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Human Rights day: 10 December 2002
New cartoon hopes to catalyze activism on the right to health
Geneva, 6 December 2002 - To raise awareness of health as a human right among the general public, the World Health Organization (WHO) is today launching, "The Right to Health" a colourful, interactive cartoon booklet.
It is essential that people ― especially poor, vulnerable and marginalized population groups ― become aware of their right to the highest attainable standard of health. They should also be aware that their government has certain obligations and should be accountable. Awareness is the first step in mobilizing action in favour of being able to claim this right.
"Awareness of human rights means that the disadvantaged can mobilize and empower themselves. The language of rights makes people conscious of the possibility of change," said Helena Nygren-Krug, Health and Human Rights Advisor, WHO.
The goal of the cartoon is to reach out to adolescents and children. It is just one of several tools WHO is using to raise awareness of the right to health amongst people, including health practitioners and government officials. In addition to various publications on health and human rights, WHO is developing health and human rights training both at its headquarters and regional offices.
The cartoon's story takes place in a classroom where a teacher interacts with children from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe, emphasizing the universality of human rights. They talk about children's rights, women's rights, discrimination, freedom to make personal life choices and the right to healthy living conditions and education. They also discuss access to affordable health services, how governments must strive to increase their ability to promote and protect the right to health and the responsibility of rich countries to help poor countries in making this right a reality.
The cartoon gives the general public, including adolescents and children, an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned by playing a game in which they mark boxes containing statements true or false.
A resource pack is being prepared for teachers, health professionals and human rights organizations; in addition to the cartoon, it will contain a teaching guide, a poster and the recently published "25 Questions and Answers on Health and Human Rights" which is available online at: _URL_ The cartoon itself will be published on this same web site on 10 December, Human Rights Day.
On this day, WHO is bringing together a broad range of health and human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, for a meeting titled "Advancing the dialogue on health and human rights."
The aim of the meeting is to assess how the trend of linking health with human rights is playing out in different parts of world. Non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives from Brazil, India, Nigeria and Uganda will report on their experiences. Participants will also discuss how to strengthen the agenda to advance health as a human right and to further integrate human rights principles in health policies and programmes.
Note for editors:
The right to the highest attainable standard of health was first enshrined in the WHO Constitution _URL_ Subsequently, it has been firmly endorsed in a wide range of international and regional human rights instruments.
The most authoritative interpretation of the right to health is outlined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which has been ratified by 145 countries. In May 2000, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which monitors the Covenant, adopted a General Comment on the right to health. The Comment clarifies the nature and content of this right, including individual entitlements and government obligations.
Traditionally, the global human rights movement concerned itself almost exclusively with civil and political rights violations. The recognization that the international community must treat all human rights ― civil, cultural, economic, political, and social ― "in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis" (Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights, 1993), is being given strong emphasis since the end of the Cold War. This trend, alongside recent efforts to address poverty through human rights, is changing the landscape of the human rights movement. Leading human rights NGOs, such as Amnesty International, are now carefully expanding their mandates to incorporate the right to health alongside the more "mature" civil and political rights.
For copies of "The Right to Health" cartoon, please contact A. Peters _EMAIL_


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a manufacturing plant makes dishes that are carefully inspected for the right dimensions, quality, and product trends. after studies the factory does produce 15% defectives. most of these pieces are found through inspection and redone or thrown away. Suppose two pieces are randomly selected for inspection.
what is the probablity that both pieces are defect free?
what is the probablity that neither piece is defect free?
also, if at least one of the pieces has a flaw. what is the probability that both are defective?
thanks for any help with this problem.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Don't forget to wash your hands!
 - Adventures in the World of the Micrometres hygiene reading primer
 - Simple basic principles of cleanliness explained and illustrated for children
 - SANIFAIR sends you a copy free of charge
In the SANIFAIR hygiene reading primer Adventures in the World of the Micrometres, children discover why cleanliness is so important and how best to protect yourself against bacteria when travelling.
The happy story explains the microscopic world of bacteria to children and is illustrated with lots of drawings. Children learn something about the dangers of bacteria and how the SANIFAIR sanitary system has declared war on bacteria.
The bacterium Mo leads readers young and old through the booklet and explains where most dangerous bacteria collect, and how you can make life difficult for bacteria with cleanliness and basic principles.
SANIFAIR will be happy to send you a free copy. To receive one, please send an email on the subject to SANIFAIR customer service.
You can find out what other services SANIFAIR offers families with children in the SANIFAIR promise section of the SANIFAIR website.
SANIFAIR for kids


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Official Name: Sharyland Independent School District
Motto: "Commitment, Cooperation and Communication"
Colors: Red and White
Communities Served: Sharyland, Mission, Alton, Palmhust, Edinburg, and McAllen
Brief History: Sharyland is a large community in the Lower Rio Grande Valley situated between the cities of Mission and McAllen. Before the 19th century, the area where Sharyland now stands was sparsely populated with ranching families, most of Mexican descent. However, by the late 19thcentury and early 20thcentury "Anglo" land developers took an interest in many of the lands along the Rio Grande. One such developer was John H. Shary, a native of Nebraska who visited the Rio Grande Valley in 1912. Shary saw the potential for farming and citrus production and within a short time purchased thousands of acres of land which he named Sharyland. Sharyland attracted farmers from the North and Midwest and became known for its citrus production. Sharyland was also John Shary's home until his death in 1945.
Sharyland Independent School District is named in honor of John H. Shary who was president of the district's first board of trustees. Created in 1921, this twenty-six square-mile school district is located in Hidalgo County. The district is committed to providing the highest quality education possible for all students.
Public schools in Sharyland include: Jessie L. Jensen Elementary School, John H. Shary Elementary School, Lloyd and Dolly Bentsen Elementary School, Olivero Garza Sr. Elementary School, Romulo D. Martinez Elementary School, Ruben Hinojosa Elementary School, Donna Wernecke Elementary, Harry Shimotsu Elementary, BL Gray Junior High School, Sharyland North Junior High School, and Sharyland High School.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


1. A son of Hyrtacus of Arisbe, and father of Acamas and Phaenops. He was one of the allies of the Trojans, and brought them auxiliaries from the several towns over which he ruled. He was slain by Idomeneus. (Hom. Il. ii. 835, xii. 140, xiii. 389, &c., xvii. 582.)
2. A son of Dymas and brother of Hecabe. Apollo assumed the appearance of this Asius, when he wanted to stimulate Hector to fight against Patroclus. (Hom. Il. xvi. 715, &c.; Eustath. p. 1083.) According to Dictys Cretensis (iv. 12), Asius was slain by Ajax.
3. There are two more mythical personages of this name, which is also used as a surname of Zeus, from the town of Asos or Oasos in Crete. (Virg. Aen. x. 123; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 355; Steph. Byz. s. v. Asos).


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The construction sector in developing countries has propelled economic growth in the most recent period, yet analysis of growth performance has failed to take this into account. This article is a comparative analysis of the relationship between the construction sector and aggregate output for a panel of sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries using a panel generalized methods of moments (GMM). After accounting for the effects of institutional set up, cross sectional heterogeneity and non-linearity, our results revealed that the construction sector affects growth positively and most importantly, developing the right institutions could further enhance this impact. The intrinsically non-linear relationship between construction and output growth is very mute in our sample, suggesting that, SSA countries have not yet reached the stage of development where construction growth becomes trivial. We further show that East Africa experienced a robust impact of construction on economic growth compared to West and Southern Africa.
Construction, institutions and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa
Working paper 622
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Tour tires are motorcycle tires, which are long lasting in spite of sporty driving. This is a big challenge because normally when the tires are highly stressed, for example by rapid stops over and over again, they wear off quickly. But few motorcyclists refuse to fully utilize the capabilities of their machine. So they choose Sport Touring Motorcycle Tires - Radial tires are so popular, that their durability is higher than that of conventional Diagonal tires. The wet grip and cornering ability are better - qualities that are a good buying criteria for the Tour athletes. Therefore 123tyre.ie offers a wide range of sport touring radial motorcycle tires.
The steel cord filaments of the tires carcass plies are radially arranged. The cords are laid in Direction of the Tyre's movement in the right Wimkel in the carcass. Directly under the tread of the radial motorcycle tire is a stable layer that leads around like a belt, which is why they are also called Belt tires called. They are now used in most motorcycles and cars.


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Phenomena described by geophysicist in non-technical terms
As Alaska's billion lakes become colder and harder, some of them will sport mysterious, spidery cracks extending from small holes in the ice. This phenomenon inspired a geophysicist to figure out what he calls "lake stars."
"I thought something so pretty and relatively commonly observed should be understandable, so I pursued it," said Victor Tsai, who wrote perhaps the only paper in existence on lake stars.
Tsai, a geophysicist with the Seismological Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, developed a mathematical model to explain how the stars form. He recently gave a less technical description of the conditions needed for lake stars to blossom.
"You need relatively thin ice, and a thick snow cover," he said. "The lake needs to have just frozen over and then had a heavy enough snow to weigh the ice down enough that the snow can become wet from lake water."
Tsai became interested in lake stars when he spent a summer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. There, he found that, while many people had guessed at what caused lake stars, there was no established theory to explain them. He set up a lab experiment in which he created the stars indoors, using a plate cooled below freezing. Through a dish of slush, he fed a steady drip of water one degree above freezing. Narrow channels formed in all of his attempts, and he wrote a 13-page paper on "the formation of radial fingers emanating from a central source."
He provides here a non-technical version on how the stars form: From a hole in the ice, relatively warm lake water flows upward and infiltrates the slushy snow on top. Water then flows outwards through the slush. Some areas of slush melt more due to variations in water flow, allowing an arm of the star to grow faster. As the arms grow, cold robs the water of heat, slowing the growth of some arms and allowing others to sprout.
Lake stars are somewhat reminiscent of a feature familiar to most Alaskans, windshield cracks. Michael Marder, a physicist at the University of Texas in Austin, once explained to me how they happen.
A windshield, he said, isn't one solid piece of glass, it's two layers pressed around a layer of plastic, which keeps glass from flying during an accident. The entire windshield is about as thick as a pile of five dimes.
During windshield manufacture, a machine presses glass onto the plastic with a pressure of about 800 atmospheres, which is about 800 times the force Earth's atmosphere exerts on us. Auto glass formed under such stress shuns blows that would shatter house window glass. Car windshield glass would be as rock-resistant as granite if it were not for invisible flaws, Marder said.
Flying gravel sometimes finds a weak spot in the glass, leaving behind a pitted, round indentation. Water vapor in the air, even in tiny amounts, helps cracks expand across a windshield. Water molecules act like scissors with edges no thicker than an atom, travelling to the tip of a crack and snipping glass apart.
Temperature differences enhance the growth of cracks. If a windshield's inner surface is 70 degrees Fahrenheit on a 40-below-zero day, a war is being waged within the glass. The cold outside surface of the glass contracts as the hot surface expands. At the interface, cracks expand.
Both the water vapor and temperature scenarios need another element to lengthen lines on a dimpled windshield — bumpy motion, which pulls the glass apart. Because most Alaska road crews spread gravel for winter traction, we have, in good quantity, all the ingredients for cracked windshields.
(Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.)


Sunday, November 15, 2009
How to Make an International Call – Dialing Codes
A caller must use the proper international phone codes in order to place an international call. In general, the sequence of numbers used to make international calls follow a similar pattern but the exit code can vary depending on the country where the call originates. The following is an example of the dialing codes used to place an international call from the USA, Canada or other North America Dialing Plan (NANP) country.
(011) + (country code) + (city code) + (phone number)
The first number in the sequence (in this case 011) is commonly referred to as an exit code or international access code. It can also be called an International Direct Dialing (IDD) code. This code can vary between countries but it is necessary because it identifies the call as international.
The following is an example of dialing an international call to Amman, Jordan from the USA.
011 962 6 + (local phone number)
In the above example the 011 is the IDD code. This code identifies the call as an international phone call. The proper IDD code to use depends on the country where the call originates. Visit dialing codes international for further information.
The second three-digit number (962) in the above example is the country code for Jordan. The country code will vary depending on the country called; visit Country and City Dialing Codes for a complete list of country codes.
The third number (6) is the city code for Amman, Jordan. The international city code is also a specific number. In the USA, this is commonly called an area code. AT&T provides one of the most comprehensive lists of city codes available. Visit Country and City Codes for more details.
These dialing codes are followed by the local phone number.
A similar sequence of numbers is used when a call is placed to a mobile phone located in another country. However, it should be noted that the cost for calling a mobile phone is typically much higher than making an international call to a house phone or any land line phone. Visit cheap international calling for information on saving money on international phone calls made from any location in the world.
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Take the 2-minute tour ×
I need to update the Notes field in my table tblMain by concatenating the text data with the Notes field in my secondary table tblSecond by matching the ID field in both tables.
I was using the following SQL:
UPDATE tblMain
SET tblMain.Notes = (tblMain.Notes + (SELECT DISTINCT Notes FROM tblSecond
WHERE tblSecond.ID = tblMain.ID))
but I get the following error
Subquery returned more than 1 value.
presumably because the SELECT statement is returning an entire resultset.
How would I perform this operation successfully?
share|improve this question
I just tried it again using a MERGE MERGE INTO tblMain USING ( SELECT ID, notes FROM tblSecond ) Second ON (Second.ID = tblMain.ID) WHEN MATCHED THEN UPDATE SET tblMain.Notes = tblMain.Notes + Second.notes but I get a similar error: The MERGE statement attempted to UPDATE or DELETE the same row more than once. This happens when a target row matches more than one source row. A MERGE statement cannot UPDATE/DELETE the same row of the target table multiple times. Refine the ON clause to ensure a target row matches at most one source row, or use the GROUP BY clause. – mechaman64 Jun 28 '12 at 10:47
I assume in the tblSecond table you can have multiple notes for a single record in tblMain? In other words, it may be possible to concatenate multiple records from tblSecond into a single tblMain record? – LittleBobbyTables Jun 28 '12 at 10:48
If there are two rows in Second that correspond to one row in Main, are you looking to concatenate both rows into Main? – Triple Gilaman Jun 28 '12 at 10:50
2 Answers 2
up vote 1 down vote accepted
It will handle if subquery returns more than 1 value.
UPDATE tblmain
SET tblmain.notes = ( tblmain.notes
 + (SELECT DISTINCT notes +''
 FROM tblsecond
 WHERE tblsecond.id = tblmain.id
 FOR xml path ('')) )
share|improve this answer
This works perfectly - thanks! – mechaman64 Jun 28 '12 at 14:05
If the subquery returns more than 1 value, it means that tblSecond contains more than 1 entry for the corresponding ID. So I would suggest to first check your data.
The update itself can also be written using the from clause, something like this (untested)
update tblMain
 set Notes = a.Notes + b.Notes
 tblMain a
 inner join tblSecond b on a.Id = b.Id
share|improve this answer
tblMain will have the only last value that was concatenated to notes. – Romil Jun 28 '12 at 10:59
_USER_ thanks for pointing out. – mfussenegger Jun 28 '12 at 11:02
either correct the post or delete because it will create confusion for other readers. it will help you to avoid downvoting also. – Romil Jun 28 '12 at 14:07
Your Answer


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Accelerated Learning: What Does It Mean to You?
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words Accelerated Learning? Perhaps you imagine a person zipping through a book at a rapid pace, soaking up every fact and concept at lightning speed. Or perhaps you think of a child genius that graduated from college at the ripe old age of 12.
The fact is that the techniques of Accelerated Learning are not only for the rare few who are gifted with a special genius at birth. Accelerated Learning techniques are concepts that anyone can learn with some practice and dedication.
The basic idea of Accelerated Learning is to gain the ability to make it faster, easier, and perhaps most importantly, more FUN, to learn and master new skills.
There are 4 basic components to Accelerated Learning.
Component 1. Awareness
Before you are aware that you don't know something, you are unconsciously incompetent. When you gain awareness of this incompetence, you move up on the learning scale to conscious incompetence. Awareness is the first, and perhaps the most important, step to learning, because when awareness combines with purpose, the drive to learn is then established in your mind.
Component 2. Knowledge
This is where people accumulate facts about a specific topic. Knowledge of a subject is exhibited by the ability to recall facts and to synthesize the information in the area well enough to answer test questions on the subject, and to communicate about the subject.
Component 3. Skill
This is where people can use what they know to accomplish a specific task.
Component 4. Mastery
This is where people can achieve consistent results with their skills. For example, think about the mastery you have achieved in driving a car. You most likely consistently produce successful results (getting to your destination) each time you drive. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book, Outliers: The Story of Success, describes the "10,000-Hour Rule" which states that the key to success and mastery in any field is to practice for approximately 10,000 hours.
While many people know that learning requires time and attention to the subject matter at hand, many people tend to forget that it is not just about how hard you study and how many terms you memorize. The key principle to Accelerated Learning is that it is a whole-mind, whole-body, and whole-PERSON experience. Below are some important tips to remember to be a successful Accelerated Learner.
Feed Your Mind
It's not always intuitive that what you put in your mouth will eventually affect your brain, but if you keep in mind the whole-body approach to learning, you will soon see how it is absurd to think that these 2 things wouldn't be related.
The good guys in this whole-body story are proteins and complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates supply the brain with a steady flow of glucose, the energy that your brain needs to function optimally. Proteins digest more slowly than carbohydrates, and improve the entry of important amino acids into the brain, which are used to synthesize neurotransmitters that are critical for clear thinking.
Refined sugar and caffeine, on the other hand, are the antagonists in the whole-body story. Your brain needs an even supply of glucose to function optimally. Both of these items make your blood sugar balance go haywire, which can affect your ability to concentrate and can ultimately affect your mood.
While you're feeding your mind, don't forget to feed your curiosity! One of the worst things we can do as Project Managers is to call ourselves experts. As soon as we grant ourselves "expert" status, we immediately lose the spark that keeps us learning and keeps us looking for new ways to succeed. Make an effort to look at the world with beginner's eyes.
Move to Groove
Numerous studies are showing that even mild depression can accelerate mental decline, while excessive stress over time can lead to depression. When you exercise at least 30 minutes everyday you can keep the blues at bay. If you find yourself getting down, get up and move. The more you move, the more you'll be in your groove.
Take a Purple Break
Just as your muscles need time to recuperate after a strenuous workout, your brain also needs rest periodically to function optimally. I learned a technique called "purple breaks" from a woman whose dad started an accelerated reading company almost 50 years ago. A purple break is a 10- to 20-minute break that you take lying down with an eye mask covering your eyes. When your eyes are in total darkness, the optic nerve has a chance to relax, which in turn relaxes the whole body. During a purple break your main job is to let go of all of the worries and stress of the day and relax.
Now when you see the words Accelerated Learning what comes to mind? Hopefully the image of a healthy diet, exercise, periods of pure relaxation, all interwoven within moments of intense focus on the learning objectives of the skill that you are working to master.
What's your take on this subject? Leave a comment and get the conversation going.


How to Win Over Human Resources on Collaboration Adoption
Anne Parker
12/12/18 10:16 AM
If you're driving the adoption of a digital enterprise collaboration platform, like Workplace by Facebook, Yammer or Microsoft Teams—you will deal with a variety of stakeholders. At some point, you will need to get approval from your human resources department, among other stakeholders, for enterprise collaboration.
Naturally, human resource teams care about the human side of your organization. They cultivate and drive the organizational culture and processes that every team within an organization leans on to work effectively and efficiently. Employee engagement, sentiment, safety and compliance are a few of the key issues that concern HR leaders.
Your human resource leaders will have questions for you during your collaboration roll-out. Here are a few to expect:
How do we know that employees will use these tools to communicate productively versus wasting time?
Prior to rolling out a digital collaboration solution to your employees, create a community management strategy:
 1. Identify a community manager
 2. Define what endorsed behavior looks like on these tools for your organization: Are there specific topics (e.g. personal, confidential) that are off limits? Where should certain information live in the tool? Should specific questions or topics be pointed to certain groups or individuals?
 3. Outline how the community manager will monitor the digital community and reinforce these endorsed behaviors
 4. Have a response plan for unproductive or distracting Workplace behavior
How do we shield our employees against toxic behavior—such as inappropriate language or sexual harassment—in these tools?
Unfortunately, human behavior risk lives in every organization. If they exhibit toxicity in the workplace, employees will likely take these tendencies to a digital platform—especially in private areas such as chat or closed groups.
Give your human resource team the peace of mind that the digital community is being governed by a watchful eye. The best way to protect employees against unsafe or toxic coworker behavior is through real-time monitoring. Pair your digital workplace solution with a tool that surfaces content by keywords and behavior anomalies.
What's the most effective way to ensure employee compliance with company policies and code of conduct when using new collaboration tools?
Depending on your company's industry and level of comfort with risk, ensuring that employees are honoring company policies is critical to the success of your project. The way employees conduct themselves online is a reflection of how they conduct themselves in the workplace.
As the champion of digital collaboration, your job is to implement the safeguards so that your company is responding appropriately if things go awry.
Don't worry, this can be accomplished in two simple steps:
 1. The first step is ensuring that community managers have access to employee public and private communications. This is key to monitoring and responding to inappropriate behavior, and also for discovery if further investigation is necessary.
 2. Secondly, partner with your human resources team to create a response and escalation plan for concerning behavior. Who needs to be notified of the incident? Should the content be removed from the platform? How should the offending employee be coached?
How can we utilize these platforms to better understand workplace engagement and sentiment?
Here's a way to win over your human resource teams—add value to their current workflow.
Knowing that employees will conduct themselves digitally as they will in the real-life workplace; the opportunity to tap into the conversation data that is generated on these tools is profound.
Human resource teams spend millions on annual surveys and other tools to understand employees' mood and perception towards their organization, leadership and culture. However, these antiquated practices are inefficient and grossly inaccurate.
Pair your tool rollout with an integration partner who offers powerful insights, such as real-time sentiment or level of employee toxicity.
The research is clear: companies with a digital workplace demonstrate faster time-to-innovation, higher employee retention, increased productivity and revenue growth.
So, implemented correctly—these platforms will help transform and enhance collaboration in your organization. But it's not going to happen overnight, and it won't happen automatically.
Calculate the Return on Your Enterprise Collaboration Investment
 Get early access to Aware's Guide on Uncovering the ROI of Enterprise Collaboration and uncover the potential impact that a collaboration platform can have on your organization.
Request Early Access
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text:
It is hardly to believe that Russia has its own Indian tribes but that fact is true. There is a population of about 1500 people who are originally Indians who live in Kamchatka peninsula. They are some kind of mix between Indians and Eskimos. They are called Itelmens. Some scientific studies have revealed that Itelmens are related to a Tlingit tribe in Alaska and they also have some common customs and tradition.
Itelmens are not only indigenous tribe which lives in Russia but they are considered as most authentic one. Their community of about 1500 people is better educated than the other indigenous communities but their life still remains pretty primitive. Here you are watching a photos of an exhibition in a Moscow based photo centers which was made in order to improve the knowledge about existence of Indian culture on Russian soil.


text:
Gargantua the Great, probably the most famous circus animal of the 20th
century, was orphaned when he was only a month old and lived with
missionaries in Africa until a sea captain purchased him and brought
him to Boston in 1931. There, after being disfigured with nitric acid
by a sailor with a grudge against the captain, he was bought by
Gertrude Davies Lintz, who was determined to save the severely burned
gorilla. Mrs. Lintz named him Buddha, "Buddy" for short, and tenderly
nursed him back to health. However, his face was permanently disfigured
and his mouth twisted into a fierce snarl.
In 1937 Lintz offered Buddy, who then weighed an estimated 460 pounds, to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. A delighted Henry Ringling North (Yale '33) renamed him "Gargantua the Great" after one of the giants in Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel. As Gargantua, Buddy was transformed into the greatest of circus attractions by a flamboyant advertising campaign that saved the circus from imminent bankruptcy. For 12 years the circus toured the country and millions stood in line to see the lowland gorilla.
Buddy died of double pneumonia in November 1949 at the age of 20. North donated Gargantua's skeleton to the Yale Peabody Museum in 1950.


AlmaBetter allocates INR 2 crore fund to train data scientists
AlmaBetter allocates INR 2 crore fund to train data scientist
A certain percentage of the INR 2 crore fund will also go towards scholarships based on merit, financial aid, paraphernalia like laptops and wifi connections towards students' benefit.
- 2 lakh + student applications by next March
- Risk free education addressing the job crunch amid the pandemic
Given the pandemic and the increased threat of automation in the IT job market, AlmaBetter, a community and cohort based data science e-learning platform has allocated INR 2 crore fund to encourage aspiring data science candidates. The company will train 25000 data scientists by March 2022 readying them for employment. The platform provides risk free education to upskill aspirants, making them job ready and guaranteeing placements addressing the job crunch in the space at minimum of INR 6 lac per annum.
With 2 lac applicants by 2022, the company will train 25000 data science aspirants in lieu of the 1,10,000 vacancies in the sector today. The company records 70% of students being placed before the completion of their program.
Hailing from IITs, the founders, Shivam Dutta and Vikash Srivastava have worked with some of the most reputed brands in the country, providing cutting-edge solutions in ML and AI space.
Shivam Dutta, co-founder, AlmaBetter informed "Financial risk associated with upskilling programs is a major concern among the Indian youth especially during the current pandemic. The risk free and guaranteed placement model will enable aspirants to build a tangible career and in turn a robust ecosystem for data science."
With reference to the threat to the IT job market, he further adds "With increased AI/ML powered automation, the job crunch in the industry will further heighten, making upskilling in data science a necessity to survive in the IT job market."
The school offers two tracks, Pro and Premium. They have a novel learning framework powered by AI, called 'Competency Based Learning' which ensures personalized learning with guaranteed learning outcomes. They also provide community based learning activities, cohort based learning activities and live sessions for the students.
AlmaBetter's curriculum is designed considering industry relevance and usage of concepts and tools in the data science domain. Furthermore, the students are edified by instructors hailing from premiere institutions and fortune 500 companies. By employing innovative and easy-to-grasp methods involving experiments, gamifications and real industry projects, they ensure optimal learning outcomes.


text:
(Mimosa, Silk tree)
A large shrub or small tree, Albizia julibrissin is native to Iran to Japan. It is a fast-growing plant whose seedlings can become invasive. It can be seen growing in the wild in the southeastern U.S. and California in waste places, fields, and along roads.
However, its bipinnate, ferny leaves and fluffy pink flowerheads that cover the tree in summer make it a garden-worthy plant, as do the fragrance emitted by the flowers, which attract bees. Seed pods that resemble flat beans follow the flowers and persist into winter. Still, care should be used so that seeds from garden plants can't escape into the wild.


text:
from Georgia Family Connection Partnership:
Children Continue to Suffer from Pandemic-Related Mental Health Issues
Effects of the coronavirus crisis linger as 220,000 kids in Georgia report that they struggle with anxiety or depression, according to The Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Georgia ranks 38th in the nation in child and family well-being for the fourth consecutive year, according to the 2022 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, released today by The Annie E. Casey Foundation. The annual report, for the first time in 33 years, focuses on youth mental health, concurring with the U.S. surgeon general's recent assessment that conditions amount to a "youth mental health pandemic." The Data Book reveals that children across the country are in the midst of a mental health crisis, struggling with anxiety and depression at unprecedented levels.
Children in more than 40 states and the District of Columbia, according to the report, were more likely to encounter anxiety and depression during the first year of the COVID-19 crisis than in previous years. The national rate jumped from 9.4% of children ages 3 – 17 (5.8 million kids) in 2016 to 11.8% (7.3 million) in 2020—the year the pandemic swept across the United States. That's 1.5 million more children who are struggling to make it through the day. In Georgia, 10.4% of children ages 3 – 17 reported anxiety or depression in 2020, up from 8.5% in 2016.
"Mental Health and trauma affect everyone in different ways, though it often takes years to unpack exactly how, why, and what is happening in different communities," said Resilient Georgia Executive Director Emily Anne Vall. "The social, economic, and physical conditions in which children live can affect their health and serve as a source of prolonged stress and childhood adversity. Having access to reliable data provides stakeholders with a way to effectively identify gaps, prioritize needs, and measure impact and outcomes to bolster preventative efforts and move toward improved health and resilience."
Racial and ethnic disparities contribute to disproportionately troubling mental health and wellness conditions among children of color. During the year previous to the most recent federal survey, 9% of high schoolers overall attempted suicide—but 12% of black students, 13% of students of two or more races, and 26% of American Indian or Native Alaskan high schoolers attempted suicide.
LGBTQ young people also are facing challenges as they seek mental health support. Among heterosexual high school students of all races and ethnicities, 6% attempted suicide. Among gay, lesbian, or bisexual students, 23% attempted suicide.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation, heeding the surgeon general's warning, offers strategies for local and state-level leaders to ease mental health burdens on children and their families:
- Prioritize meeting kids' basic needs. Youth who grow up in poverty are two to three times more likely to develop mental health conditions than their peers. Children need a solid foundation of nutritious food, stable housing, and safe neighborhoods—and their families need financial stability—to foster positive mental health and wellness.
- Ensure that every child has access to the mental health care they need, when and where they need it. Schools should increase the presence of social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals on staff and strive to meet the 250-to-1 ratio of students to counselors recommended by the American School Counselor Association. They can work with local health care providers and local and state governments to make additional federal resources available and coordinate treatment.
- Bolster mental health care that takes into account young people's experiences and identities. It should be trauma-informed—designed to promote a child's healing and emotional security—and culturally relevant to the child's life. It should be informed by the latest evidence and research and geared toward early intervention, which can be especially important in the absence of a formal diagnosis of mental illness.
The KIDS COUNT® Data Book, which uses 16 indicators to rank each state across four domains—health, education, economic well-being, and family and community—to assess child well-being, sheds light on the health, economic, and other challenges that affect American children, as well as how those challenges are more likely to affect children of color.
"COVID-19 has intensified the struggles our children were already facing at school, in community, and in families," said Georgia Family Connection Partnership Executive Director Gaye Smith. "The pandemic brought to the forefront the barriers to success children and families in Georgia had been up against for decades, like high rates of child poverty, housing cost burden, and low-birthweight births."
The percentage of Georgia's children ages 3 – 4 not in school, 51%, is better than the national average of 53%. But Georgia continues to lag national averages on most indicators of child well-being. Nearly one-third of children still live in households that spend 30% or more of their income on housing—a high housing cost burden—while 20% of Georgia's kids in two-child, two-parent households live in poverty.
"The Georgia House and Senate during the 2022 legislative session made substantial investments in resources to address mental health issues," said Smith. "It's incumbent upon all of us to capitalize on the opportunities these investments present as we continue to advocate for systems changes that eliminate barriers and inefficiencies standing in the way of progress and positive outcomes for children and families. We must set universal goals for all children, disaggregate data by race to inform our decisions, and encourage authentic engagement in our communities so the neighbors we serve—especially those who have been historically marginalized—have a seat at our decision-making tables."
Download the 2022 KIDS COUNT® Data Book.
Journalists interested in creating maps, graphs, and rankings in stories about the 2022 Data Book can use the KIDS COUNT® Data Center at datacenter.kidscount.org.
Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) is a public-private partnership created by the State of Georgia and investors from the private sector to assist communities in addressing the serious challenges facing children and families. GaFCP also serves as a resource to state agencies across Georgia that work to improve the conditions of children and families. Georgia KIDS COUNT provides policymakers and citizens with current data they need to make informed decisions regarding priorities, services, and resources that impact Georgia's children, youth, families, and communities. Georgia KIDS COUNT is funded, in part, through a grant from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private charitable organization dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children in the United States. For more information.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for the nation's children by developing solutions to strengthen families, build paths to economic opportunity and transform struggling communities into safer and healthier places to live, work, and grow. For more information, visit aecf.org. KIDS COUNT® is a registered trademark of The Annie E. Casey Foundation.


Thursday, October 13th, 2016 technology research practice
A Practice Tip
 - Practice
When a meeting takes longer than anticipated, minds may start to wander. An inefficient meeting can cause participants to "switch off" and cease contributing meaningfully. Similarly, starting a difficult task without a time limit can seem too large a mountain to
climb, and make it easy to procrastinate. One solution is to consciously set a time limit for a meeting or a task, and do it both verbally and visually.
A meeting would begin with an announcement to the participants, "We have 30 minutes to get through our theory of the case. Let's make each minute count." A visual cue can be used, such as pointing at a clock and saying "when that minute hand hits the 6", using a stopwatch, or a gadget such as the time timer, which shows the remaining time on a clock/watch/app in a bold red colour.
A task would be done the same way. Let's say you have a large memo to write. Set aside "1.0" on the docket to write a section. Then start the countdown. As the time ticks away a sense of urgency will rise, limiting the distractions and helping you focus. When the time is up, you can take a break or start another countdown for the next task.
Another use is to set a time limit for breaks. If you find yourself surfing the net an hour later while at work and wonder where the time went, a visual cue can help again.
This technique – to limit the time for tasks – is a broader application of the Pomodoro technique, or "tomato timer", where tasks are broken down into 25 minute increments. However much time you want to set for a task, typically it should be less than an hour. Research has shown that uninterrupted concentration tends to top out at about 45 minutes.
The key to effectively setting a time limit is to find a cue you respond to – whether it's a tomato timer, a clock ticking away, or watching a big red pie get smaller and smaller with each second. Limiting the time for each task can mean you complete more and bigger tasks more effectively.
Ian Hu (_USER_)
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Eco-friendly locations -> The Most Beautiful Caves and Grottos of the World -> Sof Omar Caves, Ethiopia
If you look at caves in terms of geology, they represent only a cavity in the earth's crust, but the caves have played an important role in the development of humanity, and through fear of the unknown the man hasn't studied thoroughly many of the caves of the planet. Many caves have survived the so-called "rock" pictures of the first people that make it possible to understand the life and culture of the ancient inhabitants of the earth. Many caves are interesting and varied for their interior.
Description of the Cave
The Sof Omar Caves have a length of 15.1 km (9.5 miles), making them the longest cave system in Ethiopia. A source claims that this system is the largest in Africa. The caves are located in Bala in the south-eastern Ethiopia, where flows the Web River. Log opens in Ive Mako and reappears at a distance of 1 km in Holuke. For a long time the cave was a religious center and it is a sacred place for the local and traditional religions and Islam. The caves are known by many posts, especially those that are located in the "House of the Colon." According to a tradition, Sof Omar was the name of a Muslim saint who lived in the area, and Ive was the name of his daughter. Mako and Holuka are the local names for "caves". The researcher Arthur Donaldson Smith recorded the visit to the cave in 1897. An Italian expedition also visited the cave in 1913. In 1934, Henry Bryuil spent some archaeological research in the field. The Italians almost certainly visited the cave during the years of occupation, but apparently none of these early researchers did not pass on to Holuke Ive Mako. In 1967, Eric Robson, Chris Klafem Kabir Ahmed explored and discussed, and the cave, made a record 8 km of passage. After this, the Ethiopian Tourist Board has published a brochure about the cave. Although the area is not readily available and the tourist industry has not been extensively developed in the area, a few intrepid visitors made the trip to the then remote cave. In February 1971, Professor Theodore Monod from the National Museum of Natural History of France, Bill Morton (University of Manchester Speleology, Caves Research Society), and Ato Mazhmar Hsilemalid recorded another-km new passage in the famous cave. The same year Dick Ashford and Malcolm Hale Larga Selassie made a study of caves and some species of bats living in a cave. In 1972, the British expedition arrived in Ethiopia. The team included Dick and Tim Remsden Renvozi (Speleology Club of Preston), Simon Amatt (Birmingham Karabinersky Club), Dave Catlin (Club Bradford University), Paul Remsdena (Center for the Boy Scouts Vernsayd), Terry and Steve Raynor Vorzingtona (Sheffield University Speleological Society).With some initial help from Bill Morton's group made a systematic study and review of the cave, and published the full report, "Sof Omar Caves and Ethiopia" Cave Research Group of Great Britain. The team found 6.1 km of new passages, bringing the total number of survey length 1.15 km. Sof Omar has 42 inputs, but in general, only four of them are suitable to enter the cave safely. The House of the Colon is a unique feature in the world of caves.


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A theorem of Davies states that for symmetric quantum states there exists a symmetric POVM maximizing the mutual information. To apply this theorem the representation of the symmetry group has to be irreducible. We obtain a similar yet weaker result for reducible representations.
Multi-party local quantum operations with shared quantum entanglement or shared classical randomness are studied. The following facts are established:
Quantum error correction deals with correcting errors introduced via quantum channels, modelled by trace-preserving completely positive maps. Correctable subsystems are roughly subsystems of the overlying Hilbert space on which the channel has a left inverse. Given a unital completely positive map, the multiplicative domain of that map is the largest subalgebra on which the map acts as a homomorphism. We show that for a unital quantum channel, the correctable subsystems that are correctable via conjugation by a unitary (called unitarily correctable subsystems) are exactly what are captured by that map's multiplicative domain. We also show that if we remove the requirement that the map be unital, a weaker relationship between the two notions still holds.
This is joint work with Man-Duen Choi and David Kribs.
Hastings has recently shown that the conjectured additivity of minimal output entropy is false. Put in a more positive light, this implies that entangled inputs can enhance the capacity of memoryless quantum channels for transmitting classical information. We consider the new issues and challenges that emerge from this breakthrough.
A quantum channel models a physical process in which noise is added to a quantum system via interaction with its environment. Protecting quantum systems from such noise can be viewed as an extension of the classical communication problem introduced by Shannon sixty years ago. A fundamental quantity of interest is the quantum capacity of a given channel, which measures the amount of quantum information which can be protected, in the limit of many transmissions over the channel. In this talk, I will show that certain pairs of channels, each with a capacity of zero, can have a strictly positive capacity when used together, implying that the quantum capacity does not completely characterize a channel's ability to transmit quantum information.
This is joint work with Graeme Smith (IBM) published in Science on Sept. 26, 2008.


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73%+) overall (School Mark + Provincial) in either English 12/Communications 12
- Achieve 1 "A" (86%+) on any one of the 5 provincially examinable courses (English 10/12, Math 10, Science 10, Socials Studies 11)
- Get at least 3 other "B's" on any of the other 4 exams
As you can see, it's much easier to get a scholarship now! Grade 11's and 12's weren't expecting our Grade 10 provincials to matter much, but now they do for scholarship purposes. On the plus side, the exam rewrite rules have been relaxed for those students this year! Instead of allowing students to rewrite exams that they've done in the past year only, all mandatory exams can now be rewritten. So if you would like to do so, please talk to your counsellor.
Is the change good or bad?
Now, you are probably wondering why anyone would voluntarily write a 2-to-3-hour exam under the risk of losing up to 40% of their final grade. Right off the bat, it seems quite unfair that Grade 10's are now under the pressure of having to write three provincial exams while Grade 11's and 12's write one exam only. Does that make sense to you? Secondly, students who didn't get desirable results in previous provincial exams but would like to get a shot at the provincial exam scholarship must now rewrite them, despite the fact that they would have to study for courses they had taken one or two years ago. Thirdly, cancelling optional provincial exams might cause some negative repercussions on the education system. They had been a great equalizer between different schools. Students of private and public schools in both urban and rural areas had all written the same exams. Plus, the exams ensured that every teacher followed the same curriculum. Now, course materials may vary dramatically and students' fate may be determined by the type of teachers they get.
Nonetheless, I do concede that some good does come out of the cancellation of optional provincial exams. Students are now much less stressed! The most positive effect is that there will be more scholarships given out! (Hopefully, the Ministry won't run out of money and start reducing the scholarship amount.)
Although student apathy has undoubtedly played a part in causing this 'atrocity', the government cannot deny its responsibility either. Personally, I think students should have at least gotten a one-year advance notice of such a drastic change.
I lament the loss of optional provincial exams. Frankly, I was looking forward to writing them, to challenge myself and to gain a sense of achievement. But, when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade! For now, concentrate on doing your best in the mandatory provincial exams. If you do well, your $1,000 scholarship depends on them!
For all our newly arrived grade-eight Warriors and those who have joined us from another high school, here is some advice for the problems and issues you might encounter.
1. I'm so scared of high school! What if the teachers give me too much homework and if I fail my exams! I don't want to repeat grade 8!!!
Don't worry, you won't repeat grade 8 as long as you pay attention in class, do the homework, and study effectively. (Remember: studying for too long without rest is NEVER a good idea! Your memory and learning are enhanced only when your brain is active, so distribute your study time wisely!) Luckily, our courses run on a Day 1/Day 2 schedule. If your teacher assigns you homework on Day 1 and it's due the next class, you'll have two days to finish it – there is plenty of time! Also, teachers do a great job of preparing you for final exams, and there are lots of tutorial blocks and Homework Club if you need extra help!
2. I just moved into the area and I'm really shy and people don't really notice me. I really want to make some new friends, but I don't know how. Help!
By Josephine Wong, Grade 12
Click for high resolution! Click for high resolution!
High school students were asked the question: What advice would you give your eighth-grade self?
- Moderation is your god. – Justin Fok, alumni
- BE YOURSELF… too many people are pretending to be who they're not, changing for all the wrong reasons, to be accepted by all the wrong people. – Jenny Ho, grade 12
- Enjoy your time in high school while you can. Try to be productive but at the same time, be at a steady pace so that you can enjoy and appreciate everything around you. Try as many things are you can while you're still in school… – Tammy Lee, Grade 11
- Worry less about finding that one 'special' person and focus on studies. – Matthew Le, grade 11
- Get a catchphrase; something funny that won't wear off until late grade 10. – Mitchell Agostinho, alumni
- You think you have something to be angsty about? Wait another few years. – Jessica Poon, grade 12
By: Emily Chan, Grade 11
It all started when I read a comic strip in the paper. It was from Pardon My Planet, a classic comic featured in The Province daily. An overweight man sitting at the bar states, "After six years of high school, I lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the school system for not properly preparing me for unemployment."
Even though this may seem like a juvenile comment at first glance, it caused me to sit back and think about our education system. We are taught to succeed in life; we are taught to keep our heads high and accept accomplishments gratefully. We are also expected to be content with trying our best – because with that, we'll go far in life…
But what will happen when the gigantic brick wall of failure sneaks up on us and smacks us down? As harsh as that may sound, it's how failure will feel if you're not prepared. You'll be caught off guard, and won't know how to gain the confidence back in order to pick up the pieces of your life.
Nikki attended an intensive 3-and-a-half-week summer course with other teens from all over the world, including places like Peru and Hong Kong, from July 7 to Aug 1 at Emily Carr University (formerly known as Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design). While giving her the opportunity to take on several hands-on art projects, Nikki has learned a lot from experience.
"…I wanted to learn what art truly was and how it was going to be taught [at Emily Carr]. It was an awesome experience and I learned a lot of new things about the history of art and what makes something considered art and why people do it. For me, art is a way to express yourself in ways that words can't – a way to show people who you really are as well as your take on life, love, and many other things. This was an experience I'm sure that I won't forget and I encourage all you art lovers out there to go out and find our yourself. Emily Carr is a great way to start." – Nikki Siu."
Congratulations Nikki on completing your summer course and pursuing your interests!


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Good posture is the freedom to move in any direction without hesitation or preparation.
Feldenkrais® private sessions are known as Functional Integration® (FI) lessons. In an FI, the practitioner guides an individual student in movement using gentle and supportive touch as the primary means of communication. Each lesson relates to a particular desire, intention, or need of the student and is devoid of any invasive or forceful procedures. Through rapport and respect for the student's abilities and unique qualities, the teacher creates an environment in which the student is free to learn safely and comfortably. The lesson is developed specifically for the student and tailored to the individual's circumstances and needs at that particular moment. Students come to discover more efficiency in their movement and experience greater comfort, enjoyment, and ease of motion.
Sessions can be done in person or as an online private meeting guided vocally.
FI lessons are suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds.


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same appears to be the case in plants.
It is in the cells of both plant and animal organisms that the vital functions are carried on. All the vital processes of a complex animal appear to be nothing but the highly developed result of the individual vital processes of its innumerable variously functioning cells. The study of the processes of digestion, of the changes in muscle and nerve cells leads finally to the examination of the functions of gland, muscle, ganglion and brain.


TY - JOUR T1 - Do family physicians know the costs of medical care? Survey in British Columbia. JF - Canadian Family Physician JO - Can Fam Physician SP - 263 LP - 270 VL - 50 IS - 2 AU - Allan, G Michael AU - Innes, Grant D Y1 - 2004/02/01 UR - _URL_ N2 - OBJECTIVE To determine the cost of 46 commonly used investigations and therapies and to assess British Columbia family doctors' awareness of these costs. DESIGN Mailed survey asking about costs of 23 investigations and 23 therapies relevant to family practice. A random sample of 600 doctors was asked to report their awareness of costs and to estimate costs of the 46 items. SETTING British Columbia. PARTICIPANTS Six hundred family physicians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Estimates within 25% of actual cost were considered correct. Associations between cost awareness and respondents'characteristics (eg, sex, practice location) were sought. Degree of error in estimates was also assessed. RESULTS Overall, 283 (47.2%) surveys were returned and 259 analyzed. Few respondents estimated costs within 25% of true cost, and estimates were highly variable. Physicians underestimated costs of expensive drugs and laboratory investigations and overestimated costs of inexpensive drugs. Cost awareness did not correlate with sex, practice location, College certification, faculty appointment, or years in practice. CONCLUSION Family doctors in British Columbia have little awareness of the costs of medical care. ER -


text: Reinforced concrete columns of the rail-way structures were severely damaged at 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake. Observed main damage patterns in the reinforced concrete structures were shear failures of the columns with poor arrangements of the lateral reinforcement. Forthose columns, confinement of the column sections is effective to improve the ductility of the columns in avoiding the brittle failure. Authors proposed spacing the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips for the retrofitting of those columns. This paper presents the seismic performance of reinforced concrete columns retrofitted with CFRP strips comparing with those of the columns with CFRP sheet. In this research program, seismic loading tests were performed using scaled reinforced concrete columns in the laboratory of the Hiroshima University. From test results, The columns retrofitted with CFRP strips showed the very good performance as same as CFRP sheet. Moreover, it is anticipated that there is strong possibility of decreasing the amount of CFRP.


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In this paper, the powertrain sizing of a fuel-cell hybrid vehicle (FCHV) is investigated. The goal is to determine the fuel-cell system (FCS) size, together with the energy storage system (ESS) size, which leads to the lowest hydrogen consumption. The power source (FCS + ESS) capabilities should also respect the vehicle driveability constraints. Batteries and supercapacitors are considered as ESSs. The power management strategy is a global optimization algorithm respecting charge sustaining of the ESS. The impacts of the driving cycle (urban, outer urban, and highway), ESS technology, and vehicle driveability constraints on hydrogen consumption are analyzed in detail.


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Tatenen (also Ta-tenen, Tatjenen, Tathenen, Tanen, Tenen, Tanenu, and Tanuu) was the god of the primordial mound in Egyptian Mythology. His name means risen land or exalted earth, as well as referring to the silt of the Nile. As a primeval chthonic deity, Tatenen was identified with creation. He was an androgynous protector of nature from the Memphis area, then known as "Men-nefer".
Tatenen represented the Earth and was born in the moment it rose from the watery chaos, analogous to the primeval mound of the benben and mastaba and the later pyramids. He was seen as the source of "food and viands,divine offers, all good things", as his realms were the deep regions beneath the earth "from which everything emerges", specifically including plants, vegetables, and minerals. His father was the creator god Khnum, who made him on his potter's wheel of Nile mud at the moment of creation of Earth. This fortuity granted him the titles of both "creator and mother who gave birth to all gods" and "father of all the gods". He also personified Egypt (due to his associations with rebirth and the Nile) and was an aspect of the earth-god Geb, as a source of artistic inspiration, as well as assisting the dead in their journey to the afterlife.
He is first attested in the Coffin Texts, where his name appears as Tanenu or Tanuu, 'the inert land', a name which characterizes him as a god of the primeval condition of the earth. Middle Kingdom texts provide the first examples of the form Tatenen.
With a staff Tatenen repelled the evil serpent Apep from the Primeval Mound. He also had a magical mace dedicated to the falcon, venerated as "The Great White of the Earth Creator". In one interpretation, Tatenen brought the Djed-pillars of stability to the country, although this is more commonly attributed to Ptah.
Both Tatenen and Ptah were Memphite gods. Tatenen was the more ancient god, combined in the Old Kingdom with Ptah as Ptah-Tatenen, in their capacity as creator gods. By the Nineteenth dynasty Ptah-Tatenen is his sole form, and he is worshiped as royal creator god. Ptah-Tatenen can be seen as father of the Ogdoad of Hermopolis, the eight gods who themselves embody the primeval elements from before creation.
Tatenen's ambiguous portrayal is a result of the ancient nature of the period he was worshipped in, as well as the subsequent confusion when he was merged with Ptah. He was always in human form, usually seated with a pharonic beard, wearing either an Atef-crown (as Ptah-Sokar) or, more commonly, a pair of ram's horns surmounted by a sun disk and two tall feathers. As Tanenu or Tanuu, obviously a chthonic deity, he carried two snakes on his head. He was both feminine and masculine, a consequence of his status as a primeval, creator deity. Some depictions show Tatenen with a green complexion (face and arms), as he had connections to fertility and a chthonic association with plants.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Tatenen. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Egyptian Gods. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Tatenen Retrieved 2009-10-21.
- ↑ C. J. Bleeker. Historia Religionum I: Religions of the Past, p.68
- ↑ M. Lichtheim: Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol.3, p.113
- ↑ J. H. Breasted: Ancient Records of Egypt, Part Three, § 411
- ↑ J. H. Breasted: Ancient Records of Egypt, Part Two, § 91
- ↑ Carol Andrews: The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, spell 180
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Intersexed and Androgynous Deities in Religion or Mythology. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
|This article about Egyptology or subjects relating to Ancient Egypt is a stub. You can help by expanding it.|


Why Do Horses Weave?
Why Do Horses Weave?
Horses that weave often do so while standing at the stall door. Increasing visual or physical contact with other horses and optimizing turnout time can help reduce weaving.
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse
Q. I'm curious about my horse's weaving. I know that excess calories/energy can play a factor, as can stress or some other trigger (though I haven't really been able to spot a consistent "trigger" for my horse's episodes—it can range from being handled in his stall to standing and the apparent anticipation of being tacked up), but what I'm most curious about is at how early of an age would a horse begin weaving, and why would he pick that over some other habit—is weaving simply something that just "felt right" to him, when he was scanning the stereotypy catalog? Is it the kind of thing where one kid might start chewing her nails in class while the other taps his foot? And, while I'm on the topic of foot-tapping, are some horses more "rhythmic" than others? I know this might sound strange, but I've noticed my horse sways ever so slightly (though not with his head/neck) when his feet are being handled by the farrier. It reminds me a little of the YouTube video of the horse bobbing his head to a song on YouTube, for instance, only not as charming (to the farrier, at least!).
via e-mail
A. Weaving is a rhythmic swaying in place that usually involves a lateral excursion of the head and neck and a concurrent shifting of weight between the front feet, such that the entire front end of the horse is usually involved, as well as sometimes the hindquarters. Usually the horse does this standing right at the stall door. A number of researchers are working hard to better understand weaving in horses but realize our knowledge of all stereotypies is ever evolving. Always remember horses are built to walk and eat and have social relationships, and when these are thwarted, behaviors that we find undesirable or disconcerting can result.
Why did your horse "pick" weaving out of the catalog? Weaving and other locomotory stereotypies seem to be associated with the urge to walk, forage, and socialize. In part, we think this because one thing that seems to reduce weaving is the placement of a mirror in the horse's stall. Increasing visual or physical contact with other horses and optimizing turnout time also can reduce weaving. And, interestingly, bedding on straw may reduce weaving, perhaps because the horse can forage on straw when other feed isn't available. So this is opposed to an oral stereotypy suck as cribbing, which we tend to link with early (like creep feeding) and contemporary high concentrate diets more than thwarted movement and socialization.
Many believe that the genesis of stereotypies is some management factor or stressor in young horses, often around weaning time and around the 2-year-old mark when early training begins. Certain diet and feeding regimens (such as high concentrates and limited foraging) seem to be a common factor in the development of stereotypies. Weaving specifically has been associated with foals weaned alone, in a box stall, as opposed to a group-weaning scheme. I saw one study that reported 60 months (5 years) as the median age for weaving to begin. Obviously, not all horses will develop a stereotypy even though exposed to early "risk factors." Genetics, predispositions, and intervening management all might play a role.
Researchers think more proximate triggers can be any one of the following, as you have already experienced. A big factor is predictability in routine and his ensuing anticipation of an activity. Another is a too short duration of a rewarding or natural activity, such as turnout or feeding, so he will weave after these events are over. Another is frustrated access to something he wants, such as exercise or social contact.
Early on, there could be a learned element, such an inadvertent reward when he's weaving. Then the horse weaves because of anticipation or frustration. Finally, the weaving becomes "emancipated" from any specific triggers and, perhaps as you are seeing, he just does it with no apparent trigger at all. Remember too, all stereotypies seem to become internally rewarding to the horse.
In summary, the origin of the weaving might have been long ago and, as such, is well out of your control. Trigger factors might be hard to identify and not feasible to really change. There are management schemes that could serve to reduce the urge to weave.
As far as the subtle swaying with the farrier, it could be that is your horse's manner of weaving with a foot held up in the air. But I always have to consider a horse that shifts or sways when one foot is held up that maybe there's some discomfort either with flexion of the up leg, or more weight-bearing on the other legs. Not a red alert, just something to tuck away for future reference.
About the Author
Nancy Diehl, VMD, MS
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What are the 50 State Animals?
In 1782, the United States' founders selected the American Bald Eagle as the official symbol for the infant nation. The majestic, soaring bird and its life in the vast frontier inspired the country.
About 150 years later, individual states began choosing their own animal symbols for local representation and regional pride. Each state in the union has at least an official bird symbol. Many states have also selected a variety of other species within the animal kingdom as representatives. The animals reflect their local habitats, regional economic strengths and historical significances.
In 2008, Andrew Woodward embarked on the painting project, 'Fifty State Animals.' A piece dedicated to Americana, fifty 8 x 8" panels hang in a grid displaying fifty state animal symbols. Woodward begins each painting with an abstract, patterned backgrounds. He then selects the animals that fit best for each composition. "What is Fifty State Animals," at Made in Fort Point, explains the animals' history for the viewers with prints and is highlighted by an installation of the series.
You can find Andrews work at Made in Fort Point
"What Are The Fifty State Animals?"
Opening Reception Thursday March 10th, 5-7pm
Made in Fort Point
12 Farnsworth Street


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A few days ago, I wrote up a challenge – to count the number of sets a given set is contained in.
In the comments, I touched briefly on the original problem from which the challenge was created, and I'll describe it in more depth here.
In the problem, I am given an initial group of sets, and then an endless 'stream of sets'. For each of the sets in the stream, I have to measure its uniqueness. relative to the initial group of sets. A set that is contained in only one set from the initial group is very unique, one that is contained in ten – not so much.
So how to solve this problem? My original solution is somewhat akin to the classic "lion-in-the-desert" problem, but more like the "blood test" story. I didn't find a link to the story, so I'll give it as I remember it.
In an army somewhere, it was discovered that at least one of the soldiers was sick and so had to be put in isolation until he heals. It is only possible to check for the disease via a blood test, but tests are expensive, and they didn't want to test all of the soldiers. What did they do?
They took enough blood from each soldier. Now, from each sample they took a little bit, and divided the samples into two groups. They mixed together the samples of each group, and tested the mixed sample. If the sample was positive – they repeated the process for the blood samples of all the soldiers in the matching group.
Now my solution is clear: let's build a tree of set unions. At bottom level will be the union of couples of sets. At the next level, unions of couples of couples of sets. So on, until we end up with just two sets, or even just one – if we are not sure the set is contained in any of the initial sets.
Testing is just like in the story. We'll start at the two biggest unions, and work our way down. There is an optimization though – if a set appears more than say, 10 times, it's not very unique, and its score is zeroed. In that case, we don't have to go down all the way, but stop as soon as we pass the 10 "positive result" mark.
Here's the code:
class SetGroup(object): def __init__(self, set_list): cur_level = list(set_list) self.levels = while len(cur_level) > 1: self.levels.append(cur_level) cur_level = [union(couple) for couple in blocks(cur_level, 2)] self.levels.reverse() def count(self, some_set, max_appear = None): indexes = for level in self.levels: indexes = itertools.chain((2*x for x in indexes), (2*x+1 for x in indexes)) indexes = (x for x in indexes if x < len(level)) indexes = [x for x in indexes if some_set <= level[x]] if max_appear is not None and len(indexes) >= max_appear: return max_appear return len(indexes)
Here's a link to the full code.
I didn't implement this solution right away. At first, I used the naive approach, of checking against each set. Then, when it proved to be too slow, I tried implementing the solution outlined by Shenberg and Eric in the comments to the challenge. Unfortunately, their solution proved to be very slow as well. I believe it's because some elements appear in almost all of the sets, and so computing the intersection for these elements takes a long time.
Although originally I thought that my solution would suffer from some serious drawbacks (can you see what they are?), the max_appear limit removed most of the issues.
Implementing this solution was a major part of taking down the running time of the complete algorithm for the full problem I was solving from about 2 days, to about 15-20 minutes. That was one fun optimizing session :)


text:
1. Define the field of victimology.
2. In what sense is the criminal justice system "offense-focused" and "offender-driven"?
3. What is the process of "victim-blaming"? Why is this a common psychological reaction to victimization in our culture?
4. What is "secondary victimization"? Give examples where this might take place within the criminal justice system.
5. What are "victims' rights" in the criminal justice process? Why are these important to victims? How do victims' rights address the problem of secondary victimization?
6. How do victims' rights differ from offenders rights for due process? Are victims' and offenders' rights in competition with one another? Why or why not?
7. What are the symptoms of PTSD? How can the criminal justice system respond effectively to the needs of victims with PTSD?
8. What is a "survivors mission"? Why is such a mission important for victims?
9. Define retributive justice. What are the three questions Howard Zehr believes are central to retributive justice?
10. Define restorative justice. What are the three questions Howard Zehr believes are central to restorative justice?
11. Compare the role of the victim in restorative justice and retributive justice.


text:
Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) sprang from hope and determination to change the course of a spectrum of disabling diseases that continue to deeply affect our founders' family and thousands of other families within the state of Nevada and around the world. Our founders asked a small but dedicated group of patients and physicians to help create a center where researchers and medical doctors could work together to bring an end to complex neuro-immune diseases (NIDs) including ME/CFS, autism, and fibromyalgia. With the help of private, federal, and state support, this dream was realized in 2010 with the opening of the institute on the medical school campus of the University of Nevada, Reno.
Thanks to the work of a handful of dedicated scientists and physicians, including those at WPI, this field has grown to include several medical research institutions and the publication of thousands of scientific studies.
Results of these studies conclude that this group of illnesses is associated with abnormal inflammation and immunity, dysfunctional mitochondria, and multiple infectious agents. They have systemic as well as neurological consequences and are recognized by a group of symptoms most notably cognitive impairment, disordered sleep, gastrointestinal dysfunction, loss of physical stamina and in the case of ME/CFS, severe exercise intolerance.
We support a neuro-immune disease (NID) community's critical need for timely and effective treatments through grants of space and equipment within the Center for Translational Medicine at WPI. We encourage the sharing of scientific and medical information by hosting seminars, lectures and talks, and by engaging in other community activities which help us to educate local community members. We produce and share educational material on treatment and research discoveries from within the institute and the greater NID medical and scientific communities. WPI remains a dedicated advocate for critical research funding of drug treatment studies and clinical centers of excellence.
Because there remains a need for local support groups, WPI is actively seeking individual leaders to fill this role. We continue to encourage those who want to become medical doctors and researchers to learn more about the doctors who practice within our facility and their medical research into NIDs. To insure the continuation of medical and scientific breakthroughs in this field of medicine, WPI acts as a conduit for collaboration between University of Nevada basic researchers and the onsite medical team.


text:
With the countdown to Christmas well and truly on, we have asked Crime Stoppers SA for some tips on how you can stay safe this festive season.
Check out these handy crime prevention and safety tips.
1. Protect your parcels
Uncertainty around COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions have seen eCommerce boom across the country, with spending by Australians recording a 29% month-on-month increase from March to April this year when lockdowns began.
As we head into the busiest time of year for postal deliveries, it's important to do all you can to avoid becoming a victim of parcel theft by taking a few simple steps:
- Get packages delivered to a place where someone can physically receive them.
- Make sure to sign for deliveries or indicate a secure location where they can be left.
- Provide clear delivery instructions and ask for packages not to be placed at your front door.
- If you're not going to be home, arrange to collect the parcel from a depot or have it redirected to an address of someone you trust.
- Report any suspicious behaviour – such as a car following a courier van or an unexpected visitor who knocks on your door asking for someone you don't know.
2. Watch out for fraudsters
Online shopping is convenient for Christmas shopping but be careful transacting online to avoid identity theft. Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information without your knowledge, to obtain credit or purchase goods or services – and technology advances mean that criminals have a variety of methods at their disposal.
Here's some ways to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft:
- Shred documentation that has personal information, especially bank and credit card statements and old bills.
- Don't leave personal documentation in your car.
- Use strong passwords that are hard to guess.
- Never give out personal information over the phone, internet or even face-to-face unless you have initiated the contact and can verify that the person or organisation is legitimate.
- Secure your letterbox so only you can access your mail.
- Monitor your transactions and check bank statements or your bank account regularly to make sure there are no unauthorised transactions and contact your financial institution immediately if something is not right.
Credit cards and eftpos
- Immediately advise your bank if your card is lost or stolen, especially because 'contactless' technology allows transactions without a PIN or a signature up to a limit.
- Have different PINs for each card and choose them carefully. Don't write your PIN down or keep it in the same place as your cards.
- Never share your PIN with anyone and be alert when entering it at an ATM or during a shop transaction.
- Destroy old cards and sign news ones as soon as you receive them.
- When you move to a new house, make sure to update your address with your financial institution.
3. Put the brakes on burglars
Most thieves act on opportunity and Christmas can be a lucrative time for them, so the easiest way to reduce the chance of becoming a victim is to remove the temptation:
- Secure your house, vehicle, shed and garage at all times.
- Don't leave a spare key hidden outside.
- Invest in an alarm and security lighting.
- Keep valuables and wrapped presents out of view.
- Make the house look lived in using lights on automatic timers and have someone collect the mail.
- Make sure plants and trees close to doors and windows are well trimmed so thieves have no place to hide.
- Mark your possessions so they can be easily identified if recovered.
- Record serial numbers and take photos of unique items such as jewellery and provide a copy with your insurance company.
- Keep important documents and valuation certificates in a secure place, such as a safe or leave copies with a trusted friend or relative.
4. Make sure to shop safely
Shopping can be stressful, but social distancing and uncertainty over changing restrictions adds a new layer of complexity when battling the Christmas crowds. Seasonal shopping can also make you a potential target for thieves, so consider a few simple precautions:
In the shops
- Don't leave shopping to the last-minute rush.
- Only carry essential identification or valuables and make sure they're secure.
- Make sure your bag is closed, held in front of you where possible and never left unattended.
- Pay attention to your surroundings and if someone bumps into you, immediately check your valuables.
- When making a transaction using your card, never let it out of your sight and be wary about who is nearby when entering your PIN.
- Pay attention to who is around you and report any suspicious activity.
In the car park
- Always park in a safe location with good lighting and people around.
- Make sure all doors and windows on your vehicle are secure.
- Remove all valuables where possible or put things out of sight – including any coins.
- Be aware of your surroundings and report any suspicious activity.
- Don't leave GPS systems or mobile phone hands-free accessories on display.
5. Buckle up!
Whether it's in a car or a sleigh pulled by 12 reindeers, wearing a seatbelt is one of the best ways to protect yourself from serious injury. Always ensure a seatbelt is adjusted firmly to keep you safe and sound. It is a driver's responsibility to ensure that all passengers in their motor vehicle are correctly wearing an approved seatbelt or child restraint.
For more information on child restraints visit _URL_
6. Be social, not anti-social
There's no doubt that 2020 has been anything but a normal year, so Christmas should be a time to pay extra attention to the people around you and think before you act. For a minority in the community it appears that one too many drinks suddenly encourages wilful damage and nuisance behaviour, which can be very distressing for others nearby.
What might seem like harmless fun to those involved, can leave others feeling fearful and unsafe – especially when it escalates to physical damage, graffiti, yelling and rowdy behaviour – so be kind this Christmas.
7. Drink responsibly
Don't let over-indulgence in alcohol make it a less than merry Christmas because it contributes to making very poor decisions. Drinking excessively can also make someone increasingly vulnerable to becoming a victim of crime or physical trauma.
If you are going out, then plan to drink responsibly by:
- Arranging safe transport to and from your location, whether that is a designated sober driver, taxi or bus.
- If you are paying for your transport, make sure that you put the money aside at the start of the evening so that you don't spend it and find yourself stranded.
- When going out with a group, stay with that group and look out for one another.
- For every alcoholic drink you have, consider having a glass of water or non-alcoholic drink.
- Never lose sight of your drink to avoid it being spiked. If you happen to lose sight of your drink at any time, throw away what is left and get a fresh one – and never accept a drink handed to you by a stranger.
8. Keep your cool
While Christmas is a time for enjoying the company of family and friends, it can also be a period where family violence can occur. Family get-togethers, financial pressures and alcohol indulgence can see tempers fray, so think about ways to keep your cool:
- Planning is critical, especially when different family groups are involved or where separated parents with children are having access issues.
- Go easy if you are drinking, and make sure you have water or non-alcoholic drinks too.
- If an argument looks like it may start, then take time out to let everyone calm down or sober up.
- If you have real concerns for your safety or the safety of your children, then leave the situation immediately and seek help if needed.
9. Make your safety a priority
In the weeks leading up to Christmas it can be a whirlwind of get-togethers and parties – which is why it's important to also consider your personal safety through a few basic precautions:
If you are going out for the evening:
- Let someone know where you are going and what time you are likely to return home.
- Arrange safe transport to and from home, whether that is a designated sober driver, taxi, bus or dial-a-driver.
- Never accept a lift from someone you don't know or have just met.
- If a friend has had too much to drink, make sure they get home safely – don't just put them into a taxi or leave them.
- When out, walk home with friends and not on your own and keep to well-lit areas.
- Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged.
- If someone is acting suspiciously or making you feel unsafe then move to a location where others are around, seek assistance if needed and stick to well-lit public areas.
- Don't drink and drive and never get into a vehicle when you know or suspect that the driver has been drinking.
- Keep your valuables close to you and out of sight from others, keep an eye on your drink and never accept a drink from a stranger.
- Drink water or a non-alcoholic drink with every alcoholic one.
- Stay with your friends and look out for one another.
10. Don't get distracted
Don't forget that it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving. If you can't resist the temptation then turn it off then it won't ring or distract you.
There are a number of free mobile phone apps which help remove the urge to check your phone by sending your caller an automatic message letting them know you are driving and will return their call when you arrive at your destination.
Many people will be heading off for that end-of-year road trip, which is why staying patient and alert on our roads will help to make sure everyone reaches their destination safely. To reduce the risks on our roads this Christmas:
- Ensure everyone is belted in safely.
- Rest well before


text:
Y = log x if y = 10, what is x?
confusing homework question
log x = y, y = 10--------log x = 10 means 10^10 = x10,000,000,000. ANSWER(log problems are always very confusing at first. Memorize the definition in your book or notes. Practice example problems over and over.)
Pay attention in class and stop trying to get people to do your homework for you.


Definitions for
Overview of noun mantle
The noun mantle has 8 senses? (first 1 from tagged texts)
1. (1) mantle
(the cloak as a symbol of authority; "place the mantle of authority on younger shoulders")
2. Mantle, Mickey Mantle, Mickey Charles Mantle
(United States baseball player (_PHONE_))
3. mantle
(the layer of the earth between the crust and the core)
4. blanket, mantle
(anything that covers; "there was a blanket of snow")
5. mantle, pallium
((zoology) a protective layer of epidermis in mollusks or brachiopods that secretes a substance forming the shell)
6. mantel, mantelpiece, mantle, mantlepiece, chimneypiece
(shelf that projects from wall above fireplace; "in Britain they call a mantel a chimneypiece")
7. curtain, drape, drapery, mantle, pall
(hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window))
8. cape, mantle
(a sleeveless garment like a cloak but shorter)
Overview of verb mantle
The verb mantle has 2 senses? (no senses from tagged texts)
1. mantle
(spread over a surface, like a mantle)
2. mantle
(cover like a mantle; "The ivy mantles the building") © 2001-2013, Demand Media, all rights reserved. The database is based on Word Net a lexical database for the English language. see disclaimer
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baseBasic libraries
Safe HaskellTrustworthy
Handle operations implemented by file descriptors (FDs)
stdin :: HandleSource
A handle managing input from the Haskell program's standard input channel.
stdout :: HandleSource
A handle managing output to the Haskell program's standard output channel.
stderr :: HandleSource
A handle managing output to the Haskell program's standard error channel.
openFile :: FilePath -> IOMode -> IO HandleSource
Computation openFile file mode allocates and returns a new, open handle to manage the file file. It manages input if mode is ReadMode, output if mode is WriteMode or AppendMode, and both input and output if mode is ReadWriteMode.
If the file does not exist and it is opened for output, it should be created as a new file. If mode is WriteMode and the file already exists, then it should be truncated to zero length. Some operating systems delete empty files, so there is no guarantee that the file will exist following an openFile with mode WriteMode unless it is subsequently written to successfully. The handle is positioned at the end of the file if mode is AppendMode, and otherwise at the beginning (in which case its internal position is 0). The initial buffer mode is implementation-dependent.
This operation may fail with:
 - isAlreadyInUseError if the file is already open and cannot be reopened;
 - isDoesNotExistError if the file does not exist; or
 - isPermissionError if the user does not have permission to open the file.
Note: if you will be working with files containing binary data, you'll want to be using openBinaryFile.
openBinaryFile :: FilePath -> IOMode -> IO HandleSource
Like openFile, but open the file in binary mode. On Windows, reading a file in text mode (which is the default) will translate CRLF to LF, and writing will translate LF to CRLF. This is usually what you want with text files. With binary files this is undesirable; also, as usual under Microsoft operating systems, text mode treats control-Z as EOF. Binary mode turns off all special treatment of end-of-line and end-of-file characters. (See also hSetBinaryMode.)
openFileBlocking :: FilePath -> IOMode -> IO HandleSource
Like openFile, but opens the file in ordinary blocking mode. This can be useful for opening a FIFO for reading: if we open in non-blocking mode then the open will fail if there are no writers, whereas a blocking open will block until a writer appears.
fdToHandle :: FD -> IO HandleSource
Turn an existing file descriptor into a Handle. This is used by various external libraries to make Handles.
Makes a binary Handle. This is for historical reasons; it should probably be a text Handle with the default encoding and newline translation instead.
fdToHandle' :: CInt -> Maybe IODeviceType -> Bool -> FilePath -> IOMode -> Bool -> IO HandleSource
Old API kept to avoid breaking clients
isEOF :: IO BoolSource
The computation isEOF is identical to hIsEOF, except that it works only on stdin.


text:
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
| October 31, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brent Plater _PHONE_
HABITAT PROTECTION PROPOSED FOR WORLD'S MOST IMPERILED WHALE
San Francisco, CA— In response to a strongly-worded opinion criticizing the agency for failing to protect the world's most imperiled whale, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced today that it is proposing to protect 36,000 square miles of critical habitat for the North Pacific Right Whale in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. The agency will now accept public comment on the proposal and finalize the proposed rule within 12 months.
"Today's announcement is a victory for science, for right whales, and for everyone who wants to be a good neighbor to these imperiled whales," said Brent Plater, author of the original petition to protect right whale habitats in the Bering Sea and an attorney in the case to protect the right whale's habitats. "But if Congress moves forward with its attempt to gut the Endangered Species Act, the right whale whale's recovery in the Bering Sea will be jeopardized no matter how good these habitat protections prove to be."
The Endangered Species Act is a federal law providing a safety net for fish, wildlife, and plants that are on the brink of extinction. The law recognizes that one of the most effective ways to protect imperiled species is to protect the places they live, and recent scientific reports confirm that species with their critical habitats protected are twice as likely to be recovering as those species without their critical habitats protected.
The North Pacific Right Whale is so rare that in the 1980s a sighting of a single individual was deemed worthy of publication in scientific journals. However, beginning in 1996 scientists began to see a congregation of Right Whales annually in the Bering Sea, and in 2004 scientists found more Right Whales in this area than were found in the previous five years.
In light of these remarkable sightings, in 2000 the Center for Biological Diversity formally requested that NMFS protect the Right Whale's "critical habitat" as required by the federal Endangered Species Act. However, NMFS refused to protect any habitat for the whale, even though the species' critical summertime habitats had been found. The Center then requested that NMFS reconsider its determination, but the agency never responded to any of the Center's requests. The Center was thus left with no choice but to initiate litigation in late 2004 to insure that the Right Whale's recovery was not impeded.
"The Right Whale was nearly hunted to extinction, and so it is our shared responsibility to insure that this species survives," said Plater. "We owe it to future generations to protect this special creature, and one of the most effective ways to do that is to protect the places the whales call home."
Photos and further information are available online at


text:
Researchers at Newcastle University are using the latest technology to study the way pigs walk to help improve their welfare on farms across the UK.
Using video motion capture, a technique similar to that used in Hollywood blockbuster Avatar, the team analyses the pigs' gait to see if they can help prevent lameness in the animals.
As part of the study, the pigs were trained to walk along a runway by Mark Brett, Animal Technician at the University and former zookeeper now based at the University's Cockle Park Farm.
Once the pigs had learned to walk at the right speed, the team attached reflective markers at key points on their legs and used motion capture cameras to track their movements and identify parameters that can indicate a good pig.
The data is being used to analyse changes in the pigs' gait, focussing on the angle of the joints and length of stride.
Presenting the findings at the 22nd International Pig Veterinary Society Congress in Korea, Sophia Stavrakakis, who carried out the research as part of her PhD, said that for a pig, a great set of legs isn't just about looking good.
"Lameness among livestock is a major problem for farmers," says Sophia, whose project brings together experts in pig science and bioengineering at Newcastle University.
"Female breeding pigs are particularly prone to leg problems and this makes it costly for farmers when an animal becomes lame because of the time and money invested in the breeding stock.
"Using biomechanical motion capture we are able to measure the animals' gait – tracking a number of animals to find the right angulation and locomotion.
"Through this we hope to be able to develop a farmer-friendly system that will allow them to identify those pigs with better legs, a trait that can be passed on to subsequent generations."
Lameness is a key welfare indicator in all livestock and the second most common reason for sows having to leave the breeding herd.
Unfortunately, if the animal fails to respond to treatment, the problem results in the animal having to be euthanised.
Although the current work uses sophisticated equipment and capture techniques, Sophia, 27, said the aim is to adapt the system for use on farms to improve pig welfare.
"The work is still in its early stages but the aim is to use our research to make a real difference to both pig farmers and their animals," explains Sophia, who carried out her first degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Thessaly in Greece.
"Using CCTV style cameras placed strategically on the farm so that every pig walks past and is captured on camera would be a simple, non-invasive way of collating key data about each pig and identifying those animals which are least likely to suffer problems in the future."
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