Archive for December, 2020
Dec 21 2020
2020 One of Hottest Years
Published by under General Science
The year 2020 will be either the hottest year on record, or just behind the hottest year, 2016. The top 10 hottest years have all been from 1998 and later, with every year starting at 2013 being in the top 10. 2020 will now knock 1998 off the list, making the 10 warmest years all since 2005. The reason 1998 stuck on the list so long is because it was an outlier El Nino year, a weather pattern that tends to produce warmer weather. Next year, 2021, is likely to be a bit cooler because it is a La Nina weather pattern, which tend to be cooler. What does all this mean for the global warming debate?
First, it's not much of a debate, at least not scientifically. There is a solid scientific consensus that average global temperatures are increasing, and that anthropogenic factors are mostly responsible for this forcing. Don't believe the nonsense about there not being a consensus or that it is all based on one flawed paper – in fact, there is a consensus about the consensus. The debate is entirely cultural and political, not scientific. The evidence and the consensus are strong enough that any lay person who refuses to accept this scientific consensus is reasonably called a global warming denier.
The denier position is based on a number of logical fallacies and misleading arguments. They attack the very concept of a scientific consensus, and turn the technically true into a misleading point by saying that "science is never settled". Well…yes, science is always open to revision by new data and new interpretations and theories. But that is not the point, making their argument a straw man. No one is talking about metaphysical certitude, or not being open to revising our climate models or projections with new data. Science, however, does not just exist in the abstract, sometimes we make important decisions based upon the current state of the science. The point is whether or not climate science is confident enough in its projections of global warming to use as a basis for policy. Saying that "science is never settled" is therefore a non sequitur. It is, in fact, a bit of deliberate misdirection.
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Dec 18 2020
Using Machine Learning to Map the Brain
Published by under Neuroscience
One of the great ambitious scientific projects of our time is mapping all the connections in the human brain, known as the "connectome". It seem obvious how this would advance our understanding of neuroscience, having a similar effect as mapping the human genome on genetics and genetic medicine. The connectome is more complex than the genome, and mapping it is trickier. We are still in the stage where any significant advances in the basic technology of mapping brain connections will have a huge impact. So of course neuroscientists are researching exactly that.
A recent study uses machine learning techniques to optimize the algorithms used to map brain connections using function MRI scans (fMRI). This is perhaps another example of how neuroscience and computer science are increasingly supporting each other. The researchers were using marmoset brains as their subject. First they mapped regions of the marmoset brain using a standard technique that involved injecting a fluorescent tracer into neurons then following where that tracer goes, through neuronal connections to other parts of the brain. This is perhaps the gold standard technique, but involves sacrificing the animal so that the brain can be sliced and examined microscopically. This technique, therefore, cannot be used in humans.
They then mapped the same regions of the marmoset brain using the less invasive technique of fMRI scanning, which can trace the movement of water through neuronal connections in order to map them. The fMRI method, however, is not nearly as precise as the fluorescent tracer technique. It also suffers from many trade-offs, which the researcher likened to camera settings. You can change the settings to produce very different looking pictures. The question is – which settings (which in regard to the fMRI refers to the computer algorithms that analyze the data) give the best picture of the connectome?
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Dec 17 2020
It Took Two Days to Develop Moderna's Vaccine
As the first crop of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are being rolled out, we can start to see the light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. Still, in the US alone there will probably be another 200,000 deaths before we reach herd immunity. Further, as fast as this vaccine development and deployment was, it's not clear how much faster it will bring an end to the pandemic. We will likely be 18 months into the pandemic before we have significant vaccine uptake, and that may not be far off from how long the pandemic was going to last in the first place. There is no doubt is will save lives and hasten the end, but still – only after we lost about half a million people to the virus.
The question for the future, therefore, is this – is it possible to develop a vaccine even more quickly? What if we could get a vaccine out, soup to nuts, in just a couple of months. We could have ended the pandemic before it really began. The first shots could have been going out in March, protecting front-line workers and the most vulnerable. This would have dramatically slowed the spread while the general population got the vaccine. By now we would be at the tail end of distribution, not the beginning. The COVID pandemic which disrupted the world would have been more like a mild flu season.
Is this feasible? The answer is a definite yes. In fact, as is now being widely reported, it took Moderna just two days to develop their vaccine. They had the vaccine – in January. This is because Moderna has spent the last 10 years developing the mRNA vaccine technology that they used in their COVID vaccine. This, in fact, is the huge advantage of mRNA vaccines, and partly why this technology was being developed. It worked as designed. As soon as the Chinese government released the genetic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that was all Moderna needed. They identified the sequence for the spike protein, plugged that into their vaccine platform, and voila – an mRNA vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Actually, I'm sure it was more complex than that, but whatever the technical details, it took only two days. And the core idea here is valid – they really only needed the genetic sequence of the organism, which itself now can be done very quickly.
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Dec 15 2020
Being Manipulated by Robots
Published by under Neuroscience
How susceptible would you be to suggestion or even manipulation by a robot, or even just a digital AI (artificial intelligence)? This is one of those questions where almost everyone thinks they would not be affected, while in reality many or even most people are. We don't like to think that our behavior can easily be manipulated, but a century of psychological research tells a different story. There is an entire industry of marketing, advertising, and product placement based on the belief that your behaviors can be deliberately altered, and not just through persuasion but through psychological manipulation. Just look at our current political environment, and how easily large portions of our society can be convinced to at least express support for absurd ideas, simply by pushing the right buttons.
Robots and AI are likely to play dramatically increased roles in our society in the future. In fact, our world is already infused with AI to a greater extent that we realize. You have probably interacted with a bot online and didn't realize it. For example, a recent study found that about half of twitter accounting spreading information about coronavirus are likely bots. What about when you know that an actual physical robot is the one giving you feedback – will that still affect your behavior. Apparently so.
In a recent study psychologists had subjects play a computer game which has already been validated as a marker of risk taking. The game involves hitting the space bar to inflate a digital balloon. As the balloon gets bigger, it becomes worth more digital pennies. You can cash in at any time. However, at random the balloon can also pop, and you then lose all your money. The more risk you take, the more money you can make, but the greater the chance that you lose it all, at least on that go. The researchers had subjects play the game in one of three scenarios – alone, with a robot present who told them when to begin, but then was silent, and with a robot present that would give them encouragement to keep going.
The group with the encouraging robot took significantly more risk in this game than the other two groups, which did not differ from each other. It would have been fun to have a fourth group with a human giving encouragement to see if that differed from the robot – perhaps in a follow up experiment. It's also interesting that the robot-riskier group made more money than the other two groups. What do these results mean?
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Dec 14 2020
mRNA Vaccines
This week should see the first people in the US to actually receive an approved (at least EUA) vaccine to prevent SARS-CoV-2. There are three vaccines currently ready to go in the West, the Pfizer vaccine which received it's EUA in the US on Friday and was already approved in the UK, Moderna which should get approval this week, and the Astra Zeneca vaccine which should not be too far behind. The (arguably) biggest challenge has been met – a massive scientific effort to develop vaccines in record time. This has


Nine-Game Crystal Draughts Dice
Use this to add chance operations in your Crystal Draughts games. Each roll of the dice gives pseudo-random results for four elements.
The first element chosen represents one group from among three groups of three game boards. The values possible are A, B, or C.
The second element chosen represents one game board from among a group of three game boards. Values are A, B, or C.
The third element chosen returns one molecule from all the molecules on one game board. The possible values are A–F and a–f. There are twelve possible choices.
The last element is the atom on one molecule. Possible results are a, b, c, or d.
Each roll of the dice gives you the specific atom on a nine-game-board configuration. Use only the elements you need to for your game.
To understand the notation for the Crystal Draughts game space, read the game manual here.


the DNA, and thus one can identify a bit of genome from one species or the other simply by sequencing it. Does it have a mauritiana-like sequence or a simulans-like sequence? To do this, we sequenced entire genomes from all hybrid swarms at generation 20, seeing if their genomes were still greatly mixed, or had moved toward one species or another. (We knew the complete DNA sequences of the two parental species.) This was the laborious part of the experiment given the need to first sequence the pure species, find the differences between them, and then compare the sequences of the hybrids.
Thus, we used a combination of morphological, behavioral, fertility, and DNA traits to track what happened to this hybrid swarm. We did the same thing for the other pair of species:
2.) Drosophila yakuba/D. santomea. I spent the last decade of my lab work on this pair of species, as D. santomea (discovered by my late colleague Daniel Lachaise) is endemic to the island of São Tomé, about 250 km due west of Gabon. But that island also harbors its sister species, D. yakuba, and the two diverged about a million years ago. D. yakuba is widespread in mainland Africa, found in savannas, grassland, and open forest. The formation of D. santomea probably did not occur on the island in the presence of its sister species, but rather after their common ancestor invaded the island a million years ago. After that ancestor evolved through transformation of the invader into D. santomea on the island, D. yakuba re-invaded, probably in the last 10,000 years or so.
The two species coexist on the island now, but yakuba lives at lower altitudes and santomea is restricted to altitudes above 1000 m. There is a hybrid zone between them where they meet, so we can also see what happens in nature when the two species hybridize.
In both cases, then, we produced replicates between a widespread "mainland" species (we call it "dominant" in the paper), and an island endemic.
Like simulans/mauritiana, yakuba/santomea also differ in morphological traits, though not as profoundly. The most striking difference is in pigmentation. Like the 7 other species in the D. melanogaster subgroup, D. yakuba has black pigmentation on both males and females, which is especially pronounced in males at the tip of the abdomen. D. santomea, on the other hand, is unique in almost completely lacking black pigment, as you see below in photos of two males:
This gives us a way to measure how the hybrid swarm is evolving, as we developed a way to quantify blackness on a scale from 0 to 120. (All flies were scored blind.)
Yakuba/santomea also differ in two morphological traits on average: number of hypandrial bristles (on the male genitals) and number of teeth in the sex combs, though that difference isn't as pronounced as between simulans and mauritiana. (I discovered the sex-comb-tooth difference.) So we can measure these three traits over time to see how the yakuba/santomea hybrid swarm was evolving.
The sterility relationships between this pair are also similar to those of the other pair: hybrid males are sterile. So we can also take males and females of the hybrid swarm, cross them to members of the pure species, and see whether the swarm is adopting the fertility genes of one species or the other.
Copulation latency (the time from when a male meets a female to when they copulate) and copulation duration also differ among the species, giving us another behavioral trait to measure by crossing individuals from the hybrid swarm to individuals from the pure species.
Finally, the species of this pair, like the other, differ in DNA sequence in a species-specific way, so we could sequence the DNA of yakuba/santomea hybrid swarm members at generation 20 to see how it had evolved. Was it still a big mixture of the parental species' genomes, or was it reverting to the sequence of one species or the other?
In the next post (I hope in a few days), I'll describe the results, concentrating on the mauritiana/simulans swarm because the results are pretty much the same in both pairs of species, and there's no need to give all the results when they're in the paper.
I've tried to be brief here, but as you can see it still takes space to describe what we did. (And it took two hours to write this post!) Remember, you can read the paper, and inquire if you can't get the pdf.
Matute, D. R., A. A. Comeault, E. Earley, A. Serrato-Capuchina, D. Peede, A. Monroy-Eklund, W. Huang, C. D. Jones, T. F. C. Mackay, and J. A. Coyne. 2020. Rapid and predictable evolution of admixed populations between two Drosophila species pairs. Genetics 214:211-230.
20 thoughts on "My last research paper: Part 1: Aims and methods
 1. Well, it did between Neandertals and "modern humans", and the hybrids had half the genome of each group (I consider them subspecies). But due to either selection or backcrossing, the modern human genome is what largely remains. This hybridization could have been responsible in part for the demise of the Neandertals.
 1. From what I recall, though individual modern humans may have only 0% – 3% or so Neanderthal DNA 40% – 70% (of the Neanderthal genome is still extant scattered among modern human populations.
 Do the results from your study give any insight into the question of how extensive interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthal was? What I mean is given what we know about Neanderthal genes among current human populations and trying to work backwards from that to try and determine the degree of "inter-mixing" between the two groups, it seems like the results of your study might give insight into how to reconstruct that history.
 Perhaps I am speculating way beyond what's merited, but your results seem as if they lend support to the hypothesis that Neanderthal could have been absorbed by modern humans rather than being killed off.
 1. Very interesting! I will follow this as closely as time allows.
 I did not know that male fertility would return over time as the genes causing male sterility were removed. This seems a valuable resource for further study since those genes could be the ones that lie behind Haldane's rule, which as I understand it has been something of a mystery.
 1. We understand Haldane's rule pretty well know; it's due to both the dominance of genes affecting sterility (more expressed in hybrids of the heterogametic sex), and to the faster evolution of genes on the X chromosome. I can refer you to review papers that summarize our knowledge.
 2. If I understand correctly, the two different ways you've described for measuring mating traits both involve the same procedure: put a hybrid male with a mauritiana female and see what happens. If she rejects him prior to copulation, we infer that his courtship behavior has reverted to simulans. If she rejects him after copulation has begun, we infer that his copulatatory behavior and/or genital morphology have reverted to simulans.
 Or is there some methodological difference between the two cases that I've failed to grasp?
 1. Well, there are two measures here: whether copulation occurs and, if it does, how long it lasts. Those result in two different statistics: percentage mating and duration of copulation. They may well involve different traits, including pheromonal differences for the former (and wing-waving that stimulates mating) and, I suspect, genital morphology in the latter. We're not claiming that everything we measure is independent (copulation duration may be influenced by genital morphology), all we argue is that for some of these traits there are different ways to measure "reversion."
 I'm not sure I answered your question.
 1. I know; that's what my colleagues keep telling me. I'm pretty sure I won't work with flies with my own hands any more, as I'm giving up my lab, but I'm not at all sure I won't publish scientific papers that need to be refereed.
 3. Fascinating. Flies reproduction takes about 7 days, right? So, about 52 cycles per year. That's a lot of work for the flies and the experimenters. I can imagine back muscles can get very sore. Congrats on the project.
 4. Sex Comb?
 Sounds like something used by guys in the 80's hair metal bands.
 Sorry, I've nothing intelligent to add. This is a bit over my head and makes me wish I could retroactively give my high school self a dope-slap for not taking all the biology courses that were on offer. I can remember the racks of flies in the corner of the room and I would stare at them with curiosity, but I was already suffering from depression, anxiety, and imposter syndrome and thought I was too stupid to take those higher level electives.
 So, if there are any high school-aged readers here, DON'T LIMIT


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For many women and girls, the city is a hostile environment, to be negotiated "as delicately as a war zone." A trip down this or that street, a turn around the wrong corner can be like stepping on a landmine. Strategy, timing, and carefully planned routing can mean the difference between a normal trip, and a sudden verbal or physical explosion.
No technology has ever been adopted as fast as the smartphone - ever. Consumers have embraced these devices faster than the automobile, electricity, personal computers, and even the internet.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Aggression (poker)
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In the game of poker, opens and raises are considered aggressive plays, while calls and checks are considered passive (though a check-raise would be considered a very aggressive play). It is said[by whom?] that "aggression has its own value", meaning that often aggressive plays can make money with weak hands because of bluff value. In general, opponents must respond to aggressive play by playing more loosely, which offers more opportunities to make mistakes.
While it is true that aggressive play is generally superior to passive play, using any play exclusively can lead to predictability. A player who is constantly aggressive and plays many inferior hands is called a "maniac", and skilled players will take advantage of him by calling him more often, using isolation plays, and by other means.
If a player is not aggressive with his weaker hands, the opponents can safely fold whenever the player does bet or raise. The appropriate amount of aggression can be computed using game theory, and depends on the game being played and the tendencies of the opponents.
Most theorists, like David Sklansky and Doyle Brunson, suggest aggression as an important tool. Aggressive play should not be confused with loose play. Loose players may play passively, resulting in a calling station, while tight players may play aggressively, referred to as a TAG. Aggression is called for in particular circumstances. Very strong starting hands should be played very aggressively most of the time. A very strong propositional hand – one that is more likely to win with a straight or a flush – is one of the hands that can be played for effect with an aggressive style. Such aggression is deceptive, as the low and unpaired ranks of the starting hand require much improvement to win. This is beneficial for two reasons:
 - When the hand improves, the preceding aggression has increased the size of the pot, meaning a larger win.
 - On future raises with more traditionally powerful hands, other players must consider that the aggressor's open or raise is indicative of a strong drawing hand as opposed to a high pair.
The second reasoning is what is known as "advertising" in poker. It can be very profitable for a player to convince the other players at the table that he is willing to gamble with less than premium cards. The result is larger pots when the aggressive player has tremendously strong hands.
See also[edit]


two people with a fowl and yam, and brought them home to Anokye. The two people later got married and had children and settled at Akuapem-Akropong. Their descendants were Asarebea and Manubea and are still known as Aseneefo.
10. Once, Okomfo Anokye poured the dregs of palm-wine on to the ground and immediately there grew an oil-palm tree. It is alleged that the oil-palm tree stands now near the main street at Awukugua by his shrine "Obuabeduru". It is harvested yearly and the fruit distributed to the seven Stool holders, known as Adadifo, and the Chief of the town.
11. Anokye used his own kuronnua or wooden sandals to climb up that oil-palm tree and left some imprints of his feet on the trunk. These are still seen on the tree at Awukugua (see second photo below)
12. It is alleged that on ceremonial days, if the people of Awukugua were short of palm-wine, Okomfo Anoche would climb up that oil-palm tree by the street with his wooden sandals on, and would bend a branch and use it as a pipe through which the palm-wine would flow, and people would collect it beneath the tree.
13. He moulded an Ɔware game board out of a stone, which is still seen as Awukugua (see photo below - this one is remarkable, the implication is that he moulded the stone with his hands!)
14. In a sacred place called Ayete at Awukugua, Anokye used to perform some mysterious rites in connection with a very big rock. He would perform an invocation and go into a trance until water came out of the rock. The water was used for cooking the nuts of the palm tree at the place of the seven Adadifo. If the water failed to come then it was a bad omen, and Awukugua should be purified.
15. Okomfo Anokye would walk through the rain without getting wet.
16. Okomfo Anokye would point his finger at a hawk on a tree which had seized a chicken, and the hawk would drop down dead.
17. Okomfo Anokye would cook food in a perforated pot, and would also boil medicinal herbs in it [i.e. without the liquid spilling out]
18. Okomfo Anokye would dash a raw egg against a stone, but the egg would not break.
19. In a rock on a mountain at Apedwa, Akim Abuakwa, there is a foot-print which is supposed to be that of Okomfo Anokye
THE MIRACLES OF OKOMFO ANOKYE IN ASHANTI (ADAA-OTOA, pgs. 38-45, this is reproduced from chapter 11 of the book)
1. In a street in Kumasi, Anokye pushed a dagger into the Earth, since then no one has been able to pull it out.
2. One Friday, a great gathering of chiefs and elders of Ashanti was held in Kumasi. Anokye on that day was at his best, and he danced until he went into a trance. When he regained consciousness there was darkness, thunder and storm, in the midst of which, accompanied by a thick cloud of white dust, he brought down from the sky a wooden stool, adorned with gold which floated gently and alighted on the knees of Osei Tutu. This became the famous "Sikagua Kofi" (The Golden Stool) of Kumasi and of Asanteman.
There was a small stream in Akrofoso, Agona, called "Obosom Kwabena", which was brought out of the ground by Okomfo Anokye.
3. Anokye by his magic was able to drain a stream called Agyempansu which ran through Kumasi. Having drained the river and made it flow again he renamed it Suben.
4. It is said that the chief of Mampong in Ashanti had a sister called Saka who was childless. Anokye ordered her to go to a stream called Oda to collect some sand. He then told her to sprinkle the sand with "medicine" on a mat upon which she was to lie face downward for seven successive days. She obeyed and bore a son called Amaniampon.
5. Just before the start of the Ashanti-Denkyira wars, Anokye went to Denkyira, turned himself into a beautiful fair-skinned girl and while at the market, succeeded in being called into the harem of Ntim Gyakari. Anokye then turned back into himself after having collected the "seed" (some say his heart) of the Denkyira king, then returned to Ashanti to use it for juju ("medicine") against Denkyira.
6. One day, (presumably in preparation for the Ashanti-Denkyira wars) Anokye had a stool made for him in Ashanti and then went into a trance. When he regained consciousnes and was dancing, he caused an object to come from the sky and this, together with the "seed" (some say his heart) of Ntim Gyakari were mixed and put into the stool. Later Anokye became possessed and danced again. In his frenzy he struck the head of [a sacrificial] albino who vanished into the stool. The stool was then given to Krodua, cheif of Tafo, for custody.
7. Okomfo Anokye used 77 perforated pots called "Nkosena" to boil war meducine during the Denkyira wars. He could put liquid into these pots without the liquid running out.
8. During the Ashanti wars, Anokye ordered General Amankwatia to go to a certain spot in the bush where he would meet a big leopard. Amankwatia went there and broung the leopard back alive [apparently guiding it by its left paw] and it was used by Anokye in his magic.
9. During the wars of liberation with Denkyira, Anokye and his son, called Agyapa, climed a certain "kyenkyen" tree from where he could see Ntim Gyakari, the Denkyira king, in his camp. Anokye left imprints of his feet on the tree (see photo below)
10. During the Asante-Denkyira wars, the Denkyira also had a famous priest on their side called Kyerekye. He and Anokye pitted their magic against one another. Anokye tied a knot in an elephant's tusk and then sent it to Kyerekye to untie (which was apparently left untied, see photo below)
11. It is said that Ashanti started to suffer some reverses when the Denkyiras were pressing them on all sides. Anokye then ordered a swarm of bees to attack the enemy, so that the Denkyiras fled in all directions. In their panic the Denkyiras fell into the hands of the Ashanti and many prisoners were taken.
12. In another story it is said that while the Denkyiras hotly pursued the Ashanti, Anokye made total darkness fall on the whole line of Denkyiras which made it impossible for them to find their way.
13. On another occasion during these wars when the Ashanti were getting desperate and about to despair, Anokye with his magic wand made a forest of oil palm trees spring up to block the advance of the Denkyiras
14. On yet another occasion during these wars, Anokye made a silk cotton tree expand and spread out like a fence or wall to receive enemy fire.
15. Again on another occasion Anokye used his fly whisk to direct the bullets fired by the enemy to pass by his left side to hit a big tree far away back at his village. The tree is still stainding at his village near Agona Akyempem, and is called "Odan-gye-abo" (i.e. tree-receiving-shots)
16. Yet again (during the Ashanti-Denkyira wars) in desperation the Ashanti were fleeing so they left the body of a dead general behind. Anokye however made the dead body stand up as it joined the others in flight.
17. After the Denkyira wars, the king of Dwaben refused to give presents to Anokye (while the others did). Anokye then became annoyed and sent a cadaver ant into the cheif's ear, saying: "Bring the awards and presents for Anokye" (Twi: Kotowbre se ma w'abode mmra nanso
Ɛmmra ntƐmntƐm"). The chief became afraid and offered gold and many slaves to Anokye.
18. After the battle of Feyiase there was [famine]. Anokye said the shortage would be overcome by sacrificing an albino. One was sacrificed and the famine stopped.
19. Okomfo Anokye informed Osei Tutu that he was going away on a quest to find "medicine" against death. He would be gone for seven years and seventy seven days and nights. During this time there was to be no mourning for him, no gunshots, although he appeared dead. He returned to his village and went into his hut. Anokye had his nephew Kwame Siaw watch over him during this time. After seven years


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Tuesday I had the pleasure of planting with Mrs. Fullington and Mrs. Knecht's Preschool class at Rosehill ELC in Lenexa KS. New to the Schoolyard Garden program, they were so excited to finally get to plant in their newly constructed raised beds.
Before planting, we practiced planting our seeds by using wooden beads. We discussed how seeds should be planted so that they can grow into big, healthy, happy plants.
- Plant one seed at a time
- In a straight line
- With plenty of space between each seed
Mrs. Fullington had commented that students have already started to ask questions about the different kinds of vegetables they can grow and how long they will have to wait until they can eat them!
Mrs Fullington is excited for the times that will be spent in the garden learning. Their first experiment is to observe a mound of pea seeds that were planted without any space and then covered with soil. The students were asked if they thought the seeds would grow. They will watch how the pea seeds will grow and record pictures in their journals. Observing the garden with personal garden journals is a great example of how the garden can be an used for fun, learning opportunity for students of all ages.
What new things are you hoping to learn about from your schoolyard garden this spring?


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How Many National Parks Are There?
Depends How You Ask
Dec 29, 2022 | By Will Hurd
Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park
8 min read
When it comes to the question of how many national parks there are in the US, the answer isn't as straightforward as you might imagine. It all depends on what you mean by "national park." In this blog, we'll dive into the different definitions and explain why the answer isn't so simple.
There are a few different ways to answer the question, "how many national parks there are in the US?" If you're asking how many national parks in the United States are specifically designated as "national parks" by the National Park Service, the answer is 63. However, in addition to these 63 national parks the National Park Service (NPS) also manages other types of federal lands. If you count all the places that the NPS manages, the number jumps up to 425 as of November 2023.
This larger number includes places that are designated as national monuments, national preserves, national historic sites, national recreation areas, and more. While these places are managed by the NPS, they aren't technically considered "national parks" even though they are often referred to as such.
Before breaking down the different kinds of places managed by the NPS in the national parks system, let me share my favorites.
My Top 5 Favs
I served as the co-chair of the National Parks Caucus when I was in Congress. I represented 8 of America's national parks in my congressional district. These experiences taught me the importance of conserving our nation's natural and cultural heritage for the benefit of current and future generations.
I didn't have the opportunity to visit national parks when I was a kid, but it's something I love to do now. While California has the most national parks, and not every state has a national park, It's easy to find your park near you. Once you do, I guarantee visiting them will become a lifelong passion. Here are my top 5 favorites:
Haleakalā National Park
Bamboo Forest in Haleakalā National Park, Source: Sahil Yadav
Haleakalā National Park is located on the island of Maui in Hawaii. It is known for its stunning sunrise views from the summit of Haleakala, a massive volcano. One of the highlights of this park is the chance to see the endangered Hawaiian goose, known as the Nēnē, which can only be found in Hawaii. Another highlight is the opportunity to hike through the park's diverse ecosystems, including subalpine forests and desert-like cinder cones.
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
The Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park New York
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site is located in New York state and is the former home of the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt. One of the highlights of this park is the chance to tour the Roosevelt family home, which has been preserved to look just as it did when the Roosevelts lived there. Another highlight is the opportunity to learn about FDR's life and accomplishments through exhibits and interactive displays.
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
View of the town of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is in West Virginia and is known for its role in American history. One of the highlights of this park is the chance to visit the Armory and Arsenal. It played a key role in arming and equipping the Union army during the Civil War. Another highlight is the opportunity to take a guided tour of the town. It was founded in 1747 and has a rich history of industrialization and abolition.
Big Bend National Park
Canoers approach a dramatic gorge on the Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park in Brewster County, Texas. Mexico is on the left, the United States to the right. Source: Library of Congress
Of all the 63 National parks in the United States, Big Bend would probably be the one that I have spent the most time in. Big Bend National Park is located in far West Texas where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. The park is named for the bend in the Rio Grande River. One of the highlights of this park is the opportunity to go rafting or kayaking in the Rio Grande. Another highlight is the chance to see a variety of wildlife, including javelinas, roadrunners, and rattlesnakes.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
The Alamo, one of the sites in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, in 2016. Source: Wikimedia Commons
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is located in Texas and is home to four Spanish colonial missions that were established in the 18th century. One of the highlights of this park is the chance to visit Mission San Jose. It's known for its beautiful stonework and historic gardens. Another highlight is the Alamo, an important symbol of Texas independence and a place to learn about the history of the missions and the role they played for over 300 years in the development of the region.
The National Park Service (NPS)
We wouldn't have amazing places like Big Bend or the home of FDR if it wasn't for the National Park Service. The NPS was established in 1916 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Whether it's the smallest national park, Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas or one of the newest national parks like Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Georgia, or the largest national park Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska, The NPS mission is the same: "preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations."
As an agency of the United States federal government, they are responsible for managing and preserving a collection of 425 national parks, monuments, and other natural and cultural resources. These gems cover more than 85 million acres in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories. Because no two places are alike, they are hard to categorize. This is why the terms used to describe these national treasures are sometimes confusing.
Here, we'll break down the different types of places managed in the national park system by the NPS and provide a few examples of each.
South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park in 2013. Source: Murray Foubister
National parks are areas that have been designated by the United States government as protected land. These 63 national treasures are usually chosen for their natural beauty, unique geological features, or historical significance. Some of the most popular national parks include:
- Yellowstone National Park in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming – At Yellowstone National Park you can embark on a journey through Yellowstone's vast wilderness. Geysers erupt with nature's fury. Wildlife roams freely across the rugged landscape. The beauty of the world's first national park unfolds in a symphony of awe-inspiring vistas and serene, starlit nights.
- Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona – At Grand Canyon National Park visitors can stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon's timeless grandeur. Colorful stratum tells a story millions of years old. This vast, majestic chasm beckons adventurers and dreamers alike to ponder the Earth's magnificent splendor.
- Yosemite National Park in California – In Yosemite National Park an explorer gets to wander through Yosemite's enchanting realm, where granite monoliths like El Capitan and Half Dome rise as nature's cathedrals. Waterfalls cascade with thunderous applause, and meadows and forests offer a tranquil retreat from the modern world.
- Sequoia National Park in California – In the land of giants, Sequoia National Park stands supreme. A place where the world's largest trees reach for the skies, creating a living cathedral and a humbling reminder of nature's enduring power and grace.
- Glacier National Park in Montana – Glacier National Park is a realm where the remnants of the Ice Age still sculpt the land. Rugged peaks and reflective lakes whisper tales of ancient times, inviting explorers to witness the raw beauty of a landscape carved by glaciers.
Path through the trees in Muir Woods National Monument in 2022. Source: Marty Aligata
The most significant category of national parks are national monuments. In general, smaller than those outlined above, the 84 members of this category are usually designated as being aimed towards conserving natural, historical, and cultural resources. These include prehistoric camping grounds, secluded campsites, and stunning natural wonders. Some of the most popular national monuments are:
- Lava Bed National Monument in California – Lava Bed National Monument beckons the adventurous to its labyrinth of lava-hole caves. Shadows play on ancient rock and every turn invites discovery in the subterranean wilds.
- Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico – Nearly 25,000 sculptures etched into volcanic rocks by ancestral Pueblo peoples enchant and mystify visitors to Petroglyph National Monument
- Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming – The Devil's Tower National Monument rises solemnly above the rolling prairie. It's a monolithic testament to Earth's volcanic past and inspires awe as America's first national monument.
- Muir Woods National Monument in California – You will find a sanctuary of serenity among the towering redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument. The quiet grandeur of ancient groves whispers the secrets of millennia in the cool, mist-laden air.
National Historic Sites
Fort Sumter National Historic Site in 2018. Sort: Clynnwersch
The 73


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We consider a tactical data network with limited bandwidth, in which each agent is tracking objects and may have value for receiving data from other agents. The agents are self-interested and would prefer to receive data than share data. Each agent has private information about the quality of its data and can misreport this quality and degrade or otherwise decline to share its data. The problem is one of interdependent value mechanism design because the value to one agent for the broadcast of data on an object depends on the quality of the data, which is privately known to the sender. A recent two-stage mechanism due to Mezzetti (2004) can be modified to our setting. Our mechanism achieves efficient bandwidth allocation and provides incentive compatibility by conditioning payments on the realized value for data shared between agents.
- interdependent values,
- mechanism design,
- sensor networks
Available at: _URL_


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It is a conical shaped structure built of boulders, roughly 230 feet in diameter, 30 feet high and weighing an estimated 60,000-tons, 40 feet underwater in the Sea of Galilee. And archaeologists have no idea what it is. Based on the build up of sediment, it is between 2,000 and 12,000 years old, which is too wide a range to help identify it. It's not even clear if the structure was built on land when the sea levels were lower, or if it was constructed underwater. The structure was located in 2003 by sonar scan. Now ten years later, researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority are mounted an expedition to attempt to learn more about the unexpected mound of boulders, which they speculate could have been a burial site, a place of worship or even a fish nursery.
Archaeologists said the only way they can properly assess the structure is through an underwater excavation, a painstakingly slow process that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And if an excavation were to take place, archaeologists said they believed it would be the first in the Sea of Galilee, an ancient lake that boasts historical remnants spanning thousands of years and is the setting of many Bible scenes….
Much of the researchers' limited knowledge about this structure comes from the sonar scan a decade ago. Initial dives shortly after that revealed a few details. In an article in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology published earlier this year, Nadel and fellow researchers disclosed it was asymmetrical, made of basalt boulders and that "fish teem around the structure and between its blocks."


Monthly Archives: April 2016
 - 10 Tips to Mindfully Survive a Nervous Breakdown
 Written by Alexa Frey
 -- If you're thinking about suicide or need someone to talk to, help is available. Please call the Samaritans free on 116 123 (UK), The National Suicide Prevention Lifelife (US) on _PHONE_, or find a suicide helpline in your country via IASP or --
 A nervous breakdown is defined as: "an acute, time-limited mental disorder that manifests primarily as severe stress-induced depression, anxiety, or disassociation in a previously functional individual, to the extent that they are no longer able to function on a day-to-day basis until the disorder is resolved".
 A nervous breakdown can have many causes such as having too much pressure at work, overwhelming family duties, a divorce or death, being diagnosed with a terrible illness, a traumatic experience such as abuse etc.
 According to Helpline, the most common symptoms of such a breakdown are depressive symptoms, such as loss of hope and thoughts of suicide or self-harm, anxiety with high blood pressure, tense muscles, clammy hands, dizziness, upset stomach, trembling, insomnia, hallucinations, extreme mood swings or unexplained outbursts or panic attacks.
 This can include chest pain, detachment from reality and self, extreme fear, and difficulty breathing paranoia, such as believing someone is watching you or stalking you flashbacks of a traumatic event, which can suggest undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
 A nervous breakdown can last from a few hours to a few weeks. If your breakdown has been going on for a while, and you need some relief, the following ten tips are for you. They will help you not only survive this difficult time, but they might even help you grow from this difficult experience.
 1. Practice Meditation
 Try to meditate at least once a day. That's if you can meditate. If you're too deep in a hole, meditation might be impossible. Your heart might be beating too heavily in your chest, or you might be experiencing uncontrollable tremors which make sitting - and keeping your head upright - hard. If you can't meditate, then don't. But maybe, once a day, do try to give it a shot.
 Anchoring your attention on sounds can be helpful, if the feelings or sensations in your body are too distressing. Mindful walking can also be very helpful, if sitting upright feels too torturous. If all this fails, you can always turn off the lights in your bedroom, and simply stare into the darkness - sitting or lying down. The sensory deprivation will hopefully help calm your mind and body.
 When you do meditate, try to incorporate cultivation practices. Meditate on what you are grateful for in you life. When we're in a hole, it's good to remember the good stuff that's still there in our life. Maybe that's the beautiful tree outside of your bedroom window. Or you are grateful that you have best friends that support you. Also, try to give yourself compassion for what you are going through - give yourself all the love you need.
 Lastly, do practice anticipatory joy by bringing up things you look forward to in the future. Maybe summer's coming up and you're looking forward to sunbathing.
 2. Ask Friends for Help
 One of the hardest things when having a nervous breakdown is that you feel lonely. Not because you don't have any friends, but because we are so weak that it can be very draining to be around people.
 Make sure that you stay in contact with friends and family - even if you decide to be on your own. If phone calls are too much use WhatsApp (in moderation), or ask your friends to come over - but let them know that they can't stay too long.
 As you are going through a nervous breakdown, you will also notice which of your friends are friends that nurture you and which deplete you. You might have a friend that only texts you to let off steam. During conversations with this difficult friend use your mindfulness skills to notice how he or she makes you feel in your body. If this friend makes you feel tense, annoyed, sad, etc., it might be time to cut down contact with them.
 As you are going through a nervous breakdown, you may also find that some friends decide not to be there for you. This can be painful, but it's also a great way to learn which of your friends are true friends.
 3. Practice Self-Compassion
 You want to get better. Every day. Obviously, nervous breakdowns aren't fun. Also, there are many different reasons why people have nervous breakdowns - as mentioned above. Some nervous breakdowns like the one due to a work burnout, will most of the time, pass. There's light at the end of the tunnel. However, other nervous breakdowns, might not pass as easily. Especially if the origin of the nervous breakdown stems from a chronic mental health disorder such as major depression, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
 Not only do such mental health disorders deplete and burn us out, they also often make it extremely hard to stay positive - a quality which in our society seems to be a must. However, how can one stay so easily positive if the very illness that one has been diagnosed with doesn't allow a person to be positive or rational?
 Whether we are in a breakdown due to a work burnout, a chronic mental illness, a death of a close one or another chronic illness, we can choose to treat ourselves with self-compassion. To be patient with ourselves, to allow ourselves to be angry, anxious or depressed and to give ourselves all the love that we have.
 4. Common Humanity
 When we're going through a breakdown, we might feel very lonely. Alone in our room, we might feel like we are the only one that's going through a hard time. Especially when we look through our window onto the street, and everybody else is going about their day you might feel like life is passing you by and that you're missing out. In those moments, remember that you are not alone. There are many other people out there, right now, who go through a difficult time. Even though it seems like you're alone, you are not.
 Search the internet for stories of other people who have went through hard times in their life. Read their words and find out what deep wisdom they have learned by surviving such a difficult time. Ask friends and family for their stories.
 Remember: you are not alone. We are in this together.
 5. Listen to Your Body
 When we are in the midst of a nervous breakdown, it is important to listen to our body. We may feel very sad or even depressed and that can make us feel sleepy (especially if we've been prescribed tranquilisers). Many people experiencing a nervous breakdown can also feel exhausted. It's important to give our bodies the rest they need. However, do listen to your body for signs of oversleeping. Too much sleep can cause dizziness and brain fog, which we want to avoid at all costs.
 Also, make sure that you go outside once a day if possible, for a walk in nature. However, do make sure that you choose a path that's not too steep or too long and always be aware of how far it is to get back to your home. You don't want to end up exhausted in the woods. If going for a walk seems like too much, try some YouTube exercise or gentle yoga videos. Yoga with Adriene has a few easy and relaxing options.
 6. Reduce Technology
 Having a nervous breakdown, we often feel like everything is too much. Sounds are too loud and laptop screens might feel too bright. This is why it can be helpful to keep minimise technology.
 Order a hard copy book and immerse yourself into a story, which will make you feel good inside. The pages - just black and white - will help calm your mind. Audiobooks can also be useful. Close your eyes and listen. Just listen. You will notice that when your mind drifts off, you will quickly come back to listening - after all, you don't want miss the plot. This will give you a break from the endless ruminating and worrying.
 Try to use social media as little as possible. The endless scrolling won't make you feel better, and trust me, if you see all the oh-so-happy version of your friends lives, while you can't get out of bed, will not help. If you watch a movie, choose one that doesn't make you anxious or sad. Instead choose something calming or happy!
 7. Communicate Your Needs
 Going through a nervous breakdown, we don't have the energy that we usually have. It might be hard for us to pay those bills, clean our home, and complete other important tasks. In times like these, we need help from our friends and family. However, not all of us are good at asking for help, and not all the friends that we have are selfless enough to offer help. During a breakdown we already feel fragile enough, so having to feel disappointed because a friend lets us down, should be avoided at all costs.
 Thus, go through a list of friends in your mind and pick the ones you think will be willing to support you. Let those angels one by one know about your situation and kindly ask for their help. Also, if they say or do things that might hurt or annoy you, do


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Definition of Underweighted
Usually refers to recommendation that leads an investor to reduce their investment in a particular security or asset class. The reduction is usually with respect to a benchmark. Suppose that U.S. equities compose 40% of the benchmark portfolio. If one thinks the U.S. will underperform, the investor may reduce the exposure to U.S. equity to less than 40%.


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The Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Learning Platform was developed within the context of a programme being implemented by UNESCO entitled Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future, (O3). The purpose of this Platform is to encourage knowledge sharing and learning across countries, connecting different stakeholders, including but not limited to, policy makers, teachers, health workers, opinion leaders, parent/guardians, so that they can share experiences, resources, and lessons in promoting the health and well-being of adolescents and young people. The Learning Platform therefore provides a unique opportunity for countries to exchange and strengthen the delivery of good quality Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
The platform has a digital library which has several resources on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) including CSE curricular and CSE teaching and learning material; as well as an 'Ask and Share' forum where members can interact and engage in discussion on key issues.
Representatives from local and national governments, educational institutions, donor organizations, civil society organisations; policy makers; teachers; health workers; religious and traditional leaders; learners, and any interested individuals. The platform can be accessed by individuals from any part of the world.


for \({\texttt {CDBTune}}^{+}\). It consists two parts: an actor network and a critic network
Table 2 Detailed actor-critic network and parameters of DDPG
The algorithm contains seven main steps, which are summarized in pseudo code in Algorithm 1. Note that we use the prioritized experience replay (PER) [43] method to accelerate our model convergence in online training (detailed see Sect. 5.1).
Step 1 :
We first extract a batch of transitions \((s_t, r_t, a_t, s_{t+1})\) based on prioritized experience replay from the experience replay memory.
Step 2:
We feed \(s_{t+1}\) into the actor network and output the knob settings \(a^\prime _{t+1}\) to be executed at the next moment.
Step 3:
We get the value (score) \(V_{t+1}\) after sending \(s_{t+1}\) and \(a^\prime _{t+1}\) to the critic network.
Step 4:
According to the Q-Learning algorithm, \(V_{t+1}\) is multiplied by the discount factor \(\gamma \) and added to the value of the reward at time t. Now we can estimate the value of \(V^\prime _t\) of the current state \(s_t\).
Step 5:
We feed \(s_t\) (obtained at the first step) to the critic network and further acquire the value \(V_t\) of the current state.
Step 6:
We compute the squared difference between \(V^\prime _t\) and \(V_t\) and update the parameter \(\theta ^Q\) of the critic network by gradient descent.
Step 7:
We use \(Q(s=s_t,\mu (s_t)|\theta ^Q)\) provided by the critic network as the loss function, and adopt gradient descent as a means to guide the update of the actor network so that the critic network gives a higher score for the recommendation provided by the actor network each time.
To make it easier to understand and implement our algorithm, we elaborate the network structure and specific parameter values of DDPG in Table 2. Note that we also discuss the impact of the recommended configurations by different networks on the system's performance in Sect. 6.1.5.
Remark. Traditional machine learning methods rely on a massive amount of training samples to train the model. In contrast to that, we adopt the trial-and-error method to make our model generate diversified samples and learn via deep reinforcement learning, which only requires a limited amount of samples. We summarize the advantages of this approach. Firstly, for solving traditional game problems, we cannot predict how the environment will change after taking an action, because the environment of the game is random (for example, in Go, we do not know what the opponent will do next). However, in our DBMS tuning scenario, after a configuration is executed, the database (environment) will not randomly change after a configuration changes, due to the dependencies between knobs. Because of this, with relatively few samples, it is easier to learn DBMS tuning models than game problems with an adversary. Secondly, our \({\texttt {CDBTune}}^{+}\) model, only requires few input and output dimensions (63 and 266), which allows the network to efficiently converge without too many samples. Thirdly, RL also requires diverse samples, not only massive samples. For example, RL solves the game problems by processing each frame of the game screen to form the initial training samples. The time interval for each frame is very short, leading to a high redundancy of the training images. On the contrary, for DBMS tuning, we will change the parameters of database and collect the performance data. These data are diverse in our learning process, which allows us to constantly update and optimize the performance. Lastly, coupled with our efficient reward function, our method performs effectively with a small number of diverse samples (which will be evaluated in Sect. 6.3.1).
In summary, the DDPG algorithm makes it feasible for deep neural networks to process high-dimensional states and generate continuous actions. DQN is not able to directly map states to continuous actions for maximizing the action-value function. In DDPG, the actor can directly predict the values for all tunable knobs at the same time without considering the Q-value of a specific action and state.
Reward function
The reward function is vital in RL, as it determines the feedback information between the agent and environment. We aim for a function that simulates a DBA's empirical judgment of a real environment in the tuning process.
Next we describe how \({\texttt {CDBTune}}^{+}\) simulates a DBA's tuning process to design reward functions. First, we introduce a DBA's tuning process as follows:
 1. (1)
 Suppose that the initial performance of the DBMS is \(D_{0}\) and the final performance achieved by the DBA is \(D_{n}\).
 2. (2)
 The DBA tunes the knobs and the performance changes to \(D_{1}\) after the first tuning step. Then the DBA computes the performance change \(\varDelta (D_{1}, D_{0})\).
 3. (3)
 At the ith tuning iteration, the DBA expects that the current performance is better than that of the previous one (i.e., \(D_{i}\) is better than \(D_{i-1}\) where \(i 0\\ -((1-{\varDelta }_{t \rightarrow 0})^{2} -1) | 1-{\varDelta }_{t \rightarrow t-1} |,&{\varDelta }_{t \rightarrow 0} \leqslant 0 \end{aligned} \right. \end{aligned}$$
\(\varDelta \) can refer to the performance change of latency L or throughput T. As the ultimate goal of tuning is to achieve better performance than the initial settings, we need to reduce the impact of the intermediate process of tuning when designing the reward function. We therefore set r to 0 if the result of Eq. (8) is positive and \({\varDelta }_{t \rightarrow t-1}\) is negative.
We calculate the reward for throughput \(r_{T}\) and latency \(r_{L}\) according to Eq. (8). We combine these two rewards with the corresponding weights \(C_{L}\) and \(C_{T}\), where \(C_L+C_T=1\). Note that these weights can be set based on user preferences. We have r to denote the sum of rewards of throughput and latency:
$$\begin{aligned} r = C_{T} * r_{T}


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Adultism is the systemic mistreatment of young people based on their age, affecting their mental health, self-esteem, and overall well-being. It has historical roots, with societies traditionally giving more power to adults, often dismissing the voices of the younger generation. Adultism manifests in subtle forms such as language, limited decision-making power, and biased media representations. To break the cycle of adultism, educational reforms, youth activism, and creating safe spaces are essential. Adultism can manifest differently across cultures, so understanding these cultural nuances is crucial. To challenge adultist norms, parents should encourage open communication and shared decision-making, while policy advocacy and media literacy programs can help implement systemic changes. A more just and inclusive society can only be created by recognizing and resolving adultism, promoting open discourse, and addressing negative assumptions about people of all ages.
At its core, adultism is the systemic mistreatment of young people based on their age. It manifests in various forms, from subtle biases to overt discrimination, and can permeate institutions, relationships, and societal norms.
Historical Roots and Evolution
To understand adultism, we must trace its historical roots. Throughout history, societies have traditionally accorded more power and agency to adults, often dismissing the voices and perspectives of the younger generation. While progress has been made, vestiges of these age-based hierarchies persist today.
The Subtle Forms of Adultism
Language Matters: Examining how language shapes perceptions is crucial. Derogatory terms like "generation gap" can perpetuate stereotypes and undermine the credibility of young people.
Limited Decision-Making Power: Often, young individuals find themselves excluded from decisions that directly affect them, whether in the family, education system, or broader societal structures.
Media Representations: Analyzing how the media portrays young people provides valuable insights into prevailing adultist attitudes. Biased portrayals can reinforce stereotypes and hinder the development of a more inclusive society.
Impact on Youth Development
Understanding the impact of adultism on youth is essential for creating a more equitable future. Research consistently shows that exposure to discrimination based on age can have profound effects on mental health, self-esteem, and overall well-being.
Breaking the Cycle: Fostering an Inclusive Society
Educational Reforms: Advocating for educational reforms that empower young individuals with decision-making opportunities can challenge traditional power dynamics.
Promoting Youth Activism: Encouraging youth activism not only provides a platform for their voices but also challenges adultist norms and fosters a more inclusive society.
Creating Safe Spaces: Establishing safe spaces where young people can express themselves without fear of judgment is crucial for breaking down the barriers imposed by adultism.
Adultism in Different Cultures
It's essential to recognize that adultism can manifest differently across cultures. By exploring these cultural nuances, we gain a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges young people face globally.
Challenging Adultist Norms: A Call to Action
Parenting Practices: Parenting plays a pivotal role in shaping attitudes toward young people. Encouraging open communication and shared decision-making can contribute to breaking down age-based barriers.
Policy Advocacy: Engaging in policy advocacy to address institutionalized adultism ensures that systemic changes are implemented, creating a more inclusive environment for the younger generation.
Media Literacy Programs: Implementing media literacy programs can empower young people to critically evaluate media portrayals and challenge stereotypes.
Conclusion: Building a Future Free from Adultism
A more just and inclusive society can't be created without first recognizing and resolving adultism. The world may become more accepting of people of all ages when negative assumptions about them are challenged, policies are revised, and open discourse is encouraged. It's time to break down the barriers that adultism has erected so that people of all ages can have their opinions heard and valued.
Read More : rubblemagazine.com


Category:Kamarupa Kingdom
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Kamarupa, also called Pragjyotisha, was the first historical kingdom in Assam that existed between the 4th to the 12th century CE. Ruled by three dynasties from their capitals in present-day Guwahati and Tezpur, it covered the entire Brahmaputra river valley and, at times, North Bengal and parts of Bangladesh. Though the historical kingdom disappeared by 12th century to be replaced by smaller political entities, the notion of Kamarupa persisted and ancient and medieval chroniclers continued to call this region by this name. Coins of en:Alauddin Hussain Shah called the region Kamru or Kamrud.
Media in category "Kamarupa Kingdom"


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Why not see what your family crest could look like based on your own family characteristics?
- First enter your family name.
- Then enter your family motto. Don't have one? Be creative!
- Choose two crest colours based on the family characteristics offered. Remember if you choose the same qualities for both colours it will be the same colour!
- Choose a shield based on the family characteristics offered.
- Choose an icon based on the family characteristics offered.
- Enjoy your new family crest! Right click on your mouse to save your new family crest.
Have you done something cool with your crest?
Send us your photos of how you used your newly purchased family crest and enter a prize draw for a $30 Amazon voucher.
Coat of arms history
Traditional family crests stemmed from heraldic arms, also known as coat of arms or armorial bearings.
Heraldic arms were common throughout Europe in the Middle Ages (the 1000 years between the 5th and the 16th century).
Historically heraldic arms were a design belonging to a particular person or group of people. These designs tended to be used by knights and noble men to identify them apart from enemy soldiers. In such traditions these coat of arms were passed from father to son or from wife to daughter.
Over time the use of such crests moved from the military to families, regions and other institutions such as educational institutions.
In times past your own family ancestors would have approached a heraldic artist or officer of arms to design your family crest. You can do a family search using marriage records and obituaries, or obits, to learn more about your ancestry and the origins of your family crest. Your ancestors would have chosen attributes of that family that the officer of arms would depict in the family crest. These attributes would tend have been depicted through various shield designs, colour(s) and symbols, known as 'charges', such as animals and plant designs.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


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Delaware School Health Profiles
Roberta Gealt, Principal Investigator
Secondary School Survey--Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health through the Delaware Department of Education;
Elementary School Survey— Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health through the Delaware Department of Educationand Nemours Health Prevention Services.
The School Health Profiles (Profiles) is a system of surveys assessing school health policies and practices in states, large urban school districts, territories, and tribal governments. Profiles are completed biennially by middle and high school principals and lead health education teachers. The secondary school survey has been administered every other year in even-numbered years. The Center develops the Delaware version of the survey, based on a CDC survey, with input from state and community agencies. CDAS has conducted fieldwork for the surveys, scanned the surveys to provide a data set, and provided some analyses and report writing, and dissemination of findings. The study reports data which relates to other Center studies on substance abuse, and provides statewide data on health instruction, policies and practice in schools, as well as professional development for health instructors in specific areas relating to CDC priorities also addressed in the student survey, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The secondary school survey has been conducted since 2004and the elementary survey, which is administered to principals only, was administered for the first time in 2010. These surveys are now conducted electronically. The basic CDC elementary school survey has been enhanced with additional questions consistent with the goals of Nemours.


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Are you ready to discover a unique and effective way to boost your affiliate marketing efforts? Introducing the "Babies Day Out Method," a strategy designed to identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities in your niche. Let's break down this method into easy-to-understand steps.
Understanding the Basics Unleashing the Power of the Babies Day Out Method
This method revolves around finding new, small websites in your niche that are beginning to gain traffic but aren't fully established yet. By identifying what they're doing right and applying it to your content, you can enhance your site's performance.
Newcomers' Gold Rush: Step-by-Step Guide
1. Start with Keyword Research
Use Ahrefs Keyword Explorer: Enter your niche or main keyword into Ahrefs to begin your search.
2. Focus on Emerging Pages
Go to 'Traffic Share' by Page: In Ahrefs, look for pages ranking on the second page of search results and note those with moderate traffic but a low Domain Rating (DR), preferably under 5 or 8.
3. Analyze Domain Ratings and Traffic
Check DR and Traffic: Use the Ahrefs overview page to assess the Domain Rating and the number of referring domains for these pages.
4. Identify the 'Baby' Sites
Spot Low DR Sites: When you find a site with low DR, explore its main domain. If it has few backlinks but ranks for many keywords and attracts decent traffic, you've found a 'baby' site.
5. Learn from These Sites
Explore Their Keywords: Investigate the keywords these baby sites are ranking for. These are your clues to what's currently working in your niche.
6. Create Better Content
Outdo Their Efforts: Now, create high-quality content targeting these keywords. The goal is to produce better content than these baby sites, effectively 'carpet bombing' these opportunities.
Additional Resources for Success
a) Customizable Keyword Tracking Sheets
Track and Organize: Use tailored spreadsheets to keep track of potential baby sites and their successful keywords.
b) Guided Content Creation Templates
Create Impactful Content: Leverage templates specifically designed for affiliate marketing to structure your articles for maximum effect.
c) Step-by-Step Video Tutorials
Learn Visually: Access beginner-friendly video guides that walk you through each step of the Babies Day Out Method.
d) Engaging Quizzes
Engage Your Audience: Incorporate quizzes related to your affiliate products to make your content more interactive and engaging.
The "Babies Day Out Method" is a smart way to uncover hidden gems in your niche and use that knowledge to elevate your site. It's about learning from the emerging players and then doing it even better. With this method, you're not just following trends; you're staying ahead of them.


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Cracks are a bad thing in general, but they might help speed up chips.
AmberWave Systems, which specializes in semiconductor substructures, discussed a new method for growing germanium and other, faster semiconductor materials on top of silicon at the recent Semicon West conference, according to the Technology Review magazine of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In a nutshell, AmberWave digs trenches of about 500 nanometers deep in silicon. The trenches are then filled with germanium. This causes the silicon to crack, but the cracks go up only about half of the height of the trench wall. Regular germanium can be … Read more


text: 1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data A point charge of -2.09*10^(-6) C is located in the center of a spherical cavity of radius 6.54 cm inside an insulating spherical charged solid. The charge density in the solid is 7.36×10^(-4) C/(m^3). Calculate the magnitude of the electric field inside the solid at a distance of 9.48 cm from the center of the cavity. 2. Relevant equations [tex]\Phi[/tex]= EA = Qenc/[tex]\epsilon[/tex]0 E = Q/(4(pi)(epsilon sub 0)(r^2) 3. The attempt at a solution Bear with me, latex is a bit beyond my capabilities at the moment. I scanned my work. The answer didn't look right and of course, it was not. It also seemed strange not to use the radius of the cavity and even the given charge distribution, but I'm not sure how to incorporate them.


Recessions, poverty amid plenty and a solution in a eureka moment
Sir, I had a near economic eureka moment (Letters, September 21) when reading John Kay (and Mervyn King's) textbook on taxation in the early 1980s. They were describing the unique advantages of the land tax proposed by Henry George in 1879. True enlightenment came when I read the real thing, Progress and Poverty.
It was George who had the eureka moment while investigating why there are recessions and poverty amid plenty and came up with the frighteningly simple solution: the collection of community-created land values for public revenue.
Carol Wilcox
Labour Land Campaign


What is Next Gen Sequencing?
Next Gen Sequencing (NGS) refers to new, faster ways to sequence DNA and RNA that effectively revolutionise genomics and molecular biology.
Next gen sequencing definition
NGS, also called "high-throughput sequencing," is a term for a collection of genetic sequencing techniques that improve upon the original Sanger sequencing process. Examples include Illumina (Solexa) sequencing, Roche 454 sequencing, Ion torrent: Proton / PGM sequencing, and SOLiD sequencing. These modes of DNA and RNA sequencing use massively parallel processes to work faster and more cost effectively than the Sanger method.


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Our Calorie Calculator estimates how many Calories you will burn using Metabolic Equivalent (MET) values from Compendium of Physical Activities. The Compendium idenitifes the relative energy cost of undertaking various activities compared with doing nothing. We then combine this with your weight and the estimated duration of the activity, taking into account the length of the route and the hills involved, to estimate the total Calories burned.
When selecting an Activity setting, select the speed you would normally travel at on flat ground.
Please remember, the estimated number of Calories is just a guide and the actual number of Calories burned may vary depending on other factors such as weather and terrain.
This route can be downloaded in the following formats (click to download):
Please be careful to observe all signs for rights of way when following other people's routes, as we cannot guarantee that they do not cross private or hazardous land.
Please also be considerate and mindful of the interests of local residents when parking and following routes.
We have lots of detailed guides to help you get the most out of plotaroute.com. Here's a selection:


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to assessing a species' true status and recovery potential, as well as establishing management goals and monitoring population trends. Emily will also investigate the butterfly's taxonomic status. While most lepidopterists accept the subspecific status of Clayton's copper, others doubt its validity – especially since the taxonomic distinction between Clayton's and Dorcas Copper has never been quantified. Only detailed morphological and genetic analyses will determine if Clayton's Copper is a true subspecies, thus confirming and further increasing its conservation significance in Maine.
Roaring Brook Mayfly
In 1939, T.H. Frison climbed Mt. Katahdin and unknowingly made a discovery that would one day puzzle the experts. Frison, a well-known Illinois entomologist, was collecting mayflies and stoneflies as he and his family hiked to Chimney Pond on a late summer day. Several years later, one of those mayfly specimens would be described as a new species. Aptly named in memory of its collector, Epeorus frisoni went largely unnoticed for another half century. But in the early 1990s, MDIFW biologists began updating Maine's Endangered Species List and, for the first time ever, were considering the status of invertebrates. Mayflies were a well-studied group of insects, yet here was a species that had never been found anywhere else in the world since its discovery on Mt. Katahdin in 1939. This long history of a single occurrence, despite extensive collections and surveys of mayflies throughout Maine and North America, ultimately led to Epeorus frisoni being listed as endangered in Maine in 1997.
Unofficially dubbed the "Roaring Brook mayfly", this little insect remained a big mystery to MDIFW biologists now responsible for ensuring its conservation. Nothing was known about its life history, habitat requirements, or conservation needs. Its current status and distribution on Katahdin were also unknown, since no one had looked for it there since its original collection at "Roaring Brooks". To complicate matters, the species' taxonomic validity had come under question. Its similarity to a closely related species had led at least one mayfly expert to suggest that the original specimen might be just a variant form of a more common Epeorus species found in Maine.
Without additional taxonomic study and an assessment of the species' current status at Roaring Brook, MDIFW could not even begin to understand or address the mayfly's conservation needs. If the same animal could be collected again, a mayfly expert might be able to determine if the original species description was accurate. If Epeorus frisoni was not a valid species, it certainly did not belong on the State's Endangered Species List. However, if it was a valid species, Frison's namesake would endure as one of the rarest mayflies in the world.
Recently, with special permission from Baxter State Park, MDIFW surveyed Roaring Brook and two of its tributaries to collect specimens of the Epeorus species that occur there. With the expert help of Dr. Steven Burian, a mayfly taxonomist from Southern Connecticut State University, MDIFW was able to confirm that some of the specimens collected from the two tributaries of Roaring Brook matched the specimen collected by Frison in 1939. By comparing them to other species of Epeorus found in Maine, we were also able to confirm that Epeorus frisoni was indeed a distinct and valid species!
Since then, Dr. Burian has also located a specimen of E. frisoni in a recent collection from Vermont. While it now appears the Roaring Brook Mayfly is not endemic just to Katahdin or to Maine, its status as a "narrow endemic" (i.e., having an extremely limited distribution) is very rare, and E. frisoni is the only mayfly known to be endemic to New England. Its single occurrence in Maine also continues to support the species' listing status as state-endangered – allowing MDIFW to confidently advance an investigation of the mayfly's life history and conservation needs. The more we learn, the more effectively MDIFW can survey for new occurrences statewide and further investigate the species' rarity.
In 2005-2006, MDIFW continued surveys for the Roaring Brook Mayfly as part of ongoing ecoregional surveys for rare species. While high-elevation, headwater streams are not a common habitat type in the targeted Eastern Lowlands and Aroostook Hills and Lowlands ecoregions, streams on several of the highest peaks were sampled. No Epeorus frisoni were found. In 2007, MDIFW began surveys in the Western and Central Mountains ecoregions – two areas of the state that hold the greatest promise of finding new occurrences of this rare mayfly.
Funding for this work comes from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund (Maine's conservation lottery ticket), "Loon Plate" revenues, and "Chickadee Check-off" contributions on the State income tax form. Thank you!
Region A - Southwestern Maine
|Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved.|


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Dáil Éireann - Volume 473 - 23 January, 1997
Written Answers. - Students with Disabilities.
Dr. Woods Dr. Woods
 33. Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Education if she will introduce a charter of rights for students with disabilities to ensure that every student with a disability has the right to an education and to essential support services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24649/96]
Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach) Niamh Bhreathnach
Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach): I do not propose to introduce a formal charter of rights for students with disabilities. I am satisfied that the proposals outlined in the White Paper on Education, "Charting our Education Future" and ecompassed in the Education Bill, 1997, will give all students with a disability a right of access to suitable education and support services.
A fundamental principle reflected in the White Paper and the Education Bill is that all students, regardless of their personal circumstances, have a right of access to and participation in the education system, according to their potential and ability.
The objective is to ensure to the maximum possible extent that all children with disabilities will have access to suitably resourced education services in their own areas and within the ordinary school system.
I am satisfied that the measures outlined in the White Paper and in the Education Bill provide adequate assurance to people with disabilities that their rights to an education service are being fully respected and provided for.
Dáil Éireann 473 Written Answers. Students with Disabilities.


Why you suffer disappointments in love and relationships
Unfaithful wife.jpg
Have you ever wondered why some people have it rosy in love and relationships? The answers you seek aren't all with astrologers and will never depend on luck, fate or your desire to love and be loved.
New findings from researchers show that everyone's love life is mostly a reflection of the mother's romantic history—with regards to fidelity, respect and loyalty, among other personal characteristics.
According to Claire Kamp Dush, a lead researcher and associate professor of human sciences and sociology at Ohio State University, mothers are crucial in determining their children's love life because every woman has some certain attributes that make her desirable—more or less—in the marriage market.
'These attractive or unappealing characteristics also make women better or worse at relationships,' Dush explained, 'and children inherit these attitudes, skills and behaviors at a very young age, eventually taking every bit of it with them into their relationships and marriages.'
The team of researchers in Dush's team examined results from data collected in a nationwide survey involving over 7,100 participants in a period of 24 years.
Findings show that survey participants are most likely to follow the same path if their mothers had rocky marriages or enjoyed romantic relationships with their partners.
The results also showed that women who spent more years cohabitating with their partners "before or without marriage" are most likely to have timid kids who end up as heart-breakers.
Dush described cohabitation as "an attractive, lower-commitment type of relationship" which does not benefit children, especially if a mother stayed in such relationships for a longer period of time. 'Participants from such mothers often grow used to cohabiting relationships and are most likely to break up with their lovers for lack of commitment,' she wrote in PLoS One in November.
One thought on "Why you suffer disappointments in love and relationships


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Preoperative splenic artery embolization for massive splenomegaly has been shown to reduce intraoperative hemorrhage during splenectomy. We describe a case of tumor lysis syndrome after proximal splenic artery embolization in a patient with advanced mantle cell lymphoma and splenic involvement. The patient presented initially with hyperkalemia two days after embolization that worsened during splenectomy. He was stabilized, but developed laboratory tumor lysis syndrome with renal failure and expired. High clinical suspicion of tumor lysis syndrome in this setting is advised. Treatment must be started early to avoid serious renal injury and death. Lastly, same day splenectomy and embolization should be considered to decrease the likelihood of developing tumor lysis syndrome.
- Mantle cell lymphoma
- Proximal splenic artery embolization
- Splenic artery embolization
- Tumor lysis syndrome
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging


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Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
James Maxton was a Scottish politician. Born in the burgh of Pollokshaws (now part of the city of Glasgow) in 1885, he was the son of two schoolteachers, the profession he would later enter himself. He is viewed as one of the leading figures of the Red Clydeside era.
Maxton had whilst studying at the University of Glasgow described his political loyalties as lying with the Conservatives. He later embraced the ideology of socialism and in 1904 he joined the Barrhead branch of the Independent Labour Party (ILP).
Maxton's move to socialism was heavily influenced by John Maclean, a fellow student at Glasgow University, who would also become a schoolteacher. Maclean was not alone in influencing Maxton; it was directly following a meeting in Paisley addressed by the socialist Philip Snowden that he decided to join the ILP.
Maxton in his later life claimed that the biggest influence in his decision to become a socialist was the grinding poverty experienced many of the children he taught.
Maxton, along with Maclean, was a vociferous opponent of World War I and he spent a year in prison for campaigning against the war. He and Ramsay MacDonald were responsible for moving the motion at the Labour Party's National Executive Committee which dictated that Labour members of the wartime coalition government resign from it in preparation for the 1918 General Election.
Maxton became the ILP MP for Glasgow Bridgeton at the 1922 General Election and led the ILP thereafter. He was initially keen that the ILP retained its affiliation with the Labour Party but later changed his mind and led the ILP out of any association with Labour.
Maxton died (still a sitting MP for Bridgeton) in 1946. After his death the ILP stagnated until it ceased to be a viable independent political party. Maxton was considered one of the greatest orators of his day both within and outwith the the House of Commons.
However, his forthright views often caused controversy, indeed his parliamentary privileges were withdrawn on one occasion when he called Winston Churchill "a murderer" following the government's decision to withdraw school milk. Churchill, whilst holding political opinions wholly inconsistent with those of Maxton, described him as 'the greatest parliamentarian of his day'.
The contents of this article is licensed from _URL_ under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details


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We mentioned a recent paper that examined silicon/carbon fibers for use in batteries. Shown above is a TEM image from the paper. From it you can tell the fibers are essentially hollow carbon fibers with a layer of silicon around the outside edge.
Transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) work by shooting a beam of electrons through a sample. The sample has to be quite thin to let the electrons through, but since these fibers are around 100 nm thick that is fine. The important thing is that the image is made with electrons. This is different than the sort of images you're used to, such as those made with cameras, regular microscopes, or even your eyes: all of those images are made by light. Electrons have a smaller wavelength than light, and so electron microscopes work at extremely high resolution: in some cases you can make out individual atoms with them.
Why would anyone care about silicon-coated nano-fibers? Because lithium ions can be stored inside silicon, and that makes these fibers well-suited to storing lithium for lithium ion batteries. Some researchers think we may be able to extend the life of batteries using these.


Court of Appeal Recognizes Employee Privacy Rights in Work Computer Subject to Employer Policy and Procedure
Date: March 29, 2011
One week ago, the Ontario Court of Appeal issued a judgement that is very significant for its consideration of an employee's expectation of privacy in personal information stored on a work computer. In R. v. Cole, the Court recognized an expectation of privacy in the specific circumstances of the case, but also demonstrated a willingness to allow employers to govern system information, and impliedly restrict employees' expectations of privacy, through clearly articulated policy and procedure. In this FTR Now, we discuss the implications of this decision for employers.
A school board investigated a teacher after noticing he had an abnormally high level of activity between his board-issued laptop and the board's server. A member of the board's IT staff accessed his laptop remotely in order to perform a virus scan and to verify the integrity of the computer system. While performing this administrative work, the IT technician found nude photographs of a 16-year-old Grade 10 student.
The technician took a screen shot of the laptop to preserve a record of what he had found, and reported the matter to the school principal. At the direction of the principal, the technician copied the screen shot that he had taken, along with copies of the photographs, onto a disc for preservation. Soon after, the board obtained the laptop from the teacher (who refused to provide his password), and made a copy of the computer's temporary internet files, which were copied onto a second disc.
The board then provided both discs and the laptop computer to the police. The police proceeded to perform a search of the entire computer, and created a mirror image of the complete hard drive. This was all performed without first obtaining a search warrant.
The police charged the teacher with possession of child pornography and unauthorized use of a computer. In his defence, the teacher applied to exclude the evidence based on a breach of his right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure under section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ("Charter").
Justice Karakatsanis wrote the decision on behalf of the Court of Appeal. In the course of her analysis, she assumed that the Charter applied to the actions of the school board, but did not make a specific finding in this regard (presumably, in part because she found that the board did not violate the Charter in any event, as discussed below).
While the board owned the laptop computer and had provided it for a work purpose, the Court of Appeal found the teacher had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the contents of his laptop computer based on the following factors:
 - the teacher had exclusive possession of the laptop;
 - he had permission to use it for personal use;
 - he had permission to take it home on evenings, weekends and summer vacation;
 - there was no evidence the board actively monitored teachers' use of laptops; and
 - the board did not have a clear and unambiguous policy to monitor, search or otherwise police the teacher's use of his laptop.
This last factor is unique and somewhat limits the significance of the reasonable expectation finding. The board had a computer use policy that contained a warning regarding searches of e-mail communications, but did not contain a similar warning for other information stored on the board's network or on laptop computers. The Court relied on this limitation rather notably, but nonetheless recognized a reduced expectation of privacy based on a general finding about system administrator privileges:
Business and other institutions commonly engage technicians to service and maintain their networks. Users understand that a technician can access computers connected to the network to ensure the integrity of the system.
Because the school board's technician stayed within an "implied right of access" corresponding to this privilege, the Court held that the school board did not violate section 8 by its initial inspection of the laptop. It rejected the defence argument that, without a clear and unambiguous policy authorizing random searches, a government employer must meet either a reasonable and probable ground or reasonable suspicion standard to conduct a search. Instead, the Court suggested that the only question in determining whether a search is properly authorized in the absence of specific authorizing policy language is whether the search is conducted for a purpose consistent with proper systems administration.
The Court of Appeal also found that the board did not violate section 8 of the Charter when, upon the direction of the principal, the technician made copies of the screen shot he had created and of the images that he had initially discovered. In coming to this conclusion, the Court upheld the reasonableness of these actions on the basis of the principal's overriding obligation to ensure the health and safety of students in the school. The further search by the school board (when the copy was made of the temporary internet files) was also found to be reasonable.
In contrast to its findings with respect to the searches performed by the technician, principal and board, the Court of Appeal found that the police search did amount to an unreasonable search and seizure under section 8 of the Charter. Key to this finding was the earlier finding that the teacher enjoyed a reasonable expectation of privacy in the contents of the laptop, and that a search of a computer is a highly invasive search. The Court went on to exclude all of the evidence uncovered by the police search, and conditionally excluded the disc containing the copy of the temporary internet files. However, the original screen shot and copies of the images originally discovered by the technician were not excluded, and will be considered by the trial court when the case proceeds to a trial.
This case highlights for employers the growing recognition of employee privacy expectations associated with the personal use of employer computer systems. Moreover, the case also highlights that courts and other decision-makers will give legal recognition to those expectations where an employer has created objective conditions that enhance the employees' subjective expectations of privacy. Given that most employers permit some personal use of computers, this trend can be expected to continue.
However, the case does not go so far as to say that employee expectations of privacy are absolute. Even in the absence of a clear policy statement, the Court still limited the privacy expectation to permit routine system administration activities. Moreover, there is a strong suggestion throughout the judgement that employers can shape and limit their employees' expectation of privacy through the articulation and enforcement of a clear computer use policy and procedure that provides to the employer a clear right to monitor and control employee personal content and places clear limits on their employees' privacy interests. Such a policy is especially important if an employer is going to permit reasonable personal use of its IT systems by its employees.
If you would like to discuss the implications of this decision for your organization or would like a lawyer from our firm to assist you to review your organisation's existing computer use policies, please contact Paul Broad at _PHONE_, Scott Williams at _PHONE_, any other member of our firm's Information and Privacy Group or your regular Hicks Morley Lawyer.


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Each guide helps parents:
- Support learning at home through fun, curriculum-related activities,
- View important curriculum concepts covered at each grade,
- Build stronger relationships with their child with collaborative projects.
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We hope the Parent Guides will help you make this summer a perfect learning vacation!


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You may know someone with a big heart, but you probably haven't seen one the size of the whale heart that is on display now in Beaufort.
The heart of a male sperm whale was put on display at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort Thursday morning. After a nine-year, 2,300 mile journey, the heart and skeleton of a male sperm whale is ready for the public to see this Valentine's Day week. The whale is named "Echo" and his skeleton currently hangs in the museum.
"We should all think about our hearts more often in many ways. It's good to have this display and since I'm a marine biologist I think it's great to bring biology into it and educate people," said Victoria Thayer.
"It felt very rubbery. I wasn't grossed out by it or anything, but I think it's fascinating that they're able to preserve it like that so that you can actually visualize what the inside looks like." said visitor Nan Holton.
The heart was plastinated at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Plastination is a process used to preserve body parts where the water and fat are replaced by plastics. Once plastinated, the body part can be touched and does not smell or decay.
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