text:
Cool Tools: Connection Tools
Published: May 2012
The importance of making proper electrical terminations cannot be overemphasized.
"Terminations are the single most important part of an electrical installation," said Joseph V. Sheehan P.E., curriculum specialist for the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC). "Without proper terminations, an electrical installation is a failure, period."
Avoiding such failures requires correct installation of the right connectors with the right tools by trained, experienced electricians.
Sheehan said reliability is the key word and goal for electrical terminations.
"All electrical terminations on a job must be done in strict accordance with the National Electrical Code (NEC) and with the product listing and labeling instructions associated with the product in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions," he said. "A conductor and all the termination parts associated with its connection must be a matched set; the conductor, its connection, the parts of the terminal must be designed, manufactured and applied to prevent all types of termination failure and ensure reliability over its lifetime."
In addition, trained electrical workers installing terminations must have the skills, knowledge and ability to perform the work according to the NEC and do the work in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
"A trained electrical worker understands the difference between conductor materials, using and applying the proper crimp tool for the application, applying the proper insulation, and correctly applying the proper torque to the termination. A trained electrical worker becomes a major part of achieving the goal of correctly making each termination," Sheehan said.
Below, representatives of four tool companies discuss terminations and the tools for making them.
Burndy (_URL_), Bob Poirier, senior product manager, said: "It is critical to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when installing every type of connector for all applications.
"Dangers of improper terminations include damage to equipment, fire, potential injury to personnel or death. Connectors will run hot and eventually fail. A conductor will pull out of improperly made connections, causing the loss of the connection and potential power failure. Poorly made compression/crimp connections can be avoided by following the manufacturer's recommendations for tools and dies and procedures to install them, including those for wire preparation and crimping.
"Required tools for mechanical connections are a cable stripper or knife to remove insulation, a wire brush to remove oxidation, and a torque wrench or a screw driver to tighten the connection.
"Compression/crimp connectors require a crimp tool. When installing compression connectors, tools can range from mechanical or ratchet tools for small-to-medium terminals and splices, to self-contained hydraulic or battery-actuated tools for medium-to-large compression connections. The biggest change in tools has been in battery technology with lithium-ion batteries.
"Small and medium compression lugs and splices can be installed with mechanical or ratchet crimp tools, but some medium-to-large terminations require a hydraulic or battery-actuated 6-, 12-, 15- or 60-ton tool to install and crimp it.
"Crimp tools can be dieless or may require a specific die for each connector or splice. There are applications that allow either tool type to be used. There also are applications that require using a crimp tool and die. When possible, standardize on one manufacturer for connectors and installation tools and follow their installation instructions.
"Hydraulic tools are faster and require less manual force to make a crimp. Battery-actuated tools continue to have faster crimp cycles, more crimps per battery charge, and they are lighter and more ergonomic. The increased speed, lowered installation costs and ease of use decrease the total cost, making these types of tools appealing," Poirier said.
Greenlee (_URL_), Ryan Berg, senior product manager, said: "Manual tools are good for smaller connector sizes 8 to 4/0 AWG, occasional crimping of 250–400 kcmil, and always are good as a backup for other tools.
"Crimpers today are equipped with proprietary features that save time and reduce user fatigue. Tools with a pressure sensor feature notify the tool user with visual and audible alerts if the crimping force is below specifications for a successful crimp. Auto-retract opens the ram/jaws just enough to prep for the next crimping cycle, saving time and battery power. The RSR [retraction, stop, repeat] feature partially retracts the ram, sets tool memory and then repeats the retraction for subsequent crimps.
"Important-to-remember connection safety tips include using the right tool, use of the right crimping die if it is a die-type tool and the right number of crimps. Connector manufacturers have their tools listed with their own lugs and splices. Overcrimping can result in damaged strands and thin or broken connector walls. Copper lugs and splices may be used only with copper cable, while aluminum lugs and splices may be used with both aluminum and copper cable. Antioxidant material must be used with aluminum connectors," Berg said.
Ideal Industries (_URL_), Bruce Hartranft, senior product manager, tools and supplies, said: "To cut wire, typically a handheld wire stripper or pliers that has a quality cutting edge can be used. For armored aluminum or steel cable, such as BX, MC, AC or Greenfield, a dedicated cable cutter is needed. The challenge here is to not nick the conductors, which could lead to a short circuit. Wire cutters, shears or hacksaws are not recommended for armored cable. Instead, use rotary cutters, a long-arm cutter, a ratcheting cutter, or one powered by a handheld drill.
"Heavier gauge wire or cables like MCM require a dedicated cutter to minimize cable distortion. NM, Romex, UF or other unique wires require a specially engineered stripper, so trying to use substitute tools will not create a reliable connection and can damage the wire. Armored cable is a fast growing segment of the cable market, but correct tools are required for its proper installation. NEMA RV 3-2600 guidelines recommend the use of rotary cutters for safely cutting flexible metal conduit and armored cable over methods that require breaking the armor and using cutting pliers.
"Handheld strippers need to match the wire gauge to correctly strip the insulating jacket. Most strippers have the AWG printed next to the stripping holes. Using the right tool according to its instructions, wire stripping should be a fast, easy job. The key is to avoid nicking the wire. A nicked wire can snap off when it's bent to form a loop. If this happens, it's best to snip it off and start again. It is very important to not nick stranded wires when stripping to create a connection. Cutting even a single strand can impact the ampacity of the wire and result in a dangerous high-resistance connection. Therefore, accuracy is very important. Wire strippers made in the United States are a good assurance that the stripper will accurately match American wire gauges.
"Quality crimping tools are needed for crimping on terminals, disconnects or splices. For performing repetitive crimps, a ratcheting crimp tool is recommended to minimize fatigue and ensure uniform crimps.
"Wire connectors are a key electrical system safety device. Wire connectors vary widely in quality, just as do tools. Features to look for include a live-action, square-wire spring that picks up quickly and holds the wire connection tightly without pretwisting and provides the leverage and torque needed on larger wire combinations. Some contractors prefer a wing design for a more secure grip, while others like the standard ribbed shell," Hartranft said.
Panduit (_URL_), Bob Klaviter, business development manager, said: "Generally, hand tools can be employed to make smaller connector terminations for 8 to 1 AWG. Smaller battery-powered tools generating 6 tons of crimp force are available to terminate small to medium-size connectors from 8 AWG to 500 kcmil. Larger hydraulic-powered tools generating up to 15 tons of crimp force terminate connectors up to 1,000 kcmil.
"Improvements in lithium-ion battery technology provide significant increase in the number of crimps per battery charge, faster crimp cycle time, faster battery recharge cycle time and decreased weight of the tool.
"Some common problems resulting in poor terminations include:
- "Not using the proper crimp die for the connector being used: Crimp dies include color coding and die index number identification that should be matched to the corresponding color code and die index number marked on the connector.
- "Not using the proper connector for the wire type or wire size being terminated: Installers should be using connectors that are properly marked with the wire size and wire type the connectors are intended to terminate.
- "Improper stripping of the insulation from the wire: Wire should be stripped to the proper strip length, and nicking and bending back wire strands should be avoided when inserting into the connector as specified in the installation instructions included with product packaging.
- "Improper crimping technique used when terminating a connector to the wire: Installers must be formally trained in using proper installation techniques when terminating connectors and the correct use of installation tools and dies, and following the proper sequence when crimping connectors to wire," Klaviter said.
In short, ensure you get the right connection tool to do the job.
GRIFFIN, a construction and tools writer from Oklahoma City, can be reached at _EMAIL_.


text:
Study of Viscosity and Friction Factor of Nano Drilling Fluids along with Torque and Drag Reduction
MetadataShow full item record
Energy industries have been taking advantages from the recent developments of nanotechnology. Several revolutionary changes can be made in drilling industry with the help of nanotechnology. It has a capability to produce such nanomaterials that can bring benefit to the industry in various manners such as improving the quality of mud cake, decreasing the frictional resistance in the well, minimizing the risk of pipe sticking, establishing borehole stability, preventing reservoir from formation damage, and augmenting the recovery of oil and gas. In the field of drilling fluids, researchers have tested the application of nanoparticles and have concluded with very promising results in terms of reduction in torque and drag, stabilizing the well bore, controlling fluid loss and improving hole cleaning efficiency. Use of the nanoparticles in reducing friction and improving lubrication effect has already been recognized in different industries. Drilling industry has moved towards exploiting reservoir in more economical ways such as drilling an extended reach well. These wells are quite challenging when it comes to solving down hole drilling problems such as high torque and drag. Lubrication efficiency of drilling fluids can play a decisive role in solving torque and drag problem. Although oil based drilling fluid offers reduced friction factor in the wellbore, environmental concerns and high expenditures can limit its usage. An alternate solution is to make the most of better lubrication efficiency of the nanoparticles by adding them in drilling fluid particularly to water base drilling fluids. This addition also has its impact on the rheological properties of drilling fluid which can affect its other function. By keeping this agenda in mind, different nanoparticles were added to drilling fluids at different concentrations and the impact on friction factor and viscosity was studied through tribometer and rheometer respectively. Graphene, carbon nanotubes, silica, alumina, cobalt and nickel nanoparticles were selected as potential particles and their effects were studied in three different base fluids. Temperature influence on tribology and rheology were also made part of the study. The reliability of test results was established by using Modular Compact Rheometer (MCR) for rheological measurements and Pin-on-Disc Tribometer for friction factor measurements. In addition to this, the impact of nanoparticles' addition on density and pH of drilling fluid was also evaluated and the results were used to ponder on the relationship between different properties of drilling fluid. Evaluation of viscosity and friction factor led to selection of the best nano drilling fluids which were further used in case study to develop temperature, viscosity, friction factor and torque and drag profile using software technology. The comparison of results between conventional drilling fluid and nano drilling fluids proves that nano drilling fluid can deliver better performance in terms of better bit cooling, enhanced viscous behavior, low friction factors, and reduced torque and drag.
Master's thesis in Petroleum engineering

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
Scrabble word: PARAPET
In which Scrabble dictionary does PARAPET exist?
Definitions of PARAPET in dictionaries:
- noun - a low wall along the edge of a roof or balcony
- noun - fortification consisting of a low wall
- A low protective wall or railing along the edge of a raised structure such as a roof or balcony.
- An earthen or stone embankment protecting soldiers from enemy fire.
- noun - a protective wall


text: What is Teen Fiction? Teen Fiction includes stories that are aimed at young adults and teens. Teen Fiction is often about teenagers and set in high schools, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes, Teen Fiction describes the challenges faced by young people and the challenges of growing up. Chat with other Teen readers and authors here.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
In this section we will describe some basis of hardware involved in Nano.
 Block Diagram
 Power Supply
Jz4720 support 3 different boot sources. The boot sequence is controlled by boot_sel pin values [1:0]. The configuration of BOOT_SEL1 and BOOT_SEL1 [1:0] is showed as below:
|0||0||Boot from external ROM at CS4|
|0||1||Boot from USB device|
|1||0||Boot from 512 page size NAND flash at CS1|
|1||1||Boot from 2048 page size NAND flash at CS1|
 Arquitectura General
It is necessary, for the operation of the Nanonote Board to store many sections of executable programs in volatile and non-volatile memories. The volatile memories are used like Random Access Memories (RAM) due to its low access time and unlimited number of Read/Write cycles. On the other hand, the Non-volatile memories (NAND, SD) stores for long periods of time the required information to operate the Embedded System.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a way of setting up communication between a computer and peripheral devices. USB is intended to replace many varieties of serial and parallel ports. USB can connect computer peripherals such as mice, keyboards, PDAs, gamepads and joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, personal media players, flash drives, and external hard drives. For many of those devices, USB has become the standard connection method.
A USB system has an asymmetric design, consisting of a host, a multitude of downstream USB ports, and multiple peripheral devices connected in a tiered-star topology. Additional USB hubs may be included in the tiers, allowing branching into a tree structure with up to five tier levels. A USB host may have multiple host controllers and each host controller may provide one or more USB ports. Up to 127 devices, including the hub devices, may be connected to a single host controller.
 Serial and JTAG
The NAND in the Ben NanoNote:
- Has pages that are 4096 bytes in length
- Has blocks that are 128 pages in length
- Has 4096 blocks of storage in total
- 4096 × 128 × 4096 = _PHONE_ bytes ( 2 GB)
root@ben:/# cat /proc/mtd dev: size erasesize name mtd0: 00400000 00080000 "NAND BOOT partition" mtd1: 00400000 00080000 "NAND KERNEL partition" mtd2: 7f800000 00080000 "NAND ROOTFS partition"
- size is the capacity of the partition in bytes. 7f800000 is just shy of 2 GB
- erasesize is the block size. 00080000 is 512 KB ( 128 × 4096 byte pages)
 Samsung K9GAG08X0M NAND flash chip, hardware info
1 Page = (4K + 128)Bytes 1 Block = 128 Pages (512K + 16K) Bytes 1 Devie = (512K + 16K) Bytes x 4,096 Blocks 1 Device = (4K+128)B x 128Pages x 4,096 Blocks = 16,896 Mbits
- NanoNote partitions
|Name||Size||Block offset||Page offset|
- NanoNote partitions AFTER OpenWrt_Software_Image#Image_2010-11-17, we change the rootfs to 512M
|Name||Size||Block offset||Page offset|
PCB 08.50 (ben)
 Micro-SD pins on testpads
Pin TP note ------------------ #1 TP14 data2 #2 TP15 cd/data3 / _CS #3 TP17 cmd / mosi #4 sdVCC switched by Q4 (fet?) controlled via line from cpu (on TP11) #5 TP16 clock #6 GND #7 TP12 data0 / miso #8 TP13 data1
 Serial pins
 System information
 GPIO pins
The Jz4720 has only a limited number of pins as outputs to the board. Furthermore, several functions take up gpio pins which are therefore not usable for other functions. Those devices are the sdram and nand controller, lcd controller and mmc+sd controller. Below is a table showing how they are used. Please complete this table. The missing entries are not connected to a pad in the Jz4720.
 Port A
- 01 sdram data 0
- 03 sdram data 1
- 05 sdram data 2
- 07 sdram data 3
- 08 sdram data 4
- 09 sdram data 5
- 10 sdram data 6
- 11 sdram data 7
- 12 sdram data 8
- 13 sdram data 9
- 15 sdram data 10
- 17 sdram data 11
- 22 sdram data 12
- 26 sdram data 13
- 28 sdram data 14
- 30 sdram data 15
 Port B
- 00 sdram address 0
- 01 sdram address 1
- 02 sdram address 2
- 03 sdram address 3
- 04 sdram address 4
- 05 sdram address 5
- 06 sdram address 6
- 07 sdram address 7
- 08 sdram address 8
- 09 sdram address 9
- 10 sdram address 10
- 11 sdram address 11
- 12 sdram address 12
- 13 sdram address 13
- 14 sdram address 14
- 15 nand command latch
- 16 nand address latch
- 17 SHDN_HOST???
- 18 TP23 (free)
- 19 sdram dcs
- 20 sdram ras
- 21 sdram cas
- 22???
- 23 sdram cke
- 24 sdram cko
- 25 sdram cs1
- 26 sdram cs2
- 27 USB ID
- 28???
- 29 Audio output enable
- 30 TP25 (free)
- 31???
 Port C
- 00 lcd data 0
- 01 lcd data 1
- 02 lcd data 2
- 03 lcd data 3
- 04 lcd data 4
- 05 lcd data 5
- 06 lcd data 6
- 07 lcd data 7
- 08 TP 35 (unused)
- 09 TP 36 (unused)
- 10 keyboard out 0
- 11 keyboard out 1
- 12 keyboard out 2
- 13 keyboard out 3
- 14 keyboard out 4
- 15 keyboard out 5
- 16 keyboard out 6
- 17 keyboard out 7
- 18 lcd pixel clock
- 19 lcd hsync
- 20 lcd vsync
- 21 LCD SPI chipselect
- 22 LCD SPI data
- 23 LCD SPI clock
- 24 sdram write enable 1
- 27 Charge detect
- 28 nand read enable
- 29 nand write enable
- 30 nand flash ready/busy
- 31 select uart or jtag on pad 147; not a gpio pin
 Port D
- 00 SD Card detect
- 02 SD Card power enable
- 04 Speaker AMP enable
- 06 Shutdown detect
- 08 SD Card command
- 09 SD Card clock
- 10 SD Card data 1
- 11 SD Card data 2
- 12 SD Card data 3
- 13 SD Card data 4
- 15 TP 38 (free)
- 18 Keyboard in 1
- 19 Keyboard in 2
- 20 Keyboard in 3
- 21 Keyboard in 4
- 22 Keyboard in 5
- 23 Keyboard in 6 (i2c?)
- 24 Keyboard in 7 (i2c?)
- 25 uart transmit
- 26 Keyboard in 8 (uart receive)
- 27 Buzzer, controlled with pwm4. Piezo-electric buzzer; not related to soundcard output.
- 28 USB detect
- 29 power button
 Test Points Under Battery
This page is to describe all test pins under battery label. You may want to probe or discover them as long as you tear off battery label. Also this whole page you can reference to the schematic of AVT2 RC1 Reference Board.
- TP 9, V33, system voltage 3.3V when power on
- TP 12, SDD0, MSC_D0/GPD10(in/out) of jz4720, MSC data bit 0, Please see MicroSD.
- TP 13, SDD1, MSC_D1/GPD11(in/out) of jz4720, MSC data bit 1, Please see MicroSD.
- TP 14, SDD2, MSC_D2/GPD12(in/out) of jz4720, MSC data bit 2, Please see MicroSD.
- TP 15, SDD3, MSC_D3/GPD13(in/out) of jz4720, MSC


Provided by: hercules_3.07-2_i386 bug
 cckd - Hercules Compressed CKD DASD image file
 Hercules DASD image file that emulates IBM mainframe DASD devices on a
 (usually) non-mainframe platform. Specified in the Hercules
 configuration file (default name hercules.cnf) to describe the DASD
 devices Hercules is to emulate. Also specified as input and/or output
 file to several Hercules utilities. Hercules compressed DASD devices
 are frequently referred to as CCKD. Hercules uncompressed DASD devices
 are frequently referred to as CKD. Hercules CKD DASD image files are
 largely compatible with P/390 AWS DASD files.
 The following provides a technical overview of CCKD internal
 structures. Except as indicated below, data in the following
 structures is stored in the byte order indicated by the CDEVHDR.options
 CCKD_BIGENDIAN bit (the 0x02 bit). This bit is 1 when data is bigendian byte order, 0 when data is little-endian byte order.
 occupies the first 512 bytes of a CKD or CCKD DASD file. The DEVHDR
 contains the device type and the number of heads per cylinder. Its
 contents are the same whether the DASD image is compressed (CCKD) or
 not (CKD). Described by the CKDDASD_DEVHDR struct; 512 bytes in size.
 immediately follows the DEVHDR, and contains fields describing the
 number of L1ENTs in the L1TAB, the number of L2ENTs in each L2TAB, and
 anchors the free space chain. Described by the CCKDDASD_DEVHDR struct;
 512 bytes in size.
 immediately follows the CDEVHDR, and consists of L1ENT entries, each of
 which points to an L2TAB. Each L1ENT is an U32 (4 bytes) offset into
 the CCKD DASD file. The CDEVHDR numl1tab field describes how many
 L1ENTs are in the L1TAB. L1ENTs are described by the CCKD_L1ENT
 typedef; the L1TAB is of variable size. Conceptually each L1ENT
 describes cdevhdr.numl2tab tracks.
 is pointed to by an L1ENT, and is composed of L2ENT entries, the number
 of which is described by the CDEVHDR numl2tab field; currently 256
 L2ENTs in each L2TAB. L2ENTs contain the offset to the TRKHDR, and the
 combined length of the TRKHDR and (optionally) compressed track data.
 The CDEVHDR numl2tab field describes how many L2ENTs are in each L2TAB.
 Currently, there are 256 L2ENTs in each L2TAB. Described by the
 CCKD_L2ENT struct; (256 * 8) bytes in size. Conceptually each L2ENT
 describes one track.
 describes free space in the CCKD DASD image, anchored by the CDEVHDR
 free field. Consists of a 4 byte offset to the next free space (or
 zero for end of free space chain), and a 4 byte length of the free
 space (which length includes the 8 bytes occupied by the FREEBLK
 itself), followed by zero or more bytes of residual data. Described by
 the first 8 bytes of the CCKD_FREEBLK struct; 8 bytes in size.
 Occurs once at the beginning of each track. contains flag (one byte),
 CC (two bytes), and HH (two bytes) of the track. When the flag byte =
 0x00, TRKHDR is the same as the Home Address on real DASD. Flag bits
 are described in hercules.h, and are of the format nlllllcc where n=1
 for new track header format, lllll is used for track recovery purposes,
 and cc describes the track compression algorithm. The compression
 algorithms are: B'00' = uncompressed, B'01' = zlib, B'10' = bzip2,
 B'11' is currently invalid. Data in TRKHDR is stored in big-endian
 byte order. Described by the CKDDASD_TRKHDR struct; 5 bytes in size.
 COUNT field
 8 bytes, containing CC (two bytes), HH (two bytes), R (one byte), KL
 (one byte), and DL (two bytes). CC is the (relative zero) cylinder
 number. HH is the (relative zero) head number. R is the (relative
 zero) record number on the track. KL is the key length; if zero no key
 is present. DL is the length of the data record. Data in the COUNT
 field is stored in big-endian byte order. Described by the
 CKDDASD_RECHDR struct; 8 bytes in size.
 KEY field
 if present, KL bytes of record key; immediately follows the COUNT
 field. Byte order is not a factor for the KEY field; to the extent it
 is examined by Hercules code it is simply a byte stream. Size varies.
 DATA field.
 if present, DL bytes of record data; immediately follows the KEY field
 for keyed record, else immediately follows the COUNT field for unkeyed
 records. Byte order is not a factor for the DATA field; to the extent
 it is examined by Hercules code it is simply a byte stream. Size
 Count, Key, Data - contents of an track. Also refers to the Hercules
 uncompressed DASD image file.
 Compressed Count, Key, Data - compressed contents of a track. Also
 refers to the Hercules compressed DASD image file.
 Direct Access Storage Device - term the IBM mainframe world uses to
 refer to hard drives.
 End Of Track - indicated by 8X'FF' in the COUNT field.
SEE ALSO the Hercules emulator homepage. which describes
 the Hercules CCKD DASD facility. which describes
 the Hercules configuration file.
 2003-02-07 originally written by James M. Morrison
 2003-02-03 cckd(4)


text:
How do I explain to my children why the Moon has phases?
I am a mother of three young children (12, 7 and 6) who have asked me the question, "Why does the moon have different faces (said the 6 yr old) phases (said the 12 year old). I can usually find an answer to appease their cornucopia of questions, however, this one stumped me. The question as I've deciphered it is why or how does the moon show on earth as a half-moon, 1/4 moon, or "smiley face" moon. And of course my oldest wants to know what covers it (if anything). I am not astronomically (?) inclined, so I don't even know if I have worded this question properly.
The question is worded just fine! I hope that I can explain the answer well enough. Nothing is covering the Moon, part of it is just not illuminated as it is facing away from the Sun.
There is a neat little practical demonstration that you could try at home if you wanted, and in any case it helps to explain what's going on if I use the analogy. The demonstration goes as follows: first find a ball and a flashlight (you need to be in a somewhat darkened room). One of you has to be the sun (the one with the flashlight) another is the moon (the one with the ball) and the third person is the Earth (any extra people can be the Earth too!). If the line between the sun and the moon is at a right angle to the line between the moon and the earth (ie. if the 3 of you stand at 3 corners of a square), half of the moon will be illuminated from the point of view of 'the Earth.' If 'the Moon' walks round 'the Earth' then the person who is the Earth will see more or less of the Moon illuminated. This is all that is needed to create the phases of the Moon. You'll notice that when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth an eclipse occurs - for why we don't actually see an eclipse every new Moon see below.
Last Spring I tried a similar demonstration out with a 2nd grade class as part of the GSSOP at Cornell. It turns out 7 year olds take things very literally, and without a dark enough room or bright enough flashlight the demo doesn't work that well. They also had problems because we could see the pattern of the illumination on our "Moon" from the flashlight. So it's not a perfect demonstration, but it works OK.
Get More 'Curious?' with Our New PODCAST:
- Podcast? Subscribe? Tell me about the Ask an Astronomer Podcast
- Subscribe to our Podcast | Listen to our current Episode
- Cool! But I can't now. Send me a quick reminder now for later.
- Why do we not have eclipses every month?
- Why is the moon in a different place every night?
- Why is the shadow on the Moon the shape it is?
- On which days can I see the Moon in the evening / morning and why is this so?
How to ask a question:
If you have a follow-up question concerning the above subject, submit it here. If you have a question about another area of astronomy, find the topic you're interested in from the archive on our site menu, or go here for help.
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text:
Central Banks at War
Can central banks aid war efforts?
Both nondemocratic and democratic leaders have recognized the financial advantages central banks can accord governments during times of war. They can provide an enormous amount of capital in a short period of time and at a favorable cost. Using data on the London sovereign debt market from 1816 to 1914, Poast argues that possessing a central bank lowers the sovereign's borrowing costs, particularly during times of war. By being the sole direct purchaser of government debt, the central bank increases the effective punishment that can be imposed on the government for defaulting on the marginal lender. This increases lenders' confidence that the government will be punished in case of default, making lenders willing to purchase the debt at a lower rate of interest. The sovereign, dependent on the low borrowing costs offered by the central bank, has an incentive to retain the bank. Future work can seek to answer a logical question posed by Poast's findings:
If the presence of a central bank improves a government's ability to borrow during times of war, does this, in turn, translate into better war effort, a higher likelihood of victory, or even a greater likelihood of peace?
International Organization (2015)Download Full Story (PDF)


text:
Shaver E C, Courtney C A, West J M, Maynard J, Hein M, Wagner C, Philibotte J, MacGowan P, McLeod I, Boström-Einarsson L, Bucchianeri K, Johnston L, Koss J.
A Manager's Guide to Coral Reef Restoration Planning and Design supports the needs of reef managers seeking to begin restoration or assess their current restoration program. The Guide is aimed at reef resource managers and conservationists, along with everyone who plans, implements, and monitors restoration activities. Through a six-step, adaptive management planning process, the Guide helps managers gather relevant data, ask critical questions, and have important conversations about restoration in their location. The process set out in the Guide leads to the creation of a Restoration Action Plan. Hallmarks of the process include the iterative nature of the planning cycle and ways to consider climate change, such that we learn and improve restoration efforts that can also meet long-term goals in a warming world. The first four steps of the Guide's planning cycle focus on goal-based planning and design of restoration interventions. The final two steps discuss considerations for full-scale implementation and long-term monitoring.
- A1: Assess degraded ecosystems
- C1: Identify appropriate measures for conducting ecosystem restoration
- D1: Assess the efficacy and effects of implementing the ecosystem restoration plan


Joppa to Caesarea distance, location, road map and direction
Joppa is located in USA at the longitude of 34.76 and latitude of 32.05. Caesarea is located in Israel at the longitude of 34.9 and latitude of 32.52.
Distance between Joppa and Caesarea
The total straight line distance between Joppa and Caesarea is 54 KM (kilometers) and 0 meters. The miles based distance from Joppa to Caesarea is 33.6 miles. This is a straight line distance and so most of the time the actual travel distance between Joppa and Caesarea may be higher or vary due to curvature of the road.
The driving distance or the travel distance between Joppa to Caesarea is 62 KM and 927 meters. The mile based, road distance between these two travel point is 39.1 miles.
Time Difference between Joppa and Caesarea
The sun rise time difference or the actual time difference between Joppa and Caesarea is 0 hours, 0 minutes and 35 seconds. Note: Joppa and Caesarea time calculation is based on UTC time of the particular city. It may vary from country standard time, local time etc.
Joppa To Caesarea travel time
Joppa is located around 54 KM away from Caesarea so if you travel at the consistent speed of 50 KM per hour you can reach Caesarea in 1 hours and 12 minutes. Your Caesarea travel time may vary due to your bus speed, train speed or depending upon the vehicle you use.
Midway point between Joppa To Caesarea
Mid way point or halfway place is a center point between source and destination location. The mid way point between Joppa and Caesarea is situated at the latitude of 32.284175535307 and the longitude of 34.831265711495. If you need refreshment you can stop around this midway place, after checking the safety,feasibility, etc.
Joppa To Caesarea road map
Caesarea is located nearly North side to Joppa. The bearing degree from Joppa To Caesarea is 14 ° degree. The given North direction from Joppa is only approximate. The given google map shows the direction in which the blue color line indicates road connectivity to Caesarea. In the travel map towards Caesarea you may find en route hotels, tourist spots, picnic spots, petrol pumps and various religious places. The given google map is not comfortable to view all the places as per your expectation then to view street maps, local places see our detailed map here.
Joppa To Caesarea driving direction
The following diriving direction guides you to reach Caesarea from Joppa. Our straight line distance may vary from google distance.
Travel Distance from Joppa
The onward journey distance may vary from downward distance due to one way traffic road. This website gives the travel information and distance for all the cities in the globe. For example if you have any queries like what is the distance between Joppa and Caesarea? and How far is Joppa from Caesarea?. Driving distance between Joppa and Caesarea. Joppa to Caesarea distance by road. Distance between Joppa and Caesarea is 10317 KM / 6410.8 miles. distance between Joppa and Caesarea by road. It will answer those queires aslo. Some popular travel routes and their links are given here :-
Travelers and visitors are welcome to write more travel information about Joppa and Caesarea.
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OpenWindows Advanced User's Guide
10.3 Setting Default File Permissions
The umask command sets a default file permission for all the files and directories you create. For example, if you are security conscious and you want to grant members of your group, and all users, only read and execute permissions (-rwxr-xr-x) on your directories and files, you can set the umask in your.cshrc and.profile file so that every new file or directory you create is protected with these permissions.
Like the chmod command, umask uses a numeric code to represent absolute file permissions. However, the method used to calculate the code for umask is distinctly different from the method for chmod.
To begin with, if umask is set to 000, all files you create have the following (read and write, but not execute) permissions:
rw-rw-rw- (mode 666)
and all directories created have the following (read, write, and execute) permissions:
rwxrwxrwx (mode 777)
To determine the value to use for umask, you subtract the value of the permissions you want (using the value you would specify for the chmod command) from the current default permissions assigned to files. The remainder is the value to use for the umask command.
For example, suppose you want to change the default mode for files from 666 (rw-rw-rw-) to 644 (rw-r--r--). Subtract 644 from 666. The remainder, 022, is the numeric value you would use with umask as follows:
umask 022
Similar to the numeric code for the chmod command, the three numbers used with umask are as follows:
Table 10-1 shows the file permissions created for each digit of the umask command's numeric code.
Table 10-1 Permissions for umask
umask code
For more information on the umask command, refer to the man Pages(1): User Commands.


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Discuss this article or ask questions at the LDS.net Forums.
Category:Youth and Children
Following Christ's example, children are considered "an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3) in the Mormon Church. The Nursery and Primary programs are set up to help parents teach their young children gospel principles. Church leaders also takes a great interest in strengthening the youth of the Church and through programs like Young Womens, Scouting, and Seminary. Programs are designed to help build testimonies and character and teach responsibility.
Pages in category "Youth and Children"
The following 20 pages are in this category, out of 20 total.


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Quick Read: Using Worked examples to support novice learners
10 October 2019
Worked examples are a tool commonly used in a range of subjects including Maths & Science to support novice learners. By studying worked examples alongside the completion of traditional practice problems, learners are exposed to the problem solving process as well as frequently applied techniques.
A well constructed worked example:
- Helps reduce extraneous cognitive load on learners
- Aids learners in assimilating new knowledge into their existing understanding
- Is especially useful for novices during the early stages of learning a concept
- Highlights common steps taken when solving problems
As learners become more capable these benefits reduce and worked examples can begin to hinder learners. As with many types of scaffolding and support, worked examples should be faded out as needed.


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Join us in our living classroom to discover Australia's rich natural and cultural heritage. Explore the connections between people, plants and animals through inquiry based exploration and hands-on learning experiences.
Students can engage with one third of Australia's plants species and a wide range of Australian ecosystems on our 40 hectare site. Investigate the adaptations of Australian rainforest plants as you walk up the east coast from Tasmanian to Queensland in our Rainforest Gully. Compare the arid mallee to the alpine region and how they differ to our grasslands.
Programs are curriculum based and available for pre-school through to tertiary students. We cater for students with special needs or disabilities and the Gardens is wheel-chair accessible. Please book online.
Telephone: (02) 6250 9408
Fax: (02) 6250 9477
Post: Education Services
Australian National Botanic Gardens
GPO 1777 CANBERRA ACT 2601


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Criminal Defense Lawyer for Students at Weber University
Having a record of a criminal conviction can have a long-lasting impact in your financial future. But for students attending Weber University, the implications of a criminal record can be far-reaching, especially in their jobs and career prospects. They can lose their job and face the possibility of jail and steep fines. Your son's or daughter's current employment can be at risk if he or she is convicted of a crime. Swift action may be necessary. With the right legal representation, your son or daughter can protect everything he or she has worked hard to achieve over the years.
Students of Weber University who are facing criminal charges should seek aggressive and high-quality student criminal defense legal representation. The accomplished criminal defense team of the Overson Law Firm will be committed to the long-term success of your son or daughter. Attorney Darwin Overson has decades of experience in criminal defense against felony and misdemeanor charges and high stakes crime. Call _PHONE_ to schedule a free consultation today.
Common Crimes Weber University Students Commit
Some offenses are more common amongst college students and young adults, such as sexual assault, drunk driving, marijuana possession, and hazing-related charges. Cyberbullying and cyberstalking charges have recently increased in college campuses in Utah. Other prevalent crimes among students include:
- Drug possession, distribution, and trafficking charges
- LSD (acid)
- Marijuana (recreational cannabis, pot, weed)
- Prescription painkillers (OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Xanax)
- Prescriptions for Attention Deficit Disorders (Ritalin, Adderall)
- Psilocybin mushrooms (magic mushrooms)
- DUI/DWI charges (driving under the influence/driving while intoxicated)
- DUI with drugs
- Open container violations
- Repeat DUI
- Sex crimes
- Indecent exposure (flashing)
- Rape and sexual assault
- "Revenge porn" offenses
- Theft and property crimes
- Criminal mischief (vandalism)/defacement
- Identity theft
- Violent crimes and weapons possession
- Simple assault
- Aggravated assault
- Gun possession
- Other common campus crimes
- Disorderly conduct
- Hate crimes
- Public intoxication
- Resisting arrest
- Underage drinking/fake ID of Utah
Classification of Criminal Charges in Utah
Crimes are classified into three categories: felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. There are varying degrees of crimes within these categories. For example:
- Felonies are major crimes. The penalty includes imprisonment or a fine. The different degrees include:
- A Capital felony that carries life in prison without parole or death
- First Degree with a possible term of life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000
- Second Degree with a potential five years to life in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000
- Third Degree can lead to zero to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000
- Misdemeanors are offenses punished with a combination of jail time and fines.
- Class A carries a possible sentence of a maximum one year in jail and fine of $2,500
- Class B carries a potential penalty of six months in prison and fine of $1,000 and compensatory service
- Class C carries a possible sentence of a maximum 90 year in jail and fine of $2,500 and compensatory service.
In Class B & C misdemeanor and infraction cases, service or unpaid work can be completed in lieu of paying a criminal fine. Each hour of compensatory service is worth $10.00. Compensatory Service can be performed for:
- a state or local government agency;
- a nonprofit organization; or
- any other entity or organization if prior approval is obtained from the court.
Reducing the Punishment of a Student Crime in Utah
Skilled Utah criminal defense representation requires an understanding of Utah's Sentence and Release Guidelines. While an experienced criminal defense lawyer will be able to prepare his client for all possible outcomes, there are ways for the case to be closed or dismissed. In addition, there are ways expunge the criminal charges down the road.
A dedicated criminal defense attorney should be proactive in seeking all viable alternatives to obtain the best possible result. Also, there are alternatives to imprisonment available in Utah, including:
Community corrections programs allow convicts to complete their jail sentence in a correction center instead of jail.
Alternatives to Incarceration
A skilled criminal defense attorney should seek alternatives to imprisonment when medical treatments, community services, probation, and rehabilitation is appropriate. Attorney Darwin Overson is known for his efforts to work with professionals and seek probation and less harsh sentences when possible.
Erasing a Student Criminal Record in Utah
Sealing and expungement of records are ways to remove criminal charges from official records. Sometimes people who have criminal records can be denied student loans or jobs. Erasing criminal records can be extraordinarily helpful for students concerned about present and future opportunities for gainful employment and career advancement.
Expungement is available after the jail, or probation penalties are satisfied. If approved, expunged criminal records are treated as if they don't exist. The overriding view is that past wrongs shouldn't have a lasting impact. The record will be accessible only to certain public agencies. Effective legal representation can make a difference because expungements are discretionary– the judge can decide whether expungement is suitable, even when the crime is eligible for expungement. Also, there is a "waiting period" to qualify for expungement. The waiting period is a time to show rehabilitation. In Utah, you don't have to pay for all fines and penalties in order to qualify for the waiting period. An experienced criminal defense attorney can help you navigate successfully through the process of expunging a criminal record.
Criminal Defense Lawyer for Weber University Student Crimes Offering Free Consultations
The team of lawyers working at the Overson Law Firm is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of Weber University's students facing criminal charges. Drew Overson and his dedicated team will fight for reduced penalties, alternatives to incarceration, reduced crime grade, or even a complete dismissal of the charges. Call _PHONE_ to schedule a free and confidential consultation.


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within the NEPTUNE Canada project. These include systems to convert the 10,000V DC backbone voltage to 400V DC for science projects, new telecom branching units and repeaters capable of switching and delivering 100,000W of power to depths of over 2600m, high power ROV wet mate connectors, and junction boxes to connect science instruments to the fiber optic cable at data rates of up to 1 gigabit per second. Each of the five initial observatory science locations will have a huge trawl-resistant node weighing over 13 tons to house and protect the infrastructure.
Novel science projects will be able to utilize a wide range of tools connected to the observatory including bottom crawlers, high definition video cameras, and water column profilers which have been impossible to sustain underwater for long periods, due to power and data communication requirements.
These new technologies in combination are truly transforming the way we look at the oceans.


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Definition: The word Scan has several meanings as it relates to information security. One meaning relates to a command that causes anti-virus software installed on a computer or network to examine the files on a computer. Another definition of the word relates to a technique that crackers use to determine if any "ports" are open to an intrusion. Another variant of the word is used to describe what a tool like Netmap does to examine an entire network infrastructure. Simply, the ports on a computer are checked by another computer to learn if a connection can be made. The practice is known as port scanning.
Its Relevance: Part of an organization's vulnerability assessment must be to examine all possible intrusion points. This functionality is included in most anti-virus software. Both automated and manual sweeps of the system can be structured. An organization's official policies must include and consistently apply assessments of its system's vulnerabilities.


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The correct use of masks for children
Uso correcto de mascarillas en niños
How to wear the mask? How should children wear them? What types of masks are on the market for children? After finding out if children should wear masks in the car, here we explain when and how to wear them.
In Spain, Order SND/422/2020, of May 19th regulating the conditions for the obligatory use of masks during the health crisis situation caused by the COVID-19, indicates that people over 6 years of age are obliged to use masks in the street, in outdoor spaces and in any indoor space used by the public or open to the public, whenever it is not possible to maintain the safety distance of at least two meters between people. It refers to any type of mask, preferably hygienic and surgical, that covers the nose and mouth.
Who are not obliged? Children under 3 years old. People for whom the use of a mask is inadvisable for duly justified health reasons, or the disabled or dependent people with behavior alterations that make their use unviable, are not obliged to wear a mask. Nor should they be worn while carrying out activities in which the use of a mask is incompatible, nor be worn in the event of force majeure or when necessary.
Healthy children should wear a mask from the age of three onwards, and the masks should be hygienic and appropriate for each age range. In fact, there are three sizes, between 3 and 12 years old, and they are different from those used by adults. If, on the other hand, the child has symptoms or is asymptomatic, they should preferably use surgical or hygienic masks with the UNE specification.
The mask must be put on a young child by an adult. Follow these steps for total safety:
 1. Wash your hands for 40-60 seconds before handling the mask.
 2. Only touch the straps of the mask.
 3. Place it over the child's nose and mouth. Make sure there are no large gaps between the face and the mask.
 4. Place the elastic bands behind the child's ears.
 5. Press the nose piece so it fits the nose properly.
 6. Avoid touching the outside of the mask and tell the child not to do so. If the child touches the mask, he/she must wash his/her hands before and after.
 7. Before taking off the mask, wash your hands thoroughly.
 8. Take off the mask by only touching the elastic bands.
 9. Finally, to dispose of it, it should be put in a plastic bag and put it in a closed trash bin. Now you have to wash your hands again.
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This lesson will explain what speed is, including the difference between average speed and instantaneous speed, showing how to calculate both. It will also show the common units used to represent speed.
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The Individual with DisabilitiesImprovement Act of 2004 reaffirms the important and necessary role that parents have in supporting their child with special needs in the arduous task of transition from school to adult settings. Assessment of parent perception of their childs present level of performance across transition categories is important for establishing strengths, needs, and areas to address during goal setting, IEP development and transition planning. As student populations have become increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse, parents more frequently speak languages other than English. A transition planning assessment, the Transition Planning Inventory TPI) has been produced in a Spanish Home Form. The primary purposes of the study were: a) to compare Spanish and English translations of the TPI Home Form Clark & Patton, 1997)； b) to determine an index of temporal stability for the Spanish TPI Home Form and subsequently compare stability coefficients between Spanish and English versions； and c) to determine an index of internal consistency and stability for the Spanish TPI Home Form and then compare reliability coefficients between the Spanish and English versions. Results indicated that: a) the observation and analysis of translations by Spanish/English bilingual persons of the TPI Spanish Home Form yielded a 95% degree of agreement between the Spanish version and its translation to English, and b) the Spanish Home Form of the inventory showed a high degree of temporal stability and internal consistency. These results indicate that Clark and Patton 2000) have successfully produced a translation of the original English Home Form into Spanish. They have developed a transition assessment instrument that this investigation indicates has demonstrated item integrity between the English and Spanish Home Forms. Further, inter-item reliability and stability are recognized within the Spanish version and compare favorably to the English version. Therefore, both versions can be useful tools for assessing parent views of student readiness for moving to adult settings.
Monthly Archives: April 2012
An investigation of the content validity, stability, and internal consistency of the Spanish version of the Transition Planning Inventory Home Form (Education Papers posted on April 30th, 2012 )
An examination of social presence in an online learning environment (Education Papers posted on April 30th, 2012 )
The distanceliterature is lacking studies investigating the construct of presence, the value placed on it by online learners, and whether its existence in text-based environments is necessary for learning, satisfaction, and contributing to course retention. The purpose of this study was to explore learner perceptions and experiences of the learning process within the Web-based online learning medium in terms of presence. More specifically, it examines the relationship among learners perceptions of social presence in asynchronous online courses and how it relates to satisfaction with learning, whether course activities perceived as having high levels of social presence also have high levels of satisfaction and quality of learning, and whether perceptions of social presence and satisfaction with learning affects their likelihood of enrolling in future online courses. The research design of this study utilized an online survey administered to 280 students enrolled in online courses of nine disciplines； both undergraduateand graduate-level at a large urban university. Open-ended questions from the online survey were examined as well to help inform and support the findings from the quantitative data. Data were analyzed using correlations, ANOVAs, and hierarchical regression analysis. The findings demonstrated that students perceived social presence was statistically, significantly, and positively related to their overall perceived satisfaction with learning in online courses. Furthermore, students perceived social presence was statistically, significantly, and positively related to their perception of quality of and satisfaction with learning for each of the five course activities examined in this study. The hierarchical regression analysis suggested that perceived social presence contributed substantially more incremental variance to the decision to enroll again in an online course than the satisfaction with learning variable. Overall, the theoretical model including social presence and satisfaction with learning explained 18 percent of the variance in the dependent variable. The potential implications for theory and practice for online course designers and instructors are provided.
Attitudes and perceptions toward inclusion among secondary special and general education teachers working in north Alabama schools (Education Papers posted on April 30th, 2012 )
This study was conducted to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of secondary general and specialteachers toward inclusion of students with disabilities which has been an evolutionary process that can be attributed to landmark legislation, litigation, and policy in the last half of the 20 th century. The SPSS software was used to identify the results from the Opinions Related to Integration (ORI) questionnaire, 129 teachers participated, 66 (51%) were secondary special teachers and 63 (49%) were general education teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey responses for the normality of distributions. In addition, an unpaired t-test was used to determine if there were any significant mean differences between secondary special and general educators teaching in an inclusive setting. A statistically significant difference was found in: Benefits of Integration； Perceived Ability to Teach Students with Disabilities； and versus Integrated General. Inclusion Classroom found no statistical difference.
Diglossia in Cape-Verde: Discourses, class, race and the promise of education (Education Papers posted on April 30th, 2012 )
As a fundamental component of identity, language plays a key role in the way humans understand themselves and their environments. Language contact through the process of colonization complexifies the role of language as it relates to the relationship between the individual and society. Having endured 500 years of Portuguese colonization, the Republic of Cape-Verde is today experiencing a state of diglossia instituted through language policies that have historically privileged the colonizer language. In an effort to move beyond structural theories of domination, this seven-month ethnographic study utilized discourse analysis as a methodological tool in examining the intersection between language, class and racial identity as it manifested itself both in and out of the educational sphere. The study makes use of focus group interviews, life history interviews, archival research and classroom observations.
Does eliminating certified school library media specialists make a difference in student reading scores in Minnesota public schools (Education Papers posted on April 30th, 2012 )
The purpose of this study was to explore the question； does eliminating certified school library media specialists make a difference in student reading scores in Minnesota public schools? This study analyzed quantitative data collected from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments MCA), which recorded public school reading achievement levels. A follow-up portion of the study consisted of interviews with six administrators at schools that were one or more standard deviations above and below the failing mean to explain how they compensated for the loss of the certified library media specialist CLMS). For the purposes of this study, student reading failure rate was defined as the sum of the percentages of students with gaps in knowledge and partial knowledge and skills on the MCA reading exams. The interpretation of the quantitative data suggested that student reading scores did not decline with the removal of the CLMS. Interviews with school administrators identified factors that may contribute to the improvement in student reading achievement. These factors included continuous access to the media center and materials, staffing levels to provide service for students and staff, improved reading programs, and commitment by faculty and staff to ensure students a quality. This study only looked at one small segment of an elementary students, reading test scores. A CLMS has a greater impact on an elementary school than just the reading area, as revealed the Library Impact Studies. These studies indicated that the CLMS performs a multitude of duties, including: collaborating with teachers； providing leadership and expertise in the acquisition and evaluation of information resources； teaching information literacy skills； and establishing policies and procedures of the library media programs. Additional research needs to be conducted to explore the possible impact the elimination of a CLMS on these other areas of students education.
Reason, intuition, and engagement: A trilateral model of adaptive career decision-making (Education Papers posted on April 30th, 2012 )
Vocational theorists have historically emphasized rational processing and unbiased hypothesis testing in career decision-making, advancing a vision of the adaptive decision-maker as scientific, methodical, and unfettered by distortions and emotional distractions. However, in the contemporary world of work, the absence of stable occupations and predictable career paths defies career decision-making models that rely on reason to match individual traits to the requirements of work. Moreover, research issuing fromand cognitive psychology and the realm of neuroscience reveals that decision-making is not the exclusively rational practice we imagined. To be sure, it is likely more accurate to describe it in dialectical terms, with rational and intuitive processes mutually informing decision-making and, ultimately, career adaptability. A trilateral model of adaptive career decision-making is delineated, reflecting the position that decision-making is not an exclusively rational practice and that reason, intuition, and Engagement behaviors contribute mutually to adaptive career decision-making. The Engagement aspect of the model encompasses behaviors that contribute to the career decision-makers fund of information and experience. Engagement is construed as a method by which the rational and intuitive dialectic might be converted into a dynamic that serves adaptive career decision-making. Theoretically, through Engagement, vocational and self-schemas evolve and vocational judgments and decisions are more informed. Results of this study constitute introductory support for the trilateral model. The operationalization of Engagement in the form of the Occupational Engagement Scale for College Students OES-C) ranks among the studys contributions. A face-valid, 24-item, four-factor instrument, the OES-C correlates positively with rational and intuitive thinking styles, Vocational Identity, Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Agreeableness, and negatively with Neuroticism. As such, it demonstrates convergent validity and discriminant validity and also suggests the validity of the trilateral model as it relates to adaptive career decision-making. The significant contribution of intuition to OES-C scores is particularly noteworthy, lending empirical support to the positions of theorists who have made the case for attending to the intuitive and affective aspects of career decision-making. While the present study in no way settles the matter conclusively


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Receiving a Bomb Threat Over the Phone
Keep the caller on the line and attempt to get as much information as possible. Ask for the message to be repeated to confirm it. If possible, record the message.
When will the device go off?
Where the device is located (including floor)?
What the device looks like?
What exactly did the caller say?
Estimated sex and age of caller?
Observe the caller's voice. Were there any distinctive characteristics of callers speech, accent, or language? Note if the caller's voice was:
- deep breathing
- clearing throat
- speech impediment
- familiar (if so, who did it sound like)?
Listen for background noises. Background noises may give a clue as to the location of the caller.
- street noises
- animal noises
- car sounds
- PA system
- factory machinery
- other machinery
- other voices
- house noises
- no noise at all
- any other noises
Inform the caller that the building is occupied and the detonation of a bomb could result in death or serious injury to many innocent people.
Immediately after the caller hangs up, call 911 and relay the information you received and have observed.
If the device is on campus, call Public Safety at _PHONE_.
If evacuation is required, gather all your belongings and leave the building in an orderly fashion and report to your designated emergency assembly point.
Follow instructions of emergency services personnel.
College Catalog | Student Handbook | Next Page >


Ref returns and ref locals
"Ref returns" are the subject of another great question from StackOverflow that I thought I might share with a larger audience.
Ever since C# 1.0 you've been able to create an "alias" to a variable by passing a "ref to a variable" to certain methods:
static void M(ref int x)
 x = 123;
 int y = 456;
 M(ref y);
Despite their different names, x and y are now aliases for each other; they both refer to the same storage location. When x is changed, y changes too because they are the same thing. Basically, "ref" parameters allow you to pass around variables as variables rather than as values. This is a sometimes-confusing feature (because it is easy to confuse "reference types" with "ref" aliases to variables,) but it is generally a pretty well-understood and frequently-used feature.
However, it is a little-known fact that the CLR type system supports additional usages of ref, though C# does not. The CLR type system also allows methods to return refs to variables, and allows local variables to be aliases for other variables. The CLR type system however does not allow for fields that are aliases to other variables. Similarly arrays may not contain managed references to other variables. Both fields and arrays containing refs are illegal because making it legal would overly complicates the garbage collection story.[1. I also note that the "managed reference to variable" types are not convertible to object, and therefore may not be used as type arguments to generic types or methods. For details, see the CLI specification Partition I Section, "Managed pointers and related types" for information about this feature. See also my numerous articles on memory management for more discussion of why C# and the CLR do not allow long-term storage of refs.]
As you might expect, it is entirely possible to create a version of C# which supports both these features. You could then do things like
static ref int Max(ref int x, ref int y)
 if (x > y)
 return ref x;
 return ref y;
Why do this? It is quite different than a conventional "Max" which returns the larger of two values. This returns the larger variable itself, which can then be modified:
int a = 123;
int b = 456;
ref int c = ref Max(ref a, ref b);
c += 100;
Console.WriteLine(b); // 556!
Kinda neat! This would also mean that ref-returning methods could be the left-hand side of an assignment — we don't need the local "c":
int a = 123;
int b = 456;
Max(ref a, ref b) += 100;
Console.WriteLine(b); // 556!
Syntactically, ref is a strong marker that something weird is going on. Every time the keyword ref appears before a variable usage, it means "I am now making some other thing an alias for this variable". Every time it appears before a declaration, it means "this thing must be initialized with a variable marked with ref".
I know empirically that it is possible to build a version of C# that supports these features because I have done so in order to test-drive the possible feature. Advanced programmers (particularly people porting unmanaged C++ code) often ask us for more C++-like ability to do things with references without having to get out the big hammer of actually using pointers and pinning memory all over the place. By using managed references you get these benefits without paying the cost of screwing up your garbage collection performance.
We have considered this feature, and actually implemented enough of it to show to other internal teams to get their feedback. However at this time based on our research we believe that the feature does not have broad enough appeal or compelling usage cases to make it into a real supported mainstream language feature. We have other higher priorities and a limited amount of time and effort available, so we're not going to do this feature any time soon.
Also, doing it properly would require some changes to the CLR. Right now the CLR treats ref-returning methods as legal but unverifiable because we do not have a detector that detects and outlaws this situation:
static ref int M1(ref int x)
 return ref x;
static ref int M2()
 int y = 123;
 return ref M1(ref y); // Trouble!
static int M3()
 ref int z = ref M2();
 return z;
M3 returns the contents of M2's local variable, but the lifetime of that variable has ended! It is possible to write a detector that determines uses of ref-returns that clearly do not violate stack safety. We could write such a detector, and if the detector could not prove that lifetime safety rules were met then we would not allow the usage of ref returns in that part of the program. It is not a huge amount of dev work to do so, but it is a lot of burden on the testing teams to make sure that we've really got all the cases. It's just another thing that increases the cost of the feature to the point where right now the benefits do not outweigh the costs.
If we implemented this feature some day, would you use it? For what? Do you have a really good usage case that could not easily be done some other way? If so, please leave a comment. The more information we have from real customers about why they want features like this, the more likely it will make it into the product someday. It's a cute little feature and I'd like to be able to get it to customers somehow if there is sufficient interest. However, we also know that "ref parameters" is one of the most misunderstood and confusing features, particularly for novice programmers, so we don't necessarily want to add more confusing features to the language unless they really pay their own way.
12 thoughts on "Ref returns and ref locals
 1. A very late reply to this post, but I've been running into this again.
 I think ref returns are important because they make the story for mutable value types consistent between built-in and user-defined types.
 For a simple example, see
 2. Pingback: How to: Why doesn't C# support the return of references? | SevenNet
 3. I know I'm really late to the party but I would use it to decrease risk of typos in code.
 For example I'm currently writing a method that depending some condition needs to send a reference to a field as a parameter into a few different methods (the same field is passed as a reference in four different places inside this scope). Thus allowing "aliasing" of the field inside this scope would be very nice – in particular because this is a situation prone to copy-paste errors since there are more than one such field, and to each of them a corresponding method. As it stands, copying the method requires changing all references, and missing one would be a bug. Allowing a local "alias" would mean that for each copy of the method one would only need to change one thing: what the alias points to. Much less error prone.
 4. Also late to the party but this becomes *really* useful when you need to write code to solve GC pressure problems similar to what Sam documented years ago with Stack Overflow. I am dealing with that right now and if I could return references to *structures* in the middle of an array, that would make implementing high performance code so much easier.
 I doubt many people would normally run into the need for this, but when you do, it is super painful to code around it using whacky delegates or other ways to avoid copying by value when you want to pass around structures embedded in an array.
 5. I found myself writing my own Dictionary class because for convenience, such as getting back the old value when setting a new one and support for my own Option type. Currently I'd have to get the index at which the entry is located to modify the structure directly through the array (var i = FindEntry(key); entries[i].Value = value;). With ref returns I could write better code (FindEntry(key).Value = value;).
 As I'm working in this area myself right now, I think this would be incredibly useful for game development in general. There, it often makes sense to pack game object data into arrays of structs for performance reasons.
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Rachmaninoff the most innovative composer ever...says computer
Sergei Rachmaninoff came top of the computer model's rankings
Sergei Rachmaninoff came top of the computer model's rankings Credit: Alamy
Rachmaninoff was officially the most innovative of all the great composers, a computer has declared.
Scientists in South Korea have built an algorithm which they claim is capable of judging objectively the extent to which 19 of the best known composers brought the art form forward.
They developed a computer model which divided each of the musicians' compositions into "codewords", which were then used to compare hundreds of pieces of music both against the composers' previous works and the wider cannon.
It found Sergei Rachmaninoff, a giant of the late Romantic period, scored the highest, followed by J.S. Bach, Brahms and Mendelssohn.
Beethoven - on most critics' shortlist of the best composer of all time - only featured in the lower half of the innovation rankings, but the scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology still acknowledged the Germa to be one of the most "influential".
"Our model allows us to calculate the degree of shared melodies and harmonies between past and future works and to observe the evolution of western musical styles by demonstrating how prominent composers may have influenced each other," said Juyong Park, who worked on the study.
The exercise has been criticised by a leading Cambridge University musicologist as "trite" and incapable of quantifying and comparing musical quality.
Dr David Trippett an expert on 19th Century music, said: "Originality and creativity are inherently resistant to quantification.
"I wouldn't want to discourage scientists.
"The potential is that one day we might put all musical parameters into a magic pot and use the power of artificial intelligence to cook them up, but we're no way near that yet.
"These are baby steps."
A brilliant performer on the piano, Sergei Rachmaninov is best known for his piano compositions.
He was born in Russian in 1873, emigrating to the United States following the Russian revolution.


text:
Gerbrand Komen 7 December 2011:
(with two clickable links added on 12. December 2011)
On 31 August 2011 Fred Singer gave a lecture at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI). This lecture was followed by a discussion on two propositions, which had been proposed to Dr Singer beforehand (on 25 July 2011; see schedule):
- A Climate scientists must communicate uncertainties and their consequences.
- B None of current climate models overcome chaotic uncertainty
Proposition B was one of the conclusions of Dr. Singer in his lecture. In essence, Sybren Drijfhout argued that this proposition was incorrect, because:
- It was based on a case study which did not allow generalization.
- KNMI had made runs with a 'current climate model' which actually did overcome 'chaotic uncertainty' (i.e. noise due to variability).
In his reaction on 31 August Dr. Singer ignored proposition A, and he did not comment on proposition B, saying that he first wanted to study the arguments of Dr. Drijfhout.
On 17 October 2011 I initiated an e-mail exchange, hoping to arrive at a joint statement. Initially there was some encouraging convergence. However, the final mails in this exchange, in December 2011, made further convergence unlikely.
I believe it is important that I present my conclusions:
- Both Singer and van den Hurk endorse proposition A.
- Drijfhout refuted Singer's conclusion (proposition B). Singer's reaction is inadequate.
(Adapted with permission from


17:52
More generally, in any atomless Boolean algebra, there are no principal ultrafilters. – Joel David Hamkins Jan 27 '11 at 23:04
Here is a type of example coming from Analytic Geometry (in the sense of the second "GA" in Serre's "GAGA").
Consider a domain $D$ in $\mathbb C$. Then every $\mathbb C$-algebra morphism (aka character) $\chi : \mathcal O (D) \to \mathbb C $ is of the form $ev_d:f \to f(d)$ with $d=\chi (z) \in D$. This is completely elementary: just write $f(z)= f(d)+(z-d)g(z)$ and let $\chi$ act on both sides of the equality.[You have to convince yourself that $d$ is in $D$, not just in $\mathbb C$: else $1=(z-d).(z-d)^{-1}$ would lead to 1=0 by applying $\chi$].
[From this Lipman Bers proved in 1948 that, given two domains $D,D'\subset \mathbb C$, a purely algebraic isomorphism $u:\mathcal O (D) \to\mathcal O (D')$ necessarily comes from an analytic isomorphism $f=u(z): D' \to D$.]
A vast generalization is that for any Stein manifold (or even Stein space) X, all characters $\mathcal O (X) \to \mathbb C $ are evaluations at a point of $X$, and yield maximal ideals $ker \chi$ of $X$. This is proved in Grauert-Remmert's book "Theory of Stein spaces" and looking rather superficially at the proof I THINK the axiom of choice is not used. This is certainly not a satisfactory answer to Qiaochu's question (in particular I know nothing of other maximal ideals in $\mathcal O (X)$: do such exist?) but maybe these not so well-known results might interest some reader.
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You have to be careful about the basic structure of the complex numbers without countable choice. A Cauchy sequence may or may not be constructively Cauchy, and I read that the fundamental theorem of algebra only holds for polynomials whose coefficients are constructively Cauchy numbers. Possibly different definitions of Stein become inequivalent; and how do you know that O(X) even has a character? – Greg Kuperberg Nov 28 '09 at 17:03
Evaluation at a point of X is a character, independantly of X being Stein or not, so I know that O(X) does have a character. I have no idea of what would happen to Stein theory if the fundamental theorem of algebra didn't hold, nor to be frank to the rest of mathematics. – Georges Elencwajg Nov 28 '09 at 17:45
You should take a look at Coquand and Lombardi's "A Logical Approach to Abstract Algebra".
They observe that commutative rings have a purely equational description, and so there are very strong metatheorems that apply to this theory: Birkhoff's completeness theorem for equational logic, of course; and also Barr's theorem, which states that if a geometric sentences is a consequences of a geometric theories with classical logic plus choice, it's also intuitionistically valid. (And all equational theories are also geometric theories.)
They strengthen Barr's theorem a bit, by characterizing the relevant intuitionistic proofs, and then "de-Noetherian-ize" several basic theorems which are typically proved using maximal ideals.
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Your Answer


Documentation and information about the CreeperHost API
Getting a key and secret
Before any calls can be made to the API, you must first have a key/secret pair that is used to authenticate your application. This key is associated with a set of permissions on a per server basis and the key/secret is only valid for that server.
The key/secret pair is associated only with one server and that is the server it is created on
To get an key/secret, go to Virtual/Dedicated Server -> Sub accounts/API Keys and click Create new. This creates a key/secret with no permissions so it is recommended that you grant it permissions under Permissions. The secret for your key can be retrieved via the Display secret button.
Do not share the secret part of your key as this is could allow someone to access the server as your application!
The secret cannot be reset at this time so if it is compromised, you will need to delete and generate a new key.
Each key/secret pair has a set of permissions associated with it. This limits the endpoints you can call depending upon the permission. Permissions are broken down generally per game then a set of specific operations within that game such as console access.
Authenicating requests
When making calls to endpoints, you will need to pass in key/secret pair within the form data. Pass the key inside the key field and secret inside the secret field.
 If the API credentials are invalid, you will receive a response with status set to error and message as Invalid API credentials. . You can see more detailed information in the details field.
Example error response:
"status": "error",
"message": "Invalid API credentials.",
"details": "Key or secret are too short."


Indiana University
On 'Sound Medicine': Lyme disease, why we sleep, and tips for best care in the ER
 - April 23, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS -- The "Sound Medicine" program for April 27 includes segments about Lyme disease in both humans and dogs, how to ease the symptoms of breast cancer, and ways to get the best care in the emergency room.
How can people avoid tick-borne illnesses? In 2013, the CDC reported that 300,000 people were diagnosed with Lyme disease, with only 30,000 cases being reported to the CDC. Paul Mead, M.D., the chief of epidemiology and surveillance for the CDC's Lyme disease program, discusses the discrepancy in the number of cases and the number reported to the CDC, the lingering symptoms of Lyme disease, and the best ways to avoid tick-borne illnesses.
Do you know dogs can get Lyme disease? As part of the healthy pets series, Liz Murphy, DVM, talks about Lyme disease in dogs. Lyme disease is spread to both humans and dogs by the black-legged tick, or deer tick. Dr. Murphy joins "Sound Medicine" to discuss how dogs contract Lyme disease, what symptoms pet owners should look for, and a vaccine that can prevent Lyme disease in dogs.
Why do we need sleep? Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have developed a hypothesis that explains why humans need sleep. The synaptic homeostasis hypothesis, SHY, predicts that the brain needs time to rest in order to process information absorbed during the day. Chiara Cirelli, M.D., Ph.D., who helped develop the SHY hypothesis, joins "Sound Medicine" to discuss why we sleep, why the brain needs rest, and what the brain does while we're sleeping.
Can yoga ease the discomfort of breast cancer? A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that the focus on meditation and deep breathing in yoga could help reduce fatigue and inflammation for breast cancer patients. Kathy Miller, M.D., discusses when it's safe for breast cancer patients to begin exercising and why yoga is the best choice for patients seeking relief. Dr. Miller is the co-leader of the breast cancer program at the IU Simon Cancer Center and an associate professor at the IU School of Medicine.
How can patients improve their visit to the emergency room? Leana Wen, M.D., M.Sc., recently published an article on Slate titled, "The 10 Types of ER Patients." In the article, Dr. Wen describes the 10 patient behaviors she commonly sees in the emergency room. Dr. Wen joins "Sound Medicine" to explain how a trip to the emergency room can be improved. Dr. Wen is an emergency physician at George Washington University and author of "When Doctors Don't Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests."
Please check local listings for broadcast dates and times.
Sound Medicine logo
Sound Medicine logo
Print-Quality Photo
Media Contacts
Eric Schoch
Sydney Willman


text:
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A drug mentioned in the Odyssey as a remedy for grief.
- n. Something that induces forgetfulness of sorrow or eases pain.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. Same as nepenthes. 1.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A drug used by the ancients to give relief from pain and sorrow; -- by some supposed to have been opium or hasheesh. Hence, anything soothing and comforting.
- Back-formation from nepenthes. (Wiktionary)
- Alteration of Latin nēpenthes, from Greek nēpenthes (pharmakon), grief-banishing (drug), nepenthe, neuter of nēpenthēs : nē-, not; see ne in Indo-European roots + penthos, grief; see kwent(h)- in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
"Egyptians they found something they called nepenthe, and the Theban women knew how to compound it."
"The delirium it produces is known to be so very pleasing that Pope has supposed this to have been designed by Homer when he describes the delicious draught prepared by Helen, called nepenthe, which exhilarated the spirits and banished from the mind the recollection of woe."
"Written references to what Homer called nepenthe, the "potent destroyer of grief," date to the ninth century BC."
"Quaff, oh quaff this kind of nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore."
"Unguents and astringents were in use in the physician's art, and there is reference to "nepenthe," a narcotic drug, and also to the use of sulphur as a disinfectant."
"Then to restore a more cheerful atmosphere, Helen casts "nepenthe" into the wine, thanks to which beneficent drug all soon forget their woes."
"Soothed by "nepenthe," all retire to rest, and when morning dawns"
"The band's growing reputation as an amazing live experience in conjunction with the breakout success of their debut album "nepenthe" has garnered a dedicated following and mainstream buzz that continues to grow."
"The main character, Solace, is a vampire, but I wouldn't really classify it as a vampire novel, seeing as how she's not preoccupied with biting people so much as figuring out who the faceless man following her is, making friends with a group of Rare, drinking nepenthe and, just occasionally, surviving."
"Then came nepenthe and scholium, aleatoric and consuetude."
These user-created lists contain the word 'nepenthe'.
Music brings silence's to raging thoughts and temperament, calm, as it is our object of definite purpose.
A selected sampling of words for intermediate and advanced spellers.
These come from gamma meditation,I think.
"Luciferous Logolepsy is a collection of over 9,000 obscure English words. Though the definition of an 'English' word might seem to be straightforward, it is not. There exist so many adopted, deriv...
Bring forth the cathartic illumination on malignant,maniacal,medical,menage a trios and more egotists stymie
Words with definitions that have a "hence" in them.
Those words that will inevitable end up in a Slam Poem
feel free to challenge me!:)
I checked, because I wasn't sure, but these words were coined and entered into a dictionary before I thought them up.
I enjoy collecting words, for I have no fear of them ever running out.
Looking for tweets for nepenthe.


text:
Understanding of the psychosocial aspects of bipolar disorder has advanced significantly in the past ten years through attention to issues that affect the disorder and treatment compliance (1) and stressors that may precipitate episodes (2). Several factors have been identified as psychosocial predictors of major affective recurrences, including inadequate social support, maladjustment in leisure and social activities, and inferior quality of relationships with extended family (3).
However, studies on perceived coping and major mental illness have focused primarily on patients' families (4,5) and on schizophrenia (6) rather than on patients with bipolar disorder. More information is needed on how patients of various ethnic and racial groups may differ in their perceptions of the coping resources available to them. Better understanding of these perceptions would be useful in developing culturally sensitive interventions that strengthen areas of psychosocial impairment and possibly decrease the likelihood of recurrence of affective instability.
The purpose of the study reported here was to compare the perceived coping resources of hospitalized African-American and white patients with bipolar disorder. To our knowledge, it is the first comparative study of its kind.
Participants took part in a larger study that compared two types of group therapy for inpatients with bipolar disorder. The data described in this report were collected at the first time point of that study, from February 1996 to March 1997. The participants, all between the ages of 18 and 65, were being treated for bipolar disorder in a university-managed, stateand county-funded psychiatric hospital. They were receiving medication, were aware of their diagnosis, and showed no mental retardation or organic impairment.
Selection of participants was based on their meeting the study criteria and expressing a willingness to participate.
The Coping Resources Inventory (CRI) is a 60-item self-report questionnaire that asks respondents to indicate how frequently they have engaged in the described behavior during the past six months (7). Scale scores are the sum of item responses for each of five scales; six items are reverse scored.
The cognitive scale measures the degree to which a person maintains a positive sense of self-worth, a positive outlook toward other people, and general optimism about life. The social scale measures the extent to which a person is involved in social networks that are capable of giving support during stressful times. The emotional scale measures the extent to which a person is able to express and accept a range of affect. The spiritual-philosophical scale measures the extent to which an individual's behaviors are guided by consistent values from personal philosophy or familial, religious, or cultural tradition. The physical scale measures the extent to which an individual engages in health-promoting behaviors thought to contribute to enhanced physical well-being.
The total resource score is obtained by summing the five scale scores. The higher the scale score, the greater the resource. Reliability and validity measures have been reported for the CRI (7): Cronbach's alpha ranged from.77 to.91 for the six dimensions and test-retest correlation coefficients from.60 to.73. Predictive, concurrent, and discriminant validity have been established. Although the scale had not previously been used with a population of individuals with bipolar disorder, results from a pilot test indicated that it was easily administered and provided useful information.
A 94-item form was used to collect demographic and diagnostic data from the participants' medical records. Religion was categorized by affiliation: Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, other, none, or not available. Social position was determined using Hollingshead's Two-Factor Index of Social Position (8). Primary financial support was categorized by source of support: self; the immediate support system, such as spouse, family, and friends; an agency or program, such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, food stamps and welfare, Aid to Families With Dependent Children; or no visible means of support. Living arrangements after discharge were similarly categorized as whether the participant would be living alone; with immediate family; with a significant other, a friend, or extended family; or in a boarding home, structured living program, or halfway house.
The retrospective design used Student's t tests to examine the continuous data to determine whether statistically significant differences existed between the African-American and white participants for the total coping resources scores and the five scale scores. Chi square tests of independence were used to analyze the categorical variables to determine whether the two groups differed on background characteristics. The Bonferroni correction was used to adjust for the number of tests performed.
A total of 122 patients—42 African-American and 80 white patients—completed the CRI. Participants were predominantly female (77 patients, or 63 percent), were admitted to the hospital voluntarily (72 patients, or 59 percent), were in the lower socioeconomic classes (100 patients, or 82 percent), and were without a partner (103 patients, or 84 percent). The mean±SD age was 35.4±9.5 years.
There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups for any of the demographic variables examined: gender, age, living arrangements when discharged, religious affiliation, employment before admission, social position, financial support, or marital status. There were also no significant differences between the two groups for any of the psychiatric variables examined: admission legal status, psychotic symptoms on admission, number of psychiatric hospitalizations, axis II diagnosis, or documented medication noncompliance before admission. Differences for three variables were significant when initial comparisons were made, but were not when adjustments were made for multiple tests: education (p=.018, adjusted p=.288), past or current involvement with the criminal justice system (p=.004; adjusted p=.064), and a secondary diagnosis of a substance use disorder (p=.016; adjusted p=.256). Cronbach's alphas for the CRI ranged from.76 to.92.
Total CRI scores of the African-American participants were significantly higher than those of the white participants (see t1). The African-American group also scored significantly higher than the white group on three of the five scales—cognitive, emotional, and spiritual-philosophical. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups on the social and physical scales.
The lack of statistically significant differences between the African-American and white patients on any of the background or psychiatric characteristics examined suggests that characteristics related to race account for the several significant differences between the two groups in their coping resources scores. These findings provide some support for those of Guarnaccia and Parra (5), although we sampled a different population. Those authors reported differential patterns based on ethnic group differences in their study of family members' experiences of caring for a mentally ill relative.
The African-American patients scored significantly higher than the whites on the total coping resource score and the three scales that indicate resources considered to be more internal than external, that is, factors embodied within the individual rather than accessed from others (9). This finding suggests that cultural orientations influencing personal life philosophies may explain the differences between the African Americans and the whites on perceptions of their coping resources.
Perhaps because of having overcome many obstacles in life in the past, the African Americans perceived themselves more as having an internal strength, a positive outlook, and more resources with which to cope than did the white participants. The strong spiritual foundation that is part of the upbringing of many African Americans (10) may instill powerful internal resources that persist into adulthood. Working with a sample of family members of patients with mental illness, Axelrod and colleagues (4) found that attitudes about self and a family's belief in its ability to care for a patient influenced the way family members thought about coping with the crisis of chronic mental illness.
We considered the question of whether the African Americans' significantly higher scores might have resulted from more frequent use of denial as a coping mechanism. We were unable to evaluate this possibility, but if denial was used more frequently by the African Americans, it was not pervasive enough to influence responses on all five scales. Differences in use of denial thus do not appear to account for the higher scores of the African-American patients.
Coping resources were perceived to be significantly higher by African-American than by white inpatients with bipolar disorder. The findings provide a foundation on which to base interventions that identify, support, and strengthen existing coping resources and to plan future studies with larger sample sizes.
This study was funded by grant 1-R15-NR-03766-01A1 from the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health; by grant T15-SP-07775 from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services faculty development program for _PHONE_; and by the Center for Nursing Research of the School of Nursing at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center.
Dr. Pollack is affiliated with the School of Nursing of the University of Texas-Houston (UT-H) Health Science Center, 1100 Holcombe Boulevard, Office 5.540, Houston, Texas 77030. Ms. Harvin is with the Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing in Houston; at the time of the study she was at the UT-H Harris County Psychiatric Center in Houston. Ms. Cramer is with the department of statistics at Rice University.
Comparison of scores on the Coping Resources Inventory (CRI) of 122 hospitalized African-American and white patients with bipolar disorder