x-axis and a vertical axis called the y-axis.
The way we look at this grid in Flash positions the negative side of the y-axis higher than the positive side.
Actually, there is no difference at all between the two coordinate systems you've just seen. What is different is how we are observing them. If you stand on your head to view an object, then only the way you are observing it has changed, not the object itself. That is what's happening here. In math class you observed the coordinate system one way; in Flash, you will observe it upside-down and backwards.
Most computer programs use the same orientation of the coordinate system as Flash does. If you have a window open on your computer, you can grab on to a corner to resize it. The contents of the window may resize, or perhaps the amount of content shown changes. But what does not change is the upper-left corner of the window. That corner is designated as the originthe point where the x-axis and y-axis cross. Then all of the contents are contained within the +x and +y quadrant. If the origin were always, say, in the center of the screen, then as you resized the window the coordinates of every element in your window (images or movie clips) would change. A top-left-origin coordinate system is a great convenience.
A Cartesian coordinate is a set of two numbers that describe the position of a point. In math, the two numbers in the coordinate are usually grouped in parentheses, like this: (4, 8). The 4 represents a distance along the x-axis, and the 8 represents a distance along the y-axis.
Movie-Clip Coordinate Systems
As you've learned in this section, the origin of Flash's coordinate system is the upper-left corner of the Flash movie. Every individual movie clip also has its own coordinate system (called a relative coordinate system). The origin for movie clips is called, in Flash terminology, a registration point. At this point in the book, it is just important to know that movie clips contain their own coordinate systems. In later chapters we will make use of these movie-clip coordinate systems.
Angles are used in two ways in Flash: They are used to rotate objects, and they are used with the trigonometric functions that will be discussed later in this chapter. But before you can use angles to do anything, you need to understand how they are measured in the Flash coordinate system.
Positive angles are measured from the x-axis, rotated in a clockwise direction, and with a fixed point at the origin.
Angles are measured in degrees and can have a value of 0° to 360°. The entire coordinate system is made up of four quadrants separated by the axes. Each quadrant covers 90°.
More on Angles
Angle measurements are repeatingthat is, you can never have an angle greater than 360°. So let's say you have an object that may have actually rotated 720°two full rotations. That is possible, of course, but its orientation is still 360°. (You determine the end orientation of an angle by subtracting 360 from the total number until it becomes less than or equal to 360.)
Negative angles are also possible. But that description doesn't mean the angle itself is negative, or inverted (that wouldn't make any sense). The negative number merely tells you that the angle was measured counterclockwise from the x-axis.
In addition to degrees, there is another common way to measure angles: in radians. One full rotation is 2p radians. With degrees, we know that one rotation is 360°, so each quarter rotation is 90°. Likewise, with radians, since a full rotation is 2p, each quarter rotation is p/2. For those who may not remember, p (pi, or Math.PI in ActionScript) is a special number in math, representing the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Rounded to two places, it is 3.14. Pi can be accessed in Flash by using Math.PI. For example, here is a way to create a variable that has the value of pi:
myPI = Math.PI;
So why do you need to know about radians? Because everything you do in Flash with angleswith one exceptionneeds to be expressed in radians.
Unlike degrees, which are arbitrary, radians form a "natural" unit measurement. The word natural here means a unit that (through the use of mathematical theory) has been found convenient and logical. That's probably why mathematicians, physicists, and programmers like radians better, and use them almost exclusively.
The only time you can use degrees directly in Flash is when you're changing the _rotation property of a movie clip. However, human nature and habit being what they are, it is very common (and perfectly all right) to work with degrees in ActionScript, and then convert from degrees to radians just before you need to use the angle. Converting degrees to radians or radians to degrees is easy. | <urn:uuid:d76f2b74-bb73-4474-9abd-fdff61209025> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.adobepress.com/articles/article.asp?p=30617&seqNum=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935053 | 1,239 | 3.5 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Tag: "unborn" at biology news
Prenatal Stress Keeps Infants, Toddlers up at Night, Study Says
...bout how their own mood-disturbance may harm their unborn
babys sleeping habits, development and emotional health may want to consider psychological treatment, OConnor said. Several evidence-based therapies exist, and unlike medication, none of them are suspect in the least for causing adverse effects to ba...
Toxoplasmosis infection trick revealed by scientists
...s. But for those with weakened immune systems, and unborn
babies, toxoplasmosis can cause very serious health problems....
A revolution in the monitoring of unborn babies
...of a mobile phone, which could save the life of an unborn
child, has been developed by scientists from The U...ets doctors read signals produced naturally by the unborn
baby’s heart. They can then intervene if necessary and potentially save their lives. The fetal m...
Parental genes do what's best for baby
... and paternal genes compete for supremacy in their unborn
offspring fails to answer some important questions relating to child development. In fact, rather than a parental power struggle, the researchers suggest that certain offspring characteristics can only be explained by their theory of genetic coope...
Solvent exposure linked to birth defects in babies of male painters
Men who paint for a living may be placing their unborn
children at increased risk of birth defects and low birth weight. A study of construction workers in the Netherlands, conducted in part by the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, links low birth weight and birth defects to paternal, airborne...
Congenital rubella syndrome nearly eradicated in the US
...mission of rubella from expectant mothers to their unborn
babies. "Effectively, congenital rubella syndrome has been nearly eradicated from the United States," according to the statement. There were fewer than 10 cases or rubella reported in the U.S. last year and in the past 5 years there have only been ...
Prenatal exposure to marine toxin causes lasting damage
...fore, imply that the toxin might negatively affect unborn
children at levels that do not cause symptoms in expectant mothers, said Levin. While the researchers note that eating seafood offers significant health benefits, they said their findings suggest that the current threshold of toxin at which affected ...
Pregnant women at higher risk for HIV, Uganda study finds
...alth problem, both for the mother and possibly her unborn
infant," said the study's lead author Ronald Gray, MD, the Robertson Professor of Reproductive Epidemiology in the Bloomberg School's Department of Population and Family Health Sciences. "We believe that it would be prudent to warn women of this pote...
OHSU research shows vitamin C counteracts some negative impacts of smoking on unborn babies
... to counteract some negative impacts of smoking in unborn
babies. The research may benefit thousands of babi... the placenta where it interacts with cells in the unborn
infant's developing lungs. While past research in the Spindel lab has helped define how nicotine ca...
PET/MRI scans may help unravel mechanisms of prenatal drug damage
...l the mechanisms of the drug's damaging effects on unborn
children," said SNM member Helene Benveniste, M.D., Ph.D., chair of Brookhaven's medical department in Upton, N.Y., and lead author of the paper, "Maternal and Fetal 11C-Cocaine Uptake and Kinetics Measured In Vivo by Combined PET and MRI in Pregnant... | <urn:uuid:c3a440bc-b0c5-4cbc-bb64-5299babb21ef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bio-medicine.org/tag-2/unborn/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944336 | 743 | 2.625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Virus Protection Message:
FROM DUSK UNTIL DAWN. That
is when mosquito's that carry the virus are most active,
so take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.
REPELLENT WITH DEET.
For adults, use repellents containing DEET at 30-35%
concentrations. For children 2 months to 12 years,
use repellents containing 10% or less DEET. Do not
use on children under the age of 2 months.
COVER. Wear protective clothing,
long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outdoors.
STANDING WATER. Drain
standing water - this is where mosquito's lay eggs.
This includes tires, cans, puddles, barrels, flower
Nile Virus is rare, but if you have symptoms including
high fever, severe headache and stiff neck, contact
your local health care provider.
Release from State of Utah
Examiner Article, August 5, 2005
Lake Tribune Article, August 5, 2005
Department of Health, West Nile Virus
EPA and Mosquito
EPA - Insect
Indoor Mold Information (California
Department of Health Services) | <urn:uuid:182e57e9-b069-47c6-9da4-2adad861ffd0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.co.weber.ut.us/health/fact_sheets.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.763222 | 246 | 3.046875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
As if you needed another reason to dislike stink bugs: they are ruining Virginia’s apples.
The odorous insects caused $37 million in damage to the 11 varieties grown in the Old Dominion, according to the state Office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.
That’s why the state, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is allowing farmers to spray up to 29,000 acres of crops with certain insecticides until Oct. 15.
Use of the pesticides, which go under the fierce sounding names of Venom Insecticide and Scorpion 35SL, will be largely limited to the central and western parts of Virginia, where most apples are grown. But agricultural officials are worried the stink bug may migrate to Hampton Roads to feast on some of the region’s biggest crops: corn, soybeans and cotton.
A clarification: there are several species of stink bugs commonly found in Virginia. The one is question, the brown marmorated stink bug, has only been here a few years, said Elaine Lidholm, spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The brown marmorated stink bug is native to Asia. It was first found in the U.S. in 1998 near Allentown, Pa. It has since been spotted as far west as California and it has no known natural predators, according to state officials. | <urn:uuid:d95df735-849d-44be-a487-6ccfde8d44af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailypress.com/news/science/dead-rise-blog/dp-stink-bugs-are-ruining-virginias-apples-20110714,0,4584608.story | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958242 | 280 | 2.515625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Thebes: some 'mortuary temples' of New Kingdom kings
Old and Middle Kingdom pyramids were
the largest part of a royal cult complex; similarly, a king's tomb in the
Valley of the Kings was a reliquary in a larger religious unit. In the New
Kingdom the tomb of a king and its temple complex were separated. The tomb
where the body of the king was laid to rest was cut into the rock in the Valley
of the Kings. For each tomb there stood at the edge of the fields a temple
where the king was worshipped during his life and into eternity. The best
preserved are the temples of Hatshepsut
(Deir el-Bahari), Sety I (Qurneh),
Ramesses II (Ramesseum) and Ramesses
III (Medinet Habu). Petrie excavated at the Ramesseum and six destroyed
temples in the series (published in Petrie
1897); the latter are reconstructed on Digital Egypt for Universities.
Copyright © 2002 University College London. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:0b83432b-4c8a-4ed2-9c36-e506a351cb8b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/thebes/mortuaryback.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938524 | 227 | 3.1875 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Literally translated as ‘new art’, the Art Nouveau influence spanned roughly thirty years, from 1890 to 1919, shocking the Victorians and Edwardians in forms of diverted self expressionism. Greatly influencing Western architecture, textiles, metalwork and interior design, this period was fanciful, sensual, playful and sensitive in its use of feminine flowing curvilinear lines and exquisite depiction of the female form.
While seemingly shameless and unimportant to the Victorians and excessively emotional to the Edwardians, its appeal was to a new generation excited to celebrate the non-conformist style of the day fed by environmental and social pressures. Such pressures included finding a style suitable for the industrial age, as opposed to applying past styles to contemporary works such as the academically trained architects of the ‘Parisian Ecole des Beaux-Arts’ were doing.
While the epitome of Edwardian jewelry was luxury, detail, abundance, expense, richness and specifically platinum and diamonds, the Art Nouveau period was more about making more with less. Gold was used in most instances, with pastel colored inexpensive stones to accentuate as opposed to dominate the jewelry. Opals, aquamarines, amethyst, topaz, peridot, demantoid green garnets, moonstones and chalcedony were popular choices while a baroque pearl often hung below a pendant or earrings in accent. Horn and ivory were stained in soft tints and polished to eye-catching effect.
Adopting some of the Japanese influx of art, taking England by storm, enamel effects were being discovered and revived such as cloisonne, champleve, plique-a-jour and pate-de-verre. The subjects of these art forms ranged from the flaunting of feminine freedom and eroticism to human, vegetal and animal forms in sensual consummation and alluring suggestiveness. From mystical tales came griffins and serpents slithering across gold bracelets and around the necks of those exposing themselves to a brave new world.
From the undiscovered Middle East, Egyptian scarabs and beetles embraced rings and pendants teasing flesh with richly worked gold images. Aesthetic butterflies and dragonflies, bees and peacocks graced pins and brooches, with devout use of their intricate forms. Unknown things of the night threatened to reveal their dark forms as bats and owls swooped over necklaces and incorporated their form in hollow bangles. Natural cycles of life were depicted by buds, pods, blooms and withering blossoms.
Spring and summer were expressed in tones of pink through purple and mauve, lavender and indigo, stemmed with verdant greens. Rich reds and oranges touched by earth tones depicted autumn while winter was a cool blue with silver overtones. Art Nouveau energy was tugging at Victorian and Edwardian self assurance, asserting an ambiguity that unnerved the wealthy classes.
Kick-started by Japanese Art, the Art Nouveau movement was known as The ‘Arts and Crafts’ Movement or the Liberty Style in England, which was at that time, the most powerful military and economic center of the world. Much of the enigmatic form and color of Art Nouveau is related to the spirit of symbolism and greatly influenced by the Celts with their interesting knots, curved lines and geometric interfacing, designers.
Charles Ashbee promoted Art Nouveau’s famous peacock motif while Arthur Lazenbury Liberty’s shops opened in London and Paris offering outlets for the ‘modern style’. Liberty translated the esoteric designs into jewelry, becoming the European and then American catalyst for the movement. William Morris, who started the Arts and Crafts movement and whose followers started the Aesthetic Movement, later continued with a line of home furnishings, nudged by Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley who teased England’s sexual subconscious.
Emile Galle followed William Morris’ precepts before 1880 as a designer of glass and furniture, inspired by Chinese cameo glass. His glassware influenced ‘Tiffany’s’ iridescent glass using unusual chemical techniques, making their name synonymous with the ‘new styles’ of the 1900′s. From here, Art Nouveau spread to the continent and the French took over, elevating Art Nouveau to its purist form. Derived in 1896 from Siegfried Bing’s Japanese import shop that delighted in personifying this new art form, ‘La Maison de L’Art Nouveau’ lent the name to this new movement.
Influencing the French sensibility, Gothic, Rococo, Java and Japanese art styles all took responsibility for their contributions. But from whence did the writhing serpents, the slithering vipers and the Medusa heads come? Could the Parisian Cafe Society with its rampant, mind-expanding drug experimentation have contributed to these wild visionary depictions or were these the hallucinations from French jewelers workshops? Unlike staid British taste at this time, the French were intrigued by Sarah Bernhardt’s ornate stage designs and Loie Fuller’s performances with diaphanous veils.
The nouveau riche were uninhibited by tradition and the voluptuous style appealed to this enlightened elite, who encouraged designers to stylistic excess. Celebrating female sensuality, Cleo de Merode’s free flowing hair added provocation to her dancing routines while draped in Art Nouveau jewelry, leading the French to a national duplicity of standards.
On one hand, their appreciation for delicacy and taste, beauty and artistry engineered the popularity of La Belle Epoque, while their baser instincts perpetrated clubbing through Montmarte to catch a glimpse of a sadomasochistic Apache Dance and the horrific theatricals of the Grand Guignol. Both the demimonde as well as French high society, embraced the risqu’ Art Nouveau movement. Works by the English designers, appropriately named ‘Style Anglais’, were introduced by the Belgian architects Victor Horta and Henri Van de Velde at the Brussels exhibition in 1892.
Horta designed the first architecturally Art Nouveau home in Brussels in 1892 for a Professor Tassel, amalgamating recent influences in linear design and biomorphic whiplash. The French architect Hector Guimard was aware of Horta and Van de Velde’s work, Hector and he adapted Art Nouveau style in his design for the entrances to the new Paris subway Metro system in 1900, lending the name ‘Le Style Metro’. New York’s Museum of Modern Art houses one of Guimard’s Metro gates.
Rene Lalique more than adequately promoted the movement in France with his exquisite enamel and glass in addition to using horn in combination with moonstones and diamonds. Henri Vever, a jeweler, along with his designers Eugene Grasset and Etienne Tourette serviced the upper echelons of society with ornate, extravagant combinations of diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds, while also famous for their organic motif horn combs, plique-a-jour enamels and freshwater pearls.
Georges Fouquet specialized in diamonds and flowing lines, Muca created surreal Byzantium designs incorporating designs using gem clusters and Boucheron sculpted gem-set chased enameled gold mounted with pate-de-verre enamel. Germany’s version of Art Nouveau was named ‘Jugendstil’ after the new art periodical named ‘Jugend’, meaning youth. Two versions developed in the Rhineland, one influenced by the English, French, Japanese and naturalism while the other was more of a soft, geometric style with its roots in flowery motifs, giving way to a more abstract biomorphic style.
Spain named her version ‘Modernismo’ or Modernism, almost exclusively an architectural influence, although Luis Masriera extolled in French nymphs with floral motif hair. However, with respect to Spain’s rigorous religious principles, forms remained chastely clothed. Breaking from the traditions of the Vienna Academy, Austria formed the ‘Secessionstil’ movement adopting cubic rectilinear forms which permeated art, architecture and jewelry. Cabochon agates, malachite and mother-of-pearl were mounted with dark enamel in silver and gold plate in contrasting geometric patterns.
Art Nouveau was termed ‘Stile Liberty’ or ‘Stile Floreale’ in Italy while Peter Carl Faberg’ epitomized the movement in Russia with his bejeweled eggs. Georg Jensen in Scandinavia incorporated Vikings symbols and simplistic nature motifs in his work with a memorable line of silverware and jewelry accented with amber, garnets, citrines, malachite, moonstones and opals.
Even before 1890, Louis Sullivan, American architectural teacher of Frank Lloyd Wright incorporated ancient Celtic designs into the decoration of buildings such as Chicago’s ‘Auditorium Building’ in 1889 and the ‘Carson Pirie Scott Department Store’. Spanish architect Antonio Gaud was an Art Nouveau precursor in Barcelona who employed medieval Spanish traditions and materials such as wrought iron and colorful tiles with cast concrete to create fantastic structures.
Church of the Sagrada Familia gegun in 1883 illustrates his engineering power of invention although today it still stands incomplete. In America, ‘Tiffany’ led the way by sending George Kunz, their gemologist, worldwide in search of diamonds and gemstones while his son, Louis Kunz, traveled abroad to develop a taste for Oriental and Moorish Art.
Julia Munson Sherman developed enamel techniques that became Tiffany’s signature jewelry while morning glories glimmered through the stained glass of Louis Comfort Tiffany. ‘Marcus and Company’ made Art Nouveau jewelry also, incorporating vibrant enamel colors and French floral motifs in their designs. In the north, Chicago embraced England’s Arts and Crafts’ movement depicting Native American and American Colonial motifs.
Chicago’s artisans used American themes, French floral designs and English peacock motifs mounted with aquamarines, opals, baroque pearls, moonstones and amethyst in appealing combination. Beautiful Art Nouveau silver and jewelry was mass produced for the working population by the American manufacturers Clara Welles and William Morris.
Unfortunately over-commercialization and WWII terminated this sensual and short lived Art Nouveau era which made a lasting impression throughout the world. It’s naive romanticism was not strong enough to overcome the 20th century and the harsh realities of war and the period, known as ‘noodle’, ‘tapeworm’, and ‘cigarette-smoke style’ was gone.
Although considered by her critics to be ‘ugly’ and out of fashion by the war, about 1960 there were a number of exhibitions in reaction to the unimaginative glass-and-steel rectangular architecture of the 1950′s and demand and the pricing of Art Nouveau objects soared. It was incorporated by the rebellious psychedelic side of the 1960′s and scholarly publications began to appear as Art Nouveau strove once again to gain a place in the history of modern art. | <urn:uuid:2286a4ec-50cd-4850-ab8e-4d21e98829ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.faycullen.com/blog/art-nouveau-jewelry/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939466 | 2,393 | 3.265625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Technology advances will be key to self-driving cars. Image: © GM Corp.Enlarge Photo
Many of the building blocks for self-driving cars already exist, and technology like adaptive cruise control and lane departure correction is finding its way into even moderately priced cars. Still, advances in GPS systems, mapping technology and vehicle to vehicle communications will be essential to progress the current technology to the autonomous driving stage.
It’s also likely that the technology for self-driving cars will exist long before the cars themselves, thanks to concerns over both safety and liability issues. The technology developed to create self-driving cars will likely be implemented on conventional passenger cars first, making them more crash-resistant than cars of today.
GM has already implemented a camera-based crash-avoidance system on the 2012 GMC Terrain, which advises drivers of both lane departures and pending frontal collisions. In the future, vehicle-to-vehicle communications could supplement such systems, alerting your car to slowing traffic or icy pavement ahead.
Ultimately, the goal is to dramatically reduce or even eliminate injuries and fatalities behind the wheel, and GM wants to position itself as a leader in the field of automotive safety systems. Even if we don’t see self driving cars in the next ten years, the technology behind the idea will yield safer cars and safer roads. | <urn:uuid:42a93f67-bc3b-409b-97ff-ff2eb0ca1da1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1067728_will-self-driving-cars-be-on-the-road-by-2020 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953922 | 272 | 3.0625 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
A sham Paris was built near the end of World War I in an attempt to fool German bombers, according to recently unearthed archives. The fake city—built on a bend of the Seine similar to the one in Paris—boasted fake railways, fake factories, and even a fake Champs-Elysées, the Telegraph reports. Private firms were hired to create wooden replicas of buildings, and one of the country's foremost electrical engineers was hired to illuminate it.
"It's an extraordinary story and one which even Parisians knew very little about," a leading French historian says. "The plan was kept secret for obvious reasons, but it shows how seriously military planners were already taking the new threat of aerial bombardment." The bombers of the time relied solely on sight so the fake Paris may well have been enough to fool them—but the war came to an end before the project was completed. | <urn:uuid:b7f52fac-d55c-456b-b70c-7a7def814ee8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newser.com/story/132984/french-built-fake-paris-to-fool-german-bombers.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984378 | 182 | 2.578125 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Mnemonics For Nursing
Nursing Assessment Part 2
Mnemonics for Nursing
Heart sounds also known as Heartbeat are sound or noises generated by the beating of the heart and the resultant flow of blood through it.
In cardiac auscultation, an examiner may use a stethoscope to listen for these unique and distinct sounds that provide important auditory data regarding the condition of the heart to a trained observer.
In healthy adults, there are two normal heart sounds often described as a lub and a dub (or dup), that occur in sequence with each heart beat. These are the first heart sound (S1) and second heart sound (S2), produced by the closing of the AV valves and semilunar valves respectively.
Levels of Consciousness
Measurement of LOC or Level of Consciousness is done to know a person's arousability and responsiveness to stimuli from the environment. It is important to determine the extent of brain function of a certain person especially when the person suffers from brain injury.
Lung sounds also known as breathing or respiratory sounds are the noises identified through auscultation in the structures of the lungs.
Normal breath sounds are classified as tracheal, bronchial, bronchovesicular, and vesicular sounds.
Decreased, absent breath sounds and "adventitious sounds" are considered abnormal breath sounds.
The picture below used for mnemonics for nursing shows some of the different adventitious lung sounds and their respective area of auscultation.
Skin Color of Unconscious Person
There are many different reasons for the unconsciousness of a person, but some very important indications can be seen in the skin color.
The first priority in unconsciousness is to check the victim's ABC's, air passages, breathing and circulation.
For more nursing information, go back to homepage:
Online Nursing CEUS.
- Nursing Assessment Part I
- Nursing Assessment Part III | <urn:uuid:27d3bbc2-11a6-47a2-a4fb-9b3b709fb2c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.online-nursing-dot.com/mnemonics-for-nursing-1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915461 | 401 | 3.796875 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Although it’s illegal to buy alcohol in the United States until the age of 21, most teens can get access to it. It’s therefore up to you them make a decision about drinking. But why do teens drink anyway?
Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs are:
- to feel good, reduce stress, and relax
- to fit in
- to feel older
From a very young age, kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people enjoying life — and alcohol. And because many parents and other adults use alcohol socially — having beer or wine with dinner, for example — alcohol seems harmless to many teens. | <urn:uuid:062d05db-b345-49d8-9572-b4ba3187d67a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.parentingteens.com/why-teens-drink/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954487 | 142 | 2.609375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
4 – Psoriasis
This common skin disease affects up to 2% of persons in the United States. Psoriasis is usually thought of as an adult disease; however, in 2% of affected persons, it develops before the age of 2 years. The elbows, knees, hands, feet, and scalp are the areas of the body that are most often affected. However, there is a form of psoriasis known as inverse psoriasis that affects the folds. Inverse psoriasis is seen in both adults and children; in infants it can present as a diaper rash (Figure B).
Typical clinical findings in inverse psoriasis are a diffuse, light pink erythema that starts in the groin folds; a dry appearance (as opposed to the maceration seen in candidiasis); and an absence of satellite pustules. Additional, more classic psoriatic lesions may be seen elsewhere on the body. A history of psoriasis in other family members can help confirm the diagnosis, but a family history is not always present.
Treatment of diaper psoriasis consists of intermittent use of mild topical corticosteroids, similar to those used to treat seborrheic dermatitis. If mild corticosteroids are not effective as monotherapy, topical immunomodulators may be added after a discussion of their offlabel use and black box warning is had with the family.
Seborrheic dermatitis (not pictured) is another noninfectious skin disease that commonly affects the diaper area. Although seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, or cradle cap, is familiar to all pediatricians, seborrheic dermatitis can affect the entire body. The most common presentation of seborrheic diaper dermatitis is a diffuse diaper rash in association with classic cradle cap. The diaper rash can be differentiated from candidiasis on the basis of findings of diffuse erythema without accentuation of the folds and without satellite pustules.
Seborrheic dermatitis is thought to be at least in part a hypersensitivity reaction to an overgrowth of Malassezia yeast, which is found on the scalp and in the diaper area during the first 6 to 12 months of life. Treatment includes application of topical azole antifungal creams or washes in conjunction with intermittent use of very mild topical corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone(Drug information on hydrocortisone) 1% to 2.5% cream. Again, combination creams containing both an antifungal and a mid- to high-potency corticosteroid should never be used in the groin area. | <urn:uuid:18c652b7-be6c-42be-b8d5-0998069e63c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pediatricsconsultantlive.com/display/article/1803329/1584483?_EXT_4_pageNumber=5&_EXT_4_pageNumber=5&_EXT_4_pageNumber=5&_EXT_4_pageNumber=5&_EXT_4_comsort=of | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937352 | 550 | 2.984375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Would clean dry hot air kill bacteria?
Posted 13 June 2011 - 01:01 PM
I'm having hard time trying to find out the factors influencing the growth of bacteria. I have to say my notions in microbiology are really poor (pre-university studies in engineering sciences), I'm just trying to understand the basic functioning of bacteria.
So basically I'd love to understand if blowing some clean dry hot air along a bacteria sample surface can make the bacteria reduce.
I understand that:
1) Physical properties of an air flow (e.g. speed) will physically take bacteria off the surface where they are;
2) Moisture helps promote bacteria growth, so obviously dry air, i.e. absence of moisture, prevents bacteria growth. But is it possible that dry air REDUCES bacteria presence?
Also, I'm not sure to understand the effect of the air temperature. Obviously, a low-temperature air would prevent bacteria growth, but a hot air makes sure it stays dry. Wouldn't that hot air promote bacteria growth?
Thanks a lot to help me with that,
Posted 13 June 2011 - 01:20 PM
All bacteria have an optimal temperature at which they grow which is usually related to the environment they inhabit. For example, bacteria that colonize humans like temperature around 37 C.
Dry air will probably reduce growth, but may take some time to be effective and will also depend on the species. All life depends on water.
Also, hot air doesn't necessarily mean its dry air. Think the dessert vs. the jungle; both quite hot, but one more humid than the other!
Posted 13 June 2011 - 04:42 PM
Posted 14 June 2011 - 06:17 AM
Just to be sure I understood well, to be pretty certain that the air flow kill the bacteria, it needs to be REALLY dry and REALLY hot, right?
And what about a cold air flow? Let's say an air flow at 5 deg C, blowing on free bacteria that have a growth temperature between 15 and 45 degC? Would the cold temperature be enough to stop bacteria growth? Or would it be even better to also dry it?
Posted 14 June 2011 - 07:28 AM
And cold temperatures of course let bacteria more and more develop and growth slower until it stops. Though there are many types that have no problem to survive this. Depends on species and rate of cooling.
One must presume that long and short arguments contribute to the same end. - Epicurus
...except casandra's that belong to the funniest, most interesting and imaginative (or over-imaginative?) ones, I suppose.
Posted 15 June 2011 - 05:17 AM
Thanks a lot to you,
Posted 16 June 2011 - 08:09 AM
The most efficient way to get sterile air would be to pass it through a filter, the same way the air in category 1 and 2 hoods is sterilised.
The most effective killing method would not be hot dry air, but hot wet air, dry heat is less effective at killing than wet heat, the hot steam can penetrate the aqueous capsules and cell walls that bacteria surround themselves with much better than dry air, hence why autoclaving (around 125 degrees C steam at high pressure for at least 20-30 minutes to allow full penetration) is the preferred method for sterilisation in most circumstances.
And yes everything depends on the species of bacteria, name an environment, you will be able to find a bacteria somewhere in the world that can survive it somehow! Common bacteria are usually killed by autoclaving or standard disinfectant chemicals. In general spore producing bacteria can survive much worse environments than other bacteria | <urn:uuid:2be0083b-0db3-4d03-8fe3-02c2d81fdc13> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.protocol-online.org/forums/topic/21625-would-clean-dry-hot-air-kill-bacteria/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938333 | 759 | 3 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
The Faraday effect, discovered by Michael Faraday in 1845, was the first experimental evidence that light and electromagnetism are related. The theoretical basis for that relation, now called electromagnetic radiation, was further developed by James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860s and 1870s. This effect occurs in most optically transparent dielectric materials (including liquids) when they are subject to strong magnetic fields.
The Faraday effect is a result of ferromagnetic resonance when the permittivity of a material is represented by a tensor. This resonance causes waves to be decomposed into two circularly polarized rays which propagate at different speeds, a property known as circular birefringence. The rays can be considered to re-combine upon emergence from the medium, however owing to the difference in propagation speed they do so with a net phase offset, resulting in a rotation of the angle of linear polarization.
There are a few applications of Faraday rotation in measuring instruments. For instance, the Faraday effect has been used to measure optical rotatory power, for amplitude modulation of light, and for remote sensing of magnetic fields. The Faraday effect is used in spintronics research to study the polarization of electron spins in semiconductors.
The relation between the angle of rotation of the polarization and the magnetic field in a diamagnetic material is:
A positive Verdet constant corresponds to L-rotation (anticlockwise) when the direction of propagation is parallel to the magnetic field and to R-rotation (clockwise) when the direction of propagation is anti-parallel. Thus, if a ray of light is passed through a material and reflected back through it, the rotation doubles.
Some materials, such as terbium gallium garnet (TGG) have extremely high Verdet constants (≈ −40 rad T-1 m-1). By placing a rod of this material in a strong magnetic field, Faraday rotation angles of over 0.78 rad (45°) can be achieved. This allows the construction of Faraday rotators, which are the principal component of Faraday isolators, devices which transmit light in only one direction.
where the overall strength of the effect is characterized by RM, the rotation measure. This in turn depends on B, and the number density of electrons, ne, both of which may vary along the propagation path, to give (in cgs units):
Faraday rotation is an important tool in astronomy for the measurement of magnetic fields, which can be estimated from rotation measures given a knowledge of the electron number density. In the case of radio pulsars, the dispersion caused by these electrons results in a time delay between pulses received at different wavelengths, which can be measured in terms of the electron column density, or dispersion measure. A measurement of both the dispersion measure and the rotation measure therefore yields the weighted mean of the magnetic field along the line of sight. The same information can be obtained from objects other than pulsars, if the dispersion measure can be estimated based on reasonable guesses about the propagation path length and typical electron densities.
Radio waves passing through the Earth's ionosphere are also subject to Faraday rotation; as the above equation indicates, the effect is proportional to the square of the wavelength. At 435 MHz (UHF), one should expect in the order of 1.5 complete rotations of the wavefront as it transits the ionosphere, whereas at 1.2 GHz less than a quarter of one rotation is likely.
US Patent Issued to Panorama Synergy on Jan. 24 for "Magneto-Opto Photonic Crystal Multiplayer Structure Having Enhanced Faraday Rotation with Visible Light" (Australian, Swedish Inventors)
Jan 31, 2012; ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 31 -- United States Patent no. 8,102,588, issued on Jan. 24, was assigned to Panorama Synergy Ltd. (WA,... | <urn:uuid:933e4e90-39d7-46e5-b1f2-3731b8fbb327> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.reference.com/browse/Faraday+Rotation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92411 | 809 | 3.890625 | 4 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Human Anatomy and Physiology Practice Questions: Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels and Blood Flow by Dr. Evelyn J Biluk
Price: $3.99 USD. 2000 words.
Published on May 16, 2011. .
This is a collection of multiple choice questions on blood vessels and blood flow. Topics covered include blood vessels, blood flow, blood pressure, circulation, shock and circulation routes. | <urn:uuid:abd14bb0-aafb-41fe-aa60-c5ca2bd0eb81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.smashwords.com/books/tags/cardiovascular | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.843921 | 83 | 2.75 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
Vaccinations: Should you give your baby vaccinations?
Should your baby have vaccinations?
Whether or not to vaccinate your baby
may be the first major decision you face as a parent, Naomi Majid
gives a no holds barred look at the vaccination programme in the UK.
Inoculations are not compulsory in the UK, but the Government recommends that each child has a series of vaccinations
starting with the Five-In-One at two months.
Conventional medical opinion is that the benefits of vaccination outweigh any risks - with benefit being measured not only to the individual but also to the community; around 92% of the population need immunity in order to prevent an epidemic.
Professor Adam Finn, head of the Academic Unit of Child Health
at Bristol Medical School, says, “vaccinations
are one of the most important Health
-promoting things we can do for our children
- up there with a healthy diet
On the other hand, there are experts who believe that vaccinations
overload a child’s developing immune system. Their take is that today’s refined vaccines are less effective than their cruder earlier counterparts, and are responsible for a rapid growth in conditions such as asthma or eczema, as well as more serious neurological disorders such as autism, which is virtually non-existent in non-vaccinated children
Dr Richard Lanigan, founder of www.vaccination.co.uk
, says there is no evidence that vaccinations
make people healthier, and it is likely that we have traded what were normal childhood illnesses 40 years ago for 'normal' childhood diseases today such as asthma and eczema.
Making the ‘right’ decision for your child may not always be an easy simple choice. Good parents aren’t necessarily those who vaccinate their children
, neither are bad parents those who don't, or vice versa. And what may be right for one child could be wrong for another.
To help you make an informed decision, here’s a spotlight on each individual vaccine...
Image © iStockphoto | <urn:uuid:37f8d7f0-2139-4518-8128-38079dd9db73> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/children/vaccinations-should-you-give-your-baby-vaccinations-d18615.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702749808/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111229-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952625 | 427 | 2.984375 | 3 | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu/sample-100BT |
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