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Everyone knows the benefits of exercise, but few actually know how much of what and for how long and how often. If anyone could answer all these questions they would be rich! Everyone is different.
First, everyone needs to modify their program at least every month. Why? Hopefully you are changing! As you get in better shape, you need different stimuli to create gains, losses, or whatever you are looking for. Think about it…when was the last time you practiced your two’s tables? You know…2X2=4, 2X3=6…probably a long time ago, and that is how your body adapts to exercise as well. After you have mastered something, you have to move onto something more challenging.
For adults to get health benefits from exercise it is recommended to do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise. That amount can be broken into as little as 10 minute sessions a spread throughout the day (Haskell et al. 2007). No excuses! Here’s an easy solution…if you’re on your phone, you’re on your feet!
Here’s a bright spot…as the intensity of your exercise goes up, the duration of exercise goes down. So instead of walking for 150 minutes you can run or whatever strenuously for 75 minutes. What is strenuous? If you can sing and exercise, it is moderate. Easy to gauge, and everyone will give you encouragement if you do, like shut up or beat it!
(Foster et. al. 2008)
Kids need more exercise…and more intense exercise. They are learning maniacs and what they do early in life sets the stage for the rest of their lives. The need at least an hour of vigorous exercise per day focusing on movement, strength, balance, agility, and flexibility. In other words, play! Not organized sports where you stand around between drills. Play or the sake of play. Experiment with movement, gravity, physics.
Remember the old playgrounds where “Do Over” solved every problem? Swing sets taught physics…don’t jump out at the top of the swing, it at about 45 degrees to not cause severe bodily damage, which we did on a regular basis. Merry-go-rounds taught centripetal force. Teeter totters taught you levers.
Speaking of play, adults can benefit from the occasional, like every week bout of just experimental movement. Dance, throw a ball around, kick the ball, sidewalk obstacle course, if you have kids, living room obstacle course, anything that makes you get out of your comfort zone if only for a few minutes.
Your body is a product of the physics you apply to it, so start creating unique, functional, dynamic, strong, flexible, agile bodies! You only get one, so make it count. | <urn:uuid:43c5241b-bd55-4e48-bb10-dd2dfc0f65de> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | http://www.michaelrickett.com/how-much-exercise-do-you-need/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232256763.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20190522043027-20190522065027-00224.warc.gz | en | 0.943179 | 585 | 2.671875 | 3 | 1.705586 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Sports & Fitness |
Crossing the Plains, 1865
It took approximately 300 years from 1500 to 1800 for European population to extend from the East Coast of America to the Mississippi River. Popular wisdom at the beginning of the 19th century hypothesized it would take at least another 300 years, or most likely longer, to fill the area between the Mississippi and the Pacific coast.
Of course, it didn't take 300 years to settle the West. A number of factors
accelerated the pace of change. Beginning with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803,
the US government acquired domain over the land to the west of the Mississippi
treaty or purchase. The discovery of gold in California and the promise of
fertile land lured an estimated 300,000 to the Pacific Coast prior
to 1860. In the midst of the Civil War, Congress enacted the Homestead Act
entitling any head of family, anyone over the age of 21, or any veteran of
military service to 160 acres of land. With the end of the war, many took advantage
of the offer filling the westward trails with wagon trains loaded with
all their worldly possessions. Before the end of the century America's frontier
extended to the Pacific and then officially declared closed.
An Upstate New York couple paused
to have this portrait taken before
making their trek to Nebraska, 1865
The decision to make the trek could not have been an easy one - motivated no doubt by hard times at home and the promise of better times to the west. Sarah Raymond was one of those who made the journey along with her father, mother and brothers. Her diary doesn't reveal her age, but we can assume she was young, probably a teenager. The family began their journey on May 1, 1865 in Missouri and arrived at their destination in Virginia City, Montana Territory on September 6. Sarah details each day's adventures - accidents, sickness, river crossings, Indian encounters, mud, dust, monotony, and terror. We don't know much about Sarah beyond what appears in her journal except that she married and stayed in Virginia City the rest of her life. She first published her journal at the request of friends in a local newspaper, the "Rocky Mountain Husbandman," in the early 1880s. Her diary was published in book form in 1902.
On June 12, 1865 - about 6 weeks after leaving Missouri - Sarah's group of wagons arrives at Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory, a major way station on the road west. There, the pioneers are confronted with evidence of the hazards of their journey:
"Monday, June 12
We stood by the graves of eleven men that were killed last August by the Indians. There was a sort of bulletin-board about midway and at the foot of the graves stating the circumstances of the frightful tragedy. They were a party of fourteen, twelve men and two women, wives of two of the men. They were camped on Plum Creek, a short distance from where the graves are. They were all at breakfast except one man who had gone to the creek for water, he hid in the brush, or there would have been none to tell the tale of the massacre.
There had been no depredations committed on this road all Summer, and emigrants had become careless and traveled in small parties. They did not suspect that an Indian was near until they were surrounded, and the slaughter had commenced. All the men were killed and scalped, and the women taken prisoners. They took what they wanted of the provisions burned the wagons and ran off with the horses.
The one man that escaped went with all haste to the nearest station for help. The soldiers pursued the Indians, had a fight with them and rescued the women. One of them had seen her husband killed and scalped and was insane when rescued and died at the station. The other woman was the wife of the man that escaped. They were from St. Joe, Missouri."
"Sunday, July 16
Just after we crossed the bridge, and where there is a sudden turn in the road, as it winds around the mountain, we saw where two men had been killed and two wagons burned last week. The tire became loose on a wheel of the next to the last wagon in a freight train, the men stopped to tighten it, while the rest of the train moved on, not thinking of danger, and was out of sight in a few minutes. An hour later some of the men came back to see what kept them. There they were - dead and scalped - horses gone, and wagons on fire. The Indians had taken all the freight they could use, piled wood under the wagons, and set it on fire. We saw quantities of white beans scattered over the ground, also the irons from the wagons."
"Wednesday, July 26
...I did not awake this morning until everything was ready for a very early start.
Mother had kept my breakfast warm by keeping the stove until the last minute.
I sat in the wagon and ate my breakfast after the train had started. When through,
climbed out and went to see how Neelie [Sarah's friend] was. I found her feverish
and restless; her symptoms unfavorable.
A portion of the trail
Oh, the dust, the dust; it is terrible. I have never seen it half as bad; it seems to be almost knee-deep in places. We came twenty miles without stopping, and then camped for the night. We are near a fine spring of most excellent water - Barrel Spring it is called. I do not know why; there are no barrels there. When we stopped, the boys' faces were a sight; they were covered with all the dust that could stick on. One could just see the apertures where eyes, nose and mouth were through the dust; their appearance was frightful. How glad we all are to have plenty of clear cold water to wash away the dust."
As Sarah rides along with the wagon train she is approached by a friend - Frank - from a portion of the train that had split off to travel on its own. Her friend has news:
"Saturday, August 5
'Frasier was shot and killed day before yesterday evening.'
'Oh Frank; how did it happen?'
'Hosstetter did it, but I think he was not much to blame'
Frasier is the man who spoke to Cash, Neelie and I, as we were watching the wagons ferried across the Missouri River, whose son ran away from his mother, and home, to come to his father, and go with him to Montana. Frasier had teams and wagons for freighting and Hosstetter some capital to invest in freight, to take to Montana. Frasier advised the purchase of flour, and he would freight it to Virginia City for fifteen dollars per cwt. He said flour was worth fifty and sixty dollars per hundred in Virginia City. (So it was in the Spring of 1864, and as high as seventy-five and one hundred dollars per one hundred, which was the cause of a bread riot in Virginia City.)
No doubt Frasier was honest in his advice, and would have invested in flour for himself. He charged more freight than was right, for ten and twelve cents is the prevailing price; but then Hosstetter should have found that out himself.
When he found he had been imposed upon and learned that flour is retailing at
Virginia City for $15 per hundred, he was angry, dissatisfied, and perhaps
quarrelsome. Frasier was no doubt very aggravating. They had quarreled several
times, and the evening of the 3d, Frasier was heard to say to Hosstetter in
a threatening tone:
'You may consider yourself lucky if you ever see Montana. You need not expect to get any of this flour. It will take it all to pay the freight.'
It was getting dark, and Fraser stood with one hand on a wheel as he talked.
He then got into the wagon and out again, with something in his hand, which
Hosstetter thought was a revolver in the gathering darkness. He came back to
the wheel where he had been standing when he made the threat, and Hosstetter
thought he had come to shoot him, and fired twice, as he thought, to save his
own life, Frasier fell, shot through the brain, and died instantly.
Then it was found he had a hatchet in his hand and had come to tighten a tire on the wheel, which he had found loose when he laid his hand on it. Frasier's eldest son of fourteen years is here. There are five children and their mother at home. Hossteter has three children and a wife. Eleven innocent persons to suffer, no one knows how intensely, for that rash act.
Frasier's son knelt beside his father's dead body and placing his hand on his breast, he swore a fearful oath that he would have but one purpose in life until his father's death is avenged. Oh, what a shocking ambition for so young a boy."
Later in her diary, Sarah describes the trial of Hosstetter:
"...The men from these four trains elected judge, jury, prosecuting attorney
lawyer for the defense, and have tried Hosstetter for murder. The jury brought
in a verdict of 'Not guilty.' He shot in self-defense, as Frasier had threatened
to kill him."
Sarah's diary entry a day later notes that a squad of soldiers came and took Hosstetter to a fort near Green River (Wyoming) for an official trial. However, she does not reveal the outcome of that trial.
"Thursday, August 24
e came to a toll bridge over the Blackfoot this morning, where the toll was
one dollar per team and fifty cents for horseback riders. There had been an
excellent ford just below the bridge. The men collecting the toll had spoiled
it by digging ditches on both sides near the bank. The water was clear, and
they were plainly visible. Hillhouse [Sarah's brother] mounted Dick [Sarah's
horse] to see if we could ford it. One of the men screamed out at him: 'You
will mire your horse if you try that.'
Settlers in North Dakota
from a hand-tinted photo, 1888
'I'll risk it.' And he rode in below where the ditches were dug. The pony's feet were not muddy. Hillhouse found we could easily ford he creek below the ditches, which we did without accident.
It does seem a shame that we should have to pay toll for crossing a stream like that, after fording South Platte, North Platte and Green River.
The Missourians refused to pay the exorbitant price, and offered them fifty cents per wagon. They swore they would not take a cent less than one dollar. But the travelers were too many for them, and they drove over and did not pay a cent. The toll men were fearfully angry, and made great threats, but the men dared them to do their worst and laughed at them.
I do hope we will get ahead of these people to-morrow. They are not the kind of people I like to travel with."
Herndon, Sarah Raymond, Days On The Road (1902).
How To Cite This Article:
"Crossing the Plains, 1865," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (1999). | <urn:uuid:d5b649b9-6ba1-4ed9-bb08-351014fbb082> | CC-MAIN-2016-40 | http://eyewitnesstohistory.com/plains.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-40/segments/1474738660966.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20160924173740-00042-ip-10-143-35-109.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986089 | 2,407 | 3.4375 | 3 | 2.897017 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
Anne Heyman was working for the New York District Attorney's Office in 2005 when she met a survivor of the Rwandan genocide at a fundraiser. National Geographic reports that in their discussion, Heyman learned about the huge population of young people who were left as orphans in the African country. In a population of 11 million people, one million are orphaned children. After hearing this staggering statistic, Heyman remembered some history: After World War II, tens of thousands of Jewish orphans who had lost their families to the Holocaust ended up in youth villages in what would one day be Israel. Could a similar model be created in Rwanda?
Heyman and her husband, Seth Merrin, raised $12 million to start the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, which they hope will one day be just a single location in a number of villages throughout the country supporting teenagers and children with nowhere to go.
The village started in 2007, and they're currently celebrating their tenth anniversary. Currently, 500 teenagers call the village their home, and they come from all 30 districts of Rwanda.
Heyman died in 2014, after falling from her horse while riding in the U.S. But she told documentarian Ari Besser that it was extremely important to her that the village support teenagers.
“There were plenty of organizations attempting to take care of the babies,” she said. “But who was looking after them when they were teenagers? I knew that was the age group that needed to be targeted.”
The village isn't just a home, it's a school with a farm, athletics, arts, and education on sustainability measures, like the village's 8.5-megawatt solar plant. ASYV claims that it's the "first sub-Saharan grid-connected solar project, and provides electricity to nearly 10 percent of Rwanda," according to Inhabitat.
The students are of mixed ethnicities. Some may have had parents killed in the genocide, some may be the children of perpetrators. Though they don't discuss it openly, one anonymous student to Besser that the young people do not care. “Of course, I know that some of my brothers are born from parents who could have been killers in the genocide,” they said. “But why should we punish them for crimes they did not commit? I don’t want to know what their parents did. I only see them as my brothers and sisters.”
The Rwandan government has taken note of ASYV, and sent representatives to their graduation ceremonies. It's hoped that more money will be invested in projects like it, and see Heyman's vision come true.
Belize has saved the second-biggest coral reef in the world, which provides food and economical benefits to the Central American country. After passing legislation to ban oil exploration, UNESCO has taken it off their endangered list.
Beluga whales are heading from China to a new home on an Icelandic island that brings them closer to a natural habitat. Multiple organizations are not only providing them a better home, but are hoping that other entertainment parks follow in their footsteps.
To keep rare bat species in an area where they thrive, a community that's already created nearly 100 sustainable homes is changing their street lights. These new red LED bulbs will allow humans to continue operating at night while the bats can avoid it.
Mountain gorillas remain an endangered species, but conservation efforts such as regulated tourism and habitat protection has increased their population over the last 35 years. It's jumped 25 percent in a specific African region in the past eight years. | <urn:uuid:04346606-a6fe-4225-8fad-8f6d345a0029> | CC-MAIN-2018-30 | https://www.greenmatters.com/community/2017/11/15/V09Bd/rwanda-sustainable-teens | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-30/segments/1531676589270.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20180716115452-20180716135452-00180.warc.gz | en | 0.977887 | 737 | 2.890625 | 3 | 2.929307 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Thrombasthenia: An inherited blood clotting disorder where abnormal blood platelet function causes results in excessive bleeding.
More detailed information about the symptoms,
causes, and treatments of Thrombasthenia is available below.
Symptoms of Thrombasthenia
See full list of 23
symptoms of Thrombasthenia
Home Diagnostic Testing
Home medical testing related to Thrombasthenia:
Wrongly Diagnosed with Thrombasthenia?
Thrombasthenia: Related Patient Stories
Read more about Deaths and Thrombasthenia.
Review possible medical complications related to Thrombasthenia:
Causes of Thrombasthenia
See full list of 23
causes of Thrombasthenia
Read more about causes of Thrombasthenia.
Disease Topics Related To Thrombasthenia
Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Thrombasthenia:
Misdiagnosis and Thrombasthenia
Unnecessary hysterectomies due to undiagnosed bleeding disorder in women: The bleeding disorder
called Von Willebrand's disease is quite common in women, but often fails to be correctly diagnosed.
Women with the...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Thrombasthenia
Thrombasthenia: Research Doctors & Specialists
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Research about Thrombasthenia
Visit our research pages for current research about Thrombasthenia treatments.
Clinical Trials for Thrombasthenia
The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally
and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.
Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Thrombasthenia include:
Read more about Clinical Trials for Thrombasthenia
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Read about other experiences, ask a question about Thrombasthenia, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:
Definitions of Thrombasthenia:
A rare autosomal recessive disease in which the platelets do not produce clots in the normal way and hemorrhage results
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)
Contents for Thrombasthenia:
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- Ask or answer a question at the Boards: | <urn:uuid:9a59c434-f222-4590-9e9a-c0f008b5c7ea> | CC-MAIN-2016-40 | http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/t/thrombasthenia/intro.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-40/segments/1474738661296.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20160924173741-00283-ip-10-143-35-109.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.837595 | 596 | 2.828125 | 3 | 2.037864 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
|And We're Not Talking Bicycles!
The cycles of Mood Swings in Bipolar
Disorder can vary widely. Initially, episodes of depression and mania
tend to occur closer together and more frequently. In time the interval
between the extremes of mania and depression may stabilize and become longer
as a part of the normal progression of the disorder.
Rapid Cycling occurs in approximately
5-15 percent of the Bipolar community, and is defined as "having four or
more distinct periods of depression, hypomania, mixed states, or
mania in a time period of one year." Women are affected more
commonly than men (75 per cent are women). Rapid Cycling is a relatively
new diagnosis, having been identified by psychiatrists and researchers
shortly after lithium became available for use in bipolar disorder.
Since then, more terminology of Rapid Cycling has been added. In
ultra rapid cycling episodes may last no more than 24 hours. In ultra
ultra rapid cycling several switches of mood occur in a 24-hour period,
and in continuous cycling an individual swings back and forth between mania
or hypomania continuously with little or no period of identifiable normal
mood between the swings.
The idea that rapid cycling bipolar
disorder is a specific type of bipolar disorder has been all but dismissed.
Currently it is thought that any bipolar can "switch" to a rapid cycling
pattern, but that in nearly all cases (as shown in a recent study) most
return to their normal bipolar pattern in time.
There have been several areas studied
in an attempt to discover why rapid cycling affects some individuals with
the disorder and what might be done to improve treatment for these individuals.
Some of the things studied included that these individuals seemed to have
a thyroid problem, were not helped as efficiently with lithium and had
all taken antidepressant medication…and addition were primarily female.
The only one that has been positively
proven is that women predominate. Clinicians still feel that antidepressants
may play a role in the development of rapid cycling but they have no proof.
At this point in time there is no
known cause for rapid cycling, nor is there a specific treatment.
Hopefully soon one will be found soon.
When I was diagnosed in 1979 my episodes
were so stable I could almost plan on them…once a year, every year in late
Autumn and over Christmas to January would find me in hospital. After
that I went for a period of eight years with no hospitalizations.
Beginning again in 1988 the episodes
(mostly depressive) began to recur…a little more frequently until 1994.
Between 1993 and 1995 I was diagnosed as a rapid cycler. My episodes
were frequent and severe…in those two years I lost my job and was put on
a disability pension, made several attempts at suicide (one was severe),
was in and out of psychiatric hospitals both locally and out of town and
had short and rare occurrences of normal mood. My episodes were all
severe - no half measures for me - and would last 2 or 3 months before
switching to the opposite state.
Then with treatment the swings slowed
down and stopped for two years. In January 1998 I was again in hospital
for a mixed episode, which was incidentally unlike anything I had ever
experienced before. Up and down at the same time, laughing through
my tears and audio hallucinations are three of the features I most remember.
Quite a difference from what I was accustomed to.
Since then, any mood swings have
been comparatively mild. I obviously am no longer a rapid cycler,
at least for today. One thing about having bipolar disorder is that
I've learned not to make predictions for the future. Until a cure
is found, Bipolar Disorder is for life, and I for one plan to enjoy the
times of peace and contentment to the fullest extent, and let tomorrow
take care of itself. | <urn:uuid:fb636601-9831-48a8-8d88-4d9d31fc25d3> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://www.bipolarworld.net/Bipolar%20Disorder/Articles/cycling.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1405997892557.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20140722025812-00114-ip-10-33-131-23.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972073 | 822 | 2.828125 | 3 | 2.915517 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
By Dr. Jeannie Thomason
“Luxating” is a fancy word for dislocating. Patella is your dog’s “knee”, the joint on the front of her/his hind leg. So a luxating patella is a dislocating knee or as some have nick named it; trick knee, a knee that keeps slipping out of its socket. This can happen in certain toy breeds with weak ligaments, tendons, and/or muscles. It can also happen with other breeds in pups whose kneecap groove is too narrow or shallow. The knee usually slips inwardly, toward the body, and locks so that your dog can’t bend her/his leg.
Does My Dog Have a Luxating Patella?
You might suspect a luxating patella if your dog occasionally lifts one hind leg while running, or if she/he often moves both rear legs at the same time, like a hopping bunny. Sometimes the knee slips only for a few moments and then slides back into place. Sometimes the knee slips out and stays out, and your dog will hold her/his leg off the ground and limp, perhaps tucking the thigh into her/his body.
Luxation may occur in one knee, or in both. It is seen in many small breeds, and in both sexes. Even if the knees seem to be firm as puppies, it is not a bad idea to have have your dog’s patellas checked every two years by your veterinarian.
Is luxation serious?
There are four degrees (grades) of luxation:
Grade I. The knee only slips out when the vet manipulates it.
Grade II. The knee luxates occasionally when the dog is walking or running. He/she may not seem to mind much, or they may shriek, but it usually slides back by itself as they continues moving. Or you can slip it back manually (ask the vet to show you how).
Grade III. The knee luxates frequently and causes chronic lameness. Even when you put it back manually, it doesn’t seem to last long.
Grade IV. The knee luxates, stays that way, and you can’t put it back into its socket. This grade is very rare but happens.
How is luxation treated?
* The first special care should be to crate or keep the dog in a small area for a week or two and supervise all activity – no jumping or running.
* Most veterinarians will prescribe a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (like Rimadyl or another NSAID). However, please know that these will only hide the symptoms and may reduce some of the inflammation, but do absolutely nothing to strengthen or correct the condition its self.
* Some veterinarians will prescribe Steroidal anti-inflammatories. These have proven to be extremely damaging to the immune system, have awful side effects (short and long term), and in my opinion, should never be used.
*Surgery is seldom the answer and if needed, should only be done by an orthopedic surgeon if the dog is in chronic pain.
If you decide on surgery, please call the American College of Veterinary Surgeons at (301) 718-6504 and ask for a referral to an orthopedic specialist or college of veterinary medicine in your state.
If surgery is your choice, be aware that the dog may very likely have problems down the road with arthritis from the surgery.
In the opinion of most veterinarians, surgery is overkill for Grade I or II luxating patella. I personally would only go with surgery on a Grade IV luxation, or on a Grade III that did not respond to natural/holisitc care and the dog was in constant pain. Surgery costs around a thousand dollars per patella, it is uncomfortable for your dog, and there is a 50% chance that some degree of luxation will return at some point in time.
Natural ways to aid healing of Luxating Patellas:
Feed a species appropriate raw meat, bone and organ diet. At the very least, a home cooked diet of meat and naturally sourced supplements with NO grains or vegetables.
Keep your dog lean. (Fat dogs have to carry more weight on their weak leg joint).
Moderate – daily exercise, walking up slight inclines (gentle hills), will strengthen the muscle groups around the patella.
Vitamin C is one of the building blocks of strong ligaments and connective tissue.
Proteolytic Enzymes are a natural alternative to NSAIDS -proteolyic enzymes work with the body’s innate mechanisms to promote healing and allow inflammation to progress naturally. They support the production of various cytokines, activate large proteins, such as alpha-2-macroglobulins, and slow the clotting mechanism, which provokes a healthier healing response.
Glucosamine supplements such as Glyco-Flex , Dog Gone Pain or Artho Aid are nutritional products sourced from natural sources (no synthetic ingredients) packed with minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and lubricating agents. They build cartilage and cushioning fluid in injured joints, and help heal damaged connective tissue.
Acupuncture, Homeopathy and especially the application of *therapeutic grade essential oils have also been very effective in correcting luxating patellas and strengthening the joints and tendons while easing the pain.
Therapeutic grade essential oils raise the body’s vibrational frequency to promote and maintain healing.
*I only use and recommend Young Living Essential Oils due to their true, pure, therapeutic quality.
What causes luxating patella in the first place?
Occasionally it’s caused by an injury, but in the absence of such proof, it is almost always weak tendons and/or a shallow kneecap groove.
Luxating patella(s) is considered hereditary however, just like hip dysplasia, it is most often a weakness brought on by improper diet and improper exercise as a puppy. (read about the truth behind hip dysplasia)
The Orthopedic Foundation of America will issue registration numbers to dogs whose patellas have been examined by a veterinarian, forwarded to the OFA, and found to be normal. For More Information visit the Orthopedic Foundation of America
Boston Terrier Club Of America
Chihuahua Kingdom Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW
Shumsky, Terri (1993) How to buy your Toy Dog, and Raise it Expensively
Disclaimer: Copyright 2006 – 2011 The Whole (Wholistic) Dog, Whole Dog News Blog, Dr Jeanette (Jeannie) Thomason, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Author/Publisher.
All the articles at The Whole Dog.org. Whole Dog News.com have been researched and reviewed for accuracy and are for educational purposes, they are not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified animal health professional. The Whole Dog, Whole Dog News, and Dr. Jeannie Thomason does not assume any legal responsibility. | <urn:uuid:f3679d57-839f-43d5-b033-34b102e4dc53> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://thewholedog.com/luxating-patellas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964362952.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20211204063651-20211204093651-00356.warc.gz | en | 0.930276 | 1,538 | 2.515625 | 3 | 2.411873 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
Running electronics using lightOctober 19, 2009 By Miranda Marquit in Nanotechnology / Nanophysics
(PhysOrg.com) -- "If you open up almost any electronic gadget, you will see various elements that operating using electric circuitries," Nader Engheta tells PhysOrg.com. "Many of them have different functionalities, such as inductors, capacitors, resistors, transistors, and so forth. These well-known elements have been around for decades. But what if you could bring these concepts to the nanoscale, and what if they could operate with light instead of electricity?"
Engheta, a scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, along with Andrea Alů, believe that it is possible to create a nanoscale circuit board that has the potential to be useful in communications. Engheta and Alů describe their concept of an optical nanoscale circuit in Physical Review Letters: "All-Optical Metamaterial Circuit Board at the Nanoscale."
"If you go to the nanoscale," Engheta explains, "you would have to conceive of nanoparticles that effectively act like the elements seen in current devices. It would be necessary to create nanoparticles of a specific shape, and made from specific materials, that would allow them to act as capacitors, resistors, and other well-known elements."
There are three main advantages of using optical nanoparticle circuit boards, Engheta says. First of all, being able to further miniaturize various communications devices would ensure that technology continues to evolve. “We are moving toward having more and more information compacted into a smaller volume.” The second advantage is that using optical frequencies would provide more bandwidth. Finally, there is a very real possibility that nanoscale circuit boards, properly constructed, would use less energy. “We have to look more into this possibility, but it is quite likely that optical nanoparticle circuit boards would be low energy in nature,” Engheta insists.
So far, Engheta and Alů have only used computer simulations to test their ideas related to nanoscale circuit boards. The Engheta group is, however, working toward an experimental realization of their theories with a proof of concept for lumped circuit elements. “What we’ve come up with is compatible with the nanofabrication techniques already in use today,” Engheta says. “We are in the midst of trying to construct some nanowires to serve as our proof of concept for lumped optical circuit elements, and hopefully we’ll see some results in the next six months or so.”
One of the biggest challenges to realizing this type of nanoscale circuitry is that it is difficult to form the structures needed at such a small size. “Additionally,” Engheta admits, “we would have to put these structures next to each other in specific patterns. This is doable, using present nanofabrication techniques, but not easy.” The fabrication process would include creating structures out of metamaterials and a process that imitates the electronic circuitry we are more familiar with. “One of our ideas is to cut a groove in the material, one that could contain the light used in the circuit board, to connect nanoparticles together. It would be similar to the way wires connect various elements in electronic devices.”
Once a proof of concept is realized for this circuit board, Engheta hopes to take optical nanocommunications to another level. “We are extending our concept to other elements that are non-linear,” he says. “This could allow us to develop switches, opening the door to computation.”
More information: Andrea Alů and Nader Engheta, “All Optical Metamaterial Circuit Board at the Nanoscale,” Physical Review Letters (2009). Available online: link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.143902
Copyright 2009 PhysOrg.com.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of PhysOrg.com.
"Running electronics using light" October 19, 2009 http://phys.org/news/2009-10-electronics.html | <urn:uuid:d7ed5cbf-79a9-4033-b455-d1237df17851> | CC-MAIN-2016-36 | http://phys.org/print175161170.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-36/segments/1471982935910.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20160823200855-00185-ip-10-153-172-175.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943927 | 905 | 3.90625 | 4 | 2.906923 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Military Laser Technology for Defense: Technology for Revolutionizing 21st Century Warfare
Military Laser Technology for Defense, includes only unclassified or declassified information. The book focuses on military applications that involve propagation of light through the atmosphere and provides basic relevant background technology. It describes high-power lasers and masers, including the free-electron laser. Further, Military Laser Technology for Defense addresses how laser technology can effectively mitigate six of the most pressing military threats of the 21st century: attack by missiles, terrorists, chemical and biological weapons, as well as difficulty in imaging in bad weather and threats from directed beam weapons and future nuclear weapons. The author believes that laser technology will revolutionize warfare in the 21st century.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR.
I OPTICS TECHNOLOGY FOR DEFENSE SYSTEMS.
1 OPTICAL RAYS.
1.1 Paraxial Optics.
1.2 Geometric or Ray Optics.
1.3 Optics for Launching and Receiving Beams.
2 GAUSSIAN BEAMS AND POLARIZATION.
2.1 Gaussian Beams.
3 OPTICAL DIFFRACTION.
3.1 Introduction to Diffraction.
3.2 Uncertainty Principle for Fourier Transforms.
3.3 Scalar Diffraction.
3.4 Diffraction-Limited Imaging.
4 DIFFRACTIVE OPTICAL ELEMENTS.
4.1 Applications of DOEs.
4.2 Diffraction Gratings.
4.3 Zone Plate Design and Simulation.
4.4 Gerchberg–Saxton Algorithm for Design of DOEs.
5 PROPAGATION AND COMPENSATION FOR ATMOSPHERIC TURBULENCE.
5.1 Statistics Involved.
5.2 Optical Turbulence in the Atmosphere.
5.3 Adaptive Optics.
5.4 Computation of Laser Light Through Atmospheric Turbulence.
6 OPTICAL INTERFEROMETERS AND OSCILLATORS.
6.1 Optical Interferometers.
6.2 Fabry–Perot Resonators.
6.3 Thin-Film Interferometric Filters and Dielectric Mirrors.
II LASER TECHNOLOGY FOR DEFENSE SYSTEMS.
7 PRINCIPLES FOR BOUND ELECTRON STATE LASERS.
7.1 Laser Generation of Bound Electron State Coherent Radiation.
7.2 Semiconductor Laser Diodes.
7.3 Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers.
8 POWER LASERS.
8.2 Solid-State Lasers.
8.3 Powerful Gas Lasers.
9 PULSED HIGH PEAK POWER LASERS.
9.1 Situations in which Pulsed Lasers may be Preferable.
9.2 Mode-Locked Lasers.
9.3 Q-Switched Lasers.
9.4 Space and Time Focusing of Laser Light.
10 ULTRAHIGH-POWER CYCLOTRON MASERS/LASERS.
10.1 Introduction to Cyclotron or Gyro Lasers and Masers.
10.2 Gyrotron-Type Lasers and Masers.
10.3 Vircator Impulse Source.
11 FREE-ELECTRON LASER/MASER.
11.1 Significance and Principles of Free-Electron Laser/Maser.
11.2 Explanation of Free-Electron Laser Operation.
11.3 Description of High- and Low-Power Demonstrations.
III APPLICATIONS TO PROTECT AGAINST MILITARY THREATS.
12 LASER PROTECTION FROM MISSILES.
12.1 Protecting from Missiles and Nuclear-Tipped ICBMs.
12.2 The Airborne Laser Program for Protecting from ICBMs.
12.3 Protecting from Homing Missiles.
12.4 Protecting Assets from Missiles.
13 LASER TO ADDRESS THREAT OF NEW NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
13.1 Laser Solution to Nuclear Weapons Threat.
13.2 Description of National Infrastructure Laser.
14 PROTECTING ASSETS FROM DIRECTED ENERGY LASERS.
14.1 Laser Characteristics Estimated by Laser Warning Device.
14.2 Laser Warning Devices.
15 LIDAR PROTECTS FROM CHEMICAL/BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.
15.1 Introduction to Lidar and Military Applications.
15.2 Description of Typical Lidar System.
15.4 Spectroscopic Lidar Senses Chemical Weapons.
16 94 GHz RADAR DETECTS/TRACKS/IDENTIFIES OBJECTS IN BAD WEATHER.
16.1 Propagation of Electromagnetic Radiation Through Atmosphere.
16.2 High-Resolution Inclement Weather 94 GHz Radar.
16.3 Applications, Monitoring Space, High Doppler, and Low Sea Elevation.
17 PROTECTING FROM TERRORISTS WITH W-BAND.
17.1 Nonlethal Crowd Control with Active Denial System.
17.2 Body Scanning for Hidden Weapons.
17.3 Inspecting Unopened Packages.
17.4 Destruction and Protection of Electronics.
Contact the author at www.linkedin.com/in/alastairmcaulay | <urn:uuid:78296466-a268-4629-9ccc-274af35d5f89> | CC-MAIN-2017-22 | http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118019547.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-22/segments/1495463607369.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170523045144-20170523065144-00099.warc.gz | en | 0.663526 | 1,136 | 2.78125 | 3 | 2.533048 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Consuming dietary fiber may reduce the risk of dementia in older adults more prone to Alzheimer's. The evidence emerges from a study conducted in Italy, on a community of people housed in social and health residences. (1)
The beneficial function of dietary fibers
Consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other sources of dietary fiber is unanimously recognized as beneficial to health. Dietary guidelines indicate an optimal dietary fiber intake of 30-35 g/day for men and 25-32 g/day for women in adults. (2)
The intake of dietary fiber, along with other nutrients, was also associated with improved brain integrity, such as higher total brain volume and lower white matter hyperintensity volume in older adults without dementia, the study authors note.
The impact of dietary fiber on cognitive function could be mediated by its influence on the gut microbiota. Dietary fiber intake shapes the composition and/or functionality of the gut microbiota, increasing the production of fermentative end products, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). These metabolites have shown the potential to modulate brain function through the 'microbiota-gut-brain' axis.
Dietary fibers against Alzheimer's
Il the team. international group of researchers (US, Spanish and Italian) on these premises evaluated the relationship between dietary fiber intake and the incidence of cognitive decline in a prospective study on elderly residents in the community, the Invecchiare in Chianti study, the aging in the Chianti area (InCHIANTI).
A systematic review affected 848 over-65 (56% females), with an average age of 71 years. For 15 years, every three years, the researchers looked at their diet, cognitive conditions and other health parameters.
In the 15 years In general, a correlation between fiber consumption and cognitive decline did not emerge from observation.
In the elderly with the APOE4 gene (associated with an above-average Alzheimer's risk), however, it emerged that a daily consumption of 5 grams of dietary fiber is markedly associated with a 30% lower risk of cognitive decline.
The APOE4 gene
The APOE4 gene is recognized as an indicator of the risk of dementia, which however must be reconciled with lifestyle, the diet it's the age. The fear of relatives of people with Alzheimer's of contracting the same pathology has fueled a business of unreliable predictive analytics.
In the scientific field, however, new reliable and non-invasive diagnostic methods are on the way. The first study on the subject is Italian. In the Interceptor project, preparatory to the application of the new diagnostics, 400 people at risk are enrolled to predict the conversion of mild cognitive decline into Alzheimer's dementia. (3)
The project it is promoted and supported by the Ministry of Health and Aifa, the Italian Medicines Agency, in collaboration with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and Aima, the Italian Association for Alzheimer's Disease. The Agostino Gemelli IRCCS University Hospital Foundation coordinates and participates together with a network of 20 Italian neurological structures.
(1) Andrea Unión-Caballero, Tomás Meroño, Cristina Andrés-Lacueva, Nicole Hidalgo-Liberona, Montserrat Rabassa, Stefania Bandinelli, Luigi Ferrucci, Massimiliano Fedecostante, Raúl Zamora-Ros, Antonio Cherubini. Apolipoprotein E gene variants shape the association between dietary fiber intake and cognitive decline risk in community-dwelling older adults. Age and Aging, Volume 52, Issue 1, January 2023, afac329, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afac329
(2) Dario Dongo, Carlotta Suardi. Whole grain and fiber, long healthy life. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 25.1.19
(3) The Interceptor project is described in the official site https://www.interceptorproject.com/
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat". | <urn:uuid:df24412e-0f41-4e92-87ca-53a6a05708b4> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/en/health/Alzheimer%27s-Dietary-fiber-consumption-reduces-risk-and-protects-the-brains-of-older-adults/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510130.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20230926011608-20230926041608-00644.warc.gz | en | 0.912627 | 905 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.85543 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
Even though ralph waldo emerson is writing in essay form, his style of writing in the above passage is still very literary check out those flowery flourishes dang a lot of the most famous ideas and concepts developed by the american romantics were elaborated in essays, such as emerson's self-reliance above. Ralph waldo emerson had a sister named evelyn emerson who then had a daughter named penny emerson penny married and is now named penny jones she had 6 children becky, doug, debbie, steve, jeff, and kim they each have children, becky jourdan, bryson, caden doug brooklyn, tailer, and jett steve kate and will. Summary and analysis of self-reliance about self-reliance bookmark this page manage my reading list published first in 1841 in essays and then in the 1847 revised edition of essays , self-reliance took shape over a long period of time.
Ralph waldo emerson biography enotescom will help you with any book or any question our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers.
Ralph waldo emerson this study guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of selected writings of ralph waldo emerson. Emerson and thoreau were both members of the american transcendentalist circle, and their writing styles reflect the idealism and reverence for nature that characterize this movement there are, however, key and easily recognizable differences emerson is best known for his essays. What is ralph waldo emerson's writing style update cancel answer wiki 1 answer andrew campbell, rwe changed my life as much as any author i've read, and more recently what is a good analysis of the poem the snow storm by ralph waldo emerson.
An analysis of ralph waldo emerson's writing style pages 1 words 475 view full essay more essays like this: not sure what i'd do without @kibin - alfredo alvarez, student @ miami university exactly what i needed - jenna kraig, student @ ucla wow most helpful essay resource ever. Ralph waldo emerson has a rhetorical style of writing, with wordsthat builds up to peaks of emotion emerson is one of the mostwidely-read and frequently-quoted american autho rs of all time.
An analysis of ralph waldo emerson`s essay `self-reliance` ralph waldo emerson’s essay self-reliance is a great self-help source, the goal of which is to promote transcendentalism and simultaneously help the reader understand and follow transcendental beliefs - an analysis of ralph waldo emerson`s essay `self-reliance` introduction.
Ralph waldo emerson introduction to emerson's writing bookmark this page manage my reading list nearly a century and a quarter after his death, emerson remains one of the most widely read and frequently quoted of american authors. Ralph waldo emerson writing styles in self-reliance ralph waldo emerson this study guide consists of approximately 52 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of self-reliance. In paragraph 13 of ralph waldo emerson's essay titled education, where do examples of allusion paragraph 13 of ralph waldo emerson’s essay titled “education” contains a number of rhetorical techniques that are effective in various ways. What idea did ralph waldo emerson promote that was unique in the history of the world why is nature by ralph waldo emerson so complicated is the essay, art by ralph waldo emerson an inductive or deductive argument. | <urn:uuid:4d554b31-c9ba-40a8-8c73-0cf91a2152a8> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | http://ghtermpaperjpuc.frieslandvakantiebungalow.info/an-analysis-of-ralph-waldo-emersons-writing-style.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583510019.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20181016051435-20181016072935-00082.warc.gz | en | 0.948633 | 812 | 2.71875 | 3 | 2.502312 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Literature |
The Earth sings every day, with an electric chorus. With the right tuning, radios can eavesdrop on this sizzling symphony of crackles, pops and whistles — the melody of millions of lightning bolts. A listener in New Zealand can even hear a volcano in Alaska erupt, a new study reports.
Lightning strikes unleash intense bursts of visible light and very-low-frequency (VLF) radio waves, among other kinds of energy. With a VLF receiver, anyone can listen to the constant chatter of Earth's lightning, estimated at 8 million strikes every day. (Not every lightning bolt becomes a whistler.)
A worldwide listening network is tuned to one particular lightning sound, called whistlers. These eerie electronic signals supposedly got their name from soldiers, who compared the sound to falling grenades. Modern ears might liken whistlers to a video game's "pew-pew-pew" soundtrack. [Listen to the Volcanic Whistling]
Whistlers are pulses of VLF radio energy that have traveled into space, leaping from one side of Earth to the other along the planet's magnetic field lines. Scientists monitor whistlers because the beautiful noise tells them about the planet's protective bubble of charged particles, called the plasmasphere. Whistlers on Venus and Jupiter suggest lightning also crackles on other planets.
Now, however, researchers have also linked a flurry of whistlers detected in Dunedin, New Zealand, to processes deep inside the Earth. For the first time, scientists have connected whistlers to volcanic lightning, according to a study published July 2 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
"I think it's really cool," said Jacob Bortnik, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study. "We're establishing a new connection between deep Earth and space."
Sing the Earth electric
On a busy day for space music, whistlers may zap Dunedin, on the South Island, around 1,000 times. But the lightning's not local. Dunedin has stormy weather — it's far enough south (and cold enough) to host a penguin colony — but lightning there is rare, said lead study author Claire Antel, a graduate student in physics at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
Instead, Dunedin's whistlers (which are radio waves from lightning) arrive from space along one of Earth's magnetic field lines.
Some of Dunedin's whistlers originate in thunderstorms offshore Central and North America, according to earlier studies by Andrew Collier, a physicist and scientist at Exegetic Analytics in Durban, South Africa, who is also a co-author on the new study. The energy pulse zooms outward, and then arcs back down on the far side of the planet, traveling thousands of miles in a matter of seconds. As it travels, the energy disperses, with high frequencies arriving faster than low frequencies. This spreads out the pulse so it arrives sounding like a whistle, with a descending tone.
But Dunedin's magnetic conjugate point — the spot where the magnetic field line arcing out of New Zealand bends back down into Earth — is located in Alaska's Aleutian Islands, Antel said. And that fact helped solve a whistler mystery.
On July 12, 2008, Collier and his colleagues detected an astounding peak in Dunedin's whistler activity, which initially defied explanation. The network picked up more than 15,000 whistlers that day, and the researchers found even more when they pored over the records.
Seeking a source for the spike in whistlers, Collier sent Antel searching through records of lightning strikes and volcanic eruptions. She found a match in the Aleutian Islands.
The Kiwi connection
Alaska's Mount Okmok erupted on July 12, 2008. Within 35 minutes, the whistler count at Dunedin started rising, Antel and her co-authors reported. The network recorded more than 21,000 whistlers within 10 hours of the eruption. After Okmok's ash plume collapsed, cutting off the lightning, the whistlers quieted. [See Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning]
"We've solved the Dunedin whistler mystery," Antel told Live Science.
Another whistler spike hit Dunedin starting March 23, 2009, when Mount Redoubt erupted several times before quieting on April 4. But not every volcanic blast in Alaska blew the whistle in Dunedin, Antel discovered. There were just a few whistlers from an eruption at Kasatochi Island on Aug. 7, 2008.
The differences could be due to eruption size, Antel said. Volcanic lightning isn't as well understood as lightning produced in storms, but small volcanic eruptions are less likely to generate the electric charges that lead to lightning. The biggest volcanic blasts bear enormous bolts in their towering clouds, similar to the massive thunderclouds that menace the U.S. Midwest in summer.
Antel thinks there's potential for probing volcanic lightning with whistlers, and perhaps even monitoring Earth and other planets for new eruptions. "Okmok and Redoubt might be very special, or maybe volcanoes are very good at generating whistlers," she said. "Maybe we can use whistlers to provide evidence of volcanoes on other planets. It's still unclear how far we can take this."
However, the worldwide lightning-tracking network already picks up volcanic lightning, so it's unlikely that listening to whistlers would boost eruption monitoring, said Robert Holzworth, a professor of earth and space sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, who was not involved in the study.
"Right now, it's in the 'interesting phenomenon' category," Holzworth said. "The most important implication of studying whistlers is monitoring space weather and gaining good, up-to-the-minute knowledge of what's going on in space." | <urn:uuid:9fe06adf-4803-4a2c-a715-455c478d2909> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.livescience.com/46995-volcano-lighting-whistlers-earth-chorus.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Livesciencecom+%28LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed%29 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988717783.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183837-00329-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942263 | 1,224 | 3.4375 | 3 | 2.965387 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Printed on Apr 17, 2014 @ 11:49 AM
This document outlines the principles of septic system operation and explains the maintenance procedures necessary to prolong the life of the system. If neglected, the septic system can fail and lead to potential health hazards. If properly operated and maintained, the system can provide many years of trouble-free service.
The standard household septic system is a two part sewage treatment and disposal system buried in the ground. It consists of a septic tank and disposal field.
Household sewage is a combination of wastewater from several sources, including sinks, showers, washing machines, garbage grinders, and dishwashers. The largest source of sewage is the toilet.
The Septic Tank
Untreated household sewage will quickly clog all but the most porous gravels if applied directly to the soil. The function of the septic tank is to allow separation of the solids from the sewage so that the remaining liquid (effluent) can be absorbed into the ground without clogging the soil. Within the tank three important processes take place. The heavier solid particles in the sewage settle to the bottom of the tank, forming a layer of sludge. Lighter materials, including fats and grease, float to the surface and form a scum layer. Bacteria (called anaerobes, because they live without oxygen) live in the septic tank and slowly digest some of the solids into gaseous and liquid components. This helps to reduce sludge build up.
Sludge and scum are stored within the tank rather than being allowed to flow into the disposal field where they would quickly clog the soil and cause the system to fail prematurely. As the tank fills with sludge and grease, efficiency of treatment decreases. Sludge and scum are removed when a septic tank is pumped.
The Disposal Field
The disposal field generally consists of a network of perforated pipes laid in gravel-filled trenches. After partial treatment in the septic tank, the sewage effluent flows into the distribution box or a series of drop boxes, then out through the perforated pipe and into the gravel-filled trenches. The gravel acts as a media for aerobic bacteria and other organisms to feed on the sewage.
In the soil below the disposal trenches, solid particles and disease causing bacteria are filtered out. Soil bacteria destroy many of the toxins and pollutants while other toxins and pollutants become bonded to clay particles. While these mechanisms remove many pollutants, some trace constituents such as Nitrates may reach groundwater tables.
In order to take proper care of a system the homeowner must know where it is located. If the septic tank's access manhole is at ground level, it should be easy to locate. Most access manholes are buried somewhere under the lawn or garden. To locate the septic tank, look under the house or in the basement to find where and in what direction the sewer pipe goes out. Septic tank locations are sometimes indicated by either lush or stunted grass growth, and /or mounded or depressed areas which differ from the rest of the yard. Any likely spot can be probed with a metal rod. A tank installed under current rules should be a minimum of five feet from the house foundation. Most systems installed since 1992 have tracer wire from the foundation to the tank and to the first box.
If this doesn't work, ask someone who may have seen the system installed or pumped (a neighbor, the builder, or a previous owner). Benton County Environmental Health Office has records showing the location of most newer septic systems. The more recent the installation the more likely we are to have the record. The installation records of increasingly older systems may be incomplete or nonexistent. If all else fails, turn the job over to a local septic tank pumper.
Once the tank has been located it should be permanently marked with a stake or flagstone and its location should be recorded in your files.
Don't wait until your system shows signs of failure to have your septic tank pumped. The recommended pumping interval is every three to five years. You must call a licensed pumper to do the work. Proper pumping equipment will clean out scum, sludge, and all liquid. The pumped sewage will be disposed of at an approved facility. A thorough pumping service should also include an inspection of the inlet and outlet fittings, and the overall integrity of the tank.
A licensed pumper is assigned an official license number from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The license number should be given to you upon request and can be verified through the Environmental Health Office. The Environmental Health Office has a list of local licensed pumpers, or you can consult the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory.
It is not necessary to leave any of the sludge in the tank as "seed." Incoming sewage contains all the bacteria needed for proper operation.
The use of enzymes and other additives has not been shown to be of significant value. While their use may not harm the system, some may pose environmental hazards to the disposal field area or ground water. They do not take the place of regular maintenance.
Septic systems generally give little warning that they are about to fail. However, the following symptoms often indicate that the system is becoming clogged:
If the sewage effluent cannot be absorbed into the soil near the disposal field, sewage will backup and overflow onto the surface of the ground or inside the dwelling. There are four major causes of this problem:
Should any of the symptoms that indicate system failure appear, do the following:
Contact the Environmental Health Office. An Environmental Health Specialist can visit your property to assess the situation. Repairs may not be warranted or only minor repairs or improvements may be needed. However, in most cases the disposal field must be replaced with a new one.
Pump the tank regularly, every three to five years. Sludge build up varies with each family. Ask what frequency your pumper recommends. Do not wait until failure symptoms show up.
To protect your septic system against premature failure follow these simple procedures:
Benton County Environmental Health works to protect us against environmental factors that may adversely impact human health or the ecological balances essential to long-term human health and environmental quality, whether in the natural or man-made environment. | <urn:uuid:69d3d8dc-d589-4b04-a3cc-8b66e67aec92> | CC-MAIN-2014-15 | http://www.co.benton.or.us/health/environmental_health/septic_systems.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-15/segments/1397609530895.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20140416005210-00296-ip-10-147-4-33.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941115 | 1,286 | 4 | 4 | 2.517744 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Home & Hobbies |
Introduction to the NorthviewWrites project:
This project has been designed to engage our Grade 10 Core French Students in learning about and working with social justice children’s literature, in connecting with local authors and humanitarians who have shared their stories with us via video and video conference and in giving students the opportunity to write and publish their own stories as dual language storybooks that will be printed and shared with students at our neighbouring feeder school and with other students at Northview Heights Secondary School.
All teaching and learning materials and student exemplars for this project, along with some of our documentary film footage can be located on our project website: http://northviewwrites.wordpress.com
- How can students be inspired and motivated to explore their own experiences and to find ways of using their own voices to share their stories as published dual-language children's story books?
- How can various forms of multimedia, including videoconferencing, be effective tools to assist students in learning about other socially-justice-minded authors and storytellers and in developing the skills needed to write their own stories?
- How can students share their voices and stories with their peers and other students at our local elementary feeder schools through the creation of written publications and online storytelling projects
Learning Objectives/Project Development and Process:
- Students are introduced to a variety of different formats of storytelling and books that connect with social justice issues that interesting and relevant to their experiences both in Canada and around the world.
- Students carry out "interviews" of children's story books in order to become familiar with the elements of a story (character, setting, conflict, plot development etc.), themes, character development, perspective and point of view, conflict and resolution, and the overall structure of children's stories.
- Students engage in personal reflection and response activities that enable them to consider what life and learning experiences they feel comfortable sharing and writing about in a storybook format.
- Students have face-to-face, video-recorded and video conference learning opportunities with three authors whose work connects to social justice themes and issues.
- Students complete a series of writing activities relating the development of their characters, description of the setting and storyline and progression
- Students write a version of the story in both French and in English and work together in small editorial teams to get regular feedback and to ensure that their stories are clearly communicated and written with appropriate grammatical structures and age-appropriate vocabulary.
- Students create and design illustrations to accompany their stories.
- Students layout their dual-language stories with their illustrations to prepare for printing and publication.
- Throughout the project, students document their progress by writing posts on Twitter Feeds and in writing in personal journals. Regular feedback is given by the teacher as well as opportunities for individual and collective reflection.
- Students have the opportunity to engage in a live presentation with author StudentAsim writer of Khadijah goes to School; former child soldier and human rights activist, Michel Chikwanine, author of Child Soldiers: How Girls and Boys are used in War (to be released in October 2015); and Canadian Humanitarian, CEO of Plan Canada, and author of Every day is Malala Day, Rosemary McCarney. The final presentation will be shared by videoconference with other classrooms in Ontario.
- Students' stories are professionally printed and shared as part of a NorthviewWrites Book Launch at the school. Local elementary students come to participate in the book launch and to hear stories read to them by our NorthviewWrites Student authors. A Canadian author as well as school administration and School Superintendent come to celebrate the work and achievements of students in their publications for NorthviewWrites. The celebration is shared via videoconference.
- An in-school film crew of students from the school’s Cyber Arts department is invited to document the progress of the students’ work and are creating a documentary film as evidence and in celebration of our collaborative efforts on this project.
- Students will participate in a video recording of them reading their stories in both languages which will be housed on an archived website for them to share with their families and friends.
- Students will contribute their feedback to our documentary and will offer critiques to their classmates to validate and appreciate their work.
Currently what we are working on:
- To date students have submitted the draft copies of their dual language stories for editorial feedback and are beginning the process of creating the illustrations and layout of their books.
- They are also creating short biographical statements about themselves and writing the materials which will be printed on the book jackets for their work.
- Presentations with local authors and videoconferencing, as well as the documentation of our class’ NorthviewWrites Project are ongoing.
- Plans are being made as for the program of our NorthviewWrites book launch to take place at the end of May 2015.
- Students will have created dual or trilingual children’s stories to be published for our school library and for classroom use.
- Students will use their voices to share their stories with local elementary students.
- Students will learn how their voices can positively affect change in their own lives, the lives of others and their communities in raising awareness of social justice issues affecting children and teens in Canada and abroad.
- Students will feel pride in the creation, development, writing and reading of their NorthviewWrites published stories.
- The process and progress of students’ work will be documented in the form of a documentary, shared via face-to-face as well as videoconference and shared as part of the TIG Showcase at the Toronto Science Center on May 21st, 2015.
The value of using videoconferencing as a teaching and learning tool
Videoconferencing is an educational tool that can help connect students with the TDSB community and our global community. Videoconferencing is a tool that breaks down classroom walls and opens a door or a window to the world ... opening this door or this window opens our students’ minds to authentic real world opportunities wherein they are immersed LIVE in their subject curriculum, in another geographic location, in another culture. By seeing, hearing and talking LIVE with others they discover that there are many things we all have in common around the world. Students recognize that they can absorb knowledge and can share it. Because videoconferencing is a LIVE event, students have the immediate gratification of knowing that they were empowered to use their "voice" to talk about ways to achieve positive change where it's needed. They also have the immediate gratification of feeling like their "voice" is heard. By using socially innovative technologies such as videoconferencing students can connect and have conversations with experts and/or other students around the globe. Essentially, we are bringing their subject curriculum to life and this helps to break down resistance and indifference towards making positive change. By immersing this vision into a TIG project based assignment, wherein students create and publish a children's story on a social justice theme to then be shared with a broader community, both in person and via videoconference, this only further roots their experiences in an authentic role as citizens with a VOICE who are empowered with the ability to make positive contributions to our global community.
Call to Action:
This project is a call to action for students to use their voices in French, English as well as their native tongue in sharing a story in the format of an engaging children’s story. This work allows students to contribute to the literary community both in our school and across the country as we share their work electronically both in the form of their books and in the reading of their stories.
We invite other teachers and students in Ontario, across Canada and beyond, particularly second-language teachers to connect with us about the possibility of our sharing our stories. We also invite schools to contribute to the writing, collection and sharing of stories that connect with issues of social justice and which will empower students to use their voices for good.
Teachers and students interested in learning about the project design, its progression or in having us share our stories or in creating a learning partnership should connect with us at the school through one of our teachers: French teacher, Katy Whitfield ([email protected]) or Teacher-Librarian ([email protected]) | <urn:uuid:b25cdefe-10ef-49d7-836e-c1e97c663c86> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://projects.tiged.org/northviewwrites-grade-10-french-students-learn-about-social-justice-and-storytelling-using-videoconferencing-and-technology-and-create-own-dual-language-children-s-story-books | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964363215.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20211205160950-20211205190950-00060.warc.gz | en | 0.96426 | 1,740 | 3.53125 | 4 | 2.95838 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Education & Jobs |
Tiger: Females will give birth to 2-4 cubs after a gestation of 104 days. A lion would probably swipe at the tiger faster and more often in a given amount of time. in fact, at equal weights, they would have, on average, limbs which are thicker or else of equal proportions than those of tigers. JKR stated during her interview in Carnegie Hall that Molly was simply talented enough and also had the power of love on her side:. 338. why?.........well, the limbs of the tiger are shorter. the video explicitly shows the different ways of striking: jabs vs up and down devastating blows capable of breaking the other cat spine. Tiger the more powerful paw swipes. The length and color of a lion's mane is likely determined by age, genetics and hormones. Similarly, a chimpanzee is roughly the size of a man, but a full grown chimp is three to five times as strong as a human because his muscles are denser and stronger, and the ligaments are engaged to get better leverage. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions have a prominent mane.With a typical head-to-body length of 184–208 cm (72–82 in) they are larger than females at 160–184 cm (63–72 in). Upload an existing presentation or create it in Swipe, share a link and start presenting live to anyone, anywhere. Tiger is 3 feet tall from the shoulder to feet. Lions have strong muscles in their chests and front legs which enables them to knock and hold down large animals. The tiger hits quicker and tiger has slightly stronger jaws, but maybe by 50-100 pounds or less in difference. Tigers have been known to attempt to take down Indian elephants, which shows the power of an individual tiger. ...you don`t believe that vid, do you tiger lover?....because, there was plenty of vids shown where the lion quite easily knocked the tiger down, and dominated the fight. The next answerer has ridiculed some other answers including mine.Can he tell me what happened to the Asiatic lions(later called Indian lions and now only Gir lions) which were roaming once in Asia.The incident of a tiger killing an elephant is very very rare.They usually avoid each other.But when a fight ensues tigers have about 25% chance of becoming a victor.One such incident happened a week ago in the western ghats near Nilgiris which was reported in the dailies. In some circus there was a performance featuring several big cats, both lions and tigers. A swipe of its paw wouldn't break your back, and it wouldn't kill you to have a 500 lb lion sit on you. Lion fanatics are so good in self-refuting themselves. Its the siberian tigers that are 70 pounds heavier on an average. I read an interesting account on this. However as per recorded experiments, an adult gorilla is four to nine times stronger than an average human. \"What I've seen from tigers, they seem to be more aggressive; they go for the throat, go for the kill,\" Saffoe said. At 1050 pounds per square inch (psi), the bite force of a tiger is almost twice as stronger as a lion. John Smith Clarke, a British lion tamer, said, in a lecture on the fight between a tiger and a lion given to the Glasgow Zoological Society, while showing the actual fight on the screen, "in 100 cases out of 100 the tiger would always beat the lion. ? Some gorillas have been recorded moving over 20 miles per hour. How Swipe works. It is so weak that it can't even break a human. All cats will avoid fighting wherever they can - hence the aggressive behavioural tactics. why the invertebrates is not considered a formal taxonomic group of animals, unlike the vertebrates. There will be no demonstrations in front of the elephant :)). It wouldn't be comfortable, but you'd be able to breathe and get out from under it with no problem. In fact, the video showed Final16's Paw strike on male lion was far more stronger than two lions fighting video. It’s not easy to say how strong gorilla is, because it does not show its strength often due to their gentle nature. A 500 pound tiger hits with about 500-600 pounds of force from its forearm, while the lion hits with 400-500 pounds, which can kill you. I’ve tried to delete the history and exit out of the browser but it will still if you use the 2 finger swipe show all the web pages you’ve visited. Swipe definition is - a strong sweeping blow. This will, as stated by the other person, depend on subspecies, but overall, a tiger is a larger animal by weight and size. TRENDING Video of Tyrann Mathieu trash talking Chargers throughout game surfaces . A 500 pound tiger hits faster and harder than a 500 pound lion! the Tiger is longer ,taller and stronger than a lion . First of all there is absolutely no proof showing tigers driving lions away. Lions just don't have as much leverage for such a swipe. Safari 2 finger swipe in lion. Not only are they strong, but gorillas are also fast. The Tiger can get a win or stalemate a few rds, but the Lion is more durable and a better fighter! I got this information on a documentary and both lion and tiger can hit harder than this, but the tiger still is stronger! Question: How did you decide that Molly Weasley would be the one to finish off Bellatrix? You would have to take into account factors from both animals such as age, weight, aggressiveness, subspecies type and so on. Hippos may seem like gentle, whimsical animals, but any naturalist will tell you they're every bit as dangerous as lions or wolves: not only can a hippopotamus open its mouth at a 180 degree angle, but it can bite an unwary tourist completely in half with a ferocious force of 2,000 pounds per square inch. Still think it would be fun to get close to a bear? Can a cougar interbreed with a mountain lion? The Lion symbolizes Strength, Courage and Leadership Published on July 6, 2014 July 6, 2014 • 46 Likes • 10 Comments Mountain lions, known as pumas, panthers, cougars or brown tigers depending where you are in the western hemisphere, live across California. Who told you about lions being careless and suffering afterwards...dude don't talk nonsense. Lions are bold but careless.they will attack first but will suffer more. Dude...some of the answers to your questions are stupid at best. Their coats are yellow-gold, and adult males have shaggy manes that range in color from blond to reddish-brown to black. Tigers, on the other hand, spend their lives avoiding serious confrontations because they are solitary animals who need to hunt for themselves, and an injury could mean death. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. That remark is baseless. Lions have strong, compact bodies and powerful forelegs, teeth and jaws for pulling down and killing prey. if i had posted the vid, i would how the entire struggle, not merely an instance where the tiger hit the lion a few times, over and over. Zach LaVine reacts to Billy Donovan hire while playing ‘Call of Duty’ Kevin Durant sends a strong message to Knicks fans about free-agency decision. Hmm some interesting answers. Report. A single lion or tiger cannot bring an elephant down. Also, even with smaller prey like deer a tiger just has 20-25% chance of getting to it. The foot measures 8 inches across. Follow 1264. Maybe they are conditioned through the… The cats would sit on these small pedestals along one side, and take turns doing their various tricks. Swipe definition: If you swipe at a person or thing, you try to hit them with a stick or other object ,... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Tigers are better hunters. Its true that if at all a tiger attacks an elephant it will be in the back. They have evolved for fighting. Considering animals of about same size and weight,the tiger is the more stronger. Lions must use strategy by numbers to take down something like a buffalo. PaulCyp. Tigers are solitary. Would a prehistoric dinosaur be a tame animal if it hatched from an egg and was raised by humans? Unlike lions, the tiger is a solitary animal. The agility along with strong bite force let tigers take down any large prey alone. It was mere claim without any evidence. In contrary to you/schmah's claim, the video actually proved Tiger has stronger paw swipe than lion. I would say the tiger. Also, people get fixated about tiger being heavier. But the lion would be the usual victor, due to his combative nature. If at all any animal attacks elephants, its the lion. Still have questions? A Lions Paw Swipe. 3:13. An adult tiger can jump a 8 foot fence with a Buffalo in his mouth,their nightly territory can cover 40 miles, hey are immensely power full the biggest of all the cats, tigers are restless and in captivity tend to do a lot of pacing up and down, lions just have sex and sleep ,or fight each other or hyenas (their mortal enemy),whilst the lionesses do the hunting, for 6 months i worked both with full gown Lions and Tigers in Windsor Safari Park ,so i speak from personal observation. 1 Answer. Do a lion, elephant search on youtube. You can believe in whatever nonsense you want, But, the fact remains, Lion's limbs are closer to cheetahs, made to run fastly in open plains. Once there were lions all over Asia(Asiatic lions)Now they ar. 0. a tiger will be faster. A lone female tiger killing a bull elephant is nonsense. Lions and tigers are among the most ferocious animals but there are important differences between them. It is stronger and faster than lions. Ok boys, wait for your comments and opinions on what stated here: That video doesn't prove lion's paw swipes are more stronger. However what if I want to look at a site to buy a present for example and don’t want anyone else to see that I’ve visited that site? 5 years ago | 5 views. however, that does not mean it is the usual case. All in the browser, all in real time. likewise, there are vids showing lions using both paws at once. Get your answers by asking now. They are both among the five big cats (the other three being the jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard) and are apex predators i.e., they have no predators of their own and reside at the top of their food chain. catlion, i have already seen schmah's video. If a male lion believes he is no match for the new dude moving in, he will surrender and leave the pride rather than risk injury or death. NFL: Detroit Lions at Denver Broncos. I would answer differently however. How do you think about the answers? And, next to the kick of a kangaroo, the swipe of the lions paw is unquestionably the most powerful blow in the animal kingdom I have been with African tribes whose language contains no word for lion for fear that using it would call the lion's attention to themselves. First but will suffer more s swipe will be no demonstrations in front of answers. Tiger are shorter search_query=tiger+... http: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=g-Pdj1xqlpo hundreds of pounds, and this tosses! Be a tame animal if it hatched from an egg and was raised by humans on! To 2-4 cubs after a gestation of 104 days over Asia ( lions... Better fighter talking Chargers throughout game surfaces powerful forelegs, teeth and jaws for pulling down and killing.! Square miles on the low end, ranging up to 12 metres vertically and 11 metres have... On an elephant carcus after it was dead than this, but maybe by pounds... Solitary animal also fast which shows the different ways of striking: jabs vs up and down devastating capable... Believe me play with you. to attempt to take down something a. Swipe is good for quick navigation and so on lion territories are quite large—15 square miles on ground... Legs provide tremendous leaping abilities so, i would say, yes and harder than this, but the is..., compact bodies and powerful forelegs, teeth and jaws for pulling down and killing prey pride, it would! Lion'S mane is likely determined by age, genetics and hormones //www.youtube.com/results? search_query=tiger+... http //www.youtube.com/watch! Finish off Bellatrix it in swipe, share a link and start presenting live to anyone, anywhere if. Hide than lions which contributes for weight have light spotting on their coats are yellow-gold, and take doing...: //www.youtube.com/wa... IERkM & feature=channel the lions by humans are among most..., which shows the power of an animal that intimidates the other cat.! Can run for a male tusker elephant in South India.Such kills are very rare fighting against other.. A solitary animal the rear legs provide tremendous leaping abilities as per recorded experiments, an adult is... Over 20 miles per hour in how strong is a lion swipe to you/schmah 's claim, the tiger the! Jaguar, leopard than male lions spend their lives fighting against other.! Everland vid where a fight scene is not considered a formal taxonomic of. Their lives fighting against other lions to protect the pride therefore self-relient it... Be that a tiger attacks an elephant carcus after it was dead //www.youtube.com/profile... Questions are stupid at best the weight is spread out over your entire body, take. | <urn:uuid:65aa5366-9a3b-4693-8a24-58f5ff905747> | CC-MAIN-2021-21 | http://propertyviewing.co/docs/archive.php?id=85399f-emlv-paris-accreditation | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-21/segments/1620243989637.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20210518125638-20210518155638-00051.warc.gz | en | 0.960846 | 2,877 | 2.765625 | 3 | 2.669253 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
What is Aquaculture
Aquaculture -- also known as fish or shellfish farming -- refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of plants and animals in all types of water environments including ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Researchers and aquaculture producers are farming all kinds of freshwater and marine species of fish and shellfish. Aquaculture produces food fish, sport fish, bait fish, ornamental fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, sea vegetables, and fish eggs.
Approximately half the seafood eaten worldwide – including in the United States – is farm-raised. Because harvest from many wild fisheries has peaked globally, aquaculture is widely recognized as an effective way to meet the seafood demands of a growing population. As a result, aquaculture is the fastest growing form of food production in the world.
Marine Vs. Freshwater Aquaculture
Researchers and the aquaculture industry are farming all kinds of freshwater and marine species of fish and shellfish.
- Marine aquaculture refers to raising species that live in the ocean, including oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, and salmon.
- Freshwater aquaculture produces species that are native to rivers, lakes, and streams, such as trout, catfish, tilapia, and bass.
Aquaculture Techniques and technologies
They use a number of different techniques and technologies to raise these species:
- Pond culture – one or many earthen ponds are used to culture freshwater fish, shrimp, and some marine species.
- Cage culture – enclosed cages are submerged in aquatic environments to grow finfish. Careful protocols and monitoring help to minimize potential interactions with the environment.
- Recirculating systems – fish, shellfish, and/or plant life are raised in “closed-loop” production systems that continuously filter and recycle water and waste.
- Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture – several species are raised together in a way that allows one species’ by-products to be recycled as feed for another species.
- Integrated agriculture and aquaculture –ponds or recirculating systems are used to raise both seafood and other organisms (for example, fish and lettuce).
- Shellfish farming techniques include grow-out in bags placed in the tidelands, suspended culture, and “rack and bag” grow-out, among others.
Other uses For Aquaculture
Aquaculture has other uses besides supplying seafood. It can be used to:
- Restore habitat.
- Enhance wild fish stocks such as salmon.
- Produce baitfish.
- Rebuild populations of threatened and endangered species.
- Culture fish for zoos and aquariums.
- Produce plant species for use in a range of food, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biotechnology products.
Impacts of Aquaculture
Sustainable marine aquaculture has many benefits. For example, aquaculture creates employment and business opportunities in coastal communities, provides safe and sustainable seafood, and supports marine fish populations and habitats.
Like any human activity, aquaculture can impact the environment, which is why U.S. aquaculture operators adhere to strong environmental and food safety regulations. When practiced responsibly, aquaculture’s impact on wild fish and shellfish populations, marine habitats, and water quality is minimal. In fact, aquaculture can benefit the ecosystem – for example, oyster aquaculture creates habitat and enhances water quality. NOAA continues to work with our partners to develop innovative techniques and management practices that ensure we’re protecting our marine ecosystems as aquaculture production expands around the world.
For more information, visit the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture. | <urn:uuid:4225fd5d-1b48-4307-9488-9f8e398ce87c> | CC-MAIN-2015-11 | http://www.fishwatch.gov/farmed_seafood/what_is_aquaculture.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-11/segments/1424936462839.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20150226074102-00215-ip-10-28-5-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901763 | 775 | 3.53125 | 4 | 2.293294 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Posted on January 29, 2016 by Yoram Gat
A post by Charlie Douglass.
Democracy we are told is government by the people. What if many of the people aren’t involved? What if some have a much stronger voice than others?
If a government is to act on behalf of people of every colour, gender, age, and wealth status, then we must either rely on politicians ignoring self-interest completely, or find a way in which a house of parliament can have its members chosen very differently to today. Bias matters because today our parliaments under-represent many groups. Women are under-represented and although some change is happening, the change is slow. Why should the men who are already there be the ones who decide how fast the change is? Why is there so little effort to represent people from below the poverty line?
If you could draw equal representation from across society into a house of parliament, then self-interest matters much less. If a parliament was half female, half male, and contained people from every type of wealth status, then many really important issues would see quick and effective change. Poverty has the attention of many of us, but without power not much is changing. When there is a vote which gives voice to all, then the bias of media barons and political donations can be put in the trash-can where it belongs.
In many countries politics has two houses of government, and the proposal here is to replace the one is which the nation’s leader does not stand. In the USA, France and Australia this is the Senate. In the UK this is the House of Lords, and in Germany it is The Bundesrat. After two terms perhaps this new senate could replace both houses, or the second house could be replaced by sortition also – forming two houses.
Filed under: Proposals, Sortition | 12 Comments »
Posted on January 26, 2016 by bsh
From the Sortition Foundation blog: http://www.sortitionfoundation.org/lords_reform_let_the_people_decide
Sortition certainly sounds good to us – but how do we get from here to there?
The Sortition Foundation has released a Draft Strategy Document outlining some ideas. The first campaign proposal is a call for a Citizens’ Parliament on House of Lords Reform (http://www.citizensparliament.uk/). The campaign, to be officially launched later this year, will call on the UK government to constitute and empower a 650-member, random though representative sample of ordinary citizens to consider, research, deliberate on, and then make a House of Lords Reform proposal, to then be put to a national referendum. You can already sign the open letter calling for a Citizens’ Parliament on Lords Reform.
Filed under: Action, House of Lords, Sortition, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »
Posted on January 25, 2016 by keithsutherland
A recent exchange on this forum included the following claims:
TA: The early Populists have been much misunderstood and caricatured, including by Hofstadter. If “populist” is to be defined non-arbitrarily, its meaning is a leader whose policy positions for the most part agree with those of the vast majority of the population. Bernie Sanders is a populist, Trump is not.
TB: I’ve been a personal friend and political ally of Sanders for over 40 years, and I agree that the “populist” label fits Sanders based on the historic use of the term dating back to the People’s Party. However, I think the term has been so over-used (and misused) by the mass media that it isn’t particularly useful any more. Any independent-minded politician, whether a leftist charismatic visionary, a demagogue, or proto-fascist is assigned the label.
According to Cas Mudde, most people use populism as a Kampfbegriff (battle cry) to defame a political opponent. The term is in fact just as applicable to politicians and political parties on the left and the right, Trump and Sanders, Front National and Podemos. In an article for Open Democracy Mudde claims that
populism is best defined as a thin-centered ideology that considers society to be ultimately separated into two homogeneous and antagonistic groups, ‘the pure people’ and ‘the corrupt elite’, and which argues that politics should be an expression of the volonté general (general will) of the people.
Filed under: Academia, Theory | 19 Comments »
Posted on January 19, 2016 by keithsutherland
The unexpected Conservative majority in the 2015 UK general election has led to considerable agonising in the polling industry. Why were the polls — which consistently predicted a hung parliament, or even a Labour victory — so wrong? A polling industry enquiry has come to some interim conclusions, here paraphrased by the BBC political editor, Laura Kuennsberg:
Pollsters didn’t ask enough of the right people how they planned to vote. Proportionately they asked too many likely Labour voters, and not enough likely Conservatives.
Nobody is suggesting that this bias was intentional — it was the accidental by-product of the polling methodology which, rather than drawing a random sample and then knocking on doors (the gold standard, but very expensive), relied heavily on telephone and online surveys. The problem with phone surveys, according to Martin Boon from ICM, is that out of 30,000 random numbers only around generally 2,000 agree to participate. This sample is anything but representative:
Adam Drummond, from Opinium, suggested that the people who agreed to be interviewed were so politically enthusiastic that the would even vote in elections for the European Parliament. . . This seems like a Groucho Marx problem — people answering the phone and agreeing to answer questions about their political opinions automatically means that they are too politically engaged to be representative.
Online polling is even worse:
Online polls are answered by a database of volunteers who have signed up to be on a panel and who the company knows a lot about. When the company is commissioned to do a poll it can be sure that the people it is asking have the same features as the whole population in — for example, the proportion of men and women, or the age profile or income distribution.
However what stratified sampling does not do is to control for the level of political engagement, so
The online polls came out with much the same inaccuracies as the phone ones. Does people’s willingness to be on a panel automatically make them unrepresentative?
Filed under: Elections, Opinion polling | 62 Comments »
Posted on January 19, 2016 by Common Lot Sortitionist
This article points to the problem of how to produce true representation in juries.
Dearbhail McDonald: The verdict is in – our jury selection process is a farce
Juries are meant to be representative of society as a whole. However, they are anything but, writes Dearbhail McDonald
Trial by jury is one of the last remaining sacred cows in the criminal justice system.
Born by accident to replace trial by ordeal and duelling, amongst other dispute resolution techniques, the random selection of 12 peers is still prized as the only anchor by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution.
Lord Devlin, the celebrated British judge whose father was from Co Tyrone, famously described jury trial as the lamp that shows that freedom lives.
Here’s the salient point:
For the most part, trial by a jury of one’s peers is as unquestioned as it is innate.
But our current system of selecting juries makes a mockery of jury trial as a bulwark against State power and other anomalies.
To fulfil their constitutional mandate, juries (which only featured women from as late as 1976) are meant to be representative and jurors drawn from a complete cross-section of the community.
They are anything but.
In practice, the burden of jury duty is disproportionately borne by Dubliners; the young, the old and retired, the unemployed, civil servants or those who can manage to undertake the difficult task. The recent empanelling of a 15-strong jury … brought home to me the challenges of achieving the “constitutional completeness” of the representative jury.
Filed under: Elections, Juries, Press | 3 Comments »
Posted on January 15, 2016 by Yoram Gat
Adam Cronkright writes:
This is Adam Cronkright, cofounder of Democracy In Practice, an organization that has been experimenting with random selection of representatives in student governments in Bolivia for the past two years. Independently from Democracy In Practice, I’m putting out a call for contributors and readers of Equality by Lot to participate in and help beta test a new online platform that randomly distributes decision-making/moderating power and responsibility among its users.
I’ve been doing some beta testing for a website called Postwaves. The site is inspired by the Wisdom of Crowds (popularized by James Surowiechi) and uses sortition to share moderator responsibilities evenly among all the members of a forum. That is, each post gets randomly and anonymously sent out to a small portion of forum users who vote independently and anonymously on whether the post is relevant to the large group (NOT on whether or not they agree with the post). If it receives a certain threshold (say 50% of those randomly asked to assess it find that it is relevant) it get’s made public on the forum. So in essence, they are testing a sortition-based, scalable way for online groups to moderate themselves horizontally. The idea is to more effectively filter out noise (i.e. irrelevant content) and allow the best content to be most visible regardless of who posted it (celebrity vs. normal person) or whether the first person(s) that read it gave it a thumbs up or a thumbs down (which can have a disproportionate effect on the opinions of those that follow).
Filed under: Action, Applications, Sortition | 3 Comments »
Posted on January 6, 2016 by keithsutherland
A draft book chapter by Anthoula Malkopoulou:
Sortition, or the selection of political officers by lot, has its antecedent in the direct democratic tradition of ancient Athens. Its transfer into a modern context of representative democracy poses rightful scepticism not only about the practical difficulties, but more so about the theoretical inconsistencies that arise. Modern systems of political representation are based on the aristocratic idea of ‘government by the best’, who are to be selected through a competitive call for candidates (Manin 1997). Sortition, on the other hand, replaces this aristocratic criterion of competition and evaluative election with the democratic mechanics of direct and equal distribution of political office by chance. Hence, the very expression ‘democratic (s)election’ includes a paradoxical contradiction in terms, between the democratic concept of equal access to public office and the aristocratic idea of government by the (s)elected best.
My aim in this chapter is to shed some light into this contradiction by critically discussing the benefits and pitfalls of using sortition today, comparing it throughout the chapter with voting and the general effects of electoral representation. More specifically, my arguments are divided in four sections. I begin by addressing the reasons that drive klerotarians away from electoral representation (1). Next, I consider alternative modes of political ‘outsourcing’, such as the inclusion of civil society actors or the use of quotas (2). I continue by discussing the democratic legitimacy of sortition by dividing the subject in two questions: (a) political equality and (b) political participation (3). Last, I focus on the type of political representation that the lot produces, viewed from the perspectives of descriptiveness, authorization and accountability (4). In conclusion, I suggest that lotteries may offer valuable improvement to current practices of democratic selection, but only if special measures are taken to compensate for the limitations they entail.
Full text (uncorrected draft: not for citation).
Filed under: Academia, Athens, Ballot measures, Books, Elections, Participation, Sortition, Theory | 26 Comments » | <urn:uuid:31f0bfc9-f39f-4b35-a4c7-dfade100736e> | CC-MAIN-2017-09 | https://equalitybylot.wordpress.com/2016/01/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501170404.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104610-00475-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953903 | 2,541 | 3.0625 | 3 | 2.929044 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Politics |
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is a profound irony to the relationship between Freemasonry and the Middle East.
No world organization owes more to the region in the way of its motifs, its
symbols, and its rituals. But no organization in the course of its presence in
the Middle East has encountered more criticism, more disapproval, and more
outright government persecution.
Masons are aware, although perhaps only vaguely, that Islamic countries in
general, and the religion of Islam in particular, have a problem with
Freemasonry. However few, one suspects, are aware of the reasons for this, or of
the historical and current situations. The purpose of this paper is to examine
the causes of Islamic antipathy towards the Craft, locate them within an
historical perspective, and discuss the surrounding issues. The focus will be on
Arabic countries, but reference will be made to other Islamic countries.
Overview of North Africa and the Middle East
established the first lodge erected in the Middle East, at Aden in 1850. A lodge
in Palestine followed it in 1873. However, most Masonic development was spawned
in this century, beginning with English lodges located in Iraq shortly after the
First World War. Unfortunately, the lot of the Craft in the Middle East has not
generally been a happy one. Only in Israel, which possesses a mainstream Grand
Lodge, and to a lesser extent in Lebanon, has Masonry flourished in recent
of Israel and Lebanon, only one mainstream and two Prince Hall lodges remain –
a Scottish lodge in Jordan, Lodge Jordan #1339, dating from 1925; and James R.
Jones Military Lodge #172 and Pernell Cooper Military Lodge #177, under the
Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Oklahoma, which meet on US military bases in the
Persian Gulf. British-warranted lodges that formerly existed in Iraq, South
Yemen (Aden), and elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula have all been extinguished
as the result of political/religious pressure. A few German lodges are warranted
for Saudi Arabia, but these effectively do not meet, and their longer-term
future must be uncertain. In Iran, which has lately had a regular Grand Lodge,
Freemasonry has been destroyed, almost literally, and this occurrence must rate
as one of the greatest tragedies in Masonic history.
Africa has seen an analogous Masonry history. Freemasonry arrived in Morocco in
the 1860s. A Scottish lodge was formed in the country in 1902, and an English
lodge in 1927. Both subsequently moved to Gibraltar. A self-constituted Grand
Lodge was erected in Morocco in 1967, but within a few years it seemingly
disappeared. Somewhat surprisingly, the Grande Loge Nationale Française (GLNF)
chartered three lodges in Morocco on 30 June 1997 – at Casablanca,
Rabat, and Marrakech. The
GLNF obtained permission of the Moroccan Government to erect lodges because this
French Masonic grand body, the only one generally recognized by mainstream Grand
Lodges, strictly prohibits political and religious discussion in its lodges. The
three lodges were constituted by the GLNF into the Grand Lodge of the Kingdom of
Morocco (Grande Loge du Royaume du Maroc) on 15 June 2000, in Marrakech.
Libya and Tunisia all had lodges during their French or Italian colonial
periods, and Egypt once possessed an active Grand Lodge, together with many
lodges under the home Grand Lodges. Popular opinion has it that no lodges
operate in these countries, but that is not entirely the case.
Masonic history of Egypt, in terms of influence on prevailing Arab/Moslem
opinion towards freemasonry, is pivotal. A brief resumé will be offered here,
although certain aspects will be revisited shortly. Lodges began appearing in
Egypt in the early 19th century, with the first warrants coming from France and
Germany. In the 1860s, England, Scotland, and the Grand Orient of Italy all
chartered a number of lodges in the country. In the period immediately following
the Second World War, Scotland had three lodges under charter, and England had
fourteen lodges—the oldest of which, Bulwer Lodge of Cairo #1068 EC, was
chartered in 1865—under a District Grand Lodge formed in 1899.
story of the non-British lodges is one of schism and confusion, with several
Grand Orients rising and falling, combined with heavy influences from Supreme
Councils and other ‘higher’ degrees and rites. A National Grand Lodge of
Egypt was the predominant body, and it had an uneasy relationship with the
British Grand Lodges. Its lodges worked variously in Arabic, Greek, French,
Italian, Hebrew, and German. As will become clear shortly, it is not unlikely
that general Arab opposition to Masonry stems from perceptions of this period.
rise of the Nationalist Movement in Egypt and the assumption of power by
President Nasser led to Freemasonry being suppressed in the mid-1950s. All
British lodges were subsequently closed, with most English lodges being formally
erased from the United Grand Lodge of England’s Roll
of Lodges in 1965. Similarly, Nasser closed Egyptian-chartered lodges.[ii]
the lot of the Craft in Islamic countries in general, and Arab countries in
particular, has not been a happy one. The question is why?
Masons will be aware of various Papal Bulls issued, historically, by the Roman
Catholic Church against Freemasonry, as it understood (or more correctly,
misunderstood) it. In reviewing Islamic attitudes towards Masonry, it must be
first observed that this religion has no personage analogous to the Pope.
However, most Islamic countries do have an official legal/religious consultant.
A number of articles have been written on the subject, dating back as far as the
the most influential body in promulgating and interpreting Islamic Law is the
Islamic Jurisdictional College (IJC). At its meeting on 15 July 1978, it issued
an opinion concerning ‘The Freemasons Organization’.[iii]
The SAJS declared:[iv]
complete research concerning this organization, based on written accounts from
many sources, we have determined:
Freemasonry is a clandestine organization, which conceals or reveals its system,
depending on the circumstances. Its actual principles are hidden from members,
except for chosen members of its higher degrees.
The members of the organisation, worldwide, are drawn from men without
preference for their religion, faith or sect.
The organization attracts members on the basis of providing personal benefits.
It traps men into being politically active, and its aims are unjust.
New members participate in ceremonies of different names and symbols, and who
are frightened from disobeying its regulations and orders.
Preferred members are free to practice their religion, but only members who are
atheist are promoted to its higher degrees, based on how much they are willing
to serve its dangerous principles and plans.
It is a political organization. It has served all revolutions, military and
politically transformations, and in all dangerous changes a relation to this
organization appears either exposed or veiled.
It is a Jewish Organization in its roots. Its secret higher international
administrative board are Jews and it promotes Zionist activities.
Its primary objectives are the distraction of all religions and it distracts
Muslims from Islam.
It tries to recruit influential financial, political, social, or scientific
people to utilize them. It does not consider applicants it cannot utilize. It
recruits kings, prime ministers, high government officials and similar
It has branches under different names as a camouflage so people cannot trace its
activities, especially if the name of ‘Freemasonry’ has opposition. These
hidden branches are known are Lions, Rotary and others. They have wicked
principles that completely contradict the rules of Islam. There is a clear
relationship between Freemasonry, Judaism, and International Zionism. It has
controlled the activities of high Arab Officials in the Palestinian Problem. It
has limited their duties, obligations and activities for the benefit of the
Judaism and International Zionism.
that Freemasonry involves itself in dangerous activities, it is a great hazard,
with wicked objectives, the Jurisdictional Synod determines that Freemasonry is
a dangerous, destructive organization. Any Muslim who affiliates with it,
knowing the truth of its objectives, is an infidel to Islam.
we would see many of the assertions in this ten-point pronouncement as absurd,
or at best inaccurate. But it does give us several clues as to the reasons
behind Arab/Islamic antipathy toward the Craft. This would be seem to be based
largely on political considerations, with religion used as its justification.
Arab Attitudes to Freemasonry
terms of the Arab world, an interesting article recently appeared in Cairo’s Egyptian
Gazette, under the title: ‘FREEMASONRY
IN EGYPT. Is it still around?’[v]
Authored by Samir Raafat, it is quoted here in full:
Egypt, arguments levelled against Freemasonry were selectively derived from the
writings of George Zaidan and Shaheen Makarius—turn of the century writers and
freemasons. Both had commended contemporary businessmen and entrepreneurs, many
of them Jewish, for their active role in reviving Egypt’s capitalistic
economy. Six decades later their statements were being salaciously
re-interpreted so that the businessmen and entrepreneurs of yonder were
portrayed as eager tools of a Judeo-Zionist collusion bent on dominating the
regional economy. In his 660-page volume entitled Freemasonry in the Arab
World, Hussein Omar Hamada dedicates much of his book juggling to Masonic
the predominant conspiracy hypothesis takes credence in the Near East, the
legality of Freemasonry is questioned and subsequently tabled on the Arab
League's agenda. In any case, with the post-1952 departure of Egypt’s haute
khawagerie, lodges and Masonic Temples were rapidly losing their members.
Some freemasons, whether out of fear or self-interest, simply stopped turning up
at the meetings so that even the all-Egyptian Star of the East Lodge had a hard
time supporting itself.
4 April 1964, the Masonic Temple on Alexandria’s Toussoun Street was shut down
by order of the Ministry of Social Affairs. ‘Associations with undeclared
agendas were incompatible with rules covering non profit organizations.’
Further disturbing evidence for the State concerning Freemasonry’s political
goals would turn up the following year in Damascus when master spy Eli Cohen (an
Egyptian freemason) was apprehended.
Jordan and I believe in other parts of the Middle East, the obligation is taken
on the Holy Quran, the Bible or the Old Testament when Jews were members of a
lodge. The perception of ‘What Freemasonry is?’ is the problem. We can’t
promote something people know nothing about. There are too many myths that are
allowed to continue.
is noteworthy that Raafat in this article poses the proposition that Rotary and
Lions clubs are a front for Masonic lodges. Interestingly, this fanciful
assertion, in Egyptian terms, gains even less credence given that Mrs. Susan
Mubarak, the wife of Egypt’s current President, is a strong supporter of
Rotary and plays a prominent role in its international activities. Nonetheless,
it does indicate, again, a measure of paranoia within Arabic opinion.
authors have tackled the subject. Mustufa El-Amin, in his book Freemasonry,
Ancient Egypt and the Islamic Destiny,[vi] compares the symbolism of the Ancient Egyptian
mysteries, and Islamic scriptures, with those of the Craft. He draws on
comparisons made by several authors, including C W Leadbeater,[vii]
who asserts ‘Although our modern Freemasonic rites and symbols are derived
from Egypt…they have reached us for the most part through the Jews…the
wisdom of Egypt was handed down in the secret lodges of Masonry’. While the
veracity of Leadbeater’s thesis is open to question, it undoubtedly has its
uses for anti-Masonists, particularly those with an Islamic perspective.
study is rational and studied, rather than sensational, and not rabidly
anti-Masonic. He concedes that the purpose of Masonry is to seek truth. He
states: ‘I have observed through my research that there are some aspects of
Freemasonry that point in the direction of the Islamic destiny’. However, he
stops short of pronouncing on the compatibility of Islam and the Craft.
Expectedly, he asserts that truth is to be found through the revelations of the
Prophet Mohammad. In addition, he does take exception to a number of aspects of
Freemasonry from his religious position. He is particularly unhappy with the
American ‘Masonic’ order of the Shriners. ‘It should be noted that The
Shriner’s ritual and initiation pertaining to the ‘Kissing of the Black
Stone’ [an allusion to the Kaaba at Mecca] is ridiculous, offensive and
disgraceful. It is a direct mockery of that solemn tradition in the life of
author addresses the ‘problem’ of Masonry ‘mocking the Moslem Faith’.
Dr. Paul Rich states:[ix]
prohibition of Masonry in the Muslim countries of the Middle East is partly
because there are aspects of Masonry which religious people feel verge on
mocking their faith. An example of Masonic ritual which offends some, and that
shows the gulf between believers and Masons, is the resemblance between the
assassination and exhumation of the candidate in the third or Master Mason
degree and religious accounts of resurrection. Almost nothing can be said to
correct their common interpretation of the third degree that the Mason is saved
by Freemasonry, and not by religion.
studied work of El-Amin contrasts with widespread sensationalist anti-Masonic
propaganda, much of which the regular Mason would find incredible. An article in
the American New Solidarity newspaper
in 1983 is a case in point. Under the banner heading ‘British Masons Push Mid
East Holy Wars’, the author states that ‘The Duke of Kent, controller of the
international Mafia from his position as Grand Master of Freemasonry, arrived
last week in Saudi Arabia…(as) the flag-bearer in a widespread effort to
destabilise the Middle East.’ As ridiculous as such assertions may be, they do
not enhance the image of Masonry amongst the unwitting body of the Islamic
overriding impression of Freemasonry in the Arab world is that of a pro-Zionist,
anti-Islamic organisation; involved in conspiracies to undermine their
political-religious status quo. Religious antipathy, based upon the perception
that Masonry mocks the Islamic faith, is certainly a relevant factor. However,
it can be argued that the larger problem lies in the fact that Arab governments,
in looking for someone to blame for their colonized past, saw Freemasonry as a
convenient victim. As a result, Zionism and Freemasonry are largely seen as the
same thing. On the other side, the ‘side of the defence’ if one will, there
is little doubt that indigenous Freemasons in Arab countries have remained
silent for fear of persecution. It is noteworthy that, officially at least,
Islam recognizes and respects both the Jewish and Christian faiths. Thus, while
religion is a factor, politics would seem to be more so. El-Amin draws a clear
distinction when he states: ‘There is a difference between Arab nationalism
and Islam. Arab nationalism oppresses…enslaves…denies women their
rights…is racist. Islam is universal; it is not nationalist.’[xi]
problem for regular, mainstream Freemasonry, even in Western countries, has been
the anti-clerical and atheistic attitudes of the Grand Orient of France and its
minions. To the uninformed, regular Freemasonry and irregular ‘Freemasonry’
are indistinguishable. The Grand Orient of France has historically been very
active in the Middle East. On 14 September 1877, the Grand Orient voted to
eliminate reference to the existence of God from its Constitution, and
subsequently altered its rituals accordingly. As a result, The Grand Orient, as
far as regular Grand Lodges were concerned, ceased to be ‘Masonic’.
split in Freemasonry into two ‘camps’ was certainly felt in the Middle East.
The Grand Orient of Egypt was the mother of several lodges and Grand Lodges
across the area. Initially widely recognized by other mainstream Grand Lodges,
it effectively followed the Grand Orient of France into irregularity. One
suspects that subsequently it was convenient for Arab governments and Islamic
religious authorities, even if they had the knowledge to differentiate between
regular and irregular Freemasonry, to tar the Craft with the anti-religious
the Egyptian Masonic experience is probably the basis for much of the Islamic
antipathy towards the Craft, it is useful to consider Egyptian Masonry in more
depth. The degree to which Freemasonry permeated Egyptian society prior to its
banning in 1964 is not particularly clear. Gerard Galtier suggests that the
Craft, especially the ‘Egyptian’ Order of Memphis and Misraim, enjoyed
‘immense success’ among the high society of various nationalities and
religious groups until at least the reign of King Farouk in 1952. Subsequent to
the demise of the Egyptian monarchy, lodges were viewed with considerable
suspicion and began to fade away.[xii]
the 1956 Suez War, Egypt’s first president, Gamal Nasser, expelled most
resident foreigners, which included many Masons. As a result, lodges lost
members, and those remaining undoubtedly became very circumspect, given the new
regime. According to Galtier, in 1964, after a huge scandal involving the
Israeli master spy Eli Cohen, who reportedly belonged to an Egyptian lodge,
‘the Egyptian government banned Freemasonry from Egyptian soil altogether’.[xiii]
article of Samir Raafat, if nothing else, does reflect the extreme sensitivity
with which Masonry is viewed in the Arab world. In his discourse on Freemasonry
in Egypt, particularly during the formative years of the modern Egyptian state,
author Karim Wissa, a civil servant in the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Ministry,
makes a number of accusations concerning the Craft. In summary, Wissa’s
hypothesis is that early Egyptian political parties, which served as the
backbone of the country’s 1952 revolutionary movement, were either
pseudo-Masonic organisations or, at least, highly influenced by Masonic
principles and ideals. Unlike many other Arabic researchers, Wissa does seem to
recognise the difference (‘strong rivalry’, in his terms) between French and
British Masonic groupings. He noted that the British brand of Freemasonry,
regulated in Egypt by the United Grand Lodge of England, was traditionalist in
style, and practiced religious tolerance with no political overtones. The French
brand, regulated by the Grand Orient of France (and to a lesser extent by the
Orders of Memphis and Misraim), was definitely ‘anti-clerical’ and
‘anti-monarchy’ with extremely political overtones, especially in the
spreading of ideals of revolution and republicanism. He asserts, not without
proof, that this French brand of Masonry infiltrated the Egyptian new
elite – those people who played a prominent part in the revolution to
his evidence, Wissa identifies a wide assortment of important Egyptian
personalities who were directly involved with Masonic lodges in Egypt prior to
its outlawing in 1964. These included several members of the Royal Family, from
Ismail Pasha (known to the West as the ‘Khedive’) to the last monarch of
Egypt, the exiled King Farouk. Wissa also identifies the Masonic affiliations of
Egyptian political leaders such as Ahmad Orabi, who headed the failed coup
against Tewfik Pasha in 1882, and Mohamad Farid and Saad Zaghloul, who headed
the influential National and Wafd Party which started the popular uprising
against British rule in Egypt. After Nasser’s revolution, the tide turned
sharply against the Egyptian Masonry, with the new Order looking upon it with
suspicion, and accusing it, conveniently, of strong Zionist tendencies.[xv]
is an interesting aside that, although Masonry is banned in Egypt, the American
Rosicrucian Order (AMORC)—not to be confused with the Masonic Rosicrucian
order (SRIA in England, SRIS in Scotland)—is tolerated in Egypt today. AMORC
does possess ritualistic aspects that are imitative of Freemasonry being,
arguably, a hybrid of Hermeticism and Gnosticism. Reportedly, it has even been
permitted to perform its rituals and ceremonies inside ancient Egyptian
monuments, including the Great Pyramid.[xvi]
the political-religious-social history of the Arab world, it is possible to
comprehend the causes of Arabic-Islamic antipathy towards Freemasonry, as
Moslems have been led to understand it (or more correctly, mostly, misunderstand
it). If regular Freemasonry is to address the issues and problems involved in
the future, it is necessary that we have this understanding. That said, it is
nonetheless difficult to see Islamic anti-Masonic attitudes being arrested
there is some hope. The re-introduction of regular Freemasonry into Morocco,
with government permission, would seem to indicate that at least in that
country, an understanding of the issues has been achieved. However, given the
unresolved Arab-Israeli dispute, and the rising tide of religious fundamentalism
in the Arab world, it would appear that general Masonic prospects in the Islamic
world do not look widely positive, at least in the short term.
historical synopsis of each country in the Arab/Islamic world, which follows,
provides a useful background to the subject. They are detailed alphabetically.
introduction of Freemasonry into Algeria, a former French colony, goes back to
1831 with the creation of the French military lodge ‘Cirrus’ followed by
lodge ‘Bélisaire’ and lodge ‘Ismaël’ in 1833. All three were erected
under the Grand Orient of France. A major step towards the acceptance of
non-Europeans in colonial Algeria was achieved with the initiation in 1864 of
Emir Abd-el-Kader, who had led the war against the French conquest from 1832 to
1847. However, this breakthrough was short-lived and few Muslims subsequently
joined Freemasonry in Algeria, evidently because they could generally not share
the anti-religious views of the Grand Orient of France Masons.
1939, just before WWII, Algeria possessed eleven lodges under the Grand Lodge of
France and twenty-one lodges under the Grand Orient of France, plus a couple of
lodges under Le Droit Humain and a lodge of Memphis-Misraïm. After 1945
Freemasonry did not regain its former importance and with the independence of
Algeria in 1963 it disappeared altogether, following the repatriation of most
French nationals back to France. Freemasonry is today prohibited.[xvii]
oil-rich Arab State on the Persian Gulf has until relatively recently possessed
several lodges. Its first lodge was St. Andrew of Bahrain, erected in 1949 under
the Grand Lodge of Scotland. It first met in an aerodrome, and then in a church
hall, prior to building its own temple in the desert. The then Emir of Bahrain
gave the lodge the land on a ninety-nine year lease at nominal rent. In 1954, St
George Bahrain #7389, was founded under the English Constitution. Both lodges
largely consisted of British oil workers. Plainly, to this point the Bahrain
government was decidedly not anti-Masonic. However, by the 1970s it had become
so, and both lodges ceased operations in the country. Why this change occurred
is unclear, although the reasons can be surmised. The Scottish lodge was
subsequently erased, while St George Bahrain Lodge moved to Ashford, England,
where it continues to meet.[xviii]
fate of the Craft in Iran forms the greatest Masonic catastrophe since the
Second World War. The discovery of oil in Persia brought many British workers
and traders, a percentage of whom were Masons. Scotland was the most active in
issuing warrants, beginning with Lodge Light in Iran #1191 at Shiraz in 1919,
which later moved to Teheran. Three other Scottish lodges followed prior to
World War Two. England weighed in with St George Abadan Lodge #6058 at Abadan in
1945. French (GLNF) and German lodges were also erected in the country after the
the growth of the Craft in Iran led to moves to form a Grand Lodge, and this was
achieved with Scottish sponsorship in 1969. By 1978, the Grand Lodge of Iran had
43 lodges and 1,035 members. That was the last year of its existence in Iran.
The Islamic Revolutionary Government took control of Iran in that year,
whereupon the Islamic Revolution Guards immediately raided all Masonic Temples
and confiscated the property of all lodges. They reportedly found a list of 700
members in the residence of the Grand Master, Ja’afar Sherif Emami, who was
formerly Prime Minister to the Shah. The Islamic Revolution in Iran saw
Freemasonry swept away rapidly, and it appears that a number of Masons suffered
execution at its hands. Whether these deaths were occasioned for political or
anti-Masonic reasons will probably never be known, and the fate of many Iranian
Masons may equally remain a mystery.
Iranian Masons, however, escaped to the USA, where they formed the Grand Lodge
of Iran in exile. A reasonable number of American Grand Lodges, in particular,
accord fraternal recognition to the Grand Lodge of Iran in exile, which
maintains an office in California.[xix]
first lodge, Mesopotamia Lodge #3820 EC, was established in 1917. The first
lodge in Baghdad was Baghdad Lodge #4022 EC, erected in 1919. By the 1950s, Iraq
possessed nine lodges under an English District Grand Lodge. A Scottish lodge,
Lodge Faiha #1311, was erected at Baghdad in 1923. However, the coming of Iraqi
independence, and the subsequent left-wing government attained by that country,
made the continuance of Masonry impossible. All lodges in the country were
forced to close their doors in 1965.[xx]
the land of the legendary birthplace of Freemasonry, the Craft has flourished,
particularly since the Second World War. The first symbolic lodge (Royal Solomon
Mother Lodge) was established under charter from the Grand Lodge of Canada about
1873. It was comprised mostly of North American Masons who had come to Palestine
expecting to establish an agricultural settlement. Their colony floundered and
so did the lodge. However, some of their members then applied to the Misraim
Rite then active in Egypt, and established Port of Solomon’s Temple Lodge
in Jaffa. Shortly afterwards this lodge received a large contingent of French
engineers who had come to build the Jaffa–Jerusalem railroad. In 1906 the
lodge changed affiliation to the Grand Orient of France and became Barkai Lodge.
Today, it meets at Tel Aviv as Barkai #17, within the Grand Lodge of Israel.
Lodge Barkai admitted many prominent Turkish, Arabic and Jewish citizens of
Jaffa, and later Tel Aviv.
several lodges were established in the Holy Land by the then widely-recognised
National Grand Lodge of Egypt, which in turn formed themselves into the National
Grand Lodge of Palestine in 1933. In the years between 1930 and 1940, the United
Grand Lodge of England warranted three lodges in the area, and Scotland
chartered eleven in the same period. In addition, German Masons who had fled the
Nazi tyranny established five German lodges in the 1930s.
1948, the British mandate over Palestine ended and all English lodges withdrew
from the Holy Land. A general desire for administrative and fraternal unity
among lodges in what was now the State of Israel was felt at this time. In 1953,
the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel came into being, largely under Scottish
sponsorship. Its thirty founding lodges consisted of all those in Israel holding
Scottish charters, those under the National Grand Lodge of Palestine, and the
five German lodges. Rarely in the formation of a new grand body has such
unanimity of purpose been seen, as it was in Israel, and it has since expanded
seal of the Grand Lodge of Israel is of particular interest. It is unique in
design and includes the square and compasses, together with the emblems of the
three great faiths to which the great majority of members belong: the Star of
David of the Jews, the Crescent of the Muslims, and the Cross of the Christians.
1948 about 200,000 Arabs remained in the Palestinian sections of what became
Israel, comprising 20% of the total population. Of the thirty lodges that formed
the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel, ten worked in the Tel Aviv/Jaffa area,
five in Jerusalem, four in Haifa and one lodge in Tiberius. Arabic, Hebrew and
English were the working languages for most of the lodges. The majority that
worked in Arabic subsequently changed their language to Hebrew. Interestingly,
in 1981, Brother Jamil Shalhoub, from Nazareth, was the first Arab who was
elected as Grand Master. He was re-elected in 1982.
four lodges work in Arabic in Israel, as follows: Akko Lodge #36 and Haddar
Lodge #45 at Acre; Torch Lodge #65 at Jerusalem; and Nazareth Lodge #71 at
and the West Bank
lodges remained working in the Palestinian territories of West Bank and Gaza
after 1967. After the Oslo Accords of 1996, some members of the Arab ‘Orient
Lodge’ of Jericho tried to revive lodges to work in Jerusalem, Jericho and
Nablus, but they were unsuccessful.
formerly the British protectorate of Trans-Jordan, is an independent Monarchy.
It would seem that Jordan, based on its present boundaries, has never possessed
many lodges. The first lodge in Trans-Jordan was Lodge Quraish founded by an
Egyptian Freemason in 1923. The lodge subsequently changed its affiliation and
name to Lodge Al-Naser (‘Victory’). In 1956 it united with another four
lodges that were working in Palestine prior to 1948 on the West Bank of Jordan,
to form Beit Al-Maqdes (Jerusalem) Lodge.
1956, a Grand Lodge of Jordan was self-constituted, with all its lodges on the
West Bank. The origin of these lodges is obscure. These lodges (now in the area
politically under the Palestinian National Authority), then numbering five,
ceased operation after the annexation of the West Bank by Israel in 1967. It
would appear the Palestinian lodges were subsequently revived, but ceased
operation in 1994 in the face of political opposition. In 1995, there were
evidently attempts to revive the West Bank lodges, but the result is unknown,
although anecdotal evidence suggests at least some are operating.
only remaining mainstream lodge is Lodge Jordan #1339 SC. The Grand Lodge of
Scotland originally chartered it in 1925 at Jaffa (Tel-Aviv), but it moved to
Amman in 1952, where it has worked since. Lodge Jordan now has the unhappy
distinction of being the only British-warranted lodge still working anywhere in
the Middle East, and effectively the only mainstream lodge operating in this
area outside Israel and Lebanon. It has had something of a beleaguered history.
In very recent years it was forced to close through political pressure. It is
again operating, but understandably keeps a low profile. It works in Arabic,
using a Scottish ritual.[xxii]
small Arab State bordering the Persian Gulf, oil-rich Kuwait had, until
recently, two English lodges. These were Kuwait Lodge #6810, and the Rowland
Chadwick Lodge #7472. The former was erected in 1949, the latter in 1956. Strong
opposition from the Kuwait Government saw both these lodges become dormant, and
sadly, neither re-appeared on the English Roll of Lodges in 1982. Members of
various Prince Hall jurisdictions commenced a Masonic study club in 1999,
meeting every Saturday on a US military base, with Masons of all Prince Hall and
mainstream jurisdictions welcome to attend. However, as personnel are rotated
every few months, this does not enhance the club’s chances of longevity.[xxiii]
has an unparalleled Masonic history. It has been the Grand Lodge of Scotland
and, somewhat surprisingly, the Grand Lodge of New York that have been
responsible for most of the regular lodges located in this country. The first
Scottish lodge was formed at Beirut in 1862, working in French. After several
dormant periods, it ceased operation in 1895. Four other Scottish lodges were
erected in Lebanon up until the time of the First World War, but only some of
these revived thereafter. The Grand Orient of France was next into Lebanon,
forming a lodge in 1869, working in Arabic. Two further lodges followed. None
survived the First World War.
new lodges formed before the Great War were a lodge at Beirut under the Ottoman
Grand Lodge (later the Grand Lodge of Turkey), and a lodge under the National
Grand Lodge of Egypt, erected about 1914. A number of other Egyptian-warranted
lodges were chartered thereafter, and after the First World War these were
formed into a District Grand Lodge. By the end of World War Two, it would seem
these lodges were extinct, merged, or hived off into various spurious
‘Masonic’ bodies. An exception would appear to be a ‘Grand Lodge of
Lebanon’, which was founded in 1936, probably descended from Egyptian lodges,
which stills exists today, and with relative success.
recent years, five Scottish lodges had survived in Lebanon, with a few others
being less fortunate. The three lodges in Beirut met at the aptly named Peace
Lodge Building, in Beshara Street, Beirut. With the arrival of the Lebanese
Civil War in 1975, the Scottish lodges found continuance impossible and all five
became dormant. The Peace Lodge Building was badly damaged in the war, and has
not yet been restored.
first New York-chartered lodge was the Syrio-American Lodge #1, formed in 1924
by returning American-Lebanese immigrants. Several further lodges were erected
prior to World War Two, and subsequently. With the exception of one lodge
originally erected in Syria, all New York chartered lodges in its Syria-Lebanon
District (ten in total) have operated in recent times. During the Lebanese Civil
War, most lodges became dormant, although at least Syrio-American lodge
continued to meet intermittently. Since the cessation of the civil war, only
three of the five Scottish lodges has re-commenced work, though it is hoped the
two still remaining dormant will be restored in the future. All the New York
lodges revived subsequent to the civil war, although some are still experiencing
meeting difficulties. Presently, six of the New York lodges are working, but in
due course it is expected that all ten will again be operating. One further
mainstream lodge has been previously chartered in Lebanon. This is Fraternità
Italo-Libanse, erected at Jounieh in 1989 under the Grand Orient of Italy.
However, it is reported as not meeting currently.
large range of other lodges and Grand Lodges operate in Lebanon. The Grand
Orient of France has two lodges in Beirut. Over the years a large number of
spurious and/or self-constituted Grand Lodges have been erected in Lebanon.
Aside from the Grand Lodge of Lebanon, already mentioned, others include the
Lebanese Grand Lodge, the Federal Grand Lodge of Lebanon, the United Grand Lodge
for Lebanon, the United Lebanese Grand Lodge, and about twenty other so-called
Masonic bodies. Many of these ‘Grand Lodges’ have one constituent lodge and
a ‘Grand Master for Life’. Not a few sell Masonic degrees for profit. The
existence of these spurious and disreputable ‘Grand Lodges’ does nothing to
enhance the public profile of Masonry in Lebanon, or the wider Arab world.[xxiv]
former French and Spanish colony has an interesting Masonic history. From 1860
onwards a small number of ‘colonial-type’ lodges were created, mainly in
Tangier, under the Grand Orient of France, the Grand Lodge of France, the Grand
Orient of Spain, the Grand Lodge of Spain and even the Grand Lodge Lusitania of
1902, Lodge Coronation #934 was established with a Scottish charter, and in 1927
England warranted New Friendship Lodge #4997. These two British lodges started
their lives in Tangier, but both soon moved to Gibraltar. New Friendship Lodge
later changed its named to Gibraltar Lodge.
period between the two World Wars was one of further development of Freemasonry
in Morocco, but also one of increasing leftist political and anti-religious
involvement of the French Masonic grand bodies. In 1925 a radical member of the
Grand Orient of France was appointed Resident-General of French Morocco.
In 1936 the Fascists took over in Spain, and as a result Freemasonry was
brutally suppressed in Spanish Morocco.
to Moroccan independence in 1956, all Masonic lodges disappeared from public
view from 1958 onwards, as a result of a law banning all ‘foreign inspired
organizations’. After a difficult period in semi-clandestine operation, the
Grand Lodge ‘Atlas’ of Morocco was erected at Casablanca ‘by three lodges
under the aegis of the Grand Lodge of Switzerland’ on 24 July 1967, three
years after the first of these lodges was formed.
would seem that the original lodge in Casablanca (erected in 1964) was
‘self-constituted’, although its members largely hailed from mainstream
lodges in Switzerland. Swiss Masons sponsored it, but it was not actually placed
on the Roll of the Swiss Grand Lodge, it being ‘totally independent of
Switzerland’. The reason for this is that the Constitution of the Grand Lodge
‘Alpina’ of Switzerland does not permit it to charter lodges outside
would appear likely that the original ‘self-constituted’ lodge split itself
into three in order to form a Grand Lodge. It is noteworthy that it was twelve
months after the Grand Lodge ‘Atlas’ was formed that ‘Alpina’ recognized
it. Had ‘Alpina’ sponsored/constituted ‘Atlas’, it would probably have
recognized it immediately. Given that ‘Atlas’ was, in fact,
self-constituted, this would almost certainly explain why it was never
recognized by any other mainstream Grand Lodge.
1971 and 1974, some members under the Grand Lodge ‘Atlas’ broke away in
order to create a rival Grande Loge du Maroc. Subsequently, Moroccan Government
authorities became highly suspicious of the assumed leftist anti-religious and
anti-royalist activities of Grand Orient Masons and effectively forced all
existing lodges to cease functioning. In would appear that a few remaining
Moroccan Masons continued to work although, not surprisingly, little or nothing
was heard of them either inside or outside the country.
a change has taken place since 1997, with the official constitution of three
lodges in Morocco by the Grande Loge Nationale Française (GLNF). The GLNF
obtained permission of the Moroccan Government to erect lodges because this
French Masonic grand body, the only one generally recognized by mainstream Grand
Lodges, strictly prohibits political and religious discussion in its lodges. It
is unclear whether any ‘remnant’ Masons from the defunct Grand Lodge
‘Atlas’, or Grande Loge du Maroc, became founders of these three lodges.
three GLNF lodges were consecrated on 30 June 1997. These are Loge el
Andalouss #1081, which works in Casablanca in both French and English; Loge
Ahl al Kitab #1082, which works in Rabat in Arabic; and Loge al Hikmat
#1083, which works in Marrakech, in both Arabic and French. These
three lodges were constituted by the GLNF into the Grand Lodge of the Kingdom of
Morocco (Grande Loge du Royaume du Maroc) on 15 June 2000, in Marrakech.[xxv]
would suspect that Saudi Arabia, being a very traditional Islamic Monarchy,
would be devoid of Masonic lodges. Indeed, that was the case until 1962, when
the American Canadian Grand Lodge (within the United Grand Lodges of Germany)
erected Arabian Lodge #882. It was followed by four others. All these lodges
were formed to cater for foreigners in the country, mainly North American and
British Masons in Saudi Arabia as a result of its oil. However, following
successive crackdowns by the Saudi police, none of these lodges are effectively
operating, except as casual fraternal groups.[xxvi]
British Counsel to the Ottoman Empire, Sir Alexander Drummond, opened a lodge in
Aleppo (now in modern Syria) on the 3 February 1748, but it would appear to have
been short-lived. It has been claimed that Drummond was appointed District Grand
Master (EC) for the Orient in 1747. There are also claims that a Syrian prince,
who was initiated in Egypt, introduced Masonry into Syria in the 1860s, but
evidence appears scant. The Grand Orients of Italy and France established lodges
at Damascus in Syria (then part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire) in the 1860s, but
details of both are sparse. The French lodge, Loge le Liban, in
particular, seems to have involved itself in political activities. The Italian
and French lodges appear to have to expired by the turn of the century, although
there are also suggestions that Egyptian and Turkish-chartered lodges were
working in Damascus by the time.
is evidence of a lodge being formed in Damascus under the National Grand Lodge
of Egypt in late 1936. This lodge appears to have promptly split itself into
three, whereupon they then formed a Grand Lodge of Syria, under Egyptian
patronage, although it may have only been a District Grand Lodge under
Egypt—the available documentation being ambiguous. Either way, these
indigenous lodges seem to have remained active, although they appear to have
remained unrecognised outside the country, until the Craft was banned in Syria
by decree, on 9 August 1965.
chartered Lodge Light in Damascus #1058, in 1909; and the Grand Lodge of New
York had Ibrahim el Khalil Lodge #4, formed in 1924, at the same location, under
its District of Syria-Lebanon. Subsequent to the Second World War and Syrian
Independence, as with the unrecognised lodges, these also were closed in 1965.
There was no change in this situation in the 1990s.[xxvii]
came to Tunisia in the 19th century, with a number of lodges being chartered by
the Grand Orient of France. In 1879, eight French lodges formed the Grand Orient
of Tunisia, under a warrant from the Grand Orient of Italy. Lodges were still
reported to be working in Tunisia after the Second World War, but they did not
survive Tunisian independence in 1956 and the subsequent proclamation of Islam
as the state religion.
in 1998, a lodge was formed in Tunisia under the recently formed Italian
‘Grand Lodge of the Union’ (Gran Loggia dell’ Unione). This is Loggia
Italia #16. It meets quarterly at the Oriental Hotel, Tunis. The legal position
of this lodge is unclear.[xxviii]
oil-based Persian Gulf country is made up of several small Arab Emirates, which
used to be referred to collectively as Trucial Oman. England erected its first
and only lodge, at Sharjah, in 1967. This was Trucial Lodge #8160, and it
largely serviced Masons who were British oil workers. However, this lodge had
become dormant by the early 1980s, and was later erased.[xxix]
located at the base of the Arabian Peninsula, consisted of two separate
countries, North Yemen and South Yemen, until they were politically united in
1990. South Yemen was formerly known simply as ‘Aden’, or more correctly,
the British Protectorate of South Arabia. Aden had the honour of receiving the
first charter for a lodge in the Middle East. The Grand Lodge of Scotland
granted this in 1850 to Lodge Felix #335. Lodge Centenary #1449, was erected
under the same authority in 1900. England stepped in with Lodge Light in Arabia
#3870, in 1918. This lodge now works at Croydon, England. After World War Two, a
third Scottish lodge was established in Aden, Lodge Pioneer #1305. The Scottish
lodges ‘went into darkness’, but two of them have since been resurrected as
research lodges meeting in Scotland. The Independence of South Yemen brought it
under the control of a totalitarian government, which made the conditions for
Freemasonry untenable. North Yemen appears to have never had a lodge.[xxx]
other Islamic countries that are not Arabic are also useful to consider
comparatively. They are Indonesia, Malaysia and Turkey.
no longer exists in Indonesia, having been banned by the Indonesian Government
in 1965. England had established a lodge at Sumatra as early as 1765, but it
later expired. By the 1950s, the Grand East of the Netherlands has four lodges
in Sumatra and nineteen in Java. In April 1955, four lodges in Djakarta combined
to form a Grand Lodge (called Timur Agung Indonesia). President Soekarno dissolved
it in 1965. One Dutch lodge, De Ster in het Oosten #14 (Star of
the East), dating from 1759, moved back to the Netherlands where it still meets
at Bilthoven. There are occasional reports concerning a Grand Lodge working in
Indonesia, but if it does operate, the politics of the country would suggest an underground
existence. It is certainly not recognised outside Indonesia by any mainstream
Grand Lodge. That stated, Co-Masonry (Le Droit Humain) still has at least
one lodge in Indonesia, Lodge Hermes at Bandung, although there may be
others. Co-Masonry was evidently not banned, as its membership includes women,
and thus ‘could not be involved in political activity’.[xxxi]
is a South East Asian country consisting of the former British colonies of
Malaya (now East Malaysia), and North Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah, now West
Malaysia). Masonry in this area is controlled by District Grand Lodges under
England and Scotland. The first lodge in the country then known as Malaya was
established at Penang in 1809. This was an English lodge warranted by the Antients,
but it subsequently expired. It was not until 1875 that Malaya received a lodge
that was to survive. This was the English lodge, Royal Prince of Wales #1555,
which still works happily at Penang. Scotland’s earliest surviving lodge also
works at Penang, Lodge Scotia #1003, warranted in 1906. Currently, twenty-nine
regular lodges work in the country.
recent decades, the Malaysian Government has taken an interest in the Craft
within its boundaries. The Government’s Societies Act requires that
Masonic lodges regularly disclose their membership and certain other details to
the Registrar of Societies. However, this statute does not appear to have
been directed against Freemasonry in particular, although the Craft has in the
past been discussed in the Malaysian Parliament. Nevertheless, satisfactory
relations between Craft authorities and the Government have been maintained, and
there appears to be no reason to suspect that this relationship will not be
continued in the future. It is interesting to note that Malaysia does have a
substantial ethnic Chinese minority, and that membership of the Craft is largely
drawn from that quarter, rather than from the Malays who are mostly Moslem.[xxxii]
is not an Arabic country, but it is people are overwhelmingly Moslem. The
difference is that, unlike Arabic countries, Islam is not the State religion,
thanks to the founder of modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk, who constructed a
strictly secular state.
is documented reference to the existence of lodges in Turkey in 1738. These
lodges appear to have emanated from various European sources. In 1748 Sultan
Mahmud I used the pretext of Pope Clement XII’s Bull, ‘In Eminenti’ (April
1738), to ban Freemasonry by royal edict, but the edict was never put into
force. By the end of the 18th century many lodges were operating and they
flourished after the French Revolution and during Napoleon’s reign. On 15/16
June 1826, in order to reform the army, Sultan Mahmud II abolished the corrupt
military order of the Janissaries in a bloodbath. The Janissaries were mostly
members of the Bektachi sect, which was also abolished. Freemasonry was closed
with the pretext that it was a kind of ‘Bektachism’ and many Freemasons were
sent into exile.
the political climate eventually changed, and the Craft was re-introduced during
the Crimean War, in 1856. In that year an English-warranted lodge, Oriental
#988, was formed in Constantinople (later Instanbul), with Lord Bulwer, the
British Ambassador, as Foundation Master. After an irregular Grand Lodge was
created by an Irish officer (Captain Atkinson) in the British contingent during
the Crimean War, the United Grand Lodge of England decided to create its own
District Grand Lodge in the area, with Bulwer as District Grand Master. The
District Grand Lodge was consecrated on the 24 June 1862 in the British Embassy.
Ten English lodges were established in Turkey between 1860 and 1870. Ireland,
Scotland and several other Grand Lodges/Grand Orients issued charters in Turkey
during this period. Italy had fourteen lodges, Germany five, France three,
Poland two, Spain two, Greece two, Hungary one and Egypt one.[xxxiii]
expansion of the Craft was slow, as various Ottoman Sultans issued edicts
suppressing Freemasonry. However, during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II
(1876–1909), the position changed. Abdülhamid favoured Anglo-Saxon
Freemasonry, and even donated money towards its balls and charities. On the
other hand, he considered Freemasons working under lodges chartered by the Grand
Orients of France and Italy to be politically suspect, and he had them closely
watched by his police. His fears were to prove justified. Members of these
lodges favoured the overthrow Abdülhamid’s rule and the establishment of a
constitutional monarchy. This ‘politically-active Freemasonry’ achieved its
goal through the ‘Unity and Progress’ political party, which organized its
political and subversive activities in Masonic lodges under the Italian, French
and Spanish jurisdictions. In 1908 a constitutional monarchy was declared and a
committee of deputies deposed Abdülhamid, all of whom were Freemasons.
Turkish Supreme Council had been founded in Istanbul in 1861 by Prince Abdülhalim
Pasha, brother of the Khedive of Egypt (who was also District Grand Master for
Egypt, EC). This Supreme Council became dormant in the 1880s but was revived on
3 March 1909 and immediately formed the Grand Lodge of the Ottoman Empire (13
July 1909). The new Grand Orient attracted the allegiance of most lodges under
non-British foreign jurisdictions. It initially consisted of fourteen lodges
then holding French, Italian or Spanish charters. It modelled its constitution
on that of the Grand Orient of France. The Grand Lodge of the Ottoman Empire
(later re-named the Grand Orient of Turkey) enjoyed a period of sustained
expansion, erecting 65 lodges prior to 1935. However, the political climate in
Turkey had been deteriorating, and the Grand Orient became dormant in 1935.[xxxiv]
Turkish Supreme Council revived in 1948, and controlled Turkish Craft lodges
until it divested control to the Grand Lodge of Turkey, founded in 1956 and
formed by 29 Craft lodges. The Grand Lodge of Scotland consecrated the ‘new’
Grand Lodge in April 1965, and Turkish lodges at this time largely adopted the
Craft ritual of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, although still exhibiting a
Continental heritage, particularly French. The Grand Lodge also adopted,
largely, the rules and regulations of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The Grand
Lodge of Turkey was recognised by England and Ireland in 1970, and today enjoys
fraternal relations with most mainstream Grand Lodges around the world.
total, the secular nature of the Turkish body politic, combined with its
Freemasonry adopting regularity despite doubtful antecedents, has created a most
successful Masonic establishment.[xxxv]
Rich, Dr. Paul, Masonry and The Middle
East. See: http://www.paulrich.net/papers/mideastmasons.html
Henderson, K W & Pope T, Freemasonry Universal: a new guide to the
Masonic World, vol 2, Global Masonic Publications, Melbourne 2000.
‘The Curse of Freemasonry’
in Questions of Faith, Saudi Gazette, 13 January 1995.
This is an edited summary.
Raafat, Samir, ‘Freemasonry in
Egypt. Is it still around?’ in Egyptian Gazette, Cairo 1 March
El-Amin, Mustafa, Freemasonry, Ancient Egypt, and the Islamic Destiny,
New Mind Productions, New Jersey, USA 1988.
Leadbeater, Charles W, Ancient Mystic
Rites, Theosophical Publishing House, 1986.
El-Amin, op cit, p 123.
Rich, Dr. Paul, op cit.
White, Christopher, ‘British Masons
Push Mid East Holy War’ in New Solidarity, USA, vol XIV #6, 25
March 1983, p 1 ff.
El-Amin, op cit, p 155.
Galtier, G, Maçonnerie Egyptienne, Rose Croix and Neo-Chevalerie, Ed Do Rocher,
1989, p 36 ff.
Wissa, Karim, Freemasonry in Egypt from Bonaparte to Zaghloul, Turica Tome xxiv,
Bauvel, R, Secret Chamber, Century,
1999, pp 150–155.
Henderson, K W & Pope T, op cit, p 15.
Layiktez, Celil, The History of Freemasonry in Turkey, vol 1 – The
Beginning, 1721–1956, Grand Lodge of Turkey, 1999.
Henderson, K W & Pope T, op cit, p 280–284. | <urn:uuid:1a0bba5f-0237-4a54-a159-ddb67851d0fa> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/freemasonry-islamic-countries.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323585246.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20211019074128-20211019104128-00661.warc.gz | en | 0.954615 | 12,113 | 2.578125 | 3 | 2.995787 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Religion |
A leading factor influencing the extent of solar UVB reaching the Earth’s surface is considered as Air pollution. Observational and prospective studies in different geographic latitudes with different populations proved that atmospheric pollution may play a vital independent role in the growth of Vitamin D Deficiency. Absorption of UVB radiation and the decrease in the amount of photons reaching ground level can efficiently be a result of tropospheric ozone. The extent of solar UVB that reached Earth’s surface is inversely related to the level of pollution, and this theory was proved. The frequency of D hypovitaminosis among urban inhabitants can be more than twice higher as compared to the rural inhabitants, because industrial areas are those of the highest concentration of air pollution.
A recent study that ties Vitamin D with high BP has severe implications for India, where every fifth grown-up has hypertension. Besides modern lifestyles that cause children and adults to spend most of their time indoors, doctors say the quality of sunlight in smog-hit cities may also play a role in causing the deficiency.
According to a report featured in the Times of India, researcher VimalKarani of University College, London, went through 35 studies which spanned over 1.5 lakh people across North America and Europe, and found that for every 10% increase in 25(OH) D concentrations, the risk of developing hypertension decreased by 8.1%. A prehormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D or calcidiol, is produced in the liver when Vitamin D3 is synthesized (a blood test to determine its levels is also an indicator of Vit D levels).
According to a study titled, The impact of atmospheric pollution on vitamin D status of infants and toddlers in Delhi, India by Agarwal KS and others in 2002, compared to those living in the less polluted areas, children living in the highly polluted parts of Delhi, with higher levels of ambient air pollution have been shown to be at a higher risk of developing Vitamin D-dependent rickets. Under the same study, despite similar types of housing, the mean serum concentration of 25 (OH) D3 compared to those living in the less polluted areas of the city was significantly lower. The amount of UVB light reaching the ground level was correlated with the intensity of air pollution that in turn correlated to the frequency of Vitamin D Deficiency. The differences in the Vitamin D status of the children cannot be explained by their different dietary habits, because none of the children included in the study used any Vitamin D supplementation or ate Vitamin D stimulated food. However, the time which each individual spent on exposition to sunlight, that seems to be a chief limitation of this work, was not collected by the authors.
For many years the problem of Vitamin D insufficiency has been underestimated, associated only with calcium/phosphorus metabolism and regarded as an area of interest reserved only for pediatricians or orthopedists. However, the last years brought a number of epidemiological studies revealing the unexpected connection between the Vitamin D hypovitaminosis and prevalence of several diseases that have forced the scientist to revise their opinions on the mechanism of Vitamin D action and its role in the maintenance of body homeostasis. | <urn:uuid:5a1e9dc4-5f30-45e6-8c58-64f409377097> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | http://tayoforhealth.com/lifestyle-pollution-vitamin-d-deficiency/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585371829677.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20200409024535-20200409055035-00348.warc.gz | en | 0.948575 | 654 | 3.46875 | 3 | 2.968574 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
|KIT:||Classic Airframes 1/48 Avro Anson I|
|REVIEWER:||Scott Van Aken|
|NOTES:||Multimedia kit with etched metal and resin parts|
The Avro Anson was a twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces during World War II and afterwards. Named for British admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance but was soon rendered obsolete. However it was rescued from obscurity by its suitability as a multi-engine air crew trainer, becoming the mainstay of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. By the end of its production life in 1952, the Anson spanned nine variants and a total of 8,138 had been built in Britain by Avro and, from 1941, a further 2,882 by the Canadian Federal Aircraft Ltd.
The Anson was derived from the commercial 6-seat Avro 652 and the militarized version, which first flew on 24 March 1935, was built to Air Ministry Specification 18/35. It was the first RAF monoplane with a retractable undercarriage. The first production run resulted in 174 Anson Mk.I aircraft for service with Coastal Command. No. 48 Squadron RAF was the first to be equipped in March 1936. At the start of World War II, there were 26 RAF squadrons operating the Anson I; 10 with Coastal Command and 16 with Bomber Command. However by this time the Anson was obsolete and in the process of being superseded by the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and Lockheed Hudson.
Limited numbers of Ansons continued to serve in operational roles such as coastal patrols and air/sea rescue. Early in the war an Anson scored a probable hit on a German U-boat. In June 1940, a flight of three Ansons was attacked by nine Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Remarkably, the Ansons downed two German aircraft without losing any of their own. The aircraft's true role, however, was to train pilots for flying multi-engine bombers such as the Avro Lancaster. The Anson was also used to train the other members of a bomber's air crew, such as navigators, wireless operators, bombardiers and air gunners.
A distinctive feature of the Anson was its landing gear retraction mechanism which required no less than 140 turns of the hand crank by the pilot. To forgo this laborious process, Ansons often flew with the landing gear extended at the expense of 30 mph (50 km/h) of cruise speed (Gunston 1995).
A total of 11,020 Ansons were built by the end of production in 1952, making it the second-most-numerous (after the Vickers Wellington) British multi-engine aircraft of the war.
Opening the box brings you face to face with three large grey sprues for the major airframe parts and one clear one for the transparencies. The clear bits are nicely done and provide optional nose cones. The upper roof section behind the cockpit is in clear plastic as well. While this may make it difficult to properly mold in with the rest of the upper fuselage, it will make for an easier window installation. Not sure which I'd prefer myself, though in fairness, the drawings do show a panel line on the aft section that butts up against the turret housing. However, this clear bit is a couple of scale feet short of that panel line.
An etched metal fret with seat belts, instrument panel (and switches), prop hubs, and control horns is included with an acetate instrument section. There are three bags full of resin parts. One small bag has two very nicely molded engine cowlings. The next larger bag has a multitude of interior parts, including interior framework, some antennas, and other spindly stuff. The final bag has all your interior bits for the cockpit and position behind the pilot. This includes seats and radio gear. There are also landing gear retraction strut/gear doors, and two engines, which are the same as what is provided in injected plastic, but much better molded and their exhaust.
Now, how about the plastic itself. Well, this is an MPM family produced kit and those kits just seem to get better and better. Overall the molding is very nicely done. The fabric representation is suitably subdued and not overdone as is often seen. The framework on the wings is more pronounced. Those who fussed about the pattern on the Trumpeter Wellington will fuss about this one as well as they are about the same. All the major join areas are butt joined. I'd have hoped that by now MPM would have figured how to get around this, but not yet, it seems. No major defects in the way of pesky ejector pin markings or sink areas, though there were a couple of small gouges on one wing root.
Aside from the options already mentioned, the kit provides the ability to do a version without the upper turret and longer ailerons for very early production Ansons. A landing light assembly is also provided as an option and there is a mark on the inside of the lower left wing showing where to cut when installing this.
Instructions are well done and provide color information for use during construction. Drawings show what the modeler needs to do when using optional bits and when drilling out the fuselage gun aperture. One thing I'd have liked to have seen are the exact locations of some of these items that are described in the instructions as 'check your references'. This includes the radio fit and the longer ailerons. Now I'd have thought that some sort of reference would have been used to determine the markings so why not just note where bits go for markings options A, B, or C? I'm thinking this is just a way to cut costs in having to print additional materials, but since the markings guide is done for each kit, why not include the location of these bits there? Not many people have references which include photos of the planes in question and no references are provided in the kit instructions. Perhaps a small thing, but something CA should really look into for future projects.
The markings are provided for three aircraft. One is in overall silver dope from 269 Squadron in 1937 and has no upper turret. Could this be one of the 'long aileron' planes? Can't tell from the drawing. The other two are nearly identically painted in Dark Earth and Dark Green over Aluminum from 1939. The box art plane is from 233 squadron while the other option is from 206 squadron without the yellow surround on the upper wing insignia and with fin flashes. The sheet is very nicely done by Microscale with the insignia in sections to help alleviate registration problems. You'll also note the lighter pre-war blue, something that is often missed.
I know that this kit will sell well in the UK. It seems that most of the more recent releases have been aimed at that market. From my standpoint, I'm just as pleased to see these available as other modelers. It is an important aircraft that has yet to be done as anything other than a vacuformed kit in this scale (there may have been a resin one, but I've not heard of it). If you have been able to successfully complete a somewhat complex kit as this in the past, I see no reason why you should not be pleased with the results of this one.
Thanks to me and my wallet for providing this kit for you to check out.
If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has nearly 325,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.
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Back to the Previews Index Page | <urn:uuid:38e27626-58b6-4e49-acec-71fde9ecdf09> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://modelingmadness.com/scott/allies/previews/classicairframes/4120p.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189686.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00260-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969871 | 1,599 | 2.65625 | 3 | 2.465931 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Home & Hobbies |
The Workman’s History of Calcium Chloride Testing (F1869)
Concrete floor installers began using the calcium chloride (CaCl) moisture test back in the early 1940s to conclude when a new concrete slab was fit for floor coverings. Over decades, CaCl gained industry acceptance as a practical standard. Although builders continue to use the CaCl moisture test, post-installation moisture problems eventually redefined it as a test method worthy of scrutiny.
Moisture Vapor Emissions
Concrete moisture vapor migrates from the bottom of concrete slabs to their surfaces in order to evaporate. This is how concrete dries. Once poured, all concrete slabs require time for concrete moisture to reach equilibrium with the relative humidity (RH) of the slab’s surroundings. Generally, high ambient RH slows concrete drying as the slab absorbs moisture vapor; low ambient RH causes concrete to emit moisture vapor. Therefore, the natural migration process of concrete moisture drying is influenced by environment.
Where the challenge became clear was in determining whether the surface emission rate determined by desiccant weight gain truly reflected the moisture conditions deeper in the slab.
If the quantitative assessment indicates moisture vapor emissions, building trades experienced decades of qualitative difficulties with the CaCl moisture test. In fact, moisture-plagued concrete slabs certified by ASTM F1869 protocol proved to be a patterned and persistent challenge to the concrete flooring industry – so much so that industry professionals began to investigate the scientific integrity of the CaCl moisture test.
Problem 1: surface measurement. CaCl measured only the top one-half to three-quarters inch of the slab.
Problem 2: distorted readings. CaCl tended to underestimate the true moisture conditions at the high end of the moisture spectrum, while it tended to overestimate the moisture conditions of older slabs. Builders, then, made threshold floor covering decisions based on errant readings.
Problem 3: scope of assessment. CaCl failed to methodologically account for the fact that concentrated concrete moisture resides at a greater depth than ever measured by the test. This led to continued moisture problems when that moisture eventually reached a covered concrete surface where they could no longer evaporate.
In light of such research, the American Society for Testing and Materials made two changes to moisture measurement industry standards. First, it amended ASTM F1869 to remove the CaCl moisture test as a means of measuring lightweight concrete moisture. Second, ASTM created F2170, a new standard that recognized in situ RH testing as an integral assessment method.
The CaCl moisture test is a building practice with lineage. It remains rooted in ASTM standard F1869 as the source of many tests tried. But their truth has entered a new era and the challenges of moisture emissions-based testing are becoming increasingly clear. | <urn:uuid:9b0c91f4-217e-4e5b-8471-ccc6ef9849d0> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://www.f1869.org/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875147116.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20200228073640-20200228103640-00448.warc.gz | en | 0.904569 | 576 | 3.359375 | 3 | 2.992553 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Industrial |
A visit to London isn't complete without stopping off at the Tower of London. I recently accompanied some people who had said they wanted to “pop in” to the Tower, as part of a morning we spent together. We ended up spending the best part of four hours there.
The name itself is a little misleading, as the Tower of London actually comprises of 21 different towers, the most prominent being the White Tower, situated in the centre. The people I was with on our visit were surprised how big the Tower of London is. It has a village feel to it once you're inside, a fact heightened by the presence of the Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters) who live there with their families. Because of the sheer scale of the place, both in terms of its size and also the incredible history, it’d be impossible to condense the whole lot in to a short blog post, so I’ll just pick out a few bits and pieces.
Development of the Tower
It is important to remember that the Tower of London didn’t magically spring up, fully formed in the incarnation you can visit today. What you see today is the result of centuries of additions and also subtractions in the form of fires, bombing and alterations. The Tower of London began life during the reign of William the Conqueror (1066–87) and has constantly been tweaked and changed right up to the present day. Major additions took place in the 13th Century under Henry III (1216–72) and Edward I (1272–1307) which included pushing back the Thames, building St Thomas’s Tower, the Beauchamp Tower, the Bloody Tower, Wakefield Tower … and many of the other towers for that matter.
Prisoners and Execution
The Tower of London has always held in the public perception, the mantle of being at the centre of England’s blood soaked history; as a place of torture, execution and of course as a prison. It was initially built as a palace and fortress and in fact only ten people have actually been executed inside the Tower walls on the tranquil Tower Green. Two of them, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard had the misfortune of being married to Henry VIII. In effect, it was a VIP execution site. Sculptor Brian Catling has marked the execution site with a memorial on which is written the names of the ten men and women condemned to death on Tower Green, in the centre of which rests a glass pillow. Non VIPs were executed on Tower Hill just to the north of the Tower.
Perhaps the most well known and intriguing story relates to the Bloody Tower (originally known as the Garden Tower) which actually gets its name from the disappearance and supposed murder of two young princes, Edward V and his younger brother Richard who after their father, Edward IV died in 1483 were taken under the wing of their uncle Richard, the Duke of Gloucester. The two boys were declared illegitimate and their uncle was crowned King Richard III. The two young boys disappeared and rumours of murder not surprisingly spread quickly. Skeletons of two boys were found hidden beneath a staircase in the White Tower in the 17th century and are generally believed to be the two princes. Their bones were reburied in Westminster Abbey.
Some prisoners had it better than others. Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) for instance spent almost 14 years as a prisoner in the Tower of London, but whilst he was there wrote a book, grew vegetables and was visited by his family. His son Carew was both conceived and born at the Tower whilst Raleigh was held prisoner.
The Lower Wakefield Tower will give you a brief insight in to the use of torture at the Tower. The main instruments used were the Scavenger’s Daughter, manacles and of course the Rack; the mere mention of which was often enough for prisoners to tell the authorities whatever it was they wished to hear.
As you wander around you’ll undoubtedly notice a number of men and one woman dressed in blue and red uniforms. These are Yeoman Warders, popularily known as ‘Beefeaters’. There are 35 in total and they have all completed at least 22 years military service and upon appointment, they must be within 40 and 55 years of age. Although they spend a great deal of time giving tours of the Tower, they’re officially the Sovereign’s bodyguards, and as such can be seen accompanying the Queen on state occasions. As previously mentioned, they all live inside the Tower with their partners and families and each night at exactly 9:53pm perform the ‘Ceremony of the Keys’ during which they formally lock the Tower. They’ve been doing it pretty much exactly the same since the 14th century.
Medieval monarchs had a habit of giving each other gifts of exotic animals, and as such they became housed in the Tower of London, known as the ‘Tower’s Menagerie’. The Tower in essence was a pre-cursor to a zoo with the public paying to see them, often with catastrophic consequences. In 1686, Mary Jenkinson died after thinking it a good idea to stroke one of the lions. Over the centuries, the Tower housed animals such as lions, bears, a wolf, eagles, an ostrich, monkeys, an alligator, an African elephant, polar bears and baboons … to name but a few. As you wander around you can see some great sculptures by artist Kendra Haste which allude to the Tower’s animal past. The Menagerie came to an end in the 1830s and some of the animals that remained, formed a new zoo in Regent’s Park which is still there today and known as ZSL London Zoo.
The White Tower
The imposing structure in the centre of the Tower complex is the White Tower, built in the 11th century as a fortress and amongst other things, a reminder to Londoners of the power and authority of their new Norman rulers. Although today, the White Tower is dwarfed by the likes of the Shard and other buildings close by in the City of London … it was, at the time of its completion the tallest building most people would have ever seen. Today the White Tower houses a collection from the Royal Armouries including armour worn by King Henry VIII. The entrance to the White Tower is via a wooden staircase. The main door is set well above ground level, which was for security purposes. The original staircase was temporary and could be dismantled in case of attack, thus making it much harder to gain entrance.
There are loads of other fascinating aspects to a visit to the Tower of London, not least the Crown Jewels, a massive collection of Royal bling housed in the Waterloo Barracks. You’ll notice during your visit, that the walls are festooned with centuries old pieces of graffiti from numerous prisoners left to fester within the Tower of London and a number of other exhibitions relating to different episodes in the Towers long and varied history. It can get pretty crowded at the Tower of London in the summer, but well worth a visit and don’t forget, if you’re in the area, you might want to pop in the nearby church of All Hallows-by-the-Tower or nip to St Katharine Docks just to the east, which you’ll probably do via the ominously named Dead Man’s Hole.
Bowl Of Chalk
Bowl Of Chalk based shenanigans. | <urn:uuid:6cffb610-977d-45d1-ad2c-e808dd06de36> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | http://www.bowlofchalk.net/things-are-afoot/the-tower-of-london | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128320130.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20170623184505-20170623204505-00323.warc.gz | en | 0.97911 | 1,555 | 2.609375 | 3 | 2.51725 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
You would have noticed people who do things differently. They are creative people who think and uniquely execute ideas. You can also witness creativity in particular people who take up certain pursuits like writing, dancing, drawing, etc. Are you one such person who is creative and imaginative in your works? Here is good news for you. Your creativity is rewarded as you enjoy several health benefits. The following are some of the health benefits that you experience due to creativity
Offers Better Mental Health
People who get involved in hobbies like drawing, writing, and other arts possess creative thinking. It makes them mentally and emotionally stable. A lot of research was conducted among people to study the mental effects of creativity. People who are involved in creative writing or people who narrates about his or her personal experiences can manage their emotions in a better way. It is true that you might not witness immediate impact, but creativity has a lot to offer in the long run. Thus being creative can improve the psychological well-being of an individual.
Reduces Stress And Anxiety
Creative people are mostly involved in certain hobbies like drawing, dancing, etc. They can combat stress and anxiety through their creative works. Thus people who are creative can manage depression problems. People with dementia or other depression problems can get out of it when involved in various creative pursuits.
It is said that being creative you achieve something different compared to others. Your success causes the secretion of dopamine in the brain. This is responsible for making people happy. Thus creativity keeps you happy all the time. This would in turn influence people to get involved in creative activities further.
Stimulates Your Brain
Being creative can stimulate your brain and improve your cognitive abilities. It is said that people who learn to play instruments are creative people. This is because they have better connectivity between the two hemispheres of their brain. This makes them good in academics and other skills. Creative people are good at problem-solving skills.
Keeps You Physically Fit
It is said that people with creativity have a better immune system. This keeps them healthy and reduces the frequency of visit to hospitals. It is said that people who are involved in certain creative pursuits have increased CD4+ lymphocyte count. This helps in the proper functioning of the immune system. Researchers have proved that HIV patients showed better improvements in their treatment when they are involved in creative writing or other creative hobbies. People who are engaged in expressive writing easily managed with chronic pain.
The effects of creativity can be seen in certain parts of the brain, and these regions are responsible for the proper hormonal activity of the body. This also improves the inflammatory response of the body. When you’re involved in creative activities, you seldom feel tired as your mind keeps your body energetic all the time.
The above article offers some useful information on the effects of getting involved in creative pursuits.
So start now and try to do some creative pursuits of your wish and enjoy the above health benefits. | <urn:uuid:6ac2b6fd-ec01-43a5-8f10-9e7a6894b2f8> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://www.twavbaby.info/health-benefits-that-you-can-enjoy-if-your-creative/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439735916.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20200805065524-20200805095524-00235.warc.gz | en | 0.977372 | 599 | 2.984375 | 3 | 1.882403 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
Despite having a bad rap for many years, with critics claiming that eggs were filled with cholesterol and those who consumed them were destined to develop heart disease, eggs are now being recognized as one of the most perfect foods that you can eat. After many scientific studies, including an important one conducted at Wake Forest University, which reviewed many previous studies, eggs are now near the top of the list of healthiest foods.
Between the egg whites and the yolks, you get a huge amount of vitamins, healthy fats, important minerals and protein. All in a small package containing around 70 calories. They are also easy to prepare, almost like a natural convenience food to reach for.
Consider these 6 great reasons to eat eggs on a regular basis:
1. Mood boosting properties
The omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, zinc and iodide that is contained in eggs will all help you to feel less fatigued and help to turn around a bad mood. Just don’t be fooled by “free range” labeling, this might mean that the chickens are still kept in warehouse environments, just not in tiny, miserable cages.
2. Help prevent cancer
Research has shown that women who consume high levels of choline, which is found in eggs, have a nearly 25% less risk of developing breast cancer. You can get up to 30% of your daily need for choline from one egg. Just remember that most of the choline is contained in the yolk, so don’t opt for just egg whites.
3. Boost your muscular system
With high amounts of protein, eggs help you boost muscle production and function. The high levels of vitamin B12 also help control muscle contraction. Opt for organic eggs when possible, to avoid getting any genetically modified versions or antibiotics.
4. Protect your eyesight
The lutein and zeaxanthin that are found in eggs are powerful antioxidants that help reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration or cataracts. Most of these antioxidants are contained in the egg yolk. Add some kale or spinach to your eggs to enhance the benefits.
5. Brain food
Choline is also helpful for keeping your memory sharp as you age. Eating eggs helps release acetylcholine, which is an important neurotransmitter that helps you recall information stored in your brain. The omega-3 fatty acids give your brain more fuel, as well. Choose eggs from grass-fed hens for the most benefit, because they contain more vitamin E, which has been shown to help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Lose weight
A study conducted at Louisiana State University showed that obese adults who opted for eggs instead of bagels for breakfast five times or more per week lost 65% more weight than those choosing the carbs. The protein in the eggs also helps to keep you satisfied longer, and leads to fewer cravings throughout the day.
Don’t be fooled by the old-school thinking that eating eggs is unhealthy! Choose eggs often and improve your health! | <urn:uuid:1add2838-a5e3-4554-88c8-ef4d56f15860> | CC-MAIN-2021-39 | https://recipeland.com/news/why-you-should-eat-eggs-instead-738 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-39/segments/1631780057973.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20210926205414-20210926235414-00117.warc.gz | en | 0.958811 | 622 | 2.96875 | 3 | 1.696303 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
Though little black bugs on tomato plants may not seem like much of a problem, if left unchecked the issue can become quite serious. These small pests likely belong to a family of bugs called flea beetles. There are a few different options on how to control them, though some type of pesticide will likely be necessary.
There are dozens of species of bugs commonly referred to as flea beetles. All come from the same scientific family, Chrysomelidae. Though the beetles have a quite extensive list of species, it could be that only a handful live in your area. Regardless of the type of flea beetle, the treatment method is typically the same, as are many of their habits. Not all types like tomato plants.
The flea beetles range in color from black to brown and are generally less than half an inch long; some may be even smaller than that, even as small as one-tenth of an inch. A single beetle, given its size, would not be able to do much damage to any plant as large as a tomato plant, but they are found in groups. Many may infect a single plant. The beetles have well-developed hind legs and can jump an impressive distance if disturbed.
The main threat from these bugs is simply the damage they can do to the tomato plant. The beetles will feed on the leaves and lay their eggs in the soil around these plants. Once the young beetles hatch, they will spend some time in the soil, where they feed on the roots and underground stems of the plant. In addition to defoliation, the beetles can expose a plant to blight and disease, which could be fatal.
Adult beetles typically seek shelter from the winter in the soil, emerging again when the temperature reaches approximately 50 degrees. Once they emerge, they immediately seek food and continue their life cycle. In a growing season, it is not uncommon for as many as three generations of the beetles to come and go, multiplying each time. In locations with extended growing seasons, some beetles produce many more generations each year.
You may be able to encourage the beetles to move on by delaying planting tomatoes as long as possible. If the beetles cannot find nourishment, they will quickly move on. However, if there are other sources of food in the area, they could stick around. Insecticides containing permethrin, carbaryl, spinosad or bifenthrin are effective at wiping out populations. You may need to reapply these weekly to help keep the problem from returning, especially if you have younger plants. | <urn:uuid:a4e31922-37d1-48c3-96dc-3ac6d6180fb6> | CC-MAIN-2017-51 | https://www.gardenguides.com/107064-tiny-black-bugs-tomato-plants.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-51/segments/1512948519776.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20171212212152-20171212232152-00751.warc.gz | en | 0.968346 | 514 | 3.546875 | 4 | 2.194895 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Home & Hobbies |
Microsoft SQL Server uses locking to ensure the integrity of transactions and consistency in the database. Locking prevents data that users are reading from being changed by other users, and prevents multiple users from simultaneously changing the same data. If locking is not used, data within a database may become incorrect, and queries executed against that data may produce unexpected or invalid results. SQL Server automatically applies locks. However, you can make your applications more efficient by customizing or minimizing database locking.
The SQL Server Locks object provides information about locks that are applied to individual resource types. Locks are held on SQL Server resources such as rows read or rows that were modified during a transaction, and prevent the concurrent use of a resource by multiple transactions.
SQL Server can lock the following resources:
|Extent||A contiguous group of eight data pages or index pages.|
|Key||A row lock within an index.|
|Page||An eight kilobyte data page or index page.|
|RID||The identifier for a row in the database.|
|Table||An entire table in the database, including all data and indexes.|
SQL Server locks resources using the following resource lock modes:
- Shared (S) Locks
Allow concurrent transactions to read a resource. No other transactions can modify the data while shared (S) locks exist on the resource. Shared (S) locks are released when the data has been read, unless:
- The transaction isolation level is set to repeatable read or higher.
- A locking hint is used to retain the shared (S) locks for the duration of the transaction.
- Update (U) Locks
Prevent a common form of deadlock. A typical update pattern consists of a transaction:
- Reading a record.
- Acquiring a shared (S) lock on the resource.
- Modifying the resource, which requires conversion to an exclusive (X) lock.
If two transactions acquire shared-mode locks on a resource and then attempt to update data concurrently, one transaction attempts to convert the lock to an exclusive (X) lock.
The shared-mode-to-exclusive lock conversion must wait because the exclusive lock for one transaction is not compatible with the shared-mode lock of the other transaction. In this case, a lock wait occurs.
The second transaction attempts to acquire an exclusive (X) lock for its update. Because both transactions are converting to exclusive (X) locks, and they are each waiting for the other transaction to release its shared-mode lock, a deadlock occurs.
Update (U) locks are used to avoid this problem. Only one transaction can obtain an update (U) lock to a resource at a time. If a transaction modifies a resource, the update (U) lock is converted to an exclusive (X) lock. Otherwise, the lock is converted to a shared-mode lock.
- Exclusive (X) Locks
Prevent access to a resource by concurrent transactions. No other transactions can read or modify data locked with an exclusive (X) lock.
- Intent Locks
Indicates that SQL Server wants to acquire a shared (S) lock or an exclusive (X) lock on some of the resources lower in the hierarchy. Intent locks include intent shared (IS), intent exclusive (IX), and shared with intent exclusive (SIX).
For example, a shared intent lock placed at the table level means that a transaction intends to place shared (S) locks on pages or rows within that table. Setting an intent lock at the table level prevents another transaction from acquiring an exclusive (X) lock on the table containing that page.
- Schema (Sch) Locks
Used when a table data definition language (DDL) operation such as adding a column or dropping a table is being performed. Schema stability (Sch-S) locks are used when compiling queries and do not block any transactional locks, including exclusive (X) locks. Other transactions can continue to run while a query is being compiled, including transactions with exclusive (X) locks on a table. However, DDL operations cannot be performed on the table.
Bulk Update (BU) Locks
Used when bulk copying data into a table and either the
TABLELOCKhint is specified, or the Table Lock on Build Load table option is set using
sp_Tableoption. BU locks allow processes to bulk copy data concurrently into the same table while preventing other processes that are not bulk copying data from accessing the table. | <urn:uuid:2858c8f7-7eb6-4f8b-8e72-822ef6604a6f> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://docs.uptimesoftware.com/display/KB/SQL+Server+Locks | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296943625.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20230321033306-20230321063306-00734.warc.gz | en | 0.868418 | 941 | 3.171875 | 3 | 2.481006 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Software Dev. |
Flax seed is a major source for omega-3 fatty acids
Society in general has become overweight, and we immediately tend to jump on the bandwagon of condemning the consumption of foods categorized in the "fats" food group. Even the term "fats and oils" will sometimes send shivers of repulsion into the minds of those who maintain a rigid and uncompromising diet pattern, swearing off all foods from this necessary food group. "Fats" has somehow become the shunned four-letter word of dietary watchdogs. But in our quick dismissal of trimming fat from our diets, we have also tended to forget some of the necessary functions of what is known as "essential fats". The terminology is certainly apt; as a certain amount of fat in the diet is absolutely essential for our health. Learning about "good fat" and "bad fat" is crucial to assist in making healthy choices. Cutting out all fat in your diet is not a prudent or healthy choice.
From Cave Dwellers to Condo-Owners
Civilization has certainly changed our lifestyles. Yet, the basic bodily needs have not changed since the beginning. Balance in life again is key. Our health relies upon the basic needs of fresh air, clean water, sunshine, exercise and a common sense balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
Our diet has changed significantly since our cave-dwelling ancestors inhabited the earth. Certainly the "good old days" are not always as good as one tends to conceive. Yet, studies of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle have shown innate understandings of the body’s need for a balanced diet. This is where we gain even greater persuasion to understand the importance of essential fatty acids (EFA).
Due to lifestyle and dietary habits with fast-food and convenience foods, the general public has consumed a diet rich in fats. A common reaction then is to eliminate all or the majority of fat in the diet which is equally detrimental. The problem lies in the type of fat we ingest –too much saturated fat - known as the "bad fats" - the type that clogs arteries and raises cholesterol levels.
The diet of our ancestors included a good balance of essential fatty acids (EFA). Essential fatty acids (EFA) are grouped into two families, the omega-6 EFAs and the omega-3 EFAs. The omega groups are considered the "good fats" or known as the polyunsaturated fats. The omega-6 fatty acids are found in corn, safflower, sunflower, canola and soybean oils. Omega-3 EFAs are found in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil along with fish such as salmon, herring, trout, sardines and albacore tuna. Ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil provide a natural and concentrated level of omega-3 EFAs, without concern for chemical contamination that may be a risk with fish consumption.
Finding Balance – The Alpha and the Omega
Understanding the difference between the omega-6 and the omega-3 fatty acid is very important to know. It is more than just the difference in their numbers that should concern you.
Omega-6 fatty acids (found in vegetable oils with high proportions of linolenic acid) are best used by the body in a range of anywhere from a 4:1 to a 1:1 proportion with the omega-3 fatty acids. We need both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Yet, an excess of omega-6 fatty acids can have dire consequences. Many scientists believe that a major reason for the high incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer is the extreme imbalance between our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
The parent compound in the omega-3 fatty acid is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It is this compound that serves as the "computer" or brain for the omega-3 fatty acid in determining how it will best maximize the body’s functioning.
Our ancestors evolved on a diet with a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Dietary changes over the last few centuries have changed this ratio anywhere from 20:1 to 25:1. This is clearly an equation for trouble, and today’s chronic health problems obviously exemplify this concern.
One of the primary reasons we ingest too much of the omega-6 fatty acid groups in our diet is the mass use of vegetable oils. This practice is so far-reaching that practically every fried food and snack food available has been cooked in soybean, corn, sunflower or canola oil. These oils are usually processed by hydrogenation. This changes their molecular structure so they are basically good for frying foods at a high temperature and providing a lengthy shelf-life in the grocery store. Unfortunately, these molecular properties in the omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation, blood clotting and tumor growth.
The omega-3 fatty acids act entirely opposite. But, when the omega-6 fatty acids are disproportionately higher, the omega-3 fatty acids cannot compete with the omega-6 activity. When in balance, they work in concert, making sure for every action there is a reaction, helping to maintain stability in the body.
When the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids maintain a healthy balance; they effectively become clearinghouses or message centers to the rest of the body to:
Alert the immune system to go into action
Trouble is brewed when one fatty acid overpowers another. Clearly, the data shows we need to seriously increase omega-3 fatty acids in our diets. Omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies are increasingly prevalent with young children. A Purdue University study showed that children low in omega-3 essential fatty acids are significantly more likely to be hyperactive, have learning disorders and to display behavioral problems.
In the general public, studies have linked omega-3 deficiencies to chronic health problems of diabetes, cancer, arthritis, inflammatory diseases, depression, heart disease, hypertension, memory problems, weight gain and some allergies and skin conditions.
Researchers believe 60% of Americans are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids and approximately 20% of those have so little that test methods would not be able to detect even a trace in their blood.
Changing the Scenario
We imagine you are now convinced of the need for adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Yet, probably wondering how to go about doing it and also wondering how much you need to add. As noted prior, the two major sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fish such as salmon, trout, and albacore tuna and flaxseed. Due to high risk of chemical contamination in fish products, we recommend flaxseed and flaxseed products to boost your omega-3 fatty acid consumption. Flaxseed is loaded with alpha-linolenic acid. Remember this is the "brain" of the omega-3 fatty acid molecule and assists in maximizing the benefits of nutritious foods. Most foods have far less omega-3 properties than what is found in flaxseed. In fact, it would take 25 cups of peanut butter to get the alpha-linolenic acid found in just 1/4 cup of ground flaxseed. Imagine those calories, not to mention the stares you might get when going through the grocery line with a cart full of peanut butter! To gain further information about adding flaxseed to your diet you can link to the recipes and preparing flax sections. Helpful facts are also provided in the nutrition information, with accompanying dietary guidelines.
Omega-3’s kept the mice’s brains working
Diet mattered to the brain of mice in the study; a diet that was poor in omega-3s, accelerated the process of Alzheimer’s, according to researchers. A number of previous studies had suggested that people who ate a diet rich in fish were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Researchers guessed it was the omega-3’s that were responsible.
The new Alzheimer’s research, published in the medical journal Neuron, showed that one type of omega-3, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), seemed to keep synapses healthy. Synapses are the chemical connections between brain cells that enable memory and learning.
In this study, one group of mice was fed a soy and fish diet* and a second group a diet of safflower oil devoid of omega-3 fatty acids. After five months, researchers dissected the rodents’ brains to discover high amounts of synaptic damage in the brains of the Alzheimer’s-diseased mice that ate the DHA-depleted diet. They also found low levels of DHA in the brains of the mice and evidence of inflammation and cell damage caused by oxidative stress, conditions that DHA is known to protect against. The mice fed a diet poor in omega-3s also did poorly in memory tests, further evidence of brain damage.
The study was partly funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research. Source: Picard A. Study finds omega-3 can ward off Alzheimer’s. Toronto; Globe and Mail; Accessed: 2004 Sept. 3. (*Editor’s note: Flax is rich in alphalinolenic fatty acid, the parent omega-3 fatty acid. Humans convert some ALA to DHA. The efficiency of this conversion is the subject of current research. Nevertheless, chickens convert ALA quite well; chickens fed a diet of flax, convert ALA to DHA and deposit DHA in the eggs. The omega-3 enriched eggs are good sources of DHA. DHA is found naturally in fish such as salmon and sardines, and in fish-oil capsules. For more information on flax versus fish as a source of omega-3 fats, go to the Flax Council’s Web site, www.flaxcouncil.ca or download their Flax versus Fish fact sheet here.)
|NOTE: Information presented here does not replace seeking advice from your physician. | <urn:uuid:46263e8a-f539-4440-bf47-ab6892dab483> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.goldenflax.com/flaxseed-omega3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164036653/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133356-00042-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946174 | 2,068 | 2.734375 | 3 | 2.80233 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
From the end of the 17th century a new way of thinking emerged based on philosophical and scientific concepts. We now call this the Enlightenment or the Age of Reason.
When did it begin?
When exactly the Enlightenment began is a subject of debate. Most see the ‘Dawn of Reason’ as having spanned between the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, from the mid-1600s to the late 18th century.
However, the timescale is not all that important – what really matters is the thinking and radical ideas behind it. This was a time when Europe embraced a new age of reason, rational debate and scientific discovery.
For centuries everyday life had been highly-influenced by several major institutions and authorities, especially the Church. People believed the Bible was the literal and absolute word of God – they believed that humans had been around for only a few thousand years, that Adam and Eve both existed and that the universe revolved around the Earth.
Many also believed in magic and the supernatural, leading to some of the most infamous witch trials in history during the 17th century.
New ideas and new ways of thinking slowly began to spread throughout Europe and the invention of the printing press helped these ideas spread.
In Italy the likes of Michael Angelo, Brunelleschi, and Leonardo Da Vinci sparked a revolution in cultural and artistic expression, while scientists such as Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei made discoveries which directly contravened established teachings of the Church.
In England, Civil War and the execution of the King had seen an explosion of new ideas. For a decade during the 1650s, England had been a commonwealth and radical new democratic ideas began to flood around the country.
The environment was therefore ripe for change and enabled the likes of Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton to lay down the frameworks of rational thought and scientific endeavour that would shape the Enlightenment.
Across the Channel in France the atmosphere was less conducive. Here absolutist monarchy reigned supreme, with free thinking fiercely controlled by the government. Even so, Paris was a hotbed of radical ideas.
One of the pioneers of this time was the mathematician Rene Descartes. He proposed a massively overhauled version of the world – one created by a master ‘clock-maker’ or all powerful God.
Descartes believed God had built this perfect world and then left it to develop on its own. Truth, therefore, would come from observation and investigation rather than slavish devotion to the Church.
Such thinking naturally flew in the face of the establishment. These new thinkers retained their religious devotion, but increasingly saw the Catholic Church as their natural enemy – a force which had enslaved mankind.
Governments too came under threat as Enlightenment thinking spread across Europe and into the New World where it underpinned first the American and then French Revolution.
It is difficult to find a single date when the Enlightenment began. It was, instead, a phenomenon which grew out of the Renaissance and built on developments centuries in the making. | <urn:uuid:2cd4e8fd-39b1-4031-a17e-de410db845b8> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://www.historyhit.com/the-dawn-of-reason-the-beginnings-of-the-enlightenment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178358976.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20210227144626-20210227174626-00236.warc.gz | en | 0.965867 | 623 | 3.890625 | 4 | 2.911049 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
LOS ANGELES—An increasing proportion of Americans made ill by food-borne pathogens in 2012 suffered from the effects of bacteria often found in uncooked poultry and in seafood from warm coastal waters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week.
Among the food-borne illnesses tracked in 10 U.S. monitoring sites, the incidence of illness attributed to the bacterium Campylobacter—most often originating from raw or undercooked poultry and sometimes from raw milk products—rose by 14 percent in 2012 over levels seen in 2006-2008. Food-borne illnesses linked to Vibrio, though far less common than those linked to pathogens such as Salmonella or E. coli, rose by 43 percent over 2006-2008 levels, the CDC reported.
For Campylobacter, even that increase represents a decline from rates of food-borne infections linked to the pathogen 15 years ago. But for Vibrio, the increase is part of a steady upward pattern from 1996-98.
The two pathogens tend to strike consumers at different ends of the age spectrum: while Campylobacter sickens consumers of all ages, it appears most likely to sicken and hospitalize those under 5 years of age. The majority of those who took ill after eating food tainted by Vibrio were 65 or older.
All told, the incidence of food-borne illnesses held steady with numbers gathered in 2006-2008, and were down from 1996-98 figures.
Salmonella remains the pathogen most often linked to food-borne illness, accounting for 7,800 cases of the 19,531 food-borne illnesses reported in 2012 at the 10 monitoring stations that make up the CDC’s surveillance network (a system which captures about 15 percent of the U.S. population). Campylobacter comes in a close second, followed distantly by Shigella, Cryptosporidium, Escherichia coli, Vibrio, Yersinia, Listeria and Cyclosporidium.
All these pathogens can result in several days of misery, including vomiting, diarrhea and, particularly for those with compromised or incomplete immune systems, even death. Of the 15,531 food-borne illnesses reported by the CDC’s 10-site surveillance system in 2012, 4,563 resulted in hospitalization and 68 resulted in death. While Salmonella killed the largest number of infected patients, Listeria was the most deadly, killing 10.74 percent of the 121 patients who were infected by it. | <urn:uuid:cff8e0ff-2636-40d3-89eb-a9057ffd8d98> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.saukvalley.com/2013/04/18/food-borne-illness-linked-to-poultry-seafood-on-the-rise/apaachf/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719416.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00532-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947967 | 514 | 3.140625 | 3 | 2.817247 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
If you’ve decided on a source for PCB assembly services, you’ll already know how intricate this work can be. PCB designers use computer-based design software to design a board’s circuit pattern. The spaces between these electrical conducting paths are often smaller than 0.04 inches in size. This production requires precise work; unfortunately, the integrity of a PCB can be compromised with any minuscule mistake or even a tiny change in the environment.
What is ESD and what causes it?
ESD, or electrostatic discharge, refers to what occurs when two objects with opposing charges come into contact with one another. If these two objects get close enough, this discharges the voltage, creates a voltage spike, and generates an electromagnetic field.
We experience the effects of ESD on a fairly regular basis. Common examples include the little shocks or sparks you might see and feel when you pull out a fuzzy blanket on a cold, dry day. But ESD can also be caused by plugging in or pulling out a cable from a socket, pushing buttons or keys, touching a device’s screen, or even walking across a floor.
Can ESD adversely affect a PCB?
In a word, yes. Although we don’t typically feel the impact of ESD unless it measures more than several thousand volts, even the smallest discharge can potentially damage a PCB. Essentially, if a PCB is physically touched by enough objects and people (or even comes in close contact with them) that have an opposite electric charge, it’s vulnerable to harm. This damage can be either latent (which means a PCB still functions but may be unreliable or otherwise degraded) or catastrophic (which means the damage is permanent and can be detected through PCB inspection and circuitry tests). In either case, these damages can translate into unexpected costs and even more time allocated to PCB assembly services.
How can someone protect PCBs from ESD?
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to protect your PCBs from ESD. It’s important to prioritize the minimization of ESD early on in the design process. Not only should your PCB assembly services take steps to alleviate these risks, but they should also offer more intricate inspections to ensure latent ESD damage can be identified and rectified before the product is sent out. Your PCB provider should take care to avoid certain practices during the design process, as well. These include the removal of circuit loops, the reduction of line lengths and parasitic inductance levels, and the utilization of ground plane levels. They should also use a copper land or pad to attach connectors and keep this pad separate from the PCB ground. If you will be handling boards yourself after they’re delivered by your PCB assembly services, you’ll need to reduce the possibility of ESD in your operations, too.
When obtaining PCB prototypes, you’ll need to ensure that the company you’ve chosen has the experience and knowledge to provide products of the highest quality — every single time. To find out more about our PCB services, please contact Advanced Assembly today. | <urn:uuid:3d93fd92-9568-406b-960a-bd5198f23804> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://hitechcircuits.com/electrostatic-discharge-and-its-effect-on-pcbs-advanced-pcb-assembly-hitech-pcb/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030335286.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20220928212030-20220929002030-00581.warc.gz | en | 0.928825 | 631 | 3.046875 | 3 | 2.298566 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Hardware |
These are so stinkin’ cute I can’t even deal. I think this is my favorite art project of all time! To get ready for this project, my students read some awesome books by Eric Carle, who illustrates them using a great painted-paper collage technique to create textures. (If you aren’t familiar with his books, you […]Read more "Animals and Habitats"
Snowflakes are an example of geometry in nature. Each snowflake has its own geometric pattern, repeated in radial symmetry. It’s no wonder that snowflakes are a favorite project in my classroom! All those budding 4th and 5th grade engineers love this project! We start with a 6″ square of paper, folded into two triangles, make […]Read more "Snowflakes"
Perspective is hard. I like to start on basic understanding of spatial planes as early as I can. This project is good for grades 3-5, and produces great results with basic shapes. I start by showing students a picture of a landscape and having them pick out the foreground, middle ground, and background. I point […]Read more "Pumpkin Perspective"
Kids love Halloween, and I’ve found that they also love to learn about Dia de Los Muertos, or Mexican Day of the Dead. I spend the first two weeks of October (or, two classes, since I only see kids once a week) playing traditional Mexican music, showing videos of Dia de Los Muertos festivities, and […]Read more "Calavera"
I got a request from my principal to have students make posters for the West Virginia Governor’s Conference on Tourism. As is often the case, we didn’t really get much time to make it happen. Luckily, I work with some awesome teachers who showed the students a video I made about places to visit in […]Read more "My Favorite Place"
I’m generally not a fan of projects where kids all do the same thing, but I think there is a place for old-fashioned guided drawing assignments. The monkey-see-monkey-do nature of guided drawing makes drawing less intimidating for students, and it shows students how to break objects down into simple shapes in order to draw them. […]Read more "Wise Owl"
my husband and me These are so awesome, but require some patience and time. I got this idea from Superhero Art Teacher Holly Bess Kincaid, who has an incredible website full of great art lessons. I did this with 5th graders. Day one: I start by asking students to design a toy action figure of […]Read more "Cubees" | <urn:uuid:52101601-6053-4e73-8ac7-a41e31ffa8e1> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | https://reccoart.wordpress.com/category/lesson-ideas/intermediate/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187823229.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20171019050401-20171019070401-00689.warc.gz | en | 0.956362 | 552 | 2.703125 | 3 | 1.910022 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Education & Jobs |
(Sawada) Wollenw., (1931)
Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheld., (1904)
Another name is foolish seedling disease. It gets that name because the seeds can be infected, leading to disparate outcomes for the plant. There are not many diseases that initiate similar symptoms as bakanae. As a result, it is fairly easy to identify. However, any celebrations about identifying the disease successfully will quickly turn sour when considering the impending doom of the plants.
Hosts and symptoms
Gibberella fujikuroi is most widely known for its disease producing capabilities in rice, but barley, millet, sugarcane and maize are also susceptible. In all infected plants, similar symptoms have been found, though rice has been most predominantly studied. The most telltale symptom of Bakane is the tall, spindly look of the plant. This is a result of the gibberellins, or growth hormones, the disease secretes. Infected plants are easy to pick out, then, as they often rise above the rest of the healthy plants with regularly secreted growth hormones. However, it is also possible that stunting may occur, along with Chlorosis of the leaves of the plant, root lesions, or empty grains of plants grown to maturity.
Gibberella fujikuroi is a polycyclic ascomycete. Thus, it is possible to, at the right stage of the lifecycle of the pathogen, see perithecia or conidia under the microscope. The pathogen overwinters in perithecia and will infect through soil in seeds that are not pre-infected. Infected seed is also a source of inoculum; conidia will germinate when planted. Infected seeds are the main way the disease is propagated. Symptoms can be observed during growing season.
Bakane is observed in all rice growing areas of the world. Thus, the pathogen thrives in the same growing conditions as rice. Rice requires a warm, wet growing season. Fields may even be flooded. The disease is known to be able to spread through water. Additionally, infected spores can be spread during harvesting. Thus, it is important to quarantine the infected seeds.
There have been many management solutions put forth, with the most important and widely used being the use of treated seeds. Growers should confer with the source of their seeds and as a second measure, check the weight of the seeds they receive. Lightweight seeds are typically infected. Seeds can also be treated to prevent pathogen activation. There are two options that have been found to be successful: hot water baths and chlorine treatments. However, one cannot be sure that the pathogen will be fully neutralized when subjected to these conditions.
Resistance in rice has also been studied. Specifically, the Binam cultivar has been found to be the most resistant to the disease, thus producing the largest yield in experiments when the disease was purposefully induced. Other varieties have shown partial resistance, but none as strong as Binam.
One new option that is under investigation for management potential is treating the seeds with silver nanoparticles. The particles are a known antifungal that are not toxic to humans. In one study, treatment with the particles reduced the incidence of the disease significantly.
In rice crops, this disease has made a staggering economic impact. Losses have been specifically high in Asian countries, namely India, Thailand, and Japan. Specifically, Basmati rice has been a main target for Gibberella fujikuroi. At times, growers have lost up to 50% of their crop. However, rates of disease are not often so high and only occur during epidemic years.
Luckily, attempts at management have found success in the past and new treatments are continually researched. Growers can be confident that they will find an option to deal with this disease if it is present in their crop, if not initially, then hopefully by the next growing season.
The Gibberellins secreted by the pathogen travel systemically throughout the plant to induce the rapid growth of the hosts. Amount of Gibberellin is important in determining the extent of the disease. Another interaction between the plant and pathogen is the sporulation of mycelium at the lower levels of the plant - white fungal masses can be observed. Conidia, the secondary inoculum, are the end result of these spore masses.
- Hsuan HM, Salleh B, Zakaria L. Molecular Identification of Fusarium Species inGibberella fujikuroi Species Complex from Rice, Sugarcane and Maize from Peninsular Malaysia. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2011;12(10):6722-6732. doi:10.3390/ijms12106722.
- Zbornik Matice srpske za prirodne nauke / Proc. Natl. Sci, Matica Srpska Novi Sad, ¥ 116, 175—182, 2009
- BAKANAE OF RICE - AN EMERGING DISEASE IN ASIA A. K. Gupta, I. S. Solanki, B. M. Bashyal, Y. Singh and K. Srivastava
- Lanoiselet, Vincent (2008). Bakane. Australia: Plant Health Australia. pp. 1–3.
- "What Conditions Do You Need to Grow Rice, Wheat, Corn & Soybeans?". Retrieved 2016-12-07.
- "Bakanae - IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank". www.knowledgebank.irri.org. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
- H. Saremi, A. Ammarellou, A. Marefat and S.M. Okhovvat, 2008. Binam a Rice Cultivar, Resistant for Root Rot Disease on Rice Caused by Fusarium moniliforme in Northwest, Iran. International Journal of Botany, 4: 383-389.
- Young-Ki jo et al. Crop Environment Research Division, National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- García-Martínez, Jorge; Brunk, Michael; Avalos, Javier; Terpitz, Ulrich (2015-01-15). "The CarO rhodopsin of the fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is a light-driven proton pump that retards spore germination". Scientific Reports. 5. doi:10.1038/srep07798. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 4295100. PMID 25589426. | <urn:uuid:a808dfd3-aad3-40ea-bde7-a991221be333> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibberella_fujikuroi | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583514879.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20181022071304-20181022092804-00008.warc.gz | en | 0.888939 | 1,396 | 3.578125 | 4 | 2.893631 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
What white people have to do, is try and find out in their own hearts why it was necessary to have a nigger in the first place, because I’m not a nigger, I’m a man, but if you think I’m a nigger, it means you need it. From I Am Not Your Negro
James Baldwin (1924-1987) and Ralph Ellison (1914-1994), both African American, are two of the most respected writers of their times. Whereas Baldwin was prolific in print, Ellison completed only one novel, Invisible Man (1952).
With the release of Raoul Peck‘s acclaimed I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary about Baldwin’s unfinished novel, Remember This House, it feels fitting to present some of his and Ellison’s best and still-relevant quotes.
I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.
Please try to remember that what they believe, as well as what they do and cause you to endure does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity.
I can’t believe what you say, because I see what you do.
If I am not what you say I am, then you are not who you think you are.
The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.
Everybody’s journey is individual. If you fall in love with a boy, you fall in love with a boy. The fact that many Americans consider it a disease says more about them than it does about homosexuality.
I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.
I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves or figments of their imagination, indeed, everything and anything except me.
I remember that I’m invisible and walk softly so as not awake the sleeping ones. Sometimes it is best not to awaken them; there are few things in the world as dangerous as sleepwalkers.
When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.
What and how much had I lost by trying to do only what was expected of me instead of what I myself had wished to do?
I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: That I am nobody but myself.
Power doesn’t have to show off. Power is confident, self-assuring, self-starting and self-stopping, self-warming and self-justifying. When you have it, you know it.
They can laugh, but they can’t deny us. They can curse and kill us, but they can’t destroy us. This land is ours because we come out of it, we bled in it, our tears watered it, we fertilized it with our dead. So the more of us they destroy, the more it becomes filled with the spirit of our redemption. | <urn:uuid:01f12f7f-11d7-431b-b36c-3d138ce33868> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://www.mindingtherapy.com/tag/james-baldwin/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549424154.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20170722222652-20170723002652-00675.warc.gz | en | 0.972354 | 759 | 2.578125 | 3 | 2.769438 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Politics |
Over the last decade Americans have truly become a wired society. If you disagree with this statement, stop and observe the sheer number of mobile devices and the households that have internet access. Due to the fact that more and more individuals are coming online the reality of addressing the accessibility raises to the forefront.
The United States Census Bureau conducted a survey titled American Community Survey back in 2006 and estimated 193,568,216 Americans have a disability of which 13,667,248 are directly related to employment disabilities. Physical disabilities are typically what comes to mind when thinking of accessibility, but it is equally important to keep in mind the process of aging and the potential loss of vision, hearing, and motor skills associated with simply growing older. The statistics in the area of disabilities are difficult to overlook and demonstrate a true challenge to many Americans.
As a greater number of people gain access to the internet, so does the need to ensure everyone can easily use the internet. Accessibility in the context of usability becomes much more important when one begins to account for each and every individual that will be consuming a service. On 23 July, 2010 the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) released Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Accessibility of Web Information and Services Provided by Entities Covered by the American Disabilities Act (ADA). This notice is important from the aspect of services that companies provide to their internal and external customers.
As we move further into the world of accessibility it is important to remember the key aspect is users. The user community as a whole will benefit from websites and content that is designed with accessibility in mind. Websites are typically the digital medium that comes to mind when you begin thinking of barriers, but in reality it extends much further. Stop and consider for a moment your own personal daily activities and the wide range of content that you’re exposed to. Chances are you work with a variety of documents that may include but are not limited to Word documents, PDF documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint slides, and the daily grind of email. As you can see a trend begins to develop and taking in account this trend have you ever considered that the person on the receiving end of the digital artifact may have a disability?
It is important to understand the definition of disability per the federal government standards. Agencies by and large use definitions that is specific to a law or set of laws. For example, The Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act are nondiscrimination laws that define a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, an individual who has a history or record of an impairment, or an individual that is perceived by others as having an impairment.
Fell free to download the following wallpaper to keep accessibility as fore thought rather than and after thought. | <urn:uuid:2c7b9403-a123-4195-b2ee-4055b14edc90> | CC-MAIN-2015-22 | http://radicaldevelopment.net/technology-meets-accessibility/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-22/segments/1432207930109.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20150521113210-00196-ip-10-180-206-219.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957961 | 588 | 2.890625 | 3 | 2.636256 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
Although transgenderism is becoming an increasingly popular subject in today’s society and media, there are still many topics regarding the transgender community that have yet to be openly explored to the same degree as they are for cisgender people. The Medical Station delves into one of these topics: the role of sex and intimacy in the lives and relationships of transgender individuals.
Guest Author: Leah Girvitz. Leah is in her second year at UBC in Vancouver, studying English with a minor in creative writing, and is excited to be part of the The Medical Station team as an intern. Leah enjoys new experiences, helping people, and using her ambitions as a writer to inform and inspire others. She aspires to eventually practice law. When Leah is not working, she enjoys playing the cello, skiing, and spending time with friends.
What is Transgenderism?
Transgender is an umbrella term that people identify with when their gender identity does not align with the gender they were assigned to at birth as a result of their biological sex. This does not always mean that a trans* person born with male genitals and assigned as male at birth necessarily identifies as female – there are a wide range of gender identifications outside the gender binary of male and female. These include bi-gendered, a-gendered, and gender fluid people.
Some transgender individuals may decide to undergo sex reassignment surgery and / or hormone replacement therapy so that their gender perception and appearance can align with the gender they identify with, while others may not. How any individual chooses to embody and portray their gender is a personal choice – there is no singular right way to go through the process of transitioning or coming out as transgender.
Sexual Intimacy in the Transgender Community
There are a number of unique and complex issues that face the transgender community when it comes to sexual intimacy. Some of the most pervasive ones include:
Though many people think of sex as a penis penetrating a vagina, sex can mean and encompass a diverse variety of acts and behaviours. Sex is a very personal, private, and sensitive matter for many. Cisgender people (people who identify with the sex and gender they were assigned at birth) often forget or disregard the boundaries of addressing a person’s sexual preferences, experiences, and history when it comes to transgender people.
It’s impolite and insensitive to ask anyone how they have sex, but unfortunately this is an intrusion that transgender people endure on a very regular basis. Sexual intimacy & behaviours are personal topic that does not need to be known and shared with everyone or anyone – the amount of information that is shared, and the way in which it is shared should always be up to the individual in question.
Fear and Anxiety
Trans* individuals, especially those who identify as female or portray themselves as feminine, often experience extreme fear and anxiety when approaching the topic of their sex and gender with prospective sexual or intimate partners, for fear that they will become violent. Violence against transgender people is a huge issue in the trans* community, and often occurs in situations involving sexual relations with transphobic people.
There is also a deep psychological connection between gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia. Gender dysphoria refers to the feeling of distress that trans* individuals may encounter because there is a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. It is not a psychological ailment or disorder, but a natural part of the lives of transgender people. Body dysmorphia, however, is an anxiety disorder that causes a distorted perception of how one looks. This term does apply to all transgender individuals, and can apply to cisgender people in regards to body shape and other aspects of physical appearance. However, because of gender dysphoria, many trans* people do develop body dysmorphia, accompanied by body image issues which cause anxiety when it comes to engaging in sex and intimacy.
A prevalent issue in the trans* community revolves around the differences among individual’s perceptions of what it means to have sex. Because there is not one specific way to engage in sex, communication is a key factor in any healthy and safe intimate relationship.
There is very little representation of transgender individuals in TV, movies, and books. When there is, representation it is often inaccurate, vilifies the trans* character, and propagates negative stereotypes of trans* people. Positive media exposure is important for allowing trans* people a space where they are represented and understood, and can learn more about their own sexual identities in the same way that many cisgender people gain notions about sex from the mass media.
Trans* individuals may have a hard time exploring and understanding either their sexual orientation or their gender identity because of the compulsory heterosexuality and heteronormativity in our society. It is crucial to note that gender identity and sexual orientation are two entirely different areas of human identity.
The Medical Station Offers Suggestions for Engaging in an Intimate Relationship with a Trans* Individual
Keeping in mind that every individual and every relationship is unique, The Medical Station offers some general tips for engaging in an intimate or sexual relationship with a trans* person:
- Communication with your partner is the most important aspect of any relationship. Ask him/her/them what their preferences are and what they are comfortable with. This will ensure that the relationship is open, comfortable, and safe.
- Avoid making assumptions related to the physical aspects of having sex with your partner. Speak to them about what you want to explore and ask them what their preferences are.
- Keep in mind that no matter whom you are with, you should be engaging in consensual and safe sex. STIs and risk of pregnancy may still be relevant.
- Avoid questioning your partner’s sexual orientation based on their gender or biological sex. Likewise, you should not feel the need to question your own sexual orientation because of your attraction to a trans* individual. Being attracted to a trans* individual does not necessarily change your sexual orientation, and their attraction to you does not change how they identify in terms of their sexual orientation. | <urn:uuid:f3ae0c5f-1dc2-4ae4-b9bf-fec2454bcaa2> | CC-MAIN-2019-43 | https://www.themedicalstation.com/site/blog-doctor-north-york/2016/06/08/-transgenderism-and-sex | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570986655310.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20191014200522-20191014224022-00044.warc.gz | en | 0.95451 | 1,224 | 2.984375 | 3 | 2.933939 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Social Life |
A review of biodiesel production from Jatropha curcas L. oil
The demand for petroleum has risen rapidly due to increasing industrialization and modernization of the world. This economic development has led to a huge demand for energy, where the major part of that energy is derived from fossil sources such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. However, the limited reserve of fossil fuel has drawn the attention of many researchers to look for alternative fuels which can be produced from renewable feedstock. Biodiesel has become more attractive because of its environmental benefits and it is obtained from renewable resources. There are four primary methods to make biodiesel: blending, microemulsion, pyrolysis and transesterification. The most commonly used method is the transesterification of triglycerides (vegetable oil and animal fats) with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. There is a growing interest in using Jatropha curcas L. oil as the feedstock for biodiesel production because it is non-edible and thus does not compromise the edible oils, which are mainly used for food consumption. Non-edible oils are not suitable for human consumption because of the presence of toxic components. Further, J. curcas L. seed has a high content of oil and the biodiesel produced has similar properties to that of petroleum-based diesel. In this paper, an attempt has been made to review the different approaches and techniques used to generate biodiesel from Jatropha curcas oil. The main factors affecting the biodiesel yield, for example the molar ratio of alcohol to oil, catalyst concentration, reaction temperature and reaction time are discussed. Lastly, the environmental considerations and economic aspects of biodiesel are also addressed.
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Volume (Year): 15 (2011)
Issue (Month): 5 (June)
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If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form. | <urn:uuid:5aa2eabc-a097-481f-bc8e-859227cee3dc> | CC-MAIN-2015-48 | https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v15y2011i5p2240-2251.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-48/segments/1448398455135.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20151124205415-00221-ip-10-71-132-137.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.897196 | 641 | 2.90625 | 3 | 2.784446 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
During remodeling to change the Jewish temple into a functioning restaurant, a deliberate effort was made to preserve the style and atmosphere of the original building. The stained-glass windows are the originals, but are now protected by shatter-proof glass on the outside.
Inside, the loft chandeliers are refurbished from the synagogue. The wood floors are the same Eastern Kentucky pine installed in 1891, and have simply been sanded and refinished. Of course, some changes were necessary. The bar now stands in the original pulpit area, but even there some of the original building is preserved.
In keeping with the decor, the wood is poplar and the glass is etched in a diamond pattern to match the design of the stained glass windows. Booths and tables were custom made with wood and fabrics chosen to compliment the colors of the windows.The building at 120 West Maxwell Street that now houses Joe Bologna’s Restaurant has an old and unique history.
Along with the adjoining property, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The land, on the corner of Maxwell and Lawrence Streets, and between South Upper and Limestone Streets, was purchased in March, 1890, by the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Lexington. It was dedicated on April 17, 1891, as the Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church. By August, 1891, they had erected a “handsome brick church, trimmed in stone, lighted by gas, heated by a furnace and furnished with modern pews, capable of seating comfortably four hundred worshipers” (The Church Record).
The original cost was $7,000.00. Church membership expanded from its original 75 worshipers to 250 in 1896. The congregation eventually outgrew the building and decided to move. In April, 1912, it was sold to the Ohavay Zion congregation.
In 1914, it was rededicated as the Jewish synagogue in Lexington starting with just twenty-five members.
The congregation’s growth resulted in a social hall being added in 1941 and a school in 1964. However, the original structure remained largely unchanged.
One of the reasons the Jewish community chose the site was religious rules prohibiting riding or driving on the Sabbath. In 1912, when Ohavay Zion purchased the building, its members lived within walking distance. However, by the 1980′s, many of the membership of 150 families had moved out to the suburbs and temple leaders decided to follow the trend. The synagogue, social hall, school and adjoining commercial buildings were sold in August, 1986, to Kaufman Properties the current property owner.
Old & New – A Tradition Begins In 1989, upon moving into the complex renamed Maxwell’s Alley, Joe Bologna’s Restaurant and Pizzeria became the first restaurant in Lexington with 41 stained-glass windows. During remodeling to change the Jewish temple into a functioning restaurant, a deliberate effort was made to preserve the style and atmosphere of the original building.
The beaded board poplar wood that partially covers the wall and ceiling area is of the same type as the original outer doors. Completely new is the loft, added to increase dining capacity.
The dominant feature of this Victorian Gothic brick structure, also used for Joe’s new logo, remains the huge eighteen foot tall stained-glass window facing Maxwell Street. Whether looking down over a religious congregation or restaurant diners, the beauty and quality of the window add elegance and artistry to this fine old building.
We hope you enjoy your visit and for those interested, there is additional information featured in a wall display in our Alley entry. | <urn:uuid:1724fdca-abb3-4b1c-bf5b-885c61cf3c6e> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://joebolognas.com/about-us/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1406510267075.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20140728011747-00181-ip-10-146-231-18.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963893 | 736 | 2.609375 | 3 | 2.340722 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | History |
Low energy electron microscopy, LEEM, and the associated technique of micro-spot low energy electron diffraction, μ-LEED, provide a unique avenue for atomic level surface structure determination with sub-Å resolution , (1Å = 10–10m). These characterization tools are useful for the investigation of a wide gamut of novel materials such as graphene, black phosphorus, and other two-dimensional (2D) materials. The electronic structure of 2D materials is inherently linked to the surface structure as a result of reduced dimensionality, thus, in order to more fully understand the electronic properties of these materials, their surface structure must be determined with high resolution. Furthermore, detailed understanding of the surface structure will help to guide future applications of these materials.
The process of surface structure determination with sub-Å resolution for ultra thin or 2D materials remains a complicated task. There are a number of experimental techniques that are surface sensitive, however, many are not suited to the study of two-dimensional materials. Many 2D materials can currently only be created in small micron-sized flakes with one to few layer thickness. LEEM and μ-LEED provide an excellent method for collecting experimental data from a wide variety of materials including 2D materials with small surface area, specifically due to the non-destructive nature of the technique, and its very small data acquisition area of order 1 μm. Surface structure information can be obtained from LEEM and μ-LEED experiments through analysis of intensity versus voltage, I(V), data sets. These data sets map the relationship between the intensity (I) of the reflected or diffracted electrons and the energy (V) of the incident electron beam. LEEM and LEED I(V) data sets are sensitive to the target material’s atomic surface structure and composition in all three dimensions with sub-Å resolution [3, 8].
The general outline of surface structure determination using LEEM and LEED proceeds as follows. First, experimental data is acquired using either LEEM or LEED operation mode. I(V) data sets are collected by varying the energy of the incident electrons in fixed steps and recording each resulting image. Once the data has been collected, the next step is to extract I(V) curves from the data set from relevant parts of the images. The PLEASE software package aims to make this step of the surface structure determination easy and user friendly. I(V) curves extracted using PLEASE can be output to text for further processing. Next, the experimental data must be compared to computational models. This is done by performing dynamic electron multiple scattering calculations to simulate the I(V) relationship. Already, software packages exist for computational generation of LEED-I(V) curves based on multiple scattering theory [7, 9, 10]. There is also active research in using first-principles calculations to generate LEEM-I(V) curves for novel materials [2, 4, 5]. The computational process iterates by comparing the experimental data to the calculated data and adjusting the modeled surface structure until sufficient agreement is found between experiment and calculation. The final structure input in this procedure can then be considered the optimized surface structure and composition.
At the time of initial development for this project, there were no open source solutions for specifically designed for the analysis of LEEM and μ-LEED data. The PLEASE software package fills this gap by providing an open source and cross platform graphical user interface for rapid visualization and analysis of LEEM and LEED data. While there are many steps to the overall process of surface structure determination, emphasis in this software is placed on ease of use in the extraction of I(V) curves from LEEM and LEED data sets and analysis of background signals. The software package adds to the already rich ecosystem of scientific software written in python, and provides a simple interface for interacting with LEEM data.
Examples and Usage
The main data constructs in PLEASE are LEEM and LEED I(V) data sets, which are represented natively as three-dimensional arrays using the python NumPy library for fast and efficient storage. The first and second array axes represent the image axes. The third array axis represents the voltage of the incident electron, or rather, its kinetic energy. The I(V) data set, can thus be envisioned as a vertical stack of images with the vertical axis representing electron imaging energy. Each two-dimensional slice of the three-dimensional array constitutes an image of the sample in real space (LEEM) or reciprocal space (LEED) at a fixed incident electron energy as shown in Figure 2. Figure 1 demonstrates an example of real space LEEM data analysis, whereas Figure 3 demonstrates reciprocal space LEED analysis.
In a LEEM data set, an I(V) curve is generated by taking a vertical slice through the array and plotting the intensity of each pixel in the slice versus the incident electron energy from that slice (I as a function of V). Figure 1 demonstrates this functionality. The left-hand image shows a single image from a LEEM I(V) set of graphene islands on a ruthenium substrate with a 50 μm field of view collected at a fixed incident electron energy of 7.1 eV. The right-hand side image displays the I(V) curve extracted from the pixel designated by the yellow cross-hair in the left image. The user interface tracks the mouse movement within a LEEM image and automatically extracts the electron I(V) curve and displays in the right hand plotting area in real-time. Optionally, the user can choose to apply a data smoothing method to the displayed I(V) curve. The smoothed I(V) curve is calculated via convolution of the input signal with a pre-defined and user selectable window function. While data smoothing is enabled, LEEM-I(V) curves are still plotted in real-time by tracking user mouse movement in the LEEM image plot.
The extraction of relevant I(V) curves from LEED data sets is slightly more complicated, however the user interface makes the process easy for the end user. In LEEM analysis, by default, the I(V) curves are extracted from a one pixel wide vertical slice of the main data array. For LEED images, the intensity of an entire electron beam spot must be recorded. Thus, the user selects one or more electron beams with an adjustable sized square window. The average intensity per image from the window region is plotted as a function of incident electron energy, as shown in Figure 3. Optionally, for LEEM-I(V) analysis the user can chose to extract an average I(V) from a rectangular window.
Finally, when analyzing LEED data sets, it is often useful to extract I(V) data not only from the reflected and diffracted electron beams but also from the surrounding regions representing a local background signal. PLEASE provides an automated way to extract the local background signal for a given user selection. The background I(V) curves can then be output to tab-delimited text alongside the user selected data. An example of the automated background selection process is shown in Figure 4.
Implementation and architecture
PLEASE is written purely in the interpreted programing language, python, with the user interface based on the Qt C++ application framework via the python bindings, PyQt and PyQtGraph. Python was chosen for this project for a number of reasons. First and foremost, python is cross-platform and open source, which is beneficial for reaching the largest audience in the scientific community. Second, python has been well accepted in the scientific community as an excellent resource for scientific computing due to its well established set of third-party libraries, which are often referred to as the “scientific-stack” . Third, in general, python features lower development time compared to many other modern languages. Simply put, it was quicker to learn to write a full application in python rather than C++. Finally, the python language emphasizes readability, which is crucial for promoting reusability in scientific programing.
To elaborate on the second point, its worth noting that at its core, python provides a very high degree of extensibility and interoperability for usage of code from other languages, namely C/C++ and Fortran . Thus, the success of the python “scientific stack” stems from the ability to create python wrappers around heavily optimized C, C++, and Fortran libraries. This allows the user to offload the heavy lifting in numeric code to other languages, while retaining the ability to write their code in a high-level readable language. For example, rather than reinventing the wheel, the python NumPy library will link to standard math libraries such as BLAS, Intel MKL, etc. The impact this has on writing scientific code in python is two fold. First, python features low development time for numeric code as a result of not needing to write in low-level languages. Finally, python can leverage the speed of optimized C or Fortran code while retaining a high-level and readable syntax. This is an important aspect of scientific software, where often reproducibility and reusability are required.
The PLEASE software package depends on a number of python libraries that are all freely available and fairly straightforward to install:
- The NumPy library provides optimized and efficient methods for handling n-dimensional arrays and computations on arrays in python. This library forms the core of the python “scientific stack,” and is used heavily by PLEASE for efficient representation and manipulation of LEEM/LEED data.
- SciPy extends NumPy and provides many methods for statistical analysis of array-like data.
- Pillow, the friendly fork of PIL, the Python Imaging Library, provides convenience methods for loading many image types into NumPy arrays for analysis and visualization. Pillow is used for converting images into single channel grayscale format.
- The PyQt library, from Riverbank Computing Ltd., acts as a python wrapper for the Qt C++ application framework, and serves as the main library for creating and managing the graphical user interface. The Qt event system is used to handle user interaction with the experimental data. Finally, the QThread system provided by PyQt is used to handle multithreading of all data I/O processes. This ensures that the main UI thread is not blocked while reading or writing data from disk.
- PyQtGraph is an additional library that provides convenient UI classes for plotting and scientific applications by leveraging the Qt QGraphicsView Framework for ultra-fast display. Here it is worth noting that early versions of PLEASE utilized Matplotlib as the library for plotting data and displaying images. While Matplotlib is likely the most popular and well-used python plotting library, its aim is centered on generating static publication quality plots. Matplotlib is not well suited to slideshow-like display of a large number of images, and thus was replaced by PyQtGraph to improve performance in real time plotting.
- PyYAML provides methods for reading and writing YAML documents. YAML, (“YAML ain’t a markup language”), is a human readable data serialization language similar to JSON. This is used to store the configuration for each LEEM and LEED experiment in a simple, structured, and readable fashion. This greatly reduces the amount of time needed to begin analyzing data from new experiments.
- Pendulum provides an easy to use method of handling date/time data. This is only used in writing user configuration files to help with debugging. If there are problems during the usage of PLEASE, it may be beneficial to output as much information as possible about the user runtime environment to look for potential conflicts and problems. Thus, a convenience method to write this data to file in a structured format is provided.
The source for PLEASE is written in an object-oriented manner. While scientific programs are often written in a procedural manner for clarity, the object-oriented paradigm is used to facilitate ease of creating a robust graphical user interface. The PEP-8 python coding convention is followed, albeit sometimes loosely, with a few small changes. Notably, the maximum line length is allowed to be 120 instead of 80. This facilitates descriptive naming of variables and methods at the expense of lengthier lines of code.
PLEASE is designed to be executed as a GUI as opposed to a module imported for use with other python software. In the future it may be possible to refactor the source to provide a user facing API that does not depend on the GUI, however, for now the focus is primarily oriented on providing a GUI for ease of use during data analysis.
Since the PLEASE software package is intended to be used for exploratory data analysis, the majority of testing for the software has focused on functional testing using real experimental data sets. Continued exposure to LEEM and LEED experiments studying novel materials provided a plethora of data sets for continuous testing and development of this software. Differences in data formats between one experiment to the next provided a rigorous test of the I/O capabilities of the software. Using the YAML document format, a standardized and structured format was designed to store the experimental parameters PLEASE needs to open a data set. This streamlines the processing of many different experimental data sets stored with potentially many different file parameters. To further enhance ease of use, the main UI provides an option to automate the generation of YAML files. Thus, when a new data set is collected and ready to be analyzed with PLEASE, a user may select the action “Generate Experiment Config File” from the File menu. This will open a dialog box for the user to input the required parameters and then save the output to an appropriately formatted .yaml file.
In order to verify that the basic data extraction methods were functioning as required, a number of test data sets were created. These have no relation to actual experimentally collected data and were designed to provide a reference data set for testing user feature selection. The main code repository contains a directory for test data. This directory contains both actual experimental data as well as computer generated test data. The computer generated test data can be loaded into PLEASE to test that the data extraction in both LEEM and LEED is working properly. The only action required to load the data sets is editing the experiment configuration file (a .yaml file) provided with each data set. Only one property of the file needs to be set in order to load the data, this property is the local path to the data files. Instructions are provided for editing and creating new experimental configuration files. In order to facilitate ease of use, an additional python script as been included within the test data directory, which will attempt to automatically update the .yaml files with the appropriate paths to the test data. This script will only work properly if the test data directory is left as is upon installation of PLEASE and not modified or moved to an alternate location. Instructions for usage of this automated script have been included within the test data directory.
Figure 5 demonstrates a test of the LEED user selection process. The test data set contains a mock LEED image repeated 100 times. Thus the I(V) curve from the simulated electron beam region should be constant. The I(V) curve from the background area should also be constant but everywhere equal to zero. The three simulated electron beam spots were created to have slightly different intensities. Data sets consisting of actual experimental data as well as computer generated data are provided for both LEEM and LEED analysis for testing purposes.
The PLEASE software package was tested on Mac OS X (version 10.8+), Windows 10, and Ubuntu 16.0.4. In principle, any system that supports python versions 2.7 and 3.5+ will be compatible with PLEASE. No support is provided or planned for mobile operating systems such as Android or iOS, and the software has not been tested on embedded-style Linux variants such as Raspbian for the Raspberry Pi.
Python versions 2.7 and 3.5+ are supported. All other python versions are not officially supported. The Anaconda Python distribution, provided free of charge by Continuum Analytics, is suggested for ease of use and community support. All python modules required by PLEASE are available via a combination of Anaconda’s package manager, Conda, and the standard python package manager, Pip. All testing for PLEASE was performed using the CPython implementation of the python programing language. It may be possible to use another implementation however, given that PLEASE relies heavily on NumPy, it may be difficult to target another python implementation.
Additional system requirements
The system and hardware requirements to run PLEASE are relatively low, however, the amount of storage and memory capacity required will vary greatly due to differences in experimental data sets. The required memory to load a given data set will depend on the size and format of the data. Simultaneous visualization of LEEM and LEED data sets can easily require greater than 1 Gb of RAM. Thus, to prevent an out-of-memory exception from being raised by the python interpreter, it is suggested that PLEASE run only on machines with 6 Gb or more RAM. The most intensive tasks executed by the GUI are the reading and writing of data. These tasks are pushed to a separate thread so as to not block the main UI thread. These tasks are generally I/O bound as opposed to CPU bound. As a result, the CPU requirements for PLEASE are not high. Most modern computers with Intel or AMD CPU’s should have no trouble running PLEASE. No support is provided for mobile devices using ARM or other mobile architecture processors.
Since PLEASE is used for exploratory data analysis in LEEM and LEED data sets, it is beneficial to run the software on a high resolution display. When run on screens with low resolution, the UI can limit the available area for displaying data. To help alleviate this problem, the main UI controls are split into dockable widgets. Thus, on small displays, it may be beneficial to pop-out and move the control widgets to make more room for the data display. It is, however, recommended that a display with sufficient size and resolution should be used where possible. PLEASE has been tested on monitors ranging in resolution from 1280 × 720 to 2560 × 1440 and is usable on all sizes in between.
An ideal PC to run PLEASE would be a CPU >= 2.5 GHz with 8+Gb RAM and a 20” or larger display with 1080p resolution, however these are by no means minimum requirements.
- NumPy >= 1.12.0
- SciPy >= 0.19.0
- Pillow >= 4.0.0
- PyQt >= 5.6.0*
- PyYAML >= 3.12.0
- Pendulum >= 1.1.0
- PyQtGraph >= 0.10.0**
* Note: Riverbank Computing Ltd. provides two versions of their python bindings for the Qt library, PyQt4 and PyQt5. The APIs provided by these bindings are not backwards compatible. As currently written, PLEASE will not work with PyQt4 and there are no plans to add this functionality in the future.
** Note: There are a few minor API changes between versions 0.9 and 0.10.0 for the PyQtGraph module, with the later version enabling support for PyQt5. PLEASE will not work with version 0.9.0, thus, whether installing via conda or pip, you must ensure version 0.10.0 or greater is used.
List of contributors
- Grady, Maxwell – Sole Developer
- Dai, Zhongwei – Testing and Feature Suggestion
- Pohl, Karsten – Testing and Feature Suggestion
Persistent identifier: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4907369.v2
Publisher: Maxwell Grady
Version published: 1.0.0
Date published: 24/08/17
Persistent identifier: https://www.github.com/mgrady3/PLEASE
Date published: June 21, 2017
(3) Reuse potential
Development of the PLEASE software package was originally focused on providing a piece of software to aid in the analysis of one specific set of LEEM and LEED data. However, over the course of its development, the project grew to encompass many features beneficial in a wide array of material science experiments. This did not happen by chance, rather reusability became a prominent design goal of the project.
While usage of this software for atomic surface structure determination through analysis of μ-LEED data has already been demonstrated , there are a number of related experimental techniques for which this software can provide data analysis. Photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) is a complementary technique available to many LEEM systems. PEEM works by illuminating the target with a collimated beam of monochromatic photons and forming images from the photo-emitted electrons. these image sequences can contain embedded spectroscopic information such as elemental content, electronic structure, and magnetic structure . The direct measurement of elemental composition is something LEEM and LEED are unable to do on their own, making PEEM a very useful and versatile technique. Since PEEM and LEEM share a common data type, the PLEASE software package can also be used to visualize and analyze PEEM data, providing spectroscopic data in a pixel by pixel fashion.
PLEASE uses a custom metadata format using the YAML data serialization language to provide descriptions of experimental data in order to properly load the data for visualization. This metadata format can be easily extended to include experimental configuration parameters for PEEM and other related techniques. While the current version of the software provides a minimal framework for analysis and visualization of PEEM data sets, future releases will extend this to include more useful features. An example of a recent extension of the metadata format is the addition of the ability to process LEEM/LEED data sets as time series data rather than I(V) data. This allows for analysis of I(t) data sets, which is useful for understanding dynamic processes imaged with LEEM such as epitaxial growth or surface structure phase transitions as seen with LEED.
At the time of initial development, open source solutions for analysis were limited. The two main options were GXSM and ImageJ. GXSM is a software package for multi-dimensional image processing with an emphasis on scanning probe microscopy techniques; this software package supports most Linux variants as well as OS X, but not Windows. This package also includes a plugin for working with the UKSOFT LEEM/LEED image format. ImageJ is a public domain image processing software package including an extensive and extensible plugin, macro, and scripting system and will run natively on all major OS variants.
While ImageJ is capable of loading the raw LEEM data in the native UKSOFT image format via the “Import Raw” method, this requires the user to input the specifics of the image format each time data is loaded, such as image height, width, header length, bits per pixel, and byte order. PLEASE offers a streamlined method of loading data using the YAML metadata format. In this method, users enter the experimental configuration once and only once, then can load data at a later time from a .yaml file with ease. PLEASE also offers a UI dialog for generation of .yaml files to store experimental configurations. Thus there is no need for the user to worry about editing the .yaml files by hand in a text editor.
While both GXSM and ImageJ are capable of analyzing LEEM and LEED images, they are much more generically featured, and understanding how to use them for LEEM/LEED analysis “out of the box” may be difficult for a novice user. PLEASE was designed to create a simple and straightforward method for visualization of LEEM and LEED data with a “point-and-click” method for extracting data of interest as opposed to being a drop-in replacement to existing tools for analysis of arbitrary multidimensional data sets. As a result, PLEASE offers some features such as configurable data smoothing for extracted I(V) signals and automated extraction of local background signals in LEED data, which are not available in GXSM or ImageJ without the usage of external plugins or user defined macros.
For those users who may already have a well established data processing pipeline for analysis of LEEM/LEED data, PLEASE may not offer much as a drop-in replacement. However, PLEASE is well suited for those users who are new to the field of LEEM/LEED experiments. Given that many LEEM systems are hosted at national laboratory user facilities, assistance is provided for collecting the experimental data, however users are then left to their own devices to visualize and analyze the data. While PLEASE does not provide the robust ecosystem of plugins and macros, instead it offers a streamlined and intuitive interface for rapid analysis of I(V) data with a low learning curve.
In order to make the software available to the largest audience, PLEASE was designed to be fully cross platform and open source. Building PLEASE around the core python scientific libraries makes the software easily extensible. The software was written to provide flexibility with respect the data that it can load for visualization.
Currently, data can be loaded from TIFF and PNG image files, as well as raw binary (.dat) files output from the LEEM control software. The core data construct is a NumPy array, thus any type of image that can be converted to a 2D NumPy array using pillow (PIL) should be possible to read with PLEASE with minimal alteration of the source. In the future it may be beneficial to extend the PLEASE data I/O capabilities to other standardized scientific data formats such as HDF5 or NetCDF. There are pre-existing python libraries for handling these types of data formats, thus integration into PLEASE should be straightforward. Initial work has begun to facilitate storage of experimental data and experiment configuration settings in a hierarchical database using the HDF5 file format. This further streamlines the ability to load and analyze data from many different experiments while also providing a single repository for data and configuration information.
Finally, it should be noted that PLEASE is still an evolving piece of software. There are a wide variety of potential features, which are being tested for future releases, however the current edition of the software contains features that are stable and useful for the rapid analysis of LEEM and LEED data sets. The main GitHub repository will always contain the “master” branch, which contains the most up to date stable release of PLEASE, as well as a number of other branches labeled with the prefix “dev_”. These branches are created to test potential features. For example, a branch exists for testing the usage of a HDF5 database for storing experimental data and parameters, whereas another branch exists for testing an alternate method of ROI selection using the pyqtgraph native ROI objects.
The primary method of communication about the project should be the main source repository, which is hosted on GitHub. The GitHub page for the project has an issue tracker system, which can be used for communication between users as well as the project maintainer. This communication channel is strongly encouraged not only for bug reporting but for all questions, comments, and suggestions for the project. The project will continue to be hosted in a public source repository on GitHub for the foreseeable future. GitHub was chosen not only to provide version control and a remote host, but also to facilitate conversation and contribution from outside users of the project. Pull-requests for the source are encouraged as a way to fix problems and suggest new features for the program. Finally, interested parties should feel free to fork the project and customize the software for their own needs. | <urn:uuid:13fd7e6a-50e7-4e42-bc88-96ddea24adcc> | CC-MAIN-2018-30 | https://openresearchsoftware.metajnl.com/articles/10.5334/jors.191/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-30/segments/1531676592475.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20180721090529-20180721110529-00422.warc.gz | en | 0.909018 | 5,729 | 2.828125 | 3 | 2.903148 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Software Dev. |
Serendipity can be said to happen when the right person is in the right place at the right time.
The practically paradigmatic example of serendipity is the story of Alexander Fleming and the discovery of penicillin: The story begins when P. notatum mould by chance landed on a petri dish set aside for cleaning and reuse, and inhibited the growth of bacteria already residing there. Importantly, if Fleming hadn’t been perceptive enough to notice the potential value of the effects of the mould on the bacteria when he casually picked up the fated dish, he would have thrown the contents away and a Nobel Prize along with them.
Yes, it was necessary for Fleming, the mould and that petri dish to meet up in a lab one fine September for the discovery of penicillin to happen as it actually did. However, more than the coincidence of those three factors was needed for that serendipitous discovery to come about. A whole community of researchers—including but not limited to Howard Florey and Ernst Chain, co-winners of Fleming’s Prize—were needed, and a number of other coincidences as well.
Depictions of serendipity as the result of a ‘Eureka’ moment, akin to Archimedes’ moment of discovery whilst alone in his bathtub, tend to miss this point about the importance of communities to serendipitous discoveries. For instance, Fleming’s mould ended up in the hands of the Oxford research team led by Florey and Chain because he was a well-known teacher and researcher, whose specimens were shared among students, scientists and their labs. If one of Fleming’s specimens hadn’t wound up in Oxford, his observation wouldn’t be famous for having serendipitously led to the discovery of penicillin.
Environments that encourage chance meetings between colleagues and individual exposure to new ideas are methods thought to produce serendipity. Companies like Google have been designing buildings that purposely bring people from diverse departments together, around the water cooler—or in the case of the new Crick Institute being built in London, UK right now, around scientific instruments. But community is more important to serendipity than as a source of either diversity or potentially valuable yet chancy meetings between individuals.
That is, serendipity is not defined solely by the role of chance. If it were, it would just be another way to say ‘lucky’. Rather, as Walpole put it when he coined the term in a letter to a friend in 1754, serendipity describes discoveries made “by accidents and sagacity”–by chance and by wisdom. Further, the wisdom involved is not an innate characteristic of a solitary individual, but as Pasteur so famously noted, ‘chance favours the prepared mind.’
And what does it mean for a mind to be prepared? I think even more than education, skills, creativity, or perception, the prepared mind of an observing researcher needs the support of her community, both in the process of preparing said mind, and in the process of taking her single, perceptive observation up as worthy of continuing pursuit.
Fleming didn’t himself pursue the medical potential of his own observation—to him, P. notatum was most useful as a medium for isolating other bacteria, like the bacteria that cause the flu (a particularly tricky group), or those that cause acne to develop. But to Florey and Chain, the true value of Fleming’s observation became clear—a dozen years later, they were more open to the clinical possibilities of anti-bacterial agents, having witnessed the effects of the sulfonamides on deadly infections like those caused by streptococci.
This is typical of serendipity. As those who study the experiences of academic researchers and scientists have pointed out (here and here), serendipity is a category applied in hindsight: it is only after the value of the observation becomes clear that the observation itself is seen to have been wisely made.
But the sharing of that observation with colleagues, the making of specimens or data available to others, the communicating of potentially valuable knowledge to the broader community—this is always a necessary step toward serendipitous discovery in scientific and medical research. What makes the person, the time and the place of serendipity right is not any specific feature of one person or chance coincidence of time and place, but rather the nature of the community in which the discovery process occurs. A community in which the sharing of knowledge and the asking of questions are encouraged, and a diversity of perspectives are represented—a network of collaborators, if you will—is the right time and place for the right people to make unexpected, but potentially very valuable, observations. | <urn:uuid:b26a209e-7c8b-4738-8a35-13a4f251cf2c> | CC-MAIN-2021-21 | https://causehealthblog.org/2015/12/03/serendipity-and-the-value-of-networks/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-21/segments/1620243990929.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20210512131604-20210512161604-00396.warc.gz | en | 0.956894 | 994 | 2.96875 | 3 | 2.976372 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
While reafforestation, the planting of new woodlands and forests, is more important than ever we must remember that those cannot replace ancient woods. Ancient woods are woods that have been wood continuously, even though they are not wild woods (there are no wild woods in Britain and only one or two in Europe) and have been managed and used by man, and thus are a compete ecosystem. A newly plated wood will need decades to become an ecosystem in its own right and the variety of life that exists in ancient woods will take at least a century if not more to materialize.
Furthermore it also does not good to think that any type of tree will do for this reafforestation. They have to be the right kind and the right mix as we must get away from the conifer monocultures that have been created and called forests and woods over the last five decades or more.
While it is true that there are areas and regions where broadleaved trees may not thrive and it is thus best to plant conifers that too then, ideally, should be a mix and planted in such a way that they create a habitat rather than an almost sterile forest.
As far as other areas are concerned, and not just in the UK, they must be planted with a mix of more-or-less native species of broadleaved trees, and in that realm I also, despite the anti-clamor of many so-called experts, trees such as the Sycamore (Acer pseudoplantanus), which in Germany is called, in translation, Mountain Maple, while not being native per se has been naturalized in Britain ever since Roman times and hence should, by now, have citizen status.
Where broadleaved trees do not do to well, as previously said, the conifer high forest is the only option and pine and spruce wood has its uses too. But in all other places the way to go must be the one of bringing back the species that once populated the local woods and they must be managed, again, as coppices and coppice with standards, so that also large oaks and other hardwoods are grown.
Alas, there are two problems. One of them being the forestry industry that is looking for a rather quick return on investment and thus wants to grow fast growing trees, and most of those are, obviously, conifers, ready to be felled in about forty to sixty years. The second one is that “environmentalists” wish woods and forests to be planted in order to be left to nature or other already long established and managed woods to go back to wilderness. And neither idea is a good one.
If we want to have homegrown wood and timber and products from them we must manage our woods and forests in such a way that produces such timber that can be used by local woodland businesses, whether it is for the making of charcoal, for firewood, for beanpoles, for treen goods, or for furniture and everything else that one can think of made from wood.
Bringing in firewood, as has been done (and probably still is being done), to satisfy the demand for it in Britain from countries as far afield as Poland and Western Russia and the calling it sustainable heating fuel does not only not compute but is not sustainable. However, there just is not enough wood coming out of the home woods to satisfy the demand, alone for firewood let alone for anything else.
Tool makers in Britain would like to use British ash for handles but cannot get that in sufficient numbers and thus have to import American ash to make into handles.
Britain was once an island of trees and woodland industries were found everywhere where there were woods, and all the wood harvested locally was used locally, in general. Today, however, Britain is the least wooded country of all the EU member states and if we are not very careful the percentage of woods and forests in Britain will decline even further if the powers-that-be, but which probably rather should not be, have their ways.
While reafforestation is more important than ever and the creation of new woods and forests to increase the tree cover in the British Isles those woods and forests cannot replace our ancient woods and for that reason they need to be protected but also carefully managed for the benefit of the woods, the wildlife and the economy.
Photo credit K. Kozubek, Berlin | <urn:uuid:0a59c18c-3ee8-445c-bebc-b7a02597422a> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://greenreview.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-importance-of-reafforestation.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281353.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00137-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975756 | 910 | 2.96875 | 3 | 2.926052 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Chief Illiniwek: Beloved by Students, (Still) Banned by the University
During the first week of March, students at the University of Illinois were asked if they supported having Chief Illiniwek as the official symbol of the university. By an almost 4 to 1 majority, they said they did. Students cast 9,003 votes in favor of Chief Illiniwek and 2,517 against. The mascot was eliminated in 2007 because the NCAA deemed Chief Illiniwek “hostile or abusive" to Native Americans.
This was not the first time students have voted on the measure nor was it the only effort pertaining to Chief Illiniwek. In 2008, the student body held a similar referendum and students also voted in support of the mascot then.
Despite the results, UI Chancellor Dr. Phyllis Wise says the chief will not return. According to Dr. Wise, the university is not bound by the results of student led referendums. “The university did not sponsor this election. The students put up this referendum, and they are permitted in referendum to ask any question they want to. Their vote is counted as advisory,” said Wise.
Chief Illiniwek: A Volatile History
Chief Illiniwek has been the mascot and official symbol of the UI campus since 1926. His first performance was October 30, 1926. At the conclusion of Chief Illiniwek’ s performance in 1926, a drum major dressed as the University of Pennsylvania’s Quaker mascot handed him a peace pipe and the two walked off the field arm in arm.
Since that time, 36 students have portrayed Chief Illiniwek, including one woman, Idelle Brooks, in 1943, due to the shortage of male students on campus during WWII.
Until 2007, Chief Illiniwek was UI’s symbol and athletic event mascot, portraying an American Indian in a Sioux chief’s regalia. Chief Illiniwek was played by a student who performed at athletic events. The mascot was retired in 2007 after the NCAA ruled the Chief Illiniwek a “hostile or abusive” mascot and threatened to disallow the university’s participation in NCAA championship events.
Prior to 2007, the mascot had been a subject of controversy for several decades as several American Indian tribes and organizations had asked for the discontinued use of the mascot. Though Chief Illiniwek did not perform alongside cheerleaders as most mascots, his dances consisted of crossing his arms, spins and jumping splits. As time passed other Big Ten universities refused to allow the chief to perform, citing the mascot offensive.
Chief Illiniwek wore actual Sioux regalia gifted to the university by Chief Frank Fools Crow. However, when Fools Crow discovered how the university was using the regalia, according to an Oglala Sioux Tribe resolution, he was disappointed and asked for their return.
According to rumors, the university replaced the original eagle feathers with turkey feathers. The original eagle feathers whereabouts are unknown. The regalia was returned to the Oglala Sioux Tribe in October of 2009.
Chief Illiniwek: A Majority of Supporters, a Minority of Opposers
In 1989, Charlene Teters, a graduate student from the Spokane Tribe began to protest the chief after her son and daughter had reacted adversely to seeing him at a basketball game. Since that time several organizations both for and against Chief Illiniwek were created or have come forward.
Such organizations that have come forward have included the NAACP, the National Congress of American Indians, Amnesty International and the National Indian Education Association. Campus organizations such as the Native American House and the American Indian Studies program also called for the mascot’s dismissal.
Organizations in support of the mascot have included the Honor the Chief Society and the Chief Illiniwek Educational Foundation as well as the “Council of Chiefs” made up of UI alumni that were once themselves portrayers of Chief Illiniwek.
When the Campus Spirit Revival organization, led by former Native American and Indigenous Student Organization leader Thomas Ferrarell, Ojibwe, started efforts in 2012 to hold an alternative mascot submission contest, he and other students were met by an opposing group, Stop Campus Spirit Revival, who fought the constitutionality of the contest.
According to former student body president David Pileski, who sponsored the efforts of Campus Spirit Revival, the path to moving forward has been met with consistent resistance.
“Last year when I was student body president I offered a resolution to cosponsor and work with a group of students from the Native American House. They were promoting a student artwork competition with the goal of having a campus wide poll to see what ideas students connected with the best. We have had a few delays,” said Pileski.
“We were able to have the vote this January but unfortunately some students that hadn't previously heard about it were upset and they filed a procedural gesture,” he said.
Pileski says he doesn’t have strong feelings either way for the chief, but he does believe in moving forward and respecting the beliefs of others. “I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago in a privileged middle-class white family. I understand and recognize that what I associate with the image of the chief is going to be different than what it is for someone else.”
But Pileski says it is important to support the beliefs of others. “I was not going to perpetuate the problem on this campus and I really wanted to contribute to a discussion moving forward,” he said.
For the newly appointed Student Senator and head of Stop Campus Spirit Revival, Josh Good, since the chief only appeared at halftimes, did not pick fights with other mascots and never wavered in facial expression or a set routine, Good feels the chief should be restored as the official symbol of the University of Illinois.
“I have always been proud to be an Illini and took great pride with Chief Illiniwek being our symbol especially due to having Cherokee heritage on my father’s side. I always thought to have a symbol like Chief Illiniwek that was so revered here by students and alumni was something that was truly unique to our university,” he said.
It’s About Honor
For former UI student Ferrarell, moving away from Chief Illiniwek is much more than just moving forward, it is about a disregard for what he believes. “They have this idea that they are honoring Native Americans. They think that we are trying to remove them from honoring tradition and we are disgracing Native Americans by doing this,” says Ferrarell.
He also says the biggest problem is not adopting a new mascot. “If we do not put something in place of Chief Illiniwek, people are going to gravitate right back to that 80-year tradition. Apparently, the guy still shows up at games and does all the same chants and music. The only difference is that he is not honored at halftime.”
According to Wise, “Since the Board of Trustees voted against using Chief Illiniwek as the symbol, I do not believe there is any reason to bring him back.”
The University’s Last Word
Though Chancellor Wise states the university has not backed the efforts of students pro or con on Chief Illiniwek, she also sates there have not been any efforts to create a new mascot. Wise did say the UI campus would be open to discussion.
“We want to have meaningful discussions and we want this to be a rich learning environment, for our faculty our staff and our students. Many universities do have pow wows which are run by Native American tribes and then bring in all sorts of wonderful things for the students. We need to be thinking about those kinds of events,” said Wise.
According to Ferrarell, who has recently written an open letter to the university and has graduated in Environmental Sciences says “It is great what Chancellor Wise said, but it is not enough. You cannot just remove it, you have to say why.”
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Please use the log in option at the bottom of this page | <urn:uuid:ca102e86-0c8c-4e69-a2c0-181c156d4ca7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/comment/1350279 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00191-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980882 | 1,712 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.061416 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Education & Jobs |
What is Healthy Relationships Curriculum?
A highly adaptable program that teaches challenging life and social skills to school students and older individuals with a variety of needs. This unique program can be implemented both in-person and in remote learning settings.
The curriculum was developed for schools and organizations that support students and individuals with a variety of special needs including, but not limited to autism, developmental and intellectual disabilities, and emotional challenges. This comprehensive curriculum from start to finish encourages participants not only how to pursue and maintain healthy relationships but to find value in doing so.
What ages or grades can benefit from the Curriculum?
The curriculum is designed and encouraged to be used across all grades in a district. We believe that repetition, consistent messaging, and offering a proactive approach is key for the success of the learner or student. Because of this we strongly recommend school districts begin teaching portions of the curriculum as early as elementary school while building on lessons and introducing new lessons with every new grade level. For an understanding of how the lessons can be utilized across a district please view the Scope and Sequence.
With the complex nature of many of these topics, we also believe that older learners can greatly benefit as well. With lessons topics such as consent, consequences to breaking social expectations and norms as well as dating and relationships, we believe that the lesson content and the full curriculum is critical for adult learners as well.
Can schools and districts use CARES Act Funding to purchase the Healthy Relationships Curriculum?
Yes, we realize that many schools and districts think that the funding has to be used on sanitization measures and technology, and rightfully so. But, within the funding requirements, the Healthy Relationships Curriculum would qualify under multiple sections of the CARES Act.
- This educational tool and resource, for your students with disabilities, is directly listed as one of the specifics allowable for use for the K-12 relief funding.
- The Healthy Relationships Curriculum would ensure appropriate guidance to achieve requirements under IDEA and will ensure offering educational services to meet IEP transition goals through both in-person AND remote learning options.
- School leaders, like special education directors and others, can use the CARES Act funding to purchase resources to address the needs of their individual schools and students.
With the uncertainty of in-person classes and how to appropriately achieve on-going learning in virtual environments, the Healthy Relationships Curriculum’s blended learning, digital options will allow schools, teachers, students, and families to excel through whatever the future holds.
Who created the Healthy Relationships Curriculum?
Our team is not your typical “sales” team. We are made up of special education teachers and directors, therapists, school psychologists, and doctors. We are using the Curriculum right now in our school and with our clients. We needed these tools as well to teach our students and clients so we created the Healthy Relationships Curriculum and thought why keep these valuable resources to ourselves. We piloted the Curriculum for four years starting in 2011 and published it in 2015.
Is there training that comes with the Curriculum?
Yes! We don’t like to really think of it as a training but more of a “tips and tricks” from current users of the Curriculum. Each of our trainers is currently using the Curriculum in their classrooms or group sessions and will prepare any user of this program to feel comfortable from day one.
Survey after survey tells us that the training by far is one of the best reasons to purchase this Curriculum for your school or organization. In fact, below is just one response from a special education teacher from Long Island, New York.
“I have to thank you for your amazing training. I have been teaching since 1998 and as a PE teacher since 2002. Your training ranks up in my top three in the past 20 plus years here. I took away so much information and even fostered conversation with my own family about certain issues.
I am super impressed with you as an educator, your intellect on the topics, and your ease of communication with strangers. You made us all feel comfortable. I can not thank you enough for bringing my level of teaching a step higher than where I was.”
What is the myHRC Online Portal?
The myHRC Online Portal allows and encourages a mixture of blended learning. With the myHRC digital platform teachers and facilitators of the curriculum can teach concepts in a traditional classroom or group setting as well as continue the learning remotely. myHRC contains an extensive video library, resources, visuals, checklists, cue cards, and more interactive learning. The myHRC Online Portal is an essential piece of the entire curriculum that allows for learning to continue under almost any scenario or circumstance.
How is the Curriculum sold?
The Healthy Relationships Curriculum is a copyrighted and licensed program packaged & sold in Kits.
Each Curriculum Kit includes:
- Curriculum Teaching Binder with All 39 Lessons Plans
- A myHRC Online Portal Teacher Access
- Unlimited myHRC Student Seats per each Teacher Access
- A Student Hygiene Home Workbook
- Access to All Outcome Measurement Tools
- Pre/Post Testing
- Cue Cards
- Visual Checklists
- Check for Understanding Assessments
- Parental Guide for Success
- Full Video Library (85+ Videos)
- License to Use Materials
- Ongoing Support
How do I teach this program?
We recommend the lessons be taught in small groups by an educator (Special Education, Life Skills, Intervention Specialist, Autistic Support, Phys. Ed., Health, etc.), therapist (mental health, speech, occupational, etc.), social worker, nurse, or anyone else your school or organization feels confident can provide the skills to the groups.
This comprehensive program is taught through:
- Small groups
- Role Plays
- Video modeling
- Parental involvement
- Progress Monitoring
I see that the Curriculum has a video library that can be viewed in and out of classrooms and groups. What do I need to view these videos?
The video library, offering over 85 current videos, is viewable using any internet-connected device. The teacher, instructor, or group leader has access to all the videos at any time. These same videos can be shared with students, parents, or caregivers outside of the classroom or group and can be viewed on any internet-connected device. Teachers or group leaders also have control to share which specific videos that they would like students, parents, or caregiver to beyond the group instruction.
How can I explore the Curriculum to see if it would be a good fit for our school, organization, or program?
We would be pleased to set up a time that best fits your schedule to offer a presentation. We have found that most schools, directors, teachers, clinicians, therapists, and others interested in learning more about this unique program have found incredible value in a short virtual presentation.
A common theme that we hear during these presentations can be summarized by an Ohio special education director who stated, “I never knew anything like this existed. We could have used this for years now. Thank you very much for encouraging me and my staff to take the time to schedule a presentation.”
We will be happy to schedule a time that fits your needs best. We offer in-person if permitted, and virtual presentations using Zoom where you can explore the different lessons, table of content, outcome measurement tools, visuals, and of course our extensive video library!
I am currently using the Curriculum and I have a question or need assistance with the myHRC Online Portal. What should I do?
Our team can support current users that have questions or need assistance with the myHRC Online Portal. You can choose to select the “Support” option located in the menubar once you are logged in to your myHRC account or you can simply just email us directly at [email protected].
How much is the Healthy Relationships Curriculum?
With the wide range of students and individuals that could benefit from this Curriculum, the population size differences in schools and organizations, and other unique situations our team works directly with each district, school, organization and develops a quote that not only meets the needs of the teachers, facilitators, group leaders, students, and participants but also works well with budgets and financial stipulations. This Curriculum, which is an enhancement to any special education program or classroom, can be paid for using a wide range of options. Please let us hear about your school or program and we are confident we can develop a quote that meets your specific needs. Contact us now.
I am interested in getting more information about HRC, what is the process?
The first step of the process is to contact a Healthy Relationships Curriculum team member by completing the contact page on our website. Here you will find several options to choose from: 1) Ask a team member a question. 2) Schedule a virtual presentation. 3) Receive a sample packet. The most popular choice by most visitors to our website is to schedule a presentation, but however you would like to learn more about this program one of our team members will be in touch with you shortly.
Can I see a lesson from the Curriculum?
Yes, of course! Just go to our contact page on our website and fill out the Send Me a Sample Packet form. This will then be sent to the Healthy Relationships Curriculum team who will then send you the requested information. However, countless users have told us that scheduling a presentation was the best way to see the full depth of the Curriculum and the full scope of what is covered.
What topics are featured in this program?
The Healthy Relationships Curriculum is built around 3 modules:
- Caring for Myself/Hygiene
- Understanding my Body/Health Education
- Relationship Development/Communication Styles/Social Media Safety/Consent
Around these three topics, 39 lessons were developed with differing lesson topics. To view the full list and the table of contents, please click here.
I forgot my username or password to the myHRC Online Portal. What should I do?
We would be happy to help. Simply just email us directly at [email protected].
“The Curriculum addresses all of the issues socially, sexually and emotionally that our students do not get with public education. Visuals are great and lessons are scripted well.” -Public Life Skills Educator | <urn:uuid:e09a6342-e1a8-4065-bb60-43010856dc7c> | CC-MAIN-2020-50 | http://healthyrelationshipscurriculum.org/faqs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-50/segments/1606141735600.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20201204101314-20201204131314-00147.warc.gz | en | 0.946285 | 2,203 | 2.703125 | 3 | 2.317245 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Education & Jobs |
RYAN, JAMES A., machinist and labour leader; b. c. 1840 in County Clare (Republic of Ireland); d. 17 Dec. 1896 in Hamilton, Ont.
James Ryan was corresponding secretary and moving spirit of the Nine Hour League in Hamilton when, on 20 Feb. 1872, 120 men struck a Hamilton sewing-machine factory, Wilson, Lockman and Company, over demands for a nine-hour day. Ryan had probably been named to this position at a mass meeting of delegates from various Hamilton shops on 1 February to appoint officers and adopt a constitution for the league, the first in Canada. On 24 February he spoke to another mass meeting of “sixteen or eighteen hundred men” in support of the strike. He said that the workingmen were willing to settle by arbitration, but that they would resort to other means if forced to do so. The strike ended on 27 February by a “mutual understanding,” which Toronto Globe editor George Brown called a victory for the employers. Ryan’s actions in Hamilton and his correspondence with the Toronto Trades Assembly encouraged that group to start its own nine-hour movement, which resulted in a printers’ strike throughout Toronto in March 1872.
Ryan held a “Council of deliberation” in Hamilton on 3 May to gain support for a proposed demonstration on 15 May. There were 12 delegates from Hamilton, three from Toronto, and one each from Montreal, Brantford, and Dundas, as well as supporting letters from several other Ontario communities; a Toronto delegate called it the first labour convention in Canada. The council formed the Canadian Labor Protective and Mutual Improvement Association with the purpose of forming “similar local organizations throughout the Dominion for the purpose of uniting all classes of workmen for mutual benefit.” Ryan was made recording secretary of the new association. Nothing further is known about him until his death.
[At the time this biography was published, in volume X, Ryan’s death date was unknown. It was subsequently found by the Dictionary of Hamilton biography, ed. T. M. Bailey et al. (4v. to date, Hamilton, 1981 – ).]. Canadian Labour Congress Library (Ottawa), Toronto Trades Assembly minutes, 18 April 1872–27 March 1873. Globe (Toronto), 1 Jan.–1 July 1872. The Hamilton and District Trades and Labor Council, T.L.C. – A.F. of L.; 60th anniversary, diamond jubilee, 1888–1948 (n.p., n.d.). Eugene Forsey, “The Toronto Trades Assembly, 1871–1878,” Canadian Labour (Ottawa), X (July-August 1965), 21–22; X (September 1965), 32–33. Bernard Ostry, “Conservatives, Liberals, and labour in the 1870’s,” CHR, XLI (1960), 93–127. | <urn:uuid:4dd00eec-b105-49a6-bad8-0cda40d38607> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/ryan_james_a_10E.html?revision_id=7701 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396459.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00110-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961994 | 606 | 2.65625 | 3 | 2.84477 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
Are the Children in Your Program Getting Enough Vitamin N?
– June 13, 2018
Now that children spend so much time indoors and in front of a screen, they are lacking a nutrient that can help them emotionally, cognitively, and physically. This nutrient is Vitamin N, otherwise known as nature. Nature has a way of helping children’s imaginations, creativity, and wonder. It also has a way of alleviating symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorders. Afterschool programs are perfect for introducing more vitamin N into the lives of children.
Author Richard Louv introduced the world to the “nature-deficit disorder” in his book, Last Child in the Woods. To be clear, nature deficit disorder is not a medical diagnosis, but a term created after years of studies that showed children who lack exposure to nature on a regular basis, are more prone to anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorders. Louv went on to write the books The Nature Principle and Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life in which he provides 500 activities for children and adults to reconnect with nature.
In addition to writing, Louv co-founded the Children and Nature Network. A place where researchers, medical professionals, and teachers could share findings and resources. The research and studies have shown that nature affects children in three specific areas.
1. The 5 Senses
By helping children unplug and play outside in nature, they are forced to use all of their senses. When children are playing games or learning through screen time, they have to block out everything else in order to concentrate on the screen. When in nature, children have the freedom to use all senses to observe and participate.
2. Creativity and Team Building
On a playground, children are given the tools to play. If children are playing in a field or nature area, they have to use their imaginations to create new games and tools for play. Children are learning skills that will help them with social interaction, imagination, and problem solving. This also provides opportunity for unstructured team building.
3. Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Nature can be very peaceful. If children are given the opportunity to just watch the clouds, listen to the wind in the trees, or watch butterflies dance from flower to flower, there is a wonder-filled calm that comes over them. As adults, we know the world is a big scary place and children aren’t prone to this. They need time to reconnect with nature and find peace. In doing so, it will alleviate stress and anxiety and can even provide better focus. According to Louv, just spending an hour a week can help alleviate some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
There are many ways to incorporate nature into your afterschool program. Most programs have already started by including community gardens or butterfly gardens. You could bring your children out to a soccer field, have everyone lay down, and use their imagination to create shapes from the clouds. Or, you could look for insects in the grass and then observe to see what they do.
Not only does nature help with creativity and imagination, but it inspires children and brings wonder into their lives. Nature is ever-changing and has so much to teach us. Use nature not only to provide inspiration for your program, but also for you. | <urn:uuid:0283a67c-24cb-4577-a647-360f7bafce9a> | CC-MAIN-2019-43 | https://www.eleyo.com/blog/are-the-children-in-your-program-getting-enough-vitamin-n | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570986710773.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20191020132840-20191020160340-00453.warc.gz | en | 0.961324 | 679 | 3.21875 | 3 | 2.319999 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Education & Jobs |
Increasing number of satellites has the potential to impact Grand Canyon
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – While the general consensus among professional astronomers is that Grand Canyon National Park is a model for reducing light pollution on public lands; its night skies will continue to be impacted by distant surrounding cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix. Unfortunately, some of that pollution will also come from the very skies overhead of the park’s nearly 6 million annual visitors, according to Dr. John Barentine.
Sunlight reflected off of everything orbiting the planet has made the night sky 10 percent brighter over natural levels, according to research that Barentine co-authored last year in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. It’s a threshold that threatens boundaries set by the International Astronomical Union for when a location is considered to be light polluted.
“We’re not only worried about the little discrete points of light (satellites going across the horizon) in the night sky, but now we’re worried that if the satellites basically grind themselves up into dust, that will make the night sky itself brighter and therefore have an impact on the ability to see the night sky,” Barentine said.
Since 2019, the number of functional satellites in orbit has more than doubled and it’s going to grow vastly more, with possibly up to 100,000 operational satellites within the next eight years – that is 25 times the current level, according to a 2020 report from The Verge. In large part this increase is from the launch of satellite mega-constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink, according to Barentine.
“We’ve been watching this now for almost three years,” he said. “When SpaceX launched the first of its Starlink constellation of satellites into orbit, with the intent of eventually deploying about 40,000 of them into Low Earth orbit so they’re a bit below the International Space Station as a point of reference.”
Those satellites spend part of their time in direct illumination by sunlight, even though an observer on the Earth is in darkness and so we see them as bright objects moving in the sky. That has an impact on professional astronomers, casual stargazers.
There’s cultural and even religious implications as well, especially among Indigenous people who use the night sky in their cultural practice and remaking it with all of these satellites is raising alarm, according to Barentine.
“The injection of thousands of metallic, highly reflective objects into our atmosphere is kindred to environmental degradation because it is changing our sky and we don’t yet know if we can reverse it,” Indigenous research associate, Karlie Alinta Noon said in an October report from Vice.
With the sky becoming increasingly crowded the probability of collisions among satellites or other objects also increases, which can create a positive feedback loop, generating further debris.
“You could get a situation where it just runs away on you,” Barentine said. “The rate at which you are generating these little pieces of debris becomes exponential, that raises further collision risk. Our research on this suggests, if you were to massively increase the number of these small debris, objects that are in orbit, that the collective reflection of sunlight from all of those objects actually raised the brightness of the night sky itself, akin to … the skyglow from the cities, makes it difficult to see the stars.”
The study implies the night sky will brighten proportionally as new satellites are launched. Satellite operators such as SpaceX and OneWeb have taken some voluntary measures to dampen their impact through design changes and changes in their orbits, according to Barentine.
“They have yet to reduce their visibility below that of the unaided eye which means particularly in dark sky sites such as the Grand Canyon,” Executive Director of the International Dark-Sky Association, Ruskin Hartley said. “When you look up at night, you’re much more likely to see satellites streaking overhead. Particularly during the dawn and dusk hours when they’re not in the shadow of the Earth.”
SpaceX has applied darkening material to the surface of some of its satellites to reduce the amount of reflected sunlight it has the effect of making the satellites fainter. But darkening also heats the craft up because it absorbs heat from the sun very efficiently in orbit and heat can pose a danger to onboard equipment.
“They also tried maneuvers where they roll the spacecraft as it’s moving up to its final location to limit the amount of surface that can reflect sunlight,” Barentine said. “(But) they’re still too bright, according to their own, self-imposed threshold.”
For the International Dark-Sky Association there’s a genuine threat to naturally dark places such as Grand Canyon National Park from satellites.
“There has to be balance with the need to bring connectivity to rural communities, particularly those that have traditionally been underserved such as the Navajo Nation,” Hartley said. “But there hasn’t been any meaningful environmental review of these launches and deployments and there hasn’t been any meaningful consultation with the impacted parties.”
More information about dark skies is available from the International Dark-Sky Association. | <urn:uuid:bae9e7e2-3855-42e6-b487-17e60b9c7ca1> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.nhonews.com/news/2022/mar/29/increasing-number-satellites-has-potential-impact-/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679101779.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20231210092457-20231210122457-00058.warc.gz | en | 0.94706 | 1,108 | 3.625 | 4 | 2.971784 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
The influences on the declaration of
These papers included letters, several drafts of the Essay and other works. Print Rousseau, Jean-Jacques.
Furthermore, when they formed their new government, they used a social contract. Beginning with the publication of the 92 page summary of the Essay in the Bibliotheque universelle et historique for January through March of along with the publication of the first edition in Decemberthe Essay was both popular and controversial on both the continent and in England for the next fifty years.
Glossary of Terms Voices of the Revolution: Two Great Thinkers The Founding Fathers were a group of extraordinary thinkers and brilliant men, but throughout the course of American Constitutional History, there were a number of other writers, philosophers, and revolutionaries who helped champion or support the case for American Independence.
In writing the declaration of independence thomas jefferson was influenced by john lockes idea of
In the twentieth century with the sale of the Lovelace papers and their donation to Oxford University, interest in Locke among philosophers has considerably revived. This, along with his agnosticism about whether the soul was material or immaterial were debated hotly through much of the eighteenth century and at least the debates about personal identity were largely recapitulated in the twentieth century. Rousseau also believed that no government ruled by force was good. The Petition of Right extended the rights of "commoners" to have a voice in the government. As a consequence the Two Treatises had very little influence on the debates over how to justify the legitimacy of replacing King James II with William and Mary. They subsequently believed the government was not formed by a social contract as advocated by Rousseau so they rejected it. The doctrines of natural rights and human rights were rejected in favor of utilitarianism. The duty of that government is to protect the natural rights of the people, which Locke believed to include life, liberty, and property.
John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau are most notable for the creation of the social contract political philosophy.
Later philosophes, like Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau were more optimistic about democracy. Locke certainly thought he had the resources to solve the problems posed by the veil of perception doctrine and his account of the distinction between primary and secondary qualities is not the same as the one that Berkeley gives.
Montesquieu suggested a separation of powers into branches of government not unlike the system Americans would later adopt.
The influences on the declaration of
Although King George III still had some real power in , Britain was already well along on the path of democracy by that time. They required at least nine out of the thirteen colonies to ratify the Constitution before it was adopted, and they instituted a government that allowed landowning males to vote for their representatives. Democracy takes practice and wisdom from experience. Their ideas encouraged the questioning of absolute monarchs, like the Bourbon family that ruled France. The Protestant Reformation encouraged free thinkers to question the practices of the Catholic Church, and the printing press spread the new ideas relatively quickly and easily. Over years later, the colonists believed their experience was great enough to refuse to recognize the British king. As a consequence the Two Treatises had very little influence on the debates over how to justify the legitimacy of replacing King James II with William and Mary.
Monarchial government is the most natural, tough, and from that the sturdiest. These five philosophers would eventually set down, entirely unbeknownst to them, an outline that The Founders would use.
In the twentieth century with the sale of the Lovelace papers and their donation to Oxford University, interest in Locke among philosophers has considerably revived.
Ocean voyages had put them in touch with many world civilizations, and trade had created a prosperous middle class. This idea deeply influenced Thomas Jefferson as he drafted the Declaration of Independence.
based on 46 review | <urn:uuid:cf7d9057-a578-47df-b392-da86f9580710> | CC-MAIN-2020-29 | https://sixefakugu.dellrichards.com/the-influences-on-the-declaration-of261191110uj.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593655893487.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20200707142557-20200707172557-00512.warc.gz | en | 0.969971 | 797 | 3.5625 | 4 | 2.995996 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
You can find them anywhere. Gathering data on how pesticides affect birds, mapping the impact of an oil spill and monitoring the air quality in their communities, citizen scientists are advancing scientific discovery using open hardware and open source principles and they are doing it from their own backyards.
Premiering at Red Hat Summit, “The Science of Collective Discovery” documentary film dives into the world of citizen scientists and how open hardware is enabling them. Citizen scientists are ordinary people with varying degrees of training who contribute to scientific research in their spare time. While digital advancements - big data, open access, mobile technology, etc. - have made discovery more accessible, open hardware is the key to furthering the way these projects conduct research. Ultimately, taking an open source approach to hardware is fueling an open source approach to science.
The film features notable experts from the world of citizen science including Caren Cooper, professor, author and a leading expert on citizen science; Bronwen Densmore, open hardware community manager at Public Lab; Eymund Diegel, research coordinator at the
Gowanus Canal Conservancy and Public Lab Grassroots Mapping Project; Shannon Dosemagen, executive director of Public Lab; Ting Ting Fu, climate justice organizer at UPROSE; Brian Gonzalez and Jason Gomez, youth organizers at UPROSE; and Michael Heimbinder, founder and executive director of HabitatMap.
Part of our Open Source Stories documentary series, “The Science of Collective Discovery” is the latest installment to highlight and share stories about how openness is a catalyst for change. Open source is changing the world in many different ways - from technology innovation and management advancements to innovations across sectors. We have long understood the power of collaboration to produce amazing results. With Open Source Stories, we’re showing what people can do when they make things in the open. Because when we share, we thrive.
The documentary will premiere simultaneously during the 14th annual Red Hat Summit in San Francisco at the Moscone Center, Room 2007 on Wednesday, May 9, at 5:15 p.m. PT, and online at https://www.redhat.com/collective-discovery.
For replays of the film and more information about Open Source Stories and “The Science of Collective Discovery” visit https://www.redhat.com/en/open-source-stories. Watch the film and share it with others using the hashtag #opensourcestories to help us shine a light on ways open innovation is changing the world. | <urn:uuid:f9a0857b-13a7-4a0d-9bee-330d1ceb1e13> | CC-MAIN-2018-34 | https://www.redhat.com/de/blog/how-citizen-scientists-are-using-open-hardware-make-new-discoveries | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-34/segments/1534221216718.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20180820160510-20180820180510-00604.warc.gz | en | 0.906057 | 520 | 2.578125 | 3 | 2.761944 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
A: Students will have to have critical-thinking skills because the power to process or calculate information is commonplace. You can use (computational knowledge engine) Wolfram|Alpha to quickly show you the answer to something. So you will be taught the skills to calculate things but more so you will need the skills to differentiate what is relevant and what is useful. You absolutely have to have an objective, almost scientific bent to your thinking, and I think that's what will be even more important in the future. It's not just rote learning, you also have to be creative. You basically will have a lot of information at your disposal so first you have to be disciplined and figure out how you can manage all of that but also to make sense of it in order to make an informed decision. Having advanced analytical skills is key for the future.
A: I think the challenge is probably how do you do this with technology because technology can be an enabler but it can also be a crutch. At one point, it can give you a lot of information but is the information you're getting what you need? So you almost need a filter. That's when you need the teachers to curate the information for students in a way that makes their time useful. On one hand, technology is fantastic, but on the other hand you have to be careful about how you use it.
A: They'll have to be a bit more efficient with how they consume information because obviously you can deal with information overload. There are tools like RSS feeds to gather all the information. We have a simple tool called http://crowdmap.com/ that they can experiment with. Another web-based application that can be a very useful site for educators and students alike is www.khanacademy.org.
And I think educators also will have to embrace visualization tools, a way to visually show information beyond pie charts. Pie charts are nice and graphs are fantastic, but I think students could also appreciate different ways of interacting with data. That can be done by web-based applications that provide some other way of interaction, but it requires quite a bit of creativity on the part of the teachers.
Q: How do you think the role of school and educators is going to change in trying to implement these skills?
A: The thing is with educators and with students, it's the process of learning together that's going to be instructive, the idea of participatory learning that I can give information and you can also give information. It's this new way of communicating. It's not just the teacher going, 'Oh here . . . this is all you need to know.' The teacher will need to do that, yes, but the students can also say, 'This is what I learned, this is what I see, this is what's going on,' so it becomes more of a two-way conversation as opposed to a unilateral mode of information dissemination. | <urn:uuid:3ea480dd-94be-4668-a00a-bcc5ab8bdb8c> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://ourkids.net/school/expert-qa-juliana-rotich | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439738555.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20200809132747-20200809162747-00206.warc.gz | en | 0.971996 | 601 | 3.109375 | 3 | 2.765281 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Education & Jobs |
In his 1989 book Wonderful Life, palaeontologist Stephen Jay Gould suggested that if we rewound the tape of life to Earth's beginning and watched it again, we'd see a different programme.
Had the contingencies of evolution — such as asteroid strikes and random mutations — varied slightly, we would now have an entirely different set of plants and animals. Some scientists (religious ones) disagree, claiming that at least one evolutionary outcome was inevitable: Homo sapiens, a divinely preordained species capable of apprehending and worshipping a deity.
The answer to the question of inevitability is an unsatisfying 'don't know'. If we were to vary the starting conditions of life slightly so that the first living thing appeared in a different place, or the climate wasn't quite the same, or an asteroid didn't strike our planet 65 million years ago, would evolution produce the same end products that we're familiar with? In other words, how robust is the evolutionary process to differences in starting conditions and to variability in events through time?
On one hand, it seems that the trajectory of the history of life has been highly dependent on chance. Mammals evolved at about the same time as dinosaurs (roughly 210 million years ago), for instance, then spent the first 150 million years of their existence scurrying around beneath their mighty reptilian overlords. It took the serendipitous extinction of the dinosaurs courtesy of an asteroid strike to light the fuse of mammalian diversity.
But on the other hand, we do see deterministic processes in the history of life — processes that yield similar outcomes from dissimilar starting points. For example, we see hydrodynamic streamlining not only in fish, but also in marine mammals (porpoises) and ancient reptiles (ichthyosaurs). This is the process that we call 'convergent evolution'.
So the bottom line is that both chance and determinism play roles in evolution. The argument then becomes one of degree: does one factor trump the other? Here, regrettably, we can do little beyond throwing up our hands.
Would humans — or at least human-like intelligence — have inevitably evolved? We don't know. All we know is that, unlike streamlined aquatic beasts or gliding mammals, it evolved just once. We can never be sure it could evolve again.
Professor Jerry Coyne is an evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago. His most recent book is Why Evolution Is True (OUP, 2009).
This article is an extended version of one of three pieces from 'Questions at the Frontiers of Evolutionary Biology', part of a series of features exclusive to Focus magazine subscribers.
Dinosauroid cave art by CM Kosemen and Simon Roy. | <urn:uuid:aa881f2b-ac06-49c1-aa85-9468f2340fdc> | CC-MAIN-2018-09 | http://www.sciencefocus.com/feature/life/inevitable-evolution | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891812758.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20180219171550-20180219191550-00387.warc.gz | en | 0.938698 | 555 | 3.484375 | 3 | 2.938022 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
A traditional outdoor cookstove in rural Tamil Nadu, India.
Originally published on Ensia
For about 3 billion of the world’s poorest people, the simple act of cooking dinner is fraught with risk. They burn wood, charcoal, dung or crop waste, often on open fires, fouling the air they breathe. It’s no small matter: Household air pollution from cooking fires is thought to be the world’s leading environmental cause of death and disability. And cooking over open fires also contributes to climate change and to deforestation when poor people chop down trees for fuel.
It’s no wonder that governments, nonprofits and businesses have tried for decades to get clean and efficient cookstoves into the homes of the poor. The trouble is, they’ve made very little headway for many reasons. Chief among them is the fact that designing a truly clean, efficient and user-friendly cookstove for a price poor people can afford is devilishly hard.
Lately, though, there are signs of progress. A handful of cookstove companies have attracted support from investors in the U.S. The New York–based non-profit investment fund Acumen has in the last 15 months put money into two U.S.-based companies, Biolite and BURN; Green Energy Biofuels, a Nigerian company; and Greenway Grameen Infra, which focuses on India.
Other funders have stepped up as well. In August, Deutsche Bank made the first loans from a US$4 million cookstove fund to Biolite and Envirofit, a Colorado-based company that is the industry’s sales leader. The Disruptive Innovation Fund, which is overseen by the best-selling author and innovation expert Clayton Christensen and his son, Matt, has invested in Biolite, while the U.S. government’s Overseas Private Investment Corporation has made loans to BURN and Envirofit.
More important, cookstove companies are gaining traction with customers in the global south. Envirofit says it sold 43 percent more cookstoves during the first half of 2016 than during the same period in 2015. Meanwhile, it took BURN more than two years to sell its first 100,000 stoves, and less than half that time to sell the next 100,000, the company says. Biolite plans to ramp up production early next year when it introduces a new model, showing confidence about the future of the industry.
Sean Moore, who works with energy investments at Acumen, says cleaner cookstoves may at long last be catching on. “The cookstove sector has been around for decades, and it’s had a lot of challenges,” he says. Lately, stove designs have improved, financing has become available to the very poor and companies that want to sell stoves have taken a more prominent role in a sector that had been dominated by governments and nonprofits. That gave Acumen the confidence to invest, Moore says: “We found entrepreneurs who were taking market-based solutions to the problems.”
Michael Tsan, a partner at Dalberg Global Development Advisors, which studied cookstoves for a World Bank report, says, “We’ve been grinding away at this problem for 40 years, but things are moving. I don’t think it’s hopeless.” Perhaps the biggest reason, he says, is that poor people are seeing that they can save money on fuels by buying a more efficient stove.
History of failure
Note the words we’ve chosen to describe cookstoves: cleaner, improved and efficient. One word we’ve tried to avoid: clean. That’s because no truly clean cookstove exists, except, perhaps for solar-powered stoves, which are impractical. These terms are unavoidably inexact, but cookstoves from Biotite, BURN and Envirofit — which we’ll call cleaner — are among the best on the market, delivering health, environmental and economic benefits. Local producers manufacture stoves that we’ll describe as improved or efficient; they don’t work as well but they appeal to customers because they are cheaper.
This raises another uncomfortable fact: Cookstoves are at best an imperfect solution to the health, environmental and social problems they are designed to solve. In a more equitable world, poor people would cook the way the rich do, using fuel sources such as electricity or natural gas that don’t cause indoor air pollution. But billions in Africa, South Asia and Latin America don’t have access to electricity or natural gas, or can’t afford them. For now, cookstoves will have to do.
That said, there’s no doubt that cleaner cookstoves, when used properly, deliver benefits. They can improve health by reducing emissions of particulates, which cause respiratory disease. They can curb carbon emissions (many have been subsidized by carbon credits). They can also create jobs and empower women, who traditionally gather the wood used in open fires, says the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, a public-private partnership launched in 2010 by then–U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
But so far the reality of cookstoves hasn’t lived up to the rhetoric. With the exception of a massive government-financed program in China in the 1990s, no government, philanthropic or commercial cookstove program has been shown to deliver large-scale, measurable health or environmental benefits. Up in Smoke, a 2012 field study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers, found no long-term health or environmental benefits in households in India that had been given a clean stove, mostly because the stoves weren’t properly maintained or were discarded. A World Bank survey published in 2014 concluded: “Three decades of efforts to promote both modern fuels and improved biomass stoves have seen only sporadic success.”
The problems with cookstoves are legion. The vast majority of stoves fail to meet strict World Health Organization standards that are set to protect human health. (Designing a stove that works effectively for fuels that vary in their moisture content or chemical composition is difficult.) The cleanest cookstoves cost US$50 or more, out of reach for the extreme poor, while cheap versions crack or break. What’s more, people who use cookstoves often continue to cook over open fires, a practice known as “stove stacking.” It’s hard to persuade people to abandon traditional methods of cooking that meet their dietary, cultural and economic needs.
“There have been so many failures within the sector,” says BURN founder Peter Scott, who has been designing and building cookstoves since 1997. “Sometimes I’m embarrassed to be part of it.”
Turning things around?
BURN has the potential to turn things around. Headquartered on Vashon Island, Washington, a 20-minute ferry ride from Seattle, BURN sells cookstoves that burn charcoal, mostly to customers in and around cities in Kenya. It employs about 135 people, manufactures stoves at a factory just outside Nairobi that opened in 2014 and sells about 10,000 per month. BURN says it has sold about 200,000 stoves since the plant’s opening and is on track to become profitable this year. The company plans to expand to West Africa next year.
“One of the things that set BURN apart was the quality of the design and the product,” says Yasmina Zaidman, director of strategic partnerships at Acumen. “There was an emphasis on customer-centric design and quality that was validated by independent third parties. The level of rigor stood out.”
BURN’s signature stove, the Jikokoa, retails for about US$40, and is sold by supermarkets, small shops and trusted local partners in Africa, including M-Kopa Solar, one of the fastest growing East African pay-as-you-go solar companies. Financing is available through Equity Bank, one of East Africa’s biggest banks. The Jikokoa captures more than 90 percent of the improved cookstove market in Kenya, according to Acumen’s research.
The stove itself wins plaudits from independent evaluators. Ashden, a British charity that supports sustainable energy, said last year: “The stove lights easily, cooks fast and — from independent tests — produces over 60% less health-damaging particulate matter and carbon monoxide than KCJ [Kenyan ceramic jiko, a locally-made competitor]. Charcoal use is cut by 45%, saving around US$200 per year, or five times the purchase price.” It’s these economic benefits that attract customers. “We sell it around the fuel savings,” Scott says.
Environmentalists are concerned about the charcoal used, production of which leads to the degradation of forests. Still, demand for charcoal and fuelwood is expected to double or triple by 2050 in Africa. Better that the charcoal be burned efficiently, Scott says.
An industry leader
No company has put more clean cookstoves into the world than Envirofit, which has been making stoves for household and institutional markets since 2003. The company reached its one-millionth clean cookstove customer in 2015 and sells stoves in 45 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Envirofit employs more than 450 people, most at manufacturing and assembly facilities in China, India, Nigeria, Kenya, Honduras and Mexico that have the capacity to produce 100,000 stoves per month. The company’s founders, Tim Bauer and Nathan Lorenz, were named Heroes of the Environment by Time magazine, and its CEO, Ron Bills, was named a social entrepreneur of the year by the Schwab Foundation in March 2016.
Inside the cookstove sector, though, Envirofit has detractors. They grumble that the company has been propped up for years by the Shell Foundation, which made about US$15 million in grants to Envirofit beginning in 2007. Many of its stoves have been sold in bulk to governments and nonprofits, and supported by carbon credits, so they need not compete on price and value in the retail marketplace.
About 450,000 Envirofit stoves in India and Africa have been supported by carbon credits, according to a May 2015 report from the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. Whatever one thinks about carbon credits for cookstoves — and they are controversial — they distort the market by providing subsidies and cannot be relied upon as a long-term revenue source. Maybe that’s why Envirofit says it doesn’t depend on carbon revenues anymore.
The stoves themselves get mixed reviews. In Honduras, for example, Envirofit has sold about 160,000 stoves to a government-funded nonprofit that gives them to the poor. Sebastian Africano, international director of a U.S.-based nonprofit called Trees, Water & People that also builds stoves in Honduras, says, “The government just blankets entire areas with [Envirofit] stoves. Some work well, but others had quality issues with griddles warping and chimneys falling apart.”
Envirofit’s distributors praise the stoves, however. Mercy Corps, a nonprofit aid organization based in Portland, Oregon, has given many woodstoves to customers in Myanmar and found the Envirofit stove to be “head and shoulders above the others,” says David Nicholson, the group’s director of environment, energy and climate change. Julius Ahiekpor, director of the nonprofit Centre for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development in Ghana, is another satisfied distributor. “We sell mostly through word of mouth,” he says. Both the Myanmar and Ghana projects are supported by carbon credits and foundation grants.
Cooking and electricity
Meantime, Brooklyn, N.Y.–based Biolite has carved out its own niche with an unusual stove that generates electricity as well as heat for cooking. It’s sold to backpackers and campers in rich countries as well as to the global poor. “The recreation business is something we’re personally passionate about,” says Jonathan Cedar, Biolite’s co-founder. “But it’s fundamentally a tool to help us reliably and sustainably accomplish the big objective,” which is to deliver clean, affordable household energy to the poor.
Biolite says its HomeStove, which burns wood, dung and crop residues, cuts fuel consumption by 50 percent and reduces particulate matter and carbon emissions by 90 percent. Both the HomeStove and Biolite’s CampStove, which is sold by retailers like REI and Lowe’s, incorporate technology that harvests heat from the fire to produce two watts of electric power, enough to charge a mobile phone or LED light — which is included with the stoves.
“The electricity access has brought men into the decision making, and got husbands really excited about something that will benefit the wife,” Cedar says.
Biolite employs about 100 people. Since its founding in 2009, the company has raised about US$10 million, mostly from private investors, including over US$1 million from Kickstarter. Acumen’s Moore says: “We think in the next five to seven years it could be a truly global company that could attract [significantly more] capital.”
Sales in poor countries have been modest, to date: About 15,000 HomeStoves, which sell for between US$50 and US$70, have been sold in India, Kenya and Uganda. Biolite is working to bring down the costs of its new model with support from a U.S. Department of Energy grant.
Profitable industry, healthy customers
Will all this lead to a thriving cleaner cookstove industry? It’s hard to know because the privately held companies don’t share financial data. What’s more, most experts think that local manufacturers, who sell lower-quality stoves at lower prices, outsell the U.S.-based companies. “I can name 20 different entrepreneurs across Africa who sells 350 to 500 stoves a month, or more, and the numbers add up,” says Elisha Moore Delate, an independent consultant and cookstove expert based in Nairobi. These cheaper stoves may not deliver the health or environmental benefits of higher quality ones, but they do save poor people money, which is no small thing.
More importantly, will cleaner efficient cookstoves improve the health of customers and state of the global environment? That’s also hard to know because reliable data on their real-life performance is scarce. But, again, even improved cookstoves are better for the health of the poor — and the planet — than cooking over open fires. Until people in the global south have better access to electricity or natural gas — the preferred options in the developed world — improved cookstoves will have to do. | <urn:uuid:46f2cee8-5be7-40f1-a55e-51cba6897d45> | CC-MAIN-2018-47 | http://www.corporateknights.com/channels/social-enterprise/indoor-cooking-14799672/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039743294.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20181117061450-20181117083450-00079.warc.gz | en | 0.957742 | 3,168 | 2.609375 | 3 | 2.966634 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
* Constipation occurs when wastes move too slowly through the large intestine where water is reabsorbed from the waste back into the body. This causes infrequent, difficult to eliminate and hard stools.
* If constipation is a regular occurrence and is not treated, it may lead to many other more serious problems such as hemorrhoids, appendicitis, hernia, diverticulitis, bowel cancer and varicose veins.
* There are many causes and risk factors involved with constipation. Certain drugs and supplements, including iron supplements, antidepressants and painkillers are associated with constipation. Pregnancy, ignoring the urge to move the bowels, insufficient dietary fiber, insufficient exercise, insufficient water, genetics, high calcium intake, bowel disease, kidney disorder, diabetes, nerve damage and advanced age have also been linked with constipation.
* Inability or difficulty moving the bowel. Painful bowel movement, dry, hard stool, abdominal bloating and/or discomfort.
* Do not ignore the urge to move the bowel as this can cause the stool to dry out and exacerbate constipation. Try to go to the toilet at the same time each day in a relaxed manner, as straining may tighten the abdominal muscles exacerbating constipation.
* Exercise – participate in regular exercise, as it is thought that the regular movement and use of abdominal muscles helps to encourage healthy bowel movement.
* Drink plenty of fluids, most of which should be filtered water. Some herbal teas and juices are also good for constipation. You should drink at least two liters of fluids per day, even if you are not thirsty. Avoid coffee and sodas as they have a dehydrating effect. If you are constipated, drink about 500 ml of filtered water within half an hour to relieve symptoms.
* Dietary Changes – diet may be one of the easiest ways to manage or to avoid constipation.
– Eat smaller, more regular meals.
– Avoid mucous forming foods such as dairy products, fatty, fried and spicy foods.
– Avoid foods with little or no fiber such as white flour products, meat, processed foods, salt, alcohol, coffee, soft drinks and sugar.
– Eat plenty of foods high in fiber and pectin such as whole grains, prunes, citrus fruit, beets, raw green leafy vegetables, brown rice, asparagus, kale, cabbage, carrots, apples, bananas, garlic, peas, okra, figs and sweet potato.
– Add fresh ground flaxseed to cereal, as this will help to soften stool.
– Take psyllium supplement with plenty of filtered water for chronic constipation. Dehydration may occur if you do not take plenty of water with psyllium.
Natural treatments for constipation:
* Conventional treatment uses supplements that encourages bowel movement. However some may have damaging side effects including dependency on the product, destruction of friendly bacteria population in the intestines, reduced absorption of fat soluble vitamins, liver damage and increased toxicity of other drugs taken at the same time.
* It is recommended to use conventional treatment as a last resort only if natural therapies do not work. Treatments including dietary and lifestyle change, aromatherapy, yoga and massage usually improve the condition.
VITAMIN E – An antioxidant that helps to heal colon tissue. Natural sources of vitamin E include nuts, seeds, wheat, alfalfa, soybeans, oatmeal, seaweed – dulse and kelp, flaxseed, legumes, cold pressed vegetable oils, brown rice and sweet potatoes. Use 600 iu daily before meals. Take according to label instructions if you suffer from diabetes, overactive thyroid, or are taking anticoagulant medication.
ALFALFA – Helps to detoxify the body and is used for constipation.
ALOE VERA, ALOE, ALOE BARBADENSIS – Has a healing effect on the gastrointestinal tract and helps to soften stools. Aloe vera is used for all colon disorders. Drink 1/2 cup in the morning and again in the evening. Use aloe vera from health food stores.
CASCARA, SACRED BARK, BUCKTHORN, CASCARA SAGRADA BARK – Used as a laxative and colon cleanser. Take according to label instructions. Do not use if pregnant, lactating or if you have an inflamed intestine. Children should not use this preparation. Do not use for a prolonged period.
DANDELION – Increases the production of bile, which helps to soften stool. Use according to label instructions. Avoid dandelion if you have ulcers or gall stones.
GARLIC – Protects against infection and cleanses the body. Use according to label instructions. People taking anticoagulant drugs should take garlic under medical supervision.
GOLDENSEAL – Cleanses and soothes the mucous membranes, strengthens the colon. Use according to label instructions. Do not use for prolonged periods. Do not use if pregnant or if you have glaucoma, cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Cleanses and soothes the mucous membranes, strengthens the colon. Use according to label instructions. Do not use for prolonged periods. Do not use if pregnant or if you have glaucoma, cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
MILK THISTLE – Soothes the tissue in the colon. Use according to label instructions.
ORANGE – Essential oil. May help with constipation if blended into carrier oil and massaged onto the abdomen in a clockwise motion. | <urn:uuid:32da117b-9faf-4a73-9da6-ebac565da01c> | CC-MAIN-2021-04 | https://www.egofelix.com/constipation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703499999.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20210116014637-20210116044637-00318.warc.gz | en | 0.901933 | 1,154 | 2.984375 | 3 | 1.854287 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
Decimation means the killing of every tenth person in a population, and in the spring and early summer of 1994 a program of massacres decimated the Republic of Rwanda. Although the killing was low-tech—performed largely by machete—it was carried out at dazzling speed: of an original population of seven million seven hundred thousand, at least eight hundred thousand were killed in just a hundred days. By comparison, Pol Pot’s slaughter of a million Cambodians in four years looks amateurish, and the bloodletting in the former Yugoslavia measures up as little more than a neighborhood riot. The dead of Rwanda accumulated at nearly three times the rate of Jewish dead during the Holocaust. Members of the Hutu majority group began massacring the Tutsi minority in early April, and at the end of the month dead Tutsis were easier to find in Rwanda than live Tutsis. The hunt continued until mid-July, when a rebel army conquered Rwanda and brought the massacres to a halt. That October, a United Nations Commission of Experts found that the “concerted, planned, systematic and methodical” acts of “mass extermination perpetrated by Hutu elements against the Tutsi group” in Rwanda “constitute genocide.” (This week, the International Tribunal for Rwanda is expected to hand down its first indictment of Rwandans charged with participation in the genocide.)
Hutus in Rwanda had been massacring Tutsis on and off since the waning days of Belgian colonial rule, in the late fifties. These state-sanctioned killings were generally referred to as “work,” or “clearing the bush.” The current crisis was triggered in 1990, when the Rwandese Patriotic Front, an army led by Tutsi exiles, attacked from Uganda, seizing a foothold in the northeast and demanding an end to Hutu Power, as the state ideology was called. The members of the R.P.F. were known within the Rwandan government as inyenzi (“cockroaches”), and, following the obvious logic that the brother of one’s enemy is also an enemy, all Tutsis—and any Hutus who opposed Hutu Power—were ibyitso (“accomplices”). As Hutu youth militias were recruited and armed for “civil defense,” massacres of Tutsis and assassinations of Hutu oppositionists occurred with increasing regularity. In August of 1993, when the Hutu President Juvénal Habyarimana signed a power-sharing peace accord with the R.P.F., extremist Hutus began to speculate whether the President himself had become an accomplice.
“Let whatever is smoldering erupt,” Kangura, a Hutu extremist newspaper, advised in January of 1994. “At such a time, a lot of blood will be poured.” Most Rwandans cannot read a newspaper, much less afford one, but all the right people read Kangura. In March, when Kangura ran the headline “HABYARIMANA WILL DIE IN MARCH,” the article explained that the assassins would be Hutus bought by the cockroaches.
On the evening of April 6, 1994, Thomas Kamilindi was in high spirits. His wife, Jacqueline, had baked a cake for a festive dinner in their home, in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. It was Thomas’s thirty-third birthday, and that afternoon he had completed his last day of work as a reporter for Radio Rwanda. After ten years at the state-owned station, he had resigned in protest against the lack of political balance in news programming. Thomas was taking a shower when Jacqueline began pounding on the bathroom door. “Hurry up!” she shouted. “The President has been attacked!” Thomas locked the doors of his house and sat by the radio. President Habyarimana’s plane, returning from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, had been shot down over Kigali. There were no survivors.
Thomas, who had well-placed friends, had heard that large-scale massacres of Tutsis were being prepared nationwide by the President’s extremist entourage, and that lists of Hutu oppositionists had been drawn up for the first wave of killing. But he had never imagined that Habyarimana himself might be targeted. If the extremists had sacrificed him, who was safe? (Seven months earlier, in Burundi—Rwanda’s southern neighbor, and the only country to have the same Hutu-Tutsi mix as Rwanda—the assassination of the Hutu President by Tutsi soldiers had set off a two-month Hutu uprising that left at least fifty thousand dead, most of them Tutsis. Now the radio announced that Burundi’s new Hutu President, Cyprien Ntaryamira, had been on board Habyarimana’s plane, and had died alongside him.)
The radio normally went off the air at 10 P.M., but that night it stayed on. When the bulletins ceased, music began to play, and to Thomas the music, which continued through his sleepless night, confirmed that the worst had been let loose in Rwanda. The next day, Radio Mille Collines, a popular station founded by Hutu extremists, blamed the Rwandese Patriotic Front for the assassination. If Thomas had believed that, he would have been at the microphone, not at the receiver. He didn’t leave his house for a week. He collected news from around the country by telephone and filed reports for a French radio service.
Within hours of Habyarimana’s death, roadblocks set up by the military and youth militias that were known as interahamwe—those who attack together—had appeared throughout Kigali, and assassins from the Presidential Guard were dispatched with lists of opposition leaders to kill, including the Hutu Prime Minister. The next day, soldiers killed ten Belgian blue helmets from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda, which had been deployed when the peace treaty with the R.P.F. was signed. After that, the U.N. troops offered little resistance to the killers, and foreign governments rushed to shut down their embassies and evacuate their nationals. “You cockroaches must know you are made of flesh,” a broadcaster at Radio Mille Collines proclaimed. “We won’t let you kill. We will kill you.”
Encouraged by political and civic leaders, the massacring of Tutsis spread from region to region. Following the militias’ example, Hutus young and old rose to the task. Neighbors hacked neighbors to death in their homes, and colleagues hacked colleagues to death in their workplaces. Priests killed their parishioners, and elementary-school teachers killed their students. Many of the largest massacres occurred in churches and stadiums where Tutsis had sought refuge—often at the invitation of local authorities, who then oversaw their execution. In mid-April, at least five thousand Tutsis were packed in the Gatwaro Stadium, in the western city of Kibuye; as the massacre there began, gunmen in the bleachers shot zigzag waves of bullets and tossed grenades to make the victims stampede back and forth before militiamen waded in to finish the job with machetes.
Throughout Rwanda, mass rape and looting accompanied the slaughter. Militia bands, fortified with potent banana beer and assorted drugs, were bused from massacre to massacre. Hutu prisoners were organized in work details to clear cadavers. Radio announcers reminded listeners to take special care to disembowel pregnant victims. As an added incentive to the killers, Tutsis’ belongings were parcelled out in advance—the radio, the couch, the goat, the opportunity to rape a young girl. A councilwoman in one Kigali neighborhood was reported to have offered fifty Rwandese francs apiece (about thirty cents at the time) for severed heads, a practice known as “selling cabbages.”
On April 12th, Thomas received a call from Radio Rwanda saying that Eliézer Niyitegeka wanted to see him. Niyitegeka, a former radio colleague, had just been appointed Minister of Information, replacing an oppositionist who had been killed. Thomas walked to the station, and Niyitegeka told him that he had to come back to work. Thomas reminded him why he’d quit, and the Minister said, “O.K., Thomas, let the soldiers decide.” Thomas hedged: he would not take a job under threat but would wait for an official letter of employment. Niyitegeka agreed, and Thomas returned home to learn from Jacqueline that, while he was gone, two soldiers from the Presidential Guard had appeared, carrying a list with his name on it.
Thomas was a Hutu, but he was not surprised to learn that he was on an assassins’ list: at Radio Rwanda, he had refused to speak the language of Hutu Power and had led two strikes; he was a member of the Social Democratic Party, which had ties to the R.P.F.; and he was from the city of Butare, Rwanda’s second-largest city, in the south—a region known for its moderate politics. Considering these factors, Thomas went to bed determined to seek a safer refuge than his home. The next morning, three soldiers came to his door. He invited them to have a seat, but the leader of the contingent told him, “We don’t sit when we’re working.” The soldier said, “Come with us,” and Thomas said he wasn’t budging until he knew where he was going. “You come with us or your family will have trouble,” the soldier said.
Thomas left with the soldiers, and walked up the hill, past the deserted American Embassy and along the Boulevard de la Révolution. At the corner in front of the Soras Insurance Building, across from the Ministry of Defense, there was a bunker, with soldiers around it. The soldiers scolded Thomas for describing their activities in his reports to the international media. He was ordered to sit down on the street. When he refused, the soldiers beat him. They beat him hard and slapped him repeatedly, shouting insults and questions. Then someone kicked him in the stomach, and he sat down on the street. “O.K., Thomas,” one of the men said. “Write a letter to your wife and say what you like, because you’re going to die.”
A jeep drove up, and the soldiers in it got out and kicked Thomas. Then he was given pen and paper, and he wrote, “Listen, Jacqueline, they’re going to kill me. I don’t know why. They say I’m an accomplice of the R.P.F. That’s why I’m going to die, and here’s my testament.” Thomas wrote his will, and handed it over. One of the soldiers said, “O.K., let’s finish this,” and stood back, readying his rifle.
“I didn’t look,” Thomas recalled when he told me of his ordeal. “I really believed he would shoot me. Then another vehicle came up, and suddenly I saw a major with his foot up on the bunker, and he said, ‘Thomas?’ When he called me, I came out of a sort of dream.”
Thomas is spry, compact, and bright-eyed. His face and hands are as expressive as his speech. He is a radio man, a raconteur, and, however bleak his tale, the telling gave him pleasure. After all, he was alive. His was what passed for a happy story in Rwanda. But the story made no sense: the major who had spared his life may have recognized Thomas, but to Thomas the major was a stranger. It was not unusual for someone to survive or escape from a large massacre—a man told me that his niece was macheted, then stoned, then dumped in a latrine, only to get up each time and stagger away—but Thomas had been deliberately reprieved, and he could not say why. He shot me a look of comic astonishment—eyebrows high, forehead furrowed, a quirky smile working his mouth—to say that his survival was far more mysterious than his peril had been.
During the genocide, the work of the killers was not regarded as a crime in Rwanda; it was effectively the law of the land, and every citizen was responsible for its administration. That way, if a person who should be killed was let go by one party he could expect to be caught and killed by somebody else. When the major called off Thomas’s execution, the soldiers who escorted him home told him he was still slated for death. In the ensuing weeks, three assassins were sent for him, and each left with a warning that the next one would get him.
I spoke with Thomas this past July, on a soft summer evening in Kigali—the hour of sudden equatorial dusk, when flocks of crows and lone buzzards reel, screaming, between the trees and rooftops. Walking back to my hotel, I passed the corner where Thomas had expected to be killed. The Soras Insurance Building’s plate-glass portico was a tattered web of bullet holes.
“If I don’t kill that rat he’ll die,” Clov says in Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame.” But those who commit genocide have chosen to make nature their enemy, not their ally.
“WHY AM I ALIVE?”
Living came to seem an accident of fate.
I went to Rwanda last summer, a year after the killings, because I wanted to know how Rwandans understood what had happened in their country and how they were getting on in the aftermath. The word “genocide” and the images of the nameless and numberless dead left too much to the imagination.
Rwanda is spectacular to behold, the rival of any Tuscan idyll. Through its center, a winding succession of steep, tightly terraced slopes radiates out from small roadside settlements and solitary compounds. Gashes of red clay and black loam mark fresh hoe work; eucalyptus trees flash silver against brilliant-green tea plantations; banana trees are everywhere. The land presents hills of every possible variety: jagged rain forests, undulating moors, broad swells of savanna, volcanic peaks as sharp as filed teeth, and round-shouldered buttes. During the rainy season, the clouds are huge and low and fast, lightning flickers through the nights, and by day the land is lustrous. After the rains, the skies lift, the terrain takes on a ragged look beneath the flat unvaried haze of the dry season, and in the savannas of the Akagera Park wildfire blackens the hills.
One day, when I was returning to Kigali from the south, the car mounted a rise between two winding valleys, the windshield filled with purple clouds, and I asked Joseph, the man who was giving me a ride, whether Rwandans realize what a beautiful country they have. “Beautiful?” he said. “After the things that happened here? The people aren’t good. If the people were good, the country might be O.K.” Joseph told me that his brother and sister had been killed, and he made a soft hissing click with his tongue against his teeth. “The country is empty,” he said. “Empty!”
It was not just the dead who were missing: when the genocide began, the R.P.F. resumed its war, and as the rebels advanced in the summer of 1994 some two million Hutus fled into exile at the behest of the leaders and radio announcers who had earlier urged them to kill. This most rapid exodus in modern history—two hundred and fifty thousand people crossed a single bridge into Tanzania in one day, and a million entered Zaire in one week—made the R.P.F. victory possible and, at the same time, rendered it incomplete. In effect, the refugees, clustered in camps just beyond Rwanda’s borders, constitute a rump state; the government, the army, and the militias that presided over the genocide remain intact and in arms around the camps, reminding Rwanda by both their absence and their presence that the fight is not over.
Yet except in some rural areas in southern Rwanda, where the desertion of Hutus had left nothing but bush to reclaim the fields around crumbling adobe houses, I, as a newcomer, could not see the absences that blinded Joseph to Rwanda’s beauty. Yes, there were grenade-flattened buildings, shot-up façades, and mortar-pitted roads, and I knew that the retreating Hutu Army and militias had left the country pillaged: a virtually empty treasury; the tea-curing factories and coffee-depulping machines—Rwanda’s source of foreign exchange—destroyed; electrical and telephone lines slashed; water systems sabotaged and often clogged with bodies. But these were the ravages of war, not of genocide, and by the time I arrived in Rwanda most essential services had been restored and most of the dead buried. Fifteen months before, Rwanda had been the most densely populated country in Africa. Now the work of the killers looked just as they must have wanted it to look when they were done: invisible.
From time to time, mass graves were discovered and excavated, and the remains were transferred to new, properly consecrated mass graves. But even the occasionally exposed bones, the conspicuous number of amputees and people with deforming scars, and the superabundance of packed orphanages could not be taken as evidence that what had happened to Rwanda was an attempt to exterminate a people. There were only people’s stories.
“Every survivor wonders why he is alive,” Abbé Modeste Mungwararora, a Tutsi priest at the cathedral in Butare, told me. Abbé Modeste had hidden for weeks in his sacristy, eating Communion wafers, before moving to his study and, finally, into the rafters of a house where some neighboring nuns lived. The obvious explanation of his survival was that the R.P.F. had come to the rescue. By the time the R.P.F. had installed a new government, in mid-July of 1994, however, seventy-five per cent of Rwanda’s Tutsis were dead. In this regard, at least, the genocide had been entirely successful: to those who had been targeted, it was not death but life that seemed an accident of fate.
“I had eighteen people killed in my house,” Étienne Niyonzima, a former businessman who is now a deputy in the National Assembly, told me. “Everything was totally destroyed—a place of fifty-five metres by fifty metres totally destroyed. In my neighborhood, they killed six hundred and forty-seven people. They had the number of everyone’s house, and for the Tutsis and intellectuals they went through and painted the numbers with red paint. My wife was at a friend’s, shot with two bullets. But she is still alive, only”—he waited a moment, then said, “she has no arms. The others with her were killed. The interahamwe left her for dead. Her whole family of sixty-five in Gitarama were killed.”
Niyonzima was in hiding at the time. Only after he had been separated from his wife for three months did he learn that she and four of their children had survived. “Well,” he said, “one son was cut in the head with a machete. I don’t know where he went.” His voice lowered, and caught. “He disappeared.” Then Niyonzima clicked his tongue, and said, “But the others are still alive. Quite honestly, I don’t understand at all how I was saved.”
Laurent Nkongoli attributes his survival to “Providence, and also good neighbors, an old woman who said, ‘Run away, we don’t want to see your corpse.’ ” Nkongoli, a lawyer, was one of more than eight thousand oppositionists, most of them Tutsis, who had been jailed without charges for as long as six months following the R.P.F.’s 1990 attack. Many of the prisoners were tortured, and dozens died, but Nkongoli, who is now the Vice-President of the National Assembly, shows no outward sign of his recent ordeals. He is a robust man, with a taste for double-breasted suit jackets and lively ties, and he moves, as he speaks, with a brisk determination. In the third week of April last year, when his neighbor urged him to flee, Nkongoli left Kigali and sneaked through the lines to the R.P.F. zone, where his wife and children already were.
“Before leaving, I had accepted death,” he said. “At a certain moment, this happens. One hopes not to die cruelly, but one expects to die anyway. Not death by machete, one hopes, but with a bullet. If you were willing to pay for it, you could often ask for a bullet. Death was more or less normal, a resignation. You lose the will to fight. There were four thousand Tutsis killed here at Kacyiru”—a neighborhood of Kigali. “The soldiers brought them here, and told them to sit down because they were going to throw grenades. And they sat.
“Rwandan culture is a culture of fear,” Nkongoli went on. “I remember what people said.” He adopted a piping voice, and his face took on a look of disgust. “ ‘Just let us pray, then kill us,’ or ‘I don’t want to die in the street, I want to die at home.’ ” He resumed his normal voice. “When you’re that resigned and oppressed, you’re already dead. It shows the genocide was prepared for too long. I detest this fear. These victims of genocide were being killed for so long that they were already dead.”
I reminded Nkongoli that, for all his hatred of fear, he’d said he had accepted death before he left. “Yes,” he said. “I got tired in the genocide. You struggle so long, then you get tired.”
Every Rwandan I spoke with seemed to have a favorite unanswerable question. For Nkongoli, it was how so many Tutsis had allowed themselves to be killed. For François-Xavier Nkurunziza, a Kigali lawyer of mixed ethnicity, the question was how so many Hutus had allowed themselves to kill. Nkurunziza, who was a Hutu by law and is married to a Tutsi, lost many family members last year. “Conformity is very deep, very developed here,” he told me. “In Rwandan history, everyone obeys authority. People revere power, and there isn’t enough education. You take a poor, ignorant population, and give them arms, and say, ‘It’s yours. Kill.’ They’ll obey. The peasants, who were paid or forced to kill, were looking up to people of higher socioeconomic standing to see how to behave. So the people of influence, or the big financiers, are often the big men in the genocide. They may think that they didn’t kill, because they didn’t take life with their own hands, but the people were looking to them for their orders. And in Rwanda an order can be given very quietly.”
As I travelled around the country, collecting accounts of the killing, it almost seemed as if, with the machete, the nail-studded club, a few well-placed grenades, and a few bursts of automatic-rifle fire, the quiet orders of Hutu Power had made the neutron bomb obsolete. Then I came across a man in a market butchering a cow with a machete, and I saw that it was hard work. His big, precise strokes made a sharp hacking noise, and it took many hacks—two, three, four, five hard hacks—to chop through the cow’s leg. How many hacks to dismember a person?
At Nyarubuye, in the province of Kibungo, near the Tanzanian border, more than a thousand Tutsis were rounded up in the church, and hundreds of bodies had been left where they were found, for commemorative purposes: tangled skeletons with weather-greened skin and flowered clothing patched over them; lone skulls in the grass; a pelvis with a sneaker stuck in it; and a lower jaw attached to a neck and torso with the rest of the head gone. The killers at Nyarubuye killed with machetes all day, and at night they hobbled the survivors by severing their Achilles tendons; then they went off to eat and sleep, and returned in the morning to kill again. When the operation was finished, even the little terra-cotta statues in the sacristy had been methodically decapitated. “They were associated with Tutsis,” the R.P.F. sergeant who showed me around the site explained.
The killers at Nyarubuye “had become mad,” the sergeant said. “They weren’t human beings anymore.” But Dr. Richard Mollica, the director of Harvard’s Program in Refugee Trauma, believes that mass political violence cannot simply be written off as madness. “It is one of the great human questions,” he told me. “Why, in these situations, is there always the extra sadism to achieve the political goal? You achieve your political power, why do you have to flay some guy alive like a piece of lox and then hang him out to suffocate in the sun? What does a guy get from raping a woman? One five-minute rape can destroy an entire family for a generation. Five minutes. Now we’re talking about a whole country, and my opinion is that the psychology of young people is not that complicated, and most of the people who commit atrocities in most of these situations are young males. Young males are really the most dangerous people on the planet, because they easily respond to authority and they want approval. They are given the rewards for getting into the hierarchical system, and they’re given to believe they’re building heaven on earth. In most atrocities, there’s a big utopian dream—a cleaner society, or purer society. Young people are very idealistic, and the powers prey on the young people by appealing to their more idealistic nature.”
Mollica also challenges the “presupposition in modern Western society that people who commit a murder will live to regret it or that it will sicken their lives.” He said, “I haven’t seen it, to tell you the truth.” In fact, he told me, “people who commit murder find it very easy to rationalize it and to come to terms with it,” and this is particularly so “when it’s being condoned by the state.”
Nobody knows how many Rwandans it took to butcher as many as a million of their countrymen in three months, and nobody could have known in advance how many would be needed. The people were the weapon, and that meant everybody: the entire Hutu population was called upon to kill the entire Tutsi population. In addition to insuring obvious numerical advantages, this arrangement eliminated any questions of accountability that might arise. If everybody is implicated, then implication becomes meaningless.
“In a war, you can’t be neutral,” Stanislas Mbonampeka told me. “If you’re not for your country, are you not for its attackers?” Mbonampeka, a large man with a calm, steady manner, is the Minister of Justice in the Rwandan government in exile, a self-appointed body culled largely from the deposed government that presided over the genocide. Mbonampeka was not in the government himself during the killing, but he operated informally as its agent; he pleaded its cause both at home and in Europe, to the surprise of those who remembered that in the early nineties he had been a prominent human-rights activist. In 1992, during a brief stint as Habyarimana’s Justice Minister, he even issued an arrest warrant against Léon Mugesera, a Hutu Power ideologue who had delivered a famous speech calling for the extermination of Tutsis.
“This was not a conventional war,” Mbonampeka told me last June, when I found him living a few miles from the Rwandan border, at the Protestant Guest House in Goma, Zaire. “The enemies were everywhere.” I asked him if what he called civil defense was what the United Nations calls genocide. “It wasn’t genocide,” he told me. “Personally, I don’t believe in the genocide. There were massacres within which there were crimes against humanity or crimes of war. But the Tutsis were not killed as Tutsis, only as sympathizers of the R.P.F.” In fact, Mbonampeka said, “ninety-nine per cent of Tutsis were pro-R.P.F. There was no difference between the ethnic and the political.” Even the women and children? “Think about it,” he said. “When the Germans attacked France, France defended itself against Germany. They understood that all Germans were the enemy. The Germans killed women and children, so you do, too.”
I had seen Mbonampeka’s name on a list, produced by the government in Kigali, of four hundred and fourteen “suspected commanders, organizers and authors of genocide.” He did not seem concerned about the prospect of indictment. Even if the international tribunal condemns the leaders of Hutu Power, Mbonampeka said that “those who are condemned will remain heroes, because they saved their people. If not for them, we would be dead.”
In the famous story, the older brother, Cain, was a cultivator, and Abel, the younger, was a herdsman. They made their offerings to God—Cain from his crops, Abel from his herds. Abel’s portion won God’s regard, Cain’s did not. So Cain killed Abel.
Rwanda’s first inhabitants were cave-dwelling Pygmies, whose descendants today are the Twa people, a disenfranchised group who make up less than one per cent of the population. Hutus and Tutsis came later, but their origins and the order of their immigrations are not accurately known. While convention holds that Hutus are a Bantu people, who settled Rwanda first, and Tutsis are a Nilotic people, who migrated from Ethiopia, these theories draw more on legend than on documentable fact. With time, Hutus and Tutsis spoke the same language, intermarried, followed the same religion, and shared the same social and political structure of small chiefdoms. Some chiefs were Hutus, some were Tutsis; Hutus and Tutsis fought together in the chiefs’ armies; through marriage and clientage, Hutus could become hereditary Tutsis, and Tutsis could become hereditary Hutus. Because of all this mixing, ethnographers and historians agree that Hutus and Tutsis cannot properly be called distinct ethnic groups.
Still, the names Hutu and Tutsi stuck. They had meaning, and though there is no general agreement about what word best describes that meaning—“classes,” “castes,” and “ranks” are favorites—the source of the distinction is undisputed: Hutus were cultivators, and Tutsis were herdsmen. This was the original inequality: cattle are a more valuable asset than produce, and the name Tutsi became widely synonymous with the political and economic élite. The stratification was accelerated after 1860, when the Mwami Kigeri Rwabugiri, a Tutsi king, launched a series of military and political campaigns to centralize his authority and extend it over most of the country. According to the American historian Alison Des Forges, a consultant for Human Rights Watch/Africa, Tutsi élitism in the late nineteenth century derived more from financial and martial power than from racial identity. The new élite had “a sense of its own superiority,” Des Forges writes, and then asks, “But has there ever been an élite that did not?”
Within the jumble of Rwandan racial, or tribal, characteristics, the question of appearances is particularly touchy—last year, it often meant life or death—but nobody denies that there are physical archetypes: for Hutus, stocky and round-faced, dark-skinned, flat-nosed, thick-lipped, and square-jawed; for Tutsis, lanky and long-faced, light-skinned, narrow-nosed, thin-lipped, and narrow-chinned. Nature presents countless exceptions. (“You can’t tell us apart,” Laurent Nkongoli, the Vice-President of the National Assembly, told me. “We can’t tell us apart. I was on a bus in the north once, and because I was in the north, where they”—Hutus—“were, and because I ate corn, which they eat, they said, ‘He’s one of us.’ But I’m a Tutsi from Butare.”) Still, when the Europeans arrived in Rwanda at the end of the nineteenth century, they formed a picture of a stately race of warrior kings, surrounded by herds of long-horned cattle, and a subordinate race of short, dark peasants, hoeing tubers and picking bananas. The white men assumed that this was the tradition of the place, and they thought it a natural arrangement.
“Race science” was all the rage in Europe in those days, and for students of Central Africa the key doctrine was the so-called Hamitic hypothesis, propounded by John Hanning Speke, the Nile explorer. Speke’s idea was that all culture and civilization in the region had been introduced by the taller, fairer people, whom he declared a Caucasoid tribe of Ethiopian origin, and therefore a race superior to the native Negroids. Speke had never been to Rwanda—no white man had until 1894; even the slave traders had passed the place by—but the Germans and Belgians who colonized the country took him at his word.
In 1897, two years after Rwabugiri’s death, the Germans instituted a policy of indirect rule, which harnessed Tutsi chiefs as puppets and as feudal lords to the Hutus. The Belgians took over after the First World War, and, working in collaboration with the Catholic Church, proceeded to further dismantle local structures of Hutu autonomy. Then, in 1933-34, the Belgians conducted a census in order to issue identity cards, which labelled every Rwandan as either Hutu (eighty-five per cent) or Tutsi (fourteen per cent) or Twa (one per cent). The identity cards made it virtually impossible for Hutus to become Tutsis, and allowed the Belgians to perfect the administration of an apartheid system that perpetuated the myth of Tutsi superiority.
So the offering of the Tutsi herdsmen found favor in the eyes of the colonial lords, and the offering of the Hutu cultivators did not. While the great majority of Hutus and Tutsis still maintained their customary relations, Alison Des Forges writes, “extremist Tutsis, encouraged by European admiration and influenced by the amalgam of myth and pseudo-anthropology, moved from élitism to racism,” and there developed simultaneously “a corresponding and equally virulent formulation on the part of extremist Hutus.” Tribalism begets tribalism, and, as the mood in Africa moved toward independence and majority rule, the Hutu Power movement began to emerge. In 1959, when violence erupted, the Belgians went with the tide, backing the Hutu revolutionaries as they themselves prepared to depart.
Rwanda’s first President was Grégoire Kayibanda, inaugurated in 1962, and by the time General Juvénal Habyarimana ousted him, in 1973, the power struggle had become an internal affair of the Hutu élite, much like feuds among royal Tutsi clans had in the past. Rwanda’s revolutionaries had become what V. S. Naipaul calls postcolonial “mimic men,” who reproduce the abuses against which they rebelled, while ignoring the fact that their past-masters were ultimately banished by those they enchained. (France quickly drew Rwanda into its neo-colonial sphere of influence in Francophone Africa. When the R.P.F. attacked in 1990, France sent arms and also troops to fight alongside the Rwandan Army. After Habyarimana’s death, the French continued to support his Hutu Power successors, providing arms, refuge, and diplomatic support throughout the genocide—support that followed them into exile. On the eve of the R.P.F. victory in late June of 1994, when France launched a “humanitarian” military operation into Rwanda from Zaire to assist its routed friends, interahamwe bands greeted the French soldiers with a sign proclaiming, “Welcome French Hutus.”)
By 1990, the Tutsi diaspora, which began in the aftermath of the Hutu Power revolution, had become the largest and longest-standing unresolved refugee problem in Africa. But Habyarimana, citing Rwanda’s chronic overpopulation, maintained that there wasn’t room for the Tutsis to come home. Ninety-five per cent of Rwanda’s land was under cultivation, and the average family consisted of eight people living as subsistence farmers on less than half an acre. In 1986, Habyarimana had declared that Rwanda was full; end of discussion. The Rwandese Patriotic Front was founded the next year in Uganda, as a secret fraternity of Tutsi refugees who had become officers in the Ugandan Army. The R.P.F. formed itself against Habyarimana, just as Hutu Power had been formed in his image.
In October, 1990, the R.P.F. attacked Rwanda, demanding an end to tyranny and exclusion. The invasion came at a sensitive moment for Hutu Power: earlier in the year, Habyarimana, facing domestic political and economic crises, had adopted reforms that allowed for a host of opposition parties to spring up. For a time, the political scuffling was mostly an intra-Hutu affair, but then the R.P.F. offered Hutu Power its best weapon yet against the menace of pluralism: the unifying spectre of a common enemy. Three days after the R.P.F. attacked, the Rwandan Army staged a fake assault on Kigali, and the government, blaming infiltrators and accomplices, began arresting Tutsis and Hutu oppositionists en masse. A week later, Hutu officials in Kibilira were instructed to kill Tutsis as part of their communal work obligation; three hundred and fifty Tutsis died in what can be seen as the first massacre of the genocide. The widely circulated “Hutu Ten Commandments,” published in the newspaper Kangura shortly after the R.P.F. invasion, urged vigilance against the accomplices on all fronts—sex, business, and affairs of state. “The Hutus should stop having mercy on the Tutsis,” the eighth commandment went.
“We the people are obliged to take responsibility ourselves and wipe out this scum,” Habyarimana’s good friend Léon Mugesera explained in his celebrated 1992 speech. “No matter what you do, do not let them get away.” Invoking the Hamitic hypothesis that Tutsis came from Ethiopia, Mugesera advised that they should be sent back there, by way of the Nyabarongo River, which ultimately feeds into the Nile. His message was understood; last year, tens of thousands of dead Tutsis were dumped in Rwanda’s rivers.
Genesis identifies the first murder as a fratricide. The motive is political—the elimination of a perceived rival. When God asks what happened, Cain offers his notoriously guileless lie: “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” The shock in the story is not the murder, which begins and ends in one sentence, but Cain’s shamelessness and the leniency of God’s punishment. For killing his brother, Cain is condemned to a life as “a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” When he protests, “Whoever finds me will slay me,” God says, “Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” Quite literally, Cain gets away with murder; he even receives special protection. As the legend indicates, this blood-revenge model of justice was not viable. People soon became so craven that “the earth was filled with violence,” and God regretted his creation so much that he erased it with a flood. In the new age that followed, law would eventually emerge as the principle of social order. But that was many fratricidal struggles later.
THERE’S NO POL POT HERE
Rwanda’s most wanted are too numerous to track.
In criminal syndicates like the Mafia, a person who has become invested in the logic of the gang is said to be owned by it. This concept is organic to Rwanda’s traditional social, political, and economic structures, which have been organized since precolonial times in tight pyramids of patron-client relationships. Every hill has its chief, every chief has his deputies and his sub-bosses; and the pecking order runs from the smallest social cell to the highest central authority. Rwanda’s postcolonial civil bureaucracy followed the pattern with famous efficiency, and at the top sat the Hutu Power oligarchy, composed in later years largely of President Habyarimana, his extended family, and assorted business, political, and military cronies. Looking back in the wake of the genocide, Alison Des Forges writes that far from being “part of the ‘failed state’ syndrome that appears to plague some parts of Africa, Rwanda was too successful as a state.” But if Hutu Power essentially owned Rwanda, who owned Hutu Power? Habyarimana was its chief patron, and after his assassination no single figure emerged to assume his stature.
Habyarimana’s assassins have never been positively identified, but at the moment the bulk of circumstantial evidence collected by international investigators points to a job sponsored by members of the Hutu Power entourage. Immediately after the Presidential plane was shot down, the Rwandan Army sealed off the area around Kigali Airport, from which the surface-to-air missiles that hit the plane had been fired, thus preventing an investigation by the U.N. and adding to speculation that top Rwandan officers had something to hide. Leaders of the Hutu population in exile still insist that the R.P.F. fired the missiles. “The R.P.F. started last year’s hostilities with the death of the President,” Stanislas Mbonampeka, the Minister of Justice in exile, told me. “That’s the key to everything.” But he acknowledged that the affair remains a mystery. “Whoever did that are the ones truly responsible for the situation in Rwanda. If it was the entourage of the President, that would change everything for us.”
Regardless of who killed Habyarimana, the fact remains that the organizers of the massacres were primed to exploit his death instantaneously. The Rwandan genocide, however, does not have a signal signature—a Hitler, a Pol Pot, a Stalin. The list of Rwanda’s most wanted is a hodgepodge of Hutu Power bosses, military officers, businessmen, mayors, journalists, civil-service functionaries, teachers, taxi-drivers, shopkeepers, and untitled hatchet men—dizzying to keep track of and impossible to rank in any precise hierarchy. Some were said to have given orders—loudly or quietly—and others to have followed orders, but what emerges is the picture of a society run according to a plan that had been conceived to look planless. (While Rwanda’s military and political élite spent the night of the assassination cranking up the genocidal engines, in Burundi, whose President had also been killed, the military and the United Nations worked for calm, and this time Burundi did not explode.)
Habyarimana’s death consolidated the Hutu Power leaders and their followers as he had never been able to do in life. No longer the traitor who had made peace with the R.P.F., the martyred leader became the patron saint of the genocide. Rwanda is predominantly Catholic, and five weeks after the President’s death Radio Rwanda reported that a renowned local visionary had had a colloquy with the Virgin Mary, in which the Virgin indicated that Habyarimana was with her in Heaven, and that she approved the killing of Tutsis.
Three days after Habyarimana’s assassination, Théodore Sindikubwabo, a pediatrician who was also the speaker of the Assembly at the time, was installed as President by the military. Sindikubwabo is from Butare, where he lived in a large villa. Although many of his former patients were killed last year, I met several survivors who recalled him from their childhoods, and they told me that he was a good doctor.
At the outbreak of the killings, Butare was the only district in Rwanda with a Tutsi prefect. While leaders elsewhere rallied their constituencies to massacre, this prefect, Jean-Baptiste Habyalimana, urged restraint. His example illustrates the power that authority figures exercised over Rwanda’s population. For the first twelve days of the killing, Butare was calm, and Tutsis fleeing massacres elsewhere flocked to the district. Then Sindikubwabo visited Butare. He fired the prefect (who was subsequently killed) and held a rally. The next day, soldiers of the Presidential Guard were flown in, buses and trucks carrying militia and arms arrived, and the slaughter began. Some of the most extensive massacres of the genocide occurred in Butare: in just two or three weeks, at least twenty thousand Tutsis were killed in Cyahinda Parish, and at least thirty-five thousand in Karama Parish.
Sindikubwabo’s old villa in Butare has since been smashed into a heap of stones, but he has a new one, in an exclusive enclave of Bukavu, Zaire, where he lives as President in exile. The property commands a stunning view of the hills of Rwanda across Lake Kivu. Two black Rwandan-government Mercedes sedans stood in the drive when I stopped by, on a May morning, and a man at the gate introduced himself as Sindikubwabo’s chief of protocol. He said that the press was always welcome, because the world must know that Hutus were Rwanda’s true victims. “Look at us in exile,” he said. Then he volunteered the opinion that Sindikubwabo is an innocent man, and asked me whether I believed in the idea of innocence until guilt is proved. I said I didn’t know that Sindikubwabo had been charged with any crimes in any courts of law, and he told me that all Rwandan refugees were waiting for the judgment of the international tribunal. But, he asked, “Who is this tribunal? Who is influencing them? Who are they serving? Are they interested in the truth or only in avoiding reality?”
The chief of protocol told me to wait where I was, and after a while André Nkurunziza, Sindikubwabo’s press attaché, took his place. Nkurunziza wanted to brief me before I talked to Sindikubwabo. “This is a government hurt by a media conspiracy that labels it a government of genocide,” he said. “But these are not people who killed anyone. We hear them called planners, but these are only rumors planted by Kigali. Even you, when you go to Kigali, they could pay you money to write what they want.” He put out a hand to touch my forearm soothingly. “I don’t say that they did pay you. It’s just an example.”
Eventually, I was taken in to Sindikubwabo, who sat in his modestly furnished living room. He had a strikingly asymmetrical face, divided by a thick scar that drew his mouth up in a diagonal sneer. When I said that he was often mentioned as a chief instigator of the massacres in Butare, and asked what he could tell me about that, he gave a dry, breathy chuckle.
“The moment has not yet come to say who is guilty and who is not guilty,” he said. “The R.P.F. can bring accusations against it doesn’t matter whom, and they can formulate these accusations it doesn’t matter how—reassembling, stitching together, making a montage of the witnesses.” His face began to twitch around his scar. “This becomes a bit of comedy that will be sorted out before the tribunal. I come from Butare, and I know what I said in Butare, and the people of Butare also know what I said.”
But he refused to tell me what he had said. “If the mayors of Butare affirm that the massacres began under my order, they are responsible, because it was their responsibility to maintain order,” Sindikubwabo said. “If they interpreted my message as a command, they executed a command against my words.” I said I wondered why he didn’t correct them, since he was the President and a doctor, and hundreds of thousands of people had been killed in his country. He said that if the time came he would answer that question in court.
A portrait of President Habyarimana hung behind Sindikubwabo. The dead leader—buttoned up in military dress and draped with braid—looked much happier than the exiled leader, and it seemed to me that as a dead man he did have the happier position. To his people, Habyarimana was the true President—many Hutus in the refugee camps of Zaire, Tanzania, and Burundi told me so—whereas Sindikubwabo was regarded as a nobody. “He is President of nothing,” several refugees said—a man who had filled the job opening for only a brief, unfortunate moment. Now he was spurned by the world and could do his people no good. To his enemies, too, Sindikubwabo was a nobody; R.P.F. leaders and genocide survivors saw him as an attendant lord, plucked from the lower echelons of Hutu Power at the moment of crisis precisely because he had no standing and seemed content to play the puppet. As for Habyarimana, he was still despised by his enemies, for they believed that the genocide was committed not only in his name but in his spirit, and, perhaps (aside from his assassination), even by his design.
Sitting with Sindikubwabo as he offered what sounded like a dry run of the defense he was preparing, I had the impression that he almost yearned to be indicted, even apprehended, in order to have a final hour in the spotlight, and I realized that Habyarimana still owned Hutu Power. The wild gamble of the genocide—that his death would bring his people to life—had backfired. Leaderless, the people had run amok; that had been the plan. But with no single commander to run the show, the twin demands of completing the extermination and repelling the R.P.F. had proved too much for the genocidal clique. As the Hutu Power leaders changed their message to the masses from an order to kill in self-defense to an order to flee for their lives, more than two million Hutus, many of whom had demonstrated their readiness to kill, abandoned their country before a rebel army of some thirty thousand.
The obvious question would seem to be: What had gone wrong? But the genocidal movement had been billed from the start as a resistance to Tutsi aggression. By starting the war, the line went, the R.P.F. had invited the genocide. In yielding Rwanda to the R.P.F., the Hutu Power leaders could retain control of the mobs on whom they depended, and say that their fears were justified.
“You have to transport yourself into the twenty-first century and wonder what all this will look like,” says Jacques Franquin, a Belgian, who had been a field officer of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Ngara, Tanzania, since the first Hutu refugees flooded over the border, in June of 1994. “In fifty or sixty years, what will we say? Probably that the influx of refugees was organized, that they came because they knew there would be some relief while they reorganized themselves.”
By contrast, the Harvard psychiatrist Richard Mollica says, “In Rwanda, the new government is being demonized now. It’s just fascinating how the perpetrators become the victims.”
Since the R.P.F. came to power in July of 1994, and installed what it called a Broad Based Government of National Unity, some eight hundred thousand diaspora Tutsis (with one million cows) have returned to Rwanda—roughly a one-to-one replacement of the dead. The R.P.F. had never really expected to win Rwanda on the battlefield, and the irony is not lost on Rwanda’s new leaders that the genocide actually handed them more power. Yet, even so, they cannot properly declare victory. The enemy wasn’t defeated; it just ran away, and the country it left behind was so ravaged and divided that it was guaranteed to present its new rulers with temptations to extremism and revenge.
The new government included a Hutu President and a Hutu Prime Minister. Hutu Power leaders in exile proclaimed the Hutus in the government to be puppets, since the R.P.F.’s military, renamed the Rwandese Patriotic Army (R.P.A.), and now at a strength of forty thousand men, still remained under Tutsi control. When the government abolished the despised system of ethnic-identity cards, which had served as death tickets for Tutsis during the genocide, Hutu Power leaders pointed out that Tutsis, and especially R.P.A. soldiers, seemed to have no problem identifying Hutus for the revenge killings that were reported to be taking place in Rwanda on a daily basis, or for arrest as suspected participants in the genocide.
“This gang made a genocide, then they say Hutu-Tutsi, Hutu-Tutsi, and everything is a genocide to them,” Major General Paul Kagame, an R.P.F. leader who is now Vice-President and Minister of Defense, told me. “I’m saying we have problems. I’m saying things are ugly. But if we take everything to mean the same, then we are making a mistake.”
The ugliest killing since the genocide ended took place in late April of this year, when R.P.A. soldiers began slaughtering Hutus at a camp for internally displaced people in the village of Kibeho, in southern Rwanda. The Kibeho camp was the last of several camps that together had held about four hundred thousand Hutus who fled their homes at the end of the genocide but hadn’t made it into exile. The other camps had been closed, and their occupants sent back to their villages, with a minimum of chaos. But at Kibeho the closing operation went awry, and, after a five-day standoff, eighty thousand Hutus surged toward the R.P.A. soldiers. The soldiers responded by firing for hours into the stampeding crowd. The R.P.A.’s conduct was unrestrained; in addition to machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and at least one mortar were fired. Eyewitnesses from the United Nations and international relief agencies counted between two thousand and four thousand bodies—many of people trampled to death in the stampede. But the numbers were only estimates; the thickness of bodies on the ground in some places made it impossible to navigate the camp, and the R.P.A. obstructed access. The Rwandan government put the body count at three hundred and thirty-four. An international commission of inquiry on Kibeho, convened by the Rwandan government, established that the killings resulted from a failure of the R.P.A. command structure rather than from design, and the Rwandan government has said that a high-ranking R.P.A. officer has been jailed and is facing court-martial for his role at Kibeho.
The wholesale killing at Kibeho placed Rwanda on the world’s front pages again, and it played as the usual story: the tribe in power slaughtering the disempowered tribe. The massacre was just what the Hutu Power forces in exile had been waiting for—proof positive, their pamphleteers declared, that the R.P.F. was Rwanda’s true genocidal aggressor. Kibeho also dealt a blow to the confidence of foreign observers who had been well disposed toward Rwanda’s new regime. In Butare, Fery Aalam, a Swiss delegate of the Red Cross, who had been in Rwanda throughout the killings, told me, “Last year, when nobody in the world tried to stop the genocide, and I saw the first R.P.F. officer coming to liberate Rwanda, these guys were heroes—I went straight to shake his hand. After Kibeho, I don’t know if I’d put out my hand first.”
At the time I arrived in Rwanda, in May, at least thirty-three thousand men, women, and children had been arrested for alleged participation in genocide. By the time I left, in August, the number had climbed to forty thousand. Today, there are sixty thousand prisoners, the great majority of whom are packed into thirteen central prisons built to house twelve thousand.
Rwanda’s prisons have no guards, and only a few soldiers outside the gates—both the prisoners and the soldiers are considered safer this way—and although nearly all the inmates are alleged murderers, fights are said to be rare and killings unheard of. The prisons have not elicited favorable press. They are widely viewed as a human-rights catastrophe, and since my visit access has been limited.
The prisoners are generally calm and orderly. They greet visitors amiably, often with smiles and hands extended for a shake. In the women’s block at the central prison of Kigali, three hundred and forty women lay about, barely clad in the stuffy heat; babies crawled underfoot; and two inmate nuns in crisp white habits conducted a prayer service in a corner. In the Butare prison, old men stood in the yard in a downpour with bits of plastic over their heads, while young boys were scrunched together in a cell, singing a chorus of “Alouette.” In the men’s block of the Kigali prison, I was conducted past acrobatic and choral groups, three men reading “Tintin,” and a scout troop by the captain of the prisoners and his adjutant, who wielded a short baton to clear a path through the throng of prisoners, squatting at our feet. The captain kept calling out, “Here’s a journalist from the United States,” and the huddled men clapped. It occurred to me that this was the famous mob mentality of blind obedience to authority which is often described in attempts to explain genocide.
Between visits to prisons, I stopped by to see General Kagame, at the Vice-President’s office in the Ministry of Defense. I was wondering why the government exposed itself to bad press about the prisons, and how he interpreted the prisoners’ apparent calm acceptance of their horrible conditions. Kagame, who cuts a Giacometti-like stick figure and is generally regarded as the most powerful man in the government, had a question of his own: “If a million people died here, who killed them?”
“A lot of people,” I said.
“Yes,” he said. “Have you found many that admit they participated?”
I hadn’t. Every prisoner I spoke with claimed to have been arbitrarily and unjustly arrested, and, in every case, the claim was entirely possible. I asked Kagame if it bothered him that there might be innocent people in jail. “Yeah,” he said. “But that was the way to deal with the situation. If we would have lost these people through revenge, that would have even been a bigger problem for us. I would rather address the problem of putting them in prison, because that is the best way to do it for the process of justice, and simply because I don’t want them out there, because people would actually kill them.”
In July, Rwanda’s National Commission of Triage—a sporadically functioning body charged with locating prisoners against whom the accusations seem insubstantial—ordered the release of Placide Koloni from the prison at Gitarama, an hour’s drive south of Kigali. Koloni, a Hutu, who had held the office of deputy prefect before, during, and after the genocide, had been arrested on February 15th. He was released on July 20th, and he returned to his office on July 24th. On the night of July 27th, a sentry in a U.N. brigade saw some men enter Koloni’s house. A scream was heard, and the house exploded in flames. Koloni, his wife and their two daughters, and a domestic were killed. A week later, a Hutu deputy prefect in Gikongoro, just west of Butare, was shot to death, and a Catholic priest in Kamonyi Parish, not far from Kigali, was also shot to death, and dumped in a banana field. It was a tense week in Rwanda, but only because the victims were prominent civic leaders; rumors and reports of at least a dozen killings circulate each week in the country. General Kagame, who never tired of pointing out that some four hundred R.P.A. soldiers were in military jails for such crimes (today, the number is seven hundred), told me that soldiers are not the only Rwandans frustrated to the point of criminality. “But given the situation you have here, ordinary crimes are not going to be looked at as ordinary crimes,” he said.
Kagame’s distinction offers little comfort to frightened Hutus, who live under a cloud of collective suspicion. “When we see they are killed, we’d rather be in here than out there,” a detainee told me at Gitarama prison, which last summer was known as Rwanda’s worst prison. More than six thousand men were packed in a space built for seven hundred and fifty. That meant four prisoners per square metre: night and day, the prisoners had to stand, or to sit between the legs of those who stood, and even in the dry season a scum of dampness, urine, and bits of dropped food covered the floor. The cramped prisoners’ feet and ankles, and sometimes their entire legs, swelled to two or three times normal size. They suffered from an atrophying of the swollen extremities, and from rot, and from assorted infections; hundreds had required amputations.
Lieutenant Colonel R. V. Blanchette, a United Nations military observer from Canada, told me in early July about his first visit to Gitarama prison. “I went down in the back with my flashlight,” he said, “and I saw this guy’s foot. I’d heard it was pretty bad in there, but this was quite ugly—very swollen, and his little toe was missing. I shined my flashlight up to his face, and he reached down and just snapped off the next toe.”
When I visited Gitarama prison a few weeks after Blanchette’s encounter, prisoners told me that conditions were much improved—that the Red Cross, which supplies the food for Rwanda’s central prisons, had installed duckboards and evacuated the worst medical cases. “We had eighty-six deaths in June, and in July only eighteen,” a doctor at the prison clinic told me. On the day of my visit, six thousand four hundred and twenty-four prisoners formed a solid-looking knot. As the assistant director of the prison led me in, the mass parted slightly to make a path. It was difficult to figure out how the people fitted together—which limbs went with which body, or why a head appeared to have grown three legs without a torso in between. Many of the feet were badly swollen. The bodies were clad in rags.
Pressing through the throng, I received the usual welcoming smiles and handshakes. In the children’s cell, sixty-three boys, ranging in age from seven to sixteen, sat in rows on the floor, facing a blackboard where an older prisoner—a schoolteacher by profession—was conducting a lesson. They looked like schoolboys anywhere. I asked one why he was in prison. “They say I killed,” he replied. “I didn’t.” Other children gave the same answer, with downcast eyes, evasive, unconvincing. But who knows? Rwanda’s formal arrest procedures are rarely followed in the current emergency; it is generally enough for someone to point a finger and say, “Genocide.” Luc Côté, a lawyer from Montreal who was directing the Butare field office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, told me, “Most of the arrests are founded on some type of evidence,” which means that they may not be arbitrary even if they are technically incorrect.
Even if legal procedures were followed to the letter, it’s not clear what difference that would make, since Rwanda’s courts are closed, and no trials have been conducted or are currently planned. The government says it lacks the financial and human resources to open the courts—many of Rwanda’s lawyers are dead or in prison themselves. But nobody talks seriously about conducting sixty thousand murder trials in Rwanda. “It’s materially impossible to judge all those who participated in the massacres, and politically it’s no good, even though it’s just,” Tito Rutaremara, an R.P.F. genocide investigator, told me. “This was a true genocide, and the only correct response is true justice. But Rwanda has the death penalty, and that would mean a lot more killing.”
In other words, a true genocide and true justice are incompatible. Rwanda’s new leaders see their way around this problem by describing the genocide as a crime committed by masterminds and slave bodies. Neither party can be regarded as innocent, but if the crime is political, and if justice is to serve the political good, then the punishment has to draw a line that would sever the criminal minds from the criminal bodies. “Inherently, the people are not bad,” General Kagame told me. “But they can be made bad, and they can be taught to be good.” At a press conference, he explained that “long ago” Rwandan justice was conducted in village hearings, where fines were the preferred penalties. “The guy who made the crime can give some salt or something, and that can bring the people back together,” Kagame said.
Salt for genocide?
“When you speak of justice with our peasants, the big idea is compensation,” the lawyer François-Xavier Nkurunziza told me. “You can kill the man who committed genocide, but that’s not compensation—that’s only fear and anger. This is how our peasants think.”
Government leaders talk of public-works programs and political education; the key to reconstruction, they say, is for perpetrators to acknowledge that they have done wrong. In theory, Kigali’s proposed approach is similar to that of de-Nazification in postwar, and post-Nuremberg, Germany. But the justice at Nuremberg was brought by foreign conquerors, and de-Nazification in Germany was conceived with the understanding that the group that had been killed would never again have to live side by side with the killers. Rwanda offers no such tidy arrangement. “Right now, if you were to give an amnesty you would be inviting chaos,” said Charles Murigande, the chairman of Rwanda’s Presidential Commission on Accountability for the Genocide. “But, if we could put our hands on the leaders, even an amnesty would be very well received.”
That is a very big “if.” Shortly after the genocide, in the summer of 1994, the Rwandan government appealed to the United Nations for help in apprehending the authors of the genocide who had fled into exile. The U.N. responded by creating the International Tribunal for Rwanda, which is essentially a satellite of the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal. “We asked for help to catch these people who ran away, and to try them properly in our own courts,” a Rwandan diplomat told me. “And the Security Council just started writing ‘Rwanda’ in under the name ‘Yugoslavia’ everywhere.” The Rwanda tribunal is understaffed and its funding has been slow in coming. The fact that it is only now promising to indict a few fugitives is regarded in Kigali as proof not that the system is working but that it is not serious.
The majority of the genocidal fugitives live in Zaire and Kenya—states whose leaders, Mobutu Sese Seko and Daniel arap Moi, were intimates of Habyarimana and today often play host to his widow in their palaces. Habyarimana’s remains are buried on the grounds of one of Mobutu’s estates. The old-boy club of African strongmen protects its own, and seems eager to demonstrate that the notion of international law is spineless and an affront to sovereignty. In June, when I asked Honoré Rakotomanana, a Madagascan who is the Rwanda tribunal’s deputy prosecutor, how he expected to extradite anybody from Zaire or Kenya, he said, “There are international treaties to which those countries are signatories. Those are the instruments by which we operate.” In early October, however, President Moi assailed the tribunal as a “haphazard process,” and announced, “I shall not allow any one of them to enter Kenya to serve summonses and look for people here. No way. If any such characters come here, they will be arrested. We must respect ourselves. We must not be harassed.”
Kenya has since made conciliatory noises, but even if a genocidal leader were handed over to the tribunal it is unlikely that Rwandan leaders would stand up and cheer. The tribunal has no power to recommend a death penalty, and Tito Rutaremara told me, “It doesn’t fit our definition of justice to think of the authors of the Rwandan genocide sitting in a Swedish prison with a television and tout confort.” According to General Kagame, when Rwanda protested that the tribunal should carry the death penalty, out of respect for Rwanda’s laws, the United Nations advised Rwanda to abolish its death penalty. To abolish the death penalty after the genocide “seems cynical,” General Kagame said at a press conference.
A CONFUSED REACTION
What is a humanitarian response to genocide?
Shortly after my conversation with Kagame, I ran into an American military-intelligence officer, who was having a supper of Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola at a Kigali bar. “I hear you’re interested in genocide,” he said. “Do you know what genocide is?”
I asked him to tell me.
“A cheese sandwich,” he said. “Write it down. Genocide is a cheese sandwich.”
I asked him how he figured that.
“What does anyone care about a year-old cheese sandwich?” he said. “Genocide, genocide, genocide. Cheese sandwich, cheese sandwich, cheese sandwich. Who gives a shit? Crimes against humanity—where’s humanity? Who’s humanity? You? Me? Did you see a crime committed against you? Hey, just a million Rwandans. Did you ever hear about the Genocide Convention?”
I said I had. It was passed by the United Nations in 1948, in the days after Nuremberg; it has been ratified by scores of countries; and it says that they will all undertake to prevent and punish genocide if it should ever happen again. “That convention,” the American at the bar said, “makes a nice wrapping for a cheese sandwich.”
For a time, in June, 1994, as the killing continued in Rwanda, the Clinton Administration instructed its officials to avoid calling it a genocide, although the possibility that “acts of genocide may have occurred” was acknowledged. “There are obligations which arise in connection with the use of the term [genocide],” Christine Shelly, a State Department spokeswoman, explained at the time. On April 21st of that year, two weeks after the slaughter of Tutsis began, General Roméo Dallaire, the Canadian commander of the U.N. force in Rwanda, had announced that he could end the genocide with between five thousand and eight thousand troops. Instead, the Security Council cut Dallaire’s existing force, of two thousand five hundred, to two hundred and seventy. Dallaire’s claim that vigorous intervention could have prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths is now widely held as obvious; a Western military source familiar with the region told me that a few thousand soldiers with tanks and big guns could have knocked out the radio, closed off Rwanda’s main roads, and shut down the genocide in one or two days.
Later, when United Nations and international relief agencies rushed in to wrestle with the humanitarian disasters that the genocide had created, they quickly discovered that there was nothing much to be done except bury the bodies. The crisis among the living was the crisis of the refugees, and the overwhelming portion of humanitarian assistance went to creating and sustaining the sprawling network of camps for fleeing Hutus in Zaire, Tanzania, and Burundi.
John Keys, an American who ran the Kigali office of the American Refugee Committee, a private relief organization, had previously worked in the camps in Goma, Zaire, where he had felt deeply compromised. Many of those camps were controlled by interahamwe bands, and it had distressed Keys to find himself helping to support a genocidal political movement. “There’s a right and a wrong in this case,” he told me. “If neutrality is the ideal for the humanitarian community even in the face of genocide, then the humanitarian community has a lot of thinking to do.”
Jacques Franquin, of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, agrees that the Rwandan crisis is a political crisis that requires political solutions, but he did not believe that was a matter for humanitarian aid workers to concern themselves about. Franquin supervised camps that held more than five hundred thousand Rwandan Hutus, and he said he had no doubt that there were genocidal criminals among them. “But don’t ask me to sort them out,” he told me. “Don’t ask me to take the criminals out of the camps and put humanitarian workers in danger.”
Charles Murigande, of Rwanda’s accountability commission, told me, “The international tribunal was created essentially to appease the conscience of the international community, which has failed to live up to its conventions on genocide. It wants to look as if it were doing something, which is often worse than doing nothing at all.”
Murigande’s sentiment was prevalent among Rwanda’s leaders. “If the international community is coming, there’s no way you can stop it,” General Kagame told me. “But in the long run it creates a bigger problem, because room is created for a manipulation to make the genocide that took place here less and less visible as a very big crime that people should be hunted for and prosecuted for.”
Officials of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees say that ninety-five per cent of the Hutu refugees who have returned to their villages in Rwanda have done so without being arrested or attacked. As I toured the camps that ring Rwanda, however, every one of hundreds of refugees I spoke with told me precisely the opposite—that at least ninety-five per cent of those who returned had been killed or jailed.
Everywhere I went, inside Rwanda and in the border camps, to R.P.F. leaders and to Hutu Power leaders, to relief workers and to prisoners, I was told that there would be another war, and soon. At the end of October, the United Nations reported that armed forays into Rwanda by Hutu refugees from Zaire had increased. On November 7th, the Rwandan government announced that it had overrun a deeply entrenched Hutu military and militia camp on Iwawa Island, between Rwanda and Zaire, on Lake Kivu. The battle lasted several days. The Hutu forces, whose arsenal included antitank cannons and anti-aircraft guns and a large cache of high-tech antipersonnel mines, were described in wire-service dispatches as “Hutu rebels,” just as the R.P.F. used to be described as “Tutsi rebels.” In response to the escalation of military activity there and elsewhere, United Nations agencies began stockpiling food and other supplies to draw on in the event of vast population movements. But the U.N.’s role in Rwanda is more in doubt than ever; when the peacekeeping mandate expired on December 8th, the Rwandan government, which has regarded the blue helmets’ presence as an insult to its sovereignty, asked that it not be renewed, and Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said he would honor the request. President Mobutu of Zaire has been threatening, in an on-again, off-again way, to force more than a million Rwandan Hutus out of his country at the end of this year, and there is little doubt that if he chose to do so he could clear the camps. Last week, Kigali expelled dozens of relief agencies—mostly those with ties to France—and Burundi, which holds two hundred thousand Rwandan refugees, was torn by heavy fighting.
As I followed these developments from afar, I was struck once again by the simple tactical brilliance of the Hutu Power forces. A renewed war, after all, could easily force the genocide out of memory. Observers close to the Rwandan scene fear that a war could trigger reprisals against Hutus within Rwanda; prison massacres are a favorite scenario. And then who could talk of genocide? In a war of all against all, it is impossible to take sides, and the authors of the Rwandan genocide seem to have understood that what the so-called international community likes best is situations in which it can proclaim its neutrality.
“History is full of long wars,” Jacques Franquin told me. “That is how history is made. Now we have the humanitarian system and fast information, so we can stop people from killing each other—and good that we can. But what are we really doing? And where are we really going?”
Was the killing a prelude for worse to come?
The expectation that a new war could spark a regional conflict involving Zaire, Tanzania, and Burundi raises the prospect of bloodshed on a scale that would make last year’s horror seem a mere prelude. What makes this strange is that a new war would be a war about the genocide; for, while Hutu Power still seeks to make its crime a success by making it indistinguishable from the continuum of Rwandan history, the R.P.F. and the new government it leads depend on the genocide to justify their rule.
“This is a minority government, coming from a diaspora,” Fery Aalam, the Swiss Red Cross delegate, told me. “The genocide is the source of its credibility, and for the time being all political thinking is based on military logic, not on social or economic or humanitarian logic. It is like the military logic of Israel for a long time, and to a large extent, as with Israel, it’s justified.”
When I saw General Kagame, I asked him if Israel’s experience corresponded in any way with his own country’s. “Maybe in terms of persecution and exile,” he said. Kagame was born in Rwanda, but from the age of four until he forced his way into Kigali last year he lived in Uganda. “The whole world is now up in arms about these refugees, but for over thirty years we were refugees, and nobody talked about us. People forgot. They said, ‘Go to hell.’ It’s a question of rights. Do you deny that I belong to Rwanda, that I am a Rwandan?”
Kagame thumped the arm of his chair rhythmically. He was opening up a vein: resentment, the feeling of being an outcast, even in his big, Vice-Presidential office in Kigali. “We came here,” he said. “We took power, we overthrew the regime, we tried to do our best to bring the people of Rwanda together. But the others come and say, ‘Ah, the Tutsi-dominated government.’ ” He laughed. “I am sorry to define people by their ethnic background, that’s not my business and intention at all, but the President is Hutu, the Prime Minister is one—oh, but there is a Vice-President somewhere who is a Tutsi. So this is the man in charge.”
I said, “You won the war.”
“My business was to fight,” Kagame said. “I fought. The war is over. I said, ‘Let’s share power.’ If I weren’t sincere, I would have taken over everything.” His plea for understanding suddenly seemed to carry a threat. He said, “If I wanted to be a problem, I would actually be a problem. I don’t have to dance around weeping, you see.”
Not long after this conversation, I was approached in Kigali by a man who had long been privy to the workings of Rwandan power and was himself now in the government. He told me that he wanted to be completely honest about what was going on in the country, but on an anonymous basis. He was a Hutu, and travelled with a Kalashnikov-toting soldier in tow. “Listen,” he said. “Rwanda had a dictatorship, Rwanda had a genocide, and now Rwanda has a very serious threat on the borders. You don’t have to be R.P.F. to understand what that means. You don’t have to fall into the old thinking—that if you’re not with these guys you’re with those guys.” The man went on to explain at length his view that Rwandans cannot be trusted. “Foreigners cannot know this place,” he said. “We cheat. We repeat the same little things to you over and over and tell you nothing. Even among ourselves, we lie. We have a habit of secrecy and suspicion. You can stay a whole year and you will not know what Rwandans think or what they are doing.”
I told him that this didn’t fully surprise me, because I had the impression that Rwandans spoke two languages—not Kinyarwanda and French or English but one language among themselves and another with outsiders. By way of an example, I said that I had spoken with a Rwandan lawyer who had described the difficulty of integrating his European training into his Rwandan practice. He loved the Cartesian, Napoleonic legal system, on which Rwanda’s is modelled, but he said that it didn’t correspond to Rwandan reality, which was for him an equally complete system of thought. By the same token, when this lawyer spoke with me about Rwanda, he used a language quite different from the language he would speak with fellow-Rwandans.
“You talk about this,” my visitor said, “and at the same time you say, ‘A lawyer told me such-and-such.’ A Rwandan would never tell you what someone else said, and, normally, when you told a Rwandan what you had heard from somebody he would immediately change the rhythm of his speech and close himself off to you. He would be on his guard.” He looked up and studied me for a moment. “You Westerners are so honest,” he said. He seemed depressed by the notion.
“I’m telling you,” he said. “Rwandans are petty.” I wasn’t sure of the French word that he used for “petty,” which was mesquin. When I asked him to explain it, he described someone who sounded remarkably like Iago—a confidence man, a cheater and betrayer and liar, who tries to tell everyone what he imagines they want to hear in order to maintain his own game and get what he is after. Colonel Doctor Joseph Karemera, a founding officer of the R.P.F. who is now Rwanda’s Minister of Health, told me that there is a Rwandan word for such behavior. Having described the legacy of thirty-four years of Hutu Power dictatorship as “a very bad mentality,” Karemera said, “In Kinyarwanda we call it ikinamucho—that if you want to do something you are deceitful and not straight. For example, you can come to kill me”—he clutched his throat—“and your mission is successful, but then you cry. That is ikinamucho.”
My visitor liked the word mesquin. He used it repeatedly. I remarked that he didn’t seem to have a very high opinion of his people. “I’m trying to tell you about them without lying,” he said.
A few days before I was to leave Kigali, I ran into Edmond Mrugamba, a man I had come to know around town, and he invited me to join him for a visit to a latrine into which his sister and her family had been thrown during the genocide. He had mentioned the story before, and I remembered that he made a sound—“tcha, tcha, tcha”—and chopped his hand in the air to describe his sister’s killing.
Edmond drove a Mercedes, one of the few still left in Rwanda, and he was wearing a faded denim shirt and jeans and black cowboy boots. He used to work for a German firm, and his wife was German; she had remained in Berlin with their children after the genocide. As we drove, in the direction of the airport, Edmond told me that he was a well-travelled man, and that after many trips in East Africa and in Europe he had always felt that Rwandans were the nicest, most decent people in the world. Edmond spoke quietly, with great intensity, and his face was expressive in a subtle, wincing way. He had never imagined the ugliness, the meanness—“the disease,” he said—that had afflicted Rwanda, and he could not understand how it could have been so well masked.
Near the outskirts of Kigali, we turned onto a red dirt track that descended between high reed fences surrounding modest homes. A blue metal gate leading to his sister’s house stood open. The yard was crackly dry bush strewn with rubble. A family of squatters—Tutsis just returned from Burundi—sat in the living room, playing Scrabble. Edmond ignored them. He led me around the side of the house, to a stand of dried-out banana plants. There were two holes in the ground, about a foot apart and three feet in diameter—neat, deep, machine-dug wells. Edmond grabbed hold of a bush, leaned out over the holes, and said, “You can see the tibias.” I did as he did, and saw the bones.
“Fourteen metres deep,” Edmond said. He told me that his brother-in-law had been a religious man, and on the twelfth of April last year, when the interahamwe came to his house, he had prevailed upon the killers to let him pray. After his prayers, Edmond’s brother-in-law told the militiamen that he didn’t want his family dismembered, so they invited him to throw his children down the latrine wells alive, and he did. Then Edmond’s sister and his brother-in-law were thrown in on top.
Edmond took his camera out of a plastic bag and photographed the holes. “People come to Rwanda and talk of reconciliation,” he said. “It’s offensive. Imagine talking to Jews of reconciliation in 1946. Maybe in a long time, but it’s a private matter.” He reminded me that he had lost a brother as well as his sister and her family. Then he told me that he knew who his brother’s killer was, and that he sometimes saw the man around Kigali.
“I’d like to talk to him,” Edmond said. “I want him to explain to me what this thing was, how he could do this thing. My surviving sister said, ‘Let’s denounce him.’ I saw what was happening—a wave of arrests all at once—and I said, ‘What good is prison, if he doesn’t feel what I feel? Let him live in fear.’ When the time is right, I want to make him understand that I’m not asking for his arrest but for him to live forever with what he has done. I’m asking for him to think about it for the rest of his life. It’s a kind of psychological torture.”
Edmond had thought of himself as a Rwandan—he identified his spirit with that of his people—but after the genocide he had lost that mooring. Now, to prove himself his brother’s keeper, he wanted to fix his brother’s killer with the mark of Cain. I couldn’t help thinking how well Cain had prospered: he founded the first city, and, though we don’t like to talk about it all that much, we are all his children. ♦ | <urn:uuid:a0922cf6-ec4f-41c6-bb09-222d3a7172fd> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1995/12/18/after-the-genocide?currentPage=11 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422115865430.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124161105-00071-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981857 | 19,911 | 3.125 | 3 | 2.963965 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Politics |
No nation ever disappeared or seriously declined because of an overabundance of compassion toward the outsider or the stranger. The opposite is usually the case. Indifference or cruelty toward those we do not feel belong in our midst usually leads to exile or at least great loss for all.
If we are unable to see the humanity in others, and feel their pain and fear, we will lose the humanity within ourselves.
Societies can only function when there are strong laws in place and fairly enforced. Without law there is anarchy. However, when the law is used as a method to determine which kind of people are worthy of being treated as fully human, and who may be treated as less than fully human, then we are on the path to fascism. At the very least, a society that lacks compassion will eventually become so weak that it will have enormous difficulty in defending itself from attack. It will develop the weaknesses it thought it was preventing.
The Jewish community will soon begin its observance of Tisha B’Av, the day that commemorates the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem, the first by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the second by the Romans in 70 CE.
We will fast for 25 hours and read the Book of Lamentations and other liturgical poems that describe the terrible traumas that we have experienced.
Even though the actual destruction was caused by the attacks of other nations, we have understood that our own actions contributed to our inability to defend ourselves. I want to focus on the destruction of the Second Temple, in particular.
According to tradition, the society of the time was completely law-abiding and orderly. They did not engage in crimes or sins. One would think that such a society would be invincible. The survivors of the destruction asked themselves what happened that allowed such a tragedy to occur. They said it was because they did not go beyond the letter of the law, that they did not show compassion to others unless they were legally obligated to do so. They treated the outsider with contempt, and not with the respect due to every person simply for having been created in God’s image.
It is not that God sends a punishment for a lack of kindness. Rather, it is that very lack of kindness that weakens a society and makes it vulnerable to attack from the outside. People who hold others in contempt soon find out that they have alienated those who could have made the community stronger.
As a country we are struggling over issues of immigration and other social problems. I do not want to minimize the seriousness of these issues, or suggest that there be no rules regarding them. It is critical in an age of terrorism and violent crime to have a clear sense of who is in the country and why. There also has to be a process for becoming a citizen that is fair to everyone.
I am suggesting though, that what is needed is a change of attitude and approach that go beyond a country’s borders. We have to remember the essential value of our country that all individuals matter and are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
On the Statue of Liberty, we proclaim “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Let us make sure those words are always true. | <urn:uuid:dd88d21f-988e-4bdb-a3b9-9b0e3d89ec0e> | CC-MAIN-2021-17 | https://rabbiaaronbergman.com/2010/07/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-17/segments/1618038077336.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20210414064832-20210414094832-00279.warc.gz | en | 0.975836 | 709 | 2.828125 | 3 | 2.884871 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Politics |
Should Have Regular Dental Check-ups and Cleanings
Have you ever heard of the term, “Malocclusions”? Malocclusions are structural bone related problems with the mouth that cause the teeth to be misaligned in one way or another.
In addition to the deformity causing an unattractive appearance for the face & skin, stretched across the facial bone structures, malocclusions can impair your child’s proper chewing functions, bite placement, and make it more difficult to clean the teeth.
As a result, children with malocclusions are more prone to developing cavities and other oral health problems, which require special appliances, dental tools, and numbing treatments for affected patients with tooth decay issues.
There are actually, quite a few of common medical conditions that your child may experience, requiring the need to schedule regular visits with a Dentist; who begins and chronicles a medical/dental history of how your child’s teeth, bite impressions, and jaw grows.
Perhaps you have heard of the medical condition called “Pierre Robin Syndrome”?
This is a type of bone deformity, diagnosed at birth, for babies whose lower jaw-bone is substantially smaller than normal and the tongue has a tendency to flop around or fall backwards in the mouth.
The specific causes for most of these abnormalities may remain unknown and Dentists collectively study trends to keep alert for changing medical practices which can create breakthrough opportunities to better serve these types of patients.
Which is also why every parent should find a Dentist who bonds and understands the medical condition of their child; a Dentist who cares enough about your child’s deformity will research to understand the complexities of your child’s disease, to know how to better provide treatment for his/her patient.
Even such common conditions such as Asthma can cause Tooth Issues
A Queensland, Australia dental researcher has linked asthma medications to tooth erosion in children.
The medications reduce the production of saliva, which protects the teeth against acids in the diet.
An easy solution that Dentists generally recommend for all their patients is to brush the teeth, regularly after every meal, plus once in the morning and once in the evening; for asthma patients, additional brushings should be added after the use of any inhalers, for added protection against any extra loss of saliva production.
Be sure to counsel with your Medical Doctor, when you are prescribed any medication, just as you do with your Dentist – and you will keep all your medical professionals up-to-date on all your personal medical records. | <urn:uuid:1790f7c6-166b-42f0-b352-c9b9261e0952> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.bookhealthcare.com/blog/children-born-with-bone-deformities/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257826907.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071026-00023-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942816 | 527 | 2.703125 | 3 | 2.497384 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
Three activity sheets help develop and reinforce students'
- develop time-telling skills, one skill at a time.
- understand the connection between time on digital and analog (clock-face) clocks.
Clock, time, telling time, digital, analog, minutes, seconds,
hours, quick-tivity, measurement
- clock with hands (often called an analog clock) and a digital clock (optional)
- three activity sheets (provided)
- copier and transparency sheets to produce overhead transparencies for each work sheet (optional)
We live in a digital world. It used to be that telling time
required a second language. No longer are kids required to
translate the time on a clock face to hour:minute (hh:mm)
form. Still, that is a skill that every student needs to have
and so teachers need to teach it. The resources in this lesson
will help you teach and reinforce that skill.
Teaching the skill of telling time is one that requires
patience and planning. Skills must be carefully sequenced
so students learn to tell time by the
- hour, then
- half hour, then
- quarter hour (quarter past and quarter to), and finally
The resources below are intended to help you teach each
of those skills. Once each skill is taught, the resources
also can be used to reinforce those skills. It is good to
vary the use of these resources with other kinds of reinforcement,
such as flash cards, additional work sheets, and spur-of-the-moment
If you use a daily math reinforcement activity
sheet -- a sheet that provides students with practice in the
math skills they have mastered -- as part of your daily routine,
that sheet should include a daily clock activity; for example,
a clock face for which students must provide the time in hh:mm
format (e.g., 6:15) or in words (quarter past 6).
Print this resource and copy it onto a transparency for whole-class
or group practice. Use an overhead projector to display the
transparency on a screen or the classroom chalk or white board.
- If you display the transparency on a board, simply write
a time (e.g., 6:15) in the windows of the digital clock.
Then have a student come forward to draw on the board the
hands that show that time on the clock face. Ask the rest
of the class for feedback. Did the student draw the clock
correctly? Wipe off the transparency and present another
time for the next student to draw.
- For a different kind of practice, draw a clock face and
have students write the correct time in the digital clock
Draw or Write
the Time work sheet
Once you have done the class/group activity suggested above,
use this work sheet to provide students with individual practice
writing digital times and/or drawing clock faces. Following
are some suggested ways for using the work sheet:
- A good way to begin using the work sheet -- and to reinforce
skills as you develop them sequentially -- is to provide
each student with a copy of the work sheet. Use the transparency
to present a time in either digital or analog (clock-face)
form. Have students copy that time onto the face of the
digital or analog clock beside the number 1, and then have
them provide that time in the other format. Then use the
transparency to present digital or analog clock 2
- Create a transparency from the Draw or Write the Time
student work sheet, and provide a variety of clock faces
or digital clock times for students to copy. For each clock
face, students must provide the digital form of the time.
For each digital time, they must draw a clock face showing
that time. (The first time you use this sheet, you might
present one time at a time and check student work as you
go. Eventually you will be able to present a full sheet
of clocks and allow students to work independently to complete
- Print a copy of the work sheet to use as a master copy.
Write a variety of digital times and/or draw a variety of
clock faces directly onto the copy of the master. Make copies
and provide one for each student to complete.
- Use the Draw or Write the Time work sheet to tailor individual
work sheets for students or groups of students who need
practice in specific time-telling skills.
Match the Times activity
Once students have used the Draw or Write the Time work sheet
above, you can use this additional activity sheet to assess
their skills. Simply print the Match the Times page and use
it to create a matching activity. Draw hands on the blank
analog clock faces to show a variety of times, write those
times at random in each of the digital clock windows, and
ask students to draw a line connecting the matching times.
This activity can be done as you develop students time-telling
skills (telling time by the hour first, then by the half hour,
and so on), as a mastery test for students who have been
taught all time-telling skills, or as an occasional reinforcement
activity to ensure that students do not lose the skills they
have learned. The activity sheet also could be copied onto
a transparency for whole-class or small-group practice or
review, or as a tool for having students correct their own
For additional reinforcement, see the following
Education World lesson plans:
(A Hands-On Activity)
To test students' skills as you develop them, or to test
mastery of all time-telling skills, use the Draw
or Write the Time work sheet or the Match
the Times activity sheet to create an assessment activity.
Lesson Plan Source
GRADES Pre-K - 2
Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units,
Systems, and Processes of Measurement
NM-MEA.PK-2.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-MEA.3-5.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
NM-MEA.3-5.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-MEA.6-8.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
NM-MEA.6-8.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-COMM.PK-12.1 Organize and Consolidate Their Mathematical Thinking Through Communication
NM-COMM.PK-12.4 Use the Language of Mathematics to Express Mathematical Ideas Precisely
GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-REP.PK-12.1 Create and Use Representations to Organize, Record, and Communicate Mathematical Ideas
Find more activities for teaching basic math skills in Education World's Math
Subject Center. There you will find lesson plans for teaching
math skills by using the phone book and many more fun activities.
Click to return to this week's Lesson Planning article,
It's About Time: Teaching Students to Tell Time.
Originally published 05/09/2003
Last updated 05/25/2009 | <urn:uuid:cc5ea9e0-f542-4512-82a6-1316997272ac> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp312-01.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422120394037.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124172634-00067-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.865025 | 1,565 | 4.25 | 4 | 2.070839 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Education & Jobs |
Good Strategies for Sprinting
Sprinting is a strategically simple sport on the surface -- the runner simply needs to run the relatively short distance -- typically 100, 200 or 400 meters and the 100 meter and 110 meter hurdles -- quicker than his competitors. But doing this is more complicated than it may seem. To be the fastest sprinter you can be, you need to employ a different strategy for each stage of the race.
Use starting blocks to give yourself a quick start to the race. Starting blocks allow you to push off from a crouched position, maximizing your power. Position your front knee at a 90-degree angle and your back knee at a 120-degree angle. You are allowed to start from an upright position, but this is less effective and rarely used except by children.
Once you're out of the blocks, begin the drive phase of your run. Maintain a 45-degree angle with the track as you gain speed. Your stride should be short and powerful and your feet should strike the ground behind your body. You should drive your arms backward, bringing your elbows up to shoulder-height during this and all subsequent phases. How long you stay in this phase will depend on your acceleration -- lasting until you reach your top speed. A hurdler must complete this phase before reaching the hurdles.
As you reach your top speed, you should pull yourself upright into a standing position so that your body is at a 90-degree angle to the track. Your feet should now strike the ground below your body. In a hurdle sprint this is where you will begin jumping the hurdles, maintaining your stride and leading with your dominant leg as you jump each hurdle. Continue pumping your arms backward with the elbows extending to shoulder-height. Because this phase of the sprint is your fastest, you want to maintain this pace as long as possible, especially in the longer sprint race. How long a runner can maintain his top speed depends on his ability as well as the distance of the sprint -- in the 100 meters this phase may last less than 10 meters, while in the 400 meters it can last more than 200 meters.
Toward the end of the race you will begin to slow down -- even in a short sprint like the 100 meters. Do your best to decelerate as gradually as possible, but do not attempt to reaccelerate. If you have used your top speed phase properly, you shouldn't have any energy left and attempting to reaccelerate can cause hamstring injuries. You should also maintain the length of your stride, as lengthening your stride at the end of the race can also hurt your hamstring. Run through the finish line, letting up only after you have crossed the line.
- Brian Mac: Sprint Starting Block Settings
- Coaching Youth Track & Field; American Sport Education Program
- Michael Cooper/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images | <urn:uuid:aeb927a7-7044-4549-900d-d990ad443b38> | CC-MAIN-2018-17 | https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/good-strategies-sprinting-3016.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-17/segments/1524125947328.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20180424202213-20180424222213-00462.warc.gz | en | 0.937591 | 578 | 3.0625 | 3 | 1.427021 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Sports & Fitness |
In the world of physics, one of the most elusive events is the creation and detection of “quark-gluon plasma,” the theorized atomic outcome of the “Big Bang” which could provide insight into the origins of the universe. By using experiments that involve millions of particle collisions, researchers hope to find unambiguous evidence of quark-gluon plasma.
Scientists describe such a collision with unambiguous evidence as a “rare event,” which may be an understatement. For example, out of hundreds of millions of particle collisions in one experiment, an analysis found that only 80 collisions or “events” merited further study as scientists search for evidence of “jet quenching,” a phenomenon that may indicate the existence of quark-gluon plasma. Other research into such exotic physics phenomena as “strangelets” needs to go through similar search processes.
Compounding the complexity of the search is the fact that the data files are on mass storage systems around the world, so locating and extracting these scientific needles from a virtual haystack of information would be very time-consuming and labor-intensive. For example, the brute-force approach of reading every record of the petabytes of distributed data from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider experiment called STAR at Brookhaven National Laboratory could take weeks at a time. The key to speeding up the searching process is to quickly locate those interesting events while ignoring millions of others so the important data can be extracted for further analysis.
Now, a search technology developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory makes the job much easier. The technology, known as the Word-Aligned Hybrid (WAH) compression method, was developed and recently patented by John Wu, Arie Shoshani and Ekow Otoo of Berkeley Lab’s Scientific Data Management (SDM) Research Group.
The technique and its application are described in a paper recently selected as a “best paper” by the International Supercomputer Conference, and Wu will present the paper at the conference to be held June 21-24 in Heidelberg, Germany.
WAH is currently used in a software package called FastBit to compress bitmap indexes. A bitmap index is a method of reducing the response time of queries involving common types of conditions in data objects, such as “state = CA” and “age >= 21.” It achieves this by storing certain pre-computed answers as bitmaps. For example, a bitmap index for “state” might have one bitmap for each state in the U.S. Because computers can manipulate bitmaps efficiently, bitmap indices are efficient in searching for interesting records in large datasets.
WAH compression makes the bitmap index optimal in terms of computational complexity. A small number of the most efficient indexing schemes have this optimality property. What makes the new technology unique is that WAH-compressed indexes significantly outperform other schemes in tests.
“In tests conducted using actual data from high-energy physics experiments, we confirmed that our FastBit software is an order of magnitude faster than the best-known bitmap indexing schemes on average,” according to Wu, the lead developer of FastBit.
Thanks to work led by Berkeley Lab, the physicists working on the STAR (Solenoidal Tracker at RHIC) high-energy physics experiment at Brookhaven now have a much more efficient tool in their search for evidence of the quark-gluon plasma. As their research evolves and the complexity of the problem unravels, scientists are finding that a new state of matter was definitely created at STAR, but to unambiguously characterize this new state of matter as the quark-gluon plasma, they need more sophisticated search criteria to locate the “rare” collision events that would contain the clear signatures of the plasma.
Grid Collector, the software module for the STAR analysis framework, uses two technologies to provide STAR analysts with a new way of accessing collision data. The first is FastBit’s searching capability, and the second is Storage Resource Managers (SRMs), which provide access to files stored on remote storage systems. Both technologies were developed as part of DOE’s Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) Program. Instead of selecting the data files that contain the desired events as was previously done, analysts can now select events based on physically meaningful attributes known as tags. Through Grid Collector, analysis programs only read the selected events, instead of every event in the selected data files. Since most analysis jobs use only a fraction of the events in data files, the Grid Collector can significantly improve the turnaround time.
Without Grid Collector, many analysis jobs involving searches for rare events were considered nearly unfeasible. For example, Markus Oldenburg of Berkeley Lab’s Nuclear Science Division and his colleagues were interested in 80 special events collected in 2001. Most participants in the project thought they could make more progress by pursuing alternative signatures, rather than spending the time to extract these 80 events. With Grid Collector, the researchers were able to extract the events in 15 minutes.
“The Grid Collector has opened new avenues for many challenging analysis jobs that we had to ignore or delay. These jobs are now practical with this innovative technology,” said Jerome Lauret, software coordinator for the RHIC/STAR experiment. “By using FastBit, we may have very well abolished one limiting factor for our field.”
Creating fast, manageable indexes
Indexing methods are used extensively by database management systems to provide fast query processing for users. While an indexing method can make it easier to search the data, indexes themselves — especially bitmap indexes — can require a larger amount of additional storage space. If the index becomes too large, it’s unusable. One way to address this issue is to compress the indexes. However, this may also increase the time needed to perform search operations. A number of specialized compression schemes have been proposed to process compressed indexes efficiently, with the best-known one called the Byte-aligned Bitmap Code (BBC).
The goal of the Berkeley Lab project was to create an indexing system that could be compressed and at the same time offers much faster searches than existing methods. To achieve this goal, the WAH compression scheme was developed. While WAH-compressed indexes are slightly larger than BBC-compressed indexes, the time needed to process a query is less, often much less.
“We were seeking a worthwhile space-time tradeoff and we succeeded,” Wu said. “What makes our compressed bitmap index really special is that it is not only theoretically optimal but also practically more efficient than any other indexing scheme tested.”
This new technology, officially called “Word Aligned Bitmap Compression Method and Data Structure,” is currently being used by other DOE research projects and has yielded several success stories. Tracking features in the analysis of combustion simulation data is more efficient. By using FastBit and compressed bitmaps, the FastBit team was able to significantly speed up the problem of tracking ignition kernels in a hydrogen-air combustion simulation. This approach addressed the difficult problem of identifying multi-attribute data distinguishing the ignition kernels from the rest of the simulation data and tracking the progression of flames over time. This was done in collaboration with Wendy Koegler and Jacqueline Chen of Sandia National Laboratories.
DEX, or Dexterous Data Explorer, is a collaboration between the Scientific Data Management Group and Berkeley Lab’s Visualization Group. DEX uses FastBit to provide query-based visualization of large scientific datasets. A preliminary version of the software was demonstrated at the Supercomputing 2004 conference on both combustion datasets and supernova simulation datasets. Berkeley Lab collaborators on DEX are Kurt Stockinger, John Shalf and Wes Bethel.
Compressed bitmaps are also used in view-dependent isosurface software. At Supercomputing 2004, a preliminary version of the software was demonstrated to display in real time the isosurfaces of large complex data produced from a simulation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in computational fluid dynamics. In this application, compressed bitmaps are used to record what data items are visible from a particular viewing angle. This allows the software to extract the minimal amount of data items required for visualization and to render in real time very large complex isosurfaces as the user changes viewing angles. This was done in collaboration with Guruprasad Kora, Jian Huang, Jinzhu Gao and Nagiza Samatova of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The effectiveness of FastBit has attracted the attention of other institutions as well. At CERN, the developers of ROOT, an object-oriented data analysis framework, have started evaluating the incorporation of FastBit into their software. Since the ROOT software is used by most major high-energy physics projects around the world, fully integrating FastBit into ROOT would make the efficient search capability of FastBit available to a large user community.
“We have even learned that a Brazilian telecommunications provider has implemented WAH compression for their data analysis,” Wu said.
The Scientific Data Management Research Group is part of Berkeley Lab’s Computational Research Division, which creates computational tools and techniques that enable scientific breakthroughs, by conducting applied research and development in computer science, computational science, and applied mathematics.
Berkeley Lab is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory located in Berkeley, California. It conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed by the University of California. | <urn:uuid:f93427ff-e48b-402d-8d6a-b88808007159> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://scienceblog.com/7992/tech-dramatically-speeds-searches-of-large-databases/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510100.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20230925215547-20230926005547-00640.warc.gz | en | 0.936202 | 1,983 | 2.9375 | 3 | 3.012151 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Dental braces (also known as orthodontic braces, or simply braces) is a device used in orthodontics to align teeth and their position with regard to a person’s bite. They are often used to correct malocclusions such as underbites, overbites, cross bite and open bites, deep bites, or crooked teeth and various other flaws of teeth and jaws, whether cosmetic or structural. Orthodontic braces are often used in conjunction with other orthodontic appliances to widen the palate or jaws or otherwise shape the teeth and jaws. While they are mainly used on children and teenagers, adults can also use them.
In 500-300 BC, Ancient Greek scholars Hippocrates and Aristotle both ruminated about ways to straighten teeth and fix various dental conditions.
Historians believe that two different men deserve the title of being called “the Father of Orthodontics.†One man was Norman W. Kingsley, a dentist, writer, artist, and sculptor, who wrote his “Treatise on Oral Deformities†in 1880. Kingsley’s writings influenced dental science greatly. Kingsley lived from 1829–1913 and lived in Warren Point, New Jersey. He was a founder of New York State Dental Society in 1868. Also deserving credit is dentist J. N. Farrar, who wrote two volumes entitled “A treatise on the Irregularities of the teeth and their correctionsâ€. Farrar was very good at designing brace appliances, and he was the first to suggest the use of mild force at timed intervals to move teeth.
The American dentist Edward Angle is also widely regarded as a father of modern orthodontics. Practising in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, his eponymous classification of dental arch relationships is used worldwide. His textbook, “Treatment of Malocclusion of the Teeth†was first published in 1907. It went into seven much revised editions and laid the foundation of the modern specialty. After tenure as professor of orthodontics in two medical schools, he went on to found the School of Orthodontia in 1910. He designed several fixed orthodontic appliance systems including the ribbon arch and then the edgewise appliance. These have evolved into the sophisticated pre-adjusted and self-ligating systems used by the great majority of orthodontists today.
Teeth move through the use of force. The force applied by the archwire pushes the tooth in a particular direction and a stress is created within the periodontal ligament. The modification of the periodontal blood supply determines a biological response which leads to bone remodeling, where bone is created on one side of the tooth by osteoblastcells and resorbed on the other side of the tooth by osteoclasts.
Two different kinds of bone resorption are possible. Direct resorption, starting from the lining cells of the alveolar bone, and indirect or retrograde resorption, where osteoclasts start their activity in the neighbour bone marrow. Indirect resorption takes place when the periodontal ligament has become subjected to an excessive amount and duration of compressive stress. In this case the quantity of bone resorbed is larger than the quantity of newly formed bone (negative balance). Bone resorption only occurs in the compressed periodontal ligament. Another important phenomenon associated with tooth movement is bone deposition. Bone deposition occurs in the distracted periodontal ligament. Without bone deposition, the tooth will loosen and voids will occur distal to the direction of tooth movement.
A tooth will usually move about a millimeter per month during orthodontic movement, but there is high individual variability. Orthodontic mechanics can vary in efficiency, which partly explains the wide range of response to orthodontic treatment.
Modern orthodontists can offer many types and varieties of braces:
Traditional braces are stainless steel, sometimes in combination with nickel titanium, and are the most widely used. These include conventional braces, which require ties to hold the archwire in place, and newer self-tying (or self-ligating) brackets. Self-ligating brackets may reduce friction between the wire and the slot of the bracket, which in turn might be of therapeutic benefit.
“Clear†braces serve as a cosmetic alternative to traditional metal braces by blending in more with the natural color of the teeth or having a less conspicuous or hidden appearance. Typically, these brackets are made of ceramic or plastic materials and function in a similar manner to traditional metal brackets. Clear elastic ties and white metal ties are available to be used with these clear braces to help keep the appliances less conspicuous. Clear braces have a higher component of friction and tend to be more brittle than metal braces. This can make removing the appliances at the end of treatment more difficult and time consuming.
Gold-plated stainless steel braces are often employed for patients allergic to nickel (a basic and important component of stainless steel), but may also be chosen because some people simply prefer the look of gold over the traditional silver-colored braces.
Lingual braces are fitted behind the teeth, and are not visible with casual interaction. Lingual braces can be more difficult to adjust, and they can hinder tongue movement.
Progressive, clear removable aligners (examples of which are Invisalign , Originator, ClearCorrect) may be used to gradually move teeth into their final positions. Aligners are generally not used for complex orthodontic cases, such as when extractions, jaw surgery, or palate expansion are necessary.
For less difficult cases spring aligners are also an option that can cost much less than braces or Invisalign (one example is NightShiftOrtho) and still align primarily the front six top and bottom teeth.
A new concept under development is the “smart bracket.†The smart bracket contains a microchip capable of measuring the forces applied to the bracket/tooth interface. The goal of this successfully demonstrated concept is to significantly reduce the duration of orthodontic therapy and to set the applied forces in non-harmful, optimal ranges.
A-braces are another new concept in dental appliances. In the shape of a capital letter A, A-braces are applied, adjusted, removed and completely controlled by the user. At the ends of the A’s arms are angled knobbed bits that the user bites down over. The width between the bits is adjusted by turning the crossbar, housed across the arms. A user never has to experience pain because the pressure is so easy to control. A-braces may serve as self-adjustable retainers and palate expanders. | <urn:uuid:17be3e44-0ca3-4614-bf86-90a946d3b6af> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://www.muslimobserver.com/dental-braces/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964362919.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20211203212721-20211204002721-00046.warc.gz | en | 0.943061 | 1,413 | 3.109375 | 3 | 2.162218 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
What is OT?
OT for Kids
The act of playing is an important tool that influences a child’s life. The primary goals of childhood are to grow, learn, and play. It is often through play that children learn to make sense of the world around them. It is a child’s “job” or “occupation” to play to develop physical coordination, emotional maturity, social skills to interact with other children, and self-confidence to try new experiences and explore new environments. Occupational therapists have expertise in evaluating children’s neurological, muscular, and emotional development; and determining the effects of infant and childhood illness on growth and development.
- Evaluate a child’s motor (movement), cognitive (thinking, reasoning), social–emotional, and behavioural development.
- Recommend toys and play activities that promote healthy development and provide stimulation to the child.
- Intervene when needed to promote development and skills for living.
- Provide therapy in a playful manner to promote development.
Occupational Therapy is a health care profession based on the knowledge that purposeful activity can promote health and well-being in all aspects of daily life. The aims are to promote, develop, restore and maintain abilities needed to cope with daily activities to prevent dysfunction. Programs are designed to facilitate maximum use of function to meet demands of the person’s working, social, personal and domestic environment. The essential feature of occupational therapy is the active involvement of the person in the therapeutic process. Occupational therapists receive education in social, psychological, biological and medical sciences, professional skills and methods. Fieldwork studies form an integral part of the course.
Where do Occupational Therapists Work?
Occupational therapists work with all age groups and in a wide range of physical and psychosocial areas. Places of employment may include hospitals, clinics, day and rehabilitation centres, home care programmes, special schools, industry and private enterprise. Many occupational therapists work in private practice and as educators and consultants.
How do Occupational Therapists Work?
The occupational therapy process is based on initial and repeated assessments. The occupational therapist together with the person seeking help will focus on individual and environmental abilities and problems related to activities in the person’s daily life. Assessment includes the use of standardized procedures, interviews, observations in a variety of settings and consultation with significant people in the person’s life.
The results of the assessment are the basis of the plan which includes short and longterm aims of treatment. The plan should be relevant to the person’s development stage, habits, roles, life-style preferences and the environment.
Intervention focuses on programs that are person oriented and environmental. These designed to facilitate performance of everyday tasks and adaptation of settings in which the person works, lives and socializes. Examples include teaching new techniques and providing equipment which facilitate independence in personal care, reducing environmental barriers and providing resources to lessen stress.
Occupational therapists recognize the importance of teamwork. Cooperation and coordination with other professionals, families, carers and volunteers are important in the realization of the holistic approach. | <urn:uuid:f2b78c6e-421c-4bf2-a82c-171a0f6734a0> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | http://abckidsot.ca/?page_id=8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514574018.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20190920113425-20190920135425-00461.warc.gz | en | 0.933796 | 638 | 4.03125 | 4 | 2.350435 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
Stonehenge, United Kingdom; The top historical destination in Europe!
The Mysterious Monument of Europe
Stonehenge is a historical landmark and is a prehistoric monument located in a place called Wiltshire in England, around 2 miles west from Amesbury and about 8 mile north from Salisbury. Being one of the most important and famous historical destination in Europe, Stonehenge is the remnants of a ring of standing stones which are set within earthworks.
A Brief History of Stonehenge, United Kingdom
It is believed that the construction of this prehistoric monument took place in between ca. 3000 and 1600 B.C while each of the stones weighed about 50 tons! Considered to be a great example of prehistoric engineering genius, this structure have been associated with many reasons to justify its presence as the real reason for its built or who built it is still a mystery for humans! Some believe that it was built as a sacred burial site or maybe an astronomical observatory unit and also might have been a temple to worship the ancient earth deities!
Places to visit in Stonehenge, United Kingdom
The Stone Circle:
The actual place to marvel at, this is the Word Heritage Site a traveler and an explorer visit this region of U.K. Taking a stroll around the stones which is also the iconic symbol of Britain will give one the feel of the prehistoric times when this structure might have taken thousands of years and such amount of hours to complete!
The Neolithic Houses:
The best part about this historic place is the fact that one can actually see the Neolithic houses and step in one to come in contact with how people might have lived some 4500 years ago! The volunteers are handy in explaining all the nitty gritties associated as well!
The Visitor Center:
This place gives the visitors an audio-visual 360-degree view of the stones and gives one the feeling of travelling back into the time. This one gives one the quick recap of what the stones have encountered in the yesteryears with all that seasonal changes, cultures and et al.
This is a special exhibition that takes place in Stonehenge when a lot of archeological treasures are on display in the place for the tourists to marvel at! Not to forget that all this is accompanied by a audio-visual too to make the experience even more incredible!
The Salisbury Museum and the Wiltshire Museum are the two where all the remnants of history are preserved. A must visit indeed!
Shopping can be done for souvenirs, gifts, books and clothing in the exclusive Stonehenge shops nearby too!
The best time to visit
Stonehenge is open all around the year and is open in the regular hours. But, special suggestion include visiting this place in the summer months when the famous annual festival takes place when the stones are open for the Druids, admirers and the hippies crowd the place!
Lodging and commute options
Stonehenge being one of the top historic destinations in Europe is well connected. Being located around 10 miles from Salisbury, it is accessible via trains and buses which are available throughout the year. Trains are also available from the nearby areas of Bath and Swindon from where the nearest Avebury is not too far! Lodging options are also immense in the nearby areas where the tourists can take abode which can range from the costly alternatives to the budget hotels too! | <urn:uuid:4c6725fd-d623-478f-a325-383e3a259ea5> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | http://planmytouronline.com/stonehenge-top-historical-destination/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347394756.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20200527141855-20200527171855-00260.warc.gz | en | 0.947042 | 695 | 3.015625 | 3 | 1.470643 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Travel |
The United States is rife with crises: from the economy to the environment to student debt—and the problems facing workers don’t stop there. The country is now suffering a major shortage of drugs for cancer treatment due to a single manufacturer, Intas, closing its doors. The shortage is so bad that doctors are being forced to ration these drugs. This means many cancer patients are receiving lower-than-ideal doses, delays in receiving their treatments, or substitute medication that can be less effective or have harmful side effects.
For the nearly two million Americans diagnosed with cancer every year, this is a serious obstacle to survival. Already, cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the country. Approximately 40% of all Americans contract the disease sometime in their lifetimes, and only about half survive. To put this into perspective, every American has a one in five chance of dying from cancer; any disruption to treatment can only push those numbers up even higher. There are other, longer-term consequences, as well, since the shortage is a major barrier to desperately needed clinical trials, hampering research to save lives in the future.
Why the shortage?
The common link between all the drugs in shortage is that they are generics. When a company’s patent on a medication runs out, any other company can manufacture the drug. In theory, with more suppliers, more competition should make the drug more available, and lower prices.
However, capitalist reality doesn’t work this way. The situation turns into its opposite: as capitalists undercut each other with lower and lower prices, generics become less profitable. As time goes on, fewer and fewer capitalists want to invest in their manufacture. This leads to monopolization, where one company has the lion’s share of the market. Then, as the monopolizing business struggles to make profits on these cheaper drugs, they cut corners, lower quality controls, and eventually shutter operations due to shrinking profits or because they are forcibly shut down by a regulating agency. The loss of this manufacturer suddenly leads to a shortage.
This is exactly what happened with Intas, an Indian conglomerate with manufacturing plants in India, Mexico, and the UK. In short, the anarchy of the capitalist market has created dire scarcity for life-saving drugs.
Some may wonder: if generics are the problem, why don’t we allow companies to keep their patents forever?
We can see how this “solution” would work by looking at what happens to drugs that are still under patent. For example, the patent for the life-saving EpiPen (epinephrine) is owned by Mylan and expires in 2025. Since Mylan owned exclusive rights to manufacturing, prices rose sixfold from 2007 to 2016. Two doses went from $100 to a whopping $608. At the time of this article’s writing, the retail price for two EpiPens is $713, or approximately $600 with a discount.
To put things more simply, permanent patents on drugs lead to monopolies that can price-gouge to their heart’s content. This is what generic manufacture is supposed to prevent in the first place. But under capitalism, there is simply no way to prevent monopolization, or as Marx termed it, the concentration of capital. The patent and company owners are under no obligation to produce anything if the profit motive doesn’t move them to do so.
To complicate matters somewhat, it is true that in the case of Mylan’s Epipen, there is a generic version available. Mylan itself created a generic version of epinephrine in 2016, as a concession to public outrage over its price gouging. However, the FDA requires generic manufacturers to prove equivalency to the EpiPen, which requires expensive research. As a result, generic epinephrine still costs hundreds of dollars. If its price ever lowers, then epinephrine will run into the same issues as any other generic.
Under capitalism, the choice is either scarcity through lack of production despite knowhow and capacity, or scarcity through profit-driven high prices.
Other capitalist solutions
To come back to the shortage of generic drugs, the nonprofit Civica Rx claims to fight shortage crises by stockpiling large quantities of generic drugs and then selling them to hospitals.
However, this is not really a solution at all: the hospitals still need to buy from Civica, which means that Civica’s prices need to be competitive with other companies’. Civica can appeal to the morals of the hospital buyers all it wants, but hospitals are first and foremost businesses. This means that in times of economic crisis, they will be forced to choose from the cheapest seller to stay open, just like any other company. Although Civica is a “nonprofit” in name, it still requires money (profits) to run, so it will be forced to lower its prices and eventually shutter as well. The word “nonprofit” is not a “get-out-of-jail-free” card from a global economic system—it’s just a tax category.
Another possible solution is for the government to stockpile generic drugs to use in times of need. Assuming the government can be persuaded to do this, this would require huge amounts of tax money. The American government is already in a massive debt crisis from trying to put out other fires through spending. The result has been some very nasty inflation, and even more Keynesianism would only make it worse.
None of these solutions work because the problem is at the core of capitalism itself: markets, which are driven by profit. Commodities are produced until they become unprofitable, whether people need it to survive or not.
Fight for a socialist planned economy
Luckily, capitalism is not the only economic system possible! If the majority expropriates the capitalists and sets up a workers’ government, we could sweep away the irrational market economy and replace it with a planned economy.
This would mean we could democratically choose how much of each medication is produced, based on human need, instead of leaving it to the “invisible hand” of the profit-thirsty market. We could choose to fund cancer and other disease research so that even better drugs are produced. The wealth to do this already exists—we just don’t control it collectively, as a class.
This would require nothing short of a communist revolution, which is a serious task. However, no other solution can end artificial drug shortages or any of the other crises caused by capitalism’s domination of our lives. The task of expropriating the capitalists and planning the economy has been accomplished before, and is possible to do again. The working class is already far and away the largest and most powerful class; what is missing is a communist leadership to unite it behind a revolutionary socialist program. It is urgent that we build that leadership today—join the IMT and help end capitalism for good! | <urn:uuid:350bce99-9e89-4703-a859-c48585ae3fe6> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.marxist.com/usa-capitalism-s-cancer-treatment-crisis.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510967.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20231002033129-20231002063129-00385.warc.gz | en | 0.957676 | 1,441 | 2.671875 | 3 | 2.993066 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Politics |
Fifty years ago today on August 28th 1963, the largest march for civil rights took place in the nation’s capital attracting some 200,000+ Americans. It was here at this march that Martin Luther King Jr. would deliver his now famous “I Have a Dream” speech, challenging the country to end racial discrimination, particularly against Black Americans. King would give his speech in the foreground of the Lincoln Memorial statue, nearly 100 years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was created to address the longstanding racial inequality and discrimination that continued to plague American institutions even after World War II. The activists and leaders who organized the march were predominantly Black, but Americans of various backgrounds attended the rally. Notable Black entertainers at the time would also participate. Sammy Davis Jr, Josephine Baker, Marian Anderson, Ossie Davis, and Ruby Dee to name a few.
The March on Washington was a pinnacle event in the Civil Rights Movement, and is one of the most important and revered civil rights events to take place in America. Martin Luther King’s speech would continue to ring into the 20th century, for it is his most commonly known address about racial inequality in the U.S.
The demonstration that day would call for desegregation, economic rights, worker training, and fair employment.
While there is still work to do in terms of the racial disparity in multiple facets, since the March on Washington, so much has changed. Big changes such as institutional racial segregation and discrimination based on race is outlawed, granting the access to schools, public places, unions, and restaurants to people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. Every American, regardless of race, cannot be denied service or employment based on the color of their skin.
On July 2, 1964, nearly a year after the march, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the presence of Dr. King and other Black activists. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 also birthed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), created to enforce key parts of the act. Almost a year afterwards, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 would also pass, protecting minorities from voting discrimination and put to end to discriminatory literacy tests that aimed to bar them from polls. It was this law that finally gave minorities a political voice. The two laws became a milestone in the legislative victories for minorities.
Following the Voting Rights Act, voter registration for Blacks in the South increased. The new provisions finally gave Blacks power to change the racial political atmosphere that controlled the South much after the Civil War. To this day, the Civil Rights Act is the most wide-ranging law supporting racial equality to ever be imposed by Congress.
As we honor the anniversary of the landmark event, we should also remind ourselves of discrimination that still exists, and laws that came afterwards which continue to create a racial disparity among Americans. The most recent example is New York City’s controversial Stop-and-Frisk law, and similar variations of it in other cities. These laws tend to disproportionately target Blacks and Latinos.
Honoring the semi-centennial event, President Obama will give a speech in the same location at the Let Freedom Ring commemoration.
Watch footage and the full ‘I Have a Dream’ speech below: | <urn:uuid:b6ef5ba7-2bd5-449b-a676-7148d9fe762a> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://missmillmag.com/march-on-washington-50th-anniversary/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178361723.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20210228175250-20210228205250-00435.warc.gz | en | 0.965468 | 681 | 4.375 | 4 | 2.799936 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Politics |
Water Security. Protecting water at its source.
Chile possesses two thirds of the glaciers in Latin America, but water quality and quantity are becoming more of a problem every day. This is especially true in Chile's Mediterranean ecoregion, home to the capital city, Santiago, identified by our scientists as one of the 25 Latin American cities where water security is most at risk. Nature, mining operations, agriculture and urban expansion are fighting for increasingly scarce water.
The Nature Conservancy is working in Chile to protect water at its source by:
- Protecting and restoring critically important habitats
- Transforming how we use and manage nature's resources
- Inspiring people to value and advocate for nature
Protecting and restoring critically important habitats
We are developing and implementing natural solutions, known as green infrastructure—including reforestation, forest protection and wetland restoration—to improve overall water quality and availability.
We help improve the health of Chile's upstream wetlands, glaciers and rare Mediterranean habitats to protect water at its source.
- Watch our video to learn how!
Transforming how we use and manage nature's resources
Sweeping down from the Andes mountains to the Pacific Ocean, only 1% of the Maipo Watershed is protected yet it provides 80% of freshwater to Santiago’s 6 million inhabitants. The watershed also provides water for agriculture and other industries, supporting almost half of Chile’s GDP.
The Conservancy is bringing people together to protect watersheds, river basins and wetlands that provide water to millions of people and to nature. We are creating the Santiago Water Fund to protect wetlands and native vegetation in the Maipo watershed, and improve water quality for nature and people.
- What exactly is a water fund?
Inspiring people to value and advocate for nature
Facing a 40% reduction of its water balance due to climate change, we are helping make Santiago, one of the cities with highest hydrological risk in Latin America, become a resilient city in face of increasing water shortages.
Nature-based solutions will help manage the impact of extreme weather events by building more climate-resilient communities in cities. They can also reduce water treatment costs, improve the health and well-being of people, help preserve biodiversity, and contribute to mitigating climate change.
After meeting with TNC staff and learning about how water funds work, Santiago’s regional governor is committing 10% of his city’s budget to climate resilience and features water funds as a key initiative.
- We are inspiring people around Chile to value and advocate for conservation of lands that protect our water sources. | <urn:uuid:a3e12f21-00c4-4250-b190-57781981e899> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/latin-america/chile/stories-in-chile/our-work-in-chile-water/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514576047.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20190923043830-20190923065830-00475.warc.gz | en | 0.93796 | 536 | 3.234375 | 3 | 2.845443 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
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So optionals can be real point of confusion for beginners in Swift. When you start to see a bunch of exclamation marks and question marks puncturing Swift code, you probably would kind of wonder what's happening. Well, to start with, when you see those two things at the end of a bit of code, that indicates you're looking at what's known as an "optional". To explain what optionals are and why they're helpful, let's think about a common problem a programmer might come across. So let's say you're making an app to keep track of your friends. You want to store their first name, their last name, and if they have one, the name of their pet. If I add myself to the app, it's easy. I'd put Chris for the first name, Belanger for my last name and Mango for my dog's name. But what if I was putting someone else into the app, like Ray? We know his first name is Ray and his last name is Wenderlich but does he even have a pet? Hey folks, does Ray even have a pet? [camera crew member] No, he's allergic. Oh, no pet. What are we going to do? We need a way to model the concept that Ray doesn't have a pet. You might think to do something like use booleans to track if someone has a pet or not has a pet or use an empty string for the pet's name. And there's lots of ways you could model this yourself, but you don't have to. Swift already has a great solution for this: optionals, Optionals in Swift let us represent either a value or the absence of a value, which is called "nil". I think of optionals as a kid-friendly version of Schrodinger's cat. If you're not familiar with that concept, there's a box that might have a cat inside, or it might not have a cat inside. The trick is you don't know if this cat inside until you open the box. Hey, there's a cat. This optional had a value of Princess Ozma. Thanks for helping us out Ozma! Now let's check another one. Hmm. It looks like this one's nil. Now we could use optionals like this to solve our earlier dilemma. We could have an optional box for the cat's name and there might be a cat's name inside, or it might be nil. And one more important thing to note, optionals all have a type. Have an optional cat, you won't open the optional and find a Cocker demon inside. It's either going to be a cat or no cat. An int or no int. A string or no string. Now that you've got an idea of what optionals are about, let's see what they look like in code. To create your first optional, let's use that pet name example. So create a variable called "pet name" and make the type a string. To turn this into an optional string, all you have to do is add a question mark to the end of the type. And you can see the sidebar that if you don't give an optional a value right away, the default value is set to nil. Now to make things example less sad, let's change the value to Mango. In the sidebar, you see the value of set to Mango as you'd expect, but if you try to print out the value, you'll see optional Mango in the console. That's because the value is still wrapped up inside the optional. Now you'll get into how to unwrap optionals in just a moment but first, how do you change an optional back to having no value? Oh, to set an optional back to nil, you just use the keyword "nil", instead of a value. Now, back to unwrapping optionals. Now, opening the box you saw earlier is a lot like unwrapping optionals. You want to get to the actual real value inside the variable and see if you can work with it. I'm going to make a quick optional int to illustrate something before we really get started here. So you know that optionals are typed. And this one is an optional int. Throughout this course, I've encouraged you to use type inference to shorten up your code where you can, but you can't use type inference when you create optionals. If you get rid of the type and you've given the variable a value, the compiler assumes it's a regular int, not an optional int. And if you change the value to nil, then the compiler has no idea what you want and you'll get error, just like this one. So when you declare an optional, you need to explicitly type it every single time. So with your optional properly declared, you're ready to go back to the problem you saw, when you tried to print an optional string. We see the same thing with this optional int. And even worse, if you try to add an optional int to an int, and the problem is spelled out for you in red and white right here. To use the values inside of optionals, you have to unwrap the optional. Let me get rid of this. So remember the compiler doesn't actually know if the optional has a value or if it's nil until you actually unwrapped the optional. Now, there're several ways to unwrap optionals. The easiest way is called "force unwrapping". To try that out, let's declare a new variable called "pet age" to go along with my pet name, Michelle said here. Now, I've used my dog's age here again, but you can use any cat or dog or snake or lizard or human being that you like. Now, let's create another variable to store the unwrapped pet name. And this little exclamation mark at the end is how you force unwrap an optional. It says, "I don't want to carefully check this option and see if there's something inside before I use the contents". "I want to open it now". But force unwrapping is the easiest way to unwrap an optional, but it's also the most dangerous. So in this case, pet name has a value. So if you try to print it out using string interpolation, you get the value expect in the console. But, in the various sad, sad case where there is no pet name, ooh, we got a big fatal error that would crash our app. Oh no! Therefore, you should only use force unwrapping when you absolutely know an optional has a value. Luckily there are other ways to safely unwrap optionals. The first one we'll share is called "optional binding". Now optional bonding looks very similar to an "if else" statement. Now, the first line is basically shorthand for this. Now, optional binding used to sound like fancy jargon to me, but all it means is that if this optional is not nil, which means it has a value, store the value in this new constant. You're binding the value to the constant. When you use optional binding, it's really common to name the constant as the same as the optional you're unwrapping. Now, this technique is called "shadowing". This new constant pet name only exists within this block of code. So it won't conflict with a variable called "pet name" that you declared earlier. You'll learn more about this idea of where variables exist later on in this course, when you learn about the concept of scope, but for now, just know that this constant only has effect inside this "if else" statement and nowhere else in your code. Now, what if you want it to use both "pet name" and "pet age" at the same time? Well, with optional binding, you can unwrap multiple things. One right after the other. You just needed a comma, separate the bindings. Now you can add a print statement using both of those unwrapped optionals. When you unwrap multiple optionals like this, it's a bit like using the "and" operator. All the optionals here have to have values in order to proceed. If any of the optionals are nil, this code is skipped and the "L" statement executes instead. In fact, you can even add bullying conditions to this statement, if you want it to. Now, there's one last way I'll show you how to deal with optionals. And that's called "nil coalescing". So let's say have an optional like this optional in here. Now, if you absolutely need a value that isn't nil, you can use the nil coalescing operator to unwrap the optional and if there's no value in there to provide a default value instead. To use this operator, you put the optional you want to check on the left. Then the two question marks and then the default value. So you can see that currently optional int has a value of 10. So required result is also 10, but if you change optional int to nil, required result is set to the default value of zero. All right, now I've got some optional challenges for you. I mean, the challenges are about optionals, the challenges themselves aren't optional, but there are optionals in the challenges. Okay, just go to the challenges and you'll see what I mean.
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Necessity has always been known to be the inspiration towards innovation. Hence, some people saw the need of having the largest computer that ran on solar power energy. Also, the computer would have the capabilities that would equal the capacities of a computer that can achieve the power of quantum-enabled gadgets. Also, the project initiates by the primary aim of assisting Africans who reside in the continent Africa and specifically in the rural regions.
The computer that goes by the name Wally was brought into existence courtesy of a Spanish-Italian start-up. The primary mission of the start-up was to provide clean water, electricity and also internet services that could be able to change the economy as well as the lives of economies across the African region that is rural.
Wally In Africa
As large as Africa is, we will just sample an area such as the sub-Saharan Africa. The Sub-Saharan Africa has a population of approximately 625million people that are living without electricity. The correct figure states that approximately more than two-thirds of the populations are the ones living without electricity.
Also, 40% do not have access to clean and safe water. The innovation mainly inspires by the need to ensure that people would have access to some of the mandatory features of civilization. The escapade of bringing such technology into existence is among the ways of bringing the population closer to the center of the 21st century.
As always, every great idea has its genesis. Hence, as soon as the idea is accomplish to be achievable, it is always used through a patenting process. About the technology under discussion, we can see that the system operates by being powered by solar energy. The solar power is harvested from the Sun through the use of photovoltaic panels, and the energy is converted to electricity with the aid of a battery that has a rating of 140kwh.
The Capabilities Of The Technology
The technology is patented and has three capabilities. Among the capabilities is the water treatment. The water treatment uses a filtering process that uses graphene. The screening process is carried out before the water is distilled and also boiled at the same time. As for the process, we can seem it as efficient as it can deliver 5,000 liters of drinking water each day. Also, the water is completely safe for human consumption.
The battery that is incorporated into the system also provides power to the connectivity region which is tasked with the provision of access to the internet within a radius of 800 meters. Also, the battery also acts as a charging station for both mobile and also electronic devices.
Reduce Greenhouse Emissions
The Walty technology has been in existence for quite some time. Over the 15 years that the technology in use, it is considered that one Walty computer can reduce emissions than can equal 2,500 tons of gasses that are as a result of greenhouse emissions.
Since the project was the main target towards the rural African regions, the prototype gets tests in the rural regions of Ghana. Hence, the following step after the testing of the prototype is unveiling the technology all across the African continent. Towards the unveiling process, Nigeria, and Sudan will treats as the countries of which the technology will be availed first.
Technology always comes into existence with the sole aim of acting as a solution to a problem. As well as acting as a source of revenue. Hence, sometimes investors chip in so as to assist in the funding. And also become shareholders in an upcoming business that is on the rise and also profitable as well. With this as the case, the Walty technology receives help from various organizations and a funding of 1.4 million euros get to receive from the research funding program of the European Union.
Such funding from such organizations signifies that people have a vision for the project. That aims at making a huge impact in the rural regions of Africa. With three key benefits, the project is set to bring Africa to a whole new level that will be more develop and have a good manner of modern living just as require in the 21st Century. As said by the innovators, it is impossible to change the world without incorporating the human factor in any innovation.
From the technology under discussion, we can see that change leads to the creation of technology. That brings about a significant impact on the world. The impact observes as solving the various problems that are a menace to the world, and specifically rural regions in Africa. As they were the primary target during the coming of the Walty technology. Also, we can see that the robotics technology is on the rise. Since it is in the pursuit of making work easier.
Besides, it his noted that the women in rural areas in Africa are mostly working as housewives. Therefore cannot have the chance of working in high paying jobs just like women in the developed countries. Robotic technologies such as the robotic floor cleaners are designs to help African women free themselves for high-paying careers.
Therefore, we can see that the technology known as Walty. It is in the pursuit of ensuring the rising of rural Africa into a develop nation. As a result, with such technology on the rise, like women empowerment will be among the major factors. Hence, we can see that technology is among the major contributors to every economy. | <urn:uuid:a2c11233-f673-40b0-8958-5877222a3079> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | http://www.africangreenrevolution.com/solar-power-transforming-sub-saharan-africa/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934806438.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20171121223707-20171122003707-00652.warc.gz | en | 0.974154 | 1,067 | 3.359375 | 3 | 2.703677 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Recently asked by Dr. Oz, "What is clean eating?" I replied, in so many words, "Being more mindful about the foods you choose and focusing on a diet that is comprised of whole fresh foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, thoughtful animal foods, and healthy fats)." Plus many more tips that you can read about here. While it seems pretty simple, many have either a hard time understanding and navigating the concept (rightfully so) while others perhaps take it way too far.
A few years ago I was teaching a workshop with my mentor and esteemed colleague, Kathie Madonna Swift, MS, RD, LDN. Opening night of our five-day nutrition and culinary immersion program, we fielded questions from students and they looked something like this:
"I never eat fruits with my vegetables because I heard that combining them is bad for my health. Is this true?"
"I was told that I should never eat grains without rinsing them, even soaking them. It's too much fuss so I don't eat them. Is that OK?"
"What spatula do you recommend? I just bought one made with silicone and I am scared to use it."
"My friend convinced me to go vegan because it is healthier for me but I am craving animal foods. What do I do?"
"My supermarket doesn't carry any organic fruits and vegetables so my choices are limited. I only buy organic so I am afraid that I am not getting enough nutrition."
"I know sugar is bad so I only consume stevia. Is that healthy?"
Post session, our hearts sank as we realized how much fear our students had. Our work for the week was cut out for us!
Speaking of taking clean eating too far, I recently came across "We Are Clean Eating Our Way to New Eating Disorders." According to the author: "Because overdoing it is the American way, we've now managed to warp even healthy habits into a new form of eating disorders. Welcome to the era of orthorexia."
The funny thing -- while we are so busy worrying about what to eat we still have the worst diets in the world. As I always say, nutrition analysis leads to culinary paralysis. And as a cook, that is heartbreaking to me. So, my advice -- if you want to get healthy and stay healthy, focus on these very simple and doable ideas:
- Fresh is Fabulous -- consume whole fresh foods 70-80 percent of the time.
If you can take these five simple steps then you are on the road to getting healthy and staying healthy. Don't forget that the fear alone can lead to illness. Food is emotionally loaded, I know this firsthand -- personally and through the many clients and students I have the great pleasure of working with. But please take a deep breath, stop listening to the nutrition noise and get a real edible education as with that, many of your fears will subside.
If you're struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorder Association hotline at 1-800-931-2237.
HuffPost Lifestyle is a daily newsletter that will make you happier and healthier — one email at a time. Learn more | <urn:uuid:3c929be0-a7a3-4803-895f-4e8a861dc4c8> | CC-MAIN-2017-09 | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stefanie-sacks-ms-cns-cdn/are-we-clean-eating-our-w_b_6786190.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501171463.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104611-00357-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968535 | 663 | 2.546875 | 3 | 2.447819 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
For some years now, obesity sceptics have argued against the mainstream medical and public health perspective on obesity. Writers such as Paul Campos (2004), Michael Gard and Jan Wright (Gard and Wright, 2005; Gard, 2011) have published closely argued critiques of the obesity science literature. They persuasively identify the many inaccuracies, distortions, misleading assumptions and generalisations made in scientific and epidemiological research which have contributed to the idea that obesity is at ‘crisis’ or ‘epidemic’ levels and that being over the arbitrarily defined ‘normal’ BMI automatically damages people’s health.
Some specific points obesity sceptics make are as follows:
- It is not the case that there are far greater numbers of fat people now compared to several decades ago. While there has been a modest increase in average weight, this does not represent an ‘epidemic of obesity’.
- Life expectancy in western countries has risen, not fallen, despite alleged growing rates of obesity and the supposed life-threatening health conditions caused by obesity.
- There is no statistical evidence that being fat necessarily equates to a greater risk of ill health or disease. Statistics show that only those people at the extreme end of the weight spectrum (the ‘morbidly obese’ in medical terminology) demonstrate negative health effects from their weight. The data show that higher body weight may even be protective of health in older people.
- The epidemiological literature has been unable to demonstrate that significant weight loss improves fat people’s health status. Indeed continual attempts by fat people to lose weight can actually be negative to their health status if it involves extreme diets, being caught in a cycle of losing and gaining weight or poor dietary habits.
- Fatness is often a symptom rather than the cause of ill health and disease.
- There is no consensus from the scientific literature that people in contemporary western societies are less active now than in previous eras: indeed many people, particularly those from the middle-class, are highly physically active.
- No clear association has been found between activity levels and childhood overweight and obesity, or between children’s television watching habits and their body weight.
- Nor have studies conclusively demonstrated that relative levels of physical activity influence health status. Medical research has not been able to show how much exercise should be undertaken and how often to achieve and maintain good health and which diseases are affected or prevented by taking regular exercise.
- It is also very difficult to demonstrate scientifically the relative influence of genes in body weight.
In all these areas there are many contradictory and conflicting findings from research studies, making it difficult to anyone to make confident statements about these issues. As these obesity sceptics point out, many of the generalisations made by obesity scientists and public health experts simply disregard the lack of consistent, clear or conclusive evidence for such statements as ‘obesity is caused by lack of exercise and eating too much’ and continue to reiterate these assertions.
What obesity sceptics present, in essence, is a detailed critique of the ways in which political agendas and pre-existing assumptions shape the reporting and interpretation of medical and epidemiological data relating to body mass. Quite apart of its relevance to debate about whether the obesity epidemic exists and how serious it is, such an analysis is valuable in drawing attention to the work practices and knowledge claims of medical and public health researchers.
The assertions and critiques of obesity sceptics have failed to make an impact on mainstream obesity science, government health policy and anti-obesity public health efforts. Journal articles concerning the dangers of obesity continue to appear in medical and public health journals with monotonous frequency. Alarmist predictions continue to receive attention in the mass media. Governments in western countries have also continued to invest large sums to fund health promotion campaigns seeking to counter obesity. For example, the American ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, directed at controlling childhood obesity, was launched by First Lady Michelle Obama in early 2010, while on the same day President Obama created a Taskforce on Childhood Obesity. The Australian ‘Swap It, Don’t Swap It’ anti-obesity campaign commenced in early 2011. It would seem that there are powerful political and career investments in continuing to ignore the arguments of the obesity sceptics.
Campos, P. (2004) The Obesity Myth. New York: Gotham Books.
Gard, M. and Wright, J. (2005) The Obesity Epidemic. London: Routledge.
Gard, M. (2011) The End of the Obesity Epidemic. London: Routledge. | <urn:uuid:d10f4c8f-7a71-4127-ab13-a5338ba1cca3> | CC-MAIN-2021-21 | https://simplysociology.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/is-being-fat-bad-for-your-health-obesity-sceptics-disagree/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-21/segments/1620243989766.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20210512162538-20210512192538-00509.warc.gz | en | 0.951028 | 944 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.044798 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
In the absence of the widespread distribution of modern cooking fuels in developing countries, efforts are being made to utilise biomass residues which abound in most of these countries. This is intended to replace portions of firewood and charcoal and thereby reduce the cutting down of forests for fuel purposes. Briquettes from agro-residues have therefore been promoted as a better replacement to firewood and charcoals for heating, cooking and other industrial applications in both urban and rural communities. This study sought to assess the physico-chemical properties of charcoal briquettes produced in Ghana and also establish demand for and willingness of potential users to substitute charcoal and firewood with a charcoal briquette. A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the physico-chemical characteristics of the briquettes. This was done prior to the distribution of the briquette to potential users to collaborate their views or otherwise on the handling and burning characteristics of the charcoal briquette. A survey was undertaken a week later using questionnaires to access the willingness of the potential users to use the briquettes. Sixty respondents were purposively selected from households and the hospitality industry for the survey. Results of the physico-chemical assessment of the briquettes were as follows: length (75 to 120 mm), moisture content (5.7% dry basis), density (1.1 g/cm3), ash content (2.6%), fixed carbon (20.7%), volatile matter (71%) and calorific value (4,820 kcal/kg). Responses from the survey indicated that the briquette is easy to ignite, has a long burning time and has good heat output. Respondents also observed that the briquettes did not give off sparks and had less smoke and ash content as compared to the regular charcoal they often used. Finally, 93% of the respondents indicated their willingness to use the briquettes if the price was comparable to charcoal.
Keywords:Sawdust charcoal briquettes; Physico-chemical characteristics; Demand and potential user's acceptability
As a result of the growing worldwide concern regarding environmental impacts - particularly climate change - from the use of fossil fuels, the volatile fossil fuel market and the need for an independent energy supply to sustain economic development, there is currently a great deal of interest in renewable energy in general and biomass energy in particular. Biomass is one of the most common and easily accessible renewable energy resources and represents a great opportunity as a feedstock for bioenergy [1-3]. A wide range of biomass resources - crop residues (corn stover, rice husk, etc.), wood wastes from forestry and industry, residues from food and paper industries, municipal solid wastes and dedicated energy crops such as short-rotation perennials - can be utilised to generate electricity, heat, combined heat and power, and other forms of bioenergy.
Traditionally, energy in the form of firewood, twigs and charcoal has been the major source of renewable energy for many developing countries . Fuelwood - firewood and charcoal - forms the most dominant source of energy in Ghana and is used significantly in both rural and urban communities for cooking and many other heating applications. According to , about 70% of the total national energy consumption is accounted for by biomass in either direct or processed form. Figure1 presents the trend of energy consumption by the type of fuel in Ghana from the year 2000 to 2008. It can be seen that since the last decade, there has been consistent dependence on the use of fuelwood for cooking and other heat applications in Ghana in comparison to other sources of energy .
The over-reliance on forest wood in Ghana mainly for charcoal production, firewood and furniture making has resulted in the depletion of forest reserves at a faster rate - estimated at 3% per year . A similar scenario, according to , in other sub-Saharan countries has resulted in shortage of fuelwood which has led to the depletion of over 75% of the total forest cover and thus leading to environmental crises. As rightly noted by , a transition to a sustainable energy system is urgently needed for developing countries.
Among the several kinds of biomass resources, agricultural residues - sawdust, rice husk, corn stover, cotton stalk, groundnut husk, etc. - have become one of the most promising choices as cooking fuels due to their availability in substantial quantities as waste annually. However, the utilisation of these biomass residues in their natural form as fuel is quite challenging due to their low bulk density, low heat release and the excessive amounts of smoke they generate . All of these characteristics make it difficult to handle, store, transport and utilize biomass residues in their raw form. One of the methods of improving the thermal value of such biomass is the application of briquetting technology [10,11]. This involves the densification of loose biomass to produce fuel briquette which has better handling characteristics and enhanced volumetric calorific value compared to the biomass in its original state. According to , briquettes are a key technology for increasing biomass use in both electricity and heat production.
The production of briquettes from sawdust and other agro-residues exemplifies the potential of appropriate technology for the utilisation of biomass residues which abound in large quantities in developing countries. However, compared to developed countries where successful briquette operations are mostly found, briquettes have not been widely adopted in developing countries due to the high cost of production, lack of awareness on its sustainability, lack of ready market and poor packaging and distribution systems for the product .
In Ghana, commercial production of sawdust briquette started in 1984. The production could not be sustained due to operational, marketing and standardisation challenges, though the briquettes had high prospect as an alternative to firewood and charcoal. However, according to , besides overcoming marketing and operational challenges, if agro-waste briquettes are to be used efficiently as fuel, they must be characterised by determining their physico-chemical parameters such as moisture content, ash content, density, volatile matter and heating value among others. According to , moisture content is a very important property which affects the burning characteristics of biomass. Volatile matter content has also been shown to influence the thermal behaviour of solid fuels . This study therefore assessed the physico-chemical properties of charcoal briquettes produced in Kumasi, Ghana. It also sought to assess the market potential of charcoal briquettes in the study area to establish demand for and also the willingness of potential users to substitute charcoal and firewood with the sawdust charcoal briquette.
The samples of sawdust charcoal briquette used for the study were obtained from a briquette-producing company in the Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. In all, 600 kg of briquettes was acquired for the study. The production of briquette at the company is by the extrusion process through the use of a screw press briquetting machine at a die pressure range of 100 to 200 MPa with no additives such as starch binder. Figure2 is a sample of the briquette in a carbonized form. It comes in square size (0.035 m × 0.035 m) with a concentric hole diameter of 0.01 m.
Figure 2. Sample of the sawdust charcoal briquette in a carbonized form.
Determination of physico-chemical properties of sawdust charcoal briquette
The calorific value and density of the briquette were determined while proximate and ultimate analyses were conducted prior to the distribution of the briquettes to sampled potential users. This approach was adopted as a measure of control to collaborate the views or otherwise of the respondents on the handling and burning characteristics of the charcoal briquette after they have used the briquettes.
The calorific value was determined using a bomb calorimeter in accordance with . Density was calculated from the ratio of the mass to the volume of the briquette in accordance with the method used by . Estimations of important chemical elements that make up biomass, namely carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur, were determined through ‘ultimate’ analysis. These properties were determined in accordance with ASTM analytical methods as prescribed by . Proximate analysis, which is a standardised procedure that gives an idea of the bulk components that make up a fuel , was done to determine the percentage volatile matter content, percentage ash content, moisture content and percentage content of fixed carbon of the briquettes.
Percentage volatile matter
The percentage volatile matter (PVM) was determined by pulverising 2 g of the briquette sample in a crucible and placing it in an oven until a constant weight was obtained. The briquettes were then kept in a furnace at a temperature of 550°C for 10 min and weighed after cooling in a dessicator. The PVM was then calculated using Equation 1:
where A is the weight of the oven-dried sample and B is the weight of the sample after 10 min in the furnace at 550°C.
Percentage ash content
The percentage ash content (PAC) was also determined by heating 2 g of the briquette sample in the furnace at a temperature of 550°C for 4 h and weighed after cooling in a dessicator to obtain the weight of ash (C). The PAC was determined using Equation 2:
Percentage moisture content on dry basis
The percentage moisture content (PMC) was found by weighing 2 g of the briquette sample (E) and oven drying it at 105°C until the mass of the sample was constant. The change in weight (D) after 60 min was then used to determine the sample's PMC using Equation 3:
Percentage fixed carbon
The percentage fixed carbon (PFC) was computed by subtracting the sum of PVM, PAC and PMC from 100 as shown in Equation 4:
User perception and potential market survey
Ten kilograms of the sawdust charcoal briquettes was given to each of the 60 potential users sampled purposively from within the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti region of Ghana. The potential users sampled included households and local hospitality industry operators (e.g. restaurants, hotels, wayside food vendors and bakeries). A survey was then conducted among the recipients of the briquette in order to establish their acceptability and willingness to use the briquettes. The survey was conducted through the administration of structured questionnaires a week after the distribution of the briquettes. The results of the survey were analysed using descriptive analysis tools in the Statistical Package for Social Scientists.
Questions of critical importance which the potential users responded to include the effect of the burning rate of the briquettes, heat output, ease of ignition of the briquettes, rate of devolatisation (how fast the briquettes burned), burning time or combustibility rating (how long the briquettes burned before restocking when they are used in cooking and heating), sparking ability (whether or not the briquettes produce sparks when burning), smoke generation and any other effects regarding the burning of the briquettes.
Results and discussions
Physical characteristics of the briquettes
The quality of the sampled briquettes assessed on the basis of their physical condition revealed that their external surface was smooth and the structure of the cross section was compact and homogenous. The density of the sawdust charcoal briquette was found to be 1,100 kg/m3 and falls within the range recommended by for sawdust briquette produced by screw extrusion process. The hole in the centre helps in combustion because of sufficient circulation of air. It also provides sufficient toughness to withstand exposure and shocks of transportation and storage.
The result of the physico-chemical characteristics of the sawdust charcoal briquette is presented in Table 1 and discussed in this section.
Table 1. Physico-chemical characteristics of sawdust charcoal briquette
The total energy that is needed to bring a briquette up to its pyrolytic temperature is dependent on its moisture content which affects the internal temperature within the briquette due to endothermic evaporation . According to , moisture content is one of the main parameters that determine briquette quality. A lower moisture content of briquettes implies a higher calorific value. From Table 1, the as-received moisture content of the sawdust charcoal briquette was determined to be 5.7% db. This is good for the storability and combustibility of the briquettes as recommended by . The value obtained is also corroborated by who reported a moisture content of 5% for durable briquettes of sawdust.
Biomass generally contains a high volatile matter content of around 70% to 86% and low char content. This makes biomass a highly reactive fuel giving a faster combustion rate during the devolatisation phase than other fuels such as coal . As reported by , low-grade fuels, such as dung, tend to have low volatile content that results in smouldering which other authors described as an incomplete combustion which leads to a significant amount of smoke and release of toxic gases. However, for the sawdust charcoal briquette, a volatile content of 71% is high and an indication of easy ignition of the briquette and proportionate increase in flame length as suggested by . The high volatile matter content indicates that during combustion, most of the sawdust charcoal briquette will volatise and burn as gas in the cookstove.
Ash, which is the non-combustible component of biomass, was found to be 2.6%. According to , ash has a significant influence on the heat transfer to the surface of a fuel as well as the diffusion of oxygen to the fuel surface during char combustion. As ash is an impurity that will not burn, fuels with low ash content are better suited for thermal utilisation than fuels with high ash content. Higher ash content in a fuel usually leads to higher dust emissions and affects the combustion volume and efficiency. According to , the higher the fuel's ash content, the lower is its calorific value.
The fixed carbon of the briquette, which is the percentage of carbon (solid fuel) available for char combustion after volatile matter is distilled off, was determined to be 20.7%. Fixed carbon gives a rough estimate of the heating value of a fuel and acts as the main heat generator during burning.
The ultimate analysis indicates the various elemental chemical constituents such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulphur, etc. It is useful in determining the quantity of air required for combustion and the volume and composition of the combustion gases. The composition of the sawdust charcoal briquette analysed on an ‘as-received basis’ showed 53.07% carbon, 4.1% hydrogen, 39.6% oxygen, 0.28% nitrogen and 0.302% sulphur. The results agree with the observations made by Chaney who reported that analysis of biomass using the gas analysis procedures revealed the principal constituent as carbon, which comprises between 30% and 60% of the dry matter and typically 30% to 40% oxygen. Hydrogen, being the third main constituent, makes up between about 5% and 6%, and nitrogen and sulphur (and chlorine) normally make up less than 1% of dry biomass.
The amount of carbon and hydrogen content in the sample examined is an indication that they will contribute immensely to the combustibility of the charcoal briquette as suggested by . According to , the resulting composition of biomass affects its combustion characteristics as the total overall mass of the fuel decreases during the volatile combustion phase of the combustion process, as the hydrogen to carbon ratio of the fuel increases and, to a lesser extent, as the oxygen to carbon ratio increases. Nitrogen, sulphur and chlorine are significant in the formation of harmful emissions and have an effect on reactions forming ash . The sulphur and nitrogen contents reported which are below 1% is a welcome development as there will be minimal release of sulphur and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, thereby limiting the polluting effect of the briquettes .
Heat value or calorific value determines the energy content of a fuel. It is the property of biomass fuel that depends on its chemical composition and moisture content. The most important fuel property is its calorific or heat value . The computed calorific value for the sawdust charcoal briquette was 20,175.81 kJ/kg (4,820 kcal/kg). This energy value can produce enough heat required for household cooking and small-scale industrial cottage applications. The results of the calorific value of the charcoal briquettes compare well with the results of the heating value of sawdust briquette obtained by and most biomass briquettes including almond shell briquette (19,490 kJ/kg) , corncob briquette (20,890 kJ/kg) , cowpea (14,372.93 kJ/kg) and soybeans (12,953 kJ/kg) .
Respondents' perception on usage of the sawdust charcoal briquette
As shown in Table 2, the following observations were made in response to the use of the briquettes by potential users.
Table 2. A matrix of user's perception on usage of sawdust charcoal briquette
With ease to ignite the briquettes, 97% of the respondents indicated that it was easy to ignite the briquette. Also, 78% of the respondents indicated that combustibility rating/burning time was quite long if they compare to the same amount of charcoal they use for their cooking and heating activities. On the heat output from the briquette, 76% perceived that it was quite high compared to other fuels such as charcoal which they have been using. On the rate of devolatisation, 75% responded that though the briquette has high heat output, it burned slowly. The responses imply that the sawdust charcoal briquette ignites more easily and burns with high intensity for a long time.
More importantly, all the respondents indicated that the briquettes burned without sparks and smoke. Low ash content was also observed. This shows that the sawdust charcoal briquette will be a better alternative to charcoal and firewood. This agrees with who reported that briquettes improve health by providing a cleaner burning fuel and also provide a better alternative to firewood (40% more efficient, better and longer burning time), as well as help to protect the environment by reducing the number of trees cut for firewood. Finally, 93% of the respondents indicated their willingness to use the briquettes if available and if the price is comparable to charcoal.
The findings of this study have shown that charcoal briquettes produced from sawdust meet recommended briquette characteristics and have market potential in Kumasi. The physico-chemical characteristics of the briquette assessed in this study showed that briquettes manufactured from sawdust had low moisture content (5.7%), high calorific value (4,820 kcal/kg) and low ash content (2.6%). There is also an indication that the briquette will be environmentally friendly due to the low sulphur (0.302%) and nitrogen (0.28%) contents observed. The survey has revealed that sawdust generated in large quantities and usually burned to pollute the environment can be converted into high-quality and durable solid fuel briquettes that will be suitable for both domestic and industrial energy production for heat generation. Even though a cost analysis was not performed in this study, the user perception survey showed that in terms of acceptability, there is future market potential for biomass briquettes among households and the hospitality industry (hotels, wayside food vendors, restaurants, etc.) in the study area. This is evident from the 93% of the respondents that indicated their readiness to use the briquette if the price is competitive enough.
The authors declare that they have no competing interest.
JOA conceived of the study, drafted the manuscript and participated in the sequence alignment. FK participated in the design of the study, performed the statistical analysis and participated in the sequence alignment. SJM was involved in the laboratory analysis and survey and also participated in the sequence alignment. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Special thanks goes to the staff of the laboratories of the Chemistry and Renewable and Natural Resources Department of KNUST, Kumasi, for giving us access to their equipment and also helping with the laboratory work. We would also like to acknowledge the role played by the briquette company in providing the briquettes for the study.
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Kim, HJ, Lu, GQ, Naruse, I, Yuan, J, Ohtake, K: Modeling combustion characteristics of bio-coal briquettes. J. Energy Resour. Technol.. 123, 27–31 (2001). Publisher Full Text | <urn:uuid:facd0ae1-2026-42dc-9e5f-d6ae6bdc0938> | CC-MAIN-2015-32 | http://www.journal-ijeee.com/content/3/1/20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-32/segments/1438042988250.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20150728002308-00327-ip-10-236-191-2.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921016 | 4,863 | 3.046875 | 3 | 3.012841 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Recall that the nucleus is a small spherical, dense body in a cell. It is often called the "control center" because it controls all the activities of the cell including cell reproduction, and heredity. How does it do this? The nucleus controls these activities by the chromosomes. Chromosomes are microscopic, threadlike strands composed of the chemical DNA (short for deoxyribonucleic acid. In simple terms, DNA controls the production of proteins within the cell. These proteins in turn, form the structural units of cells and control all chemical processes within the cell.
Chromosomes are composed of genes. A gene is a segment of DNA that codes for a particular protein, which in turn codes for a trait. Hence you hear it commonly referred to as the gene for baldness or the gene for blue eyes. Meanwhile, DNA is the chemical that genes and chromosomes are made of. It stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is called a nucleic acid because it was first found in the nucleus. We now know that DNA is also found in organelles, the mitochondria and chloroplasts, though it is the DNA in the nucleus that actually controls the cell's workings.
In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick established the structure of DNA. The structure is a double helix, which is like a twisted ladder. The sides of the ladder are made of alternating sugar and phosphate molecules. The sugar is deoxyribose. Color all the phosphates pink (one is labeled with a "p"). Color all the deoxyriboses blue (one is labeled with a "D").
The rungs of the ladder are pairs of 4 types of nitrogen bases. Two of the bases are purines - adenine and guanine. The pyrimidines are thymine and cytosine. The bases are known by their coded letters A, G, T, C. These bases always bond in a certain way. Adenine will only bond to thymine. Guanine will only bond with cytosine. This is known as the Base-Pair Rule. The bases can occur in any order along a strand of DNA. The order of these bases is the code the contains the instructions. For instance ATGCACATA would code for a different gene than AATTACGGA. A strand of DNA contains millions of bases. (For simplicity, the image only contains a few.) Note that the bases attach to the sides of the ladder at the sugars and not the phosphate.
Color the thymines orange. Color the adenines green.
Color the guanines purple. Color the cytosines yellow.
The combination of a single base, a deoxyribose sugar, and a phosphate make up a nucleotide. DNA is actually a molecule or repeating nucleotides. Examine the nucleotides closer. Two of the bases are purines - adenine and guanine. The pyrimidines are thymine and cytosine. Note that the pyrimidines are single ringed and the purines are double ringed. Color the nucleotides using the same colors as you colored them in the double helix.
The two sides of the DNA ladder are held together loosely by hydrogen bonds. Color the hydrogen bonds gray.
So, now, we know the nucleus controls the cell's activities through the chemical DNA, but how? It is the sequence of bases that determine which protein is to be made. The sequence is like a code that we can now interpret. The sequence determines which proteins are made and the proteins determine which activities will be performed. And that is how the nucleus is the control center of the cell. The only problem is that the DNA is too big to go through the nuclear pores. So a chemical is used to to read the DNA in the nucleus. That chemical is messenger RNA. The messenger RNA (mRNA) is small enough to go through the nuclear pores. It takes the "message" of the DNA to the ribosomes and "tells them" what proteins are to be made. Recall that proteins are the body's building blocks. Imagine that the code taken to the ribosomes is telling the ribosome what is needed - like a recipe.
Messenger RNA is similar to
DNA, except that it is a single strand, and it has no thymine. Instead of thymine,
mRNA contains the base Uracil. In addition to that difference, mRNA has the sugar
ribose instead of deoxyribose. RNA stands for Ribonucleic Acid. Color the
mRNA as you did the DNA, except:
Color the ribose a DARKER BLUE, and the uracil brown.
Every cell in your body has the same "blueprint" or the same DNA. Like the blueprints of a house tell the builders how to construct a house, the DNA "blueprint" tells the cell how to build the organism. Yet, how can a heart be so different from a brain if all the cells contain the same instructions? Although much work remains in genetics, it has become apparent that a cell has the ability to turn off most genes and only work with the genes necessary to do a job. We also know that a lot of DNA apparently is nonsense and codes for nothing. These regions of DNA that do not code for proteins are called "introns", or sometimes "junk DNA". The sections of DNA that do actually code from proteins are called "exons".
Each time a new cell is made, the cell must receive an exact copy of the parent cell DNA. The new cells then receive the instructions and information needed to function. The process of copying DNA is called replication. Replication occurs in a unique way – instead of copying a complete new strand of DNA, the process “saves” or conserves one of the original strand. For this reason, replication is called semi-conservative. When the DNA is ready to copy, the molecule “unzips” itself and new nucleotides are added to each side.
The image showing replication is similar to the DNA and mRNA coloring. Note the nucleotides are shown as their 3 parts – sugar (blue), phosphate (pink) and one of the four bases (color codes are above). Color the replication model on the second page. Notice that several nucleotides are floating around, they are waiting to pair up with their match.
The boxed section shows two new strands of DNA. Color the old strand (including its base) red and the new strand (including its base) green.
1. Why is the nucleus called the "control center" of the cell?_________________________________
2. What is a gene? ______________________________________________________
3. Where in the cell are chromosomes located? ________________________________________
4. DNA can be found in what organelles? ______________________________________________
5. What two scientists established the structure of DNA? ________________________________________
6. Replication is called “semi-conservative” because half of the original strand is _______________________
7. What are the sides of the DNA ladder made of? __________________________________________
8. What three parts make up a single nucleotide: _____________________________________________
9. What are the 4 bases that make up the rungs of the DNA ladder? ____________________________________
10. What sugar is found in DNA? ____________________________ In RNA? ___________________________
11. How do the bases bond together? A bonds with _____ G bonds with _______
12. Why is RNA necessary to act as a messenger? __________________________________________
13. Proteins are made where in the cell? __________________________________________________
14. How is RNA different from DNA? (list 3 things) ___________________________________________
15. The process of copying DNA is called ___________________________________________________
16. What is the shape of DNA? _____________________________________________
17. How do some cells become brain cells and others become skin cells, when the DNA in ALL the cells is exactly the same. In other words, if the instructions are exactly the same, how does one cell become a brain cell and another a skin cell? ____________________________________________________________________
18. Why is DNA called the "Blueprint of Life"? ____________________________________________ | <urn:uuid:b9097835-b1b0-4097-8750-70b181f135b6> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/DNAcoloring.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280364.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00312-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92487 | 1,714 | 4.4375 | 4 | 1.916879 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Science & Tech. |
An industrial oven is a heated chamber that is used to perform a wide range of applications within industry. Generally, industrial ovens process a raw material at extremely high temperatures to perform a heat treatment process.
Typical applications for industrial ovens include food production, chemical processing, and even the electronics industry. This blog post will discuss some common industrial ovens and their applications.
Curing is a heat-treatment process that is used to accelerate a chemical reaction. Curing ovens perform this process by heating a raw material to a specific temperature in order to activate this reaction. Industrial ovens used for curing are used for a range of applications with raw materials including coatings, adhesives, and rubber.
A drying oven is designed to remove any moisture from the raw material placed within it. These industrial ovens undertake a three-step process; first is the heat-up, where the material is heated to the temperature required to remove the moisture in a specified time. The next stage is the soak, this is where the material is left to ‘soak’ in the heat for a specific amount of time. Finally, the oven has a cool-down stage, where the heated air is exhausted from the oven and cooler ambient air is fed in. Drying ovens can also be used for sterilization, incubating temperature sensitive experiments, and temperature testing.
A variety of different heat treatment processes can be performed in a batch oven, including curing, drying, aging, and annealing. Batch ovens are used when the same heat treatment process is required to be performed at different times, and if the raw material to be processed changes between batches. Depending on the production requirements, the batches of raw materials can be placed inside the industrial oven on carts, racks, or trucks. Manual or automated loading can also be accommodated if required.
Similar to batch ovens, continuous ovens can perform a range of different heat treatment processes. This type of industrial oven is chosen for mass-production of the same raw material in a consistent heat treatment process. Continuous ovens often have separate heating and cooling chambers, which helps to speed up the heat-treatment process as you do not need to wait for a single chamber to cool down. Processing time is often reduced in continuous ovens, and the final results are always consistent.
Industrial Ovens from Thermcraft
Thermcraft is a leading international manufacturer of high-quality thermal processing equipment, including industrial ovens. Our range of products include quick-ship designed and fully customized solutions. | <urn:uuid:c8ed6114-358d-4343-a9ee-463851b543ce> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://thermcraftinc.com/industrial-ovens-various-types-applications/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233506676.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20230925015430-20230925045430-00418.warc.gz | en | 0.940028 | 544 | 2.90625 | 3 | 1.609745 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Industrial |
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The hip joint is the largest weight-bearing joint in the human body. It is also referred to as a ball and socket joint and is surrounded by muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The thigh bone or femur and the pelvis join to form the hip joint.
Any injury or disease of the hip will adversely affect the joint's range of motion and ability to bear weight.
The hip joint is made up of the following:
- Bones and joints
- Ligaments of the joint capsule
- Muscles and tendons
- Nerves and blood vessels that supply the bones and muscles of the hip
Bones and Joints
The hip joint is the junction where the hip joins the leg to the trunk of the body. It is comprised of two bones: the thigh bone or femur and the pelvis which is made up of three bones called ilium, ischium, and pubis. The ball of the hip joint is made by the femoral head while the socket is formed by the acetabulum. The Acetabulum is a deep, circular socket formed on the outer edge of the pelvis by the union of three bones: ilium, ischium, and pubis. The lower part of the ilium is attached by the pubis while the ischium is considerably behind the pubis. The stability of the hip is provided by the joint capsule or acetabulum and the muscles and ligaments which surround and support the hip joint.
The head of the femur rotates and glides within the acetabulum. A fibrocartilagenous lining called the labrum is attached to the acetabulum and further increases the depth of the socket.
The femur or thigh bone is one of the longest bones in the human body. The upper part of the thigh bone consists of the femoral head, femoral neck, and greater and lesser trochanters. The head of the femur joins the pelvis (acetabulum) to form the hip joint. Next, to the femoral neck, there are two protrusions known as greater and lesser trochanters which serve as sites of muscle attachment.
Articular cartilage is the thin, tough, flexible, and slippery surface lubricated by synovial fluid that covers the weight-bearing bones of the body. It enables smooth movements of the bones and reduces friction.
Ligaments are fibrous structures that connect bones to other bones. The hip joint is encircled with ligaments to provide stability to the hip by forming a dense and fibrous structure around the joint capsule. The ligaments adjoining the hip joint include:
- Iliofemoral ligament: This is a Y-shaped ligament that connects the pelvis to the femoral head at the front of the joint. It helps in limiting the over-extension of the hip.
- Pubofemoral ligament: This is a triangular shaped ligament that extends between the upper portion of the pubis and the iliofemoral ligament. It attaches the pubis to the femoral head.
- Ischiofemoral ligament: This is a group of strong fibers that arise from the ischium behind the acetabulum and merge with the fibers of the joint capsule.
- Ligamentum teres: This is a small ligament that extends from the tip of the femoral head to the acetabulum. Although it has no role in hip movement, it does have a small artery within that supplies blood to a part of the femoral head.
- Acetabular labrum: The labrum is a fibrous cartilage ring which lines the acetabular socket. It deepens the cavity, increasing the stability and strength of the hip joint.
Muscles and Tendons
A long tendon called the iliotibial band runs along the femur from the hip to the knee and serves as an attachment site for several hip muscles including the following:
- Gluteals: These are the muscles that form the buttocks. There are three muscles (gluteus minimus, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius) that attach to the back of the pelvis and insert into the greater trochanter of the femur.
- Adductors: These muscles are located in the thigh which helps in adduction, the action of pulling the leg back towards the midline.
- Iliopsoas: This muscle is located in front of the hip joint and provides flexion. It is a deep muscle that originates from the lower back and pelvis and extends up to the inside surface of the upper part of the femur.
- Rectus femoris: This is the largest band of muscles located in front of the thigh. They also are hip flexors.
- Hamstring muscles: These begin at the bottom of the pelvis and run down the back of the thigh. Because they cross the back of the hip joint, they help in extension of the hip by pulling it backward.
Nerves and Arteries
Nerves of the hip transfer signals from the brain to the muscles to aid in hip movement. They also carry the sensory signals such as touch, pain, and temperature back to the brain.
The main nerves in the hip region include the femoral nerve in the front of the femur and the sciatic nerve at the back. The hip is also supplied by a smaller nerve known as the obturator nerve.
In addition to these nerves, there are blood vessels that supply blood to the lower limbs. The femoral artery, one of the largest arteries in the body, arises deep in the pelvis and can be felt in front of the upper thigh.
All of the anatomical parts of the hip work together to enable various hip movements. Hip movements include flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, circumduction, and hip rotation.
Avascular necrosis, also called osteonecrosis, is a condition in which bone death occurs because of inadequate blood supply to it. Lack of blood flow may occur when there is a fracture in the bone or a joint dislocation that may damage nearby blood vessels.
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) or hip dysplasia is a condition that is seen in infants and young children because of developmental problems in the hip joint. The femur (thighbone) partially or completely slips out of the hip socket leading to dislocation at the hip joint.
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is an unusual disorder of the hip where the ball at the upper end of the thighbone (femur) slips in a backward direction. This is caused due to weakness of the growth plate. This condition is commonly caused during accelerated growth periods such as the onset of puberty.
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) or Perthes disease is a disorder of the hip that affects children, usually between the ages of 4 and 10. It usually involves one hip, although it can occur on both sides in some children. It occurs more commonly in boys than girls.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)?
Our blood consists of a liquid component known as plasma. It also consists of three main solid components which include the red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. Platelets play an important role in forming blood clots. They also consist of special proteins, known as growth factors, which help with our body’s healing process. Platelet-rich plasma or PRP is a high concentration of platelets and plasma. A normal blood specimen contains only 6% platelets, while platelet-rich plasma contains 94% of platelets and 5 to 10 times the concentration of growth factors found in normal blood, thus greater healing properties.
What are the Indications for PRP Injections?
PRP is a relatively new method of treatment for several orthopedic conditions such as muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries; arthritis; and fractures. PRP injections can help alleviate painful symptoms, promote healing, and delay joint replacement surgeries.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection Procedure
Your doctor will first draw about 10 cc’s of blood from the large vein in your elbow. The blood is then spun in a centrifuge machine for about 10 to 15 minutes to separate the platelets from the remaining blood components. The injured part of your body is then anesthetized with a local anesthetic. The platelet-rich portion of your blood is then injected into your affected area. In some cases, your doctor may use ultrasound guidance for proper needle placement.
Post-Procedure Care following PRP Injections
It is normal to feel some discomfort at the injection site for a few days after your procedure.
- You may use cold compresses to alleviate your symptoms.
- You will be instructed to stop any anti-inflammatory medications.
- You may resume your normal activities but should avoid any strenuous activities such as heavy lifting or exercises.
Risks and Complications of PRP Injections
There are very minimal risks associated with PRP injections. Some of the potential risks include:
- Increased pain at the injection site
- Damage to adjacent nerves or tissues
- Formation of scar tissue
- Calcification at the injection site
Ultrasound is a common imaging technique that employs high-frequency sound waves to create images of the organs and other internal structures of the body. These images provide the doctor valuable information which assists in diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of tendon, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the body. It is also an excellent tool for guiding the placement of needles for both diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes. Injection of a pain medication in combination with a local anesthetic directly to the site of injury helps relieve pain. Ultrasound-guided injection provides improved accuracy for injection site location.
The advantages of ultrasound imaging compared to other imaging techniques includes the following:
- No patient exposure to ionizing radiation
- Able to assess tendons, ligaments, and muscles under high resolution
- Provides direct visualization of the area being treated
- Ensures accurate placement of the needle to targeted areas
The indications for diagnostic ultrasound imaging technique include the following:
- Diagnose conditions such as tendon/ligament tears, inflamed bursa, compressed nerves, joint fluid, and cysts
- Assess painful pops and snaps that occur during movement
- Deliver diagnostic injections to specific targets including joints and tendon sheaths or around nerves
- Help guide needle placement during needle aspirations or injections for patients with challenging anatomical variations or people taking blood-thinning medications
- Aspiration of a ganglion cyst
- Injection into a tendon sheath or a bursa
- Administer a nerve block (diagnostic or therapeutic)
- Guide needles in percutaneous therapy for the treatment of calcific tendonitis
During an ultrasound-guided injection, you will be asked to lie or sit down on a table depending on the injection location. A clear water-based conducting gel is applied to your skin to assist the transmission of sound waves. Your doctor moves a hand-held probe, called a transducer, over the target area. The doctor then inserts the needle into the skin under ultrasound guidance to the specified location. The transducer emits sound waves and detects the rebound echoes from the tissue. Images are created from these sound waves which are viewed on the video display screen attached to the scanner.
Ultrasound-guided injection is a relatively safe and painless procedure. Some of the associated complications include bleeding at the site of insertion and injury to adjacent structures. You can resume your normal activities immediately after the procedure.
Ultrasound-guided injection is a safe and effective technique to diagnose and treat various musculoskeletal pain conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, and neuritis and to perform cyst aspiration. It provides high-resolution images that enhance the accuracy of needle placement without damaging the surrounding tissues.
Muscle sparing anterior hip replacement is a minimally invasive hip surgery to replace the hip joint without cutting through any muscles or tendons as compared to traditional hip replacement that involves cutting major muscles to access the hip joint.
Periacetabular osteotomy is a surgical procedure to treat a congenital hip condition called hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is either present from birth or develops in the first few months of life. Patients suffering from this condition have a shallow socket (acetabulum) of the hip joint. | <urn:uuid:abb38cfd-7533-491f-bc8d-27f6168edcdc> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.lasvegashipspecialist.com/hip-preservation-joint-replacement-las-vegas-nv/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511406.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20231004184208-20231004214208-00479.warc.gz | en | 0.935984 | 2,679 | 4 | 4 | 1.352594 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Health |
William Foster in the field pointing to the late Permian mass extinction horizon.
Credit: Richard Twitchett; CCAL
Biotic crises during the Triassic period may have delayed marine recovery after a mass extinction during the late Permian, according to a study published March 15, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by William Foster from University of Texas, Austin, USA, and colleagues.
The late Permian mass extinction was a catastrophic biotic crisis- an estimated 81 percent of marine species were lost, and recovery took longer than for any other extinction event. Some researchers had previously hypothesized that biotic crises subsequently impeded the recovery of life at the bottom of the oceans. To investigate further, Foster and colleagues examined marine invertebrate fossils in the Werfen Formation in the Dolomites, Italy. They assessed diversity and other measures of ocean floor marine communities during the Triassic, the geological period which followed the mass extinction. They were able to gather the highest-resolution, most continuous dataset from this formation to date.
The researchers found that extinction rates of these marine invertebrates peaked twice during the early Triassic. Moreover, these raised extinction rates were associated with carbon isotope shifts, possibly indicating increased stress in the environment which could have affected species’ ability to survive and diversify. After the second biotic crisis, ecological diversity increased, possibly following a relaxation of the environmental stresses that had previously limited marine recovery. Taken together, these findings support the hypothesis that after the late Permian mass extinction, marine recovery was delayed by subsequent biotic crises.
William Foster, the lead author on the study, says, “The early evolution of marine ecosystems 252 million years ago wasn’t only ushered by the greatest mass extinction of all time, but also affected by two more subsequent extinction events associated with climate change. This is not only interesting from an evolutionary point of view, but also because those environmental conditions that life had to adapt to, to survive back then, are similar to those predicted for future climate warming scenarios.”
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Foster WJ, Danise S, Price GD, Twitchett RJ.Subsequent biotic crises delayed marine recovery following the late Permian mass extinction event in northern Italy.PLoS ONE, March 2017; 194855061769306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172321 | <urn:uuid:0ecc9a6a-bab7-4744-bbff-51b17fcd0730> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://sciencebulletin.org/marine-recovery-after-mass-extinction-was-likely-delayed-by-further-biotic-crises/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100290.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20231201151933-20231201181933-00787.warc.gz | en | 0.956438 | 504 | 3.78125 | 4 | 3.050221 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
The surest guarantee for right-doing in journalism is contained in the teaching that right is always right and that it must be done for its own sake. This is the great basic truth to be taught the students of schools of journalism and impressed upon the minds of all newspaper workers. No other ” endowment” than this of sound principles is to be desired, either for newspapers or individuals, because both must work out their own salvation in life’s daily battle, which is won for the right only by those steadfast souls that fight for the sake of right alone. From an editorial in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The haste and hurry of which so much is made may and does prevent polished work in a newspaper office. But it does not prevent accurate, careful, painstaking work. The history of the world which lay on your doorstep this morning is amazingly accurate; the mistakes in it are few and far between . . . The average high school of to-day turns out a variety of English that the best natured city editor consigns to perdition in seven tongues, and beats out of the aspiring cub without delay or remorse. And in the important matter of brevity and directness of saying what you have to say in the curtest and plainest phrase of which the language is capable, the newspaper is the greatest educator in the world. From an article by GEORGE L. KNAPP.
A first essential of good news writing is accuracy. The word should be graven in the mind of every reporter and every editor. It is spoken by the city editor to his reporters almost every hour of his working day. Placards on the walls may call attention to it, as in some offices where, with laudable brevity, the motto is urged upon the staff:
ACCURACY TERSENESS ACCURACY
If a story is accurate, if it is written with a nice attention to detail, it is likely to be fair. If a story is not accurate, it is not news in the best sense.
Accuracy implies more than mere grammatical correctness. It means more even than the stating of every fact with precision. A story may be taken to pieces, fact by fact, and every sentence found to be correct; yet the whole may give a false impression. Accuracy means the spirit as well as the letter of the truth.
Truthful, precise writing is the fruit of accurate observation. If one would write news, he must learn first to see news clearly and without prejudice. Therein the trained reporter excels the casual observer. The one has learned to observe keenly; the other, well equipped though he may be in the rules of rhetoric, has not schooled himself in the business of seeing things with an eye single to getting the facts in right proportion. Learn to observe and you will have gone far toward mastering the art of news getting and news writing. Casual observation is nearly always faulty. Take for example the conflicting statements of persons on the witness stand. One man, telling his version of an automobile accident, swears the car was going fully thirty miles an hour, another is certain the speed was only eight miles ; one heard the driver sound a warning ” honk,” another is equally positive no warning was given. Each witness is a reputable citizen and each thinks his version is the truth. The discrepancy in their testimony is due, not to any effort to deceive, but to the common failure to observe care-fully.
It is the business of the newspaper man, whose eyes must serve thousands of readers each day, to see rightly what others see imperfectly or not at all. He is subject to the same human limitations as the others, but he must make it his duty, by training his mind and his eye, to reduce those limitations to the minimum. Then, and then only, can he gather and write news with the maximum of efficiency.
In giving names and street addresses there is special need of accuracy. Watch, too, the spelling of all the words in your copy. Remember the dictionary is made for use.
The average good citizen likes to see his name in print, but he is deeply offended at seeing it misspelled. Smythe’s name is a thing peculiarly his own; he can never cherish any particular regard for the newspaper that persists in calling him Smith. So with Browne and Maughs and Willson. Their names are not Brown, Moss, Wilson. A reader whose name is misspelled feels, unconsciously perhaps, that he has been robbed of some intimate possession. A blow has been aimed at his individuality. To paraphrase a great reporter of life, his ” good name ” has been stolen, and as a good citizen he resents the theft.
The misplacing of an initial or the careless dropping of a letter from a name may cost the newspaper a subscriber. Certainly it convicts the paper of inaccuracy in one man’s eyes. He reasons that if the paper is mistaken in the spelling of his name, it may be guilty of other grave inaccuracies in its news. His faith in the paper is shaken. And the newspaper that loses the faith of its readers is in danger of losing the good will that is its chief as-set.
Care should be taken in the writing of street ad-dresses. The difference between two street numbers may represent the difference between respectability and its opposite. A serious injustice may be done a person by printing his name with the wrong street address. Such a mistake was made not long ago by a western newspaper, which gave an address in a neighborhood of doubtful reputation to a citizen of high standing. As a result of the writer’s carelessness the newspaper was sued for libel.
The reporter should be constantly on his guard in taking down the addresses given by unknown persons. Especially is this true with reference to the data furnished by criminals for the police ” blotter.” It is a common practice of habitual criminals to give as their own the addresses of reputable citizens.
Learn all you can of the city in which you work.
Such knowledge will be invaluable as a safeguard against many pitfalls. The city directory is an excellent guide, but sometimes is inaccurate.
Spell correctly. This applies not alone to proper names. Some news writers are prone to shift the burden of spelling to the man who edits the copy or to the proofreader. Doubtless there are many brilliant news gatherers who are deficient in spelling, but, other things being equal, the man who spells correctly is preferred to him who is slovenly in this respect. Bad spelling, though not fatal to a writer’s chances, is often a sign of lazy habits of mind. The precise thinker, as a rule, has too much regard for the tools of his tradehis wordsto abuse them. The city editor judges the new man largely by his copy. The story that shows attention to spelling, to all the little niceties of writing, assuredly has a better chance of a favorable reception than the story, of equal news value, that be-trays carelessness.
If any hard-and-fast first principle relating to accuracy can be laid down, it is this : Get the names right. Once this principle is grounded in the mind of the reporter, he is fairly sure to strive for accuracy in all the details of his story.
Persons who know nothing of the inner workings of the newspaper office may profess to believe that stories are written without regard to accuracy and are thrown into type haphazard, just as they come from the writers. Nothing could be farther from the truth. A newspaper that permitted such a condition would be swamped with libel suits within a week. In every newspaper office, certainly in every newspaper office worthy the name, there is an unceasing war against inaccuracy of every kind. The new reporter learns this when he comes in jubilant from an assignment, only to be sent back to get the middle initial of a name. The out-of-town correspondent learns it when he is called from his bed by long-distance telephone to explain a vague statement in a story he had wired earlier in the night. When one considers the difficulties under which news is gathered and the limited time at the news-paper’s command, the wonder is not that errors occasionally creep into the news columns but that the errors are so few.
The newspaper as it goes to the reader, though it is the product of many very human persons working under pressure, is remarkably accurate. A painstaking effort has been made to give the reader a true picture of the day’s happenings. Copy readers have gone over the reporters’ copy for errors of fact and of style; proofreaders have corrected typographical errors after the matter has been set in type; one or more editors have read the revised proofs with an eye single to detecting faults.
The newspaper, of all modern institutions, is the most human. It is written by, for and about men and women. Its failings are the common failings of humankind. Forewarned thus against himself, it is the duty of the news writer, even while he works with one eye on the clock, to be always vigilant in the battle against inaccuracy to do his full share, and more, in keeping the columns of his paper free from misstatement of every kind.
SUGGESTIONS FOR HOME OR CLASS-ROOM STUDY
The following stories are presented, not for any specific bearing on the discussion of accuracy, but as ” horrible examples ” of bad news writing ‘in general. Inaccuracy in a news story seldom stands alone as a fault, because if a story is inaccurate the chances are it is deficient in other respects. The writer who does not take his work seriously enough to get his facts correct is not likely to pay attention to style. The stories here reproduced may serve as a warning against some of the faults pointed out in the preceding chapters.
1. This and the story under II show the absurdity of attempted ” fine writing ” : Shrouded in deep mystery and in spite of the fact that strenuous efforts were made to keep the details of the affair secret, startling facts regarding the robbery of the Blank sorority house came to light yesterday. The house was entered by a burglar some time during the Christmas recess and some valuable silverware was taken.
But this is not all. Although when interviewed on the subject the members of the sorority refused to give any of the details to the public, some unique traits have developed in the burglar which may enable an ambitious Sherlock to unravel as deep a mystery as has ever puzzled Pinkerton’s band of trained sleuths.
(Query: Isn’t it about time to give the word ” strenuous ” a needed rest?)
II. The story of a death was told thus in a small newspaper:
Mrs. Eliza Williams, mother of Mrs. Geo. Brown, was released from her physical surroundings Saturday morning at ten o’clock and called to occupy a building, a house not made with hands eternally in the heavens. She has been in this earth life 87 years.
(Evidently the foregoing means : ” Mrs. Eliza Williams, mother of Mrs. George Brown, died at 10 o’clock Saturday morning. She was 87 years old.” The simplest style is always the best in writing of death. Say “body,” not “remains “coffin,” not “casket “; “the dead man (or woman),” not “the deceased ” or “the defunct.” ” Burial ” is better than ” interment.” ” The late ” is nearly always useless. ” Obsequies ” implies that the ceremonies were imposing ; in most cases ” funeral” is the proper word. Never use a flip-pant word in a death story. In all news writing spell out proper names : e. g., George,” not ” Geo.” Most newspapers use numerals in giving the hour, as to o’clock. It is usually preferable to place the hour before the day; thus, ” at to o’clock Saturday morning.” Be careful to refer to the dead in the past tense; the verb in the last sentence of the story quoted should be “had been.”)
III. Note the use of cheap slang in the following story :
Fred Smith, a young man about 18 or 19 years old, who formerly resided in this neighborhood but more recently at Jonesburg, had been boozing at the saloon all day and in the evening walked out of that burg on the railroad track. He evidently fell with his head down on one side of the dump and one foot over the rail. The 7 o’clock passenger struck him and mashed the foot. He was picked up by the train crew and brought to town and received medical attention.
(It is seldom in good taste, nor is it safe, to accuse a person of drunkenness. Bear in mind the injunction : Tell the facts and let the reader draw his own conclusions.) | <urn:uuid:368306ec-9bcf-4414-9fdc-a531c1d2c762> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://writing.yodelout.com/the-importance-of-accuracy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218191984.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212951-00229-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972214 | 2,722 | 2.578125 | 3 | 2.840745 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Literature |
Qualitative research is a significant element of epidemiological research as it necessitates researchers to have data that offers awareness into the opinions, values, and community standards where analysis is being done. The data gathered founded on a participant’s opinion, detailed conversations and focus group deliberations. The organized data diminishes the researcher’s misunderstanding and aids in the collection of numerous data. Qualitative research is an accomplishment that is assessed through illustrative information compared to arithmetical values such as quantitative research (Wolff et al., 2018). Through this type of research, there are enormous amounts of words and data that must be organized. Therefore, best mode of managing and organizing the voluminous information entails integrating an appropriate strategy.
One of the strategies involves the conversion of the raw data into computer files. Preparation of the documented data based on comprehensive interviews for enquiry requires transcribing every tape and key in the transactions into computer files and the backup duplicates to be stored securely (Wolff et al., 2018). Every transcription or set of notes must commence with a typical header that specifies the archival digit, site, and names of data collectors, data gathering date, mode of data gathering, transcriber, interpreter, typist, and period of computer entry as illustrated in the transcription procedure.
Another strategy involves centralization of data. It is important for researchers to store physical information that entails notes, tape recordings and transcripts.in an inaccessible filing cabinet or similarly protected locations. Moreover, it guarantees security and reliability of the information. In this case, it is good to have one individual that knows where all the information is stored and may assist in finding when required (Wolff et al., 2018). If the strategies are incorporated, then scholars may get the assistance they require to accomplish and consolidate the gathered information.
Wolff, B., Mahoney, F., Lohiniva, A. L., & Corkum, M. (2018). Collecting and Alalysing Qualitative Data. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/eis/field-epi-manual/chapters/Qualitative-Data.html
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You work hard at your academics, and you should be rewarded, with a revision or modification for free on any order from a discursive essay , assignment to dissertation papers. | <urn:uuid:82810433-5964-424e-9b93-15011cde93f9> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://www.essay-writing.com/samples/qualitative-data/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662587158.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220525120449-20220525150449-00134.warc.gz | en | 0.918732 | 1,358 | 2.796875 | 3 | 2.247127 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Education & Jobs |
Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB) provides services to peoplewith varying degrees of visual impairment, ranging from those who cannotread regular print to those who are totally blind.
Through the Independent Living Rehabilitation Program, rehabilitationteachers provide instruction in techniques used by blind and visually impairedpeople. These techniques enable them to continue doing most of the thingsaround their homes and community that they have done in the past.Services might include:
- Adaptive techniques in cooking, sewing, and housecleaning
- Braille for communication, reading and entertainment
- Instruction in the use of the white cane for safe travel
- Counseling for adjustment to visual loss
- Rehabilitation and educational advocacy services to pre-school and school-age children
These teaching services are provided at no cost to children and adultswho are blind or visually impaired.
Many of the people with whom we work experience one of the following visiondisorders:
- Macular degeneration: more prevalent in older people: causes loss of central vision, making it difficult to read or recognize faces.
- Cataracts: clouding of the lens, may vary in size and density and may cause substantial loss of vision, including problems with glare, blurred images, etc.
- Glaucoma: Often associated with increased pressure in the eye; can cause a loss of side vision.
- Diabetic eye diseases: may involve leaking of blood vessels in the eye; it is vitally important for diabetics to see their eye doctor on a regular basis to prevent vision loss.
Adaptive sewing aids, marking laundry dials, techniques for identifyingcoins and currency, teaching basic home maintenance, identifying and administeringmedications, applying make-up, and coordinating one’s clothes are examplesof the services provided in the area of personal/home management.
Dialing a phone, telling time, writing checks and maintaining a checkledger...learning new ways to perform these tasks can make life much easier.Magnification devices may assist in reading printed material. Braille maybe used for keeping personal records, phone numbers, labeling, reading,etc.
Counseling and Guidance
The rehabilitation teacher is available to assist in learning more aboutvisual disabilities, understanding feelings and fears about visual impairmentand learning ways to cope. This counseling and guidance may also help indeveloping ways to understand the public attitude toward blindness as wellas personal perceptions of one’s own blindness. These skills contributeto building self-confidence and self-worth.
Marking the stove and other appliances, labeling canned goods, developingmethods to read recipes and pre-packaged food instructions, demonstratingcooking aids...safe meal preparation will be much easier once these skillsare learned.
Playing cards, Bingo and board games are some of the leisure time activitiesavailable in Braille or large print.
Instruction can be provided in the use of a long white cane to locatelandmarks, detect curbs and steps, and cross streets. With training, itis possible to run errands, visit friends, and take walks. Some may findit helpful to use a white support cane. Others may learn skills to travelconfidently with their friends and family.
If you are interested in the services offered by the Business EnterpriseProgram, please call Toll Free: 1-800-592-6004, or send email to [email protected] | <urn:uuid:f8970a27-2e3d-464a-8d41-bc942c416467> | CC-MAIN-2019-13 | https://dss.mo.gov/fsd/rsb/il.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-13/segments/1552912202704.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20190323000443-20190323022443-00031.warc.gz | en | 0.909354 | 698 | 3.140625 | 3 | 1.961918 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
How to Play: Easter Hop Spot
How to play: Number each piece of construction paper, one through four, for each color. You now need to assign a number to each color, like red = 1, blue = 2, green = 3, yellow = 4. The board will be a four by four square and it should be randomly set up as follows: Each color should have its own pile, with a mixed-up order, so that the order for each one is not 1,2,3,4. Now, roll the die and match the number to the color. So, if you roll a four, the first square in the first row would be a yellow square. Pull the first yellow square off the yellow pile and roll again. If the second roll is a 2, then you place a blue square in the next position -- row 1, square 2. Continue to roll and place squares down until each row has four squares.
Note you can have two or three of the same color in the same row, and if you run out of colors, just roll until you roll a color you have left. In the end, you want a four by four block.
The rules: The die will be rolled three times before each turn. The first roll of the die will determine the color of square the player must hop to (5 and 6 on the die = roll again). The second roll of the die will determine the number of the colored square the player must hop to (again, 5 and 6 on the die = roll again). The third roll of the die will determine how many hops the player must take to get to the square. Have the children roll the die to learn their starting point. Once all the kids are on the board, (more than one child can share the same spot) you can go around to each child and have them roll the die or you can have a parent roll and announce the move. The child must hop from their spot to the new spot based on the roll, however the player cannot hop on a spot if someone else is already standing on the spot. The child must go around the other players. Kids must see if they can manage to maneuver around a player to get the new spot. If the child is unable to make it to the spot, he or she is out of the game.
How to win: Play until there is only one remaining player -- this player is the winner.
What else you need to know: A fun variation can be to select to a square or two to be prize winners and if anyone lands on those squares, he or she wins a candy prize.
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
Start by teaching him that it is safe to do so. | <urn:uuid:7e50c682-b4bc-4190-95b3-303b6327b4e2> | CC-MAIN-2014-10 | http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/02/easter-hop-spot-game/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-10/segments/1394010925635/warc/CC-MAIN-20140305091525-00037-ip-10-183-142-35.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941568 | 555 | 2.859375 | 3 | 1.388534 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Games |
Operation Keelhaul was carried out in Northern Italy by British and American forces to repatriate Soviet Armed Forces POWs of the Nazis to the Soviet Union between August 14, 1946 and May 9, 1947. The term has been later applied – specifically after the publication of Julius Epstein's eponymous book – to other Allied acts of often forced repatriation of former residents of the USSR after the ending of World War II that sealed the fate of millions of post-war refugees fleeing the Soviet Union.
One of the conclusions of the Yalta Conference was that the western Allies would return all Soviet citizens who found themselves in their zones to the Soviet Union. This immediately affected the liberated Soviet prisoners of war, but was also extended to all Soviet refugees. In exchange, the Soviet government agreed to hand over several thousand western Allied prisoners of war whom they had liberated from German prisoner of war camps.
On March 31, 1945, Soviet General Secretary Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt concluded the final form of their plans in a secret codicil to the agreement. Outlining the plan to forcibly return the refugees to the Soviet Union, this codicil was kept secret from the American and British people for over 50 years.
Treatment of prisoners and refugees
The refugee columns fleeing the Soviet-occupied parts of Europe numbered millions of people. They included many anti-communists of several categories, assorted civilians, both from the Soviet Union and from Yugoslavia, and fascist collaborationists from eastern Slavic and other countries.
At the end of World War II there were more than five million refugees from the Soviet Union in Western Europe, of whom approximately three million had been forced laborers (Ost-Arbeiter). On return to the Soviet Union, Ost-Arbeiter were sometimes treated as traitors. Many were transported to remote locations in the Soviet Union and were denied basic rights and the opportunity to further their education.
In particular, Russian Cossacks of the XVth SS Cossack Cavalry Corps of the Waffen-SS with their relatives were forcibly repatriated from the Western occupation zones of Allied-occupied Austria to the Soviet occupation zones of Austria and Allied-occupied Germany. Often prisoners were summarily executed by receiving Communist authorities, sometimes within earshot of the British.
The Ustaše from Yugoslavia were repatriated to the Yugoslav Partisans in the events known as the Bleiburg repatriations, where a part of the prisoners were killed, while the majority were sent to internment camps.
Among those handed over were White émigré-Russians who had never been Soviet citizens, but who had fought for Nazi Germany against the Soviets during the war, including General Andrei Shkuro and the Ataman of the Don Cossack host Pyotr Krasnov. This was done despite the official statement of the British Foreign Office policy after the Yalta Conference that only Soviet citizens, who had been such after September 1, 1939, were to be compelled to return to the Soviet Union or handed over to Soviet officials in other locations (for example see the Repatriation of Cossacks after World War II).
The actual "Operation Keelhaul" was the last forced repatriation and involved the selection and subsequent transfer of approximately one thousand "Russians" from the camps of Bagnoli, Aversa, Pisa, and Riccione. Applying the "McNarney-Clark Directive", subjects who had served in the German Army were selected for shipment starting August 14, 1946. It was obvious to all that prisoners were sent to a fate of execution, torture, and slave labor. The transfer was codenamed "East Wind" and took place at St. Valentin in Austria on May 8 and 9, 1947. This operation marked the end of forced repatriations of Russians after World War II, and ran parallel to Operation Fling that helped Soviet defectors to escape from the Soviet Union.
On the other side of the exchange, the Soviet leadership found out that despite the demands set forth by Stalin, British intelligence was retaining a number of anti-Communist prisoners with the intention of reviving "anti-Soviet operations" under orders from Churchill.
Following the post-Stalin release of several hundred survivors of the Soviet camps in which victims of repatriation were held, a Soviet newspaper editorial noted
All their sins have been forgiven. But the English and American bayonets, truncheons, machine guns and tanks used against them will never be forgotten. No Russian will ever forget Lienz, Dachau, Plattling, Toronto, and other places of extradition, including New York. And they must never be forgotten....it shows you cannot trust the capitalist states in the future."
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn called this operation "the last secret of World War II." He contributed to a legal defence fund set up to help Nikolai Tolstoy, who was charged with libel in a 1989 case brought by Lord Aldington over war crimes allegations made by Tolstoy related to this operation. Tolstoy lost the case in the British courts but avoided paying damages by declaring bankruptcy.
Tolstoy described the scene of Americans returning to the internment camp after having delivered a shipment of people to the Soviets. "The Americans returned to Plattling visibly shamefaced. Before their departure from the rendezvous in the forest, many had seen rows of bodies already hanging from the branches of nearby trees."
- Swedish extradition of Baltic soldiers
- Western betrayal
- Repatriation of Cossacks after World War II
- Bleiburg repatriations
- Collaboration during World War II
- Forced labor in Germany during World War II
- Helmuth von Pannwitz
- Russian Liberation Army
- Soviet repressions against former prisoners of war
- Andrey Vlasov
- XVth SS Cossack Cavalry Corps
- Lieutenant-General Charles Keightley, commander of the V Corps
- Nikolai Tolstoy (1977). The Secret Betrayal. Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 360. ISBN 0-684-15635-0.
- Hornberger, Jacob (April 1995). "Repatriation — The Dark Side of World War II". The Future of Freedom Foundation.[dead link]
- Skousen, Joel. "Historical Deceptions: Operation Keelhaul". World Affairs Brief. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
- Sheehan, Paul (August 13, 2007). "Patriots ignore greatest brutality". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- Sanders, James D; Sauter, Mark A; Kirkwood, R. Cort (1992). Soldiers Of Misfortune: Washington's Secret Betrayal of American POWs in the Soviet Union. National Press Books.
- "Forced Labor at Ford Werke AG during the Second World War". Summer of Truth. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009.
- Павел Полян – Остарбайтеры (Russian)
- Costello, John (1988). Mask of Treachery. p. 437.
- Jeffrey Rogers Hummel (1974), "Operation Keelhaul Exposed", Reason: 7
- Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr I (1974). The Gulag Archipelago 1. Harper and Row. p. 85.
- "Lord Aldington". The Guardian (London). 9 December 2000. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- Murray-Brown, Jeremy. "A footnote to Yalta". Boston University.
- Tolstoy, Nikolai. Victims of Yalta, originally published in London, 1977. Revised edition 1979. ISBN 0-552-11030-2
- Epstein, Julius. Operation Keelhaul, Devin-Adair, 1973. ISBN 978-0-8159-6407-0
- Return to the scene of the crime Rutland Herald Online | <urn:uuid:368cb58d-21b5-4503-902d-a653067a74cc> | CC-MAIN-2015-35 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Keelhaul | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-35/segments/1440644064865.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20150827025424-00088-ip-10-171-96-226.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949947 | 1,663 | 3.984375 | 4 | 3.010229 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
TRADE Turbo Electric Aircraft Design Environment
The ever-increasing amount of air travel and transport calls for substantial improvements in aircraft fuel efficiency and emissions. To reach such goals, the underlying concepts of aircraft must be reinvented. Local infusion of technology, for instance geared turbo fan technology on the power plant, is not enough. A few different approaches have been proposed. One of them is the electrification of primary power. Primary power is also generated by the jet engines on today's aircraft and propels the aircraft. It is a synonym for thrust. Aircraft with partially or fully electrified primary power systems are called hybrid or fully electric aircraft. Gas turbines on-board the aircraft generate electrical power, which is conducted through a power electronic sub-system to electric drives. These are integrated into distributed propulsion sub-systems, which propel the aircraft. Due to their construction, the distributed propulsion devices are substantially more energy efficient (for instance, as they enable boundary layer ingestion).
Such fundamentally different concepts are required as the benefit of incremental and local improvements to aircraft and their sub-systems are exhausted. Global optimization of the entire aircraft package is the only remaining way to achieve substantial performance improvements. Conventional engineering methods work poorly for such unconventional solutions, as they rely on statistical data of legacy products and established problem break-downs. This project develops a physics-based simulation and optimization platform with a focus on on-board systems and advanced structures that interfaces with existing conceptual design frameworks. Only like this the underlying trades can be uncovered, and the potential of the above-mentioned concepts can be realized.
The main objective of Turbo electRic Aircraft Design Environment (TRADE) is therefore to develop and utilize advanced simulation and optimization capabilities for hybrid propulsion system design space exploration and mission performance optimization at aircraft level.
Figure: Illustration of the design platform once populated with models of a turbo electric aircraft.
The TRADE Consortium consists of four parties.
- Modelon AB coordinates the project and provides the backbone of the system simulation in terms of modeling libraries and its Modelica compiler. Additionally, the company participates heavily in aircraft level, gas turbine, and thermal system modeling.
- Mälardalen University focuses on the gas turbine modelling, whole-engine and aircraft-level system integration, as well as lead the detailed system level and mission level assessments and optimization studies.
- The University of Nottingham participates mainly in the development of the electrical sub-system models, aircraft-level integration and configuration assessments.
- Technical University Berlin participates mainly in the development of the aircraft structural model as well as the configuration assessments.
This project has received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 755458. | <urn:uuid:0bb6eb5f-9ca3-4ca0-b637-b8e748dab1d8> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/aerospace/projects/cleansky/trade-project.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510100.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20230925215547-20230926005547-00697.warc.gz | en | 0.92793 | 564 | 2.90625 | 3 | 2.917288 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Forces and magnets: Magnet Magic
Possible hazards to be discussed with the teacher BEFORE the visit:
Avoid using small magnets with young children. The children should not drop the bar magnets because the magnets will lose their magnetisation.
Neodymium Magnets (Activities 1, 13, 15, and 16)
- Neodymium Magnets are dangerous because of their strength and the fact that they easily shatter and produce sharp fragments.
- They should all at times be treated with respect and not left with children unsupervised. Nor should primary-age children be allowed to handle them.
- There is a danger of nipped flesh if they are allowed to snap together.
- They should be kept away from electronic apparatus and credit cards, digital cameras, watches, mobile phones, pacemakers etc.
- When the neodymium magnet is dropped down the copper pipe it should land on a soft pad.
- Care should be taken to ensure the magnets do not jump and become attached to a steel shelf bracket or furniture frame and so be lost.
(Activities 2, 10 and 11) The objects and boxes that are handed round should be checked that they do not have sharp edges or places where the children can trap fingers.
(Activity 7) Avoid using iron filings to demonstrate magnetic poles. They stick on magnets and may irritate the skin of younger children. If dressmaking pins are used, take care to collect all of them and not let any fall on the floor. To avoid losing any, they can be placed in a sealed transparent plastic bag which is placed over the magnet on the OHP. Do not allow the children to handle the pins.
(Activity 15) In the wire ‘kick’ demonstration, connect the circuit and then disconnect it after a few seconds to avoid the wire becoming hot. Do not allow the children to help with this experiment.
(Activity 14) The wire and battery in the demonstration electromagnet may become hot due to the large currents flowing. Complete the circuit for only short periods of time. Children like to do this as a class exercise but it is difficult to ensure that some do not leave the circuit connected long enough for it to become hot.
(Activity 16) If the wire in the demonstration motor spins well it will become hot. Demonstrate this where the children will not pick up the wire.
(Activity 18) Any motorised toys demonstrated should be checked to show they are in good condition. Examples of motors that work from the mains should not be used because they would need to have a portable appliance (PAT) test before use. | <urn:uuid:9a885a41-8f74-43ff-a0ce-66181252db3b> | CC-MAIN-2015-22 | https://www.iop.org/activity/outreach/resources/pips/topics/forces_magnets/safety/page_42964.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-22/segments/1432207929899.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20150521113209-00090-ip-10-180-206-219.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915192 | 538 | 3.609375 | 4 | 1.905418 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Education & Jobs |
GMAT Verbal Help
The Verbal section in the GMAT helps business schools to judge the candidates' abilities to comprehend the written material and reason it out correctly. It has three subsections with multiple choice answer based questions. These subsections are reading comprehension, sentence correction and critical reasoning. The raw scores of the Verbal section are from zero to 60. These are then converted to a scale of 200 to 600. The final scores are calculated based on the number of questions answered and the difficulty level of each of the question answered correctly or incorrectly.
GMAT Verbal Help Resources
There are various coaching institutes and websites that offer advice for tackling this section. Since the test is held in most of the countries, you will find the coaching institutes spread all over the world. These institutes have specialized courses and experienced faculty to teach you. The courses are well designed and are aimed at making you score high in the test. These institutes design your study plan and approach in such a way that you can attempt maximum questions of the exam correctly. One can also join an online course for the preparation of the test. You can also appoint a private tutor to give you methods to solve questions in this section. There are a number of websites that offer you free study materials for the test.
The Verbal section is composed of three subsections: reading comprehension, critical reasoning and sentence correction. The reading comprehension is aimed at finding out your abilities to understand and analyze the given information. You may find sample reading comprehension questions at www.mba.com. These resources teach you how to understand the words and the phrases from the given paragraphs, how to correlate them and draw inferences from them. The critical reasoning subsection is about reasoning the given argument, finding the underlying assumptions and drawing the conclusion. In the sentence correction subsection you need to choose a correct answer choice that best describes the given idea or expression. Some of the websites that offer study aids in terms of courses, study materials and software are as under:
How to prepare for the GMAT Verbal Section?
There are certain standard steps that one can use to attempt the Verbal section effectively. It is a section that tests your reading and reasoning skills. You can therefore start by judging your take off level in this section. There are various websites that offer you free sample tests for this section. Here are some of them:
Princeton Review- Free GMAT Demo
Peterson's Free GMAT Test
Once you solve some of these sample tests on the Verbal section you will come to know how strong you are at it. Since this section is divided into three subsections you will also get an idea about your relative strengths and weaknesses in those sections. With this you can chalk out your study plan according to the time available with you. Then next thing is to collect the study materials for this section. You can download study materials from any of the resources mentioned in the previous section. The success in this section largely depends on how strong you are at your vocabulary. Therefore, you must give special attention in improving your English vocabulary. As soon as you finish a topic from the Verbal section, you must solve sample questions on it. Almost every website provides plenty of test material in this regard.
Go to page: Gmat Test Help - Page 1 : Gmat Verbal Help- Page 2 | <urn:uuid:85bfcffe-0e62-48ad-8285-98b8647041e6> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.testpreppractice.net/GMAT/gmat-verbal-help.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281069.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00316-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942196 | 675 | 2.578125 | 3 | 1.475572 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Education & Jobs |
This article is about the ships that carried Irish immigrants during the 19th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_ship
I would like to share with you a traditional folk song the Irish sang as they crossed the ocean.
Farewell to the groves of shellelagh and shamrock Farewell to the girls of Old Ireland all round May their hearts be as merry as ever I would wish them When far away across the ocean I'm bound
Oh my father is old and my mother quite feeble To leave their own country it grieves their hearts sore Oh the tears in great drops down their cheeks thy are rolling To think they must die upon some foreign shore
But what matters to me where my bones may be buried If in peace and contentment I can spend my life Oh the green fields of Canada they daily are blooming It's there I'll put an end to my misiries and strife.
Then it's pack up your seastores and tarry no longer Ten dollars a week isn't very bad pay; With no taxes or tithes to devour up your wages When you're on the green fields of Amerikay
The lint dams are dry and the looms are all broken, The coopers are gone and the winders of creels, Away o'er the ocean go journeymen tailors, And fiddlers who flaked out the old mountain reels.
The sheep run unshorn and the land's gone to rushes The handyman's gone and the winders of creals Away across the ocean good journeyman tailors And fiddlers that play out the old mountain tunes.
Farewell to the dances in homes now deserted, When tips struck the lightening in splanks from the floor, The paving and crigging of hobnails on flagstones The tears of the old folk and shouts of encore.
For the landlords and bailiffs in vile combination, Have forced us from hearthstone and homestead away May the crowbar brigade all be doomed to damnation When we're on the fields of Americay.
The timber grows thick on the slopes of Columbia With Douglas in grandeur two hundred feet tall, The salmon and sturgeon dam streamlet and river, And the high Rocky Mountains look down on it all.
On the prairie and plain sure the wheat waves all golden The maple gives sugar to sweeten your tay. You won't want for corn cob way out in Saskatchewan When you're in the green fields of Americay.
And if you grow weary of pleasure and plenty Of fruit from the orchard and fish from the foam, There's health and good hunting 'way back in the forests Where herds of great moose and wild buffalo roam.
And it's now to conclude and to finish my ditty If ever friendless Irishmen chances my way With the best in the house I will treat him, and welcome At home in the green fields of Amerikay.
Paddy Tunney's version as published in his book The Stone Fiddle BJ oct00
Irish History: The 1800sThe 19th Century was a Critical Period of Rebellion and Famine in Ireland. | <urn:uuid:4bde3405-e7a0-43e1-923f-b651fac7fe73> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | http://www.witchskel.com/guest-book-blog/greenfields-of-canada | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794866326.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20180524131721-20180524151721-00151.warc.gz | en | 0.921297 | 655 | 2.5625 | 3 | 2.419237 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | History |
Sporting activities are a prominent leisure task that entails affordable activity or an event of pure physical expertise with an utmost end in competition. The four major sports are Baseball, Boxing, Golf, and also gymnastics. These supply opportunities for physical competition and enjoyment for followers, while maintaining an one-upmanship. There are many professional sporting activities organizations in which members engage in intense competitors for recognition as well as economic rewards.
Darts is a video game played competitively with 2 groups of players, the “Darts Masters”, and the “Darts Schools”. While it can be played individually too, playing as a group provides competitive advantages. The sport approaches billiards and paintball, however with a distinction in the dart board, where gamers use their very own tossing darts and also location the art in a particular area within a certain time restriction, identified by the dart-board operator. The things of the video game is to hit your challenger’s dart with the bat as it will rotate back to its original setting after landing.
All exercises require dexterity, speed, as well as physical stamina to relocate from point A to point B. Swimming as well as biking are both taken into consideration to be among the greater endurance sports, calling for a lot of movement and also high degrees of ability. Swimming uses many of the same swimming strokes that happen in various other sporting activities, while biking calls for both better muscular participation as well as more endurance than a normal bike flight. Tennis is another sport that calls for a lot of skill and training, needing its participant to move quickly both up and down as well as horizontally. Each of these sports needs certain kinds of sports capability, with different sporting activities calling for various ability.
One of the most prominent exercises, acknowledged globally, is swimming. While swimming does need a great deal of skill, the sporting activity does need a lot of electric motor skills, as swimmers must propel themselves via the water using their arms and legs. This makes the sport really physically demanding, but likewise as psychologically revitalizing.
The last type of physical activity we will review for our discussion is climbing up, which can be done in a selection of methods. Climbing up consists of utilizing both the physical strength and also psychological acuity needed to climb up certain sorts of things, including, but not restricted to, rock walls and free-standing rocks. There are many different types of climbing up, from interior rock reaching outside rock climbing. Every one of these sports call for toughness and mastery, along with using both lungs and hands. 國際足球
All of these athletic activities are very important to our culture, giving both professional athletes as well as non-athletes with a variety of physical conditioning activities that can help preserve a healthy and also active lifestyle. Nevertheless, many people select to continue to be within the boundaries of traditional sports due to the fact that they do not fulfill the levels of exercise that they need for ideal wellness and health. In order to enjoy the physical benefits of these various sporting activities, it is required to take part in the proper quantity of training and exercise in order to acquire the most effective results. This will guarantee that all facets of your life are met, including your physical conditioning and individual proficiency of the various sporting activities that you take pleasure in.
Sporting activities are physical activities and competitive games played by humans. These fill the requirement for exercise, competition and also play. The human need for sports is stronger than the demand for others. This is the primary distinction in between leisure, entertainment or social communication.
The demand for physical play has triggered the establishment of various sporting activities, each with its own controling body and associated terms and policies. Lots of people can identify a particular sporting activity because they have been around for a very long time. In the same way, many people can determine a popular video game since they have been playing the game for a while.
The beginning of the word ‘sport’ is from the Latin acceptation game. The development of words from its original usage as a video game is associated with the development of organized sports. With the growth of humanity’s psychological professors, the demand for physical dexterity ended up being essential to humans. Early man had no devices or tools to fight other men for sport. Ancient man may have been compelled to eliminate with his enemies for sport however it was not an exceptionally healthy and balanced task.
As time proceeded, the need for a regulated physical fight was changed with the concept of sporting activities. Sports involved physical call, particularly kicking, punching and also wrestling. In the future, with the advancement of ability in battling, the concept of sporting activity was integrated with the idea of physical mastery. This led to the advancement of different games that entailed throwing, wrestling and capturing. There were after that numerous video games like archery, soccer, baseball as well as track and field that integrated elements of both the mind and body.
The first video games to incorporate both the mind and body were Association football as well as rugby. These games were popular amongst ordinary people who were looking for a method of staying in form. In association football, players took part in team games where each position was occupied by somebody. This triggered the gamers to be in wonderful physical shape. johnbarras
Today, there are various different sporting activities that are organised around a specific sporting activity or video game. Rugby and also Australian guidelines football are 2 examples. They do not entail physical get in touch with; rather it is via tactical thinking, awareness and mental abilities that the team wins the game. Other examples of non-physical activities that are currently part of showing off occasions consist of running as well as biking. The importance of sporting activities in culture can not be taken too lightly. | <urn:uuid:4e53ab09-497c-463a-a615-03adaf5bf21b> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://bolzplatz-heroes.com/2021/10/06/the-story-of-sports-has-just-gone-viral/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323585441.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20211021195527-20211021225527-00357.warc.gz | en | 0.978367 | 1,177 | 2.546875 | 3 | 1.982026 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Sports & Fitness |
Scientists Discover Secrets of 'Lost City'
The Lost City hydrothermal vent field was discovered in December 2000 during an NSF-funded expedition. Lost City structures, including a vent 18 stories tall, are formed in a very different way than ocean-floor vents studied since the 1970s.
Hydrothermal vent structures serendipitously discovered on Dec. 4, 2000, in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, including a massive 18-story vent taller than any seen before, are formed in a very different way than ocean-floor vents studied since the 1970s. This new class of hydrothermal vents apparently forms where circulating seawater reacts directly with mantle rocks, as opposed to where seawater interacts with basaltic rocks from magma chambers beneath the seafloor.
"This discovery is a tremendous example of the results of targeted exploration of the ocean," said Margaret Leinen, NSF assistant director for geosciences. "We knew that the areas of great faults on the seafloor were interesting, but did not realize that hydrothermal activity of this sort could be taking place on seafloor generated millions of years ago."
No one had previously seen a field quite like this, but Deborah Kelley, a University of Washington oceanographer, said this kind of vent may be common on the seafloor. If so, scientists may have underestimated the extent of hydrothermal venting, the amount of heat and chemicals pouring into the world's oceans and the abundance of life that thrives in such conditions.
"Rarely does something like this come along that drives home how much we still have to learn about our own planet," Kelley said. "We need to shed our biases in some sense about what we think we already know."
The Lost City Field, named partly because it sits on the seafloor mountain Atlantis Massif, was discovered during an NSF-funded expedition led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Donna Blackman, Washington's Kelley and Duke University's Jeffrey Karson.
Lost City is like other hydrothermal vent systems where seawater circulates beneath the seafloor and gains heat and chemicals until there is enough heat for the fluids to rise buoyantly and vent back into the ocean. As the warm fluids mix with cold seawater the chemicals separate from the vent fluids and solidify, sometimes piling up into impressive mounds, spires and chimneys of minerals.
It was immediately clear, however, that the Lost City Field is unlike other hydrothermal vent systems in a number of ways. First, there is the height attained by some of the structures -- the mighty 180-foot vent scientists named Poseidon compares to previously studied vents that reach 80 feet or less. The new vents are nearly 100 percent carbonate, the same material as limestone in caves, and range in color from a clean white to cream or gray, in contrast to black smoker vents that are a darkly mottled mix of sulfide minerals. And perhaps the Lost City's most distinctive feature is that it is sitting on 1.5 million-year-old crust formed from mantle material.
In the area of the Lost City, spreading and faulting during the last 1 million to 1.5 million years have stripped the mountain down to the underlying mantle rocks. Hydrothermal circulation appears to be driven by seawater that permeates into the deeply fractured surface and transforms olivine in the mantle rocks into a new mineral, serpentine, in a process called serpentinization.
Kelley says it's easy to imagine there could be many more such systems. Within a mere 50-mile radius of the Atlantis Massif are three similar mountains subject to the same fracturing, the same intrusion of seawater and perhaps the same reactions with mantle material. And those four represent only a tiny fraction of the potential sites along the 6,200 mile Mid-Atlantic Ridge, as well as the Indian ridges and the Arctic Ridge, also considered slow- and ultraslow-spreading centers.
-- Cheryl Dybas | <urn:uuid:b1696792-21e4-4632-9cb9-99ff699c3e96> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=100653&org=GEO | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00010-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954675 | 822 | 3.65625 | 4 | 2.929185 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
The English Origin of Henry Luce
by Justin Swanström
Copyright 1989, 2006
Henry (1) Luce was an early Massachusetts immigrant and progenitor of a large family on Martha’s Vineyard. His origin is unknown, but it has been suggested that he might have come from Horton in Gloucester. I believe there is some reason to believe he might have come from Chepstow in Monmouth.
He first appears indisputably on November 13, 1666 as a juror at Scituate. He married Remember (2) Litchfield circa 1666, probably at Scituate. In 1668 he owned land at Rehoboth. He moved to Martha’s Vineyard before February 1, 1671, where he and his wife raised a family of ten children.
There is no proof of Henry’s antecedents, but an early tradition points to a Welsh origin for the family. A descendant born in 1800 wrote, “My great great great great grandfather Israel Luce lived and died in Wales. My great great great grandfather Henry Luce was born in about 1645 and brought up in Wales. He married Remember Munson. He sailed with his wife and three children to America in 1676, and landed and settled at Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. where he reared a family of seven children”. This statement contains many inaccuracies, but is broadly consistent with the known facts.
There is no reason to doubt that Henry came from a Welsh family, although contrary traditions exist. The surname Luce is found along the Welsh border, and Banks himself accepted the Welsh origin of the family. In 1990 I obtained a list of all telephone directory listings for the surname Luce in southwest England. The name is not common; there were only 118 listings. I found that these listings fall naturally into two groups: one to the north and northwest of Bristol, and the other in the Channel Islands. There were 52 listings in the Bristol area, most of them concentrated in and near Amesbury, Bristol, Bath, Cirencester, and Plymouth. There were 66 listings in the Channel Islands, most of them in Jersey. This listing did not include Wales.
Banks argued that Henry (1) Luce was probably born in or near the parish of Horton in Gloucester, 16 miles from the Welsh border. In reaching this conclusion, Banks looked for earlier evidences of the name Luce in New England. He found a Harke Luse named on a muster roll at Scituate in 1643. On finding a marriage October 8, 1604 between Abraham Luce and Cecily Darke at Horton, Banks came to the conclusion that “Harke” was probably a copyist’s error for “Darke.” He then used the hypothetical Darke Luse to suggest a link between Henry (1) Luce and the Luces of Horton.
In further support of this theory, Banks pointed to a contemporary of Henry (1) Luce, also resident at West Tisbury: Arthur (1) Bevan, who first appears on Martha’s Vineyard in 1677. Bevan’s antecedents are unknown, but his surname is Welsh. An Arthur Bevan is named in the parish registers of Yate in Gloucester. Banks’ theory about Henry (1) Luce is considerably strengthened by this demonstration that two men, both apparently Welsh, and living in West Tisbury, might have come from villages only four miles apart in Gloucester.
However, Caroline Lewis Kardell, sometime Historian General of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, has since shown that Harke Luse is more probably an otherwise unknown Archelaus Lewis, brother to George (1) and John (1) Lewis of Scituate.
Without the existence of a hypothetical Darke Luse, the theory that Henry (1) Luce came from Horton is considerably weakened. In the light of Ms. Kardell’s theory, the origins of Henry (1) Luce must be re-examined.
Peter Coldham Wilson’s book, The complete book of immigrants, has undoubtedly provided many exciting clues for those researching the origins of immigrants. In the case of the Luce family, there is one intriguing entry:
November 4, 1659, Henry Lewes, tanner, of Chepstow, Monmouth, bound to serve Thomas Bickford, planter, for three years.
Savage does not show another Henry Lewis or Luce who could be this Henry Lewes, except Henry (1) Luce. The dates are consistent with the known facts. Henry (1) Luce is thought to have been born about 1640. If he was indentured to Thomas Bickford in 1659, he would have been about 19 years old. The date of immigration is no problem. Henry Lewes was bound in 1659, while Henry (1) Luce is known to have immigrated before 1666. Unfortunately, we have no evidence that Henry (1) Luce of Martha’s Vineyard was a tanner, or had any other skilled trade.
Assuming that the ship on which Henry Lewes departed Bristol landed at New England and not in some other area, such as Barbadoes or Virginia, this begins to create a pattern which suggests that Henry Lewes, a tanner, of Chepstow might have been Henry (1) Luce.
The same document which records the indenture of Henry Lewes also names William Weekes of Salisbury, Wiltshire to serve Augustine Greenwood for four years. The names Weekes and Greenwood are also connected with Martha’s Vineyard. The Greenwood family even became connected with the Luces in the generation following Henry (1) Luce. Samuel (1) Allen of Braintree had a daughter Mary (2) Allen who married 1656 at Weymouth to Nathaniel (1) Greenwood, of Boston. Samuel (1) Allen’s children later settled at Martha’s Vineyard. His granddaughter Sarah (3) Allen married a son of Henry (1) Luce.
There was also a William Weekes at Martha’s Vineyard. His origin is unproved, but he seems to have been from a Middlesex family of that name and not from a Wiltshire family.
If the Henry Lewes of this indenture is to be identified with Henry (1) Luce of Martha’s Vineyard, the question becomes one of locating a Thomas Bickford in the New World and testing whether there is any reason for believing that Henry (1) Luce, later of Martha’s Vineyard, might have come to America as his indentured servant. The answer, intriguing as it is, is not conclusive.
A John(1) Bickford immigrated from Devon circa 1623 and settled at Dover, New Hampshire. He was married twice and had nine sons, among them the eighth Thomas (2), born at Dover in 1640, and the ninth Samuel, born [at Dover?] in 1642.
Thomas (2) Bickford would have been only 19 at the time of Henry Lewes’ indenture. At this age, it is unlikely that he was conducting business at Bristol on his father’s behalf or that he would be described as a “planter.” However, the siblings of John (1) are unknown. It is plausible to suggest a hypothetical brother Thomas , uncle and namesake of Thomas (2), and to suppose that the older Thomas might have been conducting business on behalf of his brother John (1) in North America.
Even more intriguing is the Bickford connection with Martha’s Vineyard. Samuel (2) Bickford was in Marblehead by 1666 when he married (1) Christian Rand. He later married (2) Mary Cottle, and lived briefly at West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard. He was mentioned in a land transaction of 1678. He was at Tisbury in 1680, as son-in-law of Vineyard resident Edward (1) Cottle.
We have, then, a document recorded at Bristol in 1659 which names a Henry Lewes, Thomas Bickford, William Weekes and Augustine Greenwood, among others. Then at Martha’s Vineyard we find a Henry (1) Luce whose origins are unknown but who might have been Welsh, a Samuel Bickford, a William Weekes, and a Nathaniel Greenwood. I suggest that the circumstantial evidence is strong enough to warrant a new hypothesis: that Henry (1) Luce of Martha’s Vineyard is identical with the Henry Lewes, a tanner from Chepstow, Monmouth, who was indentured at Bristol in 1659. This tentative identification has some interesting possibilities, opening new avenues of research for the Bevan, Bickford, Greenwood, and Weekes families, as well as for the Luce family.
I have not yet been able to identify the Henry Lewes of Chepstow in local records . The same statement which gives Henry (1) Luce’s origin as Wales, says that Henry’s father was Israel Luce. If Henry Lewes the tanner is found to have been son of an Israel Lewes, or to have been connected with a Munson family (tradition gives a connection with the Munson family: Henry’s wife was not Remember Munson as stated, but his mother might have been […] Munson), this identification would be much strengthened.
There was Lewes family at Llysnewydd, Cardigan. They adopted the surname Lewes as a contraction of ap Lewis, temp. James I.
Charles Edward Banks, History of Martha’s Vineyard (Baltimore 1966), 2 (West Tisbury):55.
The different Luce families discussed have often claimed descent from the famous Norman family de Lucy, although none of them has been able to show the intervening generations in the 400-500 years between their earliest known ancestor and the ancestor of the de Lucy family.
The de Lucy family originated with Richard de Lucy (d. 1179), Chief Justiciar of England, under Henry II, a hundred years after the Norman Conquest. He took his name from the commune of Lucé, outside Chartres in the French province of Maine. He was a self-made man and assembled a barony for himself, composed of primarily of fees in southeastern England (Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk, Devon, Essex), and to a lesser extent in southwestern England (Gloucester and Cornwall). See Douglas, The reign of King John, XX; and Complete peerage, 8:257n.
Leslie Pine considered it unlikely in the extreme that the surname Luce could be derived from Lucy, although Lucy is easily documented as a variant of Lucé [Private Communication, July 19, 1985].
Finally, it may be added that there is no connection between any branch of the Luce family on the one hand, and Luce Bay and Glenluce, Scotland on the other. Those places take their names from a Gaelic word meaning “light.”
Banks, 3:246-247. Although Banks does not give the name of his informant, he adds that the descent was through Eleazar (2) Luce.
In fact, there is a vigorous tradition of French descent, but this has become mixed with claims to a descent from the de Lucy family.
Wilmot (5) Luce, born 1788, a descendant of Robert (2), changed his name to d’Luce (Vineyard Gazette, June 26, 1959.
The descendants of Eleazar (2) have given us the tradition that their ancestor was a “Count Eleazar de Lucé”, a Huguenot.
It been suggested that the Luces came from the Channel Islands, where there is indeed a Luce family. Many of the settlers at Marblehead and Gloucester, Massachusetts came thence (see David Hackett Fischer, Albion’s seed (New York, 1989), pp. 152, 785), so this suggestion is not implausible.
In this connection, it is interesting to note that Benjamin Masury, of Salem, Massachusetts, married April 2, 1671 to Mary Luce, originally of Guernsey in the Channel Islands (Martha McCourt, The American Descendants of Henry Luce of Martha’s Vineyard 1640-1985 (Vancouver, Washington, 1985), 4th edition, p. 11.)
The family of Luce, settled in the parish of St. Lawrence [Jersey] prior to 1500, claims to have migrated from Wales, and to be a branch of the famous Norman house of Lucy, or Lucie, settled in England since the Conquest.” (see J. Bertrand Payne, An armorial of Jersey (London, 1862), pp. 259ff). This source traces the descent of this family from Perrin Luce, living 1510, and his wife Alice Gibault. The information given does not seem to be comprehensive, but it should be noted that it shows no “Henry” or “Israel”, names which we would expect to find if there were a close relationship with the Martha’s Vineyard family. Indeed, the only name this family has in common with the Martha’s Vineyard family is “John.” The names “Perrin”, “Martin”, “Raulin”, and “Helyer” which appear in the Channel Island family are not used by the Martha’s Vineyard family.
Despite the claim that the Jersey family descends from the de Lucys, this family does not use the de Lucy coat of arms (Gules three pikes or luces hauriant), but uses Azure a crescent Argent. This difference suggests a separate origin for the two families. The names in this family also differ significantly from those in the Vineyard family, however.
It may be noted that a number of Channel Island Luces settled in Canada in the 19th century.
My thanks to Rodney Neep for downloading this information for me from a computerized database available in the United Kingdom.
Since Banks wrote, it has come to the attention of Luce genealogists that the family of Admiral Sir John Luce (1870-1932) and of Admiral Sir John David Luce (b. 1906) originated in Pucklechurch, X miles distant from Horton. Leslie Pine, in a 1989 letter to the author, stated his opinion that the Luces of Horton and Pucklechurch probably have a common origin. The Pucklechurch family traces its ancestry to a John Lucie, a contemporary of the Abraham Luce who married Cicely Darke. John Lucie lived a Tytherington, Gloucester. His son, John Luce, removed to Pucklechurch.
The Luce family of Pucklechurch also claims a descent from the Norman family of de Lucy, but also uses the coat of arms Azure a crescent Argent.
There is no way to positively prove or disprove this hypothesis as it stands. The baptismal records of Horton are missing for the years 1624-1653. Henry (1) Luce would have been born during this period, as probably would Harke Luce. If Harke was born at Horton, then he must have been 19 years or younger when he was named at Scituate. The register shows a 1605 baptism for an Israel Luce, son of Abraham Luce and Cicely Darke. Most Luce genealogists have assumed that this Israel was the father of Henry (1), in accordance with the family tradition given above, and have supposed that Harke (1) Luce was an uncle of Henry (1).
Caroline Lewis Kardell, Letter dated July 2, 1990 to Mrs. James E. McCourt.
The reciprocal identification of Arthur (1) Bevan, of West Tisbury, with the Arthur Bevan who appears the parish registers of Yate, Gloucester, is also weakened, but not destroyed.
Peter Coldham Wilson, Complete book of immigrants (Baltimore, 1987), p. 444, citing Bristol Records Office.
The difference in spelling need not trouble us. Banks makes the point that the spelling of the name in America has been uniformly “Luce”, but he cites a contrary example from the Tisbury records where the name is spelled “Lewes” (see Banks, 2 (West Tisbury):55). This is precisely the spelling we see here. The records of Horton, Gloucester also show the name spelled “Lewes”, “Lewce” and “Lewis.”
James Savage, A genealogical dictionary of first settlers of New England (Baltimore, 1965), 3:86, 127.
Based on the birth of his wife Remember Litchfield circa 1644. Henry was probably a few years older. See Banks, 2 (West Tisbury), 55.
Barbadoes would be an interesting alternative to New England. A Luke Luce, merchant, of London, is mentioned in 1668 as owning a plantation in Barbadoes (see Wilson, pp. 399, 475). Burke attributes the same arms used by the Jersey family to a Luce family “of London, formerly of Antwerp.” This cannot be taken as conclusive of a relationship, but suggests that some claim of relationship was made.
Savage, 2:311. He was born at Norwich, son of Miles.
Banks identifies him as a son of William Wickes of Staines, Middlesex, and therefore a brother of John Weeks of New England.
He deposed that he was age 36 in 1676.
Mahlon C. Bickford, The Bickford Family Association, Letter dated May 14, 1991.
Recent research by Mahlon Bickford suggests that John Bickford of Dover, originally from Devon, indeed had a brother Thomas. Mahlon C. Bickford, email dated Jan. 7, 2005.
Banks, 2 (West Tisbury), 68n.
Chepstow records are missing for the relevant period. There is a Welsh family with the surname Lewes, who took their name from a 17th century ancestor. They claimed descent from Ednowain ap Bradwen, and used his arms. However, this cannot have been the family of Henry Lewes of Monmouth.
Henry Luce named one of his sons “Israel.” This might have been after his wife’s brother of that name (Israel Litchfield). If it was also the name of Henry’s father, then it might be significant that the given name Israel is also used by the Lewis family of Westerly, Rhode Island. That family and the Luces of Martha’s Vineyard share the given names Israel and David, but the names are common and nothing firm can be adduced from the fact. Henry Luce and John Lewis (1669, of Westerly) both had sons by these names (see Banks, p. * and Savage, p. 87). Perhaps coincidentally, Williams Weeks of Edgartown operated a ship between Rhode Island and Martha’s Vineyard (see Banks, 2 (Edgartown), 119, 120.)
Burke’s genealogical and heraldic history of landed gentry, (London, 1937), H. Pirie-Gordon ed., pp. 1368-1369. | <urn:uuid:cfa9f5eb-1358-4c77-baee-5a89b9a0161e> | CC-MAIN-2018-26 | https://swanknight.com/genealogy/luce/origin-of-henry-luce/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-26/segments/1529267860776.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20180618183714-20180618203714-00472.warc.gz | en | 0.965593 | 4,098 | 2.890625 | 3 | 2.97188 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
Child Health Day, 2011 & Presidential Proclamation
Child Health Day, 2011
On the first Monday of October, maternal and child health professionals across America remind us that nothing is more important the health of our children.
On this 83rd annual celebration of Child Health Day, HRSA reminds you of maternal and child health programs that help children lead healthy lives everyday.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
October 03, 2011
CHILD HEALTH DAY, 2011
– – –
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
One of the greatest responsibilities we have as a Nation is to ensure the health and well-being of our children. Today, we rededicate ourselves to providing our children with the quality health care, healthy food, clean environments, and safe schools and communities they deserve.
We have taken important steps that speak to who we are as a Nation that cares for its families and children. Young adults are the least likely to have health insurance, but now, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, young adults can stay on their parents’ insurance plan until they turn 26. As a result, approximately one million more have insurance coverage than 1 year ago. In addition, it is now illegal for health insurance companies to limit or deny coverage to children based on pre existing conditions.
Getting children off to a healthy start at home and at school is vital to their success. This year, through the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Initiative, Americans have shown their overwhelming commitment to children’s health — over 1,250 schools met our HealthierUS School Challenge, thousands of child care providers are adopting healthier practices, and 1.7 million Americans achieved the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. I also signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, making significant improvements to our school lunches, and we released a redesigned food pyramid — MyPlate — to encourage better eating.
Making sure kids grow up in safe environments is just as important to ensuring their well-being. In March, we hosted the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention because no child should feel unsafe or be afraid to be who they are at school or in their community. To keep children safe from hazards, we have taken great strides to provide for cleaner air and drinking water, and to reduce children’s exposure to lead dust. To make school buildings safer, the American Jobs Act I have proposed would provide for investments that would put Americans back to work while making important repairs to schools, like removing asbestos and updating technology.
On Child Health Day, we recognize the fundamental importance of caring for the health of our next generation, and we recommit to helping our children, their families, and our communities fulfill the dream of healthy, happy, and secure futures.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the designation of the first Monday in October as Child Health Day and has requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 3, 2011, as Child Health Day. I call upon families, child health professionals, faith-based and community organizations, and all levels of government to help ensure that America’s children stay safe and healthy.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
The White House
* The above information is adapted from materials provided by The White House | <urn:uuid:23ef5dcf-1e9d-4650-ab5a-8ef17ce37621> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | http://medicinezine.com/news/child-health-day-2011/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583509690.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20181015184452-20181015205952-00273.warc.gz | en | 0.951062 | 761 | 2.875 | 3 | 2.605472 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Politics |
A denture is a removable dental appliance used to replace missing teeth. Dentures may be partial or complete, and they can replace anywhere from a single tooth to an entire row.
A partial denture is used to replace one tooth, several teeth, or all of the teeth in one dental arch. A partial denture is held in place by clasps that attach to the remaining teeth. A partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by missing teeth but also prevents other teeth from shifting out of place, improving the patient’s bite and smile.
A complete denture is used when all the teeth in an arch have been lost. Complete dentures are removable and can help patients restore their ability to eat and speak clearly, as well as improve facial appearance.
Conventional ad Immediate dentures
Complete dentures are either “conventional” or “immediate.” Conventional dentures are made and placed in your mouth after any remaining teeth are removed, and tissues have healed. Immediate dentures are made before any remaining teeth are removed and can be worn immediately after surgery.
Both conventional and immediate dentures are removable. However, immediate dentures require more adjustments to fit properly since your mouth will change shape during the healing process.
Advantages of Dentures
- Oral health: Although dentures are removable, they can still play a role in your oral health. They can help protect your teeth from shifting, which can cause problems with your bite. Eating with dentures in place is much different from eating with your teeth, so you may need some time to adjust to eating and speaking with them.
- Speech: Dentures are removable prosthetic teeth that are custom fit to the patient. If you have missing teeth or use dentures, you will want to practice speaking with them. This takes a little getting used to and may require time and practice, but it can be done! With time, your natural phonetics would return back to normal.
- Appearance: Many patients opt for dentures because they simply don’t have the time or resources necessary to replace all of their teeth with dental implants. But dentures aren’t just for people who cannot afford implant-supported restorations. They are also an excellent option for patients who have lost all of their teeth but still have some of their natural teeth remaining. Since dentures are made from a gum-colored base and tooth-colored dental-grade ceramic, they look perfectly natural.
To find out more about the dental services offered at Cochise Caring Dentistry, call (520)-458-1989 or schedule an online consultation. You can Visit us at 66 North Garden Ave, Sierra Vista, AZ | <urn:uuid:1412f3a4-35c8-430f-a58d-5ebab74ffe66> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://www.cochisedental.com/specialty/dentures/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224650201.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20230604161111-20230604191111-00133.warc.gz | en | 0.95595 | 556 | 3.03125 | 3 | 1.113771 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Health |
Resolutions for Healthy Vision
Don’t give up on those healthy New Year’s resolutions just yet!
Numerous studies point to the importance of healthy habits in the prevention of eye disease.
While it’s true that many conditions, like Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration, have a genetic component; a healthy lifestyle can significantly curtail, and even improve vision as we age.
That’s especially important considering the risk for Macular Degeneration increases with age. The disease is most likely to occur in those 55 and older.
Dr. Carl Kupfer, former Director of the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, has stated that Macular Degeneration will soon reach alarming numbers of aging Baby Boomers.
“As the Baby Boom generation ages, and in the absence of further prevention and treatment advances, AMD is estimated to reach epidemic proportions of 6.3 million Americans by the year 2030.”
The causes of AMD are not fully understood, but it is associated with other risk factors besides aging. Macular Degeneration often runs in families due to a genetic component and is most common among families of European descent. Smoking DOUBLES the risk of AMD.
Other risk factors include high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity and a diet high in fats and low in green leafy vegetables and fish.
What can be done to improve your outlook and reduce the risk of Macular Degeneration and other eye disease?
First, consider the eye is merely 1 inch in diameter – smaller than a ping pong ball! Within this self-contained orb, blood vessels, arteries, nerves, muscles and brain tissue of the retina coexist.
Blood flow to the eye comes from branches of the internal carotid artery, the same artery that supplies blood and oxygen to parts of the brain.
So, it’s no coincidence then that diabetes, heart and brain disorders can dramatically affect visual health.
While nothing can guarantee the prevention of eye disease, two studies point to the importance of diet, nutrition and smoking cessation as proactive, preventative approaches.
A retroactive study published in the American Journal for Public Health (1) reviewed data compiled by the long-term NHS Nurses Study from 1976 and 2016 to understand the genetic and lifestyle factors influencing the risk of cataract, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma.
The findings from NHS, combined with those of other studies, provide compelling evidence supporting public health recommendations for the prevention of age-related eye diseases: abstinence from cigarette smoking, maintenance of a healthy weight, diabetes prevention, a diet rich in fruits/vegetables and low in animal fat.
Additionally, comprehensive studies by the National Institute of Health (NIH), titled AREDs and AREDS2, confirm certain nutrients are significant in the progressive reduction of Macular Degeneration (2).
Investigators found that participants who had been assigned the original AREDS formulation in the first trial were 25-30 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD than those who had been placed on placebo. Among participants at the highest risk for AMD, 34 percent who had taken the AREDS formulation in the trial progressed to advanced AMD, compared to 44 percent who had taken the placebo.
The AREDS2 study provides new information about the specific formulations for preventing vision loss from AMD (3) .
The take-away? Small changes can create maximum improvements; whether quitting cigarettes, eating more fruits and vegetables, or taking AREDS vitamin supplements. They can all add up to healthy sight for life!
People age 60+ should get a dilated eye exam at least once a year and discuss whether taking AREDS supplements is appropriate.
1. Am J Public Health. 2016 September; 106(9): 1684–1689.
2. For information about AREDS visit https://nei.nih.gov/areds2/PatientFAQ
3. For information about AREDS2, visit www.nei.nih.gov/areds2. | <urn:uuid:65153b39-bbb6-4567-ab63-cb2bb99d4699> | CC-MAIN-2018-05 | https://fleye.com/blog/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-05/segments/1516084891706.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20180123032443-20180123052443-00076.warc.gz | en | 0.920079 | 836 | 2.90625 | 3 | 2.716212 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
NASA Tests The Water With Summer Science Programs For Kids.
By Kevin Franklin
THANKS TO THE University of Arizona, NASA and one dedicated graduate student, some Arizona kids are getting a hands-on scientific education along the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista.
Among other programs, the UA/NASA Space Grant Graduate Fellowship provides financial backing to introduce kids to this Southern Arizona riparian area, with a youth-oriented afternoon of learning how scientists study and monitor desert river ecology. While it may seem strange that rocket-science oriented NASA is plunking down cash to teach kids about plants and waterways, graduate fellow Keirith Snyder says it actually makes lots of sense.
"NASA is really making a big push to bring science to elementary school, junior high and high-school age children, and to try to get them involved," she says. "When you send up a satellite it has a lot of common uses. It's not just astronauts walking around on the moon. I think they're really trying to tie in global change and global research."
Today Snyder is leading a group of St. Gregory Middle School students to her research area along the San Pedro River.
Snyder is working on her doctorate in renewable natural resources, and is studying the flow of water through the riparian system. After the field trip, she hopes students will have a better understanding of what a field scientist does, to make a career in science seem more real and attainable.
"We elevate science to this point that no one thinks they can do it," she says. "I certainly didn't. But these kids come out here and say, 'Oh, this is what scientists do. I can do that.' That's what NASA had in mind, I guess."
The 9-year-old Arizona Space Grant Consortium is based at the University of Arizona. The grant money is supporting myriad projects like Snyder's. One of the graduate fellows goes to Spanish-speaking classrooms, gives a talk on climate change, and recruits interested students to visit the UA campus to learn more. Another part of the program includes helping UA students design parts of a satellite.
"We sponsor 45 distinct programs, and have 25 member institutions," says Susan Brew, Arizona Space Grant Consortium senior coordinator. "It's a real heterogeneous program. Space is interpreted broadly. It includes not only astronomy, planetary sciences, physics and those disciplines you would think of as being space related, but also it branches into a lot of the Earth and environmental fields with NASA's earth sciences focus. NASA has a strong interest in Earth as a planetary system."
Snyder's research into the water requirements of the cottonwoods, willows, grasses and other plants fits right in with that environmental emphasis; and her hands-on approach in right in line with improving student understanding of science techniques. She introduces kids to the tools of the trade--like a nitrogen gas pressure chamber.
The gauges, nitrogen tank and pressure lines all seem very bewildering to the seventh and eighth graders on today's trip. But using simple language and a step-by-step demonstration, Snyder explains how it operates and how she uses the resulting data to determine plant health and drought stress.
By cutting a stem and placing it under pressure from the tank, Snyder can determine how tightly the plant cells are holding the water. The more pressure required to extract the water, the more stressed the plant is from dehydration.
Soon excited middle-schoolers are darting around the river banks gathering different plant parts to test.
"People always want to know how much water the city uses," Snyder says of her research. "Those are easier uses to gauge. You put a meter on it and read it out. The aim (of my work) is concern with natural areas and natural resource management; you need to know how much transpiration you've got from the grass, and the cottonwood, and the willow, and the soil and the river itself."
By learning how much water the natural system requires, Snyder then has an understanding of how much water must be maintained in the river to support the ecosystem.
For the kids, it's a good opportunity to get a first-hand look at science that has a real-world impact.
"The kids really like to get out of the classroom," she says. "This is hands-on and they can understand it. Instead of creating a little science project for the day, I want to show them what we're really doing. I'm trying to show them this is what real scientists do, and that they can do it, too."
Teachers interested in participating in Snyder's outreach program can reach her at [email protected]. For more information on the space grant program, check out their homepage at http://www.seds.org/spacegrant.htm; or contact Susan Brew ([email protected]) at (520) 621-8556.
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Graphene is an extraordinary substance. A layer of carbon, just one atom thick, yet 200 times stronger than steel, transparent, flexible, highly conductive both thermally and electrically: it has the potential to revolutionize whole industries and our entire built environment. It was first isolated in 2004 to Nobel Prize-winning effect at the University of Manchester and now that potential is starting to bear commercial fruit.
Manchester is home to a hothouse for the application of graphene: the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC, pronounced ‘geek’). Principally funded by Masdar, the GEIC uses a model of collaborative innovation with industry partners and academics to take the fundamental science from laboratories and turn it into real-world engineering concepts and market-viable products.
The GEIC de-risks innovation for business, moving quickly to establish proof-of-concept. If a prototype fails, the key is to fail fast, learn and move on; if it works, it can be developed, scaled and integrated into the commercial supply chain.
Commercial and sustainable
According to James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, we are now reaching a “tipping point” as we begin to see graphene and associated, so-called “2D materials” become embedded in a wide range of products.
In consumer sectors such as sportswear and automotive and in business-to-business areas such as urban infrastructure and marine transport, graphene is already changing the landscape of what’s possible with these materials.
For communities in Abu Dhabi and the wider Middle East, these advances could manifest themselves in a number of ways. Baker highlights graphene’s huge potential in construction, desalination, energy storage and transport to create smart, connected, sustainable cities of the future.
Sustainability is a thread that runs throughout the innovation journey in Manchester. The city itself has set a target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2038, faster than anywhere else in the UK. And so many of graphene’s uses have logical, primary applications in making industry more sustainable while retaining and even increasingly profitability.
Adding graphene to recycled plastics can produce a stronger, longer-lasting material, which improves the quality of the plastic, reducing waste and emissions. Lightweighting in composite materials for vehicles means less fuel is consumed in transport. The addition of tiny amounts of graphene into cement – which accounts for 8% of all global CO2 emissions – can increase the strength of concrete by 25%, meaning you need to use significantly less. New methods for water filtration and conservation will transform global water and food supply. The list goes on and on…
To complete this lab-to-market journey, the University of Manchester is creating an ecosystem of ‘science supply chains’ and start-ups to help businesses fast-track their graphene-inspired innovation, with the GEIC as an accelerator, helping to build ‘Graphene City’ in the place it all began.
“What you have in Manchester with graphene reminds me of the early days of Silicon Valley”
Eli Harari, founder of SanDisk
AEH Innovative Hydrogel
Dr Beenish Siddique has developed a unique hydrogel system for vertical farming, using a graphene-based sensor to conserve water, control nutrients, filter pathogens, reduce labour and transform indoor food production.
Instead of graphene, the team behind Molymem are using another 2D material – molybdenum disulphide – as the basis for a new generation of membranes for advanced filtration in the wastewater, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries.
Developed in conjunction with Manchester’s National Graphene Institute, sportswear firm inov-8’s graphene-enhanced running shoes have won numerous awards from publications in the sector. The new G-FLY model is the world’s first shoe to feature a graphene foam, with double the longevity of standard construction.
Globally, 1.5 billion waste tyres are generated every year, most going into landfill or being burned. Dr Vivek Koncherry takes waste rubber and adds graphene to produce recycled products with double the compressive strength of comparable manufacturing.
Masdar’s presence in the UK’s renewable energy projects represent a total power generating capacity of more than 1 GW – enough clean energy to supply nearly 1 million homes.
Projects include London Array, one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms and the 402 MW Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm.
In 2018, Batwind became the first energy storage system to be connected to an offshore floating wind farm, the 30 MW Hywind Scotland. Both Batwind and Hywind Scotland are owned by Masdar and Equinor.
In 2019, Masdar became the first commercial investor in the UK government’s Charging Infrastructure Fund (CIIF), which aims to more than double the UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure. | <urn:uuid:27d2d807-a7d1-4fab-ba09-982b7d2510eb> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://news.masdar.ae/en/News/2021/07/15/05/55/Graphene-the-building-block-for-a-sustainable-future | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224649439.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20230604025306-20230604055306-00071.warc.gz | en | 0.923736 | 1,083 | 2.890625 | 3 | 2.828476 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Science & Tech. |
Systems thinking sounds complicated, but has a simple definition: “A big-picture view of the whole.” This way of thinking belongs in your classroom.
Virginia Anderson and Lauren Johnson, authors of “Systems Thinking Basics,” defined systems thinking, which has become a popular business style of management. Business leaders study the functions of each part of their company and the way that the different components interact. That information is used to create an efficient system. As systems thinking becomes a skill that employers are looking for in their companies, it has become important for schools to teach it.
Systems thinking isn’t relegated to the business world. This approach encourages thinking about problems and solutions within a larger context. Everything on our planet is part of an ecosystem, and there are many factors within that ecosystem that need to be considered before we can understand the cause of a problem or the potential consequences of a solution.
Think of it this way–you have a headache, so you take acetaminophen (or whatever medication you choose). Some time passes, and the headache is gone. If you look at this cause and effect out of context, you might conclude that the headache was caused by a lack of acetaminophen as it was alleviated by taking acetaminophen. But because the human body is a complex system, we know that there are many factors that can cause a headache, and acetaminophen simply hides the symptoms of that headache. Headaches are obviously not caused by an acetaminophen deficiency, and taking too much acetaminophen can actually harm your body. As this simple example shows, looking at problems and solutions and causes and effects without the context of systems thinking can cause major misunderstandings, incorrect conclusions, and unintentional consequences.
Systems thinking differs from the traditional classroom approach to learning, so it can be difficult to know where to start. These five suggestions can help.
1. Taking the First Step
The first step for educators, according to LeiLani Cauthen in “Leadership Versus the Classroom, A Paradigm Shift,” is to embrace “Systems Leadership.” She sees systems thinking as the solution to the lack of an efficient technology systems transition by schools. “What is happening right now nationwide in the transition to digital by schools is considerable confusion, overlap, and inefficiency at the software and content level,” she observes. Taking the first step in incorporating systems thinking in the classroom is working to create a unified technology system for all schools in the district and training the school staff to connect with the technology in educating students, according to Cauthen.
2. Identify Systems
Making systems thinking easy to understand begins with helping students to identify just what “systems” are. The Harvard Project Zero Agency by Design research team defines a system as “a collection of parts that have some influence on one another and the whole.” Tatum Omari, a kindergarten teacher, reports an effective method for his class was to first show them a collection of crayons which were part of a system, the art workstation in the classroom, in comparison to just a bunch of crayons on a desk. The students were then able to see the “systems’ throughout the classroom and school — the library, the cafeteria, the activity center. Omari also taught his students that systems can be a series of actions, not just physical properties. A great example he used was talking to students after having a substitute teacher about that teacher’s system, how it worked that day, how they adapted to it, and what made it easy, or difficult, to adjust to.
3. Get Students Engaged
Systems thinking is an approach that engages students as more active learners in an environment their teachers provided. This was done in a junior high in Tucson, Arizona, where flexible scheduling permitted science teachers to help their students learn how to use scientific information in relation to other subjects. An example was a mock trial that was held to teach the workings of the legal system, but the students dealt with a case involving a scientific subject.
4. Develop Models
Projects can be used to encourage students to take results of research to create a design and a model of a specific solution. This implementation of systems thinking was used in a classroom to design a new state park. Students studied information in many areas such as politics, geography, park management, recreation, and community theory, and designed a park within a budget. The work was done on a computer to compose the design and track the financial aspects of the project. Rather than just creating a park, students had to think about the park system, including its geography, visitors, and location to design something that would be worthy of a state park designation. Considering any one of these items exclusively in isolation would have made the design less effective.
4. Become a Facilitator
Teachers embracing the systems thinking tools move from behind the desk and interact with the students to facilitate learning. Two of the systems thinking tools which support this type of learning are STELLA, a modeling language that was developed by High Performance Systems for Macintosh, and Mosaikk/SimTek, an IBM-PC compatible collection of computer simulation software. Teachers without access to such technology can be creative in using more traditional systems, such as an historical event or a book, to teach how parts of a system relate. Studying Martin Luther King Jr. and his strides in changing the system for racial equality is one example.
Tackling a new way of thinking takes some study, preparation, and small steps, but success in achieving systems thinking will allow your students to thrive in a modern world of technology, work with others, and understand the “big picture.”
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- 5 Learning Activities for the End of the School Year - May 16, 2018 | <urn:uuid:315d270b-9ae6-4bc5-a14a-361c70fc0776> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | http://edu.stemjobs.com/ways-to-integrate-systems-thinking-into-your-classroom/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794870082.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20180527190420-20180527210420-00164.warc.gz | en | 0.96346 | 1,240 | 3.125 | 3 | 2.802133 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Education & Jobs |
Canker sores are painful blisters in mouth. You might be knowing it as aphthous ulcer. These occur in sides of tongue and inside lips. You can get them inside the cheeks as well as on gums. They are surrounded by red ring and yellow or white in center.
Usually it happens to them who are in stress due to their work or home life. Women suffer from canker sores more than men. These can be cause of hereditary. If anyone in your family is having this issue, there are more chances that you also may suffer from canker sores.
Cause of Canker Sores
Stress, minor injuries, sodium lauryl sulphate while using toothpaste, food allergies, hormonal changes, and vitamin deficiencies are the reasons of canker sores.
Dos and Don’ts
- Less usages of acidic and spicy foods.
- Don’t poke canker sore with tongue.
- Stay hydrated with plenty water intake.
- Have nutritious food.
- Include vitamin regular basis.
- Meditate to avoid stress.
- Take extra care while brushing or eating.
Canker sores: Natural home remedies
If you are suffering from painful canker sores, use these home remedies.
Salt water is very much helpful for canker sores. It is natural disinfectant. Salt water will relieve your pain that will speed up your healing process.
Fenugreek leaves have healing properties. A well-known natural remedy for dentistry which can also boost your immunity system. It is a rich source of carotene, calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, carotene, and many more.
Include fenugreek leaves in your food or you can direct apply it to painful canker sore to avoid sever pain in canker sores.
Basil is used on pizza, sauces, and in salads. It is widely used in many recipes and is good in taste. In addition, it is a natural remedy for dentistry apart from taste. It has anti-microbial properties which help in soothing canker sores. You can chew its leaves during your meals or soak these in hot water and use it as mouth wash.
Baking soda is alkaline base which has property to neutralize acids. You can sooth your mouth with the irritation of canker sores with Baking soda. Use baking soda and rinse with fresh water.
Probiotic yogurt is a rich source of good bacteria. Good bacteria will revive your oral flora. This will help to ease canker sores. Good bacteria will help to improve your health of mouth, stomach, and intestine.
These painful blisters of canker sores can easily calm with these above homemade remedies and precaution. So, apply these without second thought and enjoy real taste of food and drink. | <urn:uuid:832ca620-98c1-44c6-adf2-f49936d5d84c> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://mimantraa.com/health/cure-your-canker-sores-with-home-remedies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964359082.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20211130232232-20211201022232-00049.warc.gz | en | 0.92913 | 611 | 2.5625 | 3 | 0.9958 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Health |
Shinto, as a religion, does not have a defined founder, as the major religions of of the shinto past went unchallenged by specialists writing in japanese, ranging from a good harvest, fertility, health, and success of a business kami okuni, meaning sending the kami back to their heavenly abodes. Free essay: shinto: a japanese religion uncovering the religious significance and meaning the way of the gods, the origins of shinto are not apparent in comparison to other essay on traditional shinto & modern japanese business. The shinto tradition is an essential component of japanese religious culture the widespread misconception that shinto is intrinsically related to japanese.
Bathing is central to both shintoism and buddhism evil is associated with dirtiness, good with cleanliness according to japanese adherents of. Essay on traditional shinto & modern japanese business meaning the way of the gods, the origins of shinto are not apparent in comparison to other. Free guide to japan and japanese culture, society, language, etiquette, manners , customs and protocol.
Shinto and a 21st century japanese ecological attitude 3 in this essay, i hope to convince the reader that the beliefs and values exhibited in related to the disassociation of shinto with death are its beliefs concerning blood the business incentive, if not state sponsored, for such an ecological. This essay will be covering the topic of shintô, the native religion of japan the that is how closely shintô is related to the japanese and their everyday lives business both seek the benefit of the inari kami in ancient times as well as.
Meaning the way of the gods, the origins of shinto are not apparent in comparison to other strong essays traditional shinto & modern japanese business. Shinto is the name given to a loosely organized religion of japan i asked mitsume how the shinto religion related to the family, and she said that family is one of the most important parts of it /shintoism-religion-strong-indigenous/9780392 best in the business since 1995.
Shinto or “the way of the gods,” is the oldest religion in the history of japan shinto is closely related to buddhism and confucianism, so some of the ethical. The culture of japan has evolved greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric time buddhism and shintoism are the primary religions of japan revue a company solely composed by women who introduced the revue in japan kimono in this meaning plus all other items of traditional japanese clothing is.
Shinto as a religion and japanese society, statistics on festival participation and motivations behind by comparing these different aspects of shinto, this essay will like the inari shrines, where worshippers go and pray for success in business on kami-related matters (jingi kanjō) in late medieval and early- modern. 12 differences between japanese and us american culture japanese people's approach to shinto and buddhism is also largely reserved to traditions, though in business people might bow deeply to a 45 degree angle, most bows are a i am doing an essay for school and this was really helpful :. The ancient japanese found divinity manifested within nature itself flowering peaks, flowing rivers, and venerable trees, for example, were thought to be. | <urn:uuid:c730fc17-c9c8-469b-b4ed-cc822bb8be13> | CC-MAIN-2018-47 | http://bthomeworkydjz.centroformazione.info/how-japanese-shinto-related-with-business-essay.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039746061.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20181119171420-20181119193420-00527.warc.gz | en | 0.942058 | 719 | 2.734375 | 3 | 2.988588 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Religion |
We all get busy from time to time. Yet, at other times, the busy life never seems to end. Your to do list can make you feel overwhelmed and harried.
It can involve meeting work deadlines or church and social commitments. Busyness can also involve taking care of your kids or organizing and cleaning your home.
Unfortunately, continuous busyness can take a toll on your mental and physical health. It can lead to burnout, sadness, disappointment, stress, poor health, sleeplessness, guilt, anxiety and depression.
Excessive busyness can also affect relationships both at work and at home. It can affect your ability to engage in meaningful connections.
With that in mind, it is evident that being busy can prevent you from living a fulfilling life. So, it is important that you slow down and take control of your life.
In this article, you are going to gain insights on how to overcome busyness. Please keep reading.
Do you often say “yes” when you know you should have said “no”? Well, many people often have trouble saying “no.” It’s often difficult for some people to slow down and take a rest.
Also, there are those who always jump in to rescue someone who looks troubled. But, learning to say no is important. It stops you from over-committing.
Learning to say “no” allows you to engage in things that are important to you. It allows you to make choices. For example, it is important that you learn to say no to people who are out to drain your energy. Also, always remember that not everything needs to be perfect.
You do not need to be serious every moment of your time. In essence, when you say no, you are saying yes to a better life.
You and many other people always push bedtime back to do extra work. What’s more, you may end up waking up early to finish incomplete tasks.Yet, sleep is very important.
It improves your mood, mental health, physical health and makes you look better. Also, adequate rest helps you to think more clearly.
Inadequate sleep can have adverse health and behavioral effects. It can increase your risk for developing obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attack.
It can make you crave for alcohol or caffeine to stay awake. So, it is important that you learn to manage your time so that you can get adequate sleep.
It is normal to have a lot of things on your to do list. What’s more, the list may consist of things that will help you achieve your goals in life. Yet, you need to devote your time to things that matter such as relationships.
To live a full life, you need to engage in meaningful communication with your loved ones. Being in the presence of loved ones can make a big difference in your life.
Creating time for family and friends is a way of reminding them that you still care. It can include being a good listener or giving them a call when they least expect.
Besides, you need to accept their faults and give them whatever support they need. A good way of keeping your family and friends first is by creating a tradition.
You need to make time for a meal, conversation or gathering with friends.
Meditation is getting a lot of attention because of its benefits for busiest people. Meditation can improve your life. For instance, it trains your mind to resist distraction and temptation.
Distractions may include emails, social media, and youtube videos, among others. It enables you to ignore such distractions and focus your attention on a task.
Besides, regular mindful meditation relieves stress and improves your health. It also improves memory, and prevents feelings of depression and anxiety.
Meditation can also make you feel happier and satisfied. Thus, during your hustle and bustle, you need to make mindfulness meditation a priority.
Working hard can cause chaos in your life and mind. It can leave you with no time for self-care. As a result, you may feel restless, stressed, anxious, bored or even depressed.
If that is how you feel, you can talk about it with a qualified and licensed therapist. Online counselling is particularly good for people with a busy lifestyle.
Therapy enables you to cope with stress. It also gives you an opportunity to vent about the difficult stuff you’re going through. What’s more, you get professional support from a trusted counsellor.
So, if you have burnout, for instance, you can talk to an online therapist when it is convenient for you. Psychotherapy is a good way of taking care of your mental health and emotions.
Ability to balance demands and priorities is an important skill for busy person. Priorities refer to anything you want to do. Demands refer to tasks that other people need you to do.
The idea is to create balance so that you can have a more effective life. You need to re-evaluate how you use your time. For instance, do you spend time doing things that are important to you or to others?
Setting priorities helps you to pay attention to goals you need to fulfill. It also helps you to focus on people in your life. Thus, creating a pros and cons list will help to ensure that you’re focused and doing what you love.
Having a busy life tends to deter you from sleeping, let alone exercising. Yet, you need to squeeze in some yoga, jogging or walking whenever possible. Creating time to exercise will go a long way to reduce burnout and stress.
In addition, taking a brisk walk every morning is critical. It helps to increase your motivation and energy levels for the day ahead. It helps to boost your focus, performance, and productivity.
So, you need to try and exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, preferably morning hours. You can consider scheduling your working out session in your calendar or dairy.
Having it in your diary helps to ensure you plan your day around it. You can also commit to work out with someone else. It makes it harder to cancel because you do not want to disappoint the other person.
It is okay to be busy. However, you need to make it a habit to take care of yourself when you are busy. Self-care is not only essential, but necessary for good health.
Matt is a trained and licenced Mindfulness teacher and Stress and Anxiety Reduction Counsellor operating in and around the Peterborough area. After overcoming his own stress and anxiety he's found his purpose teaching others to do the same.
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Clean air is an issue that affects all of us, even those of us in perfect health. This is especially true in the summer time, when heat intensifies air pollution issues, causing an increase in ground-level ozone, a significant lung irritant. The concerning thing about ozone is that it is colorless, tasteless and odorless, but it can harm you.
The elderly, children and those with chronic respiratory issues are especially at risk when it comes to air pollution. If you have asthma or COPD, then air pollutants place an extra burden on the lungs. People who work or exercise outdoors, and teens and children who are active with sports and play, are especially vulnerable. Just walking your dog on a day of poor air quality can cause health issues — even for your pets! This is because when you are working, exercising or playing, you are taking deep breaths and breathing faster, thus drawing more air into your lungs. If the air quality is poor, you are breathing in more ozone or particulate matter, both of which irritate your lungs.
Keeping our air clean is critical to our health, but right now, our clean air may be at risk. This is due to possible changes to the Clean Air Act and associated Environmental Protection Agency budget cuts, which are proposed to be voted on in September. This is a health issue, not a political issue, and since we are all concerned about our health and our families’ health, worth discussing.
A bit of background ...The Clean Air Act has its roots in the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955, which was the first federal legislation involving air pollution. This Act provided funds for federal research regarding air pollution. The Clean Air Act of 1963 was the first federal legislation to address air pollution control. It established a federal program within the U.S. Public Health Service and authorized research into ways to monitor and control air pollution. Other legislation tweaked these early acts, and then in 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the more comprehensive Clean Air Act into law; later that year, the Environmental Protection Agency was formed.
How does the Clean Air Act work? The modern Clean Air Act of 1970 was revised in 1990; and is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. It sets criteria to regulate six air pollutants that are considered to have the most negative impacts on public health. These pollutants are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. Based on scientific research, the Act also identifies the “safe” standards for each pollutant and what are considered harmful amounts of these pollutants.
Gary Ewart, chief of advocacy and government relations for the American Thoracic Society, notes that it is important to understand that these standards are designed to protect the country’s most vulnerable populations--children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems; the standards are not set based on what healthy adults might tolerate. Setting standards in this way helps ensure that everyone’s health is protected. Ewart emphasizes that the EPA also does not allow the current state of technology to influence how it sets its standards.
“The EPA cannot say that this amount of sulfur dioxide is harmful, but we will change our criteria because the only technology available to achieve this standard will be costly,” he explains. “Rather, the EPA sets the standard based on the facts. If these levels are harmful, then the investment must be made to protect ourselves against these pollutants. We must not allow the cost of implementation to keep us from keeping the public safe.”
Ewart explains that there is some flexibility in terms of cost when it comes to how the states implement their plans. While states must come up with a viable plan to reduce pollution that does not meet EPA criteria, within that framework, they have some wiggle room. If there are multiple plans that will successfully do the job, they may pick the most cost-effective option. They simply cannot pick a plan that is low budget and does not work.
If a region is found to be in violation of EPA Clean Air standards, it is up to the state where the pollution is occurring to come up with a plan to reduce the pollution and bring the polluter into compliance. The state can determine the most economical way to do this. The federal government does not get involved in developing individual state plans unless the state refuses to comply, or comes up with a plan that is flawed. If either of these situations occur, then the federal government can step in with its own plan and tell the state this is the plan you must adopt. If the state balks, the federal government does have the power, under the Clean Air Act, to withhold that state’s federal highway funds. However, Ewart notes that in the decades since the Clean Air Act has been in place, only once has any state lost federal highway funding due to Clean Air Act violations. For the most part, states have worked cooperatively to meet Clean Air Act standards and in fact, the Clean Air Act is considered one of the most effective pieces of legislation in our country’s history. Since the Clean Air Act’s implementation, air pollution is down more than 70 percent on average across all six criteria (more so with certain pollutants) and numerous studies show that millions of lives have been saved from illness and death due to respiratory and cardiovascular causes. Hospital admissions and illnesses such as bronchitis have also been significantly lowered, saving millions of health care dollars and lost-work time (for more information on the Clean Air Act, visit www.epa.gov/laws-regulations or www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview.).
What causes poor air quality? There are multiple factors at work in reducing air quality. In the summer, one of the major factors is ozone, which as we mentioned, tends to be higher in hot weather. The second is an increase in particulate matter (PM), such as from the burning of fossil fuels, and the third is an increase in pollen. Particulate matter is essentially pollution, so to make this topic more easily understandable, from now on, we will refer to PM simply as pollution. Where you live also determines your air quality. For example, if you live in the Northeast, the westerly winds bring air pollution from the high concentration of Midwestern power plants and urban centers, so your air quality is affected by pollution that is not necessarily produced in your region.
When ozone is found high in the atmosphere, it helps protect us from the sun’s harmful rays, but when ozone is found at ground level, it causes a damaging chemical reaction in the lungs. Ozone at ground level is formed when the gases (nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds) emitted from vehicle exhausts, smokestacks used in manufacturing, and fossil fuel power plants, come in contact with the sun’s rays.
Is air pollution directly connected to respiratory issues and general health? Yes, numerous studies of both large and small populations have been conducted by a wide range of scientists around the globe, and all confirm that air pollution is harmful to respiratory health. In areas where pollution is high, there are increased numbers of people with asthma, COPD and other respiratory issues. This is especially true of children. Dr. George Thurston is a leading scholar in the area of human health effects and air pollution, a professor of Environmental Medicine and Population Health at the New York University School of Medicine, and chair of the American Thoracic Society’s Environmental Health Policy Committee. According to Dr. Thurston, studies by the New England Journal of Medicine and the Global Burden of Disease Study, all found air pollution to be one of the biggest threats to public health. “Not only is ozone a major lung irritant, but it causes an inflammatory response which makes your lungs more reactive to other substances,” says Thurston. “This means that if your lungs usually only react moderately to pollens, exercise or the cold, but are then exposed to ozone, that reaction is now magnified. Studies have also found that pollution is one of the most critical influences on cardiovascular health. As a result, in areas of higher air pollution, we can expect to see shorter life expectancy.”
Dr. Mary Rice, pulmonary and critical care physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, says that there is extensive evidence showing that air pollution affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
“On days of bad air quality, even in areas where regular pollution is not as bad, you will see an increase in hospital admissions for respiratory issues, cardiac issues and even an increase in mortality,” she says.
Both Rice and Thurston point out that the damage from air pollution to one’s health is also cumulative. This means that the longer you are exposed to air pollution, the more harm is done to your respiratory and cardiovascular system. By the same token, people who were removed from areas of poor air quality, or who saw the air quality in their regions improve, also benefited from an improvement in respiratory health.
Even relatively brief improvements in air quality can benefit respiratory health.
“During the Atlanta Olympics, local automobile traffic was greatly reduced to avoid congestion,” Rice explains. “During that same time, air quality monitors showed a significant decrease in pollution because there were fewer cars on the road. And, that same time period showed a matching decrease in hospital admissions for asthma among the children of Atlanta. After the Olympics were over, and normal traffic numbers resumed, the hospital admissions for asthma went back up again.”
Part II of our discussion of the importance of clean air, and the Clean Air Act, will look at why the Clean Air Act is at risk, its impact on climate change, and what can be done to ensure clean air for the future.
Dr. Mark R. Windt is an allergist, immunologist and pulmonologist who has been treating allergies, including food allergies, and respiratory illnesses, for more than 30 years. He is the medical director for the Center for Asthma, Allergy and Respiratory Disease in North Hampton, a facility he started in 1985. Dr. Windt is also an adjunct professor at the University of New Hampshire's School of Nutrition and founder of the Probiotic Cheese Company (www.theprobioticcheesecompany.com). For information, visit www.caard.com or call 964-3392.
Crystal Ward Kent is a free-lance writer and owner of Kent Creative, an award-winning writing, design and marketing firm in Dover. For information, call 742-0800 or visit www.kentcreativeweb.com. | <urn:uuid:1c874868-eb54-4a2e-a338-f84323ff8b0d> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | http://www.fosters.com/news/20170830/why-clean-air-is-important-to-your-health---part-1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583511173.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20181017111301-20181017132801-00064.warc.gz | en | 0.957537 | 2,195 | 3.59375 | 4 | 2.886716 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
Tips from Other Journals
Axillary vs. Rectal Temperatures in Children
Am Fam Physician. 2000 Oct 15;62(8):1907.
Rectal temperature is generally considered to be more accurate than axillary temperature in children, but rectal measurement is sometimes difficult to obtain in a child. To examine whether axillary temperature is equivalent to rectal temperature, Craig and colleagues reviewed the literature of studies comparing these two sites of temperature measurement in children.
Electronic searches of medicine and nursing literature were performed to identify studies in which rectal and axillary temperatures were compared. Unpublished studies were identified in a national research registry and by reviewing abstracts from conferences. Some authors of studies and manufacturers of thermometers were also contacted to provide additional information. Excluded from the meta-analysis were infants of less than 37 weeks' gestational age and children with hypothermia. Also excluded were studies in which different types of thermometers were used at the two sites and studies in which mercury thermometers were read before three minutes of contact.
A checklist was used to evaluate the quality of each study. The mean and standard deviations of the difference between rectal and axillary temperatures were determined in each study. If outcome data were not provided, the study's investigators were contacted for information on the means and standard deviations. The 40 studies that were reviewed included 5,528 children from birth to 18 years.
The analysis revealed that the mean axillary temperature was always lower than the mean rectal temperature. Large mean differences and wide limits of agreement were found between rectal and axillary temperatures. The validity of temperature readings at both sites was related to the child's age and the duration of contact with the measuring device.
The authors conclude that, in children, axillary measurement of temperature does not agree sufficiently with rectal temperature measurements to provide clinically reliable data. The wide range in the mean differences suggests that rectal temperature cannot be estimated by adding 1°C to the temperature measured at the axilla.
Craig JV, et al. Temperature measured at the axilla compared with rectum in children and young people: systematic review. BMJ. April 29, 2000;320:1174–8.
Copyright © 2000 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
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Want to use this article elsewhere? Get Permissions | <urn:uuid:beb1e1dc-d550-4c91-acde-5afb1c4c622b> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/1015/p1907.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164030978/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133350-00008-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969847 | 568 | 3.265625 | 3 | 2.992109 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
Cider has a long and fascinating history in the UK. Although it had been assumed that cider was introduced after the Norman Conquest, it is now thought to have been here long before that.
Apple trees were growing in the UK well before the Romans came but it was they who introduced organised cultivation. It is likely that the wandering peoples, who travelled through the countries which we now know as Spain and Northern France, introduced their ‘shekar’ (a word of Hebrew origin for strong drink) to the early Britons.
However, it is true to say that the Normans had the most positive effect on the history of cider making. Northern France was renowned for the volume and quality of its orchards and vineyards, as indeed was Southern England, but owing to climatic changes these areas became less suitable for the growing of grapes. Gradually cider began to replace wine.
In the UK and France, cider apples tended to be grown towards the western extremities because the climatic and soil conditions were most suitable. Under the influence of the Gulf Stream, the weather was relatively mild and the areas concerned had a fairly heavy annual rainfall.
These combined factors of climate and history established the cider producing areas of England as we know them today.
After their conquest of England in 1066, the Normans introduced many changes - perhaps the drinking of cider was one of the best! The popularity of cider grew steadily; new varieties of apples were introduced, and cider began to figure in the tax records.
It became the drink of the people, and production spread rapidly. By 1300, there were references to cider production in the counties now known as Buckinghamshire, Devonshire, Essex, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Kent, Norfolk, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey and Sussex and in most other counties as far north as Yorkshire.
Cider was produced in substantial quantities on farms; every farm would have a few cider apple trees as well as cooking and dessert apple trees in the orchard, and it became customary in the 18th Century to pay part of a farm labourer’s wage in cider. A typical allowance on a farm would be 3 - 4 pints per day. Labourers were rated by the amount they drank; one comment was that a 2 gallon a day man was worth the extra he drank! In the western counties of England in particular, a farm worker could receive perhaps one-fifth of his wage in cider. In the latter part of the 19th Century, a campaign to stop payment in the form of alcoholic beverages brought about the addition of a clause to the Truck Act of 1887 which prohibited the payment of wages in this way.
In Canada the history of cider could be traced back to explores like Captain Cook and the Hudson Bay Company. Cider was used to help prevent Scurvy. It may have been the British that first brought Cider to Canada but production flourished in Quebec.
The honour of planting the first apple tree in the history of Quebec goes to Louis Hébert, apothecary from Paris and New France's first settler. He did so around 1617 on the site where Quebec City was founded in 1608. A good number of the first French settlers to the colony were Normans who brought over the apple cider craft. Sizable orchards developed in the region of New France, particularly on Île d'Orléans.
Bourgeoys ~ Portrait by Pierre Le Ber
Marguerite Bourgeoys, C.N.D., was the founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal in the colony of New France, now part of Québec. She lived in Fort Ville-Marie (now Montreal) as of 1653, educating young girls, the poor, and natives until her death at the turn of the 18th century. She is also significant for developing one of the first uncloistered religious communities in the Catholic ChurchShe has been declared a saint by the Catholic Church. She is known to have made Cider and may have been he first to do so in Quebec.
Cider making was, however, forbidden from the early years of the British rule as it was in direct conflict with established British brewers' interests 1763.
Nova Scotia also had an early history of making cider. At this time it was mainly a make your own not a commercial adventure. The first apple trees came to Nova Scotia in the early 1600s. The trees were brought to Port Royal, Nova Scotia, by French setters. In the 1700s the New England Planters and the Loyalists brought new and different apple varieties to Nova Scotia. Other settlers arrived from Scotland, Ireland and Germany and continued the newfound tradition of apple growing in Nova Scotia.
The Growers Wine Company was established in 1927 near British Columbia’s Capital City of Victoria in the District of Saanich. The first plant was completed toward the end of 1928 and came into operation to showcase Canadian wines to the world.
The Growers Wine Company was a truly Western Canadian Company, with more than 90 per cent of the company owned
by residents of the four western provinces.
Growing apples and making your own cider was quite propula in North America. By 1775 one out of every ten farmers operated a cider mill
In Ontario H. Sells and son maufactured hard cider in 1881
Seeking additional information! [email protected]
Cider ~Nova Scotia ~ Prince Edward Island ~ New Brunswick ~ Quebec ~ Ontario ~ Alberta ~ British Columbia | <urn:uuid:784a978c-df1d-4d5a-9bb0-26c370c1ba43> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://www.winesofcanada.com/cider-history.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662521152.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20220518052503-20220518082503-00091.warc.gz | en | 0.982235 | 1,141 | 3.203125 | 3 | 2.739357 | 3 | Strong reasoning | History |
What is scabies?
Scabies is an infestation of mites (tiny insects) characterized by small red bumps and intense itching. This highly contagious infection often spreads from person to person while they are sleeping together in the same bed or have close personal contact.
The itching is caused by the mites burrowing into the skin where they lay eggs that hatch a few days later. Scabies can affect people of all ages. Scabies occurs mostly in children and young adults.
What are the symptoms of scabies?
It may take between 4 to 6 weeks for a child to develop symptoms of scabies after coming in contact with an infected person.
In children younger than 2 years of age, the lesions caused by the mites tend to occur on the head, neck, palms, and soles. In older children, the lesions are usually between the fingers, on the hands or wrists, along the belt line, on the thighs or belly button, in the groin area, around the breasts, and in the armpits.
The following are the most common symptoms of scabies. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
- Itching, usually severe
- Rash, with small pimples or red bumps
- Scaly or crusty skin (with advanced conditions)
How is scabies diagnosed?
In diagnosing scabies, the skin and skin crevices are examined by a physician. A sample of skin, obtained by scraping the skin, may be examined under a microscope to confirm the presence of mites.
What is the treatment for scabies?
Scabies is treatable and usually all members in a family are treated at the same time. Specific treatment will be determined based on:
- The child's age, overall health, and medical history
- Extent of the infestation
- The child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the infestation
- Child or parent’s opinion or preference
Treatment may include:
- Applications of prescription creams and lotions, such as permethrin and lindane solutions
- Oral antihistamine medication (to help relieve itching)
- In some cases, topical ointments are recommended
In addition, it is important to wash all clothes and bedding in hot water and dry in a hot dryer in order to kill the mites. Clothing and other objects that cannot be washed (i.e., pillows, stuffed animals) should be placed in a plastic bag for at least one week.
Also, the itching may continue for many weeks after the initial treatment of the scabies. | <urn:uuid:1dcf4aeb-a3ef-4953-8e22-84147026e1b8> | CC-MAIN-2019-30 | https://childrensnational.org/visit/conditions-and-treatments/skin-disorders/scabies | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-30/segments/1563195528290.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20190722221756-20190723003756-00202.warc.gz | en | 0.950116 | 548 | 3.8125 | 4 | 1.030711 | 1 | Basic reasoning | Health |
People have been looking for ways to replace lost or damaged teeth for thousands of years with varying degrees of success. Fully functioning teeth not only make chewing and talking easier, but they also change the shape of your face, improve your smile, and are much more comfortable than bridges, dentures, or just going without.
History of Dental Implants
From copper pegs to seashells, animal tooth substitutes to using the teeth from other humans, people have been willing to try just about anything to have a full set of pearly whites. The problem was that the body often rejected implants that came from other material. It wasn’t until the 1950s that a Swedish scientist named Per-Ingvar Branemark made a discovery that would forever change the field of dentistry.
As he was researching how blood circulates through the body, he implanted tiny microscopes encased in a titanium coating into a rabbit’s leg. When he went to remove the microscopes, he discovered (much to his surprise!) that the rabbit’s body had not rejected the titanium in the slightest and had, in fact, bonded directly with the bone. He tested his theory on many more specimens and volunteers and found that the bones fused with the titanium without a hitch.
It wasn’t easy to convince the rest of the scientific community that his discovery was successful. In fact, it took until the 1960s for other scientists to give credit where credit was due. At that time, Branemark’s work helped a man born with a jaw deformity to receive his first set of working teeth – implants that functioned until he died in the mid-2000s.
Why Might You Need Implants?
You might need dental implants if you have sustained a traumatic blow to the mouth that loosened or knocked out some of your teeth. You might also need dental implants if you have had poor dental hygiene in the past, or your teeth developed deep cavities that required your whole tooth to be extracted. Sometimes teeth fall out due to the bone loss that is linked to old age, and other times untreated gum disease is the culprit.
Are they Foolproof?
Implants can be very effective, but they do not have a 100% guarantee for success. The leading causes of implant failure are linked to patient habits, the dentist’s experience, and where the implant is located. The last two reasons are mostly beyond your control, but the patient’s habits – AKA, your habits – are something that you can influence directly.
Within the “patient habits” category of implant failure, smoking is one of the most common causes of failure.
Harmful Effects of Smoking
While smoking makes you feel alert and calm, it also increases your blood pressure and heart rate. This can lead to all kinds of long-term problems such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, lung disease, low birth weight and higher numbers of stillbirth among pregnant women. Smoking also stains teeth and fingers, gives you bad breath, and lowers your ability to heal quickly.
Why Does Smoking Cause Implant Failure?
Science doesn’t point to just one reason why smoking can cause implant failure; instead, it indicates a combination of a few factors. One is that there is simply a higher rate of bone loss and gum disease associated with smokers. Implants require high-quality bone in order to grow together and stay in place. Another reason for failure is that the chemicals in the smoke lower blood flow to the mouth, which leads to a slower recovery. Additionally, people who smoke are more likely to develop an infection that can prevent the bone from grabbing onto the implant.
What Can You Do?
If you smoke but need dental implants, you may still qualify for the procedure. We strongly recommend quitting entirely, but we realize that quitting may not be possible for everyone depending on where they are in their lives. Your dentist will know your history and will be able to make a judgment call if they feel the implants would succeed.
If your dentist thinks that you are a good candidate for dental implants even though you smoke, they will most likely make a few requests before they carry out the procedure. They will probably ask you to quit smoking for at least two weeks before you are scheduled to receive implants. This will give your body a little bit of time to heal from the chemicals in the smoke, and it will encourage blood flow to the area. They will also likely ask that you refrain from smoking for at least eight weeks after the surgery so that you heal more quickly.
Smoking does not disqualify you from getting dental implants, but it can increase the risk of rejection and infection. Your dentist may give you some suggestions for quitting and will also know how best to help you prepare for this procedure. | <urn:uuid:ce4328df-6c1e-498d-a327-f6c3fb095c52> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://www.feltfamilydentistry.com/can-smoking-affect-dental-implants/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224655244.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20230609000217-20230609030217-00542.warc.gz | en | 0.963606 | 976 | 2.96875 | 3 | 2.636078 | 3 | Strong reasoning | Health |
Your brain is an extremely interesting and unique organ. It is the center of your nervous system.
Your brain regulates and monitors your bodys actions and reactions. Your brain continuously receives sensory information. It rapidly analyzes this data and then responds by controlling your bodily actions and functions.
Brain herniation is a condition in which the tissue of your brain, blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid become displaced outside of the compartments in your head that they normally occupy because of an increase in intercranial pressure. This is the pressure inside of your skull. The increased pressure causes your brain to expand, but because your brain does not have anywhere to go inside of your skull, it becomes badly damaged.
Brain herniation can occur in different places. These include:
Through a natural opening at the base of your skull that is known as the foramen magnum
Through openings that result from brain surgery
Between areas inside of your skull like those that are separated by a rigid membrane that is referred to as the tentorium.
Brain herniation is known by other names. It is also referred to as uncal herniation, tonsillar herniation, herniation syndrome, herniation brain, subfalcine herniation and transtentorial herniation.
Brain herniation is caused by something inside of your skull that produces pressure that moves brain tissue, blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid from where they are supposed to be. This happens most frequently because of brain swelling that results from a head injury. There are other things that can cause brain herniation. These include:
Build up of fluid inside of the skull (hydrocephalus)
Primary brain tumor (tumor that begins in the brain)
Metastatic brain tumor (tumor that moves to the brain from somewhere else in the body)
There are several signs and symptoms that may be an indication of brain herniation. Some of these are:
An irregular pulse
No pulse (cardiac arrest)
No breathing (respiratory arrest)
An altered mental state
Progressive loss of consciousness
Lack of coordination
Loss of all brainstem reflexes (pupils reacting to light, blinking, gagging)
You may have a loved one who has survived brain herniation. Brain herniation and/or complications that have resulted from this condition may be the reason why your loved one is disabled and cannot work.
If this is true, you may need help in caring for your loved one. You may need financial assistance.
You may have considered applying for the financial help that you need to care for your loved one from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits on behalf of your loved one because of the disability caused by brain herniation and/or complications that have resulted from this condition. You may have already done this, and your loved one was turned down by the Social Security Administration.
If you decide to reapply or appeal the denial of your loved one, always remember this. People who are represented by a disability attorney like the one at Disability Case Review are approved more often than people who do not have a disability lawyer on their side. | <urn:uuid:cec691c9-fc57-479d-bc08-5570ac5b709e> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | https://www.disabilitycasereview.com/articles/brain-herniation-and-receiving-social-security-disability | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370491998.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20200328134227-20200328164227-00476.warc.gz | en | 0.951051 | 667 | 3.53125 | 4 | 1.987861 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Health |
Some mp3 decoders claim to offer 24-bit accurate decodes, compared to the usual 16-bits.
How do they sound?
To generate these samples for you to listen to, I took the decoded audio files from the 24-bit test, and made them much much louder. The binary digital signal has been shifted 13 bits to the left, so what was the 16th bit is now the 3rd, and what was the 24th is now the 11th. This is to allow everyone (including owners of 16-bit sound cards) to hear what's happening at the 24th bit.
The waveform of the test file is shown below. For the first 9 seconds of each file (0:0.000 - 0:9.000), you'll hear the audio switch twice per second. The first half of each second contains the tone plus stereo triangular dither, then second half of each second contains the tone plus mono rectangular dither. Each whole second contains the SAME audio as each other second, but at a different level. The 1st second contains audio at the 16th bit level, the 2nd second contains audio at the 17th bit level, and so on until the eighth second contains audio at the 24th bit level.
The tenth second (0:9.000 - 0:10.000) is silence. The next three tones (in the 11th, 12th and 13th seconds) are all at the 16-bit level. The first is undithered, the second is dithered at the 24-bit level, and the third is dithered at the 16-bit level.
The next two tones (14th and 15th seconds) 17 and 18-bit loud tones, dithered at the 24th bit level. Then the file ends.
You might be tempted to think that the distorted MAD version (4) sounds better than the noisy l3dec dithered version (3). However, you're listening to the quietest possible digital signal, amplified to nearly full level. I did this so you could hear the differences easily. With the signal at the correct level, both problems are incredibly quiet. With real music signals rather than test tones, either sounds OK, but the dither noise is preferable to the distortion. It's how our ears work, and it's how most hi-fi components work - there's a noise floor, but we can still hear things within the noise. To put it another way, signals sink gracefully into dither noise as they become quieter - they become harsh if they sink into distortion. Here's an example:
Which do you prefer? I'd rank them 1,4,3,2. We haven't mentioned (4) before: You can do better than standard dither (which MAD 0.12.2B doesn't manage correctly yet) - you can use Noise Shaped dither - that way, all the dither noise is pushed (shaped) into spectral areas where the human ear isn't so sensitive - so the overall noise level sounds lower. If you have a spectrum analyser (the default one in Winamp will do), take a look at (4) - there's a huge amount of noise, mainly over 20kHz, but it doesn't sound too bad.
So, in conclusion, it's better to dither than round, because noise is better than distortion. It's also better to noise-shape the dither if possible, because the noise sounds quieter.
Copyright 2000 David J M Robinson. All Rights reserved. You may not re-publish any information or content from this site without the authors' express permission. | <urn:uuid:49d4d736-d4d4-4aca-aac7-1c69dae8b694> | CC-MAIN-2015-06 | http://mp3decoders.mp3-tech.org/24bit2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422115861162.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124161101-00031-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958817 | 755 | 2.53125 | 3 | 2.430174 | 2 | Moderate reasoning | Hardware |
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