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Piano - Early Intermediate
Based on Events and Episodes of Haydn's Life. Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809). Arranged by John W. Schaum. Masterworks; Piano - Schaum Method Supplement; Piano Supplemental. Schaum Master Composer Series. Classical; Masterwork Arrangement. Book. 32 pages. Published by Schaum Publications, Inc. (AP.EL00289A).
Item Number: AP.EL00289A
In their original form most of the Haydn compositions are usable by only very gifted musicians. In compiling this book Mr. Schaum has kept in mind the ideal of democratizing Haydn's music by making his oratorios, cantatas, songs, and symphonies playable for the average pianist. Through changed titles, the pupil gains a historical background while the biographical additions add color and charm. Only dependable references were used for the biographical data, and, as far as is known, it is historically true. Book 1 is to be used with the Schaum B Book and Adult II. Book 2 is to be used with the Schaum F Book. | <urn:uuid:d3c67022-1372-48e6-8370-45879a340cfb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/look_inside/4985294 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910126 | 238 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Gardening typically is considered a hobby; something relaxing to engage in on a sunny day that continues you to reward you with a landscape of beautiful plants and flowers.
But physical therapists say gardening, which includes demanding tasks like pulling weeds, digging, bending and kneeling for long stretches, should be thought of as a sport, one you need to prep for to prevent injury.
The pastime is popular among people of all ages, a good number of whom probably spent the winter months perched on a couch.
“If you have been off your sport, say you took the winter off from golf, you would expect in the spring if you went back and played 18 holes again, you would ache, because it was an activity you haven’t done in a while,” said Patrice Winter, a spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
“With gardening, if you hit it with great gusto and do it for six to eight hours on a Saturday, you will feel stiff the next day,” she continued. “Gardening is a sport and you have to approach it that way,” insisted the physical therapist in Fairfax, Va., where she is an assistant professor at George Mason University.
Ms. Winter advises warming-up the body “to do all the bending, tugging and pulling you’re going to be doing in the garden.” This can include a short walk around the neighborhood to get your heart rate up, along with some easy stair-climbing and stretching exercises. And don’t neglect to consider your general health level.
“If you have not gotten your heart rate elevated at all for the last six months, and today you are going to pull up a tree stump, it may not be real smart,” Ms. Winter said.
Failure to warm-up can lead to pulled muscles, irritated joints or worse if you proceed without caution, the physical therapist warned. Ms. Winter said people often don’t realize gardening can be at the root of their aches and pains.
“Flexibility is key for the body to perform to its ultimate,” she noted. “If you’re in the garden and your shoulders aren’t warmed up and you start tearing away at weeds, you are going to set yourself up for a strain.”
She also advises taking breaks every 45 minutes and going for a short walk to ensure muscles and joints don’t get stiff from remaining in one position too long. Hydrate often — as you would with any other sport — and have a cool down when you’re finished that includes a short walk and stretching.
Kneeling as you garden can be another issue, and should not be done on both knees, she said. Instead, it’s recommended that you keep one foot on the ground to provide more stability to the back. Ms. Winter also said it’s important to engage the core muscles as well, again to help take pressure off the back.
The APTA advocates using a garden cart or wheelbarrow to move tools and heavy planting materials. Additionally, there are a variety of products available to ensure you play your best gardening game without getting injured.
Joe Saraceno, co-owner and physical therapist with One on One Physical Therapy in New Springville, mentions cushions that help reduce joint pressure when kneeling. Likewise, there are a number of gardening tools available from companies like Fiskars and Plow & Hearth that aim to make gardening easier on the joints.
Saraceno, another who compares gardening to playing a sport, said he often sees senior clients who love gardening, but give up the hobby because of pain.
“They get frustrated because they want to continue to do things, but it hurts, so they give up and stop,” he said.
Gardening, he observed, requires natural movements like bending, kneeling and squatting. But many seniors experience poor core stability and decreased mobility and flexibility. The best remedy, Saraceno said, is foresight to prepare for gardening at an older age, even if you’re already a senior.
“If you’re 60 and think that this is the best you can do, you still have another third of your life. Are you just going to do with what you’ve got for the next 30 years?” Saraceno asks.
“You have to do whatever you can; corrective exercises and movements so you can do what you want for as long as you want to do it,” he continued. “Now is the best time for anyone whether they are 70, 80, 40 or 30.”
For those who experience pain when gardening, Saraceno advises visiting a physical therapist who can help determine where the problem lies. Perhaps, it’s an imbalance with their core, or issue with the hips.
“You need to find out what is the weakest link and correct that,” he said, noting that an expert can show them corrective exercise so they can garden pain-free.
Without fixing the problem, people can put stress on other areas of the body and cause more problems, or as Saraceno reiterated, most will just quit gardening for good.
“You can’t look at it as, ‘I’m old and give up.’ A lot of people take [the] approach, ‘I’ll modify my lifestyle to fit my body,’” he said. “You save up money to retire and when you get there, then you can’t do the things you enjoy.” | <urn:uuid:494f830b-09cd-4695-846d-00f434f139b7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.silive.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/07/staten_islanders_should_treat_gardening_like_a_sport_and_prep_their_bodies_to_prevent_injury.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958025 | 1,184 | 2.84375 | 3 |
What is an exercise electrocardiogram?
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. For this test, electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain locations on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, interpreted, and printed out. No electricity is sent into the body.
Natural electrical impulses coordinate contractions of the different parts of the heart to keep blood flowing the way it should. An ECG records these impulses to show how fast the heart is beating, the rhythm of the heart beats (steady or irregular), and the strength and timing of the electrical impulses as they move through the different parts of the heart. Changes in an ECG can be a sign of many heart-related conditions.
An exercise ECG is done to assess the heart's response to stress or exercise. In this test, the ECG is recorded while you are exercising on a treadmill or stationary bike. An ECG tracing will be taken at certain points during the test to compare the effects of increasing stress on the heart. Periodically, the incline and treadmill speed will be increased in order to make exercise more difficult during the test. If you are riding a bicycle, you will pedal faster against increased resistance. In either case, you will exercise until reaching a target heart rate (determined by the healthcare provider based on age and physical status) or until you are unable to continue due to tiredness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or other symptoms.
Why might I need an exercise electrocardiogram?
Some reasons for your healthcare provider to request an exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) include:
- To assess stress or exercise tolerance if your doctor suspects you have coronary artery disease (blocked arteries in the heart)
- To determine limits for safe exercise before entering a cardiac rehabilitation program or when recovering from a cardiac event, such as a heart attack (myocardial infarction, or MI) or heart surgery
- To assess heart rhythm and electrical activity during exercise
- To evaluate heart rate and blood pressure during exercise
There may be other reasons for your healthcare provider to recommend an exercise ECG.
What are the risks of an exercise electrocardiogram?
Because of stress on the heart during the procedure, there is a small chance for:
- Chest pain
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeats
- Passing out
- Cardiac arrest
- Serious heart rhythm problems.
It may be uncomfortable when the sticky electrodes are taken off. If the electrode patches are left on too long they may cause tissue breakdown or skin irritation.
There may be other risks depending on your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider prior to the procedure.
Certain factors or conditions may interfere with or affect the results of an exercise ECG including:
- Eating a heavy meal prior to the procedure
- Caffeine intake prior to the procedure
- Smoking or using other tobacco products prior to the procedure
- High blood pressure
- Electrolyte imbalances, such as too much or too little potassium, magnesium, and/or calcium in the blood
- Certain medications, such as beta-blockers, that may make it difficult to increase the heart rate to the target level
- Heart valve disease
- Enlarged heart
How do I prepare for an exercise electrocardiogram?
- Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have the following:
- Aneurysm (a dilation of a part of the heart muscle or the aorta, the large artery that carries blood out of the heart to the rest of the body, which may cause a weakness of the tissue at the site of the aneurysm)
- Unstable angina (uncontrolled chest pain)
- Severe heart valve disease (malfunction of one or more of the heart valves that can affect blood flow within the heart)
- Severe heart failure (a condition in which the heart muscle has become too weak to pump blood well, causing fluid buildup in the blood vessels and lungs, and swelling in the feet, ankles, and other parts of the body)
- Recent heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI)
- Severe high blood pressure
- Uncontrolled irregular heartbeats
- Pericarditis (an inflammation or infection of the sac that surrounds the heart)
- Severe anemia (low red blood cell count)
- A pacemaker
- Your healthcare provider or the technician will explain the procedure to you and let you ask questions.
- You will be asked to sign a consent form that gives your permission to do the procedure. Read the form carefully and ask questions if anything is not clear.
- You will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for a few hours before the procedure.
- You should not smoke or use any other form of tobacco for 2 hours prior to the procedure.
- If you are pregnant or think you may be, tell your healthcare provider.
- Tell your healthcare provider of all medications (prescription and over-the-counter), vitamins, herbs, and supplements that you are taking.
- You may be asked to hold certain medications prior to the procedure, such as beta-blockers. Your healthcare provider will provide specific instruction.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes and loose-fitting pants or shorts. Women should wear a short-sleeved top that fastens in the front to make it easier to attach the ECG electrodes to the chest.
- If you use an inhaler for asthma or other breathing problems, bring it to the test.
- Based on your medical condition, your healthcare provider may request other specific preparation.
What happens during an exercise electrocardiogram?
An exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) may be done on an outpatient basis or as part of your hospital stay. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and your healthcare providers practice.
Generally, an exercise ECG follows this process:
- You will be asked to remove any jewelry or other objects that may interfere with the procedure.
- You will be asked to open your blouse or shirt in the front (men may be asked to remove their shirts). The technician will ensure your privacy by covering you with a sheet or gown and exposing only the necessary skin.
- If your chest is very hairy, the technician may shave or clip small patches of hair, as needed, so that the electrodes will stick closely to your skin.
- Electrodes will be attached to your chest and abdomen (belly).
- The wires will be attached to the electrodes.
- Once the wires are attached, the technician may enter identifying information about you into the machine's computer.
- A blood pressure cuff will be put on your arm while you are sitting down. An initial, or baseline, ECG and blood pressure readings will be taken while you are sitting down and standing up.
- You will be instructed on how to walk on the treadmill or use the bicycle.
- You will be told to let your healthcare provider know if you begin to have any chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, extreme shortness of breath, nausea, headache, leg pains, or any other symptoms during exercise.
- You will begin to exercise at a minimal level. The intensity of the exercise will be slowly increased.
- ECG and blood pressure readings will be taken periodically to measure how well your heart and body are responding to the exercise.
- The length of time you will exercise is based on a target heart rate (determined by the healthcare provider based on your age and physical condition) and your own exercise tolerance. Exercise duration is an important part of the stress test result. The test may be stopped if you develop severe symptoms, such as chest pain, dizziness, nausea, severe shortness of breath, severe tiredness, or elevated blood pressure.
- Once you have completed the exercise part of the test, the rate of exercise will be slowed for a "cool down" to help avoid any nausea or cramping from suddenly stopping.
- You will sit in a chair and your ECG and blood pressure will be monitored until they return to normal or near-normal. This may take 10 to 20 minutes.
- Once your ECG and blood pressure readings are acceptable, the ECG electrodes and blood pressure cuff will be removed. You may then get dressed.
What happens after an exercise electrocardiogram?
You should be able to go back to your normal diet and activities, unless your healthcare provider tells you differently.
Generally, there is no special care needed after an exercise ECG.
You may feel tired for several hours or longer after the procedure, particularly if you do not normally exercise. Otherwise, you should feel normal within a few hours after the exercise ECG. If you feel tired for more than a day, you should contact your healthcare provider.
Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any signs or symptoms (such as, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting).
Your healthcare provider may give you other instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation.
Before you agree to the test or the procedure make sure you know:
- The name of the test or procedure
- The reason you are having the test or procedure
- The risks and benefits of the test or procedure
- When and where you are to have the test or procedure and who will do it
- When and how will you get the results
- How much will you have to pay for the test or procedure | <urn:uuid:16b75b24-053a-49f3-9dd5-cd210638c43e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sjo.org/Health-Library/Article.aspx?CT=92&C=P07973 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909656 | 2,017 | 3.65625 | 4 |
( ASK / GET / HAVE / LET / MAKE / HELP / WANT / TELL
let / make / help / have + object + verb:
My father won't let me stay out late.
b) My parents make me do my homework when I
come home after school.
c) My brother never helps me (to) clean the
Note: In conversation you can also say help me to
do some thing,but this is much less common.
d) My mother has me do my homework after school.
get / want / ask / tell + object + to + verb:
a) I can't get him to clean up our room.
b) My parents want me to study medicine.
c) I have to ask them to drive me to school.
d) My wife is always telling me to slow down.
I let him/her = I give him/her permission.
I make him/her = He/she has to...
I have him/her = I ask him/her, and he/she does the action.
I get him/her = I persuade him/her to...
My father and i going to out on weekend to local
parks just to get away for the day.
Going to the beach with grandparents, uncle, and
cousins, the best part was my father putting me on
his shoulders and letting me go underwater, he also
taught me to swim, I love the water and always will I
We use 'used to' to talk about actions or situations
that continued for some time in the past, not for
events which happened suddenly or just for a
Used would for regular activities in the past:
RULES AND EXAMPLES
Would and used (to) have very similar meanings and can often be used in the same
situations. Would expresses that an activity was routine, typical behavior, frequently
PLAIN FORM VERB
go to the beach after school.
put on our swimsuits.
head for the waves.
smoke and act "cool".
USED (TO) – FORMER HABIT
Use (to) (used in the past tense) expresses that an activity was a past habit; it occurred at an earlier
stage of life but not now. It focuses on the habit, not duration or frequency.
to go to the beach after school.
to put on our swimsuits.
to head for the waves.
to smoke and act "cool".
Did you use¹ | <urn:uuid:692bdd84-7a92-4a8a-b961-a9090347e630> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.slideshare.net/alextierra1/touchston-3-a-unit-4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927566 | 531 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Ashford ant 101 entire course introduction to cultural anthropology (new update course)
ASHFORD ANT 101 Entire Course Introduction toCultural Anthropology (NEW UPDATE COURSE)PLEASE DOWNLOAD HERECultural Relativism. Cultural Anthropology gives three distinct meanings ofcultural relativism: a moral stance that requires anthropologists to suspend moraland ethical judgments when interacting with a culture different from their own, amethodological strategy that allows the anthropologist to pay specific attention tothe uniqueness of a culture, and an epistemological position that cultures areunique and therefore knowledge about different cultures is almost inherently notcomparable. (Sec. 1.3).In your forum contribution:a. Discuss what you see as the strengths and weaknesses of each of these threekinds of relativism.b. Identify one belief or practice in another culture that you find puzzling, strange,or troubling, and then discuss the extent that cultural relativism is a usefulapproach to understanding and interacting with the people who hold it.c. Discuss the extent that cultural relativism would be a useful approach tounderstanding and interacting with people in your own society that did (or do) thesame.d. Explore the extent to which whether one is studying in ones own country or inanother makes a difference in the applicability of cultural relativism to onesresearch.Your initial response should be at least 150 words in length. Build on the ideasand terminology in the text and your own ideas to support your answers. Pleasesupport your claims with examples from the text, required and recommendedmaterial, and/or scholarly articles. Respond to at least two of your classmates’posts by Day 7.Studying Culture. Choose one of the "Consider This" boxes that Nowak andLaird present us with in Chapters 1 and 2 of Cultural Anthropology, or discuss thetopics below from the film Margaret Mead: Coming of Age, available in the FilmsOn Demand database, in the Ashford Online Library.The topics covered are:
a. Whether the UNs Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be applicableto all culturesb. Whether it is possible to truly view a culture without being influenced by thecultural constructs of our own culturec. How our understanding of what it means to be a patient in the United Statesreflects our different cultural backgrounds and affiliationsd. In the film Margaret Mead: Coming of Age, it is mentioned that Mead’s initialresearch was criticized on methodological grounds. Why was that? Do youconsider the criticism warranted or not warranted? What could she have donedifferently?e. Based on the film and the book, discuss the challenges of field work. What doyou think would be the most difficult? What has changed since the time of Mead?Clearly identify the topic you choose at the outset of your discussion, and answerall aspects of it thoroughly. Your answer should contain a balance of descriptivedetail and cultural analysis. Build on the ideas and terminology in the text andyour own ideas to support your answers. Include examples or information fromthe film in any question answer as you see fit. Your initial response should be atleast 150 words in length. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postingsby Day 7.Foraging Societies. Answer one of the following four questions posed by Nowakand Laird, in Cultural Anthropology, at the very end of Chapter 3:a. What can we learn from studying foraging societies? Is there anything we canlearn regarding our relationship to the environment, or our family members, forexample?b. What is the ethnographic present? Do you think that the use of theethnographic present in the film The Gods Must Be Crazy is appropriate, or doyou think Lees criticisms are valid?c. Do you think the view of many anthropologists (pre–1970s) that mens huntingactivities are more highly valued than womens gathering activities is a culturallybiased perspective based on Eurocentric notions that men are the family"breadwinners"? Do you think this view is outdated (based both on more recentethnographic information and changes in American culture)?d. An Inuit mother has just given birth to a baby. She has a one–year–old babystill dependent on her milk. It is the season of food scarcity, which means themother is not as well nourished as she could be. She and her husband decidethat their older child is a higher priority, and they opt to end their newborn babys
life. Considering the concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism, discussthe practice of infanticide.Clearly identify the topic you chose at the outset of your discussion. Answer thequestion posed thoroughly and thoughtfully by building on the ideas andterminology in the text and your own ideas to support your answers. Your initialresponse should be at least 150 words in length. Respond to at least two of yourclassmates’ posts by Day 7.Assignments1. Due by Day 7. Critical Thinking Paper – Kinship Organizations. Kinshipsystems in Foraging and Horticultural based societies provide support for peoplein all stages of their life. Address the following in a two- to three-page paper:a. Identify and describe the kinship system of one of the cultures listed below.These cultures are found in Chapters 3 and 4 of Cultural Anthropology.§ Australian Aborigines§ Btsisi§ Inuit of the Artic§ Iroquois§ San§ Yanomamob. Briefly describe the culture and identify three specific examples of how thekinship system of the chosen culture impacts the way this culture behaves (i.e.thinks, acts, lives).c. Compare this to your own society. Does kinship impact these same behaviorsin your own life? Why or why not?Your paper must be in APA format. For information regarding APA samples andtutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, within the Learning Resources tab onthe left navigation toolbar, in your online course.Social Organization. Watch Blood Bonds, available in the Films On Demanddatabase, in the Ashford Online Library. Describe the correlation betweenarranged marriage, economic exchanges surrounding marriage (bridewealth,bride service, dowry, etc.), status of women, family pressures, and other factorsyou can think of and the stability of marriage. Based on your reading of thetextbook and the film, what are the disadvantages of different forms of marriages?
Do you think they can be as successful as marriages of choice? Which form ofmarriage do you have the hardest time understanding?Reflect on marriage and divorce in current North American societies. What factorscontribute to the stability of marriages in our culture? What factors contribute tostability of marriage in the cultures shown in the film? And lastly, what factors ofthe cultures in the film could contribute to the stability of marriage in our culture?And vise versa? Your initial response should be at least 150 words in length.Please support your claims with examples from the required resources. Respondto at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.Doing Business with Family. Nowak and Lairds Applying Anthropology 6.2 box,in Cultural Anthropology, proposes the following question:The familiar saying “never do business with family” advises against the practicesused in many of the chiefdom societies discussed in this chapter. This old sayingimplies that doing business with family will create conflict, whereas chiefdomsocieties welcome and encourage such close-knit economic exchanges as a wayof preventing conflict. In fact, in an interesting article on family businesses,Bertrand and Schoar comment on how cultures based on strong family ties canhave a negative impact on economic development. The reasoning is that themore we are taught to count on our kinship and family ties, the less likely we areto trust those outside our family networks, which greatly prohibits thedevelopment of larger economic institutions...Consider both examples and create an argument for or against mixing businesswith family. When responding to this question, be sure to engage in cross-culturalcomparison, taking into consideration variation in subsistence systems, descentsystems, mobility, and any other factors you consider pertinent. Draw examplesfrom the ethnographic record, your own experience, and the experience of otherswith whom you are familiar. Your initial response should be at least 150 words inlength. Please support your claims with examples from the text, recommendedmaterial, and/or scholarly articles. Respond to at least two of your classmates’posts by Day 7.Assignments1. Due by Day 7. Rough Draft of Final Cultural Research Paper. To ensurethat you are properly prepared for your Final Cultural Research Paper in thiscourse, you must complete a draft/outline that includes:a. A culture from the list below:§ Basseri of Iran§ The Batek of Malaysia
§ Enga§ The Amish§ Huaorani of Ecuador§ Bedouin§ Zulu§ Kurds§ Maori§ Mbuti§ Nayar of India§ Semai§ Navajo§ Tikopia of Melanesiab. Three scholarly research journals, ethnographies and ethnologies to be usedas the primary sources of information.c. Identification of the chosen cultures primary mode of subsistence. (Foragers,Horticulturalists, Pastoralists, Emerging Agriculturalists, Agrarian States orIndustrialists)d. Identification of the three aspects of culture which will be used in the FinalCultural Research Paper from the list below:§ Beliefs and values§ Economic organization§ Gender relations§ Kinship§ Political organization§ Sickness and healing§ Social change§ Social organization
The above information should be presented in an outline and must include anintroductory paragraph with a succinct thesis and a properly formatted referencepage. Do not submit a full seven- to eight-page draft at this time!Your paper must be in APA format. For information regarding APA samples andtutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, within the Learning Resources tab onthe left navigation toolbar, in your online course.Monumental Architecture. What does monumental architecture imply about thecultural values and the socio-economic-political organization of the society thatcreated it?Do a bit of Internet research on religious or secular monuments, statues, andarchitectural wonders in your city, state, country, or internationally. Choose amonument (or set of monuments), describe its main features, discuss anysymbolism it has, and analyze the messages it sends to its intended audience(s).Provide a link to an image of the monument itself for the rest of us to see.Bring in what you have read on leadership and political and religious organizationin band, tribes, and states up to now in developing your answer. Build on theideas and terminology in the text and your own ideas to support your claims. Yourinitial response should be at least 150 words in length. Respond to at least two ofyour classmates’ posts by Day 7.Economy and Colonialism. Relate what you have read in Chapter 8, of CulturalAnthropology, regarding colonialism and the expansion of capitalism in modernindustrial societies to the article, “Marketers Pursue the Shallow Pocketed.” Is theinformation being discussed in this article another example of colonialism? Whyor why not? Identify two potential positives and two negatives direct marketing ofthe poor has on people and their economies. What theory of development is mostapplicable to the expansion of global markets to poor, low income, andindigenous communities?Your initial response should be at least 150 words in length. Please support yourclaims with examples from the text, required material, and/or scholarly articles.Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.Ethics in Anthropology. Be sure to watch and read the “Miscellaneous Topics”at the end of Chapter 9 ofCultural Anthropology. Then, address the followingtopic: As noted, anthropology’s work with the military over the years has beenwrought with controversy. Where do you stand on the issue regarding the use ofanthropologists in intelligence gathering for the military? Can you come up with acompelling argument based on examples given in the text, your understanding ofthe ethical requirements of anthropologist, and from your own experiences/understanding of past and present military actions to take a stance on this issue?Please use concepts and terminology from the text. Your initial response shouldbe at least 150 words in length. Please support your claims with examples from
the text, recommended material, and/or scholarly articles. Respond to at least twoof your classmates’ posts by Day 7.Anthropology and the Future. Watch Winners and Losers, available in theFilms On Demand database, in the Ashford Online Library. Which issues aremost urgent in our world today? Are they the same in the US as in the developingworld? Where will the application of an anthropological perspective be mosteffective? Your initial response should be at least 150 words in length. Pleasesupport your claims with examples from the text, recommended material, and/orscholarly articles. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.Focus of the Research PaperThroughout this course, we have learned that the primary mode of subsistence(how a culture makes a living) impacts many other aspects of cultural behaviorand has been an effective way to organize thoughts and studies about culture. Inorder to demonstrate your understanding of subsistence modes and its impact ona culture and why a culture acts as it does, your Research Paper will require youto:1. Select a specific culture from the following list:a. Basseri of Iranb. The Batek of Malaysiac. Engad. The Amishe. Huaorani of Ecuadorf. Bedouing. Zuluh. Kurdsi. Maorij. Mbutik. Nayar of Indial. Semaim. Navajo
n. Tikopia of Melanesia2. Research this culture using the Ashford University Online Library. Pleaseidentify and use a minimum of three scholarly articles from the library in additionto the text your research. Keep in mind that most anthropological research,whether article length or book length, is either an ethnography or an ethnology.You may use any combination of ethnographies or ethnologies in your paper.3. Write a seven to eight page long research paper that does the following:a. Identifies and classifies the selected culture’s primary mode of subsistence. (Foragers, Horticulturalists, Pastoralists, Emerging Agriculturalists, AgrarianStates, or Industrialists)b. Analyzes and evaluates the impact that the primary mode of subsistence of theselected culture has on at least three of the following aspects of culture:i. Beliefs and valuesii. Economic organizationiii. Gender relationsiv. Kinshipv. Political organizationvi. Sickness and healingvii. Social changeviii. Social organizationThe Research Paper must be formatted according to APA style and include a titleand a reference page (which does not count towards the page length). Forinformation regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center,within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your onlinecourse.In Week Three, you are required to submit an introductory paragraph, thesisstatement, an outline, and your properly formatted reference page with therequired sources identified. At that point, you should have chosen your cultureand identified its primary mode of subsistence.Writing the Research PaperThe Research Paper:
1. Must be seven to eight double-spaced pages in length, and formattedaccording to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.2. Must include a title page with the following:a. Title of paperb. Student’s namec. Coursenameandnumberd. Instructor’s namee. Date submitted3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.6. Must use at least three scholarly sources from the Ashford Online Library.7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford WritingCenter.8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style asoutlined in the Ashford Writing Center. | <urn:uuid:3fa33f98-e790-444d-aa53-69d64f371a25> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.slideshare.net/fgjyjy/ashford-ant-101-entire-course-introduction-to-cultural-anthropology-new-update-course-15444634 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.905566 | 3,376 | 3.15625 | 3 |
To complement the critical and objective view from the study of the sixty buildings this design manual has been developed which provides a more synthetic approach to the principles which lie behind successful daylight design. These principles are illustra
Easy, inexpensive, do-it-yourself solar energy projectsFeaturing step-by-step instructions and useful photos and illustrations, this hands-on guide is filled with solar energy solutions you can put to use right away.Solar Power for Your Homeshows you how to set up a variety of simple, money-saving solar projects quickly and easily, such as a solar water heater, a solar pool pump, solar lighting, a solar oven--and even a solar-powered lawn mower!Learn all about the different types of solar technologies, including passive solar and photovoltaic, and determine which best suits your projects. You'll get details on assessing current energy use in your home, estimating the costs of solar installations, and calculating your overall savings. Reduce your carbon footprint--and your energy costs--with help from this practical resource.Solar Power for Your Homecovers: History, benefits, and potential detriments of solar energy Fundamentals of solar technologies--passive solar, photovoltaic, concentrating solar energy, and more Evaluating home electricity consumption Creating a personal energy plan How and when to contract your solar project Emerging technologies--thin film, nano, and hybrid solar and solar storage Funding options including rebates, incentives, and grants Standards, conversions, and helpful resources
Toward a zero energy home : a complete guide to energy self-sufficiency at home
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A zero energy home-a home that produces as much energy as it consumes-is an idea whose time has come. By reducing or eliminating utility bills, zero energy homes offer a new direction for housing in America. It is a win for the homeowner, for the planet, and for a new generation of builders who are building houses that better meet the energy challenges ahead of us all.
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Green architecture guru Eric Corey Freed and business expert Kevin Daum team up to give you the real deal on going green at homewhat's worth paying for and what's not, where to find all the rebates and credits out there, and what kind of savings you'll seeso you know when to spend and how to save. That's Green$ense! | <urn:uuid:6dfb2464-b6d7-4cea-b17e-5ef98a79481d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.slpl.org/slpl/interests/article240128504.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913852 | 587 | 2.515625 | 3 |
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Publisher: U.S. Census Bureau
Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau; Design and Methodology, American Community Survey. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 2009.
A term used in 2000 to describe the data that were asked of "100 percent" of the population in Census 2000. That is, questions that were collected for all people on both the census short-form and long-form questionnaires. In 2000, this included sex, relationship, age/ date of birth, Hispanic origin, race, and tenure.
One of four key dimensions of survey quality, accessibility refers to the ability of the data users to readily obtain and use survey products.
The average number of basic ACS items reported per person, including sex, age (counted double), relationship, marital status, Hispanic origin, and race. A questionnaire for an occupied unit must have an acceptability index of 2.5 or greater to be considered an interview.
One of four key dimensions of survey quality. Accuracy refers to the difference between the survey estimate and the true (unknown) value. Attributes are measured in terms of sources of error (for example, coverage, sampling, nonresponse, measurement, and processing).
Address Control File
The residential address list used in the 1990 census to label questionnaires, control the mail response check-in operation, and determine the nonresponse follow-up workload.
Address Corrections from Rural Directories
A post-Census 2000 Master Address File (MAF) improvement operation where Census Bureau staff reviewed commercial directories for 300 rural counties in 10 Midwestern states to obtain new city-style addresses for MAF records that did not contain a city-style address. Conducted in 2002, over 15,000 city-style addresses were associated with MAF records that previously lacked a city-style address.
A Census 2000 field operation to develop the address list in areas with predominantly non-city-style mailing addresses. A lister captured the address and/or a physical/ location description for each living quarters within a specified assignment area. The lister marked the location of each residential structure on a block map by placing a spot on the map indicating its location and assigning a map spot number. The lister also updated and corrected features on the map if necessary. This activity was called "prelist" in the 1990 census.
Geographic areas, usually with legally defined boundaries but often without elected officials, created to administer elections and other governmental functions. Administrative areas include school districts, voting districts, ZIP codes, and nonfunctioning Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) such as election precincts, election districts, and assessment districts.
Imputation method required when values for missing or inconsistent items cannot be derived from the existing response record. In these cases, the imputation must be based on other techniques such as using answers from other people in the household, other responding housing units, or people believed to have similar characteristics. Such donors are reflected in a table referred to as an allocation matrix.
American Community Survey (ACS) Alert
This periodic electronic newsletter informs data users and other interested parties about news, events, data releases, congressional actions, and other developments associated with the ACS.
American Community Survey Demonstration Program
The full set of testing, research, and development program activities that started in 1994 and continued until the ACS was fully implemented in 2005.
American Community Survey Full Implementation
The period beginning in January 2005 during which the ACS interviewing of its housing unit sample was conducted in every county and Puerto Rico municipio as well as all American Indian and Alaska Native Areas and Hawaiian Homelands. The full implementation initial sample size is approximately 3 million addresses each year, and includes group quarters (GQ) facilities which were added beginning in January 2006.
American Community Survey Test Sites
The ACS demonstration program expanded from an initial four test counties in 1996 to 36 test counties in 1999. When the term ACS test site is used, it refers to data from these 36 counties.
American FactFinder (AFF)
An electronic system for access and dissemination of Census Bureau data on the Internet. The system offers prepackaged data products and user-selected data tables and maps from Census 2000, the 1990 Census of Population and Housing, the 1997 and 2002 Economic Censuses, the Population Estimates Program, annual economic surveys, and the ACS.
American Indian Area, Alaska Native Area, Hawaiian Homeland (AIANAHH)
A Census Bureau term referring to the following types of areas: federal and state American Indian reservations, American Indian off-reservation trust land areas (individual or tribal), Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (in 1990 tribal jurisdictional statistical area), tribal designated statistical areas, state designated American Indian statistical areas, Alaska Native Regional Corporations, Alaska Native village statistical areas, and Hawaiian Homelands.
Imputation method in which values for a missing or inconsistent item can be derived from other responses from the sample housing unit or person. For example, a first name can be used to determine and assign the sex of a person.
Automated Address Unduplication
An ongoing MAF improvement activity completed twice a year (coinciding with the delivery sequence file (DSF) refresh of the MAF) where, through automated means, pairs of city-style addresses are identified as identical based on house number, street name, five-digit ZIP code, and within structure identifier (if one exists). These addresses are linked for future operations to control duplication.
Automated Clerical Review
The ACS program run on raw mail return data to determine whether or not a case goes to failed-edit follow-up. The name reflects the fact that it was originally done clerically. The operator checks for missing content and for large households (more than five members) and for coverage inconsistencies.
Editing that is accomplished using software, as opposed to being done clerically.
Automated Listing and Mapping Instrument (ALMI)
Software used primarily by Census Bureau field representatives for the purpose of locating an address or conducting an address listing operation. The ALMI combines data from the MAF and the Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER®) System database to provide users with electronic maps and associated addresses. ALMI functionality allows users to edit, add, delete, and verify addresses, streets, and other map features, view a list of addresses associated with a selected level of geography, and view and denote the location of housing units on the electronic map.
Automated Review Tool (ART)
A Web-based computer application designed to help subject matter analysts quickly review and approve ACS estimates.
Automated Review Tool II (ART II)
The next generation of the ART. It is aimed at providing analysts with reports at a more detailed level than the previous version.
Tables that provide the most detailed estimates on all topics and geographic areas from the ACS. Base tables also include totals and subtotals. These tables form the data source for the "Derived Products." Base tables are also known as detailed tables.
The base weight for an address is equal to the inverse of the probability with which the address was selected for the sample as determined by the sample design. Since these weights are based only on the initial probability of selection, they are known as a priori to the data collection phase. This is the weight for a housing unit before any adjustments are made. The base weight is also known as the unbiased weight.
Be Counted Enumeration and Be Counted Questionnaire
The Be Counted program provided a means for people who believed they were not counted to be included in Census 2000. The Census Bureau placed Be Counted questionnaires at selected sites that were easily accessible to and frequented by large numbers of people. The questionnaires also were distributed by the Questionnaire Assistance Centers and in response to requests received through Telephone Questionnaire Assistance.
An authoring application that produces an instrument used to collect data using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) or computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI).
A subdivision of a census tract (or, prior to 2000, a block numbering area), a block is the smallest geographic entity for which the Census Bureau tabulates decennial census data. Many blocks correspond to individual city blocks bounded by streets, but blocks-especially in rural areas-may include many square miles and may have some boundaries that are not streets. The Census Bureau established blocks covering the entire nation for the first time in 1990. Previous censuses back to 1940 had blocks established only for part of the nation. Over 8 million blocks were identified for Census 2000.
A Census 2000 field operation to ensure the currency and completeness of the MAF within the mailout/mailback area. Listers traveled in their assignment areas to collect and verify information to ensure that their address listing pages (derived from the MAF) contained a mailing address for every living quarters. They especially looked for hidden housing units (such as attics, basements, or garages converted into housing units) and houses that appeared to be one unit but actually contained multiple housing units. They also updated and corrected their Census Bureau maps.
A subdivision of a census tract (or, prior to 2000, a block numbering area), a block group is a cluster of blocks having the same first digit of their four-digit identifying number within a census tract.
Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS)
An annual survey of all counties and statistically equivalent entities, all or selected incorporated places and minor civil divisions, all or selected federally recognized American Indian reservations and off-reservation trust lands, and Alaska Native Regional Corporations, to determine the location of legal limits and related information as of January 1 of the survey year.
A tool used by field representatives that allows them to manage their interview assignments on their laptops.
Census 2000 Supplementary Survey (C2SS)
The C2SS was an operational test conducted as part of the research program in Census 2000, and used the ACS questionnaire and methods to collect demographic, social, economic, and housing data from a national sample. This evaluation study gave the Census Bureau essential information about the operational feasibility of converting from the census long-form sample to the ACS.
Census County Division (CCD)
A subdivision of a county that is a relatively permanent statistical area established cooperatively by the Census Bureau and state and local government authorities. Used for presenting decennial census statistics in those states that do not have well-defined and stable minor civil divisions that serve as local governments.
Census Designated Place (CDP)
A statistical entity that serves as a statistical counterpart of an incorporated place for the purpose of presenting census data for a concentration of population, housing, and commercial structures that is identifiable by name, but is not within an incorporated place. CDPs usually are delineated cooperatively with state, Puerto Rico, Island Area, local, and tribal government officials, based on the Census Bureau guidelines. For Census 2000, CDPs did not have to meet a population threshold to quality for the tabulation of census data.
A collective term referring to the types of geographic areas used by the Census Bureau in its data collection and tabulation operations, including their structure, designations, and relationships to one another.
Census Information Center (CIC)
The CIC program is a cooperative activity between the Census Bureau and the national nonprofit organizations representing interests of racial and ethnic communities. The program objective is to make census information and data available to the participating organizations for analysis, policy planning, and for further dissemination through a network of regional and local affiliates.
Census Sample Data
Population and housing information collected only on the census long form for a sample of households.
A small, relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a county delineated by a local committee of census data users for the purpose of presenting data. Census tract boundaries normally follow visible features, but may follow governmental unit boundaries and other nonvisible features; they always nest within counties. Designed to be relatively homogeneous units with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living conditions at the time of establishment, census tracts average about 4,000 inhabitants.
An address that consists of a house number and street or road name; for example, 201 Main Street. The address may or may not be used for the delivery of mail, and may include apartment numbers/designations or similar identifiers.
The process of associating numeric codes with write-in strings. For example, the write-in associated with Place of Birth is turned into a three-digit code.
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
The ratio of the standard error (square root of the variance) to the value being estimated, usually expressed in terms of a percentage (also known as the relative standard deviation). The lower the CV, the higher the relative reliability of the estimate.
Cold Deck Values
The values used to initialize matrices used for hot-deck allocation.
Reducing the amount of detail shown in a base table to comply with data release rules.
Community Address Updating System (CAUS)
A post-Census 2000 MAF improvement program that provides a systematic methodology for enhancement and update of address and feature information. Designed to provide a rural counterpart to the update of the city-style addresses received from the U.S. Postal Services Delivery Sequence File, CAUS identifies and conducts listing operations in selected geographic areas suspected of experiencing growth that is either not available from or appears to be incomplete in the U.S. Postal Services Delivery Sequence File. Address and feature updates collected for CAUS are added to the MAF and the TIGER® System.
Comparison profiles are available from the ACS for 1-year estimates beginning in 2007. These tables are available for the United States, the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and geographic areas with a population of more than 65,000.
The ACS interview is classified as complete when all applicable questions have been answered on the mail form, or during a CATI or CAPI interview. The interview may include responses of "Don't Know" and "Refused" to specific questions.
Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)
A method of data collection in which the interviewer asks questions displayed on a laptop computer screen and enters the answers directly into a computer.
Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)
A method of data collection using telephone interviews in which the questions to be asked are displayed on a computer screen and responses are entered directly into a computer.
The sample estimate and its standard error permit the construction of a confidence interval that represents the degree of uncertainty about the estimate. Each ACS estimate is accompanied by the upper and lower bounds of the 90 percent confidence interval, or the 90 percent margin of error, from which a confidence interval can be constructed. A 90 percent confidence interval can be interpreted roughly as providing 90 percent certainty that the interval defined by the upper and lower bounds contains the true value of the characteristic.
The guarantee made by law (Title 13, United States Code) to individuals who provide census information, regarding nondisclosure of that information to others.
Congressional Tool Kit
A collection of documents developed for members of Congress that explain how and why the ACS is conducted, its benefits, and how to obtain additional information. The Tool Kit originally was distributed as hard copies in 3-ring binders and is now available as a series of online portable document format (PDF) files.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
The CPI program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.
A file which represents the current status of any case in sample in the ACS.
During the ACS weighting process, the intercensal population and housing estimates are used as survey controls. Weights are adjusted so that ACS estimates conform to these controls.
Count Question Resolution (CQR)
A process followed in Census 2000 whereby state, local, and tribal government officials could ask the Census Bureau to verify the accuracy of the legal boundaries used for Census 2000, the allocation of living quarters and their residents in relation to those boundaries, and the count of people recorded by the Census Bureau for specific living quarters.
The joint distribution of two or more data characteristics, where each of the categories of one characteristic is repeated for each of the categories of the other characteristic(s). A cross-tabulation in a base table is denoted where "BY" is used as the conjunction between characteristics; for example, "AGE BY SEX" or "AGE BY SEX BY RACE."
Current Population Survey (CPS)
Monthly sample survey of the U.S. population that provides employment and unemployment estimates as well as current data about other social and economic characteristics of the population. Collected for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Census Bureau.
The concept used in the ACS to determine who should be considered a resident of a sample address. Everyone who is currently living or staying at a sample address is considered a resident of that address, except people staying there for two months or less. People who have established residence at the sample address and are away for only a short period of time are also considered to be current residents.
The Census Bureau offers a wide variety of general purpose data products from the ACS. These products are designed to meet the needs of the majority of data users and contain predefined sets of data for standard census geograpic areas, including both political and statistical geography. These products are available on the American FactFinder and the ACS Web site.
For users with data needs not met through the general purpose products, the Census Bureau offers "custom" tabulations on a cost-reimbursable basis, with the ACS Custom Tabulation program. Custom tabulations are created by tabulating data from ACS microdata files. They vary in size, complexity, and cost depending on the needs of the sponsoring client.
For users with data needs not met through the general purpose products, the Census Bureau offers "custom" tabulations on a cost-reimbursable basis, with the ACS Custom Tabulation program. Custom tabulations are created by tabulating data from ACS microdata files. They vary in size, complexity, and cost depending on the needs of the sponsoring client.
Data Capture File
The repository for all data captured from mail return forms and by CATI and CAPI Blaise instruments.
Data Collection Mode
One of three ACS methods (mail, telephone, personal visit) of data collection.
Data products containing estimates of key demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics. Data swapping is done by editing the source data or exchanging records for a sample of cases. A sample of households is selected and matched on a set of selected key variables with households in neighboring geographic areas that have similar characteristics. Because the swap often occurs within a neighboring area, there is usually no effect on the marginal totals for the area or for totals that include data from multiple areas.
De Facto Residence Rules
De facto means "in fact." A de facto residence rule would define survey residents as all people living or staying at the sample address at the time of the interview without considering other factors such as the amount of time they will be staying there. Such a rule would exclude people away from a regular residence even if they were away for only that one day. The ACS is using a de facto residence rule when determining the residents of GQ facilities eligible to be sampled and interviewed for the survey.
Delivery Sequence File (DSF)
A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) computer file containing all mailing addresses serviced by the USPS. The USPS continuously updates the DSF as its letter carriers identify addresses for new delivery points and changes in the status of existing addresses. The Census Bureau uses the DSF as a source for maintaining and updating its MAF.
Demographic Area Address Listing (DAAL)
A post-Census 2000 program associated with coverage improvement operations, address list development, and automated listing for the CAUS and demographic household surveys. The program uses automated listing methods to update the inventory of living quarters, and also updates the street network in selected blocks.
Derived products are informational products based largely on estimates from the base tables.
See Base Tables .
Disclosure Avoidance (DA)
Statistical methods used in the tabulation of data prior to releasing data products to ensure the confidentiality of responses. See Confidentiality .
Disclosure Review Board (DRB)
A board comprised of Census Bureau staff who review and must approve all data products based on disclosure avoidance rules before they can be released to the public.
To subject data to program logic to check for missing data and inconsistencies.
Edit Management and Messaging Application (EMMA)
An Internet application used by ACS subject-matter analysts to show the status of edit review and to relay analysts relevant comments.
Numerical values obtained from a statistical sample and assigned to a population parameter. Data produced from the ACS interviews are collected from samples of housing units. These data are used to produce estimates of the actual figures that would have been obtained by interviewing the entire population using the same methodology.
Research and evaluation conducted by Census Bureau staff and external experts to assess a broad set of topics including the feasibility and the quality of the data products produced by the ACS.
Failed Edit Follow-Up (FEFU)
Data collection activity of mail response records designed to collect missing information. Mail returns failing the automated clerical review edit are contacted by telephone.
Federal Agency Information Program (FAIP)
A long-term program of information and technical partnership with federal agencies. The FAIP is designed to establish a relationship with each agency that will identify the unique opportunities and challenges it faces in using ACS data. The program targets assistance based on the needs and resources of each federal agency in order to help the agency make a smooth transition to using ACS data.
Federal Government Unit (FGU)
Any of a variety of civil divisions; places and is used for sampling.
Federal Register Notice
Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. Information describing proposed data collection must be posted on the Federal Register for public review and comment for a 30-day period and must take place before the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) can provide final clearance for the data collection.
Federal-State Cooperative Program for Population Estimates (FSCPE)
FSCPEs are state level organizations, designated by their respective governors, to work cooperatively with the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program in the production of subnational population estimates and in making data broadly available to the public.
Field Representative (FR)
A Census Bureau employee who interviews people to obtain information for a census or survey.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
A process that allows a user to download large files and datasets from American FactFinder.
Final Outcome Code
A code assigned to a CATI or CAPI case at the conclusion of the data collection which characterizes the status of the case, such as "completed occupied interview" or "respondent refusal noninterview."
First Stage Sample
ACS first stage sampling maintains five 20 percent partitions of the MAF by determining which addresses were in the first stage sample 4 years prior and excluding them. This ensures that no address is in sample more than once in any 5-year period. The first phase sample is the universe from which the second phase sample is selected.
Estimates based on 5 years of ACS data. These estimates are meant to reflect the characteristics of a geographic area over the entire 60-month period and will be published for all geographic areas down to the census block group level.
Functioning Governmental Unit (FGU)
A general purpose government that has the legal capacity to elect or appoint officials, raise revenues, provide surveys, and enter into contracts.
The process whereby write-in answers to Hispanic origin, race, ancestry, and language are categorized into codes. This is accomplished using an automated system approach, relying on a set of growing dictionaries of write-ins against which responses are computer matched. Responses that are not found in the dictionaries are sent to subject matter experts who code them. These new responses are added to the computer dictionaries for subsequent use.
The assignment of an address, structure, key geographic location, or business name to a location that is identified by one or more geographic codes. For living quarters, geocoding usually requires identification of a specific census block.
Geographic Summary Level
A geographic summary level specifies the content and the hierarchical relationships of the geographic elements that are required to tabulate and summarize data. For example, the county summary level specifies the state-county hierarchy. Thus, both the state code and the county code are required to uniquely identify a county in the United States or Puerto Rico.
Government Printing Office (GPO)
A federal agency responsible for producing, procuring, and disseminating printed and electronic publications of the Congress as well as the executive departments and establishments of the federal government.
Governmental Unit Measure of Size (GUMOS)
The smallest measure of size associated with a given block. It is used in the sample selection operation to determine the initial sampling rate at the block level.
Group Quarters (GQ) Facilities
A GQ facility is a place where people live or stay that is normally owned or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. These services may include custodial or medical care, as well as other types of assistance. Residency is commonly restricted to those receiving these services. People living in GQ facilities are usually not related to each other. The ACS collects data from people living in both housing units and GQ facilities.
Group Quarters Facilities Questionnaire (GQFQ)
A Blaise-based automated survey instrument that field representatives (FR's) use to collect new or updated information about a GQ facility. Questions in this survey include facility name, mailing and physical address, telephone number, GQ contact name and telephone number, special place name, and the GQ facilitys maximum occupancy and current number of people staying in the GQ facility.
Group Quarters Geocoding Correction Operation
A post-Census 2000 MAF improvement operation implemented to correct errors (mostly census block geocodes) associated with college dormitories in MAF and TIGER®. Conducted by Census Bureau staff, source materials for over 20,000 dormitories were reviewed and used to identify and correct MAF/TIGER® errors.
Group Quarters Listing Sheet
This form is preprinted with information such as GQ name and control number for sample GQ facilities. It is used by FR's when the GQ administrator is unable to provide a list of names or occupied bed locations for person-level sample selection.
Group Quarters Measure of Size (GQMOS)
The expected population of a given GQ facility divided by 10. It is used in the sample selection operation to determine the universe of sample units to be sampled. A sample unit is a cluster or group of 10 people.
Hot Deck Imputation
An approach for filling in missing answers with information from like households or persons, with donors determined by geographic location or specific characteristics reported. Hot deck imputation continually updates matrices with data from donors with acceptable data and then provides values from such matrices to recipients who need data.
A household includes all the people who occupy a housing unit that meet all the residence rules of a survey or census.
Housing Unit (HU)
A house, apartment, mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms, or a single room occupied as separate living quarters, or if vacant, intended for occupancy as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live separately from any other individuals in the building and have direct access from outside the building or through a common hall. For vacant units, the criteria of separateness and direct access are applied to the intended occupants whenever possible.
When information is missing or inconsistent, the Census Bureau uses imputation methods to assign or allocate values. Imputation relies on the statistical principle of "homogeneity," or the tendency of households within a small geographic area to be similar in most characteristics.
Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR)
An automated telephone application which allows the caller to hear prerecorded responses to frequently asked questions. The caller may proceed through the application by entering numbers from the telephone key pad or by speaking responses to select which messages he/she wants to hear. The caller may also elect to speak to an interviewer instead of listening to the recorded responses.
Official Census Bureau estimates of the population of the United States, states, metropolitan areas, cities and towns, and counties; also official Census Bureau estimates of housing units (HUs).
These are codes assigned to a sample GQ assignment in the GQFQ system by a field representative when scheduling a personal visit to a sample ACS GQ facility, when additional research is needed to locate the GQ facility, or when a return visit to the GQ facility is needed to obtain additional survey information.
Interpolation is frequently used in calculating medians or quartiles based on interval data and in approximating standard errors from tables. Linear interpolation is used to estimate values of a function between two known values. Pareto interpolation is an alternative to linear interpolation. In Pareto interpolation, the median is derived by interpolating between the logarithms of the upper and lower income limits of the median category.
A process in which CATI supervisors, for quality control purposes, listen to interviewers while they are conducting interviews with respondents to assure that the interviewer is following all interviewing procedures correctly. The interviewer is not told when the supervisor is listening, but is given feedback on his/her performance after the monitoring.
The failure to obtain valid responses or responses consistent with other answers for individual data items.
Subgroups of the original tabulation universe, especially by race, Hispanic origin, ancestry, and tribal groups. For example, many ACS base tables are iterated by 9 race and Hispanic origin groups.
Joint Economic Edit
An edit which looks at the combination of multiple variables related to a person's employment and income, thereby maximizing the information used for filling any missing related variables.
An operation in which keyers use a software program to capture questionnaire responses by typing responses directly into the scanned image of a questionnaire displayed on their work station screen.
An operation in which keyers use a software program to capture questionnaire responses from a hard-copy of the questionnaire.
A geographic entity whose origin, boundary, name, and description result from charters, laws, treaties, or other administrative or governmental action, such as the United States, states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Island Areas, counties, cities, boroughs, towns, villages, townships, American Indian reservations, Alaska Native villages, congressional districts, and school districts. The legal entities and their boundaries that the Census Bureau recognizes are those in existence on January 1 of each calendar year.
A method of decennial census data collection in some of the more remote, sparsely populated areas of the United States and the Island Areas, where many of the households do not have mail delivery to city-style addresses. Enumerators list the residential addresses within their assignment areas on blank address register pages, map spot the location of the residential structures on Census Bureau maps, and conduct an interview for each household.
Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA)
A Census 2000 program, established in response to requirements of Public Law 103-430, that provided an opportunity for local and tribal governments to review and update individual address information or block-by-block address counts from the MAF and associated geographic information in the TIGER® database. The goal was to improve the completeness and accuracy of both computer files. Individuals working with the addresses had to sign a confidentiality agreement before a government could participate. Also called the Address List Review Program.
The decennial census long-form questionnaire was used to survey a sample of the U.S. population. It contained the questions on the census short form and additional detailed questions relating to the social, economic, and housing characteristics of each individual and household.
Represents the low end of the 90 percent confidence interval of an estimate from a sample survey. A 90 percent confidence interval can be interpreted roughly as providing 90 percent certainty that the true number falls between the upper and lower bounds.
The address used by a living quarters, special place, business establishment, and the like for mail delivery by the USPS. It can be a house number and street or road name, which may be followed by an apartment, unit, or trailer lot designation; a building or apartment complex name and apartment designation; a trailer park name and lot number; a special place/GQ facility name; a post office box or drawer; a rural route or highway contract route, which may include a box number; or general delivery. A mailing address includes a post office name, state abbreviation, and ZIP Code. A mailing address may serve more than one living quarters, establishment, and so on.
A method of data collection in which the USPS delivers addressed questionnaires to housing units. Residents are asked to complete and mail the questionnaire to a specified data capture center.
Main Phase Sample
The annual ACS sample is chosen in two phases. During the first phase, referred to as the main phase, approximately 98 percent of the total ACS sample is chosen. The main phase sample addresses are allocated to the 12 months of the sample year. The second phase, referred to as supplemental sample selection, is implemented to represent new construction.
Master Address File (MAF)
The Census Bureau's official inventory on known living quarters (housing units and GQ facilities) and selected nonresidential units (public, private, and commercial) in the United States. The file contains mailing and location address information, geocodes, and other attribute information about each living quarters. The Census Bureau continues to update the MAF using the USPS DSF and various automated, computer-assisted, clerical, and field operations.
Master Address File Geocoding Office Resolution (MAFGOR)
An operation in which census staff try to find the location of addresses from the USPS that did not match to the records in the TIGER® database. Staff use atlases, maps, city directories, and the like to locate these addresses and add their streets and address ranges to the TIGER® database.
Master Address File/TIGER® Reconciliation
A post-Census 2000 MAF improvement activity where census staff reviewed and corrected map spot inconsistencies in over 1,800 counties. Over 75,000 MAF records in nonmailout/mailback blocks were corrected. The most common types of MAF corrections were the assignment of map spots to MAF records such that they are consistent with the TIGER® database, and the identification and linkage of duplicate MAF records.
Margin of Error (MOE)
Some ACS products provide an MOE instead of confidence intervals. An MOE is the difference between an estimate and its upper or lower confidence bounds. Confidence bounds can be created by adding the MOE to the estimate (for the upper bound) and subtracting the MOE from the estimate (for the lower bound). All published ACS MOEs are based on a 90 percent confidence level.
Measure of Size (MOS)
A generic term used to refer to the estimated size of a specific administrative or statistical area. It is used in the sample selection operation to determine the initial sampling rate at the block level.
Also referred to as "response error," measurement error occurs when the response received differs from the "true" value as a result of the respondent, the interviewer, the questionnaire, the mode of collection, the respondents record-keeping system(s) or other similar factors.
This measurement represents the middle value (if n is odd) or the average of the two middle values (if n is even) in an ordered list of data values. The median divides the total frequency distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases fall below the median and one-half of the cases exceed the median. Medians in the ACS are estimated using interpolation methods.
Information about the content, quality, condition, and other characteristics of data. Metadata related to tables presented in American FactFinder can be found by clicking on column headings or by clicking "Help" and then "Census Data Information."
Minor Civil Division (MCD)
A primary governmental and/or administrative subdivision of a county, such as a township, precinct, or magisterial district. MCDs exist in 28 states and the District of Columbia. In 20 states, all or many MCDs are general-purpose governmental units: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Most of these MCDs are legally designated as towns or townships.
Three- and five-year estimates based on multiple years of ACS data. Three year estimates will be published for geographic areas with a population of 20,000 or more. Five year estimates will be published for all geographic areas down to the census block group level.
Primary legal divisions of Puerto Rico. These are treated as county equivalents.
A data product that includes easy-to-read descriptions for a particular geography.
National Processing Center (NPC)
The permanent Census Bureau processing facility in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Until 1998, it was called the Data Preparation Division.
A mailing address that does not use a house number and street or road name. This includes rural routes and highway contract routes, which may include a box number; post office boxes and drawers; and general delivery.
A sample address which was eligible for an interview, but from which no survey data was obtained.
Error caused by survey failure to get a response to one or possibly all of the questions. Nonresponse error is measured in the ACS by survey response rates and item nonresponse rates.
An operation whose objective is to obtain complete survey information from housing units for which the Census Bureau did not receive a completed questionnaire by mail. In the ACS, telephone and personal visit methods are used for nonresponse follow-up.
Total survey error can be classified into two categories-sampling error and nonsampling error. Errors that occur during data collection (for example, nonresponse error, response error, and interviewer error) or data capture fall under the category of nonsampling error.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
OMB assists the President in the development and execution of policies and programs. OMB has a hand in the development and resolution of all budget, policy, legislative, regulatory, procurement, e-government, and management issues on behalf of the President. OMB is composed of divisions organized either by agency and program area or by functional responsibilities. However, the work of OMB often requires a broad exposure to issues and programs outside of the direct area of assigned responsibility. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Census Bureau submits survey subjects, questions, and information related to sampling, data collection methods, and tabulation of survey data to OMB for approval and clearance.
Operational Response Rates
Response rates for data collection operations conducted in the ACS-Mail, CATI, CAPI, and FEFU operations.
Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)
Technology that uses a digital image of a completed questionnaire and computer software to read and interpret the marking of a response category and to convert that mark into an electronic response to the survey question.
Extent to which a frame includes units from the target population more than once, giving the unit multiple chances of selection, as well as the extent to which the frame includes units that are not members of the target population.
An estimate based on information collected over a period of time. For ACS the period is either 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years.
An estimate based on one point in time. The decennial census longform estimates for Census 2000 were based on information collected as of April 1, 2000.
Intercensal estimates used in weighting ACS sample counts to ensure that ACS estimates of total population and occupied housing units agree with official Census Bureau estimates.
Primary Sampling Unit (PSU)
The PSU for the housing unit sample selection is the address. For the GQ sample selection it is groups of ten expected interviews. For the small GQ sample selection operation it is the GQ facility. All residents of small GQ facilities in sample are included in the person sample.
Error introduced in the postdata collection process of taking the responses from the questionnaire or instrument and turning those responses into published data. Thus, processing error occurs during data capture, coding, editing, imputation, and tabulation.
Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA)
An area that defines the extent of territory for which the Census Bureau releases Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) records.
Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Files
Computerized files that contain a sample of individual records, with identifying information removed, showing the population and housing characteristics of the units and people included on those forms.
Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Management and Messaging Application (PMMA)
This system is the PUMS version of EMMA, and is used by analysts to communicate with the data processing team about their review of the PUMS files.
Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS)
The counterpart to the ACS that is conducted in Puerto Rico.
Quality Assurance (QA)
The systematic approach to building accuracy and completeness into a process.
Quality Control (QC)
Various statistical methods that validate that products or operations meet specified standards.
A measure of the quality of a particular return which is used when there are multiple returns for a particular sample unit.
Statistics that provide information about the quality of the ACS data. The ACS releases four different quality measures with the annual data release: 1) initial sample size and final interviews; 2) coverage rates; 3) response rates, and; 4) item allocation rates for all collected variables.
An iterative procedure whereby a series of ratio adjustments are performed and then repeated. Each ratio adjustment corresponds to a dimension of the raking matrix. The goal of the procedure is to achieve a high degree of consistency between the weighted marginal totals and the control totals used in the ratio adjustment. The raking ratio estimator is also known as iterative proportional fitting.
Ranking tables are tables and related graphics that show the rank order of a key statistic or derived measure across various geographic areas, currently states, counties, and places.
Variables on data files that are the result of combining values from more than one variable.
Time interval to which survey responses refer. For example, many ACS questions refer to the day of the interview; others refer to the "past 12 months" or "last week."
Regional Office (RO)
One of 12 permanent Census Bureau offices established for the management of all census and survey operations in specified areas.
One of four key dimensions of survey quality. Relevance is a qualitative assessment of the value contributed by the data. Value is characterized by the degree to which the data serve to address the purposes for which they are produced and sought by users (including mandate of the agency, legislated requirements, and so on.)
Rural areas in Alaska which are difficult to access. In these areas, all ACS sample cases are interviewed using the personal visit mode. Field representatives attempt to conduct interviews for all cases in specific areas of remote Alaska during a single visit. All sample cases in remote Alaska are interviewed in either January through April or September through December.
The series of rules that define who (if anyone) is considered to be a resident of a sample address for purposes of the survey or census.
The person supplying survey or census information about his or her living quarters and its occupants.
The respondents failure to provide the correct answer to a survey question for any reason, such as poor comprehension of the question meaning, low motivation to answer the question, inability to retrieve the necessary information, or an unwillingness to answer the question truthfully.
The response options for a particular survey question shown on the paper questionnaire, read to the respondent in a CATI interview or read or presented on a flashcard to the respondent in a CAPI interview.
Also referred to as measurement error, response error is any error that occurs during the data collection stage of a survey resulting in a deviation from the true value for a given survey question or questions. Errors made by respondents, interviewer errors such as misreading a question or guiding the response to a particular category, and poorly designed data collection instruments or questionnaires all contribute to response error.
A rolling sample design jointly selects k nonoverlapping probability samples, each of which constitutes 1/ F of the entire population. One sample is interviewed each time period until all of the sample has been interviewed after k periods.
The first month of a samples 3-month interview period.
Geographic and statistical entities eligible to be used in determining the sampling strata assignment.
Errors that occur because only part of the population is directly contacted. With any sample, differences are likely to exist between the characteristics of the sampled population and the larger group from which the sample was chosen.
Any list or device that, for purposes of sampling, delimits, identifies, and allows access to the sampling units, which contain elements of the sampled population. The frame may be a listing of persons, housing units, businesses, records, land segments, and so on. One sampling frame or a combination of frames may be used to cover the entire sampled population.
Proportion of the addresses in a geographical area, or residents of a GQ facility, who are selected for interview in a particular time period.
Variation that occurs by chance because a sample is surveyed rather than the entire population.
Second Stage Sample
The set of addresses selected from the first phase sample using a systematic sampling procedure. This procedure employs seven distinct sampling rates.
Selected Population Profiles (SPPs)
An ACS data product that provides certain characteristics for a specific race or ethnic group (for example, Alaska Natives) or other population subgroup (for example, people aged 60 years and over). SPPS are produced directly from the sample microdata (that is, not a derived product).
The decennial census short-form questionnaire includes questions on sex, age/date of birth, relationship, Hispanic origin, race, and tenure.
Estimates based on the set of ACS interviews conducted from January through December of a given calendar year. These estimates will be published for geographic areas with a population of 65,000 or more.
Population sizes of geographical areas that determine when data products will first be released for that area; for example, areas with 65,000 or greater populations will get single-year profiles in 2006 and every year thereafter; areas with 20,000 or greater populations will receive 3-year data products in 2008 and every year thereafter. There are no population size thresholds applied to the 5-year data products other than those imposed by the DRB.
Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE)
Census Bureau program that prepares mathematical model-based estimates of selected characteristics of the United States, states, and school districts.
A federal census conducted at the request and expense of a local governmental agency to obtain a population count between decennial censuses.
Special Place (SP)
A special place is an entity that owns and/or manages one or more GQ facilities. A special place can be in the same building or location as the GQ facility or it can be at a different location than the GQ facility it manages or oversees.
Special Sworn Status (SSS) or Special Sworn Status (SSS) Individual
Individuals with SSS are defined as non-Census Bureau personnel who require access to census information or confidential data. An SSS individual is bound by Census Bureau confidentiality requirements, as authorized by Title 13, United States Code.
The standard error is a measure of the deviation of a sample estimate from the average of all possible samples.
State Data Center (SDC)
A state agency or university facility identified by the governor of each state and state equivalent to participate in the Census Bureau's cooperative network for the dissemination of census data.
Defined and intended to provide nationally consistent definitions for collecting, tabulating, and publishing federal statistics for a set of geographic areas.
The determination of whether the difference between two estimates is not likely to be from random chance (sampling error) alone. This determination is based on both the estimates themselves and their standard errors. For ACS data, two estimates are "significantly different at the 90 percent level" if their difference is large enough to infer that there was a less than 10 percent chance that the difference came entirely from random variation.
A grouping or classification that has a similar set of characteristics.
Refers to the sampling of a sample. The cases that are not completed by mail or through a telephone interview become eligible for CAPI interviewing. This winnowing of the sample is referred to as subsampling.
Data products organized by subject area that present an Overview of the information that analysts most often receive requests for from data users.
Successive Differences Replication (SDR)
A variance estimation methodology to be used for surveys with a systematic sample. The initial sampling weights are multiplied by sets of 80 predetermined factors, and then reprocessed through the weighting system to produce 80 new sets to replicate weights. The 80 replicate weights and the final production weights are used to estimate the variance of ACS estimates.
Sufficient Partial Interview
A sufficient partial interview means that the Census Bureau accepts an interview as final even if the respondent did not provide a valid response for all applicable items.
Summary File 3 (SF 3)
This file presents base tables on population and housing characteristics from Census 2000 sample topics, such as income and education. It also includes population estimates for ancestry groups and selected characteristics for a limited number of race and Hispanic or Latino categories.
Summary File 4 (SF 4)
This file presents data similar to the information included on Summary File 3. The data from Census 2000 are shown down to the census tract level for 336 race, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native, and ancestry categories.
The sample that is selected from new addresses (primarily new construction) and allocated to the last 9 months of the sample year. This is done in January of the sample year.
A data collection for a sample of a population. Surveys are normally less expensive to conduct than censuses, hence, they may be taken more frequently and can provide an information update between censuses.
Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
A longitudinal survey conducted by the Census Bureau that collects data periodically from the same respondents over the course of several years. The SIPP produces data on income, taxes, assets, liabilities, and participation in government transfer programs.
The four key elements of survey quality include relevance, accuracy, timeliness, and accessibility.
Survey Response Rates
A measure of total response across all three modes of data collection, calculated as the ratio of the estimate of the interviewed units to the estimate of all units that should have been interviewed. The ACS weights the survey response rate to reflect the sample design, including the subsampling for the CAPI.
See Data Swapping.
Errors or inaccuracies occurring in data consistently in one direction, which can distort survey results. By definition, any systematic error in a survey will occur in all implementations of that same survey design.
The month associated with a sample case which is used in producing estimates. Also known as the Interview Month, it reflects the response month, which may or may not be the same as the sample month.
The specific category of people, households, or housing units on which estimates are based; for example, people aged 25 and over or occupied housing units.
In the context of the ACS language program, this refers to the identification of geographic areas warranting specific language tools.
Telephone Questionnaire Assistance (TQA)
A process which allows respondents to call a toll-free telephone number to receive help when completing the survey questionnaire. This process also allows respondents to complete the survey over the telephone with an interviewer.
Data products that show the geographic patterns in statistical data. Thematic maps are a complement to the ranking tables, and are a tool to visually display on a map the geographic variability of a key summary or derived measure.
Estimates based on 3 years of ACS data. These estimates are meant to reflect the characteristics of a geographic area over the entire 36-month period. These estimates will be published for geographic areas with a population of 20,000 or more.
One of four key dimensions of survey quality. Timeliness refers to both the length of time between data collection and the first availability of a product and to the frequency of the data collection.
Title 13 (U.S. Code)
The law under which the Census Bureau operates and that guarantees the confidentiality of census information and establishes penalties for disclosing this information.
A disclosure avoidance practice whereby extremely low or high values are masked by replacing them with a value that represents everything above or below a certain value.
Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER®) System or Database
A digital (computer-readable) geographic database that automates the mapping and related geographic activities required to support the Census Bureau's census and survey programs.
See Census Tract.
A USPS notification that a mailing piece could not be delivered to the designated address.
The extent to which the sampling frame does not include members of the target population thus preventing those members from having any chance of selection into the sample.
The failure to obtain the minimum required data from a unit in the sample.
A sample address that is inadequate for delivery by the USPS.
A method of data collection used in Census 2000 and other censuses, whereby enumerators canvassed assignment areas and delivered a census questionnaire to each housing unit. At the same time, enumerators updated the address listing pages and Census Bureau maps. The household was asked to complete and return the questionnaire by mail. This method was used primarily in areas where many homes do not receive mail at a city-style address; that is, the majority of United States households not included in mailout/mailback areas. U/L was used for all of Puerto Rico in Census 2000.
Represents the high end of the 90 percent confidence interval of an estimate from a sample survey. A 90 percent confidence interval can be interpreted roughly as providing 90 percent certainty that the true number falls between the upper and lower bounds.
An area, sector, or residential development, such as a neighborhood, within a geographic area in Puerto Rico.
Urbanized Area (UA)
A densely settled territory that contains 50,000 or more people. The Census Bureau delineates UAs to provide a better separation of urban and rural territory, population, and housing in the vicinity of large places.
The concept used to define residence in the decennial census. The place where a person lives and sleeps most of the time.
Voluntary Methods Test
A special test conducted at the request of Congress in 2002 to measure the impact on the ACS of changing the data collection authority from mandatory to voluntary.
A control system which is used to track and assign cases to individual telephone interviewers. WebCATI evaluates the characteristics of each case (for example, the date and time of the previous call) and the skills needed for each case (for example, the need for the case to be interviewed in Spanish), and delivers the case to the next available interviewer who possesses the matching skill.
Web Data Server (WDS)
A research tool for reporters, SDCs, CICs, ROs, and internal Census Bureau analysts. WDS features a user-friendly interface that allows users to quickly access, visualize, and manipulate ACS base tables.
A series of survey adjustments. Survey data are traditionally weighted to adjust for the sample design, the effects of nonresponse, and to correct for survey undercoverage error. | <urn:uuid:99420453-d540-423a-b852-63115a83f368> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.socialexplorer.com/data/ACS2009_3yr/documentation/a00819be-5bac-428c-acd5-0c33316fcbb1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92014 | 11,660 | 3.015625 | 3 |
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Flowcharts is a great education tool. It is also of great help in troubleshooting and reconstruction of program logic. Now its almost forgotten art :-(. I used to teach computer science students. It's simply great for introductory courses as well as for explanation of sorting and searching algorithms. When flowcharting fell out of favor as a commercial design tool starting in the mid-1970s, it was discarded by CS teachers and now few are using it. I still do, but I am probably more an exception then the rule.
It is not strictly necessary to use boxes, circles, diamonds or other such symbols to construct a flowchart, but these do help to describe the types of blocks in the chart more clearly. Described below are a set of standard symbols which are applicable to most situations without being overly complex.
A typical flowchart from older Computer Science textbooks may have the following kinds of symbols:
A number of other symbols that are much less frequently used and strictly speaking not that necessary as they do little to improve the clarity of the flowchart:
Flowcharts may contain other symbols, such as connectors, usually represented as circles, to represent converging paths in the flowchart. Circles will have more than one arrow coming into them but only one going out. Some flowcharts may just have an arrow point to another arrow instead. These are useful to represent an iterative process (what in Computer Science is called a loop). A loop may, for example, consist of a connector where control first enters, processing steps, a conditional with one arrow exiting the loop, and one going back to the connector. Off-page connectors are often used to signify a connection to a (part of another) process held on another sheet or screen. It is important to remember to keep these connections logical in order. All processes should flow from top to bottom and left to right.
The basic flow chart symbols for construction of algorithms (the ANSI standard symbols) are as follows:
As a whole, flow charting has been around for a very long time. In fact, flow charts have been used for so long that no one individual is specified as the "father of the flow chart". The reason for this is obvious. A flow chart can be customized to fit any need or purpose. For this reason, flow charts can be recognized as a very unique algorithms description method
The following is a partial listing of software packages designed specifically for flow charts.
MS Word and PowerPoint are capable producing flowcharts too.
Flowcharting is a useful tool for analyzing algorithms. It allows you to break any algorithm down into basic steps and to display these in shorthand form showing the logical relationships between them. Constructing flowcharts promotes better understanding of algorithms, and better understanding of algorithms is a noble goal for any CS student and not only student.
Flowcharting, as a tool for clarifying situations and thus improving knowledge and understanding, is particularly useful when used in lectures or by a group or team. This is because by drawing a flowchart together you can:
Drawing a flowchart progressively on a whiteboard or flipchart, as team members contribute their information, opinions and ideas, will not only identify problems and areas of confusion, but will help focusing the team's attention on the most important properties of an algorithm. Be warned, however, that while flowcharting looks easy to do, it takes practice to use effectively. It forces users to identify algorithm steps so that they are clear and logical, which is of course its principal purpose.
There are no hard and fast rules for constructing flowcharts, but there are guidelines which are useful to bear in mind. Here are six steps which can be used as a guide for completing flowcharts.
July 29, 2008
Teaching Flowcharts – Have the Computer Draw One
Last week the Microsoft Visual Studio Middle School Toy was announced and I wrote about it in my blog. Today I wanted to give people a taste of what one of the features – the Visual Programming Flow Chart - looks like. It’s really pretty simple to use. Point the mouse at a function/method name and right click for the context menu like this and select Generate flow chart
The result will look something like this:
The color bars on the right let the user change the color coding for different things like loops, if statements, Try statements, etc. The resulting image can be saved as a JPEG file. This lets the user include it as documentation if they want.
This is not a super serious professional tool BTW. It seems to do a pretty good job for the student level modules I’ve tried it with though. I can see where it could be very useful for students because it shows what the logic of the code actually is rather than what the student might think it is. Note that right now it only works with C# – sorry about that. I’ve already started bugging people about Visual Basic support. :-)
PurposeThis unit is designed for use with seventh and eighth grade students as a supplemental activity and as an aid to develop problem solving techniques. This unit would be most beneficial if introduced in the beginning of the school year so that students may develop an understanding of the vocabulary and processes involved, then students may be encouraged to use this alternative method of problem solving throughout the school year.
The attractiveness of computers, computer languages, and computer games is evident, creating in this attractiveness a powerful and motivational learning tool. We have all seen our students on Saturday afternoons, pouring quarters into Space invaders machines or playing with electronic games. We cannot ignore the fact that computers are increasingly becoming part of our daily lives, and particularly,our students lives. Our students will undoubtedly be dealing with and operating computers in any career they choose. An early introduction of the student to computers and its use in problem solving will ensure, for the student, a certain degree of literacy and, proficiency in the usage of computers. We must help them relinquish their misconceptions that math and computers are beyond common knowledge and interesting to only a few crazed mathematicians while helping them develop a healthy attitude towards problem solving. All students would benefit from an introduction into the world of computers.
Computer Thinking and FlowchartingComputers and computer programming has become an integral part of today’s society. The usage of computers appears in the educational and business as well as the scientific fields. Computer usage is a powerful resource and one that will grow and eventually become an integral part of all our lives. With the emergence of computers as an important learning tool, we as educators must also prepare our students for the future. Computer literacy is needed by all students. Computer literacy implies a working knowledge of a math language, the language of programming, and an idea of what computers can and cannot do.
Programming languages are available in many shapes and sizes. Some are science oriented, some business oriented, and some developed for a particular computer system. They all share one similarity, they all are languages based in logic. A computer is simply a logic machine that performs computations and calculations at an incredible speed. What those of us not associated with computers do not realize is that these units are quite moronic and are only as efficient and effective as the person instructing or programming the machine.
Our students will enter an adult working world and will be faced with computers. They will need to understand and use this facility. Introducing the usage of computers, basic programming skills, and encouraging our children to think logically about solving problems will help them immensely when they enter the job market. The purpose of this unit is to act as an introduction to the thinking world of computers, to help students develop a math language and an alternative methodology that will enable them to solve all problems. This unit is directed specifically to those who still have difficulty deciphering and solving single and double-step word problems.
Most middle school students try to solve a word problem or any mutli-step task by trying to take intuitive leaps at the answer. This method has only two possibilities for solution. The answer is either right or wrong and efforts to solve the problem end. Students have attacked the whole without ever contemplating alternative ways of dealing with the problem. Our students would best solve problems if they critically read each problem and determined what information is given, what kind of answer should be returned, and what steps or calculations are needed to obtain this answer. This need not be so difficult to achieve. The introduction of computers, how computers work, and flowcharting will help students develop ways to handle these problems. Methods must be developed to help students relate the immediate problem to ones they have previously solved. Our students can solve these problems if we can explain how to break large difficult problems into small manageable ones. Again, a step by step procedure to solve tasks. Many of our students believe or have been told that they’re just “not good in math”. Ideally, with computers as a motivational tool, these students will also be able to achieve success in school mathematics.
The key to developing a child’s ability to think logically is to have him talk through or explain how he goes about solving a problem. This method of “talking through” the problem will force them to verbalize an explanation of a problem he may think he understands. A child who can explain how to solve a problem, whether it be a mathematical problem or some other task, truly understands the process involved and is not dependent upon rote memorization of a skill. How many students can actually explain how to subtract two numbers when regrouping is involved? Our goal is to help students sit back and think about what must be done before attempting to solve a problem. An efficient and powerful method to use is that of flowcharting a problem. Flowcharts are used in programming to diagram the path in which information is processed through a computer to obtain the desired results. The flowchart will be a general outline of how to solve a problem or perform a task. The chart will not only enable the creator of the chart to solve the problem but other students may follow that procedure as well. Below is an explanation of the symbols used in flowcharting.
... ... ...
Students should be encouraged to keep a notebook of charts explaining how to perform certain tasks. The use of general flowcharting techniques, especially those used to find area and perimeter, also help students adapt to the concepts of using variables and formulas, an important concept for children to grasp and necessary for math literacy.
A child who is able to develop a process for solving problems will achieve success in school and develop a healthier attitude towards learning. Flowcharting gives the children a direction and a method to decipher and decode the problems they, at one time, would not attempt. Practice and reinforcement of these skills will enable our students to solve any problem, and build their confidence in their own problem solving skills. To “think like a computer” that is to approach a task in a logical, sequential order, is to reorganize their thinking patterns and achieve success in developing problem solving techniques.
When detailed logic flowcharting fell out of favor as a commercial design tool starting in the mid-1970s, it was discarded by many IS educators. In doing so, however, we may have thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Many of the disadvantages of flowcharting as a commercial tool-such as the immense size of flowcharts of large programs-are not necessarily serious drawbacks in introductory programming classes. Several researchers have also found benefits from the use of flowcharts as a teaching tool. The challenge is to develop approaches whereby learning to program-not learning to flowchart-is emphasized. FlowC, a Windows-based flowcharting application, is an example of a tool that can be used to minimize the challenges of teaching flowcharting while retaining its benefits in the formative stages of learning to program. In addition to guiding the user through the creation of diagrams, FlowC also allows the user to view the code (or pseudocode) implied by each construct drawn in the flowchart. The user may also generate complete applications that may then be compiled and run in MS Visual Studio .NET. FlowC has been used for three semesters to teach introductory programming (in C) to undergraduate MIS majors. The students have found the program easy to use and have reported that flowcharting has been an important component of their overall learning in the course. In addition, analysis of survey data gathered from students suggests that learning flowcharting early in the course has benefited their learning in subsequent programming assignments.
Hopefully you will be persuaded that there are good reasons for using flow charts to program microcontrollers in teaching electronics. So why choose Flowcode in particular? Flowcode was developed specifically for teaching programming skills in electronics and there are lots of features which support this. Firstly a simulation mode allows students to step through each icon in a chart and see the effects on the system on –screen. This simulation mode allows students to effectively ‘see’ their program running on screen. Secondly Flowcode is tightly integrated with a suite of hardware sub-systems – E-blockswhich allow electronic systems to be rapidly built. Flowcode contains on-screen representations of these sub-systems so that students can quickly learn how they work, and can ‘glue’ them together to form complex systems – for example a mobile phone.
Phil Cohen, "Flowcharting Sessions", HCI Consulting, URL: http://www.hci.com.au/hcisite/flowcharting.htm (viewed Spring 1998)
There are dozens of flowcharting tools available on the market. Their capabilities range from the very simplistic drawing functions to advanced process mapping and simulation capabilities (found in high-end manufacturing simulation modeling tools). Microsoft provides pretty decent flowcharting capabilities in MS Word and Powerpoint. Some tools are free, see 7 Free online tools for creating flow charts
C-C++ Programming Tools by SGV Sarc - Flowcharts, AutoFormat and other tools.
Flowcharts From Source Code Understand code in less time Rich Trees What globals, structs are used CallFlow Fast attack, navigate in functions DataFlow Flowchart of Data Objects & parameter tracking Documentation Flowcharts of all functions, Code Metrics & more
>> Crystal FLOW -- Why Crystal Flow Interactive Flowcharts HTML Documentation Code Navigation Premium Browsing Call/Caller/File Trees Screen Shots Systems Requirements
SmartDraw is the ideal choice for people who need to create professional-quality drawings quickly and simply, without having to take time to learn a complex application.
Quality Digest gives a list of 23 flowcharting programs, along with pricing, system compatibility and links to manufacturers' web sites (This site reflects prices before May 6, 1998).
The Centre for Virtual Organization and Commerce at Louisiana State University has developed a repository on a number of flowcharting tools such as SmartDraw Software , FlowCharter 7 Software, Visio, and ProcessModel.
"The Reengineering Distinctionary: Process description vs Process flowcharting", Francis Wade Consulting, URL: http://users.aol.com/fwade/disttop.html (viewed Spring 1998)
Code Visual to Flowchart - Reviews and free downloads at Download.com
Proof Software Graphicae
Graphicae's main selling point is its ability to add extra diagram, table and map features to Microsoft PowerPoint, making it easier for business users to create flowcharts, tables, marketing analysis and other data graphics.
Once installed, Graphicae has its own toolbar in PowerPoint to easily access its features. The Table Engine is intuitive and provides options for quickly creating and customizing tables. But although it easily creates tables, Graphicae does not solve the age-old PowerPoint problem of animating table cells.
Graphicae's Framework Engine is its most impressive feature, offering several diagrams that can be dropped into place on a slide and sized. Divided by category (financial, operations, sales, etc.), there are many flowcharts, diagrams and options to choose from, making it easy to create visuals out of complex company data.
While you can edit the pieces of a diagram individually by "ungrouping" the object (changing color, borders, etc.), it is not possible to resize individual parts of a diagram.
The Map Engine provides a variety of geographical maps, but again there are limited choices for resizing individual state and country shapes. And the text shown on a map image appears jagged and not as clean as text typed directly into a slide.
Overall, Graphicae provides some amazing diagrams and tables to help PowerPoint creators in the corporate world. But it lacks some customization features, and it's a Windows-only program.
Prices: download, $80; boxed, $90.
Contact: Proof Software LLC, 781.575.1001, www.graphicae.com.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 5807 Information processing -- Documentation symbols and conventions; program and system flowcharts ...
American National Standard, ANSI X3.6-1970, Flowchart Symbols and their Usage in Information Processing
HCi publication: Writing Effective Performance Support Documentation
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More essays will be added soon!
A short overviewJapanese woodblock prints first came to Europe in the early 19th century, brought back by Franz von Siebold. These are now in the ethnographic Museum in Leiden, The Netherlands, and most are still in the completely unfaded condition they were in when von Siebold bought them around 1830. More examples came to the West when US Navy Commodore Perry ôopenedö Japan in 1853, and afterwards during the Meiji Restauration, which started in 1868.
Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints had a profound impact on Western artists. Vincent van Gogh is often mentioned in this connection, but nearly every artist in the latter half of the 19th century was under the influence of ôJaponismeö. Early collectors, like the Goncourt brothers, were convinced that the golden age of Japanese prints was long past, and had really stopped at the death of Hokusai in 1849. Toyokuni III (= Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1864)) and Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) were considered ôdecadentsö, though a grudging exception was made for the work of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), his early landscapes especially.
The last quarter of the 19th century brought profound changes in Japan. From an essentially medieval country Japan was transformed into a modern nation, which first made its changed position felt by defeating China in a short and bloody war in 1894-5, and which then repeated this feat by defeating Russia in 1905. In the field of woodblock prints the changes were dramatic as well. Of course this is change on a different scale, and with less visible results, but equally fundamental.
The Sino-Japanese war of 1894-5 was in fact the stage for the last flowering of traditional ukiyo-e. The war was carefully covered by woodblock print artists, who showed the general public the heroic exploits of the Japanese army and the sorry performances of the Chinese. Large numbers of war triptychs (senso-e) were published, which were eagerly bought by a proud homefront. Then, around 1900, new reproduction techniques gained the upper hand: lithographs and steel engravings were cheaper and also yielded good results. Moreover, they were ômodernö and that alone held a strong attraction for the Japanese. Publishers of woodblock prints found themselves in a tight spot: they could only compete if they published prints that were better than those produced by modern means. It can be safely stated that the quality of woodblock prints published between 1900 and ca. 1910 was the highest ever. I am not talking about their artistic value (though many fine prints were made) but about the technical brilliance shown. Examples are prints by Yamamoto Shoun (1870-1965), e.g his series Ima Sugata, showing bust portraits of contemporary beauties, and most of the prints published by Matsuki Heikichi. That the publishers of traditional woodblock prints were still fighting a losing battle is shown by the fact that far fewer colour woodblock printed senso-e were published during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-5.
The first decade of the 20th century was a very exciting time for all Japanese artists: there were many movements, allegiances shifted, new groups were formed, abandoned and re-formed with different members. It was a period of manifestos, of artists having to make one fundamental choice after another. Many artists had been in Europe, for them going to Europe was as much an obligation as the Grand Tour (to Italy) was a must for young English upper class men in the 18th and 19th century. Major artists went along with unknown ones. Takeuchi Seih˘ (1864-1942), already a famous painter, went for a tour to Europe in 1900, returning in 1901. Artists in Japan were well-informed about artistic developments in Europe. A major source of influence was the German magazine Jugend, founded in 1896, and scrutinized by Japanese artists. The magazine H˘sun, begun in 1907 by Ishii Hakutei (1882-1958) was closely modelled on Jugend. Some years before, in 1904, Ishii Hakutei had published a print by Yamamoto Kanae (1882-1946) in his magazine Myojo. This print, Gyofu ľ Picture of a fisherman, is generally considered the first real S˘saku Hanga print.
At this stage, the word ôS˘saku Hangaö should be explained. It is mostly translated as ôCreative printö, as opposed to commercial print. Commercial prints were still being made by publishers like Matsuki Heikichi, but in 1915 a new and very important player entered the field, Watanabe Sh˘zabur˘ (1885-1962). He had started as a publisher of reproductions of classic ukiyo-e prints. Therefore he had at his disposal a number of highly qualified engravers and printers. He only lacked artists, and when he had seen an exhibition of works by a relatively unknown Austrian artist, Fritz Capelari, in 1915, he went on to publish 15 of his prints in the woodblock medium. Other artists soon followed suit, first Charles Bartlett (1860-1940), and then Hashiguchi Goy˘ (1880-1921), who left after contributing no more than one design. In 1916 It˘ Shinsui (1898-1972) joined Watanabe Sh˘zabur˘, and he stayed with him until 1960. The other major artist mainly working for Watanabe was Kawase Hasui (1883-1957). Commercially produced prints like these are generally referred to as ôShin Hangaö, New Prints. In fact Shin Hanga went on where ukiyo-e had ended.
Watanabe Sh˘zabur˘ was a businessman (though he also designed a few landscape prints), and that is exactly what S˘saku Hanga artists were not. They were not concerned with editions, they were mainly experimenting with woodblocks as a medium of expressing themselves. Many prints were only made in a few copies, and then the artist went on to try something new. One thing that should not be forgotten is that most of the early S˘saku Hanga artists had been trained as painters, and that some only made a limited number of woodblock prints before returning to painting. Apart from Ishii Hakutei also Minami Kunz˘ (1883-1950) is often mentioned in this connection. He made a limited number of highly evocative landscape prints, closely resembling watercolours. They were shown in a one-man exhibition 1911, in fact the first suchlike exhibition ever held.
The Taisho era, which started in the same year, was a brief but dynamic period in Japan's modern development that is often described as a Japanese version of the Roaring Twenties. Officially it lasted from 1912 to 1926, the reign of the Emperor Taisho, but the phrase ôTaisho cultureö evokes a society in transition in the twenties and early thirties, when the Western Jazz Age collided with traditional Japanese values of harmony and tranquility. During this period, as Japan was becoming an international power, the gap, born in the Meiji era, between a traditional agriculturally based population and the modern industrial sector, widened.
For S˘saku Hanga artists this was a crucial period, with lots of new initiatives and artistic developments. 1910, a few years earlier, had witnessed the first publication of a monthly magazine called Shirakaba - White Birch , the most important magazine shaping the thought of the Taisho period. Shirakaba also sponsored exhibitions of Western art. In 1915 there was a major exhibition of German expressionism, mainly woodcuts, almost coinciding with the start of the new magazine Tsukubae in 1914. Tsukubae was started by K˘shir˘ Onchi (1891-1955), together with Shizuo Fujimori (1891-1943) and Ky˘kichi Tanaka (1892-1915), while they were still students at the Tokyo Art School.
The influence of European art developments on the S˘saku Hanga movement was enormous. The most important aspect of this was that in Europe printmaking was seen as a means of artistic expression, as valid as painting and sculpture, whereas in Japan printmaking was still generally seen as a craft, a means of reproduction. The Shin Hanga produced by Watanabe no doubt contributed to raising the appreciation of S˘saku Hanga.
In 1918 the Nihon s˘saku hanga ky˘kai - Japanese creative print society was formed, developing into the main organization for creative print makers until its dissolution in 1931 and its rebirth into a more comprehensive print association called the Nihon hanga ky˘kai - Japan print cooperative society.
In the twenties the various print magazines played an important role in giving artists an opportunity to show their work. S˘saku Hanga exhibitions were still few, and these magazines filled this gap. The most important 1920s magazine was no doubt Hanga, started by Yamaguchi Hisayoshi in 1924. He was the owner of Hanga no Ie ľ House of Prints in Kobe, and he had published Unĺichi Hiratsukaĺs seriesTokyo shinsai ato fűkei - Tokyo after the earthquake (1923-1927). Hanga, appearing four times a year, was not strictly a magazine, but a folder or envelope of prints, mounted on backing paper of uniform size. The prints were small (mostly ca. 16 x 12 cm.). It is estimated that there must have been some 300 subscribers, though the number of envelopes produced may have been somewhat larger. In 1930 publication was stopped.
Two important pre-war print series should also be mentioned: between 1916 and 1920 the publisher Nakajima Jűtar˘ published Nihon fűkei hanga ľ Print scenes of Japan, consisting of ten sets of five prints each. Between 1928 and 1932 the same publisher published Shin T˘kyo hyakkei ľ 100 Views of new Tokyo. Eight different artists contributed to this highly important series, Senpan Maekawa, Shizuo Fujimori, K˘shir˘ Onchi, Takashi Henmi, Unĺichi Hiratsuka, Sumio Kawakami, Sakuichi Fukazawa and Kanenori Suwa, in short all the important pre-war S˘saku Hanga artists.
The 1930s were dominated by the Great Depression, which also hit USA and Europe. Nationalism become a dominant factor, the army became the strongest force within Japan, political parties weakened, and democratic government virtually disappeared. Yet S˘saku Hanga artists continued producing works that were hardly influenced by these troubling times. Also Shin Hanga artists produced very important works during this period. In 1930 and 1936 there were two important Shin Hanga exhibitions in USA (Toledo Art Museum).
The wartime years from 1939 to 1945 constituted a metamorphosis for the S˘saku Hanga movement. The Ichimokukai ľ The First Thursday Society, which was crucial to the postwar revival of Japanese prints, was formed in 1939 by the group of people who gathered in the house of K˘shir˘ Onchi in Tokyo. The group met once a month to discuss print subjects of. First members included Gen Yamaguchi (1896-1976) and Junĺichiro Sekino (1914-1988). After the war American connoisseurs Ernst Hacker, William Hartnett and Oliver Statler also attended these meetings. They revived Western interest in Japanese prints. Already during the war, in 1944 the first set of prints of the Ichimokushu - The First Thursday Collection, made by its members to circulate to each other, was produced.
After WWIIOne of the most ironic results of the Japanese defeat and the resulting Occupation by the USA was that Americans discovered S˘saku Hanga prints, and played a highly important role in making their importance known. William Hartnett, mentioned before as one of the Americans being present at the Ichimokukai meetings after the war, had arrived in Japan together with the Occupation forces, and his duty was to organize concerts and exhibitions for the Occupation personnel. He got into contact with K˘shir˘ Onchi and the group around him, and one thing led to another. S˘saku Hanga became highly collectible, prices went up and some artists could even live from the proceeds of their work. In 1951 two Japanese print artists, Tetsur˘ Komai (1920-1976) and Kiyoshi Sait˘ (1907-1997) won first prizes at the SŃo Paolo Art Biennial. In 1959 Oliver Statler produced his Modern Japanese Prints: An Art Reborn, a seminal work for the appreciation of S˘saku Hanga. In 1960 Statler was involved in a landmark exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago: Japanĺs Modern Prints ľ S˘saku Hanga, showing 278 prints.
In the following decades S˘saku Hanga flowered. Many S˘saku Hanga artists were and are incredibly long-lived (Unĺichi so far holding the record, dying at age 102, shortly after having been present at a retrospective exhibition of his work in Japan), and they mostly kept producing work of high quality. Next to them many younger artists have followed in their footsteps.
In the last quarter of the 20th century woodblock prints are still being made in Japan, but many other techniques are used as well: the resulting screenprints, paperscreens, lithographs, etchings, aquatints and mezzotints have gradually become part of the international art world, and nowadays many works are made that are no longer typically Japanese. There is now even a very vigorous movement, often referred to as ôNew Hangaö: non-Japanese artists making woodblock prints in the traditional Japanese manner. Good examples are Paul Binnie (UK, born 1967) and Tom Kristensen (Australia, born 1962). They are not at the end of a tradition but in the middle of exploring the boundless possibilities of the woodblock medium.
Prints by artistAbe, Sh˘ko
Hori, Yoshiji (堀義二)
Kobayashi, Haruki 小林春規
Sat˘, Ch˘zan 佐藤 朝山
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by Staff Writers
Kennedy Space Center FL (SPX) Feb 26, 2013
NASA and its international partners are targeting Friday, March 1, as the launch date for the next cargo resupply flight to the International Space Station by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX). Launch is scheduled for 10:10 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX's Dragon capsule will be filled with about 1,200 pounds of supplies for the space station crew and experiments being conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Dragon is scheduled to return to Earth March 25 for a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California. It will be bringing back more than 2,300 pounds of experiment samples and equipment.
Launch Pad at Space-Travel.com
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A NASA probe will zip by Earth Wednesday (Oct. 9) in a slingshot-like manuever around our planet to build up speed for the long trip to Jupiter.
NASA's 8,000-pound (3,267 kilograms) Juno spacecraft will skim just 350 miles (560 kilometers) above Earth's surface on Wednesday, getting a critical gravity assist more than two years after launching on a circuitous path to the solar system's largest planet.
"When Juno launched, there was not an available rocket powerful enough to send such a heavy spacecraft directly to Jupiter, so the flyby maneuver is an essential part of the mission," officials with the Southwest Research Institute, where Juno principal investigator Scott Bolton is based, explained in a description of the Earth flyby.
"The Atlas 5 rocket provided half of the boost Juno needs to reach Jupiter, and the Earth flyby provides the rest. It's the energy of an extra rocket launch, without the extra rocket," they added.
Wednesday's flyby will boost the spacecraft's speed by about 16,330 mph (26,280 km/h), NASA officials have said.
Preparations for the flyby are occurring while the federal government is shut down and 97 percent of NASA employees have been furloughed. But this situation isn't posing much of a problem for Juno or its mission, team members said.
"The shutdown hasn't affected us except for public affairs events such as press releases," Bolton told SPACE.com via email. "All [operations are] exempted."
The $1.1 billion Juno mission launched in August 2011 and will arrive at the Jovian system in July 2016. Juno will then circle Jupiter for a full Earth year, studying the giant planet's atmosphere, gravitational field and magnetic field with eight different science instruments.
The spacecraft's observations should yield insights about Jupiter's origin, structure and composition, including whether or not it has a solid core, mission team members have said.
Juno is named after a goddess in Greek and Roman mythology. The god Jupiter (or Zeus, in the Greek version) hid his acts of mischief behind clouds, the story goes, but his wife Juno was able to peer through the veil to see what he was up to.
The Juno spacecraft will be the first solar-powered probe ever to visit the outer solar system. Juno has three large solar arrays, each of which is roughly the size of a tractor-trailer (about 30 feet long by 9 feet wide, or 10 by 2.7 meters). | <urn:uuid:300a6242-c913-4c8d-a049-ba2db2000c33> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.space.com/23100-juno-spacecraft-earth-flyby-wednesday.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946116 | 518 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Astronomers aren't being poetic when they say this star is a diamond.
Scientists have identified what is possibly the coldest white dwarf ever detected. In fact, this dim stellar corpse is so cold that its carbon has crystallized, effectively forming a diamond the size of Earth, astronomers said.
"It's a really remarkable object," study leader David Kaplan, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said in a statement from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). "These things should be out there, but because they are so dim they are very hard to find." [10 Strangest Things in Space]
Kaplan and colleagues were able to find this cosmic gem because it has a more conspicuous companion. The white dwarf does an orbital tango with a pulsar, or a fast-spinning neutron star formed from a supernova explosion that sends out a stream of radio waves like a lighthouse beam. Dubbed PSR J2222-0137, the pulsar lies 900 light-years away from Earth near the constellation Aquarius, and it was first detected using the NRAO's Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia.
Astronomers noticed that the radio signal from PSR J2222-0137 sometimes got delayed because a companion object was passing in front of it, warping space. Studying these delays using the NRAO's Very Large Baseline Array (VLBA) helped scientists determine that the pulsar has a mass 1.2 times that of Earth's sun with a companion that has a mass 1.05 times that of the sun.
The team suspected this companion was a white dwarf, or a dense stellar core left after a star has died. Believing they would be able to see the object in optical and infrared light, the scientists looked for it using the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope in Chile and the 10-meter (33 feet) Keck telescope in Hawaii. But neither instrument was able to detect the white dwarf.
"Because of the radio observations, we know exactly where to look, so we pointed SOAR there and collected light for two and a half hours," Bart Dunlap, a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said in a statement. "Our final image should show us a companion 100 times fainter than any other white dwarf orbiting a neutron star and about 10 times fainter than any known white dwarf, but we don’t see a thing. If there's a white dwarf there, and there almost certainly is, it must be extremely cold."
When talking about stellar objects, "cold" is a relative term; this white dwarf is still burning at 4,892 degrees Fahrenheit (2,700 degrees Celsius), but that's 5,000 times cooler than the center of Earth's sun.
Such a cool object would be largely crystallized carbon, similar to a diamond, the scientists said. Astronomers have theorized that these objects should be lurking in the universe, but diamond stars are difficult to detect because they are so faint.
Scientists have theorized that diamond alien planets should exist, too. A "super-Earth" 40 light-years from our planet called 55 Cancri e is suspected to be one such world; a 2012 paper in the Astrophysical Journal Letters argued that this exoplanet is composed mainly of carbon in the form of diamond and graphite.
The study on the diamond white dwarf was published in the Astrophysical Journal. | <urn:uuid:fbfd4061-16aa-4e7d-822f-8fb5825ec820> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.space.com/26335-coldest-white-dwarf-star-diamond.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945624 | 716 | 3.53125 | 4 |
Purdue Extension Corner
The 4-H Pledge goes, “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world.” A number of individuals have done just that throughout history and have contributed much to the agricultural world.
In February, we celebrate National African American History Month. Charles Henry Turner, an African American, has contributed greatly to our knowledge about animal behavior. Charles’ research is what led to the determination that honey bees can see colors and discriminate among them. For honey bee owners this is important information to know when trying to produce a specific type of honey.
March holds the honor of having two month-long celebrations devoted towards history. These are: National Women’s History Month and National Irish-American Heritage Month. Rachel Carson is one of the world’s foremost leaders in conservation. Her work revolutionized America’s interest in the environment. Her book, “Silent Spring,” brought to light some of the negative side effects associated with pesticides when used improperly. It brought about a complete review of pesticide policy by the federal government resulting in a ban of DDT.
Mary O’Hara is a famous female, Irish-American author who wrote several books enlightening individuals about the love farm families have for their ground and livestock. Her classic books include: “My Friend Flicka,” “Thunderhead,” and “Green Grass of Wyoming.” She used her knowledge and experiences from her pioneer cattle and horse ranch when writing these books in an effort to share her love and passion for agriculture.
May is National Asian/Pacific Heritage Month. The horticultural world would not be the same if it wasn’t for the “citrus wizard,” Lue Gim Gong. Lue emigrated from China when he was 12 years old and went on to work in the orange groves in Florida when he was older. As the years went, he created the “Lue Gim Gong orange,” a variety that matures in August or September, ensuring that the fruit would not freeze.
September is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Cesar Chavez’s family (he is a second generation American of Hispanic descent) became migrant farm workers after they lost their farm during the Great Depression. This experience is what helped him develop the dream of creating an organization to protect and serve farm workers. He founded the National Farm Workers Association, which is now the United Farm Workers of America.
National American Indian Heritage month is in November. The most symbolic impact that American Indians have had is through the “Three Sisters.” For centuries, Native American tribes have planted corn, beans and squash (the three sisters) together. This form of companion planting often results in high yield, high quality produce, and has little impact on the environment.
Year round, many individuals have greatly contributed to agriculture. Therefore, I suggest that as you shop, work, eat, or watch TV, think about those throughout history that have given of themselves and practiced the 4-H Pledge while making a difference in the agricultural world.
As always, if you have any questions or would like information on any agriculture, horticulture, or natural resource topic, then please contact your local Purdue Extension Office at 812-448-9041 in Clay County, or 829-5020 in Owen County. You can also reach me directly via email at: [email protected]. Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access/ affirmative action institution.
Upcoming opportunities available to you through Purdue Extension include:
•February 13 – Start of the Master Gardener Series, Clay County Extension Office, $115. Call 812-448-9041
•February 13 – Keys to Forage Profitability, 6:30 p.m., Dubois, Indiana, Call 812-678-4427 to register
•February 16 – Clay County SWCD Annual Dinner
No commercial reproduction without written consent.
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Interstate highways are ________ highways.
The raised area at each door that the trailers are backed up to for loading and unloading is called a _______.
The word 'INTER' means _____?
The _________ is a combination of gears that transmits engine power to the drive wheels.
Another name for a group of inter-related things is a ________.
The movement of passengers and cargo over roads and highways is called _____ transportation
In the trucking business, this type of travel is called _________?
Sometimes a driver must pay a ______, or fee to travel over certain roads.
Commercial transportation is provided by _________ companies
A person who owns a tractor and leases his or her driving services is called a _______.
Many truck stops are like _______ cities.
The main commercial use of roads and highways is ______ service.
The tractor is the _______ unit of the tractor trailer combination.
Many ________ are made of lightweight aluminum.
A special hitch called a _____ makes it possible for almost any tractor to pull any trailer
The word ________ means to hire a bus for a special trip.
Single unit trucks haul only ______ type of cargo.
There are four types of trailers used to haul different types of freight. They are the refridgerator van, flatbed, tanker, and ________.
There are basically two types or categories of trucks: Single unit trucks and __________.
Of all the modes of transportation, ________ transportation offers the greatest flexibility.
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A spotting tractor is used only to move trailers inside a _________.
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Location: NE corner 14th & Union Streets, Columbus. (Bartholomew County, Indiana)
Erected 1998 Indiana Historical Bureau, Cummins Engine Foundation, and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.
ID# : 03.1998.1
Learn more here.
Site of only African-American school (grades 1-7) in Columbus. By circa 1899, town's African-American population had increased enough to qualify for separate school under 1869 Indiana law. Like other African-American schools around the state, it was a symbol of community pride and achievement; closed in 1922.
African American, Education | <urn:uuid:42bbd8be-2ddc-4191-9210-cf2e8cc34ad8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.state.in.us/history/markers/32.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.895156 | 170 | 3.03125 | 3 |
What is the Open Public Records Act (OPRA)?
OPRA is a state law enacted to give the public greater access to government records maintained by public agencies in New Jersey.
Who can obtain government records under the Open Public Records Act?
Any citizen of New Jersey has the right under OPRA to examine or obtain copies of those government records that are not subject to exceptions from disclosure.
Does the Open Public Records Act apply to State as well as local government agencies ?
How does the Open Public Records Act, (PL 2001, c.404) differ from its predecessor the "Right To Know Law?"
OPRA expands the intent of the Right To Know Law by re-defining what records are available to the public, by setting standards for accessing those records, and penalties for failing to disclose them.
Are there any exceptions under the Open Public Records Act?
There are a number of exceptions to OPRA, including but not limited to information that if disclosed might violate a citizen's reasonable expectation of privacy.
Are government records protected from disclosure by statute, resolution, Executive order of the Governor, court ruling or Federal law?
Certain government records are protected by all of the above means.
Are state and local government agencies exempt under OPRA from disclosing procurement records concerning computer and building security measures?
OPRA exempts from disclosure administrative or technical information regarding computer and building security measures that, if disclosed, would create security problems.
Is information concerning surveillance equipment and investigatory services available to the public?
Both state and local government agencies are exempt from disclosing security measures and surveillance techniques, if disclosure creates a risk to the safety of people or property.
Is there a fee for copying government records? If so, what is that cost?
Yes, there is a fee. Most paper records may be copied at the standard rate of $.10 per page. If material not easily copied on office equipment is requested, the cost can be higher, depending on the record and how it is copied.
If there is an existing law or regulation governing the fee assessed for duplication of a government record by an agency, do the fees imposed under OPRA supersede the law or regulation?
No, OPRA does not supersede laws or regulations that set fees for specific types of records.
Are there any fees or special service charges that can be imposed for items requested?
Special charges may be set for duplication when the copies take special effort or equipment. This may occur when records cannot be copied by equipment owned by the agency.
May the custodian of records impose a special service charge to cover the cost of labor when complying with the request for documents involves use of technology?
Yes. In cases where requests for records require an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort and/or when a request for records is in a medium not routinely used by the BPU and require a substantial amount of manipulation or programming of information technology, the BPU may charge, in addition to the cost of duplication, a special reasonable fee related to its cost of making the copy.
What if my request for government records is denied or if information redacted or deleted is essential to my research? Do I have any recourse?
You have the right under OPRA to appeal the custodian's denial of your request either to the Government Records Council or the Superior Court.
Do I have to be told why a request for access is denied and must I be notified of my right to appeal my denial of government records?
Yes. Any time you are denied access, there must be a reason, and you must be advised of your rights of appeal. A notice of how to appeal a denial must also be posted in the record custodian's office and is included on the Records Request Form.
How do I file an appeal?
A complaint can be filed with the Government Records Council at www.nj.gov/grc or by phone (Toll Free: (866)850-0511). Alternatively, the requester may file an appeal in Superior Court. Advice of an attorney is advised.
Various state and federal laws, including but not limited to the Open Public Records Act, the Domestic Security Act, as well as the rules of Board of Public Utilities' under title 14, provide exceptions for the release of government records.
The BPU will not release the following information:
o Trade Secrets
o Propriety Commercial or Financial Information
o Information which, if disclosed, would be likely to cause damage to either a competitive or bidding position
o Emergency or security information regarding any portion of utility infrastructure, which, if disclosed, would compromise security
o Investigative reports pending the final outcome of the investigation
o Inter- or intra-agency "advisory, consultative, or deliberative material"
o Any record within the attorney-client privilege
o Administrative or technical information about computers which, if disclosed, would jeopardize their security
o Emergency or security information regarding any building or facility which, if disclosed, would compromise security
o Security or surveillance information which, if disclosed, could risk the general safety of the public
o Information about sexual harassment complaints or grievances, and information between an agency and an insurer
o Personal information such as social security, drivers license, credit card, and unlisted phone numbers (additional protections are granted to victims of crimes)
o Information kept confidential under court order.
How do I request a government record from the Board of Public Utilities?
All requests for government records to be filed under OPRA must be submitted on the Board's Records Request Form.
Where do I send the completed form?
The completed Records Request Form should be mailed to: Records Custodian, Board of Public Utilities, P.O. Box 350 Trenton, NJ 08625-0350 The form may also be filed electronically at www.nj.gov/grc. Forms will not be accepted by fax.
What if I am not sure of the exact documents I want?
The Board's Staff will assist you in identifying the documents you are looking for. You may contact the appropriate staff at (609)292-2338 or e-mail [email protected]. Please remember that a docket number, agenda date and information related to the issue or parties will facilitate the processing of your request.
When does the Board have to respond to my request?
Once your request is deemed complete, the Board has seven business days to respond to you. Some records may be in storage or unavailable. If this is the case, you will be contacted within seven business days regarding your request.
Do I have to file a Records Request Form to obtain public documents from the Board?
A number of frequently requested documents are being posted on the Board's website for easy access. You can still request documents that are available to the public, but you will not be entitled to the rights and privileges under OPRA unless the request is made on the Records Request Form.
What if the Board denies my request for government records?
If the Board denies your request for records, you will be provided with a reason for the denial. If you believe the denial was made in error, you may file an appeal with the Government Records Council (www.nj.gov/grc) or in Superior Court. | <urn:uuid:30b5d397-2288-4600-9c81-0a914671fd0d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/agenda/opra/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921535 | 1,499 | 2.53125 | 3 |
| || |
Ask Marilyn: What About Man-Made Global Warming?
Pradeep Manudhane of Canton, Ohio, writes:
Marilyn: I was surprised by your response to the global warming question (January 20, 2013), particularly:
1) Your leaving out the fact that accurate weather records have been kept for only about 125 years now, whereas the Earth is about 4.5 billion years old. Thus, it is problematic to assert that man has caused global warming.
2) You left out the fact that there were times (millions of years ago) that the Earth had more carbon dioxide than today. This points against man-caused global warming.
3) You didn't point out that sunspots have cycles of variable activity.
4) You didn't address that the Vikings did a considerable amount of farming on Greenland about 1,000 years ago, well before man could have had an impact.
I have loved meteorology since childhood, but am annoyed by those who push for an extremist agenda.
Please re-read the question and answer. Neither referred to any possible contribution by humankind. They were only about whether superstorm Sandy was caused by global warming. (I believe it was probably not.) | <urn:uuid:2d72eff7-4d8b-42e4-9743-d339b05211ec> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sungazette.com/page/dataFeeds_parade.display/ID/590533/PID/2/Ask-Marilyn--What-About-Man-Made-Global-Warming-.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970984 | 257 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Last name: Matheson
This long-established Scottish surname is one of the patronymic forms of the name Math(e) or Mathie, themselves developed from diminutive forms of the male given name Matthew, which is of biblical origin, ultimately from the Hebrew "Matityahu", "Gift of God". The personal name was introduced into Britain by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066, and is recorded in the Domesday book of 1086 in the Old French form "Mathiu", and the Latinized "Mattheus"; the short forms of the name are recorded in Scotland and England from the 12th Century: Robertus filius (son of) Mathei witnessed a charter in Scotland in 1177, and one "Mathe" is listed in the Nottinghamshire Pipe Rolls of 1195. The first recorded bearer of the patronymic surname, below, was with a Michael Mathowson, outlawed as part guilty of "the slaughter of Walter de Ogilvy", sheriff of Angus, and one Andrew Mathysoun was a forestaller in Aberdeen in 1402. The Episcopal Register of Aberdeen records a William Matheson as a witness in 1446. Examples of the name from Church Registers include: the marriage of Christen Mathison and William Gilchrist at Inverurie, Aberdeen, on April 19th 1622, and the marriage of John Mathison and Mary Lamond on November 7th 1672, in Edinburgh, Midlothian. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Mathyson, which was dated 1392, in the "Acts of the Parliament of Scotland", during the reign of King Robert 11 of Scotland, 1390 - 1406. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
© Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2016
Want to dig deeper into your family history? Take a look at our page on building a Family Tree
. Or get scientific and enter the exciting world of Ancestral DNA | <urn:uuid:7f7ab4a4-0644-467f-8d7f-caf9d53d64c3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/matheson | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952509 | 455 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Shoulder instability occurs when the upper-end of the arm bone, known as the humerus, slides partially or completely out of the shoulder socket.
The disorder is classified by how much the humerus moves and the direction of the movement: Subluxation—The humeral head moves partially out of the shoulder socket.Dislocation—The humeral head moves completely out of the socket.Anterior—The humeral head moves toward the front.
Posterior—The humeral head moves toward the back. Inferior—The humeral head drops downward.Multidirectional—The humeral head moves toward difference places.
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Shoulder instability often results from injury.
Factors that may increase your chance of shoulder instability include: Trauma, such as a fall with an outstretched arm or a direct blow to the shoulder
Previous shoulder dislocationAthletic activity, especially: Baseball—pitchingFootball—tacklingTennisGymnasticsWeight-liftingAny collision or contact sportVolleyballSwimming, especially backstroke or butterfly
Congenital collagen disorders, such as:
Marfan syndrome—a connective tissue condition
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome—a condition marked by loose joints
Family members with shoulder instability
Symptoms may come on suddenly or develop over time. Shoulder instability may cause: Pain in the shoulder areaShoulder or arm weaknessShoulder may feel looseShoulder may slip out of placeNumb feeling down the arm
You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Special attention will be given to your shoulders. Your doctor will determine your range of motion and try to move the humeral head within the socket.
Imaging tests evaluate your shoulder and surrounding structures. These may include: X-raysMRI scanCT scan
Arthroscopy is done with an instrument with a long tube and miniature camera on the end. Repairs or corrections can be made while the doctor evaluates the shoulder joint.
Therapy will depend on the extent of the injury, the cause, and other factors. Treatment may include: Rest—Avoid activities that produce pain or stress the joint.Ice—This helps to control pain and inflammation, especially after exercise.
Medication—Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, may be given to manage pain.
Rehabilitation—This can last several months and may include:
Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that control the shoulder joint, particularly the internal rotators of the shoulderSpecific exercises for certain sports or job activitiesLearning how to modify activities to prevent reinjury
Surgery—Many different procedures may be used to correct shoulder instability. The goal is to fix the cause. An
or an open technique may be used. After surgery, the arm is kept from moving for 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the procedure.
Guidelines to help protect the shoulder from injury include: Doing regular exercises to strengthen the supporting musclesUsing proper athletic training methodsIncreasing the duration or intensity of your exercises graduallyModifying activities to prevent excessive external rotation and overhead motions of the shoulder
Abrams GD, Safran MR. Diagnosis and management of superior labrum anterior
posterior lesions in overhead athletes.
Br J Sports Med. 2010 Apr;44(5):311-318.
Desmeules F, Barry J, Roy JS, Vendittoli PA, Rouleau DM. Surgical interventions for post-traumatic anterior shoulder instability in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014;(5):CD011092.
Dumont GD, Russell RD, et al. Anterior shoulder instability: a review of pathoanatomy, diagnosis, and treatment.
Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2011 Aug 2.
Gaskill TR, Taylor DC, et al.
J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2011 Dec 19(12):758-767.
Luime JJ, Verhagen AP, et al. Does this patient have an instability of the shoulder or a labrum lesion?
Mahaffey BL. Smith PA. Shoulder instability in young athletes.
Am Fam Physician. 1999;59:2773.
Nassiri N, Eliasberg C, Jones KJ, McAllister DR, Petrigliano FA. Shoulder instability in the overhead athlete: A systematic review comparing arthroscopic and open stabilization procedures. 2015;3(2):suppl2325967115S00154.
Owens BD, Campbell SE, Cameron KL. Risk factors for anterior glenohumeral instability. Am J Sports Med. 2014;42(11):2591-2596.
Provencher MT, Frank RM, et al. The Hill-Sachs lesion: diagnosis, classification, and management.
J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2012 Apr;20(4):242-252.
Recurrent subluxation of shoulder. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:
http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed. Updated August 21, 2014. Accessed September 16, 2015.
van Tongel A, Karelse A, et al. Posterior shoulder instability: current concepts review. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2011 Sep;19(9):1547-1553.
von der Heyde RL. Occupational therapy interventions for shoulder conditions: a systematic review.
Am J Occup Ther. 2011 Jan-Feb;65(1):16-23.
Wilk KE and Macrina LC. Nonoperative and postoperative rehabilitation for glenohumeral instability. Clin Sports Med. 2013; 32:865-914.
Wolf JM, Cameron KL, et al. Impact of joint laxity and hypermobility on the musculoskeletal system.
J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2011 Aug;19(8):463-471.
Last reviewed September 2015 by Laura Lei-Rivera, DPT
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:261629c3-3260-4167-b69d-b58eafa5d434> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.svmh.com/health/content.aspx?chunkiid=22492 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.827142 | 1,373 | 2.9375 | 3 |
With fortunes, water quality and cheap energy hanging in the balance, exploration companies, scientists and entrepreneurs are scrambling for an economical way to recycle the wastewater.
“Everybody and his brother is trying to come up with the 11 herbs and spices,” said Nicholas DeMarco, executive director of the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association.
Drilling crews across the country have been flocking since late 2008 to the Marcellus Shale, a rock bed the size of Greece that lies about 6,000 feet beneath New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. Geologists say it could become the most productive natural gas field in the U.S., capable of supplying the entire country’s needs for up to two decades by some estimates.
Before that can happen, the industry is realizing that it must solve the challenge of what to do with its wastewater. As a result, the Marcellus Shale in on its way to being the nation’s first gas field where drilling water is widely reused.
The polluted water comes from a drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” in which millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are blasted into each well to fracture tightly compacted shale and release trapped natural gas. Fracking has been around for decades. But the drilling companies are now using it in conjunction with a new horizontal drilling technique they brought to Appalachia after it was proven in the 1990s to be effective on a shale formation beneath Texas.
Fracking a horizontal well costs more money and uses more water, but it produces more natural gas from shale than a traditional vertical well. Once the rock is fractured, some of the water — estimates range from 15 to 40 percent — comes back up the well. When it does, it can be five times saltier than seawater and laden with dissolved solids such as sulfates and chlorides, which conventional sewage and drinking water treatment plants aren’t equipped to remove.
At first, many drilling companies hauled away the wastewater in tanker trucks to sewage treatment plants that processed the water and discharged it into rivers — the same rivers from which water utilities then drew drinking water.
But in October 2008, something happened that stunned environmental regulators: The levels of dissolved solids spiked above government standards in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Monongahela River, a source of drinking water for more than 700,000 people.
Regulators said the brine posed no serious threat to human health. But the area’s tap water carried an unpleasant gritty or earthy taste and smell and left a white film on dishes. And industrial users noticed corrosive deposits on valuable machinery.
One 11-year-old suburban Pittsburgh boy with an allergy to sulfates, Jay Miller, developed hives that itched for two weeks until his mother learned about the Monongahela’s pollution and switched him to bottled or filtered water.
No harm to aquatic life was reported, though high levels of salts and other minerals can kill fish and other creatures, regulators say. Pennsylvania officials immediately ordered five sewage treatment plants on the Monongahela or its tributaries to sharply limit the amount of frack water they accepted to 1 percent of their daily flow.
“It is a very great risk that what happened on the Monongahela could happen in many watersheds,” said Ronald Furlan, a wastewater treatment official for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. “And so that’s why we’re trying to pre-empt and get ahead of it to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Regulators in Pennsylvania are trying to push through a new standard for the level of dissolved solids in water released from a treatment plant. West Virginia authorities, meanwhile, have asked sewage treatment plants not to accept frack water while the state develops an approach to regulating dissolved solids. And in New York, fracking is largely on hold while companies await a new set of state permitting guidelines.
For now, the Marcellus Shale exploration is in its infancy. Terry Engelder, a geoscientist at Penn State University, estimates the reserve could yield as much as 489 trillion cubic feet of gas. To date, the industry’s production from Pennsylvania, where drilling is most active, is approaching 100 billion cubic feet.
Wastewater from drilling has not threatened plans to develop the nation’s other gas reserves. Brine is injected into deep underground wells in places such as Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma, or left in evaporation ponds in arid states such as Colorado and Wyoming.
However, many doubt the hard Appalachian geology is porous enough to absorb all the wastewater, and the climate is too humid for evaporating ponds. That leaves recycling as the most obvious option. Entrepreneurs are marketing portable systems that distill frack water at the well site.
Also, in southwestern Pennsylvania, Range Resources Corp., one of the gas field’s most active operators, pipes wastewater into a central holding pond, dilutes it with fresh water and reuses it for fracking. Range says the practice saves about $200,000 per well, or about 5 percent.
In addition, a $15 million treatment plant that distills frack water is opening in Fairmont, W.Va. The 200,000 gallons it can treat each day can then be trucked back for use at a new drilling site.
For years, regulators let sewage treatment plants take mining and drilling wastewater under the assumption that rivers would safely dilute. But fracking a horizontal well requires huge amounts of water — up to 5 million gallons per well, compared with 50,000 gallons in some conventional wells.
“In this case,” said John Keeling of MSES Consultants, which designed the Fairmont plant, “dilution is not the solution to pollution.” | <urn:uuid:0dfe9086-7240-4474-b6a9-936694389399> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/gas_drilling_in_appalachia_yie.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943883 | 1,207 | 3.390625 | 3 |
With the start of the Summer Olympics just days away, the International Olympic Committee remains firm in its insistence that there will be no commemoration marking the tragedy that took place 40 years ago, at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. It was there that 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were taken hostage and then murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September. A German police officer and five of the hostage-takers also died in the standoff.
The United States, Germany, Australia, and Israel have called for a public remembrance at this summer’s games in London. Their efforts have been for naught. The IOC says it does not want to “politicize” the event with a memorial service even while international pressure—including from President Obama—to hold such a commemoration mounts.
David Clay Large is a historian of modern Germany who has written about the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Munich under Nazi rule, and, most recently, about the 1972 Olympic Games. He joins Vox Tablet host Sara Ivry to discuss what role Germany’s and Israel’s national identity played in the events leading up to the 1972 massacre, how the event is remembered in Germany and Israel today, and why the IOC is disingenuous in its refusal to have a memorial service this summer. [Running time: 22:00.] | <urn:uuid:b2609af5-015a-4f91-a345-9d9203f5310a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/106685/what-went-wrong-in-munich | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976915 | 270 | 2.875 | 3 |
Safe to Eat? New Study Examines Mercury in Seafood
The number one question we field when it comes to seafood is: “Is this fish okay for me to eat?” What folks really want to know is whether or not their fish sandwich comes from a fish that’s overfished or harvested in a harmful way; or if it is harboring scary containments like mercury or PCBs.
For those who fret over mercury contamination, a new paper published this week in Environmental Health Perspectives may demystify some concerns. The study takes a closer look at mercury levels in a variety of seafood and makes the database available to the public.
“The goal of the paper was to show people who create fish advisories that there’s a resource out there more comprehensive than the FDA database,” says Tim Fitzgerald, a scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund and co-author of the recent study. The database was also the basis of the seafood selector and mercury advisories put out by EDF and adopted by other groups like Seafood Watch.
“Now everyone can see the information—where we got the data from, where we didn’t, and why we made the choices we did,” he tells TakePart.
The report is timely. As we reported earlier this spring, Americans are not eating enough fish, and may be missing out on important health benefits. Why? In part, because worries over contamination may have scared them away.
Gavin Gibbons, spokesperson for the National Fisheries Institute, says the newly released study isn’t helpful to consumers, and that the net effect of eating fish as a whole food shows there’s a clear benefit to the heart and brain.
“Basically this study simply gathered a variety of mercury levels in fish and listed them. We’ve been down the path of crafting seafood advice based on just mercury or just omega-3s and that isn’t helpful because that isn’t how people eat fish,” he says, noting government dietary guidelines urge people to at least double the amount of fish they currently eat.
Many experts agree that if you eat seafood three or four times a week, it would be wise to vary the types of fish you select. After that, the advice can become muddled depending on the source. Dr. Nicholas Fisher, who studies mercury contamination in seafood at Stony Brook University and was a co-author of the new report, says it’s inappropriate to advise people to eat all the fish they want if it’s a species of fish known to be enriched with mercury.
“Different fish have different levels of mercury contamination,” he tells TakePart. “Upper-level predators like shark, some species of tuna (such as bluefin and albacore) have higher levels, as opposed to tilapia or salmon, which have much lower mercury levels. You can eat all the tilapia you want and show no signs of mercury contamination. That isn’t true for swordfish, bluefin, or marlin.”
What else gets the okay? Seafood like shrimp, mussels, clams, oysters, and flounder.
It’s also just the beginning of this type of study. Fisher says a number of reports and an epidemiological study on seafood consumption and mercury are in the pipeline, but cautions that science moves slowly.
Are you afraid of mercury in fish? Are there any types of seafood you avoid? | <urn:uuid:d757f6a8-2270-4462-9530-4d24a7108dcc> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/06/28/mercury-seafood | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950041 | 730 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Patapsco Valley State Park [MD]
In one of Maryland's first state parks (1907), the valley and its natural resources have been enjoyed by the Native Americans, explorers, settlers, and present-day citizens. With its source in Frederick and Carroll counties, the Patapsco serves the Port of Baltimore, and empties into the Chesapeake Bay. The Avalon Visitor Center houses exhibits spanning over 300 years of history along the Patapsco River. Housed in a 19th-century stone dwelling in the Avalon Area, the center includes a recreation of a 1930s forest warden's office. The park contains several historic sites, including the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Thomas Viaduct, remains of the Orange Grove Mill, the Avalon Iron and Nail Works, and Bloedes Dam.
The park offers exhibits and tours. | <urn:uuid:534585d8-da82-4db7-8050-d73875513794> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.teachinghistory.org/history-content/historical-site/4983 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948825 | 173 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Virtualization, often defined as the act of moving physical systems to a digital environment, has become one of the most sought after tech improvements, especially for small to medium businesses. While virtualization is popular, it is still complex and has many potentially confusing terms associated with it. To help, we have created a short glossary of 10 popular virtualization terms.
1. Virtual Machine (VM)
You will often hear virtualization experts bandy about the term VM. What they are talking about when they say this is the Virtual Machine. The VM is essentially a virtual representation of the computer on your desk. It can do everything a physical machine does, only everything is virtual and usually delivered over a network connection.
Because VMs are software based, you can often run more than one VM on the same physical machine. This could equate to having say two separate versions of Windows running at the same time, or even running a different operating system, say Windows on your MacBook.
2. Virtual server
A specific type of VM, in this case a server, that is running in a virtual environment. A common setup many offices employ is to have one physical server on premise. This server then hosts separate virtual servers that in turn host different services like email, networking, storage, etc.
Other businesses choose to rely completely on virtual servers. This is where another company hosts the servers which are delivered to you over the Internet. To the computers and users it appears the servers are there on your network, and can be interacted with normally when in truth, the servers are actually virtual.
3. Virtual desktop
Much like the virtual server, the virtual desktop is a specific type of VM. In this case, it is a virtually delivered version of an operating system like Windows, Linux or even OS X.
Since the advent of virtual desktops, the idea that companies have to stick with one type of operating system has started to become irrelevant. For example, if you own a Mac and need to access a Windows only program, one solution is to use a virtual version of Windows. If you have access to one, you will be able to run Windows from your Mac without having to physically install it on your computer.
The hypervisor is essentially a small operating system that enables virtualization. Its job is to take physical hardware resources and combine them into a platform that is then delivered virtually to one, or many different users.
5. Host system
The host system, also referred to as the parent, is where the physical hardware and software is installed. These physical components are then copied by the hypervisor and delivered in a virtual state to the user. If you are creating a virtual desktop environment, then the host system will have the desktop’s OS installed on it, along with the necessary software.
6. Guest system
The guest system, also referred to as the child, is where the VM is accessed. To carry the example on from above, the OS that is installed on the host machine is replicated by the hypervisor and the copy is then delivered to the user.
The user can interact with the OS just as they would with the physical host machine, because the guest system is an exact copy of the host. The only difference is, the guest machine is virtual instead of physical.
7. Virtual Infrastructure
When you combine a bunch of different types of VMs together into one solution, including hardware, storage, desktops, and servers you create a virtual infrastructure.
This can then be deployed to businesses who are looking for a completely virtualized solution. The easiest way to think of this is that your whole IT infrastructure is combined into one solution and virtualized. Many companies look for a solution like this because it reduces the need for on-premise hardware, while making it easier for an IT partner to manage.
P2V, or Physical to Virtual, is a term used by IT experts to refer to the act of migrating a physical system to a virtual one. The most common example of P2V is the merging of physical servers into a virtual environment that is hosted on one server.
A snapshot is an image of the state of the virtual machine at a specific point of time. This includes all of the data, configurations, and even windows or programs open at that time. Snapshots are used kind of like the Save button on video games – it saves your progress. When you next load up the VM, you will get all of your data, programs, and configurations back.
Snapshots are also kept in case something goes wrong with the VM. You can easily revert back to an older snapshot, one that was taken before the problem.
The action of taking one VM and creating an exact copy that can then be used by another computer or user.
If you are looking to learn more about virtualization, contact us today to see how we can help. | <urn:uuid:45a8ad73-5496-4e03-a68c-b847a02e254e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.techadvisory.org/2014/07/10-popular-virtualization-terms/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94842 | 992 | 3.5 | 4 |
This article reviews the recent advances in the diagnosis and management of IgE mediated food allergy in children. It will encompass the emerging technology of component testing; moves to standardization of the allergy food challenge; permissive diets which allow for inclusion of extensively heated food allergens with allergen avoidance; and strategies for accelerating tolerance and food desensitization including the use of adjuvants for specific tolerance induction.
The gold standard for the diagnosis of IgE mediated food allergy is the double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC), but in reality this procedure is generally reserved for clinical trials. More commonly utilised are observed food challenges (OFC) usually unblinded to the administering clinician. These are particularly helpful where sensitisation to a food allergen is present – a positive skin prick test (SPT) or detection of serum specific IgE (ssIgE) – without a history of ingestion, or where the history of the ingestion is in doubt, or the history of symptoms resulting from the food ingestion is not highly suggestive of an IgE mediated reaction. Most commonly, the clinical diagnosis of food allergy relies upon a convincing recent history of immediate objective symptoms, and the confirmation by detection of IgE production directed against the candidate food, either by SPT and/or by detection of ssIgE. Two emerging trends have recently influenced the current diagnosis of food allergies, the evolution of component resolved diagnostics (CRD), and the move towards standardisation of protocols, severity indexes and agreed symptoms for OFC and DBPCFC.
The full article is published online in the journal Asia Pacific Allergy and is free to access. | <urn:uuid:4f3ac3b5-e25c-493a-af69-96292202b621> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.technologynetworks.com/fab/news.aspx?id=153547 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920285 | 337 | 3.015625 | 3 |
In the past few years, researchers have implicated several genes, but it is unclear how they act to produce the disorder. A new study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center identifies affected gene networks and provides insight into the molecular causes of the disease.
The paper was published today in the online edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Using an unbiased collection of hundreds of mutations associated with schizophrenia, the Columbia researchers applied a sophisticated computational approach to uncover hidden relationships among seemingly unrelated genes.
The analysis revealed that many of the genes mutated in schizophrenia are organized into two main networks, which take part in a few key processes, including axon guidance, synapse function, neuron mobility, and chromosomal modification.
The study also uncovered an intriguing connection between schizophrenia and autism. “If we hadn’t known that these were two different diseases, and had put all the mutations into a single analysis, it would have come up with very similar networks,” said the study’s senior author, Dennis Vitkup, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, the Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, and the Columbia Initiative in Systems Biology at Columbia University Medical Center. “It shows how closely the autism and schizophrenia genetic networks are intertwined,” he added.
Although it will take time to translate the findings into practical treatments, the study provides insight into the molecular causes of schizophrenia. It also suggests that mutations associated with schizophrenia, autism, and probably many other psychiatric disorders, are likely to converge on a set of interrelated molecular processes.
Computer analysis uncovers genetic networks
To discover potential connections among genes mutated in schizophrenia, Dr. Vitkup and colleagues developed a computational approach, called NETBAG+, to identify networks of genes likely to be responsible for the same genetic phenotype. They then gathered the strongest mutations that had been observed in schizophrenia by other researchers—including a set of de novo mutations recently described by a team of Columbia researchers led by Maria Karayiorgou, MD, and Joseph A. Gogos, MD, PhD—and fed them into the program.
The program uncovered two genetic networks. Genes in the first network are involved primarily in axon guidance, synapse function, and cell migration. Genes in the second network are involved in chromosomal organization and remodeling. Parts of both networks are highly active during prenatal development, suggesting that changes in the brain that cause schizophrenia later in life are laid down very early in life.
Connection to autism
Dr. Vitkup also compared his schizophrenia networks with networks found in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. One schizophrenia network is strongly related to an autism network he described in a study published last year. Both networks contain genes involved in axon guidance, synapse function, and cell migration.
“Our recent mutational analysis showed that this overlap includes primarily genes that are important for early fetal development. This is not surprising, because some cases of schizophrenia and likely many cases of autism have neurodevelopmental origin,” said Dr. Karayiorgou.
The close relationship between genetic networks involved in autism and schizophrenia raises an intriguing question: How can mutations in the same or related genes cause two different disorders? “I like to use the analogy of car brakes,” said Dr. Vitkup. “Different mechanical malfunctions of the brake mechanism can have very different functional consequences, from rapid acceleration to stalling.”
Dr. Vitkup looked at large mutations called copy number variants (CNVs) that can lead to either schizophrenia or autism. CNVs involve long stretches of the genome containing several genes that have been either duplicated or deleted. Duplication of a region increases the “dosage” of its genes; deletion of a region decreases the dosage.
In CNVs involved in the growth of dendrites, or dendritic spines, at the ends of neurons, he found decrease in growth to be more common in schizophrenia and increase in growth more common in autism. “That’s consistent with what’s been found by postmortem brain studies,” he said.
“Evidence of functional convergence among risk genes is consistent with the notion that schizophrenia and autism are both primarily diseases of neuronal communication. However, they have distinct clinical features and the challenge remains to identify the critical neural circuits and mechanisms that differentiate them,” said Dr. Joseph A. Gogos. “This is a step in that direction.”
Dr. Vitkup predicts that many more genes involved in schizophrenia and autism will eventually be found—possibly up to 1000 genes for each disorder—but a significant fraction of them will likely fall into the networks and pathways identified in the current study.
“Until a few years ago, people were looking for just a handful of genes responsible for autism and schizophrenia, so the idea that many hundreds of genes are involved is a big change in thinking,” Dr. Vitkup said. “Our study and the studies of our collaborators suggest that in the search for the causes of complex genetic disorders, it will be more productive to look for common pathways and gene circuits than for a handful of causal genes. This type of network analysis gives us a way to begin to make sense of what’s happening.”
Study points way to future approaches to gene discovery
“To uncover all of the processes and molecular pathways involved in schizophrenia and related disorders, more gene searches are clearly necessary,” said Dr. Vitkup.
Until recently, the hunt for disease genes was focused primarily on analyses of common genetic mutations, using so-called genome-wide association studies (GWAS). But according to Drs. Vitkup, Karayiorgou, and Gogos, a complementary, possibly less expensive, approach may be more fruitful. “By looking at individuals with schizophrenia who are born into families with no history of the disorder,” Dr. Vitkup said, “we can identify de novo mutations that are likely to have caused their disorder.”
Drs. Karayiorgou and Gogos recently used this approach to uncover many dozens of new schizophrenia mutations from several hundred families; nearly every mutation was unique to one patient.
“Our study demonstrates that through network-based analyses of rare de novo mutations, it is possible to implicate relevant molecular processes,” said Dr. Vitkup. “Applying similar methods to larger cohorts of patients, we should be able to delineate all of the pathways and molecular processes underlying complex psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.” | <urn:uuid:057444cd-e4f1-4fdd-b1b0-756651d43d51> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.technologynetworks.com/news.aspx?id=146279 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947972 | 1,366 | 2.9375 | 3 |
In a contemporary context, with grain prices soaring and the need to double global food production by 2050 to feed a growing population, that same wise old soul might well say, "Potash".
And that's why BHP Billiton is prepared to spend $39bn (£25bn) – and probably quite a lot more – on the world's biggest miner of the stuff.
Nothing makes plants grow quite like potash and Canada's PotashCorp has access to reserves of it currently valued at £100bn.
And BHP's bid comes at a time when the market price is going nowhere but up. With drought in Russia, floods in the Indian sub-continent and fungal problems blighting crops in the Middle East, wheat and corn prices have spiralled and farmers have never had a better reason to boost crop yields by applying fertiliser.
Indeed, analysts predict a return to the boom years leading up to 2008, when potash prices neared $1,000 a tonne.
The long-term outlook is just as bright. The UN reckons that world food production will have to double by 2050 as the world's population rises from 6.9bn today to more than 9bn.
As the countries worst hit by the Malthusian devil are in many ways the ones least well-equipped to cope with its consequences, this is good news for potash producers.
Take China, for example, It has 20pc of the world's population but just 7pc of its arable land. What's more, large tranches of this are polluted with heavy metals and desertification is a real problem.
And yet, according to the Washington DC-based International Fertiliser Institute, Chinese farmers – like their Indian counterparts – currently use half as much potash in their field mix as US farmers.
The populations of both countries also eat far less meat than people in the West – 27.8kg per head, compared with 74.3kg in Europe. But as increased affluence is linked to higher meat consumption, this is set to rise as their rapid economic growth and growing urbanisation continues.
That in turn, will spur an increase in fertiliser sales as it is estimated to take 7kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef.
In its second-quarter market analysis report published in June, PotashCorp suggested that Chinese potash consumption could rise from less than 10m tonnes a year today to 30m by 2020. Indian consumption could jump from less than 6m tonnes to 15m in the same period.
This all adds up to years of plenty for whoever owns PotashCorp in the future. Indeed, industry observers say the world has sufficient potash reserves to keep prices at 2008 levels for nearly 250 years.
"It's not like oil, which is fairly ubiquitous," said Stephen Halabura, president of Saskatoon-based North Rim Exploration, a leading North American potash consultant. "Potash is very, very concentrated."
The peculiarities of the global distribution of potash make it an attractive product for a big operator such as BHP Billiton looking to corner the market.
While it is used in 150 countries, potash is present in large quantities in just three: Canada, Russia and Belarus. Between them, these territories are responsible for three-quarters of the world's potash exports.
Acquiring PotashCorp, then, is certainly a good idea. But the question is: is BHP the best-placed to do it?
Financially, it has rarely been stronger. Unlike Rio Tinto, which saddled itself with huge debt by over-paying for Alcan, the Canadian aluminium producer, just before the credit crunch hit, BHP entered the downturn in rude health.
Since then, thanks to rises in commodity prices over the past year, BHP's revenues from, in particular, iron ore, oil and copper have all shown strong growth. This left it with an $11bn cash and it had no difficulty lining up six banks to finance the deal.
Marius Kloppers, chief executive, may also have felt that time was not on his side. There have already been signs that other big players have spotted the potential of the sector. In May, Brazil's Vale announced it had spent $4.7bn on a clutch of South American fertiliser companies, including a majority stake in Fertilizantes Fosfatados.
But Kloppers denied that competitors' aggressive moves had forced his hand. "We made an independent decision that we wanted to be in the potash business in 2003," he said. "This is an acceleration and addition to our desire to become a leading potash producer."
As many deposits of potash are found deep underground, mines can take up to a decade to develop and BHP's existing large-scale potash project is a good example of that.
Its Jansen venture in Saskatchewan is not due to start production until 2014 and, in the meantime, it stands to miss out on the upcoming agricultural Klondyke despite extending its potash holdings earlier this year with the acquisition of the Saskatoon-based Athabasca Potash for $341m.
PotashCorp would fill that particular revenue gap very nicely indeed. | <urn:uuid:cdbf6cef-2d91-4050-9b9a-0d035e62d5af> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/mining/7952656/PotashCorp-will-reap-a-rich-harvest-for-BHP.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964017 | 1,079 | 2.8125 | 3 |
by Staff Writers
New York NY (SPX) Apr 27, 2012
City streets can be mean, but somewhere near Brooklyn, a tree grows far better than its country cousins, due to chronically elevated city heat levels, says a new study. The study, just published in the journal Tree Physiology, shows that common native red oak seedlings grow as much as eight times faster in New York's Central Park than in more rural, cooler settings in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains.
Red oaks and their close relatives dominate areas ranging from northern Virginia to southern New England, so the study may have implications for changing climate and forest composition over a wide region.
The "urban heat island" is a well-known phenomenon that makes large cities hotter than surrounding countryside; it is the result of solar energy being absorbed by pavement, buildings and other infrastructure, then radiated back into the air. With a warming climate, it is generally viewed as a threat to public health that needs mitigating.
On the flip side, "Some organisms may thrive on urban conditions," said tree physiologist Kevin Griffin of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, who oversaw the study. Griffin said that the city's hot summer nights, while a misery for humans, are a boon to trees, allowing them to perform more of the chemical reactions needed for photosynthesis when the sun comes back up.
With half the human population now living in cities, understanding how nature will interact with urban trees is important, the authors say. "Some things about the city are bad for trees. This shows there are at least certain attributes that are beneficial," said lead author Stephanie Y. Searle, a Washington, D.C., environmental researcher who was a Columbia undergraduate when she started the research.
In spring 2007 and 2008, Searle and colleagues planted seedlings in northeastern Central Park, near 105th Street; in two forest plots in the suburban Hudson Valley; and near the city's Ashokan Reservoir, in the Catskill foothills some 100 miles north of Manhattan.
They cared for all the trees with fertilizer and weekly watering. Maximum daily temperatures around the city seedlings averaged more than 4 degrees F higher; minimum averages were more than 8 degrees higher. By August, the city seedlings had developed eight times more biomass than the country ones, mainly by putting out more leaves.
The researchers largely ruled out other factors that might drive tree growth, in part by growing similar seedlings in the lab under identically varying temperatures, and showing much the same result. Due to air pollution, the city also has higher fallout of airborne nitrogen-a fertilizer-which could have helped the trees as well, said Searle, but temperature seemed to be the main factor.
Other experiments done in Japan and Arizona have shown that higher temperatures, especially at night, may promote growth of rice plants and hybrid poplar trees. A 2011 study by a Lamont-based group showed that conifers in far northern Alaska have grown faster in recent years in step with rising temperatures.
Some Eastern Seaboard trees also seem to be seeing growth spurts in response to higher carbon-dioxide levels alone, according to a 2010 study by scientists at the Smithsonian Institution. However, heat can cut both ways; in lower latitudes, rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns appear to be pushing some species over the edge by causing ecological changes that stress them; massive die-offs are underway in the U.S. West and interior Alaska.
There is already some evidence that with warming climate, New York area forest compositions are already changing, with northerly species dwindling and southerly ones that tolerate more heat coming in, said Griffin. Red oaks are probably not immune to increasing heat, so there is no guarantee that they would do well in the New York City of the future.
New York City has some 5.2 million trees and is in the midst of a campaign to plant more. "Cities are special places-they might be laboratories for what the world will look like in coming years," said Gary Lovett, a forest ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., some 90 miles north of Manhattan. With temperatures projected to rise, he said, "what kinds of trees are doing well there now might be related to what kinds might do well up here in a number of years."
The study's other authors are affiliated with the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand; Black Rock Forest Consortium in Cornwall, N.Y.; and Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovoth, Israel. The paper, "Urban environment of New York City promotes growth in northern red oak seedlings," is available here.
The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Forestry News - Global and Local News, Science and Application
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Brazil Congress approves controversial forestry bill
Brasilia (AFP) April 26, 2012
Brazil's Congress has approved a controversial forestry code reform that environmentalists say provides amnesty for illegal logging and opens up vast swathes of rainforest to agribusiness. The bill, which would allow farming in areas illegally logged before July 2008, including along fragile river banks, will now go to President Dilma Rousseff for ratification after having been approved by t ... read more
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Challenges in communicating a prevention message
Client’s perception as to whether they have a problem
The Blue Dog message is scientifically correct and well accepted by international veterinary behaviourists. All dogs have the potential to bite, and whether they do or not depends on the overall context of the situation. There are many myths associated with bites – the consideration of “dangerous breeds” suggests there are “safe breeds”. Neutering is often (wrongly) thought to prevent dogs from biting humans. Status dogs are certainly a problem in our society, but checking out the headline facts and figures shows that most bites occur in young children in the home by the family dog. It is easy to understand though why many clients do not appreciate that their family may be at risk.
At the other extreme, a client may believe there is a real risk, but feel unable to effectively protect the family. This may provoke a “fear” response as a means of coping with the situation – and the prevention message may be rejected as a result.
A balanced approach
So there are inherent difficulties about communicating a prevention message (similarly with worming!) and it is important to adopt a balanced approach. For this very reason, the Blue Dog website has been designed to give information about all the good things about having a dog in the family as well as exposing people to the prevention message. | <urn:uuid:ecbc8141-5498-46a4-b577-a98ff9eda1c5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thebluedog.org/en/professionals/vet-practices-and-the-blue-dog/challenges-in-communicating-a-prevention-message | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963301 | 284 | 2.609375 | 3 |
For the first time in its over 50-year history, the James Bryant Conant Prize is being awarded to a project consisting of wood, clay, twisted wire, and beams of light rather than a collection of words on a page.
Though the official results have not yet been announced, Quincy K. Bock ’11 was notified recently that her model of X-ray diffraction, designed to illuminate key elements of the famous Rosalind Franklin DNA image that contributed to James D. Watson and Francis H. C. Crick’s discovery of the double helix, will be one of the winners.
The prize was created in 1953 upon the retirement of Harvard University President Conant to reward students, especially non-scientists, for engaging science writing in interesting ways.
The prize was dormant for about the past 10 years, according to Administrative Director of the Program in General Education Stephanie H. Kenen.
Last year, with the initiation of the new General Education program, the prize was revived—but only this year was the submission criteria expanded to include artistic and multimedia projects in addition to papers.
Due to an increasing emphasis on creative assignments in Gen Ed courses, the committee thought it would be wise to welcome non-narrative submissions, according to Kenen.
“Students can use the same kinds of evidence and background as they might in an essay, but they’re doing it visually or in a spoken way,” Kenen said.
Bock, a Visual and Environmental Studies concentrator, coupled her interests in photography and science education to create a pedagogically useful piece of scientific artwork for the fall course Science of the Physical Universe 20: “What is Life? From Quarks to Consciousness.”
“We just vaguely touched on the discovery of DNA and this photograph in class,” said Bock, an inactive Crimson photo editor. “I thought it would be cool to figure out how it was taken and also analyzed because it’s very different from a regular photograph.”
Bock set out to create a projection box that imitated an X-ray diffraction machine like the one Franklin used. She also sought to show how Franklin’s 2-dimensional image depicts each 3-dimensional component of DNA.
Slides inserted into the projection box show the patterns created by different elements of a DNA double helix, including helices, phosphate groups, and base pairs. The project also features clay models of each 3-D structural element.
“What was particularly interesting about it was that she created this with a pedagogical idea in mind,” said SPU 20 professor Logan S. McCarty ’96, who is director of physical sciences education. “The hope was that students would simply put more of themselves into this and immerse themselves into the project more deeply than they would in a paper,” McCarty said.
But the projects have had an additional benefit, said physics professor Melissa E. B. Franklin, another SPU 20 instructor, who noted that the professors plan to use the model in future course lectures.
“If you look at the image, it takes about eight paragraphs to make it make sense,” Franklin said, explaining that words were not the best medium through which to teach about this photograph. “Just the way she pulls it apart would never have occurred to me.”
Bock, who has previously made other artistic science projects such as a wooden wave machine, said she appreciated having the ability to engage with science in a physical, creative capacity.
Conant, Fischer, Counts Stress Learning Communist ConceptsPresident emeritus James Bryant Conant '14 opened the Summer School Conference on Teaching the Nature of Communism Monday night by
The Lamont Education
'Against the Root of Privilege'
Harvard and the Fabric of a Nation
Past Tense: Finding a Place
Undergraduates "Surrender to Raw, Mass Impulse" | <urn:uuid:50762cd6-d688-434b-8abe-0e90cefe3cb4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/3/30/science-conant-prize-bock/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958501 | 818 | 2.734375 | 3 |
High Speed 2 is a national project with national ramifications - if we get the details right then we can ensure the best railway is built reports principal policy advisor, Chris Richards.
High speed rail, undertaken correctly, is an excellent way to accomplish modal shift and the decarbonisation of long distance travel. It was unfortunate that the Department for Transport decided to conflate the issues of ‘high speed rail’ as a concept and the route from London to Birmingham in one consultation, ignoring latter parts of the scheme.
As an independent and impartial engineering institution the IET, along with the Royal Academy of Engineering, submitted a response which assessed whether or not Government plans for high speed rail met the objectives they had set out. The IET’s multi-disciplinary approach allowed us to assess the project from every engineering point of view, be it civil, mechanical or communications engineering and to respond with an assessment.
That assessment highlighted key parts of the high speed rail proposals which lacked robust evidence or detailed analysis. As was noted in the IET’s response at the time, while there is no doubt expert engineers worked on the detail of the project, the final decision is ultimately a political one. The IET’s concerns fall into four broad categories of the environment, engineering, economic and business justifications. Two sections, on the environment and business case are highlighted below.
High Speed 2 could lead to an increase and not a reduction in carbon emissions if viewed in isolation. The evidence presented in the consultation documents was not comprehensive enough for the IET to make a full assessment and seemed somewhat deceptive in its presentation.
As an example a graph was presented which showed emissions per passenger mile for different modes of transport. Eurostar was shown to have a significantly lower figure than Intercity UK rail, why? Eurostar trains are built to UK loading gauge restrictions, similar to UK domestic rolling stock, so the number of passengers in each train is comparable. The IET therefore surmised that the Eurostar figure was based on French ‘nuclear’ electricity while Intercity rail was based on the current UK electricity energy mix. In the IET’s view, this is inappropriate given the date High Speed 2 will commence and the expected change in the UK electricity generating mix by this date.
Secondly, ‘green tunnels’ are anything but. Tunnels increase the aerodynamic drag of trains thus increasing their energy consumption, the carbon cost of tunnel excavation and construction is also locked in to the overall CO2 burden of the project. In addition to this hard environmental cost, the cost of maintaining High Speed 2 is higher the more tunnels are introduced. In the latest announcements more and more tunnels are used.
Part of the economic case for High Speed 2 is based on the assumption that time spent on trains is wasted, no evidence was presented to back up this claim. In the last decade we have witnessed a significant change in communication with the rise of modern portable ICT devices such as laptops, smart phones and now tablets, with on-board wireless Internet available for their continuous use throughout the journey.
Train travel is no longer about waiting and twiddling thumbs; significant business activity is now done while travelling by intercity rail. High Speed 2 will begin operating in 2026, given what we have witnessed in the last ten years, how can we predict that in another 14 years we will witness no improvement in modern ICT devices?
Value of business time savings is a significant component of the benefits associated with High Speed 2 and we would have expected more evidence of its genuine value to be presented. If this component of the benefit-cost ratio is incorrect this would undermine the case for investment in High Speed 2.
Over the last 18 months there have been a number of rail transport announcements, but with little joined up strategy between them. What is now needed is such a strategy that connects the dots between electrification, rolling stock procurement, new rail lines, signalling and other upgrades. A piecemeal approach does nothing to help reduce the 40 per cent efficiency gap in UK rail, identified by the McNulty Rail Value for Money study.
This strategy would also help to develop appropriate plans for UK-based skills development (the tunnelling academy for Crossrail is an excellent example) and present opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses in the UK to gear up, knowing what contracts will be coming down the supply chain.
Over the coming weeks the IET will be studying in-depth the updated documents published by HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport, to see what new evidence has been presented. In addition, it will provide, where appropriate, additional recommendations and lines of query.
It is in the UK’s interest that such a large rail project is constructed based on the soundest evidence, or we may come to regret it in years to come.
|To start a discussion topic about this article, please log in or register.| | <urn:uuid:575da3ce-f2dc-48cb-932f-671fcac2e310> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.theiet.org/membership/member-news/30a/highspeed-project.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955807 | 1,003 | 2.78125 | 3 |
This term is used in four senses: (1) in theosophy, it refers to the material of the ASTRAL LIGHT, the lowest level of AKASA (as contrasted to AETHER, which is the higher level of Akasa); in this aspect, it refers also to the material of the LINGA-SARIRA or ETHERIC DOUBLE; (2) in physics, it is the supposed universal medium needed for the transmission of light; (3) in Hinduism, the 5th primordial element or TATTVA; (4) in chemistry, it is an organic compound. It is with the first three that this article is concerned.
Ether in physics. During the nineteenth century many physicists postulated the existence of an intangible substance that permeated all space, including the matter contained therein. Light, it was discovered, had a wave motion and it was thought that ether would provide the medium by which light-waves could be transmitted. Also, it was thought that ether might account for effects operating between objects at a distance from each other in space such as between the planets. Then again it was suggested that magnetism might be an etheric effect. In 1881, this theory became questionable when the Michelson-Morley experiment showed the motion of the earth through the ether which was supposed to affect the speed of light did not have such expected effects. From 1900 the concept of the ether was discarded when Albert Einstein demonstrated that it was unnecessary as space-time could accommodate the properties formerly attributed to ether.
Ether in theosophy. In 1891, H. P. Blavatsky published The Secret Doctrine and stated that this ether is a reality. It is one of the lower principles of Akasa, or primordial substance. It is also called the ASTRAL LIGHT (SD I:326). Aether, on the other hand, is used to refer to Akasa itself. In this sense Aether is identical with the way the Greeks used the word. For example, Virgil calls Jupiter “the great Aether” (SD I:331). Thus, we must distinguish between Aether and Ether, Akasa and the Astral Light (CW I:384).
The word “ether” is also used to refer to the “nerve force” of people, such as that used by John Kelly in running his motor. Blavatsky identifies this as the “etheric (or Astral) Force” (SD I:562). This belongs to the linga-sarira of the human constitution (not the kama-rupa or emotional body).
Ether in Hinduism. In Hinduism, there are five primordial elements (tattvas): akasa (aether), air, fire, water, earth.
See also AKASA; ASTRAL LIGHT; TATTVAS.
© Copyright by the Theosophical Publishing House, Manila | <urn:uuid:0d35c8de-9b5f-4dff-9c73-c9294cbb7d89> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?title=Ether | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969495 | 609 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Food should be regulated like tobacco, campaigners say
Unhealthy foods are as big a global health risk as cigarettes, obesity groups warn
Governments around the world should impose regulations on food similar to those placed on tobacco to avoid obesity-related health problems in the future, campaigners say.
Consumers International (CI) and the World Obesity Federation (WOF) say that the potential threats posed by unhealthy foods could turn out to be more serious than those from cigarettes. The two groups called on governments around the world to introduce legislation to help consumers make healthy decisions about what they eat.
Unhealthy diets now rank above tobacco as a global cause of preventable non-communicable diseases, WOF said in a press release.
The two groups said that said worldwide deaths related to obesity and being overweight rose from 2.6 million in 2005 to 3.4 million in 2010.
CI's director general, Amanda Long, said that regulations should be imposed to avert problems similar to those caused by tobacco. "The scale of the impact of unhealthy food on consumer health is comparable to the impact of cigarettes," she added.
The two groups say that the best way to tackle the problem is through worldwide "collective action". The new rules the groups advocate include measures to reduce people's salt, saturated fat and sugar intakes, offering better food in hospitals and schools, the introduction of stricter advertising controls, and initiating better education campaigns to help individuals make healthy choices, the BBC reports.
Luke Upchurch at CI said: "If we don't take action now we are going to have the same intransigence and foot-dragging in the food industry... as the tobacco industry in the 1960s."
But Terry Jones, director of communications at the Food and Drink Federation, told the BBC that the food and drinks industry in the UK was already taking action to combat obesity.
He said: "The industry's participation in the UK government's public health responsibility deal sees manufacturers working in partnership with government, health organisations, NGOs and other stakeholders." | <urn:uuid:db745f39-bf1c-4e83-81b4-5eaa0391c413> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.theweek.co.uk/health-science/58584/food-should-be-regulated-like-tobacco-campaigners-say | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953398 | 412 | 2.765625 | 3 |
About the Study Guide and Source Reader
The Study Guide and the Source Reader each contain nine chapters, whose chronology corresponds almost exactly with that of the nine TV programs. William Hallo wrote the first two chapters of each; David Ruderman, chapters 3, 4 and 5; and Michael Stanislawski, chapters 6 through 9.
The chapters of the Study Guide are accompanied by educational tools written by Benjamin Gampel to help the students through the telecourse. The first section, entitled "Before Viewing the Show," refers students to the relevant maps and charts. This is followed by "Overview of the TV Program" and a section called "Watch for . . . and Think About," which contains points that students can reflect on during or after each program. "While Reading the Study Guide and Source Reader" guides the students through the printed materials. The students are advised on what to watch for so that they can focus their energies while reading the books and be attuned to significant issues. What follows next is the chapter itself, written by one of the three scholars.
Generally each chapter proceeds chronologically and is divided into subsections. These divisions correspond closely with the issues that were noted at the beginning of the unit. At the end of the unit, a section called "After Viewing and Reading" offers more involved questions on the materials. Here, too, the answers can be found in the appropriate subsections. A list of suggested readings ends each unit and can profitably be used by teachers and students. At the end of the Study Guide there is a glossary of key words and concepts.
Throughout the Study Guide, you will frequently encounter the words "See Reading . . ." This notation refers to the Source Reader. Never before has such an impressive array of primary sources documenting Jewish history been assembled in one volume. However, not every selection need be assigned by the teacher; rather, the instructor can choose the sources that best enhance his or her lesson plan. Each source is prefaced by a description of its contents and a brief explanation of its importance. An index by subject matter is included at the end of the volume. | <urn:uuid:70eefecf-5a92-403c-a8fd-c7443c95cba0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/teachingheritage/lessons/faculty/index2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956523 | 430 | 3.75 | 4 |
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually come on quickly within days or weeks. The following can be signs of type 1 diabetes:
* Your appetite has increased, and you're still losing weight.
* You're fatigued or irritable.
* Your vision is blurry.
* You're dehydrated.
Once diagnosed, you will still experience high and low blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels develop slowly. Low blood sugar levels can develop in minutes. Symptoms of low blood sugar include sweating, weakness and hunger. Symptoms of high blood sugar include increased thirst and urination. | <urn:uuid:f113cee4-de95-44ef-99ad-89ad2805a821> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-discussion-f1/topic10382.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927744 | 118 | 2.890625 | 3 |
National Grid of Massachusetts recently submitted a tariff request that will raise electricity rates for its residential customers by nearly 20 percent and its industrial customers by 30 percent. These increases will have a major impact on jobs, as a 30 percent increase in electricity rates to all Massachusetts’ industries would result in $600 million in additional electricity costs annually — and countless job losses. The elderly and poor will also be highly impacted as a greater portion of their monthly expenses go to energy costs, leaving them with less money for food, medicine and other essentials.
These rate increases are a direct result of New England’s over-reliance on natural gas for electricity generation, which will only be magnified as reliable base-load power options like Brayton Point and Vermont Yankee are retired. Immediately after Entergy announced the retirement of Vermont Yankee effective at the end of 2014, the Algonquin Citygate natural gas futures basis price rose 50 cents per million Btu. Natural gas set the price for electricity in New England during 80 percent of operating hours — which leaves ratepayers extremely vulnerable to increases in natural gas prices.
The explosion of the natural gas industry nationwide has been a boon to our economy and a benefit to ratepayers by lowering electricity costs. Unfortunately for New Englanders, the benefits of low-cost natural gas are tempered by restricted natural gas pipeline capacity in the Northeast. New England electricity generators have become increasingly reliant on natural gas over the past two decades, and electricity from natural gas now constitutes over 50 percent of power generated in the region — up from just 5 percent of generation in 1990.
Additionally, local distribution companies account for most of the firm commitments on pipeline capacity in the region in order to provide home heating fuel to customers in the winter — resulting in restricted natural gas supplies for electricity generation and sharp price spikes in the region on colder winter days. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, on Jan. 25 natural gas prices in New England reached $35 per million Btu while prices in the rest of the country remained below $4 per million Btu. In February electricity prices increased 400 percent during one cold spell.
Due to environmental constraints, new coal and nuclear plants are off the table, and currently 20 percent of the region’s capacity is supplied by uneconomical oil-fired plants that are utilized only when demand is high or scarcity conditions call for them to be dispatched — but at a premium. Oil-fired units have value to the grid because they provide capacity and reliability, but they shouldn’t be considered as a long-term solution to our electricity needs.
Putting all of our eggs in the basket of one fuel source is asking for trouble and will only further add to what are already the highest electricity rates of any region in the lower 48. Legislators and stakeholders need to take a more discerning look at the future of our energy grid and promote policies that will provide the region with dependable, reliable, affordable electricity, not one that is profligate with politically preferred projects that offer nothing but high electricity rates to the individuals and businesses that pay the bills.
Marc Brown is executive director of the New England Ratepayers Association.MORE IN Commentary
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1909. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is founded in New York City on June 1. Notable founders include W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, William English Walling and Oswald Garrison Villard.
1910. W.E.B. Du Bois, director of publicity and research, is named editor of the newly launched The Crisis magazine.
1915.The NAACP campaigns against the film The Birth of a Nation, in which Black Americans, portrayed by whites in blackface, are depicted as woefully inept.
1917. Led by Joel Spingarn, the NAACP forces the War Department to provide a training camp for Black officers. Du Bois publishes his “Close Ranks” editorial, asking Black America to set aside its social and political complaints until after the war.
1920. Du Bois is presented the sixth Spingarn Medal on the campus of Atlanta University where the annual conference was held.
1925. The NAACP retains noted lawyer Clarence Darrow to represent Ossian Sweet, M.D., and his family. After the Sweet family moved into an all-white neighborhood on the east side of Detroit, a white mob attacked their home and one member of the group was killed during the shoot-out.
1931. Nine Black youths are charged with raping two white girls on a train. The NAACP once again retains Clarence Darrow, but Darrow and his team withdraw from the case after conflicts arise between the NAACP and the Communist Party.
1938. Thurgood Marshall is appointed special counsel after Charles Hamilton Houston returns to private practice. James Weldon Johnson, the first African-American executive director of the NAACP, dies in June after a train strikes his car.
1941. Walter White, who succeeded James Weldon Johnson as executive secretary of the NAACP, joins A. Philip Randolph in a meeting at the White House to discuss the threatened march on Washington to protest employment discrimination against Black workers in the nation’s war plants.
1945. Du Bois and White are among the dignitaries in San Francisco during the founding of the United Nations. They demand the abolishment of the colonial system and the equality of all races.
1950. Clarence Mitchell is appointed director of the Washington bureau of the NAACP. The Supreme Court rules that the University of Oklahoma cannot segregate students in their graduate schools once they have been admitted.
1954. The Supreme Court hands down its landmark decision in Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, overturning the separate-but-equal doctrine.
1955. The NAACP is actively involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott through such tacticians as E.D. Nixon, president of the organization’s local branch.
1957. Daisy Bates and her husband, leaders of the Little Rock, Ark., branch of the NAACP, steadfastly support the nine Black students who integrate Little Rock’s Central High School.
1960. Young members of the NAACP are among students at the forefront of the sit-in movement in Greensboro, N.C., to protest segregated restaurants.
1963. Without the formidable role of the NAACP, the historic March on Washington would have been far less successful. The year is marred by the assassination of Mississippi leader Medgar Evers and Du Bois’s death at 95 in Ghana on the eve of the march.
1965. The Voting Rights Act is spurred along by the relentless dedication of the NAACP’s Washington bureau, headed by Clarence Mitchell.
1968. Passage of the Fair Housing Act is another feather in the cap of the Washington bureau of the NAACP. It helps to salve the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
1974. Boston becomes a flashpoint when a judge decrees the first phase of busing to integrate the school system. Executive Director Roy Wilkins, General Counsel Nathaniel Jones and Branch President Thomas Atkins are in the vanguard of the struggle to ensure cross-districting busing.
1980. One day after the May 17 riot in Miami, Benjamin Hooks, NAACP executive director, conducts a tour of the city with his staff to see what can be done to heal the wounds and bring about peace among the area’s three major ethnic groups.
1985. In February, the NAACP’s national board votes to purchase a national headquarters building in Baltimore.
1990. The NAACP assembles more than 400 demonstrators for a march through downtown Los Angeles, airing their grievances about drugs and violence in the country.
1995. Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of Medgar Evers, is elected chairman of the board of the NAACP.
2000. More than 50,000 march in Columbia, S.C., protesting the flying of the Confederate flag. The NAACP coordinates the march, the largest civil-rights demonstration in the South.
2003. The NAACP calls for the reopening of the Emmett Till murder case. Till, 14, was brutally killed in Money, Miss. Two white men later confess to the killing.
2007. Outraged that a Black youth is unfairly tried and convicted as an adult and that five others face unjust treatment following a fight with white youths in Jena, La., the NAACP presents a petition of more than 60,000 names to the governor. The state’s Third Court of Appeals reverses the charges against the youth.
2008. Benjamin Todd Jealous is named president and CEO of the NAACP. Now, at 36, he is the youngest to ever hold the positions.
2009. Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP board, receives the Spingarn Medal. The organization’s centennial is
celebrated at the annual convention in New York City. | <urn:uuid:69ca02b4-9f9b-4e9e-810d-c07c7d6969e1> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.tnj.com/print/3522 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945885 | 1,178 | 3.6875 | 4 |
What is an Organic Acid?
An organic acid is an organic compound having properties of acids. It is an acid occurring naturally in foods that contain carbon, for example acetic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, etc. Those organic compounds having functional group COOH behave like acids are also thereby termed as organic acids.
What is Organic Compound?
An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds the molecules of which contain carbon.
What is Acid?
An acid (often represented by the generic formula HA) is traditionally considered any chemical compound that, when dissolved in water, gives a solution with a pH less than 7.0.
Types of Organic Acids
Organic acids are of two types: » COOH group (the carboxyl group) » Phenol group
Each type appears in salicylic acid (OHC6H4COOH). Water solutions of each type are weakly acidic. Phenol is also known as Carbolic Acid, Benzenol, Phenylic Acid, Hydroxybenzene and Phenic acid.
Phenol has antiseptic properties, which was used by Sir Joseph Lister (1827-1912) in his pioneering technique of antiseptic surgery
It is used as an active ingredient in some oral anesthetics such as Chloraseptic spray
Phenol was the main ingredient of the Carbolic Smoke Ball, a device sold in London, which protected the user against influenza and other ailments
It is used in the manufacture of drugs, weedkiller and synthetic resins
Phenol is used in cosmetic surgery as an exfoliant to remove layers of dead skin
It is used in phenolization, a surgical procedure used to treat an ingrown nail
Characteristics of Organic Acid
Organic acids having 4 to 9 carbon atoms are colourless oily liquids at ordinary room temperatures
Organic acids are weak acids and do not dissociate completely
Lower molecular weight organic acids can be mixed in water
Higher molecular weight organic acids are insoluble in molecular form
Most organic acids are very soluble in organic solvents
It has variety in the chemical structure
Several types of toxic effects may occur in organic acids
Organic acids with 1 to 3 carbon atoms are colorless liquids at ordinary room temperatures. Those with higher molecular weights have a primary irritant effect, the degree determined in part by acid dissociation and water solubility
Organic acids with 1 to 3 carbon atoms have very pungent smell. The next acids with 4 to 9 carbon atoms smell like goat’s butter. Still higher molecular weighted organic acids are odorless
The first four carbonic acids are soluble in water. As the molecular weight increases, the solubility in water decreases
Organic acids like methanoic and ethanoic acids turn blue litmus to red quite easily
Organic acid reacts with sodium bicarbonate to release water and carbon dioxide.
Hazards of Organic Acid
All organic acids except monocarboxylic acids are user-friendly. The low-molecular-weight monocarboxylic acids are primary irritants and cause severe damage to tissues. Strict precautions are necessary in handling this acid. Suitable protective equipment should be available for protection of the skin or eye while one works with this acid. The most important acids of this group are acetic acid and formic acid.
Application of Organic Acid
Simple organic acids like formic or acetic acid are used for oil and gas cell stimulation treatments
The conjugate bases of organic acids such as citrate and acetate are often used in biologically-compatible buffer solutions
Organic acids are valuable platform chemicals for future biorefining applications
The use of organic acids improves the yield of certain crops
It is used in nearly every type of chemical manufacture
Organic acids have wide application in the plastics, tanning, textile, paper, metal, pharmaceutical, food, beverage and cosmetics industries
They are used in perfumes, herbicides, dyes, lubricants and cleaners
Organic acids are used in some food items. For example vinegar is dilute acetic acid, which is used in many preparations for pickles, salads, sauces, etc.
Acetic acid, an organic acid is used for coagulation of latex, which is needed when rubber is made from latex in a rubber manufacturing industry
Acetic acid is also used for making cellulose acetate, which is an important starting material for making artificial fibers. | <urn:uuid:810bd683-d953-4c2b-a5f1-b8b5e247535a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.tradeindia.com/about_products/216/Organic-Acid.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92312 | 943 | 3.46875 | 3 |
For school success, make breakfast part of the morning routine
Joyce M. Martin RD, LDN | 08.30.13
School is back in session and parents and students have returned to the hectic morning routine. How will you break your body’s fast from the past 8-10 hours? Will you break it with breakfast or will you wait until lunch?
Breakfast is an important part of the day particularly for school aged children.
Many children skip breakfast and for a variety of reasons. Often times a few more minutes of sleep is a higher priority than eating breakfast and often children are not awake long enough to be hungry or at least know that they are hungry. They simply head off to school without breakfast. Another reason for not eating breakfast may be related to finances. With today’s economy, some families may not be able to afford food and again those children leave for school with empty stomachs. Finally young teenage girls may choose to skip breakfast in an effort to avoid gaining weight.
It has been well documented that breakfast is an important part of the day particularly for school aged children. It is very difficult to get the recommended number of grain servings into the diet and especially the adequate amount of fiber when skipping breakfast. Often times, skipping breakfast results in overeating later in the day. It may also result in the selection of inappropriate foods. Persons become so hungry that they eat whatever is available.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Kids Eat Right effort, healthy breakfast provides the following benefits:
Skipping breakfast results in overeating later in the day.
- Adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have a lower BMI or body mass index (a number calculated from a person’s weight and height which provides an indicator of body fatness and often is used to screen for potential health problems which may result later in life)
- Children who eat breakfast tend to eat more fruit and drink more milk
- Breakfast eaters have higher nutrient intakes of calcium, fiber, folate and protein
- Performance in the classroom improves resulting in improved test results, improved speed and memory on cognitive tests, fewer mistakes and faster performance in math, and improvement on concentration for mental tasks
- Reduced rates of absence and tardiness
- Reduced discipline referrals to the principal and reduced school nurse visits
- Behavioral problems are reduced
Breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight.
Breakfast can be a simple meal, yet be quite nutritious. It does not even need to be traditional breakfast food. Left-overs from the evening before can be incorporated into breakfast.
For those busy households where breakfast can’t be prepared prior to your children leaving for school, consider providing the funds for your student to purchase a breakfast at school. Most local schools provide breakfast as part of their school lunch program. If finances are a problem, assistance may be available by completing an application for help with school meals.
Whether eating breakfast at home or at school it is too important to avoid eating something as you begin your day. So enjoy breakfast and have a great school year!
Joyce M. Martin RD, LDN is a clinical dietitian at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital. She can be contacted at (717) 337-4107.
Click here for an infographic about the issue of childhood obesity and ways for parents to help transform their kids' health! | <urn:uuid:64e3672a-90f3-4ebe-8698-1764383eb3f7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.transforminghealth.org/stories/2013/08/for-school-success-make-breakfast-part-of-the-morning-routine.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963406 | 694 | 3.046875 | 3 |
The exterior of the Basilica of SS Boniface and Alexis on the Aventine, an an ancient monastic and titular church. It's unclear exactly when the first structure appeared here, but scholarly consensus points to about the fourth century. Alexis was reportedly the son of a Roman senator. He ran away from home as a teenager to become a beggar, but later returned to the family home on the Aventine, which possibly occupied this site. St. Boniface was allegedly martyred in Tarsus after departing Rome to assist persecuted Christians in the east. His remains were repatriated, and then reportedly a house was converted into a church in the fourth century in commemoration of him.
A monastery was added in the Middle Ages when it was granted by Pope Benedict VII to a Greek archbishop in 977, who established a community of Latin and Byzantine monks. The Byzantines left and were later replaced by Benedictines from Cluny Abbey. The complex was rebuilt under Pope Honorius III in 1217 when St. Alexis's legend became more popular, and it became a basilica with naves, aisles and eight arcade columns on each side. This lovely church is highly recommended if you're in this rather out-of-the-way part of Rome; the hill is quite a climb but as there are several important churches here (including the adjacent Basilica of Saint Sabina) it's worth a visit. The exterior is a pale yellow, and there is a beautiful courtyard which features a statue of Pope Honorius IV, possibly from a lost memorial to him, from the school of Arnolfo di Cambio. The site occupies the crest of the hill overlooking the Tiber, and features magnificent views of Trastevere. The brick campanile seen in the photo was built in the thirteenth century, and it's five stories high, preserved in the Baroque reconstruction.
Nobody has marked this note useful | <urn:uuid:6fc2bda3-28ac-4e5d-a6ca-c3d38b651bac> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Rome/Rome/photo1450751.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981557 | 399 | 2.96875 | 3 |
We all know the benefits of walking: the health benefits, reduced emissions, and the feeling of relief that you are away from your computer. Now imagine a world where we see and hear public service announcements admonishing us to walk in order to gain energy independence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Well, there is a possibility we could stomp our way to such a future. The city of Toulouse, in southwestern France, is studying the potential of installing energy-absorbing sidewalk panels that would transform pedestrian steps into power that would fuel the city’s street lights.
Here’s how it works. A Dutch firm, Sustainable Dance Club (SDC), has designed panels that Toulouse engineers can install under the sidewalk in the city’s center. These eight panels would be able to power anywhere from 30 to 60 watts of electricity, enough to power a street lamp. Each time these panels are stepped, or stomped, they compress about half an inch. A tiny motor converts that power into electricity.
Similar panels are already available for sale. According to SDC, its product “is the first dance floor that captures the energy of dancing.” Movement on these panels converts into electricity, and depending on the intensity of power, the color of these panels change, “allowing every individual’s actions to contribute to the collective experience.”
SDC’s technicians realized that what was good for the club was not necessarily good for the sidewalk. A Toulouse official revealed that when the panels were first tested, they would only work when stomped on. SDC then re-engineered the panesl so that they could work for normal walking, by people of all sizes and shapes. Many authorities and those in the general public were skeptical, but to the bemusement of many, the panels actually work.
The technology is far from scalable, however. The first obstacle is cost, and no one can give a clear answer as to the maintenance and longevity of the magical electrifying panels. But SDC has been inundated with requests to test the product, and the firm believes there is application in high-traffic areas like train stations and sports facilities. In fact, Rotterdam’s football stadium will start a similar pilot program.
Toulouse, the Silicon Valley of France, is a natural testing ground for technologies like that of SDC’s. We may not be stepping completely away from fossil fuels anytime soon, but projects like this spur interest and innovation, and that is hardly a negative. | <urn:uuid:0d6bce9b-5d4a-4f66-abe6-d56743fd61bb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/04/french-city-takes-many-steps-towards-powering-city-lights/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964213 | 526 | 3.578125 | 4 |
“Environmental Possibilities: Zero Waste” features new ways of thinking, acting, and shaping government policy that are circling the globe. Each week, we highlight a success story in the zero waste movement, excerpted from the report On the Road to Zero Waste: Successes and Lessons from Around the World by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA). GAIA is a powerful worldwide alliance of more than 650 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries. Their collective goal is a just, toxic-free world without incineration. Other Worlds is excited to promote the work of GAIA and the organized communities it works with, and hopes that the stories inspire you and others to begin moving your home, town or city, nation, and planet toward zero waste.
Facing a nearly full landfill in 2002, Spain’s Gipuzkoa Province proposed building two new incinerators. Citizen opposition was immediate and widespread. In response, some municipalities in the Province decided not only to reject the incinerator plan, but to implement an alternative to burying and burning. Usurbil was the first. This town of 6,000 people established a door to-door collection system of source-separated waste streams, including organic materials. In just six weeks, the amount of collected waste destined for landfills dropped by 80 percent. The resource recovery rate registered in the first year was 82 percent. In 2008, before door-to-door collection started, Usurbil was taking 175 tons per month to the landfill. One year later, the amount had dropped to 25 tons.
In May 2010, after two months of dialogue with the citizens to explain and solicit input on the new system, Hernani followed Usurbil’s example. The municipality distributed two small bins per household, placed hooks to hang the bins and bags at the front of houses and buildings, removed the large containers from the streets, established waste segregation as mandatory, and launched door-to-door collection. Citizens began to place separated organics, light packaging, paper and cardboard, as well as non-recyclable residuals in front of their houses.
Each bin and each hook have a code that identifies the household that uses them. This allows the government to monitor separation in each household. If the collector identifies a stream that does not correspond to that collection day, s/he puts a sticker with a red cross on the bin and does not collect that waste. The information is given to the administration office, and the household receives a notice explaining why the waste was not collected. If someone misses the door-to-door collection, there are four emergency centers to drop off waste. There is also a drop-off site that takes bulky waste, electric and electronic devices, and other waste not covered by the door-to-door collection free of charge.
Hernani promotes home composting throughout the municipality. In rural areas, home composting is mandatory, and other streams are either collected door-to-door or taken to drop-off centers. Residents of the town can sign up for a composting class, request a home composting manual, and receive a compost bin for free. There is a phone line to get composting advice, and there are compost specialists who can visit households in need of assistance. People who sign up to compost at home receive a 40 percent discount on the municipal waste management fee. Source separation is clearly reflected in the material that Hernani takes to the compost plant, which consists of—on average—only 1.5 percent impurities (non-organics and other pollutants).
In the first full month of the door-to-door collection, the level of non-recyclable residuals dropped by 80 percent, and the total waste managed decreased by 27 percent. In 2010, the municipality landfilled 53.8 percent less waste than in 2009 (5,219 tons in 2009 and 2,412 tons in 2010), and door-to-door collection had only begun in May.
“Our state-of-the-art technology is the neighbors.”
Communication and community participation have been key to the success of the program. A shared conviction that the use of incinerators was the worst option and that door-to-door collection was feasible and the best solution for Hernani supported the change. In the two months prior to the implementation of the new collection system, the government organized meetings to explain and revise the new system. As the mayor declared, “Our state-of-the-art technology is the neighbors. If the neighbors separate well, there is no need to build an incinerator.
The governments that have implemented door-to-door collection programs have promoted the creation of citizens´ committees to monitor their implementation. Moreover, local Zero Zabor (zero waste) groups have emerged in these cities, building on earlier anti-incinerator movements. The different local groups are working together in Gipuzkoa Zero Zabor. In a few years, these volunteer activists have advanced the conversation from opposing incinerators to promoting an authentic zero waste strategy that focuses on preventing waste—through changes in design, production, and consumption—and recovering all materials discarded in a safe and sustainable manner.
Hernani joined other municipalities and groups opposing the incinerators and promoting the extension of door-to-door collection to the entire Gipuzkoa province. Despite the success of the door-to-door collection systems implemented so far, the construction of one incinerator in Zubieta is underway. Many municipalities in the region are reluctant to opt for zero waste strategies, and this threatens to undermine the progress being made in cities that use these strategies. However, after the municipal elections in July 2011, the political scenario changed.
The groups supportive of a five-year moratorium on the construction of the incinerator began to administer most of the municipalities as well as the provincial government. Given this context, it is likely that door to-door collection systems will continue to spread.
Waste Production in Hernani
In 2010, Hernani produced an average of 500 tons of municipal solid waste per month, and had a per capita generation of 0.86 kg per day, compared to 1.1 kg the year before. The recent economic crisis in Spain resulted in a general reduction in waste production in the country. The implementation of the new door-to-door collection system and the communication campaign about waste may have raised people’s awareness about waste, leading to changes in buying behavior. Finally, the former system of large bins probably made it easier for people to put non-residential waste in the bins (for instance, construction and demolition waste), and the current system of individual bins makes it more difficult to do that.
Usurbil, Hernani, and nearby Oiartzun have reduced the residual waste per capita in a very short time, in contrast to municipalities where no changes in waste collection practices were made. The fourth municipality to adopt door-to-door separated waste collection, Antzuola, has reported that 90 percent of the discards collected are separated for recovery, and residuals represent only 10 percent of the total collected there.
Skeptics of source separation maintain that the costs increase prohibitively when moving from one-stream collection to a differentiated collection system. Although collection expenses do tend to increase in most cases, that is not the whole story: the differentiated collection increases resource recovery, which offsets disposal costs and creates a source of income through the sale of recyclables and organics. Usurbil compared the expenses of both collection systems for a full year and found the new system to be less expensive than the previous one. In the case of Hernani, the cost has increased slightly for the door-to-door collection at least in part due to the need to transport the organics to a distant plant.
It is also important to note that the door-to door collection and recycling system has the additional benefit of creating more jobs than waste management strategies that are based on mass burying or burning; the extra money required to support the system provides a significant boost to the local economy. In total, 16 jobs were created in Hernani by door-to-door collection.
So far Usurbil, Oiartzun, Hernani, and Antzuola have begun implementing door-to-door collection of source separated waste, all with great results. Both governments and community groups are showing the positive changes produced by these strategies in terms of sustainable materials management, pollution prevention, and the local economy. Moreover, what they are showing is that a community-based waste management system can bring impressive results in a short period, if only governments dare to lead the way and count on their citizens. | <urn:uuid:0d19ba9a-0ace-4d8f-95d1-019004917d19> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.truth-out.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=12817&Itemid=228 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942221 | 1,797 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Thanks to Google and other search engines out there, life with the internet has become extremely convenient. Google’s not so recent changes to its search engine (autocomplete, instant search) in addition to fast internet connections has helped users cut down a lot of time spent typing unnecessary words or waiting for results.
While all this new technology has made our lives much more efficient and easier, they’ve also affected us in a negative way – by changing how our memory works. According to a recent experiment done by a psychologist, our reliance on search engines has caused us to not remember a lot of things. Because we feel that some facts can be easily Googled and located online, our brain chooses not to remember them instead.
A group of college students were put through a test for the psychologist to come up with the conclusion. The students were told to type trivia statements like “Bluebirds cannot see the color blue” and “Al Capone’s business card said he was a used furniture dealer” into a computer. Half the students were told that the statements would be saved, and the other half were told that the statements would be erased.
When the students were asked to recall the facts later, the group that was told the facts would be erased fared 40% better. Who would’ve thought we’d come to rely so much on being able to rely on search engines so much? | <urn:uuid:583ec2d3-39d0-4b01-8a77-c765a4bd59eb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/07/search-engines-change-how-our-memory-works/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983424 | 292 | 3.40625 | 3 |
Sometimes it is difficult to diffrentiate
the difference between file. The diff output
will diffrentiate the file with > and <.
This can be put in human readable format by
combining sed replacement techniq combined
with the diff command. One example is given
% diff tmp1.txt tmp2.txt | sed -e 's//tmp2content/'
NOTE: All tips provided are USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Tips are submitted
by various unix admins around the globe. UGU suggest you read and
test each tip in a non-volitile environment before placing into | <urn:uuid:bfac7b14-db1d-41d7-9863-c25f1637ed92> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ugu.com/sui/ugu/showclassic?I=tip.4279&F=1111111111&G=Y | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.917142 | 128 | 3 | 3 |
Funding Agency: U.S. Geological Survey
Coal-quality data (both raw coal and coal washability) from borehole records collected by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) are being compiled for the National Coal Resources Data System (NCRDS). NCRDS is a national coal database administered by the U.S. Geological Survey. NCRDS provides a means by which coal thickness, coal elevations, coal quality data and rock data can be entered into relational databases of KGS and the USGS for use by the public, industry, State, and Federal government. These data are critical for regional evaluations of coal resources and reserves such as those undertaken by the USGS as part of the National Coal Assessment, as well as for evaluating the use of Kentucky coals in power plants that use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology for reducing nitrogen, or in emerging clean coal technologies.
The NCRDS data have proven invaluable in identifying coal-quality trends on a basinwide, and in a few cases county scale. An important aspect of the present project compilation will be the evaluation of coal-quality variability using "bench architecture" concepts, which seek to subdivide individual coal beds into component parts for better understanding of quality and thickness trends within the coal as a whole. Previous studies have demonstrated that increases in ash and sulfur are often the result of merging or splitting high-ash, high-sulfur coal benches, occurring in an area that has a negative impact on the overall quality of the mined product. One significant example of the usefulness of understanding bench architecture as a means for predicting coal quality is in the Lower Elkhorn coal in Pike County. This bed was studied as part of the recently completed USGS/KGS coal assessment project. In Pike County, the Lower Elkhorn coal consists of a thick, continuous main bench of coal that is low in sulfur content. In places, the lower part of this main bench diverges to form a discreet lower split, which is also low in sulfur. Higher sulfur "rider" coal benches, however, occasionally join the main bench of coal, which elevates the total sulfur content of the mined bed at these locations. Thus, by understanding the bench architecture of the Lower Elkhorn coal in Pike County, it was possible to develop a map that indicates where higher sulfur coal is likely to occur. This example demonstrates that coal-bench architecture is a powerful tool with which to predict coal quality.
Project is ongoing.
Project is ongoing. Searchable data tables and maps of data locations will be produced. | <urn:uuid:63a05386-638b-4d03-a9a6-c7a822fdb057> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.uky.edu/KGS/coal/coal_quality.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951375 | 522 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Lord Byron, a famous English poet, was born in 1788 and died in 1824. He led a life somewhat similar, though rather less moral, than the hero of his poem, "Don Juan," which was written in 1819 to 1821.
REFERENCES: Biographies of Lord Byron by J. Gault, by J. C. Jeaffreson, by Tom Moore, and by E. C. Mayne; Harriet B. Stowe, Lady Byron Vindicated; Ralph, Earl of Lovelace (Byron's grand son), Astarte, The Truth about Lord Byron.
Sunnyside Library. No. 2 | <urn:uuid:fff9b3ba-7058-4c0b-a64f-7b52aa103195> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ulib.niu.edu/badndp/byron_george.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964285 | 137 | 3.375 | 3 |
21 September 2008 Teaming up with a range of actors, from artists and students, to cell phone companies and chess enthusiasts, the United Nations is celebrating the International Day of Peace, which this year holds special meaning since 2008 also marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“We know that human rights are essential to peace,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message to mark the Day, which is observed every year on 21 September.
“Yet too many people around the world still have their rights violated – especially during and after armed conflict. That is why we must ensure that the rights in the Declaration are a living reality – that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere,” he stated.
Mr. Ban kicked off this year's celebration of the Day at the traditional peace bell ringing ceremony in New York on Friday, joined by four UN Messengers of Peace. During the event, the Secretary-General sent a text message for peace, as part of a UN campaign that urged cell phone users to compose peace messages to be published on a website and delivered to world leaders gathered for the General Assembly this week.
Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, in his message, said it is fitting that the Day closely coincides with the opening of the body's new session each September. “This is when representatives of the 192 Member States gather to renew their commitment to work together in the quest for world peace, the eradication of poverty and to pursue the progressive advancement of human rights,” he stated.
“We must never delude ourselves, or let others pretend, that peace is merely the absence of war or some exalted state of impassivity,” he added. “ World peace will only be achieved through active resistance to all that negates and diminishes human dignity, and waging peace, is therefore, eminently political and oftentimes provocative.”
Noting that this year also marks the 60th anniversary of UN peacekeepers, Mr. D'Escoto urged support for the Organization's efforts to bring calm to conflict-ridden areas and for the over 100,000 soldiers, police and civilians deployed worldwide to keep the peace, prevent conflicts, and safeguard fragile peace processes.
The UN's peace operations around the globe are also commemorating the Day with various activities. For example, children in Naqoura were invited to paint their visions of peace on the walls of the headquarters of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
In Juba, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and its partners are celebrating the Day a photo exhibition entitled “Images of Peace,” focusing on similarities and differences in the cultures of Southern Sudan and aiming to foster better community dialogue and understanding.
Meanwhile, communities across Afghanistan are marking the day with sports events, marches and gatherings, all part of what the UN mission there – known as UNAMA – has described as an “unprecedented” campaign in the run up to the Day. In addition to the many events, teams of health workers fanned out across the country in the most ambitious Peace Day polio vaccination effort to date, aiming to reach 1.8 million children.
Other UN-organized activities taking place around the world include a peace walk in Accra, an observance in cooperation with Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, a peace bell ceremony in Mexico City, and a traditional UN Cup Chess Festival entitled “sports for peace” in the Armenian capital, Yerevan.
In addition, 60 students from Belgrade, Ljubljana, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Skopje, and Zagreb are gathering together today in the Austrian capital for a forum entitled "Uniting for Peace," organized by the UN Information Service (UNIS) and the City of Vienna.
News Tracker: past stories on this issue | <urn:uuid:10849cfb-21b8-42c5-bd01-3e921d3c849e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=28143 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950344 | 810 | 2.640625 | 3 |
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
- Date submitted: 27 Oct 2011
- Stakeholder type: United Nations & Other IGOs
- Name: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
- Submission Document: Download
Full SubmissionUN-HABITAT INPUTS FOR COMPILATION DOCUMENT RIO+20 Purpose The objective of this note is to provide focused inputs for inclusion in a compilation document to serve as basis for the preparation of the zero draft of the outcome document for Rio+20, as requested by the Co-Chairs of the UNCSD Bureau. The note follows the structure suggested in the Guidance Note. 1. Objective of the Conference: (a) To secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development UN-HABITAT?s 23rd Governing Council adopted resolution 23/17 on sustainable urban development through expanding equitable access to land, housing, basic services and infrastructure which encourages Governments and Habitat Agenda partners to include the issue of sustainable urban development in their contributions to the preparatory process for Rio+20. In this context, sustainable urban development can be defined as the spatial manifestation of urban development processes that creates a built environment with norms, institutions and governance systems enabling individuals, households and societies to maximize their potential, optimize a vast range of services so that homes and dynamic neighborhoods, cities and towns are planned, built, renewed and consolidated restraining adverse impacts on the environment while safeguarding the quality of life, needs and livelihood of its present and future populations. The report of the one-day Dialogue on this theme has been sent by the President of the UN-HABITAT Governing Council to the Rio+20 Bureau in a separate communication. The proposed Habitat III Conference scheduled in 2016 will mark a critical moment and provide a concrete opportunity to strengthen cooperation mechanisms, partnership arrangements and other implementation tools which will help implement the sustainable urbanization agenda. (b) Assessing the progress to date and remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development In the follow-up to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, UN-Habitat served as one of the focal points for Agenda 21 by reporting and promoting action on Chapters 7 (promoting sustainable human settlement development) and 28 (strengthening the role of local authorities as major groups). More recently UN-Habitat has been an integral participant in other aspects of the preparatory process for UNCSD including its Preparatory Committees and Intersessional Meetings. The outcomes of the main summits on sustainable development related to cities include: Agenda 21 (1992) including chapters 6, 7, 21 and 28; the Istanbul Declaration (1996) and Habitat Agenda; Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (2000), including Goal 7, Targets 7C and 7D; the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) (2002); the annual UN GA resolutions with the title ?Implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme?, the MDG Summit outcome document (2010); and the Nagoya Plan of Action on Cities and Biodiversity (2010). With regard to gaps in implementation, the following assessment can be made: - Agenda 21, chapter 7, adequate capacities by 2000: not achieved. In many places, capacities remain inadequate to address the issues. - Agenda 21, chapter 7, universal provision of environmental infrastructure by 2025: to be reached, this goal would need efforts beyond the end date of related MDGs. For example, universal sanitation coverage will not be achieved in 2015. - Agenda 21, chapter 6: a subset of the indicators recommended in Agenda 21 have been included in the MDGs (child and maternal death, tuberculosis), but they are not systematically monitored for urban areas specifically. Others are not monitored or centralized systematically (e.g. violence and crime). - Agenda 21, solid waste: targets for capacity: unknown, but probably unmet. None of the targets for waste treatment are well on track. The monitoring systems for waste are weak (data on solid waste is fragmentary or does not exist in many countries). - Agenda 21, chapter 28. According to surveys carried out by ICLEI, several thousands of Local Authorities have adopted and implemented local sustainability action plans. - MDG7C: access to drinking water is well on track. Access to sanitation is not on track. - MDG7D: likely achieved, but the goal was very vague and clearly not consistent with the needs (many more than 100 million people have joined slums since 2000), nor adequately formulated (static formulation versus dynamic growth of cities). There are more slum dwellers today than in 2000. (c) Addressing new and emerging challenges. The demographic and economic shifts of the last two decades have transformed cities and urban centres into the dominant habitats of humankind. As a result, the mode of urban development has a critical bearing on the processes leading to the attainment of sustainable development. It is therefore more critical than ever that Member States and UN Agencies come together to promote sustainable urbanization. The cities of the world?s emerging economies are becoming the drivers of the global economy at the same time as the planet?s resources are fast depleting. We must urgently find a way to achieve further economically and socially equitable growth without further cost to the environment. Cities, their spatial frameworks and infrastructural and governance systems constitute a key lever for delivering this transition. When managed poorly, urbanization can be detrimental to sustainable development. However, when managed properly, it can contribute positively to sustainable development, for example through the reduction in per capita greenhouse gas emissions compared to rural areas. Urbanization is also one of the few solutions for effectively dealing with the huge increase in world population. In this regard, UN-HABITAT advances seven points regarding good management of urbanization and its relationship to sustainable development: 1) countries should elaborate a national urban (not just housing) strategy, as many cities do not have enough capacity to do it themselves; 2) cities should develop city-region plans, because the urbanization patterns in regions surrounding many cities are often chaotic - when there is no clear separation between cities and the surrounding regions, an uncontrolled ?no-man?s land? develops; 3) planned city enlargement, or expansion, is necessary as a long-term strategy for preventing the growth of slums , which are home to 30-40 per cent of the world population; 4) urban job creation is critical to economic and social development; 5) effective urban legal frameworks are critical to guaranteeing institutional capacity for the delivery of housing and basic services; 6) urban energy and urban mobility plans are important for sustainable development and for meeting the requirements for urban growth; and 7) it is important to improve the economic governance of local authorities in order to increase the financial capacity of cities to provide basic services and sustain infrastructure. In this way, sustainable urbanization can provide one of the key unifying forces to integrate the three pillars ? i.e. economic, environmental and social -- of sustainable development. Efforts to create jobs, reduce ecological footprint and improve quality of life are most effective when pursued in tandem. Prioritizing sustainable urbanization can also help to ensure coherence between sectoral policies such as energy, water, sustainable consumption and production, biodiversity, natural disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation. It is important that this emerging opportunity be recognized and endorsed at Rio+20. 2. Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication It is acknowledged that cities are centres of national economic and social development. They attract investments, generate jobs and create wealth. They harness human and technological resources, promote innovations and offer specialised services, which have resulted in otherwise unprecedented gains in productivity and competitiveness. Cities are therefore a major nexus in the promotion of a green economy whose central tenet is that environmental sustainability and economic growth can develop harmoniously. The two are not inherently mutually-exclusive. This can be accomplished by decoupling the rate of economic growth from the rate of energy and material use and environmental degradation. Because the world can no longer depend on cheap fuel for growth, and economic growth will almost certainly be driven by cities, sustainable urban development must incorporate these emerging dynamics. Cities are crucial to the transition to a green economy for four complementary reasons. (1) Virtually all major innovation originates in cities whose density of institutions, people and infrastructure promotes idea sharing and experimentation. (2) When sensitively planned and serviced, urban density reduces the spatial footprint of development and permits shared infrastructure (which reduces emissions and resource use). (3) The agglomeration economies of cities means new technologies can be tested and implemented more competitively. And (4) cities have the potential to strengthen Resilience by reducing dependence on carbon intensive growth by reintegrating systems at lower costs, and stimulating efficiency in resource use and expanding skills. Whereas cities in the developed world may need to retrofit old systems, those in the developing world may leapfrog this and more cheaply increase both resource efficiency and labour intensity. Improved technology and competitiveness are prerequisites for innovation for ?greener? cities. Education is an important lever to foster understanding of ?greener? urbanization. The active involvement of youth as agents of change is paramount. 3. Institutional framework for sustainable development At the global and national levels it has been difficult to achieve coherence between the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development. However, urban challenges can only be addressed in an integrated manner, balancing social equity, resource efficiency and competitiveness. Therefore, sound planning and management at the city level offers concrete opportunities to connect the economic, social and environmental pillars at the local level. At the local level: The sustainable development implementation gap can only be closed if the capacity of Local Authorities as a Major Group is strengthened. Indeed, sustainable urban development will not occur spontaneously. It must first define how resources are to be managed, allocated and re-distributed to ensure efficiency and equity, with the strong participation of inhabitants in the governance of the city. It requires more effective and adaptable institutions in the public and private sectors and civil society that are able to promote sustainable development, and reduce poverty and inequality. It also requires innovative urban planning and greater entrepreneurship and clear cooperation of all the spheres of government. At the sub-national level: There are particular challenges at the level of the city-region, a geographical unit that has enormous potential to promote sustainable development principles but is often characterized by overlapping and fragmented governance structures. At this level it is important to develop spatial strategies that promote an infrastructure configuration that maximizes sharing and minimizes excessive mobility and resource use. At the national level: There is a need to integrate sustainable urban development policy as a key component of a national sustainable development policy. In this regard, it is important to align sustainable development policies of the different tiers of government to achieve greater coherence and more efficiency in implementation. It is also important to enhance the coherence of international support to national sustainable urban development plans as part of an overall national sustainable development planning. The establishment of National Habitat Committees can enhance better coordination between line Ministries and agencies, while National Urban Forums could serve as a space for knowledge sharing amongst public, private and community stakeholders and for alignment of international support to sustainable urban development at the country level. National governments also have a role in encouraging cities to act on urban sustainability by benchmarking and monitoring against sustainable urban development baselines. At the global level: It must be emphasized that the review of the institutional framework for sustainable development should go beyond the review of the International Environmental Governance (IEG) to embrace the other two pillars of sustainable development; social and economic. In this regard, the establishment of a Sustainable Development Council might be an effective way to ensure increased coherence in all the three pillars. UN-HABITAT?s contribution In pursuit of the goal of promoting socially, environmentally and economically sustainable urban development, and as the focal point agency for Local Authorities in the UN system, UN-HABITAT stands prepared to support member states to develop policies, plans and strategies related to sustainable urban development, including the following: National Urban Policy; National and Regional Spatial Plans for Territorial Development; City-region Development Strategies; City Enlargement and Infill Plans; City Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies; Development of Urban Land Administration; Arbitration of Land Disputes; Population Displacement Response Plans; Urban Management and Governance Reform; Metropolitan Governance Strategies; Urban Youth and Job Creation Strategies; Strategies for Improving Water and Sanitation Delivery; Waste Management Strategies; Urban Mobility Plans; Urban Energy Plans; Urban Housing Strategies; Design of Slum Upgrading Programmes; Urban Risk Reduction Strategies; Capacity Building Strategies for Urban Local Authorities. Introducing new/reformulated commitments: Sustainable Urban Development Overall Goal: Promote cities that are environmentally sustainable, socially inclusive and economically productive Benchmarking and Methodology Agree upon a methodology of universal benchmarking and baseline targets by 2013 Targets: 1. National Urban Policies By 2030, increase to 50% the number of countries adopting and implementing national urban policies to coordinate different ministerial and sectoral efforts in order to achieve sustainable urban development. 2. Urban Planning and Design By 2030, increase by half the number of metropolitan regions, cities and towns adopting and implementing policies and strategies for sustainable and effective urban planning (1:50,000) and urban design (1:1,000) in order to respond to expected urban population growth in the next few decades. 3. Slums Halve the proportion of people living in slums at the city level by 2030, and prevent the formation of new slums. 4. Urban Space Increase public space up to 40% through adequate urban design, land use and building regulations by 2030. 5. Urban Ecology Reduce cities' ecological footprints by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30%, increasing the share of renewable energy sources by 30% and improving energy efficiency in all public buildings by 20% by 2030. 6. Urban Water, Sanitation and Waste Management Achieve universal access to safe drinking water supply and adequate sanitation services, and double the availability and use of waste water treatment and solid waste management services by 2030. 7. Urban Energy and Mobility By 2030, increase by 30% the number of countries coordinating urban growth with planned national energy and transport corridors and guaranteeing access to energy at the urban level, and the number of cities with sustainable urban mobility plans. 8. Urban Job Creation By 2030, increase by 50% the number of cities adopting and implementing specific policies to improve the lives of urban dwellers through urban job creation based on effective city management and development of basic services. | <urn:uuid:f8ab7671-982c-48a7-afc2-8609c10b3ef2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.uncsd2012.org/index.php?page=view&nr=38&type=510&menu=20&template=529&str=Resilience | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916074 | 3,002 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Western Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta belli
Painted turtles are the most wide-spread turtles in the United States.
The undersides or plastrons of the painted turtle are what give these turtles
their name. They are very brightly colored with a large black patch mottled
with yellow on a red background. The backs or carapaces of painted turtles
vary from black, to greenish or brown, and may contain a few light yellow
lines on each plate. Distinctive yellow stripes adorn the head and neck.
Smooth Softshell Turtle Apalone mutica
Smooth softshell turtles, also known as "leathernecks", are
found in the Missouri River System of North Dakota. They are characterized
by their nearly circular carapace covered with a soft leathery type of skin.
The color of their shells may vary from olive-gray to orange-brown. The
underside or plastron is gray to creamy white. The markings on their heads
consist of pale swipes on the snout in front of the eyes, and pale stripes
behind the eyes with dark borders.
Back to Start of Key | <urn:uuid:5510538c-b7c7-4c23-a8c9-f942dd5231fb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.und.nodak.edu/org/ndwild/turtlekey1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92878 | 245 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Caring for Trafficked Persons: Guidance for Health Providers Facilitator’s Guide
Feb 19 2013
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For health-care providers, trafficking in persons is best understood as a serious health risk because as with other forms of violence, it is associated with physical and psychological harm. Health providers may come into contact with victims of trafficking at different stages of the trafficking process and at different stages of their recovery. The informed and attentive health-care provider can play an important role in assisting and treating individuals who may have suffered repeated abuse. For health practitioners, diagnosing and treating trafficked persons can pose a range of new challenges related to care provision. In 2012, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Gender Violence & Health Centre of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) developed a training package based on the handbook Caring for Trafficked Persons: Guidance for Health Providers. Published in 2009, the handbook combines research, field experience and good practice into a tool for those who provide health services to trafficked persons, whether identified victims or populations which may include unidentified victims or other exploited persons. TheCaring for Trafficked Persons Facilitator’s Guide and accompanying materials have been developed for individuals who wish to carry out training to help a concerned health provider understand the phenomenon of human trafficking, recognize some of the associated health problems and consider safe and appropriate approaches to providing health care for trafficked persons. The training is designed for all types and levels of health providers, particularly those actively providing services. | <urn:uuid:5baf3a57-017e-401a-8e27-3d01a83ccf0d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ungift.org/knowledgehub/en/publications.html?tid=1766&vf=/doc/knowledgehub/resource-centre/IOM/CFTP-Guide_English_Jan252013.pdf&tid=1655 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929342 | 323 | 2.625 | 3 |
LYING AND DECEITIt is said that the pen is mightier than the sword. Similarly, a lie may do more damage than a gun fired in anger. Lying is the doorway to any number of evils. But we may distinguish between lying in the sense of teaching a falsehood about Reality--e.g., propagating atheism or a false doctrine--and lying in the sense of deliberately misleading and deceiving another about a matter of which he has certain knowledge. The first type of lie may in fact be based on honest conviction; the second type of lie is deliberate deception. In this section, we have gathered passages on lying and falsehood only the latter sense of deliberate deception; untruth in the former sense may be classed as Ignorance, pp. 280-285. Even so, often there is only a short distance between ignorance about truth and lying to one's neighbor, as several passages in this section affirm.
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.
1. Judaism and Christianity. Proverbs 12.22
Do not assert with your mouth what your heart denies.
2. Taoism. Tract of the Quiet Way
No man should talk one way with his lips and think another way in his heart.
3. Judaism. Talmud, Baba Metzia 49
Dishonesty in business or the uttering of lies causes inner sorrow.
4. Sikhism. Adi Granth, Maru Solahe, M.3, p. 1062
O you who believe, wherefore do you say what you do not?
Very hateful is it to God, that you say what you do not.
5. Islam. Qur'an 61.2-3
Qur'an 61.2-3: Cf. Matthew 23.2-3, p. 810; Analects 2.13, p. 810; Dhammapada 51-52, p. 811; James 1.22-24, p. 811.
No man who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no man who utters lies shall continue in my presence.
6. Judaism and Christianity. Psalm 101.7
A speaker of falsehood reaches purgatory; and again so does one who, having done a misdeed, says, "I did not." Both of them, men of base deeds, become equal in the other world.
7. Buddhism. Dhammapada 306
Lying does not mean that one could not be rich;
Treachery does not mean you may not live to old age;
But it is the day of death [judgment] about which one should be baffled.
8. African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)
Falsehood implies the making of a wrong statement by one who is overwhelmed by intense passions.
9. Jainism. Upasakadasanga Sutra
You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
10. Christianity. Matthew 12.34-37
There is no evil that cannot be done by the liar, who has transgressed the one law of truthfulness and who is indifferent to the world beyond.
11. Buddhism. Dhammapada 176
All things are determined by speech; speech is their root, and from speech they proceed. Therefore he who is dishonest with respect to speech is dishonest in everything.
12. Hinduism. Laws of Manu 4.256
There are three characteristics of a hypocrite: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he acts treacherously; and when he is trusted, he betrays.
13. Islam. Hadith of Muslim
Psalm 101.7: Cf. Psalm 24.3-6, p. 229; Shabbat 31a, p. 1020. Yoruba Proverb: Don't think that just because you have used lying to advantage in this world, that lying will similarly avail you in the hereafter. Cf. Yoruba Proverbs, p. 1019. Matthew 12.34-37: Cf. Matthew 15.11-20, p. 860. Dhammapada 176: Cf. Tosefta Shebuot 3.6, p. 397. Laws of Manu 4.256: Cf. Markandeya Purana, p. 494; Matthew 15.11-20, p. 860; James 3.6-9, p. 496.
Confucius said, "I do not see what use a man can be put to, whose word cannot be trusted. How can a wagon be made to go if it has no yoke-bar, or a carriage if it has no collar-bar?"
14. Confucianism. Analects 2.22
The Venerable Rahula saw the Lord coming in the distance; seeing him he made ready a seat and water for washing the feet. The Lord sat down on the seat made ready; as he was sitting down he bathed his feet. And Rahula, having greeted the Lord, sat down at a respectful distance.
Then the Lord put a little quantity of water that was left over into the water vessel and addressed Rahula, saying, "Do you, Rahula, see this little quantity of water that is left over and that is put into the water vessel?"
"Yes, revered sir."
"Even so, Rahula, little is the recluseship of those who have no shame at intentional lying."
Then the Lord, having thrown away that little quantity of water, addressed Rahula, saying, "Do you, Rahula, see this little quantity of water that has been thrown away?"
"Yes, revered sir."
"Even so, Rahula, thrown away is the recluseship of those who have no shame at intentional lying."
15. Buddhism. Majjhima Nikaya i.414, Ambalatthika-Rahulovada Sutta
A liar lies to himself as well as to the gods. Lying is the origin of all evils; it leads to rebirth in the miserable planes of existence, to breach of the pure precepts, and to corruption of the body.
16. Buddhism. Maharatnakuta Sutra 27, Bodhisattva Surata's Discourse
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
who put darkness for light and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
17. Judaism and Christianity. Isaiah 5.20
Beings who are ashamed of what is not shameful, and are not ashamed of what is shameful, embrace wrong views and go to a woeful state.
Beings who see fear in what is not to be feared, and see no fear in the fearsome, embrace false views and go to a woeful state.
Beings who imagine faults in the faultless and perceive no wrong in what is wrong, embrace false views and go to a woeful state.
18. Buddhism. Dhammapada 316-18
Analects 2.22: Cf. Analects 15.5, p. 1020. Maharatnakuta Sutra 27: The Maharatnakuta Sutra is a collection of Mahayana sutras in the Chinese Tripitaka. | <urn:uuid:fd9ffa55-d981-4e06-a334-117458ef5c5b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.unification.net/ws/theme062.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935621 | 1,615 | 2.640625 | 3 |
What are MOTAPM?
Mines other than anti-personnel mines (MOTAPM) refers to anti-vehicle mines. Unlike anti-personnel mines, this type of mine is activated by a vehicle driving over it, rather than a person stepping on it. MOTAPM includes anti-tank mines.
Background on MOTAPM within the CCW
The issue of MOTAPM prior and during the Second Review Conference
Humanitarian concerns related to MOTAPM had been raised during the negotiations of the Convention of Protocol II in the 1970s, but with limited consideration. MOTAPM were part of the negotiations on Amended Protocol II during the First CCW Review Conference in 1995-1996. At the time, efforts were focused on addressing the significant humanitarian impact of anti-personnel landmines. For this reason, Amended Protocol II includes specific restrictions on the employment of anti-personnel mines and only general provisions concerning restrictions on the use of all types of mines.
At the Preparatory Committee for the Second Review Conference in 2000-2001, Denmark and the United States of America tabled an official proposal for a new Protocol on MOTAPM. Due to persistent divergent views, the December 2001 Second Review Conference did not adopt a new Protocol on MOTAPM, and instead decided to create an open-ended Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) to address the issue.
Period between the Second and Third Review Conferences, 2001 to 2006
During this period, various international organizations and non-governmental organizations continued to emphasize the importance of agreeing on a legally binding instrument on MOTAPM. For example, a July 2002 report by the ICRC called for additional measures namely “requiring that all AV mines should be detectable and equipped with either self-destruct or self-neutralization features as well as requiring that remotely delivered AV mines contain self-destruct or self-neutralization features.”
New ideas were brought forward for the development of more effective controls over MOTAPM, which included: MOTAPM with sensitive fuses; MOTAPM with anti-handling devices; MOTAPM laid outside marked and fenced areas; warnings to civilians; the use of MOTAPM by non-state actors; transfers; transparency and confidence-building measures; and international cooperation and assistance.
A new Protocol on MOTAPM incorporated all additional proposals and was co-sponsored by 31 states. However, despite efforts made by the GGE on MOTAPM between 2001 and 2006, it was not possible to eliminate differences, specifically with regard to issues of detectability and active life.
The Third Review Conference of the CCW could not agree on a new protocol containing legally binding rules with regard to MOTAPM. Rather, the States Parties decided to maintain the issue of MOTAPM on the agendas of annual Meetings of the States Parties to the CCW.
Due to the concerns regarding the humanitarian impact of MOTAPM, several CCW States Parties committed politically in a special declaration their intention to take the necessary steps to adopt as a matter of national policy the practices that were developed in the draft Protocol on MOTAPM. These states declared: “if circumstances change in the future, and it appears possible that consensus may be achieved on a protocol on anti-vehicle mines…they would join other governments in renewed efforts to adopt such a protocol, building on the work done on this subject over the last five years by the CCW coordinators.”
Report of the 2012 Meeting of Experts on Mines Other Than Anti-Personnel Mines (MOTAPM)
The Fourth Review Conference High Contracting Parties decided:
To discuss further the implementation of international humanitarian law as it pertains to mines other than anti-personnel mines, and to submit a report to the 2012 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention.
The 2012 Meeting of Experts discussed the following issues: current status of international humanitarian law on MOTAPM; measures taken by States and existing international humanitarian law (IHL); humanitarian impact of MOTAPM use; National policies on the use of MOTAPM; possible measures to address the humanitarian impact of MOTAPM use.
In past CCW discussions and during the 2012 Meeting of Experts, the requirement for MOTAPM to be detectable was a key issue. One of the major problems is that undetectable MOTAPM create considerable difficulties and costs for clearance operations, which in turn can drastically slow down or halt the delivery of humanitarian aid and movement in an area. However, the argument against detectability is that the financial costs of making MOTAPM detectable are prohibitive and the military utility of non-detectable MOTAPM much too valuable to forgo. Another crucial issue was reducing the active life of MOTAPM through self-destruct, self-neutralisation and self-deactivation devices. Other issues focused on the protection of civilians through perimeter marked areas; monitoring and security of minefields containing MOTAPM; addressing sensitive fuses and anti-handling devices; victim assistance; and cooperation and assistance.
The MOTAPM Meeting of Experts as required by its mandate submitted a report to the Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the CCW, which took place from 15 to 16 November 2012. Although the CCW Meeting “welcomed the Report of the Meeting of Experts on MOTAPM and expressed its appreciation for the work carried out by Colonel Jim Burke of Ireland for his role as Friend of the Chair on MOTAPM”, the Experts were unable reach agreement on further work on this matter. Instead MOTAPM will be on the agenda for the 2013 Meeting of High Contracting Parties.
High level statements on MOTAPM
At the beginning of the 2012 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the CCW, the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon stated:
"First, in my last report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, I welcomed the work carried out on anti-vehicle mines this year under the aegis of the Convention. I strongly urge High Contracting Parties to continue to explore all possible avenues for ensuring that these weapons no longer harm civilians, impede the delivery of humanitarian aid or obstruct social and economic development. In doing so, I encourage Parties to consider the views and field experiences of United Nations entities."
The Report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict is attached here
is an article on MOTAPM by the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Mr. Kassym-Jomart Takoyev.
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You are here
Let's face it, sometimes kids get into things that they probably shouldn't. Here are a few tips to keep little explorers from finding their way into household items that could be dangerous. But just in case, we'll also show you what to do if your child accidentally ingests something harmful.
The Hard Facts
Half of the 2 million calls to Poison Help Number in 2011 involved children ages 5 and under. In fact, 9 out of 10 poisonings occur at home.
- Store all household products and cleaning solutions out of children's sight and reach. Young kids are often eye-level with items under the kitchen and bathroom sinks.
- Store poisonous items out of reach or use safety locks on cabinets within reach. These items also include liquid packets for the laundry and dishwasher. It only takes a few minutes, and it gives you one less thing to worry about.
- Read product labels to find out what can be hazardous to kids. Dangerous household items include makeup, personal care products, plants, pesticides, lead, art supplies, alcohol and carbon monoxide.
- Make sure that all medications, including vitamins and adult medicines, are stored out of reach and out of sight or children.
- Put the toll-free number Poison Help Number (1-800-222-1222) into your home and cell phones. You should also post it near your phone or on your refrigerator for the babysitter. Hopefully you'll never need it, but it's nice to have just in case.
- Check for lead-based paint. Remove any peeling paint or chewable surfaces painted with lead-based paint.
Many poisons are tasteless and don't smell. Learn more about how to reduce the risk of accidental poisoning. | <urn:uuid:1a3efc4b-1f83-4b5e-ad32-7be6f0af899a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.usa.safekids.org/safetytips/field_audience/educators/field_risks/poison | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948133 | 357 | 2.828125 | 3 |
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Description of Judith. 1* a Now in those days Judith, daughter of Merari,b son of Ox, son of Joseph, son of Oziel, son of Elkiah, son of Ananias, son of Gideon, son of Raphain, son of Ahitub, son of Elijah, son of Hilkiah, son of Eliab, son of Nathanael, son of Salamiel, son of Sarasadai, son of Simeon, son of Israel, heard of this. 2Her husband, Manasseh,* of her own tribe and clan, had died at the time of the barley harvest. 3While he was supervising those who bound the sheaves in the field, he was overcome by the heat; and he collapsed on his bed and died in Bethulia, his native city. He was buried with his ancestors in the field between Dothan and Balamon. 4c Judith was living as a widow* in her home for three years and four months. 5She set up a tent for herself on the roof of her house, put sackcloth about her waist, and wore widow’s clothing.d 6She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except sabbath eves and sabbaths, new moon eves and new moons, feastdays and holidays of the house of Israel.e 7She was beautiful in appearance and very lovely to behold.f Her husband, Manasseh, had left her gold and silver, male and female servants, livestock and fields, which she was maintaining. 8No one had a bad word to say about her, for she feared God greatly.
Judith and the Elders.* 9So when Judith heard of the harsh words that the people, discouraged by their lack of water, had spoken against their ruler, and of all that Uzziah had said to them in reply, swearing that he would hand over the city to the Assyrians at the end of five days, 10she sent her maid who was in charge of all her things* to summon Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of her city. 11When they came, she said to them: “Listen to me, you rulers of the people of Bethulia. What you said to the people today is not right. You pronounced this oath, made between God and yourselves, and promised to hand over the city to our enemies unless within a certain time the Lord comes to our aid. 12Who are you to put God to the test today, setting yourselves in the place of God in human affairs?* g 13And now it is the Lord Almighty you are putting to the test, but you will never understand anything! 14You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or grasp the workings of the human mind; how then can you fathom God, who has made all these things, or discern his mind, or understand his plan?h
“No, my brothers, do not anger the Lord our God. 15* For if he does not plan to come to our aid within the five days, he has it equally within his power to protect us at such time as he pleases, or to destroy us in the sight of our enemies. 16Do not impose conditions on the plans of the Lord our God. God is not like a human being to be moved by threats, nor like a mortal to be cajoled.
17“So while we wait for the salvation that comes from him, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our cry if it pleases him. 18For there has not risen among us in recent generations, nor does there exist today, any tribe, or clan, or district, or city of ours that worships gods made by hands, as happened in former days.i 19It was for such conduct that our ancestors were handed over to the sword and to pillage, and fell with great destruction before our enemies.j 20But since we acknowledge no other god but the Lord, we hope that he will not disdain us or any of our people. 21If we are taken, then all Judea will fall, our sanctuary will be plundered, and God will demand an account from us for their profanation. 22For the slaughter of our kindred, for the taking of exiles from the land, and for the devastation of our inheritance, he will hold us responsible among the nations. Wherever we are enslaved, we will be a scandal and a reproach in the eyes of our masters. 23Our servitude will not work to our advantage, but the Lord our God will turn it to disgrace.
24“Therefore, my brothers, let us set an example* for our kindred. Their lives depend on us, and the defense of the sanctuary, the temple, and the altar rests with us. 25k Besides all this, let us give thanks to the Lord our God for putting us to the test as he did our ancestors.l 26Recall how he dealt with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and all that happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia while he was tending the flocks of Laban, his mother’s brother. 27He has not tested us with fire, as he did them, to try their hearts, nor is he taking vengeance on us. But the Lord chastises those who are close to him in order to admonish them.”
28Then Uzziah said to her: “All that you have said you have spoken truthfully, and no one can deny your words. 29For today is not the first time your wisdom has been evident, but from your earliest days all the people have recognized your understanding, for your heart’s disposition is right. 30The people, however, were so thirsty that they forced us to do for them as we have promised, and to bind ourselves by an oath that we cannot break.* m 31But now, since you are a devout woman, pray for us that the Lord may send rain to fill up our cisterns. Then we will no longer be fainting from thirst.”
32Then Judith said to them: “Listen to me! I will perform a deed that will go down from generation to generation among our descendants. 33Stand at the city gate tonight to let me pass through with my maid; and within the days you have specified before you will surrender the city to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand. 34You must not inquire into the affair, for I will not tell you what I am doing until it has been accomplished.” 35Uzziah and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you to take vengeance upon our enemies!” 36Then they withdrew from the tent and returned to their posts.
* [8:1] Judith has the longest genealogy accorded any biblical woman, with family ties back to Israel/Jacob.
* [8:2] Manasseh: Judith’s marriage was endogamous, within her own tribe. The tribe and clan are identified as hers, though usually it is the husband’s tribe and clan that are noted.
* [8:4] Widow: in a reversal of traditional property law, Judith holds title to her husband’s estate (see v. 7). However, she will give a part of her inheritance to her late husband’s family before her death (16:24); she chooses not to remarry (16:22).
* [8:9–10:10] This section opens with a repetition of the information that Judith heard about the discouragement of the people and about Uzziah’s vow (cf. v. 1). Judith’s plan to save Israel then takes shape. In her own home, she meets with the elders of Bethulia (vv. 9–36), prays (9:1–14), prepares herself and the food she will need in the Assyrian camp (10:1–5), goes out to meet the elders again at the gate of Bethulia (10:6–8), and sets out with her maid for the Assyrian camp (10:9–10).
* [8:10] Her maid who was in charge of all her things: cf. Gn 15:2; 24:2; 39:4. Judith’s first act in the story is to send this unnamed maid (habra, lit., “graceful one” or “favorite slave,” v. 33; 10:2, 5, 17; 13:9; 16:23) to summon the town officials (see also other terms for female servants, paidiske in 10:10 and doule in 12:15; 13:3). Her last act in the story will be to give this woman her freedom (16:23).
* [8:24] Let us set an example: when Judith says “us,” she includes herself. She proposes that she together with Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis model a faithful response to God’s test for the wavering people. “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God for putting us to the test” (v. 25) repeats her intention. “Us” for Uzziah does not include her (see vv. 30, 31).
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The Easter Vigil is the "Mother of All Vigils."Easter Sunday, then, is the greatest of all Sundays, and Easter Time is the most important of all liturgical times.Easter is the celebration of the Lord's resurrection from the dead, culminating in his Ascension to the Father and sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church.There are 50 days of Easter from the first Sunday to Pentecost.It is characterized, above all, by the joy of glorified life and the victory over death, expressed most fully in the great resounding cry of the Christian: Alleluia! All faith flows from faith in the resurrection:"If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, is your faith." (1 Cor 15:14)
"What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind;…So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one. So, too, it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living being," the last Adam a life-giving spirit. But the spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one (1 Cor 15:36-37, 42-49).
The octave of Easter comprises the eight days which stretch from the first to the second Sunday. It is a way of prolonging the joy of the initial day.In a sense, every day of the Octave is like a little Sunday.The word "Easter" comes from Old English, meaning simply the "East." The sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ, who is the true Light of the world. The Paschal Candle is a central symbol of this divine light, which is Christ.It is kept near the ambo throughout Easter Time, and lit for all liturgical celebrations.
From Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar:22. The fifty days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday are celebrated in joy and exultation as one feast day, indeed as one "great Sunday." These are the days above all others in which the Alleluia is sung.
25. On the fortieth day after Easter the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated, except where, not being observed as a Holyday of Obligation, it has been assigned to the Seventh Sunday of Easter (cf. no. 7).
26. The weekdays from the Ascension up to and including the Saturday before Pentecost prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
The liturgical color for Easter is white. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (no. 346) also states: "On more solemn days, festive, that is, more precious, sacred vestments may be used even if not of the color of the day. The colors gold or silver may be worn on more solemn occasions in the Dioceses of the United States of America."
Especially during Easter Time, instead of the customary Penitential Act, the blessing and sprinkling of water may take place as a reminder of Baptism.
There are six metropolitan sees and their suffragan Dioceses which maintain the Solemnity of the Ascension on Thursday:Boston, Hartford, Newark, New York, Omaha, and Philadelphia.Every other region of the United States has opted to transfer the Solemnity to the following Sunday (the Seventh Sunday of Easter).
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When people usually think of cardiovascular fitness the first thing that comes to mind is long, slow runs, and the assumption is the longer you can go the better shape you are in. Although this is a valid measure of specific fitness, the approach isn't necessarily the most effective training approach to elicit great improvements in cardiovascular fitness. In fact, if this is all you do during training, you are more likely to hit a plateau and suffer from aches and pains associated with large volumes of repetitive stress under fatigue.
Interval training is an alternate approach to long, slow duration training. This involves training that alternates between short, intense bouts of exercise and periods of true recovery. This will take you from an effort level that is easy, up to a hard effort, and then back down to an easy effort. To do a "true interval," you must allow your heart rate to truly recover before picking the intensity back up. The following are some of the key benefits of interval training.
In order to bring about positive physical changes to your cardiovascular system, the body must be presented with a workload that challenges its current fitness state. By overloading the heart and lungs, you are increasing your endurance and cardiovascular fitness level, which is the same principle as weight training (overloading a muscle will result in increasing the muscle's strength). The heart is a muscle, so it must be overloaded to improve its strength. At the same time, the rest of the respiratory system is improving, including the lungs and blood circulation, for better endurance. This workload will cause fatigue, and with proper recovery, will eventually yield cardiovascular improvements. It is important to note that the overload happens during training, while adaptation occurs during recovery - thus, making recovery a vital part of your programming.
Increased Caloric Burn:
Another advantage of interval training is that you can actually burn more total calories in the same amount of training time.
By designing intervals into your conditioning session, you are provided with variety across each workout. The working intervals are kept to about 5-minute work sets, balanced with the appropriate amount of recovery to help facilitate this motivation. You will be much more inclined to push yourself during the training, if you know you will get a chance to recover shortly.
Another benefit of interval training is that it increases your metabolism, both during your training session and after. It is not just about what your body is doing during the workout; it is important to understand what your body is doing the rest of the day. Studies have shown that interval training raises your metabolism after a workout, and keeps it up longer than any "steady state" workout. Steady state exercise refers to any exercise that stays at the same workload for a long period of time.
Increase Anaerobic Threshold:
Interval training allows us to train at a higher intensity for a longer period of time throughout the duration of our training session, due to the intermittent recovery throughout. As our bodies become more efficient, we are able to train at a higher intensity without crossing over into our anaerobic energy system. This results in more calories being burned, an increased threshold to fatigue and quicker recovery between bursts of activity.
|Agility Ladder Training||Box Drill| | <urn:uuid:e9b24474-f9c5-430a-bbd2-eb0572fe3017> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg1/cg111/cgap/cardiovascular.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955449 | 650 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Employment growth reflects the rate at which the economy is creating and filling new jobs. Continuing its recovery from recession, Virginia again added new jobs to its economy in 2014, but at a pace far slower than the national average.
Why is This Important?
Employment growth is an indicator of expansion in the economy and represents an increase in the economic opportunities available to the citizens of a region or state. Employment growth is generally tracked as a percentage change from a previous year.
How is Virginia Doing?
Earlier in the decade, Virginia's employment level grew at a faster pace than the national average, but then began to drop below it. As the nation entered recession in 2008, the employment growth rate turned negative in Virginia, as it did in most states, although its rate of decline was less severe during this time (-3.27% in 2009 and -0.25% in 2010) than in the nation as a whole (-4.60% and -0.61%). Although in positive territory again since 2011, job growth in the Commonwealth continues to lag behind both overall U.S. growth and that found in our peer states. In 2014, employment growth in the Commonwealth was at 0.39 percent -- well below the U.S. average of 1.97 percent and the rates for Maryland, North Carolina, and Tennessee at 0.80, 2.07, and 2.08 percent, respectively.
North Dakota, with a job growth rate of 4.11 percent, was again the national leader in 2014 -- largely due its recent energy boom and related economic growth as thousands move there to find work. But its rate of growth is also an outlier, as no other state has come close to matching North Dakota's year-over-year jumps in job growth in recent years.
Many economists attribute the overall sluggish increase in the employment rate in part to the federal sequestration implemented at the start of 2012, where significant across-the-board cuts in spending have affected many state economies. Given its extensive military infrastructure and the Northern region's role as part of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Virginia is seen as especially vulnerable.
Regionally speaking, employment growth rates in 2014 were mixed. The Central region grew at the fastest rate (1.24%), followed by the Valley (0.83%), West Central (0.72%), and Eastern (0.63%) regions. The remaining four regions all experienced job losses in 2014. For the Northern (-0.05%) and Hampton Roads (-0.13%) regions, 2014 marked the first time they were in negative job growth territory since 2009 and 2011, respectively. In the Southside (-0.43%) region, job losses have been occurring since at least 2009; for the Southwest (-1.37%) region, those losses rebounded in 2011 but have again been in negative territory since then.
Coupled with employment growth, average annual wages and salaries provide a more complete picture of Virginia's economic health. The good news is that in 2014, inflation-adjusted wages and salaries rose in every state but Nevada -- albeit only slightly in some. Virginia's average wage was $52,936, up from $52,760 in 2013 and again exceeding the national average ($51,361) -- but still lower than the peak ($53,904) the state attained in 2010. New York again led all states with an average wage of $65,887 in 2014. Maryland's average wage ($55,391) was again higher than Virginia's, while North Carolina ($44,969) and Tennessee ($45,188) had notably lower average wages.
Regionally, the Northern region's average wage of $68,757 once again led the state in 2014, though that figure continues the decline in average wage the region has seen since 2010. The Southside ($32,037) and Southwest ($34,151) regions were again the lowest.
What Influences Employment Growth?
The three most important factors influencing employment growth are national business cycles (expansions and contractions in the economy), the mix of industries, and the relative attractiveness (competitive advantages) of the region.
Although underlying business cycles may be similar across the nation, it is the mix of industries that most affects the magnitude of the variation in any state or region's employment growth. For example, through most of the last 10 years, employment growth in Virginia and the nation has been significantly influenced by a continued shift from goods-producing jobs to service-oriented ones, especially in healthcare, social assistance, and business services.
States and regions with competitive advantages relative to other regions are also more likely to maintain their existing businesses and to experience growth. Because business is the driving force behind job creation, an attractive business climate is more conducive to higher levels of employment growth.
What is the State's Role?
The state's primary role in employment growth is to provide the infrastructure -- education and training, workforce development, transportation, and other public goods, such as research and development -- that reduces the transaction costs associated with economic activity and spurs growth. Virginia has developed two assessment tools -- the Workforce System Report Card and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Report Card -- that are designed to monitor the state's performance in each of these important areas.
The Workforce System Report Card works to better coordinate Virginia's varied workforce development and training resources and to track and improve the quality and marketability of our workforce as a whole. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Report Card delineates goals for boosting innovation and economic growth via increased support for R&D, new capital, and new technologies, as well as improving the state's talent pipeline and high-tech infrastructure.
Adequate infrastructure also allows private business to better respond to emerging economic opportunities. In addition, the state can assist in employment growth by fostering a competitive business climate.
State rankings are ordered so that #1 is understood to be the best.
Data Definitions and Sources
State and Regional Data
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, www.bls.gov/cew
Note: When comparing average wages/salaries over time, the dollar values must be "adjusted" to account for inflation. Inflation, which is the general rise in price level, means that a dollar today is generally worth less than a dollar in the past. To account for the difference in value over time, we divide wages/salaries by the consumer price index (CPI), which is one measure of inflation.
See the Data Sources and Updates Calendar for a detailed list of the data resources used for indicator measures on Virginia Performs. | <urn:uuid:467f2bc6-9772-4a79-bf9b-347df39ad15a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.vaperforms.virginia.gov/indicators/economy/employmentGrowth.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956124 | 1,348 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Pet Care Should Focus More on Wellness, Less on Shots- Provided by VetStreet.com
Once we “know” something it can be hard to accept contradictory information. That’s why we still say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” even though it has been known for years that the catchphrase was the clever work of apple growers. That’s why the idea of “yearly shots” remains the baseline for preventive pet care in the minds of many people, and they often overlook the value of regular physical exams and testing, which are critical to preventive care and can even be lifesaving for many pets.
An apple a day may not keep you healthy, but it probably won’t do you any harm. Some shots, though, can potentially cause problems for a few pets. The chance that they will is pretty small, but tailoring which vaccines your pet needs and when can make it even smaller.
Nothing in life is without risk, but we veterinarians used to think vaccines were safe enough that it was better to vaccinate whenever we had our doubts that a pet had been adequately protected. But then research showed that in some pets the negative reaction to a vaccine wasn't a day of just not feeling right. In a small but significant number of cats, the problem was more deadly: cancer.
The science, in other words, told us we needed to change what we knew.
Science Leads the Way
That didn’t happen overnight, of course, but in time veterinary schools and colleges and groups such as the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners gathered the research and developed new guidelines. These guidelines recommend a series of vaccinations to initiate disease resistance in kittens and puppies, followed by fewer "core" vaccines at longer intervals for adult dogs and cats, depending on their risk of exposure to disease.
When the old way was first challenged, proposed changes were controversial among veterinarians. Serious adverse vaccine reactions were (and still are) rare, and some veterinarians argued that not having a reason to bring a pet in for the wellness examinations that went with vaccinations would lead to suffering and even death from diseases not caught early. Others believed that the changes — and the reasons behind them — would lead to confusion and fear in pet owners.
In some ways the concerns were justified. Even though preventive care prevents suffering (and often saves money), yearly or twice-yearly wellness exams haven’t been as widely accepted as the idea of a yearly combination shot. That’s the bad news.
Wellness Moves Forward
The good news is that the veterinary profession is doing its best to spread the word about preventive care. Last year, for example, I took to the road in a custom-wrapped bus emblazoned with the words “Healthy Pets Visit Vets” and talked about the importance of wellness care in each of the 30 cities I visited. The American Veterinary Medical Association is taking the lead as well in making wellness a centerpiece of its pet owner education efforts.
While it’s not easy to remember, here’s what you need to know:
- Core vaccinations: These protect against those diseases that are potentially more serious and that are everywhere, and those of which animals can be exposed to even without direct contact. These include feline calicivirus (and others) for cats, and distemper (and others) for dogs. Once immunity is established in kittens and puppies through a series of shots, boosters are given at regular intervals.
- Non-core vaccinations: These are brought into play to help pets who have circumstances that put them at greater risk for diseases the vaccines cover, such as feline immunodeficiency virus for cats and leptospirosis for dogs.
- Every pet is an individual: Each pet should get as many vaccines as they need, but no more than they need. Kittens and puppies need their initial series of protective "core" vaccines, but after that, what other vaccines are given will depend on regional disease threats, lifestyle differences such as indoor vs. outdoor, and a pet’s history of reactions to vaccines.
- Rabies is a special case: Rabies vaccination is regulated by law because of the threat to human health. Almost all states now require a three-year cycle as mandatory for dogs (some clinics and municipalities even mandate that dogs get a rabies vaccine every two years), and highly recommend it for cats. Local governments may have stricter requirements, including mandatory rabies vaccinations for cats.
Any potential benefit your pet gets from these vaccine guidelines can be wiped out entirely by other health issues if you skip those wellness exams. So follow your veterinarian’s advice to set up the best preventive care regimen for your pets — including exactly which vaccines your pet needs and when. | <urn:uuid:88f25e0f-b152-4339-b157-183500357b69> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.vcahospitals.com/little/cat-care/article/pet-care-should-focus-more-on-wellness-less-on-shots | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970206 | 996 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Basic Toy Poodle Information
- Lifespan: 12 - 14 years
- Height: 10 - 10 inches
- Weight: 4 - 8 pounds
Medical Conditions Seen in Toy Poodles
- Otitis Externa
- Cushing's Disease
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Intervertebral Disk Disease
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Patellar Luxation
- Atlanto Axial Subluxation
- Chronic Valvular Disease
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Tracheal Collapse
Toy Poodle Traits
- Jogging Partner
- Lap Dog
- Good with Children
- Warm Weather
- Cold Weather
- Grooming Requirements
- Ease of Training
Toy Poodle History
- Although the standard poodle is the original version of the poodle, it wasn't long before smaller versions appeared as well.
- The first good evidence of toy poodles in Europe dates from about 1700, although it almost certainly predates that time.
- The toy poodle was originally used as a lap dog, circus performer, and gypsy trick dog.
- The French aristocracy became enamored with the poodle and adopted it as its own. It eventually became the national dog of France.
- The French upper class enjoyed styling and even dying its hair in a variety of fashions.
- The first evidence of toy poodles in America dates from 1846.
- The AKC recognized the poodle in 1887. Only later did they split the breed into three varieties according to size.
- After a period in the 1920s during which they almost vanished from the American scene, poodles staged a comeback in the 1930s.
- Poodles were the most popular breed in America from 1960 to 1982, the longest continuous run of any breed.
Toy Poodle Behavior Concerns
- Makes a biddable and affectionate companion.
- Playful and very good with children, although very young or unruly children may hurt it with rough play.
- Friendly to strangers, other dogs and other pets.
- Does best with reward-based training involving food, games or praise.
- Eager to please, bright and responsive, poodles are among the easiest of dogs to train.
- Loves to learn tricks.
- Excels at obedience and agility competitions, as well as therapy dog work.
- Some may bark a lot, but can be easily trained not to.
Toy Poodle Suggested Exercises
- Makes a well-mannered and alert housedog.
- A daily walk around the block, coupled with several play sessions, will meet its exercise needs.
- Enjoys retrieving small objects.
- Does well in dog parks as long as large dogs are segregated.
- Games and tricks provide needed mental exercise.
- Its thick coat provides some protection against cold weather, but its small body size makes it vulnerable to chilling.
Toy Poodle Grooming
- Coat is curly, harsh and dense.
- Brushing and combing every other day is necessary to prevent matting.
- Most people have their dogs professionally clipped every six weeks.
- Most people opt for a pet clip where the hair is fairly short all over.
- Shedding is below average.
- The eyes should be checked regularly for hair or lashes that may irritate their surface.
- No breed is actually non-allergenic, but poodles may cause allergies in fewer people compared to other breeds.
- Hair growing inside the ears may need to be plucked out or clipped.
Suggested Toy Poodle Nutritional Needs
- Poodles tend to stay in good weight or to be a little overweight. The thick coat can sometimes obscure weight problems, so be sure to use your hands to feel.
- Adult dogs should be fed a balanced diet, with restricted calories if the dog starts to gain too much weight.
- Small snacks can cause weight problems in tiny dogs.
- Toy poodle puppies should be fed often to prevent hypoglycemia, a serious condition to which very small puppies are prone. Frequent small meals of high protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates may help guard against this condition.
Did you know?
- Grapes and raisins are harmful to dogs.
- Some dog parasites are transferable to humans.
- Many common pet ailments may be detected early and prevented by visiting your veterinarian twice yearly - saving both time, money, and most importantly, ensuring the best quality of life for your dog.
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Have unanswered pet health questions? Dr.Donna Spector, with 10+ years of hands-on Internal Medicine experience, is here with your answers every Friday. | <urn:uuid:e824845e-5d76-4269-a7c7-880e388ad532> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.vcahospitals.com/northside-ct/dog-care/dog-breeds/toy-poodle | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92813 | 1,037 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Pulmonary Function Testing
Pulmonary function testing is used to detect the presence of obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease. A pneumotachometer (flowmeter) attached to a mask fitted around the nose is used to measure flow during normal breathing at rest. Esophageal pressure and airflow at the nose are used to calculate the change in pleural pressure, pulmonary resistance, and lung compliance.
Forced Air Expiration
Forced expiration is used as part of advanced pulmonary function testing. The horse is sedated and fitted with an esophageal balloon and a nasotracheal tube inserted into the proximal third of the trachea. The horse’s lungs are manually inflated to capacity, and then the lungs are exposed to a vacuum reservoir to induce a forced expiration.From this, data is collected by a computer and forced vital capacity of the lungs, forced expiratory volume, and forced expiratory flow can be calculated and a flow-volume curve is made.
The esophageal balloon is used to measure pleural pressure using a pressure transducer outside the body. The esophageal balloon consists of a small tube with a thin walled balloon at the end. It is placed in the lower third of the esophagus (mid-thoracic level) since changes in esophageal pressure at this location mimic changes in pleural pressure. | <urn:uuid:d2d8e0df-e2d3-4b8c-9ab7-0ce6209ef215> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.vet.purdue.edu/esmc/pulmonary-function.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932155 | 288 | 3.359375 | 3 |
Euro4: Global weather forecast model from the "UK MetOffice, North Atlantic European Model"
4 times per day, from 0:00, 05:00, 11:00 and 17:00 UTC
Greenwich Mean Time:
12:00 UTC = 12:00 GMT
0.11° x 0.11°
Sea Level Pressure in hPa
The surface chart (also known as surface synoptic chart) presents the distribution of
the atmospheric pressure observed at any given station on the earth's surface
reduced to sea level.
You can read the positions of the controlling weather features (highs, lows, ridges or
troughs) from the distribution of the isobars (lines of equal sea level pressure).
The isobars define the pressure field. The pressure field is the dominating player in
the weather system.
Additionally, this map helps you to identify synoptic-scale waves and gives you a first
estimate on meso-scale fronts.
Numerical weather prediction uses current weather conditions as input into mathematical models of the atmosphere to predict the weather. Although the first efforts to accomplish this were done in the 1920s, it wasn't until the advent of the computer and computer simulation that it was feasible to do in real-time. Manipulating the huge datasets and performing the complex calculations necessary to do this on a resolution fine enough to make the results useful requires the use of some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. A number of forecast models, both global and regional in scale, are run to help create forecasts for nations worldwide. Use of model ensemble forecasts helps to define the forecast uncertainty and extend weather forecasting farther into the future than would otherwise be possible.
Wikipedia, Numerical weather prediction, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerical_weather_prediction
(as of Feb. 9, 2010, 20:50 UTC). | <urn:uuid:bee7c991-8c8f-447a-878c-8e806f138f46> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-bin/expertcharts?LANG=en&MENU=0000000000&CONT=ukuk&MODELL=nae&MODELLTYP=1&BASE=-&VAR=pslv&HH=48&INFO=1&ARCHIV=0&ZOOM=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.895421 | 398 | 3.359375 | 3 |
Faceted index, by topics :
How to insert these widgets?
220.127.116.11. Using cascading style sheets (CSS)
The use of cascading style sheets (CSS) gives an homogeneous presentation of web site pages, with a virtually unlimited control on layout.
The counterpart is the necessity to know a minimum of CSS syntax (see the quick reference on CSS annex). You may learn with samples, by using predefined style templates, and gradually modifying them. By using preview mechanisms and automatically generating web sites, you get immediate effects of the changes to the style template.
CSS properties apply to distinct document elements. This elements are organized in correspondence with elements of structure template : they are named style classes. For example, by changing title class style, you control how all document titles that will be displayed, and immediately check the effects thanks to the preview feature.
See also : | <urn:uuid:9b22d8c4-add0-4bc0-993a-505d6bf6534d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webideatree.com/mu-en/text/style-css-principles.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.829226 | 185 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Can Fire Retardants Raise Risk of Children Born With Lower IQs?
Study found higher levels of the chemicals in mom also upped chances of hyperactivity in kids by age 5
The level of fire-retardant chemicals in the women's bodies didn't appear to affect the way the kids developed physically and mentally from ages 1 to 3. But at the age of 5, children of mothers with the highest level of chemicals in their bodies were more likely to have lower IQs (by 5 points) and to be more hyperactive than other kids.
Does this matter? In the big picture, "a 5-point reduction in the average IQ of U.S. children would result in a 57 percent increase in children who have an IQ lower than 70 points," said study co-author Dr. Bruce Lanphear, a health sciences professor at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Those children, he noted, would be considered mentally disabled.
"There would also be a corresponding decrease in the number of children who would be 'gifted,' " with an IQ above 130 points, Lanphear added.
Dr. Maida Galvez, an associate professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, advises consumers to look for new furniture that includes the label "TB 117-2013," which means it meets new standards set by California regarding fire safety in products.
As for existing furniture and other products, it's possible to send samples to labs for testing to see if they contain fire retardants. A 2012 study found questionable fire retardant chemicals in 85 percent of 102 couches tested.
Alternatively, "there are simple steps every family can take to reduce exposures to flame retardant chemicals in the home," Galvez said. "This includes wet mopping and wet dusting, ventilating the home and frequent hand washing with basic soap and water. These simple steps can reduce exposure to dust that may contain flame-retardant chemicals."
Future research should focus on the effects of flame-retardant exposure on adults and children, said study lead author Dr. Aimin Chen, an assistant professor in the department of environmental health at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
The study appears in the May 28 issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. | <urn:uuid:49233791-7491-4507-8429-ce7fbb2af948> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20140528/can-fire-retardants-raise-risk-of-children-born-with-lower-iqs?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958107 | 471 | 3.09375 | 3 |
The heart is a muscular organ about the size of a fist, located just behind and slightly left of the breastbone. The heart pumps blood through the network of arteries and veins called the cardiovascular system.
The heart has four chambers:
- The right atrium receives blood from the veins and pumps it to the right ventricle.
- The right ventricle receives blood from the right atrium and pumps it to the lungs, where it is loaded with oxygen.
- The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the left ventricle.
- The left ventricle (the strongest chamber) pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. The left ventricle’s vigorous contractions create our blood pressure.
The coronary arteries run along the surface of the heart and provide oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. A web of nerve tissue also runs through the heart, conducting the complex signals that govern contraction and relaxation. Surrounding the heart is a sac called the pericardium. | <urn:uuid:f952269d-e68f-490a-95a4-23608fd9af79> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webmd.com/heart/picture-of-the-heart?src=rsf_full-3609_pub_none_xlnk | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.898491 | 217 | 4.0625 | 4 |
Why Praising Kids With Food Doesn't Work
Experts say rewarding kids with sweet treats sends the wrong message.
Have you ever been tempted to use food to reward your children? I can tell you honestly I have, even though I'm a pediatrician. Sometimes, when my 6-year-old twins refuse to eat their vegetables, the words almost fall out of my mouth: "You'll get dessert if you finish."
So what's the big deal? Here's what tends to happen:
You offer sugar but little or no nutrition. Reward foods aren't broccoli or carrots. They're usually cookies, candy, or similar treats high in sugar and empty calories. For everyone, but especially growing children, too much sugar and too many low-nutrient foods can lead to health problems, including weight gain, cavities, and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. According to the CDC, a third of children between ages 2 and 19 are overweight or obese and may face adult health problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
You enable emotional eating. Food given as a reward can lead to an unhealthy emotional connection between eating certain foods and feeling good. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids may use food to avoid feelings or situations that are difficult for them to handle. Eating because they're bored or stressed can cause children to feel guilty or remorseful.
You encourage a desire for sweets and poor eating habits. Giving children food for good behavior teaches them to eat whether or not they are actually hungry, the Connecticut State Department of Education reports. You send the message that sweets are more valuable than other foods.
You sabotage your best intentions. If you reward your child with a cupcake, he'll be less keen to eat his peas, not more. "It's like teaching children a lesson on the importance of not smoking and then handing out ashtrays and lighters to the kids who did the best job listening," Marlene Schwartz, PhD, of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, says.
Next time, for good behavior, say, "Let's go to the park since you did a good job!"
Teaching Kids Better Eating Habits
Worried that you've set your kids in the wrong direction with food? Try these ideas for teaching them to eat more healthily. | <urn:uuid:24325abf-09f7-4847-ac40-8a7c5a5e304b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/why-praising-kids-with-food-doesnt-work?src=RSS_PUBLIC | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961654 | 472 | 3.25 | 3 |
How Effective Is the Flu Vaccine?
When You Get the Flu Vaccine
While the flu vaccine was once only be available between October and the end of November, experts stress that you can now get it into December and January. Keep in mind that the flu season often doesn’t peak until February or later.
But the sooner you get it, the better. Why? Simple: the further you get into the flu season, the higher your risk of getting flu. Here’s something else to keep in mind: it can take two weeks for the flu vaccine to take effect. So if you’re exposed to the flu within that two week period, you might still get sick.
Once a flu season is over, the old vaccine is not as effective, so an annual flu shot is needed for optimal protection.
How Well the Vaccine Is Matched With the Dominant Flu Strains
Unlike other vaccines, the flu vaccine is often updated each season to protect against what researchers believe will be the dominant strains of the flu that year. Predictions are based on world-wide monitoring of viruses. While predictions are generally accurate, they aren't foolproof. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine in a given year depends on their accuracy.
Unfortunately, getting the flu vaccine isn’t a guarantee that you won’t get the flu, but it is thought to provide at least partial immunity. If you catch the flu despite getting the vaccine, your symptoms may be milder.
So, don't skip the vaccine -- especially if you're at high risk for flu complications. Even though the flu vaccine may not work quite as well in young children, older adults, and the ill, these very same people are the most likely to have severe and even life-threatening complications from the flu. It’s crucial that they get vaccinated. While it may not be perfect, the flu vaccine is the best defense we have.
One more thing to keep in mind: the flu vaccine does not protect against cold viruses. Some people believe that the flu shot doesn’t work because they get sick despite being vaccinated. But in most of these cases, experts say, the flu vaccine did work -- it’s just that these people came down with an unrelated cold virus. | <urn:uuid:d63b6bc7-7b35-4430-a59c-dbdce032a6f0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webmd.com/vaccines/how-effective-is-flu-vaccine?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964989 | 467 | 3.140625 | 3 |
When it comes to fat, trans fat is considered by some doctors to be the worst type of fat. Unlike other fats, trans fat — also called trans-fatty acids — both raises your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your "good" (HDL) cholesterol.
A high LDL cholesterol level in combination with a low HDL cholesterol level increases your risk of heart disease, the leading killer of men and women. Here's some information about trans fat and how to avoid it.
What is trans fat?
Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil less likely to spoil. Using trans fats in the manufacturing of foods helps foods stay fresh longer, have a longer shelf life and have a less greasy feel.
Scientists aren't sure exactly why, but the addition of hydrogen to oil increases your cholesterol more than do other types of fats. It's thought that adding hydrogen to oil makes the oil more difficult to digest, and your body recognizes trans fats as saturated fats.
Trans fat in your food
Commercial baked goods — such as crackers, cookies and cakes — and many fried foods, such as doughnuts and french fries — may contain trans fats. Shortenings and some margarines can be high in trans fat.
Trans fat used to be more common, but in recent years food manufacturers have used it less because of concerns over the health effects of trans fat. Food manufacturers in the United States and many other countries list the trans fat content on nutrition labels.
However, you should be aware of what nutritional labels really mean when it comes to trans fat. For example, in the United States if a food has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, the food label can read 0 grams trans fat. Though that's a small amount of trans fat, if you eat multiple servings of foods with less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, you could exceed recommended limits.
Reading food labels
How do you know whether food contains trans fat? Look for the words "partially hydrogenated" vegetable oil. That's another term for trans fat.
It sounds counterintuitive, but "fully" or "completely" hydrogenated oil doesn't contain trans fat. Unlike partially hydrogenated oil, the process used to make fully or completely hydrogenated oil doesn't result in trans-fatty acids. However, if the label says just "hydrogenated" vegetable oil, it could mean the oil contains some trans fat.
Although small amounts of trans fat occur naturally in some meat and dairy products, it's the trans fats in processed foods that seem to be more harmful.
Trans fat and cholesterol
Doctors worry about trans fat because of its unhealthy effect on your cholesterol levels — increasing your LDL and decreasing your HDL cholesterol. There are two main types of cholesterol:
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL). LDL, or "bad," cholesterol transports cholesterol throughout your body. LDL cholesterol, when elevated, builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL, or "good," cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver.
A high LDL cholesterol level is a major risk factor for heart disease. If your LDL is too high, over time, it can cause atherosclerosis, a dangerous accumulation of fatty deposits on the walls of your arteries. These deposits — called plaques — can reduce blood flow through your arteries. If the arteries that supply your heart with blood (coronary arteries) are affected, you may have chest pain and other symptoms of coronary artery disease.
If plaques tear or rupture, a blood clot may form — blocking the flow of blood or breaking free and plugging an artery downstream. If blood flow to part of your heart stops, you'll have a heart attack. If blood flow to part of your brain stops, a stroke occurs.
Other effects of trans fat
Doctors are most concerned about the effect of trans fat on cholesterol. However, trans fat has also been shown to have some other harmful effects:
- Increases triglycerides. Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. A high triglyceride level may contribute to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) or thickening of the artery walls — which increases the risk of stroke, diabetes, heart attack and heart disease.
- Increases Lp(a) lipoprotein. Lp(a) is a type of LDL cholesterol found in varying levels in your blood, depending on your genetic makeup. Trans fats make Lp(a) into smaller and denser lipid particles, which promotes a buildup of plaques in your arteries.
- Causes more inflammation. Trans fat may increase inflammation, which is a process by which your body responds to injury. It's thought that inflammation plays a key role in the formation of fatty blockages in heart blood vessels. Trans fat appears to damage the cells lining blood vessels, leading to inflammation.
Avoiding trans fat
The good news is trans fat is showing up less in food, especially food on grocery store shelves. If you eat out a lot, however, be aware that some restaurants continue to use trans fat. Trans fat is sometimes a part of the oil restaurants use to fry food. A large serving of french fries at some restaurants can contain 5 grams or more of trans fat.
How much trans fat you can safely consume is debatable. However, there's no question you should limit trans fat, according to the Food and Drug Administration and the American Heart Association (AHA). | <urn:uuid:b399b67f-8983-4da1-8acf-c46677dbd460> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wfmz.com/trans-fat-is-double-trouble-for-your-heart-health/23035422?item=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937967 | 1,151 | 3.390625 | 3 |
The impact of the South Sudan Road Project reaches far beyond delivering food aid. The vast majority of all commercial and humanitarian activities as well as the delivery of social services by the Government of Southern Sudan have directly benefited from the WFP roads programme. Here’s how.
- Improved roads allow access to previously isolated communities, schools, health centres and markets. Travel time for people accessing markets and health centres has been cut in half along major routes. For instance before 2004, travel time from Kaya (Ugandan border) to Rumbek, an important logistics hub for WFP, was anything between 2- 4 weeks, and cases of trucks loaded with food being stuck for several months were not uncommon. Today it can take 10 to 12 hours.
- Commercial businesses are growing and new activities are on the rise.
- Insecurity along these routes has also vastly improved.
- The cost of public transport has decreased by as much as 50-60 percent in some cases, which has led to an increase in the number of people using the roads.
- Daily bus services are operating on all opened routes.
- Improved roads have also affected the prices of basic commodities, leading to a decrease in some areas.
- Small scale trade has increased, making essential supplies such as food stuffs, beverages and medicines available at a reduced price.
- Improved roads have also facilitated the return of displaced people.
- The UN peacekeeping mission has also been able to mobilise due to the roads and demining carried out.
- Employment and training for Sudanese nationals has had a direct benefit for the sector and local communities along the routes.
The road project has already had a substantial impact on the development and economy in the area and if the success can be maintained, it will continue to greatly benefit the area and its communities.
Copyright: WFP/Steven Mann | <urn:uuid:0c680355-c0e0-4def-9874-564abe217ebd> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wfp.org/logistics/blog/10-reasons-repair-roads-south-sudan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97257 | 380 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Bacterial Pathogens and Rising Temperatures Threaten Coral Health
Coral reefs around the world are in serious trouble from pollution, over-fishing, climate change and more. The last thing they need is an infection. But that’s exactly what yellow band disease (YBD) is—a bacterial infection that sickens coral colonies. Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and colleagues have found that YBD seems to be getting worse with global warming and announced that they’ve identified the bacteria responsible for the disease.
Just as a doctor can diagnose a child with chicken pox by the small, round bumps on her skin, you can tell a coral with yellow band disease (YBD) by its own characteristic markings. This affliction etches a swath of pale-yellow or white lesions along the surface of an infected coral colony. The discolored band is a mark of death, indicating where the bacterial infection has killed the coral’s photosynthetic symbionts, called zooxanthellae. The coral host suffers from cellular damage and starves without its major energy source, and usually does not recover.
In a paper published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of Applied Microbiology (JAM), lead author James Cervino, a guest investigator in the WHOI Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry department, and his colleagues report isolating the bacteria that cause YBD: a group of four new Vibrio species, which combine with existing Vibrio on the coral to attack the zooxanthellae. This is the first demonstration that the same bacterial culprits are to blame for the disease throughout the Caribbean as well as half way around the world in Indonesia.
The broad distribution of the core group of Vibrio also helps explain the expanding incidence of YBD throughout the world’s tropical oceans, Cervino says. The JAM study documents YBD infection in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. According to Cervino, “In the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, the Caribbean, YBD is one of the most threatening coral diseases.”
The Vibrio bacteria that cause YBD are part of a family with a reputation for disease. “What we have are coral pathogens that are genetically close to shellfish pathogens,” Cervino says. For example, one of the Vibrio bacteria found in corals also causes infections in prawns, shrimp, and crabs. The bacteria are also distantly related to Vibrio cholera, the pathogen that causes human cholera epidemics. There is no known danger to humans from YBD, however.
Cervino and colleagues grew Vibrio pathogens together with healthy coral. They found that YBD infection occurs at normal ocean temperatures, but that warmer temperatures made the disease even more virulent. Cervino explains, “Contrary to what many experts have assumed, this disease occurs independently of warming temperatures.” However, when the temperatures go up and the corals are already infected, the infection becomes more lethal. “Thermal stress and pathogenic stress are a double-whammy for the organism,” emphasizes Cervino. With the Vibrio core group occurring in tropical oceans all over the world and water temperatures on the rise, he says, the prognosis for corals and the spread of YBD is rather grim.
Cervino is a professor at Pace University in New York and a visiting scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Cervino works in co-author Konrad Hughen’s lab in the Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry. Of their joint work Cervino says, “You have biology and chemistry merging together in this lab at WHOI and it’s turning out to be an amazing collaboration.” | <urn:uuid:3cb876db-a48b-4f43-84b2-5ace166ab768> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=83341&tid=3622&cid=54708&c=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937549 | 793 | 3.40625 | 3 |
Five Methods:Determine What Type of Electrician Career to PursueComplete Electrician Education RequirementsComplete an Electrician ApprenticeshipGet Licensed as an Electrician in KentuckyMaintain Licensure and Meet Continuing Education RequirementsCommunity Q&A
Electricians install, repair and maintain power systems for commercial, industrial and residential buildings. Training to become an electrician typically takes about 4 years, and involves an apprenticeship and state licensing. In Kentucky, electricians must pass an exam, provide proof of work experience, and log at least 576 hours of classroom training. Additionally, electricians must understand blueprints and electrical codes. Use these tips to become an electrician in Kentucky.
Determine What Type of Electrician Career to Pursue
1Evaluate the different categories of electrician jobs. Electrician jobs usually are categorized as either industrial, commercial or residential. Some states require specific licensing for each category, but Kentucky does not.
2Determine whether you prefer construction or maintenance electrical work. Electricians who focus on construction install electrical systems in home, businesses and factories. Electricians who focus on maintenance repair electrical equipment and upgrade existing systems.
3Consider the electrician job you desire. Electricians may follow different career paths, depending on their job training and preparation. Possible electrician jobs include apprentice, journeyman, electrician, foreman, supervisor, project manager, estimator, purchasing agent, electrical inspector, electrical sales manager or electrical contractor. An apprentice job in Kentucky requires the minimum education and state licensing requirements, while an electrical contractor position typically requires advanced training.
Complete Electrician Education Requirements
1Graduate from high school. A high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.) is required to become an electrician in Kentucky. Because electrical work involves the application of mathematical equations, math classes like algebra and geometry are recommended for students interested in pursuing electrician careers.
2Earn a certificate or degree. A degree or certificate is not required to become an electrician in Kentucky, however the classroom training provides a solid foundation for aspiring electricians. Electrician candidates with a 2-year or 4-year degree usually start their careers at higher pay levels than those without a degree.
- Earn a certificate from a vocational or technical school. Many vocational and technical schools offer electrician training programs. These programs typically provide classroom instruction combined with hands-on projects.
- Earn an associate's or bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Many colleges offer 2- and 4-year degree programs for aspiring electricians, such as Associate of Science in Electrical Technology, Associate of Occupational Science in Electrical Construction and Instrumentation, and Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Students typically complete course work in electrical fundamentals, wiring, blueprints and planning, tool usage and electrical codes.
Complete an Electrician Apprenticeship
1Meet the apprenticeship requirements. Apprenticeship applicants in Kentucky must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma and pass a drug test. An apprenticeship is required to obtain an electrician license in Kentucky.
2Complete an electrician apprenticeship. An apprenticeship provides classroom instruction and paid on-the-job training for aspiring electricians. Most apprenticeship programs take 3 to 5 years to complete, and cost between $400 and $1,000 a year. Most apprentices are paid about 50 percent of the market rate during on-the-job training. Upon completion of an apprenticeship, students are qualified for both construction and maintenance electrical work. There are several options for apprenticeship programs in Kentucky.
- Choose a union apprenticeship program. Electrical unions like the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) offer apprenticeship programs. Each union sponsors aspiring electricians through its apprenticeship program, and then requires membership in the union upon completion of the program. Each union provides career placement assistance and continuing education opportunities. Union apprenticeships are offered throughout Kentucky.
- Select a state sponsored apprenticeship. Kentucky offers several state sponsored apprenticeship opportunities. Often funded by workforce development initiatives, the state sponsored programs provide classroom and on-the-job training. Participation in a state sponsored program may require you to relocate to the apprenticeship site in Kentucky. Candidates may apply for state sponsored apprenticeships in Kentucky through the Joint Apprentice Training Program, headquartered in Louisville.
- Consider an online electrician program. Online apprenticeship programs provide the opportunity for students to complete classroom training online. The online programs match students with local apprenticeship programs for on-the-job training. Ensure the online electrician program is accredited by the Kentucky Apprenticeship Council or the training hours may not be applicable to licensure.
Get Licensed as an Electrician in Kentucky
1Determine which electrician license to apply for in Kentucky. There are 3 different electrician licenses in Kentucky: electrical contractor, master electrician and electrician.
- Choose an electrical contractor license if you contract with the public to perform electrical work. If your work requires you to request electrical permits, you must get an electrical contractor license. An electrical contractor must hire at least 1 master electrician. Therefore, if you operate a 1-person electrical business, you must get an electrical contractor license and a master electrician license.
- Select a master electrician license if you supervise an electrician or supervise the electrical work for your organization.
- Consider an electrician license to work unsupervised as an electrician.
2Obtain an electrical contractor license. To get an electrical contractor license in Kentucky, you must pass an exam, provide a passport-sized photo, show proof of worker's compensation or a notarized waiver, provide a certificate of liability insurance of at least $500,000, have 2 years of experience as an electrical contractor in Kentucky, and pay the $200 licensure fee. Applications forms are available online at the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction website.
- Pass the electrical contractor exam from the International Code Council with a score of at least 70 percent to get an electrical contractor license in Kentucky. The test covers electrical theory, applications, business and law, as well as the National Electrical Code, local codes and state codes.
3Get a master electrician license. To obtain a master electrician license in Kentucky, you must pass an exam, provide a passport-sized photo, and pay the $100 licensure fee. Additionally, you must show notarized proof of either 8 years of work experience as an electrician in Kentucky, or 6 years of work experience and at least 576 hours of classroom training. Applications forms are available online at the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction website.
- Pass the master electrician exam from the International Code Council with a score of at least 75 percent to get licensed in Kentucky. The 100-question test takes approximately 5 hours to complete.
4Obtain an electrician license. To get an electrician license in Kentucky, you must pass an exam, provide a passport-sized photo, and pay the $50 licensure fee. Additionally, you must show notarized proof of either 6 years of work experience as an electrician in Kentucky, or 4 years of work experience and at least 576 hours of classroom training. Applications forms are available online at the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction website.
- Pass the electrician exam from the International Code Council with a score of at least 70 percent to get licensed in Kentucky. The 80-question test takes approximately 4 hours to complete.
Maintain Licensure and Meet Continuing Education Requirements
1Renew your electrician license. In Kentucky, all electrician licenses require annual renewal. To renew, the license holder must pay a $200 fee and show proof of completion of 6 continuing education credits each year.
2Complete continuing education requirements. Continuing education is required throughout an electrician's career. Each year, a minimum of 6 continuing education credits are required for license renewal. Continuing education classes are available in safety programs, manufacturer and product training, changes and updates to the National Electrical Code, and the latest electrical system advancements.
- Meet specifications for continuing education requirements. In Kentucky, electrical contractors, master electricians and electricians must take 6 hours of coursework related to business practices, employment law and safety procedures. However, only 2 of the 6 required hours can be focused on safety.
- Consider state-approved continuing education courses in Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana and Virginia. Kentucky recognizes continuing education credits for electricians offered in those states.
- If you do not pass the Kentucky electrician exam the first time, you can retake the test after 10 days. However, each time you take the test, you must reapply for licensure.
- To connect small wires in tight spaces, electrician should have good hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity and balance.
- In Kentucky, performing electrical work without a license is a misdemeanor, which can result in a fine of $500 to $5,000 and/or 10 to 180 days in jail.
Sources and Citations | <urn:uuid:05efd6a0-e1ef-4a85-8438-5594b3fc39c8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Electrician-in-Kentucky | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907489 | 1,871 | 2.59375 | 3 |
"Bankruptcy" is the legally declared inability of an individual or organization to pay its creditors. When a company files for bankruptcy, they do so in Federal Court under the Bankruptcy Code. Creditors may file an "involuntary bankruptcy" petition against a debtor in an effort to recoup what they owe. However, in most cases, bankruptcy is initiated by the debtor, and this is called "voluntary bankruptcy".
To file for bankruptcy, one must always include :
Any individual, partnership, or corporation can qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. However, in order to qualify, one must have received credit counseling from an approved agency. Firms filing this form of bankruptcy are past the stage of reorganization and must sell off all un-exempt assets to pay creditors. The creditors collect their debts according to the seniority of their debts. A trustee is appointed, who ensures that any assets that are secured are sold and that the proceeds are paid to the specific creditors.
For example, secured debt would be loans issued by banks or institutions based upon the value of a specific asset. Whatever assets and residual cash remain after all secured creditors are paid are pooled together to be paid to any outstanding creditors with unsecured loans: e.g. bondholders and preferred shareholders.
Keep in mind that only an individual debtor (as opposed to a corporation or partnership) may be discharged. In other words, an honest, individual debtor is eligible to lose all liability for a given debt so that he or she may be given a "fresh start."
A chapter 11 bankruptcy, governed by Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. allows the company to stay in business while a bankruptcy court supervises the "reorganization" of the company's contractual and debt obligations. The court can grant complete or partial relief from debts and contracts, allowing the company can make a new start.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy doesn't put personal assets of those involved with a given corporation (other than their stock within the company) in danger. However, if the debtor is an individual, both business and personal assets will be involved. If the company filing is a partnership, the lines are slightly blurrier—in some cases the individual partners' personal assets may be at stake.
Often, if the business's debts exceed its assets, then at the completion of bankruptcy the company's owners all end up without anything; all their rights and interests are ended and the company's creditors are left with ownership of the newly reorganized company.
Chapter 11 bankruptcies can be extremely complicated and expensive (in terms of legal and consulting fees) for an organization.
Chapter 13 allows individuals to undergo a financial reorganization supervised by a federal bankruptcy court. The Bankruptcy Code anticipates the goal of Chapter 13 as enabling income-receiving debtors a debtor rehabilitation provided they fulfill a court-approved plan. This is in contrast to the goals of Chapter 7 that offers immediate, complete relief of many oppressive debts.
However, Chapter 13 bankruptcy has a few advantages for individuals who chose this instead of Chapter 7. The largest of these advantages is the opportunity for an individual to save his or her home from foreclosure. In addition, individuals may be allowed to reschedule secured debts, and thus may give them the opportunity to lower their monthly payments. | <urn:uuid:a6d4ca83-5ffa-42da-8e18-8f2b415d076a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wikinvest.com/wiki/Bankruptcy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962067 | 672 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Buffalograss, Buffalo grass
Poaceae (Grass Family)
Strickland, Sam C.
Buffalograss is a soft, gray-green or blue-green, perennial
turf grass which grows 3-12 inches if left unmowed and spreads by rhizomes. This long-lived, warm-season, sod-forming grass has curly leaf blades, slender stems, and compact seed heads.
One of very few drought-tolerant North American grasses suitable for lawn use, and the only one widely available, Buffalograss has become very popular since the late 1980s. (Two other drought-tolerant native
lawn grasses are Blue Grama/B. gracilis
and Curly Mesquite Grass/Hilaria belangeri
.) Buffalograss does best in clay loam, where it can survive on as little as one and a half inches of rainfall per month. In
areas with even less rainfall, Buffalograss is sometimes mixed with the more drought-tolerant Blue Grama (B. gracilis
) to insure solid color through the dry season. Cultivars Texoka and Comanche were bred for forage and can reach 12 inches. 609, Prairie, and Stampede are lawn selections. Stampede doesnt get taller than 4 inches. Buffalograss lawns can be mowed or left to billow softly in the wind.
Image Gallery: 44 photo(s) available
Bloom InformationBloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec
Bloom Notes: Blooms opportunistically throughout growing season.
, WY Canada: MB
, SK Native Distribution:
Manitoba and Saskatchewan south through the central plains states of the US as far south as Puebla in Mexico. Mostly west of the 97th meridian and east of the Rocky Mountains and desert regions. Native Habitat:
Prairies, plains, meadows, pastures, savannahs. A dominant grass in shortgrass prairie, understory in taller prairie.
Growing ConditionsWater Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Well-drained loam, clay, caliche, or limestone. Does not like sand.
Conditions Comments: Requires only one and a half inches of rain per month to stay green. Will go dormant during droughts and in winter.
BenefitUse Ornamental: A soft, fine-leaved, low-maintenace, drought-tolerant turf grass that can be mowed. Many cultivars have been selected for lawn use, almost entirely male strains so there wont be seedheads.
Use Wildlife: Foliage cured on the ground furnishes winter browse for mammals. Seeds and leaves are food and nesting material for birds.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Green Skipper butterfly.
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
is a larval host and/or nectar source for: | <urn:uuid:b1a9590f-e79b-4fed-b775-7596f776ca88> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wildflower.org/mobile/plants/result.php?id_plant=BODA2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.873123 | 685 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Amsonia tabernaemontana Walter
Eastern bluestar, Blue dogbane, Willow amsonia, Woodland bluestar
Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family)
USDA Symbol: AMTA2
Eastern bluestar is a 1-3 ft., erect-stemmed perennial forming large, multi-stemmed clumps. The smooth stems are crowded with narrow, oval leaves which turn golden-yellow in the fall. Blue, tubular flowers, the rim flaring to a star-shape, appear in loosely conjested clusters at the tips of the stems.
The species name commemorates the 16th-century German herbalist Jakobus Theodorus Tabernaemontanus. Greek apocynum noxious to dogs. Distasteful.
From the Image Gallery
Plant CharacteristicsDuration: Perennial
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Shape: Lanceolate
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Leaf Margin: Ciliate
Leaf Apex: Acuminate
Size Class: 1-3 ft.
Bloom InformationBloom Color: Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Anthers yellow-orange. Flowers often partially hidden by uppermost leaves.
DistributionUSA: AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA
Native Distribution: MD & s.e. VA to s. IL & infrequently to KS, s. to FL & e. TX
Native Habitat: Wet, sandy sites in thin woods & on plains.
Growing ConditionsLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet
Soil Description: Wet to moist, sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: This species should be cut back after flowering. Blue star has naturalized northeast as far as Massachusetts. A similar species, A. illustris, occurs inland from MO & KS to TX.
PropagationDescription: Seed can be sown outside, 1/2 deep, after collection. Seedlings germinate immediately, but flower the second year following germination.
Seed Collection: Long, slender follicles turn tan when they are mature, about 4-5 months after flowering. Corky seeds are cinnamon-brown when mature. Store dried seeds in a sealed, refrigerated container. Can be stored up to four years.
Seed Treatment: For seeds that have been stored, cut an end off the seed and soak in water 2-3 days. This will aid germination.
Commercially Avail: yes
National Wetland Indicator Status
From the National Suppliers DirectoryAccording to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:
Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery - Orefield, PA
Amandas Garden - Springwater, NY
Sunshine Farm & Gardens - Renick, WV
Enchanter's Garden - Hinton, WV
ArcheWild Native Nurseries - Quakertown, PA
Prairie Nursery - Westfield, WI
From the National Organizations DirectoryAccording to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:
Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE
BibliographyBibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Research LiteratureReslit 1100 - Activity of alpha-galactosidase in immobilized cells of Amsonia tabernaemontana Walt (1998) J. Poor
Reslit 1101 - beta-galactosidase in immobilized cells of Amsonia tabernaemontana (1997) J. Poor, V. Blanarikova and A. Klimecky
Reslit 1465 - Anatomical structures of the VA mycorrhiza in the Apocynaceae (Gentianales) (1995) H. C. Weber, A. Klahr and M. MarronHeimbuch
Reslit 2094 - Cell-suspension culture of Amsonia-tabernaemontana Walter - Growth, organogenesis and alkaloid production (1981) M. Furmanowa and L. Rapczewska
Reslit 2095 - Amsonia tabernaemontana Walter (Apocynaceae) in tissue culture--growth and alkaloid production (1977) M. Furmanowa and L. Rapczewska
This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
Search More Titles in Research Literature
Additional resourcesUSDA: Find Amsonia tabernaemontana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Amsonia tabernaemontana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Amsonia tabernaemontana
MetadataRecord Modified: 2013-09-09
Research By: TWC Staff | <urn:uuid:4fc955c6-f3ff-43d4-a94c-455aed20d384> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=AMTA2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.741066 | 1,127 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Because Digital Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Online and Multimedia Environments
November 2010, Jossey-Bass
How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing Project
As many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction.
- Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessons
- Addresses the proliferation of writing in the digital age
- Offers a guide for improving students' online writing skills
The book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.
INTRODUCTION Why Digital Writing Matters.
ONE The Landscape of Digital Writing.
TWO Revising the Writing Process: Learning to Write in a Digital World.
THREE Ecologies for Digital Writing.
FOUR Standards and Assessment for Digital Writing.
FIVE Professional Development for Digital Writing.
AFTERWORD Some Conclusions, Many Beginnings.
Dànielle Nicole DeVoss is an associate professor and director of the Professional Writing Program at Michigan State University. Elyse Eidman-Aadahl directs National Programs and Site Development at the NWP at the University of California, Berkeley. Troy Hicks is an assistant professor of English at Central Michigan University, where he also directs the Chippewa River Writing Project.
What Is Digital Writing and Why Does It Matter?
New Book Defines Digital Literacy, Offers Guidance for Teachers and Policymakers
Berkeley, CA – In today’s world of texting, tweeting, blogging, and social networking, young people are writing more than ever. Students are faced with learning multiple new literacies to succeed in our fast-paced, information-rich world, yet most schools have not caught up with the digital reality that students live in daily.
Because Digital Writing Matters, a new book from the National Writing Project (NWP), looks at what educators, parents, and policymakers can do to help schools meet the challenges of new digital literacies and to equip students with the technology-related communication skills they need to thrive in school and in the global workplace.
“Today’s young people are using a range of digital tools to compose and create in new and exciting ways,” said Sharon J. Washington, executive director of the National Writing Project. “It is a game-changing moment for teachers of writing. The very notion of what it means to write is shifting, and educators are faced with adapting their teaching practices to integrate new technologies while redefining writing and learning for the 21st century.”
Because Digital Writing Matters describes how
- Digital writing is more than just a skill; it is a means of interfacing with ideas and with the world, a mode of thinking and expressing in all grades and disciplines.
- Digital writing can help students develop critical thinking skills and support learning across all subject areas.
- Educators, community members, and policymakers must work together to promote technology development in schools to create learning environments that support digital literacy.
The authors stress that writing classrooms will need to embrace tools, strategies, and skills beyond those that traditional classrooms required. Through stories, examples, and vignettes, Because Digital Writing Matters illustrates how cutting-edge educators have successfully used digital writing tools in diverse classroom and school settings to enrich learning and provide meaningful writing experiences for students at all grade levels. The book offers practical solutions and models for educators and policymakers involved in planning, implementing, and assessing digital writing initiatives and writing programs.
Since the early 1990s, National Writing Project teacher-leaders have been at the forefront of exploring the implications of new digital tools for the teaching of writing. Because Digital Writing Matters is part of NWP’s ongoing national effort to create and disseminate resources and learning opportunities for educators as they develop effective strategies for teaching and improving new media literacies.
Because Digital Writing Matters, a companion to NWP’s popular 2003 book Because Writing Matters, is published by Jossey-Bass, and will be available in early November 2010. To learn more about the book, or to order a copy, visit www.nwp.org.
Buy Both and Save 25%!
Because Digital Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Online and Multimedia Environments (US $22.95)
Total List Price: US $42.90
Discounted Price: US $32.17 (Save: US $10.73) | <urn:uuid:2d10be34-0694-4299-9989-5a40537183b2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470407727.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.896042 | 981 | 3.390625 | 3 |
This is a picture by an artist of the Mars Express spacecraft flying towards Mars.
Click on image for full size
Image courtesy European Space Agency (ESA) - Illustration by Medialab
Overview of the Mars Express Mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) launched a mission to Mars called "Mars
Express" in June of 2003. The Mars Express spacecraft has two parts:
an orbiter that
will circle the Red Planet for at least one Martian year (687
and a lander
named "Beagle 2" which is scheduled to touch down on the
surface of the Mars on December 25, 2003.
Scientists are searching for water on Mars because they think that if
they find water that would be the best place to look for life. Mars Express
has a radar that can look through rock. Scientists hope to find water
underground on Mars using the Mars Express' radar. The spacecraft will also take pictures
of Mars and study the Martian atmosphere.
The Beagle 2 lander will try to find life on the surface of Mars. It has
a robotic arm that will scoop up soil. It will find out what kinds of chemicals
are in the soil. Some types of chemicals are mostly made by living creatures.
If Beagle 2 finds those types of chemicals it will have strong evidence
that it might have found life. Beagle 2 will land in a flat area called "Isidis
Planitia" that is inside
an old crater. There may have been a lake inside the crater many years
Beagle 2 is named after a famous ship, the H.M.S. Beagle. A scientist
named Charles Darwin sailed
on the H.M.S. Beagle in the mid-1800s. Darwin was one of the first scientists
to explain how evolution works. The theory of evolution is very important
in the science of biology. If scientists find life on Mars with the Beagle
2, that would be a very important discovery for the science of biology,
too. That is why the Mars Express mission planners decided to name their
lander after Darwin's ship.
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County planning is the continual process of meeting and exceeding future goals and objectives for the development of a specific geographic location defined as a "county" within a US state. Through the study of a community's social and economic status, county planners are able to set objectives and goals for future programs, building development, and economic stimulants. This future planning allows the county to bring together the systems of various municipalities in one coherent program, providing increased manpower, more efficient use of resources, and ultimately a lower bottom line for all of the agencies within the county borders.
Planning can come in many forms, including the development, layout, and construction of new buildings. Landscape planning can assist in the development of downtown economic districts or suburban hubs. It also helps in the layout of city streets and sewer systems to develop easily navigable municipalities. A large part of the planning process assists in organizing the development of sustainable and easily accessible city grids. These involve long-term and short-term planning commitments that, while developed separately, mold seamlessly into one over reaching program.
A county planning commission will oftentimes have programs that focus on long-term social and economic development. This involves using a comprehensive plan that, over the long-term development of the county and the municipalities within it, will continue to develop resources in such a way as to be sustainable and useful. Some of the components of long-term planning may include establishing goals, analyzing data, designing implementation programs, identifying environmental constraints, and developing work plans to meet project goals on time and within budget. Current county planning commission activities could be reviewing zoning and building permit applications, developing municipality engineering and design projects, and identifying current violations to the existing code and rectifying them. All of these activities are performed on a county-wide scale by the county planning commission in an effort to cohesively link together the various municipalities that exist within a county.
In general, the county planning commission's job duties can roughly be broken down into several basic categories. The commission prepares an over-reaching comprehensive plan, and plans all long- and medium-range facilities within the county boundary structure. It reviews certain zoning laws; assists localities in the form of demographic, environmental, and economic research; and consults various governmental agencies within the county on developmental projects. Without the intervention of a county planning commission, many counties would have incoherently designed city and road structures, and would not have a long-term viability plan.
@Azuza - County planning commissions deal with a lot of issues like that. I've noticed in my area people are always protesting the zoning or location of something or other!
I for one am fairly grateful to my county planning commission. The area I live in is very well designed. The road locations all make sense and it's pretty easy to get around by bicycle and by car. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than some areas I've seen!
Most of the time regular county citizens don't take much of an interest in county planning or county planning commissions. However, all it takes is one controversial issue and county planning will take the forefront of the local news.
In my area, there is a huge controversy going on about a proposed landfill. The landfill would be near some pretty populated residential areas and a lot of residents are against it. So of course now they want to get involved in county planning!
There are petitions being signed and tons of meetings being held. So many people are getting involved. If only people would get this involved in other aspects of county planning too!
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK! | <urn:uuid:38480e94-d201-4c42-9312-e8438470666d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-county-planning-commission-do.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956083 | 783 | 3.3125 | 3 |
The United Nations has launched a new operation to combat rape and gender violence in Haiti, where some 1.3 million people were made homeless by January’s devastating earthquake, with the majority still living in camps. Police and soldiers from the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSTAH) and Haitian national police (PNH), who are often the first responders, are being trained to tackle the problem and ensure medical services for victims, the top UN official in Haiti told the Security Council today.
One returned to her Haitian roots, to give voice to women, honor their stories and shape their futures. Another urged women to pack a courtroom in Haiti, where she succeeded in getting a guilty verdict against a man who battered his wife. A third joined the others and helped change the law to make rape, long a political weapon in Haiti, a punishable crime. Myriam Merlet, Magalie Marcelin and Anne Marie Coriolan, founders of three of the country's most important advocacy organizations working on behalf of women and girls, are confirmed dead -- victims of last week's 7.0 earthquake.
The government of Haiti is failing to protect the country's girls against rape and sexual violence, Amnesty International said, as it launched a report calling for authorities to recognise the severity of the problem. | <urn:uuid:4f94cafe-f66e-4d8c-b9cd-be15762d436c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wluml.org/zh-hant/taxonomy/term/222 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963712 | 262 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, a cardiologist at the UCLA Medical Center, coined the term "zoobiquity" to describe the idea of looking to animals and the doctors who care for them to better understand human health. Veterinary medicine had not been on her radar at all until about 10 years ago. That's when she was asked to join the medical advisory board for the Los Angeles Zoo and she began hearing about "congestive heart failure in a gorilla or leukemia in a rhinoceros or breast cancer in a tiger or a lion."
Natterson-Horowitz explores the connection between human and veterinary medicine in a book she co-authored with Kathryn Bowers, Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health. "This comparative way of thinking is something that veterinarians learn from their first week of veterinary school," she tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "When they learn about the heart, they learn about a four-chambered heart in a mammal and a three-chambered heart in a reptile and a two-chambered heart in a fish. ... Physicians, we don't learn that way. We don't think that way."
The realization that a comparative approach, she says, could advance our knowledge of human medicine was something of a revelation. "It's been exciting for me," she says. " ... On rounds with students, when we're talking about ... breast cancer — to point out that breast cancer has been seen in mammals from kangaroos and camels to whales, and that there is an increased rate of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in some Venezuelan jaguars."
Doctors, she says, can also learn about human psychological issues — everything from self-injury to sexual dysfunction — from studying the same problems in animals.
"Some dogs will just lick and lick and lick at their paws until the skin breaks," she says, "and it starts to bleed, but they continue to lick. So, you see, these grooming-related behaviors ... they're presumably doing this to comfort themselves. It's a kind of attempt to take a very challenging life or environment and make it more acceptable to them."
On the fight-or-flight response
"I learned from veterinarians that, you know, animals from Rottweilers and chihuahuas, in different kinds of canaries and lap dogs, that they can also faint in response to fear, and why that happens is really interesting and shared with us. It turns out that whether it's rabbits or monkeys or deer, that danger and noise — the perception of danger — causes these animals' heart rates to plummet — particularly the juveniles — and that really superslow heart rate keeps them still, and that's probably protective. It's an anti-predation response, which is different from what we typically think about the fight or flight, so it turns out that animals and humans are equipped not with two, but with three responses: fight, flight or faint."
On a salve for self-injury among horses
"They found that ... a flank-biting stallion, if you bring that isolated horse in a stall and return it to a herd — you know, horses being herd animals — that the companionship can really improve the self-injuring behavior. If there aren't other horses, they have actually had success putting little chickens in a stall with a horse, so just the presence of companionship can help with self-injury."
On the sexual education of stallions
"How a stallion is raised from foalhood has a big impact on his sexual performance and sexual health as an adult. ... First of all, they make sure that the horse does not have too much sexual experience too early. That can be detrimental. They are careful with which mares they put with the young stallion for his first experiences. You know, a mean mare — a mare that might physically hurt the young stallion — could impact him psychologically, so they're just careful about those early sexual experiences."
On the lack of of comparative medicine education in medical school
"It used to be different. My father is a physician, and he tells me that when he went to medical school they had courses in comparative anatomy and comparative pathology, but my dad is turning 90 this year, so it seems that sometime between when he went to medical school and when I went to medical school, the comparative perspective of those courses were dropped from the curriculum." | <urn:uuid:bf481f59-1888-41b7-9ccf-8901f2d72f19> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wnyc.org/story/288514-zoobiquity-what-humans-can-learn-from-animal-illness/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974778 | 918 | 2.625 | 3 |
The book presents modern and efficient methods for solving Geodetic and Geoinformatics algebraic problems using computer algebra techniques of Ring, polynomials, Groebner basis, resultants, Gauss-Jacobi combinatorial and Procrustes algorithms. Although these problems are traditionally solved by approximate methods, this book presents alternative algebraic techniques based on computer algebra tools. This new approach meets such modern challenges as resection by laser techniques, solution of orientation in robotics, transformation and bundle block adjustment in geoinformatics, densification of engineering networks, analytical solution for GPS-meteorology and many other problems. For mathematicians the book provides some practical examples of abstract algebra application and multidimensional scaling.
The book presents algebraic tools for solving nonlinear system of equations in Geodesy and Geoinformatics. In order to achieve this, the book employs Groebner basis approach which we solve extensively using the Mathematica
. This is further performed for reduced Groebner basis. Mathematica
is employed in all the examples discussed the book.
In the last Chapter where we discuss Computer Algebraic Systems, Mathematica
is one of the software discussed and used to show how graphs can be plotted. | <urn:uuid:a4f26c58-2d54-4f6e-8f9e-835db9d586ec> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wolfram.com/books/profile.cgi?id=6668 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.854117 | 255 | 3.03125 | 3 |
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Content last updated: June 17, 2009.
Return to top | <urn:uuid:35ad9dc9-9929-4ffc-967f-f090b67ee129> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.womenshealth.gov/statistics/statistics-by-topic/illnesses-disabilities.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.88002 | 331 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Welcome to our website about the war effort made by the people of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, located on the east coast of Canada. The war years were prosperous and exciting, but at the same time full of strain and sadness. The expressive VE Day photo below reflects the dual moods of the time.
The people of the town experienced wartime in a manner similar to other communities across the country. The government was the driving power behind mobilization of people and materials and the guiding force behind information and fundraising. Summerside had its own unique concerns, including the presence of the RCAF Station, but was not insular when it came to responding to the needs of those far from its shores.
We invite you to glimpse the community's patriotic spirit in the Introduction before exploring the atmosphere of Summerside in text and images arranged under the following themes: Government, Community, Outreach, War's End, and Perspectives. Teachers and students of all ages are invited to make use of the Educational section.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online Program, Library and Archives Canada, and the Canadian Council of Archives.
|Related Articles||Related Images||Related Memories||Related Websites||Inflation Calculator|
|Home Page||Site Map||Contact Us||Wyatt Heritage | <urn:uuid:90613e2a-aaf4-4c75-8aea-037c9a00c4bc> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wyattheritage.com/homefront/main.asp?level1=outreach&level2=hmcssummerside | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947199 | 270 | 2.578125 | 3 |
- Getting a PhD is an example of to attain.
- Finding peace through dedicated meditation is an example of attain.
- to gain through effort; accomplish; achieve
- to reach or come to; arrive at: he attained the age of ninety
Origin of attainMiddle English attainen ; from Old French ataindre ; from Classical Latin attingere ; from ad-, to + tangere, to touch: see tact
verbat·tained, at·tain·ing, at·tains
- To gain as an objective; achieve: attain a diploma by hard work.
- To come to or arrive at, as through movement, growth, or the passage of time: Redwoods can attain a height of 300 feet.
Origin of attainMiddle English atteinen, from Old French ataindre, ataign-, to reach to, from Vulgar Latin *attangere, from Latin attingere : ad-, ad- + tangere, to touch; see tag- in Indo-European roots.
(third-person singular simple present attains, present participle attaining, simple past and past participle attained)
- To accomplish; to achieve.
- To attain such a high level of proficiency requires hours of practice each day.
- To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain.
- To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at.
- (intransitive) To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.
- To reach in excellence or degree; to equal. | <urn:uuid:9e3c58c3-3fb7-4e9f-b6fc-0c1c174dc1ee> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.yourdictionary.com/attain | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.852401 | 340 | 3.3125 | 3 |
- An example of mano a mano is when two people have a fist fight and engage in hand-to-hand combat.
- An example of mano a mano is when two matadors take turns fighting bulls in the bullfight.
mano a mano
- in or into direct, personal confrontation
- a duel or other confrontation between two individuals
Origin of mano a manoSp, literally , hand to hand
mano a mano
nounpl. ma·nos a ma·nos
- A bullfight in which two rival matadors take turns fighting several bulls each.
- A face-to-face confrontation or competitive struggle: a mano a mano between the presidential candidates.
Origin of mano a manoSpanish : mano, hand + a, to.
- A head-on conflict or direct competition; a duel.
- The other candidates seemed to disappear as the public debate became a heated mano-a-mano between the two leading candidates.
- In close confrontation.
- We sat tensely in the courtroom while the mano-a-mano struggle ensued between the two skilled lawyers.
- This phrase is commonly misunderstood by English speakers who think that the term means “man to man", though in use this meaning would still be similar.
Spanish, literally hand to hand; on equal footing, neither of two participants having any distinct advantage. | <urn:uuid:7a304110-cce2-489a-9faa-115e205e9419> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.yourdictionary.com/mano-a-mano | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914764 | 299 | 3.234375 | 3 |
The objective is to become familiar with the content of both USGS DLG files and shapefiles, and to consider the strengths of the former and limits of the latter.
The assignment is to transcribe data (just three line records) from a DLG file to .shp file format, manually, and then answer a few questions about what could be in the .shp file.
The USGS Digital Line Graph (DLG) format is documented online here , but for this exercise consider just these three excerpted "line" records:
. . . L 2 5 2 2 6 2 0 0 532812.91 4233413.06 532773.94 4247282.79 L 3 2 6 1 2 2 0 0 532757.10 4247282.79 539496.77 4247314.04 L 4 6 7 1 5 2 0 0 539496.77 4247314.04 542795.89 4247330.85 . . .Each line record starts with an "L" which is followed by eight numbers:
ESRI's Shapefiles are documented in an ESRI white paper, ESRI Shapefile Technical Description which you should examine. Perhaps even study.
Once you have your head wrapped around what is in a shapefile .shp file, fill-in this table with the contents for the .shp file (like the example below) that would represent the three lines above; indicating what content should be in each byte position in the file. I.e., lay-out the content for the file header, and for the the three record header - record content pairs, like this, (but with the right numbers):
|0 - 3||9994||integer|
|4 - 23||0||integer|
|24 - 27||length||integer|
|28 - 31||1000||integer|
|etc||See table 1.||p. 4 white paper|
|96 - 99||0||integer|
|100 - 103||1 Why? See Table 2.||integer|
|104 - 107||content length||integer|
|...||See Table 6.||p. 8 white paper|
|(n-16) - (n-8)||x-coord||as double|
|(n-8) - (n)||y-coord||as double|
(Here's an aside that most of you should ignore, but if all of this does not have you thoroughly confused already and you've noted that we are ignoring the switching between little endian and big endian order that ESRI sprinkled in this format, you might want to ponder why anyone would do that.)
Answer these questions...
Basic structure of a .shp file:
Files are sequences of bytes taken and interpreted in groups.
Shapefiles (.shp) use two digital representations of numbers:
The value for the file length in the file header is the total length of the file, including the header, counted in 16-bit words.
The content length in each record header excludes the eight bytes of the record header, so it is just the length of the content part of the record, specified as the count of 16-bit words.
Polygons close with the first point explicitly repeated as the last. That is, a triangle shape will have four points in its array.
ESRI. 1995. ArcView Shapefile Technical Description Available as part of ESRI's "ArcView White Paper Series" on line at www.esri.com.
ESRI. 1998. Shapefile Technical Description Available as part of ESRI's "ArcView White Paper Series" on line at www.esri.com.
USGS. 1984. USGS Digital Cartographic Data Standards: Digital Line Graphs from 1:24,000-scale Maps, US Geological Survey Circular 895-C. | <urn:uuid:7b741704-52b6-45fc-a269-504b679ded61> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www2.hawaii.edu/~matt/388/dlg2shp.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.844107 | 807 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Roughly six years after the law was set to expire, Congress now seems to be moving on legislation to overhaul No Child Left Behind.
NCLB was the 2002 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the basic law that provides funding for Title I, special education and a variety of other kinds of federal funding.
Passed early in the George W. Bush administration, it put in place new accountability standards that states and schools had to meet in order to qualify for federal money. The most notable, and controversial, of those was the requirement that all students be tested in reading and math.
It also required that schools make measurable progress each year in raising achievement levels and closing achievement gaps between subgroups of students, or else they would face sanctions. And it mandated that by 2014, all students had to be scoring proficient or better on those tests.
Historians will probably be arguing for decades about whether the law did more harm than good. But suffice it to say that nearly everyone — teachers, parents and students alike —has been clamoring for change since NCLB's originally expiration date in 2007.
Partisan gridlock in Washington prevented that. Finally, in 2011, President Barack Obama's administration began offering states waivers from NCLB on the condition they agree to adopt "college and career-ready" standards in reading and math, along with other kinds of reform measures that would still hold states and schools accountable for showing continued improvement.
In the past week, however, the relevant committees in the House and Senate both advanced bills to reauthorize ESEA while doing away with most of the onerous requirements of NCLB.
The Washington Post reports that the House Republican plan would shrink the federal government's role in setting K-12 education policy.
The website MinnPost says the bill from the Democratic-controlled Senate looks a lot more like Obama's waiver program.
Education Week produced a side-by-side comparison on its Politics K-12 blog that summarizes the Senate Democrats' bill, the Senate Republicans' alternative, and the House Republican plan.
The Kansas Association of School Board's Mark Tallman posted this week that the national school boards group is leaning more favorably toward the Republican plans because they would impose fewer federal requirements and give more flexibility to states.
But he says the national group still has problems with some GOP provisions, and would likely withdraw its support if Republicans add amendments offering federal funding of voucher and charter school programs. | <urn:uuid:e2a51d0b-403f-4f6a-8434-02b9f3587e6c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/first-bell/tags/esea/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967264 | 504 | 2.546875 | 3 |
From OncoLog, January 2011, Vol. 56, No. 1
Compass: Metastatic Melanoma
By Sunni Hosemann
Melanomas, which arise from melanocytes, are the most aggressive form of skin cancer.
Fortunately, most melanomas are discovered at an early stage when they are highly curable by surgery alone. According to data from the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program, 84% of cutaneous melanomas are discovered while localized, and for these patients, the 5-year relative survival rate is 98%.
Patients whose melanoma has spread to regional lymph nodes (stage III; about 8% of cases) have a 5-year relative survival rate of about 62%, and patients whose cutaneous melanoma is unstaged at diagnosis (about 4% of cases) have a 5-year relative survival rate of 76%. Patients who present with metastatic disease (stage IV; about 4% of cases) have a 5-year relative survival rate of only about 16%.
Types of melanoma
Although most melanomas occur on the skin surface, approximately 7% of primary melanomas are noncutaneous, according to Scott Woodman, M.D., Ph.D., an instructor in the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Noncutaneous melanomas occur most often in the eye and mucous membranous sites such as the anus, rectum, vulva, vagina, nasal sinuses, and mouth. These tumors are associated with poorer prognoses than are cutaneous melanomas.
Noncutaneous melanomas tend to go undetected until they reach an advanced stage because they are hidden deep in the eye or in mucosa, where they cause no early symptoms. These locations also offer access to relatively rich vascular and/or lymphatic environments, enabling noncutaneous melanomas to spread more quickly than their cutaneous counterparts. Furthermore, genetic differences between cutaneous and noncutaneous melanomas cause them to have different biological behaviors and to respond differently to treatment.
According to Kevin Kim, M.D., an associate professor in the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, even cutaneous melanomas can differ significantly depending on where on the skin they occur and the degree of sun damage to the skin. In addition, the invasiveness of cutaneous melanomas may vary according to histological subtype; nodular melanomas are more invasive—and therefore more aggressive—than are superficial spreading, lentigo, and acral lentiginous melanomas. “Melanoma is not a single entity,” Dr. Kim said, “and this means that more tailored treatments are needed.”
Standard treatment options
“The average survival for patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma is 6–10 months,” said Michael Davies, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, “and this hasn’t changed for 30 years.”
The current standard treatment for metastatic melanoma is chemotherapy with dacarbazine, which has been shown to shrink tumors in only 10%–15% of patients who receive it. Unfortunately, this effect rarely persists more than a few months as chemoresistance develops. “In short, even though dacarbazine’s toxicity is relatively mild and the drug may prolong survival by a short time for a few patients, it’s not much better than supportive care for the majority of patients with metastatic melanoma,” Dr. Davies said.
High-dose bolus interleukin-2 (IL-2) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in 1998. IL-2 is an immunomodulatory agent that acts by stimulating the immune system to attack the cancer cells. IL-2 has been shown to achieve rates of tumor reduction similar to those with dacarbazine, but about half the patients who respond to IL-2 have a complete response—a durable disease remission for more than 10 years. Most patients who achieve a complete response subsequently remain free of melanoma for the rest of their lives. However, according to Dr. Davies, IL-2 is among the most toxic of cancer treatments, with marked side effects and a significant risk of life-threatening adverse events. For these reasons, treatment with high-dose IL-2 requires hospitalization in a cardiac monitoring or intensive care setting at a center experienced in the agent’s administration, with cardiopulmonary specialists available. Despite these precautions and the use of IL-2 being limited to patients with excellent health and functionality, the treatment itself has a 1%–2% mortality rate.
“IL-2 is a wonderful treatment for those patients who are able to achieve a complete response and may therefore be cured of this aggressive disease,” Dr. Davies said. “Unfortunately, however, we don’t yet know how to identify those rare patients who have the best chance to benefit from this highly toxic treatment.”
Currently, IL-2 treatment can be considered only for patients who are in otherwise excellent health and only after extensive discussion of the risks and benefits of this treatment. Patients with brain metastases should be monitored with extra caution while receiving IL-2 because of the potential for edema at the tumor sites and because historical data reveal particularly low response rates to IL-2 in these patients. Interferon alfa-2b—which, like IL-2, is an immunotherapy agent—is approved by the FDA as an adjuvant treatment for patients with stage II melanoma and primary tumors more than 4-mm thick or with stage III melanoma.
Interferon alfa-2b has been shown to delay recurrence in these patients, but in most clinical studies it has not improved overall survival durations. Current studies are exploring whether interferon alfa-2b could be effective against metastatic melanoma if used in combination with chemotherapeutic agents or new immunotherapies.
Like IL-2, interferon alfa-2b involves a challenging and lengthy treatment. Interferon therapy consists of an induction phase requiring intravenous infusions five times a week for 4 weeks followed by a 48-week course of subcutaneous injections three times a week. This treatment is associated with a variety of side effects, such as flu-like symptoms, liver toxicity, and psychiatric disturbances. “With the questionable benefits of interferon therapy for improving survival in patients,” Dr. Davies said, “the side effect profile and quality of life are important considerations for patients and physicians.”
Because of the limited survival benefits from the FDA-approved treatments, most experts agree that clinical trials are the best option for patients with metastatic melanoma. However, even in clinical trials, progress has been slow. Not only have some promising approaches failed, but because metastatic melanoma is relatively uncommon, there have been few large, randomized trials. Nevertheless, investigators strive to develop treatment approaches that have the greatest chance of success, building upon research that has provided an improved understanding of the molecular underpinnings of melanoma.
“We want to be able to match the right patients with the right treatments,” Dr. Davies said. To make this possible, researchers at MD Anderson and other institutions have been working to identify the molecularly defined subtypes of melanoma and the ideal treatment for patients in each group.
According to Dr. Woodman, researchers have recently identified key genetic mutations in melanoma. “This is important because it provides us with the opportunity to target these tumors with specific agents,” he said.
Approximately 60% of patients with cutaneous melanomas have mutations in the BRAF gene. These mutations occur most frequently in tumors arising from skin surfaces with intermittent sun damage. Another 20% of cutaneous melanomas have NRAS mutations (which exclude BRAF). There are fewer BRAF mutations in tumors arising from non–sun-damaged areas of the skin (i.e., palms of hands, soles of feet), from chronically sun-damaged skin, and from mucosal sites. Mutations in the KIT gene are found in some of these less common melanomas, including mucosal and acral melanomas.
The identification of KIT mutations in these subtypes of melanoma has led to multiple ongoing phase II clinical trials in which melanoma patients are treated with FDA-approved agents that inhibit activated KIT in other cancers. For example, Drs. Kim and Woodman have designed a novel phase II trial to test the molecular effect of dasatinib in patients with mucosal and acral melanoma.
Other studies are under way to test experimental agents that target the mutant BRAF protein in patients with melanoma. PLX4032, an oral medication that selectively and potently inhibits the most common BRAF mutation, achieved clinical responses in more than 80% of patients with stage IV or unresectable stage III melanoma in a recent phase I clinical trial. “These results are unprecedented,” Dr. Davies said. “When you consider that the FDA-approved therapies for metastatic melanoma achieve clinical responses in only 10%–15% of patients, this trial demonstrates the dramatic potential of personalized, targeted therapies to revolutionize the treatment of this disease.” The results of the trial supported the specificity of PLX4032 for the mutant BRAF protein, as no patients who had a normal BRAF gene responded to the medication. The treatment was extremely well tolerated; a rash was the most common side effect. Phase II and III trials of PLX4032 are under way.
In early studies of another BRAF inhibitor, GSK2118436, researchers have reported similar efficacy and toxicity to that of PLX4032. While the clinical activity and limited toxicity of these targeted therapies are promising, investigators are working to improve these treatments further.
Some patients have developed new cancers of the skin as a side effect of the BRAF inhibitors. Although these tumors—which were not melanomas—were controlled with surgical removal and have not required any responding patient to discontinue BRAF inhibitor therapy, investigations are ongoing to understand why these tumors develop and how to prevent them. Another concern is that although the overwhelming majority of melanoma patients with BRAF mutations who have received BRAF inhibitors initially responded to the medication, most patients eventually develop clinical resistance to the drugs, and their tumors start growing again. “Resistance appears to develop in some patients after 7–8 months,” Dr. Davies said, “so we are looking into why that might be and considering ways to make the effects last, perhaps with combinations.”
There are a variety of combinatorial approaches being considered to combat resistance to the BRAF inhibitors, including the addition of targeted therapies against other pathways that may be activated concurrently with BRAF. Other combinations might include agents with completely different mechanisms of action, such as immunotherapy agents. Ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody, activates T cells and has shown promise against metastatic melanoma when used alone and in combination with vaccine therapy. In a phase III trial comparing ipilimumab to the GP100 peptide vaccine in patients whose metastatic melanoma had not responded to first-line treatments, the average survival duration increased from 6 months to 10 months. “It was the first time in melanoma that an experimental drug increased survival over the control drug,” said Dr. Kim, who believes ipilimumab may have a role in future combination therapies. While ipilimumab does have the potential to cause autoimmune side effects, it does not pose the same acute cardiovascular risks as IL-2; therefore, ipilimumab can be administered safely as an outpatient treatment and potentially made available to more patients than is IL-2.
Another immune-based approach, adaptive T cell therapy, is being developed at MD Anderson under the direction of Patrick Hwu, M.D., a professor in and chair of the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology. Dr. Kim explained that the therapy involves harvesting T cells from the patient’s tumor. The T cells are multiplied in the laboratory, and then billions of the cells are transfused back into the patient. These T cells specifically target the tumor but are not numerous or strong enough to eradicate it. To help these tumor-specific T cells proliferate in the bloodstream, patients are given chemotherapy to deplete ordinary T cells prior to the tumor-specific T cells’ reintroduction and given high-dose IL-2 to stimulate T cell growth after the T cells’ reintroduction. “Nearly 50% of patients with metastatic melanoma have had a clinical response to adaptive T cell therapy so far,” said Dr. Kim, who added that the therapy is still experimental.
These avenues of research represent important advances for patients with metastatic melanoma, for whom the current standard treatments have been woefully ineffective and/or highly toxic.
“This is a very exciting time in the history of a disease for which there have been few options,” said Dr. Woodman. “I’m optimistic that the treatment choices in 5–10 years will be very different than the ones I’ve seen thus far in my career as an oncologist.”
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, Melanoma V1.2011.
For more information on this topic or for questions about MD Andersons treatments, programs, or services, call askMDAnderson at (877) MDA-6789. | <urn:uuid:7b4082f1-8b73-4ea5-a107-76cdd9a42cfc> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www2.mdanderson.org/depts/oncolog/articles/pf/11/1-jan/1-11-compass-pf.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941715 | 2,840 | 3.140625 | 3 |
|Mindmap||Noam Chomsky||Critics||The evidence||Wild children||
|Powerpoint Presentaton||LAD||The Universal Grammar Theory||Neurological evidence||The blind and the deaf||Conclusion|
Noam Chomsky is perhaps the best known
and the most influential linguist of the second half of the Twentieth Century. He has made a number of strong claims about language : in particular, he suggests that language is an innate faculty - that is to say that we are born with a set of rules about language in our
heads which he refers to as the 'Universal Grammar'. The universal grammar is the basis upon which all human languages build. If a Martian linguist were to visit Earth, he would deduce from the evidence that there was only one language, with a number of local variants. Chomsky
gives a number of reasons why this should be so. Among the most important of these reasons is the ease with which children acquire their mother tongue. He claims that it would be little short of a miracle if children learnt their language in the same way that they learn
mathematics or how to ride a bicycle. This, he says, is because :
1. 2. Children are born, then, with the Universal Grammar
wired into their brains. This grammar offers a certain limited number of possibilities - for example, over the word order of a typical sentence.
Some languages have a basic SVO structure
75% of the world's languages use either this (English, French, Vietnamese) or SOV (Japanese, Tibetan, Korean) - others prefer VSO (10 - 15% - Welsh) or VOS (Malagasy)
* Some languages, such as Latin, appear to have free word order, but even here, SOV is very common. OSV is very rare - but you will find an example in the speech of Yoda, in Star Wars.
When the child begins to listen to his parents, he will unconsciously recognise which kind of a language he is dealing with - and he will set his grammar to the correct one - this is known as 'setting the parameters'.
It is as if the child were offered at birth a certain number of hypotheses, which he or she then matches with what is happening around him. He knows intuitively that there are some words that behave like verbs, and others like
nouns, and that there is a limited set of possibilities as to their ordering within the phrase. This is not information that he is taught directly by the adults that surround him, but information that is given. It is as if the traveller were provided at the beginning of his
journey with a compass and an astrolabe.
This set of language learning tools, provided at birth, is referred to by Chomsky as the Language Acquisition Device
. (Notice that he uses the term "acquisition" rather than learning).
How did you learn to speak your native language? Notice, this shouldn't be such a puzzling question. We often ask questions such as, do you remember when did you learned to tie your shoes, ride a bike, and eat with a fork. Sometimes we can remember
because a parent helped us learn how to do these things. Now, since we always speak the language of our parents, they must have helped us learn to speak our first language. But do you remember when your mother taught you the past tense? When your father laid down the rules for
passive sentences? We don't remember these important moments of our childhood because they never occurred.
Our parents didn't teach us how to walk and they didn't teach us how to talk. Yet we learned from them. How can this be? Certainly there must have been a subtle, perhaps intuitive teaching process that neither our parents nor we were aware of. We begin by
imitating what we hear our parents say as best we can, repeating random phrases. Our parents in subtle ways punish us for the childish speech errors we make (by not responding, correcting the error, etc.) and reward correct phrases (by responding positively). As our speech
improves, our parents respond more positively and less negatively. No?
First, let's examine the assumption that children begin speaking by trying to repeat what they have heard their parents say. Have you ever heard a child say things like this:
|1b||He hitted me|
|1c||No eat cake|
Who did they hear utter such phrases? Daddy go is an attempt to express 'Daddy is going'. But if the child were merely trying to repeat this common phrase, choosing random two-word combinations, he or she would also occasionally say Daddy is
or simply is going? Yet these two phrases do not occur as normal speech errors of children while Daddy go is a common one.
Second, research shows that while mothers often respond to the semantic content of what their children say ('No, that's not a doggie, it's a cow'), they very rarely respond to the grammatical status of their children's phrases. Indeed, when parents do
respond to speech errors, they most often respond positively. Here are a few advanced errors from the history of my family. What do you think our response was—correction or laughter (which I take to be a positive response)?
Mama, mama, there's a tree-knocker in the back yard!
It's raining, where is the underbrella?
Give me the beach-lookers! (binoculars)
In fact, parents themselves make grammatical errors when they speak. Despite the fact that children don't know when their parents are speaking grammatically and when they are making errors, all children grow up knowing (if not always speaking) the
So how do we learn to speak? Take a look at example No. 1b above for a clue. Although hitted is not a word children hear adults utter, it is wrong for an interesting reason: the verb, in a sense, has the 'right' ending on it for the past tense. In
other words, the only way a child learning language could make such an error is that he or she is learning a rule that derives past tense verbs from verb stems. What the child hasn't mastered at this stage is the exceptions to the rule. Notice also that the words in the erroneous
phrases are all in the correct order. No child would say go Daddy for 'Daddy is going' cookie mommy for 'Mommy's cookie'. By the time a child begins putting two words together, he or she has already mastered the basic rules of syntax and applies them correctly even
in their erroneous speech. It takes the child a little longer to master the rules of morphology.
The evidence then indicates that children do, in fact, absorb a massive number of sentences and phrases but rather than parrot them back, they abstract rules from them and create their own grammar which they then apply to create new utterances they have
never heard before. Over the years from 2-7, when language is mastered, children constantly adjust their grammar until it matches that of the adult speaker population.
This critical period between the ages of 2-7 suggests that (first) language learning, like walking, is an innate capacity of human beings triggered by a level of development more than feedback from the environment. That is, so long as a child hears a
language-any language-when they reach this critical period they will learn it perfectly. If this is true, any child not hearing language during this period not only should not learn to speak but also should not be able to learn to speak. The ethical implications of research on
this question are obvious. However, there have been a few tragic non-scientific bits of evidence that supports the innateness + critical period hypothesis.
If I wanted to start the course off with a silly pun, I could say 'Learning a language is a child's game'. But perhaps it is more accurate to say 'Creating a language is a child's game'. Let us look at an example of how a
language may be created :
But a pidgin can become a language - Creole. How does this happen?
According to Derek Bickerton, who has reconstructed the process of creolisation in Hawaii, it takes one generation.
When children begin to use a pidgin, they automatically enrich the vocabulary and the syntax - it becomes a full language. The community of young children in Hawaii took the pidgin
used by their parents - workers from China, Japan, Korea, Portugal, the Philippines and Puerto Rico - and created a language.
According to the followers of the American linguist, Noam Chomsky, this can stand as an emblem for what the process of acquiring a language consists in - at least for a mother tongue. The child does not learn the language, but
creates it anew.
Does this have anything to tell us about learning a foreign language?
Those linguists who do not agree with Chomsky point to several problems, of which I shall mention just four.
That some kinds of migratory birds navigate thousands of miles toward their destination by calibrating the positions of stars against time of day and year, poses no serious problem for many scientists, who can easily attribute this amazing success to the birds' instinctive behaviour is apparent, after all, that these animals cannot learn such complicated astronomical facts through a trial and error fashion; they neither have enough time nor necessary cognitive capacity.
The same scientists, however, including some professional linguists, are quite reluctant to attribute any form of instinct to human infant, who arrives at complex linguistic knowledge within a remarkably short period of time. The infant's is no less a complicated task than that of the bird's as the linguists themselves have spent decades (or even centuries) to discover the intricacies of the very same system and with no final theory. Infants, on the other hand, not only arrives at an almost complete knowledge of grammar in their brinds (brain+mind) but also accomplish this task within less than a decade.
Although a human infant and a migratory bird are essentially alike in terms of the complexity of the task to be accomplished and their inability to handle the task with their current cognitive capacity, only the latter is believed to rely on its instincts.
There are, of course, some differences between an animal and a human baby; it would be unwise to equate the cognitive capacities of the two. And it is also impossible to underscore the importance of environmental factors in child language acquisition. After all, thousands of
hours of exposure is required in order for a child to acquire his mother tongue, whereas animals like sonar-using bats or web-building spiders seem to be ready to use their instinctive knowledge with minimum, if any, learning experience. It is equally unwise, however, to suggest
that a cognitively immature child can accomplish a task which has yet to be accomplished by professional linguists.
A child may well not have grasped the property of conservation of volume nor be able to perform but the most rudimentary arithmetic calculations, yet will have the knowledge linguists formulate as the binding principles, none of which has been explicitly taught.
The amazing success of children in picking up their mother tongue is no recent discovery. Slobin (1979) quotes Rene Descartes commenting on human beings' distinctive ability to formulate a linguistic system:
Even those who were born deaf and dumb, lacking the organs which others make use of in speaking, and at least as badly off as the animals in this respect, usually invent for themselves some signs by which they make themselves understood by those who are with them enough to learn their language
In the literature of child language acquisition there are cases in which infants, deprived of linguistic input, invent a rudimentary grammar not attributable only to the external factors. Children are also known to build a natural language when exposed to unsystematic pidgin data. The resulting creole is almost as systematic and sophisticated as any natural human language and more interestingly contain rules that are not attributable to the languages forming the pidgin, out of which the creole is driven.
The Universal Grammar Theory
Among theories of language acquisition, Universal Grammar (UG) has recently gained wider acceptance and popularity. Though noted among L2 acquisition theories, the defenders of UG are not originally motivated to account for L2 acquisition, nor for first language (L1) acquisition. However, UG is more of an L1 acquisition theory rather than L2. It attempts to clarify the relatively quick acquisition of L1s on the basis of 'minimum exposure' to external input. The 'logical problem' of language acquisition, according to UG proponents, is that language learning would be impossible without 'universal language-specific knowledge' (Cook, 1991:153; Bloor & Bloor: 244). The main reason behind this argument is the input data:
"…Language input is the evidence out of which the learner constructs knowledge of language – what goes into the brain. Such evidence can be either positive or negative. … The positive evidence of the position of words in a few sentences the learner hears is sufficient to show him the rules of a language." (Cook, 1991: 154)
The views supports the idea that the external input per se may not account for language acquisition. Similarly, the Chomskyan view holds that the input is poor and deficient in two ways. First, the input is claimed to be 'degenerate' because it is damaged by performance features such as slips, hesitations or false starts. Accordingly, it is suggested that the input is not an adequate base for language learning. Second, the input is devoid of grammar corrections. This means that the input does not normally contain 'negative evidence', the knowledge from which the learner could exercise what is 'not' possible in a given language.
As for L2 acquisition, however, the above question is not usually asked largely because of the frequent failure of L2 learners, who happen to be generally cognitively mature adults, in attaining native-like proficiency. But why can't adults who have already acquired an L1, acquire an L2 thoroughly? Don't they have any help from UG? Or if they do, then how much of UG is accessible in SLA? These and similar questions have divided researchers into three basic camps with respect to their approach to the problem:
Direct access -L2 acquisition is just like L1 acquisition. Language acquisition device (LAD) is involved.
No access - L2 learners use their general learning capacity.
Indirect access - Only that part of UG which has been used in L1 acquisition is used in L2 acquisition.
Proponents of UG, for example, believe that both children and adults utilize similar universal principles when acquiring a language; and LAD is still involved in the acquisition process. This view can be better understood in the following quote.
Advocates of UG approach working on second-language learning... argue that there is no reason to assume that language faculty atrophies with age. Most second-language researchers who adopt the UG perspective assume that the principles and parameters of UG are still accessible to the adult learner.
To support the view above, the acquisition of the third person “-s” can be given as an example. According to research both child L1 and adult L2 learners (e.g. Turkish learners of English) acquire the third person “-s” morpheme at a later stage of their overall acquisition process and have a great difficulty in acquiring it when compared to other morphemes such as the plural morpheme “-s” or the progressive morpheme “-ing”. This shows that such learners are somewhat affected by UG-based knowledge. However, in the case of foreign/second language teaching it is very well known that the third person “-s” is taught at the very beginning of a second language learning program and presented in a great majority of textbooks as the first grammatical item.
Accordingly, Fodor’s views have some parallels with the UG Theory. Jerry Fodor studied the relationship between language and mind and his view that language is a modular process has important implications for a theory of language acquisition. The term modular is used to indicate that the brain is seen, unlike older views such as behaviouristic view of learning and language learning, to be organized with many modules of cells for a particular ability (for instance, the visual module). These modules, according to Fodor (1983:47), operate in isolation from other modules that they are not directly connected. The language module, if we are to follow Fodor’s ideas, is one of such modules. This modular separateness has been termed as “informational encapsulation” by Fodor. To put it simply, each module is open to specific type of data. In other words, modules are domain specific. This is another way of saying that conscious knowledge cannot penetrate your visual module or language module or any other subconscious module.
Basically, Fodor’s arguments are somewhat similar to that of Chomsky or the proponents of UG Theory in that the external input per se may not account for language acquisition and that language acquisition is genetically predetermined. Add to this, such a modular approach to language acquisition is totally different from the views of Piaget and Vygotsky who have laid the primary emphasis on the role of social or environmental factors in language development.
In the case of foreign/second language teaching, the common view is that inductive learning (teaching a language through hidden grammar or) leads to acquisition. However, dwelling on Fodor’s views as discussed above, it is obvious that inductive learning is confused with acquisition and that by learning something via discovery learning, students just improve their problem-solving skills, but not acquire a language.
As for the problems with Universal Grammar, it can be said that UG’s particular aim is to account for how language works. Yet UG proponents had to deal with acquisition to account for the language itself. “Acquisition part” is thus of secondary importance. A second drawback is that Chomsky studied only the core grammar of the English language (syntax) and investigated a number of linguistic universals seems to be the major problem. And he neglected the peripheral grammar, that is, language specific rules (i.e., rules of specific languages which cannot be generalized). Thirdly, the primary function of language is communication, but it is discarded. The final and the most significant problem is a methodological one. Due to the fact that Chomsky is concerned only with describing and explaining 'competence', there can be little likelihood of SLA researchers carrying out empirical research.
In summary, UG has generated valuable predictions about the course of interlanguage and the influence of the first language. Also, it has provided invaluable information regarding L2 teaching as to how L2 teachers (or educational linguists) should present vocabulary items and how they should view grammar. As Cook (1991:158) puts it, UG shows us that language teaching should deal with how vocabulary should be taught, not as tokens with isolated meanings but as items that play a part in the sentence saying what structures and words they may go with in the sentence. The evidence in support of UG, on the other hand, is not conclusive. If the language module that determines the success in L1 acquisition is proved to be accessible in L2 acquisition, L2 teaching methodologists and methods should study and account for how to trigger this language module and redesign their methodologies. The UG theory should, therefore, be studied in detail so as to endow us with a more educational and pedagogical basis for mother tongue and foreign language teaching.
1) Normal development of L1 in young children
We saw that Chomsky is certainly mistaken in believing that children hear only partial and ungrammatical sentences. Studies of the ways in which
parents, and particularly mothers, interact with their babies and infants show that they use a special kind of language, and take great care to speak in full correct sentences to their children. Nevertheless, the rapidity with which children do learn their mother tongue does
suggest that there may be some underlying mechanism that fits them for this task.
It is necessary to note that children in some cultures are not spoken to by their parents directly, and yet they learn their mother tongue all the
same. Pinker suggests that the neurotic behaviour of Western middle-class mothers is a parallel to that observed in some African societies, where mothers are very anxious to teach their children to sit up.
From time to time, there appear in our midst beings who challenge our conception of what it means to be human. These beings are often referred to as wild children or wolf children. They are often tragic figures, offering
glimpses of what might have been, of fully human intelligence that somehow does not enable them to live a social life. This is particularly true if they are already through puberty when they are found. They suggest to us that there may be a 'critical age', an age
beyond which any child who has somehow missed out on learning a language will never completely master one.
The most striking recent case, however, is rather more ambiguous in its results:
In 1970, two women, one of them suffering from cataracts, and partially blind, stumbled into the social services bureau of Temple City, in California, bringing with them a child. At first, the staff thought that the child was
about 6 or seven years old, and that she was autistic - she weighed four stone, and stood 4' 6" high. She did not appear to talk.
On further investigation, she turned out to be 13 years old. She could understand some words - about 20, including the colours, red, blue, green and brown, the word 'Mother' and some other names, the verbs 'walk' and 'go' and a
few other nouns, such as 'door' or 'bunny'. She could say only two things - 'Stopit', and 'Nomore'.
Why was she in this condition? When she had been about 20 months old, her father, who was suffering from a severe depression, sparked off by the accidental and brutal death of his mother, decided that she was severely retarded,
and that she needed protection from the world. This protection he provided by shutting her up in a small bedroom, and leaving her there for the next eleven years.
Genie was attached to a potty by a special harness for most of the day, and then, at night, she would be fastened into a sleeping bag, unable to move
her arms, and put into a cot. There was very little sound in the house, for the father forced the rest of the family to speak in whispers. If Genie herself attempted to make any noise, her father would beat her with a stick. On those occasions upon which he felt the need to
communicate with his daughter, her father would bark or growl like a dog.
Genie had very little visual or physical stimulation. Hung up in the room were a couple of plastic raincoats, and she was sometimes allowed to play with them. Other small toys - plastic containers, or the TV journal - were sometimes given her. Her feeding was swift and silent, and she had eaten nothing but baby foods and cereals - she did not know how to chew.
Genie was immediately surrounded by a team of scientists. These people were particularly interested in her progress in language. Would she ever learn to speak?
According to the neuropsychologist, Eric Lenneberg, in his book Biological Foundations of Language, 1967, the capacity to learn a language is indeed innate, and, like many such inborn mechanisms, it is circumscribed in
time. If a child does not learn a language before the onset of puberty, the child will never master language at all. This is known as the critical period hypothesis. If Lenneberg was right, then Genie, at over 12 years old, would never be able to speak properly. If,
on the other hand, she did learn to produce grammatically correct sentences, then Lenneberg was wrong.
At first, a number of the people working with her were convinced that she was going to demonstrate the falsity of the critical period hypothesis. One year after her escape, her language resembled that of a normal 18-20 month
It is at this point that the language of the normal child begins to take off - there is a sudden qualitative change, and the infant learns not only more and more vocabulary, but also more and more complex grammar. But with
Genie, this did not happen.
So had Genie's case proven that Chomsky and Lenneberg were right? No, she had not. Lenneberg himself observed that Genie's personal history was so disastrous, that it would not be at all clear why she had been unable to make
more progress. It could be that she had been so emotionally damaged by her father's treatment that all learning processes would be interfered with.
Others suggested that perhaps her father had been right in judging that she was mentally abnormal. Brain scans had shown some unusual features - in particular that Genie's brain was dominated by her right hemisphere. Language
is mainly situated in the left hemisphere. Was it her brain that was interfering with her language, or was it the lack of linguistic stimulation, and resulting under utilisation of the left hemisphere that had resulted in right brain dominance?
Genie's lack of progress with language is, as so often with the evidence that I have quoted, capable of interpretation either in a Chomskian framework, or in line with Bruner's ideas. Her experience does suggest that, over a
certain age, any child who has not learnt a language will have great difficulty in acquiring one. Lenneberg's hypothesis is not proven, but it is strongly supported. Is there further evidence?
Blind children, particularly when born to sighted mothers, do not receive the same degree of stimulation, and that they therefore fall behind in their linguistic development. In most cases, they catch up pretty quickly - thus
comforting the Chomskian line ; parents may hasten the speed of progress a little, or they may hold it back a little, but in the long run, all children brought up in normal circumstances achieve fluency.
What about deaf children? Here there is some evidence that being unable to hear can have long-term effects upon language acquisition. This is true not simply of spoken language, but also of sign language.
ASL (American Sign Language) is a fully articulated language. It has its own grammar, which is not the same as that of English - nor the same as that
of French sign language. Often, it is learnt late in life, and when this is the case, the learner 'speaks' it with a foreign accent - and makes the same kind of grammatical errors that a foreigner makes. If the deaf person learns the language as a child, however, they learn it
fluently, and can use all the resources that it offers.
A particularly interesting case is that of 'Chelsea'; her behaviour gave her parents cause for concern. They took her to see a series of doctors, who diagnosed her as being retarded. Her family refused to believe this - she was
brought up in a very sheltered and loving environment, but never learnt how to speak. Then, at the age of 31, she was taken to see a neurologist, who recognised that she was, in fact, deaf. She was given hearing aids, which brought her auditive capacity up to about normal levels.
After therapy, she now scores on IQ tests at levels for a normal ten year old, she works at a vet’s, reads, writes and communicates. But when she speaks, she produces strings of words, with no apparent underlying syntactic structure. Her utterances may be comprehensible in
context, but they look nothing like normal sentences.
Other evidence from deaf people is also interesting. Recently, linguists have been showing more and more interest in the language of the hard-of-hearing - Sign language. We now know that Sign Language is a full language - it
has a full lexical range, it has a complex syntax, and a complex system of signs, whose relationship to referents is as arbitrary as is that of other languages - even when they seem most iconic. There is not simply one sign language - people who use British Sign Language cannot
understand people who use ASL - neither language is directly related to English.
People who learn to sign in adolescence or adulthood are very similar to people who learn a foreign language - they have an accent, and they never master the more arcane syntactic rules. Children who learn do master the
language - and, according to Steven Pinker, they master it even when they learn from parents who do not speak it properly. Once again, this is suggestive - children are specially programmed to learn a language, and they lose this skill at puberty - once again, both Chomsky's and
Lenneberg's positions appear to be vindicated.
Evidence from neurology is also suggestive - many children who have suffered damage to the left hemisphere are able to acquire a language by transferring language to the right hemisphere. Adults are not able to perform the same
feat as easily. Once again, it would seem that Lenneberg may be right - there is a critical period for first language learning.
This obviously interests us as teachers of a second language. Many observers have noted that a second language appears to be more difficult to learn after puberty. Later on, we shall see that this observation has not gone
unchallenged, and that for certain kinds of linguistic knowledge, adults and adolescents apparently learn more quickly than children - but it may be that the way that they learn is totally different - whereas children may still call upon the LAD to learn a second language, adults
and teenagers have to use other strategies, and in particular, they have to lean heavily upon their first language.
1. For a readable and touching account of Genie's history, see Russ Rymer, 'Genie : A Scientific Tragedy', Penguin, 1994. There are numerous accounts of 'wild' or 'feral' children : I have found Douglas Keith Candland, 'Feral
Children & Clever Animals ; Reflections on Human Nature' particularly useful.
2. In this section, I have mainly relied on Pinker. David Crystal, 'The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language' is also very informative, as it is on other aspects of language disability, such as aphasia.
3) Evidence from mother-tongue acquisition
Now let us look at how children actually do learn language.
They may begin to learn in the womb. We know that they react to their mothers' voices from birth - they have been listening to her over the last three months of pregnancy. However, the first noticeable active vocal activity
begins at about 8 weeks - the baby begins to coo - at first producing individual sounds, but later stringing them together in a rhythmical pattern. Then, at around 20 weeks, the baby diversifies the sounds she is producing, and gradually starts babbling. Babbling involves a
- in the first stage, the child appears to produce the whole gamut of sounds used by human beings in the production of speech - it is the tower of Babel indeed.
Bit by bit, however, the range of sounds used narrows down, and the child concentrates more and more upon the sounds used by the mother tongue. She is listening to you. So what is being said to her?
We remember that Chomsky claims that children only hear very partial and ungrammatical input. It is now known that this claim is almost certainly false - adults in our culture, when speaking to children, take great care to
phrase their utterances correctly. This is probably not because they are thinking primarily about offering the correct syntactic model, but because they are aiming for clarity of expression. It has been noticed that mothers and other caretakers, when speaking to
children, adopt a certain number of specific verbal strategies. The style of speech that they use is sometimes referred to as 'Motherese', although non-sexist linguists prefer to call it 'caretaker talk'. What are the characteristics of this kind of language?
So the language that children hear is by no means necessarily partial and ungrammatical. It has been suggested that these characteristics offer the child such clear samples of language, that there is no need to posit a
Chomskian black box, or UG. However, supporters of the UG approach point out that -
· - large number of Wh- forms.
In Samoa, for example, adults very rarely speak directly to their children, and among some black communities in the US, it is considered a waste of time to speak to children who are
too young to give sensible replies - why talk to them, they don't know anything yet? And yet, these children also learn language.
Not only do they fail to copy the utterances their mothers give them, they also produce utterances that they have never heard, and use structures that they have never heard.
Child : Mamma isn't boy, he a girl.
Mother : That's right.
Child : And Walt Disney comes on Tuesday.
Mother : No he does not.
Indeed - and this is of direct interest to language teachers - correction of grammatical form appears to be a waste of time.
The mistakes that the child makes do not appear to be simply random errors. Linguists argue that they are not, in fact , ungrammatical, but that they are based upon the child's own grammar. Interestingly enough, all children tend to make the same kinds of mistakes at roughly
the same period in their linguistic development. For example, English-speaking children working on negation go through a predictable sequence :
You no do that, Mummy
You not got it
while negative auxiliaries also appear. - Won't, can't
As we shall see, there are interesting similarities between this sequence, and the sequence of acquisition of the negation in English by second-language learners.
Followers of Chomsky claim that the regularity of these errors, and the fact that they are not based upon what the child hears, demonstrate that they are derived from the Universal Grammar. The child works through from the
simplest possibilities offered by the UG to the more complex, until his own grammar is the same as the grammar of the mother-tongue. The claim is almost that the child does not make mistakes, but simply has a different grammar to the grammar of the adult.
The evidence from neuroscience and from first-language learning is suggestive. We find a number of observations that do fit in with what we would expect if Chomsky were right. However, the evidence needs to be treated with
We have also seen that Chomsky is certainly incorrect in his claim that children do not hear well-formed language. On the other hand, children do seem to understand almost instinctively that language is a rule-bound system, and
are capable of discovering the rules underlying their mother tongue with remarkable rapidity. But it needs to be borne in mind that the fact that children seek out the rules underlying language does not mean that they necessarily have a specific approach to language itself. It
may simply be a product of the peculiar nature of human intelligence, which makes us look out for and be sensitive to the underlying rules which govern phenomena in the world - this is one of the main characteristics of all human cultural activities, and not just of | <urn:uuid:340ae7a5-09f5-42dc-954a-8e1efbaaec45> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www2.vobs.at/ludescher/ludescher/lacquisition/nativist/nativist%20theory.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967747 | 7,369 | 3.453125 | 3 |
This medical monstrosity is one of several infections that falls under the umbrella category of neglected tropical diseases. Like the name suggests, these diseases are found in tropical climates (such as Ghana) and have gone historically untreated. In many cases treatments exist; however, for one reason or another (lack of funding, difficulty in disseminating it to rural areas, etc) has not been used widespread enough to eradicate it. While some of these diseases in particular are very difficult to rid the world of because they have many ways of transmitting, Guiana Worm luckily is not. Guiana Worm can only be transmitted through contaminated water. Because of this important fact in the crusade against the disease, clean water sources are critical. It is using this fact and a persistent multi-facet approach that Jim has been able to deliver impressive results in Guiana Worm eradication. In particular, Jim has had great success by working closely with international aid organizations that specialize in water sanitation projects to get funding towards villages at high risk for the disease.
Before Jim came to the country in 2006, cases per year in Ghana had been stagnant at about 4,000 per year. With no real change in funding, he has focused the Carter Institute’s efforts on going from the defensive to more aggressive offensive tactics in eradicating the disease. His approach so far has set a new record for the reduction of cases with the last case (fingers cross it will stay this way) having bee reported in May of 2010. Jim’s experience and story reminded me of the importance of innovation and creativity in solving any problem, particularly a persistent one. | <urn:uuid:f3991c37-996d-4c43-a112-e2c1bf96d44c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://zacghana.blogspot.com/2011/01/day-13-neglected-tropical-diseases.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963305 | 326 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Why are Amtrak trains so slow?
Looking at the legal and operational framework
Amtrak trains usually operate at about 2/3 of the technically possible speed on curvy track, and could operate at about 1/2 of the technically possible speed on really steep curvy mountain routes. This result is rather easy to compute, and easy to state as a fact. Unfortunately, finding the reason is far more complicated, because there isn't a single one. There are multiple reasons, and interdependencies between them. The most important points are:
- Railroads in the USA have a special traffic function, replacing the ocean traffic of other areas on the planet.
- Influence of railroad organization and traffic policies, especially regarding public infrastructure investment.
- Track maintenance procedures, and their influence on track geometry.
- The special history of US railroad operation.
- Quality of regulations. | <urn:uuid:6e68a013-4cab-46fc-83d7-43addfa505a0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://zierke.com/shasta_route/pages/06why.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938837 | 178 | 2.546875 | 3 |
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M.S. Hanner (JPL/Caltech), J.P. Bradley (MVA, Inc.)
Infrared spectroscopy provides a direct link between laboratory measurements of interplanetary dust particles and astronomical observations of dust in space. Silicate minerals produce spectral features near 10 and 20 microns and the shape of these features is diagnostic of the mineral composition. Recent spectra of comet Hale-Bopp from the ground and from the ISO satellite allow mineralogical identification of the cometary silicates; both Mg-rich olivine and pyroxenes are present. The chondritic aggregate IDPs are the only type of meteoritic material resembling the composition of cometary dust at the submicron level. A component of these IDPs, the GEMS, consist primarily of glassy silicates bearing evidence of presolar (interstellar) origin. Infrared spectra of GEMS-rich material have now been measured, allowing direct comparison with the cometary spectra. In this paper, we compare the spectra and composition of GEMS with comets Hale-Bopp and Halley and discuss the probable interstellar origin of the GEMS and the cometary dust. | <urn:uuid:9c906709-1b64-4ce2-8056-30749321da8a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://aas.org/archives/BAAS/v30n3/dps98/155.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.863073 | 256 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Chlorine, a chemical element whose name means “pale green,” is explored from a number of angles in this informative Topic in Depth.
We’ve all heard of chlorine being used in swimming pools and drinking water, but this jack-of-all-trades chemical element is also used in making everything from plastics and dry cleaning products to insecticides and pharmaceuticals.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology allows nearly anything to be tracked without human intervention, using transceiver tags and an electronic reader with radio communication. It is often used in inventory management, theft prevention, and vehicle identification.
As global dependence on fossil fuels is increasingly called into question, many nations, organizations, and individuals are exploring the use of biodiesel, a renewable fuel derived from vegetable oils (or animal fat), as an alternative power source.
This Topic in Depth explores data mining, also known as knowledge discovery in databases. Data mining is used to extract implicit, previously unknown, but potentially useful information from raw data. It is a blend of three main subjects: statistics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
Often, true data mining is characterized by a self-acting program and a unique blend of knowledge discovery and prediction that allows individuals and businesses to sort and classify very large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. Data mining programs can be tailored to meet the needs of the users, whether that need is for the forecasting of future investments, or simply the need to recognize patterns among the data being analyzed.
Quaternary Studies examines the geologic period of the Quaternary, the last two million years up to the present day. Glaciers formed and receded; animals evolved and went extinct. Here, visitors can learn all about current research and education initiatives in this field of stratigraphic geology. | <urn:uuid:ce273f53-823d-487c-b82c-c153ba1da7c2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://amser.org/About/index.php?P=AMSER--FeaturedFolders | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935969 | 368 | 3.234375 | 3 |
On December 8, 2015, it was discovered that Princeton University Library’s “copy 2” of the Greek Bible, Tēs Theias graphēs : Palaias Dēladē kai Neas Diathēkēs hapanta (Basel: Johannes Hervagius, 1545), with a Latin preface by the Lutheran reformer Philipp Melanchthon, has an important but long forgotten provenance. The title page bears a mid-sixteenth-century inscription written by Johannes Willibrochius (d. 1606) of Danzig that records his presentation of the Greek Bible to his friend “M. Martino Kemnitz,” i.e., Martin Chemnitz (1522–1586).
Both of these men were pupils of Melanchthon at the University of Wittenberg in the early 1550s, and Chemnitz went on to became the most important Lutheran scholar of his generation. He came to be known as “Alter Martinus” (the Second Martin), as his theological writings were essential for the sustained success of Lutheranism after the death of its founder and namesake in 1546.
Early biographies of Chemnitz mention his careful study of the Bible in the original Hebrew and Greek during the early 1550s, and indeed the Old Testament of Princeton’s Greek Bible bears thousands of marginal annotations in Greek and occasionally in Latin, written in a neat script that matches that of Chemnitz’s autograph letters. The annotations are mainly content notes, with some brief definitions and comments, but not many extended thoughts.
Johannes Willebrochius, who gave the Bible to Chemnitz, was an important figure in his own right. After his graduation from Wittenberg in 1552 he became a leading physician in Danzig. Later, he served as court physician to Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria at Prague and Innsbruck. Like Chemnitz, Willebrochius wrote theological works that ended up on the Tridentine Index of Prohibited Books. The few notes within Princeton’s Greek Bible of 1545 that were not written by Chemnitz clearly match the handwriting found in the letters of Willebrochius.
Dated 1550, the folio Bible’s pigskin binding bears the stamped initials “JW.” These initials clearly were added for Johannes Willebrochius before he gave the book to Chemnitz. Other stamps and rolls used to decorate the covers, including a rolled frieze (at right) with roundel portrait busts of Duke Friedrich of Saxony, Hercules, Antoninus, and Septimius Severus, dated 1524 on the surface of the tool itself, indicate that the binding was produced in Wittemberg by the noted master binder Nikolaus Müller.
The Greek Bible was donated to Princeton University Library on December 8, 1965, by Dr. Margaret Irving Handy (1889-1977), pioneering pediatrician of Delaware. It bears the signature of her grandfather, Rev. William Collins Handy (1835-1909), Princeton Class of 1855 (Divinity), later a prominent Presbyterian of New Scotland, New York, who seems to have purchased the old Bible for $1.83 in 1862. His brief autobiography of 1895, reprinted in the Princeton University Library Chronicle 30/3 (Spring, 1969), 200-203, unfortunately makes no mention of his Bible. Interestingly, the rediscovery of the Chemnitz provenance occurred exactly 50 years (to the day) after the granddaughter’s gift to Princeton.
The “Chemnitz Bible,” heretofore unrecognized, is rich in research potential: for example, Princeton’s Prof. Anthony Grafton noticed that one of Chemnitz’s Latin marginalia, concerning the Vulgate version’s corruption of Genesis 3:15, cites “Philip” and quotes Melanchthon’s letter of January 1, 1539, addressed to “studiosis adolescentibus” (see Melanchthoniana paedogogica, ed. Karl Hartfelder (Leipzig: Teubner, 1892), 55). The Bible may be consulted in the Rare Books Reading Room; its call number is EX Oversize 5156.1545aq. | <urn:uuid:6fb6c4a7-7eb6-4fbc-97a2-8d701b3070f2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://blogs.princeton.edu/notabilia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95329 | 911 | 2.75 | 3 |
14 May 2012: Report
Africa’s Ambitious Experiment
To Preserve Threatened Wildlife
Five nations in southern Africa are joining together to create a huge conservation area that will extend across their borders and expand critical territory for elephants. But can these new protections reverse decades of decline for area wildlife while also benefiting the people who live there?
“They’re Angolan refugees returning home,” biologist Mike Chase tells reporters. He’s not talking about people. He’s talking about elephants, moving out of his native Botswana, step by ponderous step. On their backs are riding the hopes of one of the most ambitious ecological experiments on the planet, the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area
, or KAZA.
The largest such project in the world, at more than 170,000 square miles, KAZA is the size of Sweden and involves five countries — Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe — boasting the biggest population of elephants on earth, a quarter of a million.
During Angola’s prolonged civil war, an estimated 100,000 elephants were slaughtered, their ivory sold to buy arms. In 2001, a year before the war ended, fewer than 40 were left in the country’s Luiana reserve. Six years
KAZA may help lift people out of poverty and protect one of the last, large-scale ecosystems on the continent.
later, after Namibia and Botswana agreed to open a strategic 22-mile gap in a maze of border and veterinary fencing (keeping wild buffalo or infected cattle from contaminating Botswana’s herds), Chase counted 8,000. Bull elephants had scouted Angola’s thinly-populated southern reserves, found conditions to their liking, and returned to northern Botswana to lead herds home to Angola. Once there, they skirted landmines, having perhaps learned through bitter experience how to sniff them out. Their message was clear: Give us a way back, and we will come.
Launched in March after a treaty signing last August, with $26 million pledged by Germany’s development bank, KAZA requires five sovereign nations to tiptoe through similarly explosive territory, setting aside old grievances and compelling national interests. If they succeed, KAZA may help lift people out of poverty and protect one of the last functional large-scale ecosystems left on the continent: the Okavango Delta, a massive wetland that waxes and wanes annually as rivers pour off the Angolan highlands, fanning out into the baking Kalahari and drawing some of the region’s most threatened wildlife — black rhino, African wild dog, and hundreds of species of birds.
In just one of KAZA’s parks, Zambia’s Kafue, tourism could grow from less than $5 million annually to almost $50 million in little more than a decade, according to a consultant’s report. That could be multiplied across the conservation area, which contains more than 40 protected areas: national parks, forest and game reserves, and community conservancies.
An elephant drinks at a water hole in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park.
But the project faces daunting obstacles: insufficient funding, conflict between people and wildlife, fear of disease outbreaks among cattle, and a recently reported steep decline in wildlife numbers. Critics are also concerned that the project may end up enriching foreign tourism companies rather than local communities.
Westerners think of parks as pristine, but as one expert puts it, “Wilderness areas with no human impacts do not exist in Africa.” Only well-established national parks, such as Bostwana’s Chobe, have no human inhabitants; fewer still thrive on the traditional model of armed guards and fences. KAZA — not a park but a “transfrontier conservation area”— has a human population perhaps as high as 2.5 million. Over half its land is communally managed, used for subsistence farming or grazing. While the idea of linking parks across borders has been around since 1932, recent developments in southern Africa have created urgency around transfrontier plans, particularly bottlenecks wrought by fencing (required by the EU’s subsidized beef export market), which effectively trapped tens of thousands of elephants in northern Botswana.
“An Africa without fences” is the vision of the Peace Parks Foundation
. Founded in 1997, it has enrolled every country in southern Africa in the effort, raising millions from donor countries, encouraging private investment,
Such peace parks are dismissed by one academic as another ‘grandiose scheme foisted upon Africa.’
and supporting colleges to train wildlife rangers and tourism staff. Progress has not been without pitfalls: The group was vilified for its high-handed, top-down approach as it expanded South Africa’s Kruger National Park into Mozambique. While peace parks are dismissed by one Cape Town academic as another “grandiose scheme... foisted upon Africa,” there are now 10 in the region, with four more in the planning stage, ranging north to Tanzania.
An idea kicking around international circles since the early 1990s, KAZA was self-consciously designed to be a grassroots affair. Early supporters — including Conservation International, the WWF, and the Wildlife Conservation Society — looked to Namibia’s home-grown and highly successful conservancy movement, which had presided over a resurgence in the country’s wildlife, decimated during the long struggle against occupation. At independence, in 1990, Namibians wrote conservation into their constitution, and the fledgling republic soon backed community-based conservation groups — called conservancies — to create jobs.
At the news that a single elephant hunt might be worth $10,000, “word went through communities almost overnight,” says Chris Weaver, director of WWF in Namibia. “Poaching stopped very, very quickly.” Communities eagerly registered to guard, monitor, and manage their wildlife and have reaped benefits from ecotourism, controlled hunting, and sustainable harvesting of wild plants. Popular and effective, 71 conservancies have been registered so far, creating 1,700 full time and 8,000 seasonal jobs and earning roughly $6 million in 2010, with communities investing the money in health clinics and schools. As conservancies build corridors across the country, Namibia has protected almost 40 percent of its land and earned a reputation as a spectacular place to see rhino, cheetah, desert lions, and other wildlife.
KAZA hopes to capitalize on that model, using conservancies to reestablish wildlife corridors between existing parks and reserves. Of the five KAZA partners, only Angola, one of the poorest countries in the world, has no community-based program. Zimbabwe, grandfather of such management schemes in the 1980s, is also lagging in the final years of Robert Mugabe’s rule, blocked from receiving foreign funding. Botswana presents a mixed picture. Known for high-end ecotourism in the Okavango, it launched a network of trusts in 1993, eventually involving some 10 percent of the population, but its heavily-bureaucratized system has been less successful than Namibia’s.
More densely populated Zambia (with 14 million people, compared to Botswana and Namibia, with two million each) last year launched its first community conservancy, Simalaha, on its southern border with Namibia, right in the heart of KAZA. Funded by $2.8 million from the Swedish Postcode Lottery, Simalaha is designed to link Botswana’s Chobe and Zambia’s Kafue across a critical floodplain, providing safe passage for elephants between the two parks. Namibia and Zambia are already running joint anti-poaching patrols in the area.
Announcing plans to initiate a temporary sanctuary for wildlife, senior chief Inyambo Yeta, a traditional leader who sits on the board of the Peace Parks Foundation, spoke wistfully of the lost richness of local forests. “We want Simalaha to teem with wildlife once again,” he said.
KAZA program manager Victor Siamudaala has praised the “overwhelming” support from communities and governments. But, as Weaver emphasized, future success may be KAZA’s worst enemy, judging by the experiences of the conservancies. Escalating human-elephant conflict has become so prevalent
Recent surveys show a 90-percent decline in wildebeest and other wildlife in northern Botswana.
it has acquired its own acronym: “HEC.” In 2010, wild elephants rampaged through a southern Angolan settlement, trampling houses and farms and sending some 4,000 people over the border into Namibia, which had 11 people killed by elephants that same year. Throughout KAZA, farmers are learning to exploit every imaginable elephant deterrent, from vuvuzelas (plastic horns) to chile bombs, a mixture of dried elephant dung and peppers that is burned to create a stinging, smoke haze. Namibia has initiated payments for crop damage and funeral costs, while emphasizing that conflict cannot always be avoided.
Serious questions about KAZA’s viability remain. Mike Chase, an elephant ecologist who founded Elephants Without Borders
in 2004, has documented the species’ return to Angola and radio-collared a number of pachyderms, mapping elephant corridors throughout the region, as well as barriers — fences, roads, crops, settlements — that block them. His recent aerial survey showing that elephants have stabilized at around 128,000 in northern Botswana is considered the most accurate to date.
Chase was recently employed by the Botswana government to fly additional surveys over the country’s vast northern stretches, once a wildlife stronghold, to census other large mammals. “We were completely blown out of the water,” he says of tallying steep declines in wildlife outside of Chobe National Park. Results showed a 90-percent reduction in wildebeest — from more than 23,000 in 1999 to fewer than 2,000 in 2010 — and similar declines in warthog, zebra, kudu, lechwe, tsessebe, sable, and roan. Chase attributes the losses not only to a 20-year drought but also to increased human use, fencing, and grazing of cattle, used in Botswana to calculate “lobola,” or bride price. In Chobe itself, however, many species are increasing.
MORE FROM YALE e360
An African Success: In Namibia,
The People and Wildlife Coexist
Shortly after gaining independence in 1990, Namibia turned ownership of its wildlife back to the people. By using a system of community-based management, Richard Conniff
writes, this nation has avoided the fate of most others on the continent and registered a sharp increase in its key wildlife populations.
Chase is still optimistic about KAZA, pointing out that “ten years ago, you couldn’t get the governments to sit around a table together.” David Cumming, a transfrontier expert in Harare, Zimbabwe, is less sure. His 2011 review of “constraints” faced by peace parks is sobering, noting that KAZA’s planning documents focus heavily on development and fail to set clear objectives regarding conservation. Financing is inadequate, with even established national parks “grossly underfunded.”
He asks a critical question: Can the creation of larger landscapes devoted simultaneously to development and conservation — not strictly protected as parks — reverse wildlife declines while benefiting communities? Unless people get “real benefits,” Cumming told me, “connectivity is probably not going to be maintained.”
It remains to be seen whether conservation corridors roughed out on maps will materialize. Elephants cannot wait forever, fenced in by wire, crops, and settlements. Nor can local people, who are, as Cumming dryly calls them, “the de facto
Correction. May 16, 2012: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Namibia’s 71 conservancies earned $700,000 last year. The article should have stated that Namibian conservancies earned roughly $6 million in 2010.
POSTED ON 14 May 2012 IN
Biodiversity Climate Oceans Policy & Politics Africa | <urn:uuid:52dc847b-40db-4daf-a220-e4c83fb19f4f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://e360.yale.edu/feature/kaza_ambitious_africa_experiment_to_preserve_threatened_wildlife/2527/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93955 | 2,597 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Handbook of Genetic Counseling/Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle Cell Anemia
- Determine what the patient already knows about sickle cell
- Assess what concerns the patient wants to address today
Elicit Medical History
Elicit Family History and Pedigree
What is sickle cell disease?
- inherited blood disorder affecting the oxygen carrying part of the blood cells called hemoglobin
- hemoglobin in sickle cell anemia forms a "sickle" or banana shape
- normal hemoglobin is called hemoglobin A
- sickle cell hemoglobin is called hemoglobin S
- this shape causes it to be broken down in the liver leading to not enough blood cells
- people with sickle cell disease experience pain, damage to organs, and sometimes early death
- this is due to sickle shaped blood cells blocking tiny blood vessels
- this leads to prevention of blood flow to certain areas of the body
- diagnosis is made by a blood test called hemoglobin electrophoresis
- those with mostly hemoglobin S have sickle cell disease
- those with only hemoglobin A do not have sickle cell disease
- those with both hemoglobin A and hemoglobin S are heterozygote carriers and have sickle cell trait
- this means they are carriers of the sickle cell gene
- they generally do not have any health problems but can pass the gene to their children
- this test requires 3cc of blood in a red-capped EDTA tube
- prenatal testing is also available
- in Ohio children are now tested for sickle cell as part of the newborn screening program
- chronic hemolytic anemia - may lead to reduction in energy and cause growth retardation
- Vaso-occlusion - blockage of small blood vessels that may lead to pain and tissue damage.
- Splenic sequestration - increase in spleen size due to storage of red blood cells
- Organ failure - may result from insufficient blood flow later in life
- other problems may arise such as neurological effects, stroke, chronic eye disease, renal disease, and leg ulcers
- mainly symptomatic
- drugs such as hydroxyurea are used to increase fetal hemoglobin
- vasodilators and lubricants used to prevent microvascular blockage with very little success
- Sickle cell disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion
- people with sickle cell disease have two copies of the mutated gene
- people with sickle cell trait have one normal gene and one mutated gene
- Parents who both have sickle cell trait will have a 25% chance of having a child with sickle cell disease, a 50% chance of having a child with sickle cell trait, and a 25% chance of having a normal child who is not a carrier
- If one parent has sickle cell disease and one parent has sickle cell trait, they have a 50% chance of having a child with sickle cell disease but the child will have sickle cell trait.
- If one parent has sickle cell disease and the other parent is normal the child will have sickle cell trait but 0% chance of having sickle cell disease.
Clarification: In order for a child to have sickle cell disease both parents must have at least one copy of the abnormal sickle cell gene, or in other words both parents must have sickle cell trait for the child to have sickle cell disease.
- African-Americans: 1/12 are carriers
- 1/400-600 children are born with sickle cell disease
- People of Hispanic, Greek, Italian, Arabic, and Asian Indian also have high carrier rates
- Guilt over passing on trait to children
- people with sickle cell trait may be treated as though they are sick despite having no symptoms
- people with sickle cell trait may also be more worried about their health despite having no symptoms
- worry over reproductive decisions
- CHMC Cincinnati Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center
- 333 Burnett Avenue
- Cincinnati, OH 45229
- The Ohio Sickle Cell Affected Families Association, Inc.
- 141 Tishman Street
- Columbus, OH 43228
- National Association for Sickle Cell Disease, Inc.
- 3345 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1106
- Los Angeles, CA 90010-1880
- Headings, Verle E. "Psychosocial Issues in Sickle Cell Counseling" Genetic Counseling: Psychosocial Dimensions. 1979.
- March of Dimes Public Health Education Information Sheet. Sickle Cell Disease.
- Koshy, Mabel. "Sickle Cell Disease" University of Chicago
- Ricknagel, D. "Sickle Cell Syndromes"
The information in this outline was last updated in 2002. | <urn:uuid:ca1b6a8c-e8d9-4dc4-b62a-833e141f2122> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Handbook_of_Genetic_Counseling/Sickle_Cell_Anemia | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91878 | 991 | 3.890625 | 4 |
Coke is a fuel with few impurities and a high carbon content, usually made from coal. It is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes made from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made. The form known as petroleum coke, or pet coke, is derived from oil refinery coker units or other cracking processes.
Historical sources dating to the 4th century describe the production of coke in ancient China. The Chinese first used coke for heating and cooking no later than the ninth century. By the first decades of the eleventh century, Chinese ironworkers in the Yellow River valley began to fuel their furnaces with coke, solving their fuel problem in that tree-sparse region.
In 1589 a patent was granted to Thomas Proctor and William Peterson for making iron and steel and melting lead with "earth-coal, sea-coal, turf, and peat". The patent contains a distinct allusion to the preparation of coal by "cooking". In 1590 a patent was granted to the Dean of York to "purify pit-coal and free it from its offensive smell". In 1620 a patent was granted to a company composed of William St. John and other knights, mentioning the use of coke in smelting ores and manufacturing metals. In 1627 a patent was granted to Sir John Hacket and Octavius de Strada for a method of rendering sea-coal and pit-coal as useful as charcoal for burning in houses, without offense by smell or smoke.
In 1603 Hugh Plat suggested that coal might be charred in a manner analogous to the way charcoal is produced from wood. This process was not put into practice until 1642, when coke was used for roasting malt in Derbyshire; previously, brewers had used wood, as uncoked coal cannot be used in brewing because its sulfurous fumes would impart a foul taste to the beer. It was considered an improvement in quality, and brought about an "alteration which all England admired"—the coke process allowed for a lighter roast of the malt, leading to the creation of what by the end of the 17th century was called pale ale.
In 1709 Abraham Darby I established a coke-fired blast furnace to produce cast iron. Coke's superior crushing strength allowed blast furnaces to become taller and larger. The ensuing availability of inexpensive iron was one of the factors leading to the Industrial Revolution. Before this time, iron-making used large quantities of charcoal, produced by burning wood. As the coppicing of forests became unable to meet the demand, the substitution of coke for charcoal became common in Great Britain, and the coke was manufactured by burning coal in heaps on the ground in such a way that only the outer layer burned, leaving the interior of the pile in a carbonized state. In the late 18th century, brick beehive ovens were developed, which allowed more control over the burning process.
In 1768 John Wilkinson built a more practical oven for converting coal into coke. Wilkinson improved the process by building the coal heaps around a low central chimney built of loose bricks and with openings for the combustion gases to enter, resulting in a higher yield of better coke. With greater skill in the firing, covering and quenching of the heaps, yields were increased from about 33 per cent to 65 per cent by the middle of the 19th century. The Scottish iron industry expanded very rapidly in the second quarter of the 19th century, through the adoption of the hot-blast process in its coalfields.
In 1802 a battery of beehives was set up near Sheffield, to coke the Silkstone seam for use in crucible steel melting. By 1870, there were 14,000 beehive ovens in operation on the West Durham coalfields, capable of producing 4.2 million tons of coke. As a measure of the extent of the expansion of coke-making, it has been estimated that the requirements of the iron industry were about one million tons a year in the early 1850s, whereas by 1880 the figure had risen to seven millions, of which about 5 millions were produced in Durham county, one million tons in the South Wales coalfield, and 1 million tons in Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
In the first years of steam railway locomotives, coke was the normal fuel. This resulted from an early piece of environmental legislation; any proposed locomotive had to "consume its own smoke". This was not technically possible to achieve until the firebox arch came into use, but burning coke, with its low smoke emissions, was considered to meet the requirement. However, this rule was quietly dropped and cheaper coal became the normal fuel, as railways gained acceptance among the general public.
In the United States, the first use of coke in an iron furnace occurred around 1817 at Isaac Meason's Plumsock puddling furnace and rolling mill in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. In the late 19th century, the coalfields of western Pennsylvania provided a rich source of raw material for coking. In 1885, the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Company constructed the world's longest string of coke ovens in Walston, Pennsylvania, with 475 ovens over a length of 2 km (1.25 miles). Their output reached 22,000 tons per month. The Minersville Coke Ovens in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Between 1870 and 1905, the number of beehive ovens in the United States skyrocketed from about 200 to almost 31,000, which produced nearly 18 million tons of coke in the Pittsburgh area alone. One observer boasted that if loaded into a train, “the year's production would make up a train so long that the engine in front of it would go to San Francisco and come back to Connellsville before the caboose had gotten started out of the Connellsville yards!” The number of beehive ovens in Pittsburgh peaked in 1910 at almost 48,000.
Although it made a top-quality fuel, coking poisoned the surrounding landscape. After 1900, the serious environmental damage of beehive coking attracted national notice, even though the damage had plagued the district for decades. “The smoke and gas from some ovens destroy all vegetation around the small mining communities,” noted W. J. Lauck of the U.S. Immigration Commission in 1911. Passing through the region on train, University of Wisconsin president Charles van Hise saw “long rows of beehive ovens from which flame is bursting and dense clouds of smoke issuing, making the sky dark. By night the scene is rendered indescribably vivid by these numerous burning pits. The beehive ovens make the entire region of coke manufacture one of dulled sky: cheerless and unhealthful."
Volatile constituents of the coal—including water, coal-gas, and coal-tar—are driven off by baking in an airless furnace or oven (kiln) at temperatures as high as 2,000 °C (3,600 °F) but usually around 1,000–1,100 °C (1,800–2,000 °F). This fuses together the fixed carbon and residual ash. Some facilities have "by-product" coking ovens in which the volatile hydrocarbons are mainly used, after purification, in a separate combustion process to generate energy. Non by-product coking furnaces or coke furnaces (ovens) burn the hydrocarbon gases produced by the coke-making process to drive the carbonization process. This is an older method, but is still being used for new construction.
Bituminous coal must meet a set of criteria for use as coking coal, determined by particular coal assay techniques. These include moisture content, ash content, sulfur content, volatile content, tar, and plasticity. This blending is targeted at producing a coke of appropriate strength (generally measured by Coke Strength After Reaction (CSR)), while losing an appropriate amount of mass. Other blending considerations include ensuring the coke doesn't swell too much during production and destroy the coke oven through excessive wall pressures.
The greater the volatile matter in coal, the more by-product can be produced. It is generally considered that levels of 26-29% of volatile matter in the coal blend are good for coking purposes. Thus different types of coal are proportionally blended to reach acceptable levels of volatility before the coking process begins.
Coking coal is different from thermal coal, but it differs not by the coal forming process. Coking coal has different macerals from thermal coal. The different macerals are related to source of material that compose the coal. However, the coke is of wildly varying strength and ash content and is generally considered unsellable except in some cases as a thermal product. As it has lost its volatile matter, it has lost the ability to be coked again.
The "Hearth" process
The “Hearth” process of coke-making, using lump coal, was akin to that of charcoal-burning; instead of a heap of prepared wood, covered with twigs, leaves and earth, there was a heap of coals, covered with coke dust. The hearth process continued to be used in many areas during the first half of the 19th century, but two events greatly lessened its importance. These were the invention of the hot blast in iron-smelting and the introduction of the beehive coke oven. The use of a blast of hot air, instead of cold air, in the smelting furnace was first introduced by Neilson in Scotland in the year 1828. The hearth process of making coke from coal is a very lengthy process.
Beehive coke oven
A fire brick chamber shaped like a dome is used, commonly known as a beehive oven. It is typically 4 meters wide and 2.5 meters high. The roof has a hole for charging the coal or other kindling from the top. The discharging hole is provided in the circumference of the lower part of the wall. In a coke oven battery, a number of ovens are built in a row with common walls between neighboring ovens. A battery consisted of a great many ovens, sometimes hundreds, in a row.
Coal is introduced from the top to produce an even layer of about 60 to 90 centimeters deep. Air is supplied initially to ignite the coal. Carbonization starts and produces volatile matter, which burns inside the partially closed side door. Carbonization proceeds from top to bottom and is completed in two to three days. Heat is supplied by the burning volatile matter so no by-products are recovered. The exhaust gases are allowed to escape to the atmosphere. The hot coke is quenched with water and discharged, manually through the side door. The walls and roof retain enough heat to initiate carbonization of the next charge.
When coal was burned in a coke oven, the impurities of the coal not already driven off as gases accumulated to form slag, which was effectively a conglomeration of the removed impurities. Since it was not the desired coke product, slag was initially nothing more than an unwanted by-product and was discarded. Later, however, it was found to have many beneficial uses and has since been used as an ingredient in brick-making, mixed cement, granule-covered shingles, and even as a fertilizer.
People can be exposed to coke oven emissions in the workplace by inhalation, skin contact, or eye contact. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set the legal limit for coke oven emissions exposure in the workplace as 0.150 mg/m3 benzene-soluble fraction over an 8-hour workday. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has set a Recommended exposure limit (REL) of 0.2 mg/m3 benzene-soluble fraction over an 8-hour workday.
Coke is used as a fuel and as a reducing agent in smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. The carbon monoxide produced by its combustion reduces iron oxide (hematite) in the production of the iron product.
Since smoke-producing constituents are driven off during the coking of coal, coke forms a desirable fuel for stoves and furnaces in which conditions are not suitable for the complete burning of bituminous coal itself. Coke may be combusted producing little or no smoke, while bituminous coal would produce much smoke. Coke is commonly used as fuel for blacksmithing.
Discovered by accident to have superior heat shielding properties when combined with other materials, coke was one of the materials used in the heat shielding on NASA's Apollo Command Module. In its final form, this material was called AVCOAT 5026-39. This material has been used most recently as the heat shielding on the Mars Pathfinder vehicle. Although not used for modern day space shuttles, NASA had been planning to use coke and other materials for the heat shield for its next generation space craft, named Orion.
Coke was widely used as a substitute for coal in domestic heating following the creation of smokeless zones in the United Kingdom.
Coke was used in Australia in the 1960s and early 1970s as house heating.
Wastewater from coking is highly toxic and carcinogenic. It contains phenolic, aromatic, heterocyclic, and polycyclic organics, and inorganics including cyanides, sulfides, ammonium and ammonia. Various methods for its treatment have been studied in recent years. The white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium can remove up to 80% of phenols from coking waste water.
- Syngas; Water gas: a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, made by passing steam over red-hot coke (or any carbon-based char)
- Producer gas; suction gas; wood gas; generator gas; synthetic gas: a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and nitrogen, made by passing air over red-hot coke (or any carbon-based char)
The most important properties of coke are ash and sulfur content, which are linearly dependent on the coal used for production. Coke with less ash and sulfur content is highly priced on the market. Other important characteristics are the M10, M25, and M40 test crush indexes, which convey the strength of coke during transportation into the blast furnaces; depending on blast furnaces size, finely crushed coke pieces must not be allowed into the blast furnaces because they would impede the flow of gas through the charge of iron and coke. A related characteristic is the Coke Strength After Reaction (CSR) index; it represents coke's ability to withstand the violent conditions inside the blast furnace before turning into fine particles.
The water content in coke is practically zero at the end of the coking process, but it is often water quenched so that it can be transported to the blast furnaces. The porous structure of coke absorbs some water, usually 3-6% of its mass. In more modern coke plants an advanced method of coke cooling uses air quenching.
The solid residue remaining from refinement of petroleum by the "cracking" process is also a form of coke. Petroleum coke has many uses besides being a fuel, such as the manufacture of dry cells and electrodes[disambiguation needed].
Gas works manufacturing syngas also produce coke as an end product, called gas house coke.
Fluid coking is a process which converts heavy residual crude into lighter products such as naphtha, kerosene, heating oil, and hydrocarbon gases. The "fluid" term refers to the fact that coke particles are in a continuous system versus older batch-coking technology.
- Charcoal, made from wood rather than coal
- History of manufactured gas
- List of CO2 emitted per million Btu of energy from various fuels
- Pet coke - Petroleum coke
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coke (fuel).|
- The Coming of the Ages of Steel. Brill Archive. p. 55. GGKEY:DN6SZTCNQ3G. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
Historic sources mention the use of coke in the fourth century AD
- McNeil, William H. The Pursuit of Power. University of Chicago Press, 1982, pp. 26, 33, and 45.
- "CCHC—Your Portal to the Past". Coal and Coke Heritage Center. Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
- Peckham, Stephen (1880). Special Reports on Petroleum, Coke, and Building Stones. United States Census Office. 10th census. p. 53.
- Nersesian, Roy L (2010). "Coal and the Industrial Revolution". Energy for the 21st century (2 ed.). Armonk, NY: Sharpe. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-7656-2413-0.
- Cooper, Eileen Mountjoy. "History of Coke". Special Collections & Archives: Coal Dust, The Early Mining Industry of Indiana County. Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
- Wittcoff, M.M. Green ; H.A. (2003). Organic chemistry principles and industrial practice (1. ed., 1. reprint. ed.). Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. ISBN 3-527-30289-1.
- Beaver, S.H. (1951). "Coke Manufacture in Great Britain: A Study in Industrial Geography". Transactions and Papers (Institute of British Geographers). The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers (17): 133–148.
- 8 & 9 Vict. cap. 20 (Railway Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845) section 114
- DiCiccio, Carmen. Coal and Coke in Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
- A subsidiary of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway.
- Staff (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- Eavenson, Howard N. (1942). The First Century and a Quarter of American Coal Industry. Pittsburgh, PA: Waverly Press.
- Warren, Kenneth (2001). Wealth, Waste, and Alienation: Growth and Decline in the Connellsville Coke Industry. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh.
- Martin, Scott C. Killing Time: Leisure and Culture in Southwestern Pennsylvania, 1800-1850. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
- "Coal and Steel". World Coal Association.
- "Cokemaking: The SunCoke Way".
- "Manufacture of Coke at Salem No. 1 Mine Coke Works". Pathoftheoldminer.
- "Coke Ovens". The Friends of the Cumberland Trail.
- "CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards - Coke oven emissions". www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
- The Scotch Malt Whisky Society: Highland Park: Where the peat still reeks in the old way
- "Cutting-Edge Solutions For Coking Wastewater Reuse To Meet The Standard Of Circulation Cooling Systems". www.wateronline.com. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
- Jin, Xuewen; Li, Enchao; Lu, Shuguang; Qiu, Zhaofu; Sui, Qian (2013-08-01). "Coking wastewater treatment for industrial reuse purpose: Combining biological processes with ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis". Journal of Environmental Sciences 25 (8): 1565–1574. doi:10.1016/S1001-0742(12)60212-5.
- Güçlü, Dünyamin; Şirin, Nazan; Şahinkaya, Serkan; Sevimli, Mehmet Faik (2013-07-01). "Advanced treatment of coking wastewater by conventional and modified fenton processes". Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 32 (2): 176–180. doi:10.1002/ep.10626. ISSN 1944-7450.
- Wei, Qing; Qiao, Shufeng; Sun, Baochang; Zou, Haikui; Chen, Jianfeng; Shao, Lei. "Study on the treatment of simulated coking wastewater by O3 and O3/Fenton processes in a rotating packed bed". pubs.rsc.org. doi:10.1039/C5RA14198B. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
- Lu, Y; Yan, L; Wang, Y; Zhou, S; Fu, J; Zhang, J (2009). "Biodegradation of phenolic compounds from coking wastewater by immobilized white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium". Journal of Hazardous Materials 165 (1-3): 1091–7. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.10.091. PMID 19062164. | <urn:uuid:dd34b3d0-a56d-43b6-a210-c8e3a5d30ca0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel) | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931816 | 4,493 | 3.484375 | 3 |
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In order to search for your ancestor in the records in Europe, you need to know the town of origin. If you do not know the town of origin, you need to start searching in United States records. This lesson will teach you what U.S. records you can collect to help you find where your ancestor came from before arriving in the United States. Part 1 of 4. The next lesson in this series is Immigration—Crossing the Pond, Pt. 2: U.S. Passenger Lists
Livery Companies of London – what the are; their role in history; who joined them; their records and what difference their use can make in studying family history; related organizations and additional resources including Guildhall of London.
A brief overview of the history of Norway and how it affected recordkeeping. | <urn:uuid:7ae72d19-578b-4d26-9cb6-4b9703daea8b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/results.html?fq=format%3A%22Presentation%22&fq=skill_level%3A%22Intermediate%22&fq=subjects%3A%22Business%20records%20and%20occupations%2F%22&resultListItem=7 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952011 | 176 | 2.703125 | 3 |
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Family History specialist Audrey Collins discusses how researchers can get the most out of the London Gazette, Britain's oldest continually-published newspaper. From its first edition, produced in Oxford in November 1665 while London suffered through the plague, it became well-known as the source for official notices. This treasure trove for family and local historians and can reveal details of gallantry awards, notices of bankruptcy, changes of name, and much more. | <urn:uuid:95aba9be-6087-4ce8-b49e-709b104ec839> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/results.html?resultListItem=6&fq=skill_level%3A%22Intermediate%22&fq=subjects%3A%22Newspapers%20and%20periodicals%2F%22&fq=place%3A%22England%22 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935562 | 100 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Spores are reproductive parts of certain organisms, such as fungi
or mosses. Although they come in many different sizes, shapes, and colors, most
spores are visible only by looking at them with a microscope.
Spores are similar to seeds because when a single spore is in the
right environment, it can grow into an larger organism, which can then produce
millions of spores. This cycle can continue as long as conditions support
Spores vary in size, shape, and color. Some are so small that when
they are airborne, a person can easily breathe them in. Spores may then lodge
in a part of the respiratory system, such as the airway or lungs, and reproduce
rapidly. Some people can develop an allergic reaction to spores, such as to
those of common household molds.
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease
The Health Encyclopedia contains general health information. Not all treatments or services described are covered benefits for Kaiser Permanente members or offered as services by Kaiser Permanente. For a list of covered benefits, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage or Summary Plan Description. For recommended treatments, please consult with your health care provider. | <urn:uuid:31589c57-eea2-46d6-81cc-0494bfbb9d99> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/static/health-encyclopedia/en-us/kb/aa76/297/aa76297.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940055 | 268 | 3.90625 | 4 |
April 28, 2011
This blog article is not specific to Oracle Database, but I thought that I would share the concepts anyway. If you are giving presentations and using PowerPoint, consider including detailed notes sections in the presentation. What benefit do those notes sections serve? Well, if you share the presentation files with the viewers of the presentation, those note sections act as a reminder of what was stated during your presentation. In fact, you could go so far as to type everything that you intend to say during the presentation into the presentation notes section for the slides.
Let’s take a look at a couple of interesting features that can be implemented in a PowerPoint presentation when detailed notes sections are provided.
Read to Me:
In 1998 (or maybe it was 1999) I experimented with the Microsoft Speech API, which at that time was still in Beta form for the initial release. More recent releases of the Microsoft Speech API are obviously much more sophisticated, but at the time it was possible to easily change between one of several “voices” with different pitch and speed settings. It is very easy to incorporate speech capabilities into a PowerPoint presentation, because the Speech API is installed by default on computers running Microsoft Office (I believe that the Speech API is also included in Windows operating systems starting with Microsoft Vista). A very simple, generic PowerPoint macro may be used to read back the notes section of the currently displayed slide:
Sub SpeakNotes() Const SVSFlagsAsync = 1 Const SVSFPurgeBeforeSpeak = 2 'Dim strText As String Dim strSpeech As String Dim objSpeech As Object Dim lngCurrentSlide As Long On Error Resume Next Set objSpeech = CreateObject("SAPI.SpVoice") lngCurrentSlide = SlideShowWindows(1).View.CurrentShowPosition If Application.Version <= "11.0" Then strSpeech = ActivePresentation.Slides(lngCurrentSlide).NotesPage.Shapes.Placeholders(2).TextFrame.TextRange.Text 'Change the pitch 'strSpeech = "<pitch middle='25'>" & ActivePresentation.Slides(lngCurrentSlide).NotesPage.Shapes.Placeholders(2).TextFrame.TextRange.Text Else strSpeech = ActivePresentation.Slides(lngCurrentSlide).NotesPage.Shapes.Placeholders(2).TextFrame.TextRange.Text End If objSpeech.Speak strSpeech Set objSpeech = Nothing End Sub
In the above you will notice that the macro code checks the version of PowerPoint so that it can potentially run a different set of control commands for the speech API (I do not recall the exact reason why I included this years ago, but I believe it is because the default voice in Microsoft Office 2003 is a male voice, while the default voice in Microsoft Office 2007 is a female voice). Now all that needs to be done is to create a picture or object of some sort on a slide and associate an action with the object that executes the above macro. I have used a couple of different objects over the years, typically designed to clearly communicate what will happen when the object is clicked, for example:
Write to Me:
Another interesting feature that may be implemented is exporting the slides to JPG pictures, and then building a Microsoft Word Document from the exported JPG pictures and the slide notes – this is helpful for both the presenter and the people learning from the presentation. In the past I had to manually create these types of handouts, so I thought “why not automate the process?”
We will start with the code to generate the JPG pictures from the presentation slides:
Sub WriteSlidestoJPG() On Error Resume Next 'Create a folder for the slides if one does not already exist If Len(Dir("C:\Presentation Slides", vbDirectory)) < 4 Then MkDir "C:\Presentation Slides" End If 'Remove any slides from a previous execution Kill "C:\Presentation Slides\*.*" 'Save the slides as JPG pictures ActivePresentation.Export "C:\Presentation Slides", "JPG", 640, 480 '640 pixels by 480 pixels End Sub
Next, we will add a second macro that builds the Microsoft Word document:
Sub SendPowerPointSlidestoWord() Dim i As Integer Dim objWord As Word.Application On Error Resume Next Set objWord = New Word.Application If Err = 0 Then WriteSlidestoJPG With objWord .Documents.Add .Visible = True With .ActiveDocument.Styles(wdStyleNormal).Font If .NameFarEast = .NameAscii Then .NameAscii = "" End If .NameFarEast = "" End With With .ActiveDocument.PageSetup .TopMargin = InchesToPoints(0.5) .BottomMargin = InchesToPoints(0.5) .LeftMargin = InchesToPoints(0.75) .RightMargin = InchesToPoints(0.25) .HeaderDistance = InchesToPoints(0.25) .FooterDistance = InchesToPoints(0.25) End With If .ActiveWindow.View.SplitSpecial <> wdPaneNone Then .ActiveWindow.Panes(2).Close End If .ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdPrintView .ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.SeekView = wdSeekCurrentPageHeader .Selection.Style = .ActiveDocument.Styles("Heading 1") .Selection.TypeText Text:=Left(ActivePresentation.Name, InStrRev(ActivePresentation.Name, ".") - 1) .Selection.TypeText Text:=" by " & ActivePresentation.BuiltInDocumentProperties.Item("author").Value .ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.SeekView = wdSeekCurrentPageFooter .Selection.ParagraphFormat.TabStops(InchesToPoints(6)).Position = InchesToPoints(7.5) .Selection.TypeText Text:=vbTab & vbTab & "Page " .Selection.Fields.Add Range:=.Selection.Range, Type:=wdFieldPage .Selection.TypeText Text:=" of " .Selection.Fields.Add Range:=.Selection.Range, Type:=wdFieldNumPages .ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.SeekView = wdSeekMainDocument .Selection.MoveLeft Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=2 .ActiveDocument.Tables.Add Range:=.Selection.Range, NumRows:=ActivePresentation.Slides.Count, NumColumns _ :=2, DefaultTableBehavior:=wdWord9TableBehavior, AutoFitBehavior:= _ wdAutoFitFixed With .Selection.Tables(1) .Columns.PreferredWidth = InchesToPoints(7.5) End With With .Selection.Tables(1) .TopPadding = InchesToPoints(0) .BottomPadding = InchesToPoints(0) .LeftPadding = InchesToPoints(0.08) .RightPadding = InchesToPoints(0.08) .Spacing = 0 .AllowPageBreaks = True .AllowAutoFit = False End With .Selection.Tables(1).Columns(1).PreferredWidthType = wdPreferredWidthPoints .Selection.Tables(1).Columns(1).PreferredWidth = InchesToPoints(3) .Selection.Move Unit:=wdColumn, Count:=1 .Selection.SelectColumn .Selection.Columns.PreferredWidthType = wdPreferredWidthPoints .Selection.Columns.PreferredWidth = InchesToPoints(4.5) .Selection.MoveLeft Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=2 For i = 1 To ActivePresentation.Slides.Count .Selection.InlineShapes.AddPicture FileName:="C:\Presentation Slides\Slide" & Format(i) & ".JPG", LinkToFile:=False, SaveWithDocument:=True .Selection.MoveLeft Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=1, Extend:=wdExtend .Selection.InlineShapes(1).LockAspectRatio = msoTrue .Selection.InlineShapes(1).Width = 203.05 .Selection.InlineShapes(1).Height = 152.65 .Selection.MoveRight Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=2 With .Selection.Font .Name = "Times New Roman" .Size = 8 .Bold = False End With .Selection.TypeText Text:=ActivePresentation.Slides(i).NotesPage.Shapes.Placeholders(2).TextFrame.TextRange.Text .Selection.MoveDown Unit:=wdLine, Count:=1 .Selection.MoveLeft Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=1 Next i End With End If Set objWord = Nothing End Sub
Anyone else have additional ideas for adding features to PowerPoint based Oracle Presentation Files? | <urn:uuid:231f2abd-8071-46f5-beee-997fd761acfb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://hoopercharles.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/adding-features-to-powerpoint-based-oracle-presentation-files/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=5092e672ce | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.728638 | 1,966 | 2.6875 | 3 |
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